Question 2 • GA-American Literature and Composition CR_Seniors
Read the excerpt from the song, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”They used to tell me I was building a dream, And so I followed the mob—When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear I was always there—right on the job. They used to tell me I was building a dream With peace and glory ahead— Based on this excerpt and your knowledge of American history, why did the stock market crash make Americans lose confidence in business?
Answer
A
Following the mob without asking questions can potentially lead to financial or emotional devastation.
B
People worked diligently to participate in the building of the American dream with the understanding they would profit.
C
The promise of peace and glory compelled many people to work for the wealthy and make them richer.
D
Instead of plowing the fields and going to war, American should have gone to college.
Explanation
The speaker describes working hard—plowing fields and serving in war—because he believed he was helping build a prosperous American dream. The stock market crash and the Great Depression shattered many Americans’ expectation that hard work and participation in business would bring security and profit. Choice B best reflects that lost confidence; the excerpt does not mainly warn against blindly following a crowd, as choice A suggests.
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