What was the relationship between U.S. industrialization and the large wave of Irish immigration of the mid-1800s?

Between 1815 and 1865 the United States experienced a significant boom in immigrants from Europe.  Approximately one-third of these immigrants came from Ireland.   Ireland had experienced a massive potato famine and this proved to be a push factor for many. Many of these immigrants were very poor and usually settled at their point of arrival in the cities along the East Coast.  Many of these cities were full of factories where these immigrants were able to find gainful employment. 

The mid 1880s was a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization as the cities swelled.  As new technologies were developed and working hours increased, factories were able to stay open longer.  The large supply of Irish labor provided cheap labor for the growing cities. The Irish immigrants were likely unskilled or semiskilled laborers.  

By the mid to late 1800s the light bulb and Bessemer process and steel would change the dynamics of city life. Steel would increase industrialization and the need for workers and the light bulb would allow for longer working hours thus increasing productivity.  

What is the significance of the noose in "The Flowers" by Alice Walker?

It isn't just the discovery of a human skull that changes Myop. She is “unafraid” and only gives “a little yelp of surprise” having stepped on the skull.

It’s the noose that finally establishes the point that the skull belongs to the man that was lynched to death. As soon as Myop is able to relate “the rotted remains of the noose” with the “frayed, rotted, bleached, and frazzled” piece of a rope “around an overhanging limb of a great spreading oak” and the dead man, the noose acquires a deeper significance.

Now, the noose lies on the ground as a grim reminder of violence and hatred. It's like a lens through which Myop gets an actual glimpse of the world she belongs to. It carries her from her myopic and self-constructed pristine world, consisting only of nature in its beautiful and harmless forms, to the real world of ruthlessness and hatred.

In the story, the noose is a very important and powerful image as it’s through the noose that Myop unmasks the ugly yet true face of the world that surrounds her. It shakes Myop from within and leads her into a complete transformation that she wasn't prepared for. Now, she is out of the non-existent idyllic world and stands stupefied confronting the real world.

What is the role of blindness in the play Oedipus Rex?

Blindness is important in Oedipus Rex in both literal and symbolic ways. Perhaps the most horrifying literal portrayal of blindness in the play occurs in its ending, where Oedipus stumbles out from the palace after having blinded himself by stabbing himself in the eyes in remorse for his own actions.

The other literal element of blindness in the play is that of the prophet Teiresias, who is led around by a servant, having been deprived of his vision by the gods before the play started, for having offended Hera. 

The main form of symbolic blindness is that of Oedipus, who despite possessing sight in a literal fashion lacks the ability to understand the significance of the things he sees. Although he sees Jocasta, he does not see that she is his mother. Although he saw an old man at the crossroads, he did not see that the old man was his father. Teiresias, when Oedipus taunts him concerning his blindness, responds:

 you have your eyesight, and you do not see

how miserable you are, or where you live,

or who it is who shares your household.

What is the word for a "journey planned by a group of people for a clear reason?"

A journey planned by a group of people for a clear reason is called an "expedition." Expeditions always have clear purposes, but the word is usually used to refer to journeys in pursuit of exploration, science, or war. For example, you can say that Vasco da Gama set out on an expedition to India in 1497. His purposes were clear: exploration and profit. Likewise, one often reads about the Carthaginian general Hannibal's expedition over the Alps and into Rome.

However--though technically accurate--not all journeys with clear purposes are referred to as expeditions. For example, you might travel from California to Maine to visit family members, but it would sound awkward to refer to it as an expedition (except as a tongue-in-cheek joke). Similarly, one does not usually speak of his "expedition" to the grocery store to buy eggs.

In the book Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, do Roy's parents decide to adopt Beatrice? What type of career does Roy go into after he graduates? What happens...

These are all questions that are not answered in the book, even in the Epilogue. To answer these questions, you must speculate about what you think could happen to these characters if the story went on. This is an interesting way to engage with a novel and a way of testing your reading comprehension. There are no right or wrong answers to such questions, but you should base your opinions on things that happened in the story or on your understanding of the characters.

So, do you think Roy's parents would end up adopting Beatrice? This seems plausible because we know Roy's mother miscarried a baby girl and was devastated by that. She is profoundly saddened when she finds out Mullet Fingers's mother doesn't want him. On the other hand, Beatrice is very loyal to her father and feels responsible for him. It seems unlikely that she would leave him. One might imagine a scenario where Mrs. Eberhardt unofficially adopts Beatrice and becomes a mentor to her, so Roy's mother would have some experience of having a daughter and Beatrice would have a positive female role model in her life.

What career might Roy decide to pursue? He loves the outdoors, so one might envision him becoming a naturalist or working for Everglades National Park. Roy is also concerned about people, as we can see in the way he befriends Mullet Fingers and Beatrice. Having seen the less-than-optimal performances of the guidance counselor and vice principal at Trace Middle, he might decide to become a school administrator who really cares for kids and works for their best interests. Since Roy has an inquiring mind and a desire to see justice done, one can also see him following in his father's footsteps to work as a law enforcement agent for the Department of Justice.

The Epilogue reveals that Lonna, Mullet Fingers's mother, is having relationship difficulties not only with her son and step-daughter, but also with her husband. One could imagine that Leon Leep divorces her after he sees her more clearly for who she is when she falsely accuses her son of stealing. Perhaps the crisis in their marriage leads both Mr. and Mrs. Leep into marital counseling, and Leon gets help for his alcoholism and depression. Through counseling, they might see how they have failed their children, and they may move toward a more functional family environment.

You can choose whatever outcome you prefer for the characters once the book has ended. That helps to make a story even more satisfying.

How do Arthur Miller and John Steinbeck present the themes of hopelessness and the failure of the American Dream, through their texts, Of Mice and...

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck presents George as a picture of a man who is hardworking but has an extremely heavy burden, taking care of Lennie. He speaks frequently of getting enough money to get himself a place of his own to farm, along with Lennie. Candy also is intrigued with this idea, offering to put up half of the money. Yet George seems to lose money rather than save it, not being able to stay in any one place for long because of Lennie. His “release” from Lennie through the latter’s death, shows that being free and independent comes at a great price, especially in loneliness and despair.

In The Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller shows Willie Loman in the same position. He is constantly traveling, trying to make enough money to take care of his family and get ahead in the world. Yet his job takes him away from his family, causing sacrifice of the very security he is trying to earn. He has become invisible in a society that is progressing around him. As his wife says, “Attention must be made!” The sacrifices and labors of Willie Loman are symbolic of the loneliness and “invisibility” of the suburban male. Both Steinbeck and Miller thus depict the common American male is struggling to survive at the cost of companionship and belonging.

