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Verbal·Craft and Structure·Text Structure and Purpose
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I have often been utterly astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. It is impossible to conceive of a greater mistake. Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
A
To describe the musical structure of slave spirituals.
B
To correct a misconception by Northerners regarding why enslaved people sang.
C
To argue that music has the power to heal deep emotional trauma.
D
To express gratitude to the Northerners who listened to and recorded the songs of the enslaved.