Answer: Python Puzzler #2831

The answer is C. The program prints:

plum

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

Python counts list positions from 0, so position 1 is the second item.

Trace table

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

positionnegative positionitem
0-6pear
1-5plum
2-4grape
3-3banana
4-2apple
5-1carrot

The code again

basket = ["pear", "plum", "grape", "banana", "apple", "carrot"]
print(basket[1])

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