In _____ and moved inwards the kitchen, like one sleepwalking, the simile portrays one who is

Analyzing the question

The question asks what the simile "like one sleepwalking" tells us about the character who moved inwards into the kitchen. The passage is partly blank in the question as given, so we rely on the meaning of the simile itself.

The concept

A simile compares two things using "like" or "as". The key is to ask what qualities the comparison brings out. Here the person's movement is compared to that of a sleepwalker.

A sleepwalker:

• moves without being fully conscious of their actions
• is unaware of their surroundings
• acts mechanically, with the mind elsewhere

Testing the options

• A. Absent minded: This fits. Someone who moves like a sleepwalker is physically present but mentally elsewhere, acting automatically.
• B. Disappointed: Disappointment would be shown through sadness, sighing or a drooping posture, not through unconscious, trance-like movement.
• C. Passion driven: A sleepwalker is not driven by strong feeling. Their movement is aimless and dazed.
• D. Morose: Morose means sullen and gloomy. A sleepwalker is not necessarily bad-tempered, just unaware.

Conclusion

The simile shows a person who is mentally distant and acting automatically, which is the meaning of being absent-minded.

Exam tip

For simile questions, ignore the surface image and ask what quality the comparison highlights. "Sleepwalking" suggests unawareness, so look for options like "absent-minded", "dazed" or "unaware". Also check the surrounding context in the passage, because a character could be sleepwalking-like from shock or grief. Where the passage isn't available, choose the option closest to the literal meaning of the image.