What types of books does Scott O'Dell write?

In short, Scott O'Dell writes books that are realistic fiction. According to interviews with the author, the majority of his inspiration comes from one of two places: his memories or his interests, primarily in historical topics. O'Dell was born just before the turn of the century in 1898 so his early experiences were those of the late pioneer-frontier days in California. His memories from childhood and teenage years include days spent near the shore and in particular an area of small islands. It was these memories that he used when writing the story "Island of the Blue Dolphins" which was based on a true story of a young girl but in which he put a great deal of detail about island life based on his memories. O'Dell enjoys research and so many of his books are based on topics he enjoys researching. Some of these include historical fiction based on time periods such as the American Revolution, Ancient Mayans and Spanish Explorers.

How can I compare and contrast the structure and poetic elements of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43 and Gerald Manley Hopkins' "God's...

Most of the themes of both poems are different from one another, and this would be a stark contrast between the two. Where "Sonnet 43" focuses on love and mortality, "God's Grandeur" examines the cost of the Industrial Revolution on the natural world. However, it is worth noting that the two can also be seen as love poems. Browning's is a poem directed at her lover and Hopkins' poem is directed at God (he was a priest after all).

Although both poems were written within a generation of one another, the changes that have happened in technology have made their worlds far different. For example, "Sonnet 43" was written in 1850 and "God's Grandeur" was written in 1877 just as the Industrial Revolution was beginning to really gather steam (pun intended!). Browning's more traditional rhyme scheme makes sense in 1850, whereas Hopkins' use of a more modern and free rhythm may have been more successful in the timeframe he wrote it rather than in Browning's.

How can one create a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth?

Because Shakespeare's plays are so powerfully written, and the stories so enduring, many theatrical productions have sought to decontextualize them for different historical eras. This makes sense because many of the problems and situations are timeless, and portraying the plays with period dress would tend to fossilize them in the 16th century when most of them were written. For example, I have seen a production of Much Ado About Nothing set during World War II, and some of Kenneth Branagh's films of various Shakespeare plays have successfully used modern settings and costumes.

Macbeth is at its heart a play about a troubled, corrupt monarch who allows superstition to make him paranoid, and lets his wife manipulate him into committing murder. These situations can all be applied to a modern or contemporary context. The witches, for example, could be portrayed as either supernatural or imaginary beings, or as fortune tellers, or as young Puritan servants (a reference to The Crucible, itself a play using the Salem witch trials as an historical metaphor for a contemporary situation: the McCarthy hearings), or as new age shamanic healers, depending upon the historical context of the production.

Updating Macbeth's status as a monarch is a simple change: he can be a high-powered politician or famous celebrity. His vulnerability to belief in the supernatural or his wife's manipulation can be explained by any number of modern-day psychological disorders, or simple job-related anxiety.

In what ways is war romanticized in Arms and the Man?

The main aim of George Bernard Shaw in his play Arms and the Man is to debunk the romantic image of war; as a playwright, Shaw deromanticizes war by mocking or undermining characters who have the unrealistic view that war is glamorous.

While Shaw himself does not consider war romantic, several of the characters in the play do start out with that position, although the events of the play and Captain Bluntschli's arguments eventually move both the characters and the audience to a more realistic view. 

Raina originally has a glamorous ideal of war based on a combination of epic and romantic poetry. She projects this ideal onto Sergius, who himself is caught up in the problem of trying to live up to the mythos of the war hero. 

The difference between the practical approach to war of mercenaries and the romanticism of amateurs is seen in Bluntschli's description of Sergius' charge:

He did it like an operatic tenor—a regular handsome fellow, with flashing eyes and lovely moustache, shouting a war-cry and charging like Don Quixote at the windmills. We nearly burst with laughter at him; ...

Does a suspicion of a traffic violation qualify as a Terry stop?

No it does not. Traffic violations are considered "civil infractions" rather than crimes, and the ability of the police to "stop and frisk" under Terry vs. Ohio specifically applies to suspected crimes, which means misdemeanors or felonies. (I've given as an example a very cogent explanation of the difference under Massachusetts law; while it does vary by state, it's generally about the same.)

This is also why if you are asked on a job application "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" you can (and should) answer "No" if you've only been fined for traffic violations.

The reason for this is twofold: It's generally agreed that traffic violations are not as serious a harm as actual crimes, and also most people are guilty of some traffic violations at some point in their lives, so if that counted as a crime we would all be criminals.

What literary techniques are used in Lucy Christopher's novel Stolen?

One of the most prominent techniques that Christopher uses is flashback. A flashback occurs when an author takes the audience away from the present time of the narrative to an earlier time. In fact, Christopher's novel is one prolonged flashback; however, the reader does not catch on until the end, when it is revealed that Gemma is telling her saga through the letter she is writing to her captor, Ty. 

Though this exaggerated use of flashback is engaging, it is not a new concept. Christopher's flashback technique used in Stolen is similar to that found in Homer's Odyssey. Much of the first part of The Odyssey is from the perspective of Odysseus telling his tale to King Alcinous's court. A huge difference between the two, however, is that Homer's audience is aware that they are engaged in a flashback, whereas Christopher's audience is left guessing until the end, which adds to the novel's intrigue. 

How does Kashmir support a Motif of Terrorism, Globalization and the Postcolonial Reality in Rushdie’s Shalimar The Clown?

Kashmir supports as motif of terrorism, globalization, and postcolonial reality in Shalimar the Clown because of the way that Rushdie describes it.

Rushdie describes Kashmir as "heaven on earth."  It was a place where harmony reigned supreme. Kashmir was tucked away amidst "lush descriptions of the fertile valleys and formidable mountains." Within this, is life of the Pachigam villagers where people love and respect one another.  It is here where Noman embraces his identity as Shalimar the Clown.  He loves who he is and what he does in the same selfless way as the people of Kashmir respect other people. Rushdie depicts Kashmir as principled and ordered.

Rushdie writes that "Everywhere was now a part of everywhere else,” and “Everyone’s story was a part of everyone else’s."  This intersection of culture and identity makes Kashmir a postcolonial reality.  Once Kashmir succumbs to outside intervention, it loses its principled and ordered condition. The troops that occupy it change it culturally.  People like Max corrupt it both symbolically and literally in terms of what he does to Boonyi.  This corruption takes place on a global scale, with people and forces from other parts of the world intruding and destroying the purity that once defined it.  Outside influences ensure that Kashmir's flowers have become replaced with explosive devices.  Its pure sky has been blocked out by the air fighters that drop bombs from above.  Kashmir becomes a postmodern world where its story is no longer its own because it belongs to other people and other forces.

From this, Rushdie is able to draw out the terrorism motif.  As Kashmir becomes corrupted, the people in it respond with anger and violence.  They are not able to transcend the wrongs done to them.  Firdaus's last words are curses on the Indian soldiers that ruined her land and life.  Shalimar the Clown becomes a committed terrorist.  He embraces violence as a means to soothe his own personal pain, believing that his mission will assuage his feelings of betrayal.  Rushdie suggests that the roots of terrorism are personal.  When people experience the intensity of personal hurt, they are more likely to embrace terrorism, thereby confusing the political for the personal.  Kashmir represents this.  Rushdie suggests that Kashmir gives birth to terrorism out of a personal hurt in seeing something so beautiful be reduced to something so ugly.

In "Shooting an Elephant," how does Orwell convince the reader to trust him? What does Orwell do that convinces the reader that he is honest?

I'm not sure Orwell does, or that it matters. You can read this story as a brutal kind of entertainment, and not consider the issue of trust at all. So, that is one option.

If you really want to examine what Orwell does to gain the reader's trust, start with the opening line, where Orwell says he was hated by a lot of people. That might not gain your trust, but it should tug at your sympathy, which contributes to trust. Orwell continues this practice throughout the first paragraph, isolating his narrator (himself), and documenting his suffering.

He then follows that in the second paragraph through the perspectives he admits. When he says "imperialism is an evil thing" and shares his plans to quit his job, he's sharing confidences with the reader. If someone shares something with you he has reason to keep quiet, you're more likely to trust him.

Another way Orwell gains reader trust is through the many specific details included. From the "betel juice" locals would spit on a European woman's dress to the fact that he knows a lot about elephants, Orwell sounds like an authority, almost a local guide. Readers have good reason to trust him.

