Freedom Is an Illusion - 1504 Words

‘Freedom is an Illusion Ââ€" Discuss Freedom is a concept that is held in high regard and cherished by the majority of people. We use this freedom every day to make choices concerning our actions and reactions to situations that we find ourselves in, whether that be the choice of what to eat, or more serious choices such as whether to abort an unwanted baby. Actions and decisions can be prevented or changed by circumstances beyond the control of the person, but by this point it is generally the case that a decision or choice has already been made by the person concerning the course of action that they were going to take. Determinists would argue a different perspective. Determinism is the belief that free will does not exist and that choices†¦show more content†¦The 19th Century novelist Samuel Boyle wrote a satire depicting the chaos that would ensue in a determinist and socialist society where people are imprisoned for catching a cold. This could be criticised however as not being an entirely apt criticism, because a determinist would argue that while it is accurate in that people who catch a cold are just as accountable as a thief or fraudster, that is only because neither can be held accountable. There is a movement known as soft determinism which attempts to draw together the ideas of universal causation, everything having a cause, and the evidence presented above, concerning our thought processes before performing an action. Soft determinism would state that indeed there are certain situations that must arise beyond our control, because universal causation would make this so. However they believe that we still make our own choices in every situation, as often with every situation that seems to arise that is beyond our control presents us with a choice at least of right or wrong. It is possible, looking at the causation argument that we are in fact free. Our actions are caused by our reasoning ability, we reason out what the best course of action would be and then we act upon that. Looking at it in this way we see thatShow MoreRelatedThe Decision That Should Matter But Do Not1527 Words   |  7 Pagesget or what bank should be trusted with one’s entire life savings. The decisions of oneself are simply an illusion that one control one’s own life. According to Barry Schwartz, the Western, industrialized world faces a new â€Å"Official Dogma† which is â€Å"†¦ if we are interested in maximizing the welfare of our citizens, the way to do that is to maximize individual freedom†¦ the way to maximize freedom is to maximize choice† (Schwartz). He describes how the western philosophy has described how to make a betterRead MoreEssay on Hedda Gabler1077 Words   |  5 Pagesat the top of her town’s social hierarchy. Because of Hedda’s social status and undeniable beauty she has the ability to control and manipulate those around her – but to a certain extent. The time the play was set in, women did not have a lot of freedom to do anything outside of getting married, having children and attending to the house. Hedda did not fit this mould that was created for women of that time. She was not very maternal individual and reactive negatively whenever the subject of a possibleRead MoreHow Oppon ents to Gay Marriage Offer Illusory Arguments1242 Words   |  5 Pagestruly makes a strong case for how six different types of illusions (or beliefs) truly disserve the human population. The six common illusions that the book discusses are the illusion of memory, the illusion of confidence, the illusion of knowledge, the illusion of cause and the illusion of potential. Chabris and Simon argue that one can see these illusions at work in a range of human interactions and current events. Sometimes these illusions demonstrate the fallibility of the human mind; sometimesRead More Theme of False Freedom in The Known World Essay1081 Words   |  5 Pagescomes in many different disguises; it can be masked as power, as freedom - but these are merely illusions. People believe that they are truly free when they have control over others and are the ones in the powerful positions (positions of power). They strive for control and power in their lives hoping that it will offer them salvation and freedom and in return make life easier and give them an upper hand. However, freedom is unobtainable. The antebellum south is a perfectRead MoreThe Known World1092 Words   |  5 Pagesin many different disguises; it can be masked as power, as freedom - but these are merely illusions. People believe that they are truly free when they have control [p3] over others and are the ones in the powerful positions (positions of power). They strive for control and power in their lives hoping that it will offer them salvation and freedom and in return make life easier and give them an upper hand. However, freedom [p4] is unobtainable. The antebellum south isRead MoreHistory of America Mirrored in American Literature751 Words   |  3 Pagesable to achieve anything you wanted, meant that millions of immigrants moved to America. America claims to be a country which enables everyone to have equality and freedom however in the texts we can see it is rather a Capitalist and individualist country. The paradox of America can be seen through the fact that the Statue called freedom was built by slaves. The inequality can also be seen through the experience of individuals such as Abraham Lincoln who was assassinated for trying to abolish slaveryRead MoreAnalysis Of George Orwells Animal Farm756 Words   |  4 Pagesof communism in his allegory Animal Farm. He tells the story of differences between presentation and actuality in his book. Orwell shows the importance of how people will not rebel if there is an illusion of freedom. In the book, the pigs, who were the leaders of the farm, gives an illusion of freedom by gradually changing the rules from all animals are equal to all animals are equal but some are more equal. None of the animals were able to notice the small changes that the pigs were doing toRead MoreThe Giver As A Dystopian Society759 Words   |  4 Pagespeople can suffer in dystopian society. In The Giver, Jonas’ community appears to be a utopia, but in reality it is a dystopia because everyone is under the illusion that there is freedom, dehumanization, and their strict regulations. The Giver is considered as a dystopian society because everyone is under the illusion that there is freedom. An example of this is when the text states, â€Å"youre ready for the pills, thats all. That’s the treatment for the stirrings.† They cant even have independentRead MoreWhat are Optical Illusions? Essay1082 Words   |  5 PagesOne wonders what an optical illusion is, â€Å"an optical illusion is a visually perceived image that differs from reality.† (Eifrig, 2014, n.p.). There are so many different types of optical illusions in which play with the brains of people. Optical illusions are normal because the majority of humans experience them. Humans’ vision tries its best to figure out what is happening to the picture, which then creates an image contradicting reality. Sometimes illusions can be entertaining because it foolsRead MoreThe Grapes Of Wrath And Huckleberry Finn Analysis819 Words   |  4 Pagesby John Steinbeck,   each book shows the American Dream in a different way. In The Grapes of Wrath, the American Dream is shown as in illusion. That being because America is going through the Great Depression and it’s very difficult to make a living or even have food on a plate. However, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the American Dream is shown as both an illusion and a reality. This is because Jim and Huckleberry end up escaping their old lives to find one that is better and new, but along the

Analysis Of The Hobbit - 917 Words

Riddling Directing Settings According to (Rachel Cusk), new encounters (with others or a setting) are essential – â€Å"leaving things behind and starting again is a way of coping with difficulties.† Definitely, this thought is emphasized throughout J.R.R. Tolkien’s â€Å"The Hobbit† which utilises the protagonist’s (along with his band) adventures during his journey to display that there is always good to come out of a call for adventure. This is evident in the interactions and thoughts of Bilbo Baggins, who experiences tremendous growth and development during his quest (which he was forced to partake in) of reclaiming the dwarves’ stolen treasure. Even though at times it seemed grim, with nowhere to go, their quick wit pulled them through. Accordingly, in â€Å"The Hobbit†, through the analysis of how Bilbo his band copes with stressful situations during the length of the story, Tolkien reveals that the setting/environment directly affects a person’s ch aracter. Indubitably, at the beginning of the quest is where Bilbo feels most discomforted, with the warmth of his hobbit hole suffocating him. This very fact is emphasized during the exposition, when he denies Gandalf’s offer: â€Å"We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures†¦but the old man did not move.† (Tolkien 16) This demonstrates that Bilbo Baggins is stuck in his roots, his morals, and his background. Without a proper call to action, one’s place in society will always reflect upon their character. This is furtherShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis Of The Hobbit 941 Words   |  4 PagesLiterary Analysis of The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit living in the Shire having a peaceful quiet life in his hobbit hole. One day after living a life of leisure and pleasure he is awakened by a rude knock on his door. In a matter of a few hours he will meet the people that changed his life for good. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien is a story about a hobbit and his adventure. His adventure starts with a knock on his door by his old Friend Gandalf. Gandalf then promptly asks Bilbo†I am looking forRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Hobbit 1329 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction In September 21, 1937, the fantasy-fiction writer J. R. R. Tolkien published the first copy of the Hobbit. The composers of both the film and the novel employ sophisticated fantasy and adventure elements such as, mythical creatures which resemble human characteristics, fighting in large groups, singing for hope, quests to reach their main goal. Furthermore the composers of both texts emphasis on the elements of fantasy and adventure in detail by offering the audience a magical settingRead MoreAnalysis Of The Hobbit 3320 Words   |  14 Pagesnothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after† (Tolkien). Certainly, when E.M Forster wrote A Passage to India or J.R.R Tolkien wrote The Hobbit or Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse -Five they were not looking for anything. However, they ended up finding a crucial link in their books–links to society at the time thei r books were published. 1924, 1937, 1969 or is it 1890, 2157 (Shire reckoning)Read MoreThe Hobbit Analysis768 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel, The Hobbit, the author J.R.R. Tolkien, suggests when an individual pushes themselves to explore risk-taking, they take the opportunity to grow within themselves, and test the extent of their newfound values, which result in the character fostering a stronger sense of self-identity. Accepting the opportunity to experience risk allows the individual to push themselves, despite the possibility of danger towards oneself. In the Hobbit, the character Bilbo demonstrates risk-taking mostRead MoreThe Hobbit Character Analysis783 Words   |  4 Pages The Hobbit is a fantasy novel by J.R.R Tolkien. The main character in The Hobbit is a little hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. Unlike me, Bilbo Baggins hates adventures. When a wizard, Gandalf, approaches Bilbo about going on a grand adventure, Bilbo says no. However, Gandalf, with much effort, persuades Bilbo into going on a journey. Similarly, I was very hesitant when my mother approached me about visiting my step-sister in Abilene, Texas. Normally, I love to go on a trip, but this time my motherRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Hobbit 1408 Words   |  6 PagesThe Hobbit takes after the mission of home-cherishing hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win an offer of the fortune watched by Smaug the mythical beast. Bilbo s trip takes him from cheerful, country surroundings into a viler region. The story is told as a rambling mission, and most sections present a particular animal or kind of creatures of Tolkien s topography. Bilbo picks up another level of development, capability, and intelligence by tolerating the offensive, sentimental, fey, and brave sides of hisRead MoreThe Hobbit Character Analysis1240 Words   |  5 PagesThe Hobbit is a fantasy novel, by J.R.R. Tolkien that tells the story of an unexpected story. Rather than being about a main character who is brave and noble, this story is about Bilbo Baggins, a predictable, mild-mannered hobbit. He lives in his cozy home and avoids anything out of the ordinary until he is presented with the opportunity of an adventure with Gandalf the wizard along with 13 dwarves. The goal is to take back the homeland of the dwarves from the dragon, Smaug, who has attacked andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Hobbit 2659 Words   |  11 PagesFinding yourself is all about overcoming your fears. That means maybe doing things that have never been thought of before. I have read four fantasy books. The Hobbit, A Wrinkle In Time, City of Bones, and Shiver. The two movies I watched were The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, and T he Last Dragon/ A Fantasy Made Real. Fear is a common connection within all of the books. Fear though is nothing more than an obstacle, that stands in the way of the progress. In overcoming our fears we canRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Hobbit 1418 Words   |  6 PagesTitle: The Hobbit Author: J.R.R Tolkien (1937) Many would say that indulging themselves into a mythical world of Dwarves and wizards is a bit out of the ordinary; however, I enjoy being a bit out of the ordinary. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien is the absolute epitome of a fantasy/adventure novel. I chose this book because there is not a dull moment throughout the whole novel, and for that reason it is one of my favorites of all time. Tolkien s unique imagination brings his special world into the mindsRead MoreAnalysis of Tolkiens The Hobbit2109 Words   |  9 PagesJ.R.R. Tolkien starts his world renowned book The Hobbit with, â€Å"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit† (1). This book is a tale of a small hobbit named Bilbo and his ever-memorable journey through the evil world during his time. Living in the Shire, as his homeland is called, it is very calm and pleasant for Bilbo, but once the outer limits of the land are reached Bilbo is in for a great surprise. Needing a burglar on his journey Gandalf the Grey, who is famous for his magic with fire and

