Question

read the passage from sugar changed the world. sugar is different from honey. it offers a stronger sweet flavor, and like steel or plastic, it had to be invented. in the age of sugar, europeans bought a product made thousands of miles away that was less expensive than the honey from down the road. that was possible only because sugar set people in motion all across the world—millions of them as slaves, in chains; a few in search of their fortunes. a perfect taste made possible by the most brutal labor: that is the dark story of sugar. how do the details in this passage support the authors’ purpose?
○ the comparison of honey to sugar production helps persuade readers that honey is better than sugar.
○ the details about sugar’s dependency on slavery help inform readers about why sugar was inexpensive.
○ the details about the sugar’s strong flavor entertain the reader with stories of how people invented sugar.
○ the comparison of the invention of sugar to steel helps persuade readers that sugar is easier to make than steel.

Explanation:

• Analyze Option 1: The passage doesn't aim to persuade that honey is better; it contrasts sugar and honey to introduce sugar's unique aspects. Eliminate this.
• Analyze Option 2: The passage states sugar was less expensive and explains that sugar set people in motion (including slaves), which implies the use of slave labor (brutal labor) kept costs low. This detail about sugar's dependency on slavery (through the mention of slaves in chains) helps explain why sugar was inexpensive. This matches.
• Analyze Option 3: The detail about sugar's strong flavor is to introduce sugar's characteristics, not to entertain with invention stories. Eliminate this.
• Analyze Option 4: The comparison to steel is to show sugar had to be "invented" like steel, not to compare ease of making. Eliminate this.

Answer:

B. The details about sugar’s dependency on slavery help inform readers about why sugar was inexpensive.