Question

directions: for the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. what is the central idea of the essay?

a. the author does not think turkey is the best part of the thanksgiving meal, but the work it took to prepare is a special memory of time spent with his mother.
b. the author tried to break the tradition of eating turkey on thanksgiving, but ultimately regretted his decision after seeing his mothers disappointment.
c. the author has come to see turkey as the most important part of the thanksgiving meal now that he has children of his own.
d. the author wishes that his family was more open-minded and took more risks while cooking their thanksgiving meal.

1. what are two reasons that the author describes the turkey as a \trussed monument to guilt\ (paragraph 2)?

a. the author feels like he is required to eat the turkey because it takes so much effort to cook.
b. the author feels like he is not able to be as thankful as the rest of his family.
c. the author regrets not spending more time with his mother in the kitchen.
d. the author regrets that he was never as good of a cook as his mother.
e. the author feels guilty about the turkey being slaughtered.
f. the author feels guilty about the meaning of thanksgiving.

1. what idea does the author present by including the list below?

they were anesthesia for the dicing and quartering and halving and grinding and shredding and peeling and smashing and lifting and stirring and tasting and washing and rinsing (and rinsing, and rinsing). (paragraph 4)
a. it explains how to prepare a turkey.
b. it emphasizes his mothers attention to detail.
c. it shows why the author wished fewer people came over to eat.
d. it describes how much effort goes into making the thanksgiving meal.

Explanation:

Question 1

To determine the central idea, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Discusses the author's view on turkey and the special memory of preparing it with his mother. This aligns with themes of tradition and family memories.
• Option B: The passage doesn't mention the author trying to break tradition or regretting it due to his mother's disappointment.
• Option C: There's no indication the author now sees turkey as the most important part because of his children.
• Option D: The author doesn't express a wish for the family to be more open - minded in cooking.

So, Option A is the best choice as it captures the author's sentiment about the Thanksgiving meal and the memory of time with his mother.

• Option A: The effort to cook the turkey can make the author feel obligated to eat it, contributing to the "guilt" from the "trussed monument" description.
• Option B: The passage doesn't relate the guilt to being less thankful than family.
• Option C: The description of the turkey as a "trussed monument to guilt" isn't about regretting not spending more time with his mother in the kitchen.
• Option D: The passage doesn't mention the author's cooking skills relative to his mother.
• Option E: Feeling guilty about the turkey being slaughtered is a valid reason for the "guilt" in the description.
• Option F: The guilt isn't about the meaning of Thanksgiving.

So, the two reasons are Option A and Option E.

• Option A: The list isn't a step - by - step guide on preparing a turkey.
• Option B: The list isn't about emphasizing the mother's attention to detail.
• Option C: The list doesn't show why the author wished fewer people came over to eat.
• Option D: The long list of actions like dicing, quartering, etc. shows the large amount of effort that goes into making the Thanksgiving meal.

So, Option D is the correct choice.

Answer:

A. The author does not think turkey is the best part of the Thanksgiving meal, but the work it took to prepare is a special memory of time spent with his mother.

Question 2