Read the excerpt below and answer the question. i'm really getting quite fond of the big room, all but that horrid paper. out of one window i can see the garden, those mysterious deepshaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. out of another i get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. there is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. i always fancy i see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but john has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least. he says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, and that i ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. so i try. in at least one hundred words, describe the main symbols used in this excerpt.

In a group discussion, which statement most clearly uses evidence to support a conclusion? a) the author makes some good points, but i feel that he’s ultimately biased. b) the author proves that he’s biased when he uses terms like “silly” and “stupid”. c) the author obviously hates the way fast food tastes, which is why he’s negative. d) the author first criticizes fast food, and then goes in to criticize junk food.

How can you avoid the problem of groupthink? a. by choosing a group leader to direct the group b. by composing the team of only like-minded individuals c. by encouraging all members to voice their opinions d. by keeping quiet when you disagree with another group member's opinion

Read this passage: many manufacturers prefer plastic as a material for containers because it can be molded into many shapes. but plastic is not very strong. it must be fused with glass or steel for strength. it is also not very durable. even the strongest plastic can break under enough pressure. the biggest disadvantage to using plastic is that it does not decompose. while plastic can be recycled, doing so is tedious and difficult. while it may be more expensive and difficult to work with, aluminum is a much stronger building material with far greater tensile strength. it conducts electricity because it is metal. best of all, aluminum is very easy to recycle. even if it is thrown away, it decomposes much more quickly than most manufacturing materials. how does the compare-and-contrast organizational pattern of the passage support the author's purpose? a. the passage gradually leads up to the point about decomposition to inform the reader about the importance of recycling plastics. b. the passage lists the advantages and disadvantages of each material to make a case for the use of plastic and not aluminum in containers. c. the passage begins with a description of plastic's problems in order to call attention to the good qualities of aluminum. d. the passage shows the superiority of aluminum in order to make a case for the production of stronger plastics.