IXL ENGLISH M.7

Born in Arizona in 1931, R. C. Gorman was a descendant of Navajo craftspeople. He started drawing when he was just three years old. Served in the U.S. Navy. Spent time in Mexico and was influenced by the paintings of Mexican artist Diego Rivera. Once he had developed his talent in painting, Gorman moved to New Mexico and eventually bought his own gallery. The first Native American artist to achieve worldwide recognition as a major American artist.

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Electric eels are some of the most hideous creatures on the planet. They have flattened heads and long, disgusting, tube-shaped bodies. Though they look like eels, which are also revolting, electric eels aren't true eels; they're more closely related to catfish. Electric eels get their name from the electrical charge that they use to viciously stun their prey. Thankfully, they live in streams and ponds in South America, far from the United States, where I live. The main part of their diet is fish, but electric eels also eat birds and small animals. It's horrifying but true!

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Our school needs to serve better food for lunch. Our lunches should be delicious. Our lunches should be nutritious. Our lunches should be satisfying. One way to achieve this would be to have a salad bar available. Salad bars can contain far more than just lettuce. Fresh fruits can be included in a salad bar. Fresh vegetables can be included. Different kinds of meats and cheeses can be included, too. Even pasta can be stocked in a salad bar. With these healthy options, students can make their own tasty lunches.

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When I'm asked to name my favorite teacher, I immediately think of Mr. Sweeney. In fifth grade, Mr. Sweeney taught us all about architecture he had the class start by learning to measure things very accurately. We studied environmentally friendly building methods, and we designed and built our own homes of the future. Mr. Sweeney was always fun and interesting, he believed that we could do more than we thought we could do. He helped me break boundaries in my life, he was a positive influence on me and will always be one of the most inspirational people in my life.

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Everyone agree that recess is important for children in elementary school, but what about middle school students? I believe that students in middle school needs time to relax and have fun during the school day. A period of free time in the afternoons give students the opportunity to go outside and enjoy some fresh air. Studies shows that exercise benefits students' attention spans. Exercise can also reduce stress, which many middle school students face on a daily basis. Therefore, middle school students in our country deserves recess, too.

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Why is smoking cigarettes bad for your health? Cigarettes contain poisonous substances like carbon monoxide and tar, which can harm every part of your body. Smoking causes heart disease and damages your blood vessels. Eating a diet high in fat, sugar, and salt can also lead to heart disease. A lack of exercise contributes to heart disease, too. Smoking damages your lungs and can cause breathing problems or lung cancer. In fact, it can cause cancer in any organ in your body.

focus on the main idea

Aristotle made more lasting contributions to philosophy than any other thinker of his time. One of his best-known contributions to philosophy was a system of logical reasoning. Aristotle, whose name means "the best purpose," lost both of his parents when he was a young boy. His mother was named Phaestis, and his father was named Nicomachus. Aristotle would go on to name his son Nicomachus as well, in honor of his father. For the most part, details about Aristotle's personal life remain rather unclear—he is best known for his contributions to philosophy.

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In the 1800s, egrets were hunted in the United States for their long white plumes (feathers). As a result, the birds were nearly wiped out completely. Thankfully, conservation measures were put in place, and the birds were protected. In fact, in recent years, egrets have expanded their range northward, moving beyond their original habitat in the American South. The egret is a large white bird that lives near marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wetland areas.

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In 410 CE, a mean group of guys called the Visigoths tore into the city of Rome. Led by a king called Alaric, the dudes burned loads of buildings, got rid of important Romans, and swiped all kinds of stuff. Luckily, many of Rome's cool buildings and monuments survived. When St. Jerome, a smart guy who was around then, heard the news about Rome, he said, "The city which had taken the whole world was itself taken."

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I saw a movie called Blob Invasion. It was really good. It was about a weird guy who was into science. He worked on bugs and small animals. He made a machine that did things to the bugs and the animals. They became big weird things. One day he transformed himself by accident. He became a big blob! He went around doing bad things to the city. In the end, a boy figured out how to change the blob back into a man. I would recommend this movie to everyone who likes fun science movies.

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Worms are long, soft things without a backbone. There are at least twenty thousand kinds of worms, but they are not all related. They belong to several different big groups, such as segmented worms, flatworms, ribbon worms, and roundworms. Earthworms are members of the segmented worm group. They live in the ground and add good things to soil.

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Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish scientist, was born in 1707. He developed a two-part naming system; for classifying plants and animals. It is still in use today. Because of Linnaeus's system, every living organism now has a Latin name made up of two parts. The first part identifies its group; while the second part identifies its kind. The group is called the genus; while the kind is called the species. An example of this two-part system is the name of our own species, Homo sapiens.

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Spending time in nature is a great way to relax after a long, busy day at work or at school. When they explore the great outdoors, people who feel stressed at the end of the day can refresh themselves with a walk in the woods, where they can find themselves feeling happier and more content, which is always a good thing. While enjoying fresh air and natural light, they can look at wild animals, birds, flowers, trees, and interesting cloud formations. When people need a break, whether they live in the country or the city, where public parks are available, they will find that nature, which is all around us, is the perfect place to get away from it all.

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In 1971, Chef Hidekazu Tojo opened his first Japanese restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. Sushi, a dish of cold cooked rice and raw fish wrapped in dried seaweed, was unfamiliar to most North Americans. Many wouldn't eat raw fish or seaweed. Tojo changed his menu. He modified the sushi ingredients. He hid the seaweed by putting it inside the rice, instead of outside. He created the California roll: dried seaweed, avocado, and cooked crab meat wrapped in rice. The California roll is found in sushi restaurants and even grocery stores across North America.

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If I became student council president, I would make significant changes at my school. I would help my fellow students by being the voice of the student body and communicating openly and effectively with the principal, board of education, school faculty and staff, and parents. For example, I would make every effort to represent students' interests on issues such as mobile phones in the classroom, healthy lunch options in the cafeteria, and improved showers and lockers in our gymnasium. In addition, I would focus on organizing more social events for students, including talent shows, sports tournaments, fashion shows, dances with exciting themes, and battle of the band competitions.

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Ponies are a type of horse, but there are significant differences between ponies and horses. Ponies are generally shorter than horses. Ponies also tend to live longer than horses. Horses are considered to be over fifty-eight inches tall, and ponies are less than that. Horses usually live to be twenty-five to thirty years old. Most ponies live to be thirty-five or even forty.

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On June 16, 1976, thousands of black South African students protested in the streets of the Soweto settlement. At that time, South Africa had a policy of apartheid, which strictly separated the races and discriminated against black South Africans. The students were angry that they had to use Afrikaans, the language used by the white population that ruled South Africa, in their schools. The United States had laws preventing black people and white people from using the same public places until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 abolished segregation. Hundreds of protesters were killed in Soweto. When news of the uprising spread around the world, it helped pressure South Africa to reform its policies. Apartheid officially ended in 1994.

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The Servicemen's Readjustment Act, also known as the G.I. Bill, gave veterans money to pay college costs and buy books and supplies. Ex-servicemen were also eligible to receive low-interest home loans so that they could afford to buy their own homes, as well commercial loans to set up their own businesses. One of the more controversial aspects of the bill was the provision of unemployment benefits to the veterans who were unable to find jobs.

state main idea

If I could invent something, I would create a really nice bicycle. My bike would have a good seat and great tires so that I could ride it anywhere. It would also have a bell and special pockets for carrying things. A special top would be wonderful, so I could ride it in the rain but also enjoy the sun. I would choose a fun color to reflect my personality. Inventing a new bike would be cool.

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