Do you think the narrator expected to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village? If yes, why? If no, why not?
No, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village. She was completely surprised to see her cry because she had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations.
Her grandmother was a lady who was usually always smiling, making the tears highly unexpected and out of character. This sudden emotional display worried the narrator, prompting her to immediately ask, “Avva, is everything all right? Are you okay?” The grandmother's tears were shocking precisely because of her strong and cheerful nature.
Explanation
The textbook explicitly states that the narrator was surprised to see her grandmother in tears because she had never seen her cry before, even in difficult times. The grandmother's usual smiling demeanor made the tears completely unexpected for the narrator.
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the narrator's reaction to the grandmother's tears from the text (she was surprised).
Step 2: State the reason for this reaction from the text (she had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations and she was usually always smiling).
Step 3: Conclude that the narrator did not expect the tears based on this evidence.