Analyzes pages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyzes pages - Essay Example When one considers the role transportation plays in the global dissemination of goods and services, it is but natural to conclude that those nations that constitute the hub of international shipping and road routes are poised to benefit much owing to their geographical location. According to Warf, globalization signifies a â€Å"†¦ unprecedented growth in interconnectedness, of flows of capital, goods, people and information across those borders†¦ (Warf 271).† Being geographically located at important points on the international trade routes makes a nation have access to the global goods and services and the commensurate influences they bring in their wake (Warf 284). Thereby, being exposed to the global trading activities, such nations but naturally tend to accrue economic efficiency that is the hallmark of globalization owing to having a ready access to a wide range of goods and services at a low cost, the economies of scale and the competitive advantage that goes with them. Such nations are also more exposed to diverse ideas, philosophies and cultures (Warf 284). Geographically speaking, being the primary producer of a specific resource also makes a nations accrue the fruits of globalization. For instance, considering the concentration of the petroleum industry in the Middle East, the nations in this region are bound to be influenced by global trends and ideas and are relatively more susceptible to globalization. However, the thing that needs to be kept in mind is that many a time geography may also impede globalization. For instance the regions where the transportation routes and communications technologies are not well developed like say the sub-Saharan nations, owing to economic, political, cultural or climatic reasons, may not cull out the benefits of globalization. This is because such regions are not conducive to the free flow of goods and services, people and ideas for globalization is about,

The themes in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

The themes in Hamlet Essay Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a revenge tragedy that illustrates a tragic heros struggle with two opposing forces: moral integrity, and the need to avenge his fathers murder. Hamlet the prince of Denmark discovers from his fathers ghost that his father has been murdered with malicious premeditation and this atrocious act was committed by none other than his uncle Claudius. Inevitably Hamlet is instigated to seek revenge, however is incapable of such action due to the need for certainty and other emotional, psychological, and ethical factors; thus he remains indecisive. Through Hamlets complex, divided, introspective character and with the help of such an intriguing plot Shakespeare exposes the themes of immorality, revenge, and death; which are evidently the most significant and recurring themes throughout the play. Immorality plays a significant role in the play. The plot commences with Claudius not only committing the immoral act of regicide but also repulsively seducing the queen into marriage; completely disrupting the natural order of Denmark. Therefore Claudius has deprived the prior king of life, of crown, of queen Such corruption leads to Denmark being represented as a physical body which has been made ill as the people come to believe that something is rotten in the state. (I, iv, 90) The appearance of the previous kings ghost confirms a sense of foreboding about the future of the country since the new king has forced himself onto the throne through corrupt means. All this corruption affects Hamlets view of the world as well, where he comes to believe that the world is merely possessed by things rank in gross in nature. ( I, ii, 136) Even before Hamlet encounters his fathers ghost who reveals the truth about the murder, Hamlet is searing with indignation over how his mother with most wicked speed, [did] post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets (I,ii,156 157) Thus Hamlet foreshadows that such dissolute deeds cannot come to good (I. ii. 158) However when the ghost does reveal the truth Hamlet is overwhelmed with disgust at the immorality and injustice of his own uncles and his mothers foul deeds. Inevitably the occurrences of such immoral acts have brought a burning need within Hamlet, a need to seek to revenge; which is another significant theme that recurs throughout the play. Indisputably, revenge is probably the most essential theme in the development of Hamlet. Revenge is a dreadful, decadent and a bloodthirsty emotion and is the driving force behind two of the main characters in the play- Hamlet and Laertes. However Shakespeares conduct of revenge within Hamlet differs completely to the quintessential style of revenge during his era. Shakespeares illustration of revenge delves more into the physiological and moral aspect of seeking revenge; where he portrays that revenge is not an action that usually comes innately because even overpowering emotion cannot bring about immediate action. Therefore Hamlet contemplates heavily and plans the revenge, but fails to put his ideas into action until the last scene. The first sign of revenge is evidently seen in the beginning where Hamlets fathers ghost urges him to revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. (I. v.25). However Hamlet was still not convinced by the ghost as he believes it may be the devil( II,ii) Therefore in order to catch Claudiuss conscience and prove the ghosts message, Hamlet has a play enacted in the scenario of his fathers murder. This shows Hamlets need for certainty and deep contemplation. Even after The kings outburst when he had the perfect opportunity to kill whilst he was praying, Hamlet failed to perform. Hamlet states Now he is praying a villain kills my father and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven( III,iii). It is evident that Hamlet is a man with too much reason (III.ii) and not enough action. One could argue that it is as if he develops excuses for not completing the deed, mainly because he is human and that the deed is immoral. Therefore he is incapable of performing such action immediately. This proves that every action; even revenge is affected by rational considerations, involving the need for truth or certainty as well as moral, physiological and emotional factors. Nevertheless it seems as though Hamlet disbelieves the notion of performing a deed in a purposeful and controlled way; because when Hamlet does take action; killing Polonius, he prefers to do it irresponsibly, blindly and viciously. It evidently shows his thirst for revenge as well as the obscurity and complexity of his character. Hamlets blind, irrational, and impulsive, manner of killing Polonius without being aware of his identitiy formulates the beginning of a vicious cycle of retribution; as Hamlet becomes a part of Denmarks squalor and misery. This irrepressible and unjustifiable murder instigated Laertess(Poloniuss son) quest to avenge his fathers death. Later on in act 5 Hamlet and Laertes have the opportunity to avenge their fathers in a gruesome duel. However this only leads to their downfall, revenges eventual outcome- death. Shakespeare utilizes the theme of death as a cleanser of corruption, as all the corrupt players are killed through unnatural means which ultimately restores the natural order of Denmark. As destined the characters receive the deaths they deserve. Thus the king dies in Hamlets hand as well as being poisoned like the queen, whereas Hamlet dies in a soldierly fashion being provided the respect a soldier deserves. Inevitably death is seen as the ultimate resolution for immoral injustice. Death is not only seen as a cleanser of corruption but according to Hamlet death carries various meaning involving freedom, inevitability and the fact that death renders life meaningless. It is evident that Hamlets obsession with death works in three stages: death as a means of escape or freedom, his circle of life theory and the physical decay of death which proves the futility of life. From the very beginning Hamlets seems to find the world weary, stale, flat and unprofitable. (I,ii,129-134) and would have ended his agony by committing suicide if the everlasting had not fixed his canon `gainst self-slaughter. ( I. ii. 129-134) Hamlet ponders over the means to handle his outrageous fortune(III,i, lines 58-70)and contemplates whether he should fight the slings and arrows (III,i lines 58-70) that life has thrown upon him or he should end the heart ache and a thousand natural shocks (III, i,lines 58-70) by killing himself. However he is afraid of the after life and chooses the nobler (III. i, 58-70) path to face the suffering of life in order to avoid the gruesome aftermath of death. According to Hamlet aftermath can also involve the grave where the person has to face worms and maggots feeding on him, evidently pointing out that death is a leveler which inevitably everyone is entitled for. Therefore he believes that life goes around in a circle because a man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath feed of that worm. (IV,iii, 30-32) Hamlet also believes that life is meaningless because after death all physical beauty is lost. So with Yoricks skull in hand he reminisces upon all the moments he spent with Yorick and what has become of him now. Likewise, regardless of how women emphasize on their beauty; as Hamlet states to this favor she must come. (V. i. 192-195) Evidently Shakespeare, through the voice of Hamlet proves that all the greed and lust for power eventually leads to nothing in the face of death. Shakespeares utilization of the significant intertwining themes of death, revenge and immorality, he is able to coherently elucidate how immoral injustice can never be restored and unless all the corrupt players are purged and a new king, in this case Fortinbras, is crowned. In addition Shakespeare also exposes that ultimately revenge is not the solution for internal peace but rather when committed it brings forth chaos and disorder within the society; forcing death to be the only resolution to cleanse the corruption and bring back peace and harmony to the state. In the process of the play these universal themes are dealt not in the conventional sense but in a reality based fashion which any human being can easily relate to, and this is what makes Hamlet such a tour de force.

