Read the passage i must close now. but before closing i am impelled to mention one other point in your statement that troubled me profoundly. you warmly commended the birmingham police force for keeping “order” and “preventing violence.” i don’t believe you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry violent dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent negroes. i don’t believe you would so quickly commend the policemen if you would observe their ugly and inhuman treatment of negroes here in the city jail; if you would watch them push and curse old negro women and young negro girls; if you would see them slap and kick old negro men and young negro boys; if you will observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. i’m sorry that i can’t join you in your praise for the police department. which statement identifies the main idea in this excerpt from “letter from birmingham city jail” by martin luther king, jr.? you warmly commended the birmingham police force for keeping “order” and “preventing violence.” if you will observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. i am impelled to mention one other point in your statement that troubled me profoundly. i’m sorry that i can’t join you in your praise for the police department.

D)  I’m sorry that I can’t join you in your praise for the police department.

Explanation: In the given passage from “Letter from Birmingham City Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr, we can see that he expresses his disagreement with the praise for the police department to "keep order" and "prevent violence" because of the inhuman treatment that black people received from them. The statement that best identifies the main idea of the excerpt is  I’m sorry that I can’t join you in your praise for the police department, because it summarizes the disagreement and disaproval.

read this excerpt from “incidents in the life of a slave girl.”

i went about my evening work with trembling steps. mr. flint twice called from his chamber door to inquire why the house was not locked up. i replied that i had not done my work. "you have had time enough to do it," said he. "take care how you answer me! "

i shut all the windows, locked all the doors, and went up to the third story, to wait till midnight. how long those hours seemed, and how fervently i prayed that god would not forsake me in this hour of utmost need! i was about to risk everything on the throw of a die; and if i failed, o what would become of me and my poor children? they would be made to suffer for my fault.

at half past twelve i stole softly down stairs. i stopped on the second floor, thinking i heard a noise. i felt my way down into the parlor, and looked out of the window. the night was so intensely dark that i could see nothing. i raised the window very softly and jumped out. large drops of rain were falling, and the darkness bewildered me. i dropped on my knees, and breathed a short prayer to god for guidance and protection. i groped my way to the road, and rushed towards the town with almost lightning speed.

what is the main idea of this excerpt?

harriet worked for a man called mr. flint who became very impatient when she did not finish her work.

harriet waited until after midnight to run down the stairs and jump out of a window into the rain.

harriet was a frightened young girl who found the faith and courage to leave her home for an unknown life.

harriet felt very nervous about running away because she did not like being alone in the darkness.

explanation:

dramatic irony occurs when the reader/audience knows more about a character's situation than the character does. the one main effect is that it gives the reader a sense of superiority, or detached superiority. the reader not only seemingly discovers what is revealed, but feels superior for doing so.