Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Appalachians in North America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Appalachians in North America - Essay Example Mitchell., Additionally, the Appalachian mountain ranges also include ridges and valleys1. Appalachian is a name that is believed to have been derived from the Apalachee Indians who were believed to be the pioneers of the place and were mostly woodsmen. Early Appalachian was full of valleys and huge gaps that were not easily navigable thus hindering transportation and various activities. This writing analyses some of the significance of the Appalachian Mountains both in geographical perspective and in the society. The Appalachian Mountains re of great importance as far as recreational matters are concerned since it has numerous parks and also the Appalachian Trail which is mostly used by stout hikers globally. The mountain ranges remain one of the most significant geographical and historical features in the world especially due to its uniqueness and size as well as its old age. Perhaps if the Appalachians could have been located in a different place it could still maintain its geogra phical influence but different cultural and economic influence2. The mountains could not affect the natives or the first settlers equally because there must have been different cultural background of the settlers. Suppose the Appalachians could have been located in Africa or Asia, initially the name and the culture of people around it would have been traced back to the original African or Asian culture. Even economic and social activities would have either slightly or greatly changed. Some of the features of the mountains especially the ice cover and vegetation cover may have also been altered depending on the climate and activities taking place in that particular region3. This is one of the pictures of some of the National Parks found within the Appalachian region which is known as Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western Virginia4. Culture of the people living around the Appalachian Mountains was a mixture of different cultures from England, Scotland and Ger many settlers who were seeking land, freedom and new opportunities thus making the region multi-cultural region especially at the modern age when most people around the world have gone to seek for employment. Some Americans also think that the Appalachians are not well educated and all these could be attributed to the fact that the regions’ topography could not favor infrastructural development. The Appalachians are not as civilized as other parts of America and are sometimes referred to as hicks, rednecks and hillbillies. The Appalachians greatly consider family values and togetherness5. European settlers greatly influenced the social disruption that also brought about environmental disruption especially due to introduction of plants and animals from Europe. The indigenous however initially depended on the valuable resources provided by the Appalachia region such as wildlife to be hunted, fish from the sparkling rivers as well as logs that helped them in building houses6. Th ere were also some unique cultures such as casual mountain dances practiced by the Appalachians. It is also worth noting that most of the Appalachians could not fully dwell on farming because the mountains were rocky and hilly thus hindering their ability to make a living out of farming. This led to some disheartening conditions such as widespread of poverty that eventually led to widespread disease infections and malnutrition amongst the population specifically the children7. Economic activities within the Appalachian regions varied from fishing, farming, manufacturing and commerce. There are also notable coals as well as natural gas in the Appalachian plateau as well as

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Evaluation of Shylock as a Tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of Shylock as a Tragic Hero Essay We Are Witnesses: Five Diaries of Teenagers Who Died in the Holocaust by Jacob Boas Rescue: The Story of How Gentiles Saved Jews in the Holocaust by Milton Meltzer Hiding to Survive: Stories of Jewish Children Rescued from the Holocaust by Maxine B. Rosenberg Parts of the Book Report: Title Page Actual Book Report Contents of Book Report: 1. Discuss the setting of the book. 2. Give a summary of the book by discussing the real persons/peoples life/lives. 3. Discuss the character/persons traits and support them with examples from the book. 4. Discuss the theme the message of the book and some interesting facts you learned from this book. 5. Give your opinion of the book. Include the answers to the following: *How would you rate the book? Why? *What part of the book affected you and in what way? *Do you think the book gave an honest account of the personOs life? *Do you admire any of the people in the book? Why? Book Report: Fiction Kriss War by Carol Matas Lisas War by Carol Matas Parts of the Book Report: Title Page Actual Book Report Contents of Book Report: 1. Discuss the setting of the book. 2. Give a summary of the book by discussing the real persons life. 3. Discuss the main characters traits and support them with examples from the book. 4. Discuss the theme the message of the book. 5. Give your opinion of the book. Include the answers to the following: *How would you rate the book? Why? *What part of the book affected you and in what way? *Do you think the book gave an honest account of a persons life during the Holocaust? Hint: Follow guide sheets for book report for the four elements of a book; there is one more thing added this time your opinion.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Economy system of Nigeria

