Weetzie Bat Essay Example For Students

Weetzie Bat Essay By: Sam Cascy Characters: Weetzie Bat Dirk Duck My secret agent lover man Grandma Fifi Charlie and Brandy Setting: Hollywood and Venice California area Plot: Weetzie and Dirk meet in high school and become best friends, soulmates. Dirk confesses to Weetzie that he is gay, so they set out together to find ideal Ducks (boyfriends, lobers). Brandmother Fifi gives Weetzie a magic lamp in which a Genie grants her three wishes. She wishes for an ideal Duck for Dirk, a My Secret Agent Lover Man for herself and a little house to live in. All three wishes come true. The four of them live in the house together but in sevearl subplots, they have problems that spliet them apart. They finally end up altogether again and Weetzie realizes she may not know happily ever after, but she does know happily. Word Count: 137 We will write a custom essay on Weetzie Bat specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Philadelphia Essays - NYPD Blue, Andy Bernard, Andy Barrett

Philadelphia Essays - NYPD Blue, Andy Bernard, Andy Barrett Philadelphia The movie, Philadelphia, was an excellent example of the severe discrimination many people with Aids are exposed to. In this instance the main character, Andy ,was also gay. Unfortunately, in our society, he was faced with a double whammy. The gay iss is controversial enough, but to compound that in the work force with having Aids would be almost unbearable for any person to cope with. Tom Hanks played Andy with a serious need to communicate to the viewers how everyday life, work, emotions and ment well being are affected by this kind of situation. The movie was well cast and thoughtfully portrayed Andy's serious predicament. The theme was very interesting. It made me realize how lucky I am to not have to deal with those kinds of problems. It's really very frightening to realize, as Andy did, that even our legal system can be discriminating. When he started looking for a lawyer, he found many people who did not want to represent him because of his illness. The frustration he felt must ha been a real burden. Most people were afraid of him. Even the man who finally represented him was afraid of him. He soon came to understand Andy was no threat to his health or his reputation, but someone he learned from and ended up becoming friends th. Andy himself feared his disease even before he was sure he had it. He did not want to go for his blood test. He didn't want to face the reality of having Aids. He really didn't have any choice. After the doctor confirmed his fears and diagnosed him a having Aids, Andy began to deal with the news and the way it was changing his life and how people treated him. His employer was trying to shaft him. He fought for his rights, not knowing what the outcome would be, but knowing this was something he fel he must do. The turning point in the movie for Andy was when he was in the library trying to learn more about Aids. He was asked by the librarian to go to a private room. His lawyer was there and saw this happening, although he was hiding behind a pile of books. guess this is when he realized Andy needed him to help protect his rights. It killed me to think just because someone has an illness people don't understand that they can let their ignorance make them behave in a way they normally wouldn't. To tell yo the truth I can't honestly say I would have acted any different then the librarian did !!! The lawyer took the book Andy was holding out of his hand to show the librarian he was not afraid getting the disease by touching something Andy had touched. An must have felt one hell of a big relief when that happened !!! He finally had someone on his side. I hated the firm Andy worked for. At first they seemed okay, but after they tried shafting Andy, I was really pissed. He worked for them, produced for them, was an asset to their business and then they just blew him off. The blowing him off part wasn as bad as how they tried to do it. They tried to make him look like a loser. They cut down his work, his character, his abilities as an employee. What gives them the right to try and destroy someone's life Especially someone whose life is being d troyed anyway by the disease he has. The illness didn't affect the way he did his job or how well he did it. They were just a bunch of ignorant morons who didn't care about anything other than how having someone with Aids working for them would make t m and their business look..... and in their opinions it could ruin them. So, just fire the guy to cover their own asses. What a bunch of shit !!!! Especially coming from the very institution that was supposed to help protect peoples' rights, lawyers !! The whole system must have really gotten to Andy. Especially because he was a part of that very same system. I agreed with the verdict of the trial hands down. It really made me happy to see Andy get true justice. I also loved to see his so called "associates" eat crow pie !!!! I have to admit I was a little nervous during the trial. I wondered if the jury elt as strongly as I did about Andy's

Is Foundationalism or Coherentism the better model for the Essay

Is Foundationalism or Coherentism the better model for the justification of our beliefs Investigate the arguments on either side and evaluate them - Essay Example Whether B1 is not fundamental, it may have to rise from an additional belief, B2. However, B2 can give good reason for B1 simply if B2 is vindicated itself. Whether B2 is fundamental, the justificatory sequence would finish with B2. However, if B2 is not essential, we could do with a further conviction, B3. Whether B3 is not fundamental, we require a fourth conviction, and so forth. Except the resultant regress comes to an end in an essential belief, we obtain two probabilities: the relapse will either circle back to B1 or carry on ad infinitum. In relation to the relapse argument, the two probabilities are deplorable. Consequently, if there are vindicated beliefs, there ought to be fundamental beliefs (Cornman 145). This argument endures from a variety of weaknesses. Initially, we might question whether the substitutes to foundationalism are in actuality deplorable. In the current literature on this topic, we, in fact, find a highly structured justification of the situation that infinitism is indeed the proper resolution to the regress predicament. Nor must circularity be overlooked too swiftly. The matter is not if a straightforward argument of the structure p consequently p is up to standard. In point of fact, it is not. Somewhat, the matter is eventually whether, in the effort to demonstrate that belief in our abilities is levelheaded, we might make utilization of the effort our abilities deliver. If such circularity is since objectionable as a p-therefore-p conjecture, is an open query. Moreover, the evading of circularity cannot come inexpensive. Experimental foundationalists assert that discernment is a foundation of rationalization. For this reason, they require to respond to the J-query : Why is discernment a basis of rationalization? If the answer this query is to be provided without entrusting ourselves to the type of circularity reliance

