Question

read the excerpt from \african american women in world war ii.\

this was unheard of. the united states had never drafted women into the military. yet the army still maintained the limit on african american nurses. the hypocrisy was obvious.

which best describes the rhetorical appeal used in this excerpt?

an appeal to logic and reason
an appeal to the readers emotions
an appeal to the authors authority
an appeal to the authors credibility

Explanation:

Analyze the text and identify the rhetorical appeal

The excerpt highlights a logical contradiction: the United States military had never drafted women, yet it still maintained a limit on African American nurses who volunteered to serve. The author points out this contradiction directly by stating, "The hypocrisy was obvious."

Evaluate the options

• An appeal to logic and reason (logos): The author presents historical facts (no draft for women, limits on African American nurses) to construct a logical argument showing the contradiction (hypocrisy) of the military's policy. This appeals to the reader's intellect and sense of logic.
• An appeal to the reader's emotions (pathos): While the topic is serious, the primary mechanism used in these three sentences is pointing out a logical inconsistency rather than using emotionally charged, sensory, or passionate language to evoke a specific emotional state.
• An appeal to the author's authority/credibility (ethos): The text does not cite the author's personal credentials, status, or character to build trust.

Answer:

• (A) an appeal to logic and reason (Correct answer)
• (B) an appeal to the reader's emotions
• (C) an appeal to the author's authority
• (D) an appeal to the author's credibility