If RBC's are lacking mitochondria then from where do they get ATP's to generate energy

Red blood cells differ in many ways from other cell types in the body. One of the major differences is that they do not contain mitochondria, a critical organelle that typically is responsible for generating the majority of cellular ATP, in animal cells, through a process known as oxidative phosphorylation. Because of this, red blood cells generate ATP through an anaerobic process known as glycolysis. This multistep process starts when red blood cells take up glucose, through facilitated transport. Following this uptake, the cell starts a very detailed and intricate multi-step process via the investment of two ATP molecules, to eventually generate 4 total ATP molecules, leading to a net gain of 2 ATP molecules for each glucose used.

This method is actually very inefficient for generating energy, as mitochondria are able to generate up to 34 additional ATP from one glucose molecule following glycolysis in typical cells. However, by generating ATP in this way, red blood cells are able to carry out their primary function of carrying and delivering oxygen throughout the body without using it for energy generation, allowing them to function much more efficiently. Hope this helps!

What is the background of the poem "Dulce et Decorum Est"?

Wilfred Owen's "Dulce Et Decorum Est" is a key work in the pantheon of poems written during World War I which center on the grim realities of the Great War. This background information is fairly obvious, especially when one considers the violent imagery and plain, honest illustration of life on a battlefield. What may be less obvious, however, is the fact that by the end of the poem, Owen is directly appealing to famed propaganda artists at the time who glorify the experience of the war. Owen is disgusted with these artists' grotesque naivety and their intentional misleading of England's youth. Indeed, the violent and horrific imagery at the onset of the poem reinforces the final lines in which he appeals to jingoistic poets: "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest/ To children ardent for some desperate glory,/ The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est/ Pro patria mori." Owen skewers these poets, and chastises them for telling the "old Lie."

I pulled my textual support from The Bloodaxe Book of 20th Century Poetry edited by Edna Longley. 

What are three reasons that support Jimmy Valentine getting arrested?

In the opening part of the story, Jimmy Valentine receives a pardon from the governor and is released from state prison. He has now paid for the "Springfield job" which got him a four-sentence, and he is in the clear. But it is of great importance to the story that O. Henry describes how Jimmy immediately goes back to work with his suitcase full of custom-designed safecracking tools.

A week after the release of Valentine, 9762, there was a neat job of safe-burglary done in Richmond, Indiana, with no clue to the author. A scant eight hundred dollars was all that was secured. Two weeks after that a patented, improved, burglar-proof safe in Logansport was opened like a cheese to the tune of fifteen hundred dollars, currency; securities and silver untouched. That began to interest the rogue-catchers. Then an old-fashioned bank-safe in Jefferson City became active and threw out of its crater an eruption of bank-notes amounting to five thousand dollars. The losses were now high enough to bring the matter up into Ben Price's class of work. By comparing notes, a remarkable similarity in the methods of the burglaries was noticed. Ben Price investigated the scenes of the robberies, and was heard to remark:

“That's Dandy Jim Valentine's autograph. He's resumed business. Look at that combination knob—jerked out as easy as pulling up a radish in wet weather. He's got the only clamps that can do it. And look how clean those tumblers were punched out! Jimmy never has to drill but one hole. Yes, I guess I want Mr. Valentine. He'll do his bit next time without any short-time or clemency foolishness.”

Nothing further is said about these crimes, but this elaborate description is intended to explain, and perhaps foreshadow, how Ben Price happens to be in the bank in Elmore, Arkansas when Jimmy, who now calls himself Ralph Spencer, opens the supposedly burglar-proof vault and saves the life of the little girl trapped inside. The three bank jobs Jimmy pulled after his release from prison are going to come back to haunt him. He has fallen in love and become a respected citizen and prosperous honest businessman. He is planning to get married within a very short time. Then retribution in the form of Ben Price appears on the scene to destroy all of Jimmy's hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. The message of this story is that it is extremely hard to reform after a person has traveled too far down the wrong road. Jimmy is ready to accept this truth when he approaches Price expecting to be arrested and convicted for three safecracking jobs.

Three reasons that explain why Jimmy is on the brink of getting arrested might be just the three safecracking jobs he pulled after his release from prison. But yet another reason is that Jimmy has gotten too famous as the smartest and most talented safecracker in the business. Ben Price identifies the culprit in all three bank jobs just by their professionalism. Only Dandy Jimmy Valentine could have perpetrated them. Another reason is that Jimmy is building up a prison record. It is easier for him to get arrested and harder for him to get released. O. Henry specifies early in the story that Jimmy has been serving ten months in prison when he expected to get released after serving only four. One of his underworld connections tells him:

“Sorry we couldn't make it sooner, Jimmy, me boy,” said Mike. “But we had that protest from Springfield to buck against, and the governor nearly balked." 

Jimmy moves to Elmore, Arkansas because he is getting too notorious in his old area of operations, which is around the state of Indiana and general vicinity. Moving to that little town changes his whole life, because he falls in love at first sight with Annabel Adams and becomes "a new man." But it isn't the new man but the old man who is in danger of getting sent to prison for a long stretch. It is hard to change. Just changing your name doesn't change your identity, and it doesn't erase your past.

What were the goals in the beginning of the Civil War for each side?

When the Civil War began, both the North and the South has goals for the war. Those goals weren’t identical. The North has several goals in the Civil War. These goals included conquering the South and then bringing the South back into the Union. Another goal was to end slavery. Ending slavery became more important as the war was being fought. The North hoped to accomplish these goals by doing several things. The North wanted to control the South’s economy. Blockading the southern coast and controlling the Mississippi River would be ways to accomplish these goals. The North also wanted to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond.

The South had several objectives in the Civil War. The South wanted to stay independent, avoid invading the North, and use cotton to help encourage European countries to help the South. The South hoped to accomplish these goals by avoiding large battles. The South believed the longer the war lasted the less support there would be for the war in the North. Thus, if the South could force the North to chase them throughout the South, this would drag out the war. The South also believed if it refused to export cotton to Europe, the Europeans would help the South because they would want to buy cotton from the South. The South would sell cotton to European countries only if they supported the South.

Each side had different goals in the Civil War. Each side also had different strategies for accomplishing these goals.

In The Bronze Bow, why does Daniel become angry when Leah asks what will happen to her when he marries?

