Question

3. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which is a frequent source of controversy in public debates, says that "a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The controversy stems from the fact that some Americans feel that the Second Amendment guarantees all citizens the absolute right to own firearms, while others believe that some restrictions on gun ownership are consistent with the Second Amendment.

Which of the following lists of words from this passage indicates the author's intention? (5 points)


A) Controversy, debates, believe
B) Amendment, Constitution, citizens
C) Frequent, public, necessary
D) Absolute, firearms, restrictions



Read the following passage and answer the question that follows.

Tom Stoppard's play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, draws on two previous theatrical works: Shakespeare's Hamlet and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead follows the "off-stage" exploits of two minor characters from Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. While the two main characters in Stoppard's play occasionally make brief appearances in "Hamlet," as scripted in Shakespeare's original tragedy, the majority of the play takes place in other parts of the castle where Hamlet is set. While "off stage" in this way, the characters resemble the main characters in the absurdist Waiting for Godot. As in Beckett's play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern pass the time by impersonating other characters, engaging in word play, and remaining silent for long periods of time. These same two characters were also featured in a parody of Hamlet, the short comic play by W. S. Gilbert entitled Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Gilbert's play makes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern into central characters and alters the storyline of Hamlet.

According to this passage, Tom Stoppard (5 points)



A) dislikes Shakespeare
B) is a playwright
C) wants fame
D) reads many books



PLEASE HELP ANSWERING THESE 2 QUESTIONS

Answer 1

1. The correct answer is A. controversy, debates, believe.
The author's intention was to show how much the Second Amendment is actually controversial, and how many debates it sparked. Some people believe all people should have the rights to bear any arms, while others believe some restrictions need to be set in place.

2. According to this passage, Tom Stoppard B. is a playwright.
We never see in this excerpt that Stoppard dislikes Shakespeare, wants fame, or reads many books. However, based on the fact that he wrote a play called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, we can safely assume that he is in fact a playwright.