Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details

Practice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific Details AÂ  topic sentence contains the main idea upon which a paragraph is developed. Often it appears at (or near) the beginning of a paragraph, introducing the main idea and suggesting the direction that the paragraph will take. What follows a topic sentence are a number of supporting sentences that develop the main idea with specific details. Practice Excercise Here is an effective topic sentence for a descriptive paragraph: My most valuable possession is an old, slightly warped, blond guitar- the first instrument that I ever taught myself how to play. This sentence not only identifies the prized belonging (an old, slightly warped, blond guitar) but also suggests why the writer values it (the first instrument that I ever taught myself how to play). Some of the sentences below support this topic sentence with specific descriptive details. Others, however, offer information that would be inappropriate in a unified descriptive paragraph. Read the sentences carefully, and then pick out only those that support the topic sentence with precise descriptive details. When youre done, compare your responses with the suggested answers below: It is a Madeira folk guitar, all scuffed and scratched and finger-printed.My grandparents gave it to me on my thirteenth birthday.I think they bought it at the Music Lovers Shop in Rochester where they used to live.At the top is a bramble of copper-wound strings, each one hooked through the eye of a silver tuning key.Although copper strings are much harder on the fingers than nylon strings, they sound much better than the nylon ones.The strings are stretched down a long slim neck.The frets on the neck are tarnished, and the wood has been worn down by years of fingers pressing chords.It was three months before I could even tune the guitar properly, and another few months before I could manage the basic chords.You have to be very patient when first learning how to play the guitar.You should set aside a certain time each day for practice.The body of the Madeira is shaped like an enormous yellow pear, one that has been slightly damaged in shipping.A guitar can be awkward to hold, particu larly if it seems bigger than you are, but you need to learn how to hold it properly if youre ever going to play it right. I usually play sitting down because its more comfortable that way.The blond wood has been chipped and gouged to gray, particularly where the pick guard fell off years ago.I have a Gibson now and hardly ever play the Madeira any more. Suggested Answers The following sentences support the topic sentence with precise descriptive details: 1. It is a Madeira folk guitar, all scuffed and scratched and finger-printed. 4. At the top is a bramble of copper-wound strings, each one hooked through the eye of a silver tuning key. 6. The strings are stretched down a long slim neck. 7. The frets on the neck are tarnished, and the wood has been worn down by years of fingers pressing chords. 11. The body of the Madeira is shaped like an enormous yellow pear, one that has been slightly damaged in shipping. 14. The blond wood has been chipped and gouged to gray, particularly where the pick guard fell off years ago.

Online English To Chinese Translation Resources

Online English To Chinese Translation Resources There are many cases in which you might need to translate from English to Chinese. Perhaps you are running a multi-lingual event, need a little guidance with Chinese homework, a native Chinese speaker learning English, or simply curious. For whatever situation, hopefully  this  list of online English to Chinese translation resources beyond Google Translate can be helpful.   English To Chinese Words When translating words, an English to Chinese dictionary can be used for this purpose. There are several online English to Chinese dictionaries, including: YellowBridge Chinese-English Talking DictionaryMandarin Tools Chinese-English DictionaryLexiconer English to Chinese Dictionary English To Chinese Phrases While words are relatively easy to translate from English to Chinese, it is much more difficult to translate phrases. Google Translate allows you to paste in text or specify a web page for translation, but the result is sometimes difficult to understand. English to Chinese phrase translators include: Babel FishBubblesHow To SayReverso Translation Services None of these online translators do a very good job of translating from English to Chinese. If results are critical, you will have to hire an English to Chinese translation service. The ideal English to Chinese translator will be a native Mandarin speaker with a good knowledge of English. Small firms which specialize in English / Chinese language pairs are also a good choice since they usually have both native English speakers and native Mandarin speakers on staff, who work together on translation projects.

