In this passage, two teenagers decide to steal from a local bodega.

(1) As Marie placed her hand on the cold handle of the door, she felt a chill run through her body. (2) Her parents would be home soon, wondering where she was, but this was something she had to do. (3) She looked back at Jessica, who only yesterday was mocking Marie in front of their classmates for her braces and good grades, and thought she saw a hint of worry on Jessica’s face. (4) If it had been worry Marie saw on Jessica’s face, it was quickly gone, replaced with a steely stare that shoved Marie through the door and into the bodega. (5) Marie didn’t go immediately to the thing she desired; she was too smart for that. (6) She was not practiced in deception, though, and when the clerk looked up at her, Marie began to panic. (7) How would she react to the cashier on a normal day? (8) Should she say “hi”? (9) Marie settled on a friendly nod, and wondered if this movement of her head was enough to distract the cashier from her eyes, which she thought look like a small child screaming for help through the window of a moving car.

(10) The cashier said nothing, though, and Marie went over to look at the magazines on the rack near the cooler. (11) As she blankly looked at the magazines, Marie eyed the cashier, who was now on her phone; Marie decided now was the time to make her way over to the small bottles she couldn’t take her mind off. (12) She didn’t drink, but that didn’t matter; Jessica did, and Marie could feel her eyes through the wall. (13) Marie pocketed a fifth of tequila, grabbed a candy bar, and hurried to the front of the store. (14) The cashier, startled to suddenly see Marie in front of her, took the candy and scanned it. (15) Marie handed her some money, and picked up pace as she reached the door. (16) The sunlight peeked through the opening as she pushed forward–

(17) “Hey!” She heard from behind her. She trembled. (18) “You forgot your change.” (19) Marie was so relieved she almost didn’t hear the glass breaking below her as she turned. She looked down at the agave puddle of her shame, sighed, and stepped towards the counter.

In this passage, two teenagers decide to steal from a local bodega.

(1) As Marie placed her hand on the cold handle of the door, she felt a chill run through her body. (2) Her parents would be home soon, wondering where she was, but this was something she had to do. (3) She looked back at Jessica, who only yesterday was mocking Marie in front of their classmates for her braces and good grades, and thought she saw a hint of worry on Jessica’s face. (4) If it had been worry Marie saw on Jessica’s face, it was quickly gone, replaced with a steely stare that shoved Marie through the door and into the bodega. (5) Marie didn’t go immediately to the thing she desired; she was too smart for that. (6) She was not practiced in deception, though, and when the clerk looked up at her, Marie began to panic. (7) How would she react to the cashier on a normal day? (8) Should she say “hi”? (9) Marie settled on a friendly nod, and wondered if this movement of her head was enough to distract the cashier from her eyes, which she thought look like a small child screaming for help through the window of a moving car.

(10) The cashier said nothing, though, and Marie went over to look at the magazines on the rack near the cooler. (11) As she blankly looked at the magazines, Marie eyed the cashier, who was now on her phone; Marie decided now was the time to make her way over to the small bottles she couldn’t take her mind off. (12) She didn’t drink, but that didn’t matter; Jessica did, and Marie could feel her eyes through the wall. (13) Marie pocketed a fifth of tequila, grabbed a candy bar, and hurried to the front of the store. (14) The cashier, startled to suddenly see Marie in front of her, took the candy and scanned it. (15) Marie handed her some money, and picked up pace as she reached the door. (16) The sunlight peeked through the opening as she pushed forward–

(17) “Hey!” She heard from behind her. She trembled. (18) “You forgot your change.” (19) Marie was so relieved she almost didn’t hear the glass breaking below her as she turned. She looked down at the agave puddle of her shame, sighed, and stepped towards the counter.

In this passage, two teenagers decide to steal from a local bodega.

