Thursday, October 31, 2019

Managing Nonprofits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Managing Nonprofits - Research Paper Example This paradigm shift has resulted in certain perceptions that question their integrity, their mission and purpose as well as their role in the society. As more and more nonprofit organizations are adopting the approach, there is a need to redefine their roles and approach towards the society. The tendency to become business-like is a very interesting paradox (Malamut and Thomas, 2008). The nonprofit organizations have been battling with the issue of very less support from governments as well as private donors. At the same time, there was also an increased pressure of demands from the society. Paradoxically, in this situation, efficiency mattered and easiest way to achieve this efficiency was by embracing the best practices of the business world. However, instead of just adopting the best business practices, the non profits went a step further and adopted many business related approaches, there by become more corporate like in their structure as well as approach. One important conseque nce that came out of adopting this strategy was that the culture, business, mission and even public image of the non-profit organizations got undermined. This study is an attempt to identify the public perception about non-profit organizations and to recommend different ways using which these organizations can be managed both efficiently and effectively, maintaining both ethical and legal practices, remaining financially solvent as well as attending to the mission of service. A nonprofit organization is an organization that does not distribute its surplus money to its founders or stakeholders and neither does it goes public to issue stocks or shares. Instead, any funds or surplus amount is used to achieve the primary mission of the organizations (Laidler-Kylander and Simonin, 2009). Organizations such as charities, trade organizations, arts organizations and so on fall under this category. In the parlance of nonprofit organizations,

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Design an interview schedule and evaluate it Essay

Design an interview schedule and evaluate it - Essay Example In fact, it may be seen that educational exchange programmes create maximum cultural interaction and exchange of views and ideas between different cultures. The city of Newcastle was selected in this project because the city is important in many respects. One, it is a prominent destination in the UK with regard to educational facilities and students, especially foreign students come to this place to pursue their education. The city also provides umpteen facilities and resources for students to exploit and further their educational aspirations. However, the city also has its fair share of problems. Cases of harassment based on colour, religion and ethnicity have recently been recorded from the city and people are apprehensive about local groups that are notorious for harassing foreign students. However, in spite of such irritants, the city administration has done a fair job of providing many facilities for education seekers who come to this place in search of a professional degree and qualifications. The interview will be designed to elicit the answer to the question ‘whats it like being an overseas student in Newcastle?’ The interview will try to encourage respondents to answer what their experiences are as a student at Newcastle. The interview will try to analyse the background of the students and also the common problems that they face as a student in this place. The country has witnessed a tremendous amount of progress in the area of educational reform over the last fifty years: the educational achievement gap between those of different races is narrowing and more and more students are finding the resources necessary to pursue higher education. However, it still has not solved one of the most persistent and pervasive inequities in the educational system: poorer communities suffer from substandard instruction and a lack

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Physiology Of Human Bones And Joints Biology Essay