When did the Roman Empire end?

The Roman Empire did not disintegrate all at once, so there are several parts to the answer to your question. The Roman Empire as a single, unified entity ended in 285 AD. Theodosius the Great briefly reunited it during his reign, but it remained permanently divided following his death in 395. From then on, the Western Roman Empire was ruled from Rome, and the Eastern Roman Empire was ruled from Constantinople.

The Western Roman Empire suffered an onslaught from barbarian invaders and eventually collapsed in 476 AD, when Emperor Romulus Augustulus was forced to abdicate the throne.

The Eastern Roman Empire lasted for almost 1,000 years after the Western half fell. Eventually, however, the Eastern Roman Empire succumbed to a perpetual assault from Ottoman Turks. It fell in 1453.

What does the term 'imagery' mean in poetic language?

Imagery is actually a very simple concept.

Poetic imagery occurs any time the poet uses the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste or touch.  

If you can see in your mind what the poet has written, that is a visual image. For example, if the poet describes yellow leaves dangling on a tree branch, you can imagine what that looks like, so that is a visual image. If the poet describes a sound in a person's head as a shrill, screaming bird, you can hear that, so it's auditory imagery. If the poet describes the scent of incense in the air, you can smell that. Often imagery is so commonplace that your eyes might brush over it, but something as simple as "her cheeks were red" is an image, because you can see those red cheeks in your mind's eye. So if an instructor would like you to find imagery in a poem, simply find everything the poet describes that you can see, hear, touch, taste or smell. 

Find the equation of a line that passes through point (0,2) and makes 45 degrees to the line 2x+3y+6=0.

Hello!

As you probably know, a normal (orthogonal) vector for a line with the equation `ax+by+c=0`  is `lta, bgt.` So for the given line it is `lt2, 3gt.`  Denote the equation in question as `y=mx+b,` which is the same as `mx-y+b=0,` its orthogonal vector is `ltm, -1gt.`

For the angle between the lines to be 45 degrees, the angle between normal vectors must be `+-45` degrees. Take the dot product of these two vectors: from the one hand, it is `2m-3,` from the other it is

`|<m, -1>| * |<2, 3>|*cos(45)=sqrt(m^2+1)*sqrt(2^2+3^2)*sqrt(2)/2=+-(2m-3).`

Square this equation and obtain

`(m^2+1)*13/2=(2m-3)^2=4m^2-12m+9,` or

`13m^2+13=8m^2-24m+18,` or

`5m^2+24m-5=0.`

The roots of this quadratic equation is

`(-12+-sqrt(144+25))/5=(-12+-13)/5,` i.e. `m_1=-5` and `m_2=1/5.`

Now we have to find the corresponding b's. The point (0, 2) satisfies the equation `y=mx+b,` so `b=y_0-mx_0=2-m*0=2.` Thus `b_1=b_2=2.`

This way, the answer is: `y=-5x+2` and `y=1/5 x+2.`

How does Granger's comparison of humanity to the phoenix add to the novel Fahrenheit 451?

In order to truly understand this question one must understand the mythical importance of the Phoenix. The Phoenix was a mythical Greek bird-like creature that was born out of fire. Once the Phoenix reached the culmination of its life, the bird was said to burst into flame and out of its flames it would be reborn anew. 

At the end of Fahrenheit 451, Montag's city is bombed. Although it is only briefly touched upon in Part 2, there has been a war going on for quite some time. Montag is already living with the Book People and he doesn't know whether anyone from his previous life in the city is even still alive. The Book People watch the bombs drop as the war begins and ends. (153) 

After the bombs have dropped, the Book People continue on their way, heading back towards the ruins of the city. Granger mentions the story of the Phoenix and compares it to mankind. 

There was a silly damn bird called a Phoenix back before Christ, every few hundred years he built a pyre and burned himself up. He must have been first cousin to Man. But every time he burnt himself up he sprang out of the ashes, he got himself born all over again. And it looks like we're doing the same thing, over and over, but we've got one damn thing the Phoenix never had. We know the damn silly thing we just did. We know all the damn silly things we've done for a thousand years and as long as we know that and always have it around where we can see it, some day we'll stop making the goddam funeral pyres and jumping in the middle of them. We pick up a few more people that remember, every generation. (156)

Granger is saying that Man is just like the Phoenix. Man always returns or continues to exist. The biggest difference is that Man can get a little better or keep his knowledge, allowing himself to learn from previous mistakes. Granger is suggesting that someday Man might actually learn enough to keep from destroying himself. In order to enable that to happen, Man must continue learning, documenting, and educating himself. Knowledge is what will save mankind in the end. 

Are there any other examples of forgiveness in the book Great Expectations besides Miss Havisham?

Another example of asking for forgiveness is evinced in Pip who asks Joe to forgive him for rejecting Joe when he visited in London and for his absence from the Forge; in short, for having neglected his old friend and father figure. 

In Chapter LVII, after Pip has remained with the dying Magwitch, he returns to the Temple where he falls ill with a raging fever from his experiences in the river and his sleep deprivation. As he slips in and out of consciousness, Pip sees debt collectors who take pity on his situation and do not remove him. He continues in his delirium, seeing Joe as he fades in and out of consciousness, thinking his old friend's face is just a vision. But, one day after his fever and illness has lessened, Pip asks for a drink of water, and Pip notes that "the face that looked so hopefully and tenderly upon me was the face of Joe."

Finally, when Pip begins to recover his strength, he dares to ask, "Is it Joe?" The reply is from the loving voice of this very man, "Which it air, old chap." Joe's kindness tears at Pip's heart because he has neglected to write or visit Joe for a long time:

Oh, Joe, you break my heart! Look angry at me, Joe. Strike me, Joe. Tell me of my ingratitude. Don't be so good to me!"

Joe feels there is nothing to forgive, although he clearly appreciates Pip's gratitude and apology:

"Which dear old Pip, old chap...you and me was ever friends. And when you're well enough to go out for a ride--what larks!"

After this, Pip does visit Joe and Biddy at the forge, and the old friendship between Joe and Pip is renewed.

What is the point of the Misses Tutti & Frutti Barber story?

