Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Seven

â€Å"He didn't even know you were there,† Sibby said. â€Å"He never even knew who hit him.† â€Å"That was the idea.† They were parked next to an abandoned Amtrak maintenance building on an old part of the train tracks that was completely hidden from the street. It was the place Miranda had started coming seven months earlier to work out all her new crazy energy and try things she couldn't practice anywhere else-Roller Derby was great for speed, balance, gymnastics, and shoving moves, but you weren't supposed to use advanced judo. Or weapons. She could make out marks from her last crossbow exercise on the side of the building, and the piece of railroad track she'd tied in a knot the day after Will rejected her was still lying on the ground. She'd never seen anyone else here, and she was sure she and Sibby would be pretty much invisible as long as they stayed parked. â€Å"Where did you learn to knock people out like that?† Sibby asked, sprawled out over the backseat. â€Å"Can you teach me?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Why not? Just one move?† â€Å"Absolutely not.† â€Å"Why did you say you were sorry after you hit him?† Miranda swiveled to face her. â€Å"It's my turn to ask questions. Who wants to kill you and why?† â€Å"Gods, I don't know. It could be a ton of people. It's not like that, how you think it is.† â€Å"What's it like then?† â€Å"It's complicated. But if we can just hang out until four in the morning, there's a place I can go.† â€Å"That's six hours from now.† â€Å"That'll give me time for at least ten more kisses.† â€Å"Well, of course. What else would you do while someone is trying to kill you besides go out and tongue tango with as many strangers as possible?† â€Å"They weren't trying to kill me, they were trying to abduct me. It's totally different. Come on, I want to do something fun. Something with boys.† â€Å"Or we could not do that.† â€Å"Look, just because you are a founding member of Down with Fun Inc. doesn't mean that the rest of us want to sign up.† â€Å"I am not a founding member of Down with Fun Inc. I like fun. But-â€Å" â€Å"Funkiller.† † – somehow the idea of wandering around while ‘a ton of people' are trying to kidnap you, doesn't sound fun to me. It sounds like a good way to get into the Guinness Book of World Records under ‘Plan, comma, World's Most Stupid. Plus innocent bystanders could get caught in the middle when the ton of people find you.† â€Å"‘If, not ‘when. And they don't care about anyone but me.† Miranda rolled her eyes and turned back around. â€Å"That's why they're called innocent bystanders. Because they were standing by you and accidentally got hurt.† â€Å"Then you should definitely get away from me. Seriously, although there's nothing I'd rather do than sit parked in a homeless person's bathroom for six hours with only you for company, I think it would be safer for both of us if I take my chances elsewhere. Like at that ice cream place we passed on the way here. Did you see the lips on the guy behind the counter? They were mythic. Drop me there and I'll be all set.† â€Å"You're so not going anywhere.† â€Å"Really? Because that sound you hear? Is me reaching for the door handle.† â€Å"Really? Because that sound you hear? Is me engaging the child lock.† In the rearview mirror, Miranda saw Sibby's eyes blaze. â€Å"You're really mean,† Sibby said. â€Å"Something horrible must have happened to you to make you so mean.† â€Å"I'm not mean. I'm just trying to keep you safe.† â€Å"Are you sure it's me you're thinking about? Not some skeleton in your closet? Like the time you-â€Å" Miranda turned up the radio. â€Å"Turn that down! I was talking and I'm the customer.† â€Å"Not anymore.† Sibby yelled really loud, â€Å"What happened to your sister?† â€Å"I don't know what you are talking about,† Miranda yelled back. â€Å"That's a lie.† Miranda didn't say anything. â€Å"I asked you before if you had a sister and you got all teary,† Sibby shouted in her ear. â€Å"Why won't you tell me?† Miranda turned down the radio. â€Å"Can you give me three good reasons why I should?† â€Å"It might make you feel better. It would give us something to talk about while we sit here. And if you don't tell me, I'm going to start guessing.† Miranda leaned her head back, checked her watch, and turned to stare out the window. â€Å"Be my guest.† â€Å"You bugged her so much she left? You bored her so much she left? Or did you drive her away with the huge stick you keep up your butt?† â€Å"Stop being tender with my feelings. Go on, tell me what you really think.† From the backseat Sibby said, â€Å"That might have been too mean. Sorry.† Miranda didn't say anything. â€Å"You don't really have a stick in your butt. You couldn't drive then, right? Ha-ha?† Silence. â€Å"But I mean, you started it. With the child-lock thing. I'm not a child. I'm fourteen.† More silence. â€Å"I said I was sorry.† In the backseat Sibby slumped, sighed. â€Å"Fine. Be that way.† Silence. Until, for no reason she could explain, Miranda said, â€Å"They died.† Sibby sat up quick now, leaning toward the front seat. â€Å"Who? Your sisters?† â€Å"Everyone. My whole family.