A student is asked to write a critique of this excerpt from Utopia. If these metals were laid up in any tower in the kingdom it would raise a jealousy of the Prince and Senate, and give birth to that foolish mistrust into which the people are apt to fall—a jealousy of their intending to sacrifice the interest of the public to their own private advantage. If they should work it into vessels, or any sort of plate, they fear that the people might grow too fond of it, and so be unwilling to let the plate be run down, if a war made it necessary, to employ it in paying their soldiers. To prevent all these inconveniences they have fallen upon an expedient which, as it agrees with their other policy, so is it very different from ours, and will scarce gain belief among us who value gold so much, and lay it up so carefully. They eat and drink out of vessels of earth or glass, which make an agreeable appearance, though formed of brittle materials; while they make their chamber-pots and close-stools of gold and silver, and that not only in their public halls but in their private houses. Of the same metals they likewise make chains and fetters for their slaves, to some of which, as a badge of infamy, they hang an earring of gold, and make others wear a chain or a coronet of the same metal; and thus they take care by all possible means to render gold and silver of no esteem . . . Which is a critique of the excerpt? Gold earrings are given to enslaved people and seen as cause for shame. The effects of slavery are much worse than the effects of materialism. To show their disdain for gold and silver, Utopians use them for chamber pots. Utopians make a great effort to treat precious metals for everyday purposes.

• MsLit: Utopians make a great effort to treat precious metals for everyday purposes.
  
  This is the option that shows the most critique rather than just summarizing or repeating parts of the passage. It provides insight into the meaning of the passage and a perspective on their views/opinions within. 
• michell96:

  The answer is B. The effects of slavery are much worse than the effects of materialism.

  Explanation:

  The word "critique" refers to a revision, assessment or evaluation of one material or set of ideas. This means in a critique of a text you evaluate "critically" the positive and negative aspects of it. In the text presented, which belongs to the book Utopia, it is explained to avoid the effect of materialism the authorities of a nation had implemented the use of precious materials such as gold and silver in everyday objects and in objects that are not desirable such as chains for slaves.

  Because of this, one of the critics of this excerpt is that "The effects of slavery are much worse than the effects of materialism" because slavery is linked to human degradation, violence, etc and therefore it has more negative consequence than materialism, which is opposite to the ideas suggested in the tex and therefore this sentence is an evaluation or critique of the excerpt. Also, other options only restate or summarize ideas of the text rather than create a critique about them.