In To Kill a Mockingbird, I've only found two examples when the idea "You never really know someone until you walk in their shoes" is referred to....

There is a second time when Atticus refers to his famous quote about walking in another person's shoes.  Bob Ewell threatens Atticus after the trial.  This concerns Jem.  He is worried that Mr. Ewell will do something to harm his father.  He wants his father to do something about it as a precaution.  Atticus reasons with his son:

"Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute.  I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does."

Atticus then goes on to say that he is willing to listen to Mr. Ewell's threats if it will save his daughter from being beaten.  Atticus says that Mr. Ewell is going to take his anger out on someone, so he would much rather it be on him then on the man's children.  After his father explains the situation in this way, Jem finally understands.  

Even though Mr. Ewell threatens Atticus, he seeks to understand the man.  He wants his son to consider that Mr. Ewell was probably ashamed at the trial.  This is because Atticus discredited Mr. Ewell's arguments during the trial.

Why did the English Civil War have little long-term effect on English government? Why, in contrast, was the revolution of 1688 successful?

The English Civil War was a series of conflicts between the Royalists, who supported an absolute monarchy, and the Parliamentarians, who supported Parliament. The war, which lasted from 1642 to 1651, resulted in victory by the Parliamentarians and the execution of King Charles I. However, the Parliamentarian victory had little long-term impact on England because the resulting governmental structures were temporary. The Commonwealth, which ruled from the end of the war to 1660 and made minor reforms, was forcibly dissolved by the institution of the Protectorate. The Protectorate, led by Oliver Cromwell, gave more power to a leader than the Commonwealth had, causing concern that England was moving back to a monarchist system. These concerns were amplified upon Cromwell's death, when his position was immediately assumed by his son, Richard Cromwell. The Commonwealth assumed power again for a year in 1959, but with the 1660 Restoration the British government was quickly restored to a monarchy. Because the monarchy returned within a decade of its dissolution, the impact of the English Civil War was short-term and limited.

The 1688 Revolution had a much greater impact on the structure of England's government. This revolution overthrew King James II and resulted in the creation of a Bill of Rights, which legally promised the end of absolute monarchy. The Bill of Rights allowed for the existence of the monarchy, but greatly curtailed the powers of the monarch relative to Parliament. The impact of this revolution was lasting, as it permanently curtailed the power of monarchs and gave legislative power to Parliament. It resolved centuries of conflict between the relative powers of the Parliament and the crown, where the English Civil War only caused the two to rapidly alternate leadership before ultimately returning to a monarchic system.

In the novel The Outsiders, what does Pony mean when he says "I was supposed to be the deep one"?

While Ponyboy and Johnny are hiding out, they begin to read the novel Gone With the Wind. Pony mentions that Johnny really enjoyed the book but didn't know much information about the Civil War or the setting of the novel. After Ponyboy explains the historical context and background, he says that he is amazed at Johnny's ability to comprehend deeper meanings throughout the story. Ponyboy then comments, "I was supposed to be the deep one" (Hinton 65). Ponyboy has a reputation of being one the of most intelligent individuals in the Greaser gang. He consistently gets good grades and is an avid reader. In contrast, Johnny never excelled at school, which is why Ponyboy is rather surprised at his ability to grasp deeper meaning in the text and made the previous comment about how he was supposed to be the “deep one." Johnny is not considered intelligent in the traditional sense simply because he has a hard time keeping pace with the lessons at school and gets bad grades. Given an adequate amount of time and opportunity to understand certain concepts, Johnny can express his innate ability to comprehend deeper meanings and messages throughout various texts.

In "Once upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer, how could the parents have prevented the tragedy of the end of the story?

The tragedy at the end of the story, the death of the couple's son, is a culmination of their mindset and decisions throughout the story. At a minimum, after installing the Dragon's Teeth fence, since they had decided to do so, they should have built another wall inside of that wall to keep their son safe, or perhaps rig up an electric fence to keep him from crossing over to the dangerous wall. They may have warned him not to go near it, but that's not enough, as they realized when they put a wall around their swimming pool to protect their son. 

Better yet would have been to not install the Dragon's Teeth at all. The wife had misgivings after it was installed, fearing for the cat. She should have trusted those instincts and had the system removed at that time.

Even better would have been to not give in to their fears about "people of another color" invading them to commit crimes. The wife's instinct to show compassion on the unemployed strangers outside her gate was the correct instinct. By showing compassion to the needy and trying to reconcile the ethnic and racial divide in their community, they would have shown their son a better way to live and would have ultimately spared his life. 

What are similarities between Jesus and the Book of Judges?

The book of Judges is in the Old Testament and is considered to be one of the "history" books in the Bible, a book that tells about events and people. Judges tells of events that happened after Joshua and Caleb brought the children of Israel into the Promised Land but before Samuel anointed Saul the first king of Israel. 

As a history book, Judges mentions several important people and it would be possible to find connections between Jesus and a number of them, but one of the most prominent people in Judges is Samson. Let's examine the relationship between Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, and Samson. 

Both Samson's and Jesus's births were foretold and both were their mothers' first children. Samson's mother was quite old; in contrast, Mary was a virgin and quite young. 

Both Samson and Jesus were to have very special lives. Samson was dedicated before birth to be a Nazarite, which means he had religiously-based restrictions on how he was to live. These restrictions were meant to keep God in Jesus's mind as much as possible. Jesus, of course, did not need restrictions, as God was completely central to his life at all times. 

The "ministries" of Jesus and Samson were completely different. Samson broke his Nazarite vows and also had a weakness for the ladies. As strong as he was physically, he was brought down by his essential weakness in his desire for women. Jesus, in contrast, led a sinless life of service to others. 

Ultimately, both Jesus and Samson died in the process of saving their people. Samson died, blinded, in a temple to the Philistine gods because he found his strength and pulled supporting pillars down, thereby killing a lot of Israel's enemy. Jesus also chose his death; since he was able to perform miracles, he certainly could have gotten himself off of the cross. He wasn't powerless. He chose to die as the perfect sacrifice (in Old Testament terms) so God's relationship with people could be restored. Jesus suffered so everyone's sins could be forgiven. 

Across the Old Testament, there are other instances of people who shared significant characteristics with Jesus. For example, Moses is often compared to Jesus because he brought the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt while Jesus brought human beings out of the bondage of sin. As with Samson, the analogy is not perfect — there are contrasting elements because Moses and Samson were sinful. Still, Moses and Samson foreshadowed what Jesus ultimately accomplished.

What factors can affect an individual's choice of occupation?

There are many factors that would affect an individual’s choice of occupation. One is socioeconomic status and economic history. Some people have more options open to them than others do. If your family can afford to send you to college, you have a chance to pursue careers that require post-secondary education. Without parental assistance, you may also be able to get a career that requires a degree if you work and earn scholarships, but it will be more difficult.

Aside from money and education, career choices are often dictated by family. You may go into your family's business or pursue the same career as your father or mother. People in the same family often have similar careers. Relatives can serve as a role model for that career and provide guidance.

Another factor is personal aptitude. Some careers require people who have skills, others require a lot of intelligence, and some require a combination of the two. If you are going to become a nurse or teacher, you need to be smart and have people skills. To be a mechanic or a plumber, you must be good with your hands. Most people choose jobs based on their interests, at least to some degree.

An occupation is more than a job. You enter a field, which means that you are likely not just working for one company or in one position for your entire life. People usually work for several different companies throughout their lives. People usually start out at entry-level jobs in their field and then advance as they get experience.

What aspects of the Aztec civilisation made it appealing to the Spanish conquistadors?

Perhaps the first thing the Spanish noticed when they encountered the Aztecs was their quantity of gold; gold was relatively plentiful in the region, and as a result Aztec kings had amassed huge quantities of it. The Spanish used gold as their currency, and so it was highly valuable to them; it would be sort of like encountering a nation of people who used dollar bills as wallpaper and had no problem trading you huge quantities of them for basically nothing.

The Aztecs had a large population, which the Spanish saw as a source of cheap labor; they also had an authoritarian government, which was both familiar to the Spanish (they were under an absolute monarchy) and a useful means for them to take and maintain control. Their technology was not as advanced as what the Spanish had, particularly with regard to weaponry; so the Spanish knew that they would be able to conquer them easily.

The Aztecs were also despised by other cultures in the region, probably because they had a habit of raiding villages, capturing people, and either turning them into slaves or using them in human sacrifices. The Spanish used this to their advantage, forming alliances with other cultures in the region, notably the Tlascalans, to topple the Aztecs. Actually, due to their alliance with the Spanish, the Tlascalans remained largely unscathed throughout the 300 years of Spanish colonialism.

With reference to Ender's Game, how should high ability children contribute to their community?

An interesting question.

The short answer is, high ability children should contribute according to their ability, but also according to the need of the larger community.

(This isn't specific to children in Card's world, by the way: this applies to adults as well, like Ender's tutor Mazer Rackham, and to the way the society in the novel makes decisions about which families get to have third children, despite the population pressure.)

To expand these points a bit, all the boys at Battle School (and the few girls) are there because they are gifted. They are given special opportunities and special training because of their gifts, which in this case blend the physical skills of battle with the conceptual skills of planning and the complex emotional skills of leadership and motivation.

However, while they love these activities, and live for them, all of their rewards, training, and support are given them because the human race needs them. This collective need ultimately trumps individual talent and desire. In the end, the survival of the species (in the war against the Buggers) determines what gifted children can and must do.

What does the statement "He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives and that those who interfered with it did so to their own sorrow"...

The description of the fakir’s motives demonstrates that the Whites are soon going to be ruled by the fate of the monkey’s paw.

The Whites are curious about the monkey’s paw when their old friend the Sargent-Major brings it to them. However, they do not really take it seriously. They think it is a game, or just a story that their old friend is trying to entertain them with.

The Whites do seem curious about the history of the trinket. 

"And has anybody else wished?" persisted the old lady. "The first man had his three wishes.”

“Yes," was the reply; "I don't know what the first two were, but the third was for death. That's how I got the paw."

