What is the purpose of the phrase 'after all' in the final sentence?
Foxes have lived in our cities for nearly a century, yet we still argue about whether they belong. To some residents, the fox is a thief of bin bags and a screamer in the night. To others, it is the last wild thing left in streets otherwise given over to concrete. Scientists, meanwhile, point out that urban foxes are neither villains nor victims: they are opportunists, perfectly adapted to feed on whatever our habits leave behind. If we dislike the mess, the evidence suggests, we should look first at our own rubbish, not at the animal that tidies it. Wildlife, after all, does not adapt to us out of kindness; it adapts because we leave the door open.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. To present the point as obvious common sense
- Step 1: 'After all' signals something obvious that reinforces the argument.
- Step 2: So it makes the writer's closing claim sound like common sense.
Answer
To present the point as obvious common sense.
Why not the others: To suggest that the writer is uncertain about the argument: 'after all' makes the claim sound firm. To introduce a counter-argument from the residents: no opposing view follows. To change the topic to the lives of other wild animals: the sentence stays on the same topic.
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More Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation questions
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