Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Old to New SAT How to Convert 2400 to 1600

Old to New SAT How to Convert 2400 to 1600 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you are taking the new SAT in spring 2016 or later, your test will be significantly different from the current SAT. What are the main differences between the old and new SAT? How do you convert between the two tests? How do these changes affect you as the test taker? Differences Between Old and New SAT There will be a lot of minute differences between the two tests, but the big changes are: There will be twosections instead of three: Math andEvidence-Based Reading and Writing. Due to these section changes, the composite scores range will be 400 to 1600, instead of 600 to 2400. The types of questions asked will be changed. For example, the newEvidence-Based Reading and Writingsection will no longer have the sentence completion vocabulary questions. Instead, there will bemore passage-based critical thinking questions. There will be no penalty for guessing on questions. On the old SAT, you received minus  ¼ point for every incorrect answer. There are many more changes to the new SAT, and I recommend you read about the others as well. However, the changes I mentioned are the biggest and most important to understanding the conversion. How to Convert 2400 to 1600 The College Board has not announced any specific conversion method (nor have colleges announced how they will compare the old and new test). However, here at PrepScholar, we have come up withtwo possible conversion methods. Fast Method: Simply multiply the old SAT score by â…”. For example, if you received 1800 on the old SAT, the calculation would be 1800 x â…” = 1200. Yournew SAT score would be 1200.There are a couple issues with this fast method. It doesn’t take into account that Math will be more heavily weighted on the new SAT (since it will make up  ½ instead of â…“ of the score), while the Critical Reading and Writing will count less as they are combined. Our next method resolves this issue. Weighted Method: First, average the Critical Reading and Writing section scores. Then, add that average to the Math section. For example, if you received 1800 on the old SAT (Math 700, Critical Reading 650, Writing 450), you would first average 650 and 450. (650 + 450) / 2 = 550, then add that to Math, 550 + 700 = 1250. Yournew score would be 1250. However, if you received 1800 on the old SAT but your score breakdowns were Reading 700, Math 450, Writing 650, you would have a different new composite SAT score. (700+650) / 2 = 675, then add Math. 675 + 450 = 1125. Your new score would be 1125. With the same composite score (1800), you can end up with two different new SAT scores based on the Fast or Weighted Method. Using the Weighted Method, your composite score will be higher if Math was your best section or lower if Math was your worst section.Use the Weighted Method for a more accurate conversion that takes into account the importanceof each section on the new SAT. What Does This Conversion Mean For You? As I mentioned before, Math is more heavily weighted, as it will now account for  ½ your composite score instead of â…”. If you're good at Math, this is great news! As you could see above, your high Math score will bring up your composite score. If, on the other hand, you struggle in Math, this change isn'tso great. As you could see above, if Math is your weakest section, you will end up with a lower composite score on the new SAT.You'll need to do more SAT Math preparation to make sure you get a high Math score, so you get a high composite score. Also, the types of questions asked will be changing. As I mentioned, there will no longer be any fill in the blank vocabulary questions. Instead, there will be more critical thinking and data analysis questions. If your strength is memorization, you'll probably not do as well on the new SAT. If you are better at critical thinking, you'll score better on the new SAT. What’s Next? Learn more about the new SAT: How to Study for the New SAT in 2016 5 Reasons the New SAT Changes Aren't Revolutionary Complete Guide to the New SAT in 2016 New SAT Essay Prompts: How Are They Changing? Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Epi- Words for Writers

Epi- Words for Writers Epi- Words for Writers Epi- Words for Writers By Maeve Maddox The Greek prefix epi means something like *on, over and occurs in several English words. Here are some writing-related words that begin with it. epic Although the epi in this word isnt actually a prefix, Ill include it because it is an important literary term. It comes from the Greek for word. In English it refers first of all to the long poems by Homer and Virgil: the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid. By extension it can mean any long poem that tells traditional stories and describes the way of life peculiar to a nation. For example, the Old English epic Beowulf, Old French The Song of Roland, and the German Niebelungenleid. It can also mean any literary creation that is long and follows a story across many years. epigram An epigram is a short, pithy saying, what moderns might call a sound bite. The word originally meant an inscription, which by its nature would have been brief. The Roman poet Martial made a specialty of them. Closer to our own times are those of Oscar Wilde: A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. A man who does not think for himself does not think at all. Always forgive your enemies nothing annoys them so much. epigraph This word also had the original meaning of inscription, something brief written over something. An epigraph is a quotation that begins a book or a chapter in a book. The epigraph suggests the theme of the book or chapter. One of my favorite epigraphs is the one for The Night of the Hunter: Whos to doom, when the judge himself is dragged to the bar? Its an appropriate epigraph because the children in the novel are being pursued by the very man who should be their protector. George Eliot heads all 86 chapters of Middlemarch with an epigraph. She was quite a reader. episode An episode is a unit of action in a literary work, or one performance of a radio or television series. When I was young, there were movie serials; wed see the latest episode on Saturday. George Lucas must be familiar with the old movie serials because thats how he framed his six-part StarWars epic. Episodes are integral parts of a novel, but if they are not tied to the main story in a believable manner, your work will be criticized as being episodic, and thats not a good thing. epitaph Another word that began as an inscription, an epitaph is a written composition of a few lines meant to be carved on a tombstone. A typical epitaph would be: Here lies Mary Brown, beloved wife and mother. Epitaphs can be amusing. Here are some that adorn the graves of men who died when the West was being won: Here lies Lester Moore. Four slugs From a forty-four. No Les No More. He called Bill Smith A Liar Bill Blake Was hanged by mistake. Heres an epitaph from the grave of an Englishman named Partridge who died in the month of May: What? Kill a Partridge in the Month of May? Was that done like a sportsman? Eh, Death, eh?! Sometimes they indicate the manner of death: Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake, Stepped on the gas instead of the brake. Sometimes they speak in the voice of the departed: I told you I was sick! Sometimes they are philosophical: Here lies an Atheist †¨All dressed up †¨And no place to go. And sometimes they tell a life story in a few words: Rebecca Freeland 1741 She drank good ale, good punch and wine And lived to the age of 99. epithalamium This is a Greek word meaning nuptial song Ancient poets Pindar, Sappho and Catullus wrote them. The most famous one in English, Epithalamion, was written by Edmund Spenser for his own wedding. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"Hang, Hung, HangedHow to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Leadership and organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership and organisations - Essay Example This essay discusses only some of the various leadership theories, styles, and models that have been developed in the interest of management science. Many have been conceptualized from observing the practices of leaders and viewing them in the context of their organizational setting. While the discussion is not exhaustive, it is illustrative of the breadth of leadership theory and its situation within the larger arena of organizational management theory. Throughout history, nations rose and fell on account of good and bad leaders, compelling social and behavioural theorists to seek a pattern of attributes or behaviours that would account for the difference. The presumed objective is to identify what makes good leaders, and from thence to formulate guidelines by which good leaders may be identified (in the case of inborn leaders) or developed (in those cases where leaders are seen as created). A brief summary of leadership theories in modern history are shown in the table below. Great man theories espoused the view that leaders are born and not made, meaning that there are only those select few (whether chosen by the divine wisdom or by destiny) who rise above the rest and emerge as leaders. The term alludes to the early concept that all leaders are male, or women with male qualities, particularly in battle. The notion of leadership as birthright is consistent with the traditions of several nations until now, whose leaders acquire their status from their lineage. Aside from the monarchies still existing in Europe (England, the Netherlands), Asia (Japan, Thailand), the Middle East (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the emirates of the UAE), or the ethnic tribes in Africa (Zulu, Burundi, Chad), there are militarily installed dictatorial dynasties such as the Kims of North Korea and the Castros of Cuba. In such cases, the original leader is looked up to as some benign national patriarch, and his issue by rule are endowed with the mandate to be revered, even

