Read the excerpt from "A Quilt of a Country." America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built
of ever-changing disparate parts, it is held together by
a notion, the notion that all men are created equal,
though everyone knows that most men consider
themselves better than someone. "Of all the nations
in the world, the United States was built in nobody's
image," the historian Daniel Boorstin wrote. That's
because it was built of bits and pieces that seem
discordant, like the crazy quilts that have been one of
its great folk-art forms, velvet and calico and checks
and brocades. Out of many, one. That is the ideal.
Which statement best explains the role context plays
in better understanding this excerpt?
Quindlen uses the context of American diversity to
help readers rethink the concept of American
identity and understand that she supports the idea
of unity among Americans of all cultures.
Understanding that Quindlen is the descendant of
immigrants helps the reader realize that she
supports the idea that some cultures are naturally
better than others
Quindlen uses the context of living in the United
States during the 9/11 attacks to help the reader
realize that she feels that unity among all
Americans is impossible to achieve.
Understanding that Quindlen is an immigrant from
another country helps readers realize that she
understands societies like the United States more