Read the passage from "Optimism.” My life was without past or future; death, the pessimist would say, "a consummation devoutly to be wished. ” But a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living. Night fled before the day of thought, and love and joy and hope came up in a passion of obedience to knowledge. How does Keller use evidence to address the underlined counterclaim?
Answer
A
She cites a quotation from an expert to lend credibility to the idea that pessimism sometimes has its merits.
B
She explains the facts of her physical limitations to shed light on the importance of considering pessimism.
C
She suggests a hypothetical situation to illustrate how dark life would be without the benefit of optimism.
D
She uses an example from her own life to illustrate why she is able to be optimistic despite her circumstances.
Explanation
Keller answers the pessimistic idea that death might be preferable by describing a turning point in her own life: another person spelled a word into her hand, and she discovered the joy of learning. She says this experience brought love, joy, and hope, showing why she could be optimistic despite her circumstances. The choice “She uses an example from her own life to illustrate why she is able to be optimistic despite her circumstances” best describes her evidence.
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