Read the excerpt from billy collins’s “man listening to disc.”

in fact, i would say
my delight at being suffused
with phrases from his saxophone—
some like honey, some like vinegar—
is surpassed only by my gratitude

to tommy potter for taking the time
to join us on this breezy afternoon
with his most unwieldy bass
and to the esteemed arthur taylor
who is somehow managing to navigate

this crowd with his cumbersome drums.
which of the following suggestions would best enhance a reader’s understanding of this poem? a. read a variety of sources about the style and instruments used by jazz musicians. b. search medical journals to learn how different types of music can affect a person’s mood. c. review case studies on hearing loss due to the prolonged listening of loud music. d. evaluate several poems to learn about the techniques authors use to convey their ideas.

A. Read a variety of sources about the style and instruments used by jazz musicians.

The poem makes extensive use of references to jazz music. The author mentions the saxophone, the bass, the drums, Tommy Potter and Arthur Taylor. If a reader wanted to have a deeper understanding of the poem, he would most likely benefit from reading a variety of sources about the style and the instruments that are used by jazz musicians.

b. both have yearned to escape the environment they experienced as a child.

i’m writing a memoir and i’ve been given the great suggestion of placing a ‘sub-narrative’ within some of the chapters – sort of, what was going on with me in the grand scheme of things.

i was wondering how to format this so that it is very obvious we are stepping out the of story.

firstly is a change in font from serif to sans workable? i also use dashes for a scene change. was thinking of using a different scene-changer too.

here’s a (shortened) example:

university – or what’s known as ‘uni’ in australia – were some of the best days of my life. where else do you get to potter around in a great location, have very little responsibility, learn lots of things, do lots of things and walk out four years later with a bonus – a degree!

with my university years i had immersed myself into community of intelligent ambitious people. generally everyone had a confidence about themselves. they knew where they were going in life and weren’t threatened by others.

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next normal paragraph continues here…

(sorry couldn’t show the fonts in this comment field)

too much?