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Read the question from “A Defense of the Constitution of the United States” by John Adams.

Are there no robberies, burglaries, murders, adulteries, thefts, nor cheats?

This is John Adams’s response to the assertion that “the people never think of usurping over other men’s rights.”

Why does Adams use pleonasm in this sentence?

to convince the audience that society has become overrun with crime because of the Constitution

to emphasize that humans have demonstrated that they will violate the rights of others in many ways, so the principles of the Constitution are necessary to maintain order

to persuade the audience that the Constitution eliminates the commission of many commonplace crimes

to scare the audience by describing some of the crimes that would occur if there were no Constitution

B?

Yes, b.

Yes, option B is correct. John Adams uses pleonasm in this sentence to emphasize that humans have demonstrated that they will violate the rights of others in many ways, so the principles of the Constitution are necessary to maintain order. Pleonasm is the use of more words or parts of words than is necessary or sufficient for clear expression. Adams uses this rhetorical device to drive home the point that crimes like robberies, burglaries, murders, adulteries, thefts, and cheats are indeed committed by people, thereby highlighting the need for the Constitution to protect against such intrusions on rights.

Yes, the correct answer is B. John Adams uses pleonasm in this sentence to emphasize that humans have demonstrated that they will violate the rights of others in many ways, so the principles of the Constitution are necessary to maintain order. Pleonasm refers to the use of unnecessary or redundant words, and Adams' repetition of various crimes such as robberies, burglaries, murders, adulteries, thefts, and cheats serves to emphasize the point that people are indeed willing to violate the rights of others. By emphasizing the prevalence of these crimes, Adams strengthens his argument for the need of the Constitution to protect individuals and maintain societal order.