The Miss Tutti and Frutti Barber episode is mainly used as comic relief and as a way for Harper Lee to explain why there is a Halloween pageant and not the normal trick-or-treating taking place in Maycomb.  The two spinster sisters are known for being a little eccentric (hence the nicknames Tutti and Frutti) compared to other people in Maycomb.  They are not born and bred “Maycomb-ites” (Maycombians?) but moved to Maycomb from northern Alabama.  They are best known for building a cellar in their house and having to chase the neighborhood children out of it.  The Halloween before the pageant, children snuck into their house and put all of their furniture in the basement.  The Barber sisters blamed a traveling fur salesman, a “Syrian”, for doing it.  Heck Tate brings in the bloodhounds to find the culprits and sees that all the neighborhood children are wearing their shoes to not give off a scent for the bloodhounds.

Tutti and Frutti are just examples of a couple of outsiders who are considered “different” by the population.  They are there for our comic enjoyment and to give us another glimpse of life in Maycomb. 

What is life?

Life, in scientific terms, can be defined as manifestation of several distinguishing characteristics. Some such distinguishing features of living beings typically include, ability to grow, reproduce, carry out metabolism, adapt to changing conditions, etc. Life forms are generally carbon-based and have evolved over the last couple of billion years on Earth. Life is manifested, in the simplest form, in the form of cells. Complex life forms are made up of a large number of cells and such examples include, human beings, plants, large animals, fishes, etc. Life can be distinguished from non-living things, in terms of inability to carry out life processes. For example, a piece of rock cannot reproduce or grow (on its own) or adapt to the environmental changes or carry out metabolic processes. 

Hope this helps. 

You have to go to a star which is 395 light years away travelling at 142000 km/h. How many years does it take you?

Hello!

By definition, one light year is the distance which light (electromagnetic wave) travels in vacuum during one (Earth's) year. This distance does not depend on a wavelength of the light. Also, it does not depend on a frame of reference.

The speed of light in vacuum is about 300,000 km/s and one year is about `3.2*10^8` s. Therefore one light year is

`300,000` km/s * `3.2*10^8` s ≈ `9.5*10^13` km,

and 395 light years is about

`395*9.5*10^13` km ≈ `3.75 * 10^16` km.

There are about 8766 hours in a year. Our speed is supposed to be 142,000 km/h, which is the same as 142,000 * 8766 ≈ `1.24*10^9` (km/year).

Now we divide the distance in kilometers by the speed in kilometers per year and obtain the time:

`3.75 * 10^16` km  /   `1.24*10^9` km/year  ≈  `3.0 * 10^7` years.

This is the answer: about 30 millions years.

What happens to an individual cell when it matures?

The life cycle of a cell is called the cell cycle. The cycle progresses from a new cell to one that grows, develops, carries out life processes and ultimately will divide again once it is mature. A mature cell by definition is differentiated or specialized to be a specific type of cell in the body unlike a stem cell which is undifferentiated. An example of a differentiated cell is a muscle cell or a nerve cell.

Depending on the type of cell, it may frequently divide like a skin cell or not divide after becoming mature like a nerve cell.

There are specific controls for the cell cycle which include different chemical signals that must be present to proceed to each stage of the cell cycle. There are checkpoints which allow the cycle to go from one stage to the next. Signals provided by specific chemicals at the correct time allow the cycle to function in a coordinated and organized way.

The cell cycle has the G1, S, G2 and M phases. During G1, a signal is required to cause the cell to proceed through the cycle to the M phase where it will eventually divide to form two daughter cells. If a signal is not present, the cell switches off to a phase where it doesn't divide, known as Go (G naught).

During G1 the cell grows and manufactures organelles. During the S phase, the chromosomes are duplicated to insure a complete set will be provided to each daughter cell at the end of the cell cycle. During G2 the cell grows some more. 

Eventually, the cell enters the M or mitosis phase. It will divide to become two daughter cells after cytokinesis occurs. That is, when the cytoplasm is divided into the two daughter cells. These two new cells will enter into the G1 phase of the cell cycle and will someday divide once they grow and become mature.

Why did Stephen Crane write the poem " I Was in the darkness"?

Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900) was an American poet and author whose literary style has been likened to that of Edgar Allen Poe. This comparison is based on their ability to make the reader feel detached while presenting some very provocative situations.

To question the author's purpose is an act of futility.  Even if you could put the inquiry to them personally, their answer would most probably be something along the lines of, "Because I needed to write it."  

"I Was in the Darkness" is from Crane's book of poetry titled The Black Riders and Other Lines. It was first published in 1895, with a very limited printing of 500 copies. 

Though they are only a few words, they speak to the bliss of ignorance.  They clamor to return to that state of being where one was unaware of the pain, misery, or obligation that a situation has brought to fruition.  It begs for destiny to,  "Let me return to that point where I had knowledge of only the joy, not the sorrow."

I was in the darkness;
I could not see my words
Nor the wishes of my heart.
Then suddenly there was a great light --

"Let me into the darkness again."

What is happening to the zoo in The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman?

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman takes place during World War II in Poland. The zoo, along with many other structures in the city of Warsaw, is repeatedly bombed and many of the animals are killed. The Zabinskis, who are zookeepers, have an idea to help the Jewish people. They turn the zoo into a safe place for the Jews and begin to smuggle them in. During the day, the Jewish people live in the animal cages, and in the evening, they gather together for meals and visits. It is a very risky thing to do because if Jan and Antonina Zabinski are caught, they will likely be sent to a concentration camp along with their Jewish guests. However, they know what they are doing is right, and that is what keeps them going.

What fruits are most effective for maintaining good health and what is a good diet plan for health?

Fruits are very healthy to eat and should be part of our daily diets. Fruits provide our bodies with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, fiber, water, etc. There are some fruits that are generally "better" than others and provide more health benefits. Bananas are high in potassium and help keep our blood pressure low. Berries such as acai, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are rich in antioxidants (they help protect us from free radicals) and help strengthen our cognitive functioning. They also fight heart disease and prevent some forms of cancer. Apples contain natural antihistamines and anti-inflammatory properties that are also great for our bodies. 

Components of a good plan will always consist of eating vegetables and fruits daily, low-fat dairy, and lean meats. It is also just as important to limit saturated fats and any added sugars. Everyone is different so it is always best to consult with a doctor when starting any diet plan. In addition, don't forget about portion control. A good rule of thumb is to divide the plate. One half of the plate should be vegetables and fruits, the rest divided between proteins and starches. 