This is a warning that the paw is dangerous or evil. Why would a person wish for death after using it twice? Terrible things must have happened.

However, while they joke about it and use it to make a wish, they do not really feel that it will do anything. They do not destroy it, and they don’t listen to the warnings. Mr. White does get a little pensive and nervous, thinking he sees something in the fire.

It seems that with the Whites, the fakir proves his point. Their lives are apparently ruled by the fate of the paw. The wish for money results in their son’s death. That could be a coincidence, but in their grief they turn to the paw again.

The old man turned and regarded her, and his voice shook. "He has been dead ten days, and besides he—I would not tell you else, but—I could only recognize him by his clothing. If he was too terrible for you to see then, how now?"

When Mrs. White wishes for her son to be alive, and then they hear a knocking at the door, it is too much for Mr. White. He uses the third wish to get rid of the creature at the door. The Whites’ lives will never be the same, and all because they decided to play with fate.

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.  

The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how people with "abnormal mind[s]" seek him out, and how he has "feigned sleep" or "preoccupation" to avoid hearing any "intimate revelation[s]" that they might present, which he claims are "usually plagiaristic."   

Moreover, Nick's prejudices in favor of Gatsby are also made immediately apparent. He has already exonerated and forgiven Gatsby for his transgressions, praising Gatsby's "gift for hope" and "romantic readiness," and blaming his downfall solely on "the foul dust [that] floated in the wake of his dreams." 

To be fair, Nick readily admits that his "tolerance ... has a limit," yet he simultaneously prides himself on having more "fundamental decencies" than most.  He's an interestingly flawed narrator, and his inconsistencies add to his complexity.  The first chapter's narration carries a tone of authority and even-handedness; he's self-deprecating when he admits to living in the "less fashionable" West Egg, and his initial presentation of Tom Buchanan is justifiably critical, so it's not as though the reader should be skeptical. But in spite of his father's advice, we see Nick passing judgment throughout the text, somewhat contradicting his claimed "habit" of "reserv[ing] all judgments."

In "Three Men in a Boat," why did the writer go to the British Museum? What did he discover when he went through the medical book alphabetically?

This reference appears in the opening pages of the book. The narrator and his friends are sharing information about the ailments they each suffer from. This exchange reminds the narrator of a time when he went to the British Museum to discover a treatment for hay fever. He searched through a medical book for the answer, and then began to turn pages at random to read up on other ailments. To his horror he found that he had the symptoms of each and every disease or malady that was listed in the book. He then went through the listings alphabetically, from ague to zymosis, to make sure he was right. The only entry he didn’t find anything in common with was “housemaid’s knee.” Presumably a person would get such a pain by scrubbing a floor by hand – something which this gentlemen would never do. Savvy readers will realize that the narrator is either exaggerating about this episode, or he has a tendency toward reacting disproportionately and experiencing psychosomatic illnesses, or all of the above.

In the book Tangerine, why did the developers build the houses so close to the muck fires?

The housing development may have been built near the muck fires since the developers in Tangerine were mainly concerned with prestige and money. For example, Old Charley Burns, the director of the Tangerine county civil engineering department, was supposed to take responsibility for the safety and security of Tangerine’s buildings, especially buildings that housed young children. However, Paul’s school was knowingly built in an area famous for its sinkholes. More caution and care could have prevented the sinkhole disaster, which endangered the lives of Tangerine’s kids. However, Old Charley often took bribes from shady contractors. He didn’t check their permits or confirm that the land was safe. Taking bribes enabled Charley to enjoy an elevated lifestyle. As long as things looked fine on the surface, his deceit was unnoticeable. Consequently, the housing development may have been built close to the muck fires because the developers only wanted to sell the houses for a large profit and didn’t care about creating lasting and secure homes for their customers.

Additionally, many longtime Tangerine residents treated the fires as a minor annoyance. Their nonchalance may have contributed to the strange location of the housing development. Since they knew that the fires were rarely life-threatening, they may have been more likely to support new housing developments that directly bordered the muck fire zones. In contrast, Paul’s mom, a new Tangerine resident, reacted strongly to the muck fire because the smoke and burning smell signaled an unfamiliar danger. Regardless of where you live, you likely have learned to live with the quirks and small dangers of your hometown, and you likely don’t notice them as much as new visitors do. (Things like clogged freeways or hurricane season come to mind.) Likewise, the Tangerine residents may not have thought that the muck fires warranted any special precaution.

What is a summary of Chapter 13 of Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis?

In Chapter 13, Elijah goes into Chatham to get the mail and finds out that the postman has had an “accident."  He is given a letter and a package, and is worried because the letter, which is for Mrs. Holton, will probably contain bad news. Elijah and his mom (and many other people in the town) dress in their best clothes and deliver the letter to Mrs. Holton.  When the letter is delivered, the reader learns that John Holton was caught escaping and killed.  Mrs. Holton remains dignified despite the horrible news.  She tells the people that she already suspected her husband was dead.  Mrs. Holton thanks them and then invites everyone to share in the food brought by the townspeople.  At this point, both Mrs. Holton and Ma learn that they are from plantations very close to each other in Virginia.  There is great comfort for the two women in learning that they come from the same area of the country.  After the visit with Mrs. Holton, Ma walks home with Elijah and praises him for being strong and not “fra-gile.”  Elijah feels tears welling up in his eyes, but he feels such pride about his mother’s compliment that he doesn’t cry.

What are some reasons that support the idea that Boo Radley has courage?

Throughout the novel, Boo Radley is a reclusive, shy individual who rarely leaves his house. He was raised in a home with religious radicals who refused to let him outside. At the beginning of the novel, Boo gives Scout and Jem several gifts in the knothole of the tree in his front yard. Scout describes two of Boo's gifts by saying, "Our biggest prize appeared four days later. It was a pocket watch that wouldn’t run, on a chain with an aluminum knife" (Lee 38). Despite his brother's strict rules to stay inside the house, Boo ventures out of his home in an attempt to form a friendship with the Finch children. Boo's actions are courageous because his brother is known to be a strict individual who doesn't shy away from confrontation. Boo knows that he will probably be punished for leaving his house, but decides to venture outside anyway.

At the end of the novel, Scout and Jem are walking home from a Halloween festival when Bob Ewell viciously attacks them. Boo Radley courageously leaves the comfort of his home to intervene and fight Bob Ewell off of the children. During the struggle Scout mentions,

"He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move. Suddenly, he was jerked backwards and flung on the ground, almost carrying me with him. I thought, Jem's up" (Lee 160).

Scout is unaware that Boo Radley was the individual who pulled Bob Ewell off of her during the struggle. Boo successfully wrestles Bob away from Jem and Scout and stabs Bob with his own knife, killing him.

Once Boo returns Jem to the safety of the Finch residence, Scout gives her description of the attack to Sheriff Tate. In Chapter 29, Scout mentions that someone pulled Bob Ewell off of her, and when Tate asks Scout who it was, she says, "Why there he is, Mr. Tate, he can tell you his name" (Lee 164). Scout then points to Boo Radley, who is quietly standing in the corner. Sheriff Tate then tells Atticus that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife, but Atticus refuses to believe him and thinks Jem stabbed Bob. Tate finally says to Atticus,

"I never heard tell that it’s against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did, but maybe you’ll say it’s my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. Know what’d happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb includin’ my wife’d be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinkin’, Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this town a great service an’ draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight—to me, that’s a sin" (Lee 169).

Sheriff Tate indirectly says that he knows Boo Radley killed Bob Ewell out of self-defense but refuses to speak about Boo's heroics because it will draw unwanted attention to Boo. Boo saved the children's lives during a dangerous struggle with an armed man. Boo's actions are yet another reason to support the idea that he is courageous.

In "The Grasshopper and the Cricket," how is the grasshopper enjoying the luxuries of nature?

In the poem, the grasshopper is said to be enjoying the luxuries of nature; he does this by reveling in the wonderful summer weather and enjoying his explorations "From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead."

Unlike the birds who become "faint with the hot sun," the grasshopper does not let the heat of the sun exhaust his energy; he is able to savor his joy in the outdoors and is "never done with his delights." When tired with his jaunts, the grasshopper merely "rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed."

The luxury of nature rests in its bountiful life; the poet asserts that "the poetry of earth is never dead." Even in the deep of winter, the strains of the grasshopper's summer song can be heard in the midst of one's reveries. Indeed, the cricket's song, before the warmth of some stove in winter, may sound little different from the grasshopper's song in the heat of summer.

What steps did the Allies take to promote growth in the postwar global economy?

The United States took steps to promote growth in the post-World War II global economy. One step it took was to help make the economy in the United States stronger. The GI Bill of Rights helped our economy grow. The GI Bill of Rights provided loans to soldiers who used the money to buy homes or to create new businesses. It also provided funds for veterans to get an education. These activities allowed our economy to grow and to be strong. If our economy would be strong, we would be in a better position to help other countries develop a strong economy. We could also use our economy as a model to do this.

The United States also provided economic aid to other countries after World War II ended. This was done to help keep communism from spreading to these countries. The European Recovery Program was created to accomplish this goal. For example, we provided aid to Greece and Turkey to help keep those countries noncommunist. We also helped rebuild Japan’s economy after World War ended.

The United States was involved in promoting global economic growth after World War II ended. 

What literary device is used in "The Cask of Amontillado" how does it develop the message of the story?

Though his dark subject matter is not universally appealing, Edgar Allan Poe was a superb technician and his skill in crafting this revenge tale through the use of symbolism is undeniable.

A single example among the many uses of symbolism is found in the names of the principal characters, Montresor ( French for "my treasure") and Fortunato (ltalian for "fortunate one").  Montresor is pathologically angry with Fortunato for a series of slights that are described only as "a thousand injuries". Exacting revenge through Fortunato's destruction is what is most precious to Montresor.

