The USSR Under Stalin Essay Example for Free

The USSR Under Stalin Essay 1)a) Evidence in Source D that recommends that Stalins rationale in the mass captures of the late 1930s was to acquire slave work is that â€Å"the mass capture of the late 1930s may have been done to fulfill Stalins want for slave labor,† and â€Å"more jail workers were direly needed.† b) In Source D, â€Å"absurd inefficiency† implies that the overpopulation of the jail workers in the camps made them complicated and made it hard for the camp leaders to be capable handle them all. 2) In the two Sources B and E, Stalins perspective on industrialization as a war economy is communicated as: Both sources share the view that the motivation behind industrialization was for the creation of a war economy, â€Å"to get ready for war against the entrepreneur foes abroad.† However, for Source B, the view for the Five Year Plans is that, â€Å"Essentially the Plan was a gigantic publicity venture, planned for persuading the Soviet individuals that they were occupied with an incredible modern endeavor of their own making.† It was a promulgation venture advancing industrialization with the end goal of war, yet the Soviet individuals werent mindful of the â€Å"war† part, just the industrialization. In Source E, since it is a banner that is utilized with the end goal of purposeful publicity, it rather puts the Five Year Plan in a superior light, indicating that the Five Year Plan will be effective later on, that it will clearly profit the U.S.S.R. later on, and that the U.S.S.R. will be set up to overcome its adversaries abroad (the industrialist foes) in the event of future wars. 3) The birthplace of Source An is that its a discourse by Stalin, first March 1927, to laborers in the Stalin workshops of the October Railway. The motivation behind this discourse is to spread his perspective on the U.S.S.R. having the option to industrialize all alone to the laborers of the workshops, saying it with certainty. Topping the laborers off with certainty will give them the will to work more for the business. The estimation of this discourse is this is an essential source and its a discourse by Stalin himself, so it obviously communicates his perspectives on the U.S.S.R. industrializing all alone. The impediments of this discourse is that it just shows Stalins point of view and it doesnt show the perspectives on the general population or of the laborers on his view on industrialization. He was attempting to communicate his thought in a sure manner to the laborers to persuade them this is to exclusively profit the U.S.S.R. The starting point of Source C is its a concentrate from Women in Soviet Society: Equality, Development, and Social Change by Gail Warshofsky Lapidus, Berkeley, 1978. The motivation behind this concentrate is to recount the purpose behind the expanded work of ladies. It was important to recruit ladies to work in light of the fast extension of the economy, so there was a requirement for additional specialists. It wasnt with the end goal of monetary uniformity. The estimation of this is it gives us that in the end everybody in the general public, including ladies, were required to work to follow Stalins Five Years Plan. It shows us the financial status of ladies during this timeframe. The impediment of this source is that we dont know the publics feeling or a womans see on the expanded work of ladies. It is an auxiliary source since it is a concentrate from a book that was composed after the hour of Stalin Russia. 4) Stalins strategies for a â€Å"change-over from a worker nation to a mechanical one† include: In Source A, he communicates his view in that the U.S.S.R., dissimilar to different nations like Great Britain and Germany, can industrialize all alone. He says it in a certain tone to ingrain that trust in the laborers in the Stalin workshops with the goal that they will be persuaded that industrialization for the methods for creation is gainful for the U.S.S.R. overall. In Source B, Stalin pronounced that â€Å"he was advancing a war on the inefficiences of Russias past, a war on the class adversaries inside, and as groundwork for the entrepreneur foes abroad.† The U.S.S.R. â€Å"adopted a comparative mechanical example in its drive toward modernization,† yet it would â€Å"take the way of socialism† rather than free enterprise. The Plan itself â€Å"was an immense publicity venture, planned for persuading the Soviet individuals that they were occupied with an incredible modern undertaking of their own making.† In Source C, because of the fast urban advancement in the U.S.S.R., â€Å"A new point of view developed in authentic archives, one that saw the expanded work of ladies not as far as its impacts on ladies however as fundamental to the satisfaction of the financial plans.† The intention was to â€Å"ensure the satisfaction of the creation program of the Five Year Plan, it was important to bring more spouses of laborers into production.† In Source D, it says that â€Å"the mass captures of the late 1930s may have been completed to fulfill Stalins want for slave labor† in light of the fact that â€Å"more jail workers were direly needed.† There were camps where mass number of slave workers were kept. The more the slave workers, the more the work, and the quicker the Five Year Plans objectives would be accomplished. In Source E, the banner is with the end goal of purposeful publicity, demonstrating Stalins thought in a â€Å"good light† to the Soviet open by indicating the individuals that the Five Year Plan would be effective later on, that the U.S.S.R. would be amazing as far as military because of the mass industrialization, so it could vanquish its foes abroad in future wars. Different strategies that Stalin used to change the U.S.S.R. from a â€Å"peasant nation into a mechanical one† that werent referenced in the Sources were: Stalin made all industry and administrations nationalized, chiefs were given foreordained yield shares by focal organizers, and worker's organizations were changed over into instruments for expanding laborer efficiency. Numerous new modern communities were created and a huge number of new plants were worked all through the nation. Stalin, an ace Socialist, utilized collectivization to improve horticultural profitability so the overflow would be adequately huge enough to take care of the developing urban work power, just for the purpose of industrialization. Collectivization was likewise expected to free numerous laborers so they would go into mechanical work. Be that as it may, Stalins forcefulness on collectivization on the laborers (who wildly opposed) brought about an interruption in horticultural efficiency, however it despite everything accomplished Stalins objective of fast industrialization.

Retirement plans

Conceptual A decent retirement plan ought to be one that would furnish retirees with the most advantages. These advantages ought to in a perfect world give charge points of interest. Duty investment funds can be acknowledged in the short run or over the long haul contingent upon the kind of plan chose. It ought to likewise give a safe speculation that offers appealing returns. This paper investigates the retirement programs featuring the upsides of these plans to various players. This paper opines that in spite of the couple of inconveniences of these plans, They give an incredible road through which workers can design their futur. Definition These are a projects built up by boss or worker or both planned for furnishing the retirees with a wellspring of salary when they are no longer in business. Retirement designs essentially are set up as a type of investment funds intend to cook for the future for example by giving some type of salary when an individual has resigned. Sorts of retirement plans There are a few retirement plans accessible in the market today. The workers ought to in this manner select an arrangement that addresses their desire and suits their issues. The following is a rundown and clarification of a portion of the accessible retirement plans. I) Individual Retirement Accounts plans It is one of the most straightforward retirement programs that can be set by a person. It is likewise beneficial to take note of that IRAs be built up by managers. In this way IRAs can be set up with little employers’ inclusion to those that they build up and add to the plan. The retirement benefits rely upon the commitments and in this way the pay earned by these assets. There are four IRA plans Finance Deduction IRA-framed by the worker either under conventional or Roth IRA related to a money related establishment. The money related foundation (banks, insurance agencies) at that point deducts the commitments towards the arrangement under the authority of the worker. Conventional IRA commitments are incompletely or entirely charge deductible and in this manner present assessment reserve funds to the worker. The other bit of leeway is that the profit on the arrangement are not burdened except if conveyed. The equivalent applies to the commitments to the arrangement. Roth IRA findings are not charge deductible and furthermore disseminations are not part of the salary (Internal Revenue Service 2008) Compensation Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SARSEP) †It is a basic arrangement that includes pay decrease understanding which empowers the businesses to add to the IRAs set by them and furthermore to the representatives IRAs. There commitments are dependent upon a cutoff. Streamlined Employee Pension Plan (SEP)- Employers contribute towards the arrangement Investment funds Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE IRA) †businesses make commitments towards their own retirement plan and furthermore that of the representatives. The representatives decrease their pay rates with the businesses making comparative commitments. ii) IRC 401 (K) Plans. Can include representatives postponing their pay rates and these cash is taken to 401(k) plan bolstered by their bosses. The conceded pay isn't burdened except if disseminated. The advantage of having a 401(k) plan is that one can have different plans too The worker/manager commitment is dependent upon a breaking point with withdrawals being allowed yet liable to charges. iii) TRC 403(b)- Tax shielded Annuity Plans This arrangement are worked by government funded schools and certain assessment absolved associations. This arrangement is same as 401(k) as in commitments are in type of pay delays with the businesses supporting the arrangement. The potential advantages of this arrangement are that the commitments and profit on retirement are charge conceded with annuities being conveyed by the worker on retirement or change of bosses (IRS: 2008) iv) IRC 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans Built up by state or neighborhood government or assessment absolved association under IRA (501(c). Workers or bosses add to the arrangement through pay decreases up to a specific set breaking point under IRC 402(g) These plans can be qualified under IRC 457 (b) or unintelligible under IRC 457(f). Qualified arrangement permits charge deferral on commitments and income on the retirement reserves (Ryterband &Alpem: 2005) v) Designated Roth Accounts in 401(k) or 403(b) plans 401(k) and 403(b) can be assigned as Roth plans since 2006. These plans are permitted under Code segment 402 An additional by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act 2001. Assigned Roth commitments are remembered for the gross salary and are likewise elective. An assigned Roth account is the place with commitments is made with isolated bookkeeping of commitments, additions and misfortunes being kept up (IRS 2008) Assigned Roth commitments are liable to restrain with representative and managers contributing up to certain definable breaking point. Preferences and Disadvantages of good retirement plan As talked about above, there are various sorts of retirement designs that representatives and managers can browsed. The arrangement to be chosen ought to give the most advantages to both the business and worker and above all suit the requirements of both the representative and bosses (Scotto, D., J et al: 2008) Subsequently, in talking about the preferences and hindrances of retirement plans, it essential to move toward it from the representatives and businesses point see. Points of interest Employees Duty sparing A decent retirement plan ought to have the option to give the most expense reserve funds and points of interest. Duty points of interest can be as assessment absolved and charge deferrals. A decent number of retirement plans offer these expense favorable circumstances and in this manner representatives and bosses can choose an arrangement that addresses their issues (Maddock J, 2007) The expense reserve funds can be acknowledged in the short run or over the long haul contingent upon the kind of plan chose. Numerous speculation alternatives and openings The commitments (financing) to the retirement plan are put resources into different venture choices. A decent retirement plan should in this way put the cash in ventures that offer appealing returns while simultaneously protecting the investor’s cash. Retirement plans are long haul in nature and accordingly the commitments ought to be put resources into the long haul likewise (Perlinger Financial Services: 2008) Gives a ‘nest egg’-Retirement plans give workers a chance to gradually yet continually contribute towards their retirement. The advantage of this course of action is that it doesn't strain the workers monetarily and subsequently they can make commitment which they are alright with. Every one of these commitments are put resources into stocks, bonds and other speculation openings which win intrigue and acknowledge in esteem and in this way the retirement advantages will gather and become significant upon retirement. Boss commitments Contribution to the retirement benefits plan can be by an individual or by the organization or both relying upon the kind of plan. A decent retirement advantage plan ought to permit both commitment of representative and manager. The business commitments are typically elective in nature. Commitments by both boss and representative guarantee that the reserve amasses quicker and therefore on retirement the store will be gigantic. Execution of the reserve The supporters of the retirement plan ought to have the option to screen the exhibition of the store. A decent retirement benefits plan ought to give ordinary reports on the presentation of the reserve so any excess or deficiency can be properly managed. Favorable circumstances Employer Worker maintenance A decent retirement plan can go about as an impetus to the representatives and furthermore draw in better workers. The organization can hold its top workers by offering them a decent retirement plot and since it is as long as possible, the organization can hold them. The organization is likewise ready to pull in representatives who are better qualified as far as experience and abilities and along these lines the organization will profit (Business Owners Toolkit: 2008) Money related security of representatives Employees can perform ideally on the off chance that they realize that their monetary future is guaranteed.â A retirement advantage plan that gives this apparent budgetary security is acceptable Employee spirit Since most annuity plans depend on the compensation earned by the worker, a great retirement plan thusly, serves to spur and urge all workers to try sincerely and henceforth win more wages. More significant compensations along these lines implies ‘handsome’ retirement bundle and this improves staff confidence. Assessment reserve funds The commitments to the retirement plot in many plans is charge admissible and this gives the organization the most expense proficient method of compensating its workers. The commitments are deducted while figuring the available salary. Diminished enrollment costs-As observed over, a great retirement plan enables the organization to hold a large portion of its representatives and along these lines the expenses related with enlistment and supplanting the workers who left the organization is limited (Perlinger Financial Services:2008) Disadvantages of retirement plans Regardless of all the various favorable circumstances of setting up a retirement plan, there are a few disservices related with it. A portion of these are examined beneath. A portion of the retirement plans are tedious, costly and complex to set up. The consequence of this is the organization acquires additional costs and in this way pressing the net revenues. The complexities in building up the arrangement will likewise introduce more costs separated from being tedious (Business Owners Toolkit: 2008) The tasks of the retirement plan needs proficient skill for example that of statisticians and bookkeeper. These experts offer their administrations at a charge which is normally costly. The regulatory expenses of running a retirement plan may represent a test to the organization as far as additional expenses. Early retirement by the worker could diminish the sum got. This generally implies the worker needs to work his full business term so as to get all his retirement benefits. This could mean being caught in employm

