Question

questions 1 through 9 refer to the following.
(the following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a united states statesman
in 1930.)
warned by the disaster of the last great war, 1 the statesmen of all nations have been taking
measures to prevent the return of another such calamity. these measures may not
constitute an absolute guarantee of peace, but, in my opinion, they constitute the greatest
preventive measures ever adopted by nations. it is not to be expected that human nature will
change in a day, perhaps it is too much to expect that the age - old institution of war, which
has, through the centuries, been recognized by international law as a sovereign right and has
blackened the pages of history with the story of blood and destruction, will be at once
abolished, but people of all nations should be encouraged by the great progress which has
been made since the war in the furtherance of international peace. i cannot in this brief
address discuss these measures beyond enumerating them. there is the league of nations,
2 which has been functioning for ten years and which, i am sure, has been most beneficial in
adjusting many difficult international problems; the pact of paris, 3 arbitration treaties;
conciliation treaties; and the court of international justice, 4 and i might add that
commendable progress has been made toward reduction of armament. each one of these
treaties is a step for the maintenance of peace, an additional guarantee against war. it is
through such machinery that the disputes between nations will be settled and war
prevented.
it is not my intention today to discuss the pact of paris, which has passed into history,
perhaps i should not say it has passed into history but has been cemented in the

2
mark for review
in the third sentence of the first paragraph, the author mentions that war \has, through the
centuries, been recognized by international law as a sovereign right\ primarily to
a offer evidence in support of his ultimate conclusion
b provide context his audience may lack
c register a potential objection to a position he supports
d challenge the factual basis for a view he opposes

Explanation:

The author is discussing international law and its recognition over centuries. Mentioning that war "has, through the centuries, been recognized by international law as a sovereign right" serves as evidence. This is because the author is building an argument (ultimate conclusion likely about peace - related measures and the nature of war in international law context). Such a historical recognition statement supports whatever final point (ultimate conclusion) the author is making, for example, if the ultimate conclusion is about the need to change perceptions of war (from a sovereign right to something preventable), then this historical recognition is evidence against the old view (supporting a new conclusion about peace - building).

Answer:

A. offer evidence in support of his ultimate conclusion