In Walk Two Moons, how does Phoebe's story relate to Sal's?

Phoebe and Sal must both deal with the fact that their mothers voluntarily left their families, though for different reasons. Sal’s mother had a miscarriage and a hysterectomy, which meant she would not be able to have any more children, even though she desperately wanted them. She wanted a house full of children. She begins to question who she is, besides a wife and a mother. She decides to go on a bus trip to visit her cousin in Idaho, someone who knew her when she was a girl. Sal has difficulty, first of all, in understanding why her mother wanted more children. Wasn’t Sal enough? Also, she cannot understand why her mother cannot “find herself” at home with her immediate family.

Phoebe’s mother leaves home to process the sudden appearance of the son whom she gave up for adoption before she was married. Like Sal, Phoebe cannot understand why her mother left, so she makes up a story that her mother was kidnapped against her will, rather than chose to leave.

In the end, the reader learns that Phoebe’s mother returns with her son, but Sal’s mother was killed in a bus accident on her way to Idaho. Sal must come to terms with that death, while Phoebe must come to terms with the fact that she has a brother and that her mother had a whole different life before she was married. In the end, both make the adjustment, though uneasily.

In the novel Bud, Not Buddy, what were Herman E. Calloway and Miss Thomas fighting about in the kitchen? ...

In Chapter 16, Bud wakes in Herman Calloway's house and quietly walks downstairs. He gets near the kitchen and overhears Herman saying to Miss Thomas, "...so that's how that cookie's going to crumble" (Curtis 185). Miss Thomas tells Herman that he has no idea how bad the orphanages are, and says that she can't understand how Herman is willing to take care of a stray dog, but will neglect a child. She reminds him that they already made an agreement to care for the boy, and that's exactly what they are going to do. Bud is aware that they are talking about him and mentions that it is a good thing he didn't unpack his suitcase yet because he might need to head for the streets again. Herman Calloway tells Miss Thomas that he is going to find out the real story about what happened in Flint. Miss Thomas responds by telling him that she believes Bud, and says until they find out otherwise, Bud will stay at their home. Herman and Miss Thomas were arguing about whether or not Bud was going to remain in their home. Herman wanted Bud to leave, and Miss Thomas wanted Bud to stay.

Was there an organization that was against the United States joining World War I?

While there were some groups and individuals that were opposed to the United States being involved in any war, there was no official group that was created solely to oppose the United States being involved in World War I.

People who were against our involvement in World War I would have been against our involvement in any war. Some of these people were progressive reformers such as Jane Addams and business owners such as Andrew Carnegie. During the war, more radical groups opposed our involvement in World War I. These included Marxists and anarchists. There were religious groups that also weren’t in favor of us joining the war. Some individuals did protest the war by not serving in the war when they were drafted.

German-Americans were concerned about the United States joining World War I. These people were concerned they would experience discrimination and poor treatment by the American people.

Overall, there was no major group that was created only to denounce our involvement in World War I. While there were some groups and individuals against our involvement in the war, there was no formal, organized opposition to our involvement in World War I.

How does the author end this introductory section? What is the effect of ending this section of the text in this way?

This question may refer to the opening of Chapter One. Obama begins his story with the telephone call that tells him his father has died in a car accident in Kenya. He himself isn’t sure how to respond to this tragic news, and he has to sit down “to measure my loss.” He hadn’t known his father well at all. It turns out that he had really spent only one month with him in person, when they were both younger. Starting the memoir at this point is a compelling strategy to pull in readers. An element of mystery lies here. Why isn’t Obama immediately devastated? Who was his father? What was their relationship? How did they both get to where they are at this moment? What effects did both have on each other? These, then, are the facts, events, and remembrances that fill in the rest of the book, to tell us the rest of the story.

Why are there human rights?

Human rights are rights that are though to exist solely on the basis of humanity. Because of this, these are rights that we all share without consideration of race, gender or any other quality. Human rights are the foundation of justice systems throughout the world and can be dated back to ancient Chinese and Babylonian cultures and though to today. The United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human rights in 1948 including the rights to "life, liberty and security of person." The Horrors of World War II demanded that there be a formal declaration of conditions and actions that are wrong to subject a human being to. While some rights, especially the right to live, are almost universally agreed upon, some other rights such as political rights, are disputed due to culture and/or politics. 

Without holding that some rights exist solely because of someone's humanity, no behavior would be considered out of bounds. Without human rights, there would be nothing that indicated that murder, assault, sexual assault, abuse or neglect are wrong. There would be no standard of life because people would be free to treat anyone as they pleased, good or bad. Scientists could use humans as test subjects with no regard for the out come and serial killers could roam free because there would be no reason for anyone to intervene. Human rights set a standard for what will and what will not be acceptable in society. Also, human rights not only keep individual behavior from being destructive, but also that of governments and other authoritative offices. 

Explain Percy's quest in detail.

Like any good adventure myth, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief has a classic hero's journey plot. Percy, the hero of the story and son of the Greek god Poseidon, is called to go on a quest.

Every "hero's journey" type story, from the Holy Gospels to Star Wars, vaguely follows the same set of steps. Some critics say there are 17 steps, others say 12, others say 3 – no matter how much in detail they're divided, they still follow roughly the same plot. (For more on this, check out the links to a video and written explanation below!) Let's see how these look for Percy Jackson:

The Ordinary World: When we meet Percy, he is a regular kid with regular problems: he struggles with school, he loves his mom and hates his step-dad, he has a best friend. This is the part of the story where we see what "normal" looks like for the hero, before the adventure starts.

The Call to Adventure: This is the moment when we know things are changing for the hero. At a school field trip, Percy's teacher Mrs. Dodds turns into a winged monster and attacks him. His favorite teacher, Mr. Brunner, runs in at the last second, throws Percy a sword, and disappears. Percy kills the monster, which vanishes. When he's back outside, it's as if nothing has happened. No one recalls a "Mrs. Dodds" and there is a new teacher in her place. 

This is all really confusing for awhile, and Percy grows increasingly suspicious. But the mystery is not cleared up until he and his mother are at their beach house, when Percy's best friend Grover shows up unexpectedly. Grover and Percy's mother give him advice about the monster that has apparently discovered Percy's whereabouts. After a fight with the monster (a minotaur), Percy mom has disappeared (and he assumes she's dead) and Percy has defeated the monster.

Crossing the Threshold (and some Meeting with the Mentor): A dejected Grover, disappointed that he hasn't protected Percy better, leads Percy to Camp Half-Blood, which turns out to be a camp for demi-gods (the children of gods and mortals). Now Percy is completely immersed in the world of the gods. Mr. Brunner is there, in his true form, a half-man, half-stallion called Chiron. Grover, actually a satyr is there as well, along with many other creatures out of Greek mythology. 

The Road of Trials (Enemies and Allies): Like all great heroes, Percy is reluctant for a quest at first. Upon learning that his father, who he now knows is Poseidon, is in an epic fight with Zeus and Hades over Zeus's missing "master bolt" and that now that he is clearly Poseidon's son, everything will think he took it, Percy is naturally overwhelmed. Still, like all heroes, he ultimately goes, spurred by the knowledge that his mother is alive, but kidnapped by Hades.

