Question

3
select the correct text in the passage.
which sentence best develops the author’s claim about the materials used to make shoes?

excerpt from “shoes: feet first!”
from a history of travel in 50 vehicles
by paula grey & phillip hoose

despite the relatively recent age of the early shoes found to date, scientists believe that humans were wearing shoes as much as 40,000 years ago.
shoes made of reeds, papyrus, or even leather decompose easily, leaving few or no traces. but people who don’t wear shoes have wider feet and
bigger gaps between their big toe and the other four. in studying bones of the smaller toes of fossilized skeletons, scientists observed that the thickness
of these bones decreased somewhere between 40,000 and 26,000 years ago. they believe the change was the result of wearing shoes.
the materials used to make shoes varied with the climate and region. ancient egyptians made sandals from papyrus and palm leaves. the masai of
africa used rawhide; the people of india used wood; and the chinese and japanese used rice straw. south americans wove sandals from the leaves the
sisal plant, and the anasazi people of mexico and arizona used the yucca plant. the dutch developed wooden clogs. people living in arctic climates
created snowshoes—a hardwood frame with rawhide lacings—which distribute a person’s weight over a larger area so that the foot doesn’t sink into the
snow.
today, shoe manufacturers use rubber, plastic, cloth, and other materials in addition to leather. most soles are made from synthetic materials such as
ethylene, vinyl, acetate, rubber, and polyurethane, which provide better traction, durability, and water resistance than leather soles. special shoes are
available for running, bowling, and other sports. and shoes are often considered an important fashion accessory.

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Explanation:

To determine the sentence that best develops the claim about shoe - making materials, we analyze each relevant sentence:

1. The sentence "Shoes made of reeds, papyrus, or even leather decompose easily, leaving few or no traces." focuses on the decomposition of shoe materials, not on developing the claim about the variety or use of materials based on climate/region.
2. The sentence "In studying bones of the smaller toes of fossilized skeletons, scientists observed that the thickness of these bones decreased somewhere between 40,000 and 26,000 years ago." is about the effect of wearing shoes on bones, not on materials.
3. The sentence "The materials used to make shoes varied with the climate and region. Ancient Egyptians made sandals from papyrus and palm leaves. The Masai of Africa used rawhide; the people of India used wood; and the Chinese and Japanese used rice straw. South Americans wove sandals from the leaves the sisal plant, and the Anasazi people of Mexico and Arizona used the yucca plant. The Dutch developed wooden clogs. People living in arctic climates created snowshoes—a hardwood frame with rawhide lacings—which distribute a person’s weight over a larger area so that the foot doesn’t sink into the snow." provides multiple examples of different materials used for making shoes in different climates and regions, which effectively develops the claim about the materials used to make shoes.
4. The sentence "Special shoes are available for running, bowling, and other sports." is about special - purpose shoes, not about materials.
5. The sentence "Today, shoe manufacturers use rubber, plastic, cloth, and other materials in addition to leather. Most soles are made from synthetic materials such as ethylene, vinyl, acetate, rubber, and polyurethane, which provide better traction, durability, and water resistance than leather soles." focuses on modern shoe - making materials and their properties, but the claim about materials used to make shoes (in a broader historical and regional context) is better developed by the sentence with multiple examples of materials based on climate/region.

Answer:

The materials used to make shoes varied with the climate and region. Ancient Egyptians made sandals from papyrus and palm leaves. The Masai of Africa used rawhide; the people of India used wood; and the Chinese and Japanese used rice straw. South Americans wove sandals from the leaves the sisal plant, and the Anasazi people of Mexico and Arizona used the yucca plant. The Dutch developed wooden clogs. People living in arctic climates created snowshoes—a hardwood frame with rawhide lacings—which distribute a person’s weight over a larger area so that the foot doesn’t sink into the snow.