Question

read the passage from \how should one read a book?\ yet few people ask from books what books can give us. most commonly we come to books with blurred and divided minds, asking of fiction that it shall be true, of poetry that it shall be false, of biography that it shall be flattering, of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices. if we could banish all such preconceptions when we read, that would be an admirable beginning. the reader can conclude that the passage comes from a(n)
∘ biography.
∘ essay.
∘ myth.
∘ play.

Explanation:

To determine the source of the passage, we analyze each option:

• Biography: A biography focuses on a person's life, but the passage is about reading books and people's expectations from different types of literature, not a person's life story.
• Essay: An essay presents an author's argument or analysis. The passage analyzes how people approach reading different genres (fiction, poetry, biography, history) and offers a perspective on how to read better, which aligns with the nature of an essay.
• Myth: Myths are traditional stories with cultural or religious significance, often involving gods or heroes. The passage is a critical analysis of reading, not a myth.
• Play: A play consists of dialogue and is meant to be performed, while this passage is a written analysis without dialogue or dramatic elements.

Answer:

B. essay