According to the passage, what was surprising about the actions of the dog when it approached the prisoner?

Introduction / Context:
In this reading comprehension question, the focus is on a specific and surprising detail within the narrative. The passage describes how a dog suddenly appears during a prisoner walk to the gallows and behaves in an unexpected way. The question asks what exactly was surprising about the dog actions. To answer correctly, we must recall the exact behaviour that startled everyone and made them stand aghast.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The dog comes bounding into the yard during a solemn procession towards an execution.
• It barks loudly, jumps around the people, and then rushes towards the prisoner.
• The narrator states that, before anyone could stop it, the dog jumped up and tried to lick the prisoner face.
• Everyone stands aghast and is too taken aback even to grab at the dog.

Concept / Approach:
The unusual or surprising element here is the contrast between the grim seriousness of a march to the gallows and the dog friendly affection towards the prisoner. In such a context, people expect solemnity, fear, or hostility, not casual friendliness. Therefore, the dog attempt to lick the prisoner face is striking because it treats the condemned man as a friend to be greeted, not as someone marked for death. Our approach is to identify the option that reflects this specific and remarkable action, rather than general behaviour like barking or running.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Revisit the part of the passage where the dog interacts with the prisoner. Step 2: Note that the dog makes a dash for the prisoner and jumps up to try to lick his face. Step 3: Observe the immediate reaction: everyone stands aghast and is too taken aback to act. Step 4: Understand that this reaction indicates that the particular action was unexpected and surprising. Step 5: Compare this detail with the options provided. Step 6: Recognise that the option It licked the prisoner's face directly reflects this striking behaviour.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can now check why the other options do not fit the passage. There is mention of the dog bounding around the group and barking, but nothing about it running up and down the path as a main surprising feature. There is no suggestion that the dog bit the guards or attacked anyone; in fact, its behaviour is entirely affectionate. It does bark, but not specifically at the magistrates, and the focus is not on barking but on the affectionate contact with the prisoner. The narrative explicitly highlights the attempt to lick the prisoner face as the central unexpected event. This confirms that option D best summarises what was surprising about the dog actions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
It ran up and down the path: Although the dog does move around energetically, the passage does not single this out as the surprising action that stunned everyone.
It bit the guards: There is no mention of biting or aggression. The dog is friendly and playful throughout this scene.
It barked at the magistrates: The dog barks, but the text does not say that it focuses on the magistrates. The key detail is its interaction with the prisoner.
It licked the prisoner's face: This is the specific behaviour that shocked everyone because it showed affectionate playfulness at a moment of solemn, tragic seriousness.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students may choose an option that sounds dramatic, such as biting the guards, even though the passage does not support it. Others may focus on the barking, which is mentioned but not highlighted as the main surprising action. To avoid such pitfalls, readers should pay attention to details that the author emphasises and to the reactions of the characters in the text. When the narrator states that everyone stood aghast right after describing the attempt to lick the prisoner face, that is a strong cue that this is the key action to remember.

Final Answer:
The surprising thing about the dog behaviour was that it licked the prisoner's face in the middle of a solemn march to the gallows.