What did Mr. Spencer do that annoyed Holden?

• A. He interrupted Holden during the lesson.
• B. He read aloud one of Holden's essays.
• C. He praised Holden's writing.
• D. He assigned extra homework.

Answer: (B)

The thing being tested is Holden’s sensitivity to being exposed and judged by adults. In that moment, Mr. Spencer reads one of Holden’s essays aloud, which puts Holden’s private, imperfect writing on display for someone else. That public airing feels humiliating to Holden, revealing his flaws and academic struggles to the very adult authority figure he already dislikes and distrusts. He wants to keep his thoughts and work to himself, not have them weighed and read aloud, and the act underscores his resentment toward the adults who try to measure him. This is why that action—reading his essay aloud—annoys him more than anything else in the scene.