An Excerpt from “Optimism”
by Helen Keller

1 Could we choose our environment, and were desire in human undertakings synonymous with
endowment, all men would, I suppose, be optimists. Certainly most of us regard happiness as
the proper end of all earthly enterprise. The will to be happy animates alike the philosopher, the
prince and the chimney-sweep. No matter how dull, or how mean, or how wise a man is, he feels
that happiness is his indisputable right.
2 It is curious to observe what different ideals of happiness people cherish, and in what singular
places they look for this well-spring of their life. Many look for it in the hoarding of riches, some
in the pride of power, and others in the achievements of art and literature; a few seek it in the
exploration of their own minds, or in the search for knowledge.
3 Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession.
Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they would be!
Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so
measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and
weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so
thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life,—if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to
the creed of optimism is worth hearing....
4 Once I knew the depth where no hope was, and darkness lay on the face of all things. Then
love came and set my soul free. Once I knew only darkness and stillness. Now I know hope and
joy. Once I fretted and beat myself against the wall that shut me in. Now I rejoice in the
consciousness that I can think, act and attain heaven. My life was without past or future; death,
the pessimist would say, “a consummation devoutly to be wished.” But a little word from the
fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the
rapture of living. Night fled before the day of thought, and love and joy and hope came up in a
passion of obedience to knowledge. Can anyone who has escaped such captivity, who has felt
the thrill and glory of freedom, be a pessimist?
5 My early experience was thus a leap from bad to good. If I tried, I could not check the
momentum of my first leap out of the dark; to move breast forward is a habit learned suddenly
at that first moment of release and rush into the light. With the first word I used intelligently, I
learned to live, to think, to hope. Darkness cannot shut me in again. I have had a glimpse of the
shore, and can now live by the hope of reaching it.
6 So my optimism is no mild and unreasoning satisfaction. A poet once said I must be happy
because I did not see the bare, cold present, but lived in a beautiful dream. I do live in a
beautiful dream; but that dream is the actual, the present,—not cold, but warm; not bare, but
furnished with a thousand blessings. The very evil which the poet supposed would be a cruel


6) Read the last sentence from the text.
Only by contact with evil could I have learned to feel by contrast the beauty of truth and love and goodness.
Explain how Helen Keller develops this idea in the text. Use specific details to
support your answer.

Could we choose our environment, and were desire in human undertakings synonymous with

endowment, all men would, I suppose, be optimists. Certainly most of us regard happiness as

the proper end of all earthly enterprise. The will to be happy animates alike the philosopher, the

prince and the chimney-sweep. No matter how dull, or how mean, or how wise a man is, he feels

that happiness is his indisputable right.

2 It is curious to observe what different ideals of happiness people cherish, and in what singular

places they look for this well-spring of their life. Many look for it in the hoarding of riches, some

in the pride of power, and others in the achievements of art and literature; a few seek it in the

exploration of their own minds, or in the search for knowledge.

3 Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession.

Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they would be!

Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so

measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and

weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so

thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life,—if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to

the creed of optimism is worth hearing....

4 Once I knew the depth where no hope was, and darkness lay on the face of all things. Then

love came and set my soul free. Once I knew only darkness and stillness. Now I know hope and

joy. Once I fretted and beat myself against the wall that shut me in. Now I rejoice in the

consciousness that I can think, act and attain heaven. My life was without past or future; death,

the pessimist would say, “a consummation devoutly to be wished.” But a little word from the

fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the

rapture of living. Night fled before the day of thought, and love and joy and hope came up in a

passion of obedience to knowledge. Can anyone who has escaped such captivity, who has felt

the thrill and glory of freedom, be a pessimist?

5 My early experience was thus a leap from bad to good. If I tried, I could not check the

momentum of my first leap out of the dark; to move breast forward is a habit learned suddenly

at that first moment of release and rush into the light. With the first word I used intelligently, I

learned to live, to think, to hope. Darkness cannot shut me in again. I have had a glimpse of the

shore, and can now live by the hope of reaching it.

6 So my optimism is no mild and unreasoning satisfaction. A poet once said I must be happy

because I did not see the bare, cold present, but lived in a beautiful dream. I do live in a

beautiful dream; but that dream is the actual, the present,—not cold, but warm; not bare, but

furnished with a thousand blessings. The very evil which the poet supposed would be a cruel

6) Read the last sentence from the text.

Only by contact with evil could I have learned to feel by contrast the beauty of truth and love and goodness.

Explain how Helen Keller develops this idea in the text. Use specific details to

support your answer.

