What does this sentence mean?
"one explanation is the associated costs of maintaining prisons and the recession in the u. s. from december 2007 to june 2009."
quoted from "fewer americans going to prison, highlighting a shift in u. s. policy"
plz asap! thx! : )

Which words in this excerpt from the count of monte cristo can be used as synonyms to determine the meaning of the word grotto? dant? s entered the second grotto. the second grotto was lower and more gloomy than the first; the air that could only enter by the newly formed opening had the mephitic smell dant? s was surprised not to find in the outer cavern. he waited in order to allow pure air to displace the foul atmosphere, and then went on. 1. air 2. opening 3. mephitic 4. cavern 5. pure 6. atmosphere

Sure, i wish things had turned out differently for me in vietnam. but i know things could have turned out worse, too. so ljust try to be for what i do have and do my best to be independent. i can dress myself and even tie a tie. no more playing guitar, though. if i close my eyes, i can just about hear the music. just strumming my heartstrings is what i'm doing, i suppose. how could the author best resolve this situation to create a feeling of somber regret? a. the narrator describes the difficulty in cooking for himself. b. the narrator decides to sell his guitar and take up a new instrument. c. the narrator points out that he doesn't have to wear a tie too often. d. the narrator mentions a friend who did not live through the war.

Read the following passage: he roamed from chamber to chamber with hurried, unequal, and objectless step. the pallor of his countenance had assumed, if possible, a more ghastly hue— but the luminousness of his eye had utterly gone out. the once occasional huskiness of his tone was heard no more; and a tremulous quaver, as if of extreme terror, habitually characterized his utterance. there were times, indeed, when i thought his unceasingly agitated mind was laboring with some oppressive secret, to divulge which he struggled for the necessary courage. which of the above ideas might be considered foreshadowing? he is wandering all over the chamber his skin tone is really pale his voice is quivering the narrator thinks he is laboring with an oppressive secret