What is the average mass of all the isotopes of an element?

The average mass of all the isotopes of an element is known as its atomic mass. More specifically, the atomic mass of an element is the weighted average of mass of all the naturally occurring isotopes. Thus, given the relative abundance of each isotope of an element and their masses, we can calculate the atomic mass of that particular element. For example, uranium has 3 naturally occurring isotopes: U-234, U-235 and U-238. These isotopes have relative abundances of (approximately) 0.005%, 0.72% and 99.275%, respectively. Thus, the atomic mass of uranium is calculated as:

234 x 0.005/100 + 235 x 0.72/100 + 238 x 99.275/100 

= 237.9782 u.

We can, similarly, find the average atomic mass of any element as long as we are given the relative abundances of each of its naturally occurring isotopes.

Hope this helps. 

Why can't a cell solely rely on simple diffusion to transport substances across its membrane?

Diffusion is a form of passive transport, which means that it does not require the use of energy. Diffusion is defined as the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In other words, particles experiencing diffusion move “down their concentration gradient."  Cells move directly across the cell membrane during simple diffusion.

However, some particles are too large to pass through the cell membrane and cannot undergo simple diffusion. In this scenario, facilitated diffusion is utilized. During facilitated diffusion, particles still move from high concentration to low concentration. Thus, facilitated diffusion is also passive and does not require the use of energy. Unlike simple diffusion, the large particles pass through a protein channel that is embedded within the cell membrane during facilitated diffusion.

Other times, particles move against their concentration gradient. This means that the particles move from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration. This process requires the use of energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Therefore, this process is known as active transport. Like facilitated diffusion, active transport utilizes a protein carrier to transport substances across the cell membrane.

What was the cause of Oedipus learning something horrible about himself?

At the opening of the play Oedipus Rex, we discover the Oedipus is the ruler of Thebes, married to Jocasta, and advised by Creon. We know that Oedipus has attained this position by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. He appears to be a dedicated ruler, concerned about the well-being of the citizens. Thebes, however, is afflicted by a terrible plague. The previous ruler, King Laius was murdered and the oracle of Apollo attributes the plague to the gods' punishment for the city's failure to avenge the murder of Laius. Oedipus swears to track down the murderer to appease the gods and free the city from the plague.

The renowned blind prophet Teiresias reluctantly warns Oedipus that he himself is the murderer saying:

 ...Then I would ask you to stand by
 the very words which you yourself proclaimed
 ... For the accursed polluter of this land is you.

Oedipus continues to seek confirmation of the identity of the murderer and as a consequence discovers that he indeed murdered his father and married his mother. Thus the cause of Oedipus' learning these horrible things is his own desire to save the city from the plague. 

In A Modest Proposal, what is the problem in Dublin, Ireland in the 1700s?

The problem in Ireland is that wealthy British have bought up 90% of the land.  They've instituted high rents that are difficult for Irish farmers to afford, and so the poverty of the Irish is increasing quickly as a result.  Further, the British have even instituted laws that limit the Irish people's right to education, right to hold office, etc.  Those who cannot afford rents become homeless, those who can pay the rent often cannot afford much else (food, clothes, and so on), and many have resorted to begging in the streets.  It's a bleak scene.

Swift interprets this as a metaphorical "devouring" of the Irish - the British seem to get fatter and richer while the Irish get leaner and poorer.  He then dramatizes this figurative "devouring" as a literal one: why not simply encourage the Irish to sell their babies to the English as a food source?  If the English are already so willing to eat up every other resource in the country, to reduce the parents to nothing, then why would they scruple to eat up the children as well?  Moreover, if the Irish are willing to stand by while the English come in and take their land and decrease their rights, why wouldn't they also be willing to hand over their children and earn a tidy profit?  Dripping with irony, Swift skewers both groups (but certainly the English most harshly) for the situation that has developed in Ireland by 1729.

What is the dialect in Toni Cade Bambara's "Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird"?

Though the setting of Toni Cade Bambara's "Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird" is not fully identified, we can tell the story takes place in the U.S. South due to the two dialects found in the story. One dialect found in the story was named Ebonics by African-American linguists in 1973 and is also often called African American Vernacular English (AAVE) by other scholars today ("What is Ebonics (African American English)?," Linguistic Society of America). The second dialect is Southern American English. There are a lot of distinguishing characteristics of both dialects, such as dropped letters and changes in grammar.

In the short story, the Ebonics dialect is clearly depicted in the narrator's drop of the letter g in words with -ing endings, as we see in the following:

Similin man was smilin up a storm.

The dialect is also depicted when the narrator and the characters use nonstandard grammar. For example, Grannny uses the word ain't for the verb phrase are not in the following:

Go tell that man we ain't a bunch of trees.

The two obviously white men in the story use their own dialect, and it actually sounds very similar to the Cains' dialect, as the story is set in the South. Just like the Cains, the two white men, whom the narrator calls "smilin man" and "camera man," also drop the letter g from words with -ing endings:

We're filmin for the county, see.

In terms of their origins, what did the American, English, and French Revolutions have in common? Why were they significant to the development of...

