How does Tommy's explanation accelerate the idea in the plot?

Correct answer: He clarifies comparison by describing old schools

The governing narrative concept is exposition: a character’s explanation supplies information that develops the central idea. Tommy explains that the old book describes schools where children studied together, had human teachers, and followed a common timetable. His words allow Margie to compare that collective experience with her solitary lessons from a mechanical teacher. This comparison quickly moves the plot from the discovery of a strange book to Margie’s reflective conclusion that the old schools must have been more enjoyable. Option A is correct because Tommy’s explanation advances both information and theme. B, C, and D describe events that do not occur and therefore cannot explain the plot’s development.