Why does Antony call Caesar a bleeding piece of earth in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

Shakespeare seems to be alluding to the story in Genesis that God created man out of the dust and breathed life into him. Antony could not see his friend's body as the living person he knew, and the analogy with something made out of dirt or clay may have occurred to him just as it did to the author of Genesis. There are two references to man being made out of dirt or dust in Genesis.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Chapter 2, Verse 7).

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return (Chapter 3, Verse 19).

Although Antony sees Caesar's body as something that will soon turn to dust, he also sees Caesar's body is still bleeding from its wounds. It is not Caesar, but something that the soul of Caesar has left behind. Caesar himself is immortal, in Antony's conception, and will return to take his revenge on those who murdered him. Antony does not want to address the corpse as Caesar because that would negate the idea that Caesar's spirit has gone elsewhere and will return.

It is significant that Antony addresses this soliloquy to the corpse of Caesar. Soon, he will be carrying it before the assembled commoners to make his forthcoming funeral address and he will be using Caesar's mutilated body to incite a mutiny. 

In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, what plan concerning Tess has Joan Durbeyfield developed since hearing the news of their newfound heritage?

Joan is determined to get some advantage for her family due to their newly discovered connection to the ancient d'Urberville family. In chapter four, she follows her husband to the pub, where she tells him that she knows of a rich lady named d'Urberville living in Tantridge, a distant town, and her plan is to send Tess to "claim kin." Joan figures that their relations will be glad to know of this branch of the family, and even speculates that while there Tess might find a gentleman to marry, and become well-off. This variation on a common theme in other English novels (e.g., the lower class girl getting the higher class man, as in Pride and Prejudice, or Jane Eyre), far from securing Tess's future, sets into motion the events that will lead Tess to her ruin.

What do you suppose is the theme of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"? The speaker is forced to move on even though he desires to remain in...

One of the central themes of this poem is that every person is, at some point, torn between what they want and what others expect from them.

The speaker of the poem is clearly someone with responsibilities; busyness, for him, is so routine that even his horse thinks it is strange when he makes an unscheduled or atypical stop. It is a very dark night, and the speaker is arrested in his progress through the forest by the beauty of the scene around him: the "woods fill[ing] up with snow," the complete solitude (there is no "farmhouse near"), the sound of "easy wind and downy flake," and the perfect, unbroken darkness. This image is quite tranquil, and it seems to have a soothing effect on the speaker as well, given the language he uses to describe it.

He acknowledges that "The woods are lovely, dark and deep," emphasizing the beauty of the scene first. Because "dark and deep" describes the forest's loveliness, we can understand that the reason he finds it so beautiful is precisely because of that perfect darkness and the way the wood seems to go on and on, allowing him to forget -- momentarily -- the other responsibilities he has.  Finally, however, he decides that he cannot stay in this beautiful place, though he might wish to, because he has "promises to keep." The speaker chooses his obligation to others over his own preference to stay in this peaceful place. Not everyone would necessarily make the same choice, but the poem does emphasize that it is a choice.

I am trying to find a book, or poem in which a character has clothing that hides their true identity.

There are many books about Deborah Sampson. Sampson was a twenty-three year old woman who managed to conceal her gender in order to fight in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. She enlisted using the name Robert Shurtliff and dressed as male soldier in order to live and fight alongside the soldiers for over a year. Her identity was revealed after she became ill, and was treated in an army hospital. Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier by Alfred F. Youngtells the story of Sampson’s experiences, and attempts to dispel some of the hyperbole that surrounds her story. Another book that tells the story of Deborah Sampson is Soldier's Secret: The Story of Deborah Sampson by Sheila Solomon Klass. Later in life, Sampson spent time lecturing about her experiences.

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, what makes the children lose their way?

It is easy to see in Chapter XXXI how Tom and Becky could have gotten lost in the cave. At first they stayed with the rest of the company. Then the children began playing hide-and-seek. Naturally, Tom and Becky went off to hide by themselves. This began their separation from the group. They began exploring the fascinating features of the underground world, 

...holding their candles aloft and reading the tangled web-work of names, dates, post-office addresses, and mottoes with which the rocky walls had been frescoed (in candle-smoke). Still drifting and talking, they scarcely noticed that they were now in a part of the cave whose walls were not frescoed.

The strange beauties of the cave have a hypnotic effect on these young children. Becky has implicit trust in Tom, and Tom is motivated to explore farther and farther because of his characteristic spirit of adventure, his "ambition to be a discoverer," and his belief that someday he is going to find a hidden treasure or something else equally marvelous. Mark Twain uses part of this chapter to describe the setting. For example:

Presently they came to a place where a little stream of water, trickling over a ledge and carrying a limestone sediment with it, had, in the slow-dragging ages, formed a laced ledge and ruffled Niagara in gleaming and imperishable stone....This shortly brought them to a bewitching spring, whose basin was incrusted with a frostwork of glittering crystals; it was in the midst of a cavern whose walls were supported by many fantastic pillars which had been formed by the joining of great stalactites and stalagmites together, the result of the ceaseless water-drip of centuries. 

A stalactite is a formation that hangs from the cave roof and is gradually extended by the minerals in the dripping water. A stalagmite is a formation of mineral deposits that grows upward from the cave-floor.

What really gets these children lost and disoriented is running into the bats. There are thousands of them. They attack the children and force them to flee into the first corridor they come to. 

The bats chased the children a good distance, but the fugitives plunged into every new passage that offered, and at last got rid of the perilous things.

Tom and Becky are afraid to go back the way they came because of the bats, so they explore other corridors at random. By this point they are hopelessly lost. As Tom tells Becky, he doesn't even know which way is north, or south, or east. It takes the two children a long time to realize the terrible predicament they are in. Tom tries to act confident, but Becky becomes more and more frightened and despairing. They lose all track of time as well as all sense of direction. Worst of all, they are gradually burning up their candles and facing the prospect of being lost in the absolute darkness of an enormous cave. Chapter XXXI leaves them feeling weary, hungry, "and sick with bodings of coming doom." 

What does Dave do with the gun when he brings it home, and what does he tell his mother when she asks for it?

Dave takes a long time to be granted permission to buy a gun, and only if he promises to bring it home directly and give it to his mother. However, Dave, an adolescent, has other plans.

He does not come straight home with the gun; "instead he had stayed out in the fields, holding the weapon in his hand, aiming it now and then at some imaginary foe." The gun makes him feel proud and strong, like a man, even though he admits that he does not know how to fire it and is afraid to wake anyone up.

