From the adventures of tom sawyer by mark twain as he was passing by the house where jeff thatcher lived, he saw a new girl in the garden—a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered pan-talettes. the fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot. a certain amy lawrence vanished out of his heart and left not even a memory of herself behind. he had thought he loved her to distraction; he had regarded his passion as adoration; and behold it was only a poor little evanescent partiality. he had been months winning her; she had confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is done.

identify the word that best describes tom sawyer as he is depicted in this excerpt.

a. preoccupied
b. concerned
c. impulsive
d. horrified

Which two elements does this excerpt from a christmas carol by charles dickens contain? "a small matter," said the ghost, “to make these silly folks so full of gratitude." "small! " echoed scrooge. the spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices, who were pouring out their hearts in praise of fezziwig: and when he had done so, said, "why! is it not? he has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four perhaps. is that so much that he deserves this praise? " "it isn’t that," said scrooge, heated by the remark, and speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter, self. "it isn't that, spirit. he has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? the happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune." he felt the spirit's glance, and stopped. "what is the matter? " asked the ghost. "nothing particular," said scrooge. "something, i think? " the ghost insisted. "no," said scrooge, "no. i should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now. that's all."