Question

7
what is the best way to describe the theme in this story?
a. humans should not value nature over progress and urban expansion.
b. progress and the growth of urban areas can come at a cost.
c. benefits of technology and industry outweigh consequences.
d. nature can recover quickly and will continue to grow and thrive.
i saw my first tree today. oh, ive seen the plastic trees; practically every street has a few of them.
the obrien home was one of the few examples of old-style wooden structures that hadnt been demolished in bostons urban-renewal campaign at the turn of the century.
the home itself was unimpressive. it had none of the marble gloss or steely sheen of modern buildings but was rather a dull white color, with the paint peeling in places.
my mind was on the tree, and i thought the inside tour would never end, but soon we were walking through a doorway hidden in one of the bookshelves and into the back yard. the yard was big — at least 10 by 20 feet — and i was surprised to find real grass growing on the sides of the concrete walkway built for tourists. the grass didnt distract me for long, however,
because i just couldnt help noticing the tree!
it was located at one end of the yard, and there was a mesh fence around it for protection. it was similar in form to the plastic trees id seen,
but there was much more to it than that. you could see details more intricate than in any artificial plant. and it was alive. but best of all was the smell. it was a fresh, living odor, alien to the antiseptic¹ world outside with all its metal, plastic,
and glass. i wanted to touch the bark, but the

Explanation:

The text contrasts the sterile, artificial urban environment (plastic trees, modern buildings, concrete walkways) with a single, living real tree that persists and even has real grass growing around it. This highlights nature's ability to survive and thrive despite urbanization. Option A is incorrect as the text doesn't frame nature vs progress as a value judgment. Option B is wrong because the text emphasizes the artificiality's coldness, not benefits of technology. Option C is incorrect as no benefits of industry are highlighted over consequences.

Answer:

D. Nature can recover quickly and will continue to grow and thrive.