5 Persistent Myths About Social Anxiety Disorder

5 Persistent Myths About Social Anxiety Disorder Social anxiety is a common psychological problem, but it is not well understood by the general public and even by some professionals. People who experience social anxiety feel as though they are being judged and evaluated when they are in social and performance situations. Although they know that the anxiety and fear that they feel is unwarranted, controlling or preventing the anxiety seems impossible. If you always experience social anxiety when you are around other people, it can become very difficult to ever relax and be yourself around others. When it feels like everyone is judging you, it sometimes seems easier just to avoid social situations altogether. Often people who experience severe social anxiety believe that they are the only people in the world with the problem, and they do not tell anyone. If you believe that you may have social anxiety, this article will help you to understand some of the myths about this type of fear and make a decision about getting help for your problem. Myth #1: Social Anxiety Isnt That Common Fact: Social anxiety is experienced by most people at some point in their lives. Whether it was during a speech that they gave in high school, or when going for their first job interview, everyone gets butterflies once in a while. Between 2% and 13% of the population is thought to have social anxiety to the point that it would be considered social anxiety disorder (SAD). Myth #2: Social Anxiety Only Refers to Public Speaking Fears Fact: Social anxiety refers to anxiety and fear in many different social and performance situations. These may include formal events, such as public speaking and performing; informal speaking and interaction, such as meeting strangers or going to a party; difficult situations, such as expressing disagreement; and everyday events, such as eating in front of others. The common thread among each of these triggers is that there is the potential of being evaluated. Tips for Managing Public Speaking Anxiety Myth #3: Social Anxiety Just Means That You Feel Nervous Fact: Social anxiety brings with it a collection of symptoms, only one of which is a feeling of nervousness. If you suffer from social anxiety you will experience cognitive (thinking) problems, somatic (physical) problems, behavioral problems, and effective (emotional) problems. For example, when meeting a stranger for the first time you might think to yourself: She must be able to tell that Im a poor conversationalist. Your hands might start to shake, you may feel like escaping the situation, and even feel hopeless about ever doing well socially. Myth #4: Social Anxiety and Shyness Are the Same Things Fact: Although social anxiety and shyness are very similar, they are not the same thing. Social anxiety involves feelings of fear about social or performance situations, but it does not always involve the avoidance of, or withdrawal from, these situations. Some people may appear to be very outgoing,  but on the inside, they are terribly anxious and simply very good at hiding their feelings. In contrast, those who are shy tend to withdraw from or avoid social contact because of feelings of social anxiety. People who are shy always experience social anxiety, but those with social anxiety may not always act shy. Myth #5: Social Anxiety Is a Problem That You Just Have to Learn to Live With Fact: Some people experience such terrible social anxiety on a daily basis that they cant work or even leave the house. Others function well in general but have a specific fear that gets in the way of achieving goals, such as a fear of public speaking. Neither situation is hopeless or something that has to be lived with. With effective treatment such as medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy, everyone has the potential to live life without social fears. Activities to Help You Manage Social Anxiety

DBU, Dallas Baptist University Admissions ACT, Tuition

The Age Of The Enlightenment - 1646 Words

The Age of the Enlightenment during the beginning of the 18th century was a revolution that vanquished the suffocating darkness of superstition that shrouded the Middle Ages. Revolutionary thinkers of the Enlightenment, such as Denis Diderot, Renà © Descartes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, led western civilization out of the darkness of ignorance with a small flame generated by the power of scientific and intellectual reason. For a while, it seemed as though the reason and rationality of Enlightenment thinking would be the harbinger of peace. However, this idea of peace was merely a conjectured fantasy that disregarded the rising discontentment of a newly oppressed people. This is displayed through the perversion of the French Revolution into an irrational and passion driven bloodbath. Towards the end of the 18th century, people felt that the rigidity of scientific reason instilled by the Enlightenment was bleeding the spirit, morality, and especially the passion out of exi stence. The small flame of the Enlightenment was ignited into a raging fire of oppressed passion generated through the power individualistic thinking. Rather than focusing on a unified peace, revolutionaries, such as Thomas Paine, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann von Goethe and Jane Austen, of the late 18th and 19th century emphasized the passion of self-expression within the individual. Thomas Paine exemplifies the passionate, individualistic expression of the late 18th and early 19th century inShow MoreRelatedEnlightenment : The Age Of Enlightenment And The Enlightenment782 Words   |  4 Pages The Enlightenment or The Age of Reason was an European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries. The ideas during this period were about God, reason, nature, and developments in art, philosophy, and politics. The â€Å"Enlightenment thinkers† affected the development of the United States Government. The Declaration of Independence, Constitution Bill of rights and The Federalist Papers were all influenced by important enlightenment ideas of freedom, unavailable rights, and government. DeclarationRead MoreAge Of Enlightenment755 Words   |  4 Pages During the 18th century, a worldwide movement, more commonly recognized as the Age of Enlightenment, encouraged the spread of philosophical thinking, science, communications, and politics. This movement gradually branched out from Northern Europe and reached places such as the United States of America and France, encouraging the American and French Revolutions. The Enlightenment brought about a new age of philosophical and intellectual thinkers, such as John Locke, which helped shape and influenceRead MoreAge Of Enlightenment1210 Words   |  5 PagesThe Age of Enlightenment has historically been affiliated with drastic skepticism and revolution in politics, philosophy, science, and communications, amongst other disciplines. In the early eighteenth century, people began to challenge the idea that rulers, spirits, and Catholicism were dominant over other ways of life. Although the Enlightenment primarily prevailed in parts of Europe in countries such as England and France, it was als o crucial in determining several aspects of