SAT Reading: "Resistance to Civil Gov. & MLK Letter..."

29. As used in line 22, “command” most nearly means

• order.

• dominate.

• overlook.

• deserve.

30. Thoreau makes which point about people who follow their consciences?

• Thoreau makes which point about people who follow their consciences?

• They tend to have mutually antagonistic relationships with their governments.

• They generally believe that the exercise of the moral sense is what makes them human.

• They hold their legislators to a different moral standard than that to which they hold themselves.

31. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

• Lines 1-2 (“Must... legislator”)

• Lines 7-10 (“It is... conscience”)

• Lines 17-21 (“In most... well”)

• Lines 30-34 (“A very . . . by it”)

32. According to King, an unjust statute should not be

• regarded as having moral authority.

• broken in a manner intended to attract attention.

• viewed as detrimental to the human spirit.

• used to enforce obedience to moral law

33. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

• Lines 49-50 (“The answer... unjust”)

• Lines 51-52 (“One... laws”)

• Lines 53-55 (“one... all”)

• Lines 64-65 (“Any... unjust”)

34. As used in line 57, “determine” most nearly means

• establish.

• establish.

• direct

• limit.

35. The primary purpose of each passage is to

• make an argument about the relationship between the individual and the law

• advance a view on how laws could be made more just.

• question a claim that the morality of actions depends on their consequences.

• discuss a change in the nature of the state and its power over the individual.

36. Both authors would most likely agree with which statement about people who obey their government’s statutes?

• They fail to follow the guidance of their consciences.

• They fail to follow the guidance of their consciences.

• They may not be acting in accordance with justice.

• They value personal morality over the public good.

37. In the passages, a significant difference in how the two authors discuss morality is that Thoreau indicates that

• very few people follow their consciences, while King indicates that most people consistently adhere to moral laws

• people should do what they judge to be right, while King indicates that people should follow a universal moral code.

• the morality of an action derives from its legal status, while King indicates that morality and human law are distinct.

• even morally good laws should be disobeyed, while King indicates that people should follow just laws.

38. Assuming that he agrees with the assertions in the final paragraph of Passage 1, King would most likely recommend which course of action to Thoreau?

• Thoreau should obey laws upholding slavery while they are in force but should work to repeal them

• Thoreau should view laws upholding slavery as immoral but should not break them since doing so would lead to anarchy.

• Thoreau should break laws upholding slavery and in doing so should neither hide his actions nor try to avoid punishment.

• Thoreau should openly criticize laws upholding slavery but should follow them since committing a crime would degrade his personality.