† â€Å"Was it because of something you did?† â€Å"Yes. And because of something I didn't do. I think.† â€Å"Um, Grandma Grim, that doesn't make any sense. How can not doing something-wait, you think?. Don't you know what happened?† â€Å"I can't really remember anything from that part of my life.† â€Å"You mean from that day?† â€Å"No. From that year. And the year after. Anything pretty much from when I was ten until when I turned twelve. And there are a few other holes, too.† â€Å"You mean that stuff is just too painful to remember?† â€Å"No, it's just†¦ gone. All I have are impressions.† And the dreams. Really really bad dreams. â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Like that I wasn't where I should have been and something happened and I let everyone down†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She stopped, waved a hand in the air. â€Å"Wait, you actually think you could have stopped whatever happened to them? By yourself? When you were four years younger than me?† Miranda's throat felt like it was closing up. She'd never told anyone even that much of her real history before, never talked about it, not even with Kenzi. Ever. She swallowed hard. â€Å"I could have tried. I could have been there and tried.† â€Å"Oh my gods, now this is some kind of pity party. Yawn. Wake me when you're done.† Miranda gaped at her in the mirror. â€Å"I told you I didn't want to talk about it but you kept bugging me and now you turn into the mayor of TellItLikeItIsVille?† Swallowing again. â€Å"You little-â€Å" â€Å"You don't even know what happened! How can you feel so bad about it? Plus, I don't see how that can be your fault. You weren't even there and you were only ten. I think you should stop obsessing about some mystery thing that is ancient history and live in the mo.† â€Å"I'm sorry, did you just tell me to ‘live in the mo'?† â€Å"Yes. You know, ditch the past and try focusing on what's going on in the present. Like that the song on the radio right now? Sucks. And that there is a whole city of cute boys out there I am not kissing.† Miranda took a deep breath, but before she could say anything, Sibby went on. â€Å"I know, I know you say you're sorry to the people you knock out because you never got to say sorry to your family, and you have to keep me safe because you couldn't keep them safe. I get it now.† â€Å"That is not what's going on. I-â€Å" â€Å"Blah blah blah, insert denials here. Anyway, why does ‘safe' have to mean sitting in this car with you all night? Isn't there somewhere we could blend in? Instead of hiding? I'm good at blending. I'm like butter.† â€Å"Oh yeah, you're totally like butter. In fact, in your Madonna-called-and-she-wants-her-costume-from-the-‘Borderline'-video-back outfit, you're practically invisible.† â€Å"Good one, Funkiller. Come on, let's go somewhere.† Miranda turned all the way around in her seat and said, â€Å"Let me sound it out for you. Someone. Is. Trying. To. Kill. You.† â€Å"No. They. Are. Not. You keep saying that, but I've told you. They can't kill me. You should really work on this obsession you have with people getting killed. And I have to be honest with you, I'm getting bored. What do you have the radio set to, K-CRAP? There is no way we are staying in this car for six hours.† Miranda had to agree with her. Because if they did, it was now clear she'd kill Sibby herself. That's when she thought of the perfect place for them to go. â€Å"You want to blend in?† she asked. â€Å"Yes. With boys.† â€Å"Guys,† Miranda said. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Normal American girls from this century call them guys, not boys. If you want to blend in.† For a second, Sibby looked shocked. Then she gave a little smile. â€Å"Oh. Yes. Guys.† â€Å"‘Yeah, not ‘yes. Unless you're talking to a grown-up.† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"And it's ‘Oh my God' or ‘God, not ‘gods. â€Å" â€Å"Did I-?† â€Å"Yeah. And no one ever has or ever will say, ‘live in the mo. â€Å" â€Å"Just wait.† â€Å"No. Never. Oh, and no paying guys for kisses. You don't need to. They should feel lucky to kiss you.† Sibby frowned. â€Å"Why are you being so nice to me and helping me? You don't even like me.† â€Å"Because I know what it's like to be far from home, alone, trying to fit in. And to never be able to tell anyone the truth about who you are.† After they'd been driving in silence for a few minutes, Sibby said, â€Å"Have you ever killed someone with your bare hands?† Miranda looked at her in the rearview. â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"Ha-ha.†

Native American Influence on the Founding of the US

