Is it possible, if unlikely, that a planet of similar size to the Earth on a diametrically opposite orbit taking the same time could be hidden...

The short answer is no. Earth's orbit is not circular, that is to say, if this planet was 180 degrees ahead or behind of us, it would eventually stop being hidden by the Sun, due to Kepler's second law. So if this planet was to stay hidden at all times, then its orbit would need to be symmetrical to Earth's orbit and not be sharing the same second focus or orbit path. Such planet could theoretically exist, but we would have knowledge of its existence with today's technology.

How would we detect this planet? Well, there are many possible ways.

This planet would interact gravitationally with the rest of the solar system and we would be able to detect these perturbations. In fact, we would be able to deduce this planet's existence just by looking at its effects on other planet orbits.

Finally, we actually have a satellite (one of the STEREO satellites) that "looked" behind the Sun. At the same time, we have many satellites and probes orbiting other planets around the Solar System. If such planet existed, then we would have seen it.

How is the poem "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey" by William Wordsworth a revelation of his continuously evolving relationship with...

This is a great question, because it gets to the heart of Wordsworth's "Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbery." As an example of Wordsworth's changing relationship with the natural world, check out the following excerpt:

... I cannot paint
What then I was. The sounding cataract
Haunted me like a passion: the tall rock,
The mountain, and the deep and gloomy wood,
Their colours and their forms, were then to me
An appetite: a feeling and a love,
That had no need of a remoter charm,
By thought supplied, or any interest
Unborrowed from the eye.—That time is past,
And all its aching joys are now no more,
And all its dizzy raptures. Not for this
Faint I, nor mourn nor murmur: other gifts
Have followed, for such loss, I would believe,
Abundant recompense. (76-89)

In this section, Wordsworth describes the passionate, but also simple, way that he engaged with nature as a boy and a younger man. Here, we get the sense that though Wordsworth was passionate about nature as a boy, he also didn't critically think about this passion or think more deeply about the significance of the natural world around him. Now, as an adult, Wordsworth suggests that he is unable to engage with nature in the same way; overall, we get the sense of a man who has been changed by his more mature experiences of the wider world. However, though he cannot engage with nature as he used to, Wordsworth does not seem perturbed by this fact, as he believes that he has also developed a keener intellect capable of discerning the state of human beings and the way the natural world relates to this state. Thus, though Wordsworth's relationship with nature has changed, he seems to view this change as mostly positive, as it has resulted in a greater intellectual maturity. 

How does Atticus Finch go through misery or "hell" after taking the Tom Robinson case?

While the Finches initially have a good reputation in Maycomb County, Atticus' reputation certainly weathers significant hardships after he agrees to take the Tom Robinson case. In particular, various neighbors begin to accost Scout and Jem, ridiculing their father for his decision to defend a black man. This verbal assault takes on a physical manifestation as the book goes on. Indeed, at one point Atticus stands up to a hostile mob of men trying to kill Tom Robinson in the local jail, while at the end he nearly loses Scout and Jem to the deadly anger of Bob Ewell. All in all, it's clear that Atticus' neighbors want to bully him into submission, making his life as miserable and "hellish" as possible in order to maintain the racist status quo. This conflict becomes one of the most important points of the novel, as it illustrates how social pressure from the masses can uphold racial oppression. More optimistically, it also illustrates Atticus' admirable moral courage, as he refuses to modify his honorable values in the face of hardships.

The molality of a 1L Solution with x percent H2SO4 is 9. The weight of solvent present in the solution is 910 grams. What is the value of x?

Molality is a measure of concentration defined as moles of solute per kg of solvent.  So if the molality of the sulfuric acid solution is 9, then that means that there are 9 moles of sulfuric acid per 1 kg of solvent.  So we have a solution that is 9 molal in concentration and the amount of solvent in it is 910 g which is the same as 0.910 kg.  So we multiply the two to get the moles of sulfuric acid in the solution.

(9 mole / kg) * 0.910 kg = 8.19 moles sulfuric acid

Multiply this by the molecular weight of sulfuric acid (98.079 g/mole) to convert into grams.

8.19 moles * (98.079 g / mole) =  803.3 g sulfuric acid

Now divide by the density of sulfuric acid (1.84 g/mL) to convert the grams into mL's.

803.3 g * (1 mL / 1.84 g) = 436.6 mL sulfuric acid

So we have 436.6 mL of sulfuric acid total.  Since we know that we have 1 L (the same as 1,000 mL) of total solution, we know that means that the percentage of the sulfuric acid in the solution can be calculated as shown below.

436.6 mL H2SO4 / 1,000 mL total solution = 0.437 = 43.7%

So we know that the value of x in the original question (percentage of H2SO4 in the solution) is 43.7%

Why should Piggy be the leader in the novel Lord of the Flies?

There are several arguments to support the idea that Piggy should be the leader in the novel Lord of the Flies. Piggy is by far the most intelligent individual on the island and is capable of making the right decisions as the boys' leader. He views life as "scientific" and solves problems pragmatically. Unlike the majority of the boys, Piggy has the ability to prioritize the essential elements needed for rescue and survival. Piggy is also the most civilized boy on the island, and he values rules, cooperation, and democracy. A good leader is always willing to listen to others, and Piggy believes that each child should have the opportunity to voice their opinion. Another quality of good leaders that Piggy possesses is a strong will. His opinions are not easily swayed, and he does not cower to adversity. Throughout the novel, Piggy is continually standing up for himself against Jack and is not afraid to speak his mind. Ralph is continually second guessing himself and does not enforce the rules like a leader should, and Jack is a tyrannical maniac. Out of all the boys, Piggy is the only one who knows exactly what he stands for and does not lose touch with reality which is why he should be the leader.

What's the difference between Presbyterian and Baptist?

Presbyterians and Baptists both belong to Protestant Christianity, which traces its origins to the 16th century when reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin began to preach against the practices and beliefs of the Catholic Church. These reformers rejected matters of Catholic doctrine; Catholic tradition alongside scripture were replaced by scripture alone, and faith and good works as requisites for salvation were replaced by faith alone. The reformers also rejected the Catholic Church’s structure, which consisted of a rigid hierarchy that controlled access to God via a set of sacraments.

Presbyterians are more directly connected to Protestantism through the Reformed movement of John Calvin (also known as Calvinism), while Baptists are descended from the English Dissenters, a broadly connected group of reformers who separated from the Church of England. It should be noted that while not Catholic, the Church of England is also not entirely within the realm of classical Protestantism; as Baptists are most strongly historically defined by their separation from the Church of England, not from the Catholic Church, they often reject Protestant identity.

Presbyterians

History

As stated above, Presbyterianism is one of the resulting denominations of the Protestant Reformation, owing its origins more to John Calvin and his Reformed theology rather than Martin Luther and Lutheranism. John Knox, a Scotsman who worked alongside John Calvin, brought Calvinism back to Scotland. It is chiefly from Knox, through his connections to Calvin, that Presbyterian descends from. Scottish Reformed Christianity, of which Presbyterianism is a part, was first officially expressed through Knox’s Scots Confession.

Beliefs

As participants in Reformed/Calvinist theology, Presbyterian doctrine can be summarized by the TULIP doctrine, an acronym used as a concise (albeit limited) explanation of Calvinism. The five points represented by the TULIP doctrine are:

• Total Depravity (the true character of humanity is evil/sinful)


• Unconditional Election (God chooses whom he will save, the “elect”, based only on his will)


• Limited Atonement (salvation is only for the elect)


• Irresistible Grace (when the elect are called to salvation, they cannot resist)


• Preservation of the Saints (salvation cannot be lost)

In addition to these basic points, Presbyterians are “confessional.” This means they generally hold to a confession, or a statement of faith, as their basis for their interpretation of God and the Bible. Doctrine is understood to be more of a communal than individual effort, and confessions are used as unanimous and universal agreements on basic points of belief within the members of a church.  

Structure

The word “Presbyterian” is both an identifier with churches that share the preceding beliefs and history, as well as a more general term for church structure and hierarchy. The term comes from the Greek word for “elder”, implying a rule by elders, which Calvin believed to be Biblically based. It is a representational form of governance, with members electing their elders. An entire Presbyterian church community is governed by a General Assembly; beneath this there are synods, presbyteries, and then individual churches, which are governed by a pastor, as well as elders and deacons, who are elected by members of the local church.  

Baptists

History

The origins of Baptist Christianity can be hard to place, but it is generally agreed that they descend from the English Dissenters. These Dissenters were not a single organized group, but rather members of a variety of movements that were united by a belief that the Church of England had not gone far enough in separating from the Catholic Church. Some believe that the Anabaptists of continental Europe, famous for re-baptizing people who had been baptized as infants, had some influence on these early English Baptists, while some later Baptists promoted the perspective that their churches and doctrines had existed in perpetuity since the time of Christ, predating the Protestants and existing alongside but independent from the Catholic Church.

Beliefs

Similar to the TULIP doctrine for Presbyterians, Baptist beliefs (and structure, in this case) can also be summarized (concisely but somewhat inefficiently) by an acronym; in this case, BAPTISTS.

• Biblical Authority (the Bible is the ultimate authority)


• Autonomy of the Local Church (each church is sovereign and accountable only to God)


• Priesthood of the Believers (all Christians are priests and have equal access to God)


• Two Ordinances (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper)


• Individual Soul Liberty (everybody has the right to choose what to believe)


• Saved, Baptized Church Membership (membership in the church depends on a person’s profession of faith and baptism)


• Two Offices in the Church (pastor and deacon)


• Separation of Church and State (the church and the government are separate entities)

Baptist beliefs can be hard to summarize because it is a core tenet that each individual church is autonomous; therefore, beliefs and practices can vary wildly. Perhaps the most common beliefs are that the Bible is the infallible word of God, salvation is achieved through faith alone, and baptism must be performed for believers (not infants) through complete immersion.

Structure

Ultimately, the structure of a Baptist church is fairly simple because in theory it should not extend hierarchically beyond the local church. Every church should have a pastor and a number of deacons to support the pastor, and the church is responsible for itself and accountable only to God. However, many churches do associate themselves with a larger community of other churches that share similar beliefs (association to one of these communities does not imply control by the governing body of that community, however).

