Final answer:
The assertion that the Exeter Book was well preserved over the years is false, as the manuscript showed signs of wear including burn damage when it was rediscovered.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the Exeter Book was well cared for and was carefully handed down through the years, therefore the manuscript was in great shape when it was found, is b) False. The Exeter Book, one of the four major surviving manuscripts of Old English literature, did not have an entirely gentle history. When it was rediscovered, it showed signs of wear and damage; it had been used as a cutting board, among other things, and one corner had been singed by fire at some point. Thus, while the book still exists and has provided invaluable insights into Anglo-Saxon literature and culture, its condition was not pristine due to the various ways it had been treated over time.