Attention Techies Make Your MBA Application Stand Out!

MBA applicants with technical backgrounds have the distinct challenge of distinguishing themselves from a large, overcrowded, highly qualified pool of applicants.  You probably have solid work experience, impressive skills, and high test scores – but so do the other thousands of techies vying for the select spots at top business schools. How are you going to make sure your application stands out? Simple! Invest in the one resource written for YOU when you buy August’s featured ebook, The Techie’s Guide to MBA Admissions, a guide that will lead techies to admissions success, regardless of their crowded specialty field. The Techie’s Guide contains: Sample essays to motivate your own written gems. A dynamite letter of recommendation. An impressive MBA application resume. 56 pages filled with tips that can show you the way to the fat envelope. Purchase The Techie’s  Guide  to MBA Admission through August 31, 2012 and save 20% when you use coupon code TECHIE20 at checkout.   Accepted.com ~ Helping You Write Your Best

The Dust Bowl - 950 Words

The Dust Bowl was a treacherous storm, which occurred in the years of the 1930’s, which affected the Midwestern people, an example the farmers, which taught us new technologies and methods of farming. John Steinbeck wrote in his novel from 1939 The Grapes of Wrath: And then the dispossessed were drawn west- from Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas; from Nevada and Arkansas, families, tribes, dusted out, Caravans, carloads, and homeless. Totals of 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, and 200,000 people. They streamed over the mountains, hungry and restless. We got no place to live. Like ants scurrying for work, food, and most of all for land. The early thirties opened with prosperity and growth. At the time the Midwest was full of agricultural†¦show more content†¦Although the dirt storms were fewer in 1934, it was the year, which brought the Dust Bowl national attention. In May, a severe storm blew dirt from Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas as Far as New York City and Washington D.C. I n spite of the terrific storm in May, the year 1934 was pleasant respite from the blowing dirt and tornadoes of the previous year. But nature had another trick up her sleeve, the year was extremely hot with new records being made and broken at regular intervals. Before the year had run its course, hundreds of people in Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas had died from the heat. In 1935, this storm was followed by another and another in rapid succession. A description of the storm of coming was made by a farmer: The storm caused a tremendous amount of damage and suffering. A giant dust storm engulfs Boise City. Tremendous winds rolled up to two miles high, and stretched out a hundred miles with speeds faster than 50 miles per hour. The storms destroyed vast areas of the Great Plains farmland. The methods of fighting the dust were as many, and varied as were the means of finding a way to get something to eat and wear. Every possible crack was filled, sheets were placed over the windo ws and blankets were hung behind the doors. Often the places were so tightly plugged against all the dust that the houses became extremely hot and stuffy. The clouds appeared on the horizons with a thunderous roar. Turbulent dust clouds rolled inShow MoreRelatedThe Dust Bowl1192 Words   |  5 Pagesat a full moon. When he reached his house, his father rushed him inside. The first of many dust storms hit and the period known as the Dust Bowl began. The Dust Bowl was a brutal time period in Midwestern history; farmers were pushed off their land and forced to find new homes in new states. On a website called Drought Disasters, sponsored by Browing University, it was written â€Å"the seeds of the Dust Bowl may have been sown during the early 1920s. However, overproduction of wheat coupled with theRead MoreDust Bowl Essay1233 Words   |  5 PagesThe Dust Bowl was a treacherous storm, which occurred in the 1930s, that affected the midwestern people, for example the farmers, and which taught us new technologies and methods of farming. As John Steinbeck wrote in his 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath: And then the dispossessed were drawn west- from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico; from Nevada and Arkansas, families, tribes, dusted out. Carloads, caravans, homeless and hungry; twenty thousand and fifty thousand and a hundred thousand and twoRead MoreThe Dust Bowl Essay1436 Words   |  6 PagesOklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico—the Dust Bowl was a time where over 100 million acres of topsoil were stripped from fertile fields leaving nothing but barren la nds and piles of dust everywhere (Ganzel). While things were done to alleviate the problem, one must question whether or not anyone has learned from this disaster. If not, one must look into the possibility that the United States may be struck by such a destructive drought as the Dust Bowl, if not a worse one that would leave us withRead MoreThe Dust Bowl Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesThe Dust Bowl The Dust Bowl was the darkest moment in the twentieth-century life of the southern plains, (pg. 4) as described by Donald Worster in his book The Dust Bowl. It was a time of drought, famine, and poverty that existed in the 1930s. Its cause, as Worster presents in a very thorough manner, was a chain of events that was perpetuated by the basic capitalistic societys need for expansion and consumption. Considered by some as one of the worst ecological catastrophes in theRead MoreThe Cause Of The Dust Bowl1181 Words   |  5 Pages16 October 2017  Outline Thesis: The Dust Bowl of the 1930s forever changed how Americans thought of and treated our farm lands in the Great Plains. Introduction I. Causes of the Dust Bowl A. The Drought in the Great Plains B. Improper Tending of the Land II. People Affected by the Dust Bowl A. Lawrence Srobin, Aris D. Carlson, and John Steinbeck B. Statistics of the Damage C. Farmer’s Problems Before the Dust Bowl III. FDR’s Fix for the Dust Bowl A. Strategic Planting of Trees in theRead More Dust Bowl Essay915 Words   |  4 Pagesanswers.com, a dust bowl is a region reduced to aridity by drought and dust storms. The best-known dust bowl is doubtless the one that hit the United States between 1933 and 1939. One major cause of that Dust Bowl was severe droughts during the 1930’s. The other cause was capitalism. Over-farming and grazing in order to achieve high profits killed of much of the plain’s grassland and when winds approached, nothing was there to hold the devastated soil on the ground. The Dust Bowl affected the GreatRead MoreThe Great Depression And Dust Bowl1165 Words   |  5 PagesDepression/Dust Bowl The ‘Dirty Thirties’ is perhaps one of the most known time periods in American History. During the 1930s, the worst and longest drought occurred in the United States, this was also