Exercise to Practice Using the Correct Forms of Be

Exercise to Practice Using the Correct Forms of 'Be' This exercise will give you practice in applying the principles discussed in What Are the Present and Past Forms of the Verb Be? Instructions and Exercise Complete each of the following sentences with the correct form of the verb be. Use the tense (present or past) shown in parenthesis at the end of each sentence. The Hoovers (be) driving to California in an old VW bus. (present)The Hoovers (be) driving to California in an old VW bus. (past)Dwayne (be) writing another note to his grandfather. (present)George Bailey (be) visited by an angel named Clarence. (past)The Hoovers (be) planning another road trip. (present)I (be) happy to be here. (present)You (be) talking in your sleep last night. (past)Uncle Frank (be) reading a novel when the tornado struck. (past)The Hoovers (be) disqualified. (past)The game of hopscotch (be) invented by the Romans. (past)The elephant (be) the only animal with four knees in each leg. (present)The side door (be) broken. (present)King William IVs nickname (be) Silly Billy. (past)There (be) 206 bones in the human body. (present)Richard (be) once a motivational speaker. (past) Answers The Hoovers  are  driving to California in an old VW bus.The Hoovers  were  driving to California in an old VW bus.Dwayne  is  writing another note to his grandfather.George Bailey  was  visited by an angel named Clarence.The Hoovers  are  planning another road trip.I  am  happy to be here.You  were  talking in your sleep last night.Uncle Frank  was  reading a novel when the tornado struck.The Hoovers  were  disqualified.The game of hopscotch  was  invented by the Romans.The elephant  is  the only animal with four knees in each leg.The side door  is  broken.King William IVs nickname  was  Silly Billy.There  are  206 bones in the human body.Richard  was  once a motivational speaker.

