How did the illustration 'The Bradys and the Chinese Dwarf' help to foster anti-Chinese sentiment in the last half of the 19th...

First of all, this illustration could not have fostered
anti-Chinese sentiment in the last half of the 19th century since it's dated 1907. 
However, nitpicking aside, it does show the sorts of fears that led to persecution of
the Chinese during the time that you mention.

During the
late 1800s, many white Americans feared that the Chinese would come and take jobs away
from Americans.  They also feared what they saw as "inscrutable" Orientals who were
prone to creating criminal gangs.  You can see this second fear in the illustration. 
The Chinese are going to burn these Americans alive, probably because the Americans have
uncovered a Chinese criminal organization.

One of the
reasons Americans disliked Chinese was because it was feared that they and their gangs
would take over parts of the US economy where Chinese were plentiful.  This is shown
quite clearly in the illustration.

What are the two views of nature contrasted in Act 1 Scene 2 of King Lear?

Shakespeare plays upon the double meaning of the word
"nature" in this scene.

The action of the scene revolves
around the setting in motion of the main subplot of the play -- the hoodwinking of
Gloucester by his illegitimate son, Edmund, into believing that his legitmate son, Edgar
has turned against his father.  Edmund is intent upon having Glocester disinherit his
half-brother so that he may be the one to claim his father's
lands.

The double meaning comes in at the beginning and the
ends of the scene.  In his opening soliloquy of the scene, Edmund confides to the
audience that he is bound in "service" to the law of nature.  By this, he exposes his
dissatisfaction with the laws of man (rather than nature) that would brand him an
outsider because he is born a bastard.  He questions:

readability="16">

. . .Why bastard?  Wherefore
base?

When my dimensions are as well
compact,

My mind as generous, and my shape as
true

As honest madam's issue?  Why brand they
us

With base?  With baseness?  Bastardy?  Base,
base?

And he goes on to point
out that "in the lusty stealth of nature" that he is fare more fit and suited to have
position and power that the those that come from "a dull, stale, tired bed"  -- meaning
his brother.  This argument is Edmund's reasoning for convincing his father to believe
that his brother is a turncoat.  In this soliloquy, Edmund examines his own "nature" as
contrasted with that of his more do-gooding brother and finds his own qualities of
person, not birth, to render him the superior man.

Later,
once Gloucester has swallowed Edmund's story, hook-line-and-sinker, Shakepseare brings
in the other meaning of "nature" when Gloucester, searching for some external cause that
his true and loyal son Edgar should turn against him, blames Nature, by way of cursing
the aligment of the moon and stars.  He says:

readability="11">

These late eclipses in the sun and moon portend
no good to us.  Though the wisdom of Nature can reason it thus and thus, yet Nature
finds itself scourged by the sequent effects:  love cools, friendship falls off,
brothers divide. . .in palaces, treason; and the bond cracked 'twixt son and
father.

And Edmund ends this
part of the scene with a scornful dismissal of this superstitious appraisal of Nature. 
He does not believe that the events of the stars decide his future.  He believes himself
to be the architect of his future not the external movements of the natural world.  So
Edmund believes it to be his own "nature" rather than "Nature" that decides his
course.

In this scene the meaning of nature (as being one's
character and tendency towards certain behaviours) is contrasted with the forces of the
natural world (ie Nature).  For more on "nature" in this play and Act I, scene ii,
please follow the links below.

What is the history of the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal is considered one of the most beautiful
architectural monuments in the World and was built by the Indian emperor Shah
Jahan.

The Emperor had married a girl named Arjumand Begum
in 1612 while he was a prince and she was the only one of his many wives whom he truly
loved. He gave her the name Mumtaz Mahal or "beloved ornament of the
palace."

It is said that the Taj Mahal was built by the
Emperor as a tribute for their love. It is what Mumtaz Mahal had told him to do as one
of her last wishes while she lay on her deathbed after giving birth to their fourteenth
child in 1631.

The Emperor began the construction of the
monument six months after her death and had over 20000 of the most gifted craftsmen and
artists from all over the world work on it for 22 long years. The tale goes that after
the Taj Mahal had been constructed the emperor had the thumbs of all the artists who had
worked on the monument cut off, so they would not be able to create another monument
like the Taj Mahal.

After the monument had been created the
body of Mumtaz Mahal was shifted and placed in it; and when the Emperor died in title="Taj Mahal: Shah Jahan. TajMahal.org.uk"
href="http://www.tajmahal.org.uk/shah-jahan.html">1658, he was also buried
in it beside his wife.

What section of Romeo and Juliet do you suggest for a monologue?

It seems to me that part of the challenge here is to find
a monologue where the greatest amount of emotional display can be present to highlight
your skill at acting.  There are many passages from which to choose.  When Juliet learns
of her cousin Tybalt's death at the hands of Romeo, there is a great deal of emotional
contrast in the passage in Act 3, scene 2.  This might be a passage to take because in
order to pull it off, there has to be a great deal of emotional complexity.  There is
grief, mixed with anger, and underscored by total confusion.  To display an emotional
range, this passage might be one to consider.  If one wanted to select a passage of
unending grief and a sense of despondency to be displayed, Friar Laurence's unenviable
task of explaining everything to everyone at the end of the play might be another
option.  It seems to me that the actor here has to possess an almost unending reservoir
of pain and hurt as the story of both lovers, now dead, is
retold.

