Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Presentation - Essay Example He demonstrates this by pulling a trick on the people using himself as the test for his antidote. Through an earlier worked out plan, he gets an accomplice to provide a poisonous snake that has had its venom drawn and fakes being poisoned by the bite of this snake. He goes through the throes of poisoning, only to survive when everyone has given him up for dead. This convinces the gullible onlookers of the potency of his poison antidote and there is a rush for purchasing it. Among these gullible customers are the marines and admiral of a visiting cruiser. It is during this episode that Blacaman the Bad comes in contact with a poor boy for whom he develops a fancy, because he has a face of an idiot. He pays the father of the boy and takes him under his wing. From then on the boy is a part of the fancy world of deceiving gullible people, assisting his mentor in the deceptions. The boy expresses a desire to be a soothsayer, but is found to be of no use, as he is incapable of delivering credible prophesies, and so he is put back to work at assisting his mentor in creating various devices of supposedly incredible capabilities. However, bad times soon fall on Blacaman the Bad and his incredible devices and potions are no longer selling. Blacaman the Bad decides to return the worthless boy back to his father and get his money back. Before he can execute this further misfortune falls on Blacaman the Bad. The admiral, who had bought the useless antidote for poisons, dies attempting to demonstrate its potency like Blacaman the Bad did. The marines return looking for Blacaman the bad to wreck vengeance, and so Blacaman the Bad flees with his protà ©gà ©. This flight puts them in a desolate land in which they almost die of hunger. Believing that all his misfortune is due to the boy he has taken under his wing, he puts him in a dungeon and tortures him and does not give him

Information Strategy Plan for catering services Essay Example for Free

Information Strategy Plan for catering services Essay Develop a solid, corporate identity in its specified targeted market areas. Become the top brokerage firm by its fifth year (2015) of operation, or before. The company believes that the above-mentioned objectives are obtainable because of the high degree of professionalism and expertise in real estate marketing upheld by the corporation’s core values. Compliance to the RESA Law compels all marketing executives with the knowledge of the real estate laws and procedures which will give them the corresponding license from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) as Licensed Real Estate  Sales Agents to engage in the marketing and sales of real estate properties. DRIVEN will provide them the needed training upon entering the profession. Free and paid trainings will be available at a high return to the agent. When starting out, most agents are not able proper training and support. The office environment will be productively and professionally presentable making it inviting to the agent as well as to its client developers and potential buyers / investors. A team of assistants and coordinators will man the office to provide virtual support and track daily marketing routine/schedule. Marketing executives will have the opportunity to be guided each day through a marketing plan. They may choose to follow the guidelines and training provided or they may follow their own daily routines. The company will be supplying a well-studied program allowing the new marketing executives to earn more than the average real estate agent by providing constant guidance and stability. If an agent for example sets a goal to obtain one buyer for the month, on an average of Php3,000,000.00 he would earn an income of Php81,000 per month (inclusive of withholding tax) X 12 months = Php972,000 per year. The accredited brokers will guide and assist every marketing executive in conquering this goal. The same sales as noted above would profit the corporation Php27,000 per month X 12 months = Php324,000 for the year X 460 agents = Php149,0400,000.  Under the RESA Law the real estate brokers on the other hand, are entitled to manage 20 marketing executives hence the corresponding profit for the accredited brokers given the same sales goal will be Php27,000 per month X 12 months = Php324,000 for the year X 20 agents = Php3,888,000 on top of his personal sales. At every stage of a persons’ search for property the listing will experience attrition or in other words a point where the searcher does will not proceed to view details or make an enquiry about the property being sold. This happens when the property cannot be found hence agents are encouraged to utilize all major portals in the market to minimize attrition and maximize results. No attention grabbers can also happen when the website is compromised by poorly optimized and presented Images and even the mere. Titles and Text may increase attrition rate significantly reason why all listings presented on portals should theme professional real estate photography as well as optimized titles and text. People online get bored quickly as well, if a person’s interest is lost while reviewing the property, chances are a potential sale might be lost as well. Apart from getting bored quickly, people using the internet react impulsively. They are quick to judge and if their perception is negative of what they are reading or seeing they will leave and move on, potentially never to look at the listing again.

Technology Paper :: essays research papers

Syndication of the Web 'Syndication involves the sale of the same good to many customers, who then integrate it with other offerings and redistribute it (Werbach, 2000).'; E-Trade is one such organization. They distinguish themselves from their competition by the way they package and price the information they sell not through the information itself. Syndication is a very different way of structuring the business of today. This way of doing business is very different than the way business has been done in the past. It requires small and large businesses to rethink their tactical and strategic plans, thus causing the reshaping of organizations. This will also change the way they interact with customers and partner with other entities. In addition, businesses will be forced to develop new models for collecting revenues and earning profits. Syndication has traditionally been rare in the business world for three reasons. First, syndication works only with information goods. Second, syndication requires modularity. Third, syndication requires many independent distribution points (Werbach, 2000). Within this syndication network, businesses can play three different roles or a company can play one role in a syndication network, or two or three roles simultaneously. The three roles are originators, syndicators, or distributors. The originators create the original product or content. The syndicators package the content for distribution to the distributors. Often times they integrate it with the product or content from other originators. And last but not least, the distributors deliver the content to customers (Werbach, 2000). Within the structure of syndication there are syndicators and distributors. Syndicators save the distributors from having to find all of the different originators in an effort to gather all of the content that they want to package and eventually put out for distribution. The syndicators are able to collect standard formats and contracts from a variety of sources and making it readily available. This part of the process frees the distributors from having to find and negotiate with dozens or even hundreds of different originators. This allows syndicators to act as information collectors by collecting and packaging digital information in a way that adds value to it. In the physical world, it is very difficult to find a syndicator that works alone and is not associated with the entertainment industry. Technology Paper :: essays research papers Syndication of the Web 'Syndication involves the sale of the same good to many customers, who then integrate it with other offerings and redistribute it (Werbach, 2000).'; E-Trade is one such organization. They distinguish themselves from their competition by the way they package and price the information they sell not through the information itself. Syndication is a very different way of structuring the business of today. This way of doing business is very different than the way business has been done in the past. It requires small and large businesses to rethink their tactical and strategic plans, thus causing the reshaping of organizations. This will also change the way they interact with customers and partner with other entities. In addition, businesses will be forced to develop new models for collecting revenues and earning profits. Syndication has traditionally been rare in the business world for three reasons. First, syndication works only with information goods. Second, syndication requires modularity. Third, syndication requires many independent distribution points (Werbach, 2000). Within this syndication network, businesses can play three different roles or a company can play one role in a syndication network, or two or three roles simultaneously. The three roles are originators, syndicators, or distributors. The originators create the original product or content. The syndicators package the content for distribution to the distributors. Often times they integrate it with the product or content from other originators. And last but not least, the distributors deliver the content to customers (Werbach, 2000). Within the structure of syndication there are syndicators and distributors. Syndicators save the distributors from having to find all of the different originators in an effort to gather all of the content that they want to package and eventually put out for distribution. The syndicators are able to collect standard formats and contracts from a variety of sources and making it readily available. This part of the process frees the distributors from having to find and negotiate with dozens or even hundreds of different originators. This allows syndicators to act as information collectors by collecting and packaging digital information in a way that adds value to it. In the physical world, it is very difficult to find a syndicator that works alone and is not associated with the entertainment industry.