When does the reader begin to realize that "A Modest Proposal" is ironic/satirical?

It is at paragraph eight that the reader would begin to realize that this essay is satirical. Up until this point, the narrator sounds like a completely reasonable and humane person, concerned with finding a solution to the pressing problem of poverty in Ireland. He opens by describing the poor in moving terms, calling it "melancholy" to see women in rags begging, followed by their children, and explaining the difficult problem people find themselves in when they can't find work and don't want to become thieves or sell themselves into slavery. A normal reader would agree that this is a sad situation, and agree that it would be a good idea to find " a fair, cheap and easy method" of making hungry young children "useful members" of society. This narrator continues to sound compassionate as he talks about wanting to take care of more than just the children of beggars and when he mentions that he has spent many years thinking about the problem of poverty.

The "turn" in the essay comes as the narrator as the narrator "humbly" offers his own thoughts, which he says cannot be in the least objectionable.

Then, in the very next paragraph, having softened us up with his seeming compassion towards the poor, he hits us with the surprise whammy: his "modest" idea is to note that a well-nourished child at a year old is a "most delicious, nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked or boiled." He want to sell babies as food. At this point, a reader, recoiling with shock, would be saying "this can't be serious." Of course, it's not, and from now on the irony becomes heavier and heavier as the narrator goes into greater detail to outline all the benefits of his plan.

Why does the masked figure's presence cause such a sensation?

The reason the masked figure causes such a stir among the other people of the party is because his costume is so much more grotesque than those of the other people. Poe says that the masked figure "out-Heroded Herod", meaning that he was incredibly over the top, that he took the grotesqueness that was evident in all of the other costumes to the next level. Poe explains that Prince Prospero had not really set any limits concerning the grotesqueness of his guests' costumes, but there are some lines that people should not cross, some things that should not be joked about, some things that should just not be done. But the masked figure crosses that line, jokes about that thing, does what he should not—he has neither "wit nor propriety"—which is exactly why the other guests are so shocked by his appearance.

Please explain how to prepare 1000ml of a 0.1 Molar solution of NaOH. The molecular weight of NaOH is 40.0g.

A 0.1 M solution contains one mole of solute per liter of solution. Begin by calculating the mass of solute needed for the desired volume and concentration. In this case you need to prepare 1 liter (1000 ml), so you need 0.1 moles of NaOH. When you're preparing a volume other than one liter and the amount of solute isn't as obvious, it can be calculated using moles = molarity x volume (in liters).

You will need to convert 0.1 moles of NaOH to grams so you can measure it by weighing. The molar mass of NaOH is the mass of one mole.

0.1 moles NaOH x 40.0g/1 mole = 4 grams NaOH needed

Now that you have the amount of solute, here's the correct procedure:

1. Wear goggles and an apron because NaOH is caustic.

2. Place a weighing boat or weighing paper on a balance and add NaOH until the balance reads 4 grams. If you're using weighing paper, first fold it diaonally both ways and unfold leaving a creased "x". This makes it easier to empty the NaOH into a flask.

3. Pour the solid NaOH into a 1000 ml volumetric flask using a funnel and bending the weighing boat or paper diagonally. The flask will have a line on the neck that represents 1000 ml. Fill it up to about 2 cm below the line, using distilled or dionized water. Put the cap on the flask, invert it and swirl gently. Add more water, drop by drop, until the meniscus (low point) of the water is at the line. Repeat the mixing procedure and check the volume again. Add more water if needed to get 1000 ml of solution. 

The reason for not filling to the line initially is that the combined volume of the solute and solvent can be less or more than the volume before mixing. NaOH will tend to have a lower volume after mixing.

Why does Leigh's mom refer to them as "lonely hearts" in Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw?

In Beverly Cleary's Dear Mr. Henshaw, Katy, the woman Leigh's mother works for, invites Leigh and his mother over for Christmas dinner, along with some other women they work with. After the dinner, Leigh's mom remarks how nice it was and comments to Leigh that "it was a lovely dinner for lonely hearts" ("Monday, December 25"). In speaking of "lonely hearts," Leigh's mom is referring to her son's loneliness as well as her own. Not only is Leigh's mom lonely because she has just divorced Leigh's father, Leigh is himself lonely because he misses his father and is often left alone in the new cottage Leigh and his mother moved to.

Leigh especially feels lonely because he does not hear from his father that Christmas. In Leigh's late December diary entries, starting with December 23rd, the beginning of Christmas vacation, we learn Leigh eagerly expects a Christmas present to arrive in the mail from his father. When nothing arrives in the mail, he hopes his father will bring the gift in person and asks his mother if his father might come; his mother disappoints him by saying, "We're divorced. Remember?" ("Saturday, December 23").

It is not until Christmas Eve that a strange man, who is also a trucker, comes to the house to deliver a package to Leigh, saying his father asked him to "play Santa." Leigh is very excited about the gift of a down jacket but still very sad he hasn't actually heard from his father that Christmas. After seeing her son so sad about not hearing from his father during Christmas, Leigh's mom refers to them both as "lonely hearts."

How did Mrs. Chatham react to Judy Morgan's visit?

Judy Morgan visited Lincoln Elementary School to gather information for a newspaper article.  She was a reporter for the Westfield Gazette.  She had heard about the big stir that the word "frindle" was causing.  Judy asked who she should talk to about the issue, and was informed that she should speak to Mrs. Chatham, the principal.  

Mrs. Chatham tried to brush off the frindle issue as if it were nothing big when Judy Morgan mentioned it.  She laughed it off:

"'Oh, that? It's nothing really. Some kids have been playing a prank, and it was time to put a stop to it.'"

Judy Morgan pressed the issue.  She did not quite believe Mrs. Chatham.  The reporter asked if the prank was over.  Mrs. Chatham hesitantly told her that it was not.  She implied that Mrs. Granger's handling of the issue may have been an overreaction.  She said that the students were "just having some fun."

What are the differences between the movie The Crucible and the play?

As with most film adaptations of literature, the movie version of The Crucible has many differences from the play, so I will focus on what I think are the most significant.

First, though the relationship between John Proctor and Abigail Williams is significant in the play, it is even more played up in the film. The movie depicts Abigail and John having a clandestine conversation in the woods, making it seem a bit more illicit than the parallel conversation in the play that takes place at Reverend Parris's house. Additionally, the movie depicts Abigail visiting John Proctor in his jail cell before she leaves town, telling him that she never meant for things to be the way they were, and that she only started the events in Salem because she wanted him. This never happens in the actual play. Instead, audiences find out through Reverend Parris that she has left Salem.

Certain events are also depicted differently in the film, highlighting the various grudges in Salem more visually than is depicted in the play (one of the luxuries film affords). In the play, the author, Arthur Miller, tells audiences directly of various land disputes, especially between Thomas Putnam and other people in Salem. The film allows us to visualize how each grudge led to an accusation by presenting it as a sort of montage. 

Another way that the film shows viewers how the events are unfolding is when the camera cuts to the courts and shows the trials of Salem residents like Sarah Good and George Jacobs. The play, on the other hand, provides a second-hand account of these events through the conversation between Mary Warren and the Proctors.

What is the confrontation between man and death in Don Juan Tenorio?

Don Juan Tenorio: Religious-Fantasy Drama in Two Parts, by José Zorrilla, can definitely be said to have the conflict of man vs. death as you indicate in your question. The actual confrontation can be found in Part 2 when Don Juan is told by the ghost of Don Gonzalo (the father of Dona Inés) that he has only one day to live.

Don Juan confronts death and experiences this particular conflict near the end of the play. Five years have elapsed since Don Juan decided to continue his evil ways (by abandoning Dona Inés and killing her father Don Gonzalo). Don Juan returns to Seville and visits the graves of both Dona Inés and Don Gonzalo. At this point, Dona Inés’ statue on her grave comes to live and tells Don Juan that he only has one day to live and that he must choose to live in either heaven or hell eternally with her. Don Juan puts off his decision for a bit when Centellas and Avellaneda arrive, but the three do end up in a sword fight. The third act (being a bit more mysterious than the ones before it), has Don Juan back in the cemetery looking at an hourglass that represents his own life. The hourglass is almost empty. Don Juan learns that he has already been stabbed by Centellas, and Inés’ father attempts to take Don Juan’s hand in order to lead him straight to hell. Don Juan protests that he is not dead yet, and pleads with heaven for mercy. It is the ghost of Dona Inés who redeems Don Juan. The two walk hand in hand to heaven.

