Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. The…

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. The rubber balloon is an interesting elastic object. As an elastic balloon is inflated with helium and stretched away from its initial shape, the rubber exerts a force inward to restore equilibrium. As a result, each region of the balloon’s surface experiences three forces: an outward force from the pressure of helium inside, an inward force from the elastic skin of the balloon itself, and an inward force from the pressure of air outside. Once the balloon stops expanding and reaches a new state of equilibrium, it must be experiencing zero net force; the outward force must balance the two inward forces. Therefore, the pressure of the helium inside the balloon must be somewhat greater than the pressure of the outside air.

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. An…

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. An airplane is supported in flight by air passing across its wings. Air traveling over the wings moves farther and faster than air traveling under the wings. As a result, the air pressure is lower above the wings, and the wings experience an upward lift force. This lift force decreases at low airspeeds, so most commercial jet airplanes must alter the shapes of their wings during takeoffs and landings.

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. Wor…

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. Words have two kinds of meanings—denotative and connotative. Denotative meaning is precise, literal, and objective. It simply describes the object, person, place, idea, or event to which the word refers. One way to think of a word’s denotative meaning is as its dictionary definition. For example, denotatively, the noun school means “a place, institution, or building where instruction is given.” Connotative meaning is more variable, figurative, and subjective. Put simply, the connotative meaning is what the word suggests or implies. For instance, the connotative meaning of the word school includes the feelings, associations, and emotions that the word touches off in different people. For some people, school might connote personal growth, childhood friends, and a special teacher. For others, it might connote frustration, discipline, and boring homework assignments.

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. In…

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. In a democracy, it is important for a free press to assume a watchdog role, meaning that it accepts responsibility for protecting the public from deceitful, careless, incompetent, and corrupt officials. In this role, the press stands ready to expose any official who violates accepted legal, ethical, and performance standards. The most notable example of the watchdog role in recent history took place during the Watergate scandal. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post spent months uncovering evidence that high- ranking officials in the Nixon White House were lying about their role in the burglary of the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters and in their subsequent cover-up. Virtually all the nation’s media picked up on the Post’s revelations. Nixon was forced to resign, as was his attorney general, John Mitchell. The Watergate episode is a dramatic reminder that a vigilant press is one of society’s best safeguards against abuses of political power.

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. Aft…

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. After years of emphasizing harshly competitive practices, some companies are finding that — a kinder, gentler workplace benefits the bottom line. Slogans such as “greed is good” and books like The Art of War were prevalent in the corporate world of the 1980s and 1990s. In the new millennium, however, many of the corporate success stories are related to the creation of workplaces that are open and friendly. When the bosses are tyrannical and the employees are afraid to speak up, it’s a recipe for disasters, such as the ones that happened at corporate- scandal-ridden Enron and Tyco in 2001 and 2002. On the other hand, when people feel free to speak their minds, it allows more creativity and productivity to emerge. Employees feel they are part of a team and want to contribute. It is no accident that companies that have an excellent reputation for service, such as Starbucks and Zappos, also foster dignity and respect in the workplace.

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. Bot…

Choose the main pattern of organization of the passage. Both our 17th president, Andrew Johnson, and our 42nd president, Bill Clinton, were raised by hard-working single mothers. Both were Southern Democrats. Both were impeached. Yet these superficial similarities in the careers of the two men mask dramatic differences between them. When Andrew Johnson fired Secretary of War Stanton, he was charged with violating the Tenure of Office Act, a law that probably was unconstitutional. His impeachment took place against the backdrop of a national debate over the course of post-Civil War Reconstruction, a debate that was intensely ideological. In contrast, Bill Clinton was charged with lying and obstructing justice, charges that stemmed from an extramarital affair the president had conducted with a young White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. Clinton’s impeachment reflected the bitter partisanship and personal animosity between Democrats and Republicans in the 1990s.