Economy system of Nigeria INTRODUCTION Nigeria has produced several hundred billion dollars worth of oil since its independent in 1960, but its citizens benefit from none of this wealth. This situation primarily exists because successive governments, both military and civilian, have stolen or misused much of Nigerias tremendous oil wealth.[1] The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a state-owned XXXX designed to investigate and enforce all laws against economic and financial crimes in all its ramifications[2], reported a total loss in the trillions because of corruption and waste. Nigeria, located in West Africa, holds many of the worlds valuable natural resources such as crude oil (petroleum), tin, columbite, textiles, cotton, palm oil, and steel amongst others. Specifically, Niger Delta, located in XXXXX, is the main producer of oil, and mainly contributes to Nigerias economy. According to World Bank statistics, in 2008 Nigerias oil and gas sector contributed about ninety-six percent (96%) of export revenues, eighty-one percent (81%) of government revenues, and only seventeen percent (17%) of gross domestic product (GDP) due to declining oil output in the Niger Delta region.[3] GDP indicates the stability of a countrys economy in relation to the total value of its goods and services over a specific period. Despite Nigerias abundance of natural resources, its economy continues to stagger with future development becoming impossible. Development desperately needed to reduce poverty levels resulting in improvements in its hospitals, schools, roads, and XXXXXXX. Specifically, Nigerias oil industry has become a pool of corruption between surrounding states, individuals seeking power, and the federal government. The opportunities, large oil and gas deposits might have brought have, over the years, mostly been squandered, as corruption, bad governance and over-dependence on oil have undermined the growth of other sectors, including agriculture. Today, approximately sixty-five percent (65%) of the population live below the poverty level of US $1/day, and more than fifty (50) million Nigerians, suffer from debilitating diseases.[4] As oil revenues fuel[ed] the rise of federal subventions to states and precariously to individuals, the federal government soon became the cent[er] of political struggle, and the threshold of power in the country. This created a dangerous situation as it became increasingly dependent on oil revenues, and the international commodity markets for budgetary and economic concerns eschewing economic stability spelling doom to federalism in Nigeria[5]. After conducting research, corruption appears as one of the many contributions to the downfall of Nigerias economy including political instability, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic management. Understanding the existence, growth and impact of corruption within the Nigerian state, requires the definition or conceptualization of corruption within the context of first, the legal system and administration of justice, and second, the international legal normative expression of the term, since there is no universally acceptable definition.[6] This paper is divided into five (5) parts allowing a thorough analysis on XXXXXX being portrayed. The first part will provide a background into Nigeria, and its oil sector. The second part will present the current status of Nigerias economy. The third part will define and XXXX corruption, and XXXXXXX. The fourth part will provide a comparison of other countries within West Africa, and how corruption is handled. And lastly, the fifth part will provide solutions. Each part is interlocked by the term Nigeria, and its Oil Sector Nigeria is located in West Africa, and covers an area of 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq miles) measuring about 1,200 km (about 750 miles) from east to west, and about 1,050 km (about 650 miles) from north to south.[7] Nigeria is surrounded by the Republic of Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger with the Gulf of Guinea, part of the Atlantic Ocean running from Cape Palmas in Liberia to Cape Lopez in Gabon[8], as its coast. Its terrain is diverse, and consists of mangrove swamp jungles stretching across the entire coastline composing mostly of small rivers, creeks, and branches of the Niger and Benue Rivers.[9] The Niger River enters the country from the northwest, and the Benue River enters from the northeast with both rivers merging at the city of Lokoja emptying into the Niger Delta; together it forms the shape of a Y.[10] The Niger Delta is composed of nine (9) states within Nigeria located in the : Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers. There are thirty-six (36) XXXXXXXXX. The regions oil contributes approximately 90 percent (90%) of the value of Nigerias exports even though Nigeria, in its entirety, remains XXXXXXXXX. The Niger Delta is increasingly becoming unstable with contributing factors to include inter-ethnic clashes, violence triggered because of its oil revenues, and chiefly, corruption. Pipelines are regularly vandalized by impoverished residents, who risk their lives to siphon off fuel.[11] Such behavior results to barrels of crude being wasted, a significant economic loss to Nigerias economy. According to the XXXXXX, Nigeria is the worlds eighth (8th) biggest exporter of oil with a production rate of approximately three (3) million barrels per day (bpd). But, its production of barrels of oil substantially fluctuates compared to other nations due to internal turmoil[12] preventing the country from making the most of its human resources.[13] Threats, attacks, and tension exist between oil companies and ethnic tribes resulting in the Niger Delta being inconsistent in oil production. Though possibility of wealth exists in Nigeria, the people remain impoverished, unable to sustain a normal life, and consequently subject themselves to violence in order to survive. The output of oil in the Niger Delta has the ability to remedy the poverty problem, and provide hope for Nigeria, and its economy. The Oil Sector It can be safely argued the problems suffered by the Niger Delta influenced the demise of Nigerias economy. According to a timeline given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), oil was first discovered at Olibiri, XXXXXX, in 1956 by Shell-BP after decades of oil exploration. In 1958, Nigeria became one of the top producers due to its first oil field producing approximately 5,100 bpd. At the conclusion of the Biafran War in 1970, Nigeria began benefited from the oil production with the help of rising oil prices throughout the world. In 1971, the country joined the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Companies (OPEC), in which the establishment of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) followed in 1977. The OPEC is a permanent intergovernmental organization of twelve (12) oil-exporting developing nations coordinating and unifying petroleum polices of its Member Countries.[14] Member countries include Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, IR Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, SP Libyan AJ, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Venezuela. OPEC is designed to monitor oil prices in international markets in order to eradicate harmful fluctuations. It oversees an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consuming nations to result in fair returns on capital to those investing in the petroleum industry securing steady incomes[15] to their Member Countries. The NNPC is a state-owned company established to increase the value of Nigerias oil sector to the community. It has powers, and operational interest in refining, petrochemicals, and products transportation.[16]The company is compartmentalized into twelve (12) sections with the mission of pinpointing potential problematic issues within the industry. Also, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which is under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, works alliance with the NNPC. DPR ensures complete compliance with industry regulations, licenses, and environmental regulations. Within the next couple of years, Nigerias production level was over two (2) million barrels (bpd) with levels fluctuating during the next years. Current development plans involve increasing oil output to approximately to four (4) million bpd. Despite all measures implemented for efficiency in Nigerias oil sector, the country suffers greatly with no possibility of changing. With each day, its oil industry grows, corruption invades the output, and the people of Nigeria continue to suffer. The Economy of Nigeria Nigerias economy has promising XXXXXX, and has been variable since the transformation of its form of government from military rule to civilian rule. There are vast resources in production resulting in XXXXX revenues, though no amount is sectioned off to be placed back into the economy. Poverty is widespread, and Nigerias basic social indicators[17] earn it a place among the poorest countries in the world. As experienced by many other countries, the economy is what allows existing infrastructure to be maintained, and industrialized. But, viewing Nigerias economy from the past to current, there has not been any real changes required for revolution into the following era. Nigerias economy began in the agriculture world before its oil discovery. Agriculture and farming was the way of life, and the source in its trading market. Upon the initial oil discovery in the Niger Delta in 1958, agriculture contributed to majority of Nigerias GDP, and export revenues. In the next following years, the oil sector stepped into mainstream, and became Nigerias key source of revenue. The oil sector provided approximately twenty percent (20%) of GDP, ninety-five percent (95%) of foreign exchange earnings, and about sixty-five percent (65%) of budgetary revenues.[18] According to statistics given by the United States Agency of International Development (USAID), industrialization plays a huge role in its economy. It averaged fifty percent (50%) of GDP during the period of 1994 to 2004, and in 2004 it accounted for fifty-seven percent (57) of GDP.[19] Industrialization XXXX. On the other hand, services accounted for about twenty-seven percent (27%).[20] Services XXXXXX. The agriculture market still remained one of the main sources within the economy, but not as vital as the oil sector. It attributed to twenty-three percent (23%) of GDP in 2005, values significantly falling over time. Decreasing values will continue as economic development occurs, its agriculture market usually decreases. An estimate of sixty percent (60%) of the Nigerian community is employed in agriculture contributing to employment, food production, foreign exchange earnings, and industrial inputs. Though, the boom in the oil sector brought about distortion within the labor market.[21] An additional factor to the agriculture market is cattle herding, poultry, and fishing adding to more than two percent (2%) towards the GDP in the 1980s. In 1987, the Food and Agriculture (FAO) of the United Nations report majority of the livestock is located in Northern Nigeria, and in the possession of rural citizen. Fisheries output have fallen tremendously due to environmental issues in the Niger Delta at the hands of existing oil companies. A countrys business arena can play a vital important role in its economy, and are critical determinants of private sector development and prospects for sustainable growth.[22] Nigerias business environment is encroached with corruption of its governmental sector, and with the people themselves. According to the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TICPI), Nigeria is the sixth (6th) most corrupt nation in the world following other countries having similar drawbacks. According to research conducted by USAID, Nigerias business arena has a flexible labor market, liquidable credit, and high investor protection, attractive factors to outside investors. Though, the country has its weaknesses, and in need of improvement, corruption is prevalent. Structure is needed to improve transparency and the judicial system, promote institutional reform[23] resulting in dominating corruption. Overall, there are many factors contributing to the demise of Nigerias economy. It is of basic knowledge that without money these factors cannot grow towards the expectations of the community, government, and potential investors. With its oil, and agricultural sector, with the former being most influential, proof is provided of Nigeria having the ability to build a strong economy resulting in a renaissance for its future. The Government Governments are established to govern the people of the land, maintain public order, make laws to protect everyone, and provide essential components needed for social order. The government sets the standard of the way of life for its citizens illustrating the importance of an efficient leadership. With an inoperative government, a country may suffer secondary effects affecting both, related and non-relating factors, such as those suffered in Nigeria. Since Nigerias freedom from Britain rule on October 1, 1960, its government system has not been stable, and either taken form of military or civilian rule. The initial form of government used by the first (1st) president of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikwe, during the first (1st) federal republic was parliamentarian in 1963. In a parliamentarian system, there is a separation between the executive and legislative branch to be governed by a head of state and head of government. During this time, Nigerias main crisis was the struggle for power by whomever desired it, specifically clashes between ethnic groups. From this point, a series of coup dÃÆ'Â ©tat (coup), XXXX, plagued its government system, and initiated Nigerias need for a stable form of government to rule the land of the people. Upon the arrival of the third (3rd) president, General Yakubu Gowon, during the first (1st) military regime of the first (1st) federal republic in 1966, Nigeria experienced an oil-price boom as a result of increased prices of crude oil in 1973[24]. Soon thereafter, an expansion of its federal government occurred resulting in the rise of corruption of and by federal government officials. In reaction, Gowon issued a nine-point transition program culminated in the handling over of power to a civilian government on October 1, 1976[25], and to include a curriculum for the reorganization of its infrastructure. Though, this plan never took place, and he was eventually overthrown, the same homogenous pattern taken since 1963. Corruption reached new depths upon the arrival of General Sani Abacha, Nigerias ninth (9th) president in 1993. He was credited for misappropriating approximately three (3) billion dollars of national assets during his military rule[26], funds accounted by the Swiss Federal Office of Justice, not including assets located in other European countries. Abacha set out to effect change in the leadership of government, but failed in that respect. He died while in office in 1998, and since then, his family and colleagues have been accused of plundering on a grand scale during his five-year rule.[27] Most funds obtained by Abacha during his regime were deposited in numerous European accounts, and discovered by Swiss officials due to its enactment of legislation to stop banks from accepting deposits of wealth stripped from poor countries.[28] In an attempt by Nigeria to reclaim as much as four (4) billion dollars from Abachas regime, an out-of-court settlement was reached by his family. A total of five hundred and thirty-five (535) million was to be relinquished to the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, XXXX for Nigerias use. The settlement also allowed Abachas family to keep one hundred (100) million dollars, funds alleged by the Nigerian authorities acquired before Abachas office term, and not demonstrably derived from criminal acts. In 1999, Obansanjo was re-entered into office Against the backdrop of endemic corruption, Nigeria is sitting on the brink of a west African oil boom that will see billions of pounds flow into government coffers and could see the situation becoming even worse.- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/curse-of-oil-sees-corruption-soar-in-nigeria-434405.html Solutions After thorough research of possible solutions to curtail corruption and its effects, several factors came to light. It will take more than implementation of such solutions to get this problem on track. These solutions include, but not limited to, best practices of other countries, anti-corruption programs, alliances with both, private and public sectors, strengthening accountability, membership into anti-bribery conventions, reformation of political system, and modification of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Depending on the countrys status, the right solution with the outcome varying by participation by its population to ensure effectiveness. Specifically, the USAID offers strategies against corruption where good government, and business practices can flourish, and in which corruption cannot easily take root. These programs sets evil occurring. There are numerous programs that contribute significantly to the establishment of an environment in which good government and business practices can flourish and in which corruption cannot easily take root. These programs include fiscal reform efforts, financial sector restructuring and improvement, privatization of state-owned enterprises, more efficient and transparent capital markets, and land titling reforms. Programs like these encourage competition, transparency, and accountability. They also facilitate the efficient and effective functioning of free markets and encourage private sector growth, both domestically and through foreign direct investment. Finally, such programs help to incorporate developing countries into the mainstream of the global marketplace Conclusion Corruption poses as an extreme problem as it challenges a countrys developmental prospects, emasculates governmental structure and its rule of law, demotes accountability, and lessens conformity with laws and regulations of the land. This results in the reduction of quality of life, and uproar of disdain and frustration experienced by the citizens of Nigeria. Collectively, these developments worsened the low productivity, both per unit of land and per worker, due to several factors: inadequate technology, acts of nature such as drought, poor transportation and infrastructure, and trade restrictions. As food production could not keep pace with its increasing population, Nigeria began to import food. It also lost its status as a net exporter of such cash crops as cocoa, palm oil, and groundnuts. According to U.S. Department of State FY2001 Country Commercial Guide, Nigerias total food and agricultural imports are valued at approximately US$1.6 billion per year. Among the major imports from the United States are wheat, sugar, milk powder, and consumer-ready food products. Efforts since the late 1970s to revitalize agriculture in order to make Nigeria food self-sufficient again and to increase the export of agricultural products have produced only modest results. The Obasanjo administration, however, has made agriculture the highest priority of its economic policy. Exploration simply translates into exploitation culminating into poverty which often metamorphoses into different kinds of crises such as intraethnic uprising, communal clashes http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/nigeria0107[1].pdf http://efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=35Itemid=38 http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/NIGERIAEXTN/0,,menuPK:368906~pagePK:141132~piPK:141107~theSitePK:368896,00.html http://www.new-ag.info//country/profile.php?a=848 Watts Michael, State, Oil and Agriculture in Nigeria, Berkeley, 1987. Retrieved February 22, 2007Available at http://www.somalipress.com/nigeria-overview/modern-history-nigeria-1054.html Rule 18.2.2 http://www.enelsyn.gr/papers/w16/Paper%20by%20Prof%20Oyelowo%20Oyewo.pdf http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557915/nigeria.html Need to find in specificity http://www.ecowas.info/nigeria.htm http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761557915/nigeria.html http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/nigeria-2.htm http://www.heatingoil.com/articles/profile-oil-producer-nigeria/ http://www.new-ag.info//country/profile.php?a=848 http://www.opec.org/library/what%20is%20OPEC/FAQ.pdf http://www.opec.org/library/what%20is%20OPEC/FAQ.pdf http://www.nnpcgroup.com/corporate-profile/about-nnpc http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1763464.stm http://www.iss.co.za/Af/profiles/Nigeria/Economy.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Africa/Nigeria-AGRICULTURE.html http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADF350.pdf Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Nigeria: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991, http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/ Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Nigeria: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991, http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/ http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/18/world/nigeria-to-recover-1-billion-from-the-family-of-a-late-dictator.html

