Question

Look at the image of a woman riding a bicycle in the 1890s.

A woman in a long skirt riding a bicycle.

Read the excerpt from Chapter 3 of Wheels of Change.

In the 1890s, riding a bicycle in traditional clothing could be hazardous to a woman's health. Witness this all-too-typical account of a female cyclist whose adventure came to an abrupt end: "The wind was behind me, the road good, with just the least bit of down-slope, and I was skimming along like a bird, when there was an awful tug at my dress and a cracking sound," recalled the unnamed woman, who was quoted in the journal Sporting Life in October 1891.

How does the photograph enhance the text?

by showing a woman who is advocating for dress reform
by showing how modern styles helped women ride bicycles safely
by showing a woman who has fallen as a result of her long skirt
by showing how a long skirt could cover a bicycle’s machinery

Answer 1

by showing how a long skirt could cover a bicycle’s machinery

The image visually illustrates the hazard described in the excerpt — the long skirt hangs down over the wheel/chain area and could easily get caught, producing the "tug" and "cracking sound" and causing accidents.