Question

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

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

Look at our history. We are Lewis and Clark and Sacajawea, pioneers who braved the unfamiliar, followed by a stampede of farmers and miners, and entrepreneurs and hucksters. That's our spirit. That's who we are.

We are Sojourner Truth and Fannie Lou Hamer, women who could do as much as any man and then some. And we’re Susan B. Anthony, who shook the system until the law reflected that truth. That is our character.

We’re the immigrants who stowed away on ships to reach these shores, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free –- Holocaust survivors, Soviet defectors, the Lost Boys of Sudan. We’re the hopeful strivers who cross the Rio Grande because we want our kids to know a better life. That’s how we came to be.

We’re the slaves who built the White House and the economy of the South. We’re the ranch hands and cowboys who opened up the West, and countless laborers who laid rail, and raised skyscrapers, and organized for workers’ rights.

We’re the fresh-faced GIs who fought to liberate a continent. And we’re the Tuskeegee Airmen, and the Navajo code-talkers, and the Japanese Americans who fought for this country even as their own liberty had been denied.

In this passage, President Obama uses allusion for what purposes?
(Select all options that apply.)


(2 points)

to show that America is made of like-minded people whose goal is to perververe

to argue that the current moment in history is unique

to compare people from other countries with U.S. citizens

to contrast supporters of freedom with those who oppose freedom

to highlight the diversity of the nation’s citizens

Answer 1

Correct choices:
- to show that America is made of like-minded people whose goal is to perververe
- to highlight the diversity of the nation’s citizens

Explanation:
- The list of varied historical figures and groups is used to emphasize a common American spirit (“That’s our spirit. That’s who we are.”), showing shared perseverance and character.
- The allusions name people from many backgrounds (enslaved people, Native Americans, immigrants, civil‑rights activists, veterans, etc.) to underscore the nation’s diverse composition.

The other options aren’t supported: the passage doesn’t argue the present moment is uniquely different, doesn’t set up a comparison between foreigners and U.S. citizens, and doesn’t explicitly contrast defenders of freedom with opponents.