Moral Self-Knowledge in Kantian Ethics Essay

In the article named, Moral Self-information in Kantian Ethics, Emer O’Hagan talks about Kant’s perspectives and thoughts concerning self-information and the job it plays in obligation and prudent activity. O’Hagan first presents a key component of Kant’s moral hypothesis which is its acknowledgment of the mental multifaceted nature of people. O’Hagan utilizes this acknowledgment of mental multifaceted nature by Kant to plunge into Kant’s feeling on self-information. When a fundamental comprehension of Kant’s demeanor towards self-information has been built up, O’Hagan then uses Kant’s moral hypothesis to show how self-information can be utilized as a way to help decide the integrity of an activity. The contentions introduced by O’Hagan are legitimate and plainly upheld and checked through the introduced proof. Kant is appeared to have perceived the mental multifaceted nature of the person in perceiving that, â€Å"judgments concerning the rightness of activities are defenseless against defilement from self-intrigued inclination† (O’Hagan 525-537). Kant is stating that that despite the fact that an activity may begin as from obligation, our inner emotions as people can make a helpful end as a methods for the activity, along these lines rendering it not from obligation. Kant additionally perceives that our own decisions about us may not be exact. Moral self-improvement is a training to create precision for our self-decisions and makes into thought one’s intentions in move. O’Hagan reveals to us that this ethical practice requires moral self-information which is a type of mindfulness taught by regard for self-governance, the hypothetical establishment of Kantian morals. As indicated by Kant, the primary order of the obligations to oneself as a good being is self-information. This is simply the capacity to know regarding whether your heart is for acceptable or shrewdness and whether your activities are unadulterated or debased. Kant depicts obligations of excellence to be wide obligations, in that there is certifiably not a reasonable standard for how one ought to approach performing activity for an end that is likewise an obligation. O’Hagan reveals to us that Kant’s obligation of good self-information is the obligation to know one’s own heart. Kant discloses to us that ethical self-information is very troublesome in light of the fact that it includes abstracting, or taking a non-one-sided investigation of one’s self. Since we are bound to our own sentiments and tendencies, we can't totally isolate ourselves from our own inclination. The intensity of self-information is the ability to see things in objectivity rather than subjectivity. The last advance of the contention is relating self-information to deciding the integrity of an activity. O’Hagan reveals to us that creating self-information will create one’s self-comprehension and will create prepares for self-misleading. Utilizing these abilities to genuinely comprehend one’s heart takes into account one to know one’s thought processes, and accordingly handy position in real life. As indicated by Kant, the decency of an activity is controlled by one’s thought processes, so the integrity of one’s activity would now be able to be assessed. O’Hagan unmistakably exhibits the significance of self-information in Kant’s hypothesis of morals and approves its significance by depicting application for utilization of the act of self-information (O’Hagan 525-537).

How to Pay for College Without Parents Help

Instructions to Pay for College Without Parents' Help SAT/ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Paying for school is overwhelming enough when you have the money related help of your family. Be that as it may, for understudies whose guardians can’t or won’t add to costs, making sense of how to pay for school all alone turns into an entire distinctive test. In this guide, I'll spread out all that you have to consider about how to pay forcollege without guardians and all the means you have to take. Chapter by chapter list Reasonable admonition: we will talk abouta lotof stuff in this article. So here's a chapter by chapter guide for you to use as a speedy reference: Paying for College On Your Own: Why it Matters What Does College Even Cost? Limiting Your College Costs: Instructions for Any Cost-Conscious Student Steps to Take if Your Parents Won't Pay What You Should Do in case You're an Independent Student Shutting the Gap: How to Cover Your Remaining Costs Inventive Ways to Fund Your Education Model Scenarios What's Next? Paying for College all alone: Why It Matters The most critical wellsprings of understudy monetary guide are need-based. This implies family money related need is the fundamental model considered when deciding guide qualification. Your accounts are not considered independently from your family’s funds when help sources decide monetary need. This is the situation regardless of whether your folks can't or won't assist you with paying for school. So for what reason is it such a serious deal on the off chance that you can't depend on your family to add to costs? To start with, it's expected that your folks are your family’s essential workers. As an understudy, you likely procure practically no cash. On the off chance that monetary need were just founded on an understudy applicant’s accounts, everybody would be qualified for money related guide (spoiler workmanship: not every person is qualified for need-based budgetary guide). You’re thought about a ward of your folks, which implies they’re the ones fundamentally liable for subsidizing your instruction. This is the situation regardless of whether your folks don’t guarantee you as a reliant when they do your assessments. This is additionally obvious regardless of whether you can show that you’re independent and don’t rely upon your folks for budgetary help, or if your folks are separated. On the off chance that families the nation over could pay less for school by asserting that their children are monetarily autonomous, monetary guide sources would be overpowered. The end here? Government and school-put together budgetary need arebased with respect to your family’s by and large funds. In the event that your folks don’t present their money related data for thought, you won’t be qualified for most types of help. On the off chance that they do present their monetary information and they’re low-need, you won’t be qualified for most types of help. You’d imagine that guide sources would have distinctive guide qualification rules for understudies whose guardians don’t need to pay for school, yet this isn’t the case. In the event that your folks decline topay, the government and institutional subsidizing sources will probably disavow the issue. This is a baffling and out of line circumstance for any understudy to be in. You may feel you’re off guard here-and to be completely forthright, you are. In any case, whatever the explanation that your folks won’t be adding to your advanced degree, there are steps you can take to amplify your guide qualification. It won’t fundamentally be as simple as paying for school with familial help, however it’s unquestionably not feasible. Perhaps the best piece of attending a university is the feeling of opportunity and freedom that accompanies adulthood. You have alternatives and self-sufficiency here as a youthful grown-up so let’s begin figuring outhow to pay for school without guardians. What Does College Even Cost? For the 2018-2019academic year, the normal yearly expense of educational cost and charges was: $35,676at private universities $9,716for state inhabitants at open schools $21,629for non-state inhabitants at open schools The expense of educational cost and charges is generally the primary cost that strikes a chord when peoplethink about paying for school. Shockingly, there’s much more to the image than just educational cost costs-there are covered up or verifiable costs related with going through a year at school. Here are the absolute greatest shrouded costs you may experience dependent on normal sums from 2018-2019: Room and board:averages $12,680at private 4-year universities, $,140at open 4-year schools School textbooks:about $1,240 Travel costs:vary broadly based where you are and where you're going. For instance, in case you're going to anurban school, you may have the option to take open transportation anyplace you need to go. Be that as it may, on the off chance that you go to class the nation over, you'll likely need to purchase boarding passes to travel home over occasions or summer break. Lab expenses and supplies:about $50 per class in the event that they're not effectively folded into charges Individual expenses:about $2,000,but this cost will vary radically dependent on a) the typical cost for basic items of your territory, b) your planning aptitudes, and c) your way of life. Lumping together these costs (particularly on the off chance that you can assess travel expenses and individual costs) will give you a school’s genuine retail cost otherwise called the Cost of Attendance, or CoA. It’s truly simple to get a gauge of a school’s CoA-simply google â€Å"[school name] cost of attendance.† To get an increasingly point by point clarification of every one of these costs, including tips and procedures for diminishing costs, check our manual for what school will truly cost you. Only a brisk look at these numbers will disclose to you that school is presumably unreasonably costly for you to cover all alone. What’s more significant than retail cost, nonetheless, is your â€Å"net price† at a specific school:it’s what you pay after all monetary guide is considered. This is the thing that you really oweout of pocketfor a time of school. Need to appraise your net cost at practically any school? Simply google â€Å"[school name] net cost calculator.† Many schools have an instrument incorporated with their sites that will give you a gauge of how much you’ll pay using cash on hand. These number crunchers consider monetary need and now and then legitimacy based components. Once in a while, however, the net cost is as yet overwhelming, particularly if you’ll be handling it all alone. The remainder of the post will concentrate on limiting this net value, beginning with shrewd school application systems. Limiting Your College Costs: Instructions for Any Cost-Conscious Student What do you do on the off chance that you don't approach a huge amount of assets? You attempt to limit your expenses from the beginning. In the event that you’re applying to schools in view of value, your procedure should concentrate on most minimal net cost, not really least retail cost. Normally, the most ideal approach to diminish your expenses is to apply to schools that will offer you low netprices. Once you’ve been acknowledged to schools, you’ll get official money related guide bundles. You would then be able to figure out which bundles you’re generally OK with. Here are the kinds of schools that will give you the best arrangements. Top Private Schools A ton of all around positioned schools (counting Ivy League colleges and top aesthetic sciences universities) have particularly liberal money related approaches. The main part of monetary guide at these schools will in general be need-based, not merit-based, so you may not get a lot of help on the off chance that you originate from a rich foundation. Remarkably, the Cost of Attendance (or retail cost) for these schools will probably be higher than those ofpublic schools. You may be considering what comprises a well off foundation as indicated by these schools. Thevery top schools-think Harvard, Princeton, Yale-in some cases offer guide to families who make $150,000 and up. For families who are wealthier than that, Harvard requests that they contribute close to 10% of absolute pay. Most importantly these serious schools can even stand to assist families who are moderately wealthy. This implies regardless of whether your folks don’t pay for school, you could even now be qualified for liberal guide dependent on your family’s money related circumstance. Schools That Offer Generous Merit-Based Aid In the event that you’re a high-accomplishing understudy however don’t think you’ll meet all requirements for much need-put together guide based with respect to your family’s funds, you should investigate schools that offer liberal legitimacy grants. Schools with liberal legitimacy based guide programs regularly offer grants to draw in serious understudies. In the event that you have a specific ability (for example in case you're a competitor or performer), or in the event that you have high evaluations and grades, you could be offered some entirely enormous grants. In case you're keen on a specific school, simply google [school name] grants to perceive what kind of help they offer. You can likewise begin bychecking our rundown of schools with the best monetary guide. State funded Schools Open schools and universitiescan be sensibly estimated for in-state studentsbut over the top expensive for out-of-state understudies. They likewise offer considerably less liberal money related guide bundles than a portion of the top tuition based schools, in spite of the fact that they may offer more legitimacy based guide to draw in serious candidates. in the event that you’re keen on going to a state funded college and won’t be getting help from your folks, you should apply to a wide scope of in-state schools. Steps to Take If Your Parents Won't Pay Here's the place we begin getting intothe low down advances ofpaying for your instruction. After deliberately applying to schools, the best method to cover your school costs is to apply for however much money related guide as could be expected. Regardless of whether your folks don’t need to contribute monetarily to your advanced degree, there are ways that they can help make budgetary guide accessible to you. The

