10.
Read the passage.
Love and Friendship
by Emily Brontë
Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship is like the holly-tree—
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?
What clues do these supporting details provide about the poem’s main idea?
Friendship is less important than love.
The holly-tree is more attractive than the rose-briar.
Love lasts when life is good, but friendship lasts even when life is difficult.
The holly-tree and the rose-briar bloom at different times of the year.
1 answer
The supporting details in the passage provide clues that love lasts when life is good, but friendship lasts even when life is difficult. This is shown by the comparison between the wild rose-briar and the holly-tree, with the rose-briar being sweet and blooming in spring and summer, but losing its appeal in winter. In contrast, the holly-tree remains dark and constant throughout the seasons. This suggests that love may be more fleeting and dependent on external circumstances, while friendship is more enduring and resilient.