Best Business Verbs

Best Business Verbs This one paragraph contains errors in business verbs. Find and correct them. The authors will be holding a discussion about registration, to better give instruction to the participants who have to make a choice between which sessions to attend. (27 words) Solution: The authors will discuss registration, to better instruct the participants who have to choose which sessions to attend. (18 words) This is a 33% reduction in length in one sentence. Envision the impact on a long document! Explanation: These are smothered verbs. There were 6 unnecessary words in that single sentence. Un-smothering your verbs is an opportunity to greatly improve your business writing. Active, vibrant, un-smothered verbs bring both vitality and clarity to your writing. Smothered verbs are action words that are buried in a group of other words. Eliminating the other words creates a clearer, more forceful sentence. Smothering phrases often begin with a form of be, give, have, make or take. The noun in the phrase often ends with -ion or -ment. Here are some examples of smothered verbs with their clearer alternatives: have a suspicion / suspect make an agreement / agree hold a discussion / discuss give instruction to / instruct make a choice / choose Would you like to learn more about how business verbs can bring great clarity to your business writing? Download this guide: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, 'a37e9762-db23-46bf-8160-a7053c1f180c', {}); Hone your skills in these business writing courses: Business Grammar Effective Business Writing Techniques

SAT Score

What's a Good 8th Grade ACT / SAT Score SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT / ACT is a good predictor of future college potential. During 8th grade these tests are looming ahead, but how do you know what's a good SAT / ACT score for someone at this grade level? Here, Dr. Fred Zhang does a novel analysis on two data sets to find what is considered a good score for middle school students. How Do We Determine a Good SAT/ACT Score for 8th Graders? The ACT / SAT is primarily used as ahigh schooltest forcollegeadmissions, and most students who take these exams are in 11th or 12th grade. This means a few things. The SAT is normed at 500 points, while the ACT is normed around a 20. Norms are enforced average scores for the normal high school student taking it - usually in 11th or 12th grade. If you're in these grades, check out these links for a good ACT score anda good SAT score. If you use atable for high school students to examine a student in 8th grade, your results will be completely wrong. You need to use a guide like this, that is specifically crafted for 8th graders. Also, remember that the content on the ACT / SAT is at the high school level, and it includesgeometry and other topics usually taught only in or near 11th grade. Therefore, performing badly on these tests in 8th grade should not be taken as a lack of ability- sometimes it's just a result of not having learned the content yet. How We Found the Data Few students younger than 11th graders (relatively speaking) take the SAT or ACT, so finding out how to gauge a good or bad score is not as easy as looking at a table of percentiles from the test makers. Instead, we used two unique data sets: the Duke TIP program data set, and the John Hopkins CTY data set. In regards to the new SAT (introduced in March 2016), we came up with these estimates based on data from the old version of the SAT, but we expect them to stay pretty accurate for the current version of the exam. These are groups of very talented 7th graders who took the SAT / ACT, so we can't just take the average and distribution of these data sets. Instead, we used a statistical technique called quantile matching / maximum likelihood to infer the distribution of all 7th graders. Then, we used linear interpolation to determine good scores for 8th graders. Results: Distribution of 8th Grade ACT / SAT Scores The average SAT / ACT score of an 8th grade student is lower than that of a high school student. In fact, we find that the scores on the SAT are a full 450 points lower per section, while the scores on the ACT are about 7 points lower. Therefore, the SAT score of the median 8th grader is about a 350 per section, and the ACT score of the median 8th grader is about a 13. A standard deviation in the SAT is around 100 points per section, and is around a 6 on the ACT. This means that the scores translate as follows: Interpretation Percentile ACT Score SAT Score Below Average 25% 7 250 Average 50% 13 350 Above Average 75% 19 450 Excellent 95% 26 550 What this data shows us is that, if you score about a 13 on the ACT or a 350 on each section of the SAT (or a 700 with both sections combined), you're getting about the average score for an 8th grader. If you score around a 7 on the ACT or a 250for each SAT section, then about three-quarters of other 8th graders would have a higher score than you. What's a Good SAT / ACT Score for an 8th Grader? From the table above, we can conclude that a good SAT / ACT score for 8th graders, which beats three-quarters of similar students in the U.S., is a 19 on the ACT and a 900(over bothsections) on the SAT. Keep in mind that,as I warned above, the SAT / ACT is not intended to evaluate students before their college admissions timeline, so don't despair if your score is lower than this. You can always boost it later on by learning the content and studying more. How Can 8th Graders Prepare for the SAT / ACT? Now that you know what a good standardized test score for an 8th grader is, how can youmeet your ideal score? We have a lot of guides to help you understand the SAT and ACT. First, you will want to decide if you should start preparing for the SAT or ACT in 8th grade.Practice tests are very important for standardized test prep as well, and we have manyfree and official SAT practice tests and ACT practice tests. You mightalso be interested in preparing forstandardizedtests that students typically take before the SAT and ACT. We have complete guides to both the new PSAT and the ACT Aspire tests. Use these resources and you'll be well on your way to getting a greatscore the next time you take the SAT or ACT! What's Next? Planning on taking the SAT or ACT in the coming years as well? Learn what a good SAT/ACT score is for 9th graders and 10th graders. Taking the PSAT or PreACT?Then you'll need some high-quality study resources. Check out our collections ofPSAT practice testsandPreACT practice teststo get started. When should you start prepping for the SAT?Our expert guide gives you four key tipsto help you figure out the best time to begin studying. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT and ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160+ points or your ACT score by 4+ points. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Analysing two websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Analysing two websites - Essay Example The site features and other characteristics are noted to its full length for the comparison. Amazon’s homepage provides the user with an overview of their whole site, which is vitally important as (Nielsen, 2002) explains "The homepage is your companys face to the world." As recommended by Nielsen (2002) Amazon has used a tagline to capture and communicate the essence of the company; making the sites purpose immediately clear â€Å"Amazon.com: Online shopping for electronics, apparel, music, books, DVDs & more.† Their logo is also apparent, boosting brand awareness, differentiating identity from competitors and providing familiarity to users. It can be found in the top left hand corner of the homepage, showing standard HTML conventions have been adopted. Guerrilla marketing is a corner stone for only books on marketing and the site is not that usable for frequent visits in comparison. The HTML conventions are not followed for wide practice however it provides detailed information about every marketing journal about marketing and presentation abilities. Amazon site is inked with major products like books and every site featuring essential products like books and other resources is interlinked for purchase. Amazon use standard blue hyperlinks, tab navigation, browse box, graphics and a search input box to help users interactively navigate the site, in a simple, easy to use fashion. Key worded category hyperlinks, emphasise product variety and the sites most important sections. Amazon is a path-based homepage; we recommend duplicating this approach to split the audience immediately into interest groups and to offer them specific, more relevant information in menu pages deeper within the site. (Lynch and Horton, 2002.) Amazon reveals real site content (Nielsen, 2002) offering easy access to recent homepage features. Homepages are updated regularly; visual graphics are kept meaningful and often

Online learning and cultural issues Research Paper

Online learning and cultural issues - Research Paper Example Also effect sizes were found to be larger for studies that had the online instruction as collaborative or instructor-directed, as compared to those where online learners worked independently. Student learning outcomes were least impacted in the way in which various studies conducted online learning. Across various content and learner types, the effectiveness of the approaches of learning online appears to be massive. Another research of experimental and semi-experimental studies that compares various types of online learning standards report that candidate learning is usually comparable in both distance learning and face to face learning if a study compares a mixture of both to purely online conditions. It also concludes that objects such as video feed or online tests do not seem to impact the amount that students tend to learn in online classes. Online learning can be made effective by giving students control of their interactions with media and requesting for learner interaction as well. When a couple of students group together to learn online, support techniques such as guiding queries usually impact the way students interact, but does not influence the amount they learn (Means, et al., 2010). There were about half a dozen studies conducted from 1989-2004 that actually met the criteria for experimental validation to compare online and traditional courses. Based on this, the National Survey of Student Engagement research concluded that online learners have deeper approaches to learning as compared to classroom-based learners and they also claim to have experienced better use of polished thinking skills, combine thinking process and reflective learning (Susan and Allison, 2009). Another study describes strategies to build and maintain online learning communities. They suggest the effectiveness of setting aims, tasks and their results, role of an instructor, enhancing social comfort and scaffolding. The issues they addressed were cultural and individual differe nces, verbalization, and intimidation of technical skills to operate and interact online. They conclude by suggesting not to expect a radical change overnight to address the issues but further research on overcoming the issues from both the instructor’s end and the learners’ end (Ruth and Wing, 2002). Applications: There are many applications in use today for e-learning. They all emphasize in providing the qualities that would provide ease in communication and to bridge gaps between the student and teacher by employing effective techniques. eFront is the most widely used as it provides features to instructors as creating and managing lectures via visual content editors that support images, video and sound. It also provides a file sharing space which is organized by a file manager. It also provides the flexibility to assign assignments and generate surveys. Another tool is Moodle and its popularity is attributed to the fact that it is open source. Apart from course mana gement features, it provides support for chat between teachers and students. Dokeos is a tool that provides video conferencing capability along with chat and course management features. Claroline is the only tool to be translated in 35 other languages. It

