Our mountain regions are unique and beautiful places. we must preserve them for future generations. one of the most serious threats to our mountains is ridgetop development. large housing developments built on steep slopes and along mountain ridges are unsightly. also, they adversely affect the scenic views that draw tourists to our region each year. who wants to drive to the mountains to see not the lovely tree-covered outline of the gently sloping mountain ridges against the sky, but rows of houses jutting from the ridges and slopes with little or no tree cover between them? with tourism as the biggest industry in our area, maintaining our scenic ridgelines is crucial to continued economic success here.

ridgetop development not only detracts from scenic mountain views and threatens our area’s top industry, it also harms the environment. stripping large areas to create multiple building sites removes the trees and other plants. these resources provide natural erosion barriers on steep slopes. large housing developments on ridges often increase erosion and runoff into streams and rivers.

what is the purpose of this essay?

to describe the beautification of mountain ridges and beaches
to chronicle the growth of the economy due to ridgetop tourism
to clarify the role of the city council in protecting the environment
to expose the environmental threats posed by ridgetop development

Which line from the splendor falls on castle walls contrasts most sharply with the repeated phrase "dying, dying, dying"?

Which phrase best describes the role of irony in a written book? a. to validate readers’ beliefs b. to defy readers’ expectations c. to represent an idea d. to dramatize events apex

Read the passage from animal farm. "that was part of the arrangement! " cried squealer. "jones's shot only grazed him. i could show you this in his own writing, if you were able to read it. the plot was for snowball, at the critical moment, to give the signal for flight and leave the field to the enemy. and he very nearly succeeded—i will even say, comrades, he would have succeeded if it had not been for our heroic leader, comrade napoleon. do you not remember how, just at the moment when jones and his men had got inside the yard, snowball suddenly turned and fled, and many animals followed him? and do you not remember, too, that it was just at that moment, when panic was spreading and all seemed lost, that comrade napoleon sprang forward with a cry of 'death to humanity! ' and sank his teeth in jones's leg? surely you remember that, comrades? " exclaimed squealer, frisking from side to side. now when squealer described the scene so graphically, it seemed to the animals that they did remember it. at any rate, they remembered that at the critical moment of the battle snowball had turned to flee. but boxer was still a little uneasy. how does the characterization of squealer support the author’s purpose? squealer's dramatic accusations draw parallels between him and stalin’s propagandists. squealer's uncertainty shows that he is not a reliable ally of napoleon and is ineffective with messaging. squealer's ability to get the animals to listen to him shows that any animal can rise to be a leader in time. squealer's humble interactions with the animals reflect the importance of equality and cooperation.