With which method can one typically observe tissues?

Tissues are groups of cells that are similar in structure and function. Tissues make up organs.  There are four main groups of tissues. The four groups of tissues include connective tissue, epithelial tissue, nervous tissue, and muscular tissue. Below, three methods of observing tissues have been identified.

• 
  Transmission electron microscopes (TEM) is one way that tissues can be observed. A TEM shoots electrons in a beam that is focused on an object. An image-producing system then focuses the electrons that passed through a specimen to form a highly magnified image of the specimen. The TEM’s image-recording system converts the image produced by the electrons into an image that can be interpreted by the human eye.
  


• Fluorescent stains can be applied to tissues so they can be observed under fluorescent microscopes.


• 
  Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy is beneficial in observing thicker samples of living tissues.
  

I need a summary of Unwind by Neal Shusterman.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman creates a dystopian future in which abortion has become illegal, but as a result of the controversies concerning abortion in the United States a bizarrely improbable set of laws have been passed in which parents can choose to have their children "unwound" or transformed into unwilling organ donors between the ages of 13 and 18. Much of the novel works out the premises of this sort of society, including people anonymously leaving unwanted babies on the doorsteps of others. The complexity of the moral issues concerning right to life and the nature of life is expressed in the following quotation from the novel:

In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn't a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is

Naturally, many of the teenagers who are selected to be "unwound" don't want to die or donate organs. Thus we have three teens who rebel who are the main characters of the novel, the protagonists Risa and Connor and the selfish and manipulative Roland, who are all scheduled to be unwound and flee to avoid that fate. They escape to the Graveyard, a sanctuary for teens run by Admiral Dunfee, where a power struggle ensues between those loyal to the Admiral and Roland and his followers. All three teens end up being captured and sent to Happy Jack Harvest Camp to be unwound. Roland dies, but Connor and Risa survive to take over the Graveyard. Their friend Lev, who who is a devout and morally conflicted teen, campaigns to change the laws about unwinding and succeeds in reducing the maximum age at which a teen can be unwound. 

Explain the conflict man vs. nature in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

While the main conflicts in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet involve man vs. man, man vs. society and man vs. fate, there are two instances of man vs. nature. A conflict involving man vs. nature occurs when the characters battle against something in nature that is not caused by human beings.

In Act III, Scene 5, Juliet struggles against nature when she thinks she hears the nightingale, a symbol for the night, singing outside her window. She very much wants the night to last because she is with Romeo on the eve of his banishment from Verona. After killing Tybalt, Romeo must leave or risk apprehension by the Prince and possible death. When Romeo gets up to leave, Juliet implores him to stay:

Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree.
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.

Fate has conspired against Romeo and Juliet and now nature hinders the couple from being together. Finally realizing it is actually a lark, "the herald of the morn," Juliet urges Romeo to leave.

The second example of man vs. nature is in Act V, Scene 2 when Friar John, who is carrying Friar Lawrence's message to Romeo, is detained by a plague threat. Friar John never delivers the all important note which explains the Friar's plan for Juliet to fake her death. The plague ravaged Europe for many years and was a problem in Renaissance Italy. John explains the situation to Lawrence:

Going to find a barefoot brother out,
One of our order, to associate me,
Here in this city visiting the sick,
And finding him, the searchers of the town,
Suspecting that we both were in a house
Where the infectious pestilence did reign,
Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth,
So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed.

The letter would have explained to Romeo that Juliet was still alive and he should arrive at Capulet's tomb at the time of her awakening to take the girl away, presumably to live happily ever after. But, as with the deadly feud between the two families, and a malevolent fate, nature goes against the two young lovers.  

Can you compare and contrast madness and social hierarchies in Diary of a Madman and The Bell Jar?

In Gogol's "Diary of a Madman," the madman is obsessed with his boss and his boss's daughter. He is also obsessed with rank. This emphasis on rank is a common theme in Nineteenth Century Russian literature as the social hierarchy at the time involved a class system, referred to as the Table of Ranks. As a civil servant, the madman ranks relatively low on this scale. It could be argued that the infatuation with rank is what leads to his madness. By the end of the story the madman believes himself to be the King of Spain (which of course would make him very high ranking).

In Plath's The Bell Jar, the social hierarchy relates not to class, but to gender. Esther's madness seem to stem from anxiety over her lack of freedom and opportunity for self-fulfillment in a patriarchal society.

In the novel The Great Gatsby, what are the advantages and effects of using Nick as a first-person narrator?

There are many advantages of using Nick Carraway as the narrator in the novel The Great Gatsby. At the very beginning, we learn that Nick had been taught by his father to reserve his judgement of others, especially those who weren't as privileged as he was:

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” (Chapter 1)

Nick is the quintessential observer, the outsider who sees all that goes on around him and yet manages to remain objective, at least until he meets Jay Gatsby, for whom he develops an affection and a friendship. Nick is also true to himself and is not swayed by the wealthy crowd nor tempted to do things that would go against his proper Midwestern upbringing.

“Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope.” (Chapter 1)

"I am one of the few honest people I have ever known." (Chapter 3)

Nick is also much more reliable than the other characters in the novel. He is more grounded and represents a hard-working individual. While Gatsby and the Buchanans are self-indulgent and lead ostentatious life styles, Nick is a man of more modest means with a practical nature. The effect of having Nick be the narrator is that we, the readers, can identify with someone like him, the more "normal" character in the novel. For these reasons, Nick is a natural choice for narrator. 

Who made the Chinese Exclusion Act?

Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. This law prevented immigration to the United States from China for ten years. It also prevented people from China that were already living here from becoming citizens during this ten- year period. This law was extended in 1892 and made permanent in 1902. It was repealed in 1943.

There was a growing fear that immigrants from China were taking jobs from Americans, especially those who were working on the railroad. There also was a concern that the growing influx of Chinese workers was driving down wages that were paid to the workers. As a result, the Chinese Exclusion Act was introduced in the House of Representatives, passed by the Senate, and signed into law by President Arthur. This was the first law passed that limited immigration of a major group of people from a specific part of the world.

What does Martin Luther King, Jr., think the role of the church should be in addressing racial problems, and what theological arguments does he...

Though Martin Luther King, Jr. was a preacher, he was more of an activist for civil rights.  If you'll think about it, how many times have we heard him make reference to anything scriptural? There was moreso, peaceful marches and sit-ins at dining counters, etc.  Even within the pulpit, his speeches were more political than religious.  I believe he was a Christian but his focus was more on fighting for the rights of the underprivileged than the saving of the souls of men.  He made reference to the Constitution that "All men are created equal," but no reference to Word of God.  However, I do believe that his stance of the role of the church in addressing racial problems was that the church, being the people of God, should represent the love of God in all circumstances.  The bible says that God so "loved" the WORLD...not just whites or blacks. He loves us all.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost...not just whites or blacks.  I believe Dr. King would want that love represented in order for those who were contrary to be drawn in by that love.  The bible says that "by this love shall all men know that you are my disciples."  God says, "with lovingkindness have I drawn you." I believe that would be the message of Dr. King.

Why does Juliet kill herself after Romeo dies in Romeo and Juliet?

Juliet cannot live without Romeo and is tormented by guilt at causing his death.

Juliet kills herself because the play is a tragedy.  These two teenagers are very melodramatic.  We are told in the beginning of the play, in the first prologue, that Romeo and Juliet are going to die.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife. (Act 1, Prologue)

Romeo and Juliet are both used to death.  Their families have been feuding for so long that it is not unusual for swords to be drawn in the streets for the most minor of insults.  Death is just a part of their everyday existence.

Ironically, the feud between their families brought Romeo and Juliet closer together.  They loved quickly, passionately, and in secret.  They had to keep their love a secret because it was forbidden.  The bloodshed between their families would have been terrible if anyone found out.

Because Romeo and Juliet never had a normal relationship, everything was an extreme in their minds.  They were immature, certainly, but their love burned like a fire.  It was them against the world.  All they had was each other, and all they needed was each other.  This attitude led to extreme decisions. 

This is the reason why Romeo was so tormented by the idea that he was banished.  While others tried to convince him that it was no big deal, because at least he was alive, to him it was a tragedy.  He could not stand to be away from Juliet.

If possible, things were even worse for Juliet.  Her father insisted that she marry a man she did not love, who was older than her, and whom she barely knew.  Her situation was untenable.  She was secretly married to Romeo and her father would not relent about the marriage.  She faked her death, thinking it was the only way she and Romeo could be together.

It was the worst thing she could have done.  Once Juliet was lying in the tomb comatose, she lost control of the situation.  Romeo was supposed to find out what happened and whisk her away.  Instead, he found her and thought she was dead.  Out of grief, he killed himself.  When Juliet woke, it did not take a genius to figure out the situation.  Her lover and husband was dead, and it was her fault.

Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:
O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop
To help me after? I will kiss thy lips;
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
To make die with a restorative. (Act 5, Scene 3)

Juliet is overwrought with grief.  She probably is also not thinking very clearly because she just woke from a stupor.  Who knows that the effects of that potion were?  She woke up, saw Romeo dead, and took her own life to end her suffering.  What was the alternative?  Should she marry Paris?

If Juliet had not killed herself, she would have had a lot of explaining to do.  Why was Romeo there, dead?  Why did she fake her death?  Their parents were forgiving in their grief when they found both Romeo and Juliet dead, but who knows if they would have reacted the same way to learning what happened if Juliet was still alive to take the blame for it.

Why did the US government support rail-road development?

The creation of a system of railroads throughout the entire country was an important aspect of national economic development and national security.  Thus the United States government strongly supported railroad development and subsidized it.  During the early years of the development of the system, though, the creation of the railroads was solely a private endeavor.  It was not until the seventies that a government-owned railroad, Amtrak, began. 

