Which plates are diverging off the west coast of South America?

Nazca Plate is interacting with the South American Plate off the west coast of South America. In fact, Nazca Plate is a converging plate and not a divergent plate. Diverging plates move away from each other, such as African and Arabian Plates. Converging plates move towards each other, as in this case. The Nazca Plate is undergoing subduction (due to higher density of oceanic plate) and is being pulled under the continental South American Plate. This subduction is causing the South American Plate to rise up and this has resulted in Andes Mountains. Another characteristic of this oceanic-continental convergence is the volcanoes that form on the surface of continental plate. Strong earthquakes also result from this subduction, as the fragments of subducting plate gets locked in and are suddenly released. 

Hope this helps. 

Write chemical equation for the reaction of calcium hydroxide with carbon dioxide.

Aqueous calcium hydroxide reacts with carbon dioxide to form a white precipitate, calcium carbonate, and water. Carbon dioxide dissolves in water to produce carbonic acid (H2CO3), The carbonic acid reacts with OH- to produce the carbonate ion that precipitates with calcium ion. Here's the equation:

`Ca(OH)_2 + CO_2 -> CaCO_3 + H_2O`

Aqueous calcium hydroxide is called lime water. Lime water can be used as an indicator for carbon dioxide because, when CO2 is bubbled through it, it turns cloudy as the insoluble calcium carbonate is produced. Exhaling through a straw into limewater turns it milky-colored as the carbon dioxide from your lungs reacts. This reaction can be used to observe CO2 production in processes such as fermentation.

Continuing to add CO2 to limewater after it's become cloudy will cause it to become clear again. The carbonic acid that forms reacts with the calcium carbonate to form soluble calcium hydrogen carbonate. 

In To Kill a Mockingbird what is a good thesis for a coming-of-age theme and in what chapter is it found?

Jean Louise Finch is the perfect candidate to discuss in a coming-of-age paper. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is called a bildungsroman, which means that the protagonist goes through character building experiences such as rites of passage. Scout's character development definitely grows as one life experience builds upon the other. It seems that as each chapter passes, Scout learns a new lesson on proper moral behavior, the ways of the world, and how to treat other people with respect. Hence, almost any chapter would show an experience that helps Scout to learn about becoming an adult. But there is one specific instance when Scout stops learning about how to behave or think like an adult and she proves it.

The first time Scout shows that she understands a difficult situation and acts accordingly is in chapter 24 when Aunt Alexandra is hosting a missionary tea party and Atticus comes home with news that Tom Robinson is dead. The ladies have just been listening to indirect racist comments about the trial and Atticus, so tensions are high. Scout's usual response is to vocally or physically react to people who challenge her family, but she can't do that in polite company with older adult women, of course. Both Scout and Aunt Alexandra almost can't go on as they sit in the kitchen taking a break from the women in the living room. Miss Maudie rallies them back to their senses so they can go back out to their company. Scout says the best coming-of-age comment:

"After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I" (237).

With this comment, Scout passes cookies politely and acts like a proper lady. This is significant because Atticus, Calpurnia, Uncle Jack, Jem, and Aunt Alexandra have all worked with Scout to behave more like a lady than a tomboy; and, she figures out when different times call for different behavior.

Thesis Statement Examples:

1-  Jean Louise Finch demonstrates what it means to behave like a lady when she wears a party dress, attends Aunt Alexandra's tea party, and controls her temper and emotions in the face of adversity.

2-  Jean Louise Finch shows that she has reached a pinnacle in her coming-of-age story when she attends a ladies' tea party, wears a dress, and properly behaves by controlling her temper and emotions in the face of adversity.

How does Beatty explain fire in Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451?

Captain Beatty is not only the chief of the firemen who burns books, but he is a well-read, very intellectual man. He fights books with real fire and he fights them with their own words, too. Being that he is eloquent in his own right, Beatty can describe fire's physical attributes as well as its cleansing qualities. When they show up to burn down Montag's house, Beatty ignites his flame thrower and philosophizes about it as follows:

"What is it about fire that's so lovely? . . . It's perpetual motion; the thing man wanted to invent but never did. Or almost perpetual motion. If you let it go on, it'd burn our lifetimes out. What is fire? It's a mystery. Scientists give us gobbledegook about friction and molecules. But they don't really know. Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences" (115).

In the above passage, Beatty is basically saying that fire is one of the biggest mysteries known to man, but it is an element that destroys both the physical as well as the abstract; such as responsibility and consequences.  He continues by saying the following:

"Now, Montag, you're a burden. And fire will lift you off my shoulders, clean, quick, sure; nothing to rot later. Antibiotic, aesthetic, practical" (115).

Beatty ends by saying that he will use fire to get rid of the liability that Montag has become. Beatty depends on fire to control the environment and people around him. He believes fire is the greatest cleansing element that also executes with the utmost efficiency. It seems, too, as if Beatty worships fire like it were a god.

Some people might claim that the spirit of Caesar influences the entire course of Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar. Discuss this idea.

While Caesar is certainly not the main player on the stage of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (he is, after all, dead by the middle of the third Act), it's still possible to argue that his spirit, or rather his character, continues to influence the entire course of the play.

This idea might surprise some readers. After all, it's pretty easy to see that the main plot of Shakespeare's play is more concerned with the tragic figure of Brutus and his fellow conspirators than with the eponymous emperor. Be that as it may, it's important to recognize that, if it weren't for Caesar's arrogant ambition to rule all of Rome, none of the events of the play would have ever taken place. As such, though Caesar himself does not play a major role in most of the events in Julius Caesar, his character is responsible for the drama that unfolds: his ambition to become emperor leads the conspirators to assassinate him, which in turns leads to a bloody civil war. As such, it would be very accurate to claim that the spirit of Caesar influences the entire course of the play.  

What is the falling action in the plot of the film, A Christmas Story?

The falling action of the film, A Christmas Story, takes place after the climactic scene on Christmas morning. Ralphie received the gift he had been wishing for all Christmas season-- a Red Ryder BB Gun. He promptly takes the model air rifle outside, and upon firing his first shot, the pellet ricochets off of a metal sign and hits him in the face. This scene mirrors something he has been warned of all throughout the film-- "You'll shoot your eye out!" Though Ralphie's glasses protect his eyes, it is certainly a frightening moment for the characters and viewers of the film.

After Ralphie's incident with "shooting his eye out," the tension and expectation in the film begins to drop, but it is by no means less eventful! Having ruined his glasses and caused minor injury to his face, Ralphie pretends that the cause was an icicle falling on him. This wins the sympathy of his mother, who takes him to the upstairs bathroom to console him and tend to the small wound left  by the pellet. Unknowingly, they have left the downstairs door open and the neighbors' many dogs are sneaking in! They ravage the Christmas dinner Ralphie's mother has been working so hard to prepare, and the family is devastated. 

This leads us to the resolution of the film. Ralphie and his family go out to a Chinese restaurant for dinner because it is the only place open on Christmas. Though their day has been disastrous, their relationships to one another are reaffirmed.

To what extent would you agree with the statement, "The appeal of Shakespeare's Hamlet lies primarily in the complex nature of the play's central...

Hamlet is arguably the most complex male character in the English canon. His soliloquies are complicated and filled with contradictions. He is as motivated as he is contemplative. It is hard to deny that he is a difficult character. However, the main appeal of the play comes from Hamlet's interactions with the many levels and systems that exist within the play. Hamlet, on his own, is not the main appeal of the play. Instead, it is Hamlet's interactions with the other characters and situations that have enchantled audiences and readers for centuries.

There are many moving parts in the play that take hold of Hamlet. On a system level, the country has damaged foreign relationships which threaten to harm the country and its citizens. On a familial level, Hamlet has fractured relationships with his mother. Personally, Hamlet is conflicted and often lashing out. Hamlet's interactions and exchanges with these levels are what engage us.

