Question 378 • Crowley Credit Recovery Algebra II B
Read the body paragraph from Antonin's rhetorical analysis essay on Shirley Chisholm's presidential announcement speech.At the beginning of her speech, Chisholm uses parallel syntax to emphasize her claim that she is the ideal candidate. She presents herself as a new kind of candidate who can bring an era of positivity to the US. She says that Nixon failed to bring "the courage, the spirit, the character, and the words to lift us, to bring out the best in us, to rekindle in each of us our faith in the American dream." Chisholm's stylized phrasing underscores the incredible opportunity that Nixon missed and that she can set right.
Answer
A
providing clear connections between the thesis and Chisholm’s syntax structure
B
adding more transitions to describe how the ideas in the paragraph are related
C
using a clear topic sentence to connect the thesis of the essay to its purpose
D
including several more quotations that highlight the positivity in the speech
Explanation
The paragraph identifies Chisholm’s parallel syntax, but it does not clearly explain how the structure of her phrasing supports the claim that she is an ideal candidate. It should connect the repeated list structure in “the courage, the spirit, the character, and the words” and the parallel phrases that follow to the essay’s thesis. Adding transitions or more quotations would not address this gap, and the paragraph already has a topic sentence.
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