Best of Book Riot The Four Parts of a Book Review

Best of Book Riot The Four Parts of a Book Review To celebrate the end of the year, were running some of our favorite posts from the last six months. Well be back with all-new stuff on January 7th. _________________________ On Tuesday, The Millions posted an interesting essay by Darryl Campbell called “Is This Book Bad, or Is It Just Me? The Anatomy of Book Reviews” that I’ve spent some time thinking about. While I was initially ready to dismiss the piece thanks to an unnecessarily snide and dismissive dig at the world of amaetur (or whatever word you’d like to use) reviews, I actually found Campbell’s anatomy of a book review helpful in thinking through how I write about books and what I hope to learn when I read a book review. First, let’s get the little dig out of the way. In the midst of setting up his purpose with the essay to offer a suggestion of what book reviews should be rather than what they shouldn’t Campbell makes this remark about the general state of book criticism: So I think we can all agree that A) the “book review” is a prestigious class of writing that people aspire to write, and B) there is a continuum of, shall we say, critical perceptiveness â€" what in the pre-everyone-gets-a-trophy age we might call “value” or “quality” â€" on which the multiple-thousand-word, tightly-argued essays of the New York/London/L.A. Review of Books reside at one end, and the rapid reactions of John Q. Tumblr reside at the other. (By the way, I don’t want to suggest that there is something philosophically corrupt or intrinsically wrong about the latter, or that just because something is edited and not self-published, it is automatically better than a blog post. Advanced degrees, journalistic credentials, and/or getting published in hard copy is not a guarantee that a book review is any good. ) Honestly if Campbell really didn’t want to suggest that John Q. Tumblr’s reviews were less than reviews in a mainstream publication, he wouldn’t have made that comment. The implication, even before getting to the dissection of a book review, is that reviews on blogs are less valuable than mainstream criticism even though, as we’ll soon see, there’s nothing in the anatomy of a book review that Campbell suggests that a blogger/Goodreads/Tumblr reviewer couldn’t achieve if that were their goal. So lay off the insults, okay? However, if you can get past that little digression, Campbell’s piece makes a lot of sense. After analyzing many book reviews (most or all of which are from mainstream sources), Campbell suggests four elements of criticism: reaction, summary, aesthetic appraisal and historical appraisal. The first two are rather clear, I think, and are often the basic questions of a review what did you think of the book, and what was the book about? After that, a review can reach for the next elements: giving the book a deeper critique while teaching the review reader something we didn’t know before (aesthetic appraisal) and setting the book within the greater world of literature (historical appraisal). Campbell goes into each of these qualities in more depth in his piece, which I encourage you to go read. This is also the point at which I think Campbell wants to make his distinction on the quality of reviews/reviewers (without actually coming out and saying it again). It’s relatively easy to tell readers what a book is about and whether you liked it; it’s harder to situate the book in comparison to other books or read the book like an expert in the topic and give it a strong critique. However, neither of those things are impossible for John Q. Tumblr, nor are they restricted to the format that Mr. Tumblr chooses to write in. While a site like Goodreads caters itself to reviews that achieve the first and second elements (with starred ratings, shelving, and space for writing reviews), it doesn’t mean Campbell’s four-part reviews couldn’t be there. The fact that they often aren’t is, I would think, more a result of the fact that readers as consumers care less about those questions and more about information that will tell them if a book is worth spending their time and money on. Still, I think it’s a book review anatomy that is achievable and could be useful for reviewers of all levels of “critical perceptiveness,” if we think about the ideas of aesthetic and historical perceptiveness more broadly than Campbell does in his essay. Every person who reads widely and thoughtfully can place a new book in relation to others when they write or talk about it, or comment on whether the arguments of a new book mesh with the facts of our lived experience. Despite a questionable opening volley, Campbell has managed to pull out a useful set of criteria to consider as more readers to become reviewers. But I’m curious what you all think what do you look for in a book review? Are there uses for aesthetic and historical appraisals? What kind of “expertise” or background does a reviewer need to make those assessments? Is there a quality in book reviews you look for that Campbell missed? Sign up to Unusual Suspects to receive news and recommendations for mystery/thriller readers.

