Which of the following best identifies the central idea of this speech?
A. Americans should imitate the Greeks and turn to religion in times of tragedy.
B. One must resist the temptation to blame others following a tragedy like King’s assassination.
C. Americans should respond to King’s assassination with compassion and unity.
D. Americans should use King’s death to inspire others to defend their civil rights.
How do paragraphs 3-4 develop the message of the speech?
A. The paragraphs explain the strength that is required to overcome a tragedy to make the listeners aware of the difficult future.
B. The paragraphs make an emotional plea to the audience to honor King’s legacy by avoiding violence.
C. The paragraphs demonstrate that society cannot achieve racial equality unless everyone learns about why King died.
D. The paragraphs introduce the idea that political protest is dangerous to explain that America is in danger of riots.
PART A: Which of the following phrases best describes the connection the speaker makes between Aeschylus’ quote and King’s death?
A. Experiencing tragedy is painful, but it can teach lessons about love and healing.
B. Tragedy makes it easy for many people to forget what is most important in life, which is to be kind and compassionate to loved ones.
C. It is possible to avoid tragedy if people are willing to learn lessons from the past.
D. Tragedy cannot be avoided, but it can be used to tame the violent parts of the soul.
Central Idea of the Speech: C. Americans should respond to King’s assassination with compassion and unity.
This choice reflects the overarching message that in the face of tragedy, particularly the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the speaker urges the audience to come together through compassion and unity, promoting healing rather than division.
How Paragraphs 3-4 Develop the Message: B. The paragraphs make an emotional plea to the audience to honor King’s legacy by avoiding violence.
These paragraphs focus on the importance of peace and honoring King’s legacy, emphasizing that responding to violence with more violence would betray his teachings.
Connection Between Aeschylus’ Quote and King’s Death: A. Experiencing tragedy is painful, but it can teach lessons about love and healing.
This phrase captures the essence of what the speaker conveys: that while tragedy is inevitable and painful, it can lead to important lessons on compassion and healing, which is crucial for the community after such a loss.