Fresh Ink January 7, 2014

Fresh Ink January 7, 2014 HARDCOVER RELEASES The Kept by James Scott (Harper)   In the winter of 1897, a trio of killers descends upon an isolated farm in upstate New York. Midwife Elspeth Howell returns home to the carnage: her husband, and four of her children, murdered. Before she can discover her remaining son Caleb, alive and hiding in the kitchen pantry, another shot rings out over the snow-covered valley. Twelve-year-old Caleb must tend to his mother until she recovers enough for them to take to the frozen wilderness in search of the men responsible. They are led to a rough-hewn lake town, defined by the violence both of its landscape and its inhabitants. There Caleb is forced into a brutal adulthood and slowly begins to discover truths about his mother he never expected, uncovering dark secrets connected to the deaths of his siblings and his religious father, to whom he had always felt an alarming distance. And Elspeth must confront the terrible urges and unceasing temptations that have haunted her since being expelled from her childhood home, and grow into the maternal figure that Caleb needs in order to survive. Before I Burn by  Gaute Heivoll (Graywolf Press)   In 1970s Norway, an arsonist targets a small town for one long, terrifying month. One by one, buildings go up in flames. Suspicion spreads among the neighbors as they wonder if one of their own is responsible. But as the heat and panic rise, new life finds a way to emerge. Amid the chaos, only a day after the last house is set afire, the community  comes together for the christening of a young boy named Gaute Heivoll. As he grows up, stories about the time of fear and fire become deeply engrained in his young mind until, as an adult, he begins to retell the story. At the novel’s apex, the lives of Heivoll’s friends and neighbors mix with his own life, and the identity of the arsonist and his motivations are slowly revealed. Based on the true account of Norway’s most dramatic arson case,  Before I Burn  is a powerful, gripping breakout novel from an exceptionally talented author. Radiance of Tomorrow by Ishmael Beah (Sarah Crichton Books)   At the  center of  Radiance of Tomorrow  are  Benjamin and Bockarie, two  longtime friends who return to their hometown,  Imperi, after the civil war. The village is in ruins, the ground covered in bones. As more villagers begin to  come back, Benjamin and  Bockarie try to  forge a new community by taking up their  former posts as teachers,  but they’re beset by obstacles: a scarcity of food; a rash of murders, thievery,  rape, and retaliation; and  the depredations of a foreign mining company intent on sullying the town’s water supply and blocking its paths  with electric wires. As Benjamin and Bockarie search for a way to restore order, they’re forced to reckon with the uncertainty  of their past and future alike. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking Adult)   Hetty “Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women. Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid.We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.  As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements. Soy Sauce for Beginners by Kirstin Chen (New Harvest)   Gretchen Lin, adrift at the age of thirty, leaves her floundering marriage in San Francisco to move back to her childhood home in Singapore and immediately finds herself face-to-face with the twin headaches shes avoided her entire adult life: her mothers drinking problem and the machinations of her fathers artisanal soy sauce business. Surrounded by family, Gretchen struggles with the tension between personal ambition and filial duty, but still finds time to explore a new romance with the son of a client, an attractive man of few words. When an old American friend comes to town, the two of them are pulled into the controversy surrounding Gretchens cousin, the only male grandchild and the heir apparent to Lins Soy Sauce. In the midst of increasing pressure from her father to remain permanently in Singapore-and pressure from her mother to do just the opposite-Gretchen must decide whether she will return to her marriage and her graduate studies at the San Francisco Conservatory, or sacrifice everything and join her familys crusade to spread artisanal soy sauce to the world. What I Had Before I Had You by Sarah Cornwell (Harper)   Olivia was only fifteen the summer she left her hometown of Ocean Vista on the Jersey Shore. Two decades later, she has returned to visit with her adolescent daughter, Carrie, and nine-year-old son, Daniel, recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Distracted by thoughts of the past, Olivia does not notice when Daniel disappears from her side. Searching for him sparks memories of that fateful summer when she met new friends, partied late, tasted love, and saw the ghosts of her twin sisters for the first time-a birthright inherited from her mother Myla, a beautiful and erratic psychic. When Myla dismisses the vision, Olivia sets out to find her sisters, a journey that takes her far from her fiercely loving, secretive mother and close to shattering truths about herself and her family. The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton (Ecco)   Following the death of his younger brother in Europe, journalist John Easley is determined to find meaning in his loss, to document some part of the growing war that claimed his own flesh and blood. Leaving his wife, Helen, behind in Seattle, he heads to the Territory of Alaska to investigate the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, a story censored by the U.S. government. While accompanying a crew on a bombing run, Johns plane is shot down over the island of Attu. But surviving the crash is only the beginning of his ordeal in this harsh and unforgiving fury of a wilderness known as the Birthplace of Winds. In the days ahead, John must battle the elements, starvation, and his own regrets while evading discovery by the Japanese. Alone in their home 3,000 miles to the south, Helen struggles with her husbands absence-a silence that exposes the truth of her sheltered, untested life. Caught in extraordinary circumstances, in this new world of the missing, she is forced to reimagine who she is-and what she is capable of doing. Somehow, she will find John and bring him home, a quest that takes her into the farthest reaches of the war, beyond the safety of everything she knows. Why I Read: The Serious Pleasure of Books by Wendy Lesser (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)   In  Why  I Read, Lesser draws on a lifetime of pleasure reading and decades of editing one of the most distinguished little magazines in the country,  The Threepenny Review, to describe a life lived in and through literature. As Lesser writes in her foreword, “Reading can result in boredom or transcendence, rage or enthusiasm, depression or hilarity, empathy or contempt, depending on who you are and what the book is and how your life is shaping up at the moment you encounter it.” Here the reader will discover a definition of literature that is as broad as it is broad-minded. In addition to novels and stories, Lesser explores plays, poems, and essays along with mysteries, science fiction, and memoirs. As  she examines these works from such perspectives as “Character and Plot,” “Novelty,” “Grandeur and Intimacy,” and “Authority,”  Why I Read  sparks an  overwhelming desire to put aside quotidian tasks in favor of reading. PAPERBACK RELEASES Love is a Canoe by Ben Schrank (Picador)   The author of a classic self-help guide to love and relationships, Peter Herman has won the hearts of romantics and cynics alike. But decades have passed since  Marriage Is a Canoe  was published, and a recently widowed Peter begins to question his own advice. Much to his chagrin, he receives a call from an ambitious young editor in New York City that forces him to reconsider his life’s work, not to mention the full force of his delusions. The book’s fiftieth anniversary is approaching, and Stella Petrovic has devised a contest to promote the new edition. The prize? The chance for the winning coupleâ€"a pair of outwardly happy Brooklynites named Emily and Eliâ€"to save their relationship by spending a weekend with the reclusive author. The Secret History of Las Vegas by Chris Abani (Penguin Books)   Before he can retire, Las Vegas detective Salazar is determined to solve a recent spate of murders. When he encounters a pair of conjoined twins with a container of blood near their car, he’s sure he has apprehended the killers, and enlists the help of Dr. Sunil Singh, a South African transplant who specializes in the study of psychopaths. As Sunil tries to crack the twins, the implications of his research grow darker. Haunted by his betrayal of loved ones back home during apartheid, he seeks solace in the love of Asia, a prostitute with hopes of escaping that life. But Sunil’s own troubled past is fast on his heels in the form of a would-be assassin. A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea  by Dina Nayeri (Riverhead Trade)   Growing up in a small rice-farming village in 1980s Iran, eleven-year-old Saba Hafezi and her twin sister, Mahtab, are captivated by America. They keep lists of English words and collect illegal  Life  magazines, television shows, and rock music. So when her mother and sister disappear, leaving Saba and her father alone in Iran, Saba is certain that they have moved to America without her. But her parents have taught her that “all fate is written in the blood,” and that twins will live the same life, even if separated by land and sea. As she grows up in the warmth and community of her local village, falls in and out of love, and struggles with the limited possibilities in post-revolutionary Iran, Saba envisions that there is another way for her story to unfold. Somewhere, it must be that her sister is living the Western version of this life. And where Saba’s world has all the grit and brutality of real life under the new Islamic regime, her sister’s experience gives her a free dom and control that Saba can only dream of. Scenes From Early Life by Philip Hensher (Faber Faber)   In late 1970 a boy named Saadi is born into a large, defiantly Bengali family in eastern Pakistan. Months later the country splits in two in what will become one of the most ferocious twentieth-century civil wars. Saadi tells the story of his childhood and of the ingenious ways his family survived the violence and conflicts: from his aunts stuffing him with sweets to stop marauding soldiers from hearing him cry, to street games based on American television shows; from the basement compartment his grandfather built to hide his treasured books, pictures, and music until after the war, to the daily gossip about each and every one of the relatives, servants, and neighbors.  Scenes from Early Life  is a beautifully detailed novel of profound empathyâ€"an attempt to capture the collective memory of a family and a country. Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster (Picador)   Twenty years after ruling the halls of her suburban Chicago high school, Lissy Ryder doesn’t understand why her glory days ended. Back then, she was worshipped…beloved…feared. Present day, not so much. She’s been pink-slipped from her high-paying job, dumped by her husband, and kicked out of her condo. Now, at thirty-seven, she’s struggling to start a business from her parents’ garage and sleeping under the hair-band posters in her old bedroom. Lissy finally realizes karma is the only bitch bigger than she was. Her present is miserable because of her past. But it’s not like she can go back in time and change who she wasor can she? Joyners Dream by Sylvia Tyson (Harper 360)   Joyners Dream is the sweeping story of a family and its dubious legacy: an abiding love of music coupled with a persistent knack for thieving. Beginning in England in the 1780s, continuing in Halifax at the time of the Great Explosion, and ending in Toronto in the present, eight larcenous generations from all walks of life-craftsmen and highwaymen, aristocrats and servants, lawyers and B-movie actors-are connected by music, a secret family journal, and one long-lived violin. When the branches of the family are reunited and lingering secrets are revealed, we have come full circle in a hugely satisfying and surprising tale. This multi-generational story-told in a spellbinding series of historical voices-abounds in such rich social detail and sharply rendered characters, it affords the deep reading pleasures to be found in the novels of Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy. The Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George (Speak)   Whidbey Island may be only a ferry ride from Seattle, but its a world apart. When Becca King arrives there, she doesnt suspect the island will become her home for the next four years. Put at risk by her ability to hear whispersthe thoughts of othersBecca is on the run from her stepfather, whose criminal activities she has discovered. Stranded and alone, Becca is soon befriended by Derric, a Ugandon orphan adopted by a local family; Seth, a kindhearted musician and high school dropout; Debbie, a recovering alcoholic who takes her in; and Diana, with whom Becca shares a mysterious psychic connection.This compelling coming-of-age story, the first of an ongoing sequence of books set on Whidbey Island, has elements of mystery, the paranormal, and romance. News From Heaven by Jennifer Haigh (Harper Perennial)   When her iconic novel  Baker Towers  was published in 2005, it was hailed as a modern classic-compassionate and powerful . . . a song of praise for a too-little-praised part of America, for the working families whose toils and constancy have done so much to make the country great (Chicago Tribune). Its young author, Jennifer Haigh, was an expert natural storyteller with an acute sense of her characters humanity (New York Times). Now, in this collection of interconnected short stories, Jennifer Haigh returns to the vividly imagined world of Bakerton, Pennsylvania, a coal-mining town rocked by decades of painful transition. From its heyday during two world wars through its slow decline, Bakerton is a town that refuses to give up gracefully, binding-sometimes cruelly-succeeding generations to the place that made them. A young woman glimpses a world both strange and familiar when she becomes a live-in maid for a Jewish family in New York City. A long-absent brother makes a sudden and tragic homecoming. A solitary middle-aged woman tastes unexpected love when a young man returns to town. With a revolving cast of characters-many familiar to fans of  Baker Towers-these stories explore how our roots, the families and places in which we are raised, shape the people we eventually become. ________________________ Sign up for our newsletter  to have the best of Book Riot delivered straight to your inbox every week. No spam. We promise. To keep up with Book Riot on a daily basis,  follow us on Twitter,  like us  on Facebook, and subscribe to the Book Riot podcast in  iTunes  or via  RSS.  So much bookish goodnessâ€"all day, every day.