Physiology Of Human Bones And Joints Biology Essay This includes all the physical and chemical processes that go on inside living things and that are necessary for proper functioning of the body. Physiology is closely related to anatomy, the study of different organs in a body and their relative positioning. This is because an understanding of functions of body parts requires a prior understanding of how the body is built. Human physiology is the specific study of the workings of the human body. The organ system approach is usually employed to study human physiology, including that of the bones and joints. Organ systems are a group of cells, tissues, and organs with a particular function. Organ Systems The human body consists of the following organ systems:  [2]   Musculoskeletal System This system consists of bones of the skeleton, joints, muscles, connective tissue, ligaments, tendon, and cartilage. The musculoskeletal system provides a framework for the body, protects many critical organs, and facilitates movements of movable body parts. Nervous System This system is there for transmission of signals between different parts of the body for coordination of body movement. The nervous system comprises the brain, spinal cord, sensory cells called neurons or nerve cells, and nerves that connect these sensory cells. Cardiovascular System This system includes heart, blood, and blood vessels. It supplies nutrients to all parts of the body through blood. The system works in close conjunction with the respiratory system. Respiratory System This system consists of the lungs, air passages, and respiratory muscles. It arranges for oxygenation of blood and release of carbon dioxide from blood. Endocrine System This system is made up of numerous glands, each secreting some hormone. These hormones are released directly into the bloodstream for regulation of the bodys metabolism. This organ system includes glands such as the pituitary gland, adrenal gland, thyroid gland, pineal gland, pancreas, and thymus. The pancreas is also a part of the digestive system and functions as an endocrine as well as exocrine gland. Digestive System This system absorbs nutrients from consumed food and disposes waste. It consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus. The liver and pancreas, which secrete digestive juices, are also part of this system. This system works in active collaboration with the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Urinary System This system produces, stores, and disposes urine. It is made up of two kidneys, two ureters, one bladder, and a urethra. Reproductive System The reproductive system is involved with the production of reproductive cells. It also provides a mechanism through which these cells are combined. This system consists of external genitalia as well as organs that produce the reproductive cells. Immune System The immune system protects the body against disease. It includes bone marrow, white blood cells, lymph system, antibodies, spleen, and thymus. Integumentary System This system safeguards the body from damage and comprises of the skin and appendages of the skin such as nails and hair. The study of human physiology includes an exhaustive focus on all these systems. This study has to be combined with a fundamental understanding of the molecular, cellular, and tissue level principles that form the basis of the functions of these systems. Proper functioning of the human body requires all these systems to work smoothly. The overall health of the human body is determined by the efficiency of the collective or integrated working of all these systems. An important concept in physiology is homeostasis. This refers to the maintenance of certain physiological parameters within a narrow range despite frequent changes in the external environment. Such a control is essential for proper functioning of all the organ systems. The physiological parameters that need to be kept within limits include body temperature and concentration of electrolytes and glucose in the cells. Physiology Explained Origins of the Term Physio The term physio is derived from the Greek word phusis, meaning nature, and was used by people of ancient Greece around 1000 B.C. The word phusis is also said to refer to the Greek goddesses of nature who maintained the balance of nature. The term also implied normality as opposed to something that is monstrous or perverse.  [3]   Differences Considerable physiological differences exist between humans, other animals, and microorganisms. These differences can usually be ascribed to the process of evolution. Darwins theory of evolution proposes that all life on earth started from a single-celled organism that slowly diversified into numerous species. In order to adapt to the surroundings, the physiology of organisms changed slowly. Different climatic conditions triggered different type of changes and, over the centuries, led to the development of varied life forms. Humans have an average brain-to-body mass ratio of 1:40 that is exceeded only by small birds (1:12). This highly developed brain is said to be the reason why humans are more intelligent than other animals. Such a brain is also the reason why humans have a longer memory than most other animals. Usually, animals beyond the human species live in the moment and are, therefore, free from emotions such as spite, guilt, and self-consciousness. Fingers and Legs The thumb is most developed in people. During evolution, Man felt greater need for the thumb and hence it developed better than in other species. The thumb adds a whole new dimension to the activities that humans can perform. People could make and use tools and advance scientifically because of the thumb. While a superbly developed brain provides the arthritis patient with ideas, the thumb helps in the conversion of some of these ideas into practice. Humans walk on two hind legs while most other animals walk on all four legs.  [4]  Certain types of monkeys do walk on two legs, but that is not their normal mode of mobility. This feature provides the arthritis victim with an erect posture and frees their hands for other, more important activities. This is also the reason why humans have a running speed lower than most other animals of a comparable size. Cardiovascular, Communication, and Sensual Differences The number of chambers in the heart vary among animals. Humans have four chambers, reptiles usually three (except crocodiles that have four chambers), fishes have two, and so on. Moreover, communication skills are very highly developed in humans as compared to other animals. Man is the only animal capable of articulate and coherent speech as opposed to certain sounds and gestures made by animals that can convey their emotions only in a broad sense. As compared to many other animals, humans have an inferior sense of smell, eyesight, and hearing. During the course of evolution, humans made steady progress and started to tailor their environment to their needs. In a partly customized environment, the necessity of these senses declined as compared to when humans lived in open and, often, unprotected environments. Microbiological Differences Humans and animals have numerous organs that are a collection of many cells and tissues. Each organ has some function(s). This specialization is either absent or limited in microorganisms as the number of cells is limited. Organ systems such as musculoskeletal system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system are usually absent in the bodies of microorganisms. Many microorganisms are capable of rapid reproduction when the temperatures are moderately high. This rate is very high as compared to humans and most other animals, and the reproduction activity slows down in cold environments. Microbes such as bacteria can freely exchange genes with other similar species leading to quick mutation and evolution. This process of horizontal gene transfer poses great challenges for medical science as the variant species can resist even targeted medication. Reproduction in microbes can be asexual, sexual or both.  [5]  Fungi reproduce asexually while bacteria can re produce in both ways. Barring a few exceptions, most animals reproduce sexually. It is the sexual reproduction in bacteria that can lead to mutation and associated problems for medical science. This process is called conjugation and involves transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a thread type structure known as pilus. Such a transfer enables the bacteria to pass characteristics and leads to the formation of a varied species capable of survival in newer, more hostile environments. Normal Functions of Bones and Joints Purpose of Bones All the bones and joints in the body form the skeletal system that is inherently linked with muscles to form the musculoskeletal organ system. The skeletal system serves three fundamental functions.  [6]  As noted from chapter three, the skeletal system supports all the other organ systems of the body by providing a framework of bones and joints on and inside which other organ systems are rested. This structure also provides shape to the body. Bones provide protection from internal organs such as brain, lungs, uterus and others. This is a notable function and, therefore, merits a somewhat detailed treatment: The skull encases the brain and protects the eyes and the middle and inner ears. The sternum, rib cage, and spine shield the heart, lungs, and prominent blood vessels. The vertebral column forms a covering around the spinal cord. The spine and ilium safeguards the hip and the digestive and urogenital systems. Movement Movement is provided by bones in combination with attached muscles. Skeletal muscles operate in pairs and when one relaxes, the other simply contracts. An example is the bicep-triceps combination. When the arm is stretched, the bicep relaxes with contraction of the triceps and vice versa. Many times, bones provide leverage by amplifying the magnitude and changing the direction of force generated by the muscles. Impaired Bone Health Overview of Consequences Unhealthy bones are unable to perform all or any of their functions of support, movement, protection, production of blood cells, and acting as a reservoir and dumping locations respectively for useful and toxic minerals. Bone disease is a generic term for disorders related to bones that make bones weak and brittle and, therefore, more likely to break. Sources for bone disorders include heredity, nutritional deficiencies, injuries, and infections. The general effects are a pronounced decrease in the quality of life due to the inability to move efficiently and due to frequent bone injuries and possibly fractures. Premature death can result in extreme cases. Infectious Arthritis This can result in people with weak joints. The source is a fungal, viral, or bacterial infection in such joints and the symptoms include swelling and redness around the joint, joint pain, and fever. The infection is transferred through blood or can be a result of injury, surgery, or injection. Infectious arthritis is discussed further in chapter 19. Rickets This is found in children and is due to vitamin D deficiency. It makes the bones weak and soft. The effects include restricted movements with bone and muscle pain. Low bone density is due to insufficient development of bone mass during childhood. This can aggravate into osteoporosis later on in life.  [7]   Bone Cancer This affects the normal functioning of bone cells and tissues. Usually, cancer in the bone is a result of spread of cancerous cells to bones from another part of the body. Very rarely does bone cancer originate in bone cells. There are different types of bone cancers that affect bone cells, cartilage cells, and the bone marrow. Symptoms include swelling, pain, and weak bones; fatigue, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, and chills. This disorder can assume serious proportions if it affects a load-bearing bone such as the femur, forcing the patient to use a wheelchair for considerable duration of the treatment. Pagets Disease This bone disease interrupts the cycle of continuous breakdown and rebuilding of bones. Severe pain and swelling in joints are the symptoms of this disorder that can enlarge and weaken the bones. This can intensify into other disorders such as deafness and arthritis. Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) This is a genetic disease that causes bones to break easily and other conditions such as curved spine, weak muscles, brittle teeth, and hearing loss. The disease causing gene is inherited and affects the development of collagen a protein that in turn affects bone development. Fibrous Dysplasia This results in replacement of bones with fibrous tissue, thereby causing excessive growth and swelling of bones. Weak bones affect the ability to walk and the disorder can also cause endocrine problems. The reason this disorder inspires a certain degree of awe is because the cause is unknown, it cannot be prevented, and cure only aims to mitigate the adverse effects. Osgood-Schlatter Disease This malady affects the area where the knee cap and tibia (shinbone) are connected. The disease is more likely to affect adolescents and causes swelling, tenderness, and pain in the affected area. The pain can range from mild to severe and from occasional to constant. Physiology of Joints Purpose of Joints Joints are those locations where two or more bones are attached. Joints provide connectivity between different bones of the body. The fact that almost all bones are connected to form the skeletal system and that the muscles are connected to the skeleton ensures coordination of movement between different parts of the body. This connectivity integrates all the body parts into one whole entity. Joints facilitate movement through contraction and relaxation of muscles. Purposeful movement is fundamental to animal behavior and enables them to execute all activities necessary for survival, leisure, and reproduction. A certain amount of flexibility is lent to the skeletal structure by joints, which also serve as shock absorbers. Evolution has lent different structure to different types of joints in different animals. However, their essential functions remain unchanged. An example is the joints in the hind legs of land based carnivores that are designed for pouncing on prey. This is why they can jump high by using their hind legs. At the other end of the spectrum are the herbivores with bones and joints of hind legs designed for high speed. The joints of monkeys are designed for quick climbing and rapid movement among trees. Reptile joints enable them to crawl and pounce at high speeds. All members of the cat family except the cheetah have retractable claws. The claws are made so as they are joined to the last phalange that can move forward or backward along a curvilinear path. This mechanism prevents unnecessary wearing of claws. The claws are voluntarily unsheathed only during hunting and serious fighting. The cheetah is designed for high speed and requires the claws to be continuously unsheathed in order to gain and maintain traction while sprinting. Even among carnivores, joints serve slightly different functions. Members of the dog family have joints compatible for a prolonged chase. Their hunting strategy involves wearing down the prey. Cats are ambush hunters. Their joints are stronger and capable of sudden acceleration for bringing down the prey suddenly. This would also mean greater shock absorbing capacity of their joints, although they are not suited for endurance. In humans, all joints can provide movement except the bones of the cranium. These cover the brain and are not capable of movement for obvious reasons. The human palm has a peculiar structure where the thumb provides exceptional gripping ability. Such a structure is absent in all the other animals and bestows humans with the capacity to execute a whole range of specialized activities. Joints in the human body can be classified on the basis of type of movement that they provide physiologically: Hinge joints facilitate movement similar to that of a hinged door along one axis only. They allow up-or-down movement but not from side to side. Examples of such joints are the elbow, knee, and the upper and lower jaw. Ball and socket joints allow movement in all directions upwards, downwards, and sideways. The shoulder is an example of such a joint. Another example is the acetabulam or the hip joint where the thigh bone is connected to the pelvis. Pivot joints permit pivotal movement of one part about the other. An example of this type of joint is the movement of the skull about the backbone where the skull can rotate about the topmost bone of the backbone. Gliding Joint is characterized by gliding movement of one bone / part over the other. The wrist joint is an example of such a joint. Joints can also be classified according to the mechanism that holds the bones together at the joint. Application of this criterion renders the following types of joints.  [8]   Fibrous or immovable joints are held together by ligaments only. Examples of such joints are the radioulnar and tibiofibular joints, the joints of bones inside the forearm and shin, respectively. Cartilaginous joints are where the connection between bones is provided by cartilage. An example is the joints between the vertebrae. Synovial joints are held together by a synovial capsule that is made from the protein collagen. The inner layer of this capsule is known as the synovial membrane and it secretes a lubricant called synovial fluid. Furthermore, there is a hyaline cartilage that pads the ends of the bones in these joints. Synovial joints can be hinge joints, ball and socket joints, pivot joints, or gliding joints. They can also be saddle type or condyloid type. Different finger bones of the same finger are joined by a saddle joint while condyloid joints join the metacarpal bones to the first phalanges. Developmental Aspects of Male and Female Bones Overall Bone Similarities When it comes to bones and joints, considerable similarities exist between the framework of males and females. As a matter of fact, the skeletons of all primates exhibit certain generic features such as a large brain, highly developed fingers and thumb, generalized pattern of teeth, forward facing eyes, and bony eye sockets. The following points of resemblance are observed between the human male and human female skeleton. Both have exactly the same number of bones: 206. Same number of bones also means the same number of joints, although the precise number of joints in the human body is a matter of debate in view of differences in opinion on what constitutes a joint. An inclusive estimate indicates to the presence of about 250 to 350 joints in the human body. The shape of most bones in the male and female skeleton is similar, although some bones are differently shaped in view of the different roles of males and females. The femur or the thigh bone is the longest and strongest bone in both human males and human females. Stirrup or stapes is the smallest bone in the human skeleton irrespective of gender. This bone is located in the middle ear and its average size ranges between 0.25 cm to 0.33 cm. The average human bone density is around 1500 kg/m3 for a normal, healthy adult, although males have slightly higher bone density than women. Here again, different researchers have obtained varying results rang ing between 1000 kg/m3 to 1900 kg/m3. With this, the human skeleton comprises a significant percent of the total body weight. Exceptions Certain peculiarities or exceptions are common to the male and female skeletons. The presence of fused bones in the cranium and pelvis serves as an example here. These bones are not connected through joints but fit into each other the way pieces of a jigsaw puzzle do. The three bones in the middle ear, collectively referred to as ossicles, connect only with each other. The hyoid bone located in the neck serves as a connection point for the tongue. It is not connected to any bone in the skeleton. It is held in position only by muscles and ligaments. Overall Bone Differences Different hormones affect the development of bones in males and females and this is the primary reason for bone differences. Testosterone is the main hormone that affects bone development in males while estrogen does the same for females.  [9]  The differences between male and female skeletons can be better understood when seen in the context of differences in race, lifestyle, and physical activity. When comparisons are made between males and females of the same race and with comparable lifestyles, the following points of differences can be observed. In Relation to Childbirth There are two differences in relation to the process of childbirth covered in the precedingchapter. Females have a more movable coccyx or tailbone and a wider and flatter sacrum connected to the pelvis. The coccyx is the last bone of the backbone and sacrum is similarly located near the end of the spinal column. Such a structure allows the head and shoulders of the fetus to pass through the cavity during childbirth. Bones that make up the arms and legs are thicker, longer and, therefore, stronger in case of males. Bones in the arm include the humerus that supports the bicep, radius, and the ulna that support the forearm. Males possess relatively larger phalanges or finger bones. Size Male skeletons are usually larger and heavier than female skeletons. Traditionally, men have assumed the responsibility of hunting, gathering, and working outdoors while women have been assigned to domestic responsibilities and childbearing. Men, therefore, have traditionally needed more strength and this explains the strength-related differences in the male and female skeletons. Face The facial bone structure in males and females is different on account of difference in the structure of the skull. Men have more developed bulge at the back of the head and more noticeable brow ridges. The chin area of men is more angular and square as compared to female chins that are pointed and more rounded. Spine Length and Others The length of spine in women is shorter as compared to men. The shorter spine creates an illusion of female legs being longer than that of males. Other differences include a narrower rib cage, more rounded shoulder blades, and smaller teeth in the female skeleton. Developmental Aspects of Male and Female Joints Overall Similarities Human male and female joints have certain common features. The first similarity is the number of joints. Since the number of bones in the bodies of males and females is same, the number of joints is also same. The number of joints is between 250 to 350.  [10]  There is no exact number due to lack of unanimity on what precisely constitutes a joint. Another prominent similarity is the types of joints. Both males and females have the same types of joints according to the mechanism for holding joints together. The functions of most of the joints in males and females are similar. This point of similarity is a natural corollary to there being equal number and same type of joints. Differences Men have broader shoulders and smaller waists while women have wider hips and narrower shoulders. This makes the angles of muscle alignment and tendon attachment different in the joints of males and females.  [11]  Female joints are, on an average, more flexible and have a greater range of movement than male joints.  [12]  This is due to women having a lower center of gravity due to wider hips and greater distribution of weight around the hips and thighs. On account of this significant point, the following dissimilarities are observed: 1) It is easier for women to perform mobility exercises and exhibit actions such as hurdling and the fosbury flop during high jump, while; 2) men are better at events such as long jump, shot put, and hammer throw; 3) the said feature also makes women less susceptible to injuries during the execution of jumps over hurdles, but on the downside, this feature lowers the efficiency of the muscle pull and makes women more prone to muscle injuries and 4) elbows and ankles in the male skeleton are smaller and have a smaller carrying angle as compared to female skeletons. This makes male elbows and ankles stronger. Analysis Physiology is the study of functions of different organs and organ systems in the human body, which body consists of ten organ systems. The bodys overall health is determined by how well these systems function collectively. People are the apex creatures on this planet on account of their highly developed brain, thumb, and communication. The skeletal system consisting of bones and joints is the physical foundation on which other organ systems of the body are rested. It also protects different organs in the body and with the attached muscle system forms the musculoskeletal system that facilitates movement of movable body parts. Due to differences in their biological roles, bones and joints of men and women are slightly different. Men have broader shoulders while women have wider hips. This provides a lower center of gravity for women with greater joint flexibility and better coordination of movement. The same feature, however, makes women more prone to muscle injuries.

