Without our two political parties cutting across economic and geographic interests democracy as we know it could never have been made to funtion. The author probably meant to suggest that

a) an important feature of u.s. political system is the broadly based appeal of the two political parties
b) each political party appeals to a different social class
c) only a two-party system can funtion in a democracy
d) political parties in the United States tend to represent sectional interests
e) there is no significant difference between the democratic and republican parties

i think that is a

I agree. A is correct.

Good job!

To determine the author's intended suggestion, we can analyze the statement provided. The statement suggests that without the two political parties cutting across economic and geographic interests, democracy could not function as it does in the United States.

To identify the author's implication, we need to consider the options:

a) An important feature of the U.S. political system is the broadly based appeal of the two political parties.
This option aligns with the statement made, as it highlights the significance of the two parties cutting across economic and geographic interests.

b) Each political party appeals to a different social class.
While this may be true to some extent, the statement does not explicitly or specifically address the appeal of parties to different social classes.

c) Only a two-party system can function in a democracy.
The statement suggests the importance of the two-party system in the functioning of democracy, but it does not necessarily imply that only a two-party system can work.

d) Political parties in the United States tend to represent sectional interests.
While this option mentions the idea of parties representing sectional interests, it does not directly address the broader point made in the statement.

e) There is no significant difference between the Democratic and Republican parties.
The statement does not mention or imply that there is no difference between the two major parties in the United States.

Based on the analysis, option a) seems to align closest with the author's intended suggestion. It acknowledges the broadly based appeal of the two political parties, which is linked to the functioning of democracy in the United States.