Quindlen concludes her essay by rejecting the notion of tolerance as a “vanilla-pudding word.” what does she mean by this phrase, and why is tolerance inadequate to explain our uniqueness?

the answer is   b suffix addition

when alex falls for the charming new boy at school, cole -- a handsome, funny, sports star who adores her - she can't believe she's finally found her soul who truly loves and understands her.  

at first, alex is blissfully happy. sure, cole seems a little jealous of her relationship with her close friend zack, but what guy would want his girlfriend spending all her time with another boy? as the months pass, though, alex can no longer ignore cole's small put-downs, pinches, or increasingly violent threats.  

as alex struggles to come to terms with the sweet boyfriend she fell in love with and the boyfriend whose "love" she no longer recognizes, she is forced to choose -- between her "true love" and herself.

explanation:

the third paragraph is your answer,

"but, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. the brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. it is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. it is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us— that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under god, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. "