Fortunato, symbolically costumed as a fool for Carnival, is merrily oblivious to Montresor's anger and readily follows him underground to sample a rare sherry. When Montresor overpowers and entombs Fortunato, he literally buries his "treasure." Fortunato's name, then, can only be deemed ironic.

 Poe, Edgar Allan.  "The Cask of Amontillado"

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/poe/cask.html

In "Flowers for Algernon," why does Charlie lose his job?

The short story "Flowers for Algernon" is told from the point of view of a 37-year-old man named Charlie, who has an IQ of 68.  Because of his low intelligence, Charlie has a very innocent and childlike understanding of the world and the people around him.  The story details Charlie's experiences as he partakes in a scientific experiment that will attempt to raise his IQ.  At first, he is thrilled by his new-found understanding, but as the story progresses Charlie is forced to understand that the world around him is not as kind as he once believed.  

He has worked as a janitor at Donnegan's Plastic Box Company for many years and has always enjoyed his job.  He believes himself to be good friends with the other men that work there.  The author reveals the truth through his heartbreaking use of dramatic irony, which occurs when the reader knows or understands something about the events taking place in the story that the characters do not.  In one early scene, Charlie describes the way that the men at the factory talk to him, saying, "We had a lot of fun at the factery today. Joe Carp said hey look where Charlie had his operashun what did they do Charlie put some brains in...Then Frank Reilly said what did you do Charlie forget your key and open your door the hard way. That made me laft. Their really my friends and they like me."  The reader, of course, knows that the men are making fun of Charlie, but due to his low intelligence, he cannot see the cruelty behind their words.  

The factory workers at Donnegan's have always been able to get away with mistreating Charlie because they know that he does not understand.  However, as his IQ rises, he begins to realize that these men are not really his friends.  One night, Charlie goes out to a bar with the men from work.  The men get Charlie to dance with one of the women they are with, and are standing around laughing and sticking out their legs to trip him as he dances.  Charlie falls to the floor, and in a moment of clarity he notices the way that the men are looking at him.  He writes, "Everyone was looking at me and laughing and I felt naked. I wanted to hide myself. I ran out into the street and I threw up. Then I walked home. It's a funny thing I never knew that Joe and Frank and the others liked to have me around all the time to make fun of me. Now I know what it means when they say 'to pull a Charlie Gordon.' I'm ashamed."

Over time, Charlie's performance at work improves and he begins doing more important jobs at the factory.   The other factory workers don't react well to this, however.  Charlie writes, "I guess it'll take a little time for them to get used to the changes in me. Everybody seems to be frightened of me. When I went over to Amos Borg and tapped him on the shoulder, he jumped up in the air. People don't talk to me much any more or kid around the way they used to. It makes the job kind of lonely."  Eventually, Charlie is told by his boss, Mr. Donnegan, that it would "be better for all concerned" if he left the company.  He finds out that almost everyone in the company has signed a petition demanding that he be fired.  Charlie is completely surprised and confused by this; he does not understand why everyone is so angry with him.  He asks Fanny, the only person at the company who does not sign the petition.  She replies, "You used to be a good, dependable, ordinary man--not too bright maybe, but honest. Who knows what you done to yourself to get so smart all of a sudden. Like everybody around here's been saying, Charlie, it's not right."

Technically, Charlie quits his job, but he only does so because he is driven out by his coworkers.  They feel so uncomfortable with his sudden transformation that they refuse to work with him, and this leaves him feeling very lonely and depressed.  Part of their discomfort likely comes from their guilt over their previous treatment of Charlie.  They know that he now understands their cruel words for what they truly were, and they cannot face him.  

What do Euripides's plays tell us about his view of divine sovereignty, i.e. the control of the gods over the world in general and human beings in...

Questions of divine agency and free will lie at the heart of many of Euripides' plays. His plays, in general, often emphasize the role of the incalculable to affect human plans by causing reversals of fortune; the "incalculable" is usually some kind of divine control or intervention. Euripides' plays tell us a lot about his view of "tychē" – which can be translated as 'chance', 'fortune', or 'luck'. While the gods are responsible for much, chance and human nature sometimes thwart divine plans. The Ion is an excellent case study for Euripides' views on divine sovereignty and human agency. 

In this play, Apollo is the father of Ion, who was born to Creusa after the god had raped her. Both Creusa's husband and Ion himself,  an adolescent when the play starts, are ignorant of Ion's true identity. The play shows Ion performing religious duties at Apollo's shrine in Delphi without any knowledge of what the god has in store for him. It is only at the very end that Athena reveals Apollo's far-reaching perspective. Apollo's plan was that Ion should go to Athens, meet his mother there and, finally, become the progenitor of the Ionian race. However, chance and human agency derails this plan. While Euripides depicted the gods as controlling a great deal within the realm of humans, plays such as the Ion show that he did not regard the gods as omniscient and omnipotent. 

Plays such as the Ion depict not only divine intervention and power but also divine weaknesses. For instance, both Hermes and Apollo are shown to be fallible. Unlike Homer, Euripides depicted the gods as directing the action, but within constraints and without uninterrupted efficacy. 

Euripides' Iphigenia in Aulis is another play that is informative about Euripides' views on human responsibility. First, humans are depicted as responsible for the war and the sacrifice of Iphigenia is said to be for the glory of a Panhellenic Greece, according to Agamemnon. However, it is to appease the gods that Iphigenia needs to be sacrificed in the first place, even if fair winds for sailing to Troy are needed by humans for their own purposes. However, all of this can be seen as a result of the judgment of Paris and the subsequent actions of Aphrodite. The actions of gods and the actions of humans cannot be as neatly separated as one would like. One way of thinking about this is that, while gods determine the overall structure and set the grander wheels in motion, humans are ultimately responsible for individual courses of actions. 

How does Odysseus reflect the Greek's cultures and values ?

Odysseus reflects many characteristics of ancient Greek culture. Two of these are xenia and bravery. First, he has a strong commitment to xenia, the Greek word for hospitality. Greeks were expected to go to great lengths to show hospitality to their guests, even if they were strangers; likewise, visitors were expected to be good guests. In the Odyssey, there are several times where Odysseus punishes people for not abiding by the code of xenia. Polyphemus the cyclops did not extend xenia to Odysseus and his crew; instead, he tried to eat them, so Odysseus blinded him. When Odysseus returned to his home in Ithaca, his house was full of single men who wanted to marry his wife since he was presumed dead; these men were incredibly bad guests, which is one of the reasons Odysseus slaughtered them.

Second, Odysseus reflected the Greek virtue of bravery. Despite facing a number of incredibly difficult trials (shipwrecks, imprisonment, monsters, etc.), Odysseus remained brave and did not lose heart.

What's the importance of the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact was signed in November of 1620, shortly after the Pilgrims landed in what is now known as Cape Cod. The Mayflower Compact is important because it was the first established, written form of a government in the New World.

When the Mayflower ship docked after a tumultuous time at sea, several of the men on board threatened to mutiny. They wanted to mutiny because the Mayflower did not reach its original goal of what is now the Hudson River. To try to squash that behavior and talk, the men on board brought forth their version of a government. 

The Mayflower Compact was important because it showed that, even though the men were still technically citizens of England, they realized England could not govern them as well from across the ocean. Because they established this form of written government, it set a precedent for other settlements to follow suit. 

How did the Meiji Restoration in 1868 influence Japan towards imperialism?

In 1868, the Meiji Restoration signaled the birth of modern Japan. After centuries of isolationist policies put into place by the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan’s leaders recognized that Japan needed to make significant changes. These changes were a direct response to European and American imperialism in Asia. For example, since the mid-1800s, China had been at the mercy of European powers, losing sovereignty of its major port cities. If Japan was going to avoid China’s fate, it had to both modernize and create an empire of its own.

By 1890 Japan had undergone a massive reorganization of its government and military. Though the Emperor was technically the head of state, government power rested with the Diet, a legislative body modeled after the British House of Lords and House of Commons. Japan’s army and navy were based off the Prussian and British models, respectively. Now that it had the tools to acquire territory, Japan needed to flex its muscle in order to catch up with the Western powers.

Japan’s first target was the weakest: China. The First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5 was an overwhelming victory for Japan. At the end of the war, Japan acquired Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula. Both territories provided natural resources and cheap labor which bolstered Japan’s manufacturing capability.

Japan became the leading power in Asia after defeating Russia in the 1904-5 Russo-Japanese War. Japan’s navy, the flagship of which was purchased from Great Britain, destroyed the Imperial Russian fleet at the Battle of Tsushima. At war’s end, Russia ceded to Japan Port Arthur and the southern half of Sakhalin Island.

In fifty years Japan had transformed itself from one of the weakest countries on Earth to one of the strongest. The desire for empire was the catalyst that led to this astounding change.

Discuss how water is bonded together and the unique properties that results from the bonds.

Water molecules are held together by polar covalent bonds. Since oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, it pulls the shared electrons closer resulting in a negative charge, while the two hydrogen atoms have a slight positive charge.

The polar nature of water molecules allows it to bond with four other water molecules by hydrogen bonding. This property is called cohesion and it explains why water molecules can travel to the highest branches of trees against the downward pull of gravity. As water moves up the conducting tissue of plants called xylem tubes, water molecules below are being pulled up due to cohesion until the entire column of water moves up the tree. As some escapes the leaves as water vapor during the process of transpiration, it leaves space for more water molecules to move into the roots. 

Water will sometimes stick to the surface of other substances. For example, as water moves up the xylem tubes in a plant, some of the water will stick to the sides of the conducting tubes in a process called adhesion.

Because water is polar, it is excellent as a solvent for other polar substances. Many of life's chemical reactions occur in a solution containing water.

Another property of water is that it has a high specific heat of 1 calorie/gm/degree Celsius. This is higher than most other substances. Compared to other materials, it takes water a long time to absorb enough heat energy for its temperature to increase. This is one reason that life can exist in the water and why organism's bodies which are primarily water, have relatively stable temperatures. Water can lose heat to the surrounding environment and bodies of water can provide heat during the cooler months to coastal areas, thus moderating temperature.