Medieval Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medieval Christianity - Essay Example It is said in the text that â€Å"because they presumed to interpret the words of the gospel in a sense of their own, not perceiving that there were any others, they said that the gospel ought to be obeyed altogether according to the letter; and they boasted that wished to do this, and that they only were the true imitators of Christ† suggest clearly that heretics have no right to question the authority of the especially in interpreting the holy scriptures (Augsburg 149). This happens because the church leaders believe firmly that they have authority to conduct teachings. This happens because they want to avoid inconsistencies with the beliefs of the people. However, there should be a consideration on the part of the heretics since some of them are actually pointing out the wrong attitudes of the church. Based on the aforementioned scenario, the subjectivity of faith or religion is undermined given that the authorities assert that there is only one way of reading the bible ins tead of giving chances to people to relate with it. This happened because the dark ages indicated already that church has the power and strict compliance is a must. Instead of the church leaders being guides to the practice of faith, they have become tyrants that dictate the subjective condition of faith.   The text, in general, shows portrays the social turmoil that is going on. There is autocratic rule of the church. He is pointing out that all heretics are wrong. There is an extreme assertion here about faith being an innate human emotion and condition. (Augsburg 149). Also, the text points out that there are indeed inconsistencies that made the heretics deal with it. At the same time, the text is can be considered satirical in nature because of an attempt to delineate heresy with inconsistencies especially when they mentioned the sacrileges and contradictions between the sacred scripture and the saintly wisdoms (Augsberg 149). Also, there is an implication about being exclusiv e on the part of the church and on education. This reflects, in totality, that the medieval condition of the church complicated the function of social institutions and instilled conflict amongst other people that resulted to bloodshed. On the second text entitled On the Pastoral Office by John Wycliffe, the context that befits it is still the Middle Ages and the unjust and horrendous practices that happened during that time. How is this so? The text mentioned something about evil acts or perversion with the devil lingering among the ranks of rulers during the time (Wycliffe 185). This opens up to the synthesis that there are indeed abuses and injustices on the masses perpetrated not just by rulers but also of the church who exercise control over them. This shows that it is indeed the church who proclaim holiness in their words are the ones who exercise.

John F. Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton Essay

John F. Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton - Essay Example Perhaps the most popular statement echoing the core principle of American democracy was spoken by Kennedy himself during his inaugural address: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." (Kennedy) First and foremost, what is democracy The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines it to be "direct participation of the members of a society in deciding on the laws and policies of the society or it may involve the participation of those members in selecting representatives to make the decisions" (Christiano). As such, Kennedy's statement was a call for the active participation of the citizenry. Similarly, one of Clinton's most notable and memorable quotes throughout her political career echoes this same sentiment: "Voting is the most precious right of every citizen, and we have a moral obligation to ensure the integrity of our voting process." (HillaryClintonQuotes) John F. Kennedy, more commonly known as Jack, was not immediately attracted to a life of politics albeit growing up with a highly political family. In a biography by Robert Dallek, Kennedy had been credited for saying, "I never thought at school or college that I would ever run for office myself. . . . I hadn't considered myself a political type, and [it was my brother that] filled all the requirements for political success." (Dallek 117) The Kennedys were rather well known in the arena of politics, and their heritage of Democrats dates back generations. On the other hand, Hillary Rodham Clinton had always been interested in a life of politics. She proclaims, "I was interested in politics from an early age, and I loved to hone my debating skills with my friends. . . I ran for student council and junior class Vice President. I was also an active Young Republican" (Clinton 21). She had indeed begun her political awareness with the influence of her father who was an extremist Republican, but Clinton had eventually developed her own opinions at Wellesley College as she had participated in many political-flavored events. By graduation, she had become a full-fledged Democrat. Though Kennedy had more opportunity to provide service and leadership to the United States because he was elected President, Clinton likewise had her fair share of responsibility as First Lady. It is apparent from their respective stays in the White House, however, that their styles of governance are of different quality. Kennedy was ultimately very anti-communist, while Clinton had subscribed to certain socialist strategies with regard to capitalism. One of the most apparent differences between Clinton and Kennedy is that the latter was loved by most, while Clinton had always been and remains to be controversial in the eyes of many. She is most remembered and criticized for the demeanor with which she had handled her husband's adulterous affair at the Oval Office and her confrontational, no-nonsense attitude. Her political career has been tainted with rumor and gossip. Conversely, it is only admiration and almost veneration that people feel for Kennedy. While Clinton lacks in charm and appeal, Kennedy is