Friday, October 25, 2019

Comparing Canada and America Essay example -- Canada America Culture C

Comparing Canada and America The controversy over Canada and America, and who takes after whom has been around for many years. Canada and America are puzzles, two countries that are home to millions of people, living in relative comfort and health. We both have become nations through the help of each other and other nations. Yet, Canada has its own identity as a delightful complexity of cultures and customs, government and heroes. On the other hand, Canadians are simply not Americans by government and technology. Canada’s own identity starts with our remarkable sense of culture and customs. For the native peoples, the Canadian identity stretches thousands of years into the search of struggles to retain elements of their ancient culture. From a colonial perspective, the traditions which surface in Canadian culture seem to be born of an earlier time, of different origins and places, of old-fashioned rituals, and customs. Unlike the United States, its senior neighbor, Canada’s aged-like identity is more reserved and skillful, unwilling to commit it self to anything specific. Within each region of Canada- North, South, East, West and Central- there are definite qualities that detach Prairie from Maritimes, Ontario from Quebec and the Territories from the British Columbia. Each of these regions are separated by how they live, and their different culture background. Which forms our own identites within the counrty. Canadian and American government also show difference in how they govern themselves. United States is a country of one basic language. It has one main language, for its federal government and for every state. Canada is a country of two basic languages, French and English. A second basic difference between our Constitution and the American is that we are a constitutional monarchy and they are republics. For we have a parliamentary-cabinet government, while the Americans have a presidential-congressional. This means that the president is the head of the state and head of the government. While in Canada the Governor General is head of the provinces and the Prime Minister is the head of the government. Parliamentary-cabinet government is based on a concentration of powers. The Prime Minister must by custom be a member of one House or the other, or get a seat in the House. In the United States, the President and every other member of both houses are e... ... do. We are the unknown country to all other nations because Canada has not been a troublesome country. We do not have violent revolutions and we do not invade other people’s lands. A law-abiding nation does not get in the headlines very much. We are proud of our past heritage and have gained great respect from all other nations. Our land also contributes to our own identity. It is a celebration of the beauty and love of our landscapes. Without out our own identity, we would be like all other nations, fighting for our needs. Every nation would be alike, and tourism would not be a big attraction to our nation. We have a very rich and diverse heritage. Everywhere around us is our heritage. Our government, language, customs and habits, music, books and a wide variety of scientific inventions are gifts to us from our ancestors who lived in Canada. But, the influence of our heritage has been shaped by the influence of United States and many other nations. The histories of these nations have helped us become the country that it is today. Everyone living in Canada is lucky to have a great country, without many problems. I think, it is not hard to say that everyone is proud Canadian.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Fluency & Learning Essay

The purpose of this paper is to specify an interesting story and design reading activities around it to increase the reading fluency of students. The paper starts with a synopsis of The Cay, a tale of survival, in which a young boy is blinded by a severe blow on the back of his head while his ship which makes him entirely dependent on Timothy. The adventurous nature of this story makes it interesting for the students to read and carry out different activities on it, thus contributing to their reading fluency The Cay The book is written by Theodore Taylor. The story deals with a young boy’s misconceptions about race and a black sea man, Timothy, with whom he gets shipwrecked on a deserted island. The young boy, Philip, is blinded by a severe blow on the back of his head while his ship was destroyed by the enemy torpedo. This makes him entirely dependant on Timothy, at least initially through his stay at the island. As Philip explores the island and learns the art of survival and relies less on Timothy, their relationship and mutual respect grows for each other, when they learn to survive and live within the means available at the island. Their struggle to face the odds and survive on an isolated island with no food and water, indeed makes this an interesting tale of survival. (Polette, 1995) I’ll be employing following five different activities for the children to work with the story. Student-Adult Reading In student-adult reading, the class will be divided into small groups and each group will be assigned a chapter from the novel to read. The student will read out loud from the novel with me while the rest of the children listen. I will read the text first, which will actually give the student a model of fluent reading. This is followed by the student reading the same text, while I would assist and encourage him or her during the process. I would repeat this process with individual student until the subject gains fluency in reading the particular passage. (Fluency & Learning to Read – Reading Fluency) c In this activity the students will read a particular passage from the novel along with me as a group. To carry out this activity, each student will be provided his/her own copy of the novel. I would read a particular passage starting from the first chapter so that the children begin to comprehend the story ad they are familiarized with the words. After reading a particular passage I would re-read the passage aloud to model fluent reading but this time asking the students to join in and read the passage along with me. This would be repeated three to five times on selected days of the week. At the end of this routine students should be able to read the text independently. (Reading Fluency, 2002) Tape-assisted Reading This activity follows a different method. Students are supposed to read from their books while they hear and follow a fluent reader read the text from the book on an audiotape. For this activity to be a success the recorded voice should be reading the text at about 80-100 words per minutes. Each student must have his/her copy of the novel in front of him/her and the recorded voice should be loud and audible. To start with, student should point along the text with his finger while listening to the recorded voice. After this practice the student must read out the text aloud with the tape. Reading the text loud with the tape must continue until the student gains fluency and can read the material without the support of the recorded voice. Fluency is important in readind as it allows the particiants to groud words together and focus more on their meanning rather than decoding the text. On the other hand less fluet readers direct more attention towards word recognition than comprehension of the given text. The above mentioned exercise is therefore aimed at easing the hesitation in reading. (Fluency, 2001) Partner Reading Partner reading is an activity which involves a couple of students taking turns to read the text aloud to each other. This would turn out to be an effective reading practice in which fluent readers can be paired with less fluent ones. The less fluent reader will use the fluent reader’s style of expression as a model and learn quickly. The better skilled reader provides help to the weak reader with word recognition and assists him in the process. Another approach to partner reading is check list reading where both the partners are given checklists. After explaining the students how they can change the pitch of their voice to make it more realistic, each students is asked to read out the passage to their respective partners thrice following the above instructions. At the end each students submits a report regarding their partner’s fluency which can be improved upon in the next session. (Murray) Readers’ theatre Readers’ theatre involves students rehearsing and performing a play for their fellow students and friends. Characters from the novel can be assigned to different students who can then act out the play by reading from their individual scripts derived from the novel. ‘The Cay’ will be a suitable book for this practice as it is rich in dialogues. This kind of activity makes reading more appealing and enhances fluency by providing students with the opportunity to interact with their peers on a different level. References Fluency & Learning to Read – Reading Fluency. (n. d. ). Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. time4learning.com/readingpyramid/fluency. htm Fluency. (2001). Retrieved July 2008, from Reading Rockets: http://www. readingrockets. org/teaching/reading101/fluency Murray, D. B. (n. d. ). Developing Reading Fluency. Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. auburn. edu/%7Emurraba/ Polette, N. (1995). The Cay by Theodore Taylor. Retrieved July 2008, from http://www. nancypolette. com/LitGuides/cay. pdf Reading Fluency. (2002). Retrieved July 2008, from http://readingserver. edb. utexas. edu/downloads/primary/guides/Fluency_Presentation. PDF

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

General Motors External Environment Essay Example

General Motors External Environment Essay Example General Motors External Environment Paper General Motors External Environment Paper When the business cycle is at the stage of recession known as recovery, it becomes even difficult for the potential customers to keep up with the routine purchasing habits. This means that the customers purchase only the things which are economical and are of absolute importance. The new protocols imposed by the Fiscal Policy Institute (PI) resulted in a hike on the organization by the government which resulted in the increase of selling prices, thus making the vehicle out of reach of purchase. Inflation as well as deflation marks a straight blow to the cost of products and the services. For instance, if more tax is levied on customers, it implies diminished income which finally results in lower expenditure. All these circumstances directly affect the potential customers to turn away from GM and chose more affordable and economic automotive products. Furthermore, for international markets, the inconsistency in the exchange rate gave others an added advantage. :

Monday, October 21, 2019

Avoid these Overused Resume Phrases

Avoid these Overused Resume Phrases Avoid these Overused Resume Phrases The goal of every resume is to provide a brief and comprehensive summary of your job history and skills while leaving a lasting impression on the recruiter. Since companies receive dozens of resumes per hiring season, employers who are assigned to sort through these documents encounter repetitive phrases which render the submission clichà ©. Several online resources provide a list of key phrases to avoid when writing a resume. While helpful, sometimes these phrases provide the opportunity to share something valuable. Instead of deleting these phrases altogether, rewrite them in a way that makes your resume stand out, and provide concrete examples of your work experience. Here are some commonly used phrases from resumes and suggestions to rewrite them: â€Å"Works well independently† Most of the time, this phrase is used as a crutch (and is usually part of a bullet list). Instead of focusing on the trait alone, provide an example that showcases your independent nature. Example: â€Å"In 2010, I launched my own website focusing on providing young adult readers with tips and tricks to save money.† This statement showcases your skill, experience, and knowledge while providing a concrete example to the reader. â€Å"A great team player† Teamwork is important is crucial in any workplace to meet company goals, but this phrase does not impress. Instead, share events that showcase you and your former team’s participation or achievement.Example: â€Å"Volunteered with colleagues and organized a 2011 fundraiser.† â€Å"Results driven† Results usually require quantitative data. To avoid this ambiguous claim, write about strategies you implemented which resulted in a percentage of change.Example: â€Å"Reduced the percentage of tardy employees by 10% by implementing an incentive and penalty policy to encourage them to be on time.† â€Å"Good communication skills† Communication skills are important, but this is another example of a broad statement. In this case, provide an example showing how your skills were put to good use.Example: â€Å"Prepared and presented a slideshow to job applicants attending the 2010 job fair in Springfield.† â€Å"Strong attention to detail† It pays to be meticulous with details but it’s even better when other examples are provided.Example: â€Å"I have considerable experience editing articles for an SEO company.† If you rewrite overused phrases and provide concrete examples of your success, potential employers are more likely to schedule an interview with you. Your new resume offers a concise summary of your knowledge, skills, and experience while helping you stand out from the rest of the applicants. hires a team of talented writers who have considerable experience in writing, editing, and/or proofreading resumes while providing key phrases that impress employers.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Love in essays