A Cultural History of the Zoot Suit

A Cultural History of the Zoot Suit In the 1944 Tom and Jerry short The Zoot Cat- only the thirteenth cartoon ever made starring that famous duo- Toms would-be girlfriend lays it on him straight:  Boy, are you corny!  You act like a square at the fair, a goon from  Saskatoon.  You come on like a broken arm.  Youre a sad apple, a long hair, a cornhusker.  In other words, you dont send me! The sad cat goes out and buys himself some new duds from Smiling Sam, the Zoot Suit Man, prompting his wide-eyed gal pal to do a one-eighty.  Youre really a sharp character! A mellow little fellow. Now you collar my jive! Around the same time on the American scene- but, culturally speaking, light-years away- a young Malcom X, then known as Detroit Red, also sang the praises of the Zoot Suit, a killer-diller coat with a drape shape, reet-pleats, and shoulders padded like a lunatics cell. (Apparently, people in the 1940s liked to rhyme more than they do today.) In his widely read autobiography, Malcolm X describes his first Zoot Suit almost in religious terms: Sky-blue pants thirty inches in the knee and angle narrowed down to twelve inches at the bottom, and a long coat that pinched my waist and flared out below my knees... hat angled, knees drawn close together, feet wide apart, both index fingers jabbed toward the floor. (We wont even mention Cesar Chavez, the famous Mexican-American labor activist who wore Zoot Suits as a teen.) What was it about Zoot Suits that united such disparate cultural icons as Malcom X, Cesar Chavez, and  Tom and Jerry? The origins of the Zoot Suit, characterized by its wide lapels, padded shoulders, and baggy pants tapering down to narrow cuffs- and usually accessorized with a feathered hat and a dangling pocket watch- are shrouded in mystery, but the style seems to have coalesced in Harlem nightclubs in the mid-1930s and then worked its way out into the wider urban culture. Essentially, Zoot Suits were the pre-war equivalent of the sagging, low-hipped pants sported by some African-American youths in the 1990s or the huge Afro hairstyles popular in the 1970s. Fashion choices can be a powerful statement, especially if youre denied more mainstream modes of expression because of your race or economic status. Zoot Suits Move Into the Mainstream By the time they  were referenced by Tom and Jerry, Zoot Suits were well-ensconced in mainstream culture; you can bet that the studio execs at MGM would never have green-lighted  this cartoon if the style were still restricted to Harlem nightclubs. The apostles of Zoot, you might say, were early 1940s jazz musicians like Cab Calloway who played in front of white and black audiences and were emulated in their dress by youths of all races, though not necessarily their elders. (Before and during World War II, jazz was the dominant cultural musical idiom in the U.S., much like hip-hop still is today, albeit in vastly mutated form.) At this point, you may be wondering from whence the zoot in Zoot Suit derives. Most likely, it was yet another token of the vogue for rhyming in wartime America; zoot simply seems to have been  a jazzy repetition of suit. The young people who donned Zoot Suits as a mild form of rebellion surely enjoyed mystifying their parents with their snappy language and the strange names they assigned to household objects, the same way kids who spend all day texting like to throw out random, impenetrable acronyms. Zoot Suits Get Political: The Zoot Suit Riots In late 1930s Los Angeles, no ethnic group adopted Zoot Suits with more enthusiasm than Mexican-American teenagers, some of them low-level gang members known as pachucos. Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, however, the U.S. government instituted strict wartime rationing of wool and other textiles meaning Zoot Suits, with their wide lapels and copious folds, were technically off-limits. Even still, many Angelenos- not only Mexican-Americans- continued to wear their old Zoot Suits, and obtained new ones from the black market. Around the same time, L.A. was convulsed by the Sleepy Lagoon trial, in which nine Mexican-American pachucos were accused of murdering an innocent civilian (also Mexican). In the summer of 1943, these explosive circumstances detonated when a group of white servicemen stationed in Los Angeles viciously attacked random pachucos (and other ethnic minorities) wearing Zoot Suits in the so-called Zoot Suit Riots. Ostensibly, the aggressors were incensed by the waste of fabric entailed by Zoot Suits, as well as the flaunting of rationing laws by the youths wearing them. The anti-Mexican feeling stirred up by the Sleepy Lagoon trial, combined with the unabashed racism of small-town soldiers stationed in a big city, were more likely explanations. Amusingly, after the smoke had cleared, a California state senator alleged that the riots had been instigated by Nazi spies trying to estrange the U.S. from its Latin American allies! The Afterlife of the Zoot Suit In the U.S., no fashion trend ever goes truly extinct- even if there are no more 1920s flappers sporting bangs and curls or pachucos dressed in Zoot Suits, these fads have been preserved in novels, newsreels, magazines, and are occasionally resurrected as fashion statements (either seriously or ironically). The Cherry Poppin Daddies landed their only Billboard hit in 1997 with the song Zoot Suit Riot, and in 1975, Zoot Suit was a cut from The Whos ambitious rock opera Quadrophenia. In 1979, a play called Zoot Suit- based on the Sleepy Lagoon murder case and the Zoot Suit Riots- lasted for 41 performances on Broadway. Whats more, the outlandish garb sported by inner-city pimps in countless exploitation movies is based on the Zoot Suit. And, of course, you can always watch The Zoot Cat on YouTube, not to mention various electrifying performances by Cab Calloway in full Zoot Suit regalia.

Article the First Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Article the First - Essay Example Nevertheless, the congress representative succeeded in 1791 when a three-quarters majority ratified the Bill of Rights to become the law guiding the nation (Publishing & Duignan, 2013). Although this was a major breakthrough in the US history as far as constitutional reforms are concerned, the congress failed to ratify Article the First, which became the center for debate owing to the varying reactions elicited by the divided Congress on the matter. Article the First was a proposed amendment to the constitution of the United Sates whereby it sought to determine both the minimum and the maximum number of representatives at the US hose of Congress (Vile, 2012). As a federalist, one would support Article the First of the Constitution of the US, owing to the democratic space that America enjoys today due to liberal laws besides the fact that this amendment would change history in that more American citizens would feel represented and participate fully in an all-inclusive government. In 1 789, the American representatives of the House of congress were involved in hectic constitutional amendment procedures that saw some articles incorporated into the bill of Rights that formed the constitution of the United States (Vile, 2012). However, some contentious articles did not make it to the constitution following the strong opposition to them by the antifederalists. In this regard, Article the First, which came to be the first proposed amendment to the constitution of the United States of America, did not pass the ratification test although its proponents particularly the federalists pushed hard for its ratification (Vile, 2010). Also known as the congressional Appointment Amendment, Article the First was the first, as the name suggests, of the twelve amendments that the first congress delivered on 25th September 1789 (Publishing & Duignan, 2013). In accordance to Article V of the constitution of the United Sates, the first congress submitted Article the First for ratificat ion. However, the state legislatures failed to ratify the article despite the fact that they ratifies many other articles that became the Bill or Rights that formed the constitution of the United States of America (Vile, 2012). Fundamentally, the major framework o Article the First entailed the setting of the size of representatives of the House of Congress whereby the maximum and the minimum number of Congress representatives was clearly determined by the article (Publishing & Duignan, 2013). In this case, the article contemplated a scenario whereby one Congress Representative would represent thirty thousand American citizens until the total number of representatives would reach one hundred. Thereafter, it would be the responsibility of the congress to regulate the number of representatives so as not to go below one hundred. In this regard, Wolverton (2013) reports that the Bill of Rights envisaged that: After the first enumeration required by the first article of the Constitution, there shall be one Representative for every thirty thousand, until the number shall amount to one hundred, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than one hundred Representatives, nor

