SAT Practice Test – Section 7

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

1. Years of ____ lifting of heavy furniture had left him too _____ to be able to stand erect for long periods of time.

 

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

2. Canadian Lynn Johnston was named Cartoonist of the Year in 1985, the first woman to be so _____.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

3. Because the photographer believed that wild animals should be _____ only in their various natural surroundings, she ____ often in her career.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

4. Folk painter Grandma Moses has become such an enduring icon that many consider her ____ of America.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

5. Whether substances are medicines or poisons often depends on dosage, for substances that are _____ in small doses can be _____ in large.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

6. Critics dismissed the engineer’s seemingly creative design as being ____, that is, underdeveloped and lacking in sophistication.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

7. The professor commented to other faculty members that Sheila seemed temperamentally suited to the study of logic, given her ____ for ____ intricate arguments.

Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five words or sets of words labeled A through E.

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Hoping to _____ the dispute, negotiators proposed a compromise that they felt would be _____ to both labor and management.

(A) enforce . . useful

(B) end . . divisive

(C) overcome . . unattractive

(D) extend . . satisfactory

(E) resolve . . acceptable

Answer : E

 

8. While traveling near the Sun, the comet Hale-Bopp produced a _____ amount of dust, much more than the comets Halley or Hyakutake.

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

 

Newspaper editor and political commentator Henry

Louis Mencken was a force of nature, brushing aside

all objects animal and mineral in his headlong rush

to the publicity that surely awaited him. He seized

each day, shook it to within an inch of its life, and                                   5

then gaily went on to the next. No matter where his

writing appeared, it was quoted widely, his pungently

outspoken opinions debated hotly. Nobody else could

make so many people so angry, or make so many others

laugh so hard.                                                                                                   10

 

9. In lines 4-5, the words “seized” and “shook” help establish which aspect of Mencken’s personality?

 Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

 

Newspaper editor and political commentator Henry

Louis Mencken was a force of nature, brushing aside

all objects animal and mineral in his headlong rush

to the publicity that surely awaited him. He seized

each day, shook it to within an inch of its life, and                                   5

then gaily went on to the next. No matter where his

writing appeared, it was quoted widely, his pungently

outspoken opinions debated hotly. Nobody else could

make so many people so angry, or make so many others

laugh so hard.                                                                                                   10

 

10. The public response described in lines 6-8 most strongly suggests that Mencken’s writings were

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

 

The ability to see the situation as your opponents see it,

as difficult as it may be, is one of the most important skills

that you can possess as a negotiator. You must know more

than simply that they see things differently. It is not

enough to study them like beetles under a microscope;                        5

you need to know what it feels like to be a beetle. To

accomplish this you should be prepared to withhold

judgment as you “try on” their views. Your opponents

may well believe that their views are right as strongly

as you believe yours are.                                                                                10

 

11. The reference to beetles in lines 5-6 serves to suggest that

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

 

The ability to see the situation as your opponents see it,

as difficult as it may be, is one of the most important skills

that you can possess as a negotiator. You must know more

than simply that they see things differently. It is not

enough to study them like beetles under a microscope;                        5

you need to know what it feels like to be a beetle. To

accomplish this you should be prepared to withhold

judgment as you “try on” their views. Your opponents

may well believe that their views are right as strongly

as you believe yours are.                                                                                10

 

12. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

13. The authors of both passages agree that King’s “I Have a Dream” speech

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

14. It can be inferred that, for Julian Bond, a portrait of “the complete Martin Luther King” (lines 10-11) would

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

15. The author of Passage 2 would most likely view Julian Bond’s statement in lines 7-11 of Passage 1 with

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

16. In line 17, “suffered” most nearly means

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

17. Lines 31-34 (“Segregation in . . . schools”) serve primarily to

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

18. The author of Passage 1 mentions the “sermon” (line 35) primarily in order to

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

19. The author of Passage 2 would most likely characterize the view of King expressed in lines 38-42 of Passage 1 (“The annual . . . America”) as

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

20. Lines 57-58 (“This is . . . Day”) mark a transition within Passage 2 from a

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

21. Lines 76-79 in Passage 2 (“The edifying . . . durability”) are best described as

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

22. Unlike the author of Passage 2, the author of Passage 1 develops his or her argument by

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

23. The author of Passage 2 would most likely argue that commemorations focus on “Martin Luther King the dreamer” (line 7 of Passage 1) because people find this aspect of King to be

Passage 1 is from a 2003 book that examines the famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the historic March on Washington in August 1963. Passage 2 is from a 2000 biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. written by an African American scholar.

