Question

Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled all of France

Part A


What is an inference that can be made about Dr. Mesmer?


A. He knows more about medicine than other doctors.


B. He does not want people to know he is not really a doctor.


C. He does not want Franklin to copy his method of treating patients.


D. He has impressed Franklin with his skills.



Part B Which detail best supports the answer to part A?


A: Ben went back to the king and told him what he'd seen


B: Dr Mesmer took his wand and fled


C: The test results supported Ben's hypothesis


D: Dr Mesmer said that I American must be special ​

Answer 1

An inference about Dr. Mesmer is that he might be hiding the fact that he is not a real doctor, as shown by his action of taking his wand and fleeing to escape scrutiny.

Step-by-step explanation:

Inferences about Dr. Mesmer from the Text

An inference that can be made about Dr. Mesmer from the text is that he does not want people to know he is not really a doctor (Option B). This can be drawn from the story's portrayal of Dr. Mesmer’s actions, which suggest a lack of transparency or an attempt to conceal the truth about his credentials. Such behavior implies that Dr. Mesmer may be presenting himself as more knowledgeable or skilled in medicine than he actually is, causing him to flee skeptical inquiry.

Supporting Detail for the Inference

The detail that best supports this inference is that Dr. Mesmer took his wand and fled (Option B). This action indicates a desire to avoid scrutiny and potentially the revelation of falsehoods about his medical practice or qualifications. The fact that he chose to escape rather than confront or prove his methods supports the idea that he could be concealing his lack of authentic medical expertise.