Effects of Cocaine Abuse, its Prevention and Treatment Research Paper

Effects of Cocaine Abuse, its Prevention and Treatment - Research Paper Example A recent survey of 17 countries revealed that United States has the highest level of illegal cocaine use with nearly 16.2% of people in the United States having used cocaine in their lifetime (Science Daily, 2008). Cocaine is available in two chemical forms – hydrochloride salt which is taken intravenously (by vein) or intra-nasally (through the nose) and freebase which is smoked (Psychology Today, 2008). Issues Related to Cocaine Abuse Cocaine addicts are usually introduced to the drug after they have abused ‘gateway substances’ like alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. According to the national center on addiction and substance abuse (1994), 90 % of the people who tried cocaine had used all three gateway substances before moving on to cocaine. Impact on physical functioning Cocaine use can lead to some immediate physical consequences such as restlessness, euphoria and alertness (WebMD, 2008). These effects are felt within minutes of taking the drug and continue for a bout 20 to 120 minutes. Other physical effects include insomnia, vomiting, pupil dilation, nosebleeds, increased temperature and pulse rate and rapid breathing (WebMD, 2008). These effects are temporary and mostly disappear after a couple of hours. Studies reveal that prolonged use of cocaine can have an overwhelming effect on the ‘pleasure centers’ in the brain (Chen, et. al., 1996). The drug interferes, alters, damages and takes control of specialized cells that regulate pleasure, well-being and mood. Therefore, regular use can destroy the brain’s ability to feel normal without cocaine. Long term use can even cause permanent biological drug addiction. Since cocaine increases blood pleasure, heart rate, breathing and body temperature, long term use of the drug can cause cardiac and respiratory failures, strokes, coma, convulsions and death. The drug can damage the liver’s ability to detoxify blood and can reduce the production of critical enzymes needed for normal body functioning (WebMD, 2008). It can also cause liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Cocaine use results in the constriction of the blood vessels of the heart resulting in increased blood pressure. This can trigger heart attack, heart failure, irregular heart beat and sudden death. Use of non-sterile needles among cocaine users can result in contracting Hepatitis – a highly contagious disease resulting in serious liver damage and AIDS. Users may also pass these diseases to their sexual partners, unborn babies and others. Regular users of cocaine experience loss of interest in sex, decreased sexual performance and risk of impotence and infertility (WebMD, 2008) . In women, the drug use can result in miscarriages, developmental disorders and complications during birth. It can also cause premature separation of placenta from uterus leading to premature births or stillbirths. Smoking cocaine damages the ability of the cells in the lung to process gases. This results in the user experiencing constant cough and shortness of breath. Regular use can result in respiratory failure because the brain stops sending signals to the lung muscles that control breathing and they stop working (WebMD, 2008). Impact on psychological functioning Cocaine has been found to be

