text:
BY DAVID FRANCIS, _Foreign Policy_

It took $66 billion — the largest all-cash transaction in history — for German biotech giant Bayer to win control over Monsanto, the global seed market leader. The takeover creates a very unique — and to some, very unsettling — kind of corporate beast, one tasked with feeding billions as temperatures rise and farmlands shrink.

If the merger goes through — and that’s a very big if, given that both EU and American regulators are likely to carefully scrutinize the deal — the new firm would corner more than a quarter of the world market for seeds and pesticides. In the United States, it would control some 58 percent of cottonseed sales. According to Vox, the new company would be the largest agribusiness in the world, selling 29 percent of the world’s seeds and 24 percent of its pesticides.

That puts one firm in a pole position to influence, and potentially control, how the world feeds itself. Regulators are likely to investigate whether the merged company will be too big and able to squeeze farmers and shoppers at the price register. And it comes as the rest of the agribusiness industry is also consolidating, in part to counteract slumping commodity prices due to the economic slowdown in China, which trickles down and forces farmers to spend less on supplies.

The specter of greater market power for firms that make the seeds that many poor farmers need to buy each spring before planting is sparking panic in the developing world.

“It will lead to concentration of power and will result in market distraction. This is the third such merger of seed majors in recent times. This will leave only three players in the global market and will have a cascading impact on Indian agriculture,” N. Prabhakara Rao, President of the National Seed Association of India, told the Hindu newspaper.

But the merger could be the future of the industry. Low food prices have left smaller firms unable to innovate, forcing more consolidation of resources.

Monsanto isn’t immune to these pressures. The company for years relied on profits from the weed-killer known as Roundup, which went hand-in-hand with crops resistant to the product, called Roundup Ready crops. But weeds in the United States are developing a resistance and the company, based in Missouri, is scrambling to find a better product. Monsanto even tried to buy rival Syngenta but the latter’s CEO Michael Mack said the $45 billion bid fell “woefully short.”

And the Bayer-Monsanto marriage is just the latest in a string of combinations in the industry. Dow Chemical and Dupont agreed to combine their crop science divisions last year; the deal still hasn’t been approved by regulators. U.S. regulators signed off on a deal for China National Chemical Corporation to buy Swiss seed company Syngenta for $43 billion. Earlier this month, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium merged in Canada.

These mergers are fueled by the need for increased research and development budgets. Agribusinesses are trying to develop crops that are resistant to climate change as temperatures around the world grow hotter and rainfall grows more erratic. They’re also going to have to feed a lot more people; by 2050, projections show there will be 9 billion people living on the earth. This means there is going to be less area to farm.

[The picture taken on September 8, 2016 shows a ripe corncob in a cornfield near Cologne, western Germany. ]
Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images

The picture taken on September 8, 2016 shows a ripe corncob in a cornfield near Cologne, western Germany.
To others, these kinds of merger are just excuses to corner the market.

“The attempted takeover of Monsanto by Bayer is a threat to all Americans. These mergers boost the profits of huge corporations and leave Americans paying even higher prices,” Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a statement. “Not only should this merger be blocked, but the Department of Justice should reopen its investigation of Monsanto’s monopoly over the seed and chemical market.”

Whether the Bayer-Monsanto deal will succeed remains to be seen. It could be especially difficult in Europe, where the use of genetically-modified seeds — Monsanto’s bread and butter — is widely frowned upon.

“We expect significant antitrust and political hurdles and assign 50 percent probability of deal completion,” Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analysts Jeremy Redenius said in a research note.

question: What does the text say about the threats of the Bayer-Monsanto merger?

answer: In the developing world, the prospect of the Bayer-Monsanto merger has sparked panic. The merger would cause the market to be controlled by just a few companies, which has a cascading effect on Indian agriculture. Agribusinesses have been merging in order to have the ability to innovate. The merger will allow for increased research and development budgets as it consolidates the market.

critique: The response doesn't mention the backlash the merger has received in the U.S.

critique: The merger will not allow for increased research and development budgets as it consolidates the market.

critique: The merger would allow for increased research and development budgets, but the reason for the merger is not discussed.

critique: "The merger would cause the market to be controlled by just a few companies, which has a cascading effect on Indian agriculture." - the sentence is a bit confusing and should be rephrased.

critique: The merger won't allow for increased research and development budgets. It will allow for increased R&D budgets.

critique: The merger will also allow for increased profits.

critique: The merger will allow for increased research and development budgets as it consolidates the market. - this is irrelevant and should be removed.


split: train

text:
International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the achievements of women – but this year, activists are planning more radical action: a global women's strike.

On 8 March, women around the world will walk out of their jobs for the day to protest the marginalisation of women, inequality in the workplace, sexual violence and the curbing of reproductive rights.

Earlier this year, millions of women took part in women's marches across the world on the first day of Donald Trump's presidency, in solidarity with the Women's March on Washington.

The organisers of the Washington march have declared 8 March "A Day Without a Woman", alongside an International Women's Strike taking place in more than 30 countries on the same day.

The international strike might be the largest of its kind in recent history, but this isn't the first time women have gone on strike for equal rights. As early as the 1700s, women have been at the centre of political and social upheavals – from the French revolution to the abortion protests in Poland last year.

One of the most significant events of the French Revolution was the women's march on Versailles on 5 October 1789. The protest began in Paris' markets over the price and scarcity of bread, but the demonstrations merged with the actions of revolutionaries seeking a constitutional monarchy for France.

[Women's march on Versailles]
Women from the food market in Paris march towards Versailles circa 1789 Hulton Archive/Getty Images

A group of women from a market turned into a thousand-strong crowd who stormed the city armory for weapons and marched to the Palace of Versailles, which was taken over by the mob. The following day, the king and the majority of the French Assembly returned with the crowd to Paris. What began as a small protest signified something much greater – the change of power and the political upheaval about to overtake France.

A century ago, women in the United States were not guaranteed the right to vote. On 3 March 1913, the first major national effort to secure universal women's suffrage took place with a huge parade in Washington DC. The day before the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson, 8,000 participants marched through the city in front of thousands of spectators – the majority of whom were men to watch the presidential inauguration.

By the end of the day more than 100 marchers had been taken to hospital – some were trampled and others assaulted – which led to congressional hearings and job losses among the police. Nevertheless, the march was the beginning of a seven-year battle for the right to vote, which was eventually won by women in 1920.

In one of the largest demonstrations in South African history, 20,000 women descended on Pretoria on 9 August 1956 to protest the Apartheid pass laws – a form of internal passport system that was one of the dominant features of the country's apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination. The demonstration was organised by the Federation of South African Women, who played a key part in South Africa's anti-apartheid resistance.

[Argentina women's march]
Women take part in a march against gender-based violence in Buenos Aires in 2016 Eitan Abramovich/AFP/Getty Images

On 24 October 1975, 90% of Iceland's women refused to work, cook or look after children in one of the most significant – and effective – protests against inequality in Icelandic history. Thousands of women turned out for the demonstration against employment discrimination and pay discrepancies, in a move that would help cement Iceland as a bastion for gender equality.

Last year, Polish women staged a mass strike based on the Icelandic movement in protest of the government's proposal for a total ban on abortion. The strike, aimed at bringing Poland's economy to a standstill, forced businesses to close across the country as women took to the streets over their reproductive rights.

Since 1993, the former Soviet satellite has had one of the most prohibitive abortion laws in Europe. Under the proposed laws, women who had an abortion could have faced up to five years in prison and women who miscarried could have been at risk of being charged on suspicion of abortion. After the strike, the abortion ban was scrapped by the Parliament.

Last October, hundreds of thousands of women in Argentina took part in a protest against gender-based violence, after an attack in which a teenage girl was raped and tortured. At 1pm on 19 October, women across the country stopped working for one hour for the strike. Femicide rates are high in Argentina and according to the NGO La Casa del Encuentro, a woman is killed every 30 hours because of her gender.

question: Explain the events of the news.

answer: The news is about the International Women's Day and the global women's strike. The women around the world will walk out of their jobs for the day to protest the marginalization of women, inequality in the workplace, sexual violence, and the curbing of reproductive rights.

critique: The response is missing the first global women's march.

critique: The answer omits the events of the French Revolution.

critique: The march in France the day before the 8th needs some recognition.

critique: The response is missing the date of the strike.

critique: "The women around the world will walk out of their jobs for the day to protest the marginalization of women, inequality in the workplace, sexual violence, and the curbing of reproductive rights." - this is incorrect. The women will walk out of their jobs for the day to protest the marginalization of women, inequality in the workplace, sexual violence, and the curbing of reproductive rights.

critique: The answer should mention the events of the French Revolution.

text:
-The answer omits the events of March 3rd, 1913.
-It also doesn't mention the protest against gender-based violence in Argentina.
-The answer doesnt mention the other countries where women protested for equality in Iceland and abortion protests in Poland.

category: coverage

question: Explain the significance of the events in the article.

answer: The events mentioned become significant to historians and people who read this passage because it allows them to see and be aware of things that were going on in other countries at the time. People can learn and be enlightened by this.

critique: The events are significant because they are examples of women's activism.

critique: It is not stated that the events become significant to historians and people who read this passage because it allows them to see and be aware of things that were going on in other countries at the time. People can learn and be enlightened by this.

critique: The answer is not related to the question.

critique: The events are significant because they are examples of women's movements for equal rights.

critique: This response is not related to the significance of the events.

critique: The events are significant because they are examples of women taking action for their rights.

critique: "Because it allows them to see and be aware of things that were going on in other countries at the time. People can learn and be enlightened by this." - this is all useless information and should be removed.

critique: The events in the article are significant because they are examples of the many ways women have fought for equality and their rights.


text:
[super-bowl-party-food-ideas]

Aside from the game, a Super Bowl party is all about the food! If you’re looking for a few winning Super Bowl party food ideas to feed your hungry hoards of football fanatics, check these out. While we focus on healthy eating here at OurFamilyWorld, we do agree that it’s okay to splurge once in a while! Mix in a few indulgences with healthier options for the perfect Super Bowl party food ideas!