The railroad, which became truly transcontinental in 1869, when the western and eastern railroads finally met, was the nation's first interstate "highway."  Other means of transportation, such as water transport and wagon, were not effective because there was not a means of moving goods everywhere coast to coast via waterways and wagons took a great deal of time and were limited in the number of goods or people that could be carried.  Thus the railroad was key to real interstate development and the settling of the American west.  Goods and materials could move freely through much of the country, and this made the United States more of a national economy than a collection of state economies. In times of war, troops and materiel could be transported more efficiently, which was the case during the Civil War, since even at that point, before the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the north had built up a substantial system of railways.

If you can picture a world before there were cars and trucks, it is easy to see that railroads were what enabled the United States to have a real interstate economy and that the railroads made a great contribution to the winning of the Civil War as well.  It made a great deal of sense for the government to support railroad development.  In many other countries, railroads are nationalized for the same reasons, although the United States has not done this, having only Amtrak as its sole "national" railroad transport. 

`int (2^t)/(2^t + 3) dt` Evaluate the indefinite integral.

You need to use the following substitution `2^t + 3 = u` , such that:

`2^t + 3 = u=> 2^t*ln 2 dt= du => 2^t*dt= (du)/(ln 2 )`

`int (2^t*dt)/(2^t + 3 ) = (1/(ln 2))*int (du)/u`

`(1/(ln 2))*int (du)/u = (1/(ln 2))*ln|u| + c`

Replacing back  `2^t + 3` for u yields:

`int (2^t*dt)/(2^t + 3 ) = (1/(ln 2))*ln(2^t + 3) + c`

Since `2^t + 3 > 0` yields that `ln|2^t + 3| = ln(2^t + 3)`

Hence, evaluating the indefinite integral, yields `int (2^t*dt)/(2^t + 3 ) = (ln(2^t + 3))/(ln 2) + c.`

What was your reaction to the conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother?

This question has no single correct answer.  It's going to be different for different readers.  I have read "Two Kinds" many times.  My reaction to Jing-Mei and Suyuan's conflict changes.  

The first time that I read the story, I completely supported Jing-Mei, her attitude, and her actions.  Of course I was an opinionated, high strung, teenager the first time that I read it.  I thought that I knew everything.  I thought that my parents didn't know anything, and I thought that they were out to ruin my fun by making be something that I didn't want to be.  Jing-Mei's character resonated deeply with me, so I sided with her.  

Of course now that I've been teaching for thirteen years and have three children of my own, I don't side with Jing-Mei anymore.  Suyuan's character is much more relatable to me now. She wants her daughter to work hard.  She wants her daughter to use all of her natural talents.  She wants to help Jing-Mei be the best that she can be.  I get that.  That's what I try to coax out of the athletes that I coach, and I have some that just don't want anything to do with it.  It's frustrating, which is exactly how Suyuan feels.  That's why now, I react with much more understanding and sympathy toward Suyuan, and I get frustrated and a bit angry with Jing-Mei's stubbornness.  

What euphemisms regarding eugenics are used in The Book Thief?

In order to understand this question, two words need to be defined:  euphemism and eugenics.  A euphemism is a more acceptable (or gentle) term for something harsh or offensive.  Eugenics is the belief that one can improve humanity by encouraging people with desirable traits to reproduce while discouraging people with undesirable traits to reproduce.  The former is called positive eugenics while the latter is called negative eugenics.  Hitler was a fan of both in that he used positive eugenics to encourage the blond-haired and blue-eyed Germans to reproduce and used negative eugenics to discourage the dark-haired and dark-eyed Jews from reproducing. 

Because eugenics is an offensive concept, euphemisms are used throughout The Book Thief. One of the ways Hitler encouraged eugenics was to force young people into his group called “Hitler’s Youth.”  In the novel, the author states that for girls like Liesel, “Hitler’s Youth meant a small brown uniform.” This is a euphemism. What it really means is the brainwashing of girls like Liesel into believing that their race was better than the Jewish race.  Another euphemism for eugenics has to do with the minor character of Tommy Muller. Liesel states the following:

[Tommy’s] ear infections and nerve damage were still contorting the marching pattern of the Hitler Youth, which, I can assure you, was not a positive thing.

These words by our narrator, especially the words “not a positive thing” are euphemisms.  We can tell this because of the reaction of the Hitler Youth leader.  Due to Tommy’s twitching and his inability to start and stop marching in time, the leader always yells, “You ape—what’s wrong with you?”  This term (which is not a euphemism) shows the Nazi intolerance for anyone with a disability (which rivals the Nazi intolerance for anyone of a different race).  Euphemisms for intolerance continue throughout the entire novel.

In conclusion, the reader can see that the euphemisms given here are designed to show that the Hitler Youth organization and its ultimate leader, Adolf Hitler, are the true enemies. The brown uniform and the disabled boy are not the real problems. 

Why does Jesse feel that he has to be “the fastest kid in the fifth grade”? How does he prepare for this goal?

If we look in Chapter 1, we see several reasons for Jess's intense desire to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade:

1. Since there's not a lot of playground equipment and the older kids in sixth grade and above tend to grab it first, running is THE thing among the younger kids. It's major, and Jess wants to be a part of it.

2. When he won one race the previous year, it gave him a taste for winning. People talked about him all day, and for once he was known as someone who had bested the others--someone who was a winner, not just a shy kid who draws a lot.

3. He's excited to think that the younger kids at school, and his sisters, and his father will all be proud of him. Jess fantasizes about how those younger students will look up to him once he's known as the fastest kid in the fifth grade.

He thinks he can make this goal happen because of two things: his long legs, and his grit.

We see evidence of that grit as Chapter 1 continues: to work toward this goal of being the fastest in his grade, Jess gets up early every single morning throughout the summer before fifth grade and practices running. He sneaks out of the house while everyone else is sleeping, crouches down, and takes off with a bang, running as fast and hard as he possibly can, until he's soaked in sweat...even though he knows he'll also have to do his chores in the hot sun later on. And even when his body seems to be telling him to quit, he keeps going. That's grit!

Compare and contrast Aunt Alexandra and Uncle Jack. How are they alike and how are they different? Include two quotes that support the comparisons.

Aunt Alexandra is Atticus Finch's sister, while Uncle Jack is Atticus's younger brother. Uncle Jack went to Boston to study medicine when he was younger, but Aunt Alexandra stayed in Finch's Landing and married the nearly silent James Hancock, known to Scout as "Uncle Jimmy." Uncle Jack is a warm man who is kind and indulgent towards Scout and Jem, while Aunt Alexandra is colder and wants Scout to be more traditionally feminine.

Scout says of Uncle Jack, "He was one of the few men of science who never terrified me, probably because he never behaved like a doctor. Whenever he performed a minor service for Jem and me, as removing a splinter from a foot, he would tell us exactly what he was going to do, give us an estimation of how much it would hurt, and explain the use of any tongs he employed." Uncle Jack understands how Jem and Scout experience the minor tribulations of childhood, and he is compassionate and patient. He also showers them with gifts. He treats Scout's minor infractions with a sense of calmness. He gently tells Scout not to swear while he's around but does not punish her.

On the other hand, Aunt Alexandra has definite ideas about how Scout should behave, and she dislikes Scout's tomboyish dress and manners. Scout says, "Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants. Aunt Alexandra’s vision of my deportment involved playing with small stoves, tea sets, and wearing the Add-A-Pearl necklace she gave me when I was born; furthermore, I should be a ray of sunshine in my father’s lonely life." Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout should behave like a traditional girl, wearing dresses, playing with tea sets, and making her father happy. While Atticus largely discounts Aunt Alexandra's remarks, Aunt Alexandra continues to dispense  advice about how Scout should act to Atticus. While Aunt Alexandra believes that Scout's behavior should be guided by her gender and her membership in an aristocratic family, Atticus believes that Scout should be guided by humanity and kindness, meaning that she should treat all people in a fair way. 

What code is Atticus talking about during his closing statement?

The "code" that Atticus refers to is the system of racial etiquette and laws that existed in the South from Reconstruction until the 1960s. Known as "Jim Crow," it ensured that whites would remain in a position of power by establishing certain norms and boundaries between the races. Atticus says that Mayella feels guilty for breaking this "rigid and time-honored code" by attempting to have sex with Tom. Having been caught in violation of the code, she responds by lashing out at Tom, blaming him for all that has happened, and accusing him of rape. Interracial sex, especially between black men and white women, was a strong taboo in the South, one which was enforced by law and by extralegal lynchings of the black men who were often portrayed as predators. Mayella played into this belief on the part of many white Southerners, and Tom was put on trial for his life. As Atticus says, "[N]o code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards" (207). Out of guilt, she shifted the burden of breaking the code onto Tom. 

What is the best word to describe chapter 7 in Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now?

One word that describes chapter 7 of Gary Schmidt's Okay for Now is optimistic, since the author creates a very optimistic mood throughout the chapter. Schmidt creates an optimistic mood by describing a positive side to every difficulty Doug faces, which helps him overcome his difficulties.

One example can be seen in Doug having to battle with the snow to make his deliveries. He puts on everything he owns and even a gray wool cap Mr. Loeffler has given him, but still struggles with being soaking wet and freezing cold as he makes his deliveries. However, one nice thing about his deliveries is that each customer offers him something warm to drink upon his arrival, which helps him survive his errands, as Doug humorously notes in the following:

I spent that winter with my head down against the wind, pulling the stupid toboggan, my hands up Joe Pepitone's sleeves, and always having to go to the bathroom because of the cold and the warm hot chocolate, milk, tea, coffee. (Ch. 7)

In addition, Doug can tell his brother, Lucas, is having a very difficult time. Lucas barely speaks, and anytime he does say something, he makes a snide remark about having lost his legs. At one point, Doug scolds his brother for not trying to get on with his life despite his war injuries. Doug even rips the bandage off of Lucas's eyes. To Lucas's surprise, he can see a little. After Doug chastises Lucas, though Lucas still makes snide remarks, he now says them with a smile, showing us that he is improving.