Friday, October 25, 2019

All Quiet on the Western Front Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"All Quiet in the Western Front†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the movie, â€Å"All Quiet in the Western Front,† Paul is an average eighteen-year-old male who enlists in the Army and is sent to fight in WWI, which changes his views and makes him an adult. Everybody in Paul’s hometown is supportive of Paul and his peers enlisting think it is a great opportunity to be able to fight in the war. At basic training, they are shown what military life is like from their drill sergeant who treats him and his friends incredibly rough. Paul returns home, he has a totally different outlook on life and his earlier life style.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul and twenty of his classmates enlisted in the Army to go fight in WWI. Paul was then very close to his family and friends. One of his high scho...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Culture Assessment Essay

Culture can be defined as a set of learned beliefs, values, norms and materials goods shared by group people. It includes everything that an individual adopts from a group in the process of living from infancy to old age. In the U. S and anywhere in the world, culture guides the social interactions between members of a society and influences the personal beliefs and values that shape an individual perception of their own environment (William E. T and Joseph H. 2005). Generally, cultural variations in many societies are as a result of class, ancestral, and religion disparities. William kufuor a middle aged man from the neighborhood but who subscribes to different cultural from most of the inhabitants of Miami was selected for an interview. He was supposed to reveal his beliefs values and norms concerning many situations in the U. S. The selected person is 35 years of age and his parents are immigrants from western Africa who migrated to the U. S in the early 1950’s and settled in Miami. He is a married man and works as an assistance professor in Chicago state university. His spouse is from Hispanic community who are also not Native Americans. The couple is blessed with two beautiful children aged between 5 years and 8 years. Although William was born and brought up in the U. S, he seems to incline so much towards African culture than the American culture. Kufuor as he is well known confesses to be a Christian and goes to church every Sunday together with his wife and children. His beliefs are that there exists a supreme creature called God who created all of us that and who is provider of everything. William seems to be very concern about body contact and personal space between him and other people especially those of the opposite sex. During the interview session he did keep a distance between me and him and whenever I tried to move closer he looked so much surprised. William like most American keeps an open space in between himself and his conversation partner. When offering greetings, Kufuor makes sure that there is minimal body contact and is most of the time he is very comfortable with a simple handshake as opposed to a hug or a kiss unless one is a very close relative and who is of the same sex except his wife only. This was evidenced when he moved away and offered a offered a handshake instead when a tried to hug him. William was believed to be one of the alienated African American, who may have discarded their ancestral beliefs and replaced them with the American beliefs. This was because he was born in America, grew, schooled and associated with Native Americans but after the interviews, it was against the expectations of the researcher since, he behaved like a typical African in his own country of origin. However, at home with his family the most used language was English, which was well spoken, written and conversed by all family members although William spoke fluent French. William said that it was because his wife was from a different culture which was Hispanic and that she was only fluent in English made them use English as the only language at home. William kufuor also takes the father and husband role and provides for everything to the family members, this did not mean that the wife did not contribute towards the family income. At home however unlike many Africans, William could cook for the family and perform many household chores that demanded his attention but mostly it was the wife who performed those household chores. When asked why he was liberal on issue concerning household chores since most people of the African culture believed that the kitchen was a place meant for women, William admitted that it was the country’s social structure that had influenced his way of doing things. He confessed that he had been influenced by his educational attainment, income and occupation. Thompson W. E and Joseph V. H (2005), Adams, J. Q. ; Pearlie S. A (2001) agree with Kufuor that it is not possible to understand people’s behaviour without assessing their social class since the social position possesses a great influence on almost all our feelings. They further agree that one’s religious beliefs are influenced by the social class, political affiliation, the foods he/she eats, clothes worn and associations. Kufuor beliefs that most of the diseases that are taking the lives of many in the world today are lifestyle related and are only avoided by behavioral change. He argues that the communicable and non communicable diseases are mainly as a result of unhealthy eating behaviors. However, the African culture upholds traditional medicines and concoctions which they belief are effective in the treatment of ailments than the modern medicine provided in hospitals. But kufuor admitted that he had deviated from those beliefs because of the education and exposure that he had acquired. The health care workers especially the nurses should treat people of this culture with a lot of love and care as well as emphasize with them so that they can change their perception towards healthcare facilities, since also these people prefer their indigenous foods as delicacies the nurses should provide them with the same but encourage them to diversify their intake so as to reduce the chances of getting deficiencies of some nutrients. The entire interview was lively since we communicated and understood each other very well using the American English. But however some necessary information was not revealed by interviewee this may be because he was not prepared well during the introduction so as to create a rapport end be able extract as much information as possible from the interviewee. Kufuor beliefs that most of the diseases that are causing havoc in the world today are as a result of what we eat, drink and think. He therefore argues that their solution not only lies in medication provided in the hospital but also in behavioral change among the affected. This involves minding what one eats and how he/she relates with the surrounding communities. Similary,kufuor feels that the hospital staff should also take a leading role in advising their clients both in-patient and out-patient about prevention measures of the common ailments. Reference: Thompson, William, Joseph hickey (2005). Society in focus. The culture of United States. Boston, M. A Pearson Adams, J. Q. ; Pearlie strother – Adams (2001): Dealing with diversity Chicago, LL Kendall/hunt publishing company.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Why did Elizabethans voyage overseas and were they successful?

