10
QuizMultiple Choice

Unit Test — Unit test

Question 10 • ELA 10B - 2023

Read the passage from chapter 8 of The Prince.Agathocles, the Sicilian, became King of Syracuse not only from a private but from a low and abject position. This man, the son of a potter, through all the changes in his fortunes always led an infamous life. Nevertheless, he accompanied his infamies with so much ability of mind and body that, having devoted himself to the military profession, he rose through its ranks to be Praetor of Syracuse. Being established in that position, and having deliberately resolved to make himself prince and to seize by violence, without obligation to others, that which had been conceded to him by assent, he came to an understanding for this purpose with Amilcar, the Carthaginian, who, with his army, was fighting in Sicily. One morning he assembled the people and the senate of Syracuse, as if he had to discuss with them things relating to the Republic, and at a given signal the soldiers killed all the senators and the richest of the people; these dead, he seized and held the princedom of that city without any civil commotion.

Answer
A
The evidence uses stories of historical figures to support the claim.
B
The evidence uses examples of extreme violence to support the claim.
C
The evidence uses examples of people’s behavior long ago to support the claim.
D
The evidence uses data and statistics to support the claim.

Explanation

The passage recounts Agathocles’s rise to power as a historical example: he used his military position and a planned massacre to seize Syracuse. This story of a historical figure supports Machiavelli’s claim about how a ruler can gain power. Although the passage includes extreme violence, that violence is part of the historical story rather than the main type of evidence being identified.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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