He stays out so late that his parents are asleep when he returns. He lies to his mother when she wakes him up to ask for it by saying he had hidden it outdoors, and "would bring it to her in the morning." Of course the reader realizes that Dave has no intention of giving the gun to his mother. He leaves early to work with the hopes of finding time alone to shoot it, and after that, catastrophe strikes.

1. Why is it harder to overcome the inertia of a bowling ball than a baseball? A. because the bowling ball is larger B. because the bowling ball...

Hello!

6. Acceleration (instantaneous or average) is of course
C. change in speed ÷ time.

Therefore 4. (280 km/s) / (7 s) = 40 (km/s)/s, C.

1. It is not clear whether a balls considered at rest or moving at their usual speeds. In the first case "overcome the inertia" means "make a ball move with some speed" of course mass is a measure of inertia, and the answer is B.

But in the second case "overcome the inertia" probably means "stop a ball moving with usual speed" and the answer depends on momentum, which may be greater of any ball. So the answer is C if it is known that "is it harder to overcome the inertia of a bowling ball than a baseball".

2. The friction force depends on the properties of the surfaces and the pressure force (against the surface). So A is irrelevant, in the cases B and D the friction would decrease and in C it would increase. The answer is C.

5. Momentum and acceleration aren't forces, so the answer is A.

In "Tickets, Please!," why were the characters reluctant to dismount their coach?

In the story, passengers are reluctant to dismount their coaches because they do not relish the idea of waiting for another tram while stranded outside in the cold. Furthermore, the unrelenting cold is usually accompanied by strong winds.

So, the passengers usually refuse to disembark unless a fire on board threatens their very existence. Even then, they often wait until circumstances leave them in no doubt about their danger before they climb out. The passengers know that most trams are packed; therefore, the chances of being picked up by another tram is very slim. Furthermore, some passing trams may be in disrepair and so, cannot pick up any passengers.

The passengers reason that, even if a tram leaps off the rails (due to the recklessness of the driver), other trams will soon be along to help 'haul it out.' They prefer to wait in the safety and security of the tram rather than risk being stranded out in the cold, with no prospect of continuing their journey.

The reason for this reluctance to dismount is that the nights are howlingly cold, black and windswept, and a car is a haven of refuge. From village to village the miners travel, for a change of cinema, of girl, of pub. The trams are desperately packed. Who is going to risk himself in the black gulf outside, to wait perhaps an hour for another tram, then to see the forlorn notice 'Depot Only'—because there is something wrong; or to greet a unit of three bright cars all so tight with people that they sail past with a howl of derision?

What is the correct term for someone that does not believe in a god but instead believes in science?

There are several different terms representing specific forms of belief or disbelief. One of the things that makes the terminology somewhat complicated is that the modern English term "belief" actually can refer to two different concepts, belief in the existence of a god and worship of that god. 

The term "atheist" is used to refer to people who are absolutely certain that no gods of any type exist and who also do not worship any gods.

"Agnostic" is the term which applies to people who are not certain about whether gods exist or not or, if they do exist, what their nature might be. These can include people who are undogmatic atheists but also may include religious or spiritual people who believe that it is not possible to have certain knowledge about the nature or existence of gods. 

The term nontheistic can apply to a range of people who do not believe in the existence of personal gods and even certain religions such as Buddhism or Unitarian Universalism.

Most people in the modern western world accept that science describes many aspects of the world correctly. This means that they "believe in" science to the degree of believing that certain things stated by certain scientists are correct. No scientist would believe that every single scientific hypothesis ever advanced was correct; in fact, one measure of scientific thinking is that one is constantly checking one's assumptions by means of research and experimentation rather than holding dogmatically to a single set of assumptions. The other sense of belief, namely "worship" or "faith", is one really opposed to scientific thinking. 

In philosophy, the belief that all phenomena can be explained by material causes (and thus that there is no explanatory need for a god) is called "materialism". 

One group of atheists, sometimes called the "New Atheists", of whom the most notable is Richard Dawkins, do seem, though, to treat science almost as a religion, looking to it for solutions to all the problems of the world.

From Gregor's point of view, what might be some positive aspects of his metamorphosis into an insect?

When Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find that he has changed overnight into a large insect, he struggles to figure out how to control his new body. He cannot move the way he used to, he can't make himself understood by his family, and he injures himself when he moves. He soon adjusts to his insect body, realizing he can walk on the walls and ceiling, and fall without injury. His teenage sister copes better with his transformation than his parents, and brings him the types of food she has found he prefers.

Gregor may indeed find some positive changes that go along with his transformation. For at least five years he has been the sole support of his family, working as a traveling salesman for a demanding supervisor. Since his father lost his business he has grown fat, old, and unable to work. Although at first his family was grateful that Gregor supported them they soon came to take him for granted. Gregor had no real life of his own. The picture frame in his room contained a photo of an anonymous woman he clipped from a magazine, and his mother tells his employer that Gregor spent what time he had at home reading the trade journals. Now, although his parents are afraid and disgusted by the sight of him, he is fed and does not have to work. His new body appears to heal more quickly than his old one, at least at first. When he sees his father after about two months, his father has apparently taken a job and is standing straight. His mother and sister are also employed. After an incident in which Gregor's father tries to kill him, his father seems to accept Gregor for who or what he now is. By the end of the novella with Gregor dead, the three remaining members of the family are in a much better state than they were when they let Gregor support them all; even his death as an insect has brought some positive aspects to his family.

What is the protocol for volunteering in The Hunger Games?

In most of the districts, there is no protocol. Usually, they wait to ask for volunteers until after they introduce who has been chosen, but clearly that is not set in stone because Katniss volunteers for Prim before Prim even makes it onto the stage.

However, it is completely different in Districts 1, 2, and 4. The tributes from these three districts are known as the "Career Tributes" because they spend their lives training for the Games. Each of these three districts has an academy that trains all the children until they're 18 (when they are no longer eligible for the Reaping), which is technically against the laws that the Capitol set down, but since these districts are so close and important to the Capitol, they do not get in trouble. Instead of a normal Reaping, the tributes from these districts are hand-picked by the people who run the academies (usually former victors, which are in abundance as most victors come from these districts) from the best in the classes. Being a tribute (especially a victorious one) is seen as the ultimate honor in these districts, so it is a very competitive situation.

How do Dickens and Shakespeare present their characters as disobedient? For example: Juliet (Romeo and Juliet) and Estella (Great...

