HiSET Reading Practice Test

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

There are many styles of yoga taught in the western world. Some styles emphasize power and are physically challenging, while others are more meditative in nature. The style you choose should be based on your intentions for practicing yoga. Many students start yoga simply for the value of balanced exercise, since there is equal emphasis on strength and flexibility. After a while, they may become interested in other aspects of the practice, such as pranayama, or breathing techniques, which can be excellent for relaxation.

Once you’ve decided which style you want to study, you have to find a class. Some students just choose a yoga studio that is easy to get to, or has free parking. But even if you do this, there will probably be several teachers offering classes. It can be tricky to find the right teacher.

Yoga teachers can become certified by taking a course, although there is no standardized certification offered by any state or by the federal government. While many yoga teachers earn their certifications after years of practice, others may become “certified” after a few weeks or months of training. As a result, many yoga studios do not require their teachers to have any particular training, and if they do, students may not know exactly what the certification reflects.

How does a student select a good yoga teacher? Word-of-mouth referrals are always helpful. Students can also try a class to decide if that teacher is a good fit. In the end, the choice of a teacher has many different facets, not all of which will be as important to all students. What works well for you might not work well for your best friend. In addition, as you grow as a yoga student, you may decide to switch teachers.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Bubbles squeak out from beneath my feet,
My toes mingle with the mud,
The tiny creek babbles beside me.

Above my head a little brown wren chatters angrily down,
Her chirps of frustration do little along the lines of moving me along,
I breathe out and see her chirping as part of nature’s song.

Pondering her view of the forest creek as compared to mine I consider,
What a great beast I must seem, tromping through the mud,
Unlike the deer each of my footfalls lands with a thud.

Meanwhile she flits around between the branches,
Silent but for her song which she raises in fear,
Snatching bugs between the rough bark.

What I had found to be a sweet reprieve,
She perceived as a dangerous siege.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

Hawaiian quilts, such as those created by Marthe Marques and Helen Friend, reflect an eclectic blend of early American quilt making, Hawaiian tradition, island imagery, spiritual influences, current events, and modern vision. Helen Friend, a recognized contemporary Hawaiian artist, produces quilted artworks inspired by nature’s power, Hawaii’s natural environment, current events, and historic textiles. Her quilt, titled I ka Ho’okumuana (In the Beginning), depicts an aerial view of an erupting volcano constructed of appliqued red flames set against a black background fabric. This quilt embraces both the past and the future; it clearly falls within the provenance of a traditional Hawaiian quilt, and at the same time it challenges the boundaries of that definition.

While many historians claim that New England Missionaries brought quilting to the islands in 1820, it has been reported that Hawaiian women fashioned decorative bed coverings, called kapa moe, long before the missionaries’ arrival. Kapa moe were constructed from multiple layers of tapa, a paper-like fabric crafted from mulberry bark. The top layer of tapa was often dyed and decorated with beautiful geometric designs. The layers, each made from a large piece of fabric, were stitched together, possibly to provide additional resilience.

With the arrival of the missionaries, Hawaiian quilters were introduced to American materials, quilting methods, and designs. The missionaries brought metal needles, cotton fabrics, and cotton thread to Hawaii. In addition, they taught the native women to work with both patchwork and applique quilting. In patchwork quilting, designs on the quilt’s top layer are created by piecing small bits of fabric together to form patterns, then overstitched with contrasting designs when the layers of the quilt are united. The top layers of applique quilts are decorated with pieces of fabric cut to form images and designs. While many patchwork quilts incorporate small geometric shapes in various colors aligned to form larger geometric shapes, applique quilting allows quilters to express more natural shapes and images.

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

“Off there to the right — somewhere — is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery —”

“What island is it?” Rainsford asked.

“The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island’,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition —”

“Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

“You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.”

“Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.”

“It will be light enough in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford. “You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?”

“Perhaps the jaguar does,” observed Whitney.

“Bah! They’ve no understanding.”

“Even so, I rather think they understand one thing — fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.”

“Nonsense,” laughed Rainsford. “This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes — the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters.”

For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale — and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities better places every step of the way.

Juliette Gordon Low founded the United States Girl Scouts in 1912, and the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma first began baking cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project shortly thereafter. The Girl Scouts began selling cookies to finance troop activities around 1917.

In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the 2,000 Girl Scouts in her council. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.

In 1933, Girl Scouts from the Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them from the windows of the city’s gas and electric company. The price was just 23 cents for a box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! These girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.

In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.

Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of additional varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mints, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Trefoils, plus four other choices.

Early in the twenty-first century, several more improvements were made to the cookie program. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies. Daisies will benefit greatly from participating in this valuable activity.

For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale — and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities better places every step of the way.

