Read the excerpt from the General Prolgue to the Canterbury Tales.When the sweet showers of April have piercedThe drought of March, and pierced it to the root,And every vein is bathed in that moistureWhose quickening force will engender the flower;And when the west wind too with its sweet breathHas given life in every wood and fieldTo tender shoots, and when the stripling sunHas run his half-course in Aries, the RamRead the same excerpt from the Middle English version of the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.Whan that Aprille with his shoures soteThe droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote,And bathed every veyne in swich licour,Of which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethThe tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne
Answer
A
Because the English language has changed so much over time, the Middle English version of the text is unrecognizable to the modern reader. The two texts share no common words, and none of the words are remotely similar.
B
The English language has changed very little since the time of Chaucer. Consequently, the Middle English version of the text mostly contains words that are used in the modern version as well.
C
The Middle English version contains many words that are no longer in use. It also contains words that are similar, but they are not similar enough to allow modern readers to understand their meanings.
D
Though the Middle English version contains many words that are no longer in use, it also contains words that are the same or similar enough to allow a modern reader to understand their meaning.