Perhaps We Are Going Away by Ray Bradbury - 839 Words

Ray Bradbury’s distaste for emerging technologies and government and social censorship, especially into artistic ventures, during the cold war was manifested in his work. After the Second World War the United States’ government began to defend against communism through the alienation of high profile potential communists, which deeply disturbed Bradbury, whom from early on in his life, especially during his time in Hollywood, had developed a love for the world of the arts and entertainment and was slow to adopt socio- technological revolutions. Bradbury grew up in Hollywood where he developed a love for the arts, his first job being a writer for a comedy show. While the United States and its artists were being submitted to McCarthyism, Bradbury believed the intrusion was too much. David Cochran, writer of â€Å"America noir: underground writers and filmmakers of the postwar†, describe how, through his work, Bradbury pointed his finger at previous atrocities perpet rated by the American public and Government, â€Å"Bradburys works form a sustained critique of American imperialism, both historical and contemporary. In Perhaps We Are Going Away (1964), two Indians, an elderly man and a boy, sense something in the air telling them their world has suddenly changed forever. They go looking for the cause of this feeling and find it in a lonely-looking encampment of white men along the seashore, the first Europeans they have ever seen. And in The Martian Chronicles, a Cherokee astronautShow MoreRelatedCensorship As A Form Of Oppression1075 Words   |  5 Pages In F451, Government uses censorship as a form of oppression, which is wrong because it takes away freedom and human rights. One way they do this is when firemen burn books to keep the populous from reading the books and obtaining information from them. Another way is how the government controls the people s every move, â€Å" My uncle was arrested another time†¦ for being a pedestrian.† Page 7. Similar to they way Nazi Germany controlled the populous of its time. And how on the train they playRead More Symbolism in Farenheight 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay1302 Words   |  6 PagesFarenheight 451 by Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury is a futuristic novel, taking the reader to a time where books and thinking are outlawed. In a time so dreadful where those who want to better themselves by thinking, and by reading are outlaws as well. Books and ideas are burned, books are burned physically, whereas ideas are burned from the mind. Bradbury uses literary devices, such as symbolism, but it is the idea he wants to convey that makes this novel so devastating. Bradbury warns usRead MoreFahrenheit 451: Symbolism1240 Words   |  5 Pages451, by Ray Bradbury is a futuristic novel, taking the reader to a time where books and thinking are outlawed. In a time so dreadful where those who want to better themselves by thinking, and by reading are outlaws as well. Books and ideas are burned, books are burned physically, where as ideas are burned from the mind. Bradbury uses literary devices, such as symbolism, but it is the idea he wants to convey that makes this novel so devastating. Bradbury wa rns us of what may happen if we stop expressingRead MoreTwo Different Prospects for the Future: Ray Bradburys and Margaret Atwood1657 Words   |  7 PagesRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 showed us a world in which people found it acceptable, even preferable, to remain ignorant about the state of their world and face the darker aspects of their own humanity. Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale envisioned a theocratic government named Gilead that induced women into the servitude of military commanders for the purpose of procreation. In both of these bleak contemplations of the future, people are discouraged from and harshly punished for expressing anyRead MoreFahrenheit 451 Critical Essay1607 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Lintang Syuhada 13150024 Book Report 1 Fahrenheit 451 Critical Essay Human beings are naturally curious. We are always in search of better ideas, and new solutions to problems. One of a basic idea of Indonesia has been freedom of thinking and a free flow of ideas. But in some societies, governments try to keep their people ignorant. Usually, this is so governments can keep people under control and hold on to their power. In trying to keep people from the realities of the world, these oppressiveRead MoreThe Detriments of Technology Overkill in The Veldt by Ray Bradbury751 Words   |  3 Pagesway society lives today, compared to how we lived in the past and what the future has in store for us. Technology can be beneficial in the health care system by helping us create medicine and find new cures for disease we have been battling for years. However, when technology is not used to benefit us it is quiet disturbing. Technology can help improve one’s way of life, but it should not be your way of life nor control your life. In The Veldt by Ray Br adbury technology ruins family life by startingRead MoreThe Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury Essay example1547 Words   |  7 Pagesracial tensions and religious intolerances. All these events leading