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

3D printing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

3D printing - Essay Example 3D printing can best be understood by defining a 3D printer. According to Kelly, "A 3D printer is a printer that prints in three dimensions" (5). Deriving from this definition of a 3D printer, 3D printing is therefore printing objects in three dimensions. This technology has transformed printing from the conventional two dimensional methods which lacked height to three dimensions that comprise of height (Kelly 5). To further differentiate between the conventional method of 2D and modern 3D printing, Kelly asserts that whereas ink is used in 2D printing, 3D printing mainly uses plastic in order to achieve a three-dimensional object (7). Through 3D printing, it is easier for individuals to modify products according to customers instructions and needs. This advantage is reiterated by Stephanidis who posits that customized products can easily be created and produced in large quantities through an uncomplicated process made possible by 3D technology (300). Additionally, merchandise can be produced more rapidly and precisely as the process is computerized. People can today purchase a 3D printer at a cheaper price for use at home. It is worth noting that people in the modern world have divergent needs and requirements and hence may require to create specific products to meet their specific needs. An individual can therefore create a product to meet his own need at home and thus making life easier. This saves resources as money that could have otherwise be spent through purchasing the particular product from a shop or other manufacturers is used for other purposes. 3D is today used to create prototypes. In fact, Battersby and Grimes assert that approximately 70 percent of 3D usage today entails prototyping (831). In laymans terms, a prototype is a model or sample that is created for experimentation. Through the use of 3D, an individual can create as many prototypes as possible at a cheaper price until the specifications of the desired product are achieved. There are

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Our Societys Indifference to Violence Essay Example for Free

Our Societys Indifference to Violence Essay Last year, while sitting in my car with a friend at the beach, I witnessed a terrible situation in which almost no one helped the woman in trouble. Although I was scared, it never occurred to me to not offer my assistance. Looking back at the situation now, I cant help but wonder if I wasnt there how differently the night may have turned out for an innocent girl. This one night, changed my life and probably saved hers. On this night, we sat in the car talking about the days events and enjoyed the calmness of the ocean and the peacefulness of the night. Although it was already dark, many other cars lined the boardwalk and several people were sitting out watching the waves crash on the nearby beach. For a late evening, the beach was unusually busy. We sat and talked for few minutes before noticing a commotion off in the distance. At first, it appeared to be a prank, or a fight. Initially I didnt think it was serious and went back to enjoying the sound of the waves and the company of my friend. Soon, the distraction appeared to take on a more desperate tone, so I focused ahead on what was happening. In the distance I could see a young woman frantically running from vehicle to vehicle. I had no idea what was going on, and although I wanted to ignore it, something told me not to. I strained my eyes to see what she was doing, and to my surprise no one else seemed to notice how frantic she was. As she ran around, shouting and what looked like crying, people walked away, rolled up their windows and ignored her. She was making her way down the line of parked cars in a hurried fashion, but I still had no idea how severe the situation was. In no time, she was standing at the drivers side window screaming. Her words were difficult to make out and my first thought was that she was drunk or on drugs. I quickly dismissed this idea when I noticed her shirt. It was covered, in what appeared to be blood. She was crying, and talking so fast I couldnt make out what she was saying. What was clear was that she was asking, in fact, begging for help. We quickly told her to get into the backseat, away from the danger that had caused her this horrible reaction. She was trembling, and bleeding and crying. We did our best to comfort her and quickly called 911 from our cell phone. Luckily the police were nearby and responded very quickly. As we sat, and waited for the police to question us, we couldnt help but wonder why no one had helped her. She had asked at least ten people for help, and all of them had ignored her. The situation was obviously dire and had we not called the police immediately whos to say what would have happened to her. We waited for what seemed like an eternity until finally the police explained the situation. It seemed the girl was making her way back to the road from the beach when a man jumped out from behind the bushes and attacked her. She had been stabbed, but managed to get away before he was able to do more harm to her. Unfortunately, the unidentified man was also able to get away. After being attacked, and stabbed, she ran for help. She was obviously hurt and bleeding but no one, except us, helped her. She was quickly whisked away in an ambulance and the police assured us that her wound was minor and she would be okay. We sat for at least another hour as the helicopters, police and search dogs looked for the assailant. We learned later, on the news that the man was never found. It was so disturbing to see someone in obvious need asking for help and everyone turning their back to her. It was as if they couldnt be bothered, or they thought she was joking. So many people were so quick to dismiss it as not serious just to justify their time of peace that it nearly cost someone their life. I would like to think that if the people who did not help, knew that the girl was injured they would have offered to help, but I am not sure. They were all so quick to make a judgment about the situation and assume that it was serious that this girl, who had just been stabbed, couldnt convince them that she was hurt. Our culture is becoming one of not only increasing violence, but one of desensitization to that violence. Had we not been there to help, I cant help but wonder if anyone would have thought to call the police, or an ambulance, or offer even basic comfort to someone in obvious need. The people that did not help that night were completely indifferent to her and were more considered with their own enjoyment that they failed to help a young girl in need. In so doing, their lack of assistance may have provided the attacker the time needed to get away. In this case, indifference led to injustice for not only this one girl, but to everyone else this man may have attacked in months and years to come. Well never know just how many people this lack of compassion affected. Our society has become numb to violence and that numbness has not only caused an increase of violent acts it has caused a greater degree of indifference for the victims of horrible crimes like the one I witnessed. The people on the beach that night justified their lack of action by saying they thought she was acting, or drunk. Sadly, it should never have mattered why she was screaming, bleeding and asking for help. Help should have been offered without question and without prejudice. If we dont change this behavior, as a society, violence and indifference will only continue to grow as it has for the past several decades.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

Dante’s Judgment of Edward Teach In Dante Alighieri’s The Devine Comedy, he explains his nine stages of hell based on different sins. They are limbo lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. In Alighieri’s epic, limbo was the least serious level of sins and treachery was the highest level of sin. Edward â€Å"Blackbeard† Teach was a famous pirate who would have been considered to commit all of these sins. In Alighieri’s eyes Teach would have been put in the highest level of hell for committing all of the sins including treachery. Edward â€Å"Blackbeard† Teach was born in Bristol, England around 1960. Most likely has name may have actually been Edward Drummond but he introduced himself as Teach. He took the sea when he was a teenager and was recruited as a privateer for Queen Anne’s War. (Minster, â€Å"Biography of Edward â€Å"Blackbeard† Teach†). The time of Blackbeard’s life took place during the early 18th century and was referred as â€Å"The Golden Age of Piracy†. In order to stay a successful pirate, he wanted to be intimidating. Teach would always carry multiple weapons...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Heidi Roizen Case Essay

