Can you please help me with my English

As soon as hitler took over, he began persecuting jews. what does persecuting mean in this context

In "i know why the caged bird sings," how doesmarguerite's reaction to oppression differ from the reactionof the caged bird? •she refuses to dress nicely for mrs. flowers.•she refuses to leave the house.•she refuses to eat mrs. flowers's cookies.•she refuses to speak to anyone.

Acomplex sentence contains . one subject and one verb