The Culture Of A Chinese Culture - 1410 Words

Chinese companies belongs to the family corporate culture type, it has a person oriented culture. The ethnics of the person are more important than the task he or she takes. The leader makes decision and dominates. Malagasy culture is more based on laws and regulations. A Chinese values survey is developed by Hofstede and Bond(1980) to explore cultural values in 22 Asian and western countries from the Chinese social values. In this survey, Confucian dynamism which refer to the acceptance of legitimacy of hierarchy and valuing of perseverance and thrift, all without undue emphasis on tradition and social obligations which could impede business initiative (Franke, Hostede and Bond 1991, p.167 quoted in Lin Ho 2009). It is found out to boost the performance of national economics. Confucianism is one of the foundation of Chinese culture, which shape the way of competing and managing human resource (Lin Ho 2009). This human oriented theory, can be applied to the management of business o rganizations and human resource management. This character is also valued in Malagasy culture. These characters are important for a healthy business environment although they may take on a different form. Due to the effect of China s long-term planned economy and traditional culture, managers advocate, moralize, emphasize the process from cultivation oneself to pacify others, pursue stability and fear change, don t take risk, thus it hard for them to catch unanticipated opportunities ,Show MoreRelatedChinese Culture1223 Words   |  5 PagesSocialization ------ American Born Chinese Children under Chinese Culture According to the American Heritage Dictionary, socialization is the process of learning interpersonal and interactional skills that are in conformity with the values of one s society (American Heritage). It is a process of learning culture. During socialization, children will acquire attitudes, norms, values, behaviors, personalities, etc. within agencies of socialization, which were described as Agencies of socializationRead MoreChinese Culture1798 Words   |  8 PagesDara Murphy 112519063 Chinese Culture Essay: There are many different aspects to Chinese culture that make it so broad and interesting. I will be focusing mainly on the more modern features to the culture and how it has changed from the traditional culture. Chinese culture is one of the oldest cultures out there today. I personally find the culture as a whole very interesting and intriguing and I extremely enjoyed learning about the ancient culture that is still ever so prominent todayRead MoreChinese Culture and Communication: Chinese Culture and Communication1594 Words   |  7 Pagescontinuous movement all over the world of people from varying countries and cultures has lead to an increase of cross-cultural communication. Australia is quickly developing into a multicultural nation attracting tourists from a vast range of countries. As a result, it is has become more important for people in Australia to be culturally sensitive and aware in order to successfully interact with these visitors of different cultures. These inter actions are especially important in international airportsRead MoreChinese Culture2090 Words   |  9 PagesMainland China is rooted in more than 4,000 years of rich Chinese cultures and history.   Its known for their lives, travel, history, business and food, their people and customs.   Traditional Kung Fu is as much of the culture of china according to statistics. The Chinese people have shared a common culture longer than any other groups on earth.   China is one of the cradles of the human race.   For thousands of years the culture of china has attract and moved many people from all over the world, beingRead MoreChinese Culture And Value Culture2167 Words   |  9 Pagesin the country. In order to adjust in the Chinese market, international banks have customized their policies and lending criteria and the government has also restructured their banking policies and information technology services. Before setting up an international business, various factors should be c onsidered like finding the perfect strategic fit which should also be in line with the Chinese culture and value culture. QUESTION 1: ANALYSIS OF CHINESE BANKING INDUSTRY As given in the case, China’sRead MoreThe Chinese Culture And Chinese Values1489 Words   |  6 PagesBritain’s ignorance towards Chinese culture and discrepancies between Chinese and Western values. Reflected in Lord Macartney’s account of his first meeting with Emperor Qianlong in 1792, the source highlights Britain’s belief of how they had taken the right steps to impress the Emperor to begin establishing stronger trade relations with China. However, Britain were ignorant of the negative attitudes towards traders in the Chinese culture and China’s inferior view of non-Chinese nations. Therefore, althoughRead MoreChinese Culture2349 Words   |  10 Pagesboost China’s industry and therefore her economy. Influenced by the Russian engineers, and also by the success of Stalin’s Five Year Plans, â€Å"China introduced her own Five Year Plan in 1953.†(Britannica) Mao had toured China and concluded that the Chinese people were capable of anything and the two primary tasks that he felt they should target was industry and agriculture. Mao announced a second Five Year Plan to last from 1958 to 1963. This plan was called the Great Leap Forward. The Great Leap ForwardRead MoreA Report On Chinese Culture986 Words   |  4 PagesIn Chinese culture it is considered an embarrassing to not know an answer or to not have the information needed. Students told me that ‘saving face’ was so important in Chinese culture no matter what the job or assignment is. One student provided me with an example when she had studied abroad; she said that when she asked for a specific shirt at a retail store the owner did not have it, but that the owner was too ashamed to tell her so they stayed in the back until she left. It was not uncommon toRead MoreGlobalization: Chinese Culture1745 Words   |  7 Pagesargue that globalization has made some cultures perish. Do you think globalization will have the same effect on Chinese culture? Does globalization have a positive or negative effect on Chinese culture? Why? Generally speaking, what are the advantages and disadvantages of globalization? |The development of globalization has changed the whole world in every aspect. Not only does it |å… ¨Ã§ Æ'Ã¥Å'â€"çš„å â€˜Ã¥ ±â€¢Ã¥Å" ¨Ã¥ â€žÃ¤ ¸ ªÃ¦â€" ¹Ã©  ¢Ã©Æ' ½Ã¥ · ²Ã§ » Ã¦â€ ¹Ã¥ ËœÃ¤ ºâ€ Ã¦â€¢ ´Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¤ ¸â€"ç•Å'。å ®Æ'ä ¸ Ã¤ »â€¦Ã¥ ½ ±Ã¥â€œ Ã§ » Ã¦ µÅ½Ã¥â€™Å'| |effect the economy and politics, but the culture of different countries. During the processRead More Chinese Culture Essay1208 Words   |  5 Pages Socialization ------ American Born Chinese Children under Chinese Culture According to the American Heritage Dictionary, socialization is â€Å"the process of learning interpersonal and interactional skills that are in conformity with the values of ones society† (American Heritage). It is a process of learning culture. During socialization, children will acquire attitudes, norms, values, behaviors, personalities, etc. within agencies of socialization, which were described as â€Å"Agencies of socialization

Symbol of Forest in Literature - 2639 Words

Symbols of Forest in Literary Imagination :- Ph.Sanamacha Sharma Introduction: Forest implies an spot filled with trees. Without trees, a place cannot be called forest. But to understand a forest, we cannot talk only of the trees, then it would be like discussing a leaf singly by forgetting the whole complexity of the tree. Our talk of forest cannot be complete if we do not speak of the birds, animals and insects and other organisms living in it, the soil and the rocks, the ponds and the rivers running through it, the grasses and colourful flowers growing there and man living with it, in it, as a part and as a dependent. Accordingly, deliberation on forest means touching Nature itself in totality, as something separate yet inseparable†¦show more content†¦He shows that if one emotionally nourishes anger inside oneself, it will grow up with the possibility of doing harm to oneself or other. The poet tells us about a person telling of his anger toward a friend and a foe with different response and reaction from both of them. When he expresses his anger to his friend, he finds relief. But if he doesn’t tell his foe about his anger, it simply feed his fury and it grows inside him like a poison tree. A symbol may appear in a work of literature in a number of different ways to suggest a number of different things. Chevalier and Gheerbrant (1996) state that most commonly, a symbol will present itself in the form of (1) a word, (2) a figure of speech, (3) an event, (4) the total action, or (5) a character. They give conventional symbols of some of the trees as follow: 1. Apple: temptation, loss of innocence 2. Chestnut: foresight 3. Oak: strength, wisdom 4. Pear: blossoming, fleeting nature of life 5. Poplar: linked to the underworld, to pain, sacrifice, and grief, a funeral tree, symbolizes the regressive powers of nature 6. Sycamore: a sign of vanity and to climb it is to thrust in vain things 7. Pine: symbol of immortality because of its evergreen foliage. Man as nature poet As a reaction or response toShow MoreRelatedAllegory and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†1203 Words   |  5 Pages(Stearns 181). Throughout the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Hawthorne tries to infuse as many symbols and allegories as he can to enhance the overall meaning of his story. He uses the village, Goodman Brown, Faith, the man in the forest, and the time spent in the forest as either a symbol or an allegory to get his point across that Puritans are not always what they seem to be. One of the first symbols that Hawthorne uses in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is the village in which the story takes place, SalemRead MoreEssay about Symbols of a Worn Path679 Words   |  3 PagesSymbols of A Worn Path Mitchell Davis Freshmen Comp Critical Literature-Based Essay Friday, March 12, 2009 Symbols of A Worn Path Phoenix Jackson; an old negro woman that partakes on a journey to take medicine to her sick nephew that is off in another town. Phoenix is old and through the story there are many accounts that I think are symbolic to being of age. Being one with nature Phoenix Jackson is determined to travel through the forest to tend to her sick nephew. The story itselfRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown Analysis876 Words   |  4 Pagesstory is Faith, the forest that Goodman Brown takes his journey through, and the staff, which the old man who leads Goodman Brown on his way carries. The short story, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† uses several symbols such as: Faith, the forest, and the staff to contribute significantly to the allegory. Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith, not only represents Goodman Brown’s wife but also his religious faith. This dual purpose of Faith only makes it harder for Goodman Brown to enter the forest and leave Faith behindRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Writing Style864 Words   |  4 Pageshim when he wrote and publish his first novel in 1828. However, in writing more stories, Hawthorne developed his own writing style based off his own beliefs. Although, his style was an outdated literary technique, it helped revolutionize modern literature by applying psychology and human nature in stories to invoke emotional quality within a story. In addition, confrontation was another part that defines Hawthorne’s writing style. At the time Hawthorne wrote his stories, printing technology wasRead MoreEssay on Importance of Symbols in â€Å"the Thing in the Forest†1390 Words   |  6 PagesImportance of Symbols in â€Å"The Thing in the Forest† In many fairytales, we are given characters who set out on an adventure to better themselves whether they know that they are on one or not. In A.S. Byatt’s â€Å"The Thing in the Forest† we are taken on such an adventure, but this is more than just a children’s fairytale. Through figurative language we are shown that the main characters, Penny and Primrose, are dealing with more than just a creature in the forest, and that with this use of symbols as a wayRead More Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter1157 Words   |  5 PagesSymbols in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚   In nearly every work of literature, readers can find symbols that represent feelings, thoughts or ideas within the text.   Such symbols can be found in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.   Hawthornes book about an affair between a woman named Hester and a minister named Arthur Dimmmesdale is full of feelings of sin, guilt, hate, secrecy, and honesty.   There are many symbols within the novel that can be interpreted to represent the key topicsRead MoreEssay Imagery And Symbolism in William Blake’s The Tyger693 Words   |  3 PagesTyger! burning bright In the forests of the night,† The reader conceives in their mind the image of a tiger with a coat blazing like fire in the bowels of a dark forest. This creates a negative impression of the tiger, so some might say that the tiger is symbolic of evil. Some people may go even further to conclude that the tiger is a symbol of Satan. Perhaps mainly the people who derive their interpretation of he ll from Dante’s Inferno, or other works of literature that portray the devil as a predatorRead More Poe’s The Black Cat and Hawthorn’s Young Goodman Brown Essay672 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Puritans’ consciousness and the hidden wickedness of their nature. He takes a naà ¯ve Puritan man and takes him on a journey into the dark forest to meet an old man whom we presume, is the devil. As the naà ¯ve Puritan embarks on his journey, his wife Faith kisses him good bye. The Puritan has an overwhelming feeling of guilt as he is entering the forest to meet with the Devil. He realized what he is doing was forbidden and none of his forefathers or fellow Puritans would ever commit such a sinRead MoreSymbolism Of Forest And The Scarlet Letter1051 Words   |  5 Pagesappear when she is in the forest, making it a very critical locality in the book. Nathaniel Hawthorne brilliantly uses symbolism to convey how the three main aspects of the forest—the stream, t he logs, and the sunshine— all correlate to the Scarlet A that Hester wears on her chest. In the beginning of the novel, the scarlet letter is seen as a symbol of Hester great sin of adultery and the child she has thence bared. Hester has always seen the scarlet letter as a shameful symbol of her sins she has madeRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1026 Words   |  5 PagesIn the spring of 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne published what could be considered the astounding literary works of the Romantic Period of literature. The Scarlet Letter was set in 17th century Boston where most of the population was of firm Puritan faith. Hawthorne used great symbolism in his novel to convey a message of guilt, sin, and judgment. The symbols used most profoundly by Hawthorne are the various settings of the book, Hester’s daughter, Pearl, and lastly, the ever important scarlet letter

