(1.04, lc)
read the following passage and then select the correct answer to the question below:

the world with a thousand moons
from chapter 1: thrill cruise
by edmond hamilton

he looked hopelessly across the dark spaceport. it was a large one, for this ancient town of syrtis was the main port of mars. the forked light of the flying moons showed many ships docked on the tarmac—a big liner, several freighters, a small, shining cruiser and other small craft. and for lack of one of those ships, his hopes were ruined!

a squat, brawny figure in shapeless space-jacket came to kenniston's side. it was holk or, the jovian who had been waiting for him.

"what luck? " asked the jovian in a rumbling whisper.

"it's hopeless," kenniston answered heavily. "there isn't a small cruiser to be had at any price. the meteor-miners buy up all small ships here."

"the devil! " muttered holk or, dismayed. "what are we going to do? go on to earth and get a cruiser there? "

"we can't do that," kenniston answered. "you know we've got to get back to that asteroid within two weeks. we've got to get a ship here."

desperation made kenniston's voice taut. his lean, hard face was bleak with knowledge of disastrous failure.

which sentence provides the best summary of this excerpt? (3 points)

lance kenniston had a lean face and was friends with a jovian man named holk or.

the town called syrtis was ancient and served as the main port for space ships in mars.

lance kenniston needed a ship to get to an asteroid, but nothing was available.

lance kenniston and holk or were both feeling desperate during their stay on mars. why does the author include the following detail: "you know we've got to get back to that asteroid within two weeks. we've got to get a ship here."?
a. it tells readers there is something important happening on that asteroid.
b. it makes readers think that kenniston has not been trying hard enough.
c. it suggests that lance kenniston and holk or are in the wrong location.
d. it foreshadows that holk or is going to take over the planet by force.

Answers:

1. Lance Kenniston needed a ship to get to an asteroid, but nothing was available.

The most important detail of the passage is the fact that Lance Kenniston needs a ship urgently, but cannot find it. The name of his friend, or his physical characteristics are not vital to the action. Similarly, the name of the port is not the most important part of the passage. Finally, although the characters' desperation is important, it is even more valuable to know the reason for their desperation.

2. A. It tells readers there is something important happening on that asteroid.

If the characters are desperate to get back to the asteroid, we can assume something important is going to happen there within the next two weeks. We do not know whether they are planning on taking it over, whether they are at the wrong location, or whether Kenniston has not tried hard enough. Therefore, none of the other options is possible.

the answer would be d. he tells the story through a teenage narrator.

the speech this question is referring to is president kennedy's special message to the congress on urgent national needs, may 25, 1961

kennedy responds in a very direct and concrete way to those thinking that communism is a positive system:

"yet their aggression is more often concealed than open. they have fired no missiles; and their troops are seldom seen. they send arms, agitators, aid, technicians and propaganda to every troubled area. but where fighting is required, it is usually done by others--by guerrillas striking at night, by assassins striking alone--assassins who have taken the lives of four thousand civil officers in the last twelve months in vietnam alone--by subversives and saboteurs and insurrectionists, who in some cases control whole areas inside of independent nations." (kennedy)

president kennedy presents communism as cowardly, as a hidden and treacherous weapon that strikes from the shadows like thieves, he represents the system as not even being capable of showing and open and overt attack or confrontation. to finish up the response, he expresses that the system attacks even a country's idependence and freedom.