know as the Dust Bowl. According to Christopher Klein, the Dust Bowl is considered both a man-made and natural disaster. In fact, many events contributed to the Dust Bowl such as poor farming techniques, a severe drought, and economic depression. One of the main causes of the Dust Bowl was the poorRead MoreThe Dust Bowl and Agriculture Essay1070 Words   |  5 Pages One has not experienced the life of living in dirt until he has been in the dust bowl. It was a decade-long dust storm that impacted hundreds of farmers and their farmlands. Hardship was among one of the influences of the storm, which affected both farm workers and city folks. The storm also brought the elements of destruction and darkness, which reigned chaos across the Plains. Together, these issues gave the storm its popular name, â€Å"black blizzard† (Documentary, 2014). Such a name was given dueRead MoreThe Black Blizzard And The Dust Bowl1570 Words   |  7 PagesDuring the Dust Bowl many people and kids have suffered, many lost their home and their towns got ruined. One of the people who has suffered in the Dust Bowl is Ashton. When Ashton went to his school he was immediately pulled in by his teacher Mrs. Kam. He was then told that the entire middle east was affected by the Dust Bowl and that a black blizzard will hit very soon. Then the winds outside started to get faster, the windows getting hit by all the dust gathered from the storm, but luckily forRead MoreThe Dust Bowl Of The Great West1172 Words   |  5 PagesLucia Martinez Professor Kim Wombles English 1302 September 21, 2015 The Dust Bowl Imagine a great wall closing in on you with nowhere to run. Imagine sweeping a floor of sand that will never go away. Imagine having a terrible cough that leaves your throat irritated and raw to the point where you are coughing up blood. Imagine the disappointment of realizing a possible rain cloud is really a wall of dust rushing your way. For people living in the Midwest during the 1930s this was

Social Media Has Changed The Landscape Of The Media...

Social media has changed the landscape of the media environment, and the way millions go about obtaining their news. Technology has now made it possible to speak to a large amount of people at one time. With a proliferation of new technologies social media platforms are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the communication aspect of social media, which makes it exceptionally influential. Many of us are familiar with the term social media, have used social media, but could not readily define what exactly social media is. For the purpose of this paper we will use the definition laid out by Murphy, Hill, dean, and they tell us, â€Å"Social media is the collection of websites and web-based systems that allow for mass interaction, conversation, and sharing among members of a network† (2014, p. 2). Social media is a recent phenomenon with the first widely used mass Social Media platform being Myspace. Today we recognize Myspace as outdated, but it laid the groundwork for the so cial media explosion. In its place we have a myriad of options including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Pinterest, etc. Social media has led to new behaviors in obtaining news, and this trend seems to be growing rapidly amongst the younger generations. In a 2014 study The American Press institute commissioned a survey and found 4 in 10 adults report getting their news in the previous week through social media. Of that study 7 in 10 adults under the age 30 say they obtained news through social mediaShow MoreRelatedSocial Media as a Business Tool1762 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Social Media as a Business Tool: In the digital age that is a major characteristic of the modern society, people are increasingly using social media as the major means of communication. Social media is used for communication because people have continued to leave conventional media in favor of the new revolution in communication. As engaging with social media has become a major characteristic in the modern day culture and working environment, the popularity of social media is a huge businessRead MoreInfluences of New Media on Indigenous Communties Essay517 Words   |  3 PagesNEW MEDIA INFLUENCE IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. Indigenous people groups over the world have been influenced by the presentation of advances from remote societies for several years. Some have not incredibly changed their lifestyles, while others have totally changed identities toward one self, whole social orders and perspectives. Current advances, particularly telecommunication and machine innovations, permit indigenous assemblies to partake in the bigger social orders and economies around themRead MoreNew Media Influence in Indegenous Communities945 Words   |  4 Pagesincredibly changed their lifestyles, while others have totally changed identities toward one self, whole social orders and perspectives. Current advances, particularly telecommunication and machine innovations, permit indigenous assemblies to partake in the bigger social orders and economies around them. These innovations likewise, empower them to save and advertise their lifestyle for their relatives and for our aggregate learning of mankinds history. (Rekhari 2009) Various social researchersRead MoreHow Does Social Media Affect The Way Journalists Gather Information?1466 Words   |  6 PagesJournalism in the ways that it is produced, distributed, and used has changed within the last two decades. With the emergence of new tools and practices, journalists are experiencing a change that bring news ways to produce news stories and a redefines professional journalism. Readership in print journalism has significantly went down with the rise of Internet, bringing many questions: How does social media affect a newsroom? How does social media affect the way journalists gather information? And what doesRead MoreMedia Concentration Is More Sensitive Than The Largest Audiences Present Independent And Critical News? Essay974 Words   |  4 Pagesdeficiencies mentioned earlier. The new measurement, for example, assigns more weight to criteria such as pluralism and media concentration. The questionnaire section on â€Å"Pluralism and editorial independenc e† includes, for the first time, the following questions, all on a scale from 1 to 10.: D.2 - Do media reflect the range of opinions among members of the public? D.3 - Do public media provide coverage of and access by all political currents? D.4 - Is investigative journalism developed enough to uncoverRead MoreMedia Use and Media Consumption in the Home Environment Essay1472 Words   |  6 PagesAudience reception is a critical area of focus and research when approaching media audiences. It is dependent on the context of viewing, making media use and media consumption within the home environment and other contexts an interesting area of study. During the 1980s the emergence and increasing use of television increased media research into consumption in an