What are some of the conflicts in Romeo and Juliet?

Romeo and Juliet is characterized by several major conflicts. The first involves the longstanding feud between the Capulets and the Montagues that is, of course, absolutely central to the plot of the play. Without understanding this conflict, little else in the play makes sense. Romeo and Juliet's love is dangerous because it is forbidden. It is forbidden because of the mutual hatred between the two families.

This brings us to another important conflict—love vs. hate. Romeo and Juliet's love is born and flourishes in an atmosphere of hate. On the one hand, this love is consumed by hate—the two lovers die at the end of the play. On the other, their deaths, though tragic, bring an end to the feud between their two families. In a sense, love triumphs over hate in the end.

A different, related conflict is generational in nature. This takes place on a number of different levels. Juliet expressly defies the wishes of her father when she initially refuses to marry Paris (because she is in fact married to Romeo). Romeo knows his parents would not approve of his love for Juliet, but he marries her anyway. Tybalt openly quarrels with Capulets at the beginning of the play, and both the Nurse and Friar Laurence chide Romeo and Juliet for their impetuousness. These conflicts might be described as "young vs. old."

Perhaps the most poignant and important conflict is between the two young lovers and fate itself. The Chorus tells us that Romeo and Juliet are "star-cross'd lovers" at the beginning of the play, and we know throughout that they are doomed. Even Romeo is compelled to "defy" the "stars" in the play when he hears (erroneously) that Juliet has died. These characters struggle against fate throughout the play.

How old is Miss Brill? What are her circumstances? Why does she listen in on conversations?

Miss Brill is likely fairly elderly.  She seems not to be in the best of health, as after walking to the park, "She felt a tingling in her hands and arms [...]."  This is not a typical sensation one has after a leisurely walk; it sounds a lot like neuropathy, a condition associated with the elderly.  Moreover, when the young couple sit down next to her, the boy calls her a "stupid old thing" and expresses his wish that she would "keep her silly old mug at home."  The commonality between these two comments is the word "old."  Earlier, Miss Brill had come to a realization as she looked around at people in the park: "They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they'd just come from dark little rooms or even -- even cupboards!"  Then, at the end of the story, she returns to "the little dark room -- her room like a cupboard."  This similarity in the descriptions of their rooms and her own lets us know that Miss Brill really is old and that she just never realized it until now.

Miss Brill does not have much going on in her life.  She lives alone and only gets out four times a week to read the newspaper to an "old invalid gentleman [...] while he slept in the garden" and once on Sundays to come to the park when the band plays.  The majority of her interior life seems to be imaginary.  She concocts an elaborate fantasy about how everyone at the park is in a play -- herself included -- and that she is actually an important actress.  "No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn't been there; she was part of the performance after all."  Perhaps she secretly fears that she wouldn't be missed if she stopped coming, and so she invents a fantasy wherein she plays a vital role.  Further, she looks forward to telling her old invalid gentleman that he is having the newspaper read to him by an actress!

This is, also, the reason she eavesdrops on others' conversations.  There is so little of interest in her own life that "She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn't listen, at sitting in other people's lives just for a minute while they talked round her."  Again, however, she doesn't realize that this is why she eavesdrops, at least not until the very end of the story.  At that point, she hears something crying, and readers realize that it must be her.

When does Brutus recognize his tragic flaw?

Brutus realized that he committed a mistake by participating in the assassination of Caesar when Caesar’s ghost appeared to him. He acknowledged this omen as a sign confirming his mistake and at that point he decided that it was his time to die (Act V Scene V).

Brutus participated in the assassination of Caesar believing that he was doing the right thing for the republic. He personally stated that he had no personal issues with his friend, but he was afraid that he would turn into a tyrant. After Caesar’s death, the Second Triumvirate comprising of Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus sought to avenge Caesar’s death by pursuing the conspirators. The two groups met at the battle field and it was during this time that the ghost of Caesar appeared to Brutus. Brutus informed his soldiers of his decision to die and asked them to retreat. Brutus then asked Strato who was left behind to hold his sword which he ran against, killing himself. Before he died, he stated that Caesar would be avenged through his suicide, which he was about to commit with motives twice as pure compared to those of the assassination. “Caesar, now be still. / I killed not thee with half so good a will”

Brutus acknowledged his participation in the assassination of Caesar as a mistake because even after Caesar’s death, he was still unable to save the republic.

How does Macbeth come to be Thane of Cawdor in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

The Thane of Cawdor is a traitor and Macbeth is promoted to his title.

Macbeth distinguishes himself in battle, and then hears the prophecies of the three witches.  One of these is that he will be Thane of Cawdor.  The other two prophecies are that he will be king, and that Banqo’s sons will be king.  When Macbeth appears at Duncan’s castle, Ross addresses him with his new title.  That is how he finds out he has been promoted due to his recent battle heroics and the downfall of the person who last had that title.

MACBETH

The thane of Cawdor lives: why do you dress me
In borrow'd robes?

ANGUS

Who was the thane lives yet;
But under heavy judgment bears that life
Which he deserves to lose. … (Act 1, Scene 3)

Macbeth doesn’t seem to be too upset that the current Thane of Cawdor has confessed to being a traitor.  He is more interested in the fact that one of the witches’ prophecies came true.  If one came true, can the others be far behind?

Ever since the witches planted this seed in his head, Macbeth cannot be satisfied.  He wants to be king, because he has been told that he will be king.  When Duncan announces that his son will be his successor, which in most circles would be expected, Macbeth is upset.  He wants all of the witches prophecies to come true, or at least those that relate to him.  He doesn't want Banquo's sons to be king!

What's ironic in "The Fall of the House of Usher"?

Irony is generally defined as being when something happens that is unexpected. In "The Fall of the House of Usher," Edgar Allan Poe uses a technique called ironic reversal, which means that he shows an impossibility in one part of a text, then makes it a possibility in another part of the text, making the reader think of the original impossible idea and how it was not expected to ever become true.

Specifically, the narrator is coming up to the House of Usher and sees it reflected - and consequently upside-down - in the "black and lurid tarn," which is a contaminated mountain lake. 

Then, at the end of the story, the narrator runs out of the house and watches as it literally falls into the tarn and is submerged by it.

Why is Shylock not called a real hero, but a tragic hero?

A tragedy chronicles the progressive and ultimate downfall of someone, the tragic hero, who has enjoyed money, power, and/or prestige. This is exactly what happens to Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. Although Shylock is despised by Christians for being a Jew, he has a lucrative lending business, a daughter, a home, and religious community that he stands to lose. Tragedies can also reveal societal flaws, which in this case is the prejudice expressed throughout the play from all sides.

Another element of a tragedy is that the tragic hero has a tragic flaw which is the major reason for his fall from his high status. Shylock's tragic flaw could be his vengeful spirit that refuses to renegotiate the terms of Antonio's bond. His flaw could be his stubbornness to love his daughter properly; or his reciprocal prejudice against Christians; or all of these vices combined which make Shylock bitter, undiplomatic and hateful. Whatever the flaw, the Duke pronounces his judgment upon Shylock at the end of the hearing as follows:

"I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it.

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's.

The other half comes to the general state" (IV.i.364-366).

Shylock is shocked that his home and business are taken from him, but things get worse when Portia asks what mercy Antonio will show him. Antonio says that he would rather have his half of Shylock's money and goods go to the man who married Shylock's daughter, Lorenzo, and that Shylock "presently become a Christian" (IV.i.382).

In the end, Shylock, who once had money, family, and religion loses them all. Because he showed no mercy towards others, he seems to receive none in the end. Although most tragic heroes die at the end of the play, Shylock is lucky to escape with his life, but he must now live a poor Christian life alone with his regrets.

