In the reading, What To Do About the Christians?,the emperor Trajan and pliny the
Younger exchange letters concering the persecution of Christians. From this exchange which of the following assumptions could NOT be made?
A. Neither party knows much about the Christian religion.
B.The emperor does not want to tarnish his image.
C. The emperor feels hostile towards Christians.
D.The emperor does not want to "seek out"Christians to persecute.
My answer is B ?
I disagree.
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/christianproblem.htm
To determine which assumption cannot be made from the exchange of letters between Emperor Trajan and Pliny the Younger regarding the persecution of Christians, we need to analyze the content of the letters.
To find out if assumption B can be made, we have to look for evidence that supports or refutes the idea that the emperor does not want to tarnish his image.
To do this, you can reread the letters and look for any statements, actions, or indications that suggest the emperor's concern for his image. Pay attention to any statements or actions that indicate how he wants to be perceived or how he handles situations that could impact his reputation.
If there is no evidence that directly or indirectly supports assumption B, then it can be concluded that this assumption cannot be made from the exchange of letters.
So, to fully answer your question, you need to review the letters and look for evidence related to assumption B and determine if there is any indication that the emperor is concerned about tarnishing his image.