Difficulty: Easy

Average Score: 100%

In many accounts of the American West, the Lewis and Clark expedition (1803 - 1806) mistakenly marks the beginning of recorded history, with the captains' journals constituting a baseline of information about the region. The earlier history of the West is frequently seen as an unimportant backstory. Although the Lewis and Clark expedition was a momentous event, it was only a subplot in a historical drama of time, place, and people that had been playing for thousands of years. The 'new lands' that Lewis and Clark explored were in fact very old: the explorers did not bring the West into United States history; they brought the United States into the history of the West.

In context, the metaphor in the third sentence ('it was... years') chiefly serves to:

Rationale

Place the Lewis and Clark expedition into a broad context.

The metaphor in the third sentence emphasizes the historical significance of the Lewis and Clark expedition by situating it within a larger temporal framework, illustrating how it relates to enduring human concerns despite the passage of time.

A (Call attention to the age of the United States as a nation) YOUR ANSWER

While the metaphor may imply the historical timeline of the United States, it does not primarily focus on the nation's age. Instead, it seeks to highlight the broader implications of the expedition's accomplishments and the enduring relevance of its themes rather than merely marking a milestone in national history.

B (Question the literary value of the writings by Lewis and Clark) YOUR ANSWER

The metaphor does not address the literary merit of Lewis and Clark's writings. Instead, it underscores the significance of their journey and the profound questions it raises about human experience, meaning, and values, rather than critiquing the quality of their literary contributions.

C (Trivialize the accomplishments of the Lewis and Clark expedition) YOUR ANSWER

The metaphor does not trivialize the expedition; rather, it elevates its importance by connecting it to timeless issues that resonate across generations. The intent is to affirm the expedition's relevance rather than diminish its achievements through dismissive or trivializing language.

Conclusion

The metaphor's primary function is to contextualize the Lewis and Clark expedition within the ongoing human quest for meaning and understanding. By doing so, it invites readers to reflect on the expedition's lasting impact and relevance, linking historical events to the persistent questions that shape human existence, thus enriching the discourse on the humanities' role in examining unchanging issues.

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