Why is Pi glad that Richard Parker is on the boat? Analyze the ways in which the tiger helped Pi to stay alive.

Pi and Richard Parker, the tiger, had formed a strong bond prior the fateful journey to Canada. At one point, Pi’s father took him and his brother along to feed the tiger. Pi’s father was trying to describe the true state of nature with regards to the wild animals he kept in the zoo. He wanted to educate his sons about the need to be cautious and responsible when closely interacting with the wild animals. This lesson coupled with others helped Pi survive on the lifeboat with the tiger.

After the ship capsized, Pi noticed Richard Parker trying to swim his way to the boat. He helped the tiger onto the boat, and he was glad he did, in spite of the tiger being a potential man-eater. Pi was glad because he was able to salvage a part of his past. Richard Parker represented his family’s legacy, and because his entire family had perished at sea, saving the tiger was a priority.

The tiger saved Pi from the hyena, which had devoured the injured zebra and the orangutan aboard the lifeboat. Richard Packer helped Pi stay alive by challenging his will to survive. Pi worked hard to preserve the tiger’s life by providing food. This daily activity helped him preserve his own life. Richard Parker also saved Pi from the French castaway they encountered on their journey. The tiger attacked and fed on the castaway, who wanted to kill Pi.

In what year was "The Moving" by James Still published?

James Still was born on July 16, 1906 in Alabama, moved to Tennessee for university studies, and eventually settled in Knott County, Kentucky where he lived until his death on April 28, 2001. His work mainly focused on realistically portraying life in the rural Appalachian mountains.

Stills' archives are maintained at Berea College and include manuscript versions of many of his most important works. From this archival material, it appears that "The Moving" was written in 1955; you can find additional details here. 

The first publication of the story in a book was in a collection of short stories: 

James Still. The Run for the Elbertas. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1980. Foreward by Cleanth Brooks.

There may have been an earlier publication in a literary magazine, but the short story collection does not give specific previous publication data for "The Moving."

Next, the story was reprinted in an edited collection:

Robert Shapard and ‎James Thomas, eds. Sudden Fiction: American Short-Short Stories. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith 1986.

One can also find the story in the recent collected edition:

Still, James. The Hills Remember: The Complete Short Stories of James Still. Edited by Ted Olson. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2012.

When a metal reacts with oxygen why does the mass of the oxide produced appear to be greater than the mass of the metal?

When a metal atom reacts with an oxygen atom, a new compound is formed. A compound that is composed of a metal and oxygen is called a metal oxide. 

For example, when magnesium metal reacts with oxygen, it produces the oxide compound magnesium oxide:

               `2Mg + ~O_2 -gt 2MgO`

The Law of Conservation of Mass states that the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products. Although oxygen is a gas and is invisible, it still has mass. 

The mass of the oxide which is composed of both magnesium and oxygen is greater than the mass of the magnesium metal alone; however, if you add up the mass of the reactants (the magnesium metal and the oxygen gas), you will find that they have the same mass as the product (magnesium oxide).

Question- What was Vera's explanation for Mr. Nuttel's unusual behaviour?

The beauty of Vera's explanation of Framton Nuttel's unusual behavior is that it is so strange and exotic that it seems impossible that a girl her age confined to a country home in England could possibly have made it up. And yet it seems plausible. In a country like India where humans die of starvation on the streets every night and are carted away in the morning, there must be dogs who have an even harder time surviving. Dogs have a natural instinct to roam together, so homeless dogs would travel in packs and could be dangerous, especially if a person happened to be alone in an isolated place. Indians put up with a lot from animals because they do not believe in killing living creatures. There are some religious people who wear masks over their mouths to keep from accidentally swallowing an insect. And the toleration of monkeys is well known.

It seems almost necessary for Vera to tell her story about the pariah dogs at the end, since someone would naturally want to know why the visitor suddenly jumped up and went running out of the house without a word of thanks or goodbye. One of the three returning hunters has to say something in order to establish that they are living men and not ghosts. Vera's Uncle Sappleton asks:

"Who was that who bolted out as we came up?"

And Vera casually offers her explanation:

"I expect it was the spaniel," said the niece calmly; "he told me he had a horror of dogs. He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs, and had to spend the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning and foaming just above him. Enough to make anyone lose their nerve."

The girl is bored. That is why she decides to stir up some excitement. "The devil finds work for idle hands." She must spend much of her time reading books. And since she is bored with her life, she probably favors escapist literature. She must have picked up the anecdote about the pariah dogs from a book about India. It really is a vivid picture, and it probably would explain how a man might develop "a horror of dogs."

How does Oscar Wilde use comic pairings to show Victorian moral hypocrisy in "The Importance of Being Earnest"?

During Wilde's time, women still could not vote and the London aristocracy was clinging onto its traditions of marrying for money and social status. Parents and guardians were still very much a part of the marriage process and determining who could marry whom. Thus, in "The Importance of Being Earnest," Wilde pokes fun at everyone involved in these traditions by showing the attitudes and hypocrisy that seemed to coincide with them. In order to personify these traits and drive the message home for the audience, Wilde pairs Jack Worthing with Lady Bracknell as parent/guardian figures; Jack and Algy as "gentlemen" seeking wives; and Cecily and Gwendolyn as the foolish brides.

First, Jack and Lady Bracknell both show their hypocritical sides when determining the value of a future spouse. Jack wants to marry Bracknell's daughter Gwendolyn, but she won't have it because Jack cannot produce documentation of who his parents were. But when Lady Bracknell wants her son Algy to marry Jack's ward Cecily, it's not because of who Cecily's ancestors are so much as the fact that Cecily is rich and can pay off Algy's debts. Then Jack is a hypocrite because he treats Algy just like Lady Bracknell treats him when applying for marriage.

Next, Jack and Algy are both bachelors who are deceitful to the women that they love. Both Jack and Algy lie about having a brother or a friend in another town simply to get away from family from time to time. Algy calls this "Bunburying" (the name of the fake friend) and Jack shows his hypocrisy again when he says the following:

"You young scoundrel, Algy, you must get out of this place as soon as possible. I don't allow any Bunburying here" (Act II).

Jack is a hypocrite here because he does the same thing when he goes to visit his fake brother Ernest in London.

Finally, Cecily and Gwendolyn are paired together to show how hypocritical women can be as "friends." When the two ladies meet, they promise each other to be best friends forever. Then when each believes she is engaged to an Ernest Worthing, they are immediately enemies. For example, the two ladies offer to be called by the other with their first names, signifying friendship; but when they become jealous and angry, they revert back to calling each other by their last names, signifying a more aloof relationship. Then in comical fashion, when the ladies discover the men have been lying about their names, they are instantly back on a first-name basis again. Clearly, Wilde makes fun of women's inconstancy and hypocrisy through Cecily and Gwendolyn.

Based on reading "Dulce et Decorum Est", do you think the narrator would most likely defend or reject the idea of World War III?

First, we should distinguish between whether Owen would think a WWIII is likely to happen and whether he would think that England should participate in it. 

In response to the first question, "Dulce et Decorum Est" was written in response to the trench warfare of World War I, and thus does not speculate about even the possibility of a second, much less a third, world war. Owen himself died in 1918, in World War I, and thus has not actually written about any wars later than that date.

In the last lines of the poem, Owen argues that if you could see and hear injured and mutilated soldiers, you would not consider war "dulce et decorum". Thus he would definitely be opposed to entering into a war for motives of glory or national pride. In the case of World War II, Hitler was conquering Europe and attacking Britain. Surrender to Hitler meant making extreme moral compromises, such as allowing the extermination of Jews, gypsies, and gay people. Although Owen might have objected to the British intervention in Iraq, self-defense against Hitler wasn't really a matter of glory-seeking but of survival against an evil dictator. 

In the case of a hypothetical third world war, whether Owen would support entry into it or not would depend on the nature of the war. Although he would tend towards pacifism, not wanting soldiers to die horrible deaths, he might feel that wars of self-defense or wars against imminent threats are justified. 

Describe briefly the hepatic portal system.

The hepatic portal system comprises of a system of veins, including the hepatic portal vein, which directs blood from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver. This includes the lower esophagus to the upper anal canal, as well as the spleen and pancreas. As food is digested, various nutrients are absorbed at the small intestines. These substances, carried by venous blood, will travel to the liver first for processing, before travelling to the heart to be pumped to the pulmonary system for oxygenation. This means that most nutrients (and drugs) will encounter the liver before it is delivered to the rest of the body. This has important implications for drugs, since the liver may metabolize it into an active form, or metabolize it into an inactive form. If the latter is true, oral delivery of the drug will likely be ineffective.

Who are the three main characters in Daniel's Story by Carol Matas?

Daniel's Story by Carol Matas was written in 1993.  It is a fictionalization of one young man's life as he grows up under the Nazi occupation during World War II. Its stark realism has earned it the honor of an exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum located in Washington, D.C.

The first main character is Daniel, the narrator of the story.  He is 14-years-old at the start of the story.  Through flashbacks, we view him as young as six.  By the end of the story, he has progressed to 18 years of age. 

Though we meet all of his family members, Erika is the second main character. She is Daniel's younger sister.  One of her most memorable contributions is being the youngest violinist in the orchestra at Lodz.  It is her spirit which keeps the family "alive".

