Asked by j

Read the excerpt from Chapter 2 of Wheels of Change.

Dr. Benjamin Ward Richardson of Great Britain, a big fan of the wheel, nevertheless summarized its pitfalls in his 1895 article "What To Avoid in Cycling." Among those pitfalls were several dangers that resulted from "teaching the practice to subjects who are too young." Richardson believed serious riding should not be done by males or females until the skeleton was completely matured, which he said happened around age 21.

What is the author’s most likely purpose in presenting Dr. Richardson’s research?

to persuade young readers to avoid riding bicycles until they are older
to entertain readers with a story about a doctor who was against cycling
to inform readers about one reason why cycling was controversial in the 1800s
to emphasize that the advantages of cycling are not worth the risks

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
to inform readers about one reason why cycling was controversial in the 1800s

Explanation: The passage shows a contemporary medical objection (age/health concerns) to illustrate historical controversy, not to persuade, entertain, or argue that benefits don't outweigh risks.