Question

read the following excerpt from ronald reagans farewell address (1989). answer the questions that follow. ive been thinking a bit at that window. ive been reflecting on what the past eight years have meant and mean. and the image that comes to mind like a refrain is a national one - a small story about a big ship, and a refugee, and a sailor. it was back in the early 80s, at the height of the boat people. and the sailor was hard at work on the carrier midway, which was patrolling the south china sea. the sailor, like most american servicemen, was young, smart, and fiercely observant. the crew spied on the horizon a leaky little boat. and crammed inside were refugees from indochina hoping to get to america. the midway sent a small launch to bring them to the ships safety. as the refugees made their way through the choppy seas, one spied the sailor on deck, and stood up, and called out to him. he yelled, hello, american sailor. hello, freedom man. a small moment with a big meaning, a moment the sailor, who wrote it in a letter, couldnt get out of his mind. and, i think, neither could i. because thats what it was to be an american in the 1980s. we stood, again, for freedom. i know we always have, but in the past few years the world again - and in a way, ourselves - rediscovered it. its been quite a journey this decade, and we held together through some stormy years. and at the end, together, we are reaching our destination. 1. what does reagan accomplish with the line: i know we always have, but in the past few years the world again - and in a way, ourselves - rediscovered it. 2. how does the anecdote about the sailor and the refugee create a sense of compassion and unity within the audience?

Explanation:

1. In the line "I know we always have, but in the past few years the world again—and in a way, ourselves—rediscovered it.", Reagan likely refers to the rediscovery of American values like freedom. The past years saw a re - emphasis on these ideals globally and within the nation.
2. The anecdote of the sailor and refugee creates a sense of compassion and unity as it shows a simple, human connection across different backgrounds. The refugee's greeting to the American sailor as a "freedom man" evokes empathy for the plight of refugees and pride in American ideals, uniting the audience around these shared values.

Answer:

1. He likely refers to the rediscovery of American values such as freedom.
2. The human connection between the refugee and the sailor evokes empathy and unites the audience around American ideals.