Essay about Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights - 1382 Words

Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights 1) The story takes place in the early XIXth century. There are two characters in this extract : Mr Lockwood and Catherine Linton. Mr Lockwood is the first narrator of this novel, he was one of Mr Heathcliffs tenants. At the beginning of the story , there were three characters : Heathcliff, a foundling, his sister Catherine and his brother Hindley. Catherine fell in love with Heathcliff, but was married with Edgar Linton. So, the second character we meet here is Catherine Linton, Edgar Lintons daughter. This extract belongs to the end of the novel. Catherine comes back to the farm Wuthering Heights, she tries to get in the house trough the window. Mr Lockwood, which had read Catherines†¦show more content†¦So Mr Lockwood does not see her, and when she says that she is Catherine Linton, he does not believe her because he had never seen her. We see that Mr Lockwood is shocked ; the situation is ambiguous for him because he meets in a very unusual way the person who had written the diary he had just read. But for the reader, the situation is not ambiguous because we know who is Catherine Linton. We know that the scene is a combination of cicumstances ; Catherine wanted to come back to Wuthering Heights, she just wanted to get in the house. The combination of circumstances makes that Mr Lockwood, trying to catch the branch, had been surprised by Catherine. But she has no intention of surprising Mr Lockwood. So, we could say that the glo omy atmosphere leads Mr Lockwood to confused feelings, between sanity and madness. The text could be set between sanity and madness for different reasons with regard to the two charcters present in this scene : Mr Lockwood and Catherine Linton. Both charcters can be indeed considered as mad but in the same time, they show sanity in their actions and reactions. Catherine Linton came back to Wuthering Heights because she wanted to find her origins in this place where her mother lived and above all because she had an affair with the owner of the farm : Heathcliff. But she had never lived in this farm, so she didnt know how to get in and maybe noone could let get in. It is obvious tah the only way she hadShow MoreRelated Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights1668 Words   |  7 Pages Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Emily Jane Bronte, the author of Wuthering heights, was born on July 30, 1818. She was the fifth of six children of Patrick and Maria Bronte and the family moved to their house in Haworth(where Emily would remain for most of her life), with her family having a great influence on her life and work. During her life she encountered a great deal of death, firstly when her mother died of stomach cancer in September of 1821, leaving EmilysRead MoreEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights783 Words   |  4 PagesEmily Bronte was born in 1818 and published Wuthering Heights in 1847. Wuthering Heights, reflects her experience with both the Romantic Era, which existed from 1785 to 1830, and the Victorian Era, which took place from 1830 to 1848. Romantics placed high importance on the individual, nature and human emotion. The Victorian Era, in turn, was a reaction to the Romantic period. The Victorians had a sense of social responsibility, which set them apart from the Romantics. Wuthering Heights exemplifiesRead MoreEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights1590 Words   |  7 PagesEmily Bronte created a book called Wuthering Heights that was published in 1847. The book has been rejected multiple times by the Victorian readers because of its disturbing, unexplained vision of anarchy and decay (Knoepflmacher). I chose the book Wuthering Heights because it has an interesting name. I never thought the boo k was narrated by two people and that it had a dramatic romance to it. Also I have notice that there is a large amount of hate towards the character Heathcliff due to his actionsRead MoreThe Depth of Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights884 Words   |  4 PagesWuthering Heights was written by Emily Bronte’. It would be the least to say her imagination was quite impressive. Through imagination as a child, Bronte’ and her sisters would write children stories, which inspired some popularly known novels. Wuthering Heights contains crossing genres, changing settings, multiple narrators, and unreliable narrators. George R. R. Martin wrote the book Game of Thrones, which is one of the modern day novels that contain several of Emily Bronte’s writing techniquesRead MoreEssay on Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights1127 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights       Often in literature, the fictional written word mimics or mirrors the non-fictional actions of the time. These reflections may be social, historical, biographical, or a combination of these. Through setting, characters, and story line, an author can recreate in linear form on paper some of the abstract concepts and ideas from the world s/he is living in. In the case of Emily Bronte, her novel Wuthering Heights very closely mirrors her own life and the livesRead More Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Essay1221 Words   |  5 Pages Throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontà « effectively utilizes weather and setting as methods of conveying insight to the reader of the personal feeling of the characters. While staying at Thrushcross Grange, Mr. Lockwood made a visit to meet Mr. Heathcliff for a second time, and the horrible snow storm that he encounters is the first piece of evidence that he should have perceived about Heathcliffs personality. The setting of the moors is one that makes them a very special place forRead MoreEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights Essay983 Words   |  4 PagesEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights 1. What techniques are used in the characterization of Heathcliff? Effects? Heathcliff is associated with evil and darkness from the beginning of the novel. I felt his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows. (1) When LockwoodRead More Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Wuthering Heights, we see tragedies follow one by one, most of which are focused around Heathcliff, the antihero of the novel. After the troubled childhood Heathcliff goes through, he becomes embittered towards the world and loses interest in everything but Catherine Earnshaw –his childhood sweetheart whom he had instantly fallen in love with.—and revenge upon anyone who had tried to keep them apart. The novel begins with a few short introductionRead More Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights Essay458 Words   |  2 PagesIn Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights revenge is a common, reoccurring theme. According to Webster’s Dictionary, revenge is to inflict punishment in return for injury or insult. Within the novel, Wuthering Heights, revenge is an action taken by many people in order to redeem themselves. However, all of the characters end up in misery because of their hearts’ desire to avenge. In many novels, revenge is an action typically taken by the main villain upon the main hero. Revenge occurs often in bothRead More Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights Essay2291 Words   |  10 PagesEmily Brontes Wuthering Heights The female writer Emily Bronte wrote the novel Wuthering Heights in 1847. Brontes father had influenced Emily with his well-known poetry and imagination. Brontes childhood could have also played a part in writing her novel as she used to live in the moors herself before her mother died. The North Yorkshire moors where Wuthering Heights is set is a bleak, desolate and solitary place. The area was very inaccessible and it would have taken days to

Market Structure in Aircraft Manufacturing Free Essays

Market structure in the aircraft manufacturing industry The market for commercial passenger aircraft is an oligopoly dominated by Boeing and Airbus. Critically evaluate competitive factors which influence firm growth, new product Development and pricing in the commercial aircraft market. [60%] How is the commercial aircraft market different from the market for personal computers, In terms of market structure, new product design and growth opportunities? [40%] Ensure that you make use of an appropriate economics based theoretical framework Which employs suitable concepts developed in this course, as well as appropriate examples? Oligopoly is a form of market structure known as imperfect competition a) There are a small number of players or firms which have and exercise market power for example supermarkets in the uk. We will write a custom essay sample on Market Structure in Aircraft Manufacturing or any similar topic only for you Order Now In aircraft manufacturing industry it is even more concentrated there is only two major players namely Airbus and Boeing. Implications are that the importance of a small number of large customers makes it sensible for suppliers to invest heavily in close long term relationships with them. Key account management is essential considering 80% of output is being to 20% of customers. ) Products are differentiated which allows firms to price them differently. c) High capital usage(and large fixed costs)and research and development mean that the optimal firm size is very large, resulting in a small number of sellers(producers/firms). d) Huge impacts of patents and research and development costs, as well as intellectual property rights. e) Economies of scale f) High government regulation(health and safety)recently Air has had a number of problems with Royce Royce engines on the A380 which has led to a number of planes being grounded How to cite Market Structure in Aircraft Manufacturing, Papers

Film Review Blind Devotion Essay Example For Students

Film Review Blind Devotion Essay Jubilee Project in partnership with Pastor Francis Chan recently made an extremely touching short film titled â€Å"Blind Devotion, a masterpiece about unconditional love. The story goes when a devoted wife and her loving husband faced the biggest dilemma in their lives, which will put their commitment as a couple to an ultimate test. The double-pun in devotion in this short film is amazing. Just as she thought she was persistently staying devoted to her husband by choosing to continue to fulfill her roles as his wife after she became blind, unbeknownst to her, it is he and his devotion to her that first makes it easy, and possible at all maybe, for her to keep on loving. It is true that love and marriage means sacrifice, when we love someone we become selfless, devoted and we learn to accept the one we love wholeheartedly. Marriage may go in waves of ups and downs. With this, trials of love and commitment between partners are being tested, but how far would one go for the one they love? This short film had great aspects to the video which gave it a greater meaning with a deeper understanding. The scenario is very unpredictable. Little will the viewer know what will happen next. This short film has great suspense throughout the video by giving blackout passes in between some scenes. Creating a deep connection between who ever watches the film to her story due to her being blind. It also gave flowing transitions from when she was happy with her life to her becoming blind, to then her being watched over by her husband. Loved the color grading of this sort. The understated tones really added an antique texture to it and the intimate closeups and wide shots were blended well; the film was diverse and visually interesting. The voice over and dialogues are really good because its easy to connect with the characters. It has a great storyline. Not only did the shots and colors make this film great, the track used in this short film was powerful too. From the soft melodies with joy when love was present to the soft dark piano keys that brought the mood down to a deeper understanding of their struggles. Definitely a great short film! It’s like watching a giant leap in terms of filmmaking maturity for Jubilee Project. These groups of filmmakers and producers are becoming better by each video they create. Comparing it to their other videos one can delve into the message of this film. This heart melting story shows how love can make people so devoted to someone special. It’ll open hearts to the fact that there’s nothing love can’t overcome. The message was, â€Å"When you make the sacrifice in marriage, you’re sacrificing not to each other but to unity in a relationship. † It has a message so clear and precise that it cuts deep in peoples heart and awakens their senses in so many ways. Sacrifice may sound awful, but it is one of the purest ways to show love to someone. Saying â€Å"I love you† is good, and necessary; but, giving of yourself, time after time, is proof that you really mean what you say.?

