Remember the Titans: reading comprehension

Remember the Titans Reading comprehension
Read the following article:


THE HISTORY OF T. C. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL
Virginia - like many other Southern states - had a history of segregated schools. “Jim Crow Laws” long upheld by federal courts, had effectively created two separate societies. African-Americans who endured humiliating treatment still remember what it was like. The two societies were “separate,” but they were hardly “equal.”
Many Southern towns had duplicate schools - one for blacks and one for whites. Alexandria, Virginia (hometown of George Washington) was no different, although it actually had three high schools. Parker-Gray (started in 1920) served the needs of black students while George Washington High served the needs of whites. In 1956, Francis C. Hammond High opened to accommodate the increasing white student population. Bill Yoast, a popular white coach, ran the varsity football program at Hammond High in 1971.
In the 1960s City of Alexandria planned to eliminate school segregation. George Washington High was integrated and remained a 4-year high school until 1971. After the Swann case authorized busing to speed up the integration process, T. C. Williams High School (which had opened in 1965) became the only senior high school in Alexandria.
While integrating all students into one high school - T. C. Williams - was the goal, the process created a “problem.” Black and white members of competing football teams were now part of the same school. If there was only one high school, there would be only one football team. Who would be on the team? And, more importantly, who would be its coach?"
Herman Boone, a black assistant coach who came to T. C. Williams High in 1969, had less experience than his job competitor. Bill Yoast, the white head coach of the winning Hammond High football team had a great record in Alexandria. He had the support of white football parents. He had what it took to stay on top. He had everything going for him - but he didn't get the job. Herman Boone did - and that led to even more unrest in the city of Alexandria. After all, the history of high school football with Coach Yoast was already known, and he was the "obvious" choice.


Copy out a line from the article that proves each of these statements

1. Segregation was common in Southern States at that time.
______________________________________________________________

2. There are still black people alive today who were treated badly because of their race.
______________________________________________________________

3. More and more white students were coming into the area.
______________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions with reference to the text:
1. Was TC Williams the first integrated school in the area?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why was Coach Yoast expected to get the job at TC Williams?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What was the “problem” created by the school’s integration?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Looking closely at the language used
In paragraph five, the writer uses parallel structure, which is when you repeat the way a sentence is written. Identify an example of parallel structure and comment on why you think it has been used. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now, in your own words, write the meanings of the following words of phrases from the text (they were in bold in the text) as they were used in the text:
• Unrest: _______________________________________________________
• He had what it took to stay on top : ______________________________________________________________
• Duplicate: ______________________________________________________
• Eliminate: ______________________________________________________
• Accommodate: __________________________________________________