Memories of a Memory Have you ever witnessed something amazing, shocking or surprising and found when describing the event that your story seems to change the more you tell it? Have you ever experienced a time when you couldn't really describe something you saw in a way that others could understand? If so, you may understand why some experts think eyewitness testimony is unreliable as evidence in scientific inquiries and trials. New insights into human memory suggest human memories are really a mixture of many non-factual things.

First, memory is vague. Imagine your room at home or a classroom you see every day. Most likely, you could describe the room very generally. You could name the color of the walls, the floors, the decorations. But the image you describe will never be as specific or detailed as if you were looking at the actual room. Memory tends to save a blurry image of what we have seen rather than specific details. So when a witness tries to identify someone, her brain may recall that the person was tall, but not be able to say how tall when faced with several tall people. There are lots of different kinds of "tall."

Second, memory uses general knowledge to fill in gaps. Our brains reconstruct events and scenes when we remember something. To do this, our brains use other memories and other stories when there are gaps. For example, one day at a library you go to quite frequently, you witness an argument between a library patron and one of the librarians. Later, when telling a friend about the event, your brain may remember a familiar librarian behind the desk rather than the actual participant simply because it is recreating a familiar scene. In effect, your brain is combining memories to help you tell the story.

Third, your memory changes over time. It also changes the more you retell the story. Documented cases have shown eyewitnesses adding detail to testimony that could not have been known at the time of the event. Research has also shown that the more a witness's account is told, the less accurate it is. You may have noticed this yourself. The next time you are retelling a story, notice what you add, or what your brain wants to add, to the account. You may also notice that you drop certain details from previous tellings of the story.

With individual memories all jumbled up with each other, it is hard to believe we ever know anything to be true. Did you really break your mother's favorite vase when you were three? Was that really your father throwing rocks into the river with you when you were seven? The human brain may be quite remarkable indeed. When it comes to memory, however, we may want to start carrying video cameras if we want to record the true picture.

Which line from the text best explains the main problem with recalling details of a scene or room? (5 points)

a
You could name the color of the walls, the floors, the decorations
b
Memory tends to save a blurry image of what we have seen rather than specific details
c
Her brain may recall that the person was tall, but not be able to say how tall when faced with several tall people
d
In effect, your brain is combining memories to help you tell the story

Each state in america has a different seal, or symbol, that represents the traditional culture of that state. the state seal of georgia is rich in meaning, history, and patriotism. when was the seal adopted? 2georgia’s state constitution established the state seal in 1798. however, as georgia’s political circumstances changed, so too did the state’s seal. between 1863 and 1865, georgia used a different state seal to represent its separation from the rest of the country during the civil war. then, from 1868 to1871, georgia’s secretary of state nathan c. barnett hid the original seal when the capital was occupied by the north’s victorious enemy forces. he readopted the original seal in 1872. 4georgia’s state seal remained unchanged for 42 years. then, a law was passed that required the state to alter the date on the seal. the year 1799 had originally appeared on the seal to represent the year that the seal was officially adopted. the new law changed the date on the seal to 1776, the year that america’s founding fathers signed the declaration of independence. what does the seal look like? 5just as coins each have a “heads” side and a “tails” side, state seals also each have a front and a back. the front of the seal shows three tall columns, or pillars. perched atop these pillars is an arch that displays the word “constitution.” the two end pillars are each adorned with a ribbon-like banner that reads “wisdom” and “moderation.” a third banner, reading “justice,” hangs in front of the middle pillar. when read together, the banners make up the official state motto of georgia: “wisdom, justice, and moderation.” the seal also exhibits a picture of a soldier holding a sword. the words “state of georgia” appear along the top. the year 1776 is printed at the bottom. 6the back of the seal portrays a rural shoreline scene featuring a large ship and small boat. also included in the picture are bundles of tobacco plants and cotton and a farmer working in a field. across the top of the seal are the words “agriculture and commerce.” the bottom of the seal is also marked with the year 1776. what do the symbols on the seal represent? 7each item on the seal is symbolic of georgia’s history and the history of america as a united country. the pillars on the front stand for the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—and how they all work together to support the country and its constitution. the man holding the sword represents soldiers who defend the country and its laws. 8the boats on the back of the seal symbolize the agricultural commerce of georgia. similarly, the farmer and crop bundles represent georgia’s dependence on agriculture for survival. during the mid to late 1800s, over 700,000 cotton bales were produced each year. cotton is still a “king” crop in georgia. the state currently produces almost three million bales per year. this is only one reason why the state is an important asset to its country. read the passage on the left to answer the following questions: 13) the author's main purpose in writing this article is a) to inform. b) to create. c) to persuade. d) to entertain. 14) in paragraph eight, the word asset means a) benefit. b) debt. c) element. d) expense. 15) in paragraph six, the word portrays means a) condescends. b) deceives. c) honors. d) reveals.

Assignment first, create an outline that organizes the major events of samuel beckett's endgame into a traditional frve act structure your outline must include explanations for why you chose the events you did in each act second, write a paragraph that analyzes how endgame's structure affects its overall meaning.

What is the first step in summarizing a plot? restating central ideas and key details eliminating minor or unimportant details connecting ideas with logical transitions identifying important words and phrase