Question

Read the excerpt from The Dark Game.

On February 24, when Hall sensed that the Zimmermann telegram would tip the balance in favor of the U.S. joining the Allied forces, the British home secretary presented the telegram to President Wilson. One week later, news of the Zimmermann telegram was splashed across the front page of American newspapers. On April 6, 1917, the Congress of the United States declared war on Germany and its allies.

Which inference can be made based on the information in the excerpt?

The Americans had already planned to enter the war before being shown the telegram.
The Americans were still very reluctant to join the Allied nations in a war against Germany.
The Americans were persuaded to join the war against Germany after seeing the telegram.
The Americans were not very troubled by the contents of the telegram by the time they saw them

Answer 1

The Americans were persuaded to join the war against Germany after seeing the telegram.

Explanation: The excerpt says the Zimmermann telegram "would tip the balance in favor of the U.S. joining" and then was shown to Wilson and publicized, after which Congress declared war — implying the telegram helped persuade the U.S. to enter the war.