Returning to the Text • Return to the text as you respond to the following questions. Use text evidence to support
your responses.
• Write any additional questions you have about the short story in your Reader/Writer Notebook.
1. What is George's "little mental handicap radio," and what is its purpose?

The correct answer is A. The fact that Richard Nixon won the 1968 election by a narrow margin showed that the country was not united.

Explanation:

The presidential election of 1968 was held on November 5, 1968 and was one of the most intense elections in American history. On June 5, 1968, one of the Democratic contenders, Robert Kennedy, was assassinated by a Palestinian immigrant, just two months after the assassination of Martin Luther King, which sparked a riot throughout the country. The country was seething from widespread opposition against the Vietnam War. Democrats nominated Hubert Humphrey, and Republicans nominated former Vice President Richard Nixon. Independent candidate from the third party George Wallace made a strong victory in several states (since then the candidates from the “third party” have not received electoral votes, except for one vote in the 1972 election). As a result, Nixon won with a slight advantage, promising to restore "law and order." The 1968 election is seen as crucial, ending the era of Democratic Party dominance in US politics, which started with the victory of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.