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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.”

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

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

• Metaphor

• Simile

• Antithesis

• Alliteration