Question

"Obama's Speech at Selma, 2015"
by Barack Obama

It’s the idea held by generations of citizens who believed that America is a constant work in progress; who believed that loving this country requires more than singing its praises or avoiding uncomfortable truths.

It requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo. That’s America.

That’s what makes us unique. That’s what cements our reputation as a beacon of opportunity. Young people behind the Iron Curtain would see Selma and eventually tear down that wall.



Remarks by President Barack Obama at the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery Marches

Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

Which of the following sentences features an allusion?

(1 point)
Responses

“That’s what cements our reputation as a beacon of opportunity.”
“That’s what cements our reputation as a beacon of opportunity.”

“Young people behind the Iron Curtain would see Selma and eventually tear down that wall.”
“Young people behind the Iron Curtain would see Selma and eventually tear down that wall.”

“That’s what makes us unique.”
“That’s what makes us unique.”

“It requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo.”
“It requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo.”

Answer 1

“Young people behind the Iron Curtain would see Selma and eventually tear down that wall.”

Explanation: “Iron Curtain” (and “tear down that wall”) alludes to Cold War-era divisions and the Berlin Wall, referencing historical events rather than describing them directly.