colonial AmericaRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightment : The Age Of Enlightenment1161 Words   |  5 PagesThe age of enlightenment took place in the 18th century. This was a time that was characterized by lot of aristocratic wars. Philosophers of that time agreed that war was among the greatest evils confronting mankind. The problem they faced with this conviction is that power lay with the aristocracy who viewed wars as a constituent of the society. The aristocracy treated wars as a necessity and as such it was treated as a normal and ordinary fact of life. These philosophers therefore devised waysRead MoreTheories Of The Age Of Enlightenment1026 Words   |  5 Pagesbeheaded, drowned, or stoned to death. This way of thinking and punishing offenders continued through the 1600’s until the Age of Enlightenment. It was during this time that Thomas Hobbes wrote a book proposing theories that would change the way many people think about oth er individuals and their actions. Thomas Hobbes’ most influential contributions to the Age of Enlightenment were his theories on an individual’s ability to rationally choose their own actions, free will, and the idea of social contractRead More Age of Enlightenment Essay2052 Words   |  9 Pages The 18th century is referred to as the ‘Age of Enlightenment’. The trends in thought and letters from Europe to the American colonies brought a new light and attention upon mankind. This new movement described a time in Western philosophy and cultural life in which reason was advocated as the primary source and legitimacy for authority. ‘To understand the natural world and humankinds place in it solely on the basis of reason and without turning to religious belief was the goal of the wide-rangingRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment In Frankenstein835 Words   |  4 Pagesand works of individuals during the Age of Enlightenment. Consequently, many of the ideas and theories that were expressed during the Age of Enlightenment are found throughout Shelley’s gothic novel. Furthermore, the Age of Enlightenment impacted the events depicted in Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Frankenstein, such as man’s state of nature, as discussed by John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Thomas Hobbes is considered one of the first major figures of the Enlightenment, and his major argument presentedRead MoreThe Enlightenment : The Age Of Reason1126 Words   |  5 PagesThe Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was an important period in the history of Western Civilization during the 17th and 18th centuries - a time of social turmoil where societies were divided between social groups and struggled for freedom, equality and democracy (Seidman, 2008: 6). This time gave rise to remarkable social thinkers, known as Enlighteners, who pioneered a new science of society (Seidman, 2008: 5). These highly educated Enlighteners believed the world could be rationallyRead MoreThe European Age Of Enlightenment1359 Words   |  6 PagesEuropean Age of Enlightenment, a period when great thinkers shared innovative thoughts on the governance and rights of man, slavery, the ultimate expression of human oppression, was widely practiced. The development of the Atlantic trade saw millions of Africans, enslaved by white European societies, shipped to the Americas to live a life void of liberty and dominated by misery, an existence starkly contrasting Enlightenment ideals. Despite the commonality of the practice, the Enlightenment movementRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment By Voltaire1572 Words   |  7 Pages1. Do some research on Voltaire and his beliefs as well as the era in which he wrote, which was the Age of Enlightenment. Be sure to cite your so urces of information. The Age of Enlightenment occurred from the 1620s until the 1780s. This movement began in England, and steadily spread almost worldwide before long. The term Enlightenment was used to contrast the Dark Ages, a time in which innovation and free-thinking was at an all-time low. Voltaire’s French philosophy included free-thinking and

Viewing Mrs. Dalloway Through the Lens of “Modern Fiction” Free Essays

In â€Å"Modern Fiction,† Virginia Woolf comments on the flaws of modernist writers such as Wells, Bennett, and Galsworthy.   Their narrow focus on the material and lack of affinity for the spiritual or realistic, is evidence enough that they have fallen short in the literary sense.   In Mrs. We will write a custom essay sample on Viewing Mrs. Dalloway Through the Lens of â€Å"Modern Fiction† or any similar topic only for you Order Now Dalloway, Woolf explores connections with truth, reality, and that which is above the material through her narrative techniques, complex imagery, and provoking themes, thus emphasizing through Mrs. Dalloway what she has so adamantly called for in â€Å"Modern Fiction.† Woolf possesses the ability to create a work of fiction that evokes a pleasant reading experience for the reader without utilizing a central plot.   In Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf chooses to explore the narrative possibilities of bringing several characters through one single day in time.   This narrative technique works well in a text that mainly focuses on Mrs. Dalloway’s world view, her inner workings, and her exploration and sensory experience of the world surrounding her. The organizational structure of the novel challenges Woolf to create characters that are deep enough to be realistic while dealing with only one day of their lives.   Woolf creates within the character of Clarissa the inherent sense of the magnanimity of living one day in time.   Clarissa â€Å"had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day† (16). Through Clarissa, Woolf creates a sense of the complexity each day is capable of bringing to individual characters, thus calling her readers to â€Å"look within life†¦examine for a moment an ordinary mind on an ordinary day.   The mind receives a myriad impressions—trivial, fanstastic, evanescent, or engraved with the sharpness of steel† (3).   Clarissa, through her sensory perception of the world around her, feels the danger of living even one day. Woolf’s embrace of the realistic and spiritual aspects of the world, asserted in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† are set up within this novel so that those views will be challenged.   Through the character of Clarissa, struggling through one day in time, Woolf compels the reader to consider the possibilities beyond the material world.   This narrative technique moves the action forward, and simultaneously delves into the life and inner workings of Clarissa, baring her soul to the reader and opening up the possibilities and realities of the spiritual world. Woolf also employs imagery that similarly challenges the reader to explore the possibilities of what lies beyond the material.   The imagery of death is quite prevalent in the text, and these images are mainly viewed through Clarissa, as she makes sense of her life.   Critic Jacob Littleton, in his article, â€Å"Portrait of the Artist as Middle-Aged Woman,† asserts that because Clarissa possesses a â€Å"heightened view of existence,† she always possesses a â€Å"preternaturally vivid awareness and fear of the termination of the existence she loves so much† (38). Clarissa’s â€Å"fear of termination† resonates most clearly in her isolated attic bedroom.   