NACHOS AND GUACAMOLE

[super-bowl-party-food-ideas]

Our Nachos and Guacamole recipe isn’t just incredibly easy to make, it’s also healthier than the usual nachos and cheese fare. Don’t worry, it still has some cheesy goodness in it, but the guac and veggies are definitely the stars of this show. The great thing about nachos is that you can buy them in bulk at wholesale stores, so they’re an inexpensive way to feed a crowd. If some of your party goers prefer the cheesier version, you can always melt some extra cheddar on the side for dipping.

SOUTHWESTERN SNACK MIX

[super-bowl-party-food-ideas]

We can’t have a list of perfect Super Bowl party food ideas without some type of snack mix, now can we? Forget the oily chips, you don’t want greasy fingers all over your remote anyway, right? This southwestern snack mix combines healthier pretzels and popcorn with the crunch of fan favorite corn chips plus, of course, some cheesy goodness!

CHUTNEY, CHEESE & CRANBERRY BITES

[super-bowl-party-food-ideas]

Our Chutney, Cheese and Cranberry bites add a bit of class to your Super Bowl party food, yet they’re still easy enough to eat while watching the big game. Serve them up on a tray of nuts to take them from holiday appetizer to a more traditional football fare.

PIZZA DIP

This is a bit of an indulgence, but as long as you’re offering plenty of other healthy options, it’s okay! This food is great for large or small crowds — just adjust how much you make to accommodate. Use your slow cooker for this dish. Pour enough pizza sauce into the slow cooker crock to fill it about three quarters full. Add enough low-fat mozzarella or pizza cheese to cover the top of the sauce with a thick layer of cheese. You can add small bits of sausage or pepperoni if you’d like or leave the pizza dip with just cheese. Allow the pizza dip to heat and stir the melting cheese in occasionally.

Cook several plain pizza crusts — either ready made or homemade — then cut into small dipping squares. Put the crust chunks into a bowl or another slow cooker without the lid to keep warm. You can also serve it with crusty homemade garlic bread for dipping!

MINIATURE FAVORITES IN MODERATION

We’re not completely opposed to a few indulgences, especially on a day known for its indulgent food. If you want to enjoy traditional Super Bowl food like hot dogs, smoked sausages and mozzarella sticks, just miniaturize them! Go with turkey dogs instead of beef, opt for low-fat cheeses when possible. Bake foods that are traditionally fried and you’ll save a ton of fat and calories. Set out a smaller portion and mix them in with healthier options. For example, set just a few of those tiny turkey dog bites out in the middle of a tray of crunchy veggies and other wholesome snacks. As your fans are watching the game, they’ll absent-mindedly reach for snacks. Their hands will go to the healthier options first!

Be sure to provide a variety of different foods for guests at your Super Bowl party. Choose foods that are easy to eat as guests mill about and will appeal to all ages.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SUPER BOWL PARTY FOOD IDEAS? SHARE IN THE COMMENTS!

question: What are the health tricks the article recommends for Super Bowl food?

answer: The article recommends using turkey dogs instead of beef, low-fat cheese, and baking foods that are traditionally fried.

critique: The answer should mention the serving size.

critique: The article also recommends using smaller portions of traditional Super Bowl foods.

critique: The article recommends using turkey dogs instead of beef, using low-fat cheeses, and baking foods instead of frying.

critique: The article also recommends serving food on a tray of nuts.

question: What does the article say about weight loss?

answer: No answer

critique: The article in reference says nothing about weight loss directly, but provides many tips for serving up healthier Super Bowl food. Replace the old calorie-drenched snacks with healthier options, bake instead of frying, go with low fat alternatives, replace greasy fingers far snacks, set out a smaller portion of unhealthy treats. Utilize these tips and you can have a diet-friendly, healthier Super Bowl.

critique: The answer should mention the mention of weight loss in the article.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not mention weight loss.

critique: The article does not mention weight loss.

critique: The article does not mention anything about weight loss.

question: What does the article say about Super Bowl parties?

answer: The article says that a Super Bowl party is all about the food. The author suggests that you should mix in a few indulgences with healthier options for the perfect Super Bowl party food ideas.

critique: The answer should mention the importance of variety.


text:
HIGHWAY 11B is the designation for ten business routes of Highway 11 in the Canadian province of Ontario. Each was the original route of Highway 11 through the town or city that it served, and was subsequently given the 11B designation when a newer bypass route was constructed to reduce traffic pressure on the urban street network. Seven of the nine sections of Highway 11B have now been decommissioned by the Ministry of Transportation, with the exception of the Atikokan route and the southernmost section of the former Tri-Town route between Cobalt and Highway 11.

Holland Landing

Highway 11B through Holland Landing was created in 1958 when Highway 11 realigned to a new bypass, with Highway 11B assuming the former alignment along Yonge Street through Holland Landing. The province transferred Highway 11B to the Regional Municipality of York in 1981 and the route is now known as York Regional Road 83.[1] {{-}}

Orillia

Highway 11B in Orillia was created in 1959 when Highway 11 was realigned to the Orillia bypass, which had opened in 1954. Highway 11B followed Memorial Avenue, Colborne Street, West Street, Coldwater Road, Front Street, Neywash Street, and Laclie Street through downtown Orillia. Over the years, as Orillia expanded its city limits, sections of Highway 11B were transferred from provincial to city jurisdiction. In 1981, the route was redesignated as unsigned Highway 7183, which remained until 1998 when jurisdiction was transferred to the City of Orillia, with exception of a small southern section in Simcoe County which became Simcoe County Road 49.[2] {{-}}

Gravenhurst

Highway 11B in Gravenhurst was created in 1948 when Highway 11 was realigned to the first Gravenhurst bypass (Bethune Drive), and followed Muskoka Road and Winewood Avenue through downtown Gravenhurst. In 1970, Highway 11 was moved to the second Gravenhurst bypass and Highway 11B was moved to Bethune Drive. Highway 11B was decommissioned in 1972, with the section south of Bay Street becoming part of Highway 169 (present-day Muskoka District Road 169) and Muskoka District Road 41.[3]

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Huntsville

Highway 11B in Huntsville was created in 1959 when Highway 11 was realigned to the Huntsville bypass. Highway 11B followed Main Street through downtown Huntsville until 1972 when it was decommissioned and became Muskoka District Road 3.[4] {{-}}

Powassan

Highway 11B in Powassan was created in 1962 when Highway 11 was realigned to the Powassan bypass. Highway 11B followed Main Street through downtown Huntsville it was decommissioned in 1962.[5] {{-}}

North Bay

Highway 11B in North Bay was created in 1958, when the former route of Highway 11 through downtown North Bay was given a new route number. Following the completion of the North Bay Bypass in 1953, both the old route through downtown and North Bay Bypasses were posted as Highway 11, leading to some confusion amongst motorists. Highway 11B followed Lakeshore Drive, Main Street, and Algonquin Avenue, with it sharing a concurrency with Highway 17B between Fisher Street and Algonquin Avenue. In the mid 1970s, Highway 11B in downtown North Bay was rerouted to parallel one-way streets, with northbound traffic following McIntyre Street and southbound traffic following Oak Street. Highway 11B in North Bay was decommissioned in 1998.[6][7] {{-}}

Cobalt–Temiskaming Shores

Highway 11B through Cobalt, Haileybury and New Liskeard was created in 1963 when Highway 11 was transferred to the newly opened Tri Town Bypass, and was the second longest business route in Ontario with a length of . Highway 11B followed followed Miller Avenue, Cobalt Street, Grandview Avenue, Silver Street and Lang Street through Cobalt; King Street, Rorke Avenue, Main Street, Ferguson Avenue and Lakeshore Road through North Cobalt and Haileybury; and Lakeshore Road, Paget Street, Whitewood Avenue and Armstrong Street through New Liskeard. During the 1997–1998 downloading, the majority of Highway 11B was transferred to local municipalities. The remaining sections of Highway 11B runs between Highway 11 in Coleman Township to Cobalt town limits, and between Cobalt and Temiskaming Shores city limits. The northernmost was retained but renumbered as Highway 65 in 2003.[8][9]

In 1967, a section of the Cobalt route of Highway 11B collapsed into an abandoned mine, cutting off the town of Cobalt.[10]

Major intersections

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Matheson–Porquis Junction

Highway 11B between Matheson and Porquis Junction was created in 1958 when Highway 11 realigned. Highway 11B went from the Highway 11/Highway 101 junction in Matheson, through the communities of Monteith and Val Gagne, to the Highway 11/Highway 67 junction in Porquis Junction. At a length of , it was the longest business route in Ontario. Highway 11B was renumbered as Secondary Highway 626 in 1961, which in turn was transferred to the Municipal Township of Black River-Matheson and the Town of Iroquois Falls in 1974.[11] {{-}}

