Read this excerpt from "not a dove, but no longer a hawk." i remember distinctly the thrill of climbing aboard a u. s. army helicopter in the cool of the morning and taking off across the rice fields with a south vietnamese battalion for a day’s jousting with the vietcong guerillas. i was proud of the young american pilots sitting at the controls in the cockpit and i was grateful for the opportunity to witness this adventure and to report it. we are fighting now, i used to think, and some day we will triumph and this will be a better country. based on this excerpt, it can be inferred that the war provides the author with his first flying experience. the author once felt pride and optimism about the war. the us soldiers are trained in hand-to-hand combat. the author has a begrudging respect for the vietcong.

The correct answer would be option b:"The author once felt pride and optimism about the war".

Explanation:

In the excerpt, the author says that "he was proud of the young American pilots sitting at the controls in the cockpit" and that "he was grateful for the opportunity to witness this adventure and report it".

It just says that he was excited to get on a U.S Army helicopter, it does not say nor infer that is was his first flying experience, therefore, option a is incorrect.

It doesn't say and it cannot be inferred that the U.S soldiers are trained in hand to hand combat, so option c is also incorrect.

The author barely mentions the Vietcong guerillas, and he does not seem to have any respect for them since he was excited about war, so option d is also incorrect.

b:"The author once felt pride and optimism about the war".

Explanation:

- "despite the fact that portia lives in belmont and has many suitors, bassanio believes that he can win her heart. bassanio plans on overcoming his financial obstacles by borrowing money from antonio to travel to belmont. he then plans on marrying portia and becoming wealthy enough to pay off his debts."