Question

sort of argument. i stopped. i didn’t mean to eavesdrop, i just hesitated, not knowing what to do. i needed those shorts and i was going to be late, but i didn’t want to interrupt an argument between my teachers. i recognized the voices: mr. schmidt, my history teacher, and mr. boone, my math teacher. they seemed to be arguing about me. i couldn’t believe it. i still remember the feeling of shock that rooted me flat against the wall as if i were trying to blend in with the graffiti written there.
“i refuse to do it! i don’t care who her father is, her grades don’t even begin to compare to martha’s. i won’t lie or falsify records. martha has a straight a - plus average and you know it.” that was mr. schmidt and he sounded very angry. mr. boone’s voice sounded calm and quiet.
“look. joann’s father is not only on the board, he owns the only store in town: we could say it was a close tie and – ”
the pounding in my ears drowned out the rest of the words, only a word here and there filtered through. “... martha is mexican... resign... won’t do it...” mr. schmidt came rushing out and luckily for me went down the opposite way toward the auditorium, so he didn’t see me. shaking, i waited a few minutes and then went in and grabbed my bag and fled from the room. mr. boone looked up when i came in but didn’t say anything. to this day i don’t remember if i got in trouble in p.e. for being late or how i made it through the rest of the afternoon. i went home very sad and cried into my pillow that night so grandmother wouldn’t hear me. it seemed a cruel coincidence that i had overheard that conversation.
paragraphs 4 - 7 questions

1. write: list three things readers can infer from the conversation in paragraphs 4 - 7.

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1. write: how do these paragraphs develop the conflict?

Explanation:

For question 2, we analyze the conversation:

1. From Mr. Schmidt's refusal to falsify records for Joann despite her father's influence, we infer there's pressure (maybe from Joann's father's position) to give Joann an unfair advantage.
2. Martha has a straight A - plus average, so we can infer Martha is an excellent student academically.
3. The mention of Martha being Mexican and Mr. Schmidt's stance implies there might be issues of favoritism or discrimination related to Joann's and Martha's backgrounds (Joann's father's power, Martha's ethnicity) in the school's decision - making about grades or opportunities.

For question 3, these paragraphs develop the conflict by showing the direct argument between Mr. Schmidt (who values academic merit and refuses to lie) and Mr. Boone (who considers Joann's father's influence and suggests a dishonest solution). The narrator's eavesdropping and emotional reaction (shock, sadness) also highlight the personal impact of this conflict, revealing the tension between doing what's right (academic honesty) and succumbing to external pressures (like Joann's father's power). It also introduces the theme of possible discrimination (regarding Martha's ethnicity) and how it ties into the conflict over academic fairness.

Answer:

Question 2

1. There is pressure to give Joann an unfair academic advantage due to her father's position (he is on the Board and owns the only store in town).
2. Martha is an outstanding student with a straight A - plus average.
3. There may be issues of favoritism or discrimination in the school, as seen in the contrast between how Joann (with a powerful father) and Martha (Mexican, academically excellent) are treated regarding academic records.

Question 3

The paragraphs develop the conflict by presenting the argument between Mr. Schmidt (who upholds academic honesty and refuses to falsify records for Joann) and Mr. Boone (who is willing to consider Joann's father's influence to bend the rules). The narrator's eavesdropping and emotional response (shock, sadness) emphasize the personal stakes of the conflict, revealing tensions between academic integrity, external pressures (like Joann's father's power), and possible discrimination (related to Martha's ethnicity). It shows the conflict's impact on the narrator and the ethical dilemma faced by the teachers.