Applied Linguistics Essay

Second language learning has always become an important work-field both in schools and other private sectors dealing with language teaching and learning process especially in the time of global integration. It is a complex activity involving a mix of internal factors such as age, aptitude, motivation, personality, or learning strategies†¦and external factors such as socio-economic and cultural background, learning and teaching contexts†¦ All these factors play a very important role in learners? success in acquiring and using a second language. Thus, learners’ second language achievement can be greatly improved when teachers have a better understanding of the learner, of the learning process and of the variables that may help or hinder learner’s language achievement. Because of the limited size of this article, I am going to discuss some of the most important factors affecting learner’s second language achievement: motivation, age, personality, social and cultural factor in order to analyze what stimulates successful language learning and what places obstacles in the learner’ s path to language proficiency. II. DEVELOPMENT II. 1. Some factors affecting learner’s L2 achievement II. 1. 1. Internal factors II. 1. 1. 1. Motivation It is undeniable that motivation is one of the major factors in deciding the learner’s failure or success in second language achievement. Motivation is a kind of desire for learning. It is very difficult to teach a second language in a learning environment if the learner does not have a desire to learn a language. Reece & Walker (1997) stress that a less able student who is highly motivated can achieve greater success than the more intelligent student who is not well motivated. In this article, we are concerned with motivation related to foreign language teaching and learning. Wilkins (1972) points out that â€Å"motivation is not a general covert term for possibly distinct concept such as energy, interest and enjoyment, but instead, restricted to the degree of willingness to learn which depends largely on the learner’s needs in learning the language. Psychologists have distinguished two major types of motivation which play an important role in determining how willing the learner is to persevere with the task: instrumental and integrative motivation The first motivation will be discussed is instrumental motivation. It is generally characterized by the desire to obtain something practical or concrete from the study of a second language (Hudson 2000). With instrumental motivation, the purpose of language acquisition is more utilitarian, such as meeting the requirements for school or university graduation, applying for a job, requesting higher pay based on language ability, reading technical material, translation work or achieving higher social status. Instrumental motivation is often characteristic of second language acquisition, where little or no social integration of the learner into a community using the target language takes place. According to Richards (1976) simply learning a language to acquire course credits, or to carry out a limited range of tasks that do not involve the learner in close face – to – face interaction ( for example a person learning enough English to sell souvenirs to tourists does not generally lead to a high degree of accomplishment in learning). However, in recent years, according to Brown (1977), he stated that Indian English is one example of a variety of English which can be acquired very successful for instrumental reasons alone. Another motivation will be taken into consideration is integrative motivation. According to Gardner and Lambert (1959), this kind of motivation means learning a language because the learner wishes to identify himself with or become integrated in the society whose language it is. It has generally been thought that integrative motivation is the more powerful of the two because it implies a desire to integrate with speakers of the target language. Instrumentally oriented students would be expected to acquire the second language only to the point where their instrumented goals were satisfied. It is likely that when the learner merely wanted to be able to buy food and take public transportation he could achieve those goals with a very low level of proficiency in the second language and if the learner had to use the target language in his professional life, his level of learning would be much higher. Learners with integrative motivation view the language as a key to social and cultural enrichment through the opportunities to provide for association with members of a different culture. Then their goal in learning the language is to be able to use the language as a means of  communication and also for acceptance by the people who speak the language. Such motivation often leads to high accomplishment. In settings such as Vietnam, learners who learn English for special purposes have a great deal of instrumental motivation to acquire English in order to be able to be applied for a good job with a high salary. They learn English very fast just because they want to communicate orally, in a very simple English with other speakers of English. In Vietnam, English is a compulsory subjects so almost all of students learn English just to pass the exam. Thus, the type of language learned namely forms as mainly for communicative use will be directly affected by the type of examination students need to pass. As a result, it is likely that learners will not achieve a high standard of English. II. 1. 1. 2. Language aptitude As has been discussed in the previous section, success in mastering a foreign language depends very much on the learner’s motivation. Beside the motivation factor, social psychologists have also found out that whether a student can learn a foreign language very successfully or not also depends on his language aptitude. This section is an attempt to discuss an intrinsic factor influencing foreign language learning that is language aptitude. Aptitude for language learning is usually composed of four different types of abilities: the ability to identify and memorize new sounds, the ability to understand the function of particular words in sentences, the ability to figure out grammatical rules from language samples, the ability to memorize new words. Many tests of language aptitude have proven extremely effective in predicting which learners will be successful in learning. However, considerable controversy remains about whether language aptitude is properly regarded as a unitary concept, an organic property of the brain, or as a complex of factors including motivation and short-term memory. Research has generally shown that language aptitude is quite distinct from general aptitude or intelligence, as measured by various tests, and is itself fairly consistently measurable by different tests. Language aptitude research is often criticized for being irrelevant to the problems of language learners, who must attempt to learn a language regardless of whether they are gifted for the task or not. This claim is reinforced by research findings that aptitude is largely unchangeable. In addition, traditional language aptitude measures such as the Modern Language Aptitude Test strongly favor decontextualized knowledge of the sort used in taking tests, rather than the sort used in conversation. For this reason little research is carried out on aptitude today. However, operators of selective language programs such as the United States Defense Language Institute continue to use language aptitude testing as part of applicant screening. In my opinion, as a teacher of English, aptitude plays an important role in learner’s language achievement. How is it that some people can learn a foreign language quickly while others, given the same opportunity experience utter failure? Does this depend on how language is taught? Partly this is true as when the teacher is equipped with a better language teaching method, his students can learn faster. But partly it is not true as in the same group there always exists fast and slow learners. Another answer to the question is the problem of â€Å"motivation† but not all students with the same motivation can have the same accomplishment. Another possible answer to the question is that some people have language aptitude while others do not. II. 1. 1. 3. Learner’s age The previous section dealt with the learner’s language aptitude, a factor that influences language acquisition a great deal. This section will take into consideration another factor – age which has received a number of opinions so far. In the past few decades, the comparisons among child, adolescent and adult learners have been made by many researchers, and the different findings as well as explanations have been reported. Traditionally, research in Critical Period Hypothesis and other variables has derived two major aspects of language learning–the younger = the better and the older = the better. However, recently the scholars in the fields of linguistics, psychology and psycholinguistics have reported their study or experiment results continually, resulting in completely different points of view so the argument for or against the Critical Period Hypothesis has never stopped. The question of how developmental stages interact with individual learning differences is still a question of great debate. Is there an optimal age, a critical period or a sensitive period? How does the age factor affect the development of linguistic abilities? Are adults really inferior to children and even to adolescents? There exists a belief that younger learners have certain advantages over older learners in language learning. According to Ellis in 2008; Larsen-Freeman in 2008; Mayberry & Lock in 2003, Robert Dekeyser in 2000, younger children learn L2 easily and quickly in comparison to older children. Larsen-Freeman & Long in 2008 also suggest that there is a period of time, between birth and somewhere around the age when a child enters puberty, exists in which the learning a second language can be accomplished more rapidly and easily than times falling outside of this period (i. e. post puberty). This is because children are in the most flexible condition learning a foreign language. This stage might be strongly impressed on their brain, which can stimulate nervous function system, and the further learning can help them to form language habit and competency easi1y. however Researchers also disagree with withdrawing home language support too soon and suggest that although oral communication skills in a second language may be acquired within 2 or 3 years, it may take 4 to 6 years to acquire the level of proficiency needed for understanding the language in its academic uses (Collier, 1989; Cummins, 1981). So children who are taught L2 intensively too early will damage their L1 acquisition. Another belief reported by Johnson and Newport, Dekeyser, Asher and Price, Politzer and Weiss, Olson and Samuel, Lightbown and Spada (2008) that older learners have a higher level of problem solving and metalinguistics abilities than younger learners.. The young learners are considered fluent in communication of the second language and achieve native like accent. Learners after the age of puberty do not acquire native like accent of a second language but have complex learning pattern. Research suggests that children and adults L2 learners pass through different developmental states in second language learning. Learning depends on the cognitive maturity and neurological factors. Adults’ cerebra nerve network has come into being completely, and their thinking habits have become mature in this period. They can deal with complicated language form and contents easily, because their meta-language consciousnesses, common sense and literary knowledge are better than children. In general, age is important but not everything in second language learning. There are some factors related to the age, for example the learning opportunities, the motivation to learn, individual differences, and learning styles, are also important determining variables that affect the rate of second language learning in various developmental stages of the learners. II. 1. 1. 4. Learner’s personality We have mentioned some important factors influencing learner’s second language achievement such as motivation, language aptitude and age. In this section we continues with some specific personality factors in human behavior in relation to second language acquisition. The psychological factors to be discussed here are self-esteem, inhibition, extroversion/ introversion. Self –esteem is the degree of value, a worthiness which an individual ascribes to himself. According to Schuman in 1978 and Brown in 1980, there are three kinds of self- esteem: global, specific and task self – esteem. How is self –esteem related to second language acquisition? Brown (1980) states that specific self- esteem might refer to second language acquisition in general but task- esteem might approximately refer to one’s self-evaluation of a particular aspect of the language process: speaking, writing†¦ A study by Adelaide Heyde (1979) revealed that all three aspects of self-esteem correlated positively with performance in oral production and student with high self –esteem actually performed better in the foreign language. Inhibition – sets of defences built to protect the ego, a concept closely related to self-esteem and of course has to be considered by teachers. Language learners, children or adults, make progress by learning from making mistakes but at the same time, making mistakes can be viewed as a threat to one’s ego. As a result, the learner tends to build a certain degree of defence to protect himself. Guiora et al†¦ (1972a) produced one of the few studies in inhibition in relation to second language learning, and the experiments have been high-lighted a possibility that the inhibition, the defence which we place between ourselves and others can prevent us from communicating in a foreign language. . Another factor which also needs some examination is extraversion and introversion. Language teachers often assume that the extraverts are better language learner than introverts. In a language class, the teacher tends to prefer to have more students with an outgoing and talkative personality. At an early stage, extroverts seem to speak the language better than the introverts, but this does not mean that the proficiency of a more introverted student will be lower. This depends very much on the goal of learning. It can be argued that the reserved learner may be very quiet but he can be a good language learner in the sense that he is good in aural and reading comprehension even though he cannot speak. Thus, it is not clear then that extraversion or introversion helps or hinders the process of second language acquisition and it is hard to say which is ideal for language learning. II. 1. 2. External factors The previous section examined some aspects of internal factors. This section accounts for some equally important external factors which also affect learner’s second language achievement. As language teachers we are faced with factors such as the social context of learning, the cultural differences between two language involved. The learning environment of the educational context and the teaching method being used. Most of these are largely beyond our control but nevertheless they are important because they can affect, sometimes decide the learner’s internal factors in learning. To improve teaching and stimulate better learning, these factors should be taken into consideration. II. 1. 2. 1.  Social factor The child’s acquisition of his mother tongue is affected by the condition under which it takes place. The same influence is also relevant to learning of a second or foreign language. The classroom itself is a kind of social setting where each student has a role, so his success of learning a foreign language is, to some extent, determined by the teacher- student relationship and the student- student relationship. The teacher’s love for his job is often an encouragement to his students in their learning. According to Cheatain (1976), student is also strongly encouraged to learn the language when his teacher is always hopeful. The student- student relationship is no less important. This instance concerns face- saving. No students likes to let his errors be known to his friends, so correction of errors by the group is helpful when there is non- hostile trusting climate in the classroom. In addition to the classroom features of the learning situation itself, there are factors in the wider social context that influence language learning. Teaching never occurs in a vacuum. Any subject occupies a position in the syllabus in order to meet a need of all part of the school population. Second language or foreign language teaching is not an exception. As the political, economic and historical conditions change, the course objectives are altered. In a great number of countries it so happens that shifting political economic and social conditions often bring about the change in status of a second or foreign language. For example, English was not introduced into the school curriculum in Vietnam until 1971. Nowadays, when Vietnam is a member of WTO, English becomes a compulsory subject as it is an international language of commercial and official communication. Political factors are not the only ones that influence second language learning. Other attitudes towards language learning which are characteristic of the society to which the learner belongs are particularly important to the success of language learners. In Vietnam, the ability of using English fluently is a special qualification for certain favored jobs, but in others like the UK or the USA, learning another language is little more than a hobby. Obviously, all the different attitudes, which actually stem from political, economic or historical causes play an important part in the overall achievement in foreign language learning. II. 1. 2. 2. Cultural factors It is obvious that knowing a second language no longer means merely having acquired some linguistic competence: the ability to construct grammatically correct sentences. It also includes the acquisition of communicative competence: the ability to communicate the second language. To the extent that language is culturally acquired, one can never learn a second language successfully without learning the culture of that language. In the article â€Å"Talking across culture† in 1981, Richards argues that those who are supposed to know a foreign language must have linguistic competence, communicative competence and social competence as well. By social competence, he means that the learner is expected to know how to behave in a speech community of speakers of the target language. In other words, he must be familiar with the culture of the native speakers otherwise, he will be shocked, or fail to understand native speakers even though he is linguistically competent. It can be concluded that anyone decides to learn a certain language properly, culture is something he cannot avoid in the process. In teaching English, we need to be aware of the cultural assumptions that the students already possess. We also need to be aware of the cultural assumptions that surround the use of English. Functions and structures used to be examined for cultural content, it cannot be assumed that they are neutral. II. 2. Language teaching implications. For the reason that motivation plays a very important role in second language achievement, the task of the teacher is to maximize the motivation. Teachers should raise students’ interest in learning English so that they no longer learn English to pass the exam or to fulfill curriculum’s requirement but for the desire to interact and communicate with foreigners†¦ In order to achieve these goals, teachers should vary the activities, tasks and materials, provide students with opportunities for interaction in the target language in and outside the language learning environment through preplanned, and authentic activities. As a result, students will be more interested in learning English. Not many researchers have carried out research about language aptitude because it is something that teachers are powerless to alter. Students vary in terms of aptitude so teachers should categorize them according to their aptitude profiles. For example, one group was identified as having particularly good memory abilities (relative to other abilities), and another group was identified as being high in verbal analytical abilities. It is the duty of teachers to select appropriate teaching approaches and activities based on learners’ aptitude profiles to accommodate their differences in aptitude. If the methodology matches students, they will learn better otherwise it may decrease students’ second language achievement. We all know that different ages have different ways of learning and different ways of achieving language. The differences among the three age groups (children, adolescents and adults) are really existent and the biological L2 learning conditions are unchangeable. Learners of different ages and stages should use different strategies. Thus, the teacher’s duty is different in the three groups and the teaching approaches and strategies should cater for the traits of students. For example, children use strategies unconsciously and their teacher should help them form good learning habits in this period. Some adolescents might be unable to be aware of using learning strategies, and others use too many complex and sophisticated learning strategies in L2 language learning, which might not ensure to achieve high level. Adult learners prefer analytic-style strategies such as comparative and contrastive analysis, generalization rules learning, and dissecting words and phrases. As a result, teachers should manipulate a number of options according to the aim of the teaching and learning, such as different reading materials, the speed of teaching procedures, etc†¦ Suitable approach and strategies for each trait of age will help learners achieve language better, compensate the shortcomings and take good advantage of in three groups. As the results listed in the previous part indicate, learners differ in terms of personality. Some students are very reserved, some are self- confident, some are ready to take a risk but others do not. Understanding each student’s personality is extremely important to every teacher not except for teacher of English. When teacher know students’ characteristics, they can use appropriate methods for each of them. For example, most of Vietnamese students are still basically shy and withdrawn. Then teachers should involve a lot of pair and group work instead of using the teacher- students questions and answers. Teachers should use cooperative rather than competitive goals to create a supportive and non-threatening learning atmosphere. Besides, teachers should encourage and support students all the time especially when they are struggling or lacking confidence in certain areas. Good teachers will know how to adapt their methods of teaching to different learners’ personalities to have best results in second language achievement. It cannot be denied that social context has a big influence on situation of second language teaching and learning of each nation. Thus, in order to create a good learning condition for second language learning to flourish is the duty of everyone: parents, authority of school, community, ministry†¦ For example, parents should give children favorable condition to learn second language, school should be concerned about students’ language learning and teaching to make it better, ministry of education should pay more attention to the quality of language teacher, textbooks and facilities necessary for effective second language teaching and learning to happen. Culture is very important in second language learning so the duty of teachers is to raise students’ awareness of cultural differences between countries. When teaching a foreign language such as English, teachers should teach students language competence along with socio- cultural competence. Both teachers and authorities should bear in mind that learning about other cultures does not mean changing one’s own values and world outlook. On the contrary, by comparing some aspects of cultures in different societies, students may better appreciate their own culture and tradition and avoid false stereotypes which may result in either prejudice against other culture or blind belief that other cultures are superior. A successful language learner is a person who not only knows how to make grammatical and meaningful sentences but also knows how to use them in appropriate situations and a good language teacher is a person who knows how to help them do so successfully. III. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the success in second language acquisition depends largely on many factors but some of the most important factors can be mentioned are motivation, language aptitude, learner’s age and personality, social and cultural context. Thus, knowing these factors and how they influences learners’ second language achievement is very crucial to teachers of foreign languages in general and English in particular. Their language can be greatly improved when teachers have a better understanding of the learner, of the learning process and of the variables that may help or hinder learner’s language achievement. IV. REFERENCE Krishna K.  B , â€Å"Age as an Affective Factor in Second Language Acquisition†, Troy Universityn Press. HIDASI, Judit, (2005) â€Å"The Impact of Culture on Second Language Acquisition†, Annals of the International Business School. Hoan, P. K, (1985), â€Å"Psychological and cultural factors related to methodologies to Hanoi foreign languages Teachers’ college student†, Sydney Zhang . J, (2006) Sociocultural Factors in Second Language Acquisition, Sino-US English Teaching, Volume 3, No. 5 (Serial No. 29) Mehmet, N. G, (2001) â€Å"the effects of age and motivation factors on second language acquisition† F? rat University Journal of Social Science. tic

