Question

I cannot prophesy. I cannot tell you when or where the United Nations are going to strike next in Europe. But we are going to strike—and strike hard.

–State of the Union address, 1943,
Franklin D. Roosevelt

How does the repeated use of the word strike help Roosevelt achieve his purpose?

A)It reinforces the idea of the United Nations’ strength and power.
B)It emphasizes the idea of other nations “striking out.”
C)It conveys the number of times the United Nations will attack.
D)It emphasizes to the audience that fighting back is the right thing to do.

Update: The answer is A.

Answer 1

It reinforces the idea of the United Nations’ strength and power.

Answer 2

Answer: A) It reinforces the idea of the United Nations’ strength and power.

Repetition is often used as a rhetorical device in order to emphasize an idea. It can also be used to provide more weight to a particular topic or to leave a long-lasting image in the listener's mind. In this case, the idea that Roosevelt is trying to emphasize is that the United Nations will strike again, because of its strength and power. By repeating the word "strike," he is making sure that the listener understands the extent of this promise and the power of the UN.