Question

passage
natural beauty abruptly lost its claim
on human affection.
i can’t help thinking that the virus
was supplying something the tulip
needed, just the touch of abandon
the flower’s chilly formality called for.
maybe that’s why the broken tulip
became such a treasure in
seventeenth - century holland: the
wayward color loosed on a tulip by a
good break perfected the flower,
even as the virus responsible set
about destroying it.
on its face the story of the virus and
the tulip would seem to throw a
question 5 of 7
question 5 refers to the highlighted
passage text.
the highlighted paragraph differs from the
rest of the passage in that it:
○ questions whether the virus that
caused broken tulips was harmful to bulbs.
○ argues that growers should have dealt
with broken tulips differently.
○ challenges the idea that broken tulips
were beautiful.
○ presents a personal meditation on
broken tulips.

Explanation:

The highlighted text says the virus "was supplying something the tulip needed, just the touch of abandon the flower’s chilly formality called for" and then the broken tulip became a treasure. The option "presents a personal meditation on broken tulips" fits because the text reflects on the virus's role in making broken tulips valuable, showing a personal (the narrator's) reflection. Other options: the text doesn't question if the virus was harmful (it says it supplied what the tulip needed), doesn't argue about growers' actions, or challenge the idea of broken tulips being beautiful (it supports they became a treasure).

Answer:

presents a personal meditation on broken tulips.