GED Study Guide for Chemistry

GED Study Guide for Chemistry The GED, or General Education Development Test, is taken in the U.S. or Canada to demonstrate proficiency in high school-level academic skills. The exam most commonly is taken by people who did not complete high school or receive a high school diploma. Passing the GED grants a General Equivalency Diploma (also called a GED). One section of the GED covers science, including chemistry. The test is multiple choice, drawing on concepts from the following areas: The Structure of MatterThe Chemistry of LifeProperties of MatterChemical Reactions The Structure of Matter All substances consist of  matter.  Matter  is anything which has mass and takes up space. Some important concepts to remember about  matter  are: Matter  is made up of one or more of over 92 naturally-occurring  elements.Each  element  is a pure substance, made up of only one type of  atom.An  atom  consists of three types of particles:  protons,  neutrons, and  electrons. An atom does not need to have all three particles, but will always contain at least protons.Electrons  are  negatively charged  particles,  protons  have a positive charge, and  neutrons  do not have an electrical charge.An atom has an inner core called a  nucleus, which is where the protons and neutrons are located. The electrons orbit around the outside of the nucleus.Two main forces hold atoms together. The  electric force  holds the electrons in orbit around the nucleus. Opposite charges attract, so the electrons are drawn to the protons in the nucleus. The  nuclear force  holds the protons and neutrons together within the nucleus. The Periodic Table The  periodic table  is a chart which organizes the chemical elements. The elements are categorized according to the following attributes: Atomic Number  - number of protons in the nucleusAtomic Mass  - sum of the number of protons plus neutrons in the nucleusGroup  - columns or multiple columns in the periodic table. Elements in a group share similar chemical and physical properties.Period  - rows from left to right in the period table. Elements in a period have the same number of energy shells. Matter can exist in the form of a pure element, but combinations of elements are more common. Molecule  - a molecule is a combination of two or more atoms (could be  from  the same or different elements, such as H2  or H2O)Compound  - a compound is a combination of two or more  chemically-bonded  elements. Generally, compounds are considered to be a subclass of molecules (some people will argue they are determined by the types of chemical bonds). A  chemical formula  is a shorthand way of showing the elements contained in a molecule/compound and their ratio. For example, H2O, the chemical formula for water, shows that two atoms of hydrogen combine with one atom of oxygen to form a molecule of water. Chemical bonds hold atoms together. Ionic Bond  - formed when  an electron transfers  from one atom to anotherCovalent Bond  - formed when two atoms share one or more electrons The Chemistry of Life Life on earth depends on the chemical element  carbon, which is present in every living thing. Carbon is so important, it forms the basis for two branches of chemistry, organic  chemistry  and biochemistry. The GED will expect you to be familiar with the following terms: Hydrocarbons  - molecules that only contain the elements carbon and hydrogen (e.g., CH4  is a hydrocarbon while CO2  is not)Organic  - refers to the chemistry of living things, all of which contain the element carbonOrganic Chemistry  - study of the chemistry of carbon compounds involved in life (so, studying diamond, which is a crystalline form of carbon, isnt included in organic chemistry, but studying how methane is produced is covered by organic chemistry)Organic Molecules  - molecules that have carbon atoms linked together in a straight line (carbon chain) or in a circular ring (carbon ring)Polymer  - hydrocarbons which have chained together Properties of Matter Phases of Matter Each phase of matter has its own chemical and physical properties. The phases of matter you need to know are: Solid  - a solid has a definite shape and volumeLiquid  - a liquid has a definite  volume  but can change shapeGas  - the shape and volume of a gas can change Phase Changes These phases of matter can change from one to another. Remember the definitions of the following phase changes: Melting  - melting occurs when a substance changes from a solid to a liquidBoiling  - boiling is when a substance changes from a liquid to a gasCondensing  - condensation is when  a gas changes  to a liquidFreezing  - freezing is when  a liquid changes  to a solid Physical Chemical Changes The changes that take place in substances may be categorized  in  two classes: Physical Change  - does not produce a new substance (e.g., phase changes, crushing a can)Chemical Change  - produces a new substance (e.g., burning, rusting, photosynthesis) Solutions A solution results from combining two or more substances. Making a solution can produce either a physical or chemical change. You can tell them apart this way: The original substances can be separated from one another if the solution produces only a physical change.The original substances cannot be separated from one another if a chemical change took place. Chemical Reactions A  chemical reaction  is  the process  that occurs when two or more substances combine to produce a chemical change. The important terms to remember are: chemical equation  -  name  was given  to the shorthand used to describe the steps of a chemical reactionreactants  - the starting materials for a chemical reaction; the substances that combine in the reactionproducts  - the substances that are formed as a result of a chemical reactionchemical reaction rate  - the speed at which a chemical reaction occursactivation energy  - the external energy that has to be added in order for a chemical reaction to  occurcatalyst  - a substance that helps a chemical reaction to occur (lowers the activation energy), but does not participate in the reaction itselfLaw of Conservation of Mass  - this Law states that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. The number of reactant atoms of a chemical reaction will be the same as the number of product atoms.

