Opinion Essay Writing Samples For Fifth Grade

Opinion Essay Writing Samples For Fifth GradeToday, fifth graders need to be thinking a lot about what they write in their opinions. In a way, they will be learning their life's lessons as well. This article explores the importance of writing opinions in the fifth grade.I am going to start by telling you what happens in our lives every year. The best way to do this is to imagine the future. It will not be long before your own children will be having this conversation with you, perhaps even about issues that have already happened to them. So before your children even know you, they are already going to think about what will happen next year.As a parent, it is your job to prepare them for the events of the year. You can not do this by simply reading books about history and politics. The fifth graders need to learn how the world works. When they see their parents fretting over everything that is happening, they will be overwhelmed. They will want to learn how to think for themselves and learn how to deal with the information that they are given.Therefore, this year, start reading opinion articles from various sources. This will give them the facts and information they need to understand the world they live in. You can try to learn your own opinions from their own personal opinions. Now it is up to you to write opinions from your own perspective.Researching can be a great way to look at things from different perspectives. Because the fifth graders are very important thinkers, you will want to encourage them to think outside the box. You can take their views and their opinions and give them a point of view that might not be necessarily the popular one.These opinions are a great tool for showing the students how opinions work and why they should use them. One of the greatest concerns of parents and teachers is how they will react to what is said in the essay. You can talk about various ways that they might react to the essay and what their reaction might be. For exam ple, they might find a particular topic distasteful or seem politically incorrect. These are all subjects that you might want to discuss in the essay.Opinion essays can become very useful tools for helping the student to explore different points of view. However, if they are not used to writing an essay on a specific topic, you might have to provide them with more details about the topic. This may mean providing them with sample essays or real life situations. You might even need to talk about things like airplanes and snow. This can help make them familiar with the idea of writing on these topics.When you write a good essay, you will find that it will stand out because you have written something interesting and original. With the upcoming 5th grade, children will be facing more challenges in their lives so they should take advantage of this opportunity to be prepared for this challenge.

The Changes in Mickey and Edwards Relationship :: Blood Brothers Willy Russell Essays

The Changes in Mickey and Edward's Relationship There! Instantly the entire course of your life has been chosen, will you succeed or will you fall flat? It isn't for you to choose, you have had your opportunity detracted from you and you will never acknowledge until the last snapshots of your disappointed, or charming life and by then it will be past the point of no return. This is Blood Brothers basically; a melodic which tears through the dividers of social morals uncovering the self-evident truth, shamefulness and social disparities meander our Country and the gadgets which Russell utilizes acquires this to the crowd a blend of discourse, melody and show. In this bit of dramatization coursework concentrating on Blood Brothers there will be a few unique parts of the play which will be engaged on. The characters, especially the primary two, will be the principal building squares of responding to the inquiry in light of the fact that once we know everything about Mickey and Edward we would then be able to proceed to take a gander at their relationship changes. Another significant issue to take a gander at is the sensational gadgets utilized by the executive and how this will connect to the structure of the play. Likewise it is valuable to take a gander at the language utilized as this can give a decent knowledge into the creator and on this note, venture into the thoughts and subjects of the play so we will have a decent perspective on Willy Russell's goals. At long last taking a gander at the setting to see a greater amount of Russell's goals and the social setting; attempting to see what sort of crowd Russell had as a primary concern. Taking a gander at Russell's goals I have thought of three fundamental view focuses: He just composed this play as