in paragraph 2, why does the author mention a statistic- the number of people who have completed the journey

The greatest gift the sumerians gave the world was the invention of writing. the sumerians were wealthy people. they needed some way to keep track of what they owned. they began drawing pictures. they used a reed as a pen. they drew on soft pieces of clay. the soft clay was then dried in the sun. the tablet became a permanent record. later, the sumerian drawings changed into wedge-shaped symbols. this kind of writing is called cuneiform. by putting symbols together, the sumerians could write entire sentences.

Read the excerpt from the common sense of bicycling: bicycling for ladies. the bicycle is capable of such high speed that there is a strong temptation to ride so fast as to cause over exertion or excessive perspiration. on the other hand some people ride too slow, causing a zigzag and uncertain movement. while exercising reasonable caution, be a fearless rider. when you come to a steep hill, if the road is clear, let it go as fast as it will. if you rid yourself of that ghost of fear, coasting is one of the greatest delights of cycling. which is the best paraphrase of the text?

Give example of metaphors and similes