Learn About Thermal Inversion

Temperature inversion layers, also called thermal inversions or just inversion layers, are areas where the normal decrease in air temperature with increasing altitude is reversed and the air above the ground is warmer than the air below it. Inversion layers can occur anywhere from close to ground level up to thousands of feet into the atmosphere. Inversion layers are significant to meteorology because they block atmospheric flow which causes the air over an area experiencing an inversion to become stable. This can then result in various types of weather patterns. More importantly, though, areas with heavy pollution are prone to unhealthy air and an increase in smog when an inversion is present because they trap pollutants at ground level instead of circulating them away. Causes Normally, air temperature decreases at a rate of 3.5Â °F for every 1,000 feet (or roughly 6.4Â °C for every kilometer) you climb into the atmosphere. When this normal cycle is present, it is considered an unstable air mass, and air constantly flows between the warm and cool areas. The air is better able to mix and spread around pollutants. During an inversion episode, temperatures increase with increasing altitude. The warm inversion layer then acts as a cap and stops atmospheric mixing. This is why inversion layers are called stable air masses. Temperature inversions are a result of other weather conditions in an area. They occur most often when a warm, less dense air mass moves over a dense, cold air mass. This can happen, for example, when the air near the ground rapidly loses its heat on a clear night. The ground becomes cooled quickly while the air above it retains the heat the ground was holding during the day. Temperature inversions also occur in some coastal areas because upwelling of cold water can decrease surface air temperature and the cold air mass stays under warmer ones. Topography can also play a role in creating a temperature inversion since it can sometimes cause cold air to flow from mountain peaks down into valleys. This cold air then pushes under the warmer air rising from the valley, creating the inversion. In addition, inversions can also form in areas with significant snow cover because the snow at ground level is cold and its white color reflects almost all heat coming in. Thus, the air above the snow is often warmer because it holds the reflected energy. Consequences Some of the most significant consequences of temperature inversions are the extreme weather conditions they can sometimes create. One example is freezing rain. This phenomenon develops with a temperature inversion in a cold area because snow melts as it moves through the warm inversion layer. The precipitation then continues to fall and passes through the cold layer of air near the ground. When it moves through this final cold air mass it becomes super-cooled (cooled below freezing without becoming solid.) The supercooled drops then become ice when they land on items like cars and trees and the result is freezing rain or an ice storm. Intense thunderstorms and tornadoes are also associated with inversions because of the intense energy that is released after an inversion blocks an area’s normal convection patterns. Smog Although freezing rain, thunderstorms, and tornadoes are significant weather events, one of the most important things impacted by an inversion layer is smog. This is the brownish-gray haze that covers many of the world’s largest cities and is a result of dust, auto exhaust, and industrial manufacturing. Smog is impacted by the inversion layer because it is, in essence, capped when the warm air mass moves over an area. This happens because the warmer air layer sits over a city and prevents the normal mixing of cooler, denser air. The air instead becomes still and, over time, the lack of mixing causes pollutants to become trapped under the inversion, developing significant amounts of smog. During severe inversions that last over long periods, smog can cover entire metropolitan areas and cause respiratory problems for the inhabitants. In December 1952 such an inversion occurred in London. Because of the cold December weather, Londoners began to burn more coal, which increased air pollution in the city. Since the inversion was present over the city, these pollutants became trapped and increased London’s air pollution. The result was the Great Smog of 1952 that was blamed for thousands of deaths. Like London, Mexico City has also experienced problems with smog that have been exacerbated by the presence of an inversion layer. This city is infamous for its poor air quality, but these conditions are worsened when warm subtropical high-pressure systems move over the city and trap air in the Valley of Mexico. When these pressure systems trap the valley’s air, pollutants are also trapped and intense smog develops. Since 2000, Mexicos government has developed a plan aimed at reducing ozone and particulates released into the air over the city. London’s Great Smog and Mexico’s similar problems are extreme examples of smog being impacted by the presence of an inversion layer. This is a problem all over the world, though, and cities like Los Angeles, Mumbai, Santiago, and Tehran frequently experience intense smog when an inversion layer develops over them. Because of this, many of these cities and others are working to reduce their air pollution. To make the most of these changes and to reduce smog in the presence of a temperature inversion, it’s important to first understand all aspects of this phenomenon, making it an important component of the study of meteorology, a significant subfield within geography.

The Role of Gender in Dracula - 1144 Words

Bram Stoker’s â€Å"Dracula† is a story about a Vampire named Count Dracula and his journey to satisfy his lust for blood. The story is told through a series of individuals’ journal entries and a letters sent back and forth between characters. Bram Stoker shows the roll in which a certain gender plays in the Victorian era through the works of Dracula. This discussion not only consists of the roll a certain gender takes, but will be discussing how a certain gender fits into the culture of that time period as well as how males and females interact among each other. The Victorian era was extremely conservative when it came to the female, however there are signs of the changing into the New Woman inside of Dracula. Essentially the woman was to be assistance to a man and stay pure inside of their ways. Throughout the Story of Dracula, it is apparent that the standard of a male in contrast to a female is Dramatically greater. We see through the letters that were sent back and forth between Mina and Lucy that Lucy is trying to choose between three men. The first of which is Quincey Morris whom in which is extremely wealthy and has a title to his name, however the downside to choosing him is that he is old. The second of which is Dr. Seward; although he is a doctor it is considered to be a negative due to the fact that his profession is in a mental institution. The problem with his profession being in a mental institution is that during the Victorian era, mental institutions were not aShow MoreRelatedGender Roles in Dracula769 Words   |  4 PagesGender Roles in Dracula In a time period where females had narrow gender roles, Bram Stoker wrote his novel, Dracula. The Victorian culture often suppressed women and their value. Traditional Victorian women were thought of to be pure and virginal. Bram Stoker revealed another side of women that was not often seen. These qualities were like that of the emerging new feministic culture called the â€Å"New Woman†. The concept of gender roles in the 1890’s was very conflicted; Dracula challenged traditionalRead MoreInverted Gender Roles: Dracula by Bram Stoker1465 Words   |  6 PagesEveryone In Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, Stoker’s use of inverted gender roles allows readers to grasp the sense of obscureness throughout, eventually leading to the reader’s realization that these characters are rather similar to the â€Å"monster† which they call Dracula. Despite being in the Victorian era, Stoker’s use of sexuality in the novel contributes to the reasoning of obscureness going against the Victorian morals and values. Throughout the novel the stereotypical roles of the Victorian man and womanRead MoreThe Idea Of Gender Roles In Dracula By Bram Stoker1290 Words   |  6 Pagesdoes not represent reality. Gender norms are a form of social constructs assigned by society dictating how male and females should speak, dress, think and interact within societies context. Gender rules are then followed by gender norms; they define what is considered masculine and feminine; and whether or not these things are acceptable, appropriate or desirable by s ocieties mean. Dracula, a 1897 gothic fiction novel written by Bram Stoker explores the idea of gender roles in the victorian era perfectlyRead MoreWomen During The Victorian Era Essay1719 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the 19th century, especially during the Victorian era, gender roles became very distinctive. There were certain characteristics that the ideal Victorian man or woman were expected to have which emphasized patriarchal superiority. The patriarchal system meant that males had dominance in their homes, specifically over women. The ideal man during this time period would focus on achieving job related success which, in turn, would show that he is an eligible suitor to get married. It was seenRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Dracula `` By Bram Stoker1631 Words   |  7 PagesPatriarchy and ingrained gender roles in most everyone’s mind. Most everyone feels comforted by their mother the most. Though there are a few exceptions, a mother is someone who has carried, given bir th to, and nurtured their offspring, especially in early years (often with breast milk). In Brahms Stoker’s Dracula, Stoker creates irony and draws attention to the deviation of Mina from the angel in the house Victorian woman by having Mina drink blood from Jonathan’s chest while Dracula watches over her.Read MoreDracula, By Bram Stoker1291 Words   |  6 Pages ​Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, not only creates the early depiction of vampire stories; but writes more to contradict the age old beliefs of women and their role in society. Dracula is more that just a vampire story. There is a deeper level to this. A level in which it can incite change in the way one percieves women. There is a noition that all women were to be the same but Dracula refutes that. Vampire sexuality, as represented in Bram Stoker s Dracula, reveals itself as both a phenomenon thatRead MoreCourtroom Case : Phyllis A. Roth Essay1558 Words   |  7 Pagesalso a Freudian. A better term to describe Roth would be a psychoanalytic feminist. One of her works as an author can be found in the back of the book Dracula: A Norton Critical Edition. Her criticism article is titled Suddenly Sexual Woman in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In her article she analyzes the famous novel Dracula. She explores how gender plays a role in the novel and the concept of femininity. She wr ites about the transformation that takes place when a proper lady turns into a sexual vampire. HerRead MoreAnalysis Of The s Of And The Quiet, Proper Victorian Woman 934 Words   |  4 Pages A prevalent theme throughout Dracula is that of a woman’s role in society. The main female protagonist, Mina, is a delicate balance between the strong and independent â€Å"New Woman† and the quiet, proper Victorian woman that was customary in English society prior to the 1900s. She embodies the kindness, sense of duty, and femininity of a Victorian woman, while tentatively embracing the strength, bravery, and intelligence of â€Å"New Women.† Despite this slight reform, Mina still desires to be seen a meekRead MoreTexts Can Be Modified or Appropriated to Suit Different Audiences or Purposes, Yet Still Remain Firmly Within the Genre. Discuss Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and at Least One of the Films You Have Studied.1050 Words   |  5 Pagesremain firmly wit hin the genre. Discuss Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ and at least one of the films you have studied. FW Murnau’s 1921 film Nosferatu is an appropriation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. Despite it being an appropriation, explicit gothic conventions remain evident, which explore societal fears and values. These fears and values differ from Dracula, due to distinct contextual influences of different time periods. Stoker’s novel Dracula, presents the fear of female promiscuity, for whichRead MoreBram Stoker s Dracul Victorian Men And Women1455 Words   |  6 PagesKatherine Fulmer ENGL 3023 Dr. Lawrence 1 December 2015 Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Victorian Men and Women 1. Introduction Bram Stoker’s world famous novel Dracula, blurs the lines between Victorian ideal gender roles by using strong central female characters, such as, the three vampire sisters, Lucy and Mina, to express a powerful female sexuality challenging the Victorian notion of what makes a woman. The Victorian society placed women in a bubble of sexual purity and fragileness, making men the central