Effect Of Explicit And Implicit Vocabulary Instruction English Language Essay

Effect Of Explicit And Implicit Vocabulary Instruction English Language Essay It is true that vocabulary is central to a language and is of paramount importance to a language learner as Ellis (1994) claims that the cornerstone of L2 is its vocabulary. Instruction is an important contributor in the development of vocabulary knowledge. Implicit vocabulary teaching and learning method involves indirect, or incidental whereas the explicit method involves direct, or intentional. This thesis attempts to find out and compare the effects of the two vocabulary teaching methods on 60 students studying in a Tonekabon University. Control Group (explicit vocabulary teaching) and Experimental group (implicit vocabulary teaching), each group was given a different modes of instruction. During the lessons different explicit vocabulary presentation techniques used including mind-mapping, Persian equivalents and English synonyms and definitions. Subsequently, the teacher utilized an inferred method for teaching vocabulary implicitly which means students were supposed to guess th e words from the passages by using context clues. The researcher used the, the Independent T-Test, Analysis of covariance. The T-tests compared the means of the pretest and posttest scores of each group. ANCOVA was used to identify the progress level from the pretest to the posttest in the groups. The results obtained by the implicit group shows students gained new vocabulary moderately better. And also findings of study in the explicit vocabulary teaching method revealed that in terms of students short term recall of word meanings and the students did well in word retention. The results of this study have important implications for the classroom and make a strong case for implicit and explicit vocabulary instruction. Key Words: Word knowledge, Vocabulary Learning Strategy, Implicit Vocabulary Instruction, Explicit Vocabulary Instruction 1. Background of the Study Vocabulary teaching is one of the most important components of any language classes which help learners to understand languages and express their meanings. If language structures make up the skeleton of language, then it is vocabulary that provides the vital organs and the flesh (Harmer 1993.153). This study provides the view toward students knowledge of words by the influence of different modes of teaching vocabulary in which students are weak in words retention. My interest in vocabulary learning strategies was first aroused when I was an English teacher in Institutes. Year after year, many students complained about the difficulty of memorizing new words. They had realized that their small vocabulary size, which seemed difficult to enlarge, had hampered their English learning. It seemed that they had not found an appropriate way to learn vocabulary. We have not been taught the majority of words which we know. Beyond a certain level of proficiency in learning a language, vocabulary development is more likely be mainly intentional or incidental. In vocabulary acquisition studies, one key research direction is to explore the points at which implicit vocabulary learning is more efficient than explicit vocabulary learning, to ask what are the most effective strategies of implicit learning, and to consider the implications of research results for classroom vocabulary teaching(Carter and Nunan, 2002).Traditional vocabulary instruction for many teachers involves having students look words up in a dictionary, memorize them in word lists, find the nearest equivalent which are often used in order to help students learn new words. But these methods provide what research and theory tell us about word learning and sound vocabulary instruction. 2. Statement of the Problem All instructors through classroom activities usually use different methods and techniques in order to teach vocabulary in the class in which students participate actively. Moreover, the way of teaching is significant in vocabulary learning classes. Among researchers, vocabulary has been concerned the core of learning a language and reading comprehension. Students usually are assumed to learn or memorize the lists of vocabulary in order to increase the knowledge of vocabulary and apply it in understanding passages. Most students suffer from understanding the passages which consist of words that play as a hinder in their perceiving, so teachers should help students out by some principal instruction to make them easy to recognize the meaning of unknown words. Students who are learning English as a foreign language lack the vocabulary necessary to understand the reading material in literature and in the content areas. Many of these students do not have success in reading and listening du e to a deficiency in vocabulary. Unknown words hinder students understanding not only on the reading comprehension portions of these tests, but on understanding of questions on content portions of tests as well. Therefore, it is necessary that successful strategies be found to help these students attain proficiency in the classroom. It has long been a debate as to whether or not explicit instruction increases the acquisition of a second language (Chaudron, 1988). Improvements in reading comprehension in English language learners after explicit vocabulary instruction would provide useful strategies for not only EFL instructors, but for mainstream teachers of classrooms with EFL students. The problem for this study is to investigate the merits. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the effect of explicit and implicit instruction on a development of EFL learners vocabulary learning. 3. Literature review According to Celce-Murcia (2001) knowledge can be gained and represented either implicitly or explicitly and both contribute to language learning. There exists a central debate emerging from the studies dealt with whether effective vocabulary learning should give attention to explicit implicit vocabulary learning. In implicit vocabulary, learning students engage in activities that focus attention on vocabulary. Incidental vocabulary is learning that occurs when the mind is focused elsewhere, i.e. learning without conscious attention or awareness; such as on understanding a text or using language for communicative purposes. From a pedagogically- oriented perspective, the goal of explicit teaching is to lead learners attention, whereas the aim of an implicit focus on form is to draw learners attention. Moreover, individual tasks can be located along an explicit or implicit continuum, and complex tasks may combine both explicit and implicit subtasks. Most researchers recognized that a well-structured vocabulary program needs a balanced approach that includes explicit teaching together with activities providing appropriate contexts for incidental learning. Much discussion in the literature on whether vocabulary is best learned through direct study or incidentally through reading. Schmitt (2000) suggests that learners are able to learn large quantities of vocabulary explicitly, for example, by using word lists and the depth of processing hypothesis suggests that it is more likely for a piece of information to be retained in memory if it is manipulated with more mental effort. On the other hand, Hulstijn (1997) notes that it is difficult to learn everything we need to know, through explicit learning, about the more frequent words but extensive reading can serve this purpose. There is, in fact, evidence that both the explicit and implicit approach can be effective. In light of the drawbacks and benefits of both the explicit and implicit vocabulary learning methods, some linguists have suggested that both methods be used together to supplement each other. The experimental design for this study was a quantitative design. Specifically, the design was a quasi-experimental. This research used two groups, control group and experimental group with no treatment (explicit instruction) and a treatment (implicit instruction). The two methods of instruction were compared. Pretest-posttest experimental design was used to investigate the effectiveness of using implicit and explicit modes of introduction to enhance vocabulary knowledge. In scoring the items on the test, for the vocabulary-recognition portion, the items were multiple choices. Scoring was objective; one point for each correct