Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Wind In The Willows By Kenneth Grahame Essays -

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame Kenneth Grahames The Wind in the Willows is a satirical reflection of the English social structure of the late nineteenth century, during a time of rapid industrialization throughout Europe. Also considered a childrens story, this novel conveys Grahames belief in the ability of one to live an unrestrained and leisurely life, free of the obligations of the working class, and entitled to this life through high social status and wealth. The River Bank characters, especially Toad, represent those who live this idle life of the upper class. In contrast, the stoats and weasels of the Wild Wood resemble the proletariat, and an animosity between these two classes existed. The lower classes of the time were subject to poor standards of living, as well as exploitation by the factory owners and businessmen. They developed a resentment and hostile attitude towards the upper classes. In this book, Toad most prominently exemplifies Grahames ideal life of leisure and freedom and subsequently has hi s house taken over by the rebellious working class Wild-Wooders. More importantly though, Toad exhibits many qualities, that make him, for most readers, the most memorable figure in this book. Yet many of these characteristics displayed by the aristocratic Toad seem to undermine the authors attempted, legitimizing of extreme disparities of wealth and social position (Keefer). Toad is shown to be a very rich and prominent figure in the River Bank society. He is well known in his community, and in the community of the Wild Wood, and is a dear companion to Mole, Rat, and Badger, the other three main characters. Toad displays many admirable qualities that make his figure a very memorable one. Rat describes him to Mole as being, always good-tempered, always glad to see you, always sorry when you go He is indeed the best of animals. So simple, so good-natured, and so affectionate (13). Toad is also a good friend, is a compassionate animal, and he demonstrates all of these qualities, and others, at numerous points in the story. For example, he invites Mole and Rat to come with him on his adventure (16). However, it seems that the author has made Toads negative qualities more definitive and more memorable than his aforementioned positive qualities. Toad is a very coercive and extravagant individual, he is presumptuous and arrogant, and according to Rat again, perhaps hes not very clever we cant all be geniuses; and it may be that he is both boastful and conceited (13). It is these types of qualities that seem to define the character of Toad as more memorable than the others are, and outline the typical image of those people from the upper class. His self-centeredness is blatantly displayed in the songs Toad sings to himself while returning home (117 and 121). His ignorant and judgmental attitudes are recurring. To the lady kindly giving him a ride, after she discovers his lies, he shouts, You common, low, fat barge-woman! Dont you dare talk to your betters like that! (112). He also thinks very lowly of the washerwoman in prison, who ironically saves his life (84-5). He assumes a great many things and, perhaps innocently and unknowingly, insults people whose opinions differ from his own, as is the case in speaking with Rat on pa ge 16: Now, you dear good old Ratty, said Toad imploringly, dont begin to talking in that stiff and sniffy sort of way, because you know youve got to come. I cant possibly manage without you, so please consider it settled and dont argue its the one thing I cant stand. You surely dont mean to stick to your dull fusty old river all your life, and just live in a hole in a bank, and boat? I want to show you the world! Im going to make an animal out of you, my boy! These characteristics of Toad stand out to make him the most memorable because there is some element of comic relief present while Toad remains oblivious to it himself, not attempting to be funny, but often being quite serious. These are the types of qualities, however, that seem to be at odds with the movement of Grahames allegory. Grahame attempts to legitimize the extreme

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on The Federal Theatre Project

The Federal Theatre Project During the 1930’s, at the height of the depression-era, many Americans found themselves out of work and desperate for a paycheck. With the nation’s economy still in the recovery stages from the 1929 Stock Market crash, the government was forced to create a number of public works projects. Those projects were outlined in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, in which the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was established on May 6, 1935 through Executive Order NO. 7034. The WPA gave citizens the chance to re-enter the workforce, but more specifically catered to the demand of unemployed professional artists. One of the five arts projects implemented by the Federal government was the Federal Theatre Project (FTP), which organized and produced theater events. The history of the FTP was filled with employment opportunities, artistic creativity, and controversy which eventually led to the projects incineration. The FTP was clear in its intentions to produce American Theater during a time of crisis for the American people. Not only would the theater professionals benefit from work, but the country would be strengthen by national art, showing that the American spirit was not defeated by the depression. FTP established in August 27, 1935, was one of five art projects that had evolved out of the WPA, allowing the government to take part in American entertainment. Through the WPA, the federal government attempted to provide employment for artists, academics and performers, who were suffering not only from the depression, but also from the popularity of the radio and cinema. Harry Hopkins, head of WPA, chose Hallie Flanagan, the founder and head of the Vassar College Experimental Theatre, to direct the FTP. Flanagan had many goals for the FTP, including using drama to create public awareness of social problems, creating a national audience for theatre, and developing theatre for children. In kee ping ... Free Essays on The Federal Theatre Project Free Essays on The Federal Theatre Project The Federal Theatre Project During the 1930’s, at the height of the depression-era, many Americans found themselves out of work and desperate for a paycheck. With the nation’s economy still in the recovery stages from the 1929 Stock Market crash, the government was forced to create a number of public works projects. Those projects were outlined in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, in which the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was established on May 6, 1935 through Executive Order NO. 7034. The WPA gave citizens the chance to re-enter the workforce, but more specifically catered to the demand of unemployed professional artists. One of the five arts projects implemented by the Federal government was the Federal Theatre Project (FTP), which organized and produced theater events. The history of the FTP was filled with employment opportunities, artistic creativity, and controversy which eventually led to the projects incineration. The FTP was clear in its intentions to produce American Theater during a time of crisis for the American people. Not only would the theater professionals benefit from work, but the country would be strengthen by national art, showing that the American spirit was not defeated by the depression. FTP established in August 27, 1935, was one of five art projects that had evolved out of the WPA, allowing the government to take part in American entertainment. Through the WPA, the federal government attempted to provide employment for artists, academics and performers, who were suffering not only from the depression, but also from the popularity of the radio and cinema. Harry Hopkins, head of WPA, chose Hallie Flanagan, the founder and head of the Vassar College Experimental Theatre, to direct the FTP. Flanagan had many goals for the FTP, including using drama to create public awareness of social problems, creating a national audience for theatre, and developing theatre for children. In kee ping ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