Brainology Essay Essay

Carol S. Dweck wrote an article talking about transforming student’s motivation to learn. In the article, he states that there are two types of mindsets; the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. Dweck describes the fixed mindset as students who worry about how much the intelligence they posse is fixed, whereas students believe that the growth mindset is potential intelligence that can be learned. He explains that confronting challenges, profiting from mistakes, and dealing with setbacks is a way of becoming smarter. Dweck talks about how in the 1990s parents and schools felt that the most important thing or students was self-esteem. They felt that if students felt good about themselves then they would be good and successful in life. Dweck also talks about students being praised for their intelligence vs. being praised for their effort. At the end of the article, Carlos discuss how our society worships talent and how our talent is portrayed as a gift. He explains how worshiping talent was not motivating to our students. After reading this article, I’ve learned that it’s better to have a growth mindset because the more I challenge myself to grow with intelligence the more chances I will have of becoming successful. I always knew that it was important to learn and never give up but I never took it serious. I now see the importance of never giving up. I feel like now I can motivate myself to keep going no matter how tough things get and to always accept in any challenge in my classes because that’s the only way I can really enhance my intelligence. Also after reading this article, I see the importance of being praised for my hard work and effort rather than my talents.

How does jazz the music and its story reflect the American experience

How does jazz the music and its story reflect the American experience Jazz is acknowledged around the globe for its rich cultural legacy entrenched in the African-American experience. Ever since its initiation in the early 20th century; jazz has greatly contributed to the American culture and has been a reflection of American experience and is also extensively believed to be the only truly unique American art form. The mission of Jazz in America is to integrate the teaching and learning of jazz story into every public institution in the country.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How does jazz the music and its story reflect the American experience? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Jazz music reflects the American experience by creating a greater understanding of American culture hence appreciating it. It creates insight into issues such as teamwork, freedom with accountability, harmony with ethnic diversity, correlation of diligence, goal achievement and the American spirit. Its story he lps Americans acquire respect for diverse cultural heritage. The basics of jazz extend back in time of slave work songs in the 20th century where there were field bawls, grief songs and spirituals. The vocal, musical, and harmonious elements of jazz were mainly African. These elements slowly blended, and the earliest music that people now call jazz was played by African-American and Creole bands in New Orleans in the early 20th century (Prouty 151). In its early years, jazz had elements of Rag-time, marching rock band music, and Blues. As years passed, this indigenous-born type of music expression grew into swing, hard bop, cool jazz, fusion, smooth jazz and contemporary. Actually, the extensive jazz sounds capture the vibrant convolution of the American experience. Similarly, the medium of jazz has been held by musical groups and music funs straddling the world from Europe to Asia to Africa. Jazz is the only true American piece of music. It is a blend of African rhythms, with Weste rn influences. In the present day, jazz is played and listened to by people of all cultures and ethnic groups and comprises of musical elements and styles from all over the globe; jazz has gone from being the music of Americans to being the global music. Jazz was rooted from Africans and grew through the African-American experience in the USA. Jazz is an American melodic experience that represents America’s ingenuity and their spirit of change. Deeply entrenched in their culture, it has changed perpetually how they hear tone, distinguish rhythm and express themselves creatively and artistically. The story of jazz reflects the history of America, starting with the mandatory immigration of 11 million Africans to the New World as slaves (Dean 123). Musical traditions entwined in colonial America, European and in Western Africa and every American decade added its own cover of uniqueness to the music.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More All through the 20th century, Jazz evolved largely from a single cultural group’s experience. It is a gem brought about by decades of human anguish and a continuing struggle for liberty, self-respect and self-expression. Jazz is a tradition in evolution, having formed by classical, blues, R B, country, rock, gospel, funk, Latin, African, Far Eastern, pop, folk, rap, and hip hop. Jazz continues to evolve as an influence and an art-form of modern culture. Jazz was initiated to the post World War I with its export to Europe by martial jazz rock bands consisting of African American military. Ever since, jazz has turned into a soundtrack for our contemporary world. Individuals from every society, religion and ethnicity communicate in the jazz language. Dean, William. The American Spiritual Culture: And the Invention of Jazz, Football, and the Movies, USA: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2006. Print. Pro uty, Ken. Knowing Jazz Community, Pedagogy and Canon in the Information Age, New York: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2011.Print.

Ideology in the human services essays

Ideology in the human services essays Evaluate the significance of ideology in the Human Services. Although it may be tempting to lay the foundation of the human services with the publication of the Beveridge Report in 1942, many of the ideologies embodied within these services have their roots in the work of social reformers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I will identify significant historical developments during these periods and approach the above statement by illustrating how different ideologies influence change within the human services. Such ideologies include those of the left and right wing politicians, liberal theorists and Fabian academics. Also, those of special interest groups such as Feminists, Anti-Racists, Gay and Lesbian activists and Environmentalists. I will evaluate the significance of ideology, and show how as a coherent set of ideas, together with the impact of war combined to lend legitimacy to the idea of widespread and formalised state action across a wide range of social and economic activities. Such was the affect of this new state activity that the notion of a welfare consensus, a broad acceptance of the role of the state in many areas of public and private life, developed in the post-war decades. I will conclude with a critical perspective of these ideologies, revisiting the historical developments and how they still influence todays human services. According to Johnson, P. (2000) ideology can be defined as a comprehensive and coherent set of basic beliefs about political, economic, social and cultural affairs that is held in common by a sizable group of people within a society. A similar definition is offered by Giddens, A. (1997) who defines ideology as a system of shared ideas serving to justify the interest of dominant groups in society. Such interrelated ideas and teachings purport both to explain how political, economic, social and cultural institutions really do work and also to ...

Word Choice Fewer vs. Less - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog

Word Choice Fewer vs. Less - Proofread My Papers Academic Blog Word Choice: Fewer vs. Less Confusions between â€Å"fewer† and â€Å"less† can provoke fury among pedants: In the UK, one store even changed its signs after a campaign to enforce correct grammar! The difference between â€Å"fewer† and â€Å"less† is subtle, though, so it’s easy to mix them up in your written work (or on your shop signs) if youre not careful. Fewer (Countable Quantities) The word â€Å"fewer† means â€Å"a smaller number of people or things.† More specifically, â€Å"fewer† applies to things you can count or number, like stones or apples: There were seven apples in this bowl, now there are four; that’s three fewer than yesterday. We say â€Å"fewer† here because â€Å"apple† is a countable noun (i.e., apples can be counted out as individual apples). Less (Uncountable Quantities) The word â€Å"less† simply means â€Å"not so much† or â€Å"smaller in amount.† It differs from â€Å"fewer† by applying principally to uncountable nouns, usually substances or concepts that cannot be counted individually, such as water or pain: My shoulder still aches, but I’m in less pain than I was. The use of â€Å"less† indicates the pain has reduced. However, it doesn’t imply a severe pain is an accumulation of smaller pains in the same way that a bowl of apples contains several apples. Fewer or Less? A good tip for knowing when to use â€Å"fewer† or â€Å"less† is to consider whether the word modified is singular or plural, since singular terms take â€Å"less† and plural terms take â€Å"fewer.† This can be judged by whether the word would usually be followed by â€Å"is† or â€Å"are.† For instance, we say â€Å"water is wet† rather than â€Å"waters are wet† because water is a singular noun. Likewise, we say â€Å"apples are delicious† rather than â€Å"apples is delicious† because â€Å"apples† is plural. By working out whether were describing a singular or plural noun, we determine which of â€Å"fewer† or â€Å"less† to use: Singular/Countable Nouns = Fewer Plural/Uncountable Nouns = Less Time, Money and Distance One more thing to keep in mind is that quantities of time, money and distance usually take â€Å"less† rather than â€Å"fewer.† This is because we treat measurements as singular rather than plural. For example, although $100 could be counted out as one hundred individual dollars, we usually think of it as a single quantity of one hundred dollars. Hence we say â€Å"$100 is too much to pay,† not â€Å"$100 are too much to pay.† Likewise, when it comes to â€Å"fewer† and â€Å"less,† we usually say â€Å"I have less than $100,† not â€Å"I have fewer than $100.†