Don Juan, then, loses the battle with death, but doesn’t lose the battle with damnation. The reason? Dona Inés. Don Juan does die, even though it is debatable (and argued among scholars) whether Don Juan loses his life in the sword fight with his friends or not. Death wins. More importantly, the battle for Don Juan’s soul, up until the last moments of the play, appears to have been lost. It is only in these last moments that Don Juan finally repents and goes to heaven.

In conclusion, it is important to note that Don Juan has really been cheating death (and, therefore, has been versus death) since the beginning of the play. His numerous exploits and duels often cheat death . Instead, the focus of this particular answer is about Don Juan’s actual encounter with death at the end of the play. Luckily, although Don Juan does eventually die, he doesn’t get damned to hell for all time. Dona Inés takes him to heaven.

What is the invisible strength in "Rules of the Game"?

Invisible strength, as defined in the beginning of the story, is the ability to win arguments and win respect from people.  This is a broad definition, and it can be applied in many different ways. In light of this, let me offer a few examples. 

First, Waverly admits that this art of invisible strength could be used to win at chess.  She could lure her opponents with feigned weakness and then strike to deal a mighty blow.  At one point in the story, she make this very point. In a tournament, she states:

The wind blew stronger. "Throw sand from the East to distract him." The knight came forward ready for the sacrifice. The wind hissed, louder and louder. "Blow, blow, blow. He cannot see. He is blind now. Make him lean away from the wind so he is easier to knock down."

Invisible strength is not limited to only games.  It can also be applied to life.  The clearest example of this can be seen in Waverly's relationship with her mother. Through the story, Waverly wants independence.  Her mother allows a certain amount, but she insists that Waverly always go to the market with her.  Her mother, Mrs. Jong, likes to boast about her daughter and her accomplishments.  This point annoys Waverly. So, at one point, Waverly confronts her and runs away.  

When she comes home, she has to face her mother.  She knows that her mother has the position of strength. To put it in terms of the art of invisible strength, Mrs. Jong is winning.  This is precisely why Waverly sees her relationship with her mother as a game of chess.  It is contest of wits or invisible strength.

Her black men advanced across the plane, slowly marching to each successive level as a single unit. My white pieces screamed as they scurried and fell off the board one by one.

The story ends with these moves: "I closed my eyes and pondered my next move."

What does the title "Two Kinds" mean? What are there two kinds of? What do those two kinds have to do with the piano pieces "Pleading Child" and...

The title refers to Jing-Mei’s epiphany about mother-daughter relationships.  Jing-mei remembers two different songs, when in fact they are part of the same song.  The song is a metaphor for childhood, because we are sometimes content and sometimes pleading, and childhood is about balance.

Jing-Mei’s mother wants her to become a prodigy.  She is more interested in accomplishment than fame.  She attempts several television-inspired talents.  None of them take.  The result is just Jing-mei and her mother’s frustration.

I looked at my reflection, blinking so that I could see more clearly. The girl staring back at me was angry, powerful. She and I were the same. I had new thoughts, willful thoughts - or rather, thoughts filled with lots of won'ts. I won't let her change me, I promised myself. I won't be what I'm not.

They settle on the piano, but that’s a disaster too.  Jing-Mei’s teacher is deaf and not really paying attention.  She does not really learn how to play the piano.  When the recital comes, she embarrasses herself by not really being able to play.

Jing-Mei and her mother have a rocky relationship, and it comes to a head over the whole prodigy thing.  Jing-Mei’s mother wants her to do what she says, and Jing-mei wants to be her own person.

"Only two kinds of daughters," she shouted in Chinese. "Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!"

"Then I wish I weren't your daughter, I wish you weren't my mother," I shouted.

It is from this comment that we get the title of the chapter.  Jing-mei's mother wants her to be obedient, but Jing-mei feels like she is the other kind of daughter.  There is no middle ground, and therefore they have a relationship full of conflict.

When Jing-mei’s mother dies, she goes back to the piano and looks at it.  Seeing the music, she notices the name of the song.  As a child, she did not realize that “Pleading Child” and “Contented Child” were two parts of the same song.  It is a metaphor for childhood.  All children need to negotiate the emotional times in their lives, and there will be ups and downs.

What are secrets in Romeo and Juliet?

There are several examples of characters keeping secrets in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. All of the secrets, however, are well known to the audience. Shakespeare uses dramatic irony throughout the play and while some characters may be unaware of what is really going on, the audience knows the whole story.

In the opening scene, Romeo has a secret which is causing him to be depressed and to spend long stretches of his day walking alone or in the darkness of his room. Lord Montague asks Benvolio to discover what secret is bothering his son. Romeo eventually confesses to Benvolio that he loves a woman who does not reciprocate that love. He says,

Well in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit
With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit,
And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,
From love’s weak childish bow she lives uncharmed.

The main secret in the play, however, is that Romeo and Juliet, offspring of families involved in a bitter feud, are in love and get married at the end of Act II. The only other characters who know of their love until the final scene are the Nurse and Friar Lawrence. Their secret causes chaos, beginning in Act III when Tybalt confronts Romeo. Tybalt does not know Romeo has just married his cousin. Romeo responds to Tybalt, implying there is a secret. He says in Scene 1,

Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting. Villain am I none.
Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest me not.

Because of the secret, Mercutio is killed and Romeo kills Tybalt in revenge.

More chaos ensues when Lord Capulet seeks to marry his daughter to the wealthy Count Paris. Because he doesn't know the secret he can't understand Juliet's refusal and berates her and threatens to disown her. Capulet says in Act III, Scene 5,

An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend.
An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,
For, by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee,
Nor what is mine shall never do thee good.
Trust to ’t; bethink you. I’ll not be forsworn.

Looking for a solution, Juliet seeks advice from the Friar, and the priest gives her a sleeping potion which will allow her to fake her death and avoid marrying Paris. This final secret is even kept from Romeo, who knows nothing of the plan and commits suicide before Juliet awakens in the Capulet tomb. Juliet follows by stabbing herself with a dagger. The play ends in terrible tragedy because of secrets that, if revealed sooner, may have saved the two young lovers' lives.

In The Watsons Go to Birmingham, for how long has Grandpa Sands been dead?

Byron's behavior has gotten so bad that his parents, Wilona and Daniel, can't figure out what to do with him. In desperation, they arrange a trip to Birmingham, Alabama where they will visit Grandma Sands and have her try to discipline Byron. They believe that Birmingham is "the real world" and Byron is sheltered in Flint, Michigan and they want to expose him to the real world in hopes that it will make him realize that he needs to shape up or he will have a tough future ahead of him.

The Watsons make the trip down to Birmingham, Alabama to visit Grandma Sands and leave Byron with her for the summer. When they arrive, Wilona is upset to learn that her mother has a boyfriend, Mr. Robert.

To comfort Wilona, Grandma Sands says "Your Daddy's been gone for almost twenty years."

We can tell that Grandma Sands and Mr. Robert have been together for almost that long when she says

We been good friends since right after you-all left for Flint--

and

Good, good, see, there's lots of things you can do down here, Mr. Robert ain't as much help as he used to be, so all them things he used to do you can do now.

What household items could represent Benjamin in Animal Farm?

Benjamin, the donkey, is presented as a somewhat aloof and reticent character who is just as intelligent as any of the pigs. He is also painted as stubborn and not very communicative. He rarely speaks and only comments in very conspicuous situations. Because he is so intelligent, it is easy for him to make astute observations about events unfolding or which are due to unfold around him. He hardly ever offers an opinion, although we are aware that he has as many opinions as any intelligent character would have. A few quotes which give us further insight into his character are the following:

Old Benjamin, the donkey, seemed quite unchanged since the Rebellion. He did his work in the same slow obstinate way as he had done it in Jones's time, never shirking and never volunteering for extra work either. About the Rebellion and its results he would express no opinion. When asked whether he was not happier now that Jones was gone, he would say only "Donkeys live a long time. None of you has ever seen a dead donkey," and the others had to be content with this cryptic answer.

