What is the goal of a thesis statement?
a. to establish focus and make a claim
b. to explain the author's point of view to the audience
c. to act as evidence supporting a claim
d. to summarize what the essay is about

Read the selection below and answer the question. an open boat by alfred noyes o, what is that whimpering there in the darkness? 

 'let him lie in my arms. he is breathing, i know.
 look. i'll wrap all my hair round his neck' – the sea's rising,
 the boat must be lightened. he's dead. he must go.' 


 see - quick - by that flash, where the bitter foam tosses, 
 the cloud of white faces, in the black open boat, 
 and the wild pleading woman that clasps her dead lover 
 and wraps her loose hair round his breast and his throat.
 'come, lady, he's dead.' - 'no, i feel his heart beating,
 he's living, i know. but he's numbed with the cold. 
 see, i'm wrapping my hair all around him to warm him.' -
- 'no. we can't keep the dead, dear. come, loosen your hold.

 'come. loosen your fingers.' - 'o god, let me keep him! ' -
 o, hide it, black night! let the winds have their way! 
 and there are no voices or ghosts from that darkness, 
 to fret the bare seas at the breaking of day. which choice best describes the conflict in this poem? the winds are rocking the boat. a man is thrown into the sea. a woman doesn’t want to let go of her dead lover. someone is crying in the darkness.

Yes or no? biology is the study of rocks and minerals.

Read the excerpt from act i, scene v of romeo and juliet which best describes paris's reaction when he believes that juliet has died? paris: have i thought long to see this morning's face, and doth it give me such a sight as this? o he's angry that the friar gave her poison. o he's relieved that the wedding is canceled. o he's sympathetic toward her parents. o he's devastated that he cannot marry her.