Now Percy, Grover, and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) are off, to go to Los Angeles (entry to the Underworld) and try to find and recover the master bolt. Along the way, they meet minor enemies, like one would in a video games (because lots of these are hero's journeys too!) Mrs. Dodds is back, with 2 friends – they are the 3 Furies sent from Hades, and the trio has to fight them and eventually blow up the bus the trio is riding on to stop their attack. 

The trio escapes into the woods, but it's not long before they find themselves in a suspicious situation again. They've found a burger joint and are so engrossed in the greasy food that they fail to realize that the proprietress "Aunty Em" is none other than Medusa. Again, they fight their way out just in the nick of time.

The third battle, Percy is alone, at the top of the St. Louis Arch, with the Mother of Monsters Echidna and her son, the Chimera. This is a battle Percy doesn't win, but he does escape, by diving off the Arch into the Mississippi River and praying his father will save him. At this point, Percy hears from an ally as well. A water spirit, sent by his father, tells him to have hope, that all is not lost. 

The road of trials continues: the trio is side-tracked by a quest from Ares to retrieve his shield and then accidentally spend 5 days in a mysterious time-looped casino. In Los Angeles, Percy gets another message from Poseidon, and some magic pearls. After another run-in with another Greek monster, the trio finds the entrance to the Underworld. 

The Ordeal/The Descent into the Underworld (literally): This is the Big Boss of the Hero's Journey. Up until now, the trio has assumed that big boss would be Hades. When they do meet him, though, they discover that the theft of the master bolt was done by another figure, one not even involved in Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon's bickering. Percy figures it out and escapes Hades to confront the real villain: Ares, god of war. After fighting him, they had retrieved not on the master bolt, but the helm of darkness, which they return to Hades into to release Percy's hostage mother. 

Reward: Percy travels to Mount Olympus to return the master bolt in person and have a heart-to-heart with his father. His father tells him he's sent a present to Percy's house. When Percy returns home (and reunites with his mother), he discovers the present is Medusa's head, which he gives to his mom as a way to escape Smelly Gabe, if she ever chooses to use it (she does).

Master of Two Worlds: Percy spends the rest of the summer at Camp Half-Blood. He feels like he's finally found a real family and is pleased to hear that his mom turned Gabe into a sculpture and used the money to make a new life for herself, and him, if he wants it. 

*The Call to Action for Next Time!* - At the second climax of the story, Luke, a figure at Camp Half-Blood reveals he was behind all the theft of godly artifacts. He tries to poison Percy and escapes, setting up the perfect quest for next time...

Is the process of water getting into the cracks of rock or pavement and freezing and breaking it considered erosion, weathering or deposition?

Let's take a look at the meanings of erosion, weathering and deposition, and then we'll be able to see what kind of process we have here.

Erosion is the effect of surface processes (such as the wind or water flow) that remove part of the material (like from the soil, or from a rock) from one location and then transport it away to another location. In our case, no material is being removed and then transported, so we don't have erosion here.

Deposition is the final process of an erosion, which is the part where the particles of a material (which probably suffered erosion at first) get deposited in a certain location by the transporting medium. The material then settles down on a new surface. Again, this is not our case: although water could have been transported to this pavement or rock by a certain medium, the water is not settling down to become part of this surface, it is freezing and breaking it.

Finally, weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soil, minerals and artificial materials by the action of elements of a planet's atmosphere, water or biota (the collection of organisms at a certain location). Thus, water getting into the cracks and freezing and breaking the rock or the pavement is considered weathering, because the water is acting on this surface/rock by breaking it.

I hope I succeeded in showing you the differences between these processes!

Why was World War I considered to be a total war?

World War I was considered to be a total war. In World War I, all aspects of the military were involved. As in most wars, the army played a big role in World War I. The number of troops involved in the fighting on the eastern and western fronts was very high.

The navy was very active in World War I. The Germans introduced a new weapon in this war. It was the submarine. The submarine was a weapon that would conduct sneak attacks. Unfortunately, the sinking of neutral ships without warning was illegal. Thus, our navy had to accompany our merchant marine to make the trip across the Atlantic Ocean a little safer.

For the first time in a war, airplanes were used. While airplanes didn’t play a major role in World War I, the development of tracer ammunition aided the pilots. It also sent a message about how important airplanes would be in future wars.

New technology was used during World War I. The German use of chlorine gas and the Zeppelin inflicted much damage on the Allies. The Allies countered the chlorine gas with gas masks and also began the use of tanks.

People were asked to make significant sacrifices during World War I. Citizens were drafted into the war. People were strongly encouraged to use less food and buy bonds to support the war effort. There were laws passed that restricted the people’s freedoms. For example, the Sedition Act made criticism of the government or war effort illegal in the United States.

World War I was an example of total war.

Describe George's and Lennie’s new living conditions in chapter two of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.

In the beginning of each chapter in Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men the author describes the setting. The first and last chapters are set in the peaceful area between the Gabilan Mountains and the Salinas River. The second and third chapters are set in the bunkhouse of the ranch where George and Lennie come to live while they "buck barley." Chapter four takes the reader to Crooks's room in the barn and chapter five is also set in the barn where Lennie is sitting with his dead puppy before Curley's wife comes in.

Chapter two takes place in the bunkhouse as the reader meets all of the important characters of the book. Steinbeck uses the entire first paragraph to describe the bunkhouse. The opening lines read:

The bunk house was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. In three walls there were small, square windows, and in the fourth, a solid door with a wooden latch. 

It is a typical housing area for working men with beds, shelves, personal items, and a table for playing cards, a major pastime for the men when they are not working.

When George examines his new bed he becomes upset when he finds a can of bug repellent. Steinbeck writes:

George stepped over and threw his blankets down on the burlap sack of straw that was a mattress. He looked into his box shelf and then picked a small yellow can from it. “Say. What the hell’s this?”

Candy explains that the bunkhouse isn't "ticky," it's just that the worker who had the bunk before was very clean.  

In Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, what are 3 characteristics that show Holden being a good representation of a teenager?

The most striking characteristic of Holden Caulfield which makes him seem a good representation of a teenager is his use of language. This is evident in the very first sentence of the novel.

If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.

Here is another good example at the start of Chapter 12:

The cab I had was a real old one that smelled like someone'd just tossed his cookies in it.

He uses slang, profanity, hyperbole, sarcasm, and bad grammar. He affects a tone of boredom. He is obviously a bit of a rebel, subject to swings of mood and possessing other adolescent traits. Salinger has done a remarkable job of making this first-person narrator sound like a teenager, just as Mark Twain did a remarkable job of making Huckleberry Finn sound like a smart but uneducated youngster who is about thirteen or fourteen years old.

Another teenage characteristic of Holden Caulfield is his apparent search for an identity. He is always trying out various roles. He doesn't know who he is, or whether he is a kid or an adult. Holden wants his freedom, but he doesn't know what to do with it. He tries to order alcoholic drinks although he is only sixteen. He tells various people he is in his twenties, and nobody believes him.