During the middle ages Europeans know little about the rest of the world. Silks, spices were brought overland to Europe from India and china, but sailors didn’t dare to sail the unknown seas. In this essay I will be discussing why Elizabethans were made to go on over sea voyages in the 1550s during the time of the cloth trade collapse. What did England achieve from these successful voyages over sea and what new markets did they find to sell their goods also how did Britain become the most powerful country in the world . In addition to who were the sailors that helped England claim power and wealth? Between 1430-1530 European sailors began making voyages across the oceans. In 1550 the cloth trade collapsed . Merchants need to find new markets in which to sell their goods. Markets such as the Muscovy company which traded with Russia in timber and lurs also the East Incia Company which traded with India and the Far East in silks, spices, cotton and tea in addition to The Levant company which traded with countries around the eastern Mediterranean in currents and dyes. They went across the world to sell their English cloth and at the same time giving people in other countries a chance for ‘All savages, so soon as they began to taste of civilisation ‘which was said by Richard Hakluyt in his book ‘The Principle navigations, voyages and discoveries of the English Nation ‘in order to encourage overseas voyages . This encouraged English sailors and more people become interested in these voyages over sea. Richard Hakluyt thought that from these voyages over see the navy would be enlarged making England more powerful and become the greater country as he says ‘By these voyages our navy shall be enlarged ‘it was stated in his book. In addition the fact that the navy will become bigger just like Spain and Portugal’s, men and women shall work there will be more employment opportunities available which means that more money will be coming in to the nation ‘it will prove general benefit into our country ‘ . They would also gain more money as they would be going overseas and selling spices , which links into the trade markets especially The East Incia company which traded silks and spices . There were monopolies on the trade companies. Monopolies is when you have control over a given market, you are given a legal piece of paper (warrant)telling you that you could trade with that company , but that warrant didn’t come free you had to bid for it in order to get it . The companies paid Elizabeth money so that they could get their warrant and trade with the country that they wanted to trade with. The money which was used to pay for the warrants goes to Elizabeth so she can then deal with her economical problems and the debt that her sister Mary put her in of ?250,000. After the monopolies expired you would have to pay again for them and get it renewed or else you could no longer trade in that area. Merchants, nobles, and even the queen invested in these voyages . They made large profits from captured cargoes like gold and silver. Francis Drake stole silver, gold and jewels from Spanish ships coming from Mexico. This gold and silver benefited the economy as it made them more money. Gold was brought by the rich, who had to pay tax which helped Elizabeth pay her debt as she was the government and received the money. Drake's successful battles against the Spanish helped England become a major sea power. He was the First Englishman to sail around the world. On the way round the world, Drake landed in what is now California, naming it Nova Albion (New England) and claiming it for his queen. Drake returned from his voyage with his ship packed full of spices from the Indies, and plundered Spanish silver and treasure. Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth l for his courage, and for the treasures he brought back with him. He brought back enough treasure to pay off the entire national debt. John Hawkins was a cousin of Drake. He was the first Englishman to trade in slaves. He bought slaves in West Africa and sold them to the Spanish colonies in the West Indies, often raiding Spanish ships as he went. After retirement he built ships for the navy. Sir Walter Raleigh led many expeditions to America and introduced tobacco and the potato into England. He chose the name of the first English colony in America. He named it Virginia after Queen Elizabeth. However some sailors were unsuccessful like Sir Humphrey Gilbert who explored the north coast of America but was never seen again. Also Sir Walter Raleigh of 1595 who set to sail for south America hoping to find El Dorado , a legendary city full of gold . He never found the city and never returned with any gold making him useless to the country as he did not benefit it. England had more power, defence and a stronger navy than before as British sailors improved their skills in sailing and fighting at sea. New and faster ships were built by Hawkins. These ships helped in the Spanish armada in 1558. By 1603 England had become the greatest sea-power in the world. In conclusion the Elizabethans were successful on their voyages overseas as Britain became the most powerful and richest country in the world by 1803. The trading companies became very wealthy in the seventeenth century. England had the greatest sea-power in the world which lasted until the twentieth century. They were encouraged to go on voyages overseas so that they could trade with other companies as they needed new markets to trade with after the cloth collapse and become wealthier as I stated in the essay. Sailors like Francis Drake helped gain success on voyages overseas.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Teaching English to a beginner class overseas Essays

