Purpose and Format in “The Leader in the Mirror” Answers

Read the excerpt from Pat Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."I hoped that most of the students were going to enroll in college. The confetti would be for their private celebrations, those solitary moments when they had passed a test that worried them, finished a difficult paper at 2 A.M., found a summer internship. Sometimes, even when no one else is around, it’s important to celebrate when we have struggled and succeeded—to sprinkle a little confetti on our own heads.Now read the excerpt from the article "Career Planning for High Schoolers."About two-thirds of high school graduates from the class of 2013 enrolled in college that fall, according to BLS: 42 percent in baccalaureate (4-year) colleges and 24 percent in 2-year schools. Of the remaining one-third of 2013 graduates, who opted not to go to college, 74 percent entered the labor force.College-bound high school graduates may not know it, but BLS data show that wages are usually higher, and unemployment rates lower, for people who continue their education after high school.

Which genre would most likely be used to educate a large group of people?

Read Pat Mora’s poem quoted in "The Leader in the Mirror."Immigrantswrap their babies in the American flag,feed them mashed hot dogs and apple pie,name them Bill and Daisy,buy them blonde dolls that blink blueeyes or a football and tiny cleatsbefore the baby can even walk,speak to them in thick English hallo, babee, hallo,whisper in Spanish or Polishwhen the baby sleeps, whisperin a dark parent bed, that darkparent fear, "Will they likeour boy, our girl, our fine americanboy, our fine american girl?”Now read the excerpt from Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."When I was growing up on the U.S. side of that border, the society around me tried in subtle and not-so-subtle ways to convince me that my Mexican heritage was inferior to that of Anglo-Americans. I hope that today’s educators on the border and throughout this nation are now committed to multiculturalism, to motivating the next generation to draw on their heritage as a resource for learning. The U.S. has been described as the first international country: Our varied cultures are our common wealth.

Read the excerpt from Pat Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."I began by congratulating the family members and teachers for being steady beacons for those young people. In a society that undervalues families and educators, they had truly lived their commitments.As I was planning the talk I would give to this group, I wondered how best to create an occasion for reflection. What could I say to the audience about the daily struggle to create a meaningful life?

Read the excerpt from Pat Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."I hoped that most of the students were going to enroll in college. The confetti would be for their private celebrations, those solitary moments when they had passed a test that worried them, finished a difficult paper at 2 A.M., found a summer internship. Sometimes, even when no one else is around, it’s important to celebrate when we have struggled and succeeded—to sprinkle a little confetti on our own heads.

Read Pat Mora’s poem quoted in "The Leader in the Mirror."Immigrantswrap their babies in the American flag,feed them mashed hot dogs and apple pie,name them Bill and Daisy,buy them blonde dolls that blink blueeyes or a football and tiny cleatsbefore the baby can even walk,speak to them in thick EnglishNow read the excerpt from Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."My own father was once a paper boy for the newspaper hosting the banquet. I might not have known that fact, nor his long history of hard work, had I not been listening to him with my tape recorder a few years ago. I did not want the students to wait as long as I had to begin preserving the rich inheritance of their family voices. The strength of their heritage would give them the courage to face the future.

Read the excerpt from Pat Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."I urged the students to look often in their mirrors and to ask themselves these questions: "Am I satisfied with this world? If not, what will I do to improve it?” For if we are shaped by our surroundings, we in turn shape them. We deceive ourselves if we believe that we can live neutral lives.Now read the excerpt from the article "Career Planning for High Schoolers."Volunteering allows you to serve your community and bolster your experience. Religious institutions, local nonprofits, and government agencies are among the many organizations that use volunteers to fill a variety of roles.In addition to encouraging you to meet like-minded people and develop your interests, these activities also show future employers and postsecondary schools that you are motivated and engaged. And the more you shape your thoughts about a career, the better you'll know how to prepare for it.

To effectively compare and contrast two texts written in different genres, a reader must

Read the excerpt from Pat Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."We will continue to squander our talent if our leaders—in politics, science, business, education and the arts—do not reflect our grand variety. I urged the students (and all of us) to ponder the strength of the mountains around us, to rise to the challenges.

Read the excerpt from Pat Mora’s essay "The Leader in the Mirror."I read them my poem "Immigrants.”Immigrantswrap their babies in the American flag,feed them mashed hot dogs and apple pie,name them Bill and Daisy,buy them blonde dolls that blink blueeyes or a football and tiny cleatsbefore the baby can even walk,speak to them in thick English, hallo, babee, hallo,whisper in Spanish or Polishwhen the baby sleeps, whisperin a dark parent bed, that darkparent fear, "Will they likeour boy, our girl, our fine americanboy, our fine american girl?”As a writer, I understand the value and necessity of knowing my past, of keeping that door open.