Question

Difficulty: EasyFulfilling Specific Rhetorical and Writing Goals

A scientist studying the rainforest canopy drafted the following paragraph:

For decades, biologists studying the tropical rainforest had to rely on observations made from ground level, which offered only a limited view of the ecosystem. [1] However, the development of canopy cranes in the 1990s allowed researchers to easily ascend into the treetops. This new access opened up a previously unreachable world, revealing that the majority of rainforest organisms actually live high above the ground.

The writer wants to add a sentence at Point [1] that emphasizes the physical difficulty of climbing into the rainforest canopy before the invention of canopy cranes. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

  1. A
    Many species of colorful birds make their nests in the high branches.
  2. B
    Because early researchers did not have cranes, which made it impossible for them to work safely.
  3. To reach the treetops, researchers had to use strenuous and dangerous rope-climbing methods.Answer
  4. D
    Getting up there was really hard, and scientists were always complaining about the height.

Answer

To reach the treetops, researchers had to use strenuous and dangerous rope-climbing methods.
The choice describing the strenuous and dangerous rope-climbing methods is correct because it directly addresses the physical challenge of climbing into the canopy before cranes were invented, fulfilling the writer's specific rhetorical goal while maintaining grammatical correctness and an appropriate academic tone.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prompt to identify the specific rhetorical goal.
The goal is to find a sentence that highlights the physical difficulty of climbing into the forest canopy prior to the introduction of canopy cranes.
Understanding the specific rhetorical constraint guides the selection of the correct detail.
2
Evaluate the choices for factual alignment with the rhetorical goal and grammatical correctness.
The option describing strenuous and dangerous rope-climbing methods is grammatically correct and focuses entirely on the physical challenges of climbing.
The correct choice must satisfy both rhetorical intent and standard grammar rules.

Key Concept

Fulfilling Specific Rhetorical and Writing Goals
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