How do we know that the house in "The Listeners" was very old and no one lived there?

I'd like to start by saying that readers can't know that the house is old and/or deserted.  There are lines that suggest that the house is old and empty, but those lines don't guarantee that fact.  

Let's start with old.  I believe that the best indication that the house is old is the mentioning of the turret.  A turret is reminiscent of old castles, but the design and use of turrets gained popularity again during the Victorian era.  That period of history covers the second half of the 1800's.  The problem is that readers don't know a specific date for the poem's setting.  It's possible that the home was built in 1860, and the traveler in the story is visiting the home in 1880.  I wouldn't call a 20 year old home old.  

The poem does tell readers that birds flew out of the turret, and that the windows are "leaf-fringed." Both of those details make it seem like nature is taking back the home.  That does take some time, but even homes that have sat empty for even as little as a year are subject to ecological succession taking back the house.  I do believe that the house is old because it makes it creepier and more haunted feeling; however, I could defend the idea that the house is newer and has been recently deserted.  

As for the home being empty, I believe that is easier to support.  The narrator tells readers that the halls are empty.  Silence is a repeated motif in the poem.  Reader attention is drawn to the fact that the house is unusually quiet and still.  That suggests to me that the house is devoid of inhabitants.  The use of the word "phantom" also alerts readers to the lack of living souls in the house.  

But only a host of phantom listeners   

   That dwelt in the lone house then 

Whether you believe in ghosts or not doesn't really matter.  Ghosts would not be considered living, which supports the idea that no humans live in the house anymore. No humans in the house would also help explain why nature seems to be taking back the house.  There are no people around to stop nature's slow assault.  

Who used the alias Vincent Spaulding? a. Sherlock Holmes b. Dr. Watson c. Mr. Merryweather d. John Clay

The answer to your multiple choice question is d. John Clay. Sherlock Holmes first hears this name when he asks his prospective client Jabez Wilson:

“What is the name of this obliging youth?”

Wilson's reply makes Holmes, who is already suspicious, become even more suspicious of the assistant.

“His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?”

The idea of Wilson putting ideas into Spaulding's head is unintentionally ironic, since Spaulding has put such fantastic ideas into Wilson's head. Before the interview with Wilson is over, Sherlock Holmes is already positive that the man who is calling himself Vincent Spaulding must be none other than the elusive criminal whose real name is John Clay. Later in the story Peter Jones, the man from Scotland Yard, will describe him to the bank director as follows:

“John Clay, the murderer, thief, smasher, and forger. He's a young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his profession, and I would rather have my bracelets on him than on any criminal in London. He's a remarkable man, is young John Clay. His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself has been to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning as his fingers, and though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to find the man himself.

John Clay is wanted for many crimes, including murder, but neither Sherlock Holmes nor Scotland Yard has been able to catch up with him. Holmes is more than willing to take Wilson's case on a pro bono basis because this seems like a golden opportunity, not only to catch John Clay, but to catch him red-handed in a crime for which he will certainly be hanged. 

Jabez Wilson is fortunate that he never had enough curiosity to go down into his own cellar to see what Vincent Spaulding was up to down there. The author, Arthur Conan Doyle, portrays Wilson as old, overweight, and apparently suffering from high blood pressure. This would explain why Wilson never went down those dark wooden steps, which would be much harder to climb back up. He is also addicted to snuff, which is a powdered tobacco and which could affect his breathing in the same way as tobacco smoked in a pipe, cigar or cigarette. If Wilson had caught this "Vincent Spaulding" digging a tunnel, John Clay would have had no qualms about murdering him with his shovel and burying him in his own cellar.

Because of the ingenious way in which this story is told, the reader does not actually meet the notorious and dangerous John Clay until he pops out of his tunnel through the flooring and into the bank's strongroom. He proves to be a very cool customer, even though he has been trapped and faces hanging in those strict Victorian times. His attempted burglary alone would be enough to get him hanged, but he has a long list of prior crimes for which to answer.

In The Story of My Life, why does Helen tell us about her interest in things other than reading? How does this add to our understanding of her...

Helen Keller was only 23 years old when she wrote this memoir. To those of us who can see and hear, especially, she offers explanations about what her daily life is like, without the use of these senses. Certainly, she doesn’t just sit in a corner alone and be remorseful. She wants to show that she can do just about anything anyone else can do. In Chapter 22, she talks about going rowing, sailing, and canoeing. She likes interacting with trees and with dogs. She knits and crochets, and even plays board games and cards with friends. She goes to museums and touches the sculptures. She goes to theaters and meets some of the actors. The richness of her life shouldn’t surprise us, given her take-charge personality and her sensitivity to everything around her.

People who think that all sensations reach us through the eye and the ear have expressed surprise that I should notice any difference, except possibly the absence of pavements, between walking in city streets and in country roads. They forget that my whole body is alive to the conditions about me.

And yet, there are times when her circumstances weigh her down. But she has found a way to rise above depression.

Sometimes, it is true, a sense of isolation enfolds me like a cold mist as I sit alone and wait at life’s shut gate. Beyond there is light, and music, and sweet companionship; but I may not enter. … Then comes hope with a smile and whispers, ‘There is joy in self-forgetfulness.’ So I try to make the light in others’ eyes my sun, the music in others’ ears my symphony, the smile on others’ lips my happiness.

She finds joy in interacting positively with other people, too. Her inspirational story prods readers to wonder if they could do everything Helen does, if they were challenged with the same physical limitations.

What is a synonym for "very"?

According to dictionary.com, a synonym "is a word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another in the language." For example, happy is a synonym of joyful.

It is easy to overuse the word 'very' when trying to describe something of a high degree, so it is good to use synonyms to vary language.

Here are some synonyms for very: extremely, exceedingly, highly, incredibly, unusually, wonderfully, certainly, extraordinary, excessively, greatly, noticeably, truly, remarkable, profoundly, particularly, pretty, and surprisingly. 

Each of the synonyms listed above expresses a different level of degree, so it is important to choose the correct one. If something is not surprising, it would not be appropriate to use surprisingly. Furthermore, if something is not wonderful, wonderfully would not be the best word choice. 

A great place to look up synonyms of words us in a thesaurus. There is a link for a great online thesaurus posted below. 

Name three tectonic plates that contain both sima and sial?

Sial and Sima refer to the composition of Earth's Crust. The Crust is the uppermost layer and has different compositions for continental portion and the oceanic portion. The continental crust is rich in silicates and aluminum and hence is also known as Sial. The oceanic crust or the lower layer of the crust is richer in silicates and magnesium based minerals and hence is also known as Sima. 

Earth's crust is composed of a number of pieces, also known as tectonic plates. Some of these plates consist of both the continental and the oceanic crust. In other words, these plates contain both sial and sima. Some examples of these plates are North American plate, African Plate, Eurasian plate, etc. A look at the map of Earth with these plates confirm the presence of sial and sima in these plates. For example, the North American plate consists of both the land and the ocean. It contains North America, Cuba, Greenland, etc. and a large portion of the Atlantic Ocean. Similarly, the African plate consists of most of the continental Africa and a large portion of Atlantic Ocean.

Hope this helps. 

Why is Daniel living in a cave in the beginning of The Bronze Bow?

Although it takes several chapters for the author to reveal Daniel's backstory, eventually readers learn that Daniel fled to the mountain and joined Rosh's band when he ran away from his master, Amalek, a blacksmith to whom he had been apprenticed. Amalek was abusive, and Daniel reached the breaking point and ran. Previously, Daniel's family had gone through horrific trauma. Daniel's uncle had been arrested by Romans for not paying taxes. Daniel's father made a reckless attempt to free Daniel's uncle, and the result was that both his uncle and father, along with others who were part of the rescue attempt, were crucified. Daniel's mother died shortly after from the shock of that event. That left only Daniel's grandmother to support Daniel and Leah; she apprenticed him out because she couldn't afford to keep him. 

