The notion that someday nature could swallow whole
something so colossal and concrete as a modern city
doesn't slide easily into our imaginations. The sheer titanic
presence of a New York City resists efforts to picture it
wasting away. The events of September 2001 showed only
what human beings with explosive hardware can do, not
crude processes like erosion or rot Nevertheless, the
time it would take nature to rid itself of what urbanity has
wrought may be less than we might suspect.
What point is the author most likely making with the example of September
11?

The point that was trying to be made is when something tragic happens people only look at how it effects people themselves not how it can effect nature too.

The destructiveness of humans is puny compared to that of

nature

Explanation:

Ap3x

the illustration   that would give a reader a clear understanding of the text is a picture of men constructing the frame of a building.the frame is made of iron bars. the text describes the job of blacksmiths'. these were very organised and they had different names: "the driver" and "the heater". the text describes the way in which these men worked ; they worked iron pieces as if they were playing a sport. in fact, the text wants to show the men's skills. the text also puts some emphasis on the use of '' rivets'' in construction. this kind of nails were not always used in the construction of manhattan.

some examples:

"and with an underhand toss he hurled the smoking rivet straight at the catcher, who caught it in mid-air in his catching can." men's skills

"when the driver was ready for a new " the emphasis on the rivet ( special nail used in construction).

" it against a beam to remove any cinders, and jammed it into the waiting hole. " the emphasis on the rivet.

nominative