Answer D

@hbrennan14Q@gmail.com This is a great example of how important it is to "read to understand" the passage rather than looking for parallel phrasing. You're absolutely right that the passage doesn't talk about appreciation, however, (D) gets at the heart of what the author is saying in the passage. The author points out that historians have overemphasized one aspect of King's relationship with Thoreau's writings (as written in the first paragraph) while largely ignoring another aspect (written in the final paragraph). On these main point questions, it'll be quite rare for the main point to have a grammatical analogue within the passage. The correct answer will typically be a compressed and rephrased restatement of the whole discussion. Does that help?

b fucking s

D is correct, as it's a great restatement of the last sentence of the first paragraph. Focus on Thoreau has obscured MLK's philosophy and its relation to transcendentalism. The main point is that despite MLK's acknowledgement of Thoreau's influence, there are distinct differences in their ideas and MLK had more in common with other transcendentalists.