Benjamin was the only animal who did not side with either faction. He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on—that is, badly.

Benjamin was clearly indifferent and did not care much bout giving any opinion or support anyone, which also means that he was neutral about things.

In this regard, then, Benjamin can easily be compared with a cupboard which only gives up its contents when they are needed, much as Benjamin only offers an opinion or delivers an insight when it is needed, such as when he warned the animals that Boxer was being taken to the knacker or when he realized that the windmill was going to be blown up. A cupboard stores everything, just as Benjamin stores all his memories. It is quiet but carries much, as Benjamin does. It is neutral and has only that which it has been given, as with Benjamin, who judges on the basis of what he has experienced or seen.

Why isn't Atticus proud of his shooting ability?

Atticus himself doesn't explain why he is not proud of his shooting ability, so our best explanation comes from Miss Maudie. Once Jem and Scout see Atticus's uncanny shooting ability, she explains that when he was a boy, his nickname was "Ol' One Shot," because he was such a dead shot. She explains that Atticus is "civilized in his heart." Shooting ability, she explains, is a natural gift--"a gift of God"--although you have to practice to make it perfect. Miss Maudie guesses that Atticus "put down his gun when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things." 

Atticus wants life to be fair, even while he understands on a visceral level that it is not. This helps us understand why he take Tom Robinson's case, even when he knows he cannot win. The only way to beat the system--eventually, some day--is to keep trying to make it fair. 

What is the summary of Lyddie Chapter 13?

Lyddie focuses on her work and does not want to join any labor movements, and then she gets injured on the job.

Lyddie does not want to join the movements for factory workers’ rights.  She is concerned with being called a slave.  She does not like the songs the girls sing comparing factory life to slavery.  They tell her they are just songs, and she should not get so offended by them.  Lyddie values her independence and freedom, and does not want to equate factory work with slavery.  She feels like she is earning money and helping her family.

She liked Diana, really she did, yet she found herself avoiding her friend as though radicalism were something catching, like diphtheria. She knew Mr. Marsden was beginning to keep track of the girls who stopped by Diana's looms. She could see him watching and taking mental note. (Ch. 13) 

Lyddie does not want to get in trouble. She doesn’t even want to read the movement’s newspaper.  Diana tells her not to be afraid to read something she does not agree with.  Lyddie doesn’t want to risk her position.  Everything depends on it.  She writes a letter to her mother telling her that she will give her money to support her and Lyddie’s remaining sister, Rachel.  She also writes her brother to see if he knows that their littlest sister is dead, and tells him that she is saving money to pay off the debt on the farm. 

Lyddie is so focused on this goal that she doesn’t even care about the machine speedup that is frustrating all of the other women.

No matter how fast the machines speeded up, Lyddie was somehow able to keep pace. She never wasted energy worrying or complaining. It was almost as if they had exchanged natures, as though she had become the machine, perfectly tuned to the roaring, clattering beasts in her care. (Ch. 13) 

Lyddie is unnerved by the overseer, Mr. Marsden.  She calls him a “strange little man.”  He often comes too close and seems to look at her.  Lyddie focuses on her work.  Betsy tells her that she wants to go to college, after she has paid for her brother.  Lyddie is fascinated by the idea of a woman in college. 

Factory work is dangerous.  There are accidents and injuries, as well as sickness.  Lyddie ignores it all.  Then one day she gets hurt.  She is threading a shuttle and it hits her in the head.  Even injured, Lyddie does not want to leave work.  Diana takes her to a doctor friend of hers.

Considering Mrs. Mallards initial and eventual reactions to her husband's death in "The Story of an Hour", and the the information you are given in...

It is safe to argue that Mrs. Mallard's reactions over the death of her husband range from shock, to wonder, to hope, to excitement, and finally, to freedom. The very last reaction was, undoubtedly, disappointment; one strong enough to kill the already-feeble young woman.

Upon learning about the death of her husband, Mrs. Mallard, a young wife with a heart condition, feels that this would be the first opportunity in her life to be truly, and legally, free.

The reason why Louise relishes this freedom so profoundly is twofold: First, marriage was as an institution considered sacred by all standards during the 1800s. If Louise had ever wanted to leave the home of her parents to engage in "personal" pursuits, she could only do this through marriage. That was her only choice for a "respectable" right of passage of this sort.

Second, Mrs. Mallard may have had an epiphany during her marriage, where she came to the realization that this "mandated" way of life for women was oppressing and limiting. Judging by Brently Mallard's need to take a train to go to work, we can assume that his work hours were far and long, and that Louise had plenty of time at home to think. She obviously has had these freedom-hungry thoughts for a while, since she immediately put them together, right as she gets the news of Brently's death. This makes us wonder, how long exactly has Mrs. Mallard been feeling this way?

Notice, though, that these are the thoughts she had about herself. When it comes to the marriage, we are not really told what Mrs. Mallard thinks about it. She certainly does not seem as if she will miss it. She surely does not revert back to any memories to cherish concerning her married life. She does not even really care!

All that we are given is one sentence, which still paints a pretty clear picture on what this marriage may have been about:

And yet, she had loved him...sometimes

Like many other young, middle class girls of her generation, Louise was probably more enamored with the prospects of marriage than with her husband. The idea of a husband, and the reality of one, were two conflicting ideas in a typical woman of her time. A woman's wedding was considered, by all accounts, the most important day in her life. Imagine that: "The" most important day.

This entails that, for this one time, the future bride will have all attentions bestowed upon her, ensuring that her special day was nothing short of perfect. Moreover, if the match was a satisfactory one, (that is, if the future husband has money or position), then more pomp and circumstance would have be infused into the preparations of what would become this young woman's awesomely, new life.

The problem was that the social expectations of the time, namely, the honeymoon, the social visits, the "at homes" and every other distraction often associated with married life, took away so much from the actual relationship that, in the end,most couples ended up like just that: iconic married dyads in a foppish society. Mrs. Mallard's life was likely that. Her husband, who is obviously a hard-working man, would always be working. Her job, as the "angel of the household", which was a common Victorian ideal, would be to tend to friends, family, social interests, and overall networking. Each party in the married couple had a job that they were expected to do.

Surely, Louise may have once loved her husband, who was a good enough man from what we can see, but she never really had a chance to know herself. She lost herself in the process.

Therefore, we can safely conclude that the Mallards were just a typical Victorian marriage. Marriage was more of a business transaction, more so than a romantic union. Hence, while Louise and Brently may have loved one another, the institution of marriage was not one which supported the inner processes of relationships, but outer appearances.

It is likely that Louise was a social pawn of a wife, expected to be a nurturer, a friend, and the muse of the home. Brently would have been the provider, and the head of the household. All of these "roles" certainly took away love, creativity and inspiration in the average woman.

It is no wonder, then, that Mrs. Mallard saw a huge way out of the shenanigans of her society in finding herself a widow, and hoped for a much better life in the best company that she could think of: her own.

What is the big idea that Bud is talking about in Chapter Nine?

In Chapter Nine, Bud is sitting in the library when he recalls a conversation that he had while being bullied by Billie Burns. Billie had bet a nickel that Bud didn't know who his father was, when Bud announced, "...[M]y daddy plays a giant fiddle and his name is Herman E. Calloway."

The small idea (his father's identity) stars growing when Bud thinks about why his mother had kept all the flyers of Herman while never speaking of Bud's father. Bud feels that this "little idea had gone and sneaked itself into being a mighty maple."

Thus, the big idea that Bud is referring to is his plan to head west to Grand Rapids in order to find the man he believes to be his father... that is to say, Herman E. Calloway!

What is the moral of a Tell Tale Heart?

The moral of "The Tell-Tale Heart" is that we should not commit crimes because, in the end, our own sense of guilt will expose us. 

In this story, the narrator takes cares of an elderly man but grows to fear and loathe what he calls his "Evil Eye." He becomes obsessed with it and decides to murder the old man. He does so and the man screams as he is attacked, but the narrator succeeds and buries the body under the floorboards. 