Multiple-Choice and Bimodal Essays - Solutions, Physical Chemistry

Multiple-Choice and Bimodal 1) The process of solute particles being surrounded by solvent particles is known as __________. A) salutation B) agglomeration C) solvation D) agglutination E) dehydration Answer: C 2) Pairs of liquids that will mix in all proportions are called __________ liquids. A) miscible B) unsaturated C) polar liquids D) saturated E) supersaturated Answer: A 3) The solubility of oxygen gas in water at 25 C and 1.0 atm pressure of oxygen is 0.041 g/L The solubility of oxygen in water at 3.0 atm and 25 C is __________ g/L. A) 0.041 B) 0.014 C) 0.31 D) 0.12 E) 3.0 Answer: D 4) The solubility of nitrogen gas in water at 25 C and a nitrogen pressure of 1.0 atm is 6.9 The solubility of nitrogen in water at a nitrogen pressure of 0.80 atm is __________ M. A) 5.5 B) 8.6 C) 1.2 D) 3.7 E) 0.80 Answer: A 5) The solubility of Ar in water at 25 C is 1.6 M when the pressure of the Ar above the solution is 1.0 atm. The solubility of Ar at a pressure of 2.5 atm is __________ M. A) 1.6 B) 6.4 C) 4.0 D) 7.5 E) 1.6 Answer: C 6) On a clear day at sea level, with a temperature of 25 C, the partial pressure of in air is 0.78 atm and the concentration of nitrogen in water is 5.3 . When the partial pressure of is __________ atm, the concentration in water is 1.1 . A) 0.63 atm B) 0.78 atm C) 1.0 atm D) 2.1 atm E) 1.6 atm Answer: E 8) A sample of potassium nitrate (49.0 g) is dissolved in 101 g of water at 100 C, with precautions taken to avoid evaporation of any water. The solution is cooled to 30.0 C and no precipitate is observed. This solution is __________. A) hydrated B) placated C) saturated D) unsaturated E) supersaturated Answer: E Diff: 2 Page Ref: Sec. 13.3 9) A sample of potassium chlorate (15.0 g) is dissolved in 201 g of water at 70 C with precautions taken to avoid evaporation of any water. The solution is cooled to 30.0 C and no precipitate is observed. This solution is __________. A) hydrated B) miscible C) saturated D) unsaturated E) supersaturated Answer: D 10) A sample of potassium nitrate (49.0 g) is dissolved in 101 g of water at 100 C with precautions taken to avoid evaporation of any water. The solution is cooled to 30.0 C and a small amount of precipitate is observed. This solution is __________. A) hydrated B) placated C) saturated D) unsaturated E) supersaturated Answer: C 11) The solubility of MnSO4 monohydrate in water at 20 C is 70.0 g per 100.0 mL of water. A solution at 20 C that is 4.22 M in MnSO4 monohydrate is best described as a(n) __________ solution. The formula weight of MnSO4 monohydrate is 168.97 g/mol. A) hydrated B) solvated C) saturated D) unsaturated E) supersaturated Answer: E 12) A solution is prepared by dissolving 23.7 g of in 375 g of water. The density of the resulting solution is 1.05 g/mL. The concentration of is __________% by mass. A) 5.94 B) 6.32 C) 0.0632 D) 0.0594 E) 6.24 Answer: A 13) The concentration of urea in a solution prepared by dissolving 16 g of urea in 39 g of is __________% by mass. The molar mass of urea is 60.0 g/mol. A) 29 B) 41 C) 0.29 D) 0.41 E) 0.48 Answer: A 14) The concentration of nitrate ion in a solution that contains 0.900 M aluminum nitrate is __________ M. A) 0.900 B) 0.450 C) 0.300 D) 2.70 E) 1.80 Answer: D 15) The concentration of KBr in a solution prepared by dissolving 2.21 g of KBr in 897 g of water is __________ molal. A) 2.46 B) 0.0167 C) 0.0207 D) 2.07 E) 0.0186 Answer: C 16) The concentration of lead nitrate in a 0.726 M solution is __________ molal. The density of the solution is 1.202 g/mL. A) 0.476 B) 1.928 C) 0.755 D) 0.819 E) 0.650 Answer: C 17) The concentration of a benzene solution prepared by mixing 12.0 g with 38.0 g is __________ molal.

60 Easy Oxymoron Examples + Analysis

60 Easy Oxymoron Examples + Analysis SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Despite what it might sound like, no- an oxymoron isn’t something you can call your little brother when he’s bugging you.Rather, an oxymoron is a coolliterary device you can use in your creative writing. We’ll go over exactly what an oxymoron isand then show you four oxymoron examples from pop culture and literature. We’ll also provide you with an extensive list of oxymoronsso you can get a better feel for what oxymorons look and sound like. What Is an Oxymoron? An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two seemingly contradictory or opposite ideas to create a certain rhetorical or poetic effect and reveal a deeper truth. Generally, the ideas will come astwo separate words placed side by side. The most common type of oxymoron is an adjective followed by a noun. One oxymoron example is "deafening silence," which describes a silence that is so overpowering it almost feels deafening, or extremely loud- just as an actual sound would. Oxymorons are often used in everyday conversation and ina breadth of writing, such as literature, poetry, and songwriting. You might’ve heard of another literary device called the paradox, which is similar but not identical to the oxymoron. While an oxymoron is the combination of two contradictory/opposite words in a single sentence, a paradox is an entire phrase/sentence that appears contradictory but, upon further investigation, could be true or plausible. One of the most famous examples of a paradox is thesentence, "This statement is false." If this statement is indeed false as it says, then this would actually make it true. But if the statement is true, then it can’t be false, despite the fact it claims to be! Now, don't let your brain start to hurt just yet- up next, we take a look at oxymoron examples in sentences from literature and pop culture. 4 Oxymoron Examples + Analysis Now that we’ve gone over what an oxymoron is, let’s take a closer look at four famous oxymoron examples in sentences to better understand how this literary device actually works. Note: All bold emphasis in the following quotations is my own. Oxymoron Example 1 Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrowThat I shall say good night till it be morrow. - William Shakespeare,Romeo and Juliet This famous quotation from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet contains an equally famous oxymoron. In this scene, Juliet utters the phrase "sweet sorrow" to describe the feeling she has when having to say goodbye to Romeo. Althoughthe adjective "sweet" evokes a giddy, romantic emotion, the word "sorrow" callsto mind the much less happy, far more depressing aspect of having tobid farewell to someone you'd rather not leave. Thus, as the oxymoron suggests, this scene ishappy since Juliet and Romeo are in love, yet it's also sad because they must say goodbyeand cannot stay together through the night. Oxymoron Example 2 I have passed with a nod of the headOr polite meaningless words,Or have lingered awhile and saidPolite meaningless words,And thought before I had doneOf a mocking tale or a gibeTo please a companionAround the fire at the club,Being certain that they and IBut lived where motley is worn:All changed, changed utterly:A terrible beauty is born. - William Butler Yeats, "Easter 1916" This excerpt from Irish poet William Butler Yeats’ famous poem "Easter 1916" has the prominent oxymoron "terrible beauty," which is repeated again at the end of the poem. The main topic of this poem is the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, an event during whichnumerous Irish nationalists rebelled against the British government in Ireland. The violent display ultimately led to thousands of deaths and injuries. Despite the "terrible" things that happened and the many lives lost, Yeats uses the term "beauty" to bring attention to the positive ideals of independence that gained ground as a result of this event:thisdesire for self-government is what spurred the Irish War of Independence just a few years later. In this sense, theuprising was simultaneously terrible (in that it led to death) and beautiful (in its romantic aspirations for independence). This next oxymoron example is about Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot's tragic love affair. Oxymoron Example 3 And peradventure had he seen her firstShe might have made this and that other worldAnother world for the sick man; but nowThe shackles of an old love straitened him,His honour rooted in dishonour stood,And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true. - Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "Lancelot and Elaine" inIdylls of the King This stanza, from Lord Tennyson’s retelling of the tale of King Arthur, usesseveral oxymorons for poetic effect and as a way to emphasize the conundrum that Lancelot, Arthur’s most loyal knight and friend, finds himself in. Theoxymorons here point toLancelot's contradictory existence in regard to his relationships with both Guinevere and King Arthur: Lancelot isa "faithful" and "honorable" lover to Guinevere yet also an "unfaithful" and "dishonorable" knight to King Arthur, Guinevere’s husband, whom he is essentially betraying by carrying out a love affair with the queen. Oxymoron Example 4 'Cause all of meLoves all of youLove your curves and all your edgesAll your perfect imperfectionsGive your all to meI'll give my all to youYou're my end and my beginningEven when I lose I'm winning - John Legend, "All of Me" These lines come from the hit 2013 song "All of Me" recorded by John Legend. The lyrics of this powerful piano ballad make use of several oxymorons. With the first oxymoron,"perfect imperfections," the speaker is making it clear that his lover’s flaws are ultimately what make her the perfect partner for him.The other two oxymorons emphasize the fact that no matter what happens- for example,no matter how sad or defeated the speaker might feel- there willalways be a silver lining in that he'swith the love of his life. List of 50+ Oxymorons You Can Use Below, we provide you with an extensive list of oxymorons. These 50+ oxymoron examples are listed alphabetically and arranged by category (i.e., the type of oxymoron word combination). Feel free to look throughthis vast list of oxymoron examplesif you’re in need of an oxymoron for something you're writing or if you simply want tolearn some of the most commonones. Single-Word Compound-Word Oxymorons Bittersweet Frenemy (friend + enemy) Love-hate Adjective + Noun Bigger/larger half Controlled chaos Crash landing Cruel kindness Deafening silence Definite possibility Deliberate mistake Even odds Exact estimate Fine mess Foolish wisdom Friendly fire Friendly foe Hateful love Heavy lightness Honest thief Living dead Loud whisper Loving hate Old news Open secret Organized chaos Original copy Peaceful war Perfect imperfections Random order Same difference Silent scream Sweet misery Sweet sorrow Terrible beauty True lies True myth Unbiased opinion Virtuous lie Wakeful sleep Walking dead Working holiday/vacation Adverb + Adjective/Adverb Alone together Awfully good Definitely undecided Falsely true Painfully beautiful Perfectly imperfect Seriously funny Strangely familiar Strangely normal Terribly good Truly false Miscellaneous Act naturally Agree to disagree Kill with kindness Make haste slowly What’s Next? Want to learn more about figures of speech, besides oxymorons and paradoxes? Then check out our in-depth guide to the 31 literary devices you must know. Oxymorons are an excellent, thought-provoking tool to use in writing, but they're certainly not the only device you should work with. Learn all about effective imageryandwhat personification is with our expert guides. Preparing totake the AP Literature test?Thenyou'll need to knowwhat to expect on exam day, including what kinds of questions you'll be asked and how much time you'll have.