Native American Influence on the Founding of the US In telling the history of the rise of the United States and modern democracy, high school history texts typically emphasize the influence of ancient Rome on the founding fathers ideas about what form the new nation would take. Even college and graduate-level political science programs bias towards this, but there is substantial scholarship on the influence the founding fathers derived from Native American governing systems and philosophies. A survey of the documentation demonstrating those influences based on the work of Robert W. Venables and others is telling for what the founders absorbed from Indians and what they intentionally rejected in their crafting of the Articles of Confederation and later the Constitution. Pre-Constitutional Era In the late 1400s when Christian Europeans began to encounter the indigenous inhabitants of the New World, they were forced to come to terms with a new race of people entirely unfamiliar to them. While by the 1600s the natives had captured the Europeans imaginations and knowledge of the Indians was widespread in Europe, their attitudes toward them would be based on comparisons to themselves. These ethnocentric understandings would result in narratives about Indians which would embody the concept of either the noble savage or the brutal savage, but savage regardless of connotation. Examples of these images can be seen throughout European and pre-revolutionary American culture in the works of literature by the likes of Shakespeare (particularly The Tempest), Michel de Montaigne, John Locke, Rousseau, and many others. Benjamin Franklins Views on Native Americans During the years of the Continental Congress and the drafting of the Articles of Confederation, the Founding Father who was by far the most influenced by Native Americans and had bridged the gap between European conceptions (and misconceptions) and real life in the colonies was Benjamin Franklin. Born in 1706 and a newspaper journalist by trade, Franklin wrote on his many years of observations and interactions with natives (most often the Iroquois but also the Delawares and Susquehannas) in a classic essay of literature and history called Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America. In part, the essay is a less than flattering account of Iroquois impressions of the colonists way of life and education system, but more than that the essay is a commentary on the conventions of Iroquois life. Franklin seemed impressed by the Iroquois political system and noted: for all their government is by the Council or advice of the sages; there is no force, there are no prisons, no officers to c ompel obedience, or inflict punishment. Hence they generally study oratory; the best speaker having the most influence in his eloquent description of government by consensus. He also elaborated on Indians sense of courtesy in Council meetings and compared them to the raucous nature of the British House of Commons. In other essays, Benjamin Franklin would elaborate on the superiority of Indian foods, especially corn which he found to be one of the most agreeable and wholesome grains of the world. He would even argue the need for American forces to adopt Indian modes of warfare, which the British had successfully done during the French and Indian war. Influences on the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution In conceiving the ideal form of government, the colonists drew upon European thinkers like Jean Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu, and John Locke. Locke, in particular, wrote about Indians state of perfect freedom and argued theoretically that power should not derive from a monarch but from the people. But it was the colonists direct observations of the political practices of the Iroquois Confederacy which convinced them how power vested in the people actually produced a functional democracy. According to Venables, the concept of the pursuit of life and liberty are directly attributable to Native influences. However, where Europeans diverged from Indian political theory was in their conceptions of property; the Indian philosophy of communal landholding was diametrically opposed to the European idea of individual private property, and it was the protection of private property that would be the thrust of the Constitution (until the creation of the Bill of Rights, which would return the foc us to the protection of liberty). Overall, however, as Venables argues, the Articles of Confederation would more closely reflect American Indian political theory than the Constitution, ultimately to the detriment of the Indian nations. The Constitution would create a central government in which power would be concentrated, versus the loose confederation of the cooperative but independent Iroquois nations, which much more closely resembled the union created by the Articles. Such concentration of power would enable imperialist expansion of the United States along the lines of the Roman Empire, which the Founding Fathers embraced more than the liberties of the savages, who they saw as inevitably meeting the same fate as their own tribal ancestors in Europe. Ironically, the Constitution would follow the very pattern of British centralization that the colonists rebelled against, despite the lessons they learned from the Iroquois.

Cómo ser exitoso pidiendo extensión de visa de turista