Transformational Learning Essay Sample free essay sample

Transformational acquisition is the procedure of set uping alteration in a frame of mentions. There are four phases of the transformational acquisition procedure. The first phase is acknowledging a important job. Until the single recognizes he/she has a job. there is small to no opportunity the job will be resolved. The 2nd phase is facing the job intensely. This phase takes a individual through the possible grounds why the job exists. It may necessitate larning about the job and effectual solutions. The following phase is happening a solution to the job. Puting aims and placing schemes based on this procedure helps the individual know where he/she is traveling and how long the transmutation will take. The concluding phase of the procedure is incorporating a new position and a new set of premises into your life form. When an person has formed and implemented his/her program for new penetrations and accomplishments to utilize or incorporate for other life state of affairss and jobs. We will write a custom essay sample on Transformational Learning Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page they will hold the ability to face life jobs more efficaciously. I recognized that I had a job in my life late. I realized I don’t have a college grade. I decided there is no manner to back up my household without a grade. I confronted my job intensely. and came to the decision that I need more instruction. I found the solution for my job to be really simple. I have applied my solution by inscribing in an online larning environment to better my instruction. This may sound easy. but I found that I need a support system if I am to win. I’m thankful that I have many people willing to assist me use my solution into my mundane activities. There are seven stages during a transformational acquisition rhythm. I feel that I haven’t experienced a disorienting quandary. I have gone through the self-examination stage. I have found out information about myself that I did non cognize. The following stage is critical appraisal of premises. I have made premises in my life and have now assessed them to break my life.

Roman Empire Essay free essay sample

Empire was one of the greatest and longest lasting empires to date, but by A. D. 476 the empire was divided in two and its downfall was inevitable. There are many reasons for the downfall of the Western Roman Empire, some political some economical, but the four biggest factors were religion, war, size, and the decline of the Military. The problems that brought about the downfall of the Western Roman Empire were not unsolvable, but the leaders lacked the will and organization to fix them and the people lacked faith in government and stopped participating in the community. If the Roman people and leaders had just stuck with their traditional values and not let themselves become corrupted, than their empire may have even lasted until today. Major problems that caused the downfall of the Western Roman Empire include religion, war, size, and the decline of the military. Christianity is one of the major factors because it weakened the bonds that had held the Empire together and caused a major internal conflict. We will write a custom essay sample on Roman Empire Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The clergy successfully preached the doctrine of patience which discouraged the active virtues of society and destroyed the last remains of military spirit. Christianity was the cause of many revolts and revolutions against the government which made matters worse. By persecuting the Christians the Romans caused many people to sympathize with the Christians and even join them. War was another major cause of the downfall of Rome. The Military was a huge strong point of the Empire for most of its existence, but when generals began training armies of their own for personal use it was the beginning of the end. When that happened soldiers were solely in it for the money. The system worked for a long time, but eventually Romes enemies began offering the soldiers higher pay thus simply buying most of Romes army. A major military failure that contributed to Romes downfall was the defeat and slaughter of Varus and his three legions under the rule of Augustus Octavian by Germanic tribes led by Arminius in the battle of Teutoburg Forest. This defeat not only greatly weakened the Roman army, but also proved that the Romans were not unbeatable as many people earlier thought and lowered the morale of the Romans. The fall of Rome is very ironic because the very reason for its rise as a powerful Empire was also a major factor in its downfall, its size. Rome’s growth was mostly a result of getting new slaves soldiers and taxes for every new nation which they conquered. Unfortunately, this is a very unsustainable way to maintain a dominant empire because eventually the expansion and conquering stop, whether from political, economic, or military reasons. When it does so, the main sources of income and resources needed to run the existing empire diminish. Eventually Rome was no longer able to sustain its outer provinces which were on relief because the old Roman virtues of self-reliance and initiative in that region were lost. Those weakened provinces, once captured by the barbarians, began attacking the Empire from within. The decline of the military caused the most harm to the empire in the end. Most of Romes money went into maintenance of the military. The expense led to heavy taxation causing tenants to flee from their farms and businessmen and workmen from their occupations. Private enterprise was crushed and in order to keep the machine running the government was forced to take over many kinds of businesses. Once the military declined and was bought off there was no one to keep the peace in the empire and worse still no one to defend it. Eventually the Roman Empire was attacked from all sides by many different cultures. By the Huns from the East, the Vandals from the North, the Visigoths from the West, and finally from the South by the Anglo-Saxons which attacked Rome directly. Some other more minor fac tors in the downfall of Rome included political problems and economical problems. One political reason is the fact that the majority of the population of the Roman Empire was systematically excluded from political responsibilities, was unable to organize to protect themselves, and could not serve in the army. This revoking of rights caused the population which were mostly serfs bound to the soil and small urban groups whose cities were declining to think that the old civilization was not worth saving. One economical reason for the downfall of the Western Roman empire was that the government unintentionally crushed private enterprise causing the government to take such far-reaching responsibility in affairs that the fiber of citizens weakened. The collapse of the Roman Empire was a calamity. it led to the Dark Ages. The effect of this was the destruction of art, the collapse of great cities, the deterioration of the system of roads, the ruin of the Mediterranean trade, and the loss of European unity. Its difficult to imagine any good came from the collapse of Rome, but some good did result. The breakup of the empire led to the abolition of slavery in Europe. Of course, this in turn led to more poverty and the increase of large estates because the poor people lost their land to the aristocrats. But the slaves were better off as peasants than as slaves. There were many causes for the fall of the Roman Empire. Some were the rise of Christianity, the fall of the army, the large population of slaves and the size of the empire. Because of all these reasons and many more, Rome couldn’t survive which lead to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman empire survived though transformed into the Byzantine Empire.

The Silence of Cellphone essays

The Silence of Cellphone essays During the recent decade our society underwent many different changes. It became more advanced in different types of fields. The cellular telephone is now engrained in our everyday lives as useful and convenient tool. However, society debates whether the use of the cellphones should be controlled and should cellphone silencers be used. The answer is no. Cellphone silencers should not be legalized by the federal government because their use will cause denial of rights of freedom, unnecessary expenses as well as unanswered emergency calls. But what is a cellular phone silencer? It is a device, also known as "Radio jamming device", that sends out an electronic signal to disable a phone from ringing. The jammers are illegal in Canada, except for use by law-enforcement and public-safety officials, but might be popular for operators of restaurants, theatres and other large public-gathering places. However, widespread marketing of this technology will be dangerous and an infringement on citizen's needs and abilities to communicate in sometimes very critical situations. Cellphones have become vital tools in today's world and blocking them in public places will result in a gross violation of personal freedom. Their use has become such an important part of urban citizens' daily lives that it will have a huge impact on the society if cellphones are banned from public places where they are not threatening the well being of others. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that we have the right to freedom of expression wherever we please. By legalizing silencers, we are limiting this right of freedom to choose and communicate. The cellphone allows people to have some degree of independence to leave home and still be assured to receive "the call". However, it should not be used as a tool to control and limit the freedom and right of Canadians. In other words, the implantation of silencers will, in ...

Overview of Cnidarians

Overview of Cnidarians A cnidarian is an  invertebrate  in the Phylum Cnidaria. This phylum includes  corals, sea anemones, sea jellies (jellyfish), sea pens, and hydras. Pronunciation: Nid-air-ee-an Also Known As: Coelenterate, Coelenterata Characteristics of Cnidarians Cnidarians  exhibit radial symmetry, which means their body parts are arranged symmetrically around a central axis. So, if you drew a line from any point at the edge of a cnidarian through the center and to the other side, youd have two roughly equal halves. Cnidarians also have tentacles. These tentacles have  stinging structures called cnidocytes, which bear  nematocysts.  Cnidarians got their name from these stinging structures.  The word cnidarian comes from the Greek word  knide  (nettle).   The presence of nematocysts is a key feature of cnidarians. Cnidarians can use their tentacles for defense or for capturing prey.   Although they can sting, not all cnidarians pose a threat to humans. Some, like the box jellyfish, have very potent toxins in their tentacles, but others, like moon jellies, have toxins that dont have enough power to sting us. Cnidarians have two body layers called the epidermis and gastrodermis. Sandwiched in between is a jelly-like substance called  mesoglea. Examples of Cnidarians   As a large group comprised of thousands of species, cnidarians can be pretty diverse in their form. Overall, though, they have two main body plans: polypoid, in which the mouth faces up (e.g., anemones) and medusoid, in which the mouth faces down (e.g., jellyfish). Cnidarians may go through stages in their life cycle in which they experience each of these body plans. There are several major groups of cnidarians: Anthozoa:  sea anemones, sea pens, and corals. These animals have a  polypoid body plan and attach to a substrate, such as other animals, rocks or algae.Hydrozoa:  hydrozoans, also known as hydromedusae or hydroids. These organisms alternate between polyp and medusa stages and are usually colonial organisms. Siphonophores, which include Portuguese man-of-war and by-the-wind sailors, are examples of animals in the Class Hydrozoa. Most cnidarians are marine organisms, but there are some hydrozoan species that live in fresh water.Scyphozoa or Scyphomedusae:  true jellyfish  are in the Class Scyphozoa. These animals are known for their bell shape with dangling oral arms. Some jellyfish have tentacles also. The lions mane jellyfish is the largest species, with tentacles that may stretch more than 100 feet.Cubozoa:  box jellyfish. These animals have a cube-shaped bell, with tentacles dangling from each corner. The sea wasp, a type of box jellyfish, is said to be the most venomo us marine animal.Staurozoa: stalked jellyfish or Stauromedusae.  These strange-looking, trumpet-shaped animals arent free-swimming like regular jellyfish.  Instead, they attach to rocks or seaweed and are typically found in cold water. Myxozoa:  Ã‚  parasitic microorganisms that evolved from jellyfish  There has been debate over the years over where these animals should be classified - the latest research places them in the Cnidaria phylum, and an important piece of evidence is that these creatures have nematocysts.  Myxozoa species can affect fish, worms, amphibians, reptiles, and even mammals. One economic impact is that they can affect farmed fish such as salmon. Smallest and Largest Cnidarians The smallest cnidarian is a hydra with the scientific name  Psammohydra nanna. This animal is less than half a millimeter in size.   The largest non-colonial cnidarian is the lions mane jellyfish. As mentioned above, the tentacles are thought to stretch more than 100 feet. The bell of this jellyfish can be over 8 feet across. Of colonial cnidarians, the longest is the giant siphonophore, which can grow to over 130 feet. Sources de Lazaro, E. 2015. Myxozoans: Widespread Parasites Are Actually Micro Jellyfish. Sci-News.com. Accessed February 27, 2016.Ocean Portal. Jellyfish and Comb Jellies. Accessed February 27, 2016.  Sadava, D.E., Hillis, D.M., Heller, H.C. and M. Berenbaum. 2009. Life: The Science of Biology, Volume 2. Macmillan.University of California Museum of Paleontology. Introduction to the Hydrozoa. Accessed February 27, 2016.WoRMS. 2015. Myxozoa. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species. February 27, 2016.

