Question

which of the following statements represents one of the authors reasons to relate evidence to the claim?

a. \as a moor (moroccan or north african) in venice, othello faces prejudice based on his dark skin, foreign origin, and muslim background\ (paragraph 1).

b. \in an age when interracial marriage is still controversial, when prejudice against muslims is on the rise in europe and the united states, and when themes of jealousy and murder are ubiquitous in popular films, othello may be shakespeares most relevant and accessible tragedy\ (paragraph 1).

c. \todays readers can, however, somewhat sympathize with iagos complaints against othello as his employer. he could be compared to a battle-worn, working-class sergeant in todays american army, complaining about the privileges of young officers with no military experience\ (paragraph 3).

d. desdemona \also acts bravely when she advocates for lieutenant cassio, whom she feels othello has wrongfully demoted...\ (paragraph 2).

Explanation:

Identify the core question

The question asks which statement represents the author's reasoning that connects evidence to a central claim.

Analyze the options

• Option (a) provides background context or textual evidence about Othello's identity and the prejudice he faces.
• Option (b) connects historical and modern contexts (interracial marriage, prejudice, jealousy) to explain why the play is highly relevant and accessible today. This acts as a warrant or reasoning linking the evidence of the play's themes to the claim of its modern relevance.
• Option (c) offers a specific modern comparison for Iago's character to help readers sympathize with him.
• Option (d) provides textual evidence regarding Desdemona's actions in the play.

Connect to argumentative structure

Using Argumentative Structure, we look for the statement that explains why or how the evidence supports the claim. Option (b) explicitly links the evidence of societal issues to the claim of the play's enduring relevance.

Answer:

• (a) "As a Moor (Moroccan or North African) in Venice, Othello faces prejudice based on his dark skin, foreign origin, and Muslim background" (Paragraph 1).
• (b) "In an age when interracial marriage is still controversial, when prejudice against Muslims is on the rise in Europe and the United States, and when themes of jealousy and murder are ubiquitous in popular films, Othello may be Shakespeare's most relevant and accessible tragedy" (Paragraph 1). (Correct answer)
• (c) "Today's readers can, however, somewhat sympathize with Iago's complaints against Othello as his employer. He could be compared to a battle-worn, working-class sergeant in today's American army, complaining about the privileges of young officers with no military experience" (Paragraph 3).
• (d) Desdemona "also acts bravely when she advocates for Lieutenant Cassio, whom she feels Othello has wrongfully demoted..." (Paragraph 2).