All three revolutions--the English Revolution of 1642, the American Revolution that broke out in 1775, and the French Revolution of 1789--were caused by the growing power of parliamentary or other representative bodies that challenged the divine or unchallenged right of kings. Underpinning all the revolutions was the growing idea that monarchs had to listen to the needs and abide by the rights of those they governed. Many people developed this idea, sometimes referred to as the "social contract," including Thomas Hobbes and John Locke in the 17th century. These ideas developed in part because of the Enlightenment and its focus on reason and the way in which people were governed.

The English Revolution broke out in part because the Stuart kings were Catholic in a Protestant nation, and the Stuart kings also attempted to rule without summoning Parliament. The American Revolution was in part a protest against the right of the British monarchs to impose taxes on the American colonies without the consent of the colonies or the direct representation of the colonies in the British Parliament. The French Revolution arose because the French kings, including Louis XVI, refused to summon the Estates General, or the parliamentary body, until they were faced with immense debt. The members of the English and French Parliaments and the American colonists expected monarchs to provide them with a say in the governing of the country, and the age of the divine right of kings was over. Enlightenment ideas about the natural rights of man ("man" was the term they used to refer to all people) influenced all three revolutions, as people began to believe that they had certain rights to representation that no monarch could take away from them. 

What people are described as "alien-looking men," and why are they thus described?

The "alien-looking men" mentioned in the first chapter of Silas Marner are the weavers, one of whom is Silas Marner.

The opening paragraph of George Eliot's novel describes the era of the setting, one of pre-Industrial rural England, days in which there were individual weavers, wheelwrights, shoemakers, smiths of all kind, individuals who performed alone the tasks that machines soon would do, making such people anachronistic. 
In Chapter I the solitary figure of the weaver who bends under the burden of his linen or the flaxen thread creates a strange figure, indeed, as he crosses the hills, and he elicits the barks of dogs, who are frightened by his bizarre appearance.

The clever use by Eliot of the phrase "alien-looking" foreshadows the future occurrences of the narrative as Silas Marner is an isolated figure, one who rather easily incites the superstitious nature of the Puritanical villagers of Lantern Yard.  

`sin^4(2x)` Use the power reducing formulas to rewrite the expression in terms of the first power of the cosine.

According to the power reducing formulas, you may re-wrute the expression such that:

`sin^4 (2x) = sin^2(2x)*sin^2(2x) = (1 - cos2*(2x))/2*(1 - cos2*(2x))/2`

`sin^4 (2x) =((1 - cos 4x)^2)/4`

`sin^4 (2x) =(1 - 2cos 4x + cos^2 4x)/4`

`sin^4 (2x)= (1 - 2cos 4x + (1 + cos 8x)/2)/4`

`sin^4 (2x)= (2 - 4cos 4x + 1 + cos 8x)/8`

`sin^4 (2x)= (3 - 4cos 4x + cos 8x)/8`

Hence, eusing the power reducing formulas yields `sin^4 (2x)= (3 - 4cos 4x + cos 8x)/8.`

Who were the Tories? The whigs, and the Howes ?

The Whigs, Tories, and Howes are three historical political parties in Great Britain.

The Whigs were founded in 1678 and later dissolved in 1859. They valued constitutional monarchy and opposed absolute monarchy. The Whig party gained favor among industrialists and merchants, and were tolerant of nonconformist Protestants, though they formally supported Church of England. They were in charge of the government from 1715 to 1760, when their main opponents- the Tories- regained control as the dominant political faction.

The Tories were founded in 1678 and dissolved in 1834, though from the 1760's onward they were very loosely organized as a political party. The Tories were Royalists who supported the power of the monarchy in counterbalance to the power of Parliament. They also supported free trade, agrarianism, and tradition in religion. Initially, Roman Catholicism was the official religious affiliation of the Tory Party, but later they were in favor of Anglicanism. They were also loyal to Stuart King James II of England and saw to restore his lineage to the throne- a political movement known as Jacobitism.

Howe may refer to one of the great families in the peerage of Great Britain. The Howes have long been involved in Parliament. The first Earl Howe was Richard Howe- the title was created and bestowed upon him in 1788. Richard Howe was involved in the Jacobite Rising of 1745, an attempt to restore the Stuart line to the throne.

Why does The Giver have all of the memories instead of the community in The Giver?

Generations back, when the community went to Sameness, they decided that individuals in the community did not need individual memories of their communal past. While they do contain memories of joy, they also contain memories of pain, and these are burdensome to the community. Also, in having access to the memories, individuals are better able to make personal choices, and that would be counter-productive to a world where everyone needs to be the same.

In Ch. 14 the Giver explains that Jonas and The Giver must hold all the memories because:

"It gives us wisdom. Without wisdom I could not fulfill my function of advising the Committee of Elders when they call upon me" (Ch. 14).

Even the Elders who make all of the decisions for the community do not have these communal memories. They depend on the Giver to advise them based on his memories of what has happened before. 

Ultimately, the Giver explains, "everyone would be burdened and pained" if the community held onto the memories and "they don't want that." So, one unlucky person, the Receiver of Memory, gets to be the memory bank for the entire community.

What does it tell us about Ponyboy to know that he wanted to read the book?

One of the reasons that Ponyboy is the narrator of the story is that he is a round and dynamic character. Though he is a "greaser," there are things about him that don't fit the stereotype. One of those is that he is actually quite interested in the life of the mind. He wants to do well in school and, despite the fact that Darry often says he doesn't, he uses his head all the time.