Economies Of The Middle East. Essay Example for Free

Economies Of The Middle East. Essay According to the CIA world Fact Book Bahrain is located in the Middle East on the eastern side of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain’s climate is arid though characterized by hot and humid summers while the winters are pleasant. (CIA,2008). According to the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, Bahrain is an archipelago which is comprised of 33 islands and is sandwiched between the east coast of Saudi Arabia and the Qatar peninsula. Bahrain has an advantage in as far as tourism is concerned given her richness in geographical features like the sandy beaches as well as the coral reefs. It also has various museums, archeological sites and traditional markets which are all a plus to her competitiveness. Bahrain is also well known for her liberalistic tendencies in the Middle East region. (Council for International Exchange of Scholars). Being an Arab country, Islam is the most practiced religion although other religions which form less than 25% of the total population are allowed to take place. They include Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism as well as Judaism. In such a set up, where 85% of the total population is Muslim it is only natural that Arabic is the official language. However, English is used in the learning institutions as well as when conducting business. This paper will give an in depth analysis of Bahrain. The US department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs pointed out that in 2007 the population of Bahrain was 708,535 out of which a tune of 32% comprised of non nationals. Statistics of the same year also indicated that annual population growth rate was at 1. 39%. In accessing the composition of the Bahrain population by ethnic background it was established that Bahrainis recorded the largest proportion at 63%, Asians were next with 19% while the Arabs and Iranians were 10% and 8% respectively. The US department of State estimated that Islam is the religion observed by approximately 98% of the total population. It also estimated that other languages used in addition to English and Arabic included Farsi and Urdu. A unique characteristic of the education system in Bahrain is the fact that although it is not compulsory, it is offered for free at all levels. Estimates taken in the period 1991 to 2001 indicated that there was a high rate of school attendance at 84%. In the year 2003 it was established that the overall adult literacy levels for those aged 15 years and above stood at 89. 1% while the rate differed across the genders. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). Males had a higher rate at 91. 9% while females registered a lower rate at 85%. Bahrain finances her citizen’s educational needs from incomes attained from her generous investment in oil reserves. The importance of the year 1920 in as far as the education of Bahrain cannot be underscored as it was at this time that the first public school which served both sexes was introduced. There are 2 universities or high learning institutions where people are able to improve their credibility levels in the job market. To cater for the health needs of her population there is a health science college which offers specified skills in the various medical fields like nursing, pharmacy. According to the 2007 statistics the infant mortality rate was at 16. 18 deaths/1000 live births while the life expectancy for males was 5 years lower than that of the females which was 77 years. Statistics from 2006 estimated that approximately 352,000 people formed the Bahrain labor or work force out of which a tune of 44% was foreigners. The US department of State also estimates that Bahrain is among the highly dense populated states and most of her population settled in the capital city Manama. A considerable percentage of Bahrain’s workforce is comprised of foreigners due to the ‘foreigner – friendly’ policies by the government. Although the naturalization process evokes contrasting views among the Bahraini’s it has seen approximately 10% of the total populations attain Bahraini nationality. Critics argue that the procedures or rather criteria applied could jeopardize the country’s security especially when foreigners previously working with sensitive departments like security are naturalized. There are 2 types of Muslims in the Bahrain state. About 2/3 of the people from the indigenous group are shi’a Muslims while prominent people in the society like the ruling family, numerous members of the government and the military as well as leaders in the state form the Sunni Muslim. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). According to the CIA world fact book, the birth rate using 2008 estimates was 17. 26/1000 population while the death rate at the same year was at 4. 29deaths/1000 population. The rate of net migration was estimated to be 0. 4 migrants/1000 population. CIA also estimated that the sex ratios for the total population stood at 1. 25 males/females in 2008. 2008 estimates also had it that the total infant mortality rate was at 15. 64 deaths/1000 live births while that of females was at 12. 93 deaths/1000 live births. In 2006, the school life expectancy of both primary levels to tertiary education was 15 years though it varied across the genders with males recording a lower expectancy at 14 years while females lagged behind at 16 years. 2001 statistics indicated that approximately 86. 5% of the total population could read and write with males recording a higher rate at 88. 6% and females at 83. 6%. In 1991 the government spent approximately 3. 9% of the GDP to finance the education sector. (CIA,2008). The government in Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy with 5 administrative divisions namely Asamah, Janilyah, Muharraq, shamliyah and wasat. She attained her independence on the 15th of August 1971from the UK. In 2002, on the 14th of February she adopted a constitution that was to be followed. The laws consist of the English law but blended with the Islam laws. The universal suffrage is at 20 years meaning any one above that age has the right to vote. There are three branches of government, the executive, legislative as well as the judiciary. The executive is comprised of the King Hamad bin Isa al- Khalifa who took over in March 1999. the king is the chief of the Bahrain state. The Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa is the head of government and he has held this position since 1971. The monarchy has the responsibility of appointing the cabinet and the prime minister too but the monarchy is hereditary. (CIA,2008). King Hamad Isa al- Khalifa succeeded his father who died in 1999 after being in power for approximately 38 years. King Hamad can be commended for various reforms in Bahrain especially his zest to introduce democracy by changing the current system that was purely a ‘hereditary emirate’ to a ‘constitutional monarchy’. (CIA,2008). His efforts precipitated to a referendum in 2001 for the National Action Charter which approximately 94. 8% of the Bahrain voters endorsed. Another significant act by King Hamad was setting free of most political detainees and prisoner most of whom had been exiled, detained or imprisoned from as early as in the 1970’s for posing ‘security threats’ to Bahrain. Kind Hamad did away with the state security law and court which made it possible to detain people for up to 3 years without trial. The constitutional reforms Hamad introduced saw to it that a bicameral parliament which had a representative from the lower house was operational. Another aspect different from what was initially the trend was the creation of an independent body which was to act as ‘watchdog’ over corruption allegations such as the embezzlement of public funds. This was a way of increasing accountability and transparency in the region. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). Hamad’s efforts were however not without challenges as for instance there were protests against the provisions he enacted on the constitution from members of the Shi’a community. The 2002 election made a mark in the political history of Bahrain as it was at this time when the first woman was elected in parliament. The legislature branch comprises of the 40 member consultative council and the 40 member chamber of deputies. The election of the two councils is different in the sense that the former is elected by the kind while the latter is determined through a direct election. Elections are held after 4 years with the last one in 2006. The judicial system of Bahrain is comprised of a combination of courts adhering to the English laws as well as the Islamic laws or religious and tribal laws. Hamad also made significant reforms in the judiciary when he set a separate branch to over see it. The king’s son or crown prince is the head of the commander in chief of the state’s defense force and the king’s successor. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007). Democracy in Bahrain, however is limited to the fact that political parties are discouraged and this had been the case for many decades but with the rise of Hamad to power political societies were allowed to operate (CIA) According to the CIA world fact book Bahrain attracts foreign direct investment a factor that has made various multinational companies settle there and carry out business. This is to the country’s advantage economically. Similar to other gulf countries the role of petroleum in stirring economic growth and development cannot be underscored. It is estimated that petroleum products attribute to over 60% of her total exports which contribute to a tune of 70% of the total government revenues. The petroleum industries directly contribute to approximately 11% of the country’s GDP. Bahrain is also rich in aluminum which is the second largest export. (CIA, 2008). The US department of state noted that other natural resources in Bahrain included textiles, natural gas, fish and pearls. (Bureau of Public Affairs, 2007).

