Classical Sculpture of the Greeks: a Journal Review.

Article Review; â€Å"What is ‘Classical' Sculpture† by Walter R. Agard Jakob Mattern HUM 2220, prof. Warner Ph. D. Th, 6:00pm-8:45pm Word Count: 1102 The word ‘classic'; used to describe styles of music, painting, sculpture, architecture, and even manufactured consumer goods. If ever there was a period in art or manufacturing that stands out with even balance, subtle dignity, and general excellence, it will most likely be described as classical, which after all, is no easy feat, considering that anything to bear the â€Å"classical† name is decidedly, in some way or another, â€Å"The best of the best. According to Walter R. Agard however, the word has lost some of it's gusto. He states that it is so overused that it no longer describes whether or not something is in-fact excellent, but rather, if a piece fits into a time frame and location that suggests that it most likely is. Just as all cars produced between 1900 and 1972 in America are not necessarily classics, not every piece of art created in the broad history of Greeks should be considered a true classic.Rather, Agard places forth his guidelines and examples of what should classify ancient Greek art, sculpture in particular, as the best of it's time. The details of Agard's argument rest upon the structured guidelines he lays out in the beginning of his article; that to be classical, a Greek sculpture must have: The initial concept of a healthy human form. The synthesis of naturalism and clearly defined, relatively simple design. The amplification of essential planes.Refinement of detail. He also suggests that classical style sculpture took prominence between the years 500 BCE and 420 BCE, thus dismissing some of the earlier geometric style sculpture, as well as the later more expressionistic and complicated Hellenistic sculpture. He states that while some later sculptures may be more magnificent to behold, they are not embodying that which makes something a classic, and that t hey are not fulfilling the nature of the aterials or the monumental purpose of sculpture. Marble is not a soft substance, and thus, the shapes created out of it's dense composure must follow suit, according to Agard. While the presence of fine details are very necessary, he states that the overall action of the piece must be graceful, direct, noble, and strong; the sculpture must follow the ancient Greek adage, â€Å"Know thy self† to be a classic, it must appear just as powerful and eternal as the marble itself.This quality is found in the many sculptures that he analyzes in his article; the weight bearing Hermes, the tower-like Apollo, and the tensioned Heracles all display a living strength that compliment the nature of the marble. Agard also places a great deal of importance on the healthy human form, and the presence of subtle naturalism expressed through fine details. In every piece defined classic by Agard, we find a being that, while possessing a basic and strong geom etric base, is also defined by many smaller details that synthesize simple design with an idealistic human form.The curls in Hermes' beard and hair, the subtle veins and ligaments of the Charioteer's hands and feet, the calm and confident gaze of Apollo, and the bulging muscular details found on the statues of the bow wielding Heracles and the lightning lobbing Zeus all add a life-like element to the otherwise cold geometric shapes, and help to portray each character as a healthy and idealistic human being in both mind and body.For his closing statement, Agard mentions an encounter he once had with a tourist who was frustrated with how â€Å"sure of themselves† the classic Greek statues seem to be. He then refutes that they have the right to do so, simply because of the rich value and dignity confined in their strong and noble bodies, and that it was this spirit that make these statues honest and true classics of the ancient world. As a whole, I do agree with Agard in his vie wpoints and conclusions of what a true classic should consist of.Referring once more to automobiles, it is my view that for a car to be classic it must combine simple design with beautiful details while still fulfilling the function for which it was designed with full effect. With respect to Agard's definitions, the formula of classic sculpture should not be far from such ideals. I thought that Agard's affinity towards the nobility and strength of the designs was well founded, because although a statue is undoubtedly a work of art, it is also a permanent public speaker of a city's people.These strong and idealistic statues may very well have served as an ego-booster for the ancient Greeks; their solid forms and endless wisdom meant to personify the people dwelling in the polis itself. If anything however, it was this ego that catapulted these ancient people to such great heights in terms of sophistication and achievement, so while some later sculptures may have captured more emotion or better expressed the human condition, it was the dignified, strong, and direct sculptures from 500-420 BCE that best embodied the golden age of Greece.There were a few points with which I disagree however. The selection of the Statue of Hermes, firstly. Although it is a good combination of geometric driven balance and fine detail, I felt that over all it was simply not naturalistic enough to be considered a perfect synthesis of the human form and simple design. It is an impressive statue none-the-less, but it seemed a bit rudimentary compared with the other examples, a bit too two dimensional.Another idea with which I don't completely agree is the classification of two dimensional friezes with linear backdrops as the only true classical form of the frieze. Once again, It seemed to me that a frieze with a more shallow appearance did not coincide with some of the other mentioned sculptures bursting with depth and life. While the drapery of the frieze depicting Heracles and Athena was beyond impressive, the naturalism of the characters themselves did not seem to reach the same heights as some of the other pieces.In any matter however, I believe that Agard compiled an excellent definition of what a classic statue should be defined as, what it should personify, and what it's function should be, compared with the common ideal that nearly every statue from ancient Greece should be considered classical. His analysis of each sculpture was extremely thorough, and as a whole, his article gave some insight into what exactly these ancient artisans may have been thinking of when they shaped these masterpieces. Bibliography Agard, Walter R. â€Å"What Is â€Å"Classical† Sculpture? † The Classic Journal, Vol. 49, No. 8 (May, 1954): pp. 341-349. Print.

Any Two Love or War Poems Studied and Compare and Contrast

The first poem I am going to write about is the Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred lord Tennyson. Alfred was born on the 6th of August 1809 in Lincolnshire England. Alfred died on the 6th of October 1892. The poem is talking about war that he read in the newspaper and he wrote a poem about them. The battle took place in the 1854. Alfred was not a soldier in the war he think war is a good thing. In the first verse it talks about the six hundred soldiers going to war in the valley of death. He talks about the soldier being ambushed in the valley by the Russian army. The commander told the soldiers to go to the valley. The soldiers travel about six or seven miles in the valley â€Å"half a league, half a league, half a league onwards all in the valley of death†. There is a good use of tripling half a league, half a league, half a league three times at start sets up a rhythm you can nearly hear the gallop of the horses hooves as you say the words. There is personification in this verse â€Å"Valley of death† this is a good because it suggests to us that the Light Brigade are going to lose their lives in the valley few of them will survive the battle. In the second verse he talks about the soldiers going up the valley ready to battle â€Å"Forward the light brigade†. The soldier didn’t have a choice to go and battle in the valley of death. The soldiers had to go and fight because that was there duty to do as the commander asks them to do saw. Alfred said the soldiers was brave because it said in the poem â€Å"theirs not to make reply Theirs not reason why Theirs but to do or die† This tells us that Alfred is telling that the soldiers was brave to fight for there country. In this verse there is personification â€Å"In to the valley of death†. This is a good use of personification because it describes the valley of death because of the battle in the valley. Ther is a ggod verb the â€Å"Blunder'd† is good because it means making a mistake. This underlines the fact that what the Light Brigade is doing is going to end in disaster. In the third verse it talks about the cannons shooting the light brigade â€Å"cannon to the right of them, cannons to the left of them Cannons in front of them† this is good repetition of the word â€Å"Cannan† underlines how senusly survounded the Light Brigade was by the enemy. It also tells us that with connons all round them the Light Brigade were moving into a deadly trap as there was no escape route. Theres a good persanification bthere â€Å"Jaws of hell† this is good because â€Å"Jaws† are used for eating and gobbling up food. The idea is that the soldiers are going to be eaten up by the fireing canans of the russians. The word â€Å"Hell† suggest that the place and circumstances are horrible like hell. There is a sense of doom. Alfred lord Tennyson tells that the light brigade was bravely to go to the valley and fight. â€Å"Boldly they rode and well† The light brigade was foolish to go to the valley of death because the enemy was in the top and they could shoot them easily. In the forth verse it talks about the Light Brigade ready to battle as they take there swards out. â€Å"Flash’d all their sabres bare† â€Å"Flash’d as they tum’d in air† The light brigade was fighting the gunners away and charging the army away. Theres a good use of verbs in this poem â€Å"Flash'd, sabring, charging, plunged at the beginning of the verse underlines the heroic bravery with which they rode into the valley. â€Å"Reel'd shalter'd and shunderd, This verbs at the end of the cerse tell us that the battle went badly for the Light Brigade and they are forced to retread. Alfred was talking about â€Å"all the world was wondered† as the Light Brigade was trying to fight. At the end it tells that the Light Brigade was retiring from the battle â€Å"reeled from the sabre stroke†. The soldiers was tired after the battle â€Å"shattered and shunder’d†. The last two lines is saying that the light brigade is going back but not the six hundred that had started in the battle â€Å"Then they rode back but not, Not the six hundred† In verse five it describing the battle that the Light Brigade fought in the valley of death. Alfred is saying what was the battle like to fight in. â€Å"While horses and hero fell† he is telling that the soldiers in the Light Brigade were being killed while they were fighting. In the last lines it tells â€Å"All that was left of them, Left of the six hundred† In this verse there are personification â€Å"The jaws of death† There’s use of onomatopoeia â€Å"Thundered† and â€Å"Stormed† as you hear the noises in your head, you are made aware of the seriousness of the attack against the Light Brigade, the cannons are shooting them to pieces. In the last verse of the poem is telling how proud were the soldiers when they came back of the battle â€Å"when can their glory fade† Alfred is praise war and fighting and the soldiers in the Light Brigade. â€Å"Honour the charge they made,† he is praising the charge that the Light Brigade made in the battle. Alfred is saying that the Light Brigade was brave to fight in the battle in the valley â€Å"Noble six hundred†. He uses onomatopoeia In this verse like â€Å"Thundered† and Stormed† as you hear the noises in your head you are made aware of the seriousness of the attack against the light brigade. The second poem I'm going to talk about is Dulce ET Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen. Wilfred Owen was born 18 of March 1893 in Shropshire England and he dead in the war in France in November 1918. In these to poems there are differences and similarities. In Wilfred Owens poem he has written from his experiences in war than Alfred had only read it from the newspaper. Wilfred was saying that war was a terrible thing and Alfred was praising war in his poem. I think that Alfred lord Tennyson is wrong about war, war isn’t I good thing its terrible and Wilfred is write about war. The similarities in the two war poems are the both lots of soldiers are scared in the two poems. In the two poems there are creating a picture in your mined that there are people dieing in the poems. â€Å"In all my dreams before my helpless sight He plunges at me guttering, choking, drowning in Wilfred Owens poem and in Alfred poem is saying, â€Å"sobering the gunners there†. The poem starts off with a description of the soldiers. This is totally contrast to light Brigade where the soldiers are â€Å"bold† and â€Å"Nobel†. Soldiers in Dulce ET Decorum Est look like a bunch of old women â€Å"Nock-kneed† and â€Å"coughing like hags†. The poem starts with a smile. The soldiers are compared to â€Å"old beggars under sacks† This is complete different with how we expect soldiers to be like they are tall and strong and their backs strait not â€Å"bent double† Theirs a good use of repetition in this verse. Repetition of the idea of old. â€Å"old beggars† and â€Å"hags† like old women. This contras again with how soldiers should be we expect them to be young and full of life. There are some verbs in this verse such as â€Å"trudge† â€Å"marched asleep† â€Å"drunken with fatigue† suggest totally exhausted men who are nearly dead on their feet. This is totally different to the types of verbs used in the â€Å"Light Brigade† such as â€Å"charging† and â€Å"flashing† of swards. In verse 2 there is totally chaos when someone shouts out â€Å"Gas! Gas! Quick boys† The soldiers are so tired that their reactions in finding and putting n their gas masks is really slow. Words like â€Å"clumsy† â€Å"Stumbling† underline that their movements are awkward and tired. In contrast the actions of the soldiers in the charge of the light brigade are fast and effective â€Å"boldly they rode and well† From this point onwards Dulce focuses on one induidiual man the one who fails to get his mask on and dies because his lungs are filling up with gas and he cannot breath, very different to the light brigade which focuses throughout on six hundred men. Dulce forces the reader to become emotionally involved we care about the terrible death of this one man but in light brigade because there are six hundred of them we seem to care less that most of them die. In verse 3 Wilfred Owen begins to talk directly to you. Earlier he has used â€Å"I† â€Å"I saw him drowning† which means that he personally was at the battle and witnessed what happened. Again this technique makes us feel sorry for the man who died. Differently to Alfred was never a soldier he read about the light brigade battle in the news paper the uses the pronoun â€Å"They† throughout his poem so again we don’t feel close to these soldiers. The imagery in verse 3 of dulce is associated with parts of the body and ideas about likes that the reader finds disgusting e. g. the block came gargling from the frat and â€Å"obscene as cancer† These quotes underline how terrible death of this man was and if only people understood this they would stop pretending that it is great to die for your country Tennyson dreams that it is glorious , noble and brave die for your country.

