Question

questions 1 through 5 refer to the following. (the following passage is excerpted from a speech delivered by a prominent african american activist and public speaker in 1872.) the various conditions of men and the different uses they make of their powers and opportunities in life, are full of puzzling contrasts and contradictions. here, as elsewhere, it is easy to dogmatize, but it is not so easy to define, explain and demonstrate. the natural laws for the government, well - being and progress of mankind, seem to be equal and are equal, but the subjects of these laws everywhere abound in inequalities, discords and contrasts. we cannot have fruit without flowers, but we often have flowers without fruit. the promise of youth often breaks down in manhood, and real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters. the scene presented from this view is as a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object. united in aim, they are divided in flight. some fly too high, others too low. some go to the right, others to the left. some fly too far and others, not far enough, and only a few hit the mark. such is life. united in the quiver, they are divided in the air. matched when dormant, they are unmatched in action. when we attempt to account for greatness we never get nearer to the truth than did the greatest of poets and philosophers when he classified the conditions of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them. we may take our choice of these three separate explanations and make which of them we please most prominent in our discussion. much can certainly be said of superior mental in the second paragraph, the author develops a comparison between life and a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object primarily to suggest that a people exhibit remarkable diversity in their development over time b seemingly different objects can have surprisingly similar characteristics c talented people often fail to recognize valuable opportunities d most great men have emerged from humble origins

Explanation:

The passage compares "a thousand arrows shot from the same point and aimed at the same object" (life) to show that people (arrows) have different outcomes (some go right, others left, etc.). This implies that seemingly different objects (people) can have similar characteristics (all are arrows/people with potential). Options A, C, and D are not supported by this comparison.

Answer:

B. seemingly different objects can have surprisingly similar characteristics