Kim

I think that well-written standardized tests are important and the only way for many teachers to know how well they are doing and where their students need the most help. This is particularly important in low-income districts, where the majority of students are well below grade levels and cannot pass these tests. For students who are better off (you guys), it may seem like a joke and a waste of your day, but I bet many people enjoy not having to go to class for a day.Like Opaque said, the people who design the test often have our best interests at heart. There are certain basic things every student should know just for knowledge's sake, not really because you'll use them in your everyday life. Algebra, for example, develops your abstract thinking skill.

Hmm...I like dolphins. They look like they're always smiling.I think the reason a lot of people want to be female is to know how women think. Maybe? No one mentioned plants though. I guess most plants don't have a very easy life. I'd like to be a sequoia tree (spelling??). Those trees on the West coast of the US. They're really old and very big. I would like to be a silent observer of the passage of time.

What is the test like? Is it for high school or college? If the test is mostly multiple choice and short answer, then the best way to study is to know and understand the key concepts, and to read the books and notes. If the test is problems-based with little or no discussion then it's good to know how to do the problems. The best way is to do all the homework, understand what you're doing, then test yourself with practice problems. The key to learning the material is not to study everything in a one-night mega-cram session, but to catch up with all your assignments and reading by doing and homework and reading frequently. You can probably remember a lot if you study everything in one night, but it's a lot of pressure, and you'll forget everything right after the test.I guess it depends on the student. Some people just have good memory!

Wow, this is such a diverse little forum. More people should vote!I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. Conservative country, although I wouldn't say I am.

I like your opinion! Except I wouldn't call it damage, but they still should share the responsibility.

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ So it seems that some men think it's unfair to pay a woman child support for a child he didn't want. Does that seem right? Isn't the child still his child? That's just selfish and irresponsible. How much freedom does a man want? No one is asking him to get pregnant for 9 months and take care of the child, his child. If everyone in society gets what he or she wants, we wouldn't have civilization.

Wow, what took him so long to get married, I wonder? Was he just picky? He wasn't that bad looking...

To the people who say they would rather see children put away than live a life of abuse, listen to yourself!! It is sad that children have to grow up in abusive environments. But what's sadder is someone saying that they would rather see a child die than grow up like that. If you can see a child in such an environment, would you cross your arms, look the other way, and tell your friends that this is the reason why abortions should be legal? Isn't the more humane thing to do is to help the child? Be a positive influence? I don't agree with this reason for getting an abortion. It's like saying, "I know I'm going to fail as a parent, so I won't even try." How many times have we given up something before we even try? This is not how it should be! Raising a child will be hard, but not impossible. We also have the option to put up the child for adoption. There are plenty of people out there who can't have children. There are people who would rather sit at home and shake their heads at the way things are. If you feel sorry for the children, go help them. Become a mentor, a teacher. There are plenty out there who needs help. Put your money where your mouth is.

The best way to get over someone is to remove all things that have anything to do with them. For example, if you usually talk to him on AIM, make a real effort to abandon AIM for awhile. If sappy love songs usually make you think about him, listen to something else. One thing that kept me from thinking about guys in high school was books. I read lots of books, but mostly classics, and it kept me occupied. Distractions are everywhere, so the best way to keep from running into them is to keep yourself really busy.

Is anyone allowed to vote? I vote for Saint Michael. I like the contrast between the background and render. Avalon's looks like it was randomly scratched with green brush strokes.

I don't think there's a best first move. Rock beats scissors beats paper beats rock. Starting with any of them, there's a 1 in 3 chance of the other person starting with something that's the same, that can beat yours, or that will lose to yours. How many moves are there usually?

So Nostradamus predicted 9/11? Did they "discover" his predictions after 9/11 or before? I would think "two long buildings" in the "most powerful country" shouldn't be that hard to guess.And Mussolini was the dictator of Italy, not France.

Sadly, I think you're right.

A mouse fetus is still a mouse fetus, not a human fetus. And no matter how big a brain a mouse has, it's still not human.

Ok, so you like her. She likes you. Your friend likes her. She likes you more. She likes him a little. So now are you waiting for her to like him better, so you and your friend can be on the same level? You have to tell her how you feel. If you want to get together with her, make sure she knows that. If you've already done that and she seems unsure, then even though she says she likes you more, but I don't think she likes you enough to be with you right now to commit to anything. Maybe she enjoys the attention from your friend. If she likes you enough to go out with you, she'd make time to be alone with you.

What's up with "G"? Did the author's significant other's name start with "G" or something? I feel bad for all the Gary's out there.

Why do a lot of people hate country so much? It's not like that with any other genre. No one loathes rap the same way they hate country.

You spent hard work because diamonds are so expensive, but what about wealthy folks who can easily buy diamonds in bulk? To them a nice diamond may not mean much. And why does it have to be diamonds, if you're saying that things like roses and kisses die or fade? There are plenty of things out there that can last a lifetime, like a shared diary, for example. Why does it have to be something that society says is worth a lot? Even without a diamond, you can still say, "look, somebody loves me" and people will believe you because you look happy. But to all guys, if your girl wants diamond, just give it to her. Haha.

This is kind of like the Oriental belief in the three gods who symbolize wealth, longevity, and happiness. I'm not sure if happiness is the right word to describe the third one, it may be something like good fortune. There are statues of them. They always stand next to each other. Wealth wears a nice robe and expensive jewelry. Longevity has a long white beard, rosy cheeks. And happiness looks...happy. Anyway, if you make all three happy you'll be rewarded with all three. But if I can only pick one I'd pick happiness.

Earths Daughter, your story is so sad and beautiful I almost cried when I read it. I'm sorry about your fiance. I think I feel the same way about colored stones though. Diamonds are just not very exciting, and I like to be different too.

http://www.nerdnirvana.org/ has chuck norris jokes, and lots of others.I'd like to meet Chuck Norris himself someday.

Eating chicken should still be safe, as long as you're in the US. Like someone wrote above, cook your bird well...don't eat raw chicken...and if any flying animal with feather starts acting sick, don't touch it. The real worry is transmission to human. It might already be happening to some extent, and "a businessman" from the US can catch it and transmit it to whomever he comes in contact with in America. That's the real worry.

I'd like to think women are in charge, but I don't think they are, even now. It's still a sexist world, with glass ceilings, spousal abuse, genital mutilation, young girls sold as sex slaves. But those are extreme examples though. I think that the fact that men can spend so much on an engagement ring gives him some kind of control. Think about it, a guy who brings home an expensive gift for his wife will probably get something. The act of giving something so expensive is like expressing power. Anyway, wouldn't the world be better off if women were really in control? We'd have discussion instead of wars.

Yeah, you're right. It should probably go in the vent. When I wrote it I wasn't in the venting frame of mind though. I simply wanted to inform others...about how stupid diamonds are. So maybe it should go in the vent!But we can make our own diamonds? From what??I think marriage licenses are mostly for tax and other legal purposes. At least a marriage license is binding in a court of law. But two people don't really need a marriage license to have a wedding, live together, have kids, etc...Only love is forever. No piece of paper or shiny stone will do.

My favorite series is the Thursday Next books. No one seems to have heard of it though. It's about a parallel universe where time travel and book travel is possible. Jane Eyre actually comes to live, along with Wordsworth, and other characters. There is a library where the cat in Alice the Wonderland is the chief librarian. It is hilarious, smart, and makes you want to get on your feet and do something useful.