Category: Writing

In the sentence below, the word myriad (mir’e-ed) means A. many. B. strange. C. complicated. D. strict. “While there
are myriad regulations to protect people who work in noisy environments, there are relatively few governing repeated exposure to
noise outside the workplace.” (Paragraph 4)

How is the central idea that is expressed in paragraph 1 developed in paragraph 2? Use textual evidence to support your response.
story is below
In 1854, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his book
Walden, Or Life in the Woods
, that he “went to the woods because [he] wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life.” Even in the 1850s, this was considered a radical move. At this time, people were moving toward cities, not away from them. Still today, young people who grow up in smaller towns and rural communities tend to move to the bigger cities between the ages of 18 and 25. Big cities have a lot to offer in terms of convenience: shops, restaurants, and entertainment are close at hand. Excitement and glamour abound in a fast-paced world. There is also the anonymity that can come with dense populations.
And yet for all the appeal of cities, the 2018 census shows that small towns and rural communities are experiencing significant growth. There is a trend of younger adults, in their thirties and forties, moving back to their small hometowns or striking out on their own in the country. Thanks to the ubiquity of the Internet, many professionals can work from home in the countryside while their main office remains in the city. Some of these trendsetters are leaving their city jobs behind to try to earn a living by farming or crafting goods by hand.
Relocating to the country is an adjustment and can feel like a grand adventure. Former urbanites must learn new skills and learn to be more self-reliant. For example, grocery stores are fewer and farther between; therefore, a thirty-mile trip to the market if you’re out of milk is a different story. Furthermore, meal delivery services that have become so popular in the last decade often don’t service rural communities, effectively squashing a sushi craving. Without the constant entertainment offerings of the city, simpler pastimes are rediscovered. Hiking, snowshoeing, and boating are all examples of ways to spend time outdoors in the country. Other outdoor activities are chores: gardening, wood splitting, and snow shoveling.
Reasons to make this lifestyle switch can be as varied as the recently transplanted country folk themselves. Some people pine for the more neighborly communities of small towns rather than the impersonal interactions of a fast-paced city. When life is slower, it is sometimes also harder, and neighbors tend to look out for one another and try to lessen each other’s burdens.
Some people want to raise their children in places that feel closer to nature. Trees, creeks, and dirt roads appeal to children’s imaginations, along with the hope of spotting a wild animal passing by.
Some people want to live in a way that feels more eco-conscious, or in a way that reduces their carbon footprint. Some people want to become more self-reliant and self-sufficient, as Thoreau claimed to be. Country living affords people the opportunity to raise and harvest their own food, bake their own bread, sew their own clothes, and build their own homes—with the help and advice of their neighbors, of course.
As with any adventure, there are lessons to be learned. Winters are long and cold, and building a good, hot fire takes practice. There is a different set of dangers in the country than exists in a city, and help can feel light-years away. But it is through those challenges, as in any good adventure, that we learn who we are and become stronger.

