Based on the context of this excerpt from w. w. jacobs's "the monkey's paw," what does the word placidly mean?

without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of laburnam villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly. father and son were at chess, the former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical changes, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire.

completing a task in a frantic manner

having a particular motive for an action

appearing to be calm and relaxed

acting harshly or stubbornly

Which is the best strategy for responding to counter-arguments in your persuasive research essay? a. avoid addressing opinions that point out flaws in your thesis. b. use language that will appeal to the emotions of your audience. c. respond to reasonable outlooks instead of weak ones. d. ignore any evidence that does not support your own thesis

How does the imagery used to describe the picture contrast with the imagery used to describe the news?

Activity construct an argument about a topic, theme, or idea that you read about in william shakespeare's romeo and juliet, act ii or act iii. make sure you create a central claim for your argument that is debatable. provide textual evidence from the play to support your argument. here are some ideas for your essay. notice how each topic is focused and specific. you may write about one of these topics or choose your own focused and specific topic: discuss juliet's level of maturity and compare it to romeo's. compare how the two characters react to the events after their marriage, when romeo is banished from verona. discuss the balcony scene. does the knowledge of romeo and juliet's final fate influence the meaning of the balcony scene or the audience's interpretation of it? discuss the characters of tybalt and romeo as they relate to the theme of family and the theme of love. explain how the character of tybalt develops the theme of family and how the character of romeo develops the theme of romantic love. discuss the character of friar laurence. what motivates him to romeo and juliet to defy their parents? part a choose a topic based on what you read in act ii or act iii of romeo and juliet. then write a thesis statement. part b identify two or three short excerpts from the play as textual evidence to support your thesis statement. part c write a 300-word essay arguing the thesis of your analysis. (i mainly need on part b and c)