The police come the next day, having heard reports of a "shriek" and wondering where the old man is. The narrator feels not the least bit anxious. As he puts it:

I smiled, --for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search --search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

The narrator believes he has won, and in fact, he seems as if he will get away with the crime. The police believe his story and do not suspect him of evil. However, because of his guilt, the narrator imagines he hears the heart of his dead victim beating, louder and louder. It gets so loud that he can't stand it anymore. He thinks the police hear the beating heart too and are playing with him by pretending they don't. Finally, the narrator snaps and confesses to the crime. His guilty conscience has gotten the better of him. 

What will happened to your kinetic energy if you triple your speed?

If our speed increases three times, our kinetic energy increases by a factor of nine, that is, our kinetic energy increases nine times.

The kinetic energy is a form, of mechanical energy and it is associated with the movement of the bodies. All body with mass m, which moves with a speed v, has associated a kinetic energy given by the following expression:

Ek = (mv^2)/2

Where:

m, is the mass of the body.

v, is the velocity of the body.

The kinetic energy Ek1, for the initial velocity v1 is:

Ek1 = (mv1^2)/2

As we see, the kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the speed. If the initial speed v1 increased three times, the final speed v2, will be:

v2 = 3v1

Then the kinetic energy Ek2, for the speed v2, will be:

Ek2 = (mv2^2)/2 = [m(3v1)^2]/2

Ek2 = 9(mv1^2)/2 = 9(Ek1)

So, when the speed increases three times, the kinetic energy increases nine times.

As Molly is walking across campus, a car swerves toward her. Her heart races and sweat breaks out as she jumps out of harm's way. This mobilization...

In this scenario, the increase in Molly's heart rate, as well as sweat production, when avoiding the car's path is due to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is one of two divisions of the autonomic nervous system, which is a key regulator of the internal functions within the body. The autonomic nervous system regulates functions such as heart rate, and perspiration, unconsciously in response to stimuli. 

More specifically, the sympathetic nervous system is activated in response to stressful stimuli, leading to what is generally referred to as the "fight or flight" response. Physiologically, when a person or animal faces stimuli that is perceived as threatening, in this case the swerving car, the sympathetic nervous system gears the body up to increase available energy and oxygen, increasing the person or animals chance for survival. It does this by increasing blood pressure, heart rate, and freeing up energy in the form of glucose, from glycogen stores, in the liver. The sympathetic nervous system also causes dilation of the pupils, and a decrease in the functions of the digestion processes taking place in the gut. These changes are specifically regulated by neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and norepinephrine.

Hope this helps!  

Use matricies to solve the system of equations (if possible). Use Gauss-Jordan elimination.

Write the equations as,

Make the pivot in the first column by dividing the First row by 2,

Multiply the first row by 7,

Subtract the 1st row from the 3rd row and restore it,

Make the pivot in the second column by dividing the 2nd row by 2,

Multiply the 2nd row by -1/2,

subtract the 2nd row from the 1st row and restore it,

Multiply the 2nd row by -3/2

subtract the 2nd row from the 3rd row and restore it,

Make the pivot in the 3rd column by dividing the 3rd row by -45/4,

Multiply the 3rd row by 5/4,

subtract the 3rd row from the first row and restore it,

Multiply the 3rd row by -1/2,

subtract the 3rd row from the 2nd row and restore it,

So the solutions are x=8,y=10,z=6

Please explain to me the 23rd line of the poem "War is Kind" by Stephen Crane. The line is: "Mother whose heart hung humble as a button." (Please...

The meaning of the 23rd line “"Mother whose heart hung humble as a button" in the poem “War is Kind” by Stephen Crane is that this mother humbly accepts what war does to families. The meaning here in this line is that this mother, while not totally believing in war, does accept that men and women do go to war and that loss ensues and must be accepted. There is really nothing she, nor other mothers can do about this.

This 23rd line has to be looked at in the context of the rest of this poem. Only then can the power and meaning of this line really come through. The poem talks of great battles and heroic acts that take place in war, where soldiers sacrifice for others and confront their enemies and their own fears, such as is conveyed in the line:

“These men were born to drill and die.”

However, the people left behind, while others go off to war, realize that war also consists of “A field where a thousand corpses lie.” There is no beauty or glory in war. Mothers on both sides of a battle lose their sons and/or daughters in war. It’s as if the mothers are to accept this patiently, enduringly, and humbly. This is why Stephen Crane says that the mother has a humble heart as she looks at the “…bright splendid shroud…” of her dead soldier son.

The poem has a somewhat sarcastic tone to it when it says that one should point out to the soldiers the “virtue of slaughter.” There is no virtue whatsoever in slaughter – it is a reviling, destructive, and sickening thing. In addition, there is nothing positive about killing and about Man always being in contention with Man.

But, again, this poem, in the 23rd line, is saying that mothers almost have to look the other way - away from the horrors of war - and humbly accept that their husbands and sons and daughters do go off to war at the behest of the nation’s government and there is valor in accepting the call to defend one’s country and fight for freedom.

This is where the patient acceptance and humbleness of the mother comes in -  a mother who must look down upon her dead son and deferentially know and hope that the ultimate cause was at least somewhat worthwhile. Nonetheless, a mother, or anyone else who looks at war critically, will never really totally accept that war is the answer to disputes, as war breeds more war and is the never-ending saga of humankind from its beginnings to this very day.

What do we call a poem that consists of fourteen lines?

A poem composed of fourteen lines is called a sonnet. There are many different kinds of sonnet (though all have fourteen lines) and the form originated in Italy. The two most popular and widely-used forms are the Petrarchan sonnet, associated with the Italian poet Petrarch, and the Shakespearean sonnet, though there are many other variations, both in Italy and England, and most famous poets have worked within this style. If the form began in Italy, it was truly embraced in England. Many of the most famous poems in the English language were written in sonnet form, including the 154 written by Shakespeare, especially Sonnet 18, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day." Other famous sonnets in English include "How Do I Love Thee" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind." 

From whom does Candy seek advice before allowing Carlson to shoot his dog in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men?

Candy seeks judgment, perhaps, more than advice from Slim before handing over his dog to Carlson.

Early in Chapter 3 when Carlson enters the bunkhouse after losing at horseshoes by the barn, he sniffs the air and complains,

"God awmighty, that dog stinks. Get him outa here, Candy! I don't know nothing that stinks as bad as an old dog. You gotta get him out." (Ch. 3)

Candy pats his dog and apologizes for him, but Carlson will not be appeased. He insists that the dog has gone beyond having any quality of life since his teeth are gone and he is stiff with rheumatism. "He ain't no good to hisself. Why'n't you shoot him, Candy?" (Ch.3) Candy squirms. He tells Carlson that he has had the dog since he was a puppy, and he used him to herd sheep. So, when Carlson suggests that he take the dog and shoot him in the back of the head where he would not know what happened, Candy replies, "No, I couldn' do that. I had 'im too long." (Ch.3)

Carlson then offers to shoot the dog for him, saying the dog cannot even enjoy himself anymore. But, Candy will not give in, even when Carlson suggests that Candy pick out a dog from Slim's dog's litter. Slim, too, tells Candy the dog is suffering. "Candy looked helplessly at him, for Slim's opinions were law." (Ch. 3)

"Maybe it'd hurt him, he suggested. "I don't mind takin' care of him." (Ch.3)

But, Carlson insists, despite the entry of some of the other men. "We can't sleep with him stink'in around in here." (Ch.3)

Candy looked a long time at Slim to try to find some reversal. And Slim gave him none. At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, "Awright--take 'im." (Ch.3)

Candy cannot look at his old dog. He puts his arms behind his head and stares at the ceiling. Then, Carlson ties a leather strap around the dog's neck, saying apologetically to Candy, "He won't even feel it." (Ch. 3) But Candy neither moves nor responds.

What are the gold prongs Miss Maudie has in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie has a partial denture that is attached with gold prongs. 

Miss Maudie Atkinson is Scout’s neighbor.  When Scout was younger, she did not really know much about her or have much contact with her.  She let Jem and Scout play in her yard and she was nice enough.  However, as Scout got older she started to need and appreciate a positive, warm and caring female influence in her life. 

