What news does Gremio bring Hortensio regarding Bianca?

• A. He has secured a wealthy suitor for Bianca
• B. He has found a school master for Bianca
• C. Bianca is ill
• D. Hortensio's wealth is insufficient

Answer: (C)

The thing being tested is your ability to recognize what information is being conveyed in a specific moment and how it affects the characters’ plans. In this scene, Gremio brings news about Bianca’s health to Hortensio, stating that Bianca is ill. This matters because Bianca’s illness explains why Hortensio’s immediate pursuit is stalled and why the two suitors must adjust their strategy. It shifts the focus from chasing Bianca directly to dealing with the delay and the opportunities that arise from it, setting up later plot developments (like other people entering the scene with different schemes).

The other possibilities don’t fit the moment as well: news of a wealthy suitor would push a different momentum and isn’t what Gremio reports here; finding a school master for Bianca is tied to Lucentio’s deception and becomes relevant through his actions, not through Gremio’s message; and Hortensio’s wealth being insufficient isn’t the point of the news shared in this exchange.