Plugged in, but tuned out: the evil influence of ear buds darrell thomas i. invasion of the body snatchers: have you noticed a change in the world around you recently? have you seen how more and more people are walking around with little rectangles in their hands or pockets with long wires plugged straight into their ears? at the grocery store yesterday, i counted at least twenty people completely lost in the music provided by their ever-present cell phones. it’s as if the old science-fiction movie invasion of the body snatchers was coming true; we are being overtaken by pod people. so at the risk of appearing to be a crotchety old man complaining about the “good ole days,” i have to make a stance against the evil influences of the cell phone and ear-bud phenomena on our society. why does the author begin his article with two rhetorical questions? a) to make the reader angry and likely to agree with him b) to make it more likely that he will be taken seriously c) to invite the reader to see the relevance of his subject d) to raise legitimate questions that everyone wonders about