everyday context, addressing the domestic, the family and its contribution to daily life. The importance can be displayed through the centralityRead MoreSocial Media s Marketing Strategies842 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation based world, there is a neck-to-neck competition between the current as well as emerging social networking sites. Social media is no longer limited in its features, but instead consists of multi-functional features. Therefore, social media has beco me universally adapted phenomenon, especially with the readily available Internet services as well as mobile devices. The outcome of this trend has improved the marketing strategies, created an easy online communication platform, expedited the processRead MoreThe Emergence Of The Internet And Social Media1079 Words   |  5 PagesThe emergence of the Internet and social media has had a tremendous impact on the theory and practice of advertising, public relations and marketing disciplines. Advertising spending on the Internet has outpaced all other traditional media (Center for Media Research, 2004). In the last two years, the number of social networking tools and the number of people using those tools have exploded, thus the rules are constantly changing and there is considerable uncertainty on how to employ these tools fromRead MoreSilvio Berlusconi a housing construction entrepreneur and television magnate who had previously not1400 Words   |  6 Pagesany form of political office entered the Italian political landscape in March 1994 after years of an unstable political environment within Italy. Just a year before Berlusconi was catapulted into the political arena, Italy had dramatically changed the political process in which they voted. In the referendum of 1993, Italy implemented a diversified electoral structure for the election of both branches of its bicameral legislature. This changed Italy’s political system beyond the realm of recognitionRead MoreAdvantage and Disadvantage of Technology1265 Words   |  6 Pages(radio), as well as John Logie Baird and Philo Farnsworth (television). Telecommunication, Technology amp; Media We understand your business The telecommunication, technology and media industries are experiencing new challenges and opportunities. Telecom equipment and services, consumer electronics, software and IT services, mobility solutions, and also broadcasting and digital media, are being powered by evolving technologies and rapidly changing consumer behaviors. How can multi-play telcos

Rice And Genetic Engineering Essay Example For Students

Rice And Genetic Engineering Essay Rice is the main food for about one-third to one-half of the worlds population. A mature rice plant is usually two to six feet tall. In the beginning, one shoot appears. It is followed by one, two, or more offshoots developing. There are at least five or six hollow joints for each stalk, and a leaf for each joint. The leaf of the rice plant is long, pointed, flat, and stiff. The highest join of the rice plant is called the panicle. The rice grains develop from the panicles. (Jodon, 300) Rice is classified in the grass family Gramineae. Its genus is Oryza and species O. sativa. It is commonly cultivated for food in Asia. Some varieties of rice include red rice, glutinous rice, and wild rice. (Jodon, 303) The kernel within the grain contains most of the vitamins and minerals (298). The kernel contains thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin (299). Rice has many enemies that destroy a majority of the rice crops. The larvae of moth, stem borers, live in the stems of the rice plants. Some insects suck the plant juices or chew the leaves. Birds, such as bobolink, Java sparrow, or paddybird, would eat the seeds or grains. Disease causing factors such as fungi, roundworms, viruses, and bacteria also destroy the rice plants. Blast disease is caused by fungi which causes the panicles containing the grains to break. (Jodon, 300) There are various types of rice grown all over the world. A majority of rice grown is cultivated rice. When rice is grown with water standing on the fields, it is called lowland, wet, or irrigated rice. Rice plants grown in certain parts of Asia, South America, and Africa are called upland, hill, or dry rice because they are raised on elevated lands that cannot be flooded, but with plentiful rainfall. Wild rice is grown along lake shores of Canada and the Great Lakes. It is usually eaten by people in India. Scented rice is the most expensive because is has long grains and tastes like popcorn when cooked. Glutinous rice is waxy rice consumed by Asians. It is cooked to a sticky paste and is used for cakes and confections. (Jodon, 299) Rice was thought to have originated in southeast Asia when Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 B. C(Jodon, 303). Further research revealed that rice was cultivated around or at the Yangtze River in China, around 4000 to 11,500 years ago. One archaeologist, Toyama, surveyed data on 125 samples of rice grains, plant remains, husks, and other factors from numerous sites along the length of the Yangtze River. He reported that the oldest samples. . . are clustered along the middle Yangtze in Hubei and Hunan provinces. Samples from the upper and lower portions of the Yangtze River were found to be younger, around 4,000 to 10,000 years old. This pattern. . .suggests that rice cultivation originated in the middle Yangtze and spread from there. Archaeologists see more than a decade of excavation of the Yangtze River and nearby sites to confirm that the Yangtze River is where rice was first cultivated. (Normille, 309) The Greeks learned of rice when Alexander the Great invaded India around 326 B. C. Spain was introduced to rice when it was conquered by the Moors during the 700s A. D. Spain then introduced rice to Italy, around the 1400s. The Spanish also introduced rice to the West Indies and South America, around the 1600s. Rice was introduced to the United States when a Madagascar ship docked in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor. The ship captain presented the governor with a sack of seed rice. It was then grown in states south of the Ohio River and east of Mississippi. A persons desires and behavior toward selecting a Essay (Jodon, 303) Rice is usually grown in lowland fields divided by dirt walls (Jodon, 300) A majority of the rice crops are grown with water standing on the fields (Jodon, 299). On level land, these paddies and dirt walls are built in wavy or straight lines. On hill-like land, they follow the slopes and form paddies that rise like steps. The dirt walls are used to hold in water for the fields. (300) Cultivation of the rice plant requires controlling the water supply and weeding the rice fields. Water must be two to six inches deep for the seeds to germinate properly. After the grains germinate, the water is drained. The rice plant is then cultivated by hand. (Jodon, 301) Besides steaming the rice for consumption, it is also used for other products. Enriched rice .

