The correct answer is: B. Asked/I am
The mother is asking her child to watch the time and return soon. The child replies that they will be back soon. This means that the mother is asking the child to do something in the present, and the child is replying that they will do it.
The other options are incorrect because they do not reflect the correct tense of the sentence. Option A, “Is asking/I will be,” is incorrect because the mother is asking the child to do something in the present, not the future. Option C, “Had been asking/be,” is incorrect because the mother is not asking the child to do something that has been happening in the past, but something that is happening now. Option D, “Had asked/I will be,” is incorrect because the mother is not asking the child to do something that happened in the past, but something that is happening now.
Here is a more detailed explanation of each option:
- Option A: Is asking/I will be
This option is incorrect because the mother is asking the child to do something in the present, not the future. The mother is saying, “Please watch the time and return soon.” This means that she wants the child to watch the time and return soon, not that she wants them to watch the time and return soon in the future.
- Option B: Asked/I am
This option is correct because the mother is asking the child to do something in the present, and the child is replying that they will do it. The mother is saying, “Please watch the time and return soon.” The child is replying, “Please don’t worry, if I am late tonight.” This means that the child is saying that they will watch the time and return soon, and that they will not be late.
- Option C: Had been asking/be
This option is incorrect because the mother is not asking the child to do something that has been happening in the past, but something that is happening now. The mother is saying, “Please watch the time and return soon.” This means that she wants the child to watch the time and return soon, not that she wants them to watch the time and return soon because they have been doing something in the past.
- Option D: Had asked/I will be
This option is incorrect because the mother is not asking the child to do something that happened in the past, but something that is happening now. The mother is saying, “Please watch the time and return soon.” This means that she wants the child to watch the time and return soon, not that she wants them to watch the time and return soon because something happened in the past.