Question

The ladies are greatly concerned for poor black people halfway around the world, but they have no sympathy or consideration for the black people in their own town. For example, as Mrs. Merriweather speaks of the Mrunas, her eyes fill with tears in consideration of 'the oppressed.' At the same time, she refuses to acknowledge the oppression that the blacks in Maycomb suffer at the hands of the whites. What is the contrast in the ladies' concern for black people?

1) They are greatly concerned for black people halfway around the world but have no sympathy for black people in their own town.
2) They have sympathy for black people in their own town but are not concerned for black people halfway around the world.
3) They have sympathy and concern for black people in their own town but are not concerned for black people halfway around the world.
4) They have sympathy and concern for black people halfway around the world but are not concerned for black people in their own town.

Answer 1

The correct answer is that the ladies show concern for black people halfway around the world but lack sympathy for those in their own town.

Step-by-step explanation:

The contrast in the ladies' concern for black people is that they are greatly concerned for black people halfway around the world but have no sympathy for black people in their own town. This is highlighted by Mrs. Merriweather's emotional response to the plight of the Mrunas, which is in stark contradiction to her indifference toward the suffering of blacks in Maycomb. The correct answer reflecting this hypocrisy is option 1: They are greatly concerned for black people halfway around the world but have no sympathy for black people in their own town.