Read the excerpt from A Black Hole is NOT a Hole. Way out there, trillions, quadrillions, and even more -illions of miles away, are special places called black holes. These places in space are special because of their powerful pull on other things. A black hole’s pull is the strongest pull in the entire universe. How does the use of an informal writing style best help readers understand the topic? It helps readers find the exact location of a black hole. It helps readers visualize the inside of a black hole in space. It helps readers learn new black hole names and phrases. It helps readers understand how far away black holes are located.

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?