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, how does Hermione demonstrate gender inequality?

While the series as a whole provides a lot of opportunity for both genders, it is usually blood-status that prevents characters from prevailing in the Harry Potter books. While there are few moments in the series when Rowling pointedly ensures that Hermione is working to overcome gender inequalities, these inequalities are present especially in Harry Potter in the Order of the Phoenix.

One of the most obvious moments of gender inequality in Order of the Phoenix is the one in which Hermione asks Harry to be the leader of Dumbledore’s Army, a group that she came up with the idea for and keeps running behind the scenes. While she understands that Harry will be seen as a great leader for surviving Voldemort’s attack in Godric's Hollow, the context is there for the reader to understand that Hermione is always going to be the brains behind the operation. Along with coming up with the idea for Dumbledore's Army, she is the one to create the coin communication system; this system proves to be very important to many other characters in the following book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

When recalling all of the moments that Harry shone throughout his previous adventures, the Dumbledore’s Army members are neglecting the fact that Hermione lies at the crux of why Harry was able to accomplish everything. She is the main reason the trio was able to survive events such as Devil’s Snare in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, or solve the mystery behind the Heir of Slytherin in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

With Hermione admitting that Harry would be a better leader for Dumbledore’s Army, she admits further that he is able to take credit for a lot of her brilliance and leadership. Without Hermione’s guidance and intelligence, it would not be possible for Harry to continue his battle against Voldemort.

In Antigone, how does the mood of the chorus change during the play?

The Chorus in Antigone reflects the attitude of the citizens of Thebes. At first, the Chorus supports Creon’s position, as he is the King of Thebes and is trying to return Thebes to stability after the attempt by Polynices to take Thebes from his brother, Eteocles. Like Creon, the Chorus is in no mood to be lenient on anyone who would honor those who fought, in its eyes, against Thebes.

After Antigone is identified as the one who defied the decree not to bury Polynices, the Chorus seems to waiver in its support for Creon, and thus it urges him to reconsider the punishment announced in the decree. From this, the viewer can see that Creon is losing some of the support of the citizens of Thebes. This loss of support likely contributes to Creon deciding to entomb Antigone alive instead of directly executing her publicly.

The Chorus completes its reversal after Teiresias visits Creon and warns him that the gods see his actions as an affront and thus have abandoned Thebes. This loss of the Chorus’s support coincides with Haemon’s decision to defy his father, showing the audience that Creon has lost not only the support of the citizens, but the support of those closest to him as well.  

How does the situation thicken between Cesario and Sebastian in Twelfth Night?

In Twelfth Night, Cesario is the name assumed by Viola after she disguises herself as a man, and Sebastian is Viola's twin brother. The similarity between the two when Viola is dressed like a man results in a case of mistaken identity. Countess Olivia, who is in love with "Cesario," encounters Sebastian when he visits Illyia and proposes to him under the impression that he is Cesario. Sebastian, not realizing he has been mistaken for his twin, agrees and the two marry. It is only when Sebastian and Viola (as Cesario) meet that the characters understand what had happened. Countess Olivia realizes the man she was in love with was a woman in disguise and that she had married the wrong person, and Count Orsino begins to pursue Viola after learning of Olivia's marriage. At the end of the play, Viola is no longer in disguise and is married to Orsino, and the marriage between Sebastian and Olivia continues.

How does Gatsby navigate the journey from dreams to reality? What kind of course does he follow, and how is he changed by the journey?

Jay Gatsby's dream is to win Daisy, the love of his life. They meet when they are both young, but the wealthy, sophisticated Daisy refuses his proposal of marriage, because Gatsby is from humble beginnings and has no money. Daisy instead marries Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man who is unfaithful to her. Gatsby, whose real name is James Gatz, decides he must win Daisy at any cost, and he embarks upon a concerted effort to amass wealth.

Five years after Daisy refuses his proposal, Gatsby is a millionaire who owns a fancy mansion in the suburbs of New York City. It is hinted at that Gatsby's money is not earned honestly, and he associates with men who are known to be involved in bootlegging and other illegal activities, like Meyer Wolfsheim. It is the height of the Prohibition era, which took place from 1920 to 1933, and Gatsby's parties are lavish affairs where copious amounts of alcohol are consumed: this alone points to his willingness to bend or break the rules.

This seems to point to a certain recklessness of character; but one could also see the romantic appeal of a man so in love that he will do literally anything, including risk going to prison, to obtain the woman he loves. He follows what many might call a dangerous course, but it is one that brings him success, both financially and personally, if one considers that his wealth attracts Daisy to him once again.

When Gatsby and Daisy meet up again, they almost immediately rekindle their romance. She is impressed by his wealth; in one dramatic scene, he shows her his closet full of shirts, tossing them onto the bed and floor, and she holds them, becoming emotional as she contemplates the wealth that can provide such beautiful clothing. Gatsby surrounds himself with beautiful things, because he knows Daisy will like them. He goes out of his way to decorate his house in a way he thinks will please her. Gatsby becomes well-versed in this wealthy and sophisticated lifestyle; despite the poverty of his youth, his obsession with Daisy compels him to become the rich and admiration-worthy man that he thinks she will leave her husband for.

Gatsby gets so caught up in this youthful fantasy that he loses sight of the fact that Daisy is actually very shallow and not really worth sacrificing his integrity. His ability to become so wealthy so quickly in pursuit of a woman who rejected him because "rich girls don't marry poor boys" suggests that he might have indeed been capable of being a great man, if he had been motivated by something more than a desire to impress a materialistic lover. In the end Gatsby achieves great wealth, but not wisdom. 

In The Jilting of Granny Weatherall by Katherine Anne Porter, why is Granny so hostile to Cornelia?

Granny might have a few different reasons for treating her daughter, Cornelia, with hostility. The main one seems to be that Cornelia is taking care of Granny when the old woman would rather be taking care of herself, which is frustrating and embarrassing for Granny.

But first, consider that her grouchy attitude may not be specifically directed at Cornelia. The old woman is simply in a bad mood because she's ill and dying, and in the process she's lost some of her independence and dignity, and so Granny treats everyone with the same cantankerous attitude. Look at how she thinks about the doctor and speaks to him in the first few paragraphs of the story; she calls him a brat and hints that he's just a child instead of an educated physician. 

However, when you consider how Granny utters hostile comments toward and about Cornelia, saying for example that she had to go to bed just to get rid of Cornelia, you might think the old woman's hostility toward her daughter is personal.

One reason for this attitude may be that Cornelia simply isn't Hapsy, the daughter that Granny loves best.

Another reason is that Cornelia has confined Granny to bed and has been whispering about her with the doctor, essentially treating her mother as if she were a child. "The thing that most annoyed her was that Cornelia thought she was deaf, dumb, and blind," the narrator tells us. You can see how that would irritate Granny, who is still somewhat aware of her surroundings and rather indignant at being treated like a helpless baby.

A few other minor things make Granny annoyed with her daughter. Cornelia's "good" and "dutiful" manners seem to irk Granny, who views them as exaggerated, ridiculous qualities. And Granny is tired of being contradicted by Cornelia. "[Children] disputed your every word," she thinks.

Still, when you consider how all those sad memories float through Granny's mind as she approaches death, you're tempted to conclude that it's just Granny's general disappointment with life that makes her treat Cornelia with hostility, rather than any issue that's specifically going on between the two women.

What are the differences in beauty and culture between Indian and Western women and how do they influence Indian women?

Increasing globalization and market dominance of the Western world as a huge impact on traditional culture, including ideals of beauty and aesthetics. In India, traditional values of beauty vary from region to region. Generally, classical beauty in India values women with full lips, expressive eyes, full physique, and thick, black hair. The 16th century Ananga-Ranga has an entire passage dedicated to describing what makes a woman beautiful.  Mentioned are traits like clean teeth, small ears, wide hips but a trim waist, and a sweet voice. In contrast, the same passage describes the following as ugly: a woman with facial hair, yellowed eyes, being notably tall or short, and having a temper. 

In the same time period, Western women were subject to similar valuation of their personality traits, and in both cultures women with mild tempers and sweet voices were considered preferable. Both cultures (pre-colonial India and Renaissance Europe) also had a similar taste for women who were of a certain voluptuous form, as long as it did not lead to excess of the body. One major difference between Indian and European beauty ideals of the time is that in Europe, the complexion was expected to be much lighter. Women with alabaster skin and golden blonde or reddish hair were considered to be most beautiful.

Since the colonial period, Indian women have been increasingly subject to the beauty standards of the Western world. In the context of colonization (and even post-colonial society) the colonizer has more power in determining what is beautiful or valuable in society. As such, a woman might do well to appeal to the colonizer's ideals of beauty. In particular, skin tone and complexion have become major indicators of both class and beauty. From the colonial period onward, fair skin indicated being of higher class because it either meant a person was of Anglo descent or could afford a lifestyle which allowed them to keep their skin a light color through using skin creams or avoiding sunlight. This ideal persists in India today, and many creams which lighten the skin are readily available and encouraged to young women. Indian women are also influenced by the Western ideal of women with slim bodies, as portrayed in media. Though the ideal of wide hips and a full bust persists in Indian beauty, women are increasingly dieting or purchasing garments which alter the shape of the body in order to appear thinner in a particular body part. 

In order to be considered attractive and succeed in a highly competitive world, Indian women are increasingly pressured to appeal to Western beauty ideals, though some traditional values do remain.

What is the role of the speaker in The Giver?

The speaker’s job in Jonas’s community is a combination of enforcement and announcements.  For example, when the jet flies overhead, the speaker tells everyone to drop their bicycles and go inside, presumably to protect them from the possible danger.  However, the speaker also is used for public shaming.  When Jonas takes an apple home to inspect it for changing, the speaker makes an announcement that reminds him of the rule against hoarding food. 

