Which of the following describes a major factor in the decabes-long conflict
between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War?

The correct answer to this open question is the following.

If you were doing a presentation about the "balance of trade," the journal entry would likely be the MOST helpful would be the following: "Exports Take a Strong Hit in the 3rd Quarter."

This is correct because a good subject for a trade presentation can be the  "behavior" of exports vs. imports in a quarter of a year. This is a good indicator to have a relative measure of trade in the US economy or any country. This indicator helps us understand the kind of products that were exported, to what countries, the money it generated, and the kind of impact it had in companies and the economy.