Huck Finn Paper :: essays research papers fc

How would you like to have a drunk, abusive father? Well in Huckleberry Finn’s everyday life that’s what he has to deal with. Huck‘s father, which he calls Pap, has a really bad drinking problem which adds on to his abusive ways. In this story Huck inherited a large sum of money and the towns people knew that Pap would be coming for him and the money. Pap is characterized different from the novel, the movie, and Big River, can he really be compassionate? Pap seems to be victimized by the government as the town drunk and not a good role model for his son, but it turns around when he shows compassion when he thinks Huck has died.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the movie Huck portrays his death so he could escape his abusive father. When Pap arrives to the made up murder scene he seems very upset. Pap started crying and screaming at the thought of his son being murdered. The money that Huck inherited was the driving force for Pap to be reunited with him. The made up death however shows that Pap wanted to be a part of Huck’s life. Pap wanted what was best for Huck. It seemed like Pap wanted to be a part of Huck’s life that’s why he brought Huck out to the cabin to where no one could civilize him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel, Pap didn’t seem to care about Huck. The only reason he wanted to take Huck into his custody was for the money so he could buy alcohol, as that‘s what the people in the town thought. Huck was afraid of his father since he always abused him. â€Å"I used to be scared of him all the time, he tanned me so much. I reckoned I was scared now, too† (Twain 19). Huck was in a good home, living with Widow Douglas and Mrs. Watson; he was actually getting educated and the positive teaching such as praying as he should. â€Å"She told me to pray everyday† (Twain 12). Pap didn’t want that; he didn’t feel the need for his son to be educated if he wasn’t. â€Å"You’re educated, too, they say--can read and write. You think you’re better’n your father, now, don’t you, because he can’t?† (Twain 21). Even though Pap was very abusive, a drunk and seemed to be really mean, he struggle d through the death of his son.

Earth-Like Planets

Running head: Earth-Like Planets Earth-Like Planets T. Nailor Miller-Motte College Online Critical Thinking – GS235 Dr. Marshall Lloyd Earth-Like Planets Introduction Do you believe that there is life on other planets? Better yet, do you believe that there is another planet that looks like earth? As far as I can remember, there has always been the question of â€Å"is there life in outer space? I remember being in grade school wondering if there were humans or aliens on other planets and if they were trying to communicate with us. Around January 1986 the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded during takeoff in front of the entire world.As a teenager, this event was tragic and amazing at the same time because I felt that we were on our way to discovering new planets, solar systems, and other life forms. This tragic event was the start of my interest in outer space. Fast forward to 2012, the science community has greatly advanced our technology since the mid-eighties. Today, we have computers in everything, all types of space probes orbiting the universe, and unbelievable amounts of knowledge about outer space and other planets, but yet, and still, no proof of life in outer space. Will we ever know?Will we ever meet aliens? Only time will tell and personally I think we will, soon! After searching for an interesting subject to cover for this paper, I have discovered a very interesting article on the U. S. News website titled â€Å"Earth-Like Planet Found in Nearest Star System†. According to the article scientist say they have discovered a planet that looks like earth orbiting a star that bears a resemblance to our sun. The planet is said to be about 25 trillion miles away, making it very difficult for a space probe to reach the planet using current technology.It is estimated to take about 40,000 years to reach this planet, even though it is in the next closest planetary system to ours. â€Å"The planet, dubbed Alpha Centauri Bb, orbits a star in the Al pha Centauri system, a clump of three stars that are closer to us than any others in the night sky. It's called Alpha Centauri Bb because the planet orbits the clump's second-closest star, Alpha Centauri B (Cline, 2012)†. The question here is does this planet really exist, being that it is so far away?The science community and other publications believe that it does. The articles give some clues that are questionable and not all researchers agree that the planet is there. However, there are those who are absolutely convince that it actually exist. â€Å"The exquisitely high-quality data required to find an Earth-like planet doesn't just happen by chance,† UC Berkeley astronomer Geoff Marcy wrote in an email (Khan, 2012). The writer seems to be very interested in this subject, but he only presented a few sources to start with.The main source is the lead scientist along with ten other scientists, who first published the original paper detailing and describing the entire d iscovery at eso. org. The reasons to accept this is that the writer provides information in the article that quotes a well-known scientist named Xavier Dumusque, a scientist at Geneva Observatory and lead author of the paper that published the discovery. Plus, the recent findings of other earth like planets, the huge amount of evidence available and the shear advancement of our technology are all motives to continue our search.Use of a special instrument that detects signal variations attached to the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) telescope in La Silla, Chile (Cline S. , 2012), the excitement of the science community, and a special scientific technique called radial velocity (the velocity of an object in the direction of the line of sight) suggests this discovery is a major accomplishment. The writer also quoted Dumusque saying â€Å"It's an extraordinary discovery and it has pushed our technique to the limit! † (Cline S. , 2012). What technique or techniques is the sc ientist referring to?What are our technical and technological limits at this point in time? Although we are able to send man to the moon, build an international space station, and send space probes deep into outer space, does not necessarily explain our technological abilities in detail. However, this information does suggest to the public that we are getting closer and closer to discovering other earth like planets. â€Å"We can’t be alone† The science community is getting very close to discovering earth-like planets and extraterrestrial life in outer space. This is considered a alued assumption among many researchers and astronomers. To date, they have actually discovered more than 800 of these exoplanets amongst the billions and billions of stars in our galaxy. The more planets found like HD40307g, the more they resemble earth with earth-like characteristics (the spinning on its axis, having a night and a day, and orbiting in the habitable zone). Astronomers are als o finding them closer to our solar system. Another assumption of these findings are that humans are developing and advancing technology to communicate, navigate, and live in outer space in the near future.NASA said no candidate planet discovered thus far by Kepler â€Å"is exactly like Earth,† but noted that the spacecraft â€Å"has collected enough data to begin finding true sun-Earth analogs—Earth-size planets with a one-year orbit around stars similar to the sun. † (Poeter, 2012) According to space. com, private companies and NASA are working together to take the next step forward of launching humans into outer space. Entering the term space settlement, suggest that people can or will be living and working outside of earth, on the moon, mars, or in huge rotating orbital space settlements.The total energy resources of this solar system are about 2. 3 billion times the energy available on Earth. This is simply the Sun's energy output — and the Sun is an enormous nuclear fusion reactor that works perfectly right now, today, and is perfectly safe — or at least isn't going away (Globus, 2007). The claim regarding the existence of earth-like planets, do not contain any fallacies or reasoning tricks. The researchers, scientists, and astronomers are providing honest, verifiable, and creditable evidence regarding this subject.Their approach to discover earth-like planets may be from the heart and they may be very diligent in the exploration of the universe. Most of those involved including journalists who report these findings are well educated, intelligent, and experienced in the science of space study. â€Å"The interesting thing is that if they threw out some of their data, they got more precise measurements,† Eric Ford, an astronomer at the University of Florida at Gainesville, said in an interview (Khan, 2012). The use of misconceptions or myths would damage and be detrimental to their careers, reputation, and progress. Delusional reporting will only distort previous evidence of other exoplanets in outer space and therefore would challenge all findings. The clear and obvious evidence is the universal agreement among the science community in regards to the technological advancements, development of new techniques, quality of data and the cooperation and collaborative efforts of them all. The productivity of 21st century devices used to explore space produce unimaginable audio, visual, and tangible information that was never before possible.For example, the International Space Station is near completion, the Hubble Telescope orbits at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the recent landing of a space probe on Mars, are great accomplishments towards this effort in discovering life outside of earth. This supports the progression in science and is clear evidence that supports information reported by researchers, journalists, and scientists. The finding (of HD40307g) has yet to be confirmed by other ana lysis or observations. Not everyone is convinced this particular planet exists (Khan, 2012).There are those who are critical of the discovery of exoplanets. Eventually this will lead to more studies, research, and input on behalf of the critics. Either way this will also add to the efforts of space science as a whole. The conclusion is the science community and research scientists have found earth-like planets and we humans are closer to finding extraterrestrial life in outer space. According to several websites in the astronomer’s community, an extra-solar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet outside our Solar System but still within our Milky Way galaxy.A total of 846 such planets (665 planetary systems, including 126 multiple planetary systems) have been identified as of November 8, 2012, all of them within the Milky Way galaxy (â€Å"The extrasolar encyclopaedia,† 2012). Scientists around the world are very excited about the discovery of these exoplanets, especially A lpha Centauri Bb. According to The Independent and the L. A. Times, a new earth like planet that could have a climate that supports life and water adds to the excitement.The new planet, HD40307g is said to be in a multi-world solar system about 42 light years from our sun and sits at the right distance from its sun to allow liquid water on its surface. â€Å"It orbits well within in the stars habitable or Goldilocks zone – the region where temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold to sustain life (Hall, 2012). † With the discoveries of these planets and the rapid advancement of technology, discovering life in outer space appears to be believable and achievable. References 1. Cline, S. (2012, October 17).Earth-like planet found in nearest star system. Retrieved from http://www. usnews. com/news/articles/2012/10/17/earth-like-planet-found-in-nearest-star-system_print. html 2. The extrasolar encyclopaedia . (2012, November 8). Retrieved from http://exoplanet. eu/ 3. K han, A. (2012, November 7). Possible earth-like planet could hold water; scientists cautious. Retrieved from http://articles. latimes. com/2012/nov/07/science/la-sci-sn-earthlike-planet-water-atmosphere-red-light-20121107 4. Hall, J. (2012, November 8).Revealed: New earth-like planet that could have a life-supporting climate and water. Retrieved from http://www. independent. co. uk/news/science/revealed-new-earthlike-planet-that-could-have-a-lifesupporting-climate-and-water-8297750. html – (Hall, 2012) 5. Globus, A. (2007, August 2). Space settlement and war. Retrieved from http://www. space. com/4140-space-settlement-war. html – (Globus, 2007) 6. Poeter, D. (2012, November 17). NASA’s Kepler renews hunt for earth-like planets. Retrieved from http://www. pcmag. com/article2/0,2817,2412264,00. asp – (Poeter, 2012)

