Final answer:
The text first describes the narrator's childhood and his significant encounter with a 'fearful man' in the churchyard, setting the stage for later events in the narrative. Moreover, the author's use of descriptive details and overarching organizational elements like headlines gives an initial focus and sets expectations for the reader. This allows one to determine what the author describes first by examining these narrative structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer which of the following the author describes first in the text, we can utilize specific strategies to understand the organization of the narrative. The story begins with the narrator introducing his childhood and swiftly transition to the encounter with the "fearful man" in the churchyard. This sets a foundation for the narrative and hints at the significance of this incident, which only becomes evident later on in the narrative.
The text occasionally adheres to certain writing techniques such as using descriptive diction and sensory detail, thereby fulfilling the "Editing Focus" of the chapter. This establishes the writer's intent to meet or challenge conventional expectations in a rhetorically effective manner.
The introduction of the text or the immediate context like the inclusion of a headline in a photo essay (e.g., "The Syrian War") often reveals the initial focus of the text, providing the reader with clarity on the subject matter at the very beginning. Through examining how the author organizes elements like headlines, sensory details, and character introductions, one can discern what is first described.