Alfonso sat on the porch trying to push his crooked teeth to where he thought they belonged. He hated the way he looked. Last week he did fifty sit-ups a day, thinking that he would burn those already apparent ripples on his stomach to even deeper ripples, dark ones, so when he went swimming at the canal next summer, girls in cut-offs would notice. And the guys would think he was tough, someone who could take a punch and give it back. He wanted "cuts” like those he had seen on a calendar of an Aztec warrior standing on a pyramid with a woman in his arms. Why does Soto most likely open the story with this characterization of Alfonso?

a. to establish the idea that Alfonso cares a lot about how other people see him
b. to show that Alfonso has an unrealistic view of what makes people beautiful
c. to establish the idea that Alfonso is often in conflict with the people around him
d. to show that Alfonso has to work hard to look as good as other people do

Which of these was not a key difference between northern and southern states at the constitutional convention? wanting to protect states’ interests vs. a government with strict rules having more, larger cities vs. having fewer, smaller cities wanting to protect agriculture vs. protect industries having many enslaved people vs. using less enslaved labor

What is the first half of church mass called?

Consider the speakers in "the raven" and the speaker in "the song of wandering aengus." write two paragraphs to compare and contrast the voice in these two poems. how does the poet give the speaker in each poem a distinctive voice? what effect does this voice have in each poem? use examples from each poem to as evidence for your answer "the raven"once upon a midnight dreary, while i pondered, weak and weary,over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—while i nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,as of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.“‘tis some visitor,” i muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—only this and nothing more.”ah, distinctly i remember it was in the bleak december, and each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. eagerly i wished the morrow; —vainly i had sought to borrowfrom my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost lenore—for the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name lenore—nameless here for evermore.and the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtainthrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; so that now, to still the beating of my heart, i stood repeating“‘tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; this it is and nothing more.”"the song of wandering aengus." i went out to the hazel wood,because a fire was in my head,and cut and peeled a hazel wand,and hooked a berry to a thread; and when white moths were on the wing,and moth-like stars were flickering out,i dropped the berry in a streamand caught a little silver trout.when i had laid it on the floori went to blow the fire aflame,but something rustled on the floor, and some one called me by my name: it had become a glimmering girlwith apple blossom in her hairwho called me by my name and ranand faded through the brightening air.plz hurry