Question

the article says:
by 1860, enslavement was still legal in the u.s.
but bringing enslaved people to the country was
against the law.

but that didnt stop one man from wanting to
try. he said that he could bring a ship of
enslaved african people to the u.s. and not get
caught. he hired a captain to carry out the
crime.

which words from the passage help you understand the
meaning of the word crime?

a. wanting to try

b. against the law

c. bring a ship

d. in the u.s.

Explanation:

To determine which words help understand "crime", we analyze each option:

• Option A ("wanting to try") describes the man's intention, not the nature of "crime".
• Option B ("against the law") directly relates to "crime" as a crime is an act against the law. The passage states bringing enslaved people was against the law, and the man's act was a "crime", so this phrase clarifies "crime".
• Option C ("bring a ship") describes the action, not the meaning of "crime".
• Option D ("in the U.S.") gives location, not the meaning of "crime".

Answer:

B. against the law