The image of her bedroom symbolizes loneliness and death, and serves as a place where Clarissa frequently contemplates these subjects.   Her bed, â€Å"no longer the marriage bed symbolizing fertility, is symbolized by her fertile mind as shrinking into her world in a way that other outlooks available to her do not† (40).   She has no one but herself in which to rely, and this is evidenced through her continual fascination with the concept of death and the end of existence. Clarissa’s transcendental theory, which she uses as a reference to inform herself of the realities of the spiritual realm, causes her to surmise that â€Å"since our apparitions, the part of us which appears, are so momentarily compared with the other, the unseen part of us, which spreads wide, the unseen might survive, be recovered somehow attached to this person or that, or even haunting certain places after death†¦perhaps—perhaps† (79). The image of the spiritual transcending death through means of apparitions is another powerful image within the text, and interlocks with the image of death and presents itself simultaneously. In the case of Septimus, Clarissa is able to feel a connection with him after he has died that seems to transcend death.   She assimilates herself with him after he took his life.   She knows that â€Å"she felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away†¦He made her feel beauty; made her feel the fun.   But she must go back.   She must assemble† (185).   Mrs. Dalloway sees herself in Septimus, even though she has never encountered him face-to-face; she sees something in Septimus that she desires for herself. Woolf, through Clarissa’s transcendental theory and interactions with the image of Septimus, uses Clarissa’s experience to assert her own views on the spiritual aspect of reality.   There is something far above the material that causes Clarissa to feel this affinity with Septimus.   There is something beyond herself that calls her to him, thus causing her to desire his fate for her own.   The power of the imagery of death and the ability to transcend it is fully realized in the doubling of Clarissa and Septimus. Lastly, Woolf uses themes that connect reality with the spiritual realm in an attempt to further her thesis in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† for fiction to be modern and worth reading, it must explore that which is above the material world.   Woolf’s main concern in the novel seems to be the inner workings of Mrs. Dalloway, her thought processes, and how she engages with the world surrounding her.   Woolf juxtaposes Clarissa’s internal self with her external world, thus setting up one of the most prevalent, resonant themes within the text, and it is â€Å"against this system that Woolf places a world of private significance whose meaning is wholly irreducible to facts of the external world† (37). This struggle between the internal and external surrounds not only Clarissa, but her double, Septimus, and thus permeates the novel.   Personality, according to Ellen Bayuk Rosenmann, in her article, â€Å"The Invisible Presence,† seems to be a â€Å"private fact,† which is far â€Å"alienated from public and political culture† (77).   Society at large is able to neither appreciate nor understand the inner workings of the soul, and thus stands at a distance. Woolf asserts in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† that â€Å"Whether we call it life or spirit, truth or reality, this, the essential thing, has moved off, or on, and refuses to be contained any longer is such ill-fitting vestments as we provide† (3).   In essence, the separation between the internal (soul) and the external (material world) is not navigable.   Mrs. Dalloway is forced to break down the material barriers that bar her from knowing herself, and delve into the depths of her soul to find the spiritual, the truth. Another fascinating theme within the text is the intriguing concept of human interaction.   Characters within the novel are being continually merged together through their experiences and through their own imaginations and memories as well (Littleton 39).   One of the most interesting examples of this is the relationship between Mrs. Dalloway and Septimus.   Clarissa never visually sees Septimus, yet he is the most significant part of her day.   Clearly, Woolf is merging the two characters together, yet she blurs the lines a bit, thus furthering her assertions in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† that â€Å"life is not a series of gig lamps symmetrically arranged; life is a luminous halo, a semi-transparent envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end† (4). Septimus is a part of Clarissa’s consciousness, even though she does not realize it.   His life has a large impact of Clarissa, and he is the sole character that compels her to remain true to her soul. Critic J. Hillis Miller, in his article, â€Å"Repetition as Raising the Dead,† explains that â€Å"no man or woman is limited to him or herself, but each is joined to the others†¦diffused like a mist among all the people and places he or she has encountered† (173).   The characters are connected on various levels, and Woolf shows this connection quite acutely through the lens of Lady Bruton as she muses about the way in which Hugh and Richard remain with her after they leave, â€Å"as if one’s friends were attached to one’s body, after lunching with them, by a thin thread, which†¦became hazy with the sound of bells, striking the hour† (112). This statement furthers Woolf’s ideal that there is an inherent spiritual connection within human beings, a â€Å"thin thread† which connects humanity.   The interaction between the characters is remarkable, as Woolf continues to assert that there is a spiritual connection between human beings that surpasses any material, physical connection (8). Through means of narrative technique, fascinating imagery, and compelling themes, Woolf continues to assert her thesis in â€Å"Modern Fiction,† that fiction must be concerned with the reality of life, its inherent truth and spirituality.   If fiction is only willing to explore the material, it will do a disservice to humanity, for there is a world beyond the material that begs to be explored.   In Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf explore this other world, and brings to light fascinating possibilities that lie far beyond that realms of the material. Works Cited Littleton, Jacob. â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway: Portrait of the Artist as a Middle-Aged Woman.† Twentieth Century Literature. Hempstead: Spring 1995. 41:1, 36-48. Miller, J. Hillis. â€Å"Repetition as Raising the Dead.† Virginia Woolf. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1986. Rosenmann, Ellen Bayuk. â€Å"The Invisible Presence: Virginia Woolf and the Mother Daughter Relationship.† Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1986. Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. New York: Harcourt, 1925. Woolf, Virginia. The Common Reader. 1st edition. 1925. How to cite Viewing Mrs. Dalloway Through the Lens of â€Å"Modern Fiction†, Essay examples