Analysis of Red Sorghum Essay - 4041 Words

Analysis of Red Sorghum WHEN Zhang Yimou made his directorial debut, Zhang Yimou made his directorial debut, Red Sorghum, in 1987, he was better known as a cinematographer whose talent had been crucial to the success of critically acclaimed films like Zhang Junzhaos One and Eight (1984, released 1987) and Chen Kaiges Yellow Earth (1984). Not only did Red Sorghum become a seminal film of the Fifth Generation, it also won the Golden Bear at Berlin in 1988, becoming the first mainland Chinese film ever to be awarded the highest honour at a major international film competition. Set in the 1920s and 30s in northern China, Red Sorghums narrative centres on the fate of a young woman who is forced to marry a rich old leper but who†¦show more content†¦Gong Li, who has since become Chinas most well-known female star, confesses that she can easily identify with the headstrong Nine: Jiu dares to act and take responsibility for her actions; she dares to love and hate. She is fearless. I think our temperaments are similar. I was interested in the role and was confident I could play it well.(1) In this scene, Nines impassive features reveal a hint of defiance and a touch of boredom as she sits in brooding silence. Parting the red curtain before her ever so slightly, she seems to be mesmerised by the sight of the bare, muscular back belonging to one of the sedan carriers whom we later know as Yu, the narrators grandfather (played with finesse by Jiang Wen). The seemingly innocuous image of sexual curiosity provides the first suggestion of Nines eroticism. The sedan chair carriers, all earthy and muscular peasants, tease Nine about her impending fate as the wife of Big Head Li, their leprous boss. Nine, too proud to reply to their jibing, obstinately remains silent. Wishing to break down her reserve and at the same time acting in accordance with the local custom, the men jolt the wedding sedan chair and make fun of the bride in a raucous song. As they sing and dance in synchronized steps with clouds of sand and dust flying around them, the revellers create a mythical image of solidarity,Show MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis : Red Sorghum 1223 Words   |  5 Pages1. If the definition world literature as a â€Å"window on the world†, I believe Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum could be that window to show the more representative Chinese culture to the world. Mo Yan s â€Å"Red Sorghum† uses a large number of high-density folk cultur e description and full of unique geographical features, which bring wealth of aesthetic experience to the readers. Meanwhile, the application of folklore culture in the novel makes the story more real, shaping the characters more vivid and revealingRead More Third Cinema in China: Yellow Earth Essay1822 Words   |  8 Pagesworking definition of Third Cinema is possible in the case of Chinese cinema. The fifth generation of Chinas film-makers is credited in making films such as Yellow Earth, Farewell my Concubine, and The Blue Kite, as well as Raise the Red Lantern and Red Sorghum. While not all films made by the fifth generation are necessarily of a Third Cinema, many of them offer critique, drawing upon tactics to raise social or political consciousness. Yellow Earth s characterization as Third Cinema lies in itsRead MoreAnalysis Of Farewell My Concubine By Lillian Lee1677 Words   |  7 PagesThe postcolonial period characterized the analysis of various gender roles as impose d in the overall theatrical convention regarding men who impersonated women in the Chinese films. In the film namely ‘’Farewell my Concubine,’’ gives a description of what initially started as something that meant well in artistic and cultural tradition of the east but was later turned into feminization of the genders in the society. Chen Kaige directed the movie in the year 1993. It is based on novel done by LillianRead MoreThe Effects Of Nitrogen On The Dairy Industry1802 Words   |  8 Pagesdiphenylamine and Gries test were completed on bodily fluids such as ocular fluid, blood serum, amniotic fluid, and urine. Gries test for nitrate is an accurate test which is sensitive as the reaction is specific; if nitrates are present then the sample turns red. Furthermore, blood collected by venipuncture in live moribund animals was a chocolate brown colour, which is pathognomonic of nitrate poisoning, thus eliminating the possibility of cyanide poisoning (Bint a and Mushi, 2012). It was stated that environmentalRead MoreImpact of Radio and Television Advertising on Consumer Behaviour Special Referance on Consumer Durable Goods5906 Words   |  24 Pagesthe  fermented  juice  of  grapes,  made  in  many  varieties,  such  as  red,  white,  sweet,  dry,  still,  andsparkling,  for  use  as  a  beverage,  in  cooking,  in  religious  rites,  etc.,  and  usually  having  an  alcoholiccontent  of  14  percent  or  less. 2. a  particular  variety  of  such  fermented  grape  juice:  port  and  sherry  wines. 3. the  juice,  fermented  or  unfermented,  of  various  other  fruits  or  plants,  used  as  a  beverage,  sauce,etc.:  gooseberry  wine;  currant  wine. 4. a  dark  reddish  color,  as  of  red  wines. 5. Pharmacology  ,  vinum. WineRead MoreMarketing and Guinness3528 Words   |  15 Pagesoutstanding stout. Guinness has succeeded in growing into the world’s number one stout brewer. In 2000 its overseas sales overtook Irish and British sales, for the first time and these numbers have continued to grow ever since. Situational Analysis Company Analysis Goals Diageo as a company are constantly striving to reach new goals, to improve the Guinness brand and quality of the product. In recent times the global economic environment has taken a downturn, which has meant that the company has hadRead MorePolicy And Institutional Frameworks On Vegetable Seed Production And Distribution Systems6871 Words   |  28 PagesPackage for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0 statistical package and used for the analysis. This article emanates mostly from qualitative analysis of the interface between primary and secondary data which culminates to informing policy processes. Generally, information on vegetable seeds in most field actions and policy documents is very weak. Therefore this article has brought out these loop holes using a qualitative analysis informed from primary and secondary data collected in the action sites. It isRead MoreThe Effects Of Soil Management On Environmental Quality And Production Of Agriculture10666 Words   |  43 Pagesled to the deg radation of the soil in the past. There is a need to develop a generalized assessment tool, which should be able to include the multiple soil functions in different combinations (Idowu et al, 2009). This will include the laboratory analysis, site-specific interpretations, and understanding the effect of management on a particular soil property (Sojka et al, 2003). Soil quality assessment tools usually provide interpretations in the form of scoring curves and indexes (Liebig et al, 2001;Read MoreCountry Risk Analysis of Nigeria8877 Words   |  36 PagesNigerias cities over 1,000,000 Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $292.7 billion; per capita $2,000. Real growth rate: 6.4%. Inflation: 5.5%. Unemployment: 4.9%. Arable land: 33%. Agriculture: cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish. Labor force: 50.13 million; agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.). Industries: crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubberRead MoreThe Influence of Movies and Tv Series on Cultural Stereotypes7562 Words   |  31 PagesPalestinians are dangerous. Chinese are appearing in western media as ignorant, backward and living under oppression. Obviously, imaging products are main media to propagate and strengthen racial cultural stereotypes. In 80s, scholars have made systematical analysis of minorities in mass media. Their study shows that minorities were seldom involved in imaging products. Even though they did appear in movies, they just held an auxiliary position. Their imag es were negative. They were closely related to conflicts

