Which description best fits Brian's physical state after the changes?

• A. Very skinny and tan, skin leathery.
• B. Healthy and muscular.
• C. Pale and weak.
• D. Taller and hairier.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how harsh survival conditions reshape Brian’s body: he becomes lean from limited food, and his skin darkens and toughens from constant sun and exposure. In the wilderness, calories are scarce and effort is constant, so weight drops and the body becomes wiry. Sun and wind dry and roughen the skin, giving it a leathery feel. That combination—extreme thinness plus sun-kissed, weathered skin—fits the description described in the text.

The other states don’t match what happens in this situation. Being healthy and muscular would require steady nourishment and regular exertion beyond what survival allows; being pale and weak suggests illness more than adaptation to the outdoors; becoming taller and hairier isn’t a typical outcome of severe, long-term exposure and scarcity.