The Sniper By Liam O’Flaherty The long June twilight faded into night. Dublin lay enveloped in darkness but for the dim light of the moon that shone through fleecy clouds, casting a pale light as of approaching dawn over the streets and the dark waters of the Liffey. Around the beleaguered Four Courts the heavy guns roared. Here and there through the city, machine guns and rifles broke the silence of the night, spasmodically, like dogs barking on lone farms. Republicans and Free Staters were waging civil war. On a rooftop near O’Connell Bridge, a Republican sniper lay watching. Beside him lay his rifle and over his shoulders was slung a pair of field glasses. His face was the face of a student, thin and ascetic, but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death. He was eating a sandwich hungrily. He had eaten nothing since morning. He had been too excited to eat. He finished the sandwich, and, taking a flask of whiskey from his pocket, he took a short drought. Then he returned the flask to his pocket. He paused for a moment, considering whether he should risk a smoke. It was dangerous. The flash might be seen in the darkness, and there were enemies watching. He decided to take the risk. Placing a cigarette between his lips, he struck a match, inhaled the smoke hurriedly and put out the light. Almost immediately, a bullet flattened itself against the parapet of the roof. The sniper took another whiff and put out the cigarette. Then he swore softly and crawled away to the left. Cautiously he raised himself and peered over the parapet. There was a flash and a bullet whizzed over his head. He dropped immediately. He had seen the flash. It came from the opposite side of the street. He rolled over the roof to a chimney stack in the rear, and slowly drew himself up behind it, until his eyes were level with the top of the parapet. There was nothing to be seen – just the dim outline of the opposite housetop against the blue sky. His enemy was under cover. Just then an armoured car came across the bridge and advanced slowly up the street. It stopped on the opposite side of the street, fifty yards ahead. The sniper could hear the dull panting of the motor. His heart beat faster. It was an enemy car. He wanted to fire, but he knew it was useless. His bullets would never pierce the steel that covered the gray monster. Then round the corner of a side street came an old woman, her head covered by a tattered shawl. She began to talk to the man in the turret of the car. She was pointing to the roof where the sniper lay. An informer. The turret opened. A man’s head and shoulders appeared, looking toward the sniper. The sniper raised his rifle and fired. The head fell heavily on the turret wall. The woman darted toward the side street. The sniper fired again. The woman whirled round and fell with a shriek into the gutter. Suddenly from the opposite roof a shot rang out and the sniper dropped his rifle with a curse. The rifle clattered to the roof. The sniper thought the noise would wake the dead. He stooped to pick the rifle up. He couldn’t lift it. His forearm was dead. “I’m hit,” he muttered. Dropping flat onto the roof, he crawled back to the parapet. With his left hand he felt the injured right forearm. The blood was oozing through the sleeve of his coat. There was no pain–just a deadened sensation, as if the arm had been cut off. Quickly he drew his knife from his pocket, opened it on the breastwork of the parapet, and ripped open the sleeve. There was a small hole where the bullet had entered. On the other side there was no hole. The bullet had lodged in the bone. It must have fractured it. He bent the arm below the wound. The arm bent back easily. He ground his teeth to overcome the pain. Then taking out his field dressing, he ripped open the packet with his knife. He broke the neck of the iodine bottle and let the bitter fluid drip into the wound. A paroxysm of pain swept through him. He placed the cotton wadding over the wound and wrapped the dressing over it. He tied the ends with his teeth. Then he lay still against the parapet, and, closing his eyes, he made an effort of will to overcome the pain. In the street beneath all was still. The armoured car had retired speedily over the bridge, with the machine gunner’s head hanging lifeless over the turret. The woman’s corpse lay still in the gutter. The sniper lay still for a long time nursing his wounded arm and planning escape. Morning must not find him wounded on the roof. The enemy on the opposite roof covered his escape. He must kill that enemy and he could not use his rifle. He had only a revolver to do it. Then he thought of a plan. Taking off his cap, he placed it over the muzzle of his rifle. Then he pushed the rifle slowly upward over the parapet, until the cap was visible from the opposite side of the street. Almost immediately there was a report, and a bullet pierced the centre of the cap. The sniper slanted the rifle forward. The cap clipped down into the street. Then catching the rifle in the middle, the sniper dropped his left hand over the roof and let it hang, lifelessly. After a few moments he let the rifle drop to the street. Then he sank to the roof, dragging his hand with him. Crawling quickly to his feet, he peered up at the corner of the roof. His ruse had succeeded. The other sniper, seeing the cap and rifle fall, thought that he had killed his man. He was now standing before a row of chimney pots, looking across, with his head clearly silhouetted against the western sky. The Republican sniper smiled and lifted his revolver above the edge of the parapet. The distance was about fifty yards – a hard shot in the dim light, and his right arm was paining him like a thousand devils. He took a steady aim. His hand trembled with eagerness. Pressing his lips together, he took a deep breath through his nostrils and fired. He was almost deafened with the report and his arm shook with the recoil. Then when the smoke cleared, he peered across and uttered a cry of joy. His enemy had been hit. He was reeling over the parapet in his death agony. He struggled to keep his feet, but he was slowly falling forward as if in a dream. The rifle fell from his grasp, hit the parapet, fell over, bounded off the pole of a barber’s shop beneath and then clattered on the pavement. Then the dying man on the roof crumpled up and fell forward. The body turned over and over in space and hit the ground with a dull thud. Then it lay still. The sniper looked at his enemy falling and he shuddered.

What is Nora’s main conflict in the play?
2. What is the opposing force to Nora?
3. Name a specific crisis that occurs in the play.
4. Name the moment of climax in “A Doll’s House”
5. Name the Protagonist and the Antagonist in “A Doll’s House” and explain the difference between a protagonist and an antagonist.