Approaches of OM Free Essays

Approaches of OM  :Within the past fifteen years or so there has been much studies about the theoretical status of discourse markers (DMS) focusing on what they are ,what they mean and what functions they manifest. Fraser (1999) maintains that teseachers have agreed that DMS are lexical expressions that relate discourse segments , but they have disagreed on how they are defined and what functions they carry. Similar to this view, shourup (1999) argues that there is disagreement on functions on fundamental issues in the study of DMS. We will write a custom essay sample on Approaches of OM or any similar topic only for you Order Now researchers are unable to agree on the grammatical category of DMS or how to delimit their class or even what types of meaning these markers express. In order to understand more about DMS in language it is necessary to refer to tow approaches of DMS  :The reliance theory and coherence teased approach1/coherence based approach:Within coherence theory it is assumed DMS play a major role in dis course interpretation by using â€Å"coherence † relations between discourse units. As shourup (1999,p.240) argues that the interpretation of a text, according to the coherence group. Depends on the identification of coherence relations between the units of that text . this group includes researchers who adopt a coherence-based theory. The main figures of this group are Schifrin (1987). Fraser (1988-1990) and redeker (1990-1991).Schifrin (1987) studies the semantic and grammatical status of DMS and their functions . since she belongs to the coherence group, Schifrin states that DMS contribute to the coherence of the text by establishing coherence relationships between units of talk Schifrin (1987,b.9). He adds that DMS indicate that the interpretation of one clause is determined by the information derived from the prior clause .Schifrin proposes that DMS have a coherence role in the sense that they relate informational units in the present discourse with informational units in the prior discourse , this is what Schifrin calls local coherence in her framework; which means that it is local in the sense that DMS link two adjacent units in the text. She states that DMS have both cohesive and structural roles ; structural because they link two (or more) syntactic units, and also cohesive because the interpretation of the utterance depends on the combination of both conjuncts. It can be summarized that Schifrin concentrates on the linguistic and structural role that DMS play to achieve discourse coherence by linking discourse units The second figure of coherence-based theory is Fraser(1999). Similarly to Schifrin, Fraser maintains that DMS contribute to the coherence of a text by indicating coherence relationships between units of talk however, Fraser(1999,938) indicates that DMS do not have to signal any relationship between segment 2 and segment 1 (adjacent segments of talk ).A discourse marker can relate the segment it introduces with any other previous segment in discourse .And this is known as ‘global coherence ,it is contrasted to Schifrin’s local coherence . Fraser’s (1997-1999) account focuses on pragmatic functions of DMS ;he calls them â€Å"pragmatic markers†. Fraser define DMS in his proposal as they are linguistic element that encode clues which signal the speaker potential communicative intention .2/ Relevance-based account:Sperber and Wilson (1986,1995) have developed the relevance theory. It is a pragmatic model that explain how speakers interpret utterances. It based on cognitive ability of the hearer to interpret the utterance rather the linguistic one. The relevance theory suggests that the mind’s central processor is highly effective in holding the information because it is specifically oriented towards the search for relevance (as cited in the use of discourse markers in E.F.L learners writing by ana cristina laluerta Martinez university of Oviedo). The principle of relevance determines that all utterances are ruled by the level of optimal relevance .that is to say ,when a speaker calls a hearer’s attention to the utterance . He is claiming that his utterance is relevant enough to deserve the hearer’s attention. To discuss deeply the relation between relevance theory and discourse markers , Blakemore should be present Blakemore (1987) argument is that DMS play a crucial role in the interpretation of utterance by providing the hearer/reader with some guidance in the inferential phase to reach the optimal relevance. According to Blakemore (1987), connectives contribute to the interpretation process. Usually a speaker/writer has a specific interpretation of his utterance and to guide the hearer/reader to reach the right interpretation DMS are so important .They provide the specification of certain properties of the context and the contextual effects .The level of optimal relevance means that the larger contextual effect the smaller cognitive effort . generally the hearer stores a number of assumption in his memory ,and these assumptions can interact with the new information conveyed by the speaker , which come up with three results ; a new assumption or the contradiction , and even elimination , of an assumption Blakemore (1992;p.135). This the speakers/writer can help the hearer by reducing the cognitive effort. As Blakemore (1992;p.176) â€Å"a speaker may use the linguistic from of his utterance to guide the interpretation process†. Similar features of discourse markers:Despite the large disagreement about the definition and the classification of discourse markers ,There are some basic characteristic and features shared by discourse markers have been identified in DMS studies. Schourup (1999) argues, â€Å"to identify a small sent of characteristic most commonly attributes to discourse markers and to items referred to by other closely associated terms†. He realizes the most common features in these expressions from some studies in the discourse markers. These features are â€Å"multi-categoriality, connectivity, mon-truth conditionality, weak clause association, initiality, and optionality†a-multi- categoriality : It is viewed that discourse markers constitute a functional category that is heterogeneous with respect to the syntactic class (as cited in (similar features). Because items that are usually included in DMS are not structurally unified. They are derived from a variety of grammatical sources. Schourup (1999,p.134) distinguishes in wich DM function has been a attributed whether words like: adverbs (eg, now actually, anyway), coordinating and subordinating conjunctions (e.g, and, but, because). Interjections (e.g, oh, gosh, boy) verbs (e.g, say, look, see) or it can includes clauses (e.g, you see, I mean, you know). The fact that DMS are drown from different word classes makes them difficult to define them structurally. And that means they have identical counterparts that are not used as markers. Kohlani (2010,p39) points out that despite the great dispute regarding â€Å"the coexistence of two structurally identical items that function differently in discourse†, they do not overlap in discourse :When an expression functions as a discourse markers ,it does not express the propositional meaning of, its identical counterparts. As cites in janina buintkiene (2015)b- connectivity :connectivity is a common point shared by many studies concerning the DMS. They agree that DMS connect utterances or other discourse unites. However, there is a great disagreement about the nature of the connection discourse markers express and the nature and extent of the element connected ,as Schourup ( 1999,p20)point out. Thus connectivity is conceived differently due to the way discourse is viewed. In coherence-based studies, like Schifrin (1987) and Fraser (1999) defined DMS as connectives which relate two textual units by marking the relationships between them; they contribute to inter-utterance coherence. For coherence-based studies DMS have an important role in connecting one segment of text to another. In relevance-based studies, DMS do not connect one segment of text to another but they provide the hearer/reader with the right interpretation of the segment they introduce. Blakemore (1987) noted that DMS can play the role of connecting the host utterance not only the linguistic co-text but also to the context in a wider sense. For within relevance theory, discourse markers are viewed as expressing â€Å"inferential connections† that constrain the â€Å"cognitive processes† underlying the interpretation of the segment they introduce (Blakemore(2002,p.5).similar to this view, shourup (1999,p.230-232)states that DMS do not connect one segment of text to another. Rather they connect the â€Å"propositional content† expressed by their host sentence â€Å"to assumptions that are expressed by context†. He concludes that if connectivity is criterial for DM status, it can be used to distinguish DMS from various other initial element such as illocutionary adverbials (e.g, confidentially), attitudinal adverbials (e.g, sadly) and from primary interjections (e.g, oops). c/ nontruth-conditionality: nontruth-conditionality is also a feature that most researchers attribute to discourse markers. Saying that DMS are nontruth-conditional means that they bring no meaning or condition to the sentence. As Schourup (1999,p.232) claims that DMS are generally thought to contribute nothing to the truth-conditions of the proposition expressed by an utterance. Fraser (1996) also claimed that DMS do not influence the truth-conditions of sentences; he approved the idea that truth-conditions pertain to mental representations not to sentences. Accordingly ,for many researchers discourse markers are nontruth-conditional means that DMS are part of the pragmatic component of the sentence. Ostman (1995,p.98) argues that their â€Å"primary task in language is not related to the propositional aspect of sentences, but to the pragmatic functioning of language†. Moreover, Blakemore (2002) points out that pragmatic is defined as â€Å"meaning minus truth conditions†. She argues that pragmatic information which is not part of the truth conditional content â€Å"cannot be obtained through decoding linguistic forms†. As a conclusion, DMS are non-propositional expressions means that they are not part of propositional meaning of the sentence moreover; this does not mean they do not effect this meaning. DMS are not important in the propositional structure, but they do effect the propositional meaning. As Andersen (2001) argues that the meaning of the sentence is â€Å"not handled solely by the words contained in the utterance† rather is conveyed by † complex semantic and pragmatic processes†, as cited by kohlan (2010).d/ weak clause association:another characteristic of discourse markers that has been identified by Schourup (1999,p.232-234) is weak clause association. It is similar to the nontruth-conditionality feature is the sense of the detachment of DMS from their host sentence. As cited in janina buitkiene (2015), Brinton argues (1996,p.34), DMS usually occur â€Å"cither outside the syntactic structure or loosely attached to it†. DMS are regarded as being outside the propositional content and the syntactic structure of the sentence. Schourup (1999) points out that some of DMS have their syntactic structure such as on the other hand and you know (232). It is also because of their loose grammatical attachment to the structure of their host sentence, that discourse markers are after separate from the main clause by comma or independent two unit â€Å"regard Len whether they occur within the clause or at its initial† (ibid, 233). e/ initiality:IS one of the most noticeable feature of discourse markers. For some researchers. DMS occurs initially in the sentence. As Hansen (1997,p.157) points out that â€Å"markers must necessarily precede their host unit†. Similarly, Fraser (1990,p389) state â€Å"typically occur only in utterance-initial position†. The significance of the initial position as a text organizer is what makes it the most appropriate place in which discourse markers can fulfill their role in discourse. As cited in.The place of DMS is related to their function in discourse. Schourup (1999) states. â€Å"because they are used to restrict the contextual interpretation of an utterance†; he adds â€Å"it makes sense to restrict context early before interpretation can run astray† (233). Moreover, kohlani (2010.48) argues that initial position give for DMS wide scope over the whole sentence or paragraph to influence hearer or reader interpretation of everything that follows. f/ Optionality:Being optional rather than obligatory is another feature of discourse markers. Accordingly, DMS can be present or absent in the discourse. As Schifrin (1987) argues. â€Å"are never obligatory†. Moreover, Schourup (1999,p.231) states that DMS are optional in two distinct senses: â€Å"syntactically optional in the sense that removal of a DMS does not alter grammaticality of the sentences and in the further sense that they do not enlarge the possibilities for semantic relationship between the element they associate†. However, he adds. â€Å"it is never claimed that the optionality of DMS renders them useless as redundant†. This means even if DMS are regarded as syntactically and semantically optional, pragmatically are not. Supporting to this view, Brinton (1996) argues, † they are not pragmatically optional or superfluous†. Instead , they guide the hearer/reader to a particular interpretation. As Brinton (1996,p.34) argues â€Å"they reinforce or clue the interpretation intended by the speaker†. How to cite Approaches of OM, Papers

