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SAT English Practice Question

The author of the text describes how a particular invention in the nineteenth century changed the way that we perceive and understand our surroundings. The author notes that before this invention, the experience of navigating unfamiliar spaces was “intimidating” and “disorienting,” since those spaces were unknown and unpredictable. After the invention, however, people could use this new tool to “master their surroundings,” and the author uses a metaphor to explain that this tool “gave people a new sense of ownership over their environment.” What is the most likely reason why the author uses a metaphor in this text?

  1. A.explain a complex technical process in simple terms.
  2. B.illustrate the effect of a new invention on human perception.
  3. C.compare the invention’s impact to that of earlier inventions.
  4. D.emphasize the importance of the invention’s inventor.

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