Question

read the excerpt from h. g. wellss the war of the worlds.

a big greyish rounded bulk, the size, perhaps, of a bear, was rising slowly and painfully out of the cylinder. as it bulged up and caught the light, it glistened like wet leather.

two large dark-coloured eyes were regarding me steadfastly. the mass that framed them, the head of the thing, was rounded, and had, one might say, a face. there was a mouth under the eyes, the lipless brim of which quivered and panted, and dropped saliva.

which statement best describes how wells conveys his purpose with this excerpt?

he creates powerful visual images.
he appeals to the readers intellect.
he shares an expert opinion.
he defines key terms.

Explanation:

Analyze the author's purpose

Using the Author's Purpose knowledge point
The excerpt from H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds describes an alien creature emerging from a cylinder. The author's primary purpose in this specific passage is to vividly describe the strange, unsettling appearance of the creature to immerse the reader in the scene and evoke a sense of dread or wonder.

Evaluate the descriptive techniques

Using the Sensory Details knowledge point
Wells achieves his purpose by using highly descriptive language that appeals to the senses, particularly sight. He uses phrases like "big greyish rounded bulk," "glistened like wet leather," "two large dark-coloured eyes," and "lipless brim of which quivered and panted, and dropped saliva." These vivid descriptions create strong mental pictures for the reader.

Match with the options

Using the Author's Purpose and Sensory Details knowledge points

• He creates powerful visual images: This directly aligns with the extensive use of descriptive sensory language to paint a vivid picture of the alien.
• He appeals to the reader's intellect: The passage is descriptive and emotional rather than an intellectual or logical argument.
• He shares an expert opinion: This is a fictional narrative, not an essay or article citing experts.
• He defines key terms: No technical terms are being defined here.

Therefore, the first option is the correct choice.

Answer:

• (A) He creates powerful visual images. (Correct answer)
• (B) He appeals to the reader’s intellect.
• (C) He shares an expert opinion.
• (D) He defines key terms.