When Daniel was living on the mountain with Rosh, he had one concern only in his life, and that was to defeat the Romans. However, when he moves back to the village, and as he gets to know Joel and Thacia better, he has more contact with those who live normal lives and have normal relationships. His feelings for Thacia are just beginning to awaken. Now that he must care for his sister, his family responsibilities are distracting him from his single objective of overthrowing Roman rule. Just prior to this scene where Leah asks this question, Daniel has gone into a shop to purchase cloth for Leah, and the shop owner assumes he is married. He becomes embarrassed at the idea. Now Leah brings it up again. Daniel doesn't quite know where the anger is coming from--it is like a wound has been opened. He doesn't know whether he is angry at Leah or himself. In fact, this is another facet of his anger towards Rome. Daniel realizes that he cannot marry, first because it would interfere with his only purpose in life, and second because his family and financial situation make him unattractive to the woman he is becoming interested in, namely Thacia. In another world, if his father and mother had not died, his station in life might have been good enough for him to be considered as a match for Thacia. But in his mind, not only have the Romans ruined his past and present, they have also stolen his future. He believes he will never marry. The fact that this question makes him angry indicates that for the first time he is taking an interest in having a normal life and a wife. Of course, his feelings for Thacia, which he does not even recognize yet, have a lot to do with that.

Summarize the contents of the lawyer's letter in "The Bet" by Anton Chekhov

Near the end of "The Bet" by Anton Chekhov, the lawyer writes a letter to the banker. In it he says that he will leave his cell five minutes before their agreed upon time is up and therefore forfeit the two million dollars the banker has agreed to give him if he stays for a full fifteen years. The lawyer says that money is meaningless, and he no longer wants it. He has learned a lot from the books he has read during the time he has spent incarcerated, and he knows he is smarter than everyone now. He goes on to write that he has come to hate books and everything about humanity. He chastises the banker for his pride and reminds him that death will take him and everyone else, so all that pride, beauty and every other human trait are useless. He says that what he once desired he now despises. The lawyer sees the folly of human beings, and he wants nothing to do with them anymore. 

Based on the first chapter on Long Walk To Freedom, what did you like about it?

One appealing aspect of the first chapter in Mandela's autobiography is the way he shows how the systemic condition of racism impacts father and son.

The first chapter shows the extent of racism in South Africa.  It delves into the life of Mandela's father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa.   Gadla is a proud man whose dignity collided with the reality carved out for Africans in an imperialistic society.  When he defies the magistrate's orders, he pays the price.  Mandela writes that his father loses "his fortune and his title. He was deprived of most of his herd and land, and the revenue that came with them." Mandela's father suffered for defying unfairness, and showed the impact of racism.  The price that Mandela's father paid for challenging white authority shows how the painful effects of racism was something passed down from father to son.  Mandela's father almost gives it to his son as a sad inheritance, showing how generations had to cope with the reality of discrimination and prejudice.

However, I liked how Mandela provided a unique contrast to this.  The chapter's opening lines details how Mandela's name means "troublemaker."  I liked how Mandela used this fact to open a chapter on the pain of discrimination and institutional unfairness.  Whereas Mandela's father was ruined by it, Mandela's name can be seen as one that will bring "trouble" to it. What caused damage to his father is going to be undone by his son.  I thought that this contrast between the meaning of Mandela's name and the system he will eventually challenge was a powerful element in the first chapter.

For much of the history of the United States, A. the country has had greater economic “busts” than “booms”. B. economics is the concern...

The correct answer to this question is not completely clear.  Different people can interpret history in different ways and the answers given here generally call for interpretation.  I will narrow this down for you and give you the answer I think is best, but I strongly suggest that you consult your textbook and/or class notes to determine what answer you are supposed to give.

Option A is clearly wrong.  If we had had more “busts” than “booms” over time, we would not have increased our wealth as we have.  Option D is also wrong.  People care deeply about the state of the economy as it determines their ability to have a good standard of living.

The rest of the answers are at least somewhat plausible, based on how you define things like “much of” American history and “a strong role for government.”  I would pick Option E as the best answer, but others could see things differently.

Option B is plausible because there have been times in our country’s history when economic issues were left more to state governments than to the national government.  However, this question says “local governments,” which means city governments, and I do not think that is a strong answer.

Option C is a strong contender.  We generally say that the American government engaged in laissez faire for much of the 19th century.  If we accept that it was hands off during that time, we could say that was “much of” American history.  However, I would argue that even then, the government took a fairly strong role in the economy.  For example, the government subsidized the building of the transcontinental railroads, which helped contribute to a major economic boom after the Civil War.  For these reasons, I think Option E is the best answer.

In Fahrenheit 451, why did Bradbury use the poem "The Tyger" when he titled Part Three "Burning Bright"?

In the poem "The Tyger," the narrator sees a tiger in the forest at night and wonders about who might have created such a fearsome and powerful animal. In particular, the narrator wonders if the same person also made less threatening creatures, like the lamb.

In Part Three of Fahrenheit 451, this allusion to "The Tyger" acts as a metaphor to explain Montag's development. By this stage of the novel, for example, society perceives Montag with the same negative attributes as Blake's tyger: he is a dangerous criminal who has killed his captain and he is a threat to the social order because he reads books. But, just like the tyger, there is more to Montag than meets the eye. When he flees the city and meets with Granger, for instance, Montag represents hope and optimism for the future. In this way, he burns brightly as a symbol of the destruction of censorship.

Finally, Bradbury also included this allusion to foreshadow the events of this part of the novel in Montag's city. The novel closes, for example, with the bombing of the city and the total destruction of its residents. This image of the city burning brightly, then, is hinted at through this title.

How do I convert 25.0 kPa into mmHg? Also, how do I convert 1.17 atm into kPa?

Knowing the values of standard pressure in different units will help you do these conversions:

Standard pressure = 1.00 atm = 760 mmHg = 101.3 kPa

You can use the the ratio of pressures in two units as conversion factors:

25.0 kPa X (760 mmHg/101.3 kPa) = 188 mmHg

1.17 atm X (101.3 kPa/1.00 atm) = 119 kPa 

You can also find tables of pressure conversion factors by doing an Internet search. 

The S.I. unit for pressure is the Pascal (Pa), because one Pascal is equal to one Newton per square meter. The kilopascal (kPa) is used more commonly for atmospheric pressure because the size is more appropriate. The atmosphere is a convenient unit for measuring atmopheric pressure. It's the average pressure at sea level, so readings in atmospheres are easy to intepret.

What happens to the Receiver's memories when he gives them to Jonas in The Giver?

When the Giver gives a memory to Jonas, he loses the feelings and the burdens associated with it. He may remember the ideas presented in the memory, but he also releases the weight of the personal experience that goes with it. For example, the Giver may still remember what a sled is and that it is used for sliding down a hill topped with snow, but he won't remember the joy, thrill, cold, or the whole experience of the memory. That is why in chapter 15, when Jonas finds the Giver overwhelmed with pain, the one way to release that pain is for the Giver to give whatever memory it is to Jonas. In this case, it was the memory of war. The memory transfer is explained in the following passage:

"The hands came, and the pain came with them and through them. Jonas braced himself and entered the memory which was torturing The Giver" (118).