SAT Book Guide The Best Books for Intense Study

SAT Book Guide The Best Books for Intense Study SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're a student who wants to leave no stone unturned as you prep for the SAT,then this SATpreparationbook guide is for you. These are the best SAT books for students committed to devoting significant time, like 100 or more hours, to get ready for this important test. The recommendations on this book list go beyond a general review of the SAT and provide the skills, strategies, and insights you need to get a top score. Before diving into the SAT book list,let's consider an important question: are books the most effective way to study for the SAT? Are Books the Best Method for Intense Study? Since you're puttingin hard work to achieve your target scores, you also want to make sure your prep materials are working for you. If you're devoting asignificant amount of time to studying, you should see results. So what methods of test prep will be most effective in preparing you for the SAT? If you're looking to use books to prep, you should be aware that all test prep books have pros and cons. Some excel in teaching content while others focus on strategies. On the flip side, somehave unrealisticpractice questionsorbring in concepts that will never actually show up on the SAT. To truly delve into all sections of the SAT, you'd be best served by studying from several of these books together in a coherent sequence. Given this, I'll recommend a possible approach to tackle these books effectively, rather than trying to read them from cover to cover. Even with this plan of attack, studying from books requires a lot of self-discipline and self-motivation. Besides getting ready for the SAT, books pose the extra challenge of designing a logical study plan, prioritizing some concepts over others based on your needs, and sticking to your schedule. Because this degree of discipline is tough for students at all levels and ages, an alternative method of studying that can be very effective is online test prep. PrepScholar's online SAT program incorporates the most useful aspects of these books - content, strategies, high quality practice questions - while adding that helpful component of accountability. Plus it goes one step further and customizes the study plan to you. PrepScholar diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses, helps you design a study plan based on your individualprofile as a test-taker, and tracks your progress along the way. Books can be very useful for students looking to study intensely for the SAT. If you're using books, I recommend taking the time to develop a thoughtful approach and study plan customized to you, setting benchmarks along the way, and finding ways that help you stay accountable to your goals (even when a marathon of your favorite show is on). First on this list is the critical book that all students need for SAT prep. The Critical SAT Prep Book for Practice Tests The book that all students should use to prep for theSAT comes from College Board itself: College Board's Official Study Guide, otherwise known as the Blue Book. While this book is a must have, it also doesn't stand on its own as your only resource. Let's look at the pros and cons of the Blue Book. College Board's Official SAT Study Guide, or the "Blue Book" Amazon price: $16.43 Pros Why is this book so critical? The Blue Book has official practice questions from previously administered SATs. It has 10 official practice tests, meaning over 35 hours of practice testing and 1700 practice questions! Ambitious test-takers shouldnot just take these tests for practice, but also study them deeply. Take the time to understand exactly what each question is asking, as well as any mistakes you made and why. Was it a lack of knowledge? Difficulty managing time? A careless error? By scouring answer explanations and practicing thoroughly, you can become an expert in taking the SAT. Then the real one will just be another 3 hours and 45 minutes that you're well accustomed to. Students who want the full test-taking experience should note that these practice tests are actually only 3 hours and 20 minutes. Why? The real SAT will have an extra 25 minute experimental sectionfor the purpose of testing out future material and maintaining accuracy in scoring. The experimentalsection can be math, critical reading, or writing, but you won't know which one until you finish the test. Even then, you'll only know which section had extra time, but not specifically which 25 minute section was experimental. If you want the true experience in terms of testing time, you might consider adding an extra 25 minute section when you take practice tests. Since official questions are the gold standard, we've gathered 8 official SAT practice tests here that you can use, as well. Four of the tests are from the current version, while the other four are older. The drawback of these is that the answer key doesn't have explanations of each question. Besides the hours of practice testing and studying the Blue Book provides, what are some areas in which it's lacking? Cons The Blue Book stands above the rest for officialquestions, but taking practice tests is not the only part of SAT prep, especially for intense studiers. You want a thorough review of content and skills, plus those extra insights and strategies that will help you avoid the common SAT tricks and pitfalls. The Blue Book is not the best source of instructionor strategies. Since it's created by the test-maker, College Board, it's not going to give away its secrets! The other drawback of the Blue Book is that its answer explanations are not particularly thorough. It only gives a brief explanation why an answer choice is correct, but it usually doesn't delve into why the other answer choices are wrong. Since on the SAT most answer choices usually sound reasonable, this could leave you still feeling confused. Intense studiers should thoroughly understand what a question is asking, along with the common "distractor" answer choices that pop up, especially among passage-based Critical Reading questions. It's also helpful when books guide you through a question type step by step, so you can use that same thought processfor next time. Luckily, there is a book that provides more thorough answer explanations to some of the hardest questions in the Blue Book. You can think of it as the Blue Book's companion: the similarly named Black Book. The Critical SAT Prep Book for Strategy The SAT Prep Black Book by Mike Barrett supplements College Board's Blue Book and refers directly to official SAT questions. If you're looking for a deep understanding of SAT structure and question types, then this book is a must-have on your SAT prep book list. SAT Prep Black Book by Mike Barrett Amazon price: $17.97 Pros According to Barrett, the SAT is actually an easy test. It doesn't test particularly high levelskills, nor does it require you to have learned advanced concepts in math, reading, or writing. Instead, the SAT is difficult for students because it asks about basic concepts in strange ways. Barrett asserts that students can perform well on the SAT by learning about its "strangeness." By seeing through the tricky wording and distracting answer choices, students can use his strategies to greatly improve their scores. While his take may not resonate with everyone, I think he has highly useful insights to share about the test. He can help change the way you think about the SAT and approach and process each question. For instance, Barrett emphasizes that every multiple choice question has only one unambiguously correct answer. When students start to overthink all the realistic-sounding answer choices, that's when they run into trouble. He helps you identify which one is correctfor each question type, along with understanding exactly why the other ones are not quite right. The SAT Prep Black Bookgives thorough explanations of official practice questions, which is a key part of SAT prepfor any motivated student. A lot of his strategies influenced the developers of PrepScholar's online prep program and were incorporated into the way PrepScholarteaches students about the SAT. Cons Because the Black Book delves deeply into the SAT, it requires a lot of commitment from students. To get the most out of it, you really have to be disciplined and engage with the material. Some students find it overly wordy, which can make it hard to stick with. That's why the Black Book tends to be used by the most dedicated SAT studiers. While the Blue Book and Black Book supplement each other well, they are still not sufficient as your only sources of test prep (sorry!). You've probably noticed I talked about practice tests and strategies. So what's missing? Good old-fashioned instruction of content and skills. Drilling yourself on grammar rules, practicing solving algebraic equations, and sharpening your critical reading skills are still essential for doing well on the SAT. The Black Book's strength does not lie here. Instead, it assumes most students have a strong foundation of knowledge. For this kind of test prep, let's look at the best book for overall prep and then the best books by SAT section. The Best SAT Prep Book for General Study For students planning to devote a good amount of time to SAT prep, I recommend Barron's SAT for an examination of all sections of the SAT. Barron's SAT Amazon price: $14.31 Pros Barron's SAT has a comprehensive review of all sections of the SAT. It explains the various question types on Critical Reading and the grammar skills you need for Writing. It's especially thorough in its coverage of SAT math, which it breaks down into numerous subtopics, like percents, solid geometry, coordinate geometry, and logical reasoning, to name a few. Barron's helps you build your vocabulary with a High Frequency Word List and a 3,500 Word List. If you purchase the book, you can also access an online component that helps you design a study plan. Barron's encourages you to start out with a diagnostic test and pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. In addition, it includes 6 full length practice tests with answer explanations. That's an additional 24 hours of testing and 1,020 practice questions! Combine that with the Blue Book practice tests, and you'll be well on your way to becoming an SAT expert. Cons Barron's SAT is a very thorough book, which is both a strength and a weakness. Because it covers so much, it can feel overwhelming to students. While the book suggests you customize your study plan based on your diagnostic test, this can feel like a lot of added planning. Another weakness of Barron's has to do with its strategies. The introductory chapters offer some suggestions for time management and identifying question types, but it doesn't go much beyond the obvious. It doesn't offer asinsightful a take asthe Black Book or some of the subject-specific books. Finally, many students find that Barron's SAT actually overshoots the SAT with overly advanced concepts, and that its practice tests are unrealistically hard. While overpreparing isn't necessarily the worst problem, you don't want to waste time with concepts you don't need or get an unrealistic sense of your scoring level. When using Barron's SAT practice tests, try to keep an eye out for its similarities and differences with official College Board practice tests. Having a critical eye will help you make the most use out of these unofficial practice questions. Another approach to delving into SAT material is to divide it up by section. These are my recommendations for the best books for SAT math, reading, and writing. Best SAT Prep Books to Study Math These three books - PWN the SAT, Dr. John Chung's SAT Math, and the Powerscore Math Bible - are designed for motivated students looking to gain a top math score. Let's consider the pros and cons of each. PWN the SAT: Math Guide Amazon price: $28.28 Pros According to the author, Mike McClenathan, he wrote PWN the SAT to help "ambitious, highly motivated kids maximize their SAT math scores. He takes a more engaging, personable approach than a lot of other test prep books, as you can tell right away in the introduction: "Do you crave a higher score? Are you willing to do a little hard work to achieve it? Good. I knew I liked you." Given the fact that other test prep books can be a little, ahem,dry,PWN the SAT is a welcome departure in style and tone. He spends the first 30 pages on test-taking strategies and techniques, discussing how best to read the math questions, how to not get fooled by questions that appear easier than they are, and useful guessing strategies that go beyond the obvious. McClenathan breaks each math concept into numerous subtopics, like ratios, prime factorization, symbol functions, circles, and probability. This detailed approach will truly help you leave no stone unturned in your review of any and all math concepts that may show up on the SAT. Like the Black Book, PWN the SAT is best used in conjunction with the Official Study Guide, or the Blue Book. It refers directly to official practice questions, giving detailed answer explanations for all the math questions you'll find there. These go beyond the answer explanations in the Blue Book and are usefulfor understanding your errors and applying the same skills and thought process to similar questions on future tests. In addition to referencing official questions, PWN the SAT has its own diagnostic drills to assess your skills. You can also check out the PWN the SAT website for useful blog posts and a discussion forum where you can connect with other students and leave questions and comments for the author himself. By the way, for any non-gamers out there (myself included), PWN means to conquer and is pronounced "pone." The more you know. Cons PWN the SAT excels in instruction and review, but it doesn't have a ton of its own practice questions. It has to be used alongside the Blue Book, to which it explicitly refers. You should also seek out more practice