Understanding Case in English Grammar

So what is this thing called case in English, anyway? And why is it important? Being pretty clueless about this aspect of grammar is pretty common: When teachers or editors discuss the importance of getting  case  right in English grammar, quizzical looks from listeners are often the result. But not to worry. Heres a simple explanation: Basically, the concept of case in English is the grammatical relationship of nouns and pronouns to other words in a sentence. In English, nouns have only one case inflection: the possessive (or genitive). The case of nouns other than the possessive is sometimes called the common case. Common case nouns are the basic word, such as dog, cat, sunset or water. Pronouns have three case distinctions: Subjective (or nominative)Possessive (or genitive)Objective (or accusative) Examples and Observations on Case Sidney Greenbaum discusses this basic subject of English grammar in Case in The Oxford Companion to the English Language (1992). Potentially, countable nouns have four case forms: two singular (child, childs), two plural (children, childrens). In regular nouns, these manifest themselves only in writing, through the apostrophe ( girl, girls, girls, girls), since in speech three of the forms are identical. The genitive [or possessive] case is used in two contexts: dependently, before a noun ( This is Toms/his bat), and independently ( This bat is Toms/his). Most personal pronouns have different forms for the dependent and independent genitive: This is your bat and This bat is yours. The genitive case forms of personal pronouns are often called possessive pronouns. A few pronouns have three cases: subjective or nominative, objective or accusative, and genitive or possessive.Andrea Lunsford gives tips on editing for case in The St. Martins Handbook (2008). In compound structures, make su re pronouns are in the same case they would be in if used alone (Jake and she were living in Spain). When a pronoun follows than or as, complete the sentence mentally. If the pronoun is the subject of an unstated verb, it should be in the subjective case (I like her better than he [likes her]). If it is the object of an unstated verb, it should be in the objective case (I like her better than [I like] him.).Robert Lane Greene talks about the disappearance of case endings in English in his book You Are What You Speak   (2011). While the stickler might see the misuse and gradual disappearance of whom as proof that education and society have been flushed down the toilet, most linguists  -- even though they will almost certainly use whom in their written work themselves -- see the pronouns replacement with who as merely another step in Englishs gradual shedding of case endings. In the era of Beowulf, English nouns had endings that showed what role they played in the sentence, as Lat in did. But nearly all of them disappeared by the time of Shakespeare, and a linguist would see the death of whom as simply the conclusion of the process.

What You Need to Know About Susan B. Anthony

Working closely with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony was a primary organizer, speaker, and writer for the 19th century womens rights movement in the United States, especially the first phases of the long struggle for womens vote, the womens suffrage movement or woman suffrage movement. Susan B. Anthony Biography To learn more about the life of Susan B. Anthony, consult the biography of Anthony on this site: Susan B. Anthony Fun Facts 13 Surprising Facts About Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony Pictures In this gallery are pictures of Susan B. Anthony and several related to her life. Susan B. Anthony Pictures Susan B. Anthonys Contributions to History Susan B. Anthonys work with the womens suffrage movement is an integral part of that movements history, as she and Stanton were central to that work. General accounts of the suffrage movement for the last half of the 19th century and first few years of the 20th century thus are excellent resources about Susan B. Anthonys contributions to history: The Long Road to Suffrage - a description of the woman suffrage movement from Seneca Falls to 1920 Womens Suffrage Events - a timeline of events in the history of the womens suffrage movement in America, starting with Susan B. Anthonys stand in 1837 for equal pay for women teachers. One particular incident which featured Susan B. Anthony was her attempt to vote and subsequent trial for that offense.   The trial is considered a landmark in American womens history: United States v. Susan B. Anthony National Woman Suffrage Association: Susan B. Anthony (with Elizabeth Cady Stanton) headed up this wing of the split womens suffrage movement, 1869 - 1890. Susan B. Anthony Quotes This collection of Susan B. Anthony quotes will give a flavor of her speeches and writings: Susan B. Anthony Quotes About Susan B. Anthony - Contemporary Accounts Contemporary sources -- writings from the time someone was alive -- may not include some of the analysis which historians later developed about particular individuals, but they do provide us with personal details about a persons life, and a perspective on how that individual was perceived while she was alive.   This site includes several contemporary sources about Susan B. Anthony: In these excerpts from The History of Woman Suffrage Volume 1, Elizabeth Cady Stanton describes Susan B. Anthonys entrance into the new movement for womens rights, the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two women:Reminiscences by Elizabeth Cady StantonIn Reminiscences of Famous Women, Harriet Townsend described her own memory of Susan B. Anthony:Susan B. Anthony by Harriet A. TownsendWhen Susan B. Anthony died in 1906, she was well-known for her work in the womens suffrage movement.   This contemporary obituary says a lot about how she was known and how the media and general public thought of her at the time of her death:Susan B. Anthony Obituary - 1906 Susan B. Anthony in Context To understand Susan B. Anthonys contribution to the womens suffrage movement, these additional resources may be helpful: Timelines: Womens Suffrage Events - a timeline of events in the history of the womens suffrage movement in America, starting with Susan B. Anthonys stand in 1837 for equal pay for women teachers. American Woman Suffrage Timeline - Winning the Vote - a timeline of the state-by-state legal changes on the long road to the vote for American womenOverviews: The Long Road to Suffrage - a description of the woman suffrage movement from Seneca Falls to 1920Key Events in the Womens Suffrage Movement Seneca Falls Womens Rights Convention - 1848 - Though Susan B. Anthony did not attend this event, it was key in initiating the active movement for the vote that Anthony participated in for the rest of her life. Womens Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment: this amendment to the constitution split the womens suffrage movement, and later served as a basis for winning womens rights Suffrage Turning Points 1913 - 1917: the March on Washington in 1913 through the reintroduction of the Susan B. Anthony am endment August 26, 1920 - after Susan B. Anthonys death, the womens suffrage amendment to the U.S. Constitution finally was ratified, including women as full voting citizensRelated Individuals Elizabeth Cady Stanton - Stanton and Anthony were friends and cooperated closely in their work in the womens suffrage movement.   Womens Suffrage Biographies - find biographies and other resources of other key activists in the womens suffrage movementMore articles and other resources about the womens suffrage movement: Womens Suffrage - what you need to know about the womens suffrage movement Test Your Knowledge Check out how much you know about the womens suffrage movement with this online quiz: Womens Suffrage Quiz Susan B. Anthony - in Print, in Films The following list includes books by Susan B. Anthony (some with recent analysis and commentary by editors), books about Susan B. Anthony, and books for children and young adults about Susan B. Anthony: Susan B. Anthony Books In 1999, a documentary on Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and their suffrage work premiered. Not for Ourselves Alone

