Which sentence would be the most effective opening for a story about a mother of two who wanted to train and run a marathon? a) maria knew that she needed a change in her life, a new goal to work for--but what? b) the children were asleep while marie quietly tiptoed out the back door to go exercise. c) what am i doing--a mother of two and training to run a marathon in six months? i must have lost my mind. d) i woke up earlier than i'd ever woken up before and hit the alarm clock so my husband could go back to sleep.

I would say that C, because this shows what the story is being written about.

Hope this helps!

The answer is C)  I must have lost my mind.

each year on this day, i make it a point to listen to dr. martin luther king jr.’s great “i have a dream” speech. it’s electrifying every single time.

the content of dr. king’s speech, his inspiring presence, and the moment in history all came together to make the iconic “i have a dream” speech the defining moment of the american civil rights movement. but there are several other reasons why this speech, delivered over 50 years ago, remains an example of one of the best speeches in american history.

since part of my job is to people become better presenters, i’ve noticed several techniques that we can all learn from and be inspired by in this magnificent speech.

it’s anchored in a powerful related location

in most cases, you can’t handpick the spot to give a presentation, as mlk did for supreme symbolic effect when he stood on the steps of the lincoln memorial and echoed the opening words of the gettysburg address (“five score years ago . . ). but you absolutely can amplify your message by adapting it to your setting and location.