Shot guns should be banned free essay sample

Guns dont kill people, people kill people. Guns are the only way to protect a civilian from thugs around the world. America is also one of the most dangerous places due to thugs and maï ¬ a gangs who are the criminal minds of murder and shootouts, they have access to any gun you can think of. How would you feel if you got in the way of one of these gangs? you need gun to protect yourself. You wouldnt want to end up dead do you? i strongly believe that all civilians should own a gun in the United states. Since when do criminals obey the law? Banning guns is just taking away Americans rights to defend themselves and their belongings. Banning guns is just opening the door for more shootings as now the criminals will have guns and normal law abiding citizens will be like sitting ducks. In my opinion the only thing that stops a criminal is the thought of the person inside has a gun waiting for me. We will write a custom essay sample on Shot guns should be banned or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The governments should make laws like no one with a mental illness may own a gun, because no one in their right mind is going to go and willingly kill several children. A gun cannot ï ¬ re itself, it has to have someone pull the trigger. If guns are banned criminals will just use other things like knives, pencils, cars and wrenches. Americans have a right to protect themselves with guns. If their Government decides to turn on them, Americans were given the right by the Second Amendment of the Constitution, to have guns for their protection. Taking away guns from everybody in America will not lower any crime rates. Thugs are not going to stop breaking the law regardless of the laws. They will get guns, if guns are banned and then people who need guns for protection have no way to protect themselves. Not only are guns needed for self protection, we use them for hunting as well, if America bans guns, animals like deers, and other wildlife would be over populated and will eventually be living in our community on the roads or even in our backyards, this will cause car accidents and loss of crops due to the animals eating them. I strongly believe that guns should not be banned in the U.S. To conclude guns assure the safety of civillians from danger and also help for hunting purposes. Guns are not the problem to murders, it is the people who pull the trigger, I certainly believe that guns must not be banned in America.

What Is the SAT A Complete Explanation of the Test

What Is the SAT A Complete Explanation of the Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re thinking of applying to college, it’s vital that you know what the SAT is and how it will affect your application process. So what is the SAT? It’s one of two standardized college admissions tests in the US.(The other is the ACT.) It's run by the College Board, a non-profit that also administersthe PSAT and the AP (Advanced Placement) program. The SAT was originally adapted from an Army IQ test and administered as a college admissions test for the first time in 1926. However, it didn't really catch on until 1933, when the presidentof Harvard started using the test to assess scholarship applicants because he believed it was an effective measurement of intellectual potential. This view of the SAThelped propel its popularity- by the 1940s, it had become the standard test for all college applicantsandwas administered to over 300,000 people across the country. The SAT's dominance of college admissions testing was challenged with the creation of the ACT in 1959. Though initiallymuch less popular than the SAT, the ACT took hold in the Midwest and the mountain states and, in 2010, actually surpassed the SAT to become the most popular college admissions test. In part because of the increased competition from the ACT,the SAT recently underwentsome big changes in 2016. The basic purpose and form of the test arethe same (it’s still a multiple choice test used for college admissions decisions), but certain aspects of the structure and content havechanged. Schools must have approved of these changes because,in 2018, the SAT reclaimed its title and once again became the most popular college admissions test. This post will establish the basics of the SAT to help you prepare for this important test. Why Do People Take the SAT? The SAT is a standardized test meant to show schools how prepared you are for college by measuringkey skills like reading comprehension, computational ability, and clarity of expression. Because so many students take the test, it also provides schools with data about how you compare to your peers nationwide. You'll almost certainly need to take the SAT or ACT if you're applying to colleges or universities in the United States, since most require you to submit test scores with your application.Depending on where you want to apply, your ACT or SAT score can account for as much as 50% of the admission decision, so a strong standardized test score is vital. Additionally,several states require all high school juniors to take the SAT, including Delaware, Illinois, andMichigan. If you want to go to University of Illinois, you must submit SAT or ACT scores. (Kevin Dooley/Flickr) Which Schools Accept the SAT? All four-year colleges in the US accept the SAT, and, as I mentioned above, most schools require either the SAT or the ACT (they don’t differentiate between the two). However,there are an increasing number of colleges and universities with more flexible policies, so make sure to check with the specific schools you're planning to apply to. You’ll also need to take the SAT or ACT if you’re a US student looking to apply to schools in the UK or Canada or an international studenthoping to attend college in the US. What Does the SAT Cover? The SAT has foursections, as well an optional essay.The first section will be Reading, followed by Writing and Language, then the no calculator section of Math, followed by the Math section you're allowed a calculator on. If you decide to take the SAT essay,it'll be the final section of the exam. Most SAT questions are multiple choice, but five questions on Math No Calculator and eight questions on Math Calculator will be grid-ins. When you take the SAT, you’ll get a 5-minute break after about every hour of testing. That means you’ll get a break after the Reading section and a second one after the Math No Calculator. If you’re taking the Essay section, you’ll also get a break before starting. The total time of the SAT is 3 hours if you don't take the essay, and 3 hours and 50 minutes if you do take the essay. The following chart breaks downthe format of the test. Order Section Time in Minutes # of Questions Time per question 1 Reading 65 52 75 seconds 2 Writing and Language 35 44 48 seconds 3 Math No Calculator 25 20 75 seconds 4 Math Calculator 55 38 77 seconds 5 Essay (optional) 50 1 Total: 