Question

"We will keep these in here for now," said Mrs. T. "They are getting too much rain outside."

It had been a rainy couple of days. Jilly knew, as well as anyone, that overwatering could kill potted plants quickly.

"Do you remember when I overwatered those mint plants?" Jilly asked Mrs. T.

"I used to think no one could kill a mint plant," Mrs. T. said, laughing.

"Well I am full of surprises, apparently," Jilly replied. Jilly remembered the sad green plants that just kept looking more and more wilted no matter how much water she gave them. It was a beginner's mistake, and Jilly had been so embarrassed for making it.

"That you are," replied Mrs. T. "But I know you learned a lesson you won't ever forget."

"Of course. Herbs like their roots damp, not flooded," Jilly answered.

"Well that is not the lesson I was thinking of," Mrs. T. said.

Jilly wondered for a minute what the lesson could be. She straightened the rows of geraniums in front of her, picking up one or two to check for aphids under the leaves. It had been a summer full of lessons, some especially hard for a girl who thought she knew a lot about plants. She breathed deeply the warm, humid air. She hated the cooped up feeling of air conditioned air, the feeling of being cut off from the sun. She knew school and the library would offer only these uncomfortable feelings and little time to spend in the sun or with plants. She had come to understand this over the summer-her need to be around growing things was huge.

"I'm not sure, Mrs. T." she said, "I've learned so much this summer. I couldn't possibly say what you are thinking."

"You did learn many lessons, Jilly. You knew so much when you started. You've gone farther than any other assistants I've had. I will miss you."

"And I will miss you," Jilly replied. "Thank you for the opportunity and the job." Jilly watched Mrs. T. put the tray of mums down on the center row of tables. Wearing her familiar brown apron, Mrs. T. looked just as she had on Jilly's first day.

"My pleasure, of course, dear," Mrs. T. replied. "My hope for you, as for all my assistants over the years, is that you will learn as much about yourself as you do about growing plants."

Recalling her thoughts all morning, about what she enjoyed about her summer job, Jilly realized she knew much more than just how to not drown the mint.

Which line from the text best summarizes Mrs. T.'s lesson to Jilly? (5 points)

1. "Well that is not the lesson I was thinking of," Mrs. T. said.
2. "You did learn many lessons, Jilly. You knew so much when you started."
3. "You've gone farther than any other assistants I've had. I will miss you."
4. "That you will learn as much about yourself as you do about growing plants."

Answer 1

4. "My hope for you, as for all my assistants over the years, is that you will learn as much about yourself as you do about growing plants."

Step-by-step explanation:

The quote "My hope for you, as for all my assistants over the years, is that you will learn as much about yourself as you do about growing plants" from the text implies that the speaker, Mrs. T., believes that Jilly's experience working in the greenhouse has provided her with not just practical knowledge about gardening and growing plants, but also personal growth and self-discovery. This is evident by the way Jilly expresses her feelings about the greenhouse and her connection to nature. Mrs. T. wants Jilly to remember that learning about herself is just as important as learning about the plants. She sees this personal development as a valuable outcome of Jilly's work and emphasizes it over the technical knowledge Jilly has gained. The phrase "learn as much about yourself as you do about growing plants" suggests that Mrs. T. wants Jilly to take her experience and use it to better understand herself, her interests and her passions, this way Jilly will be better equipped to make decisions that align with those things in the future.