Question

read this excerpt from \the world on turtles back.\

without knowing it, the right and left-handed twins built balance into the world. the plant-eating animals created by the right-handed twin balanced out the meat-eating animals created by the left-handed twin. and so the world thrived, and this was good.

which statement best describes the purpose of this excerpt?

to describe who created plant- and meat-eating animals
to explain that some animals are good and others are evil
to explain how balance came to exist in the natural world
to describe two different kinds of animals found in the world

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt's central theme

The excerpt states that the right- and left-handed twins "built balance into the world." It explains how the plant-eating animals created by one twin balanced the meat-eating animals created by the other, allowing the world to thrive. This highlights the concept of ecological and cosmic equilibrium.

Evaluate the purpose of the text

Using Mythological Purpose, we look at why this creation myth includes this specific detail. The text explicitly focuses on how opposing forces (the two twins and their respective creations) work together to establish a stable, thriving ecosystem.

Perform textual analysis on the options

Using Textual Analysis, we compare the options to the text:

• Option 1 focuses only on who created the animals, which is a minor detail rather than the main purpose.
• Option 2 mentions good and evil, but the text focuses on ecological balance (plant-eating vs. meat-eating) rather than moral labeling.
• Option 3 directly addresses how "balance came to exist in the natural world," matching the opening and closing sentences of the excerpt.
• Option 4 is too narrow, as it only mentions describing two kinds of animals.

Select the best option

The third option is the most accurate and comprehensive description of the excerpt's purpose.

Answer:

• to describe who created plant- and meat-eating animals
• to explain that some animals are good and others are evil
• to explain how balance came to exist in the natural world (Correct answer)
• to describe two different kinds of animals found in the world