Water is unique because when it freezes, ice is less dense than liquid water and can float. If ice were heavier, life on Earth couldn't exist. Organisms that lived in the ocean would die if ice froze from the bottom of the sea to the top. Instead, the top of the body of water freezes and this ice floats on top of liquid water which is insulated and warm enough to allow life to exist beneath the icy covering.

To summarize, the polar covalent bonds found in water allow it to have unusual properties that allow life to exist on Earth.

In Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer, is there external or internal conflict?

There is BOTH internal and external conflict in Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse.

The external conflict revolves around Victoria, a vampire seeking revenge for the killing of her romantic partner, James (the antagonist of the Twilight series' first book). Victoria wants to kill Bella to punish Edward for killing James, even though this "murder" was an act of defense. This conflict results in the creation of a vampire army and an enormous battle between these warring factions at the end of the book.

The internal conflict largely occurs within Bella, whose first-person perspective guides the narrative of the book. Bella is emotionally torn between her love for Edward, her vampire boyfriend, and her love for Jacob, a werewolf. While Bella feels strong emotional ties to both of these men, she ultimately has to make a decision: will she choose Edward and finally "seal the deal" by acquiescing to his marriage proposal, risking that Jacob will make good on his promise to get himself killed in the battle with Victoria? Will she choose Jacob, which is a safer and more "natural" relationship, risking the loss of her supernatural love? Bella eventually agrees to marry Edward. This sets us up for the external conflict of the fourth and final book of the series, in which Edward and Bella's honeymoon results in an unexpected hybrid vampire-human child. 

Explain the who, what, where,when, and why about the Cold War.

Who: The main actors in the Cold War were the United States and the Soviet Union.  Other countries were involved, but the Cold War revolved around these two superpowers.

What: The Cold War was a competition between these two superpowers.  Each superpower wanted to extend its ideology as far as possible around the world. The competition took many forms. Sometimes it involved actual wars between one of the superpowers and proxies for the other (as in the Vietnam War). Sometimes it involved competitions for prestige like the Space Race or the Olympic Games.

Where: The Cold War took place in essentially every part of the world and even in space.  The two sides competed wherever it was possible to compete.

Why:  The Cold War happened because the two sides held completely incompatible ideologies. The US was democratic and capitalist. The USSR was communist. Each side felt the other wanted to destroy it and to dominate the world.  Therefore, each side worked hard to spread its own ideology.

When:  The Cold War is generally said to have started soon after WWII.  A date that is often given is 1947.  The Cold War ended when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991.

Did Edgar Linton truly love Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights? Why?

Edgar Linton truly loved Catherine. The problem was, he couldn't love her to the depth she needed to be loved, and he didn't understand her to the extent Heathcliff did. Edgar loved her as much as was in his power. He loved her in a way congruent with his milder, more gentle personality, but Catherine was a fierce woman. 

We know he loved her because he tried so hard to keep her happy after their marriage and because he got angry at Nellie Dean when she failed to tell him how badly off Catherine's health was when she took to her bed after Edgar and Heathcliff quarreled. While Nellie wanted to treat Catherine harshly, feeling she was just acting the part of a drama queen, Edgar showed compassion for his wife. After Catherine died, Edgar did not remarry, another indication he loved her and could not easily replace her. 

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which female characters influence Scout and how?

There are several female characters who influence Scout throughout the novel. Scout's neighbor, Miss Maudie, is a positive role model to Scout and continually offers her support, encouragement, and insight. Miss Maudie influences Scout's perception of the Radley family, Atticus, and the community of Maycomb. Scout first learns about Arthur Radley's background from Miss Maudie, and also finds out that Atticus was the deadliest shot in Maycomb after Maudie calls him "Ol' One-Shot." Maudie elaborates on why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird and explains to Scout why Atticus' defense of Tom Robinson is valiant. Scout is influenced by Maudie's easy-going, morally upright character and views her as a close friend.

Scout is also influenced by Calpurnia. Calpurnia not only teaches Scout how to write but also introduces her to the African American community by taking her to First Purchase African M.E. for Sunday service. Scout learns about Calpurnia's "double life" which is a significant moment that enhances Scout's perception.

Aunt Alexandra also influences Scout throughout the novel. Aunt Alexandra encourages Scout to become a proper Southern belle. Alexandra views Scout with contempt for her "tomboy" personality and wishes that Scout would wear a dress instead of overalls. Scout is exposed to Alexandra's prejudiced views toward lower-class citizens, as well as her obsession with heredity. When Scout attends Aunt Alexandra's missionary circle, she begins to become intrigued with the idea of one day becoming a lady. Scout also witnesses Alexandra's sensitive side after several tragic events. Scout gains perspective regarding the duality of human nature from her experiences with Alexandra.

Scout is also influenced by her female teachers and neighbors throughout the novel. Scout learns the importance of viewing situations from other people's point of view after her interactions with Miss Caroline, and questions Miss Gates' hypocrisy after hearing her say that America was void of prejudice. Scout also witnesses what real courage looks like from Mrs. Dubose and realizes the negative effects of gossip from Miss Stephanie Crawford.

What evidence can you find of the effect of racism in the 50s on Rock and Roll? Look at the audience, the music business, parents, governments,...

Rock and roll was not just a style of music---it was also very much a social movement. The ethos of rock and roll was about liberation, individuality, and personal freedom in all things---famously with regard to sexuality, but also in many other respects as well, including liberation from racial discrimination.

The music style originated from Rhythm and Blues (R&B), which in turn had arisen as a synthesis of African and European musical styles created primarily by Black people in the US. R&B was heavily influenced by folk songs and chants that Black slaves sang when working on plantations, and some of these rhythmic sounds carried over into rock and roll.

Early rock and roll artists were almost all themselves Black, Rock and Roll didn't become really commercially successful until White artists began taking up the sound. This was, to be honest, probably very much the result of racism; but once it happened, rock actually began to break down a lot of racist barriers that had stood in the US for a long time. Rock was one of the first types of media that had wide audiences who were both White and Black, and thanks to rock and roll a number of Black artists gained mainstream recognition as well, such as Little Richard and Chuck Barry. It is probably not a coincidence that rock and roll became popular around the same time as the Civil Rights movement began to make major successes desegregating schools and businesses and reducing racial discrimination under the law.

The government also took notice of the effect of rock and roll on teenagers' attitudes toward race and sexuality, and often attempted to crack down on the music, calling it "tribalistic" and "jungle stuff". Many parents were scandalized by its message of liberation and the implications for racial integration.

In the late 1950s, major music studios realized they would be better off profiting from rock and roll rather than resisting it, and instead hired White artists to play "cover versions" of songs originally written and performed by Black artists. This allowed them to sell it to radio and TV stations as "White music" instead of "Black music". Here again we can see the pervasive influence of racism. But many of these White artists turned the tables later by talking openly about the Black artists who influenced them, drawing a number of those artists out of obscurity and into the mainstream. They were able to do this because of the creation of rock stars, by now a general term for someone famous, but at that time quite new: a few rock and roll artists became so popular and so profitable that they began to hold the reins of their producers instead of the other way around.

In all, I do think rock and roll made a major positive contribution toward improving race relations and supporting the Civil Rights movement in the US. Of course many other factors were involved as well, not least the heroic sacrifices of thousands of protesters; but rock and roll had a unifying effect on America (and particularly American youth) that broke down a lot of racial barriers that had previously been quite intractable.

Show how Brother's relationship with Doodle illustrates how complex and paradoxical love can be.

A paradox is anything that demonstrates a contradictory nature. Brother demonstrates paradoxical feelings towards his little brother because they are family and he loves him; however, he is also afflicted with tempestuous feelings towards Doodle due to his little brother's birth defects. Back in the early twentieth century, people were less tolerant of people who had disabilities than they are now. Therefore, Brother feels embarrassed by his little brother's frailties and physical challenges. On the other hand, Brother wants Doodle to overcome his physical obstacles so he can feel and act like everyone else. As a result, a paradox is created within Brother because he loves his brother, but he also despises Doodle's physical disability.

To understand how complex Brother's love is for Doodle, consider the fact that Brother is highly disappointed when he is told that his little brother will never be able to climb trees, run, walk, or even talk. Brother is so disappointed that he plans to smother his little brother. Fortunately, Doodle smiles at Brother one day, which gives him hope that he is "all there." Brother decides at that point to help Doodle become stronger than what everyone else believes he can be.

One major paradox is portrayed when Brother teaches Doodle to walk and he is given all the glory for the accomplishment. Brother feels guilty, though, because of the following reason:

"'What are you crying for?' asked Daddy, but I couldn't answer. They did not know that I did it for myself; that pride, whose slave I was, spoke to me louder than all their voices; and that Doodle walked only because I was ashamed of having a crippled brother."

Brother helps Doodle for the wrong reasons, which makes the success not as sweet as it could have been if Brother had taught him to walk for Doodle's sake and not his own. Once Doodle can walk, Brother then wants him to run. Again, this is for Brother's sake so he won't be embarrassed when Doodle shows up to school with him in the fall. Brother wants a "normal" brother and not an embarrassment next to him at school.

Unfortunately, Doodle doesn't make it to school that fall because he dies of a heart attack while running with Brother. When once Brother planned on smothering his brother to end his life for both of their sakes, now he is devastated by Doodle's death--another paradox. Brother says, "I began to weep . . . [and] it seemed forever, I lay there crying, sheltering my fallen scarlet ibis from the heresy of rain." From this it is clear that Brother loves Doodle, but while he was alive, Brother did not appreciate him for his companionship and brotherly love. It seems easy to take people for granted while they are living. The story demonstrates that we never truly appreciate what we have in the moment. For some reason, we have to lose something or someone before we truly understand their importance in our lives.

According to the documents below, what evidence points to the idea that the USSR's fear of the atomic bomb was partially a cause of the Cold War?

There are really only two of these eight documents that imply that the Cold War started in part because the USSR was afraid of the US’s atomic bombs.  These documents are Document E and Document F. 

