Final answer:
The words 'varials' and 'vandalism' affect readers by implying skill and complexity or signaling criminal activity, respectively. They reflect the complex dichotomy of graffiti as both potential art and a sign of social disorder, altering the reader's perception based on the surrounding context.
Step-by-step explanation:
Impact of Word Choice on Reader Interpretation
The author's choice of words like "varials" and "vandalism" significantly influences the reader's understanding and emotions about graffiti. The use of "varials" could suggest a level of skill or complexity in the art of graffiti, while the term "vandalism" strongly implies criminal activity and social disorder. This duality echoes the perpetual debate around graffiti as an art form versus an illegal act. The Broken Windows Theory argues that visual signs of disorder, such as graffiti, can suggest to onlookers that an area has low social control, potentially inviting crime. However, street art can also be a form of political expression and resistance, with the power to provoke thought and raise awareness of social issues. In the 1980s and 1990s, graffiti became a profitable avenue for small galleries, showcasing that it also possesses significant artistic value. Notably, artists like Banksy have used it as a means to push against the commodification of art, thereby retaining its rhetorical and political roots.
The impact of such words on the reader eventually depends on the context in which they are applied and the preconceptions the reader brings to the narrative. Therefore, if a passage describes graffiti using a word with negative connotations like "vandalism," it may reinforce the idea that graffiti is inherently criminal (option d). Conversely, when the term reflects the skilled technique or cleverness behind graffiti, it might align more with the notion that some graffiti is a form of art or has social value beyond mere defacement (option b).