Neo-China Politics Essay -- China Economics Political Essays

Neo-China Politics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China is interested in modernizing itself while at the same time maintaining security' is the only general statement that can be made about China's foreign policy. To achieve these two ends, China is willing to ignore conflicts that do not substantially affect its development or security. Economic organizations are welcomed because they facilitate economic development but security multilateralism is employed only where feasible, resulting in most security concerns solved bilaterally. This case-by-case determination of policy results in China supporting the status quo in some issues while challenging it in others. To better understand China's foreign policy requires an investigation into these three characteristics. Post-Cold War Asia has been witness to a China that increasingly focuses its foreign policy on its neighbors rather than on a regional or global context. This stems from China's realization that free markets have triumphed over centrally planned economies and that a world revolution is not going to happen. This has two implications. One, China no longer needs to divert resources to involve itself in global politics since the proletarian revolution is not going to take place. Second, China needs to embark on a program of economic development and modernization (F. Wang p. 32 and J. Wang p. 80). China has decided that economic growth should receive first priority before any other concerns because of two reasons. One, economic growth allows China to upgrade its aging military by purchasing advanced weapons or developing new weapons based on the infusion of technology from consumer goods. Second and perhaps more importantly, economic development has become crucial to the Party's legitimacy to rule. During Mao's era, ideological fervor provided the basis of the Party's right to rule. However, since Deng Xiaoping's market reforms in the late 70's and 80's, the CCP has increasingly relied upon economic progress as a source of political legitimacy. The Party has promised economic prosperity in return for the undisputed right to rule. Any slowdown in economic growth could potentially lead to political instability. Therefore, all available resources are directed to maintaining a healthy pace of economic growth (Yu p. 186). At this point in development, China does not feel that it has the resources to be involved in remote... ... cede to informal discussions on security to prove that China is a responsible international actor and because any refusal might result in China being left out of international decision making. However, except in the nuclear non-proliferation issue, China's new acceptance of multilateralism is based on a calculated tactical adjustment rather than a true fundamental shift in appreciation for multilateralism. China must feel secure in its new place as a global power before any true shift may occur. This can only happen if several conditions exist. First, Beijing must no longer feel threats of containment from its neighbors and the United States. Second, China must become content with its military power and begin to see preserving a status quo in military strength as desirable. Third, the outstanding territorial disputes must be resolved. Finally, the security of each Asian nation must become so intertwined that bilateralism becomes ineffective in dealing with rising issues. Until all these conditions exist, China will not truly embrace economic and security multilateralism, and the result will continue to be the incohesive, hypocritical foreign policy that China practices today. Neo-China Politics Essay -- China Economics Political Essays Neo-China Politics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  China is interested in modernizing itself while at the same time maintaining security' is the only general statement that can be made about China's foreign policy. To achieve these two ends, China is willing to ignore conflicts that do not substantially affect its development or security. Economic organizations are welcomed because they facilitate economic development but security multilateralism is employed only where feasible, resulting in most security concerns solved bilaterally. This case-by-case determination of policy results in China supporting the status quo in some issues while challenging it in others. To better understand China's foreign policy requires an investigation into these three characteristics. Post-Cold War Asia has been witness to a China that increasingly focuses its foreign policy on its neighbors rather than on a regional or global context. This stems from China's realization that free markets have triumphed over centrally planned economies and that a world revolution is not going to happen. This has two implications. One, China no longer needs to divert resources to involve itself in global politics since the proletarian revolution is not going to take place. Second, China needs to embark on a program of economic development and modernization (F. Wang p. 32 and J. Wang p. 80). China has decided that economic growth should receive first priority before any other concerns because of two reasons. One, economic growth allows China to upgrade its aging military by purchasing advanced weapons or developing new weapons based on the infusion of technology from consumer goods. Second and perhaps more importantly, economic development has become crucial to the Party's legitimacy to rule. During Mao's era, ideological fervor provided the basis of the Party's right to rule. However, since Deng Xiaoping's market reforms in the late 70's and 80's, the CCP has increasingly relied upon economic progress as a source of political legitimacy. The Party has promised economic prosperity in return for the undisputed right to rule. Any slowdown in economic growth could potentially lead to political instability. Therefore, all available resources are directed to maintaining a healthy pace of economic growth (Yu p. 186). At this point in development, China does not feel that it has the resources to be involved in remote... ... cede to informal discussions on security to prove that China is a responsible international actor and because any refusal might result in China being left out of international decision making. However, except in the nuclear non-proliferation issue, China's new acceptance of multilateralism is based on a calculated tactical adjustment rather than a true fundamental shift in appreciation for multilateralism. China must feel secure in its new place as a global power before any true shift may occur. This can only happen if several conditions exist. First, Beijing must no longer feel threats of containment from its neighbors and the United States. Second, China must become content with its military power and begin to see preserving a status quo in military strength as desirable. Third, the outstanding territorial disputes must be resolved. Finally, the security of each Asian nation must become so intertwined that bilateralism becomes ineffective in dealing with rising issues. Until all these conditions exist, China will not truly embrace economic and security multilateralism, and the result will continue to be the incohesive, hypocritical foreign policy that China practices today.

Graphical user interface Essay

1. Introduction Piso Net is basically a merge of PC rental and Arcade rental services wherein customers can pay the services by inserting coins to the machine. This machine has been making quite a buzz in the city since early 2010, but it’s not only until recently that the enterprise got the attention of business-minded folks. Piso Net is indeed a viable source of extra income especially in an area occupied by many people who are possible customers of this kind of business. However, there is a problem that the researchers observed with the Piso Net industry concerning the lack of tracking and monitoring of the total income per Piso Net machine. Unlike the typical internet cafes out there, they have cyber cafe software that enables an internet cafe business of any size to track and monitor customers, billing and of course their income. Consequently, the researchers are trying to aid this problem by developing a kind of system that would help small businessmen to track and monitor their income. This system is obtainable, practicable, simple and very easy to use that even the non computer literate users can operate it. Also, the files on income are very organized that you can track any record of it in any day, month or even year. As stated above, the system’s graphical user interface is user friendly. This system will surely help businessmen in obtaining precise, accurate and organized files. There is no internet connection required for this system to run. Its security and reliability is very good since the unauthorized personnel are not allowed to use and alter the data that are recorded. 2. Statement of the problem The lack of monitoring and tracking the income of a Piso Net machine has been the problem observed by the researchers. So in order to aid this problem, there is a need to develop a system that would help small businessmen of Piso Net. Through this system, the businessmen will know what and where his/her income is. Also, businessmen will have accurate, precise  and organized files of their income so it will make the business more productive. The system will do all work with regards to monitoring and tracking of income and that makes the business more beneficial. 3. Objective of the study Aiding the observed problem by developing a system that would help small businessmen is the main objective. Through this system the owners will have an efficient and organized income records. This system would probably solve the dilemma of the Piso Net machine owners. 4. Scope and Limitations The researchers just focused on the monitoring and tracking of income per Piso Net machine so the system will be on the calculation of the monthly and yearly total income. The system will also display the expenses regarding extra services like printing and overnight rents. All rental transactions such as PC per PC rental rates are not included only the total income regarding that month and year is accounted. NOTE: ya, wala najud ko kasabot ay sa diha sa scope and limitations. Ktulgon na kay koooo -______- sayp pako ugma. Ako lng gitiwas bahala na. ako rang gi copy kung unsa ang naa sa papel. Diha sa scope and limitations.. Actually wala ko kasabot kung unsa ang boot ipasabot sa imong cm8 ani iyang study :’I hays, lisura mag buhat ug intro, statement of the problem, scope and limitations nga di ka ksabot sa ilang study :3 hays, bhala nani. Kamo nay bhala ani uy. Ge ha. . cnxa :3 mao ray nkaya saq utok man. Di ko maau ani 😀 hehehe hays, wa jud ko ksabot sa ilang SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS. Hahahaha honestly speaking.. basaha gle. ( or basin ktulgon lng jud kau ko. Ge nyt :3c

