Read the passage and answer the questions:
It is with the gravest import that we relay intelligence from the Continent, where the machinations of foreign Powers betoken a perturbation most grievous to the tranquillity of Europe. Reports reaching our office, albeit through channels of dubious veracity, intimate that certain Ministers of State, long disaffected, have entered into clandestine parley, thereby imperilling the precarious Peace recently brokered at Amiens. The populace, though desirous of repose after protracted tumult, remains uneasy; their apprehensions stoked by pamphleteers whose incendiary declamations find ready purchase amongst the credulous.
Meanwhile, at Westminster, the Commons are engaged in fervid debate upon the propriety of augmenting naval armaments, lest perfidious designs render our shores vulnerable. It is the sentiment of many learned gentlemen that vigilance, tempered with prudence, is the surest safeguard against the perfidy of hostile ambition. Further dispatches are awaited with no small degree of trepidation.
According to the article, what is the primary purpose of the authorities' appeal to the citizenry?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer
To warn against foreign influence and maintain order
Explanation
The passage highlights serious threats from the "machinations of foreign Powers" and secret meetings ("clandestine parley") that put peace at risk. It emphasizes that "vigilance" and "prudence" are necessary to defend the shores against hostile ambitions and keep the anxious populace calm. Therefore, the core objective is to alert the public to external dangers while preserving national stability.
Key Points
Word: Main Purpose
Meaning: Advising the nation on geopolitical risks and the importance of internal stability.
Contextual Clue: Phrases like "machinations of foreign Powers" and "safeguard against the perfidy of hostile ambition" directly point to warning against external threats.