1. Describe Roizen’s network (including her reasons for developing her network) and how she developed it. Roizen’s young adult life shaped the reasons as to why she was going to become independent and self-sufficient. After suffering the tragic loss of her fiancà © she set out to build a career and learned very early on that building connections with high-level people was something she had a talent for and something she ought not to miss out on when given the opportunity. Roizen knew she wanted to be in the technology industry, but with a creative writing degree she had limited options of jobs to choose from. At Tandem computers she wrote the internal newspaper serving as a link between the executives (including the CEO) and the rest of the employees. Roizen immediately realized how to leverage this aspect of her job description and thus began a decade long career of networking. After Tandem Roizen went to get her MBA and then partnered with her brother to launch a company that sold spreadsheet software he developed. T-Maker did not have excessive amounts of capital like some of its competitors, but Roizen knew that with her outgoing personality and her desire to meet (interesting and smart) people she could make the company successful. While marketing T/Maker she made important relationships with people that would end up shaping her career as well as dominating the Silicon Valley technology scene. Roizen was taking a gamble spending so much of her time and energy in developing rapport with these people, but thus far it had proven to be an integral factor in her career development. 2. What are Roizen’s principles of networking and relationships? How would you analyze the strengths and weaknesses of her network as we see it at the end of the case? Because of the amount of time and energy Roizen devotes to networking over time she developed guiding principles to maintain stability. Firstly Heidi claims you must have access to people, which is accomplished over a period  of time. Also held at high regard is maintaining â€Å"performance and consistency during and after each interaction.† Performance involves responsiveness and follow-through in doing what you offered or agreed upon doing. By focusing on performance and consistency Roizen believes that efficiency in maintaining relationships is achieved because interactions of high levels of substance can occur with less frequency. During Roizen’s time at Apple she adopted her next principle, which stressed neutrality and confidentiality in her relationships with competitors. While she did not explicitly state that trust was necessary most people cited in the case seemed to truly trust Roizen and her intentions, which brings us to her last and perhaps most importa nt principle of reciprocity. Roizen values reciprocity in the sense that before calling in a favor she must evaluate if it is a win-win situation for both parties. Heidi has been referred to as a catalyst, market maker, and door opener so before she can do something for someone else she wants to make sure there are mutual benefits to be realized. Heidi is a high-profile industry captain who frankly does not have the time to perform acts of goodwill all day. Her networking is the bulk of her business and her resume. The strengths of her network are that throughout her career and specifically at Softbank her networking landed her the position of partner. Before evaluating the strengths of Roizen’s network one must take the time to recognize that it takes a certain ebullient, patient, conscientious, amicable human being to be able to achieve a network with the wide spectrum of powerful individuals that Roizen began amalgamating at a very young age. The strengths of her network include penetrating the Technology sector and becoming a celebrity of Silicon Valley. Through her network she was able to leverage these relationships to benefit her herself and others along the way. By establishing her guidelines she was able to healthily separate work and her personal life even though an outsiders’ perspective may think theses boundaries are blurred in the case of Roizen’s dinner parties. It is quite apparent that much of Roizen’s success can be attributed to her expertise in the area of networking. She has positively leveraged this unique skill throughout her career to make win-win situations for both herself and the other party involved. Unfortunately networking does come  with some downside. It is overwhelmingly time consuming. As the case mentioned Roizen receives upwards of 100 e-mails a day that she feels obliged to personally answer in order to maintain successful work-related (and sometimes personal) relationships. An acquaintance mentioned the lengthiness of her e-mails decreased over time until the responses were incomplete sentences. This reflects poorly on Roizen because the 2000+ people she networks with all consider her a â€Å"friend† and expect perhaps more than she can provide them with in terms of time and energy devoted to the relationship. Besides the work-related strains this networking seeps into her personal life where she is constantly hosting events at her home, leaving little separation between home and work. Overall the networking doesn’t allow for a balanced work life, which many people claim to be essential in achieving overall happiness and even success. 3. How does she use her network, and what does she achieve through her network? Heidi realized at her first job at Tandem that she had to use her talent of being a people-person to move up in this world. She had a good eye for how to manipulate situations into the interests of her network. Starting with T/Maker she started maximizing all social situations to the benefit of marketing T/Maker. The time she spent developing these relationships during the 1980’s laid out the foundation of her network and consequently her career. Then during Apple’s decline of the 1990’s Roizen was called to the rescue where first the first time she was to formally use her network in the developer community to rebuild a brand. Her success was primarily attributed to her relationships and how she was able to effectively use them to her benefit and in this case in Apple’s benefit. Her work awarded her a promotion to build strategy and eventually to leave and create her own job description as a mentor capitalist. This is Heidi using her network at its finest. Heidi realized what she had built was unique and consequently her network gave her the ability to tailor her job description around her likes and strengths. As an independent and external director she was responsible for recruiting key positions and with her probable one-degree of separation between her and the rest of Silicon Valley she was able to make some impressive matches. It is one thing to have developed the network Heidi has,  but is another to know how to perfectly utilize its full potential and Heidi has done so throughout the course of her career. Moving to the venture capital world allowed Heidi to fulfill an interest in the equity ownership or the â€Å"financial weight† of these start- up companies. With this career change came additional responsibilities that would take away from the time Heidi had previously spent networking. Now it is up to Heidi to re-prioritize and arrange her duties to create a healthy balan ce of completing her venture capitalist duties, while retaining the network she so dutifully built. 4. How would you characterize the â€Å"breadth† and â€Å"depth† (strong or weak ties) of her network? Part of Heidi’s networking phenomenon involves a metaphor of networking as constellations. Heidi can minimize relationship maintenance by staying in more frequent contact with other nuclei of network constellations. Heidi over the years has assumed position of nuclei in her particular networking group and this gives her the ability to â€Å"leverage the network constellation approach† which results in preserving the breadth of her entire network. Her network spans thousands of people who all consider themselves personally acquainted with Heidi. There is not enough time in the day to cater to each individual so Heidi cuts corners by remaining in close contact with the nuclei of all the different networks she is a part of. Heidi also has depth to her network in the sense that she keeps in touch with non-nuclei of other networks. Heidi is most definitely a people person and over the course of her career she has gotten to know people who she likes as individuals because they are interesting and smart (two of her pre-requisites in networking!) That being said the depth of her network may seem to contradict with maintaining the breadth through the constellation approach, but Heidi’s networking is deeply instilled in her so she sees value in her relationships with the nuclei and the random individuals. And thus far her hybrid approach has proven to be successful in all of her career-driven endeavors. 5. What are your suggestions for Roizen to continue to develop and maintain her network? Should she change anything in terms of people, effort, strategies, etc? In order to effectively exploit Heidi’s strengths I would suggest that since she seems to have flexibility in designing her job she could cut down the time she spends reading business plans for a few reasons; she does not enjoy that aspect of venture capital and because she could use that time to network which is a main reason why she was hired. Currently Heidi does not have enough time to evaluate business plans, help companies in early growth stages and to maintain her networking relationships. If Softbank wants to be able to take advantage of Heidi’s rolodex they will have to agree to her requests to be able to keep up her relationships. Fortunately most executives understand how time consuming networking can be and when it is done at Heidi’s level it should be deemed a full time job. I understand Heidi’s reasons for wanting to spend time with the business plans, but by delegating an initial screening process downward in the organization she may find herself with an extra few hours each day to complete time-sensitive networking issues, which would ultimately increase her performance and effectiveness.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Deception Point Page 11

