Free Essays on Personal Assessment

Personality Assessment After completing the Personality Assessment, it has given me an outline of my strengths and opportunities for growth in certain areas. My strengths are in areas of being dramatic and sensitive. The areas where I have room to grow are being adventurous and having self-confidence. My strength of being dramatic is very important to me. Through this, I have become who I am today. Having this trait allows me to be a lively and fun person. Others enjoy my company at both a social and serious level. I am able to make any experience, good or bad, quite enjoyable for myself as well as others. For example, when my wife failed her â€Å"G† driving test, instead of not doing anything about it, I took her to an indoor go-cart racetrack and taught her how to drive. It was quite an enjoyable moment and she loved the fact that I was able to make her laugh and put a smile on her face. Another area of strength is sensitivity. This allows me to get in touch with individuals on an emotional level. I am able to look beyond the facts and see individuals in a pure state. There was one time when my little cousin was playing with my hockey stick and broke it. He started to cry out of fear that I would get mad. Although the hockey stick cost $300.00, instead of being upset, I realized that the child was only playing and did not have any intentions of breaking the stick. While others would get mad, I gave my cousin a hug! An area that I have the opportunity for growth is being adventurous. I usually play it safe and do things that I know I’m good at. Others might say that I’m cautious! There was a time when my friends and I went to Mount Tremblant in 2002 for New Year’s Eve. Everyone went either skiing or snowboarding. Since I knew neither, I opted to remain in the chalet. Big mistake, as I regret not going. Staying in the chalet alone for 3 hours was not fun. This leads into the second area in which I c... Free Essays on Personal Assessment Free Essays on Personal Assessment Personality Assessment After completing the Personality Assessment, it has given me an outline of my strengths and opportunities for growth in certain areas. My strengths are in areas of being dramatic and sensitive. The areas where I have room to grow are being adventurous and having self-confidence. My strength of being dramatic is very important to me. Through this, I have become who I am today. Having this trait allows me to be a lively and fun person. Others enjoy my company at both a social and serious level. I am able to make any experience, good or bad, quite enjoyable for myself as well as others. For example, when my wife failed her â€Å"G† driving test, instead of not doing anything about it, I took her to an indoor go-cart racetrack and taught her how to drive. It was quite an enjoyable moment and she loved the fact that I was able to make her laugh and put a smile on her face. Another area of strength is sensitivity. This allows me to get in touch with individuals on an emotional level. I am able to look beyond the facts and see individuals in a pure state. There was one time when my little cousin was playing with my hockey stick and broke it. He started to cry out of fear that I would get mad. Although the hockey stick cost $300.00, instead of being upset, I realized that the child was only playing and did not have any intentions of breaking the stick. While others would get mad, I gave my cousin a hug! An area that I have the opportunity for growth is being adventurous. I usually play it safe and do things that I know I’m good at. Others might say that I’m cautious! There was a time when my friends and I went to Mount Tremblant in 2002 for New Year’s Eve. Everyone went either skiing or snowboarding. Since I knew neither, I opted to remain in the chalet. Big mistake, as I regret not going. Staying in the chalet alone for 3 hours was not fun. This leads into the second area in which I c...

Al-Khwarizmi, a Pioneering Astronomer and Mathematician

Al-Khwarizmi, a Pioneering Astronomer and Mathematician Al-Khwarizmi​ was also known as Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. He was known for writing major works on astronomy and mathematics that introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals and the idea of algebra to European scholars. The Latinized version of his name gave us the term algorithm, and the title of his most famous and important work gave us the word algebra. What Professions Did Al-Khwarizami Have? Writer, scientist, astronomer, geographer,  and mathematician. Places of Residence Asia, Arabia Important Dates Born:  c. 786Died:  c. 850 About Al-Khwarizmi Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was born in Baghdad in the 780s, around the time Harun al-Rashid became the fifth Abbasid caliph. Haruns son and successor, al-Mamun, founded an academy of science known as the House of Wisdom (Dar al-Hikma). Here, research was conducted and scientific and philosophic treatises were translated, particularly Greek works from the Eastern Roman Empire. Al-Khwarizmi became a scholar at the House of Wisdom. At this important center of learning, al-Khwarizmi studied algebra, geometry, and astronomy. He wrote influential texts on the subjects. He appears to have received the specific patronage of al-Mamun, to whom he dedicated two of his books: his treatise on algebra and his treatise on astronomy. Al-Khwarizmis treatise on algebra, al-Kitab al-mukhtasar fi hisab al-jabr waÊ ¾l-muqabala (â€Å"The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing†), was his most important and well-known work. Elements of Greek, Hebrew, and Hindu works that were derived from Babylonian mathematics of more than 2,000 years earlier were incorporated into al-Khwarizmis treatise. The term al-jabr in its title brought the word algebra into western use when it was translated into Latin several centuries later.   Although it sets forth the basic rules of algebra, Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala had a practical objective: to teach. As al-Khwarizmi put it: ...what is easiest and most useful in arithmetic, such as men constantly require in cases of inheritance, legacies, partition, lawsuits, and trade, and in all their dealings with one another, or where the measuring of lands, the digging of canals, geometrical computations, and other objects of various sorts and kinds are concerned. Hisab al-jabr wal-muqabala included examples as well as algebraic rules in order to help the reader with these practical applications. Al-Khwarizmi also produced a work on Hindu numerals. These symbols, which we recognize as the Arabic numerals used in the west today, originated in India and had only recently been introduced into Arabic mathematics. Al-Khwarizmis treatise describes the place-value system of numerals from 0 to 9 and may be the first known use of a symbol for zero as a place-holder (a blank space had been used in some methods of calculation). The treatise provides methods for arithmetical calculation, and it is believed that a procedure for finding square roots was included. Unfortunately, the original Arabic text is lost. A Latin translation exists, and though it is thought to be considerably changed from the original, it did make an important addition to western mathematical knowledge. From the word Algoritmi in its title, Algoritmi de numero Indorum (in English, Al-Khwarizmi on the Hindu Art of Reckoning), the term algorithm came into western usage. In addition to his works in mathematics, al-Khwarizmi made important strides in geography. He helped create a world map for al-Mamun and took part in a project to find the Earths circumference, in which he measured the length of a degree of a meridian in the plain of Sinjar. His book Kitab surat al-ará ¸  (literally The Image of the Earth, translated as Geography), was based on the geography of Ptolemy and provided the coordinates of approximately 2,400 sites in the known world, including cities, islands, rivers, seas, mountains, and general geographical regions. Al-Khwarizmi improved on Ptolemy with more accurate values for sites in Africa and Asia, and for the length of the Mediterranean Sea.   Al-Khwarizmi wrote yet another work that made it into the western canon of mathematical studies: a compilation of astronomical tables. This included a table of sines, and either its original or an Andalusian revision was translated into Latin. He also produced two treatises on the astrolabe, one on the sundial and one on the Jewish calendar, and wrote a political history that included the horoscopes of prominent people. The precise date of al-Khwarizmis death is unknown. Sources Agarwal, Ravi P. Creators of Mathematical and Computational Sciences. Syamal K. Sen, 2014th Edition, Springer, November 13, 2014. OConnor, J. J. Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi. E. F. Robertson, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Scotland, July 1999. Surhone, Lambert M. (Editor). The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing. Miriam T. Timpledon, Susan F. Marseken, VDM Publishing, August 10, 2010. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Al-Khwarizmi. Encyclopaedia Britannica, July 20, 1998.

