Question

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this article.

Read this excerpt from the article “5 Held in a Plot to Bug Democrats’ Office Here” by Alfred E. Lewis.

In 1959, the Federal Aviation Agency identified Fiorini as the pilot of a plane that dropped anti-Castro leaflets over Havana. Described in newspaper clippings as a “soldier of fortune,” Fiorini reportedly was head of the International anticommunist Brigade, after the Bay of Pigs invasion, that trained 23 Cuban exiles who in 1962 landed by boat in Cuba’s Matanzas Province and set up guerrilla operations.

Which statement best explains how the details in this excerpt contribute to the central idea?

A.The details show Fiorini has a history of criminal activity.

B.The details provide an explanation for why Fiorini did what he did.

C.The details illustrate the way Fiorini's past influenced his behavior.

D.The details explain Fiorini's past in a way that explains his crime.

Answer 1

Answer: A.The details show Fiorini has a history of criminal activity.

In this excerpt, we learn a little more about Fiorini. We are told that Fiorini was the Head of the International Anticommunist Brigade. We also learn that this brigade trained 23 Cuban exiles who set up guerrilla operations. These details allow us to develop a clearer picture of Fiorini and his past, which allows us to understand the character of this man better. By learning that Fiorini has a criminal past, his actions become more understandable, and this clarity contributes to developing the central idea of the text.