On the mountain, Daniel is loyal to Rosh, who found him and took him in. Rosh is a bandit who Daniel believes will one day lead a successful rebellion against Rome. The bandits live in a cave and a camp on a mountain outside of the village where Daniel used to live. Because Daniel's whole life since his father's death has been dedicated to taking revenge on Rome, he is happy to live and work with Josh, waiting for the day when they will be strong enough to overthrow their oppressors. 

In "The Devil and Tom Walker" what possible plot developments does the mention of buried pirate treasure invite?

This sort of interpretation depends strongly upon the individual reader, as well as their understanding and literary connection to the concepts of treasure, pirates and hidden things. For example, we might expect that an American reader has a concept of pirates that more or less follows the tropes depicted in media such as "Pirates of the Caribbean", whereas a person more familiar with Somali pirates, or internet pirates, might have an entirely different series of connotations. 

Buried or lost treasure is often used as a narrative device to spur characters into action. In film, it might be called a MacGuffin - something which drives the plot but is, in and of itself, relatively inconsequential. Consider, for example, that the treasure would have zero effect on the world if no one knew about it. 

The most straightforward plot development we might assume the treasure invites is that it will be discovered, and allow its new owner to achieve some sort of ambition. It also fulfills an aspect of the stereotypical American ideal of rising to the upper class through one's own efforts, or some sort of ingenious trickery. Similar themes are drawn upon in "The Great Gatsby", and ultimately the money itself is not as relevant as the character traits and transformations that it brings about.

Your teacher asks you to prepare a solution of barium oxide in water. The solution has to be 6.0M, but other than that, your teacher doesn't give...

The directions for preparing a solution of 6.0M barium hydroxide depend on the volume desired. Since the volume isn't specified I'll explain how to prepare 500. ml (0.500L) of solution. You can easily substitute another volume into the calculation.

Let's start with the mathematical definition of molarity: It's moles of solute per liter of solution. You need to calculate the number moles of barium hydroxide needed, then convert that to grams so that it can be measured out.

1. Since molarity = moles solute/liters solution,

moles solute = (molarity)(liters of solution) = (6.0M)(0.500L) = 3.0 moles

2. Next, you need to know the molar mass of BaO to convert to grams:

137.3 g/mol + 16.0 g/mol = 153.3 g/mol

(3.0 moles BaO)(153.3 g/mol) = 460 grams BaO needed

3. Now that you know the required number of grams, weigh out this amount and use a funnel to put it into a volumetric flask of the volume you wish to prepare, in this case 500 ml.

4. Add deionized or distilled water to the flask to a point just short of the 500 ml line.

5. Stopper the flask, invert and swirl to mix.

6. Add additional water a drop at a time to bring the volume up to the 500 ml line and mix again.

Note that you don't measure out a specific volume of water, you add it until the desired total volume is reached. The presence of a solute sometimes adds to the volume so that you would need less than 500 ml of water, and sometimes causes the volume to contract so that you need more than 500 ml of water.

You can use a different volume in liters in step one. This will give you a different value for moles and mass of BaO. 

How did the French and Indian War change relations between the colonies and Britain?

The French and Indian War changed the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain in many ways. One was that the territories gained by the British as a result of the war led to almost immediate conflict, as the Crown tried to avert war with Native Americans by stopping settlement west of the Appalachians. This created tensions between the British ministry and western settlers as well as wealthy land speculators.

Another change in the imperial relationship was a result of the tremendous debt incurred by the British government, as well as the additional expenses of administering (and stationing soldiers in) the vast territories gained as a result of the Treaty of Paris. The British tried to service this debt first by tightening restrictions on trade with the colonies and, at least once, by passing an "internal" tax in the form of the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was highly controversial, and met with violent protest, because it seemed to violate an age-old protection enjoyed by British subjects--the right against taxation without representation. Additional duties on imported goods did not meet with these theoretical objections, but they did hurt the pocketbooks of colonial merchants and ordinary city-dwellers. Moreover, to many people, they represented a pattern of abuses that constituted an assault on colonial liberties.

There were other ways in which the French and Indian War altered the relationship--British ministers were unimpressed, for example, with the willingness of colonial legislatures to provide funding for their own defense, and colonial militia bristled at the attempts of British officers to impose harsh discipline on them. But the imposition of the Proclamation of 1763, the Stamp Act, and other controversial measures was primarily responsible for driving a wedge between Britain and its colonies in the wake of the French and Indian War.

What are seven significant events that transpire in Frankenstein from pages 105-112?

By the beginning of Volume III, Victor has promised his creature that he will make him a partner, a female companion. At this point, he returns to Geneva.

1. Victor "was unable to overcome [his] repugnance to the task which was enjoined [him]."  He realized that, in order to create a female, he would have to devote many months to study and labor.  This displeases him very greatly because he no longer wishes to engage in any scientific endeavor.

2. Victor's health continues to rebound after they return home, and this makes everyone happy. He says, "my spirits, when unchecked by the memory of my unhappy promise, rose proportionably," and when he did begin to feel badly, "the bright sun seldom failed to restore [him] to some degree of composure."  Victor's appreciation of nature and his good health usually go hand-in-hand.  When he is healthy, he is able to enjoy nature, and nature has a likewise restorative effect on his health.

3. Victor assures his father than he still very much loves and wants to marry Elizabeth.  This is important because their wedding will give the creature the ultimate way to exact revenge on Victor later on.

4. Victor asks for, and is granted, time before the wedding to take a two-year tour of England and Holland.  He will use this time to create the female companion for his creature.

5. Victor, "Filled with dreary imaginations, [...] passed through many beautiful and majestic scenes [while on this tour]; but [his] eyes were fixed and unobserving."  Victor says that his heart could not be touched by nature now because of his dreaded promise.  This sharply contrasts with his feelings just a few pages before when he was at home.

6. Victor delivers a panegyric on his best friend, Henry Clerval.  "[Henry's] wild and enthusiastic imagination was chastened by the sensibility of his heart.  His soul overflowed with ardent affections, and his friendship was of that devoted and wondrous nature that the worldly-minded teach us to look for only in the imagination."  Victor talks about Henry's love of nature, how happy and loving and gentle he was.  Interestingly, it is all in the past tense, foreshadowing some tragedy.

7. Victor laments the apparent death of Clerval.  He says, speaking in the present to Captain Walton, that "[Henry's] form so divinely wrought, and beaming with beauty, has decayed, but [his] spirit still visits and consoles [his] unhappy friend."  This is another clue that something terrible is going to happen to Clerval in the story.  His body could not decay nor his spirit visit Victor later on unless he were dead.

What is a quote from Ponyboy that depicts how much he has changed and matured as an individual?

In Chapter 12, Ponyboy and Darry begin arguing at the dinner table about Ponyboy completing his English paper. Ponyboy mentions that it is their fourth fight this week, and brings Sodapop into the conversation. Sodapop has just received his letter to Sandy unopened and takes off running out of the house. Ponyboy and Darry chase after Sodapop, and when they catch him, Soda tells them that he's sick of them fighting. Sodapop tells Ponyboy that Darry cares about him, and then tells Darry that he needs to try to understand Ponyboy better. Ponyboy thinks to himself,

"Darry looked real worried. I suddenly realized that Darry was only twenty, that he wasn't so much older that he couldn't feel scared or hurt and as lost as the rest of us. I saw that I had expected Darry to do all the understanding without even trying to understand him. And he had given up a lot for Soda and me." (Hinton 176)

At the beginning of the novel, Ponyboy does not get along with his older brother Darry. He believes that Darry is hard on him and doesn't care about him. Initially, Ponyboy does not try to understand his older brother. As the novel progresses, Ponyboy gradually develops an understanding of Darry. After he sees Darry for the first time while he is in the hospital, he realizes the Darry cares about him. Ponyboy displays his maturation in the last chapter by realizing that Darry has made many sacrifices for him and Sodapop. Ponyboy gains perspective on his older brother by realizing that Darry is only twenty years old and has a lot of responsibility. Ponyboy is aware that he has neglected Darry's feelings and recognizes that he needs to try understanding Darry for once.