Thunder Bay

Highway 11B between Port Arthur and Fort William (which later amalgamated to become Thunder Bay) was created in 1968 when the Highway 11/17 concurrency was realigned to follow the Thunder Bay Expressway, and was cosigned with Highway 17B for its entire length. Highway 11B/17B started at Hodder Avenue and travelled south to Cumberland Street, where it continued southwesterly along the shore of Thunder Bay. It continued on Water Street to Bay Street, where it turned west on Bay Street to Algoma Street, where it turned south-southwest and followed Algoma Street, Memorial Avenue, and May Street to Arthur Street. It travelled west on Authur Street, past Kingsway (formerly Highway 61B), before rejoining Highway 11/17 as well as Highway 61.[12][13] {{-}}

Atikokan

Highway 11B in Atikokan was created in 1962 when Highway 11 was extended to Fort Frances; the extension was constructed south of Atikokan and bypassed the community, resulting in the bypassed section becoming Highway 11B. Highway 11B in Atikokan is unique in that is a spur route and does not form a loop that reconnects to Highway 11. Despite the larger number of business routes that were transferred to local municipalities in 1997–98, Highway 11B in Atikokan is one of the few that remained untouched and is still part of the provincial highway system.[14]

Major intersections

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[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

title: Ontario Highway 11B

question: List all of the locations the highway goes through.

answer: Holland Landing, Orillia, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Powassan, North Bay, Cobalt–Temiskaming Shores, Matheson–Porquis Junction, Thunder Bay, and Atikokan.

critique: The answer should be written with a period.

critique: The answer omits the highway's route through the city of Atikokan.

critique: The answer omits the northernmost section of Highway 11B.

critique: The answer omits the highway's route through the city of Thunder Bay.

critique: The highway also goes through Matheson and Porquis Junction.

question: Describe the streets Highway 11B follows in Thunder Bay.

answer: It starts at Hodder Avenue and ends at Arthur Street.

critique: It misses to mention that it follows Water Street, Bay Street, Algoma Street, Memorial Avenue, and May Street.

critique: The answer omits the streets Highway 11B follows in between Hodder Avenue and Arthur Street.

critique: It's omitted that Highway 11B follows Water Street, Bay Street, Algoma Street, Memorial Avenue, and May Street.

critique: It misses to mention that it follows Algoma Street, Memorial Avenue, and May Street.

critique: The answer should mention the streets Highway 11B follows.

critique: It's omitted that the highway follows Water Street, Bay Street, and Algoma Street.


text:
JOSEPH WANTON JR. (1730–1780) was a Loyalist, merchant, Deputy Governor of Rhode Island in 1764 and 1767 and owner of Hunter House in Newport, Rhode Island.

Wanton was born to Governor Joseph Wanton and Mary Winthrop Wanton of Newport on February 8, 1730. Wanton graduated from Harvard University in 1751 and was involved with privateers during the French and Indian War possibly where he attained the title of colonel. Wanton's first wife Abigail Honeyman, by whom he had 7 children, died in 1771. Wanton served as a vestryman at Trinity Church (Newport). Wanton was elected Deputy Governor of Rhode Island in 1764 and 1767.

Wanton was a loyalist during the American Revolution and was accused of treason and imprisoned by Rhode Island General William West while the British occupied Narragansett Bay in 1776. When the British occupied Newport, he raised troops for the Loyalist cause. In 1780 Wanton's property (Hunter House) was confiscated, and he fled Newport when the Americans reoccupied the city. Wanton likely died in New York in 1780 after fleeing there with the British.[1] In 1781 his widow Sarah Brenton Wanton (his second wife whom he married in 1775) unsuccessfully petitioned the State of Rhode Island to return of the confiscated Wanton properties in Newport, Jamestown, Prudence Island, and Gould Island.

[Wanton's House in Newport] Some genealogists speculate that Wanton became an Episcopal minister near Liverpool, England, although this seems inconsistent with other information about his life, including the 1780 burial record of one Col. Wanton in the churchyard at Trinity Wall Street Church, Manhattan. It is more likely that it was Joseph and Sarah's son; Joseph Brenton Wanton who went to Trinity College, Cambridge in October 1795, aged 18; and later became a minister in Liverpool, England.[2][3]

Joseph Brenton Wanton (JBW) was Joseph Wanton and Sarah Brenton's only child. Sarah Brenton Wanton remarried in 1784, to William Atherton 'Esquire of Jamaica' in Trinity Church, Newport, RI. William Atherton owned Green Park Plantation in Trelawney, Jamaica and Spring Vale Pen Plantation in St James, Jamaica.[4] Sarah died in July 1787 and was buried in Clifton Burying Ground, Newport. It is recorded in Trinity Church Archives that 'He [William Atherton] immediately after her [Sarah's] death disposed of his household goods and went to England, where he had a tablet prepared, and had it set up in the church [Trinity Church, Rhode Island] in Nov. 1788.' [5] In England, he bought Prescot Hall outside Liverpool. He apparently took his step-son, Joseph Brenton Wanton with him, who was registered in Manchester Grammar School.[6] and appears in Cambridge University Alumni as 'Joseph Brenton WAUTON, son of Joseph, Governor of Rhode Island', having been to Manchester & Macclesfield Schools, 'where it states that the name was originally WANTON'. All Joseph Brenton Wanton's children were called WAUTON although in his Will of 1841, he signs as 'Joseph Brenton WANTON'.[7] This seems to be when the name for this branch of the family was changed. In 1803 he married Mary Weston, daughter of a tanner from Halewood, Liverpool, and had 4 children, the two sons went to Cambridge and became ministers in the Church of England. JBW was a minister in the Church of England but retired through ill-health in 1819, living in Liverpool, the Isle of Man and Cheshire. He died in 1853.[8]

[1] Col. Wanton Burial Record, Trinity Church Wall Street, Manhattan

[2]

[3] History of the Episcopal Church in Narragansett by Wilkins Updike, James MacSparran, Daniel Goodwin (RI: Merrymount Press, 1907), 278. (Joseph Wanton Records, distinguished from Joseph Wanton, Sr.)]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

title: Joseph Wanton Jr.

question: What does the article say about Joseph Wanton Jr.'s children?

answer: Wanton had seven children, but one died in infancy. Wanton's first wife Abigail Honeyman died in 1771, and he remarried to Sarah Brenton in 1775. They had one child, Joseph Brenton, who was a loyalist and minister in the Church of England.

critique: The answer fails to mention that Wanton's children were all called Wauton.

critique: The answer should mention that Wanton's children were all called Wauton.

critique: The answer should mention that Wanton's children were all named Wauton.

critique: The answer omits the fact that Wanton's second wife died in 1787.

critique: The response should include that Brenton had four children with his second wife.

critique: Joseph's sons were ministers in the Church of England, not Joseph Brenton personally.

critique: The answer omits that Wanton had two other children after Sarah Brenton died.

critique: The answer should mention that Sarah Brenton died in 1787.

question: What does the article say about Wanton's properties that were confiscated?

answer: His property (Hunter House) was confiscated in 1780 when the Americans reoccupied Newport. The State of Rhode Island refused to return Wanton properties in Newport, Jamestown, Prudence Island, and Gould Island.

critique: It's omitted that his widow unsuccessfully petitioned the State of Rhode Island to return the properties.

critique: The answer should mention that his property was confiscated in 1780.

critique: The State of Rhode Island's refusal to return the properties is irrelevant.

critique: The response should include that the properties were confiscated in 1780.

critique: The answer should mention that Sarah Brenton Wanton petitioned the state to return the properties.

critique: The text does not say who refused to return the property to Sarah. Some history is necessary.

critique: The answer should mention that his property was confiscated after he fled Newport.

question: What does the article say about Joseph Wanton Jr. being a merchant?

answer: No answer

critique: The article does not state that he was a merchant.

critique: The article does not mention that he was a merchant.

critique: The answer should mention that the article does not mention anything about Joseph Wanton Jr. being a merchant.

question: What does the article say about Sarah Brenton?

answer: Sarah Brenton was the second wife of Joseph Wanton Jr. She was married to William Atherton after Wanton died. She died in 1787.

critique: The answer omits that Sarah Brenton was the second wife of Joseph Wanton Jr. She was married to William Atherton after Wanton died. She died in 1787.

critique: The answer omits that Sarah Brenton was the widow of Joseph Wanton Jr.


text:
HAROLD BAILY DIXON (1852–1930) was a British chemist. He was also an amateur footballer who appeared for Oxford University in the 1873 FA Cup Final.[1]

Early life

Born in Marylebone,[2] London, England, he attended Westminster School from 1865 to 1871, and then studied at Christ Church, Oxford under Vernon Harcourt, graduating as B.A. with First Class Honours in Natural Science in 1875 and M.A. in 1878.[3]

Academic and scientific career

Dixon was Millard Lecturer at Trinity College, Oxford from 1879 to 1886, and from 1881 to 1886 Duke of Bedford Lecturer at Balliol College, where he became Fellow in 1886.[4]

On the opening of the first women's colleges in 1879, Dixon was instrumental in allowing women to attend physics lectures. Margaret Seward was a prominent beneficiary of Dixon's proposition.

