TPO 30

The reading passage gives three reasons to convince readers that the burning mirror is just a myth, while the lecturer disagree with all of them.
Firstly, the passage suggests that the Greeks are not technologically advanced to make a large parabolic mirror to focus sunlight with sufficient intensity. However, the lecturer rebutes this by pointing out that the Greeks could arrange several small mirrors into a large parabolic mirror. The Greek mathematician know the parabolic equation and could therefore make the large mirror.
Secondly, the passage claims that the burning mirror takes ten minutes to set the wood on the Roman boat on fire. The lecturer, however argues that there is a special material called pitch on the Roman boats that could be set fire in seconds. Once the pitch is on fire, the other wooden structure would start to burn.
Finally, the passage points out that the burning mirror is not an improvement than the flamming arrows Greeks have which have the same effect. The lecturer, again, disagree with this. Roman soldiers are familiar to burning arrows but not the burning mirror. The mirror could suddenly set the boat on fires which is more surprising and therefore effective than the burning arrows.