Read the following English translation of an excerpt from a contemporary short story set in Cafayate, Argentina:
Natalia knelt in the dusty soil of the high-altitude vineyard, brushing dry earth away from the exposed, gnarled roots of the centenarian Torrontés grapevines. Her hands, weathered by the intense Andean sun and the biting mountain winds, traced the deep fissures in the wood. Here, at over two thousand meters above sea level, the air was thin and the rain was a rare blessing. Visitors often wondered how anything could thrive in such a harsh, rocky environment, expecting only barren slopes. Yet, Natalia knew that the vine’s struggle was precisely what gave the grapes their intense, aromatic character. By forcing its roots deep into the subterranean bedrock in search of moisture, the plant absorbed the unique minerals of the mountain. She reflected on her own family’s long history in the valley—generations of resilience against economic instability and isolation. Like the vines, their identity and strength were not developed despite the adversity, but were forged directly by it.
Which of the following best represents the central theme of the passage?
- AThe biological adaptation of grapevines to arid, rocky mountain soils.
- Adversity and struggle can serve as the foundational source of character and identity.Answer
- CA daughter's resentment toward her family's choice to remain in an isolated valley.
- DThe physical challenges of cultivating agricultural crops in high-altitude environments.