Now Rachel was impressed. The President had protected himself with typical Herney aplomb. By hiring the ultimate team of skeptics – outsiders who had nothing to gain by confirming the NASA discovery – Herney had immunized himself against suspicions that this might be a desperate NASA ploy to justify its budget, reelect their NASA-friendly President, and ward off Senator Sexton's attacks. â€Å"Tonight at eight P.M.,† Herney said, â€Å"I will be calling a press conference at the White House to announce this discovery to the world.† Rachel felt frustrated. Herney had essentially told her nothing. â€Å"And this discovery is what, precisely?† The President smiled. â€Å"You will find patience a virtue today. This discovery is something you need to see for yourself. I need you to understand this situation fully before we proceed. The administrator of NASA is waiting to brief you. He will tell you everything you need to know. Afterward, you and I will further discuss your role.† Rachel sensed an impending drama in the President's eyes and recalled Pickering's hunch that the White House had something up its sleeve. Pickering, it appeared, was right, as usual. Herney motioned to a nearby airplane hangar. â€Å"Follow me,† he said, walking toward it. Rachel followed, confused. The building before them had no windows, and its towering bay doors were sealed. The only access seemed to be a small entryway on the side. The door was ajar. The President guided Rachel to within a few feet of the door and stopped. â€Å"End of the line for me,† he said, motioning to the door. â€Å"You go through there.† Rachel hesitated. â€Å"You're not coming?† â€Å"I need to return to the White House. I'll speak to you shortly. Do you have a cellphone?† â€Å"Of course, sir.† â€Å"Give it to me.† Rachel produced her phone and handed it to him, assuming he intended to program a private contact number into it. Instead, he slipped her phone into his pocket. â€Å"You're now off-the-grid,† the President said. â€Å"All your responsibilities at work have been covered. You will not speak to anyone else today without express permission from myself or the NASA administrator. Do you understand?† Rachel stared. Did the President just steal my cell-phone? â€Å"After the administrator briefs you on the discovery, he will put you in contact with me via secure channels. I'll talk to you soon. Good luck.† Rachel looked at the hangar door and felt a growing uneasiness. President Herney put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and nodded toward the door. â€Å"I assure you, Rachel, you will not regret assisting me in this matter.† Without another word, the President strode toward the PaveHawk that had brought Rachel in. He climbed aboard, and took off. He never once looked back. 12 Rachel Sexton stood alone on the threshold of the isolated Wallops hangar and peered into the blackness beyond. She felt like she was on the cusp of another world. A cool and musty breeze flowed outward from the cavernous interior, as if the building were breathing. â€Å"Hello?† she called out, her voice wavering slightly. Silence. With rising trepidation, she stepped over the threshold. Her vision went blank for an instant as her eyes became accustomed to the dimness. â€Å"Ms. Sexton, I presume?† a man's voice said, only yards away. Rachel jumped, wheeling toward the sound. â€Å"Yes, sir.† The hazy shape of a man approached. As Rachel's vision cleared, she found herself standing face to face with a young, stone-jawed buck in a NASA flight suit. His body was fit and muscle-bound, his chest bedecked with patches. â€Å"Commander Wayne Loosigian,† the man said. â€Å"Sorry if I startled you, ma'am. It's pretty dark in here. I haven't had a chance to open the bay doors yet.† Before Rachel could respond, the man added, â€Å"It will be my honor to be your pilot this morning.† â€Å"Pilot?† Rachel stared at the man. I just had a pilot. â€Å"I'm here to see the administrator.† â€Å"Yes, ma'am. My orders are to transport you to him immediately.† It took a moment for the statement to sink in. When it hit her, she felt a stab of deceit. Apparently, her travels were not over. â€Å"Where is the administrator?† Rachel demanded, wary now. â€Å"I do not have that information,† the pilot replied. â€Å"I will receive his coordinates after we are airborne.† Rachel sensed that the man was telling the truth. Apparently she and Director Pickering were not the only two people being kept in the dark this morning. The President was taking the issue of security very seriously, and Rachel felt embarrassed by how quickly and effortlessly the President had taken her â€Å"off-the-grid.† Half an hour in the field, and I'm already stripped of all communication, and my director has no idea where I am. Standing now before her stiff-backed NASA pilot, Rachel had little doubt her morning plans were cast in stone. This carnival ride was leaving with Rachel onboard whether she liked it or not. The only question was where it was headed. The pilot strode over to the wall and pressed a button. The far side of the hangar began sliding loudly to one side. Light poured in from the outside, silhouetting a large object in the center of the hangar. Rachel's mouth fell open. God help me. There in the middle of the hangar stood a ferocious-looking black fighter jet. It was the most streamlined aircraft Rachel had ever seen. â€Å"You are joking,† she said. â€Å"Common first reaction, ma'am, but the F-14 Tomcat Split-tail is a highly proven craft.† It's a missile with wings. The pilot led Rachel toward his craft. He motioned to the dual cockpit. â€Å"You'll be riding in back.† â€Å"Really?† She gave him a tight smile. â€Å"And here I thought you wanted me to drive.† After donning a thermal flight suit over her clothes, Rachel found herself climbing into the cockpit. Awkwardly, she wedged her hips into the narrow seat. â€Å"NASA obviously has no fat-assed pilots,† she said. The pilot gave a grin as he helped Rachel buckle herself in. Then he slid a helmet over her head. â€Å"We'll be flying pretty high,† he said. â€Å"You'll want oxygen.† He pulled an oxygen mask from the side dash and began snapping it onto her helmet. â€Å"I can manage,† Rachel said, reaching up and taking over. â€Å"Of course, ma'am.† Rachel fumbled with the molded mouthpiece and then finally snapped it onto her helmet. The mask's fit was surprisingly awkward and uncomfortable. The commander stared at her for a long moment, looking vaguely amused. â€Å"Is something wrong?† she demanded. â€Å"Not at all, ma'am.† He seemed to be hiding a smirk. â€Å"Hack sacks are under your seat. Most people get sick their first time in a split-tail.† â€Å"I should be fine,† Rachel assured him, her voice muffled by the smothering fit of the mask. â€Å"I'm not prone to motion sickness.† The pilot shrugged. â€Å"A lot of Navy Seals say the same thing, and I've cleaned plenty of Seal puke out of my cockpit.† She nodded weakly. Lovely. â€Å"Any questions before we go?† Rachel hesitated a moment and then tapped on the mouthpiece cutting into her chin. â€Å"It's cutting off my circulation. How do you wear these things on long flights?† The pilot smiled patiently. â€Å"Well, ma'am, we don't usually wear them upside down.† Poised at the end of the runway, engines throbbing beneath her, Rachel felt like a bullet in a gun waiting for someone to pull the trigger. When the pilot pushed the throttle forward, the Tomcat's twin Lockheed 345 engines roared to life, and the entire world shook. The brakes released, and Rachel slammed backward in her seat. The jet tore down the runway and lifted off within a matter of seconds. Outside, the earth dropped away at a dizzying rate.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Advancement of the Mayan Civilization essays