Dixon served as Professor of Chemistry, succeeding Sir Henry Roscoe, at Owen's College, Manchester from 1886 to 1922. He was chairman of governors of the Royal Technical College, Salford, Lancashire from 1916, Chairman of Salford Higher Education Committee from 1919, and of the Selective Committee for the North-West District of the Ministry of Labour from 1922.[5]

His expertise in the chemistry behind the cause of mine explosions was availed of by governments of the day. He served on the Royal Commissions on Explosion of Coal Dust in Mines from 1891 to 1894, and on the Coal Supply from 1902 to 1905, as well as the Home Office Committee on Explosions in Mines from 1911 to 1914[6]

Dixon was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1886, and gave its Bakerian Lecture in 1893. He was a Fellow of the Chemical Society, serving as its President from 1909 to 1911. He was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal in 1913: _“On the ground of his eminence in physical chemistry, especially in connexion with explosions in gases.”_

In 1907-08 and again in 1923-25 he was President of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society.[7]

During the First World War, Dixon became in 1915 Deputy Inspector of High Explosives for the Manchester area, for which service he was made a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1918.[8][9]

In 1922 he was appointed Honorary Professor of Chemistry at Manchester University and supervised research on ignition of gases for the Safety in Mines Research Board in 1927.[10]

Dixon, who made his home in Fallowfield, Manchester, died in Lytham, Lancashire on 18 September 1930, aged seventy-eight.[11]

Football career

Usually in the position of forward, Dixon played football for Westminster School in his final year 1870-71. When he started at university he was a founder member of Oxford University's Amateur Football Club at its inception on 9 November 1871. He played with them in the second competition for the FA Cup when Oxford reached the Cup Final, played at Lillie Bridge ground, West Brompton, on 29 March 1873, only to lose to the Wanderers by 2 goals to nil. He did later play for the Wanderers, as well as at county level for Middlesex. Unlike most of his footballing university contemporaries, he did not take part in the Varsity matches which would have earned him a 'Blue'.[12]

Other sports

Dixon was a good cricketer who was in the Westminster School XI, which he captained in his final season.[13]

He was more noticeably active in mountaineering, undertaking exploring climbs in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and was a member of the British Alpine Club, the Canadian Alpine Club, and the Rucksack Club of Manchester.[14]

Sports honours

OXFORD UNIVERSITY A.F.C.

-   1873 F.A. Cup Final (runner-up).

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[8] Citation not found in London Gazette for Harold Baily Dixon

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[14]

title: Harold Baily Dixon

question: Summarize everything that happened before 1900.

answer: Dixon was Millard Lecturer at Trinity College, Oxford from 1879 to 1886, and from 1881 to 1886 Duke of Bedford Lecturer at Balliol College, where he became Fellow in 1886. He served as Professor of Chemistry, succeeding Sir Henry Roscoe, at Owen's College, Manchester from 1886 to 1922. He was chairman of governors of the Royal Technical College, Salford, Lancashire from 1916, Chairman of Salford Higher Education Committee from 1919, and of the Selective Committee for the North-West District of the Ministry of Labour from 1922. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1886, and gave its Bakerian Lecture in 1893. He was a Fellow of the Chemical Society, serving as its President from 1909 to 1911. He was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal in 1913.

critique: The response includes information after 1900.

critique: It is omitted that Dixon was born in 1852.

critique: The answer should mention that Dixon was born in 1852.

critique: It is irrelevant that he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1886, and gave its Bakerian Lecture in 1893. He was a Fellow of the Chemical Society, serving as its President from 1909 to 1911. He was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal in 1913.

critique: The sections between 1879 and 1882 describes his academic and scientific career. These events happened after 1879.

critique: The answer omits Dixon's football career.

question: Summarize everything relating to football.

answer: Harold Baily Dixon was an amateur footballer who appeared for Oxford University in the 1873 FA Cup Final. He was one of the founding members of Oxford University's Amateur Football Club at its inception in 1871. Dixon played for them in the second competition for the FA Cup, but the club lost to the Wanderers by 2 goals to nil. He went on to play for the Wanderers as well as at county level for Middlesex. Dixon never took part in the Varsity matches, which would have earned him a "Blue" because it conflicted with his studies.

critique: "Dixon played for them in the second competition for the FA Cup, but the club lost to the Wanderers by 2 goals to nil" - is incorrect. Oxford University lost to the Wanderers in the 1873 FA Cup Final.

critique: Oxford's amateur football club was not just founded in 1871. It existed since 1871 when Dixon started at the university until it disbanded at some later date.

critique: The answer should mention that Dixon was a forward.

critique: "Dixon never took part in the Varsity matches, which would have earned him a "Blue" because it conflicted with his studies." - this is incorrect. Dixon did take part in the Varsity matches, but he did not take it because he was a founder member of Oxford University's Amateur Football Club at its inception on 9 November 1871.

critique: Dixon played in the second competition, not the second competition.

critique: Dixon's participation in the Varsity matches is irrelevant to the question.

critique: Dixon's career is not relevant to the question.

text: It is not stated that Varsity would have conflicted with his studies.

category: coherence

question: What does the text say about Dixon's relationship with coal?

answer: Dixon served on the Royal Commissions on Explosion of Coal Dust in Mines from 1891 to 1894, and on the Coal Supply from 1902 to 1905. He was also a member of the Home Office Committee on Explosions in Mines from 1911 to 1914. He was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal in 1913 for his eminence in physical chemistry, especially in connexion with explosions in gases.

critique: The highlighted portion of the response does not directly answer what the question is about.

critique: The answer does not mention that his expertise in the chemistry behind the cause of mine explosions was availed of by governments of the day.

critique: The answer should mention his expertise in the chemistry behind the cause of mine explosions.

critique: The answer does not mention his expertise in the chemistry behind the cause of mine explosions.

critique: The text does not say anything about Dixon's relationship with coal.

critique: The last sentence is not relevant to the question.

critique: The answer does not mention that Dixon's expertise in the chemistry behind the cause of mine explosions was availed of by governments of the day.

question: What does the text say about Dixon's wife?

answer: No answer

critique: There is no mention of Dixon's wife in the text.

critique: The answer should mention that Dixon was married.


text:
By around 10pm most people had arrived and I was I feeling slightly unsettled. I didn’t really know anyone here. I mean I had talked with my old friends but they all seemed like they had somewhere better to be. It was as if they had never known me before. So there I am just sat on the crinkly, leather couch drinking alone. While sat there I had come to the conclusion that, I didn’t like beer, it tasted funny. I was sat there for a good 25 minutes before I started to notice that in fact, everyone was acting unnatural. I liked to people watch, it had became a habit of mine since I started my new college. Something was certainly not right; I had to get out of here.

I took a quick look around before I stood up and took a brisk walk to the door only to get intercepted by Tom.
“Leaving already? Its only 10:30” Tom asked.
“Yeah kinda feeling a bit ill, one too many beers I think” I gulped.
“I have just the thing, follow me”

Feeling slightly apprehensive I followed. He led me through a maze of people, to the outdoor sofas. The soft bass of the music filtered into my ears from the inside. Surprisingly it wasn’t cold out, considering it was the middle of November. Winter has always been my favourite season; I guess you couldn’t really class November as winter. It was a clear night, you could tell this because the stars were like headlights in the sky. The full moon illuminated the garden.

Tom had a big garden; it was the kind of garden you would see in the magazines. There were a few flowers in the flowerbeds but most had died due to the colder weather. His parents were keen gardeners, the bushes were all perfectly trimmed and there wasn’t a single leaf on lush grass. The sofas were located towards the back of the garden. It was surrounded by identical bushes. There was a thin, paved trail leading up to it. They were sheltered which was nice, it kept the fabric cushions dry from any rain. We took a seat next to the smokers; they all had longish hair and looked like the stereotypical stoner’s you would see in the movies. I had never met any of them before but they all seemed friendly enough. Tom proceeded to pull out a doobie. He lit it and puffed away on it. I was starting to wonder why he brought me out here. Why would I want to come out here and watch him smoke? He then sticks out his hand and beckons me to take the joint. I was slightly anxious about taking it; I had only ever smoked while I had been sober. However I liked it so I thought it might make me feel better. I ignored my gut instinct not to take it and took a few big hits and passed it back to Tom. He smiled.

“Not so bad, eh” Tom chimed.
“Hmm I suppose, I don’t feel any different” I coughed.
Inside my head was spinning. My vision was blurry. It was like my head had been shoved in a tornado. However I felt less nervous now than I did before, more at ease. That was until I detected everyone staring at me. They all looked at me with that same generic expression, sort of innocent but creepy at the same time. It was almost like they were possessed by something. I started to feel more and more uncomfortable so I decided get away from here.

I chucked my coat on and stumbled to the door. Fortunately for me it was open. I had my mind set on going home so I ventured on my journey across town; I debated calling a taxi but decided against the idea as I had no money. It is about half a mile to my house, and unfortunately it’s a dark and desolate walk. I got about halfway down the street when I heard someone calling my name. I swiftly turn around to see Tom stood there shaking slightly.

