Question

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

Chief Joseph's Surrender Speech, October 5, 1877
by Chief Joseph

Tell General Howard I know his heart. What he told me before, I have it in my heart. I am tired of fighting. Our Chiefs are killed; Looking Glass is dead, Ta Hool Hool Shute is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led on the young men is dead. It is cold, and we have no blankets; the little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills, and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are—perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children, and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my Chiefs! I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever.

Based on the rest of the passage, what does Chief Joseph probably imply when he states, "He who led on the young men is dead"?

A. The new leaders will organize their tribe again.
B. There are no tribal leaders left.
C. The young people have led the tribe well.
D. The tribe needs a young leader to win the war.

Answer 1

This is a horrible choice of answers, and in my honest opinion the answer is none of these. But the only logical answer would be answer (B).

Answer 2

The correct answer is B. Chief Joseph probably implies that there are no tribal leaders left when he states, "He who led on the young men is dead."

Earlier in the passage, it states that all the old men are dead. None of the other options make sense, because Chief Joseph is saying that little children are freezing to death and dying. The young people are not able to probably take care of the people, as the tribal leaders were able to do.