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without essay) 154 (+1 essay prompt) How Is the SAT Scored? When you take the SAT, you'll be given a total score between 400 and 1600.The SAT has two major sections: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (combined from Reading + Writing and Language), and Math. You can earn a scaled score of between 200 and 800 points on each section.But where does the scoring scale come from? You start with a raw score for each topic area.Your raw score is simply the number of questions you answered correctly;skipped or wrong questions do not add or subtract from your raw score.That number is then converted into ascaled score through a process called equating- the College Board is a bit cagey about how exactly this works, but it's based on years worth of data rather than how people do on a specific test date. The average SAT score is 1068,with some variation from year to year, but what counts as a good score for you will really depend on where you’re looking to apply. To get into a top-tier schoolyou'll likely need to score about 1500 or higher, but for the local branch of the state university you mightbe just fine with a 1050. When Should You Take the SAT? The ideal time to take the SAT for the first time is usually in winter of your junior year, when you’ve covered most of the material in school, but you still have time to take it again. Your testing schedule may be different, however, especially if you need SAT scores for another purpose or are required to take it by your school. You've got to be organized in your SAT prep planning! (Teresa Robinson/Flickr) Everything You Need to Plan for the SAT Hopefully you now understand what the SAT is and why you might need to take it. The hardpart is still to come, however- preparing for the test. To help with that, I've listed some ofthe key questions you need to consideras you start planningfor standardized tests and college applications more generally. Should I Take the SAT or the ACT? It's hard to know for sure which of the two standardized tests will be better for you without your trying them out. However, if you aren't up for spending the time to take two full practice tests, take a look at this guide to help you decide. Also, keep in mind that, for many students, there's not that big of a difference between the SAT and the ACT. What SAT Score Do I Need to Get Into College? To reiterate: what score you should shoot for depends on where you want to apply. Use the formula in this articleto calculate your ideal SATscore. What's the Best Way to Prepare for the SAT? Now that you've calculated what your SAT scoregoal is, you need to decide how to get there. Will you do betterhiring a tutor or studying on yourown?You may also want to consider an online program like PrepScholar! If you do decide to take on the SATprep process on your own, make sure you get the best book for your needs. Taking official practice SATs is also key to understanding the exam and learning where you need to improve during your studying. What Do I Need to Know to Prepare for the SAT? There are three key aspects of prepping for the SAT: learning the logic of the test, studyingthe content, and practicing the questions. To get a sense of how to think effectively about the SAT, download our guide to the 5 strategies that you must use. For specific information on thematerialcovered and the styles of questions you'll see on the SAT, try our complete guides to each section: reading, math, and writing. For practice materials, you can find the best SATpractice tests here and an in-depth guide on how to use them here. What's Next? Here are the best study guides for SAT Reading, SAT Writing, and SAT Math, available anywhere. I guarantee you that these guides will improve your score! Want more guidance on SAT study plans?Get tips on how long you should study for the SAT and learn how many times you should take the SAT. Taking the ACT instead of or in addition to the SAT?Then you'll benefit greatly by taking a look at our ultimate ACT guide. Like this guide, we give you tons of free links and resources so that you can have a successful test day! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

A Game of Thrones Chapter Nine

Something about the howling of a wolf took a man right out of his here and now and left him in a dark forest of the mind, running naked before the pack. When the direwolf howled again, Tyrion shut the heavy leatherbound cover on the book he was reading, a hundred-year-old discourse on the changing of the seasons by a long-dead maester. He covered a yawn with the back of his hand. His reading lamp was flickering, its oil all but gone, as dawn light leaked through the high windows. He had been at it all night, but that was nothing new. Tyrion Lannister was not much a one for sleeping. His legs were stiff and sore as he eased down off the bench. He massaged some life back into them and limped heavily to the table where the septon was snoring softly, his head pillowed on an open book in front of him. Tyrion glanced at the title. A life of the Grand Maester Aethelmure, no wonder. â€Å"Chayle,† he said softly. The young man jerked up, blinking, confused, the crystal of his order swinging wildly on its silver chain. â€Å"I’m off to break my fast. See that you return the books to the shelves. Be gentle with the Valyrian scrolls, the parchment is very dry. Ayrmidon’s Engines of War is quite rare, and yours is the only complete copy I’ve ever seen.† Chayle gaped at him, still half-asleep. Patiently, Tyrion repeated his instructions, then clapped the septon on the shoulder and left him to his tasks. Outside, Tyrion swallowed a lungful of the cold morning air and began his laborious descent of the steep stone steps that corkscrewed around the exterior of the library tower. It was slow going; the steps were cut high and narrow, while his legs were short and twisted. The rising sun had not yet cleared the walls of Winterfell, but the men were already hard at it in the yard below. Sandor Clegane’s rasping voice drifted up to him. â€Å"The boy is a long time dying. I wish he would be quicker about it.† Tyrion glanced down and saw the Hound standing with young Joffrey as squires swarmed around them. â€Å"At least he dies quietly,† the prince replied. â€Å"It’s the wolf that makes the noise. I could scarce sleep last night.† Clegane cast a long shadow across the hard-packed earth as his squire lowered the black helm over his head. â€Å"I could silence the creature, if it please you,† he said through his open visor. His boy placed a longsword in his hand. He tested the weight of it, slicing at the cold morning air. Behind him, the yard rang to the clangor of steel on steel. The notion seemed to delight the prince. â€Å"Send a dog to kill a dog!† he exclaimed. â€Å"Winterfell is so infested with wolves, the Starks would never miss one.