The Spaces and Practice of Early Christian Assembly

The most public of spiritual assemblages in the Roman Empire were big jubilations and festivals held in the public temples.† Worshippers believed that propinquity to the Godhead within a temple that is, the comparative distance between oneself and the image or venerated artefact of the Godhead housed within the edifice imbued the person with power† ( Halgren, 1957 ) , the closer 1 could near the God, they believed, the stronger and more auspicious the connection. , accessing infinite nearest the manifestation of the God was restricted to merely a few persons, priests who had been decently educated and initiated in the significances and patterns are allowed by tradition in such a holy topographic point, Access to the temple was besides decreed by tradition and closely regulated by jurisprudence. â€Å"The longitudinal axis of the Judaic temple, for case, ran through a series of dividers and other limits that designated infinites reserved for specific groups—at the outer border of the infinite, Gentiles were allowed ; so, closer in, Judaic adult females and kids ; closer still, Judaic work forces ; and eventually, the priests† ( Richardson, 2002 ) . Religious pattern at this period was non restricted to temples, nevertheless. Smaller meetings frequently took topographic point in sanctuaries and chapels, every bit good as in rented suites. For illustration, at the same clip that the followings of Jesus began coming together, the believers of the God Mithras were besides increasing in figure and by the 3rd century were run intoing takes topographic point in little sanctuaries called mithraeums, suites designed to presume a cave or the underworld. In these irregular infinites, benches lined the two long walls and a little shrine or communion table was arranged at the terminal of the room. â€Å"The ceilings were normally vaulted and decorated with stars to stand for the celestial spheres, In this confidant scene, initiated believers enter the same infinite as the shrine and participated in communalWorship† ( white, 1990 ) . Similarly, by the 2nd century, Jews had an arranged temples and supplication halls in once private houses converted for the intent. One crude illustration, at Delos, had been created through the devastation of a wall that exist two next suites, ensuing in a individual big room. Benches linedthe walls of this assembly room, and a carven marble chair busying one wall provided a focal point. â€Å"No Torah shrine was found in this room, although Torah niches have been found in other early temples, including that at Priene, where another house renovated sometime in the 2nd century was found† ( White,1990:49 ) . Within these infinites, worship patterns were diverse, dwelling of a diverseness of supplications and Holy Eucharists. As members of the Roman Empire began to follow the Jesus spiritual group, they adapted these familiar patterns and infinites for their new intents, inculcating them with new significances. â€Å"The held meetings of the followings of Christ in the first few coevalss after his decease were of three major types, all versions of the patterns of other spiritual groups, peculiarly those of the Jews, for so the followings were Judaic, every bit good as other Roman and Greek faiths. Most of these meetings Involved a shared repast, existent or symbolic, for in the Greco-Roman universe, widening cordial reception by sharing a repast was a cardinal signifier of societal interactThese communal repasts brought Christians together to larn about their religion, to idolize, and to portion experiences, but they besides functioned to make coherence within the new community of Christians† . ( Jeanne, 2008:16 ) , Harmonizing to L. Michael White points out that, communal repasts formed ‘‘the centre of family ( koinonia ) ’’ by bespeaking that a societal relationship existed among those gathered and therefore ‘‘served to specify the worshipping community, the church ( ekklesia ) in family assembly.’’ ( White, 1990 ) . Among these meeting types, the agape repast, or love banquet, was most of import, and although it drew upon Greco-Roman pattern in many ways, it subtitute the imbibing and carousing that traditionally followed Roman banquets with instruction and worship. Those who gathered at a Christian repast would convey some nutrient point with them as an offering for the repast normally bread, wine, or angle merely as many people do today in what is normally known as the potluck supper. Harmonizing to Osiek et EL Balch, eating excessively rapidly upon reaching, nevertheless, would ensue in deficient nutrient for those who arrived subsequently, and therefore Paul adviced the Corinthians that ‘‘when you come together to eat, delay for one another, ’’ promoting those who could non wait to eat to make so at place before they came ( 1 Cor. 11:33–34 ) . Such advice, which counters common Roman pattern, indicates that the emerging Christian pattern was still comparatively flexible and informal, with new etiquette or regulations easy being introduced into the meetings.â€Å"After the repast, those gathered would portion a ceremonial breakage and feeding of staff of life, followed by a approval and sharing of a cup of vino, marking Jesus’ pronouncement for his recollection at the Last Supper† . ( Macy, 2005 ) After this, they would prosecute in a assortment of larning and worship activities, which, harmonizing to historiographer s Carolyn Osiek and David L. Balch, included ‘‘singing, instruction, and prophesying† . The 3rd type of assemblage was the Eucharistic meeting, wer they shared Meal, this was transformed into a symbolic rite focused entirely on staff of life and vino as figure of speechs for the flesh and blood of Christ. The development of the agape and funerary repasts, thath did include a sharing of staff of life and vino in recollection of Christ, most have preceded the outgrowth of Eucharistic patterns, merely when and how the strictly Eucharistic assemblage emerged is ill-defined. Like the agape repasts, these Eucharist repasts took topographic point in private places, but over the 2nd and 3rd centuries important alterations in services indicate they were going progressively formalized both in leading and in activities. â€Å"Justin, in the 2nd century, refers to the individual taking the service as the presider or the president, but by the 3rd century, the organisational Structures of the Christian motion developed into an episcopos, a Grecian term intending ‘‘overseer’’ or, in modern idiom, a bishop ; the term priest besides became popular. The service itself was altering every bit good, described by Justin and his modern-day Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch, as symbo lic or representational, a jubilation of Christ’s forfeit of his ain flesh and blood.† ( Macy, 2005 ) By the 3rd century, the turning popularity of these representational services would necessitate a particular infinite that would suit them, taking to the creative activity of formal assembly suites. ( Mercer, 1985 ) â€Å"The 4th type of early Christian meeting took topographic point out of doors, such as the meeting of the followings of Jesus on the Mount of Olives shortly after his decease, a narrative related in The Letter of Peter to Philip, which was found among other Gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt.† ( Elaine Pagels, 1989 ) Little is known, nevertheless, about such out-of-door meetings, in portion because they seem to hold been used largely by Gnostic groups, whose beliefs and patterns challenged those of the emerging orthodoxy and were accordingly stricken from Orthodox civilization and paperss. Outdoor worship therefore became associated with dissident groups and fell out of favour. What must be kept in head, nevertheless, is that despite the differences among these early types of worship, early Christian worship infinites and patterns were extremely diverse. â€Å"No individual, original, pure Christian pattern of all time existed.† ( Bradshaw, 1992:30 ) From the earliest period, Christian groups expressed their thoughts about Jesus and God in different ways, and those thoughts, runing from the eventual orthodoxy of the major episcopates in Rome, Antioch, and Carthage to the Gnostic positions of the Marcionites, Donatists, and Montanists, were extremely diverse. Early Christians expressed their spiritual thoughts through a assortment of spiritual patterns ways, merely as modern-day Christians do.2.1.2The infinites and Practice of Early Christian assemblyMost Biblical bookmans, archeologists and classicists, agree that the meeting of Christians, like those of other spiritual groups, by and large occur topographic point in the places of frequenters, that i s, in Greco-Roman houses. The phrase ‘‘meeting from house to house, ’’ found repeatedly in the Gospel texts, good characterized thepractice of early Christians. The physical worlds of those infinites, and the places in peculiar, along with the cultural imposts of the period, strongly influenced emerging Christian pattern. To understand how, it helps to hold some cognition of the physical features of those places Architectural and textual grounds of Greco-Roman houses in the first and 2nd centuries point out that several assortments existed. Give the long, hot summers of the Mediterranean part, the houses of the wealthiest place proprietors were used as worship infinites ; opening into a series of suites arranged around an oasis-like unfastened infinite that brought air and visible radiation into the house. â€Å"Entry into the house was gained through a anteroom or hallway. Within a Grecian house, this led to a room in which the family frequenter conducted concern, and beyond this was the bosom of the house: the courtyard, which was roofless but lined by columns that supported an overhead fretwork that would be covered with flora to protect the residents from the Sun. In a Roman or Latin house, the anteroom off the street by and large led right into an atrium, or unfastened courtyard, which would be unfastened to the sky and incorporate an impluvium ; a shallow pool that gathered rainwater ( fig. 2.1 ) .† ( Osiek et el Balch, 1997:6 ) the private infinites of the place surrounds the courtyard and several closed suites reserved for the members of the family. â€Å"The cardinal parts of antediluvian houses—the anterooms, atria, were considered much more public in character. Such houses, peculiarly those in which the concern of the wealthy was routinely carried out, welcomed the entry of people from the street.† ( Halgren,1957:19 ) .

