"I Have A Dream"

PART A: Which of the following identifies the central idea of the text?

• King believes that African Americans should not be denied their civil rights, and encourages others to be relentless in their non-violent fight for freedom.

• King's dream is for African Americans to be free, and makes it clear he will do anything to achieve this, no matter the consequences.

• King does not believe that America is ready to grant African Americans their freedom, but is hopeful for a future in which this is possible.

• King knows that equality is not something he will see during his lifetime, but is confident that his children will eventually live in a world of equality.

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination." (Paragraph 3)

• "In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred." (Paragraph 8)

• "I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells." (Paragraph 14)

• "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." (Paragraph 20)

PART A: What is the meaning of "tribulation" in paragraph 14?

• adventure

• uncertainty

• difficulty

• desperation

PART B: Which clue from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.'" (Paragraph 13)

• "And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution" (Paragraph 14)

• "go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed." (Paragraph 14)

• "Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends." (Paragraph 15)

PART A: How does paragraph 4 contribute to the development of ideas in the text?

• It emphasizes that African Americans have been cheated the civil rights that the nation owes them.

• It demands that African American receive financial compensation for the injustices they have suffered.

• It proves that African Americans are never going to stop fighting for their civil rights and freedom.

• It shows how essential African Americans' civil rights are to them by comparing rights to money.

PART B: Which quote from paragraph 4 best supports the answer to Part A?

• "In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check."

• "When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note"

• "This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the 'unalienable Rights' of 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'"

• "Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check"