Funny Birthday Card Messages and Quotes

Funny Birthday Card Messages and Quotes Theres not much better  than a spot-on,  hilarious  line  to tickle your funny bone. Everyone wants to wish the birthday person Happy birthday in their own style so why not use some humor? Some people like to use inspirational birthday quotes  to express their good wishes, while  others enjoy making witty comments about birthdays. However, the ones that are always appealing are the funny birthday quotes. Humor can be a great stress-buster, especially if your comedic timing is on point.   How Much Is Too Much? Jokes are always great icebreakers, but what if you cross the threshold of decency? What if your joke, instead of causing ripples of laughter, causes bubbles of fury? To be able to deliver a funny birthday message, you need to be sensitive towards others. If the birthday person has a low tolerance for personal jokes, steer clear of the common pitfalls. That means, no jokes about weight, color, race, gender, or any physical deformity. Politically incorrect humor can boomerang, especially when used in birthday cards. Funny birthday wishes that tease someone about their habits, fears, or idiosyncrasies are usually considered acceptable.Humor also has to be tailored keeping in mind your relation to the birthday person. If you are sending a birthday wish to a very close friend or family member, you can be more wicked in your humor. But you may want to think twice about using dirty humor with your  boss, for example. The Done to Death Humor Some jokes are fun the first time you read them, however, when you read the same joke year after year, you tend to get tired of it it is hard to even smile over the stale joke. If you want to pep up your friend with funny quotes, make sure that you have not used them before. If you cant create your own humor, use the help of random funny quotes to create your own humorous line. Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say Humor is a potent medium of communication, and sometimes you run the risk of over communicating. What does that mean? Well, some jokes are full of innuendo, leaving room for different types of interpretation. So watch out for the ones that take off on a tangent. If you intend to use a pun, make sure that you are not offending anybodys sensibilities. How to Use Funny Birthday Messages To successfully pull off a side-splitting birthday message, heres what to do: Think about the person you are sending the birthday message to, and ask yourself, Whats unique about this person? Perhaps she or he is lazy, a workaholic, perhaps she has many pets or is a stickler for cleanliness. Then use this information to scout around the Internet for funny birthday quotes. Having found one that fits the bill, you can either use the original or tweak it to suit your humor style. That way, youll have an original greeting every time you send out birthday wishes. Famous Funny Birthday Quotes   Bette DavisOld age is not for sissies. ​ Satchel PaigeHow old would you be if you didnt know how old you are?​ Mitch Hedberg I wanted to buy a candle holder, but the store didnt have one. So I got a cake. ​ Doug CouplandHandmade presents are scary because they reveal that you have too much free time. ​ Norman WisdomAs you get older, three things happen: The first is your memory goes, and I cant remember the other two.   Franklin AdamsThe worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other. ​ Al FormanI occasionally get birthday cards from fans. But it’s often the same message: They hope it’s my last. ​ J. P. SearsLet us respect gray hairs, especially our own.​ Maurice ChevalierOld age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative. ​ Benny HillHave you noticed that all the people in favor of birth control are already born? ​ Friedrich NietzscheBlessed are the forgetful: for they get the better even of their blunders. ​ Josh BillingsEvery man has his follies and often they are the most interesting thing he has got. ​ Jane AustenYou have delighted us long enough. I have met a lot of hardboiled eggs in my time, but youre twenty minutes. Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason. ​ Bill CosbyA word to the wise aint necessary its the stupid ones that need the advice. ​ C. E. M. JoadMen are like wine. Some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age. ​ John P. GrierYou are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime. ​ Jim GaffiganPie can’t compete with cake. Put candles in a cake, it’s a birthday cake. Put candles in a pie, and somebody’s drunk in the kitchen. ​ Steven WrightFor my birthday I got a humidifier and a dehumidifier. I put them in the same room and let them fight it out. I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about its use. It is hitting below the intellect. ​ Dorothy ParkerIf you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to. ​ Colonel SandersTheres no reason to be the richest man in the cemetery. You cant do any business from there. ​ Jack HandeyBefore you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.

The Age of Discovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Age of Discovery - Essay Example Specifically, whether the phrase Age of Discovery appropriately describes this era as the most significant age of human discovery; the rampant rush to imperialistic tactics by the invading nations and the consequences including the subsequent escalating slave trade. The Age of Discovery refers to the time in history when Europeans discovered the Americas. Explorers following the ships of Christopher Columbus found, on their own planet, a new land mass inhabited by humans. Of all mankind’s explorations, this period of discovery had the most impact on the future of the world’s collective societies. It caused the questioning of Christian religious dogma which encouraged the further use of critical thought on a widespread scale thus allowing society to advance both in knowledge and in the concept of human thought (Kreis, 2002). Until it was proved differently, church officials deemed it heresy to suggest the Earth was round because the Bible refers to the ‘four corners of the world.’ In addition, if God flooded the world and only Noah’s family survived, where did these people come from? The scientific boom that began in the 1600’s and continues to this day owes much to the Age of Discovery that preceded it. T he church was no longer able to stifle scientific knowledge following the events of this era. Additionally, the economy of Portugal, then Spain, Europe, and Asia among others experienced a revival due to the increasing slave trade and the lifestyle and cultural traditions of the native people of the ‘new world’ were forever altered. The term ‘discovery’ would indeed accurately describe this ‘age’ more so than any other era in human history. Simply finding the new land mass populated by humans would itself qualify the definition (Kreis, 2002).