IM Not Scared Essay Example for Free

IM Not Scared Essay In comparison to his peers Michele reveals a level of maturity that his friends do not have. He defends Barbara before Skull can obscenely exploit her. Barbara is constantly harassed for being the only girl in the ‘gang’. Not even Michele could comprehend ‘how she put up’ with them, assuming it was the ‘fear of being left alone’. Barbara as well as Michele, is too innocent to distinguish the best for their own wellbeing. Michele has morals and instinctively knew that ‘there was something dirty’ with Barbara’s punishment. Unlike Michele, Skull has no remorse. Skull has the audacity to abuse people as he desires. Michele does not engage is exploiting others, in fact he obtains the rational reasoning of an educated adult. The most imperative case in which Michele expresses maturity is when he discovers Filippo. Initially Michele acts childish proclaiming Filippo as his, evidently influenced by Skull’s flawed and selfish logic-‘finders keepers’. Michele also behaves in that manner due to the lack of exposure of such situations. This is the only way he knows how to handle the ‘secret discovery’. Michele observes the discovery of a boy in a hole as a mysterious adventure that he must solve. But the height of Michele’s developing maturity is exposed through the continual visits to Filippo. Michele takes responsibility for Filippo’s wellbeing by ‘bathing his eyes’. The flaws of the adults force Michele to lose his rightful youth and take on the problems of adulthood. The adults in the novel have no redeeming justifications as to why they kidnapped and caused Filippo to become a ‘tormented soul’. Maturity may result in betraying promises in order to do the right thing. Despite Michele being obligated to his father, he recognises the wrong his parents have committed. Michele’s ‘oath was crumbling away’. He combats his fears and is ‘not scared of anything’ in attempt to save Filippo from his ominous death. Michele is punished for trying to do the moral thing. Michele is a character who demonstrations a significant transition from naivety to maturity. While Michele is obtaining maturity the adults are losing it by betraying their duty of parenthood and morality. Innocence no longer exists in Michele’s world because he has been exposed to the heinous realities of the world. Michele is able to distinguish the difference between reality and imagination and realises ‘it’s men you should be afraid of, not monsters’.

Our Guys Essay -- essays research papers

The novel Our Guys, written by Bernard Lefkowitz, is a very dynamic story about the heinous actions of a dozen middle-class athletes, from a small New York suburb, against a defenseless mentally handicapped girl. Lefkowitz describes a brutal gang rape involving a baseball bat and broomhandle, which took place in this unsuspecting town, by these upstanding young group of boys, as the town would describe them. Lefkowitz looks at the incident which took place and then examines the â€Å"jock clique† sub-culture that allowed such atrocities to happen, and spawned the scandal to cover it up. The town of Glenridge is at the surface not any different than any other surburban American town. Like most towns it has its â€Å"cliques† and the â€Å"jocks† are at the pinnacle of the town. Idolized by the students and a sourse of pride for the entire town, however the Glenridge boys were not like most high school athletes. The â€Å"Jock clique† formed at a very early age,and invaded their surroundings taking over where ever they went, whether it be school, games or around town, protected by the â€Å"boys will be boys† attitude held by the rest of the town. The boys started showing signs of beligerance as early as elementary school, with a common ignorance for authority. The group was later easily passed through middle school to relieve the teachers of another year enduring the â€Å"problem† class. Once in high scholl the boys became the leaders of the school, andpride of the town. In Glenridge sports were valued higher than academics, turning these young men into heros, and everyone else into nobodies. There was not anything anyone could do to derail this movement, nor did they try to. Glenridges attitude towards women was very outdated. Women were regarded as mothers and wives, their jobs weere to make the men of the town happy. They were treated as objects and rarely held positions of authority-there were not any women mentors, therefore everyone lokked up to their fathers and saw that men were the supreme beings. Most of the boys did not even have any female influences other than their mothers; infact only two of the boys involved had sisters, Bryan Grober and Phil Grant. Thes boys were raised in dressing rooms by males and taught to respect the institute and brotherhood of a team. That if they respected their sacred bond they could do anything. Nothing was more important than the team or eac... ... athletes to do as they please. However he does not do a good job of being non-partisan. He leads his readers to believe the only group of people who would do such things are â€Å"jocks†. This bias is not true. The newspapers report that University fraternities, and secret societies are as likely, if not more likely, to commit these very same acts. He also leads the reader to believe that all athletes and athletic teams are similar. The impression he leaves about the majority of teams and their members is prejudicial and unfair. It is very unfortunate and disheartening that members of a community that were so highly reguarded, would commit such acts. It is even more disturbing to hear about the scenario leading up to the rape, and the community which produced these troubled young men. It is more important to look at why the events took place rather than who committed them, because ultimately the only innocent person involved is the victim, a mentally handicapped young gir l, named Lesli Faber. This book shows that the community is to blame when tragedies like these occur, and that if it happened in Glen ridge, what is to stop it from happening in our own back yard by â€Å"our guys†?