Rainforest Depletion Essays - Habitats, Ecosystems, Biodiversity

Rainforest Depletion Long ago, the Earth had a green belt of rain forests around its middle that covered almost twelve percent of the earth's land surface.(Miller Today, the rain forest covers two percent of the earth's land surface and it is declining rapidly. The following will be a description of the rain forest, factors in its destruction, and if there are any answers to slow or halt the process. "Today, as we enter the last decade of the twentieth century, we have reached a turning point; we can no longer use the excuse of ignorance."(Hammond 2) People need to try harder to stop rain forest depletion. There are two major areas on earth where rain forests are located. One of these areas is called "The Old World Tropics," which includes Africa and Asia. In Africa, the rain forests are primarily located around the Zaire river. The other area in which rain forests are located is called "The New World Tropics," which contains Central and South America. The New World tropics are in lower altitudes as opposed to the Old World tropics, which are at higher altitudes. Rain forests are located around the equator. This location of the rain forests makes them warm and humid all year round. There are never cold winters in the rain forests. During winter in the rain forests, people comfortably are able to wear T-shirts and shorts. The rain forest has a rainy season which usually lasts most of the year. "The rain forests of the world are home to more than half of the animal species that live on earth."(CSIRO 1) Many of these creatures are some of the most beautiful and odd creatures in the world, Such as the large rodent Capybara, the Anteater, and many different colorful exotic birds. There are many beautiful creatures living in our Earth's rain forests. Many people are ignorant to the effects of rain forest depletion on our environment, and this ignorance is a major cause in the beginning of the destruction of the rain forests. "European settlers exploited the rain forests for timber and cleared them for agricultural purposes."(Parish 4) "The name scrub, which was originally applied to the rain forest by European settlers, became a term for land seen as useless until subject to ax, fire, and plough."(Parish 4) People did not think of the affects on the environment because the little knowledge that was known about the affects was not very widespread. Another cause in the destruction of the rain forest is people's values. "Many people value species according to their worth to human beings."(Miller People often ignore the problems with the environment simply because they do not want to deal with it. "Natural checks against over exploitation have been ignored because those who are now consuming the products of the rain forest are not those who experience the immediate effects of its degredation."(Hammond 2) Many people believe that they will not live long enough to face the consequences of the destruction but they do not realize how fast the rain forests are depleting. Recently in Borneo's Sarawak rain forest, 24 cavers and scientists are braving the rain forests elements and creatures to save the regions natural riches. The cavers and scientists are trying to find plant and animal life diverse enough to protect it from mining and to declare it a national park. "Whether the government sets aside the area this year, in five years or never depends on what's discovered out there."(Webster 5) This is a case that often occurs in rain forests. Many governments see no reason to protect the rainforest unless there is an important plant or creature that lives in it. "With chain saws, bulldozers, and other powerful equipment, we can bring the giant trees of the rain forest, the very symbol of strength and majesty, crashing to the ground from their lofty heights in just a few hours."(Miller All of this destruction and havoc is leading our world straight into events that will threaten life on earth itself. Some of the possible results in the future if the depletion does not stop immediately are global warming and increasing ultra violet radiation as the ozone layer of the

Peroxisomes - Eukaryotic Organelles

Peroxisomes - Eukaryotic Organelles Peroxisomes are small organelles found in eukaryotic plant and animal cells. Hundreds of these round organelles can be found within a cell. Also known as microbodies, peroxisomes are bound by a single membrane and contain enzymes that produce hydrogen peroxide as a by-product. The enzymes decompose organic molecules through oxidation reactions, producing hydrogen peroxide in the process. Hydrogen peroxide is toxic to the cell, but peroxisomes also contain an enzyme that is capable of converting hydrogen peroxide to water. Peroxisomes are involved in at least 50 different biochemical reactions in the body. Types of organic polymers that are broken down by peroxisomes include amino acids, uric acid, and fatty acids. Peroxisomes in liver cells help to detoxify alcohol and other harmful substances through oxidation. Key Takeaways: Peroxisomes Peroxisomes, also known as microbodies, are organelles that are found in both eukaryotic animal and plant cells.A number of organic polymers are broken down by peroxisomes including amino acids, uric acid, and fatty acids. At least 50 different biochemical reactions in the body involve peroxisomes.Structurally, peroxisomes are surrounded by one membrane that encloses digestive enzymes. Hydrogen peroxide is produced as a by-product of peroxisome enzyme activity which decomposes organic molecules.Functionally, peroxisomes are involved in both the destruction of organic molecules and the synthesis of important molecules in the cell.Similar to mitochondria and chloroplast reproduction, peroxisomes have the ability to assemble themselves and reproduce by dividing in a process known as peroxisomal biogenesis. Peroxisomes Function In addition to being involved in the oxidation and decomposition of organic molecules, peroxisomes are also involved in synthesizing important molecules. In animal cells, peroxisomes synthesize cholesterol and bile acids (produced in the liver). Certain enzymes in peroxisomes are necessary for the synthesis of a specific type of phospholipid that is necessary for the building of heart and brain white matter tissue. Peroxisome dysfunction can lead to the development of disorders that affect the central nervous system as perioxsomes are involved in producing the lipid covering (myelin sheath) of nerve fibers. The majority of peroxisome disorders are the result of gene mutations that are inherited as autosomal recessive disorders. This means that individuals with the disorder inherit two copies of the abnormal gene, one from each parent. In plant cells, peroxisomes convert fatty acids to carbohydrates for metabolism in germinating seeds. They are also involved in photorespiration, which occurs when carbon dioxide levels become too low in plant leaves. Photorespiration conserves carbon dioxide by limiting the amount of CO2 available to be used in photosynthesis. Peroxisome Production Peroxisomes reproduce similarly to mitochondria and chloroplasts in that they have the ability to assemble