Cà ³mo ser exitoso pidiendo extensià ³n de visa de turista Los turistas extranjeros que se encuentran en Estados Unidos con una visa B1 o la combinada B1/B2 pueden solicitar una extensià ³n de su estadà ­a, si desean permanecer en el paà ­s por ms tiempo. Quià ©nes no pueden extender la visa de turista No todos los turistas pueden solicitar quedarse ms tiempo del que inicialmente les ha sido concedido.   Hay que tener en cuenta algunas situaciones especiales. En primer lugar, los mexicanos que ingresan a Estados Unidos con una visa de cruce BCC, tambià ©n conocida como lser, deben respetar reglas especiales de tiempo y tambià ©n de millas que se pueden adentrar ms all de la là ­nea de la frontera. Si sus planes son distintos, deben realizar previamente los trmites correspondientes. Por otro lado, los canadienses y los ciudadanos de Bermudas pueden ingresar a Estados Unidos como turistas sin visa por un mximo de 180 dà ­as. Pueden salir y regresar al poco tiempo, si bien en este caso se arriesgan a que el oficial fronterizo de la CBP consideren que estn en realidad viviendo en Estados Unidos y les niegue el ingreso al paà ­s. Los canadienses no deben confundir este plazo migratorio de 6 meses  con el de impuestos de 120 dà ­as, es decir, 4 meses. Son cosas distintas que a veces se confunden. Por à ºltimo, los ciudadanos de los paà ­ses incluidos en el programa de Exencià ³n de Visa pueden ingresar a Estados Unidos como turistas por un mximo de 90 dà ­as y no es posible en ningà ºn caso extender esta estadà ­a. Imposible. Tener en cuenta que si llegan por avià ³n en una là ­nea aà ©rea- es decir, no en una nave privada- se necesita solicitar una autorizacià ³n electrà ³nica que se conoce como ESTA.  Esta autorizacià ³n no es una visa, por lo tanto es imposible extender lo que no se tiene. Todos los dems turistas, es decir, lo que ingresan con la visa B-2, que la mayorà ­a de las veces se emite conjuntamente con la B-1, que es la que se utiliza para negocios, pueden solicitar la extensià ³n. Pero para ser exitoso es conveniente seguir los siguientes consejos.   Cundo se puede solicitar la extensià ³n de la visa de turista Lo primero que hay que tener claro es cundo se puede permanecer legalmente en los Estados Unidos. Para ello, la informacià ³n la brinda el documento que se conoce como I-94. No cometer el error de considerar que la fecha que hay que mirar es la de expiracià ³n de la visa.  Son dos cosas completamente distintas. A continuacià ³n, tener en cuenta que no se debe pedir la extensià ³n muy pronto. Es decir, se aconseja llevar ya unos tres meses ya en los Estados Unidos. La razà ³n para dejar transcurrir ese tiempo es para evitar que las autoridades migratorias consideren que esa fue siempre la intencià ³n y que por lo tanto no se fue claro al ingresar al paà ­s. Si se da esa impresià ³n lo ms probable que suceda es que se niegue la peticià ³n de extensià ³n. Por otro lado, tampoco se puede enviar muy tarde la solicitud de la extensià ³n. Se considera que lo prudente es enviarla 45 dà ­as antes de que llegue el dà ­a mximo de estancia autorizada en los Estados Unidos. Por ejemplo, si segà ºn el I-94 la estancia autorizada finaliza el 30 de septiembre, enviar la solicitud el 16 de agosto o unos cuantos dà ­as antes. Cà ³mo se pide extender la visa de turista o paseo Antes de comenzar, verificar la fecha de expiracià ³n del pasaporte. Debe ser vlido en el momento en que se solicita la extensià ³n y asegurarse de que lo seguir siendo durante el tiempo para el cual se solicita la extensià ³n de la estadà ­a. Si se cumple ese requisito, proceder a continuacià ³n a rellenar el formulario I-539.  Ã‚  El nombre oficial es Application to extend/change nonimmigrant status y es que tambià ©n se utiliza para otras solicitudes. Por lo que es importante marcar y llenar sà ³lo las casillas que apliquen al caso. Documentacià ³n adicional Junto con la forma I-539 debe enviarse el  registro de entrada/salida I-94. Los extranjeros que ingresaron a los Estados Unidos despuà ©s del 30 de abril de 2013 por aeropuerto o puerto tienen una versià ³n digital de este documento. Se puede obtener una copia en la pgina oficial de la CBP. En los casos de ingreso por frontera terrestre en los que se tiene un I-94 de papel o casos especiales de ingresos por aeropuerto o puerto y se ha extraviado, llenar en su lugar el formulario que se conoce como I-102 para obtener asà ­ una copia. Adems, se debe explicar en una carta en inglà ©s y en detalle las razones para pedir la extensià ³n de la visa. Por quà © la estancia en EEUU continà ºa siendo temporal, cundo y cà ³mo se planea salir del paà ­s y tambià ©n quà © posibles efectos puede tener en el empleo que se tenga en el paà ­s de origen alargar la estancia en los Estados Unidos. En el caso de que varios miembros de una misma familia se encuentren visitando Estados Unidos, es suficiente rellenar una sola aplicacià ³n para solicitar la extensià ³n de la visa, siempre y cuando la unidad familiar està © conformada por los padres- o uno de ellos- e  hijos solteros  menores de 21 aà ±os. En cuanto al tiempo el que se pide la extensià ³n, queda a eleccià ³n del turista siempre y cuando sea por un tiempo inferior a los 180 dà ­as. Es conveniente ser razonable en este punto y pedir una ampliacià ³n que no resulte sospechosa y dà © lugar a que se pueda pensar que se est viviendo en el paà ­s, o se est trabajando, etc. Si se incluye documentacià ³n en un idioma