Text 1: “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman

1 I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe

and strong,

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

5 The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off

work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the

deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing

10 as he stands,

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the

morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at

work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

15 Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young

fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Text 2: “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes

1 I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

5 But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I’ll be at the table

10 When company comes.

Nobody’ll dare

Say to me,

“Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

15 Besides,

They’ll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

Which theme is conveyed in Text 2, Hughes’s poem?

options:

A. America must celebrate all of its members, not just a select group.

B. All people in America share similar experiences and lead similar lives.

C. Americans must make the effort to spend more time with their loved ones.

D. To Americans, health and happiness should be of greatest importance.