The Buffalo Soldiers in World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Buffalo Soldiers in World War II - Essay Example As expected, they were discriminated during their service in the army. Many officers did not wanted to command them including George Armstrong Custer. Their role eventually dwindled due to discrimination as their participation in World War I was limited. The idea of the Buffalo soldiers in 1866 was carried on to the Second World War when the 92nd Infantry Division which were composed of African American soldiers under the command of Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond. They adapted the insignia of the Buffalo soldiers and were hence nicknamed the â€Å"Buffalo Soldiers Division†. This division fought in Europe in the Second World War particularly in Italy from 1944 until the war ended. Unlike in World War I where their role was diminished, the Buffalo soldier fought at the front line in the European Campaign with the tankers of the U.S. 1st Armored division and fought until the war ended. African American 92nd Infantry Division Fought in Italy During World War II. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2015, from

Virginia Hamilton Essay Example for Free

Virginia Hamilton Essay Virginia Esther Hamilton was born on March 12, 1934 in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She was the youngest of 5 children. She lived on a farm with her family ever since her grandfather Levi Perry was brought as a baby through the underground railroad. Virginia proved to be a wonderful learner, especially when it came to writing. She graduated as one of the best students from her high school. She then attended Antioch College, but soon decided to transfer to Ohio State University. Virginia dreamed of becoming an author and decided to major in literature and creative writing. Virginia soon moved to New York in 1958 where she worked as a museum receptionist, cost accountant, and nightclub singer. Even while doing all these activities, she kept on trying to become an author. She began to study at the New School for Social Research. In 1960 met Arnold Adoff, a teacher who loved poetry. They soon married. Since Arnold could now make money for them, Virginia kept her full attention on writing. However, her writing took a break when she gave birth to two children. Virginia and Arnold soon built their dream house back in Yellow Springs where they both focused on literature. Soon, Virginia became one of the most well known authors in the U. S. During her entire lifetime, she had published 41 extremely popular books. The genres of her books differed, but in them there was much feeling and emotion. Some of her stories described the lives  of African Americans. Virginia won many awards for youth literature. February 19th, 2002 was a sad day for America, as Virginia Esther Hamilton’s death had arrived. Breast cancer had done too much damage. However, the Hamilton family’s blood was still Virginia’s granddaughter Anaya Grace Adoff, was born on November 26, 2008 and is still living today. Virginia is still known as one of America’s most honored writers of children’s literature and will always be.

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues - Response to the Far Right Concerning

A Response to the Far Right Concerning Gay Marriage Mr. Far Right has claimed that neither the Constitution nor the Bill of Rights mentions the right of homosexual couples to marry. I think that it would be safe to say that a homosexual couple who wishes to marry is seeking their own definition of happiness. Did Mr. Far Right conveniently skip over the part about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" that is the very spirit of both these documents? "Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest" --On Liberty, John Stuart Mill Next, Mr. Far Right states that homosexuality is an "abomination" to the Lord. Ah, I see. Now he is making moral judgements about homosexuality based upon a theology that not everyone agrees with. Is this a private game, or can anyone play? To illustrate my next point, allow me to relate a story I one read, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula Le Guin. Behold the fair city of Omelas. In this shining city the people are happy. And why shouldn't they be? The children are beautiful, the food plenty, and crime is nonexistent. Nothing is unhappy in Omelas, well, almost. Locked in the small earthen basement of one of the largest houses in the city is a small child. This child is the source of all the splendor of the city. It is the sacrifice of this child's tortured existence by the city that makes its happiness and beauty possible. This boy is not a secret, however. In fact, every citizen of the city has to view and acknowledge the child for the city to retain is idyllic state. Most people view the boy and, after a brief pang of ... ... environments. It seems to me that there isn't a single good argument in Mr. Far Right' entire article against gay marriage. Mr. Far Right’s statements bring painfully to light the kind of ignorance that is rampant in our society. To quote Albert Einstein "Only two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the former." Although a ruling concerning gay marriage would have no affect on me directly, it deeply concerns me as to the kind of society that might be a result of a negative ruling. Once the rights of one group of people are restricted, what's to stop the restriction of another group’s rights? "Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men." --On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