History 1112 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

History 1112 - Essay Example On the contrary, Russia advocated for communism, and thus wanted its allies and other of its friendly countries to adapt this (49). Consequently, Joseph Stalin, the then Russian president issued a very hostile speech in February 1946, postulating that capitalism and communism were not compatible, and that communism was more superior and public friendly. This was followed by a requirement by the then USA president Truman, that Russia leaves Iran, on March of the same year (65). The subsequent periods were marked by an arms race between the two countries, each launching major nuclear bomb tests by Russia in 1949 and USA in 1953 (38). The hostility continued for the better of the 1960-1970s, with each country seeking to contain the spread of the other countries ideology and dominance. This period was marked by among others the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Afghan war of 1979 to 1989 (51). While the Soviet Union blocked the access to West Berlin, the USA and its allies sought to supply it through air. This greatly increased the tension. Several agreements were entered to throughout the period to stop any breakout of a physical war, since it would have seen nuclear weapons used, which would have caused untold damage

My experience in SQM course Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

My experience in SQM course - Assignment Example I never thought of quality management being used in other departments or sectors including the public sector. However, after getting an opportunity to study quality management, I have come to learn that it is an integral part of every sector and all the departments in an organization or firm. Quality Management, as I have come to know, involves planning the operations and activities of an organization strategically with the aim of satisfying customer needs and achieving the visions of an organization. (Dale, Boaden, & Lascelles, 1994) Quality management is highly structured and detailed and focuses on different aspects to achieve the set goals. Through my study of Total Quality management, I have learnt that leadership is an integral part of quality management .According to Auckland (1993) quality management starts with the top management. The way an organization takes matters of quality is therefore dependent on the leadership structures in an organization. The top management should be comprised of people with personal commitment to matters concerning quality. The leadership of an organization needs to create clear and visible values. The leadership is the role model to the rest of the staff members for proper implementation of quality management strategies. I learn that for quality goals to be achieved there should be close relationship among divisions in an organization. This will help in clearly creating and communicating quality ethics. This understanding has enabled me to appreciate that even at the place where I work; there is need of the human resource department to work together with other sections and provide good leadership to attain the vision of the organization. Through studying of quality management I have been able to understand the role of benchmarking in achieving quality objectives. Before my study understanding of benchmarking was distorted. In Total Quality Management, benchmarking

Supporting Teaching and Learning Essay Example for Free

Supporting Teaching and Learning Essay Health and safety is monitored and maintained in various ways within School; we have Health and Safety policy that complies with the Health and Safety at work at 1974, this is available on the School’s VLE for all staff, parents and students to see, the Health and Safety policy outlines the main objectives, these objectives are implemented every day in school. All staff at School has regular training to keep them up to date with the current Health and Safety at school. Every department within School has a Health and Safety representative that is responsible for keeping individual departmental Health and Safety Policies up to date. Under the Health and Safety at work at 1974 all employees at Jack Hunt School has a responsibility to comply with Health and Safety within the School. All staff are to check equipment they are planning to use before the students use it, this is to ensure that it is safe. Staff in subjects where goggles, gloves or aprons are used they are to ensure that they not faulty and provided when required. Risk Assessments are an important part of protecting; staff, students and visitors to School. A risk assessment is carried out to identify potential risks and/or hazards, once you have identified the risk and/or hazard you would need to carry out a risk assessment to try to minimise the risk and/or hazard to a minimal and acceptable level for staff, pupils and visitors. When you are completing a risk assessment you need to remember that it is only effective at the time of assessment and should be monitored at all times reviewing if an accident should happen or annually whichever may arise first. You have a legal obligation to complete risk assessments for anything and everything you do at school whether this is onsite or offsite. Not only are risk assessments a legal requirement but if you do not complete risk assessments you are putting yourself, pupils, visitors and other staff in danger. Below is a flow chart on how to complete a risk assessment. Within School has overall responsibility for completing risk assessments. However, each department has their own risk assessments and the head of department or a nominated person within the department is responsible for completing the risk assessments and keeping them up to date. Learning support departments point of contact for risk assessments is R Reeves; she is responsible for all risk assessments that need carrying out with our department. Teachers are reasonable for completing their own risk assessments for their classroom and any classroom work that requires a risk assessment to be carried out. If there is a field trip going on it is down to the person in charge or whoever they may delegate to survey the location and complete risk assessments for any possible risks or hazards. All staff at School are made aware of any changes to risk assessments by either being verbally informed or by e-mail. If a new risk assessment has been generated staff will be made aware in the tri weekly staff meeting or by e-mail, all staff will be made aware of where the new risk assessment is located and how to access it. If the pupils require a risk assessment to participate in a science experiment or in design technology etc. they will be verbally told the risk assessment including the hazards, risks and what to do if an incident should arise. Visitors to school sign in and wear a visitors badge, by signing in they are saying they have read the main points within the health and safety policy, the main points are in the inside of the sign in folder.

