Hi guys can you help me with this sentences ​

Read the excerpt from "declaration of conscience" by margaret chase smith. the exercise of these rights should not cost one single american citizen his reputation or his right to a livelihood nor should he be in danger of losing his reputation or livelihood merely because he happens to know someone who holds unpopular beliefs. who of us doesn't? otherwise none of us could call our souls our own. otherwise thought control would have set in. this excerpt contains an example of

Messalla frowns at the wide circular cover, for a moment returning to his own fussy world.

What does"after getting my report card i knew it was time to hit the books mean