Nurses Using Critical Thinking to Implement Patient Care Essay

Nurses Using Critical Thinking to Implement Patient Care - Essay Example As the patient is acutely ill, assessment and interventions should proceed simultaneously. Assessment is done by history taking, physical examination and investigations. History taking should include the duration for which the symptoms have been present, the course of illness, associate symptoms such as cough, any obvious or clear triggering event, history of smoking and drug abuse in the recent past, history of significant weight loss and any significant past medical or surgical history. As the patient is having difficulty in speaking due to shortness of breath, history should be taken from the accompanying family member .The clinical record of the previous day should be reviewed which may contain the history given by the patient. Obtaining the history is important to arrive at the etiology. So far as physical examination is concerned, patient’s vital parameters are recorded and continuously monitored. As patient is hyperpyrexic, hourly temperature recording should be done. S igns of respiratory distress namely tachypnea, use of accessory muscles of respiration, wheezing and findings on chest auscultation are documented (Prigmore 50). General physical examination includes examination for skin rash and color, needle marks, lymphadenopathy, icterus and diaphoresis. Cardiovascular assessment evaluates blood pressure, heart rate, rhythm, pulse volume status and cardiac murmur, if any. The rationale behind all these assessments is to localize the site of infection, determine the cause of fever and to monitor the respiratory function and progress of the disease. Hydration status of patient should be assessed as fever can lead to significant evaporative losses and dehydration. Consciousness level and status of the pupils is assessed. Any tests and investigations that have been done till now are reviewed. Patient’s socioeconomic, professional and family background should be briefly appraised. Nursing diagnosis Fever is generally indicative of an infective pathology. Also, the patient has coexisting respiratory distress with diaphoresis. Thus, differentials of the nursing diagnosis in this patient are an acute respiratory infection like community acquired pneumonia of bacterial, viral or fungal etiology (Prigmore 50). Sudden deterioration with fever, tachycardia and tachypnea suggest acute lung injury. A young patient having a severe illness should prompt a diagnosis of immunosuppresion such as AIDS. Thus, the patient may have HIV related pneumonia and septicemia (Kalikiri, Kandala, and Sachan). Patient’s occupation where he may have been acutely exposed to large amount of dust or noxious fumes could have caused pulmonary inflammation. Construction workers may be predisposed to fungal infections. Fever with sudden onset respiratory distress and diaphoresis can also be a feature of acute infective endocarditis leading to heart failure as a result of intra venous drug abuse (Cabell, Abrutyn, and Karchmer 185-187). Some drug over dosages can also cause hyperpyrexia with shortness of breath. Non cardiogenic pulmonary edema and pulmonary hemorrhage are known complications of heroine abuse (Gotway et al 120-122; Dettmeyer et al 87). Patient’s lifestyle warrants an evaluation for substance abuse. An unhealthy lifestyle in a young patient can also cause accelerated atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction which is however, unlikely in the absence

Article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article - Assignment Example a. Selection: Depending on the two classes chosen, the demographics of the school itself can greatly influence the outcome of the experiment due to goals. Both classes belonged to a small public secondary school. Depending on who the subjects are, the outcome could be seen as different. c. Mortality: The dropping out of subjects can lead to an overall attrition but should not have an impact on the internal validity of the experiment. As long as the control group is consistent within the rest of the experiment, people dropping out only lessons the subject amount and not the quality of the subjects. d. Regression: This has to do with aiming towards to average. The people with the lowest score aim to get a higher mark because they can only â€Å"get better†. Instead of looking at it from and â€Å"improvement† standpoint, it is important to view the subjects as making gradual strides to improve instead of an obvious jump. e. Testing: If you repeatedly test a student, this could easily lead to a bias that causes change within the experiment. Subjects may remember the correct answer from previous questions and therefore, they are not coming from an unbiased perspective but instead, using memory to help them get through. Also, sometimes too much testing does not give enough room for actual growth. f. Instrumentation: Depending on what instruments or manipulatives is used during the experiment, the outcome can be different. The Partial experiment is different from the full experiment due to its implementations. g. History: History can affect the outcome because students are affected every day by their environment and therefore, without the control of the variables, nothing is consistent. This can greatly affect the experiment as history changes perspective. The findings of the study are that the pupils involved in the â€Å"full experiment† and the partial experiment scored differently due to exposure of manipulatives and

Williams Presents Essay Example for Free

Williams Presents Essay Eddie and Mickey were born from the same mother Mrs. Johnston, but they have extremely different lives. They were identical twins; they look exactly the same. But Mrs. Lyons separated them and made them have a different life. From then on, one of them, Mickey stayed with Mrs. Johnston lives in a big, poor family and the other one who was taken by Mrs. Lyons became very rich and got everything. They have been in a different world because of many factors surrounding them to rich or poor from the moment they have been born. I think the most influential factors are the family they have got and the family classes different. The different kind and level of education they have got did also influence them much. Also, the religion of the family is one of the factors that affect the life of the child as well. Different thing has different amount of influence to Mickey and Eddies life. I am going to discuss the factors one by one. The social context is messy at the time between late 70s and early 80s that the play was set. It is called recession. Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister; she encouraged people to make lots of money. As a result, the rich people in middle or upper class can earn much money but the poor people in working class lost their jobs. Life is very hard for working class, as they get poorer without a job. Mickeys family is suffered from this social climate. His family is poor. Unlike Eddie, his family is in middle class, he is rich. They have a great contrast in their life because the classes are different. Marilyn Monroe is the social icon of the day at that time. She is very glamorous, rich and she represents a life of fantasy. Everyone wants to be her. We know that from the book on p. 14, Act 1, Scene 1, it said He told me I was sexier than Marilyn Monroe, which is about Mr. Johnston said her wife was sexier, lovelier than Marilyn Monroe. It shows the value of that time. But that is what totally different from Mickey. Mickey is poor; he dressed scruffy. He lives in council house and his family is working class. He does not have money to buy everything he wanted. But Eddie, he is rich, he has got new clothes, and he looks smart. He lives in private house and his family is middle class. They are exactly the same, but the way of living is really different with one of them is living in a rich environment and another lives in a poor world. This is how the classes different influence their life. The size and people in their family have also influenced them. Mickey has a big family with 7 brothers and sisters. The speech of the mother in p. 14, Act 1, Scene 1, told us about that. She said: Seven hungry mouths to feed and one more nearly due. Mickey is the youngest in the family; he has to fight for food and everything with the elder brothers and sisters. Therefore, he needs to grow up fast and look tough to protect himself in case of beaten up by others. He also wants to his elder brother Sammy because he wants to get older so he can do everything he loves. We can see how much he wants to be Sammy in the book on p. 30, Act 2, Scene 1, he has repeated the sentences I wish I was our Sammy. - for five times. He does everything Sammy did; however, Sammy was not a good example for Mickey to learn. So Mickey becomes a joker and streetwise since he has got influenced by his brother Sammy. The family of Eddie, we know that he is the only child in his rich family and they are in middle class. He lives with his mum only most of his life. We dont know much about Eddies father because the book does not mention about him much. Mrs., Lyons, Eddies mother, loves her son very much. She gives him a good shelter, gives him everything he wanted. This makes very weak and soft and he will not know the hardship of the working class since life is easy for him. Time ran through quick by dramatic devices in the book. We can see how much difference between Mickey and Eddie over a long period. At first, when they are born, they are not much different from each other in either class or education. But when they are at the age of 17, Mickey is dropped out from school and on the other side Eddie was going to University. Then, when they both go to work, Mickey loses his job and Eddie is the boss of a factory. The education level made them have such a big difference. Mickey is poor educated as he left school when he was 17. He was study in government school. Normally, there is nothing bad to study in government school. But compare to Eddie, Eddie was study in private school, he was well educated. He could use a dictionary at the age of seven while Mickey do not even know what a dictionary is. We knew that from the conversation between Mickey and Eddie. Eddie said, I shall look it up in a dictionary. from p. 33, Act 2, Scene 2. From the speech of the narrator at p. 56, Act 4, Scene 1, we know Mickey and Eddie are getting older as they are 18. This is the job of narrator to take us through time and speed things up. Eddies goes into a University straight after he left his college but at that time Mickey was already dropped out from the school and working in a factory. Then, Eddie got a job, which is the boss of the factory, straight after he finished his studying. By that time Eddie becomes really powerful and rich but the other one, Mickey, is just a worker in a factory! They are identical twins but we can see how education makes them go into a different life. Superstition is one of the influences. Mrs. Johnston is very superstitious as we can see from the several events from the book. On p. 18, Act 1, Scene 3, Mrs. Lyons put a pair of new shoes on the table then Mrs. Johnston saw it and tell her never do this. This is a superstition thinking that something had will happen to you, which you will never notice. This shows that Mrs. Johnston is superstitious. I believe that she believes in religion. And this makes Mickey kind of superstitious as well. He believes what blood brother is. On the other side, I dont think Mrs. Lyons has any religion at all. She does not respect Mrs. Johnston and always use the weakness of Mrs. Johnston, that she is superstitious, to coerce her into doing something. At first Eddie does not believe any superstition things but Mickey influences him. He admires Mickey and everything Mickey does. He likes Mickey and wants Mickey likes him as well. On p. 32, Act2 2, Scene 2, we know Eddie gives sweets to Mickey. This reflected he is eager to please. Eddie used to dont know much about colloquial until Mickey told him. He thought everything Mickey said was smashing. And he believes that what Mrs. Johnston told her on p. 35, Act 2, Scene 2, about bogeyman. This shows that he is nai ve and innocent. In conclusion, I can divide the influences on the lives of Mickey and Eddie in four main sections. The differences between Mickey and Eddie in the family, the social class they are, the education they have and the religion of the family. They are identical twins but they have got a very different life, I think it is because these things that I have mentioned before influenced them.

Rap And Censorship Essays -- essays research papers

The beginnings of rap are believed to based on African rhythms which were used as a form of communication by the native peoples. The lyrical component of rap music is thought to have been greatly influenced by Cab Calloway with his repetitive chants and scats, along with his call-and-response technique with the audience. Rap evolved and gained in popularity in the 1960's when a few revolutionary "DJ's," including Kool DJ Herc, DJ Lovebug Starski, and DJ Hollywood, began to work block parties in the Bronx. They would bring in large speakers, hook them up to a turntable and play two of the same record at the same time, repeating the same section of the vinyl over and over by scratching it. Other performers would chant and yell to the crowd. In 1979, music companies recorded rap for the first time. Such acts as The Sugar Hill Gang, The Fatback Band, and Grandmaster Flash were among the first to gain popularity. In 1982, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released the first popular politically based rap. Grandmaster's song "The Message" deals with life in the inner city, and the stress of being around violence and drugs. It included such lyrics as, "Junkies in the alley with a baseball bat, I tried to get away but I can't get far, cause the man with the touch-up repossessed my car, don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge†¦" The early popularity of rap was hindered by an inability to reach new audiences. After much controversy, MTV began to run videos by black artists. These artists were showcased primarily on the new program "Yo! MTV Raps". The rhythms and the lyrics attracted a spectrum of listeners, from inner-city minorities to suburban upper-class whites. During the same era, as rap was rising in popularity, the infamous "PMRC hearings" occurred. Tennessee senator Al Gore's wife, Tipper, led the PMRC, or Parents' Music Resource Center. This group, which included a number of other wives of Washington legislators, convinced Congress to hold hearings regarding the placement of warning labels on "offensive" albums. The National PTA also called for warning labels on violent, sexually explicit, or vulgar albums in their yearly address in 1984. During the Congressional hearings, several ideas were considered including warning labels, a ratings system, and singer... ...ould be able to access? Rap music and all other forms of media have their places in this world. While some may argue strongly about whether certain types of music are beneficial or even safe for society to witness, their arguments remain their personal opinions. The true fight for free speech lies not in fighting for the right to hear what you agree with, but in fighting for the freedom of those with whom you disagree. When you take away the public's right to voice a differing opinion, either through their music, their writing, or their art you strike at the very heart of freedom for which America is supposed to stand. References ACLU News. May 31, 1996. Online. Biafra, Jello. "If Evolution is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve". Alternative Tentacles Records. 1998. Massachusetts Music Industry Coalition Newsletter. Volume 1, Issue 2. February, 1997. MMICN. Volume 1, Issue 3. September, 1997. MTV News. September 2, 1998. Online. Rock Out Censorship. Online. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #4. August, 1983. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #7. December, 1983. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #118. September, 1994. Rock and Rap Confidential. Issue #130. January, 1996.

