What key idea does the text below suggest?

Yet so vain is man, and so blinded by his vanity, that no writer, up to the very end of the nineteenth century, expressed any idea that intelligent life might have developed there far, or indeed at all, beyond its earthly level.

Earth's idea of intelligence is insufficient.

Humans are vain and pompous creatures.

Humans are blind to their own shortcomings and weaknesses.

Pride kept humans from imagining life beyond Earth.

Question

English

Myles Leonard

12 December, 23:39

What key idea does the text below suggest?

Yet so vain is man, and so blinded by his vanity, that no writer, up to the very end of the nineteenth century, expressed any idea that intelligent life might have developed there far, or indeed at all, beyond its earthly level.

Earth's idea of intelligence is insufficient.

Humans are vain and pompous creatures.

Humans are blind to their own shortcomings and weaknesses.

Pride kept humans from imagining life beyond Earth.

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Bumper · Answer 1

The passage does mention that humans are vain and proud, but it's not the main argument, rather it's used as in introduction to the other idea: that humans did not imagine life outside of earth. So this pride prevented them from imagining life outside of Earth ("beyond its earthly level")

Therefore, the best option is the following one:

Pride kept humans from imagining life beyond Earth.