What mood does the setting of the passage create? A: hopeful. B: easygoing. C: tense. D: confused.
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Lafull Screen The clock’s minutes ticked loudly through the small room. Tick-tock! Tick-tock! It was enough to drive a person crazy. The windows were sealed shut, and the hot air made it feel difficult to breathe. A distant alarm clock gave out a faint blare. Someone down the hall slammed a door shut, and a picture that had been hanging on the wall came crashing to the floor.
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These questions are based on the poems,
“Starfish” by Lorna Dee Cervantes and “Sea Stars” by Barbara Hurd
1. What is the author’s perspective in each reading?
2. What is the controlling element in each poem? Why did you choose that poem?
3. Identify 2 dominant literary devices in each poem?

Imagine Jane Smith is in this class and writing her argumentative research paper on social media. Which facts might she want to include in her author bio in order to establish her ethos on the subject?
?      Jane Smith is earning her Associate’s Degree at Macomb Community College and plans to transfer to Wayne State in the fall.
?       She has researched the effects of social media and written several essays on the subject.
?      Jane Smith struggled with social media perception and peer pressure throughout high school.
?      At the age of 20, she began an Instagram account to share images and messages of positivity.
?      None of the above
?      All of the above
——————
If Jane Smith were writing an essay in this class, which of these statements should she avoid using in her essay?
Group of answer choices
A. In my opinion, the benefits of social media have the potential to outweigh the negatives.
B. The benefits of social media have the potential to outweigh the negatives.
C. I feel that while some oversight and regulation is needed, ultimately the responsibility of how social media is used lies with the person holding the account (or their parents).
D. While some oversight and regulation is needed, ultimately the responsibility of how social media is used lies with the person holding the account (or their parents)
E. Answers A and C
F. Answers B and D
——————
True or False: You should simply repeat key ideas from your intro paragraph in your conclusion.
————-
Below is an absolute statement that can’t possibly be true. Using one of the qualifiers from the notes, rephrase this statement make it more accurate.
All teenagers in today’s society suffer depression and anxiety due to increased Internet use and screen time.

Blas Manuel De Luna – “Bent to the Earth”
1. How does the speaker 5-year-old self differ from his current self?
2. What does the poem convey about the life of an immigrant?
3. Why do you think the poem ends with the word, “work”?