How did the visit to Boston change Helen's views regarding books?

Helen Keller spent a great deal of time in Boston throughout her life.  It was Helen's first visit, however, that introduced her to the joys of reading.  Helen visited the Perkins Institution in Boston, which had a vast library.  This library was full of an assortment of unique books. The Perkins Institution was a school for the blind.  The books in the library there were printed in Braille or with raised letters.  During her visit, Helen was allowed "to spend a part of each day in the Institution library, and to wander from bookcase to bookcase."  This filled her with fascination and excitement.  She enjoyed selecting various books and reading parts of them.  

At this time in Helen's life, she had only been able to communicate with words for a short amount of time.  When Helen read excerpts from the books in the library, she was unable to fully comprehend them.  It was a little later in her life that she was fully able to understand what she read, and it was then that she became an avid reader.

What details make Boxer's death so tragic?

In Animal Farm, Boxer dies in Chapter Nine when he is sold by Napoleon to a local glue manufacturer. His death is particularly tragic because of a number of details:

• Boxer and the other animals do not realise that the van belongs to a glue manufacturer because only Benjamin is able to read the relevant sign. 


• Orwell uses emotive language, like "a cry of horror," to portray the distress of Boxer's friends as they realise what is really happening. This is reinforced by the image of these animals chasing the van as it leaves the farm.


• Orwell creates an auditory image of Boxer kicking his hoofs against the van to depict the distress he feels when he realises that he is going to the "knacker's" and not to the vets.


• Orwell also emphasises Boxer's weakness as a means of evoking sympathy from the reader. This is shown through the line: "The time had been when a few kicks from Boxer’s hoofs would have smashed the van to matchwood." This makes his death even more tragic because it implies that he could have saved himself, had he not already been injured.

What other fictional or non-fictional character from a book or movie can Nick Carraway be compared to?

I think this is a really interesting question. I've given it some thought and, while there are probably better examples, I have come up with three ideas.

The movie Citizen Kane is similar because the story is about a larger than life individual, Charles Foster Kane, and is told by narrators who have both witnessed the events of the story but also played a role in them. Kane's friend, Jedidiah Leland (played by Joseph Cotton in the movie) is one of the sources. While he is originally close to Kane, he eventually comes to doubt Kane's principles. Despite his misgivings he stays close to Kane until he has to choose between his own integrity and loyalty to Kane. Like Nick Carraway we may feel that Leland is a reliable narrator in his telling of Kane's life, but, since he's telling the story from many years after the events we may doubt his version, just as we may doubt Carraway and think he may have been trying to make himself look good in the narration. 

Another example is the Vietnam War movie Apocalypse Now (I'm focusing on the movie rather than the book, Heart of Darkness) about an army major, Willard (played by Martin Sheen), going up river to discover what has happened to Colonel Kurtz. Kurtz has basically lost his mind and severed ties to civilization to live with the savage natives of the area. Like Gatsby, Kurtz is bigger than life and somewhat of a mystery. Like Nick, Willard is caught up in the events surrounding Kurtz and may not always be a reliable narrator. In fact, his version of the events is somewhat questionable.

The best example is the movie The Shawshank Redemption (also a story by Stephen King) about a man unjustly convicted of murder. Andy Dufresne is serving a life sentence in Shawshank Prison when he meets Red, the narrator of the story. The fact that Red goes through most of the events in the story with Andy make him quite similar to Nick. He is telling the story of a man he very much admires. Andy reveals himself as an intelligent and resourceful character which we grow to like. Red is not only an accomplice in the plot but also a friend to Andy. 

What does Scout think of current fashions in education? What do her opinions reveal about her character?

Scout is a smart girl for her age because she has been reading the newspaper with Atticus every night since she was very young.  In addition, Atticus treats both Scout and Jem as if they are young adults; he doesn’t treat them as children and understands that they are bright children who don’t always need to be protected from the world around them.  When Scout goes to school, she finds it boring because it is moving too slow for her.  Miss Caroline, her teacher, insists that Scout learn her way (the Dewey Decimal system that is all about order and rules) and dismisses Scout’s reading ability.  Scout sees the education system as strict and not flexible.  After the first day of school, Scout begs Atticus to not make her go back. 

Scout’s opinions about school show that she is not ready to conform to society’s values and beliefs.  She is an individual who will learn a lot about life through her experiences rather than through a strict educational system that stymies one’s abilities.  By writing scenes that show Scout going to school, Harper Lee is forming the character of Scout as an independent, free-thinking young girl who will learn and grow from the events that happen in the novel and not through sitting in a classroom.

What is the meaning of Song No. 40 from Gitanjali?

The poet in song 40 in "The Gitanjali," by Tagore, is in the mood of despair. We don't know this at the start of the poem, where the poet is asking God to rain on his "arid heart." He doesn't even care if the rain comes in the form of a fierce storm; he just needs relief.

"Send thy angry storm, dark with death, if it is thy wish, and with lashes of lightning startle the sky from end to end."

All the poet desires is that his overwhelming despair, which burns within him, be drowned in a healing rain.

The final line of the poem is that last entreaty the poet makes to God—asking for both a cleansing wrath of the Father, and at the same, the tender heart of the Mother.

"Let the cloud of grace bend low from above like the tearful look of the mother on the day of the father's wrath."

What are some quotes in To Kill a Mockingbird showing Mayella Ewell as an outcast?

When Tom Robinson is being questioned by Mr. Gilmer, Tom says something that seems shocking to most of the people in the courtroom. (Atticus is, of course, not shocked to hear it.) Mr. Gilmer asks why Tom would help Mayella. Tom says, "“Yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em—" Mr. Gilmer is indignant. He can not believe that a black man would feel sorry for a white girl. This admission shows how lonely Mayella was. She was faced with raising the Ewell children herself, while living with a drunk, abusive father. Tom recognized this and this is why he would stop and help her. She is such an outcast that only a fellow outcast (Tom, outcast from most other white society) tries to help her. 

In Chapter 23, Atticus is explaining why he did not retaliate when Bob Ewell spit in his face. It has more to do with Mayella than it does with Atticus's pride or getting revenge against Bob. Atticus says, "So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there." Atticus shows that there is no one to stand up for Mayella. She is alone in the Ewell home. The Ewells are outcasts, literally meaning they are cast out of society in a number of ways. Mayella has had to fend for herself most of her life. 

`(11pi)/12 = (3pi)/4 + pi/6` Find the exact values of the sine, cosine, and tangent of the angle.

`sin(u+v)=sin(u)cos(v)+cos(u)sin(v)`

`sin((3pi)/4+pi/6)=sin((3pi)/4)cos(pi/6)+cos((3pi)/4)sin(pi/6)`

`sin((3pi)/4+pi/6)=(sqrt2/2)(sqrt3/2)+(-sqrt2/2)(1/2)=(sqrt2/4)(sqrt3-1)`

`cos(u+v)=cos(u)cos(v)-sin(u)sin(v)`

`cos((3pi)/4+pi/6)=cos((3pi)/4)cos(pi/6)-sin((3pi)/4)sin(pi/6)`

`cos((3pi)/4+pi/6)=(-sqrt2/2)(sqrt3/2)-(sqrt2/2)(1/2)=(-sqrt2/4)(sqrt3+1)`

`tan(u+v)=(tan(u)+tan(v))/(1-tan(u)tan(v))`

`tan((3pi)/4+pi/6)=(tan((3pi)/4)+tan(pi/6))/(1-tan((3pi)/4)tan(pi/6))=(-1+(sqrt3/3))/(1-(-1)(sqrt3/3))=(-3+sqrt3)/(3+sqrt3)`

The rationalized answer is `-2+sqrt3.`

What are your impressions of Leonard's world of 2053?

