Can anyone be a successful freelance journalist? Why or why not?

"now they have beaten me, he thought. i am too old to club sharks to death. but i will try it as long as i have the oars and the short club and the tiller."? this passage shows santiago's belief that a. he will never fish again. b. he is too old to continue fishing. c. man can be defeated but not destroyed. d. the sharks got the best of him.

Which statement from chamberlain's speech to parliament did the least to support his cause? a. "no doubt i shall have plenty of critics who will say that i am guilty of facile optimism . ." b. "the house will remember that when i last addressed them i gave them some account of the godesberg memorandum . ." c. "therefore, it was essential that we should quickly reach a conclusion . ." d. "the relief that our escape from this great peril of war has, i think, everywhere been mingled in this country with a profound feeling of sympathy . ."

What is meant by “eternally burning black pipes”? what is this implying about the personality of the firemen?