When Dill came, it was fun for Scout to have someone her age.  However, he often went off to play with Jem.  At those times, it would have been better for Scout to have another girl around to play with.  However, she became closer with Miss Maudie when the boys were off doing their thing and “Dill was becoming something of a trial.” 

Miss Maudie is often outside because she likes to garden.  Scout likes the fact that she calls the children by their names and treats them with respect.  She shows Scout her teeth.   Scout is very impressed that she can remove her partial denture and feels honored that she showed it to her.

[When] she grinned she revealed two minute gold prongs clipped to her eyeteeth. When I admired them and hoped I would have some eventually, she said, “Look here.” With a click of her tongue she thrust out her bridgework, a gesture of cordiality that cemented our friendship. (Ch. 5)

With this friendship, when Jem and Dill are off hanging out, Scout can spend some quality girl time with Miss Maudie.  She is an excellent neighbor to have, because she doesn’t talk down to the kids and she seems to understand them.  She especially has a soft spot for Scout.  She treats her with dignity and talks to her frankly.

Why do the Yeehats consider Buck an evil spirit in Call of the Wild?

When Buck returns to the camp to find the Yeehats dancing around the shattered mine site, the rage that possesses him is overwhelming. As London writes that "for the last time in his life [Buck] allowed passion to usurp cunning and reason." Buck goes absolutely wild and his ferocity is astonishing to the Yeehat.

Buck attacks them and moves about so quickly that when the Yeehat try to shoot arrows at him, they end up shooting their friends. One man even throws a spear to hit him and ends up killing another man. They've never seen an animal like this before and when they finally run away they are convinced that it must have been an evil spirit because no animal could do what Buck did.

What is the background of the author of the novel 1984?

Eric Arthur Blair (who wrote 1984 and his other works under the pen name George Orwell) was a 19th-century English author and journalist. Blair was born in India. He later moved to Europe to become a writer, and he began to write under the name "George Orwell." He was unsuccessful at first, and he began to develop anarchist political tendencies. Orwell's political beliefs eventually evolved into democratic socialism, and his beliefs led him to fight in the Spanish Revolution against the nationalist forces of Francisco Franco (Orwell wrote about the conflict in his Homage to Catalonia).

After the war, Orwell continued writing. He fiercely apposed the Stalinist regime in Soviet Russia--believing it had forsaken the ideals of the Russian Revolution--and he wrote his widely-popular Animal Farm to satirize and attack it. In 1948, he published his most famous work, the dystopian 1984. Unfortunately, Orwell's health began to falter; he died in 1950 from tuberculosis.

What are some similarities between hurricanes and blizzards?

Hurricanes and blizzards are both storms that can wreak havoc to the areas at which they occur. Both types of storms are caused by air that rises into the atmosphere. This air then causes low pressures that generate winds. Winds of hurricanes are over 75 miles per hour (at 75 mph, a tropical storm becomes a hurricane and is given a name; winds grow up to 150 mph). Hurricanes produce intense winds that span over vast distances. Hurricanes can cover areas up to 500 miles wide. The winds that accompany blizzards can be over forty-five miles per hour.

Both blizzards and hurricanes are also accompanied by precipitation.  As a hurricane is formed, moist air rises and condenses. Thus, hurricanes are associated with extreme rainfall. The rising air of a blizzard creates a front that collides with air currents in areas that have heavy moisture contents. Thus, blizzards are associated with intense snowfall. However, blizzards do not cover as much land as hurricanes.

If M is the molecular weight of KMnO4, what is the equivalent mass of KMnO4 when it is converted into K2MnO4?

The equivalent mass of a substance is the ratio of molecular mass to the number of electrons gained (or lost) or change in the oxidation state. That is,

equivalent mass = molecular mass/number of electrons gained or lost or

= molecular mass/change in oxidation state

Here, potassium permanganate changes to potassium manganate. The relevant chemical reaction is:

 

Only 1 electron is gained by permanganate ion to convert to manganate ion. We can also see that the oxidation state of manganese is +7 in permanaganate ion and it changes to +6 in manganate ion. That is, the oxidation state changes by 1.

Thus, the equivalent mass = molecular mass/1 = molecular mass = M

Hence, the equivalent mass of KMnO4 is M when it converts over to K2MnO4. 

Hope this helps.

What do these lines from King Lear mean? "A credulous father, and a brother noble, / Whose nature is so far from doing harms / That he suspects...

At the end of Act 1, Scene 2, Edmund is revealing some of his villainous thoughts in a brief soliloquy. He is succeeding in driving a wedge between his father, the Duke of Gloucester, and his half-brother Edgar, who is the legitimate heir to Gloucester's title and estate. Edmund considers himself fortunate in having a credulous father--that is, a father who is easy to deceive. Edmund has forged a letter to make their father think that Edgar is plotting against his life in order to succeed him immediately.

Edmund does not consider Edgar "credulous" or "gullible," but he thinks Edgar is so noble that he naturally assumes other people have similar noble motives. Edmund contemptuously calls Edgar's integrity "foolish honesty." This attitude is also characteristic of Goneril and Regan, as it is of many people living today. They do not believe that honesty is the best policy but that selfishness is the best policy. Shakespeare is showing through these three characters that we should not be too trusting. Some people have integrity, and some people only pretend to have integrity. Even the most wicked people can pretend to be totally honest. 

Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.
                      --Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Edmund is a consummate hypocrite. He is always scheming to advance himself by wicked practices, but always pretending to be the soul of honesty. He manages to advance so far in life that he seems on his way to becoming one of the rulers of England. Regan, whose husband was killed by a wound he received in Act 3, Scene 7, is in love with Edmund. She loves him because he is so much like herself--selfish, crafty and unscrupulous. She inherited half of her father King Lear's kingdom early in the play by lying to the credulous old king about how much she loved him. No doubt Edmund plans to get the whole kingdom by practicing his villainy against Albany, who is married to Lear's other daughter Goneril. But Edmund is thwarted at the end of the play when Edgar appears and challenges him to a "trial by combat" in which Edmund is mortally wounded. 

The word "credulous" means being too ready to believe. It seems likely that Shakespeare intended for his audience to understand that Gloucester was only easy for Edmund fool because he was growing old and perhaps succumbing to senile dementia. Many old people in our times are victimized by swindlers because they are easy to deceive. 

Another example in Shakespeare of a younger man who, like Edmund's half-brother Edgar, is easy to fool because of his noble nature is Brutus in Julius Caesar. Brutus' worst mistake is in trusting Marc Antony. As Shakespeare sees Brutus, he is easy to deceive because he is noble and assumes that everybody is like himself. Cassius also manipulates Brutus easily until Brutus finally realizes that Cassius is a totally different kind of person, and they have their violent quarrel in the famous tent scene in Act 4, Scene 2.

 

What are examples of puns in Fahrenheit 451?

Interesting question! In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury several literary devices are utilized including puns. Throughout the book, several puns are implemented to incite the readers’ deeper reflection.

Before providing examples of puns, it is important to understand what a pun is. A pun is a literary device utilized to illustrate how one word can represent two different meanings or how two words that sound very similar can represent two different meanings. This is usually done to create irony or humor.

Throughout the book, several different puns are implemented. For example, Montag is considered a “firefighter.” In today’s language, this word represents the idea of someone stopping a fire to prevent destruction and harm. However, in the book, the term represents someone who fights with fire to destroy books.  Subsequently, another pun is made by Granger’s grandfather. He states, “I hate a Roman named Status Quo.” Here, the Roman's name is also a word that means "the existing state of affairs." Thus, an unusual pun is created, which encourages the readers' minds to think about the concept more deeply.

Therefore, in the book, Bradbury utilizes puns to draw the readers' attention to important concepts. Although puns can be a bit tricky, these literary devices are often useful in creating irony or humor.

Larry is 10 years old and his sister is 7 year old. In how many years time will their total age be 25 years

Larry is 10 years old and his sister is 7 years old. To determine the number of years that it will take that the sum of their ages will be 25, assign a variable to represent the time in years. Let it be x.

So after x years,  their ages will be:

Larry's age = 10 + x

His sister's age  = 7 + x

Then, add their ages and set it equal to 25.

And, solve for x.

Therefore, the sum of Larry's age and his sister's age will be 25 in 4 years.

