Read the excerpt from "are dogs dumb? ":

chimps can use sign language to talk to their trainers. monkeys can learn to count. a crow can figure out how to use a stick to get at that hard-to-reach grub. chickens can learn to play checkers. even worms can be taught to run mazes. so which animal is the smartest? you're probably thinking that chimps are smarter than chickens. and that crows are smarter than worms. and that you’re smarter than all of them.

which statement best explains how the passage supports the author's purpose?

the purpose is to entertain; it uses a humourous tone.

the purpose is to persuade; it is trying to convince you that humans are the smartest animal of all.

the purpose is to inform; it asks a question that will be answered by the text.

the purpose is to instruct; it provides many supporting details about the abilities of chimps.

there are no such thing as an answer.

there are no such thing as an explanation.

this is mad freaky. this is unbelievable. this is trash.

sorry for your cooperation.

the answer:

in the first part of the story running is all that matters to squeaky. running gives her confidence and defines who she is. at the beginning of the story she says that other kids call her mercury because she runs very fast. in the text she refers to herself as "miss quicksilver".

the line that provides the best evidence that squeaky has self-confidence is

" and i continue with my breathing exercise, strolling down broadway toward the ice cream man on 145th with not a care in the world cause i am miss quicksilver herself".

paine is arguying that they had tried everything before coming to the conclusion that they needed to fight for their freedom.

argument: "every quiet method for peace hath been ineffectual."

claim 1: "our prayers have been rejected with disdain; and only tended to convince us, that nothing flatters vanity, or confirms obstinacy in kings more than repeated petitioning and nothing hath contributed more than that very measure to make the kings of europe absolute."

claim 2: "wherefore, since nothing but blows will do, for god’s sake, let us come to a final separation, and not leave the next generation to be cutting throats, under the violated unmeaning names of parent and child."