Question

read the excerpt from \harrison bergeron.\
hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldnt think about anything except in short bursts. and george, while his intelligence was way above normal, had a little mental handicap radio in his ear. he was required by law to wear it at all times. it was tuned to a government transmitter. every twenty seconds or so, the transmitter would send out some sharp noise to keep people like george from taking unfair advantage of their brains.
how could this excerpt serve as a warning about the consequences of forced uniformity?

• by suggesting that forced uniformity specifically benefits individuals who are of average intelligence
• by suggesting that forced uniformity encourages certain people to break the law
• by implying that forced uniformity interferes with individuals intellectual development
• by implying that forced uniformity hampers a societys ability to use new technologies

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The excerpt shows George (above - normal intelligence) is handicapped, not that average - intelligence people benefit. So this is incorrect.
• Option 2: There's no indication in the excerpt that forced uniformity encourages law - breaking. George is following the law by wearing the radio. So this is incorrect.
• Option 3: George, with above - normal intelligence, has a mental handicap radio that interrupts his thinking. This shows that forced uniformity (making everyone "average" in intelligence) interferes with his intellectual development (he can't think freely for long). This matches the warning about forced uniformity.
• Option 4: The excerpt is about individual intellectual development, not a society's use of new technologies. So this is incorrect.

Answer:

C. by implying that forced uniformity interferes with individuals’ intellectual development