Discover the Lithosphere in Plate Tectonics

Discover the Lithosphere in Plate Tectonics In the field of geology, what is the lithosphere? The lithosphere is the brittle outer layer of the solid Earth. The plates of plate tectonics are segments of the lithosphere. Its top is easy to see its at the Earths surface but the base of the lithosphere is in a transition, which is an active area of research. Flexing the Lithosphere The lithosphere is not totally rigid, but slightly elastic. It flexes when loads are placed on it or removed from it. Ice-age glaciers are one type of load. In Antarctica, for example, the thick ice cap has pushed the lithosphere well below sea level today. In Canada and Scandinavia, the lithosphere is still unflexing where the glaciers melted about 10,000 years ago. Here are some other types of loading: Construction of volcanoesDeposition of sedimentRise in sea levelFormation of large lakes and reservoirs Here are other examples of unloading: Erosion of mountainsExcavation of canyons and valleysDrying up of large water bodiesLowering of sea level The flexing of the lithosphere from these causes is relatively small (usually much less than a kilometer [km]), but measurable. We can model the lithosphere using simple engineering physics, as if it were a metal beam, and get an idea of its thickness. (This was first done in the early 1900s.) We can also study the behavior of seismic waves and place the base of the lithosphere at depths where these waves begin to slow down, indicating softer rock. These models suggest that the lithosphere ranges from less than 20 kilometers  in thickness near the mid-ocean ridges to about 50 km in old oceanic regions. Under the continents, the lithosphere is thicker ... from around 100 to as much as 350 km. These same studies show that underneath the lithosphere is a hotter, softer layer of solid rock named the asthenosphere. The rock of the asthenosphere is viscous rather than rigid and deforms slowly under stress, like putty. Therefore the lithosphere can move across or through the asthenosphere under the forces of plate tectonics. This also means that earthquake faults are cracks that extend through the lithosphere, but not beyond it.   Lithosphere Structure The lithosphere includes the crust (the rocks of the continents and the ocean floor) and the uppermost part of the mantle beneath the crust. These two layers are different in mineralogy but very similar mechanically. For the most part, they act as one plate. Although many people refer to crustal plates, its more accurate to call them lithospheric plates. It appears that the lithosphere ends where the temperature reaches a certain level that causes average mantle rock (peridotite) to grow too soft. But there are many complications and assumptions involved, and we can only say that the temperature would be from about 600 C to 1,200 C. A lot depends on pressure as well as temperature, and the rocks vary in composition due to plate-tectonic mixing. Its probably best not to expect a definitive boundary. Researchers often specify a thermal, mechanical or chemical lithosphere in their papers. The oceanic lithosphere is very thin at the spreading centers where it forms, but it grows thicker with time. As it cools, more hot rock from the asthenosphere freezes onto its underside. Over the course of about 10 million years, the oceanic lithosphere becomes denser than the asthenosphere beneath it. Therefore, most of the oceanic plates are ready for subduction whenever it happens. Bending and Breaking the Lithosphere The forces that bend and break the lithosphere come mostly from plate tectonics. Where plates collide, the lithosphere on one plate sinks down into the hot mantle. In that process of subduction, the plate bends downward as much as 90 degrees. As it bends and sinks, the subducting lithosphere cracks extensively, triggering earthquakes in the descending rock slab. In some cases (such as in northern California) the subducted part can break off completely, sinking into the deep Earth as the plates above it change their orientation. Even at great depths, subducted lithosphere can be brittle for millions of years, as long as it is relatively cool. The continental lithosphere can split, with the bottom part breaking off and sinking. This process is called delamination. The crustal part of the continental lithosphere is always less dense than the mantle part, which in turn is denser than the asthenosphere beneath. Gravity or drag forces from the asthenosphere can pull the crustal and mantle layers apart. Delamination allows the hot mantle to rise and yield melt underneath parts of a continent, causing widespread uplift and volcanism. Places like Californias Sierra Nevada, eastern Turkey and parts of China are being studied with delamination in mind.

Price Discrimination -Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Price Discrimination -Economics - Essay Example The works of economics in various fields have been criticized for not being implementable in the real world and this has been one of the most serious failures of economists. However, there are still a number of theories which can be implemented in the real markets as they are in the books and work well in the human environment due to the fact that they have been developed over years after observing human nature and business functioning methods. This paper will be discussing the concept of price discrimination and how it can be used to benefit firms instead of the general notion that discounts and special fares for different target groups will lead to lower profit margins and losses. The paper is outlined in a continuous flow that will explain the basic three degrees of price discrimination with illustrations. After the theories have been discussed in detail, the practical examples will give the reader an idea of how the theory works in the actual environment which will be followed by a prompt conclusion. Though the term says it all, it is necessary to consider the mechanisms of demand and supply and the rubrics of price determination in a market where buyers and sellers have the natural tendency to bargain and ask for discounts if their purchases are above a standard quantity while sellers would love to settle for a lower price if buyers are willing to purchase more just because of the selling price being reduced. The definition of price discrimination is to "charge different buyers different prices for the same good, even though there is no difference in costs between customers" (Price Discrimination Notes, 2009). There are three degrees of price discrimination which form the complete function of this theory and while all can be practiced at the same time, it all is a matter of information flow in the system as to how long the practice can be sustained without forces acting towards price restoration (Case & Fair, 2004). This section will identify the three forms of price discrimination in theory clearly understating how it can still be profitable for firms to operate even though may be discriminating against prices. The above graph shows a typical demand-supply curve for a real market. With no price discrimination, the consumer surplus is the value the consumers received extra i.e. they did not pay for this value. However, the producer surplus represents the value of goods which the producer pocketed money for but actually never produced. The above demand and supply schedules are only possible because of the different willing-to-pay prices of different customers (Mankiw, 2002). This leads to some customers having to buy a product at a price which above which they valued the product while others have to pay an amount greater than the value they perceived for that product. Perfect Price Discrimination - First Degree of Price Discrimination The normal case of demand and supply match is twisted slightly by sellers in the first degree of price discrimination. Here the sellers discriminate "perfectly" amongst their consumers. This means that a consumer willing to pay $10 instead of the $5 market price will have no clue as to the fair market value of the product and will end up

Non Traditional Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Non Traditional Health Care - Essay Example Conventional medicine does have limits due to restricted fields of specialization in medical science. For this reason, medical practice has turned to holistic approaches. In 1991, the U.S. Congress ordered the setting up of the Office of Alternative Medicine under the National Institutes of Health. This measure reflects the adoption of alternative medicine and health care, including iridology, reflexology, acupuncture, naturopathy, yoga, music therapy, etc. Non-Traditional Health Care in Arizona Much like other states of the nation, Arizona has a pluralistic culture. Its over five million population boasts of European, Asian, Mexican and Latin-American immigrants. It is also unique for its very large Indian population of more than 14 tribes in 20 reservations. It is therefore not surprising that the U.S. Government has recognized its responsibility to these peoples, including provision of health care in various forms. In 1955, the Public Health Service formed the Indian Health Servic e (IHS) in Tucson to serve the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona.

Research Topic & Research Proposal Essay Example for Free

Research Topic Research Proposal Essay 1. What do you think of a good research topic? What are the key elements of a good research topic? A good research topic should be of a clear objectives and purpose. It should generate question to discover and find out the underlying problem or understanding a current situation. Therefore the elements of a good research topic is feasibility, are the resources available? How long the research could take and can that be done with a timeline or it needs to be extended. What are the factors that affect the accuracy of the research and what are the variables that need to be considered In order to assure the up to date presentation of results. Is it worthwhile? Is it relevant to what is used for and search about can what values the research will add into the current practices of the organization? 1. Assume that you interested in doing some research on the impact of quality management practices on organizational performance. Write four research questions that may be appropriate. What are the current quality management practices?  What is the link between the quality practices and organization performance   To how extend the quality practices effect the overall organization? Are the employees aware of the importance of quality management concept? What is the impact of quality management on employees behavior?   What are the areas of development addressed by the quality management practices? And how it does tactfully eliminate or change the defined shortfalls. How do the overall objectives of the company align with quality management practices? What are the quality management practices standards used in the organization? And does it match ISO 9001:2008 quality standards? 3. What is a research proposal? What are the purposes and key elements of a proposal? Definition: â€Å"It is a document that is typically written by a scientist or academic which describes the ideas for an investigation on a certain topic. The research proposal outlines the process from beginning to end and may be used to request financing for the project, certification for performing certain parts of research of the experiment, or as a required task before beginning a college dissertation†. Purpose: There are lots of purposes of research proposal and that could be to investigate an enquiry, finding out about something worthwhile in a particular context. Could be of business ground where is used to finalize a deal or evaluate several supplier for a business proposal. Other purposes is to convince the concerned parties about i.g. a product by showing the results of the research.

Love in Valentine and The Flea Essay -- The Flea John Donne Carol Ann

Love in Valentine and The Flea Through a close analysis of language, structure and theme, compare and contrast the poets' attitude to love in Valentine and The Flea. The poem "The Flea" is about a man trying to cunningly argue a woman into bed. John Donne's "The Flea" was a metaphysical poem, written most probably, to entertain an audience of men; this was called a coterie, which was a group of like-minded individuals who cleverly wrote for each other's amusement. This poem was written sometime in the 17th century where religion was extremely important and sex before marriage frowned upon. The poet is exploring ideas and feelings about lust and how unimportant losing virginity is, which a woman will obviously object to. The poem is written in three stanzas, which show the progression of his argument. The regular rhythm and rhyme implies the confidence he has that he will get the woman into bed for his pleasure and the strength in his argument. In each stanza there are three rhyming couplets and a rhyming triplet. This might represent how the flea, the unseen woman and himself are united as one inside the body of the flea. Although, there are a few exceptions, the few half rhymes in each stanza may show his conscience of being gentle and not pushing her too much. The poem has nine lines in each stanza; nine is a multiple of three, which is the number that this poem seems to circle around. This, again, suggests the unity of the two people's blood in the flea. It could also suggest the woman, himself and a baby. This could be implied through the phrase "pamper'd swells". This could be the woman becoming pregnant from making love. This might be a more sensitive side to the poem. The title "The Fle... ... and made me wonder why she had chosen an onion to represent her affection felt for her partner. I think the poet felt strongly about how people should express their feelings to those you care about instead of following the crowd and sending pointless cards. I would like to read more of her poems. John Donne's poem "The Flea" makes me feel quite angry because he has portrayed how some men think that women are objects; only for their own pleasure and that virginity is insignificant and unimportant. But it did also make me laugh because of how melodramatic he was and how desperate he was to persuade her that he used a flea as an example. I think it was a very clever poem and would have certainly entertained the audience it was aimed at. He was a very intelligent man and I would expect that many of his other poems would be just as witty and interesting.

