What did the father do when Kezia tore the papers?

Correct answer: He hit her on the palms with a ruler

Option D is correct. When Kezia’s father learned that she had torn his important speech papers, he became angry and struck her palms with a ruler. This punishment intensifies Kezia’s fear and shows the harshness of their relationship at that point in the story. However, the incident must be read alongside her innocent intention: she was trying to make a pin cushion and did not know the papers were valuable. Options A, B and C do not describe what happened. The governing concept is the gap between a child’s innocent mistake and an adult’s angry response, a contrast that later changes when the father shows tenderness and protection.