up to 1950, inspired Ray Bradbury to write The Martian Chronicles, where Bradbury combined the power struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union with the new rocket technology and space exploration, and created for the readers, the possible outcomes as technology took over the lives of humans. In The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury first started with how the people on Mars lived peacefully with their environment, and allowedRead MoreThe Oracle by Ray Bradbury2527 Words   |  10 PagesThe Oracle: Ray Bradbury Often heralded as the world’s greatest nation, the United States is also considered home to the world’s greatest authors. Reputable authors such as Fitzgerald, Twain, and Steinbeck remain relevant even through the washing waves of time. One such timeless author, Ray Bradbury, ventured the hazardous path of taboo to write of change. Through his novels of innocent youths evolving into children enlightened beyond their years, Bradbury utilizes the motif of time, innocence, andRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4512091 Words   |  9 PagesFahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury is a novel based in the future, placing the reader to a time where owning books was against the law. In a setting so dreadful where those who want to better themselves by thinking for themselves, and by secretly reading books are outlaws as well. The books and ideas are burned in a pit, the books are burned physically, and ideas are burned from the mind metaphorically. Mr. Bradbury use of literary devices, such as symbolism, but it is the main idea he wants to shareRead MoreReview Of Fahrenheit 451 Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesAll about Knowledge â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its cover† (Bradbury 155). This is most relevant to modern day society due to the fact that people tend to judge others by their appearance. In this case, Montag tended to judge a book how others believed they should be treated, but never did his society want to take a challenge onto their puny lives just like how Guy Montag did after realizing the real significance behind books. Ray Bradbury’s compelling novel, Fahrenheit 451, is about a fireman

How the Industrial Revolution Affected the World Essay

The Industrial Revolution was the main contributor of the development of factories and modern day machinery. The Industrial Revolution created hundreds of new jobs, influenced many new inventions, and created many new ways of creating and transporting goods. Many jobs including spinners, miners, factory workers, and farmers were beginning to rise in population, due to the new technology being created in the 18th and 19th centuries. The start of new inventions coming into view was beginning in Britain, with many agricultural tools creating new ways to plow and yield crops. Later on, it caused new forms of transportation to be developed, for example, railroads and canals. This essay will explain exactly how these causes began, and how they†¦show more content†¦The coal seams ran under the higher ground to the north. The Dukes land agent, John Gilbert, saw that it was possible to connect the canal directly to the mines by way of an underground canal. This in turn could be used to help with draining the mines, providing a source of water for the canal.† Canals changed the way we collected goods, and they made it much more facile to transport them. In addition with the invention of the steam engine came the steam locomotive. As the development of steam engines progressed through the 18th century, various attempts were made to apply them to road and railway us. In 1812 Matthew Murray was the first to build a successful steam locomotive, and it hauled 27 carts of around 95 tonnes at 3 mph. Accompanied with this came Richard Trevithick’s 40 psi steam locomotive, The Penydarren Locomotive, â€Å"the worlds first ever railway journey that ran 9 miles from the ironworks at Penydarren to the Merthyr-Cardiff Canal, South Wales.† This creation lead to many more innovations, which will lead to speedy land travel for goods and products. Around when the Industrial Revolution began, agriculture began to take a turn in it’s way of harvesting cr ops. New techniques of growing and tending crops spread across Europe in the 1700s. â€Å"The improved yield of the agricultural sector can be attributed to the enclosure movement and to improved techniques and practices developed during thisShow MoreRelatedSecond Industrial Revolution1000 Words   |  4 PagesSecond US Industrial Revolution, 1870 -1910 Darris Adkins Abstract In this brief paper, a description of two developments of industrialization that positively affected the United States and two developments that negatively affected the United States will be discussed. An analysis of whether or not industrialization was generally beneficial or detrimental to the lives of Americans and the history of the United States will be outlined. Second US Industrial Revolution, 1870 -1910 In this briefRead MoreImpact Of The Industrial Revolution On Capitalism And The Contemporary Society Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesThe impact of the Industrial Revolution on Capitalism and the Contemporary Society, When looking into the past during the