Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Lord of the Flies themes essays

Lord of the Flies themes essays Lord of the Flies is a novel alive with subtle themes and concepts that are relevant and representative of human nature whether it is a group of schoolboys or society as a whole. The author William Golding has illustrated his main themes by using symbols that represent aspects of order and civilization and later in the novel the same symbols represent aspects of chaos and anarchy. The characters in this novel are a group of English schoolboys who are stranded on a tropical utopia. Ralph, who is chosen as the chief, attempts to create a sense of order on the island by establishing rules and regulations. Piggy aids Ralph by being the voice of reason and knowledge. However a split between the boys leads to Jack taking control and creating an immoral and reckless tribe. Towards the end of the book the boys break from the safety of their orderly existence that is based on the hope that they will be rescued. The boys regress from a civilized society to savagery, which is symbolized in the novel by Piggys glasses, the fire and the importance of the conch shell. First, the glasses, worn by Piggy represent intelligence and technology. The boys use his specs-...as burning glasses (Golding 41). They use their intuitiveness and teamwork to make the fire that would later aid in their rescue and are very concerned with starting the fire and keeping it going. However as time moves on the state of Piggys glasses begin to deteriorate due to a clash between Jack and Piggy where Jack smacked Piggys head...and Piggys glasses fly off and tinkled on the rocks (Golding 75). One side of Piggys glasses is broken. The boys are beginning to become more selfish and self interested and as a result piggy is losing the power and status that he had at the beginning of the novel. Furthermore, when Jack and his tribe take control one night and steal Piggys glasses leaving piggy blind it is apparen ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The 5 Best Strategies for Reading ACT Science Passages

The 5 Best Strategies for Reading ACT Science Passages SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT Science section is basically the white and gold dress of the ACT. It's blueand black or white and gold. It's either really hard or really easy, depending on the viewer. In this article, I'm going to help you find a strategy that makes theACT Science really easy always. As I mentioned in a previous article, the ACT Science section is more reading than science. Therefore, to do well on the ACT Science, you need to have a good reading strategy. Counterintuitive, I know. While usingone strategy for the whole ACT Science section would be ideal, there is no single technique that works to read all of the ACT Science Passages. Your approach to reading the ACT Science Passages should vary based on the type of passage.If you're unfamiliar with the 3 types of ACT Science Passages, I recommend reading our other article first. In this article, I'll outline all of theACT Science reading techniques that I've personally tried and taught to students. I'll rank the techniques from best to worst. I offer all of the strategies (instead of just one) because my favorite strategy may not work for you. Summary of the Types of ACT Science Passages As a brief review, there are 3 types of ACT Science Passages: 3 Data Representation Passages 3 Research Summary Passages 1 Conflicting Viewpoints Passage Data Representation Passages and Research Summary Passages are very similar. Both use visuals (graphs, tables, etc.) as the primary way to convey information. We'll use the same 3 approaches to read both. Conflicting Viewpoints Passages are the most unique since Conflicting Viewpoints Passages typically don't have any visuals.We'll use 2 different approaches to read this passage. As I mentioned earlier, I offer 3 strategies for reading the Data Representation and Research Summary Passages and 2 strategies for reading the Conflicting Viewpoints Passages (as opposed to telling you what to do) because Ihave seen first hand as a tutor that every student thinks uniquely and that no single strategy works for everyone. One-size-fits-all strategies work as well as one-size-fits-all pants. Reading Strategiesfor Data Representation and Research Summary Passages When trying to implement a reading approach for the ACT Science, you should not simply try the approachon one ACT Science passage and then give up and move on to the next strategy. The first time you try an approach, it will never work perfectly. If you have tried the approach on 2-3 full practice ACT Science sections and you still don't feel comfortable with it, then you should try another strategy.Start with approach #1 in your practice, and only move on if after significant practice it still doesn't work for you. Approach #1: Skip the Passage and Go Right to the Questions. Immediately start reading the questions.Try to answer all of the questions by using only the graphs, charts, and other visuals.If you need more information to answer a question, skip it and come back to it after answering as many questions as you can with the visuals alone. When you come back to it, skim the passage and try to answer the question again. Check out the below question as an example of how this technique works: To answer this question, you just need to look at the graph. Locate January 1987, which is two ticks to the right of 1985.If you follow that tick up to the dotted line (which represents the monthly average cover of clouds), you see that it is approximately 13.5%, so the answer is B. This is the best approach in my opinion. I’ve found it to be the most effective for me and for most students I’ve tutored.With only 52.5 seconds per question, this approach is the most efficient use of your limited time,especially if you find yourself running out of time before you get a chance to consider all the questions. Approach #2: Skim the Passage and Then Read the Questions. This is the second best approach.Try this approach if you struggle to answer the questions without having a little context first. Skim the passage for key words that indicate what the passage is about, for key words that indicate trends such as increase or decrease, and for key words that suggest differences such as high, low, big, or small. You should circle or underline these terms as you skim. These are the terms that most questions refer toin the Data Representation and Research Summaries Passages. We'll apply this strategy to the passage below that accompanies the question above: Skimming the above passage, I would grab onto key terms: cloud cover, increase, increase in cosmic ray flux, low clouds, relative cosmic ray flux (RCRF), high clouds, middle clouds. It's fine if you don't understand what each term means right away - if the term is important, it'll be clear from reading the question, and you'll have a chance to hone down on important terms later. Now, when looking at question 13, I have a better understanding that the passage discussed 3 different heights of clouds. The question is just asking about high clouds, so I only need to look at figure 1. Then, I follow the steps I outlined above. Locate January 1987, which is two ticks to the right of 1985.If you follow that tick up to the dotted line (which represents the monthly average cover of clouds), you see that it is approximately 13.5%, so the answer is B. Skimming first is not necessary and may slow some people down. However, if you get confused looking at the questions without any context, approach #1 maytake you more time as you try to figure out what the question is asking you. Try approach #2 if, after you have attempted approach #1, you still struggle with timing, or you struggle to answer the questions correctly. If neither approach #1 nor approach #2 seems to be getting you to your score goal, as a last resort, try approach #3. Approach #3: Read the Whole Passage First. I don’t recommend it, but if the first two approaches do not work for you, you can use this as a last resort. See the passage abovewhich goes with the question above related to high clouds. Reading the whole passage firstwastes a lot of time, since, as I explained above, you can get the answer to question 13 without reading any of the passage.It definitely will get you to the right answer, but you need to read very quickly if you want to complete all 7 passages. Sad pony If you plan on using this approach, you need to be able to read the passage/visuals in less than 2 minutes since you only have 5 minutes to complete each passage.Set aside at least 3 minutes to answer questions. If you're targeting a score between 31 and 36 and are not able to get your reading pace under 2 minutes, DO NOT use this strategy, or you will not be able to finish all 7 passages.If you are targeting a score of 30 or below, you can afford to skip 1 passage, so you could use this strategy if your reading pace is slower.Make sure you can answer 6 out of 7 passages.I’d recommend skipping the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage if you skip 1. Reading Approach for Conflicting Viewpoints Passage Since the Conflicting Viewpoints Passages rarely have visuals, it would be ineffective to use approach #1 to answer Conflicting Viewpoints questions. Instead, you must take a completely different approach. Approach #1: Read the Whole Passage First. What? But you just said this is the worst strategy to use for Research Summaries and Data Representation Passages. Yes, I did. This is the best strategy for the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage only. To answer Conflicting Viewpoints questions, you need to read the entire passage, so that you can distinguish between the scientist's/student's viewpoints. You should ask yourself these questions while you read: What does scientist/student 1 believe? What does scientist/student 2 believe? What does scientist/student 3/4/5 believe? Occasionally, there will be more than 2 viewpoints represented. I have seen as many as 5 viewpoints discussedon a Conflicting Viewpoints Passage. How is scientist/student 2's point of view different fromscientist/student 1's point of view? How isscientist/student 2's point of view similar to scientist/student 1's point of view? We will apply this technique to the passage and question below: In order to answer this question, you need to read all of Scientist 2’s paragraph and understand what Scientist 2 believes.Scientist 2 said the object was an asteroid. Scientist 2 also said that as the asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere, it was flattened and decelerated rapidly due to the dramatic increase in surface area. In looking at the question, I can eliminate F because it had already entered Earth’s atmosphere when it flattened, which means I can also eliminate G.H makes sense because it decelerated rapidly due to increased surface area, if it had not flattened, it would not have had an increased surface area.I think the answer is H, but I will check J.Frozen doesn’t make any sense and was not mentioned in Scientist 2’s paragraph.So, the answer is H. Notice that you need all of the information from the Conflicting Viewpoints Passage to answer the questions. Thus,reading the whole passage first is the most effective strategy. This way you ensure that you do not miss key information you need to answer the questions. Approach #2: Skim the Questions and Then Read the Passage. If you would like to skim the questions first to get a sense of what you should be reading the passage for, that is fine too.It may slow you down, so I recommend trying approach #1 first.If you had skimmed question 10 before reading, you would have known you had to pay special attention to Scientist 2’s description of the flattened asteroid.You would have been able to circle the sentence that mentions the flattened asteroid when reading through the passage.It mightmakeanswering the question a little faster. Everyone is unique, so try approach #1 and if it slows you down too much, then try this approach.You will only find your best reading approach through practice. How Should You Practice These Skills? Method #1: By Practicing With Good ACT Science Specific Material Duh, I know it's obvious, but it is worth saying. Because the ACT Science is so different from all other science and all other tests, the best way is to practice with the material that most closely matches the ACT Science test. For recommendations on studymaterial, check out our article on best ACT prep booksand download free printable ACT practice tests. Also, check outPrepScholar's program. PrepScholarbreaks down each ACT section into the skills you need to master, then gives you focused practice on each skill. This way you work on your weaknesses, whether that's interpreting data or understanding the basis for experiments. Method #2: Reading Science Experiment Articles If you want to supplement your practice, this is a good way, but it is not a replacement for real ACT Science study materials.Since the ACT Science Passages are similar, it will give you a leg up since you will already be familiar with reading this type of passage.You will be more familiar with the scientific method and looking at scientific data. I recommend Science Daily. Itis a free science news source, and the