What effect does the machine teacher's control of education have on the child's freedom?

Correct answer: The child becomes dependent on the machine for the pace and sequence of lessons

The governing concept is the tension between personalised convenience and technological control. Margie’s mechanical teacher follows a programmed structure: it presents lessons, gives tests, and operates at a set level or pace determined by the system. Although the machine may be adjusted by adults, Margie herself does not freely decide the complete sequence, timing, or content of her education. Therefore option A is correct: dependence on the machine limits the child’s control over how learning is organised. Option B is the opposite of the evidence because she cannot simply choose every lesson according to personal interest. Options C and D invent actions that Margie never takes. The story suggests that education can appear individualised while still being governed by an impersonal programme.