Love in essays Love is defined as when you seek and foster the goodness of others in the context of their concrete situations. That statement can be interpreted in many different ways. There are many different types of love: self-love, friendship love, erotic love, parental love, love of nature, romantic love, and Gods love. Self-love is when you love yourself, not vainly, but just caring about yourself and you well being. Friendship love is when you and another person love each other in a platonic way. Erotic love happens when two people want to join together in union in both body and mind. Parental love is the affirmation parents make about their kids. Its an unconditional love because parents love their kids no matter what bad things they do. Love of nature is when you respect all of Gods creations, and nurture them. Romantic love is friendship love only on a much deeper level. The two people care about each other so much that they only want to be with each other. Gods love is the lo ve that God has for us. God made everything in his image and likeness, so obviously he loves everything on earth. The movie Forrest Gump depicts all of these types of love, some more obviously than others. Friendship love can be seen in Forest Gump most easily between Forest and Jenny. From the time they first met on the school bus, when Jenny let Forest sit next to her, they became friends forever. They grew up as best friends. They helped each other out when they needed it. They cared about each other. An example is when some local bullies were making fun of Forest and throwing stones at him, Jenny told Forest to run, he did, and then was free from the bullies harm. An example of when Forest was there for Jenny when she needed it was when Jenny was trying to get away from her abusive father. Jenny left her house and with Forest, went into the corn field. He was there to give her support and to try to make her...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Influence of US Marcellus Shale exploration & production on Russian Thesis Proposal

Influence of US Marcellus Shale exploration & production on Russian LNG export in Shtokman_proposal - Thesis Proposal Example The increasing supplies of shale gas in the US have substantially reduced US needs for Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), and this shift in demand has resulted in several geopolitical implications. This paper will examine the effects of US Marcellus Shale exploration and production on Russian LNG export in the Shtokman area of Russia. Russian is among the world’s largest natural exporter. The Shtokman fields are some of the largest gas fields holding more than 3.8 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, as well as slightly more than 37 million tons of condensate gas (Barker 1). The Shtokman field, discovered by Soviet geophysicist Vladimir Shtokman in 1988, has not been explored due to the extreme climatic conditions in the Artic, as well as the depth of the sea as it varies from 1,050 to 1,120 feet. Russians scientists also warn that the development of Shtokman field will encounter problems as global warming sets free icebergs into the Arctic. In order to counter this challenge, the Shtokman Development Company will utilize floating removable platforms that can easily be removed in emergency situations. Knowledge about the existence of shale gas in the US is not new as geologists have known of the existence of shale formations for quite a long time. The principal hurdle has, however, been the issues of costs and technology. These have diminished over the last decade by the advent of new technologies that yield substantial cost reductions, hence making shale gas production in the US a reality. The net production of shale gas in the US has increased from a low amount in 2000 to more than 10 billion cubic feet each day in 2010. These figures will quadruple by the year 2040 and meet the requirements of natural gas in the US. It is paramount to note that without the constraints of government policies, as noted in other fuels such as coal, natural gas will play a significant role in the US energy market, as well as the entire

Friday, October 18, 2019

Advance Management accounting and performance management Essay

Advance Management accounting and performance management - Essay Example Moreover, the demand will extensively rise next year due to the Olympic Games that will be hosted in the region (Heather, 2000). Therefore, a fitness club is the best business venture that can transform the Olympic Village post the Olympic Games that commence in 2012. Besides, initiating a fitness club is a fun and financially paying business that assists people get and remain strong, healthy and fit. Owning such a business enables an individual own an artistic and resourceful business in a recession-resistant field. This business entails providing fitness services, which include individual training services, and BFIT rehab, which refers to a physical rehabilitation service. The club will also sell a range of nutritional, fitness and health products. These include the company’s own BFIT nutritionals at its stores that will be exclusive in the center (Curtis, 2003). The facilities that must be present at Rollin Fitness Center include cardio training equipments like 50Kg Barbell Dumbbell set, magnum fitness flat and auto incline treadmill; strength equipments like BNRG Proto Whey 5Lbs, power rack and smith machine and bench package. Most gyms in Europe especially in UK charge ?500 to ?700 a month but to increase competitiveness, Rollin Fitness Center should charge ?450 to ?500 a month. ... Per Unit Cost Statement It is very difficult to come up with per unit cost for a fitness club since the center offers more of service than goods (Jeff, 2004). The best way to go about it is through coming up with an hourly cost statement for any person who visits the center for fitness services. Now that monthly cost is like ?500, weekly cost will be; Monthly cost/ four (number of weeks in a month) ?500/4 Weekly cost = ?125 Daily cost = ?125/7 Daily cost = 17.86 which is approximately ?18 per person Now, to determine the hourly cost for attending the gym, the daily cost should be divided by the number of hours the center operates in a day (Curtis, 2003). Rollin Fitness Center should be opened at 8 in the morning and closed at 6 in the evening which amounts to 10 hours per day. Therefore; ?18/10 Hourly cost = ?1.8 per person This is the best way to put the charges since most people like spending few hours in the gym. Besides, since the Olympic Games are around the corner, most of the participants in the Olympic Games will only afford to spend few hours in the gym and that is the best cost for them (Kirk, 2000). Seven-year Budget Income Statement Year Number of people/day Daily income Monthly income Annual income Revenue (per year) Spent on operations Total relevant income/profit 2012 50 ?90 ?2700 ?32400 ?1000 ?5000 ?26400 2013 80 ?144 ?4320 ?51840 ?1100 ?6000 ?44740 2014 100 ?180 ?5400 ?64800 ?1200 ?7000 ?56600 2015 120 ?216 ?6480 ?77760 ?1200 ?8000 ?68560 2016 140 ?252 ?7560 ?90720 ?1300 ?8000 ?81420 2017 160 ?288 ?8640 ?103680 ?1500 ?9000 ?93180 2018 180 ?324 ?9720 ?116640 ?1500 ?9000 ?106140 N/B the amount spent on operations and revenue charged

Factors and Criteria That Determine Which Brand of Mobile Phones Will Essay

Factors and Criteria That Determine Which Brand of Mobile Phones Will Top Today and Which Brand Will Peak after That - Essay Example Each cell phone company tries hard to produce cell phones that are acceptable to most consumers in order to gain a better share of the market (Kushchu, 2007). This competition has led to great innovation that has seen mobile phones with great features such as MP3 and video players, cameras, wireless internet, games, and application among others playing a significant part in attracting more customers. Mobile phone innovation has come a long way and the future still looks bright, with the innovation of smart phones taking the mobile phone market by storm in the recent past. Changing consumer needs over the years have been very fundamental in the revolution of the mobile phone industry (Kerlinger, and Lee, 2000). Initially, mobile phones were only used for voice communications and text messages. With time however, consumer needs begun to influence the industry to change as companies sought to bow to consumer demands. Consumers prefer mobile phones that allow them to share information an d other multimedia devices such as images and music, have internet access and entertainment. Global mobile phone sales account for up to 60% of all electronic sales (Liu, 2002). This implies the growing demand for mobile phones across the world. With thousands of mobile phone manufactures and different brands around the world, consumers are spoilt for choice over which brands to buy. There are however various factors that determine consumer decisions on which cell phone brands to purchase. It is these factors that determine which mobile phone brands will be at peak at any given time. Mobile phone brands that have the feature that consumers want are likely to stay at the peak of the industry as compared to... This paper approves that global mobile phone sales account for up to 60% of all electronic sales. This implies the growing demand for mobile phones across the world. With thousands of mobile phone manufactures and different brands around the world, consumers are spoilt for choice over which brands to buy. There are however various factors that determine consumer decisions on which cell phone brands to purchase. It is these factors that determine which mobile phone brands will be at peak at any given time. Mobile phone brands that have the feature that consumers want are likely to stay at the peak of the industry as compared to less innovative brands. Despite selection of mobile phones being a subjective issue with most consumers having different opinions, there are various factors that are common to a majority of consumers. These include price, value of the brand, interface of the cell phone, and properties and features of a mobile phone. This report makes a conclusion that best selling mobile phones are the ones that meet the demands of consumers with regard to the factors identified above. The factors affecting consumer demands for cell phones are likely to change from time to time in to the future as the technology environment changes. The key factor to determine which mobile phone brand will be at peak, both presently and in the future is the fact that only those brands that respond to consumer demands at any particular time will be best selling brands.