Case Study Analysis of Casual Togs The WritePass Journal

Case Study Analysis of Casual Togs Introduction Case Study Analysis of Casual Togs ). There is a wide range of problems that may adversely affect the progress and competitiveness of organizations. These include structural problems, communication, management issues and failure to embrace change. Given that there is no fixed approach to management that is ideal for all organizations, each company has to ensure that it adopts the most ideal approach, which can be determined by several factors in the internal and external factors that are specific to the company (Hill et al., 2014). Businesses also need to ensure that they are flexible enough to promptly change in response to the adjustments that might be taking place in the tastes and preferences of their clients or even the tactics that their competitors in the industry are using. Companies that are not flexible enough might fail to maintain their relevance towards their target market segments and lose their competitive edge (Carter et al., 2013). This report presents a case analysis of Casual Togs, a women’s apparel company that is known for its moderately priced products. Most of the company’s products are blouses, shorts and knit dresses. In the analysis, the report highlights the problems that are being faced by the company and the factors that might have contributed to these issues. The importance of addressing these issues in a business is that it provides a guidance or basis for formulating strategies that will help to improve the company’s performance. The report also provides recommendations for Cy, Casual Togs’ principal stockholder, on the changes that he needs to make in the company. It also provides recommendations on how the company should change its management practice, structure and response to change, so as to avoid a recurrence or the problems it faces. The major problems facing the firm With reference to the case study of Casual Togs, there are a number of problems that are currently being faced by the company. One of these is that many of its products are being returned by consumers because of their low quality. For any business, the quality of products that are offered to clients is among the key attributes that determine its performance in the market (Bhardwaj Fairhurst, 2010). For Casual Togs, this also led to the loss of a major portion of its old loyal consumers. It also posed a challenge to the company in attracting new clients. Consequences of this issue include a drop in the company’s revenue and its overall brand position in the industry. It has also been outlined in the case study that the company also faces stiff competition from companies that have long been in the apparels industry as well as new upcoming ones. Another issue that faces Casual Togs lies in the human resource department. The company has failed to attract the necessary skills for it to run successfully. This is evidenced by the halt in the construction of the company’s distribution centre in the middle of the construction, which was attributed to the fact that the company did not get a qualified person who could supervise the construction project. In addition to this, two of the company’s designers resigned. This contributed to a drop in the company’s overall production in its nine centres by approximately 15%. The fact that Andy Johnson, the company’s budget manager and Sol Green, the market analyst could not speak to one another also clearly depicts a communication flaw among the employees in the firm. Judy, who was the company’s vice president, is also depicted in the case study as being aggressive in her communication with other employees. There are several incidents mentioned in the case study that highlight the failure by a section of the company’s executives and employees to embrace change. For instance, Judy objected most of the proposed changes, arguing that they were either too expensive or that they had been suggested by incompetent individuals. Another incident was when Andy rejected suggestions that were made by Bill Smith, his assistant, on new approaches that could be used in the collation and analysis of daily sales printouts so as to make better sales forecasts. Even though there are several other issues that are faced by Casual Togs in its operations, three main issues have been outlined in this section. These include the decline in the company’s competitiveness, human resource issues and the resistance to change among a section of the company’s staff. Causes of the Problems The first problem about the company is the fact that it is losing its old customers, and more of its products are being returned as a result of either poor quality or late delivery to customers. For any business to effectively win over the loyalty of its target customers, it has to be dependable in terms of the products and services it delivers (Dervitsiotis, 2011). Prolonged incidences of poor quality products and services or inconsistencies tend to repel customers. As earlier mentioned, there is high competition on the apparel and fashion industry, which also increases the purchasing power of buyers. Failure of one company meet consumer expectations, regardless of how slightly the gap may be, will make even the loyal customers to switch brands (Talib et al., 2011). Late delivery of products to customers also denotes the incompetence of the department that is concerned with the delivery of the company’s products. Another issue that is affecting Casual Togs lies in the human resource management approaches. With reference to the case study presented, there is evidence of a lack of equal of opportunities for career advancement in the company. An example is Andy, who had worked with the company for 15 years without any promotion because was not related with the other managers and was also of a different nationality. According to Choi et al. (2012), one of the causes of employee turnover is the failure of organizations to provide all the employees with a chance to attain their ultimate career goals. The aggressive nature with which Judy addresses employees in the organization also intimidates the employees and lowers their self esteem. This has an adverse effect on the organizational commitment of employees and has and ultimately, affects their levels of productivity (Adler, 2013; Lutgen-Sandvik Tracy, 2012). The issue of rigidity and failure to embrace change has also contributed to the problems being faced by Casual Togs. One of the organizational aspects that have led to this is the fact that Cy, the company’s president gave all the departmental heads the freedom to make decisions that they considered to be fit for the organization. Whereas it can be argued as an approach that is relevant to the present-day business environment, it poses a challenge to decision making when rapid change are to be made because the opinions of every departmental supervisor have to be considered (Myers et al., 2012). These factors have affected the effectiveness with which Casual Togs adjusts in response to the changes in the market, leading to its dwindling performance. This shows the need for organizations to be flexible enough to maintain its relevance to the target markets (Dervitsiotis, 2011). This section has presented some of the main factors that have led to the existence of the issues that faced by Casual Togs. These include the failure of the company to adhere to quality in the design of its products and the failure to motivate employees, which adversely affects their levels of commitment. Several measures have to be put in place to ensure that the earlier mentioned issues have been overcome. Suggestions for changes to be implemented by Cy, Casual Togs’ President In regard to the issues that have been earlier identified, there are different approaches that ought to be used to change the current situation of the organization. With regard to the quality issues that have led to a loss of clients by the company and increased returns of goods, the direct measure that has to be taken is to ensure that the designers of the company’s apparel products pay attention to detail so as to enhance the quality of the products (Bhardwaj Fairhurst, 2010). There is also a need to intensify the quality management process to ensure that defective products are minimized (Rosenfeld, 2012). As presented in the case study, market research that is carried out mainly focuses in the levels of sales that should be expected in certain seasons. However, it is also vital for the organization to incorporate the on-going trends in fashion so as to effectively address customer needs (Witell et al., 2011). Human resources in any organization are among the most valuable assets, and have a key contribution towards its overall success. However, it is vital for organizations to motivate them so as to increase their productivity and organizational commitment (Bratton Gold, 2012). One of issues that are evident at Casual Togs is that employees from a certain nationality are more likely to be promoted than the other employees. In this regard, Cy, the company’s president, needs to ensure that an equality policy is implemented to provide all employees with an equal chance of promotion within the organizational ranks (Giuliano et al., 2011). This will not only motivate employees to work more, but will also attract talented job seekers. The management meetings that were held between managers and other departmental leaders within the organization were informal, marred with emotionally charged arguments, shouting and door slamming. This is a clear indication of the failure to recognize authority an order during these meetings. It is also quite unlikely that such meetings met the intended objectives. To avoid recurrence of such scenarios, the company’s president needs to change the way board meetings are held from informal to formal (Diefenbach Todnem, 2012). This will instil a sense of order, and will increase the possibilities of attaining the goals set to be met in the meetings. In the presented case, there is evidence of interference of departmental operations by managers or vice presidents of different departments. An individual from a different department could question an action carried out in another department that has no connection to his. Whereas there is need for cross-functional communication and cooperation within an organization (Hongjun Yajia, 2012), such interferences as those depicted at Casual Togs are destructive. To limit this, the company’s president needs to change the structure of the organization (Deb, 2009). Suggestions to prevent future issues at Casual Togs To prevent future problems from occurring at the organization, it is necessary for Casual Togs to ensure that it makes the necessary adjustments. These include structural changes, management practices and their response to changes taking place in the competitive environment. Suggestions for change are provided in further detail below. Management Practice There are a number of changes that ought to be made in the management practices of Casual Togs. The