Selfishness and Comment Shows Rufus

In the book Kindred, there are many characters that are interesting. One reason this is true, is because the book forwards through time very fast and we see many characters go from infantile to grown adult. One character that changed throughout the story was Rufus Weylin. His development was incredibly interesting because the story somewhat revolves around what he does or what is happening to him. We see him as a very young child to a twenty five year old adult. In this story, Rufus is the most interesting because he develops from a young impressionable child, to a selfish man influenced highly by the antebellum South and other things.First off, when we get the first glimpse into Rufus the boy he is burning his drapery to get attention from his father. He then mentions how he had also burned a barn. Here, we can already tell that Rufus likes to be heard, get his way, and when he doesn’t his reaction is way too exaggerated. He also is already influenced by what he sees around h im. He says to Dana, â€Å"You have to say it†¦ young master†¦you’re suppose to. † Dana responds, â€Å"No. † Rufus grips her arm and says, â€Å"Yes! † This reaction Rufus displays to Dana shows his influence of slave owning times and his inability to accept rejection.Although, when Dana says, â€Å"Rufe, don’t burn anything else. † He responds with, â€Å"I wont. † This indicates that he can take direction from another person and someone who is black, and this leads you to think that maybe he can learn to take direction and possibly change his ways. When Dana returns to the Weylin plantation with Kevin Rufus says, â€Å"Does Dana belong to you now?†¦ wife!†¦ niggers can’t marry white people! † This reaction shows that Rufus was indeed fitting into his society’s way of thinking and the mere idea of their marriage was insanity.However, as Dana returns again Rufus was indeed changing. This time he was trying to be with Alice, a black girl he had grown up with. As a child Rufus had this girl as his friend, but Rufus was now turning into his father, trying to take a black woman to bed with him. He had gone from a boy hating his father to a young man becoming him. Alice said, He tried to get Judge Holman to sell Isaac south to keep me from marrying him. † This also shows that Rufus is growing into a selfish young man with rash reactions. Similar to when he was a child.Though a lot of his reactions now hurt the ones he loves. He said to Dana about Alice running away, â€Å"Jail. A good whipping. Then they’ll sell her. † â€Å"She’ll be a slave? † â€Å"Her own fault. † This is a good example of his rash harshness. Even though at many points in the story Rufus seems awful, he still has some humanity in him. When asked if he would ever sell anyone like his father he responds, â€Å"I don’t know. I don’t think so. † Th is one comment shows Rufus may be some things but heartless isn’t one of them. In fact, Rufus seems to constantly yearning for someone’s love.When Alice was being healed Rufus says this time has been great because Alice hasn’t hated him. Although Rufus does hit Alice later when she doesn’t show him love. This shows that Rufus will not be rejected by anyone. His love for Dana even drives him to hold a gun to her and yell, â€Å"You’re not leaving!†¦ Damn you, you’re not leaving me! † Rufus’ need for his way and only his way continues when his father passes away. He says, â€Å"you let him die?†¦ You let him die†¦damn you to hell, you let him die!†¦ you just let him die. † His repetition shows his irrational behavior.He doesn’t take into account that Dana has just saved his life and there was nothing to do for Tom Weylin. Rufus continues to show his selfish behavior mixed with his plantation upbr inging when he sends Dana to the fields to work as punishment. His ultimate step into becoming a plantation owner was with his father passing, and now he was far from the person that said he would never sell a slave. His authority is really noticeable when he says, â€Å"You walk away from me, Dana, you’ll be back in the fields in an hour!†¦ Don’t you ever walk away from me again! At this point his threats aren’t him whining like when he was a child, he meant it. Rufus’ character develops a lot near the end of the book as we realize his feelings toward Dana all to clearly. In the middle of the night he approaches Alice and Dana and says, â€Å"You really are only one woman. Did you know that? † Rufus had Alice for his physical needs and Dana for his emotional. We start to see that Dana wasn’t just his friend; he needed to have her, no matter what. His jealously became clear when he sold the slave Sam for just speaking to Dana.He said, â€Å"He wanted you†¦he wanted you. † He then says to Dana, â€Å"Your so much like her, I can hardly stand it. † Rufus’ relationship with Dana had gone from friendship and understanding to Rufus wanting more and he aimed to have it. When we see that Rufus was allowing his son to call him daddy finally it was reminder of his humanity. We see that in some ways he was still good, and not racked with intense emotions. However, his humane side diminishes slowly with his irrational wants, desires and need for affection.Rufus’ character is interesting because of his development throughout this novel. In some ways it was radical and in others it was not. As a child he seemed to react too strongly in situations, like he does throughout his life. As a child you think he may change and not let his times control the way he thinks, but as he becomes an adult it’s obvious the South and his father have a big effect on him. In the end, Rufus’ selfishn ess, dominance, possession, and jealousy outweigh his sincerity, ultimately leading to his demise.

