Read the excerpt, and highlight clues that you identify the central idea.

"we have a right to go to that school, and i'm certain our governor, who was elected to govern all the people, will decide to do what is just." i felt myself speak aloud before i was ready. who said that? it sounded like me, but the words . . where had they come from? the white reporters wrote my words down and behaved as if what i said was very important. pride welled up inside me, and for the first time, i knew that working for integration was the right thing for me to be doing.

–warriors don’t cry,
melba pattillo beals

what is the central idea of this passage?

a) standing up for equality is both necessary and rewarding.
b) teenagers do not have any power to effect change.
c)public speaking is a difficult skill to learn.
d) reporters should not be allowed to interview teenagers.

the correct answer is a) standing up for equality is both necessary and rewarding.

A) Standing up for equality is both necessary and rewarding.

Explanation:

Melba Pattillo Belas emphasizes that the right to go to school is standing up for something that should be unnegotiable. In the excerpt, the reader can notice that the author is mentioning the governor. The governor who has power must protect everyone's rights. It is necessary that everyone can right not only to go to school but that there are not some special situations. The author wants to highlight equality and standing up for equality is the first step to fight for own beliefs and rights. Even though the character in the excerpt feels excited, the character felt proud. Rewarding is best described in the last sentence of the excerpt when the character can see that is the right thing.

each year on this day, i make it a point to listen to dr. martin luther king jr.’s great “i have a dream” speech. it’s electrifying every single time.

the content of dr. king’s speech, his inspiring presence, and the moment in history all came together to make the iconic “i have a dream” speech the defining moment of the american civil rights movement. but there are several other reasons why this speech, delivered over 50 years ago, remains an example of one of the best speeches in american history.

since part of my job is to people become better presenters, i’ve noticed several techniques that we can all learn from and be inspired by in this magnificent speech.

it’s anchored in a powerful related location

in most cases, you can’t handpick the spot to give a presentation, as mlk did for supreme symbolic effect when he stood on the steps of the lincoln memorial and echoed the opening words of the gettysburg address (“five score years ago . . ). but you absolutely can amplify your message by adapting it to your setting and location.

femininity is conveyed through bernice's personality. she doesn't act how the other girls act and everyone thinks she is weird. she learns how to act in a way that was considered femininely appropriate at the time. she becomes so popular but her attempts to be liked end up backfiring when she is pressured into bobbing her hair. the author wrote that bernice cut off her cousin's hair in revenge for tricking her to cut her hair. this was the authors way of trying to change the way feminine is defined and the way women are expected to act.