The only thing that happened was the announcement later that evening over the speaker, the announcement that had singled him out without using his name, that had caused both of his parents to glance meaningfully at his desk where the apple still lay. (Ch. 3) 

The announcement is effective, even though it does not name him.  All Jonas’s parents have to do is look at him.  They know that the announcement refers to him.  By making the announcement, the speaker reminds everyone in the community that they are always under surveillance.  Resistance is futile.  The speaker keeps them in line.  When Jonas starts his training, he is surprised that The Giver can flip the switch on the speaker.  No one else can.

What are examples of dreams and premonitions in Romeo and Juliet?

Dreams and premonitions tend to pervade Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, as they do many of the Bard's plays. There are several good examples which, in some cases, act as foreshadowing for later events in the play. The most famous of these dreams is within Mercutio's speech about Queen Mab, where he claims she is the fairies' mid-wife who brings dreams to lovers, soldiers, and others. Mercutio's fantastical speech is at first a comic critique of Romeo's lovelorn attitude and his infatuation with Rosaline, but later takes a more sinister and fatal tone, not unlike the play itself, which is initially the story of innocent young love but then becomes dark and full of death. Immediately following Mercutio's rant is Romeo's premonition that attendance at Capulet's party is the beginning of something which will ultimately end in his death:

I fear too early, for my mind misgives
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
With this night’s revels, and expire the term
Of a despisèd life closed in my breast
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.

Later, in Act III, Scene 5, just as Romeo is leaving for Mantua, Juliet seems to have a premonition that she sees Romeo "As one dead in the bottom of a tomb." This statement foreshadows the final scene in which Romeo is indeed dead in Capulet's tomb. Juliet also has premonitions of what she will encounter in the tomb if she takes the Friar's potion. In Act IV, Scene 3 she predicts "loathsome smells," "shrieks like mandrakes," and "hideous fears." Nevertheless, she is willing to fake her death in order to be with Romeo.

Finally, Romeo opens Act V by detailing a dream where Juliet found him dead and "breathed such life with kisses in my lips/ That I revived and was an emperor." This dream seems to foreshadow later events in the tomb when Juliet wakes up only to find Romeo dead. She briefly attempts to kiss the poison from his lips before killing herself with his dagger. In the end, dreams and premonitions play a major role in the play and seem to be more important than simply "children of an idle brain/ Begot by nothing but vain fantasy;/ Which is as thin of substance as the air" as Mercutio puts it just after his Queen Mab speech.

What impact did the Indian slave trade have on North America?

The Indian slave trade, often ignored in high school and even college textbooks, was an important factor in the development of the southern colonies in particular. From the late seventeenth century to the second decade of the eighteenth, when the Tuscarora and Yamassee Wars brought the trade to an end, the Indian slave trade was a major source of labor and capital for the Carolinas and Virginia. The trade was supplied by Indian peoples, including the Yamassee and Westos, who gained slaves through raids on surrounding peoples. The result for Indian peoples throughout the Southeast was endemic warfare, infighting within tribes, and population depletion. Many smaller groups sought refuge with larger groups like the Creeks and Catawbas. For the unfortunate people sold into slavery, most were bound for the Caribbean, and the money made from the trade was used as capital to purchase African slaves, among other things. The trade also existed in the North, where many Indian war captives, most notably the Pequot, were sold into slavery. Indian slavery was another form of unfree labor, which was perhaps the defining feature of life in many of the American colonies.

What are some symbols in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451?

In Fahrenheit 451, the firefighters' hats are marked with "451," the temperature at which paper burns. (Though this may not be entirely scientifically accurate, it is stated as the temperature at which paper burns in the novel.) The captain of the firefighters, Beatty, wears a phoenix on his hat; the phoenix is a bird in Greek mythology that rises from the ashes in a form of rebirth. Another symbol used in the book is that of the salamander, which is the symbol of the firefighters. The salamander was thought in mythology to be able to survive fire. The first section of the book is called "The Hearth and the Salamander," as the hearth was formerly the traditional symbol of the home (a well-kept home was thought to always have a fireplace). Of course, in Montag's world, fire is used for destruction, not to add warmth to a home. 

`int (x^2+3)/(xsqrt(x^2-4)) dx` Find the indefinite integral

Recall indefinite integral follows `int f(x) dx = F(x)+C`

 where:

`f(x)` as the integrand

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

`C` as the constant of integration.

 The given problem: `int (x^2+3)/(xsqrt(x^2-4)) dx` has an integrand of `f(x)=(x^2+3)/(xsqrt(x^2-4))` .

Apply u-substitution on `f(x) dx` by letting `u =x^2` then `du = 2x dx` or `dx= (du)/(2x)` :

`int (x^2+3)/(xsqrt(x^2-4))dx =int (u+3)/(xsqrt(u-4))*(du)/(2x)`

                        `=int ((u+3)du)/(2x^2sqrt(u-4))`

                         `=int ((u+3)du)/(2usqrt(u-4))`

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

`int ((u+3)du)/(2usqrt(u-4))=(1/2)int ((u+3)du)/(usqrt(u-4))`

Apply the basic integration property for sum:

`int (u+v) dx = int (u) dx+int (v) dx.`

`(1/2)int ((u+3)du)/(usqrt(u-4))=(1/2) [int (udu)/(usqrt(u-4))+int (3du)/(usqrt(u-4))]`

For the integration of the`int (udu)/(usqrt(u-4))` , we can cancel out the u:

`int (udu)/(usqrt(u-4))=int (du)/sqrt(u-4)`

Let ` v= u-4` then `dv =du` .

Apply the Law of exponents: `sqrt(x)= x^1/2` and `1/x^n= x^-n` ,  we get:

`int (du)/sqrt(u-4)=int (dv)/sqrt(v)`

Apply the Power Rule for integration: `int x^n dx= x^(n+1)/(n+1)+C`

`int v^(-1/2)dv=v^((-1)/2+1)/((-1)/2+1) +C`

                  ` = v^(1/2)/(1/2)`

                 ` =v^(1/2)*(2/1)`

                 ` = 2v^(1/2)`  or   `2sqrt(v)`

With `v= u-4`  then `2sqrt(v) = 2sqrt(u-4)` .

The integral becomes:

`int (du)/sqrt(u-4)=2sqrt(u-4).`

For the integration of `int (3du)/(usqrt(u-4))` , we basic integration property: `int c*f(x) dx = c int f(x)`

`int (3du)/(usqrt(u-4))=3int (du)/(usqrt(u-4))`

Let: `v= sqrt(u-4)`

Then square both sides to get `v^2=u-4` then `v^2+4 =u`

Applying implicit differentiation on `v^2=u-4` , we get: `2vdv = du` .

Plug-in `du =2v dv` , ` u=v^2+4` and `v=sqrt(u-4)` , we get:

`3 int (du)/(usqrt(u-4))=3int (2vdv)/((v^2+4)*v)`

                   ` =3int (2dv)/((v^2+4))`

                   ` =3*2int (dv)/(v^2+4)`

                   ` =6int (dv)/(v^2+4)`

The integral part resembles the basic integration for inverse tangent function:

`int (dx)/(x^2+a^2) = (1/a)arctan(u/a)+C`

Then,

`6int (dv)/(v^2+4) =6*(1/2)arctan(v/2)+C`

                 `=3arctan(v/2)+C`

Plug-in `v =sqrt(u-4)` , we get:

`int (3du)/(usqrt(u-4)) =3arctan(sqrt(u-4)/2)+C`

Combining the results, we get:

`(1/2) [int (udu)/(usqrt(u-4))+int (3du)/(usqrt(u-4))] = (1/2)*[2sqrt(u-4)+3arctan(sqrt(u-4)/2)]+C`

` =sqrt(u-4)+3/2arctan(sqrt(u-4)/2)+C`

Plug-in `u = x^2` to get the final answer:

`int (x^2+3)/(xsqrt(x^2-4)) dx= sqrt(x^2-4)+3/2arctan(sqrt(x^2-4)/2)+C`

In "The Monkey's Paw" what is the name of the company that Herbert worked for?

Herbert worked for Maw and Meggins.

When the Whites wish on the mysterious monkey’s paw, they have no idea what it would lead to.  Morris tells them not to.  Mr. White’s son Herbert encourages his father to wish for money, as a joke.  He wishes for 200 pounds, but he never would have if he had known how they would get it.

The next day, a stranger comes to the door who seems “ill at ease.”

"I--was asked to call," he said at last, and stooped and picked a piece of cotton from his trousers. "I come from Maw and Meggins."

The old lady started. "Is anything the matter?" she asked breathlessly. "Has anything happened to Herbert? What is it? What is it?

The man says that Herbert was “badly hurt” but isn’t in pain.  His parents are relieved at first, until the man continues and tells them the truth.  Herbert is dead.

"He was caught in the machinery," said the visitor at length, in a low voice.

"Caught in the machinery," repeated Mr. White, in a dazed fashion, "yes."

The man seems embarrassed to give the Whites the money, knowing it can’t replace their son.  He tells them he is only following orders.  He also tells them the company cannot be held responsible.  They are shocked to find that it is the 200 pounds they wished for.  How terrible the monkey’s paw turns out to be!  Morris was right when he said they should leave it in the fire.

The Whites are in mourning, of course.  Mrs. White even uses the paw to wish her son back to life a week later.  This horrifies her husband, though, and when they hear knocking on the door he uses the paw again to reverse the wish.  Who knows what kind of monster would appear at the door, since Herbert was mangled and buried?

What is a good thesis topic in the sector of Bank and Finance or Risk Management? I am a second-level student and doing Banking and Finance,...

Examples of topics in banking, finance, investment, and risk that you can investigate through HBSWK are the effects of capital requirements on regulated and unregulated banks [banking], rationality or irrationality among investors [finance], quantitative versus qualitative risk management [risk management]. Harvard Business School Working Knowledge (HBSWK) offers a broad range of banking, finance, investment and risk topics with links to synopses of papers and (at least in some cases) to the actual papers.

Questia also offers a topic search that provides research topics in banking, finance, investment and risk. Again, you access topic ideas derived from actual papers or books published, but your free linking options are limited to previews and/ or overview synopses of the publications. This should be no problem and sufficient for generating research topic ideas for your work. Some examples of topics from Questia are the merger of investment banks and commercial banks [banking and investment], fiscal demands springing from changing demographic needs in Asian Pacific economies [finance], evaluating credit risk retention rules relevant to the residential mortgage market [risk management in banking].