Exxon Mobil Essay

Company Description Exxon mobile also know as Xom in the New York Stock Exchange is on of the largest producers of fossil fuels. Exxon engages in oil and gas exploration, production, supply, transportation and marketing in a global economy (Bloomberg). They hold over 13 billion barrels of oil in reserve. Exxon also has thirty eight refineries spread over 21 countries (Annual Report). The company also has a thought put capacity of 6. 3 million barrels of oil daily. Target MarketExxon has a huge target market in today’s economy. They not only provide to anyone driving a commercial motor vehicle but also to larger wholesalers. These wholesalers consist of smaller independent gas and service stations that do not have their own refineries. Xom also provides six hundred airports and two hundred seaports with fuel (Annual Report). These two markets consume a tremendous amount of fuel each year. This is a niche market for Xom because these airports and seaports can not use alternative energy in their endeavors. CompetitionAlthough Exxon is the largest fossil fuel producer they do have some competition with British Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron. These companies’s do not have the same output as Xom, but some might say they are ahead in many ways. British petroleum (BP) has been doing a lot with alternative energy for the future unlike Exxon which has mainly focused on gasoline. Shell has also made some large landmarks in alternative energy like the use of sugar cane for fuels (Bloomberg). Competitive AdvantagesExxon Mobile conducts oil and gasoline exploration in every major accessible area in the world (Integrated Solutions). They also have the largest amount of financial capital for new research and exploration. Exxon is also the largest publically traded energy company in the world and serves over two hundred countries (Annual Report). They also have discipline and consistency which means that they continue to grow in the areas they feel necessary while holding back in others like alternative energy. Current ChallengesOne of the biggest challenges that Exxon faces is the huge increase in energy by new developing nations. By 2030 there is an estimated forty percent increase in energy. This poses a problem because Xom must learn to boost efficiency, develop new supplies while still managing environmental risks. That is the next challenge that they face managing environmental risks like mitigating global co2 emissions. They have started to face this problem already by investing in CO2Remove project. This project is set to develop ways to lower co2 emission and create new guidelines for the industry (Integrated Solutions). Exxon also faces challenges with alternative energy like wind power, ethanol and solar power. The last challenge is with nuclear power and its high cost particularly in the U. S. In the U. S the cost of nuclear energy highly exceeds the cost of coal and gas. There is also the problem of how to properly dispose of radioactive waste and safe control of nuclear material. Exxon also is having trouble opening new facilities because no one wants nuclear plants near them. Part II Exxon Mobil is the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, providing energy that helps underpin growing economies and improve living standards around the world. To be successful, ExxonMobil must be at the leading edge of competition in every aspect of our business. This requires that the Corporation’s substantial resources, including financial, operational, technological, and human, be employed wisely and evaluated regularly. The success of the company depends mainly on customer satisfaction. For this reason, it is good for a company like Exxon Mobil to have solid mission and vision statements to act as a guideline for the sales and services to be implemented by the company. The mission statement and vision statement are as follows: Mission Statement Exxon Mobil Corporation is committed to being the world’s premier petroleum and petrochemical company. To that end, we must continuously achieve superior financial and operating results while adhering to the highest standards of business conduct. These unwavering expectations provide the foundation for our commitments to those with whom we interact (Annual Report). Vision Statement -providing reliable, affordable energy supplies in a reasonable manner. -safely and reliably producing oil, natural gas, and hydrocarbon -finding and developing new supplies and products to bring to the market – maximizing resource and asset value -improving energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impacts -developing the next generation of scientists and engineers Strengths: The size of the Corporation is the most obvious strength for Exxon Mobil. Exxon Mobil is affiliated with over 200 countries and territories (Annual Report). There are 6. 1 billion shares and over 2. 