Read the excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature.But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime. Seen in the streets of cities, how great they are! If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown! But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence. In this excerpt, Emerson is making the claim that
Answer
A
People often take natural phenomena such as stars for granted.
B
The natural beauty of stars is best appreciated when it's contrasted by the unnatural beauty of cities.
C
Seeing how many stars there are in the sky can comfort people who are feeling lonely and isolated.
D
Looking at the stars can be close to a religious experience.
Explanation
Emerson says that if the stars appeared only once in a thousand years, people would believe, adore, and remember them for generations. Since they appear every night, people may overlook their beauty and significance. This supports the claim that people often take natural phenomena such as stars for granted. The passage does describe reverence, but its main point is how constant presence can make people fail to appreciate the stars.
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