International Business for Market Globalization- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theInternational Business for Market Globalization. Answer: Dimensions of Market Globalization: The case study video The new global challengers talks about the changes in the business process due to globalization. This has resulted in huge growth in cross border trade. The video explains about the key dimensions of market globalization which are as follows: Integration and interdependence of national economies: Achieving financial stability and economic growth is one of the major challenges facing countries today globally. The process of globalization or the integration of economies worldwide has become easier due to movement of good and services across border. Technological advancement has made it easier to complete trade and financial flows. Globalization has given people the opportunity to tap into diversified markets and this has facilitated growth and interdependence of economies (Surugi Surugiu, 2015). Hence, supported by the process of globalization, unprecedented growth in international trade has occurred and each country is dependent on another for goods or services. Rise in regional economic integration blocs such as the European Union: Regional economic integration is also an element of globalization. For example the development of trading blocs like European Union has increased the movement of labor and capital. Trade among EU member countries is high and they follow single monetary policy for trade and business However, such trading blocks can also create between parties competing for regional interest (Pettinger 2017).. Increase in global investment and financial flows: Due to the greater interconnectedness of global market and advanced communication process, new investment opportunities have increased. Hence, it has become easy for market analyst to identify risk and opportunities in business and create positive relationship with countries through growth in trade and investment. It also comple interconnected economied to go on investing to get more profit and maintain economic stability in trade (Chapter-1 : The New Global Challengers, 2017). Reference Chapter-1 : The New Global Challengers. (2017).YouTube. Retrieved 13 September 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NRDh5VHQo8 Pettinger, T. (2017).Trading Blocks and Globalisation | Economics Help.Economicshelp.org. Retrieved 13 September 2017, from https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/1019/economics/trading-blocks-and-globalisation/ Surugiu, M. R., Surugiu, C. (2015). International Trade, Globalization and Economic Interdependence between European Countries: Implications for Businesses and Marketing Framework.Procedia Economics and Finance,32, 131-138.