Harvard Business School Working Knowledge Research Topics
Questia Topic Generator

Why did the veteran prisoners tattoo Elie when he got to the camp?

In the book, Elie and his father are tattooed with numbers by "veteran prisoners."

Elie writes that the number A-7713 is tattooed onto his left arm and that from that moment on, he is no longer addressed by his name. Historical records have confirmed that the Jewish prisoners were all given numbers; the purpose was to dehumanize the prisoners and to remove all personal pride and identity from the minds of the incarcerated. The Nazis had planned to destroy both the bodies and minds of their prisoners, and they were successful in many millions of cases.

The Nazis had hoped that, by obliterating the personal identities of their prisoners, they would cease to think of themselves as human. To the Nazis, it was also a convenient way to rationalize their immense cruelty towards the prisoners themselves.

According to historical records, only prisoners selected for work at Auschwitz were given tattoos. Those who were sent straight to the crematoriums were not given tattoos or numbers. Originally, numbers were sewn onto uniforms, but due to the high mortality rate among prisoners, metal stamps were used to stamp serial numbers onto a prisoner's left upper chest. When that proved impractical, needles were used to pierce numbers onto the left upper forearms of prisoners.

For more on this topic, please refer to the link below.

Who was the leader of Ender's A toon?

The adults decide to give Ender command of an army at a very young age. Since all the command positions have leaders at the time, they form a new army for him called Dragon Army. Ender divides his army into five toons with eight soldiers each, instead of the traditional structure with four toons of ten soldiers each. He chooses Fly Molo to lead A toon. Fly Molo later becomes one of the children who is picked to join Ender on Eros and fight the war against the buggers.

Ender is shocked to see that his new army seems to be formed from the so-called dregs of Battle School. When he begins to train the members of his new army, he realizes that they all learn quickly, and will actually make quite superior soldiers. He wonders if the teachers gave him these specific children because they saw untapped potential in them, or if they were trying to challenge him as usual by giving him soldiers they thought would be more difficult to work with. This teaching experience makes Ender think about whether anyone can be trained well when given the right opportunities and teachers. 

How does Swift portray himself throughout "A Modest Proposal"?

Swift's essayist (and it is important to remember that he adopts a different persona from his own in "A Modest Proposal") is an enlightened, educated man. He portrays himself as thoroughly familiar with the human crisis developing in Ireland, citing facts and figures throughout the essay to demonstrate his expertise. He cites "a very knowing American," "an eminent French physician," and a "native of the island of Formosa" in support of his "proposal." Above all, he is a rational man, one who seeks an enlightened solution to a serious social problem. This persona, really, is at the heart of Swift's satire. He is not only detailing the horrors of life in Ireland, then a possession of England controlled mostly by absentee English landlords. He is satirizing those who seek solutions to human problems that do not take human factors into account. The essayist conceives of people in almost solely economic terms--mothers are "breeders" or "dams" and children are a "burden on their parents." Morality and humanity, Swift is saying, must be taken into account as we attack our social problems. His essayist and his "solution" represent the logical conclusion of treating human beings as economic units.

Why does Peter visit the Johansens in Number the Stars?

Peter is a member of the Resistance. 

Peter Neilsen is a family friend.  He was engaged to Annemarie’s older sister Lise, who died.   The Johansens still love Peter, and consider him like a son.  He visits them occasionally. 

Annemarie is surprised when her parents ask her to come see Peter late at night.  She knows that Peter being there is unusual, and that he should not be out at night.  She is glad to see him, but worried about why he is there. 

There was something frightening about his being here at night. Copenhagen had a curfew, and no citizens were allowed out after eight o'clock. It was very dangerous, she knew, for Peter to visit at this time. (Ch. 3) 

Annemarie says Peter is thoughtful and always brings her gifts.  There is more to Peter’s visits than just catching up with the family of his former fiancé.  Peter brings the Johansens news, and works with them in the Resistance efforts.  For example, he helps them get the Rosens to safety. 

"We couldn't take all three of them. If the Germans came to search our apartment, it would be clear that the Rosens were here.  One person we can hide. Not three. So Peter has helped Ellen's parents to go elsewhere. We don't know where. Ellen doesn't know either. But they are safe." (Ch. 16) 

Being a member of the Resistance is very dangerous, even though Denmark is working secretly against the Nazi occupation.  Peter is brave and effective.  His role in saving the Rosens and other Jews is an important one.  Peter tells Annemarie that the reason the Nazis are closing Jewish stores is to spread terror.  He is determined to resist in any way possible. 

Peter probably continues to be close to Annemarie’s family because he is mourning Lise.  However, the Johansens are also brave and willing to help in the Resistance efforts, such as the night where they hosted the coffin of “Great-aunt Birte.”  They are a useful contact for him.

What is the theme for The Outsiders?

The novel The Outsiders has a number of different themes. One example is class conflict keeps the status quo. This is seen throughout the book, as Greasers and Socs battle one another every chance they get, from Ponyboy nearly getting jumped on his walk home from the movie theater to the final rumble that will supposedly settle things once and for all. It's only when these economic class divisions are put aside, like when Cherry and Pony befriend one another, that there is any real chance of things changing. 

Another theme could be honor and bravery take many forms. Ponyboy sees that both Johnny and Dally are honorable and brave, real examples for old-fashioned Southern gentlemen. Still, the two boys couldn't be more different. Johnny died a child-saving hero and Dally a rotten hoodlum. Still, in examining their lives and deaths, Ponyboy shows how honor and bravery can be demonstrated in vastly different ways. 

How has Shakespeare added tension between the characters in Act I, Scene 3, of The Merchant of Venice?

Act I, Scene 3, is when the stakes are set up for Shylock's loan to Antonio. Shylock loans Antonio 3,000 ducats, which Antonio gives to Bassanio to finance his pursuit of Portia. Shylock lends the money without interest, with the stipulation that Antonio sign a contract allowing Shylock to extract a pound of his flesh should he be unable to repay the debt. Though Shylock acts as though this part of the bargain is just a joke, Bassanio, and most audience members, are concerned. After all, at the end of the scene they get the deal notarized, making it legally binding. Additionally, most of the scene involves Antonio and Shylock arguing about interpretations of Bible verses, their different moneylending practices, and their conflicts with one another's religion. This is also the scene when Shylock gives several asides to the audience that explain his hatred of Antonio and Antonio's cruel treatment of him in the past. All in all, the scene is full of interpersonal strife that culminates in a dangerous loan that provides the main conflict of the play. 

What transforms the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet into a moment of great poignancy?

The balcony scene, one of the most beautiful in all of Shakespeare's plays,  is especially poignant because the audience knows from the Prologue that the love between these two young people is doomed, and that it will consume the two of them. They are "star cross'd lovers" who are destined to "take their life" due to their love. So in this scene, where the two lovers declare their love and devotion to each other, even planning to marry, the audience knows that it won't work out. Even Romeo and Juliet themselves are conscious of the realities of their relationship. Romeo says that his name is "hateful to myself" because it makes him Juliet's enemy. Juliet, before realizing that Romeo is listening in the garden, hopes that he can "deny his father" or that perhaps she can disavow her own name. The audience knows that neither of them can actually deny who they are, however, and their love will be consumed by the rivalry between their two feuding families. This is why this scene, full of the most tender expressions of love, is so sad and powerful. 

What are some points showing Juliet's maturity?

Juliet consistently shows a maturity well beyond her age. Once she falls in love with Romeo, she becomes a determined woman willing to risk everything to follow her heart. In the famous balcony scene, she renounces her own family heritage if it means she can be with Romeo. She sees the foolishness of hatred because of a name alone. She can see past the feud.

Juliet remains loyal to Romeo, even after he kills Tybalt. Though for a moment she is conflicted about the death of her cousin, she soon quickly realizes the positive aspect of the situation:

My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain,

And Tybalt's dead, that would have slain my husband.

All this is comfort (Act III, Scene 2, lines 105-107).

Juliet bravely accepts the Friar’s dangerous plan, facing her fears as she drinks the Friar’s potion. She would rather die than marry Paris, and she is ready to take her own life if the Friar’s plan does not work.

In the final scene, Juliet makes good on her promise. When she sees Romeo is dead, she kills herself because she refuses to live without him.

Juliet’s strong will, determination, and courage all point to the deep maturity she exhibits throughout the play.

In The Metamorphosis, what mixed feelings does Gregor experience when learning that his family has money?

Great question! In the book The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor eventually realized that his family saved some money.

Before his transformation, Gregor worked long hours to completely provide for his family’s financial needs. Although Gregor did not enjoy his job and wished he could quit, Gregor continued to work until he no longer could (due to his transformation). As the text reveals:

"Gregor later earned so much money that he was in a position to bear the expenses of the entire family, expenses which he, in fact, did bear. They had become quite accustomed to it, both the family and Gregor as well. They took the money with thanks, and he happily surrendered it, but the special warmth was no longer present."

As a result, Gregor became greatly worried about his family’s financial affairs after his transformation. Gregor believed that his family had no savings and that his family was incapable of working. Thus, he appeared greatly excited when he realized that his family saved some money. However, he also appeared somewhat dismayed due to the fact that he could have quit his job sooner had he known about the savings. As the text shows:

“Gregor, behind his door, nodded eagerly, rejoicing over this unanticipated foresight and frugality. True, with this excess money, he could have paid off more of his father’s debt to his employer and the day on which he could be rid of this position would have been a lot closer, but now things were doubtless better the way his father had arranged them.”

Thus, Gregor experienced some mixed reactions when he learned about his family’s financial situation. Although he was excited that they had some financial provision, he wished that he could have paid off his father’s debt to his employer and quit his burdensome job faster.

What was the bloodiest American battle?

