Which of the writing prompts below calls for an explanatory thesis? Select one:
a. Analyze the differences between Japanese cooking and Chinese cooking, and then explain why you like one more than the other.
b. Describe the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe and those of Stephen King, and then award the title "Best American Horror Writer."
c. Use data, anecdotes, and examples to compare and contrast living in a small, rural community with living in a large urban center.
d. Compare and contrast the Great Depression (1929-1940) and the Great Recession (2008-2009) to determine which one was worse.

What makes the literal, word-for-word translation of “the metamorphosis” hard to read

Read the excerpt from infinite jest 'my application's not bought," i am telling them, calling into the darkness of the red cave that opens out before closed eyes. 'tam not just a boy who plays tennis. i have an intricate history. experiences and feelings. i'm complex. "read,' i say. 'i study and read. i bet i've read everything you've read. don't think i haven't. i consume libraries. i wear out spines and rom-drives. i do things like get in a taxi and say, "the library, and step on it." my instincts concerning syntax and mechanics are better than your own, i can tell, with due respect. the theme suggested by the excerpt is about a. being understood b. the value of education c. wisdom versus foolishness d. learning responsibility

Read the excerpt from the war of the worlds, which includes a description of setting shortly after the martians' first deadly attack. the undulating common seemed now dark almost to blackness, except where its roadways lay grey and pale under the deep blue sky of the early night. it was dark, and suddenly void of men. overhead the stars were mustering, and in the west the sky was still a pale, bright, almost greenish blue. the tops of the pine trees and the roofs of horsell came out sharp and black against the western afterglow. the martians and their appliances were altogether invisible, save for that thin mast upon which their restless mirror wobbled. patches of bush and isolated trees here and there smoked and glowed still, and the houses towards woking station were sending up spires of flame into the stillness of the evening air. what options accurately explain how the narrator's feelings are reflected in the setting? (select all that apply.)the war of the worldsthe narrator is comforted by the oncoming evening, as reflected in the setting details. for example, he says the martians are invisible. the narrator is distressed by the deceptive quiet of the evening, as reflected in the setting details. for example, he still sees smoke from the widespread destruction. the setting details to reveal the narrator's feelings of both relief and apprehension. for example, although the martians are not seen any longer, the remnants of the attack are still quite visible, and it's not clear whether the danger is over. the setting details reflect the narrator's feelings of both fascination and relief. for example, although one of the martians' odd tools is still visible, the creatures themselves no longer pose a threat.