Juliette Gordon Low founded the United States Girl Scouts in 1912, and the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma first began baking cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project shortly thereafter. The Girl Scouts began selling cookies to finance troop activities around 1917.

In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the 2,000 Girl Scouts in her council. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.

In 1933, Girl Scouts from the Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them from the windows of the city’s gas and electric company. The price was just 23 cents for a box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! These girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.

In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.

Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of additional varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mints, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Trefoils, plus four other choices.

Early in the twenty-first century, several more improvements were made to the cookie program. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies. Daisies will benefit greatly from participating in this valuable activity.

For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale — and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities better places every step of the way.

Juliette Gordon Low founded the United States Girl Scouts in 1912, and the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma first began baking cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project shortly thereafter. The Girl Scouts began selling cookies to finance troop activities around 1917.

In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the 2,000 Girl Scouts in her council. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.

In 1933, Girl Scouts from the Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them from the windows of the city’s gas and electric company. The price was just 23 cents for a box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! These girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.

In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.

Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of additional varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mints, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Trefoils, plus four other choices.

Early in the twenty-first century, several more improvements were made to the cookie program. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies. Daisies will benefit greatly from participating in this valuable activity.

For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale — and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities better places every step of the way.

Juliette Gordon Low founded the United States Girl Scouts in 1912, and the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma first began baking cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project shortly thereafter. The Girl Scouts began selling cookies to finance troop activities around 1917.

In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the 2,000 Girl Scouts in her council. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.

In 1933, Girl Scouts from the Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them from the windows of the city’s gas and electric company. The price was just 23 cents for a box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! These girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.

In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.

Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of additional varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mints, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Trefoils, plus four other choices.

Early in the twenty-first century, several more improvements were made to the cookie program. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies. Daisies will benefit greatly from participating in this valuable activity.

For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale — and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities better places every step of the way.

Juliette Gordon Low founded the United States Girl Scouts in 1912, and the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma first began baking cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project shortly thereafter. The Girl Scouts began selling cookies to finance troop activities around 1917.

In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the 2,000 Girl Scouts in her council. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.

In 1933, Girl Scouts from the Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them from the windows of the city’s gas and electric company. The price was just 23 cents for a box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! These girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.

In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.

Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of additional varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mints, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Trefoils, plus four other choices.

Early in the twenty-first century, several more improvements were made to the cookie program. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies. Daisies will benefit greatly from participating in this valuable activity.

For nearly 100 years, Girl Scouts and their enthusiastic supporters have helped ensure the success of the iconic annual cookie sale — and they’ve had fun, developed valuable life skills, and made their communities better places every step of the way.

Juliette Gordon Low founded the United States Girl Scouts in 1912, and the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma first began baking cookies in its high school cafeteria as a service project shortly thereafter. The Girl Scouts began selling cookies to finance troop activities around 1917.

In July 1922, The American Girl magazine, published by Girl Scouts of the USA, featured an article by Florence E. Neil, a local director in Chicago, Illinois. Miss Neil provided a cookie recipe that had been given to the 2,000 Girl Scouts in her council. She estimated the approximate cost of ingredients for six- to seven-dozen cookies to be 26 to 36 cents. The cookies, she suggested, could be sold by troops for 25 or 30 cents per dozen.

In 1933, Girl Scouts from the Greater Philadelphia Council baked cookies and sold them from the windows of the city’s gas and electric company. The price was just 23 cents for a box of 44 cookies, or six boxes for $1.24! These girls developed their marketing and business skills and raised funds for their local Girl Scout council. A year later, Greater Philadelphia took cookie sales to the next level, becoming the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.

In 1935, the Girl Scout Federation of Greater New York raised money through the sale of commercially baked cookies. Buying its own die in the shape of a trefoil, the group used the words “Girl Scout Cookies” on the box. In 1936, the national Girl Scout organization began the process of licensing the first commercial bakers to produce cookies that would be sold nationwide by girls in Girl Scout councils.

Enthusiasm for Girl Scout Cookies spread nationwide. By 1937, more than 125 Girl Scout councils reported holding cookie sales. In 1951, Girl Scout Cookies came in three varieties: Sandwich, Shortbread, and Chocolate Mints (now known as Thin Mints). By 1966, a number of additional varieties were available. Among the best sellers were Chocolate Mints, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies. Girl Scout Cookies for sale during the 1970s included Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Trefoils, plus four other choices.

Early in the twenty-first century, several more improvements were made to the cookie program. New cookie box designs, introduced in fall of 2000, were bold and bright, capturing the spirit of Girl Scouting. Two licensed bakers produced a maximum of eight varieties, and all cookies were kosher. And, much to the excitement of our youngest Girl Scouts, Daisies started selling cookies. Daisies will benefit greatly from participating in this valuable activity.

