What did Ackley do that annoys Holden?

• A. He borrows Holden's clothes without asking.
• B. He yells loudly in the room.
• C. He walks around Holden's room, picks up stuff, and puts it back in the wrong place.
• D. He helps Holden study late at night.

Answer: (C)

The point being tested is Holden’s sensitivity to people who invade his personal space and disrupt his environment. Ackley annoys Holden most when he treks around Holden’s room, touches Holden’s things, and moves them to different places. That meddling and rearranging shows a lack of respect for Holden’s privacy and his need for a little order, which feeds Holden’s irritation in that moment. The other behaviors aren’t what Holden fixates on in this scene—the disturbing element is Ackley curiously rummaging through Holden’s space and disturbing the arrangement of his belongings.