America is an improbable idea. A mongrel nation built of ever-changing disparate parts, it is held together by a notion, the notion that all men are created equal, though everyone knows that most men consider themselves better than someone. "Of all the nations in the world, the United States was built in nobody's image," the historian Daniel Boorstin wrote. That's because it was built of bits and pieces that seem discordant, like the crazy quilts that have been one of its great folk-art forms, velvet and calico and checks and brocades. Out of many, one. That is the ideal. –"A Quilt of a Country,"
Anna Quindlen

Biologists recognize five levels of cell organization. the lowest and simplest is the cellular level. organisms here are either unicellular organisms, like protozoa, or colonial organisms. colonial organisms are composed of single-celled individuals that stay together to sustain the life of the whole colony. next on the scale of complexity is the level occupied by tissue. a tissue is a group of similar cells which perform a similar activity. tissues that are organized around a common function together make up an organ, the third level of complexity. the fourth level of organization is the system, formed by a group of organs which together perform a specific bodily process. the fifth and highest level is the organism level, in which body systems work together in a structure capable of independent life. main idea:

When lawrence saw the posters for the circus hanging on the bulletin board, as he swept up the trimmings at slim's barbershop, he knew he would be taking his little cousins. they loved animals, and he was looking forward to seeing the smiles on their faces as the circus performers amazed them with their stunts. but sweeping up hair clippings didn't pay a whole lot. lawrence spent 45 dollars just getting tickets. but it was worth it to see his cousins' faces. the day finally came and everyone was excited as they walked into that big circus tent. but lawrence soon realized that he and his cousins would be thirsty and hungry. as they sat in their seats, the drink vendor walked by selling beverages. desperately thirsty, lawrence asked him how much a lemonade would cost, and the drink vendor said, "eleven dollars each." lawrence replied, "oh, that's it? just eleven dollars? what a great deal for one cup of lemonade. that's totally worth it." the drink vendor walked away. which type of irony is used?

Who is the speaker? read the quotations and answer the questions for each quote. quotation analysis "those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of " what is the main idea of the quotation? who do you think is the speaker? what evidence from the background reading leads you to the conclusion about the speaker? 2. "all communities divide themselves into the few and the many. the first are rich and well born, the other the mass of the people…" what is the main idea of the quotation? they divided the people in between rich and poor who do you think is the speaker? hamilton what evidence from the background reading leads you to the conclusion about the speaker? federalists believed that the country should be ruled by the by the best people 3. "laws are made for men of ordinary understanding and should, therefore, be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense." what is the main idea of the quotation? who do you think is the speaker? what evidence from the background reading leads you to the conclusion about the speaker? 4. "a fondness for power is implanted in most men, and it is natural to abuse it when acquired." what is the main idea of the quotation? who do you think is the speaker? what evidence from the background reading leads you to the conclusion about the speaker?