How did Billie assess her son's death?

• A. He died unexpectedly
• B. She found it hopeful
• C. She blamed herself
• D. Comforting to know he was there and spent time alongside the river

Answer: (D)

This question tests how to read a character’s emotional response to a death and how symbolic details shape that response. In the passage, Billie’s assessment centers on a sense of comfort derived from the idea that her son was present and shared time with him by the river. The river becomes a symbol of peace, memory, and a meaningful moment they had together, which helps her cope with the loss. That specific interpretation—finding comfort in the belief that he was there and that they spent time beside the river—best captures the emotional takeaway the text presents.

The other options don’t fit as well because they either state a factual event (the death being unexpected) rather than the emotional response, or they describe a different emotional reaction (finding it hopeful in general or blaming herself) that the passage doesn’t emphasize as strongly or at all.