Question

disobedience
other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?
if i have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable
impatience, i beg you to forgive me. if i have said anything that understates the truth and
indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than brotherhood, i
beg god to forgive me.
i hope this letter finds you strong in the faith. i also hope that circumstances will soon make
it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil - rights leader but as
a fellow clergyman and a christian brother. let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial
prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our
fear - drenched communities, and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love
and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.
yours for the cause of peace and brotherhood,
martin luther king jr.
read the excerpt from dr. martin luther king’s “letter from birmingham jail.”
frankly, i have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was \well timed\ in the view
of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation.
what is the author’s purpose for including this sentence?

• to criticize the public officials who endorse segregation
• to establish the suffering experienced under segregation
• to define the concept of a direct action campaign
• to explain his unwillingness to postpone his efforts

Explanation:

1. Analyze Option 1: The sentence doesn't target public officials endorsing segregation, so this is incorrect.
2. Analyze Option 2: The sentence focuses on the timing of direct action, not establishing suffering from segregation, so this is incorrect.
3. Analyze Option 3: The sentence isn't defining direct action campaigns, so this is incorrect.
4. Analyze Option 4: The phrase "well timed" implies others think his campaigns aren't, but he says he hasn't found one "well timed" from the perspective of those not suffering from segregation. This shows he won't postpone (since segregation is a disease he's suffered from), so this matches.

Answer:

D. to explain his unwillingness to postpone his efforts