Excerpt from The Time Machine
by H. G. Wells

I don't know if you have ever thought what a rare thing flame must be in the absence of man and in a temperate climate. The sun's heat is rarely strong enough to burn, even when it is focused by dewdrops, as is sometimes the case in more tropical districts. Lightning may blast and blacken, but it rarely gives rise to widespread fire. Decaying vegetation may occasionally smoulder with the heat of its fermentation, but this rarely results in flame. In this decadence, too, the art of fire-making had been forgotten on the earth. The red tongues that went licking up my heap of wood were an altogether new and strange thing to Weena.

The flame is a symbol of

A. an adventurous journey.
B. an object of innovation.
C. a complicated problem.
D. a brilliant personality.

answer: i would say he was very determined and persistent in overcoming obstacles.

explanation:   "the magician of menlo park" as he was called, liked to tell an incident that happened when he was 8 years old and came back home crying after attending school for three months because his teacher called him "sterile and unproductive". from nowadays perspective, we can say that thomas alva edison was one of the most persistent and determined man that has ever existed. when edison was 14, he contracted scarlet fever. the effect of the fever, as well as a blow to the head by an angry train conductor, caused edison to become completely deaf in his left ear, and 80-percent deaf in the other. so as you can see he had to struggle to not so many minor issues but he always succeeded.

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~courtney

d becuase khgfdwhat effect does the word head have on the meaning of this passage?

a. it demonstrates how intelligent he was.

b. it shows he was a favorite of the teachers.

c. it indicates he would be a good preacher.

d. it reveals how self-important he was.

how does the choice of the word head contribute to the passage’s tone?

a. it offers a sense of entitlement.