Products of their times, both Juliet and Estella are brought up to fulfill a certain destiny. Juliet is to be married eventually to someone who is chosen or approved of by her father. He has chosen Count Paris. Estella is brought up to break men’s hearts. Both reject this path, though Estella follows it for some time.

Juliet, when we first meet her in the play, is not at all thinking of marriage. Her love is for her family, including her favorite cousin, Tybalt. Yet when she meets Romeo, her love is instantaneous. Her hesitation is the result of the swiftness of Romeo’s courtship and proposal of marriage. She is swept away by his emotion, but the day after her marriage she questions it, since her husband has killed her favorite cousin. Still not knowing of Juliet’s marriage, her father orders her to marry Paris. She knows this is impossible since she is already married. But should she be? She questions this herself, whether she can truly love the killer of her cousin.

Estella begins by following orders to break Pip’s heart. Her cruelty does not deter him, however, and over the years, especially why Pip moves to London, she begins to change her attitude toward Pip. While she rejects him as a lover (being not enough of a gentleman), she refuses to break his heart. As with Juliet, tragedy results, though Estella does not die. She marries a man for his position, is abused, and then released by his death. The ending of the novel gives some hint that she has matured enough to accept Pip’s love and return it, in complete defiance of her upbringing.

Both girls defy their upbringing and love people whom they should not be with, which makes them seem disobedient.

Was Elmer Davis appointed Director of the Office of War Information by Franklin Roosevelt in June, 1942?

Elmer Davis (1890-1958), a journalist, was appointed head of the newly created Office of War Information (OWI) by Franklin D. Roosevelt in June of 1942. Born in Indiana, Davis became a journalist and editorial writer for the New York Times and then a news anchor at CBS Radio.

In Davis's position as head of the Office of War Information, he encouraged Roosevelt to allow Japanese-Americans to serve as soldiers in World War II, and Davis spoke out against Japanese internment. He also believed that Americans had the right to information about the war and that photos of the war should show the dead bodies of soldiers (though previously, fallen soldiers had always been covered up in official photos or draped with blankets or flags). His slogan was "This is a people's war, and the people are entitled to know as much as possible about it." However, often the military was not forthcoming with information about what was going on in the war. After World War II, Davis used his platform as a journalist to denounce Joseph McCarthy's war on domestic communism and his abrogation of constitutional rights to free speech. 

Why does Scout stand up for Walter?

In Chapter 2, it is Scout's first day of school. During lunchtime, Scout's teacher, Miss Caroline, notices that Walter Cunningham doesn't have a lunch. Walter tells Miss Caroline that he left his lunch at home and Miss Caroline attempts to give him a quarter to pay for his lunch. Walter shakes his head and refuses the quarter. Confused, Miss Caroline attempts multiple times to give Walter a quarter, and Walter continues to reject her offer. One of Scout's classmates whispers in her ear, "Go on and tell her, Scout." (Lee 26) Scout's classmates must look up to her because they persuade Scout to explain Walter's situation to Miss Caroline. Scout attempts to explain to Miss Caroline that Walter comes from a poor family who refuses to take anything they cannot pay back. Instead of fully explaining Walter's background, Scout assumes Miss Caroline understands what she means when she says, "he's a Cunningham." (Lee 26) Eventually, Scout tells Miss Caroline that she's "shamin'" him and Walter can't repay her with stovewood. Miss Caroline loses her patience with Scout and punishes her by patting her twelve times on the palm with a ruler. 

Who are the main characters in the story "The Devil and Tom Walker"?

One main character is Kidd.  Without him the story can't really happen.  He is an old, dead and gone pirate that made a deal with the devil to secretly hide his treasure.  

Tom Walker is the main character, as is evidenced by the title of the story.  He is a stingy, miserly man.  He lives an unhappy life with his wife.  He is tempted to take the devil's deal to find and use Kidd's lost treasure.  Tom refuses at first, but later decides to make a deal with the devil.  

Tom's wife is another main character.  She is equally unhappy and miserly.  She decides to go looking for the devil to make her own deal, and she is killed for it.  

The narrator is the fictional Geoffrey Crayon.  He is a main character because he is the story teller.  He is simply relaying a story that he has heard many times to his audience.  

Old Scratch is the devil that makes the deal with Kidd and later Tom Walker.  

When Bud told Miss Thomas about how he found out that Herman is his grandfather, what happened?

Bud goes upstairs to get the photograph of his mother to show to Miss Thomas and Mr. Jimmy, seeking confirmation that she is Mr. Calloway's daughter. He enters his room to find his grandfather sitting in there, sobbing. After a quiet attempt to console his grandfather, Bud takes the photograph downstairs. Mr. Jimmy and Miss Thomas confirm that it is a photo of Angela Janet Calloway.

Bud gives his grandfather the photograph and all but one of the rocks he's guarded so carefully for so long. The band members buy a gift for Bud, a saxophone, and tell him they will teach him how to play it after he shines it. He finds his family and the path to a future beyond depression.

How does Mr. Hooper's veil benefit him in his role as a clergyman? How do these details suggest the theme of the story?

One way in which Mr. Hooper benefits from the veil is that he can now affect his parishioners to a much greater extent than he ever did before he put it on.  The narrator tells us that, on the day he first wears the veil, his sermon was "marked by the same characteristics of style and manner" as his sermons always were, and yet

there was something, either in the sentiment of the discourse itself, or in the imagination of the auditors, which made it greatly the most powerful effort that they had ever heard from their pastor's lips.

Despite the fact that Mr. Hooper speaks as mildly as usual, this sermon is somehow more persuasive, more poignant than any he has delivered before.  In fact, every listener "felt as if the preacher had crept upon them, behind his awful veil, and discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought."  They feel more understood by him than they ever have; it's as though he somehow knows them more fully, and this feeling makes them extremely uncomfortable because there is something they wish to hide.  Moreover, when he goes to pray over the body of a recently deceased girl,

The people trembled, though they but darkly understood him when he prayed that they, and himself, and all of mortal race, might be ready, as he trusted this young maiden had been, for the dreadful hour that should snatch the veil from their faces.