How did the role of the Canadian government change over the course of World War II?

Canada officially declared war on Germany just over one week after World War II officially began on September 1st 1939. This was Canada's first independent declaration of war. 

Initially Canada was reluctant to join the war or spend money on the armed forces, but managed to garner impressive participation, with 10% of their population joining the armed forces. But they still entered the war with a moderate war strategy, stating that it would prioritize Canadian defense, possibly assist other countries, and serve allies primarily by providing food and supplies. By the end of World War II; however, Canada's military was one of the largest in the world. 

During the first nine months of the war, Britain was essentially responsible for Canada's war plan. They trained British pilots and their equipment was made according to British designs. However, during the Battle of France in 1940 Britain began to run out of equipment and soon thereafter told Canada they would need them to provide more. Many piloting graduates who were expected to be trainers were sent to Europe to fight as needed and Canada's involvement increased. They also began to send troops to defend the West Indies.

After France fell and the chance of Germany invading the Americas became a real possibility, Canada began to shift its focus from aiding Britain to defending itself, sending troops to their eastern colony of Newfoundland. Toward the end of 1940 a defeat of Britain by Germany became increasingly likely, so much so that it was agreed that the United States would overtake control of Canada's military should Europe be overtaken by Germany. In the Fall of 1941, Canada offered troops to the British government to help defend Hong Kong. They began to fight Japan there and eventually the allies lost. 

Canada was made responsible for two very strategic points in the Atlantic ocean during World War II: the Mid-Atlantic Gap, and the English Channel. The former, near Greenland, was a very hostile point in the supply chain and the gap was eventually closed by the Canadian Navy in 1943. The latter they controlled during the invasion of Normandy. The U.S. and Britain relied on Canada to cover their flanks during the invasion.

The Canadian government increasingly pressured Canadian troops to be put into action, and as a result they participated in the Dieppe Raid on occupied France, which, after the death and capture of over half the troops sent, was largely considered useless. Public pressure also pushed the Canadian troops to participate in the invasion of Italy in Sicily.

On June 6, 1944 the Canadian forces joined the Battle of Normandy. They experienced significant losses at first but eventually penetrated farther than the United States or Britain. 

In the end, the growth of the Canadian military throughout the time of World War II, from a small supportive military without a lot of funding to a world superpower, was impressive. By the end of the war, their air force was the 4th-largest in the world and their navy the 5th.

Where would one find 3 quotes with page numbers from To Kill A Mockingbird on empathy?

Empathy happens when one person identifies with the feelings of another person. The one may have or may have not experienced the exact event or feeling before, but vicariously feels what it might be like to be going through what the other is feeling. Feelings of empathy can be both positive or negative; that is to say, they don't always have to be experienced during times of suffering. However, it can be argued that the most powerful feelings of empathy are usually felt when one person sees the suffering of another from the outside looking in. That is the case with Dill, Jem, and Aunt Alexandra in To Kill a Mockingbird.

The trial of Tom Robinson takes a toll on the afore-mentioned characters as they watch the drama unfold around both Tom and Atticus and they face Maycomb society, generations of racism, and death (Tom's eventually). During the cross examination of Tom, Dill breaks down as follows:

"For some reason, Dill had started crying and couldn't stop; quietly at first, then his sobs were heard by several people in the balcony" (198).

Later, outside the courthouse with Scout, Dill explains his crying over how Mr. Gilmer disrespectfully spoke to Tom:

"I don't care one speck. It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that--it just makes me sick" (199).

After the trial was finished, Jem expresses his empathy in the following scene:

"It was Jem's turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd. 'It ain't right,' he muttered, all the way to the corner of  the square where we found Atticus waiting. . . 'It ain't right, Atticus,' said Jem. 

'No son, it's not right.'

We walked home" (212).

Finally, Aunt Alexandra breaks down for Atticus during a tea party where the racist comments about the trial and society make her feel poorly for her brother having to put up with all of it throughout the long process of the trial. Alexandra leaves the party because she needs a break from it all and she tells Maudie the following:

"'I can't say I approve of everything he does, Maudie, but he's my brother, and I just want to know when this will ever end.' Her voice rose: 'It tears him to pieces. He doesn't show it much, but it tears him to pieces. I've seen him when--what else do they want from him, Maudie, what else?'" (236).

Clearly, Alexandra is emotionally suffering for her brother's trials and suffering. She doesn't break down and cry like the boys do, but she feels her brother's suffering vicariously for sure. 

Why did Great Britain fight against the American colonists?

Great Britain fought against the American colonists for several reasons. The first reason is that if Great Britain didn’t respond to the Declaration of Independence issued by the colonists, the British would have lost the 13 colonies because they would have been free. The British were fighting to keep control of the 13 colonies.

The British also fought against the Americans because the British felt they had the right to do whatever they wanted with their colonies. The British believed that the colonists needed to follow the policies and the laws passed by the British Parliament that dealt with the colonies. These were the British colonies, and the British felt they had the right to govern the colonies. Since the colonists weren’t following some of the rules and the policies, the British believed they needed to take actions to require the colonists to do so. The British believed their entire colonial system could be in danger if they didn’t respond to the protests of the colonists, their violation of rules and policies, and their declaration of freedom.

The British believed they had no choice but to fight the colonists if they wanted the colonies to remain in British control.

True or false? Boiling point and melting point are physical properties that can be used to identify matter.

The boiling point is the temperature at which a substance converts from liquid phase to gas phase. The melting point, on the other hand, is the temperature at which a substance converts from solid phase to liquid phase. For example, ice (solid water) melts at 0 degrees Celsius and converts to water. Liquid water boils at 100 degrees Celsius and converts to water vapors. Since the chemical composition of the substance stays the same, such as that of water in the above mentioned example, melting and boiling are physical changes. And hence, boiling points and melting points are physical properties. Since they are a property of the material, they can be used to identify it. For example, water is identified with a melting point of 0 degrees Celsius and a boiling point of 100 degrees Celsius.

Hope this helps.

How will our earth look in 2050? What are the major changes that will occur by year 2050 related to technology and its components?

One can only hypothesize how our Earth will look, especially in terms of technology, in the year 2050. We can use our progress over the last 50 to 100 years to make some educated guesses. 

A few of the areas where we have made tremendous progress include transportation and communication. More novel and environmentally-friendly transportation means are to be expected by 2050. We are already moving in the direction of electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell based automobiles. We can possibly expect all of our transport means to be based on fuel cells by 2050. Self-driven vehicles are likely to be the norm. 

Similar progress has been achieved in communication in the last 50 years. We can expect extremely high-speed data transfer directly to headsets or glasses for day to day operations such as calling, internet surfing, online transactions, navigation, etc. One can expect laptops and cellphones to be obsolete by then. 

Given the global warming fears, we can expect that people would have moved to 100% renewable energy generation by the year 2050 and fossil fuels may already have been mostly exhausted. We can expect to see more sky-scrapers and high-yielding agriculture practices. Better healthcare and more advances in medicine are also to be expected.

Hope this helps.

What hazards do humans face when they are in space? What technologies have been developed in response to these hazards? Have these technologies...

There are obvious problems for humans trying to survive in space, and some that are not as obvious. Obvious issues include those associated with simply having the necessary substances for life--air, water, and food. These do not exist in space and must be transported from Earth. When astronauts live for extended periods on the International Space Station air and water are conserved and recycled; food must be continuously brought from Earth. Wastes are ejected from the ISS.

Health issues that are not as apparent are those associated with extremely low gravity (I'll refer to this as 0g, though it is not exactly that), and the exposure to radiation. Scientists know that extended time in 0g results in loss of bone density and changes to the cardiovascular system. Bones are not working against the usual 1g of Earth; the lack of typical stress leads to loss of mass. The heart and blood vessels have evolved to work in Earth's gravity; when that is not present there can be loss of muscle tissue, including heart muscle. Blood pressure takes time to re-adapt back on Earth. Heart problems have been noted in returning astronauts. One unexpected issue that has appeared is the effect of 0g on the eye and vision, with swelling of the optic nerve and increase in far-sightedness--see the Times article below for more detail. Efforts to limit the effect of 0g include having the astronauts run while strapped down to a treadmill, in an effort to simulate the effect of gravity. Possibilities in the future could include spinning part of a spacecraft to simulate gravity. But at this time, when they return to Earth after an extended time in space, astronauts need to rest while their bodies readjust to 1g.