answer. Scores ranged from 0 to 20 on this portion. On the second section of the test, the vocabulary production portion, the items were fill-in-blank. In order to earn the maximum score of one point for each item, the response had to be grammatically correct and spelled correctly. Scores ranged from 0 to 20 on the production portion of the test. For the vocabulary acquisition portion of the test, the total measures ranged from 0 to 20. For the vocabulary acquisition measures, participants took pre-tests to identify whether or not they had any existing knowledge about the vocabulary that was the focus for the particular unit. For this study, it was important to be able to identify the number of vocabulary words that were gained (pre- versus post- scores) as opposed to identifying only the number of vocabulary words that were known at the end of the unit (post-test only). By administering pre-and post-tests, the researcher was able to remove any influence of prior knowledge of these vocabulary words by the participants. By obtaining several values for each participant and alternating the methods of instruction, the researcher was able to help overcome the small sample size and the possibility of maturation of the participants. This also helped to decrease the effect for a particularly interesting unit or particularly uninteresting unit. The final analysis of the data was approximately three months. Table 2 illustrate s the timeline of the experiment with reference to the pre-tests and the units of instruction. To collect data for this study, three instruments were utilized 🙠 1) OPT test t; (2) pretest (i.e. a TOEFL Vocabulary test; (3) posttest (i.e. A TOEFL proficiency test) Vocabulary Levels Tests (Nation, 1990), which is among the best known vocabulary measurement tools to date, will be selected to determine the size of the participants vocabulary. A comparison of the mean scores of test obtained by the two groups shows that, very obviously, performance was a bit higher when the target words were taught through an implicit vocabulary instruction technique of inferred passage than when target words were associated with mid-mapping technique and synonyms and definitions in the passages. The students who participated in this study were sixty students enrolled in university in one semester. The test scores for all sixty students were collected and listed with a numerical reference rather than by name. (Refer to Appendix B) In this study, participants took part in six vocabulary units. These units were a part of 400 must-have words for the TOEFL about the same length, and on various topics. Within this program, there were also teacher-reviewed vocabulary lists and classroom tested strategies for implicit and explicit vocabulary teaching. Each part was on the same vocabulary level and the units were designed to be of similar length. There were two different modes of instruction. In one mode of instruction, implicit instruction, the teacher utilized a inferred method for teaching a vocabulary unit. Moreover, students were supposed to guess the words from the passages by using context clues. In the other mode of instruction, explicit instruction, the teacher utilized specific strategies for (mind-mapping technique, synonyms and definitions). Table 2 outlines the daily schedule for each unit. It distinguishes the implicit instruction strategies from the explicit instruction strategies. The independent variable for this study was the mode of instruction implicit classroom instruction versus explicit vocabulary instruction. These modes were applied to the same group of students, but alternated on the basis of the vocabulary unit. The dependent variables for this study were the vocabulary gained and scores-both of which were collected on the basis of each vocabulary unit (approximately every week). For the vocabulary scores, the lowest possible score was 0 and the highest possible score was 20. Since the focus of this study was to compare conditions with and without explicit vocabulary instruction, the number of words gained for each unit was used. Research Questions: 1-Does explicit teaching of vocabulary affect Iranian EFL learners knowledge of vocabulary? 2-Does implicit teaching of vocabulary affect Iranian EFL learners knowledge of vocabulary? 3-Does the experimental groups (implicit) of the study show progress from the pre-test to post-test? 4-Does the control group (explicit) of the study show progress from pre-test to the post-test study? The hypotheses used for this analysis are as follows: 4. Research Hypotheses H1: Explicit teaching of vocabulary does not affect Iranian EFL learners knowledge of vocabulary. H2: Implicit teaching of vocabulary affects Iranian EFL learners knowledge of vocabulary. H3: The experimental(implicit) of the study shows progress from the pre-test to post-test of study. H4: The control group (explicit) of study does not show progress from pre-test to the post-test study. 4.1 Participants The research participants for the study included the researcher as the classroom teacher and two groups of students. The total of 60 undergraduate students were (40 males and 20 females) of English as a Foreign Language in the Islamic Azad University of Tonekabon, Iran. Their age ranges from 19 and 23. Informed consent was obtained from all students verbally. These students were chosen in the diversity of the group including characteristics such as gender, age, and years of learning English as a Foreign Language. Some 30 students majoring in English were chosen. As previously discussed in the rationale for this research, this kind of situation often places high stress on students as well as teachers and leads to a classroom instructional focus geared toward rote memorization (explicit) rather than higher level thinking (implicit). It was within this context that this researcher sought answers to the questions guiding this study. Two sets of test scores of a single group of sixty students were analyzed to determine if a statistically significant gain existed. The independent t-test was used to determine if the mean gains of the two groups of scores were significantly different from one another. The t-test was chosen because it adjusts for the distribution of the small sample size.(Gay Airasian, 2003). The test was run first for the vocabulary acquisition variable (refer to Hypothesis 1) and then again for the vocabulary knowledge variable (refer to Hypothesis 2). Statistically significant gains in the means of the groups of scores (control group) would indicate that explicit vocabulary instruction does have an effect in EFL words retention. A positive difference would be an indication of additional benefits (more vocabulary acquired and/or higher retention) derived from the implicit instruction. In examining the overall classroom performance, a higher average on units taught using explicit vocabulary instruc tion would indicate an overall benefit for using explicit vocabulary instruction in the classroom. The OPT test and pretest were administered one week apart, with the second test administered the day prior to implementation of the program. The posttest was administered immediately upon the conclusion of the study. All data were collected during the students regularly scheduled vocabulary class by the researcher who had no relationship with classroom participants .It could be one of the limitations of the study. Students in both study conditions received the same pretest and posttest. Test directions instruct students in order to receive full credit; all work must be shown, regardless of how they arrive at their answer. Students were allowed and required to utilize some techniques to answer questions on the test. For this research study, the modes of instruction were the independent variable because it was hypothesized to impact the vocabulary knowledge on the posttest. The dependent variable was the vocabulary knowledge measured by the posttest scores after the treatment. The analysis would use two methods to data analysis in order to answer the research questions: the independent T-Test and ANCOVA. Independent T-tests were used to answer the first and second research question. ANCOVA was used to answer the third and fourth research questions. 