Comparison of Lord of the Flies with Peter Pan free essay sample

The books â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding, and â€Å"Peter Pan† by J. M. Barrie, have similar characteristics that will be compared and contrasted in this paper. â€Å"Lord of the Flies† takes place on a deserted island where about 20 British boys have crashed during World War II. Peter Pan, dissimilarly, tells the tale of a boy who doesn’t want to grow up and lives on the magical island of Neverland with the Lost Boys. Both Lord of the Flies and Peter Pan have common themes, symbols, and characters, but, at the same time, differ. Lord of the Flies and Peter Pan share quite a few qualities. They have themes that are in common, but also have some that are completely unrelated. The symbolisms in each book also play a large role. Physical symbols along with symbols that aren’t tangible will be discussed. The last subject that will be presented will be the personalities of characters. People such as Ralph, Jack, Peter, Wendy, the Lost Boys, and the Island Boys will be compared and contrasted. The first of all of these points to be addressed will be the themes. In both stories, there are evident themes presented; some of which they have in common. One major theme that is found in both Lord of the Flies and Peter Pan is the innocence of childhood. Though, there is a difference in the way they address their innocence. The Island Boys outgrow their innocence. They aren’t helpless children any longer; they embrace being unsupervised and use it as their right to adulthood. The Lost Boys in Peter Pan strive to maintain their childhood for as long as they can. They don’t want to grow up, nor do they want to act any older than they are. Even though innocence is a common theme, the two groups of boys diverge in their role playing. The second coinciding theme Lord of the Flies and Peter Pan have is battles from within. In Lord of the Flies, Jack struggles with the idea of killing the pig. He wants so badly to slaughter it, but the piece of civilized Brit that is left in him won’t allow it. It’s obvious this killing has become an obsession to Jack when he says, â€Å"If I could only get a pig! † (pg. 55), in chapter 3, and repeatedly brings up the subject. Wendy also has an inward struggle in her story. She has fun and adapts to the ways of Neverland, but, in the back of her mind, she knows she must return home. She debates with herself throughout her stay with Peter, but realizes she and her brothers must go back to reality and grow up. The next theme mainly pertains to Lord of the Flies. As previously discussed, the Island Boys want to rid themselves of childhood innocence. Although, the boys don’t only rid themselves of innocence, they lose their humanity altogether. They forget their past lives as proper English gentlemen, and become savages. Wendy’s younger brothers, John and Michael, face something similar to that to a certain extent when they believe that Peter is their father and Wendy is their mother. They forget their old ways, just as the Island Boys did, but they don’t become uncivilized. The following theme that Peter Pan and Lord of the Flies don’t have in common is the aspect of romance. Peter is a player, switching between his affections for Tinker Bell, to Tiger Lilly, and to Wendy. Though, he is most predominately attracted to Wendy. It is also the kiss that Wendy gives Peter that allows him to fight Captain Hook and overthrow him. Lord of the Flies, on the other hand, has no way to incorporate romance. Being that there are about 20 boys stuck on an island together, with no females, it makes it very difficult to add in that particular theme. The closest similarity to romance that Lord of the Flies has is who wants to be first. The girls in Peter’s life, and the Lost Boys, all want to be the center of his attention. Similarly, The Island Boys fight to be recognized. Jack battles to be the leader and hold the affection of the others, just as Piggy seeks respect. The first symbols that will be discussed are the physical ones. In Lord of the Flies, the conch shell that Piggy finds is one of the most symbolic objects in the book. The conch, that states whoever holds it is allowed to speak, possesses great authority. It also shows that the Island Boys are trying to maintain their humanity by having an organization system. The conch symbolizes brains and intelligence. It was Piggy’s idea to have this rule, and he was the main enforcer of it. When the conch shattered as Piggy died, it represented the loss of all hope. Their whole system had officially ended. In Peter Pan a significant symbol is that of the kiss and thimble. Wendy gives Peter a â€Å"kiss†, which is actually a thimble, out of her newfound affection for him. Peter, however, doesn’t realize the significance of it, and naturally gives her an acorn in return. This act of giving â€Å"kisses† is only seen as significant to Wendy at the time. Later, when the acorn saves Wendy’s life, Peter grasps the importance of it. This exchanging of â€Å"kisses† is also representing Wendy’s growing up. She has that yearning for romance that most young girls do, and has sought to find it in Peter. The second set of symbols is not physical; instead they are heard. In Lord of the Flies, when the boys kill a pig, they chant, â€Å"Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. † (pg. 69) When this rhythmic shouting begins, death is always near; whether it is of a pig or a human. The clock that ticks from the crocodile in Peter Pan has a similar meaning. Both evoke fear into people. The reciting of the gruesome lines frightens Ralph, Piggy, and probably other boys involved; just as the tick-tock emanating from the crocodile paralyzed Captain Hook. The sounds also illustrate power over weakness. The chanting from Jack’s hunters shows that they have the capability of hunting and killing. This brings an advantage over Ralph and his group since they are fairly defenseless. Captain Hook, though he appears invincible, becomes too afraid of the crocodile, and it ultimately causes his demise. Throughout both tales, there are similar personalities of characters. Two that will be examined are Peter and Ralph. Both boys have leadership qualities, but conduct their empire in different ways. Peter focuses on having fun and doing whatever he feels like on that day. Since he doesn’t want to grow up, Peter acts like a child, but at the same time plays the role of a father to the Lost Boys. Ralph, similarly, wants to have fun in the beginning. But, they were stranded on an island by themselves, and Ralph soon realized the need of rescuing. Ralph quickly obtains an obsession with keeping the fire, and makes that the number one priority. Peter, however, doesn’t have goals. He spars with Captain Hook and listens to stories for entertainment. Also, the two boys each have their â€Å"second in command†. Peter uses Tinker Bell as a companion, but doesn’t really listen to her. Ralph has Piggy, whose ideas he either doesn’t listen to, or takes as his own. Ralph also shares characteristics with Wendy. As mentioned earlier, Ralph wanted to have fun in the beginning. Wendy has the same experience when she falls for Peter and wants to explore Neverland with him. Both Ralph and Wendy soon realize that their times on the far away places are up, and they have to go home. Ralph, like Wendy, is really the only one who sees the importance of returning. Though, Ralph stresses the fact of rescue, while Wendy would bring up the thought, and then dismiss it. Captain Hook and Jack Merridew are noted as the antagonist of each narrative. Both Hook and Jack want to gain power. Hook wants to overthrow Peter, and take over. Similarly, Jack wants to bring down Ralph as chief. Their plans were similar in structure, except Jack’s execution was pretty much successful with his plan, while Hook got eaten by a crocodile. As far as one could tell, Hook has always been evil. Contrasting to Jack, who, in the beginning he wasn’t evil per say, he just sought power. Hook and Jack likewise have goals of killing. Hook only seeks to have revenge on Peter Pan, and slay him. Jack wants terribly to slaughter a pig, and eventually does. He then quickly escalates to the killing of people. Peter’s group of Lost Boys are in a similar situation as the boys stuck on the Island in Lord of the Flies. Both sets of boys are under the power of a kid no older than 12. Although, the Lost Boys tend to fealty obey Peter Pan, whereas the Island Boys don’t really know who to comply with. They Lost Boys don’t question the authority that Peter has; they do as they’re told. The boys on the island generally don’t listen, no matter who the instruction is coming from. They all want to go explore, or swim, or hunt as they please. Also, both assemblies of kids don’t really care about going home; not until the end. They have a great time on their separate islands, and act as if they were going to live there forever. But, when the opportunity arrives to return home, they jump at the chance. As one can see, Lord of the Flies and Peter Pan have some similarities, yet they each maintain their own distinct features. Though one story depicts the loss of humanity, and the other shows the maintaining of childhood, they have quite similar aspects. Each is a tale of British children, but they are placed in different circumstances. They all have a life changing experience that Peter summarizes by saying, â€Å"To live will be an awfully big adventure. †

Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank

Background of the Study Employee absenteeism is considered one of the most detrimental occurrences facing employers. Personnel from different organizations across industries report different patterns of absence behavior. There’s need for managers to understand the relationship existing between job satisfaction and rate of absenteeism. This is since the consequences of this aspect affects organizations negatively leading to great financial losses.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Most organisations agree on the fact that employee absenteeism is one of the factors affecting productivity. However, research reveals that one of the causes of absenteeism is the level of job satisfaction. There are three types of absence; ‘sick absence’ where the employee misses work due to health issues, ‘authoris ed absence’ where the employee acquires permission and ‘unexcused absence’ where employees absent themselves for unrecognized reasons. The understanding of the relationships provides good platform for designing effective policies capable of providing conducive work environment to the employees. Studies reveal that workers who are less satisfied with their work shows frequent rate of absenteeism compared to those experiencing job satisfaction. Absence is a function of an individual and situation hence can either be described as â€Å"voluntary or involuntary†, where voluntary is based on conscious decision by the employee while involuntary absence incorporates situations that are beyond immediate control of the worker such as sickness. This study focuses on the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) which was founded in the year 1968 and is considered to be amongst the top performing banks in the United Arab Emirates. The bank has extensive network within UAE op erating 120 branches within Abu Dhabi and 50 branches across four continents of the world. Global Finance magazine ranks NBAD’s as one of the safest banks in the world and specifically in the Middle East. The bank offers various services ranging from retail, investment and also provides Islamic banking services. At the same time the bank appears in the Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX) listings. Employers like NBDA bank face some of the common challenges at work place one of which is absenteeism. The bank operates its working system under the country’s labor Law which requires employees to report any form of illness within a period of two days before being granted leave.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employees are required to produce medical records and evidences of illness covering absence within consecutive days. In dealing with absenteeism, NBDA adopted an d enforced the use of medical certificate policy. All employees are entitled to a leave of 90 calendar days annually with pay as prescribed by the bank’s policies which denies any payment to employee on sick leave if the illness resulted from the employee’s misconduct. Any absenteeism from work without reasonable cause is countered by disciplinary sanctions. The employee is not paid any salary for the day of absence; the fines vary depending on the frequency of the offense. Statement of the Problem Absenteeism is associated with no clear cause since the concept is influenced by a host of interrelated factors. This makes the concept very expensive for organizations as well as individual employees. In most cases, studies have focused on employee attitude as major cause of absenteeism. However, managers and employees tend to view absenteeism from different perspectives. Managers focus on absence as a category of behavior while to employees, the concept comes as a result o f perception, feelings and social phenomenon. Research reveals that persistent absenteeism has negative impact on overall productivity as well as morale. Most researchers argue that job dissatisfaction is directly proportional to the number of days absent therefore necessitates the need for the employee to feel rewarded. Studies also show that absenteeism can be brought about by personal characteristics for example marital status with the unmarried reporting more absenteeism predominantly married females. It is in this respect that this research seeks to evaluate and address the concept of absenteeism within institutions such as NBDA. Aims and objectives Aims To place rules and policies to manage absenteeism among employees at ABU DHABI National Bank To establish the major causes of absenteeism among the employees of ABU DHABI National Bank To propose a model which can be utilized in testing the proposition that personal characteristics, situational factors and satisfaction are key causes of absenteeism To develop a strategy that is beneficial to both the employer and employee in order to improve productivity Objectives To examine the relationship between individual characteristics, situations, job satisfaction levels and absenteeism for employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank in Dubai To investigate the relationship between personal characteristics of age, gender, marital status, education and source of income and rates of absenteeism To establish a programme that will help manage and control absenteeism at Abu Dhabi National Bank. To establish a reward system that will help deal with absenteeism at Abu Dhabi National Bank Scope of the project The study seeks to discuss absenteeism amongst employees focusing on causal mechanisms and reasons as to why employees absent themselves from work. Also knowing the relationship between job satisfactions, personal characteristics i.e. age, marital status, income level and absenteeism. This study also seeks to establish the effects of absenteeism to the bank’s productivity and profitability levels which in the long-run affects the country’s economy. The research also gives insight to the management of the bank concerning necessary prescriptions capable of handling absenteeism.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This study also tries to establish whether the management is capable of adopting modern systems used in regulating the number of sick days. There is also discussion on the existing relationship between reward, punishment and absenteeism. Focus of the Study The study focuses on establishing the major causes of absenteeism and consequent effects on productivity within organizations such as NBDA. The focus is on the nature of working environment offered and individual reactions towards work in general. This paper e mphasizes on personal characteristics relationship to absenteeism and also relations between job satisfaction and absenteeism. The paper also analyses the various types of absenteeism and seeks to analyse several models which have been proposed for the purposes of establishing and testing levels of job satisfaction. This has generally resulted in different results and findings of which this paper seeks to explain such differences. Significance of the Study Frequent employee contributions represent some of the important aspects within an organization. The level of effectiveness with which absenteeism is managed within organizations determines organization’s performance in the long-run. Whether ‘voluntary’ or ‘involuntary’, absenteeism should be managed using appropriate policies aligned to defined labor laws of specified regions. Work should not be viewed by employees as form of punishment but as a means of fulfilling one’s purpose in life, hen ce should be performed based on company’s underlined policies, principles, vision and mission statements. This research paper on Absenteeism amongst employees in Abu Dhabi National Bank was written and submitted by user Shatterstar to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Essay Example

Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Essay Example Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Paper Qualities of a Councelor and Change in Counselings Standards Paper The counseling profession has experienced a great deal of change, especially during the 1990s. Several of those changes occurred in 1992; these include the changing of the AACDs name to the ACA (American Counseling Association), the adding of counseling as a primary mental health profession into the health care human resource statistics of the Center for Mental Health Services and National Institute of Mental Health, and the writing of the multicultural counseling standards and competencies, which was done by Sue Arredondo and McDavies. Another major change that occurred in the 1990s was the inclusion of counselors as providers for managed health care organizations. Two of the major trends being faced by counselors in the new century include having to serve an increasing number of clients recovering from violence, crisis situations, and trauma, and helping clients cope with loneliness and isolation. The negative characteristics of the first trend are that crisis situations and acts of violence have become more deadly and prevalent in society since the 1990s, examples of these being the Columbine massacre and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder have also become prevalent as a result of these terrible events. The positive characteristics to emerge from this trend are that counselors have begun receiving specialized training in crisis counseling in order to better serve clients, and they have been able to develop practical and well-focused action plans and strategies towards helping clients of all ages to recover. The negative characteristic of the second trend is that more individuals today are experiencing extreme loneliness and isolation than ever before. The positive characteristic is that counseling relationships have helped these individuals significantly overcome their loneliness. For their part, counselors can rise to the challenge by realizing how important they are in their clients lives and by coming to regard their profession as a calling that they are willingly answering. The five most important qualities a counselor should possess are to have the ability to listen because clients more often desire to be listened to than to be spoken to, to display empathy and understanding in order to show clients that the counselor realizes the gravity of their situation, to display emotional insightfulness so that one can tolerate and expect all types of emotions to come forth, to have the ability for self-denial so that one learns to take care of others before treating ones own needs, and to possess tolerance of intimacy which is essential since most counselor-client relationships are often long-term and very personal. In order to improve themselves professionally throughout their careers counselors must first realize that competency within the profession is directly related to how they function on a personal level. Due to this counselors should become self-aware of their personalities and attitudes, learn from their own emotional experiences while maintaining emotional stability and maturity, successfully integrate whatever counseling techniques and knowledge they acquired into their own lives, and learn to prevent or treat stress and burnout on the job. The developmental/wellness approach emphasizes that people engage in certain patterns of behavior through the various ongoing developmental stages in life. Counselors using this approach, therefore, would view a client based upon which stage his/her problem is emanating from. Oftentimes, these counselors believe that behaviors that are suitable for one stage may not be so for another. In contrast a counselor who abides by the medical/pathology approach would view a client based upon what symptoms, listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, of psychological problems he/she displays. Another point of comparison reveals that both do share the notion that external environmental and social factors must be taken into consideration when diagnosing and treating clients problems. The benefits of ethical codes are that they can serve as guidelines for helping counselors to arrive at solutions to ethical dilemmas, they demonstrate the increasing level of professionalism that the field of counseling has recently experienced, and they keep counselors liable for any misfired attempts towards solving ethical dilemmas without consulting the codes first. The limitations of these codes are that they cannot resolve certain issues, are often unenforceable, contradictions may exist within the codes, legal and ethical codes may come into conflict, and they often do not address cross-cultural issues, among other things. For making ethical decisions counselors can use the codes listed by the professional counseling associations to which they belong to and consult with colleagues, legal professionals, casebooks, or principles. There are three instances in which a counselor may be sued for malpractice; the first one is when a counselor may have to face civil liability malpractice suits for supposed invasion of privacy. The second instance of a counselor facing a civil liability malpractice suit is when a counselor is accused of defamation. The third instance of a counselor facing a malpractice suit, this time for criminal liability, is when he/she is accused of serving as an accessory to a crime. The steps that counselors can take in order to avoid malpractice suits are to familiarize themselves with those elements of the law that are shared by both the mental health and legal professions, to recognize those elements of the law that are not to be found in the mental health culture, to continuously review the ethical codes of the professional counseling associations, and finally to consult with colleagues and legal professionals over ways to overcome certain ethical-legal dilemmas.