I have assignment to paraphrase 4 pages of a debate that we had. I Essay

I have assignment to paraphrase 4 pages of a debate that we had. I have it but I need to paraphrase it with keeping the meaning and the main points - Essay Example There exists a debate between two opposing camps; Liberals and Conservatives. The Conservatives feel that the government is too big already and should therefore desist from engaging in the provision of social services to those in need. In other words, the provision is such a big problem that the government alone cannot handle. Their claim is based on the fact that the government’s services are bloated with bureaucratic procedures which means that time is severely wasted. In addition, the lack of competition also implies the lack of incentives to provide better services and more waste of limited resources. Yet again, Conservatives believe that government efforts could contribute to the establishment of a social welfare state which soon ushers socialism, and matures into communism. The other camp however believes that social services involve providing solutions to a monumental problem – a task that can only be accomplished by a â€Å"big† government. In other words, liberals believe that the problem of poverty can only be solved through government intervention. The following debate on Social services is based to a wide extent on the thirteenth chapter of Kindle, Midgley, Browns and Karger’s book, Controversial Issues in Social Policy. Based on a debate arises between people who believe social welfare is a government’s affair and the people who think that it is too big a problem for the government to handle alone 1. Since Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are not likely to change with changes in political activities for instance when there is an election and there is a change in political leadership, they are best suited to offer social services. The government will call for bids from private organizations to offer required services and with a well laid down criteria. The government may then chose the organization that best qualifies to provide social services with due regard to

Isolated By The Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Isolated By The Internet - Essay Example The positive outcomes of the internet revolution are many. But there are negative aspects also. Stoll brings forth researched viewpoints of the psychologists and personal observations supported by documented studies in support of his stand. Stoll quotes facts from the research conducted by Carnegie Mellon University psychologists Robert Kraut and Vicki Lundmark. (393)Some top-ranking computer companies aided the research project but the outcome is not to their favor. The findings are â€Å"[a]fter following the study group, the psychologists found an average increase in depression by about 1 percent for every hour spent online per week.†(393)Another finding is, social relationships online develop at the cost of the individual to individual social involvement. Good and bad effects of internet In a well-written article, Stoll presents good and bad effects of internet and how people are isolated by it, by too much dependency. He mentions how â€Å"one friend tells how she found a support group for an obscure medical condition.†(392) It is a well-known fact that many youngsters have entered into wedlock by corresponding/chatting through the internet. Wired family members are able to keep in touch through email and such communications have become popular. Stoll admits without hesitation â€Å"the electronic virtual community is a positive social development† (393). Internet causes degrading communication skills according to psychologist Kimberly Young. (396)He also uses College and University reports to support his viewpoints. Stoll employs UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) loneliness Scale for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to show that on average depression increase 1 percent for every hour a person is online per week (393). This is an alarming finding. The limitations of the advantages of internet Stoll is an expert on computer security and is well-versed about the technical aspects of the use and impact of computers in t he day to day life of an individual. He makes clear the isolating factors and states that internet offers anonymity. To manage too many relationships demands time and energy and the chance of developing meaningful relationships are too little. Non-personal contacts within the information highway are fine for some time, video games offer a release from reality and a distraction from depression, but they are not long-term solutions for the betterment of the society. People make friendships with many through the internet, without knowing why for they are doing so. Every relationship should have a purpose, and with too many contacts, the purpose is lost. Thus, one addicted to the internet, one develops complications in personality. Control technology, otherwise it will control you Internet use has caused many new social and psychological conditions. The issue with us is we take the benefits of the technological progress and advantages of the internet revolution for granted. Technology c an be an important tool in providing plenty and prosperity to the life of an individual in monetary terms, but one must accept and adopt it in suitable increments, to get the real benefit. If your gain is at the cost of happiness of your family life, it is not good to chase such gains. Stoll urges people to consider the harms of internet use from the viewpoints of children and its overall impact on family life. It is causing dent in the family values, reducing the time of personal interactions, and distances one from the realities of life. Many office-goers bring their work home and have no time to interact with children. Their playtime is robbed by the office files and procedures and the

Representations of Women in Early Irish and Welsh Literature Essay Example for Free

