Question

read the passage from sugar changed the world. a fire was lit in a giant iron cauldron, and the certificates of 2,300 indians were tossed into the flames—the first major act of satyagraha. \i am not property,\ the indians were showing. \i am not your victim,\ they were demonstrating. \i have the power of my conscience,\ they were proving. the quiet strength of the indian community shook the south african government. and by june 1914 it gave in; the black act was taken off the books. the indians had insisted that they were not mere workers but were citizens—and finally the government could not resist. what evidence do the authors include to support the central idea of this passage? the burning of certificates and the repeal of the black act show that the indians reclaimed their power. the black act shows that the south african government saw the indians as property. the burning of certificates and the act of satyagraha show how the indians had to comply with the black act. the presence of 2,300 indians shows that the community in south africa was large enough to revolt.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The passage says Indians burned certificates (Satyagraha act) and the Black Act was repealed. This shows they reclaimed power (not property, showed conscience, government gave in).
• Option 2: The Black Act's existence is part of the context, but the main evidence for the central idea (Indians reclaimed power) is the burning and repeal, not just the Act showing them as property.
• Option 3: The passage shows they resisted, not complied. So this is incorrect.
• Option 4: The number of Indians is not the main evidence for the central idea (their reclaiming power), it's about the act of burning and the repeal.

So the correct option is the first one as it matches the central idea (Indians reclaimed power) with the evidence of burning certificates and repeal of Black Act.

Answer:

A. The burning of certificates and the repeal of the Black Act show that the Indians reclaimed their power.