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Question

Difficulty: MediumEvaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content

A writer is editing a passage about the history of industrial chemistry and has drafted the following paragraph:

In 1856, eighteen-year-old chemist William Henry Perkin was attempting to synthesize quinine, a treatment for malaria, in his home laboratory. Instead of obtaining a clear drug, he produced a dark, sticky sludge. Cleaning his flask with alcohol, Perkin noticed that the mixture turned a vibrant, deep purple. [1] Perkin had accidentally created mauveine, the world’s first synthetic aniline dye. This new substance revolutionized the textile industry and birthed the modern chemical industry.

The writer is considering adding the following sentence at Point [1]:

"At the time, purple dye was traditionally extracted from sea snails, making it so expensive that only royalty could afford it."

Should the writer make this addition?

  1. Yes, because it provides historical context that helps explain the revolutionary impact of Perkin's synthetic dye.Answer
  2. B
    Yes, because it explains why Perkin was specifically trying to produce a purple dye rather than malaria medication.
  3. C
    No, because it interrupts the description of Perkin’s chemical experiment to introduce irrelevant details about historical fashion.
  4. D
    No, because it repeats information about the costs of textile manufacturing that is stated elsewhere in the paragraph.

Answer

Yes, because it provides historical context that helps explain the revolutionary impact of Perkin's synthetic dye.
The correct option is correct because the proposed sentence explains why a synthetic purple dye was so groundbreaking. By explaining that natural purple dye was rare and extremely expensive, the addition provides the necessary context for the reader to understand why Perkin's discovery revolutionized the textile and chemical industries.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main focus and flow of the paragraph.
The paragraph describes William Henry Perkin's accidental discovery of the purple dye mauveine and notes that this discovery revolutionized the textile industry.
Understanding the paragraph's purpose helps determine if the new sentence supports or distracts from this purpose.
2
Evaluate the relevance of the proposed sentence.
The proposed sentence explains that natural purple dye was traditionally extremely expensive and reserved for royalty.
This establishes why a cheap, synthetic alternative (mauveine) would be highly significant and commercially revolutionary, directly connecting to the paragraph's conclusion.
3
Determine the correct decision and justification.
The sentence should be added (Yes) because it provides context that highlights the importance of the discovery, matching the option that states it provides historical context to explain the revolutionary impact.
Comparing the reasoning to the choices confirms the correct option.

Key Concept

Evaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Evaluating Relevance for Adding or Deleting Content

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