The above textual evidence shows that as the Giver puts his hands on Jonas's back, the pain of the memory of war immediately transfers upon contact. The fact that the burden of the feelings associated with each memory transfers is important because of the plan they devise to rid the community from their current way of life. Once Jonas learns about what "release" really means, all of the other reasons to end the community's lifestyle become even more important. In order to stop the killing of babies and the elderly, and for everyone to experience color, joy and love, the memories need to be released. The only way to do that is if Jonas escapes. The Giver explains the process of giving and receiving memories as follows:

"I've turned over many of them to you in the past year. And I can't take them back. There's no way for me to get them back if I have given them" (155).

The Giver decides to stay while Jonas escapes so he can help everyone to absorb the burden of the memories as they flood back into the community. For a people who have never felt any burdens in their lives, they'll need all the help they can get.

In The Story of My Life, what was the incident regarding "The Frost King?" What was the controversy?

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller traces Helen's early life (up to the age of 22) as she and her family come to terms with her life as a blind and deaf child. Fortunately for Helen, the day Annie Sullivan arrives is to Helen, "the most important day I remember in all my life" (chapter 4). Annie helps Helen learn from every opportunity, even "from life itself" (chapter 7).

Chapter 14 explains the incident surrounding a story that Helen writes and calls The Frost King. Helen is delighted that she has written this story and she sends it to Mr Anagnos for his birthday. His pleasure and Helen's is short-lived because after Mr Anagnos publishes the story in a report, Helen is accused of stealing Margaret Canby's idea expressed in The Frost Fairies. Helen has no recollection of ever having heard any such story and Miss Sullivan also maintains that she never read the story previously. 

Helen describes this "affair" as "the one cloud in my childhood's bright sky." She decides to reference the incident in her autobiography because she wants others to understand how even such a painful occurrence builds character. She has not tried to blame anyone or justify herself. However, even though at first she is cleared of any wrongdoing and Miss Canby herself reassures Helen, the matter becomes very controversial because a teacher at The Perkins' Institute misunderstands Helen and Helen's innocence comes into question. Mr Anagnos never believe Helen after that. 

Compare the description of the killing of the elephant to that of the killing of the Indian coolie in George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant."

Both the Indian coolie and the elephant died painfully and miserably. Both of these deaths elicit our pity.

Nevertheless, there's a difference in the way we feel pity for them. The mutilated body of the Indian arouses pity combined with a sense of helplessness; whereas the elephant’s slow and torturous death evokes pity that is accompanied by a sense of disgust towards the narrator. It's because he could have avoided killing the giant creature.

The Indian died when he was attacked by the elephant that “had gone ‘must.’” His mangled body depicted the “unendurable agony” he must have felt when the elephant had trampled him under its foot. The lurid description of his body is horrifying and upsetting. According to the narrator,

"The people said that the elephant had come suddenly upon him round the corner of the hut, caught him with its trunk, put its foot on his back and ground him into the earth.”

He further says,

He was lying on his belly with arms crucified and head sharply twisted to one side. His face was coated with mud, the eyes wide open, the teeth bared and grinning... The friction of the great beast's foot had stripped the skin from his back as neatly as one skins a rabbit.”

Perhaps, it wouldn't be right to blame either the Indian or the berserk elephant for his tragic end. His death could well be described as a most unfortunate accident, that seemed quite unavoidable.

In stark contrast to the Indian's death, the killing of the elephant seemed utterly pointless, absolutely intentional, and at the same time, avoidable.

The narrator killed the elephant when it “looked no more dangerous than a cow.” The excuse given by him sounds utterly frivolous. He says he gunned it down "solely to avoid looking a fool." 

Unlike the Indian, it took the elephant much longer time to die. The climactic paragraphs describe its slow death in gruesome detail. Having fired "shot after shot into his heart and down his throat" when the elephant didn't cease its “noisy” breathing, the narrator went away for he “could not stand it any longer.”

He learns it later that "it took him half an hour to die."

The following excerpts describe the tormenting death of the elephant with grisly details. 

He was breathing very rhythmically with long rattling gasps, his great mound of a side painfully rising and falling ... I waited a long time for him to die, but his breathing did not weaken...

He was dying, very slowly and in great agony… Lying there, powerless to move and yet powerless to die, and not even to be able to finish him... The tortured gasps continued as steadily as the ticking of a clock. In the end I could not stand it any longer and went away.

When we compare the two deaths, we feel sorry for both the Indian and the elephant. Neither of them deserved death when they died. However, the death of the elephant causes in us a greater sense of uneasiness because the killer of the elephant was fully aware about the pointlessness of the act he was to carry out. Had he been courageous, he could have retreated without harming the giant creature. 

What is organizational culture within a police agency?

Organizational culture in police departments will vary from two main extremes.  In organized departments or larger cities there tends to be a militaristic culture.  The departments are often organized under strict rank structures and a defined chain of command.  Regulations are provided and the police officers are expected to follow the protocols.  The other extreme is usually observed in smaller departments or rural areas.  These departments can be more relaxed where the departmental culture is to be more of a "big brother" for the serviced community.  Relationships are more relaxed and protocols are not as important as the relationship.

The majority of police departments fall under the para-military style of organizational culture, where adherence to protocol is more important than individual relationships.  Loyalty among the ranks is expected because such trust is needed when dealing in high stress situations.  This also extends to management and supervisors have higher expectations for lower rank officers to demonstrate loyalty and fairness in decisions.  Seniority, the length of service to the department, is an assumed benefit that is thought to influence policy, shifts and other decisions about an officer's career.

Due to the education and training of police officers there is often a degree of "us versus them" mentality, meaning police versus the general public.  Such mentality often arises when the public challenges standard operating procedure of police.  It often extends to a mistrust of defense attorney's and lawyers as a whole. 

How does the creature do its job in Canto Five?

As Dante enters the second circle of hell, that of the Lustful, he is witnessing the first real punishments of the Inferno, since the first circle, Limbo, has no suffering for the virtuous pagans. At the edge of the second circle stands Minos, the semi-bestial judge of the damned, whom Dante modeled after one of the judges of the dead in Hades from classical mythology. Minos’ job is to judge and assign sinners to their deserved levels.

In Dante’s conceptualization, sinners have chosen their immoral behavior, therefore they are strangely eager to cross the river Archeron and face their judge. “There Minos stands, / Grinning with ghastly feature: he, of all / Who enter, strict examining the crimes, / Give sentence, and dismisses them beneath.” Basically, as they stand before Minos, they are forced to fully confess their sins, and they cannot lie, since Minos can discern truth from lies anyway.