Image transcription text
Task: Using the poetic devices below, read the phrase and identify the correct poetic device used. Use the space provided to write the device. Assonance Alliteration Rhyme Metaphor Simile Imagery Consonance Personification 1. on a proud round cloud in white high night: 2. Andrew patted the pony: 3. He struck a streak of bad luck: 4. She’s all states, and all princes, I… 5. “Have you got a brook in your little heart, Where bashful flowers blow, And blushing birds go down to drink, And shadows tremble so?” : 6. “Oh my luve is like a red, red rose”: 7. “The people along the sand All turn and look one way. They turn their back on the land. They look at the sea all day.” 8. The golden rays of the setting sun reflected upon the clear waters of the lake.
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Match the following terms with their description. (There are more terms than descriptions.) 18 marks ALLITERATION A. AN EXPRESSION THAT DESCRIBES OR IMPLIES A COMPARISON BETWEEN A PERSON. PLACE OR THING. IMAGERY 8. WHEN THE WRITER DESCRIBES AN ANIMAL. AN OBJECT OR THING AS IF IT WERE A PERSON METAPHOR C. A short passage, usually only a single sentence, summarizing the argument of an essay. report or article ONOMATOPOEIA D. THE REPETITION OF THE SAME CONSONANT SOUNDS PERSONINCATION E. AN EXPRESSION THAT DESCRIBES OR DIRECTLY COMPARES A PERSON, PLACE OR DING BY COMPARING IT TO SOMETHING ELSE USING THE WORDS “LIKE” OR “AS”. RHYME F. A TECHNIQUE A WRITER USES TO CREATE PICTURES IN THE READER’S MIND AND TO APPEAL TO THE SENSES OF TOUCH, TASTE. SMELL, OR HEARING Simile G. WORDS WHOSE SOUND MAKES YOU THINK OF THEIR MEANING. Thesis H. WORDS THAT SOUND ALIKE.
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Jesus made many absolute statements such as the following:
John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (NIV).
Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Interacting with these statements and the info below, how would you answer someone who is concerned that Christianity portrays that Jesus is the only way to salvation?
One-Way Salvation
Due in part to cultural sensitivities and modern desires for inclusive belief systems, there exists an aversion to religious exclusivity. For many cultures, religion is widely accepted as a societal good in so far as one’s religious affiliation promotes peace, civility, inclusion, and nondiscriminatory policies. There exists a skepticism, however, to any concept that Jesus—or any religion, system, or person, for that matter—could be the only way one finds salvation. While Christianity does promote societal and human flourishing, one cannot sever its doctrinal commitment of one-way salvation from the ethical practices it promotes. If Jesus is the only way, it follows that no other religious person or system qualifies as a viable option. An honest examination of the Bible presents a clear statement about the one-way salvation, which is only found in Jesus.
All world religions contain some form of exclusivity in their claims. For example, Hinduism offers liberation from the death and life cycle for those who follow its teachings. Islam believes it exclusively offers the hope of obtaining Allah’s mercy through submission to his will. Buddhism’s goal, on the other hand, is the emptying of self. Christianity is unique among the major religions, as it uniquely proclaims that one can be brought back into right relationship with the God of the universe through the work of Jesus Christ (Migliore, 2004). Thus, when it comes to exclusive claims, Christianity is not alone. In Christianity, exclusivity means that personal faith in Jesus Christ is the only way one can be saved.
Two significant passages demonstrate the exclusivity of Jesus Christ for salvation: John 14 and Acts 4. Of Jesus’s claims, perhaps his most controversial occurs in John 14, a text rich in significance when examining intellectual and experiential obstacles to wisdom. In order to understand the context of John 14, one must first grasp the significance of the experiential drama among his disciples. There, in John 13, Jesus informed his beleaguered disciples of three significant movements that certainly would have disrupted their communal peace. After washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus informed them of his impending departure (Jesus’s reference to his death), he alerted his disciples that one of the disciples (Judas) was going to betray him, and finally, the disciples heard the foretelling of Peter’s impending thrice denial of Jesus (John 13:38). John 14 begins with Jesus’s comforting words to troubled hearts, as the revelations mentioned in John 13 certainly challenged their outlook. Jesus promised his disciples of his intentions to leave Earth and secure their future home, and then he promised to return to gather his people for their eternal destiny with him. To this announcement, Thomas, sometimes referred to as “Doubting Thomas,” interjects: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (John 14:5). Jesus’s answer to this question goes to the heart of Christianity’s claim of one-way salvation. In the following verse, Jesus responded, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” As one commentator observed, “John 14:6 is one of those verses that are difficult not because we do not understand them but because we understand them all too well” (Kaiser, Davids, Bruce, & Brauch, 1996, p. 500). Jesus’s unambiguous statement does not allow seekers or skeptics to subvert his claims to be the sole way to the Father. Any gospel presentation void of the exclusivity of Jesus for salvation is not the Christian gospel.
Another significant passage is found in Acts 4. At this point in biblical chronology, Jesus had ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:9-11) after a period of verifying his resurrection to various groups of people (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). In Acts 4, Peter and John were on trial before the Sanhedrin, a religious court. These two were arrested because of their preaching ministry, detailed by Luke in the previous chapter and in the beginning verses of Acts 4. During their trial, Peter and John were asked by whose authority they were speaking, teaching, and healing. Clearly, the issue of authority was of first importance, as this question began the interrogation. Peter responded clearly, announcing to his challengers that he and John were under the authority of Jesus, and “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). As noted above, Peter and John were with Jesus when he claimed to be the one way that mankind can be saved, and in their trial, they triumphantly proclaimed Jesus’s teaching. Peter could have chosen other methods of addressing the authority question. Speaking to a Jewish court, he could have discussed Old Testament themes that his accusers would have known well. He could have discussed what it meant to be a child of Abraham or followers of Moses, but instead, Peter narrowly focused his answer on the authority of Jesus as the only one by whom men and women might find salvation.
Jesus the Mediator
On what basis can Jesus claim to be the one way of salvation? The Bible discloses that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) because he is the one mediator between God and man. A mediator is one who seeks to reconcile two opposing parties. In some sense, mediators exist all throughout society, such as when attorneys mediate claims between their clients and the state or when relational disputes are reconciled through the intervention of another. In 1 Timothy 2:5-6, Paul stated, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” Jesus, then, is the one who can reconcile humanity to God, and as Paul noted, he is the only one eligible to fulfill this role. For one to grasp the biblical portrait of Jesus’s mediatorial eligibility and work, one must view the Bible as a whole, noting that since the fall of Adam and Eve into sin (Genesis 3) sinners have been unable to approach God’s presence without going through a mediator.