Think about the connotation of the highlighted words: "A member of the honor guard knelt in front of my frail, aging mother, looked her directly in the eye and in a
soft voice, thanked her-and my father-for his service."

Which best describes the author's viewpoint toward efforts to improve the quality of
life for veterans?

A. The author has little hope that efforts to improve quality of life for veterans will
ever have a significant impact.

B. The author is frustrated by the amount of resources dedicated to veteran
welfare.

C. The author is dismissive of ongoing efforts to improve quality of life for veterans,
noting that veterans already receive heartfelt gratitude for their service.

D. The author is sympathetic to the needs of veterans. She also admires and
respects them.