Problems of International Students Essays - 1805 Words

â€Å"In 2006 to 2007, according to the data compiled by the Institute of International Education, 582,984 students from all over the world were enrolled in American colleges and universities in a wide range of fields† (Carter, Paragraph 2, 2008). The United States has the highest number of students who are coming to study abroad than any other countries. Each year, the number of international students coming to the United States to obtain degrees is increasing by thousands, and home countries of these students are primarily India, China and Korea, all located in the whole different continent. But what are the motives of students who are crossing the sea to study? Their goal of studying abroad is to experience diversity and to adapt attitudes†¦show more content†¦For me, art history discussion session is most challenging. I become very nervous the night before the discussion and â€Å"participation grade† is the only word that pops out of my head during every s ession. I start to lose confidence as I observe other students analyzing the art work perfectly. Although participation grade is not based on correctness, I cannot stop worrying about whether what I am thinking is right or wrong and how people are going to think of my accents. Not only do students feel stressful in verbal context, they also face difficulties in essays. Because of their limited vocabulary, students have hard time expressing their knowledge clearly on essay exams or research paper, and the different format of writings preferred in American colleges and universities often confuse international students with their native format of writings (Lin and Yi, Paragraph 7, 1997). For example, while American writings follow a specific structure with a clear main idea, supporting evidence and a conclusion, Eastern Asian writings don’t have a specific format. Also, according to Lin and Yi, many international students are hired as teaching assistants, and students who are e nrolled in their classes can misinterpret due to their accents or incorrect application of language. International students face difficulties in social communication as well as academicShow MoreRelatedProblems Faced by International Students867 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Problems Faces by International Students in the UK Every year there are around 435,000 international students enrolled in universities around the UK (UKCISA). Studying abroad for a lot of these students is a privilege, however it can be a stressful experience for various reasons. There are plenty of challenges, other than language barrier, that these students face, like major culture shock, homesickness, and financial difficultiesRead MoreCultural Adjustment Problems Of International Students Essay1557 Words   |  7 PagesCultural Adjustment Problems of International Students in the US In recent years, studying abroad has become a more attractive thing for young individuals. The number of students who are studying abroad steadily growing. Students who want to improve their knowledge and skills at the top universities of the world or explore different cultures are applying to study abroad programs. Many US colleges and universities are at the top of the rankings of world universities. The quality of education of theRead MoreThe Common Problems Faced By International Students Essay1388 Words   |  6 PagesThe most common problems faced by international students in UK Feeling Homesick You may feel homesick, as do many students, however for international students it is more difficult to deal with. Students from this country may be able to return home for a visit to help alleviate their homesickness. International students are not able to do this. This means that you may need more support than home students. You may need to talk to someone in confidence about how you are feeling. The counselling serviceRead MoreCommon Problems Faced by International Students in the UK955 Words   |  4 Pageshas become an increasingly popular choice for higher education among international students (Accessibility Navigation, 2014). An average of 10% of students in universities all across the UK are international students from countries all over the world. (Accessibility Navigation, 2014). Although the experience is different for each individual student, there are many common problems that international students face. Those problems include: culture shock to varying degrees coupled with emotional issues(BaileyRead MoreThe Problems Faced By The International Students Without A Social Security Number At Pittsburg State University1635 Words   |  7 PagesCHAPTER 2 Review of literature: The problems faced by the International students without a Social Security Number at Pittsburg State University. Introduction The study conducted by Savage (2007) describes when international students arrive in the United States, students are challenged by the many issues: language, academics and they have to adjust to many things like living, making communication, cultures, weather, transportation because they vary from one region to another region (Savage, 2007)Read MoreLanguage Is Not the Only Problem Faced by International Students in the Uk. to What Extent Do You Agree with This Statement?1175 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage is not the only problem faced by international students in the UK. To what extent do you agree with this statement? International students are very important for the economic growth of the UK. Number of international students in UK was about 405,910 in 2009 and in 2010 it increased up to 428,225 (which is about 6%). These students play a very important role in UK’s economy and bring huge income to the country. Shane Spiers, managing director of UNITE says The UKs higher educationRead MoreThe Challenges Facing International Students in Higher Education1294 Words   |  6 Pageschallenges facing international students in higher education and suggest some possible solutions. Tutor Name: Kinga Maior Student ID Number: 2060494 Date of Submission: Thursday 2nd May 2013 Word Count: 1,004 The number of international students studying in the UK has soared over the past decade due to globalization. Paige (1990) defined International students as those individuals who temporarily lived in the foreign countries and received the education as exchanged students. The main reasonRead Moreresearch1351 Words   |  6 Pagesthat applies to international students who travel abroad in search of better education. The research paper will regard and focus on problems that international students generally face at Australian Universities. The research as a whole will also consider various issues such as adjustment issues, cultural shock, language difficulty, understanding the expectation and grading system e.t.c. The motivation behind the research is to bring various problems faced by international students in AustralianRead MoreInternational Students: A Vulnerable Group in Need of Self-Regulation and Community Accommodation1495 Words   |  6 Pagesabroad, which has become a commo n phenomenon, can be a fun and meaningful experience. Many university students are interested in studying abroad because it gives them an opportunity to explore different cultures and broaden their horizons. As Mark Sherry, Peter Thomas and Wing Hong Chui argue in â€Å"International Students: a Vulnerable Student Population,† the goals that students pursue international study are often to acquire different ways of learning and to improve cross-cultural understanding, whichRead MoreInternational Students And The International Student951 Words   |  4 Pagesyou ever thought been an international student? If not you need to be well prepared to know about their issues and problems during their study life. International students who are seeking for the best education have specific needs and services. Every international institution or university must be aware of the international students requirements such as information about the city, the housing and the fees. There are many authenticated surveys have shown that the major student enrollment to the united