Major Real Estate Development Risk management and Insurance from the Research Paper - 1

Major Real Estate Development Risk management and Insurance from the developers position - Research Paper Example I will also look at the insurance factors that affect a real estate developer’s position. Various literatures offer a different understanding of the concept of real estate development with some looking at it as being similar to property development, while others looking at them differently. Basically, real estate development refers to a process that makes it possible for land use to be intensified for the purpose of coming up with housing structures for occupation. Real estate is also looked at as a concept that makes it possible for construction and necessary access of infrastructure, and at the same time allows legal subdivision of property for the purpose of vertical construction. Real estate itself is looked at as a projection that takes in the aspect of money, space and time. Through real estate, creation and management of time and space is enabled with the aim of generating specific estimated cash flows over a particular period of time. A developer refers to and individual or a corporate organization that develops land and buildings to increase their value to specified amounts over time. Developers in the real estate industry are therefore individuals or organizations who bring together land, labor and capital and plan how to manage and facilitate the market in a way that the requirements of the users are sufficiently met. In addition to this basic definition, the real estate industry is characterized by various types of developers who may be classified on the basis of their strategic capital role, geographic scope and ownership structure or the type of products they deal with (Davis 89). Real estate developers may therefore be classified in three most common categories: trader developer refers to the type of a developer who assumes the entire risk of the project until it’s completed. A trader developer then makes a complete sale of the land and property which results to the main goals as being exploitation of

The Impacts Employee Motivation has on Organisationalperformance Dissertation

The Impacts Employee Motivation has on Organisationalperformance - Dissertation Example A highly motivated employee is hugely productive in the context of the company. However on the other hand employees who are less motivated works less effectively (Management help, n.d.). The purpose of the study is to underpin the fact that how employee motivation helps an organization to get success in the market place. In other words the primary intention behind the study is to uncover the impacts employee motivation has on organizational performance. The topic was chosen on assessing the factors that are significant for an organization. Nevertheless the study revealed motivation as one of the crucial factor for an organization. ... A primary research will be also carried out to get better insights of the topic. The report will be divided into five sections. The first section will be about the introduction to the vital concepts of the study, in the second section a literature review of the topic will be carried out. Once the literature review ends, the report will clearly depict the methodology to be followed for doing the research. The next section will be about data collection and analysis. In this section mainly primary data will be collected, analyzed and meaningful information will be portrayed. Finally the report will conclude, by answering the research questions and addressing the research objectives. 1.1 Defining Motivation Motivation is imperative for an organization as it offers large number of benefits. Some of the evident benefits of having a motivated workforce within the organization are increased productivity and improved efficiency, helps in achieving the organizational goals, creates a friendly relationship within the organization, makes the workforce stable, and it also assists in utilizing the resources properly. Furthermore it also offers other benefits in the context of an organization. It leads to high performance, reduces the employee turnover rate, decreases the rate of absenteeism, portrays a better organizational image, industrial relations become superior and it also helps the organization to get adapted with the changing business environment (Singla, 2011, p.389). Different employees join an organization with diversified needs and demands. The background of the employees such as education, culture, attitude, perception, values, beliefs and location and the way of their upbringing are different. The objective of every

CONTRACT MANUFACTURING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

CONTRACT MANUFACTURING - Essay Example This enables these organizations to dedicate their resources, time and workforce to the tasks that are central and pivotal to their primary business and at which, they are really good at (Krekora 2008). These companies approach the potential contract manufacturers with a specific process, design or prototype. The contract manufacturers quote their price, while taking into consideration, the procedures, tools, labour, costs and inputs requisite for the product under consideration. In that context, the customer firms do prefer to procure multiple quotes from varied contract manufacturers. This enables them to maximize their profitability and quality, by selecting a bidder that is most capable and competitive in terms of price and technology. Once a contract manufacturer is selected, one takes care of all the procurement, manufacturing, logistics and supply chain issues associated with the assigned task. The task may involve the manufacturing of a complete product, to the assembly of specific components. Thus, contract manufacturing is one form of outsourcing. There exist many reputed and established brands that opt to go for contract manufacturing, instead of maintaining their own pl ants and logistics facilities. Since 2005, this business practice has gained a solid foothold in the international pharmaceutical industry. Varied pragmatic and strategic reasons have contributed to this trend. In the current scenario, the international manufacturing industry affiliated to pharmaceuticals and drugs has exhibited an extensive growth. Major pharmaceutical companies in the developed and the developing world have finally come to the conclusion that they stand to reap massive benefits by going for outsourcing and contract manufacturing. Resorting to contract manufacturing enables these pharmaceutical companies to build on their overall production capacities, without incurring the commensurate

