Question

A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a friendly vessel. From the mast of the unfortunate vessel was seen a signal,“Water, water; we die of thirst!” The answer from the friendly vessel at once came back, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” A second time the signal, “Water, water; send us water!” ran up from the distressed vessel, and was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” And a third and fourth signal for water was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River. To those of my race who depend on bettering their condition in a foreign land or who underestimate the importance of cultivating friendly relations with the Southern white man, who is their next-door neighbor, I would say: “Cast down your bucket where you are”— cast it down in making friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded." - Booker T. Washington "Atlanta Compromise" Speech, 1895 What did Washington mean at the end of the speech when he said, “Cast down your bucket where you are?” A) Only people with buckets could understand the metaphor. B) Always cast your bucket so that you can bring up clean water. C) Both races were responsible for friendly relations in their own homes and towns. D) Both races needed to remain separate and learn how to live in peace without interacting with others.

Answer 1

I loved this one, it was C. You can't separate and be friends. Cast down your buckets where you are means cast out yourself as a friend. Show them you can be friendly and they will accept you. That's why C is the correct answer, I've also done this one before.