We begin, now, to understand what this veil represents.  That his audience feels that he, with his veil, has "discovered their hoarded iniquity of deed or thought" and that it is death, alone, that will "snatch the veil" away, helps us to see that the veil must have to with our secret sinful thoughts or actions.  Our pretense -- portraying ourselves to the world as sinless -- separates us from one another, preventing us from truly knowing each other, and will only be lifted when we die.  If the thing we fear most is the revelation of our sinfulness to another person, then we can never realize that we are all sinners (a popular Hawthorne theme), and it is our unnecessary deception that ultimately -- and unnecessarily -- alienates each of us.

Furthermore, if Mr. Hooper were to just come out and accuse each of them of being a secret sinner who purposefully hides their true, sinful, natures, his message would seem a lot less palatable to his listeners. Wearing the veil, however, not only engages them in some critical thinking about why he would wear it and what it represents but also precisely conveys the point that we all do this.  Even the minister hides his true nature, recognizes the universality of the pretense, and STILL doesn't have the nerve to tell them what the veil means.  Therefore, this need to present ourselves as sinless creatures seems to be a real deep-seated human impulse.  Not even the minister can escape it.

What is the doctor's reaction to the news of the pearl?

When Juana and Kino first took their baby Coyotito to the doctor, he refused to treat him, since they are natives of the country, not the conquerors of which the doctor is a part. The doctor is self-indulgent, dishonest, and unscrupulous. Therefore, when he hears that Kino has found a great pearl, he goes to Kino’s hut, claiming to have been out when they came earlier. He examines Coyotito, saying that the poison will strike in an hour. He gives the child some medicine of doubtful effectiveness. Coyotito vomits in an hour. Kino tells the doctor that he will pay him for his services when he manages to sell the pearl. The doctor accepts this, sure that the pearl is worth a great price. However, it is obvious that he looks around the hut for a hiding place, observes Kino’s glance to the hiding spot, and probably plans to return later to steal it to get the whole fee for the treasure.

What would be a thesis statement using the role of the wife in the story "Cathedral"?

The wife was afraid that her husband would spoil the visit from the blind man whose name is Robert. Her husband is shy and awkward with strangers, and he is also obviously somewhat jealous of the special relationship that his wife had with Robert, as well as more than a little suspicious of what his wife has told Robert about him in their many communications. As the evening progresses, however, the wife is pleasantly surprised that her husband and Robert are getting along very well. She realizes that her husband has more sensitivity than she had given him credit for. He can appreciate the same good qualities in Robert that she appreciates in him herself. This experience will not only help to develop a three-way relationship between herself, her husband, and Robert, but it will improve the teetering marital relationship that was developing between her husband and herself. Robert's blindness has given him special psychic powers, so to speak. He has learned to see through other people's eyes. which gives him tolerance, sympathy, and understanding. Robert is able to form good relations with strangers quickly because he has had to be so dependent on other people. The visit the wife dreaded has turned out to have a sort of magical effect on the couple.

Why does Mr. Collins decide he wants to marry one of the Bennet daughters in Pride and Prejudice?

William Collins is a clergyman and cousin to Mr. Bennet. He has a sense of what is proper and acceptable and also seems to exude an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Because his social skills are lacking, he seems to think that the first young lady he meets that he finds agreeable should agree to be his wife. He sets his sights on Elizabeth because she is genteel, attractive and intelligent, and because of his connection to the family he feels entitled to expect her acceptance. Because Elizabeth is polite to him, he mistakes this for reciprocity of his affections, and even insists that she refuses his proposal out of a sense of propriety, because she secretly does wish to marry him. Oddly enough, this is similar to the behavior Elizabeth displays towards Mr. Darcy when she first rejects his proposal. Mr. Collins' lack of sensitivity and social boorishness make him a completely inappropriate match for Elizabeth, but on some level he is a more caricatured version of Darcy, who is also somewhat awkward socially and not as comfortable with the social niceties that are expected of gentlemen in Austen's milieu.

What impact did British Colonialism/Imperialism have on Kenya?

The British government ruled over Kenya between 1895 and 1963. The presence in this east African country left an indelible mark. The positives of British rule were the establishments of government and education systems that improved Kenyan lives. The British brought political stability that led to the end to regional warfare and slavery that existed before the British arrived. The system of government established by Britain was one that modeled representative rule. Despite the fact that Africans had very little say in the government, it was a sort of guide for future generations of Kenya.

Another positive was the infrastructure improvements made by the British, particularly in the area of railroad transportation. Britain was able to modernize Kenya in a way that benefited the people after they were granted independence. Today, Kenya is one of the strongest economies in East Africa.

The negatives associated with British rule revolve around the loss of African culture and sovereignty. The British introduced a new language and religion to the Kenyans that still exist in significant ways today in the country. Many British moved to Kenya during the colonial period and over 32,000 are still in Kenya. They tend to exert significant influence over Kenya's political elite. Some of the land policies and the politics of divide and conquer had the effect of causing political instability in Kenya after the British left.

Who benefited from the Henrietta Lacks study? How?

We all have, tremendously. Sadly, Ms. Lacks herself really didn't.

Henrietta Lacks was suffering---indeed, dying---from cervical cancer and being treated at Johns Hopkins, where a researcher by the name of George Gey covertly took one of her biopsy samples and began replicating it in petri dishes---cloning it in a sense, but mostly really using the cancer's own power of exponential replication.

This was the first time anyone had successfully created an "immortal cell culture", a colony of human cells that had the power to grow and multiply indefinitely.

The cell line is now called HeLa (shortened from Henrietta Lacks of course). It has been used for numerous purposes in biology and medicine, from the polio vaccine to space research. HeLa has been used to develop treatments for Parkinson's disease, leukemia, and even influenza. The development of immortal cell cultures was a major breakthrough in medical science.

And of course pharmaceutical companies have made millions of dollars selling patented drugs that used HeLa in their development, and neither Lacks nor her family will ever see a dime of those profits. It is likely that Henrietta Lacks herself never even knew her biopsy sample had been used in this way. Many of her family members were even tricked into giving DNA samples that researchers later used without their knowledge.

Therein lies the paradox: The creation of HeLa was therefore at once a major breakthrough in medical science and a grievous breach of medical ethics. Its benefits for humanity have been enormous, and it is likely that Lacks would have consented to this research if she had ever been asked to---but she was not. Racism and classism clearly played a role in convincing scientists that they didn't need to get her consent in order to use her cells in this way. The good news is that this particularly egregious case has spurred a new debate on medical ethics and informed consent, so that hopefully something like this will never happen again.

Hello,I am in seventh grade at a peace school and I need help. My teacher wants me to prove and not prove that America has freedom, justice and...