† Tyrion hopped off the last step onto the yard. â€Å"I beg to differ, nephew,† he said. â€Å"The Starks can count past six. Unlike some princes I might name.† Joffrey had the grace at least to blush. â€Å"A voice from nowhere,† Sandor said. He peered through his helm, looking this way and that. â€Å"Spirits of the air!† The prince laughed, as he always laughed when his bodyguard did this mummer’s farce. Tyrion was used to it. â€Å"Down here.† The tall man peered down at the ground, and pretended to notice him. â€Å"The little lord Tyrion,† he said. â€Å"My pardons. I did not see you standing there.† â€Å"I am in no mood for your insolence today.† Tyrion turned to his nephew. â€Å"Joffrey, it is past time you called on Lord Eddard and his lady, to offer them your comfort.† Joffrey looked as petulant as only a boy prince can look. â€Å"What good will my comfort do them?† â€Å"None,† Tyrion said. â€Å"Yet it is expected of you. Your absence has been noted.† â€Å"The Stark boy is nothing to me,† Joffrey said. â€Å"I cannot abide the wailing of women.† Tyrion Lannister reached up and slapped his nephew hard across the face. The boy’s cheek began to redden. â€Å"One word,† Tyrion said, â€Å"and I will hit you again.† â€Å"I’m going to tell Mother!† Joffrey exclaimed. Tyrion hit him again. Now both cheeks flamed. â€Å"You tell your mother,† Tyrion told him. â€Å"But first you get yourself to Lord and Lady Stark, and you fall to your knees in front of them, and you tell them how very sorry you are, and that you are at their service if there is the slightest thing you can do for them or theirs in this desperate hour, and that all your prayers go with them. Do you understand? Do you?† The boy looked as though he was going to cry. Instead, he managed a weak nod. Then he turned and fled headlong from the yard, holding his cheek. Tyrion watched him run. A shadow fell across his face. He turned to find Clegane looming overhead like a cliff. His soot-dark armor seemed to blot out the sun. He had lowered the visor on his helm. It was fashioned in the likeness of a snarling black hound, fearsome to behold, but Tyrion had always thought it a great improvement over Clegane’s hideously burned face. â€Å"The prince will remember that, little lord,† the Hound warned him. The helm turned his laugh into a hollow rumble. â€Å"I pray he does,† Tyrion Lannister replied. â€Å"If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him.† He glanced around the courtyard. â€Å"Do you know where I might find my brother?† â€Å"Breaking fast with the queen.† â€Å"Ah,† Tyrion said. He gave Sandor Clegane a perfunctory nod and walked away as briskly as his stunted legs would carry him, whistling. He pitied the first knight to try the Hound today. The man did have a temper. A cold, cheerless meal had been laid out in the morning room of the Guest House. Jaime sat at table with Cersei and the children, talking in low, hushed voices. â€Å"Is Robert still abed?† Tyrion asked as he seated himself, uninvited, at the table. His sister peered at him with the same expression of faint distaste she had worn since the day he was born. â€Å"The king has not slept at all,† she told him. â€Å"He is with Lord Eddard. He has taken their sorrow deeply to heart.† â€Å"He has a large heart, our Robert,† Jaime said with a lazy smile. There was very little that Jaime took seriously. Tyrion knew that about his brother, and forgave it. During all the terrible long years of his childhood, only Jaime had ever shown him the smallest measure of affection or respect, and for that Tyrion was willing to forgive him most anything. A servant approached. â€Å"Bread,† Tyrion told him, â€Å"and two of those little fish, and a mug of that good dark beer to wash them down. Oh, and some bacon. Burn it until it turns black.† The man bowed and moved off. Tyrion turned back to his siblings. Twins, male and female. They looked very much the part this morning. Both had chosen a deep green that matched their eyes. Their blond curls were all a fashionable tumble, and gold ornaments shone at wrists and fingers and throats. Tyrion wondered what it would be like to have a twin, and decided that he would rather not know. Bad enough to face himself in a looking glass every day. Another him was a thought too dreadful to contemplate. Prince Tommen spoke up. â€Å"Do you have news of Bran, Uncle?† â€Å"I stopped by the sickroom last night,† Tyrion announced. â€Å"There was no change. The maester thought that a hopeful sign.† â€Å"I don’t want Brandon to die,† Tommen said timorously. He was a sweet boy. Not like his brother, but then Jaime and Tyrion were somewhat less than peas in a pod themselves. â€Å"Lord Eddard had a brother named Brandon as well,† Jaime mused. â€Å"One of the hostages murdered by Targaryen. It seems to be an unlucky name.† â€Å"Oh, not so unlucky as all that, surely,† Tyrion said. The servant brought his plate. He ripped off a chunk of black bread. Cersei was studying him warily. â€Å"What do you mean?† Tyrion gave her a crooked smile. â€Å"Why, only that Tommen may get his wish. The maester thinks the boy may yet live.† He took a sip of beer. Myrcella gave a happy gasp, and Tommen smiled nervously, but it was not the children Tyrion was watching. The glance that passed between Jaime and Cersei lasted no more than a second, but he did not miss it. Then his sister dropped her gaze to the table. â€Å"That is no mercy. These northern gods are cruel to let the child linger in such pain.† â€Å"What were the maester’s words?† Jaime asked. The bacon crunched when he bit into it. Tyrion chewed thoughtfully for a moment and said, â€Å"He thinks that if the boy were going to die, he would have done so already. It has been four days with no change.† â€Å"Will Bran get better, Uncle?† little Myrcella asked. She had all of her mother’s beauty, and none of her nature. â€Å"His back is broken, little one,† Tyrion told her. â€Å"The fall shattered his legs as well. They keep him alive with honey and water, or he would starve to death. Perhaps, if he wakes, he will be able to eat real food, but he will never walk again.† â€Å"If he wakes,† Cersei repeated. â€Å"Is that likely?† â€Å"The gods alone know,† Tyrion told her. â€Å"The maester only hopes.† He chewed some more bread. â€Å"I would swear that wolf of his is keeping the boy alive. The creature is outside his window day and night, howling. Every time they chase it away, it returns. The maester said they closed the window once, to shut out the noise, and Bran seemed to weaken. When they opened it again, his heart beat stronger.† The queen shuddered. â€Å"There is something unnatural about those animals,† she said. â€Å"They are dangerous. I will not have any of them coming south with us.† Jaime said, â€Å"You’ll have a hard time stopping them, sister. They follow those girls everywhere.† Tyrion started on his fish. â€Å"Are you leaving soon, then?† â€Å"Not near soon enough,† Cersei said. Then she frowned. â€Å"Are we leaving?† she echoed. â€Å"What about you? Gods, don’t tell me you are staying here?