I saw something was wrong by expression on his face. He was scared. I figured it would just be the drugs so I started walking back towards him, to investigate the situation. He mouthed to me 'stop'. This sent a wave of panic through my body. Tears were now streaming down his face. I was now really scared, I had never seen him cry before.
“Tom?” I shouted “what’s wrong?”
I carried on walking towards him. He didn't answer. It was almost like he had been glued to the ground. He just stood there. This was weird even for Tom. He has never been the bravest of people but then again he didn’t usually display this kind of behaviour. Then out of nowhere a human looking creature leapt onto Tom and started to tear him apart limb from limb. I shivered as I saw guts being thrown out on to the street. Blood was spraying out everywhere. I couldn’t move. I was frozen with fright. I watched as this red-eyed creature, denatured my friend. I let out a whimper. With that the creature turned to me and looked me dead in the eye, and started shredding Tom’s legs with its teeth. It then chucked the dismembered body on to the road and walked back inside. I shuddered. What was this thing? I had no idea but I certainly couldn’t get it out of my head.

title: My coursework re-done

question: How did the narrator react when he found Tom?

answer: The narrator was frozen with fright.

critique: The narrator was frozen with fright when he saw the creature tear Tom apart.

question: How did the narrator feel when he smoked the joint?

answer: The narrator felt sicklier than before, and when he slapped Tom this time he felt on top of the world and happy.

question: Could the narrator have been hallucinating the attack that happened on Tom?

answer: No. If the narrator had been hallucinating, the events wouldn't have been described as realistically.

critique: The narrator does not describe the attack realistically.

critique: The narrator says they were panicking, which is different from being hallucinating. The narrator was not hallucinating, they were just very scared.

critique: The events were written as realistically, but abnormally unrealistic.

critique: The narrator's perceptions are described as realistically as possible.

critique: The answer is incorrect. The narrator was not hallucinating.

critique: The narrator does not describe the events realistically.

critique: The narrator's description of the attack is not realistic.

text: The narrator could be hallucinating or not - we have no way of knowing.

category: accuracy


text:
In little over 30 years the leading professional firms have grown from cottage industries to global, multimillion-pound businesses. What has driven this change? In this article I look back to chart the 6 ages of transformation.

AGE 1 – EXPANSION INTO NEW MARKETS

Market deregulation allowed growth and internationalism in a way that had not been possible before. The use of the Swiss Verein structure allowed more international collaborations and the arrival of the LLP in the early 2000s gave a further boost by allowing partners to control their exposure to risk to a greater degree.

As firms grew in size and developed more diverse services for their clients, they adopted governance structures with a stronger corporate flavour. This provided greater management oversight to ensure greater consistency and better financial management.

[]

Six Ages of Innovation

AGE 2 – SECTOR FOCUS

The next innovation wave was the development of the matrix structure that married together technical disciplines with a focus on industry sectors. This created a change in the way that professionals took their expertise to clients, including physically sitting together in sector groups.

AGE 3 – REDUCING COST OF SERVICE DELIVERY THROUGH ‘UN-BUNDLING’

The global financial crisis was the catalyst for more change. As clients became increasingly cost conscious, firms looked for ways to cut the cost of service delivery. Most tightened up on their project management and pricing. Others took more radical steps such as off-shoring routine work to low cost centres and utilising different types of resource such as freelancers and non-qualified staff.  They ‘un-bundled’ typical client processes such as an M&A deal to work out the best resourcing model for each component part. Although some firms feared these innovations would be seen as commoditizing the traditional work of professionals, they actually helped to deliver better outcomes for clients without damaging brand value.

AGE 4 – INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO SERVICE DELIVERY

The fourth wave of innovation occurred around the mid-2000s when technology became much better integrated into service delivery. Firms began to use technology to speed up and automate the sifting and management of large amount of documents and data. Electronic deal rooms and client portals are now the norm, and project management software gives clients greater visibility of the progress of work.

Another tipping point was reached in the early 2010s. Firms leading this wave of innovation realized that to maintain margins they had to devise ways of providing smarter, not just cheaper, solutions for their clients. We refer to this as ‘re-bundling’ because it involves combining different disciplines and business models into an integrated, holistic service. Examples of this wave of innovation include law firms offering consultancy advice, and management consultancy firms blending consultancy with data analytics and artificial intelligence.

AGE 6 – THE TECHNOLOGY-SUPPORTED PROFESSIONAL

We are now entering a new wave of innovation: the technology-supported professional. In this new age technology and innovation are bringing about fundamental changes in how professional work and the tasks they undertake. Technology will not just speed up work, but will mean professionals work in completely new ways.

Many professionals recognize that the market has changed. Altman Weil, a US-based consultancy, has undertaken research with managing partners at US law firms, asking whether various trends are temporary or permanent. 83% of the managing partners surveyed believed that competition from non-traditional providers is a permanent trend. Nearly three-quarters (73%) believe that the pace of change in the professions will increase (Altman Weil, 2016).

It seems clear that one result of this wave of innovation is a more complex professional services ecosystem. Different types of competitors have already emerged to challenge the dominance of incumbents. Professional services solutions are being delivered by technology businesses, publishers, start-ups, retailers and in-house departments at large corporates. Here are just three examples of successful disruptors from a variety of professional disciplines:

-   Narrative Science, founded in 2010, has an artificial intelligence system, Quill, that analyses raw data and generates reports in seconds. Its use of natural language processing produces outputs that readers would assume were written by a human author. This work would historically have been undertaken by consultancy firms.
-   Crunch, founded in 2008, provides self-service online accountancy services to SMEs for a much lower price than high street accountancy firms.
-   Eden McCullum, founded in 2000, works with experienced, freelance consultants to deliver high-end consulting engagements for its clients. Its delivery model draws in alumni from Bain, BCG and McKinsey to deliver premium quality work at a fraction of the cost of traditional competitors.

The disruptors are not simply reducing the cost of delivery, they are also delivering a simpler, more consistent client experience. Their impact should not be underestimated: they are both taking market share and recalibrating what clients come to expect for their professional advisers. As a leader your colleagues will look to you for leadership and direction on these difficult strategic issues: you need to understand how innovation will impact your firm, and how to tweak your strategy to grasp the innovation opportunities and avoid the threats.

_Ben Kent 2016_

question: Summarize everything relating to cost.

answer: The global financial crisis was the catalyst for more change. As clients became increasingly cost conscious, firms looked for ways to cut the cost of service delivery. Most tightened up on their project management and pricing. Others took more radical steps such as off-shoring routine work to low cost centres and utilising different types of resource such as freelancers and non-qualified staff. They 'un-bundled' typical client processes such as an M&A deal to work out the best resourcing model for each component part. Although some firms feared these innovations would be seen as commoditizing the traditional work of professionals, they actually helped to deliver better outcomes for clients without damaging brand value.

critique: The answer should mention that the firms are now looking for ways to provide smarter solutions for their clients.

critique: The answer should mention the "re-bundling" trend.

critique: The answer does not address all that was written about the role of cost in the text.

critique: "Others took more radical steps such as off-shoring routine work to low cost centres and utilising different types of resource such as freelancers and non-qualified staff. They 'un-bundled' typical client processes such as an M&A deal to work out the best resourcing model for each component part." - this is irrelevant and should be removed.

critique: The answer should mention that rebundling is a way to provide smarter solutions for clients without damaging margins.

critique: The answer should mention that the cost of service delivery is expected to decrease in the future.

question: Summarize the advancements before the 2010s.

answer: The first wave of innovation was the expansion into new markets. The second wave was the development of the matrix structure that married together technical disciplines with a focus on industry sectors. The third wave was the reduction of the cost of service delivery through "un-bundling". The fourth wave was the integration of technology into service delivery.

critique: The answer omits the fifth wave of innovation.

critique: The answer omits the age of the technology-supported professional.

critique: The answer omits the "age" of the fourth wave.

critique: The answer could mention the early 2010s.

critique: The response doesn't cover all the advancements.

critique: The answer should mention the other two waves.

question: What does the text say about disruptors?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should mention that the text mentions three examples of successful disruptors.

critique: The response misses to provide an answer to the task.

question: What does the text say about smartphones?

answer: No answer

critique: The response misses to provide an answer to the task in the task.


text:
Part of the Council for International Schools (CIS) accreditation process asks schools to “demonstrate a commitment to internationalism/interculturalism in education” and that this should be “reflected throughout the life of the institution.” In this article, I will be presenting the case that schools of a religious tradition are best placed to fulfil this aspect of education given their deeply rooted sense of history, tradition and culture.

In her book “International Mindedness” Lesley Stagg concludes by paraphrasing Dan Young “Internationalism advocates the quality of ‘being’ international within the overall climate and character evident when you enter the school. It includes the one for all organizational principles that reflect a global community concern (known to its community to exist inside and outside its walls), as well as an overall positive attitude between diverse cultures (and countries). It is evidenced where students and faculty celebrate this quality as they come together for learning and teaching… when common global interests and collaboration are recognized as imperative.”

To my mind, in order to successfully meet this goal, it is essential that the school have at least one unifying feature. There must be something tangible that unites all in the midst of diversity. CIS exhorts the guiding statements of a school as this focal point and these guiding statements must be embedded in the curriculum and in the culture of learning. This is not particularly controversial and is something commonly accepted in the domain of international schools. However, I would like to suggest that in reality, many international schools across the world do not have this one unifying feature and that, in fact in many cases, their guiding statements are contrived, jargonistic and essentially meaningless. The exception to this fact being those schools, which have a deep-rooted sense of history, enshrined in tradition and have a culture that is known and embraced by the wider community. I would argue that this is the case in schools underpinned by a religious tradition.

Moreover, in order to create an “overall positive attitude between diverse cultures (and countries)” it is necessary to celebrate what unites families from diverse cultures and countries and in many cases, this is their religious experience. Children from a multitude of countries, different races, speaking different languages and having a range of cultural norms, inevitably populate an International School. Finding something to unite such a diverse community is a challenge CIS recognizes, but within a school embracing a religious tradition, there is no challenge because, despite the obvious diversity, children and their families are united by their religious beliefs. This is more obviously the case when they all hark from the same religious tradition, but I contend that it can also be the case when children of different religions, or denominations within a particular religion, are educated together as their belief in God (or in some cases a Supreme Being) transcends any of their apparent differences. Many dismiss too often religion as a cause of conflict but I would argue the contrary and suggest that in reality religion unites people due to the fact that they have a common sense of purpose and of human dignity. Nothing is more unifying than a common set of beliefs. This permeates deeper than any contrived ideology.

