Which statement best captures the bias shown in Baptista's reaction?

• A. Men's word is trusted over women's
• B. Women's word is trusted over men's
• C. Both words are trusted equally
• D. It is not about words at all

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that male authority dominates how people judge a woman’s behavior. In this moment, Baptista tends to believe what Petruchio says about Katharina’s conduct more than Katharina herself says. Petruchio’s reports shape Baptista’s view of Katharina, treating the male voice as the trustworthy measure of her obedience, while Katharina’s own words are given less weight. This shows a bias that men’s statements about women carry more credibility than women’s own statements, reflecting the gender norms of the world in which the play is set.

So the best choice captures that men’s word is trusted over women’s. The idea that women’s word is trusted, that both are trusted equally, or that the issue isn’t about words at all, doesn’t align with how Baptista’s reaction is framed.