Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.He knew I would have terrible problems and wanted me to know the extent of them before I agreed to the plan. I was twenty-six years old, and all my life – back to the age of eight–I had believed in payback, retaliation. The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity. I looked at Mr. Rickey guardedly, and in that second I was looking at him not as a partner in a great experiment, but as the enemy –a white man. I had a question, and it was the age-old one about whether or not you sell your birthright."Mr. Rickey," I asked, "are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?"I never will forget the way he exploded."Robinson," he said, "I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back."Which statement best summarizes this excerpt?
Read these paragraphs from I Never Had It Made.He not only told me about it, but he acted out the part of a white player charging into me, blaming me for the "accident" and calling me all kinds of foul racial names. He talked about my race, my parents, in language that was almost unendurable."They'll taunt and goad you," Mr. Rickey said. "They'll do anything to make you react. They'll try to provoke a race riot in the ballpark. This is the way to prove to the public that a Negro should not be allowed in the major league. This is the way to frighten the fans and make them afraid to attend the games."What is the author’s purpose for including these paragraphs?
Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.Thirty-five years later, while I was lying awake nights, frustrated, unable to see a future, Mr. Rickey, by now the president of the Dodgers, was also lying awake at night, trying to make up his mind about a new experiment.He had never forgotten the agony of that black athlete. When he became a front-office executive in St. Louis, he had fought, behind the scenes, against the custom that consigned black spectators to the Jim Crow section of the Sportsman's Park, later to become Busch Memorial Stadium. His pleas to change the rules were in vain. Those in power argued that if blacks were allowed a free choice of seating, white business would suffer.Which detail best supports the central idea that many people oppose Branch Rickey’s ideas?
Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.He had never forgotten the agony of that black athlete. When he became a front-office executive in St. Louis, he had fought, behind the scenes, against the custom that consigned black spectators to the Jim Crow section of the Sportsman's Park, later to become Busch Memorial Stadium. His pleas to change the rules were in vain. Those in power argued that if blacks were allowed a free choice of seating, white business would suffer. Which statement best summarizes this excerpt?
Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.Branch Rickey lost that fight, but when he became the boss of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943, he felt the time for equality in baseball had come. He knew that achieving it would be terribly difficult. There would be deep resentment, determined opposition, and perhaps even racial violence. He was convinced he was morally right, and he shrewdly sensed that making the game a truly national one would have healthy financial results. He took his case before the startled directors of the club, and using persuasive eloquence, he won the first battle in what would be a long and bitter campaign. He was voted permission to make the Brooklyn club the pioneer in bringing blacks into baseball.Winning his directors' approval was almost insignificant in contrast to the task which now lay ahead of the Dodger president. He made certain that word of his plans did not leak out, particularly to the press.Which detail best supports the central idea that Branch Rickey understood the risks involved in integrating baseball?
Read this paragraph.Caffeine is found in chocolate, coffee, tea, sodas, and energy drinks. The amount of caffeine in these items varies greatly and is measured in milligrams. Some energy drinks contain as much as 160 milligrams of caffeine per serving. Caffeine is a stimulant, praised for its ability to maintain wakefulness.What is the author’s purpose for writing this paragraph?
Read this paragraph.Jodi, Jan, and Seth peered out the window. They could not believe that a line was forming! Their flier had advertised tryouts for a garage band guitarist, because Epic Noise had been one musician short since their friend Zach moved to Michigan. Now it looked as though their need would be met. Eleven or twelve kids their age lined the driveway, some propping up oversize cases, and others with guitars strapped on their backs. The three hosts of the audition believed that they would find what they were listening for among the assembled crowd.Which statement best summarizes this paragraph?
Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.The team went to South Bend, Indiana, for a game. The hotel management registered the coach and team but refused to assign a room to a black player named Charley Thomas. In those days college ball had a few black players. Mr. Rickey took the manager aside and said he would move the entire team to another hotel unless the black athlete was accepted. The threat was a bluff because he knew the other hotels also would have refused accommodations to a black man. While the hotel manager was thinking about the threat, Mr. Rickey came up with a compromise. He suggested a cot be put in his own room, which he would share with the unwanted guest. The hotel manager wasn't happy about the idea, but he gave in.Which detail supports the idea that Branch Rickey is personally involved in his players’ struggle for acceptance?
Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.Here we go again, I thought. Another time-wasting experience. But Sukeforth looked like a sincere person, and I thought I might as well listen. I agreed to meet him that night. When we met, Sukeforth got right to the point. Mr. Rickey wanted to talk to me about the possibility of becoming a Brown Dodger. If I could get a few days off and go to Brooklyn, my fare and expenses would be paid. At first I said that I couldn't leave my team and go to Brooklyn just like that. Sukeforth wouldn't take no for an answer. He pointed out that I couldn't play for a few days anyhow because of my bum arm. Why should my team object?I continued to hold out and demanded to know what would happen if the Monarchs fired me. The Dodger scout replied quietly that he didn't believe that would happen.I shrugged and said I'd make the trip. I figured I had nothing to lose.Which statement best summarizes this excerpt?
Read this paragraph from History of Woman Suffrage, Volume I.We have shown that woman is not correctly represented by man at the ballot-box. Could her voice be heard, it would alter the choice of public men and their character. With legislators compelled to respect her opinions, the law itself, constitutions, and politics reflect, to a just extent, her peculiar views and interests. Nor is it for us to decide whether these would be for the better or worse. Let the majority rule.What is the author’s purpose for including this paragraph?
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