Naturalist writers used setting to enhance the theme of unpredictability in nature. which four phrases in this excerpt from stephen crane's "the open boat" reflect the mercilessness of the sea? none of them knew the color of the sky. their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. these waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea. the horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose, and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points like rocks. many a man ought to have a bathtub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea. these waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall, and each froth-top was a problem in small-boat navigation.

The phrases that reflect mercilessness of the sea are:

1-"Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them."

They were glancing at the level of the sea changing by the waves, and fastened to fell the security of grabbing to something.

2-"These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea."

Describing the color of the waves as hue and mentioning that they all knew the colors of the sea, we can determine that these dark waves are pretty scary.

3-"The horizon narrowed and widened, and dipped and rose, and at all times its edge was jagged with waves that seemed thrust up in points like rocks. "

The description of how the movement of the boat and the sea changed the view of the horizon, as well as the comparison made of them thrusting like rocks let's the reader know how rough the sea is.

4-"These waves were most wrongfully and barbarously abrupt and tall, and each froth-top was a problem in small-boat navigation."

The description of how the waves were abrupt and tall let's the reader determine how harsh it is, as well as how it was uneasy to navigate with the froth-top, having a small boat.

the choice that is not a technique that you should use to come up with ideas for the topic of a research project is, writing about academic subjects that are not interesting to you. this does not belong to the techniques to come up with ideas because having no interest in a certain topic will lose your drive to come up with better ideas. it gives no room for improvement and acquiring of new ideas and information. 

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