Railroads in Saudi Arabia

Statement of the Problem Saudi Arabia has already developed transportation and communication networks to experience long-term economic growth, expand business, connect national citizen with foreigners, decrease congestion, and ensure more facilities for the people of KSA and tourists.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Railroads in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, Library of congress (2006, p.17) reported that the existing railroads remain relatively undeveloped, though demand of rail service is too high in terms of passenger traveling service and cargo handling. In addition, this segment of transportation service remains undeveloped due to lack of long-term initiatives from the private sector and foreign investors. Background The concept of the development of railway transportation networks is a large project in terms of required financial investment, but it is not impossible to implement this project successfully for the private entrepreneurs. This is because Saudi Arabia is the member of World Trade Organization (WTO), which gives the opportunity to the foreign companies to invest and provide technological support for the development of transportation networks; in addition, the policy makers and local investors will be interested in it considering competitive advantage and importance of railway networks. Need Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and the biggest pilgrimage (religious gatherings) in the world; moreover, all Muslims who are physically able and can afford must make this journey once in a lifetime; therefore, it is the most important priority of the Saudi Arabian Government to ensure flexible, safe, and low cost transportation system for the Muslim World. In addition, the purchasing power of the international customers have reduced due to adverse impact of global economic downturn; therefore, millions of Muslims of the GCC Countries and rest of the world fail to come in KSA to perform the hajj and many pilgrims need to work hard to arrange fund for Airline tickets. At the same time, many old people would like safe journey at low costs, and some of them are not able to find out exact route; as a result, it is essential to develop railroads.Advertising Looking for essay on railway transport? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Library of congress (2006, p.17) reported that more than 790,000 passengers traveled and carried 1.50 million tons of cargo on Saudi trains in 2001; however, the importance of train service is raising due to development of the future economic position and improvement of urban lifestyle. Benefits This project will help millions of Muslims to undertake Hajj with their limited budget, help government ensure safe journey, and increase number of pilgrims and tourists because this project has capacity to serve $1 million passengers and the price of tra in ticket is lower than airline ticket. On the other hand, this railway transportation network will serve the oil exporter and importer, which will save more than $50 million of local companies like SABIC. Qualifications of Personnel Three entrepreneurs Sara Aldossari, Hind alessia, and Reem are the student of Prince Mohammad Bin Fahad University and major is Finance. However, same educational background helps them coordinate the activities of the project particularly convince investors and other parties of the several contracts. In addition, they will assess financial risks of the projects at the very beginning of the projects, which will reduce hazard in the future to implement their projects. At the same time, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahad University has strong reputation in Saudi Arabia to maintain quality education for all students, and three entrepreneurs are the student of the finance department; therefore, bank and other investors will trust in their proposed plan to develop the Train in Saudi Arabia, as they will design their plan considering Dubai railway service. Sara, Hind, and Reem will research on the entire project-plan and visit location to gather experience about the railway transportation and then they will prepare financial plan, annual report of the project, audit report, remuneration plan, annual budget for different departments and functions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Railroads in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, they will be responsible for monitoring the activities of the employees, communicating with the partners, coordinating the works of several segments, meeting conditions of the banks and other investors, ensuring safe workplace and using capital properly. However, all of them have leadership quality and managerial skills; thus, they will lead the company efficiently, motivate the employees, ensure equal opportunity, arrange tr aining program, and improve diversity management, and so on. Data Sources The main inspiration for this project came from the best railway services in certain European and American countries, as well as in Dubai and Iran. However, this report has used secondary data sources, for instance, Library of Congress (2006) and Reuters (2010), which provided information about the current situation of railway and importance of the future development. At the same time, Carey (2011) described about new project of oil exporter and AME Info (2008) emphasized the activities of Ministry of finance and other related authority. For the primary data sources, a survey was conducted amongst regular train travelers and PMU students to gather information to assess the suitability of this project. About 80% respondent answered â€Å"yes† while they were asked if they would prefer to have separated areas for both men and women for performing Salat while doing a train journey (especially for Hajj pilg rims). Conversely, 75% respondent answered â€Å"yes† against the question that if it is necessary to expand railway services in the country for long-term economic growth. About 82% thought that it is viable to spend a bit more for a service that is extremely speedy, and 89% said that they would spend more for scientifically sophisticated, fuel efficient, comfortable, and elegant rail service. Moreover, 78% said that oil exporters need more railway roads to reduce costs. Limitations and Contingencies The implementation of this project involves a number of legal issues, which may have direct impact on the project, such as it needs to take permission from the Saudi Railways Organization along with the other related authority.Advertising Looking for essay on railway transport? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, it is a potential business plan, which would require heavy investment, but foreign investors, banks and other local companies may not rely on the junior entrepreneurs because of lack of experience to execute such a large project. Scope This project-plan provides detailed information along with clarification about the duration to execute the plan, project costs, background, key benefits and significant of the projects, facilities for the human resources, budget of the project, implementation process, methods, services, raw materials, compensation plan, feasibility and description of the anticipated outcomes. Proposed Plan: –  Objectives and Methods This project has an objective to develop the railway network of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with other GCC nations. This mainly focuses on the fact that as the Muslims living in the neighboring Islamic nations face great troubles to come to Saudi Arabia to do Hajj, through this highly advanced rail network, it will be far easier and convenient for them to travel to this holy country for doing hajj. However, apart from pilgrims, this rail network will also serve regular travelers or holidaymakers of KSA and the other GCC nations throughout the year. Moreover, this advanced rail network will also be used for business purposes, for example to transport oil between GCC nations or for transportation of other bulky raw materials. Therefore, the entire rail network will have a number of different routes along with numerous trains. It is quite natural that the feature of the passenger trains and the trains for the cargo and bulk materials will have to be quite different. However, all trains will have to be extremely fast, technologically advanced, fuel efficient, luxurious, aesthetically pleasing, and swift. The high- speed passenger trains, for example, will have superb facilities like discussion chambers (which will have facility to hold sixty visitors at a time), satellite communication, internet, la ptops, laser printer, fax, etc. There will also be divine -library of Islamic books, places for having Salat (it is notable that the places for having Salat will be different for men and women), television for broadcasting national channels of Saudi Arabia, consolation –centre, steam- bathe / shower, exercise rooms, exceptional compartment for bodily handicap people, encumbered small cupboard in every coach, numerous phones, and plasma-TV. The passengers will be able to experience the premium and the greatest train journeys of the world; it is noteworthy that all the passenger trains will be Double Decker with electric stairways; moreover, these trains will have numerous restaurants with high and halal foods. However, setting this railway network will require an approval from the governmental authorities supervising rail sector; afterwards, it will be wise to plan the locations and routes and start the construction works; later on, it will be time to recruit workers and train them. In addition to this, the company will follow certain methods and objectives to carry out the operations after establishment; these are formulated in the chart below. It shows that the business has objectives to constantly improve its customer service, safety, and asset management besides of establishing a high performance culture and better planning; a framework (methods) for managing the business is also shown. Figure 1: Methods and objectives for carrying out the operations.  Source: Self generated Conversely, it is important to state that when it will be time to launch the rail service, strong and varied advertising programs will be undertaken for acknowledging people. Apart from of integrated marketing campaigns, programs like special promotional packages and discounts will be available for the passengers for the first six months. Timetable This is relatively a large and complicated project, which needs a long-time to finish initial paper works, get permission, and sta rt business in new routes. At the same time, it should require a long-time for the communication and create agreement with the key investors and suppliers; therefore, the entrepreneurs need to perform many functions simultaneously. However, the business-plan of railway transportation project need place to the board of directors in board meeting for approval of this project and then it would be possible for the initiators to move for getting permission of government authorities, contracting with foreign investors and local oil exporters and arranging bank loan. However, it can assume that bank will take loan-time to scrutinize the documents and approve the project, but we hope bank will give loan considering the benefits of the railway service for long-term economic growth. At the same time, the entrepreneurs have to spend a long-time to get from the kingdom’s government along with other authorities and recruit efficient employees, purchase lands from the owners, and sign agre ement to collect raw materials from the suppliers. In addition, it is difficult task for the junior entrepreneurs to arrange large fund for the business; therefore, they need to impress large companies like Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), Mass Transit Railway (MTR), Bombardier Transportation Inc, or other local and foreign companies to invest for their projects. Functions Year First week Second week Third week Fourth week The project-plan need approval January 2011 Submitting proposal in board meeting Waiting for the approval Calling last meeting Getting the approval Contact Communicate with local companies and large oil exporter like SABIC or Saudi ARAMCO February Send official offer Send representative for negotiating Waiting to get reply They give feedback Joint venture agreement March Trying to sign joint venture agreement with any large companies within this month April Submit the business-plan to the local Ba nk to get loan May Bank will review the prospect of the business, ask additional documents and take their decision accordingly June Getting Loan July Bank will provide loan for this project Contact with suppliers to sign contract August Contact with raw material suppliers and third party logistics in order to sign agreement Sep Appointing key personnel for different segments October At first, the managers will advertise to recruit suitable staff for the project and they select considering merit of the applicants Nov Completion of recruitment process Dec Appoint the employees and arrange training program to coordinate project tasks Planning 2012 January In order to start construct, engineers will start designing the entire project Purchasing land for the project February Most of the portion of land need to purchase from the government and rest from public March Starting construction projects April Continue construction and infrastructure development to start ope ration Implementation of information technology April The entrepreneurs also incorporate latest software to develop communication system and coordinate the tasks Finishing construction 2013 Dec It would take about 1 year and 8 months to finish the construction Start service for the customers 2014 January From the first week of January 2014, it will provide service for the customer Table 1: Timetable.  Source: Self generated Materials and Equipment As it is a large project, it will require a huge amount of different materials and equipment for construction, like steel rails, cast and forged, steel wire mesh, steel wire, barbed wire, iron wire mesh, stainless steel wire mesh, and steel sheets. In addition, the project building also requires anchors, geotextiles, bolts, other electrical equipment, other heat insulation materials, multifunctional materials, fencing, trellis and gates, spade and shovel, truck accessories, and so on. However, the high- speed trains will not be made at Saudi Arabia, as the train manufacturers here are not so modern scientifically; therefore, all trains are better to buy from Bombardier Transportation, a rail equipment division of Canadian firm Bombardier Inc, which has headquarters in Berlin – this company produces extremely fast, technologically advanced, fuel efficient, luxurious, and aesthetically pleasing trains. It is notable that Bombardier Inc is the best train producer internationally Personnel Once the business has established, many workers will be recruited; this includes engineers, ICT specialists, company bureaucrats, HR manager, accounts and finance manager, research and development team, manager for marketing department, customer service team, individual freelance contractors, day laborers (for regular repair works), brake operators, conductors, yardmasters, drivers, sentries, sweeping laborers, and so on. Available Facilities Both the passenger and the cargo trains will be very speedy, scientifically sophisticated, energy efficient, well- organized, and visually elegant. The passenger trains will have a range of facilities; for example, it will have a separate area where the pilgrims will be able to enlighten themselves with religious books during their leisure. In addition, it will be having facilities like conference rooms, broadband with high bandwidth, computers, telephones, area for Namaz, deluxe washrooms, TVs, separate place for physically disabled people who are not able to travel like normal people, electric staircases, detached lockers, and halal food courts serving traditional and delicious Saudi Arabian dishes. Needed Facilities This large and complex project requires vast range of facilities, like machineries, equipment, explosives (like dynamite), designation, steel supplies, copper ore supplies, iron in bulk, coal, stone in bulk, as well as supply of hi-tech trains. Most importantly, other necessary facilities that are required in a massive amount includes hard wo rk not just from the entrepreneurs, but also from the engineers, government, workers, designers, collaborative companies, several contractors, day labors, explosive expert team, supplier of high- speed transports, and so on. It is important to state that different facilities are needed from different service providers, that is, the engineers of the rail track, government, collaborative companies, contractors, explosive expert team, and supplier of trains, as shown in the table below: Service providers Facilities needed Description of facilities Engineers of the rail track Construct rail tracks Construct rail tracks in the chosen directions; this should involve huge amount of research and discussion with the entrepreneurs, and with the train suppliers. Supplier of trains (Canadian firm Bombardier Inc) Automated, Double Decker, scientifically modern, and high- speed train This would be one of the major attractions of the rail service; the travelers will be able to experience su perior standards. Explosive expert team dealing with dynamites Clear railway routes, in cases where those are uneven or stony It is better to clear stony paths with bombs, as this requires less time. Contractors Construct railroad stations Building stations is compulsory for any rail service; in this case, the facilities of the stations must be of high standard. Government (governmental authorities supervising railway) Give approval Without getting approval from the concerned authorities, it is not possible to start the business. Contractors Create indicator Indicators must be technologically advanced and elegant in terms of visibility and design. Engineers and Contractors Construct railway bridges where necessary These are necessary where building rail tracks along the road is virtually impossible, for example, where rivers or lakes exist. Engineers of the rail track and collaborators Construct subway where necessary These subways will be as competent as it is in case o f any foreign countries, like Dubai. Table 2: Needed Facilities from different service providers of the railway.  Source: Self generated Cost and Budget: Land Subtotal = 1 billion Purchase office 10 million Design Project-Plan 5 million Licensing other contract 30 million Maintenance 25 million Legal cost 5 million Other 25 million Materials and Equipment Subtotal = 4.7 billion Steel related products Wire Iron Ore Geotextile Bolts Electric equipment Train Other 70 million 13 million 1 billion 12 million 10 million 15 million 1.5 billion 1 billion Personnel Signaling staff Expert Staff Fulltime financial Staff Human resource department Research Other employees Subtotal = 1 billion 5 million 50 million 20 million 6 million 4 million 15 million Total Funding Request = $ 6.7 billion Table 3: Cost and Budget.  Source: Self generated Expected Results The pilgrims and other foreign travelers from all the neighboring countrie s as well as the local residents will discover that it is much useful and wise to take a trip in such a rail service, which is pleasant, protected, very rapid, relaxing, and pleasing to the eye. This means that this rail service will be having countless customers on a regular basis. As a result, the profits will be highly impressive on a regular basis. In addition, as the numbers of foreign pilgrims are increasing gradually, this means that year on year, the amount of revenues of the company will keep on increasing steadily giving the business a chance to grow more rapidly, and open up services on new routes as a part of the business expansion strategy. With the retained profit, the company would also try to invest more on its cargo facilities in order to transport crude oil from the other prospective- countries, which will help it to increase the profits further. It is essential to note that besides of helping the business to boost profits, the activities of the company would also keep significant contributions over the economy of the country. Such huge amount of revenues would mean that Saudi Arabia would be having a further raise in the gross domestic product. As a result, the index of per capita income will rise further; this will show that the other economic indicators, like standards of living, for example, are developing. Such positive economic indicators would in turn improve the reputation of the country in front of the world’s superpower nations, showing a strengthening economic position. This business will also keep a positive contribution to the society by providing a great number of job opportunities locally; therefore, the rate of unemployment would lower down as well. Feasibility The rail network will be serving regular travelers both nationally and internationally. As discussed earlier, this project has an objective to develop the railway network of Saudi Arabia with other GCC nations mainly focusing on the fact that as the Muslims livin g in the neighboring Islamic nations face great troubles to come to Saudi Arabia to do Hajj, this highly advanced rail network will make everything easier for them. Considering the fact that most of the foreign travelers will find it more convenient to travel in a train that is nice, safe, high- speed, and comfortable, it seems quite natural that there would be a huge number of customers annually; the following table shows that how the numbers of foreign pilgrims are increasing gradually: Year Number of Pilgrims 1920 – – – 58584 people 1921 – – – 57255 people 1922 – – – 56319 people 1994 – – – 1080465 people 1996 – – – 1168591 people 1997 – – – 1132344 people 1998 – – – 1363992 people 2001 – – – 1534759 people 2005 – – – 1654407 people 2006 – –  œ 1707814 people 2007 – – – 172984 people 2008 – – – 1613000 people 2009 – – – 1799601 people 2010 – – – 1828195 people Table 4: Numbers of foreign pilgrims annually.  Source: Self generated Conclusion If this railway project remains successful, it would be a great achievement as students of Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University. This plan is beneficial because it is not just profitable for the entrepreneurs of the business, but the huge revenues will mean a great contribution for the further development of economic indicators like gross domestic product, per capita income, and living standards. In addition, it would assist the society by creating many employment opportunities for the residents of Saudi Arabia, lowering down the rate of unemployment. Reference List AME Info. (2008). Saudi rail projects begin to move ahead. Web. Carey, G. (2011). Saudis Build Railway to Ease Oil Depend ence. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-10-11/saudis-lay-2-400-miles-of-rail-to-ease-oil-dependence-freight Library of Congress. (2006). Country Profile of Saudi Arabia. Web. Reuters. (2010). Saudi Arabia opens Chinese-built hajj pilgrimage train. Retrieved from http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2010/11/14/saudi-arabia-opens-chinese-built-haj-pilgrimage-train/ This essay on Railroads in Saudi Arabia was written and submitted by user Brett Buckley 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.