The creature then determines which level of hell each soul deserves: level one for the lighter sins of incontinence, level two for the sins of violence, or level three for the sins of fraud. Minos also selects the appropriate circle within each level, according to the sinner’s specific sins. "[A]nd that judge severe / Of sins, considering what place in Hell / Suits the transgression, with his tail so oft / Himself encircles, as degrees beneath / He dooms it to descend... / Each one to judgement passing, speaks, and hears / His fate, thence downward to his dwelling hurl’d.”

In plain terms, upon determining the sins of the soul before him, Minos wraps his whip-like tail around himself the same number of times that equal the sinner’s deserved circle. So to demonstrate, a sinner who had committed crimes of extreme anger during life would watch in horror as Minos encircled himself with his tail five times (for circle five, that of the Wrathful).

Dante never explains exactly how the souls get to their circles, simply that each is “downward to his dwelling hurl’d”. Considering that the Florentine poet’s purpose in writing the Inferno was to warn the unrepentant to change their ways, it is perhaps more effective that he doesn’t give us all the details. Sometimes our imaginations are more capable of horrifying us.

How are the two articles linked that are mentioned at the end of chapter three in Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars?

Towards the end of the chapter titled "November" in Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars, just as Mrs. Baker and Holling are discussing whether Calliban, the monster in The Tempest, should have had a happy ending, Mrs. Bigio, the school cook, comes staggering into Mrs. Baker's classroom. In response to Mrs. Baker's question, "Oh, Edna, did they find him," all Mrs. Bigio can do is make the most unforgettable "sounds of sadness" Holling has ever heard. The next day, Holling learns the body of Mrs. Bigio's husband had been found on an insignificant hill in Vietnam. Three weeks after this sad classroom scene, the two articles appear in the Home Town Chronicle.

According to Holling's narrative, the first article was published on the front page of the paper and featured a picture depicting Mrs. Bigio at her husband's funeral, "holding in one hand the American flag," folded for her into a triangle, while her other hand covered her face, a pose of complete agony. The second article published on the front page of the Home Town Chronicle depicted the Catholic Relief Agency home, where Mai Thi lived, as having been vandalized. The vandals painted in black across the home "GO HOME VIET CONG."

After these two articles appear, Mrs. Bigio begins treating Mai Thi horribly, even telling her while serving holiday lunch that she had no right to be there. Mrs. Bigio's discriminatory treatment of Mai Thi is a consequence of her grief. Because her husband died in Vietnam in a morally questionable war, Mrs. Bigio hates all things Vietnamese, including innocent South Vietnamese refuges, democratic refuges persecuted by the Viet Cong of communist North Vietnam. Since we know how much Mrs. Bigio's grief is affecting her behavior, we can easily see the connection between the two articles at the end of the chapter titled "November." The first article depicts Mrs. Bigio's grief, and the second article depicts actions taken because of her grief. While we don't know if Mrs. Bigio was the actual vandal, we can presume she played a role in the vandalism by at least inciting the vandals.

What's the important role of chemistry on individual and society?

Chemistry has had significant impact on individuals and our society. There are several applications of chemistry in various aspects of our life, including, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, pollution control, materials, military/defense, beauty products, etc. As an individual, we can get clean drinking water because we use a number of chemicals (such as coagulants and disinfectants) to treat the water. We also use a number of beauty products to take care of our skin, hair, etc.; most of which have been developed using chemistry. We have developed novel materials (such as plastics, nanoparticles, etc.), to take care of our increasingly complex needs. Environmental pollution from our industries, vehicles, etc. can be controlled by using chemistry. We have had great success in developing medicines that probably have saved millions of lives and help in keeping millions safe everyday. Chemistry also helps us understand the natural processes such as weathering of rocks, etc. 

There are a large number of other applications of chemistry in our daily life, which proves its worth to the individuals and the society.

Hope this helps.  

In Chapter 5 of the Chrysalids, David's character is described more completely. He is now at the crucial stage of boy-man, having characteristics...

David’s secret with Sophie demonstrates how he is a child, but his protectiveness of her also shows his maturity.

Sophie is a double-edged sword for David.  He is young enough to still be naïve about his friendship with her.  He does not understand the risks that he is talking.  Sophie and her family understand and accept those risks, but David does not.  It never occurs to him that he might be in a position where he would be asked to betray Sophie.

When Alan sees Sophie, David’s first reaction is to fight him.  This is a rather immature response on some levels, but also a chivalrous one.  He is trying to protect her.

My intention was to gain a few minutes for Sophie to put her shoes on and hide; if she had a little start, he would never be able to find her, as I knew from experience. (Ch. 5)

Unfortunately, David is in a tough spot.  His own father is one of the most tyrannically faithful followers of the True Image in Waknuk.  David should realize that there is no way to avoid his scrutiny or his wrath.

David wants to go with Sophie, demonstrating the immature side of him, but the Wenders understand that this is not a good idea and tell him to wait and go home.  David waits as the Wenders suggest, but when he gets home his father already knows too much.  David remains bravely mute, not telling them anything about Sophie.  When David’s father tells him to go to his room, he knows that his father will try to beat the truth out of him.

I hesitated. I knew well enough what that meant, but I knew, too, that with my father in his present mood it would happen whether I told or not. I set my jaw, and turned to go. (Ch. 5)

David tells his father what he knows, but feels wretched for it.  In holding out, he was trying to be grown-up.  His self-loathing also demonstrates some maturity.  David understands that he has betrayed Sophie, even though he did not mean to.  It is a very adult problem to have.

This incident is a turning point for David.  Everyone has an incident that causes the person to go from being a child to being an adult.  This was David’s.  Any innocence he might have had was lost when he gave Sophie up.

Why did Mars Bar Thompson treat Maniac the way he did?

Maniac made Mars Bar angry.  He challenged him when usually no one else did.  Maniac went to the East End one day.  He had been there before, but never on a Saturday.  This time, there were kids everywhere.  Soon he ran into Mars Bar.  He was munching on his signature Mars Bar candy bar.  Mars Bar confronted Maniac for being a strange kid in the East End.  The other kids around them egged Mars Bar on, telling him to beat up Maniac.  Mars Bar shoved his candy bar toward Maniac and sarcastically asked him "'Wanna bite?'"  Maniac did not seem to notice the sarcasm.  Instead, he took a bite and thanked him.  That really made Mars Bar angry.  He started to fight Maniac.  Then they started fighting over Amanda Beale's book.  This fight probably would have gone on if a nearby lady hadn't stopped it.

What makes the tea ceremony such an important scene in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest?

First, we should note that Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest is a British play, first performed on 14 February 1895 in London. The "tea ceremony" is a Japanese tradition, not a British one. Although the British upper classes in the Victorian period typically had "afternoon tea", a light meal served in the late afternoon consisting of tea, small sandwiches, and pastries (such as scones), this is properly referred to as "tea" and should not be confused with the Japanese tea ceremony.

