What do you gain by studying and practicing good grammar?

Which two sentences in this excerpt from theodore dreiser my brother paul are examples of characterization that suggest paul is a superstitious person?

You need to start an experiment and the instructions are to mix 2 g of sodium bicarbonate with 50 ml of distilled water and then mix the solution. describe what lab apparatus you would use and what safety precautions you must observe when completing this experiment.

Hillenbrand writes, "as louie blazed through college, far away, history was turning" (p. 43). why does the author interrupt louie's narrative with information about japan and germany?