Question

text structure and purpose: example
the following text is from charlotte perkins gilman’s 1910 poem “the earth’s entail”.

no matter how we cultivate the land,
taming the forest and the prairie free;
no matter how we irrigate the sand,
making the desert blossom at command,
we must always leave the borders of the sea;
the immeasureable reaches
of the windy wave - wet beaches,
the million - mile - long margin of the sea.

which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

choose 1 answer:
a the speaker provides examples of an admirable way of approaching nature and then challenges that approach.
b the speaker describes attempts to control nature and then offers a reminder that not all nature is controllable.
c the speaker argues against interfering with nature and then gives evidence supporting this interference.
d the speaker presents an account of efforts to dominate nature and then cautions that such efforts are only temporary.

Explanation:

First, analyze the poem: Lines like "cultivate the land", "tame the forest", "irrigate the sand" show human attempts to control nature. Then "we must always leave the borders of the sea" and descriptions of the sea’s vast, uncontrollable areas remind us some nature (the sea) can’t be controlled. Option A: The approach (controlling nature) isn’t “admirable” or challenged in that way. Option C: The speaker doesn’t argue against interfering; the examples are of control, then a reminder of uncontrollable parts. Option D: The poem doesn’t say efforts are temporary, just that the sea is uncontrollable. So Option B matches: describes control attempts, then reminds not all nature is controllable.

Answer:

B. The speaker describes attempts to control nature and then offers a reminder that not all nature is controllable.