During his administration, President Obama chose John McHugh to be the Secretary of the Army. McHugh was a Republican. His nomination showed that President Obama wanted members of other political parties in some of the administration's most important jobs.

Question

President Obama said that McHugh would "ensure that our soldiers are trained and equipped to meet the. . .challenges and threats of our time."
The president valued different opinions in his administration. He kept Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. McHugh joined Gates, a fellow Republican, in important decisions dealing with the nation's military. McHugh did not agreed with several of President Obama's policies. For example, he did not agree with cuts the president wanted to make in military budgets. McHugh's appointment showed that President Obama valued his judgment. The president must have believed that McHugh would provide him with an important point of view.
2
Which sentence from the passage best describes the central idea of the third paragraph?
A.
"The president values different opinions in his administration."
B.
"McHugh joins Gates as Republicans in important positions dealing with the nation's military."
C.
"He did not agree with cuts Obama wanted to make in military budgets."
D.
"He kept Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense."

Answer 1

A. "The president values different opinions in his administration."

This sentence best describes the central idea of the third paragraph, as it summarizes the overall theme of including diverse perspectives within President Obama's administration.