Which line shows effect on others by prompting respect or fear?

• A. The crowd whispered behind his back, their eyes avoiding him.
• B. When she entered, colleagues stood straighter and offered respectful nods.
• C. He sprinted to the door to help a fallen student.
• D. Her notebook lay open, revealing meticulous notes.

Answer: (B)

When someone carries presence or authority, others often adjust their behavior to show respect or deference. In the line where she enters, colleagues straighten up and give respectful nods. This visible change—taller posture and intentional nodding—is a clear social cue that they acknowledge her status or authority. It shows how a person’s presence can prompt others to respond with respect, using body language as the signal.

The other lines depict different dynamics: one shows a crowd covertly judging and avoiding eye contact, which signals unease or fear but not a respectful acknowledgment; another focuses on an action by the person that others might admire, but it doesn’t illustrate a direct change in how others respond to her authority; the last just reveals a detail about the person’s work without showing others’ reaction.