5 million shareholders. Another strength of the company is the diverse workforce that allows them to achieve superior results. Exxon Mobil benefits from the cultural differences, knowledge, and skills of our employees who represent the diverse communities of the world. Weaknesses: There were three employee fatalities and five contractor fatalities since 2005. However, the company has learned from these incidents and is working hard at preventing such incidents in the future. Also, replacing the oil that is extracted from the locations is another weakness. They also face the challenge of continuing their pace of significant energy efficiency improvements year after year. Opportunities: ExxonMobil has a list of significant Arctic opportunities, with ongoing studies spanning the range of exploration, project assessment and planning, and technology development. We recognize that energy is vital to economic progress. Exxon Mobil is drilling in some of these areas, which helps boost their economy. Other such opportunities include the Canadian Beaufort Sea, West Greenland, and the Orphan Basin. Threats: Threats to Exxon Mobil include drilling restrictions, other independent companies, global warming. Managing the risks from increases in global greenhouse gas emissions is an important concern for ExxonMobil, industry and governments around the world. Exxon Mobil is living up to its vision and mission. They are the premiere gas and oil supplier of the world and do so while staying energy efficient and have very high standards of the functions of business. The company reaches out to its customers and strives to be as helpful and satisfying as possible. They are reliable and for the most part affordable. They continue to develop next generation technology and scientific practices. The company grows stronger each year. Part III Financial AnalysisThe financial analysis for Exxon Mobil Corporation seems to be in very strong financial position overall and when compared to the competition. The revenue for 2007 was reported at 404,552,000 with a net income of 40,610. When compared to BP, Shell, and Marathon it seems to dominate the market and the competition by a gross margin of 20. 8%, which was at least 5% above the nearest competitor and closest to the industry average of 25%. Exxon Mobil’s current ratio was 1. and was highest of the competition. The industry average is 1. 2, the higher the ratio number, and the better the ability to repay current loans. The debt to equity ratio of . 08 is considered extremely low and looked at as being very safe, and was the lowest of the competition. With such a strong performing company and profits come strong earnings, at $7. 35 per share earnings was one of the highest of the industry. Company comparisonWhen Exxon Mobil is compared to the competition it seems to be out performing the rest of the industry and is proven with the financial statements and ratios. This is definitely a great long term company to invest in, when compared to the competition in this industry. Part IV Strategy to Competitive Advantage- As global warming increases Exxon needs to go green. One strategy they need to have is a renewable energy producer, such as electricity from a carbon emitting utility. There are tons of opportunities to gain a competitive advantage by understanding the carbon constraints. First, Exxon needs to minimize the additional costs more effectively than competitors. Second, differentiate their product by binding carbon credits into their offering. Then, Exxon needs to turn their capacity to supply carbon credits into a profit centre (Energy-Edge). Expand or Reduce Operations- Exxon is ramping up its oil exploration and drilling, and even worse, is looking to expand its leadership in exploiting Canada’s tar sands. They need to stop expanding and start reducing its operations. An expansion is increasing production capacity by 40 percent. But, the mining and processing of tar sands is highly destructive to the local environment and is an enormous generator of greenhouse gas emissions (Coop America). New Products or Services- Exxon has launched a new service called the fleet card program. The program offers a number of valuable features including: greater control over driver’s expenses, money-saving rebates on fuel purchases, special discounts on business-related products and services, innovative technology and the convenience of more than 16,000 Exxon and Mobil branded locations nationwide (All Business). Environmental Factors that Influence the Operation- The main environment factor is the climate change on the business from greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide emissions. Exxon Mobile needs to view â€Å"carbon exposure† as more than just a key factor in future corporate competitiveness (Energy-edge). They need to use their profit money towards renewable energy research and development, to break individuals’ oil addiction and create a secure and green energy future for the US. (Coop America) Work at or Investing in Exxon- People should invest rather than work at Exxon Mobile. One reason is that Exxon is ranked number two in the Fortune 500. The world’s energy need, will increase in the near future. Growth in developing countries will drive most of this increase, but energy demand is expected to increase in the United States, too. (ExxonMobil) Exxon spends about $80billion to invest in future energy development.