Final answer:
The word 'ripped' in the context of the excerpt suggests that the cloth was torn or damaged. This meaning is consistent with the other examples that imply separation into parts or breaking.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the clues provided in the excerpt, the word ripped most likely means that the cloth was torn or damaged. From the example provided, 'The haystack was important because the cloth ripped,' it's clear that the cloth being ripped had significance, likely because it exposed the haystack or caused some form of issue that made the haystack more notable. Moreover, in the context of something being split or shattered in the other examples, it does imply a sense of becoming separated into parts, which supports the definition of being torn when we speak of 'ripped.'