individual in management that raises concern in the case study is Judy, the vice president. Her aggression towards employees, as well as her interference with operations across all departments within the organization, has to be addressed. Given that she is among the majority shareholders in the company and related to the president, there is no possibility of sacking her from the position she holds. Instead, she needs to be encouraged to attend management seminars so as to improve her employee management approach (Bratton Gold, 2012). Rather than being autocratic in her management and aggressive in communicating with other employees in the organization, she needs to change and become a persuasive or democratic in her management and assertive in communication (Adler, 2013). In persuasive management, managers provide a clear explanation to their employees as to why they have made a certa in decision. In democratic management, employees are allowed to make suggestions in the decision making process, and the opinion with the highest votes is selected (Hill et al., 2014). By being assertive in communication, points or arguments are firmly put across to other employees, but respect is still maintained (Adler, 2013). Cy’s approach of management is too lenient to departmental heads within the organizations. This has also affected the way in which he handles suppliers, who often take advantage of his leniency to secure tenders even though they are supplying products at a higher price. Even though his consultative approach to management allows departmental heads to take part in decision making, there is still a need for him to exercise authority, especially when holding meetings with them (Diefenbach Sillince, 2012). Structural Change Before making a suggestion on the structural changes that ought to be implemented in the organization, it is vital to describe the organizational structure of Casual Togs as depicted in the case study. Based on the informal nature of meetings between departmental heads and the company’s president and the lack of a clear hierarchy of authority in the firm, it can be argued that the organizational structure of the company is adhocratic (Deb, 2009). Even though such a structure is ideal in encouraging creativity and innovation among employees and effectively adjusting with the changes in the market, it also has several demerits. These include a difficulty to solve routine problems that may arise in the organization, an unclear line of authority and high exposure of the organization to risk (Diefenbach Todnem, 2012). With reference to the case study, even though Judy is the vice president, she seems to have more authority that the company’s president, Cy. In this regard, the company needs to consider changing its structure to a more formal and well structured bureaucratic structure (Dervitsiotis, 2011). Even though such structures are known to limit innovation and creativity within the organization, it may be ideal for Casual Togs for a number of reasons. These include easing the decision making process, reduction of the exposure to risk and the acknowledgement of a certain structure of authority that has to be adhered to (Bratton Gold, 2012). Implementing such a structure is likely to eliminate the emotionally charged informal meetings’ scenarios and also the interference of individuals like Judy in all organizational departments. Responding to Changes in the Competitive Environment Based on the fact that the apparels industry is highly competitive and dynamic, it is also necessary for the company to be flexible enough and ready to implement changes that will maintain its relevance to the target markets (Rugman et al., 2012). One of the measures that have to be undertaken to attain this objective is to intensify market research and carry it out on a regular basis. This could be through seeking customer feedback or studying the changing trends through observation. Market research also involves studying the tactics or strategies that are being used by competing companies in the industry (Witell et al., 2011). It is through these market research efforts that the Casual Togs will be able to adjust its product designs and marketing strategies to fit the market preferences while at the same time ensuring that it effectively competes with other players in the market. Maintaining a competitive edge in the industry also depends on the skills that the company has in its human resource force (Dervitsiotis, 2011). It is important for Casual Togs to hire employees that are not only qualified, but also innovative enough to come up with designs that will be well accepted by the target markets. Innovation can also be nurtured among employees in the organization by utilizing appropriate motivational and reward strategies (Wright et al., 2012). Workers at Casual Togs also need to be informed on the inevitability of change in organizations, and why they should always be ready for it. By so doing, resistance to change among employees will be reduced. Some of the changes that may need to be implemented at Casual Togs include technological advancements in the production of its apparel and alteration of product designs to reflect the needs in the market (Myers et al., 2012). Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusion This report has presented a case study analysis of Casual Togs, a fashion business that mainly deals in the manufacture and distribution of women’s apparels. After two decades of operation, the company’s performance in the market dropped due because of a number of reasons, which have been highlighted in the report. One of these is the poor quality of products, which led to an increase in the volume of returned products. It also led to the withdrawal of many old customers. Another issue that has been identified is the failure to keep employees motivated enough to increase their organizational commitment. The causes of these issues at Casual Togs have also been presented in the paper, as well as some suggestions on how the president of the company can make the necessary changes to improve the situation at the company. Suggestions that have been provides comprise of management changes, structural changes and how the company can respond faster to changes and competition in the market. Further recommendations that can improve the company’s brand position are presented hereunder. Recommendations In order for the company to appeal to a wider market and increase its returns, it needs to consider expanding its product line. As opposed to the current products that only target ladies, Casual Togs can also consider introducing men’s and children’s clothes. As presented in the case, the products that the company distributes are mainly shorts, blouses and some knit dresses. Introduction of other female apparel like skirts, trench coats and pants can also be advantageous for the company. The case has also highlighted the high costs of production that the company incurs. Though some of these costs are inevitable, the company can reduce the overall costs by using appropriate lean production strategies, which are aimed to minimize the cost and maximize production. Some of the approaches that can be used include minimization or even elimination of errors in the design and production of products and standardization of work processes. In terms of human resource management, the company needs to ensure that it hires and strives to maintain talented and innovative employees that will contribute towards its progress in the market. Some of the approaches to motivation include offering them a reasonable remuneration and rewarding them for unique contribution. Given that the fashion industry is quite competitive, failure to motivate and retain skilled employees may tempt them to cross over and work for competitor companies, which may be detrimental for Casual Togs. References Adler, G., 2013. Management Communication. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Bhardwaj, V. Fairhurst, A., 2010. Fast fashion: response to changes in the fashion industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 20(1), pp.165-73. Bratton, J. Gold, J., 2012. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (5th edition). London: Palgrave. Carter, M.Z., Armenakis, A.A., Feild, H.S. Mossholder, K.W., 2013. Transformational leadership, relationship quality, and employee performance during continuous incremental organizational change. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34(7), pp.942-58. Choi, S., Cheong, K.K. Feinberg, R.A., 2012. Moderating effects of supervisor support, monetary rewards, and career paths on the relationship between job burnout and turnover intentions in the context of call centers. Managing Service Quality, 22(5), pp.492-516. Deb, T., 2009. Managing Human Resource And Industrial Relations. Excel Books. Dervitsiotis, K.N., 2011. The challenge of adaptation through innovation based on the quality of the innovation process. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 22(5), pp.553-66. Diefenbach, T. Sillince, J.A., 2012. Crossing of Boundaries–Subordinates’ Challenges to Organisational Hierarchy. Research in the Sociology of Organizations, 35, pp.171-201. Diefenbach, T. Todnem, R., 2012. Reinventing Hierarchy and Bureaucracy: From the Bureau to Network Organizations. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing. Giuliano, L., Levine, D.I. Leonard, J., 2011. Racial Bias in the Manager-Employee Relationship An Analysis of Quits, Dismissals, and Promotions at a Large Retail Firm. Journal of Human Resources, 46(1), pp.26-52. Hill, C., Jones, G‎. Schilling, ‎M., 2014. Strategic Management: Theory: An Integrated Approach. Mason: Cengage Learning. Hongjun, L. Yajia, G., 2012. Study on Chain Companies Human Resources Management. Information and Business Intelligence, 267, pp.227-32. Lutgen-Sandvik, P. Tracy, S.J., 2012. Answering Five Key Questions About Workplace Bullying How Communication Scholarship Provides Thought Leadership for Transforming Abuse at Work. Management Communication Quarterly, 26(1), pp.3-47. Myers, P., Hulks, S. Wiggins, L., 2012. Organizational Change: Perspectives on Theory and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Rosenfeld, S.A., 2012. Competitive Manufacturing: New Strategies for Regional Development. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Rugman, A.M., Oh, C.H. Lim, D.S., 2012. The regional and global competitiveness of multinational firms. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40(2), pp.218-35. Talib, F., Rahman, Z. Qureshi, M., 2011. A study of total quality management and supply chain management practices. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 60(3), pp.268-88. Witell, L., Kristensson, P., Gustafsson, A. LÃ ¶fgren, M., 2011. Idea generation: customer co-creation versus traditional market research techniques. Journal of Service Management, 22(2), pp.140-59. Wright, B.E., Moynihan, D.P. Pandey, S.K., 2012. Pulling the Levers: Transformational Leadership, Public Service, Motivation, and Mission Valence. Public Administration Review, 72(2), p.206–215.