HELP ASAP

Which phrase is an example of a procedure document?

A.
a description of what employees must wear in the workplace
B.
a description of actions to take to hire an employee
C.
a description of standards for daily patient care at a hospital
D.
a description of how staff should greet customers at a store
E.
a description of acceptable ways to use social media at work

What did Beowulf's final speech teach about Anglo-saxon values?

How does the author mostly choose to organize the information?
A. By their favorite kind of plants.
B. By creating a separate section for each topic.
C. The author lists plants that are more fragrant first.
D. The author lists the plants according to their height.​

Read the excerpt from the found poem "Exhibit A."
Pondering
the softness
flesh
behind
feathers
What key idea does the word pondering serve to develop in the poem?
A А.
It demonstrates the predator's hesitation to kill.
B
It demonstrates the predator's hunger for prey.
С
It demonstrates the predator's interest in birds specifically
D
It demonstrates the predator's fascination with its prey.

If a red house is made of red bricks, and a yellow house is made of yellow bricks, what is a greenhouse made of? ​

A paragraph about the personality of best friend

what has myrtle paid for with Toms money in gatsby

Crevecoeur's vision of America is most similar to that of _____. Olaudah Equiano Thomas Jefferson Philip Freneau Davy Crockett

Which answer best states a theme developed by the details in the excerpt? A) When citizens cannot agree, war may be the only answer. B) Every war results in disease and suffering. C) It takes courage to fight when there is the risk of failing.D) Freedom is a cause worth fighting for.

Which of the following is NOT a reason for further ocean exploration:

A - Discoveries will help inform everything from critical medical advances to
sustainable forms of energy.

B - Research and exploration can go hand in glove with resource management and
conservation.

C - The U.S. spent nearly $200 billion dollars on its space program.

D - We've exploited and polluted our oceans at an alarming rate without
dedicating the needed time or resources to preserve our planet.

(Story name: Why Exploring the Ocean is Mankind's Next Giant Leap by Philippe Cousteau)

Conclusions about monarch butterflies: Which is true?

1 Monarch butterflies rely on humans to successfully migrate.

2: Monarch butterflies rely on elements of nature and their environment to
successfully migrate.

indirect characterization

hey wanna ask something can you pls translate this??



Bakit wala kang jowa???​

Try These questions out and I’ll give you brainliest no links posted on My question or I will report you

Which of these websites would give the most OBJECTIVE information on human cloning?

Which of the following sentences does not belong in this cause-and-effect
paragraph?
Attempting organic gardening has had some very
rewarding results. For one thing, I now know that I am
serving my family fresh produce without any pesticides or
chemicals. I also have been able to use my coffee grounds
for a good cause in my composting heap, so I am no
longer just throwing them away. Additionally, I have learned
incredible facts about little known plants and their natural
benefits as pest controllers. All in all, these results have
made my organic gardening experience a very rewarding
one. I think now I will try floral design.
Althaca
tabavamo

10 example of deciding for the common good​

what happenings are events around the world should students need to know​

Which sentence is conditional?
O If you are hungry, eat a piece of fruit.
O Don't eat candy because it isn't good for you. O Please don't eat so many potato chips.
O It isn't healthy to eat so much cake.​

Write a review for the story “Orpheus and Eurydice”.

chapter 2 rock and the river summary

what are the parts of a indroduction paragraph in a essay

Do you like my nails?

They also glow in the dark to purple

Which of the following type predicates describes the entire action of the subject and expands the simple predicate?


A compound predicate


A complete predicate


A complex predicate


A conjunction predicate

the basic types of tenses

No links plz! Plz answer ASAP! Will mark brainiest!

Refer to the Newsela articles "Alas, Shakespeare Won't Be Taught in This Class" and "Opinion: As World Changes, Education Must, Too."

Which statement accurately compares the two articles?


The two articles explore the relationship between education and economic success.

Both describe how education systems prepare students to enter the workforce.

Both discuss changes to education that would improve the experience for students.

The two articles use quotes from educators with differing points of view.

Metacognition helps you choose the best reading strategy to increase understanding.

Please select the best answer from the choices provided
○ T
○ F​

Which on is it help plsssssssssssssssssssssss

A
B
C
D

Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate vocabulary word:

If we don't think of a solution to ___________ the parking problem, we will have to reschedule the concert.
choices
simper

rectify

slander

filch

Which pair of adverbs gives a correct comparison?
————————————
A.
Carefullier
Carefulliest

B.
More carefully
Most carefully