Representations of Women in Early Irish and Welsh Literature Essay Although there are parallels between Irish and Welsh sagas of elopement, the powerful self confident women depicted in these narratives do not represent the real women of Medieval Ireland and Wales. Proinsias Mac Cana has suggested that the dominant roles of Deirdre and Grainne in their respective tales (Longes mac nUislenn and Toruigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne) are ‘literary variations on the exemplar of the sovereignty goddess’ (Doan, 1985: 90). Bitel (1996: 2) asserts that Celticists have been seduced by these dominant female characters viewing them as representative of real women with considerable power over men, a depiction which if true should be reflected in the law tracts or ‘custom in action’(Stacey, 2002: 1107). This paper will argue that the ecclesiastical and legal tracts of both Ireland and Wales offer many images of women, judgements about women, and regulations for women. They do not however present the stereotypical medieval woman as the sovereignty goddess depicted in the secular sagas. Because women left no written records, we are dependent on male literature (probably all of the texts written in early Ireland and Wales) for a definition of woman and her cultural role. These male authors wrote of women in: ‘saint’s lives; poems; sagas and myths; gnomic texts; histories; chronicles; genealogies; folktales; theological tracts; and extensive ecclesiastical tracts; and secular laws’ (Bitel, 1996: 12). Although these texts offer insights on women they must be viewed through the hermeneutical lens of the socio-historical context of the era in which they were written. Early medieval Ireland was a patriarchal society and a woman’s role and identity was determined by patriarchal norms and conventions. The literati of this era did not define woman as an independent individual. Women existed only in relation to men and therefore their representation in literature was not entirely objective or according to Bitel consistent. Tensions exist between various texts. The portrayal of women as ‘capricious beasts’ (Bitel, 1995:137) presented in the eighth century wisdom text Tecosca Cormaic contrasts sharply with the recognition of a woman as home-maker and wife with limited recourse to the law depicted in Cain Lanamna or the law of couples (O Croinin, 1995: 127) . The majority of the extant Irish law books were composed between the seventh and ninth centuries. At this stage the Irish literati were members of the nobility educated in monastic communities. Many were monks but this elite group also included jurists, historians, poets and story tellers. Mc Cone has suggested that these learned elite produced literature for the monastery which was heavily influenced by Biblical texts (Bitel, 1996: 14). Donnchadh O Corrain, Liam Breatnach and Aidan Breen have argued that there exists a close connection between ecclesiastical law and Irish vernacular law (Stacey, 2002: 1108). Stacey asserts that although the legal sources from Wales (compiled in the twelfth and thirteen centuries) are later than the Irish sources there is also a significant link between ‘legal, poetic and ecclesiastical learning’ (2002: 1108). The Irish penitential books written between the sixth and the ninth centuries reveal conflict between the ideals of Christian leaders and the customs of early Irish communities. These penitentials were designed as moral guides for confessors in attributing penance in the rite of confession (Gula, 1989: 25). According to Bitel, Christian clergy were intent on transferring social control of sex from the kin group to the individual Christian (1987: 67). Fox concurs with Bitel, asserting that by liberating the individual from the bonds of clan and family, the church was attempting to reduce kinship to ‘its lowest common denominator [the nuclear family: the lowest kinship group that is compatible with reproduction] while appearing to support basic kinship values’ (1993: 109-110). The Clergy in promoting Christian morality for the individual attempted to reorganize Early Irish society. According to Bitel, the kin group were influential in controlling sexual activity. This was necessary to ensure the survival of the community as an interdependent group. Archaeological evidence suggests that houses consisted of one room. This allowed for little individual privacy and sex was a natural and visible part of family life. Illicit encounters had to take place outside of the home, and even then they were monitored by the community. Any kind of sexual relationship that had to be conducted in secrecy was considered dangerous. The survival and welfare of the clan depended on social stability and this principle determined the attitude of the pre-Christian Irish toward sexuality. Sex in itself however was not considered immoral. Celibacy was not portrayed as a virtue in the secular literature. Cu Chulainn’s sexual exploits are recorded in the sagas; however his casual encounters did not threaten the community (Bitel, 1987: 70-71). Bitel asserts that ‘the tension between individual desire and community need had always to be resolved in favour of the community’ (1987: 72), and herefore marriage was a contractual arrangement determined not by romance or love but by the necessity of producing children and the survival of the kin group. Woman’s reproductive capacities themselves are integrated into the economic life of the society. The image of woman depicted in Cain Lanamna is a woman whose social emotional and economic orientation is directed towards the family and home. Early Irish Law, commonly known as Brehon Law was a series of civil laws which governed every aspect of daily life including marriage and divorce. Marriage and divorce were interlinked by virtue of a contract agreed and a contract dissolved. Under the Brehon system, women were free to marry in one of nine ways, although the primary type of marriage, lanamnas comthinchuir was the most common. Both partners enter this marriage with equal financial resources. In the second type of marriage, lanamnas for ferthinchur, the woman contributes little or no financial assets to the marriage. In the third category, lanamnas for bantinchur, the woman contributes the greater share of the marriage assets. These three categories required formal pre-nuptial agreements. With the remaining six types of marital union (including cohabitation with a woman with family consent, voluntary eloping without family consent, voluntary abduction without family consent, illicit rendezvous, marriage by rape and marriage of two insane people) marriage entailed the assumption of financial responsibility for child rearing (O Croinin, 1995: 128). Corresponding to the wide variety of marriages recognized by law, there were many grounds for divorce. A woman might divorce a man who failed to satisfy her sexual needs because he was sterile, impotent, bisexual or homosexual. In this instance she was entitled to be paid her coibche in addition to a fine in compensation. A woman could divorce her husband on the grounds of indiscretion should he discuss intimate details of their marriage outside of the home. A woman could also divorce her husband should he abandon her either for the church or for a life on the road as he would no longer be in a position to maintain her. Physical abuse was also considered legitimate grounds for divorce. Even if the original blemish disappeared, a woman was entitled to the equivalent of her bride price as compensation. The laws are quite clear about the validity of female testimony in matters concerning consummation of marriage. This testimony is verified by a physical examination of the woman by female dignitaries. In a case where a woman refuses her husband his conjugal rights either because of a problem pregnancy or her menstrual cycle, the law regarded her objections as valid. A woman could also choose to divorce on grounds of infidelity although extra marital relations were recognized by law (O Croinin, 1995: 129). O Croinin suggests that in general terms many women were recognized by the law in ‘their capacity as wives and in their own right as individuals’ (1995: 133) Law texts are clear that a woman’s rights in divorce are specific to each type of marriage and related marriage contract. Lanamnas Comthinchuir was regarded as the most common type of marriage at this time. It was a dignified state for the wife, she was known as a be cuitchernsa, literally ‘a woman of joint dominion, a woman of equal lordship’ (O Croinin. 1995: 128). If this category of marriage ended in divorce, the woman received what she had initially contributed to the marriage in addition to a share of the profit accrued from the couple’s joint activities during the marriage period. O Croinin records that the division of property was in accordance with fixed proportions: ‘one third went to the partner who provided the land; one third to the partner who provided the stock; and one third to the partner who provided the labour’ (1995: 128). This last provision recognized the woman’s work in the home and on the farm. The second type of marriage lanamnas for ferthinchur represented a different kind of divorce settlement. Since the woman provided neither land nor stock, she was entitled to half of her own handiwork and one sixth of the dairy produce in store. If she had worked diligently on the farm and in the home she took one ninth of the corn and cured meat in store. She also received a sack of corn for a specified time. Divorce in the third category of marriage, lanamnas for bantinchur, ensured that the woman retained a life interest in the farm. She could not however transfer any rights to the estate to her children. She could however marry one of the heirs to the property and preserve her children’s right to inherit. Although the Irish lawyers appealed to Scripture, particularly to Leviticus to justify parallel cousin marriages, church law declared parallel cousin marriages incestuous (O Corrain, 1985). The Welsh tractate ‘the laws of women’ contains rules governing marriage and division of property in medieval Wales. There are four redactions of Welsh law manuscripts: the Cyfnerth and the Blegywryd redactions both derive from south Wales; Iorwerth is classed as a north Wales redaction; and finally the Latin manuscripts (there are similarities between the Latin laws and the Welsh redactions). Although the sources from Wales are dated to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, women in the Welsh tractate like women in Cain Lanamna are portrayed as wives and home-makers (Roberts, 