Central to religious identity is a call to community, to social justice, to a respect for human dignity, to peace and reconciliation and to celebrating unity in diversity. These are the features of international mindedness that CIS wants schools to embrace. Whilst many schools barely touch the tip of the iceberg with respect to international mindedness, schools with a religious identity and faith commitment are deeply rooted in their sense of mission, of their ethos, of their values. International Schools of a non-religious nature could learn a lot by looking at schools of a religious nature. They would observe that in the vast majority of cases (some schools with a religious identity are clearly better than others) that the guiding statements of the school are embedded throughout the institution. In the best schools, the mission and ethos of the school are deeply embedded in the curriculum. Such schools do not have a narrow view of curriculum as merely the teaching of a syllabus or academic program but moreover that it is inclusive of all aspects of a child’s learning experience and development as a human person. Subsequently, children will learn explicitly about issues of prejudice and discrimination, different belief systems (other than that of the denomination of the institution), ethical systems, cultural norms, the dignity of the human person, social enterprise and the like. Furthermore, schools with a religious tradition have always valued prayer and meditation as an essential part of human development. Recognizing this the secular world now promotes “mindfulness” as a non-religious alternative to meditation. Separating meditation from faith, where Buddhist, Christian or another, is somewhat morally bankrupt and a very dubious business in itself.

Many international schools have adopted mission statements but sometimes these are a uniformity of bland clichés with no deep sense of an underlying philosophy. Perhaps even more worrying is the trend for schools to adopt the language of “No child left behind” and focus on college and workplace preparedness as the raison d’etre of education rather than focusing on the development of the whole child with the human dignity. It is immoral to see a child as no more than economic fodder for the future workplace. Schools should reject any policy or system that diminishes the dignity of the human person and refutes the idea that anyone can be reduced to the status of an economic unit or passive-dependent.

Recognizing the distinct nature that schools underpinned by a religious tradition have, and by learning from their best practice, International Schools across the world can learn to emulate the “one for all” educational principles that underpin faith schools. The shared “worldview” that unites people of faiths underpins the values and mission of such schools and enables them to be truly international.

question: What does the text say about the CIS?

answer: The Council for International Schools (CIS) is an accreditation process that asks schools to "demonstrate a commitment to internationalism/interculturalism in education." The CIS asks schools to "reflect throughout the life of the institution."

critique: The CIS asks schools to reflect throughout the life of the institution, not the other way around.

critique: The CIS asks schools to reflect internationalism in education, not reflect throughout the life of the institution.

critique: The CIS asks schools to "reflect throughout the life of the institution" and to "demonstrate a commitment to internationalism/interculturalism in education." The first sentence is redundant.

critique: The CIS asks schools to reflect throughout the life of the institution, not reflect throughout the life of the institution.

critique: This response is focused around what the text says about the Committee on International Schools (CIS) and not the acronym.

critique: The CIS asks schools to "demonstrate a commitment to internationalism/interculturalism in education." The CIS asks schools to "reflect throughout the life of the institution."

text: "The CIS asks schools to "reflect throughout the life of the institution." - this is out of context when it's not part of the main sentence. Revise to "The Council for International Schools (CIS) is an accreditation process that asks schools to “demonstrate a commitment to internationalism/interculturalism in education” and that this should be “reflected throughout the life of the institution.

question: What does the text say about international schools?

answer: International schools are schools that are located outside of the country of their native language, traditions, and culture. The Council for International Schools (CIS) accreditation process asks schools to demonstrate a commitment to internationalism/interculturalism in education. In order to successfully meet this goal, it is essential that the school have at least one unifying feature.

critique: The "international" requirement is backwards.

critique: The answer should mention that the author believes that schools of a religious tradition are best placed to fulfil this aspect of education.

critique: The answer does not mention that the schools of a religious tradition are best placed to fulfill the goal of internationalism.

critique: The answer should mention what the unifying feature is.

critique: The response should include the unifying feature that the author suggests.

critique: The answer should mention the author's view on international schools.

text: "International schools are schools that are located outside of the country of their native language, traditions, and culture." - while this description is fairly accurate, it isn't mentioned anywhere in the text.

question: What does the text say about cultural norms?

answer: No answer

critique: The response misses to mention that the author of the text believes that in order to successfully meet the goal of internationalism, it is essential that the school have at least one unifying feature.

critique: The article talks about the importance of celebrating cultural norms in order to foster an overall positive attitude between diverse cultures.

text: Children from a multitude of countries, different races, speaking different languages, and having a range of cultural norms, inevitably populate an International School. Subsequently, children will learn explicitly about issues of prejudice and discrimination, different belief systems (other than that of the denomination of the institution), ethical systems, cultural norms, the dignity of the human person, social enterprise, and the like.

question: What does the text say about diversity?

answer: Diversity is, of course, a prominent feature of international schools. This makes them harder to manage and to meet the requirements of the Council for International Schools. The author of this article, however, believes that having a unifying element in a school will make it easier to bring people together, even those who are very different from one another. In the case of a religious school, their religious experience unites them.

critique: The answer should mention the author's suggestion of celebrating unity in diversity.

critique: The text is quite concrete in its language and use of phrasing. It is important to retain that. The model's answer sounds weak and constructed.

critique: The answer should mention the author's view on diversity.

critique: The author does not believe that having a unifying element will make it easier to bring people together.

critique: The answer is not clear on what the author believes.

critique: The answer should mention the unifying element.

critique: "This makes them harder to manage and to meet the requirements of the Council for International Schools." - this is incorrect. The author never said anything about the CIS requirements. The author believes a school with a unifying element will make it easier to bring people together.


text:
GOVERNMENTAL IMPACT ON SCIENCE DURING WORLD WAR II represents the effect of public administration on technological development that provided many advantages to the armed forces, economies and societies in their strategies during the war.

Pre-war scientific research

By implementing the notion that something needs to be done, political leaders influence scientists. For example, when discussing the development of weapons in order to protect the country, no urgency would arise if emphasis was not placed on the word ‘need.’ Urgency applies pressure on the scientists which leads to stress and paranoia. With these aspects bestowed upon a person, competition to succeed before someone else has, more often than not, proven to be the answer. This relieves stress and makes both the person doing the work and the government, who now has what they wanted, happy… a cruel psychological mind game played by the government.

Political-scientific relationship

With the scientific communities largely dependent on government funding, intrigues by individuals in the bureaucracies, and removal of freedoms due to the wartime environment, and virtual nationalisation of industrial research and development for the war effort governments influences on science escalated substantially during times of war.

Because the scientists were the personnel required to aid war effort of various belligerents, they lost both scientific and personal freedoms. Since they were too busy developing technologies for the military, they had little, if any, time to work on their own research. Along with that, much time was needed for research, resulting in increasing disassociation with their families.

Financing wartime science

Money is a very powerful tool. That is why government funding was, and still is today, a way for nations to influence their respective scientists. With funding, the opportunity to expand research becomes present. Since more enhanced equipment can be harnessed and the most qualified men are at hand to operate it, more productive results come forth. In 1936, the Four Year Plan for rearmament and autarky, a plan assembled after the Treaty of Versailles to help modernize the German military, put in large amounts of money and resources in new, science-based technologies.[1] Moreover, aerodynamic researchers in Germany received generous funding to construct wind tunnels and mathematically design aircraft, missiles, and torpedoes.[2] Since these technologies were developed with the support of government funding, it is discernible that many scientists and scientific programs saw this as beneficial for their nation’s military and overall war effort.

Manhattan Project

[A few months after he was put in charge of fast neutron research, Berkeley physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer convened a conference on the topic of nuclear weapon design.] The most often cited example of government impact on science is the development of the atomic bomb under the auspices of the Office of Scientific Research and Development that proved the United States the option to not conduct the assault on Japan, and end the war earlier. The result of scientific skills deficiency, decisions of political leaders had no other choice but to seek the assistance of their countries most knowledgeable, scientists. Though nations from all over the globe have their own range of scientists, physicists and chemists were the primary source for help during World War II. These men were the individuals primarily responsible for the development of innovative technology, such as the atomic bomb, during the war. Without these developments, the war would have been stuck in first gear, devoid of continuity.

The quest for the atomic bomb was steadily growing stronger due to the new scientific developments coming about. In 1922, just four years after World War I, a man by the name of F.W. Aston made an intriguing statement. Aston, a Nobel Laureate in chemistry, claimed that should atomic energy ever be released in practical form, “the human race will have at its command powers beyond the dreams of science fiction.”[3] This stimulated the minds of many political leaders. It seemed as though power would substantially increase as a result of the creation and possession of this so-called ‘weapon of mass-destruction’. Thus the race to build an atomic bomb quickly commenced. Many scientists from all over the world were working day and night to develop something that could only be described as the answer to ending the war.

[1] p.108, Grunden, Walker, Yamazaki

[2] p.109-110, Grunden, Walker, Yamazaki

[3] p.169, Hartcup

title: Governmental impact on science during World War II

question: What does the text say about the qualities that make a good nuclear scientist?

answer: No answer

critique: The text does not say anything about the qualities that make a good nuclear scientist.

critique: The answer should mention that there is no answer.

question: What does the text say about governmental oversight on pre-war scientific research?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should mention the impact of the word "need" on scientific research.

critique: The answer should mention the effect of political leaders on scientific research.

critique:
Even though the text never explicitly talks about pre-war scientific research, the overall effect of government attempts to influence science to benefit their war effort as well as the danger of personal freedoms in the hands of government-backed scientists is something that can also be extrapolated to pre-war era scientific pursuits.