Why I Love My Job Free Essays

Why I work at Bentleys Resturant I’ve worked in a number of jobs over the years, doing a variety of things, and finally, I’ve decided that working at Bentleys Restaurant is the place for me. I have decided that the best job to have is a job you love,  and I’ve finally found the perfect job for me. Making good money and making sure the costumers are happy are some of the many reasons why I work at Bentleys. We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Love My Job or any similar topic only for you Order Now Firstly making good money is one of the reasons why I work at Bentleys. For example when I make good money I am able to pay my bills on time and even support myself after the bills are paid. I am passionate about making the money, so I go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that I make a good amount. Even though sometimes the hours are long and sometimes I get really tired, I always strive to make the best of it. The company pays me a base pay of twenty five dollars to come to work. Which means essentially all the money that I make I have to earn. Secondly another reason I work at Bentleys is making sure the customers are happy and having a good time. For instance if the customers are not having a good time or are not satisfied with that service they are less likely to spend money or even return to the business. For example, some of the customer that has had a little too much to drink, sometimes they get irate if they order food and it takes longer than what they expect. These customers may say really rude and hurtful things , but you have to remain calm and professional and continue to give them and excellent level of service. So my caring about them makes them feel special and want to return to the business or even better give me a bigger tip. In conclusion through the long hours and even the few irate customers working at Bentley’s restaurant is a great place and I love working there. Making good money and meeting and making new friends are the top reason why I work at Bentleys. I wouldn’t trade my job for anything. How to cite Why I Love My Job, Essay examples

Sex Slavery In Thailand Essays - Sex Industry, Forced Prostitution

Sex Slavery In Thailand The desire to be wealthy in the glittering growth of the Thai economy not only lures Many girls into prostitution, but also keeps them there. Although it has not been legal to sell children and women in Thailand since 1905, it is now common for impoverished families in the north to indenture their daughters into sex slavery in closed brothels, from which they are not allowed to leave. It is estimated that 20 per cent of prostitutes were deceived and forced into the profession. When parents failed to repay debts they were asked to sign a promissory note allowing one daughter to be taken to work in Bangkok. The nature of the work was generally specified as housework or factory work, but as soon as the daughter arrived in Bangkok she was forced to receive clients. Slavery, which has been defined as ?the permanent, violent domination of natally alienated and generally dishonored persons? by Orlando Patterson, a Sociologist at Harvard University has aptly been able to openly recognize that such a tradition exists must be a positive albeit painful, first step. The young girl will thrive upon this degrading form of earning her livelihood, for the rest of her life. This profession robs an individual of her honor, self respect and self conscientiousness. With the rise of capitalism and the popularity of the consumer products Industry The trend towards child prostitution is increasing and has spread to many rural Communities, many peasant families, particularly in the North of Thailand, the selling of daughters into prostitution has become a strategy for economic survival and access to consumer goods. Prostituion in the Asia Pacific is also increasing due to the rural- urban migration, high unemployment and underemployment among young people and the growth of the tourist Industry. Another major factor is the prevalence of the ideology reinforcing male supremacy and the subordination of women. A Bangkok-based group, End Child Prostitution and Trafficking, has campaigned relentlessly against child prostitution, but this has not stopped foreign paedophiles from visiting Thailand. Indeed, the Thai police believe the number of foreigners traveling to the country to have sex with children is rising. All across South-East Asia an increasing number of young children are thought to be at risk. Trafficking in people for the purpose of prostitution is described as ``modern-day slavery''. It is estimated that about 250,000 Asians, mostly women and children, are bought and sold every year. Social Issues

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimeThe novel 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time,' by Mark Haddon is a one of a kind piece of narrative which takes us on a journey through the life of Christopher - a boy suffering from Asperger's Syndrome. Through the book Mark Haddon has tried to paint the picture of the life of someone who has to live with the disorder. The story is immensely accurate, since it is written in the first person narrative. He has classic traits of Asperger's Syndrome which add to the beauty of the story line.As the story goes, Christopher leads a secluded life with his single parent father and enjoys mathematics. The story spins off with the murder of a neighborhood dog which leads the boy through various twists and turns, one of which includes finding out that his mother is not dead.Christopher: "You Cheeseburger!"Mark Haddon has tried here to show the life of a boy who has the syndrome. The protagonist is a very sharp boy but has trouble comprehending emotions. In the book, his idea of emotions is "just having a picture on the screen in your head of what is going to happen tomorrow or next year, or what might happen instead of what did happen, and if it's a happy picture they smile and if it's a sad picture they cry." This is exactly how someone with the malady would react to the topic of human emotions.Christopher like other people with Aspergers Syndrome likes to stick to a meticulous routine life (till the dog dies). People, who have the syndrome, like Christopher 'decide' their feelings; Christopher concludes his mood on the basis of things like the number of cars he sees, or their colors. Unlike the vast...

Are You Better at the ACT or SAT Find Out For Sure!

