Question

This town does not actually exist, but it might easily have a thousand counterparts in America or elsewhere in the world. I know of no community that has experienced all the misfortunes I describe. Yet every one of these disasters has actually happened somewhere, and many real communities have already suffered a substantial number of them. A grim specter has crept upon us almost unnoticed, and this imagined tragedy may easily become a stark reality we all shall know.

—Silent Spring,
Rachel Carson

What is the best description of the author’s purpose in this passage?

to convince readers of a threat
to explain a frightening story
to convince readers of the importance of community
to explain a historical event

Answer 1

to convince readers of a threat

Carson presents an imagined but plausible tragedy and warns it "may easily become a stark reality," aiming to alert and persuade readers about a real environmental danger.