The final main character is Rosa.  She and Daniel meet in the Lodz Ghetto. The majority of her "appearances" throughout the story are strictly in Daniel's memories, until the end when they are reunited.

Characterize Kevin from Freak the Mighty using pages 1-10.

Each time Max describes Freak in the beginning of Freak the Mighty, he refers to the intensity of Freak’s eyes, possibly to emphasize Freak’s determined spirit. Whatever Freak lacks in physical size, he makes up for it in personality.

Readers first get a glimpse of Freak when Max describes his daycare experience. He mentions that Freak’s physical differences weren’t quite as noticeable since everyone was small then: “He didn’t look so different back then, we were all of us pretty small, right?” (2).

One thing that did make him different, though, was the look in his fierce eyes. According to Max, they gave off a “don’t mess with me” kind of vibe. Even though Max was kicking everyone in daycare, he admitted to never kicking Freak.

This was the last time Max saw Freak until the third grade, but when he did see him again, Freak still had “death-ray eyes” (3).

This kid from Max’s childhood appears again, only this time, he’s moving into a house on the same street as Max. When Max sees Freak again, his physical differences are much more noticeable now than they were in daycare (8):

. . . there's this weird-looking little dude, he's got a normal-sized head, but the rest of him is shorter than a yardstick and kind of twisted in a way that means he can't stand up straight and makes his chest puff out, and he's waving his crutches around and yelling up at the movers.

His size might not be intimidating, but the look in his eye continues to catch Max’s attention. Once Freak notices Max looking on, he asks Max to identify himself in a way only Freak could. When Max didn’t answer, mostly due to shock, Freak told the “earthling” (Max) to die. Due to the look in his eye, Max literally thinks Freak hates him. He says, “The way he points that crutch is only part of it. You have to see the look in his eye. Man, that little dude really hates me. He wants me to die” (9).

I have to make a brochure for a school project. What topic should I write about?

In general, a brochure advertises a specific type of product or service. The more familiar you are with the product or service, the easier it will be for you to create a brochure that communicates well with potential customers.

One subject to choose might be a service that you or one of your siblings might actually offer such as babysitting or lawn mowing. Because this is something you do yourself, you can speak from knowledge and have easy access to the following standard elements in brochure design:

• What services you provide


• Prices


• Testimonials from clients


• Why you are the best choice


• Photos (perhaps before and after lawns)


• Details about the task

Another easy type of brochure would be one for a restaurant or pizza place, which might include testimonials, address, contact information, hours, a map of delivery areas, and a menu. In general, small local retail outlets make good subjects as it is fairly obvious what information customers would want to know.

What is the DNA AACCCTGAGTCT when transcribed to mRNA ?

DNA is a double helix; a twisted ladder is the description frequently given. The "rungs" of the ladder are made up of pairs of nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T). The bases will only pair up with one other type each: A with T and G with C. So, the "rungs of the ladder" will each be one of those sets. During replication, when mRNA is formed from one side of the opened-up double helix, the As, instead of pairing with Ts, pair up with a uracil (U). This is because RNA does not utilize thymine, only uracil. The sequence of DNA that you gave:

AACCCTGAGTCT

when transcribed into an mRNA molecule will be:

UUGGGACUCAGA

The information will be carried by the mRNA molecule out of the nucleus of the cell to a ribosome, where it will be translated into a series of amino acids, making a protein. 

What is the nature and the meaning of the structure of the glass menagerie ?

Laura Wingfield's glass menagerie is a collection of exotic, even mythical animals. While Laura lives a very sheltered life, crippled with anxiety and dominated by her wistful, controlling mother, the glass figures provide Laura with something that she alone has control over. They inhabit a fantasy world, which she, too, visits when she polishes them and admires them. She is especially fond of the unicorn, an extremely delicate creature that represents her. She explains to Jim, the gentleman caller, that the horn on the unicorn distinguishes it from the other horses; she, too, has a distinguishing handicap in her leg and a shyness and sensitivity that make her incompatible with most others.

When Jim and Laura dance, they awkwardly bump into the table housing the menagerie, and the delicate unicorn falls to the ground, breaking its horn off upon impact. Instead of being upset, Laura laughs and takes solace in her belief that the unicorn is no longer an outcast; it is like all the other horses. By facing her fear of interacting with men and allowing herself to be flattered by Jim, Laura feels that she, too, is now more like others. Unfortunately, Jim then breaks the news to Laura that he is engaged. The young man she has dreamed of for so long will never be hers. She gives Jim the broken unicorn as a "souvenir," showing that she, too, has been broken. The fantasy world she allowed herself to be a part of was simply fiction, and she is forced to return to her reality in the small Wingfield apartment.

Does technological advancement justify exploitation?

This really depends on the type of technological advancement and the type of exploitation. Every situation is different and must be analyzed in terms of actual trade-offs.

The Industrial Revolution, for example, involved widespread use of child labor in factories. The conditions of factory workers during the early nineteenth-century were inhumane. Extremely low wages resulted in huge profits for the owners of factories. On the one hand, industry continued to progress after child labor was made illegal. On the other hand, industrialization might have proceeded at a slower pace had child labor and working hours been restricted earlier. The rapid industrialization of Britain created wealth that eventually improved the lifestyle of the nation as a whole, but that was probably not worth having eight-year old children working 12-hour shifts in factories.

Medical advances often require animal and human testing. Exploiting animals for experiments that might cure cancer or provide a safe vaccine against Ebola seems a valid choice, although one should make sure that the subjects of such experiments are treated humanely. Causing pain to animals to test cosmetics seems to me wrong, in that there is no humanitarian need for cosmetics at all, and thus causing distress to any living being to create them seems unjustifiable. 

In terms of deciding individual cases, one should use the following criteria:

• whether the advance genuinely benefits humanity or simply makes a limited number of people wealthy


• whether exploitation means minor inconvenience or genuine harm


• whether, in the case of exploiting the environment, the harm caused is short term and can be remedied or whether it causes long term effects


• whether tangible, measurable benefits outweigh potential harm

How many people have been added to the world's population between 1960 and 2007?

Between the years 1960 and 2007 there was an increase in world population from about 3 billion to about 6.6 billion people. The increase in 47 years was 3.6 billion; in other words the population more than doubled in that time. We are now at over 7.4 billion and continue to have an exponential growth rate.

From the beginnings of the human race, it took until 1804 to reach one billion people. The second billion was added in approximately 123 years (1927), and reached 3 billion in 1959, only 32 years later. Since then we have been adding another billion every 15 years or so.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when these numbers were reached--we cannot count the number of living people exactly at any given moment. We rely on figures generated by census counts and knowledge of average birth and death rates. These give a net number of people added per second. The first link below gives a running total of the best estimate of the current population, as well as the number of additional members of the world's population from the second the link is first opened.

Why does Mr. Pocket keep tugging on his rumpled hair at the end of Chapter 23 of Great Expectations?

Mr. Pocket is a mild-mannered man in most circumstances, but his wife tends to give him a great deal of frustration through her reminders that her father is a “gentleman,” as well as her extremely poor child-rearing techniques. At times, however, he grabs his hair with both hands and seemingly tries to pull himself up out of his chair. That being done, he resumes his calm and his patient consideration of his wife’s ridiculous requests and comments. At the end of Chapter 23, Mr. Pocket has learned that the cook is lying on the kitchen floor, drunk. When he expresses outrage at this, Mrs. Pocket exclaims that the cook has always been a respectable woman and blames the maid Sophia (who has brought this to the attention of Mr. Pocket) for being a tale-bearer. She also accuses Mr. Pocket of siding with Sophia, who is only trying to “make mischief” for the “respectable” though drunk cook.

In The Giver, what is "seeing beyond"?

When Jonas is selected to be The Receiver, the Chief Elder explains why he is assigned such an important role in the community. She says that Jonas has all of the requirements needed to be The Receiver: intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom (which will come with his training) and the capacity to See Beyond. To See Beyond means that Jonas can see differences, such as colors, and understand feelings on a deeper level than the average person. It's the capacity to gain wisdom through experiences, such as the memories that the Receiver gives him. Many times while discussing the memories, Jonas identifies difficult issues surrounding them and the community. He still needs the Giver's guidance, but his ability to discern between ideas, and other differences shows that Jonas has special skills to overcome Sameness. The Giver describes Seeing Beyond as follows:

"When you receive the memories, you have the capacity to see beyond. You'll gain wisdom, then, along with colors. And lots more. . . Our people made that choice, the choice to go to Sameness. . . we relinquished color when we relinquished sunshine and did away with differences" (95).

Jonas had the beginnings of Seeing Beyond when he first saw the color of the apple while playing catch with Asher. This proved that Jonas had the ability to identify differences and overcome Sameness. Again, that's mostly why he was chosen to be the next Receiver--because he can recognize differences. As he works with the Giver, he starts to gain more wisdom through different memories which also give him the power to conquer Sameness and see beyond it.

The sonar device measures the _________ it takes the reflected sound waves to return to the device.

Sonar is a commonly used device to measure the depth of a water body, such as river, sea, pond, etc. The term SONAR stands for sound navigation and ranging. Sonar uses sound waves and determines the time it takes an emitted sound wave to return back to the device. Since we know the velocity of sound in water, we can use the measured time interval to determine the depth of the water body. Using this depth at various locations, we can map the surface of the river or ocean. Sonar can also be used to detect the presence of large objects in the water bodies and is commonly used by navy to determine the presence of submarines. Sonar can be classified as either active or passive, depending upon whether it emits the sound waves (active sonar) or not. 

Hope this helps. 

Why did Jonas's family receive a girl in The Giver?