Marketing of Sushi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing of Sushi - Research Paper Example 3. The current marketing strategy of your company enables the company to understand and reach out to the needs of its customers. 5 4 3 2 1 4. The current marketing strategy contributes to the company in terms of customer satisfaction and sales increase. 5 4 3 2 1 5. In general, the marketing style of my company is excellent. 5 4 3 2 1 Part 5 Presentation of Data Perceptions Regarding the campaign Quality improves: No. of Respondents who agree Service design customer Satisfaction Increased Competitive Advantage Increased market share Reduced customer complaints Customer loyalty Cost 30 15 30 30 2230 10 Rated most important factors for a company (among other factors given) Cost Scope Time (schedule) Quality of sushi Safety 5 2 320 2 Company's perception of quality Elimination of defects A tool to increase profits A competitive advantage 4 12 14 2. This study will use quantitative research, which uses explanatory methods in describing the variables wherein the data, situations, or other facts collected will be explained... 2. This study will use quantitative research, which uses explanatory methods in describing the variables wherein the data, situations, or other facts collected will be explained or correlated with other data. It is especially useful when conducting a study wherein the data are immeasurable, such as feelings, beliefs, thoughts, and others (Mays & Pope, 2000). Furthermore, the study will be descriptive as it will focus on the conditions set and the nature that surrounds the data and does not focus on the correlation with other collected facts. In order to come up with the most suitable research approaches and strategies for this study, the research process "onion" is used. This is because conducting a research is like peeling the back layers of an onion-in order to come to the central issue of how to collect the necessary data needed to answer the research questions and objectives, important layers should be first peeled away. With the said process, the researcher was able to create an outline on what measures are most appropriate to be applied in the study. It is not unusual for a researcher to first think of his res

Criminal Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Criminal Law - Essay Example ack up a conviction of capital felony, secondly, the trial court charged unfitting the jury in that self-defense was not applicable to murder felony and thirdly the jury was incorrectly charged concerning rudiments of self-defense hence rendering invalidity of his convictions pertaining the two counts of murder with intent. In state v Amado case, conclusion was that self-defense was unavailable as a means of defense to charges of murder felony. Therefore, addressing claims of inadequate instructions of self-defense. Although the jury dropped Amado’s invitation to reexamine the issue about the convictions of murder felony, the jury’s vacating of the conviction of capital felony requires the jury to address whether it (the jury) was incorrectly charged on the issue concerning self-defense about counts of intentional murder. Both convictions of murder felony stood (findlaw, 2014). The said charges did not affect the views of the Supreme Court, of which its findings were limited to the capital murder as well as murder felony counts. The defendant specifically claimed that the instructions of the trial court concerning self-defense deceived the jury since the court incorrectly instructed the jury on its obligations. The jury concurred with the Amado that the trial court had misled them in their obligations in considering the counts of intentional

How do US elections differ from the Russian ones Term Paper

How do US elections differ from the Russian ones - Term Paper Example From this research it is clear that elections in the United States and Russia have their own unique features and characteristics that distinguish them from each other. Even though electoral processes share some similarities and characteristics, most contemporary democracies and jurisdictions have their own unique electoral systems that are protected by their constitutions. Most constitutions have detailed voting systems and arrangements that convert people’s votes into meaningful political decisions. The US has its own unique ways of dealing with election related issues, and, so does Russia. For example, in the United States, when the first round of elections does not produce a winner by absolute majority, the senate is given the power to elect the president. In Russia, when such a case occurs, a second round of elections between the candidates who had the most votes is held so as to determine the ultimate winner of the elections. These differences between elections in the US and Russia shall be the main focus of this research. In the United States, the system of government is the representative democracy, where representatives are elected by citizens to make government decisions on their behalf at different levels. In Russia, the constitution enshrines electoral laws that govern all election processes. The present study would focus on these differences between the elections in the US and Russia.

Identify and critically assess the principles which underpin the EU Essay

Identify and critically assess the principles which underpin the EU Public Procurement - Essay Example Framework Procurement can be defined as â€Å"the purchase of commodities, goods, works or services by public administrators†.1 A public administrator in the EU Law includes state, government, association governed by public law and similar bodies. Collectively, public procurement accounts for 13.5% of the European Union’s GDP.2 This therefore means that the authorities have a duty to provide a legally acceptable set of guidelines that promotes the European Union’s single market system and also prevents leakages and unfair procurement practices and corruption. However, some challenges in the EU Procurement Laws do not enable the EU Procurement system to achieve its objectives. In the UK, the threshold for the observance of EU Public Procurement Law is ?100,000 for government supplies and ?4 million for works and services.3 These thresholds are really high. This gives room for various forms of manipulation. A public institution that desires to be mischievous is lik ely to buy goods and services in lower amounts so that they will not be required to follow the EU Procurement Rules. This gives room for easy evasion and manipulation. Reasons for the EU Public Procurement Laws The first reason why the EU Public Procurement Law was enacted was that the European Union has laws that guarantee the freedom of movement, person, capital and services across borders so nations and governments should not have public procurement systems that discriminate against people from other EU nations.4 Also, non-tariff protection exists for all EU businesses in the transfer of their goods and services across the various borders.5 The EU Procurement Law avoids amongst other things, discrimination against efficient companies by ensuring the fair treatment of all potential bidders for a public supply tenders across the EU. The extent to which the procurement law has protected non-national businesses in bids and tender is quite questionable. This is because with higher tra nsportation costs and diversity issues, it is often common for public institutions to choose local suppliers and not external suppliers. In summary, the EU Procurement Laws state that public institutions should honour three things in their operations.6 The are: 1. They must treat a business and person of other EU nationality fairly7 2. No discrimination, there should be equality 3. There should be transparency in bidding and tender selection process. However, with the uneven trends of development in the EU, there are cases when there is the need for positive discrimination to help some national businesses to grow by supplying to public institutions in the country. Adhering strictly to the public procurement framework can only cause some local businesses in smaller nations like Portugal and Latvia to collapse in the face of other richer businesses from more powerful nations like Germany, France and Britain. Overview of Underpinning Principles The main areas and aspects of the EU Publ ic Procurement policy include transparency, publicity, objectivity, accountability, non-discrimination and flexibility/redress.

Animal Accommodation in the UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Animal Accommodation in the UK - Assignment Example The significance of the freedoms led to their adaptation by international representation groups. They included the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the World Organization for Animal Health. Apart from animal owners, professional groups such as veterinary are required to adhere to the provisions of the five freedoms.  Ã‚   The five freedoms stated are : †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom from hunger and thirst: Owners of animal are required to ensure their animals are on the proper diet. It includes access to quality and enough food as well as clean drinking water. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom from discomfort: Owners are required to provide their animal with appropriate shelter, as well as an environment with a proper resting place. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom from injury, disease or pain:   an owner should ensure their animals are free from diseases as well react quickly with a provision of veterinary care when affected by diseases. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom to express normal behavior: an animal should be provided with sufficient space, proper facilities and the comfort from animals of the same kind.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Freedom from fear and distress:   an animal should be exposed to conditions and treatment that hinder mental suffering.   Ã‚  

Identify and critically assess the principles which underpin the EU Essay

Identify and critically assess the principles which underpin the EU Public Procurement - Essay Example Framework Procurement can be defined as â€Å"the purchase of commodities, goods, works or services by public administrators†.1 A public administrator in the EU Law includes state, government, association governed by public law and similar bodies. Collectively, public procurement accounts for 13.5% of the European Union’s GDP.2 This therefore means that the authorities have a duty to provide a legally acceptable set of guidelines that promotes the European Union’s single market system and also prevents leakages and unfair procurement practices and corruption. However, some challenges in the EU Procurement Laws do not enable the EU Procurement system to achieve its objectives. In the UK, the threshold for the observance of EU Public Procurement Law is ?100,000 for government supplies and ?4 million for works and services.3 These thresholds are really high. This gives room for various forms of manipulation. A public institution that desires to be mischievous is lik ely to buy goods and services in lower amounts so that they will not be required to follow the EU Procurement Rules. This gives room for easy evasion and manipulation. Reasons for the EU Public Procurement Laws The first reason why the EU Public Procurement Law was enacted was that the European Union has laws that guarantee the freedom of movement, person, capital and services across borders so nations and governments should not have public procurement systems that discriminate against people from other EU nations.4 Also, non-tariff protection exists for all EU businesses in the transfer of their goods and services across the various borders.5 The EU Procurement Law avoids amongst other things, discrimination against efficient companies by ensuring the fair treatment of all potential bidders for a public supply tenders across the EU. The extent to which the procurement law has protected non-national businesses in bids and tender is quite questionable. This is because with higher tra nsportation costs and diversity issues, it is often common for public institutions to choose local suppliers and not external suppliers. In summary, the EU Procurement Laws state that public institutions should honour three things in their operations.6 The are: 1. They must treat a business and person of other EU nationality fairly7 2. No discrimination, there should be equality 3. There should be transparency in bidding and tender selection process. However, with the uneven trends of development in the EU, there are cases when there is the need for positive discrimination to help some national businesses to grow by supplying to public institutions in the country. Adhering strictly to the public procurement framework can only cause some local businesses in smaller nations like Portugal and Latvia to collapse in the face of other richer businesses from more powerful nations like Germany, France and Britain. Overview of Underpinning Principles The main areas and aspects of the EU Publ ic Procurement policy include transparency, publicity, objectivity, accountability, non-discrimination and flexibility/redress.

LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

LAW - Essay Example They were convicted and sentenced for felony murder in the Supreme Court of the State of New York for New York County. Judgment was affirmed without opinion in the Appellate Division. A motion to reargue was denied by the New York Court of Appeals on June 15, 1976. Victory was tried for felony murder (N.Y.Penal L. Â § 125.25(3) predicated upon the crime of escape in the second degree (id. Â § 205.10(2)). To convict Victory the jury had to find that Bornholdt and he escaped from custody after Officer Varecha had arrested them for a felony and that the policeman was shot in the course of or in furtherance of this escape. In charging the jury, the trial judge explained several times that it was necessary for them to find that an escape was being committed at the time Varecha was shot in order to convict Victory of felony murder. http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F2/570/66/3893 For example, "the prosecution must show that during the commission or attempted commission of the crime of escape in the second degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of that crime, or the immediate flight there from, a defendant caused the death of a person other than one of the participants." Both the crime of felony murder and the crime of escape in the second degree were submitted. After retiring, the jury asked for a re-reading of the law of escape, and twice for a re-reading of testimony about events prior to the shooting. "As a matter of law, does the fact of flight after the shooting itself establish escape in the second degree after an arrest has been made for felony assault?" The judge indicated that there was no "categorical" answer to the question posed, carefully stated what the jury would be required to find for a conviction of escape in the second degree, then re-read the statutory definition of felony murder which, as the jury had often heard, requires death be caused in the course of or in furtherance of a predicate

