The first time I can remember figuring out that there were things that I didn't know I didn't know was in fifth grade. The teacher, Mr. Winslow, took us all to the computer lab for a typing lesson. We were paired up and sharing computers. My partner was typing and I was bored, which was a somewhat normal state of mind for me in school, so I was reading from our history textbook. I was reading something about Abraham Lincoln and the text contained an extended quote, which included a paragraph break. I was concerned, you see, because there was no end-quote at the end of the first paragraph, even though there was an opening quotation mark at the beginning of the next. How could there be an opening quotation mark if they hadn't closed the last quotation mark. It was an outrage.

I approached Mr. Winslow with textbook in hand. "Why is it that there isn't a closing quotation mark at the end of this paragraph?" I asked, knowing that the answer would be "Alana! You've uncovered an error! You've broken it WIDE OPEN!" But instead Mr. Winslow explained to me that the paragraph didn't need a closing quotation mark since the same quote was continuing in the next paragraph.

"Then why do they need another opening quotation mark?" I was trying to uncover the obvious flaws in my teacher's logic.

"It's like a convenience to the readier. A little reminder that you're still reading the same quote."

Oh.