Question

read the passage from gullivers travels
the method is this: in an acre of ground you bury, at six inches distance and eight deep, a quantity of acorns, dates, chestnuts, and other mast or vegetables, whereof these animals are fondest; then you drive six hundred or more of them into the field, where, in a few days, they will root up the whole ground in search of their food, and make it fit for sowing, at the same time manuring it with their dung. it is true, upon experiment, they found the charge and trouble very great, and they had little or no crop. however it is not doubted, that this invention may be capable of great improvement.
which excerpt from the passage is the best example of understatement?

• in an acre of ground you bury, at six inches distance and eight deep, a quantity of acorns, dates, chestnuts
• then you drive six hundred or more of them into the field, where, in a few days, they will root up the whole ground
• they found the charge and trouble very great, and they had little or no crop
• it is not doubted, that this invention may be capable of great improvement

Explanation:

An understatement is a figure of speech where a situation is presented as less significant than it actually is. Let's analyze each option:

• The first option just describes the action of burying mast/vegetables, no understatement.
• The second option describes driving animals and them rooting up the ground, just a description.
• The third option states the charge and trouble were great and there was little or no crop, which is a straightforward statement, not an understatement.
• The fourth option says "it is not doubted, that this invention may be capable of great improvement" after stating that the charge and trouble were very great and there was little or no crop. The invention clearly failed, but saying it "may be capable of great improvement" downplays the failure, which is an understatement.

Answer:

D. it is not doubted, that this invention may be capable of great improvement