Question

read the source of the allusion.
lewis carrolls alices adventures in wonderland tells the story of a young girl who follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a series of adventures in a surreal world.
what is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
carters research on nineteenth - century philosophers led him down the rabbit hole.
on a strange or difficult exploration
into focused study

Explanation:

The allusion to "down the rabbit hole" from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland involves Alice entering a surreal, strange, and complex world. In the sentence about Carter’s research, "down the rabbit hole" should reflect a strange or difficult exploration (as Alice’s journey was surreal and complex, not just focused study). The first option matches the allusion’s meaning of entering a strange/difficult exploratory path.

Answer:

on a strange or difficult exploration