(1) As Marie placed her hand on the cold handle of the door, she felt a chill run through her body. (2) Her parents would be home soon, wondering where she was, but this was something she had to do. (3) She looked back at Jessica, who only yesterday was mocking Marie in front of their classmates for her braces and good grades, and thought she saw a hint of worry on Jessica’s face. (4) If it had been worry Marie saw on Jessica’s face, it was quickly gone, replaced with a steely stare that shoved Marie through the door and into the bodega. (5) Marie didn’t go immediately to the thing she desired; she was too smart for that. (6) She was not practiced in deception, though, and when the clerk looked up at her, Marie began to panic. (7) How would she react to the cashier on a normal day? (8) Should she say “hi”? (9) Marie settled on a friendly nod, and wondered if this movement of her head was enough to distract the cashier from her eyes, which she thought look like a small child screaming for help through the window of a moving car.

(10) The cashier said nothing, though, and Marie went over to look at the magazines on the rack near the cooler. (11) As she blankly looked at the magazines, Marie eyed the cashier, who was now on her phone; Marie decided now was the time to make her way over to the small bottles she couldn’t take her mind off. (12) She didn’t drink, but that didn’t matter; Jessica did, and Marie could feel her eyes through the wall. (13) Marie pocketed a fifth of tequila, grabbed a candy bar, and hurried to the front of the store. (14) The cashier, startled to suddenly see Marie in front of her, took the candy and scanned it. (15) Marie handed her some money, and picked up pace as she reached the door. (16) The sunlight peeked through the opening as she pushed forward–

(17) “Hey!” She heard from behind her. She trembled. (18) “You forgot your change.” (19) Marie was so relieved she almost didn’t hear the glass breaking below her as she turned. She looked down at the agave puddle of her shame, sighed, and stepped towards the counter.

In this passage, two teenagers decide to steal from a local bodega.

(1) As Marie placed her hand on the cold handle of the door, she felt a chill run through her body. (2) Her parents would be home soon, wondering where she was, but this was something she had to do. (3) She looked back at Jessica, who only yesterday was mocking Marie in front of their classmates for her braces and good grades, and thought she saw a hint of worry on Jessica’s face. (4) If it had been worry Marie saw on Jessica’s face, it was quickly gone, replaced with a steely stare that shoved Marie through the door and into the bodega. (5) Marie didn’t go immediately to the thing she desired; she was too smart for that. (6) She was not practiced in deception, though, and when the clerk looked up at her, Marie began to panic. (7) How would she react to the cashier on a normal day? (8) Should she say “hi”? (9) Marie settled on a friendly nod, and wondered if this movement of her head was enough to distract the cashier from her eyes, which she thought look like a small child screaming for help through the window of a moving car.

(10) The cashier said nothing, though, and Marie went over to look at the magazines on the rack near the cooler. (11) As she blankly looked at the magazines, Marie eyed the cashier, who was now on her phone; Marie decided now was the time to make her way over to the small bottles she couldn’t take her mind off. (12) She didn’t drink, but that didn’t matter; Jessica did, and Marie could feel her eyes through the wall. (13) Marie pocketed a fifth of tequila, grabbed a candy bar, and hurried to the front of the store. (14) The cashier, startled to suddenly see Marie in front of her, took the candy and scanned it. (15) Marie handed her some money, and picked up pace as she reached the door. (16) The sunlight peeked through the opening as she pushed forward–

(17) “Hey!” She heard from behind her. She trembled. (18) “You forgot your change.” (19) Marie was so relieved she almost didn’t hear the glass breaking below her as she turned. She looked down at the agave puddle of her shame, sighed, and stepped towards the counter.

Passage 1

The refugee crisis at America’s southern border with Mexico has become untenable. Thousands of people have chosen to leave their homes in Central and even South America to make the trek to America’s border, often walking hundreds of miles, in order to escape violence, war, gangs, and other life-threatening problems. Instead of receiving these refugees with compassion and care, this administration has begun putting them in cages, separating children from parents, and treating them as if they are less than human.