5. Results This research study aimed to investigate the effects of vocabulary modes of instruction on word knowledge for an experimental group (N=30) of college students at the Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran. In order to compare the improvement from the pretest to the posttest of the study, the researcher used the, the Independent T-Test, Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The T-tests compared the means of the pretest and posttest scores of each group and, therefore to answer the first research question and second question. ANCOVA was used to identify the progress level from the pretest to the posttest in the groups, and therefore to answer the third and fourth research questions. In this section the results of the study based on the participants scores on the pretests and posttests in both groups will be presented. H1: Explicit teaching of vocabulary does not affect Iranian EFL learners knowledge of vocabulary. As viewed in Figure 4.1, the histogram forms a symmetric shape confirming that the scores are normal. For answering question one, two sets of test scores of two group students were analyzed to determine if a statistically significant gain existed. The independent t-test was used to determine if the mean gains of the two groups of scores were significantly different from one another. According to (Table 4.2), observed t value equals 2.343. A comparison made between this t value and the critical t value in the table (Table 4.4) adopted from Hatch and Farhady (1981, p. 272) shows that the critical t value equals 2.In other words the observed t is higher than the critical t value. Therefore, the null hypothesis derived from the first research question is rejected and it can be indicated that the research independent variable explicit teaching of vocabulary has effect learners knowledge of vo cabulary. Table 4.2 Independent Samples Test Levenes Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means F Sig. t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference Std. Error Difference 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Posttest Score Equal variances assumed .016 .901 2.343 58 .023 1.633 .697 .238 Equal variances not assumed 2.343 57.931 .023 1.633 .697 .238 Table 4.1 implicit and explicit posttest score Treatment N Mean Std. Deviation Posttest Score Implicit 30 14.83 2.653 Explicit 30 13.20 2.747 Table 4.3 pretest and posttest of experimental group Mean N Std. Deviation Pair 1 Pretest Score 11.26 30 1.375 Posttest Score 14.74 30 2.782 As Table 4.3 displays, the results of the descriptive analysis showed how the participants performed on the pretest and the posttest as well as the dispersion of the scores on the two tests. The mean scores of the pretest and the posttest in the Experimental Group were M = 11.26 (N = 30, SD =1.375) and M = 14.74 (N = 30, SD = 2.782) respectively. The significant difference between the two mean scores and the standard deviation indicated the group performed heterogeneously before and after the treatment. Having calculated the descriptive statistics based on the students scores on the pretest and the posttest, the researcher conducted a T-test to determine if the means significantly different. Table 4.4 Descriptive Statistics of the Overall Comparison between Pretest and Posttest in the CG Mean N Std. Deviation Pair 1 Pretest Score 11.52 30 2.327 Posttest Score 13.19 30 2.815 Table 4.4 shows comparisons between the pretest and the posttest mean scores for the experimental group. The purpose of this comparison is to find out whether the participants in the EG made changes in their vocabulary knowledge performance after the treatment. There is a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest performance of the groups (p>.05). There was no statistical evidence found to reject the second null hypothesis. H2: Implicit teaching of vocabulary affects Iranian EFL learners knowledge of vocabulary. Tables 4.4 shows comparisons between the pretest and the posttest mean scores for the control groups. The purpose of this comparison is to find out whether the participants in CG made changes in vocabulary knowledge after treatment. There is not a statistically significant difference between the pretest and posttest performance of the group (p>.05). This means the EG did significantly improve their vocabulary knowledge after the treatment. We can come to a conclusion that both the explicit vocabulary teaching technique (mind-mapping) and the implicit vocabulary teaching approach (inferred passage) brought lexical gains to the students in both groups. This finding is in line with the viewpoint of Carter and Nation (2001), who suggest that both the explicit and implicit methods can be effective. Nevertheless, in comparison, when word meanings were explicitly taught to the subjects through mind-mapping, semantic and short term recall of the target words were better than when the word meanings had to be inferred from the passages. This finding ran to Krashrens argument that competence in and vocabulary is most efficiently attained by comprehensible input in the form of reading (Krashen 1989, p.440). Krashen maintains that according to his Comprehensible Input Hypothesis which assumes that we acquire language by understanding messages (p.440), comprehensible input is the essential to language acquisition and vocabulary and spelling are acquired in the same way the rest of language is acquired (p.440). H3: The experimental(implicit) of the study shows progress from the pre-test to post-test of study. Before answering this question and presenting the descriptive results based on the experimental groups scores on the pretest and posttest of the study, the issue of whether or not scores follow a normal distribution should be investigated. Figure 4.5 is the histogram of the scores with a symmetrical shape showing the normality of the distribution. On the basis of the table (4.7), that the F value in the treatment row equal is 18.635 above shows that there is a significant different between the two research groups (EG, CG). In addition the sig. value (.000) in the same row shows that it is above the p-value (p>0.5). Hence it is stated that different between the mean scores is not haphazard or accidental and the third hypothesis supported and fourth null hypothesis is rejected. In order to answer this question, ANCOVA was conducted for finding any significant differences in the level of progress achieved by the control group. In all of these analyses the significant level was set at p H4: The control group (explicit) of study does not show progress from pre-test to the post-test study. In order to answer this question, ANCOVA was conducted for finding any significant differences in the level of progress achieved by the control group. In all of these analyses the significant level was set at p Summary It is true that vocabulary is central to a language and is of paramount importance to a language learner as Ellis (1999) claims that the cornerstone of L2 is its vocabulary. Instruction is an important contributor in the development of vocabulary knowledge. Implicit vocabulary teaching and learning method involves indirect, or incidental whereas the explicit method involves direct, or intentional. This paper attempts to find out and compare the effects of the two vocabulary teaching methods on 60 students studying in a Tonekabon University. Control Group (explicit vocabulary teaching) and Experimental group (implicit vocabulary teaching), each group was given a different modes of instruction. During the lessons different explicit vocabulary presentation techniques used including mind-mapping, Persian equivalents and English synonyms and definitions. Subsequently, the teacher utilized an inferred method for teaching vocabulary implicitly which means students were supposed to guess the words from the passages by using context clues. The researcher used the, the Independent T-Test, Analysis of covariance. The T-tests compared the means of the pretest and posttest scores of each group. ANCOVA was used to identify the progress level from the pretest to the posttest in the groups. The results obtained by the implicit group shows students gained new vocabulary moderately better. And also findings of study in the explicit vocabulary teaching method revealed that in terms of students short term recall of word meanings and the students did well in word retention. The results of this study have important implications for the classroom and make a strong case for implicit and explicit vocabulary instruction.