Document E really only implies that the Soviets fear the atomic bomb.  It makes sense that the Soviets would not want to come out and admit that they were afraid.  Instead, Novikov simply says that the US is trying to dominate the world and that one of the things that it is using to try to accomplish this is “ever newer types of weapons.”  This is clearly a reference to atomic bombs.  If the Soviets worried that the US was going to use its atomic bombs to help it dominate the world, then fear of the atomic bomb would be a cause of the Cold War.

Document F did not actually come from a Soviet source.  Therefore, it is not completely certain that this document reflects what the Soviets actually thought.  Instead, all it truly indicates is what Henry Wallace thought the Soviets would think.  Wallace worries that the Soviets will look at American atomic bomb tests and American bombers in bases all over the world and they will think that the Americans are trying to encircle and destroy the USSR.  If the Soviets really thought in this way (which seems likely) then the fear of atomic bombs was a cause of the Cold War.

Summary of the chapter 29 "Language Death and Dying" by WALT WOLFRAM from the book "The Handbook of Language Variation and Change".

"Language Death and Dying," by Walt Wolfram, is the 29th chapter from The Handbook of Language Variation and Change, a language and linguistics textbook edited by J.K. Chambers, Peter Trudgill, and Natalie Schilling-Estes.

A brief summary of the main points made by Wolfram in his article, "Language Death and Dying," include the four types of language death:

Sudden language death - Sudden language death is when the speakers of the language either suddenly die or are killed.

Radical language death - Radical language death is similar to sudden language death in that both occur suddenly, but the key difference is that with radical language death there is a shift to another language opposed to the complete loss of the speakers of the original language. In many cases of radical language death, the speakers are forced to stop speaking their language and to to start speaking a new one.

Gradual language death - Gradual language death is the most common way a language dies. It is caused by "the gradual shift to the dominant language in a contact situation" (p 766). A good example would be the Navajo language which is gradually dying in that young Navajo people cannot speak, read, or write it, and the Elders are the only ones who can.

Bottom-to-top language death - This is the final way that a language dies. This occurs when the colloquial and casual use of the language dies, but the formal uses continue to exist. An example of this would be the judiciary Latin used in court documents and laws. In many ways, Latin is thought to be a dead language since it is not often used, but it still have some uses in the judicial systems in the United States.

`int 1 / (sqrt(x)sqrt(1-x)) dx` Find the indefinite integral

Recall  that `int f(x) dx = F(x) +C `  where:

f(x) as the integrand function

F(x) as the antiderivative of f(x)

C as the constant of integration..

 For the given problem, the integral: `int 1/(sqrt(x)sqrt(1-x))dx`

does not yet resemble any formula from table of integrals.

To evaluate this, we have to apply u-substitution by letting:

`u =sqrt(x)`

Square both sides: `(u)^2=(sqrt(x))^2` , we get: `u^2 =x`

Then plug-in `u^2 =x` in `sqrt(1-x)` :

` sqrt(1-x) = sqrt(1-u^2)` .

Apply implicit differentiation on `u^2 =x` , we get: `2u du = dx` .

Plug-in `sqrt(x) =u` , `sqrt(1-x) = sqrt(1-u^2)` , and `dx= 2u du` , we get:

`int 1/(sqrt(x)sqrt(1-x))dx =int 1/(u*sqrt(1-u^2))*(2u du)`

                        ` =int (2u du)/(usqrt(1-u^2))`

 Cancel out common factor u:

`int 1/(usqrt(1-u^2))*(2u du)=int (2 du)/sqrt(1-u^2)`

Apply the basic integration property: `int c*f(x) dx = c int f(x) dx` :

`int(2 du)/(sqrt(1-u^2))= 2int(du)/sqrt(1-u^2)`

The integral part resembles the basic integration formula for inverse sine function:

`int (du)/sqrt((a^2 -u^2)) = arcsin(u/a) +C`

Then,

`2int(du)/sqrt(1-u^2) =2arcsin(u/1) +C`

                   ` =2 arcsin(u) +C`

Express it in terms of x by plug-in `u =sqrt(x)` for the final answer :

`int 1/(sqrt(x)sqrt(1-x))dx =2 arcsin(sqrt(x)) +C`

What is one negative result of the Columbian Exchange?

The biggest negative effect of the Columbian Exchange was the introduction of European diseases to the Americas. Diseases like typhus, measles, plague, and especially smallpox devastated Native Americans who had no immunity to them. The death toll, which some historians estimate at close to 90% of the indigenous population before contact, makes this aspect of the Columbian Exchange one of the worst demographic disasters in the history of the world. Native peoples who were lucky enough to be spared by these diseases, which hit in waves of so-called "virgin soil epidemics," saw their lives change dramatically. Villages and entire tribes of people were forced to seek shelter with other native groups, and many were adopted into tribes like the Catawba, which emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in response to the disaster. Disease also facilitated the conquest of many Native peoples, perhaps most famously the Inca, who faced a terrible smallpox epidemic that paved the way for Pizarro and his conquistadores. So the spread of epidemic diseases was by far the worst impact of the Columbian Exchange.

What happens to ice on the molecular level when it is exposed to heat?

At the molecular level, ice exposed to heat will experience an increase in its temperature. In its solid form, ice is a crystal. Its molecules are relatively fixed, but they do still move if the ice is above absolute zero (0 degrees Kelvin, the temperature at which molecules are motionless).

Heat is a form of energy. Heat energy causes an increase in the temperature, or the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a substance. In other words, the molecules of the ice will vibrate more quickly. Molecules in a solid still move but are held closer together thanks to the attractive forces between them. As ice heats, its molecules will move farther apart.

Eventually, once ice reaches a particular temperature in normal Earth conditions (that is, typical atmospheric pressure), the ice will change phase into liquid form, water. This temperature, ice's melting point, is zero degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Liquid water no longer has the crystalline structure of ice, and its molecules move relatively freely. 

What are two positive attributes of social media?

One good thing about social media is that it allows people to stay in touch with people who have moved away. In today's society, people move for careers, relationships, and other reasons. Social media allows one to stay in touch via chat and pictures with people they might not have seen in years. They may even arrange meetings. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Vk are some of the most used sites in the word because people crave contact with each other even if they have not seen each other in years.  

Another good thing about social media is that it alerts people to causes. Gofundme is a crowdsourcing website that allows people to ask for donations for things like medical bills and college funding. Social media also calls attention to government corruption by the people experiencing it firsthand if they wish to report it on social media. Social media gives everyone a voice and makes it nearly impossible to silence anyone.  

What is the role of trade and trade cities in Italy?

One could claim that the entire Italian Renaissance can be traced back to the influence of trade and trade cities within Italy. Although Italy didn't necessarily have greater assets or resources than most other parts of Europe, it was able to thrive thanks to the fact that many of its cities were on major trade routes.

One example of how trade positively affected the country could be found in Florence. Because Florence was an important player on the trade route, it became one of Northern Italy's wealthiest cities. It subsequently became a major hub for the financial industry.

With the free flow of goods and services moving about Italy to locations as far as the Mediterranean and beyond, prosperous cities and more cultured people resulted. Many merchants became rich and founded schools and universities, which led to more free-flowing thinking and allowed for cultural ideas to spread. This created the perfect atmosphere for the flourishing of the Italian Renaissance.

Why did Cassius write a letter in Julius Caesar? Why does this cause a movement in the plot?

Cassius wrote a letter to Brutus, which he had Cinna leave for him to find. He had already talked to Brutus and convinced him to join the conspiracy against Caesar, but he wanted to make sure Brutus would actually go through with their plot. This is why he left him the letter. Cassius wanted Brutus to think the citizens were clamoring for him to act against Caesar. 

CASSIUS

Be you content: good Cinna, take this paper,
And look you lay it in the praetor's chair,
Where Brutus may but find it; and throw this
In at his window; set this up with wax
Upon old Brutus' statue (Act I, Scene 3).

Meanwhile, Brutus has a discussion with himself. In a soliloquy, he essentially talks himself into joining the conspiracy, comparing Caesar to a baby snake in its shell because his ambition is too great. He convinces himself that even though he has nothing against Caesar personally, he should act before Caesar gets more dangerous.

When Brutus finds the letter, which is given to him by his servant Lucius, it makes him thoughtful.

My ancestors did from the streets of Rome
The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.
'Speak, strike, redress!' Am I entreated
To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise:
If the redress will follow, thou receivest
Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus (Act II, Scene 1)!

Brutus knows his name and his ancestors are important to the cause. He thinks the people of Rome are looking to him for guidance and action. He promises them he is going to act.

The letter serves to move the plot along because it helps convince Brutus to join the conspiracy. Soon after this soliloquy, Brutus meets with the other conspirators to talk about their plan. Brutus is very take-charge. He does not want to be just a nominal head of the group. He overrules Cassius’s decisions, and makes his own.

At what time do plants not respire oxygen?

Respiration is the process in which glucose is converted to energy. It can be represented by the following chemical equation:

`C_6H_12O_6 +6O_2 -> 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + ATP`

In the process, glucose reacts with oxygen to generate carbon dioxide, water and ATP molecules. The main purpose of respiration is the production of energy in the form of ATP molecules. Energy is needed for survival, growth and functioning of life forms. 

Plants undergo respiration all the time because they need energy to carry out their functions. It is just that they undergo photosynthesis during the sunlight hours. In this process, plants consume carbon dioxide and water and generate glucose and oxygen. Plants produce a lot more oxygen than they consume during respiration. This has caused many people to believe that plants undergo photosynthesis during the day time and respiration at night time. In other words, many believe that plants produce oxygen during daytime and consume it during night time. However, this is not true. Plants consume oxygen all the time. They simply do not produce it during non-sunlight hours.

Hence, there is no time when plants are not respiring oxygen. They use it all the time.

Hope this helps. 

How did the authors and signers of the Declaration of Independence justify their action?

The people who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence believed they were justified in so. The believed the King of England had abused his power and had violated their rights. They believed the King was unwilling to listen to their numerous concerns.