Well, youth is the period of assumed personalities and disguises. It is the time of the sincerely insincere.
                                                                   V. S. Pritchett

A third teenage characteristic which is hard to overlook is Holden's interest in sex. Although there are no sex scenes in the entire novel, there are many references to girls. He tries calling one girl in the middle of the night. He keeps thinking about Jane Gallagher. He has a date with Sally Hayes. In Chapter 10 he picks up three girls from Seattle who are much older than he is. He keeps thinking about Jane Gallagher. At the start of Chapter 17 he is fascinated by all the girls in the lobby of the Biltmore Hotel.

A lot of schools were home for vacation already, and there were about a million girls sitting and standing around waiting for their dates to show up. Girls with their legs crossed, girls with their legs not crossed, girls with terrific legs, girls with lousy legs, girls that looked like swell girls, girls that looked like they'd be bitches if you knew them. It was really nice sightseeing, if you know what I mean.

His interest in sex gets him into trouble in Chapters 13 and 14, when he accepts Maurice's offer to send a girl up to his hotel room in what may be the best and funniest as well as saddest scene in the novel. Holden is trying to be "suave as hell," but he can't perform with Sunny and ends up paying twice the usual fee for a "throw" without getting thrown. He confesses to the reader that he is a virgin--something he would never confess to any of the boys at the three schools that have expelled him.

There are other teenage characteristics throughout the novel, such as loneliness, self-pity, existential angst, and curiosity about the world. But almost all his teenage traits are revealed or reflected in his use of language. Salinger convinces the reader that this is a real teenage boy writing the novel; and many readers ask questions about Holden which show they think he is not only a good representation of a teenager but a real person., a real teenager. This is a great achievement for a creative writer. It probably explains why The Catcher in the Rye has been such a phenomenal success. Many people who discovered Holden Caulfield when they were young are now teaching English classes and assigning The Catcher in the Rye to their students. It is a great American classic. 

Why does Tom think being unknown is actually good?

It's so he can go undetected as a superhero someday. Of course, that's all in Tom's imagination.

As the story opens, Tom describes himself as shy, a bit sweaty and chubby, and disinclined to "get out there," as his mom would say--meaning he doesn't like to assert himself and join conversations or social groups at school. Tom also describes himself as not too great of a reader, at least when he was younger. It's sad how he spends so much time within his own mind, imagining how he could be a superhero and rescue his crush, Courtney, who is of course not just beautiful and popular but also a skilled reader.

Well, having described himself as such a shy and unpopular boy, Tom actually claims that being unknown at school is a good thing. But his idea is less than practical; it goes back to his fantasies about being a superhero.

Being unknown is good, Tom tells us, because it's "perfect for a superhero." He goes on to explain that in his imagination, he fights marauders, rescues Courtney, and drives off with her in a flashy sports car, always taking the evildoers by surprise. That is, the bad guys never see him coming and never suspect him as a threat.

If Tom had instead opened up about his superhero ideas to his friend Jeff, then his fantasy wouldn't exist anymore ("I could hold onto everything better if I never talked about it and nobody ever knew") and he wouldn't get the joy of living out his daydreams again and again. For Tom, at the beginning of the story, at least, being unknown is good. It keeps him safely ensconced within his own imagination.

How do you parse a sentence? For example, parse this sentence: "When I married my wife, she was a teacher, but she later became an accountant...

When you parse a sentence, you are examining the grammatical construction of the words the sentence contains, naming the parts, and describing how the parts relate to each other. The first step is to find all the verbs in the sentence, making sure to find all auxiliary verbs and forms of the verb "to be." In this sentence, the verbs are: married, was, became, took. Verbs can help you find out how many clauses you have. In this case, the four verbs belong to four separate clauses.

Next you can identify which clauses are subordinate (dependent) and which are independent. An independent clause can stand on its own as a sentence; it has its own subject and verb and it does not begin with a "clausal starter" word, or subordinating conjunction. Here we have two independent clauses: "she was a teacher," and "she later became an accountant."

The other two clauses are subordinate because they begin with the clausal starters "when" and "after." 

Within each clause find the basic constituents, the subject-verb-object arrangement. For example, in the first clause, the subject is "I," the verb is "married," and the object is "wife." 

This may be the extent of parsing you need to do, or you may want to identify each individual word as a part of speech. You would label each word as a noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, or interjection. For example, "my" is a pronoun, "later" is an adverb.

Provide an example of an argumentative analysis essay that could be written without research based on "Woman Hollering Creek."

One essay you could write about Sandra Cisneros' short story "Woman Hollering Creek" would be to argue that the creek can represent either women's disempowerment or women's empowerment. I will walk you through how to set up a 5-paragraph essay for this persuasive analysis.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Start the paragraph with a hook, such as a question to grab the reader's attention. "Is a holler a signal of pain or a signal of triumph?" could be one opener. Then give background information about the story and the author. Then present your thesis statement, which would be: "The creek in this story represents two states that women can live in, either a state of disempowerment or a state of empowerment."

Paragraph 2: First Body Paragraph

In this paragraph, discuss how the true origin of the creek's name is a mystery in the story. Paraphrase or quote passages that discuss how Cleofilas tries to ascertain the meaning of "Woman Hollering." Point out that since the true meaning of the name is obscure, it can represent more than one thing.

Paragraph 3: Second Body Paragraph

In this paragraph, present the idea that the creek can represent pain or rage, two disempowered states that the women in the story find themselves in. Point to Cleofilas' neighbors, who spend their time mourning their lost men, and Cleofilas herself, who is being beaten and cheated on by her husband. Cleofilas assumes the creek represents this state because that is the state she sees women in all around her, even in the news articles of women who have been murdered by their mates.

Paragraph 4: Third Body Paragraph

In this paragraph, show the contrast of Felice's explanation of and reaction to the creek. She hollers like Tarzan, drives a pickup, and takes control of her life. She also helps Cleofilas take control of her life by helping her return to her family in Mexico. To Felice, and now to Cleofilas, the creek represents empowerment for women.

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

Restate your thesis statement. Summarize your points from the body paragraphs. Add why you think this is a significant message for readers. Conclude with a statement that ties back to your hook, such as, "A holler can be a signal of triumph if a woman chooses to make it so." 

This essay makes an argument using evidence from the story and requires no outside research. 

What is the correlation between smartness and niceness?

There is no absolute, "one size fits all" correlation that one could ascribe to all of the characters. Lennie is fun-loving and nice, and he is the least intelligent character in the story. One can not really say that he is not nice when he smothers a mouse or Curley's wife because he has no real control over his emotions and his body in those panicky states. So, with Lennie, his mentality correlates niceness with lack of smartness. George is nice deep down but has a tendency to behave in mean ways. And he is smart. We could correlate intelligence and behaving in an acute, mean way even though this ignores the fact that George is generally nice with a mean exterior. But for the sake of simplicity, George is smart and can have mean behaviors. This suggests a correlation between intelligence and being mean. This works well with Lennie's behavior which is unintelligent and nice. Again, this has to do with behavior and it ignores George's generous spirit and occasional nice demeanor. But the simplistic correlation, using the behaviors of these two characters fit: nice/unintelligent, mean/intelligent. 