Industrial Revolution, there were many cause and effect events that occurred, the Industrial Revolution changed the lives of many, these changes in society were caused by the innovations of the time period, and the need for a more productive environment. There was a movement from an agricultural society to a manufacturing society; these changes affected the family’s abilityRead MoreEssay on Industrial Revolution1489 Words   |  6 Pagesgradually the rest of the worlds development, that would lead to radical changes in peoples lives, working relations and environment. Industrial revolution was so fundamental that it’s often compared with the transition from farming to stock raising, which began several thousand years before the birth of Christ. Considering the uses of natural resources, can human history be dived up into three pieces of varying length; hundreds of thousands years before â€Å"the agricultural revolution†, thousands of yearsRead MoreHow Greed Affects The Lives Of People935 Words   |  4 PagesIt is hard to believe how greed affects the lives of people. Often people do not realize that money and power are not everything in life. During the Industrial Revolution many people let their lives be heavily manipulated by their material wants rather than their needs. As a result they were often unhappy with the lives they had while others were in abundance of happiness. Charles Dickens lived during the Industrial Revolution and knew what life was like during those times (BBC - Primary HistoryRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Af ter The Civil War956 Words   |  4 Pages The Inusterial Revolution after the Civil War Between 18-19th centuries after the Civil War, a chain of events occurred that brought about several changes in the way that people lived and worked in the United States.This period ranges from the time when cities started growing rapidly because human hand labor was drastically changed to machine labor. These events started the American Industrial Revolution, which later affected African American socially, economically and politically. However, manyRead MoreEffects of Industrialization and Imperialism Essay1567 Words   |  7 PagesWORLD HISTORY RESEARCH PAPER Effects of Industrialization and Imperialism Unit 6: Imperialism World History Honors / Block #6 Due: April 16, 2013 Therefore, one must understand how throughout the times of Imperialism, and Industrial Revolution, aspects such as working conditions, population expansion and colonial enhancement prove why advancements were beneficial to the modern world in the long run. â€Æ' The Industrial Revolution marked a time in history when advancements in technologyRead MoreThe Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Society Essay770 Words   |  4 PagesFrank Garrido THE EFFECTS OF THE NDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION ON SOCIETY The Industrial Revolution changed the ways by how the world produced its goods. It was the era when the use of power-driven machines was developed. It also changed our societies from a mainly agricultural society to one in which industry and manufacturing was in control. This had many effects on people’s lives. The Industrial Revolution first got its start in Great Britain, during the 18th century. It was inevitable thatRead MoreIndustrial Revolution Essay1189 Words   |  5 Pages Several major events in Europe have affected the way of life for people all over the world. First, the Industrial Revolution is very important. As briefly discussed in Question One, the Industrial Revolution was a time when steam-powered machines and factories came into view instead of just agriculture. The Industrial Revolution brought many things. First, machines and systems were made to replace traditional farming, this meant fewer people were needed on farms which results in more jobs beingRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution : The World Into The Forward And Advanced World We Live1387 Words   |  6 PagesThe Industrial Revolution was vital in shaping the world into the forward and advanced world we live in now. The Industrial Revolution started in 18th century England, pushing England towards becoming one of the most industrialized nations in the world. This revolution opened up many opportunities for people in terms of work as well as the increase of product consumption, however, discrimination and oppression occurred, specifically of women. Throughout the world, especially in England, women wereRead MoreMass Production Affects Conflicts With Society, Business And International Affairs907 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Industrial Revolution, the role of government was to keep the peace (or fight wars), maintain civil order and enforce law. By the progressive era, government in addition accepted some responsibility for regulating the economy and caring for the needy. The concept of economic policy had been born. Anti-trust laws and civil rights laws now existed. In Europe, the labor movement began during the industrial revolution, when agricultural jobs declined and employment moved to more industrial areas

The New Age Day Of The Wild - 1045 Words