The Meuse-Argonne offensive in WWI killed over 26,000 Americans, so this would be the bloodiest battle.  The battle lasted 47 days from September 26, 1918 to November 11, 1918, when an armistice ended WWI.  Americans lost a great deal in this offensive because they were more aggressive than the British and French who had learned from four years of trench warfare.  American troops suffered due to their inexperience and their attacks against German machine gun nests.  

The bloodiest battle on American soil would have to be the battle of Gettysburg, which took place July 1-3, 1863.  This Civil War battle killed over eight thousand men, both Union and Confederate.  It marked the high point of the Confederate army and the farthest advance into Union territory by a major Confederate army.  The bloodiest single day in American history is the battle of Antietam which took place September 17, 1862 where over three thousand Americans died.  

In Sherman Alexie's "What You Pawn I Will Redeem," how is Jackson alienated from the community? How does he respond?

In "What You Pawn I Will Redeem," Jackson is alienated from his community in a number of ways. He is an Interior Salish Native American from Spokane who left his hometown for college, then dropped out and developed an undiagnosed mental illness that eventually resulted in his homelessness. He describes himself as invisible in Seattle because he is one of so many homeless Native American people. Additionally, the owner of the pawn shop in which he finds his grandmother's powwow regalia refuses to return it at first and argues that the police wouldn't help him due to disbelieving him. Jackson is thus physically alienated from his Salish community because he left for Seattle with no means of returning, and is an invisible, disrespected member of his local community due to his mental illness and homelessness. As a mentally ill alcoholic, he primarily responds to his alienation in the form of excessive drinking.

Why does Steinbeck make Lennie and George have such a strong friendship in Of Mice and Men? What is he trying to show the reader?

The friendship of Lennie and George began some time previously to the story’s beginnings. George had promised Lennie’s aunt that he would take care of Lennie. In this way, George becomes Lennie’s protector, often from Lennie’s own actions. Lennie looks to George to do the hard thinking for both of them. Their plan to buy their own place (with rabbits) is symbolic of their friendship. The world is a troubled place, which provides little protection for someone alone in the world, especially someone that is different. Their friendship serves as a fortress from those who would take away whatever strength they have together as friends.

Steinbeck uses this friendship to showcase the plight of the common man in contemporary America. During the Depression, people were faced with trouble and tragedy, usually out of no fault of their own. It is only in friendship, relying on each other, that there can be any comfort in this world. Lennie and George thus serve as Everyman, in which the reader can identify his/her own need for friendship, rather than facing life’s troubles alone.

What is the people's initial reaction to Mr. Hooper's veil in "The Minister's Black Veil"?

When the Reverend Mr. Hooper first appears with the black veil upon his face, the congregation is "wonder-struck."

Some wonder if he is not really Mr. Hooper, but another minister. Others express their dislike for the veil, saying that it gives them negative feelings. "I can't really feel as if good Mr. Hooper's face was behind that piece of crepe," says the sexton as the minister passes. An older woman mutters that the minister has transformed himself into "something awful, only by hiding his face." Goodman Gray exclaims, "Our parson has gone mad!"

Much like Hester Prynne  of The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by the same author, there is in the Reverend Mr. Hooper, "a sympathetic knowledge of the hidden sin in others' hearts." The variety of these hidden sins are evinced by the various reactions of the members of the congregation throughout the story. Certainly, these Puritans, for which sin is a constant topic of conversation, become uncomfortable and uncertain by the appearance of the veil on Mr. Hooper. For, they begin to wonder what guilt he may be hiding, or, perhaps what he has seen or what he does see in them presently that he wishes not to reveal.

Why is buoyant force that acts on a 46-ton ship that floats on the surface equal to 44-ton?

What you have stated in your question is not correct.

When an object is placed in water, a part of it sinks below the surface. This displaces a volume of water that is equal to the volume of the submerged portion. The displacement of water creates a buoyant force equal to the weight of water displaced. The buoyant force acts in the upward direction on the object that has been placed in water. If the buoyant force is equal to the weight of the object it floats. It should be noted that the object does not float on the surface of the water—a part of it has to be under the surface. For an object to float on the surface, its density would have to be less than that of water.

The density of a ship with the weight of 46 ton is not likely to be less than that of water. As a result, the ship does not float on the surface of water. A portion of the ship has to be submerged in the water, and the buoyant force created due to this would have to be equal to 46 ton. Else, the ship would not be able to remain afloat in water and would sink to the bottom.

A 46-ton ship that remains afloat on water has a buoyant force acting on it equal to 46 ton. A buoyant force of just 44 ton would lead to the ship sinking in water. Also, the ship does not float on the surface of water. A large portion of the ship is submerged in the water.

In "Gathering Blue," who wants to create a song for Kira?

The answer to your question lies in Chapter 18. There, we discover that Jo wants to write a new song for Kira.

In the story, Jo has been assigned to prepare for her eventual role of Singer. She is an orphan and is described as "hardly more than a toddler." However, her exceptionally beautiful voice has led to her being chosen as the next Singer. Like previous new "artists," Jo is locked in her room at night; as a Singer-in-training, she is forced to learn new songs every day. In Chapter 15, we discover that Thomas has carved a key that will unlock any door in the Edifice; this is the key he and Kira use to unlock Jo's door when they slip in to see her at night.

In Chapter 18, during a visit, Jo offers to make a new song for Kira. In reply, Kira cautions that they must be quiet on their visits so as not to alert the authorities to their nightly get-togethers. Jo understands this and maintains that, one day, when she gets the chance to, she will sing her new song for Kira "horrid loud." They both discuss the upcoming Gathering, and Jo proudly proclaims that she will be right up front during the event. The exchange ends with Jo asserting that, when she is Singer, she will be able to make her own songs again.

Did the main characters of Three Men in a Boat run into any problems or adventures?

This answer depends on what you consider to be a problem or an adventure. The narrator of this book can create full-blown and major stories from even the smallest incident. Most of the memorable ones related here are tales from the past that he or his friends remember. Truth be told, the events of the river trip itself are fairly tame. And the problems they have are often ones they cause themselves. Harris falls into the hamper at the end of Chapter VII. George and Harris get tangled up when they put up the canvas and hoops tent over the boat in Chapter X. Harris turns out not be able to cook scrambled eggs in Chapter XI. When they stop for lunch in Chapter XII, they can’t open a can of pineapple. Montmorency gets stared down by a cat in Chapter XIII, and the men go shopping for groceries in this chapter, too. Harris gets drunk and supposedly fights off a flock of swans at the end of Chapter XIV. In Chapter XVI, the group is towed by a steam launch owned by some of the narrator’s friends. George and J. have some entertainment involving a large trout on display at an inn in Chapter XVII. Perhaps a key observation comes in Chapter XVIII, when the narrator says: “Little mishaps, that you would hardly notice on dry land, drive you nearly frantic with rage, when they occur on the river.” So too can the most minor encounter seem like a terrific adventure, especially in the telling afterward.

In Shakespeare's time, what were the audience members who stood closest to the stage during a performance called?

When plays took place at the Elizabethan theatre, those people who stood near the stage in the central inner area were called the groundlings. 

The groundlings were all those people in attendance who were not well-to-do as the wealthier people sat in covered galleries around the stage. These ground spectators stood in the yard around the platform stage which was without a front curtain, making the exits and entrances of the actors visible to all. Action and excitement was demanded by the audiences, but they also loved the music of good language. They responded to the beauty and grandeur of verse spoken by the main characters, as well as the puns and word games. Of course, they also delighted in physical comedy.

Shakespeare often began his plays with an initial scene in which there was vigorous action that would grab the groundlings' attention. Boisterous humor was also often used to hold the attention of these people.
The opening scene of Romeo and Juliet, for instance, fulfills both the demand for action and ribald humor as the servants of the House of Capulet make several puns on the words collier, choler, and collar--

Gregory. No, for then we should be colliers [coal-dealers].
Sampson. I mean, an [if] we be in choler [anger], we'll draw---

before they quarrel with the servants of the Montagues and then engage in an exciting sword fight.

NH3 is very polar, whereas NF3 is almost nonpolar. Why?

What we are really talking about here is electronegativity.  Electronegativity is a measure of an element's ability to attract neighboring electron density.  When looking at the periodic table, electronegativity increases across a row and going up in a column.  That means that electronegativity increases as you move to the upper right of the table and decreases as you move to the lower left.  Polarity within a molecule increases when neighboring atoms within the molecule have large differences in electronegativity.  NH3 (ammonia) contains a central nitrogen flanked by three hydrogens.  Nitrogen and hydrogen are far apart from each other on the periodic table which means that they have very different electronegativity values which in turn means ammonia is a polar molecule.  NF3, on the other hand, contains nitrogen and fluorine which are close to one another on the periodic table and therefore have similar electronegativity values which in turn means that NF3 is a very non-polar compound.

What is the context and nature of Portia's remark about a mocker in The Merchant of Venice?

At the beginning of Act 1 scene 2, we are introduced to Portia and her handmaiden, Nerissa, who is also a friend and confidante, who are in conversation about Portia's deceased father's decision to will that his daughter's future spouse should be the result of a lottery that he has devised. Portia is quite upset about the arrangement since she has no choice in the matter but has decided to respect her father's wishes lest she forfeit her inheritance.

Since Portia is about to inherit considerable wealth and is beautiful and intelligent to boot, the lottery has encouraged many suitors to come to Belmont and try their luck. The situation at this point is that no less than six suitors have arrived. Portia has obviously met and conversed with them and has formulated an opinion about each. During their discussion, Nerissa asks her:

But what 
warmth is there in your affection towards any of 
these princely suitors that are already come?

Portia then proceeds to describe each suitor. In all instances, she seems to be quite cynical and points out each gentleman's negative traits. The reference to 'mocker' is made when Nerissa asks her about the French Lord, Monsieur Le Bon. Portia responds:

God made him, and therefore let him pass for a man. 
In truth, I know it is a sin to be a mocker: but, 
he! why, he hath a horse better than the 
Neapolitan's, a better bad habit of frowning than 
the Count Palatine; he is every man in no man; if a 
throstle sing, he falls straight a capering: he will 
fence with his own shadow: if I should marry him, I 
should marry twenty husbands. If he would despise me 
I would forgive him, for if he love me to madness, I 
shall never requite him.

