3. Which of the following changes would make the sequence of ideas in the first paragraph clearer?

A) Delete Part 2.

B) Reverse the order of Parts 2 and 3.

C) Delete Part 3.

D) Reverse the order of Parts 3 and 4.


3. The correct choice is B.

Part 3 which presents the meaning of "democracy," should come immediately after the first mention of the word and be followed by Part 2 that presents a problem involving that system of governance. In the passage below, this correct reversal of sentences is shown in red.


(1) Democracy is a form of government in which final authority rests in the people’s hands. (2) The Greek root word for democracy means “rule of the people.” (3) There are, however, very few modern examples of governments where all the citizens actually participate in deciding all important issues. (2) There are, however, very few modern examples of governments where all the citizens actually participate in deciding all important issues. (3) The Greek root word for democracy means “rule of the people.” (4) A few small towns in New England still hold annual or semi-annual town meetings at which important issues are decided by majority votes, but even those are now rare.

(5) Many national governments are, instead, representative democracies where all citizens are able to vote for the people who make the laws. (6) A true representative democracy requires that at least two viewpoints be widely available so that citizens have an actual choice. (7) Governments which hold elections but allow only “official” candidates are not true democracies. (8) Although widely criticized, these governments defend their practice by claiming that the “party” already knows what the people want. (9) Whether the group in power actually does know best or not, it is certainly true that the free speech and free assembly usually required by a representative democracy is often lacking in these one party states.