Historic Inventions
by Rupert S. Holland (adapted excerpt)

Humphrey Davy invented the safety-lamp that helped protect miners from the perils of flammable fire-damp1.

Explosions of coal-gas were only too common in the mines of England, leading to detrimental effects on those who labored underground. The biggest mine-owners met to see whether some protection against such accidents could not be devised. After much discussion, they appointed a committee to call on Sir Humphrey Davy and asked him to investigate the possibilities for them.

He took up the question, experimented with fire-damp, and found that it was in reality light carburetted hydrogen. He visited many mines and took into careful consideration the conditions under which the men worked. For months he investigated and experimented, and in 1815, he constructed the safety-lamp. This was an oil lamp, which had a chimney or cage of wire gauze that kept the flame of the lamp from passing through and igniting the fire-damp outside. The cage allowed air to pass and light to escape. Even if the combustion of the fire-damp caused the wire gauze to become red hot, it was still efficient as a safety-lamp.

Select the correct answer.
Which statement best describes the writer's purpose?

A. to instruct
B. to inform
C. to entertain
D. to persuade