Sovereign and Self Regulating Nations

Sovereign and Self Regulating Nations Free Online Research Papers Every state wants to be sovereign and self regulating like America, but today invisibly and imperceptibly America is looking no more sovereign , because of too much influence and interference of Israeli lobby in US. As two conservative American political scientists John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt writing an article in 2006 about the influence of Israel lobby in American politics, say and warn that â€Å"its decisive role in fomenting the Iraq war is now being repeated with the threat of action against Iran†. In 2006 former UN weapons inspector in Iraq â€Å"Scott Ritter† claimed that certain Israelis and pro-Israel elements in the United States has been trying to push the Bush Administration into war with Iran. Recently a leading American scientist Stewart Nozette has been arrested and charged with espionage .He had been working in Top Secret clearance which included nuclear weapon design information at the Department of Energy. The US Justice Department said that h e had been tried to pass on top secret information to an Israeli Intelligence Officer. As in past Lawrence Franklin espionage scandal which is also known as the AIPAC espionage scandal which claims that information regarding United States policy towards Iran was passed to Israel through staff members associated with American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) which directly lobbies the legislative branch of the US Government. Besides the fact that two former AIPAC employees has also been accused but US officials have been constantly stressing that Israeli government has not been involved in it. While as a matter of fact the US government’s current operating budget is dependent on foreign financing and money creation. The enormous scale of foreign borrowing and money creation has been compulsory to finance US’s wars which have been sending the dollar to historic lower rate. It has been reported that dollar even experienced large declines relative to currencies of third world countries such as Botswana and Brazil. While at the same time US has been roughly giving three billion per year military and economic support to Israel, although it is a relatively rich country that receives more foreign aid than any other country. US also used its veto power in UN all the time to the critics of Israel and finally the resolution was turned down due to the negative vote of the permanent member of Security Council. The US, as a staunch ally of Israel, has so far vetoed over 40 anti-Israel resolutions sought by the council since 1972.Because of this same reason UN Security Council has been unable to force an end to Israel attacks against Gaza due to the intervention of the United States. So it seems that US is not using its veto power but it has been used by Israel, which is an open secret. Similarly inside US there is a powerful interest group, who has been deeply committed in shaping American foreign policy that benefitted Israel. Especially the US policies in Middle East have been pursued because of immense force used in decision making process from Jewish lobbies. There is a dire need to think, why former President Bush used to say that â€Å"a free, prosperous and secure Israel is in this nation’s interest? Noam Chomsky, political activist and professor writes that â€Å"there are far more powerful interests that have a stake in what happens in the Persian Gulf region than does AIP AC [or the lobby generally], such as the oil companies, the arms industry and other interests whose lobbying influence and campaign contributions far surpass that of the much-vaunted Zionist lobby and its allied donors to congressional races.† One can easily judge how much American media has been free by the statement of the American journalist Michael massing, he argues that there is a lack of media coverage on the Israel lobby and the main obstacle to covering these groups is fear. The most important in this is that one does not dare to debate this issue in America and the same feelings had been expressed by Colonel L.Wilkerson Chief of staff Colin Powell. So it provide evidence that proper elements of the Israel lobby consists of organized lobby groups, political action committees, think tanks and media watch dogs has been operating in US .Is this sovereignty? Is this democracy? So whether the connections between America and Israel is so strong and great that geo-strategy, political strategy, economic strategy has been coinciding up to the level of grand strategy? If that is so then why US official has been trying to hide the involvement? While Jewish lobbies not only influences their foreign policies, political system but their judicial system and media also. Which institution left that makes States sovereign? Research Papers on Sovereign and Self Regulating NationsCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationPETSTEL analysis of IndiaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceTwilight of the UAW19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraQuebec and CanadaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New Employees

ACT vs. TOEFL What to Know About Each Test

ACT vs. TOEFL What to Know About Each Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re an international student or non-native English speaker applying to college in the United States, then this guide is for you! To get into college, you’ll likely have to take two admissions tests: the TOEFL and the ACT. This guide is specifically geared toward students interested in taking the TOEFL and ACT (if you’re taking the SAT, then check out this guide instead!). Read on to learn what colleges require, how the TOEFL and ACT compare, and what you can do to prepare for both. What Tests Do Colleges Require? U.S. colleges require two tests for admission from non-native English speakers. One is the TOEFL, which demonstrates your English language skills. The other is the ACT, which demonstrates your reasoning and problem-solving skills. It’s important to note that you always have options. Instead of the TOEFL, you could take the IELTS, and instead of the ACT, you could take the SAT. This guide, as mentioned above, is focused on the TOEFL and ACT. Colleges vary in their policies, and some will waive the TOEFL if you’ve taken English classes throughout high school or achieved a certain score on the English and Reading sections of the ACT. Before you take any unnecessary tests, make sure you understand college requirements. Read on for advice on where to find admission test requirements. How to Find Colleges’ Testing Requirements If you’re a non-native English speaker applying to college, chances are that you’ll take both the TOEFL and the ACT. Colleges vary in their policies, though, so you should do your research before registering for any tests. Typically, you’ll find the information you need on the admissions section of a college’s official website. More specifically, you should go to the section for international applicants. Even if you’re a U.S. citizen, this international applicant section is usually where colleges publicize their TOEFL policies. To give you one example, let’s say you go to Boston University’s page for â€Å"Freshman Applicants - International.† There you’ll find this message: â€Å"BU requires the SAT or ACT with writing. The TOEFL or IELTS is also required if your first language or the primary language spoken in your home is not English.† On BU’s website, you see that you’ll need to take both the ACT and the TOEFL. If you go to a college’s website and can’t find these details, you should definitely contact the admissions office via phone or email. Whether you’re researching a college’s website or talking to its admissions office directly, you should askthree main questions. 1. Which Tests Are Required? First, you need to research the admissions testing requirements of your school. What tests do they want to see from non-native English speakers? Do they require the ACT, or are they a test-optional or test-flexible school that will let you send AP scores instead? Don’t assume that all colleges are the same. They might all have different policies! Check the requirements of each college that you’re interested in individually. 2. DoYouRequire a Minimum TOEFL Score? Many schools require a minimum TOEFL score from applicants. ATOEFL cutoff is an essential piece of information. Even if the rest of your application’s great, it won’t matter if you don’t have the requisite TOEFL score. To give a few examples, Northeastern and UMass Boston want to see at least a 79 to 80 on the TOEFL iBT. More selective schools, like NYU, American University, and Harvard, want to see at least 100. As you research colleges of interest, find out if they post a TOEFL cutoff, again by visiting the website or calling up the admissions office. Then set your target TOEFL score at least ten points higher than the minimum to present yourself as a competitive candidate. 3. Will You Waive the TOEFL If I Get High VerbalScores on the ACT? Finally, the last piece of information you should seek is whether there are any circumstances when a college waives its TOEFL requirement. There are some schools that will consider a high score on the ACT English and Reading sections sufficient evidence of your English language skills. Since these sections test your reading comprehension and grammar skills, they can sometimes act as a stand-in for TOEFL scores. Columbia, for example, will waive the TOEFL requirement if you score a 29 on the verbal sections of the ACT. Johns Hopkins eliminates its TOEFL requirement if you score a 30 on ACT English and Reading. You might notice that some schools publicize an SAT minimum, but not an ACT minimum in relation to the TOEFL. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t waive the TOEFL with a certain ACT score; it just reflects the fact that the SAT was a more popular test with international applicants in past years (and that colleges don’t update their websites often enough!). If you see that a college of interest posted an SAT cutoff but not an ACT one, definitely give the admissions office a call to ask about this. Since colleges accept the SAT and ACT equally, they should have a similar policy for both tests. Once you’ve figured out all the answers to all of these questions (whether or not a school requires the TOEFL, if it calls for a minimum score, and if it waives the TOEFL in the case of high ACT verbal scores), then you can go on to plan your test dates and prep schedule. Read on to learn more about both admissions tests, starting with the TOEFL. Throw on your thinkingcap. It's time to learn about both tests. TOEFL and ACT: Learn About Both Tests If you’re taking the TOEFL and ACT to apply to college, then your first step in preparing should be learning about both tests. Below you’ll find an overview of each in terms of its structure and skills tested. While the two tests have some overlap, they’re largely unique exams that require their own individual approach. Let’s start with the TOEFL and go over its structure and content, along with tips onhow to prepare. TOEFL: Structure, Content, and Prep The TOEFL is a test of your English language skills. Most students will take the TOEFL iBT, or internet-based test, on the computer. The score range for the TOEFL iBT is from 0 to 120. A few countries offer it on paper. The TOEFL PBT, or paper-based test, has a score range from 310 to 677. Regardless of the test type, it will contain four main sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Below is the full structure of the test. TOEFL Structure The TOEFL tests the four main skill areas of English language: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, in that order. The length of the first two sections, Reading and Listening, actually varies depending on whether or not you get extra experimental questions. These extra questions won’t be scored, but you won’t know which ones they are, so you’ll have to treat every question equally. This chart shows the length of the TOEFL sections, along with a brief description of the tasks in each. Order Section Time Limit Questions Tasks 1 Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions. 2 Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions. Break 10 minutes - - 3 Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. 