Teaching English to a beginner class overseas Essays Teaching English to a beginner class overseas Essay Teaching English to a beginner class overseas Essay Good Evening William, I will be making my comments in blue tonight. Part One: Question 1 In point one, Marco and Kumiko expect to learn different things in relation to their environment. Marco, the engineer, would expect to learn English for special purposes. This is because he needs to communicate well with the other Engineers on issues of both professional and social nature. By the end of the course, he expects to be able to talk about the details of the project with appropriate English. He should also be able to communicate with his superiors and the clients using fluent English. Kumiko’s interest in English is for academic purposes. She would expect to be able to read write and listen any English related materials without difficulty. Since she is in an English speaking country, her classes will be taught in English. She expects to follow her classes with no difficulty by the time she finishes her course. She will also expect to interact with her peers with ease. I agree with you regarding both students. Here are some other points to consider. Let us assume that Marco is at the Intermediate level of English in all four areas, i.e. reading, writing, speaking and listening. This means that he is already able to communicate fairly well with others in English and can make himself understood as long as the topic, or the task is not to complicated or too technical. Marco is an engineer and is going to China to work with other engineers from other countries. They all have English as a common language. Marco needs to be able to communicate effectively with the other engineers, so he will need to learn: How to read and understand very specific material written in English that is related to the engineering project he will be involved with. ( specific vocabulary and style of writing unique to the genre ) How to prepare and present a report or an update on the work he is doing. How to have a discussion and express agreement or disagreement How to interrupt politely and turn taking in a meeting. How to express an opinion and support it with facts. How to express and resolve a complaint. How to ask and give advice. Kumiko would need to have a very comprehensive level test done in order to determine what kind of English she would need to study. The level test would need to focus on English for Academic Purposes. What level is her reading and writing? Would she be able to do the assignments given to her by her teachers? Is she ahead or behind in the curriculum to be taught? She would need to be tested for Classroom English; her ability to understand instructions, directions and explanations from her teachers. She would also need to have her English speaking ability tested to determine if she could communicate with the teachers and other students. She would benefit greatly if she attended an international school where there were other students in her same situation. The school would have an ESL/EFL program in place in order to help her get up the same level as the other students. The sixth point elaborates on motivational factors. Students in an ideal classroom will most likely perform better as compared to students in an average or a poor classroom (Fayton, 2002). My ideal classroom had walls that were decorated with charts and pictures that were both entertaining and educative. The wall color was cream. The lighting was good (not too bright and not too dull) as the class had large windows that enabled most of the natural light to penetrate. The window blinds prevented the burning rays of the sun from reaching the students. The reading materials brought in a touch of ‘fun’ in what would have otherwise been a dull class. One of my favorite teachers taught me when I was in elementary school. She made one feel as though the topic being taught was the most fascinating topic one could ever learn. If one looked distracted, she would create time for the specific student. This included asking them whether they had any problems outside the classroom. She also went of her way and talked to parents in order to make sure that the students’ environments at school and home were conducive for learning. I thought I would add a few of my own ideas on the subject. My ideal classroom would have bulletin boards on the walls so students could post their work. This would allow other students to see what their friends were doing and hopefully give them new ideas of their own. It would be a version of brainstorming. I would also have one section of the classroom for pictures. Students could draw something that relates to the lesson and put it up for others to see. Visualizing helps students to remember things better. Color also stimulates the brain and makes it easier to remember. I remember a teacher named Mr.Massengale. He was a teacher of mine in junior high school when I was around 13 or 14 years old. He was the first African American I ever met. He was kind, strong and always encouraging. I remember he told me I could be anything I wanted to be, but first I had to decide what that was going to be. He was honest, direct and open. I could ask him anything about anything. He was very relaxed, confident and knew his subject. He taught geography. The seventh point can be used to elaborate on ways of introducing the more communicative approach to students who are used to the traditional approach. Most students will be conservative during the first few lessons. They may just sit there and look at the teacher, fail to understand what the teacher is trying to do, or simply find the class difficult. However, the teacher can start by asking the students which way they were taught in their previous learning experiences (Hinkel, 2004). The teacher can try to illustrate in order to encourage students to interact. In order to introduce the role-play, the teacher may start by asking the students to talk about themselves. This will encourage them to be open. Then he/she can ask simple questions that need direct answers. Instead of approaching the topic directly, the teacher can start by talking about issues relating to the topic thus encouraging students to participate. The students will feel free to think and contribute (Hinkel, 2004). The teacher should make sure that the students are corrected in the right way in case of any mistakes. This particular point to consider applies directly to my own teaching situation so I would like to share a few thoughts with you. A teacher trying to use purely communicative activities for the first time in this kind of class would be greeted with stunned silence. If students have always had a teacher-fronted class, then the teacher has been doing all of the talking and has been the main focal point of the class. In a communicative class students would feel bewildered if they were expected to say or do something. They expect the teacher to be the authority, the source of knowledge in the classroom and expect him/her to do all of the talking and they would feel lost if they were suddenly expected to participate. They would feel shy and embarrassed because they might give the wrong answer. They wouldn’t understand that in a communicative language class, there is no wrong answer, because if you are not making mistakes, it means that you are not trying hard enough. We learn from doing and learn from our mistakes. If you wait until you can say it perfectly, you will never say it. Another point that might inhibit students from speaking is that traditionally, students get into trouble if they talk in class and that is precisely what you are asking them to do in a communicative language class. It would be a good idea to start slowly with simple communicative activities, such as pair work. That way if students make a mistake when they speak, they only say it to their partner. To ease into pair work, the teacher might start the class by presenting the language function for the lesson, let’s say Describing Yourself and then the target language, adjectives, such as tall, thin, pretty handsome, black hair, short hair, long hair etc., the correct use of the verb to be or have, and common nouns such as body parts and clothes. The teacher would go around the class and ask students words that describe themselves. If the class is a low level beginner class, the teacher would supply the adjectives and nouns by looking at students in the class and then writing them under the correct column. Adjectives Verbs Nouns Tall to be hair Short have shirt Black wear nose I am _________________ I have________________ She is________________ He has________________ Tom is wearing______________________ So far the activity has been 70 / 30 teacher fronted. Now the teacher can bring up two students in front of the class and demonstrate how to do pair work. The students can look at the board and find a word or words that describe themselves, e.g. I have black hair. Their partner can say, ‘ I am thin’. The students can take turns until they have described themselves. Now all of the rest of the students can simply turn in their chairs and describe themselves to the person next to them. As time goes on, and students become more comfortable to talking to other student in class, they can move their chairs, or move around the room describing themselves to many students. This can be expanded into asking questions about what their partner looks like as well. Once students have gotten used to pair work, role-plays could be introduced. It would be good for the teacher to present the language focus of the role-play and write it on the board, such as Giving Directions. The teacher would then introduce the target language that students would need in order to achieve the goal, giving directions. The teacher would then hand out pre-made example conversations for students to read to their partner. This would get them more comfortable with how a real conversation is supposed to sound like. On another handout, key words or grammar points could be left out, so that students would have to fill in the blanks. This can be done gradually, removing easy words at first and then moving on to harder ones. Eventually, students could write their own simple conversations, tell them to their partners and later present them to the class. Part Two: Question 1- Students’ Questionnaire Where (Country) are you from? Which is your native language (first language)? What level of English are you currently at? Tick one: (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) Why are you in this country? What do you plan to achieve by the end of this course? Have you had any previous learning experiences even in other subjects/courses? If yes, how long was the experience? How did the teacher teach you? Did you have class discussions or did she/he do most of the talking? Describe one of the classes you attended (color of the class, lighting, materials in the class, etc). Describe one of your favorite teachers. What made his/her classes interesting? What interests you most when learning? What motivates you to take this particular course? These are some good questions that would help you determine their learning style and level of English ability. Here are some others to consider. Does your native language interfere with your learning of English? If so, how? ( explain ) What is the most difficult part of learning English? ( be specific and explain ) How many years of English instruction have you had? Have you ever experienced role-plays, pair or group work or made oral presentations in an English class before? If yes, were these methods of learning English helpful? How? How do you currently study English when you are out of class? ( be specific ) How would you rate your English ability? ( poor/fair/good/excellent ) Reading ____________ Writing____________ Speaking___________ Listening___________ Why are you taking this course? ( explain ) What do you hope to learn in this course? ( be specific ) How do you plan to use English in the future? In terms of your career, where do you see yourself in 5 years. ( explain ) How will proficiency in English help you achieve your career goals? ( explain ) In one paragraph, describe the perfect job and why. Part Three: Question 1 The lesson plan on dating is meant for students learning the general English. This can be foe personal or social purposes. This class mostly comprises of teenagers, youths or young adults. Either the students might be mixed in gender or the class could have the girls as the majority. The students are at the intermediate level. The students are from a country that has been influenced by westernization. Dating is very popular among the young and the middle-aged people. It is a social event and a very fascinating topic among the young people. The main need of these students is to learn English for social and interaction purposes. The young people are also particularly fond of pop music. The girls are very fond of the boy-bands. Incorporating the materials brought forth by the teacher will also attract maximum attention and concentration. It will also make the class more interesting as compared to teaching about dating without either of the materials. Since the country has been influenced by westernization, the dating topic is not a taboo and the pop music from the boy band is not considered as inappropriate music. A teacher should be careful in choosing songs they use to study because some pop songs use ‘bad’ language, glorify sex and violence, and can be racially insulting. Some cultures find this kind of music offensive. The last thing a teacher needs is to get into trouble with the school for teaching students something culturally unacceptable. Having said that, if a teacher can find a song that is suitable and acceptable. I think that it would be useful to pre-teach slang words that are in the lyrics, as well as idiomatic expressions. The teacher could also show how song lyrics are modern day poetry in that they have rhyming words and rhythm. In the election lesson plan, the students are from learning English for special purposes. They are at the advanced level. The students in this class are from the age of thirty years. The students may have more men than women. This is because the political interest is more in men than it is in women. The national elections and the recent CNN extracts will enable students to discuss the issue professionally. They may be learning English in order to carry out a particular survey in the host country or they may be learning it in order to follow up on the political issues of the host country. Since this class is full of professionals and adults of an advanced age, the materials to be used are of a professional nature. These extracts will enable the advanced learners to enhance the vocabularies, and they will enable hem to communicate professionally better. It would be extremely important to make sure that discussing politics is acceptable in the country you are teaching in. In any class, you will have students who take political issues and their candidates very seriously. Discussions could get very heated. The teacher must also be careful not to take sides or express their own personal views on the issues and candidates for fear of alienating students who disagree. The lesson on the little red riding hood is for a class that is at the beginners’ level. Most of the students in this class are below the age of ten years. The English being learnt at this level is for academic purposes. The students expect to read, write, listen and speak using the Enlish language. The students may also take and English exam so their interest would also be to pass their exams. The song is meant for young children. It helps the children to learn basic vocabulary while enjoying the lesson. It is also meant to build up the basics of the English language in these students. Through this lesson plan, the students will also know how to use the language to entertain others as they remember the basic things they have been taught. Younger students like to hear and read stories about characters their own age. The stories are interesting and entertaining. Stories like this one can be read aloud to the students or students can read it silently. Students can be pre-taught key vocabulary items as well as how to use simple conjunctives and temporal markers as these help move a story along. They can be taught how verbs change to talk about different periods of time, in this case the past tense or past continuous. Students can be encouraged to write their own short stories or draw picture stories. Part Three: Question 2 â€Å"HIV and AIDS condition†- We could discuss what this means or what they stand for. We could also discuss the causes of the condition, its prevention and the condition’s cure. If not, we could discuss its control. We could also discuss the people whose bodies are at risk of acquiring this condition. Language functions would include cause and effect (It is caused by†¦because of†¦). Another function is communicating opinions (I think, maybe). â€Å"Literature†- We could read a story from a book and then tell to summarize the story verbally and then ask the students to summarize each character in the story. After this exercise, we would come up with the best character in the story. Language functions would include relating/retelling the events (use of past tense). The other describing function (good, evil, merciful). â€Å"The internet†- We could discuss both aspects of it in form of a debate. We could talk about its effect on the society. We could also discuss what effect the internet has on the young people. Language functions may include expressing of possibility (may, could). There could also be comparative function (It is good†¦unlike, it is better than). It would be important to make sure that this topic would be acceptable to the DoS. Some cultures do not approve of open discussions of homosexuality and it could cause some serious problems for the teacher. William, please scroll down to the end of the module and read my comments for Part 4 Q1-Q3. Part Four: Question 1 By the end of this course, the class will have improved on their weak areas. They will also have developed good vocabulary in order to express themselves in a clearer manner. This having the proper knowledge of the language functions in reading, writing and in speech. Activities such as explaining the culture differences between the students’ culture and the host country’s culture can be used. Job description, resolving conflicts between co-workers, talking about the current affairs in the host country or the home country, interviewing and hiring, amongst other activities can be used in order to develop their interaction and their professional vocabulary using the language functions. Part Four: Question 2: Language Functions Explaining/Describing- The students can describe the areas the areas that are most suitable for putting up the project. They can pick the two most suitable sites. Each should give reasons that make one site better than the other does. For example, site A is in an area that is not economically active. Clarifying/asking questions- students should engage in the ‘what’ questions, focusing on work related areas. For example, what can be done in order to reduce the overwhelming costs being incurred? What are the chances of failing to complete the project? Cause and Effect- The students should be to express the cause of something and then explain the effect as far as work is concerned. For example, delaying the project will lead to an increase in the project related costs. Evaluating- The students should be able to use this language function in order to evaluate certain things at the workplace. For example, what are the pros and cons reporting to one manager as compared to reporting to diverse managers? Expressing likes/needs – Students should be able to express their preferences. I like to work with co-workers who communicate. Drawing conclusions- the students should be able to draw conclusions from the presented issues at the work place. For example, This site is the best because†¦ Describing actions – The students should be able to describe the various activities that might take place in a site or office. For example, the structure will first be built up to the sixth storey within the first six months and then the rest will be finished later. Making predictions – The students should be able to make predictions in anticipation of future results related to the project. For example, the cost of materials will have increased by the time we are half through to finish the project. 1. Change – develop. Maybe have them try to persuade each other as to which location is best suited for the project and why. 2. Change- develop You need to have a work related lesson focus. Questions about what? You need to drop the part about ‘social questions’. They can already perform that language function. 3. Change –replace. Select a new lesson topic and a new language function if you use ‘Persuading’ in #1. 4. Change – replace. This one is OK, but develop it further. 5. Change – replace. It is not work related. 6. Change – replace They can already perform this language function. 7. Change – replace It is not work related. 8. Change-replace. Making predictions is a good language function, but how does it relate to their needs on the project? Part Four: Question 3 Class: Engineers (Tuesday 4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 1 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Explaining/Describing Activities: Introduce scenario: possible sites that the project can be put up. Describe each site stating its pros and cons. Give handouts with sentences of a descriptive nature. For example, site one is on wet, flat land. Site two, is too hilly, etc. By the end of the discussion, the students should be able to come with the best site for the project. Materials: Three sites appropriate for the project Class: Engineers (Tuesday 4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 2 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Clarifying/asking questions Activities: Introduce scenario: Students to form two groups. They should discuss on the things that can be done in order to make sure that the project runs smoothly (e.g. What can be done in order to make sure that the costs are reduced? What are the managers doing in order to increase efficiency? What can be done in order to ensure that each worker performs his/her role?). The necessary corrections will be done by the other group. Materials: The two groups, each member taking up a character (e.g a head engineer, a worker, a human resource manager, etc). Class: Engineers (Tuesday 4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 3 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Cause and Effect Activities: Introduce scenario: The students should pick up a number of actions and then explain their cause and effect. For example, the students can discuss issues such as uncorporating workers, poor human resource management, poor site, amongst others. They may also choose to discuss the opposite of each issue. For example, cooperating workers, good human resource management, a good site, etc. Materials: A chart containing the diverse issues. Class: Engineers (4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 4 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Evaluating Activities: pick a major project in the host country that is of interest to students. Ask the students to evaluate the project, stating the compliments, the weaknesses and recommendations. Materials: the site with the project of interest. Class: Engineers (4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 5 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Expressing likes/needs Activities: Introduce scenario: the site of the project. Students can come up with different activities that might take place in a site. For example, there might be a group of engineers evaluating the grounds, the might be other workers looking at the project charts. The students should use phrases and terms that express their feelings (e.g. I like efficient workers. I wish the human resource department could appoint more managers.) Materials: The site of the project can be introduced in form of a picture. The people might be doing different activities. Class: Engineers (4 -5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 6 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Drawing Conclusions Activities: Introduce scenario: Students should come up with different activities taking place while people are working on a project. The students should then make conclusions from these actions. For example, if the workers are not increased, the project will take longer than expected. The project will not become a success if the manager will not be changed. Materials: Chart with activities. Class: Engineers (Tuesday 4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 7 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate Target Language: Describing Actions Activities: Introduce scenario: The students can watch a short documentary incorporating workers/engineers working on a different project. The students will be asked to describe the activities taking place in the documentary. They can also describe the activities that are more popular than the others are. Materials: A documentary Class: Engineers (Tuesday 4- 5.30 p.m.) Lesson: 8 of 8 Level: Upper-Intermediate: Target language: Making predictions Activities: Introduce scenario: The students can evaluate a project of interest and make predictions of what would take place if certain actions were taken. Words such would, can or may, should be used. The costs may reduce if the efficiency is improved. Materials: A project of interest. References Feyton, C. M. (2002). Teaching ESL. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice-Hall. Hinkel, E. (2004). Teaching academic ESL writing: Practical techniques in vocabulary and grammar. Mahwah, N.J: L. Erlbaum Associates. Part 4 Q!-Q3 William, many of my students have a problem with this part of the module. The key is being aware of their level of English (upper – intermediate) and making sure that what you would teach them would be relevant for a group of engineers going overseas where the common language will be English. This group of students is at the upper-intermediate level of English. As such they can already have discussions about international politics, the world economy and a variety of social issues. For this reason, the lessons must be at an appropriate level and they must also be relevant to work. Here are a few ideas other students have used to develop great lessons. Take a look. 1. Describing jobs and discussing the role of each person on the project. 2. Cultural differences – the do’s and don’ts in the host country. 3. Conflict resolution between co-workers. 4. Current affairs in the host country that might impact the project. 5. Interviewing and hiring local workers for the project. Please go back and make changes to the following lessons for both Q2 and Q3. They must match. Also make sure you also change Q1 so that the ‘outcomes’ cover the target lessons in Q2 and Q3. 1. Change – develop. Maybe have them try to persuade each other as to which location is best suited for the project and why. 2. Change- develop You need to have a work related lesson focus. Questions about what? You need to drop the part about ‘social questions’. They can already perform that language function. 3. Change –replace. Select a new lesson topic and a new language function if you use ‘Persuading’ in #1. 4. Change – replace. This one is OK, but develop it further. 5. Change – replace. It is not work related. 6. Change – replace They can already perform this language function. 7. Change – replace It is not work related. 8. Change-replace. Making predictions is a good language function, but how does it relate to their needs on the project? The, overall, you have done an excellent job on this module. I am very pleased with your work. Your writing is clear and to the point. You have a solid understanding of what the module is trying to get across to you and present your ideas in a thoughtful and well organized fashion. I just need you to go back and make the changes I have requested for Part 4 Q1-Q3. Remember, keep the lessons focused on the students’ work related needs. I’ll keep an eye out for your resubmission. Keep up the good work. You are doing a great job. Really! Cheers, Scott Grade: None yet ( As with all ICAL assignments, a pass mark is 16/20. If you grade less than this you are allowed to re-work and re-submit assignment as many times as you wish to reach a pass mark. If your grade 16 or above then you move automatically on to the next module.)

