Obama Speech
What is the Central Idea of his speech?
Americans can pursue freedom and opportunity
What is the best way to revise sentence 1 to make it an appropriate introduction to the passage?
Hard work, dedication, finding meaning in your job—these are all traditional American values that have shaped the cultural landscape of the United States.
How does the characterization of the boys’ friendship in the first paragraph enhance the meaning of their relationship?
The first paragraph characterizes the boys’ friendship as one that is strong and close, which then contrasts with their subsequent time apart and lack of communication.
Casement is derived from the Old French word enchassement where en- means “in” and casse means “a case.” What is the meaning of casement as it is used in line 49?
What change should be made to the word in italics?
The Pennsylvania Dutch are a group originating in and around the Rhineland, Switzerland, and the Austrian Alps. Most of them speak various German dialekts.
dialects
How does Obama strengthen his central idea?
He develops the idea by using details from his life and his family's life
Which is the best revision to sentence 3 to provide an appropriate claim for the passage?
Their set of values, which historians call the “Protestant Work Ethic,” helped form the basis of capitalist society and culture in America.
What is the meaning of the word forged as it is used in paragraph 4?
to form something with effort
How does the poet’s description of the setting in the first two stanzas contribute to the meaning of the poem?
The poet’s focus on the amount of rain emphasizes the feeling of dreariness and abandonment in the marketplace.
What change should be made to the word in italics?
Many groups emigrating in the late 1700s were comprized of Lutherans and members of the German Reformed faith.
comprised
What two ideas explain how the people, places, events, and eras that the speaker discusses in paragraph 2 develop the central idea?
1. The speaker connects the lives of his father and grandparents to eras and events in history that are typically viewed as hardships to illustrate the idea of persistence.
2. The people, places, events, and eras described in paragraph 2 elaborate on the ideas of hard work and persistence because they reveal how the Senator’s family faced hardship.
Which detail should be added after sentence 4 to best support the claim in that sentence?
They wanted to “purify” the Church by removing any remaining Catholic ideas or traditions.
How do the events in paragraph 5 enhance the purpose of showing that friendships with strong foundations can pass the test of time?
The events illustrate that despite the physical distance and time, the foundational memories and shared experiences prompted Andres to reconnect with Rafael.
Hear it rain! And from eight leaden pipes in the ball he stands on That has eight leaden and copper bands on, There gurgle and drain Eight driblets of water down into the basin.
Which of the following best describes how the use of onomatopoeia contributes to the mood in these lines?
It creates a lonely mood by describing the sound the rain makes as it runs down the statue in the quiet marketplace
What change should be made?
Today, if you travel to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the main Pennsylvania Dutch cultural region, you will find many German-language speakers; likewise you will be able to experience a rich German cultural history.
German-language speakers; likewise, you will be able to
Ethos, pathos, and logos?
"I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story..."
Obama uses pathos to relate with the audience, pointing out that his path to being on that stage is similar to the path of those listening
Which of the following sentences would be the best revision of sentence 14 to provide an effective conclusion to the passage?
Our ideas about capitalism, commerce, and an individual’s contribution to society would not be the same without the Puritan model.
How does the use of the idiom “in the blink of an eye” in paragraph 5 contribute to the mood of the text?
It creates a nostalgic mood by showing how quickly time passes by without either of the friends realizing how long it had been.
I have heard them
Muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl
They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably,
Died so shameful a death for a generous act.
. It creates a lonely mood by describing the sound the rain makes as it runs down the statue in the quiet marketplace.
Edit this sentence:
Many different sects exist within the present-day community, including those who wear plain, traditional clothing and shun electricity and automobiles, conversely there are also people who have adopted more contemporary lifestyles.
shun electricity and automobiles; conversely, there are also people
Ethos, pathos or logos?
"That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people..."
Obama uses ethos to show his personal connection to shared American ideals and values.
What is a primary belief that Puritans hold that is tied to American life?
Another way Puritan values have shaped American culture is the belief in “the calling”– that work is not just a job, but is also a central part of one’s life.
How does the author show that Andres and Rafael's perspectives change as a result of the events in the story?
The author shows through emotional language that Andres’s perspective about the importance of
long-term friendships evolves after he contacts Rafael.
Select two sets of lines that develop a sense of ambiguity within the poem:
“(Now is he a saint or archangel?) / He stands on a dragon” (lines 25-26)
“Or is it into the casement / Where the girl sits sewing?” (lines 49-50)
What change, if any, is necessary with the italicized portion of the following sentence?
At the time of their travel to the United States, the term “Dutch” denoted anyone who spoke a Germanic language.
no change