Question

dy.com/student/dashboard/home green with vegetation and grey with water, with a cloudy atmosphere eloquent of fertility. with glimpses through its drifting cloud wisps of broad stretches of populous country and narrow, navy-crowded seas.... The Martians seem to have calculated their descent with amazing subtlety-their mathematical learning is evidently far in excess of ours-and to have carried out their preparations with a well-nigh perfect unanimity. Had our instruments permitted it, we might have seen the gathering trouble far back in the nineteenth century. Men... watched the red planet-it is odd, by-the-bye, that for countless centuries Mars has been the star of war-but failed to interpret the 1 2 3 4 5 6 My Progress Which idea is BEST supported by the last paragraph of the passage, on pages 5 and 6? The impending events could have been prevented if humans were more advanced in their learning. If Martians had invaded in an earlier era, humans would have been better prepared. If Martians had been more careful in their planning, they could have staged a more successful invasion. Humans may not have come under threat if they had made an effort to communicate with other planets. off 2023 by Curriculum Associates. All rights reserved. These materials, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced on shared in any manner without express written consent of Curriculum Associat 80°F​

Answer 1

The passage suggests that humans could have detected an alien threat earlier if they had more advanced learning and technological capability, as the Martians' mathematical learning and strategic planning were superior.

Step-by-step explanation:

The idea that is BEST supported by the last paragraph of the passage is that the impending events could have been prevented if humans were more advanced in their learning. The reference to the Martians' superior mathematical learning and the subtlety of their descent suggests that a greater understanding and advancement in human learning might have allowed for earlier detection of the threat. Moreover, the mention that Earth's instruments were not sufficient to detect the trouble early enough reinforces the notion that technological advancements could have altered the outcome.

The passage does not suggest that communication with other planets would have prevented the threat or that the Martians' planning was flawed—instead, it indicates their planning was nearly perfect. It also doesn't imply that humans would have been better prepared in an earlier era; rather, it hints at a lack of preparedness in the face of alien technology.