Read the passage.

excerpt from "the unanimous declaration of the thirteen united states of america," by thomas jefferson

when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's god entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

— that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,

— that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. but when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

— such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. the history of the present king of great britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. to prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

part a

in paragraph 2, what is the meaning of the phrase “we hold these truths to be self-evident”?

there exist, in life, some undeniable facts.

in most cases, every fact may be arguable.

the truth will always win over deception.

the truth varies depending on perspective.
part b

how does the remainder of paragraph 2 develop the claim that there are certain “truths” that are “self-evident”?

it lists specific rights that all people are entitled to because all people are equal.

it names several crimes committed by the king of great britain that justify abolishing the government.

it names specific ways that people can exercise their rights and work for better government.

it names several acts by the king of great britain that demonstrate he is a weak leader.

Read the excerpt from the fairy tale “hansel and gretel” and answer the question that follows. hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. the boy was called hansel and the girl gretel. he had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread. now when he thought over this by night in his bed, and tossed about in his anxiety, he groaned and said to his wife: "what is to become of us? how are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves? " "i'll tell you what, husband," answered the woman, "early tomorrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest; there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. they will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them." "no, wife," said the man, "i will not do that; how can i bear to leave my children alone in the forest? —the wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces." "o, you fool! " said she, "then we must all four die of hunger, you may as well plane the planks for our coffins," and she left him no peace until he consented. "but i feel very sorry for the poor children, all the same," said the man. the two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father. gretel wept bitter tears, and said to hansel: "now all is over with us." "be quiet, gretel," said hansel, "do not distress yourself, i will soon find a way to us." and when the old folks had fallen asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. the moon shone brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. hansel stooped and stuffed the little pocket of his coat with as many as he could get in. then he went back and said to gretel: "be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace, god will not forsake us," and he lay down again in his bed. when day dawned, but before the sun had risen, the woman came and awoke the two children, saying: "get up, you sluggards! we are going into the forest to fetch wood." she gave each a little piece of bread, and said: "there is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get nothing else." gretel took the bread under her apron, as hansel had the pebbles in his pocket. then they all set out together on the way to the forest. when they had walked a short time, hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. his father said: "hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for? pay attention, and do not forget how to use your legs." "ah, father," said hansel, "i am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof, and wants to say goodbye to me." the wife said: "fool, that is not your little cat, that is the morning sun which is shining on the chimneys." hansel, however, had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble-stones out of his pocket on the road. when they had reached the middle of the forest, the father said: "now, children, pile up some wood, and i will light a fire that you may not be cold." hansel and gretel gathered brushwood together, as high as a little hill. the brushwood was lighted, and when the flames were burning very high, the woman said: "now, children, lay yourselves down by the fire and rest, we will go into the forest and cut some wood. when we have done, we will come back and fetch you away." hansel and gretel sat by the fire, and when noon came, each ate a little piece of bread, and as they heard the strokes of the wood-axe they believed that their father was near. it was not the axe, however, but a branch which he had fastened to a withered tree which the wind was blowing backwards and forwards. and as they had been sitting such a long time, their eyes closed with fatigue, and they fell fast asleep. when at last they awoke, it was already dark night. gretel began to cry and said: "how are we to get out of the forest now? " but hansel comforted her and said: "just wait a little, until the moon has risen, and then we will soon find the way." and when the full moon had risen, hansel took his little sister by the hand, and followed the pebbles which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way. source: grimm, jacob and wilhelm grimm. "fairy tales by the brothers grimm." project gutenberg. project gutenberg, 14 dec. 2008. web. 24 feb. 2011. which character represents the archetype of the hero best? the wife gretel the woodcutter hansel