Question

read this excerpt from \a visit from the goon squad.\

at last he found rebecca, smiling, holding cara-ann in her arms. she was dancing. they were too far away for alex to reach them, and the distance felt irrevocable, a chasm that would keep him from ever again touching the delicate silk of rebeccas eyelids, or feeling, through his daughters ribs, the scramble of her heartbeat. without the zoom, he couldnt even see them. in desperation, he td rebecca, pls wat 4 me, my butiful wyf, then kept his zoom trained on her face until he saw her register the vibration, pause in her dancing, and reach for it.

which of these is the best question to address the societal issue raised in this excerpt?

does technology help or hinder meaningful communication?
should proper spelling and grammar be required to send texts?
is it dangerous to text while engaged in other activities?
how will technology affect the music industry of the future?

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt's central conflict

The passage depicts Alex looking at his wife and daughter from a distance that feels "irrevocable, a chasm." He relies on a digital "zoom" just to see them and sends a text message ("T'd Rebecca") to bridge the physical gap, highlighting the tension between physical distance and technological connection.

Evaluate the options against the excerpt

• Option 1 directly addresses the core theme of whether digital tools (zoom, texting) truly bridge emotional and physical distances or highlight our isolation.
• Option 2 focuses too narrowly on text message grammar, which is a minor stylistic detail rather than a broad societal issue.
• Option 3 concerns physical safety while texting, which is not mentioned or implied in the passage.
• Option 4 mentions the music industry, which is completely irrelevant to this specific excerpt.

Answer:

• Does technology help or hinder meaningful communication? (Correct answer)
• Should proper spelling and grammar be required to send texts?
• Is it dangerous to text while engaged in other activities?
• How will technology affect the music industry of the future?