No answer

question: What does the text say about what happened to scientists during the war?

answer: The scientists were busy developing technologies for the military. This resulted in a decrease in both scientific and personal freedoms. Also, because of this, the development of technologies for the military was prioritized.

critique: The answer omits the fact that the scientists lost their families due to the war.

critique: Scientists on the Manhattan Project did have their personal freedoms removed, and the original text implied that governments used the war to remove freedoms, but the original text only mentioned scientists and their families who worked in government sponsored research.

critique: The answer is incomplete. It should mention that the scientists lost their families because of the war.

critique: The response does not mention that the scientists lost their families due to the disassociation caused by the war.

critique: The answer should mention the Manhattan Project.

question: What does the text say about money and wartime science?

answer: Money and resources are a very powerful tool. This was seen with the Four Year Plan for rearmament and autarky, implemented in 1936 to help modernize the German military. They put in large amounts of money into new, science-based technologies. The government also funded the Manhattan Project, which was the development of the atomic bomb. The scientists behind this project saw this as beneficial for their nation's military and war effort.

critique: The answer should mention that the scientists lost both scientific and personal freedoms.

critique: The answer omits that the scientists lost both scientific and personal freedoms.

critique: The response says that the Four Year Plan was implemented in 1936, which is incorrect. The year was not mentioned in the text.

critique: The scientists didn't see the Manhattan Project as beneficial.

critique: The scientists on the Manhattan Project weren't directly funded

critique: The answer omits the impact of the war on science.

critique: The answer should mention that the government uses funding to influence scientists.


text:
ALLEN ROGER SNYDER (born January 26, 1946) is an American lawyer and a former nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Education and legal training

Snyder earned a bachelor's degree with distinction from George Washington University in 1967 and a J.D. degree _magna cum laude_ from Harvard Law School in 1971. He clerked for Supreme Court justices John Marshall Harlan II in 1971 and William Rehnquist in 1972.

Professional career

Snyder joined the Washington, D.C. law firm Hogan & Hartson in 1972 as an associate and later became a partner. During Bill Clinton's presidency, Snyder represented Deputy White House Counsel Bruce Lindsey during the Whitewater controversy. In addition, Snyder represented actress Elizabeth Taylor, successfully blocking an ABC-TV docudrama about her life, according to a September 2004 article about Hogan & Hartson in the Washingtonian magazine. And Snyder represented Netscape as its chief corporate attorney during its antitrust fight against Microsoft.[1]

Nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

On September 22, 1999, President Clinton nominated Snyder to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to replace the seat held by the retiring Patricia Wald. Although he is a Democrat, Snyder's nomination initially was thought to be fairly uncontroversial, particularly given his long history as a Washington insider and his support from conservatives like Rehnquist, Sen. John Warner, and former appeals court judge Robert Bork. His nomination even received a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee in May 2000. However, with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate and a presidential election looming, Snyder's nomination languished. Ultimately, the Senate chose not to vote on the D.C. Circuit nominations of both Snyder and Elena Kagan. Republican senators claimed that there was some question over whether those D.C. Circuit seats were even necessary, while Democratic senators charged that the Republican leadership in the Senate was trying to keep those two seats open until after the presidential election so that they could be filled with Republican appointees.

In 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Miguel Estrada to the seat to which Snyder had been nominated. Estrada's nomination ran into opposition from Democratic senators, and he withdrew his name from further consideration in early September 2003. Bush subsequently nominated Thomas B. Griffith to that D.C. Circuit seat in 2004, and he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2005.

Later

After Snyder's nomination died, he resigned his partnership at Hogan & Hartson and took early retirement, according to a _New York Times_ article on August 11, 2002. “Senator Specter congratulated me on how well things had gone and told me he was confident I would be confirmed and told me I would be a great judge,” Snyder told the Times. “And then the committee never took a vote.” Snyder, who is known to be close friends with Chief Justice John G. Roberts, is a longtime resident of Bethesda, Maryland.[2]

Personal life

On August 10, 1969, Snyder married Jean Port. He and his wife served as emergency foster parents for several years and eventually adopted another daughter from the foster care system.[3] In 2011, Snyder was approached by Children's Law Center, the largest legal services organization in the District of Columbia,[4] which works to achieve permanency and stability for children. Snyder joined Children's Law Center to work on appellate cases and strategy. He encourages other lawyers near- or post-retirement to consider similar positions. “There is a great unmet need in the community for pro bono service,” Snyder told _The National Law Journal_. “For a retiring lawyer, it is an opportunity to carve out a niche of the law that you care about.”[5]

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[2]

[3]

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[5]

title: Allen Snyder (lawyer)

question: What does the text say about the academic process of becoming a lawyer?

answer: No answer

critique: The answer should mention that there is no academic process to becoming a lawyer according to the text.

critique: The answer should mention that Snyder earned a bachelor's degree with distinction from George Washington University in 1967 and a J.D. degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1971.

critique: The answer should mention that the text does not mention anything about the academic process of becoming a lawyer.

critique: The text does not say anything about the academic process of becoming a lawyer.

critique: The answer should mention that Snyder earned a bachelor's degree with distinction from George Washington University in 1967 and a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1971.

question: What does the text say about the highlights of Allen Snyder's professional career?

answer: Snyder joined the Washington, D.C. law firm Hogan & Hartson in 1972 as an associate and later became a partner. During Bill Clinton's presidency, Snyder represented Deputy White House Counsel Bruce Lindsey during the Whitewater controversy. In addition, Snyder represented actress Elizabeth Taylor, successfully blocking an ABC-TV docudrama about her life. And Snyder represented Netscape as its chief corporate attorney during its antitrust fight against Microsoft.

critique: The answer should mention Snyder's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

critique: This should be Turner instead of "Bill Clinton"

critique: The answer omits Snyder's nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

critique: The response could include more details about Snyder's professional career.

question: What does the text say about the effects Republican control of the U.S. Senate had with regards to Snyder's appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals?

answer: Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate, who were in power at the time of Snyder's nomination, claimed that there was some question over whether the D.C. Circuit seats were even necessary. Democratic senators charged that the Republican leadership in the Senate was trying to keep those two seats open until after the presidential election so that they could be filled with Republican appointees. Snyder's nomination languished and ultimately died.

critique: The answer should mention that the Republican senators were trying to keep the seats open until after the presidential election so that they could be filled with Republican appointees.

critique: The answer should mention that the Senate chose not to vote on Snyder's nomination.

question: What does the text say about Snyder's personal life, education, and legal training?

answer: Snyder earned a bachelor's degree with distinction from George Washington University in 1967 and a J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1971. He later worked for the Supreme Court justices John Marshall Harlan II and William Rehnquist.

critique: The response does not mention Snyder's personal life.

critique: The answer does not mention Snyder's personal life.

critique: The answer should mention Snyder's personal life.

critique: Needs to mention when Snyder married and had children.

critique: The answer omits Snyder's personal life.

critique: It is omitted that Snyder married Jean Port in 1969.


text:
If there is one thing in life people underestimate, it is the impact of their daily habits.

Whether you want to admit it or not, the truth is that just about everything in life can be directed back to your habits. Long-term success is the result of good habits. Positive relationships are the result of good habits. Improvement and growth are the result of good habits. Even personal health and wellness can be traced back to the foundation set by your daily habits.

That said, if you are guilty of any of these habits, you need to eliminate them immediately. Because even if they don't seem like a glaring issue right now, they will be.

1. Constantly Checking Your Phone

Let's skip the cliché here.

The real reason you need to stop constantly checking your phone is because it instills probably the worst habit you could possibly acquire: distraction. People don't realize that 99 percent of the time they check their phone because they want to avoid thinking. They get confronted with some sort of task or obstacle, and out of impulse they check their phone instead. It's a distraction.

Instead, try to catch yourself when your impulse is to reach into your pocket to refresh your email again. There's nothing new there--and even if there is, it can wait.

2. Not Really Listening

There are two kinds of listeners.

The first is the person who sits opposite you, quiet, and is intently following every word you say. They are connected to the conversation, and diligently following your thoughts along with you.

The second is the person who sits opposite you, quiet, and isn't really listening at all. What they're doing is rambling on and on in their head with their own inner dialogue. They are thinking about something else. They are wondering what they're going to say next. They are absent from the moment.

Don't be that second person. Listening is an art--and in order to do it, you need to keep your head clear and be focused on the conversation at hand. Why? Because nothing kills productivity faster than having to say, "I'm sorry, I zoned out for a second--what did you say?"

3. Multitasking

I don't care how amazing you think you are at multitasking. It's not a thing.

If you don't believe me, try taking a sip of water out of a glass with one hand while typing with the other. You'll catch yourself taking a tiny sip and then typing. Or typing and then taking a sip. Multitasking is not "doing two things at once." It's "trying to do two things really close to each other." And it is never as effective as concentrating on a single task. Ever.

People who multitask lack any clear focus on the task at hand. Their attention is divided. So even if they get two things "done," neither one of them will be of much quality.

Instead, do one thing at a time--or even better, "clump" similar tasks together. Look for things that share common elements, find your flow, and crank them out. For example: Look at all the emails you have to respond to and devote an hour to answering them. Don't respond to an email, then try to work on a proposal, and then call your friend back, and then go back to emails, etc. It will exhaust you.

4. Working With the Television On

I realize certain things work for certain people, but I have never found a secondary input to be very productive.

