Question

Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points: to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.
Use context clues or a dictionary to select the best definition for General MacArther’s use of dictate.

to speak or read to a person
to state with authority or power
an order that must be obeyed.
to imply or suggest

Answer 1

The verb dictate means to give an order that must be obeyed. From the excerpt, we can assume that the words duty, honor, and country should be our guidelines. The ideas behind those words must be followed, for they tell us what we ought to be, what we can be, what we will be.

The verb dictate could also mean to speak or read to a person. In this excerpt, however, that meaning does not apply.

Answer 2

Answer:

The correct answer is B.

Explanation:

In this context, the word "dictate" means to lead or direct.

General MacArthur belived that our lives should be commanded by duty, honor and country. Therefore, these principles would "dictate" our actions and decisions.