Embracing Readymades and the Notion of Living Forever Essay

It is a shared combination of works that is displayed throughout the museum, setting up conversation between the museum’s collection and Hirst’s contemporary art pieces. The relationship and connection between the works will give visitors a dialogue between the different works, engaging them in a conversation of art and science between the past, present and future. Hirst, one of the most celebrated contemporary artists, whose works propose a personal interpretation of past works, find their insight in science and their basis in art history. Relationships with life and death are being examined, and questions dealth to our cultural, artistic and philosophical ideals. * Works of Damien Hirst mirrored Marcel Duchamp’s idea of the ‘readymade’, that the concept is much more important than the outcome of the work itself, and that ordinary objects/subjects could be taken from everyday use and be used for art. Although Hirst’s works explores the themes of life and death, pathology and science, with the help of ‘readymade’ objects, his works arouse a sense of spiritual enlightenment in the spectator, along with the notion of living forever, which compliments with the centenary of the museum. * With that, I will firstly talk about the idea of the ‘readymades’, and how it is being used in the works that is being exhibited in Cornucopia. Next, I will be analyzing them, discussing the potential meaning behind the ‘readymades’ to my proposed theme of spirituality and the idea of living forever. Koons seduces and persuades the spectators with such works, and desire will ultimately be gone once the spectators looks at themselves and realize that they are desire itself. * * CONCLUSION * The use of ‘readymades’ to promote or provoke an idea, a thought, is what Damien Hirst seeks out to achieve in the exhibition, Cornucopia. As it was held in accordance to the Oceanographic Museum’s 100th anniversary, Hirst’s artworks seek out to question its visitors, what has changed and what remained. Only by constant questioning will we improve and move forward. A sense of spiritual attainment and the idea of living forever can be felt whne looking at Hirst’s works, it evades time and seems to be stuck in limbo, allowing us to reflect on ourselves and our morality. As I have compared, the works of artist Jeff Koons also seeks to enlighten the viewers with his version of the ‘readymades’. ‘Readymades’ is an excellent way to provoke thinking and spreading message as everyday objects are familiar to the general consensus and people could relate better to them, rather then traditional symbols of art.

Healthy Ways of Keeping Fit

There are a lot of ways to keep fit. The important thing is that you find an activity that you enjoy doing and that you stick with it. There is a variety of things you can do. You can run, walk, swim, bike, go hiking, do yoga, lots of different methods for keeping fit. Another enjoyable way is to go dancing. Dancing is a very good aerobic activity, requires physical liveliness and burns a lot of calories. The other thing that is significant is making sure that you follow a healthy diet. You want to make sure that you have enough energy to do these activities that you actually enjoy doing to keep your body fit.Therefore, following a healthy diet means ensuring that you eat when you are hungry, you stop eating when you are full, you include plenty of different types of fruits and vegatables, whole grains, things like brown rice, oatmeal millet, all those types of things are considered whole grains. You also want to include some type of lean protein whether that’s from legumes, b eans such as pinto beans, garbanzos, or seafood or lean cuts of meat or poultry without the skin. Any of those are sources of lean proteins that are very beneficial for your body.And again, that particular method of eating will make sure that you have the energy that you need to actually perform these different types of activities you enjoy doing. So when you find the activity you like, try to do it several times a week at least 4 to 5 times a week will really help improve your level of fitness. More than that can actually cause you to lose weight if you are trying to actually lose weight. As you see there are several different ways of keeping feet. It can be any type of physical activity that you enjoy doing.

Greeks essays

Greeks essays The Greeks settled around the Greek peninsula and the islands in the Aegean Sea. They also went to areas located in India. Through the International system, city-states are formed sovereign within themselves. With the Greeks, there was a conglomeration of city-states that had external pressures by the Persians. The Persians were trying to overcome the territory of the Ionian Islands, Thrace and Macedon. With the Greek structure, they formed a military alliance to try to block out the pressures of the boarding states. Athens and Sparta were in charge of the alliance. Larger city-states brought a change to polar international system. They were now controlling the smaller city-states by weakening their boundaries and boycotting by Athens on trade. Wars began to break out between the city-states and Greece became a bipolar power. The intensity of the city-states was ranked by their military and commercial power. Since Athens and Sparta were powerful in these areas, they came to Athens because of better trade and they liked the Athenian laws. Sparta, on the other hand, used military force to gain their territory. War became a constant reality between the city-states. The battle between trade and religion seemed the most outstanding. The city-states interacted through the trading of goods and military supplies. The government could use trade to make pressures on other city-states by boycotting. No one could do any free trading without Athens consent. In the religious aspect, every state had their own religious symbol, which led to conflict and violence. Other irrational means of interaction had to be discovered. As a behavior of norms, diplomacy was used as a source of negotiation between city-states, instead of going to war. War caused massive destruction, cost a lot of money, and claimed many lives. The ambassador would send a high, upstanding citizen to form friendship ...