† Tyrion shrugged. â€Å"Benjen Stark is returning to the Night’s Watch with his brother’s bastard. I have a mind to go with them and see this Wall we have all heard so much of.† Jaime smiled. â€Å"I hope you’re not thinking of taking the black on us, sweet brother.† Tyrion laughed. â€Å"What, me, celibate? The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock. No, I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss off the edge of the world.† Cersei stood abruptly. â€Å"The children don’t need to hear this filth. Tommen, Myrcella, come.† She strode briskly from the morning room, her train and her pups trailing behind her. Jaime Lannister regarded his brother thoughtfully with those cool green eyes. â€Å"Stark will never consent to leave Winterfell with his son lingering in the shadow of death.† â€Å"He will if Robert commands it,† Tyrion said. â€Å"And Robert will command it. There is nothing Lord Eddard can do for the boy in any case.† â€Å"He could end his torment,† Jaime said. â€Å"I would, if it were my son. It would be a mercy.† â€Å"I advise against putting that suggestion to Lord Eddard, sweet brother,† Tyrion said. â€Å"He would not take it kindly.† â€Å"Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give me a good clean death.† Tyrion replied with a shrug that accentuated the twist of his shoulders. â€Å"Speaking for the grotesques,† he said, â€Å"I beg to differ. Death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities.† Jaime smiled. â€Å"You are a perverse little imp, aren’t you?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† Tyrion admitted. â€Å"I hope the boy does wake. I would be most interested to hear what he might have to say.† His brother’s smile curdled like sour milk. â€Å"Tyrion, my sweet brother,† he said darkly, â€Å"there are times when you give me cause to wonder whose side you are on.† Tyrion’s mouth was full of bread and fish. He took a swallow of strong black beer to wash it all down, and grinned up wolfishly at Jaime, â€Å"Why, Jaime, my sweet brother,† he said, â€Å"you wound me. You know how much I love my family.† A Game of Thrones Chapter Nine Something about the howling of a wolf took a man right out of his here and now and left him in a dark forest of the mind, running naked before the pack. When the direwolf howled again, Tyrion shut the heavy leatherbound cover on the book he was reading, a hundred-year-old discourse on the changing of the seasons by a long-dead maester. He covered a yawn with the back of his hand. His reading lamp was flickering, its oil all but gone, as dawn light leaked through the high windows. He had been at it all night, but that was nothing new. Tyrion Lannister was not much a one for sleeping. His legs were stiff and sore as he eased down off the bench. He massaged some life back into them and limped heavily to the table where the septon was snoring softly, his head pillowed on an open book in front of him. Tyrion glanced at the title. A life of the Grand Maester Aethelmure, no wonder. â€Å"Chayle,† he said softly. The young man jerked up, blinking, confused, the crystal of his order swinging wildly on its silver chain. â€Å"I’m off to break my fast. See that you return the books to the shelves. Be gentle with the Valyrian scrolls, the parchment is very dry. Ayrmidon’s Engines of War is quite rare, and yours is the only complete copy I’ve ever seen.† Chayle gaped at him, still half-asleep. Patiently, Tyrion repeated his instructions, then clapped the septon on the shoulder and left him to his tasks. Outside, Tyrion swallowed a lungful of the cold morning air and began his laborious descent of the steep stone steps that corkscrewed around the exterior of the library tower. It was slow going; the steps were cut high and narrow, while his legs were short and twisted. The rising sun had not yet cleared the walls of Winterfell, but the men were already hard at it in the yard below. Sandor Clegane’s rasping voice drifted up to him. â€Å"The boy is a long time dying. I wish he would be quicker about it.† Tyrion glanced down and saw the Hound standing with young Joffrey as squires swarmed around them. â€Å"At least he dies quietly,† the prince replied. â€Å"It’s the wolf that makes the noise. I could scarce sleep last night.† Clegane cast a long shadow across the hard-packed earth as his squire lowered the black helm over his head. â€Å"I could silence the creature, if it please you,† he said through his open visor. His boy placed a longsword in his hand. He tested the weight of it, slicing at the cold morning air. Behind him, the yard rang to the clangor of steel on steel. The notion seemed to delight the prince. â€Å"Send a dog to kill a dog!† he exclaimed. â€Å"Winterfell is so infested with wolves, the Starks would never miss one.† Tyrion hopped off the last step onto the yard. â€Å"I beg to differ, nephew,† he said. â€Å"The Starks can count past six. Unlike some princes I might name.† Joffrey had the grace at least to blush. â€Å"A voice from nowhere,† Sandor said. He peered through his helm, looking this way and that. â€Å"Spirits of the air!† The prince laughed, as he always laughed when his bodyguard did this mummer’s farce. Tyrion was used to it. â€Å"Down here.† The tall man peered down at the ground, and pretended to notice him. â€Å"The little lord Tyrion,† he said. â€Å"My pardons. I did not see you standing there.† â€Å"I am in no mood for your insolence today.† Tyrion turned to his nephew. â€Å"Joffrey, it is past time you called on Lord Eddard and his lady, to offer them your comfort.† Joffrey looked as petulant as only a boy prince can look. â€Å"What good will my comfort do them?† â€Å"None,† Tyrion said. â€Å"Yet it is expected of you. Your absence has been noted.† â€Å"The Stark boy is nothing to me,† Joffrey said. â€Å"I cannot abide the wailing of women.† Tyrion Lannister reached up and slapped his nephew hard across the face. The boy’s cheek began to redden. â€Å"One word,† Tyrion said, â€Å"and I will hit you again.† â€Å"I’m going to tell Mother!† Joffrey exclaimed. Tyrion hit him again. Now both cheeks flamed. â€Å"You tell your mother,† Tyrion told him. â€Å"But first you get yourself to Lord and Lady Stark, and you fall to your knees in front of them, and you tell them how very sorry you are, and that you are at their service if there is the slightest thing you can do for them or theirs in this desperate hour, and that all your prayers go with them. Do you understand? Do you?† The boy looked as though he was going to cry. Instead, he managed a weak nod. Then he turned and fled headlong from the yard, holding his cheek. Tyrion watched him run. A shadow fell across his face. He turned to find Clegane looming overhead like a cliff. His soot-dark armor seemed to blot out the sun. He had lowered the visor on his helm. It was fashioned in the likeness of a snarling black hound, fearsome to behold, but Tyrion had always thought it a great improvement over Clegane’s hideously burned face. â€Å"The prince will remember that, little lord,† the Hound warned him. The helm turned his laugh into a hollow rumble. â€Å"I pray he does,† Tyrion Lannister replied. â€Å"If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him.