Question

read the paragraph from the hot zone. jerry jaax was going to be the first man in, the point man. he had decided to take with him one of his officers, captain mark haines, a former green beret. he was a short, intense man with a whipped body who had been through the green berets scuba-diving school. he had jumped out of airplanes at night into the open sea, wearing scuba gear. (\ill tell you one thing,\ haines once said to me, \i dont do scuba diving for fun in the middle east. the majority of my diving has been as a civilian.\) captain haines was not a man who would get claustrophobia and go into a panic in a space suit. furthermore, captain haines was a veterinarian. he understood monkeys. the author most likely included this paragraph to

• persuade the reader that captain mark haines was highly qualified to assist.
• explain why jerry jaax chose captain mark haines to accompany him inside.
• create a vivid image of the men who are entering the hazardous building.
• inform the reader that jerry jaax is a man who carefully considers his options.

Explanation:

To determine the author's purpose, analyze each option:

• Option 1: The paragraph focuses on Jerry Jaax's choice, not persuading about Haines' qualifications. Eliminate.
• Option 2: The text explains why Jaax chose Haines (scuba experience, not prone to panic, veterinarian who understands monkeys) to accompany him. This matches.
• Option 3: The paragraph describes Haines, not the general "men entering the hazardous building." Eliminate.
• Option 4: The focus is on Haines' suitability, not Jaax's careful consideration of options generally. Eliminate.

Answer:

B. explain why Jerry Jaax chose Captain Mark Haines to accompany him inside