2008: 58-59). Stacey asserts that the most ‘striking’ passage of the ‘Laws of Women’ outlines the domestic and agricultural goods granted to each partner in cases where the marriage had lasted longer than seven years (2002: 1109). This passage is common to each of the Welsh redactions of the law books and can also be found in four of the five Latin compilations. The couple must divide their possessions equally, the pigs become the property of the man and the woman takes ownership of the sheep. If there are only sheep and goats, the sheep go to the man and the goats to the woman. The children are also divided between the couple ‘two parts go to the father, the eldest and the youngest, and the middle to the mother’ (Stacey, 2002: 1111). The division of household goods is itemised: all milk vessels, except for one pail and one dish becomes the property of the woman. The man is entitled to all of the drinking vessels and the riddle while the woman is entitled to the sieve. The man is entitled to the upper stone of the quern and the woman to the lower stone. The bed clothes which cover the couple becomes the property of the woman while the clothes which they lay on belong to the man. The man receives the cauldron and the blanket and the pillows from the bed together with the wood axe, coulter and all the sickles except for one which the woman obtains. The woman is granted the pan, the broad axe, the bill hook and all of the flax, linseed and wool. She also receives the plowshare. Any gold or silver is divided equally between the couple. The man is entitled to the corn above and below the ground, all of the hens and one cat. The remaining cats become the property of the woman. The woman receives the salted meat but if it is hung it becomes the property of the man. The woman is also granted as much flour as she can carry along with the cut meat and the partly used cheese. They each retain their own clothes except for their cloaks which must be divided equally. Any balls of wool in stock become the property of the sons (Stacey, 2002: 1111). Like Irish Marriage Law, the Welsh Laws of Women attempted to secure a measure of financial independence for each partner in the event of divorce . Unlike Irish marriage law however which divided property according to specific marriage contracts, some rovisions in the Welsh divorce law appear illogical. Jenkins suggests that the Welsh division of property on divorce, attempts to ensure that each partner has the necessary provisions to survive but he asserts that the division of the quern stones is ‘curious’ since they cannot be used independently (Stacey, 2002: 1111). Similarly the coulter is granted to the man while the plowshare is received by the woman. Since both blades would have been required for planting this division appears to make little logical or practical sense. Stacey also points out that the man receives all of the corn and hens but only one cat to protect them from vermin while the woman receives the remaining cats although she has no grain or hens to protect (Stacey, 2002: 1113-1116). Welsh divorce law does not seem to be based on the wealth brought to the marriage by each party or indeed on the status of the marriage. In Irish Law the apportionment of property is determined by both of these factors (Stacey, 2002: 1113). Stacey suggests that the division of property in a Welsh divorce is symbolic of the destructiveness of divorce and failed marriage. He asserts that this was a secular ‘homily’ on the improvident nature of divorce (2002: 1124). Although the marriage property is divided the woman ultimately is disadvantaged because under Welsh Law, she has no claim to land and must be satisfied with portable goods. Although women under Welsh law were afforded the opportunity to divorce their husbands due to his impotency, leprosy or bad breath (Roberts, 2008: 63), Nerys Patterson suggests that the woman was further disadvantaged in the wake of marital separation: female virginity was highly valued and her loss of virginity would affect her chances of remarriage (2002: 1121). These medieval divorce laws clearly situate the woman in the home, rearing children, cooking, spinning wool and working on the farm. It is tempting to view these laws as depictions of a progressive egalitarian society, however the political and social realities of a woman’s life suggest otherwise. A woman’s legal definition derived from that of her father, brother or her legal husband. A legal tract on honour price (dire) defined women’s legal and social position ‘her father had charge over her when she is a girl, her husband when she is a wife, her sons when she is a [widowed] woman with children . . the Church when she is a woman of the Church [i. e. , a nun]. She is not capable of sale or purchase or contract or transaction without the authorization of one of her superiors’ (Bitel, 1996: 8). According to Bitel, these legally and socially incapacitated women were the real Medbs of medieval Ireland. When measuring a woman’s status, the laws measured women against the legal norm of the free adult male and as such a woman’s worth remained only half that of her male guardians honour price. The Irish literati along with many medieval authors considered female bodies as ‘less valuable copies of mens’ (Bitel, 1996: 19). This principle is reflected in the only extant Irish medico-legal tracts namely Bretha Crolige and Bretha Dein Checht which accorded women less medical attention and food rations than men (Bitel, 1996: 21). Women therefore were considered physically and psychologically less than man, less than human (Bitel, 1996: 23). The ninth century Triads text, Trecheng Breth Fene unveiled some basic assumptions about the nature of woman. The Triads suggested that ‘the three drops of a wedded woman’ were drops of blood (a good wife was a virgin at marriage); sweat; and tears (a good wife should be willing to suffer hardship to support her husband and children). One of the three misfortunes of a man was proposing marriage to a bad woman. According to the Triads, women were their husband’s property and were akin to animals. ‘When a man loaned either a woman or a horse, he had to expect it to be used by the borrower’ (Bitel, 1996: 23). The wisdom text also suggested that ‘like a cow’s udder, women through her womb, was one of the three renovators of the world’ (Bitel, 1996: 24). Another wisdom text Tecosca Cormaic suggested that women ‘should be feared like beasts’ because they were ‘capricious beasts’ (Bitel, 1996: 24). A woman’s physical characteristics and fertility therefore were animal like and unreliable. The eighth or ninth-century wisdom text Senbriathra Fithail considered the characteristics of ‘a good wife’ (Bitel, 1996: 27). Advising his pupil Cormac mac Airt, Fithal (a druid) asserted that a good woman had ‘common sense, prudence, modesty, excellent Irish, delicacy, mildness, honesty, wisdom, purity and intelligence’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). All of these attributes according to Fithal were necessary for a woman to become a desirable wife. A bad wife on the other hand was characterised by ‘wretchedness, stinginess, vanity, talkativeness, laziness, indolence, noisiness, hatefulness avarice, visiting, thieving, keeping trysts, lustfulness, folly and treachery’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). Fithal asserted that it was possible to detect a woman’s character based on her physical appearance. He suggested that Cormac should avoid: ‘the fat short one’; ‘the slender short one with curling hair’; the fair tall one’; ‘the dark-limbed, unmanageable one’; ‘the dun coloured yellow one’; and ‘the slender prolific one who was lewd and jealous’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). Fithal determined that the worst wife was a be cairn or a whore. A successful marriage however could be assured by a union with the ‘tall, fair, very slender ones’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). Fithal admitted to Cormac however that the ideal woman may not exist and that most women had character flaws. The author of Tecosca Cormaic was adamant that all women were ‘chronically dissatisfied, bad tempered, untrustworthy, wanton, manipulative, ambitious, greedy, arrogant whiners’ (Bitel, 1996: 29). Bitel suggests that the real problem with women is that they were not men and the writers of the gnomic tracts could only define them by their many indefinable natures: they had similar physical bodies to men but were not men; they had reproductive characteristics and temperaments similar to animals but were not animals. The only certainty appeared to be was that women must be controlled and her inferior position in society maintained (Bitel, 1996: 30). The writers of ecclesiastical canons suggested that women could only be redeemed by denying their female characteristics and their female sexuality. Bitel argues that canonists established a ‘gender hierarchy’ (Bitel, 1996: 32). Unlike the typologies found in secular and wisdom texts, the cannon scribes attributed a moral value to virginity and abstinence. Nuns were accorded a high moral value as were ‘widows who took the veil’ (Bitel, 1996: 32). Thomas O’ Loughlin suggests that the Collectio canonum hibernesis, a systematic collection of law, codified certain patristic theories producing an understanding of marriage ‘as a state secondary to virginity’ (1997: 188). The canonists justify their position by quoting Jerome who asserts that ‘virginity follows the lamb wherever he goes’ (O’Loughlin, 1997: 192). Jerome expands on this theme suggesting that ‘earth is populated by marriage, so heaven is by virginity’ (O’Loughlin, 1997: 192). The underlying concept is clear, virginity is exemplified and sexuality creates problems. According to O’Loughlin this principle was the basis of ecclesiastical thinking on marriage throughout the middle ages and Jerome’s opinion that sexual activity was ‘inferior and earthy’ in comparison to virginity which was ‘noble and superior’ has been held responsible for the cult of virginity and celibacy in the Latin church (O’Loughlin, 1997: 193). Augustine also considered sexuality dangerous but (quoting Paul in 1 Corinthians 7) asserted that while celibacy was the desired state, ‘lawful marriage is to be preferred to burning with desire and fornication’ (O’Loughlin, 1997: 193). The dangers of sexuality therefore were to be contained within the institution of marriage. Although canonists admitted that clerics could fall to sexual temptation, the general consensus was that women as the weaker sex were more likely to succumb to sexual temptation.