The new age day of the wild, became the wilder, and now it has become the wildest of the west. Texas lawmakers have in recent years propagated the statewide concept among their constituents here in Texas that open carry under the 2nd amendment has a plausibility toward ameliorating the typology of violence each community has been inundated by. It has brought trepidation into people of walking down a street and getting shot at. The question is? Did the state lawmakers did not cogitate on the consequences of this bill before they determined it to be a safety net, or was it merely an act of provocation of asking for unwarranted trouble by the open carry law? This decision is also racially biased, and only continues to foment the unabating praetorian behaviour of police toward minorities along with women. By the harassment of unjustified stops, the iniquitous line of illicit questions is directed toward minorities, and women alike. However without the attitude that predispos es minorities, and women alike to react irrationally when confronted by the law just because they are carrying a weapon. This bill has a double entendre of what open carry really is. There has been a substantial number of police shootings in Dallas, Texas, Dallas Police Chief David Brown said, We re hurting, http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/08/485220431/were-hurting-dallas-police-chief-david-brown-says in a Friday morning news conference. Our profession isShow MoreRelatedCall Of The Wild : A Zeitgeist Of Naturalism1243 Words   |  5 PagesJack London’s The Call of the Wild is a novel written during the literary era of Naturalism. It is about a pampered dog, Buck, who was thrown into the Alaskan wilderness and becomes part of a team of sled dogs. Eventually, he becomes the leader of a wolf pack. Naturalism takes place during a time in America known as the Gilded Age. During the Gilded Age, the ideas of Social Darwinism take hold. Social Darwinism is â€Å"a t erm scholars use to describe the practice of misapplying the biological evolutionaryRead MoreChimpanzees and Tool Use1322 Words   |  6 Pagesancestor causes humans to be curious about these creatures. As discussed in Jane Goodall’s video Among the Wild Chimpanzees we were once considered to be human because of our use of tools but once we observed these non-human primates using tools, this perception was changed forever. The question now at hand is if having the chimpanzees that we study in captivity makes a difference between studying wild chimps. These interesting creatures can be found naturally in the rainforests of Africa. DevelopmentRead MoreInto the Wild: an Analysis of Who Jack Londonwas to Chris Mccandless1113 Words   |  5 PagesThe Call of the Wild and Wild Fang, both of which Chris McCandless read. The Call of the Wild, which is one of his most read book, and considered one of his best was published in 1903. White Fang was published in 1906. It was first serialized in a magazine before it became a novel. They both have animals as central characters. One returns to the wild and the other comes from the wild. Jack London wrote a lot about survival against the environment. At the age of 17, heRead MoreThe Case Of Sea World1589 Words   |  7 Pagesthe park. The rumor Sea World has advertised to the public is that all creatures are rescued from the wild when injured and taken in to be rehabilitated (Killer Whales In Captivity). Currently, there are no official records of injured whales getting nursed to health but instead the exact opposite (Save The Whales). The killer whales are hijacked from their mothers as infants and taken to their new prison of a home (Killer Whale Controversy). If the thought of being kidnapped can petrify anyone, whyRead MoreAnalysis Of Jon Krakauer s Into The Wild1555 Words   |  7 Pages Jack Sellas Period 2 ERWC Cagley December 9, 2014 Life on the Road? In Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild, A young man named Chris McCandless decides to escape the annoyance of his current life and live on the road, he pursues an incredible journey of adventure, danger and companionship. McCandless is a narcissist and believes that he can overcome any challenges that he faces because he is independent and is smarter than the average person. Krakauer emphasizes that arrogance will lead to failure in life;Read MoreOrcas in SeaWorld941 Words   |  4 Pagestremendously intelligent, socially complex, and family oriented animals. Studying them in captivity, and at the same time in the wild, we have learned enough about them to realize that orcinus orcas do not belong in captivity and the confinement of these animals is very hurtful. The imprisonment of orcas for human amusement and research leads to aggression, death at an early age and numerous health problems. Orcas exhibit aberrant and aggressive behavior in captivity. Aggression towards each other occursRead MoreFruit Gone Wild Essay879 Words   |  4 Pagesattempted often in the past, but it seems that only Fruits Gone Wild can boast the perfect old school/new school slots combination! Fruits Gone Wild Review When you think of the biggest and brightest names in the world of online casino software development, Stake Logic probably isn’t a name that springs to mind. However, it should, as this is a developer that is really beginning to flex its creative muscles as 2017 begins to heat up. Most new games from this brand go big on the theme factor, but itsRead