Describe the possible signs Essay Example for Free

Describe the possible signs Essay Bullying is not defined as a form of abuse in Working Together but there is clear evidence that it is abusive and will include at least one, if not two, three or all four, of the defined categories of abuse. Recognising child abuse is not easy. It is not our responsibility to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place or if a child is at significant risk of harm from someone. We do however, have both a responsibility and duty, as set out in your organisation’s child protection procedures, to act in order that the appropriate agencies can investigate and take any necessary action to protect a child. Physical abuse Physical abuse is deliberately causing physical harm to a child. This might involve punching; kicking, biting, burning, scalding, shaking, throwing or beating with objects such as belts, whips, or sticks. It also includes poisoning, giving a child alcohol or illegal drugs, drowning or suffocation. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of illness in a child. Signs of Physical Abuse There are certain signs that need to be acknowledged when suspicion arises that physical abuse is occurring: Any injuries not consistent with the explanation given to staff. Injuries which occur to any part of the body but usually in places which are not normally exposed to falls or rough games Injuries which have not received medical attention Reluctance to change in the heat, or to change/participate in activities such as, PE or swimming Bruises (usually in clusters), human bites, cigarette burns and fractures, for example, which do not have an accidental explanation multiple burns with a clearly demarcated edge Fear of parents being approached for an explanation Flinching when approached or touched Aggressive behaviour and/or sudden anger outbursts Depression Running away from home Possible effects of physical abuse Physical abuse can lead directly to neurological damage, physical injuries, disability and in extreme cases death. Physical abuse has been linked to aggressive behavior in children, emotional and behavioral problems and learning difficulties. Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse is where repeated verbal threats, criticism, shouting, lack of love and affection causes a severe adverse effect on a childs emotional development. It consists of communicating to children that they are worthless, unloved, and inadequate or valued. Emotional abuse may include not giving a child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or making fun of what they say. It may feature inappropriate expectations being imposed on a child, over protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from taking part in normal social interaction. Signs of possible emotional abuse †¢ Depression, aggression, extreme anxiety, changes or regression in mood or behavior, particularly where a child withdraws or becomes clingy †¢ Obsessions or phobias †¢ Sudden underachievement or lack of concentration †¢ Seeking adult attention and not mixing well with other children †¢ Sleep or speech disorders †¢ Low self-esteem †¢ Fear of parents/carer being approached regarding their behavior †¢ Fear of making mistakes Possible effects of emotional abuse This type of abuse can lead to adverse long-term effects on the child’s development. Emotional abuse has a significant impact on a developing childs mental health, behavior and self-esteem. This type of abuse is as important as the other three types, and can be detected as the signs are more visible and can be easily detected. Domestic violence, adult mental health problems and parental substance misuse may be features in families where children are exposed to such abuse. Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This may involve physical contact including penetrative sex, oral sex, masturbation, kissing, rubbing, or touching outside of clothing, or it may involve non-contact activities such as involving children in watching sexual activities, producing or looking at sexual images, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Abusers can be men, women or other children. Between 21% and 36% of sexually abused children will display few or no symptoms but it is usually a child’s behavior which becomes a cause for concern. Children who tell of sexual abuse do so because they want it to stop therefore is extremely important to listen to a child that discloses such an allegation. Signs of possible sexual abuse †¢ Any allegations made by a child concerning sexual abuse †¢ self-harming, sometimes leading to suicide attempts †¢ Sexual activity through words, play or drawing †¢ Repeated urinary infections, itching or bleeding around genital area and/or unexplained stomach pains †¢ The child is sexually provocative or seductive with adults †¢ Saying they have a secrets that they cannot share with anyone †¢ Severe sleep disturbances with fears, phobias, vivid dreams or nightmares which sometimes have overt or veiled sexual connotations or bedwetting †¢ Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia Possible effects of sexual abuse Behavior such as self-harm, inappropriate sexual behavior, sadness, depression and loss of self-esteem has all been linked to sexual abuse. The effects of sexual abuse can affect the individual into their adult life. The extent or the severity of each case is determined by the time span of abuse, the more serious the abuse, the younger the child is and the relationship of the child to the abuser. Once sexual abuse has been identified the support of an adult who believes the child helps, starts to help the child understand the abuse and can therefore offer help and protection to the abused child. Neglect Neglect has been described as the â€Å"most serious type of child maltreatment and the least understood† (Crittenden 1999: 67). It is the most common reason for a child to be placed on the child protection register in the UK. Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic physical and or psychological needs, which is likely to affect the child’s health or development. Neglect is when a parent or carer fails to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment), medical care, or protection from physical and emotional harm or danger. Additionally failure to ensure access to education or to look after a child because the carer is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, is considered as Neglect. Signs of possible neglect †¢ Dirty skin, body smells, unwashed, uncombed hair and untreated lice †¢ Clothing that is dirty, too big or small, or inappropriate for weather conditions †¢ frequently left unsupervised or alone †¢ Frequent diarrhoea †¢ complaints of being tired all the time †¢ Untreated illnesses, infected cuts or physical complaints which the carer doesn’t respond to †¢ frequently hungry sometimes stealing other children’s food †¢ Being underweight Possible effects of neglect Neglect can seriously impair a childs health, physical and intellectual growth and development, and can cause long term difficulties with social functioning, relationships and educational progress. Extreme cases of neglect can cause death. Bullying Bullying is also recognized as a type of abuse. Bullying is always distressing for the victim and can have serious consequences. Bullying should always be taken seriously. Emotional bullying is the most commonly reported by children and young people and is often more difficult to spot. Bullying can take place both inside and outside of the school. Bullying happens when an individual or a group show hostility towards an individual and this can be: †¢ Emotional, such as name-calling, not talking to someone, taking or hiding personal items, humiliating, spreading rumors or teasing †¢ Physical, such as pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching or threatening to use physical force †¢ Racist, such as racial taunts or gestures †¢ Sexual, such as inappropriate physical contact, sexual comments and innuendo, or homophobic taunts. Signs of possible bullying Loss of personal possessions, dinner money or items of clothing Torn clothing, maybe even having cuts and bruises (if physically bullied) Shyness, withdrawn behavior, lack of self-esteem and depression Aggressive, bad tempered behavior and may become aggressive to younger siblings Threaten or attempt suicide Not achieving very well academically Not wanting to leave their home Possible effects of bullying Bullying will most definitely affect a child’s social and emotional development as they have very low self-esteem maybe depression and will probably try to isolate themselves from others which will have a profound effect on their social skills with their peers and pretty much everybody around them, they may become aggressive and bad tempered and may threaten or attempt suicide and in some extreme cases may actually commit suicide. Cyber-bullying In recent years, a new form of bullying known as ‘cyber-bullying’ has become increasingly common. Cyber-bullying may be emotional, racist or sexual forms of abuse. It happens through emails, text messages or telephone calls. Information about someone may also be shared by putting it on to social networking sites. This can include the sharing of private photographs. Children and young people who use this method of bullying often feel disassociated from their actions, but the consequences can be just as serious for the child. This type of bullying can be particularly distressing as children are unable to get away from it, it even invades their home.

