Excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave #2
Frederick Douglass
I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland. I have no
accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it. By far the larger part of the slaves know
as little of their ages as horses know of theirs, and it is the wish of most masters within my knowledge to keep their slaves
thus ignorant. I do not remember to have ever met a slave who could tell of his birthday. They seldom come nearer to it than
planting-time, harvest-time, cherry-time, spring-time, or fall time. A want of information concerning my own was a source of
unhappiness to me even during childhood. The white children could tell their ages. I could not tell why I ought to be deprived
of the same privilege. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on
the part of a slave improper and impertinent, and evidence of a restless spirit. The nearest estimate I can give makes me
now between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years of age. I come to this, from hearing my master say, some time during
1835, I was about seventeen years old.
ghlight
15:50
What is the meaning of the word impertinent as it is used in the passage?
A)
unflappable during times of stress
B)
deflated from being denied information that is wanted
C)
deceptive acceptance of someone who has more authority
D)
unrestrained beyond the bounds of good taste or propriety