Question

passage 1
passage 2
why would you limit something that helps students succeed? social media sites help students do better at school. students report that they use social media to discuss educational topics and talk about school assignments. after the university of the scholars introduced a social media program to engage students, teachers reported a noticeable improvement in grades.
how does the author of passage 2 use rhetorical devices?

• the writer uses allusion to reference another event where social media was detrimental.
• the writer uses overstatement to exaggerate the harm that social media causes.
• the writer uses parallelism to list the harm done by social media.
• the writer uses understatement to make the proposed benefits of social media seem comical.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: Allusion involves referencing another work/event. If Passage 2 (not shown here, but from the context of the first passage being pro - social media for education) were to use allusion to a case where social media was bad, this could be a rhetorical device to contrast. But we need to check other options too.
• Option 2: Overstatement (hyperbole) exaggerates. If the writer is exaggerating the harm of social media, but the first passage is pro - social media, maybe Passage 2 is con - social media and uses overstatement. But let's check the other options.
• Option 3: Parallelism is a structure of similar phrases. The option says it's used to list harm, but if Passage 2 is against social media, but the structure of parallelism isn't indicated here.
• Option 4: Understatement minimizes. The option says it makes benefits seem comical, but understatement is about downplaying, not making things comical in that way.

Now, re - evaluating: The first passage is about the benefits of social media. If Passage 2 is arguing against, using allusion to a negative social media event (like a case where it was detrimental) to support their anti - social media stance is a valid use of allusion. The other options: overstatement would be exaggerating harm, but there's no indication of exaggeration structure. Parallelism is about structure, not just listing. Understatement doesn't fit the "comical" description for benefits. So the best answer is the first option.

Answer:

The writer uses allusion to reference another event where social media was detrimental.