However, it doesn't take long to show that these correlations do not apply to everyone. Curley is mean and stupid. He may have some intelligence but there really is no hard evidence of it. He has a job because his father is the boss. He doesn't take other people's feelings into consideration. If he has intelligence, he doesn't use it. Slim is nice and intelligent. This defeats the idea that intelligence must correlate with meanness or that the unintelligent must correlate with being nice. 

In The Catcher in the Rye, what does Holden mean when he says that Mr. Antolini is more witty than intellectual?

Wit is defined as a clever expression with a keen perception that usually invokes laughter or profound thought. Sometimes people confuse wit with sarcasm, but wit is based on a perceived truth that those included in the practice can understand. In today's language, students might also connect wit with "roasting" someone. But on an academic level, wit is based on ideas cleverly expressed intellectually.

Mr. Antolini is a former teacher of Holden's from his time at Elkton Hills. Holden describes him as follows:

". . . after I left Elkton Hills Mr. Antolini came up to our house for dinner quite frequently to find out how I was getting along. He wasn't married then. . . but they seemed to get along quite well. For one thing, they were both very intellectual, especially Mr. Antolini, except that he was more witty than intellectual when you were with him" (180-181).

This passage suggests that Mr. Antolini must be a good teacher, but when he gets around Holden, and possibly with other students, he can show off that intelligence with witty comments that invoke laughter. An example of Mr. Antolini's wit comes out when Holden gets to his teacher's apartment and first sits down with the couple:

"'Excuse the appearance of the place . . . We've been entertaining some Buffalo friends of Mrs. Antolini's. . . Some buffaloes, as a matter of fact.'

I laughed" (182).

Mr. Antolini makes Holden feel a little better by making him laugh, but he later tells him that he had lunch with his father and that they are concerned about him. This shows that even though Mr. Antolini can perceive the fun in life, he is also talented enough to perceive the serious things in life. He tries to help Holden as best he can by giving him good advice and not just by joking around.

Where did Montag end up going, and did he meet anyone there who could help him? What happened to Mildred?

Montag ends up taking Faber's advice and travels down the river, away from the city, until he runs into an old railroad line. Montag follows the tracks for a half and hour and spots a group of men warming themselves next to a fire in the middle of the woods. Montag approaches them and meets a man named Granger. Granger introduces Montag to their group of "hobo intellectuals" which consists of former professors and a reverend. They help Montag by giving him a special fluid that changes the chemical index of his perspiration which makes the Hound lose his scent. They also teach him the techniques involved in memorizing books in order to preserve knowledge. Montag is able to remember the book of Ecclesiastes. At the end of the novel, an atomic bomb is dropped on the city. Montag realizes that Mildred died in the explosion as he walks towards the city to help rebuild civilization.

What is the initial incident of this story?

The inciting event is that which begins the problem in a story. In "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin it is the "sad message" brought by Mr. Mallard's friend Richard that Bently Mallard has been killed in a railroad disaster that forms the inciting event. 

When Mrs. Mallard hears this tragic news, she cries immediately and stands "paralyzed." But, although very distraught, she wants no one to follow her to her room. Ironically, it is there, in the privacy of her bedroom, that Mrs. Mallard releases her emotion. This emotion is not mourning, however; instead, Mrs. Mallard feels as though a weight has been lifted from her. Now, she looks out the window and sees the tops of trees, the blue sky, and she hears the sounds of Spring. The words "free! free! free!" escape her lips. Now, the "sad message" does not appear to affect Mrs. Mallard as one would expect. But, things change as the story progresses.

Kinetic energy of moving charge in an electrical circuit is called?

The kinetic energy of moving charge in an electrical circuit is called current. A circuit contains a power source (say a battery) and provides a closed path for electrons to flow. A very simple circuit consists of a battery, switch and bulb, all connected through conducting wires. In such a closed circuit, the potential difference between the two battery terminals will cause electrons to flow. Electrons move through the circuit from negative terminal to the positive terminal. Current, by convention, moves in the opposite direction, that is, from positive terminal to the negative terminal. The battery provides potential energy to the electrons, which is converted to their kinetic energy when the circuit is completed. This causes electrons to move and we get current flow. 

Hope this helps. 

`x + y + z = 5, x - 2y + 4z = 13, 3y + 4z = 13` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions algebraically.

You may use the substitution method to solve the system, hence, you need to use the first equation to write x in terms of y and z, such that:

`x + y + z = 5 => x = 5 - y - z`

You may now replace `5 - y - z` for x in equation` x - 2y + 4z = 13` , such that:

`5 - y - z - 2y + 4z = 13 => -3y + 3z = 8`

You may use the third equation, `3y + 4z = 13` , along with  `-3y + 3z = 8` equation, such that:

` -3y + 3z + 3y + 4z = 8 + 13 => 7z = 21 => z = 3`

You may replace 3 for z in equation `3y + 4z = 13:`

`3y + 12 = 13 => 3y = 1 => y = 1/3`

You may replace 3 for z and` 1/3` for y in equation `x = 5 - y - z:`

`x = 5 -1/3 - 3 => x = 2 - 1/3 => x = 5/3`

Hence, evaluating the solution to the given system, yields `x = 5/3, y = 1/3, z = 3.`

“I don’t know what can change this” is the final thought of Jonathan Kozol in Amazing Grace. How does this comment reflect the complexity of...

What Jonathan Kozol shows in Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation is that the causes of the social and medical problems he describes are social and income inequality in the nation as a whole, leading to both local and national political systems than tend to benefit the better off and more educated who can vote and exert pressure on the political system to their own benefit. He argues that even with goodwill, there are now no easy fixes to the problems of poverty which have evolved over decades.

For example, one could argue that the way out of poverty would be to provide jobs programs in the neighborhood. Businesses, however, are reluctant to locate in areas with high crime and poor infrastructure and weak schools and impoverished families are unlikely to help young people build work skills for an increasingly technological society. Even small retail outlets struggle because of lack of customers with money and high crime rates.

Health problems are similarly complex. Poor areas are more likely to have people with poor diet, drug abuse issues, and concentrations of infectious diseases. Although one could invest more in making medical care available, that would not solve issues such as environmental pollution, poor diet, unavailability and unaffordability of wholesome food, and substance abuse, nor create a culture of compliance with things like vaccination schedules and condom use for prevention of STDs. 

Other problems such as improving schools, improving infrastructure, and reducing crime also need to be tackled in tandem as the causes of all the problems Kozol observes are interrelated. Unfortunately, he despairs of there being a political will to make the necessary commitments. 

In The Bronze Bow, does Daniel like Rosh?

In The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare, the relationship between Daniel and Rosh changes over time. At first, Daniel sees Rosh as a bold and fearless leader who will help the community in the fight against the oppressive Romans. Rosh trains Daniel and Daniel follows him and makes excuses or finds reasons for when Rosh's actions are less than heroic. This is not only because Daniel looks up to Rosh, but also because of their mutual hatred for the Romans, who crucified Daniel's father and from whom brutality is an everyday occurrence. This bod begins to crack as Rosh continually steels from the Jewish community claiming that they should be happy to help him. When Rosh refuses to help a close friend of Daniel's who was captured risking his life to help Rosh, Daniel realizes that Rosh is only a violent, selfish criminal using the Roman oppression to excuse his actions. Daniel leaves Rosh's band and the link between them is severed.