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 24-25

24 AUGUSTUS BRINE Augustus Brine was sitting in his pickup, parked a block away from Jenny's house. In the morning twilight he could just make out the outline of Jenny's Toyota and an old Chevy parked in front. The king of the Djinn sat in the passenger seat next to Brine, his rheumy blue eyes just clearing the dashboard. Brine was sipping from a cup of his special secret roast coffee. The thermos was empty and he was savoring the last full cup. The last cup, perhaps, that he would ever drink. He tried to call up a Zen calm, but it was not forthcoming and he berated himself; trying to think about it pushed it farther from his grasp. â€Å"Like trying to bite the teeth,† the Zen proverb went. â€Å"There is not only nothing to grasp, but nothing with which to grasp it.† The closest he was going to get to no-mind was to go home and destroy a few million brain cells with a few bottles of wine – not an option. â€Å"You are troubled, Augustus Brine.† The Djinn had been silent for over an hour. At the sound of his voice Brine was startled and almost spilled his coffee. â€Å"It's the car,† Brine said. â€Å"What if the demon is in the car? There's no way to know.† â€Å"I will go look.† â€Å"Look? You said he was invisible.† â€Å"I will get in the car and feel around. I will sense him if he is that close.† â€Å"And if he's there?† â€Å"I will come back and tell you. He cannot harm me.† â€Å"No.† Brine stroked his beard. â€Å"I don't want them to know we're here until the last minute. I'll risk it.† â€Å"I hope you can move fast, Augustus Brine. If Catch sees you, he will be on you in an instant.† â€Å"I can move,† Brine said with a confidence that he did not feel. He felt like a fat, old man – tired and a little wired from too much coffee and not enough sleep. â€Å"The woman!† The Djinn poked Brine with a bony finger. Jenny was coming out of the house in her waitress uniform. She made her way down the front steps and across the shallow front yard to her Toyota. â€Å"At least she's still alive.† Brine was preparing to move. With Jenny out of the house one of their problems was solved, but there would be little time to act. The demonkeeper could come out at any moment. If their trap was not set, all would be lost. The Toyota turned over twice and died. A cloud of blue smoke coughed out of the exhaust pipe. The engine cranked, caught again, sputtered, and died; blue smoke. â€Å"If she goes back to the house, we have to stop her,† Brine said. â€Å"You will give yourself away. The trap will not work.† â€Å"I can't let her go back in that house.† â€Å"She is only one woman, Augustus Brine. The demon Catch will kill thousands if he is not stopped.† â€Å"She's a friend of mine.† The Toyota cranked again weakly, whining like an injured animal, then fired up. Jenny revved the engine and pulled away leaving a trail of oily smoke. â€Å"That's it,† Brine said. â€Å"Let's go.† Brine started the truck, pulled forward, and stopped. â€Å"Turn off the engine,† the Djinn said. â€Å"You're out of your mind. We leave it running.† â€Å"How will you hear the demon if he comes before you are ready?† Begrudgingly, Brine turned off the key. â€Å"Go!† he said. Brine and the Djinn jumped out of the truck and ran around to the bed. Brine dropped the tailgate. There were twenty ten-pound bags of flour, each with a wire sticking out of the top. Brine grabbed a bag in each hand, ran to the middle of the yard, paying out wire behind him as he went. The Djinn wrestled one bag out of the truck and carried it like a babe in his arms to the far corner of the yard. With each trip to the truck Brine could feel panic growing inside him. The demon could be anywhere. Behind him the Djinn stepped on a twig and Brine swung around clutching his chest. â€Å"It is only me,† the Djinn said. â€Å"If the demon is here, he will come after me first. You may have time to escape.† â€Å"Just get these unloaded,† Brine said. Ninety seconds after they had started, the front yard was dotted with flour bags, and a spider web of wires led back to the truck. Brine hoisted the Djinn into the bed of the truck and handed him two lead wires. The Djinn took the wires and crouched over a car battery that Brine had secured to the bed of the truck with duct tape. â€Å"Count ten, then touch the wires to the battery,† Brine said. â€Å"After they go off, start the truck.† Brine turned and ran across the yard to the front steps. The small porch was too close to the ground for Brine to crawl under, so he crouched beside it, covering his face with his arms, counting to himself, â€Å"seven, eight, nine, ten.† Brine braced himself for the explosion. The seal bombs were not powerful enough to cause injury when detonated one at a time, but twenty at once might produce a considerable shock wave. â€Å"Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, shit!† Brine stood up and tried to see into the bed of the truck. â€Å"The wires, Gian Hen Gian!† â€Å"It is done!† Came the answer. Before Brine could say anything else the explosions began – not a single blast, but a series of blasts like a huge string of firecrackers. For a moment the world turned white with flour. Then storms of flame swirled around the front of the house and mushroomed into the sky as the airborne flour was ignited by successive explosions. The lower branches of the pines were seared and pine needles crackled as they burned. At the sight of the fire storms, Brine dove to the ground and covered his head. When the explosion subsided, he stood and tried to see through the fog of flour, smoke, and soot that hung in the air. Behind him he heard the front door open. He turned and reached up into the doorway, felt his hand close around the front of a man's shirt, and yanked back, hoping he was not pulling a demon down off the steps. â€Å"Catch!† the man screamed. â€Å"Catch!† Unable to see though the gritty air, Brine punched blindly at the squirming man. His meaty fist connected with something hard and the man went limp in his arms. Brine heard the truck start. He dragged the unconscious man across the yard toward the sound of the running engine. In the distance a siren began to wail. He bumped into the truck before he saw it. He opened the door and threw the man onto the front seat, knocking Gian Hen Gian against the opposite door. Brine jumped into the truck, put it into gear, and sped out of the doughy conflagration into the light of morning. â€Å"You did not tell me there would be fire,† the Djinn said. â€Å"I didn't know.† Brine coughed and wiped flour out of his eyes. â€Å"I thought all the charges would go off at once. I forgot that the fuses would burn at different rates. I didn't know that flour would catch fire – it was just supposed to cover everything so we could see the demon coming.† â€Å"The demon Catch was not there.† Brine was on the verge of losing control. Covered in flour and soot, he looked like an enraged abominable snowman. â€Å"How do you know that? If we didn't have the cover of the flour, I might be dead now. You didn't know where he was before. How can you know he wasn't there? Huh? How do you know?† â€Å"The demonkeeper has lost control of Catch. Otherwise you would not have been able to harm him.