This passage is adapted from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, “The Importance of Athlete Activists.” ©2015 by Time USA, LLC.

Question

In the final paragraph (“Forty-seven . . . beautiful”), the author uses the extended metaphor of a choir to argue that
Responses

a democratic society is improved by the contributions of dissenting voices.
Answer A: a democratic society is improved by the contributions of dissenting voices.
A

in a democratic society, the majority should have the loudest voice.
Answer B: in a democratic society, the majority should have the loudest voice.
B

athletes have a responsibility to use their voices to speak out against oppression.
Answer C: athletes have a responsibility to use their voices to speak out against oppression.
C

athletes should use their voices to represent the will of the general public.

This passage is adapted from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, “The Importance of Athlete Activists.” ©2015 by Time USA, LLC.
Which sentence best supports the author’s claim that athletes are sometimes used by governments to make political statements?
Responses

“Fans want to indulge in the escapism of the sport without the heavy baggage of real life interfering.” (paragraph 1)
Answer A: “Fans want to indulge in the escapism of the sport without the heavy baggage of real life interfering.” (paragraph 1)
A

“In 1980, the U.S. and 59 other countries boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.” (paragraph 3)
Answer B: “In 1980, the U.S. and 59 other countries boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.” (paragraph 3)
B

“But when athletes wish to stand up for causes they personally believe in, they are often condemned.” (paragraph 4)
Answer C: “But when athletes wish to stand up for causes they personally believe in, they are often condemned.” (paragraph 4)
C

“Ali’s sacrifice inspired me to boycott the 1968 Olympic basketball team to call attention to the rampant racial injustice of the time, which resulted in people calling me ‘un-American.’” (paragraph 4)

Answer 1

For the first question, the answer that best aligns with the author's extended metaphor of a choir is:

Answer A: a democratic society is improved by the contributions of dissenting voices.

This choice reflects the idea that a diverse range of voices (like a choir) contributes positively to democracy.

For the second question, the sentence that best supports the claim that athletes are sometimes used by governments to make political statements is:

Answer B: “In 1980, the U.S. and 59 other countries boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.” (paragraph 3)

This sentence illustrates a specific instance where athletes were leveraged by the government to take a political stance.