Improve the bracketed part of the sentence by selecting the correct infinitive form: Everybody is aware that peaceful life respects non violence and non interference, yet it is difficult (to maintaining) peace because public consciousness is not expansive enough.

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on the correct form of the verb after an adjective in the pattern "it is difficult to do something." The sentence discusses how hard it is to preserve peace, even though everyone understands the importance of non violence. The bracketed phrase "to maintaining" must be corrected to fit standard English usage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The structure is "it is difficult ... peace."
• The bracketed phrase is "to maintaining."
• The idea is about performing the action of maintaining peace.
• We need to determine whether a gerund or infinitive is correct in this position.

Concept / Approach:
After adjectives like "difficult," "easy," "hard," and "important," English usually uses an infinitive phrase beginning with "to" plus the base form of the verb. Common patterns include "it is difficult to understand," "it is easy to say," and "it is important to remember." Therefore, the correct form here is "to maintain," not "to maintaining." The structure "to maintaining" incorrectly mixes the infinitive marker "to" with a gerund.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the pattern "it is difficult" which calls for an infinitive phrase to explain what is difficult. Step 2: Recognise that the verb describing the action is "maintain." Step 3: Use the infinitive "to maintain" after "difficult." Step 4: Replace "to maintaining" with "to maintain." Step 5: Read the corrected sentence: "Everybody is aware that peaceful life respects non violence and non interference, yet it is difficult to maintain peace because public consciousness is not expansive enough." This is now grammatically accurate and idiomatic.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can check similar constructions: "It is difficult to control anger," "It is easy to break a promise," or "It is important to protect the environment." All of these use the infinitive structure. Replacing "to maintain" with "maintaining" would require a different sentence pattern such as "Maintaining peace is difficult," but that is not the pattern being tested here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B: "maintaining" without "to" would fit in a different structure like "Maintaining peace is difficult," but with "it is difficult" we expect "to maintain." Option C: "maintained" is a past participle and does not form a proper infinitive or gerund phrase after "difficult." Option D: "No improvement" is wrong because "to maintaining" is not correct in standard English grammar.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often confuse gerunds and infinitives, especially after adjectives and certain verbs. Remember that in the structure "it is adjective to do," the infinitive is the normal choice. Gerunds usually function as subjects or objects, as in "Maintaining peace requires effort," or after prepositions, such as "interested in learning."

Final Answer:
The correct improvement is "to maintain," so the sentence should read: it is difficult to maintain peace only because public consciousness is not expansive enough.