The world of 2053 in which Leonard Mead walks the lonely streets and looks into the dark houses where only the dim light of a television shines, is alienated, dehumanized, and sterile.

Leonard walks every night down moonlit sidewalks and finds that

...he was alone in this world of A.D. 2053, or as good as alone.

He feels as though he walks through a graveyard in which "gray phantoms seemed to manifest upon inner rooms." There is never a person outdoors, no one to greet, no one with whom to visit, no one to give sound to the dark silence. The streets are silent and empty. So, Leonard looks into the houses to see if there is any light or life within.

"Hello, in there," he whispered...."What's up tonight on Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 9....?"

For a moment Leonard thinks he hears laughter, but as he continues to listen, he hears no more sound. The houses are like tombs, poorly lit by the dim lights of televisions before which people sit numbed, desensitized, and alienated from their neighbors. Leonard is the only pedestrian outside, and even the car that arrests him has no driver. 

In Bud, Not Buddy, why was Steady Eddie Bud's favorite?

In the story Bud, Not Buddy, Steady Eddie is one of the members of Mr. Herman E. Calloway's band. Steady Eddie is the saxophone player and quickly comes to Bud's defense as the band members tease him.

When Bud first meets the band members, he is on a quest to convince Calloway that he is Bud's father. Though Bud is eventually invited to eat dinner with the band, Mr. Calloway brushes off the notion that Bud could be his son and leaves Bud to the care of the band members. Most of the band members subject Bud to some good-hearted teasing, as would be the case among band members on the road. However, Steady Eddie realizes that Bud is young, troubled and unaccustomed to the sort of teasing the band members are dishing out. As they continue to tease Bud, Steady Eddie directs them to stop. Steady Eddie also provides Bud with some much needed advice about dealing with Mr. Calloway. These caring actions quickly make Steady Eddie Bud's favorite band member.

In the book Number the Stars, why does mama tell the soldiers that they need to keep casket closed because an aunt died of infectious disease?

Mama says that Birte died of an infectious disease so that no one will look in the casket since Birte is not in there.

Great Aunt Birte does not exist.  She is an invention.  When Annemarie finds out from Uncle Hendrik that her aunt has died, she is a bit confused.  Henrik makes a speech about why they need a coffin in the house.

“There has been a death, and tonight your Great-aunt Birte will be resting in the living room, in her casket, before she is buried tomorrow. It is the old custom, you know, for the dead to rest at home, and their loved ones to be with them before burial." (Ch. 8)

Annemarie knows that something is going on because Great Aunt Birte is a fiction.  She is old enough to be curious about what is really going on.  She confronts her uncle, because her mama and uncle are lying to her and she wants to know why.  He tells her that the less she knows, the braver she can be.

Part of the custom is for people to gather at the house of the dead person’s loved ones.  However, this meeting is not unobserved by the Nazis.  The “death” in the family is an excuse for people to be gathered.  Mama says the casket is closed because Birte died of typhus germs, pretty much guaranteeing no one will open it to check their story.  It works.  The Nazi who questions them refuses to let her open the casket.

"You foolish woman, “he spat. "To think that we have any interest in seeing the body of your diseased aunt! Open it after we leave, “he said. (Ch. 10)

When the casket is opened later after the Nazis have gone, it is actually “stuffed with folded blankets and articles of clothing” (Ch. 11) to be distributed to the Jews in hiding in the house pretending to be mourners.  Annemarie soon learns that her family is part of the Resistance, and the story about Birte is just a cover to get the Jews to safety out of the country.

Annemarie's uncle had asked her if she could be brave, and told her that she would be braver if she did not know everything.  Annemarie finally understands with this incident.  She has to grow up quickly, and demonstrates bravery and maturity in telling the Nazi that her great aunt is in the coffin, and in taking the secret package to her uncle.  She knows just enough about what is going on to be scared, but still plays her part.

Describe the episode when Virginia is thought to be lost, when she has gone through the tapestry door with the ghost.

In Chapter Five of "The Canterville Ghost," Virginia finds the ghost looking very depressed in the Tapestry Chamber. After a brief conversation, she learns that the ghost is very tired because he has not slept for 300 years, since the night he was starved to death by his brothers-in-law for the murder of his wife. The ghost is desperate to sleep in the Garden of Death, his final resting place, but he must fulfill certain conditions before this is possible.

According to the prophecy written on the window, the ghost can only have eternal rest when a "little child" cries for him and prays with him, so that his sins might be forgiven. Virginia agrees to be this "little child" and, together, they disappear through the tapestry door.  

There are tantalisingly few details about what happens when Virginia passes through the door with the ghost. On her return, in Chapter Six, she simply tells us that the ghost is now dead, having been forgiven by God, and that the ghost has bequeathed her a box of jewels as a reward for her help.

To put this into context, Virginia has fulfilled the prophecy written on the library window and, in doing so, has granted eternal peace to the man who haunted Canterville Chase. She is truly "an angel," as the Duke later describes her.

What warning did that Laertes give Ophelia in Hamlet?

Laertes tells Ophelia not to have a relationship with Hamlet.

Laertes, like many brothers, worries about who has his sister’s heart.  He does not approve of Ophelia having a relationship with Hamlet.

For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour,
Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,
A violet in the youth of primy nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,
The perfume and suppliance of a minute; No more. (Act 1, Scene 3)

As far as Laertes is concerned, Hamlet is just playing with his sister.  He does not believe that the prince’s affections for her are true.  Essentially, he thinks that Hamlet is being a player, abusing his position as prince when he really has no intentions for her.

Perhaps he loves you now,
And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch
The virtue of his will: but you must fear,
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own;
For he himself is subject to his birth:
He may not, as unvalued persons do … (Act 1, Scene 3)

Laertes fears that Hamlet will impinge on Ophelia’s honor.  He knows that Hamlet is intelligent but volatile. 

Hamlet uses the situation with Ophelia to hide the real reason for his depression.  As he acts strangely, everyone assumes that it is about Ophelia.  Unfortunately, as Hamlet gets crazier and crazier, Ophelia’s mental and emotional state also suffers.  Hamlet may be acting, but Ophelia is not.

Hamlet's spurning of Ophelia, and the fact that he killed her father, leads Ophelia to suicide.  Hamlet has serious things on his mind with his father's murder and the remarriage of his mother to his uncle, and he does not fully realize what his actions are doing to Ophelia.  When he spurns her, she does more than cry into her pillow at night.  She slowly descends into depressive madness.

What is a quote from To Kill a Mockingbird that uses "discrimination" in its sentence?

The word "discrimination" is not used in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes "discrimination" as being "prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment."  The word "prejudice" is used in the novel on four occasions.  The following quote displays one of those four occasions:

"Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody.  Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced."

This quote is from Miss Gate's, one of Scout's teachers.  This quote is full of irony when read in context.

The class is having a discussion on Adolf Hitler and how he is persecuting the Jews in Germany.  Miss Gates tells her class that in the United States, persecution is not acceptable.  She also notes that persecution is caused by prejudiced people.  This is ironic because of widespread prejudice against black people in Maycomb, as well as in the American Southeast in the 1930s.  Scout notices the hypocrisy because she had once overheard Miss Gates making racist comments.

