Instructions Read the question carefully and select the best answer. To what does the word stripes most closely refer in the following passage from the speech? The rich inheritance of justice.liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that has brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. A nounl bands Inconect. This would not make sense in the context of the passage. B. noun Istreaks of blood from battle Incorrect. There is another selection that better identifies the kind of "stripes"the speaker is referring to. Correct: Speaking on behall of slaves, Douglass argues that the freedoms celebrated on the fourth of July have made him and his people prisoners. D. verbi decorates something In a serles of lines Inconect This is not the correct part of speech or definition.

## Step 1<br />The problem is a comprehension question that requires understanding the context of the passage. The passage is a speech by Frederick Douglass, a former slave, who is speaking about the freedoms celebrated on the Fourth of July. He contrasts the joy and freedom that these celebrations bring to the people with the suffering and oppression he and his people have experienced.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The word "stripes" in this context is used metaphorically to represent the suffering and oppression that the speaker and his people have experienced. The speaker is not referring to literal stripes or streaks of blood from battle, nor is he talking about decorating something with lines.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The speaker is using "stripes" to symbolize the suffering and oppression that he and his people have experienced due to the freedoms celebrated on the Fourth of July. This is why option C is the correct answer.