Question

read the excerpt from dispatches. by autumn, what had begun as an adventurous expedition had turned into an exhausting, indecisive war of attrition in which we fought for no cause other than our own survival. which statement best explains the paradox in the excerpt? it is odd that war should ever be viewed as an adventurous expedition. it is unusual that soldiers should ever be forced to fight merely to survive. it is surprising that the expedition turned out to be so exhausting and difficult. it is unfortunate that the soldiers did not have the easy time they had anticipated.

Explanation:

A paradox is a statement that seems self - contradictory but may hold truth. In the excerpt, war is first described as an "adventurous expedition" (a positive, exciting view) and then as an "exhausting, indecisive war of attrition" (a negative, difficult reality). The first option points out this contradiction as it's odd (a form of paradoxical perception) that war (usually seen as negative) could be initially viewed as an adventurous expedition. The other options do not highlight this self - contradictory nature.

Answer:

It is odd that war should ever be viewed as an adventurous expedition.