Correct Answer:
B. He asked if he might open the window...
Foundational Concept: When changing direct speech (a question) into indirect speech (reported speech), the reporting verb changes (e.g., "said" to "asked"), the question mark is removed, and the sentence structure becomes declarative. Modal verbs like "May" typically change to "might" in reported speech, and pronouns adjust accordingly.
Correct Option: "He asked if he might open the window..." correctly transforms the direct question into indirect speech. "May I" becomes "if he might," and the reporting verb "asked" is used to indicate a question. The ellipsis indicates the sentence continues, but the core transformation is accurate.
- Option A: "He said that by God..." is completely irrelevant and does not reflect the original question.
- Option C: "He asked if he might open the window... as it was hot?" adds information ("as it was hot") not present in the original direct speech, which is generally avoided in strict narration changes unless context is explicitly given.