MoreThe Fittest : A New Era Of Observation And Evolutionary Thinking1621 Words   |  7 PagesSpecies, 76). Charles Darwin defined this idea based off of his scientific observations of animals within the wild. The idea of â€Å"the survival of the fittest† stems from natural selection. As globalization continues to spread, humans are also introduced into an environment in which only the best suited thrive in. Chekhov’s play The Cherry Orchard and Caillebotte’s painting Paris Street, Rainy Day are both works in which the survival of the fittest affects the humans depicted. Therefore, the followingRead MoreThe Book Of Wild Swans : Three Daughter Of China1234 Words   |  5 PagesQuyen Nguyen IB World History 11th Grade In the book of Wild Swans: Three daughter of China by Jung Chang tells about the experiences of the life of Chang’s Mother, Grandmother, and Chang herself. The book starts off with Chang’s Grandmother Yu-fang. She was forced to be a concubine for a warlord general at a young age. She eventually escapes with her child after marrying a wealthy doctor, she continue to raise her child even rejected by her husband’s family. De-hong a happy girl whoRead MoreA Report On Tigers Delight1722 Words   |  7 Pagesextinct. Most tigers in nature live to be ten to fifteen years old. Tigers by nature are carnivores and are only found in nature in one continent on earth, which is Asia. Unlike most cats tiger enjoy swimming and spend the majority of the hot summer days resting in rivers or lakes. â€Å"OneKind.org† is an animal relief organization and they explain that tiger’s roar can carry more than 2 km and they are most active hunters at night (OneKind). Knowing information about the six living subspecies of tigers

Discourse on the Method. New Haven

Question: Describe about the Discourse on the Method of New Haven? Answer: Discourse on the Method By Descartes; The Discourse on the method can be considered as a rational thesis that also reflects as an autobiography of the author Ren Descartes that was published in 1637. This book can be measured as one of the most significant work that exist in modern philosophy and which is essential for the development of natural sciences (Descartes, 2009). In this book, the author deals with skepticism that has been earlier studied by scholars such as Empiricus and Montaigne. The author begins his reasoning primarily by having a doubt on everything since that would give him a clear and fresh view. In Part IV of the book, Descartes had challenged his own reasons. He states that there exists three things that cannot be doubted and these three things also tend to assist each other to form a steady basis for his method. Further he states that the doubt reason cannot be doubted by the method since it is based on a reason. When he states reason he actually refers to God and states that God is primarily the guarantee that the reasons will not be misguided. In this phase of the book the most worrying part of the argument is the existence of God and the evidence of that existence. Gradually the author realizes this as he slowly provides the three different evidence of the existence of God. Descartes in the Part IV of the book understood that there was no doubt about the thoughts that persist in him. Hence he tried to find an answer to prove his existence. In order to do so, he had decided to dedicate his life in the search of truth. His pretence was on the fact that whatever has ever entered the mind of this person was true to the extent of his dreams and illusions (Descartes, 2012). Descartes believed that the all questions that exist actually either have a mathematical answer or a scientific answer. While searching for answers had used those principles that were already well known and in return had set out to create specific knowledge and truth (Descartes, n.d.). One of the surprises lies in the evidence of his existence and the proof regarding the same. In this book, Descartes proves that God and soul exists. While the author reflected on the style of his dreams and how his senses are unreliable, he gradually becomes conscious of the manner of his thoughts and hence proves his existence. As conclusion Descartes had said that the soul is different from the body and is depends on the unreliability of the senses when compared to that of pure reason (Descartes et al., 1996). The doubts that existed in him prevented him to believe on his perfectness and still his capability to visualize perfection indicated that something that is perfect should exist outside him which is God. Hence according to me the surprise ending is the realization of the perfectness of God which he was made to observe. The surprise lies when Descartes states that god is perfect and his ideas are given by God and his dependence was because of his perfectness for existence. References Descartes, R. (2009).A discourse on the method of rightly conducting one's reason and seeking truth in the sciences. [Waiheke Island]: Floating Press. Descartes, R. (2012).Discourse on the Method. Lanham: Start Publishing LLC. Descartes, R., Weissman, D., Bluhm, W., Descartes, R. (1996).Discourse on the method. New Haven: Yale University Press. Descartes, R.Discourse on the method of rightly conducting the reason, and seeking truth in the sciences. Raleigh, N.C.: Alex Catalogue.

