Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains. CASSIUS: And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf But that he sees the Romans are but sheep. He were no lion, were not Romans hinds. Those that with haste will make a mighty fire Begin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome? What rubbish, and what offal? when it serves For the base matter to illuminate So vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief, Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak this Before a willing bondman: then I know My answer must be made. But I am armed And dangers are to me indifferent. CASCA: You speak to Casca, and to such a man That is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand. Be factious for redress of all these griefs And I will set this foot of mine as far As who goes farthest. CASSIUS: There’s a bargain made. Now know you, Casca, I have moved already Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans To undergo with me an enterprise Of honourable dangerous consequence. And I do know by this, they stay for me In Pompey’s Porch. For now this fearful night There is no stir or walking in the streets; And the complexion of the element In favour’s like the work we have in hand, Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. Background information: Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, known in English as Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and political leader. Together with Caesar and Crassus, Pompey ruled as a member of the first Roman triumvirate. As a leader, Pompey was a capable administer and worked to help Rome grow and prosper. Among other projects, he built a large amphitheater in Rome. This amphitheater was named after him, and its annex became known as Pompey’s Porch. During this time, Pompey married Caesar’s daughter, Julia. After her death, however, Pompey and Caesar began to grow apart, and within a few years, Pompey sided with the senate against Caesar. War followed. In 48 BCE, Pompey’s armies were defeated, and he was murdered by former allies who were afraid of Caesar’s power. Which statement best explains the meaning added by the allusion in this excerpt?
Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace. . . . . . . The study suggests that the importance of social media was in communicating to the rest of the world what was happening on the ground during the uprisings. . . . Data from the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project at least somewhat supports this conclusion with its findings that the majority of Egyptians are not online. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of the total population do not use the internet. When looking specifically at those with a college education, use of social media for obtaining political information is more prevalent than in other segments of the population. Though most of the country is disconnected from the internet, 84% of those who are online say they visit social networking sites for news about Egypt’s political situation. These findings point to social media’s important role in spreading information, but do not necessarily indicate that social media was a mobilizing force in the uprisings. How do the authors use statistics to support their claim?
Read the passage from A Room of One’s Own. For surely it is time that the effect of discouragement upon the mind of the artist should be measured, as I have seen a dairy company measure the effect of ordinary milk and Grade A milk upon the body of the rat. They set two rats in cages side by side, and of the two one was furtive, timid and small, and the other was glossy, bold and big. Now what food do we feed women as artists upon? I asked, remembering, I suppose, that dinner of prunes and custard. What perspective is supported by Woolf’s word choices in the underlined sentence?
Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar . [BRUTUS.] Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. ALL: None, Brutus, none. BRUTUS: Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol: his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy, nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death. [Enter ANTONY and others, with CAESAR’s body] Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony, who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying: a place in the commonwealth—as which of you shall not? With this I depart: that, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death. What is the best summary of this monologue?
Read the excerpt from "A Genetics of Justice” by Julia Alvarez. When the novel came out, I decided to go ahead and risk her anger. I inscribed a copy to both Mami and Papi with a note: "Thank you for having instilled in me through your sufferings a desire for freedom and justice." I mailed the package and—what I seldom do except in those moments when I need all the help I can get—I made the sign of the cross as I exited the post office. Days later, my mother called me up to tell me she had just finished the novel. "You put me back in those days. It was like I was reliving it all," she said sobbing. "I don't care what happens to us! I'm so proud of you for writing this book." I stood in my kitchen in Vermont, stunned, relishing her praise and listening to her cry. It was one of the few times since l had learned to talk that I did not try to answer my mother back. If there is such a thing as genetic justice that courses through the generations and finally manifests itself full-blown in a family moment, there it was. How does the author develop the central idea across these paragraphs?
The sentence "This moment brought to you by dad” can best be described as which type of appeal?
Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. Let us not forget that wise men like Oliver Wendell Holmes and Justice Cardozo voted on cases which upheld both sex and race discrimination in our society. Until 1972, no Supreme Court case ever upheld the claim of a woman in a gender discrimination case. I, like Professor Carter, believe that we should not be so myopic as to believe that others of different experiences or backgrounds are incapable of understanding the values and needs of people from a different group. Many are so capable. As Judge Cedarbaum pointed out to me, nine white men on the Supreme Court in the past have done so on many occasions and on many issues, including Brown . However, to understand takes time and effort, something that not all people are willing to give. For others, their experiences limit their ability to understand the experiences of others. Others simply do not care. Hence, one must accept the proposition that a difference there will be by the presence of women and people of color on the bench. Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar. I simply do not know exactly what that difference will be in my judging. But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage. Which statement from the passage best summarizes the central idea in this excerpt?
What is the definition of anecdotal evidence?
Read Mireille's rebuttal to the counterclaim that Bob Dylan's lyrics cannot be considered literature. Student Work Although it is true that Bob Dylan is primarily a songwriter, I consider his lyrics to be just as good as any poetry . Mireille's teacher has asked her to revise the underlined clause to make it logical and objective. Which is the best revision?
Read this prompt. Create a multimedia presentation about the risk to farmers using standard farming methods such as pesticides, as compared to organic farming techniques. Use research and evidence to support your opinion. Use persuasive techniques and a variety of visual aids in your presentation. What would be the most effective visual aid for this prompt?
Poetry that does not follow a specific form and does not have a set rhyme pattern is known as
Which phrase best describes conflicting perspective in a literary text?
What do the stage directions in a play tell the reader?
Which statement gives evidence for Brutus's tragic flaw in The Tragedy of Julius Caesar ?
Read the definitions. shear = v., to cut sheer = adj., thin soar = v., to fly at a great height sore = adj., feeling pain Which homophones correctly complete the sentence? If you look through the _____ curtains, you can watch the birds _____ over the ocean.
When revising an essay, how can a writer best connect ideas more clearly?
Which motivators are examples of extrinsic motivation? Choose three correct answers.
Read the sentence. Some of the items on my shopping list _ chanterelle mushrooms, white asparagus, and eel _ were impossible to find. Which punctuation should be added in the underlined spaces?
Which type of fallacy uses circular reasoning to support an argument?
In a play, which element related to theme is introduced in act 1, built up in act 2, and resolved in act 3?
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