War Criminals

â€Å" War Criminals are still in this country just because of political unrest and corruption† ‘The flag of independent Bangladesh flies at the front side of the car of war criminals (? ) of 1971.. ‘(Manik 2008). It’s the most hatred truth now-a days like story or poetry to the Bangladeshis who got a huge loss of lives, properties and threat in existing their lives during and after the war only for the unexpected conspiracy of those war criminals among whom many are surprisingly involved till today in leading our country. Who’ have given them rights to rule and even impose laws on us Why are they still in this country with more than all facilities where even a freedom fighter who sacrificed his life for this country can not Theanswer of those questions is commonly known to the people now a days. Do not you also guess the greater interest for being stable in politics, the corrupted political parties allow them to live peacefully in Bangladesh?Exactly due to the political unrest and corruption, the war criminals are still here in our country whose conspiracy is not finished yet. This is the national fact for what I am going to show that the political unrest and corruption gives strong position to the war criminals to be here. Before having my stand let me clarify about the powerful war criminals of our country under whom other criminals are being hidden for years.The most marked war criminals of our bloody War of 1971 are specifically present in Bangladesh with strong handling power and voice from Jamaat e-islami along with others involved directly in forming RazakarBahini, Al-Shams, AL-Badar who heavily drawn into mass murdering, rape, arson, looting and especially killing of intellectual during the last part of our glorious liberation war. Jamatis were related with most genocide that happened during nine months of liberation warthat is proved to us from the different sources and ‘MuktiyuddhaCetanaBikasa Kendra’.As hraf Hossain, a leader of Jamaat's student wing IslamiChhatraSangha, created the Al-Badar militia in Jamalpur District on 22 April 1971 (Editorial, DailyPurbodesh, 23 April 1971). In May, 1971, Jamaat leader Mawlana Yusuf created the Razakar militia in Khulna (Editorial, Daily Sangram, 14 November 1971). As getting information from the book ‘Genocide '71, an account of the killers and collaborators’ by AhamadaSharif and MuktiyuddhaCetanaBikasa Kendra (1987) , the large group of ilitia named AL-Shams was also created at the mid of the war led byJamat leader Ali AhsanMujahid who did the same massacre during the war. However, some people say, here in Bangladesh we have a quite sustainable constitution which is representing a complete freedom of country. But in that constitution there is nothing about war criminals and their definition. Constitution of Bangladesh does not make any specific words about the existence of the war criminals. From the ISN report 4thNovember, 1972 we get the whole overview of our constitution easily.Here according to The Article-6 (1) and (2) [talks about ‘Citizenship’] ,Article-19 (1) [talks about ‘Equality of opportunity’] and Article-32 [talks about ‘Protection of right to life and personal liberty’] of the constitution, war criminals along with everyone after the war got the clear acknowledgement to be a citizen of Bangladesh. So they deserve to be with all facilities like us. Therefore the clarification of Constitution is responsible to give the opportunity to the war criminals to be still here in Bangladesh. So justonly the political interest and corruption is not thefact.Butmany Specialists and intellectuals gave different types ofopinions opposing the above logic . Ema. E. Hasana and War Crimes Facts Finding Committee (Bangladesh) in their combined and most acceptable book ever ‘Papers on genocide, war crime and crime against humanity in Bangladesh(2001) proved having many statistics and incidentsthat for political and individual soft corner, the makers of constitution who were the only political power at that time made a diplomatic composition of Constitution which had not given any specific definition for the war criminals.That is why war criminals are the citizens of Bangladesh now. Besides, for political interest they changed and amended many parts of constitution (Malik 2009). We have seen that in the elections, those political leaders use the war criminals for having privilege. Kabir (1998) said from the report of Primary Resource in International Affairs(PRIA) that three specified war criminals (Ahmed Sarwer, Kamal Azam, Ruhitbillah) were appointed in the Local administration on September, 1972.So we see the ultimate cause of staying of war criminals strongly in country is the political corruption and interest for having power. In addition, the position of the war criminals has been lastingfor years by the strong influences of the foreign coun tries. Blackburn (2008) indicates a matter thatUSA has less concentration on the illegal terrorism happened in the poor countries where they have no profit.Absolutely it’s true that to overpower the developing and underdeveloped countries like our country Bangladesh the powerful and developed countries like USA and UKdo not assist the Government of us being informed about theunfair activities of the many fundamentalist parties who always opposed the national war in the name of peace as wrong way having brutal massacre on innocent patriotic people rather they try to take advantages from the cases and if they can not make their self-interest from us then they threat us with their rich nuclear power as a complain of having fundamentalist terrorists.That is the chance for the fundamentalist war criminals of our country getting indirect influence from them and for this some of us argues that it’s not all about thepolitical corruption which is only responsible for the presen t position of the war criminals in our country. Yes it may be right and correct that the foreign influence has. But the latent history is, Bangladesh Govt. is not supposed to become an undertaker govt. Rather, to get the support from the strong foreign govt. , for holding the power and having more favour and self-interests doing corruptions within own country, our politicians lose their soveiregnity and own character.For the greater political interests they have been using the war criminals as their partner. So again the main cause is political corruption for what still the war criminals are here in Bangladesh. Moreover, the war criminals have the international networks in many countries. Jamaat-Bangladesh has the direct control under the Jamaat-Pakistan(Blackburn 2009). According to the report of Blackburn (2009), both two groups get supports including financial aids from the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).He found that MueenUddinChowdhury and Asrafuzzaman Khan from Jaamt-B angladesh who are involved in war crimes make funds in UK, US, Germany and Austrialia and keep it to the Al-Khidmat Foundation that helps to support the HizbulMujahideen, Jamaat's armed wing and other groups which are designated by the US and UK as a terrorist organization. Those groups have very strong supports in almost many countries of Asia. That is the weak point for Bangladesh to stop those war criminals involved with them. But we see at present we have no strong political strength where the political parties are busy with their own interests.That is why Bangladesh did not either make its enough image as stand internationally. As political parties just think about their own interest, they always hope to get assistances from the different sources as well as those groups. For that reason they do not have any bravery say against those strong networks getting money from them. The most important thing is that the unconsciousness and unwillingness of the general people who always si lently has been allowing the war criminals to freely live in peace.Besides, many of us directly support the war criminals and try to give them the power to lead the country. But we all experience that we the general people are bound to be silent under the power of corrupted political parties. It is well planned to rehabilitate the war criminals in Bangladesh. Here war criminals are given power to control politics and given the post of minister of this country. And by this, the public are cheated so that they can not remind the matter again. So frequently under the only political corruption war criminals are still existingin this country.However the key volume of the strength of war criminals increased from 1972 while they were pardoned as a ‘General Bail 1972’ by Sheikh Mujib which was said to be having a great political advantages and supports for them (Ahmed 2010). But the most favourable chance came to the war criminals during 1975, 1977, 1979 as those years when the acceptation of religion based politics started. kabir (1994) thinks that MAJOR JIA and ERSHAD tried to make the people more emotional and made them more sentimental by religion in a wrong way with the wrong explanation of Islam by the fundamentalistsJamaatis .They invitedthose war criminalsto take pure political support and they both gave chance to them to be their political partner. Going to do that they changed the constitution for the betterment of the war criminals but not more than any development. That is why they rehabilitated the war criminals. On the other hand, no step has been taken till now to make trial of the war criminals due to political interest of the the major political parties after the liberation. So many govt. leaders came and gone but not tried to trial the war criminals only for political cause.Even some of the political parties made Joint Group to win the election which is a practical example. We saw the Ameer of Jamaat-Islami had been the minister of our c ountry. Mohaiemen (2003) found that an alleged war criminal SalauddinQuaderChy. has just became Bangladesh’s nominee for Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) with his power getting the support from the own political parties.To sum up, it’sinfact necessary to say that the war criminals are used as a great vote bank in elections which actually increases unrests among the political parties. abir (1994) realized that the supporters of the war criminals were increasing day by day by the chance of the corrupted politics. The consequence of it reflects very soon. It is impossible to determine how much support the Jamat actually had in the 2001 election as it was part of an alliance whose various members voted for each other against the Awami League, but its 17 seats in the new parliament – and two ministers in the government – suggest a dramatic increase. So it’s clear to know that just for the political unrest and corrupt ion the war criminals are existing in our country still now.

Burton Snowboards: A Marketing Assesment Essay

Snowboarding is a wintertime sport that is rapidly growing in popularity. The founder of the sport, Jack Burton Carpenter, is amazed at the success of the snowboarding market and contributes the success of the market to his determination of foreseeing snowboarding becoming a popular winter sport. The following assignment will describe with specifics the environmental forces influencing the snowboarding industry, the differences in marketing goals in comparison to Burton Snowboarding’s early years with that of today, and will describe each element of Burton Snowboarding’s marketing mix. The environmental forces influencing the snowboarding industry includes the following: Demographic: Baby boomers will retire or have already taken early retirement; therefore recreational activities will increase greatly. Recent retirees will give up most of their spare time, (that was normally set aside for work), for leisure and recreational activities. The snowboarding market is targeting teenagers’ usage of their products. Therefore, if the snowboard industry wants to keep the teenage audience interest in their products they must maintain its image. In order to keep their image safe, the industry must sell to high profit organizations and not low budget markets such as the bi-way, (who knows what the bi-way would want with snowboards but it’s a good example of a low budget market). Economic- Business Cycle: Sales of snowboards will be high during times of prosperity, (when the economy is at its peak). Adding more appeal on snowboards, (examples: a new look, upgrade, new products and more uses for the product), during times of prosperity in the economy will help to expand the snowboard market. Widening the snowboard market makes the consumer more aware of the product and thus adds to the sales on the product. Economy- Inflation: Since the majority of the consumers buying snowboards are teenagers, inflation rates will affect their buying power. Teenagers receive minimum wage and thus will not have adequate funds to purchase a snowboard  for recreational expenditures. Social: People are more concerned then ever about being healthy and fit and more and more people are looking to new unique ways of getting their health needs met. Location: The snowboarding market must be situated in or around accessible snowboarding facilities or areas. E.g. Ski resorts, mountainous regions and places that receive an adequate amount of snowfall. The elements of marketing mix that Burton snowboards cover includes price, product, and distribution, marketing communications and customer service. The following is a more specific outline of each of the marketing mix elements. Price: Burton Snowboards range from $300-$1000, more expensive then low named brands but shows that quality, effort and workmanship has been placed into the creation of each individual board. Product: Burton added a new line of protection equipment for the upcoming snowboarding season, including such products as: styling helmets, pads and hats. The helmets are improved from last year’s models and now contain: venting ports, micro fit adjustments, a wide-angle view (for safety) and removable earpieces. Distributions: Burton snowboards can be purchased at any local retail that specializes in snowboards, (the locations nearest us includes: Sports Swap 2045 Young Street and Sporting Life 2454 Young Street), and at ski resorts allowing snowboarders (rental only). Marketing Communications: Burton Snowboarding has created an image that is appealing to teenagers. Burton is using this image to attract this age group by advertisements, Internet sites, and articles in popular teen magazines and by sponsoring local youth events. Customer Service: Burton Snowboarding has created a safer snowboarding experience for its users, by introducing safety products such as helmets and pads. In the early years of developing the snow boarding industry, Burton tried to gain acceptance from fellow skiers. Burton tried to persuade ski resorts of allowing snowboarders to use their ski resorts. Burton got its big break in 1983 when Vermont Stratton Mountain allowed snowboarders to use its slopes. Burton hoped that by opening opportunities to snowboarders on ski resorts that the sport would gain acceptance from the consumer, and thus open the snowboarding market.Burton is now at the leading edge of snowboarding, and its products cover the largest variety of boards, ranging from: Free riders, pipe boards, novice and expert lines of boards. Burton also sells snowboarding equipment along with its line of boards; this helps with consumer’s convenience and helps to gain more profit for the company. Burton has put together a non-profit organization that helps under privileged kids learn to snowboard. All equipment and professional instructing are available. Burton hopes to promote the product and show the consumer that it cares about the community, all which will reach more target markets