questions if you need to drill particular skills, like shape geometry or functions. Similar to Barron's SAT, PWN the SAT has been criticized for having overly challenging math questions and examples. Again, you want to keep a critical eye. If you become familiar with the SAT, then you'll be able to sense when a concept or wording of a question exceeds the difficulty level you'll actually encounter. It's also relatively expensive for a book that covers only one section of the SAT. Finally, some students find this book too wordy. I personally find it engaging and funny, at least as far as test prep books, but how much it resonates with you is a matter of individual opinion. You can check out a free preview at Amazon and decide if it speaks to you. Dr. John Chung's SAT Math: 58 Perfect Tips and 20 Complete Tests Amazon price: $26.59 Pros While some books are on the wordy side, Dr. John Chung's SAT Math is not one of them. It cuts down the math section to rules and practice problems. The 58 "tips" are the most important concepts you need to know for math, like linear functions, slope, and proportions. There isn't much here in the way of explanation, so it's geared towards highly achieving math students with a strong foundation in these concepts. It gives you lots of practice problems - 20 practice tests - to drill each of the 58 skills, with thorough, if concise, answer explanations. Cons One downside of this book is the cost, considering it covers only one section of the SAT. It is definitely geared towards more advanced math students, and doesn't offer much in the way of clarifying instruction. Students who don't want to do a lot of reading in their math review will like this approach. Again, check out the free preview on Amazon to see if this style resonates with you. Another con is that the questions can be overly challenging. They are still valuable, especially with the answer explanations, because they drill all the important math concepts. That being said, you want the most realistic practice questions possible to get a true sense of the SAT. Finally, this book has some typos and errors in layout. While this doesn't detract from the quality of the instruction, it can be distracting. Powerscore SAT Math Bible Amazon price: $25.08 Pros The Powerscore SAT Math Bible is a great resource for students with strong math backgrounds and those who feel less confident in this area. It starts with an "operation mastery" section to review important concepts, along with drills to reinforce each skill. It offers 8mainpractical strategies for attacking SAT math questions, along with example problems that show you exactly when and how to apply each strategy. It also explains confusing SAT wording with its "highlighted arithmetricks" and "SAT traps." The chapters are divided by content area - arithmetic, algebra, algebra II, geometry, coordinate geometry, data analysis, statistics, and probability - which are further broken down into subtopics. It also has a glossary to ensure you understand all the math-related terminology. Overall, the Powerscore SAT Math Bible has over 375 high quality example and practice questions, along with detailed explanations. Its online supplementary component also refers to official questions from the Blue Book and has extra study aids like math flash cards. One particular strength of this book is its frequency guide, which rates the importance of concepts from 1 to 5. This helps you prioritize your studying. While books like Dr. Chung's 58 Perfect Tips throw all the concepts at you at once, the Powerscore SAT Math Bible helps you sort them by frequency and importance. Cons While this book has numerous example and practice questions, it's not as substantial when it comes to actual practice tests. You'll want to make sure to incorporate at least a pre-test and post-test into your study plan to gauge your progress, as well as others to measure it along the way. Because this book is geared for students at all levels, it may have extra material you don't need if you're already well versed in the math concepts. For more advanced math students, it may not be immediately challenging because of its introductory sections and material. All three of these math books have strengths and can be effective as you work towards a high score. If you're looking to focus especially on Critical Reading and/or Writing, I recommend the guides by Erica Meltzer. Best SAT Prep Books to Study Critical Reading and Writing Erica Meltzer, who runs the blog, The Critical Reader, has written complete guides to the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT. They're both high quality books useful to students looking to master these sections. The Complete Guide to SAT Critical Reading by Erica Meltzer Amazon price: $31.95 Pros Erica Meltzer has a very lucid take on the SAT Critical Reading. She was an English major in college, but she recognizes that the skills you pick up in English classes don't necessarily translate to a high score on the SAT Reading. Instead, she teaches students about the types of questions and specific skills that SAT Critical Reading calls for. With these insights, she demystifies this section of the test that can otherwise be quite tricky to study for. She breaks down questions into types, like main point and vocabulary in context, and drills each skill with practice questions. Her passages are highly realistic, and she gives practical strategies for managing time and processing key information easily and efficiently. Besides the questions and in-depth explanations, this book has a comprehensive vocabulary section with high frequency words, multiple meaning words, and common roots. To help you prep for sentence completions, she has 75 practice questions featuring commonly used SAT words. Cons One con of this SAT book is the layout and visual presentation. It packs a lot of small font words into each page and doesn't break them up with graphics. This can get old when you're tired from studying for the SAT for hours. Some also find Meltzer's style on the dry side, while others appreciate that she doesn't add unnecessary fluff. It's also on the expensive side, especially taken together with The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar. Another aspect to consider is the way she organizes content by skill. It can be helpful to drill each skill you need for Critical Reading, but remember that the actual tests will present questions in random order. You'll need to both learn the skills and be able to identify what skill each question is testing on your own, without it already being labeled into categories for you. Her guide to SAT grammar similarly organizes content by rule and skill, which is especially useful for reinforcing your knowledge of grammar. The UltimateGuide to SAT Grammar (and SAT Grammar Workbook) by Erica Meltzer Amazon price: $27.86 ($28.45 for workbook) Pros The UltimateGuide to SAT Grammaris a must-have if you're looking for a detailed breakdown and drill of each and every grammar rule that is likely to appear on the SAT. There are dozens of exercises and practice questions to reinforce each rule. This book will help you recognize and correct errors, as well as identify question types so you can predict exactly which rule each question is testing. There are thorough explanations for each practice question, and you can find additional practice questions in the SAT Grammar Workbook. Similar to PrepScholar's approach to SAT Writing prep, Meltzer breaks the section down by skill and clearly instructs students on each one. Cons One major con of these SAT books is the price. If you purchase the reading, grammar, and grammar workbook together, then you're looking at almost $100 already. Since these books don't have a ton of practice tests, you'd also be using at least one or two other books for additional practice testing. While this book helps you drill each skill, you'll want to make sure you can identify and predict the skills on your own. This is another reason why you'll want to reinforce the lessons with practice tests, in which the skills tested byidentifying errors, improving sentences, and improving paragraph questions are all mixed up in random order. Now that you've read my recommendations for the best SAT books to read for intense study, you might be wondering how best to use these books to prepare. Stacking them up in a huge pile will just be daunting, increasing therisk that all these books just end upcollecting dust in a corner of your room. Let's talk about how you can approach these hundreds of pages of material in a manageable, scaffolded way. One step at a time to reach your target scores... How to Study from these SAT Prep Books How can you take this daunting amount of material and break it up into smaller, manageable goals, like taking steps up a long ladder? First, I would recommend taking a diagnostic practice test from the Blue Book. Score your test and use your results to gauge your level and determine which areas require the most focus from you. Depending on how long you plan to study, you can spread out other practice tests in increments. These can be used as benchmarks to track your progress. Remember to leave one for the end of your test prep, close to your actual SAT, to record your score improvements and if need be, do any last minute studying. Review each practice test section by section and mark the questions you miss by practice type and skill. Mike Barrett's Black Book can help you identify question type more clearly, as well as apply strategies to save time and eliminate "distractor" answer choices quickly and easily. After analyzing your results,I would suggest reviewing content and skills where you need tomost. If you're strong in math, you couldstart out by drilling yourself on reading, vocabulary, and grammar. If you scored well on reading, then you might turn to math first. Throughout, you can use practice tests to gauge your improvement and shift to another section once you've improved in the first. If you are a freshman or sophomore, you can start studying a year or so before your first real test. You can devote several hours a week to studying and then ramp up this time commitment in the months leading up to your test. To customize your study plan to your individual needs,I highly recommend analyzing your practice tests and then diving into your weaknesses with relevant recommended SAT prep books. This can help you build up both skills and confidence where you need it most. As planning and sticking to an effective study schedule is a challenging aspect of your test prep, you also might want to look into other options that help you with this planning. Which option will getyou the prize of a high SAT score? Is Studying from Books the Best Option for Intense Prep? Some of these recommended SAT books are highly comprehensive, while others dive into specifics. There are ones that focus on math, reading, and grammar instruction, and others that reveal test-conquering strategies. Taken together, they have the content you need to become an expert in the SAT and achieve top scores. At the same time, self-study from these books requires a ton of discipline. You need to customize your study plan to you, and make sure you sit down and put in the time. There's no one else who's going to know whether you're making time to prep or doing it effectively (except maybe your parents staring over your shoulder). Some students are able to chip away one day, week, and month at a time keeping their end goal in sight, but for most this is a trying test of willpower and motivation. Apart from the isolation of self-study, all these SAT preparation books can get expensive. If you wanted to draw on the strengths of all of them, you'd already be spendingover $200. Sadly, there's no great SAT preparation books with free pdfdownloads. PrepScholar's online program was developed with all this in mind. It has the expert content, strategies, and practice questions, while also understanding the stress, pressure, and challenges of scheduling surround test prep. It's not like you have all the free time in the world tostudy for the SAT, nor do you want to waste time on concepts you already have down. We understand that you want to make the most of your test prep, while getting the intensive prep you need to achieve top scores and be a competitive candidate on college applications. Because PrepScholar has an affordable, all-in-one program that helps you devise a study plan, keep track of your progress, and focus on the areas you need to the most,it has helped many highly achieving students find success. It also has the additional option of a one-on-one tutor, combining the best parts of customizable educational technology with the motivating coaching of an experienced tutor. Besides online prep, you can also find a plethora (10 points for SAT vocab!) of online resources with information and practice for the SAT. Among PrepScholar's SATstrategy guides are The 21 Critical SAT Math Formulas You Must Know How to Get an 800 on SAT Reading The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules 6 SAT Essay Examples You Can Use to Answer Every Essay Prompt Should You Guess on the SAT? 6 Guessing Strategies The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by a 2400 Full Scorer Before adding all these SAT books to your Amazon cart and clicking purchase, I would encourage you to explore and compare the various methods of test prep. If you're committed to working hard for your SAT scores, then make sure you're going about it in the way that's most enjoyable and above all, most effective for you. What's Next? The strategy guides listed above are just a few of the free resources we provideon the SAT. You can explore more practical strategies for the math, Critical Reading, and writing sections of the SAT here. Have you decided when exactly you're taking the SAT and how many times you plan to take it? Read about all the important considerations in choosing your SAT test dates here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

