Clayton was aware of his churning stomach and his sweaty hands. Although his career was just beginning, he had been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. His fellow nominees smiled and wished him well, although Clayton sensed daggers in their stares. His heart was beating like a drum, and was so loud in his head that he almost didn’t hear the voice announcing his name. Stunned, he ran to the stage. As he reached for the statuette, his hands were shaking violently. He stumbled through his acceptance speech, relieved once he realized this was the big break he had been hoping for! Which phrase in the passage helps you visualize what it feels like to be nervous? a. “churning stomach” b. “sweaty hands” c. “hands shaking violently” d. all of the above

Read the excerpt from the poem "growing up italian" by maria mazziotti gillan and answer the question that follows. when i was a little girl, i thought everyone was italian, and that was good. we visted our aunts and uncles, and they visted us. the italian language smooth and sweet in my mouth. in kindergarten, english words fell on me, thick and sharp as hail. i grew silent, the italian word balanced on the edge of my tongue and the english word, lost during the first moment of every question. source: gillan, maria mazziotti. "growing up italian." poetrymagazine.com. poetry magazine, n.d. web. 30 mar. 2011. what is the tone of this poem? what does the tone reveal about the speaker of the poem and the conflict she faces? based on this excerpt, what can you predict about the theme of the poem?