Letter to Birmingham

What statement best describes Dr. King’s purpose in writing the letter?

• Dr. King hoped to explain why the discrimination of African Americans is immoral

• Dr. King criticized white Americans who were supportive of his cause but were fearful of the Klan’s terrorism

• Dr. King attempts to encourage all Americans to end racism by joining the cause

• Dr. King responded to the criticism he received from people by addressing each of their claims.

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Dr. King sought to respond to the criticism he received from people that he considered to be colleagues by methodically addressing each of their claims.

• It's more important to have a timely response to criticism & prejudice than to maintain moral integrity.

• The presence of injustice necessitates a nonviolent response to repair the harms of prejudice & discrimination

• Peace will only be achieved after white supremacists are transformed by the white moderate.

• The church’s role in the civil rights movement continues to create tension & alienate followers

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In his opening statement, King says he rarely answers criticisms, but he replies to this because

• Their actions were unwise and untimely.

• He believes them to be sincere and good.

• Their letter shows them to be extremist.

• He wants his letter to bring about change.

How should someone break an unjust law?

• openly, lovingly and with a willingness to accept the penalty.

• confidently, aggressively, and unwilling to back down.

• fearfully, timidly, and with a willingness to surrender.

• arrogantly, proudly, and with a willingness to use violence.

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According to “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” what is the main reason King and his followers are demonstrating and protesting in Birmingham, instead of negotiating with city leaders?

• because King is affiliated with certain organizations in

  Birmingham

• because King does not trust the white clergy to host fair negotiations

• because a significant

  political election has just taken place in Birmingham

• because Birmingham failed to keep promises made in earlier negotiations

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Read this sentence from “Letter from Birmingham Jail”: [T]here are two types of laws: just and unjust. Which statement best describes the distinction King draws, in the letter, between two types of laws?

• Just laws apply to deep-seated human prejudices, while unjust laws do not.

• Just laws can realistically be enforced in actual life, while unjust laws cannot.

• Just laws are rooted in universal principles of fairness, while unjust laws are not.

• Just laws vary in harshness according to circumstances, while unjust laws do not.

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Which of the following sentences from “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an example of antithesis?

• My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking.

• One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Birmingham is untimely.

• My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure

• We know through painful experience that freedom is never

  voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

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Which of the following excerpts from “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an example of an allusion?

• If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me.

• I wish you had commended the Negro sit inners and demonstrators of Birmingham for their sublime courage, their willingness to suffer and their amazing discipline in the midst of great provocation.

• But now I

  must affirm that it is just as wrong, or perhaps even more so, to use moral

  means to preserve immoral ends.

• We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was “legal” and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was “illegal.”

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What is the primary purpose of Dr. King's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'?

• To criticize the violent actions of the police

• To respond to the criticisms of his fellow clergymen

• To outline the history of civil rights in America

• To propose new laws for racial equality

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Which rhetorical device is predominantly used in the sentence: 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere'?

• Metaphor

• Simile

• Antithesis

• Alliteration

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