25 to 32 Fast ACT Prep Study Plan in 10 Days

25 to 32 Fast ACT Prep Study Plan in 10 Days SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you need to raise your ACT score, ASAP? Do you want to make a huge score improvement, from good to amazing- from 25 to 32? It’s not easy, but you can take huge strides toward the ACT score of your dream in just 10 days.In this article, we show you how to pinpoint your weaknesses, create an effective study plan, and significantly raise your ACT score. Who Should Use This ACT Study Plan? Because this is only a 10-day plan, you'll have to commit to between two and five hours each day to see major improvements. Unfortunately, there's no substitute for putting in ample prep time, whether that’s an hour a day over five weeks, or a more concentrated plan like this one. If you do have more time before your test date, we highly recommend spending at least five weeks studying for the ACT. It’s easier to guarantee a score boost of 25 to 32 if you give yourself more time to practice. But if you want to improve your score quickly, or have already taken the ACT and want to improve your score before college apps are due, keep reading. This plan integrates a key component of all good study plans: focusing on your weaknesses. When time is of the essence, you need to make every hour count. How well you can do this will ultimately dictate how much you improve on the ACT. Now, let's take a look at the three steps you'll need to take to get your 10-day study plan started. Step 1: Take a Practice Test Your first step is to take an official, full-length ACT practice test. Even if you’ve taken the ACT before, you need to find out exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are before you begin studying. Remember to simulate actual test-taking conditions, including using a bubble sheet, and to follow official timing restrictions exactly. After you’ve taken the test, calculate your score out of 36 for each section to get your composite score (i.e., your total ACT score) and subscores. You can read our guide to learn more abouthow ACT scoring works. As you go over your answers, note where you lost the most points. For example, maybe your geometry subscore was super low but your other math subscores were good. Or maybe you lost points randomly, meaning you'll have to dig a little deeper to figure out which concepts you're struggling with. The ultimate goal is to pinpoint your weaknesses so that you can study the most effectively. Reviewing your mistakes is essential to formulating a solid prep plan. Your 10-day plan could look very different based on how you do on the practice test. Let's use three hypothetical students as examples: Student A, Student B, and Student C. Student A'sPractice Test Scores English: 23 Math: 25 Reading: 26 Science: 25 Composite: 25 Student A has work to do across the board to get her composite score up to 32. Although we'd recommend this student definitely devote some serious time to studying ACT grammar rules to raise her English score (her lowest section score), every single section score must see significant improvement for her to hit her goal score of 32. Student B's Practice Test Scores English: 30 Math: 24 Reading: 24 Science: 26 Composite: 26 Student B should spend the majority of the 10 days practicing Math, Reading, and Science. They can improve their English score by 2 points (up to a 32) by simply scoring 2 or 3 more raw points on that section- which shouldn’t require hours of extra studying. However, they'll need much bigger raw point gains for the other sections. Don't worry, Student B. By following this 10-day study plan, you'll be able to meet your ACT score goals! (Valerie (Vee) Bordeleau/Flickr) Student C's Practice Test Scores English: 30 Math: 20 Reading: 32 Science: 22 Composite: 26 Student C needs to make serious gains in Math and Sciencebut is already strong in English and Reading. He should focus his 10-day program on figuring out his content weaknesses in Math and Science, addressing them, and then drilling practice questions. He can also spend some time working to improve his English and Reading scores so as to lessen the burden on his presumed Math and Science score increases. Any additional composite point he can gain on English or Reading is one he doesn't have to earn on Math or Science. For example, he could aim for 34 on both English and Reading and 30 on both Math and Science and still get a composite score of 32. Step 2: Set Raw Score Goals for Each Section For this guide, we are assuming an ACT goal of a 32 composite score. But how many raw points (i.e., the number of questions you answer correctly) do you need to aim for to get this score? Here are the number of questions you'll need to get correct on each section: English: 70 out of 75 Math: 54 out of 60 Reading: 38 out of 40 Science: 38 out of 40 We added an extra raw point to these target scores compared with the ACT scoring charts, since the scaling can change slightly from test to test. If you can achieve all these raw scores, you will most likely get a 32 composite score. Remember, the ACT composite score is averaged, so you could get two 30s and two 34s and average out to 32 for all sections. You can use our scoring guide to set your own raw score goals if you have different section goals or a different composite score goal in mind. Note that at this level, you should be answering every question. Don’t just do 70 English problems and leave the rest blank. Answer every question with the goal of getting them all correct, so that if you do have some wrong answers, you can still get a total of 70 raw points. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. This way you get the most out of your study time and make the most improvements in the least time possible. You won't have to worry aboutwhatto study - just focus on learning. Check out our 5-day free trial: Step 3: Gather ACT Prep Materials The final step is to gather the ACT study materials you want to use throughout your study plan. For step-by-step guidance, we highly recommend our PrepScholar ACT program.We go through the process of identifying your weaknesses for you, giving you more time to focus on filling in content gaps and improving your score. If you’re going at it alone or just want more tools, though, here's what we recommend for your ACT prep: #1: ACT Prep Books Use our guide to the best ACT prep books on the market as a starting point for building your ACT prep book arsenal. These prep books contain practice problems, tests, and the content information you'll need to fix your weaknesses and get a 32 on the ACT. Definitely start by getting The Official ACT Prep Guide and the Black Book, plus subject-specific books if your performance on your practice test shows weaknesses in certain areas. For example, we'd recommend Student C from our example above get books specifically for Math and Science. #2: Test Accessories Pencils, erasers, a calculator, a watch- think of these as tools you need to do well on the ACT. It might seem trivial, but getting used to using a (ACT-approved) watch to time yourself can help you save time on the test. Plus, if you aren't used to telling time on a watch (as opposed to a cell phone), it's better that you get used to doing so before a high-stress situation like a standardized test. The same goes for your calculator: you want to make sure you're familiar with the calculator you'll be using on the ACT so you don't waste valuable time on test day fiddling around with it. Using non-mechanical pencils and erasers instead of pens on the test will get you into the right mindset for the test as well. If you're doing the ACT Essay, writing with a non-mechanical pencil is even more important because you need to get used to writing in pencil for long stretches rather than just for bubbling in answer choices. #3: Our Free Online ACT Resources We've got a lot of free ACT prep resources to offer you at PrepScholar. Our free eBookgives you a more in-depth guide to improving your ACT score and identifying and fixing your weaknesses. We also strongly recommend readingour article onhow to get a perfect 36 on the ACT, written by our resident perfect scorer; this guide will help put you in the right mindset for a 32 or higher. Even if you're not trying to get a 36, you'll need to use these principles to improve your ACT score, especially in such a short time frame. Finally, we've consolidated all of our writing on the ACT sections into ultimate prep guides. Whether you want general tips or specific strategies, these guides have them all. Learn the principles and get the tools you need to propel your composite score to a 32 with our complete study guides to ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, and ACT Science. If you plan to take the ACT with Writing, be sure to also check out our ultimate guide to theACT Essay. #4: Free and Official ACT Practice Tests Sitting down and taking realistic, full-length ACT practice tests is key to preparing for the ACT. Not only will it familiarize you with the test format, but it'll also help you pinpoint your weaknesses and work on them, as well as give you an idea of how your studying is going. Use our collection of free and official ACT practice teststo get started. General Advice as You Begin Studying for the ACT Before we go over our 10-day plan, here are some of our best tips for getting the most out of your ACT prep. Follow these to help you get the biggest score improvements in the least amount of time. #1: Always Guess There's no guessing penalty on the ACT, so even if you’re at the end of a section and have two questions left you can’t answer, it's best to just fill in random answers. You have a 20-25% chance of getting a question right, so take the shot! #2: Use the Process of Elimination Eliminating wrong answers is a good way to approach tough questions, and will increase your odds of getting points if you encounter a question you're not sure about and end up guessing on. Even though the right answer isn’t always obvious, it’s usually easy to spot at least one or two wrong answers,raising your odds of getting a question right to 33% or even 50%. #3: Don’t Get Stuck on Hard Questions A great strategy is to mark difficult questions and come back to them later. Timing is key on the ACT as you have less than a minute per question. This means thatif you waste five minutes on a hard question, you are losing the opportunity to work on five more questions, which can seriously tank your score. Seeour guide on ACT lengthfor more tips on pacing yourself. #4: Mark Questions You're Unsure About When practicing, don’t just correct multiple-choice questions and tally your score. Rather,star any questions you weren't sure about. That way, when you correct your answers, you can make sure to study that type of question and see why you struggled with it (even if you got it right). If you only focus on wrong answers, you could actually leave some content gaps unfilled. Remember, the goal isn't to study until you can get most of the answers right- it's to study until you're confident that you won't get any questions wrong. #5: Identify and Fix Weaknesses When correcting your answers to ACT practice questions, don't go over the answer explanations too quickly. You need to figure out why you got an answer wrong as well as how you can keep yourself from making this mistake again. Just drilling practice questions without understanding your true weaknesses won’t help you improve your score. We suggest taking notes on your mistakes in a notebook. This will help you keep track of your content weaknesses and guide your studying. #6: Don't Sweat the Essay The ACT Writing section, or Essay, does not affect your composite score.So if getting 32 is your main goal, don’t spend tons of time practicing for the Essay. You only have 10 days, and you'll need to use them wisely! While we recommend preparing for the Essay to an extent (I suggest reading our guide to writing the ACT Essay), don't waste precious hours practicing for this section when you still have big point improvements to make on other, more important sections. 10-Day ACT Study Plan Now that we've gotten the basics out of the way, here is a 10-day ACT prep plan you can use to go from 25 to 32. Again, be aware that this a very time-intensive plan.To truly benefit from it, you'll need to clear your schedule as much as you can and give yourself adequate time to study. Days 1-4: Fill In Content Gaps Time: 3-4 hours per day As you start studying, your first priority is to pinpoint topics you don’t know and learn them. You can’t expect to get 32 with major content weaknesses. Whether you struggle with interpreting scientific studies, solving plane geometry questions, or remembering grammar rules, your first step is to find out what you don’t know and then master it. Use your results from the practice test to determine what to focus on during these first four days. You should then use your prep program, books, and/or other study materials to concentrate on subject areas you're struggling with the most. On each day, focus on a single ACT section: English, Reading, Math, or Science. Take practice sections and use practice questions, but don’t worry about taking full practice exams just yet. For example, Student A above would devote one day each to all of the sections, whereas Student C should probably spend two days on Math and two days on Science. Suggested Time Breakdown 1-2 hours: Find weaknesses in the section. Use your prep books and online resources to fill in your content gaps. After you’ve learned the new content, quiz yourself on each individual weakness. For example, if you realized you always miss subject/verb agreement questions on the English section, first read up on subject/verb agreement and then do practice problems that quiz this topic specifically. 35 minutes-1 hour: Take a full section from a practice test, strictly timed. If pacing is an issue for you, experiment with doing a combination of untimed sections, time-and-a-half sections, and officially timed sections. 1 hour: Review mistakes from the practice test and make sure you understand them. Remember to take notes on your mistakes in your journal! Research additional content weaknesses if needed. Days 5-7: Take and Review Practice Tests Time: 4-5 hours per day During this time you'lltake a full practice test each day (excluding the Essay section at the end). Even if you have strong sections, like Student C above, do the practice anyway so you can identify any silly mistakes you tend to make and can ensure you'll do just as well on test day as you do in your practice. Consistency is key! As you test, star questions you're unsure of to make sure you revisit them while correcting, even if you end up getting them right. Spend time afterwardidentifying your mistakes and figuring out why you made them. Don’t just brush off an answer and say, â€Å"Oh, I forgot the Pythagorean theorem, so I guessed." Figure out why you couldn’t remember the formula and thenmake a plan so you can get similar questions right in the future. Also, revisit questions you starred even if you ultimately got them right. It's important to address any stubborn content gaps. Suggested Time Breakdown 3 hours: Take a full ACT practice test (ideally, an official one) without the Essay section. 1-2 hours: Correct your test and carefully note all of your mistakes in your notebook. Figure out where your remaining weaknesses are and research any content gaps you still have. Days 8-9: Review and Target Weaknesses Time: 3-5 hours per day Based on your performance on the practice tests, you'll now do more fine-tuned work on areas you still have weaknesses in. Here are some examples of what you could focus on in your prep: Drill areas you're still making mistakesor have content weaknesses in. Maybe you’re struggling with the trigonometry questions on Math. In this case, head back to your study materials to review the content before you do any more practice questions in that area. Do more practice sections if you'rerunning out of time or struggling with pacing. Remember to wear a watch and keep an eye on how much time you spend on each question. If you're consistently hitting 32, continue to take full practice tests and grade them. Your goal is consistency, so keep practicing, even if you think you're set to go. Spend some time working on the Essay. Again, the Essay does not affect your total ACT score, but you don’t want it to be extremely low in comparison. Check out our guide to writing an ACT essay to help you get started. Day 10: Brush Up On Weaknesses and Rest Time: 1-2 hours You don’t want to study too intensively the day before the test- this will burn you out and do more harm than good! At this stage, it's best to do some practice problems in your weak spots, or one or two practice sections if you're working on pacing, to keep your mind warmed up. That said, remember to focus on relaxing and getting rest before the test, too.Read our tips for getting ready the night before and the morning of the test. Additionally,make sure you don’t forget anything important when you go to take the test! What’s Next? If you’re not sure you can handle this on your own, check out PrepScholar’s ACT study program. We go through the process of identifying your weak points for you. We also give you rigorous practice questions designed by 99th percentile scorers. One important part of studying is keeping your motivation in place. Check out our list of automatic scholarships for ACT scores. The higher your score, the more money you can earn! You can also use your dream colleges to adjust your target ACT score. See our guide to what a good ACT score is to find out the score you need to aim for. We also have a guide specifically for the Ivy League. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Food Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Food Policy - Essay Example The 15 member states of EU are also a habitat of giant food and beverage multinational enterprises, which have enormous influence on the global food environment, considering that these firms are producing both agricultural and manufactured products. The main thrust of this paper is to investigate global food policies (e.g., causes, solutions, & objectives), as well as the macro-environment of the food sector. In addition, this paper will evaluate the current trends in the food sector and various marketing strategies and issues within the global food business. 2.0 Global Food Policy According to Pinstrup-Andersen and Cheng (2009:1), ‘Food policy is a plan of collective action intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, behavior, and perceptions to enable people to achieve certain objectives.’ At present, the world’s food system or new departure programme ultimate objective is the ‘integration of consumer protection and food safety - and a focus on issues of transparency, participation, and accountability’ (Houghton et al., 2007:15). ... coli, and many more. This event has weakened the consumer’s confidence on food businesses, as well as to the government’s capacity of directing food firms to produce and sell safe and quality food products. Thus, the new food policy gave emphasis on consumer protection and interest or made end-users the core of the reform food safety system (Bergeaud-Blackler, 2004:11). Causes. The EU consumer policy is created because of the declaration that a single market efficiency will be attained only if consumers will actively participate in market activities, as an evidence that their confidence is already reinstated. After the foodborne disease scandal, the government has decided to ‘put food safety at the top of political agenda’ (Halkier and Holm, 2006:127), and it established minimum standards for the entire food fabrication, processing, and marketing (Burnett and Oddy, 1994). The serious food incident is a big challenge to food businesses all over the world bec ause food demand, sales, and consumer confidence have declined to the extent that some companies go bankrupt. The consequences are even more complicated considering that food firms need to invest a large amount for a product checking to restore the public confidence toward ‘food supply, food science, food law and food controls’ (van der Meulen and Freriks, 2006:157). Solutions. Setting policies to form a functional food system needs careful analysis on things that are directly or indirectly involved such as the economy, food chain management, environment, and marketing issues. An integrated policy is difficult to obtain because policy makers need to examine the different macro-economic environmental issues (e.g., culture, history, economic affairs, export & import trading, etc.) of many countries

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence Term Paper

Creating a Plan for Positive Influence - Term Paper Example The plan stated below outlines a method of achieving similar goals, devised for a team to work on a given project within one year. It is important to note that at all times; the plan has been devised keeping in mind that the employees are not merely present for the task, but that the task is present for the employees. In this regard, nowhere in the one-year plan, the managers viewed the task as more important than the employees did (Schuitema, 2010). At every point, it concentrates on how the plan is affecting the workers, and focuses on providing a valuable learning and growth experience to them. In addition, after the introduction of every strategy, management should put efforts to analyze the strategy to identify its impact on possible individual differences. The plan is to begin working on the project in the month of January, and complete it by the end of the calendar year, as instructed. This project has been assigned to eight team members, out of which one is the team manager w ho drafted this plan. The executives of the company have assigned this leadership role of management to this specific member based on his greater experience in training and managing members, and the executives hope that this manager will continue to train other members and instill leadership qualities. Thus the first phase of the planning is underway, which is to assign roles to each of the members. Each of the members will be equal contributors to the project, to ensure fairness in workload and consequent appraisal. However, these roles will be assigned to give the members a sense of responsibility and an important feeling in the team because the most devoted members are those who recognize their significance in the team (Drucker, 2008). Employing this way of thinking, the team members will be assigned roles according to the requirements of the project. This first phase will ensure that each member understands his or her significance in the team and thus, endeavors to remain an eff icient part of it throughout the year. Another advantage of doing this would be that once division of labor and delegation has taken place, the duties of each worker become clear, and he/she work toward fulfilling own responsibilities. This ensures efficiency and full concentration of responsible individual in each of the duties. Additionally, one major factor to account is how successfully each member will perform a given task. For this reason, it is important for the management to assign roles at first according to each member’s strengths and weaknesses. This will affect behavior immensely, as when the initial role assigned to a member is one at which he/she is good at, he/she will be more motivated to perform well and will also be more confident while working, thus affecting the productivity as well as the rate of progress of the project. Second phase of the plan is to work out a schedule for changing these roles periodically. Although specialization is a recognized tool o f creating efficiency and productivity in the workforce, it also leads to an intensive disadvantage if these roles are not changed periodically. This is another characteristic of workers that the management needs to take care of because if the workers perform the same roles for too long, it may lead to monotony and

