Final answer:
Without the text itself, we infer that the first paragraph of the text engages readers through anecdotes, background information, or the presentation of various experiences, suggesting options C or D are more plausible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to how the first paragraph of a text about Mariah Carey engages readers. Based on the options given and the reference information, we can deduce that the paragraph likely utilizes rhetorically effective ways of engaging the reader, which can include anecdotes, background information, and surprising statistics or questions. Given the context clues, option A seems less likely since it assumes prior knowledge or feelings about Mariah Carey from the readers.
Option B could be correct if the anecdote was indeed 'shocking and unexpected', but we don't have evidence of that. Option C suggests providing historical context, which aligns well with including background information. Option D captures the idea that the paragraph offers a variety of experiences before homing in on one specific example.