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Question

Difficulty: HardPart-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

In her study of early marine navigation, historian Clara Vance argues that the development of the marine chronometer by John Harrison did not immediately revolutionize seafaring as is commonly assumed. Instead, she highlights that the adoption of the device was hindered by the high cost of production and the skepticism of the British Board of Longitude, which favored astronomical methods. To demonstrate this resistance, Vance details a series of letters from the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne, who repeatedly questioned the reliability of Harrison's H4 timekeeper during sea trials in the 1760s. Consequently, most captains continued to rely on lunar distance calculations for several decades, using the chronometer only as a supplementary tool rather than a primary method of navigation.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

  1. A
    It states the primary argument that Vance's study makes about the adoption of the marine chronometer.
  2. It introduces historical evidence to illustrate the institutional skepticism toward the new technology mentioned in the previous sentence.Answer
  3. C
    It explains the technical reasons why the Board of Longitude favored astronomical methods over the chronometer.
  4. D
    It suggests that Nevil Maskelyne's opposition was motivated by personal rivalry rather than scientific concerns.

Answer

The choice that best describes the function of the underlined sentence is the one stating that it introduces historical evidence to illustrate the institutional skepticism toward the new technology mentioned in the previous sentence.
The correct option correctly identifies the function of the underlined sentence. The preceding sentence introduces the idea that the adoption of the marine chronometer was hindered by the skepticism of the British Board of Longitude, which favored astronomical methods. The underlined sentence then provides a concrete example of this skepticism by describing letters from the Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne questioning the device's reliability. Therefore, it functions as historical evidence illustrating the institutional skepticism mentioned earlier.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Read the entire passage to identify the main argument and the sequence of ideas.
The passage discusses how the adoption of the marine chronometer was slower than expected due to cost and institutional skepticism.
Understanding the overall context is necessary to determine how any individual part relates to the whole.
2
Analyze the sentence immediately preceding the underlined portion.
The preceding sentence establishes that the British Board of Longitude was skeptical of the chronometer and favored astronomical methods.
The underlined sentence begins with 'To demonstrate this resistance,' indicating a direct logical link to the previous claim.
3
Determine how the content of the underlined sentence relates to that skepticism.
The underlined sentence describes letters from Nevil Maskelyne (the Astronomer Royal) questioning the timekeeper's reliability, which acts as historical proof or an example of that institutional skepticism.
This identifies the rhetorical function of the underlined part as supporting the preceding claim with specific historical evidence.

Key Concept

Identifying how a specific sentence or part of a text contributes to the development of the author's overall argument.
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Part-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

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