Questions: Which sentence best states the meaning of the underlined aphorism from Paragraph 1 of Emerson's "Nature"? A man is not lonely when he looks at the stars. Reading and writing will never make you lonely. I am not alone when I do something ... from myself - only when I do something outside of myself.

The answer is A: A man is not lonely when he looks at the stars.

Explanation:

• A man is not lonely when he looks at the stars. This option captures the essence of Emerson's aphorism, which suggests that when a person contemplates the vastness and beauty of nature, such as the stars, they feel a connection to something greater than themselves, alleviating feelings of loneliness.

• Reading and writing will never make you lonely. This option is incorrect because it shifts the focus from the experience of observing nature to the act of reading and writing, which is not the central theme of the aphorism in question.

• I am not alone when I do something ... from myself - only when I do something outside of myself. This option is incorrect because it misinterprets the aphorism. While it touches on the idea of finding fulfillment in activities that connect one to a larger purpose, it does not specifically address the experience of looking at the stars as a remedy for loneliness.