Are You Better at the ACT or SAT Find Out For Sure! SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Because colleges accept both the ACT and SAT, it can be had to figure out which test to take. The changes to the SAT in 2016 made the two tests more similar than ever, although there are still some significant differences in content and format between the two tests. So how can you tell if you'll do better on the SAT or ACT? Drawing on my experience as a 99 percentile scorer on both the SAT and ACT, I'll give you a surefire way to figure out which test will result in the best outcome for you. The Gold Standard of Deciding Between the ACT and SAT There are enough differences between the ACT and the SAT that, empirically, it is difficult to predict beforehand if you'll be better at one than the other. The method I'm going to describe is the best way to be sure of seeing how you'll do on the SAT or ACT. You can use this information in many ways: to figure out what test to study, to see which scholarships you should apply to, and so forth. Once you've used this method, you don't have to guess. What's the method? It's to take both a real practice SAT and a real practice ACT. Who Should Use This Method? Taking practice tests is called the gold standard for a reason - it gives super precise information about which test you'll perform better on. However, taking two full-length practice tests is also time consuming. You should definitely use this method if one of the following applies to you: #1: You're Studying for 40+ Hours If you're going to focus on studying seriously, especially for more than 40 hours, it make sense to make sure you're spending it studying for the right test. Conversely, if you have fewer than 40 hours left (for example, only 20 hours), you should probably not spend 8 hours figuring out what test to take. #2: You're Willing to Invest Time and Energy in Studying If you care about your scores and are generally willing to invest the effort to get the best score, then taking a realistic practice SAT and a realistic practice ACT is a must. This method is not only good for telling if you're better at the ACT or SAT, but is also good practice in and of itself. If you're serious about the SAT or ACT, it would be a mistake not to do this. How Do I Find Out Whether I'm Better at the ACT or SAT? Step 1: Take a Full Practice SAT and a Full Practice ACT Get a real ACT practice test and a real SAT practice test (you can click on the links to get three of each for free). Make sure to choose one that you have not already used. Also, ideally, you should create a realistic testing environment with a timer, calculator, watch, and a quiet room. Now schedule four hours on two separate days to take the practice tests. You want to take them on separate days so that you're not more rested for one than the other. Most important of all, make sure your testing environment is similar on both days. The comparisons will not be valid if you take one at 10AM in a quiet library with plenty of sleep, and another at 8PM in a noisy house after eating a heavy meal. Step 2: Convert Your ACT Score to an SAT Score Now that you have both scores, use our ACT to SAT score conversion tools and tables to convert your ACT score to its SAT equivalent. Example: Mary got a 29 on her practice ACT. She uses the table linked above to convert this to1340. Mary got a 1200 out of 1600 on her SAT. Step 3: Compare Your Scores and Make the Call If your score difference ismore than 100 pointsin either direction, then you have a clear winner. You have done substantially better on one test than the other. You know which one you are better at! Moreover, a 100-point difference is substantial, and colleges will reward you for the better score. Continuing from the example above, Mary's ACT score is equivalent to a 1340 SAT score, while her SAT score is 1200. This means her ACT score is 140 points better than her SAT. She is definitely better at the ACT. If your score difference isless than 100 points, then you don't have a natural disadvantage on either test. The point difference is likely due to chance, and you could study for and score equally well on either test. Now you know how to precisely figure out whether you are better at the SAT or ACT! What’s Next? Get free offical practice SATs and official practice ACTs from us. Download and save them now and use them whenever! Don't have time to use the gold standard? Use our quick method to find out if you're better at the SAT or ACT. Read about the nitty gritty technical details about differences between the SAT and ACT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Symbolism of Movie The Matrix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Symbolism of Movie The Matrix - Essay Example Symbolism in this movie is portrayed specifically by the characters and its plot. The movie focuses on how a small group of humans waged war against Artificial Intelligent Machines which seemed to have overtaken humanity (Roz Kaveney 34). In the movie, the machines take part in destruction and simulation of the world. The name of the movie refers to the simulated world, that is, a faked world. Matrix believers, as the movie depicts, agree with everything they do, feel, touch, do or anything that comes in their sight as real. In the movie, Zion City, which is located underground remains as the only human city where the machines have not conquered. Those who are not believers of Matrix together with those who have pulled out, reside in this city. However, just like extentialists like Kierkegaard, who do doubt the existence of God who can help us can be compared to those who believed in the Matrix. They did not believe that there was existence of a better place than where they were at t he moment. The symbolism used in the movie comes directly from the scriptures. It is however not concerned or related with any particular claims of a given religion. In Philosophy, this can be termed as Philosophy of Religion. For instance, the hidden city called Zion in the movie is what, according to the scriptures, called the wilderness. Just like in the scriptures, the wilderness is a truth that not many people know about. The same applies to Zion, which is actually hidden. In addition to this, according to the scriptures, the wilderness is a place God has created to protect his people against the evil when satan knocks at the door. Just like the children of Israel entered the wilderness as a place where they could find refuge, Zion served as a place where those people who did not believe in the Matrix ran to hide against the wicked Artificial Intelligent Machines. Just as an addition, Zion, the name used for the city in the movie, was one of the names given to the Children of I srael. Another area where symbolism is used in the movie, just like in the scriptures, when satan waged war against the children of Israel, not all children ran to the wilderness for hiding. The same applies in the movie where it is seen that all people run to the hidden city for refuge. Most of the key characters taking up various roles in the movie are Hebrews (blacks). This makes one to arrive at a conclusion that the person who did the writing of the movie, most likely was a black person. It is actually true, Sophia Steward, also referred to as the Mother of the Matrix who is a Hebrew Sister is the original author of the movie. The simulation used in the movie portrays the deceptive nature of the satanic world. According to Revelations 12:9, it is said that the great dragon, which is an old serpent also referred to as the Devil or Satan, has his main mission to deceive the world. This simulation, as used in the movie, makes those who believe in the Matrix not to have any questio n marks in their actions, whatever they see and feel. They take everything as real. According to From Alien to the Matrix, it is obvious that some roles were to be played no other group but the Hebrews. It is clear that none of the Hebrews did take up any role associated with the evil. The agents, on the side of characters and characterization, were allocated the most diabolical roles. In essence, they were used to

Stages in the Model of Planned Organizational Change Essay

Stages in the Model of Planned Organizational Change - Essay Example Before going to discuss stages in the model of planned organizational change, let us get a better understanding of what organizational change actually is. Organizational change refers to those changes that occur in the organization due to the influence of various external and internal forces. Rasing (2010) states, â€Å"The key to organizational change and development lies in the understanding of people's requirements and work towards it†. External and internal forces of change not only affect organizational policies but also but also affect organizational structure. Organizational change is a very important process related to roles and cultural management of a company. It refers to the changes in overall behaviors and roles of the employees of a company for bringing improvement in the overall productivity of the company. There are four main activities involved in the model of planned organizational change, which include entering, diagnosing, planning and implementing change, and evaluating and institutionalizing change. Let us discuss all of these activities in order to know what role they play in bringing change in any specific organization. Stage 1: Entering and Contracting Entering and contracting is the first set of activities involved in the planned organizational change. In this stage, managers decide whether they need to enter into the activity of organizational change or not.

