Question

Directions Read the narrative and answer the question that follows.

(1) You grandkids asked me to write down what I recall about being an emigrant crossing the Great Plains in a covered wagon. (2) It all seems so long ago now. (3) And some things are still too sad or too scary to want to remember. (4) I've heard people say about the overland trails, "The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way." (5) Well, I don't feel right about calling anyone a coward. (6) I've learned the folly of sitting in judgment on other folks. (7) But I will say something about the weak dying along the way. (8) The strong died as well, because smallpox and cholera are no respecters of persons. (9) I saw so many grave markers by the side of the trail.(10) It was in the spring that we started out. (11) Coming from back East, most of us were used to a landscape with plowed fields and woods. (12) The uncultivated, treeless plains stretching to the horizon frightened many emigrants. (13) I guess I was different because, when we left the Missouri River and climbed the bluffs, the view pleased me. (14) There were green hills as far as I could see.(15) We brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm to pull our wagons, but even so we often traveled only about ten miles a day. (16) This was partly the result of the need of frequent halts to rest both the animals and the emigrants. (17) But bad weather-such as heavy rains-also often slowed us down.(18) One day after traveling some distance we found that our three-year-old Amy was missing, and I still can't recall this without a sick feeling here in the pit of my stomach. (19) She had been left behind when we started moving again after a halt. (20) Mercifully, another wagon train found Amy and soon returned her to us. (21) But the memory of those few hours still haunts me.(22) A good memory is how we celebrated the Fourth of July on the trail. (23) We ate roasted antelope with gooseberry sauce, sang patriotic songs, and recited what we could remember of the Declaration of Independence. (24) This is uplifting to think about. (25) Perhaps that's enough for now. (26) Later I'll tell you about crossing the Columbia River. (27) Now that was an experience!

Question:
Choose the BEST way to revise the syntax of sentence 15 to emphasize the difficulty of incremental travel.
Select one:
a. We often traveled only about ten miles a day even though we brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm to pull our wagons.
b. We brought to pull our wagons the best oxen and horses we had on the farm, but even so we often traveled only about ten miles a day.
c. To pull our wagons we brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm, but even so we often traveled only about ten miles a day.
d. We brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm. They pulled our wagons. But even so we often traveled only about ten miles a day.

Answer 1

The best way to emphasize the difficulty of incremental travel in the given sentence is to restructure it to start with the effort of bringing robust animals followed by the limited progress made, which is, 'Even though we brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm to pull our wagons, we often traveled only about ten miles a day.'

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks for the best way to revise the syntax of a sentence from a narrative to emphasize the difficulty of incremental travel. This involves rearranging the sentence structure to highlight the contrast between the effort made and the limited progress achieved on a daily basis by the emigrants. Among the options given, the sentence that best emphasizes the arduous nature of the travel while still carrying strong animals is, 'Even though we brought the best oxen and horses we had on the farm to pull our wagons, we often traveled only about ten miles a day.' This sentence revision places emphasis on the struggle of the journey, despite having strong animals, by leading with the effort made, and concluding with the relatively small distance covered as a result of that effort.