Which theme do the two passages have in common? The political party system has historically posed significant difficulties for democratic societies.

Giving too much authority to any person or group of people can lead to corruption and the abuse of power.

The broad powers granted to Congress make the legislative branch the most powerful branch of the U. S. government.

Shifting the balance of power between the branches of the U. S. government, which requires a Constitutional amendment, is overly complicated.

Which word best describes the meaning of the word putrescent? a. earthy b. floral c. rotten d. strong

Read this passage: byron and mitch are co-captains of the mathletes, their high school's academic team. they are backstage with the five other team members, preparing to compete in the state math quiz. byron sits on the floor with his eyes closed and his earbuds in, listening to classical jazz, which him focus his mind and energy. suddenly, he feels a presence beside him. he opens his eyes to see mitch staring at him. "mathletes! mathletes! " mitch chants loudly. mitch gives byron a thumbs-up and then proceeds to strut around like a peacock, high-fiving the other team members, as byron shuts his eyes again and does his best to refocus his mind which statement best summarizes the passage?

How does the underlined figurative language contribute to the meaning of the poem?