Innovation at apple Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Innovation at apple - Coursework Example Evidences suggest that many companies have achieved a strong global presence within a short period of time over the last two decades on the strength of their technology and innovation management. The explosive growth of Apple Inc over the last decade is a good example of how a company can create an insanely loyal customer base and dominate the market. This paper will discuss the current significance of innovation and technology management using normative literature and critically analyse the case study to identify contemporary issues in international technology management and hence to justify the arguments. Innovation and technology management Today, companies give specific focus to innovation and technology in order to enhance fast business growth and to master the intense competitive practices brought about by the globalisation forces. In developed countries, innovation is considered as a key tool to address the challenges raised by the low cost producers from emerging economies. A number of the economic reforms introduced over the last few decades have led to the development of new economic powerhouses like India and China, which maintain strong scientific capabilities. In addition, the emergence of globalisation eliminated cross border trade barriers and enhanced the cross border movement of capital, labour, cultures, and ideas. Even though globalisation promotes international trade, products manufactured internationally need to comply with particular needs of targeted markets. Hence, when a multinational corporation markets its products in technologically developed countries like US, UK, or China, it must be able to meet higher level expectation of consumers. Therefore, many of the today’s organisations have established special departments to foster innovation and technological advancements. Innovation management is a recently developed branch of management that particularly deals with execution of various processes in innovation. Generally innovati on can be of two types; product and organisational innovation. Innovation management addresses a set of tools that assist business managers to work together with a common understanding of different objectives and processes. Management experts claim that innovation management greatly benefits an organisation to timely and effectively respond to external or internal growth opportunities and to use its resources to develop new ideas, products, or processes (Rossini 1978, p.45). It must be noted that the scope of innovation management is not limited to research and development activities. In contrast, it encourages frontline workers to top executives to contribute their creativity to the firms’ growth, especially in the areas of manufacturing and marketing. By practicing effective innovation management tools, management can foster employee creativity and gather combined employee efforts towards the sustainable development of the firm (Clark 1980, pp.23-24). Technology management is another set of management disciplines that defines a clear way for organisations to deal with their technological landscape successfully and hence to obtain a competitive edge over their market rivals. The common concepts employed in the technology management are ‘technology strategy, technology forecasting, technology roadmapping, technology project portfolio, and technology portfolio’

Philip Randolph in civil right movement Essay Example for Free

Philip Randolph in civil right movement Essay Asa Philip Randolph is well known for organizing labor power as well as for leading civil rights movement. 1889 born Randolph was an ardent spokesperson of non violent activism against the American racism which led the improvement of the position of blacks in 20th centaury. He firmly believed that the black progress could be achieved through black working class. He always raised the voice for social justice which paved the way to his political activism. From the college days, he began his mission. When he was in college, he started an employment agency with fellow student Chandler Owen, for those blacks who arrived in New York from South. After graduation, with the influence of W. E. B. Du Bois The Souls of Black Folk, Randolph joined the socialist party and started addressing the crowd about socialism and importance of militant class consciousness. In 1917 he published the first issue of the magazine â€Å"messenger’ which was later termed as one of the most brilliantly edited magazines in the history of American Negro journalism. In 1925, he formed an organization of Brotherhood of sleeping car porters in the wake of refusal of membership of blacks by American Federation Labor . The organization was consisting of those black porters worked for Pullman Company. The Pullman an employer of blacks denied the organization of the blacks in earlier period. There was a case of firing the employees who marched for wage increase and improve working conditions. Randolph as the president of Brotherhood of sleeping car porters laid down a unrelenting and dignified negotiation meetings with Pullman authorities which led the sanction of the first union of black, Brotherhood of sleeping car porters and subsequent wage increase of $2 miilion. Moreover Randolph could achieve a contract of railroad with this particular company in 1937. Randolph moved forward with the motto of complete equality and economic opportunity for blacks’ . He explained his activities as the idea of separatism is harkening to the past and it is undesirable even if it could be realized, because the progess of mankind has been based upon contact and association, upon social, intellectual and cultural contact. (Ebony magazine, 1970)(1) A year after the successful negation with Pullman co. Randolph initiated an action to end the employment discrimination against blacks in the federal government . He put pressure on the President Franklin D. Roosewelt in this matter. Moreover he analyzed the recruitment process of US military for World War II to put an end to racial discrimination. Since all the efforts regarding federal and military hiring turned in vain, he carried out the famous 1941 march to Washington with 50thousand blacks. Consequently Roosevelt issued an order banning discrimination in the defense ministry. Even though the committee established for improving the condition of the blacks, it could not meet the effective means of enacting it. The racial equality had continuously been violated. This pulled Randolph to move ahead with his civil right movement. He founded the League for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience against Military Segregation. He warned the Congressional committee that the black and white youth would be insisted to boycott the military if the condition of racial inequality mitigated. . The march on Washington went on. In 1942, at Detroit conference he called for the strategy and tactics of the people of India with mass civil disobedience and non-cooperation. In 1943, he insisted the delegates to adopt the policy of non-violent good-will direct action. He challenged President Harry Truman to take an effective action in this regard. Finally Truman issued another order to desegregate the military. In 1950’s and 1960’s also Randolph was actively participated in civil rights movement against the racial discrimination. Through march on Washington movement and the civil disobedience movement to end the segregation in military ,Randolph insisted the new generation of civil right activists that the violent protests are no longer a suitable way to attain the goal. It never mobilizes the public pressure. The movement recognized him by referring the chair of the March on Washington in which Martin Luther King Jr. rendered his famous I Have a Dream speech. In 1955, Randolph was elected as a vice president of the AFL-CIO. Asa Philip Randolph was a notable reformer. His vision and commitment is always inspiration for the young generation. Nobody can deny the fact that Randolph’s firm and peaceful strategic ideas are the major factor which ultimately led success of his mission.

Summary and Analysis of The Man of Laws Tale Essay -- The Canterbury

Summary and Analysis of The Man of Law's Tale Fragment II The Words of the Host to the Company and Prologue to the Man of Law's Tale: The host speaks to the rest of the travelers, telling them that they can regain lost property but not lost time. The host suggests that the lawyer tell the next tale, and he agrees to do so, for he does not intend to break his promises. He says that we ought to keep the laws we give to others. He even refers to Chaucer, who works ignorantly and writes poorly, but at the very least does not write filthy tales of incest. The Man of Law tells the company that he will tell a tale by Chaucer called the tale of Cupid's Saints. The lawyer prepares for the tale he will tell about poverty, and does so in a pretentious and formal manner. Analysis In the prologue to the Man of Law's Tale, Chaucer once again plays with the divergence between the actual author and the narrator of each tale with the lawyer's critical reference to Chaucer, as if he were not the actual architect of the tale's words. The lawyer's critique of Chaucer is playful, little more than a sarcastic jibe at Chaucer's own abilities and a critique of Chaucer's contemporaries not meant to be taken seriously. In fact, little that the lawyer says is momentous or significant. Chaucer portrays the lawyer as pompous and formal, addressing the motley crowd as if he were speaking to the court. The Man of Law's Tale, Part One: In Syria there dwelt a company of wealthy traders who made a journey to Rome. After a certain time there, they beheld Constance, the emperor's daughter, who was renowned equally for her goodness and beauty. When the merchants returned to Syria, they reported to the sultan what they had seen; he immediately ... ... Â ­ Constance survives and remains devoted to her faith. She is thus comparable to biblical characters such as Jonah and Job. Her final reward for her steadfast faith comes when she reunites with both her father and her husband upon her final return to Rome. Even in the fate of Maurice is the influence of Christianity felt. He becomes emperor of Rome only when the pope gives his assent. Epilogue to the Man of Law's Tale: The Host praised the Lawyer for his tale, and urged the Parish Priest to tell a tale. The Parson chides the Host for swearing, and he in turn mocks the Parson as a "Jankin" (a contemptuous name for a priest). The Shipman decides that he will tell a tale next. In the fragments that remain of the Canterbury Tales, however, the Shipman's Tale exists later in the manuscripts, in the seventh set of stories. The Wife of Bath's Tale follows instead.

Albert Camus Essay

How Aschenbach and Meursault in Death in Venice and The Stranger respectively, are driven by mind initially then change to being driven by the heart as the result of a key event In both The Stranger and Death in Venice, the characters change as the book progresses. There is mainly one action that sparks this drastic change. In The Stranger, this action is the murder of Raymond’s mistress’ brother, and in Death in Venice this critical moment occurs when Aschenbach has the sudden urge to travel. Aschenbach and Meursault are both characters that move from one extreme to the other. They begin as characters who make decisions based solely on what their mind tells them. As the novel develops, these characters move to the other extreme, which is making decisions based solely on what their heart tells them. This transition from extreme logical thinking to extreme emotional thinking is what leads to the downfall of both Aschenbach and Meursault. As the novel begins, Thomas Mann introduces Aschenbach as a fairly likable German writer. Initially the reader sees Aschenbach as a normal character anyone can relate to. He lives a very stable life, and has never traveled before. Aschenbach is a character who is extremely involved in his work and one who organizes his entire life based on how he can best achieve quality in his work. At this point in the novel Aschenbach makes all his decisions using his mind rather than his heart. While taking a stroll, Aschenbach sees a man with red hair as well as long teeth. It is this man that pushes his mind in to traveling. Aschenbach begins to change as soon as he sets his mind to travel. In his daydream regarding his adventure he envisions a â€Å"†¦ landscape, a tropical swampy region under a vapor-laden sky, damp, luxuriant and uncanny; it was like the portrait of a primitive world of islands morasses and slit-laden rivers† (pg 3, Mann). The symbol of Aschenbach’s departure on this journey is the sign of the beginning of his decline. It is from this point on that Aschenbach transforms from being a normal man who makes logical decisions with is brain, to one that makes decisions with his heart. As Aschenbach’s journey progresses, he notices many men with red hair and long white teeth like the one that inspired him to travel. This shows the constant rapid declining of Aschenbach. His first sight of Tadzio in the hotel marks the beginning of the extreme heart-driven Aschenbach. His description of Tadzio clearly portrays his obsession. â€Å"With astonishment Aschenbach observed that the boy was perfectly beautiful. His face, pale and charmingly secretive with the honey-colored hair curling around it, with its straight-sloping nose, its lovely mouth and its expression of sweet and divine earnestness recalled Greek statues of the noblest period, and, along with its extremely pure perfection of form, it was of such unique personal charm that the onlooker thought he had never come across anything so felicitous either in nature or in art† (pg 20, Mann). Once Aschenbach begins to follow Tadzio’s every step, the reader notices that Aschenbach is becoming more and more indulged in Tadzio’s life rather than his own. â€Å"His head and his heart were drunk, and his steps followed the dictates of that dark god whose pleasure it is to trample man’s reason and dignity underfoot†. Even when Aschenbach learns of an epidemic, he realizes that if he dies along with Tadzio, they will be able to meet in heaven. Aschenbach loses total control of his mind and gives in to Venice, a â€Å"city, half fairy tale and half tourist trap, in whose insalubrious air the arts once rankly and voluptuously blossomed, where composers have been inspired to lulling tones of somniferous eroticism. † Even when given the opportunity to leave Venice and escape cholera, his love for Tadzio weighs him down. Aschenbach then has fantasies about everyone else dying, and him being left alone with Tadzio. Now it can be clearly seen that Aschenbach’s passion is coming directly from the heart, and no thinking is being done on his part. This extreme obsession from Aschenbach’s heart immediately leads to his downfall. He dies in his chair, and it is hours before anyone notices. Albert Camus introduces Meursault as a character people are quite taken aback by.

