The old man must have stopped our car two dozen times to climb out and gather into his hands the small toads blinded by our lights and leaping, live drops of rain. What are readers most likely to infer from the phrase "leaping, live drops of rain"? The toads are all hurt. The toads are still alive. The toads are in shock. The toads are not moving.

The toads are still alive.

Explanation:

What readers will most likely infer from the phrase "leaping, live drops of rain" is "The toads are still alive."

Actually, toads leap and it's only toads that are alive that can leap. One will think the answer is the toads were in shock because they were blinded by the lights but that's not what readers will most likely infer.

"The toads are still alive" is what the readers will most likely infer.

This excerpt was culled from "Birdfoot's Grampa" - a poem by Joseph Bruchac.

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