Culture Change at Texaco - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture Change at Texaco - - Case Study Example thical problems at Texaco by introducing complete culture change that highlighted stringent measures for implementing equity across the workforce at all levels of interaction. Most importantly, cultural dimension was seen as the central element of promoting equity which not only showed firm’s commitment towards diversity but also raised important question of organizational culture and business strategy that played vital role in promoting better work culture within and outside the firm. In the highly competing environment of rapid globalization, pluralistic society had increasingly become a norm. Organizational ethics and ethical consideration to socially relevant issues give significant leverage to the firm in the market as it tend to influence firm’s image amongst the public, impacting their overall performance (Trevino & Nelson, 2014). Thus, Texaco’s new diversity policy was made intrinsic part of its business strategy and organizational culture. It mainly targeted the behavior of employees and through harsh measures like dismissal from job, ensured that employees treated other employees coming from different color, race, gender and culture with respect. The diversity strategy was integrated within all spheres of firm’s operations including recruitment, promotion, retention, supply chain, customer service etc. The system was distinct in its lack of commitment towards diversity mainly due to low awareness regarding cultural values and cultural competencies. The initial focus of new diversity policy was important facilitator for encouraging better behavior and mode of communication. By introducing drastic changes, the managerial leadership was actually making efforts to develop better organizational culture that relied on building new workplace relationships based on better cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect. The strategic realignment of its business strategy and business goals would emerge as important catalyst for developing facilitating

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Project - Essay Example But in Balanced Scorecard the performance of an organization is looked into from a broader angle which spans over perspectives like: Financial, Customer, Internal business process, Learning and growth. This is done to integrate the various complexities in the operating environment of a modern-day firm and so that the along with the financial model other factors which have crucial effects on the firm are taken into account. This tool evaluates performance of an organization and provides a framework for guidance. This system is used by organizations, private, governmental and non-profit to examine their performance in relation to their strategic objectives. Using the balanced Scorecard system, it is possible to measure and evaluate the process which is responsible for present and future value creation. This also acts as a guiding framework for managerial decision making in context of areas to be focused upon and resources to be put into in order to create value. Analysis through this system brings forth the ‘value drivers’ in an organization (Balance Scorecard basics, 2009; Kaplan R.S. and Norton D.P., 1996). The main angles or points of discussion for the organization under the ‘customer perspective’ are identification of their target customers and also their won value proposition which would attract the customers. Identification of the value proposition is crucial because otherwise the organization would surely loose focus. Value propositions might emanate from: Operational excellence- These kinds of organizations get their value proposition from excellence and primary focus only on their operations and generally offer no-frill products or services. Example: EasyJet the European low-cost airline. Leadership through product- These firms depend on constant innovation and research to deliver better products to their customers. They become product leaders and lead the way in the market by always striving to and delivering

Does Media Violence actually cause people to Commit Violent Acts Essay

Does Media Violence actually cause people to Commit Violent Acts - Essay Example   Studies disclose that children watch roughly twenty eight hours of television a week (Tompkins). Adolescents and children in America are open to the elements of mounting levels of media violence, particularly in video games, movies, television and youth-oriented music. On average, a young individual would have watched 200,000 scenes of violence on television by the age of 18 (Huesmann, Moise-Titus and Podolski, 207). Many of the studies that claim positive results concerning a link between media violence and ensuing aggression, actually have negative or inconclusive results. Media violence researches frequently fail to report for other variables such as heredity traits, personality and introduction to family violence that may explain both the reason some people become violent and why they may decide to expose themselves to violent media. In more recent years, violence has become the most popular form of entertainment. Most fictional programs on television and scenes depicted in m ost games need this violence to develop a storyline that would be interesting and captivating to most viewers. The violence is far more graphic and disturbing than in the past (Tompkins, 52). Many argue that media violence is at least partly to blame for the school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, Taber, Alberta and Erfurt, Germany.    Proponents of the idea that violence depicted on both television and video games affects the behavior of children state that, contrary to other beliefs, these scenes teach a higher sense of the justification of the use of violence in different situations (Tompkins, 50). It teaches that violence is a correct avenue to solve differences, which is not an acceptable action within real life situations. The classic setting of using violence for a virtuous cause may interpret in daily life into a validation for using violence to even the score against supposed victimizers. Consequently, defenseless youth who have been maltreated may be tempted to use aggr essive means to resolve problems. The hero in most of these scenes also teaches them that violence has no consequences because he/she never gets in trouble for their actions. Most psychologists agree that experiences teach children during their early years and have a longstanding effect on their lives. Toddlers between the ages of eighteen to sixteen months are intelligent enough to comprehend the significance of the programs (Tompkins, 48) that they watch and respond in the same manner to both actual and acted violence since their link between dream and actuality is still not strong. Furthermore, toddlers between the ages of three and five years are engrossed by extremely dramatic scenes, which in today’s viewing, is mostly violence. Additionally, children who are in elementary schools believe that TV reflects real life and will become more active in displaying hostile conduct after watching violent scenes because they have been learning form a young age through watching and imitating what they see their through the violent acts of supposed movie heroes (Malamuth and Check, 436). Children who observe the aggressive shows, even hilarious cartoons, were more apt to hit their playmates, quarrel, refuse to comply with class rules, leave tasks

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Culture Change at Texaco - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture Change at Texaco - - Case Study Example thical problems at Texaco by introducing complete culture change that highlighted stringent measures for implementing equity across the workforce at all levels of interaction. Most importantly, cultural dimension was seen as the central element of promoting equity which not only showed firm’s commitment towards diversity but also raised important question of organizational culture and business strategy that played vital role in promoting better work culture within and outside the firm. In the highly competing environment of rapid globalization, pluralistic society had increasingly become a norm. Organizational ethics and ethical consideration to socially relevant issues give significant leverage to the firm in the market as it tend to influence firm’s image amongst the public, impacting their overall performance (Trevino & Nelson, 2014). Thus, Texaco’s new diversity policy was made intrinsic part of its business strategy and organizational culture. It mainly targeted the behavior of employees and through harsh measures like dismissal from job, ensured that employees treated other employees coming from different color, race, gender and culture with respect. The diversity strategy was integrated within all spheres of firm’s operations including recruitment, promotion, retention, supply chain, customer service etc. The system was distinct in its lack of commitment towards diversity mainly due to low awareness regarding cultural values and cultural competencies. The initial focus of new diversity policy was important facilitator for encouraging better behavior and mode of communication. By introducing drastic changes, the managerial leadership was actually making efforts to develop better organizational culture that relied on building new workplace relationships based on better cross-cultural understanding and mutual respect. The strategic realignment of its business strategy and business goals would emerge as important catalyst for developing facilitating

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Does Media Violence actually cause people to Commit Violent Acts Essay

Does Media Violence actually cause people to Commit Violent Acts - Essay Example   Studies disclose that children watch roughly twenty eight hours of television a week (Tompkins). Adolescents and children in America are open to the elements of mounting levels of media violence, particularly in video games, movies, television and youth-oriented music. On average, a young individual would have watched 200,000 scenes of violence on television by the age of 18 (Huesmann, Moise-Titus and Podolski, 207). Many of the studies that claim positive results concerning a link between media violence and ensuing aggression, actually have negative or inconclusive results. Media violence researches frequently fail to report for other variables such as heredity traits, personality and introduction to family violence that may explain both the reason some people become violent and why they may decide to expose themselves to violent media. In more recent years, violence has become the most popular form of entertainment. Most fictional programs on television and scenes depicted in m ost games need this violence to develop a storyline that would be interesting and captivating to most viewers. The violence is far more graphic and disturbing than in the past (Tompkins, 52). Many argue that media violence is at least partly to blame for the school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, Taber, Alberta and Erfurt, Germany.    Proponents of the idea that violence depicted on both television and video games affects the behavior of children state that, contrary to other beliefs, these scenes teach a higher sense of the justification of the use of violence in different situations (Tompkins, 50). It teaches that violence is a correct avenue to solve differences, which is not an acceptable action within real life situations. The classic setting of using violence for a virtuous cause may interpret in daily life into a validation for using violence to even the score against supposed victimizers. Consequently, defenseless youth who have been maltreated may be tempted to use aggr essive means to resolve problems. The hero in most of these scenes also teaches them that violence has no consequences because he/she never gets in trouble for their actions. Most psychologists agree that experiences teach children during their early years and have a longstanding effect on their lives. Toddlers between the ages of eighteen to sixteen months are intelligent enough to comprehend the significance of the programs (Tompkins, 48) that they watch and respond in the same manner to both actual and acted violence since their link between dream and actuality is still not strong. Furthermore, toddlers between the ages of three and five years are engrossed by extremely dramatic scenes, which in today’s viewing, is mostly violence. Additionally, children who are in elementary schools believe that TV reflects real life and will become more active in displaying hostile conduct after watching violent scenes because they have been learning form a young age through watching and imitating what they see their through the violent acts of supposed movie heroes (Malamuth and Check, 436). Children who observe the aggressive shows, even hilarious cartoons, were more apt to hit their playmates, quarrel, refuse to comply with class rules, leave tasks

