When you approach the railyard, you will see a fork in the road. be sure to bear to the left at this fork, rather than turning right. if you end up going to the right, the road soon becomes rocky, full of potholes and altogeher impossible to traverse. the point of this passage is to a) explain the origins and history of railyards. b) convince the reader never to approach the railyard. c) discuss the composition and structure of the street. d) explain why it is essential to avoid taking the wrong turn at the railyard.

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the miracle worker themeswilliam gibson

themes and meanings

(comprehensive guide to drama)

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there are two central themes in  the miracle worker: that the human spirit can triumph over even the most daunting of disabilities and that a dedicated teacher can transform the lives of those with whom he or she comes into contact. these inspirational themes have long been personified in the widely known true-life relationship between helen keller and annie sullivan, but  the miracle worker  also dramatizes collateral issues that extend beyond the particular case. underlying helen’s process of learning basic principles of what annie terms “obedience” (decorum, etiquette, and hygiene), there are more universal lessons of self-governance—the inculcation of self-restraint instead of willfulness, the development of self-discipline instead of self-indulgence. only when these lessons have been mastered can helen begin to acquire language—which, annie says, “is to the mind more than light is to the eye.”

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