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 18 THE FUNERAL

I SPRINTED DOWN THE STAIRS AND THREW THE DOOR open. It was Jacob, of course. Even blind, Alice wasn't slow. He was standing about six feet back from the door, his nose wrinkled in distaste, but his face otherwise smoothmasklike. He didn't fool me; I could see the faint trembling of his hands. Hostility rolled off of him in waves. It brought back that awful afternoon when he'd chosen Sam over me, and I felt my chin jerk up defensively in response. Jacob's Rabbit idled by the curb with Jared behind the wheel and Embry in the passenger seat. I understood what this meant: they were afraid to let him come here alone. It made me sad, and a little annoyed. The Cullens weren't like that. â€Å"Hey,† I finally said when he didn't speak. Jake pursed his lips, still hanging back from the door. His eyes flickered across the front of the house. I ground my teeth. â€Å"She's not here. Do you need something?† He hesitated. â€Å"You're alone?† â€Å"Yes.† I sighed. â€Å"Can I talk to you a minute?† â€Å"Of course you can, Jacob. Come on in.† Jacob glanced over his shoulder at his friends in the car. I saw Embry shake his head just a tiny bit. For some reason, this bugged me to no end. My teeth clenched together again. â€Å"Chicken† I mumbled under my breath. Jake's eyes flashed back to me, his thick, black brows pushing into a furious angle over his deep-set eyes. His jaw set, and he marchedthere was no other way to describe the way he movedup the sidewalk and shrugged past me into the house. I locked gazes with first Jared and then EmbryI didn't like the hard way they eyed me; did they really think I would let anything hurt Jacobbefore I shut the door on them. Jacob was in the hall behind me, staring at the mess of blankets in the living room. â€Å"Slumber party?† he asked, his tone sarcastic. â€Å"Yeah,† I answered with the same level of acid. I didn't like Jacob when he acted this way. â€Å"What's it to you?† He wrinkled his nose again like he smelled something unpleasant. â€Å"Where's your ‘friend'?† I could hear the quotation marks in his tone. â€Å"She had some errands to run. Look, Jacob, what do you want?† Something about the room seemed to make him edgierhis long arms were quivering. He didn't answer my question. Instead he moved on to the kitchen, his restless eyes darting everywhere. I followed him. He paced back and forth along the short counter. â€Å"Hey,† I said, putting myself in his way. He stopped pacing and stared down at me. â€Å"What's your problem?† â€Å"I don't like having to be here.† That stung. I winced, and his eyes tightened. â€Å"Then I'm sorry you had to come,† I muttered. â€Å"Why don't you tell me what you need so you can leave?† â€Å"I just have to ask you a couple of questions. It shouldn't take long. We have to get back for the funeral.† â€Å"Okay. Get it over with then.† I was probably overdoing it with the antagonism, but I didn't want him to see how much this hurt. I knew I wasn't being fair. After all, I'd picked the bloodsucker over him last night. I'd hurt him first. He took a deep breath, and his trembling fingers were suddenly still. His face smoothed into a serene mask. â€Å"One of the Cullens is staying here with you,† he stated. â€Å"Yes. Alice Cullen.† He nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"How long is she here for?† â€Å"As long as she wants to be.† The belligerence was still there in my tone. â€Å"It's an open invitation.† â€Å"Do you think you could please explain to her about the other oneVictoria?† I paled. â€Å"I told her about that.† He nodded. â€Å"You should know that we can only watch our own lands with a Cullen here. You'll only be safe in La Push. I can't protect you here anymore.† â€Å"Okay,† I said in a small voice. He looked away then, out the back windows. He didn't continue. â€Å"Is that all?† He kept his eyes on the glass as he answered. â€Å"Just one more thing.† I waited, but he didn't continue. â€Å"Yes?† I finally prompted. â€Å"Are the rest of them coming back now?† he asked in a cool, quiet voice. It reminded me of Sam's always calm manner. Jacob was becoming more like Sam I wondered why that bothered me so much. Now I didn't speak. He looked back at my face with probing eyes. â€Å"Well?† he asked. He struggled to conceal the tension behind his serene expression. â€Å"No.† I said finally. Grudgingly. â€Å"They aren't coming back.† His expression didn't change. â€Å"Okay. That's all.† I glared at him, annoyance rekindled. â€Å"Well, run along now. Go tell Sam that the scary monsters aren't coming to get you.† â€Å"Okay,† he repeated, still calm. That seemed to be it. Jacob walked swiftly from the kitchen. I waited to hear the front door open, but I heard nothing. I could hear the clock over the stove ticking, and I marveled again at how quiet he'd become. What a disaster. How could I have alienated him so completely in such a short amount of time? Would he forgive me when Alice was gone? What if he didn't? I slumped against the counter and buried my face in my hands. How had I made such a mess of everything? But what could I have done differently? Even in hindsight, I couldn't think of any better way, any perfect course of action. â€Å"Bella ?† Jacob asked in a troubled voice. I pulled my face out of my hands to see Jacob hesitating in the kitchen doorway; he hadn't left when I'd thought. It was only when I saw the clear drops sparkling in my hands that I realized I was crying. Jacob's calm expression was gone; his face was anxious and unsure. He walked quickly back to stand in front of me, ducking his head so that his eyes were closer to being on the same level with mine. â€Å"Did it again, didn't I?† â€Å"Did what?† I asked, my voice cracking. â€Å"Broke my promise. Sorry.† â€Å"‘S'okay,† I mumbled. â€Å"I started it this time.† His face twisted. â€Å"I knew how you felt about them. It shouldn't have taken me by surprise like that.† I could see the revulsion in his eyes. I wanted to explain to him what Alice was really like, to defend her against the judgments he'd made, but something warned me that now was not the time. So I just said, â€Å"Sorry,† again. â€Å"Let's not worry about it, okay? She's just visiting, right? She'll leave, and things will go back to normal.† â€Å"Can't I be friends with you both at the same time?† I asked, my voice not hiding an ounce of the hurt I felt. He shook his head slowly. â€Å"No, I don't think you can.† I sniffed and stared at his big feet. â€Å"But you'll wait, right? You'll still be my friend, even though I love Alice, too?† I didn't look up, afraid to see what he'd think of that last part. It took him a minute to answer, so I was probably right not to look. â€Å"Yeah, I'll always be your friend,† he said gruffly. â€Å"No matter what you love.† â€Å"Promise?† â€Å"Promise.† I felt his arms wind around me, and I leaned against his chest, still sniffling. â€Å"This sucks.† â€Å"Yeah.† Then he sniffed my hair and said, â€Å"Ew.† â€Å"What?† I demanded. I looked up to see that his nose was wrinkled again. â€Å"Why does everyone keep doing that to me? I don't smell!† He smiled a little. â€Å"Yes, you doyou smell like them. Blech. Too sweetsickly sweet. And icy. It burns my nose.† â€Å"Really?† That was strange. Alice smelled unbelievably wonderful. To a human, anyway. â€Å"But why would Alice think I smelled, too, then?† That wiped his smile away. â€Å"Huh. Maybe I don't smell so good to her, either. Huh.† â€Å"Well, you both smell fine to me.† I rested my head against him again. I was going to miss him terribly when he walked out my door. It was a nasty catch-22on the one hand, I wanted Alice to stay forever. I was going to diemetaphoricallywhen she left me. But how was I supposed to go without seeing Jake for any length of time? What a mess, I thought again. â€Å"I'll miss you,† Jacob whispered, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"Every minute. I hope she leaves soon.† â€Å"It really doesn't have to be that way, Jake.† He sighed. â€Å"Yes, it really does. Bella. You love her. So I'd better not get anywhere near her. I'm not sure that I'm even-tempered enough to handle that. Sam would be mad if I broke the treaty, and†his voice turned sarcastic†you probably wouldn't like it too much if I killed your friend.† I recoiled from him when he said that, but he only tightened his arms, refusing to let me escape. â€Å"There's no point in avoiding the truth. That's the way things are, Bells.† â€Å"I do not like the way things are.† Jacob freed one arm so that he could cup his big brown hand under my chin and make me look at him. â€Å"Yeah. It was easier when we were both human, wasn't it?