What happens to the merchants in the market after Humbug's accident?

• A. They become silent and refuse to speak.
• B. They start shouting orders and seize control of the market.
• C. They all talk in nonsense, and eventually clean up and restore the words.
• D. They leave town and never return.

Answer: (C)

This item tests what happens to language and order when chaos disrupts the Market of Words. After Humbug’s accident, the merchants suddenly start talking in nonsense, showing how quickly meaning can fall apart when speech goes awry. The story then moves toward restoring that order: the merchants continue speaking nonsense for a while, but eventually they clean things up and restore the words to their proper meaning. This demonstrates the book’s idea that words have power and must be cared for to keep communication clear.

The other outcomes don’t fit the moment: becoming silent would imply a complete stop in speech, which isn’t what happens; seizing control by shouting orders isn’t how the market resolves the disruption; and leaving town avoids fixing the problem and returning to normal speech.