Final answer:
The passage exemplifies a cause-and-effect relationship, where the gust of wind serves as the cause and Teresa's ball landing in a pond is the effect. This type of writing aims to make connections between events and their outcomes clear to the reader.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage provided is an example of cause and effect. The passage begins with the cause of the event: a powerful gust of wind. This cause leads directly to the effect described: Teresa's ball landing in a pond. This cause-and-effect relationship clearly demonstrates why something occurred (the ball landing in the pond) by explaining the reason behind it (the gust of wind). The structure and content of this passage mimic the fundamental concept of cause-and-effect writing, which often explores why certain events happen and the results that follow. Cause-and-effect writing is used to identify the reasons for an action, event, or idea (the causes), and the consequences or outcomes (the effects). This type of writing helps readers understand the connections between events that occur as a result of something else. In academic writing, it can be used to explore a wide variety of topics, from environmental issues like oil spills, changes due to a new business in town like a superstore, or even the installation of a new traffic signal in response to increased pedestrian danger.