† I sighed. We stared at each other for a long moment. His hand smoldered against my skin. In my face, I knew there was nothing but wistful sadnessI didn't want to have to say goodbye now, no matter for how short a time. At first his face reflected mine, but then, as neither of us looked away, his expression changed. He released me, lifting his other hand to brush his fingertips along my cheek, trailing them down to my jaw. I could feel his fingers tremblenot with anger this time. He pressed his palm against my cheek, so that my face was trapped between his burning hands. â€Å"Bella,† he whispered. I was frozen. No! I hadn't made this decision yet. I didn't know if I could do this, and now I was out of time to think. But I would have been a fool if I thought rejecting him now would have no consequences. I stared back at him. He was not my Jacob, but he could be. His face was familiar and beloved. In so many real ways, I did love him. He was my comfort, my safe harbor. Right now, I could choose to have him belong to me. Alice was back for the moment, but that changed nothing. True love was forever lost. The prince was never coming back to kiss me awake from my enchanted sleep. I was not a princess, after all. So what was the fairy-tale protocol for other kisses? The mundane kind that didn't break any spells? Maybe it would be easylike holding his hand or having his arms around me. Maybe it would feel nice. Maybe it wouldn't feel like a betrayal. Besides, who was I betraying, anyway? Just myself. Keeping his eyes on mine, Jacob began to bend his face toward me. And I was still absolutely undecided. The shrill ring of the phone made us both jump, but it did not break his focus. He took his hand from under my chin and reached over me to grab the receiver, but still held my face securely with the hand against my cheek. His dark eyes did not free mine. I was too muddled to react, even to take advantage of the distraction. â€Å"Swan residence,† Jacob said, his husky voice low and intense. Someone answered, and Jacob altered in an instant. He straightened up, and his hand dropped from my face. His eyes went flat, his face blank, and I would have bet the measly remainder of my college f and that it was Alice. I recovered myself and held out my hand for the phone. Jacob ignored me. â€Å"He's not here,† Jacob said, and the words were menacing. There was some very short reply, a request for more information it seemed, because he added unwillingly, â€Å"He's at the funeral.† Then Jacob hung up the phone. â€Å"Filthy bloodsucker,† he muttered under his breath. The face he turned back to me was the bitter mask again. â€Å"Who did you just hang up on?† I gasped, infuriated. â€Å"In my house, and on my phone?† â€Å"Easy! He hung up on me!† â€Å"He? Who was it?!† He sneered the title. â€Å"Dr. Carlisle Cullen.† â€Å"Why didn't you let me talk to him?!† â€Å"He didn't ask for you,† Jacob said coldly. His face was smooth, expressionless, but his hands shook. â€Å"He asked where Charlie was and I told him. I don't think I broke any rules of etiquette.† â€Å"You listen to me, Jacob Black† But he obviously wasn't listening. He looked quickly over his shoulder, as if someone had called his name from the other room. His eyes went wide and his body stiff, then he started trembling. I listened too, automatically, but heard nothing. â€Å"Bye, Bells,† he spit out, and wheeled toward the front door. I ran after him. â€Å"What is it?† And then I ran into him, as he rocked back on his heels, cussing under his breath. He spun around again, knocking me sideways. I bobbled and fell to the floor, my legs tangled with his. â€Å"Shoot, ow!† I protested as he hurriedly jerked his legs free one at a time. I struggled to pull myself up as he darted for the back door; he suddenly froze again. Alice stood motionless at the foot of the stairs. â€Å"Bella,† she choked. I scrambled to my feet and lurched to her side. Her eyes were dazed and far away, her face drawn and whiter than bone. Her slim body trembled to an inner turmoil. â€Å"Alice, what's wrong?† I cried. I put my hands on her face, trying to calm her. Her eyes focused on mine abruptly, wide with pain. â€Å"Edward,† was all she whispered. My body reacted faster than my mind was able to catch up with the implications of her reply. I didn't at first understand why the room was spinning or where the hollow roar in my ears was coming from. My mind labored, unable to make sense of Alice's bleak face and how it could possibly relate to Edward, while my body was already swaying, seeking the relief of unconsciousness before the reality could hit me. The stairway tilted at the oddest angle. Jacob's furious voice was suddenly in my ear, hissing out a stream of profanities. I felt a vague disapproval. His new friends were clearly a bad influence. I was on the couch without understanding how I got there, and Jacob was still swearing. It felt like there was an earthquakethe couch was shaking under me. â€Å"What did you do to her?† he demanded. Alice ignored him. â€Å"Bella? Bella, snap out of it. We have to hurry.† â€Å"Stay back,† Jacob warned. â€Å"Calm down, Jacob Black,† Alice ordered. â€Å"You don't want to do that so close to her.† â€Å"I don't think I'll have any problem keeping my focus,† he retorted, but his voice sounded a little cooler. â€Å"Alice?† My voice was weak. â€Å"What happened?† I asked, even though I didn't want to hear. â€Å"I don't know,† she suddenly wailed. â€Å"What is he thinking?!† I labored to pull myself up despite the dizziness. I realized it was Jacob's arm I was gripping for balance. He was the one shaking, not the couch. Alice was pulling a small silver phone from her bag when my eyes relocated her. Her fingers dialed the numbers so fast they were a blur. â€Å"Rose, I need to talk to Carlisle now.† Her voice whipped through the words. â€Å"Fine, as soon as he's back. No, I'll be on a plane. Look, have you heard anything from Edward?† Alice paused now, listening with an expression that grew more appalled every second. Her mouth opened into a little O of horror, and the phone shook in her hand. â€Å"Why?† she gasped. â€Å"Why would you do that, Rosalie?† Whatever the answer was, it made her jaw tighten in anger. Her eyes flashed and narrowed. â€Å"Well, you're wrong on both counts, though, Rosalie, so that would be a problem, don't you think?† she asked acidly. â€Å"Yes, that's right. She's absolutely fineI was wrong It's a long story But you're wrong about that part, too, that's why I'm calling Yes, that's exactly what I saw.† Alice's voice was very hard and her lips were pulled back from her teeth. â€Å"It's a bit late for that, Rose. Save your remorse for someone who believes it.† Alice snapped the phone shut with a sharp twist of her fingers. Her eyes were tortured as she turned to face me. â€Å"Alice,† I blurted out quickly. I couldn't let her speak yet. I needed a few more seconds before she spoke and her words destroyed what was left of my life. â€Å"Alice, Carlisle is back, though. He called just before† She stared at me blankly. â€Å"How long ago?† she asked in a hollow voice. â€Å"Half a minute before you showed up.† â€Å"What did he say?† She really focused now, waiting for my answer. â€Å"I didn't talk to him.† My eyes flickered to Jacob. Alice turned her penetrating gaze on him. He flinched, but held his place next to me. He sit awkwardly, almost as if he were trying to shield me with his body. â€Å"He asked for Charlie, and I told him Charlie wasn't here,† Jacob muttered resentfully. â€Å"Is that everything?† Alice demanded, her voice like ice. â€Å"Then he hung up on me,† Jacob spit back. A tremor rolled down his spine, shaking me with it. â€Å"You told him Charlie was at the funeral,† I reminded him. Alice jerked her head back toward me â€Å"What were his exact words?† â€Å"He said, ‘He's not here,' and when Carlisle asked where Charlie was, Jacob said, ‘At the funeral.'† Alice moaned and sank to her knees. â€Å"Tell me Alice,† I whispered. â€Å"That wasn't Carlisle on the phone,† she said hopelessly. â€Å"Are you calling me a liar?† Jacob snarled from beside me. Alice ignored him, focusing on my bewildered face. â€Å"It was Edward.† The words were just a choked whisper. â€Å"He thinks you're dead.† My mind started to work again. These words weren't the ones I'd been afraid of, and the relief cleared my head. â€Å"Rosalie told him I killed myself, didn't she?† I said, sighing as I relaxed. â€Å"Yes,† Alice admitted, her eyes flashing hard again. â€Å"In her defense, she did believe it. They rely on my sight far too much for something that works so imperfectly. But for her to track him down to tell him this! Didn't she realize or care ?