Marital conflicts Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marital conflicts - Research Paper Example Marital Conflict Introduction Marriage in U.S society Marriage is a foundational relationship in American society. According to Gottman and Carrere (1994), 90% of Americans will marry in their lifetime. However, it is found that nearly 44 percent of marriages end in divorce (Teachman, 2009). United States government data demonstrated a slight dip in the divorce rate from the 1980s to the 1990s (Teachman, 2009). However, there is a clear trend in U.S. documented history that divorce is a more viable option for couples, and the dip is negligible. It is also significant to note that many couples that stay together remain unhappy in the relationship for years According to these figures, marriage truly is a risky undertaking in American society. In addition, culture in the United States has been shaped by the growing trend of divorce. The increase of single-parent homes and the financial burdens associated with them, custody battles, and the negative effect on some children of divorce imp act American society. Teachman, (2009) reported negative effects of divorce on parents and children that most children of divorce had demonstrated some emotional distress and behavioral problems. In a study by Rogers (2004), this idea is supported, as she found that young children (under the age of 6) whose parents divorce may be at risk for developmental and behavioral problems. Divorce in U.S. culture does not occur in a vacuum but ripples through society. It destroys families and creates insecurity in children. Divorced adults must pick up the pieces emotionally, financially, and socially and start over, while mending the brokenness of the past. Addressing the communication difficulties couples have before the relationship comes to divorce or separation is important. Divorce is not the answer to the fading communicative abilities of U.S. culture. Many couples find that the problems and unhappiness they faced as individuals while married continue after divorce. Often partners assu me their spouse is the source of their unhappiness. In some cases this may be true, in many it is not. Also, partners assume there will no longer be arguments once they divorce. This is also not likely true. Couples often still argue once they are divorced, especially when they have children together. Divorce is not an easy solution to the work of marriage. Therefore, it is imperative for studies to be done that can be applied practically and can help mental health practitioners develop better understanding of how marriages can succeed, how conflict can be better managed, and how couples can adapt to one another in order to create a healthy, sustained relationship. Nature of Marriage: The Presence of Conflict The marriage relationship provides the possibility of great connectedness and communication. It also provides the opportunity for hurt and relational brokenness that extends beyond the two individuals within the marriage. Rainey (1997) explained, "No other human relationship ca n approach the potential for intimacy and oneness than can be found within the context of the marriage commitment. And yet no other relationship can bring with it as many adjustments, difficulties and even hurts" (p. 10). To succeed, marriages require work-work that is focused in the right direction.

Rebecca Walker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rebecca Walker - Essay Example The anthology may have given ‘Third Wave Foundation’1, the multicultural network of young feminist activists co ­-founded by Rebecca Walker. In this paper, I examine Walker's Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self. In this mixed race fictional autobiography, Walker develops her multiracial identity, as she explores and expresses her experience growing up racially mixed in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. I read Walker and identify a historical experience, thematic thread, and expression to show that it differs from received conceptions and descriptions of race and mixed race that have been understood in society and portrayed in the canons of American and American Ethnic literature in the categorical, dichotomous, and hierarchical terms of the binary racial idiom. The binary racial idiom has worked to suppress and distort mixed race bodies and lived realities in the culture at large insofar as it designates Americans as either white or black, white or other, and maintains, in conjunction with the social and legal rule of hypodescent (also known as the one-drop rule), the hierarchical valuation of whiteness over blackness by defining as black any racially mixed person with a quantum of African ancestry. Hence, following American racial common sense, the sum of black, white, and Jewish has been black. Nonetheless, Walker attempts to expose into view suppressed and silenced multiracial experience, complexity, and possibility. Body There have always been mixed race people in American history who have attempted to resist and circumvent the binary racial system. For a countless number of mixed race people "of a more European American phenotype and cultural orientation" (Daniel 49), the strategy of passing has been the most common form of resistance. In addition, sociologists and historians have identified groups of tri-racial isolates, mixed race people of black, white, and American Indian ancestry, who lived in rural communi ties in the mountains and in the backwoods apart from blacks and whites. There are also the Louisiana Creoles of Color who emerged as a community when Louisiana was a territory of Spain and then of France. In the US state of Louisiana, they resisted social and legal designation as black for more than a century to protect the rights and opportunities that had been granted to them under French rule. Furthermore, there existed blue-vein societies of mixed race people in the major Northern cities such as Washington D.C. and New York. Nevertheless, in nearly all cases, the mixed race people who attempted to resist the binary racial system nevertheless accepted the dichotomization between European Americans and blacks, as well as the hierarchical valuation of whiteness over blackness. For instance, tri-racial isolate communities accepted their status on the outskirts of organized society and tended to identify as Native American (Daniel 71). Blue-vein elites privileged and sought European culture, education, and somatic features, and the primary concern of Louisiana Creoles of Color was the preservation of the rights and privileges that had been allotted them because of their European heritage and education. It is an historical irony that a