4 Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing. Total: 3 hours, 20 min - 4 hours, 10 min (break included) Each section is scored between 0 and 30 points. Your total score is the sum of your section scores, so the maximum possible score is 120. While the chart has a brief description of tasks in each section, let’s take a closer look at the content in each, along with a few official sample questions! TOEFL Content As you read above, the TOEFL tests your English language across four main skill areas. You’ll find that some sections integrate more than one skill. For instance, the Speaking section features a reading and a listening task. Let’s delve into each section in the same order that they appear on the test, starting with Reading. TOEFL Reading The Reading section of the TOEFL features three to four short passages, most of which are taken from college-level textbooks. The passages may be expository, argument-based, or historical; you won’t find any fictional prose. Each passage is followed by questions about elements like the main point, key details, relationships between ideas, and vocabulary. The questions fall into three types: multiple choice, sentence insertions, and Reading to Learn questions. The multiple choice tend to be straightforward reading comprehension questions, about you about the meaning of a passage or details or vocabulary words within it. Here are two examples that refer to a preceding passage (not pictured here). The first example question asks about a vocabulary word, while the second asks you to make an inference. The word â€Å"perspective† on line 46 is closest in meaning to sense of values point of view calculation complication Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the meteorite impact in Mexico? The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to 1990. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatn region. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had occurred. The Yucatn region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site because of its climate. The second question type, sentence insertions, ask you to add a sentence to a paragraph and indicate where it would fit best. Your goal is to clarify the meaning or organization of the selected passage. Reading to Learn questions are the most involved of the three types. They ask you to sort given information into a chart. You might place it into certain categories or put it in chronological order. Since these questions are multi-part, they may grant partial credit. Once you learn about the ACT, you’ll notice some similarities between the TOEFL Reading and ACT Reading and English. Reading comprehension questions are similar, and the sentence insertions resemble similar questions on the ACT English section. The next section on the TOEFL, though, is completely unique, as you’ll see below. Listening's next, you say? I'm all ears. TOEFL Listening As its name indicates, this section is meant to measure your listening comprehension of the English language. You’ll listen to selections from academic lectures or conversations. The conversations usually take place between students or between a professor or coach and a student. You can take notes throughout listening to the recordings. Then you’ll answer questions about what you heard. Multiple choice questions, like those in the Reading section, ask about main points, key details, vocabulary words, and cause and effect. You’ll also get a few questions that ask you to list events in order. Here are a couple examples of Listening section questions that are based on a conversation between a player and a coach. Who is buying new jackets for the team? The coach The captain of the team A former player A group of basketball fans There are two answers for the next question. Mark two answers. Why is the woman surprised to learn that she has been chosen as the new team captain? She is not the best player on the team. Her teammates did not tell her about the decision. She does not have many friends on the team. She has missed a lot of practices. Note that the second example asks you to mark two answers, meaning you need to pay attention to directions when answering each question type. After the Reading and Listening sections, you’ll get a ten-minute break to stretch and reenergize. Then it’s on to the Speaking section. TOEFL Speaking This section will get you talking. While the other sections are focused on your receptive skills, this one’s aimed at your productive skills. You’ll record your oral responses onthe computer. This section contains two independent speaking tasks and four integrated speaking tasks. Independent speaking tasks ask you to speak for 45 seconds on a familiar topic. Here, you can talk about your own ideas, opinions, observations, or experiences. You’ll have 15 seconds to prepare your answer. The following is an example of an independent speaking task: Independent speaking task: Some people think it is more fun to spend time with friends in restaurants or cafà ©s. Others think it is more fun to spend time with friends at home. Which do you think is better? Explain why. Integrated speaking tasks are based on a passage and/or a recording. You’ll read and/or listen and then answer a question. The question might ask you to summarize the selection or suggest solutions to a featured problem. For your first two integrated speaking tasks, you’ll have 45 seconds to speak and 30 seconds to prepare. For your next two integrated speaking tasks, you’ll get 60 seconds to speak and just 20 seconds to prepare. The following example is based on both a short passage and a listening task about a student association and its purchase of a new sound system. Integrated speaking task: The man expresses his opinion of the Student Association’s recent purchase. State his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion. Your responses should be structured and thoughtful, almost like giving an oral essay. As for written essays, they’ll be your task in the next and final section of the TOEFL, the Writing section. The TOEFL Writing section ties several skills together, including writing, reading, and listening. TOEFL Writing This last section on the TOEFL shares some similarities with the Speaking section, in that it presents you with an integrated writing task and an independent writing task. The integrated task asks you to read a passage and listen to a lecture or conversation. Then you’ll get 20 minutes to summarize the two selections and perhaps compare and contrast them. Here’s an example of an integrated task that refers to a lecture and a reading passage. Integrated writing task: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage. The independent task asks you to present your opinion and support it with examples. You’ll get 30 minutes to write your response. Here’s a typical example of an independent task in the Writing section. Independent writing task: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent knowledge of the subject being taught. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. You’ll seea word counter beneath each text box that tells you how many words you’ve written. Your responses will be graded on organization, grammar, usage, and accuracy. This section, along with the others, is challenging, even for students with an advanced grasp of or even fluency in English. Like the ACT and any other college admissions test, the TOEFL calls for a lot of preparation to do well. To help you start planning your approach, let’s go over some strategies for prepping for the TOEFL. Prepping for the TOEFL First and foremost, the TOEFL requires a certain level of English. Testmakers suggest that you’ve studied English for at least two years before taking the test. Even if you’re fluent, you should still take time to prep for this unusual test. You can use TOEFL books, as well as online sample questions from the test-makers. To improve your reading comprehension skills, try reading passages from college-level textbooks. A lot of students particularly have a tough time with the Speaking section, which asks you to give structured responses in 45 to 60 seconds. As you practice for this section, check out the rubric and evaluate your efforts. You should give yourself plenty of time to prepare, starting perhaps at least three months before your test date. You might start even earlier to give yourself additional test dates in case you want to retake the TOEFL to improve your scores. As you prep, take timed practice tests under simulated testing conditions to measure your progress. Analyze your results to figure out your strong points and weak areas and learn how to improve. At the same time as you prep for the TOEFL, you may also be studying for the ACT. While there’s some overlap between the TOEFL and the verbal sections of the ACT, the two tests still require their own approach, as you’ll see below. Before discussing some ACT study strategies, let’s go over the structure and content of the test. While the TOEFL tests your English language skills, the ACT brings other subjects into play, like math and science. ACT: Structure, Content, and Prep While the TOEFL is a test of your English language skills, the ACT is more geared toward academic skills and college readiness. It has two verbal sections, the Reading and English, but it additionally has a math and a science section. The ACT has had increasing popularity with international students in recent years largely because of its Science section. The SAT tends to be more verbal, so many non-native English speakers appreciate the ACT’s emphasis on math and science. Below you’ll find the full structure of the ACT. ACT Structure The ACT has four main sections, English, Math, Reading, and Science, in that order. It also features an optional fifth section, Writing, that asks students to write an essay. Each section is scored between 1 and 36, and your total score that takes into account all the sections will also range between 1 and 36. The chart below shows the structure of the entire test and number of questions in each section: Order Section Time in Minutes # of Questions 1 Reading 65 52 2 Writing and Language 35 44 3 Math No Calculator 25 20 4 Math Calculator 55 38 5 Essay (optional) 50 1 Total: 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without essay) 154 (+ 1 essay prompt) Now that you know the overall format of the ACT, let’s take a closer look at each section of the test. ACT Content The test has four or five main sections, depending on whether or not you take the ACT with Writing. Your decision about whether to include the Writing section should mainly be based on colleges’ requirements. If you’re not sure what colleges you’re applying to, you might as well include the Writing section so you don’t prematurely limit your options. Unlike the TOEFL, the ACT is a paper-based test. There aren’t any options to take it on the computer. Your first section will be English, so let’s take a closer look at the skills it tests and question types. ACT English The ACT English section will give you five passages alongside multiple choice questions. These questions test your understanding of English grammar and usage. They might test grammar rules like parallel structure or verb tense, along with your understanding of punctuation, word choice, paragraph structure, or rearranging sentences and paragraphs for the best organization. All