Men and Women Drivers Essays

Men and Women Drivers Essays Men and Women Drivers Essay Men and Women Drivers Essay The driver is the most commonly reported factor responsible to death and injury on the roads (Sabey and Taylor, 1980; Department for Transport, 2008). Most people would drive at speeds and within the legal limit allowing them to cope with the challenge of the driving task. Although drivers speed and their capability can be diminished through tiredness, drink and drugs, which may impact on their ability to negotiate road safety and sometimes result in collisions. Attitude can be a subject to change which general contain cognitive, affective and behavioural elements and driver boredom which may relate to all three. Men between the ages of 16 and 25 are much more likely to be involved in accidents, or be cited for traffic violations. There was a risk analysis study funded by The American Auto Club, at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007, in part said, men have a 77% higher risk of dying in an accident compared to women. The study, using information from both the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the National Household Travel Survey estimated fatalities per 100 million trips to be 14. 61 for men and 6. 53 for women. The total number of fatalities between 1999 and 2005 were 175,094 for men and 82,371 women. Very few young men are careful drivers. They do not have the skills to manage the road effectively. They have bad tempers and make very bad decisions. The insurance companies agree that young males make bad decisions and display their aggression in an open and direct way. Young people will always pay more for car insurance just because they have no record of safe driving. It is hypothesised that the driving performance of women is less aggressive than that of male’s drivers. Design The independent variable would be age/gender while the dependant variable would be aggressive behaviour. This would be experimental. Aggressive behaviour would be tested by * How the participants drive their dodging cars, * The amount of times the participant’s purposely hit their opponents * To assesses the extent to which one engages in aggressive behaviour when driving. The aggressive behaviour and expression were to be observed The first subscale assesses verbal aggression expression were swearing, or yelling at another driver, physical expression of aggression and aggressive use of the vehicle to express anger to speed up to frustrate another driver. Participant A total of 100 participants 50 females and 50 males aged between 13-16years would be selected from the local high schools ,this would be calculated due to teenagers having no boundaries’ or fear, teenagers are the hardest to control. Although there are rules for the dodging cars young males would endeavour to find a loop hole to break the rules whereas young females are more inclined to obey the rule given. People would be recruited through the local schools. Procedure Advertisements would be placed within the high school newsletter with permission notes, once the permission notes have been returned, the selection criteria would commence to ensure the participants have no prior injuries, and are of age. Two sets of groups would be selected of 25 female and 25 males, to conduct the experiment the teenagers would be given a dodging car each and given a time limit of 1 hour per group during this time the experimenter will observe the display of aggression by each driver To be evaluated accordingly by age and gender on the aggression displayed by a scale.

Inspiring Quotes to Use When You Want to Say, Carpe Diem!

Inspiring Quotes to Use When You Want to Say, Carpe Diem! You will come across this Latin phrase when watching the 1989 Robin Williams movie,  Dead Poets Society. Robin Williams plays the role of an English professor who inspires his students with a short speech: â€Å"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. The Latin term for that sentiment is Carpe Diem. Now who knows what that means? Carpe Diem. That’s ‘seize the day.’ Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Why does the writer use these lines? Because we are food for the worms, lads. Because believe it or not, each and every one of us in this room is one day going to stop breathing, turn cold, and die. Now I would like you to step forward over here and peruse some of the faces from the past. You have walked past them many times. I don’t think you’ve really looked at them. They’re not very different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they’re destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes are full of hope just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their live even one iota of what they were capable? Because you see, gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, Lean in. Listen. Do you hear it? (whispers) Carpe. (whispers again) Cape. Carpe Diem. Seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.† This adrenaline-pumping speech explains the literal and philosophical meaning behind carpe diem. Carpe diem is a warcry. Carpe diem invokes the sleeping giant within you. It urges you to shed your inhibitions, pluck some courage, and grab every opportunity that comes your way. Carpe diem is the best way to say, You only live once. The History Behind Carpe Diem For those who love history, carpe diem was first used in a poem in Odes Book I, by the poet Horace in 23 BC. The quote in Latin is as follows: â€Å"Dum loquimur, fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem; quam minimum credula postero.† Loosely translated, Horace said, While we’re talking, envious time is fleeing, pluck the day, put no trust in the future. While Williams translated carpe diem as seize the day, it may not be linguistically accurate. The word carpe means to pluck. So in a literal sense, it means, to pluck the day. Think of the day as a ripened fruit. The ripened fruit is waiting to be picked. You have to pluck the fruit at the right time and make the most of it. If you delay, the fruit will go stale. But if you pluck it at the right time, the rewards are innumerable. Though Horace was the first to use carpe diem, the real credit goes to Lord Byron for introducing carpe diem in the English language. He used it in his work, Letters. Carpe diem slowly crept into the lexicon of the Internet generation, when it was used in tandem with YOLO – You only live once. It soon became the catchword for the live-for-the-present generation. The Real Meaning of Carpe Diem Carpe diem means to live your life to the fullest. Every day offers you a ton of opportunities. Seize the opportunities and change your life. Fight your fears. Charge forward. Take the plunge. Nothing is ever achieved by holding back. If you want to carve your destiny, youve got to seize the day! Carpe diem! You can say, carpe diem in other ways. Here are some quotes that you can use instead of saying, carpe diem. Share these carpe diem quotes to start a revolution of change on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Take the world by storm. Charles BuxtonYou will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it. Rob SheffieldThe times you lived through, the people you shared those times with - nothing brings it all to life like an old mix tape. It does a better job of storing up memories than actual brain tissue can do. Every mix tape tells a story. Put them together, and they can add up to the story of a life.Roman PayneIt’s not that we have to quit this life one day, but it’s how many things we have to quit all at once: music, laughter, the physics of falling leaves, automobiles, holding hands, the scent of rain, the concept of subway trains†¦ if only one could leave this life slowly!Albert EinsteinYour imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.Mother TeresaLife is a game, play it.Thomas MertonLife is a very great gift and a great good, not because of what it gives us, but because of what it enables us to give to others.Mark TwainThe fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.Bernard BerensonI wish I could stand on a busy corner, hat in hand, and beg people to throw me all their wasted hours.Oliver Wendell HolmesMany people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.Hazel LeeI held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly, Ah! I didnt know, I held opportunity.Larry McMurtry, Some Can WhistleIf you wait, all that happens is that you get older.Margaret FullerMen for the sake of getting a living forget to live.John Henry Cardinal NewmanFear not that life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning.Robert BraultThe more side roads you stop to explore, the less likely that life will pass you by.Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotics Notebook, 1960Every day of our lives we are on the verge of making those slight changes that would make all the difference.Art BuchwaldWhether its the best of times or the worst of times, its the only time weve got.Andrea BoydstonIf you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance.Russell BakerLife is always walking up to us and saying, Come on in, the livings fine, and what do we do? Back off and take its picture.Diane AckermanI dont want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.Stephen LevineIf you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?Thomas P. MurphyMinutes are worth more than money. Spend them wisely.Marie RayBegin doing what you want to do now. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand, and melting like a snowflake.Mark TwainThe fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.HoraceWho knows whether the Gods will add tomorrow to the present hour?/Henry JamesI think I dont regret a single excess of my responsive youth- I only regret, in my chilled age, certain occasions and possibilities I didnt embrace.Samuel JohnsonLife is not long, and too much of it must not pass in idle deliberation of how it shall be spent.Allen Sa undersLife is what happens to us while we are making other plans.Benjamin FranklinLost time is never found again.William ShakespeareI wasted time, and now doth time waste me.Henry David ThoreauOnly that day dawns to which we are awake.Johann Wolfgang von GoetheEvery second is of infinite value.Ralph Waldo EmersonWe are always getting ready to live but never living.Sydney J. HarrisRegret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.Adam MarshallYou only live once; but if you live it right, once is enough.Friedrich Nietzsche, Human, All Too HumanWhen one has a great deal to put into it a day has a hundred pockets.Ruth Ann SchabackerEach day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.