Having noise (or even a visual distraction) on in the background does your productivity no good. Really good work happens when you find your flow--and in order to get in that zone, you have to be quiet (shhh...). It's almost like a meditation. This is where you lose track of time, pick your head up, and realize four hours has gone by. And if you notice, when you get in that zone, you forget the television was even on at all. So why have it on in the first place?

Turn off all distractions. Find your flow.

5. Working in Unproductive Environments

One of the places where I work frequently here in Chicago is Soho House--and when I travel, I tend to prefer working out one of Soho House's other spaces.

However, I'll be the first to admit that there are certain rooms (and times of day) in which productivity is absolutely not happening. Like Sunday brunch. Sounds great in theory, right? Open up your laptop. Grab a table nearby. But when you've got a house packed full of people, that energy can mean death to your productivity.

Too many times, people think they can be productive in environments that are not built for getting things done. But they try! They want to feel like they're "being productive" while at the same time "being social." Rarely do the two go hand-in-hand.

Find a quiet space of your own and get to work. When you're done, you can go hang out.

6. Working With Unproductive People

Another huge mistake people make is thinking that getting together with a bunch of friends for a "work session" is going to be remotely productive.

Let me note: There are times when this works. However, the only times I have found this to work effectively are when everyone is working together on something. For example: Maybe you're all working on a short film together. Or all brainstorming on design ideas for a website. Great! Everybody is engaged, and that's productive.

But at a certain point, the project will require "grind time." The fun stuff (brainstorming) is a very small piece of the larger puzzle. Everyone is going to have tasks or things they need to get done, and the truth is, everyone just needs to crank. In silence.

When you have a lot to work through, you need your own space. You can be in the same room with other people, but everyone has to understand it's work time. It's not "hey, let's all hang out and sort of do stuff" time. There is a difference.

So round up your friends. Tell everyone to bring headphones. Sit around a table and grind together. And after two hours, take a little break.

7. Lack of Preparation

I love when people say, "This Sunday, I am going to be so productive," when they haven't put any time or effort into the thing they need to get done for days, or weeks, or even months.

Realize that if you do not sit down prepared, you won't be productive. If you haven't touched your project in weeks, it's going to take you a bit to remember where you are and what you need to get done. Or maybe you've forgotten how to use a certain program. Or your skills have gotten dull--and it takes you some time to sharpen them again.

Productivity isn't just about the moment. It's about all the moments that lead up to that moment. Your productivity increases over time through consistency. So, even if it's just 10 or 15 minutes a day, make that time so your skills don't get dull and whatever you're working on stays top of mind.

8. Notifications...OFF!

And of course, the famed but so casually ignored culprit known as "notifications."

It's astounding to me how many people say (as if announcing to the world), "Time to grind!" and then, before the sentence has even left their mouth, their eyes are darting to the top right corner of their laptop because two texts, a tweet, a calendar invite, and an alert from Facebook all popped up at the same time.

If you want to get anything of value done, turn off your notifications.

Turn. Off. Your. Notifications.

Why do you think people enjoy vacationing in the middle of nowhere?

Why do you think everyone travels across the world to seek peace and quiet?

Because they think the only time they can afford to turn off the notifications in their life is when they retreat to a foreign beach, or a forest, or a prized vacation spot.

Guess what...?

You can find that peace and quiet anytime, anywhere.

All you have to do is turn off your notifications--and nobody can disturb you!

question: List the behaviors that the author says are gauche and tell us why.

answer:
1. Constantly Checking Your Phone
2. Not Really Listening
3. Multitasking
4. Working With the Television On
5. Working in Unproductive Environments
6. Working With Unproductive People
7. Lack of Preparation
8. Notifications...OFF!

critique: The answer is a list of the behaviors mentioned in the article, not a list of the behaviors that the author says are gauche.

critique: The author is not referring to behaviors as gauche. They are giving advice.

text: The response does not explain why the listed behaviors are gauche.

question: What does the author say about multitasking?

answer: It's not a thing, that is, trying to do two things really close to each other. It's not productive as the attention is divided. However, people think they can get things done when in reality quality suffers.

critique: The summary does not fully reflect the text.

critique: The response misses to mention that the author believes multitasking is not effective.

critique: The answer should mention that the author recommends clumping similar tasks together.

critique: The author says it is not a thing, not that it's not a thing trying to do two things close to each other.

critique: The answer should mention that the author recommends people do one thing at a time.

critique: The answer should mention that the author recommends doing one thing at a time.

question: Why did the author write this article?

answer: The article may be written for a blog or for an online magazine. They wrote this article to help people that want to be productive. They also wrote this article to help with their career. The author has many helpful tips and tricks that can be used to become more productive.

critique: The article is not written for a blog or an online magazine.

text: It is not stated that the article was written for a blog or online magazine; the first sentence should be removed.


text:
I am a first time poster here and unsure if this sub frowns on linking to my own site. A heads up would be nice. In the mean time. Here is a story I wrote in 2008 about socks. It has been denied publication after sitting in slush piles 10 or 12 times. My website is [joerdie.com](www.joerdie.com). The first half is below, the second is the first post as the story is over 10k. Thanks!

I looked down to see two drops of blood on the green carpet. They had come from my nose, and there would be more. The clerk, a woman in her 40's, began walking toward me from the counter with a concerned look on her face. It occurred to me that she may find it odd that I was standing in the sock aisle, with a nose bleed, after closing time, at a Boy Scout Store.

My love affair with the Boy Scout sock started innocently enough. I had graduated from Cub Scouts into Boy Scouts in the fall of 1990, around the time I turned ten. Reading about the BSA (Boy Scouts of America) now, I can only imagine the amount of angst within its ranks. The membership controversies over sexual abuse, homosexuality, and religion make me wonder if I will let my son join. But my time with the Scouts was nothing but sunny skies and clean, safe times. Well, mostly anyway. There was that one summer camp when my patrol leader ran out of cigarettes and gave us all tea leaves wrapped in parchment paper saying, "Look, it's the same thing, okay?" Or the time that we filled another Scout's bellybutton with tooth paste the first night of a trip. A week later, we watched in horror as the same scout took off his shirt before jumping in the pool. The once green and white toothpaste had turned black and molded into the folds of his overweight... folds. Or the time that we wiped an entire can of catfish bait under another scout's tent at the National Jamboree. The poor kid smelled like a cow pasture for the rest of the week. Even at my wedding a Boy Scout story was told, about earning my wilderness survival merit badge when my best man and I rolled over one another down a hill because we decided to sleep on too sharp an incline. (Many in my family already thought that I may be gay. The story of two boys rolling over one another down a hill didn?t help.) The Boy Scouts was a great experience for me, filled with excitement and adventure.

I earned the rank of Life before dropping out and clearly remember the night that I told my scoutmaster I was leaving the troop. I cried and stuttered. I knew I was never going to make Eagle. It wasn't in me. I had been drifting away from Troop 674 for a year. It was my time to leave. I grew out of my uniform. I left the dreams of Eagle behind me. I even started growing my hair to lengths the Beatles would never have gotten away with. But I never took off those socks. When I started with the Scouts, the uniform sock was worn up to the knee, puce green, and had a three-inch red rim that was meant to be folded over. A uniform change in the early 1990's brought the red trim to a logical half inch. That sock was the one I fell in love with. It was called "The Boy Scout Crew Sock," but was changed later to, "Boy Scout Thorlo Hiking Sock." The sturdy socks were made from a blend of acrylic, nylon, and spandex. If you bought them from an official Boy Scout store they were treated with Triclosan, an antibacterial, antifungal agent that stopped odors and athlete's foot dead in its tracks. The sock wicked sweat away from the foot and into the shoe. You could hike all day without an extra pair and never give it a second thought. You never had to wear two pairs to stop blisters. These socks were thick and clung to your foot with the force of super glue. They were, by far, the best sock ever produced.

I haven't worn another sock since their release. I wore them to job interviews, funerals, and of course, hiking. I wore them on my first date, wedding, and to the birth of my child. Every year, my mother bought a few more pairs at Christmas, and I waited until they were beyond threadbare to throw them away. I gave serious thought to learning how to darn socks just to make old pairs new. Ask anyone who knows me well about my clothing. Invariably, my socks will come up. But I never learned how to darn socks. I never savored the pairs I owned. Standing in that aisle at the back of the Boy Scout Store, I came to the realization that my sock was not there. After eighteen years, the uniform had changed, and left me in the cold.

That's when my nose started to bleed. I was tempted to bolt to my car at the speed of shame, my embarrassment following a few seconds behind. I pictured myself in the car, nursing my nose with an old Wendy's napkin from the glove box for almost a minute before a knock on the window would catch up with me. That's when I saw the woman with the concerned look walking toward me.

title: Short Story: Memories, Blood, and Socks.

question: What does the story say about the narrator's sentimental attachment to Boy Scout socks?

answer: The narrator was a Boy Scout from the age of ten. He left the Boy Scouts when he was eighteen, but never removed his Boy Scout socks. The narrator has a sentimental attachment to the socks because he considers them the best socks ever produced. He wears them for all occasions, and his mother buys him more every year. He never removes them until they are beyond threadbare.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator is in the Boy Scout store, and that he is looking for his old socks.

critique: The answer should mention that the narrator is upset that the Boy Scout socks have been discontinued.

question: What does the story say about the assumptions of Boy Scout activities and homosexuality?

answer: The author's family members often thought he was gay when his best man and he rolled over each other down a hill when they slept on a hill. This did not help the rumors about his homosexuality. However, the Boy Scouts was a great experience for him filled with excitement and adventure.

critique: The answer should mention the controversies about homosexuality in the Boy Scouts.

critique: The answer should mention the membership controversies.