eBay’s Globalization Strategy Essays -- Business Management Studies

eBay’s Globalization Strategy eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar and Jeff Skoll in May 1996. Their headquarters were in San Jose, California in the midst of the dot-com era. The company idea initially began as â€Å"Auction Web, which Omidyar launched in September 1995. The idea was to develop an open market place that was available for all members of the community to discuss, compare, and trade computer items as well as collectibles. The idea took off, reaching thousands of registered users in just a few years. By January 1997, AuctionWeb could not handle the large load of page views – bandwidth. Omidyar solved this problem by writing the code for a new system: ebay (Echo Bay Technologies). In September 1997, AuctionWeb was shut down and the eBay platform was opened. The ebay company vision: â€Å"To create the world’s largest global trading community and to help people trade practically anything on earth.† eBay had 2.4 M visitors in 8/98, quadrupling in size to 8.4 M visitors in 4/01. Listings on their site began at 500 in 1998 and grew to just under 5 M in 2001. What started out as an auction site for computer and collectible items matured to include toys, pottery, automobiles, furniture, to movies, etc. Omidyar and Skoll achieved their, â€Å"trade anything† goal much sooner than expected. In 1998, eBay went public. Given the sufficient number of funds received from the IPO, eBay launched strategic initiatives aimed at six specific objectives. 1) Grow the eBay community and strengthen the brand (attract and maintain vitality) 2) Broaden the company’s trading platform by growing existing product categories, promoting new product categories, and offering services for specific regions 3) Fost... ...ever, the 2004 estimates are more closely aligned with 2003 Actuals. This suggests that population growth was not as high as expected. Therefore, our projections took that into consideration and usage expectations were decreased. [7] --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Strategic Management Concepts and Cases, Thompson and Strickland, 12th Edition, P. C-263 [2] Strategic Marketing Problems, Kerin and Peterson, 10th Edition, P. 97 [3] Strategic Marketing Problems, Kerin and Peterson, 10th Edition, P. 89 [4] Strategic Marketing Problems, Kerin and Peterson, 10th Edition, P. 96 [5] Strategic Marketing Problems, Kerin and Peterson, 10th Edition, P. 103 [6] Strategic Marketing Problems, Kerin and Peterson, 10th Edition, P. 101 [7] Population Reference Bureau, http://www.prb.org/

Belonging Different Aspects

Ruby Langford’s Autobiography extract shows us different aspects of belonging than Winton’s story. Explain this. There are a substantial amount of aspects that correlate and contrast with the theme of belonging in various texts. Although our sense of belonging is vital for our survival and existence, everyone has their own approach to belonging and define it in their own way. The extract â€Å"why we didn’t assimilate† by Ruby Langford explores belonging from the eyes of an aborigine woman and how she is affected by the society that surrounds her.Tim Winton’s short story The Water’s Edge and this extract share similarities and differences in language techniques, but more importantly, they contrast in how they approach belonging and what it is to have a strong sense of belonging. Ruby Langford’s extract begins with her moving to green valley, a place widely populated with white people. Amongst this white residence there is a designated house made just for aboriginal residence. They were forced to live there due to the government policy of integration/assimilation, they â€Å"belonged† there.Belonging cannot be ordered, or directed by government policy it arises from deep sharing of values. The title of the extract â€Å"why we didn’t assimilate† confirms this. Ruby â€Å"felt very isolated from [her] friends and culture. All [her] neighbors were white†. She felt alienated by the rules of living in a housing commission house especially the rule about guests â€Å"the rule was useless in our culture†. Ruby ignored these rules as; in order to belong we fulfill ourselves not pretend to be someone else. The girl from the water’s edge (in order to fulfill herself) swam into the dark ocean.Just as ruby ignored these rules, the protagonist in waters edge rejects her mother because her mother and the (government in the extract) are trying to make them something they are not. They r ebel in order to find a stronger sense of belonging. The clear contrast between the two texts can be seen through their perceptions of the idea of belonging to a family. The water’s edge is all about losing these family connections while the extract suggests that family bonds will only strengthen belonging. This is seen through how both authors describe family through language used.The protagonist from water’s edge â€Å"just wished her mother would put the bottles away†. The qualifier ‘just’ indicates an impatience with and intolerance of her mother. This is supported with her judgment that her mother was either â€Å"sick or stupid†. This juxtaposes with â€Å"when the kids asked why I was crying†¦we hugged each other†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the strong sense of family is clearly seen in the extract. The young girl in Winton’s short story challenges conventional belonging to her mother and becomes attached to nature and believes that only the strong survive.Another thing to notice is that Winton’s story is built on anonymity while a lot of names are used in the extract; their belonging is based on family while the girl thinks she can make it on her own. The mother and the protagonist don’t even make conversation throughout the text, but the kids in the extract talk and interact with their mother to further exaggerate that belonging strengthens with strong connections with family. The tones used to illustrate belonging in both texts are different in terms of how their authors view belonging and what it takes to have a strong sense of belonging.In Langford’s extract, she uses first person narration and speaks to the reader as a friend â€Å"my first glimpse of the house left me with a lump in my throat†. Her voice is passive, conversational and resilient; we notice that there is depth in her character and her ability to create a place of belonging in a predominantly white area. She has a ve ry authentic voice â€Å"I was dying to see another black face†¦someone to pass the time of day and yarn with†, she uses ordinary idioms and this narrative voice keeps us very close to her viewpoint.This contrasts with Winton’s use of third person narration and focalized narration to describe the girl’s point of view. The protagonist’s judgment that her mother was either â€Å"sick or stupid† is an example of focalized narration, this allows Winton to keep us emotionally distant from the reader yet allow us to understand her frustration. Winton described the girl’s emotions differently because by rejecting her mother (her family) she could be edging the point of alienation in the fluid continuum of belonging.Both The Water’s Edge and Why we didn’t assimilate creatively explore senses of belonging. Through exploration and interpretation of the text, I have discovered a vast array of representations of belonging. Through con trasting both texts I have discovered the different aspects that belonging can have and how in some cases it can be complex. Winton’s text explores how someone can belong to something more than family and Langford’s extract shows the strength that comes from belonging to a family. By considering these aspects of belonging we are enlightened.