Who is Sunday's offering being taken up for in To Kill a Mockingbird? Why?

Sunday’s offering is begin taken for Helen Robinson because her husband is in jail and no one will hire her.

When Jem and Scout accompany Calpurnia to church, they see many things they have not seen before.  They have never been in the African American church.  Calpurnia wants to make sure that they make a good impression, but not everyone is happy that they are there.  Some people feel that they do not belong.  However, Reverend Sykes is aware of and appreciative of their father’s contribution to the community in defending Tom Robinson.

The children are surprised that almost no one in the church can read, other than the preacher and Zeebo, Calpurnia’s son.  The children see that the Reverend has taken up a collection for Helen Robinson.

“You all know of Brother Tom Robinson’s trouble.  He has been a faithful member of First Purchase since he was a boy. The collection taken up today and for the next three Sundays will go to Helen—his wife, to help her out at home.” (Ch. 12)

The Reverend takes the creative approach of saying no one can leave until they have a good collection of at least ten dollars.  He is aware that not only has the family lost Tom Robinson’s income, but Helen too is having a hard time finding work because of what her husband is accused of.

Scout asks why they are taking a collection for Helen, and at first Reverend Sykes says that it is because she can’t work because of her children.  Then he admits the real reason when asked why she can’t just take the children with her.

Reverend Sykes hesitated. “To tell you the truth, Miss Jean Louise, Helen’s finding it hard to get work these days… when it’s picking time, I think Mr. Link Deas’ll take her.” (Ch. 12)

The treatment of Helen by the town is another example of the assumption of guilt Maycomb has.  They assume that if a black man is accused of doing something, he is guilty.  The fact that Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman, makes matters worse.  Not only does Helen lose her husband, she is also a pariah.

This chapter demonstrates the harsh reality of segregation.  The church is crumbling and no one can read.  The town turns against Helen Robinson because of what her husband is accused of.  Many of the churchgoers are suspicious of Scout and Jem, because they are white children and do not belong there.  All in all, the visit makes quite an impression on Scout.

`x - 3y + 2z = 18, 5x - 13y + 12z = 80` Solve the system of linear equations and check any solutions algebraically.

You should notice that the system has a smaller number of equations than the number of variables, hence, the system is indeterminate.

`x = 3y - 2z + 18`

Replace `3y - 2z + 18` for x in the second equation, such that:

`5(3y - 2z + 18) - 13y + 12z = 80 => 15y - 10z + 90 - 13y + 12z = 80`

`2y + 2z = -10 => y + z = -5 => y = -5-z => x = 3(-5-z) - 2z + 18`

`x = 3 - 5z`

Hence, evaluating the solutions to the system yields `x = 3 - 5z, y = -5-z, z = z.`

After talking to Maria, how has Bruno's opinion of her changed?

In Chapter 6, Bruno approaches Maria and asks her if she hates living at Out-With as much as he does. Maria does not answer his question and talks about the old house when he asks her if she likes Out-With again. Bruno calls his father stupid, and Maria looks horrified. She tells him that he must never say that about his father again because he is a good man. Maria explains how Bruno's father gave her a job and took care of her mother's funeral. As Maria is explaining to Bruno her life story and background, Bruno begins to gain perspective into who Maria is as a person. He begins to see her as a person with a history and not just the family maid. Maria mentions that Bruno's father has a kind soul, and wonders how he could give orders to slaughter innocent Jewish people on an everyday basis. She keeps her thoughts to herself and tells Bruno it is best if he does not verbalize his feelings.

What are the main ideas and feelings expressed in The Road Not Taken?

In this poem, the speaker is confronted with two paths that diverge in a forest. The speaker wishes to take both of these paths, although he must inevitably make a choice. Both of these roads are appealing to him but he will probably never return to take both paths. The speaker believes that one road is less traveled than the other, but he also believes that both are worn about the same. This difference in opinion is crucial because in the future the narrator looks back on this event and confesses that the road he took made all the difference. This final switch plays on themes of nostalgia and personal narrative. Ultimately, The Road Not Taken is a poem about memory and how we craft the stories of our lives. Frost argues that people are prone to thinking the choices they made were favorable, and consequently people often give advice based on the choices they made.  

With reference to Britain, what are some problems that resulted from the Industrial Revolution?

Many different social and political problems ensued from the British Industrial Revolution. They include:

Agricultural Efficiency: The combination of the new methods of the Agricultural Revolution of the eighteenth century with the new technology of the Industrial Revolution made agriculture far more efficient. Although this brought many benefits, including the ability to feed a larger population, this also meant that a far smaller labor force was needed, reducing the number of agricultural jobs. Also, new trends in agriculture made farming large areas more profitable than small tracts, leading to the Inclosure Acts and Highland Clearances that drove small farmers off tracts of common land to make way for more efficient large-scale farms.

Population Growth and Urbanization: The increased food supplies allowed Britain to support a larger population. As well as changes in the raw number of people, there was also a great shift from the countryside to the city, created by the push of declining opportunities for rural work and increased factory jobs. This led to the creation of massive industrial slums, particularly in northern manufacturing towns.

Environmental Degradation: Much of the Industrial Revolution was fueled by coal. This led to local environmental degradation as well as air pollution. Another major environmental and public health issue was that cities did not have water or sewage systems that could cope with the vast influx of people, leading to raw human waste being dumped in open sewers and a rise in epidemic diseases. Industrial waste also polluted rivers and groundwater. 

Inhumane Working Conditions: Few labor laws existed to protect the workers during the Industrial Revolution. Child labor was common, with young children working 12 or 14 hours shifts in mines and factories. Much of the factory work was dangerous.

What are some adjectives describing Zaroff?

Physically, Zaroff is tall, handsome, middle-aged, and slender.  However, it is the other aspects of Zaroff that are interesting.  I am quoting from the story off the internet, so the page numbers I am using are from that copy.  The adjectives are bolded.

First of all, Zaroff is rich.  His father had been rich in Russia, but Zaroff had to leave that country and lost everything.  However,

“I, luckily had invested heavily in American securities, so I never have to open a tearoom in Monte Carlo or drive a taxi in Paris.” (pg 4)

He also lives in a mansion on an island.  Rainsford  observed

  “It suggested a baronial hall of feudal times with its oaken panels, its high ceiling, its vast  refectory tables where twoscore (40 people) men could sit down and eat. “ (pg 3)

Zaroff is also cultured and cosmopolitan, which means that he could represent many different parts of the world.  He is an expert on wines, foods, and the finer things in life.  When Rainsford is escorted to his room, he finds an evening suit laid out for him and “noticed that it came from a London tailor who ordinarily cut and sewed for none below the rank of duke.” (pg 3)

Rainsford wonders how Zaroff recognizes his name. Zaroff shows that he is well-read and multi-lingual when he explains to Rainsford ,

  “I read all books on hunting published in English, French, and Russian.” (pg 4)

The fact that he is bored, has stimulated his interest in hunting men.  He no longer finds hunting animals exhilarating.

