The Ballad of a Harp-Weaver by Edna St. Vincent Millay "SON," said my mother, When I was knee-high, "You've need of clothes to cover you, And not a rag have I. "There's nothing in the house To make a boy breeches, Nor shears to cut a cloth with Nor thread to take stitches. "There's nothing in the house But a loaf-end of rye, And a harp with a woman's head Nobody will buy," And she began to cry. Part A: Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the poem? * 5 points A The family does not have much. B The family needs clothing. C The mother needs to help her son. D The mother is in need of help. Part B: Which line from the poem best supports your answer in part A? * 5 points A You've need of clothes to cover you, B There's nothing in the house C Nor thread to take stitches. D And she began to cry.

The central idea of the poem is that the family does not have much. The line "There's nothing in the house" best supports this idea.

Part A: Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the poem?

*
5 points
A The family does not have much.
B The family needs clothing.
C The mother needs to help her son.
D The mother is in need of help.

A. The family does not have much.

School Closures Affect Learning by Denise-Maria Ordway

In the weeks since public schools across the country closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, parents have repeatedly asked educators: How will this affect my child’s academic career? The short answer is that no one knows for sure. The long answer: Because school districts have never suddenly closed campuses on this scale before, researchers have not studied such a disruption. Education experts can make predictions, however, based on what they know about how students responded to shorter or more localized shutdowns in the past. We asked for insights from F. Chris Curran, who co-directs the Education Policy Research Center at the University of Florida. Curran recommends journalists read academic articles that examine school closures caused by infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or severe weather. Journalists also should review research focusing on student absenteeism — missing class because of sickness or injury, for example. Another area of inquiry worth looking into: How scheduled school closures each summer can slow — and even reverse — student progress. Decades of research document what educators refer to as “summer learning loss.” Based on the literature, Curran predicts school closures due to the pandemic will be harmful to student achievement.

Which sentence best summarizes a central idea of the text?
*
5 points
A Summer school closures lead to learning loss.
B Educators can only predict what school closures will do.
C There are very few examples to study about school closures.
D Based on the evidence, school closures will be harmful to learning.

D. Based on the evidence, school closures will be harmful to learning.

Summarize the author’s message about public school closures.

*
10 poin

In the text "School Closures Affect Learning" by Denise-Maria Ordway, the author conveys the message that the sudden closures of public schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic will likely have negative effects on student achievement. While researchers do not have definitive answers as this scale of school closures is unprecedented, insights from previous studies on school closures due to infectious outbreaks, natural disasters, and summer breaks suggest that such disruptions can lead to academic setbacks. The text emphasizes the potential harm to learning caused by the current school closures and the importance of examining past research on similar situations to better understand and address the challenges faced by students and educators during this unprecedented time.