Why People Write? :: essays papers

Why People Write? People write for many reasons. They write to educate, , and to entertain to express their feelings of emotions of joy or sadness, also to preserve history In Maya Angelou’s story â€Å"Graduation† in Fields of Reading she teaches us about racism in the south in the 1940’s. Angelou writes about how schools in the south were segregated. Black students were deprived of resources to enable students to learn. While schools were endowed with all the resources needed for a prominent education. They were going to have the newest microscopes and chemistry equipment for their laboratory.1 Not only does Maya Angelou write about lack of resources in the black schools she also writes that even after the students graduated that they merely going to be carpenter, athletes and entertainers. †¦and our boys ( the girls weren’t even on it) would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises.2 Maya Angelou is not the only writer who wrote to educate her readers. Prince Modupe who wrote The Royal African, educated people about his culture, his religion and how power among his people was passed down through women. Prince Modupe tells us about how his courage was tested by the elders by fighting with leopards. this is the way a youths courage was tested by the elders of the community. I am that youth whose courage was tested in hand to hand combat with a leopard.3 Prince Modupe also talks about how everything is passed down through the women from generation to generation. These things consisting of property, rights, and even the succession to the throne. .Our nations system was matriarchal. Grandfather sat the throne because there was no female successor for the office in his mother’s family†¦descended through women.4 Another writer who writes to educate is Martin Luther King. He writes about racism and about non-violence in the United States in the 1960’s. King speaks of liberalism and neo-orthodoxy. King says that these two theories are inadequate. Man needs a reason as much as he needs God. Liberalism was too sentimental concerning human nature and that it leaned toward a false idealism. On the other hand he says that neo-orthodoxy fell as the mood of anti-rationalism and semi-fundamentalism , ( stressing a narrow biblicism). While I saw neo-orthodoxy as a helpful corrective for a sentimental liberalism,†¦ If liberalism was too optimistic†¦neo-orthodoxy was too pessimistic. 5 People also write to entertain, whether it be a funny quote or a full comedy to