Free Essays on Religion In Sports

There have been associations that have been created to stop racism in sports. One popular organization known as The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media was created to stop influences exists to fight the powerful influence of major media who choose to promulgate messages of oppression. The impetus which formed NCRSM was the clear case of media coupling imagery with widely held misconceptions of American Indians in the form of sports team identities resulting in racial, cultural, and spiritual stereotyping. NCRSM formed in October of 1991 at a meeting of American Indian dignitaries and activists held at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota. NCRSM, while best known for its front-line demonstrations outside sports stadiums across America has been responsible for an educational effort which has made the issue of racial stereotyping a household discussion. NCRSM takes a long term view of the struggle against learned hatred and disrespect. We are in a fight for the very sou l of the United States against long ingrained willful and self serving ignorance. Components of major media which from public and government opinion includes: film video, sports entertainment, and educational institutions, publications, news organization, television, cable satellite, internet, retail practices and merchandising, marketing and radio. AMERICAN INDIANS ARE PEOPLE, NOT MASCOTS Charlene Teters, Spokane Now being fought in the courtrooms, corporation boardrooms, and classrooms over the appropriation of Native American names, spiritual and cultural symbols by professional sports, Hollywood, schools, and universities. The issue for us is the right to self identification and self determination this is the fight of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media. The American Indian community for 50 years has worked to banish images and names like Cleveland's chief Wahoo, Washington redskins, Kansas City chiefs, and Atlanta braves. We... Free Essays on Religion In Sports Free Essays on Religion In Sports There have been associations that have been created to stop racism in sports. One popular organization known as The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media was created to stop influences exists to fight the powerful influence of major media who choose to promulgate messages of oppression. The impetus which formed NCRSM was the clear case of media coupling imagery with widely held misconceptions of American Indians in the form of sports team identities resulting in racial, cultural, and spiritual stereotyping. NCRSM formed in October of 1991 at a meeting of American Indian dignitaries and activists held at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota. NCRSM, while best known for its front-line demonstrations outside sports stadiums across America has been responsible for an educational effort which has made the issue of racial stereotyping a household discussion. NCRSM takes a long term view of the struggle against learned hatred and disrespect. We are in a fight for the very sou l of the United States against long ingrained willful and self serving ignorance. Components of major media which from public and government opinion includes: film video, sports entertainment, and educational institutions, publications, news organization, television, cable satellite, internet, retail practices and merchandising, marketing and radio. AMERICAN INDIANS ARE PEOPLE, NOT MASCOTS Charlene Teters, Spokane Now being fought in the courtrooms, corporation boardrooms, and classrooms over the appropriation of Native American names, spiritual and cultural symbols by professional sports, Hollywood, schools, and universities. The issue for us is the right to self identification and self determination this is the fight of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media. The American Indian community for 50 years has worked to banish images and names like Cleveland's chief Wahoo, Washington redskins, Kansas City chiefs, and Atlanta braves. We...

Air Quality

Air Quality Essay Air Quality Dispersion Today, the air quality aspect of ARL research is by far the dominant theme, but distinctions among the themes remain somewhat vague. For example, the models developed for emergency response purposes are among those used for air quality prediction. The Air Quality and Dispersion theme is one of the strongest ties that binds ARLs components together. ARL is not heavily involved in the pure science of the business. Instead, ARL focusses on the need to assemble integrated understanding and models from all available sources, to develop the capability to predict changes in air quality that will follow changes in emissions, or that will occur as a result of meteorological factors. ARL air quality research extends to studies of atmospheric deposition essentially the coupling between the atmospheric pollutant environment and the surface below. ARL now operates the only research-grade deposition monitoring network in the nation: AIRMoN (the Atmospheric Integrated Resear ch Monitoring Network). Programs. Air Quality and Deposition Modeling Air quality models have demanded this kind of coupling for a considerable time. As a result, there are now well-developed descriptions of PBL processes in use in air quality models. ARL research products are now receiving a wider audience, within the mesoscale modeling community at large. It is recognized that modern models are invariably data assimilative, and that modern monitoring programs require coupled modeling activities for data interpretation. Model development programs are supported by a vigorous physical modeling program, located at Research Triangle Park, NC. ARL operates one of the nations major fluid modeling facilities, at which studies are conducted on the effects of mountains, buildings, and other surface obstacles on atmospheric flow patterns. Integrated Monitoring, and AIRMoN The Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network is an atmospheric component to the overall national integrated monitoring initiative that is currentl y evolving. AIRMoN has two principal components: wet and dry deposition. ARL presently focuses its research attention on ? the measurement of precipitation chemistry with fine time resolution (AIRMoN-wet), ? the development of systems for measuring deposition, both wet and dry, ? the measurement of dry deposition using micrometeorological methods (AIRMoN-dry), ? the development of techniques for assessing air-surface exchange in areas (such as specific watersheds) where intensive studies are not feasible, and ? the extension of local measurements and knowledge to describe areal average exchange in numerical models. Aerosols and visibility ARL specializes in the geochemical cycling of atmospheric aerosols, particularly the particulate component. Research groups in ARL concentrate on (a) the injection of dust and soil particles into the atmosphere, (b) the transport of particles through the atmosphere, the production of aerosol particles in the air by chemical reactions, (d) the scavenging of airborne particles by clouds and their subsequent deposition in precipitation, (e) the dry deposition of particles as air moves across different landscapes, and (f) the assembly of numerical models. Specific topics include ? the injection of dust and soil particles into the atmosphere, ? the long-range transport of particles through the atmosphere, ? the production of aerosol particles in the air by chemical reactions, ? the scavenging of airborne particles by clouds and their subsequent deposition in precipitation, and ? the dry deposition of particles as air moves across different landscapes. International ARL serves as the leader of the U.S. multi-agency effort to impose formalized and uniform quality assurance programs on the many national air quality and deposition monitoring networks that are operational around the globe. How are ozone concentrations calculated with Hysplit? Ozone is then calculated from the photostationary state equation. The IER solution is used in the operational Hysplit ozone calculation. The pollutant particles are tracked and air concentrations for each species are computed each advection time step following the usual lagrangian approaches. At the conclusion of the advection step the GRS differential equations are solved on the concentration grid (Eulerian solution), and the change of concentration of each pollutant species is applied to the pollutant mass on the particles that contributed concentration to each grid cell. -Eulerian chemistry solution on the grid dc/dt = {Equations 1 7} 1) ROC + hv -* RP + ROC Nitric oxide-ozone titration reacti on 5) RP + RP -* RP k5 = 10200 Sink for nitrogen dioxide to stable gaseous nitrates

Risk Management Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Risk Management Plan - Assignment Example regarding legal risks; reputation damage, firm position, claims from third parties due to tax schemes, contractual risks and regulations and policy changes. Legal risk management for accounting firms should start with an engagement letter that contains terms of business, scope of work, and a reasonable liability cap. Engagement letters ensures the identity of all the contracting parties that rely on accountants work. This letters are important to the firm to reduce the amount of claims from third parties in the company. There are also different policies and regulations that govern the accounting firms; Ontario requires that all certified general accountants should have a mandatory errors and omissions insurance (Buchan, et al., 2012). These policies can change with time and this poses as risk to the company. A legal risk management framework is advised to ensure that the organisation will pursue its corporate objectives and aims within its legal obligations for example, legislation, codes of practice, and significant contracts. Compliance with auditing standards has to be followed in accordance with the Auditing Practices Board. Training of employees and proper planning of the work is therefore essential. The relationship between the accounting firm and the entity being audited maybe the source of audit failure to detect issues in audit (Buchan, et al., 2012). Training of employees should be thorough to allow them to pick up the warning signs for example, unexplained debts, late information provision and risk management lack in an entity. Failure to incorporate such information in audits may lead to the closure of the firm. Audit software packages should be revised on yearly basis and professional sceptism should be maintained when carrying out an audit. In reference to insurance, indemnities and warranties should be well considered to avoid catastrophic claims against the accountant professional. It should be ensured that the indemnity clause is well capped

Critically discuss and analyse 2012 London Olympic play in their Essay

Critically discuss and analyse 2012 London Olympic play in their capacity to generate social, cultural, economic and tourism impacts - Essay Example Hosting the Olympic Games has also been something that many countries want to be associated with especially when it comes to hosting (Tcha 2004, p. 312). The history of the Olympics back to Athenian period, where they are thought to have originated from (Veraros, Kasimati & Dawson 2004, p. 749-50). Since then, the competitions have developed and increased in the number of sporting events and the manner in which the competitions are organized. The Olympic Games are usually held after every four years, compared to other sporting events that in most cases take place on a biennial basis. Organization of the Olympic Games is a mandate of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a body that was initiated in 1894 with current headquarters in Britain. Currently, many countries across the world dream of hosting the Olympic games after the time required, there is always a lot of bidding for hosting rights of the sporting event. The motivation to host these events is usually preceded by the thought of perceived benefits that the events pose to the state (Caporale, Economou & Philippas, 2008, p. 10; Berman, Brooks & Davidson 2000, p. 785). Previously, statistics and records compiled at the end of the Olympic Games show that in spite of the huge costs incurred in preparations for hosting of the events, there are huge benefits derived from successful Olympic Games. The 2012 Summer Olympics were also commonly referred to as the 2012, and were a major international multi-sport event that were held and celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic games. These events took place in the London capital in the United Kingdom in the 2012 and attracted more than 200 nations with over 10, 000 athletes taking part in the different athletics categories. Following a successful bid, London was able to outwit other fierce rivals in the hosting process that included Russia’s Moscow, the New York City of United