Healthcare Utilization and Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Healthcare Utilization and Finance - Essay Example Medicare Part B Essentially, this part covers healthcare services that are not provided for in part A of the Medicare. In Mrs. Zwick’s case, the cost of the different diagnostic tests that she underwent during her hospital stay and time of rehabilitation would be paid for in this part. Medicare Part D This last option of insurance cover deals with payment of the cost of drugs that are prescribed during a hospital stay. The antibiotics that were prescribed during the initial hospital stay will be catered for here. Moreover, the medication that prescribed upon her discharge will be also paid and by extension the walker that she required to walk around. Medicare policies and Reimbursement of Additional Care The policy by Medicare not to pay additional costs emanating from hospital acquired infections means that these cases have to be HAC (hospital-acquired complications) in terms of high cost. This in turn means that a patient with such a problem would have to be assigned to paym ent of higher premiums to cover the whole cost. It is however predicated upon the premise that the complication was due to secondary diagnosis and could have been prevented through utilization of evidence based guidelines. These additional policies of Medicare on hospital acquired infections means that the hospital will not get reimbursement for them (McNair, Luft, & Bindman, 2009). For instance, the antibiotics that were prescribed to her and these drugs were for urinary tract infection (UTI). With UTI being one of the complications that are not catered for by Medicare, then Mrs. Zwick and her daughter would have to pay from their pockets. Ethical Implications for Incurring Costs Related To Her Hospital-Acquired Condition The ethical implication for costs that emanate from hospital acquired infections to the concerned patients is that they have to pay for the additional cost. This is regardless of whether the infection was due to negligence on the part of the hospital or the infect ion just arose spontaneously. In order for clients to be shielded from this, they are forced to pay more so that in the advent that the complications that occur due to a person being hospitalized may be reimbursed by Medicare. Such a proactive move is quite unfair to the payer and the extra charge is quite punitive bearing in mind that these infections are completely out of a payer’s control when they happen. Another ethical implication is that it has to be proved beyond doubt that the hospital acquired infections were not due to negligence on the part of a hospital. This may arduous and quite challenging and it takes time (Zhan, Friedman, Mosso & Pronovost, 2006). Scenario 2 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) Since COBRA insurance was designed to cover for people who have lost their job due to legitimate reasons, the cover is usually paid by the former employer but it is not subsidized. It follows then that the payments for health coverage premiums are re mitted by the former employer in full and an additional administrative cost of two percent. However, coverage is considered under group coverage which therefore means that the cost of the premiums is still low although they are slightly higher than when the employee was working. Many of the individuals that invoke the COBRA coverage usually have a big time difference between their last day at work and

Audit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Audit - Assignment Example In the course of the financial statements audit, an auditor is subject to the audit risk and he/she commits it if his/her audit opinion is inappropriate. This arises where the financial statements are materially misstated, making them be presented unfairly and fail to conform with the applicable financial reporting framework. To this extent, this paper aims at identifying the possible audit risks as presented in the case of Cupcake Co and the possible actions that the auditor is likely to take in each case. It will also discuss the benefits that accrue from conducting a risk assessment at the planning stage of the audit. According to this paper’s analysis, Cupcake Co is likely to suffer the loss of cash through theft. As presented in the case, the company keeps a sufficiently large amount of cash for the purposes of giving back change. The internal control of Cupcake Co has failed in its control over the cash, making it susceptible to improper diversions, as well as being misused. From the case, there was no separation of duties in cash handling. When such a case subsists such that a single department or individual is entrusted with both asset custody and their record keeping, there is a potential risk of frauds, in that, such assets can be stolen. In addition, accounting records falsifications to hide events can be done. In such a scenario, the management would have difficulties in holding a specific employee accountable in case errors or fraud is detected. To respond to this audit risk, the auditor can ask the management of Cupcake Co to state the internal controls they use to control their cash. The auditor will seek clarification on whether duties are segregated in the handling of cash. The auditor can also perform some analytical procedures such as the prevailing trend in the cash balance relative to the previous year’s balances. There could be an audit risk arising from the

Peoples behavior Essay Example for Free

Peoples behavior Essay Whenever I encounter any person from another culture, I am often struck by how much that person represents and is different from the idea I have of that culture. Particularly if the idea I have of that culture’s person is seen from his perspective. A recent conversation with a student of Japanese ancestry highlighted to me this realization. When I first saw him, I assumed that he would speak English with an accent or with some difficulty. To my surprise, it turned out that he was a native English speaker having been born in the United States. Sharing the experience with a friend, she related to me that one of her acquaintances who was born in Hong Kong who had difficulty with being understood in English because of a difference in accent despite having English as a first language. These incidents are prime examples of how cultural stereotypes. Considering the number of foreign students alone, many universities and other social institutions should be developing the competencies to accommodate their communication and cultural assimilation needs. Like in the article written by Brink Lindsey in 2007 titled The Culture Gap for the Cato Institute, culture, statistically and in practice, is an issue that is asserting itself significantly. Without these measures, many people are liable to have negative experiences associated with cultural difference which can motivate them to be ashamed or defensive about their heritage. Having had my own positive and negative experience in being associated with my culture, I know first hand the need to understand culture on an individual level. It has been very helful too that my recent experience with other cultures has been positive and has allowed me to constructively learn from the experience. Had it been otehrwiese, I can easily see myself to develop negative concepts regarding Japanese or Chinese cultures since I believe in positive reinforcement. More than anything else, communication ad technology is creating new dimensions to cultural exposure and exchange. Many of the stereotypes we have of cultures is being challenged not so much because of changes in these cultures itself. Even more importantly, I realize that my culture influences what I see in other in the same way that other peoples cultural backgrounds influence what they see in me.

Fifteen Meditations on Masculinist Physico-Spiritual Experience :: Philosophical Philosophy essays

Fifteen Meditations on Masculinist Physico-Spiritual Experience I am not my body, I am not my mind, I am not my soul. I am the breath of life, I am the breath of God. A golden retriever was once abused by a man and rescued by a woman who had a daughter in an all-girls Catholic high school. I paid them a visit one day. The dog stood behind the clear plastic door, wagging her tail, but as I ascended the steps she suddenly soured, and by the time the door opened and I was inside, she was cowering under the dining room table where she stayed for the duration of my visit with intermittent miserable howls. "She won't have anything to do with men," my friend explained. Even the scent of testosterone has its spiritual message. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. The founder of modern philosophy had a number of disciples who applied the master's theoretical teachings in the practical field of dog-torturing. They felt these experiments demonstrated the superiority of man as a spiritual creature. Rene Descartes wanted to rewrite the philosophical canon by asserting only what he knew to be true or could logically derive. Sequestered in a stove-heated room, he realized he could doubt that his body, or even the whole world, existed, but he could not doubt was that he was thinking. I think, therefore I am. Descartes is a spiritual, immaterial, thinking thing; the rest is mere body, a separate substance. Continuing in this vein, he determined that human beings are the only animals who have souls. Therefore humans are the only animals who can think, feel, experience, or matter to God. I am going to drive nails through this dog's paws. I am going to vivisect its chest and show you its beating heart-such awesome machinery, praise the Architect on high! Its howls, this deafening din of a universe shattering-a purely mechanistic response! I am taking over this operation. If you cringe, you may leave, and don't come back. The serious student of philosophy thinks with his mind, not his body; his soul, not his flesh. Air my breath and fire my spirit, earth my body, water my blood. Tertullian, who lived in the Roman city of Carthage in the third century, was a sensual man who loved spectacles. After seeing how bravely Christian prisoners endured public torture, humiliation, and death, he became intrigued with the persecuted religion and eventually converted.