distinto al inglà ©s, debe traducirse y certificarse la traduccià ³n siguiendo este modelo de carta. Arancel o cuota que pagar para extender la visa de turista En la actualidad deben abonarse $290 por este servicio. Para asegurarse de la cantidad, ya que puede cambiar en cualquier momento, se puede verificar en la pgina oficial del USCIS y buscar por el nombre del formulario, es decir, I-539 y aà ±adir la palabra arancel en inglà ©s, es decir, fee. Tambià ©n es posible marcar gratis al Servicio al Cliente del USCIS marcando gratuitamente al 1-800-375-5783. Se puede pagar mediante money orden o mediante un cheque en dà ³lares de un banco o de una institucià ³n financiera con oficinas en Estados Unidos y pagadero a nombre del U.S. Department of Homeland Security. No utilizar abreviaciones como DHS o USDHS. Oficina a la que se envà ­a Para la extensià ³n de la visa de turista existen dos direcciones a utilizar, corresponde una u otra dependiendo del mà ©todo de envà ­o.   Por correo ordinario: USCIS Dallas Lockbox U.S. Postal Service:USCISP.O. Box 660166Dallas, TX 75266 Por correo urgente o por servicio de mensajerà ­a: USCISATTN: I-5392501 S. State Highway 121 BusinessSuite 400Lewisville, TX 75067 Decisià ³n de las autoridades migratorias El USCIS notificar por escrito si concede o no la peticià ³n de extender la visa de turista. Por esta razà ³n, es fundamental que la notificacià ³n llegue a su destino y no se pierda por el camino. Por lo tanto, si se cambia de domicilio es importantà ­simo notificarlo, aunque lo recomendable, si es posible, es seguir en el mismo sitio hasta que llegue la carta. La decisià ³n del USCIS puede ser de tres tipos En primer lugar, se aprueba la peticià ³n de extender la visa. En este caso la nueva fecha tope para poder permanecer legalmente en Estados Unidos la seà ±ala el nuevo I-94. Siempre y cuando la extensià ³n se hubiera pedido dentro del periodo de presencia autorizada, no se incurrir en presencia ilegal mientras se espera por la aprobacià ³n del USCIS, aà ºn cuando esta llegue con fecha posterior a la seà ±alada en el I-94 de ingreso al paà ­s. En segundo lugar -y esto es de gran importancia- la falta de contestacià ³n por ms de 240 dà ­as. A partir de ese dà ­a se considera que la presencia del turista es ilegal. Y en tercer lugar, se niega la peticià ³n. En este caso hay que salir inmediatamente de los Estados Unidos. No se dice cuntos dà ­as exactamente se tiene que salir. Pero la obligacià ³n es que se salga de forma inmediata. Adems, en estos casos, hay un problema aà ±adido: se considera que se da una situacià ³n de presencia ilegal a contar desde el dà ­a en que expirà ³ el I-94 cuya extensià ³n ha rechazado el USCIS. Es decir, desde el punto de vista de las leyes migratorias esa persona es inadmisible lo cual tiene efectos inmediatos en la validez de la  visa de turista.  ¿Cuntas veces se puede pedir la extensià ³n de la visa? La ley no dice que exista un nà ºmero mximo de veces. Pero sà ­ el tiempo mximo que se puede permanecer en Estados Unidos con una visa de turista contando todas las extensiones aprobadas: 1 aà ±o. Por lo tanto no se puede encadenar extensiones pasado ese là ­mite. Errores que se deben evitar Una creencia extendida y que es completamente equivocada es la de entender que si no se sale a tiempo pero la estancia ilegal es por pocos dà ­as pues que no pasa nada. Sà ­ que hay consecuencias, desde el dà ­a primero. Adems, si la estancia ilegal se prolonga por ms all de medio aà ±o, aplica adems  el castigo de los tres o de los 10 aà ±os. Por otra parte, muchos turistas creen que pueden viajar a Mà ©xico, Canad o a las Bahamas por avià ³n o por tierra y luego regresar y obtener asà ­ un nuevo I-94. Pero eso no es asà ­, para obtener una nueva fecha en el I-94 habrà ­a que haber viajado fuera de toda Amà ©rica del Norte. Y aà ºn viajando a otro paà ­s, debe siempre tenerse en cuenta la frecuencia de los ingresos a Estados Unidos, pues podrà ­a dar lugar a problemas al llegar al puesto de control migratorio, por tierra, mar o aeropuerto. Algunas opciones poco conocidas En casos muy concretos, es posible viajar fuera de Estados Unidos y volver a entrar con una visa expirada. Es lo que se conoce como revalidacià ³n automtica. Pero est sujeta a requisitos muy estrictos.   Tambià ©n en casos muy especà ­ficos, es posible restaurar el estatus migratorio cuando se ha fallado a la hora de salir a tiempo o pedir la extensià ³n de la visa a tiempo. Consejos para mantener la visa de turista Para acabar este artà ­culo, seà ±alar que no sà ³lo la presencia ilegal puede dar lugar a problemas a la hora de mantener la visa de turista. Es muy importante respetar la intencià ³n de la visa: simplemente turismo. Por lo tanto si se desea casarse, hay que tener en cuenta ciertas precauciones. Si se quiere estudiar a tiempo completo, o lo que es lo mismo, ms de 19 horas, la visa que hay que solicitar es la de estudiante o, en su caso, la de intercambio. Y que por supuesto est prohibido trabajar con esta visa. Para ello hay que estar autorizado por un documento migratorio que lo permita. Trabajar sin estar autorizado es una violacià ³n migratoria.

