In your own opinion on when gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence they take the singular verb form of the verb, but when they are linked by and they take the plural form?

1) earth's crust is made up of relatively rigid plates that ride atop earth's hot, semiliquid mantle. (2) the plates are called tectonic because they're in constant motion. (3) they can move because earth's mantle is a very hot and semiliquid fluid called magma. (4) volcanoes are a result of magma rising up or erupting through a plate, particularly where plate boundaries are moving against each other. (5) also, when plates slide against each other, causing friction along adjacent plate boundaries, earthquakes frequently occur. (6) therefore, we often find volcanoes and earthquakes along plate boundaries. (7) plates may also collide. (8) when that happens, mountain ranges are formed. (9) for example, the collision of the plate carrying the indian subcontinent created the himalayan mountains when it collided with the asian plate. which statement about this paragraph is accurate?

This excerpt is from “the poet” by alfred, lord tennyson. the poem describes a poet's consciousness and perception. which three lines suggest the richness of a poet's thoughts? thus truth was multiplied on truth, [the world like one great garden show'd,] and thro' the wreaths of floating dark upcurl'd, rare sunrise flow'd. [and freedom rear'd in that august sunrise] her beautiful bold brow, when rites and forms before his burning eyes melted like snow. [there was no blood upon her maiden robes] sunn'd by those orient skies; but round about the circles of the globes of her keen eyes and in her raiment's hem was traced in flame wisdom, a name to shake [all evil dreams of power--a sacred name.] and when she spake, [her words did gather thunder as they ran,] and as the lightning to the thunder which follows it, riving the spirit of man, making earth wonder, so was their meaning to her words. no sword of wrath her right arm whirl'd, [ but one poor poet's scroll, and with 'his' word] she shook the world.

What is the purpose of the introduction in an essay? a to establish the main idea of the essay b to explain the main idea to the reader c to highlight the most important concepts d to focus on current statistics