There is a similar aspect of his personality on display at the end of the story when he finally finds a "theme" to write about for his English class. It is clear that he is excited to try and articulate all the things that he has seen and felt over the course of the story.

`x + 2z = 5, 3x - y - z = 1, 6x - y + 5z = 16` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions algebraically.

You may replace `5 - 2z` for x in the second and third equations, such that:

`3(5-2z) - y - z = 1 => -y - 7z = -14`

`6(5-2z) - y + 5z = 16 => -y - 7z = -14`

You should notice that you have obtained two equivalent equations, hence, the lines represented by these equations are coincident.

Hence, evaluating the solutions to the system yields that there is an infinite number of solutions.

Now suppose that you go to your bank and write a check on your account payable to cash for $500. The teller gives you the cash without asking you...

The simplest definition of a holder in due course is as follows: (i) a person who receives a check in good faith and as an exchange for value and (ii) has no suspicion that the check has a prior claim by another party and (iii) has no knowledge that the instrument was previously dishonored qualifies as a holder in due course.  The holder in due course statute can be found in the Uniform Commercial Code, Section 3-302.

Based on the facts in your example, Carol has received the check from the teller as payment for a gambling debt, so the check has been given to her in exchange for value (that is, the gambling debt).  Carol also has no suspicion, based on the presentation of the check, that the bank for whom the teller works has a prior claim to the check--in other words, she has no reason to question the legitimacy of the check or that it might have been previously dishonored.  Under Section 3-302(a)(i) of the UCC, the instrument cannot appear to be "irregular or incomplete as to call into question its authenticity."  So, the bank might argue that Carol should have been suspicious of the check's origin because it has been signed by a third party--that is, not the teller who owes the debt--but the teller could easily allay Carol's suspicion by lying convincingly that the check represents a debt owed to the teller by the signatory of the check.  In other words, there is nothing inherent in the instrument itself that would cause Carol to doubt its authenticity or its negotiability.

As the holder in due course, Carol has the right to endorse the check and receive the funds.  Unless the bank, which has been defrauded by its teller, can prove that Carol somehow should have known that the instrument is not negotiable, the bank's recourse is against the teller, not Carol.

What is the role of electron carrier molecules in energy processing systems? Why are they necessary?

Electron carrier molecules do just what their name says. They carry electrons from one part of an energy processing system to another, providing the necessary energy and reducing power to make chemical reactions occur. The energy processing systems you are referring to are mainly aerobic cellular respiration and photosynthesis. 

In aerobic cellular respiration, the main electron carrier molecules are NADH and FADH2. NADH is produced during glycolysis and the Krebs cycle and then used in the electron transport chain. In the electron transport chain, NADH and FADH2 transfer their electrons to molecules that act as proton pumps. As these proton pumps are reduced by gaining the electrons from NADH and FADH2, they are able to transfer protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane to create a proton gradient that then powers the synthesis of ATP. 

In photosynthesis, the main electron carrier molecule is NADPH, which is similar to NADH. NADPH is produced by oxidizing NADP+ during the light dependent reactions. NADPH is then used for reducing power during the Calvin cycle, where it helps power the reactions used to make glucose.

What are the major differences in The Color Purple when it comes to sexism?

Gender roles and sexist behavior are two key themes in Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Mister, his father, and his son, Harpo, all believe that women should be submissive to men and not considered their equal. They treat the women in their lives badly, beating them and ignoring their wants and needs. There are women in the novel, however, who resist this treatment.

Shug Avery will not allow Mister or any other man treat her disrespectfully. She has a job as a singer and is an independent woman. Sophia, Harpo's wife, is also a strong woman who resists the sexist treatment of her husband and his father. As time goes on, Harpo changes and is respectful of his wife. Although Celie at first submits to the abuse of her husband, as the novel progresses, she begins to understand that she deserves more and gains the strength to stand up to him. She eventually leaves him and strikes out on her own. Walker's message about sexism is a powerful one as she shows the women in her novel successfully fighting against such abuse.

What is the meaning of decomposition?

In biology, decomposition occurs when an organisms that is no longer living decays into smaller parts. This process returns nutrients to the environment. Organisms that aid in the process of decomposition are called decomposers. Decomposers include bacteria, fungi, and some worms. Decomposers consume dead or decaying organisms. In this way, decomposers break down the dead or decaying organisms into simpler forms of matter that can be reused within an ecosystem. Thus, decomposers are important parts of food webs.

In chemistry, a decomposition reaction is a chemical reaction in which a single compound breaks apart into two smaller compounds, molecules, or elements. Such reactions are often aided by the input of energy from either heat, light, or electricity. This energy is used to break the bonds of the substance that is undergoing the decomposition reaction.

What does Candy blame Curley's wife's for?

Candy was counting on sharing a real home with George and Lennie. He had invested his entire savings of three hundred dollars in buying the house and land. He comes to the barn to talk to Lennie because he keeps getting new ideas for improving the property and needs to talk to somebody about them. When he first sees Curley's wife lying there he thinks she is asleep.

"You oughten to sleep out here," he said disapprovingly; and then he was beside her and--"Oh, Jesus Christ!"