Analysing Different Teaching Syllabus

Analysing Different Teaching Syllabus In the domain of language teaching, many teaching syllabuses have emerged which can be classified according to their goals. Examples are the grammatical or structural syllabus which focuses on teaching grammar; the lexical syllabus of which the goal is to teach students lexis and the orthography of the target language; the situational syllabus which is concerned with teaching language related to certain situations; the topic-based syllabus, which has as its goal the teaching of specific topics, for example, geographical topics such as global warming. There is also the skills-based syllabus which takes into account the four skills of language learning, namely, listening, speaking, reading and writing; the task-based syllabus, in which the task is the key to acquiring language and the integrated syllabus, which attempts to integrate all types of syllabus into one syllabus. This kind of syllabus is central to the Headway series of books. The focus of the teaching syllabuses in schools and colleges used to be on the grammar of the target language. Priority was given to structural categories, such as word class, and to mastering these categories. It was noted, however, that learners using the structural syllabus lacked the ability to communicate fluently in the target language, because they had little practice in expressing themselves communicatively, even though they had mastered the grammar. They were able only to memorise the structural categories and never engaged in communicating with others. This problem, therefore, could be solved only by producing a new syllabus which could meet learners needs and improve their communicative ability. As a result, a notional-functional syllabus emerged, with new goals and procedures. This paper examines the notional- functional syllabus. In the first part, a brief section seeks to define the word syllabus, followed by a section about the general meaning of a notional-functional syllabus. The second part considers the approach taken in this kind of syllabus and discusses it. The third part focuses on an important aspect in the notional-functional syllabus, namely, needs analysis. The fourth part highlights the strengths and weaknesses of this syllabus. The fifth part shows how the notional-functional syllabus has been influenced by theories of language and learning. The final part, attempts to describe the teaching situation best suited to this type of syllabus and some of its most important aspects. The Notional- functional syllabus: Before we embark on describing and discussing the notional-functional syllabus, we should provide a definition for the word syllabus. What is a syllabus? It is noteworthy that many writers such as, (Brumfit: 1984; Nunan: 1988; Richards: 2001) have sought to define this word. For example, a syllabus is defined as: a specification of the content of a course of instruction which lists what will be taught and tested (Richards: 2001:2). It is defined also by Nunan (1988:159) as: a specification of what is to be taught in language and the order in which it is to be taught. Furthermore, it can merely lay down what is to be taught, or attempt the harder task of organizing what is to be learnt (Brumfit: 1984). Accordingly, it is noted that they agree that a syllabus should be a specified by a plan which leads teaching aims. White (1988) agrees with Nunan (1988), in addition, that a syllabus may include such aspects as, structure, functions, topics, skills and situations. The choice of priority among these aspects will specify the type of syllabus. 1.2. What is a notional-functional syllabus? The first appearance of this type of syllabus was in the 1970s, when sociolinguists and language philosophers first tried to reflect the functional aspects of language in the teaching syllabuses (Nunan: 1988). It is worthy mentioning the the notional- functional syllabus is based on two important aspects, namely, a conceptual or notional aspect and a functional aspect. The first, takes into consideration concepts such as, cause and effect, time, movement and space. The second describes and classifies the intentions behind language use. In fact, neither of these aspects was new for language teaching. They always been of much concern in the language teaching field, yet what was new was the adoption of notional-functional categories as principles in syllabus organisation. As a result, the great stress on grammatical considerations was relaxed, because the communicative categories were taken into account (White, 1988). It is, however, worth mentioning that the Threshold syllabus (Van Ek: 1975) and the Waystage syllabus (Van Ek and Alexander: 1977) are prototypes of notional-functional syllabuses prepared by the Council of Europe. The content of these syllabuses includes notions such as those mentioned above and functions such as are found at the Threshold level ( Ek and Trim: 1990), ( see, Appendix:1). D.A.Wilkins (1976) was the keenest advocate of the notional- functional syllabus. He notes that this type of syllabus should encompass three categories of meaning: first, semantico- grammatical meaning , in which grammatical form is taught by semantics, such as, time, which consists of point of time, duration and relations; second, modal meaning, in which there is a concern with the nature of the speakers attitudes, such as, the scale of certainty, including: conjecture, doubt, conviction and disbelief; and third, the communicative function, in which speakers are expected to provide communicate infor mation, such as, requests and complaints (Wilkins: 1976). The approach applied in the Notional- functional syllabus: It is important to note that there is a contention among such writers in the language teaching domain as, (Wilkins: 1976; Nunan: 1988; Richards: 2001). This contention is about whether the approach taken in a notional- functional syllabus is analytic or synthetic. In fact, Wilkins (1976) is the first writer who has paid attention to the difference between synthetic and analytic approaches in teaching syllabuses (Nunan: 1988). The distinction lies in the fact that the strategy of language teaching in a synthetic approach relies on the process of acquiring language through a gradual accumulation of language parts. These different parts are taught separately until the complete linguistic structure is built up. In contrast, with the analytic approach linguistic control of the learning environment is not important, because language components are not viewed as building blocks. In other words, they are not gradually accumulated. Furthermore, the important forms of language are isolated fro m the contrasting context in which they probably occur. Therefore, the focus of learning is significant aspects of the language structure (Wilkins: 1976). Wilkins goes on to propose that a notional-functional syllabus maybe considered an example of the analytic approach to language teaching. This is because it entails no compulsory exposure to grammar, although we will probably be able to separate particular forms from their language environment in order to learn the grammatical system adequately (ibid, p 19). It emerges that (Nunan: 1988; Richards: 2001) disagree with Wilkinss view that the approach of a notional- functional syllabus is analytic; they consider it synthetic. The reason is that the functional-notional syllabus was an attempt to replace the structural syllabus, yet ultimately, it remained similar to the latter, because, the type of exercise and the content which learners need to master is altogether similar to those of the structural syllabus ,although, the units in the notional-functional syllabus have functional labels(Nunan: 1988). Moreover, it is noted that the notional -functional syllabuses continued to be the same as the structural syllabuses, because they failed to get rid of the need for linguistic control and gradually forms accumulated (Richards: 2001). It is, therefore, agreed with the views of Nunan and Richards, because functional-notional syllabuses are not different enough from structural syllabuses. For example, in structural syllabuses learners have to lear n the different verb tenses gradually. In notional- functional syllabuses, they have to create sentences according to the type of function in a sequence way. Hence, the approach tends to be synthetic rather than analytic. Needs analysis: This term refers to a set of procedures used to collect information about learners and their communications tasks which might help in syllabus design. The question why learners need to learn the target language is not solely the concern of needs analysis. Syllabus planners, however, will need information about such aspect as, the social expectations placed on learners and the possibility of resources to help implement the syllabus. Syllabus designers, therefore, use two different types of needs analysis. The first is learner analysis and the second, task analysis. Learner analysis is concerned with the learners purpose in learning the language and with many other questions through which a great deal of information can be amassed through, for example, data collection forms (Nunan,1988). In needs analysis a syllabus plan is derived from the specifications which syllabus planners or teachers derive from determining the sort of language required. This specifies the ends which the learner s desire (White: 1988). White seems to have considered a needs analysis similar to a blue print for a house build since, in order to drew up plan, an architect needs to look at another house to collect information about the design. The architect, therefore, is similar to a syllabus planner or teacher (ibid, p83). Wilkins, on the other hand, drew attention in notional-functional syllabuses to the learners needs. He proposed that the categories to apply in syllabus should be relevant to the particular population of learners (Wilkins: 1981:84). Consequently, notional-functional syllabuses are based on the learners needs, which are known through needs analysis, for example, from interviews asking learners what they require to learn (see, Appendix: 2). Strengths and weaknesses of the notional-functional syllabus: One of the positive aspects which characterises the notional-functional syllabus is the focus on communicative factors as a starting point in a syllabus plan. For example, in this syllabus, there is a concern for the linguistic elements which learners need in order to communicate. Furthermore, the grammatical and situational factors, on the one hand, are not neglected in this syllabus, because communicative competence will be produced and learners will be motivated by the use of language. On the other hand, all types of language functions could be covered in functional notional syllabuses not solely the typical language functions that might emerge in certain situations (Wilkins, 1976). It is worth clarifying the difference here between grammatical competence and communicative competence. According to Richards (2006), grammatical competence involves a concentration on the sentence as a unit of analysis and the ability of language learners to analyse the form of the sentence in order to create their own sentences in the target language. Communicative competence, however, means a state in which learners can use the language in meaningful communication. Another positive aspect of a notional-functional syllabus according to Widdowson, is the improvement which it represented over grammatical syllabuses, because this syllabus allows an authentic and communicative use of language in the context in which the forms are presented (Widdowson: 1978). However, Finocchiaro and Brumfit (1983) praise the syllabus for giving the communicative purposes of students highest priority. Moreover, adopting a functional-notional syllabus in the language teaching domain provides distinct benefits: First, no compulsory exposure to language grammar; second, the provision of concrete learning tasks; third, the chance for teachers to be guided by some principles of psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and educational theory; fourth, the insistence on the need for language learners to have a real purpose in speaking. Fifth, the widespread progress of target language courses is provided by this kind of syllabus. Sixth, modular and flexible courses could be improved by this syllabus. Moreover, listening and reading activities which are also called receptive activities are provided in this. Furthermore, the communicative abilities of learners will be motivating due to the basic communicative functions which existing in this syllabus (ibid, p36). Hence, we could see that notional-functional syllabus takes into account the importance of communicative activities in language teaching. As Littlewood (1981) indicates, the purposes of communicative activities are, first, to give whole-task practice, whereby students in the target language classroom get practice in completing a whole task with its varied communicative activities. Second, they improve motivation, in that the important target for is to communicate with others; consequently if they recognise that their classroom can serve this target their motivation to learn seems to give them close attention. Moreover, they can create a context which supports learning, because communicative activities encourage positive relationships between learners and their teacher. As a result, these relationships contribute to a propitious learning environment. But, despite its positive aspects, this type of syllabus still has some limitations. One of these limitations is the difficulties which syllabus designers have with respect to grading and selection, because a notional-functional syllabus has much concern for communicative factors. To illustrate, grading is the process of arranging the content of a syllabus from easy to difficult (Nunan, 1988). The items, which should be included in this syllabus, are not chosen on linguistic basis only, but also on the communicative purposes with which learners embark on a course (ibid, p37). Furthermore, because in a functional framework syllabus planners have no empirical evidence to build their selection of exponents and structures, it is thought that their selection is based merely on intuition (White, 1988). In an attempt, however, to solve the problem of grading and selection in the notional-functional syllabus, hybrid syllabuses emerged. These syllabuses combine the structural and notional cat egories in one syllabus, yet even these models of syllabuses have proved problematic, because, as White indicates, there have not been enough evaluate them (ibid, p82). Another shortcoming, with this type of syllabus is that there is no compatibility between function and form, because, in order to decide which function is being explained, we need to know about the context. For instance, in the following sentences: We are thinking of going to see the new Woody Allan film tonight. How about going to see the new Woody Allan film tonight. (White, 1988:76). In these examples, there is confusion whether they should be seen as forms of invitation or function ways of making a suggestion (ibid, 77). Moreover, Widdowson in his critique the notional-functional syllabus notes that the methodology of dress rehearsal results in the activities which aim to produce authentic communication in the classroom. This methodology may enable learners only to convey the items learned in the situations which they can rehearse, but not in new situations (Widdowson: 1987). The notional-functional syllabus also lacks a rigorous use of needs analysis. According to Richards (2001), the term needs is not identified clearly because needs may identified on the basis of intuition and the interests of the syllabus planners. Therefore, the criteria for this term in the syllabus are not clear-cut. Hence, from the limitations of notional-functional syllabus discussed above, it could be seen, that such a syllabus tends to be product- based syllabus, which focusing on what language is learnt rather than process-based syllabus which focuses on how language is learnt. The consequence is that the list of items which a notional-functional syllabus offers is presented to be learnt, yet how they will be learnt is not specified. The influence of language theories and learning on the notional-functional syllabus: Theoretical views of language teaching varied in their ideas. Fore example, there is the structural view in which language is considered a structural system connected with elements for the coding of meaning. This view is considered traditional in language teaching. The functional view, therefore, came as a reaction to it, on the one hand, and an attempt to improve it, on the other hand. Language in the functional view is considered a means of conveying functional meaning (Richards and Rodgers: 1986). Nunan (1988), however, draws attention to the way in which the communicative view was integrated by syllabus designers in the 1970s and at that time attracted a great deal of concern. This view, which is allied to the functional view, asserts that the communicative and semantic dimensions of language are as important as the grammatical characteristics of language. Thus, the content of language teaching is specified and organized by its communicative and semantic dimensions through meanin g and function categories instead of, structure and grammar elements (Richards and Rodgers, 1986). As a result, the notional syllabuses adopted by Wilkins in 1976 came as an attempt to apply this view of language in teaching syllabuses. Hence, the notional syllabuses comprised not solely grammar elements and lexis, yet also specification of the notions, topic and concepts which learners require in communication (ibid, p17). It is noted, moreover, that the functional view tends to be with views such as Hallidays view (1970) which believes that: linguistics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is concerned with the description of speech acts or texts, since only through the study of language in use are all the functions of language and therefore, all components of meaning, brought into focus ( Halliday:1970:145). Hence, it seems clear that the notional-functional syllabus is heavily influenced by functional and communicative views of language. It is important to note, however, that the notional-functional syllabuses are influenced not only by theories of language, yet also theories of learning. Because, as Richards and Rodgers (1986) observe, the models of structural, functional and interactional approaches in language teaching are considered incomplete in themselves, because they provide only theoretical frameworks for teaching language. Thus, they need educational theories of language learning in order to be complete. According to Richards and Rodgers, there are two types of learning theories, namely, process-oriented theories and condition-oriented theories. The first, is built on the processes of learning namely, habit formation, induction, inferencing, hypothesis testing and generalization (ibid, p18). The second concentrates on language learning from the perspective of human nature and the physical context. Therefore, it is should be noted that communicative meaning comes under the umbrella of condition-oriented theo ries, because, learners need to learn how they can transfer their communicative meaning through language. They could do it through a notional approach to language teaching, because the basis of this approach comes from the belief that what learners need in the domain of language is significantly more important than language mastery as unapplied system (Wilkins, 1976). As a result, it could be seen that a notional-functional syllabus relies heavily on the functional view of language and condition-oriented theories of learning. As Wilkins (1981) emphasizes, what links the notional approach with the communicative language teaching movement is the knowledge of language learning in which the communicative purposes have a great deal of concern. The teaching situation best suited to the notional-functional syllabus: Since, the focus of a notional-functional syllabus is on the development of communicative competence such as language learners need for communication in the target language, Furthermore, this kind of syllabus provides for the teaching of every day language in the world beyond the classroom. It could, therefore, be argued that the notional-functional syllabus is suitable for English for Specific Purpose (ESP) or short English courses. Such as, courses in Business English taught in an oil company. Courses of this kind would be suitable for those who want to visit an English speaking country for a business trip or holiday, where they will need to interact in different situations. This syllabus benefits those who want basic communicative functions, for instance, greeting, asking for directions, or expressing feelings. As Wilkins (1976:71) indicates, actual language courses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ regarded by some learners as complete in themselves but by others à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a basis for further learning. I would argue that a notional syllabus is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦can meet defined communication needs while at the same time it is constructing a more widely based linguistic competence. It is, however, important to note that there are some aspects which should be taken into account in the teaching situation suited to the notional-functional syllabus, including the following: 6.1. Language level: Linguistic proficiency among language learners is classified into levels, such as, beginner, elementary, pre intermediate, intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced. It could be, therefore, argued that notional-functional syllabus seems to be suitable for intermediate or advanced learners rather than beginners. The reason is that learners in the early stages attempt to concentrate on vocabulary learning before learning how to express themselves communicatively through functional meanings. Accordingly, it is thought that this syllabus seems to be un suitable for beginners, because intermediate or advanced learners already possess the core vocabulary, however, their focus will be on producing sentences communicatively. Thus, it seems more appropriate for them. 6.2. Class size: It could be argued that since a functional-notional syllabus focuses on learners needs, as Wilkins(1976) indicates, in his notional syllabuses that the categories which need to be applied in this kind of syllabus should be individual to a particular group of learners. It is thought, therefore, that large classes which are composed of dissimilar learners are not suitable for the functional-notional syllabus. This type of syllabus needs a specific group of learners, for instance, when it comes to English for Specific Purpose (ESP) courses. In them are particular groups, such as, Business English learners, engineering English learners or medical English learners. These groups of learners will be suitable for this kind of syllabus. 6.3. Assessment: Since, the goal of a notional-functional syllabus is to improve the communicative language ability of learners, in other words, their ability to use language in their communications. There seems, therefore, to be no need for formal assessment. The reason is that the assessment will focus on the way in which learners can achieve this ability through expressing concepts such as, possibility or affirmation. For instance, in the case of business English courses, the assessment is based on the learners performance in communicative language with customers; that is, how well they can communicate with their customers for instance, in making requests or offering business. Conclusion: Syllabuses in the language teaching domain have varied in their goals and procedures. The traditional ones are structural or grammatical, with a focus on finding ways of learning the grammar of the target language. But this syllabus neglects ways of acquiring competence in communicative language. Hence, as can be seen in the above, the notional-functional syllabus emerged as a way for learners to improve their communicative abilities which would be motivated through its basic communicative functions. It all depends on what we use language to do. Furthermore, we can conclude that the notional-functional syllabus is based on the learners needs, which are discovered through a needs analysis strategy. This syllabus has two main aspects: functions which deal with such the communicative abilities as, requesting, grading, arguing and expressing feelings and notions related, for example, to space, location, time and quantity. It is noted, however, that the main in designing this kind of syll abus comprise: first, the situations in which learners will use the target language, broken down into the place, the time and people who engaged in these situations; second, the topics which are found in every day communication, such as, asking for directions, offering help or shopping. Admittedly, the notional-functional syllabus possesses negative as well as positive aspects. Some of the positive aspects are its focus on communicative factors as a starting point and in its high motivating power, because it enables learners to express their ideas and feelings more easily. Moreover, all types of function could be covered in functional- notional syllabuses, not solely the typical language functions which might emerge in certain situations. It is noted, however, that some of the negative aspects which are highlighted in the present paper are the difficulties in selecting and grading, the functions and forms and there lack of compatibility between function and form, because, in order t o decide which function is being explained, we need to know about the context. Furthermore, needs analysis strategy is not identified clearly, because the identification of learns needs only on the basis of intuition on the part of syllabus planners. We could see, however, that the notional-functional syllabus has been influenced heavily by functional and communicative views of language and condition-oriented theories of learning. Finally, we can conclude that, although this kind of syllabus has some limitations, it is widely used in many countries, because it is effective for learners with special purposes, such as, learners of ESP ( English for specific purposes).

