Question

Difficulty: EasyInferring Author Tone and Attitude

Read the following passage:

Early navigators struggled for centuries to determine longitude at sea, often leading to disastrous shipwrecks on uncharted reefs. John Harrison's invention of the marine chronometer represented a brilliant triumph of human ingenuity over formidable physical obstacles. Despite facing persistent resistance from academic astronomers who favored complex lunar calculations, Harrison meticulously perfected a mechanical timepiece capable of keeping immaculate time amid rolling ocean swells and extreme temperature swings. His remarkable perseverance ultimately transformed oceanic voyaging from a perilous gamble into a precise science.

The author's attitude toward John Harrison's achievement can best be described as admiring and appreciative.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True. The author's attitude toward John Harrison's achievement is admiring and appreciative.
The statement is true because the passage uses highly favorable phrasing such as 'brilliant triumph,' 'meticulously perfected,' and 'remarkable perseverance' to characterize John Harrison's work, clearly showing admiration and appreciation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the descriptive diction and evaluative language used by the author to describe the subject.
Phrases like 'brilliant triumph,' 'human ingenuity,' 'meticulously perfected,' and 'remarkable perseverance' convey distinct praise and respect.
An author's tone and attitude are primarily inferred through the positive, negative, or neutral connotations of the words they select.
2
Compare the identified tone in the text with the characterization given in the statement.
The phrase 'admiring and appreciative' directly reflects the celebratory and respectful nature of the passage.
Determining alignment between textual evidence and the statement confirms whether the statement is true or false.

Key Concept

Inferring author tone through descriptive diction and connotation
Estimated Time:45s
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