Question

Read the excerpt from President Woodrow Wilson’s speech, “War Message to Congress.” I am not now thinking of the loss of property involved, immense and serious as that is, but only for the wanton and wholesale destruction of the lives of non-combatants, men, women, and children, engaged in pursuits which have always, even in the darkest periods of modern history, been deemed innocent and legitimate. Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. Which statement best describes the main idea of the excerpt? A lot of the nation’s property has been destroyed. The nation has lost an immense amount of wealth. Human lives are worth more than material items. The nation will get back everything that was lost.

Answer 1

The statement that best describes the main idea of the excerpt is:

Human lives are worth more than material items.

Although the rest of the statements can be easily related to the excerpt as well, the ultimate idea of this paragraph is that innocent lives have been lost and will not be recovered, and that has a greater impact than the loss of the nation's property

Answer 2

The correct answer should be Human lives are worth more than material items