In his 2011 State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama said: "Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a "D."

We have to do better. America is the nation that built the transcontinental railroad, brought electricity to rural communities, constructed the Interstate Highway System. The jobs created by these projects didn’t just come from laying down track or pavement. They came from businesses that opened near a town’s new train station or the new off-ramp."

Is this excerpt from President Obama’s speech an example of argument or persuasion? Provide at least two reasons to support your answer. Answer in complete sentences.

Read the excerpt from rudolfo anaya’s essay “take the tortillas out of your poetry.” tortillas and poetry. they go hand in hand. books nourish the spirit, bread nourishes our bodies. our distinct cultures nourish each one of us, and as we know more and more about the art and literature of the different cultures, we become freer and freer. . i don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to sample different ethnic foods, the breads of many many groups; just as many of us enjoy sampling books from different areas of the world. i travel to foreign countries, and i know more about myself as i learn more about my fellow human beings. censorship imposes itself in my path of knowledge, and that activity can be justified by no one. which choice best describes the purpose of this text? to persuade readers to oppose the censorship of literature to inform readers about censorship in a specific country to entertain readers with stories about censorship to motivate readers to speak out against censorship mark this and return

What is the rhyme scheme in this excerpt from longfellow's, "the tide rises, the tide falls? " (10 points) the tide rises, the tide falls, the twilight darkens, the curlew calls; along the sea-sands damp and brown the traveler hastens toward the town, and the tide rises, the tide falls.

Which excerpt from chapter 3 of the strange case of dr. jekyll and mr. hyde illustrates a character vs. character conflict? hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer, when the light-hearted and loose-tongued had already their foot on the threshold; they liked to sit a while in his unobtrusive company. the large handsome face of dr. jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes. “i do not care to hear more,” said he. “this is a matter i thought we had agreed to drop.” “my good utterson,” said the doctor, “this is very good of you, this is downright good of you, and i cannot find words to you in. i believe you fully; i would trust you before any man alive, ay, before myself.” but i do sincerely take a great, a very great interest in that young man; and if i am taken away, utterson, i wish you to promise me that you will bear with him and get his rights for him.”