ACT in 9th Grade

Should You Start Prepping for the SAT/ACT in 9th Grade SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips "Before anything else, preparation is the key to success." While Alexander Graham Bell may not have been referring specifically to the SAT or ACT, his words ring as true for these tests as for anythingelse. Scoring highly on the SAT/ACT is all about preparation, and luckily you have plenty of time to prepare if you start early. If you haven't started already, let's discuss some reasons why it's useful to start prepping as a freshman and the best ways for doing so. Why Are the SAT and ACT So Important? Most colleges require applicants to send their scores from the SAT or ACT. Colleges consider these two tests equally, so it's up to you to choose and determine which test will better strengthen your overall application. As college admissions get more and more competitive every year (sorry, but it's true!), a strong SAT/ACT score goes a long way toward making your application stand out among the thousands of other applicants. While your curriculum and experiences in schools may differ across the country and the world, the SAT/ACT are meant to test students on an equal playing field. Some schools have adopted test optional and test flexible policies, so you'll eventually want to make sure you're aware of your college's requirements. But it's safe to say the majority of you who are applying to 4-year schools will be taking the SAT or ACT. The SAT is considered to be more of a critical reasoning test that tests yourskills in math, writing, and reading comprehension and analysis. The ACT also has a math, English, and Reading section, but it additionally has a science section.The science section is almost more like critical reading than a science class pop quiz, which I'll explain in more detail below. Both of these tests cover material that you've learned over the years and skills you've developed by 9th grade. Before delving deeper into the content of the tests, let's discuss why test prep is so important for the SAT and ACT . Test Prep and the SAT/ACT While you gain knowledge and develop fundamental skills in and out of school, most students also must do a lot of focused, test-specific preparation to perform well on the SAT/ACT. This is because the tests are unique in the way they time you and ask questions, so you must pair strategy and specific time management skills with your knowledge and understanding. Through practice and studying, you can become familiar with the structure and types of questions in each section, how to best approach them, and what rules of math, grammar, and literary terms will be tested. You can figure out exactly how to read the SAT passages or the ACT passages with time to spare, what approaches will boost your score in math, and what exactly is tested on the ACT science section, to name a few examples. Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say, nor can you become an expert in the SAT or ACT overnight. Freshmangrade is the perfect time to start prepping for the SAT/ACT, reinforcing concepts you need to know, and taking official practice tests. If you're having trouble getting started, remember that you'll be doing Future You a favor. By taking time to prep now and diagnosing exactly where you need to improve, you'll be able to be more relaxed when you're in the thick of college applications and more intensive classes, like honors and AP classes. Junior Year You will really appreciate all the help you can give him/her now! So how can you start to prep? PrepScholar's online program offers customizable test prep that diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses, plans your study schedule, and keeps track of your progress along the way. This means that PrepScholardoesn't assume you're a junior in high school, but meets you atyour level. You can also start with SAT Questions of the Day and ACT Questions of the Day, which are a quick, easy, and convenient way to start getting familiar with the types of questions you'll see on the tests.You can find online sample questions on the College Board and ACT websites, as well as download and print official practice tests for the SAT and ACT. If you start studying now, you'll become an expert on the test by the time you register for your first test date. Not only will SAT/ACT test prep help you score high on these tests, it also will help reinforce what you're learning in school and may help you get better grades in your classes. Let's check out how the tests and your classwork line up. SAT/ACT and What You're Learning In School Even if you are just starting high school, you've already learned a lot of key skills and concepts that will help you on the SAT or ACT. You may not have encountered all the vocabulary or math concepts yet, but you probably know a lot more than you realize. Some students who wait until junior year actually feel like their classes have gotten more advanced than what they see on these tests, and they have to go back and review material from past years. By taking the time to prep now, you can really make sure you've reinforced this knowledge and have a clear sense of how you can apply it to one of the tests. Let's break down exactly what I mean by this in terms of each major subject. First, let's consider math. Math Somestudents have already taken an algebra class by the time they get to 9th grade, or are at least familiar with the related conceptsof a pre-algebra class. Algebra and geometry make up the majority of the math questions on the SAT, as well as on the ACT. The ACT gets a little more advanced by covering some trigonometry. As I mentioned above, some students are already in more advanced math classes by the time they take the SAT or ACT, like in pre-calculus or calculus, and mayhave gotten rusty with their algebra, geometry, and probability. Apart from reinforcing the concepts you already know with SAT/ACT practice problems, you can also get a headstart on 10th and th gradeby introducing yourself to new math concepts. You might find detailed explanations and practice problems that will help you learn these concepts independently of class, which can be especially helpful for students who work well on their own and want to set their own pace. If you're surprised that you already know a good deal of the math you'll need to do well on the SAT/ACT, you might also be intrigued to realize you already have some key reading skills, too. Let's take a look at what