Question

Read the excerpt below by Walt Whitman. Other lands have their vitality in a few, a class, but we have it in the bulk of our people. Which statement best summarizes the excerpt?
A. The wealthy upper class in other countries gives each nation its vitality.
B. The powerful upper class in the United States gives the nation its vitality.
C. The common people in other countries give each nation its vitality. D. The common people in the United States give the nation its vitality.

Answer 1

The answer is D)
The common people in the United States give the nation its vitality.

Answer 2

The correct answer is D. The common people in the United States give the nation its vitality.

When Whitman says, "Other lands have their vitality in a few, a class, but we have it in the bulk of our people" he means that the common people or the majority in the US (middle class) enrich the nation. While in other countries, the upper classes have the most vitality, the same is not true for the United States. Option A, B and C are incorrect because they claim that the wealthy upper class and/or people from other countries have the most vitality.