There are two teas portrayed in the play, the initial one in Algernon's house in London and the second one in the country house where Cecily resides. Both provide a backdrop to significant interactions among the characters.

The first significant element both share is that they indicate to us the socio-economic backgrounds of the characters. The meal itself, the presence of servants, and the conventions of politeness all suggest upper class characters. This is important because it provides a context for the relationship issues discussed in the play.

The most important event is that Jack proposes to Gwendolyn during tea and Lady Bracknell provides the comic obstacle to the marriage that drives the plot of the play. It is also during the first act that Algernon first hears about Cecily, which drives the second love plot of the play.

The teas also provide the occasion for some of the dazzling word play for which the play is so well known, many of which tend to undermine the conventions of sentimental romantic drama. An example of this is:

Jack: “How you can sit there, calmly eating muffins when we are in this horrible trouble, I can’t make out. You seem to me to be perfectly heartless."

Algernon: "Well, I can’t eat muffins in an agitated manner. The butter would probably get on my cuffs."

Which ecosystem would you find this food chain in: leaves, beetle, bat, and boa constrictor?

To identify the ecosystem, we should investigate the range and habitat types of the species listed in the food chain. 'Range' refers to the geographic distribution of the species. Once we have found a place where the range and habitat overlap, we can make some suppositions about the type of ecosystem. 

The most basic division of ecosystems is between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Leaves can be found on land and in water. There are also land and aquatic beetles. Bats are terrestrial. Snakes can be aquatic or terrestrial, but the boa constrictor falls into the latter of the two categories.

So we now know we are looking for a terrestrial ecosystem.

Bats and beetles are found nearly everywhere on earth (except polar areas), so this does not help us narrow down the ecosystem any further. Leaves are present in most places, except very harsh polar or desert areas. 

Thus the range and preferred habitat of the boa constrictor is likely to be our most important clue. The boa constrictor is a snake present in the Americas which resides in a variety of habitats, but prefers rainforests. 

Thus, we can conclude that the food chain described is present in a rainforest ecosystem. 

The second time Max sees Freak, he is giving orders to the moving men. Describe how Freak looks when Max sees him.

This is an interesting scene. First, Max is drawn to Kevin’s mother, Gwen Avery, because she looks like “a movie star,” but it is not long before Max notices Kevin. Max immediately recognizes Kevin as the child a long time ago at daycare who wore “shiny braces on his crooked legs” and who called himself “Robot Man” as a result. Kevin was never a boy to be reckoned with. This proves true again here. Max then gives us some vivid words of description:

[Kevin is] this crippled-up yellow-haired midget kid strutting around the sidewalk.

Yes, at this point, Kevin is yelling orders at the moving men and trying to look important. However, as Max’s description explains, Kevin must somehow be very, very small for his age. However, Kevin is obviously not afraid to “strut.” Max continues with the description by saying that Kevin has a “normal-sized head” but his twisted body is “shorter than a yardstick.” Kevin’s crutches add to his strange appearance. It is at this point that Kevin notices Max and yells, “Identify yourself, earthling!” When Max does not respond, Kevin screams, “Then die, earthling, die!” This already emphasizes Kevin’s lack of fear and his vivid imagination.

How does "The Devil and Tom Walker" end? Why did the author end it this way?

"The Devil and Tom Walker" ends when Tom is shouting at his customer, whom he's about to ruin financially to make a profit for himself, even though they are supposed to be friends. When this customer begs for help and points out how much money Tom has already made from him, Tom shouts this:

"The devil take me," said he, "if I have made a farthing!"

The devil is happy to oblige! He shows up with an impatiently stamping black horse, snatches Tom up, and gallops off with him into a thunderstorm. Even more theatrically, they gallop into a swamp, the swamp gets struck by lightning, and it turns into a giant blaze of fire.

There are a few paragraphs after that, as the narrator describes the townspeople's reactions, the mysterious destruction of all of Tom's stuff, and the notoriety of this whole "true" story. But that grand theatrical ending with Tom being carried off by the devil is the real meat of the ending, and it sure is a show-stopper!

Why did Irving end the story in this way? 

First, Tom is described as a horrible human being, rotten to the core, greedy and mean and selfish, and hypocritical on top of all that. He's got to get what's coming to him.

Second, Tom entered into the deal with the devil while knowing full well what that deal was, even though it wasn't stated in exact words. He knew he was selling his soul, and so that soul had to be collected by the end of the story.

Third, Tom was warned well in advance by the devil about what would happen if he took what wasn't his and then focused on other people's sins instead of his own. These warnings were issued to him the first time that Tom and the devil meet in the swamp. Because he doesn't pay attention to them, he has to suffer the consequences.

Fourth, you can think of Tom as not so much an individual person but as the embodiment of human greed, wickedness, or hypocrisy. By sending Tom's soul to hell in the story, the author is making a statement about the ultimate result of those terrible human qualities.

Fifth, the ending makes for a great story. The whole time we're reading, we totally hate Tom. He's awful! Look at how he treats his wife, his horses, his friends, and strangers! We can't wait for him to get his punishment, and Irving delivers that to us, making for a gleeful ending.

These are all the reasons I can think of, but others might chime in with more. 

What are five main points of Major's speech in Animal Farm?

In Chapter One of Animal Farm, Major gives a speech to the other animals on Manor Farm. As Major states, he is coming to the end of his life and he wishes to pass on some pearls of wisdom before it is too late. In essence, this speech has five main points:

Firstly, that the lives of animals are "miserable, laborious, and short." In other words, the animals of England are bred for the purpose of work and, as a result, do not experience any "leisure" or pleasure during their short lives. 

Secondly, that man is the source of all suffering in the animal world. Man steals the produce of the animals and is the "only creature that consumes without producing." In other words, man has created an unequal division between himself and animals: he profits from animals but only gives them back enough to survive.

Thirdly, that "no animal escapes the cruel knife." Once an animal has outlived its usefulness, man will kill it. As Major says, when the dogs grow "old and toothless," for example, the farmer will tie a brick around their necks and drown them in the nearest pond.

Fourthly, that rebellion against man is the only way to ensure that animals have a better life. Major does not know when this rebellion will come, but he believes that it is inevitable; that "sooner or later justice will be done."

Finally, that "man serves the interest of no creature but himself." According to Major, man cannot be trusted and that the destruction of man is the only way to improve the lives of animals. 

Major's rousing speech causes a "tremendous uproar" in the barn. He has succeeded in inspiring the animals to rise up against Mr. Jones and to accept the view that "whatever goes on two legs is the enemy." But, this rebellion will have important consequences on the fate of Manor Farm and all who dwell inside it. 

How does Steinbeck present the character of Curley in chapter 2 Of Mice and Men?

Steinbeck present Curley as a bully in chapter 2 in Of Mice and Men.