No Sweat Global Commodity Chains and Labor Rights Essay

No Sweat Global Commodity Chains and Labor Rights - Essay Example According to the recent evident, almost 25 percent of total population of the developing countries are engaged in the paid labor live in several households (Seidman, 2007). These people generally survive on equivalent to 1 US dollar per day, per person. Day-by-day, the estimation of the poor working population is increasing significantly. This essay will take a close look at various debates global commodity chains and labor rights. Discussion Labor standard is the estimated, computed and several values, such as operations per hour, assembly time, and output per unit implemented in the evaluating or forecasting labor performance. The relationship between the system of labor standard and globalized production is effectively understood within the global commodity chain concept. The global commodity chain is referred to the way in which manufacturing, sales and distribution of goods is controlled and organized across the national borders. The labor intensive manufacturing of several cons umer goods is generally characterized by the particular buyer-driven commodity chains. In these commodity chains the brand-name corporations and large retailers develop a decentralize systems of manufacturing and distribution of such goods. However, the market power significantly differs among the various players across the chain. The real production is generally subcontracted out to several small organizations that generally usually face intense market competitive conditions. Therefore, the subcontractors cannot comfortably raise the output price without risking business loss. On the other hand, brand name multinationals and retailers enjoy some significant market power degree that they can adopt to keep low prices for the products they buy or earn rents through the monopolistic brand identity development. The large retailers and brand-name manufacturers could implement their market power to improve labor standards at the production level by compensating the subcontractors to incre ase the cost. There are several limitations of the global labor standards. In spite of the implementation strategy, the limitations of several schemes along with the aspects to promote global labor standards can be recognized explicitly. Only a subset of the workforce of the world could receive any benefit if the standards were aimed to the workers who manufacture goods for export. Labors generally produce non traded services and goods cannot directly affected by several interventions such as a social cause or a standardize code of conduct. In addition to this, adoption of the expansionary macroeconomic policy can referred to be an effective strategy to improve the well being of the labors. It will help to secure the egalitarian outcome comparing to the targeted labor standards’ enforcement. Labor standards are not the appropriate policies for the well being of the workers during the period of low global economic growth rate. The concept of global labor standard is irrelevant within the context of global economic downturn and global business expansion of several firms. The government of the developing countries needs to be cautioned before developing an expansionary macroeconomic policy. It is true that, macroeconomic policies can effectively contribute to the fair improvements in the work condition. But these cannot be sufficient to address the widespread corrosion of the potential employment opportunity that has been

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Event Game Management Critique Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Event Game Management Critique - Term Paper Example The parking lots are colored as red, yellow, green, blue and each of them include VIP spaces as well. The traffic was well managed as the parking lots are well spaced. I parked at the green lot 3 by the Great America parkway. Each parking lot is well connected to the stadium with several routes so as to avoid rush and ease of movement of pedestrians. The stadium was built like an architectural marvel, but there are a few safely and security hazards that should have been considered. The height of the railings in front of the seating rows is too low. Several accidents have occurred where fans had fallen down over the railing on the audiences below, causing severe injuries, even death, like at Rangers Ballpark or at the Georgia Dome (Benning & Nielsen, 2011). The railings are made of sleek glass sheets with metal capping, which does not provide good grip at hand, and moreover its height is barely around thirty inches so as a result it may cause the audiences to slip over easily. However, there are good fire hazard precautions maintained within the stadium. The fire exits are well placed at frequent intervals, to avoid casualties. Hazards due to alcohol consumption are managed by the Alcohol Management Teams, who ensure the enforcement of stadium policies. However, the signs and symbols to guide the audiences should be given at freq uent intervals. The entire stadium is overseen by an array of security surveillance systems. The game tickets are available online for purchase, which reduces the hassle of standing in a row for buying tickets from the box office which is at the north-east corner of the stadium at Tasman Avenue. The ticket checking personnel were adequate enough to allow faster movement of the queue (Ticketmaster, 2014). The stadium is designed in such a way that the audience traffic flow on a big game day is eased out by proper channeling into the respective destinations. Several routes leading entrances and exits in such a

