Question

read this excerpt from i never had it made.
he knew i would have terrible problems and wanted me to know the extent of them before i agreed to the plan. i was twenty-six years old, and all my life – back to the age of eight – i had believed in payback, retaliation. the most luminous possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity. i looked at mr. rickey guardedly, and in that second i was looking at him not as a partner in a great experiment, but as the enemy – a white man. i had a question, and it was the age - old one about whether or not you sell your birthright.
“mr. rickey,” i asked, “are you looking for a negro who is afraid to fight back?”
i never will forget the way he exploded.
“robinson,” he said, “i’m looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back.”
which statement best summarizes this excerpt?
○ before accepting rickey’s offer, robinson confirms that rickey respects him as a strong black man.
○ before becoming partners with rickey, robinson discusses what he will be paid for his efforts.
○ when robinson studies rickey’s plan, he decides that rickey is an enemy who cannot be trusted.
○ when robinson argues with rickey, rickey insists that there is no reason to disagree with his plan.

Explanation:

• Analyze Option A: The excerpt shows Robinson asking Rickey if he wants a Negro afraid to fight back, and Rickey says he wants a ballplayer with guts not to fight back. This implies Robinson is confirming Rickey respects him as a strong Black man before accepting the offer.
• Analyze Option B: There's no discussion about payment in the excerpt, so B is incorrect.
• Analyze Option C: Robinson looks at Rickey as the enemy temporarily but then has a conversation, and Rickey's response shows he can be trusted in terms of respecting Robinson's strength, so C is incorrect.
• Analyze Option D: Rickey doesn't insist there's no reason to disagree; he explains what he wants from Robinson, so D is incorrect.

Answer:

A. Before accepting Rickey’s offer, Robinson confirms that Rickey respects him as a strong black man.