Question

read this passage from a speech by ronald reagan in 1983.
i urge you to beware the temptation of... labeling both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant misunderstanding.
which best describes the meaning of reagans words?

• both sides in the cold war are evenly to blame.
• the cold war has been based on a giant misunderstanding.
• the soviet union is a cruel nation that started the cold war.
• the lesson of history is that the cold war is separate from the arms race.

Explanation:

Reagan warns against labeling both sides equally at fault, mentions the "aggressive impulses of an evil empire" (referring to the Soviet Union) and against calling the arms race a misunderstanding. Let's analyze each option:

• Option 1: Reagan is against labeling both sides equally at fault, so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: Reagan says not to call the arms race a giant misunderstanding, so this is incorrect.
• Option 3: Reagan refers to the Soviet Union as an "evil empire" with "aggressive impulses" and warns against equal blame, implying the Soviet Union (the "evil empire") was at fault and started the Cold War - this aligns with his view.
• Option 4: The passage doesn't suggest the Cold War is separate from the arms race; in fact, it's about not mislabeling the arms race as a misunderstanding while addressing the Cold War context.

Answer:

C. The Soviet Union is a cruel nation that started the Cold War.