Read the following paragraph and answer the question below. 1 Wuthering Heights is in the midst of the desolate English moors.
2 Outside the gates of this solitary dwelling,
the landscape expands into dreary shades of brown and gray, with only the craggy cliffs on the distant
horizon to break the monotony.
3 Wildlife and foliage are scarce.
4 The few trees that do live must eke out their
existence: the north wind blows constantly.
5 The house itself, built to withstand the tumults of wind and rain,
is cold and forbidding.
6 The stone walls and earthen floors offer no relief from the bone-chilling dampness of
northern England.
7 In sharp contrast to Wuthering Heights is Thrushcross Grange.
8 Situated in a sheltered
valley, Thrushcross Grange is calm and peaceful, and is surrounded by lush flower gardens.
9 The refined
elegance of Thrushcross Grange differs as much from Wuthering Heights as the rose differs from the thorn.
10 The contrast between these two settings is symbolic of the ultimate conflicts in Emily Bronte's novel
Wuthering Heights.

**Select the number of the topic sentence.