Question

Read this excerpt from the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln and answer the question. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. … But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. Which of the following statements best indicates Lincoln’s purpose in writing "... we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground"?
The repetition of the parallel construction emphasizes the ulitimate sacrifice given by the soldiers on this ground.
The loaded language evokes images of war.
He wants to ensure that audience remembers.
He wants to entertain with his imagery.

Answer 1

The repetition of the parallel construction emphasizes the ultimate sacrifice given by the soldiers on this ground.

When elements within a list or sentence are parallel, the same word pattern is present.  In looking at the portion of this excerpt you have placed in quotation marks, there is repetition that is highlighted by Abraham Lincoln’s use of parallel structure with the words, “we cannot.”  The use of repetition here can certainly be seen to place an emphasis on the soldiers’ sacrifice on the ground (battlefield) being spoken about.