Read the passages, then answer the question below.
Passage 2
Author A's Perspective: From "The River's Gift"
The river flowed like a silver ribbon through the valley, its waters a mirror for the sky's dreams. To the villagers, it was a mother, nurturing their crops and quenching their thirst. They sang its praises, their voices rising like birds at dawn. But one day, a factory rose on its banks, its smokestacks coughing black clouds. The river's song grew faint, its waters murky. Yet the villagers believed it could heal, as it always had, like a phoenix rising from ashes. They cleaned its banks, and slowly, the river's sparkle returned, a testament to their faith.
Author B's Perspective: From "The Cost of Progress"
The river was a tool, nothing more -- a vein of water to power the valley's growth. The factory brought jobs, money, and progress, its hum a heartbeat of a new era. Sure, the river turned gray, its fish vanished, but that was the price of change. Why mourn a stream when you could have wealth? The villagers' efforts to clean it were futile, like trying to hold back time. Progress always wins, and the river would bend to its will, as all things do.
In Author B's passage, the statement "Why mourn a stream when you could have wealth?" is an example of:
(1 point)
Responses
Irony, because wealth is less valuable.
Irony, because wealth is less valuable.
Personification, giving the river human emotions.
Personification, giving the river human emotions.
Rhetorical questioning, emphasizing the value of progress.
Rhetorical questioning, emphasizing the value of progress.
Allusion, referencing a historical event.
1 answer
The correct response is:
Rhetorical questioning, emphasizing the value of progress.
This choice highlights how the statement challenges the reader to reconsider their priorities, suggesting that progress and wealth are more important than mourning the loss of the river.
