Over the course of the passage, the main focus shifts from

A - a description of the locale to a broader discussion of principles.

B - a humorous anecdote to a position on a popular u. s. debate

C - an analysis of the king's situation to a analysis of an unemployed person's

D - jefferson's experiences in France to Madison's experiences in the US

A - a description of the locale to a broader discussion of principles.

Explanation:

In this text, we see that the author is taking a walk when he encounters an old woman in his path. As he meets the woman, he discovers that she is a local, and wanting to lean more about the culture he is in, they engage in a conversation about the setting they are in and the local culture. This superficial description of the setting leads to a broader discussion of more philosophical principles, particularly on the subject of economy.