WorksheetsLetters from Birmingham Jail Review
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 12mins
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 meaning of idly in the following sentence?
Savannah gazed idly out the window, neglecting the book that lay open on her knee.
in a lazy, passive way
in a puzzled, confused way
in a cheerful, happy way
in a concentrated, fierce way
According to “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” why is King “so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership”?
King believes that the leaders have become entirely
absorbed in secular rather than religious concerns.
King believes that the church has stolen and misused
donations given by its poorest parishioners.
King believes that the leaders have not stood up boldly in support of civil rights.
King believes that the church has nothing relevant to offer to the youth of the 1960s.
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.
Why does King write Letters? Give 3 reasons
To explain why civil rights is necessary.
To defend his violent movement.
To please or to calm.
He is being criticized.
Why is the civil rights movement protesting in Birmingham protesting instead of negotiating?
They preferred protesting because it was more exciting than negotiating.
They didn’t believe negotiation was ever useful and never attempted it.
They tried to negotiate, but the white leaders broke promises so they protested because it's the only way to force change.
They wanted to protest simply to attract attention from the national media, not to address injustice.
In both "Letters to Birmingham Jail" and "I have a Dream" Dr. King talks about the American Dream. What is King's ideal American Dream?
A society where citizens obey laws without questioning whether those laws are fair or moral.
A nation where people are separated into groups based on race to preserve cultural traditions.
A country where economic success is guaranteed only for those born into wealthy families.
To have a society where the laws are just and everyone is equal, and a nation of true racial equality.
“Some have asked whether we should wait for a ‘more convenient season,’ but how can we wait when justice is trampled today? We are reminded of the prophets who cried out for fairness in ancient times, urging their nations to rise above cruelty. We seek not division but unity, not revenge but reconciliation, for only through moral action can a broken society be healed.”
Which line shows allusion?
“Some have asked whether we should wait…”
“Justice is trampled today.”
“We are reminded of the prophets who cried out for fairness in ancient times…”
“A broken society can be healed.”
“Some have asked whether we should wait for a ‘more convenient season,’ but how can we wait when justice is trampled today? We are reminded of the prophets who cried out for fairness in ancient times, urging their nations to rise above cruelty. We seek not division but unity, not revenge but reconciliation, for only through moral action can a broken society be healed.”
Which line is a rhetorical question?
“We seek not division but unity…”
“How can we wait when justice is trampled today?”
“We are reminded of the prophets…”
“Cruelty harms a nation.”
“Some have asked whether we should wait for a ‘more convenient season,’ but how can we wait when justice is trampled today? We are reminded of the prophets who cried out for fairness in ancient times, urging their nations to rise above cruelty. We seek not division but unity, not revenge but reconciliation, for only through moral action can a broken society be healed.”
Which line contains antithesis?
“Some have asked whether we should wait.”
“We seek not division but unity, not revenge but reconciliation.”
“Justice is trampled today.”
“The prophets cried out for fairness.”
What does the Latin root pac mean?
Strength or power
Peace or calm
Movement or speed
Light or brightness
Which word below correctly uses the root pac?
Pacify – to calm someone down or bring peace
Pacemaker – a device for the heart
Package – a wrapped item
Pacing – walking back and forth
What does idly mean?
With excitement and energy
Without purpose or activity; doing nothing
In a loud and chaotic way
With great effort
What does postpone mean?
To make something happen faster
To cancel something permanently
To delay something to a later time
To finish something early
What does stagnation mean?
Growth and improvement
A state of not moving or changing; staying the same
A sudden burst of progress
A quick solution
What does complacency mean?
Being overly satisfied and not wanting to change
Being angry at unfairness
Being eager to fix problems
Being confused or unsure
What does yearning mean?
A strong desire or longing for something
A feeling of dislike
Forgetting something important
Being angry with someone
What does languished mean?
To grow stronger and more active
To be weak, ignored, or stuck in a bad condition
To argue loudly
To reach a major achievement
