Read the excerpt from the General Prolgue to the Canterbury Tales. When the sweet showers of April have pierced The drought of March, and pierced it to the root, And every vein is bathed in that moisture Whose quickening force will engender the flower; And when the west wind too with its sweet breath Has given life in every wood and field To tender shoots, and when the stripling sun Has run his half-course in Aries, the Ram Read the same excerpt from the Middle English version of the General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote The 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 breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne

Which statement best describes the relationship between the Middle English text and the modern English text?
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.