                “Hunting has ceased to be what you call ‘a sporting proposition’.  It had become too easy.  I always got my quarry.  Alwys.  There is no greater bore than perfection.” (pg 4)

  This boredom led him to start hunting mankind, and makes Zaroff immoral.  He does not care for the lives of the people he hunts.   He criticizes Rainsford for harboring,

                “…. romantic ideas about the value of a human life.”  (pg 5)

Finally, because Zaroff has spent so many years hunting, he has become very observant and analytical. He explains to Rainsford,

  “….mine is an analytical mind, Mr. Rainsford.  Doubtless that is why I enjoy the problems of the chase.” (pg 4)

When they are in the hunt, Rainsford notices that,

                “Nothing escaped those searching black eyes, no crushed blade of grass, no bent twig, no  mark, no matter how faint, in the moss.” (pg 8)

What kind of essay can be made on the topic "To be or not to be; that is the question"? But this essay should not be based on Hamlet.

While the quotation is from Shakespeare’s play, the philosophical question is universal. It asks, “What are the arguments in favor of and against continuing our existence, our facticity?” Suicide is an option for virtually all of us each day, but moral and religious impediments stand in the way: “Oh [if only]that the everlasting had not fixed his cannons (canons) ‘gainst self slaughter” Your essay, then could be a defense of or an attack on suicide. But more sophisticated might be stating your views on Man’s place in the cosmos. Are we giving ourselves an importance merely because we are self-conscious, or do we have a “purpose,” a cosmic mission? Take this opportunity to examine your own views on these philosophical questions. Can we, as individuals, seek Cosmic Consciousness? Is the emotional damage to our family and friends far greater than the “pain” we are trying to escape by our suicide? Does Dr. Kevorkian have the moral high ground when he defends doctor-assisted suicide? Etc.

What is an example of an epic simile in Beowulf?

"Epic simile" is also called Homeric simile, after its use in the Iliad and the Odyssey. As opposed to the standard simile, which tends to make a more straightforward comparison of "X is like Y," the epic simile is often much longer, makes more complicated connections, and may involve much less obviously related things, for the purpose of deeper imagery and emotional connection, as well as providing opportunities for the poet to momentarily shift their attentions to a side-lesson, such as a moral or historical point.

Most of the similes in Beowulf are short, although if we take the kennings into consideration as similes, they are abundant. One semi-epic simile is the brief diversion on line 1198 into the story of Hama: the poet compares the hoard of treasure gifted to Beowulf by Hrothgar to the theft of a necklace intended for the goddess Freyja by the hero Hama, who later escaped the persecutions of the evil king Eormenric and, supposedly, delivered himself into Christianity (another emphasis on the Christian themes that crop up throughout the text).

The most obvious, and perhaps only true use of epic simile in Beowulf is the "Father's Lament," which begins on line 2444, recounting how King Hrethel must feel in the aftermath of one son's murder by another, by comparing him to an old man whose young son is hanged. This passage gives numerous and detailed similes, such as everything feeling "too roomy" and feeling helpless because no aged wisdom or experience can restore the child to life. This is largely due to the fact that Hrethel, bound by the code of honor, can do nothing; such a murder would normally demand either payment or retribution, but he cannot execute his remaining son, nor pay himself for his own son's murder, and so he is left in a desolate and contemplative abyss of grief.

How did white soldiers in WWI feel about blacks helping out?

In World War I, African-American soldiers fought in segregated regiments. Many African-Americans saw the war as a chance to promote racial equality, while some leaders, such as A. Philip Randolph, urged African-Americans to resist the draft, as they thought it was hypocritical to ask people who were treated as second-class citizens to serve in the army. However, many African-Americans believed that their military service would cause the government to grant them civil rights. Over one million African-Americans responded to the draft in 1917, and about 370,000 African-American men were drafted into the U.S. military.

African-Americans faced a great deal of racism and racial violence during World War I. Many went north to serve in defense plants as part of the Great Migration. In cities such as St. Louis, they faced violence. In East St. Louis in 1917, a race riot resulted in the deaths of 125 African-Americans. In Houston, African-American soldiers who were tired of racial prejudice from members of the city and the police marched on the city, and 16 whites and 4 blacks died. As a result, the military decided to try to station black soldiers outside the south.

While there were a few combat divisions for African-Americans, many served in service units rather than in fighting units. They were often stevedores, unloading military ships. In general, African-American soldiers had inferior materials and supplies and faced racial prejudice, though they were often rewarded when they fought in France. For example, the "Harlem Hellfighters," a division that included many famous musicians, won awards fighting in France, including the Croix de Guerre. About 200,000 African-American troops fought in France. Their service was another milestone in the Civil Rights movement, and they were broadened by fighting in Europe and other places in the United States. 

What is one comparison between the stories "Young Goodman Brown" and "William Wilson"?

Edgar Allan Poe's "William Wilson" and Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" are comparable in how they both detail the psychological toll of coming to terms with versions of reality.

In "Young Goodman Brown," Hawthorne describes a man's loss of innocence in how he realizes that the town he grew up in and thought he knew actually has major moral failings. Poe's "William Wilson" similarly explores versions of reality in how the narrator believes things to be true, only to have these beliefs destroyed in the end. In both cases, a type of fiction is used to hide reality: Goodman Brown's fiction is that his town is moral and good, and William Wilson the narrator's is that the imagination is powerful enough to create its own reality.

What two other services does Reverend Hooper attend the same day that he begins to wear the veil?

After he presides over afternoon services, Mr. Hooper officiates at a funeral first and then a wedding.  At the funeral, his veil was "an appropriate emblem."  It didn't seem so out of place at a funeral where its somber color echoed the sadness of the occasion.  The gloom and the pall that it casts over both the minister's whole person as well as anyone who looks at him seemed not incongruous in the context of a sad funeral for a young maiden.

However, at the wedding, it is a dramatically different story.  Now, the veil is described as "horrible," and it seems to "portend nothing but evil to the wedding" where it had only "added deeper gloom to the funeral."  The bride quivers and shakes during the ceremony, "and her deathlike paleness caused a whisper that the maiden who had been buried a few hours before was come from her grave to be married."  People do not want to consider sins and souls and death at a wedding; they want to focus on the happiness possible in the here and now.  Moreover, when Mr. Hooper catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror, even he is so horrified by his aspect that he drops his wine and rushes out into the night. 

Compare Mar's system to Earth's system?

Mars and Earth are both planets of our solar system. As explained by Matt Williams of Universe Today, the planets share similarities in “size, inclination, structure, composition, and even the presence of water on their surfaces.” However, there are also several differences amongst the planets’ systems, which are identified and briefly described below.

Surface Features

• Both planets have mountains, valleys, plains, volcanoes, and sand dunes.


• Asteroids and meteors from space have collided with both planets. However, the craters from these collisions are much better preserved on Mars.


