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Question

Difficulty: HardMeeting Specific Rhetorical Goals

Passage Excerpt:

In the late nineteenth century, audio was captured on fragile, spinning wax cylinders. Over time, these cylinders have degraded, making them too delicate to be played by a physical stylus without destroying the recordings. To retrieve these sounds, scientists developed IRENE, a system that uses digital imaging. [Underlined: A camera captures high-resolution images of the grooves to create a 3D digital model, avoiding any physical contact.] This visual map is then translated by computer software back into audio, allowing archivists to preserve lost voices.

Question:

The writer wants to choose an option that most clearly explains the specific mechanism of the IRENE system while emphasizing how it protects the fragile cylinders from damage. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?

  1. A camera captures high-resolution images of the grooves to create a 3D digital model, avoiding any physical contact.Answer
  2. B
    The system utilizes advanced scanning technology that is superior to traditional playback methods.
  3. C
    Because a physical needle would scratch the wax, it is vital to use modern imaging devices.
  4. D
    A camera captures high-resolution images of the grooves, it creates a 3D digital model that avoids physical contact.

Answer

The correct option is the one stating that a camera captures high-resolution images of the grooves to create a 3D digital model, avoiding any physical contact.
The correct option explains the specific mechanism of the IRENE system (using high-resolution images to create a 3D digital model) and directly emphasizes how it protects the cylinders by avoiding physical contact.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prompt to identify the specific rhetorical goals requested.
The prompt requires two criteria: (1) explaining the specific mechanism of the IRENE system, and (2) emphasizing how it protects fragile cylinders from damage.
Understanding the precise criteria of the rhetorical goal is necessary to evaluate the options.
2
Evaluate the choices for grammatical correctness.
The option containing 'images of the grooves, it creates...' is a comma splice and is grammatically incorrect, so it can be eliminated.
ACT English requires all answers to follow standard grammar rules, meaning grammatically incorrect choices are automatically wrong.
3
Evaluate the remaining grammatically correct choices against the rhetorical criteria.
The choice mentioning 'advanced scanning technology' is too vague. The choice mentioning 'a physical needle' fails to describe the mechanism of IRENE. Only the choice stating that 'a camera captures high-resolution images of the grooves to create a 3D digital model, avoiding any physical contact' satisfies both criteria.
Selecting the option that fully meets all parts of the rhetorical goal leads to the correct answer.

Key Concept

Meeting Specific Rhetorical Goals
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Topics

Meeting Specific Rhetorical Goals

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