Monday, October 21, 2019

Most Common Italian Words

Most Common Italian Words What are the 100 most commonly used Italian words? Its a frequently asked question, usually under the assumption that learning those words first will enable one to begin conversing more quickly in Italian. The following list, generated from subtitles of movies and television series (with a total of about 5.6 million words in 2008), includes the dictionary form where appropriate. 100 Most Common Italian Words RANK WORD LEMMA FORM 1. non non 2. di di 3. che che 4. à ¨ essere 5. e e 6. la la 7. il il 8. un un 9. a a 10. per per 11. in in 12. una una 13. mi mi 14. sono essere 15. ho avere 16. ma ma 17. l' la / lo 18. lo lo 19. ha avere 20. le le 21. si si 22. ti ti 23. i i 24. con con 25. cosa cosa 26. se se 27. io io 28. come come 29. da da 30. ci ci 31. no no 32. questo questo 33. qui qui 34. e' essere 35. hai avere 36. sei essere 37. del di + il 38. bene bene 39. tu tu 40. sà ¬ sà ¬ 41. me me 42. pià ¹ pià ¹ 43. al a + il 44. mio mio 45. c' ci 46. perchà © per + chà © 47. lei lei 48. solo solo 49. te te 50. era essere 51. gli gli 52. tutto tutto 53. della di + la 54. cosà ¬ cosà ¬ 55. mia mia 56. ne ne 57. questa questa 58. fare fare 59. quando quando 60. ora ora 61. fatto fare 62. essere essere 63. so sapere 64. mai mai 65. chi chi 66. o o 67. alla a + la 68. tutti tutto 69. molto molto 70. dei di + i 71. anche anche 72. detto dire 73. quello quello 74. va andare 75. niente niente 76. grazie grazie 77. lui lui 78. voglio volere 79. abbiamo avere 80. stato essere 81. nel in + il 82. suo suo 83. dove dove 84. posso potere 85. oh oh! (interjection) 86. prima prima 87. allora allora 88. siamo essere 89. d' di 90. uno uno 91. un' una 92. sua suo 93. tuo tuo 94. hanno avere 95. noi noi 96. sta stare 97. fa fare 98. due due 99. vuoi volere 100. ancora ancora

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A case study of authoritarian parenting

A case study of authoritarian parenting From all the lines of the passage, clearly Sammy was raised under authoritarian parenting style. Authoritarian parents are adult-centered, demanding and punitive which based on their authority and power. This conclusion can be drawn from the scenario that Sammy’s parents had high expectations on her academic performance and let her further her study. Moreover, authoritarian parents would set straight standards of behavior and allowed little open dialogue. Because of this, Sammy rarely had a chance to express her wills and feelings. They adopted nagging and complaining once they noticed Sammy not working, but not other moderate method persuasion, such as affection, praising and rewards (Moore, 1992). Sammy recalled that she didn’t have a clue when their peaceful verbal interaction was, this not only because the parental control over Sammy was high, her parents spent little time on nurturance and giving response as they were both busy working. These are the major barrier s lead to poor communication. Also, rather than questioning why she was hindering behind on academic aspect, Sammy’s parents nagged and complained instead. The criticism of the parents had created lots of conflicts owing to the rebellious thoughts of Sammy. Hence, there was hardly a conversation between them. The lack of disclosure of themselves, made they not understand each other’s thoughts and feelings easily. This brought a lot of negative influences to their relationship, that, this caused a vicious circle to the link between them. Sammy did not know her identity and her interests. These were the symptoms complied with the idea of â€Å"Identity Crisis† suggested by Erikson (1968). Sammy stuck at the fidelity stage of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. By Erikson, it is the crossroad of transforming to adulthood from childhood. Clearly, Sammy was experiencing confusion in her roles which may haunt her in her mature years. Additionally, Sam my felt she was not as competent as her friends and classmates as well as not as pretty looking as her sister. These show that she lacked confidence. Clearly, Sammy was not satisfied with her body image, which body image was defined as the perception to one’s appearance, and it had a strong correlation to the concept of self. Additionally, female were more unsatisfied than male in terms of their appearance (Stowers and Durm, 1996), hence Sammy, a lady, maybe more negatively affected by her look. These factors have done lots of bad impacts to her physical self of Four Developmental Areas of Self (Hanna, Suggett, and Radtke, 2010). Moreover, the learning abilities, the motivation, beliefs and attitude towards learning of Sammy is surely low. This is a result of being raised under authoritarian parenting. Children under authoritarian parting are less individuated, perform more poorly on cognitive tests and see their parents as more restrictive (Baumrind, 1991). Moreover, a study of adolescents in the San Francisco Bay Area found that the authoritarian parenting style was linked with lower school grades for all ethnic groups (Dornbusch et al 1987). Consequently, Sammy was probably experiencing problems in her mental self of Four Developmental Areas of Self (Hanna, Suggett, and Radtke, 2010). Since Sammy was not doing well on both mental-self and physical-self, it poorly affected the integration with other two aspects, the emotional self and social self. Since the â€Å"selves† should be integrated in a complete model to form a whole self. Otherwise, the selves are mutually affected either. Hence, Sammy was poorly affected making her graded low in self-esteem. As a result, low self-esteem affects academic performance and classroom behaviors (Baker, Beer, and Beer, 1991), and also accounted for loneliness and depression ( Bothwell and Scott, 1997). She was not confident in her. By theory of fulfilling prophecy, she self predicted that she could never f inish tasks as good as others, though there was no evidence to prove she was biologically and physically worse than others.