Because Jonas's family already had one male, they were due to receive a female next. We learn in Ch. 2 that new children do not simply arrive at random times, either. Everything is very carefully planned.

"The year we got Lily, we knew, of course, that we'd receive our female, because we'd made our application and been approved" (Ch.2).

Each family "unit" in The Giver has one male child and one female child, because as Jonas notes toward the end of Ch. 1, "It was written very clearly in the rules." This uniformity in family size and gender composition is another area in which the community applies the rule of Sameness.

We also find out in these early chapters that family units are very carefully governed, not just in who receives children and when, but also who is assigned a spouse or entitled to a family unit. In Ch. 1 we know that Jonas's father works at the Nurturing Center during the day but that he regularly complains about the night crew who, for the most part, have

"not even been given spouses because they lacked, somehow, the essential capacity to connect with others, which was required for a family unit" (Ch.1).

So, there are certain requirements for being given a spouse, a first child, and then even a second child. Applications appear to be at least part of the process, as well as having certain personal traits.

Compare and contrast FDR'S accomplishments with those of Lincoln and Washington. Does he match up with them in importance in your view? Explain why...

To answer your question, I will explain some of the major accomplishments of President Washington, President Lincoln, and President Roosevelt. From the explanation provided, you should be able to make a case if you believe President Roosevelt can compare to the other two presidents.

 Major accomplishments of President Washington:

1. He got the country going after the Constitution was written, and he was elected president. This was not an easy job as the country faced many problems.


2. He was able to avoid war with Britain and Spain. Jay’s Treaty with Britain allowed us to trade in the West Indies. The British also left the Ohio Valley. Pinckney’s Treaty with Spain allowed us to use the Mississippi River and store products at New Orleans. It also established the boundary with Florida.


3. He appointed very capable people to his Cabinet. Alexander Hamilton, who was Secretary of the Treasury, developed a debt plan and helped create a national bank. Thomas Jefferson, who was Secretary of State, handled our dealings with France, Britain, and Spain.

 Major accomplishments of President Lincoln:

1. He led our country during the Civil War. He skillfully made the Confederacy decide if they would attack us at Fort Sumter.


2. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves in the South. He skillfully understood at what time it would be appropriate to issue such a major statement. Doing so at the beginning of the war would have meant the loss of more border states.


3. He understood the need for healing once the Civil War ended. He wanted the country to come together again.


4. He also understood when it was time to replace an ineffective general. General McClellan was relieved of his command after failing to pursue General Lee after the Battle of Antietam.  

 Major accomplishments of President Roosevelt:

1. He helped to develop 15 government programs to deal with the crippling effects of the Great Depression in his first 100 days in office. These programs created jobs, regulated industries, and provided relief to various groups of people such as farmers and unemployed young people.


2. President Roosevelt helped to establish the mindset that our government would act as a safety net if things really feel apart. He also created programs like Social Security which many Americans depend on today.


3. President Roosevelt guided us through the events of virtually all of World War II. He found ways to help our Allies prior to us joining the war. He was involved in planning the strategy to help defeat the Axis Powers after the attack at Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt guided us through two of the most difficult periods in our history. 

Based on this information, you should be able to draw your own conclusion and defend it.

What were the negative effects of Japanese imperialism?

Japan was weary of its territorial vulnerabilities against western powers. This led the country towards its imperialistic path. The country was determined to acquire as much territory in Asia as possible in order to bolster its status economically and militarily. Japan had its sights on Korea, China, and her other Asian neighbors.

In Korea, Japan enslaved the country and led to the country’s split into two countries with the ramification of that being felt until this day. The split created the democratic south and the dictatorial north with the two countries constantly at the threat of war. Further, Japan led to the deterioration of Korea’s cultural system by forcing the citizens to adopt Japanese culture, language, and religion.

Japan’s imperialist efforts led to the Nanking massacre that permanently affected her relations with China. Japanese soldiers murdered and raped Chinese citizens perpetrating one of the worst events in Asian history. Japan also led to the onset of the first Sino-Japanese war.

Japan also had negative impacts of its own. The country suffered economically and allowed for the destruction of its infrastructure. This was due to its failure to comply with other world powers' request to halt hostilities with her neighbors. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor after the United States threatened to cut off her oil supply, due to Japan’s occupation of China. This resulted in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the loss of a significant number of the nation’s population.

Nick Carraway is the narrator of The Great Gatsby, but is he a good observer or is he an "unreliable narrator"?

Nick Carraway is an unreliable narrator. After he accuses Jordan Baker of dishonesty, remembering newspaper reports about her having been involved in at least one golfing tournament in which she may have cheated, he then refers to himself as honest. He says this about himself: 

Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known. 

Not really. In this same passage that he notes his honesty and Jordan's dishonesty, he mentions a girlfriend back home he hasn't quite broken off with, despite a certain distaste he has in remembering a line of sweat like a mustache that would form over her upper lip and despite the fact that he is now seeing seeing Jordan. In not breaking off this prior relationship, he is dishonest to both the girlfriend and to Jordan. Yet he lacks the self-awareness to see this.

With Nick as narrator, we can't be sure we're not getting a skewed portrait of Gatsby--does Nick idealize him, despite the irony he reveals in depicting him? We just don't know. Likewise, we don't know if his dislike of Tom Buchanan seeps into his portrait of him. 

In "A Christmas Memory," what does Buddy regain through memory at the end?

Buddy does not actually claim to regain anything at the end, but based on his feelings at the end and what we know of his memories, we could make the argument that he regains some of the value of their friendship, despite his feeling that he has completely lost a part of himself.

At the end of the story his friend has died and he says of finding out about her death,

"A message saying so merely confirms a piece of news some secret vein had already received, severing from me an irreplaceable part of myself, letting it loose like a kite on a broken string" (Capote).

Although he has lost his closest friend, it is obvious that in re-living his memories of her, he can look back on that relationship and see its worth. It is because he feels that a part of him has died that he fully understands how important she was to him and regains a sense of her as a person as well.

In Freak the Mighty, how can I illustrate what the word "swilling" means? What's an example? What are some synonyms and antonyms?

Well, if you need to give an example of the word "swilling" from Freak the Mighty, the character that comes to mind immediately is Loretta Lee.  The reason why is that Loretta Lee is known for being a drunk.  She is most often shown as having both a drink and a cigarette in her hands.  Loretta, then, is someone who could be seen as "swilling" most often in Freak the Mighty. 

If you have to draw a picture of one of the characters "swilling" a drink, I would try to draw the picture of when Loretta Lee opens the door to both Kevin and Max (when they try to return her purse).  I would draw the two standing together (with Kevin on Max's shoulders) as Freak the Mighty and Loretta Lee standing in the open door with a cigarette in one hand and "swilling" her drink in the other.  This is not only an accurate depiction but also an example from the book.

In regards to synonyms and antonyms, they are many and varied.  Two synonyms of "swilling" are "guzzling" and "slurping."  In regards to antonyms, two are "sipping" and "tasting."  Both of these words indicate someone drinking quite daintily (which would be the opposite of drinking greedily).

How do the apparitions in Macbeth promote an evil and mysterious mood that contributes to the plot?

Throughout the text there is a continuous reference to the supernatural forces at play in encouraging Macbeth's evil deeds.  In every act of the play there is a substantial reference to witchcraft which in turn establishes a ominous and suspenseful mood for the reader.  Early in the play, the witches themselves serve to create a sense of mystery and suspense as they appear out of nowhere and set Macbeth on a path towards darkness with their prophecy.  As the play unfolds, Lady Macbeth calls on spirits to make her evil enough to commit the act of murder and then furthers Macbeth's plotting to murder Duncan with her own manipulation of Macbeth.  When Macbeth finally succumbs to Lady Macbeth and the visions of glory imposed by the witches, he gives the famous dagger speech where he invokes the goddess of witchcraft and hallucinates a bloody dagger.  During this speech, Macbeth is consumed by thoughts of apparitions and the tortured dreams of the night disrupting "curtained sleep."  This again sets an ominous mood for the reader as Macbeth moves forward with his plan to murder Duncan.  This mood is continued throughout the rest of the play as the gatekeeper of Iverness (Macbeth's castle) is portrayed as the gatekeeper at the doors of hell and as the witches re-emerge later in the play.  All of these references to the supernatural serve to create suspense within the play and call into question Macbeth's true control over his part in the evil deed of killing Duncan (and many others).

What is an example from Les Miserables that addresses a social issue from the time?

Basically, most of the novel addresses social issues, speaking of injustice, class conflict, and the necessity of revolution. One particularly insightful portion of the text comes from Fantine's section at the beginning of the novel. We learn that Jean Valjean has just been released from prison where he has been serving a nineteen-year sentence for stealing bread to give to starving children.

While the injustice here is obvious, Jean Valjean continues to endure prejudice against his state as a former criminal and as a poor man. He must show a yellow passport to all officials he encounters and is continually denied food, lodging, and respect. Jean Valjean notes that "Liberation is not deliverance. A convict may leave the galleys behind, but not his condemnation" (26). What this means is that once a person becomes a criminal in the eyes of society, he remains with that label throughout his life. His release means nothing. Nobody asks his reason for the theft.

This brings us to the idea that society at this time was simply unjust to the poor. No matter who was in power, the poor were left to starve and suffer.

Edition used:

Hugo, Victor. Les Miserables. Trans. Charles Wilbour. New York: Fawcett, 1961. 

What does Krebs mean by wanting "to live along without any consequences"? Why might he feel that way?

Krebs, who suffers from his experiences in the war that do not match up with the perceptions of his family and the residents of his town, simply desires a quiet life of no commitments, a life without the dangers of intimacy and responsibility.