Candy blames the girl for coming to the barn and presumably flirting with Lennie, getting him sexually aroused, and then getting killed when he attempted to rape her. That is the scenario that all the men visualize, including George. They know Lennie was responsible because everybody else was playing horseshoes, and they know that Lennie is always in the barn playing with his puppy. They all assume it was an accidental murder in connection with an attempted rape. This is not really too far from the truth.

Candy doesn't blame Curley's wife for getting killed. He blames her for being flirtatious and promiscuous. This is really not true of her. She is only acting that way because she wants to become a movie star and she is trying out her charms on the men at the ranch. She is imitating women she has seen in the movies, including, no doubt, Jean Harlow. She doesn't really want to have sex with anyone, including her own husband. Lennie did not kill her in attempting to rape her but in attempting to keep her from screaming--although he might have tried to rape her if she hadn't started screaming.

So Candy blames Curley's wife unfairly. She was really just being friendly. She wasn't even trying to be flirtatious with Lennie, but she has been acting so flirtatiously on so many occasions that it is natural for Candy to assume this is what led to her death. He realizes that her death has ruined his chances of sharing a farm with George. Lennie has apparently fled the scene. He will either be killed by Curley and the other men, or else he will be captured and probably executed for murder--or else locked up in an institution for the criminally insane for the rest of his life. Without Lennie the farm dream is out of the question. Candy can't expect George to do all the hard labor while he contributes nothing but a little housekeeping. Besides, George and Lennie were partners; it was their dream. Candy can't hope to have the kind of relationship with George that George had with Lennie.

When George leaves and Candy is alone with Curley's wife, he vents all his anger, frustration, self-pity, and despair on the dead girl.

"You God damn tramp," he said viciously. "You done it, di'n't you? I s'pose you're glad. Ever'body knowed you'd mess things up. You wasn't no good. You ain't no good now, you lousy tart," He sniveled, and his voice shook. "I could of hoed in the garden and washed dishes for them guys." He paused, and then went on in a singsong. And he repeated the old words: "If they was a circus or a baseball game . . . we would of went to her . . . jus' said 'ta hell with work,' an' went to her. Never ast nobody's say-so. An' they'd of been a pig and chickens . . . an' in the winter . . . the little fat stove . . . an' the rain comin' . . . an' us jus' sittin' there." His eyes blinded with tears and he turned and went weakly out of he barn, and he rubbed his bristly whiskers with his wrist stump.

In Bud, Not Buddy, how are the characters Bud and Herman similar?

At first glance, Bud and Herman seem very different from one another, and in many ways they are. Herman is a distant, gruff and abrupt older, large man who appears mean. Bud is a small, young boy who is very talkative, friendly and helpful.

However, the two do have some deeper characteristics in common beyond the obvious genes we find out they do in fact share. Bud and Herman both tremendously miss Bud's mother, who is also Herman's daughter. This longing for someone who has died drives many of the decisions they both make and attitudes they both have. While Bud takes action to locate his mother, Herman throws himself into his music when Bud's mother runs away.

Another characteristic the two appear to share is a talent for music. When Bud is given the recorder by the band members so that he can learn music, it is not long before he has shown he has some talent. By the end of the story, the band members have given Bud a saxophone to begin learning to play.

Thinking about William Blake’s poetry, describe in several sentences how the theme of “innocence” plays a role in the opening parts of the...

Looking at Mary Shelley's Frankenstein in light of William Blake's poetry, specifically Songs of Innocence and Experience, lends a good insight into what happens in Victor's story arc. In Blake's collection of poems, those falling under the category of "innocence" are just that, innocent. They often focus on children or rural settings. However, those that fall under "experience" are much darker and often take the same situations from the innocence poems and turn them on their heads. A good example of this is the Chimney Sweep poems. In the innocence version, there's a happy child chimney sweep, but in the experience version, it becomes a critique of the way children were treated and abandoned by their parents. Another example are the two "Holy Thursday" poems which show the same orphaned and abandoned children in two very different lights. 

As far as Victor's story goes, especially at the beginning of the novel, we see a clear change from innocence to experience. At the beginning of his studies, he is eager to learn and loves to be taught, but slowly, as he becomes more experienced, he also becomes more sinister in his desires. His lift moves from light and innocence - his engagement, his studies, his family - to darkness and experience - isolation, insanity, and huberis. Thus, just like Blake's poems moving from innocence to experience, from lightness to darkness, so does Victor's life. 

Why do you think there is such a stiff penalty for disobeying instructions in "A Sound of Thunder"?

There are two reasons for the stiff penalty for non-compliance with the instructions of Time Safari, Inc.:

1. The company receives tremendous fines for any infractions, even possible government action. Moreover, the company could go out of business as a result of such consequences.


2. The "butterfly effect" could occur. This is the concept that all things in life are interconnected and are dependent upon initial conditions. That is, if there is a small change in the state of one thing in nature, large differences can occur in a later state.

Further, the ending of Bradbury's story serves to explicate the impact of disobedience of the instructions of Time Safari, Inc. For, Eckels's having stepped off the anti-gravity path causes a butterfly to be killed, and he unknowingly brings this butterfly back on to the present on the bottom of his shoe. When he enters the office of the company, he is shocked to see that the sign is markedly changed, 

Sefaris tu any yeer in the past.
Yu naim the animall
We taekyuthair
Yu shoot itt. 

