"stage manager:

well. now we're ready to get on with the wedding.

there are a lot of things to be said about a wedding; there are a lot of thoughts that go on during a wedding. we can't get them all into one wedding, naturally, and especially not into a wedding at grover's corners, where they're awfully plain and short."

what is significant about the language in this excerpt from our town? select all that apply.
a) it lacks specificity.
b) it creates an enthusiastic tone.
c) it makes weddings seem dull and uninspiring.
d) it encourages the audience to make inferences about weddings.

The correct answers are:

A), C) and D)

Explanation:

A) Lack of Specificity: The speaker in this excerpt suggests that there are a lot of things to be said about a wedding but makes no mention about any of them.

C) The speakers language does not create any enthusiasm towards weddings at all. His choice of words such as "awfully", "Plain", "Short", rather than enthuse the receiver of such an information would rather make them uninterested.

D) Stimulating Inferences about weddings: The mind is wired to fill in blanks and recognise patterns. When the speakers states that there are a lot of things to be said but says none, then goes on to say that they are awfully, plain, and short, it leaves room for one to create a picture for themselves about what he or she actually means.

Cheers!

read this passage from the crisis. what rationale is paine using for going to war with great britain? my own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. not all the treasures of the world, so far as i believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for i think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am i to suffer it? what signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman; whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? if we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other.

it is waged war against an army of countrymen

it would lead to independence from britain

it would be an offensive war

it would be a defensive war

the price of our current war is high; it costs money and it costs lives.

but it does not cost our pride. it does not cost the guilt that would arise from knowing that we did nothing to intervene while our neighboring nations fell to despotic leaders.

it does not cost the terror of knowing that our allies are unstable. it does not cost the fear that we, too, will be next to fall.

which sentence most accurately explains why the speaker's use of the parallel structure is effective in this passage?

a. it underscores that disagreement will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly.

b. it makes the speaker seem like a decisive and capable leader.

c. it emphasizes reasons to fight and inspires listeners to aid the war effort.

d. it establishes the speaker's credibility by acknowledging the difficulties of war.