Final answer:
Second wave immigrants from Southern Italy worked up the hierarchy in the United States by actively embracing American culture, facing discrimination but eventually finding acceptance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Second wave immigrants from Southern Italy worked up the hierarchy in the United States by actively embracing American culture (option A). They faced intense discrimination and prejudice, but eventually found acceptance by assimilating into American society. Italian Americans became more accepted after World War II, partly because of their significant contribution to the war effort. They also moved to suburbs at the same rate as other White groups.