† He glanced around the courtyard. â€Å"Do you know where I might find my brother?† â€Å"Breaking fast with the queen.† â€Å"Ah,† Tyrion said. He gave Sandor Clegane a perfunctory nod and walked away as briskly as his stunted legs would carry him, whistling. He pitied the first knight to try the Hound today. The man did have a temper. A cold, cheerless meal had been laid out in the morning room of the Guest House. Jaime sat at table with Cersei and the children, talking in low, hushed voices. â€Å"Is Robert still abed?† Tyrion asked as he seated himself, uninvited, at the table. His sister peered at him with the same expression of faint distaste she had worn since the day he was born. â€Å"The king has not slept at all,† she told him. â€Å"He is with Lord Eddard. He has taken their sorrow deeply to heart.† â€Å"He has a large heart, our Robert,† Jaime said with a lazy smile. There was very little that Jaime took seriously. Tyrion knew that about his brother, and forgave it. During all the terrible long years of his childhood, only Jaime had ever shown him the smallest measure of affection or respect, and for that Tyrion was willing to forgive him most anything. A servant approached. â€Å"Bread,† Tyrion told him, â€Å"and two of those little fish, and a mug of that good dark beer to wash them down. Oh, and some bacon. Burn it until it turns black.† The man bowed and moved off. Tyrion turned back to his siblings. Twins, male and female. They looked very much the part this morning. Both had chosen a deep green that matched their eyes. Their blond curls were all a fashionable tumble, and gold ornaments shone at wrists and fingers and throats. Tyrion wondered what it would be like to have a twin, and decided that he would rather not know. Bad enough to face himself in a looking glass every day. Another him was a thought too dreadful to contemplate. Prince Tommen spoke up. â€Å"Do you have news of Bran, Uncle?† â€Å"I stopped by the sickroom last night,† Tyrion announced. â€Å"There was no change. The maester thought that a hopeful sign.† â€Å"I don’t want Brandon to die,† Tommen said timorously. He was a sweet boy. Not like his brother, but then Jaime and Tyrion were somewhat less than peas in a pod themselves. â€Å"Lord Eddard had a brother named Brandon as well,† Jaime mused. â€Å"One of the hostages murdered by Targaryen. It seems to be an unlucky name.† â€Å"Oh, not so unlucky as all that, surely,† Tyrion said. The servant brought his plate. He ripped off a chunk of black bread. Cersei was studying him warily. â€Å"What do you mean?† Tyrion gave her a crooked smile. â€Å"Why, only that Tommen may get his wish. The maester thinks the boy may yet live.† He took a sip of beer. Myrcella gave a happy gasp, and Tommen smiled nervously, but it was not the children Tyrion was watching. The glance that passed between Jaime and Cersei lasted no more than a second, but he did not miss it. Then his sister dropped her gaze to the table. â€Å"That is no mercy. These northern gods are cruel to let the child linger in such pain.† â€Å"What were the maester’s words?† Jaime asked. The bacon crunched when he bit into it. Tyrion chewed thoughtfully for a moment and said, â€Å"He thinks that if the boy were going to die, he would have done so already. It has been four days with no change.† â€Å"Will Bran get better, Uncle?† little Myrcella asked. She had all of her mother’s beauty, and none of her nature. â€Å"His back is broken, little one,† Tyrion told her. â€Å"The fall shattered his legs as well. They keep him alive with honey and water, or he would starve to death. Perhaps, if he wakes, he will be able to eat real food, but he will never walk again.† â€Å"If he wakes,† Cersei repeated. â€Å"Is that likely?† â€Å"The gods alone know,† Tyrion told her. â€Å"The maester only hopes.† He chewed some more bread. â€Å"I would swear that wolf of his is keeping the boy alive. The creature is outside his window day and night, howling. Every time they chase it away, it returns. The maester said they closed the window once, to shut out the noise, and Bran seemed to weaken. When they opened it again, his heart beat stronger.† The queen shuddered. â€Å"There is something unnatural about those animals,† she said. â€Å"They are dangerous. I will not have any of them coming south with us.† Jaime said, â€Å"You’ll have a hard time stopping them, sister. They follow those girls everywhere.† Tyrion started on his fish. â€Å"Are you leaving soon, then?† â€Å"Not near soon enough,† Cersei said. Then she frowned. â€Å"Are we leaving?† she echoed. â€Å"What about you? Gods, don’t tell me you are staying here?† Tyrion shrugged. â€Å"Benjen Stark is returning to the Night’s Watch with his brother’s bastard. I have a mind to go with them and see this Wall we have all heard so much of.† Jaime smiled. â€Å"I hope you’re not thinking of taking the black on us, sweet brother.† Tyrion laughed. â€Å"What, me, celibate? The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock. No, I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss off the edge of the world.† Cersei stood abruptly. â€Å"The children don’t need to hear this filth. Tommen, Myrcella, come.† She strode briskly from the morning room, her train and her pups trailing behind her. Jaime Lannister regarded his brother thoughtfully with those cool green eyes. â€Å"Stark will never consent to leave Winterfell with his son lingering in the shadow of death.† â€Å"He will if Robert commands it,† Tyrion said. â€Å"And Robert will command it. There is nothing Lord Eddard can do for the boy in any case.† â€Å"He could end his torment,† Jaime said. â€Å"I would, if it were my son. It would be a mercy.† â€Å"I advise against putting that suggestion to Lord Eddard, sweet brother,† Tyrion said. â€Å"He would not take it kindly.† â€Å"Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give me a good clean death.† Tyrion replied with a shrug that accentuated the twist of his shoulders. â€Å"Speaking for the grotesques,† he said, â€Å"I beg to differ. Death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities.† Jaime smiled. â€Å"You are a perverse little imp, aren’t you?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† Tyrion admitted. â€Å"I hope the boy does wake. I would be most interested to hear what he might have to say.† His brother’s smile curdled like sour milk. â€Å"Tyrion, my sweet brother,† he said darkly, â€Å"there are times when you give me cause to wonder whose side you are on.† Tyrion’s mouth was full of bread and fish. He took a swallow of strong black beer to wash it all down, and grinned up wolfishly at Jaime, â€Å"Why, Jaime, my sweet brother,† he said, â€Å"you wound me. You know how much I love my family.†