Army of Ants essays

Army of Ants essays He was well aware of their power of adaptation, their sense of discipline, their marvelous talent for organization. Some might think that a well trained army of soldiers was the subject of this statement, not an insect of thumbs length. Ants are thought to be small, insignificant creatures that could cause no more harm than a ruined picnic and squashed without the slightest struggle, but not these ants. In the story Leiningen Versus the Ants, looking like something that comes from a horror film, the voracious ants ate everything in sight, including human flesh. But these ants seemed to have something else. An intelligence that only humans could possess and actions that were even more amazing. Organization and strategy hardly seem like an element that a swarm of ants would possess, but in this case, they had it. They separated their army into groups, with each taking a different course to try and enter the plantation. Such great intelligence could frighten anyone when it comes down to millions of razor jawed insects wanting nothing more than to immolate you until all that is left are your bones. Knowing that each time these creatures lose a battle, they get smarter, and could at any second come up with a massive plan, definitely adds to the suspense of the story, because you never know what the ants will come up with. The actions of these ants add even more horror to the story by showing their determination. Building bridges and sacrificing themselves for the rest of their army is shocking for creatures of their size and reputation. Just the act of building a bridge to get across a moat is something only a human should be able to do. The ants actually worked together, communicating with each other to accomplish this huge human-like task. Now the reader knows exactly what the ants are capable of doing, making the mystery of what they will do next a horrifying thought. ...

Practice in Using Commas and Semicolons Correctly

Practice in Using Commas and Semicolons Correctly This exercise offers practice in applying the rules for using commas and semicolons correctly. Before attempting the exercise, you may find it helpful to review these three pages: Guidelines for Using Commas EffectivelyHow to Use the SemicolonSemicolons, Colons, and Dashes Throughout the following two paragraphs, you will find a number of empty paired brackets: [ ]. Replace each set of brackets with a comma or a semicolon, keeping in mind that the primary use of a semicolon is to separate two main clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction. When you are done, compare your work with the correctly punctuated versions of the two paragraphs on page two. Exercise: Pasta Pasta[ ] a large family of shaped[ ] dried wheat pastes[ ] is a basic staple in many countries. Its origins are obscure. Rice pastes were known very early in China[ ] pastes made of wheat were used in India and Arabia long before they were introduced into Europe in the 11th or 12th century. According to legend[ ] Marco Polo brought a pasta recipe with him from Asia in 1295. Pasta quickly became a major element in the Italian diet[ ] and its use spread throughout Europe. Pasta is made from durum wheat flour[ ] which makes a strong[ ] elastic dough. Hard durum wheat has the highest wheat protein value. The flour is mixed with water[ ] kneaded to form a thick paste[ ] and then forced through perforated plates or dies that shape it into one of more than 100 different forms. The macaroni die is a hollow tube with a steel pin in its center[ ] the spaghetti die lacks the steel pin and produces a solid cylinder of paste. Ribbon pasta is made by forcing the paste through thin slits in a die[ ] shells and other curved shapes are produced with more intricate dies. The shaped dough is dried carefully to reduce the moisture content to about 12 percent[ ] and properly dried pasta should remain edible almost indefinitely. Pastas can be colored with spinach or beet juice. The addition of egg produces a richer[ ] yellower pasta that is usually made in noodle form and is often sold undried. When you are done, compare your work with the correctly punctuated versions of the two paragraphs on page two. Here are the two paragraphs that served as the model for the punctuation exercise on page one. Original Paragraphs: Pasta Pasta, a large family of shaped, dried wheat pastes, is a basic staple in many countries. Its origins are obscure. Rice pastes were known very early in China; pastes made of wheat were used in India and Arabia long before they were introduced into Europe in the 11th or 12th century. According to legend, Marco Polo brought a pasta recipe with him from Asia in 1295. Pasta quickly became a major element in the Italian diet, and its use spread throughout Europe. Pasta is made from durum wheat flour, which makes a strong, elastic dough. Hard durum wheat has the highest wheat protein value. The flour is mixed with water, kneaded to form a thick paste, and then forced through perforated plates or dies that shape it into one of more than 100 different forms. The macaroni die is a hollow tube with a steel pin in its center; the spaghetti die lacks the steel pin and produces a solid cylinder of paste. Ribbon pasta is made by forcing the paste through thin slits in a die; shells and other curved shapes are produced with more intricate dies. The shaped dough is dried carefully to reduce the moisture content to about 12 percent, and properly dried pasta should remain edible almost indefinitely. Pastas can be colored with spinach or beet juice. The addition of egg produces a richer, yellower pasta that is usually made in noodle form and is often sold undried.