It is evident that Portia does not like the lord much and questions his manliness, conceding only that since he has been created as a man, she has to accept him as such. She acknowledges that it is sinful to 'to be a mocker,' that is, to make fun of others (a possible indication of deeply entrenched religious values), but says that the monsieur displays such silly behavior that she cannot help herself.

Portia's speech indicates that the lord was showing off for her so much—fencing 'with his own shadow' and dancing at the sound of a bird's song—that she wasn't able to get a sense of who he really is—'he is every man in no man.'

Portia expresses concern that if she should be compelled via the lottery to marry him, she would have her hands full. She is also frank about the fact that even if he should love her madly, it would be impossible for her to return his affection.

Where in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird does it talk about Mayella offering Tom Robinson a nickel?

The idea that Mayella offered Tom a nickel for his services is presented twice in To Kill a Mockingbird.  In her testimony against Tom Robinson (Chapter 18), Mayella states that she offered Tom a nickel to "bust a chiffarobe" and that when he came into the house to do so, he instead chose to attack her.  According to that story, Bob Ewell happened on the scene shortly thereafter.

In Tom's testimony in Chapter 19, he addresses the idea that Mayella offered him a nickel.  He states that she did offer him a nickel the previous spring, but that he chopped up the piece of furniture that she requested without taking the nickel.  As for the night in question (the night of Mayella's alleged rape), Tom stated that he honored Mayella's request to help her fix a door, and that she, in turn, kissed him.  It was then that Bob Ewell arrived on the scene.

Thus, the nickel comes up in both testimonies (Mayella's in Chapter 18 and Tom's in 19), albeit in two different ways.

What does the following simile mean? "It increased my fury as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage."

A simile is a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two different things.

In this example from Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," it's important to look at the lines that came before the simile to fully grasp the simile's true meaning:  

And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over-acuteness of the sense? --now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man's heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.

Here, Poe compares the narrator's escalating anger at discovering the old man's heart still beating to that of a soldier's ascending courage at the sound of a military drum. The drum stimulates the soldier's courage and quells any fear or hesitation before he goes into war. Likewise, the beating sound of the old man's heart triggers the narrator's rage. Poe uses the solider-and-drum simile to illustrate the narrator's frustration at the familiar sound of the old man's beating heart.

How are the UN and the USA involved in the Israel v Palestine conflict? What are they doing to help?

The UN and the US have had a vital role in the Israel-Palestine conflict since the beginning, though it is controversial whether they have made the situation better or worse. Some people blame the UN for creating the conflict in the first place, while others believe that UN support is what has kept the conflict from conflagration into a much larger and bloodier war.

The US government considers Israel a vital ally, and as a result supports them with huge amounts of foreign aid, much of it in the form of military equipment and technology. The US also frequently uses its veto power in the UN Security Council to veto UN resolutions that US officials perceive to be against Israel's interests.

The UN on the other hand is quite divided on the issue, probably because the UN consists of over 200 member nations whose people and governments often have wildly diverging opinions. Sometimes the UN passes resolutions that favor Israel, other times resolutions that favor Palestine, and still other times resolutions that seek compromise between both sides. When resolutions favor Israel they are almost always supported by the US (though sometimes vetoed by other countries), while resolutions that favor Palestine are almost always vetoed by the US.

The UN has passed only a handful of resolutions directly related to the conflict: In 1947 they endorsed the plan to partition Israel and Palestine. After the Six-Day War in 1967, they also passed a resolution requiring Israel to withdraw from occupied territories and establish a "just settlement"---but this was too vague to carry any real force. Similarly in 1978, the UN ordered Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. In 1990 the UN held a peace conference in the Middle East hoping to reconcile Israel and Palestine and prevent the rise of the Gulf War... which obviously they failed to do on both counts.

Because the US has such global military and economic hegemony, they are frequently called upon to negotiate peace treaties between Israel and Palestine, but Palestinians usually perceive them as adopting a pro-Israel bias, and not without reason, given how much aid the US gives to Israel. As political leaders have come and gone in each country, relations between the three nations have ranged from conciliatory to ambivalent to outright hostile. In good times the US has successfully negotiated a number of ceasefires and peace treaties between different Israeli and Palestinian factions, but they never seem to last in bad times.

Overall I think the US and the UN are genuinely trying to achieve peace, but aren't really sure how to do so, and are subject to their own interests and internal conflicts. There's so much bitterness and distrust between the two sides, and such a long history of violence, that achieving a lasting peace has remained out of reach.

`f(x) = arcsinx- 2arctanx` Find any relative extrema of the function

This function is defined on `[-1, 1]` and is continuously differentiable on `(-1, 1).` Its derivative is

`f'(x) = 1/sqrt(1 - x^2) - 2/(1 + x^2).`

Let's solve the equation  `f'(x) = 0:`

`1/sqrt(1 - x^2) = 2/(1 + x^2),` both sides are non-negative, hence it may be squared:

`1/(1 - x^2) = 4/(1 + x^2)^2,` which is equivalent to

`1 + 2x^2 + (x^2)^2 = 4 - 4x^2,`  or  `(x^2)^2 + 6x^2 - 3 = 0.`

This gives us `x^2 = -3 +- sqrt(9 + 3),` it must be non-negative so only "+" is suitable.

Thus `x^2 = -3 + sqrt(12) = sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3))` which is `lt1,` and `x_(1,2) = +-sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3))) approx +-0.68.`

Now consider the sign of `f'(x).` Near `x=+-1` it tends to `+oo` and therefore is positive, at `x=0` it is negative. Therefore `f(x)` increases from `-1` to `-sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3))),` decreases from `-sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3)))` to `+sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3)))` and increases again from `+sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3)))` to `1.`

The answer: ` f(-1)` is a local one-sided minimum, `f(1)` is a local one-sided maximum, `f(-sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3))))` is a local maximum and `f(sqrt(sqrt(3)(2 - sqrt(3))))` is a local minimum.

How does Captain Beatty describe the role of the firemen in this society?

Beatty claims that the firemen are the guardians of society, protecting people from being unhappy.

When Montag sees the woman commit suicide with her books, he wonders about the meaning of it all. What is so great about books that a person would do such a thing? Montag steals a book, and falls into a deep depression as he ponders the very meaning of his existence and his role in the world.

Montag’s boss, Captain Beatty, is well aware of what is going on. He goes to Montag’s house when he calls in sick and lectures him on the importance of eliminating books in society. Without books, everyone can be happy. Beatty previously explained to the woman that the books do not agree with one another. They are dangerous. He tells Montag that a fireman’s job is to protect society.

We stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought. … Don't let the torrent of melancholy and drear philosophy drown our world. We depend on you. I don't think you realize how important you are, to our happy world as it stands now. (Part I)

Montag is not convinced. He wants to know what is in the books. He also questions Beatty’s claim that the firemen were founded by Benjamin Franklin and have always burned books. Beatty tells Montag that society slowly evolved into a book-free zone as people were more and more unhappy.

What the firemen really do is terrorize people. Clarisse comments that people are afraid of firemen. They come in the night and burn up your house. The houses are fireproof, but not what’s inside them. People inform on each other, like Mildred does to Montag, and the firemen set the Mechanical Hound on them. It is hardly an existence dominated by happiness.

What was the reason for the Spanish Armada? Why was Spain willing to invade England?

The Spanish Armada was one of the largest naval fleets in history. It was assembled and deployed by the government of Spain in 1588 in an (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to conquer England.

Spain had many reasons to dislike England, and, during that period, conquering countries you didn't like was a relatively common activity. Today we might file a motion with the UN or negotiate a trade agreement, but back then the usual choice was to deploy a naval fleet, so that is what Spain did.

One of the main reasons was that England was Protestant and Spain was Catholic, so many other countries across Europe effectively "took sides" in this theological divide. The infamous Spanish Inquisition, where members of the Catholic Church investigated and punished all non-Catholic "heretics" they found, occurred during this time.

England, on the other hand, tried to spread Protestantism across Europe, particularly in Holland, which was controlled by Spain but seeking independence.

There was also a strategic reason for Spain's attempted invasion of England: King Phillip II wanted to deploy troops to Holland to secure Spanish control there, but knew the English Navy would resist a deployment if he transported them by sea across the English Channel. King Phillip II could not send military by land, either, as the troops would pass through France, angering the French in the process.

England was also employing privateers (a cross between mercenaries and pirates) such as Francis Drake to plunder goods from Spanish ships, particularly silver. This gave Spain an economic motive as well.

Write a short letter to a friend. Describe what you have learned about the separation of powers and checks and balances. Tell why you think these...

When writing such a letter, it would be important to consider the following. First, you might look at some of the historical origins of the concept of separation of powers. The development of Parliament in England is an important example of this, one which was described by the most famous advocate of separation of powers in government, a French philosopher named the Baron de Montesquieu. Then you would want to look at how the U.S. Constitution actually implements separation of powers and checks and balances. Power in the U.S. federal government is divided between an executive branch (the president and cabinet and independent agencies), Congress (both the House of Representatives and the Senate) and the judiciary (the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts). This is established in the Constitution, which goes further by giving each branch of government some powers to "check" the powers of the others. For example, the President can veto laws passed by Congress, but Congress has the power to impeach and remove the President for committing crimes while in office. Obviously, the idea was to keep any one branch from becoming too dominant, and the people within them from becoming too powerful. This is why the concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances are so important, and the letter you write should discuss how this works, with perhaps some other examples of "checks." 

Why did Jordan say she liked Nick in Chapter Three of The Great Gatsby?

By Chapter Three of The Great Gatsby, Jordan Baker and Nick Carraway have spent quite some time together and are gradually getting to know each other. Nick remembers a story that he had heard about Jordan's first big golf tournament and how she may have moved her ball in the semi-finals; he realizes that she prefers to avoid clever men because of this, feeling that it's safer. Nick decides that Jordan is "incurably dishonest" and unable to "endure being at a disadvantage." Meanwhile, he describes himself as "one of the few honest people that I have ever known." 