Communication Worksheet Essay

Compose responses to each of the following questions. 1. Which of the images demonstrates an interpersonal communication exchange? How can you tell? The third image indicates a healthy interpersonal communication exchange whereas the first picture shows an unhealthy interpersonal communication exchange. The first picture has two individuals who are communicating – unwillingly with each other and non-verbally whereas the third picture has the same thing – only voluntary. Each picture is the same communication exchange only with different and varied consequences and results. 2. What types of interpersonal communication are being displayed in the images? Why? The first picture is a display of interpersonal communication using a varied technique. The female is attempting to verbally and non-verbally persuade the male to communicate, even though he is using the same techniques in the polar opposite way. While she is attempting to persuade him to talk both verbally and non-verbally – he is attempting to persuade her that he doesn’t want to talk non-verbally. It can be assumed that at  some point, he will verbally tell her no. Part 3 Textual communication, or content that is read or viewed, also plays a role in communicating with others. Textual information may gain deeper meaning when the text is spoken or viewed in a specific context versus when it is read. Read the following quotes and write a 50- to 100-word interpretation of what you think is being expressed. Support your responses. If you wish to include references, please format your responses consistent with APA guidelines. †¢ â€Å"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets.† (The Ride down Mount Morgan, Act I) — Arthur Miller †¢ â€Å"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.† (The Outline of History, Ch. 41) —H. G. Wells †¢ â€Å"The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose  any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.† — John F. Kennedy (1961 Inaugural Address) †¢ â€Å"In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the ‘unalienable Rights’ of ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’ But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we’ve come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.† — Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963 â€Å"I have a dream† speech) Resources Kennedy, J. F. (1961, January 20). Inaugural address. Presidential inauguration, Washington, DC. Retrieved from: http://www.historystudycenter.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/search/displaySuitemAsciiItemById.do?QueryName=suitem&fromPage=studyunit&ItemID=28545&resource=prd. King, M. L., Jr. (1963, August 28). â€Å"I have a dream† speech. Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.historystudycenter.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/search/displayReferenceItemById.do?QueryName=reference&fromPage=studyunit&ItemID=phs00159&fromPage=studyunit&resource=ref WikiQuote. Retrieved from http://www.wikiquote.org. The above quotes are from Democratic individuals whom have all been identified as political at some point in their professional careers. Seeing that the general theme revolves around sociology, psychology and politics – it can reasonably be assumed that the generally intention of expression here is that taking on a more liberal/socialist mindset will result in the utmost patriotism through education, aspirations and helping to provide for a better future – ultimately utopia, however false that may be. In essence, the quotes are a progression of thought starting with Wells and ending with King Jr. Individually, the quotes could represent a much narrower scope of expression. H.G. Wells is expressing a morose attitude toward World War I as it was (at that time) known to be â€Å"the war to end all wars.† At that time, we were isolationists and even President Wilson running on an isolationist platform pushed us into WWI. Wells wrote this text in a time when he was thoroughly dissatisfied with modern history books – at the end of WWI. During this time period, man’s inhumanity to man manifest on the blood soaked battlefields of Europe and the medical wings with the mustard gas victims, the amputees, the blind – all evidence of man’s technological prowess only promising to grow exponentially. This quote then expresses a deep gloom whereas he’s saying that at that time, men could only hope for enlightenment. He realized that with our technological abilities – we were either going to destroy our world or improve it, and in the wake of WWI – it wasn’t looking very bright as far as our future was conc erned – globally. Miller was a perpetual victim. His stance on society as whole was masochistic in nature, although flowered with politically correct subtleties that allowed for his readers to elude the actual realities of the world at that time. Due to the nature of the world at the time of his writing that play – and the events that surrounded his life as he was writing it, it is reasonable to assume that he is simply stating that we all have regrets and will continue to have regrets – but upon our deathbeds, we should hope that those regrets were really worth it. In essence – we only live life once. Kennedy’s quote was similar to Wells – insofar as that we as a nation (and world) have the ability to (with technology and education) either destroy ourselves or improve our world, and expanded upon it. According to Kennedy’s speech – he thinks that the ability to abolish all forms of poverty is what our country was created to do, but is swearing to uphold our abilities to do just the opposite through a series of actions put forth by his entire administration. Because the quote was during his first inaugural speech, Vietnam was however, a later development which forced him to live up to his words – much like Obama will have to do if Iran breaks out today. So looking at this quote pretending to not know what his future administration held, I would say that he is attempting to express an identification of himself through the Democratic Party by calling our founders revolutionaries (which they weren’t – as they were attempting to sustain the status quo by protecting the Magna Carta, but that is a discussion for another time – which I fully anticipate being challenged on that assertion!). In doing this he is hoping to portray his administration as being â€Å"revolutionaries† like the founding fathers in order to get a public approval for his massive expansion of social programs (much like FDR – boo hiss boo hiss). Martin Luther King Jr. expressed a total lack of understanding that the Declaration of Independence was not the law of the land. (Perhaps I should say Stanley Levison since Levison wrote much of King’s speeches even though he was under heavy investigation by the FBI for being associated with communist individuals and ideals) Specifically I am stating that the â€Å"pursuit of happiness,† was not actually â€Å"to be happy,† rather – to live a virtuous life. King’s failing was that he was anticipating that the Constitution guaranteed equality in outcome rather than equality in opportunity. Perhaps it wasn’t his failing, rather – the failing of the education system that prevails to this day. However, in the quote above, King/Levison was attempting to express – or was attempting to get the public to perceive – that socialism or â€Å"equality† through the means of race – could be achieved in this country so long as public pressure via the speech would be placed as a lien against the racism happening during that time.