† Her voice faded away in horror. â€Å"And when Edward called here, he thought Jacob meant my funeral,† I realized. It stung to know how close I'd been, just inches away from his voice. My nails dug into Jacob's arm, but he didn't flinch. Alice looked at me strangely. â€Å"You're not upset,† she whispered. â€Å"Well, it's really rotten timing, but it will all get straightened out. The next time he calls, someone will tell him what really† I trailed off. Her gaze strangled the words in my throat. Why was she so panicked? Why was her face twisting now with pity and horror? What was it she had said to Rosalie on the phone just now? Something about what she'd seen and Rosalie's remorse; Rosalie would never feel remorse for anything that happened to me. But if she'd hurt her family, hurt her brother â€Å"Bella,† Alice whispered. â€Å"Edward won't call again. He believed her.† â€Å"I. Don't. Understand.† My mouth framed each word in silence. I couldn't push the air out to actually say the words that would make her explain what that meant. â€Å"He's going to Italy.† It took the length of one heartbeat for me to comprehend. When Edward's voice came back to me now, it was not the perfect imitation of my delusions. It was just the weak, flat tone of my memories. But the words alone were enough to shred through my chest and leave it gaping open. Words from a time when I would have bet everything that I owned or could borrow on that fact that he loved me. Well, I wasn't going to live without you, he'd said as we watched Romeo and Juliet die, here in this very room. But I wasn't sure how to do it I knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi You don't irritate them. Not unless you want to die. Not unless you want to die. â€Å"NO!† The half-shrieked denial was so loud after the whispered words, it made us all jump. I felt the blood rushing to my face as I realized what she'd seen. â€Å"No! No, no, no! He can't! He can't do that!† â€Å"He made up his mind as soon as your friend confirmed that it was too late to save you.† â€Å"But he he left! He didn't want me anymore! What difference does it make now? He knew I would die sometime!† â€Å"I don't think he ever planned to outlive you by long,† Alice said quietly. â€Å"How dare he!† I screamed. I was on my feet now, and Jacob rose uncertainly to put himself between Alice and me again. â€Å"Oh, get out of the way, Jacob!† I elbowed my way around his trembling body with desperate impatience. â€Å"What do we do?† I begged Alice. There had to be something. â€Å"Can't we call him? Can Carlisle?† She was shaking her head. â€Å"That was the first thing I tried. He left his phone in a trash can in Riosomeone answered it† she whispered. â€Å"You said before we had to hurry. Hurry how? Let's do it, whatever it is!† â€Å"Bella, II don't think I can ask you to† She trailed off in indecision. â€Å"Ask me!† I commanded. She put her hands on my shoulders, holding me in place, her fingers flexing sporadically to emphasize her words. â€Å"We may already be too late. I saw him going to the Volturi and asking to die.† We both cringed, and my eyes were suddenly blind. I blinked feverishly at the tears. â€Å"It all depends on what they choose. I can't see that till they make a decision. â€Å"But if they say no, and they mightAro is fond of Carlisle, and wouldn't want to offend himEdward has a backup plan. They're very protective of their city. If Edward does something to upset the peace, he thinks they'll act to stop him. And he's right. They will.† I stared at her with my jaw clenched in frustration. I'd heard nothing yet that would explain why we were still standing here. â€Å"So if they agree to grant his favor, we're too late. If they say no, and he comes up with a plan to offend them quickly enough, we're too late. If he gives into his more theatrical tendencies we might have time.† â€Å"Let's go!† â€Å"Listen, Bella! Whether we are in time or not, we will be in the heart of the Volturi city. I will be considered his accomplice if he is successful. You will be a human who not only knows too much, but also smells too good. There's a very good chance that they will eliminate us allthough in your case it won't be punishment so much as dinnertime.† â€Å"This is what's keeping us here?† I asked in disbelief. â€Å"I'll go alone if you're afraid.† I mentally tabulated what money was left in my account, and wondered if Alice would lend me the rest. â€Å"I'm only afraid of getting you killed.† I snorted in disgust. â€Å"I almost get myself killed on a daily basis! Tell me what I need to do!† â€Å"You write a note to Charlie. I'll call the airlines.† â€Å"Charlie,† I gasped. Not that my presence was protecting him, but could I leave him here alone to face â€Å"I'm not going to let anything happen to Charlie.† Jacob's low voice was gruff and angry. â€Å"Screw the treaty.† I glanced up at him, and he scowled at my panicked expression. â€Å"Hurry, Bella,† Alice interrupted urgently. I ran to the kitchen, yanking the drawers open and throwing the contents all over the floor as I searched for a pen. A smooth, brown hand held one out to me. â€Å"Thanks,† I mumbled, pulling the cap off with my teeth. He silently handed me the pad of paper we wrote phone messages on. I tore off the top sheet and threw it over my shoulder. Dad, I wrote. I'm with Alice. Edward's in trouble. You can ground me when I get back. I know it's a bad time. So sorry. Love you so much. Bella. â€Å"Don't go,† Jacob whispered. The anger was all gone now that Alice was out of sight. I wasn't about to waste time arguing with him. â€Å"Please, please, please take care of Charlie,† I said as I dashed back out to the front room. Alice was waiting in the doorway with a bag over her shoulder. â€Å"Get your walletyou'll need ID. Please tell me you have a passport. I don't have time to forge one.† I nodded and then raced up the stairs, my knees weak with gratitude that my mother had wanted to marry Phil on a beach in Mexico. Of course, like all her plans, it had fallen through. But not before I'd made all the practical arrangements I could for her. I tore through my room. I stuffed my old wallet, a clean T-shirt, and sweatpants into my backpack, and then threw my toothbrush on top. I hurled myself back down the stairs. The sense of deja vu was nearly stifling by this point. At least, unlike the last timewhen I'd run away from Forks to escape thirsty vampires rather than to find themI wouldn't have to say goodbye to Charlie in person. Jacob and Alice were locked in some kind of confrontation in front of the open door, standing so far apart you wouldn't assume at first that they were having a conversation. Neither one seemed to notice my noisy reappearance. â€Å"You might control yourself on occasion, but these leeches you're taking her to† Jacob was furiously accusing her. â€Å"Yes. You're right, dog.† Alice was snarling, too. â€Å"The Volturi are the very essence of our kindthey're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts. I'm not unaware of that.† â€Å"And you take her to them like a bottle of wine for a party!† he shouted. â€Å"You think she'd be better off if I left her here alone, with Victoria stalking her?† â€Å"We can handle the redhead.† â€Å"Then why is she still hunting?† Jacob growled, and a shudder rippled through his torso. â€Å"Stop that!† I shouted at them both, wild with impatience. â€Å"Argue when we get back, let's go!† Alice turned for the car, disappearing in her haste. I hurried after her, pausing automatically to turn and lock the door. Jacob caught my arm with a shivering hand. â€Å"Please, Bella. I'm begging.† His dark eyes were glistening with tears. A lump filled my throat. â€Å"Jake, I have to† â€Å"You don't, though. You really don't. You could stay here with me. You could stay alive. For Charlie. For me.† The engine of Carlisle's Mercedes purred; the rhythm of the thrumming spiked when Alice revved it impatiently. I shook my head, tears spattering from my eyes with the sharp motion. I pulled my arm free, and he didn't fight me. â€Å"Don't die, Bella,† he choked out. â€Å"Don't go. Don't.† What if I never saw him again? The thought pushed me past the silent tears; a sob broke out from my chest. I threw my arms around his waist and hugged for one too-short moment, burying my tear-wet face against his chest. He put his big hand on the back of my hair, as if to hold me there. â€Å"Bye, Jake.† I pulled his hand from my hair, and kissed his palm. I couldn't bear to look at his face. â€Å"Sorry,† I whispered. Then I spun and raced for the car. The door on the passenger side was open and waiting. I threw my backpack over the headrest and slid in, slamming the door behind me. â€Å"Take care of Charlie!† I turned to shout out the window, but Jacob was nowhere in sight. As Alice stomped on the gas andwith the tires screeching like human screamsspun us around to face the road, I caught sight of a shred of white near the edge of the trees. A piece of a shoe.

