Question

Read this excerpt from "Letter to George III, 1793" by Emperor Qian Long:

It may be, O King, that the above proposals have been
wantonly made by your Ambassador on his own
responsibility, or peradventure you yourself are ignorant of
our dynastic regulations and had no intention of
transgressing them when you expressed these wild ideas
and hopes.
Why did Qian Long most likely include this passage in the letter?
O
A. To clearly warn the English king not to make similar requests of
China in the future
O
B. To give the English king a graceful way out of what could be an
awkward situation
O
C. To subtly tell the English king that he is open to different requests
at another time
O
D. To help the English king by letting him know his ambassador may
be disobeying orders

Answer 1

b

Step-by-step explanation:

just took the test.

Answer 2

I would say the correct answer is B. To give the English king a graceful way out of what could be an awkward situation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The emperor's letter is a perfect example of a well-balanced political message. He clearly states his political position while still paying due respect to his counterpart. Translated to modern, everyday English, this passage would mean: "Your request is unreasonable and goes against all principles and rules of my great empire; still, I will be gracious enough to assume that you meant no offence." This way, the emperor turns down a request without making an enemy.

True, the emperor refuses King George's request to intensify trade connections between the two countries. But he doesn't go so far as to warn the English king of anything. His tone remains polite throughout the letter. Therefore, A) isn't correct.

On the other hand, C) isn't correct because Qian Long presents his current political stance and the politics of his empire as definite and immutable. Therefore, there is no room for change - not now, not ever.

Finally, D) isn't correct because the emperor knows very well that an ambassador always speaks on behalf of his sovereign. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible that a political envoy would take liberty to speak on his own terms.