Who is Fan in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?

In A Christmas Carol, Fan is Ebeneezer Scrooge's sister. Dickens introduces Fan in the second stave of the story when the Ghost of Christmas Past takes Scrooge to revisit his childhood. In this scene, Fan comes to collect the young Scrooge from boarding school. Fan is evidently a loving and caring person, as shown by the fact that she begged her father to have Scrooge home for Christmas:

I was not afraid to ask him once more if you might come home; and he said Yes, you should; and sent me in a coach to bring you.

Moreover, the ghost shares this positive view of Fan's character:

"Always a delicate creature, whom a breath might have withered,'' said the Ghost. "But she had a large heart!''

It is also in this stave that we learn Fan died as a young woman, sometime after the birth of Fred, her only child (and Scrooge's nephew). Fred has clearly inherited many of his mother's character attributes, as shown by his desire to spend Christmas with his uncle, despite Scrooge's miserable character. 

What was William Wordsworth's historical significance?

William Wordsworth changed the course of English poetry and became one of the poets most closely connected with English Romantic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Together with Samuel Coleridge, he published a book of poetry called Lyrical Ballads in 1798. In it, he laid out a new theory of poetics that called for poetry to be written in the "real language of men" and to express "the spontaneous overflow of  powerful feelings... recollected in tranquility." His poetry showed a fascination with the common man, primitivism, and nature, as well as placing great value on intuition and the child. Pushing beyond earlier nature poets, he was interested not simply in describing nature externally but in depicting nature (or landscape) as a reflection of the interior state of an individual's psyche or spirit and in its ability to trigger memory.

Wordsworth had a long career, unlike many of the other Romantic poets who died young, and from 1843 until his death in 1850, he was the poet laureate of England. During the course of his life, he moved from a radical embrace of the principles of equality and fraternity expressed by the French Revolution to a much more conservative political stance. 

What's the message of the poem?

Setting aside the ambiguity of the term “message,” the poem seems to discuss the contrasts between tradition and new thinking, between habit and modern adjustments to tradition. Frost, who was more interested in “sketches” of New England (both physical features and humanistic personality traits), was observing a seasonal ritual – two neighbors meeting for a mutual task, repairing a stone wall after a winter’s damage caused by swelling of frozen terrain – and the illogic of that tradition, because there was no actual pragmatic need for any fence at all at that particular boundary between properties. Frost’s conciliation of these two epistemologies (ways of knowing) takes the form of quoting (twice) a time-honored but seldom challenged homily: “Good fences make good neighbors.”

The friendly irony of the homily is that, while "good fences" may once have referred to avoiding disputes of property lines or trespassing of livestock, it now supports the social value of neighbors meeting at least once a year to renew their warm-hearted acquaintance, in this shared activity, an opportunity to talk while working, catching up on each other’s lives. Frost "sketches" another social trait of New Englanders, a quiet reserve of feelings, an abhorrence of nosiness, a value in privacy.

Do you think that the tycoons of the 19th century are best described as ruthless robber barons or as effective captains of industry?

For me, personally, the answer to this would be “yes.”  I think that these men are best described in both of these ways.  I will give reasons for each viewpoint and you can decide what your answer would be.

It is clearly possible to see these men as captains of industry.  These tycoons were instrumental in making the American economy boom in the late 1800s.  The tycoons tried hard to make as much money as they could.  Part of how they did this was by driving their costs down as much as possible.  They made their industries more efficient and they were able to reduce the prices that consumers had to pay for goods.  Without these men, it is possible that the US economy would not have boomed.  Because they helped our economy grow, we should think of them as captains of industry.

On the other hand, we can also clearly argue that these men were robber barons.  They were ruthless when they competed with one another.  They did everything they could to defeat their rivals.  As their companies grew, they destroyed many smaller companies by outcompeting them.  They were also generally ruthless with their workers.  They made them work as hard as possible for the lowest wages that they could get away with paying.  In other words, they got rich in part by exploiting workers and by destroying competitors.  This makes them ruthless robber barons.

Which of these arguments makes more sense to you?

How do the myths of Plutarch's Isis and Osiris, Thor the Thunder God, and the story of Heracles correspond to the contemporary world (specifically,...

My guess is that you have been asked to turn in an essay about this subject and, if so, I would begin with an introduction about how ancient Greek myths can apply to today in regards to human behavior. You may even want to think about modern pantheism and how it applies. For the meat of the essay, however, the myths should be explained and then each (in turn) should be compared to modern day fears or desires or needs. No matter how you structure your introduction, make sure you filter down to your thesis. An example of a good thesis would be as follows: Modern fears and needs and desires can be applied to ancient myths. For example, Osiris can be translated into the modern fear of an early death, Thor can be translated into the modern desire for virility and battle, and Heracles can be translated into the modern need for loyal friendship between members of the same sex.

Your body paragraphs, in my opinion, should alternate between explaining a myth and then showing the modern application. Your first body paragraph, then, should be about Osiris and Isis. This paragraph will be quite extensive. Osiris is happily ruling Egypt with his queen, Isis. It is the murderer named Set who appears on the scene, looking for revenge. In Plutarch’s version, Set tricks Osiris by offering an ornate chest to anyone who fits inside of it. Only Osiris fits. As soon as Osiris gets in the chest, Set seals it and throws it into the Nile. (This differs in other versions of the story.) As it finally floats into the sea near Byblos, a tree grows around the chest. The king there cuts the tree to make a pillar for his palace. Isis removes the chest. In Plutarch’s account, this is when Set steals Osiris’ body (again) and cuts it into many parts and scatters it around Egypt. Isis desperately tries to reunite all the parts of Osiris’ body. The Nile flooding is supposed to be Isis’ tears of mourning for her husband. With the help of goddesses, Isis finds her husband’s body parts. It is Osiris’ penis, according to Plutarch, that was the hardest to find and then reconstruct (in that Isis had to use magic) because it was eaten by fish in the river. This is supposedly why Egyptians weren’t supposed to eat fish. Horus, the child of Osiris and Isis, grows up to avenge his father.

Your next paragraph would be about the modern application: fear of an early death. There is so much that happens to Osiris’ body after he is tricked by Set and killed. Further, his son, Horus, is destined to avenge him. Many young men (and women) in the modern age have many grandiose plans in their lifetime. This myth presents the idea that life can be taken before one has the chance to pursue all of his or her adventures. In this paragraph, you could go further and say that men, specifically, have a big fear of something happening to their penis and, therefore, protect it with great pride. This can be applied to what happens to Osiris’ member.

Your next two body paragraphs should be about Thor. Thor’s story is quite different. Thor, of course, is the thunder god who wields a heavy hammer. His stories are expanded in Norse mythology to include many fierce battles with a serpent and many fights with his foes. Further, in the Roman Era, Thor is often confused with Hercules. (Here we begin to see that Isis and Thor and Heracles are all connected.) Thor is particularly difficult in that most of Thor’s legends stem from Norse mythology instead of Plutarch. Still, Thor’s fierce battles (specifically with the serpent as a representation of evil) and his wielding of a large hammer can translate into modern times. The following paragraph could compare the exploits of Thor with the stereotypical needs of young, modern men to show their prowess in battling (even if it is through video games) and use hefty weapons.

In regards to Heracles, he is the gatekeeper of Olympus and the god of strength, heroes, and sports. In addition to Heracles many female lovers (from which he fathered children), Plutarch specifically mentions Heracles’ many male lovers in Eroticos, such as Iolaus and then Hylas. In both instances, Heracles is a mentor for the young men (in addition to a lover) and vows to find the two a suitable wife. Supposedly, warriors who were male lovers would go to the tomb of Iolaus to swear oaths to each other.