reading skills you'll need. Reading While there are some differences between the SAT Reading and the ACT Reading sections, there are more similarities. Both includea series of passages (including one pair), with questions about each, though the exact type of passagesand style of questions varies slightly. The passage-based questions on both tests want to make sure you understand the general purpose of the passage, as well as its tone or style. You'll be asked to interpret a word or phrase in context, along with demonstrating your understanding of details. These are all skills of reading comprehension and analysis that you'll have developed throughout your years of English classes in middle school and 9th grade. Reading comprehension is a skill best developed through reading widely and often. By prepping for the SAT/ACT as a freshman, along with the reading, writing, and analysis you do in your English class, you'll get better and better at these skills. Closely linked to the reading sections are the writing section of the SAT and the English section of the ACT. Writing and Grammar The Writing section of the SAT and English section of the ACT are pretty comparable. Both test your understanding of rules of grammar and syntax. Both also include an optional essay. Just like in your freshman year English classes, these testswant you to understand grammar rules, parts of speech, and sentence structure. The essays should generally take the form of a five-paragraph persuasive essay supported with strong examples. Practicing these in class and through test prep will help you develop your English language and writing skills, just like with reading. One difference with the SAT/ACT essay and essays you write in class might be that you'll be writing for the tests under timed conditions and by hand. Thus you'll have to learn to plan out your essay in just two to three minutes and draft it fast. Practicing this could be another useful tool for helping you become more efficient with the essays you're assigned for class. There are specific strategies you can use to draft high quality essays in a short amount of time that will help you on the SAT/ACT and in class. Test prep for the writing sections could help you score highly, impress your teachers, and save time while still writing thorough, well-developed essays. While the SAT and ACT overlap in terms of math, reading, and writing, there is one major section difference between the two. That difference is the ACT science section. Science Unlike the SAT, the ACT has a science section. Thismight sound like it requires a lot of memorization, but actually the science section is less about straight recall of scientific facts and more about applying scientific skills, like reading charts and graphs and interpreting data. In this sense, the science section is almost more like the reading section than the math section. Having some knowledge of biology, earth sciences, and chemistry is helpful, though, for being familiar with the terminology and having lab skills that you can apply to real data. Since a lot of students take biology with a lab freshman year, you'll probably be in a great position to do well on the ACT science section. Just like with the other sections, test prep on the ACT science can help reinforce what you're learning in class and give you a glimpse intonext year. It will strengthen your skills in the context of the ACT and prevent you from getting rusty and then having to reference back to material that you learned years earlier.You might even find you're ready to take the SAT Subject Test in Biology at the end of your freshman year! As you can see, you're likely already in a good position to handle the SAT/ACT. Prepping can help you do well on the tests and in school. Besides mastering and getting ahead on the content, prepping early also gives you more test dates to choose from. When Should You Take the SAT/ACT? Figuring out your SAT/ACT testing schedule as a freshman will ensure you have plenty of test dates to choose from. Since a lot of colleges superscore your results, or take your highest section scores across all dates you took the tests, some students choose to build up their SAT or ACT scores section by section. You can also usually use Score Choice for the SAT or select which score reports you want to send from the ACT, so you can just send the scores from whichever test date you choose. There are some exceptions, though, so you want to make sure you understand your colleges' policies regarding standardized test scores. One testing schedule that a lot of students use is to take the SAT/ACT once in the fall of junior year, again in the spring, and then a third time if they choose senior year. Some students may take it earlier, like in 10th or even 9th grade, to give themselves more testing opportunities or achieve their scores and be finished with the SAT/ACT before the busy time of junior and senior year. Students almost always improve when they retake the tests, having learned more about time management and gained valuable real test experience. Plus if you prep thoroughly and effectively, you can target your weaknesses and do better the next time. So how can you stick to a prep schedule in 9th grade that will help you score highly on the SAT/ACT? Prepping for the SAT/ACT As a Freshman As you saw above with the SAT and ACT Questions of the Day, a little bit of prep sustained over time can go a long way. You definitely don't have to spend all your time studying for these tests in 9th grade. I would suggest devoting an hour a week to test prep. This is enough to be useful and help you develop a habit, while also being low-key and manageable enough not to put yourself under undue stress or pressure. How can you stick to this? Just like with your homework, the best way to stay organized is to use an assignment notebook or planner to write down your plans, goals, and assignments and keep track of them. Some planners even break your day up hour by hour, so you could devote a specific time to test prep, like every Tuesday from 6 to 7. Making something a regular routine is the best way to remember it and incorporate it into your life. This will help you in all aspects of your academic life, along with setting and working towards your own personal goals. To Sum Up... By prepping early, you'llsee your SAT/ACT scores go up and up. Your effort will pay off in a huge way over time, especially if you maintain test prep as a regular part of your routine. Your