The Declaration of Independence states that the role of a government is to protect the rights of the people. They believed all people have certain rights. These rights include the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights can’t be taken away or given up. They believed that when a government stops protecting the people’s rights, the people have no choice but to replace that government. Since the people who wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence believed that the King and the British government were no longer protecting their rights, the colonists had to declare their independence from Great Britain. Therefore, the colonists were justified in declaring their independence from Great Britain.

`int 3^xdx` Find the indefinite integral

Indefinite integral are written in the form of` int f(x) dx = F(x) +C`

 where: f(x) as the integrand

           F(x) as the anti-derivative function 

           C  as the arbitrary constant known as constant of integration

For the given problem `int 3^x dx `  has a integrand in a form of exponential function.

 There is basic integration formula for exponential function:

`int a^u du = a^u/(ln(a)) +C` where a is a constant.

By comparison, `a = 3` ,` u = x` , and `du =dx` .

 Applying the formula, we get:

`int 3^x dx = 3^x/(ln(3)) +C`

What can we derive from the study of comparing two composers?

In comparing two composers, we learn about the historical development of music as well as different compositional techniques. As Isaac Newton put it, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. No matter what genre of music is being discussed, newer composers respond to the previous generation by bringing in some elements and rejecting others.

For example, in using atonality and dissonance, Schoenberg was rejecting the tonal music system that had been in place since Bach's time. At the same time, one of his great compositions, Pierrot Lunaire, the music has a rich, expressive sound reminiscent of Romantic era composers. Likewise, it is possible to compare two composers within an era. Stravinsky and Webern used atonality differently. Webern's music is based on the 12 tone system, while Stravinsky's music could be called extremely expanded tonality. Composers who want to work with atonality have great examples of different ways to do so, which can inform their own compositional practices.

This type of comparison of composers is helpful in understanding non-classical forms of music. The Beatles created songs that were clearly out of 1950s rock and roll practices, but by the end of their career together, they became experimental in their compositions. In creating bluegrass, Bill Monroe used some Carter Family repertoire, but sped it up considerably and added different instruments. 

No one creates music in a vacuum, and we understand music better when we figure out who influenced whom and why one composer goes to great length to differentiate him or herself from forerunners and contemporaries.

How does Shakespeare hold up a mirror to humanity through Macbeth?

Shakespeare holds up a mirror to humanity by showing his audience how relatively simple and easy it is for a good person to become corrupted by ambition and pride and greed.  Many of us would like to think that we could never become as crooked as Macbeth does, but Shakespeare shows us that it only takes one odd interaction and then a push from someone we trust to swell our ambition so that it becomes a real danger.  When Macbeth is fighting bravely in the two battles that begin the text, no one would have imagined that he would kill the king whose realm he defends.  Everyone is happy for Macbeth when Duncan rewards him with a new title, the Thane of Cawdor, and no one thought that Macbeth would turn traitor just as the former thane did.  It doesn't take much, though, for Macbeth to give up his best and most admirable qualities, and so Shakespeare implies that the same could be said for many more of us, if we are manipulated in the right way.

What is fashion?

The term "fashion" describes the customs or preferences of people in a particular place or time. Fashion can be used to describe styles of cooking, manufacture, arts, and architecture, but we most often use it when talking about clothing and bodily adornment.

In fact, most people think of clothing, accessories, and hairstyles when fashion is mentioned. Many people colloquially use the term to refer to changing tastes and customs in dressing. For example, one might say a particular style of dress has fallen out of fashion, meaning it is no longer in favor with a group of people. 

The "world of fashion" is highly competitive, with many artists and designers competing to innovate while still appeal to public tastes. Sometimes, a single individual is so influential in changing fashions that they become iconic. In the 1960's, model Twiggy's slim figure and short haircut were a departure from the styles of the previous decade but quickly became very fashionable.

`dy/dx = 1/ sqrt(80+8x-16x^2)` Solve the differential equation

For the given differential equation: `(dy)/(dx) = 1/sqrt(80+8x-16x^2),` we may write it in a form of `N(y) dy = M(x) dx` .

 Cross-multiply the `(dx)` to the other side:

`(dy) = 1/sqrt(80+8x-16x^2) dx`

To solve for the general solution of the differential equation, we may apply direct integration on both sides.

`int (dy) = int 1/sqrt(80+8x-16x^2) dx`

 For the left side, it follow basic integral formula:

`int dy = y`

To evaluate the right side, we may apply completing the square on the trinomial: `80+8x-16x^2 = -(4x-1)^2+81`  or `81-(4x-1)^2`

Then, the integral on the right side becomes:

`int 1/sqrt(80+8x-16x^2) dx=int 1/sqrt(81-(4x-1)^2) dx`

The integral resembles the basic integration formula for inverse sine function:

`int 1/sqrt(a^2-u^2)du=arcsin(u/a)+C`

 We let `u = 4x-1` then `du = 4 dx` or `(du)/4= dx` .

Note that `81 = 9^2`

Then,

`int 1/sqrt(81-(4x-1)^2) dx =int 1/sqrt(9^2-u^2) *(du)/4`

                                   `=(1/4)int1/sqrt(9^2-u^2)du`

                                   `=(1/4)arcsin(u/9)+C`

Plug-in `u=4x-1` in `(1/4)arcsin(u/9` ), we get:

`int 1/sqrt(81-(4x-1)^2) dx= (1/4)arcsin((4x-1)/9) +C`

Combining the results from both sides, we get the general solution of differential equation:

`y =1/4arcsin((4x-1)/9) +C`

In the second chapter F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, what does Tom bribe George Wilson with?

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, power between characters and within their relationships is the pivotal aspect of many decisions and choices. In Chapter 2, Nick is introduced to the Wilsons by Tom Buchanan. 

In this particular relationship, Tom has power over George in two separate ways. The first is personal: Tom is sleeping with Myrtle, George's wife. However, the second is societal: Tom belongs to a higher socioeconomic class than the Wilsons. Tom is able to use his money and class to manipulate the Wilsons. 

This is demonstrated in Chapter 2 when Tom bribes George with the promise of selling him his car. Tom has the power to determine whether or not George will in fact be granted opportunity; his car, which he has promised to sell to George but has never followed through with, could be resold to significantly help George's socioeconomic status. It is not simply a car that Tom bribes George with; it is the promise of hope and economic growth. 

`int_0^1 x^3 sqrt(1 - x^2) dx` Evaluate the integral

You need to use the following substitution, such that:

`x = sin t => dx = cos t dt`

`1 - x^2 = 1 - sin^2 t  = cos^2 t`

Changing the variable, yields:

`int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = int_(t_1)^(t_2) sin^3 t*sqrt (cos^2 t)*cos t dt`

`int_(t_1)^(t_2) sin^3 t*sqrt (cos^2 t)*cos t dt = int_(t_1)^(t_2) sin^3 t*cos t*cos t dt `

`int_(t_1)^(t_2) sin^3 t*cos^2 t dt =  int_(t_1)^(t_2) sin^2 t*cos^2 t*sin t dt`

`int_(t_1)^(t_2) sin^2 t*cos^2 t*sin tdt = int_(t_1)^(t_2) (1 - cos^2 t)*cos^2 t*sin tdt`

You need to make the next substitution, such that:

`cos t = u => -sin t dt = du`

`int_(u_1)^(u_2) (1 - u^2)*u^2*(-du) =- int_(u_1)^(u_2)u^2 du + int_(u_1)^(u_2)u^4du`

`int_(u_1)^(u_2) (1 - u^2)*u^2*(-du) =(-(cos t)^3/3 + (cos t)^5/5)|_(t_1)^(t_2)`

Since `x = sin t => t = arcsin x`

`int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = (-(cos (arcsin x))^3/3 + (cos (arcsin x)^5/5)|_(0)^(1)`

`int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = (-(cos (arcsin 1))^3/3 + (cos (arcsin 1)^5/5 + (cos (arcsin 0))^3/3 - (cos (arcsin 0))^5/5)`

`int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = -(cos (pi/2))^3/3 + (cos(pi/2))^5/5 + (cos 0)^3/3 - (cos 0)^5/5`

`int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = 1/3 - 1/5`

`int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = 2/15`

Hence, evaluating the definite integral yields `int_0^1 x^3*sqrt(1 - x^2)dx = 2/15.`

At which altitude is atmospheric pressure equal to 760mmHg?

Atmospheric pressure is measured in pascals (Pa), atmospheres (atm), and millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Essentially, mmHg is the original measurement born from an experiment designed to define "atmospheric pressure." On the other hand, the unit Pa defines the amount of pressure and the unit atm defines a new unit for atmospheric pressure itself.

Atmospheric pressure is 101325 Pa at sea level, which is equivalent to 1 newton per square meter. This can also be written as 101.325 kPa, which is in the unit kilopascal and is easier to read.

Often, atmospheric pressure is written as 1 atm at sea level, which is just another way of saying 101.325 kPa.

Finally, atmospheric pressure can be written in the primary unit millimeters of mercury mmHg. At sea level, atmospheric pressure is at 760mmHg.

What are some responses/reactions for the story "A Sound of Thunder"?

One reaction that I always have when I read this story is how conveniently Ray Bradbury sidesteps the time paradox issue.  The paradox that I'm talking about is the paradox present in the Back to the Future movies.  In those movies, it was a big problem if you went back in time and met yourself.  In "A Sound of Thunder," Bradbury sidesteps the entire problem by simply saying that kind of thing isn't possible. 

"That'd be a paradox," said the latter. "Time doesn't permit that sort of mess­ -- a man meeting  himself. When such   occasions threaten, Time steps aside. Like an airplane hitting an air pocket.

I always find it interesting how Bradbury so quickly deals with one of the all time great time travel questions.  "What if you could meet yourself?"  Bradbury cuts the possibility out in a few sentences and provides no further explanation.  

Another reaction of mine is always regarding the consequences of Eckels's actions.  I've always known that making small changes within a system can create large changes later, but Bradbury's story takes it beyond anything my imagination would come up with.  The death of a single butterfly having the power to change a country's entire political alignment millions of years later is an incredible illustration of "The Butterfly Effect."  

