Question

lasers: the light fantastic!

1. since the early days of ancient greece, egypt, rome, china, and india, rays of light have been thought to possess mysterious, even magical powers. the ancients believed light could carry messages from the gods and that the sun was responsible for imbuing life. light, they believed, could even cure serious illnesses.
2. ordinary light is comprised of many light rays of different wavelengths, all out of step with each other. thats why most visible light diffuses, or spreads out, from its source. you probably have experienced this if you have ever been in a darkened room and lit a candle or turned on a small light bulb. the light, in these examples, is brightest at its source. as it moves away from its point of origin, the light covers more area but it grows dimmer. people wondered if there was any way to keep the intensity of light the same as it is at its source?
3. what is the most likely reason the author wrote the article?

• to recall the events of the industrial revolution
• to inform readers of the cause of deforestation in europe
• to criticize history books for stating that the steam engine was a transformative invention
• to convince readers that the industrial age was an age of suffering caused in part by new technology

Explanation:

First, analyze each option:

• Option 1: The article "Lasers: The Light Fantastic!" and the other about steam engines (implied by the question's context) likely relate to the Industrial Revolution's events (steam engine was key, lasers are modern but the other article is on steam engine powering revolution). The other options don't fit: deforestation in Europe isn't related to light/lasers or steam engines; criticizing history books about steam engine's importance is not supported; convincing about Industrial Age as suffering doesn't match the topics of light/lasers and steam engine revolution (steam engine was transformative, not just about suffering). So the most likely reason is to recall Industrial Revolution events.

Answer:

A. To recall the events of the Industrial Revolution