motivation and discipline will positively impact other aspects of your high school career, too. Test prep will help you improve your math, reading, writing, and science skills, plus it will aid you when you take thePSAT. You can root out your strengths and weaknesses and figure out what you need to learn and where you shouldput in extra effort. Finally, it will remind you that all of your high school career is important for getting into college and help you start laying the groundwork for your future after graduation. What's Next? What's a good SAT/ACT score for 9th graders? If you're taking the SAT or ACT as a freshman, you can figure out yourtarget scores here. The best way to prep for the SAT is with official College Board SAT questions. Download official SAT practice tests here. If you're taking the ACT, you want to try some sample ACT questions from previously administered tests. You can find printable official ACT tests here. Besides prepping for the SAT/ACT, should you think about taking the PSAT as a freshman? Read about the most important considerations for signing up for the PSAT in 9th grade. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Criminal Justice the Case of Gideon Wainwright Essay

Criminal Justice the Case of Gideon Wainwright - Essay Example The Issue of the Case After being denied an attorney to fight his case, Gideon was sentenced to prison for five years. Gideon immediately filed a ‘habeas corpus’ petition, which was a petition claiming his release because of unjust trial and imprisonment. He sent this petition to the Supreme Court claiming that the conviction meted out to him was unconstitutional for the fact that his trial lacked a defense attorney. However, his petition was denied by the Florida Supreme Court and therefore Gideon once again appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States who reviewed his case in 1963. The Rule and reasoning of the decision After a unanimous decision was taken by the Supreme Court, Justice Hugo Black declared that Gideon’s trial and conviction were unconstitutional because according to the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, defendants have a right to an attorney even if they are charged with a serious offence and especially when they cannot afford it themsel ves.

Aseptic Techniques & Cell Counting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Aseptic Techniques & Cell Counting - Essay Example flame loops, put slides in jars of Lysol or Chloros, put pipettes in their proper receptacles, and discard cultures into their appropriate autoclave buckets. Several different methods are used for sterilization and some of which we will use today. The maintenance of sterility requires the use of Aseptic Technique. The object of this is to prevent any form of contact between the sterile growth medium (e.g. petri dish containing nutrient agar) or the pure culture and any source of contaminating organisms. The new student should be aware that it is very easy to sterilize a pipette or bacteriological loop and then to place it on the non-sterile bench whilst picking up something else. Sources of contamination include: Any non-sterile surface, liquids, or air. Air is a very important contamination source because of; free-floating fungal or bacterial spores, liquid droplets, dust particles, dried skin scales, all of which may contain bacteria and/or fungi. Good aseptic technique is crucial for work in microbiology, microbial genetics, or biotechnology. Flaming using a Bunsen Burner is the classic method for rapid sterilization of bacteriological loops, glass pipette and bottle or flask necks. Flaming needs to be done for several seconds, long enough to raise the temperature well above 100 oC. Bottle necks should be rotated in the flame for 5 sec. or so to achieve this. For all basic techniques in microbiology and for today’s exercise in liquid transfer and inoculation, manual dexterity in removing screw-on lids is important. The most reliable technique is to use the little finger to unscrew and hold lids and plugs, leaving the other fingers free to hold loops or pipettes etc. The operator (i.e. you!) is the most likely source of small particles floating in the air and landing on your work. Breathing, coughing, sneezing and talking may all lead to some production of air-borne particles (aerosols) but more importantly respiratory secretions and saliva

Parties and Pretrial Procedures Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parties and Pretrial Procedures - Assignment Example On receiving complaints regarding a criminal act the investing authorities can initiate the investigation, and collect information. The next step involves the assessment of evidences, and analyzing the situation. For this purpose grand juries are called. The protocol of using grand jury for deciding criminal charges was abolished in 1948 in the United Kingdom; however, it is still in practice in the United States of America (Campbell, 1973). The function of a grand jury is to decide whether the act under question is chargeable as a crime or not. Cases that ask for the involvement of grand jury use it as a preliminary step for initiating the criminal proceeding. Grand jury is composed of sixteen to twenty three individuals. Prosecutors summon grand jury for testing their case. They collect all the evidences from the investigating authorities, and then present their case in front of the jury. Trials involving grand jury does not have any lawyer, except the prosecutor, the indictment of charges does not require unanimous decision; rather a super majority of 2/3 or 3/4 is enough to charge indictment. Decisions made by the grand jury are of basic nature, they solve the question of law, and they decide whether the defendant is eligible fo r being charged with conviction or not. During the trial the role of the prosecutor is to present all the available information to the jury, and explaining the injunctions of law. After viewing the available information, and the cited act, the jury decides, whether to call for a court proceeding or not. In all this process there is no involvement from the defendant’s side. The grand jury deals with the case keeping the prevalent culture and customs of their society (Antell, 1965). If the indictment has been approved warrants are released for the arrest of the convicted. After the arrest of the convict, the case is reviewed by the district attorney, who has the authority to discard the case on unavailability of