With trepidation, Eckels asks who won the presidential election hoping to hear that Keith is president and nothing has changed, but a man he does not recognize answers, 

"You joking? Who else? Not that fool weakling Keith. Deustscher, of course. We got a man now with iron guts!"

After learning of this profound effect of his mistake, Eckels begs to take this change back, but such cannot happen unless he does not live. Then, he hears "a sound of thunder" as Travis, who has cocked his rifle, shoots Eckels.

What percent of hydrochloric acid is hydrogen?

A clearer way to think about this question is to ask: What percent of hydrogen chloride is hydrogen? (Hydrochloric acid results when hydrogen chloride is added to an aqueous solution.)

Hydrogen chloride contains one hydrogen atom and one chlorine atom per molecule. The mass of these two atoms are 1.01 amu for hydrogen and 35.45 amu for chlorine. Thus every individual molecule of hydrogen chloride contains a total mass of 1.01 + 35.45 = 36.46 amu

To find the mass percent of hydrogen in hydrogen chloride, we must divide the weight of the hydrogen atom alone by the weight of the entire molecule.

1.01 / 36.46 = 0.0277

Then we multiply by 100% to find the percentage.

0.0277 x 100% = 2.77%

Thus, 2.77% of the mass of hydrogen chloride is hydrogen.

What are two things that were significant in the French and Indian War?

There were several significant aspects about the French and Indian War. One aspect was that it led to the French departure from North America. After France was defeated, the French gave all of their land east of the Mississippi River, except for New Orleans, to Great Britain. France also gave all of their land west of the Mississippi River, plus New Orleans, to Spain. As a result, France was no longer in control of land in North America.

Another significant aspect of this war is that it led to a series of events that would eventually lead to Great Britain losing the thirteen colonies they had in what is now the United States. As a result of the French and Indian War, the Native Americans were fearful of what would happen after Great Britain took over the land France previously controlled. There were attacks against British settlements, as evidenced by Pontiac’s Rebellion, and more threats existed. As a result, the British passed the Proclamation of 1763 to keep the colonists safer from attacks.

The Proclamation of 1763 prevented settlement in these newly acquired lands. The colonists were unhappy with this law because they wanted to be able to get ownership of the newly available land. Some colonists refused to follow this law. When the British passed the Quartering Act that required the colonists to provide housing for British troops that would enforce this unpopular law, the colonists became more upset. Later more laws, such as taxes laws like the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, were passed angering the colonists even more. Thus, what should have been a positive event for Great Britain, the winning of the French and Indian War, turned into a negative event for them, the losing of the colonies after the Revolutionary War.

What is the main theme of "There Will Come Soft Rains"? Remember that theme = topic + author's commentary.

The short story “There Will Come Soft Rains” is a commentary by Ray Bradbury on the destructiveness of technology. The society in the story has let technology take over daily life because it is efficient and convenient. The house in the story does everything for its family, including cooking breakfast and reciting the family’s favorite poetry.  Unfortunately, the society in the short story has been destroyed by a nuclear war, leaving only one house in the city standing. The house slowly starts to self-destruct as a fire ravages it at the end of the story. 

Bradbury’s ultimate message in the story shows the irony of letting technology take over our lives. The technology that society loved so much for taking care of them is the very same technology that destroys them in a nuclear war. Thematically, Bradbury cautions his readers in this story as well as in other stories like Fahrenheit 451 and “The Veldt” that they need to beware of becoming too dependent on and obsessed with technology. 

On what page is the following quote? “They grew up on the outside of society. They weren't looking for a fight. They were looking to belong.”

The quote that is listed in the question does not appear in Hinton's book The Outsiders; however, the lines do definitely describe the Greasers.  That quote is the tagline from the 1983 movie version of The Outsiders.  The movie version is a fairly strong book to movie adaptation.  Additionally, the movie's cast is basically a who's who of current Hollywood stars.  Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, and even Tom Cruise appear in the film.  

A strong hint to readers that the quote mentioned in the question is not taken from the book is the fact that the people referenced in the quote are referred to in the third person.  Readers of Hinton's novel would correctly assume that the "they grew up on the outside" refers to the Greasers.  They are outsiders in their society.  Readers would also remember that the book is narrated by Ponyboy.  He's a Greaser, so he wouldn't refer to his own gang as "they."  He would have said "we."  If the quote was from the book, then it would likely have read as follows: “We grew up on the outside of society. We weren't looking for a fight. We were looking to belong."  

What did Sam Gribley's dad bring him?

In the book My Side of the Mountain, Sam Gribley’s father comes to see him twice.  The first time, he does not bring anything.  The second time, he brings the rest of the family to see Sam.

The first time that Sam’s father comes is at Christmas.  Mr. Gribley has been missing Sam and wants to see how he is doing.  He finds Sam by tracking him a little bit and then by yelling when he thinks he is near to where Sam is.  He spends Christmas with Sam and Bando, but he does not bring anything with him.

Later, at the very end of the book, Sam’s father comes to see him again.  This time, he brings something with him.  It is the whole Gribley family.  As the book says (I have this in electronic form and cannot give page numbers)

The family! Dad had brought the family! Every one of them.

As it turns out, Mr. Gribley did not just bring the family to visit.  He plans to build a house in the woods so that the family can live together again.