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci - Essay Example Actually, Mona Lisa was not also famous until nineteenth century when some of the artists who were believed to be in a symbolist movement began appreciating it. This portrait has been in existence for many years that even the artists wonder. This is one of the reasons as to why a lot of speculation is being carried out concerning Mona Lisa. Subject and title According to the researches carried out by various artists, the name given to Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait belonged to one of the members of the Gherardini family. This family comprised of Tuscany, Florence and a very wealthy merchant’s wife by then. This portrait was actually meant for the celebration of their second born and their new home. There are those artists who do not also agree to this concept and are arguing out that the name was derived from an Italian word â€Å"Madonna† which means â€Å"my lady†. Though these ideological differences tend to exist among artists, the fact remains that the name was from the Gherardini family (Claire, 425). This is so because of the ascertainment of identity that was made at the University of Heidelberg. Aesthetics A pyramid design was used by Leonardo to put Mona Lisa calmly in the space of the art. The folded hands of Mona Lisa make the uppermost corner of the pyramid. The glow of light on her hands tends to be in the same model with that of the neck and breast. The same light provides an underlying geometric spheres and circles to the variety of living surfaces. By doing this kind of setting, Leonardo wanted to make a good visual impression to the observers. The portrait of Mona Lisa seems a live to most of the views or observers. Leonardo achieved this by not drawing or including outlines in his painting. Researches show that Leonardo was the first artist to use the aerial perspective whereby Mona Lisa in the painting is portrayed to be seated in a loggia that is open and with dark pillars. The background of the portrait was also d esigned in a way that may artist think to be a Chinese style. Mona Lisa actually a portrait that speaks out some of the traits in relation to its design. The smile on her face actually shows that she is a woman that is full of joy and intelligent. On the other hand, the posture at which she sits also shows how she is in a cool and free atmosphere. Leonardo achieved all these by the colors he used on the portrait. Each color had its effect on the picture and this is one of Leonardo’s success tips. Frame In history, Mona Lisa has been into many frames of difference materials. This is because the portrait underwent some warping because it changed with humidity (Kemp, 302). The warping was mainly experience during the World War II. Mona Lisa was fitted in beech crosspieces in the year 1951 but this did not prevent it from warping as the crosspieces were infested with insects after some time. After testing all the materials, the portrait was later fitted into a metallic frame that prevented it from warping. The frame in this case acts as a protector to the portrait as it prevents breakage. Even though the frames were fitted one after the other, no part of the portrait was trimmed and this was to maintain the originality of the portrait. Conclusion All the three parts

The Arab-Israeli Conflict Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Arab-Israeli Conflict - Assignment Example The importance of the Middle East can hardly be overstated. Spread across North Africa, Asia Minor and Near Asia, the term Middle East' refers to 22 countries. In geographic terms, these countries are the doorways to Africa and Asia. In economic terms, they are the world's largest repositories of oil and natural gas, holding the majority of the world's known reserves of natural energy. Further, in economic terms, the Arab Middle East represents a valuable source of investment capital which has the potential to significantly contribute to the economy of any nation it is even partially diverted to. In political terms, the Arab Middle East has, officially, been the voice of moderate Islam - a force which the Western world can no longer afford to ignore or dismiss as inconsequential, considering that it is the world's second largest religion and it is fastest growing one. At the present moment, the West and the Arab Middle East are engaged in a conflict which, to date... In other words, the protraction and continued intensification of the Arab-Israeli conflict have negatively impacted on the West and on Middle East-West relationships. The West and the international community cannot afford the continued alienation of the Arab Middle East. From the strategic perspective, they can not afford it from the economic, political or security standpoints. At the same time, the international community cannot compromise on the issue of the survival of the State of Israel or on its right to security. The implication here is that the international community has to devise an approach to the conflict which is founded upon international law.  

Health pyschology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health pyschology - Essay Example There are various reasons why patients fail to comply with medical treatment. One of the reasons involves the negative effects linked with certain medications. There are some medicines associated with an increase in weight and hence people fear that increased weight will impact negatively on their general well being. Others negative effects associated with certain medications that lead to non-compliance include a decrease in sexual drive, as well as other effects such as headaches and nausea. Non-compliance may also b caused by shame associated with taking certain types of medications. For instance, a HIV positive individual may fail to comply with treatment for fear of other people finding out of his or her status as it may lead to discrimination. The cost of medicines and medical treatment is also a major cause of non-compliance. Some treatments are very expensive and if the patient is unable to afford the medicine, then he or she is forced to discontinue with treatment hence non-c ompliance. Other factors that may lead to non-compliance include fear of developing dependence to certain medications, and also unavailability of relevant medicines (Mitchell and Selmes, 2007. There are a lot of intricacies associated with contemporary research on methods to measure compliance. Therefore, the methods currently used are considered conventional. These are grouped into direct and indirect methods. Direct methods comprises of laboratory techniques to measure the levels of certain chemical elements found in certain medicines in body fluids particularly blood and urine. The only limitation to this method is the fact that it does not detect the compliance to all types of medicines (Vermeire et-al, 2001). According to (Vermeire et-al, 2001: 334) "Indirect measures include process measures such as interviews, diaries, tablet counts, prescription filling dates and therapeutic and preventive outcome measures". According to a study

Children and Divorces Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Children and Divorces - Research Paper Example As a responsible parent, it commonly perceived to feel unsure of how to provide your children the esteem support throughout the separation or rather divorce period. It may seem to be an uncharted area but one can successfully move through this difficult time. Moreover, this is the time a parent aids their children emerging from it feel rekindled, strong and cared for. Furthermore, there exist numerous ways one can help their children adjust accordingly to divorce. Moreover, humility and reassurance can reduce the cumulative pressure and kids to cope well with the new prospects. Through provision of routines the children can depend on you remind your kids that they may rely on you for stabilization and support. In addition, there should be maintenance of a mutual relationship with the ex whereby you can help your children avoid the constant pressures that emanates from witnessing their parents in a fight or disagreement (Strong, 2010). Thus, such a transitional period cannot lack some extend of hardships though, it can strongly truncate the kids’ pain, stress and worries by making their safety and contentment your mission and priority since it is an obligation by both partners to take unconditional care of their children. Children normally have numerous needs that they anticipate their parents to accomplish. First, they require their parents, both, to get an interest in their livelihood. They expect their parents to express this concern by knowing their status every time, giving the gifts and family treats among other activities such as scribbling letters to them to show love and unconditional care. Moreover, kids anticipate their parents to avoid disagreement and fights that may eventually elicit sadness. They require their parents to easily deliberate and agree on solvable issues that make them quarrel every time they argue. Furthermore, kids anticipate their parents to always treat them and avoid

Necrotizing fasciitis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Necrotizing fasciitis - Essay Example The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, worldwide, rates of NF increased from the mid-1980s to early 1990s" (http://www.jyi.org/volumes/volume5/issue8/features/hu.html) Those most at risk for infection include those with "medical conditions that weaken their defenses against infections, including people with cancer or diabetes; those abusing alcohol or drugs; or those with chronic heart and lung disease" ("Flesh-eating bacteria," 2006, par. 1). As uncommon as it is for even these people to contract the condition, it is even less common for healthy people. Nevertheless, there have been some cases in which no cause could be identified (par. 1). Necrotizing fasciitis shares symptoms of other medical conditions and does not have any unique symptoms. Thus, it can be extremely difficult to diagnose. Moreover, it is extremely uncommon, with only 500-1500 cases per year appearing estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Early symptoms look like so many other things. None of the symptoms are exclusive to this disease, and since many emergency rooms have never seen a case, it is difficult to diagnose" (par. 6). ... e pain or tenderness, especially with no apparent injury or wound, swelling, red or dusky blue rash, flulike symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, fever, confusion, dizziness and weakness" (par.1). Symptoms follow an approximate timeline. "Within the first 24 hours, a small cut that may not necessarily look infected quickly becomes painful. Pain may also result in the same region of the body as the cut. Flu-like symptoms also begin to occur, inluding nausea, diarrhea and fever. Within three to four days, the painful area will begin to swell and may show a purplish rash plus large dark marks that will become blisters filled with a blackish fluid surrounded by bluish, white or dark mottled flaky appearance. Within four to five days, a person becomes unconscious. At this point, most people would die if medical attention is not received" (MacDonald, 1998, par. 4). Obviously, this is a rapidly progressing disease for which early detection and treatment is of paramount importance. In one documented case of the disease, a woman who got a paper cut from flipping through a magazine was awakened that evening with throbbing pain so severe she told the doctor it "felt like her finger was going to explode" (par. 25). "Three days after the initial cut, a black dot appeared on her fingertip. Within a few hours, when she sought a doctor's care, that same black dot had grown to the size of a dime and extended down her finger" (par. 26). According to her doctor, the infection spread so rapidly that the woman might have had to have her entire arm amputated, or she could have even died. Treatment and Prevention Due to the rapidity with which this kind of infection spreads, it is very difficult to treat. Prevention is also difficult because the disease can be brought on by cuts and abrasions

Evaluate the Response of the Lloyd George Government to the post-war Essay

Evaluate the Response of the Lloyd George Government to the post-war economic crisis in Britain - Essay Example Its economy observed grave recession for the future years to come. The great Depression of 1929-1933 was also the outcome of the World War I and international economic crisis. David Lloyd George of Liberal Party was the Prime Minister of England during and after the WW-I. Personally, George possessed the instinct of a statesman. First nominated in December, 1916, he was re-elected in December 1918 elections with an overwhelming majority, and it was the hour of trial for the post war government to build the confidence of the masses at the eve where everything was to reconstruct from the zero hour with great patience, endurance and foresight. The beginning of twentieth century witnessed the fastest economic growth in world history. Trade and commerce were at their climax, and England, Germany, France, Belgium and the USA were among the pioneers in respect of rapid economic developments. The escalating British Industry had been depending on its trade and export, which significantly suffered during war due to German blockade everywhere in the Mediterranean. Forty percent of British merchant fleets had been destroyed by German submarines in the war, making it difficult to export goods. Other countries imposed high tariffs on imports to protect their own industries, but this hurt Britains economy. Britains old and outdated factories, machines, and mines also hurt its industries. (Shammons: quoted in http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/shammons/aftermath.html). British economy began to decline right from 1914 partly due to the allocation of resources and concentration at war, and the decline of trade activities as well. The year 1919 brought the happy news of financial reconciliation in England, but it was mere bubble of water, and the recession continued till the world observed the worst form of economic depression in 1921. The Britain foreign investment got a net loss of 300 million

