Question

women’s history month
february 19, 2009

1. women’s history month is about highlighting the extraordinary achievements of women throughout our history, while recognizing the equally significant obstacles they had to overcome along the road to success.
2. to honor the past and celebrate the present, we must also focus on the future. our choices today will have an enormous impact on the destiny of our daughters and granddaughters, our sons and grandsons. we must rededicate ourselves to forging a society in which gender no longer predetermines a person’s opportunities or limitations in life, like most shatter the glass ceiling, eliminate wage discrimination and ensure that every american has the tools to meet both family and work responsibilities and to retire in security. by knocking down the remaining barriers and opening wide the doors of opportunity, we can make the future brighter for women and for all americans.

(source: proclamation 8327 of february 19, 2009, “women’s history month, 2009” as presidential action)
which idea from paragraph 2 is most central to the author’s argument?

1. americans should honor the past and celebrate the present while focusing on the future.
2. americans should work to eliminate wage discrimination and to ensure a secure retirement.
3. americans should ensure access to the tools needed to meet family and work responsibilities.
4. americans should eliminate the obstacles and barriers to opportunity that remain in society.

Explanation:

To determine the central idea of paragraph 2 to the author's argument, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The paragraph focuses on addressing remaining barriers, not just honoring past, celebrating present, and focusing on future in a general sense. Eliminate.
• Option 2: The paragraph mentions more than just wage discrimination and secure retirement (e.g., breaking glass ceiling, meeting family - work responsibilities). Eliminate.
• Option 3: The paragraph is about more than just ensuring access to tools for family and work; it's about eliminating barriers to opportunity. Eliminate.
• Option 4: Paragraph 2 emphasizes rededicating to a society without gender - based limitations, breaking glass ceiling, eliminating wage discrimination, and opening opportunity doors. This option, "Americans should eliminate the obstacles and barriers to opportunity that remain in society", aligns with the main focus of the paragraph.

Answer:

1. Americans should eliminate the obstacles and barriers to opportunity that remain in society