Question

which statement best describes a historian? a historian primarily finds out the truth about events from the past. a historian tries to explain present - day events based on the past a historian works to discover why a contemporary event occurred a historian mostly corrects mistakes of investigators from long ago

Explanation:

• Option A: While historians do research past events, "finding the truth" is too simplistic as historical interpretation involves analysis beyond just truth - seeking.
• Option B: Historians study the past to gain insights that can help in understanding present - day events by looking at historical patterns, causes, and effects. This is a core aspect of historical work as the past often informs the present.
• Option C: Historians focus on past events, not contemporary (current) events. Contemporary events are studied by fields like journalism or current - affairs research, not primarily by historians.
• Option D: Historians are not mainly concerned with correcting the mistakes of past investigators. Their work is about researching, analyzing, and interpreting past events, not auditing past investigators.

Answer:

B. A historian tries to explain present - day events based on the past