you see it at face esteem; it could be an amusing storyline that they are kindred spirits yet additionally genuine siblings, the way that it's a melodic is only for show and diversion. The proof for this perspective is one of Russell's meetings about Educating Rita, where Rita removes Frank's hair; it's alleged to imply the trimming of Sampson's hair by Delilah. Truth be told the genuine explanation was it should be a comic stifler. So then how do we realize that Russell composed the play for the general crowd and not for the observers and pundits, possibly he composed the play to be delighted in; instead of for individuals to discuss the social implications yet just watch a melodic? An elective view point would recommend that Russell considered this to be way to demonstrate that it is so hard to be effective or just to lead a decent

Logical Arguments for and Against Laws Against Using Cell Phones While Driving

With an ever increasing number of individuals utilizing mobile phones, another discussion has surfaced. Ought to there be laws against utilizing PDAs while driving? The measurements about occupied driving, which incorporates any kind of interruption, show that diverted driving causes mishaps. As per the United States Department of Transportation, 5,747 individuals were executed as a result of driving interruptions and around 448,000 were harmed in 2009 alone (1) Using a mobile phone is simply one more way that driver are occupied. The discussion seethes on†¦should there be a particular law against utilizing phones while driving.Some states are passing laws explicitly for unpracticed drivers, similarly as they confine the occasions unpracticed drivers are permitted to drive. For our purposed, be that as it may, we will take a gander at the discussion about whether or not there ought to be a law forbidding general wireless use. This is an extremely delicate subject, for the most p art in light of the fact that the two sides present some coherent contentions, yet an assortment of misrepresentations can be found on the two sides of this hot issue. This whole discussion is the same old thing. Diverted driving has been an interesting issue since 1905, and there were no phones back then.The enormous headway in innovation at that point was windshield wiper cutting edges. They were believed to be sleep inducing, and divert drivers. (AAA). From that point it went to the radio in the 1930’s. Here in the 21st century, we’ve arrived on mobile phones. Same discussion, various subtleties. With regards to hands free mobile phone use while driving, the two sides have logical investigations and measurements to back up their cases. As indicated by an investigation subsidized by AAA Foundation for Traffic security, utilizing a hands free gadget holds roughly a similar interruption as tuning the radio (AAA).However, there are additionally reports that having a dis cussion while driving with a hands free gadget is considerably more dangerous than having a discussion with someone who is likewise in the vehicle with you (Dewar 327). An ongoing report indicated that lone 2% of individuals can securely perform multiple tasks while driving. This was contrasted with a similar measure of individuals who might make great military pilots (Cruz, pg 1). This statement from Matt Duffy demonstrates how a few rivals to a law feel. â€Å"I will pledge to be cautious while on the telephone †and to utilize a headset or speakerphone at whatever point conceivable with the goal that I can keep two hands on the wheel.But, I won’t take the promise to stop utilizing the telephone in the vehicle. † (Duffy) The â€Å"vow† that Mr. Duffy is talking about alludes to a crusade by Oprah Winfrey. She has intensely battled for a law against utilizing a telephone without a hands free gadget and laws against messaging while at the same time driving. In a public statement, she expressed: â€Å"My greatest trust in the No Phone Zone battle is that it becomes compulsory that nobody utilizes their telephone in the vehicle or writings while drivingâ€just as safety belts are obligatory, similarly as driving while alcoholic is viewed as completely no-no, I'm trusting this becomes law, however natural for all of us† (Harpo).We can take a gander at Oprah’s proclamation as a â€Å"Argument by Analogy. † Her rationale says that since we have driving laws about not wearing safety belts and driving alcoholic, which are both risky exercises, we ought to likewise have a law about utilizing phones while driving, another hazardous movement. Rivals offer some intriguing conversation starters, however. As recently expressed, there are different exercises that divert drivers. Managing youngsters in the vehicle, changing the radio broadcast, and eating are only a couple. As per the NHTSA, of