Sherlock Holmes’ ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“To forget it!”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently: “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

Sherlock Holmes’ ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“To forget it!”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently: “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

Sherlock Holmes’ ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“To forget it!”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently: “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

Sherlock Holmes’ ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“To forget it!”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently: “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

Sherlock Holmes’ ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“To forget it!”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently: “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

Sherlock Holmes’ ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.

“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”

“To forget it!”

“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

“But the Solar System!” I protested.

“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently: “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”

The history of architecture is a true record of man’s efforts to leave behind something representing himself and his ideals. Don’t mistake the term “architecture” as meaning just any building; the erection of structures devoid of beauty is mere wood or steel, a trade and not an art. Only when the idea of beauty is added to that of use does a structure take its place among works of architecture. We may, then, define architecture as the art which seeks to harmonize utility and beauty, form and function, together.

The function of architecture take many forms. Architects have created buildings for shelter, worship, as embellishments for cities, homes of governments, and places for families to gather. Architecture engages the services of a larger portion of the community and involves more money than any other occupation except perhaps agriculture. The Empire State Building, for example, was completed in 1931 for approximately $41 million (about $500 million in today’s terms). It did not make a profit until 1950, which earned it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” Quite a long-term investment for a piece of architecture!

The Empire State Building also makes a clear statement about the ideas of the early 1930s. It was constructed in true Art Deco style, shaped in tiered layers like a cake, and it had a roof that was capable of allowing multiple zeppelins to dock at once. Sadly, this futuristic fad never caught on, but the point is made nonetheless: buildings are a freeze-frame of the ideas and values of the time in which they were built.

It is the function of the architectural historian to trace the origin, growth, and decline of the architectural styles which have prevailed in different ages and civilizations. Where would we be without the columns typical of the Romans? What about the desired “open floor plan” that is today’s modern home? Each style morphs into another, gradually, as the years go by, an evolution as subtle as our own. To study architectural styles is therefore to study beliefs and values of civilizations throughout history.

The history of architecture is a true record of man’s efforts to leave behind something representing himself and his ideals. Don’t mistake the term “architecture” as meaning just any building; the erection of structures devoid of beauty is mere wood or steel, a trade and not an art. Only when the idea of beauty is added to that of use does a structure take its place among works of architecture. We may, then, define architecture as the art which seeks to harmonize utility and beauty, form and function, together.

The function of architecture take many forms. Architects have created buildings for shelter, worship, as embellishments for cities, homes of governments, and places for families to gather. Architecture engages the services of a larger portion of the community and involves more money than any other occupation except perhaps agriculture. The Empire State Building, for example, was completed in 1931 for approximately $41 million (about $500 million in today’s terms). It did not make a profit until 1950, which earned it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” Quite a long-term investment for a piece of architecture!

The Empire State Building also makes a clear statement about the ideas of the early 1930s. It was constructed in true Art Deco style, shaped in tiered layers like a cake, and it had a roof that was capable of allowing multiple zeppelins to dock at once. Sadly, this futuristic fad never caught on, but the point is made nonetheless: buildings are a freeze-frame of the ideas and values of the time in which they were built.

It is the function of the architectural historian to trace the origin, growth, and decline of the architectural styles which have prevailed in different ages and civilizations. Where would we be without the columns typical of the Romans? What about the desired “open floor plan” that is today’s modern home? Each style morphs into another, gradually, as the years go by, an evolution as subtle as our own. To study architectural styles is therefore to study beliefs and values of civilizations throughout history.

The history of architecture is a true record of man’s efforts to leave behind something representing himself and his ideals. Don’t mistake the term “architecture” as meaning just any building; the erection of structures devoid of beauty is mere wood or steel, a trade and not an art. Only when the idea of beauty is added to that of use does a structure take its place among works of architecture. We may, then, define architecture as the art which seeks to harmonize utility and beauty, form and function, together.

The function of architecture take many forms. Architects have created buildings for shelter, worship, as embellishments for cities, homes of governments, and places for families to gather. Architecture engages the services of a larger portion of the community and involves more money than any other occupation except perhaps agriculture. The Empire State Building, for example, was completed in 1931 for approximately $41 million (about $500 million in today’s terms). It did not make a profit until 1950, which earned it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” Quite a long-term investment for a piece of architecture!

The Empire State Building also makes a clear statement about the ideas of the early 1930s. It was constructed in true Art Deco style, shaped in tiered layers like a cake, and it had a roof that was capable of allowing multiple zeppelins to dock at once. Sadly, this futuristic fad never caught on, but the point is made nonetheless: buildings are a freeze-frame of the ideas and values of the time in which they were built.

