1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?(A) Peace can be maintained in Europe only if a new bipolar system emerges to replace Cold War alliances.
(B) All kinds of international systems discussed by social scientists carry within themselves the seeds of their own collapse and ultimately endanger international order.
(C) The current European geopolitical landscape is a multipolar system that strongly resembles the Concert of Europe which existed through most of the nineteenth century.
(D) Multipolarity fostered the conditions that led to World War II and is incompatible with a stable, modern Europe.
(E) The characterization of multipolar systems as stable and bipolar systems as open to debilitating conflict needs to be reconsidered in light of the realities of post-Cold War Europe.
2. Which one of the following statements most accurately describes the function of the final paragraph?(A) The weaknesses of both types of systems are discussed in the context of twentieth-century European history.
(B) A prediction is made regarding European security based on the attributes of both types of systems.
(C) A new argument is introduced in favor of European countries embracing a new bipolar system.
(D) Twentieth-century European history is used to expand on the argument in the previous paragraph.
(E) The typical characteristics of the major members of a bipolar system are reviewed.
3. The author’s reference to the possibility that confrontations may lead to capitulation (lines 27–30) serves primarily to(A) indicate that bipolar systems can have certain unstable characteristics
(B) illustrate how multipolar systems can transform themselves into bipolar systems
(C) contrast the aggressive nature of bipolar members with the more rational behavior of their multipolar counterparts
(D) indicate the anarchic nature of international relations
(E) suggest that military and economic strength shifts in bipolar as frequently as in multipolar systems
4. With respect to the Cold War, the author’s attitude can most accurately be described as(A) fearful that European geopolitics may bring about a similar bipolar system
(B) surprised that it did not end with a major war
(C) convinced that it provides an important example of bipolarity maintaining peace
(D) regretful that the major European countries were so ambivalent about it
(E) confident it will mark only a brief hiatus between long periods of European multipolarity
5. Which one of the following statements concerning the Concert of Europe (lines 14–17) can most reasonably be inferred from the passage?(A) Each of the many small confrontations that occurred under the Concert of Europe threatened the integrity of the system.
(B) It provided the highest level of security possible for Europe in the late nineteenth century.
(C) All the factors contributing to stability during the late nineteenth century continue to contribute to European security.
(D) Equilibrium in the system was maintained as members grouped together to counterbalance mutual threats.
(E) It was more stable than most multipolar systems because its smaller members reacted promptly to aggression by its larger members.