Explanation
Correct answer: B.
Choice B is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Ana Castillo’s 1986 novel The Mixquiahuala Letters. The text states that the novel consists entirely of letters from the narrator to her friend—a format that some students reading the novel in a class found intimidating. According to the text, those students also found the novel’s treatment of gender to be old-fashioned. In response to the students’ concerns, their professor emphasized the novel’s relevance: it’s written in modern-sounding language and addresses issues that still matter. This, in turn, suggests that The Mixquiahuala Letters is more relevant to contemporary audiences than it may initially seem.
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice A
Choice A is incorrect because the professor’s response to the students only mentions The Mixquiahuala Letters: it doesn’t compare the novel to others from the same period.
Choice C
Choice C is incorrect because nothing in the professor’s response to the students compares The Mixquiahuala Letters to contemporary novels about friendship.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect because the professor’s response to the students doesn’t address the idea of reading the novel’s letters multiple times and in different orders.