Select the correct answer. Read the sentence from paragraph 5 . My muscles, perfectly attuned and accustomed to the force of gravity on Earth, played the mischief with me in attempting for the first time to cope with the lesser gravitation and lower air pressure on Mars. What does the phrase "played the mischief with me" convey about the narrator's muscles? A. They were not cooperating. B. They required slow movement. C. They were adjusting to Mars. D. They were achy and tired.

The phrase "played the mischief with me" suggests that the narrator's muscles were not cooperating or behaving as expected in the new environment. They likely caused some trouble or unexpected challenges for the narrator while trying to adapt to the lower gravity on Mars. So, the correct answer would be A. They were not cooperating. The imagery in this phrase paints a playful but troublesome picture, as if the muscles had a mind of their own, contributing to the difficulties of adapting to the Martian environment. It's a clever way to express the struggle of acclimatization!