Question

back in the old west, it could take over a month to get a letter from the east out to the west coast. people got tired of waiting. so two businessmen decided to set up the pony express, a kind of relay race on horseback from missouri to california. with the pony express, the mail got all the way to california in only ten days!

the structure of the selection above can best be described as

a. cause and effect.

b. definition.

c. sequence.

d. compare and contrast.

Explanation:

To determine the structure, analyze each option:

• Option A: The text explains that people's frustration with long mail delivery times (cause) led to the establishment of the Pony Express (effect), and then the effect of the Pony Express (faster mail delivery) is given. This fits cause - and - effect as it shows a cause (slow mail, people tired of waiting) and its effects (Pony Express created, faster mail).
• Option B: A definition structure would be about defining a term, but here it's about an event's cause and effect, not defining.
• Option C: Sequence would be a chronological order of events without showing cause - effect, but here the events are linked by cause and effect.
• Option D: Compare and contrast would involve showing similarities and differences, which is not done here.

Answer:

A. cause and effect.