The Hobbit is largely about a quest for treasure, an actual treasure guarded by Smaug and won back with the help of Bilbo. Yet Bilbo has also gained some “spiritual” treasures throughout the course of his journey. Discuss the other “treasures” Bilbo has gained and how he has gained them.

Plz asap read this sentence from paragraph 3 of the article. the boys and girls are merely asked to obtain the signatures of ten friends or relatives. how does the word "merely" affect the meaning of the sentence? a- it suggests that asking people to subscribe to the washington times is something negative. b- it implies that obtaining ten signatures is not a requirement for receiving a prize. c- it downplays the fact that to win the prize, children must ask people to subscribe to the washington times. d- it emphasizes that children receive the prize only if they obtain ten signatures.