Question

Keynote Address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention

by Barack Obama
he following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A:

What was Barack Obama's MOST LIKELY reason for using the rhetorical device of parallelism in his keynote address?

He used parallel structure to appear more presidential since he was running for senator.


He used parallel structure to emphasize his key ideas and make his speech memorable.


He used parallel structure because figurative language helps maintain the audience's attention.


He used parallel structure to provide the listener/reader with a break from the emotional content of the speech.


Part B:

Which detail from the text BEST supports your answer from part A?

"I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story..."


"This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations..."


"The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats."


"I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. America!"

Answer 1

Part A:
He used parallel structure to emphasize his key ideas and make his speech memorable.

Part B:
"I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. America!"

Explanation: The repeated "I believe" and the balanced lists of goals are clear examples of parallelism used to reinforce key points and make them more memorable.