An Interpretation of Emily Dickinsons Poem I Felt a Funeral in My Brain :: Dickinson I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain Essays

An Interpretation of Emily Dickinson's Poem I Felt a Funeral in My Brain Emily Dickinson was a reclusive individual that was rarely seen by anyone outside of her immediate family and few close friends. This solitude emerges in her poetry in the form of doom and gloom depictions. Dickinson seems to have a fascination with death as if death is a friendly character rather than a horrible image. It has been stated that Dickinson's obsession with death was a sign to others around her and her readers that she was struggling internally. In the poem "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" Dickinson seems to be describing a delusion of a person that is contemplating what will happen to him/her when he/she dies. This poem also seems to be an affirmation of heaven and hell and a personal battle within the narrator to come to terms with his/her own mortal existence. In the first stanza Dickinson describes "feeling a funeral in her brain". This could be a metaphor for her own personal death and the reference to "sense breaking through" tells the reader that only through death can a person ever understand and/or value life. This could be viewed as a retrospection on the narrators life and a telling poem about where she was at in her existance around this period of time. If this interpretation is justified then in stanza two the funeral proceeds with the narrator hating to be there as she/he says: "And when they all were seated, A Service, like a Drum- Kept beating-beating-till I thought My Mind was going numb-" This stanza shows that the narrator is still bored with the living world even in death. The third stanza continues the theme of a struggle between heaven and hell in the last line when the narrator states, "Then space-began to toll". This reference to a bell tolling, or time running out seems to suggest the impending judgment for the narrator. Heaven is discussed in the forth stanza and compared to a bell: "As all the Heavens were a Bell And Being, but an Ear, And I, and Silence, some strange race

