Answer: Python Puzzler #1327

The answer is A. The program prints:

moo
What the program prints
Checked by running the program for real.

Why?

A dictionary stores pairs: a key and its value. sounds["cow"] looks up the key ‘cow’ and gives back its value.

Trace table

A trace table follows the program step by step. Here’s this one:

keyvalue
lionroar
owlhoot
cowmoo
beebuzz

The code again

sounds = {
    "lion": "roar",
    "owl": "hoot",
    "cow": "moo",
    "bee": "buzz",
}
print(sounds["cow"])

Try it: change one number in the program and predict the new output before you run it.