What is Architecture? Concepts in the UK

What is Architecture? Concepts in the UK ‘We shape our buildings, and afterwards they shape us’ [1] Architecture, like history, is unreliable, subjective, selective, rewritten, continues to be influenced by rich or powerful individuals or institutions, and is rarely a reflection of the common man. The vernacular aesthetic of a country has been carefully curated and developed over many years, to the point where it is no longer a true reflection of the common people. Much like national costume, country dancing or folk music, architecture is too often used to preserve the memory of a golden past. Architecture is an ideal.. It can and should evolve with the passing of time to reflect new challenges, aspirations and values. Modern western society has never been more egalitarian or democratic and its built environment caters to its inhabitants in all aspects of their existence: it’s where they live, work and play. As such the role of modern architecture is to benefit ordinary people while at the same time integrating the echoes of the past. Architecture has, and will, always be used as a symbol of power and wealth or promote ideologies. From the Roman Empire to the New York skyline, the intention of the enduring architecture of the past is to celebrate the triumph of the small class of ruling elite, despite masquerading as a cultural space, where political projects attempt to become socially meaningful.[2] Today, the majority of European national governments have an architectural policy designed to benefit their populations, and promote their unique national image or ‘brand’ abroad. This essay is intended as a limited examination of England as an example of how such a policy can reconcile the desire to preserve our heritage without hindering progress. Architecture as representation of national identity. In 2009 Denmark launched its first national architecture policy, ‘A Nation of Architecture’ with the intent of ensuring the production of high quality architecture, thereby guaranteeing a good quality of life and economic growth.[3] This policy was specifically introduced to promote the values that Danish architecture seeks to represent.[4] In 2013 Scotland introduced its own architecture policy, ‘Creating Places’, seeking to champion quality design which reflects Scotland as a modern, forward-thinking nation [5] England remains one of the only countries in the European Union without any sort of policy[6]. Earlier this year Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, invited Terry Farrell to conduct one of the most extensive investigations into the UKs built environment.[7] Both Ed Vaizey and Terry Farrell have been outspoken about the importance of the built environment to the nation as a whole, yet a Built Environment was not a theme covered by the terms of reference for the Review[8] and even before the review had been published, Vaizey publicly stated, I havent anticipated that the report will result in any changes to legislation.[9] Architecture in the UK The Farrell Review The Farrell review is an analysis of the current built environment of Britain. It recognises that Britain has always played a significant role in architectural innovation, and that in general the standard of architectural design has improved.[10] However, this does not mean that current standards are sufficient; English architectural design has stalled and is facing new challenges. The review highlights areas which are in need of improvement over the coming years.[11] An Architecture Policy for 21st Century England In the 1970s, England moved away from its industrial past, and previous regional manufacturing powerhouses, such as Birmingham, Newcastle and Manchester were eclipsed by London’s stranglehold on the financial market. [12] In 21st century England there is once again a demand for change and a shift in emphasis from the capital to the regions.[13] RIBA argues that a Minister for the Built Environment should be appointed to sit within the Cabinet Office â€Å"promoting quality in the built environment and implementing a Design Policy across government.†[14] While ‘core’ departments such as the Treasury, Foreign Office and Home Office have continuity from government to government, architecture, housing, infrastructure, transport and planning are liable to be lumped in with any number of other ‘minor’ ministries.[15] Currently, architecture is a subset of Heritage within the Department for Culture, Media Sport (DCMS).[16] The consequence of this constant shifting around is a haphazard and disjointed system that surely indicates the dismissive attitude of central government to the role of the built environment. This lack of focus must be rectified. Nor is there any existing government appointed (or other official) representative to champion the cause of design[17] Farrell recommends that the current Design Review should be reinvented under the acronym PLACE Planning, Landscape, Architecture, Conservation and Engineering.[18] All government departments and government-funded bodies would then sign up to an agreed set of principles and a design policy statement, which would set out how they intend to co-ordinate the design quality of their respective built environment ambitions, activities and responsibilities. [19] Such a policy would also take account of â€Å"procurement (of services and products), accessibility, sustainability, information and communications technology, maintenance and stewardship a nd the public realm†. [20] This more cohesive approach lends itself not only to greater efficiency and economy, but also represent a ‘kitemark’ of uniquely English architectural design, rather than simply current British standards of constructions. Perceptions of English Architecture Scotland and Denmark are confident that their particular national identities are reflected in the values they intend their architecture to convey. If such a policy were to exist in England what would its identity be based upon? As the central, dominant nation in Great Britain for more than 300 years[21], and founder of the British Empire[22], the English have not needed in the past to worry about a specifically English national identity: the seat of government has always been in London, the common language has always been English and the established religion has been the Church of England. England equated to Britain. However the recent vote on Scottish independence was a sharp reminder that nothing is set in stone. The Empire, maritime and manufacturing supremacy have all gone, and now there is a need to rediscover an identity that is uniquely English and not simply a rehash of British clichà ©s. The danger is that a policy based on national identity might get hijacked by jingoists, sentimentalists and traditionalists. In a speech on St. George’s day, 1993, John Major attempted to dispel public fears of joining the European Union, by claiming that Britain would always remain, â€Å"†¦distinctive and in Europe. Fifty years from now, Britain will still be the country of long shadows on county grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and as George Orwell said old maids bicycling to Holy Communion through the morning mist . . .† [23] What he was describing was middle-class, conservative, Home Counties England, which has always resisted change and modernity. This nostalgic and rural English idyll is not a true reflection of English national identity and is precisely what has to be avoided if a national Architectural policy is to be truly beneficial to the English nation. The defenders of chocolate box England side-line the impact of the industrial revolution, which funded the manor houses and mansions, and the civic buildings so dear to the hearts of conservationists, ignore the slum clearances done in the name of social justice in post-war urban planning, and hold in check building work of national importance that would benefit the vast majority of the population, in order to protect the privileged few[24]. Such attitudes in no way reflect English national character traits of ‘pragmatism, puritanism and utilitarianism that are aligned with (rather than hostile to) urbanism and economic growth’. [25] There is a real disparity between what is promoted and protected as ‘English’ architecture by these privileged classes, and what ordinary people need. Introducing an architectural policy to England would not only ensure some kind of minimum design standard, but could also stamp inclusivity, innovation and individualism as the watchwords of modern English values. â€Å"The distinction between historical and recent is redundant. All that is past is our history. That which is most ancient is likely to be valued more highly because of its rarity†¦. Our recent history may prove to be enormously important to future generations so we should attempt at least to anticipate this.† Steven Bee [26] England drastically needs to change its attitude to architecture and identity and recognise that a national identity is about the present and should not just be based on the past. Its irrefutable reputation for preservation and conservation is a relatively recent phenomenon: 75 years ago there were no listed buildings, whereas today there are over 375,000. [27]However, these are primarily buildings which are sometimes referred to as â€Å"poster British heritage† fiercely defended by certain clique of British society whose tastes are selective and blinkered.[28] Only 0.5% of all listed buildings are modern, built after 1945. [29] The architecture of the industrial Revolution (much of it based in the Midlands and the North) are less prized than the Georgian mansions of the south-east. This is not a rejection of the past: there is an undeniable relationship between heritage, place and identity.[30]However, the past is only an aspect of who we are. Individuals have dreams and amb itions, and in the same way places should be aspirational. Even HRH Prince Charles who recently released his own recommendations intended to protect English design, insists that he is not against modern design, and stresses that buildings must take peoples’ needs into consideration.[31] Rather than being run by a self-serving elite of upper and middle-class traditionalists, an effective policy should be carefully curated by a panel of experts who are in tune with the people and the nation’s needs, able to judge without prejudice the best direction for a modern England on a world stage and willing to adapt and amend plans to reflect changing circumstances. â€Å"(Britain) stands out †¦ as a country with an immensely strong and diverse cultural identity and memory expressed in its built and natural environment to which we all†¦ can relate It is those foundations of identity and memory that provide Britain with its successful future in a competitive and fast-changing world.† Alan Baxter[32] Design for the Future The term ‘heritage’ is extremely limiting, it is often only associated with the distant past. [33] The current generation does not separate traditional and modern design as it was in the 20th Century, this current mindset recognises sees the potential in what is already there, the value of place, identity and sustainability.[34] The approach is no longer to build to be remembered, but to build to benefit future generations. â€Å"‘New’ and ‘old’ need not compete.† Lucy Musgrave.[35] After publishing his review Farrell suggests that in fact England is a country which would not benefit from total, inclusive formal ‘English’ policy, and would actually benefit from regional policies which reflected our truly unique and diverse country. A policy that might work for central London could have very little relevance to a village in Wiltshire or a Northern industrial city. Such an all-inclusive formal policy is more effective on smaller countries, [36] a country like England has such a unique and vast range of regional identities that need to be protected, and perhaps England’s long history and international presence means that it is not as easy for it to present a single, universal image. Farrell also calls for a Chief Architect, similar to a Chief Planner, which would mean a consistent high standard of design our built environment must perform successfully, we must have enough homes for our population, we must tackle climate change, and even how can we design to deal with our changing environment, such as the floods which hit Britain every year.[37] Conclusion â€Å"History is not defined by the ‘discrete projects’ (one-off buildings such as stately homes or castles) but is continuous.† Hank Dittmar [38] If England is to have national identity as an aspect of national planning we must ensure that it is the best qualities that are in evidence. Whether the solution is a one size fits all approach as suggested by Prince Charles, or a more localised, regional policy, as proposed by Farrell, the aim should be to benefit the entire community by establishing standard values in architecture. That way ‘good’ builds are designed before they are erected as opposed to identifying them as worthy or significant long after they have been built. A design policy offers a centralised goal for all those contributing to the built environment. It goes beyond just design, to a aim and ultimate goal to produce well designed quality building which fully benefit the inhabitants of England. Regardless of whether a policy is for a whole country or a single village, it should be developed and enabled by government, but led independently by industry. The stewardship, long-term planning and identity of real places should be a fundamental part of built environment policies.[39] It is vital that if a policy is ever put in place it must be correctly implemented. Past RIBA President Sunand Prasad succinctly states, â€Å"It is people that make the difference not policy. Crudely put, good people can work round bad polices but good policies cannot work round bad people.† [40] Policy is not about creating a vernacular style, or trying to mimic the past, it is about ensuring quality design for buildings which properly benefit their users. [1] Churchill, Winston. Never Give In! Winston Churchill’s Greatest Speeches. United States: Sound Library, 2005, 298. [2] Jones, Paul. The Sociology of Architecture. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2011, 2. [3] ‘2007 Architectural Policy’ (Danish Architecture Centre), accessed 20 December 2014, http://www.dac.dk/en/dac-cities/architectural-policy/architectural-policy-2007. [4] Danish Ministry of Culture, A Nation of Architecture Denmark Settings for Life and Growth, May 2007, 4. [5] The Scottish Government, Creating Places. A Policy Statement on Architecture and a Place for Scotland., 24 June 2013, 4-5. [6] Farrell, Terry. ‘Why the UK Does Not Need a Formal Architecture Policy’.The Guardian. The Guardian, March 31, 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/31/uk-architecture-policy-review-built-environment. [7] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 31 March 2014, 2-3. [8] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 147. [9] Wainwright, Oliver. ‘What Should the Government’s Architecture Review Focus on? | Oliver Wainwright’.The Guardian. The Guardian, March 25, 2013. [10] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 9 [11] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 8. [12] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 31. [13] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 31. [14] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 148. [15] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 30. [16] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 148. [17] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 149. [18] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 157. [19] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 152. [20] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 152. [21] Krishan Kumar, Jeffrey C. Alexander (Contribution by),The Making of English National Identity, 227. [22] Krishan Kumar, Jeffrey C. Alexander (Contribution by),The Making of English National Identity, 1st ed. (United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2003), ix. [23] Lawson, Mark. ‘The Inter-Continental Address: An Analysis’. The Independent. Independent, April 27, 1993. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-intercontinental-address-an-analysis-1457731.html. [24] Peter Mandler, ‘Against â€Å"Englishness†: English Culture and the Limits to Rural Nostalgia, 1850-1940’,Transactions of the Royal Historical Society7 (1 January 1997), 155. [25] Peter Mandler, ‘Against â€Å"Englishness†: English Culture and the Limits to Rural Nostalgia, 1850-1940’,155. [26]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 100. [27]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 101. [28] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 22. [29] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 23. [30] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 23. [31] HRH Prince Charles, ‘Facing up to the Future: Prince Charles on 21st Century Architecture’, Architectural Review (Architectural Review, 20 December 2014), http://www.architectural-review.com/essays/facing-up-to-the-future-prince-charles-on-21st-century-architecture/8674119.article?referrer=RSS. [32]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 102. [33]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 104. [34]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 108. [35]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 101. [36] Farrell, Terry. ‘Why the UK Does Not Need a Formal Architecture Policy’. The Guardian. The Guardian, March 31, 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/31/uk-architecture-policy-review-built-environment. [37] Farrell, Terry. ‘Why the UK Does Not Need a Formal Architecture Policy’. [38]Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 101. [39] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 150. [40] Terry Farrell, ‘The Farrell Review’, 149.

Engineering Technology: Revolutionized Essay -- Engineering

Advance, advance is the key word when describing the human race to prove that we are the superior race. Ever since the discovery of technology we have linked our minds together for the persistence of progress to modify the aspects all around us for the better. It’s amazing that a simple interest in the beginning will change everything down to a distinct thought. History has proven that the steps forward in technology within engineering have grown larger and are concluded at a more rapid rate and with in the last twenty years. Such a large amount has improved so rapid as cities grow and technology advances, engineering is moving along with the tide. Engineers that grow and see their world of work improve every day because of certain advances in technology all depending on their field. This how engineering features evolved into what they are today from with in the last two decades; and how the change will continue to advance as modern Technology embraces a post modern era. Engineering has existed since the earliest times of culture and perhaps is one of the older lines of labor on earth (the earliest invention of engineering goes back as early as the invention of the wheel). It’s extraordinary that we came so far since the discovery of the wheel, the technology that has been accomplished today just engulfs the minds of people. Everyday modern technology is taken over the minds of people and they continue to adapt to the modern changes with in the ever changing society. Through centuries there are trails left by ancient engineering and has differed from our technology today. Through the ancient era there has been astounding and un-answering feats of engineering. Like the great pyramids of Egypt and the great coliseums of Rome. The... ...his hands dirty and a female does not (a great example would be the nuclear 1950’s era of the stay at home mom and the 9-5 dad). A main point to why females are not the ones going out and doing the labor is the perception of being feminine. Here’s a quote that shows how much soul they take in their work. â€Å"Engineering is the professional art of applying science to the optimum conversion of natural resources to the benefit of man†. (smith) Works Cited †¢ Scott, Henry. "Engineering Quotes." BrainyQuotes. N.p., 01 Jan 2010. Web. 26 Mar 2010. . †¢ "engineering." 15. 4. Chicago: Britanica, 1986. Print †¢ "Engineering." encyclopedia Britanica. Britanica, 2010. Web. . †¢ "Engineering and Natural Science managers." Ocupational Outlook Handbook. Indianapolas: U.S. Department of Labor, 2005. Print.