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Ohio State University Essay Example for Free

Ohio State University Essay I believe that I would be a positive addition to the Ohio State University community because of my varied background and experiences. My personal background is itself diverse and has given me the perspective of belonging to two cultures. I was born in Korea but came to the United States during my childhood and attended high school in this country. This was initially challenging but I adapted well, and I consider it a valuable experience in my life because it immersed me in a different culture and language. After high school, I returned to my native Korea to fulfill my military obligation and served for three years. I matured considerably during this period, and I believe that my time in the service prepared me well for the demands of university life. I want to attend the Ohio State University because I consider it an excellent institution, and my life experiences have let me develop several necessary character strengths. Being raised in two distinctly different societies has given me a unique perspective on cultural diversity. Also, I have a strong academic background and, thanks to my military service, I have developed a strong work ethic and a mature character which will let me participate meaningfully and effectively in university life. I consider myself a capable, mature, disciplined individual, and being a student at Ohio State will give me the opportunity to develop these characteristics even further and let me be a productive and positive addition to the university community.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Differing Carbohydrate Recommendations of the Atkins Diet and Food Pyramid :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Differing Carbohydrate Recommendations of the Atkins Diet and Food Pyramid   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A review of the carbohydrate intake of the Atkins Diet and the Food Pyramid Guide allow a comparison of their potential health effects relative to each other.   The Atkins Diet and the Food Pyramid Guide propose different levels of carbohydrate intake. The Atkins Diet allows for an extremely limited intake of carbohydrates, as little as one serving which is roughly 20 grams. The Food Pyramid Guide allows about 120-220 grams of carbohydrates a day, which are roughly six to eleven servings. These different levels of carbohydrate intake influence the body’s metabolism because â€Å"carbohydrates are an organic compound that serves as a major energy source for the body† (Dictionary.com). These carbohydrates convert to sugars that trigger insulin production, which our body needs for certain processes, and triggers fat storage (Health-Doc.com). According to the Institute of Medicine, adults should get 45 to 65 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. This is roughly seven servings based on a 2000 calorie/day diet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Atkins Diet, in requiring a significantly smaller amount of carbohydrates than the Institute of Medicine, attempts to realign the dieter’s metabolism.   In the first two weeks of the diet no more than twenty grams of carbohydrates a day are to be eaten. Twenty grams of carbohydrates a day is the equivalent of one slice of bread. After this two-week induction period is over the diet is allowed to slowly increase its carbohydrate increments to about fifty grams of carbohydrates a day, or about two to three servings. The benefit of this low consumption of carbohydrates with the Atkins diet is to â€Å"efficiently switch your body from a carbohydrate-burning metabolism to a primarily fat-burning (your fat!) metabolism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  [The Atkins Diet is also supposed to] stabilize your blood sugar and abruptly halt a myriad of symptoms indicative of unstable blood sugar, such as fatigue, mood swings, brain fog and an inability to function at your best. This diet also will curb your cravings by stabilizing your blood sugar and break addictions to foods such as sugar, wheat or corn derivatives, alcohol, caffeine, grain or any other food† (Atkins.com). While these claims seem somewhat sweeping, they remain claims that are not supported by scientific information provided by their website, Atkins.com. The lack of supporting information and the grandiose nature of the claims make the science behind this diet seem somewhat suspect.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Japanese Culture Essay