The Advancement of the Mayan Civilization essays The highly advanced citizens of the ancient Mayan civilization used hieroglyphics to keep important historical records, made many advancements in mathematics, and had a highly accurate astronomy system. Throughout their years of existence, the Mayans proved to be one of the most advanced civilizations ever recorded. Their hieroglyphic writing skills have been documented to be some of the most sophisticated in all of ancient America. The Mayans also had an amazing understanding of mathematics and the workings of the universe. They have, through these things and more, to be on of the most advanced ancient civilizations in all of the world. The Mayan civilization had a rich and interesting history. The history of the Mayans has been classified into five historical periods. The first is the Formative Period, which lasted from 1500 BC to approximately 150 AD and saw the rapid development of its early people and the erection of its first temples. Another important period was the Classic Period. This period lasted from about 250 to 900 AD and included the rise royal rule, commerce, urban centers and ceremony. The Postclassic Period occurred from 900 to 1500 AD and whitened the fall of the Mayan civilization from its "Golden Age". The Mayan history is a remarkable documentation of a extremely advanced civilization. The Mayan hieroglyphic system of writing stands as one of the most remarkable displays of the advancements of a civilization in the history of the Americas due to its complexity in design and usage. Their system of writing was the only one developed before the arrival of Columbus and has been noted as the most advanced system developed in all of ancient America. The Mayan writing was based on independent sections called glyphs, which many times appear quite flashy and complex to outsiders eyes. Through research by scholars, about 800 glyphs have been discovered , which exceeds the number of signs need...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Contrast Essay for The Great Gatsby