Friday, October 18, 2019

CE7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CE7 - Essay Example hin this context of my work throughout this course the metanarrative semiotic structure examines the generative moments, including subordinate and coordinate sentences and paragraphs for my work. Considering the nature of my written work I notice a number of notable features. I’ve come to recognize that while I may have not outwardly intentioned it, my writing has tended towards a degree of balance. In these regards, my writing has naturally varied between long and short sentences seemingly as a means of greater communicative effectiveness. Such an understanding has made me recognize the nature of effective writing as not simply contained in the mastery of articulation within the specific sentence, but also the way that the writer balances varies forms of sentences as a means of communicating a comprehensive perspective. Another element of my writing I have recognized is that to a large degree within the individual paragraphs the structural aspects are directly correlated to the subject matter. While my body paragraphs contain topic sentences the actual structure therein is largely contingent on the theme of the topic. For instance, in examining ‘Arts of the Contact Zone’ I recognized that a lengthy analysis with citation was necessary as the expansive nature of the topic demanded further exploration. Conversely, the means of considering auto ethnography in my work necessitated a more direct and pithy approach. As such the nature of subject and medium considered from a self-reflexive way, are highly prominent in the nature of my work. Still, another important aspect of my work is the nature of development. One of the most pervasive elements is how my work, despite my remaining unconscious of this process, begins from a broad and overarching context and then moves to more specific elements, before finally concluding. This structure is both indicative of the entire essay as it begins with the overarching introduction and moves towards the conclusion, but

European Environmental Agency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

European Environmental Agency - Essay Example We are a main information source for those involved in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and also the general public" (p.1). The agency works towards reaching its primary goals in the following ways; "By providing a wide range of information and assessments of: The state of the environment and trends, Pressures on the environment and the driving forces behind them, Policies and their effectiveness and Outlooks/scenarios," (EEA, 1995-2008 p.1). Further promotion of the works of the group come with, "The European Environmental Agency (EEA) Scientific Committee has called for the suspension of the EU target of 10% biofuels use in transportation by 2020, and is recommending a new, comprehending scientific study on the environmental risks and benefits of biofuels," Further elaborating that, "The Scientific Committee assists the management board and executive director of the EEA by providing scientific advice and delivering professional opinions on any scientific matter in the areas of work undertaken by the Agency. The committee comprises 20 independent scientists from 15 EEA member countries, covering a variety of environmental fields," (Green Car Congress 2008, p.1). Each individual organization has a listing of primary responsibilities that are the primary focus for the organization, as well as the body of memb

How ICT Is Applied To The Tourism And Hospitality Industries Essay

How ICT Is Applied To The Tourism And Hospitality Industries - Essay Example e tourism and hospitality industries commonly involves the execution of activities such as incorporation of telecommunications technology with computers and other essential software, which further allows the user companies to access, store as well as share information among their various operational departments. It would not be erroneous to depict in this regard that ICT has its influences in various sections of the business and it acts as a major driving force in deciding the performance of the business operations of companies functioning in any sector including tourism and hospitality sectors. The significance of ICT for companies operating in any sector can be affirmed from the fact that it is actively implemented in certain specific and vital sections of tourism and hospitality business constituted with the various dimensions of production, marketing, research and communication among others. ICT is also a prime tool for tourism and hospitality companies operating in the contempor ary business environment in the context of accomplishing daily tasks, which comprise generating business reports and executing continuous communications with the stakeholders of the business (Hooff & Wijngaert, 2005). Hence, it can be apparently stated that ICT is quite vital for businesses in various distinct domains as it attempts to make significant contributions towards enhancing the value and performance of the businesses operating in any particular sector. Aim of the Study With reference to the determined purview related to ICT, it is evident that it is used in various domains of the business context in the modern era. Consequently, in order to provide a comprehensive understanding regarding the aforementioned aspect, this study evaluates various literatures, studies and practical... The tools of ICT have been in wide use in this particular industrial context, wherein the applicant companies have understood about how these technologies might be helpful for conducting most effective business operations. It has been further observed from the research that ICT helps the players in the tourism sector to interact with the customers on a usual and efficient manner where they intend to build a healthy relationship with the same. The study further revealed that ICT also enables companies to strengthen their communication prospects within the internal and external business environments. Notably, through this approach, tourism and hospitality companies were able to enhance their performance along with operational efficiency. This aspect was justified with the example of performance augmentation of tourism industry productivity of Ireland rewarding better scope for effective communication among various business departments. Apart from this, the research was also able to dep ict the positive effects of ICT in the marketing and financing sector of tourism and hospitality industry. Nevertheless, secondary data used in this paper also revealed both favorable and unfavorable effects of ICT in the tourism and hospitality industries advocating that the benefits of its usage depend substantially on the credibility of its users. In support of this particular inference, case examples related to ICT application in China and Ghana tourism industries were presented in the research study.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

'In company reporting, the measurement of the amount of impairment of Essay - 1

'In company reporting, the measurement of the amount of impairment of many types of assets is so subjective as to be meaningless - Essay Example Some assets can't be reported simply, so the subjectivity arises from the choice of impairment modeling and accounting presentation: Like trying to map a 3-dimensional sphere on a 2-dimensional plane, inevitable distortions crop up no matter what approach one takes to presenting the data. Yet other assets, while objectively declining in value, do so at a rate that is impossible to determine, so any presentation is subjective because it is a choice as to what data to include and what not to, what prediction to make. Yet even this incomplete, subjective picture is far from meaningless for investors, auditors and stakeholders. Asset impairment is defined as, â€Å"An unexpected or sudden decline in the service utility of a capital asset, such as a factory, property or vehicle. This could be the result of physical damage to the asset, obsolescence due to technological innovation, or changes to the legal code. Impairments can be written off† (InvestorWords, 2011). Assets can declin e for a variety of reasons. Simple wear and tear can make an asset less than its expected new or even used value: For example, a vehicle that operated in difficult conditions such as snow or sand could be below the expected market value for a vehicle of that age. In this sense, asset depreciation is a subset of asset impairment. But this determination can be subjective: It requires guessing the cost of the additional damage which could vary from potential buyer to potential buyer. Technological innovation can make some objects obsolete: Certainly, computers have obsolescence and an incredibly high rate of turnover. But anticipating that requires expecting Moore's Law to continue operating, as well as treating the computer as a unified asset, yet different parts of the computer depreciate at different rates and accounting standards are always changing to reflect that for different electronics (Ward, 2011). A legal change could make a piece of machinery become illegal in a particular country, but then the asset could be sold elsewhere, which could require a degree of subjective currency anticipation and assessment of liquidation risk and benefit. This is why goodwill is recognized as the standard for impairment of many assets, and it is commonly accepted that there is a great degree of subjectivity in making this determination. â€Å"We are facing a new era of economic development with a growing significance of intangible assets. Goodwill constitutes a significant asset for numerous companies, especially those which are operating in high technology industries. According to the growing importance of intangibles there has also been a significant change in standards associated with accounting for goodwill† (Jerman and Manzin, 2006). In particular, using fair value accounting for goodwill and for determining the need for disclosures leads to inherent subjectivity: â€Å"The fair value may be determined by using different approaches such as using available ma rket prices, present value techniques, prices for similar assets and other valuation techniques. Users of financial information should consider that market values are not always on disposal. Consequently fair value estimates are based on subjective judgment† (Jerman and Manzin, 2006, 222-223). One of the reasons why there is so much subjectivity is because investors rightly demand disclosures of

Japan's ODA in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Japan's ODA in China - Research Paper Example It is strange; however, that Japan has not completely ended its ODA efforts in China despite the problems that it is facing. It seems that Japan has a more well thought plan about ODA to China, a plan that is not affected by the short run but concentrates on objectives that could work out well for Japan as the Asia region become more stable. My hypothesis is that Japan wants to provide ODA to China because it seeks to create an atmosphere where it can prosper economically and politically. It is true that there have been instances where there was a chance of the removal of the assistance for example after the Tiananmen Square incident and during the war. However it seems that Japan is moving beyond an economic-centred foreign policy programme. Rather my hypothesis is that Japan is trying to play a tit for tat game here. It seeks to give additional aid to China so that China is willing to abide the international laws and norms. This would lead to the creation of both a political and an economic environment that may be helpful in the development of trade and foreign direct investment and may also be lead to the institutionalization of democracy. Japan’s ODA in China is a topic which has attracted a lot of attention. A lot of scholars have searched about the issue out of the curiosity of Japan’s actions. For many, Japan’s actions are an attempt to contribute towards world peace. For others, however, the acceptance of the giving of trade is a part of the strategic policy of Japan that aims to paint a rosy picture of Japan in international relations. Many scholars have studied the trends in the periods of Japan-China assistance. Wu, for example, divides them into three time periods, the development time, the adjustment time and the conversion time (Wu, 2008). The development time was from the year 1979 to 1989 when Japan was

