Excerpt from "Put Down the Backpack" by Anna Quindlen Based on the selection, it can be concluded that the quest for perfection can —

A
reveal another way of accomplishing longstanding goals.

B
be a helpful form of motivation during key moments in life.

C
have significant consequences if pursued in an unrelenting way.

D
serve as a healthy source of pressure when facing new challenges.

the answer is the speaker views both as possessions that reflect his importance.  

i don't get it. is this a question on a test? i need more information to solve.

answer :

the idiom "pride goes before a fall" means that being too proud causes one to make mistakes that eventually lead to failure or downfall.

in the stranger's story in the "the storyteller," bertha had won three medals for obedience, punctuality and good manners. she was really proud of her medals and pinned them to her dress and wore them everywhere she went so that everyone would know how good she was. in the end, these symbols of her excessive pride cost her her life. when she was hiding from the wolf in the bushes, it was the clinking of her medals that alerted his attention towards her presence and lead to her death.