Question

Elizabethans do not understand infection and contagion as we do. It is not that they are completely ignorant as to how illnesses spread—physicians believe they know perfectly well—it is rather that their understanding is very different from ours. –The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England, Ian Mortimer Which statement best describes the effect of the words we and our? It allows the reader to feel superior to Elizabethans. It creates a personal connection by grouping the reader and the author together. It creates an argumentative structure. It persuades the reader to learn more about medicine.

Answer 1

I believe the correct answer is b) It creates a personal connection by grouping the reader and the author together.

While the words "we" and "them" can appear to be argumentative, the passage itself is more informative. Mortimer appeals to the reader's familiarity of the present by constrasting it with the past.

Answer 2

The correct answer is B.