The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Essay Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby there are several symbolic meanings of colours that Fitzgerald has incorporated. Specific colours in the novel contrast several different meanings and representations. Yellow is one colour in the book that Fitzgerald has incorporated for many reasons. The main representation of the colour yellow in the book is death. Death contrasted in yellow has been a main factor during the novel as in the end, basically the only yellow thing that has not been a part of death was Daisy. For example, George Wilson’s home in the valley of ashes is made of yellow brick and is the place where George and Myrtle live. Their house represents death in multiple ways as it was right outside of their house where tom and Daisy hit Myrtle and killed her. It was also the place where tom had told George that it was Gatsby’s car that had struck Myrtle, which resulted in him shooting Gatsby. Also, Gatsby’s yellow car is symbolic of death as it hits Myrtle when she runs out into the road. Lastly, nearing the end of the novel when Gatsby is in his pool, and quote the chauffeur asked him if he needed help, but he shook his head and in a moment disappeared among the yellowing trees. The yellowing trees represent death because the colour was a sign of alert which Gatsby did not realise. Also, because just as the Chauffeur disappeared â€Å"among the yellowing trees†, so did Gatsby’s life when shortly after getting in the pool, he was shot by George and killed. Yellow today represents caution just like a street light which turns yellow, which indicates caution to slow down. In the novel Fitzgerald is indicating that money and wealth cannot solve your problems. Throughout the novel Tom, Daisy and Gatsby get themselves into a lot of issues and think that their money can resolve their problems as evident from the previous examples, it cannot. Another symbolic colour that Fitzgerald has incorporated is the colour gold. Gold represents wealth. Throughout the novel wealth has been represented in several different ways. As Gatsby lives in west egg, he represents new wealth, and as tom and daisy live in east egg, they represent old wealth. Gatsby wants to be rich with old wealth so he can win the affection of his true love, so he buys a yellow car. But daisy did not want to give up the life and money that tom had, Gatsby did not have old wealth. Jordan and Daisy are represented by gold throughout the novel as quote Jordan’s slender golden arm resting in mine and high in the white palace the king`s daughter, the golden girl. The golden girl is of course Daisy. New money, which Gatsby has, represents more of the colour yellow which is why Daisy will not get back together with him. Gatsby tries to show daisy that he represents wealth several times during the novel by his appearance when quote Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie hurried in. Also, Gatsby`s parties where quote turkeys bewitched to a dark gold. Gatsbys effort to impress daisy throughout the novel represents his love for her but daisy only cares about money and realised that tom is more wealthy. Throughout the novel, there have been many symbolic representations of the colour blue as well. The colour blue represents loyalty, patience, love, and the sky. For example, as blue represents loyalty, ironically tom is the opposite if loyal. For example, tom takes his blue car to the Valley of ashes to go have affairs with myrtle, as well he is a racist. Also, although blue can represent love, it can also represent sadness and unhappiness as seen through the relationship of tom and Daisy. As Daisy is â€Å"the Golden Girl† she sets her relationship with tom based on money instead of love, which proves to us that their relationship is undoubtedly blue. I also believe that blue is symbolic of patience and dreams because the blue lake is the separation between Gatsby’s house and Daisy’s house and one day he dreams of reuniting with her. As well Gatsby’s blue garden represents patience because every Saturday when Gatsby holds his elegant parties, he hopes that one day daisy will come to one, and just like nick and Jordan first met Gatsby in his backyard which is located by the blue garden, he hopes that he will find Daisy there as well. Finally, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. Eckleburg’s eyes represent the sky, as they are the colour of the sky, as well the connection between the eyes and god only exists only in George Wilson’s mind. I feel that blue today represents unending possibilities, which is what Fitzgerald had incorporated throughout this novel as the reader was never sure of what was going to happen between tom and daisy, Gatsby and daisy, as there could have been the possibility that Gatsby and daisy would get married.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Theories In First Language Acquisition English Language Essay

Theories In First Language Acquisition English Language Essay Since, the second language is an additional language after we acquire the first language, the L2 learning process can be influenced by the L1 learning process This essay will demonstrate the similarities and differences in L1 and L2 acquisition by discussing various theories. Then, draw a conclusion based on the evidence provided and my own experience. Definition First Language Acquisition First Language Acquisition or also known as the Child Language Acquisition is a process whereby children from infancy through early school years acquire their first languages (Lightbown Spada, 2006). The term First Language Acquisition or FLA can be referred to the field that investigates the process by which children develop to use words and sentences in their first language, to communicate with other people (Dictionary of Sociolinguistics, 2004). Second Language Acquisition According to a Dictionary of Sociolinguistics (2004), the term Second Language Acquisition or SLA can be referred to the academic discipline that investigate the process of human when learning second language (L2) or additional languages other than the first language. It involves the ability of people to use and develop a complex system of sound, word, sentence structure, and meaning of any non-native language (Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science, 2005). It also tries to understand factors such as environment, individual differences, and social aspect which can be crucial factors underlining the acquire of second language (Ortega, 2009). Theories in First Language Acquisition Various theories and approaches have been developed over the past years attempting to study and analyze how do children acquire their mother tongue. This essay will identify two main theories that explain the learning process of the childs first language: Behaviourism and Nativist or Innateness theory. Behaviourism The behaviorism theory assumes how do children speak that children imitate what they hear, and then continue with positive support, children learn language through conditioning and habit formation (Ellis, 2008). According to B.F. Skinner and his colleagues (Gass Larry, 2008), learning or a change of behaviour on the part of the learner, is brought about by a process known as operant conditioning which is the result of repeated training. Operant means voluntary behaviour which is the result of learners own free-will and is not forced by any outsider or thing (Ortega, 2009). The learner will demonstrate the new behaviour first as a response to a system of a reward or punishment, and finally it will become an automatic response. Behaviourists believe that learning a language is no different from learning anything else. It becomes a habit by the stimulus-response-reinforcement-repetition process (Cook, 2001). The behaviourists also claim that we learn by imitation and by association (Lightbown Spada, 2006). However, psycholinguists argue that imitation is not enough because it is not only the mechanical repetition but also natural exposure that children acquire language (Cook, 2001). Therefore, from the behaviourist approach, language acquisition can be seen as a stimulus-response process. Children learn language by immitation and analogy. The roles of imitation, repetition, reinforcement, and motivation are essential in learning the language. The First Language Acquisition is thus the result of nature which based on practicing. Nativist or Innateness theory Unlike the behaviourist approach that does not take into consideration the childs own cognitive processes, the Innateness Hypothesis proposed by linguist Noam Chomsky supports the idea that language acquisition has a biological foundation (Ortega, 2009). He claims that children learn their first languages through cognitive learning and acquires them by natural exposure (Ortega, 2009). That means both nature and nurture influence the acquisition of language in children. He hypothesized that children are born with a specific innate ability to discover for themselves the underlying rules of a language system on the basis of the samples of a natural language they are exposed to (Lightbown Spada, 2006). This innate endowment was seen as a sort of template, containing the principles that are universal to all human beings. This is called Universal Grammar (UG). As defined by Chomsky (1976, as cited by Cook, 2001 pp181-182) Universal Grammar is the system of principles, conditions, and rule s that are elements or properties of all human languages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the essence of human language. According to Chomsky, there are principles, which allow or prevent a specific structure from occurring in all human languages, and parameters, which govern ways in which human languages differ, usually expressed as a limited choice between two options (Cook, 2001). These principles and parameters are built in the human mind. In other words, children have an innate faculty that instructs them while learning of language (Mitchell and Myles, 2004: 33). Chomsky also introduced the Language Acquisition Device or LAD to explain that there is some innate mental capacity which help the children to process all the languages they hear since they were born (Cook, 2001). Thus, from the innatist approach, language is an innate or in-born process. Children learn language by application. It argued that language learning is not a behavior but a specific mental process and emphasized on the important role of exposure to language. Theories in Second Language Acquisition Behaviourism Behaviourism gave birth to a stimulus-response (S-R) theory which sees language as a set of structures and acquisition as a matter of habit formation (Larsen-Freeman Long, 1991). By ignoring any internal mechanisms, it takes into account the linguistic environment and the stimuli it produces. It is suggested that learning is an observable behaviour which is automatically acquired by means of stimulus and response in the form of mechanical repetition. Thus, to acquire a language is to acquire automatic linguistic habits. According to Johnson (2004), [B]ehaviorism undermined the role of mental processes and viewed learning as the ability to inductively discover patterns of rule-governed behavior from the examples provided to the learner by his or her environment. Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991) consider that S-R models offer little promises as explanations of SLA, except for perhaps pronunciation and the rote-memorization of formulae. This view of language learning emerged research on contrastive analysis, especially error analysis (Ortega, 2009) . It has the main focus of which is the interference of ones first language in the target language. According to Ellis (2008), an important reaction to behaviourism was the interlanguage studies, as the simple comparison between first and second language neither explained nor described the language produced by L2 learners. In this essay, interlanguage studies will be excluded as the concern of the area has been mainly with the acquisition of grammatical morphemes or specific language structures. Universal grammar theory According to Cook (2001), as a counterpoint to the environmental perspective, Chomskys followers try to understand SLA in the light of his universal grammar (UG) theory, a human innate endowment. Chomsky is interested in the nature of language and sees language as a mirror of the mind (Gass Selinker, 2008). Although he is not concerned with SLA, his work has been influencing studies in this area. According to his theory, it can be seen that every human being is biologically endowed with the Language Acquisition Device (LAD), which is responsible for the initial state of language development. The UG theory considers that the input from the environment is insufficient to account for language acquisition. In the same perspective, White (2003:22) says that [I]f it turns out that the L2 learner acquires abstract properties that could not have been induced from the input, this is strongly indicative that principles of UG constrain interlanguage grammars, parallel to the situation of L1 ac quisition. As Mitchel and Myles (2004:94) remind us, The universal Grammar approach is only interested in the learner as a processor of a mind that contains language and not as a social being. Comprehension hypothesis Influenced by Chomskys assumptions on language as an innate faculty, Krashen developed an influential proposal to explain SLA which he first named as monitor model with emphasis on the contrast between learning and acquisition, then called it the input hypothesis (Krashen 1978, cited in Lightbown Spada, 2006). It focuses on the data which feed acquisition, and more recently, comprehension hypothesis emphasizing the mental process as responsible for acquisition (Ellis, 2008). According to Krashen (2004:1), [T]he Comprehension Hypothesis is closely related to other hypotheses. The Comprehension Hypothesis refers to subconscious acquisition, not conscious learning. The result of providing acquirers with comprehensible input is the emergence of grammatical structure in a predictable order. A strong affective filter, such as high anxiety, will prevent input from reaching those parts of the brain that promote language acquisition (Cook, 2001). According to Lightbown and Spada (2006), Kra shens model views acquisition in a linear perspective which not only establishes a cause and effect relationship between input and acquisition but also states that the grammatical structure is acquired in a predictable order. Nonetheless, like in the other theories discussed so far, his theory does not go beyond the acquisition of grammatical structures. Krashens model lacks research evidence. As Cook (2001) points out it makes sense in its own terms but is not verifiable. Interaction theory Other attempts to explain SLA are the different versions of the interaction hypothesis defended by Hatch (1978) and by Long (1981, 1996), who did not accept Krashens Input Hypothesis. Both Hatch and Long consider that input alone is not sufficient to explain SLA. Hatch disagrees that learners first learn structures and then use them in discourse. Hatch considers the reverse possibility. One learns how to do conversation, one learns how to interact verbally, and out of this interaction syntactic structures are developed (Harch, 1978 p. 404). Based on an empirical study, Long (1981) observed that in conversations between native and non-native speakers, there are more modifications in interaction than in the input provided by the native speakers. Long does not reject the positive role of modified input, but claims that modifications in interactions are consistently found in successful SLA. Long (1996) suggests that negotiation for meaning, especially negotiation work that triggers inter actional adjustments by the NS or more competent interlocutor, facilitates acquisition because it connects input, internal learner capacities, particularly selective attention, and output in productiveways. However, Larsen-Freeman and Long (1991) argue that the interactionist views are more powerful than other theories because they invoke both innate and environmental factors to explain language learning. Similarities and Differences between FLA and SLA Age: a key factor differentiate L1 from L2 Age can be regarded as another key factor displaying the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition. Since, in the L1 acquisition, children normally complete the process by four to six years old, while the age range in acquiring the L2 can be varied wildly (Ortega, 2009). Moreover, according to Ellis (2008), age is recognized as being important owing to the assumption that older learners tend to be less successful in regard to SLA than younger learners, which may be owing to the fact that target-language norms do not pose as much of a threat to younger learners identities. However, there are two issues that many theorists have been arguing about the relationship between age and L2 acquisition. That the age effect can be approached from biological explanations or from non-biological explanations (Ortega, 2009). From the biological perspective (Gass Selinker, 2008), there is the Critical Period Hypothesis in L2 learning which is proposed by Penfield and Roberts (1959) and Lenneberg (1967). On the other hand, from the non-biological perspective, some researchers have emphasized on the influence of socio-educational and affective-motivational forces (Ortega, 2009).

