Which of the following best describes the relationship of the first paragraph of the passage to the passage as a whole? A. It provides a generalization which is later supported in the passage. B. It provides an antithesis to the author's main argument. C. It briefly compares two different investment strategies. D. It explains an investment vehicle that is later examined in greater detail. E. It provides a historical framework by which the nature of the nineteenth-century investor can more easily be understood.