How to Write a Compare/Contrast Essay for The Great Gatsby SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A very common essay prompt/discussion topic for The Great Gatsby is to have you compare and contrast a pair of characters in Gatsby. Why do teachers love these prompts so much? These compare/contrast essays are an opportunity for you to tie the character similarities and differences to larger observations about society and class, the American Dream, or identity in the novel. They also allow you to practice standard English class skills: close reading, using lines from the text as evidence, and taking a stance and presenting a supporting argument in an essay. We’ll go over some basic dos and don’ts for writing compare/contrast essays before diving into some analysis of the most asked-about character pairings. Keep reading if you have a Compare/Contrast assignment on the horizon! Article Roadmap The do's of acompare and contrast essay The don'ts of a compare contrast essay Why some characters are paired for comparison more often than others Analysis of and essay topic ideas for the most common character pairs: Nick and Gatsby Tom and George Tom and Gatsby Daisy and Jordan Daisy and Myrtle What to Do in a Compare/Contrast Essay Like anything you write for English class, your essay should be clearly organized, with a thesis statement (a one-sentence summary of your argument), and topic sentences for each body paragraph. And you should definitely have an overall argument! The point of the compare/contrast essay isn’t for you to just list the differences and similarities between two characters, you need to take those observations and make a larger argument about the novel as a whole. That larger argument allows you to practice writing an essay that contains an argument, which is a skill that nearly all English teachers are focused on building. To take a quick example, don’t just list the differences between Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Instead, make an argument like, â€Å"Fitzgerald’s portrayal of wealthy New York society through Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan allows him to critique both old money and the newly rich, while reserving his most pointed critiques for the old money crowd.† (Obviously, that’s just one example, and there are dozens of potential arguments you could make while comparing and contrasting characters in Gatsby!) Make sure to address your larger argument in each body paragraph as you draw out the similarities and differences between the two characters. Don’t get caught in the weeds as you tease out the many differences and similarities in each character pair. Always link back to the bigger picture. Finally, analyze each quote you use – in other words, don’t stick a quote in your essay and do nothing with it. Make sure to explain how and why the quote demonstrates a key similarity or difference, and what that means for your bigger argument. What to Avoid in a Compare/Contrast Essay Don’t just list differences and similarities without an overarching argument. Although you can definitely start brainstorming by making a list of similarities and differences, just presenting that list in essay form won’t get you a good grade, since you need to go deeper and explain what the similarities/differences suggest about the novel as a whole. And, on the other side, don’t make big claims without some evidence from the text to back them up. For example, don’t say â€Å"Tom is selfish while Gatsby cares about others.† Prove those two separate claims (Tom is selfish† and â€Å"Gatsby cares about others†) with relevant lines from the book. (And if you’re having a hard time locating good quotes, find a digital version of Gatsby you can search using the CTRL-F function. It’s a lifesaver when gathering relevant quotes for an essay!) The garden gnome agrees - our essay tips have helped him out more than you'll ever know. Why Are These Characters Paired Most Often? We will tackle these major pairings in the next sections of this article: Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby Tom Buchanan and George Wilson Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson Before we dig into the analysis, you might be wondering: â€Å"why are we only comparing characters of the same gender?† or maybe â€Å"why not other pairings? Why not Jordan and Myrtle, or Nick and Tom?† We are focusing on these specific pairings because they are by far the most commonly asked about pairs in essay prompts and discussion topics for The Great Gatsby. And we want this guide, first and foremost, to be helpful to students as you work on assignments involving Gatsby! Furthermore, these pairings help teachers get you to explore some of the novel’s larger themes. For example, comparing Daisy/ Myrtle or Tom/George can help you explore the differences between the wealthy and the working class.Comparing Daisy/Myrtle or Daisy/Jordan can help you explore the changing status of women during the 1920s. Comparing Tom and Gatsby can get at the old money/new money divide. Finally, differences betweenNick and Gatsby raisesome of the novel’s larger questions about the American Dream, repeating the past, and identity. In short, these pairings have become common because they each allow fairly easy access to one of the novel’s larger issues. That’s not to say you couldn’t also explore some of those themes by comparing, say, Jordan and George, or Daisy and Gatsby, but cross-gender compare/contrast essays can be challenging because the status of women and men is so different in the novel. If you are interested in seeing how a particular male and female character are paired, you may be better off studying them through the lens of love, desire, and relationships in the novel, or through the way they relate to one of the novel's symbols or motifs. With those thoughts in mind, let's jump into the top 5 pairings! For each pairing, we will suggest a few possible larger arguments you can either build from or disagree with, but these are far from comprehensive! You should add to our analysis of the characters and come up with an argument you’re excited about. Quick Note on Our Citations Our citation format in this guide is (chapter.paragraph). We're using this system since there are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would only work for students with our copy of the book. To find a quotation we cite via chapter and paragraph in your book, you can either eyeball it (Paragraph 1-50: beginning of chapter; 50-100: middle of chapter; 100-on: end of chapter), or use the search function if you're using an online or eReader version of the text. Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby Although Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway varyboth in outlook and temperament, they are also alike ininteresting ways. Despite somewhat similardesires, attitudes, and social positions, Nick and Gatsby make very different choices during the novel. Love and Romance.Nick and Gatsbyboth want womenthat are out of their reach, although in different degrees. Daisy is miles above Gatsby in terms of social class. Jordan and Nick are of the same social status, but Jordan doesn't seem free to make her own decisions since an aunt controls her financial life.There is a significant passion gap between Gatsby and Nick as well. Gatsby obsesses over Daisy- he has thought of nothing else for five years, going as far as to buy a house across the bay from her just in case she notices. Nick, meanwhile, is attracted to Jordan's cool and self-sufficient demeanor, but he is clearly not in love with her, as he himself notes ("I wasn't actually in love, but I felt a sort of tender curiosity" (3.159)). Approach to Women.Both men are not particularly interested in the inner lives of the women they want to be with. Gatsby is devastated when Daisy doesn't want to renounce her relationship with Tom completely. Similarly, Nick cavalierly discounts Jordan's penchant to lie, cheat, and generally be cynically uninterested in other people, and then is deeply disappointed when she acts this way after Myrtle's death. Class and Social Standing.Although bothGatsby and Nick are outsiders to the wealthy communities of East and West Egg, Nick is a much more in-between character socially than Gatsby. Nick is familiar with the ways of the old money crowd because of his own family's privilege and the fact that he is related to Daisy. Gatsby isnot only self-made, but is a criminal whois desperate to pass as part of the old money elite without knowing its customs or rules of behavior.What isolates Nickfrom East Egg life is his Midwestern values and the importance he places on morality and decency. Gatsby is isolated from everyone by the fact that he can never actually be himself - he is always playing a role and putting on his "Oxford man" persona. It may be this sense of feeling out of place that connects them. Outlook and Temperament.Gatsby is an optimist (almost to a delusional degree)while Nick is a realist who finds Gatsby's idealism inspiring and admirable. Gatsby believes in his ability to shape his own life and future, which makes sense since he has managed to transform himself from a farmer to a successful gangster, to impersonate an "Oxford man," and to accumulatea fantastic amount of wealth in a very short time. This belief in his power translates to Gatsby being sure that he and Daisy can go back to their month of idyllic love ("'Can't repeat the past?', he cried incredulously. 'Why of course you can!'" (6.129).Nick tries his best to be an objective realist and to reign in his tendency to judge others. He is deeply in awe of self-directed men like Gatsby, and even Wolfshiem (Nick is amazed to think that one man could be behind a huge event like therigged World Series). Ambition.Gatsby dreams of greatness. As a young man his mind â€Å"romped like the mind of God,† and so as an adult, he seems to have made good on this promise by buying the most ridiculous mansion and throwing the most extravagantparties (6.134). Nick is much less ambitious in comparison. While he comes to New York seeking excitement, he doesn't want to be the wealthiest bond salesman on Wall Street or to have the biggest house. He is happy to be an observer at the edge of the drama rather than being in its midst. Nick and GatsbyEssay Ideas Here arepotential arguments to build on or disagree with based our observations. These are certainly not the only possible arguments, so be creative! Make sure your essay considers what the similarities and differences between Nick and Gatsby reveal about the novel as a whole. Nick is a passive person and Gatsby is active, which is why Gatsby is the hero and Nick simply the observer. Nick has much more in common with Gatsby than he thinks he does, which explains why he becomes so enamored of him. Nick serves as a foil (someone whoserves as a contrast)to Gatsby, which makes Nick the best possible observer of Gatsby. At the end of the novel, Tom says that Gatsby â€Å"threw dirt in [Nick’s] eyes, just like Daisy’s,† meaning thatboth Nick and Daisy were taken in and could never see the true Gatsby: a narcissist and a criminal.Tom is right - the whole novel is Nick trying to spin a negative character into a positive one. Nick Carraway: master of spin or just along for the ride? Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby As they battle overDaisy’s love, Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby sometimes seem surprisingly similar - particular in their self-centeredness, wealth, and concern with appearances. At the same time, these surface parallelspoint to majorconflictsin their social class, and say a lot about the world of the novel. Appearance.Gatsby is driven by his materialism to be very invested having fashionable clothes, a beautiful mansion, and visually overwhelmingparties - for him, the outfit is the thing that makes the Oxford man. Meanwhile because Tom doesn't have to dress the part of the moneyed elite to be one, he is instead veryattuned to the behavior of others. This is why he immediately seeshow fakeGatsby's persona is, both because of Gatsby's overly ostentatious clothes, and because of how much Gatsby misreads the fake invitation from the Sloanes. Tom is never fooled into thinking that Gatsby isanything other than an upstart, and mostly likely a criminal one. Self-Centeredness.Tom and Gatsbyare both completely selfish, and fully convinced that their desires have to be acquiesced to by those around them. Tom, for example, starts his affair with Myrtle by pressing himself against her on a train platform - basically, his version of flirting is bodily assault. Gatsby, meanwhile, also thinks nothing of starting anaffair with a married woman, assuming that his obsessive feelings are enough to justify any behavior. Wealth.Despite the fact that both are unimaginably rich, these men come from totally different sides of the big money divide.Tom comes fromold money and is forever worried about the encroachment of the nouveau riche, minorities, and others onto what he thinks is his. At the same time, Gatsby is the most successful of the novel's many ambitious social climbers, using his lack of ethical scruples to parlay his criminal activity into a higher social status. Power.Tom loves being powerful and wieldshis power directly. He is physically aggressive and uses his body to threaten and intimidate (Nick, for one, is clearly very cowed by Tom's bulk). He is also quick to violence, whether it's socially sanctioned - like his football accomplishments - or not - like when he breaks Myrtle's nose without a second thought.Gatsby also holdssignificant power, but his methods are much more indirect. Still, whether he is offering Nick some illegal bond trading action, or showing off his get-out-of-a-ticket-free card to a cop on the highway, Gatsby is clearly happy to be in control of a situation. Love. Tom and Gatsby both seem to be in love with Daisy. But what does that really mean to each of them? For Tom, Daisy is clearly partly appealing because she completes his horse-riding, East Egg, 350-thousand-dollar pearl necklace lifestyle. He cheats on her because he clearly has never denied himself anything, but he also understands Daisy as a person. He knows that she is too weak to leave him, but he also loves her enough to tolerate her affair with Gatsby and to stay with her after Myrtle's murder.Gatsby's love, on the other hand, is in some ways purer because he so idealizes Daisy and connects her to all of his other hopes and dreams. But this love is overly pure - he doesn't really seem to know Daisy as anything other than an idealized object, and is incapable of accepting that she has led a life apart from him for five years. Tom and Gatsby Essay Ideas In a compare/contrast essay, you can’t just present a list of similarities and differences. You also need to have an underlying argument you’re supporting. Feel free to take these at face value or as jumping-off points for your own thoughts. Tom loves Daisy as a person, Gatsby loves her as an idea. Both Tom and Gatsby’s tendency to control women and see them as prizes reveals the misogyny of the 1920s. Although Tom sees Gatsby as someone from an entirely different class than him, what they have in common (selfishness, affairs, obsession with appearances) makes a larger argument for an overall moral hollowness of the rich of any class. We see both Gatsby and Tom through the eyes of Nick, who worships one of them and hates the other. In reality, they are both much more similar than different, and their different treatment reveals Nick's insecurities and biases. Gatsby gives new meaning to letting perfect be the enemy of the good. Tom Buchanan and George Wilson At first, most readers see Tom Buchanan and George Wilsonas opposites. But, these markedly different characters face very similar circumstances andoffer two takes on masculinity and power in the novel. Appearance and Presence.Where Tom is strong and cowering, George is meek and shrinking. Tom exudes power and confidence while George tends to just fade into the background. These differences are borne out in the way these two men interact with the world. Tom is violent towards others, while George’s instinct is to be passive or to try and escape situations, the notable exceptions being his locking up of Myrtle and murder of Gatsby. Tom is confident, privileged, and assured while George is timid; George is â€Å"ruled by his wife† where Tom is selfish and acts on his own desires. Reaction to Adversity. There is a dramatic difference in the way the two menreactto the factthat their wives are cheating on them. Tom notices Daisy’s love for Gatsby and immediately starts making power plays. On the other hand, George discovers Myrtle’s affair and is undone by it. Nick compares the two men in a memorable description: â€Å"the shock had made him physically sick. I stared at him and then at Tom, who had made a parallel discovery less than an hour beforeand it occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so profound as the difference between the sick and the well. Wilson was so sick that he looked guilty, unforgivably guiltyas if he had just got some poor girl with child" (7.160). In this description, Tom is â€Å"well† and George is â€Å"sick.