• Scientists speculate that gullies and channels on Mars were formed at one time by flowing water, just as they are created on Earth.

Location of Water

• The majority of Earth, 70%, is covered by water, which is what contributes the planet’s blue appearance.


• The surface of Maras is dry and dusty. The soil on Mars is rich in iron, which is what produces the planet’s red appearance. The majority of water on Mars is found beneath its surface.

Icecaps

• Frozen water has been found at the poles of both planets.

Atmospheres

• Mars’ atmosphere is much thinner when compared to the atmosphere of Earth.


• Earth’s atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen.


• The atmosphere of Mars is primarily composed of carbon dioxide, argon, and nitrogen.

Temperatures

• The thick atmosphere that surrounds Earth serves as a blanket that traps energy from the Sun. This prevents a larger temperature drop at night.


• The thin atmosphere on Mars causes allows energy from the Sun to be reflected back into space. Thus, there is large temperature variations between day and night on Mars.

What is a vector quantity?

All the quantities are classified as either a scalar quantity or a vector quantity. Scalar quantities are those that are characterized by magnitude only. Vector quantities are characterized by magnitude as well as direction. For example, speed is a scalar quantity and is characterized by its magnitude only. Velocity, on the other hand, is a vector quantity and is characterized by both magnitude and direction. That is why we say, someone was walking with a speed of 2 km/hr and someone was moving with a velocity of 5 km/hr in east direction. Vector quantities make use of vector algebra (from mathematics) and we can determine the resultant vectors and their magnitude and direction (say 3 forces acting on a single body with different magnitudes and directions), etc. 

Hope this helps. 

In what way does Lorianne wish that her mother were more like Mr. Pignati, from Zindel's The Pigman?

Lorraine and her mother have a very strained relationship, but as far as parents go, she is all she's ever had. Lorraine doesn't know parent-child relationahips to be any different than the example set forth by her single mom--until she meets Mr. Pignati. At first Lorraine is taken aback by how happy the Pigman is. She doesn't quite accept his joy as reality because she says the following on the first day they meet him at the zoo:

"I felt sorry for the old man because people just don't go around smiling like that all the time unless they're mentally unbalanced or harboring extreme anxiety" (57).

Good thing she gives the guy a chance to teach her what it means to be able to actually trust and have fun with adults. Naturally, as she and John hang out with Mr. Pignati more, Lorraine compares him with her mother. She pities her mother because being a nurse is a stressful and demanding job. But as she realizes that she is actually having fun with an adult, she says the following:

"Sometimes just after I put the light out, I'd see his face smiling or his eyes gleaming as he offered me the snails--some little happy detail I thought I had forgotten--and I'd wish she knew how to have a little fun for a change" (86).

Hence, the way that Lorraine wishes her mother were more like Mr. Pignati is by having a little fun. Her mother's interactions with her are too strenuous, bitter and difficult. Life would be more manageable for both of them if they could have some fun together.

John Nash begins to find patterns where no patterns exist. What does this mean? Explain.

John Nash, a mathematician, saw patterns in numbers and in events that were not seen initially by others. This lead to his great strides in the field of game theory. In late 1958, his behavior became erratic and he became increasingly paranoid. This was the beginning of his battle with paranoid schizophrenia. 

Schizophrenia with paranoia often causes its sufferers to see connections that do not exist. For example, if a man leaves a newspaper on a bench, typically no one would think anything of it, however, someone suffering from schizophrenia might believe it to be some sort of message delivery. The unfortunate aspect of this is that, due to the paranoia, no one can convince the sufferer that what they believe is a pattern or has special meaning is an ordinary event. In Nash's case, although his initial pattern observations were valid, he began to see patterns in newspaper articles and occurrences that did not exist and were really separate, unrelated events. 

How do I challenge the statement "a utopia is impossible" using The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Giver?

All of these books are about societies with strict regulations that maintain order in daily life. 

You have chosen three dystopias to challenge the concept of dystopia.  In all of these books, things have gone horribly wrong.  You could argue, however, that the societies involved started out with good intentions.  In order to maintain order, though, the society's leaders took away rights from the majority of their citizens and created a very oppressive world. 

In The Hunger Games, Panem was wracked with civil war for years.  In order to calm things down and create peace, the community came up with an unusual solution: the country was divided into thirteen districts and a capitol, with strict regulations controlling all of the districts.  I am sure that if you lived in the Capitol, where everyone enjoys an excess of prosperity, you might think it was a utopia indeed. 

Haymitch had called the Avoxes traitors. Against what? It could only be the Capitol. But they had everything here. No cause to rebel. (Ch. 6) 

The Avoxes are mutes who have been severely punished for some infraction.  The other major punishment is imposed on the districts themselves.  Each year, there is a drawing to choose two children from every district who will fight to the death in the Hunger Games, which are broadcast throughout Panem.  The idea is that Panem will never be at war again because the districts pay a yearly penance—the blood of their children. 

Just like in The Hunger Games, the world in Divergent suffered a cataclysmic event and had to re-order itself.  The decision was made to organize society into factions based on personality traits.  Like The Hunger Games, it is set in what used to be America (this time Chicago).  There is a test to determine the faction a person enters.  It takes place at the age of sixteen.  All sixteen-year-olds take a test that suggests a faction for them, but they are allowed to choose any of the five factions at the Choosing Ceremony. 

Today is the day of the aptitude test that will show me which of the five factions I belong in. And tomorrow, at the Choosing Ceremony, I will decide on a faction; I will decide the rest of my life; I will decide to stay with my family or abandon them. (Ch. 9) 

What could possibly go wrong?  As might be expected, society is not as orderly and simple as it may seem.  Violence often erupts between factions.  Things are worse for those without a faction, who are ostracized. 

There is more to find likable in The Giver, at least on the surface.  Like Divergent, the society controls your destiny.  The children in The Giver start a little earlier, as they are assigned jobs at the age of twelve.  There is also a ceremony, called The Ceremony of Twelve.  The strict rules enforce Sameness, which means that everyone looks alike and acts according to predetermined regulations.  Like in The Hunger Games, anyone who doesn’t fit in is severely punished (this time by death, called release): 

For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure. (Ch. 1) 

As with the other communities, there are some advantages to this process.  There is no crime, homelessness, or unemployment.  Everyone has enough to eat.  It is true that no one gets to make choices, and they can’t even see colors, but choices can be stressful.  Society's leaders even control the weather!

Perhaps it should be said that utopia is in the eye of the beholder.  Each of these communities is designed to protect its citizens and maintain order.  While this results in a reduction of freedoms, the communities have put the good of the whole over that of each individual.  Is it so bad to give up a few children a year, or have your life's path determined for you at a young age?

In Bridge to Terabithia, why didn't Jesse invite Leslie on the perfect day with Miss Edmunds?

This is a great question, because the text offers a few possibilities that explain why Jess doesn't invite Leslie to go along with Miss Edmunds.  

I think one reason is simple, polite etiquette.  Miss Edmunds invited Jess.  If she wanted to invite Leslie too, she would have done so.  It is not Jess's place to invite somebody else along.  