Preschool Literacy Essay Example for Free

Preschool Literacy Essay This paper is going to outline the myriad of benefits that high-quality preschool literacy programs will afford families, communities, school districts and the world. Today, numerous researchers are delving into HOW to establish an effective and successful pre-school program. In this paper, I hope to answer several questions: ? What is pre-school literacy? ? What benefits do participants in a preschool program receive? ? HOW do we go about establishing a high-quality pre-school literacy program? I am rather passionate about this area. Being a speech pathologist, literacy skills and communication skills are so interwoven it is difficult to separate them. I have to say that while going to school many years ago, we didn’t learn that much about literacy as it related to speech and language development. It is only recently that researchers and educators have identified the importance of how both developmental areas are linked. I feel that establishing successful and highly effective programs that incorporate family and child directed activities are crucial to the success of our young students. That being said, let’s explore pre-school literacy. What is preschool literacy? Most people hear the word ‘literacy’ and equate that with ‘reading’. This would be an adult analogy. For very young children, we don’t, nor should we, expect them to read! Early literacy skills refer to many different things, none of which is sitting down with Mom at the age of two and reading aloud for her. At the youngest ages, early literacy skills refer to children’s exposure and experience with books. The following list is derived from Schickendanz (1999) and Early Literacy (www. zerotothree. com) . It states that early literacy behaviors include: ? Book handling behaviors – handling and manipulating the book ? Looking and Recognizing- how are they paying attention to the book, pictures, words; demonstrating recognition of pictures, etc. ? Picture and Story Comprehension – Imitation of actions noted in a story, talking about a story ? Story-Reading Behaviors – verbal interactions with the books, imitating a pointing a finger at words and/or pictures. ‘Establishing strong early literacy behaviors is essential to literacy development and should be the focus of early language and literacy programs’ (Early Literacy, 2003) It is suggested that these skills develop naturally and unfold as a result of social interactions with parents and caregivers, rather than direct instruction. I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. Ideally, it is everyday interactions with infants and toddlers that include talking and book reading that help establish the crucial beginning stages of literacy development. I recently heard on a radio program (can’t cite it) that children between the ages of 0-3 years should hear approximately 30,000 words a day to build an effective vocabulary! Amazing. Todd Risley, co-author of Meaningful differences in the 3 everyday Experiences of young American children (Mangione, 2005), states that isn’t an intentional teaching of these behaviors but rather embedded in the social interactions. He believes, as do I, that oral language skills appear to be the basis of phonological processing skills, which is a strong indicator for reading readiness in kindergarten. As children move into the preschool realm, (typically described as ages 3 through 5), prereading skills are developing along a continuum, rather than as a set of discrete and separate skills. In the article Critical Issue: Addressing the literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers (www. ncrel. org), the authors made a very interesting point I’d like to share with you. They discussed the various stages of literacy development that are not relevant to this article, however, an important transition occurs when a child’s â€Å"‘reading’ of a story changes from sounding like oral language to sounding like written language. This demonstrates a change in ideas from thinking of reading as spoken words to understanding that reading is recreated from written text that has special wordings† (McGee Richgels, 1996;Sulzby, 1991). It is the beginning of the child’s print recognition. With respect to specific pre-school literacy behaviors that we should see addressed in a high-quality preschool program, the most important would be: ? Oral Language- engaging in rich conversational exchange with students, developing oral vocabulary, reading aloud daily, having children develop their own stories by looking at pictures (Tomie DiPola books are excellent for this) ? General Knowledge – what prior knowledge are the student’s coming into school with that they share, encouraging questions and new experiences with in the classroom, ? Print Awareness- being exposed to various written materials, some repetition of early literacy behaviors, point/drag techniques while reading ? Alphabet knowledge – the ABC song, recognizing sounds that letters make, letter recognition. ? Phonological awareness- Increased awareness of the sounds of the letters and how to play with them through rhyme, segmenting, blending, ? Pre-writing skills – later stages of development and exposure to writing mediums (pen, pencil, crayon, markers, paint), using journals with self-made pictures, word walls. (Roskos, K; Christie, J, Richgels, D, www. naeyc. org) How do participants in high-quality preschool programs benefit? I think I could go on for days about the benefits of an excellent preschool experience. For the sake of brevity, I won’t! Numerous studies have been conducted to determine whether preschool programs are beneficial and cost effective. The majority of studies suggest the answer to that is an overwhelming YES. 4 The Chicago Child Parent Center (CPC), the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program and the Abecedarian Project are all examples of highly qualified preschool programs. The CPC is recognized by the US Department of Education as an exemplary early childhood program. A comparison of the benefits of these programs was conducted, yielding what I thought were incredible results. These programs have been in effect since the 1960’s, servicing low-income areas in Chicago and Michigan (Lee, J, www.ccsso. org). In a speech given by Dr. W. Steven Barnett of the National Institute for Early Intervention Research in 2006, three separate studies compared the results of participants enrolled in the above-mentioned preschool programs against a control group that wasn’t enrolled in any preschool program. Their longitudinal studies revealed amazing results, which are credited to the attending of the preschool programs. According to them, participants in the program (as compared with non-participants): ? Were less likely to be enrolled in special education ? Had a higher rate of high school completion ? Demonstrated higher test scores ? Were less likely to repeat a grade ? Had increased earning after completing high school ? Engaged in less criminal activities ? Had a lower incidence of smoking, pregnancy and abortion. These benefits did not stop at the poverty line. They also demonstrated that middle class children benefited from the experience as well. He discussed the well-known fact that disadvantaged children benefit more when they are in class with children from different socio-economic backgrounds. An analysis I found very interesting was that ‘For every dollar invested into the preschool programs described in this paper $7 is saved in public expenditures’ (Lee. www. ccsso. org). WOW, think what that could mean to a superintendent’s budget! When trying to determine whether a preschool program could benefit those in the middle class, the US Dept. of Education, NCES, (1997) article entitled Dropout rates in the United States:1995 determined that middle class children have fairly high rates of the problems that preschool reduces for low-income children. While benefits decrease gradually with an income increase, the overall benefits are greater when ALL children are exposed to PreK. In an evaluation of 5 state prek programs conducted by Barnett,W. S, Lamy, C. and Jung, K. (2005), results revealed that in all programs, whether universal or targeted, students demonstrated gains in language, literacy and math. While all students (various SES backgrounds) gained, the low-income students gained more. Soooooo†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 How do we go about establishing high-quality preschool literacy programs? In an ideal world with unlimited funding, it wouldn’t be too difficult. However, we don’t live in an ideal world and much needed financing is often diverted to other important (or not so important! ) causes. Really, what is more important than education? One resolution could be to emulate the success demonstrated by the Chicago and Michigan programs spoken about earlier in this paper. In Rockland County, some school disctricts already offer a district-based preschool program. This year, all districts were alloted slots to participate in a Universal PreK initiative. However, while that is an excellent start to establishing a much needed entity, a lot of work still exists. During my research gathering I read many, many articles that discussed the family-centered literacy approach. Such as at the CPC, involving the parents and providing them with strategies and useful techniques to help their children empowers them and makes them feel useful and successful. Without parental involvement at the preschool level, literacy development suffers. Since the institution of NCLB, many school disstricts are seeking wasys to provide needed support to their students without it becoming a ‘special ed’ component or target program. Instituting a universal prek program benefits all. Looking at the various achievement gaps that Dr. Barnett identified in his paper, while there is significantly more of an achievement gap at the lower SES levels, there are still marked gaps in the middle class level, thus further justifying why ALL students would benefit from the experience. In an effort to establish successful high-quality preschool programs in Texas, the retired CEO of Texas Instruments was aware of the huge impact the Perry Preschool Program had on its communities and he was eager to replicate that success in Texas. Therefore, after establishing a successful pilot program, the participants wanted to be able to spread the success throughout the state and a handbook â€Å"Improving Early Literacy of Preschool Children’ was developed for prekindergarten educators. The authors and editors really were able to target what a high-quality program looks like with suggestions on how to implement them into your existing programs. The following steps are indicated to improve a preschool program: ? Set goals ? Create an improvement plan ? Build a classroom library ? Train the teachers and encourage collaboration. ? Keep rack of student’s progress ? Inform and involve parents 6 ? Communicate with elementary schools the children will attend ? Measure and document results (Dougherty, 1999) All of these steps are so important to developing a program that is successful. It is hard to determine whether one step is more important than another. Personally, I really feel that if the teachers and the teaching assistants and/or aides are given the proper training, every interaction with a child will take on new meaning. The Margaret Cone Head Start Center in Southeast Dallas has serviced predominantly low-income populations. As part of their language enrichment program (LEAP), each teacher attends six weeks of instruction at the nearby university as well as several workshops a year. Because of these teacher trainings, Cone Center children have produced improved scores on a variety of tests targeting vocabulary, language skills and social skills. I believe that involving the parents as much as possible and having them in the classroom for a half-day a week or twice a month lets them see what is happening and provides modeling they can use at home. Obstacles that I can identify at this point to establishing high-quality preschool programs that ALL children can attend include: ? FUNDING ? Private preschool programs vs. school district based programs ? Consistent participation on the part of the parents ? Difficulty providing quality training programs for the teachers and teaching assistants/aides due to lack of funding, time, resources While I feel there are many excellent examples of qualified and successful preschool programs in Rockland County, we do not meet the needs of all the children of the preschool age. As CPSE chair, I am able to provide special education needs to many children that require it. However, there is great variability between the programs that we recommend students attend. Consistent high-quality preschool programs would be beneficial to ALL students involved, not just the special needs children. In conclusion, it is a well-documented fact that preschool literacy education benefits all children involved. The need lies in our ability to establish high-caliber programs that are consistent, with staff that is well trained and caring. I think if we can distribute the information about the long-term effects researched and prove to the masses (school boards! ) that the bottom line would be cost savings to the community, we might see some change. I look forward to that day! References 1. Schweinhart, L. J. Lasting Benefits of Preschool Programs ERIC Digest. ericdigests. org. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www. ericdigests. org/1994/lasting. htm 2. Dougherty, C. , et al. Improving Early Literacy of Preschool Children a Handbook for Prekindergarten Educators. Texas Instruments, 1999. 3. Lee, J. The Benefits of Preschool for High School and Beyond. Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from http://www. ccsso. org 4. Roskos, K. A. , Christie, J. F. Richgels, D. J. The Essentials of Early Literacy Instruction. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from www. naeyc. org/resources/journal 5. Mangione, P. L. (2005). Creating Language and Literacy Experiences for Infants and Toddlers. PITC Graduate Conference. Berkeley, CA. 6. Johnson, D. Sulzby, E. Critical Issue: Addressing the Literacy Needs of Emergent and Early Readers. North Central Regional Educational Library. Retrieved January 21, 2008, from http://www. ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li100. htm 7. Barnett, W. (2006, Jan. 10). Research on the Benefits of Preschool Education: Securing High Returns from Preschool for All Children. New York, NY. 8. Brain Wonders. Early Literacy (2003). Zero To Three. Retrieved January 24, 2008, from www. zerotothree. org/BrainWonders.

