The Killer Bean The picture may seem familiar. Tumbling out of bed and stumbling around in the kitchen—you begin your day. But wait. It cannot begin properly without that daily ritual, the morning cup of coffee. The aroma swirls throughout the room. What can compare to the richness and fullness of that first cup of coffee? Americans lead the world in coffee drinking, consuming an average of 3.4 cups per person per day (Pennybacker 18). Gourmet coffee houses are sprouting up all over the place. But what is the real story behind this dark brown liquid?

To: Mr. Marcus Subject: Mid-Project Report on History Paper Here’s an update on my history paper about China. At first I had trouble finding information on my topic, but I’ve made this progress. I went to the library, and Ms. Pate showed me how to use the computer for my search. After I showed you my project proposal, I took your advice to look at either Chinese dating practices or wedding traditions, but not both. After researching both topics, I found several sources on Chinese wedding traditions, but only a few on dating practices.

To: Anne Cline Subject: Vegetarian Lunch Options at Bay High Dear Ms. Cline: Last summer I became a vegetarian. After visiting my uncle’s farm in Iowa, I couldn’t bear the thought of eating meat anymore. When school started, I thought I could eat school lunches by simply staying away from meat dishes. My plan worked for a few weeks, but it got tough to eat peanut-butter sandwiches and applesauce every day.