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me that before? Why don't you tell me these things in advance?† â€Å"I forgot.† â€Å"I might have been killed.† â€Å"To die in the service of the great Gian Hen Gian – what an honor. I envy you, Augustus Brine.† The Djinn removed his stocking cap, shook off the flour, and held it to his chest in salute. His bald head was the only part of him that was not covered in flour. Augustus Brine began to laugh. â€Å"What is funny?† The Djinn asked. â€Å"You look like a worn brown crayon.† Brine was snorting with laughter. â€Å"King of the Djinn. Give me a break.† â€Å"What's so funny?† Travis said, groggily. Keeping his left hand on the wheel, Augustus Brine snapped out his right fist and coldcocked the demonkeeper. 25 AMANDA Amanda Elliot told her daughter that she wanted to leave early to beat the Monterey traffic, but the truth was that she didn't sleep well away from home. The idea of spending another morning in Estelle's guest room trying to be quiet while waiting for the house to awaken was more than she could stand. She was up at five, dressed and on the road before five-thirty. Estelle stood in the driveway in her nightgown waving as her mother drove away. Over the last few years Amanda's visits had been tearful and miserable. Estelle could not resist pointing out that each moment she spent with her mother might be the last. Amanda responded, at first, by comforting her daughter and assuring her that she would be around for many more years to come. But as time passed, Estelle refused to let the subject lie, and Amanda answered her concern with pointed comparisons between her own energy level and that of Estelle's layabout husband, Herb. â€Å"If it weren't for his finger moving on the remote control you'd never know he was alive at all.† As much as Amanda was irritated by Effrom marauding around the house like an old tomcat, she needed only to think of Herb, permanently affixed to Estelle's couch, to put her own husband in a favorable light. Compared to Herb, Effrom was Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks rolled into one: a connubial hero. Amanda missed him. She drove five miles per hour over the speed limit, changing lanes aggressively, and checking her mirrors for highway patrol cars. She was an old woman, but she refused to drive like one. She made the hundred miles to Pine Cove in just over an hour and a half. Effrom would be in his workshop now, working on his wood carvings and smoking cigarettes. She wasn't supposed to know about the cigarettes any more than she was supposed to know that Effrom spent every morning watching the women's exercise show. Men have to have their secret lives and forbidden pleasures, real or perceived. Cookies snitched from the jar are always sweeter than those served on a plate, and nothing evokes the prurient like puritanism. Amanda played her role for Effrom, staying on his tail, keeping him alert to the possibility of discovery, but never quite catching him in the act. Today she would pull in the driveway and rev the engine, take a long time getting into the house to make sure that Effrom heard her coming so he could take a shot of breath spray to cover the smell of tobacco on his breath. Didn't it occur to the old fart that she was the one who bought the breath spray and brought it home with the groceries each week? Silly old man. When Amanda entered the house, she noticed an acrid, burnt smell in the air. She had never smelled cordite, so she assumed that Effrom had been cooking. She went to the kitchen expecting to see the ruined remains of one of her frying pans, but the kitchen, except for a few cracker crumbs on the counter, was clean. Maybe the smell was coming from the workshop. Amanda usually avoided going near Effrom's workshop when he was working, mainly to avoid the sound of the high-speed drills he used for carving, which reminded her of the unpleasantness of the dentist's office. Today there was no sound coming from the workshop. She knocked on the door, gently, so as not to startle him. â€Å"Effrom, I'm home.† He had to be able to hear her. A chill ran through her. She had imagined finding Effrom cold and stiff a thousand times, but always she was able to push the thought out of her mind. â€Å"Effrom, open this door!† She had never entered the workshop. Except for a few toys that Effrom dragged out at Christmastime to donate to local charities, Amanda never even saw any of the carvings he produced. The workshop was Effrom's sacred domain. Amanda paused, her hand on the doorknob. Maybe she should call someone. Maybe she should call her granddaughter, Jennifer, and have her come over. If Effrom were dead she didn't want to face it alone. But what if he was just hurt, lying there on the floor waiting for help. She opened the door. Effrom was not there. She breathed a sigh of relief, then her anxiety returned. Where was he? The workshop's shelves were filled with carved wooden figures, some only a few inches high, some several feet long. Every one of them was a figure of a nude woman. Hundreds of nude women. She studied each figure, fascinated with this new aspect of her husband's secret life. The figures were running, reclining, crouching, and dancing. Except for a few figures on the workbench that were still in the rough stage, each of the carvings was polished and oiled and incredibly detailed. And they all had something in common: they were studies of Amanda. Most were of her when she was younger, but they were unmistakably her. Amanda standing, Amanda reclining, Amanda dancing, as if Effrom were trying to preserve her. She felt a scream rising in her chest and tears filling her eyes. She turned away from the carvings and left the workshop. â€Å"Effrom! Where are you, you old fart?† She went from room to room, looking in every corner and closet; no Effrom. Effrom didn't go for walks. And even if he'd had a car, he didn't drive anymore. If he had gone somewhere with a friend, he would have left a note. Besides, all his friends were dead: the Pine Cove Poker Club had lost its members, one by one, until solitaire was the only game in town. She went to the kitchen and stood by the phone. Call who? The police? The hospital? What would they say when she told them she had been home almost five minutes and couldn't find her husband? They would tell her to wait. They wouldn't understand that Effrom had to be here. He couldn't be anywhere else. She would call her granddaughter. Jenny would know what to do. She would understand. Amanda took a deep breath and dialed the number. A machine answered the phone. She stood there waiting for the beep. When it came, she tried to keep her voice controlled, â€Å"Jenny, honey, this is Grandma, call me. I can't find your grandfather.† Then she hung up and began sobbing. The phone rang and Amanda jumped back. She picked it up before the second ring. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Oh, good, you're home.† It was a woman's voice. â€Å"Mrs. Elliot, you've probably seen the bullet hole in your bedroom door. Don't be frightened. If you listen carefully and follow my instructions, everything will be fine.†