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Louis Armstrong Discography :: essays research papers

about the discography -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIDEMAN 1923-25 HOT 5 & 7 1925-28 STARDOM 1929-32 THE 30'S 1932-42 WAR YEARS 1942-46 ALL-STARS 1942-56 PURE GOLD 1956-63 TWILIGHT 1963-71 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evolution of the All-Stars feedback credit where it's due other links to louis (c) 1999 scott johnson The Louis Armstrong Discography Most historians agree; when it comes to influential musicians in this century, one name stands above the rest. Not Gershwin or Porter, Lennon or Presley. It is, indeed, Louis Armstrong who blasted the music of the world out of a tired tradition of classic orchestra and mundane Tin Pan Alley pop into the exciting era of hot jazz and swing. Not single-handedly, admittedly; but Armstrong set standards of originality and spontaneity that are yet to be surpassed. Equal parts singer, soloist, and personality, Louis' recordings cover an astounding range of styles and trends. And at every single stage of his career, he produced work of such staggering quality that it was never possible to dismiss this musical icon. Born in 1900, his life paralleled many of the twists and turns of the middle century. In the twenties, he stunned his jazz peers with an instrumental originality they had never imagined. The thirties saw him rise to the top of the pop music echelon, as his peerless personality swept up admiring listeners of all colors. The forties brought both a sinking of fortunes, with a ban on recording during the war, and a bold resurgence at the end of the decade. By the fifties, Louis' voice mellowed into an evocative instrument of its own, capable of elevating a novelty like "Mack the Knife" or a ballad like "That Old Feeling" into timeless mementos. Even in his final years, though deprived of the facility to make his famous cornet produce the kind of stirring sound that first brought him recognition, Louis Armstrong had the clout to create his most famous hits.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Mass Media’s Undermining of Societal Values During Health Care Reform E

Mass Media’s Undermining of Societal Values During Health Care Reform There is little doubt that three years ago the American people wanted health care reform. News media saw the controversy over health care reform as a strong issue to discuss in their productions, and most fulfilled their responsibility as an information medium: to provide equal opportunity for both sides of this debate to reveal the benefits of their plans and the drawbacks of their opponents’. However, when interest groups became involved in this dispute, advertising their own beliefs against the Clinton Health Care Reform Plan, they manipulated the public by using scare tactics. News media incorporated these ads in their coverage of the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed changes and the present system. The American public persuaded Congress to kill any effort by the Clinton Administration to universalize health care because of the interest groups’ advertisements and the news media’s emphasis on the accuracy of the messages displayed in these ads. The lack of support for health care reform was because of the fear and confusion the news media created. In this paper I will argue that mass media’s exposing the American Public to interest groups advertisements and the news media’s analyzing these advertisements in their health care reform reports reinforced the interest groups messages. This reinforcement led media to acknowledge the interest groups basis for disagreement over and the flaws of health care reform. The disagreement over and flaws of health care reform eventually led to the downfall of this initiative and of society’s valuing improvements in health care. News media undermined societal values by ignoring how health care reform... ... they rejected health care reform, and ignored mass media’s attention to health care reform. Otherwise, society would have had what it wanted: universal health care and an news medium respecting, not scaring its audience out of wise and beneficial decisions. Page 8 Works Cited Page Beck, Melinda. â€Å"Rationing Health Care† Newsweek 27 June 1994: 30. â€Å"Bureaucats† Coalition For Health Insurance 24 June 1994. â€Å"Changes Alternate # 2† Health Insurance Association of America 24 June 1994. â€Å"Defuse Health Care Bill.† The Arizona Republic 18 July 1994: 2. Greenwald, John. â€Å"OUCH! Which Hurts More, The Shot Or The Bill?† Time 8 March 1993: 53-55. Reich, Robert F. â€Å"National Health Care Reform: Comparing Four Alternative Plans.† Illinois Business Review 22 March 1994: 3. Wright, Robert. â€Å"The Technology Time Bomb.† The New Republic 29 March 1993: 25-30.

Friday, October 11, 2019

“Reading the River” by Mark Twain, and “The Way to Rainy Mountain” by N. Scott Momaday Essay

The short works Reading the River by Mark Twain, and The Way to Rainy Mountain by N. Scott Momaday, are personal tales of moments in the authors lives and how those experiences impacted them spiritually. The central theme of both essays is that of impressing upon the reader to be careful not to take everyday life for granted. Both authors accomplish this mission by relying on examples from nature, but Momaday goes a step farther and incorporates his Native American heritage into the explanation of his world. Twain writes about learning to guide a riverboat down the Mississippi River and to look for tell-tale signs of positive or negative aspects that may affect the journey. He describes how, after so many years of looking for things in or on the river, he has lost the ability to appreciate the beauty of the river itself that others take for granted. Nature is also an important element in the writings of Momaday. He uses lush language to describe the mountains and the plains in order to relay his deep respect of his surroundings. He also describes the oral history of his tribe, the Kiowas, which his grandmother handed down to subsequent generations. When his grandmother died, he realized that she was the last Kiowa who had ties to the history of the tribe and that any tales told from then on would be merely reiterations of her stories, rather than the actual story-telling itself. Both authors compare the subject of their interest to that of a story, be it a book or a tale well told. In this way they are able to fascinate the reader rather than merely preach their advice. It could even be argued that both authors are merely engaged in the fanciful retelling of their actual life events. Either intentionally or accidentally, they both provide powerful images that encourage their readers to appreciate that which is commonplace. Twain compares the Mississippi River to a book that is deciphered only by the trained eye, such as his. He remembers the beauty that once enraptured him and drew him to the water. He describes a sunset with imagery that leaves the reader thirsty for more, only to reveal that his trained eye no longer sees such irrelevant things it sees only the danger of a rock, the landmark of a tree or the disturbances in the water that signal incoming or receding tides. He laments that those who could not read this book saw nothing but all manner of pre tty pictures in it ( p.  583). This elaborate sunset that had once bewitched him now merely told him that we are going to have wind tomorrow (p. 584). Natural phenomena in Momadays recollections also summon up powerful imagery for those who choose not to look too closely. He describes the lush fields, the snowy mountains, and the harsh plains with words that paint a picture in the readers mind. He also transitions into the idea that not everything must be seen by the eyes in order to give a real picture to the mind. In his grandmothers mind were places she had never been to physically, but rather were an immense landscape of the continental interior [that] lay like memory in her blood (p. 548). The imagery of her stories ceased to exist when her body lay in death. With this event, Momaday realized that there would be no more oral histories, merely tales of the past, and he set out to do what his grandmother had not to actually see these places because he, like so many modern Native Americans, did not have these me mories programmed into his own blood. Although there are similarities of theory and imagery in both Twains and Momadays essays, both are also unique in relaying the shared message of paying attention to ones world. Where Twain loses the ability to appreciate the beauty of the flowing river, Momaday embraces the beauty of nature as a tool to underscore the theme of his writing. Unable to appreciate the beauty of the Mississippi River, Twain is forced to have a more realistic and practical view. He searches the water for nuances in the current or new dangers that werent there during the previous voyage, and he looks to the skies for predictions of weather. Momaday adopts a romantic style, relying on the legends of his forefathers to explain what to his tribal ancestors must have appeared unexplainable. For example, rather than recognize the existence of Devils Tower and the stars in the sky as scientifically explainable phenomena, the Kiowa people explained the existence of such things with myths and legends. Being sun-worshipers, they also explained their very existence with mythological importance. This is common throughout Native American heritage, whereas the quest for factual knowledge has long been the goal of European Americans. Twain relies heavily upon analogies so that the reader can more readily identify with his position. Momaday enraptures his readers with carefully detailed descriptions and heartfelt emotions. Both are equally successful tactics and invite a wide variety of readers to leave their reading experience with the same basic message. Where Twain equates his inability to see beauty in the river to that of a doctor no longer able to separate the beauty of the human body from the disease and deformities of humans, Momaday creates an imaginary playground that the reader is hesitant to leave. Everything we encounter has a purpose from the most magnificent sunset to the magical changing of the seasons. Both Mark Twain and N. Scott Momaday realize this and encourage others to do so by the telling of their life experiences in these two essays. A common theme is relayed via different styles and different uses of language and imagery, and both are equally effective. Twains analogy of the doctor and patient to explain his relationship with the river can be replaced with any profession, for example architects or gardeners, and appeals to a realistic and down-to-earth audience. Momadays ability to paint pictures with words and to tease the reader with romantic myths draws a very different group. Whether these essays be reviewed for their similarities or their differences, both are alike in their effectiveness to encourage readers to stop and smell the roses.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Hawaii’s Annexation to the US