They are driving together one day when Nick comments on her terrible driving; Jordan spits back that she is sure other people are more careful and that they will keep out of her way. Nick asks, "Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself," and Jordan proclaims, "I hope I never will...I hate careless people. That's why I like you." 

Despite knowing about these poor character traits, Nick is enchanted by this statement, and declares that "for a moment I thought I loved her."

Why does Fitzgerald call Gatsby "The Great Gatsby"? What specific qualities does the narrator seem to like or dislike about him? How does the...

Calling Jay Gatsby the "Great" Gatsby sort of elevates the man to mythic status.  Whenever the word is appended to someone's name, they begin to sound larger than life, like they are capable of things of which regular human beings are not capable.  This is appropriate given Nick Carraway, the narrator's, feelings about him.  Nick admires Gatsby's "extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as [Nick had] never found in any other person and which it is not likely [he] shall ever find again."  Gatsby was a dreamer, someone who believed in impossible things, and that makes him a kind of innocent (even though he did illegal things).  

It is Gatsby's ability to dream and his supreme willingness to believe in the possibility of his dreams that made him "'worth the whole damn bunch [of everybody else] put together,'" according to Nick.  Gatsby is "great" because he is capable of things that regular human beings are not: he retains an innocence and a hope that others cannot.

In the novel That Was Then, This Is Now, how does Bryon "get even" with himself?

In Chapter 11, Bryon is laying down reading a book when his mother says to him,

"Bryon, you got even with Mark for Cathy, then you got even with Cathy for Mark. When are you going to stop getting even with yourself?" (Hinton 156).

The traumatic events that Bryon has witnessed and life-altering decisions he has made have left him emotionless and callous. Bryon is no longer the same person he was after he sees M&M experiencing a bad acid trip. Byron is also haunted by the memory of Mike Chambers and stricken with guilt over the death of Charlie. When he discovers that Mark has been selling pills, he calls the authorities because he is sick of seeing innocent people hurt by others. Bryon feels guilty and confused about telling on Mark and gets even with himself by breaking up with Cathy. Bryon neglects the girl he loves and begins to live in a "shell." He becomes reclusive and does not care about having fun or interacting with others. Bryon essentially feels like he's ruined every relationship he's cherished and feels extremely depressed. His introvert personality and melancholy mood are also ways in which he attempts to get even with himself.

What is the lesson of "A Poison Tree" by William Blake?

One lesson of "A Poison Tree" is that if you hold onto your anger and nourish it, it will grow and hurt someone--in the case of this poem, it hurts an enemy, but in other cases, it can hurt the person who is angry, too. The poem is an extended metaphor in which anger is described as a tree. 

In the poem, the narrator does not tell his foe that he is angry, so he says, "...my wrath did grow" (Blake line 4).  As a tree needs sunshine and water to grow and thrive, the narrator nourishes his anger, saying, "And I sunned it with smiles/And with soft deceitful wiles" (lines 7-8) and he watered it with tears.  In other words, he is dishonest with the person whom he is angry with, pretending to be friendly, while his anger grows and grows. 

As the tree gets larger, it bears fruit, "an apple bright" (line 10), that his enemy steals into his garden and takes.  Eating this apple, which is the fruit of the narrator's anger, kills the enemy, and the narrator sees "My foe outstretched beneath the tree" (line 16). 

When we are angry and we say what is on our minds and let it go, it loses its power over us and others.  When we hold onto our anger and obsess over it, it is toxic, hurting others, physically or mentally, and even hurting ourselves in body and spirit.  The more we feed our anger, the larger and more harmful it becomes. 

What are four events that foreshadow Sydney Carton's saving the life of Charles Darnay in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens?

In his novel that is replete with doubles, Charles Dickens frequently foreshadows the switch of Sydney Carton for Charles Darnay at the end of the narrative. This foreshadowing occurs in the development of different instances throughout the narrative.

Here are four such instances:

1. In Chapter 3 of Book the Second, Charles Darnay stands before the London court charged with treason for having spoken against King George on the Dover coach. A witness named John Barsad cannot positively identify Darnay because he is unable to distinguish Darnay from the barrister, Sydney Carton, who is sitting at the prosecutor's table. After having asked Barsad to look at both Carton and Darnay, the Attorney-General Stryver asks him,"How say you? Are they very much alike?" When the witness has to admit that they are, indeed, too much alike for him to make a positive identification of one, Stryver is then able to discredit all to which the witness has attested.
The fact that these two men are indistinguishable foreshadows the credibility of their eventual switch so that Carton can save Darnay's life by taking his place at the guillotine.

2. After the trial in Chapter 4 of Book the Second, Carton invites Darnay to share a meal. At a tavern they talk, but Darnay feels as though he is in a dream with his "Double of coarse deportment." Oddly, Carton asks Darnay,

"That's a fair young lady to be pitied and wept for by! How does it feel? Is it worth being tried for one's life, to be the object of such sympathy and compassion, Mr. Darnay?"

This question, of course, is prophetic since this is precisely what will happen to Carton. When he goes to the guillotine for Darnay, Lucie will make him the object of such compassion. 

3. In Chapter 13 of Book the Second, Carton visits Lucie and tells her he will do anything for her and her family: "For you and for any dear to you, I would do anything." Later, he tells her that she has stirred in him the ashes of his old desires to achieve something: "...you have been the last dream of my soul...."
Before he leaves, Sydney tells Lucie to remember him as "a man who would give his life to keep a life you love beside you."

These lines allude to the previous conversation of Carton with Darnay at the tavern and further foreshadow the sacrifice that Carton will make for Darnay, as well as revealing the depth of Carton's feelings.

4. In Chapter 12 of Book the Third, when Sydney Carton enters the wine shop, Madame Defarge mistakes him for Charles Evremonde (Darnay). This act of mistaken identity by the sworn enemy of the Evremondes underscores how closely the two men resemble one another and how it is possible for Carton to replace Darnay in the prison. In fact, in this scene, Carton may well be testing how much he does resemble Charles Darnay. For, if Mme. Defarge looks at him intently, then he can know that his similarity to Darnay is, indeed, very close. This scene also foreshadows Carton's death as Mme. Defarge speaks with vehemence against Charles when her husband asks her if her retribution is not too extreme.

What does Atticus say about a mob in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 16 of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, the morning after the mob scene, Atticus attempts to appease Scout and Jem by explaining that he wasn't in any true danger.

One thing he explains is that "[a] mob's always made up of people, no matter what." Atticus's view is that people always have their good traits and their bad traits. A human being's best traits are his/her abilities to reason and to empathize with others. Hence, in saying the above, Atticus is saying that even members of a mob still have the ability to reason and to empathize.

Atticus further stresses his point that even a mob is made up of rational minds by asserting the following:

So it took an eight-year-old child to bring 'em to their senses, didn't it? ... That proves something--that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human. (Ch. 16)

In speaking of a child bringing the members of the mob to their senses, he is referring to the fact that Scout is the one who broke up the mob by reminding Walter Cunningham of his humanity. She does so inadvertently by asking him to say "hey" for her to his son Walter Cunningham Jr, who is in her class at school. She further inadvertently reminds him of his humanity by pleasantly conversing with him about his entailment, saying, "Entailments are bad," because she remembers Atticus's advice that it was the "polite thing to talk to people about what they were interested in." She further reminds him that Atticus once promised Mr. Cunningham they would "ride" out his entailment together. It is all of these inadvertent gestures of kindness, politeness, and empathy that bring Mr. Cunningham to his senses. He suddenly remembers just how much respect he has for Atticus, squats down, puts his hands on Scout's shoulders, promises to tell Walter Jr. she said "hey," and tells the rest of the mob to clear out.

The fact that Mr. Cunningham comes to his senses is proof that, as Atticus phrases it, "Mr. Cunningham's basically a good man ... he just has his blind spots along with the rest of us." Hence, Mr. Cunningham's behavior serves as proof for Atticus's optimistic view that a mob is still made up of human beings, and human beings will always have the ability to think rationally and to empathize.

What does Paul's choice of sport and Erik's choice of sport say about each one of them?

While Paul chooses soccer, Erik chooses football. I’d argue that the popularity ratings of both sports show differing aspects of the brothers’ personalities.

As of right now, in the United States at least, soccer is not as popular of a sport as American football. In 2013, Gallup reported that 39% of American adults rated football as their favorite sport to watch. Only 4% chose soccer. Though soccer’s popularity is rapidly increasing and many children play on recreational teams, it still does not draw the same enthusiastic crowds in the USA as American football does, especially for major events like the college football playoffs and the Super Bowl. Also, it’s important to remember that Tangerine was written in 1997, a time when soccer’s popularity was even more meager compared to football’s widespread appeal. I think the sports’ wildly different ratings relate to the brothers’ personalities because Erik seeks acclaim. He never acts in a kind or mature way unless his parents are watching, and he enjoys the attention of his crowd of lackeys. It makes sense that he would choose a sport that offers more opportunities to be highlighted and celebrated. In contrast, Paul often does good deeds without asking for any rewards. It makes sense that he would feel happy to play the sport that he loves, not the one that wins him the most glory.

I’d also argue that football allows Erik to have many moments of individual glory. As a placekicker, he doesn’t have to rely on his teammates or display any teamwork and cooperation. He kicks alone and takes the glory for himself. In contrast, soccer doesn’t offer many opportunities for individual glory, since at all times, the players are working together for a common goal. This shows that Paul has a greater sense of community, collaboration, and teamwork than Erik does.

What is the meaning, context and significance of the following quote from Shakespeare's Othello?"Within these three days let me hear thee say...

The quote comes from Act 3, scene 3, and is an instruction from Othello to Iago. In this quite lengthy scene, Iago has managed to persuade Othello into believing that Desdemona and Othello's demoted lieutenant, Cassio, were having an affair. He did this by using innuendo, suggestion, downright lies and by playing on the general's emotions.

At the beginning of the scene, the two men chance upon Desdemona and Cassio talking. Cassio slips away and Iago cries: 'Ha! I like not that.' When Othello asks him what is not to like, he is evasive, piquing the general's interest even more. Othello asks him if it was Cassio that they had seen. He replies that no, he cannot believe that Cassio would slink away so 'guilty-like.' He plants a pernicious seed in the general's mind that Cassio has something to hide.

