What is the purpose of paragraph 9 in Araby? A. to portray the search for acceptance
B. to illustrate the boy's determination
C. to indicate the boy's excitement for the end of the school year
D to describe the values of the society
E to show how cowardly the boy really is

The correct puntuation is shown in this sentence: “It looks like they will be champions again”, the reporter said. When you have to use direct speech in a sentence, remember to put the comma before the final quotation mark, like it is shown in example. Keep in mind, that it is a rule used for the cases when direct speech is put at he beginning of a sentence.