Question 109·Easy·Command of Evidence
The following is an excerpt from an 1848 letter in which botanist Marianne North describes a recently discovered mountain valley.
The valley appeared asleep in a silence of its own making, wrapped in morning mist and the slow perfume of unseen flowers. No cart track scored the hillsides, no chimney smoke bruised the air; even our footsteps seemed presumptuous intrusions. A silver river wound beneath terraces of fern, its surface unwrinkled by boat or bridge. I felt, for once, that the earth was content without us, and that we, not it, were the guests.
North implies that the valley is “wholly indifferent to human presence.”
Which quotation from the passage best supports the statement?
For evidence questions like this, first rephrase the claim in simple words (here, “the valley doesn’t care about humans and is fine without them”). Then scan the passage or choices for the line that most directly states that idea, not just one that shares similar words or describes the same scene. Eliminate options that only describe setting, mood, or the absence of people, and pick the quote that explicitly connects the author’s idea (here, the earth’s indifference) to humans.
Hints
Clarify the key phrase
Restate “wholly indifferent to human presence” in your own words. What does it mean for the valley (or earth) to be indifferent to whether humans are there?
Focus on attitude, not just description
Look for a sentence that tells you something about the earth’s or valley’s attitude toward humans, not just how the valley looks or how many people are there.
Find the most direct statement
One option directly comments on whether the earth is satisfied with or without humans. Look for the quotation that plainly describes that idea, instead of just implying it through scenery or the absence of human-made objects.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question says North implies that the valley is “wholly indifferent to human presence.”
Rephrase this: if the valley (or earth) is wholly indifferent to humans, it means it doesn’t care about people at all—it neither needs nor responds to them; it would be just as content without them.
Look for meaning, not just similar words
Now scan the answer choices for a sentence that talks about how the earth or valley feels about humans, not just one that describes:
- how the valley looks,
- how quiet or untouched it is,
- or the absence of human-made things.
You want a quotation that directly connects the valley/earth and its attitude toward humans.
Evaluate why some choices are weaker
Go through the options one by one:
- One sentence focuses on peaceful imagery (silence, mist, perfume of flowers). This shows beauty and calm, but not the valley’s attitude toward humans.
- Another sentence mentions no roads, no smoke, and that the visitors’ footsteps feel like intrusions. This suggests humans don’t quite belong, but it mainly describes lack of human impact and the humans’ feelings, not the valley’s own indifference.
- A third sentence describes the river without boat or bridge, again showing no human presence, but still not directly stating how the valley feels about humans.
Only one option clearly explains the relationship between the earth and humans in terms of whether the earth is content with or without people.
Choose the line that best matches “wholly indifferent”
The quotation that best supports the idea that the valley is “wholly indifferent to human presence” is:
“I felt, for once, that the earth was content without us, and that we, not it, were the guests.”
This line directly says the earth is content without humans and that humans are just guests, which perfectly matches the idea that the valley (earth) does not need or particularly care about human presence.