The Key With No Lock
Written by Studio AM.
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Old Pavel repaired locks for forty years, and he believed that every lock was a small argument about trust. A lock, he liked to say, causes a moment of hesitation. Who has the right to open this door?
One October a woman brought him a key with no lock. She had found it in her late father's coat. It was brass, heavy, and stamped with a number that meant nothing to her. Could he tell her what it opened?
Pavel turned it under the lamp for a long minute. The wear on the teeth suggested frequent use, but it did not tell him where the lock was. Beyond that, he said, a key by itself says very little.
The woman looked disappointed, and he understood why. Perhaps she had hoped that finding the door would tell her something about her father. Pavel could describe the metal in his hand, but he could not supply the story she wanted.
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Questions
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Question 1 of 4
What is the passage mainly about?
The answer is B: A locksmith cannot give a woman the personal history she hopes to find
Pavel can describe evidence of use, but not identify the door or explain the key's place in her father's life.
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Question 2 of 4
Where did the woman find the key?
The answer is A: In her late father's coat
The second paragraph says she had found it in her late father's coat.
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Question 3 of 4
Why does Pavel stop after describing the wear?
The answer is C: The wear does not establish where or why the key was used.
Frequent use is suggested by the wear, but that evidence does not reveal a location or the father's personal history.
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Question 4 of 4
What does 'hesitation' mean in this passage?
The answer is A: a short pause before acting
Pavel describes a moment before opening a door. Hesitation is a pause before deciding or acting.
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