This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Question

Part A
Read this dictionary entry.

flourish \′flur-ish\ n

an act of brandishing or waving
a decorative or finishing detail
a period of thriving or growth
a sudden burst
Which dictionary meaning most closely matches the meaning of flourish as it is used in paragraph 6?
Answer choices for the above question

definition 1

definition 2

definition 3

definition 4

Answer 1

The closest meaning of flourish as it is used in paragraph 6 would be definition 3: a period of thriving or growth.

Part B
In paragraph 6, the writer says that "The Renaissance was the era in which the novel, as a form, first flourished." What does the writer mean when she says the novel flourished in the Renaissance? Explain your answer.