Word Choice and Author's Purpose in Warriors Don't Cry

Dear Diary, The two days since I first went to Central felt like I was living in some stranger's life. Today I won't think of integration, I won't think of Central High, and I won't think of the white people. I will spend the whole day finding the perfect disguise to wear to the wrestling matches. . . . No matter what, I'm gonna be a regular person. I'm gonna have my usual date with Grandma and my secret, pretend date with Vince at the matches. The author's words present a mood of

determination.

Cameras flashed, bright lights stung my eyes, and reporters asked lots of questions for the next half hour. Many of the reporters asked the attorneys what they planned to do to get rid of the troops. And questions were directed to Elizabeth. She seemed shy about answering, but with Mrs. Bates's help, she forced herself to say a few words. Eventually, however, questions were directed to all of us. My heart raced with fear and anticipation as I observed the process. I was almost hypnotized by the wonder of it all. What is the author's purpose for including these details?

to describe her personal recollections to readers

As hard as I tried not to care, I couldn't start my morning without knowing what the governor, his National Guard, and the school board were up to. I had to face the awful truth. Grandma was right, I was letting those people determine how I felt, and how I lived a great part of my day. What best describes the narrator's mood?

bothered

The announcer said it was 7:55 as Mama squeezed into a parking space, and we settled ourselves quietly for a moment, trying to identify the buzzing noise that seemed as if it were all around us. It resembled the sound of crowds at my high school football games. But how could that be? The announcer said there was a crowd, but surely it couldn't be that big. Which word from the excerpt creates mood?

buzzing

Those matches were big events in my life because we traveled downtown to the Robinson Auditorium, a place usually reserved for white people only. Those were the times when I got to go outside my neighborhood, outside the world where I spent most of my life. We sat in the same room with white folks, able to observe them close up. I wanted to get to know them better, to see what it was they had that put them in charge. The central idea of this excerpt is that the narrator

cherishes her rare worldly experiences.

Realizing that the dilemma of integration wasn't going to be resolved quickly, everybody seemed to be concerned about our falling behind in our schoolwork. Teachers from our community along with other professionals were offering to give us books and to tutor us. Grace Lorch, who had helped Elizabeth escape the mob, and her husband, Dr. Lorch, organized tutoring sessions. It felt good to dress in school clothes and go to Philander Smith, our community's college. For part of each day, I studied schoolwork and spent time with my eight friends, enjoying a thimbleful of normality. What ideas are presented in the excerpt? Check all that apply

Community members rallied to support the students' education. Daily meetings with tutors temporarily replaced school. The narrator enjoyed the return of a school routine.

The minister was urging us to pray for Governor Faubus and do whatever was necessary to heal any sour feelings we had against white people. He had been organizing other ministers in Little Rock to speak out and condemn the governor for dispatching the troops. He said we should pray for the judges and city officials and the President to make the right decisions—to let us into Central High. What is the central idea of the excerpt?

Ministers sometimes encourage people to make positive changes.

IKE SAYS HE WILL USE LAW. TELLS FAUBUS: COOPERATE WITH US "The federal Constitution will be upheld by every legal means at my command," President Eisenhower had told Governor Faubus. The President had sent a telegram to Governor Faubus saying he was sure the governor, the National Guard, and other state officials would give full cooperation to the United States Supreme Court. What idea is emphasized through repetition?

The governor is expected to follow the law.

"Then you don't have anything to be concerned about." Mother Lois maneuvered through the unusually heavy traffic. "I don't know where all the cars could have come from," she said. We both craned our necks, curious about all the unfamiliar cars and people. Certainly there had never before been so many white people driving down the streets of our quiet, tree-lined neighborhood. What idea is emphasized through repetition?

The streets are unusually crowded.

The next day, in the Sunday paper, I saw a pitiful closeup photograph of Elizabeth, walking alone in front of Central on that first day of integration. It pained my insides to see, once again, the twisted, scowling white faces with open mouths jeering, clustered about my friend's head like bouquets of grotesque flowers. It was an ad paid for by a white man from a small town in Arkansas. "If you live in Arkansas," the ad read, "study this picture and know shame. When hate is unleashed and bigotry finds a voice, God help us all." I felt a kind of joy and hope in the thought that one white man was willing to use his own money to call attention to the injustice we were facing. Maybe the picture would help others realize that what they were doing was hurting everybody. What is the central idea of the excerpt?

There is sympathy and support for the children struggling to integrate schools.

As the evening wore on and the matches got really heated, Grandma India and I would behave as we behaved nowhere else. She would pound the floor with her parasol and shout and wave her fist until her hat was twisted on her head and her churchgoing outfit was rumpled. Once she had even dropped her glasses and broken them in a fit of rage when her tag-team favorites, Mud Mountain and Blue Moon Hog, were counted out by the referee. Which words help create the mood in the excerpt? Check all that apply.

pound shout rage

Being together in those classes, the nine of us were developing a true friendship—becoming closer knit than we might have been under other circumstances. We talked about our fears, what we missed at our old school, and our hopes that the integration issues would soon be resolved. While I regretted the friendships I was losing, I cherished the growing ties to the eight. What best describes the narrator's mood?

sentimental

The United States Department of Agriculture has historically published recommendations for healthy eating based on a food pyramid. This concept has been reimagined with the introduction of their new website www.choosemyplate.gov. This interactive website allows individuals to explore healthy menus tailored to their particular needs. The website also provides information about physical activity, caloric intake, and food groups. What is the author's purpose?

to inform readers about a government website

A cardinal ideal in this heritage we cherish is the equality of rights of all citizens of every race and color and creed. We know that discrimination against minorities persists despite our allegiance to this ideal. Such discrimination—confined to no one section of the Nation—is but the outward testimony to the persistence of distrust and of fear in the hearts of men. This fact makes all the more vital the fighting of these wrongs by each individual, in every station of life, in his every deed . . . I propose to use whatever authority exists in the office of the President to end segregation in the District of Columbia, including the Federal Government, and any segregation in the Armed Forces. What is the president's purpose for including these details?

to persuade his listeners of the importance of equal rights

In that city, under the leadership of demagogic extremists, disorderly mobs have deliberately prevented the carrying out of proper orders from a Federal Court. Local authorities have not eliminated that violent opposition and, under the law, I yesterday issued a Proclamation calling upon the mob to disperse. What is the president's purpose for including these details?

to persuade his listeners of the need for presidential intervention

I support the purchase of streetlights for our community. My young sons enjoy riding their skateboards in the street in the evening, but darkness makes this a reckless undertaking, even with reflective gear. Further, our family has contributed dues to the neighborhood association for nearly ten years, and no structural improvements have been made during this time. The association has money saved for projects such as these, and it is time to use these funds to promote safety. What is the author's purpose?

to persuade readers to support an investment

Voter participation is the cornerstone of a democratic society, and America's young people should seize this privilege as soon as they are able. Some youth wait until a presidential election year or until confronted with a compelling political issue. Instead, everyone ought to register on his or her eighteenth birthday and embrace this rite of passage into adulthood. What is the author's purpose?

to persuade young adults to register to vote

The voice on the radio grew more urgent as the announcer described the ranks of Arkansas National Guardsmen who ringed Central High School. Hearing the news as we drew near our destination, Mother said, "I think I'll park here. The meeting place is quite a ways away, but from the looks of things we won't get any closer." The author's words create a mood of

uncertainty.