Country PESTEL Analysis of Nigeria

Country PESTEL Analysis of Nigeria METHODOLOGY Most scholars in various fields have pointed out several factors that they believe are responsible for why certain students chose certain career choice other than their preferred choice of career. Parental factor, peer group influence, financial status of their parents and guardian among other factors could be arguably said as the perceived factors that influence career choice of most under graduates of Nigerian origin. Hence, this work seeks to unveil and ascertain the level of influence on the aforementioned factors, putting into perspective the Nigerian factor. Contrary to the above assertion, some scholars believed that other factors could also be responsible in exerting influence on the individual in deciding which career to pursue knowing that student of Nigerian origin are collectivist in nature whilst others argue based on the job prospect and bad governmental institution set up by the Nigerian government. It is upon these arguments that the methodological chapter seeks to highlight the manner and ways in which the investigator gathered the relevant information and how the information gathered was used to answer the research question. This chapter focused on the discussion of the methods used in the cause of the investigation of this thesis. In other to determine the validity and reliability of this work, the researcher’s methodology is very crucial (Gilham, 2000; Fink, 2005; Brockopp, 2003). The word methodology is been used differently by different scholars in relationship to their chosen profession and areas of specialisation. Methodology in the area of research and investigation simply refers to those procedures employed by a researcher or investigator to uncover or reveal a set of problems; the procedures taken could be theoretical in some cases, and in other cases can also involve systematical collection and analysing of raw data. As a result, this methodological chapter will discuss its findings under the following sub headings, research design, population of the study, sampling pattern, research instrument, administration of the instrument, interviews and ethical issues as relates to the collection and use of data. RESEARCH DESIGN In the course of this research, the descriptive survey design was employed in the study. According to Amaid (2002), the descriptive survey design method of research is about collecting the ideas and data of a sample of the population targeted in the course of the investigation, so as to deduce and draw a conclusion on the population to which the sample is drawn. Surveys are often used in analysing real and concise information how it happen and when it happen. The survey design according to Cobb(2001) states that, the survey design gives the researcher the free will to other range of option within his or he disposal either through interviews, questionnaire or even through observation. The survey method can also use structured, semi structured and even unstructured questionnaire. However, it is believed that it gives the researcher a variety of options in arriving at a given solution that is called Triangulation (Descombe, 2012). This method of research allows the researcher to gather large number of information from respondent in order to infer into the population that is the main target of the study. Invariably, this method is the most suitable for this research. POPULATION OF THE STUDY The population sample involves students both male and female of the University of Bedfordshire, in the United Kingdom who are of Nigerian descent. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE The word stratified means in categories or placing items or people in various categories according to where they belong. Whilst random means a process of selection in which items of a set or population has equal probability of being chosen. In that, the stratified random technique chosen for this investigation reveals that each item selected ranging from male to female, post graduate to undergraduate and even the MBA’s all have equal probably chance of representation. Stratified random sampling technique was used for the study. The stratification was based on gender of the student (male and female) socio economic status of the parents (high and low) and age of the student. The stratified sampling technique according to Descombe (2010), has to do with equal representation according to their proportion in relationship to the number of respondent involved in the research, taking into account such vital information like the demography of the participant. AREA OF STUDY This investigation is carried out in the University of Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. The essence of this investigation is to ascertain the perceived factor’s that influences the career choice of Nigerian university student study in the university. SAMPLE According to Descombe (2012) sample simply means a small proportion of the entire population mapped out for study or investigation. It is believed by the researcher that, information about a field of study cannot be gotten from all the people and not everyone can be reached. Consequently, a selected few from the entire population is relied upon to infer into the remaining, hoping that what it found in that selected few can be qualitative and quantitative enough to be generalised. The total sample for this study consist of 200 students drawn from among the general population of the university of Bedfordshire that are of Nigeria origin and who are currently doing their undergraduate, post graduate and the MBA programmes respectively. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT A designed instrument titled perceived factors influencing career choice of university students was used to collect data for the study. The instrument has two sections 1 and 2. Section 1 of the instrument was designed to elicit respondent demographic data such as age, name, and state of origin. It also contains ethical statements concerning the use of data, confidentiality, and anonymity, the right to withdraw from the research and data security. Whilst section 2; of the instrument was designed to contain the perceived factors influencing career choice of university students of Nigerian origin. Also the section 2 contains a Yes or No based response and a comment box if student thinks otherwise. A follow up interview was also carried out in order to give the research both qualitative and a quantitative base, which was also described by Descombe as Triangulation or mix method (Descombe, 2010). INTERVIEWS According to Descombe (2012), this is a planned talk between two or more respondents that take place in such a way that the respondent is willing to answer questions directly from the person carrying out the interview. Notably, interviews are carried out to illicit response on certain issues of investigation. There are basically three types of pattern an interview follows and they are: Structured interview Semi structure interview Unstructured interview But for the sake of this study and investigation, the semi-structured interview was employed in order to follow up the responses given in the cause of carrying out the pilot questionnaire. SEMI STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE This is a situation where the order of questions varies according to the responses given by the respondent as the conversation flows between them. This type of interview is called semi structure because there may be some intended question the interviewer had in mind to ask but keeps his options open depending on the responses of the person being interviewed. Therefore, this piece of research seeks to carry out its interview with ten (10) participants in order to give a different view from the once answered in the questionnaire with a full recording of the excerpt. QUESIONNAIRE The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines questionnaire as a set of question printed and submitted either manually or electronically to a set of audience in order to elicit their perception on the topic of investigation. Questionnaires can be delivered on a face-to-face value or by post. According to Descombe (2010), it also involves a set of designed sheet prepared specifically to gather information that could be used in due time for analytical purposes. Therefore, the purpose of using a questionnaire in the research is to find out those perceived factors influencing career choice of Nigerian students here in the University of Bedfordshire United Kingdom. The type of questionnaire employed is a YES or NO type THE DESIGN OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE The design of the questionnaire was motivated and influenced by the topic of investigation that is geared toward investigating the perceived factors that influences career choice of University students of Nigeria. As a result, issues like what questions to ask, pattern to follow in asking the questions and the sequence to which those questions should follow were of primary concern to the researcher. Furthermore, the design seeks to meet the aim and objective toward which it is been carried out and how to possibly collate the information therein. Going by that, the questionnaire was designed to illicit the responses of the participants on the subject of investigation and to see if the designed meets and answers the hypothesis of this investigation by the use of the questionnaire. PILOTING OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE The questionnaire was piloted with a small number of participants in order to know whether the questionnaire designed would meet the targeted aim. The reason is to underscore the shortcoming and strength of the questionnaire in order to give room for amendment where necessary. The process involved in this piloting was carried out through survey monkey where participant respond online through social networks such as the Facebook and Whatsapp and through the e-mails. ETHICAL ISSUES Just like every research and investigation, the researcher faces a lot of issues as relate to been professional and they are Informed consent Data protection and security Confidentiality and privacy Anonymity Brief overview of Nigeria: PESTEL Analysis Nigeria is regarded as one of the most populous countries in the world. It is situated on the western part of Africa with a population of 173.6 million people. Owing to that, there is a prospect for Nigeria to develop in all spheres of life both human and material wise. This work will base its explanation of all the factors mentioned above using the PESTLE analysis. Although, different theories could be used in relation to career and choice but the PESTLE embraces the entire dimension explained so far. The word PESTEL stand for political, economic, sociological, technical, environmental and legal factor of both the macro and the micro society that the students find themselves, which in one way or the other affects the decision of students in pursuit of their careers. (P)OLITICAL SYSTEM This mostly has to do with the governmental decisions of a country. The political culture of a country can influence the decision of career choices of students in that particular country. Over the years governments in most African countries own all higher places of learning and therefore, control the tuition fees and the appointment of lecturers and staffs. Thus, the decisions of government directly or indirectly affect how a student thinks and acts because most students will for the sake of convenience want to attend a university where the tuition fees is quite affordable. The Nigerian constitution of 1999 places the direct control of all public schools in the hand of the government (the constitution of Nigeria, 1999). The educational value index is 0.457 when compared to the US which is 0.939. School leaving age of Nigerian is 9.0 while the mean year for adult is averaged at 25 years thus making it 6334 educational system. The graph above shows the structure of Education in Nigeria; the 6-3-3-4 Educational System. Six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary, three years in senior secondary and four years in the University or polytechnics. (E)CONOMIC SYSTEM The living condition of the people also accounts for why students choose one career over the other. In a country like Nigeria where the social stratification places more gap between the poor and the rich and the average living condition of the people is below one dollar per day, it is believed that the poor will send their children to schools, which they can afford the tuition fees and the rich will do the same (Ekins, 2003; Lizt and Quij, 2004). Human capital development is a key factor in the growth and development of a country Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Nigeria has been improving her Human Development Index (HDI) since its inception to civil rule in 1999. The HDI is regarded as an important element for a nations wealth because it influences all round development of the country especially in areas such as, technology, skilled labored, computer expertise and machines. These developments are seen as important especially if the quality of life and production needs to be improved. Nigeria is ranked at the bottom among 187 countries which 0.487(156 values). Nigeria has a low level of HDI as compared to other countries in the sub region. They are branding of the Nigeria Economy leads to the Gross Domestic Product increase over the years and this has led to the diversification of the economy thereby making Nigeria the largest Africa economy surpassing South Africa. This trend has given rise to students seeking for employment and taking up career choice that they do not have the right aptitude and desire for. The improvement could be seen in the non oil sector of the economy given a GDP of 5.4 percent and 7.8 percent for the year 2011 to 2014. The graph above shows the GDP of Nigeria from 2004 up to the year 2015 showing the projected increase in the gross domestic product of the country. The graph above shows the GDP of Nigeria from 2004 up to the year 2015 showing the projected increase in the gross domestic product of the country. (S)OCIAL SYSTEM This involves all the interactions in the environment putting more emphasis on factors such as the demographic conditions of the actor in the system, their cultural orientation, choice of career and even the dynamism of the population. According to Hofstede (2010), every society has five cultural effect and these issues affect most decision we make depending on our societal values. The following are what he used to describe every society and they are: Power distance. Individuality vs Collectivism. Uncertainty avoidance. Masculinity vs Feminism. Pragmatic vs Normatic These are the five dimension of hofstede(2010). Figure 4. The diagram above shows a comparative view of Nigerian and the United Kingdom cultural setups. As discussed above, it shows the level at which those factors influence the individual in that society. POWER DISTANCE Nigeria scores very high (80%) in power distance as compared to the United Kingdom (35%). This shows that, there is a flow of power from the top to the bottom and people (students) take directive right from the top. It is expected that most students in such countries like Nigeria will pay attention to their parents, guardians, teachers, and even their boss in the office; therefore they tend to influence them positively or negatively in regards to their choice of career. Whilst in the United Kingdom there is a level play ground between parents, guardian, teachers, and even at place of work, such that students are free to make career decisions. LONG TERM ORIENTATION In Nigeria, most people take up careers that have the immediate benefit to their needs due to the poverty level of people in the country; thus they pursue those jobs with big packages so as to be able to fend for their immediate and extended family. Arguably, the Nigerian society is a collectivist society and that makes one to look after the large family; such responsibility influences the choice of career of most students from Nigeria. On the other hand, the students from the United Kingdom take up courses because they have the right aptitude and motivation for that particular course and profession and this is due to the fact that they are individualist in nature meaning that, they do not have pressure from family and friends. (T)ECHNOLOGICAL FACTOR The advent of technology in the country has brought about many hopes and aspirations for most students in the country. The social media has really added flavor to how things are done in the universities. Firstly, most of the students from low socio economic background and students that are engaged in one form of business or the other can key into online universities. Many institutions abroad have enlarged the prospect of students seeking admission into place of higher learning without adequate funds to finance their studies, in that, students from Nigeria are now benefiting from such opportunities because students are mostly influences by their aptitude and belief. Secondly, the advent of technology creates room for ideas to be shared across the world with ease. They tap into things happening in other institutions and universities in the world knowing that they are the future leaders. During General Olusegun Obasanjo’s led government; he encouraged and gave the private sector green light to grow economically in other to ease the burden on the government. This led to various reforms in the country including the Economic reform. Year 2000 saw the government privatisation program showing great sign of real progress thereby making fresh graduates from Universities benefit from the diversification of the economy. With Government having key control of most affairs of the states, the Telecommunication sector has proven a success especially with the introduction of GSM telecommunication in 2001 thus encouraging investments. (E)NVIRONMENTAL FACTOR Most students are kin about what the environment hold for them and with many universities keying into vision 2020. Students tend to pursue careers that will enhance their productivity in the environment. With hundreds of ethnic nationalities holding stakes and wanting clarity on what the Nigerian state holds for them, especially when given the predominance of the three major ethnic groups. This is always a big challenge to students who intend to take up certain choice of careers; thus, it is difficult identifying common goal and aspiration of students based on their career preference either as a group, individual or even sectional interest. Nigerian environment is distinctly divided into two, while the majority of population in the northern Nigerian is Muslims, those in the southern part of Nigeria are Christians with religious and traditional barrier hindering the choice of career of students from these areas, in that, they are mostly influenced by those environmental factors within and outside the society.(kuku,2012). (L)EGAL FACTOR The kind of laws operating in a particular country can hinder the prospect of students. Legislations and policies of government can also influence the effectiveness of students. For instance, in a country where Islamic laws prohibit students from taking some sets of professional job or career, it might not only affect the growth of that country but it will as well influence their choice of career.