Abstract It is important to understand that an individual’s perspective of death and dying is greatly impacted by their culture. In this paper I will discuss how the Japanese culture approaches death and dying. I will also discuss the unique concept of organ transplantation that surrounds that Japanese culture. This paper presents the law of organ transplantation in Japan, which allows people to decide whether brain death can be used to determine their death in agreement with their family. Japan could become a unique example of individual choice in the definition of death if the law is revised to allow individuals choose definition of death independently of their family. The death and dying rituals involved in the Japanese culture will be discussed. Overview of the Japanese Culture In the latter half of the twentieth century, developed countries of the world have made remarkable strides in organ donation and transplantation. However, in this area of medicine, Japan has been slow to follow. Japanese ethics, deeply rooted in religion and tradition, have affected their outlook on life and death. The Japanese have only recently started to acknowledge the concept of brain death and transplantation of major organs has been hindered in that country. Currently, there is a dual definition of death in Japan, intended to satisfy both sides of the issue. This interesting paradox, which still stands to be fully resolved, illustrates the controversial conflict between medical ethics and medical progress in Japan. The Japanese culture considers a human being both alive and dead, an integrated body, mind, and spirit (Dennis, 2009, p.12). Therefore removing an organ from a brain-dead person involves a disturbance in this natural integrated unit. In the Japanese culture organ donation and organ transplantation are unpopular and rare (Dennis, 2009). According to Dennis (2009), the Japanese culture believes that a dead body must remain whole because if they are not whole, that dead person will be unhappy in the next world. Japanese Culture on Death and Dying It is crucial to understand that an individual’s perspective of death and dying is greatly impacted by their culture. Japan is the only country, which permits individual choice in death definition for the purpose of organ transplantation, and in agreement with the person’s family. The Japanese organ transplantation law of 1997 is a long debate on brain death and organ transplantation. Over almost three decades, medical, legal and public discussion has occurred; a lack of consensus on the definition of human death caused a long delay in adopting a law on organ procurement (Akabayashi, 1997). Finally, policy makers in Japan have adopted a law with unique features, such as giving an opportunity to individuals to choose the definition of death based on their own views. Therefore, in Japan individuals may choose either cessation of cardio†respiratory function or loss of entire brain function for their death pronouncement (Morioka, 2001). However, the choice is permitted in Japanese law only if organs can potentially be used for transplant with the agreement of the family, which means that although individuals can choose the definition of death based on their own views, the law gives power to the family to confirm or reject the choice. The law allows the family to override the individual choice in death definition (Akabayashi, 1997). The first effort to pass a law on organ transplantation following brain death failed in 1994. The main reason why the proposed law was rejected in 1994 is said to be because it stated that brain death is equal to death, and also because it approved surrogate decision making by the family. These issues raised serious arguments and concerns among some members, resulting in defeat of the legislation (Akabayashi, 1997). However, the situation has changed since then and, as public polls show, the number of people who accept the concept of brain death has increased from 29% to 60%. (Lock, 1996) . The current law states that for organ removal, the donor’s prior declaration and family agreement are both necessary requirements (Japan Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, 1997). The organ donation provisions of the law apply for brain dead donors as well as any cadaver. The law authorizes organ removal from a brain†dead person only if the donor has, during his life expressed in writing his consent to the diagnosis of brain death, as well as, his intention to donate his organ(s). Therefore, the law authorizes individuals to choose between the traditional definition or the alternative standard based on brain function by signing an â€Å"Organ Donation Decision Card†. Individuals can state their wishes at the back of this card by marking one of the following items: (1) I wish to be a donor based on the brain†oriented definition; (2) I want to be a donor after cardiac death; or (3) I refuse to donate organs (Bagheri, 2003). The law is not free of criticism, especially in terms of adopting a double standard regarding the role of the family. On the one hand, it gives the family the power to veto an individual’s willingness to donate. On the other hand, it does not authorize the family to be a surrogate decision maker based on the interests of their beloved ones when they are in a brain†dead state and the organ donor card cannot be found. Nevertheless, the unbalanced role and power of veto of the family under the present law can be seen as a hindrance to organ procurement in Japan (Bagheri, 2003). The process of dying is regarded not as an individual event but as a family event in the Japanese culture (Kimura, 1998). There is no doubt that any transplant†related legislation should be concerned with inclusion of the opinion of the family in the decision†making process. This forms a basis for social acceptance of the legislation. However, in any culture a practical question arises: to what extent is the family’s opinion to be taken into consideration? According to the law, family consent is required both for organ procurement and for declaration of death according to brain†based criteria. Therefore an individual can choose the definition of death with the agreement of her or his family, but not independently (Kimura, 1998). Japan is the only country that allows individuals to choose either the traditional definition or the brain†oriented definition of death, but individual choice must be confirmed by the family; therefore, it is a family based choice (Kimura, 1998). Death and Dying Rituals in the Japanese Culture A Japanese funeral includes a wake, the cremation of the deceased, a burial in a family grave, and a periodic memorial service. According to statistics, 99.82% of all deceased Japanese are cremated. While the ashes of many are buried in family graves, the scattering of ashes has become more common in recent years, including a burial at sea (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011). Many funeral services are carried out in the form of Buddhist ceremonies. After a person has died, their lips are moistened with water, in a ceremony referred to as Matsugo-no-mizu â€Å"Water of the last moment† (Wakabayashi, & Sekiguchi, 2011). The household shrine is closed and covered with a white paper, to keep out impure spirits. This process is known as Kamidana-fuji. A small table placed beside the deceased’s bed is also decorated with flowers, incense, and a candle. A knife may placed on the chest of the deceased to drive away evil spirit (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011). Funeral arrangements are made and the body is washed and the orifices are blocked with cotton or gauze. The funeral clothing will consist of either a suit for a male or a kimono if the deceased is a female. Makeup may also be applied in order to improve the appearance of the body. The body is then put on dry ice and placed inside the casket with the head positioned towards the north or west, along with a white kimono, sandals and six coins for the crossing of the River of three hells. Items which the deceased was fond of will also be placed inside the casket as well, so long as they are flammable. The casket is then placed on the altar in preparation of the wake (Nakata, 2009). Guests who attend the funeral are expected to dress in black attire. The men usually wear black suits with a white shirt and a black tie, while women wear either a black dress or a black kimono. A Buddhist prayer bead called juzu may also be carried by guests. Guests are expected to bring condolence money in a special black and silver decorated envelope. At the funeral, the guests will be seated, with the next of kin closest to the front. The Buddhist priest will read a sutra. The family members will each in turn offer incense three times to the incense urn in front of the deceased. The closest relatives may stay and keep vigil with the deceased overnight in the same room (Nakata, 2009). Japanese funerals are usually performed on the day following the wake. The funeral service is similar to that of the wake service, the difference being that during the funeral service, the deceased will receive a new Buddhist name to prevent the return of the deceased if their name is called. At the end of the ceremony, flowers may be placed inside the casket before it is sealed and carried to an elaborately decorated hearse where it is transported to the crematorium. In some regions of Japan, the casket may be nailed shut by mourners using a stone (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011). Once the casket has arrived at the crematorium, the family witnesses the sliding of the body into the cremation chamber, then leave. After the cremation process is complete, the family returns to pick the bones out of the ashes and transfer them to an urn using chopsticks. In some instances, two family members will hold the same bone at the same time with their chopsticks or pass the bones from chopsticks to chopsticks. According to Japanese custom, this is the only time when it is proper for two people to hold the same item at the same time with chopsticks. The bones are picked up and transferred to the urn in a manner which ensures that the deceased is not placed upside down in the urn. Therefore the bones of the feet are picked up first, the bones of the head last (Nakata, 2009). A typical Japanese grave is usually a family grave consisting of a stone monument with a place for flowers, incense, and water in front of the monument and a chamber underneath for the ashes. The date of the formation of the grave and the name of the person who purchased it may be engraved on the side of the monument. The names of the deceased may or may not be engraved on the front or left side of the monument or on a separate stone in front of the grave Nakata, 2009). The Japanese honor the dead with shrines in their homes and tending to the gravesite (Dennis, 2009). During three days in August, the Japanese Buddhist celebrate at The Bons Festival in honor of the departed spirits of ones’ ancestors (Dennis, 2009). Until the early twentieth century most bodies were buried and cremation was limited to the wealthy. Cremation became more common after World War II due to its efficiency and cleanliness. In 2009, 99.9% of Japanese bodies were cremated, and some local governments ban burials (Wakabayashi & Sekiguchi, 2011). Conclusion I learned a lot about the Japanese culture while researching my paper. One of the things that I found surprising was that the majority of Japanese bodies are cremated. The similarities that I found between the American and the Japanese culture are that both cultures were black to funerals. In both cultures items that are valuable are placed in the caskets and funerals are followed by the wake. While cremation is popular in Japan, I was surprised to learn that cremation is on the rise in the United States; however, not everyone approves of it (Dennis, 2009). References Akabayashi A (1997). Japan’s parliament passes brain death law. The Lancet, 349 (9069). Retrieved from http://www.lancet.com. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)63895-0. Bagheri A. (2003). A criticism of brain death policy in Japan. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal 13 (4), 359-372. Dennis, D. (2009) Living, Dying, Grieving. Sandbury, MA: Jones and Barlett Publislhers. Japan Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare, The law concerning human organ transplants The law no. 104 1997. Translation 1999. Kimura R. (1998). Death, dying and advance directives in Japan: socio†cultural and legal points of view. In: Sass HM, Veatch RM, Rihito K, eds. Advance directives and surrogate decision making in health care. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Lock M. (1996). Deadly dispute: ideologies and brain death in Japan. In: Stuart J, Youngner Laurence J, O’Connell Renee C, eds. Organ transplantation meaning and realities. Fox. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Morioka M. (2001). Reconsidering brain death: a lesson from Japan’s fifteen years experience. Hastings Center Report 31, (4), 41-46. Nakata, H. (2009). The Japan Times. Japan’s funerals deep-rotted mix of ritual, form. Retrieved from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20090728i1.html. Wakabayashi, D., & Sekiguchi, T. (2011). â€Å"After Flood, Deaths Overpower Ritual†. Wall Street Journal.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

