Answer one of the following essay questions:
1. According to the background information on p. 49, a person’s outlook on life may
determine their potential for success and some say there is a direct connection between
having hope and being successful. Hope involves expecting good results, as well as the
will and the means to reach your goal. People with hope share some commonalities:
They turn to friends (family) for advice. They regard setbacks as challenges, not as
failures. They know how to break down a big goal and work on one piece at a time.
Explain how Katie, in the story, “Gotta Dance”, is an example of a hopeful person
as described above. A complete answer will have a topic sentence, give at least 3
examples and will have a conclusion.
2. The author, Jackson Jodie Daviss, said that this story allowed her to “say some things
about the need to find acceptance on our own terms, and to define our own ideas of home
and family.“ Give examples from the story, “Gotta Dance”, of those two points made by
the author. A complete answer will have a topic sentence, at least 3 supporting sentences
and a conclusion.