Expect more, get more

Finding the perfect match online promises to become simpler with the September 21 launching of moreProfiles.com, a website that hopes to become the hub of online dating services. With the help of powerful Web 2.0 software, moreProfiles’ president John Dahl and his associates have created a site that makes it easier for singles to search profiles, upload their own, do side-by-side comparisons—everything necessary find their perfect match. The website enlarges the selection pool by bringing together such major players in the online dating industry as Yahoo Personals, Match, American Singles, Love Happens, and True. moreProfiles.com gives the public free access to the 30 million profiles held separately by each of these dating websites, but all from one central web location. The charm and ingenuity of moreProfiles.com is the simplicity that comes with having to do only One Searchâ„ ¢ and to submit only One Profileâ„ ¢. Previously, singles interested in online dating have found that choosing a dating website often locks them into the relatively stagnant pool of users that belong to that one site. Simultaneously, it has effectively locked them out of several competing sites, any one of which has the potential to contain the one person that could match them completely. moreProfiles’ One Profileâ„ ¢ and One Searchâ„ ¢ solutions propose to remove the guesswork from choosing a dating service, as it brings all the top ones directly to the searcher. Just one search command probes the vaults of several of the most prominent dating websites, giving singles free and complete access to the profiles of millions and making it easier for them to find their match. In addition, the submission of just one profile gets singles’ information out to all the top dating websites, making it easier for matches to find them. Information integration is at the heart of moreProfiles’ mission. The key component of the One Searchâ„ ¢ and One Profileâ„ ¢ aspects of moreProfiles is its meta-search capability that reaches across company lines to bring all relevant information to searchers. It has been Dahl’s concern that singles should not be distracted by decisions about which online dating service to use.   He says, â€Å"The question shouldn't be ‘Which dating website is right for me?’ The question should be ‘Which person is right for me?’† He believes that it should be as simple to search online for a dating partner as it is has been to search for any thing else. In keeping with this, Dahl and his team have used meta-search technology to create a website that integrates all the browsing, searching, and comparison capabilities necessary for making perhaps the most important decision in a person’s life. To moreProfiles and its users, this unique service represents a long-overdue development in online dating services. The president and staff of moreProfiles.com are confident that the site fills a gaping hole in the world of online dating, and are sure that this will become evident in the coming months through an expected influx of singles to the site. Dahl says, â€Å"By offering a way to easily and intuitively browse all the top online dating websites simultaneously, we think a lot more people are going to take advantage of online dating to reach out and find that special someone.†   