King Lear’s Foolishness Essay

King Lear is a metaphorical tale of an ailing man’s journey through hell in order to forgive his sins. Lear’s untimely, sinful surrender of his throne results in a chain reaction of events that send him through a treacherous journey. It is a tale that graphically describes the consequences of one man’s foolish decisions; decisions that greatly alter his life and the lives of those around him. Lear suffers terribly, as a result of ignorantly dividing his kingdom among his eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan. By the time he realizes his daughters’ tyrannical nature, it is too late, and they have already begun their plot to kill him. Amidst his increasing insanity however, Lear does become a wiser man, as he finally receives the ability to see people’s true faces, something he from which he had been blinded from for so long. Lear was foolish in many ways, and was viewed that way by many different people. His most foolish move was questioning the love of his three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. He created a contest which would reward the largest third of the kingdom to the daughter whom loved him the most, â€Å"Tell me, my daughters (since now we will divest us both of rule, Interest of territory, cares of state), Which of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge.† (I, i, 47-53) He planned to divide the kingdom among the three to prevent strife, not realizing that it was an invitation to civil war instead. He asked his daughters to tell him how much they loved him in public. After Goneril and Regan flattered him with lies, Lear gave them third and second prize. When Cordelia, whom the largest piece of the kingdom was reserved for, refused to play the same flattery game as her sisters had done, Lear’s rage exploded. Cordelia could have easily like her sisters, however she did not care to be rewarded with land and riches under false pretences. Lear, being blind to this, disowned Cordelia and banned her from her homeland. Foolishly, Lear also banished his only loyal follower, Kent, for sticking up for Cordelia, â€Å"To plainness honour’s bound when majesty fails to folly. Reserve thy state and in thy best consideration check this hideous rashness.†(II, i, 36-42) Assuming God’s duty was Lear’s primary downfall. He was King of England because God had put him there, and it was God’s decision as to when he should be dismissed. Lear, however, put his  fate into his own hands, and attempted to pass on the kingdom himself. It can almost be said that Lear’s suffering was God’s revenge upon a man who refused the gift of supremacy. Even Lear’s fool, who many consider to be Lear’s own conscience, tells him that he has been foolish in his decision making: Fool: Though wouldst make a good fool. Lear: To take it again perforce! Monster Ingratitude! Fool: If thou wert my fool, nuncle, I’d have Thee beaten for being old before thy time. Lear: How’s that? Fool: Thou shouldst not have been old till Thou hadst been wise. (I, iv, 267-273) Immediately after Lear divides the kingdom in half among his two tyrannical daughters, Goneril and Regan seek revenge upon Lear, and begin to plot his death. Lear is incredibly ignorant, and honestly believes Goneril and Regan’s claim that they truly love him. Only when it is too late, does he realize that the only daughter who does in fact love him, he did outcast. After Goneril only allows Lear fifty of his hundred servants and soldiers to spend the night, Lear questions her actions, and in doing so questions her true love for him. Insulted, he goes to Regan, thinking that she will be kinder to him, however Regan acts much harsher than Goneril, and only allows him twenty-five followers for the night. Upon seeing this, Lear angrily realizes that his two eldest daughters are wicked and do not love him at all. As king, it can  almost be said that Lear was sheltered, as he never had to deal with problems himself, however now that he is simply seen a peasant, Lear no longer has the luxury of people making his decisions for him. He blindly draws the conclusion that though it probably isn’t much, Goneril must love him twice as much as Regan, if she will allow him twice as many followers, â€Å"Thy fifty yet doth double five-and-twenty, and thou art twice her love.† (II, iv, 291-292). As the play progresses so does Lear’s madness. After returning to Goneril’s and being locked out, Lear sets out for Dover with the fool. However as Lear becomes more insane, and his madness increases, he receives the vision that he had been blinded from before. Upon encountering Edgar, as Poor Tom, Lear becomes completely mad. â€Å"Here’s three on’s are sophisticated! Thou are the thing itself; unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, are forked animal as thou art. Off, off, your lendings.† (III, iv, 109-112) Many misinterpret this scene as Lear’s final surrender to madness, however this scene is possibly where Lear becomes most sane. Lear realizes that sophistication is dressing up nicely to give the impression of being something you really are not. He sees Edgar in his plain clothes and starts to rip his own clothes off to get away from the trickery and the falsehood of the world, as he sees Poor Tom has done. His daughters dressed up their words with lies to get what they wanted and Lear realizes that without clothes you cannot distinguish the difference between a king and a beggar. King Lear’s vision is no longer hampered at the peak of his madness because although he is mad, the words he speaks make sense and have truth to them: Lear: They flattered me like a dog, and told Me I had white hairs in my beard ere the Black ones were there. To say â€Å"ay† and â€Å"no† To everything that I said! â€Å"Ay† and â€Å"no† was No good divinity. When the rain came to wet Me once, and the wind to make me chatter; When the thunder would not peace at my Bidding; there I found ’em, there I smelt ’em Out. Go to, the are not men o’their words! They told me I was everything. ‘Tis a like-I Am not ague proof. (IV, vi, 112-120) All of the pain that Lear suffers can be traced back to the single most important error that he made. Lear chose to give up his throne. Out of pain and anger, Lear banished Cordelia, and split the kingdom into two halves, divided among Goneril and Regan. This one sin bears massive repercussions upon Lear, and the lives of those around him, eventually killing almost all of those involved. Lear does not realize the mistake that he has made, until he suffers the banishment of his two eldest daughters. The fall of Lear is not just the suffering of one man but the suffering of everyone down the chain. Gloucester loses his status and eyes, Cordelia and Kent banished, and Albany realizes his wife’s true heart. Everything that happened to these characters is affected by Lear’s ultimate decision. If Lear had not banished Cordelia and Kent then the two sisters would not be able to plot against their father. Lear cannot see the true faces of people, and this is his tragic flaw. Th e pain and suffering endured by King Lear eventually tears down his strength and sanity, and leads to his ultimate demise, death.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Sample Short Answer Response for College Admissions

Sample Short Answer Response for College Admissions Many colleges and universities ask an applicant to write a brief essay that elaborates on a high school extracurricular activity or work experience. This might be a supplement for the Common Application or a part of the schools own application. The majority of students choose to focus on extracurriculars, but Joel makes the unusual decision to focus on a rather unglamorous job, working at Burger King. Joels Short Essay on His Work Experience For the past year I have worked part-time at Burger King. Its a job I picked up to help pay for my class trip to Germany. The job is what youd expect -   Im on my feet the whole time assembling burgers, squirting ketchup, and cooking fries. The pace can be frantic at times, and the pay is low. My friends who come into the restaurant make fun of me. The job is neither strengthening my calculus skills nor improving my writing ability. However, I have been surprised by the relationships Ive developed with my coworkers. Some are high school students like me, but others are twice my age working full time and struggling to support their families. When I applied to Burger King I simply wanted a paycheck, but I now am grateful for the opportunities Ive had to build friendships with and learn from people very different from me. Critique of Joels Short Answer Response Joel takes a risk in his short answer response because he describes a job that isnt something most people (often wrongly) would want to highlight. However, Joel makes a couple moves in his response to make it effective. First, he manages to slip in his reason for taking this job -   he wants to travel to Germany. The fact that he is willing to work hard to have this travel experience shows a level of motivation and global interest that should impress the admissions officers. The writing itself is clear and free of errors, and the essay comes in at 833  characters/150 words - the maximum limit for Joels essay prompt. With extremely short essays like this,  the recommended essay   length  should be close to the upper limit. You have so little space to say something meaningful that you should take advantage of the space you have. Had Joels essay had a 250-word limit, he could have provided some more details about the people with whom he worked, and expand upon the lesson he learned from the experience. When it comes to Joels job, he doesnt try to present it as something it isnt. In a somewhat humorous way, he describes the nature of his Burger King employment. Joel is clearly not trying to impress the admissions folks with the job itself. What Joel does reveal, however, is that even the most mundane job can have its own rewards, and that a job is often defined by coworkers more than by the duties of the job itself. Joel doesnt have space in the short answer to explain exactly what he has learned from his coworkers, but we leave his response with the feeling that Joel is someone who is open-minded and can get along with and learn from people different from himself. He is also someone who is willing to work hard for his goals. These are qualities that will be attractive to a college. A Final Word on Short Answer Essays Dont underestimate the importance of the shorter essays a college or university requires as part of their application. While the main Common Application essay is certainly important, it is common - youre submitting that same essay for every school that uses the Common Application. The supplemental essays address specific issues of interest to the specific college. If you fail to follow the best practices for these short essays, you will likely fail to convince the college that your interest is sincere. Work hard to avoid common short answer mistakes. For another example of a good short answer, Christie does a good job in her essay on her love of running. Dougs essay on a business he started, on the other hand, strikes the wrong tone and could end up hurting his application.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Caperucita Roja‘Little Red Riding Hood’ in Spanish

