Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in, and the great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line, and you waited with beating heart for
something to happen? I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding-line, and
had no way of knowing how near the harbour was.
Which statement best describes the purpose of the imagery in the excerpt?
O It allows the reader to feel how lost Helen feels before she learns to communicate.
O It allows the reader to feel how excited Helen feels when her new teacher arrives.
O It keeps the reader in suspense and eager to find out what happens to Helen
O It paints a picture for the reader of how dangerous it is to be lost at sea.