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Question

Difficulty: MediumSupporting Claims with Evidence and Details

Passage

[1] In the early twentieth century, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton led several daring expeditions to the Antarctic, earning a reputation for his extraordinary leadership under pressure. [2] During the ill-fated *Endurance* expedition, when the ship was crushed by pack ice, Shackleton prioritized the survival of his crew above all else. [3] He led his men across hundreds of miles of ice and water, maintaining high morale despite the desperate circumstances. [4] To illustrate his commitment, historical accounts often highlight the specific sacrifices Shackleton made to ensure his crew's comfort.

The writer wants to revise Sentence 4 to provide the most specific, concrete visual detail that supports the claim that Shackleton made personal sacrifices for his crew's comfort. Which choice best accomplishes this goal?

  1. In one instance, Shackleton gave his own warm leather boots to a frostbitten sailor, choosing instead to wrap his feet in layers of tattered canvas.Answer
  2. B
    Giving his own warm leather boots to a frostbitten sailor, layers of tattered canvas were wrapped around Shackleton's feet instead.
  3. C
    Records show that Shackleton frequently gave up his personal belongings and comfort to help others on his ship during difficult times.
  4. D
    Historical documents confirm that Shackleton worked tirelessly to maintain crew safety, which ultimately resulted in the survival of all twenty-eight men on the expedition.

Answer

In one instance, Shackleton gave his own warm leather boots to a frostbitten sailor, choosing instead to wrap his feet in layers of tattered canvas.
The correct option is the one describing Shackleton giving his warm leather boots to a frostbitten sailor and wrapping his feet in tattered canvas. This choice uses specific, concrete nouns and adjectives that allow the reader to visualize the sacrifice, and it directly supports the claim that Shackleton sacrificed his own comfort for that of his crew.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prompt to identify the specific writing goal.
The goal is to find a revision of Sentence 4 that provides the most specific, concrete visual detail supporting Shackleton's personal sacrifices for his crew's comfort.
Understanding the target claim and style requirements is necessary to evaluate the options.
2
Evaluate the options for grammatical correctness.
The option containing the dangling modifier is grammatically incorrect, as the introductory modifying phrase does not logically modify the subject 'layers of tattered canvas'.
ACT English requires choices to be grammatically correct.
3
Compare the remaining grammatically correct options for visual specificity and relevance to the specific claim.
The option about his warm leather boots and tattered canvas contains concrete visual details showing a direct personal sacrifice for comfort. The option mentioning he frequently gave up belongings is too generalized. The option about saving all twenty-eight men, though factually true, focuses on overall safety and survival rather than personal sacrifice for comfort.
Selecting the most specific and relevant detail satisfies the writer's rhetorical goal.

Key Concept

Supporting Claims with Evidence and Details
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Supporting Claims with Evidence and Details

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