Read the following passage, then answer the questions that follow. "and in such alienation grown so old / as leaves no other hope of heir to poland / than his two sisters' children; you, fair cousin, / and me; for whom the commons of the realm / divide themselves into two several factions; / whether for you, the elder sister's child; / or me, born of the younger, but, they say, / my natural prerogative of man / outweighing your priority of birth." what important cultural reference is astolfo making in this speech?

Read the quotation from "an occurrence at owl creek bridge." and now he became conscious of a new disturbance. striking through the thought of his dear ones was a sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith’s hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. he wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by—it seemed both. its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. he awaited each stroke with impatience and—he knew not why—apprehension. the intervals of silence grew progressively longer, the delays became maddening. with their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. they hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. what he heard was the ticking of his watch. which best describes the effect of the narration in the excerpt? it suggests that the man being executed feels tranquil and at peace. it suggests that the narrator is sympathetic to the man being executed. it suggests that the plot will become less tense as the story continues. it suggests that the story will become more intense and mysterious.

Which part of the story shows how kiara and tanya's differences affect their friendship? kiara and tanya were the best of friends. when they were 10 years old, they always went everywhere together. all their friends knew that if they found one of them, they would find the other. anyone who didn't know them thought that they were twins because both kiara and tanya had long, silky red hair and pale complexions. they were even similar in height and build. they were more like sisters than friends. but as similar as they were in appearance, they were just as different when it came to their personalities. this difference didn't affect their friendship, at least not for a long time. kiara always got out and participated in activities and competitions. tanya was happiest when reading a book at home. kiara was outgoing and talkative. tanya was quiet and shy. kiara was popular, and people were drawn to her because of her ability to make quick friends. tanya hardly had any friends besides kiara. as they grew older, kiara managed to make a large group of friends. tanya, on the other hand, still remained shy and reserved. this difference in their personalities eventually caused a rift between the two friends. tanya would refuse invitations to parties and movies that kiara invited her to. she just didn't want to hang out with people she didn't know that well. kiara couldn't understand why. she thought tanya disliked her friends. eventually, kiara and tanya both realized that they had outgrown one another. they still remained friends, but they were not as close as they once had been.

Which tense allows for an event that began in the past to carry into the present moment in time