While our government assures Americans that they are taking the best care to ensure the safety of these refugees as they decide what to do with them, reports from these detention sites paint a different picture. Stories of disease, malnutrition, and death arise daily. What are we doing to take care of these refugees, particularly the refugees who are under age? Reports have now been released that the government has lost (yes, LOST) over a thousand children and that hundreds of other children have had to endure sexual abuse while in custody.

These refugees need our help. They left their homes in fear and walked hundreds of miles to find someone they hoped would be able to help. Instead, we’ve put them in a cage and dehumanized them. Reach out to your local congressman and asked them to challenge the President over his administration’s treatment of these poor people.

Passage 2
Studies have proven that the majority of the illegal recreational drugs that are ravaging America’s small towns come through our southern border. The thing America needs most is secure borders. We may be a country that has historically been accepting of immigrants, but we can’t sit idly by while criminals and drugs march through our doors and into our innocent, small towns.

We don’t have to stop all immigration at our southern border, but it’s smart for our border agents to detain these people so they can be effectively vetted. We can let refugees find safety inside our country’s borders, but we need to first make sure they aren’t a threat to our livelihood. If people were coming into your house, wouldn’t you want to know who they were?

Many liberals want to completely open our borders and let everyone inside, but this just isn’t smart. If we do this, the violence and crime in areas of Mexico and Guatemala will just move into our towns. If nothing else, the government exists to keep its people safe, and letting this crime bleed into our country endangers everyone in it.

Passage 1

The refugee crisis at America’s southern border with Mexico has become untenable. Thousands of people have chosen to leave their homes in Central and even South America to make the trek to America’s border, often walking hundreds of miles, in order to escape violence, war, gangs, and other life-threatening problems. Instead of receiving these refugees with compassion and care, this administration has begun putting them in cages, separating children from parents, and treating them as if they are less than human.

While our government assures Americans that they are taking the best care to ensure the safety of these refugees as they decide what to do with them, reports from these detention sites paint a different picture. Stories of disease, malnutrition, and death arise daily. What are we doing to take care of these refugees, particularly the refugees who are under age? Reports have now been released that the government has lost (yes, LOST) over a thousand children and that hundreds of other children have had to endure sexual abuse while in custody.

These refugees need our help. They left their homes in fear and walked hundreds of miles to find someone they hoped would be able to help. Instead, we’ve put them in a cage and dehumanized them. Reach out to your local congressman and asked them to challenge the President over his administration’s treatment of these poor people.

Passage 2
Studies have proven that the majority of the illegal recreational drugs that are ravaging America’s small towns come through our southern border. The thing America needs most is secure borders. We may be a country that has historically been accepting of immigrants, but we can’t sit idly by while criminals and drugs march through our doors and into our innocent, small towns.

We don’t have to stop all immigration at our southern border, but it’s smart for our border agents to detain these people so they can be effectively vetted. We can let refugees find safety inside our country’s borders, but we need to first make sure they aren’t a threat to our livelihood. If people were coming into your house, wouldn’t you want to know who they were?

Many liberals want to completely open our borders and let everyone inside, but this just isn’t smart. If we do this, the violence and crime in areas of Mexico and Guatemala will just move into our towns. If nothing else, the government exists to keep its people safe, and letting this crime bleed into our country endangers everyone in it.

Passage 1

The refugee crisis at America’s southern border with Mexico has become untenable. Thousands of people have chosen to leave their homes in Central and even South America to make the trek to America’s border, often walking hundreds of miles, in order to escape violence, war, gangs, and other life-threatening problems. Instead of receiving these refugees with compassion and care, this administration has begun putting them in cages, separating children from parents, and treating them as if they are less than human.

While our government assures Americans that they are taking the best care to ensure the safety of these refugees as they decide what to do with them, reports from these detention sites paint a different picture. Stories of disease, malnutrition, and death arise daily. What are we doing to take care of these refugees, particularly the refugees who are under age? Reports have now been released that the government has lost (yes, LOST) over a thousand children and that hundreds of other children have had to endure sexual abuse while in custody.