The Return Nightfall Chapter 14 Free Essays

Elena woke up the next morning in Stefan’s narrow bed. She recognized this before she was fully awake and hoped to heaven that she had given Aunt Judith some reasonable excuse last night. Last night – the very concept was extremely fuzzy. We will write a custom essay sample on The Return: Nightfall Chapter 14 or any similar topic only for you Order Now What had she been dreaming to make this wakening seem so extraordinary? She couldn’t remember – jeez, she couldn’t remember anything! And then she remembered everything. Sitting up with a jolt that would have sent her flying off the bed had she attempted it yesterday, she searched her recollections. Daylight. She remembered daylight, full light on her – and she didn’t have her ring. She took a frantic look at both hands. No ring. And she was sitting up in a shaft of sunlight and it wasn’t hurting her. It wasn’t possible. She knew, she remembered with a raw memory that pervaded every cell of her body, that daylight wouldkill her. She had learned that lesson with a single touch of a sunbeam to her hand. She would never forget the searing, scalding pain: the touch had imprinted a behavior on her forever. Go nowhere without the lapis lazuli ring that was beautiful in itself, but more beautiful in the knowledge that it was her savior. Without it, she might, shewould†¦ Oh.Oh. But she alreadyhad , hadn’t she? She’d died. Not simply Changed as she had when she’d become a vampire, but died the true death that no one came back from. In her own personal philosophy, she ought to have disintegrated into nameless atoms, or gone straight to hell. Instead she hadn’t reallygone anywhere. She’d had some dreams about fatherly or motherly people giving her advice – and of wanting very much to help people, who were suddenly much easier to understand. School bully? She had watched sadly as his drunken father took his own outrages out on him night after night. That girl who never got her homework done? She was expected to raise three younger sisters and brothers while her mother lay in bed all day. Just getting the baby fed and cleaned took all the time she had. There was always a reason behind any behavior, and now she could see it. She had even communicated with people through their dreams. And then one of the Old Ones had arrived in Fell’s Church, and it was all she could do to stand his interference in the dreams and not run away. He caused the humans to call for Stefan’s help – and Damon had accidentally been summoned, too. And Elena had helped them all she could even when it had been almost unbearable, because Old Ones knew about love and which buttons to push and how to make your enemies run in all the right directions. But they had fought him – and they had won. And Elena, in trying to heal Stefan’s mortal wounds, had somehow ended up mortal again herself: naked, lying on the ground of the Old Wood, with Damon’s jacket over her, while Damon himself had disappeared without waiting for thanks. And that awakening had been of basic things: things of the senses: touch, taste, hearing, sight – and of the heart, but not of the head. Stefan had been so good to her. â€Å"And now, what am I?† Elena said aloud, staring as she turned her hands over and over, marveling at the solid, mortal flesh that obeyed the laws of gravity. Shehad said that she’d give up flying for him. Someone had taken her at her word. â€Å"You’re beautiful,† Stefan answered absently, not moving. Then suddenly he rocketed up.†You’re talking!† â€Å"I know I am.† â€Å"And making sense!† â€Å"Thank you kindly.† â€Å"And in sentences!† â€Å"I’ve noticed.† â€Å"Go on, then, and say something long – please,† Stefan said as if he didn’t believe it. â€Å"You’ve been hanging out too much with my friends,† Elena said. â€Å"That sentence has Bonnie’s impudence, Matt’s courtesy, and Meredith’s insistence on the facts.† â€Å"Elena, it’s you!† Instead of keeping up the silly dialogue with â€Å"Stefan, itis me!† Elena stopped to think. Then, carefully she got out of bed and took a step. Stefan hastily looked away, handing her a robe.Stefan? Stefan? Silence. When Stefan turned around after a decent interval, he saw Elena kneeling in the sunlight holding the robe. â€Å"Elena?† She knew that to him, she looked like a very young angel in meditation. â€Å"Stefan.† â€Å"But you’re crying.† â€Å"I’m human again, Stefan.† She lifted a hand, let it fall into the clutches of gravity. â€Å"I’m human again. No more, no less. I guess it just took me a few days to get fully back on track.† She looked into his eyes. They were always suchgreen green eyes. Like green crystal with some offside light behind them. Like a summer leaf held up before the sun. I can read your mind. â€Å"But I can’t read yours, Stefan. I can only get a general sense, and even that may be going†¦we can’t count on anything.† Elena, I have all I want in this room.He patted the bed.Sit by me and I can say â€Å"all I want is on this bed.† Instead she got up and threw herself at him, arms around his neck, legs tangled with his. â€Å"I’m still very young,† she whispered, holding him tightly. â€Å"And if you count it in days, we haven’t had many days together like this, but – â€Å" â€Å"I’m still far too old for you. But to be able to look at you and seeyou looking back at me – â€Å" â€Å"Tell me you’ll love me forever.† â€Å"I’ll love you forever.† â€Å"No matter what happens.† â€Å"Elena, Elena – I’ve loved you as mortal, as vampire, as pure spirit, as spiritual child – and now as human again.† â€Å"Promise we’ll be together.† â€Å"We’ll be together.† â€Å"No. Stefan, this isme .† She pointed to her head as if to emphasize that behind her gold-flecked blue eyes there was a bright active mind spinning in overdrive. â€Å"Iknow you. Even if I can’t read your mind I can read your face. All the old fears – they’re back, aren’t they?† He looked away. â€Å"I will never leave you.† â€Å"Not for a day? Not for an hour?† He hesitated and then looked up at her.If that’s what you really want. I won’t leave you, even for an hour. Now he was projecting, she knew, for she could hear him. â€Å"I release you from all your promises.† â€Å"But, Elena, I mean them.† â€Å"I know. But when you do go, I don’t want you to have the guilt of breaking them looming over you as well.† Even without telepathy, she could tell what he was thinking to the tiniest shade of a nuance:Humor her. After all, she’d just woken up. She was probably a little confused. And she wasn’t interested in becoming less confused, or in making him less confused. That must be why she was nipping his chin gently. And kissing him. Certainly, Elena thought, one of the two of them was confused†¦. Time seemed to stretch and then stop around them. And then nothing was confusing at all. Elena knew that Stefan knew what she wanted, and he wanted whatever she wanted him to do. Bonnie stared at the numbers on her phone, concerned. Stefan was calling. Then she ran a hasty hand through her hair, fluffing the curls out, and took the video call. But instead of Stefan it was Elena. Bonnie started to giggle, started to tell her not to play with Stefan’s grown-up toys – and then she stared. â€Å"Elena?† â€Å"Am I going to get this every time? Or only from my sister-witch?† â€Å"Elena?† â€Å"Awake and good as new,† Stefan said, getting in the picture. â€Å"We called as soon as we woke up – â€Å" â€Å"Ele – but it’s noon!† Bonnie blurted out. â€Å"We’ve been occupied with this and that,† Elena cut in smoothly, and oh, wasn’t it good to hear Elena talk that way! Half innocent and wholly smug about it, making you want to shake her and beg her for every wicked detail. â€Å"Elena,†Bonnie gasped, using the nearest wall for support, and then sliding down it, and allowing an armload of socks, shirts, pajamas, and underwear to shower down onto the carpet, while tears began to leak out of her eyes. â€Å"Elena, they said you’d have to leave Fell’s Church – will you?† Elena bridled. â€Å"They saidwhat ?† â€Å"That you and Stefan would have to leave for your own good.† â€Å"Never in this world!† â€Å"Little lovely lo – † began Stefan, and then abruptly he stopped, opening and shutting his mouth. Bonnie stared. It had happened at the bottom of the screen, out of sight, but she could almost swear that Stefan’s little lovely love had just elbowed him in the stomach. â€Å"Ground zero, two o’clock?† Elena was asking. Bonnie snapped back to reality. Elena never gave you time for reflection. â€Å"I’llbe there!† she cried. â€Å"Elena,† Meredith breathed. And then â€Å"Elena!† like a half-chocked sob. â€Å"Elena!† â€Å"Meredith. Oh, don’t make me cry, this blouse is pure silk!† â€Å"It’s pure silk because it’s my pure silk sari blouse, that’s why!† Elena suddenly looked as innocent as an angel. â€Å"You know, Meredith, I seem to have grown much taller lately – â€Å" â€Å"If the end of that sentence is ;;so it really fitsme better'† – Meredith’s voice was threatening – â€Å"then I’m warning you, Elena Gilbert†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She broke off, and both girls began to laugh and then to cry. â€Å"You can have it! Oh, you can have it!† â€Å"Stefan?† Matt waved his phone – first cautiously, then banging it into the wall of the garage. â€Å"I can’t see – † He stopped, swallowed. â€Å"E-le-na?† The word came out slowly, with a pause between each syllable. â€Å"Yes, Matt. I’m back. Even up here.† She pointed to her forehead. â€Å"Will you meet with us?† Matt, leaning on his newly purchased, almost-running car, was muttering, â€Å"Thank God, thank God,† over and over. â€Å"Matt? I can’t see you. Are you okay?† Shuffling sounds. â€Å"I think he fainted.† Stefan’s voice: â€Å"Matt? Shereally wants to see you.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah.† Matt lifted his head up, blinking at the phone. â€Å"Elena, Elena†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I’m so sorry, Matt. You don’t have to come – â€Å" Matt laughed shortly. â€Å"Are yousure you’re Elena?† Elena smiled the smile that had broken a thousand hearts. â€Å"In that case – Matt Honeycutt, I insist that you come and meet with us at Ground Zero at two o’clock. Is that more like it?† â€Å"I think you’ve almost got it down. The old Elena Imperial Manner.† He coughed theatrically, sniffed, and said, â€Å"Sorry – I’ve got a little cold; or allergies, maybe.† â€Å"Don’t be silly, Matt. You’re bawling like a baby and so am I,† Elena said. â€Å"And so were Bonnie and Meredith, when I called them. SoI’ve been crying nearly all day – and at this rate I’ll have to scramble to get a picnic ready and be on time. Meredith’s planning to pick you up. Bring something to drink or eat. Love ya!† Elena put down the phone, breathing hard. â€Å"Nowthat was tough.† â€Å"He still loves you.† â€Å"He’d rather that I stayed a baby all my life?† â€Å"Maybe he liked the way you used to say  ¡Ã‚ ®hello’ and ;;good-bye.'† â€Å"Now you’re teasing me.† Elena quivered her chin. â€Å"Never in this world,† Stefan said softly. Then, suddenly, he grabbed her hand. â€Å"Come on – we’re going shopping for a picnic and a car, too,† he said, pulling her up. Elena startled both of them by flying up so quickly that Stefan had to grab her by the waist to keep her from shooting toward the ceiling. â€Å"I thought you had gravity!† â€Å"So did I! What do I do?† â€Å"Think heavy thoughts!† â€Å"What if it doesn’t work?† â€Å"We’ll buy you an anchor!† At two o’clock Stefan and Elena arrived at the Fell’s Church graveyard in a brand-new red Jaguar; Elena was wearing dark glasses under a scarf with all her hair pinned up under it, a muffler around her lower face, and black lace mitts borrowed from Mrs. Flowers’ younger days, which she admitted she didn’t know why she was wearing. She made quite a picture, Meredith said, with the violet sari top and jeans. Bonnie and Meredith had already spread a cloth for a picnic, and the ants were sampling sandwiches and grapes and low-fat pasta salad. Elena told the story of how she had woken up this morning, and then there was more hugging and kissing and crying than the males could stand. â€Å"You want to see the woods around here? Check if those malach things are around?† Matt said to Stefan. â€Å"They’d better not be,† Stefan said. â€Å"If the trees this far from where you had your accident are infested – â€Å" â€Å"Not good?† â€Å"Serious trouble.† They were about to go when Elena called them back. â€Å"You can stop looking all male and superior,† she added. â€Å"Suppressing your emotions isbad for you. Expressing them keeps you well balanced.† â€Å"Listen, you’re tougher than I thought,† Stefan said. â€Å"Having picnics at a cemetery?† â€Å"We used to find Elena here all the time,† Bonnie said, pointing to a nearby headstone with a celery stick. â€Å"It’s my parents’ gravesite,† Elena explained simply. â€Å"After the accident – I always felt closer to them here than anywhere. I would come here when things got bad, or when I needed to have a question answered.† â€Å"Did you ever get any answers?† Matt asked, taking a home-preserved cucumber pickle from a glass jar and passing the jar on. â€Å"I’m not sure, even now,† Elena said. She had taken off the dark glasses, muffler, headscarf, and mitts. â€Å"But it always made me feel better. Why? Do you have a question?† â€Å"Well – yeah,† Matt said unexpectedly. Then he flushed as he suddenly found himself the center of attention. Bonnie rolled over to stare at him, the stalk of celery at her lips, Meredith scooted in, Elena sat up. Stefan, who had been leaning against an elaborate headstone with unconscious vampire grace, sat down. â€Å"What is it, Matt?† â€Å"I was going to say, you don’t look right today,† Bonnie said anxiously. â€Å"Thankyou ,† Matt snapped. Tears pooled in Bonnie’s brown eyes. â€Å"I didn’t mean – â€Å" But she didn’t get to finish. Meredith and Elena drew in protectively around her in the solid phalanx of what they called â€Å"velociraptor sisterhood.† It meant that anybody messing with one of them was messing with them all. â€Å"Sarcasm instead of chivalry? That’s hardly the Matt I know.† Meredith spoke with one eyebrow raised. â€Å"She was only trying to be sympathetic,† Elena pointed out quietly. â€Å"And that was a cheap comeback.† â€Å"Okay, okay! I’m sorry – reallysorry, Bonnie† – he turned toward her, looking ashamed – â€Å"It was a nasty thing to say and I know you were only trying to be nice. I just – I don’t really know what I’m doing or saying. Anyway, do you want to hear the thing,† he finished, looking defensive, â€Å"or not?† Everyone did. â€Å"Okay, here it is. I went to visit Jim Bryce this morning – you remember him?† â€Å"Sure. I went out with him. Captain of the basketball team. Nice guy. A little bit young, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Meredith shrugged. â€Å"Jim’s okay.† Matt swallowed. â€Å"Well, it’s just – I don’t want to gossip or anything, but – â€Å" â€Å"Gossip!† the three girls commanded him in unison, like a Greek chorus. Matt quailed. â€Å"Okay, okay! Well – I was supposed to be over there at ten o’clock, but I got there a little early, and – well, Caroline was there. She was leaving.† There were three little shocked gasps and a sharp look from Stefan. â€Å"You mean you think she spent the night with him?† â€Å"Stefan!† Bonnie began. â€Å"This isn’t how proper gossip goes. You never just outright say what you think – â€Å" â€Å"No,† Elena said evenly. â€Å"Let Matt answer. I can remember enough from before I could talk to be worried about Caroline.† â€Å"More than worried,† Stefan said. Meredith nodded. â€Å"It’s not gossip; it’s necessary information,† she said. â€Å"Okay, then.† Matt gulped. â€Å"Well, yeah, that was what I thought. He said she’d come early to see his little sister, but Tamra is only about fifteen. And he turned bright red when he said it.† There were sober glances between the others. â€Å"Caroline’s always been†¦well, sleazy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Bonnie. â€Å"But I’ve never heard that she even gave Jim a second glance,† finished Meredith. They looked to Elena for an answer. Elena slowly shook her head. â€Å"I certainly can’t see any earthly reason for her visiting Tamra. And besides† – she looked up quickly at Matt – â€Å"you’re holding out on us somehow. What else happened?† â€Å"Somethingmore happened? Did Caroline flash her lingerie?† Bonnie was laughing until she saw Matt’s red face. â€Å"Hey – c’mon, Matt. This isus . You can tell us anything.† Matt drew in a deep breath and shut his eyes. â€Å"Okay, well – as she was going out, I think – I think Caroline†¦propositioned me.† â€Å"She didwhat ?† â€Å"She wouldnever – â€Å" â€Å"How, Matt?† Elena asked. â€Å"Well – Jim thought she’d left, and he went to the garage to get his basketball, and I turned around and suddenly Caroline was back again, and she said – well, it doesn’t matter what she said. But it was about her liking football better than basketball and did I want to be a sport.† â€Å"And what did you say?† Bonnie breathed, fascinated. â€Å"I didn’t say anything. I just stared at her.† â€Å"And then Jim came back?† Meredith suggested. â€Å"No! And then Caroline left – she gave me this look, you know, that made things pretty clear as to what she meant – and thenTami came in.† Matt’s honest face was flaming by now. â€Å"And then – I don’t know how to say it. Maybe Caroline said something about me to make her do it to me, because she – she†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Matt.† Stefan had scarcely spoken until this point; now he leaned forward and spoke quietly. â€Å"We’re not asking just because we want to gossip. We’re trying to find out if there’s something seriously wrong happening in Fell’s Church. So – please – just tell us what happened.† How to cite The Return: Nightfall Chapter 14, Essay examples

