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Difficulty: MediumFulfilling Specific Rhetorical and Writing Goals

Although the Hoh Rain Forest is famous for its lush, moss-draped canopy, its auditory environment is equally remarkable. Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton has spent decades studying and protecting this natural soundscape. Hempton argues that quiet is not merely the absence of sound, but rather the presence of nature's pristine voice. [X] For instance, a single commercial jet passing overhead can disrupt the acoustic sanctuary of an entire valley.

The writer wants to add a sentence at the marked position [X] to emphasize the extreme vulnerability of this natural quiet to human-made noise. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

  1. Yet this auditory purity is fragile, easily shattered by even distant mechanical sounds.Answer
  2. B
    This natural quiet is very fragile, it can be destroyed by passing vehicles.
  3. C
    Because the quiet is easily disrupted; human activity is constantly encroaching on the park.
  4. D
    Although the forest is home to many animal species that generate their own unique sounds.

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that the auditory purity is fragile and easily shattered by mechanical sounds. This option successfully fulfills the rhetorical goal of highlighting the quiet's vulnerability to human noise and is grammatically correct.
The option that begins with 'Yet this auditory purity is fragile' is correct because it directly addresses the prompt's request to emphasize the vulnerability of the natural quiet to human-made noise. By using the words 'fragile' and 'mechanical sounds,' it sets up the contrast between the natural soundscape and human disruption, leading logically into the specific example of a commercial jet in the following sentence. It is also grammatically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the writing goal specified in the prompt.
The goal is to select a sentence that emphasizes the extreme vulnerability of the natural quiet to human-made noise.
This establishes the rhetorical criteria that the correct choice must meet.
2
Evaluate the grammatical correctness of each choice.
Identify grammatical errors: one option contains a comma splice (joining two independent clauses with only a comma), one option contains a semicolon error (separating a dependent clause from an independent clause), and one option is a sentence fragment (consisting of a dependent clause starting with a subordinating conjunction).
Any option with a grammatical error must be eliminated, regardless of how well it might seem to fit the rhetorical goal.
3
Compare the remaining grammatically correct option to the rhetorical goal and context.
The option starting with 'Yet this auditory purity is fragile' is grammatically correct and directly connects the idea of fragile silence to disruption by mechanical sounds, perfectly setting up the example of a commercial jet.
This confirms that the option is both grammatically correct and rhetorically appropriate, making it the correct choice.

Key Concept

Fulfilling Specific Rhetorical and Writing Goals
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Fulfilling Specific Rhetorical and Writing Goals

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