A Quilt of a Country

Once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy, What is the denotative meaning of fault lines in this excerpt?

long cracks in the surface of the earth

America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts, Which techniques does the author use to develop her idea in this excerpt? Check all that apply.

metaphors contradictions loaded language imagery

What is the point of this splintered whole? What is the point of a nation in which Arab cabbies chauffeur... In this excerpt, the use of the word splintered has a_____ connotation.

negative

When photographs of the faces of all those who died in the World Trade Center destruction are assembled. In this excerpt, the word wonder has a ____connotation

positive

The context of a piece of writing is the

environment in which it was written.

Which of these words has a negative connotation?

furious

America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts Which word from the excerpt carries a positive connotation?

ideal

Once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy, What is the connotative meaning of fault lines in this excerpt?

something powerful and threatening

The New York of my children is no more Balkanized, probably less so, What technique does Quindlen use to support the idea that America is less polarized now than it was in past history?

vivid imagery

How can a reader trace how an author develops a central idea throughout a text? Check all that apply.

-by determining the central idea of each paragraph -by identifying the most important details used to support the central idea of each paragraph -by summarizing the central idea and key details of each paragraph in a single sentence -by finding the common element among the central ideas throughout the text

America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts, Which statement best explains the role context plays in better understanding this excerpt?

Quindlen uses the context of American diversity to help readers rethink the concept of American identity and understand that she supports the idea of unity among Americans of all cultures.

Tolerance is the word used most often when this kind of coexistence succeeds, Which sentence best explains how the context of this excerpt supports Quindlen's idea that all Americans unite during times of difficulty?

Quindlen uses the context of the World Trade Center attacks to describe the unity among Americans of all different nationalities.

Once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy What does the use of the term fault lines reveal about how the author views world wars?

She believes that world wars are harmful to people.

What is the point of this splintered whole? What is the point of a nation in which Arab cabbies chauffeur Jewish Once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy, Which statement best traces the development of a central idea from one paragraph to the next?

The first paragraph describes different groups of Americans. The second paragraph discusses what unifies them.

The reality is often quite different, a great national striving. consisting frequently of failure. Which statement best summarizes the central idea of this excerpt?

The high number of horrors committed in our diverse nation makes it difficult to believe in a united people.

Once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy, by the fault lines of world wars and the electrified fence of communism. Which sentence from the excerpt best reveals the context of the excerpt?

Today the citizens of the United States have come together once more because of armed conflict and enemy attack.

Tolerance is the word used most often when this kind of coexistence succeeds, Which sentence from the excerpt best reveals the context of the excerpt?

When photographs of the faces of all those who died in the World Trade Center destruction are assembled in one place, it will be possible to trace in the skin color, the shape of the eyes and the noses, the texture of the hair, a map of the world.