Question

Read the excerpt from President Reagan’s Address at Moscow State University.

Answer 1

Answer:

In this excerpt, Reagan uses:

C. allusion to give his speech more authority.

Explanation:

Allusion is a figure of speech in which a reference is made to something or someone. It is common for the author or speaker to not explain much, since he assumes the audience knows to whom or what he refers.

In this particular case, President Reagan used allusion with the purpose of conferring his speech more authority. The Bible is a well-known book, even in countries where Christianity is not prevalent. In the U.S., a country largely constituted of Christians, alluding to the Bible is a way to immediately inspire respect and evoke obedience. Therefore, mentioning the wisdom "contained in the book of Genesis in the Bible" helps Reagan's speech sound more authoritative, more worthy of respect.