articles are very easy to understand. Check out this article abouta study onpeanut allergies. I recommend reading their articles as well as browsing the original journal article (which they link to at the bottom of their articles). While Science Daily does not use many visuals on their site, the journal articles typically have unique graphs and visuals. Such as this one from the peanut allergy study: When reading the Science Daily articles, you should ask yourself questions as a test. In particular, run through these questions: What is the main point of the experiment? What was the hypothesis? How were the experiments supposed to validate the hypothesis? When looking at the visuals in the related journal articles, what is being depicted? This is how scientific research works, and this is what ACT Science expects you to be able to decipher. The conceptsin actual science research papers arefarmore complicated than what the ACT Science will show you, but if you train on this more difficult material, ACT Science will be a breeze. Actions to Take: A Recap You need to have a good reading strategy to get a 36 on the ACT Science section. There is no one strategy that can be applied to the whole ACT Science section. There are 3 different reading approaches for the Data Representation and Research Summaries Passages: Skip the passage and go right to the questions. Skim the passage and then read the questions. Read the whole passage first. There are 2 different reading approaches for the Conflicting Viewpoints Passages: Read the whole passage first. Skim the questions and then read the passage. Work with approach #1 first. If you have tried it on 2-3 full ACT Science Sections and it still doesn't work for you, then move on to approach #2. As a last resort, you can try approach #3 for the Data Representation and Research Summaries Passages. However, you need to get your reading time under 2 minutes, so that you can finish all 7 passages. Again, find the approach that works for you and keep practicing it.Practice is the key to success on the ACT Science section. Practice with real ACT Science study materials. What’s Next? I hope thishelps you find a reading approachthat makes the ACT Science section easy (orthe dress white and gold). You don't need to be a science expert to do well on the ACT Science section. You just need to find an effective reading strategy that works for YOU. Practice this strategy, so that you excel the day of the test. Learn more about theACT Science section by reading about the3 types of ACT Science passages,the only actual science you need to know for the ACT Science,what's tested on ACT Science, andthe big secret of the ACT Science. Like this article? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Sciencelesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Problems Associated With Racism. Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin Essay

Problems Associated With Racism. Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin - Essay Example This was a difficult spell which was characterised by white supremacy in order to prove dominance. This dominance was displayed over a group of people who were believed not to belong in the same society as the white people. People, mostly African American, would bear the full brunt of the race factor, since they were often affiliated with negativity. This paper will review the comparison that existed between the Emmett Till lynching and the Trayvon Martin killing. Also, it will address the issue of negative perception on a certain race, and how it is affecting the American people. The negative perception from the whites helped bring forth a string of riots and rise in civil rights movements across the nation. This was since the African Americans felt that their rights were being violated. In the case of Trayvon Martin, there was a similar case of negative perception. A young man heading home from the convenient store with a bag of skittles and iced tea gets shot since he looked suspicious. He was dressed in ordinary blue jeans and wearing a hoodie. That was enough to send the young man to an early grave. This negative perception has not changed entirely even with the reforms that have taken place during the time of Martin Luther King (Metress 65). People are still misdirected, and it is taking a toll on the young African American people of America. As Mississippi was a state that had the most number of African Americans, it was hard for whites and the blacks to entirely get along. This led to the division of people and the division of everything else. There we re schools designed for the blacks, buses, and even hotels. The blacks mixing and mingling with the whites was considered a crime (Metress 72). It was a punishable offense for a black man to gaze at a white lady. That was considered inappropriate, and often led to the arrest of many black men. The perception that black men are violent often has them suspected for many violent crimes which later, leads to their persecution. In light of this, it was highly crucial for the black men and women of Mississippi to keep to their kind; attend their own schools and even, ride their own buses. However, in the wake of Emmett Till’s killing, the rise in riots and boycotts showed the strength of the African American minority group (Nelson 54). Groups that advocated for equal civil rights as the whites emerged, and pushed for equality among all people regardless of their colour. The death of Emmett Till was considered a pivotal point in the uprisings made by the African American minority. C ivil rights groups emerged in the wake of his death and wanted justice to all those responsible, while advocating for equality. This saw many black people killed in strange and bizarre circumstances. Some were bombed, others were drowned, some were bludgeoned, and others, shot to death (Nelson 63). All this happened in the name of white supremacy. It did not matter that lives were being lost and that the state was in chaos. All that mattered to the white extremists was for them to have control over the minority group. African Americans urged their children to join in the fight for equality, and they did without hesitation. They boycotted school and marched on to the streets to advocate for the treatment of all persons equally. The beating and hosing down of the children brought the president to action, and Mississippi grabbed the consideration of other states, as well. Emmett Till’s death can be considered the turning point (Nelson 72). This is because after it happened, the strength of the African American people could be felt and seen across the realm. Focus was shifted to the injustices, the killings, and