Walmart case study answers free essay sample

1. What is the ethical dilemma facing Wal-Mart in this case ? Do Wal-Mart’s associates also face an ethical dilemma? If so, what is it ? Wal-Mart is facing an ethical problem by implementing computerized scheduling system. Indeed, before the store managers had to arranged manually the schedule for the employees but Wal-mart begun to use Kronos system to create work schedule. Obviously, this implementation helps to increase the profit margin of the company. But what are the consequences for the employees ? The new system scheduling time work is totally irregular and unpredictable which may decrease the employee’s job stability and potentially create financial hardships. The result was a computerized system that totally overhauled employee scheduling. The system optimizes the schedule so that employees are matched with customer demand. It completely changes the balance of the scheduling equation from the employee. Employees are a fungible resource. Actually, their associates are simply another resource to be scheduled, like trucks. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart case study answers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People are not automatons, they are not â€Å"resources†. And due to the human behaviour we can say that people are resistant to change and yet wonderfully flexible at the same time, but in this case we have to take into consideration that the job stability is decreasing and might affect the life’s employees especially regarding irregular hours working, inconsistent paychecks, make it more difficult for employees to organize their lives, from scheduling babysitter to paying bills. I’m not surprised that they deeply resent being treated like machines. 2. What ethical principles apply to this case ? How do they apply ? In my opinion the principles that apply to this case are : †¢ Principle of respect for persons ? It means that we have to take into consideration four dimensions of human life such as : biological, psychological, social and spiritual. To sum-up the persons should not be treated as an object or machine but with respect in such a way that recognizes his/her human dignity. All individual human beings are presumed to be free and responsible persons and should be treated as such in proportion to their ability in the circumstances. Individuals with reduced autonomy are entitled to appropriate protection, according to the principles of subsidiarity, human dignity, justice, charity, and vicarious consent. †¢ Principle of Nonmalefience (First, do no harm) ? Nonmaleficence is sometimes interpreted to imply that if one cannot do good without also causing harm, then one should not act at all. The difficulty with this rigorist interpretation, however, is that it makes action almost impossible in a world where even the best actions may have some harmful results. But in Wal-Mart case we can see that the implementation of the computerized scheduling affects life’s employees especially due to the irregular hours working which makes live harder because the employees are not able to organize their life in the proper way. Also we can ask ourself what will happens if Wal-Mart continues to take some decisions in order to increase again and again their profit margin in the detriment of its employees ? I personnaly think that if the employees feel integrated, taking part to the company it is easier for him/her to be more productive because he/She knows that they are  « associate  », part of the company. In that way, the company should treat correctly their employees. For example I remember an example that gave us my Economics professor about the factory in Asia which increase their depenses for increasing the working conditions of their employees (More lights, Nap room, Bus transportation,†¦) at the end, they realized that the workers were more productives, so they finally earn more money by increasing working conditions. It seems to be a win-win situation. 3. What are the potential effects of computerized scheduling on employee morale ? What are the consequences of these effects for Wal-Mart ? For sure the implementation of computerized scheduling will have impacts on employee moral to suffer. They have to be more flexible in their work time, may work only few hours during the weekday and have to work the week-end or even during the nights. It’s a serious problems because people don’t have the possibility to manage their lives as they would like which makes family life harder to organize. If you want the best of your employees, you have to treat them with respect and dignity. And treating them like trucks or robots doesn’t do that. 4. What are this group’s major points of contention with Wal-Mart ? The main problems are : †¢ Health-care ? Wal-Mart’s health care plan fail to cover hundreds of thousands of associates ; Wal-mart stopped offering health insurance to part-time employees working less than 24hours per week ; The plans that the company offer are unffordable for many hourly associates ; Walmart made it even more difficult for associates to get quality health care for themselves and their families ; †¢ People of color ? About 19% of Walmart’s 1. 4 million US workers are African-American. Unfortunately, Walmart jobs keep our communities in poverty ; A full-time Walmart associate earns less than 70 percent of the 2013 federal poverty line for a family of four ; People of color are underrepresented in management jobs at Walmart ; Employees face harassment and intimidation at work, wage and hour violations, and unsafe working conditions. †¢ Women’s issues ? Walmart discriminated against women in promotions, pay, and job assignments ; Female workers are underrepresented in management ; Walmart fails to provide real opportunities for women ; Women get paid less at Walmart †¢ Labor problems ? Deterioring customers services ; Health and safety risks ; Wage and hours violation ; Failure of governance †¢ Political problems ? Spend millions to influence democracy process †¢ Wage’s issue : Discordance between the speech of the headquarters and the workers, most of the time they are paid less than 10$/H. Walmart utilizes a computer-based scheduling system that prioritizes employee flexibility over schedule regularity. Working parents who need regular childcare have been forced to quit their jobs due to Walmart’s scheduling policies. Walmart’s insufficient sick days policy also makes it hard for working mothers to care for sick children 5. How well does the web site serve their causes ? Does the site serve their cause or hurt it ? The website serves especially to give the right informations to people about the Wal-mart policy regarding the relation between Wal-Mart and their its employees this include heathcare, wage, color people, and women’s issues. Unfortunately, I don’t think that WakeUpWalMart. com serves the Wal-Mart’s interests, but hurt it. They criticized their policy and their strategy throughout this web site. It also allows us to have a better understanding of the Wal-Mart’s employees situation. 6. What other approach could the organization take to bring about change ? Many other approaches could be used by the organization in order to bring changes. But in my opinion this approach is really well though because by publishing all this informations on internet, everyone can have access and see how Wal-Mart is proceding with its employees. We can read many articles about personal problems that the employee can encountered. How Wal-Mart try to silence workers by firing them illegaly, How much money are really earning the workers, what is their healthcare situation,†¦ This web site is really a bad image for the company. All this point mentionned above create a difficult and tense work atmosphere. And we know that when workers do not feel good at work it affects dirrectly the productivity. 7. How does Wal-mart adress the issued raised by organization such as WakeUpWalMart ? After this accusations, prooved, and hauled by some workers esperience, it’s hard to raised this issues. But Wal-mart definitily has to improve its image. They need to communicate in the proper way and tranparent. Also they should try to show that there are an engaged company willing to make effort for the world, communauty, and their employees. 8. Are the company’s methods effective ? Actually there is lot of issues mentionned on the web site WakeUpWalMart regarding the relation between Wal-mart and their associates. Even If the company tried to answer, we can not really say that the method is effective. Moreover they made a huge mistake. When they explain their choices, they wrote on their web site :  « We want our associates to be able to meet the needs of their family, educational needs, or secondary job needs and do what we can to help promote balance in the work place.  » Does that really mean â€Å"our employees are so impoverished by the wage we are giving them that they need other jobs to be able to -finish the month-†? This proove that they are not respecting the principle of persons. 9. If you were public relation expert advising Wal-Mart, which suggestions would you make for handling critisism ? If I were public relation expert advising Wal-mart I will recomend them first to be patient, because this kind of critic situation is really hard to handle for a company, especially when it’s a well known one. Secondly, I’ll try to change the image. How ? By trying to change the human beings. Imean the relation with the employees, I definitely think that it is possible to do it and it is the main objectives. Because people working inside the company are reflecting the image when they finish to work.. and if they are vehiculating bad image, it’s not gonna be a good point for Wal-Mart. They might improved the relationship by proposing them more hours working per week, establishing a fix schedule for a certain period of time (New schedule all 2 or 3 weeks), it allows people to organize their lives. And be sure that they are going to work a certain amount of hours per week. Also, Wal-mart should be engaged in some other important projects such as : Eco diversity, recycling, decreasing time/km transportation (decreasing of CO2), help/donnation to people who are in the need,†¦