Compare and Contrast of Sylvia Plath and Sharon Olds Essays

Compare and Contrast of Sylvia Plath and Sharon Olds Essays Compare and Contrast of Sylvia Plath and Sharon Olds Paper Compare and Contrast of Sylvia Plath and Sharon Olds Paper Essay Topic: Sharon Olds Poems Sylvia Plath vs. Sharon Olds A traditional American household has changed throughout the years to the point where ‘traditional’ isn’t even politically correct to depict anything about a family anymore. But if we look back to the standard traditional household and there was always a father, a mother, and a 2. 5 children. The father has always been designated as the head of the household and something that Sylvia Plath and Sharon Olds have in common is just that, that they grew up during a father-dominated time, in a father-dominated family, and this lifestyle is reflective in their poetry as well. The Colossus† by Sylvia Plath is about the pain and hardships she experienced with her father’s death. Sylvia’s daddy was never around for his family and as someone whose father was always working and never had time for me either I can understand Sylvia’s feelings of unrequited love in her and her father’s relationship. In â€Å"The Colossus† the character’s efforts to rebuild the fallen Colossus of Rhodes are similar to her own personal efforts to build up the relationship she never had with her daddy. Saturn†; the poem by Sharon Olds also deals with her father issues. This poem is emulating his alcoholism and the effect it had on his own family compared to the Roman story of the god Saturn devouring his children. Both of these poems are making mythological gods as a metaphor for the father dominating role in their families. The slight difference is that Plath’s poem is about restoring a relationship and Olds’ is the psychological damage in both life and death that her father had on her. This Colossus interpretation is not only a metaphor for Plath’s daddy but also a hypothetical replacement for him, which makes sense considering the aspects of the father-daughter relationship. A girl’s relationship with her daddy is a very important part of a childhood development. â€Å"The desire to be loved by dads is a deep emotional need,† Shari Jones said this and goes on to say that if a girl is rejected in a father-daughter relationship she will try to fill the role of father with her romantic relationships. In Plath’s poem she replaced her father, not with a lover or romantic interest but with a Colossus. Shari Jones also says that never bonding with your father could make you feel as if there is a whole in your life which you will be trying to fill your entire life. After reading this it just makes sense that the Colossus is Plath’s coping mechanism and her way of filling that whole created by her father. Colossus is an â€Å"oracle, mouthpiece of the dead† through which her father can speak to her, fulfilling the dominant role he has neglected her entire life. In â€Å"Saturn† Olds uses her father to evaluate the male role in society and through this patriarchal structure how a father’s addiction (in her father’s case alcoholism) can have a disturbing effect on a family. The poem begins with her father literally passed out drunk: â€Å"He lay on the couch night after night, mouth open†¦big hand, fallen away from the glass†. The reference to her father being an alcoholic and then the later comparison to Saturn eating his sons is a metaphor for causing a family’s life to â€Å"slowly, disappear down the hole of the father’s life†. The cannibalism is also a metaphor for the damaging teaching style that the father used to make sure it was known he was the dominating male in that household, in that family. The father is devouring his son’s source of life, emotionally damaging and weakening him in order to show him what a man was to do in society. Both of these poems are showing the severe and overwhelming impact on family members when we have a father dominating family and society. With using these mythological gods as metaphors for the father’s we can take a step back and see how damaged these women were from their relationships. Olds’ had to deal with an alcoholic father, something that I know is not easy and what’s worse than alcoholism is what Plath had to go through, being completely ignored and neglected from your father and that wound will take longer to heal. Both poems come from terrible relationships from young women with their fathers. And again, this can go to show that no matter how absent a father may be from your life and how he might treat you, when you are part of a father dominating family structure, you cannot escape his influence on your life and these emotional damages will follow you forever. Jonas, Shari. â€Å"The Effects of the Father Daughter Relationship on Self Esteem – From First Love to Self Love. † EzineArticles. com. 22 Apr. 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. Olds, Sharon. Cheap. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. http://b2bwise. blogspot. com/2002/04/saturn-by-sharon-olds-he-lay-on-couch. html. The Colossus A Poem by Sylvia Plath American Poems.   American Poems YOUR Poetry Site. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. americanpoems. com/poets/sylviaplath/1441. A Celebration, This Is Www. sylviaplath. info. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. sylviaplath. info/biography. html.