   At that moment a young man came into the bunk house; a thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair. He wore a work  glove  on  his  left  hand,  and,  like the  boss,  he  wore  high-heeled  boots. “Seen my old man?” he asked.
  The swamper said, “He was here jus’ a minute ago, Curley. Went over to the cook house, I think.”
   “I’ll try to catch him,” said Curley. His eyes passed over the new men and he stopped. He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists. He stiffened and went into a slight crouch. His glance was at once  calculating  and  pugnacious. Lennie squirmed under the look and shifted his feet nervously. Curley stepped gingerly close to him. “You the new guys the old man was waitin’ for?”
[...]
   Curley stared levelly at [Lennie]. “Well, nex’ time you answer when you’re spoke to.” He turned toward the door and walked out, and his elbows were still bent out a little. (Chapter 2)

Curley is presented as hardworking ranch man, “Seen my old man?” who is easily antagonized in confrontationalism. Curley, the boss's son, watches both George and Lennie "coldly," starting with George and then moving to Lennie. Upon seeing Lennie's size, Curley's "arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists." He becomes "calculating and pugnacious."  Even the language describing his hair features tension: "tightly curled hair."  As Curley moves "gingerly" closer [carefully closer, as though approaching danger] to speak with Lennie and George, Curley assumes a confrontational position as he questions both men and demands that they speak when spoke to and remain silent when not spoken to.

Steinbeck further presents Curley as an antagonist.  From the way he "lashed his body around" as he speaks to George to the leveled stare he gives Lennie, Curley is presented as an antagonistic bully.  Steinbeck wishes to emphasize the difference between Curley and George and Lennie, with Curley as the enfranchised owner's son and George and Lennie the disenfranchised itinerant work hands.  This presentation foreshadows the eventual conflict that will define the novella.  

What are Ulysses' feelings about aging?

This question, the question of confronting the process of aging, is at the heart of Tennyson's "Ulysses." The poem is essentially the soliloquy of an aging Ulysses (the Latin form of Odysseus) reflecting upon his life from the boring comfort of his home, Ithaca. Throughout the poem, Ulysses rails against his advanced years, hating his old age for the perceived weakness and uselessness it brings.

Ulysses gives us several clues as to his feelings about old age, but there are a few particular examples that are worth noting. Consider, for instance, the following lines:

How dull it is to pause, to make an end,

To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use! (22-3)

In these lines, Ulysses compares old age to uselessness, using the metaphor of rusting, "unburnish'd" metal to drive home his point. Like a sturdy sword that has rusted with time, Ulysses regards the process of aging as one that detracts from a human's ability to act and be useful. However, despite this apparent despair, Ulysses' ultimate attitude is one of defiance. Consider, for example, the famous final lines of the poem:

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. (66-70)

In this passage, Ulysses basically asserts that, though old age has weakened him, he is still resolved to pursue feats of heroism, venturing off into the unknown to grapple with the gods. While this is certainly an uplifting sentiment, the meaning of the poem is nonetheless ambiguous. We must remember that we are hearing Ulysses' voice, and his opinions are not necessarily Tennyson's opinions. It could be that Tennyson wants us to view the aging process with defiance, to use Ulysses' rebellion as an inspiring example of inner strength and fortitude. On the other hand, Tennyson could be using Ulysses as a tragic example of an old man pathetically trying to relive the glory days. Tennyson's overall opinion of this matter is uncertain, and so it is up to you as the reader to come to whatever decision seems best to you.

Are there example of figurative language in Julia Alvarez's poem "Woman's work"?

Yes, there is figurative language in Julia Alvarez's poem "Woman's Work."

There is a range of this language. There are visual images (like her scrubbing the floor). There are analogies ("keep house as if the address were your heart").There are metaphors that are vivid and logically impossible (keeping the narrator prisoner in a heart). There are images that are also metaphors, like when the sun bars the floor. The sunlight falls in lines across the floor, like literal bars, but it is also part of the metaphor of being in prison.

What's striking about the figurative language in this poem is how well it fits together. It blends domestic scenes with geometric structures and images/metaphors of containment and imprisonment. For example, the lattice cut into the pie is literal (that's one way to shape a pie crust) and a metaphor of crossed bars, like a jail.

How to graph an algebraic expression in the format of y=mx+b?

Hello!

This is the equation of a straight line in the so-called "slope-intercept form". It is a useful form, although it cannot represent vertical lines (they have equations of the form `x=a`).

Here `b` is the y-intercept (a value of `y` for `x=0`) and `m` is the slope (the tangent of the angle of incline with respect to the x-axis).

The simplest way to draw a straight line is to find two distinct points on it and apply a ruler. One point is almost given, it has the coordinates `(0, b).` The second point may be obtained for, say, `x=1:`  `(1, m+b).`  The other way is to find the x-intercept, the point `x` where `y=mx+b=0.` For `m!=0` it is `-b/m,` so the second point is `(-b/m, 0).` For `m=0` the line is parallel to the x-axis.

What are the first two lines of the poem "What is Red" by Mary O'Neill?

The poem “What is Red?” is included in Mary O’Neill’s children's book Hailstones and Halibut Bones: Adventures in Color, which she wrote in 1961.

The first two lines of the two-stanza poem are

Red is a sunset

Blazing and bright.

The first two lines are written as a metaphor and set the tone of the poem, which is a series of metaphors describing what the color red “is.” By writing the poem as a list of metaphors, O’Neill appeals to the reader's senses through vivid imagery so children can identify with red as a color with a variety of associations. As she makes her list of common—and less common—items associated with the color red, the reader can see, hear, and feel “red.” It becomes much more than a color. At first, the reader is told “red is a sunset,” but as the poem progresses it becomes, among other things, “a feeling,” “a brick,” “hotness,” “lipstick,” “a signal,” and “a Valentine heart.”

In addition to metaphors, Mary O’Neill uses personification in the poem:

And when you’re angry

Red runs through your head.

This is an example of personification because Mary O'Neill says the color red is capable of running, a human behavior.

Throughout the poem, the author demonstrates how important the color red is in everyday life.

According to the summary of “Young Goodman Brown,” Goodman Brown witnesses “an evil ceremony that implicates his wife, Faith, in sin [and] he...

Yes, I believe that Goodman Brown returns from the ceremony with darkness in his soul. 

The question is, as you have indicated, does he have the darkness in his soul before that time?

I think that you can see Brown's vulnerability to darkness in the first paragraphs of the story. To be specific, when Faith warns him not to go and Goodman insists on going anyway (paragraphs 2 and 3), that's a warning. Look at the characters' names. This is a case when a good man is ignoring the warnings of his faith. That's not good in any situation and, in a story about an explicitly Christian community, it's a clear symbol of impending fall (sin) due to pride.