Free Essays on Oral Sex Among Adolescents

Oral Sex Among Adolescents: Is It Sex or Is It Abstinence? Over the past few decades, nationally representative surveys have accumulated a wealth of data on levels of adolescent sexual activity. Thanks to such surveys, we know how the proportion of 15-19-year-olds who have ever had intercourse has changed over the years. Similar data exist on age at first intercourse, most recent sexual intercourse and current contraceptive use. Yet all of these measures focus onor relate to the possible results ofvaginal intercourse. This is natural, given that attention to adolescent sexual activity arose initially out of concerns over the far-reaching problems associated with teenage pregnancy and childbearing. More recently, infection with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly with HIV, has fueled further public and scientific interest in teenage sexual behavior. But to what extent does adolescent sexual activity consist of noncoital behaviorsthat is, mutual masturbation, oral sex and anal intercoursethat are not linked to pregnancy but involve the risk of STDs? Some of these activities may also be precursors to vaginal intercourse. Yet, health professionals and policymakers know very little about their prevalence among teenagers. There are several explanations for this dearth of information. One is the perceived difficulty of getting parents to consent to surveys on the sexual activity of their minor children (generally aged 17 and younger). Another is a generalized fear that asking young people about sex will somehow lead them to choose to have sex. The conflicts and passions usually surrounding the appropriateness of asking young people about sex, especially in public settings such as schools as compared with private households, become even more inflamed when the questions go into behaviors "beyond" intercourse. Another reason is the federal government's reluctance to spon... Free Essays on Oral Sex Among Adolescents Free Essays on Oral Sex Among Adolescents Oral Sex Among Adolescents: Is It Sex or Is It Abstinence? Over the past few decades, nationally representative surveys have accumulated a wealth of data on levels of adolescent sexual activity. Thanks to such surveys, we know how the proportion of 15-19-year-olds who have ever had intercourse has changed over the years. Similar data exist on age at first intercourse, most recent sexual intercourse and current contraceptive use. Yet all of these measures focus onor relate to the possible results ofvaginal intercourse. This is natural, given that attention to adolescent sexual activity arose initially out of concerns over the far-reaching problems associated with teenage pregnancy and childbearing. More recently, infection with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly with HIV, has fueled further public and scientific interest in teenage sexual behavior. But to what extent does adolescent sexual activity consist of noncoital behaviorsthat is, mutual masturbation, oral sex and anal intercoursethat are not linked to pregnancy but involve the risk of STDs? Some of these activities may also be precursors to vaginal intercourse. Yet, health professionals and policymakers know very little about their prevalence among teenagers. There are several explanations for this dearth of information. One is the perceived difficulty of getting parents to consent to surveys on the sexual activity of their minor children (generally aged 17 and younger). Another is a generalized fear that asking young people about sex will somehow lead them to choose to have sex. The conflicts and passions usually surrounding the appropriateness of asking young people about sex, especially in public settings such as schools as compared with private households, become even more inflamed when the questions go into behaviors "beyond" intercourse. Another reason is the federal government's reluctance to spon...

