Which of the following best describes how the author organizes the reasoning of his argument in the opening lines of the passage (“Warned by the disaster . . . ever adopted by nations”)? A. Arguing from specific cases to a general conclusion

B. Tracing a sequence of events resulting in a positive outcome

C. Pointing out the differences among various opinions

D. Critiquing a proposed measure by examining a hypothetical example

E. Drawing parallels between the current situation and a past crisis

B. Tracing a sequence of events resulting in a positive outcome

Explanation:

Answer B

Correct. Writers frequently use certain recognizable approaches to develop and organize the reasoning of their arguments. In the opening lines of the passage, the author employs such a method of development when he traces a sequence of events that he believes have culminated in a positive outcome: the First World War happened; the war provided a cautionary example; world leaders have been trying to prevent another outbreak of war; in the end, they succeed in devising the “greatest preventive measures ever adopted by nations.” A method of development provides an audience with the means to trace a writer’s reasoning in an argument. In this case, the author’s approach to organizing his argument suggests that he understands recent peace preservation efforts in terms of a temporal chain of events—one in which each event is linked to the next by a causal logic.

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