Frederick Griffith Essay Example for Free

Frederick Griffith Essay Biography Frederick Griffith (1879-1941), who was born in Hale, Cheshire County, England and who attended the Liverpool University, was a British bacteriologist whose focus was the epidemiology and pathology of bacterial Pneumonia. In January, 1928 he reported what is now known as Griffiths Experiment, the first widely accepted demonstration of bacterial transformation, where a bacterium distinctly changes its form and function. Griffith succumbed to his death around the year 1941 due to the air raid. His Purpose and what he derived? Griffith showed that Streptococcus pneumonia, could transform from one strain into a different strain. The observation was attributed to an unidentified transforming principle of transforming Factor. This was later identified as the stuff of life â€Å"DNA† The Experiment Griffith’s experiment, reported in 1928, was one of the first experiments suggesting that bacteria are capable of transferring genetic information through a process known as transformation. Griffith went about deriving his results by means of using two strains of Pneumoccocus (Streptococcus pneumonia) bacteria which he used to infect several mice. A type smooth strain and a type rough strain. The smooth strain has its components covered by a polysaccharide capsule, which gives it the ability to live in adverse conditions and divide rapidly through a process called Binary fission. Adverse conditions in the context of this experiment would mean â€Å"protection from white blood cells† The third line of defense’s inability to phagocytize the bacteria subsequently results in the death of the mice because the capsule accommodates for the rapid growth of the same cell. Bacterial cells usually have a target organ to which it chooses to disintegrate, and in the case of abundance, the more the number of bacterial cells the more likely the host is going to succumb to it death. How the Experiment was Set up? The experiment was set up by means of inoculating mice with different forms of the same bacteria but with varying strains. The first mouse was inoculated with the rough strain of the streptococcus bacteria and the mice lived. The second mouse was inoculated with the smooth strain (virulent strain) and the end result was the death of the mouse. The third mouse was inoculated with the heat killed smooth strain bacteria and the mouse lived. The emphasis to the transformation principle was given when Griffith infused the rough strain and the heat killed smooth strain and inoculated the mouse which further resulted in the death of the mouse. Griffith was unknown of the reason why the mouse died, but with scientific reasoning, he brought up the idea that the combined Pneumonia bacteria used a transforming principle to activate the virulence, which subsequently then was named the transformation principle. Why did the Heat killed smooth Bacteria show no effect towards the Mice? Just like how we humans function well on optimal temperature, bacteria too have a set temperature to work at its potential. In the context of this experiment the virulent smooth strain pneumonia bacteria was covered by a capsule which consisted of a polysaccharide, a sugar. The introduction of heat disintegrated the capsule, subsequently making it prone to phagocytosis by the white blood cells. The rough strain didn’t comprise of a capsule which explains why it showed no effect towards killing the mouse. The introduction of heat denatured the components of the smooth train which as a result didn’t give the heat killed smooth strain bacteria, not enough potential to kill the mouse. Visual Aid Contribution to our Knowledge Shedding Light to the Transforming Principle Upon research and experimentation on Pneumococcal Streptococcal bacteria-Griffin pointed out that the information in bacterial cells could somehow be transferred between different strains of bacteria. This was long before the discovery of DNA and was an inspired piece used by Avery, Mc Carty and Mc leod to emphasize more on what are primarily the subunits of life. Griffith also wrote a paper in 1928 with regards to his experiment and how he came up with the derivation of the term â€Å"Transforming principle†. Apart from Griffins inspiring research, his findings led to the pivotal beginning of molecular biology. In 1952, other researches with the insight gained from Griffiths experiment, further brought meaning to what is the fundamental and the subunits of life by creating their own sets of experiments all interconnected with this experiment in the process of deriving the form, structure and the function of DNA in one way or another.