The Men We Carry in Our Minds

The Men We Carry in Our Minds Scott Russell Sanders In his essay â€Å"The Men We Carry in Our Minds,† Scott Russell Sanders examines the problems that exist between gender inequalities. These problems mainly took place during the early 20th  century. Men had the choice of either being factory workers or soldiers, while women only had the option of staying home. Sanders uses  argumentative strategies  to help the reader establish and see clearly the difficulties between this issue.His essay expresses how only certain men were forced to do hard labour in order to provide for their family, while others just had it handed to them. He also argues about how women were never given the equal opportunity to follow their dreams and were told that only men were capable of being successful. As a child, Sanders witnessed many men go through the same routine of life, being forced to do hard labour in order to support their families. He knew men such as marginal farmers, carpenters, s teel workers and many others who all laboured with their bodies.But he also knew of another sort of men, â€Å"†¦ men, who did not sweat and break down like mules† (Sanders, 326). These other sorts of men were soldiers. To Sanders they appeared like they barely worked at all. But he later learned that these men would soon be off to war, to fight for their lives and for their country. At first, appearance meant everything but later Sanders learned that it wasn’t just hard working men who had hardship, every man did. Sanders was given an opportunity that many in his social class were rarely given.He was offered a scholarship into college, which taught him the different views of people towards life. Being in college allowed him to interact with different types of people, especially women and these interactions opened his views into the issues that concerned many women. He learned how women were tired of always being in the shadow of men, and that they wanted to be re cognized as their own individuals. Sanders soon realized that the main influence towards these women views were the men in their lives.The fathers who brought them up and taught them that only men were capable of being successful. Women strongly believed that they had equal rights of being as successful as men. From the interactions with women around him, Sanders finally realized that women were just as equal, but to society it was still the same. In the end men were to be seen more successful than women. Scott Russell Sanders. â€Å"The Men We Carry in Our Minds. † Essay Writing for Canadian Students with Readings. 6th ed. Eds. Kay L. Stewart, roger Davis, Chris J. Bullock, and Marian E. Allen. Toronto ON: Pearson, 2008. 324-329

Manufacturing Information System Essay

A manufacturing information system that is targeted for use anywhere production is taking place. Modern manufacturing information systems are generally computerized and are designed to collect and present the data which managers need in order to plan and direct operations within the company. Capabilities of the System 1. The system is able to determine the cost of purchases related to production. 2. The system can also help in planning and scheduling the production based on the sales forecast. 3. This system can control the quantity of production as well as the monitoring of inventories. 4. This system is able to generate reports which will be sending to different department as their source of information. Scope and Limitations The system has limited its coverage on the manufacturing entity only. Its main purpose is to help the entity in planning and scheduling production. The system covered only the production processes and generation of reports wherein other department will get information. It will not be effective on selling and marketing purposes or in other department works. Significance of the Study 1. The system supports the production or operation function. 2. The system fastens all activities concerned with planning and control of process producing goods and services. 3. The beneficiary of the system is the entity itself. Entities Sales Department Accounting Department Warehouse Suppliers Delivering Department Step by Step Process 1. Collect Data- is the process of gathering data that can be used in planning production. 2. Analysis of Data- is a process of examining, cleaning, transforming, and modelling data into useful information and supporting decision making process. 1. Designing of Product 2. Determining inadequate raw materials 3. Sourcing of Raw Materials- It is the process of purchasing inadequate raw materials which are needed in the production and a prerequisite in scheduling production. 1. Make Order 2. Make Payments Production- it is the process of converting raw materials into other materials or finished goods that will be sell in the market. Generates Reports- making of essential reports about production that will be passed to another department for the formulation of financial statement and in order to know what portion of the finished goods are available for sale.

