Part A What is the central idea of the passage? A. The Gettysburg Address was made to pay respect to fallen soldiers and to renew people’s faith in democracy.
B. The Gettysburg Address was superior to Edward Everett’s speech because it was only a few minutes long.
C. The Gettysburg Address is the greatest presidential speech because it is short, vivid, and meaningful.
D. The Gettysburg Address is not actually simple because it uses small words; it also uses complex sentences and devices.
Part B Which two details from the selection best support the answer in Part A?
A “These familiar words begin the greatest and most famous speech by an American president.”
B. “One reason is that it was extremely short, especially by the standards of the time.”
C. “But Lincoln’s speech drew the most praise, both immediately and as time passed.”
D. “By making his ideas easy to grasp, Lincoln gave them directness and power.”
E. “He praises its complex ideas and its use of memorable triplets.”
F. “He offered hope that ordinary people would fight to keep democracy alive.”