Here is the solution to the two questions based on the provided reading comprehension passage about Jo Ann Allen Boyce and the Clinton 12:
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1. What was the Clinton 12?
> The Clinton 12 were twelve black students who integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee in 1956. They were part of a landmark effort following the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision, which ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Their enrollment marked one of the first attempts to desegregate a public high school in the South after the ruling.
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2. What kind of experience did the Clinton 12 have?
> The Clinton 12 faced extremely difficult and hostile experiences. At first, things went well, but soon outside agitators stirred up hatred and anger among townspeople. The students endured verbal and physical displays of racism from classmates and the community alike — including threats against their lives. This hostility made their time at the school dangerous and emotionally traumatic, leading many of them, including Jo Ann Allen Boyce, to leave Tennessee shortly afterward.
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✔ Explanation:
These answers are directly supported by the text:
- For question 1, the passage opens by stating: *“Jo Ann Allen Boyce was a member of the Clinton 12, twelve black students who integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee in 1956.”* It also explains the legal context (Brown vs. Board of Education) that made their integration possible.
- For question 2, the passage describes: *“Then outside agitators stirred up hatred and anger... Soon the Clinton 12 faced both verbal and physical displays of racism... including threats against their lives.”* This clearly indicates the hostile, dangerous, and traumatic nature of their experience.
These answers demonstrate understanding of key details and main ideas in the text — exactly what a Grade 8 reading comprehension task requires.
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