Read this excerpt from “Not a Dove, But No Longer a Hawk.” I remember distinctly the thrill of climbing aboard a U.S. Army helicopter in the cool of the morning and taking off across the rice fields with a South Vietnamese battalion for a day’s jousting with the Vietcong guerillas. There was hope then that the non-Communist Vietnamese might win their war. I was proud of the young American pilots sitting at the controls in the cockpit and I was grateful for the opportunity to witness this adventure and to report it. We are fighting now, I used to think, and some day we will triumph and this will be a better country. Which choice best describes how the author builds conflict in this excerpt?
Answer
A
He makes predictions about the possible outcomes of the war.
B
He criticizes the US government for becoming involved in the war.
C
He reflects back and describes his initial optimism of the war.
D
He shares his hopes for the non-Communist Vietnamese.
Explanation
The author looks back on an earlier experience, recalling the excitement, pride, and hope he felt while accompanying the South Vietnamese battalion. His belief that “we will triumph” shows his initial optimism about the war. This reflection helps establish conflict by setting his earlier outlook against the doubts or changed perspective suggested by the title. The best choice is B, “He reflects back and describes his initial optimism of the war.”
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