Exposure to cosmic radiation in the form of high-energy, ionizing cosmic ray (HZE) nuclei is a huge problem for humans in space. The shielding of shuttles and the ISS is an attempt to limit the amount of radiation to which the astronauts are exposed, but it is not currently the same as the shielding effect of Earth's atmosphere. Cancer of various types is a risk, as are effects on the immune system; other long-term effects are currently not known, and studies on both the ISS astronauts and other life forms taken to the ISS have been on-going. It has been difficult to produce shielding that is both effective and light enough to launch into space. This is a problem currently being worked on as a manned flight to Mars is being planned. NASA guidelines are that the level of exposure to HZE should at most double an astronaut's life-time cancer risk, but we do not yet have shielding that could protect astronauts at that level for the several years it will take for a Mars mission.

Write the partial fraction decomposition of the rational expression. Check your result algebraically.

Now let 

equating the coefficients of the like terms,

Solve the above three equations to get the values of A,B and C,

Bach substitute the value of A in the first equation,

From the above equation ,express C in terms of B

Substitute the expression of C in the second equation,

Now plug the value of B in the expression of C,

Now let's check the result,

RHS=

=LHS

Hence it is verified.

In The Great Gatsby, what are some quotes referring to acts of violence throughout the novel?

Tom Buchanan is a dominating and sometimes overtly violent man, and there is evidence of this throughout the book.  He manhandles Nick from a room, and we learn of his abuse of Daisy in the very first chapter.  Later on, we see him manhandling Nick again and learn of his abuse of his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. 

At the dinner to which Nick is invited, when dinner is announced, Nick relates,

...wedging his tense arm imperatively under mine Tom Buchanan compelled me from the room as though he were moving a checker to another square (16).

As everyone sits down to dinner, Daisy looks down at her little finger, which is "black and purple" (16). She tells Tom,

You did it, Tom.....I know you didn't mean to, but you did. That's what I get for marrying a brute of a man....(16).

In Chapter Two, Tom is insistent upon Nick meeting his mistress, Myrtle Wilson. Tom has had a great deal to drink, and Nick says, "...his determination to have my company bordered on violence" (28).  At the apartment Tom has acquired for himself and Myrtle, everyone has a great deal more to drink, and when Tom and Myrtle get into an argument over Tom's not wanting Myrtle to even mention Daisy's name, "Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand" (41).

Tom Buchanan has an air of barely repressed violence throughout most of the book, and while he seems to bully males mostly psychologically, he clearly is physically violent to women. 

What is the author's purpose for the novel To Kill a Mockingbird?

The three main reasons authors write are usually to persuade, to inform, and/or to entertain. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird contains all three of these reasons. Whether Lee planned her novel out accordingly is a different question, but the fact that one book can achieve so much from a little girl's perspective creates a unique masterpiece. The issues discussed about this little southern Alabama town reaches deep into readers' souls and persuades them to be better neighbors, informs them about the consequences of prejudice, and entertains them with the perspective of life from a spunky child. 

One of the first reasons for Lee's story to be told is to persuade people to be better citizens and neighbors in their communities. A community is made up of different people who come from many different backgrounds. In order for every one to be able to live a fulfilling life, each one needs to let the other live freely without prejudice. One of the best quotes from Atticus drives this thought home:

"First of all, . . .if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it'" (30).

If everyone could be persuaded to do this "simple trick" there would be a lot less judgment passed upon other people in this world, for which everyone would be better off. 

Next, To Kill a Mockingbird informs readers of the bigotry and discrimination deeply rooted in the South. Those who have only studied about the Civil War, the Klu Klux Klan, and Martin Luther King, Jr. may only have a slight understanding of what happened during those critical years in places like Alabama. But by reading Lee's novel, one can learn from a native's perspective how the South slowly evolved from one generation to the next--and how they dealt with racism and their caste system. For example, Aunt Alexandra finds it best to tell Scout that everyone has a genetic streak that can't be broke by anything new or modern:

"Aunt Alexandra, in underlining the moral of young Sam Merriweather's suicide, said it was caused by a morbid streak in the family. Let a sixteen-year-old girl gigle in the choir and Aunty would say, 'It just goes to show you, all Penfield women are flighty.' Everybody in Maycomb, it seemed, had a Streak: a Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak, a Funny Streak" (129).

Aunt Alexandra's attitude clearly contradicts Atticus's, and luckily, Scout figures that out. Scout learns not to look down on other people who are different than her; and, in fact, Lee teaches this to the reader in a fun and entertaining way through Scout's eyes. Consequently, Scout finally learns to respect others no matter who they are. She learns the following:

"'. . . Atticus, when they finally saw him, why h e hadn't done any of those things. . . Atticus, he was real nice.' 

His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.

'Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them" (281).

How did yellow journalism affect people's viewpoint?

Yellow journalism was very influential in shaping people’s opinions. In the 1800s and early 1900s, people got their news from the newspapers. There were no other major sources of news. If a newspaper didn’t cover an event or topic, most people had no idea that event occurred or topic was being discussed. Thus, what appeared in the newspapers is what people would know about an event. If a newspaper exaggerated news stories, the average person would not know the story was being exaggerated.

In the events leading to the Spanish-American War, the newspapers exaggerated how poorly the Spanish government was treating the Cubans. As a result, American public opinion turned against Spain. Because the Americans viewed the Spanish negatively, the Americans were ready to pounce on Spain if the opportunity developed. We saw this as an opportunity to gain colonies and become a world power. When the Spanish ambassador wrote a critical letter about President McKinley, our newspapers got a hold of it and published it in the newspapers. This led to a further weakening of our relationship with Spain. When the U.S.S. Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, the newspapers immediately blamed Spain. As a result, American public opinion was against Spain, and people wanted to go to war against Spain. This war occurred in 1898. Newspapers played a big role in shaping American public opinion in the 1800s and the early to mid-1900s.

Out of the given options, which is not needed in the process of photosynthesis? 1. Chlorophyll 2. Water 3. Sunlight 4. Oxygen

Of the given options, oxygen is not needed for the process of photosynthesis. The chemical reaction for photosynthesis can be written as:

In this process, plants (containing chlorophyll pigment) use carbon dioxide and water, in the presence of sunlight, and produce glucose and oxygen. Thus, oxygen is a product of the process and is not required for the process.  

Photosynthesis is the primary production process and is responsible for providing food and oxygen for survival of life on Earth. Organisms use these glucose molecule and break them down into carbon dioxide and water, and generate energy molecules (ATP or adenosine triphosphate), in the process of cellular respiration. 

It is to be noted that plants carry out both photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Hope this helps. 

What are two effective vocal strategies Martin Luther King, Jr. uses in the second half of his "I Have a Dream" speech? How were these strategies...

Beginning with his rhetorical repetition of "I have a dream," two effective vocal strategies Martin Luther King, Jr. uses in his "I Have a Dream" speech are pause and pitch inflection.

Effective public speakers use pauses between points to emphasize them and let their points sink into the minds of the audience. King effectively uses pauses after each time he says the word dream and even varies the length of the pauses. For example, the pause between the words dream and that in the sentence beginning with "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up" is twice the length of the pause after he says the clause, "I still have a dream." Both pauses create dramatic emphasis, but the second pause is even more dramatic because it falls where there is no punctuation. The dramatic second pause gives him time to accumulate the breath support he needs to powerfully rise in pitch inflection upon the word one.

Aside from pauses, King also uses rises and drops in pitch inflection to create emphasis and emotional impact. One example of varied pitch inflection can be seen in the sentence, "It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream." In the word American, King rises in inflection at the syllable -mer; he then begins dropping in inflection starting at the syllables -i and -can. King's greatest drop in inflection occurs at the word dream. His rise during the word American helps capture the fact that, despite Americans' failings, King values and has faith in his country. His dramatic drop at the word dream helps capture his sorrow that African American's own dreams for freedom still have not yet been fulfilled in America, despite the fact that their dreams are deeply "rooted in the American dream."