Elizabeth and her cousin Abigail quickly became the center of attention. Known as the afflicted, the two named more and more innocent townspeople as witches. Soon, other girls in town followed suit when they saw what kind of attention was elicited through an accusation. When Bridget Bishop was called on in court, she was first asked to pass a test—which was to recite “The Lord’s Prayer.”

How does this excerpt develop the universal theme that hysteria can be contagious?


A)Elizabeth and Abigail encouraged others to join.
B)Other girls started to accuse people for attention.
C)Bridget Bishop tried to get attention, too, in court.
D)Many townspeople realized that they were witches.