Depression Treatments

College Writing II 13 September 2012 Depression Treatments Depression is a mental illness affecting millions of people, not just in the United States, but also the world. According to Marcia Clemmitt, it’s â€Å"loosely defined as a mental and emotional disorder with symptoms of constant sadness, lethargy, irritability and a loss of interest and pleasure† (575). Depression can be linked to stressful life events, such as family issues, sexual assault, or losing a loved one.Liubov Kavaliauskiene, Virginija  Adomaitiene, and Rimantas  Peciura add that depressionâ€Å"disrupts the working capacity of the ill person for a long time, complicates the lives of his/her family members and requires additional money for social care services† (92). If left untreated, depression may lead to irrational violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. Depression treatment options have become widely available over time, ranging from medicine to Web-based therapy. However, issue s with treatment costs have erupted since many depression patients relapse (Kavaliauskiene et. l. 92). Situations like these make determining the best way to treat depression unclear. The CQ Researcher article â€Å"Treating Depression† was written by Marcia Clemmitt and published on June 26, 2009 as Volume 19, Issue 24. Clemmitt, a former high school teacher, has worked for â€Å"The Scientist† and â€Å"Medicine & Health†. She has earned degrees from St. John's College, Annapolis, and Georgetown University. She currently writes social policy articles on CQ Researcher, such as â€Å"Public Works Projects† and â€Å"Preventing Cancer†.The second article, titled â€Å"Medication Rationality in treating depression†, was found using Academic Search Complete. The study was published by Acta Medica Lituanica as Volume 18, No. 2 in 2011, and written by Liubov Kavaliauskiene, Rimantas  Peciura, and Virginija  Adomaitiene. All three work for the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, but they’re part of different departments. Peciura and Kavaliauskiene are affiliated with the Department of Drug Technology and Social Pharmacy, while Adomaitiene’s affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry. Treating Depression† introduces depression, discussing symptoms, causes and effect on society. It also explains limits depression patients face in finding help for their disorder. In 2008, Congress passed a law resulting in a rise in insurance coverage and access to mental-health services (Clemmitt 573). However, some depression patients haven’t benefited since they lack insurance and rely on scarce public-health care programs. Psychiatric help and reliable antidepressants are also scanty since people are different and take different medications.Despite the fact, Clemmitt insists treatment options have improved since â€Å"most primary-care physicians screen for depression and prescribe medications (581). † It’s great news, but if patients don’t improve after being examined and treated the first time, it’s likely they won’t try another way to improve their condition. The first modern antidepressants, tricyclics, were created in the 1950’s (Clemmitt 588). They supposedly made a patient happier and allowed them to be successfully treated as an outpatient by helping their brain’s chemical balance function properly.However, the drug’s considered controversial due to questionable side effects. Clemmitt notes that safer options, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavioral therapy are available. The article shows that depression needs to be treated aggressively with quality treatment and the importance of preventing future cases. â€Å"Medication Rationality in treating depression† covers depression treatment methods used by Lithuanian doctors. Costs of treating depression patients have been burdensome s ince many of them have relapsed, as mentioned before.The study has had a goal to â€Å"evaluate the use of anti-depressants according to the opinions of three groups of specialists (family doctors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists)† (Kavaliauskiene et. al. 92). The specialists’ opinions were evidently used to determine several different options for managing depression treatment costs better. This may have been begun like this since family doctors, psychiatrists, and pharmacists all have different professions in the medical field. Therefore, it’s assumed they’ve different thoughts on using anti-depressants.Several findings could be drawn from the study with use of critical data on depression cases and information gathered from interviews with Lithuanian â€Å"specialists†. Kavaliauskiene et. al. noted a combination of individually selected medicines and psychological help is needed to treat depression, not just medicine (96). Also, they suggest that e ven though depression treatments are â€Å"handled differently by different professionals (96),† psychiatrists and family doctors should review causes of depression, work with pharmacists, and learn about new antidepressants (96).Doctors need to be trained to correctly recognize depression and to know when to send patients to a psychiatrist (96). If all of these conditions are properly met, treating depression patients is manageable. Looking at the two articles, quite a few conflicts and commonalities appear between them. Kavaliauskiene et. al. mention that â€Å"relapse rates in depression may range from 20% to as high as 44%†¦ with a maintained use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. In contrast, with tricyclic antidepressants, relapse during the ongoing treatment to maintain remission is relatively rare† (93).This conflicts with Marcia Clemmitt’s suggestion that SSRI’s could be more effective than the tricyclics drugs, because the latter h as questionable side effects, such as â€Å"increased heart rate, blurred vision, and weight gain† and â€Å"could be fatal in overdoses† (590). At the same time, however before mentioning the side effects, Clemmitt mentioned how the tricyclic drug effectively fixed chemical imbalances in the brain to make patients feel better. This indicates an ambiguity with the sources on the topic of treatments.An instance of a commonality between the sources relates to a depression patient’s motivation to get treated. If a depression patient doesn’t improve with the first round of treatment, they will likely never seek another way to be cured, according to Marcia Clemmitt’s data. (581). This is supported with a solution presented by Kavaliauskiene and his colleagues, saying to treat relapsing patients more attentively and to act quickly if no signs of improvement are present. They may have been given the wrong diagnosis or wrong type of medication (96).It seem s from these examples that the sources are more similar than they are different. Though they agree on certain topics, the perfect depression treatment is still unknown. Additional research may help one understand what the best approach to properly treat depression patients is. Works Cited Clemmitt, Marcia. â€Å"Treating Depression. † CQ Researcher 19. 24 (2009): 573-96. CQ Researcher. Web. 6 Sept. 2012. Kavaliauskiene, Liubov, et. al. â€Å"Medication Rationality in treating depression† Acta Medica Lituanica 18. 2 (2011): 92-96. Academic Search Complete. Web. 6 Sept. 2012.

welcome to disneys world essays

welcome to disneys world essays Disneyland, Disney World, and Euro Disney sound like magical places, places that conjure up only fond memories and images of the true American culture. Disney has taken this culture to all corners of the world showing the wonders of our great society, right? Disneys movies are some of the top grossing films, the toys are selling off the shelves, and if you look at bus full of preschoolers, a large number of them are bound to be wearing a piece of clothing donning a Disney character. The hand of Disney has grabbed hold of our children, but what do we really know about this stranger? Disney is a large multi-national corporation with its eye on financial success. This success drives this company to exploit the resources and people of other nations while maintaining an image that is respected within the American society. Not only does Disney exploit other cultures, it also produces films, supposedly idealizing American values, that consistently contain racism, sexism, homophobia , and ethnocentrism thereby exploiting our own. Sweat-shops are not a new issue in international business. We, as North Americans, have become painfully aware of the exploitation taking place in numerous counties. However, it is more disturbing when a corporation that has established itself on its values and a commitment to children is paying twelve years old girls seven cents in developing countries an hour to make pajamas for twelve year olds in North America. The hypocrisy in this situation is painful. A company that is teaching our children values is practicing business transactions that are immoral and unethical. Corporate Watch revealed on their website that in Thailand, Disney contractor The Eden Group, fired 1,145 of their own workers in order to take advantage of lower cost subcontractors, 10 of which were found to employ child labor. It was also shown that Disney is supporting the Burmese military dictato...

