Kezia's stammering before her father expresses which inner condition?

Correct answer: Nervousness and fear

The direct answer is B: nervousness and fear. Stammering in this scene is not presented as a physical lesson about speech; it is a sign of Kezia’s emotional pressure when she faces her father. She expects him to be strict or displeased, so she becomes tense, loses ease and cannot speak smoothly. Her behaviour therefore reveals intimidation and anxiety. A is wrong because a confident child would generally speak more freely and would not be so frightened by the listener’s reaction. C is wrong because an indifferent person would not worry much about what the father thinks; Kezia clearly cares about his response. D is wrong because excitement usually produces eagerness or lively speech, whereas Kezia’s hesitation comes from fear. Later, when she understands her father’s caring side, her emotional security improves. The useful distinction is between an outward behaviour and the feeling behind it: here the outward stammering is evidence of inner anxiety. Thus B is the only option supported by the story.