Report (5) Essays (593 words) - American Women In Business

Courtney Alsbrook Dr. Alexander AWS 2500 December 18th 2017 Historical Analysis: Madame CJ Walker In the history of Black women, many have been came, and many have triumphed. Of those many, only few are held in the highest regard. These few are seen in documentaries, movies, and the occasional textbook. The rest, are often undervalued, less touted, or simply forgotten. Among these unsung heroes are some of the women that contributed the most to the black community as well as the World. Some of the most powerful Black women laid a blueprint for those of the future that was left unfollowed. In the early 1900s, a Louisiana woman born Sarah Breedlove, lived as the sole owner of several businesses valued at over one million dollars. Although she was the first Black female to become a self-made millionaire, she is not as admired as she should be. While her name may be mentioned sporadically, it is a form of ignorance to have nearly completely avoid the trail she blazed. To understand what makes Madame CJ Walker an unsung hero, you first have to understand her accomplishments and successes. During the 1890s, Walker developed a severe scalp disorder that led to a massive loss of hair. From that point, she discovered something that would lead her to millions. After experimenting with several hair care products and remedies, she began to perfect her own masterpiece. Once finalized, Walker, along with her husband, Charles Joseph Walker, went on a tour of several states. Along the tour, Walker would promote her products and give live demonstrations of how to use them. She would continue to build her brand and business into an empire. According to the Organization of American Historians, the Walker Manufacturing Company "employed some 3,000 African American women and men to manufacture and sell hair products and cosmetics" at its peak. In addition to raising a personal fortune upwards of $600,000, Walker was a major philanthropist. With donations toward ed ucational funds and even the opening of the YMCA, she proved to be a woman of great integrity. Most importantly, she mothered a movement which stood as a booster for Black status in America. With the philosophy of cleanliness and lovliness, she influenced a mass of Black women to appreciate themselves and improved community morale. All that said, it is easy to wonder how a woman of Walker's stature can be ignored. With a buying power that is projected to reach $1.7 trillion this year according to Nielsen, it is unfortunate that a majority Black women are purchasing and using non-Black owned products. According to Nielsen statistics, despite spending nine times more on beauty products than other races, Blacks only own a fraction of 1% of the beauty supply market share. After the vast amount of effort Walker placed into the Black economy and Black confidence, today Black women as a whole are failing to live up to the standard she set. While there are a great number of leaders making strides to shift the tide, the majority of Black spenders are failing to keep these dollars in the Black community, and many Black women are failing to sprout these Black owned beauty brands. While Madam CJ Walker's legacy is mentioned enough to deem her "unignored", the fact that Black communities have been overrun with beauty busine ss that aren't black owned, is ignorance in itself. References Koman, Rita G., and TwHP Staff. Two American Entrepreneurs: Madam CJ Walker and JC Penney. OAH Magazine of History 20.1 (2006): 26-36.

Whats the Deal with Improving Sentences SAT Writing Section Guide and Advice

What's the Deal with Improving Sentences SAT Writing Section Guide and Advice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There’s nothing harder than trying to figure out what someone else thinks is â€Å"the best,† and Improving Sentences asks you to do just that. Luckily, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve that allow you to move through these questions with confidence. In this post,we’ll look at the writing skills these questions are designed to test and how to use those skills to answer the questions correctly. Improving Sentencesquestions havea section of a sentence underlined and 4 alternatives (plus the option to keep the sentence the way it is). The instructions say that these questions â€Å"test correctness and effectiveness of expression.† This means that the sentences aren’t necessarily wrong (though they usually are), they can also just be bad or confusing. We have to find the best, rather than simply the correct, way of saying something. But the types of choices and mistakes are the same in every test, so let's talk about the most common one and how to â€Å"improve† it. #1 Issue: Conciseness, Conciseness, Conciseness Almost all Improving Sentences questions involve conciseness; even if it’s not the main problem in the question, some of the incorrect answer choices will be wordy to the point of sounding like nonsense. Just to get a feel for what we mean by this, Here are some concise sentences and their less concise evil twins: Most dinosaur nests were hidden beneath vegetation from potential predators. Most dinosaurs laid eggs in hidden nests on the ground that was extremely well protected from other dinosaurs so that they would be more unlikely to be eaten by them. You can see that all the information in the longer sentence is included in the shorter one: things can only be hidden beneath vegetation if it's on the ground, and the word â€Å"predators† means hunting animals. The phrase â€Å"hidden from...predators† can only mean that