How does Mrs. Jones give tough love to Roger in "Thank You, M'am"?

There are at least a couple of ways in which Mrs. Jones gives Roger some tough love.  One of these ways is more obvious than the other.

When Mrs. Jones first meets Roger, she gives him some fairly obvious tough love.  First, she kicks him in the seat of his pants.  Then she shakes him until his teeth rattle.  Finally, she physically drags him back to her own home.  In all of these ways, she is giving him tough love.  She is not letting him have what he wants (first the purse, and then to be allowed to run away) and she is being hard on him physically.  Both of these can be seen as examples of tough love.

What happens in Mrs. Jones’ home is less obvious as an example of tough love, but it is tough love nonetheless.  When Roger is in Mrs. Jones’ home, she leaves him alone.  She does not watch him at every moment.  In addition, she treats him very well.  This can be seen as tough love because it forces him to be responsible for his own actions.  She makes him live with himself, knowing that this woman who he tried to rob is treating him so well.  She also makes him have to decide for himself what kind of person he is going to be.  This may not be as obviously “tough” as when she kicks him in the pants, but it may be a tougher kind of love psychologically.

Does Jonas have freckles or any other type of distinct feature?

Not that we are told, no. In fact, Lois Lowry really doesn't describe Jonas. This might be due to the point of view the book is written in, which is the third person limited. This means that we know all of the protagonist's (Jonas) thoughts and actions, but no one else's. As a result, Jonas really had no reason to notice his own appearance and comment on it.

That alone tells us something because if Jonas DID have freckles, it probably would have been mentioned since freckles would be something that would make him unique. Since he lives in a society that has adopted Sameness where different colored hair and eyes are rare, we probably would have been told about freckles.

The only physical trait that seems unique about Jonas is his eye color. We know his eyes are fair and we get the impression they are probably blue. This is mentioned multiple times. We also know the Giver's eyes and Gabriel's eyes are the same color, which is interesting because each of these characters have the ability to share and receive memories.

Name 3 major Enlightenment figures who influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence?

Issued on July 4 1776, the Declaration of Independence a turning point in U.S. history which paved the way for the end of British rule. When Thomas Jefferson wrote this document, he not only used his own ideas but was strongly influenced by the following philosophers of the Enlightenment period. 

1. Dr William Small: a prominent Scottish Enlightenment figure and Jefferson's mentor. Small strongly influenced Jefferson's intellectual development and shared with him the Scottish ideals of equality and freedom 


2. John Locke: Jefferson was deeply influenced by his idea that a government should protect the rights of his citizens which Locke believed to include 'life, liberty and property.' In the Declaration, Jefferson changed these words to 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'


3. Thomas Paine: this English-born activist wrote two extremely influential pamphlets, 'The American Crisis', and 'Common Sense', which strongly inspired the independence movement. Paine called King George 'a Pharaoh' and emphasised the abuses committed by the English crown on the American people. He argued that only the solution was to declare independence and form a democratic republic.  

What reaction did Swift want from "A Modest Proposal?"

Swift, a clergyman who was appointed the dean of St. Patrick's Church in Dublin, had written several pamphlets suggesting solutions to the horrific problem of poverty in Ireland. Out of deep frustration, after his ideas were ignored, he wrote "A Modest Proposal," a satire suggesting that if the English planned to "devour" the Irish poor anyway through high taxation, unfair pricing and terrible wages, they might as well allow the poor to make some money by selling their babies as delicacies to be eaten by the rich. He didn't seriously mean for anyone to adopt this proposal. His goal was to shock and shame people who thought of the poor only in economic terms into seeing them as real, suffering humans. He hoped horror at his narrator's idea would finally motivate the people with power to come up with a reasonable alternative to letting so many people suffer and starve. 

What is impromptu dialogue?

Impromptu means done without a script or rehearsal.  I would assume that for your question, impromptu dialogue would be the same as impromptu speech, but possibly with a give-and-take with the audience.  

Impromptu speaking is conversation or speech that has not been rehearsed or scripted.  It requires a great deal of skill and knowledge to successfully deliver impromptu dialogue.  The fact that a speech or exchange is to be done impromptu does not mean that preparation is not necessary.  Quite the opposite is true.  A forum discussion is a great example of impromptu dialogue and it is somewhat nerve wracking because you do not know what questions or discourse will take place. For this reason, much research, preparation, and acquisition of buzzwords is necessary.  

In the story, what quick action by Saknis helps Matt with his recovery?

In the story, Matt is stung by bees when he attempts to pry off a piece of honeycomb from a tree hole.

Sensing that their nest may be in danger, the angry bees attack Matt mercilessly. For his part, Matt suffers excruciating pain from the bee stings and tries to save himself by plunging into the pond. As he tries to swim further out into the pond, his legs become entangled in a clump of weeds. Unable to free himself and in a state of panic from lack of air, Matt sinks. It is only Saknis' quick action in fishing out Matt that saves the young boy's life.

After retrieving Matt from the water, Saknis lays Matt on the dry ground and gently plucks and discards the many bee stingers embedded in Matt's skin. It is Saknis who carries Matt to his cabin and puts him to bed. During intermittent periods, he also feeds Matt some bitter medicine which makes Matt feel better after awhile. So, it is Saknis' quick action of retrieving Matt from the water and then discarding the many bee stingers embedded in Matt's skin that helps with his recovery.