Indian boy Essay

The next characters to enter the play are the Mechanicals. The play is a romantic comedy. A lot of the play’s comedy comes from the Mechanicals. They are a group of actors that want to fulfil a dream. This dream is to write a play good enough to perform for the Duke, which would get them their pensions. The Mechanicals are a subplot to the play and take the action away from the chaos and gives the play a wider variety. The Mechanicals are all portrayed to be ambitious but most of all Bottom. His enthusiasm lightens up the mood of the play. For example, as the parts are being read out, Bottom is asked to play the part of Pyramus. He enthusiastically quizzes Peter Quince about the part. When the rest of the parts are being read out, Bottom continuously interrupts and requests that he plays other parts as well as Pyramus. On one occasion, Bottom pleads, ‘And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too’. He then starts acting out Thisbe’s part in a squeaky voice, which is quite humorous. Peter Quince appears to be a leader, as he takes the leading role of the Mechanicals. He also seems quite intelligent, as he has written a whole play. He is also directing it, showing his leadership qualities. The other Mechanical that stands to me, even though he says little, is Snug the joiner. This is because of his studying inequalities and his inability to realise that a lion does not speak. This is also quite humorous. The Hoffman version of the film shows slapstick humour at the very first sighting of Bottom. As Bottom is acting out one of the parts that he would like to play, a crowd gather around him. Whilst he acts, he has a huge grin on his face. As the crowd grows bigger he starts acting to his audience. Two drunken men on a balcony above Bottom tip red wine over Bottom. This provokes a laugh from the audience and wipes the grin off Bottom’s face. After reading the play, this does not appeal to me as Bottom, as he is not one to get upset over a practical joke. I think that the Noble version shows more slapstick comedy than the Hoffman version. The most noticeable event being the moment that Titania and Bottom share on Titania’s huge umbrella. Bottom makes noises of an ass and I found this very funny. I prefer the Bottom on the Noble version of the film, as he is louder and more active. He is what I would call a slapstick comedian. He has more character about him. On the Hoffman version, Bottom gets upset about a practical joke. I could not see this happening with the Bottom on the Noble version. Athens is a society that believes in law and order, which an Elizabethan audience would feel comfortable viewing. Law and order are mainly demonstrated in the first scene of the play, where Hermia is being told to respect her father’s wishes or face the consequences. Hermia’s father was willing to see his daughter die if she did not respect his wishes. This also demonstrates power, as Hermia’s father has the power to control her. In the Hoffman version, powerful clothing is also used to show who is the more powerful. The need for power in the fairy world causes trouble in the mortal world. What ever happens in the fairy world has a direct effect on the mortal world. For example, when Titania and Oberon are arguing over a small Indian boy, there are storms in the mortal world. Oberon demonstrates his need for power by requesting that he has the small Indian boy. He does not need the boy for anything but wants to take the boy from Titania to prove that he can and show that he is more powerful than her. The fairy world seems to be disordered in the way that Puck fails to carry out Oberon’s instructions correctly, as he put the love juice on Lysander’s eyes rather than Demetrius’. Also, disorder is shown by Oberon doing anything he can to get the Indian boy, not caring what harm he is causing. For example, Oberon is willing to make Titania fall in love with Bottom, with an ass’s head, in order to get the Indian boy. In the Noble version of the film, when Titania and Oberon are arguing, bubbles are transporting fairies around. The boy is blowing these bubbles into the toy theatre, which has reappeared in his dream. One of the bubbles shows a reflection of this boy dressed as an Indian. To me, this implies that in the boy’s life, his parents represented by Titania and Oberon, could be arguing over him. In this case Titania and Oberon are arguing over an Indian boy, which appears to be the boy whose dream it is. Shakespeare uses language to create the fairy world by describing nature’s beauty. Describing nature creates the feel of a world we do not know much about. Shakespeare uses phrases such as, ‘Swifter than the moon’s sphere’ and ‘To dew her orbs upon the green’. Orbs create the feeling of jewels, like jewels of a king or queen. Orbs also create the feeling of power, which is shown so much in the fairy world. Moonlight re-affirms the night and dreamy theme of the play. We only see the fairy world during times of darkness in the two film versions of the play. The orbs and green to me create little fairies sparkling like orbs in a green forest. Such description is important because in Elizabethan times, special effects and settings were unavailable. Shakespeare must concentrate on the power of the mind. He uses such descriptive words so that the audience can imagine the set, scenery and feeling of the play. Adrian Noble meets the challenge of creating another realm by implementing surreal situations. He starts off by using bubbles to carry fairies. He also uses light bulbs to create stars. Because this isn’t what we are used to seeing, it makes us feel like we have entered something different to our world.

Lesser Known Planning Tools Ansoff, Boston, and the Strategy Clock

Lesser Known Planning Tools Ansoff, Boston, and the Strategy Clock These tools are still widely taught but have largely fallen out of favor over time, as better and more detailed planning and strategic management tools have been developed. Nevertheless, these tools do offer some frameworks for assessing various kinds of strategies, and being familiar with them can serve as a good starting point for developing effective strategic planning methods. Remember, it doesnt matter how difficult your task is, our writers are ready to  help you with any writing assignment you need! The Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff Matrix was developed in the mid-1950s by Igor Ansoff, a Russian-born applied mathematician described by The Economist as â€Å"the father of modern strategic thinking†. Ansoff’s original work was not actually concerned with business management at all but was developed to aid NATO in strategic problem-solving at the height of the Cold War in the early 1960s (Ansoff was an analyst for the Rand Corporation and a Vice-President at Lockheed before moving into the academic field). In practice, various potential alternatives for growth strategies developed by planners are arranged in the matrix according to the generic strategies they represent, where they can then be analyzed in a systematic way through other methods. The biggest shortcoming of the Ansoff Matrix is that it is actually more an information-management tool than a planning or analytical tool; that makes it very helpful for assessing businesses from an external perspective (such as part of a competition analysis), but of limited use in strategic planning. A market penetration strategy is one in which business markets existing products to existing customers. The options available to the company in this strategy would involve promoting the product, adjusting the price, updating or repositioning the brand, and so on; no new product is introduced, and the business is simply cultivating its present customer base. A product development strategy is one in which new products – but products that are still natural evolutions of existing products, rather than being something totally unrelated – are marketed to the existing customer base. A market development strategy is when new markets are sought for existing products. A diversification strategy involves the development of new products and new markets at the same time. Market and product development strategies are opposites of each other, as are market penetration and diversification strategies. The Boston Consulting Group Product Portfolio Matrix (Boston Matrix) The Boston Matrix was developed by the Boston Consulting Group in the 1970s as a tool for assessing a company’s product portfolio and is based on two variables, market share and market growth. Each product is placed into one of four categories: Stars  are products with high market share in high-growth markets. These products generate high levels of revenue, though not always high margins. Cash cows  are products with high market share in low-growth markets. These products generate stable revenue and high margins because they require little investment to maintain their competitive position. Question marks  (in some versions, they are called problem children) are products with low market share in high-growth markets; they have potential because of that but are currently generating poor revenues and margins. Dogs  are products with low market share in low-growth markets. They do not generate worthwhile income (and may actually be losing money for the company) and do not have prospects for improving. In general, a company would want to rid itself of any Dogs and keep its Stars and Cash Cows; Stars may eventually become Cash Cows, and Cash Cows provide the source of funds to support promising Question Marks. Some Question Marks can become Stars, others will not, and become Dogs. One additional advantage of using the Boston Matrix is that the format (in most cases, with the amusing graphics excluded) can be used to plot a competitor’s products alongside a company’s own products, thus creating a simple, clear competitive analysis. The biggest inherent disadvantage of the Boston Matrix is that it tends to lead to oversimplification because it has only two variables; it is best used as a tool that provides input to a larger portfolio analysis, rather than the sole basis of the analysis. Another problem of the Boston Matrix, which is not really a problem with the tool itself but rather the way in which it is used, is that it is often misapplied; using it as a tool to assess entire strategic business units has for reasons that are not entirely clear become somewhat of a management fad. In this  usage, the oversimplification almost always leads to a bad decision, because business units are not products, but are rather more complicated. The Strategy Clock Unlike the Ansoff and Boston Matrices, which are designed for product and marketing planning,  the strategy clock is a firm-level competitive analysis tool  along the same lines as Porter’s Generic Strategies or Five Forces analysis. First published in 1996 (C. Bowman D. Faulkner,  Competitive  and Corporate Strategy), the strategy clock presents options for competitive positioning according to price level (cost advantage strategy) or the level of perceived added value (a differentiation advantage strategy): Of the eight options on the clock, options 6, 7, and 8 are almost certainly doomed to failure, so in practice, the company would want to determine first if it is following or is heading towards one of these strategies. Option 6, increasing the price of a standard product, can only be successful if competitors do the same, or lower the value of their products. Option 7, a high price on a low-value product, can only be successful in a monopoly situation. Option 8, offering a low-value product at a standard price, is an automatic failure because it provides the competition two opportunities to take away market share, either through lower prices or higher-value products. The three most successful strategies, options 3, 4, and 5, can be best illustrated with some well-known examples, auto manufacturers: Toyota  pursues a hybrid strategy, maintaining relatively low prices while offering a high level of value, mainly through having a very wide range of products. BMW  pursues a differentiation strategy, dividing it between providing high value at moderate prices at the lower end of its product range, where the value added comes mostly in the form of brand equity and product quality, and high value through premium pricing at the upper end of its product range. Ferrari  pursues a strategy of focused differentiation, providing high value at premium prices to a specific market segment. The only real drawback to the strategy clock is that  it only provides any useful information when it includes more than one competing company; like the Ansoff Matrix, this makes it perhaps more useful as a case study or competition analysis than as a reflective strategic analysis and planning tool. We hope that this article has been of help to you. However, we are not ignorant of the depth and width of the field of strategic management. If you would like to know more about anything we have discussed in this article or a related topic just get in touch with us. We would love to write you an informative and unique article on any topic of your choice. Place your  order NOW. More tools (ADL Matrix, Gap Analysis, and Directional Policy Matrix) can be found  here.