Krebs's return to the states is an anti-climactic one since his return follows long after that of many other soldiers, and "the greeting of heroes was over." In fact, Krebs finds himself compromised by his return as he discovers that people do not want him to relate the truth of the war. Consequently,

...a distaste for everything that had happened to him in the war set in because of the lies he had told.

Rather than lie about the war and lie to his mother that he will "try and be a good boy" for her, Krebs leaves home as it, ironically, is not a "soldier's home," but is, instead, a tragic reminder of what he has lost and of that to which he can never return. For Krebs, the situation is the same as that described by the narrator of Thomas Wolfe's novel, You Can't Go Home Again:

You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood ...back home to the old forms and systems of things which once seemed everlasting but which are changing all the time....

There is no escape from Time and Memory at home for Krebs where he must pretend that he has not been irrevocably changed by his experiences in the war. If he leaves home, he will be able to live honestly, at least, and not have to suffer the consequences of pretense. 

What is one central idea in Stave II of A Christmas Carol?

One could argue that a central idea is regret.

In each of the memories that the Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge to visit, Scrooge seems to have some sense of regret about something or someone.

When he looks back on the boarding school memory, he appears to miss his sister, Fan, but when the Ghost mentions that she had a son, Scrooge is very brief and simply says, "Yes." He is uncomfortable, as if he regrets not also being close to her only child now that she has passed.

When looking back on the time at Fezziwig's, he is overjoyed at watching the Christmas party and when the Ghost suggests that Fezziwig should not have spent the money making people feel so good, Scrooge defends his former boss. He argues,

“It isn't that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune" (Stave II)

It is then, that he realizes his own power as a boss, and says,

"I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now! That's all" (Stave II).

Here, he clearly regrets the way in which he has treated Bob Cratchit.

Finally, in the memory with his ex-fiancee, he at first seems very defensive by saying,

"I told you these were shadows of the things that have been,” said the Ghost. “That they are what they are, do not blame me" (Stave II)!

But then immediately asks the Ghost to stop "torturing him," which indicates that he regrets his past actions. If he did not, why would remembering any of this be torture? If he did not, in some way, blame himself for something, he would not be bothered by these memories.

What is the summary of the poem "The Tyger" by William Blake?

 "The Tyger describes what a frightening creature the tiger is and questions over and over what kind of god could make such an animal. 

In the second stanza, the poet asks what god ("immortal hand") would have dared to seize the hot, burning fire that created the tiger's eye? In stanza three, the poet wonders who could make the fear-inspiring heart of a tiger? In the next stanza, he asks who could make its terrifying brain? The poet uses words like "dread" and "deadly terror" to express how frightening a tiger is.  

The fifth stanza is the heart of the poem. Here, the poet asks

Did he [God] smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee [you]?

Blake wonders if God could have been happy ("did he...smile") at making such a bloodthirsty beast, which preys on other animals. Blake tries to understand how a God who could create an animal as innocent as a lamb could also make an animal as fierce as a tiger. It doesn't seem to make sense to him.

The last word of that stanza, "thee," is ambiguous because it could more than one meaning: is the poet questioning the tiger or is he questioning the "thee" (you) reading the poem? If he is questioning the reader, is he suggesting that people are as fierce and predatory as tigers?

Finally, the poem ends by repeating almost exactly the first stanza, questioning what god could make the tyger, "burning bright." But, very significantly, one word changes. In stanza one he asks, who "could frame thy fearful symmetry" but in the last line he asks, who "dare frame thy [your] symmetry?"

This word shift is subtle but shows the poet's willingness to challenge God more directly by the end of the poem. If "could" means capable, as in who is capable, who has the skill, to make a tiger, "dare" is about choosing to do something so dangerous: why God, the poet asks at the end, did you choose to make something so dangerous? Behind the question is a larger challenge for God: why did you choose to create a world so filled with danger? Blake doesn't answer the question.

`-8 + 3i` Plot the complex number and find its absolute value.

The absolute value of a complex number `z = a + b*i` is `|z| = sqrt(a^2 + b^2)` . According to this formula, you need to determine a and b, such that:

`a = -8, b = 3`

`|z| = sqrt((-8)^2 + 3^2)`

`|z| = sqrt(64 + 9)`

`|z| = sqrt 73`

Hence, the distance of the complex number `z = -8 + 3i` from the origin is given by its absolute value `|z| = sqrt 73` .

In the Argand diagram, the complex number `z = -8 + 3i` is the point (-8,3) or the vector from the origin to the point (-8,3).

What were the contributions of the Sumerians?

The Sumerians were an ancient people who settled in Southern Mesopotamia, now present-day Iraq, around 4500 BC. The Sumerians were one of the first urban civilisations in world history and are responsible for a number of important inventions and techniques:

• They invented cuneiform, the first system of writing that was made up of wedge-shaped strokes. Sumerian children then went to school to learn how to read and write this complex script - another first in history.


• They invented and used the wheel.


• They developed a system of counting that is based on 60. They used this primarily for telling the time, as we do today.


• They were the first people to cast and use glass.


• They invented a system of irrigation as a means of overcoming the dry and hot summers of this region and ensuring successful harvests.


• They wrote the first history, law and religious books.

Why does the dog react in the manner that it does in "There will Come Soft Rains?"

In "There Will Come Soft Rains," the dog acts upon the conditioning that he has received. 

When the poor dog returns to the house, after having been subjected to radiation, he whines at the door which is made to respond to sound. Then, he searches the house for the occupants, but they are not in any of the rooms that they occupy. He, then, sniffs the air and smells the pancakes. so, he runs to the kitchen where the occupants usually convene to eat.

The dog frothed at the mouth, ...It ran in circles, biting at its tail, spun in a frenzy, and died.

The poor dog has suffered from radiation and its nervous system has been attacked; therefore, he acts with frenzied movements. Not unlike the animals on the nursery walls that glow, the poor dog is close to glowing, too, as he has been subjected to the nuclear explosion that has plastered the people against the wall in silhouette.

In The Outsiders, what do Ponyboy and Two-Bit mean when they say they can get along without anyone but Johnny?

The sentiment that the gang cannot get along without Johnny is expressed over and over again in the story. And the boys all acknowledge that it isn't because Johnny is dependable in a fight or a good kid. They never quite articulate why it is but there are several clues as to why he is so important.

Everyone in the gang knows that Johnny has it really bad. Even Dally, who basically grew up on the street and then in jail, suggests that Johnny has it particularly bad. Not only do his parents not care about him, he was also beaten very badly and threatened in awful ways by the Socs when he was pretty young.

So the gang is the only real family he has and it gives them a real purpose for trying to be together and be a cohesive group. They want to be there for him and to protect him and it ennobles their affection for each other and their willingness to stand up to outsiders together.

This emotion is perhaps most deeply felt by Dally and demonstrated when he commits suicide by cop after Johnny dies in the hospital. For Dally, a really integral member of the greasers, Johnny was his most important reason for living.

How is tension created in the fire episode of Chapter 8 in To Kill a Mockingbird?

When the fire occurs, the children see the town rally together to try to help one of their own. Even Mr. Avery nearly gets stuck in the window while the fire burns. The tension rises because the fire is a traumatic and violent event. Miss Maudie might have been killed. She loses much in the fire, but remains optimistic, noting how she'd always wanted a smaller house. Once again, Miss Maudie proves to be a good role model. 

The tension, from Scout's point of view, is also augmented by Boo Radley's gesture of putting a blanket on her shoulders during the fire. She had no idea he had even been there. This adds to her sense of mystery surrounding the mythology of Boo Radley.

Scout adds that it is odd (and generous) that despite her tragedy, Miss Maudie continues to show interest in her life. Miss Maudie adds that she would have had the sense to turn around if Boo had been there. Miss Maudie is playing with Scout's infatuation but she's also subtly suggesting that Boo is not someone to be afraid of. So, the tension rises as the children observe how Miss Maudie and the town deal with the fire. The tension is also increased with Scout's continued misunderstanding of Boo Radley. Although, it seems that Jem has begun to understand Boo in a more sympathetic way. 

Why are we always in search of alternative sources of energy?

There are two reasons we must focus on alternate and renewable sources of energy. First, most of the energy sources we use now are harming the earth and all of its denizens, and second, most of the sources of energy we use now are finite.

Our primary sources of energy now are coal, gas, and oil, often referred to as fossil fuels, since they are created by the pressures of the earth upon fossilized remains. All of these must be burned in some way to create energy, and it is in the burning that the earth is harmed and that the environment is polluted, which has health implications for people (and animals, although no one ever mentions that very much.) In China, for example, a country highly dependent on fossil fuels, people in some cities must stay indoors and cannot even see across the street because of the haze from the burning of these fuels. Carbon dioxide as well as other gases and dangerous particles are released into the atmosphere. These are referred to as greenhouse gases, and they disturb the earth's balance as more and more heat is held within earth's atmosphere. This is what creates global warming, or climate change. The implications of this are staggering. Warmer temperatures mean our icecaps are melting, our seas are rising, and agriculture becomes a very uncertain endeavor. Most of the animals we raise and the plants we grow to feed ourselves thrive in very narrow temperature ranges and as these shift, we cannot produce as we have before. The gases and particles also harms people's health, especially their respiratory systems. These are the fuels we need to replace in order to save the earth from their destructive forces.