themselves and reproduce by dividing. This process is called peroxisomal biogenesis and involves the building of the peroxisomal membrane, intake of proteins and phospholipids for organelle growth, and new peroxisome formation by division. Unlike mitochondria and chloroplasts, peroxisomes have no DNA and must take in proteins produced by free ribosomes in the cytoplasm. The uptake of proteins and phospholipids increases growth and new peroxisomes are formed as the enlarged peroxisomes divide. Eukaryotic Cell Structures In addition to peroxisomes, the following organelles and cell structures can also be found in eukaryotic cells: Cell Membrane: The cell membrane protects the integrity of the interior of the cell. It is a semi-permeable membrane that surrounds the cell.Centrioles: When cells divide, centrioles help to organize the assembly of microtubules.Cilia and Flagella: Both cilia and flagella aid in cellular locomotion and can also help move substances around cells.Chloroplasts: Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis in a plant cell. They contain chlorophyll, a green substance that can absorb light energy.Chromosomes: Chromosomes are located in the cells nucleus and carry heredity information in the form of DNA.Cytoskeleton: The cytoskeleton is a network of fibers that support the cell. It can be thought of as the cells infrastructure.Nucleus: The cells nucleus controls cell growth and reproduction. It is surrounded by the nuclear envelope, a double-membrane.Ribosomes: Ribosomes are involved in protein synthesis. Most often, individual ribosomes have both a small and large subunit.Mitochondria: Mit ochondria provide energy for the cell. They are considered the cells power house. Endoplasmic Reticulum: The endoplasmic reticulum synthesizes carbohydrates and lipids. It also produces proteins and lipids for a number of cell components.Golgi Apparatus: The golgi apparatus manufactures, stores, and ships certain cellular products. It can be thought of as the shipping and manufacturing center of the cell.Lysosomes: Lysosomes digest cellular macromolecules. They contain a number of hydrolytic enzymes that help to break down cellular components.

Inference Questions in ACT Reading Strategies + Practice

Inference Questions in ACT Reading Strategies + Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Questions that ask you about what infomation can be inferred from a line or series of lines on ACT Reading comprise about 15% of ACT Reading questions (based on my analysis of 4 publicly available ACTs). In order to answer these inference questions correctly, you must be able to understand what is written in the text and take one tiny, logical step beyond what is directly stated. But how are inference questions asked, and what ACT Reading strategies can you use to answer them? Keep reading to find out and prep for this important question type! feature image credit: Stevie Nicks by Trish Hamme, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Inference Questions? Inference questions on ACT reading ask you to interpret or infer the meaning (rather than function) of a phrase, line, or series of lines. Unlike with detail questions, this meaning asked about in inference questions will not be directly stated in the text, which is why inference questions use wordings like â€Å"can be reasonably inferred that† or â€Å"suggests that.† Since there can only be one correct answer, however, the answers to inference questions cannot be subjective or ambiguous. On ACT Reading, there are three main subcategories of inference questions: deduction, speculation, and examination questions. Type 1: Deduction Deduction questions are the simplest type of inference questions, because they only ask you to fill in missing information. In some ways, they are very similar to detail questions, except the paraphrasing that you must do in order to answer them requires you to make a logical deduction. Here's an example of a deduction question: It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the woman most strongly desires to attain which of the following qualities from dreaming? A. RelaxationB. Self-awarenessC. EntertainmentD. Self-control For this example, I’ll save you the work of having to go through the passage and find the relevant lines (although that’s part of what makes inference questions challenging on the ACT). Here is an excerpt from the opening of the passage with the information you need: The woman never dreams and this makes her intensely miserable. She thinks that by not dreaming she is unaware of things about herself that dreams would surely give her. She doesn’t have the door of dreams that opens every night to question the certain- ties of the day. She stays at the threshold, and the door is always closed, refusing her entrance. My thoughts: So the woman â€Å"never dreams† which makes her â€Å"intensely miserable.† Why is she miserable? Because â€Å"she thinks that by not dreaming she is unaware of things about herself that dreams would surely give her.† So she’s unhappy about not dreaming because she thinks it’s stopping her from gaining awareness about herself (self-awareness). To take a step further, then, self-awareness is something that she wants to gain. The answer to this question is B. There will be a more full walkthrough of an inference question later on in this article – the point of that was to show the itsy bitsy step you have to take beyond what is written to answer inference questions. This is not like high school English literature classes, where you’re encouraged to make any interpretation you can, as long as you can back it up with enough words/rambling; you are really only making a logical extension from things that are directly stated in the passage. Some examples of how these questions have been asked on the ACT (modified for your entertainment): â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred that the narrator’s discovery that an error has been made in programming the Mars probe is for him a source of:† â€Å"It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that before Harrison’s efforts, other individuals trying to solve the problem of space travel had failed to:† â€Å"The passage suggests that Armstrong’s most important contribution to science was his:† Type 2: Speculation This second subtype of questions ask you to speculate (hence the name) about the meaning of a statement, description, or something else in the passage. Speculation questions can be worded similarly to function questions, but the answer choices and the skills needed to answer the questions differentiate them. Example: In the context of the passage, the statement â€Å"All the guitars are made from certified wood† (lines 34–35) most nearly suggests that Gomes’s workshop: To turn this into a function question, the question would have to change to the following: â€Å"In the context of the passage, what is the function of the statement ‘All guitars are made from certified wood (lines 34-35’)." ...to which the answer would be something like "demonstrate that there is accountability at every level of the instrument making process." Instead, the question as it is currently worded asks "what does [the description] say/what’s the implication or suggested meaning of this statement/what