Question

Young Elie and his father are placed with a group of prisoners near a gas chamber. "The world is not interested in us. Today, everything is possible, even the crematoria . . ." His voice broke. "Father," I said. "If that is true, then I don't want to wait. I'll run into the electrified barbed wire. That would be easier than a slow death in the flames." He didn't answer. He was weeping. His body was shaking. Everybody around us was weeping. Someone began to recite Kaddish, the prayer for the dead. I don't know whether, during the history of the Jewish people, men have ever before recited Kaddish for themselves. –Night, Elie Wiesel Why do the prisoners recite the Jewish prayer known as the Kaddish? They are praying for an end to the long, difficult war. They believe they are about to die in the crematorium. They are tricking the guards to hide their plans for revolt. They practice nonviolent defiance in the face of persecution.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B. They believe they are about to die in the crematorium.

Explanation:

In the excerpt, the narrator describes Jew prisoners including Young Elie and his father were near to a gas chamber, which was used during the Holocaust (genocide and persecution of Jews) to kill Jews. This suggests Young Elie, his father, and others are about to die. This idea is reinforced by the words of Young Elie "I'll run into the electrified barbed wire. That would be easier than a slow death in the flames" that predicts they are going to be burnt to death in the crematorium and even considers running into the electrified barbed wire. Moreover, this idea is confirmed by the detail "Someone began to recite Kaddish, the prayer for the dead" because this shows the prisoners knew they were about to die and due to this they recited the prayer for the dead.

Answer 2

Answer: B. They believe they are about to die in the crematorium.

Explanation: