His stepmother ______ him for his mistakes. Initially, Jack would reply sharply, but each time he felt the sting of his stepmother’s ringed hand on his cheek, he sank further into silence. A

Choose the option A, B, C, or D that best fits the sentence.

His stepmother ______ him for his mistakes. Initially, Jack would replysharply, but each time he felt the sting of his stepmother’s ringed hand on his cheek, he sank further into silence.