What human quantity do we need more of and why?​

Read the following excerpt from life on the mississippi by mark twain. no girl could withstand his charms. he "cut out" every boy in the village. when his boat blew up at last, it diffused a tranquil contentment among us such as we had not known for months. but when he came home the next week, alive, renowned, and appeared in church all battered up and bandaged, a shining hero, stared at and wondered over by everybody, it seemed to us that the partiality of providence for an undeserving reptile had reached a point where it was open to criticism. how does twain's use of understatement serve his purpose? be sure to use specific details from the text to support your answer.

Which of these sentences would best express the main idea of a speech arguing that people should participate in a charity softball tournament? a) softball is a great way to get some much-needed exercise. eliminate b) the money raised by the tournament will local animal shelters. c) the tournament is a fun way to spend time with friends while a worthy cause. d) even if you don't have any softball experience, you can form a team and participate.

Truth is one that’s been valid for centuries.