Read the excerpt from part 2 of Zeitoun. Zeitoun woke with the sun and crawled out of his tent. The day was bright, and as far as he could see in any direction the city was underwater. . . . He could only think of Judgment Day, of Noah and forty days of rain. And yet it was so quiet, so still. Nothing moved. He sat on the roof and scanned the horizon, looking for any person, any animal or machine moving. Nothing. As he did his morning prayers, a helicopter broke the silence, shooting across the treetops and heading downtown. Why does the author include the details of Zeitoun’s morning?

a. to suggest the hopelessness of Zeitoun’s situation.

Explanation:

According to a different source, these are the options that come with this question:

a. to suggest the hopelessness of Zeitoun’s situation.

b. to illustrate the solitary existence endured by survivors.

c. to establish Zeitoun’s dedication.

d. to the rituals of his faith to reveal the military’s attempts at assistance.

In this passage, the author talks about the situation that Zeitoun (and many others) found himself in after Hurrican Katrina. We learn that everywhere he looked, Zeitoun could only see water. We also learn that this caused Zeitoun to think about tragic biblical stories. He could not find a trace of life, nor could he hear any sound besides the helicopter. This description is intended to suggest the hopelessness of Zeitoun's situation.

so is this a rhetorical question?