It had, in fact, been Iago who had advised Cassio to approach Desdemona to petition Othello on his behalf for his reinstatement. Desdemona tells Othello that she had been speaking to a suitor and that it was Cassio. She then starts nagging him about giving Cassio a hearing. The general is clearly upset by Iago's earlier intimations but finally relents, telling his wife that he would listen to him. Desdemona is, however, displeased and tells him that she expects an honest answer from him within three days.

After Desdemona has left, Iago questions Othello about Cassio and whether he knew that Othello was in love with her when they were both seeking her affection. When Othello answers in the affirmative and wishes to know the purpose of his question, he says that he did not know that Cassio had been 'acquainted with her.' Othello then asks about Cassio's honesty. Iago plays word games with him and frustrates the general by not giving him a direct answer. He then gives a speech about the virtue of honesty and one's good name.

Othello insists to know what Iago is thinking but he refuses, supposedly because he does not want to harm anyone's 'good name.' He warns the general about jealousy and tells him to guard against it. The deliberate focus on these terms is obviously to make Othello suspicious and to work him up. Othello then states the following about doubting Desdemona's virtue:

I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And on the proof, there is no more but this,--
Away at once with love or jealousy!

Iago sees in this an opportunity to share his thoughts with Othello and tells him that he does not have proof. He suggests that Othello should watch the interaction between Desdemona and Cassio, for he does not wish to see the general's kindness being abused. He states that it is custom for Venetian women to keep a secret lover. He states further that Desdemona deceived her father and did love Othello when she appeared to be afraid of him. The suggestion is obvious - Desdemona can easily deceive.

Just to make sure that Othello has gotten his message, Iago returns soon after he has left, telling Othello that he should not listen to Cassio for a while and watch his behaviour, especially how he conducts himself with Desdemona. Othello is convinced by Iago's seeming sincerity and says: 

This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings.

He has, clearly, been misled. When Desdemona returns, he has developed a headache and when she wants to wipe his brow with her handkerchief, he pushes it away, letting it fall to the ground. Emilia picks up the napkin and later gives it to Iago who is exceedingly glad about it. He plans to plant it in Cassio's rooms as definite proof of his adulterous affair with Desdemona.

Othello, who has clearly been disturbed by Iago's intimations, returns and threatens his ancient that he would kill him if he is wrongly slandering his wife's name. Iago acts the victim and cries death to honesty since it brings only trouble. Othello asks him to be open and Iago asks how. Othello says he needs ocular proof of Desdemona's infidelity. Iago slyly wants to know if the general means that he actually wants to see her having intercourse. Othello is overwhelmed by the thought and says that he needs a living reason why she is disloyal.

Iago then relates an occasion in which he and Cassio had supposedly been sharing a bed. Cassio, dreaming, and believing he was Desdemona, said, 'Sweet Desdemona, let us be wary, let us hide our loves.' He then kissed Iago passionately and laid his leg over Iago's thigh. Othello is shocked and calls what he hears 'monstrous.' He promises to tear Desdemona into little pieces. It is at this point that Iago decides to play his trump card. 

He asks Othello about a napkin spotted with strawberries. The general replies that it was his first gift to Desdemona and Iago tells him that he had seen Cassio wipe his beard with just such a handkerchief. Othello is completely overwhelmed and convinced that he has been cuckolded. He passionately cries out for blood and goes on his knees, making a sacred vow to take revenge.

Iago  kneels with the general and promises to give his life in service to him. He promises to assist the general in whatever bloody deed has to be performed. Othello expresses his gratitude for Iago's loyalty and service and immediately gives him a task. He has to kill Cassio within three days.

I greet thy love,
Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous,
And will upon the instant put thee to't:
Within these three days let me hear thee say
That Cassio's not alive.

This instruction is significant in that it links with Desdemona's earlier request that Othello should speak to Cassio within three days. He obviously wants to avoid having to speak to him and, if Iago has killed him, he would have had his revenge. Iago promises to do as he is asked but requests that Desdemona not be killed. Othello damns Desdemona and says that he must find a suitable way in which to kill her. It is also at this point that Othello appoints Iago as his lieutenant and Iago promises to be forever in his service. 

How does Scrooge's attitude towards Bob Cratchit and their relationship change at the end of A Christmas Carol?

In Stave One of A Christmas Carol, we meet Scrooge and his employee, Bob Cratchit, for the first time. From their conversation, it is clear Scrooge's attitude towards Bob is cold and uncaring and that their relationship is strained. Scrooge accuses Bob of "picking his pockets," for example, when he asks to take Christmas Day as a vacation. Also, Scrooge expects Bob to work in the cold office without a decent fire to keep his hands warm.

By the final stave of the story, however, Scrooge's attitude has changed significantly. Scrooge gives Bob a pay rise, for instance, and he donates a large turkey to the family for their Christmas Day meal. This kind attitude is coupled with a growing friendship between the two men, demonstrated most clearly by Scrooge's relationship with Tiny Tim, to whom he becomes a "second father."

What is the slave revolt in morality? Why does Nietzsche disapprove of this development?

In Nietzsche's conception, during the Jewish slave revolt in morality, the Jews turned against the idea that only aristocrats were good and instead believed that the powerless were associated with the idea of goodness. Nietzsche describes their ideas as, "Only those who suffer are good, only the poor, the powerless, the lowly are good; the suffering, the deprived, the sick, the ugly, are the only pious people, the only ones saved, salvation is for them alone" (page 17). This is the idea of what he calls ressentiment, or resentment--that the meek shall inherit the earth and that those who suffer and are poor will be saved. The aristocrat and the rich came to be associated with evil and cruelty. Therefore, they were believed to be damned. 

Nietzsche writes that the slave revolt resulted in the Christian idea of the gospel of love, but he warns that this love "grew out of the hatred" (page 18). He asks, "Did Israel not reach the pinnacle of her sublime vengefulness via this very ‘redeemer?'" (page 18). In other words, this form of love, practiced in the Judeo-Christian tradition, was in fact a form of revenge against those it deemed evil.

In addition, he traces the idea of nihilism, or belief in nothing, to the slave revolt. He writes:

"Right here is where the destiny of Europe lies – in losing our fear of man we have also lost our love for him, our respect for him, our hope in him and even our will to be man. The sight of man now makes us tired – what is nihilism today if it is not that?. . . We are tired of man . . ." (page 25).

He believes that the promise of the afterlife has made modern people so indifferent of their present-day happiness that they have slipped into a state of nihilism and a way of life that is dull and uninspiring. He traces this sense of nihilism back to the slave revolt in morality. 

In "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara, how does Squeaky's view of Gretchen change?

Squeaky went from thinking that Gretchen was not genuine to feeling that she could be friends with her when she learned she really could run. 

Squeaky does not like the fact that girls are not honest with each other.  She says that when girls smile at each other, they are not really smiling.  Squeaky and Gretchen do not get along because they are both running in the May Day race, and because Squeaky thinks Gretchen stole her friend. 

Squeaky’s objection to Gretchen is that she tells everyone that she can win the race.  Squeaky takes her running seriously, and she feels like she has that race in the bag. 

So as far as everyone’s concerned, I’m the fastest and that goes for Gretchen, too, who has put out the tale that she is going to win the first-place medal this year. Ridiculous. In the second place, she’s got short legs. In the third place, she’s got freckles. In the first place, no one can beat me and that’s all there is to it. 

She is annoyed that Gretchen and her “sidekicks” act like Gretchen will win the race.  Gretchen is new, and has been hanging around with friends that used to be Squeaky’s.  That hurts.  She feels that Gretchen doesn’t know what she is talking about because she is new.  She is also jealous of Gretchen’s friends. 

Squeaky’s perception of Gretchen changes completely when she comes in second place.  Gretchen is not a poser after all!  She is really a runner.  

And she nods to congratulate me and then she smiles. And I smile. We stand there with this big smile of respect between us. It’s about as real a smile as girls can do for each other, considering we don’t practice real smiling every day … 

Squeaky starts making all kinds of plans for hanging out with Gretchen, because now she has someone who likes running as much as she does.  She even feels like Gretchen can help her train Raymond, because it turns out he can run too.  Squeaky went from feeling lonely to feeling like she has a chance at a real friendship with Gretchen. 

What do you think of Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge? How do you think he should have responded?

In Chapter 23, Bob Ewell sees Atticus outside of the post office and spits in his face. Bob then proceeds to curse at Atticus and challenge him to a fight. When Bob asks Atticus if he is too proud to fight, Atticus says, "No, too old" (134). Atticus displays his tolerance by allowing Bob Ewell to curse at him and then calmly walking away after rejecting Bob's challenge. Throughout the novel, Atticus is a morally upright individual who leads by example. He exercises self-control during adverse situations. Atticus's reaction to Bob Ewell's challenge aligns with his personality and tolerant disposition. He did the right thing by allowing Bob to express his negative feelings toward him without reacting in anger. Atticus understands one cannot fight hate with hate and makes the morally upright decision to walk away. If Atticus retaliated, he would possibly make the situation worse and become a hypocrite in the eyes of his children.

Why is the trial such a big affair in Maycomb?

On the first day of the trial, Jem, Scout, and Dill went to town.  Outside of the courthouse, they found that it was

a gala occasion.  There was no room at the public hitching rail for another animal, mules and wagons were parked under every available tree.  The courthouse square was covered with picnic parties sitting on newspapers, washing down biscuit and syrup with warm milk from fruit jars.

People had come from near and far to witness the trial.  Many of them rode by the Finch house in their wagons as they headed to town.  Miss Maudie thought that all those people going to watch the trial was "like a Roman carnival."  She disapproved of what a spectacle it had become.  

Watching the trial was a form of entertainment.  In the 1930s, there was no television and the town did not have a movie theater.  Maycomb was in a rural area, so there was little to do for entertainment.  The trial was well known because a black man was accused of raping a white woman.  Atticus had also received substantial attention for defending Tom Robinson at the trial.