7 Most Common Mistakes on ACT Math How to Avoid Them

7 Most Common Mistakes on ACT Math How to Avoid Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips I've tutored many students on the ACT Math section, and they often found it frustrating. Some struggled because they considered themselves better English students and felt overwhelmed by the content and pacing of ACT Math. Others found that even though they considered themselves strong math students, they had a hard time getting the score they wanted in the ACT Math section. But allthese students typically madethe same types of mistakes. In this article, I’ll go over the seven most common mistakes students make on the ACT Math section and how to avoid them. Mistake #1: Skipping Steps ACT Math questions can be very sneaky.Problems can appear at first glance deceptively easy because they only require you to know basic math topics. However, the ACT questions ask for you to apply this basic knowledge in unique ways and often require you to run through several steps to get to the correct answer.If you don’t write out these steps, you can easilyend up with the wrong answer. For example, check out this ACT Math question: I’m going to admit that the first time I attempted this I got it wrong because I did not write down my steps!Hopefully, you’ll learn from my mistake.Together, we will write out the steps and get to the correct answer. There are 4 questions with 3 possible answers, and only 1 of the 3 answer choices will be correct. Therefore, for each question, Elliott has a ${1}/{3}$ chance of answering correctly.Since there are 4 questions, Elliot’s chances of answering all 4 correctly at random are$({1}/{3})({1}/{3})({1}/{3})({1}/{3})$which equals ${1}/{81}$, so the correct answer is E. Initially, I tried to do this problem in my head without writing any steps down. Because I didn't write anythingdown, Imistakenly thought there were four possible answer choices for each question instead of three. Therefore, I got the wrong answer, ${1}/{256}$. Thankfully, my answer wasn't one of the answer choices, so I caught my mistake, but I would have missed the questionotherwise. Don’t miss problems because you didn’t write out all of the steps.This is arguably the easiest mistake to fix.All you need to do is write out all your steps, and you’ll never accidentally miss a problem because you skipped a step!Learn from my silly mistake! Mistake #2: Forgetting Formulas The ACT doesn’t give you any formulas.However, you’ll need to use a lot of formulas to answer questions in the ACT Math section.You need to know these math formulas to answer the questions correctly.We’ve compiled a complete list of all the formulas you need to know for ACT Math. You need to memorize these formulas.Create flashcards to help you memorize.I cannot stress enough how important memorizing formulas is.You’ll see at least 10 questions (out of 60) on the ACT Math section that you will not be able to answer without knowing formulas. Check out this ACT Math question that you couldn’t answer without knowing the formula: If you didn't have yourtrigonometry formulas memorized (SOHCAHTOA), you would have no idea how to answer this question. It's impossible to answer this question without knowing the formula for the tangent of an angle since that is the value you're trying to find. If you remember your trigonometry formulas, you know that the tangent of an angle is the opposite/adjacent.For this question, you need to find the tangent of angle B.The adjacent side for angle B is 2, which means it is our denominator.This means we can eliminate answer choices H, J, and K. However, you cannot find the final answer without also knowing the formula for thePythagorean Theorem.You need to know the Pythagorean Theorem in order to find the measureof the missing side of the triangle, the opposite side to angle B. Using the Pythagorean Theorem, you can find this missing side measure. $$a^2+b^2=c^2$$ $$a^2+2^2=5^2$$ $$a^2+4=25$$ $$a^2=21$$ $$a=√{21}$$ The opposite side will be $√{21}$, and we know that our adjacent side is 2. The final answer is F, ${√{21}}/{2}$. Mistake #3: Not UnderstandingFunctions Functions tend to be one of the hardest concepts, if not the hardest concept, for most students. Students are usually less familiar with algebraic and/or trigonometric functions than they are with other math concepts such as fractions and percentages. Some students have completely forgotten functions or never learned them in the first place. To master the ACT math section, you need to be a whiz at functions. See this ACT Math function question: To answer this question, you need to know the rules of trigonometric functions andtranslations. You will not be able to answer this question without knowing these rules. You first need to use your knowledge of trigonometric functions to read the graph, and then, you need to apply your knowledge of translations rules to find the final answer. First, you need to be able to identify which function is $sin(x)$ and which is$sin(x+a)+b$ on the graph since they're not identified for you.If you know your trigonometric functions, you know that the y-intercept of$sin(x)$ is 0, meaning the graph of$sin(x)$ crosses through the origin. Therefore, the other functionmust be$sin(x+a)+b$. Once you've correctly identified which function is which, you need to figure out how$y=sin(x)$ was changed to make$y=sin(x+a)+b$, which is where your translation knowledge comes in. Based on the given information in the question, you know the two have the same maximum values, meaning the amplitude was not changed.By looking at the graph you can tell$y=sin(x)$ was shiftedto the left or right to make$y=sin(x+a)+b$, but it was not moved up or down. Since there was no up or down movement, b must equal zero since any change in b would cause$y=sin(x)$ to move up or down. Therefore, the answer must be A, but let's check by figuring out what a should be. Because$y=sin(x)$ repeats itself infinitely, you can shift it either to the left or right to create the new function$y=sin(x+a)+0$.Therefore, $a$ could be positive or negative (for example, ${-3Ï€}/{2}$ or ${Ï€}/{2}$, but it could not equal zero, so A is the correct answer. If you've forgotten functions, then you need to review. You must review all math concepts that you’re rusty on in order to succeed on ACT Math.Lucky for you, we’ve written specific ACT Math content guides to help you study any individual ACT Math content area that you might be struggling with, fromtrigonometric functions totranslations,ratios to rotations, points to probabilities and much more. Mistake #4:Panicking at Unfamiliar Question Formats The ACT sometimes asks questions in strange ways, which can scare a lot of students. I had many students who, even though they'd reviewed all of the math content areas, wouldread the question and rather than trying to figure it out would just freak out and give up. The question below is one that presents an unfamiliar question format. You’ll likely recognize it as an algebra question, and if you were asked to find the solutions forx (had you been given numerical values of m and n), you’d likely know how to answer that question.However, instead, this question tells you the valueof x and asks you to figure out what m and n are. Let’s work through this problem together: If the only possible solution for x is -3, that means the given equation can also be represented as $(x-y)^2=0$.We need to figure out what y is in order to find out what m and n are. If $(x-y)^2=0$, then you can separate it into $(x-y)(x-y)=0$.For this to be true, x-y has to equal 0. $$x-y=0$$ The question told us that the only solution for x is -3, so we plug that in and solve: $$-3-y=0$$ $$-y=3$$ $$y=-3$$ Now that we know the value of y, we plug it back into $(x-y)^2=0$ and then multiply and simplify to figure out what m and n are: $$(x-(-3))^2=0$$ $$(x+3)^2=0$$ $$(x+3)(x+3)=0$$ $$x^2+3x+3x+9=0$$ $$x^2+6x+9=0$$ Therefore, $m=6$, so the answer is C. There is no easy solution to this type of mistake.The only way to learn from this mistake is with practice.ACT Math questions are unlike the math questions you usually see in math class. They are much trickier. I recommend taking as many practice ACT testsas you can in order to get used to the style of ACT math questions.You need to train yourself to be able to solve math questions in this new way. Mistake #5: Solving for the Wrong Value As I just said, ACT Math questions can be tricky.They are tricky not only because they ask you to apply basic skills in new ways but also because they sometimes phrase questions in weird, convoluted ways. Althoughthe ACT is often called the more straightforward test in comparison to the SAT (or at least in comparison to the old SAT),some ACT Math questions are far from straightforward.Take for example this question: The question is basically asking how the surface area will change if you double the length, width and height.However, if you misread the question, you could easilyjump to the incorrect conclusion that the surface area was doubled, and the answer is A. Given the formula for surface area, $A=2lw+2lh+2wh$, if we double $l$, $w$, $h$, the new surface area would be $$SA=2(2l)(2w)+2(2l)(2h)+2(2w)(2h)$$ $$SA=2(4lw)+2(4lh)+2(4h)$$ That can be written as $$SA=4(2lw+2lh+2wh)$$ When that is compared to the original $SA=2lw+2lh+2wh$, you can see it’s 4 times the original, so the answer is B. Take your time.I know you don’t have a lot of time on the ACT Math section, but you need to read each question completely and make sure that you know what you’re being asked.The ACT Math section will always throw you an answer choice that will seem correct if you misread the question.They are trying to tempt you to answer incorrectly.Don’t fall for it! Mistake #6: Incorrectly Using Your Calculator You need to be careful with your calculator.It’s a great tool, but to quote the Spiderman comics, â€Å"With great power comes great responsibility.†It’s very easy to feel rushed during the ACT Math questions, and, in your hurry to find the answer, you type the wrong number(s) into your calculator and, therefore, come to the wrong answer. Now, this is typically one of the better mistakes to make on this list because if you type in the wrong number(s) you’ll likely find no matching answer in the ACT answer choices, and you’ll realize you made a mistake. However, you don’t want to be making this mistake.Even if you catch your mistake because there is no matching answer choice, you’ve still cost yourself valuable time that you could have been using to answer another question.Take the time to check that you’ve copied the numbers into your calculator correctly. Type carefully! Mistake #7: Not Pacing Yourself With only 60 minutes to answer 60 questions, you need to learn to pace yourself. To determineyour pacing, you need to first figure out your target score. The questions progress from easy to hard, so no matter what score you're aiming for always attempt the questions chronologically. If you're aiming for a score higher than 30, then you're going to need to answer all or almost all of the 60 questions. That means you must spend under 1 minute per question on the first 30 questions to save time for the harder end questions. If you're aiming for a score below 30, then you can afford to skip some questions. Determine how many questions you need to answer to reach your score and then pace according to that amount of questions. For example, if you're aiming for 20, then you only need to get 32 math questions right. You can allow yourself a minute and a half per question, and you should attempt the first 40-45 questions and skip the hardest ones at the end. Simply choose a random letter and bubble that in for the ones you skip, since there is no penalty for guessing. I won’t go into detail because we have another great guide on how to stop running out of time on ACT Math and how to take advantage of the easy to hard question order. However, I will say to truly master the pacing you need to take many practice tests under realistic conditions.Don’t give yourself even one extra minute on your practice tests because this can artificially inflate your score. Stick to 60 minutes for the ACT Math section. What’s Next? Now that you know the most common mistakes on ACT Math, you might want to take a look at our specific ACT Math content guides to help you study any individual ACT Math content area that you might be struggling with, from ratios to rotations, points to probabilities. Stuck on an ACT Math problem? We'll show you how to figure out when you're really stuck and what to do about it. Want additional help with ACT Math? Don’t sweat it. We've compiled all ourbest free ACT Math guides into one ultimate ACT math study guide. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Managing Entrepreneurial Enterprises' Written Report Essay

Managing Entrepreneurial Enterprises' Written Report - Essay Example The market is currently experiencing a 2.1 percent, stable annual growth rate and provides $8 billion in annual revenues across Australia. The market potential consists of approximately 591,000 potential customers, which is roughly 30 percent of the entire regional population in South East Queensland. It is a favourable market based on cultural characteristics found within the homogenous Australian culture and one where ample opportunities for commercial development in a highly-saturated region with many resource-capable target customer groups. To ensure competitive success, the business must focus on brand-building, promotion and establishment of a human-centric leadership model of human resources to gain commitment and establish a dedicated, cohesive organisational culture that will provide legitimate excellence in service. Relationship development between AAB and the client markets are critical for ensuring competitive success in a market environment where many products are easily replicated by other consulting firms. Financing will occur utilising traditional banking systems, on medium-term loan generation, requiring monthly payback. This strategy is most appropriate for a small-sized company unable to procure adequate capital through stock issuance and where start-up costs are not substantial to ensure proper capital expenditures for many different tangible assets. The monthly break-even, as aligned with expected sales volumes for each variety of sales packages provided to customers, supports medium-term financing in this capacity. Australian Acumen Brokers Consulting (AAB) is a small business designed to offer corporate and small business clients advice and opportunities to improve their marketing positioning and brand visibility. Many businesses operating in multiple industries lack the resources and or management capital necessary to establish recognised brand identities among competition and often do not