Introduction to Project Managment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Project Managment - Assignment Example In this scenario our project main responsibility involves installation of artificial ice rinks. For this reason we will manage and plan the overall project for the enhanced performance. The main aim and objective of this project is to present a better handling, management and support for the establishment of the winter themed event at the new holiday park. For this project we are aimed to offer better facilities of project management and handling for the better performance of the overall project. In this scenario we are indentured to complete the project with the given cost and time based constraints. This will offer us a better opportunity for the overall successful completion of project. Here we will also encourage the project HR for the showing their best performance for a great deal of enhanced and successful project completion. In this project we are having a number of main project stockholders. In this scenario main project stockholders are having main intention for the project successful completion with the minimum disturbance to local residential areas. Here below I have outlined some of main project stockholders: There are lots of risks involved in every project. Here successful project management is about the effective management and handling of main project activities and tasks on time. This project for the Ice Rinks is also having some of main project risks and issues those are outlined below: Budgetary Risks: There is a number of project cost and budgetary risks at any project in case of our project for installation artificial ice rinks is also involving some of main project cost based risks. This project is going to held for 2 days. In this short time period we can take risks regarding effective resource availability. For this reason we need to invest in great deal of much better way. This can lead to overall high cost of effective project management that can cause overall project

Discrimination Of Sexual Minorities In The Workplace

Discrimination Of Sexual Minorities In The Workplace Qualified, hardworking Americans are denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise discriminated against just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) (Human Right Campaign). Even with the passing and enforcement of employment anti-discrimination laws, statistics show that persons with minority status such as people of color, persons with disabilities and women continue to experience discrimination in the workplace, particularly sexual minorities LGBT persons (Niles Harris-Bowlsbey, 2005). LGBT individuals who are also ethnic minorities are at an even greater disadvantage, with African American transgender people faring the worst (Grant, Mottet, Tanis, Harrison, Keisling, 2001). To date, no federal law exists which consistently protects LGBT individuals from discriminatory practices in the workplace. It is still legal in 29 states to discriminate against employees and job applicants based on their sexual orientation, and legal in 38 states to discriminate based on gender identity (Human Rights Campaign). Within the state of Florida, there are no provisions in place which formally address discrimination based on gender identity; however a Florida court ruled that a person with Gender Identity Disorder (gender dysphoria) is within the disability coverage under the Florida Human Rights Act, as well as sections of the act that proscribe discrimination based on perceived disability. There is no state-wide non-discrimination law that protects individuals based on sexual orientation (Human Rights Campaign). Vocational psychology researchers, practitioners, and LGBT advocates have made significant attempts to call attention to the vocational concerns and needs of both ethnic and sexual minority groups. Over the past few decades, work discrimination has become a topic of interest in the fast growing literature regarding the vocational issues and challenges of LGBT persons (Chung, 2001; Gedro, 2009; Loo Rocco, 2009; ONeil, McWhirter, Cerezo, 2008). Work Discrimination Chung (2001) defined work discrimination as, unfair and negative treatment of workers or job applicants based on personal attributes that are irrelevant to job performance (Chung, 2001,p. 34) and proposed a conceptual framework that describes work discrimination along three dimensions: a) formal versus informal, b) perceived versus real, and c) potential versus encountered. Formal discrimination refers to institutional policies or decisions that influence ones employment status, job assignment, and compensation. Informal discrimination refers to workplace behaviors or environments that are unwelcoming. Perceived discrimination refers to acts perceived to be discriminatory; whereas, real discrimination is based in actuality/reality. Potential discrimination refers to discrimination that could occur if a persons LGBT identity is either revealed or assumed. Encountered discrimination refers to discriminatory acts one experiences. Findings from Research on Work Discrimination against LGBT persons Following is a brief overview of some of the recent research findings on work discrimination of LGBT individuals. In their report entitled Bias in the Workplace, Badgett, Lau, Sears, and Ho (2007) summarized research findings about employment discrimination of LGBT persons from four different kinds of studies throughout the United States. Surveys of LGBT persons experiences with workplace discrimination (self-reports and co-worker perceptions), revealed that 16% to 68% of LGB persons reported experiencing employment discrimination, with 57% of transgender persons reporting the same. A significant number of heterosexual co-workers also reported witnessing sexual orientation discrimination in the work place against their LGBT peers. Of note, 12% to 13% of respondents in specific occupations (e.g., the legal profession) reported witnessing anti-gay discrimination in employment. An analysis of employment discrimination complaints filed with governmental agencies in states where discrimin ation based on sexual orientation is prohibited, findings revealed that LGB persons filed complaints at rates similar to women and racial minorities (e.g., people of color). An analysis of wage differentials between LGBT and heterosexual workers revealed that gay men earn 10% to 32% less than heterosexual men with similar qualifications and that transgender persons reported higher rates of unemployment (6% to 60% were unemployed) with incredibly small earnings (22% 64% of the employed earned less than $25,000 per year). Finally, findings from controlled experiments where researchers compare treatment of LGBT people and treatment of heterosexuals by presenting hypothetical scenarios in which research participants interact with the actual or hypothetical people who are coded as gay or straight also revealed significant discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace. According to the American Psychological Association (2011), those who self-identify as LGBT are particularly vulnerable to being socioeconomically disadvantaged; this is important as socioeconomic status is inextricably linked to LGBT persons rights and overall well-being. Although LGBT persons tend to be more educated in comparison to the general population, research suggests that they make significantly less money than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. In 2009, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force published the preliminary findings of their National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS). A staggering 97% of survey participants reported experiencing mistreatment, harassment, or discrimination in some form on their jobs, which included privacy invasion (48% said supervisors/coworkers shared information about me inappropriately and 41% said I was asked questions about my transgender and surgical status), verbal abuse (48% said I was referred to be the wrong pronoun, repeatedly and on purpose), and physical or sexual assault (7% said I was a victim of sexual assault at work and 6% said I was a victim of sexual assault at work). Survey respondents also reported experiencing unemployment at twice the rate of the population, with 47% having experienced an adverse job outcome being fired, not hired or denied a promotion at some point in their careers due to their gender identity. Simi lar findings were reported in the NTDS official report, Injustice at Every Turn. Other significant findings were that 57% of participants reported trying to avoid discrimination by keeping their gender or gender transition a secret, and 71% by delaying the transition. Sixteen percent reported that they had to resort to work in the underground economy to earn income (e.g., prostitution or selling drugs). Unemployed respondents reported experiencing devastating outcomes, including double the homelessness, 85% more incarceration, and increased negative health outcomes, including twice the rate of HIV infection and nearly twice the rate of current drug use to self-medicate/cope in comparison to their employed LGBT counterparts (Ramos, Badgett, Sears, 2011). Frye (2001) argued that transgender persons are regular targets of workplace discrimination even more systematically than their LGB counterparts. In an attempt to ensure professional survival and avoid discrimination, many LGB employees choose not to come out at work; however because transgender persons may possess physical and behavioral characteristics that clearly identify them as transgendered at some point in their lives (mainly during gender transition), they are more susceptible to having their sexual minority status revealed against their will (being outed). More so than LGB individuals, transgender persons are frequently targets of hate crimes because of their visibility (Frye, 2001). How/ Why Work Discrimination is related or important to career counseling. In the United States, a dominant career-related belief is that the individual controls his or her own career destiny (Niles Harris-Bowlsbey, 2005, p. 1); however, individual control is always exercised within a context that varies based on the degree to which it supports ones career goals. In the case of LGBT persons, factors such as heterosexism, socioeconomic status, and racism may restrict access to certain occupational opportunities. Work discrimination in any form can have a profound effect on ones career path and development (Neary, 2010). LGBT people face a complex set of choices that are unique to them because of their sexual minority status (Gedro, 2009, p. 54). Many of them have to confront exclusion from certain types of jobs, such as elementary school teachers and child care workers; physical assault, verbal harassment and abuse, destruction of property, ridicule, trans-phobic jokes, unfair work schedules, workplace sabotage, and restriction to their careers (Kirk Belov ics, 2008, p.32 as cited in Neary, 2010). In the case of transgender individuals, concerns about personal safety while at work preclude the focus on career interests (Neary, 2010). Because of the large amount of energy it requires to integrate a positive gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender identity, as well as cope with discrimination (within and outside of the workplace), career development for such persons to be postponed, hindered, or misdirected (Alderson, 2003 as cited in Gedro, 2009, p.56; Haley, 2004). Pepper and Lorah (2008) identified 3 major problems related to the job search process an integral part of career development which poses several challenges for transgender persons: 1) potential loss of work history, 2) navigating the job interview process (many struggle with confidence and self-esteem issues), and 3) if an employer asks about work experience under another name. Although slightly different, such challenges may be generalized to LGB job-applicants as well. Helping LGBT clients prepare for these problems is essential in assisting them in their career choice and job search efforts (Neary, 2010). Work discrimination also has a significant impact on LGBT persons mental state, with the most common psychological issues include increased levels of stress and anxiety, depression, lack of self-confidence, drug and alcohol dependency (Neary, 2010), and attempted suicide (Grant et. al., 2011). Implications Suggested Interventions for Career Counselors Like all other clients, the LGBT client may require help with career planning, self-assessment, career exploration, career or job transitions, job search strategies etcetera (Neary, 2010; ONeil et. al., 2008). Career counselors working with sexual minorities need to create a LGBT-positive/affirming counseling environment, in which clients are free to explore their personal needs, interests and values in a safe place. Such an environment includes tangible and process-related forms of support and affirmation (e.g., displaying quarterly newsletters from the America Psychological Associations Division 44 and other reading materials or paying careful attention to unique aspects of assessment interpretation) for LGBT clients. Intake forms should encourage them to note their gender presentation, and gender-neutral washrooms should be made available (ONeil et. al., 2008). Counselors and other helping professionals involved in the career development process of LGBT individuals should ensure that they develop relevant multicultural knowledge, skills and awareness for conducting culturally appropriate career discussions, realizing that more traditional approaches will likely be ineffective with this particular population. (Niles Harris-Bowlsbey, 2001). When a LGBT client presents for career counseling, counselors should assess whether they are competent to provide the services requested (ONeil, et. al., 2008). It is also imperative that career counselors assess their personal biases, stereotypes, and assumptions about the LGBT client presenting for counseling. A client-centered approach is recommended given that the issue of trust building is critical with the LGBT population. From a narrative perspective, adopting a stance of informed not knowing will allow the LGBT client the best chance to share their story about their career and life in their own wo rds. Following, the counselor and client collaborate to deconstruct the cultural narratives of gender and heterosexism that promote negative messages and replace them with a more accurate and affirming narrative (Neary, 2010). In the case of personal dislike to LGBT individuals, ONeil et. al., (2008) advised that counselors refer the client to another professional, receive continuing education and supervision, and engage in personal exploration of the topic as a means to prepare for future clients with similar concerns. The career counselors ability to provide effective services to their LGBT clients will be improved by staying current with the relevant literature (ONeil et. al., 2008). Career counselors are encouraged to help improve cultural sensitivity where their clients are concerned; this can be achieved by using appropriate names, pronouns and other terminology preferred by their LGBT clients to help validate their identity. Career counselors should also make it a point to educate themselves about the different legal issues experienced by their clients and investigate any written workplace policies that may hold relevance to LGBT individuals, such as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ONeil et. al., 2008; Human Rights Campaign). Further, career counselors should identify and attend to all of the salient aspects of the clients identity, as clients may identify themselves with an array of sociocultural backgrounds. This is especially important for transgender clients who not only suffer discrimination in the workplace, but in almost every aspect of their lives: education, housing, public accommodations, receiving update identification documents, and health care (Ramos, Badgett, Sears, 2011). Pope (1995) as cited in Gedro (2009) outlined four useful interventions for career counselors working in their work with sexual minorities. Pope suggests a discussion about discrimination interventions (exploring the nature and extent of discrimination and any resources available to the client should he or she chose to change their job or career), dual-career couples (e.g., Do you openly reveal the relationship at work?), overcoming internalized transphobia or homophobia with the client (many sexual minority clients possess an intense self-hatred and loathing), as well as supporting LGBT role models (particularly those who do not work in safe occupation). Finally, career counselors are also strongly encouraged to serve as advocates for their LGBT clients. One author noted that a weakness in the field is the reluctance or inability to see career counselors as change agents who can help not only individuals to change but systems to change as well (Hanson, 2003 as cited in ONeil, 2008, p. 299). Neary (2010) cited Muniz and Thomas (2006) five strategies in organization settings that career counselors can use to help cultivate an affirmative LGBT work environment. They include: 1) setting up the context advocating in the workplace for anti-discrimination and harassment policies, 2) preparing for resistance taking steps to make the concerns and needs of the LGBT population more visible, 3) leadership commitment gaining commitment and support from the leadership/management of organization, 4) becoming familiar with or launching affinity and/or resource groups for LGBT persons, and 5) continued learning additional diversity training (Near y, 2010). The Human Rights Campaign Foundation provides a 5-step checklist for advocating for the rights of transgender persons, and the NCTEs list of 52 Things You Can Do for Transgender Equity, is also a useful guide for initiating social advocacy (ONeil, et. al., 2008).

