Which of the following is not a part of the process of synthesizing?
a writing an essay
b comparing and contrasting texts
c finding main ideas

Commander mckee checked the dials and switches in the shuttle cockpit and determined that they were functioning normally. he then tested the communications systems that connected his ship with the mission control headquarters. he checked the fuel gauges and saw that there was enough fuel for the months-long trip to saturn. all of the other gauges and meters checked out normal, and the idling engines gave off a strong, reassuring hum. after a final glance around, mckee declared that the shuttle was finally ready for takeoff. he readied the brave astronauts under his command and the ground crew alertly awaiting the launch. the rocket took off and, racing through space, eventually arrived at saturn, where commander mckee and his assistants built the first successful human colony. 126 words, 9.8 flesch, 1180 lexile how could a change in emphasis best develop the events in this passage, making for a more interesting and exciting read?

Based on the information in the passage, what conclusion can the reader make?

Read the excerpt from the poem "growing up italian" by maria mazziotti gillan and answer the question that follows. when i was a little girl, i thought everyone was italian, and that was good. we visted our aunts and uncles, and they visted us. the italian language smooth and sweet in my mouth. in kindergarten, english words fell on me, thick and sharp as hail. i grew silent, the italian word balanced on the edge of my tongue and the english word, lost during the first moment of every question. source: gillan, maria mazziotti. "growing up italian." poetrymagazine.com. poetry magazine, n.d. web. 30 mar. 2011. what is the tone of this poem? what does the tone reveal about the speaker of the poem and the conflict she faces? based on this excerpt, what can you predict about the theme of the poem?