Wiliam Faulkners Emily Rose Character Analysis Essay -- essays resear

All Roses Are Red Unreasonably determined to exert one?s own will is the definition of the word 'stubborn'. William Faulkner is a southern writer who focuses in his work on human experiences and behavior influenced by the South, the Civil War, and the post Civil War effects. In Faulkner's, 'A Rose for Emily', Faulkner constantly depicts Emily as a stubborn character, especially stubborn about changing her way of life. Faulkner uses subtle clues from diction and description as well as obvious statements through dialogue and direct actions to show this quality many times throughout the story. William Faulkner implies Emily?s stubbornness with subtle clues in description and through symbols. Faulkner would like us to take notice of how determined Emily is to resist all change. Everything that Faulkner refers to as hers is outdated and unchanging. He goes to note her house as, ?The only house left? and describes it as ?lifting its stubborn decay?, (206). She resides alone as the only one left on her block because everyone else has modernized and moved forth with production a...

Survey for Family Day Motivation

Motivators for Fall Family Day Attendance The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify the primary student motivators used when deciding to attend or not attend Fall Family Day. This information will be used to make improvements and further increase interest in the event. Please take the time to answer the following questions as they best apply to you. Thank you, and we appreciate your time and responses. 1. Are you familiar with Family Day? -No (Please go to question 13) -Yes (Please continue) 2. How do you learn about Family Day? Please check all that apply. -University webpage -Student newsletter -Campus banners -Event flyers Word of mouth from other students -Other (please specify) 3. Have you ever attended Family Day? -No (Please go to question 8) -Yes, I only attended this year (Please go to question 5) -Yes, I only attended in previous years. (Please go to question 6) -Yes, I attended both this year and in previous years.(Please continue) 4. Please indicate your level of s atisfaction with the Fall Family Day you attended in previous year: -Very satisfied -Moderately satisfied -Neutral -Moderately dissatisfied -Strongly dissatisfied 5. Please indicate your level of satisfaction with the Fall Family Day this year, then go to question 9 -Very satisfied Moderately satisfied -Neutral -Moderately dissatisfied -Strongly dissatisfied 6. Please indicate your level of satisfaction with the Fall Family Day you attended in previous year: -Very satisfied -Moderately satisfied -Neutral -Moderately dissatisfied -Strongly dissatisfied 7. Why did you choose not to attend this year? Please check all that apply, then go to question 9. -Not interested -Time conflict -No new events -Can't afford it -Poor reviews from others -No available hotels -Travel distance -Overcrowded -Family not able to attend -Family not interested this year -Other (please specify) 8. Why did you not attend Fall Family Day?Please check all that apply. -Not interested -Time conflict -Can't afford it -Unaware of event -Poor reviews from others -No available hotels -Travel distance -Overcrowded -Other (please specify) 9. In regards to Fall Family Day, how important would it be to have a home Virginia Tech football game that day? -Very important -Important -Neutral -Unimportant -Very unimportant 10. If Virginia Tech is playing in an away game, how important is it to have it televised on campus? -Very important -Important -Neutral -Unimportant -Very unimportant 11. How would you like to be informed of Fall Family Day? Please check all that apply. -University webpage Parent newsletter -Student newsletter -Facebook -E-mail -Other (please specify) -I'm not interested, so please do not contact me 12. What activities would you like to have at Fall Family Day? Please describe below. 13. What is your academic classification? -Freshman -Sophomore -Junior -Senior -Graduate Student -Other (please specify) 14. In what college are you enrolled? -Agriculture and Life Sciences -Architecture a nd Urban Sciences -Pamplin College of Business -Engineering -Liberal Arts and Human Sciences -Natural Resources and Environment -Science -Vet Medicine -Undecided 15. Gender -Male -Female Thank you for your time and answers!