† Theseare certainly arresting ways to describe Tom's more traditional masculinity and George's less overtly masculine character. Tom is self-assured in the face of adversity and immediately takes action to win Daisyback,insisting on driving Gatsby's car, bullying those around him into driving to Manhattan, and using his romance skills to remind Daisy of the pluses of their relationship. Meanwhile, George's weaknessmakeshim look sick and guilty as he contemplates Myrtle's betrayal and isdriven to violence to reassert his power over her. Approach to Women.Both Tom and George assume they know what’s best for their wives: Tom dismisses Daisy’s professed love for Gatsby despite their obvious closeness, while George is determined to take Myrtle out west once he learns about the affair. But, while it seems that Tom does fundamentally understand Daisy and is right about her unwillingness to leave their marriage, George is unable to hold on to Myrtle either emotionally or physically. She is killed trying to run away from him. Tom and George Essay Ideas Differences in attitude and outcome, despite a relatively similar situation, reveal some unexpectedtruths aboutthe world of the novel. Argue the reverse of any of these topics for a really provocative essay! The fact that Tom manipulates George into killing Gatsby and then himself (which allows Tom and Daisy to walk away from the entire affair without consequence) shows the huge privileges of having money in the novel. Nick's approach to Tom and George shows his admiration of a physical, brutish, domineering kind of masculinity. The fact that the relatively good guy turns into a murderer while the bad guy lives to cheat another day isavery cynical takeon what happens in a world without a moral compass. Perhaps it shouldn't be surprised that the meeker man turns out to be the ultraviolent one. Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker Despite Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker'ssimilar â€Å"white girlhoods† (1.140) in Louisville, their attitude and motivations are quite distinct, making them really interesting to compare and contrast. Attitude and Outlook.Both Daisy and Jordan display an entitled, bored attitude that’s typical of Fitzgerald’s depiction of the old money segment of wealthy New York society. The fact that they are introduced in tandem, both lying on the couches in their white dresses, speaks to their initially similar attitudes. But soon we see how different their takes on this kind of life are.Daisy is increasingly despondent, even nihilistic, asking in Chapter 7, â€Å"what shall we do today, and tomorrow, and for the next thirty years?† (7.74). Jordan meanwhile is a pragmatic opportunist, who sees possibilities everywhere, arguingthat â€Å"life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall† (7.75). In other words, Daisy’s pessimistic attitude from Chapter 1 comes through again, while Jordan, despite coming across as cynical and sharp, actually still seems excited about the possibilities life has to offer. Appearance and Personality.Both Daisy and Jordan very alluring in their own way, though Daisy’s allure comes through her enchanting voice and feminine charms, while Jordan is masculine, â€Å"jaunty,† witty, sharp, and physical.Daisy maintains a squeaky-clean reputation despite moving with a fast crowd, while there are plenty of rumors about Jordan’s cheating in golf, and Nick comments on her dishonest attitude.More significantly, Daisy is incredibly self-absorbed while Jordan is very observant. Role in Society.Daisy seems caught between what society expects of her and some deeper, more powerful desires she can’t name, resulting in restlessness, depression, and her affair.Daisy is sticking to her prescribed societal role by marrying and having a child, while Jordan plays golf, â€Å"runs around town† and doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to marry, at least in the beginning of the novel. Perhaps Jordan is still somewhat optimistic about the possibilities of life since she hasn’t settled down yet, while Daisy realizes that nothing major in her life will change at this point.Jordan, meanwhile, is content to chase after fun and intrigue via other people’s bad behavior. And she doesn’t get dragged down by the tragedy in the book – on the contrary, she is callous in how little Myrtle’s death seems to shake her, coolly calling Nick the next day and asking him to meet like nothing has happened (8.50-61). Perhaps her motivations are a bit less accessible to the reader since her role was significantly downsized between some of Fitzgerald’s earlier drafts. But in any case, as we watch Daisy struggle in her marriage, what we see of Jordan is cool, calm, collected, and rather uncaring. Daisy and Jordan Essay Ideas So what are some possible conclusions we can draw from Daisy and Jordan’s characters? One of the most common strategies is to tie the differences between these women onto oneof the book’s larger themes, like the role of society and class or the American Dream. Another is to think about an important feature of the novel, like Nick’s narration, and see what these two characters can reveal about it. With those strategies in mind, here are some potential arguments you could argue for or against! Jordan and Daisy, because they are generally disempowered, both use their sexuality in different ways to gain power, with different results. Despite Jordan’s overt cheating and lying, Daisy is, in fact, the more morally compromisedperson. The way Nick treats Jordan versus the way he describes Daisy revealsthe novel’s preoccupation with Gatsby above all, to the detriment of the female characters. Dear Diary: Today I cheated at golf yet again! But it was nothing compared to what my friend Daisy did... Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson While Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson obviously come from very different backgrounds and have conflicting motivations, they also have some surprising similarities. Physical Appearance.Daisy and Myrtle both derive power from their looks. Myrtle's comfort with hervoluptuous bodyis clearly appealing to Tom, while Daisy's magnetic voice and ethereal presence obsess Gatsby. Throughout the novel, Myrtle is frequently reduced to being just a body - one to be used or violated by those around her. Tom sees little inMyrtle besides someone to either rub up against, have sex with, or punch at will; George resorts to imprisoning Myrtle while she eggs him on to "beat" her (7.314) the way Tom does; and finally, Daisy gruesomely rips Myrtle's body apart with a car. Meanwhile, Daisy's voice also serves to make her less of a person in her own right and more of an idealized, mythic figure from fairy tales. For Gatsby, Daisy's voice is appealing because it is "full of money" (7.105) - he is attracted to her not because of who she is, but because he sees her as a prize. Social Standing.Myrtle puts on the airs that Daisy has been born and raised with. This allows Myrtle to wield considerable social power within her group, as seen by how her guests fawn on her at the Manhattan party she throws. Daisy, in contrast, never exerts such overt power over a group – rather, she seems to move with crowds, doing what it expected of her (for instance marrying Tom despite still loving Gatsby). Love and Relationships.Daisy and Myrtle’s marriages are strikingly quite different. Daisy and Tom are able to stay together even through serial affairs and murder. They end uployal co-conspirators, protected by their wealth. Meanwhile, Myrtle has nothing but disdain forGeorge despite his evident love for her. Still, both womenuse affairs with other men as a way toescape. Daisy wants to get away from an increasingly unhappy marriage and try to recapture the spontaneity and possibility of her youth, while Myrtle loves the status that her affair with Tom grants her.However, both learn that they can’t escape forever through their affairs. Obviously, their biggest difference is thatDaisy gets to walk away from the novel unscathed, while Myrtle gets killed. Daisy and Myrtle Essay Ideas Here are ways to write about these different women who face similar choices with dramatically opposite conclusions. Despite their similarities in action and motivation, Daisy is protected from any lasting harm by her wealth and old money status, while Myrtle is punished for the same behavior, revealing how the class system in America protects the wealthy. The novel refuses to give any inner life to women, and instead reduces them to their physical qualities no matter what social class they come from. Daisy and Myrtle's similar treatment by the narrator and by the men around them shows that gender trumps class when determining status. Daisy and Myrtle’s similarities reveal how hollow the progress of the women’s movement really was at that point in time. Despite the big gains the movement made in the early twentieth century, including winning the right to vote and pushing for more freedom in how they could dress and act, both of these women’s lives aren’t vastly improved. They’re both trapped in unhappy marriages, they both rely on their looks/charms/sexuality to get what they want, and neither of them has even a chance of pursuing a fulfilling life through a career. The butterfly may be beautiful, but it's still trapped. What’s Next? Now that you’ve gone over the novel’s most popular compare/contrast pairings, check outour analysis of the novel’s romantic pairings in our guide to love, desire, and relationships in The Great Gatsby. Have an essay about a symbol or motif? Get started with our symbols overviewand motifs overview. Still a little hazy on some of the plot elements in Gatsby? Not to worry, we have you covered with our complete book summary! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis - Case Study Example This increases the pressure on the information department compelling the creation of new ways of conducting business. Such factors provide a great challenge in the management of both the department and the organization thereby complicating Brown’s work. Additionally, Brown had shifted from the company for a number of years. By the time of his return, the company had changed and expanded thereby compelling the development of new mechanisms of conducting business. The change thus makes his management of the department more complex as he loses touch with both the clients and other employees at the organization. His attempts of creating a formal system within the department meet a great opposition from the rest of the organizational structure. Apparently, the organization lacked a formal structure and relied on its contact with the target market to carry out business. This is unlike the management process that Brown had in mind thereby resulting in a conflict of the management pro cesses thus causing a massive operational snarl up. Any form of conflict in the management especially between the organization and one of its key departments such as the information technology headed by Brown resulted in a great operational conflict that possibly slowed down the pace of service delivery. Question 2 The Michael Hammer’s Process and Enterprise Maturity Model is a management assessment mechanism that analyzes the level of organizational maturity through a number of management components. The Pinnacle West Corporation for example performs different in a number of these factors thereby placing it strategically in the development ladder. One of such factors is the organizational culture. A mature organization must have a recognized culture of conducting business. Organizational cultures determine the employee relations and the manner in which the organization conducts business. Additionally, the model assesses the success of any organization culture through the res ults it promises the organization. The PWC has an informal structure and relies on the people for contact. The culture had thus far steered the organization into success and its presence therefore proved the organization mature enough. The other integral factor in the model is leadership, the PWC was divide into department each led by a manager yet all working in unison to result in a cohesive organization. The presence of clearly labeled management structure and the effective flow of command in the organization depict great coordination in the management of the organization. Expertise is yet another factor in the model. The PWC employs established employees with the adequate experience and knowledge to steer the organization into success. Expertise refers to the ability of the employees to execute their mandate efficiently. The feature dictates that the employees must have adequate knowledge and experience to undertake their tasks. Finally, the other factor in the model is governan ce; the organization has an elaborate system of governance based on its management mechanism thereby portraying a great level of maturity. Question 3 The grass root strategy in management seeks to include the ideas of every employee in the management process. The strategy encourages operational dynamism as it solicits the ideas of every employee in project execution. This is a motivational strategy of management since