This leads directly to an answer to your last question: yes, Goodman Brown definitely deserves blame for what happens. I'd say he deserves quite a bit of blame. Again, start with the story's opening: he refuses to listen to his faith. That's blameworthy in itself. If you include the fact that he (Goodman) rejects his wife Faith's concerns, he deserves even more blame.

This pride is underscored when he says, "What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!" and then continues to walk the path. This is a man who decides to leave faith and go on expecting to encounter the devil. Since no man (in a Christian frame) can resist the devil without faith, he deserves blame.

As for when he becomes bitter, I'd argue that this change happens only in the last few paragraphs of the story. Before that, Goodman is wrapped in his arrogance. It isn't until that is punctured that the bitterness sets in.

What is Ulrich's initial reaction to the new situation in "The Interlopers"?

Ulrich is initially thankful to be alive but also completely frustrated at being in this position. George laughs when Ulrich mumbles these contradictory feelings of thankfulness and exasperation. Ulrich is still in the mindset that George is his sworn enemy. He warns George that when his (Ulrich's) men come, he will be in even more trouble for poaching on Ulrich's land. George retorts in kind, saying that his men may arrive first and will find it easy to roll the tree over Ulrich. Ulrich responds with the same threat that his men will arrive first and kill George. Both men are still enemies, swearing death and damnation to each other. 

Their attitudes do not change until Ulrich offers George a drink of wine, still indicating that one of them will be killed. George refuses but Ulrich's gesture and predicament provoke a change in him. He swears not to have his men kill George. George responds that he will do the same and they determine to be friends, ending the feud, as long as no interlopers interfere. 

What is a benefit of multicellular organisms having some specialized cells?

Complex organisms often have specialized cells that carry out different functions. Let's think about this in terms of humans.

One advantage is that this allows the organism to grow bigger. In larger organisms, it is difficult to transport nutrients and waste to and from all the cells of the body. Having specializing cells and systems (in this case, our circulatory system) allows for these processes to occur. You would also then need specialized cells to gather these nutrients and excrete waste (digestive system, respiratory system). Together, these systems and specialized cells make the organism more efficient at carrying out biological processes than if all the cells did the same thing. 

You can also think about this like a society with people who specialize in different things. There are people who produce crops and food, others who build houses and other buildings for people to live and work in, governments for regulating the society, etc. These people all contribute and make the whole system more efficient than if everyone had to do everything for themselves.

`sin(4x) = -2sin(2x)` Find the exact solutions of the equation in the interval `[0, 2pi).`

By a double angle formula `sin(4x)=2sin(2x)cos(2x).`

Therefore our equation may be rewritten as

`2sin(2x)cos(2x)+2sin(2x)=0,` or

`sin(2x)(cos(2x)+1)=0.`

So `sin(2x)=0` or `cos(2x)=-1.`

The general solutions are `2x=kpi,` or `x=(kpi)/2,`

and `2x=-pi/2+2kpi,` so `x=-pi/4+kpi,` where `k` is any integer.

The roots in the interval `[0, 2pi)` are

`x=0,` `x=pi/2,` `x=pi,` `x=(3pi)/2,` `x=(3pi)/4,` `x=(7pi)/4.`

Why do tides occur 50 minutes later each day?

The answer to your question has to do with the moon's motion around the Earth. Earth spins on its axis every twenty-four hours. Meanwhile, the moon revolves around the Earth once every twenty-eight days. As a result, the moon takes about fifty more minutes each day to line up with any fixed point on Earth. Since tides are due to the pulling of Earth's oceanic waters by the moon's gravitational pull, tides also occur about fifty minutes later each day.

What is the significance of the location of Gatsby's mansion across the bay from East Egg?

At the open of The Great Gatsby, we learn that Nick Carraway has recently moved to West Egg to seek work in bonds. His next door neighbor, Jay Gatsby, lives in a huge mansion and throws wild parties every weekend. Across the Bay, Nick goes to visit the home of his cousin Daisy Buchanan. Which Nick attends one of Gatsby's parties, he takes a special interest in Nick and begins using him to find a way to connect with Daisy.

As it turns out, Gatsby and Daisy were lovers many years before. Even though Daisy has married (to ensure her financial security,) Gatsby never moved on from their romance. It is so significant that Gatsby's house is located across the Bay from West Egg, and specifically across from Daisy's house, because he wants to be close to her after all this time. Though Gatsby had not made attempts to see her prior to Nick's arrival, he would often look at a light at the end of Daisy's dock and admire it as a symbol of her. He could not see her physically, but he could think of her fondly and know she was on the other side of the Bay- sometimes thinking of him, too.

What does the symbol "wind" mean in the story "Rules of the Game" by Amy Tan?

The wind in "The Rules of the Game" symbolizes cunning and strategy.  In the beginning of the story, Waverly's mother teaches her the art of invisible strength. This art is defined as a way to win arguments and gain the respect of people. Within this context, Waverly's mother also says that the strongest wind cannot be seen. She states:

In Chinese we say, Come from South, blow with wind-poom!-North will follow. Strongest wind cannot be seen."

As one can see, there is an emphasis on invisibility. To put it another way, the art of invisible strength, which Mrs. Jong teaches, and the wind both cannot be seen.  In this way, Mrs. Jong is trying to teach Waverly to be wise and cunning.  For example, it is not bad to appear weak at times.  In fact, this can be a great asset, if it this weakness is feigned and followed by strength. 

Waverly proves to be an apt pupil, especially in the area of chess.  In one of her first tournaments, she states that the wind taught her secrets.  The wind taught her to avoid traps and presumably to set them to win.  I will quote this section of the story in length.

A light wind began blowing past my ears. It whispered secrets only I could hear.

"Blow from the South," it murmured. "The wind leaves no trail." I saw a clear path, the traps to avoid...The wind blew stronger. "Throw sand from the East to distract him." The knight came forward ready for the sacrifice. The wind hissed, louder and louder. "Blow, blow, blow. He cannot see. He is blind now. Make him lean away from the wind so he is easier to knock down." 

"Check," I said, as the wind roared with laughter.

Finally, the notion of the wind appear at the end of the story, when Waverly and her mother are in conflict.  Waverly knows that her mother's wind cannot be seen.  So, she fears and contemplates her next move. 

How would you describe what happens in the dance of the lost traveler in The Lion and the Jewel?

Lakunle plays the role of the traveler who gets lost and ends up visiting the village of Ilujinle. At the beginning of the mime scene, the traveler is driving through the jungle when his car suddenly breaks down. After multiple attempts to fix his vehicle, the traveler ends up walking through the jungle. During his journey, he becomes unnerved after encountering a snake and monkey. He begins to chug his whiskey when he hears the voice of a female. He throws his bottle in the direction of the sound and hears a splash, then a scream. The traveler then looks through a clearing in the trees and begins to take multiple pictures. Suddenly, he slips and ends up falling into a pool of water. Sidi then appears on stage wearing a towel as Lakunle follows her out. The traveler is then led by an angry mob to the center of town where Baroka unexpectedly treats him graciously. The Bale holds a feast in the traveler's honor and allows him to take pictures of Sidi. The lost traveler gets drunk during the feast and the villagers send him on his way to end the mime scene. 

