Question

Read the excerpt from "On Becoming An Inventor" by Dean Kamen.

I had just finished making a complicated piece of equipment that was to be used for a show opening in Philadelphia called "Fiorello." When the machine arrived they had trouble wiring it, so instead of going off to college that morning for an orientation, I spent several days at the theater fixing my light/sound equipment. The show received poor reviews, except for the mention by one reviewer of the "special effects," which, he wrote, were "outstanding."
Which detail shows that Kamen's piece of equipment really was complicated?
A. It was used for a show in Philadelphia called "Fiorello."
B. The show technicians had trouble wiring the equipment.
C. The show received poor reviews from the critics.
D. A reviewer wrote that the special effects were outstanding.

Answer 1

Kamen’s opinion seems to be that his inventions are more important to him than other activities. He supports this by sharing an example of skipping college orientation to fix sound equipment. His tone is informal and directed at a general audience.

OR THE SAMPLE RESPONSE!

Kamen gives the opinion that his equipment was complicated. He supports this opinion with facts; for example, he says that people "had trouble wiring it" and that he "spent several days" fixing it.

Explanation:

The writing shapes the above view in the following ways:

1.1 Kamen’s opinion seems to be that his inventions are more important to him than other activities right from the beginning of the excerpt, which starts with him having finished making a machine.

1.2 Later in the excerpt, the readers come to know that he had skipped his college orientation to fix his equipment. The fact that the orientation was only mentioned in relation to his machine (which is the focus of the excerpt throughout), and not as a separate event, builds the opinion further.

2. Kamen refers to his machine as a “complicated piece of equipment” and as “light/sound equipment”, without using any technical jargon. This sets the informal tone which can be understood by a general audience without any pre-requisite knowledge of machines.

This is not my answer it is PB1011's answer. I am trying to help not copy!

Answer 2

B. The show technicians had trouble wiring the equipment.

Explanation:

When the machine arrived they had trouble wiring it, so instead of going off to college that morning for an orientation, I spent several days at the theater fixing my light/sound equipment.

If it was easy, the technicians would have been able to handle it. But also, the author would not have spent several days fixing it were simple. It delayed his plans to going off to college by several days.