What was the significance of the Union victory at Gettysburg in July 1863?

The Union victory at Gettysburg in July of 1863 prevented the Confederacy under Robert E. Lee from advancing further into the north. If Lee had been successful at Gettysburg, he could have pushed on to cities such as Washington, D.C. and Baltimore and forced the Union to surrender. The Confederate casualties numbered about 28,000 (the number for the Union was 25,000), inflicting damage on their forces. The battle is considered the turning point of the war, and it also gave Lincoln and the Union the political and popular support they needed to continue to fight the war. Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address on the battle site in November of 1863, dedicating the country to the task of rebuilding after the war and to the task of bringing about a "new birth of freedom." 

In Romeo and Juliet, is Juliet a good role model?

Juliet is a very bad role model for young women today for several reasons.

First, her choice of romantic partners is terrible. Romeo was in love with another girl, went to the ball, saw Juliet, and decided he was in love with her on first sight. Immediately and without second thoughts or regrets, he loses interest in the girl he previously claimed to love. He is also attracted to Juliet mainly because of her physical appearance, something that does not bode well for a long-term relationship. This suggests he is by nature fickle, superficial, and untrustworthy—not ideal traits for a life partner. 

Second, Juliet is, at the time of the play, thirteen years old. By our standards, this would make Romeo a pedophile. Thirteen is far too young to marry or make other important life decisions. At thirteen, one has crushes, but these tend to be short-lived and superficial, even if they are intense. 

Finally, Juliet's agreeing to marry Romeo eventually leads to the deaths of Romeo, Juliet, and Paris and brings great suffering on their families and friends.

In Act II, Scene 3, although the Friar has spent the entire scene outlining reasons why Romeo should slow down with his love, he turns around and...

Although the Friar has raised many objections to Romeo's definition of love, especially because he was able to forget Rosaline (who he claimed to love so much) so quickly and move on to Juliet, he ultimately agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet because he hopes that the alliance between the two young people will lead to an alliance between their two houses.  He says, "In one respect, I'll thy assistant be, / For this alliance may so happy prove / To turn your households' rancor to pure love" (2.3.97-99).  The feud between the Montagues and Capulets is responsible for a great deal of violence in Verona, as we see in the first scene of the first act, and Friar Lawrence is peace-loving.  He hopes that uniting the youngest members of the families in holy matrimony will have a positive effect on the families and finally allow them to put their grudge behind them (to everyone's benefit).

In "Through the Tunnel" by Dorris Lessing, how is Jerry's growth and evolving maturity reflected in his relationship with his mother?

Jerry's growth and developing maturity is very much reflected in his relationship with his mother.  Early in the story, Jerry is concerned about pleasing her, and the idea that he might disappoint her causes him to feel a great deal of "contrition," or guilt.  In fact, it "sent him running after her," even after she'd given him permission to leave her and go to the wild bay that so entices him.  Later, when he wants goggles, Jerry is still quite childish, demanding them "now, now, now!  He must have them this minute and no other time.  He nagged and pestered until she went with him to a shop."  His inability to delay gratification is yet another example of Jerry's lack of maturity early on.

However, with his repeated practice and work, Jerry begins to grow.  His old beach "now seemed a place for small children [...].  It was not his beach."  Now, instead of being overly concerned about disappointing his mother, Jerry "did not ask for permission."  Children ask for permission, and children remain with their mothers.  Jerry, though, is no longer a child.  In fact, he's described as having a "curious, most unchildlike persistence" now in his pursuits.  In the end, Jerry still longs for his mother's approval, but he has begun the process of growing up.

What are the similarities and the differences between Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale in "A Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell?

In Susan Glaspell's "A Jury of Her Peers" there is a feminine communion between the two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, but because of their interpersonal relationships and their ways of thinking, their perspectives differ at first.

Similarities 

Both women accompany their husbands to the Wrights' house as their husbands are the key players in the investigation of John Wright's murder. They are only brought to gather things for Mrs. Wright, who is now in jail as a suspect. The previous day, Mr. Hale, who came to ask if Wright would share the cost of a party line for phones, is the one who discovered that Wright was dead.

The two women are relegated to the kitchen while the men search for clues upstairs in the bedroom. When Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale hear county attorney Mr. Henderson making some comments about the "mess" in the kitchen, "[T]he two women moved a little closer together" and seeing this, Mr. Henderson says, "Ah, loyal to your sex, I see."

After Mrs. Peters is in the kitchen for a while, she begins to understand what life for Mrs. Wright has been like; when she witnesses the erratic stitches in her quilting, "[T]heir eyes met--something flashed to life, passed between them."
With the discovery of the bird cage and the dead canary in the pretty box, Mrs. Peters starts to feel sorry for Mrs. Wright, and she begins to realize, as has Mrs. Hale already, the repression that Mrs. Wright must have suffered for a long time. So, she starts to share Mrs. Hale's sympathies. Moreover, they both are complicit in hiding the dead canary from the county attorney.

Differences

Mrs. Peters does not know Mrs. Wright, and has no understanding of what Mrs. Wright's marriage and lonely life are like; she is disconnected from the situation, at first. On the other hand, Mrs. Hale feels guilty for not having visited her distant neighbor in a year.
Mrs. Hale feels defensive of Mrs. Wright and wants her husband to be careful about what he says to the county attorney; Mrs. Peters feels no involvement.

Mrs. Peters exhibits "a timid acquiescence" while Mrs. Hale keeps her eyes fixed on her husband so that he will not say "unnecessary things that would go into that notebook and make trouble."

To Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters does not seem to care about Minnie Wright when told about how pretty Mrs. Wright's clothes were before she was married.

"She don't care," she [Mrs. Hale] said to herself. "Much difference it makes to her whether Minnie Foster has pretty clothes when she was a girl."

Unlike Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters has eyes that "looked as if they could see a long ways into things."

When Mrs. Hale complains of the men going through things upstairs, Mrs. Peters replies, "But, Mrs. Hale...the law is the law." She also protests when Mrs. Hale pulls the erratic stitches from the quilting and says, "I'll just finish up this end."

The 9/11 attacks seem to contradict the primacy of the state in international relations that was established by the Peace of Westphalia. How do...

One of the main theoretical perspectives in the study of international relations is called realism.  According to this theory, states (laypeople would call these countries) are the only really relevant actors in international relations.  We can say that the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 contradict this particular tenet of realism because they were carried out by actors who were not part of a state.

For a long time, realism was the dominant theory in international relations (IR).  Realism looks only at states as the major actors in IR.  This perspective argues that larger organizations, like the UN, and non-state actors, like NGOs, are largely irrelevant.  All states exist in an anarchic world in which they have to gain and hold enough power to survive. 

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 were a very important event.  They changed the way that the US engaged with the world.  On September 10, 2011, Afghanistan and Iraq were not major concerns of US foreign policy.  Two days later, Afghanistan certainly was and Iraq soon would be.  Even though the attacks had this much of an impact, they were not carried out by state actors.  No country’s military attacked the US that day.  Instead, the attacks were carried out by a terrorist group, Al-Qaeda.  In other words, the actions of a relatively few people unaligned with any state changed the course of world history and the way in which the US interacted with the rest of the world.  This contradicts the idea that states are the primary actors in IR.  

What are some metaphors in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen?

Dancing is a central metaphor in Pride and Prejudice, as Azar Nafisi points out in her book Reading Lolita in Tehran. In particular, Nafasi teases out the particulars of eighteenth-century (and early nineteenth-century) dance as a social, communal form: 

Forward, backwards, pause, turn, turn, you have to harmonize your steps with the rest in set, that's the whole point.

Dance in Pride and Prejudice involves the same back and forth as courtship: you move toward your partner and away, hold hands, then back off, then come back again. This is a metaphor for the relationship of Darcy and Elizabeth, as well as Jane and Bingley, each couple coming closer, then moving apart, then coming together again. And all of this dancing and courtship is performed--Nafisi emphasizes the aspect of performance-- in the context of a larger society. This is no private waltz, but dancing in a line with other people, and Darcy and Elizabeth or Jane and Bingley must necessarily be conscious not only of each other, but of the society around them.

Mr. Collins ineptness in dancing, constantly trodding on Elizabeth's toes, becomes a metaphor for his ineptness as a lover, a contrast to Elizabeth and Darcy's deft dance steps. Charlotte does not have any desire to prolong the dance (or courtship) with him and marries him quickly.

Piano playing acts as a metaphor for self-discipline and self-awareness. Lady Catherine de Bourgh's contention that she would have been a good piano player had she ever been taught represents her lack of self-awareness, and represents her fantasies about her power that will culminate in her futile attempt to forbid Elizabeth from marrying Darcy. Elizabeth, on the other hand, actually knows how to play the piano--and knows her own limitations, which becomes a metaphor for self-awareness and taking responsibility for one's flaws. When Darcy says he lacks social skills as if this is an excuse, Elizabeth says to him:

My fingers ... do more over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women's do ... I have always supposed it to be my own fault--because I will not take the trouble of practising.

Elizabeth's "fine eyes," a repeated focus of Darcy's admiration, become a metaphor for the mixture of beauty, intelligence and liveliness that attracts Darcy to her. 

Finally, homes function as metaphors. Charlotte's home with Mr. Collins, with its careful arrangement of rooms, gardens and poultry to keep the couple separated as much as possible becomes a metaphor for Charlotte's skill at arranging her life. Likewise, Pemberley's order, natural beauty and grandeur become a metaphor of Darcy's virtues: 

Elizabeth saw, with admiration for his taste, that it [the furniture] was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine; with less of splendour and more real elegance ...

In short, Austen uses the setting of a gentry women's life: dances, houses, and piano-playing, as metaphors for courtship and character. 

Who are the Magi in O. Henry's short story "The Gift of the Magi" and why?