In Chapter 13, what is Atticus' dilemma regarding his children?

In Chapter 13, Aunt Alexandra moves into the Finch residence so that she can be a positive female role-model for Scout. Aunt Alexandra is the prototypical "Southern Bell," who has a fascination with family backgrounds and heredity. She becomes upset with Atticus because he hasn't taught his children about the Finch family history. Aunt Alexandra tells Atticus that he should instill a sense of family pride in his children. Atticus attempts to lecture Scout and Jem about their rich family history but feels ridiculous doing so. He tries to tell his children to act like little ladies and gentlemen. Scout begins to cry because she senses that her father is not acting like himself. Eventually, Atticus tells them not worry about it, and they don't need to remember everything the Finches did.

In Irene Hunt's Across Five Aprils, does Bill fight for the South or for the North?

Early in Across Five Aprils, Irene Hunt's novel of a family struggling to survive the divisions within families as well as across the nation during the American Civil War, there are hints of a reticence regarding one of the novel’s main protagonist's brother. The first such hint that Bill Creighton harbors views at variance with those of the rest of his family occurs in the book’s opening chapter when oldest brother John states that he wants to “see them city newspapers”, suggesting his interest in the dominant story of the time, the war between North and South:

"I want to see them city newspapers––” he stopped as he saw Nancy’s anxious eyes on his face. He had tried to avoid talk of war as much as possible lately; the two younger boys were too eager for it, the womenfolk too ready to cry about it. And Bill, for the first time that John could remember, had reservations about a subject and seemed unwilling to discuss it with his brother. They ate in silence after that, but there was tension in the air.”

As readers of Hunt’s novel become aware, Bill, alone among his siblings and within the community in which the Creighton clan lives, has decided that his heart belongs with the Confederacy. In other words, Bill joins the Confederate Army of the South, while his community is aligned with the pro-Union forces of the North. For a novel told primarily from the vantage point of Jethro, the youngest of the Creighton brothers, Bill’s decision to join the Confederacy will be fraught with conflict. As Hunt’s narrator notes, “Jethro loved Bill far and away beyond his other brothers”, and for Bill to ally himself with the Confederacy will not only divide Bill from his family, but will create a nightmare for the family within the community. Bill’s decision, however, is not a reflection of his views on slavery, but rather on the issue of economic inequality between North and South. In one key passage, Bill states the following:

“Slavery, I hate. But it is with us, and them that should suffer fer the evil that they brought to our shores air long dead. What I want to answer in this year of 1861 is this, John: does the trouble over slavery come because men’s hearts is purer above the Mason-Dixon line? Or does slavery throw a shadder over greed and keep that greed from show’ up quite so bare and ugly?”

Bill is deeply conflicted about the direction in which the nation is headed and about the hypocrisies that he sees among Northerners critical of the culture of the South. It takes him time and much contemplation before he comes down on the side of the South, but he does, and it will cause his family no small amount of grief. For Bill, however, the policies pursued by rich Northern factory owners are no more morally righteous than is the South’s reliance on slavery as a source of cheap labor.

In The Bronze Bow, what does the word "bellows" mean?

The word "bellows" can be a verb (an action word) or a noun (a thing). When the word is used in Elizabeth George Speare's novel The Bronze Bow, it is used as a noun. Daniel, the main character, is a blacksmith. In the first part of the book, he lives in Rosh's camp and has a forge that he has constructed on the mountain to do the blacksmith jobs for the band. Later, he moves back to the village and takes over the smithy from Simon, who has gone to follow Jesus. Both forges require the use of bellows. Bellows are a tool used to blow air onto a fire to make the fire burn hotter. They look like a big bag of air with two handles that can be squeezed together, causing a stream of air to come out of the bag. When Daniel has Samson's help at the forge, because of his strength he is able to operate the bellows without tiring, meaning "he could keep a steady heat in the furnace." Below is a picture of a modern-day bellows that you could use to keep your fireplace fire burning. 

`cos^2(x) - 1/2` Use a double angle formula to rewrite the expression.

You need to use the double angle formula to re-write the expression, such that:

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

`cos 2x = cos(x+x) = cos x*cos x - sin x*sin x`

`cos 2x = cos^2 x - sin^2 x`

Replacing `1 - cos ^2 x` for `sin^2 x` yields:

`cos 2x = cos^2 x- 1 + cos^2 x`

`cos 2x = 2cos^2 x - 1 `

Hence, using the double angle formula to re-write the expression yields `cos^2 x - 1/2 = (cos 2x)/2`

What is different when Rip Van Winkle wakes up that was not there before he fell asleep?

There are many differences in Rip Van Winkle's small town after he awakens from his 20 year nap! Since Rip falls asleep right before the Revolutionary War and wakes up in the years after, so much has changed!

Rip himself is different. He finds his joints and muscles to be extremely sore and he's starving! He notices that his own beard is nearly a foot long, his weapon has rusted, and his dog is gone.

As he walks into town he notices the clothing of the townspeople is strange and is disappointed that he does not recognize anyone. Kids and dogs used to befriend him but now children mock him and the dogs bark. He cannot locate his friends or his wife, and the local landmarks like the inn and giant tree have been replaced. Where there once was a tree there is now a giant flagpole bearing a red, white and blue flag he does not recognize. Most astonishingly he notices that a picture of George Washington now hangs where there used to be a framed image of King George!

Why did Abigail drink blood? How did Abigail threaten the other girls? What does the conversation between Abigail, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren and...

Abigail was drinking blood in attempts to kill John Proctor's wife, Elizabeth. This action was an absolutely blatant example of Abigail's participation in "witchcraft." She was drinking a charm made by Tituba to try and kill Goody Proctor in hopes to continue on with the affair and get John Proctor all to herself. Readers discover this through Betty who states: "You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!"

Abigail threatened all the girls by telling them if they spoke the truth about what happened in the forest, then she would kill them. Specifically, she would come to them in "the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you." She confirmed her threatening actions by bringing up the fact that she could easily do something that evil due to the fact that she witnessed Indians kill her own parents while they were sleeping next to her. 

The conversation happening among the girls in Act I proves their guilt. Abigail is trying to cover her tracks. She is making sure all the girls know exactly what to admit and what to hide. Mary Warren's fear and worry causes her to bring up actions that did actually happen in the forest, angering Abigail. Betty also brings up things that happened in the forest that night to prove they all did things that made them all guilty.