Housing problems and Options essays

Housing problems and Options essays Everyone needs a house. Rich people poor people; all people are included. This is a problem, because housing costs a great deal of money. Poor people that can barely afford food and clothing also have a difficult time finding affordable housing. As a result, some live in unsafe and unsanitary conditions that are badly in need of repair. As we read in several Los Angeles Times articles, there are many people here in the Valley that live in places like these, and that live way below the poverty line. Many of these unkempt dwellings reside in the inner city of large urban areas, such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia or Chicago. According to our textbook, (page 338) Poverty rates in the central city are about two times higher then the poverty rates for suburban areas. In some metropolitan areas, the differences in poverty rates are even higher. Poor people reside in the central city for two different reasons, according to discussions on various economic models from lecture. First, the farther away that you get from the central business district, the higher your transportation costs to get to your job (assuming that the job is located in the CBD). If you can not afford to commute to your work, you will be unable to keep your job, making you worse off economically. Therefore, you would chose to locate your residence close to your place of employment (closer to the CBD) in order to reduce your transportation costs. IF you live close enough to your place of employment, you may not need to use any form of transportation other then your feet, which doesnt cost you anything but your time. The second reason has to do with where new houses are built. New homes are built on land that was previously undeveloped, usually located on the outer edge of the residential district, furthest away from the central business district. The wealthiest people move into these new homes, leaving the upper middle class to move into their old r...