the point is to keep the eggs safe. Here’s another fun one: Because bacteria and other organisms can penetrate eggshells and decompose the contents, very few fossilized eggs found today contain any embryonic material. For the reason that the walls of eggs can be penetrated by bacteria and other small organisms that feed on organic material, the stone-like fossilized eggs people find today are usually lacking any remnants of embryos, whether intact or not. Okay, the second sentence here is a bit long even for the SAT, but it drives home the point that there is virtually no limit to the amount of irrelevant and repetitive information that can be stuffed into a sentence. And the SAT loves to push that particular envelope. The key is the information: can the same meaning be conveyed in fewer words? Below, we look at the information in the sentences above: Short Sentence Long Sentence Because For the reason that bacteria and other organisms can penetrate eggshells and decompose the contents the walls of eggs can be penetrated by bacteria and other small organisms that feed on organic material very few...contain any embryonic material are usually lacking any remnants of embryos, whether intact or not fossilized eggs found today the stone-like fossilized eggs people find today As you can see, any extra information that the second sentence offers is not relevant to the point of the sentence: the appearance of the eggs, what organisms feed on (that’s obvious from the fact that they’re eating dino eggs), and whether the embryos are intact or not. Those things don’t matter here, because the sentence is about the absence of embryonic material in the eggs. Common Problem: Repeated References to Something Another way to spot an SAT-designed bad sentence is repeated references to a person or thing, like so: The dinosaur eggs, those which had been incubated by machines, they were almost ready to hatch. Can you spot the nouns and pronouns in this sentence that refer to the same thing (the eggs)? Go ahead, we’ll wait. There are three: â€Å"eggs,† of course, â€Å"those,† and â€Å"they.† In this case, you can just take out the second two and the sentence is SAT-approved. Generally, we only need to use a pronoun when there are two things going on in the sentence: After the incubators had warmed, turned and monitored them for two months, the eggs were ready to hatch. Above, there’s the actions the incubators took in gestating the eggs, and then the statement that they are ready to hatch. That makes the two references, â€Å"eggs† and â€Å"they,† necessary. In the previous sentence, the only thing that’s happening is that they’re ready to hatch; the rest of the information is extra. Even More Common Problem: Gerunds, a.k.a. â€Å"-ing† verbs First of all, let’s get one thing straight: a gerund, or â€Å"-ing† verb, cannot by itself be the only verb in a sentence. Let’s take â€Å"feeling† as an example: Can we say â€Å"She feeling better†? No, we have to say she is feeling better. We can use it to start a sentence, like â€Å"Feeling better, she walked downstairs.† But the operative verb in this sentence is walked, not feeling. Students overuse â€Å"-ing† verbs, because they are more all-purpose than other verb conjugations. But they have limited utility in good writing, and even less utility on the SAT. (Bonus SAT vocab lesson: â€Å"utility† means usefulness.) The SAT is constantly presenting us with these kinds of sentences: The dinosaur eggs were very delicate, the reason for this being that they needed to be incubated. Then they’ll give us some alternatives to the underlined section: (A) (same as original) (B) and the reason being you have to incubate them (C) for the reason that incubation was needed by them (D) because of the fact that their incubation is necessary and vital (E) because they required incubation Strategy: How to Eliminate Carefully and Effectively The key to maneuvering successfully through the SAT is elimination. The choices are designed to overwhelm and confuse students, which is part of the reason they’re overhauling the test in 2016. This is also one of the many reasons the SAT requires preparation- the strategy of elimination is actually quite refined and powerful, if you do it correctly. So rather than point out why the right answer is right, we’re going to use the â€Å"-ing† verbs example above to give you a sample of our elimination strategy. Step 1: Which choice is the longest? Above, it’s (D), and It’s almost never the answer. You can safely eliminate it on this question type: if the others all seem blatantly wrong, then consider it. Step 2: Which is the most straightforward? Active voice is always better than passive voice: â€Å"they required incubation† is always preferable to â€Å"incubation was needed by them†- eliminate (C). The second person- †you†- is oftenwrong on the SAT, unless the writer is speaking directly to the reader. When it’s used to mean â€Å"a person,† it’s confusing, vague, and inaccurate. Eliminate (B). These steps leave us with only (A), the original, and (E), the shortest answer choice. Hopefully (E) clearly sounds better to you (see, here I’m talking directly to you, the reader, so the second person in appropriate). This strategy allows us to work through questions methodically and efficiently without losing our respective minds. It works for all the Reading and Writing questions (and some Math ones), but is especially necessary when your choices are just heaps of words with one â€Å"best† option stuck in between. If you liked this post you may like: What is a good SAT score? A bad SAT score? SAT Writing Guide Part II: Essays SAT Writing Guide Part I: Improving Paragraphs

