Tracing the Central Idea in "A Quilt of a Country"
Question 1 • MO-English Language Arts 9 B-CR
Read the excerpt from "A Quilt of a Country."Once these disparate parts were held together by a common enemy, by the fault lines of world wars and the electrified fence of communism. With the end of the cold war there was the creeping concern that without a focus for hatred and distrust, a sense of national identity would evaporate, that the left side of the hyphen—African-American, Mexican-American, Irish-American—would overwhelm the right.
Answer
A
something powerful and threatening
B
something familiar and interesting
C
something harmless and pleasant
D
something amusing and impressive
Explanation
The excerpt describes a concern that, without a shared enemy, the parts of the country might no longer feel united and national identity might disappear. The words “hatred and distrust” and “overwhelm” give the concern a serious, threatening tone. Therefore, “something powerful and threatening” is the best choice.
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