every one of the 2009 fatalities that were brought about by diverted driving, roughly 20% included a PDA (pg 8).So, they raise laws against different interruptions. Ought to there additionally be laws against these interruptions, since they are similarly as, if not progressively, perilous? (Johnstone) If we utilized Oprah’s contention by similarity, if these exercises caused similarly the same number of mishaps as mobile phones, she would need to back laws against these things, moreover. In any case, this additionally presents the â€Å"slippery slope† misrepresentation introduced by rivals. They are stating that if mobile phones are restricted while driving, we won’t have the option to do whatever could be diverting while at the same time driving. (Kids?They would simply need to walk). Rivals likewise show that, in contrast to eating in the vehicle, wireless use can really help with security. For instance, if individuals call to state they are running late, they may not speed. Mishaps and peri ls out and about can be accounted for all the more rapidly (â€Å"Debate†). Another region of discussion is requirement. As of now we are seeing that implementation just doesn’t appear to be working quite well. In regions with laws against messaging, it is only hard to get someone. Supporters of a law accept that new laws can be implemented, similarly as laws about utilizing eatbelts and youngster security seats were in the end authorized. (Reinberg). In the United Kingdom, where utilizing a wireless while driving is as of now illicit, of 2,000 individuals just 3% said that they have ever been gotten on the telephone while driving. Numerous drivers are putting resources into vehicle units and hands free devices.The punishment in England for separating this law is to two years in prison. In the United States, for the couple of states that have laws, fines go from $50 to $600, with conceivable suspension of your drivers permit. (Johnson) One rival of phone laws offered t his recommendation: I think rather the punishments for making a mishap while driving occupied need be solidified. Maybe the loss of the permit for a couple of years for causing a mishap while messaging in the driver's seat would be all the more an obstacle than the risk of a ticket that most likely won't occur. † (â€Å"Alternative†) Opponents of another law against mobile phones over and again state that there is as of now a law against driving wildly. That two percent of individuals who can perform various tasks, would it be a good idea for them to be pulled over on the off chance that they are securely driving? Shouldn't something be said about the all-powerful dollar?Proponents of a mobile phone law state how this would fund-raise for states, spare in clinical expenses and every single other expense brought about via auto crashes (â€Å"Cell Phone Ban†). Adversaries state that it would COST more cash, tying up the court framework, and there would be costs eng aged with changing mobile phone plans (less minutes would be utilized). Each side has their own insights and research to back up their positions. It’s an exemplary instance of stacked proof. Each side is just introducing data that helps their case, and none that may hurt their case.Although states have the power to direct the activities of drivers (â€Å"Debate†), it has been indicated that it may be progressively successful to have insurance agencies and different markets attempt to manage the utilization of mobile phones while driving. Insurance agencies could charge a higher premium for PDA clients. With propelling innovation, this may in fact be conceivable. As of late there was an iPhone application discharged that gives ‘reward’ focuses for not utilizing a telephone in a vehicle. It can identify if the telephone is moving in excess of 5 miles for every hour (Svensson). The main problem at the core of this theme is about how much control the administr ation ought to have over our time. Ideally, individuals would not face challenges while they are driving. In the event that an individual couldn’t talk while driving, on the off chance that it impeded their capacity to drive, they just wouldn’t talk while driving. Since this discussion is really about legislative control, it will probably proceed for an extremely long time.WORKS CITED AAA. â€Å"On the Road: Distracted Driving. † AAA Exchange. AAA. n. d. Web. 19 October 2009. â€Å"An Alternative to Laws Against Texting While Driving? † opposingviews. om. Restricting Views, Inc. 21 April 2010. Web. 5 Oct 2010. â€Å"Cell Phone Ban Would Save Money, Research Shows. † Cbc. ca. CBC. 29 Sept 2010. Web. 19 Oct 2010. Cruz, Gilbert with Kristi Oloffson. â€Å"Distracted Driving: Should Talking, Texting Be Banned? † Time. com. Time, Inc. 24 Aug 2009. Web. 2 October 2010. â€Å"Debate: Banning Cell Phones in Cars. † Debatepedia. Global Debate Education Association. 