Read the excerpt from "Lady Liberty."
It was a very good plan given the poor state of repair on Bedloe. Still, Papa and I decided to risk the sagging wooden stairs and climb to the crown. Inside, kerosene lamps were the only light. The air was stale, and it seemed like a place where accidents could happen. Even so, a crowd of people were willing to risk their safety and climb 354 steps for a view of the harbor and city. To me, it seemed as if every stair was a step toward freedom and light.
Which is the best objective summary of this excerpt?
The air inside the Statue of Liberty smelled old and stuffy, which made it hard to climb to the top.
Climbing up to the top of the Statue of Liberty was worth any risk that may have resulted.
There was very little light inside the Statue of Liberty, but people, including the narrator, still climbed to the top.
Despite the conditions inside the Statue of Liberty, many people, including the narrator, climbed up to the top.
Despite the poor state of repair and the risks associated with climbing, the narrator and many other people decided to climb to the top of the Statue of Liberty for the view of the harbor and city.
The best objective summary of this excerpt is: Despite the conditions inside the Statue of Liberty, many people, including the narrator, climbed up to the top.
The best objective summary of this excerpt is: Despite the conditions inside the Statue of Liberty, many people, including the narrator, climbed up to the top.
To arrive at this answer, you can start by identifying the main points in the excerpt. The passage mentions the poor state of repair on Bedloe (the island where the Statue of Liberty is located), the decision to climb the sagging wooden stairs to the crown, the dim lighting with kerosene lamps, and a crowd of people willing to climb for a view of the harbor and city. The narrator also expresses the belief that each stair represents a step toward freedom and light.
Based on these points, we can eliminate the options that do not accurately summarize the main idea. Option A focuses only on the air quality, which is not the central theme of the passage. Option B captures the idea of the climb being worth any risk, which is true, but it does not mention the other details mentioned in the excerpt. Option C accurately highlights the lack of light and people still climbing, but it fails to mention the narrator's participation. Option D, on the other hand, includes all the main points: the conditions inside, the presence of a crowd, and the narrator's involvement, making it the best objective summary.