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

How ICT Is Applied To The Tourism And Hospitality Industries Essay

How ICT Is Applied To The Tourism And Hospitality Industries - Essay Example e tourism and hospitality industries commonly involves the execution of activities such as incorporation of telecommunications technology with computers and other essential software, which further allows the user companies to access, store as well as share information among their various operational departments. It would not be erroneous to depict in this regard that ICT has its influences in various sections of the business and it acts as a major driving force in deciding the performance of the business operations of companies functioning in any sector including tourism and hospitality sectors. The significance of ICT for companies operating in any sector can be affirmed from the fact that it is actively implemented in certain specific and vital sections of tourism and hospitality business constituted with the various dimensions of production, marketing, research and communication among others. ICT is also a prime tool for tourism and hospitality companies operating in the contempor ary business environment in the context of accomplishing daily tasks, which comprise generating business reports and executing continuous communications with the stakeholders of the business (Hooff & Wijngaert, 2005). Hence, it can be apparently stated that ICT is quite vital for businesses in various distinct domains as it attempts to make significant contributions towards enhancing the value and performance of the businesses operating in any particular sector. Aim of the Study With reference to the determined purview related to ICT, it is evident that it is used in various domains of the business context in the modern era. Consequently, in order to provide a comprehensive understanding regarding the aforementioned aspect, this study evaluates various literatures, studies and practical... The tools of ICT have been in wide use in this particular industrial context, wherein the applicant companies have understood about how these technologies might be helpful for conducting most effective business operations. It has been further observed from the research that ICT helps the players in the tourism sector to interact with the customers on a usual and efficient manner where they intend to build a healthy relationship with the same. The study further revealed that ICT also enables companies to strengthen their communication prospects within the internal and external business environments. Notably, through this approach, tourism and hospitality companies were able to enhance their performance along with operational efficiency. This aspect was justified with the example of performance augmentation of tourism industry productivity of Ireland rewarding better scope for effective communication among various business departments. Apart from this, the research was also able to dep ict the positive effects of ICT in the marketing and financing sector of tourism and hospitality industry. Nevertheless, secondary data used in this paper also revealed both favorable and unfavorable effects of ICT in the tourism and hospitality industries advocating that the benefits of its usage depend substantially on the credibility of its users. In support of this particular inference, case examples related to ICT application in China and Ghana tourism industries were presented in the research study.

Japan's ODA in China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Japan's ODA in China - Research Paper Example It is strange; however, that Japan has not completely ended its ODA efforts in China despite the problems that it is facing. It seems that Japan has a more well thought plan about ODA to China, a plan that is not affected by the short run but concentrates on objectives that could work out well for Japan as the Asia region become more stable. My hypothesis is that Japan wants to provide ODA to China because it seeks to create an atmosphere where it can prosper economically and politically. It is true that there have been instances where there was a chance of the removal of the assistance for example after the Tiananmen Square incident and during the war. However it seems that Japan is moving beyond an economic-centred foreign policy programme. Rather my hypothesis is that Japan is trying to play a tit for tat game here. It seeks to give additional aid to China so that China is willing to abide the international laws and norms. This would lead to the creation of both a political and an economic environment that may be helpful in the development of trade and foreign direct investment and may also be lead to the institutionalization of democracy. Japan’s ODA in China is a topic which has attracted a lot of attention. A lot of scholars have searched about the issue out of the curiosity of Japan’s actions. For many, Japan’s actions are an attempt to contribute towards world peace. For others, however, the acceptance of the giving of trade is a part of the strategic policy of Japan that aims to paint a rosy picture of Japan in international relations. Many scholars have studied the trends in the periods of Japan-China assistance. Wu, for example, divides them into three time periods, the development time, the adjustment time and the conversion time (Wu, 2008). The development time was from the year 1979 to 1989 when Japan was

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Critique of the Ramayana Modern Prose Translation Essay Example for Free

Critique of the Ramayana Modern Prose Translation Essay In a just world, Mr. R. K. Narayan’s estate would be responsible for reimbursing seventeen-fifty, plus applicable taxes, to all those who purchased the Penguin Classics 2006 publication of his book, The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. Stated clearly on the back of the cover is the promise that R. K. Narayan â€Å"recounts [The Ramayana] with the narrative flair of a master novelist’’. The back cover lied. Narayan’s re-telling condenses the epic poem so much to the point of nearly listing a series of events. No matter the inspiration, Narayan’s The Ramayana is still a story, and should therefore be able to stand on it’s own as a captivating tale—with further literary research or expansion being used to enhance it’s appeal, not explain it. Arguably, the ‘narrative flair’ of this re-telling is little more expressive than unsolicited summaries found on the Internet, and without further literary aide or instruction, does not stand as a solid piece of literature. What is worse, is that instead of allowing a greater breadth of readers to relate and experience tale of the Ramayana, new readers are alienated by it’s convoluted atmosphere. While the task is grand, Narayan’s translation is not listed as an aide to a larger, more in-depth version; it is still a novel and as such needs to be able to stand strong in its own right when evaluated alone. People who have no prior knowledge of the original Sanskrit story, and who have not been raised with the Hindu epic as a part of their life, should be able to pick up this book, read it, and—regardless of how far the tale may go in global history—be able to enjoy one hundred and fifty one pages of literature, without having any prior knowledge, or requiring further research. Having more knowledge, and doing more research on the original epic tale should increase what readers are able to receive from the book, but it should not be necessary in order to understand it. As it stands, without knowing the original tale, new readers are left with very little literary flow and a patchy depiction of what is supposed to be a lush world. At one point, while Bharatha and Rama argue as to who should be the rightful king, their entire episode is related with: â€Å" The argument went on at a highly academic and philosophical level, the entire assembly watching with respect. (Narayan 60) That assertion does not express a deep academic and philosophical argument, but rather states that one was occurring; the reader doesn’t get to experience what transpired between the brothers, or garner any emotion from it. It goes on to almost quite literally depict the event with a he-said/he-said monotony: So be it; if I have the authority—then I confer it on you as the ruler,† said Bharatha at one stage. â€Å"On my command as the ruler, if you desire to think so, you shall be the King. † It went on thus. Rama went on repeating that there could be no word higher than that of a father; no conduct other than obedience to it. Throughout he referred to Kaikeyi in the gentlest terms and always as â€Å"mother†. (Narayan 61) The listed manner in which the plot is unfolded by Narayan’s re-telling is barely more narrative as a piece of literature than an excerpt from that of the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia: Bharatha refuses to profit from his mothers wicked scheming and visits Rama in the forest. He requests Rama to return and rule. But Rama, determined to carry out his fathers orders to the letter, refuses to return before the period of exile. However, Bharatha carries Ramas sandals, and keeps them on the throne, while he rules as Ramas regent. (Wikipedia Contributors) There is very little more efficiency or flair in Narayan’s telling, and in fact, Wikipedia depicts the stages of the long tale with better clarity; if the prose is not going to be linguistically lush and evocative, it may as well be clear (Wikipedia is not only clear, but free of charge as well). It is of course not a simple task to undertake translating an epic poem from a rhythmic language, into prose with a language devoid of the same musicality. However, to the novice reader of The Ramayana, they would not know the difficulty of the task, and thus—however harsh it may seem— should not be a factor in the reviewing of the story as it stands alone. Narayan was by no means an incapable writer, and as winner of numerous awards and accolades—not the least of which being multiple nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature (Rajnish Wattas), he does not need defending that he has great ability as a writer, yet the bottom line remain that when it is stripped of further discussion, research, and introductions, The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic just does not stand on it’s own as captivating modern prose. With nearly each new episode of the tale, Narayan prefaces the action with even more listed information, take for example the introduction to the chapter of Vali: The characters in the drama that follows are Vali, Sugreeva, Hanuman, and Rama. The action takes place in the mountainous forest regions of Kiskinda, a kingdom ruled and inhabited by monkeys. In the Ramayana, the articipants are not only human beings, but many others from God’s creation, intelligent, cultured and with their own achievements of spirit as well as physique: Jambavan was a bear, Jatayu was an eagle, Lakshmana—Rama’s brother—was himself a human incarnation of the Great Serpent Adisesha in whose coils Vishnu rested. (Narayan 90) Again, the story is told by listing statements of what is going on. As with the landscape, and even the characters themselves, nothing is depicted in the story-writing of the prose, but stated, as if the entire epic was a news article being reported by Narayan, as opposed to a vivid history with grand escapades and extreme characters. By translating an epic tale from poetic verse into shortened modern prose, the objective is ultimately to enable a broader audience to relate to and appreciate a classic tale. Poetry is a secluded literary world that does not have the mass appeal that modern prose does; yet Narayan’s re-telling is too constrained and overwhelmed by the amount of story condensed into it. By trying to constrain the length of the story to allow for more readers to get through it, Narayan’s ‘master narrative flair’ seems lost, and the epic tale is a heavy list of events that merely occur on the page.