Cardiac Arrest

Sudden cardiac death happens more these days. There are so many people alone in the United States who just stops breathing with no heart disease involved. So why did their heart stop? There are so many researchers out there trying to figure out the underlying cause of these people who this happen to. There can be other reason why a person’s heart can stop without having a cardiac disease. A person’s body may store minerals that control the arrhythmia of the heart to act a different way. An example would be like too much potassium stored in ones body can actually stop the heart. This usually will happen more frequent in patients who receive dialysis on a regular basis; they depend on that to excrete fluids from the kidneys. There could be other health issues that could cause your heart to beat differently or to cause other underlying issues to put your heart in more stress. Some of these health issues would be diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases and hypertension. These can be fatal to ones heart if not taken care of properly. In the article, â€Å"Sudden cardiac arrest without overt heart disease† it actually talks about an investigation on a survivor from cardiac arrest. In this investigation Dr. Modi and Dr. Krahn do some testing and get some family background information. First they found out that through this survivor their family history was not cardiac related at all. They ran a test called baseline electrolyte and metabolic testing to look at the cardiac electricity. This is to see if was related to the cardiac arrest. Coronary imaging was another test the doctors ran and didn’t show any abnormalities. Usually this type of test is to see if the patient has any coronary artery disease especially the ones with previous symptoms of shortness of breath or chest pain. Echocardiography is to detect congenital heart defects and checks for cardiomyopathy. This is usually performed in a cath lab and watched very closely. They look at all the ventricles of the heart as well. A stress test is used to see how well your heart does under stress. You are hooked up to ecg machine and it looks at your QT waves. This is a very popular test that is runned for patients with previous cardiac symptoms. There is also a more advanced imaging test they can run which is a MRI. This is more detailed when it comes to detecting things like an infection of the heart called myocarditis. The last test that was taken was a 12 lead EKG. This is a simple and fast test. This can see if a patient has tachycardia (fast heartbeat), Atrial fibrillation, Bradycardia (slow heartbeat), PVCs(Premature ventricular contractions) and other arrhythmia issues. Sometimes the EKG doesn’t catch it because it literally is a 5 second test. The other way is to wear a heart monitor that you can wear from 20-30 days. This is a sure way to find out if there is an issue. There has been an instance where a patient has a normal sinus rhythm at the doctors office and then wears a heart monitor will find something on it. It can be quite scary! Luckily they have medicine for lots of these cardiac issues. Medicines can vary from beta blockers to cholesterol pills to take on a daily basis. The beta blockers are simply to regulate blood pressure and heart rate; and cholesterol pills that help lowers it to keep from the arteries to get filled with plaque which can later cause a heart attack. Sometimes with these medications there are risks that can happen with all the side effects. Some people never have side effects and others do. The only way to help that is to typically have surgery or if it’s not bad enough just live your life. Unfortunately you can’t control everything but just be cautious. Finally with all the tests and medications out there to help diagnose why this person had a sudden cardiac arrest there is more testing that needs to be performed to get more answers. The doctors are considering doing genetic testing . They believe this might help with future cardiac arrests don’t to happen. Although there are many tests that were talked about like MRI, stress tests, EKG, Cath lab procedures and even medicines can’t control what might happen to anyone. With all this technology we can only do so much and protect only what we know. Hopefully with more research there will be a better outcome.

Political and Economic Concerns in Iraq

Political and Economic Concerns in Iraq Introduction In the future paper, I would like to examine political and economic concerns in Iraq. In particular, it is to discuss the relationship between political stability in this country and the stagnation of the economy. They will be regarded as inter-dependent variables. In order to illustrate my arguments, I will discuss the violent attacks that occurred in Baghdad on March 19, 2013. One should discuss the causes and consequences of this event. The findings of this analysis can be helpful for explaining the challenges that the Iraqi society currently faces.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Political and Economic Concerns in Iraq specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main causes of the event While examining the causes of this event, I will focus on two factors. First of all, much attention should be paid the problem of corruption. It should be taken into account that at the moment, the Iraqi politicians are amon g the most corrupt ones in the Middle East. This issue is a significant barrier that prevents the growth of businesses and lowers the conditions of living in the country. So, it leads to the discontent of many citizens and protests that can often be violent. It should be taken into account that this country is torn by different the representative of various political and religious factions. In order to illustrate this issue, I will focus on the attacks that took place on March 19. In this case, one should focus on the bombings and violent demonstrations that were aimed against the current Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki. Consequences This event is important for my discussion because it suggests that economic development is closely related to the political situation in the country. The problem is that Iraq economy fails to achieve sufficient growth because of the insurgencies that took place in the March of 2013. Many local entrepreneurs can be afraid of starting their operations in the country since they do not know whether their rights will be protected by the state. Furthermore, this instability deprives the country from the access to the international capital. So, the relations between economic and political life will be the most important part of the paper. Sources While writing the paper, I may use various sources such as academic books and peer-reviewed articles that examine the political and economic development of the post-war Iraq. Furthermore, I will have to incorporate some of the recent newspaper reports in order to tell more about the bombings and shootings which occurred on March 19, 2013. Conclusion and the main theme In my opinion, this approach is helpful for understanding the political and economic concerns that exist in Iraq. The event that has been chosen for discussion is important because it shows that the level of prosperity in the society can be determined by the political situation in this country. It seems that these issues should be considered by the legislators of Iraq as well as political leaders of other nations.Advertising Looking for essay on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Overall, the main theme is the transformation of the post-war society that can be adversely affected by various internal and external forces. It is important to explain how a country like Iraq recovers from the military, economic, and political collapse. The discussion presented in my paper will show how arduous this transformation is. This is the main issue that should be kept in mind.