Blood Promise Chapter Twelve

Being with Lissa left me with more questions than answers, and so without a course of action, I simply continued to stay with the Belikovs for the next few days. I fell into their normal routine, again surprised by how easy it was. I tried hard to make myself useful, doing any chores they'd let me do and even going so far as watching the baby (something I wasn't entirely comfortable with, seeing as guardian training hadn't left much time for after school jobs like babysitting). Yeva eyed me the whole time, never saying anything but always looking like she disapproved. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to go or if that was simply the way she always looked. The others, however, didn't question me at all. They were delighted to have me around and made it obvious in every action. Viktoria was especially happy. â€Å"I wish you could come back to school with us,† Viktoria said wistfully one evening. She and I had been spending a lot of time together. â€Å"When do you go back?† â€Å"Monday, right after Easter.† I felt a little sadness stir in me. Whether I was still here or not, I would miss her. â€Å"Oh, man. I didn't realize it was so soon.† A small silence fell between us; then she gave me a sidelong look. â€Å"Have you thought†¦ well, have you maybe thought about coming back to St. Basil's with us?† I stared. â€Å"St. Basil's? Your school is named after a saint too?† Not all of them were. Adrian had attended an East Coast school called Alder. â€Å"Ours is a human saint,† she said with a grin. â€Å"You could enroll there. You could finish your last year-I'm sure they'd take you.† Of all the crazy options I'd considered on this trip-and believe me, I'd considered a lot of crazy things-that was one that had never crossed my mind. I'd written school off. I was pretty sure there was nothing else I could learn-well, after meeting Sydney and Mark, it had become obvious there were still a few more things. Considering what I wanted to do with my life, however, I didn't think another semester of math and science would do much for me. And as far as guardian training went, mostly all I had left to do w s prepare for the end-of-year trials. I somehow doubted those tests and challenges would even come remotely close to what I'd experienced with Strigoi already. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't think so. I think I'm pretty much done with school. Besides, it'd all be in Russian.† â€Å"They'd translate for you.† A mischievous grin lit her face. â€Å"Besides, kicking and punching transcend language.† Her smile faded to a more thoughtful expression. â€Å"But seriously. If you aren't going to finish school, and you aren't going to be a guardian†¦ well, why don't you stay here? I mean, just in Baia. You could live with us.† â€Å"I'm not going to be a blood whore,† I said immediately. An odd look crossed her face. â€Å"That's not what I meant.† â€Å"I shouldn't have said that. Sorry.† I felt bad about the comment. While I kept hearing rumors about blood whores in town, I'd only seen one or two, and certainly the Belikov women weren't among them. Sonya's pregnancy was something of a mystery, but working in a drugstore didn't seem that sordid. I'd learned a little bit more about Karolina's situation. The father of her children was a Moroi she apparently had a genuine connection with. She hadn't cheapened herself to be with him, and he hadn't used her. After the baby was born, the two of them had decided to part ways, but it had been friendly. Karolina was now apparently dating a guardian who visited whenever he had leave. The few blood whores I had seen around town very much fit my stereotype. Their clothing and makeup screamed easy sex. The bruises on their necks clearly showed that they had no problem with letting their partners drink blood during sex, which was pretty much the sleaziest thing a dhampir could do. Only humans gave blood to Moroi. My race didn't. To allow it-particularly during sexual activities-well, like I said, it was sleazy. The dirtiest of the dirty. â€Å"Mother would love it if you stayed. You could get a job too. Just be part of our family.† â€Å"I can't take Dimitri's place, Viktoria,† I said softly. She reached out and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. â€Å"I know. No one expects you to. We like you for you, Rose. You being here just feels right-there's a reason Dimka chose to be with you. You fit in here.† I tried to imagine the life she described. It sounded†¦ easy. Comfortable. No worries. Just living with a loving family, laughing and hanging out together each night. I could go about my own life, not having to trail someone else all day. I would have sisters. There'd be no fighting-unless it was to defend. I could give up this plan to kill Dimitri-which I knew would kill me too, either physically or spiritually. I could choose the rational path, let him go and accept him as dead. And, yet†¦ if I did that, why not just go back to Montana? Back to Lissa and the Academy? â€Å"I don't know,† I told Viktoria at last. â€Å"I don't know what I'm going to do.† It was just after dinner, and she glanced hesitantly at the clock. â€Å"I don't want to leave you since we don't have much time together, but†¦ I was supposed to meet someone soon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nikolai?† I teased. She shook her head, and I tried to hide my disappointment. I'd seen him a few times, and he'd grown more and more likeable. It was too bad Viktoria couldn't kindle any feelings for him. Now, though, I wondered if there might be something holding her back-or rather, someone. â€Å"Oh, spill,† I said with a grin. â€Å"Who is he?† She kept her face blank in a fair imitation of Dimitri's. â€Å"A friend,† she said evasively. But I thought I saw a smile in her eyes. â€Å"Someone at school?† â€Å"No.† She sighed. â€Å"And that's the problem. I'm going to miss him so much.† My smile faded. â€Å"I can imagine.† â€Å"Oh.† She looked embarrassed. â€Å"That's stupid of me. My problems†¦ well, they're nothing compared to yours. I mean, I may not see him for a while†¦ but I will see him. But Dimitri's gone. You won't see him ever again.† Well, that might not be entirely true. I didn't tell her that, though. Instead, I just said, â€Å"Yeah.† To my surprise, she gave me a hug. â€Å"I know what love's like. To lose that†¦ I don't know. I don't know what to say. All I can tell you is that we're here for you. All of us, okay? You can't replace Dimitri, but you do feel like a sister.† Her calling me a sister both stunned and warmed me at the same time. She had to go get ready for her date after that. She hurriedly changed clothes and put on makeup-definitely more than a friend, I decided-and headed out the door. I was kind of glad because I didn't want her to see the tears that her words had brought to my eyes. I'd spent my life as an only child. Lissa had been the closest I had to a sister. I'd always thought of Lissa as one; one I'd now lost. To hear Viktoria call me a sister now†¦ well, it stirred something in me. Something that told me I really did have friends and wasn't alone. I headed down to the kitchen after that, and Olena soon joined me. I was rummaging for food. â€Å"Was that Viktoria I heard leave?† she asked. â€Å"Yeah, she went off to see a friend.† To my credit, I kept my expression neutral. No way would I sell Viktoria out. Olena sighed. â€Å"I'd wanted her to run an errand for me in town.† â€Å"I'll do it,† I said eagerly. â€Å"After I grab something to eat.† She gave me a kind smile and patted my cheek. â€Å"You have a good heart, Rose. I can see why Dimka loved you.† It was so amazing, I thought, how accepted my relationship with Dimitri was around here. No one brought up age or teacher-student relationships. As I'd told Sydney, it was like I was his widow or something, and Viktoria's words about me staying replayed in my head. The way Olena looked at me made me feel like I really was her daughter, and once more, I experienced those traitorous feelings about my own mom. She probably would have scoffed at me and Dimitri. She would have called it inappropriate and said I was too young. Or would she have? Maybe I was being too harsh. Seeing me in front of the open cupboard, Olena shook her head reproachfully. â€Å"But you need to eat first.† â€Å"Just a snack,† I assured her. â€Å"Don't go to any trouble.† She ended up slicing me off big pieces of black bread she'd baked earlier that day and put out a tub of butter because she knew I loved to slather up my slices. Karolina had teased me that Americans might be shocked to know what was in this bread, so I never asked any questions. It was somehow sweet and tangy at the same time, and I loved it. Olena sat down across from me and watched me eat. â€Å"This was his favorite when he was little.† â€Å"Dimitri's?† She nodded. â€Å"Whenever he was on break from school, the first thing he'd do is ask for that bread. I practically had to make him his own loaf each time with the way he ate. The girls never ate that much.† â€Å"Guys always seem to eat more.† Admittedly, I could keep up with most of them. â€Å"And he's bigger and taller than most.† â€Å"True,† she mused. â€Å"But I eventually reached a point where I made him start making it himself. I told him if he was going to eat all my food, he'd best know how much work went into it.† I laughed. â€Å"I can't imagine Dimitri baking bread.† And yet, as soon as the words came out, I reconsidered. My immediate associations with Dimitri were always intense and fierce; it was his sexy, battle-god persona that came to mind. Yet, it had been Dimitri's gentleness and thoughtfulness mixed with that deadliness that made him so wonderful. The same hands that wielded stakes with such precision would carefully brush the hair out of my face. The eyes that could astutely spot any danger in the area would regard me wonderingly and worshipfully, like I was the most beautiful and amazing woman in the world. I sighed, consumed by that bittersweet ache in my chest that had become so familiar now. What a stupid thing, getting worked up over a loaf of bread of all things. But that was how it was. I got emotional whenever I thought about Dimitri. Olena's eyes were on me, sweet and compassionate. â€Å"I know,† she said, guessing my thoughts. â€Å"I know exactly how you feel.† â€Å"Does it get easier?† I asked. Unlike Sydney, Olena had an answer. â€Å"Yes. But you'll never be the same.† I didn't know whether to take comfort from those words or not. After I finished eating, she gave me a brief grocery list, and I set off toward downtown, happy to be outside and moving. Inactivity didn't suit me. While in the grocery store, I was surprised to run into Mark. I'd gotten the impression he and Oksana didn't come to town that often. I wouldn't have put it past them to grow their own food and live off the land. He gave me a warm smile. â€Å"I wondered if you were still around.† â€Å"Yeah.† I held up my basket. â€Å"Just doing some shopping for Olena.† â€Å"I'm glad you're still here,† he said. â€Å"You seem more†¦ at peace.† â€Å"Your ring is helping, I think. At least with the peace. It hasn't done much as far as any decision making goes.† He frowned, shifting the milk he held in one arm to the other. â€Å"What decisions?† â€Å"What to do now. Where to go.† â€Å"Why not stay here?† It was eerie, so similar to the conversation I'd had with Viktoria. And my response was equally similar. â€Å"I don't know what I'd do if I stayed here.† â€Å"Get a job. Live with the Belikovs. They love you, you know. You fit right in with their family.† That warm, loved feeling came back, and I again tried to imagine myself just settling down with them, working in a store like this or waiting tables. â€Å"I don't know,† I said. I was a broken record. â€Å"I just don't know if that's right for me.† â€Å"Better than the alternative,† he warned. â€Å"Better than running off with no real purpose, throwing yourself in the face of danger. That's no choice at all.† And yet, it was the reason I'd come to Siberia in the first place. My inner voice scolded me. Dimitri, Rose. Have you forgotten Dimitri? Have you forgotten how you came here to free him, like he would have wanted? Or was that really what he would have wanted? Maybe he would have wanted me to stay safe. I just didn't know, and with no more help from Mason, my choices were even more muddled. Thinking of Mason suddenly reminded me of something I'd totally forgotten. â€Å"When we talked before†¦ well, we talked about what Lissa and Oksana could do. But what about you?† Mark narrowed his eyes. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Have you ever†¦ have you ever run into, um, ghosts?† Several moments passed, and then he exhaled. â€Å"I'd hoped that wouldn't happen to you.† It astonished me then how much relief I felt to know I wasn't alone in my ghostly experiences. Even though I now understood that having died and been to the world of the dead made me a target for spirits, it was still one of the freakiest things about being shadow-kissed. â€Å"Did it happen without you wanting it?† I asked. â€Å"At first. Then I learned to control it.