Question

Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A? 1) A. 'McCarthy capitalized on national paranoia by proclaiming that Communist spies were omnipresent and that he was America's only salvation.' (Paragraph 6) 2) B. 'Half of Europe was under Joseph Stalin's influence, and every time Americans read their newspapers there seemed to be a new atomic threat.' (Paragraph 7) 3) C. 'The public rewarded the witch-hunters by sending red-baiters (communist accusers) before the Senate and the House in 1950.' (Paragraph 11) 4) D. 'Above all, several messages became crystal clear to the average American: Don't criticize the United States. Don't be different. Just conform.'

Answer 1

The detail from the text that best supports the answer to Part A is option D. 'Above all, several messages became crystal clear to the average American: Don't criticize the United States. Don't be different. Just conform.' This detail indicates that one of the main effects of McCarthyism was the promotion of conformity and discouragement of individuality and criticism.