Social Studies Interview and Standards Investigation

Running Head: INTERVIEW AND STANDARDS INVESTIGATION Interview and Standards Investigation Sarah Woods Grand Canyon University EED 465 Curriculum, Methods, and Assessment: Social Studies Leah Barley December 8, 2011 Interview and Standards Investigation Social studies is a complicated subject for teachers to teach and for students to learn because it encompasses so many different disciplines. On top of that, society is characterized by increasingly rapid social and technological changes that affect what social studies content is being taught to students (NCSS, 1988). For many years students have been forced to learn low cognitive level information that lacks meaning and fails to transfer to real life situations. For these reasons Social Studies is the subject that students love to hate (Hope, 1996). Rather than dwelling on what has gone wrong in the past, it is best to look to the future and learn from past pedagogic mistakes to determine what can be done to energize social studies instruction in order to restore respect by students and teachers alike for such an important field (Hope, 1996). The implementation of state and national standards has been an important step in making this happen. This assessment will evaluate the state of Arizona’s Social Studies Standards for sixth grade for thoroughness, clarity, user friendliness, and comprehensiveness. It will go on to provide a well-supported, objective, academic response to the interview conducted with Ms. Traci Smith, a sixth grade social studies teacher at Will Rogers Junior High in Claremore, OK, and the standards investigation by analyzing how social studies is taught today. The Arizona Department of Education website contains five sixth grade history strands that emphasize World history from its earliest cultures through Enlightenment, including the early cultures of the Americas. The Arizona State Standards for sixth grade are extremely thorough containing strands for American History, World History, Civics/Government, Geography, and Economics each with well-defined concepts and performance objectives for students at the sixth grade level. According to the NCSS definition of Social studies, each of these topics plays a vital role in social studies education. The thoroughness of these standards helps guide lesson planning and learning because teachers know exactly what they are supposed to teach and students know exactly what they are supposed to learn in order to achieve mastery. The Arizona State Standards for Social Studies are very clearly defined by topic. This makes them easy to read and understand. This reduces confusion and frustration and promotes integration with other subject areas. Each strand is broken down further into concepts that explicitly say, where applicable, which other strand(s) they connect with in order to further student understanding. This characteristic makes the Arizona State Standards for Social Studies extremely user friendly. Finally, the Arizona State Standards for Social studies are very comprehensive. They cover a large scope of information in order to help Arizona students develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world (NCSS, 1993). According to Ms. Smith, social studies instruction has come a long way since she began teaching fifteen years ago. When she started it was common practice for students to read the sections in the social studies textbook, answer the questions at the end, and then take a test to demonstrate what they learned. This seemingly meaningless busy work compounded by the implementation of NCLB led to a dramatic reduction in social studies content as teachers became more concerned with high stakes testing in the primary subject areas. High stakes testing has contributed to the trend of moving away from constructivist learning and student centered teaching approaches such as discussions, role-playing, research papers, and cooperative learning (Vogler & Virtue, 2007). This is in dramatic contrast to what new teacher education programs are teaching which may be setting new teachers up for failure once they reach the classroom. In spite of the demands of high stakes testing, when Ms. Smith realized that social studies was beginning to slowly disappear from the curriculum altogether she decided to take a stand. Ms. Smith is now the sixth grade English and World History Department Head at Claremore Public Schools. Although she does teach from a textbook, Ms. Smith employs numerous hands on activities to convey subject matter to the students. For each section the students must create a project that coincides with the lesson. Her favorite section is on the Middle Ages in Europe. During this lesson the entire sixth grade participates in meaningful learning activities such as making head gear and shields, memorizing poems from this era that they must recite to their classmates, and learning the requirements for becoming a knight or a lady. Students earn certificates for acts of chivalry and the individuals who have the most certificates at the end of the unit are awarded a crown as 6th grade King and Queen. The unit culminates with a field trip to the Renaissance Festival and the Castle of Muskogee, a landmark in Oklahoma, which is where the Renaissance Festival is held (Personal Communication, T. Smith, December 12, 2011). These activities are much more meaningful than simply reading the text and completing the section review. This allows students to practice their literacy and public speaking skills which, according to Wineburg (2005), are crucially relevant for schools because it provides a way of thinking about text that allows students to find truth in the cacophony of voices that confront them in the social world. Social studies instruction is heavily influenced by teacher preparation programs. These programs are meant to teach future teachers how to teach social studies effectively. Historically these programs have had to respond quickly to social issues and events by developing courses in social sciences and education that address the concerns of minority groups. For example, a recent increase in the numbers of English Language Learners in the nation’s schools has led to added pressure to prepare teachers to work effectively with students from diverse backgrounds. For the most part these influences have had a positive impact on the preparation of social studies teachers; however in some cases the creation of new classes and requirements for pre-service teachers has led to a bloated curricula and programs that lack clear purpose (Adler, Dougan, & Garcia, 2006). The NCATE standards embolden pre-service teachers to refine their focus to prevent overlap and redundancy. Most teacher preparation programs are aligned to professional teacher standards such as this. This helps to adequately prepare teachers to facilitate learning for today’s students so that they are informed, knowledgeable, and eventually able to compete in a global society. Standards based instruction has been a double edged sword for social studies instruction. On the one hand it has led to the reduction in social studies content as a result of high stakes testing since social studies is not one of the subjects covered under NCLB, but on the other hand social studies standards have revitalized social studies instruction to help make learning fun, meaningful, and relevant for students increasing the chances that they will be able to transfer the concepts learned in the classroom to real world scenarios. If social studies teachers can continue to resist the urge to teach to the test and do everything they can to employ effective teaching strategies then hopefully everyone will realize how important social studies content is for students at all grade levels. This will ultimately result in civic minded individuals who are understanding, knowledgeable, and tolerant of other cultures which will serve them well into adulthood. References: NCSS. (1988, June). Social studies for early childhood and elementary school children: Preparing for the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://www. ncss. org/positions/elementary. Hope, W. 1996). It’s time to transform social studies teaching. The Social Studies. Washington: Jul/Aug 1996. 87, 4. Retrieved from http://proquest. umi. com. library. gcu. edu:2048/pqdweb? index=7&did=10101635&SrchMode=3&sid=1&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1323634607&clientId=48377&aid=1. Arizona Department of Education Standards Based Teaching and Learn ing. (2006). Social Studies Standards Articulated By Grade Level Sixth Grade. Retrieved from http://www. azed. gov/wp-content/uploads/PDF/SSGrade6. pdf. National Council for the Social Studies. (1993, September). A vision of powerful teaching and learning in the social studies: Building social understanding and civic efficacy. Social Education. 57, 213-223. Vogler, K. & Virtue, D. (2007, May). â€Å"Just the facts ma’am†: Teaching Social Studies in the era of Standards and high stakes testing. The Social Studies. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. library. gcu. edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? sid=f1d20017-f490-4fd4-833e-c04d40d45566%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=113. Wineburg, S. (2005, May). What does NCATE have to say to future history teachers? Phi Delta Kappan. Retrieved from http://web. ebscohost. com. ibrary. gcu. edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? sid=8a089d33-cc0e-40df-aaee-cdf4091de420%40sessionmgr112&vid=2&hid=113. Adler, S. , Dougan, A. , & Garcia, J. (2006, January). NCATE has a lot to say to future social studies teachers: A response to Sam Wineburg. Phi Delta Kappan. Retrieved from http://vnweb. hwwilsonweb. com. library. gcu. edu:2048/hww/results/external _link_maincontentframe. jhtml? _DARGS=/hww/results/results_common. jhtml. 44. Interview Notes Traci Smith, a 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher and 6th grade English and World History Department Head, has 15 years of experience in the classroom. Social Studies Interview Questions: 1. Do you use a textbook? If so, do you like the content? Do the students have workbooks or activity sheets to accompany the textbook? Yes, we use Glencoe’s textbook, World History: Journey Across Time – The Early Ages The students have 2 workbooks: A note-taking guide which we use from time to time, and a Guided Reading book which we do not use very often. There are teacher resources for each of the units which include vocabulary practice and guided reading activities. There are also other resources for mapping, cause-and-effect, and comparing the past to the present. . What is your favorite Social Studies lesson to teach? What sort of hands on, meaningful activities or innovative teaching methods do you use when teaching this lesson? My favorite unit to teach is the Middle Ages of Europe. The entire 6th grade participates in making head gear, shields, memorizing and reciting poems, and learning about the requirements for becoming a knight or a lady. This unit culminates with a field trip to The Castle of Muskogee where they hold the Renaissance Festival. This unit is taught at the end of the year and is a highlight for the 6th grade. We award those who have shown chivalry and crown a 6th grade King and Queen. 3. In 1992 the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) adopted the following definition of the field of social studies: Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Within the school program, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate ontent from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences. The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. How does social studies instruction at Will Rogers Junior High relate to this definition of social studies? At the junior high, we not only teach how our ancestors affected future generations and the things we have learned from them, but we also have an Advisory hour for 6th grade. During this advisory hour we teacher character development and teach the students how to apply what they learn in their everyday lives. 4. Do you believe that values should be part of the social studies curriculum? If so, what values do you feel are most important for today’s students? Yes, I do. The values of integrity, compassion, and respect; these values can be taught throughout the social studies curriculum. When I teach the religions of the world, I talk to the students about having respect for others and their beliefs. We talk about how some of the heroes of ancient history showed integrity and compassion. This is also carried over into our Advisory hour. 5. Does the State of Oklahoma have state standards for social studies? If so, what is your reaction to Oklahoma State’s Social Studies Standards? If not, do you think that Oklahoma could benefit from a set of state standards? Yes. I believe they should be more detailed. 6. What do you feel are important benchmarks for students at the 6th grade level? English and Math; the reading skills learned in social studies and science trickle over into the English curriculum. The same goes for Math and Science. . How much time per day does each student spend on Social Studies content? 2 hours per day – World History and Advisory 8. How do you rank the importance of social studies in the elementary curriculum? Please rank the following subjects in the elementary curriculum in order of importance to you. 4 Physical Education (P. E. ) 2 Mathematics 3 Science 3 Social Studies 1 Reading/Language Arts 9. How do you integrate technology i nto the Social Studies curriculum? I use power points. 10. Do you believe that the social studies curriculum should be narrowed

The heights vs the grange essays

The heights vs the grange essays Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange represent, respectively, uncivilized and civilized, or turbulent and serene. Accordingly, so are the residents of these houses and consequently, the attitudes of the places reflect the people. Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights, is a novel of duality, of opposites unable to overcome their differences. Bronte describes Wuthering Heights as a harsh, cold house, with grotesque carvings (10) and she depicts it as having a pervading spirit of neglect (10). Not surprisingly name of the residence is symbolic of its nature, Wuthering being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather (10), which is a foreshadowing of evil to come. Even the vegetation is lifeless and bleak, a few stunted firs at the end of the house (10), and a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the sun (10), vividly conjuring images of the darkness and wildness of the house. Accordingly, the people who inhabit the house tend to be brutal and turbulent as well. Pointedly, Heathcliff, who spends his entire existence plotting revenge on other people. Heathcliff is described as a dirty, ragged, black haired child (41) when Mr. Earnshaw brings him home for the first time, and even Mr. Lockwood describes him as a dark-skinned gypsy in aspect (11), which fits with the darkness of the house It is fitting to say that Heathcliff influences the negativity of the Heights to a great extent. The early generation Earnshaws are relatively happy before the arrival of Heathcliff whose presence is favoured over that of the true Earnshaw children by old Mr Earnshaw. A jealousy arises in Hindley who inflicts intense abuse on Heathcliff when he inherits the role of head of the Heights. Such treatment leads to conflicts in the home and...

