Answer: Python Puzzler #1584

The answer is B. The program prints:

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

Why?

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

Trace table

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

keyvalue
cowmoo
owlhoot
dogwoof
beebuzz

The code again

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

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