O. Henry intrudes at the end of the narrative of his short story, "The Gift of the Magi," and declares that Della and Jim are the Magi. This young married couple is considered the Magi because, like the three kings who came to see the baby Jesus, they give valuable gifts unselfishly.

Despite the fact that O. Henry states that the Magi gave wise gifts and Jim and Della are "two foolish children who most unwisely sacrificed," he yet compares the young husband and wife to the Magi: 

Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest....They are the wisest.

While this statement seems paradoxical when considered with the previous one that they "unwisely sacrificed," nevertheless, Jim and Della are wise in the sense that they understand the value of love. For, no material possession is as important as the happiness of the beloved. This Jim and Della understand because they have sacrificed their personal treasures in order to make their beloved spouse happy. In this sense, then, they are "the wisest." Like the magi, they have given valuable treasures up to the beloved.  

What is Montag's plan for the extra copies of the books on page 82-83?

When Montag meets with Faber and earns his trust, they begin to collaborate on a plan to upend the elements of society that have led them to that point. Faber is the more practical and cynical of the two, and tends to vacillate between his deep love of culture, knowledge and learning, and his convictions that society is, at this point, too far gone, and will require years, if not generations, to restore itself to a point where it might begin to even consider restoring itself to its former state. Montag is more interested in taking immediate action. 

Montag suggests printing up extra copies of books, though not necessarily with any intended purpose in the first place; this is simply to keep entire works from being destroyed through attrition. Faber makes a half-hearted joke about planting some of the books in the homes of firemen. Montag either already had this in mind, or latches onto the idea immediately. He has a list of the homes of firemen, and could plant the books himself. Once the scope and scale of the scandal is publicly revealed, the entire fire system would appear to be corrupt, either casting doubt upon its integrity, or upon the integrity of the ideology that drives it. 

In The Great Gatsby, what does Daisy really want in life?

Throughout the novel, Daisy is a physically attractive woman who is unhappily married to a wealthy man. Although Daisy is in love with Jay Gatsby and has an affair with him, she chooses to stay with Tom Buchanan because he is wealthy and the relationship is convenient for her. The reason Daisy chooses not to leave Tom for Gatsby is because Tom reveals Jay Gatsby is involved in the illegal business of bootlegging. Upon hearing this, Daisy feels insecure about staying with Gatsby and goes back to Tom. Overall, Daisy wants Tom to respect their marriage and stop having affairs. She also wants to live a life of luxury, convenience, and security. She feels secure in her marriage to Tom because he is wealthy and lives a privileged life.

How do I find the collective noun in this statement? "Edward Buffem, a journalist working as a miner, witnessed vigilantes in action. Two...

A collective noun is one noun that refers to a group, or a collective.  You may have heard of a herd of cattle, a gaggle of geese, or a pride of lions.  "Herd," "gaggle," and "pride" would all be collective nouns here because they speak about a group.  A collective noun acts singularly even though it implies a group.  

Back to your question...actually, the answer is in the last line of the passage.  A miner's court is the collective noun, because you state that it is made up of two hundred people.  These two hundred cannot be differentiated from each other in the passage--they act together as one court; therefore, miner's court is the collective noun.  If the miner's court had a jury, then "jury" would be a collective noun as well, because generally more than one person sits on a jury.  

In Whirligig, where is Brent heading? Where is he coming from?

Brent had been driving drunk when he caused the car accident that killed Lea Zamora. As a way to atone for his crime, Brent is asked by Mrs. Zamora to build four versions of Lea’s favorite wooden toy, a whirligig. These devices have arms that whirl when the wind blows. She asks him to build them in tribute to Lea and to install them in the four corners of the country: Washington, California, Florida, and Maine. She provides a Greyhound bus ticket good for forty-five days and a camera to take photos of each whirligig. Brent takes on the challenge. We follow his path on the bus in alternating chapters: from his home in Chicago to Seattle, Washington, in “The Afterlife”; to San Diego, California, in “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”; to Tampa, Florida, in “Apprentices”; and to Weeksboro, Maine, in “Everybody Swing!” When the challenge is complete, he still has some travel time left. We readers are left to wonder exactly where Brent will go next.

How does Holden relate to the ducks at Central Park in The Catcher in the Rye?

The pond in Central Park is one of the novel's major symbols. Throughout the novel, Holden obsesses about these ducks because he, like the ducks, feels like he has no place to go. After leaving Pencey, Holden is effectively homeless. If he returns home, he will get in trouble.

When preparing to leave Pencey Prep in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden says he "was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over." Throughout the novel, Holden ponders this idea and asks as many people as he can in hopes of finding the answer. 

Holden asks two cab drivers about the ducks and they both treat him like he's crazy. The second one, Horowitz, raises Holden's anxiety about them even more by talking about the fish that remain in the pond over the winter. Holden says, "[The fish] can't just ignore the ice. They can't just ignore it." Then he worries about how the fish eat. 

Finally, Holden takes a walk in the park to look for the ducks, but doesn't see any. It's here where Holden has one of his first physical breakdowns. He says he was "shivering like a bastard" and "thought he'd probably get pneumonia and die." 

It's clear throughout the novel that, like the ducks in winter, Holden feels he has no place to go.

In Macbeth, Lennox may be said to be extremely careful in his speech. Why is he so cautious in what he says? What, if anything, could be...

Lennox was introduced in Act II, Scene 3, when he came with Macduff to wake King Duncan and was standing outside the King's chamber trying to make conversation with Macbeth when Macduff discovered the murdered body. At that time Lennox's dialogue characterized him as very young and naive. He was obviously starting out in his career as a courtier and soldier. Then he dropped out of sight until Act III, Scene 6. Shakespeare uses this character very adroitly to show that a lot of time has passed and that there have been a lot of changes in the country under Macbeth's rule. Lennox has become much older and wiser. He has learned to talk ironically, often saying the exact opposite of what he means. The effect is to show the audience that Macbeth is a villain and has become a tyrant. Macbeth rules by fear, not unlike Hitler in Nazi Germany, or Stalin in Soviet Russia, or Robespierre during the French Revolution. Macbeth has spies everywhere, even acting as servants in private households. One might estimate that something like eight or ten years have passed since Macbeth murdered Duncan and was crowned king. The whole country lives in fear. Everyone has to watch what he says, because if he says the wrong thing and it gets back to Macbeth, he could disappear and never be heard from again.

In Act IV, Scene 3, Ross, who is newly arrived in England, will describe conditions in Scotland in more explicit language to both Macduff and Malcolm: 

Alas, poor country,
Almost afraid to know itself! It cannot
Be call'd our mother, but our grave. Where nothing,
But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile;
Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the air,
Are made, not mark'd; where violent sorrow seems
A modern ecstasy. The dead man's knell
Is there scarce ask'd for who, and good men's lives
Expire before the flowers in their caps,
Dying or ere they sicken.

Lennox is only saying, in closely guarded language, what everyone now knows. Macbeth murdered Duncan. He had Banquo murdered by agents and tried to have Fleance murdered along with his father. Macbeth would love to get his hands on Malcolm, Donalbain, and Fleance so that he could have them executed. He would accuse Malcolm and Donalbain of bribing Duncan's attendants to kill him in his sleep, and he is quite capable of accusing Fleance of being responsible for his father Banquo's murder.

Shakespeare frequently uses scenes like III.6 to convey information to his audience. The most important news comes from the unidentified Lord when Lennox concludes his monologue and asks:

I hear Macduff lives in disgrace. Sir, can you tell
Where he bestows himself?

The Lord informs Lennox, and the audience, that Macduff is living at the English court with Duncan's son Malcolm, who fled there after his father's assassination. Both are trying to persuade King Edward to help them overthrow the tyrant Macbeth and install Malcolm as King of Scotland. This foreshadows the climax, in which an army of 10,000 English soldiers and Scottish defectors with Malcolm and Macduff in their vanguard invade Macbeth's realm and Macduff kills Macbeth in hand-to-hand combat.

Can you give me some details regarding Chaucer's description of the Nun in "The General Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales?

There are technically two nuns mentioned in "The General Prologue" to Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. There's a main nun—more typically known as the Prioress—and another nun who travels with her. Since Chaucer spends a considerable amount of time describing the Prioress and basically no time telling us what the second nun is like, I'll assume you want to know more about the Prioress.

The Prioress is a pious, dainty, sweet woman with impeccable manners. Overall, Chaucer describes her as being sentimental and kind, and one senses she is a little removed from the harsh realities of life. The Prioress tells a story about a zealous young boy murdered for his Christian faith, so it's obvious the Prioress is an earnest Christian woman who holds her faith in the highest degree.

It's difficult to get an idea of what the second nun looks like, as Chaucer never really describes her. Since the second nun's tale is similar to the Prioress' tale (both deal with some kind of martyr), we can assume she is like the Prioress: sweet, sentimental, and pious. 

What similes does Romeo use to convey Juliet's beauty?

A simile is a comparison of two unlike things using the words like or as. The comparison tends to enhance the qualities of one of those things. Immediately after seeing Juliet at Capulet's party in Act I, Scene 5, Romeo compares her beauty (it is definitely her looks he is speaking of here because he has yet to meet her) to a precious jewel:

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear

This comparison needs a bit of explanation because one might not understand what Romeo is speaking of. It was probably common in Renaissance Italy for men from Ethiopia to act as traders and to visit Italian cities. Romeo may have seen just such a man, or maybe read about them. These Ethiopians were often wealthy and would have adorned themselves in elaborate jewelry such as diamonds, emeralds or rubies.

Later, in Act II, Scene 2, Romeo once again uses a simile to describe Juliet. Here he may also be speaking of her personality and not just her beauty because he has spoken to her briefly in the waning moments of Capulet's party. He compares her to an angel coming down from heaven as a messenger to bring happiness and light to Romeo's life (which, by his own admittance, had been darkened by his unrequited love for Rosaline):

O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o’er my head,
As is a wingèd messenger of heaven

This comparison to a "bright angel" is very in much in keeping with Shakespeare's recurring motif of light and dark which pervades the tragedy.