A Guide to Terminal Punctuation

A Guide to Terminal Punctuation A Guide to Terminal Punctuation A Guide to Terminal Punctuation By Mark Nichol This post outlines the functions of punctuation marks employed at the end of a sentence: the period, the exclamation point, the question mark, and ellipses. Period Periods are employed as terminal punctuation for statements other than questions or exclamations. In American English, periods precede a close quotation mark at the end of a sentence (with some technical exceptions in such fields as botany, linguistics, and philosophy). Periods also follow numbers and letters that precede each item in a vertical list. When an abbreviation ending in a period closes a sentence (such as in â€Å"Such abbreviations are common in content pertaining to mathematics, science, etc.†), it does double duty as terminal punctuation; do not add a period. An exclamation point or question mark can follow such use of a period, but revision to avoid consecutive punctuation is advised. See this post for information about the use of periods in abbreviation. Exclamation Point In formal writing, use of the exclamation point is rare, but it performs a useful function in expressing exclamation of surprise (â€Å"That’s absurd!†) or communicating an imperative (â€Å"Halt!†). It may also be employed to indicate enthusiasm (â€Å"Hi!†). An exclamation point should replace, not accompany, a comma (â€Å"No!† she replied†), though an exception is made when the exclamation is part of the title of a composition or of a component of one (â€Å"Her latest painting, titled simply Yes!, is on display†; â€Å"The final chapter, ‘Where Do I Go from Here?,’ is essential reading†). When both an exclamation point and a question mark are appropriate, choose one or the other, though in informal writing, an interrobang, a hybrid of both symbols, can be employed. Frequent use of the exclamation point, or use of two or more in succession, is distracting and should be employed only, for example, to signal in fiction writing the exuberance of a character. An exclamation point in parentheses indicates an editorial interpolation expressing alarm or surprise, as in â€Å"A speaker who seriously proposed summary execution (!) was heckled.† Writers should take care to place an exclamation point before or after a close quotation mark depending on its function. Compare, for example, â€Å"John screamed, ‘Get out!’† and â€Å"You can believe I was shocked when Mary quietly responded, ‘I know the truth, because I was there’!† In the first sentence, the exclamation point, positioned inside the quotation marks containing John’s outburst, emphasizes the screamed command; in the second sentence, the exclamation point, located outside the quotation marks framing Mary’s reported comment but within those bracketing the reporter’s statement, signals the surprise the reporter felt about Mary’s unexpected but quietly uttered admission. Exclamation points that are integral to a proper name (for example, in the company name Yahoo! or in the title of the television program Jeopardy!) are usually retained, though they may, especially in the former example, invite confusion. (Ambiguity is unlikely in the case of an exclamation point that is part of a word or phrase formatted in italics or boldface.) Question Mark A question mark is employed in place of a period to indicate an interrogative word, phrase, or full sentence- usually the latter, although it may follow a single word or a phrase functioning as a sentence, or one or more interrogative elements can be embedded in a sentence, as in â€Å"Was he feeling envy? resentment? humiliation?† (Alternatively, the last two words might be treated as one-word sentences: â€Å"Was he feeling envy? Resentment? Humiliation?†) Question marks should not punctuate indirect questions (â€Å"The question is whether the initiative should be funded by taxpayers†), sentences ending with interrogative words (â€Å"Naturally, you might ask why†), or formal requests (â€Å"Would you please respond at your earliest inconvenience†). A question mark may also replace or accompany an unknown quantity, as in â€Å"John Smith (1452?–1506) . . .† or â€Å"John Smith (?–1506) . . . .† See also the discussion of exclamation points above; all the guidance after the first paragraph in that section applies to question marks as well. Ellipses When ellipses end an unfinished sentence, the implication is that the reader is familiar with the full sentence (â€Å"When in Rome . . .†), which is delivered in an offhand manner, or that the speaker is faltering (â€Å"I was just trying to . . .†). (To represent interrupted speech, use a dash rather than ellipses; see this post about the use of dashes as internal punctuation.) When representing omission of one or more words at the beginning of a sentence that follows a full sentence, use a period and ellipses as shown here: â€Å"Finish each day and be done with it. . . . Tomorrow is a new day.† When indicating elision of one or more words at the end with a complete sentence, which is followed by another sentence, place the period for the first sentence after the ellipses as shown here: â€Å"I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience . . . . And I am horribly limited.† (The period is the fourth dot.) Do not place ellipses at the end of a quotation to indicate that more text follows the quotation in the source material. The use of ellipses as internal punctuation is discussed in this post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidHow to Punctuate Descriptions of ColorsDrama vs. Melodrama