It is the function of the architectural historian to trace the origin, growth, and decline of the architectural styles which have prevailed in different ages and civilizations. Where would we be without the columns typical of the Romans? What about the desired “open floor plan” that is today’s modern home? Each style morphs into another, gradually, as the years go by, an evolution as subtle as our own. To study architectural styles is therefore to study beliefs and values of civilizations throughout history.

The history of architecture is a true record of man’s efforts to leave behind something representing himself and his ideals. Don’t mistake the term “architecture” as meaning just any building; the erection of structures devoid of beauty is mere wood or steel, a trade and not an art. Only when the idea of beauty is added to that of use does a structure take its place among works of architecture. We may, then, define architecture as the art which seeks to harmonize utility and beauty, form and function, together.

The function of architecture take many forms. Architects have created buildings for shelter, worship, as embellishments for cities, homes of governments, and places for families to gather. Architecture engages the services of a larger portion of the community and involves more money than any other occupation except perhaps agriculture. The Empire State Building, for example, was completed in 1931 for approximately $41 million (about $500 million in today’s terms). It did not make a profit until 1950, which earned it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” Quite a long-term investment for a piece of architecture!

The Empire State Building also makes a clear statement about the ideas of the early 1930s. It was constructed in true Art Deco style, shaped in tiered layers like a cake, and it had a roof that was capable of allowing multiple zeppelins to dock at once. Sadly, this futuristic fad never caught on, but the point is made nonetheless: buildings are a freeze-frame of the ideas and values of the time in which they were built.

It is the function of the architectural historian to trace the origin, growth, and decline of the architectural styles which have prevailed in different ages and civilizations. Where would we be without the columns typical of the Romans? What about the desired “open floor plan” that is today’s modern home? Each style morphs into another, gradually, as the years go by, an evolution as subtle as our own. To study architectural styles is therefore to study beliefs and values of civilizations throughout history.

The history of architecture is a true record of man’s efforts to leave behind something representing himself and his ideals. Don’t mistake the term “architecture” as meaning just any building; the erection of structures devoid of beauty is mere wood or steel, a trade and not an art. Only when the idea of beauty is added to that of use does a structure take its place among works of architecture. We may, then, define architecture as the art which seeks to harmonize utility and beauty, form and function, together.

The function of architecture take many forms. Architects have created buildings for shelter, worship, as embellishments for cities, homes of governments, and places for families to gather. Architecture engages the services of a larger portion of the community and involves more money than any other occupation except perhaps agriculture. The Empire State Building, for example, was completed in 1931 for approximately $41 million (about $500 million in today’s terms). It did not make a profit until 1950, which earned it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” Quite a long-term investment for a piece of architecture!

The Empire State Building also makes a clear statement about the ideas of the early 1930s. It was constructed in true Art Deco style, shaped in tiered layers like a cake, and it had a roof that was capable of allowing multiple zeppelins to dock at once. Sadly, this futuristic fad never caught on, but the point is made nonetheless: buildings are a freeze-frame of the ideas and values of the time in which they were built.

It is the function of the architectural historian to trace the origin, growth, and decline of the architectural styles which have prevailed in different ages and civilizations. Where would we be without the columns typical of the Romans? What about the desired “open floor plan” that is today’s modern home? Each style morphs into another, gradually, as the years go by, an evolution as subtle as our own. To study architectural styles is therefore to study beliefs and values of civilizations throughout history.

The history of architecture is a true record of man’s efforts to leave behind something representing himself and his ideals. Don’t mistake the term “architecture” as meaning just any building; the erection of structures devoid of beauty is mere wood or steel, a trade and not an art. Only when the idea of beauty is added to that of use does a structure take its place among works of architecture. We may, then, define architecture as the art which seeks to harmonize utility and beauty, form and function, together.

The function of architecture take many forms. Architects have created buildings for shelter, worship, as embellishments for cities, homes of governments, and places for families to gather. Architecture engages the services of a larger portion of the community and involves more money than any other occupation except perhaps agriculture. The Empire State Building, for example, was completed in 1931 for approximately $41 million (about $500 million in today’s terms). It did not make a profit until 1950, which earned it the nickname the “Empty State Building.” Quite a long-term investment for a piece of architecture!

The Empire State Building also makes a clear statement about the ideas of the early 1930s. It was constructed in true Art Deco style, shaped in tiered layers like a cake, and it had a roof that was capable of allowing multiple zeppelins to dock at once. Sadly, this futuristic fad never caught on, but the point is made nonetheless: buildings are a freeze-frame of the ideas and values of the time in which they were built.

It is the function of the architectural historian to trace the origin, growth, and decline of the architectural styles which have prevailed in different ages and civilizations. Where would we be without the columns typical of the Romans? What about the desired “open floor plan” that is today’s modern home? Each style morphs into another, gradually, as the years go by, an evolution as subtle as our own. To study architectural styles is therefore to study beliefs and values of civilizations throughout history.