Question

1. a driver should down shift to

○ gain power when driving up a hill
○ drive with less strain on the engine
○ to avoid using the bigger, more difficult gears
○ keep all the gears in good working order

Explanation:

Downshifting (shifting to a lower gear) increases the engine's torque and power output, which is necessary to maintain speed and handle the increased resistance when driving uphill. The other options do not align with the purpose of downshifting: less strain on the engine would come from upshifting, avoiding bigger gears is not the goal, and gear maintenance is unrelated to the immediate action of downshifting while driving uphill.

Answer:

A. gain power when driving up a hill.