Caperucita Roja‘Little Red Riding Hood’ in Spanish Here is a public-domain version of Caperucita Roja, a Spanish version of the fairy tale known in the English-speaking world Little Red Riding Hood. Grammar and vocabulary notes follow for the aid of Spanish students. Caperucita Roja Habà ­a una vez una nià ±a muy bonita. Su madre le habà ­a hecho una capa roja y la muchachita la llevaba tan a menudo que todo el mundo la llamaba Caperucita Roja. Un dà ­a, su madre le pidià ³ que llevase unos pasteles a su abuela que vivà ­a al otro lado del bosque, recomendndole que no se entretuviese por el camino, pues cruzar el bosque era muy peligroso, ya que siempre andaba acechando por allà ­ el lobo. Caperucita Roja recogià ³ la cesta con los pasteles y se puso en camino. La nià ±a tenà ­a que atravesar el bosque para llegar a casa de la abuelita, pero no le daba miedo porque allà ­ siempre se encontraba con muchos amigos: los pjaros, las ardillas listadas, los ciervos. De repente vio al lobo, que era enorme, delante de ella. -  ¿Adà ³nde vas, nià ±a bonita? - le preguntà ³ el lobo con su voz ronca. - A casa de mi abuelita - le dijo Caperucita. - No est lejos - pensà ³ el lobo para sà ­, dndose media vuelta. Caperucita puso su cesta en la hierba y se entretuvo cogiendo flores: - El lobo se ha ido - pensà ³ - no tengo nada que temer. La abuela se pondr muy contenta cuando le lleve un hermoso ramo de flores adems de los pasteles. Mientras tanto, el lobo se fue a casa de la abuelita, llamà ³ suavemente a la puerta y la anciana le abrià ³ pensando que era Caperucita. Un cazador que pasaba por allà ­ habà ­a observado la llegada del lobo. El lobo devorà ³ a la abuelita y se puso el gorro rosa de la desdichada, se metià ³ en la cama y cerrà ³ los ojos. No tuvo que esperar mucho, pues Caperucita Roja llegà ³ enseguida, toda contenta. La nià ±a se acercà ³ a la cama y vio que su abuela estaba muy cambiada. - Abuelita, abuelita,  ¡quà © ojos ms grandes tienes! - Son para verte mejor- dijo el lobo tratando de imitar la voz de la abuela. - Abuelita, abuelita,  ¡quà © orejas ms grandes tienes! - Son para oà ­rte mejor - siguià ³ diciendo el lobo. - Abuelita, abuelita,  ¡quà © dientes ms grandes tienes! - Son para...  ¡comerte mejor! - y diciendo esto, el lobo malvado se abalanzà ³ sobre la nià ±ita y la devorà ³, lo mismo que habà ­a hecho con la abuelita. Mientras tanto, el cazador se habà ­a quedado preocupado y creyendo adivinar las malas intenciones del lobo, decidià ³ echar un vistazo a ver si todo iba bien en la casa de la abuelita. Pidià ³ ayuda a un segador y los dos juntos llegaron al lugar. Vieron la puerta de la casa abierta y al lobo tumbado en la cama, dormido de tan harto que estaba. El cazador sacà ³ su cuchillo y rajà ³ el vientre del lobo. La abuelita y Caperucita estaban allà ­,  ¡vivas! Para castigar al lobo malo, el cazador le llenà ³ el vientre de piedras y luego lo volvià ³ a cerrar. Cuando el lobo despertà ³ de su pesado sueà ±o, sintià ³ muchà ­sima sed y se dirigià ³ a una charca prà ³xima para beber. Como las piedras pesaban mucho, cayà ³ en la charca de cabeza y se ahogà ³. En cuanto a Caperucita y su abuela, no sufrieron ms que un gran susto, pero Caperucita Roja habà ­a aprendido la leccià ³n. Prometià ³ a su abuelita no hablar con ningà ºn desconocido que se encontrara en el camino. De ahora en adelante, seguir las juiciosas recomendaciones de su abuelita y de su mam. Grammar Notes Habà ­a una vez is a common way of saying once upon a time. Its literal meaning is there was a time. Habà ­a is the imperfect tense of the very common hay, which means there is or there are. Muchachita is a diminutive form of muchacha, a word for girl. The diminutive is formed here using the suffix -ita. The diminutive form can indicate that the girl is small or can be used to indicate affection. Abuelita, a form of abuela or grandmother, is another diminutive found in this story. In that case, it is probably being used as a term of affection rather than referring to her size. The name of the story itself is another diminiutive; a caperuza is a hood. The dashes beginning in the fifth paragraph function as type of quotation mark. Words such as verte, oà ­rte, and comerte wont be found in dictionaries, because they are infinitives joined with the object pronoun te. Such pronouns can either be attached to infinitives or be placed before them. Such pronouns can also be attached to gerunds, as in dndose. The opposite of a diminutive is an augmentative, and an example here is muchà ­simo, derived from mucho. Vocabulary Definitions in this list are not complete; they are designed to give primarily the meanings of these words as they are used in the story. abalanzarse sobre- to fall on top ofabuela- grandmotheracechar- to stalkahogar- to drownde ahora en adelante- from now onanciano- old personardilla listada- chipmunkatravesar- to go acrossbosque- forestde cabeza- head firstcambiar- to change capa- cape castigar- to punishcazador- huntercesta- basketcharca- pondciervo- deercuchillo- knifeen cuanto a- with regard todar media vuelta- to turn halfway arounddesdichado- unfortunatedespertar- to wake updevorar- to devourdirigirse a- to head towardechar un vistazo- to check things outenseguida- very soonentretener- to get sidetrackedgorro- bonnetharto- full of foodjuicioso- sensiblejunto- togetherllenar- to filllobo- wolfmalvado- wickeda menudo- frequentlymeterse- to entermientras tanto- meanwhileoreja- earpesar- to have weightpiedra- rockprometer- to promiseprà ³ximo- nearbyrajar- to slice openramo- bouquetde repente- at onceronco- hoarsesacar- to take outsed- thirstsegador- harvesterseguir- to follow, to continuesuave- softsusto- frighttratar de- to try totumbado- lying downvientre - belly

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Reflection on Miscue Analysis and Retrospective Miscue Analysis and Essay

Reflection on Miscue Analysis and Retrospective Miscue Analysis and Assessment and Evaluation of Reading and Writing Courses - Essay Example Learning about the different forms of assessments have affected both my teaching and my learning drastically. Instead of looking for errors, I learned to always focus on my student's strengths when assessing his/her reading and writing as it helps determine their week points and point where evaluation or support is required. The course has provided different learning opportunities to support this development. Being that reading and writing are language and thinking processes, LYST 240 has shown the importance for me as a teacher to have patience while I document change and assess the literacy growth of our students. Patience is important as it takes quite some time to develop a child through language and literacy process. I need to give my students time to adjust to ideas, experiment with them, explore with them, take risks, make mistakes, solve reading and writing problems, and make discoveries. LYST 240 has guided and encouraged me to critically examine the constructs of assessments and evaluation in terms of social contexts. I have two resources that I consider critical for my learning in this course. First, is Denny Taylor's Learning Denied (date). This book has helped me to really think about the ramifications of testing practices, their effects on the students and labeling them. The second is in the LYST 200a. Our students, like the apprentice wood crafters, spend most of their days with us. They are watching and carving and learning from our examples. The priests are like the teachers and school administrators who carry out the testing.LYST 240 has given me the opportunity to articulate my ideas and understandings, uncover assumptions and negotiate with others in class both in small and whole group discussions, which were both engaging and challenging. Okay, there's a lot in this sentence that needs to be developed. What are your ideas and understandings about assessment and evaluation What assumptions did you uncover And I want to know how the discussions were both engaging and challenging.Â