† â€Å"Me too.† I suddenly recalled the barn. â€Å"Actually, that's not entirely true.† Lowering my voice further, I hastily recapped what had happened on my trip here with Sydney. I'd never spoken of it to anyone. â€Å"You must never, ever do that again,† he said sternly. â€Å"But I didn't mean to! It just happened.† â€Å"You panicked. You needed help, and some part of you called out to the spirits around you. Don't do it. It's not right, and it's easy to lose control.† â€Å"I don't even know how I did it.† â€Å"Like I said, lapse of control. Don't ever let your panic get the best of you.† An older woman passed us, a scarf over her head and a basket of vegetables in her arms. I waited until she was gone before asking Mark, â€Å"Why did they fight for me?† â€Å"Because the dead hate Strigoi. The Strigoi are unnatural, neither living nor dead-just existing in some state in between. Just as we sense that evil, so do the ghosts.† â€Å"Seems like they could be a good weapon.† That face, normally easy and open, frowned. â€Å"It's dangerous. People like you and me already walk the edge of darkness and insanity. Openly calling upon the dead only brings us closer to falling over that edge and losing our minds.† He glanced at his watch and sighed. â€Å"Look, I have to go, but I'm serious, Rose. Stay here. Stay out of trouble. Fight Strigoi if they come to you, but don't go seeking them blindly. And definitely leave the ghosts alone.† It was a lot of advice to get in a grocery store, a lot of advice I wasn't sure I could follow. But I thanked him and sent my regards to Oksana before paying and leaving as well. I was heading back toward Olena's neighborhood when I rounded a corner and nearly walked right into Abe. He was dressed in his usual flashy way, wearing that expensive coat and a yellow-gold scarf that matched the gold in his jewelry. His guardians hovered nearby, and he leaned casually against a building's brick wall. â€Å"So this is why you came to Russia. To go to the market like some peasant.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Of course not.† â€Å"Just sightseeing then?† â€Å"No. I'm just being helpful. Stop trying to get information out of me. You're not as smart as you think you are.† â€Å"That's not true,† he said. â€Å"Look, I told you already. I came here to tell the Belikovs the news. So go back and tell whoever you're working for that that's that.† â€Å"And I told you before not to lie to me,† he said. Again, I saw that odd mix of danger and humor. â€Å"You have no idea how patient I've been with you. From anyone else, I would have gotten the information I needed that first night.† â€Å"Lucky me,† I snapped back. â€Å"What now? Are you going to take me down an alley and beat me up until I tell you why I'm here? I'm losing interest in this whole scary-mob-boss routine, you know.† â€Å"And I'm losing patience with you,† he said. There went the humor, and as he stood over me, I couldn't help but uneasily note that he was better built than most Moroi. A lot of Moroi avoided fights, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Abe had roughed up as many people as his bodyguards had. â€Å"And honestly? I don't care why you're here anymore. You just need to leave. Now.† â€Å"Don't threaten me, old man. I'll leave whenever the hell I want.† It was funny, I'd just sworn to Mark that I didn't know if I could stay in Baia, but when pressured by Abe, I just wanted to dig my feet in. â€Å"I don't know what you're trying to keep me from, but I'm not scared of you.† That also wasn't entirely true. â€Å"You should be,† he returned pleasantly. â€Å"I can be a very good friend or a very bad enemy. I can make it worth your while if you leave. We can strike a bargain.† There was an almost excited gleam in his eyes as he spoke. I recalled Sydney describing him manipulating others, and I got the feeling this was what he lived for-negotiating, striking trades to get what he wanted. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I'll leave when I'm ready. And there's nothing you or whoever you're working for can do about it.† Hoping I appeared bold, I turned around. He reached out and grabbed my shoulder, jerking me back, nearly causing me to lose the groceries. I started to lunge forward in attack mode, but his guardians were right there in a flash. I knew I wouldn't get far. â€Å"Your time is up here,† hissed Abe. â€Å"In Baia. In Russia. Go back to the U.S. I'll give you what you need-money, first-class tickets, whatever.† I stepped out of his reach, backing carefully away. â€Å"I don't need your help or your money-God only knows where it comes from.† A group of people turned the corner across the street, laughing and talking, and I stepped back further, certain Abe wouldn't start a scene with witnesses present. It made me feel braver, which was probably stupid on my part. â€Å"And I already told you: I'll go back whenever the hell I want.† Abe's eyes lifted to the other pedestrians, and he too retreated back with his guardians. That chilling smile was on his face. â€Å"And I told you. I can be a very good friend or a very bad enemy. Get out of Baia before you find out which.† He turned around and left, much to my relief. I didn't want him to see just how much fear his words had left on my face. I went to bed early that night, suddenly feeling antisocial. I lay there for a while, flipping through another magazine I couldn't read, and amazingly found myself growing more and more tired. I think the encounters with Mark and Abe had exhausted me. Mark's words about staying had hit too close to home after my earlier conversation with Viktoria. Abe's thinly veiled threats had raised all my defenses, putting me on guard against whoever was working with him to make me leave Russia. At what point, I wondered, would he truly lose patience and stop trying to bargain? I drifted off to sleep and the familiar sense of an Adrian-dream settled around me. It had been a long time since this had happened, and I'd actually thought he'd listened to me when I'd told him to stay away before. Of course, I always told him that. This had been the longest time span to go by without a visit, and as much as I hated to admit it, I'd kind of missed him. The setting he'd chosen this time was a piece of the Academy's property, a woodsy area near a pond. Everything was green and in bloom, and sunlight shone down on us. I suspected Adrian's creation didn't match what Montana's weather was really like right now, but then, he was in control. He could do whatever he wanted. â€Å"Little dhampir,† he said, smiling. â€Å"Long time no see.† â€Å"I thought you were done with me,† I said, sitting down on a large, smooth rock. â€Å"Never done with you,† he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and strolling over to me. â€Å"Although†¦ to tell the truth, I did intend to stay away this time. But, well, I had to make sure you were still alive.† â€Å"Alive and well.† He smiled down at me. The sun glinted off his brown hair, giving it golden-chestnut highlights. â€Å"Good. You seem very well, actually. Your aura's better than I've ever seen it.† His eyes drifted from my face down to where my hands lay in my lap. Frowning, he knelt down and picked up my right hand. â€Å"What's this?† Oksana's ring was on it. Despite the ring's lack of ornamentation, the metal gleamed brightly in the light. The dreams were so strange. Even though Adrian and I weren't together, exactly, the ring had followed me in and kept its power enough that he could sense it. â€Å"A charm. It's infused with spirit.† Like me, this was apparently something he'd never considered. His expression grew eager. â€Å"And it heals, right? It's what's keeping some of the darkness from your aura.† â€Å"Some,† I said, uneasy about his fixation on it. I took it off and slipped it into my pocket. â€Å"It's temporary. I met another spirit user-and a shadowkissed dhampir.† More surprise registered on his face. â€Å"What? Where?† I bit my lip and shook my head. â€Å"Damn it, Rose! This is big. You know how Lissa and I have been looking for other spirit users. Tell me where they are.† â€Å"No. Maybe later. I don't want you guys coming after me.† For all I knew, they were already after me, using Abe as their agent. His green eyes flashed angrily. â€Å"Look, pretend for a moment the world doesn't revolve around you, okay? This is about Lissa and me, about understanding this crazy magic inside of us. If you've got people who can help us, we need to know.† â€Å"Maybe later,† I repeated stonily. â€Å"I'm moving on soon-then I'll tell you.† â€Å"Why are you always so difficult?† â€Å"Because you like me that way.† â€Å"At the moment? Not so much.† It was the kind of joking comment Adrian usually made, but just then, something about it bothered me. For some reason, I got the tiniest, tiniest feeling that I suddenly wasn't as endearing to him as usual. â€Å"Just try being patient,† I told him. â€Å"I'm sure you guys have other stuff to work on. And Lissa seems pretty busy with Avery.† The words slipped out before I could help it, and some of the bitterness and envy I'd felt watching them the other night laced my tone. Adrian raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Ladies and gentlemen, she admits it. You have been spying on Lissa-I knew it.† I looked away. â€Å"I just like to know she's alive too.† As if I could go anywhere in the world and not know that. â€Å"She is. Alive and well, like you. Er†¦ mostly well.† Adrian frowned. â€Å"Sometimes I get this strange vibe off of her. She doesn't seem quite right or her aura will flicker a little. Never lasts long, but I still worry.† Something in Adrian's voice softened. â€Å"Avery worries about her too, so Lissa's in good hands. Avery's pretty amazing.† I gave him a scathing look. â€Å"Amazing? Do you like her or something?† I hadn't forgotten Avery's comment about leaving the door unlocked for him. â€Å"Of course I like her. She's a great person.† â€Å"No, I mean like. Not like.† â€Å"Oh, I see,† he said, rolling his eyes. â€Å"We're dealing with elementary school definitions of ? ®like.'† â€Å"You're not answering the question.† â€Å"Well, like I said, she's a great person. Smart. Outgoing. Beautiful.† Something in the way he said â€Å"beautiful† bugged me. I averted my eyes again, playing with the blue nazar around my neck as I tried to parse my feelings. Adrian figured things out first. â€Å"Are you jealous, little dhampir?† I looked back up at him. â€Å"No. If I was going to be jealous over you, I would have gone crazy a long time ago, considering all the girls you mess around with.† â€Å"Avery's not the kind of girl you mess around with.† Again, I heard that affection in his voice, that dreaminess. It shouldn't have bothered me. I should have been glad he was interested in another girl. After all, I'd been trying to convince him to leave me alone for a very long time. Part of the conditions of him giving me money for this trip had involved me promising to give him a fair shot at dating when-and if-I returned to Montana. If he got together with Avery, it would be one less thing for me to worry about. And honestly, if it had been any other girl except Avery, I probably wouldn't have minded. But somehow, the idea of her enchanting him was just too much. Wasn't it bad enough that I was losing Lissa to her? How was it possible that one girl could so easily take my place? She'd stolen my best friend, and now the guy who'd sworn up and down that I was the one he wanted was seriously considering replacing me. You're being a hypocrite, a stern voice inside of me said. Why should you feel so wronged about someone else coming into their lives? You abandoned them. Lissa and Adrian both. They have every right to move on. I stood up angrily. â€Å"Look, I'm done talking to you tonight. Will you let me out of this dream? I'm not telling you where I am. And I'm not interested in hearing about how wonderful Avery is and how much better than me she is.† â€Å"Avery would never act like a little brat,† he said. â€Å"She wouldn't get so offended that someone actually cares enough to check on her. She wouldn't deny me the chance to learn more about my magic because she was paranoid someone would ruin her crazy attempt to get over her boyfriend's death.† â€Å"Don't talk to me about being a brat,† I shot back. â€Å"You're as selfish and self-centered as usual. It's always about you-even this dream is. You hold me against my will, whether I want it or not, because it amuses you.† â€Å"Fine,† he said, voice cold. â€Å"I'll end this. And I'll end everything between us. I won't be coming back.† â€Å"Good. I hope you mean it this time.† His green eyes were the last thing I saw before I woke up in my own bed. I sat up, gasping. My heart felt like it was breaking, and I almost thought I might cry. Adrian was right-I had been a brat. I'd lashed out at him when it wasn't really deserved. And yet†¦ I hadn't been able to help it. I missed Lissa. I even kind of missed Adrian. And now someone else was taking my place, someone who wouldn't just walk away like I had. I won't be coming back. And for the first time ever, I had a feeling he really wouldn't be.