The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Manipulating information was a feature of history long before modern journalism established rules of integrity. A record dates back to ancient Rome, when Antony met Cleopatra and his political enemy Octavian launched a smear campaign against him with "short, sharp slogans written upon coins." The perpetrator became the first Roman Emperor and "fake news had allowed Octavian to hack the republican system once and for all". But the 21st century has seen the weaponization of information on an unprecedented scale. Powerful new technology makes the fabrication of content simple, and social networks amplify falsehoods peddled by States, populist politicians, and dishonest corporate entities. The platforms have become fertile ground for computational propaganda, 'trolling' and 'troll armies'.

Question

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.
Lyric poetry is a genre of private meditation rather than public commitment. The impulse in Marxism toward changing a society deemed unacceptable in its basic design would seem to place demands on lyric poetry that such poetry, with its tendency toward the personal, the small scale, and the idiosyncratic, could never answer. There is within Marxism, however, also a strand of thought that would locate in lyric poetry alternative modes of perception and description that call forth a vision of worlds at odds with a repressive reality or that draw attention to the workings of ideology within the hegemonic culture. The poetic imagination may indeed deflect larger social concerns, but it may also be implicitly critical and utopian.

Answer 1

This text examines the historical use of political misinformation, starting with Octavian's campaign against Antony in ancient Rome. It highlights the 21st century's unprecedented weaponization of information, amplified by technology and social media. Option D accurately reflects the continuous use of misinformation for political influence throughout history, now intensified by modern technology, making it the correct choice. Option A: This option focuses on critical reading but does not explicitly address the historical context or information weaponization for power. Option B: This option omits the broad historical and contemporary context of using misinformation for political aims. Option C: Although the passage mentions historical disinformation, it stresses the 21st century's unmatched scale, which this option does not convey.

The correct option is (D): The use of misinformation to gain power, a practice dating back to Octavian's era, is presently amplified by technology.

The Correct Option is D

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