Question
Study the editorial cartoon Mars Probe by Mike Keefe.
On another planet, 3 aliens are playing baseball, and one holds a baseball bat at the ready position. A space vehicle is flying above them with "Mars Probe" written on it. One alien says "Get ready! Here comes another one!"
How does the alien with the baseball bat contribute to the effectiveness of the political cartoon?
It suggests that aliens are like people because they play baseball, a human sport.
It uses humor to show that unknown factors keep damaging the probes humans send.
It shows how to cope with the surface of Mars, which is rocky and full of craters.
It exaggerates the size of the bat in relation to the Mars probe in the cartoon.
On another planet, 3 aliens are playing baseball, and one holds a baseball bat at the ready position. A space vehicle is flying above them with "Mars Probe" written on it. One alien says "Get ready! Here comes another one!"
How does the alien with the baseball bat contribute to the effectiveness of the political cartoon?
It suggests that aliens are like people because they play baseball, a human sport.
It uses humor to show that unknown factors keep damaging the probes humans send.
It shows how to cope with the surface of Mars, which is rocky and full of craters.
It exaggerates the size of the bat in relation to the Mars probe in the cartoon.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The alien with the baseball bat contributes to the effectiveness of the political cartoon primarily because **it uses humor to show that unknown factors keep damaging the probes humans send**. The implication that aliens are actively "playing" with the Mars probes—catching or hitting them like baseballs—creates a humorous scenario that suggests the probes are facing unexpected challenges, potentially from alien interference. This satirical take on the difficulties of space exploration highlights the frustrations encountered in attempts to explore Mars, making it both amusing and thought-provoking.