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Difficulty: MediumAuthor's Primary Purpose

Pitot tubes mounted on aircraft fuselages measure dynamic air pressure to determine forward airspeed. During flight through freezing precipitation or high-altitude clouds, moisture can quickly freeze inside the narrow tube opening, obstructing airflow to internal pressure sensors. This blockage causes the airspeed indicator to behave like an altimeter, dangerously displaying false increases in speed during climbs. To counteract this hazard, modern pitot probes incorporate internal electrical heating elements wired to the flight deck. Activating these heaters warms the metal housing to prevent ice formation and ensure reliable flight data.

What is the author's primary purpose in writing this passage?

  1. A
    to explain how an ice obstruction causes airspeed indicators to act like altimeters
  2. B
    to persuade flight crews to avoid flying through high-altitude cloud formations
  3. to explain why aircraft pitot tubes are equipped with internal heating elementsAnswer
  4. D
    to provide an exhaustive manual on all cockpit instrumentation and flight deck sensors

Answer

to explain why aircraft pitot tubes are equipped with internal heating elements
The passage follows an informative problem-and-solution structure: it introduces pitot tubes, outlines the severe aerodynamic risks of icing, and explains how internal electric heaters solve this problem to preserve flight data integrity. Therefore, the primary objective is to explain why pitot tubes need and use internal heating elements.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage structure and identify the central topic
The text describes pitot tubes, details the hazard of ice formation blocking dynamic airflow, and concludes with how internal heating elements resolve this hazard.
Determining primary purpose requires identifying the central problem-solution structure rather than isolated facts.
2
Distinguish the overarching purpose from supporting details and scope extremes
The discussion of altimeter-like behavior is a supporting hazard detail, while claims about broader cockpit manuals or persuasive warnings go beyond the text's objective.
The author's primary goal is to inform the reader of the function and necessity of pitot heat systems.
3
Select the statement that matches the communicative goal
The option stating that the purpose is to explain why aircraft pitot tubes are equipped with internal heating elements synthesizes the entire passage.
It encapsulates both the core subject and the resolution presented in the conclusion.

Key Concept

Identifying the author's overarching communicative objective by evaluating how supporting details build toward a central explanatory thesis.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Author's Primary Purpose

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