 

Passage 1

The ability of the “I Have a Dream” speech to high-

light King’s early career at the expense of his later career

accounts for the tone of impatience and betrayal that often

appears when modern-day supporters of King’s agenda talk

about the speech. Former Georgia state legislator Julian                                     5

Bond said in 1986 that commemorations of King seemed to

“focus almost entirely on Martin Luther King the dreamer,

not on Martin King the antiwar activist, not on Martin King

the challenger of the economic order, not on Martin King

the opponent of apartheid, not on the complete Martin                                     10

Luther King.” One King scholar has proposed a ten-year

moratorium on reading or listening to the “I Have a Dream”

speech, in the hopes that America will then discover the

rest of King’s legacy.

This proposal effectively concedes that King’s mag-                                            15

nificent address cannot be recovered from the misuse

and overquotation it has suffered since his death. But

it is not clear that this is so. Even now, upon hearing the

speech, one is struck by the many forms of King’s genius.

Many people can still remember the first time they heard                                 20

“I Have a Dream,” and they tend to speak of that memory

with the reverence reserved for a religious experience. At

the very least, reflecting on the “I Have a Dream” speech

should be an opportunity to be grateful for the astonishing

transformation of America that the freedom movement                                     25

wrought. In just under a decade, the civil rights move-

ment brought down a system of segregation that stood

essentially unaltered since Reconstruction. King’s dreams

of an America free from racial discrimination are still some

distance away, but it is astounding how far the nation has                                 30

come since that hot August day in 1963. Segregation in

the South has been dismantled; there are no longer

“Whites Only” signs; segregationist governors do not

try to prevent Black children from entering public schools.

Toward the end of his life, King preached a sermon entitled                               35

“Ingratitude,” in which he called ingratitude “one of the

greatest of all sins,” because the sinner “fail[s] to realize

his dependence on others.” The annual Martin Luther King

holiday is properly a day of national thanksgiving, a time

for the nation to recognize the immense debt it owes to                                       40

King and the thousands of heroes of the civil rights

movement for saving the soul of America.

 

Passage 2

Martin Luther King was at his best when he was

willing to reshape the wisdom of many of his intellec-

tual predecessors. He ingeniously harnessed their ideas                                      45

to his views to advocate sweeping social change. He

believed that his early views on race failed to challenge

America fundamentally. He later confessed that he had

underestimated how deeply entrenched racism was in

America. If Black Americans could not depend on good-                                      50

will to create social change, they had to provoke social

change through bigger efforts at nonviolent direct action.

This meant that Blacks and their allies had to obtain

political power. They also had to try to restructure

American society, solving the riddles of poverty                                                     55

and economic inequality.

This is not the image of King that is celebrated on

Martin Luther King Day. Many of King’s admirers are

uncomfortable with a focus on his mature beliefs. They

seek to deflect unfair attacks on King’s legacy by shroud-                                    60

ing him in the cloth of superhuman heroism. In truth, this

shroud is little more than romantic tissue. King’s image

has often suffered a sad fate. His strengths have been

needlessly exaggerated, his weaknesses wildly over-

played. King’s true legacy has been lost to cultural                                                 65

amnesia. As a nation, we have emphasized King’s

aspiration to save America through inspiring words

and sacrificial deeds. Time and again we replay the

powerful image of King standing on a national stage

in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial mouthing per-                                          70

haps the most famous four words ever uttered by a Black

American: “I have a dream.” For most Americans, those

words capture King’s unique genius. They express his

immortal longing for freedom, a longing that is familiar

to every person who dares imagine a future beyond unjust                                   75

laws and unfair customs. The edifying universality of those

four words—who hasn’t dreamed, and who cannot identify

with people whose dreams of a better world are punished

with violence?—helps to explain their durability. But those

words survive, too, because they comfort folk who would                                      80

rather entertain the dreams of unfree people than confront

their rage and despair.

 

24. Which best characterizes the overall relationship between the two passages?