Question

later, as clinton’s troops were heading up the hudson valley, clinton used another device to pass the news of his whereabouts to burgoyne. clinton wrote a message on a piece of silk that he put in a silver ball about the size of a musket ball. (clinton also sometimes cut a message into long, narrow strips and coiled them into the hollow quill of a large feather.) clinton gave the silver ball to daniel taylor, a young officer, promising that taylor would be promoted if he got the message to burgoyne. if he were captured, he was to swallow the ball. because it was made of silver, it could not harm him.
—george washington, spymaster,
thomas b. allen

which statement includes explicit information from the passage?

○ clinton was a pioneer of spy techniques.
○ taylor was promised a promotion if he carried the message successfully.
○ the use of silver could be considered dangerous.
○ taylor’s youth made him the perfect messenger.

Explanation:

• Analyze each option:
• Option 1: The passage doesn't state Clinton was a pioneer of spy techniques.
• Option 2: The passage says Taylor would be promoted if he got the message to Burgoyne, not if he carried it successfully.
• Option 3: The passage says the silver ball (not just silver) was safe as it was made of silver, so this is incorrect.
• Option 4: The passage mentions Taylor is a young officer and was to swallow the ball (implying his youth made him a good messenger as he could swallow it), so this matches explicit info.

Answer:

Taylor's youth made him the perfect messenger.