11 June 2010. Web. 5 Oct 2010. Dewar, Robert E, Paul Erson and Gerson Alexander. Human Factors In Traffic Safety. Tuscon, AZ. Legal counselors and Judges Publishing Company, Inc. 002. Google Books. Duffy, Matt. â€Å"I Won’t Take the Oprah Pledge Against Cell Phones While Driving. † Mattjduffy. com. 29 Jan 2010. Web. 9 Oct 2010. Harpo, Inc. â€Å"The Oprah Winfrey Show Hosts No Phone Zone Day Friday, April 30. † Oprah. com. Harpo, Inc. 29 April 2010. Web. 3 October 2010. Johnson, Geoff with Leigh Montgomery. â€Å"9 States Ban Cell Phone Use While Driving. Is Yours On The List? † csmonitor. com. The Christian Science Monitor. 23 Sept 2010. Web. 19 Oct 2010. Johnstone, Michael. â€Å"What Kind of Laws are Reasonable for Driving While Talking on the Phone? InsightCommunity. com. Floor 64. 19 Mar 2008. Web. 3 October 2010. Reinberg, Steven. â€Å"Nationwide Cell Phone Ban for Drivers Urged. † Washingtonpost. com. The Washington Post Company. 12 Jan 2009. Web. 4 October 2010. Svensson, Peter. â€Å"Phone App Fights Distracted Driving With Rewards. † Yahoo News. The Associated Press. 13 Oct 2010. Web. 19 Oct 2010. US Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic Safety Facts: Distracted Driving 2009. Washington, DC: NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis. 2010. web pdf.

Layers of Significance in Susan Glaspells Trifles - Literature Essay Samples

Layers of Significance in Susan Glaspells Trifles Susan Glaspells decision to change the title from Trifles to A Jury of Her Peers when converting it from stage play to short story ironically robs readers of a metaphor that not only mirrors the female characters use of coded words and symbols (Lanser 414-15), but further highlights the gender mindsets of pre-1920s men and women, the dually interpreted setting, and the role of the canary as both a companion and a symbol. When Mr. Hale accuses women as used to worrying over trifles, he is referring, literally, to the multi-layered dessert, but a second definition of trifles as matters of trivial importance is equally important to the plays interpretation. The multiple layers of a trifle represent the womens dialogue and actions that contain much more information than is recognized by the men, who never look below the surface, while the second definition refers to the insignificance the men associate with the tasks, minds, and needs of their wives. The women of Trifles operate on multi-dimensional levels of thought, observation, and speech. They discover meaning beneath trivial details overlooked by their husbands, and communicate with each other with coded verbal and non-verbal language that goes undetected by their husbands (Lanser 414-15). When the women, for example, discover the irregular ends of Mrs. Wrights quilt, they interpret it as a sign of distress, while the men see only matter for jokes and evidence of poor housekeeping; the same is true for the dirty towels and unorganized kitchenware. What the men dismiss as trivial proves to be of great importance; if the household were a trifle, the men would only see the frosting, while the women would be acutely aware of every layer down to the dish. Verbal clues slip by the mens notice just as easily. When Mr. Hale mockingly asks the ladies to remind him what it is they found, he is unaware that his wifes answer refers to the method of murder, not the quilt. The title also contributes to Glaspells portrayal of the gender mindsets of the early 1900s; the three males investigating the crime believe that the women, who actually solve it, should deal exclusively with matters of the kitchen which would include the baking of trifles. The title also helps relay the mindsets of the time when interpreted as pertaining to trivial matters rather than dessert, for the men believe matters of the kitchen to be trivial when compared with the tasks men are meant to perform. Trifles is also an ironic title because it is the trifles, objects such as the quilt and the birdcage to which the men assign no importance, that lead the women to discover the motive. Because the men believe that women should concern themselves only with trivial matters of the kitchen, it is only fitting that the play is set in a kitchen. Unfortunately for the men, the insignificant trifles such as quilting, bread making, and cleaning turn out to be very significant in terms of finding the motive, and the men have never paid enough attention to these tasks to realize, as the women do, that the state of the house reveals Mrs. Wrights intense loneliness, motive, and several sudden knots in the monotonous pattern that has become her life. Had the men paid any attention to the work of their wives that they had automatically dismissed as