Descriptive Essay - The Meadow -- Descriptive Essay, Descriptive Writin

The Meadow      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On a crisp autumn afternoon, I sat idly under an enormous oak tree watching as a whirlwind whisked across the rolling hills of   the meadow.   As it passed by me, the whirlwind scooped up a dormant pile of leaves lying next to the oak tree.   The leaves appeared to come alive twisting, turning, and dancing about the meadow.   They were sporting their new fall colors of red, orange, brown, and yellow.  Ã‚   The brittle autumn leaves seemed to be having a party.   As the party moved out of sight, I began to think about the last time I visited the meadow.   The memories of my last visit are vivid with relaxed and peaceful thoughts   motivated by the images, scents, and sounds of the meadow.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The beauty of the meadow in the summer is unequaled.   My memories contained many images of this special place.   Snow covered mountains extend high above the heavens; thus, setting the backdrop to the meadow.   Wildflowers speckled the base of the mountain becoming more abundant   near the babbling brook.   The brook ran through the midd...

Assessing Writing Skills in a Communicative Paradigm Essay

Communicative Language Testing is intended to assess learners’ ability to using the target language in real life situations. Its now ten years since Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been introduced in secondary English curriculum of Bangladesh. Therefore, the test of English at the SSC level is now facing the challenges of assessing learners’ communicative skills. This study looks at the existing model of the SSC English test and explores the possibilities of incorporating a more communicatively based test format. The study is carried out on the basis of an evaluation of the test items on writing skills set in the SSC test papers. It also explores the views of Bangladeshi secondary English teachers and internationally renowned Language Testing Experts. In this paper, it is argued that, though secondary English education in Bangladesh has stepped into a communicative era ten years back, the current SSC test is not in accordance with the curriculum objectives. It is found that the test items on writing lack both validity and reliability. Suggestions made for improving the current SSC test include: defining the purpose of communication in English for SSC level learners, drafting test specifications, setting test items which are more relevant to a communicative purpose, and developing a marking scheme to mark the subjective items. Introduction The concept of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has had much influence in the fields of English language teaching, curriculum and test design. Since the 1970s, there have been considerable developments in the area of language testing. Various theories and practical testing models have evolved following the concept of communicative competence. Bangladesh has introduced a communicative English curriculum at its secondary education sector. However, the aims and objectives of the communicative curriculum can never be achieved without a testing system that assesses the communicative ability of learners. This paper looks at the existing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) English examination to identify the elements of communicative testing in it and examines the suitability of this testing system to the curriculum goals. The study involves a critical analysis of the current SSC test. It also explores the views of Bangladeshi secondary English teachers and two internationally renowned language testing experts on the SSC test and investigates the ways of making it more communicatively based. Background of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Bangladesh The teaching of English in Bangladesh has a long history that traces back to the colonial era. However, the British models of teaching English continued to influence the ELT scenario of post-colonial Bengal even after the colonial rule was over in 1947. Since then the grammar translation method continued to influence the ELT scenario as the most dominant teaching method in the Indian subcontinent. After the independence of Bangladesh (1971), several attempts were made to re-design ELT sector with little or no success. In 1990, a four year ELT project called Orientation of Secondary School Teachers for Teaching English in Bangladesh (OSSTTEB) was jointly launched by the Government of Bangladesh and DFID, UK to improve English Language Teaching and Learning at secondary level. This project revised, adapted and revamped the secondary English curriculum (Hoque, 1999). In 1997, a major step was initiated with the introduction of English Language Teaching Improvement Project (ELTIP). The project started working with a view to improving the communicative competence of the secondary level learners. Under this project, a communicative curriculum, revised text books and newly written Teachers’ Guides (TGs) were developed and some 30 thousand English teachers, test administrators, and markers were trained. The SSC examination The SSC is the first public examination in Bangladesh that learners sit for after 10 years of schooling. Students take English as a compulsory subject at this level. The examination is administered countrywide through the seven Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE). The question papers are set by the respective BISE independently following the national curriculum and syllabus of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). The syllabus document of NCTB explicitly recommends a testing system that is in keeping with the spirits of CLT. The new syllabus document for classes 9-10 (NCTB 1999: 135) mentions, â€Å"Until and unless a suitable public examination is devised that tests English language skills rather than students’ ability to memorise and copy without understanding, the aims and objectives of the syllabus can never be realised.† Moreover samples of question papers were provided in the TGs and Teachers were encouraged to follow the test models. Research Questions This study is concerned with the following research questions: 1. How are students’ writing skills tested by the existing SSC English examinations? 2. To what extent are these test items communicatively based? 3. What do Bangladeshi teachers and the international testing experts think of the current SSC English examination? 4. How can the SSC examination be improved to reflect the goals stated in the national curriculum and syllabus document? Research methodology The approach to this resaerch belongs to the interpretative epistemology which argues that knowledge, in social research, is concerned not with generalization, prediction and control but with interpretation, meaning and illumination (Usher, 1996: 12). The approach here is guided by the belief that reality is a complex phenomenon which does not admit orderly events or simple cause-effect relationship. The data used is not only concerned with facts but also with values. In looking at a testing system which is comparatively new in the context of Bangladesh, it is admitted that reality is a human construct. The aim here is to explore perspectives and shared meanings (Wellington, 2000: 16) and the data used here is qualitative. The research procedure uses three different sources for collecting data and involves three steps. They are: a) a critical evaluation of the SSC English test format, b) collecting the views of Bangladeshi English teachers through questionnaires and, c) interviewing the two Australian testing experts based at Melbourne Univeristy. The evaluation of SSC examination includes a close analysis of the existing SSC test papers, syllabus document and marking criteria. The questionnaire attempts to explore the values and attitudes of secondary English teachers in relation to the SSC English testing system. The interviews with the language testing experts are intended to generate valuable ideas that could be applicable in improving the testing system of SSC. The development of modern language testing The development of modern language testing occurred in three historical phases prior to and during the 1970s. These three periods are- the scientific era, the psychometric-structuralist era and the integrative sociolinguistic era Spolsky (1978:5). According to Spolsky, the pre-scientific era was characterised by a lack of concern for statistical matters or for such notions as objectivity and reliability in language testing whereas the psychometric-structuralist period was concerned with tests that focus on discrete item tests. In fact, the psychometric-structuralist approach provided the basis for the flourishing of the standardised language test with its emphasis on discrete structure point items. However, discrete point tests were also criticised for being insufficient indicators of language proficiency (Oller 1979: 212). Language testing was directed to global tests in the 1970s, which opened up the psycholinguistic-sociolinguistic era (Weir, 1988: 3). This format of global and in tegrative tests (such as cloze) gained theoretical support from many researchers. Davies distinguishes four important types of language tests on the basis of their function or use- achievement tests, proficiency tests, aptitude tests and diagnostic tests (Davies and Allan 1977: 46-7). While achievement tests are concerned with assessing what has been learned of a known syllabus, proficiency tests are based on assessing the learning of either a known or unknown syllabus. The concept of communicative competence The idea of communicative language teaching emerged in the 1970s following Hymes’ theory of communicative competence, which greatly emphasised learners’ ability to use language in context, particularly, in terms of social demands of performance (McNamara, 2000: 116). Hymes believes that knowing a language is more than knowing its rules. Once Hymes proposed the idea of communicative competence, it was expanded in various ways during the following two decades. The term competence was interpreted in many different ways by researchers. To some it simply means the ability to ‘communicate’; to others it means the social rules of language use; and to yet other, it refers to a set of abilities including knowledge of linguistics, socio-linguistics and discourse rules (Bachman & Palmar, 1984: 34). However, the basic idea of communicative competence remains the ability to use language appropriately, both receptively and productively, in real situations (Kiato, et al. 1996: 1) The development of communicative language testing The idea of communicative testing was developed on the basis of Hymes’ two dimensional model of communicative competence that comprises a linguistic and a sociolinguistic element. Davies et al. gives the following definition of communicative language tests: Communicative tests are tests of communicative skills, typically used in contradistinction to tests of grammatical knowledge. Such tests often claim to operationalise theories of communicative competence, although the form they take will depend on which dimension they choose to emphasise, be it specificity to context, authenticity of materials or the simulation of real life performance.   (Davies et al. 1999: 26) Harrison mentions three ingredients which distinguishes a communicative language test from other tests. He argues: 1. A communicative test should assess language used for a purpose beyond itself. 2. A communicative test should depend on the bridging of an information gap. It has to propose a language using purpose which can be fulfilled by the communicative skill so far acquired by the learners. 