Read the excerpt from Eighty Years and More. With this constant [teasing] from students and the sad complaints of the women, my
mind was sorely [confused]. So when, from time to time, my attention was called to these [horrible] laws, I would mark them with a pencil, and becoming more and more convinced of the necessity of taking some active measures against these unjust [laws], I resolved to seize the first opportunity, when alone in the office, to cut every one of them out of the books; supposing my father and his library were the beginning and the end of the law. Which statement best describes the central idea of this excerpt? Stanton first fought for gender equality when she discovered that she disagreed with her father. Stanton destroyed her father's law library because she did not agree with the laws. Stanton attempted to cut laws out of her father's books so he was unable to enforce them. Stanton discovered inequality and began fighting for gender equality at a young age.
Stanton discovered inequality and began fighting for gender equality at a young age.
Explanation:
In this excerpt, the main idea of the passage is the fact that Stanton discovered inequality early in her life, and that she began fighting against it. Although the passage includes a lot of details (the women complaining, her father's library, Stanton cutting laws out of books), none of these are vital for the message. Instead, they only serve as support for the main idea.
This excerpt is taken from the autobiography “Eighty Years and More” from Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Because Stanton was very active in the women’s rights movement, this book focuses a lot on her work in publicizing the issues of the women’s rights movement.
Question: Which statement best describes the central idea of this excerpt?
Answer: D. Stanton discovered inequality and began fighting for gender equality at a young age.
