I have been asked to brainstorm ideas for my transcendental essay but to start off, I don’t know what that is and we never got an example. Please help :)

Which statement best summarizes this excerpt from leo tolstoy's the death of ivan ilyich? and in imagination he began to recall the best moments of his pleasant life. but strange to say none of those best moments of his pleasant life now seemed at all what they had then seemed—none of them except the first recollections of childhood. there, in childhood, there had been something really pleasant with which it would be possible to live if it could return. but the child who had experienced that happiness existed no longer, it was like a reminiscence of somebody else.

Which sentence is correctly punctuated? a. i haven’t found a new job, and i don’t plan to look for one until i have to. b. my work is piling up—day to day—and i can’t seem to get caught up. c. i know things could be worse (they have been in the past).

Constructing an argument: in modern american society, the legalization of marijuana continues to be controversial and hotly debated. some people find it contradictory that certain "drugs"—such as tobacco and alcohol—are legalized even though they pose proven health risks, while marijuana, which has many medicinal applications, continues to be illegal by the federal government. what reasons do you think the federal government gives for outlawing marijuana, and do the reasons support the conclusion?