I don't know this question so please help me. It's urgent.

Read this excerpt from wheels of change by sue macy.that said, it's hard to grasp the full extent of the bicycle's impact on americans in the late 19th century—particularly female americans. imagine a population imprisoned by their very clothing; the stiff corsets, heavy skirts, and voluminous petticoats that made it difficult to take a deep breath, let alone exercise. add to that the laws and social conventions that cemented a man's place as head of the household and holder of the purse strings. how suffocated women must have felt. and how liberated they must have been as they pedaled their wheels toward new horizons.what is the central idea of the excerpt

What is meant by “eternally burning black pipes”? what is this implying about the personality of the firemen?

Read this excerpt from mohandas gandhi's "banaras hindu university speech." what is the speaker's purpose a. to persuade his audience to struggle for self-governance through peaceful means b. to urge wealthy indians to act instead of merely talk about poverty c. to inform the audience that the british colonial power is stealing indian resources d. to persuade his audience to renounce materialistic wealth and pursue spiritual wealth