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Difficulty: MediumEvaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content

A writer is editing a passage about the development of the Braille writing system. Read the following paragraph:

Louis Braille was only fifteen years old in 1824 when he developed his tactile writing system for the visually impaired. Inspired by a military code of "night writing" created by Charles Barbier, Braille reduced Barbier's complex twelve-dot grid to a more manageable six-dot cell. [1] This modification allowed readers to recognize an entire character with a single touch of a fingertip, dramatically increasing reading speed. Braille's system eventually became the global standard, opening up new educational and professional opportunities for millions.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence at point [1]:
"Barbier was a captain in the French Army who also designed several other code systems for military use."

Should the writer make this addition?

  1. A
    Yes, because it introduces a key historical figure whose work was instrumental to the creation of Braille's system.
  2. B
    Yes, because it explains how military communication strategies influenced educational tools for the visually impaired.
  3. No, because it interrupts the paragraph's description of Braille's system by introducing unrelated details about Barbier's career.Answer
  4. D
    No, because it contradicts the assertion that Braille was the primary developer of the six-dot cell.

Answer

No, because it interrupts the paragraph's description of Braille's system by introducing unrelated details about Barbier's career.
The correct decision is to exclude the sentence because the paragraph describes how Louis Braille adapted a code system to create an efficient reading method for the visually impaired. Detailing Charles Barbier's military career and other military codes interrupts this flow and introduces a tangent.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the paragraph to identify its main focus.
The paragraph focuses on how Louis Braille improved a military code created by Charles Barbier to develop an efficient tactile writing system for the visually impaired.
Understanding the paragraph's primary focus is essential for determining whether new information is relevant or distracting.
2
Evaluate the proposed sentence for relevance to this main focus.
The proposed sentence discusses Barbier's military career, which does not contribute to the explanation of Braille's design modifications.
This step determines whether the sentence supports the topic or introduces a tangent.
3
Select the option that correctly identifies the decision to exclude the sentence and provides the proper rhetorical justification.
The correct decision is not to add the sentence because it deviates from the core topic of the paragraph.
The sentence should not be added because it introduces irrelevant biographical information about Barbier, which matches the option stating it interrupts the paragraph's description of Braille's system.

Key Concept

Evaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content
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Topics

Evaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content

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