does this emphasize about that other thing?" Here are a few more examples of how this sort of inference question is asked: â€Å"The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to:† â€Å"The paradox mentioned in the second paragraph (lines 9–14) is best described by which of the following statements?" â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred from the passage that when the narrator says, â€Å"I didn’t see the red, yellow, and purple clusters that meant flowers to me† (lines 30–31), she is most nearly indicating that:† â€Å"When the narrator says, â€Å"I began to think of the present more than of the future† (lines 80–81), she most likely means that meeting Eugene led her to:† â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred that for the narrator, the image of the diver bursting through the ocean’s sparkling membrane† (line 52) symbolizes her:† â€Å"By her statements in lines 77–80, the narrator is most nearly asserting that:† Type 3: Examination The wording of examination questions is very close to that of deduction questions, often starting with the phrase "It can reasonably be inferred that..." Rather than asking about specific facts, however, examination questions ask about the internal thoughts, feelings, or motivations of the narrator, author, or someone mentioned in the passage. Every examination question can basically be boiled down to "What would [that person] think about [this thing]?" Examination questions are the most complex type of inference question, because they ask you to get into the head of the author, narrator, character, or other person mentioned in the text. Furthermore, these types of questions often show up on paired passages, asking with the author of one passage would think about something the author of the other passage discussed. See below for some examples: â€Å"It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the narrator regards her initial discovery of the truth about the reason the Mars probe failed as:† â€Å"It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that within the scientific community the year the passage was published, the small-comet theory was:† â€Å"It can most reasonably be inferred from the passage that regarding NASA, the author feels:† It can reasonably be inferred that after seeing the first man walk on the moon, compared to the narrator of Passage B, the narrator of Passage A felt: 20-Funny-Shocked-Cat-Memes-3 by Sparkle Motion, used under CC BY 2.0. As I believe I've said before, it’s a shame the answers to questions on the ACT cannot be cat pictures. Because that's probably the most concise description of how the narrator of Passage A felt. 5 Fabulous Strategies to Attack ACT Reading Inference Questions Today, I have gathered together for you five top strategies here to help you with inference questions. Some of these strategies are more useful for certain passage approaches (for instance, if you read the pasage thoroughly, you probably don't need to look for context as much as students who skim or start with the question first). Some advice, however, is useful for everyone Look For Context One weird thing that the ACT Reading section likes to do (and the SAT Reading does NOT do) is to ask you to make inferences about things from the passage...without providing any location information. I personally think that this is a pointless exercise, because all it does is give you less time to think because you're scrambling through the passage to even find the information being asked about in the first place. Although I suppose that this is a skill that could come in handy in college/university if you haven't done the reading for the class and are unexpectedly called upon to answer a question about it. In any case, even after you’ve found the thing being asked about in an inference question on ACT Reading (for instance, â€Å"the first woman to command a mission to the International Space Station†), you might find that that sentence may not contain all the information you need to answer the inference question. If you're struggling with an inference question because you need more context, the best places to look are at the sentences directly before and after the phrase, sentence, or lines you're given in the question. In those cases where you need even more context to answer inference questions, like knowing the bigger picture/main point/perspective of the text/author, I find the best strategy is to circle the question and come back to it after you’ve answered relevant big picture questions (such as questions about the paragraph/section the lines in question are in, or even questions about the whole passage). Answer In Your Own Words I believe that this is the most important strategy for answering inference questions correctly. If you can come up with the answer in your own words before you look at the answer choices, you will more easily be able to sidestep the traps the ACT has set for you. Why? Because if you answer the question using your own words, you're far more likely to only include relevant (and accurate) information. Your answer for â€Å"Garrison mentions the impact of a certain kind of meteor in order to illustrate†¦Ã¢â‚¬  will probably not be as elegant as the answer choices, but if you've done your job and only based your answer on the text, you will have a far easier time of picking the right answer (all you have to do is choose the answer choice that best matches your own). Wrong answer choices often have irrelevant information, or contain interpretations that â€Å"seem like they could be true.† This is especially annoying because, as I stated earlier, high school classes train you to see a situation from as many points of view as possible, so your impulse may be to try and prove how each answer COULD be true. No! Don't listen to it! There is only one right answer on the ACT, and even inference questions will not require you to assume much beyond what is written. If you start with your own answer in your own words, it's a lot easier to choose the right answer choice (which has the correct answer, but in the ACT's own words). Nail Down Other ACT Reading Skills As I was completing my analysis of ACT Reading sections by question type, I had this realization: inference questions are often the trickiest type of questions because you need several of the other Reading skills in order to answer them successfully. Take this question: It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the narrator thinks her hometown has: F. improved significantly over the years.G. made little genuine progress.H. remained about the same as it was years ago.J. a chance of being rebuilt as it used to be. To answer this question correctly, you need... Little Picture skills. You need to figure out where in the passage the narrator indicates she is thinking about her home town and how it has changed. Big Picture skills. You need to be able to scan passage to get a sense of the attitude of the narrator. Even if all you're able to figure out is the general tone of the passage (is it positive or negative towards her hometown? Which answers are positive and which are negative?), you might be able to get rid of some answer choices. hammer time by Seniju, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Let your will