of the questions are passage-based and in context. You won’t be asked explicitly about a grammar rule, but rather asked to demonstrate your understanding by fixing an error in the passage. Here’s an example taken from an official ACT practice test. The questions above ask about word choice, usage, commas, and verb tense. Note that questions give you the option of No Change, as not all of the selections will actually contain an error. After showing your grammar skills, you’ll move onto math. Hopefully, you've been paying attention in math class! The ACT tests geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. ACT Math ACT Math is a time-intensive section, asking you 60 questions in 60 minutes. Math questions ask about pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers, and data analysis. You won’t get any formulas, so you’ll have to show up with a working knowledge of any formulas you might need. Here are a few examples of ACT math problems: As you can see, some of these questions are word problems, meaning that your English reading comprehension skills will need to come into play. It’s a good warm-up for the next section, which is all about your reading comprehension. ACT Reading The ACT Reading section will give you four passages, one of which may involve a set of paired passages, followed by ten questions each. The passages will be taken from prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science. The prose fiction passage, by the way, is unique to the ACT; you won’t get any prose on the TOEFL. The multiple choice questions might ask about main idea, details, vocabulary, function, development, or inferences. Here are a few example questions that are based on a preceding passage. This section requires you to comprehend the passage in a detailed way while also reading quickly under time constraints. After Reading, you’ll move onto ACT Science. The Science section is actually more similar to the Reading section than you might think. Read on to learn about their similarities. ACT Science You don’t have to show up to the ACT with a lot of scientific knowledge. This section is more about testing your scientific skills. Rather than demonstrating preexisting knowledge, you’ll have to show that you can read scientific passages, interpret data from graphics, and evaluate experimental designs. So how is this Science section similar to Reading? It will give you seven passages, and you’ll be asked to interpret them and make predictions. Three of the passages involve data representation, three are research summaries, and one presents conflicting viewpoints. You’ll interpret graphs and data trends, compare scientific opinions, and evaluate the design of experiments. In the example below, the questions ask you to read selections, interpret hypotheses, and represent information in a graph. The various excerpts and graphs in the ACT Science section may be related to biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or basic math. After the Science section, you might be all done with the ACT. If you registered for the ACT with Writing, though, then you have one last section to complete. The optional ACT Writing section asks you to write an essay in 40 minutes. ACT Writing (Optional) As you read above, the TOEFL Writing section asks you to complete two writing tasks. In ACT Writing, you’ll just write one essay, and you’ll have 40 minutes to do so. Your writing prompt will ask you to evaluate multiple perspectives on an issue and present your own stance. You’ll support your opinion with examples. Here’s an example of an ACT Writing prompt that’s based on a short passage and three different perspectives about public health. Essay task:Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the conflict between public health and individual freedom. In your essay, be sure to Analyze and evaluate the perspectives given State and develop your own perspective on the issue Explain the relationship between your perspective and those given Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples. As with your TOEFL Speaking and Writing tasks, you can study the rubric that graders use to score your ACT essay. Read on for a few other strategies for preparing for the ACT. Prepping for the ACT As with the TOEFL, you should start prepping at least threemonths before the ACT. If you take it early, then you’ll have extra test dates in case you want to improve your scores. Your first step in preparing for the ACT should be learning all about the structure and content of the test in detail.Then you might takea diagnostic practice test to measure your starting level. Analyze your results and figure out which sections, question types, and concepts you should study most to improve. Like the TOEFL, the ACT requires a strong working knowledge of English. It also tests your math and science skills. Make sure that you use high-quality, ACT-specific materials that break down each and every concept you need to know. In addition to setting your own personal goals, you should also research colleges to figure out what scores they expect from applicants. While colleges don’t usually have a cutoff ACT score, the way they do with the TOEFL, they do publicize the average ACT scores of accepted students. In closing, let’s review the main similarities and differences of these two admission tests, the TOEFL and the ACT. TOEFL and ACT: Similarities and Differences The TOEFL and ACT are largely different tests, with the TOEFL meant to test your English language level and the ACT focused on reasoning and problem-solving skills. One especially big difference is that the ACT has a math and science section, while the TOEFL is completely focused on English language. The tests do have some overlap, especially between the TOEFL Reading section and ACT Reading and English section. Because the ACT verbal sections require a strong level of English, some colleges will waive the TOEFL requirement with high ACT verbal scores. Unlike the TOEFL, the ACT has a math and science section that requires you to manipulate numbers and interpret data. Both tests require you to have a strong grasp of the English language, whether you’re recording an oral essay during the TOEFL Speaking section or interpreting a scientific passage on the ACT Science. As timed tests, both also require you to practice time management strategies and your ability to work efficiently under pressure. Before you start exploring prep materials to learn more about both tests, let’s review the main points you should remember about the ACT and the TOEFL. If your sights are set on a U.S. college, then you'll need to take the TOEFL and ACT to get there. ACT and TOEFL: Key Points Most U.S. colleges require the ACT (or SAT) from all applicants. Non-native English speakers must additionally take the TOEFL (or IELTS) to demonstrate their English language skills. These tests are meant to show that the applicant has the language and academic skills to succeed in college-level classes. Before you start signing up for any tests, make sure to research college requirements. Every college sets its own policy, and there are some that will waive the TOEFL with a high ACT verbal score. At the same time, your college planning might not line up exactly with your test prep. You should start prepping early, like in 10th grade, to leave yourself plenty of time to improve and take the test again if necessary. At this point, you might not know exactly what colleges you want to apply to. If you’re set on studying in the US, then it’s a good idea to take these admissions tests so you don’t limit your options. For the most part, it’s safe to assume that colleges want you to send TOEFL and ACT scores with your application. Start early, study smart, and work toward achieving your target TOEFL and ACT scores. Then you’ll be able to apply to any college you want! What’s Next? Are you an international student preparing for the ACT or SAT? Check out our guide for international students taking either of these admissions tests. You can also find the full list of international test dates here! Is the ACT your admissions test of choice? To help you prepare, we’ve put together comprehensive study guides for each section of the ACT. Check out our study guides for ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, ACT Science, and ACT Writing! Are you figuring out where to apply? This in-depth guide will help you choose colleges for your college list. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! 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Business research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business research project - Essay Example According to Bruce (2001) until now the demand to sensitize the business teachers who are trained to enhance international field experience has been driven further and acknowledged widely. This is due to the movement of world cultures and global contacts that are increasing through international experience. In this respect, the new rule is that many businesses are increasing their diversity and enrolling their employees with challenging and unique needs to teachers that are recruited internationally. This has made managers and business employees to be agents of responsibility for global and cultural responsibility within the business. In business management, international field experience is a vital aspect to the educational professionals who prepare for natural resource and business management industries. It gives out experience which reinforces the instruction of the business management. It also gives out a chance to business students to engage and observe the application of the kn owledge that has been acquired. This means that international field experience helps employees to achieve valuable insights towards the operation and organization of agencies and businesses in different industrial sectors. In this regard, field experience that is properly supervised and pursued with enthusiasm could be of significant meaning towards business management. However, there is hardly any research that has been done concerning the relevance of international field experience on business management. For this reason, this paper proposes a study to investigate the impacts of international field experience on business management. In this study, we will hypothesise that international field experience has increased positive impacts on business management. Purpose of international field experience. Field experience is a factor which is of great importance in business management. Its main purpose has always been to give managers a business of combining the theoretical studies with an application of practical knowledge in the actual environment of work. In the business students’ academic program, field experience plays a crucial role as it gives students a room for application of the knowledge gained while in the classroom. Field work also gives students a chance to continue learning under a professional supervisor during the field work. Additionally, student interns should always undertake their study abroad responsibilities with professional and quality dedication. Student interns are also expected to be assets to the agency of placement and that they need to establish an enormous contribution due to their experience in the work. The objective of the research. This is a research work that is set out to among other things achieve one key objective. Thus, the overarching objective was to find out the impacts of international field experience on business management. The topic to be examined would be the impacts of field experience on business management. Research Questions There are three essential questions considered in this study. These questions can support the research in its objective of achieving the possible answer to the thesis. What does International field experience entail? What are the effects of such international fie