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty

The days after that were like a dream. In fact, I honestly can't say how many days even passed. Maybe it was one. Maybe it was a hundred. I lost track of day and night too. My time was divided into Dimitri or not-Dimitri. He was my world. When he wasn't there, the moments were agony. I'd pass them as best I could, but they seemed to drag on forever. The TV was my best friend during those times. I'd lie on the couch for hours, only half following what was going on. In keeping with the rest of the suite's luxury, I had access to satellite television, which meant we were actually pulling in some American programming. Half the time, though, I wasn't sure that it really made a difference to me if the language was Russian or English. Inna continued her periodic checks on me. She brought my meals and did my laundry-I was wearing the dresses now-and waited around in that silent way of hers to see if I needed anything else. I never did-at least not from her. I only needed Dimitri. Each time she left, some distant part of me remembered I was supposed to do something†¦ follow her, that was it. I'd had some plan to check out the exit and use her as a way to escape, right? Now, that plan no longer held the appeal. It seemed like a lot of work. And then, finally, Dimitri would visit, and the monotony would be broken. We'd lie together on my bed, wrapped in each other's arms. We never had sex, but we'd kiss and touch and lose ourselves in the wonder of each other's bodies-sometimes with very little clothing. After a while, I found it hard to believe I'd once been afraid of his new appearance. Sure, the eyes were a bit shocking, but he was still gorgeous†¦ still unbelievably sexy. And after we'd talked and made out for a while-for hours, sometimes-I'd let him bite me. Then I'd get that rush†¦ that wonderful, exquisite flood of chemicals that lifted me from all my problems. Whatever doubts I'd had about God's existence vanished in those moments because surely, surely I was touching God when I lost myself in that bite. This was heaven. â€Å"Let me see your neck,† he said one day. We were lying together as usual. I was on my side, and he was snuggled up against my back, one arm draped around my waist. I rolled over and brushed my hair away from where it had fallen over my neck and cleavage. The dress I wore today was a navy halter sundress, made of some light, clingy material. â€Å"Already?† I asked. He usually didn't bite me until the end of his visits. While part of me longed for that and waited in anticipation to feel that high again, I did kind of enjoy these moments beforehand. It was when the endorphins in my system were at their lowest, so I was able to manage some sort of conversation. We would talk about fights we'd been in or the life he imagined for us when I was Strigoi. Nothing too sentimental-but nice nonetheless. I braced myself for the bite now, arching up in anticipation. To my surprise, he didn't lean down and sink his teeth into me. He reached into his pocket and produced a necklace. It was either white gold or platinum-I didn't have the skill to tell which-and had three dark blue sapphires the size of quarters. He'd brought me a lot of jewelry this week, and I swore each piece was more beautiful than the last. I stared in amazement at its beauty, at the way the blue stones glittered in the light. He placed the necklace against my skin and fastened it behind my neck. Running his fingers along the necklace's edges, he nodded in approval. â€Å"Beautiful.† His fingers drifted to one of the dress's straps. He slid his hand underneath it, sending a thrill through my skin. â€Å"It matches.† I smiled. In the old days, Dimitri had almost never gotten me gifts. He hadn't had the means, and I hadn't wanted them anyway. Now, I was continually dazzled by the presents he seemed to have at each visit. â€Å"Where'd you get it?† I asked. The metal was cool against my flushed skin but nowhere near as cold as his fingers. He smiled slyly. â€Å"I have my sources.† That chastising voice in my head that sometimes managed to penetrate through the haze I lived in noted that I was involved with some sort of vampire gangster. Its warnings were immediately squashed and sank back down into my dreamy cloud of existence. Ho w could I be upset when the necklace was so beautiful? Something suddenly struck me as funny. â€Å"You're just like Abe.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"This guy I met. Abe Mazur. He's some kind of mob boss†¦ he kept following me.† Dimitri stiffened. â€Å"Abe Mazur was following you?† I didn't like the dark look that had suddenly fallen over his features. â€Å"Yeah. So?† â€Å"Why? What did he want with you?† â€Å"I don't know. He kept wanting to know why I was in Russia but finally gave up and just wanted me to leave. I think somebody from home hired him to find me.† â€Å"I don't want you near Abe Mazur. He's dangerous.† Dimitri was angry, and I hated that. A moment later, that fury faded, and he ran his fingers along my arm once more, pushing the strap down further. â€Å"Of course, people like that won't be an issue when you awaken.† Somewhere, in the back of my head, I wondered if Dimitri had the answers I wanted about Abe-about what Abe did. But talking about Abe had made Dimitri upset, and I cringed at that, hastily wanting to switch topics. â€Å"What have you been doing today?† I asked, impressed at my ability to make normal small talk. Between the endorphins and him touching me, coherence was difficult. â€Å"Errands for Galina. Dinner.† Dinner. A victim. I frowned. The feelings that inspired in me weren't of repulsion so much as†¦ jealousy. â€Å"Do you drink from them†¦ for fun?† He ran his lips along my neck, teeth taunting my skin but not biting. I gasped and pressed closer to him. â€Å"No, Roza. They're food; that's all. It's over quickly. You're the only one I take pleasure in.† I felt smug satisfaction in that, and that annoying mental voice pointed out that that was an incredibly sick and twisted view for me to have. I kind of hoped he would bite me soon. That usually shut the rational voice up. I reached up and touched his face, then ran my hand through that wonderful, silky hair that I'd always loved. â€Å"You keep wanting to awaken me†¦ but we won't be able to do this anymore. Strigoi don't drink from each other, do they?† â€Å"No,† he agreed. â€Å"But it'll be worth it. We can do so much more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He left the â€Å"so much more† to my imagination, and a pleasant shiver ran through me. The kissing and blood taking were intoxicating, but there were some days that I did want, well†¦ more. The memories of the one time we'd made love haunted me when we were this close together, and I often longed to do it again. For whatever reason, he never pushed for sex, no matter how passionate things became. I wasn't sure if he was using that as a lure for me to turn or if there was some incompatibility between a Strigoi and a dhampir. Could the living and the dead do that? Once, I would have found the thought of sex with one of them absolutely repulsive. Now†¦ I just didn't think about the complications so much. But although he didn't attempt sex, he would often taunt me with his caresses, touching my thighs and sternum and other dangerous places. Plus, he would remind me of what it had been like that one time, how amazing it had been, how our bodies had felt†¦ His talk of such things was more taunting than affectionate, though. In my semi-clear moments, I honestly thought it was strange that I hadn't yet consented to becoming Strigoi. The endorphin fog made me agree to almost everything else he wanted. I'd fallen comfortably into dressing up for him, staying in my gilded prison, and accepting that he took a victim every couple days. Yet even in my most incoherent moments, even when I wanted him so badly, I couldn't agree to turning. There was some intrinsic part of me that refused to budge. Most of the time, he would shrug off my refusal, like it was a joke. But every once in a while when I declined, I'd see a spark of anger in his eyes. Those moments scared me. â€Å"Here it comes,† I teased. â€Å"The sales pitch. Eternal life. Invincible. Nothing to stand in our way.† â€Å"It's not a joke,† he said. Oops. My flippancy had brought that hardness back to him. The desire and fondness that I'd just seen now fractured into a million pieces and blew away. The hands that had just stroked me suddenly grabbed my wrists and held me in place as he leaned down. â€Å"We can't stay like this forever. You can't stay here forever.† Whoa, that voice said. Be careful. That doesn't sound good. His grip hurt, and I often wondered if that was his intent or if he just couldn't help his violence. When he finally released me, I wrapped my arm around his neck and tried to kiss him. â€Å"Can't we talk about that later?† Our lips met, fire blossoming between us and urgency coursing through my body. I could tell he had a matching desire, but a few seconds later, he broke away. The cold annoyance was still on his face. â€Å"Come on,† he said, pulling away from me. â€Å"Let's go.† He stood up, and I stared stupidly. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"Outside.† I sat up on the bed, dumbfounded. â€Å"Out†¦ outside? But†¦ that's not allowed. We can't.† â€Å"We can do anything I want,† he snapped. He extended his hand and helped me up. I followed him to the door. He was as skilled as Inna at blocking me from the keypad, not that it mattered now. There was no way I could ever remember that long of a sequence anymore. The door clicked open, and he led me out. I stared in wonder, my dazed brain still trying to process this freedom. As I'd noticed that one day, the door led to a short corridor blocked by another door. It too was heavy and bore a keypad lock. Dimitri opened it, and I was willing to bet the two doors had different codes. Taking my arm, he guided me through that door and into another hallway. Despite his firm hold, I couldn't help but come to a standstill. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised at the opulence I suddenly faced. After all, I was living in this place's penthouse suite. But the corridor leading out of my room had been stark and industrial-looking, and somehow I'd imagined the rest of the house to be equally institutional or prisonlike. It wasn't. Instead, I felt like I was in some old movie, the kind where people took tea in the parlor. The plush carpet was covered by a gold patterned runner that stretched off in both directions of the hall. Antique-looking paintings dotted the walls, showing people from ages ago in elaborate clothing that made my dresses look cheap and ordinary. The whole place was illuminated by tiny chandeliers that were spaced along the ceiling every six feet or so. The teardrop-shaped crystals caught the light with their facets, scattering small flecks of rainbows on the walls. I stared, enchanted by the glitter and the color, which is probably why I failed to notice one other fixture in the hall. â€Å"What are you doing?† The harsh sound of Nathan's voice jerked me from my crystal gazing. He'd been leaning against the wall opposite my door and straightened immediately upon seeing us. He had that same cruel expression on his face that was so characteristic of Strigoi, the one I occasionally saw on Dimitri, no matter how charming and kind he seemed sometimes. Dimitri's posture turned rigid and defensive. â€Å"I'm taking her for a walk.† He kind of sounded like he was talking about a dog, but my fear of Nathan trumped any offense I might take. â€Å"That's against the rules,† said Nathan. â€Å"Bad enough you've still got her here. Galina gave orders for you to keep her confined. We don't need some rogue dhampir running around.† Dimitri nodded toward me. â€Å"Does she look like she's a threat?† Nathan's eyes flicked over at me. I wasn't entirely sure what he saw. I didn't think I looked that different, but a small smirk crossed his lips that promptly disappeared when he turned back to Dimitri. â€Å"No, but I was ordered to babysit this door, and I'm not going to get in trouble for you taking a field trip.† â€Å"I'll deal with Galina. I'll tell her I overpowered you.† Dimitri gave a fang-filled grin. â€Å"It shouldn't be that hard for her to believe.† The look Nathan gave Dimitri made me unconsciously step back until I hit the wall. â€Å"You're so full of yourself. I didn't awaken you so that you could act like you're in charge around here. I did it so that we could use your strength and inside knowledge. You should be answering to me.† Dimitri shrugged. Taking my hand, he started to turn away. â€Å"Not my fault if you're not strong enough to make me do it.† That was when Nathan lunged at Dimitri. Dimitri responded so quickly to the attack that I think he knew it would happen. He instantly released my hand, turned to catch hold of Nathan, and tossed the other Strigoi against the wall. Nathan immediately got up-it took more than that kind of hit to faze someone like him-but Dimitri was ready. He punched Nathan in the nose-once, twice, and then a third time, all in rapid succession. Nathan fell down, blood covering his face. Dimitri kicked him hard in the stomach and loomed over him. â€Å"Don't try it,† said Dimitri. â€Å"You'll lose.† He wiped Nathan's blood off of his hand and then laced his fingers through mine again. â€Å"I told you, I'll deal with Galina. But thanks for your concern.† Dimitri turned away again, apparently feeling there'd be no more attacks. There weren't. But as I started to follow him, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to where Nathan sat on the floor. His eyes shot daggers at Dimitri, and I was pretty sure I'd never seen a look of such pure hatred-at least until he turned his gaze on me. I felt cold all over and stumbled to keep up with Dimitri. Nathan's voice rang out behind us. â€Å"You're not safe! Neither of you is. She's lunch, Belikov. Lunch.† Dimitri's hand tightened on mine, and he picked up the pace. I could feel the fury radiating off of him and suddenly wasn't sure whom I should be more afraid of: Nathan or Dimitri. Dimitri was a badass, alive or undead. In the past, I'd seen him attack foes without fear or hesitation. He'd always been magnificent, behaving just as bravely as I'd told his family. But in all those times, he'd always had a legitimate reason for fighting usually self defense. His confrontation with Nathan just then had been about more, though. It had been an assertion of dominance and a chance to draw blood. Dimitri had seemed to enjoy it. What if he decided to turn on me like that? What if my constant refusal pushed him into torture, and he hurt me until I finally agreed? â€Å"Nathan scares me,† I said, not wanting Dimitri to know that I feared him too. I felt weak and utterly defenseless, something that didn't happen to me very often. Usually, I was ready to take on any challenge, no matter how desperate. â€Å"He won't touch you,† Dimitri said harshly. â€Å"You have nothing to worry about.† We reached a set of stairs. After a few steps, it became clear that I wasn't going to be able to handle four flights. Aside from the drugged stupor his bites kept me in, the frequent blood loss was weakening me and taking its toll. Without saying a word, Dimitri swept me up in his arms and carried me downstairs effortlessly, gently setting me down when we reached the staircase's bottom. The main floor of the estate had the same grand feel as the upstairs hall. The entryway had a huge vaulted ceiling with an elaborate chandelier that dwarfed the little ones I'd seen. Ornate double doors faced us, set with stained-glass windows. What also faced us was another Strigoi, a man sitting in a chair and apparently on guard duty. Near him was a panel set into the wall with buttons and flashing lights. A modern security system set amongst all this old-world charm. His posture stiffened as we approached, and at first, I thought it was a natural bodyguard instinct-until I saw his face. It was the Strigoi I'd tortured that first night in Novosibirsk, the one I'd dispatched to tell Dimitri I was looking for him. His lips curled back slightly as he met my eyes. â€Å"Rose Hathaway,† said the Strigoi. â€Å"I remember your name-just like you told me.† He said no more than that, but I tightened my grip on Dimitri's hand as we passed. The Strigoi's eyes never left me until we'd stepped outside and shut the door behind us. â€Å"He wants to kill me,† I told Dimitri. â€Å"All Strigoi want to kill you,† Dimitri returned. â€Å"He really does†¦ I tortured him.† â€Å"I know. He's been in disgrace ever since then and lost some of his status here.† â€Å"That doesn't make me feel any better.† Dimitri seemed unconcerned. â€Å"Marlen is no one you need to worry about. You fighting him only proved to Galina that you're a good addition around here. He's beneath you.† I didn't find that overly reassuring. I was making too many personal Strigoi enemies-but then, it wasn't like I could really expect to be making Strigoi friends. It was nighttime, of course. Dimitri wouldn't have taken me out otherwise. The foyer had made me think we were at the front of the house, but the extensive gardens that spread out around us made me wonder if we were in the back now. Or maybe the entire house was wrapped in this kind of greenery. We were surrounded in a hedge maze cut with beautiful detail. Within the maze were small courtyards, decorated with fountains or statues. And everywhere were flowers and more flowers. The air was heavy with their scent, and I realized that someone had gone to an awful lot of trouble to find night-blooming ones. The only type I immediately recognized was jasmine, its long, white-flowered vines climbing up trellises and statues in the maze. We walked in silence for a bit, and I found myself lost in the romance of it all. The whole time Dimitri and I had been together at school, I'd been consumed with the fears of how we would juggle our relationship and our duty. A moment like this, walking in a garden on a spring night lit with stars, had seemed like a fantasy too crazy to even start to consider. Even without the difficulty of stairs, too much walking grew exhausting in my state. I came to a halt and sighed. â€Å"I'm tired,† I said. Dimitri stopped too and helped me sit down. The grass was dry and tickly against my skin. I lay back against it, and a moment later, he joined me. I had an eerie moment of deja vu, recalling the afternoon we'd made snow angels. â€Å"This is amazing,† I said, staring up at the sky. It was clear, no clouds in sight. â€Å"What's it like for you?† â€Å"Hmm?† â€Å"There's enough light that I can see pretty clearly, but it's still dim compared to day. Your eyes are better than mine. What do you see?† â€Å"For me, it's as bright as day.† When I didn't respond, he added, â€Å"It could be like that for you, too.† I tried to picture that. Would the shadows seem as mysterious? Would the moon and stars shine so brightly? â€Å"I don't know. I kind of like the darkness.† â€Å"Only because you don't know any better.† I sighed. â€Å"So you keep telling me.† He turned toward me and pushed the hair away from my face. â€Å"Rose, this is driving me crazy. I'm tired of this waiting. I want us to be together. Don't you like this? What we have? It could be even better.† His words sounded romantic, but not the tone. I did like this. I loved the haze I lived in, the haze in which all worries disappeared. I loved being close to him, loved the way he kissed me and told me he wanted me†¦ â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Why what?† He sounded puzzled, something I hadn't heard yet in a Strigoi. â€Å"Why do you want me?† I had no idea why I even asked that. He apparently didn't know either. â€Å"Why wouldn't I want you?† He spoke in such an obvious way, like it was the stupidest question in the world. It probably was, I realized, and yet†¦ I'd somehow been expecting another answer. Just then, my stomach twisted. With all the time I'd spent with Dimitri, I really had managed to push the Strigoi nausea off my radar. The presence of other Strigoi increased it, though. I'd felt it around Nathan, and I felt it now. I sat up, and Dimitri did too, almost at the same time. He'd likely been alerted by his superior hearing. A dark shape loomed over us, blotting out the stars. It was a woman, and Dimitri shot up. I stayed where I was, on the ground. She was strikingly beautiful, in a hard and terrible way. Her build was similar to mine, indicating she hadn't been a Moroi when turned. Isaiah, the Strigoi who'd captured me, had been very old, and power had radiated from him. This woman hadn't been around nearly so long, but I could sense that she was older than Dimitri and much stronger. She said something in Russian to him, and her voice was as cold as her beauty. Dimitri answered back, his tone confident yet polite. I heard Nathan's name mentioned a couple of times as they spoke. Dimitri reached down and helped me up, and I felt embarrassed at how often I needed his assistance, when I used to almost be a match for him. â€Å"Rose,† he said, â€Å"this is Galina. She's the one who has been kind enough to let you stay.† Galina's face didn't look so kind. It was devoid of all emotion, and I felt like my entire soul was exposed to her. While I was uncertain of a lot of things around here, I'd picked up enough to realize that my continual residence here was a rare and fragile thing. I swallowed. â€Å"Spasibo,† I said. I didn't know how to tell her it was nice to meet her-and honestly, I wasn't sure if it was-but I figured a simple thank-you was good enough. If she'd been his former instructor and trained at a normal Academy, she probably knew English and was faking it like Yeva. I had no clue why she'd do that, but if you could snap a teen dhampir's neck, you were entitled to do whatever you wanted. Galina's expression-or lack thereof-didn't change with my thanks, and she turned her attention back to Dimitri. They conversed over me, and Dimitri gestured to me a couple of times. I recognized the word for strong. Finally, Galina issued something that sounded final and left us without any sort of goodbye. Neither Dimitri nor I moved until I felt the nausea dissipate. â€Å"Come on,† he said. â€Å"We should get back.† We walked back through the maze, though I had no idea how he knew where to go. It was funny. When I'd first arrived, my dream had been to get outside and escape. Now that I was here†¦ well, it didn't seem that important. Galina's anger did. â€Å"What did she say?† I asked. â€Å"She doesn't like that you're still here. She wants me to awaken you or kill you.† â€Å"Oh. Um, what are you going to do?† He stayed silent for a few seconds. â€Å"I'll wait a little longer and then†¦ I will make the choice for you.† He didn't specify which choice he'd be making, and I almost began my earlier pleas to die before becoming Strigoi. But suddenly, instead, I said, â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Not long, Roza. You need to choose. And make the right choice.† â€Å"Which is?† He held up his hands. â€Å"All of this. A life together.† We'd emerged from the maze. I stared at the house-which was crazy enormous when viewed from the outside-and at the beautiful gardens around us. It was like something from a dream. Beyond that, endless countryside rolled away, eventually becoming lost in the darkness and blending into the black sky-except for one tiny part that had a soft purple glow on the horizon. I frowned, studying it, then turned my attention back to Dimitri. â€Å"And what then? Then I work for Galina too?† â€Å"For a while.† â€Å"How long is a while?† We came to a stop outside the house. Dimitri looked down into my eyes, his face alight with a look that made me take a step back. â€Å"Until we kill her, Rose. Until we kill her and take all of this for ourselves.†