be as the hammer and the nails as the ACT Reading skills you will hammer into the surface of your brain. I don't know what your fingers are in this analogy, though. Answer ACT Reading Questions In The Order That Works For You Something that it can be hard to wrap you mind around is that you don't have to answer questions in the order of they appear on ACT Reading. Going out of order runs you the risk of accidentally skipping questions, but the time you may save from answering questions in a particular order could make up for it (since you could use that extra time to make sure you've answered all the questions and filled out the right answers). I've created three different scenarios of the order in which you could answer questions, depending on how you approach the passage. If you are a quick and thorough reader, and read each passage in full before answering questions, I recommend that you start with big picture questions before moving on to inference and function questions. The advantage of being able to read quickly (and thoroughly) is that you can answer questions about larger amounts of text while they're still fresh, so it makes sense to start out with those questions, rather than getting bogged down in detail with little picture or vocab in context questions. If you read quickly enough to get through the passage and still have plenty of time to answer the questions, going in order is possible, but as someone who reads a book every couple of days (that is, I read quickly), I would still recommend starting with big picture questions and then moving on to inference questions. If your approach to ACT Reading involves reading the questions, then going back to the passage as needed, my advice is the complete opposite: start with little picture and vocab in context questions before moving on to inference questions. The answers to those kinds of detail questions will provide more information about the author and topic being covered, which in turn will provide context that might be useful for answering inference questions. If it turns out that you need "big picture" information to answer a particular inference question, you can always mark that question and come back to it later. If you start out ACT Reading by skimming the passage, then answering what questions you can before going back to the passage, I recommend getting both big and little picture questions out of the way before you move on to inference questions. Unless the phrase, sentence, or lines being asked about in an inference question was/were in the part of the text you read in your skim-through, it's unlikely you would be able to answer it right off the bat, whereas you might have the information you need to answer big picture questions and little picture questions (because you know where those details are likely to be) from skimming. Eliminate Answers The fundamental rule to answering every ACT Reading question is that you must eliminate three wrong answers. While answering the question in your own words first can make eliminating wrong answers easier (since you're looking for answer choices that match the answer you came up with), this is not always the case for inference questions. On occasion, I have found myself frustrated with inference questions because the inference I make from the text is correct, but it's not the information the ACT is looking for. As an example, for the question "It can most reasonably be inferred that the narrator’s discovery that the last of Boston's excessive snow melted on July 14th was to her a source of:" my initial instinct was that this fact was an endless source of jokes for the narrator, when in fact the question was asking about the narrator's feelings (and so none of the answer choices matched my inference, even though it was possibly also correct). So if you are in a situation where you haven't been able to use context and answer the question in your own words in a way that matches up with the answer choices, what do you do? Going through each answer choice might seem daunting at first, since each answer is has multiple facets to it. In actuality, though, complicated answer choices are easier to eliminate, because if any part of the answer choice is false, you can cross it out. Here's an example: Each of the three projects described in the passage reveals: A. the increasing antagonism between the grandfather and grandson.B. the errors the narrator makes and the disapproval they bring from others.C. that such incidents set the stage for the Bryant family traits to emerge.D. that the narrator is determined to avoid being ungrateful, hateful, or overly fastidious. If you can eliminate any part of the answer choice, you can eliminate the whole thing. Take answer A. the increasing antagonism between the grandfather and grandson. Is there antagonism between grandfather and grandson? If not, ELIMINATE (spoiler: there is not) Is that antagonism increasing? If not, ELIMINATE Do the projects show that the antagonism between the grandfather and grandson is increasing? If not, ELIMINATE As you can see, there are many chances for elimination – it should be really hard for an answer to make the cut. For this question, the correct answer, C, passes this test: there are incidents (the three projects) and they do set the stage for Bryant family traits to emerge. Inference Questions: A Walkthrough through Real Questions Before giving you some practice inference questions to work on, I wanted to do a walkthrough of answering an inference question. I'll have way more in depth explanations in this walkthrough than you would have to justify to yourself on the test, because I want to make sure my reasoning is clear, so don't be intimidated by how detailed it gets. My internal thought process is presented in italics. Here's the question: The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: A. feel more like a patient than a physician.B. become a more important part of the real world.C. understand his patients’ illnesses better.D. see if being a naturalist is like being a physician. Rephrase the question: change it from â€Å"why does the author leave the hospital† to â€Å"what’s the main thing that leaving the hospital let the author do?† Here is that last paragraph: With this in mind, I have taken off my white coat, deserted, by and large, the hospitals where I have spent the last twenty-five years, to explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world, feeling in part like a naturalist, examining rare forms of life; in part like an anthropologist, a neuroanthropologist, in the field- but most of all like a physician, called here and there to make house calls, house calls at the far borders of human experience. Step one: Look for context Luckily, this question gives specific location information (last paragraph), so I don’t have to hunt all through the passage for the information to answer the question. magellan by fPat Murray, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Monkey and binoculars: not necessary for finding the answers to inference questions, but still adorable. Step two: Answer in my own words So the main thing that leaving the hospital to visit his patients lets the author do is â€Å"explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world,† which involves â€Å"feeling in part like a naturalist, examining rare forms of life; in part like an anthropologist, a neuroanthropologist, in the field- but most of all like a physician† Step three: Can I eliminate any answers based on my answer in my own words? The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: A. feel more like a patient than a physician. No, because it says he feels â€Å"most of all like a physician.