Question

the following text is adapted from cao xeuqins 1760 novel the story of the stone (translated by david hawkes).
the flowers of the garden are all in bloom, but they are doomed to wither and fall. it is as though, despite their brief moment of upright glory, they are destined to wilt and fade, just like youth and beauty.
as used in the text, what does the word \wither\ most nearly mean?
choose 1 answer:
thrive
grow
advise
droop

Explanation:

The text mentions that the flowers are "doomed to wither and fall" and are "destined to wilt and fade". "Wilt" means to droop or become limp. "Thrive" means to grow well, which is the opposite. "Grow" is about development, not the negative state. "Advise" is giving suggestions, not related. So "wither" is closest to "droop".

Answer:

D. droop