In your opinion, why is it important to live with people who share similarities with you?Please elaborate and explain in a journal response form...

The two points that clairewait has mentioned are vital to
harmony in being roommates.  College students, in their own journal writing, have
underscored these points repeatedly, and from personal experience, this is the
truth!

If the person who is a lark, gets up and leaves the
room or apartment, things are all right; likewise, if the night owl, just stays out
somewhere else and is quiet about returning and retiring, there can be no problem.  But,
even then, it is difficult not to disturb someone.

Another
point that is important for females, especially:  Do not room with someone who wears the
same size.  That favorite outfit or those favorite shoes may be ruined or gone when you
want them.

Certainly, mutual respect and consideration for
others is the best assuredness of harmony with a roommate. If two people are from the
same socio-economic class they often have similar values, which helps. Surprisingly,
only children sometimes make better roommates than others if they are eager to have
a sibling type of relationship. At any rate, learning to think about others is good
preparation for marriage, indeed.

1) Can an insulating ball actually be attracted to a negatively charged plate? 2) Upon touching, will the insulating ball then be negatively charged?

Neutral objects can be attracted to charged objects
through a process called induction.  This works because all matter is composed of
positive protons and negative electrons.  While the protons are basically fixed in
place, the electrons are able to move somewhat within a substance.  Remember also that
like charges repel and opposite charges attract

In your
example when a negative charge is brought near a neutral object the negative electrons
in the neutral object will be repelled. They will try to move away from the approaching
negative charge. When they do this, the neutral object appears to have a small positive
charge on the side where the negative charge is approaching.  A temporary charge
separation has been "induced" in the neutral object, egen though its overall charge is
still neutral. If the negative charge is then removed, the electrons in the neutral
object will move back to their original  positions. Since opposite charges attract, the
neutral object will now move toward the negative
charge.

Now consider what will happen when the negative
charge is brought in contact with the neutral object.  As the negative charge
approaches, as explained above, there is a positive charge on that side of the neutral
object. When the two objects make actual contact, some of the electrons from the
negatively charged object will actually move to the neutral object to try to neutralize
the apparent positive charge. Now when the objects are separated both objects have a
negative charge.

Discuss the symbolic values of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by M. Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
contains several values of our national
history.

1. RELEVANCE OF BOYHOOD/CHILDHOOD: Twain writes
this book from a child's point of view. Thus, we readers catch every silly misconception
that a child might have about society or they way things are, as well as every lie and
the human emotions that accompany lies. We find the creativity of Tom Sawyer at work
that demonstrates the imagination of children, and the contention between Tom and Huck's
different approaches that demonstrate how some little kids think irrationally and others
practically. For each, it is a matter of continuing to grow. The morality of children
comes through in Tom's determinations of when to pay for a crime or item, and when to
just steal.

2. IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN DIGNITY FOR
ALL RACES: Huck views Jim from the beginning as a toy or object. As time goes on, he
grows a love for Jim that forces kindness and sacrifice. When he considers continuing to
help Jim, he considered how his efforts for aiding Jim are against the law, but to Huck,
it didn't seem right. This is where morality begins to strike Huck. He even finally
decides he'd rather go to hell and help Jim instead of turning Jim in. Huck didn't live
the finest childhood a kid could have by any means, but he comes to value Jim and see
his humanity as Jim cares about his kids and experiences pains and ultimate frustration
at the Phelps' farm. I believe when Jim risks his freedom for Tom's health, Huck gains
even further respect for Jim.

3. TRUTHFUL REPRESENTATION OF
HISTORY: In the news right now, there is a publisher considering changing some of the
language of Huck Finn for a "cleaner, less offensive version". Although there are many
sides to the debate, Twain, in his own interviews and writings about the book claims
that he set out to represent the truth of life along the river in terms of slavery and
children. No pains are spared to show the evil of Pap. The chances for Jim to get caught
occur endlessly.

4. COMMENTS ON RELIGION, EDUCATION AND
FREEDOM: Twain uses his book to satirize the acts of religious people. Although Miss
Watson is a contagious Christian, she also takes snuff in private. At other moments,
Huck mocks prayer or Providence. In the long run, I think he still hopes for
forgiveness, but remains a child nonetheless doing things wrong. The education he
receives on the river with Jim may be of more value than he would receive at school
because he learned morality, something he struggled with in the classroom or under Miss
Watson's control. Jim's freedom granted in the will wasn't enforced until the ability to
control it was given up by Tom. Although we say we want things in our society, we don't
always actually put them into play until years later.

This
book SYMBOLIZES hundreds of years of AMERICAN HISTORY. Whether he intended it to or not,
it touches slavery, humanity, rights, dignity, childhood, abuse, imagination, and many
other topics that are truly American ideals.