Read the excerpt from "A Quilt of a
Country."
Which sentence from
the excerpt best reveals the
Once these disparate parts were held together by a
context of the excerpt?
common enemy, by the fault lines of world wars and
the electrified fence of communism. With the end of
• Once these disparate parts were held together by a
the cold war there was the creeping concern that
common enemy, by the fault lines of world wars
without a focus for hatred and distrust, a sense of
and the electrified fence of communism.
national identity would evaporate, that the left side of
• With the end of the cold war there was the creeping
the hyphen-African-American, Mexican-American,
concern that without a focus for hatred and distrust,
Irish-American-would overwhelm the right. And slow-
a sense of national identity would evaporate, that
growing domestic traumas like economic unrest and
the left side of the hyphen-African-American,
increasing crime seemed more likely to emphasize
Mexican-American, Irish-American--would
division than community. Today the citizens of the
overwhelm the right.
United States have come together once more because
And slow-growing domestic traumas like economic
of armed conflict and enemy attack.
unrest and increasing crime seemed more likely to
emphasize division than community.
Today the citizens of the United States have come
together once more because of armed conflict and
enemy attack.