How to Get the Most Out of ACT Math Practice Questions

How to Get the Most Out of ACT Math Practice Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Now that you’ve gathered together all your ACT math study materials, it’s time to put together a plan of attack. Having the right study materials is key, but understanding how to use them to their best effect is just as important. (What good is a tool wielded improperly, after all?) We’ve put together a comprehensive plan on how to make use of your ACT math study materials and boost your math score. We’ll walk you through how to best use your math practice problems and how to make the best study plan possible to prepare yourself for test day. Importance of Using Proper ACT Study Materials Before we talk about how to use your study material, it’s important to make sure you have the best material possible from which to work. Unfortunately, the internet is teeming with â€Å"ACT study materials† of questionable quality, and using this material as a resource is more likely to hinder you than help you. Using poorly designed study material will give you a false sense of how you’ll do on the real ACT (whether better or worse), which is not helpful for your study time and test prep. The most accurate and highest quality study material will come from ACT, Inc. itself. After that, only prep programs that use and truly base their questions off this material are worth your time. We have gathered together all the best free ACT study material and practice problems, so definitely start there for all your ACT math practice problem needs. Ready, set, let's go! How to Begin - Identifying Your Current Strengths and Weaknesses Before you tailor your study plan to your needs, you must first find your current strengths and weaknesses by running a diagnostic on your current performance. Step 1: Take a Practice Test If you haven’t taken one already, start by taking a full practice test. This will give you the best sense of your current projected score and percentile rank. Though you may be more focused on improving your math score right now, you will still need to take a full test so that you can best replicate a real testing environment. Not only will taking a full test show you your current strengths and weaknesses, but it will also show you how your math scores fit into your larger test-taking picture. The ACT is a marathon, and your scores will fluctuate depending on your energy and concentration levels over the course of the entire test. So you’ll only get a full picture of your current levels per topic if you take the complete test all together. This is a baseline, so be honest. Only then will you be able to tell where you’re starting and how far you have to go. So take it as you would the real test, adhere to the timing rules and don’t stop and look things up. As you go through, make sure to also mark your test- put a mark any time you feel unsure about a question and cross out any eliminated answer options. This will help you to identify patterns in your overall test-taking later. Step 2: Examine Your Test-Taking Patterns Once you’ve corrected your practice test, look at your spread of right and wrong answers. Are there any patterns to the distribution? There are two general ways to categorize your mistakes: by location on the test and by content. If you can organize your errors accordingly, it will help you understand why you're missing questions and make a study plan to address your weaknesses. The ACT math section is 60 questions, and they are arranged in ascending order of difficulty, which means that location-specific errors are generally errors due to difficulty. To spot patterns of location-based errors, ask yourself whether you are: Missing questions over the entire math section, seemingly evenly throughout? Missing several questions in the 1-20 range? (Though it is normal to miss some or even several questions on the overall ACT math section, try to carefully analyze and improve upon your mistakes in this range. The earlier questions will be the quickest and "simplest" to solve and so will net you a nice cushion of points if you can grab them.) Missing questions in a cluster around the 30-40 marker? (This is where the test transitions from "easy" to "medium-level" difficulty and that transition can trip many students up.) Missing questions mostly in the 40-60 range? (This is the transition from "medium" to "medium-high" difficulty.) Missing questions mostly in the 50-60 range? (This is the "highest" difficulty range and so is tough for the vast majority of students.) You may also be getting questions wrong by topic. Though math topics on the ACT tend to cluster in certain locations (for example, more algebra questions appear at the beginning of the test than they do at the end), you will also find each topic scattered throughout the test (more on this in our ACT Math question distribution guide). As such, you must look at each of your errors closely in order to see if there is a topic-specific pattern to your errors. To spot trends in content errors, ask yourself whether you are: Getting all or most questions wrong in a particular topic, no matter where the questions are located in the test? (E.g., are you missing all triangle questions, whether they are appear as question 5 or question 50?) Getting questions wrong by topic only in the medium or high level difficulty? (For instance, can you solve "easy" slope questions, but miss all the "difficult" slope questions?) Having a seemingly even spread of right and wrong answers by topic throughout the test? (If you answered questions 12 and 48 on functions correctly, but missed question 20, it may have less to do with your understanding of functions as a topic and more to do with the phrasing of the question or the speed at which you were taking the test. Take a careful look at each problem to see if you can spot the pattern.) The less familiar you are with a particular math topic, the harder it will be to answer the variety of problems on it that you’ll see on the ACT. Take a look at our individual math guides for topic-specific help and practice questions for any of your ACT math topic problem areas. Most people will start out their ACT practice by missing a combination of location-specific and topic-specific questions, so don’t worry if your pattern starts out this way too. As you get more and more used to both the material and the way the ACT tests this material, you’ll narrow your range of wrong answers and increase your accuracy in both fields. Step 3: Make a List of Your ACT Math Strengths and Weaknesses Now that you’ve looked at your test-taking patterns, make a list on a separate piece of paper of all the math topics in which you missed questions. (For reference, we have put together a complete list of ACT math topics.) In addition to the topics missed, make a list of the types of errors you made. Why do this? There is a big difference between types of errors on the ACT math test- not knowing how to approach a question at all is very different than misreading a question. You’ll need to examine exactly what kinds of errors you’ve made so that you can learn to avoid them in the future. Finding the wrong variable or final value This is one of the most common errors, especially on problems where you must find an "unusual" final answer. For instance, the problem may ask you to find the value of x + y for your final solution, when your natural instinct is to find the value of x or y alone. Misreading the question This can include misreading any value or variable in the overall question or simply misreading what the question is asking you to do. For example, in a word problem, did you mix up "Andy" and "Amelia"? Did you read "subtract" as "square"? It is easy to make assumptions or to mix up similar words if you're going too quickly through your problems. Stopping your solve too early or too late In a problem that requires multiple steps, you may accidentally find yourself stopping a step or two too early or going a step or two too far. For instance, if you need to find the 10th number in a sequence and you're counting by hand, you might accidentally find the 9th or th number in the sequence instead. Many answer choices are generated by this type of error, so be extra cautious in only taking the exact number of steps necessary. Running out of time If you run out of time in the math section, you will likely start making several errors either because you didn't have time enough to solve the question properly or you didn't even have time to look at the question. Not knowing how to approach the question at all Whether it's the wording of the question or the math topic involved, sometimes you'll find yourself completely flummoxed. You may not know how to set up the solve to the problem in the slightest, or you may try and fail to set up the solve. Either way, this is a problem that you simply don't know how to approach. Mixing up or forgetting your formulas You will NOT be given any formulas, so it can be easy to misremember or mix up your formulas in your head if you aren't vigilant. If you need to find the area of a circle, make sure you're using the area formula and not the circumference formula. Note: don’t take â€Å"careless errors† like misreading the question lightly! It is easy to think that you wouldn’t make such an obvious mistake next time, but don’t underestimate the effects of adrenaline and exhaustion on your thinking patterns. With practice and diligence, you can avoid making these kinds of mistakes, but you must dedicate yourself to being very careful. Always double check to make sure your answer matches exactly what the test is asking you to find. Got all your ducks in a row? Excellent! How to Proceed - Using ACT Math Practice Questions to Raise Your Score Now that you’ve got your baseline, how do you use your practice material to raise your score? Let’s take a look. #1: Take a look at your list of strengths and weaknesses and brush up on those math topics that lie in your weak zone. If you’re simply unfamiliar with a particular math topic, then practicing problem after problem isn’t going to help all that much. You would never walk into French 4 without taking French 1, and math is exactly the same. So don’t dive off the deep end of polygon problems if you’re unfamiliar with their basic principles. For every topic on the ACT, you must first understand both the ins and outs of the particular math topic as well as how you’ll see it tested on the ACT. Our ACT math guides are tailored to reflect and demonstrate how each topic is presented on the ACT, so you won’t have to waste time reading and memorizing more strategies and facts than you absolutely need to. By studying the topic first (before diving right into all your practice problems), you’ll also keep your practice problems â€Å"fresh.† It’s no use throwing yourself against a wall of function problems if you’ve never studied functions in school- it will only leave you with no new material to study from once you’ve brushed up on how to actually solve function problems. Once you’ve refreshed your understanding of a math topic and learned what you need to learn, you can use your practice problems solidify the knowledge in your head and get you to where you need to be by test day. #2: When you do find practice questions, always try to solve them yourself first without looking to the answer. If you look at a problem and then look straight to the answer, you are not really solving the problem. The answer explanation might make sense to you and even make you feel as though you would have been able to solve the problem on your own, but this feeling can be deceiving. Solving a puzzle yourself and understanding how a puzzle was solved require two entirely different parts of your brain. Always (always!) try to solve a problem yourself first and commit to an answer choice, before you look up the final answer. Remember- you can only improve if you have an accurate picture of your current skill level. #3: Once you’ve brushed up on the topic, take practice problems in multiples at a time, as if you were truly working on the test. As you go through your practice questions, don’t solve questions one at a time and stop to look up the answer after each one (e.g., solve, stop to look up answer, solve, stop to look up answer, solve, stop, etc.). This kind of pacing does NOT give you an accurate picture of how you’ll do on test day and can hamper your progress. (Remember: you won’t be able to verify whether your answers are correct or not on test-day- you simply have to do your best and move forward on multiple questions at a time.) Even if you don’t always sit down to take a full test or a full math section at once, it is still better to answer two or three questions at a time and look up your answers at the very end than it is to simply answer one. #4: If you can use multiple solving methods on a problem, try all the different ways so that you can find the one most comfortable for you. Many ACT math questions can be solved in a variety of ways. Plugging in answers and plugging in numbers are strategies that work for many different types of math questions, but there are others as well. For instance, systems of equations questions can be solved by graphing, subtraction, or substitution, while sequence, polygon, and distance questions can be solved via formulas or by working them out by hand. These are just a few examples and each of our guides will go into further detail. The point remains that most every ACT question is purposefully designed to be solved in multiple ways and different methods work best for different people. Once you’ve finished solving your set of problems, go back and solve them again using a different strategy. Compare this to the first time- which method did you like better? Which was faster? Which made you feel the most confident in your answer? #5: Pace yourself (and your practice questions) Though it may be tempting to get your studying out of the way, do NOT cram all your studying in one go! Improvement happens over time, and you must pace yourself to get the most out of your prep time. In addition, if you blow through all your practice problems at once, you will not have anything else to work with fresh. Again, solving a puzzle yourself and understanding how a puzzle was solved are two very different concepts, so try to pace out your fresh material and your review material so that you can use both parts of your brain in your study prep. #6: Sign up for a test-prep program if you feel you need more material than the free practice questions available. If you feel you’ve exhausted your free study material, then definitely sign up for a test-prep program or buy one of the official study guides available, like the Real ACT Red Book. Not only can a prep program provide you with additional material, but can also help you make the most out of your study time. Our ACT study program at PrepScholar automatically targets your areas of strength and weakness and tailors your studying to you and your needs. No need to assess your patterns yourself- we’ll do all the work for you! And don't underestimate the power of a good nap after you're done studying. The Take-Aways The ACT is unlike most tests you’ll ever come across- it is long, comprehensive, and very specifically designed. Going into it blind (or poorly prepared) is difficult and rarely goes well. The more you can prepare, and the higher quality that preparation is, the better you’ll do. So make sure your study material always comes from the best sources and that you use this material to its absolute best effect while studying. Your goal is to train your brain to look at and solve puzzles in the way that the ACT wants you to, and most people can only do so with focused effort and practice. But always keep in mind too that the ACT is designed to be an achievable and trainable test. With the right practice, it is absolutely possible to succeed and get the scores you want. Once you know how to hone your focus and target specific areas to study, you’ll be mastering ACT math questions in no time. What’s Next? Now that you've looked at your ACT test-taking patterns, check out our individual ACT math guides to help you brush up on any topic that was less familiar to you. Running out of time on the ACT math section? If you found that you didn't have enough time to finish your ACT math section, check out our guide for how to beat the clock and maximize your ACT math score. Unsure about your ACT math formulas? Make sure you've memorized your most important formulas and then check out how to use that knowledge to its best effect. Looking to get a perfect score? Our guide to getting a perfect 36 on ACT math will help get you to where you need to be. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: