PSAT Reading Question 122: Answer and Explanation

Question: 122

King refers to "the gaining of a cup of coffee at a lunch counter" (lines 89–90) primarily to

• A. call attention to the sedative effect of delaying civil rights reform in the United States.
• B. emphasize that white Americans will not willingly end oppression against black Americans.
• C. describe the progress made toward the winning of equal rights in other countries.
• D. underscore the contrast between progress made in other countries and the United States.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D

Difficulty: Medium

Category: Function

Getting to the Answer: Read the complete paragraph to best understand the context and purpose of the cited line. The correct answer will identify what the phrase helps achieve in the paragraph. At the start of the paragraph, King argues that oppressors do not willingly give more freedom to the people whom they oppress. He goes on to explain the delay tactics that have kept African Americans from winning equal rights, and concludes that oppressed peoples in other nations are winning independence while African Americans still cannot get a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. The phrase helps King underscore the contrast between these two scenarios, so (D) is the correct answer.