Friday, November 1, 2019

SKILL DEVELOPMENT PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

SKILL DEVELOPMENT PAPER - Essay Example It does not necessarily mean valuing being different from others, but coming up with a variety of possible solutions to a problem and having the openness to try out ideas which others have not dared do before. Leadership skills are essential in taking one’s group to the right direction, sharing the same vision for the betterment of everyone in the company. It keeps the group grounded in the midst of a crisis. Effective communication skills are critical especially if I work in a multicultural environment. Apart from understanding the cultural backgrounds and communication styles of my co-workers, I also need to learn to read non-verbal communication. I also need to be able to express myself better so that I can efficiently deliver the message I want to convey to others. This would include learning negotiating skills which is not only vital in closing deals in business but in resolving any other conflict with other people. This leads to the final skill I want to hone, team-build ing skills which requires good interpersonal skills. It is inevitable that I deal with others in my future career, so I need to learn to establish harmonious relationships with them in order to develop team effectiveness. Improvement Area 1: Creativity Summary of Source 1: Notar, C. & Padgett, S. (2010) Of The Box Thinking†¦Is Thinking Outside The Box 21st Century Code For Imagination, Innovation, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Intuition?, College Student Journal, Jun2010 Part A, Vol. 44, Issue 2 A common phrase used referring to creativity is ‘thinking outside the box†. According to Notar & Padgett, very successful people never appear to have a â€Å"box† from which they operate. However, a box is something associated with something that confines one to a finite space. â€Å"Thinking outside the box† then means not thinking in a finite space but opening the minds out to infinite space with endless possibilities. Some attributes related to thinking out side the box as having a willingness to take new perspectives to day-to-day work. It also entails openness to do different things and to do things differently. Creative individuals focus on the value of finding new ideas and acting on them. They strive to create value in new ways. Although they already have great ideas in mind, they still enjoy listening to others due to their perennial search for better ideas. Summary of Source 2: Sternberg. R. J. (1996) Successful Intelligence: How Practical and Creative Intelligence Determine Success in Life. New York: Simon and Schuster. Sternberg proposes several aspects of interactions that might create or diminish the creative impulse. When faced with tasks that require creative thinking, teams may either work well together towards a solution or work better individually, depending on their creative thinking styles. Groups that compete against one another do much better than groups that compete within themselves. The team concept is stronger t han the survival of the fittest concept of competition. As well, when an employee feels that he will be evaluated for his creativity, the amount of innovation appears to diminish. Summary of Source 3: Fawcett, M. and Hay, P., (2004) 5x5x5=Creativity in the early years. Journal of Art & Design Education, Vol. 23, No. 3 In a study observing the effects of creative teaching and learning, the children were deeply involved in the learning and creative process. This was because the