trivial or compromised their egos enough to consult their wives about these matters they would have found the clues they came in search of. Instead they learn nothing of the motive, and remain completely aloof to the momentous world that lies beneath the surface. The Wright kitchen is gloomy, covered with faded wallpaper and equipped with an almost malicious uncurtained window to the outside world, the view from which no doubt haunts Mrs. Wright as much as it draws her in. The rocker facing the window was likely her only escape from her mundane and suppressed life, but there is still a catch: the house is located in a hollow , obstructed from the road a constant reminder of Mrs. Wrights permanent seclusion. It is these reasons that make her canary such an important companion. It was the only thing that kept her alive, that broke the silence of her lonesome days and reminded her of the woman she used to be before her husband slowly robbed her of her individuality. To Mr. Wright, however, the canary was trivial enough to kill. A man with this mentality must never have given any thought to his wifes feelings, to her needs, or to the stillness of her days. Mr. Wright saw his wife as a trifle; she was insignificant as a woman with needs and feelings, significant only as a wife. She was, like all of us, made up of complex layers that required more than just food and water, but Mr. Wright only cared to see the surface. He killed Minnie, as Mrs. Hale states, but he did not do so out of hatred, for he would have had to know her to hate her; he killed her though his misogynistic failure to ever truly see her. Sh e was a plant that he had taken for granted, but lacking understanding, had pulled out of the sun and crushed its last source of nourishment.Works CitedLanser, Susan S. Radner, Joan N. The Feminist Voice: Strategies of Coding in Folklore and Literature. The Journal of American Folklore 100.398 (1987): 412-425.

Essay about Standardized Testing Is Inaccurate For...

The United States of America is ranked 15th in the world for it’s quality of education. Improvement in our education system is necessary if we want to keep up with the best nations in the world. Over the past ten years, a new push has been made to improve education in America through programs like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. States across the country are assessing teachers and schools by using standardized test scores. By using standardized test scores, states link high stakes to the results such as grant money, salary, and jobs as incentive to improve the scores for the following year. In Wisconsin and other states, 50% of these evaluations are based solely on how students score on these tests making the results have a†¦show more content†¦For example, a study in Massachusetts found that 75% of 2,798 students who did not pass a required test for high school graduation in 2011 had disabilities that affected their scores(Strauss). This shows that standard ized testing isn’t fair to people who have disadvantages and it wouldn’t be fair to assess teachers or schools poorly based on the number of students with disabilities. A family’s socioeconomic status also plays a large role in the success or failure of students’ tests. It’s only logical that well-educated and supportive parents can help their children with homework while other parents, who for a variety of reasons may not be able to support their children academically. A student’s family and peers have a large effect on the scores on a test. Therefore the locations of schools, not the quality of education, affect the ranking system because of the type of students and poverty level of students that attend a specific school. Tests that are so largely affected by the background and support that students get are not a fair ways to measure and rank schools and teachers. Because these tests are already being used to evaluate teachers, â€Å"Teac hers will subtly but surely be incentivized to avoid students with health issues, students with disabilities, students who are English Language Learners, or students suffering from emotional issues† as argued by the Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative EducationShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing1085 Words   |  5 PagesA standardized test is any form of test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions in the same way, and scored in a consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of students. A critical addition to education, standardized testing was a major step towards regulating a student’s achievements, ensuring the accountability of teachers, and guiding a school’s curriculum. Despite this noble aspiration, since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act andRead MoreThe