The correct answer is the following: option A. The statement that best explains how the imagery in the excerpt affects the meaning of the text s the one that states that<em> it conveys to the reader the youthful optimism and confidence that Didion felt during her first years in New York. </em>The imagery of her eating a peach at Lexington Avenue and feeling immersed in the city's environment help to reinforce the meaning of the text, which is how Didion's relationship towards the city changed from the first time she got there until she decided to leave it. When Didion first arrived to New York City, she was a young woman filled with enthusiasm and positivism, believing that anything could be possible, even for her.