The following passage is taken from Jeffrey Eugenides Middlesex (396-397) One scene remains to be described in this portion

of my life. It took place a week later, back on Middlesex, and featured me, a suitcase, and a tree. I was in my bedroom, sitting on the window seat. It was just before noon. I was dressed in traveling clothes, a gray pantsuit with a white blouse. I was reaching out my window, picking berries off the mulberry tree that grew outside. For the last hour Id been eating the berries to distract myself from the sound coming from my parents bedroom. The mulberries had ripened in the last week. They were fat and juicy. The berries stained my hands. Outside, the sidewalk was splotched purple, as was the grass itself, and the rocks in the flower beds. The sound in my parents bedroom was my mother weeping. I got up. I went over to the open suitcase and checked again to see if Id packed everything. My parents and I were leaving in an hour. We were going to New York City to see a famous doctor. I didnt know how long wed be gone or what was wrong with me. I didnt pay much attention to the details. I only knew I was no longer a girl like other girls. Orthodox monks smuggled silk out of China in the sixth century. They brought it to Asia Minor. From there it spread to Europe, and finally traveled across the sea to North America. Benjamin Franklin fostered the silk industry in Pennsylvania before the American Revolution. Mulberry trees were planted all over the United States. As I picked those berries out my bedroom window, however, I had no idea that our mulberry tree had anything to do with the silk trade, or that my grandmother had had trees just like it behind her house in Turkey. That mulberry tree had stood outside my bedroom on Middlesex, never divulging its significance to me. But now things are different. Now all the mute objects of my life seem to tell my story, to stretch back in time, if I look closely enough. So I cant possibly finish up this section of my life without mentioning the following fact: The most widely raised type of silkworm, the larva of the Bombyx mori, no longer exists anywhere in a natural state. As my encyclopedia poignantly puts it: The legs of the larvae have degenerated, and the adults do not fly.

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1. The mulberries, in lines 15-17 (The mulberrieshands) serves as a metaphor to describe A. Loss of innocence B. Overripe mulberries C. Communion D. Foreshadowing of future happiness E. None of the above 2. From the passage, the reader can infer that A. The rest of the story will take place in New York B. Silkworms will be sold to pay for the trip to New York C. Orthodox monks are integral to the story D. Gender will become an important factor in the story E. Conflict will not occur 3. All of the following infers loss, except A. Staining of hands B. The most common silkworm is the Bombyx mori C. Mother weeping D. The adult Bombyx mori do not fly E. The mulberries had ripened

4. In line 61, the meaning of degenerated refers to A. Corroded B. Rotted C. Become frangible D. Regressed E. Vitiated 5. In the passage, the author chooses to include the fact about the larva to I. Foreshadow the speakers loss in the future II. Add detail to improve the narrative structure III. Further strengthen the metaphor of silkworms and mulberry trees A. I only B. II only C. I and III D. II and III E. I, II and III

6. In line 61, the meaning of degenerated refers to F. G. H. I, II and III

1. ANSWER: A A is the correct answer because the speaker tries to, unsuccessfully, distract herself from her parents discussion, in which she hears weeping. Later, her parents can be inferred to have already talked to her, as the scene skips to a suitcase being packed. This indicates that something bad has occurred and that it affected the speaker. Choice B is incorrect. Although the speaker had been eating mulberries, and they burst and stained her hands, the meaning of this as a metaphor is too shallow of an analysis for it to be correct. Choice C is incorrect. The meaning of communion infers that more than one person is present in order to share a meal, and bring intimacy within a relationship. This answer choice does not make sense in context of the situation. Choice D is incorrect. Since the mother was shown weeping, it can be inferred that the situation did not indicate a happy future at any close point. Choice E is incorrect. Since A is the best answer choice, and fits with the context of the passage. Choice E is not a possible answer choice, since it is faulty. 2. ANSWER: D D is the correct answer because it can be inferred that gender will be important, since the end of the third paragraph describes the speaker about to leave to the hospital, with I only knew I was no longer a girl like other girls as the ending sentence. This infers that the trip to the hospital and the speakers gender are related. Choice A is incorrect. Although the speaker is travelling to New York in the near future, it cannot be assumed that the speaker will stay in New York until the end of the novel. Choice B is incorrect. The inclusion of the silkworms was not to show the financial benefits, but used as a symbol for migration, as inferred when stating the silk smuggling and its ultimate destination to America. Choice C is incorrect. The inclusion of the monks was not to add another symbol or create a pivotal moment, but to introduce the movement of silk as a thematic message. Choice E is incorrect. It can be assumed, due to the weeping and the sudden trip to a hospital, that conflict will occur in the future. 3. ANSWER: B B is the correct answer because the type of silkworm does not pertain to loss, when used in context of the situation. The fact was minute and unimportant to the progression of the excerpt. Choice A is incorrect. The staining of hands is symbolic of blood staining the hands or an indication of becoming tainted due to a situation or conflict.

Choice C is incorrect. The mother, the maternal force in raising a child, is found weeping. This indicates that there is a problem that will cause loss of some sort within the child. Choice D is incorrect. It can be inferred that, due to the location of the fact, and due to the speaker verbally emphasizing the entrance of the quote, the quote is important. The fact itself, that the adult cannot fly, is also symbolic as flying is associated with vitality and life. Choice E is incorrect. The mulberries ripening are significant, as the mulberry tree is a symbol. The ripening of the mulberries indicate that the fruition period is over, inferring that the conflict will soon occur since the mulberries are ready to be eaten.

4. ANSWER: D D is the correct answer because in context, if the legs of the larva degenerate, then the legs will have gone back into the larva, which is the meaning of regress. Choice A is incorrect. Corroded implies the gradual wear of metal or of something due to a chemical reaction. Choice B is incorrect. Rotted implies that the legs grew to become dead, indicating that the larva themselves would probably have died. However, it just states that the legs have regressed. Choice C is incorrect. The term frangible means easily broken. The context of the passage does not relate to the legs of the larva becoming easily broken. Choice E is incorrect. Vitiated means to impair or invalidate. The legs of the larva are not being impaired, since they are not being diminished in value or work (e.g. such as when they are broken). 5. ANSWER: C C is the correct answer because the mulberry tree and the silkworm are connected as the silkworm uses the mulberry tree to make cocoons. The ideas are related, and so the metaphor is further strengthened. Similarly, it can be indicated that, since the passage ended with the fact that the adult silkworm will not fly, there will be a future conflict. Choice A is incorrect. It does not include all of the correct answers. Choice B is incorrect. The inclusion of the larva was to foreshadow a future conflict in the plot, not to add superfluous diction in order to enhance the writing of the novel. Choice D is incorrect. II is not a correct choice. Choice E is incorrect. II is not a correct choice.