"Wilberforce 1789 abolition speech"

Question

by William Wilberforce

The number of deaths speaks for itself, and makes all such enquiry superfluous. As soon as ever I had arrived thus far in my investigation of the slave trade, I confess to you sir, so enormous so dreadful, so irremediable did its wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for the abolition.

William Wilberforce's 1789 Abolition Speech

Question
Use the speech excerpt to answer the question.

How does the word choice in this paragraph impact readers?

(1 point)
Responses which answer is correct and why

It gives them something to consider logically.
It gives them something to consider logically.

It engages their sense of ethics.
It engages their sense of ethics.

It uses a fallacious statement to persuade them.
It uses a fallacious statement to persuade them.

It appeals to their emotions.
It appeals to their emotions.
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Answer 1

The correct answer is:

It engages their sense of ethics.

Why: The word choice in this excerpt highlights the moral gravity of the slave trade, using terms like "enormous," "dreadful," and "wickedness." This language evokes a strong sense of ethical responsibility and moral outrage in readers, urging them to confront the immorality of the slave trade and prompting them to consider the ethical implications of its continuation. Wilberforce's emphasis on the overwhelming wrongness of the trade seeks to engage the audience's conscience, fostering a sense of moral duty to support abolition.