Answer: B) famous
Explanation:
Illustrious in this context refers to famous because the speaker is comparing the reputations of the institutions being talked about to that of Harvard.
Harvard is a household name which means that they have a famous reputation for being a certain type of school. In comparing that reputation to that of the institutions being spoken of, the speaker concedes that their reputation is not as famous as that of Harvard.
To persuade the reader in such a way, they want to take action towards something.
Depending on the reader's preferred ways of reading/studying, productive reading strategies can vary slightly. I like to use these, personally:
1. Skim the writing first, then go back and re read it slowly.
2. Take notes on things that are interesting, inspiring personally, motivating, and/or things that raise questions. Especially those!
3. Afterwards, go back with your notes and the reading and make connections, try and decide what this means or what that means, try and answer some of your own questions, maybe write more.
These are just what I like to use... I find the notes are especially helpful when trying to write a response to a reading, or wanting questions answered.
The temperature continues to fall outside.