Read the following excerpt from a speech. what is the purpose of this speech?

my friend was lying face down on playground equipment when he had me take a picture of him. sounds like a boring picture, right? this describes the phenomenon known as planking. planking is done by keeping your body flat, face down, on a flat surface while some parts of your body are suspended. the term was created in south australia and made popular in the united kingdom. it sounds like just a silly fad that will add useless pictures to social media sites, but it can be dangerous. several people have actually died planking at great heights. on top of this, there have been arrests and other problems caused by young teens trying to top each other for the best planking pictures. it’s okay for teens to participate in planking and other popular trends, but they need to remember the importance of using common sense and their best judgment.

common sense is defined as using one’s best judgment after knowing some facts about the situation. when you’re in the moment and struggling to handle peer pressure, it can be difficult to determine what is right and what is wrong. we need to remember the importance of taking a moment to restrain ourselves and weigh the consequences of our actions before trying something just because it looks fun or will make for a great story or picture for social media.

a. to teach students about the history of fads in the united states
d. to persuade students to start an anti-planking campaign
c. to tell students a story about people who live dangerously
d. to teach students about the negative effects of peer pressure
e. to inform students about the importance of using common sense

Part 2: thoreau’s ideas had a profound effect on a man named gandhi. gandhi, was a leader in india who worked to end british rule. he led india to independence and inspired many to non-violent forms of protest and resistance. he fought to end poverty, worked to expand women's right to vote, and built bridges between ethnic and religious groups. like thoreau, he lived simply, owned very little, and ate a vegetarian diet. in india, gandhi's form of protest was called the "non-cooperation movement." he urged indians to boycott british education systems and leave government jobs. the movement was very popular, and in part to stop its spread, the british controlled government arrested him. after a few years, he was released and became active in politics again. he inspired many to follow him on marches to protest various taxes. on one such march, thousands followed him 240 miles over 24 days to the sea to protest a salt tax. this march set the example of non-violent resistance to the government that others in the country followed. eventually india won independence from britain, in large part because of gandhi work. gandhi's model of resistance and reform was creative, appealing, and successful. as a result, dr. martin luther king looked to gandhi when the time came to find a way to resist segregation in the south. the lunch counter protests, famous for the passive response to anger, and even violence, aimed to end the separation enforced by laws in some regions of the south. king also organized walks, marches, and bus rides that were meant to bring attention to the issues facing african americans. these forms of protest were directly modeled on gandhi's, but king took them straight to the source of oppression. where gandhi's protests created awareness and built momentum, king's protests were in the face of great hatred and fear. the passive, non-violent protests were ultimately effective, mainly because the passive response to violence cast the opposition as brutes. however, change came slowly and at the cost of many lives. king remained committed to peaceful protest, however, until his death. king learned from gandhi, expanding on what worked, applying old techniques to a new problem. gandhi owed his philosophy, in part, to a new england poet who loved the woods. read this sentence from part 2: like thoreau, he lived simply, owned very little, and ate a vegetarian diet. what is the point of this sentence? gandhi and thoreau had similar childhoods. gandhi had many admirable qualities. thoreau and gandhi were very similar. thoreau had a simple life compared to others.