When Lincoln says, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here,” what is his purpose for using brevity?
Answer
A
to avoid having to give additional details about why the world will not remember and why people should never forget
B
to show how he really does hope that his speech will become something everyone remembers
C
to use words with strong connotations that suggest heroism and forgetfulness
D
to convey that his speech is not as important as the actions of the people who fought for their country
Explanation
Lincoln contrasts what he says with what the soldiers did: people may not remember the speech, but they will remember the soldiers’ actions. His concise wording keeps attention on their sacrifice rather than on his own speech. Choice D captures this purpose: the speech is less important than the actions of those who fought for their country.
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