A Massive Collection of Free SAT Practice Tests

A Massive Collection of Free SAT Practice Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Whether you’re building your own SAT prep program or justsupplementing a class, finding SAT practice tests and questions can pose a serious challenge. This article will go through every type of practice SAT test, how to best use them, and, most importantly, where to find them. What You Need SAT Practice Tests For Before we get into the many different sources of SAT practice tests, let’s talk about why you need a deep well of practice material to draw from and the different ways you’ll use these resources. RealPractice Tests A key part of SAT prep istaking full-length practice tests in realistic conditions. Since you want to mimic the SAT experience as closely as possible,you’ll need to use real SATs.Using official testsfor SAT practice questionsalso gives you a better prediction of your score and can help you determine what areas you need to focus on. You’ll want to use at least three tests for this purpose and make sure they’re the most current version of the SAT (from 2016 onward). Question Analysis Official SAT questions have their own style and logic, which other test writers aren’t always great at imitating. Unsurprisingly, then, the best way to understand the SAT is to studywith actual SATs. As part of your testprep,spend some time looking really closely at official SAT questions and thinking about what they’re asking and how each question is constructed.Themore familiar you become with the unique structure and language of SAT questions, the less daunting the test will seem. Subject Practice The final type of SAT prep is practicing with the various types of test questionsto hone your section-specific strategies and grasp of the content.Subject-targeted practice will also ensure that you know how to employ your math and grammar knowledge effectively to answer SAT-style questions. Though official SAT questions are the ideal materials for this type of practice, it's less important that you focus exclusively on real SAT questions. Using unofficial materials to practice general strategies will help you save official SATsto use as full practice tests. Now that you know what you'll need SAT practice tests for, let's go through the different places you can find each type of them- starting with official College Board tests. Instead of a map of the world, you need a map of SAT practice tests. Where to Find Current and Old Official SATs As I described above, there are a number of types of practice that you shouldonly use official SAT questions for. As such, they’re the most valuable type of SAT prep material and you’ll want to build up as large of a collection as possible. I’ve divided these tests up by which version of the SAT they are: Current (2016 and onward) Old 2400-scale format (2005-2016) Very old format (pre-2005) You’ll want to focus mostly on the current tests, but the other versions can still provide helpful extra practice. For more info on how to get the most out of older SAT practice tests, check out our complete guide to old SATs. Most of these materials are free, but I've included the best materials for sale as well. After all, spending $10-$20 dollars on great practice tests can be well worth the investment! Current SAT Practice Tests Below are all the official practice SATs for the current version of the exam. 10 Official Free Practice Tests The College Board has released 10 practice SATs for the current version of the test. You can download them below or take them online at Khan Academy (see next section for more details): Practice Test 1:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 2:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 3:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 4:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 5:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay Practice Test 6:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay Practice Test 7:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay Practice Test 8: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers| Answer Explanations Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers| Answer Explanations Unfortunately, the practice tests in The Official SAT Study Guide, 2020 Edition are the same as those above (except that the book doesn't include practice tests 2 and 4 and does include essays for tests 9 and 10), so these are really all you have in the way of full official new SATs. Plan accordingly! Official SAT Prepat Khan Academy There are a bunch of official SAT practice questions available as part of Khan Academy’s free SAT prep.You’ll need to sign up for an account to access these resources, but it's completely free and tracks your progress over time. The lessons and practice questions are all divided by type, so they're very helpful for more targeted studying. While thestrategies and suggestions aren’t super useful for the Reading and Writing sections, there’s a lot of Math content if you want to brush up on any concepts you might have missed or forgotten. You can see a sample question below: Practice Questions on the SAT Website Finally, there are someextra practice questionsavailable on the College Board website: 24 Reading questions with two passages 22 Writing and Language questions with two passages 30 Math Calculator questions 18 Math No Calculator questions Keep in mind that some of these questions also appear in TheOfficial SAT Study Guide. Older SATs Although the 2016 overhaul involved big changes to the format of the test, previous versions of the SAT can still provide you with helpful study material. Free Full Practice Tests There are fourolder practice tests you can download for free: SAT Practice Test (2013-2014)Questions| Answers SAT Practice Test (2012-2013)Questions| Answers SAT Practice Test (2007-2008)Questions| Answers SAT Practice Test (2004-2005)Questions| Answers Unfortunately, these tests don't have explanations for the answers,so you'll have to figure out why the correct answer is correct on your own or ask a friend, family member, or tutor for help. If you really run out of practice materials, you can turn to the pre-2005 SATs: SAT Practice Test (2004-2005)Questions| Answers SAT Practice Test (2003-2004)Questions| Answers SAT Practice Test (2002) Questions + Answers SAT Practice Test (2001) Questions + Answers You’ll notice some question types that no longer exist on the SAT, so make sure that you know which questions to use and which to ignore. The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd Edition This official book offers10more full official old SATs and can be worth buying if you're studying aggressively and needsome extra practice tests. Just remember that they are all in the old format, so there will be some irrelevant content and question formats. You can usually get this prep book for around $10-$20 on Amazon. Other Resources for Official SAT Practice Tests You might also be able to find official SATs through unofficial channels.Try searching for "old SATpractice test" or a similar phrase on Google and clicking through the results. If you're lucky, you might find some PDFs of previously administered SATs (though they'll likely use the old test format). Be aware that there's no guarantee these are real SATs. One helpful website you can use for this purpose is CrackSAT.net. They offer a huge collection of (what they claim to be) official SATs and practice questions.While the website can be tricky to navigate, it's definitely worth looking at if you want more realistic-looking SAT questions to practice with. X marks the spot- where you can find SAT practice tests. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Where to Find (and How to Use) UnofficialSATs Sadly, there aren’t a ton of official SAT practice tests available, so if you’re planning 40+ hours of studying, you’ll probably need some supplementary materials. Notethatpractice materials not sanctioned by the College Board can vary wildly in quality: some are very similar to the actual SAT, whereas others don’t even share the same basic structure as the test! I've collected the most helpful resources and provided some suggestions on how to get the most out of them in your SAT prep. This list is extensive but not exhaustive- there are a lot of SAT books and tests out there. Be aware, however, that many of them aren’t very high quality, so use your judgmentwhen deciding whether to incorporate something you find into your prep. Unofficial SAT Prep Books SAT prep books are a good alternativefor extra content review and practice.Their questions aren’t always quite right- for example, they might cover material you don’t really need to know or are easier or harder than those on the real SAT- but prep books can be a great resource for both reviewing concepts and trying out different strategies. I've provided some suggestions for general SAT prep books below. These each cost between $10 and $20, but you might be able to find them for free at your local or school library. Just make sure that they aren't written in before you check them out. Also, note that many of the best SAT books cover only one subject, so buying books can get expensive quickly. Best Book for High Scorers: Barron’s SAT, 29th Edition Barron’s SAT, 29th Edition hasa lot of in-depth study material that's particularly helpful for high scorers looking to fine-tune their test-taking strategies and ensure that they know every concept that might appear on the test. That said, the questions (especially those for Reading) tend to be much more difficult than those on the actual SAT, so this prep book isn't a good choice for students who get easily frustrated. You'll get a total of five full-length practice tests (including one diagnostic test) with this book. Best Book for Low Scorers: Kaplan's SAT Prep Plus 2020 Kaplan's SAT Prep Plus 2020, as well as its other SAT prep books, are better for students who need a basic foundation on what to expect on the test and how to approach it.The questions skew easier, so it doesn't provide great preparation for the more challenging aspects of the exam. This book is a good place to start if you have a low baseline score and want to increase it by a lot,since it will let you save official tests and more challenging practice for later in the process. This book offers five full-length SAT practice tests(two in the book and three online). Free Online Practice SATs from Test-Prep Companies Since these tests are free, they’re often (though not always) of a lower quality than the tests in books. If you really need more free practice materials, stick to using these for untimed content review and don’t worry if something seems weird or unusual. If you’re a high SAT scorer, trying to figure out how the test is different from an official SAT can be a good exercise and will help you understand exactly what makes the real thing tick. Ivy Global Ivy Global offers two free SAT practice tests, which are pretty decent in terms of quality. As you can see in the example below, both tests mimic the style of the official test very closely. Given the scarcity of materials for the current version of the SAT, these practice test PDFs could be a helpful addition to your prep- as long as you keep in mind that neither are official resources. MajorTests.com This website has a large selection of SAT practice questions divided by type. They're in thesame basic stylesas oldSAT questions, though the online format is less streamlined than that of the College Board or Khan Academy websites. You can see an example below: These SAT questions are best used sparingly- to test knowledge of math and grammar content and to practice general strategies (such as plugging in answersor numbers). Keep in mind that they might contain some errors. Varsity Tutors The format on these SAT practice questions isn’t especially accurate, and they sometimes ask about concepts that aren’t tested on the SAT. I generally wouldn’t recommend using them, but you can if you really want more questions to help test your general SAT knowledge. Here's an example of a question: Other Free Unofficial SAT Practice Tests Big test-prep companies, such as The Princeton Review and Kaplan, often offer a free practice test if you register for an account on their website. Sometimes you can even sign up to take the practice SAT at one of their test centers. As always, keep in mind that the qualityof the practice SAT will vary wildly, and the companymight aggressively pitch you their services. You'll probably end up using a mix of books and online resources for your SAT prep. Making an SAT Study Plan: 3 Essential Tips Now that youknow where tostart compiling the materials you'll need to prepare for the SAT, let's discuss how best to use these resources in a study plan. For more details on how to plan your SAT prep, check out our guide on how to build a prep plan that fits your schedule. #1: Find Your SAT Baseline Score Make sure to take a real SAT to determine your baseline score- unofficial diagnostic tests won’t give you a realistic sense of what the SAT is like or what your actual strengths and weaknesses are. Take the test in a quiet room without any distractions, and be sure to follow the official time limits. #2: Practice Skills and Review Content With Supplementary Materials Because there’s a limited number of official SATs available, you should supplement these tests with practice materials focused on specific subjects or question styles, including the official questions on Khan Academy and the SAT website, as well as those from unofficial sources. Making strategic use of these materials will allow you to try out new strategies and drill specific skills without having to worry about how many full official tests you have left. #3: Focus On Using Official SATs as Full-Length Practice Tests Again, because your supply of official SATs is limited, you want to use them judiciously. Don’t waste these tests by taking them in bits and pieces or while you’re distracted or stressed out. Instead, use most of the official SAT practice tests as full-length practice tests under real testing conditions: timed, all in one sitting, in a quiet room, etc. Once you’ve taken a test, take time to carefully go over the questions you missed and the ones you guessed on, analyzing why you got each one wrong and how the question is actually solved. Rememberto also save one or two official SATs for the end of your prep schedule! What's Next? Taking an SAT practice test is only the first step- you also need to go over your answers.Make sure that you know the best wayto review your mistakes. If you want to focus on a specific SAT section, check out our guides to the best practice materials for Reading, Math, and Writing. Want to improve your SAT score quickly? Try our 20-hour SAT prep planor our one-month SAT study plan, depending on how much time you have left before test day. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions, official SAT practice tests, and personal feedback on your essays from an expert instructor. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Answer 3 questions about the language teaching and learning Essay