Why does Elizabeth Jones not like the term Women's rights?

J. Elizabeth Jones was a 19th-century abolitionist and women's rights activist. Despite her views, she opposed the term "Woman's Rights." As she stated in her 1850 speech (Jones' speech begins on page 52 of the linked PDF) "The Wrongs of Woman:"

I like not the expression [woman's rights]. It is not Woman's Rights of which I design to speak, but of Woman's Wrongs. I shall claim nothing for ourselves because of our sex-I shall demand the recognition of no rights on the ground of our womanhood.

Jones--influenced by her strong abolitionist leanings--encouraged women to model their activism after the abolitionist movement. Abolitionists did not advocate for African-American rights based on race. Instead, abolitionists argued that:

the colored man is a human being, and as such, entitled to the free exercise of all the rights which belong to humanity.

Likewise, Jones argued that supports of rights for women should:

demand our recognition as equal members of the human family; as persons to whom pertain all the rights which grow out of our relations to God, and to each other, as human beings[.]

Jones believed that if woman's rights advocates would do this, then people would no longer see any distinction between the rights of men and the rights of women. Ultimately, she believed this would make the term "Woman's Rights" obsolete.

In "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury, who do you think the children love more, Lydia or George? Why? Give textual information.

“The Veldt”, an unnerving story about how technology can change and influence children, shows how in Bradbury’s creepy society, the parents have little control over their overindulged children.  The children are in charge in this futuristic home, and the parents, George and Lydia, just go through the motions of having control over what their children do.

The children probably love Lydia more because she seems to be more of a pushover when they ask for extra time in the nursery.  She begs George to let them have a few more minutes in the African veldt when he insists on locking the nursery and even begins turning off the rest of the house.  Peter and Wendy become hysterical, and George decides to let them play in the nursery for one more minute.   Lydia also seems to be more concerned about the children’s psychological state as she calls in Dr. McClean to analyze the children’s obsession with the veldt experience in the nursery. 

George tries to be a disciplinarian but is confused by his role as a father.  The technology of the house has made him so complacent and dependent that it is hard for him to assert himself for any length of time.  He does stand up to the children when he doesn’t allow them to take a rocket to New York.   Other than the one time he says, “no,” George is easily convinced to give in and not be strict.  George needs to exhibit some tough love but is unable to carry out any real rules or change any of the children’s behaviors. 

Both parents pander to their children’s wants and wishes to the point that the children are spoiled and entitled.  However, Lydia is a little guiltier of that than George and would probably get the “#1 Best Mom” coffee mug on her birthday, if she had survived her children's revenge and the veldt.

What is the setting of "The Country Doctor" by Franz Kafka?

Franz Kafka’s surreal, dream-like, short story “The Country Doctor” begins on a cold, winter night at the home of country doctor who is attempting to make a sick call for a young man. The doctor stands at the door of his barn, in the freezing night, without a horse to hitch to his carriage. A groom appears out of nowhere with a team of strong horses who carry the doctor ten miles to a house in a country village. In the meantime, the groom enters the doctor’s house with the maid, Rosa.

Much of the story takes place in the sick room where the young man rests in his bed with his family around him. The room is smoky and dank from the cook stove. The family undresses the doctor and he ends up in bed with the sick boy before he manages to escape. As the story ends, he is escaping into the woods on one of the horses.

What were some key character traits that Joan of Arc possessed?

Joan of Arc was a young woman of deep religious conviction. As a young girl, she was a devout Catholic who went to church often receiving the sacraments. People from her small provincial town tell of her upbringing as uneventful until she started seeing visions from St. Michael, St. Catherine, and St. Margaret who told her that it was her duty to help France defeat the English, which would put an end to the Hundred Years War. She was tenacious and persistent as she convinced King Charles that God sent her to his aid. Being a young woman who believed that this was her duty, she courageously led the French army into battle. From these actions, one can gather that she believed deeply that her faith would carry her through battles and that her prophecies would be truthful. After the French defeated the English, Joan of Arc was captured, tried, and put to death. Throughout her imprisonment, she remained stoic, and during her trial, she showed her conviction in the voices of the saints who sent her into battle. Maintaining her faithfulness until the end, she remained silent when she was martyred by being burned at the stake. Her belief in the Catholic faith and unwavering courage in battle, and her stoicism in death ultimately lead to her sainthood.

How do human activities affect erosion?

Human activities affect erosion, both positively as well as negatively. That is, they may either advance or prevent erosion. An example of advancing erosion is deforestation. Removal of plants, trees, etc., causes soil to become loose so it is easily moved by erosion agents (such as water, wind, etc.). On the other hand, afforestation or planting of trees helps prevent erosion by holding the soil in place.

Similarly, overgrazing by cattle exposes the soil to winds and sun and increases the erosion. Changes in farming practices, such as use of contour ploughing decreases the erosion.

Climate change, for which human beings are significantly responsible, is also expected to increase rates of erosion. Another activity that advances erosion is rapid urbanization activities including road construction, ground clearing, excavation, etc., which all increase erosion. 

Hope this helps. 

How is the life of the author reflected in the short story?