† I can eliminate this straight off the bat! The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: B. become a more important part of the real world. Mentions something about the real world in the passage. not sure. Can’t eliminate it just yet. The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: C. understand his patients’ illnesses better. Mentions exploring his patients’ lives†¦maybe related to understanding illnesses? Can’t eliminate just yet. D. see if being a naturalist is like being a physician. Does say something about â€Å"feeling in part like a naturalist,† and â€Å"but most of all like a physician,† which I guess could be comparing them? I don’t know. Need to examine the next more closely. Let’s go back to the text again: With this in mind, I have taken off my white coat, Wait, hold up. The first sentence of the paragraph begins, â€Å"With this in mind.† NO no no no this is not how we start paragraphs. Not with an unclear antecedent! But since the author made that choice, I GUESS I need to figure out what the â€Å"this† that he’s keeping in mind is. To the previous paragraph for more context! The study of disease, for the physician, demands the study of identity, the inner worlds that patients, under the spur of illness, create. But the realities of patients, the ways in which they and their brains construct their own worlds, cannot be comprehended wholly from the observation of behavior, from the outside. Aha! So the doctor decided to visit patients at home keeping in mind that â€Å"The study of disease†¦demands the study of identity†¦But the realities of patients†¦cannot be comprehended wholly†¦from the outside.† Does the paragraph make more sense now? With this in mind, I have taken off my white coat, deserted, by and large, the hospitals where I have spent the last twenty-five years, to explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world, feeling in part like a naturalist, examining rare forms of life; in part like an anthropologist, a neuroanthropologist, in the field- but most of all like a physician, called here and there to make house calls, house calls at the far borders of human experience. Okay. So the answer to â€Å"what’s the main thing that visiting patients at home allows the author to do† is that it allows him to â€Å"explore my subjects’ lives as they live in the real world† because figuring out what’s wrong with them can’t be done just â€Å"from the outside† Another look at the remaining answers: The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: B. become a more important part of the real world. Seems broad. I’m already making the inference that the doctor wants to explore his patients’ lives from the inside to figure out what’s wrong with them because doing it from the outside isn’t enough – taking another leap to having him do it to â€Å"become a more important part of the real world† seems too iffy for the ACT. Tentatively cross this one out. The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: C. understand his patients’ illnesses better. Oh. Well. Yes. That is the reason, except instead of â€Å"figure out what’s wrong with his patients† the ACT is way more elegant and went with â€Å"understand his patients’ illnesses better.† I guess I’ll check the last answer, just in case. The last paragraph suggests that the author’s main reason for leaving the hospital to visit his patients is to allow him to: D. see if being a naturalist is like being a physician. Nope, he doesn’t care about being a naturalist! It’s a red herring! The answer must be C. Red herring @ Lowestoft, Suffolk by Tim Parkinson, used under CC BY 2.0. Don't be fooled by red herring answer choices! ACT Reading Practice Questions on Inferences: Your Turn! Now that you've made it through that walkthrough of an inference question, it's time for you to practice on your own! Click on the image below for a larger version of the passage. 1. It is reasonable to infer from the passage that the narrator looks back on the dinner-dances as a time when: F. her parents were in conflict over her mother’s work.G. the entire family was filled with excitement and anticipation.H. she and her father had a much easier relationship with each other.J. her mother and father had renewed hope for the future of the family. 2. When the narrator says, â€Å"I solemnly would nod- the honored recipient of this arcane cultural wisdom† (lines 53–54), she most likely means that: A. she felt intimidated when her father was giving her information that she did not understand.B. her father was honored to be able to share personal information with his daughter.C. when her father put on his tie, she pretended to be honored, even though she thought his comment was silly.D. the information her father was giving her seemed important and made her feel valued. 3. The sentence â€Å"Like an eagle, her words slipped regally down a great distance and struck with awful ease† (lines 75–76) indicates that the narrator: F. was not sure what her mother expected of her.G. recognized that her mother was being demeaned.H. wanted to distance herself from her mother.J. was ill at ease with her position in the family. 4. Based on the last two paragraphs (lines 78–92), which of the following statements indicates what the narrator’s father and mother have in common? F. They both want control of the family finances. G. They are both fighting for their self-respect. H. They both want to teach a lesson to their children. J. They are both angry at the woman who came for the fitting. Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. G 2. D 3. G 4. G In Conclusion... Inference questions ask you about the meaning of a phrase, sentence, or series of lines in a passage Look for context to help you answer the question Answer the question in your own words before looking at the ACT’s answer choices Nail down other ACT Reading skills to help you answer inference questions Attack questions in an order that makes sense, based on the way you read the passage/your own test-taking style Eliminate 3 wrong answers What’s Next? Want to up your ACT Reading game? Check out more of our ACT Reading Skills articles, including articles on vocab in context, big picture, little picture, function and development, and paired passage questions. For a deeper look at paired passages, also be sure to read about why ACT Reading paired passages are so difficult. Feeling overwhelmed and not sure how to read the passage? Find out the best way to practice ACT Reading and what's actually tested on ACT Reading. Worried about running out of time on ACT Reading? You’re not alone. Read more about how to avoid a time-crunch here! Do you find that breaking down questions by skill type and drilling them really works for you? Consider the signing up for the PrepScholar platform to jumpstart your test prep! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: