During World War II, the military developed pesticides to help protect soldiers at war from disease-carrying insects. After the war, Americans began to use pesticides at home too. But pesticides had unforeseen dangers. Scientist Rachel Carson, who worked for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, observed that birds were getting sick and dying after eating insects exposed to the pesticide DDT. Carson's book Silent Spring warned that pesticides meant for insects were affecting the whole ecosystem, with the potential to make human beings sick as well. Carson's research, which resulted in a ban on DDT, is credited with inspiring the modern environmental movement. She reminded people that we are part of nature as much as any other plant or animal.

Isaw clearly the doom which had been prepared for me, and congratulated myself upon the timely accident by which ! had escaped. another step before my fall, and the world had seen me no more and the death just avoided was of that very character which i had regarded as fabulous and frivolous in the tales respecting the inquisition. to the victims of its tyranny, there was the choice of death with its direst physical agonies, or death with its most hideous moral horrors. i had been reserved for the latter. by long suffering my nerves had been unstrung, until i trembled at the sound of my own voice, and had become in every respect a fitting subject for the species of torture which awaited me. which torture does the passage above reference? a. being eaten alive by rats b.being sliced open by a giant blade c.being killed by falling into a hole d. being burned alive