Whats a Good PSAT Score for a Freshman

What's a Good PSAT Score for a Freshman SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're gearing up for a high PSAT score in junior year, then you may choose to take the PSAT as a freshman for practice. Taking the PSAT in 9th grade will help you identify your current scoring level and figure out how you can improve for the future. As a freshman, you can choose between two tests: the PSAT/NMSQT that 11th graders take or the PSAT 8/9, a version of the test specifically geared toward 8th and 9th graders. These two tests have comparable, but slightly different, score ranges. This article will go over the scoring and percentiles of both so you know what would make a good PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 8/9 score as a freshman. How Is the PSAT Scored? The PSAT NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) and the PSAT 8/9 use slightly different scoring systems, but they match up pretty closely. Let's take a look at both. The PSAT/NMSQT gives you two scaled scores between 160 and 760. One is for Math, and the other is for Reading and Writing together. Adding these scaled scores together, the composite score range on the PSAT falls between 320 and 1520. The PSAT 8/9 gets shifted down 80 points, falling on a scale between 240 and 1440 total, or 120 to 720 for each section. It's moved down to make up for the fact that it's a slightly easier test than the PSAT/NMSQT. A perfect score on the PSAT 8/9, while strong, doesn't equate exactly to a perfect score on the PSAT NMSQT. Similarly, the PSAT/NMSQT is shifted 80 points down from the SAT's score range of 400 to 1600 to make up for its slightly less challenging content. You can picture the score ranges like a slide, with the SAT at the top, the PSAT/NMSQT just below, and the PSAT 8/9 underneath that. To calculate your final scores, College Board considers everyone's performance on a given administration. Once it figures out your scores, it assigns them a percentile. If you score in the 75th percentile, to give an example, then you scored higher or the same as 75% of other test-takers. The remaining 25% scored higher than you. By looking at how scaled scores get translated into percentiles, we can answer our original question of what makes a good PSAT score for a freshman. Objectively speaking, we can look at what PSAT score is higher than the scores of the majority of other test-takers. Is your score above average, or did you fall below the halfway mark? PSAT Scores and Percentiles Since freshmen can take either the PSAT/NMSQT or the PSAT 8/9, we'll look at the data for both tests. By looking at how scores fall into percentiles, we can figure out what makes a good score on either test for a freshman. First, let's consider the percentile chart for the PSAT/NMSQT. PSAT/NMSQT: Percentile Chart Since the majority of PSAT/NMSQT test-takers are juniors, followed by sophomores, the College Board unfortunately doesn't release stats on the scores and percentiles of only freshmen. Instead, it groups all students who are 10th graders and younger together when presenting data on how scaled scores convert to percentiles. If you feel like you're scoring lower than average, don't worry! The majority of students represented in this data have a whole year of schooling on you. The chart below matches up thePSAT/NMSQT scores of younger students with percentiles. This chart is sourced fromCollege Board's 2018 score report. PSAT/NMSQT Score Reading and Writing Math 760 99+ 99+ 750 99+ 99+ 740 99+ 99 730 99+ 99 720 99+ 99 710 99 99 700 99 98 690 98 98 680 98 98 670 97 97 660 97 97 650 96 97 640 95 96 630 94 95 620 92 95 610 91 94 600 89 92 590 87 91 580 85 89 570 83 87 560 80 85 550 78 82 540 75 80 530 72 77 520 68 74 510 65 71 500 62 68 490 59 64 480 56 60 470 52 56 460 49 52 450 45 48 440 42 43 430 39 39 420 35 35 410 32 30 400 28 26 390 25 21 380 21 17 370 17 14 360 14 11 350 11 8 340 8 6 330 6 5 320 4 4 310 3 3 300 2 2 290 and below 1 and below 2 and below As you can see, you don't have to get a perfect score to make it to the 99th percentile. Using this information, keep reading to learn what can we conclude makes for a good score for freshmen on the PSAT/NMSQT. What's a Good Score for Freshmen on the PSAT/NMSQT? Since freshman year is early to take the PSAT, your target scores can certainly be lower than they would be when you reach 10th or 11th grade. In fall of freshman year, you haven't taken any full high school classes yet. You may have already done a good deal of prep for the PSAT though, and you have lots of time to do more before taking the PSAT as a sophomore and/or junior. With this in mind, let's consider good scores to be in the 70th percentile or higher. These are the section and composite scores you'd need to achieve on the PSAT/NMSQT to score in these higher than averagepercentiles. Percentile Reading and Writing Score Math Score Composite Score 70% 520-530 500-510 1020-1030 80% 560 540 1090 90% 600-610 580-590 1180 99% 700 710 1370 An average section score in the 50th percentile would be a score of about 460 on each section. To get an above average score,you'd want to get 470 or higher in both sections. Want to get a head start on the PSAT NMQST? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Now let's consider the other version of the PSAT you can take as a freshman, the PSAT 8/9. PSAT 8/9: Percentile Chart The data in the chart below solely reflects the scores and percentiles of 9th graders who took the PSAT 8/9 in the fall of 2018. Remember that the PSAT 8/9 score range goes from 240 to 1440, or from 120 to 720 for each section. This information is sourced from the College Board's official 2018/2019 report on the PSAT 8/9. PSAT 8/9 Score Reading and Writing Math 720 99+ 99+ 710 99+ 99+ 700 99+ 99+ 690 99+ 99+ 680 99+ 99 670 99+ 99 660 99 99 650 99 99 640 98 98 630 98 98 620 97 98 610 96 97 600 95 96 590 94 96 580 93 95 570 91 94 560 89 92 550 87 91 540 85 89 530 82 87 520 80 85 510 77 82 500 74 79 490 71 76 480 68 72 470 64 69 460 61 64 450 58 60 440 54 55 430 50 51 420 46 46 410 42 42 400 38 38 390 34 33 380 30 28 370 26 24 360 22 20 350 18 17 340 15 14 330 11 11 320 8 9 310 6 7 300 4 6 290 3 4 280 2 3 270 1 2 260 1 2 250 1 2 240 and below 1 and below 1 and below Based on these percentiles, let's take the same approach as we did above to figure out what makes a good score for a freshman on the PSAT 8/9. Let's see what you'd need to score to make it into the 70th percentile and above. What's a Good Score for Freshmen on the PSAT 8/9? Unlike the data on the PSAT/NMSQT, this data is entirely based on 9th graders. It's also more recent, so it should give the most realistic view of what you'd need to score on the PSAT 8/9 to do better than average. This chart shows the scores you'd need to achieve to make it into the 70th, 80th, 90th, and 99th percentiles. Percentile Reading and Writing Score Math Score Composite Score 70% 480-490 470-480 950-960 80% 520 500-510 1010-1020 90% 560-570 540-550 1100 99% 650 650 1270 You can use all this data on scores and percentiles to set goals for whichever test you choose to take as a 9th grader. How can you achieve your target scores? That all depends on how much you prepare.Read on for a few tips for prepping for the PSAT leading up to freshman year. By prep, I mean studying, not popped collars. How to Prep for the PSAT as a Freshman One of the first steps in getting ready to take the PSAT is defining your target scores. What are you aiming for? What do you hope to score at this point in your education? To figure this out, I recommend taking a timed PSAT practice test. Score your test, and figure out where you're currently scoring and what areas you can improve in. For a lot of freshmen, the math section might be especially challenging with new concepts and problems. To get yourself ready, you could seek out PSAT practice materials and self-teach or get tutored in the new concepts and vocabulary you'll need to know. By finding your areas of strength and weakness, you can adjust your studying to meet your own individual needs. Official PSAT practice tests and sample questions are the best representation of what you'll see on the test. You can also use older practice tests to prep, as well as practice tests for the new SAT, as the exams will be very similar. When you score them, write down any mistakes you made or questions you're unsure about. Taking the time to thoroughly understand and correct your mistakes is the best way to ensure you answer similar questions correctly the next time. The PSAT is a national standardized test, so even when the specifics change, the question types generally stay the same test after test. By thoroughly studying question type and format, you can gain a strong familiarity with the commonly asked questions. You may even reach the point where you feel that your official PSAT is very similar to practice tests you've already taken. The PSAT is challenging for its content, the complex wording of questions, and the strict time limits. By timing yourself as you practice, you'll improve your ability to answer questions quickly and efficiently. You can try out strategies of speed reading and skimming for key content, as well as how to identify and fix grammar rules fast. While there may be some content that you just haven't studied in school yet, all this studying will at least help your test-taking skills. You'll get better at working quickly under time limits, applying time-saving strategies, like process of elimination, and handling the pressure of taking College Board exams. Even if you decide not to take the PSAT as a freshman, it's a great idea to start early with a PSAT practice test to gauge your level, map out your study plan, and familiarize yourself with the test. By the time you reach junior year, you'll be prepared to take the PSAT NMSQT when it counts for National Merit and ultimately, the SAT. What's Next? Are you deciding between the PSAT 8/9 and the PSAT NMSQT? Read all about the PSAT 8/9 here and whether or not you should take it at this point in high school. In sophomore year, you might also be considering the PSAT 10. This guide explains what this College Board exam is all about, while this article discusseswhether you should take the PSAT 10 or the PSAT NMSQT. Are you starting to think about SAT prep? Read all about if you should start prepping for the SAT as a freshman or what a good freshman SAT score would be. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Dream act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dream act - Essay Example Although much of the Dream Act is misunderstood, the fact of the matter is that these children of illegal immigrants must meet stringent requirements and comply with all of the criteria in order to be illegible for the type of amnesty the Act provides. When all the requirements of the Dream Act are met by the candidate, then the minor is given permission to stay in the country for 6 years; upon successful completion of such residence, the individual is then able to apply for citizenship. In this way, the Dream Act allows temporary residency only for minors who have good character. As a function of this, the Dream Act gives an opportunity to build the career of otherwise helpless children who have what many would term a very dark life perennially branded as â€Å"illegal† without the restitution that such an act provides. Due to this reason and many others, I wholeheartedly support this Act. Although one cannot blame certain segments of society for being very anti-illegal immigration (due in no small part to the fact that it is a clear abrogation of the nation’s immigration law), it is however summarily unfair to punish the children of these illegal immigrants with the same labels that condemn their parents to a life on the sidelines of American society. Due to the fact that the children who migrated along with their parents are innocent and helpless, the Act is able to make such a distinction and seek to close a necessary loophole and oversight of current immigration law as to make it more humane and reasonable. However, beyond just being reasonable, the Act allows for an entire generation of â€Å"American† youths to integrate and participate in the society that they have thus far known and accepted as their own. Even though the Dream Act attempts to specifically nurture the life of migrant youths, this could also motivate more illegal

Lord Byron and Greece Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Lord Byron and Greece - Essay Example But one cannot forget his sacrifices for what he did for freedom of Greece. Byron was fond of travels and travelled whole Europe after which he felt his dual personality should be recognised by Don Juan instead of Bryon, so most of his biographies represent "Don Juan". Byron after travelling stopped eventually to Pisa where P.B. Shelley was awaiting for him, as she remained his lifetime devoted friend. Shelley's death lead him towards an entire different direction, he started involving in political freedom and stopped at Greece, where he found struggles for democracy and freedom from Turkey. Byron was so relentless in helping the Greek cause that he invested his everything to organise the mission to help the Greek cause. Byron was on his way towards struggle for Greeks by training troops in the squalid, marshy town of Missolonghi, that he incapacitated an incurable fever. The fever took his life on April 19, 1824, just after his thirty-sixth birthday. Although he was not much praised with respect to the Greek army, but his sudden absence from the Greek platform could not be compensated and resulted in a vacuum, which is till there and can be felt whenever 'liberation of the Greek' is discussed. Such a national hero is still unborn in Greece. Lord Byron was no doubt a revolutionist, a complete liberal,... lutionary movements in Italy and Spain, Lord Byron published his own journal named 'Liberal', "Byron defined a liberal as one interested in national sovereignty, not social reform" 3. If we analyse his life with respect to political issues that he was confronted to throughout his life we would come to know that he was the one who believed "in the very root of the word liberal, he was the one who possessed in true sense the colour of a liberal not only in his political career but also in his personal life, the acted according to his own will and pleasure, he was his own master. Gross has written in his article "His acts were unrestricted, unrestrained, and his political views are frank, open, and bold" 4. Byron had been subjected to many influences oppressive to his natural talents and besides holding political views, he had written from many aspects other than sheer self-expression, gained his liberty gradually through experiences, which had much to do in shaping and determining what his freest expression would be. Byron started taking interest in Greek politics when he attended the House of Lords where he became a strong advocate of social reform. "In the spring of 1812, his maiden speech in the House of Lords and his new friendship with the Holland had committed him politically to the Whigs, and he was therefore to be kept in Murray's drawing room as a strictly literary find." 5Before entering the House of Lords Byron was confronted to the conservative critic responses by the then political poets, and was subjected to such names like "Byron's political caprice" and "Byron's inexperience". However "In 1811 he was one of the few men in Parliament to defend the actions of the Luddites and the following year spoke against the Frame Breaking Bill, by which the