Answer :
The excerpt from Silent Spring that best appeals to readers' pathos is:
"Yet every one of these disasters has actually happened somewhere, and many real communities have already suffered a substantial number of them. A grim specter has crept upon us almost unnoticed, and this imagined tragedy may easily become a stark reality we all shall know."
This excerpt appeals to readers' emotions by evoking a sense of fear and urgency. It highlights the real-life impact of environmental disasters on communities, painting a vivid picture of the potential consequences if action is not taken. By describing these disasters as something that has already affected real people and communities, it creates a sense of empathy and concern in the reader. The use of words like "grim specter," "imagined tragedy," and "stark reality" conveys a somber tone that resonates with the reader's emotions, making them more emotionally invested in the message of the text.