The officers of the ship . . . went striding up and down the decks shouting orders and directions and driving the immigrants before them. Scowling and gesturing, they pushed and pulled the passengers, herding us into separate groups as though we were animals.

Question

What best paraphrases the central idea of the excerpt?

Passengers aboard the immigrant ships were often treated poorly.
Officers on the immigrant ships thought the passengers were animals.
The ship's officers got pushed, pulled, and herded on the ships.
Immigrant passengers went striding around and scowling.

Answer 1

The best paraphrase of the central idea of the excerpt is: Passengers aboard the immigrant ships were often treated poorly.