SAT question 359902ae (Words In Context)

Question

The following text is adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1837 story “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment.” The main character, a physician, is experimenting with rehydrating a dried flower. At first [the rose] lay lightly on the surface of the fluid, appearing to imbibe none of its moisture. Soon, however, a singular change began to be visible. The crushed and dried petals stirred and assumed a deepening tinge of crimson, as if the flower were reviving from a deathlike slumber. As used in the text, what does the phrase “a singular” most nearly mean?

College Board · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D. Choice D is the best answer because as used in the text, “singular” most nearly means extraordinary. The text portrays an experiment in which a character rehydrates a dried rose by infusing it with moisture. After prolonged contact with the liquid, the rose begins to absorb it, undergoing an exceptional transformation: its color deepens, its previously “crushed and dried” petals shift, and the entire flower revives “from a deathlike slumber.” In other words, an extraordinary change is visible in the flower.

Explanation

Why the other choices are wrong

SAT Question 359902ae: Words In Context answer and explanation

Explanation

Why the other choices are wrong