At the same time, there is a powerful economic incentive to find other sources of energy because fossil fuels are not limitless. The earth holds only so much coal, gas, and oil, and when it is gone, it's gone. Thus, we need to have other means of generating energy, and it is renewable sources that we need to focus on. Renewable resources of the earth are sun, wind, and water. The sun comes up every day, the wind is always blowing somewhere, and the waves continue to break on the shore and tumble over falls. All of this is energy that can be captured, stored, and used to create electricity and heat. I believe that the cities of Niagara Falls and Buffalo are largely fueled by the force of the water that goes over Niagara Falls. We know how to do this, but we don't know how to do it as efficiently as we need to, and it requires significant investment to develop the technologies needed. Bear in mind that the technology and infrastructure for fossil fuel energies are already in place, so there is no large capital investment needed to continue with these, while there is a need for a great deal of capital investment to reap the benefit of the renewable resources. 
There is no question that fossil fuels are what have driven the development of the United States and many other countries, but when the Industrial Revolution began, no one had any idea how harmful these fuels were to the earth.  Now we know, and it is time to move on to a renewable resource revolution. 

Scout learns that her father was appointed to defend Tom Robinson. In the novel it states, “The court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus...

Scout (and sometimes the reader) is understandably confused. Why are the townspeople upset that Atticus is going to do his job? The answer lays in the race relations in the south at the time.

According to U.S. law, anyone accused of a crime who cannot afford a lawyer can have one appointed by the court. It is the job of this public defender to represent the client fairly, giving him or her the best defense possible. Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson against the charge of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell.

Scout understands this part clearly enough. However, in her racially charged society at that time, justice was not meted out equally. African Americans did not generally receive fair trials. Remember, this is a time when they were treated as second-class citizens. They could not share restaurants, transportation, or even stores, with whites.

The general sentiment throughout Maycomb was that Atticus should do the absolute minimal amount possible to help Tom Robinson. Certainly, Atticus should not seriously defend an African American in a case involving a white woman. Because she was white, she must be right.

When it became clear that Atticus intended to mount the same high quality defense he would give to a white man, the townspeople were shocked. It was a betrayal of a deeply ingrained understanding in Southern society: African Americans were not equal to whites, and anyone who treated them as equals was violating a valued social order.

Therefore, the people of Maycomb could accept that Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson. After all, someone had to be. What they resented was that Atticus treated Tom the same way he would have treated a white man. He was not going to just go through the motions of a trial; he was going to adamantly defend him in court. That was unacceptable in the town’s eyes. Atticus was expected to give Tom as little help as possible.

The fact that Atticus took a stand against the expectations of the town in order to maintain his personal integrity establishes both theme and conflict in the novel.

Do all people carry secrets?

According to "The Minister's Black Veil," yes, all people keep secrets.

Mr. Hooper begins to wear the veil because, as he tells his fiancee, Elizabeth, "'There is an hour to come [...], when all of us shall cast aside our veils.'"  The fact that he insists that all of us wear a veil shows that he believes everyone to be hiding the same thing.  Further, he tells her, "'If I hide my face for sorrow, there is cause enough [...] and if I cover it for secret sin, what mortal might not do the same?'"  So, it is apparent that Mr. Hooper's veil is a tangible symbol of the unseen veil that each of us wears in order to hide our secret sin from others.  He wears it to signify that he too, even as a minister, has secret sins that he hides from everyone else, and that this is something all human beings do because we are all inherently sinful (a popular Hawthorne theme).

Mr. Hooper's final words, spoken on this deathbed, confirm this.  He says, 

"Why do you tremble at me alone? [....] Tremble also at each other! [....] When the friend shows his inmost heart to his friend; the lover to his best beloved; when man does not vainly shrink from the eye of his Creator, loathsomely treasuring up the secret of his sin; then deem me a monster, for the symbol beneath which I have lived, and die!  I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!"

Thus, he does not wear the veil to signify that he, alone, has such secret sins on his conscience, sins that he hides from the world so that he can continue to enjoy his reputation as the "good Mr. Hooper."  He wears it to signify that we each wear a figurative veil that renders us, ultimately, isolated from all of our fellows because we are never honest with them about our true nature, and they are never honest with us.  Mr. Hooper says that he sees such a veil on each face because we are all sinners who try to hide our sinfulness.

How could "A Rose for Emily" be seen as a story of expiation?

An expiation is an act of redemption, noting that there has been some amend to make up for a wrongdoing. 

This established, "A Rose for Emily" can be read as an expiation from the perspective of "the people versus Emily." For years, Miss Emily has been an object of argument in Jefferson. Her family history, her own weird ways, and the time she has lived in Jefferson has rendered her as

...a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town

As such, she had been the subject of wonder, conjecture and criticism. Therefore, telling Emily's story for the first time, from beginning to end, is a way to make up for all the assumptions from the past, and to tell for sure who she was, and what her legacy may be. 

The first evidence of expiation comes in the form of the townsfolk narrator's point of view. We know that the story of Emily is that of a lady who is described as a "relic of the Old South." Therefore, the implication is that she is a complex character with eccentric and old-fashioned tendencies. 

We also learn throughout the story that she belongs to a family of people, the Griersons, who thought of themselves to be "mightier" than everyone else. This rendered them unlikable, enigmatic, isolated, and iconic in a negative way. 

Moreover, we also find out that Emily has lived her entire life trying (and failing) to fit into society. Up until the moment of her death, the narrator says, everyone has thought of her with either contempt or pity. Decades after Emily's house has been shut to the public, the woman dies, and the people finally learn what is the huge secret that lurked inside the old household. 

The reason why "people vs. Emily" would be an example of expiation is because the discovery of Emily's secret helps to unveil the extent to which the woman was so deeply troubled. While the secret is morbid and gruesome, it also opens a door into reality versus fiction: Emily was, perhaps, neither haughty, nor overly proud. She was maybe mentally ill, traumatized, or even socially inept. The fact that she kills a man for fear of isolation helps to show her previous lapses of insanity when faced with potential loneliness.  She is, nevertheless, a criminal for committing the act that she commits, however, now the people see Emily for who she really is: a very tormented soul. The "rose" for Emily is a way of calling a truce; a way to make peace. It is also a way to make up for all the doubts and generated assumptions made of her in the past. This "rendition" of a rose for Emily is a symbol of expiation. 

How did Gulliver reach Luggnagg? Why did Gulliver have to pose as a Dutchman on his way to Luggnagg?

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, first published in 1726-27, is divided into four major parts. It is in the third part that Gulliver is taken to Luggnagg. As Part III begins, Gulliver sets out on his third voyage aboard the ship of his friend Captain William Robinson.

After various adventures and hardships, including a visit to the flying island of Laputa and Lagado, the capital city of the Laputians' realm on the earth below their flying island, Gulliver begins to think of returning to England. Gulliver initially plans to set out out from Lagado to the island of Luggnagg, which Gulliver says was about 300 miles from Japan. After arriving at Japan, Gulliver would then travel on to Europe and England. 

At one point in Part III, Gulliver says that he decided to pretend that he was Dutch because he "knew the Dutch were the only Europeans permitted to enter" Japan.

Eventually, after a side-trip to Glubbdubdrib, Gulliver sails to Luggnagg and after about a month's journey,

"On the 21st of April, 1708, we sailed into the river of Clumegnig, which is a seaport town, at the south-east point of Luggnagg."

After being detailed for two weeks by "a custom-house officer," Gulliver and a guide travel by mule to an audience with the Luggnaggian king.

How does Okonkwo's individuality contrast with the local community?

Okonkwo's fierce pride and individuality contrasts greatly with the Igbo clan of Umuofia. His strong personality and emphasis on individuality often puts him at odds with the elders. They respect his strength and abilities, but question his harsh attitude toward those he deems weak or else below him. For example, early in the novel, an elder reflects on Okonkwo's blunt, calloused response to a fellow villager:

"He was struck, as most people were, by Okonkwo's brusqueness in dealing with less successful men. Only a few weeks ago a man had contradicted him at a kindred meeting which they held to discuss the next ancestral feast. Without looking at the man Okonkwo had said: 'This meeting is for men.' The man who had contradicted him had no titles.... Okonkwo knew how to kill a man's spirit"(26).

Okonkwo is abrasive and belittles a man who is at a lower rung within the clan. This clashes with the elder's belief that Okonkwo should be more respectful to men without titles.

Another scene in Things Fall Apart that illustrates how Okonkwo's individuality creates friction with his community comes toward the end of the novel, after Okonkwo comes back from exile. Okonkwo resents how his community has changed and does not emphasize masculine, bellicose values in the same way that it used to. Achebe writes:

"If Umuofia decided on war, all would be well. But if they chose to be cowards he would go out and avenge himself"(199).

This shows how Okonkwo is willing to go against the will of the rest of Umuofia. His individuality often puts him at odds with Umuofian society, and renders him a tragic figure by the end of the novel.

Where did Bud go when he left the Amos' home?

When Bud escaped the Amos' home, his main focus was simply getting away from the cruel, abusive family. He exacted a bit of revenge by creating a situation that would get the Amos' son in trouble, and then left the home.

It was late as Bud walked the street with his suitcase. His mind was focused on avoiding getting caught and sent back to his orphanage home. Bud remembered a librarian who had been kind to him before and headed to the library. In the past, a side window had been accessible so he planned to sneak in and spend the night there so he could talk to the librarian in the morning. However, bars had been placed on the windows and Bud could not get in.

Bud spent his first night of freedom away from foster homes and the orphanage, sleeping under a large tree adjacent to the library. Bud's resourcefulness was evident in this early plot twist. With him, he had a suitcase in which he kept a blanket. He wrapped up in it and settled down under the tree to sleep.

Who is Faber in Fahrenheit 451?

In Fahrenheit 451, Faber is a retired English professor who was "thrown out" of his college 40 years before the story takes place. This happened as a result of low student numbers and a general disinterest in university study. Faber describes himself as a "coward" because he realized the inherent dangers in book-burning but never protested against it because he was afraid.

