A Second Chance CHARACTERS:
ALISON, A high school basketball player with average talent
COACH MIKE, The Arlington High Girls' Basketball Coach
MARTA, KIM, and BRITTANY, Alison's teammates

Stage Set: The high school locker room. The half-time break during the last game of the season.

(Alison and her teammates sit on the bench next to the lockers. Marta is consoling Alison, who looks disappointed, her shoulders slumped. Alison sniffles.)
COACH MIKE: (entering from stage left) Okay, girls (claps his hands three times). Up and at 'em. Half-time's nearly over, so let's get out there and give 'em our best! (He suddenly notices Alison, and his face hardens. He thinks it's part of his job to toughen these kids up so they can survive anything—the way his dad did with him.) Hey, what gives, Ali? (sternly) You know there's no crying in my locker room.
ALISON: (embarrassed, wiping her eyes) I'm not crying.
MARTA: (trying to be helpful) It's just allergies, Coach.
COACH MIKE: (Somewhat relieved, though he doesn't really believe her.) Well, it better be. Now, scoot! (Marta, Kim, and Brittany take off out the door, but Alison stays put.) You, too, missy. You're nobody special. Get a move on!
ALISON: (Shaking her head, so defeated she doesn't even fear Coach's wrath.) I can't go out there, Coach. I can't face that crowd again.
COACH MIKE: (angry) Yes, you can, and you will! I won't let your little tantrum cost us the game. You know we've used all our subs and three of our starters have fouled out. You need to be out on that court, and pronto . . . !
ALISON: (daring to interrupt him) You saw what that player did, how she purposely tripped me, and the ref never even called it! That girl made a fool out of me . . . !
(She stands now, getting in touch with her anger. Watching her, Coach's face begins to soften, as her justified anger reminds him of his younger self. He very nearly smiles, which is rare for him.)
COACH MIKE: (gently) Which is exactly why you need to get back out there, Ali. (He sits down on the bench and motions to her to sit beside him. She is breathing hard, upset, but his words calm her.) You don't want to look back on your high school days and regret this . . . believe me. The best way you can overcome this is to really show them—that girl, the crowd, your teammates, and me. Show them what you're made of. That one little fall on your face doesn't mean this much (snaps his fingers). You're a fighter; I know you are. If you stay in here and hide, then that little girl will have won. And you don't want that, do you?
ALISON: (Feeling strong now. Coach's words have really gotten to her.) No, sir, I don't! (She quickly pulls a sweatband over her right wrist and stands up to go. She wipes her face one last time and jogs out.)
COACH MIKE: (Grinning now—he can't help it. He stands up and looks in the direction Alison has just gone.) Atta girl, Ali. (Exits, stage left.)

What is one reason the stage directions are particularly important in this drama?

A.
They illustrate what a friendly guy the coach is and how easy he is on his players.
B.
They help the audience see the emotional changes the coach goes through.
C.
They show the audience what time of day it is and how much time has gone by.
D.
They help the actors memorize their lines and say them at the correct time.

Read this excerpt from "we shall overcome." hundreds of thousands of people sang them. but sometimes, it was one lone person with a guitar. they sang in segregated bus stations, picket lines, freedom marches, concert stadiums, city squares, and videos. when injustice of oppression threatens, people sing protest songs to proclaim their resistance, publicize their cause, and encourage hope for a better future, based on this excerpt as an introductory paragraph, which of the following would you expect to read about in the article? different groups of people who were oppressed the ways that music brings diverse groups of people together similarities between historical movements that provided rights for groups of people different song styles throughout specific historical events

Each state in america has a different seal, or symbol, that represents the traditional culture of that state. the state seal of georgia is rich in meaning, history, and patriotism. when was the seal adopted? 2georgia’s state constitution established the state seal in 1798. however, as georgia’s political circumstances changed, so too did the state’s seal. between 1863 and 1865, georgia used a different state seal to represent its separation from the rest of the country during the civil war. then, from 1868 to1871, georgia’s secretary of state nathan c. barnett hid the original seal when the capital was occupied by the north’s victorious enemy forces. he readopted the original seal in 1872. 4georgia’s state seal remained unchanged for 42 years. then, a law was passed that required the state to alter the date on the seal. the year 1799 had originally appeared on the seal to represent the year that the seal was officially adopted. the new law changed the date on the seal to 1776, the year that america’s founding fathers signed the declaration of independence. what does the seal look like? 5just as coins each have a “heads” side and a “tails” side, state seals also each have a front and a back. the front of the seal shows three tall columns, or pillars. perched atop these pillars is an arch that displays the word “constitution.” the two end pillars are each adorned with a ribbon-like banner that reads “wisdom” and “moderation.” a third banner, reading “justice,” hangs in front of the middle pillar. when read together, the banners make up the official state motto of georgia: “wisdom, justice, and moderation.” the seal also exhibits a picture of a soldier holding a sword. the words “state of georgia” appear along the top. the year 1776 is printed at the bottom. 6the back of the seal portrays a rural shoreline scene featuring a large ship and small boat. also included in the picture are bundles of tobacco plants and cotton and a farmer working in a field. across the top of the seal are the words “agriculture and commerce.” the bottom of the seal is also marked with the year 1776. what do the symbols on the seal represent? 7each item on the seal is symbolic of georgia’s history and the history of america as a united country. the pillars on the front stand for the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—and how they all work together to support the country and its constitution. the man holding the sword represents soldiers who defend the country and its laws. 8the boats on the back of the seal symbolize the agricultural commerce of georgia. similarly, the farmer and crop bundles represent georgia’s dependence on agriculture for survival. during the mid to late 1800s, over 700,000 cotton bales were produced each year. cotton is still a “king” crop in georgia. the state currently produces almost three million bales per year. this is only one reason why the state is an important asset to its country. read the passage on the left to answer the following questions: 13) the author's main purpose in writing this article is a) to inform. b) to create. c) to persuade. d) to entertain. 14) in paragraph eight, the word asset means a) benefit. b) debt. c) element. d) expense. 15) in paragraph six, the word portrays means a) condescends. b) deceives. c) honors. d) reveals.

What do we know about the mother in “two kinds”? select all that apply. she came from china. she had two daughters who died. her mother, father, and first husband are dead. she is part japanese.