These refugees need our help. They left their homes in fear and walked hundreds of miles to find someone they hoped would be able to help. Instead, we’ve put them in a cage and dehumanized them. Reach out to your local congressman and asked them to challenge the President over his administration’s treatment of these poor people.

Passage 2
Studies have proven that the majority of the illegal recreational drugs that are ravaging America’s small towns come through our southern border. The thing America needs most is secure borders. We may be a country that has historically been accepting of immigrants, but we can’t sit idly by while criminals and drugs march through our doors and into our innocent, small towns.

We don’t have to stop all immigration at our southern border, but it’s smart for our border agents to detain these people so they can be effectively vetted. We can let refugees find safety inside our country’s borders, but we need to first make sure they aren’t a threat to our livelihood. If people were coming into your house, wouldn’t you want to know who they were?

Many liberals want to completely open our borders and let everyone inside, but this just isn’t smart. If we do this, the violence and crime in areas of Mexico and Guatemala will just move into our towns. If nothing else, the government exists to keep its people safe, and letting this crime bleed into our country endangers everyone in it.

Passage 1

The refugee crisis at America’s southern border with Mexico has become untenable. Thousands of people have chosen to leave their homes in Central and even South America to make the trek to America’s border, often walking hundreds of miles, in order to escape violence, war, gangs, and other life-threatening problems. Instead of receiving these refugees with compassion and care, this administration has begun putting them in cages, separating children from parents, and treating them as if they are less than human.

While our government assures Americans that they are taking the best care to ensure the safety of these refugees as they decide what to do with them, reports from these detention sites paint a different picture. Stories of disease, malnutrition, and death arise daily. What are we doing to take care of these refugees, particularly the refugees who are under age? Reports have now been released that the government has lost (yes, LOST) over a thousand children and that hundreds of other children have had to endure sexual abuse while in custody.

These refugees need our help. They left their homes in fear and walked hundreds of miles to find someone they hoped would be able to help. Instead, we’ve put them in a cage and dehumanized them. Reach out to your local congressman and asked them to challenge the President over his administration’s treatment of these poor people.

Passage 2
Studies have proven that the majority of the illegal recreational drugs that are ravaging America’s small towns come through our southern border. The thing America needs most is secure borders. We may be a country that has historically been accepting of immigrants, but we can’t sit idly by while criminals and drugs march through our doors and into our innocent, small towns.

We don’t have to stop all immigration at our southern border, but it’s smart for our border agents to detain these people so they can be effectively vetted. We can let refugees find safety inside our country’s borders, but we need to first make sure they aren’t a threat to our livelihood. If people were coming into your house, wouldn’t you want to know who they were?

Many liberals want to completely open our borders and let everyone inside, but this just isn’t smart. If we do this, the violence and crime in areas of Mexico and Guatemala will just move into our towns. If nothing else, the government exists to keep its people safe, and letting this crime bleed into our country endangers everyone in it.

As technology advances at an exponential level, people wonder whether traditional institutions like public libraries will even be necessary. Every year, people are able to access more information and do it faster, so do we even need to have a city-funded building where people can gather to obtain information they have in their pockets? These kinds of questions, though, stem for a very narrow understanding of what a public library is, and what it can provide to a community.

When we think of public libraries, we understandably think of books. But public libraries aren’t just buildings with lots of books, they’re community centers. If you look at the calendar of your local library, you’ll likely see any number of activities that service the community, like yoga classes, book readings for children, and even addiction therapy group meetings. We also have to consider that while the majority of people have smart phones and WIFI at their fingertips, not everyone does. Public libraries give people a place to read, use computers, and generally find knowledge without having to pay a huge media bill.

When I needed to rent a tuxedo for my Senior prom, I went to a local store and sifted through the dusty clothes they had been hanging in their showroom for 30 years and tried to pick out the best their puny selection had to offer. Today’s teenagers have other options, though, that open them up to more options for less money. The rise of online clothes rentals stores is one of the most surprising outcomes of the technological revolution. These stores provide a large selection, lower prices, and the ever-tantalizing ability to do all your shopping without leaving home.