Read the sentence. Juanita used her affinity for numbers to help her design a computer program that relied on college-level
math formulas, even though she was only in middle school.

Based on the context clues in the sentence, what is the best meaning of "affinity"?

A. a talent for
B. an enjoyment of
C. a fondness for
D. an understanding of

Some keep the sabbath in surplice - i just wear my wings - and instead of tolling the bell, for church, - our little sexton - sings

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

Read the excerpt from the war of the worlds, in which the crowd begins to disperse just before the first martian exits the cylinder. when i returned to the common the sun was setting. scattered groups were hurrying from the direction of woking, and one or two persons were returning. the crowd about the pit had increased, and stood out black against the lemon yellow of the sky—a couple of hundred people, perhaps. there were raised voices, and some sort of struggle appeared to be going on about the pit. strange imaginings passed through my mind. as i drew nearer i heard stent's voice: "keep back! keep back! "a boy came running towards me."it's a-movin'," he said to me as he passed; 'a-screwin' and a-screwin' out. i don't like it. i'm a-goin' 'ome, i am."what options accurately depict the impact of the boy's words on pacing within the excerpt? (select all that apply.)the war of the worldsthe setting is in england, so the boy's words provide the reader with the dialect of the area. even though that slows down the plot, the boy's words contain important information. the plot's forward movement is slow at the beginning of the excerpt because there is little action. the boy's words increase the tension and counteract that lag. the narrator is not close enough to see clearly into the pit, so the boy's words provide the narrator with the information he needs, which moves the plot forward. the boy's words serve to speed up the pacing of the plot because, as he is talking to the narrator, he is running past him to get away. the narrator is not close enough to see clearly into the pit, so the boy's words provide the narrator with the information he needs, which moves the plot forward. wrong? the boy's words serve to speed up the pacing of the plot because, as he is talking to the narrator, he is running past him to get away.