Read the passage and answer the questions.
"mythical monster"

it is clear that it is part of human nature to believe in supernatural creatures, a wide category including spirits, ghosts, aliens, and lake monsters. one of the most believed legends around the world centers attention on a mythical aquatic creature native to the loch ness lake in the northern scotland highlands. nessie, the loch ness monster has been the subject of a variety of folklore stories that date back nearly 1500 years.

the loch ness legend was derived during the first century a. d. when the romans ventured into northern scotland and discovered the native tribe called the picts, or painted people. the picts were covered in tattoos and intrigued by the local animals. the majority of the animals carved into pictish stones are fairly lifelike and identifiable, except for one that depicts an odd-looking creature with a long snout and flippers.

scottish folklore is full of giant animals that live in lakes and small streams. they are called water-horses or water-kelpies and are believed to possess magical powers and evil intentions. one well-known legend describes a water-horse that entices children into the lake by giving rides on its back. as soon as the children are onboard, their hands become tacked to the monster and they are dragged to the depths of the lake forever.

the modern version of the loch ness legend began in 1933, after the construction of a new road around the lake that provided unobstructed views of the northern side. on a clear afternoon in april, a couple was driving along the new road and caught a glimpse of a strange animal making waves on the water's surface. their account was written in the local newspaper by an editor who used the word monster to describe the odd beast. thus, the loch ness monster developed into a media phenomenon following the sighting. public interest slowly increased in the spring of 1933 and when another couple reported a similar creature on land, crossing the road into the lakeshore.

in the fall of that year, multiple london newspapers had journalists sent to scotland to report on any breaking news regarding the monster. a british circus offered a hefty reward to anyone who could capture the strange beast. a multitude of curious adventurers arrived and ventured into the lake by boat while others set up camp along the shore, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature's appearance.

a famous british film director and big-game hunter tracked down the beast by discovering freshly created footprints of a massive, four-toed animal along the shore. plaster casts were made of the footprints and sent to the natural history museum in london for examination. the world waited patiently for the museum zoologists to identify the animal while monster hunters traveled to the loch ness lake from afar, occupying every local hotel, creating traffic jams on the shoreline roads, and ultimately sparking the tourist economy. the museum geologists eventually declared the footprints belonged to a stuffed hippopotamus. the famous hunter either committed the prank or was the victim of a well-played hoax. regardless, the event contaminated the image of nessie the monster.

1. what is the author's main purpose in writing this passage?

a. to inform the reader about the ancient legend and modern sightings of the loch ness monster

b. to convince the reader that the loch ness monster exists

c. to convince the reader that the loch ness monster is a complicated hoax played by several people over time

d. to provide a firsthand account of a sighting of the loch ness monster by a local couple

2. which of these inferences about the author's purpose is supported by the text?

a. the author wrote the text to warn people to stay out of lakes because of the existence of malicious water monsters.

b. the author wrote the text to encourage travelers to visit loch ness lake in scotland.

c. the author wrote the text to motivate people to get involved with local monster hunts to prove urban legends.

d. the author wrote the text to inform people about the history of the loch ness legend and encourage them to develop a conclusion on their own.

3. which sentence from the text best supports your answer from question #2

a. they are called water–horses or water–kelpies and are believed to possess magical powers and evil intentions.

b. thus, the loch ness monster developed into a media phenomenon following the sighting.

c. a multitude of curious adventurers arrived and ventured into the lake by boat while others set up camp along the shore, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature's appearance.

d. huge catfish, floating log, or water monster, believe what you will about the mythical beast.