The Inclusive Classroom Best Supports Student Success

The Inclusive Classroom Best Supports Student Success Federal law in the United States (according to the IDEA) prescribes that students with disabilities should be placed in their neighborhood school with as much time as possible in a general education setting. This is LRE, or Least Restrictive Environment, provides that children should receive educational services with their typical peers unless education there cannot be achieved satisfactorily even with appropriate supplementary aids and services. A district is required to maintain a full range of environments from least restrictive (general education) to most restrictive (special schools).   The Successful Inclusive Classroom Keys to success include: Students need to be active - not passive learners.Children should be encouraged to make choices as often as possible, a good teacher will allow students some time to flounder as some of the most powerful learning stems from taking risks and learning from mistakes.Parental involvement is crucial.Students with disabilities must be free to learn at their own pace and have accommodations and alternative assessment strategies in place to meet their unique needs.Students need to experience success, learning goals need to be specific, attainable and measurable and have some challenge to them. What is the Teachers Role? The teacher facilitates the learning by encouraging, prompting, interacting, and probing with good questioning techniques, such as How do you know its right- can you show me how?. The teacher provides 3-4 activities that address the multiple learning styles and enables students make choices. For instance, in a spelling activity a student may choose to cut and paste the letters from newspapers or use magnetic letters to manipulate the words or use colored shaving cream to print the words. The teacher will have mini-conferences with students. The teacher will provide many learning manipulatives and opportunities for small group learning. Parent volunteers are helping with counting, reading, assisting with unfinished tasks, journals, reviewing basic concepts such as math facts and sight words. In the inclusive classroom, a teacher will differentiate instruction as much as possible, which will benefit both the students with and without disabilities, since it will provide more individual attention and attention to What Does the Classroom Look Like? The classroom is a beehive of activity. Students should be engaged in problem solving activities.   John Dewey once said, the only time we think is when were given a problem. The classroom that is child centered relies on  learning centers to support whole group and small group instruction. There will be a language center with learning goals, perhaps a media center with opportunity to listen to taped stories or create a multimedia presentation on the computer. There will be a music  center and a math center with many manipulatives. Expectations should always be clearly stated prior to students engaging in learning activities. Effective classroom management tools and routines will provide students with reminders about the acceptable noise level, learning activity and accountability for producing a finished product or accomplishing the center tasks. The teacher will supervise learning throughout the centers while either landing at one center for small group instruction or creating Teacher Time as a rotation. Activities at the center take into consideration multiple intelligences and learning styles. Learning  center time should begin with whole class instructions and end with whole class debriefing and evaluation: How did we do with maintaining a successful learning environment? Which centers were the most fun?  Where did you learn the most? Learning centers are a great way to differentiate instruction.  You will place some activities that every child can complete, and some activities designed for advanced, on level and remediated instruction. Models for Inclusion: Co-teaching:  Often this approach is used by school districts, especially in secondary settings.  I have often heard from general education teachers who are co-teaching provide very little support, are not involved in planning, in assessment or in instruction. Sometimes they just dont show up and tell their general ed partners when they have scheduled and IEP.  Effective co-teachers help with planning, provide suggestions for differentiation across abilities, and do some instruction to give the general education teacher the opportunity to circulate and support all the students in a classroom. Whole Class Inclusion:  Some districts (like those in California) are placing dually certified teachers in classrooms as social studies, math or English Language Arts teachers in secondary classrooms.  The teacher teaches the subject to both students with and without disabilities and carries a caseload of students enrolled in a specific grade, etc.  They would most likely call these inclusion classrooms and include students who are English Language Learners or struggling with grades. Push In:  A resource teacher will come into the general classroom and meet with students during centers time to support their IEP goals and provide small group or individualized instruction.  Often districts will encourage teachers to provide a mix of push in and pull out services. Sometimes the services are provided by a para-professional at the direction of a special education teacher. Pull Out:  This sort of pull out is usually indicated with a Resource Room placement in the IEP.   Students who have significant problems with attention and staying on task may benefit from a quieter setting without distractions.  At the same time, children whose disabilities put them at a significant disadvantage with their typical peers may be more willing to risk reading aloud or doing math if they arent worried about being dissed (dis-respected) or mocked by their general education peers.   What does Assessment Look Like? Observation is key. Knowing what to look for is critical. Does the child give up easily? Does the child persevere? Is the child able to show how he got the task right? The teacher targets a few learning goals per day and a few students per day to observe for goal attainment. Formal/informal interviews will help the assessment process. How closely does the individual remain on task? Why or why not? How does the student feel about the activity? What are their thinking processes? In Summary Successful learning centers require good classroom management and well known rules and procedures. A productive learning environment will take time to implement. The teacher may have to call the whole class together regularly in the beginning to ensure that all rules and expectations are being adhered to. Remember, think big but start small. Introduce a couple of centers per week. See more information on assessment.

Innovation in a sustainable future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Innovation in a sustainable future - Essay Example Ever since my childhood, I have many anticipations and objectives for my future career. A few of the anticipations have eventually faded away as time has passed by. However, at present, my career aspiration is concentrated in the area of science. Furthermore, I would also prefer to mention that my career aspiration is to become a diligent engineer. Based on this aspect, the report discusses about my career aspirations and potential professional development in engineering field for the next ten years. Career in Engineering.Engineering is one of the most important fields of study in the academic life which opens up various career paths into a range of science areas. Engineers have extensive assortment of career options in comparison with other professions such as business or management among others. Engineering has vast scope in advance fields such civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and electrical engineering among others. In this context, I would like state that my career aspiration in engineering is to become an electrical engineer. This branch of engineering is largely related with the design and application equipment in order to generate power and distribute energy.What Electrical Engineers Do.As discussed above electrical engineers are concerned with the generation and utilisation of electricity. It is one of the leading braches of engineering. The key emphases of electrical engineers are to develop sources of power, energy control systems and sign al processing. As an electrical engineer, I will concentrate on planning, maintaining and creating products which can effectively generate electricity. Electrical engineering area is quite vast and there are so many areas of specialisation to select from such as electronics, power, communication and computer among others. I would take specialisation in the area of power or energy1. Energy Demand in Daily Life Over past few decades, the requirement of energy in daily life has increased considerably. Although there are several sources of energy, most of the effective energy sources are non-renewable in nature such as coal, natural gas and oil among others. This high requirement for energy along with non-renewable nature of key energy sources has generated the need for innovation of an alternative energy source. One of the most prevalent alternative energy sources is solar energy. In comparison with other non-renewable energy sources, solar energy is highly accessible and it also has l ow adverse impact on environment during power generation. Furthermore, I would also like to mention that this area of engineering has not been exploited properly and possesses a huge prospect in future as a sustainable energy source. By understanding the importance of solar energy, I have selected this area as my future career aspiration and after ten years, I want to see myself as great innovator in solar energy engineering field where this energy source will become much inexpensive and effective to produce energy and to satisfy the considerable level of energy demand2. Career Aspiration in Solar Energy Engineering Solar energy engineers require developing, designing and evaluating energy based products and projects in order to minimise energy expenses and enhance energy efficiency. Solar energy engineers also specialise in heating, ventilation, cooling, green building and lighting among others. Concerning these specialisation areas of solar energy engineering, I would prefer to ta ke cooling. The reason is that in power generation