History is rife with instances of nations wielding power over independent states as a means to gain socio-political or economic ends. In the case of the US, numerous factors buoyed its resolve to acquire territories during the 1890s. Foremost of these is that resource-rich countries showed promise of fueling an industrial America. On the other hand, there was the influence of naval strategists. They succeeded in expounding the overall view to American political leaders that there are vast benefits in acquiring territories and ports of strategic naval importance. Under the guise of Manifest Destiny, which rationalized dominant nations’ imperialist expansion in the mid- to late 1800s, the US proceeded to aggressively expand and take control of nations, among them Hawaii. Hawaii’s Annexation to the US The annexation of Hawaii to the United States was preceded by a sequence of events that finally led to that crucial turning point in history. Still reeling from the ruins and desolation of the Civil War, America had rapidly marshalled efforts to promote its interests and embark on an overt colonization of countries that offered it distinct advantages. Before it plunged head-on into an aggressive territorial expansion, it kept a wary eye both on foreign territories that were ideal for its commercial interests, as well as on dominant European powers that were also expanding beyond their borders and establishing colonies. Political and business leaders put forth the idea that â€Å"the rapid industrial development of the United States required the acquisition of foreign territories to gain easier access to vital raw materials† (Tindall and Shi, 2006, p. 59). The desire for new markets to be exploited economically eventually turned to coveting nations and creating an American empire, at all expense. William H. Seward, the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to1869, believed that â€Å"the United States first had to remove all foreign interests from the northern Pacific coast and gain access to that region’s valuable ports† (Tindall & Shi, 2006, p. 862) if it intends to successfully conquer Asian markets. A strategic imperialistic ploy adopted to indirectly take control over the economic life of a nation was to enter into trade agreements with them. Many years after the signing of a friendship treaty, came the sealing of the 1875 reciprocal trade agreement between Hawaii and the US, â€Å"under which Hawaiian sugar would enter the United States duty-free and Hawaii promised that none of its territory would be leased or granted to a third power† (Tindall & Shi, 2006, p. 86 3). This precipitated the next events that would lead to Hawaii’s annexation. Decades earlier, economic treaties had been offered to Hawaii by Great Britain and France, but the US had asserted itself to uphold its interests in Hawaii. The latter had actually â€Å"signed trade and peace treaties with the United States, England and other foreign nations, each recognizing Hawaii's independence† (Sforza, 1996, para. 5) and this is why on hindsight, it sees the broken agreement with the US as some sort of betrayal. In retrospect, back in 1820, American missionaries from Boston in 1820 stayed in Hawaii and soon turned out to be powerful sugar planters and politicians who served as advisers to the reigning monarchy (Sforza, 1996, para. 5). Queen Liliuokalani sought to shift power back to the monarchy, but the rapid succession of events eventually led to political turmoil â€Å"engineered mainly by the American planters hoping to take advantage of the subsidy for sugar grown in the United States† (Tindall ; Shi, 2006, p. 64). The imprisoned Queen Liliuokalani had issued a statement that pointed to the role of American diplomat, John L. Stevens in the conspiracy to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaii. Amidst the commotion, a committee representative of the group that seized power from Hawaii’s reigning Queen Liliuokalani had shown up in the US seat of government in Washington with a treaty calling for Hawaii’s annexation to the US. President Grover Cleveland opposed the treaty and had attempted to restore the queen to power while seeking to provide amnesty to the coup instigators (Tindall ; Shi, 2006, p. 864). In December 1893, he expressed, â€Å"By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown† (Sforza, 1996, para. 13). Party politics and other issues, however, eased Cleveland out of office. As fate and US maneuvering would have it, Hawaii was eventually annexed to the US in 1898 â€Å"at the urging of President William McKinley† (â€Å"Annexation of Hawaii,† n. d. , para. 3). The island state became a territory in 1900. Statehood was deferred â€Å"until a bipartisan compromise linked Hawaii's status to Alaska, and both became states in 1959† (â€Å"Annexation of Hawaii,† n. d. , para. 3). References Sforza, Terry (1996). Hawaii’s annexation a story of betrayal.   Retrieved September 20, 2008, from http://www.hawaii-nation.org/betrayal.html Tindall, G., & Shi, D. (2006). America – a narrative history (7th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

What Does it Take to Get Into North Carolina State Universityâ€Raleigh?

North Carolina State University’s acceptance rate is 46%. What does it take to get in? North Carolina State University, located in Raleigh, is a large public research university known for its value and programs dedicated to the state’s key industries, such as natural resources and textiles. With an enrollment of 35,000 students, NC State is one of the largest schools in the country. It is home to 12 colleges offering programs across all disciplines, with more than 100 undergraduate majors. It also offers more than 100 master’s degrees and over 60 doctoral degrees. NC State is respected for the value of its education; it currently holds a top 10 ranking from U.S. News and World Report for Best Value Among U.S. Public Universities. In-state students currently pay just over $9,000 for tuition and fees. It is ranked 32nd for Top Public Schools and lands in the top 15 for its programs in both industry and agriculture. To learn more about how your high schooler can earn acceptance to NC State, don’t miss this post. NC State accepts the Common Application or the Coalition Application . Your student only need to fill out one of the two. If they’re applying to other schools on one of the platforms, it’s usually easiest to continue using that one. There are several different application deadlines that potential applicants should be aware of. Early Action applications are due October 15. In addition, some majors and scholarships have application deadlines of October 15. Most notably, this includes all studio majors. Regular Decision applications are due January 15. For a complete overview, see the NC State Dates and Deadlines page . For a complete application, your high schooler also must submit: Teacher recommendations are neither required or recommended for admissions to NC State. Alternatively, students may choose to submit one counselor recommendation, which will be reviewed as supplemental material by the admissions committee. NC State is considered a moderately selective college. In 2018, NC State received over 29,000 applications for 4,500 seats. However, because only a fraction of accepted students ultimately enroll, far more students are offered a placed in the incoming class.   In 2018, the acceptance rate at NC State was 46%. The students accepted to NC State represent a diverse body hailing from all across the country. In 2018, accepted students came from all 100 of North Carolina’s counties, all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. First of all, to even be considered for admission to NC State, students must fulfill some basic requirements in high school. All applicants must complete at least 15 credit units. These must include four units of English and math, three units of science (at least one of which must be a lab class), two units of a foreign language, and one unit each of social studies and history. Beyond the basic requirements, applicants to NC State must present a strong academic record and solid standardized test scores. In fact, the factors considered most important by the admissions committee are the rigor of your secondary school classes, your class rank, your GPA, and your test scores. Many other factors are also considered, including essays, recommendation, extracurriculars, and personal characteristics. While these factors are weighed in the big picture, they aren’t nearly as important as your child’s academic record and test scores.   Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Score a 1390 or higher on your SAT, or a 31 or higher on your ACT. Test scores are very important to the admissions committee at NC State. By hitting these out of the park, your student will really shine. In 2018, the average SAT score of accepted students was 1344 and the average ACT score was 29. Average won’t be enough, however, if your high schooler wants to rise above the crowd. To do that, they should aim to achieve a score in the top 25%. For the SAT, the magic number is 1390, and for the ACT, it’s 31. For help preparing for your SAT, consider the benefits of ’s customized SAT Tutoring Program , where the brightest tutors in the industry guide students to an average score increase of 250 points. Maintain a strong GPA. Again, we can’t stress enough how important academics are to your teen’s chances. 59% of students admitted to NC State in 2018 achieved an unweighted GPA of 3.75 or above. Weighted GPAs were well over 4.0, as NC State applicants usually take a heavy course load. Of students admitted in 2018, nearly a third took dual enrollment classes and 70% took AP classes. Your student should keep their grades up and take challenging classes if they want a shot at NC State. Apply Early Action. NC State is one of the schools that does admit students at a slightly higher rate when they apply through the early action program. If your student wants to maximize their chances in every way possible, have them apply through early action. The acceptance rate last year through early action was 50%, compared to the overall acceptance rate of 46%.    On the one hand, NC State accepts nearly half of all applicants. On the other hand, slightly more than half of all applicants are ultimately rejected. If your high schooler gets rejected, they’re actually among the majority. The bad news is that NC State doesn’t really use its waitlist very actively. In 2018, over 4000 students accepted spots on the waitlist, but only 20 were ultimately accepted. That means less than 1% of students on the waitlist were ultimately accepted. NC State does accept transfer applicants, but the standards for admissions are similar to the standards for first-year students. This means that if a student is rejected during first-year admissions, they’ll need to up their game to be accepted as a transfer. If they can achieve great grades and prove their academic abilities at another college, they might just have a shot at transferring later. That being said, a student’s first priority should be finding another great school to attend where they’re just as likely to thrive. With thousands of options, there is a good fit out there for everyone. For help adjusting to a different school, they can read our post, Envisioning a New Future: Preparing for Life at Your Second-Choice (or Third, or Fourth) School . For more assistance on your teen’s college application to North Carolina State University at Raleigh or anywhere else, consider enlisting the help of ’s Applications Guidance service. Here, your high schooler will be paired with a personal admissions specialist from a top college who can provide step-by-step guidance through the entire application process.Â