Writing Test 12

Dark Snow
Most of Greenlands interior is covered by a thick layer of ice and compressed snow known as the Greenland Ice Sheet. The size of the ice sheet fluctuates seasonally: in summer, average daily high temperatures
in Greenland can rise to slightly above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, partially melting the ice; in the winter, the sheet thickens as additional snow falls, and average daily low temperatures can drop [12] to as low as 20 degrees.
Typically, the ice sheet begins to show evidence of thawing in late [13] summer. This follows several weeks of higher temperatures. [14] For example, in the summer of 2012, virtually the entire Greenland Ice Sheet underwent thawing at or near its surface by mid-July, the earliest date on record. Most scientists looking for the causes of the Great Melt of 2012 have focused exclusively on rising temperatures. The summer of 2012 was the warmest in 170 years, records show. But Jason [15] Box, an associate professor of geology at Ohio State believes that another factor added to the early [16] thaw; the "dark snow" problem.
According to Box, a leading Greenland expert, tundra fires in 2012 from as far away as North America produced great amounts of soot, some [17] of it drifted over Greenland in giant plumes of smoke and then [18] fell as particles onto the ice sheet. Scientists have long known that soot particles facilitate melting by darkening snow and ice, limiting [19] its ability to reflect the Suns rays. As Box explains, "Soot is an extremely powerful light absorber. It settles over the ice and captures the Sun's heat." The result is a self-reinforcing cycle. As the ice melts, the land and water under the ice become exposed, and since land and water are darker than snow,
the surface absorbs even more heat, which [20] is related to the rising temperatures.
[1] Box's research is important because the fires of 2012 may not be a one-time phenomenon. [2] According to scientists, rising Arctic temperatures are making northern latitudes greener and thus more fire prone.
[3] The pattern Box observed in 2012 may repeat [21] itself again, with harmful effects on the Arctic ecosystem. [4] Box is currently organizing an expedition to gather this crucial information. [5] The next step for Box and his team is to travel to Greenland to perform direct sampling of the ice in order to determine just how much the soot is contributing to the melting of the ice sheet. [6] Members of the public will be able to track his teams progress--and even help fund the expedition--through a website Box has created. [22]

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The Consolations of Philosophy
Long viewed by many as the stereotypical useless major, philosophy is now being seen by many students and prospective employers as in fact a very useful and practical major, offering students a host of transferable skills with relevance to the modern workplace. [34] In broad terms, philosophy is the study of meaning and the values underlying thought and behavior. But [35] more pragmatically, the discipline encourages students to analyze complex material, question conventional beliefs, and express thoughts in a concise manner. Because philosophy [36] teaching students not what to think but how to think, the age-old discipline offers consistently useful tools for academic and professional achievement. [37] A 1994 survey concluded that only 18 percent of American colleges required at least one philosophy course. [38] Therefore, between 1992 and 1996, more than 400 independent philosophy departments were eliminated from institutions.
More recently, colleges have recognized the practicality and increasing popularity of studying philosophy and have markedly increased the number of philosophy programs offered. By 2008 there were 817 programs, up from 765 a decade before. In addition, the number of four-year graduates in philosophy has grown 46 percent in a decade. Also, studies have found
that those students who major in philosophy often do better than students from other majors in both verbal reasoning and analytical [39] writing. These results can be measured by standardized test scores. On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), for example, students intending to study philosophy in graduate school [40] has scored higher than students in all but four other majors.
These days, many [41] students majoring in philosophy have no intention of becoming philosophers; instead they plan to apply those skills to other disciplines. Law and business specifically benefit from the complicated theoretical issues raised in the study of philosophy, but philosophy can be just as useful in engineering or any field requiring complex analytic skills.
[42] That these skills are transferable across professions [43] which makes them especially beneficial to twenty-first-century students. Because today's students can expect to hold multiple jobs--some of which may not even exist yet--during [44] our lifetime, studying philosophy allows them to be flexible and adaptable. High demand, advanced exam scores, and varied professional skills all argue for maintaining and enhancing philosophy courses and majors within academic institutions.

The following passage is from a 1994 collection of essays about animals, written by a poet, philosopher, and animal trainer. 
    
       The question that comes first to my mind is this: What would it mean to say that an animal has the right to the pursuit of happiness? How would that come about, and in relationship to whom? 
       (5)In speaking of "animal happiness," we often tend to mean something like "creature comforts." The emblems of this are the golden retriever rolling in the grass, the horse with his nose deep in the oats, kitty by the fire. Creature comforts are important to animals: "Grub first, then ethics" (10) is a motto that would describe many a wise Labrador retriever, and I have a bull terrier named Annie whose continual quest for the perfect pillow inspires her to awesome feats. But there is something more to animals, something more to my Annie, a capacity for satisfactions (15) that come from work in the full sense something approximately like what leads some people to insist that they need a career (though my own temperament is such that I think of a good woodcarver or a dancer or a poet sooner than I think of a business executive when I (20) contemplate the kind of happiness enjoyed by an accomplished dressage' horse). This happiness, like the artist's, must come from something within the animal, something trainers call talent, and so cannot be imposed on the animal. But at the same time it does not arise in a (25) vacuum; if it had not been a fairly ordinary thing in one part of the world at one point to teach young children to play the harpsichord, it is doubtful that Mozart's music would exist. There are animal versions, if not equivalents, of Mozart, and they cannot make their spontaneous (30) passions into sustained happiness without education, any more than Mozart could have.