Answer 3 questions about the language teaching and learning - Essay Example The subjects were administered a grammaticality judgment test consisting of 276 English sentences, some grammatical and others ungrammatical. The results showed that those AOA was less than 17 performed better. In a re-analysis of this data conducted by Bialstok and Hakuta (1994), there were significant correlations in both groups if the cut-off point was taken to be 20 instead of 17. Such studies cast some doubt on the CPH. Even if one single exception to the rule is discovered, the theory is falsified. But does it deserve to be falsified? The complications arise on account of a number of factors. The tests conducted to judge the proficiency of learners is significant. They perform better in the written tests than in oral tests. Moreover, there are so many areas when we refer to linguistic competency – phonology, morphophoniology, syntax, dialect, discourse processes, pragmatics etc. De Keyser replicated Johnson and Newport’s study and concluded that there is a critica l age for language acquisition provided the CPH is understood narrowly, as applying only to implicit learning of abstract structures. Other factors which matter are whether the adult learners get any instruction, what type of instruction and for what duration. We can conclude that evidence against CPH is available no doubt but evidence supporting the CPH is much more and significant. A very interesting example is that of Indian children who were made to learn by heart Sanskrit verses by heart irrespective of their mother tongue. They recited them clearly and fluently even though they did not understand the meaning. Deliberate efforts on the part of adults who could comprehend the meaning were also not successful!!! The safest way is to follow the thumb rule – the earlier, the better, in language learning, as in everything else. Q3. Which theory of SLA appeals to you most? A good theory in SLA should address questions like what does L2 knowledge consist of and how that knowled ge is acquired. The roles of both nature and nurture are significant in SLA. Eacg theory deals with a different aspect of SLA. All theories contribute substantially to SLA. They are complementary to each other. Goals to SLA learning cannot be ignored, nor can process of learning, immersion or instruction. At the same time, we have to admit that something like UG does exist. The CPH also cannot be altogether discarded. However, Krashen’s Input Theory and explicit instruction is the most proven as far as success in SLA goes. Input can be specially prepared, graded, monitored and delivered in order to make SLA a well-organized, satisfying experience. Its results are also known to be durable. Q 1. Discuss and evaluate Norris and Ortega’s seminal study of the effectiveness of L2 instruction. A bulk of research reports on effectiveness of L2 instruction was published during 1980 and 1998. Norris and Ortega carried out a systematic analysis of these reports and arrived at cer tain important conclusions related to major aspects of L2 instruction. It was Long ( 1983 ) who first concluded that instruction makes a difference in L2 acquisition as compared to naturalistic exposure. Norris and Ortega observe that all reports share the premise that the goal of instructional intervention is to change the focal attention of learners

HRM And SHRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HRM And SHRM - Essay Example Virgin very early realized that simple management of employees is not good enough to achieve greater success in the global market. It took the idea that investment in human element with respect to all aspects of the organization is essential for the success of the company. It integrated management of human resources into organizational strategy and has reaped tangible benefits as a result of this. Virgin took the HRM approach of designing systems, policies, and procedures to manage employees and integrated it with SHRM approach wherein human resources were seen as the key asset, extensive interest was shown and investment was made in order to meet key objectives. The approach of the group towards SHRM can be best understood by their group motto: "Our people come first†. Virgin has adopted various initiatives to ensure that their employees are managed effectively. Safe working environments are created, training is undertaken to ensure that employees are updated with the skills n eeded to handle their work, employment contracts for all staffs, and many more HRM initiatives have employed. There are other HRM systems in place such as bonuses, stock options, profit sharing, etc. Along with this Virgin have come up with numerous SHRM strategies such as recruitment criteria were in the company looks for values and character among the prospective employees that can uphold the company's brand value. Only those are selected who possess values that fit with the company's brand culture (Verma, 2006).