full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Deval Patrick: A different understanding of American patriotism

Unscramble the Blue Letters


But patriotism for Black Americans is tricky. It's tricky to love a country that doesn't always love you back. I think of the Black men who set off to fight for freedom in the wrold wars and then came home to be denied those very freedoms. Some of them lynched while winreag their military uniforms. I think of the Black laborers who built great public universities, whose doors were closed to them. The Black voters who eclteed great public leaders whose policies like the GI Bill were closed to them. For a lot of our hiortsy, American dmearcocy itself has been closed to balck pploee. Lots of grandmothers like mine have grandsons and granddaughters who never had their chance. Still don't.

Open Cloze


But patriotism for Black Americans is tricky. It's tricky to love a country that doesn't always love you back. I think of the Black men who set off to fight for freedom in the _____ wars and then came home to be denied those very freedoms. Some of them lynched while _______ their military uniforms. I think of the Black laborers who built great public universities, whose doors were closed to them. The Black voters who _______ great public leaders whose policies like the GI Bill were closed to them. For a lot of our _______, American _________ itself has been closed to _____ ______. Lots of grandmothers like mine have grandsons and granddaughters who never had their chance. Still don't.

Solution


  1. black
  2. elected
  3. people
  4. democracy
  5. wearing
  6. world
  7. history

Original Text


But patriotism for Black Americans is tricky. It's tricky to love a country that doesn't always love you back. I think of the Black men who set off to fight for freedom in the world wars and then came home to be denied those very freedoms. Some of them lynched while wearing their military uniforms. I think of the Black laborers who built great public universities, whose doors were closed to them. The Black voters who elected great public leaders whose policies like the GI Bill were closed to them. For a lot of our history, American democracy itself has been closed to Black people. Lots of grandmothers like mine have grandsons and granddaughters who never had their chance. Still don't.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
american democracy 3
economic justice 2
public schools 2
great public 2
fair play 2
true patriots 2
children fleeing 2
checkout line 2


Important Words


  1. american
  2. americans
  3. bill
  4. black
  5. built
  6. chance
  7. closed
  8. country
  9. democracy
  10. denied
  11. doors
  12. elected
  13. fight
  14. freedom
  15. freedoms
  16. gi
  17. granddaughters
  18. grandmothers
  19. grandsons
  20. great
  21. history
  22. home
  23. laborers
  24. leaders
  25. lot
  26. lots
  27. love
  28. lynched
  29. men
  30. military
  31. patriotism
  32. people
  33. policies
  34. public
  35. set
  36. tricky
  37. uniforms
  38. universities
  39. voters
  40. wars
  41. wearing
  42. world