Case Against Standardized Testing : Raising The Scores, Ruining The Schools823 Words   |  4 PagesAlfie Kohn’s book, The Case Against Standardized Testing: Raising the Scores, Ruining the Schools, presents a dispute against the standardized testing that is used to assessment the academic performance of schools. The text is highly political slant in contradiction with the standardized testing. Kohn’s argument stated that test should not be used in high-stake ways that is be given to school today or in the past. The text is written in question and answer format where the author is able to defendRead MoreStandardized Test Scores An Accurate Representation Of A Student s Abilities1735 Words   |  7 PagesAre standardized test scores an accurate representation of a student s abilities? Standardized tests can be found at any level of a student’s academic career, but are they accurate indicators of a student’s academic abilities? Standardized tests are used to measure a student s academic abilities, and overall knowledge. In theory, a student s skills can be determined by examining the limited data collected from the test. However, standardized test do not fully represent a student s abilitiesRead More Problems With Standardized Testing Essay1454 Words   |  6 PagesIn Standardized Testing and Its Victims, an article written for Education Week, Alfie Kohn states: Standardized testing has swelled and mutated, like a creature in one of those old horror movies, to the point that it now threatens to swallow our schools whole.... Our children are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in our history and unparalleled anywhere else in the world. While previous generations of American students have had to sit through tests, never have the tests been given so frequentlyRead MoreUse of Standardized Testing1893 Words   |  8 PagesUse of Standardized Testing: In the past several years, standardized testing has been increasingly used as the most meaningful method for evaluating students but is it accurate indicator of student performance? Standardized testing can be described as the use of tests that are managed, scored, and understood in a predetermined, standard way. There are two main kinds of standardized tests that are widely used in schools i.e. standardized aptitude and standardized achievement tests. The aptitudeRead MoreUsing Standardized Testing Within Our Education System1455 Words   |  6 PagesFilling in Bubbles is Useless Standardized testing is used excessively in the United States to determine where a student should be placed. It determines what classes a student should take, how the school is scoring as a whole, and even provides information on how well a teacher is teaching the material. However, there seems to be a huge argument on whether this type of testing is actually beneficial. One controversial argument is that it only proves how well a student is able to memorize the materialRead MoreEssay On Standardized Testing856 Words   |  4 PagesProfessor Donnie Faltesek 30 November 2017  Standardized Testing Standardized tests have historically been used as measures of how students are compared with one another or how much of a particular curriculum they have learned throughout the semester. Consequently, standardized tests are being used to make major decisions about students, such as grade promotion or high school graduation, and higher education evaluation. Many people consider standardized testing as an objective way of grading a studentRead MoreEnsure Accuracy Case Study1707 Words   |  7 Pagesnumerous ways in order to provide much needed information for the teachers and administration to see performance strength and weaknesses of the students. It is critical that this data be handled properly to ensure accuracy, security, and reliability of the data. One method this school uses to ensure accuracy is to provide several training opportunities to teachers and Title I staff who will administer tests that provide this data. The teachers and staff are trained on how to give tests s uch as the STARRead MoreLanguage Assessment And Language Proficiency816 Words   |  4 Pagesstandards for specific academic content areas† (Short, 2000). These national standards were for federal and state insitutions to have guidelines in designing curriculum and assessments. Also these standards would help promote the professional develop of teachers. How do assessments based on language proficiency standards promote language learning? According to the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA) assessments are defined as , â€Å"The use of instruments and procedures to gather dataRead MoreThe Problems Of American Schools Essay1995 Words   |  8 PagesAndrew R. Deras Dr. Jide Osikomaiya English 100 8 September 2016 The Most Compelling Problems In American Schools As we delve back into a new year for students and teachers alike returning to school to continue with the daily life of academics and learning, we all must be understanding of what exactly we are sending our peers and children back to. It should be no surprise to most of us that throughout the years we have seen countless upon countless examples from the news and through others, that