While assuming certain traits of a story are autobiographical can be a slippery exercise in literature, it is still helpful to take a look at an author's life to get insights into the environment from which the story came. Raymond Carver was one of the great short story writers of the late 20th century. He was also famous for being a horrible alcoholic. This shows clearly in many of Carver's stories in this collection. In this particular story, the couples share more and become more vulnerable as they consume more drinks. The entire night is highlighted by drinking. While these couples show no signs of alcohol abuse, the presence of alcohol and its close relationship to an internal emotional life is still an important part of the story.

Raymond Carver also divorced and remarried. Because of his drinking and other issues, he had a tragic and drawn out end to his first marriage. The story's exploration of lost loves and the mystery of how love dies is likely informed by Carver's experiences in his first marriage. Like the characters, he loved his first wife dearly, but these feelings transformed as life moved on. Also, like the characters in the story, Carver remarried later in life.

As a happily married man, Carver likely could have recalled experiencing similar romantic feelings with his first wife. The struggle to reconcile the strength of romantic feelings with the reality of past experiences is a key theme of the story, and it was clearly also a struggle that was present in Carver's own life.

In Speak, who is the mascot at Southridge?

In Speak, the school's mascot causes quite a bit of drama throughout the first half of the novel. The school board deems the original mascot, "the Blue Devil," inappropriate, and the new mascot is the Tigers. However, this mascot doesn't last long as the Ecology Club protests the name as showing "'shocking disrespect' for an endangered creature." The student council holds an election for students to choose between the names "The Bees," "Icebergs," "Hilltoppers," and "Wombats." The students settle on the name "Wombats." Then the school principal decides that the Wombat mascot costume is going to take money away from prom. He changes the mascot name one more time and the school mascot becomes the Hornets. 

There are two instances of irony in this situation. While the school's mascot is changed for sensitivity reasons, the students chant the suggestive "WE ARE THE HORNETS, / HORNY, HORNY HORNETS!" at their games and rallies and the cheerleaders do the "Hornet Hustle" when they shake their stingers.

The second ironic situation in this book is the overall situation of the school fighting over the name of a mascot, while Melinda's rapist, Andy, walks around the school and is treated with awe by the students. As a result of this, the seriousness of the struggles Melinda is experiencing as a rape survivor throughout the novel highlight the silliness of the mascot argument.

In Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what positive things do you learn about Scout's neighbors?

Chapter 8 solidifies that Scout's neighborhood is tight-knit, and that her neighbors look out for each other as neighbors should.  Early on in the chapter, Mrs. Radley dies.  Although Atticus was not particularly close to Mrs. Radley, he shows neighborly support by paying a visit to the Radley home.

Later in the chapter, Ms. Maudie's house burns down.  All of the neighbors converge on Maudie's house, both to help her put out the fire and to console her.  One final, and unexpected, neighborly gesture occurs when Scout realizes she has a blanket around her shoulders (while standing outside of Maudie's house).  She and her family realize that Boo Radley must have slipped the blanket onto her shoulders when she was not looking.  Thus, while the children have represented Boo as the monster of the neighborhood, in this instance, he exhibits a neighborliness consistent with the others.

What can be a good thesis statement for "The Tell-Tale Heart"?

In order for you to come up with a thesis statement, you need to first have a topic of discussion. A thesis statement is meant to concisely summarize what you intend to talk about in your paper, so you definitely need to know what you want to talk about. There are many things in The Tell-Tale Heart that can be discussed for a paper, but I will just use one as an example: one of the themes of the story. This story is a very good example of the saying "Pride comes before the fall", so I will create a thesis statement about that:

In The Tell-Tale Heart, the narrator kills the old man living with him, but he does not get away with it because of his own pride. The police come to his home to investigate, and they never would have found anything had he not decided to take them into the room in which he had hidden the body to sit for a while and converse. Because of this act of pride, his guilt eventually overcame him, and he ended up confessing to the crime.

How did the westward movement of people impact the United States?

The westward migration of people affected the United States in a number of ways. Let us look at a few of them. 

First, one historian named Frederick Jackson Turner argued that the availability of land in the west, and the fact that Americans moved onto it, made the United States more democratic. There were no masses of poor people in American cities, Turner argued in his "frontier thesis," because people could always move west onto cheap land. This thesis has been mostly rejected by historians for a number of reasons, but there is no doubt that westward migration created very real economic opportunities for millions of Americans. 

Second, westward migration secured for the United States the vast lands and natural resources of the West. American businessmen were quick in exploiting the timber, precious metals, and energy resources of the west, not to mention the vast lands that were put to farming. These lands, of course, were conquered from Mexico and Native Americans. 

A third effect of westward expansion was the near-destruction of Native peoples. This process, which began in the colonial period, is one of the great tragedies of American history. From Narragansetts in Massachusetts to Shawnees in the Ohio Valley to Tuscaroras in North Carolina to Apaches in the Southwest, Native peoples were driven from their lands to make way for white expansion.

Finally, westward expansion proved to be very politically divisive in the mid-nineteenth century. This was because westward expansion became intertwined with the toxic political issue of slavery. As the United States took lands from Mexico, the issue of whether slavery would be allowed in these territories quickly emerged, and political compromise proved powerless to resolve it. The issues of slavery and westward expansion would ultimately be a major factor contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.