ILETS Test Evaluation

ILETS Test Evaluation IELTS The International English Language Testing System The purpose of any test is to diagnose what the learners know or dont know, in other words to check learning. The International English Language Testing System or IELTS test is a language proficiency test which covers all four language skills reading, writing, listening and speaking and is the most widely used and accepted test for English language. Each paper holds a percentage of the final score each equally weighted at 25%. The IELTS test is unique in that you cant fail it (Takeielts.britishcouncil.org, 2017). Although we live in a very more modern, electronic world, the IELTS test is still a pen and paper-based test (Takeielts.britishcouncil.org, 2017). The papers/tests covering the four skills are: Reading a 60 minute test which includes three texts to be read Writing a 60 minute test showing the test takers ability to summarise, explain or describe Listening this test is a 30 minute test Speaking this is the shortest of all four tests at 11-14 minutes. My essay will be focusing on the evaluation and the validity or fitness for purpose of the speaking test within the IELTS test. Michael Halliday (1968 cited in Levine and Spencer, 1996, p. 46) quotes; Language is a form of culturally determined behaviour and this behaviour includes the ability to take on a range of linguistically defined roles in speech situations. Unless the child grows up in an environment in which all these speech situation roles are open to him, he will fail to master important areas in the grammar of his language. With this is mind we must understand that all types of tasks have both advantages and limitations (or disadvantages) so it is necessary to ascertain the Fitness for purpose of a particular task and to use a different range of task types within the framework. We must provide different speaking tasks which activate our different speaking processes. The tasks should elicit behaviour which truly represents the candidates ability and which can be scored validly and reliably (Hughes, 1991, pg. 101). Although speaking can seem both simple and natural it is, in fact, a very complex skill with several stages to follow. From the conceptualisation of an idea we must then convert that idea into language. This is done through both lexical and grammatical knowledge. Through this knowledge we are able to form sentences and phrases in order to vocalise our idea. Once we have the essential words, sentences and phrases these are then changed into sound or articulated. This is how a non-verbal idea becomes an actual verbal expression. As you will know, when we speak we are constantly monitoring ourselves in order to ensure the flow of speech continues smoothly, whether this be through our internal access to vocabulary, grammar or intonation, etc. When we s peak all of these stages are completed automatically and naturally this is why speaking can be so challenging for learners. If a learner lacks both lexical and analytical knowledge their retrieval of that vocabulary or grammar may well take longer causing a less natural or automatic response to a task or question through longer pauses and hesitations. We must then ensure that testing incorporates all manner of validity and reliability in order to produce a rounded and more thorough outcome. The IELTS speaking test is a face-to-face, one-on-one interview between the test taker and the IELTS trained examiner. The interview only lasts between 11 to 15 minutes and is recorded. The speaking test can be taken before the other three sections listening, reading, writing of the test and the speaking comprises of three separate sections. The first section or part 1 is known as the introduction and interview segment. Here the interviewer introduces him or herself to the test taker. This is then continued as if it were an interview albeit a little formal whereby the test taker shares information with the examiner. The examiner will have a script of questions to ask the test taker which cover every day familiar topics e.g. work, study, where you live, food, holidays, friends, goig out, festivals, sports, school and public transport (TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC, 2017). The test taker provides the examiner with information about themselves, their family, work and interests through a series of open-ended questions like those in appendix 1 e.g. Whats the most interesting part of your village/town? Would you say its a good place to live? Why? (Ieltsessentials.com, 2017) and answers them to the best of their ability. This section usually takes around 4-5 minutes. The second section or part 2 is known as the individual long turn. In this segment the candidate or test taker is given a topic card (see appendix 2). The topic card has a subject on it which the test taker must talk about for two minutes. Before speaking, the candidate is allowed one minute in order to prepare notes on their given topic. These topic tasks are generally about a personal experience, for example, a memorable day or a person of great significance to them and they then have to produce a monologue on this topic. Once the candidate has completed their monologue the examiner will then ask them some follow up questions which then leads them into part 3 of the test. The third section or part 3 is known as the two-way discussion. This two-way discussion or dialogue is between the test taker and the examiner and is generally thematically linked (Karim and Haq, 2014) to part 2. If you look at appendices 2 and 3 you will see that the candidate in part 2 spoke about a piano he once owned and in part 3 the examiner then asks to have a discussion regarding things we own. Interviewing is a tried and tested way of assessing a language learners speaking capabilities, however, it can seem intensely formal to the interviewee and cause the interaction to be dominated by the examiner (Karim and Haq, 2014) in their role as interviewer in the IELTS test. In the test then, this tends, to lend itself toward a situation in which the speaking is less natural in form than it could be if it were in a different format e.g. an informal discussion over coffee. Hughes (1991) states the most obvious format for the testing of oral interaction is the interview, however, it has at least one potentially serious drawback. When the test taker feels they are in an interview situation they will speak to the examiner as if speaking to a superior (Hughes, 1991, pg.104). Therefore, the speaking confidence of the test taker may be put to a disadvantage. This limitation may well be avoided should the candidate feel they are able to ask questions as well as the examiner. Through a re laxed dialogue rather than an interview the conversation could well take a more natural path providing more confidence for the test taker. Also, interviews can cause unnecessary anxiety and nervousness to the test taker which could limit their interaction. We could also argue that natural conversation is built up with more informal language, whereby a conversation is not scripted but flows along an unseen path to an unseen destination. Conversation does not follow a strict or distinct route but is nudged along in many different directions. The question we are asking is Is the test successful in achieving its objectives? and for this we need to look at what is known as the validity and reliability of a test. Validity has several forms and I have looked at content, face and criterion-related validity. Content validity is a representative sample of the skills and abilities which have been taught. The structure and content of the IELTS speaking test is the same at all levels. This means that an elementary level candidate will be answering the same questions of those at advanced levels. This does not provide a concrete level of testing as the structure and content do not provide a more challenging course for those with more advanced skills. Face validity looks at the measurement of skill the test should be assessing. If we look at the format of the IELTS test we can see that it is clearly established. It is universal in its approach and anywhere you look for information on the IELTS test it always provides the same information. In contrast both IELTS academic and General English tests are no different with regards to what is tested for in the speaking section. If we look at the band descriptor (appendix 4) we can see that there is no distinction for specific English. This brings into question the validity of criterion-based validity. The reliability of the IELTS test must also be looked at. A single examiner is responsible for rating the candidate, therefore, the inter-rater reliability has to be questioned due to interpretation but a single person of the test taker. The scoring is split between four categories (appendix 4) within these four categories there is no in-depth breakdown so scoring is at the discretion of the examiner. The effectiveness of the IELTS speaking test has some limitations. Overall it is a meaningful test which shows validity and reliability in some areas but there are areas in which both validity and reliability fall short as has been shown. The following suggestions could make the IELTS speaking test somewhat more valid and reliable provide more time for the candidate to talk freely in the first section. In this way we could elicit more authentic data from the candidate and be provided with a more in-depth analysis of the actual ability the candidate has. More tasks would elicit a better performance from the candidate discussion about a picture or tasks which represent different communicative processes. The grading scale should be open to more variables to provide a broader perspective and finally, more than one examiner would ensure a more reliable assessment. APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 Speaking sample task Part 1 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart1recording.ashx?la=en Part 1 Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidates identification. It then continues as an interview.] Lets talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Whats the most interesting part of your town/village? What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do? Would you say its a good place to live? (Why?) Lets move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in? How long have you lived there? What do you like about living there? What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in? Speaking sample task Part 1 transcript Part 1 Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidates identification. It then continues as an interview.] Transcript Examiner: Now, in this first part, Id like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK? Lets talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Candidate: Its quite a small village, about 20km from Zurich. And its very quiet. And we have only little two little shops because most of the people work in Zurich or are orientated to the city. Examiner: Whats the most interesting part of this place village? Candidate: On the top of a hill we have a little castle which is very old and quite well known in Switzerland. Examiner: What kind of jobs do people in the village do? Candidate: We have some farmers in the village as well as people who work in Zurich as bankers or journalists or there are also teachers and some doctors, some medicines. Examiner: Would you say its a good place to live? Candidate: Yes. Although it is very quiet, it is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ people are friendly and I would say it is a good place to live there, yes. Examiner: Lets move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in APPENDIX 2 Speaking sample task Part 2 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart2recording.ashx?la=en Part 2 Individual long turn Candidate Task Card Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should say: where you got it from how long you have had it what you use it for and explain why it is important to you. You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. You have one minute to think about what youre going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish. Rounding off questions Is it valuable in terms of money? Would it be easy to replace? Speaking sample task Part 2 transcript Part 2 Individual long turn Transcript Examiner: Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so dont worry if I stop you. Ill tell you when the time is up. Candidate: OK Examiner: Can you start speaking now, please? Candidate: Yes. One of the most important things I have is my piano because I like playing the piano. I got it from my parents to my twelve birthday, so I have it for about nine years, and the reason why it is so important for me is that I can go into another world when Im playing piano. I can forget whats around me and what I can forget my problems and this is sometimes quite good for a few minutes. Or I can play to relax or just, yes to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to relax and to think of something completely different. Examiner: Thank you. Would it be easy to replace this, this piano? Candidate: Yes, I think it wouldnt be that big problem but I like my piano as it is because I have it from my parents, its some kind unique for me. APPENDIX 3 Speaking sample task Part 3 https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/-/media/IELTS/Global/Files/MP3s/speakingsamplepart3recording.ashx?la=en Part 3 Two-way discussion Lets consider first of all how peoples values have changed. What kind of things give status to people in your country? Have things changed since your parents time? Finally, lets talk about the role of advertising. Do you think advertising influences what people buy? Speaking sample task Part 3 transcript Part 3 Two-way discussion Transcript Examiner: Weve been talking about things we own. Id like to discuss with you one or two more general questions relating to this topic. First, lets consider values and the way they can change. In Switzerland, what kind of possessions do you think give status to people? Candidate: The first thing which comes in my mind is the car. Yes, because lots of people like to have posh cars or expensive cars to show their status, their place in the society. Examiner: Is that a new development? Candidate: No, I think it isnt. Examiner: People have thought like that for quite a long time? Candidate: Yes. Another thing is probably the clothing. It starts already when you are young. When the children go to school they want to have posh labels on their jumpers or good shoes. Examiner: What do you think of this way of thinking that I need to have a car or certain clothes to show my status? Candidate: Probably its sometimes a replacement for something you dont have, so if your wife has left you or your girlfriend, you just buy some new, I dont know, new watches or new clothes to make you satisfied again. Examiner: You dont think of it as a healthy way of thinking? Candidate: Its probably not honest to yourself. You can understand what I mean? Examiner: Yes. And do you think this will change? In the future, will cars and designer clothes be status symbols in the same way? Candidate: Im sure that clothes will be that the thing with the clothes will be the same. Im not so sure about the cars because cars cause lots of environmental problems and probably in some years, a few years, this will change because its not reasonable to drive a car anymore. Examiner: Can you tell me a little bit more about that? APPENDIX 4 IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Band Fluency and coherence Lexical resource Grammatical range and accuracy Pronunciation 9 speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction; any hesitation is content-related rather than to find words or grammar speaks coherently with fully appropriate cohesive features develops topics fully and appropriately uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision in all topics uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately uses a full range of structures naturally and appropriately produces consistently accurate structures apart from slips characteristic of native speaker speech uses a full range of pronunciation features with precision and subtlety sustains flexible use of features throughout is effortless to understand 8 speaks fluently with only occasional repetition or self- correction; hesitation is usually content-related and only rarely to search for language develops topics coherently and appropriately uses a wide vocabulary resource readily and flexibly to convey precise meaning uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary skilfully, with occasional inaccuracies uses paraphrase effectively as required uses a wide range of structures flexibly produces a majority of error-free sentences with only very occasional inappropriacies or basic/non-systematic errors uses a wide range of pronunciation features sustains flexible use of features, with only occasional lapses is easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility 7 speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence may demonstrate language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition and/or self-correction uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility uses vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of topics uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and shows some awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices uses paraphrase effectively uses a range of complex structures with some flexibility frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist shows all the positive features of Band 6 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 8 6 is willing to speak at length, though may lose coherence at times due to occasional repetition, self-correction or hesitation uses a range of connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately has a wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and make meaning clear in spite of inappropriacies generally paraphrases successfully uses a mix of simple and complex structures, but with limited flexibility may make frequent mistakes with complex structures though these rarely cause comprehension problems uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control shows some effective use of features but this is not sustained can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times 5 usually maintains flow of speech but uses repetition, self correction and/or slow speech to keep going may over-use certain connectives and discourse markers produces simple speech fluently, but more complex communication causes fluency problems manages to talk about familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility attempts to use paraphrase but with mixed success produces basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy uses a limited range of more complex structures, but these usually contain errors and may cause some comprehension problems shows all the positive features of Band 4 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 6 4 cannot respond without noticeable pauses and may speak slowly, with frequent repetition and self-correction links basic sentences but with repetitious use of simple connectives and some breakdowns in coherence is able to talk about familiar topics but can only convey basic meaning on unfamiliar topics and makes frequent errors in word choice rarely attempts paraphrase produces basic sentence forms and some correct simple sentences but subordinate structures are rare errors are frequent and may lead to misunderstanding uses a limited range of pronunciation features attempts to control features but lapses are frequent mispronunciations are frequent and cause some difficulty for the listener 3 speaks with long pauses has limited ability to link simple sentences gives only simple responses and is frequently unable to convey basic message uses simple vocabulary to convey personal information has insufficient vocabulary for less familiar topics attempts basic sentence forms but with limited success, or relies on apparently memorised utterances makes numerous errors except in memorised expressions shows some of the features of Band 2 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 4 2 pauses lengthily before most words little communication possible only produces isolated words or memorised utterances cannot produce basic sentence forms Speech is often unintelligble 1 no communication possible no rateable language 0 does not attend REFERENCES Hughes, A. (1991). Testing for language teachers. 1st ed. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press. Ieltsessentials.com. (2017). Speaking Practice Tests. [online] Available at: https://www.ieltsessentials.com/global/prepare/freepracticetests/speakingpracticetests [Accessed 01 Mar. 2017]. Karim, S. and Haq, N. (2014). An Assessment of IELTS Speaking Test. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE), 3(3). Levine, J. and Spencer, M. (1996). Developing pedagogies in the multilingual classroom. 1st ed. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books. Takeielts.britishcouncil.org. (2017). IELTS teachers questions answered | Take IELTS. [online] Available at: http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/teach-ielts [Accessed 7 Feb. 2017]. TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC. (2017). Evaluating speaking the IELTS speaking test. [online] Available at: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/evaluating-speaking-ielts-speaking-test [Accessed 07 Mar. 2017].

