Question

read the excerpt from a speech to the school board about the art department.
art is the foundation of what it means to be a human. so many things try to push their way into being more important. we need to refocus ourselves and reevaluate our priorities. we should not cut the funding to the schools art department, because the students will suffer. everyone thinks that art class is just fun and games. we always think that we need to prioritize everything else first. but it is everything else that will suffer when we lack art and beauty in our lives.
which ideas from the excerpt would be most appropriate to include in a summary? select two options.

• “art is the foundation of what it means to be a human.”
• “we should not cut the funding to the schools art department, because the students will suffer.”
• “we need to refocus ourselves and reevaluate our priorities.”
• “everyone thinks that art class is just fun and games.”
• “but it is everything else that will suffer when we lack art and beauty in our lives.”

Explanation:

1. The core purpose of the speech is to argue against cutting the art department's funding, so the direct statement of this main claim is critical for a summary.
2. The speech's key supporting argument is the broader, foundational value of art (that it is essential to humanity and that other areas suffer without it), which underpins the main claim.
3. The other options are either introductory framing, a counterpoint stereotype, or a transitional call that is less essential than the core claim and its key supporting reasoning.

Answer:

• "Art is the foundation of what it means to be a human."
• "We should not cut the funding to the school's art department, because the students will suffer."