Name That -nym A Brief Introduction to Words and Names

Weve all played with words that have similar or opposite meanings, so no points for recognizing synonym* and antonym. And in the online world, almost everyone seems to rely  on a pseudonym. But what about some of the lesser known -nyms (a suffix derived from the Greek word for name or word)? If you recognize more than five or six of these 22 terms without looking at the definitions, youre entitled to call yourself a genuine Nymskull. Click on each term to visit a glossary page where youll find additional examples and more detailed explanations. AcronymA word formed from the initial letters of a name (for example, NATO, from North Atlantic Treaty Organization) or by combining the initial letters of a series of words (radar, from radio detection and ranging).AllonymThe name of a person (usually a historical person) assumed by a writer as a pen name. For example, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison published The Federalist Papers under the allonym Publius, a Roman consul.AntonymA word having a meaning opposite to that of another word. Antonym is the antonym of synonym.AptronymA name that matches the occupation or character of its owner (such as Mr. Sweet, the owner of an ice cream parlor), often in a humorous or ironic way.CharactonymA name that suggests the personality traits of a fictional character, such as Mr. Gradgrind and MChoakumchild, two unpleasant educators in the novel Hard Times, by Charles Dickens.CryptonymA word or name that is secretly used to refer to a particular person, place, activity, or thing—such as Radiance and Rosebud, the code names used by the Secret Service for the daughters of President Obama.DemonymA name for the people who live in a particular place, such as New Yorkers, Londoners, and Melburnians.EndonymA name used by a group of people to refer to themselves, their region, or their language, as opposed to a name given to them by other groups. For example, Deutschland is the German endonym for Germany.EponymA word (such as cardigan) derived from the proper name of a real or mythical person or place (in this case, the Seventh Earl of Cardigan, James Thomas Brudenell).ExonymA place name that isnt used by the people who live in that place. Vienna, for example, is the English exonym for the German and Austrian Wien.HeteronymA word that is spelled the same as another word but has a different pronunciation and meaning—such as the noun minute (meaning 60 seconds) and the adjective minute (exceptionally small or insignificant).HomonymA word that has the same sound or spelling as another word but differs in meaning. Homonyms include both homophones (such as which and witch) and homographs (such as lead singer and lead pipe).HypernymA word whose meaning includes the meanings of other words. For example, bird is a hypernym that includes more specific varieties, such as crow, robin, and blackbird.HyponymA specific term that designates a member of a class. For example, crow, robin, and blackbird are hyponyms that belong to the broad class of bird.MetonymA word or phrase used in place of another with which it is closely associated. White House is a common metonym for the U.S. president and his or her staff.MononymA one-word name (such as Oprah or Bono) by which a person or thing is popularly known.OronymA sequence of words (for example, ice cream) that sounds the same as a different sequence of words (I scream).ParonymA word derived from the same root as another word. Poet Robert Frost offers two examples: Love is an irresistible desire to be irresist ibly desired.PseudonymA fictitious name assumed by an individual to conceal his or her identity. Silence Dogood and Richard Saunders were two of the pseudonyms used by Benjamin Franklin.RetronymA new word or phrase (such as snail mail or analog watch) created for an old object or concept whose original name has become associated with something else.SynonymA word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word—such as bombed, loaded, and wasted, three of the hundreds of synonyms for drunk.ToponymA place name (such as Bikini Atoll, the site of nuclear weapons tests in the 1950s) or a word coined in association with the name of a place (such as bikini, a brief bathing suit). * If you already knew that poecilonym is a synonym for synonym, go directly to the head of the class.