Butlers Chocolate Company Essays

Butlers Chocolate Company Essays Butlers Chocolate Company Paper Butlers Chocolate Company Paper Butlers Chocolates was established in 1932 by Mrs Bailey Butler. In 1959 the company was purchased and has been owned by Mr. Seamus Sorensen since that time. The Butlers Irish Chocolates brand was born in 1984. It was named in memory of Ms Marion Bailey Butler. Butlers Chocolates is located is Clonshaugh, Dublin 17 since 2003. It is a private manufacturing limited company. The company is the leading luxury chocolate producer in Ireland and operates from a custom built production facility in North Dublin. The starting point was, when in 1932, Mrs. Bailey-Butler began to produce a range of handmade chocolates from her house in Dublins Fitzwilliam Square. The company produces a wide range of delicious confectionery products including chocolate assortments such as truffles, fudge, toffee, chocolate bars and seasonal novelties. In November 1998 the first Butlers Chocolate Cafe opened its doors on Wicklow St, Dublin. Since then, thousands of customers have visited the shops. In addition to a relaxing cafe ambience, Butlers Chocolate Cafes also offer a top quality retail outlet. This unique combination is now very successful. It is a unique concept that has become hugely popular with tourists and locals alike. Butlers have also introduced many other innovations including: * mail order gifts * internet marketing * club membership * discount schemes. Nowadays Butlers Chocolate Cafe has a big market. In 1998 due to new website www.butlerschocolates.com went live, fourteen Butlers Chocolate Cafes have opened, including 2 franchises in New Zealand. Retail shops have already opened up all over Ireland. The company has created a very successful concept Butlers Chocolate Cafes of which there are now 8. There is a flagship cafe at Dublin Airport and another one at Dundrum Town Centre. The most recent cafe opening has been in Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork last December. Butlers have also expanded into the U.K market and their chocolates are now widely available in most major airports throughout the UK and at Waitrose stores. From 2006 to the present day Butlers have developed new products, launching their first organic chocolate range, dark chocolate selection, 200g Chocolate cube range, Butlers Chocolate Cafe ice cream as well as Take Home Ice Cream amongst others. Also in collaboration, Butlers Chocolates launched a range of chocolates with Irish Fashion designer, Orla Kiely.1 The Cafes are a unique concept and offer the consumer the ultimate chocolate treat. This treat is delivered by way of chocolate drinks, chocolate cakes and pastries and hot beverages, including the award winning Butlers Hot Chocolate. Their Hot chocolate Sauce has won a gold medal at the London Great Taste Awards. The company has won a number of awards in recent years including the Bord Bia Brand Marketing Award and the Crest Retail Excellence Award for Butlers Chocolate Cafe, Henry Street. What make Butlers chocolates so different is the combination of the finest chocolate with fresh Irish cream, butter, eggs and secret recipes. Butlers Irish Handmade Chocolates are still located in Dublin and Mrs. Bailey-Butlers original recipes and techniques have been handed down to the present generation. They have stood the test of time, winning many top awards, in Ireland and abroad. The Irish Chocolate Company supplies three distinct markets. First one is an international duty free market which was opened in Irelands main airports such as Dublin, Shannon and Cork. In addition, duty free outlets were sourced on the ferry routes between Ireland and the UK. Also the company produces a range of gifts that have been proven very successful in international market including England, US, Russia and Dubai. It has gained a significant foothold over the last four years in the domestic market as well. The company has strived to choose stores that are match with the Butlers brand, looking for prestige, exclusivity and luxury.

A critical analysis of the media's reporting of politics and the Essay

A critical analysis of the media's reporting of politics and the political process - Essay Example Powell (1990) says that it is ‘this form of connection that will determine our lives’. Thus, critical analysis of media’s reporting of politics and political process has become essential to evaluate its role in the changing dynamics of socio-political and economic paradigms of a nation. The various elements of political system vis-Ã  -vis changing dynamics of society, government, political parties, corporate world etc. have become vital ingredients of exploitation by the media. In the recent times, the role of media in the political campaign has come under lot of flak for myriad reasons (Bakir, 2006; Hall Jamieson & Waldmann, 2004; Patterson, 1980). While sometimes media exploits them for its own vested interests, other times it is exploited by the system, especially the political parties and politicians and the corporate world to garner support for their own political agenda (Kepplinger, 2007; Ridout & Mellen, 2007). The media, everywhere in the world, is a leading agency for projecting the ideologies and news to a huge target population or viewers. The larger the audience base, the more powerful it becomes. The media in its various format like television, radio and newspaper and magazine, basically has the main objective of informing the audience of the events and news that are taking place around the world or it may just be region-centric, depending whether it is targeting domestic or international market. In the early eighties, there were about 80 media houses which have now shrunk to only five. These are Time Warner, Walt Disney Company, Murdoch’s New Corporation, Viacom and Bertelsmann. This cartel of big five, control a lot more than media houses. Each of them has stake in all forms of mass media; be it radio and television, newspaper and publishing house or motion pictures. They have become strong

Personal Statement for MSc Investment & Wealth Management [Imperial

For MSc Investment & Wealth Management [Imperial College London] - Personal Statement Example This company also increased my knowledge in insurance and financial services including wealth or asset management, and at this point, I realized I was in a wrong course. My love and passion for things to do with finance, banking, insurance and asset or wealth management increased. It was until recently when I went back to work again with HSBC under internship program that I then realized that I needed to pursue a career in a field that relates finance and assets as I mostly used to deal with loaning sector when the loan was based majorly on assets and the collateral. After a thorough search and consultation, I landed on the Msc. Program in Investment and Wealth Management to be the best course for me as it encompasses all my recent work experiences. My positions of past responsibilities include being a student trainee at the AIA International Limited. Here, my achievement included learning various insurance products and services as well as taking part in a group project to expose me to being a good team player. I also held the position of a student trainee at the HSBC Commercial Bank where I achieved experience from a day to day operation and the experience of working under an assigned manager. Ive also held the position of a quality control engineer assistant at the KeyStone Electric Wire and Cable Limited. Here, I was responsible for filing, lodging and inputting the cable testing data and documents. I also was responsible for multi-tasking, weight and size calculations of various wires and cables as I also assisted in writing cable specification reports. Lastly, I have also held the position of an assistant technician at Chung Sing Taxi Limited at the maintenance department. Here, my responsibilities included examining and i dentifying problems in the taxis as well as performing maintenance and repairs. All these positions held, and responsibilities have molded me to being one person who is focused, experienced