America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts, it is held together by a notion, the notion that all men are created equal, though everyone knows that most men consider themselves better than someone. "Of all the nations in the world, the United States was built in nobody's image," the historian Daniel Boorstin wrote. That's because it was built of bits and pieces that seem discordant, like the crazy quilts that have been one of its great folk-art forms, velvet and calico and checks and brocades. Out of many, one. That is the ideal. Which statement best explains the role context plays in better understanding this excerpt? Quindlen uses the context of American diversity to help readers rethink the concept of American identity and understand that she supports the idea of unity among Americans of all cultures. Understanding that Quindlen is the descendant of immigrants helps the reader realize that she supports the idea that some cultures are naturally better than others. Quindlen uses the context of living in the United States during the 9/11 attacks to help the reader realize that she feels that unity among all Americans is impossible to achieve. Understanding that Quindlen is an immigrant from another country helps readers realize that she understands societies like the United States more than most people.