Since then, Faber has hidden away from the world and spent his time "fiddling with electronics." For example,  he has created a device that enables two-way communication and which he gives to Montag to use against Captain Beatty.

After Montag kills Beatty, Faber is his only ally as he flees the city. Faber directs him along the abandoned railroad tracks towards a group of "Harvard degrees" who have been cast out from society and might give sanctuary to Montag. In the meantime, Faber plans a trip to St. Louis to see a retired printer who might help them create some new books. Meeting Montag gives Faber the courage to stand up to the government's censorship.

When the city is destroyed by a bomb, Bradbury suggests that Faber has indeed made it to St. Louis, but his fate beyond that remains a mystery.

In the Crucible, who were the girls dancing in the woods for?

In the woods, the girls were conjuring up spirits under the leadership of Tituba. The girls danced nude according to a statement made by Parris, who stumbled on their activities in the forest. According to Mrs. Putnam, she had asked her daughter to participate in the dance so she could obtain information from her siblings’ dead spirits. She was aware of Tituba’s ability to conjure the spirits and believed that the dead spirits would offer insights into the murder of her children. Basically, the dance was part of the conjuring process and was conducted to invite the dead spirits.

Parris, to Abigail: Then you were conjuring spirits last night.

Abigail, whispering: Not I, sir - Tituba and Ruth.

Parris: Why, sir - I discovered her - indicating Abigail - and my niece and ten or twelve of the other girls, dancing in the forest last night.

Hale, surprised: You permit dancing?

Parris: No, no, it were secret -

Mrs. Putnam, unable to wait: Mr. Parris.’s slave has knowledge of conjurin.’, sir.

Parris, to Mrs. Putnam: We cannot be sure of that, Goody Ann -

Mrs. Putnam, frightened, very softly: I know it, sir. I sent my child - she should learn from Tituba who murdered her sisters.

It was only after they were discovered by Parris, that the girls falsely implicated innocent members of the Salem community. They did this to escape punishment associated with their activities in the forest. Abigail accused Tituba, who was forced to make false accusations against Mrs. Sarah Good and Mrs. Osburn, marking the onset of the witch-trials in Salem.

In the story "Kath and Mouse" by Janet McNaughton, is the narrator inside or outside the story, and how does this impact the point of view?

In “Kath and Mouse,” the narrator is Kevin, Kath’s twin brother.  Kevin plays an important role in the story, and we are seeing the action unfold through his eyes.  The narrator therefore is inside the story, and not only does he experience the plot, he affects it.  We know this from the very beginning, due to the use of the pronoun I in the story.  Because we only get Kevin’s perspective on the events unfolding in the text, and all our understanding of the other characters stems from his own understanding (that is, we don’t get inside anyone else’s head, and can’t know their motives and feelings), we can say that the point of view is first person limited.  Take, for example, the following lines:  “As I put the music on the piano, [Helen] rushed off stage. For a minute, I thought she‘d bolted, but she came back with a stool to sit on.”  We are limited to Kevin’s thoughts on Helen’s actions, and can’t know what her intentions are until Kevin knows, and tells us himself.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Dill dares Jem to run the Radley house and touch the wall. When Jem does this, what do the children notice?

Jem, Scout, and Dill were fascinated with the rumors they had heard about Boo Radley.  They were determined to catch of a glimpse of this mysterious figure.  Dill dared Jem to go up and touch the side of the Radley's house.  This was an unusual request, because the Radley family kept to themselves.  They did not welcome visitors, as other local families did.  They preferred to stay inside with the windows shut and the shutters closed.  They did not leave their front door open on Sundays, and they did not even have a screen door.

With hesitation, Jem approached the Radley house.  He looked around carefully before running through the gate and touching the house.  He ran out of the yard quickly.  The three children ran back to the Finch house and stopped at the porch.  They stared back at the Radley house and they noticed something:

The old house was the same, droopy and sick, but as we stared down the street we thought we saw an inside shutter move.  Flick.  A tiny, almost invisible movement, and the house was still (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 1).

Why did Wiesel give his knife away?

During a selection in Buna, Elie’s father thought he had passed the selection, however, he was asked to stay back at the blocks together with other inmates who failed the selection. When he realized the turn of events, he tried to communicate his last words to his son before the inevitable happened. He thought he was going to die, so he gave Elie his spoon and knife and asked him not to sell the items.

Elie tried to console his father, but soon after he had to leave for the depot leaving his father behind. Elie was in no mood to work on that particular day because he was worried about what was going to happen to his father. He was given lighter duties while Yossi and Tibi tried to reassure him. On arrival back at camp, Elie ran to his father’s block and found him there. His father had passed the second selection, so Elie gave him back his knife and spoon.

is honors biology hard? What does it cover? I am going to be a freshman in HS in 2016-17. Will it be better to take honors courses and get B's...

The University of California website states that one of the factors considered in admission is “UC-approved” honors, AP and IB courses and that extra weight is assigned to grades received in honors courses. You should check with the counselor of the high school you’ll be attending to find out if the honors biology course meets this requirement. UC also considers “academic performance related to opportunities available in your high school" which suggests that taking advantage of rigorous courses will improve your standing.

You will also need to ask a counselor about enrolling in honors courses as a 10th grader if you don’t do so in 9th grade. However, I think that starting out in honors courses will be beneficial if you plan to enroll at some point in high school. Students in their second year of honors courses will have already learned the expectations and adjusted to the rigor.

Biology is the study of life. You’ll likely be learning about plants, animals, cells, genetics and ecology. It’s likely that the curriculum for honors biology is similar to or the same as the regular biology curriculum. An honors section of a course usually involves learning concepts in more depth. You’ll probably be expected to spend more time outside of class on assignments for honors biology. Honors courses are designed to help prepare students for college, so some independence and self-motivation will be expected. Does your high school have an orientation day for freshmen in advance of registration? If so, this would be a good opportunity to meet the biology teachers and talk to them about the courses offered.

The benefit of taking honors courses in high school extends beyond college admission. You’ll be better prepared for the rigor of college coursework if you challenge yourself in high school. You’ll have the opportunity to learn study skills and time management. Do you know any college students who are graduates of your high school? If so, contact one and ask about his or her high school experience. Students who take challenging courses in high school usually have an easier time in college and are appreciative, although belatedly, of the hard work that was required of them in high school.

I know this doesn’t directly answer your question as I can’t speak for colleges, but I hope it gives you some direction in making your decision. Don’t forget to talk to your parents about your opportunities and choices.

How is Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias" a response to political change in Europe?

"Ozymandias" offers a keen insight into Shelley’s political ideologies. An advocate of political and religious freedom, he expressed his hatred for monarchy through his poems and other writings. Queen Mab, The Masque of Anarchy and Prometheus Unbound are some of his longer poems that demonstrate Shelley’s political thoughts and revolutionary spirit.

A few years before the first publication of "Ozymandias" in The Examiner in 1818, France under Napoleon had startled the world with his territorial conquests. Napoleon had taken control of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, most of Western Germany and northern Italy. However, he was captured by the forces of the Sixth Coalition (that included the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Prussia and a number of German States) in 1815. Napoleon finally died miserably in exile on St. Helena.

The poem may be read as an expression of Shelley’s hatred against tyrannical rulers. He was opposed to any kind of oppression—political, religious or intellectual.

During Shelley’s lifetime, Roman Catholics were facing oppression in a number of ways. The English parliament had passed the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the Penal laws. These imposed severe restrictions on Roman Catholics and Nonconformists for not accepting the Anglican Church established by the English state.

What the government of England and the Church of England were doing was considered religious and intellectual oppression by Shelley. "Ozymandias" can also be read as his response to such injustice.

The ruler Ozymandias, also known as Ramses II, was believed to be a mighty and tyrannical ruler who used to erect his statues across the Egyptian Empire. The words written on the pedestal reveal his self-obsession and vanity:

“My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

Drunk with self-pride and arrogance, he busied himself erecting his mammoth statues instead of caring for his subjects.

The poem presents biting satire of the vainglorious king by revealing the present ruined state of his statue.

“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.” 

The great city and its big structures built by Ozymandias have all vanished and a barren desert has replaced them. The broken statue of the conceited king is the only remnant of his rule.

Here, the poet’s response rings clear as a bell. In his poem, Shelley presents a strongly worded warning against the growing political intolerance and religious hegemony.

It may also be read as his strong indictment of one country’s forceful occupation of another country, as well as the Anglican Church’s imposition of restrictions on Roman Catholics.

According to the poet, if a political government continues to remain intolerant, self-centered and indifferent to the issue of social justice, its end would be inevitable and like the derelict statue of Ozymandias it would be forgotten by posterity.

What changes can be made to make "The Bet" by Anton Chekhov more interesting?

Personally, I think famous writer Anton Chekhov did a fine job at making his story "The Bet" interesting, and I doubt there is anything any of us could do to make it better. However, if you want to rewrite his story in a different way, you might do it in real time instead of as a flashback. That would probably turn it into a very long book, but that way, you would be able to know each characters' thoughts as the years go by. Or, maybe you could, instead, just choose a couple of instances during each of the fifteen years, where the readers might gain insight into each character's thoughts and feelings and/or answer the questions some of us might have. For example, why did the lawyer stop playing music and then take it up again? What books did he read that had the biggest impact on him and why? How did he survive the loneliness of all those years? These are questions that aren't answered in the story as it is. 

Or, you could just change the ending. Have a big knock down, drag out fight after the lawyer wakes up while the banker is trying to kill him. The banker somehow ends up dead instead, and the lawyer is taken off to a real prison, where he has to spend the rest of his life in solitary confinement. Personally, I like Anton Chekhov's version better!