Canadian Involvement in the Suez Crisis :: Canadian Canada History

Canadian Involvement in the Suez Crisis Eleven years after the second world war, a crisis occurred which had the potential to escalate into a third world war. Hostilities ran high and the background causes that prompted this crisis contained the same fundamentals as were seen in the first and second world wars. Those being militarism, alliances, imperialism and nationalism; wrought by those countries that had an interest in the Suez Canal and the Arab states. In the world of superpowers in conflict, Canada made a name for itself through an innovative peacekeeping scheme, instead of aggression (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 1999-2000). If Canada had not become involved in the Suez Crisis, as a neutral party, it could have escalated into a world war. The three components which add up to the conclusion of the Suez Crisis and a bench mark for Canada and world peacekeeping are: Canada's choice for those countries directly involved in the crisis, Canada's choice for involvement, and Canada's resolution of the United Nations Em ergency Force, which would put a stop to a possible world war. In the Middle East, by July 1956, tensions were rising. The Egyptians were denied funds from the Us, Britain and the World Bank for the creation of their Aswan dam to affiliation with the Soviet Union. In desperate need of funds for the dam project, the Egyptian government had nationalize the Suez Canal Company, froze its assets in Egypt, and proposed to use canal tolls to pay for the dam (Hillmer, 1999, p. 226). In fear of the Egyptians cutting off the transportation of Arabian oil and Asian goods, the British, French, and Israel secretly planned an attack on Egypt. Meanwhile, the Israelis and the Arab states, including Egypt, were having an arms race. Israel was concerned with self-preservation while the Arabs, who had opposed Israel's creation, wanted to destroy it. The Americans opposed the British, French, and Israeli invasion of Egypt because it didn't want to offend the Arab states where US oil companies were drilling. On the other hand, the US was wiling to supply Israel with weapons if the Soviet Union sent arms to the Egyptians. Such military support could inevitably have lead to a nuclear war. Through ties with Britain, Canada was expected to aid in the invasion pf Egypt but Canada was reluctant and saw how much actions might put their relationship with the Americans in danger.

Cryptographic Protocols for Electronic Voting Essay -- Technology Elec

Cryptographic Protocols for Electronic Voting After some preliminary research into the subject of electronic voting [BARL2003], it became apparent that there may be reason to mistrust current electronic voting systems. Further, as I studied a variety of voting systems, I realized I had little confidence that any of them (even paper ballots) would be guaranteed to produce a perfectly accurate tally. In my previous paper [BARL2003], I suggested the following definition: "An accurate voting system counts all valid votes with minimal processing error such that the intent of eligible voters is reflected in the final tally." I believe it is important for a voting system to (a) minimize error, (b) count all valid votes, and (c) preserve the intent of eligible voters in the final tally. At least in theory, I believe that today's electronic voting systems are capable of counting votes with minimal processing error. Assuming that all parties involved in the process of creating an electronic voting machine perform ethically, and that enough time, money, and effort is expended to do the job correctly, it should be possible to create a system that processes each entry that was received by the system. However, even making those assumptions, it is not quite that simple. There may be many reasons that a valid entry is not received by the system. For example, voters may be confused by the systems and may not enter their selections into the machine they way they intended. The system may "crash" before reporting its results. An eligible voter may be denied access to voting machines during the election interval . As far as I have been able to determine, the process for deciding the validity of a vote is subject to interpret... .../www.notablesoftware.com/Papers/1002evot.pdf [MERC2003] Mercuri, Rebecca. Website on "Electronic Voting" last updated September 1, 2003. http://www.notablesoftware.com/evote.html [PFIT1996] Pfitzmann, Birgit. Digital Signature Schemes: General Framework and Fail-Stop Signatures; Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1996. [PITT2003] Pitt, William Rivers. "Electronic Voting: What You Need to Know," Interview with Rebecca Mercuri, Barbara Simons, and David Dill, October 20, 2003. http://truthout.org/docs_03/102003A.shtml [RaRaNa] Ray, Indrajit and Ray, Indrakshi and Narasimhamurthi, Natarajan. "An Anonymous Electronic Voting Protocol for Voting Over the Internet." (Date of publication unknown.) http://citeseer.nj.nec.com/471417.html [SCHN1996] Schneier, Bruce. Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C; John Wiley & Sons, New York 1996.

Compare the successes of Troy and Boldwood in courting Bathsheba :: essays research papers

Compare the successes of Troy and Boldwood in courting Bathsheba Boldwood and Troy both try to court Bathsheba however using different techniques and with varying success. Boldwood is pictured by Hardy to be a nervous, stammering man, ‘but I am only just able to speak out my feelings – I mean meaning’, this quote shows him stammering and a ‘hopeless man for women’. Hardy has also shown this awkwardness when he pictures Boldwood ‘leaning over a chair’, an undignified position and thus shows how he is willing to lose all dignity in order to get Bathsheba. Boldwood is stated to need Bathsheba, his ‘life is a burden’ without her, and is incredibly desperate to get her. This can be seen by the numerous proposals Boldwood makes as if it seems he cannot take no for an answer. This can be seen when having been proposed to Bathsheba replies ‘I do not feel – what would justify me to – in accepting your offer’, showing Boldwood’s awkwardness is spreading to Bathsheba, this quote shows Bathsheba trying to say no, however ‘giving back dignity for dignity’ however Boldwood will not take it and out pour his emotions in the ‘opening of the sluices’. Troy however sees Bathsheba not as someone who he needs, but as another girl to add to the collection. Hardy shows Troy as more of an expert when it comes to courting girls. The reader already knows he is having a relationship with Fanny Robin so his courting Bathsheba conjures up antagonism from the reader. As Troy is more experienced in courting girls he is seen much more confident when talking to Bathsheba. His dialogue is much more relaxing than Boldwood’s, he jokes by saying that he wishes ‘it was the knot of knots’ when they are tied together. This shows his not so subtle hint of marriage, which is prophetic irony, and it works as a good compliment. This contrasts with Boldwood’s dialogue which mainly focus around himself, ‘I cannot live without you’, ‘my life is a burden without you’, these two statements show he is subject of the dialogue not her. Troy, however, having been more experienced knows what a woman wants to hear. He thanks Bathsheba ‘for the sight of such a beautiful sight’ when he sees her face.

