Winter Season

Test continued

Esther continued grading her paper.

Question 4

List 5 types of natural disasters discussed in this chapter. 1. landslides, 2. acid rain, 3. droughts, 4. earthquakes, 5. Floods

Acid rain was on his answer key, but she wondered how it could be listed as a true natural disaster. So she asked, “how is acid rain a natural disaster?” He gave her a very shocked look. “I know that rain occurs naturally without any help from man. Though during times of extreme drought man does try to seed clouds. But the acid is a byproduct of our fossil fuel consumption. So how is acid rain a natural disaster?”

“Well!” He was amazed and a little floored. He felt the tingle not only in his brain but his groin. He rubbed his hand through his hair. “Not all acid rain is produced as a result of human consumption. Acid rain is also caused by volcanic eruptions or extreme forest fires where lightning started the blaze not man.”

“Hmm, good point.”

He was in total shock. What kind of woman was this sitting in his living room floor? A new kind, that voice inside him answered. Maybe one that could stimulate his brain and his body?

She ran her fingers through her hair again. It occurred to him he was staring at her. Again. And that tingling feeling was growing stronger.

“You used neotenous while we were playing in the snow.”

She leaned against the couch angling her body toward him. “Do you not think we were being neotenous?”

“It’s a zoology term.”

“Are we not animals?” He stared at her for a long moment. “We are separate from other animals on this planet for a lot of different reasons. But at the end of the day, are we not animals?”

“I’d never really thought about it.” He rubbed his fingers through his hair again.

She scooted back to the coffee table grading her test: Question 5

Give me a general definition for plate tectonics. Movement of the Earths plates

Question 6

What happens at a divergent boundary? Two of the Earth’s plates are being pulled apart.

Question 7

What happens at a convergent boundary? One plate falls under another plate

Question 8

What is a transform fault boundary? It’s when my dad drinks up the electric bill money, blames mom when the lights get turned off then beats the hell out of her, transforming her face into something new.

“I think Little Bill’s mom is in a domestic violence situation.”

“Excuse me.” Oscar looked up.

“Question 8 of this test you asked, ‘what is a transform fault boundary?’ He wrote; ‘it’s when my dad drinks up the electric bill money, blames mom when the lights get turned off then beats the hell out of her, transforming her face into something new.’ Oh there’s more on the back. ‘The only boundary he knows is leaving me alone or mom would kill him.’” She looked up at Oscar.

“Every teacher up there has reported Bill’s parents to social services.”

“Let me guess, too large of a work load and not enough money. Little Billy will be in college before they help him.”

“Or dead.”

“Typical.”

Question 9

What is the best known transform fault in the United States? San An Drayous

Question 10

How long does scientist estimate it took to form the Canadian Rockies? 10 million years

They graded papers for hours. When morning finally arrived, she was stirred by the smell of coffee. To her embarrassment, she had fallen asleep in the floor. Oscar had been kind enough to put a pillow under her head and a blanket over her.

Winter Season