Another reason is that Jess has a bit of a crush on Miss Edmunds.  First, the text tells readers that she is a fairly attractive teacher (at least in Jess's eyes).  Second, Miss Edmunds is the only teacher that encourages Jess to pursue his passion for drawing and art.  Spending time alone with Miss Edmunds is huge.  Jess doesn't have to share his time with his crush with anybody, and she will be able to focus entirely on Jess.  

I think that one-on-one time with an adult is a huge draw for Jess as well.  He comes from a family of five kids.  His parents simply do not have time and energy to devote one-on-one time to each child.  Leslie is the only child living with her parents, so spending quality time with an adult is something that happens to her all of the time.  Jess wants to experience some of that for a change.  

I think a final reason for not inviting Leslie is that Jess doesn't want to have to face Leslie and tell her that he doesn't want to go to Terabithia while the river is flowing so violently.  He's afraid of what Leslie might think about him, so a day alone with Miss Edmunds lets Jess avoid that conversation for an entire day. 

Who was the best author of all time?

This question is very difficult to answer as "all time" hasn't been finished yet! Even if we only consider authors who have already finished and published their works, we'd be limited in our capability to determine the best author thus far. Many works of literature have not been translated or popularized in such a way that allows everyone to consider them, and even more have simply been lost to the ages. Above all, literary preferences are a matter of opinion, so you and I might disagree over who is the best author.

With all of that said, I think a lot of people would consider William Shakespeare to be the best author (thus far) in the English-speaking world. Shakespeare is beloved by millions for the quality and volume of his work. If not the best author thus far, Shakespeare is certainly one of the most influential authors of all time. 

What images from chapters 9-15 of The Scarlet Letter are more vivid than those in previous chapters?

From chapter 9, the image of Chillingworth's face getting darker and darker, becoming more "ugly and evil" the longer he lives with Dimmesdale, as though it were "getting sooty with the smoke" of hell is pretty vivid.  To imagine an older face becoming grizzled and darkening as though with hell's soot is quite a visual image indeed.

From chapter 10, the narrator presents the image of little Pearl collecting burrs and "arrang[ing] them along the lines of the scarlet letter that decorated the maternal bosom, to which the burrs, as their nature was, tenaciously adhered."  Such an image is both visual and tactile, as we can see the red A outlined in green, and imagine the prickliness of the burrs.

From chapter 12, the sight of Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl all together on the scaffold makes for a pretty memorable image.  The narrator says that "The three formed an electric chain."  It is easy to imagine the tension running through the characters in this moment.  Further, the "great red letter in the sky -- the letter A" that a meteor paints in the night sky is quite vivid as well.  The townsfolk interpret it to stand for "Angel" for John Winthrop, the first governor of the colony, but readers likely interpret it as a signal from God and/or nature that Dimmesdale's guilt is known.

Please explain "Ignorance and Want" from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Ignorance and Want are expressed as two needy children who cling to the coattails of the Ghost of Christmas Present. They represent the moral failings of humanity generally and Ebenezer Scrooge specifically. When children are not educated (Ignorance), they cannot be free to prosper and to give back to society. They cannot use intelligence to better themselves and others. When children are hungry (Want), they are in the same situation as those who are ignorant. Dickens believed that ignorance and want would doom a society. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge scoffs at the poor. He does not believe in giving charity but rather feels the poor belong in jails and poorhouses. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows him that he is responsible for them just as he is responsible for himself. The poor belong to all of society, and it is society's obligation to care for them.

Willie has 14 coins of two types: dimes and qaurters. The overall value of the 14 coins is $2.30 How many of each does he have?

We have 14 coins, all dimes and quarters, with a total worth of $2.30, and we want to know the number of each type of coin.

Note that a dime is worth 10 cents, and a quarter is worth 25 cents.

Now let d be the number of dimes, and q the number of quarters.

Then we know d+q = 14 since there are 14 coins.

Also .1d+.25q=2.3 or 10d+25q=230 ==> 2d+5q=46

We have two equations with two unknowns -- this can be solved (assuming there is a solution) using guess and check, substitution, or linear combinations (often called the elimination method or the multiplication and addition method.)

d+q=14
2d+5q=46  Multiply equation 1 by 2 and subtract from equation 2:

3q=18 so q=6 and then d=8

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are 8 dimes and 6 quarters

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Check: 8+6= 14 coins and .80+1.5=2.3 as required.

Who is "old one shot" in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Atticus Finch is “ol' one shot” and is known for his marksmanship in town.  When a rabid dog named Tim Johnson comes wandering into town diseased and mad, Heck Tate asks Atticus to shoot the dog.  Heck Tate knows that if he misses the dog, the bullet can go into the Radley house.  Atticus calmly lowers the shotgun and shoots the dog with one bullet. 

The rabid dog is often thought to be symbolic of a disease Maycomb suffers—racism.  Like the madness rabies causes, racism causes the same irrational behaviors.  This disease causes people to be illogical and focused on the subjugation of blacks.  By Atticus shooting the dog with one shot, it symbolically suggests that he also has “one shot” to prove Tom Robinson’s innocence and cure Maycomb of the disease of racism and injustice. 

When Miss Maudie tells Scout and Jem about Atticus’ ability to shoot, the children have new-found respect for their father who they once thought boring and ordinary. 

Explain what mass is? Explain why your mass does not change, no matter where you go?

Mass is defined as the amount of matter held within a body and hence stays the same, irrespective of our location, since the amount of matter will stay fixed. This definition of mass works for everyday objects and fails only for objects moving at very high speeds (those approaching the velocity of light, c). This means that wherever we go, whether it is U.S. or Australia or Antarctica, our mass would be the same (unless we start losing the contained matter). The same is true, even if we go up to the moon or any other planet, our body will still have the same mass. 

Interestingly, when we hear about weight loss programs, they are actually referring to mass-loss programs. This is because, weight is the product of mass and acceleration due to gravity (which does not change anywhere on Earth and is, more or less, fixed) and hence it is the mass that we lose. An example of mass loss is what Formula 1 race drivers experience during races (due to fluid loss from body). 

Thus, unless we start losing the matter contained in our body, our mass stays the same wherever we go.

Hope this helps. 

How does Daisy react to Gatsby's house?

Daisy ends up bursting into tears on her first visit to Gatsby's house. Initially, viewing its vast splendor from outside, she says, "I love it," but also wonders how Gatsby can live there all alone. She admires the beautiful gardens with their odors of jonquils, hawthorn, and plum blossoms, and then Gatsby takes her through the house itself, ending in his bedroom. At this point, he shows her his vast array of shirts, tossing them into a mound. Suddenly Daisy buries her face in the mound and begins to cry "stormily," saying the shirts make her sad because they are so beautiful.

We can understand Daisy to be emotionally overwhelmed by the events of her day, especially reuniting with an old boyfriend she has not seen in five years and possibly feeling some regret over times past and pressure from Gatsby's intense expectations. We can also see her, as we did in the first chapter, when her dress and Jordan's billowed in the breezes, as a person "blown around" by the men in her life, as if on a sea and crying "stormily" in response to emotions she can't quite understand.