It is certainly possible to argue both that America provides and does not provide freedom, justice, and equality.  Let us briefly see how this is the case.

We can argue that the US provides all of these things because we can see many examples of each.  America provides us with freedom.  We are free to criticize our government as much as we want and in the harshest of terms.  We can practice whatever we religion we choose, or no religion at all.  We can say that the US provides justice.  We do not live in a country where a rich person can generally bribe a judge, for example, to rule against a poor person.  We live in a country where the law applies to everyone.  America provides us with equality.  Perhaps the clearest example of this is the fact that a man who is half African-American is our president only 50 years after the Civil Rights Movement finally gave blacks the guaranteed right to vote.  We have many non-white leaders in all areas of life, showing that there is equality of opportunity in this country.

One the other hand, we can argue that we in the US do not have any of these things.  We can say that people are only free to do things in the US that are not terribly unpopular.  Religious people are not free to act according to their beliefs with respect to gay people.  Muslims in many places are not free to have places of worship where they do not have to worry about being harassed for their faith.  We can argue that Americans do not have justice.  We see how police officers can kill young black men with seeming impunity.  We know that innocent people are convicted of crimes and even sentenced to death.  We know that people with money can afford lawyers who can manipulate the legal system to their advantage.  We can say that Americans do not have equality.  Women do not make as much money as men.  Non-whites are badly overrepresented among the ranks of the poor. 

From these things, we can see that is possible to argue both that Americans do and do not have freedom, justice, and equality.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of cognitivism?

Cognitivism evolved in opposition to behaviorism. While behaviorist theories viewed human learning and development primarily in terms of conditioned responses to external stimuli, and treated the minds of individuals as black boxes, simply transforming inputs into outputs, cognitivism looked inside the black boxes, and was concerned with mental processes. In particular, in education, it focused on the learning process, resulting in a pedagogical orientation towards active learning.  

While this focus on student engagement and active learning has been quite positive, especially in understanding the need to adapt curricula to the abilities and interests of individual learners, cognitivism has certain limitations. First, some scholars assert that it downplays important external factors such as cultural traditions and socioeconomic circumstances that also affect learning. Other educators find that the emphasis on learning process tends to make education almost content free, and argue that teachers trained in cognitivist traditions of education of sacrifice essential expertise in subject matter.

Why was the Declaration Of Independence an important event in the American Revolution?

As many historians have pointed out, the colonies were losing the Revolutionary War when their delegates approved the Declaration of Independence. So it was not as if the British recognized independence when they declared it. But it was important for many reasons. First, it gave each colony, which had for at least one year expelled British governing officials, the green light to develop its own constitution. By the end of the year, most of them had done so. Second, it ensured that the Revolutionary War was to be a fight to the finish, without a negotiated settlement that did not involve American independence. Third, the principles stated in the Declaration (particularly the statement that "all men are created equal") have often served as a touchstone in American politics. Last, and perhaps most important, the Declaration of Independence basically paved the way for a formal alliance with France, an arrangement that was absolutely essential to actually winning independence. So the Declaration of Independence was a document of major historical significance.

What is the significance and origin of the title of the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Shakespeare had a lot of fun with the whole idea of summertime, fantasy, and dreams throughout A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The title itself would have immediately clued his original audience into the fact the play took place on June 23rd, the summer solstice, then called ‘midsummer.’ In Shakespeare’s time this was a special day of feasting and celebration. The Elizabethan people were generally superstitious, and some believed the summer solstice was an especially magical time. Festivals celebrated fertility, and often famous stories were re-enacted, such as St. George and the Dragon. Sometimes bones were burned, thus giving us the term ‘bonfire.’

The title could also refer to three different dreams possibilities within the play itself. First is a reference to the unfortunate Bottom, who when in donkey state couldn’t believe that Titania, the lovely Queen of the Fairies, actually fell in love with him. The next day he puzzled over everything he remembered, deciding it must have been an odd dream:

“I have had a dream, past the wit of man to
say what dream it was: man is but an ass, if he go
about to expound this dream. Methought I was--there
is no man can tell what. Methought I was,--and
methought I had,--but man is but a patched fool, if
he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye
of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not
seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue
to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream
was.”

The second dream-like reference might be the four young lovers whose lives get unbearably tangled when Puck completely mixes up Oberon’s instructions and the wrong people fall in love with the wrong people. The next day they are confused and think they must have been dreaming. Demetrius says, “Are you sure/ that we are awake? It seems to me/That yet we sleep, we dream.” And as they return to the duke’s home, Demetrius continues: “Why, then, we are awake: let's follow him/ And by the way let us recount our dreams.”

Finally, at the very end of the play, the prankster Puck addresses the audience and suggests that they have actually dreamt the entire play themselves:

“If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream…”

So the title A Midsummer Night’s Dream aptly captures the magical, dream-like, and ultimately joyful tone of the entire work.

What steps has the government taken to evaluate the impact of the legislation on health care cost in the U.S.?

The federal government monitors the impact legislation has on health care costs in a variety of manners.  The department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been tasked with evaluating, reviewing, collecting data, and working with states to ensure that legislation, particularly the Affordable Care Act, is enacted properly. 

The federal government further evaluates health care data and information provided by clinicians, hospitals and other healthcare organizations that receive federal dollars.  The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) is an example of a reporting method.  Physicians report to the government on predetermined key indicators.  Physicians must meet the standards established by the government.  By doing so, the providers then receive payment accordingly.  This is otherwise referred to as pay for performance.

Hospitals also report to CMS various measures, which are called core measures. Hospitals then receive incentive payments based on their abilities to meet the standards established by the government. 

The government further monitors legislation through health care costs by working with states on determining payment systems through the managed care programs in the respective states. 

Describe the setting of the poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."

On the surface, the setting of Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” seems simple enough, but the setting of a poem is often indicative of its theme. Some find the theme of this poem questionable, in spite of its simplicity. Is it deep and mysterious, or simply the musings of a man enjoying a lovely evening before he hurries on to his duties?

The setting is rather straightforward. The speaker is traveling through the woods on a snowy night when he stops to experience his surroundings. He does not own the woods but is on another gentleman’s property, which includes a deep thicket of woodland, along with a frozen lake. It is the darkest night of the year, which indicates it is the Winter Solstice. The speaker finds the vision of the woods filling with snow enjoyable as he states, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” This would be indicative of Frost’s time in New Hampshire, where such a setting would prove to be an enjoyable escape to a many a New Englander.