3. A communicative test should represent an encounter. The situation at the end of it should be different from what it was at the beginning, and this means that there has to be some sequence within the test. (Harrison, 1983: 77-8) Competence Vs performance There have been debates among the researchers regarding the nature and function of communicative tests. One issue of controversy was how to specify the components of communicative competence and to relate them in measuring performances. Another complication arose as the terms ‘competence’ and ‘performance’ were used differently by various researchers suggesting important distinctions between them. Chomsky (1965) claimed that ‘competence’ refers to the linguistic system which an ideal native speaker has internalized whereas ‘performance’ is mainly concerned with the psychological factors that are involved in the perception and production of speech. Later Hymes (1972) explicitly, and Campbell and Wales (1970) implicitly proposed a broader notion of communicative competence in which they included grammatical competence as well as contextual or sociolinguistic competence. They, however, adopted the distinction between communicative ‘competence’ and ‘performance’. According to Canale and Swain (1980: 3) ‘competence’ refers to knowledge of grammar and other aspects of language while ‘performance’ refers to actual use. For the language testing researchers it was difficult to determine an ideal test model, which could be valid and reliable enough to test communicative competence. They were concerned with what performances for task based activities need to be devised in order to assess learners’ communicative competence. The most discussed answer to this query is the one provided by Canale and Swain (1980) who, in their influential work ‘Approaches to Second Language Testing’ specified four aspects of knowledge or competence- grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence and discourse competence. What makes good communicative tests? Though a communicative language test intents to measure how students use language in real life, it is difficult to set a task that can measure communicative competence in real contexts. Ellison (2001: 44) argues that testing by its very nature is artificial and unless we are to follow an examinee around all the time noting how he/she deals with the target language in all situations, we necessarily have a less than real situation. However, it should be the aim of the test setter to try and complement real situations as much as possible. Referring to the difficulty of identifying the elements of communicative testing Morrow (1991) states: The essential question which a communicative test must answer is whether or not (or how well) a candidate can use language to communicate meanings. But ‘communicate meanings’ is very elusive criterion indeed on which to base judgment. (Morrow, 1991: 112) There have been attempts to develop a model for communicative competence and valid tests of its components. Bachman and Palmer (1984: 35) describe three approaches: the skill-component approach, communicative approach and measurement approach to specify what language tests measure. Offering a detailed interpretation of the Canale-Swain communicative approach, Bachman and Palmer specify some factors (trait factors, modal factors, method factors) that should be considered while designing a performance test. Having examined the structure of a model which encompasses these three factors, Skehan (1991: 9) regarded it as ‘being of pivotal importance in influencing the language testing theories and practices throughout the 1990s.’ Later Bachman went further as he offered important distinctions between task-based and construct-based approaches to test design. He explained: The procedures for design, development, and use of language tests must incorporate both a specification of the assessment task to be included and definition of the abilities to be assessed. (Bachman, 2000: 456) Task based language assessment gave rise to two questions: a) How real-life task types are identified, selected and characterized and how pedagogic or assessment tasks are related to these (Bachman, 2000: 459) . The discussion of different approaches to language testing are concerned with their strengths and limitations in terms of the criteria of validity and reliability. Validity in language testing is about whether a test can measure what it is intended to measure. Other arguments regarding the test validity include the question of content relevance and representativeness, task difficulty etc. Reliability refers to the extent to which test scores are consistent. Assessing second language writing Assessment of second language writing has been discussed on the basis of two different approaches: objective test of writing and direct test of writing. Objective tests claim to test writing through verbal reasoning, error recognition and other measures that have been shown fairly highly with measured writing ability (Lyons, 1991: 5). In direct tests of writing, actual samples of students’ writings are assessed. In fact, direct tests of writing have won the support of many researchers as they engage students with more communicative and creative task types. However, this approach has also been criticised for lacking reliability. Despite their problems with reliability, direct tests are still very popular in many academic settings throughout the world. Kiato et al. (1996: 2) refer to some typical problems of testing writing. They point out that testing writing objectively may not necessarily reflect the way it is used by the students in the real world. On the other hand, testing of writing in a way that reflects how the students use writing in real world is difficult to evaluate objectively and the test setters has less control over the writing tasks. However, they argue that the ability to write should involve six component skills- grammatical ability, lexical ability, mechanical ability, stylistic skills, organisational skills and judgment of appropriacy. Among the writing tasks they find useful are: gap filling, form completion, making corrections, letter and essay writing. Weir (1988: 63-4) offers an elaborate discussion on both indirect (objective) and direct tests and distinguishes the two types. He argues that writing can be divided into discrete elements such as grammar, vocabulary and punctuation etc. and these elements are tested separately by the use of objective tests. He suggested that both productive and receptive skills can be broken down in to levels of grammar and lexis according to a discrete point framework and objective tasks such as cloze, selective deletion, gap filling etc. can be designed for testing reading with writing. Weir describes the direct test of writing as a more integrative test which tests a candidate’s ability to perform certain of the functional tasks required in the performance of duties in the target situation. Research on writing involving both native speakers and second language are also concerned with basic studies of the nature of writing process in order to relate them to the validity of writing test tasks. Some of the questions concerned are: 1. To what extent is performance influenced by the amount of prior knowledge that writers have about the topic that they are asked to write about in a test? 2. Does it make a difference how the writing task is specified on the test paper? 3. Do different types of tasks produce significant difference in the performance of learners in a writing test? (Read, 1991: 77) Johns (1991: 171) suggests three criteria for academic testing of writing- (1) use of reading for writing assessment: testing for audience awareness, (2) exploitation of common writing genres: argumentation and problem solution, and (3) testing of subject matter, conceptual control and planning. He insists that reading and writing be combined to give a more authentic context for testing writing for academic purpose. He says: Because reading and writing are interconnected at all academic levels, it seems unprofessional and certainly unacademic to test writing without the genuine interactivity that reading provides. (Johns, 19991: 176) Literature on testing has suggested different strategies to cope with the problem of making direct writing tasks. The problem with these tasks is they are very difficult to mark as the marking of such tasks is somewhat subjective. One solution suggested by many testing experts is to use an analytical marking scheme to help make the marking consistent. Murphy (1979: 19) outlined the nature of a marking scheme demanded by the Associated Examining Boards, â€Å"A marking scheme is a comprehensive document indicating the explicit criteria against which candidate’s answers will be judged; it enables the examiners to relate particular marks to answers of specified quality.† There have been discussions on two types of marking for free writing tasks- impressionistic and analytic. However there are arguments over what valid and reliable measures of writing can be used and what might be the relationship of these measures to overall impressionistic quality rating. The TOFEL examination included a direct writing measure (Connor, 1991: 216) in 1986 for the test of written English that was marked holistically (TOFEL test of written English guide 1989). A great deal of research was conducted by the Educational Testing Service into the development and validation of a measure to assess communicative competence in writing (Bridgman Carlson, 1983; Carlson et al. 1985). A holistic scoring guide was developed to mark two general topics-comparison/contrast and describing a graph that had six levels and included syntactic and rhetorical criteria. The Test of Written English Scoring Guidelines (1989) identified the following criteria of a written task. An essay in the highest category is- well organized and well developed, effectively addressed the writing task, uses appropriate details to support or illustrate ideas, shows unity, coherence and progression, displays consistent facility in the use of language, and demonstrates syntactic variety and appropriate word choice. (The Test of Written English Scoring Guidelines, 989) The marking scheme suggested by ELTIP to help teachers assess writing compositions is made on the basis of five criteria- grammar, vocabulary, mechanical accuracy, communication and content. A Marking scheme like this shows how developments in language testing research are providing models to cope with the challenges of marking writing tasks. The SSC Curriculum, syllabus and the test The SSC is the school leaving public examination for grad 10 students. English is a compulsory subject at this level and the test of English is an achievement test in kind. The test is designed to test reading and writing skills only as there is no provision of testing listening and speaking skills. The NCTB syllabus of English focuses on the development of the four skills through learner-centred activities within meaningful contexts. It gives importance to choosing contexts which reflect actual social situations outside the classroom and make the learning of English ‘relevant, interesting and enjoyable’. It is expected as per the syllabus that students should achieve an ‘elementary to intermediate command of the four language skills’ by the end of secondary level. The curriculum document specifies the objective and purposes of learning English as it states: English needs to be recognised as an essential work-oriented skill that is needed if the employment, development and educational needs of the country are to be met successfully. Increased communicative competence in English, therefore, constitutes a vital skill for learners at this stage. (SSC Syllabus Document, 1999, NCTB: 136) Terminal competencies in four skills are specified in the NCTB syllabus. The competencies for writing skills for grade 10 are defined as follows: Students should be able to- a) write simple dialogues, formal and informal letters including letters of application and reports. b) demonstrate imagination and creativity in appropriate writing forms. c) fill in the forms (i.e. job applications etc.) and write a curriculum vitae d) plan and organise the above tasks efficiently so as to communicate ideas and facts clearly, accurately and with relevance to the topic. e) take notes and dictations f) use different punctuation and geographical devices appropriately.