Narcotics Anonymous Assignment Essay

My feelings about this assignment: When first reading the requirements of this assignment I was quite hesitant in approaching group counselling sessions as I was not aware of any in my area. A friend of mine whom I had not seen in a while told me that she was in a rehab facility for a month and was attending an outpatient programme. This was fantastic news and just the opportunity I was looking for, not only was this what I needed for my assignment but it was also an opportunity for me to support her. I asked her if it would be possible for me to go with her to one of her meetings and she was too happy to have me go with her. What is NA? Narcotics Anonymous is a global, community-based organization with a multi-lingual and multicultural membership. They offer recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle. The name, NA, is not meant to imply a focus on any particular drug; NA’s approach makes no distinction between drugs including alcohol. Membership is free, and they have no affiliation with any organizations outside of NA including governments, religions, law enforcement groups, or medical and psychiatric associations. Where is NA? There are various meetings held all over RSA, you can have a look on their website to see where the closest meeting is, when it takes place and whether it is a closed or open meeting. This meeting was held at AKESO Crescent Clinic. This is a rehab facility, the meeting is held in a conference room inside. Once you walk in you will see that the chairs are placed in a circle and behind it are more chairs placed in a bigger circle. The structure of the meeting: Chairperson opens the meeting and advises that it’s an open meeting, meaning that anyone can join, i.e. family, friends and other support structures. He then allows all to introduce them moving from the left to right. Each individual stands up, gives their name followed by the words, and I am an addict. He then asks if there are any new comers and mentions that the newcomer is the most important person at any meeting and although it may seem confusing at first, to keep an open mind and keep coming back. He then proceeds to advise that there is one rule at this meeting: that no drugs or drug paraphernalia be in your possession. If anyone is carrying, they are to leave and come back without them. If anyone is carrying a cell phone to please turn it off for the duration of the meeting. He then asks that someone reads the preambles. These pamphlets have been randomly placed on various chairs prior to the meeting, if you have one; you have the option to read it or to ask someone el se to read. The preambles are: Who is an addict? Why are we here? What is the NA Program? How it works? The twelve traditions We do recover At the meeting they then recognize specific landmarks in their recovery. 24 hours 24 hours to 7 days 7 to 14 days 14 – 30 days 30 – 60 days 60 – 90 days 90 days to 6 months 6 – 9 months 9 – 12 months 1 – 2 years 2 – 3 years More than 3 years People put up the hands and support is given by clapping for their achievements. He then asks whether there are any birthdays or landmarks that anyone would like to share. As they say how long they have been clean, tags are handed out for those achievements and the woman who is handing out the tags gives the person a hug. Below is a picture of the different tags that each addict receives for each landmark: He advises the meeting that the views expressed by the individuals there, do not necessarily show the view of the NA and if anyone is interested in any of the official literature, the literature person will talk about it. The literature rep stands up and advises on what books are available Living clean Just for today How it works and why (12 steps and stories of addicts worldwide) Sponsorship guide The step working guide She explains what each book is about and the price so that if anyone would like to purchase the literature, you will be able to do so after the meeting. There are also various pamphlets that are available. The chairperson then introduces the topic he has chosen for the evening and interprets how the topic relates to his life and then opens the floor so that any of the addicts are open to speak. Only the chair knows what the topic is going to be for the evening. Once everyone has had their turn to share and before closing the meeting he asks: Is there anyone who still feels the need to share Does anyone have a burning issue? Does anyone just have an issue staying clean today? They address these issues separately after the meeting. Chairperson thanks all for sharing and reminds all that what they see and hear here remains here. The seventh tradition states that they are self-supporting through their own contributions. They then send around a donation basket where generous donations are requested. Newcomers and visitors are asked not to contribute and to consider themselves as guests. â€Å"Just for today† is then read, this is the last preamble. He then asks that everyone stands up and holds hands, all the addicts in the meeting and some guests who have attended before say in unison – â€Å"As long as I follow, I have nothing to fear†. The Chair then asks that we take a moment of silence for babies born into active addiction and addicts suffering inside and outside the rooms. The meeting is then ended with the serenity prayer, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Keep coming back, it wor ks if you work it and work it because you’re worth it. Personal story of recovery: I felt it was important not to share the stories I had heard in the meeting as per the request made by the chairperson. I was however able to find personal stories of recovery from addiction available on the NA website so I have chosen to rather share a published story instead. This is the story about Greg C, the topic: Letting Go: On the 12th of September, it will be the 20th anniversary of my baby brother’s death. A good couple of years ago when things were running wild, I took him into my drug business and he was that kind of a guy, a stray dog, so I knew I had to take him under my care but I was happy to do so as he was a great guy. I just got back from Australia and it was a very successful trip and there was nothing in town so I went back to Cape Town. In hindsight, the three months before his death, I was already giving him a hard time about all the money that was outstanding but in my heart I knew that he had already used it and all he needed to do was tell me that he had used it and I wouldn’t have minded. So this Wednesday the 12th, I started  my period of self-destruction. I called him and he hadn’t come down from my parents place and they told me that he hadn’t woken up. My whole life just shattered and it took me 10 years of self-destruction, hitting financial rock bot tom and ending up in the emergency room for a heroin overdose and a number of 48 hours spent in prison cells to get over this. What was my struggle with this? Was I to blame for getting him into this drug world? Was it the guilt that I had treated him badly for the last three months cause if I knew he was going to die three months before I would not have cared what he used or what money he owed me cause I’d pay anything today to get him back. When I walked into NA 10 years ago, I came in like everyone else, rough and wounded. Still with that street bravado and they spoke about surrender. It took me six days to get there; I cleaned and showered, looked in the mirror and then went back to my room to use again. Eventually when I got here, it was somebody’s 1 year anniversary. I was really tired of using about two years before I got here. That birthday meeting was the greatest motivation for me because someone was clean for 365 days. I followed all the steps they told me to do and then they told me to let go. It took me 6 years before I let go of the guilt and let go about what I felt happened with Rowan. It was the most freeing aspect of my recovery was when I was able to put that stuff down and move on with my life. The other things had all changed; I got myself a job and had good friends. It was tough; I made in a month what I used in a day. It took two years before I started seeing the materialistic things of this fellowship but I was still walking around with this baggage. It took me a good 5 nearly 6 years before I let go with Rowan and by that time I was fu lly living NA, I was completely involved for seven and a half years, whatever service came up, I volunteered in the fellowship. I had quite a lot of things to get over, had a lot of meetings where addicts wouldn’t pitch and I took that personally, I had to let that go as well. About two and a half years ago I thought it was time to move out of this fellowship and go and get myself a life and start living. I managed to let go of the service stuff of NA but it was time to let it go and my sponsor thought it was time to let it go, I didn’t want to let it go, but I knew I had to let it go. I was still working for the same company and a lot of things were promised to me and that didn’t happen, so obviously I built up a lot of resentment there. I built this picture up in  my mind that I always needed a lot of money to start up my own business and I suppose it was all fear and paranoia to stay in this comfort zone. Anyway, I stopped coming to meetings, only popped in every now and again when it was someone’s birthday, that sort of thing. Not being around, nobody asked me to share and slowly my connection to NA slowly drifted. One thing is for sure and that’s what was promised to me when I first joined and that’s if I follow the 5 simple rules that my need to use will slowly be lifted. Two and a half years when I left, my obsession to use had been lifted a nd I felt no need to use. Eventually after many years of frustration, I decided to throw in the towel where I was and forget my fear that I needed all this money to start a business. I left there, I bought a few cars and put them on a few friend’s stands and they were selling the cars for me and I was living a half retired life, going to the gym, go swimming, go do this and that. Things still weren’t comfortable on the inside, I was still out of sink and I knew I was still carrying around a bit of stuff and slowly I was drifting into more insanity by not being connected to this place. And then it all happened at once, I knew I was insane, I knew I had to get back to a meeting. I’d heard and read enough of it to know that I had to get back to a meeting. I found a home group and at the same time found a car lot for sale, managed to buy it and put my cars on there and now I have a good business. I know that I have to show up, I have to tell the truth; I have to live with honor, do what I’m responsible for and leave the rest of the results to my higher power. When I look back at the ten years as I have been part of this fellowship, all the good things that have happened in my life, I’ve only realized that it happened after it did and I didn’t even know it was happening; which tells me that the only way I’m going to stay c lean is to let things go, stay focused and stay plugged into this place. Love having my sponsor, I get an objective point of view for my life. What actually happened to me 10 years ago and I only realized this a few months ago is that I was in the middle of a desert with a bag on my back with everything I owned and a bakkie pulled up and a man said, jump on the back, I’ll give you a lift. First thing I wanted to do is take control of the situation and ask are you going in my direction. The voice said – there is only one road. I got onto the back of this bakkie and I stood there with the heavy pack on my back for I don’t know how long on  this ride. It was hot and heavy. The bakkie slowed down, and this voice said, I stopped to give you a ride, take the pack off, sit down and enjoy the ride. And no sooner did I do that and the scenery changed to the most magnificent view and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. My Reflections: My concerns were what to expect and how to approach the meeting as I have not attended something like it before. I did not want to seem judgmental in any way as I have no idea what the reasons are for these people turning to drugs, only that they were looking for a way to stay clean. I know from what â€Å"Ally† has told me that they support each other and try to work through their problems and triggers together. My perception of what to expect and what I experienced was greatly different. I expected a counsellor to be present and do most of the talking as I have witnessed on the various interviews conducted on the UNISA DVD’s. This was not the case at all, everyone who felt the need to share did so and so much support was given to each person for the accomplishments that I felt an appreciation for such a support group. My discussions with â€Å"Ally† helped me tremendously to prepare for what I was going to enter upon. This was an open meeting where friends, fam ily and other support people were allowed to attend; this made me more comfortable as I would not be the only new comer or outsider present at the meeting. This was definitely an eye opening experience for me. From the moment I arrived till the time that I left, I felt so accepted by all. I think I might even have had a moment where I felt that I wished I was an addict so that I could come back. This group was more than a bunch of addicts coming together to talk about their problems, they were like a family, talking and sharing, caring for each other and praising each other for their accomplishments. I was truly moved by the experience and feel a better understanding for what â€Å"Ally† has gone through. I hope that when she feels the need to use that she will feel comfortable enough to talk to me and I will support her as best I can. Conclusions about the helping relationship I have to come to the realization that many find the support they need in groups. They feel comfort in knowing that they are not alone in this struggle. Many feel guilty for what they have put their families through  and therefore I also find it important that the families also attend these meetings. This not only shows support for the addict but also helps them to understand what it is like to be an addict. I think it may be difficult for a family to believe what an addict says but when they hear it from many, it becomes more believable and easier to accept. References: http://www.na.org