Global Warming Overview and Causes

Global warming, the general increase in the earths near-surface air and ocean temperatures, remains a pressing issue in a society that has expanded its industrial use since the mid-twentieth century. Greenhouse gases, atmospheric gases that exist to keep our planet warm and prevent warmer air from leaving our planet, are enhanced by industrial processes. As human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation increases, greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide is released into the air. Normally, when heat enters the atmosphere, it is through short-wave radiation; a type of radiation that passes smoothly through our atmosphere. As this radiation heats the earths surface, it escapes the earth in the form of long-wave radiation; a type of radiation that is much more difficult to pass through the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere causes this long-wave radiation to increase. Thus, heat is trapped inside of our planet and creates a general warming effect. Scientific organizations around the world, including The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the InterAcademy Council, and over thirty others, have projected a significant change and future increase in these atmospheric temperatures. But what are the real causes and effects of global warming? What does this scientific evidence conclude in regards to our future? Causes of Global Warming Nylon and nitric acid production, the use of fertilizers in agriculture, and the burning of organic matter also release the greenhouse gas Nitrous Oxide. These are processes that have been expanded since the mid-twentieth century. Melting of the Polar Ice Caps Melting ice caps will desalinize the ocean and disrupt natural ocean currents. Since ocean currents regulate temperatures by bringing warmer currents into cooler regions and cooler currents into warmer regions, a halt in this activity may cause extreme climate changes, such as Western Europe experiencing a mini-ice age. Another important effect of melting ice caps lies in a changing albedo. Albedo is the ratio of the light reflected by any part of the earths surface or atmosphere. Since snow has one of the highest albedo levels, it reflects sunlight back into space, helping to keep the earth cooler. As it melts, more sunlight is absorbed by the earths atmosphere and the temperature tends to increase. This further contributes to global warming. Wildlife Habits/Adaptations Another example of changing wildlife adaptations involves the polar bear. The polar bear is now listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Global warming has significantly reduced its sea ice habitat; as the ice melts, polar bears are stranded and often drown. With the continuous melting of ice, there will be fewer habitat opportunities and risk in the extinction of the species. Ocean Acidification/Coral Bleaching Since coral is very sensitive to increased water temperature over a long period of time, they lose their symbiotic algae, a type of algae that gives them coral color and nutrients. Losing these algae results in a white or bleached appearance, and is eventually fatal to the coral reef. Since hundreds of thousands of species thrive on coral as a natural habitat and means of food, coral bleaching is also fatal to the living organisms of the sea. Floods and Droughts and Global Warming Global warming has caused heavy rains in the United States due to warmer air having the ability to hold more water vapor than cooler air. Floods that have impacted the United States since 1993 alone have caused over $25 billion in losses. With increased floods and droughts, not only will our safety be affected, but also the economy. Population Risk and Unsustainable Development Similarly, climate change impinges on sustainable development. In developing Asian countries, a cyclic disaster occurs between productivity and global warming. Natural resources are needed for heavy industrialization and urbanization. Yet, this industrialization creates immense amounts of greenhouse gases, thus depleting the natural resources needed for further development of the country. Without finding a new and more efficient way to use energy, we will be depleted of our natural resources needed for our planet to thrive. Climate Policy Other U.S. and international policies, such as the Climate Change Science Program and the Climate Change Technology Program, have been reinstated with a comprehensive objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through international cooperation. As the governments of our world continue to understand and acknowledge the threat of global warming to our livelihood, we are closer to reducing greenhouse gases to a manageable size. Personal Action This reduction can also be made by improving vehicle-fuel efficiency. Driving less than needed or buying a fuel-efficient car will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although its a small change, many small changes will someday lead to a bigger change. Recycling whenever possible greatly reduces the energy needed to create new products. Whether it is aluminum cans, magazines, cardboard, or glass, finding the nearest recycling center will aid in the fight against global warming. Global Warming and The Road Ahead As global warming progresses, natural resources will be further depleted, and there will be risks of wildlife extinctions, melting of the polar ice caps, coral bleaching and disintegration, floods and droughts, disease, economic disaster, sea level rise, population risks, unsustainable land, and more. As we live in a world characterized by industrial progress and development aided by the help of our natural environment, we are also risking depletion of this natural environment and thus of our world as we know it. With a rational balance between protecting our environment and developing human technology, we will live in a world where we can simultaneously progress the capabilities of mankind with the beauty and necessity of our natural environment.