Read the passage and answer. While everybody enjoys fresh cut flowers around their house, few people know how to keep them for as long as possible. This may be done by keeping in mind a few simple facts. An important thing to remember about cut flowers is that they are sensitive to temperature. For example, studies have shown that cut carnations retain their freshness eight times longer when kept at 12°C than when kept at 26°C. Keeping freshly harvested flowers at the right temperatures is probably the most important aspect of flowercare. Flowers are not intended by nature to live very long. Their biological purpose is simply to attract birds or insects, such as bees, for pollination. After that, they quickly wither and die. The process by which flowers consume oxygen and emit carbon dioxide, called respiration, generates the energy the flower needs to give the flower its shape and colour. Respiration also brings about the eventual death of the flower, thus the greater the level of respiration, the sooner the flower dies. Thus by maintaining low temperatures, respiration is minimized and the cut flower will age more slowly. Yet another vital factor in keeping cut flower is the quality of the water in which they are placed. Flowers find it difficult to 'drink' water that is dirty or otherwise contaminated. Even when water looks and smells clean, it almost certainly contains bacteria and fungi that can endanger the flowers. To rid the water of these unwanted germs, household chlorine bleach can be used in small quantities. It is recommended that 15 drops of chlorine bleach (at 4 per cent solution) be added to each litre of water. The water and solution should also be replaced each day. When buying cut flowers, look for ones that have not been kept (by the flower shop) in direct sunlight or strong wind. If flowers are not freshly harvested, ask whether they have been stored in a refrigerated cool room. The word 'wither' is opposite in meaning to —.