Your last body paragraph should be about a fairly controversial desire of young modern men and how it compares to Heracles: the desire for a young man to have a loyal confidant, more important than any young woman. As examples, you could use the most virile of football players and how they often smack the behind of their favorites on the field in a gesture of loyalty and love. Even though two young men may not be sexually active with each other, they may have strong and loyal feelings. One may mentor another. Further, just like Heracles, one may serve as matchmaker in order to find his “friend” a suitable girlfriend or even a mate.

In conclusion, we should talk about what the end of your essay should entail. You should restate your thesis in the conclusion. For example: Ancient Plutarchan myths can absolutely inspire modern day connections in that reading about Osiris can make readers fear an early death, reading about Thor can make readers long for battle, and reading about Heracles can make readers long for a trusted confidant (who borders on a lover). Next, you should approach a new idea in your conclusion. The suggestion from the topic about what modern readers can gain from simply reading these myths is perfect (and implied by the reworded thesis above). My suggestion is to add the importance of recognizing literary allusions in modern works of literature. An allusion, of course, is an indirect reference to a literary work. Greek myths, in my opinion, are the most common allusions found in literature. Feel free to mention a few allusions to the specific myths above or simply speak about them generally in your conclusion.

I wonder about The Catcher in the Rye. Why does Holden want to be the catcher in the rye? What are the positive and negative aspects of his fantasy?

In a misinterpretation of Robert Burns's poem--he thinks it reads, "If a body catch, instead of meet, a body comin' through the rye" Holden Caulfield imagines himself in a field of rye where he is the "catcher in the rye"; that is, he grabs all hundreds of gleefully running children if they start to run off the cliff. In this fantasy, Holden protects the innocence of these children. However, if he so protects them from the "phoniness" of adulthood, these children can never mature into adulthood.

Holden returns home to talk with his little sister Phoebe, whom he considers his friend and confidant. In fact Phoebe actually offers Holden stability because he trusts her and finds her genuine. Holden tells her about the innocent James Castle and his death. James's loss of life is symbolic, just as the death of his brother Allie is symbolic of the death of innocence. Holden finds others in his world to be tainted such as Stradlater or perverted such as Mr. Antolini, or they are "phonies" such as the girls in the bar. So, because the only genuine people Holden knows are young, and because he finds adults very corrupt and "phony," Holden wants to be able to keep them from growing up as the "catcher in the rye." But, of course, this is not possible, as all children mature and become adults.

What is the name of the process of urea formation?

Urea is produced naturally in the body via the ornithine cycle of excretion. Excretion is a detoxification process.

Excretion helps to eliminate harmful toxins from the body. For example, excretion helps to eliminate nitrogenous substances, such as urea.

The liver is an important organ in the process of excretion. Here, amino acids are metabolized. Ammonia ions are produced upon the breakdown of amino acids. Some of these ions are used to form nitrogen-containing particles within the body. However, too many ammonia ions can be toxic to the body. In a process known as the ornithine cycle, these excess ammonia ions are converted into urea.

Once produced, urea and water leave the liver and are transported to the kidneys via the bloodstream. In the kidneys, the blood is filtered. Urea then leaves the body via urine.

Why would Shakespeare have Duncan and his guards killed offstage?

There are several reasons as to why Shakespeare chose not to depict Duncan and his chamberlain's murders. Shakespeare wanted to convey that the murders were too terrible to portray which is one reason he chose not to show the audience. The audience is also in awe of how characters can enter Duncan's chamber and walk out a changed person. By the power of suggestion, the brutality of the murders are amplified. Previous to the murders, the audience is unsure if Macbeth will follow through with the assassination. By not depicting the murders, the audience is also left in suspense. The audience only finds out that Macbeth committed regicide after he tells his wife. Shakespeare also wanted his audience to feel some sympathy for Macbeth throughout the play. By choosing not to depict Duncan and his chamberlain's murders, the audience does not view Macbeth as a monster, but rather a helpless pawn caught up in the Weird Sister's web of fate. 

A rainbow is formed when sunlight is broken apart by a prism or raindrops. Explain why the colors are always in the same order.

Each color of the rainbow is associated with a different wavelength and frequency. As visible light passes through a prism or raindrop, the light bends or refracts. The wavelength and frequency determine the angle at which each color of visible light refracts after passing through the prism or raindrop. Red, which is the longest wavelength and lowest frequency, is refracted the least. Thus, red is found on the outside edge of a rainbow. Violet, which has the shortest wavelength and highest frequency, is refracted the most. Therefore, violet is found towards the center of the rainbow.  Since the wavelength and frequency of each color are consistent, so is the order of the colors in a rainbow.  

Calculate the energy consumed by 2 60-Watt bulbs in 5 hours.

Here's what you need to know to solve this problem:

A Watt is a unit of power, which is a rate of doing work. One Watt equals one Joule/second. The energy consumed by a light bulb is its wattage multiplied by the number of seconds it's lit. You can use dimensional analysis to convert from hours to seconds and then to Joules:

5 hours x (60 minutes/1 hour)(60 seconds/1 minute)(60 Joules/sec)

= 1.08x10^6 Joules per light bulb

2 light bulbs x 1.08x10^6 Joules = 2.16x10^6 Joules

A conversion factor is a mathematical expression of the relationship between two units. When using dimensional analysis, use conversion factors that result in the unit(s) you started with canceling out and the unit(s) you want to end up with being left. For example, I used 60 min/1 hour to cancel out hours then 60 sec/1 minute to cancel out minutes and end up with seconds. Seconds then canceled out when multiplied by 1 Joule/sec.

In the story "The Black Cat" by Edger Allen Poe, what happened when the narrator tapped on the brick?

Toward the end of the story "The Black Cat" the narrator does more than just tap on the brick. He describes his actions as "rapping heavily" upon the brick wall with a cane. 

At this point, the narrator has clearly lost his mind. He is ridden by guilt, anger, the toxicity of alcohol, his own personal demons, and the fear of being found out. He is feeling all of this at the same time. 

Yet, as the police comes to visit and check the premises "four days after the assassination", the cellar is checked and all clears out, but the main character is still in a daze of insanity not knowing exactly what he is saying to them: 

"Gentlemen," [...]"I delight to have allayed your suspicions. [...] these walls are solidly put together;" and here, through the mere frenzy of bravado, I rapped heavily, with a cane which I held in my hand, upon that very portion of the brick-work behind which stood the corpse of the wife of my bosom.

Basically, what takes place here is that the narrator gets arrogant at seeing that he may have escaped the consequences of justice. He starts then making a big deal out of his cellar being well-built, he taps on the bricks, and what happens next is that he hears a voice coming from within the makeshift tomb. He describes it as a child's cry that is muffled, and then changes into a long scream, a howl, that is as wild as it is inhuman. 

When the policemen hear the sound coming from the wall, they all break through it and find the corpse of the woman with a cat right atop her head. This cat's cry was what gave away the secret, and it was the reason why the narrator will be executed for murder. 

As they are falling asleep, how does Ponyboy react to what Sodapop tells him about Darry?

At the end of Chapter 10, Ponyboy and Soda are lying in bed, and Pony asks him if he called for Darry when he was delirious at the hospital. Sodapop says that he did, and he also asked for his mother, father, and Johnny while he was lying sick in the hospital bed. Ponyboy was worried that he had not called for his brother Darry when he was sick. Ponyboy has a love-hate relationship with his older brother Darry, and is naturally drawn to Sodapop. Ponyboy would feel bad and awkward if he did not ask for his older brother Darry. When Ponyboy finds out that he called for Darry, he feels relieved and happy. Calling out for a person when you are unconscious means that you deeply care for them. If Ponyboy had not called out for Darry, it would seem like he does not value or care about his older brother.