Competitive Improv Theater Games for Improv Actors

Most improvisational activities are guided by a very loose format. Actors might be given a location or a situation in which to create a scene. For the  most part, they have the freedom to make up their own characters, dialogue, and actions. Improv comedy groups play each scene in hopes of generating laughter. More serious acting troupes create realistic improvisational scenes. There are, however, many challenging improv games that are competitive in nature. They are judged usually by a moderator, host, or even the audience. These types of games generally put a lot of restrictions on the performers, resulting in a great deal of fun for the viewers. Some of the most entertaining competitive improvisation games are: The Question GameAlphabetWorld’s Worst Remember: Although these games are competitive by design, they are meant to be performed in the spirit of comedy and camaraderie. The Question Game In Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, the two bumbling protagonists wander through Hamlet’s rotten Denmark, amusing themselves with a combative â€Å"question game.† It’s a sort of verbal tennis match. Stoppard’s clever play demonstrates the basic idea of the Question Game: create a scene in which two characters speak only in questions. How to Play:  Ask the audience for a location. Once the setting is established, the two actors begin the scene. They must speak only in questions. (Normally one question at a time.) No sentences ending with a period – no fragments – just questions. Example: LOCATION: A popular theme park.Tourist: How do I get to the water ride?Ride Operator: First time at Disneyland?Tourist: How can you tell?Ride Operator: Which ride did you want?Tourist: Which one makes the biggest splash?Ride Operator: Are you ready to get soaking wet?Tourist: Why else would I be wearing this raincoat?Ride Operator: Do you see that big ugly mountain down yonder?Tourist: Which one? And so it continues. It might sound easy, but continually coming up with questions that progress the scene is quite challenging for most performers. If the actor says something that is not a question, or if they continually repeat questions (â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"What did you say again?†), then the audience is encouraged to make a â€Å"buzzer† sound effect. The â€Å"loser† who failed to properly respond sits down. A new actor joins the competition. They can continue using the same location/situation or a new setting can be established. Alphabet This game is ideal for performers with a knack for alphabetization. The actors create a scene in which each line of dialogue begins with a certain letter of the alphabet. Traditionally, the game starts off with an â€Å"A† line. Example: Actor #1: All right, our first annual comic book club meeting is called to order.Actor #2: But I’m the only one wearing a costume.Actor #1: Cool.Actor #2: Does it make me look fat?Actor #1: Excuse me, but what’s the name of your character?Actor #2: Fat man.Actor #1: Good, then it suits you. And it continues all the way through the alphabet. If both actors make it to the end, then it’s usually considered a tie. However, if one of the actors flubs up, the audience members make their judgmental â€Å"buzzer† sound, and the actor at fault leaves the stage to be replaced by a new challenger. Normally, the audience supplies the location or the relationship of the characters. If you tire of always beginning with the letter â€Å"A† the audience can randomly select a letter for the performers to begin with. So, if they receive the letter â€Å"R† they would work their way through â€Å"Z,† go to â€Å"A† and end with â€Å"Q.† Ugh, it’s starting to sound like algebra! World’s Worst This is less an improv exercise and more of an â€Å"instant punch-line† game. Although it’s been around a long time, â€Å"World’s Worst† was made popular by the hit show, Whose Line Is It Anyway? In this version, 4 to 8 actors stand in a line facing the audience. A moderator gives random locations or situations. The performers come up with the world’s most inappropriate (and incredibly humorous) thing to say. Here are some examples from Whose Line Is It Anyway: World’s Worst thing to say on your first day in prison: Who here loves to crochet?World’s Worst thing to say on a romantic date: Let’s see. You had the Big Mac. That’s two dollars you owe me.World’s Worst thing to say at a Major Award Ceremony: Thank you. As I accept this major award, I’d like to thank everyone I’ve ever met. Jim. Sarah. Bob. Shirley. Tom, etc. If the audience responds positively, then the moderator can give the performer a point. If the joke generates boos or groans, then the moderator may want to good-naturedly take points away. Note: Veteran improv performers know that these activities are meant to entertain. There aren’t really winners or losers. The whole purpose is to have fun, make the audience laugh, and sharpen your improve skills. However, young performers might not understand this. If you are a drama teacher or a youth theater director, consider the maturity level of your actors before trying these activities.

Intransitive Verbs Definition and Examples

In  English grammar, an intransitive verb is a  verb (such as laugh) that does not take a direct object. Contrast with a transitive verb. Many verbs have both a transitive and an intransitive function, depending on how they are used. The verb ​write, for instance, sometimes takes a direct object (Shyla writes an essay every week) and sometimes does not (Shyla writes well). Examples and Observations My little mother . . . saw me and fainted.(Maya Angelou, Mom Me Mom. Random House, 2013)Fern had not arrived for her usual visit.(E.B. White, Charlottes Web. Harper, 1952)It rains, the leaves tremble.(Quoted by Rabindranath Tagore in The Religion of Man, 1930)We must have the courage to be patient. . . . If you fell down yesterday, stand up to-day.(H.G. Wells, The Anatomy of Frustration, 1936)Overhead the swallows of Sarlat swooped and dove around the medieval houses.(Fenton Johnson, Geography of the Heart. Washington Square, 1996)Sometimes imagination pounces; mostly it sleeps soundly in the corner, purring.(Attributed to Leslie Grimutter)My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness painsMy sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk.(John Keats, Ode to a Nightingale)I cut down trees,I skip and jump,I like to press wild flowers.(Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson, The Lumberjack Song. Monty Pythons Flying Circus, 1969)The woman with the short, upcurling hair slept in a twisted si deways heap.(Martha Gelhorn, Miami-New York. The Atlantic Monthly, 1953) The Difference Between Intransitive and Transitive Verbs Most people already know something about verb constructions in the form of a dim memory of the distinction between intransitive and transitive verbs. Intransitive verbs like snore appear without a direct object, as in Max snored; it sounds odd to say Max snored a racket. Transitive verbs like sprain require a direct object, as in Shirley sprained her ankle; it sounds odd to say Shirley sprained. (Stephen Pinker, The Stuff of Thought. Viking, 2007) Intransitive Complementation Some verbs are complete in themselves and do not require any further elements to make their meaning complete: although there may be further elements in the sentence, these are not essential. This is called intransitive complementation. It involves verbs such as: appear, arrive, begin, break, come, cough, decrease, die, disappear, drown, fall, go, happen, increase, laugh, lie (tell an untruth), matter, rain, rise, sneeze, snow, stop, swim, wait, work. (Ronald Carter and Michael McCarthy, Cambridge Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press, 2006) The Intransitive Use of Be Intransitive verbs are verbs that do not take an object or subject attribute in the sentence. Also note that the verb be, when followed by an adverbial expressing place or time, is used as an intransitive verb.(Marjolyn Verspoor and Kim Sauter, English Sentence Analysis. John Benjamins, 2000) He is running.He is reading.He is turning around.He is in London at the moment.