The folded flag

Original non-fiction-style practice text.

The harbour exhibition displayed a large signal flag in a shallow case. A visitor complained that its corners were folded under, hiding part of the design. The curator, Mo, showed him a photograph of the flag before it entered the case. One corner had torn away from the main cloth, and another carried a long, fragile repair.

The case supported these areas without pulling them tight. Opening the flag fully would require a larger surface, for which the exhibition room had no space. Mo had placed a complete drawing beside it so that visitors could see the whole pattern. The photograph recorded the damaged sections too.

He agreed that the folded flag was less striking than it might have been hanging above the room. He also wanted it to remain available to future visitors. The drawing showed what the design looked like; the case held the object which had actually survived.

Give two reasons why the curator does not display the flag fully opened.