How does the treatment of Black boys by shopkeepers differ from that of White boys?

How does the treatment of Black boys by shopkeepers differ from that of White boys?

• A. White boys are allowed to do whatever; Black boys are watched carefully
• B. Black boys are ignored; White boys are followed
• C. Black boys are accused of theft; White boys are not
• D. Black boys are watched carefully; White boys are allowed to do whatever

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is bias in everyday treatment: people often judge and respond to others differently based on race. In this scenario, shopkeepers tend to monitor Black boys more closely for misbehavior, while White boys are given more leeway and allowed to do what they please. That pattern—Black boys being watched carefully and White boys being allowed to do whatever—is why this option best captures the dynamic described. Other possibilities would contradict that observed tendency, such as Black boys being ignored or White boys being followed, which don’t align with the described differential scrutiny.

The main idea here is bias in everyday treatment: people often judge and respond to others differently based on race. In this scenario, shopkeepers tend to monitor Black boys more closely for misbehavior, while White boys are given more leeway and allowed to do what they please. That pattern—Black boys being watched carefully and White boys being allowed to do whatever—is why this option best captures the dynamic described. Other possibilities would contradict that observed tendency, such as Black boys being ignored or White boys being followed, which don’t align with the described differential scrutiny.