Marketing Caselet Essay

Chapter 1: Marketing an Introduction Inquirer is the leading broadsheet in the Philippines. In 2001, it launched Libre, a free tabloid distributed in the MRT-LRT area. It was an unprecedented move of a major daily giving away their newspaper on weekdays and recovering cost solely from advertising revenue. Visit the MRT-LRT site and discuss and explain your answers to the following: a. What was the underserved and unserved market Inquirer was trying to tap? b. How strategic is the underserved and unserved market to them? c. What are the other key activity changes of the Libre system vs. the traditional Inquirer system? Chapter 2: Market Segmentation Victoria Court Drive-in Hotel and Restaurant is a chain of full-service motels catering mostly to the upper income market segment. The traditional market for drive-in-hotels and motels are lovers who avail of one out of the many specially designed â€Å"theme† rooms (Japanese room, jungle room, oval office room, game room etc.) for three hours (now called wash-up time). In the early 1990’s, Victoria Court embarked on an aggressive campaign to attract two additional segments of the market: the husband and wife market and the party market. Their mission was to slowly transform their image by communicating to the public that their drive-in-hotels could be used predominantly for legitimate purposes such as for resting, or for group social occasions. They have also acquired Hotel La Corona affiliated with the Best Western international hotel group. a. Identify the needs and wants of each of the three market segments targeted by Victoria Court? b. Who are their main competitors for each market segment? c. Given the traditional image of motel, do you agree with the segmentation strategy utilized by the Victoria Court group? Why or why not? Chapter 3: Marketing Mix: The 4Ps of Marketing gohotels.ph, a property of Robinson’s Land, began test marketing its value hotel in May 2010 at its building along Edsa beside Robinson’s Pioneer  Street. It has about 200 rooms in the Edsa site but has chosen to have 60 to 100 rooms in each of their subsequent sites in the provincial areas. Its pricing is unique because it utilizes the revenue management model of the airline industry where prices would vary depending on demand, in this case, occupancy numbers. Thus, a 16 to 22 square meter room can command a price as low as P388 plus value added tax (VAT), or as high as P3000 plus VAT, averaging about P1,550 plus Vat per room boasts of a comfortable bed with two types of pillows (hypoallergenic and chiropractic), a clean private bathroom with rain shower, free wifi, LCD TV, convenient location with safe surroundings secured by CCTV and safety cabinet. On its first month of its test market and despite using mostly viral marketing and press write ups to create awarenes s, it experienced an occupancy rate higher than most hotels – 60 to 80% on most days with two of those days fully booked, thus creating an innovative business model in the hotel industry with new basis of competition. a. Who would be the target market attracted to the offer of gohotels.ph? b. Identify the marketing mix of gohotels.ph and compare it with other value hotels. What are their strengths and weaknesses? c. How could gohotels.ph offer an amazingly low price as low as P388 plus VAT per room night? Chapter 4: Product Strategy: Product In the fast food industry, one growth opportunity in the past was the introduction of the breakfast category. Fast food companies like Jollibee and McDonald’s would have a different menu for breakfast and lunch to â€Å"customize† its meal solution, during these two different meal times. However, lunch and dinner menu remains the same. a. Do consumers have the same or different dine-in behavior during lunch and dinner? b. If not the same, identify the difference. c. What would you recommend to the fast food companies in order to improve their dinner sales and seat capacity usage? Chapter 4: Product Strategy: Branding Starbucks is a popular hangout for Gen X and Yuppies. Despite selling coffee  and other baked products at higher prices than regular food stores, they were able to generate awareness and patronage thru word of mouth and publicity instead of relying on media advertising. In 2010, Starbucks in the USA tested then â€Å"Roy’s Street Coffee and Tea by Starbucks Corporation†, an innovative neighborhood coffee house that sells coffee, wine and beer, together with organic pastries, gourmet cheese and meat plates. This was an attempt to recapture the upscale market which they lost when it went mainstream with cheaper lattes and frappuccinos that are now by Starbucks is the 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea. Both stores are located in Seattle which is the headquarters of Starbucks. a. Where do you think Starbucks Corporation got the insight to offer these products under two newly branded stores and not in their regular Starbucks? b. If the â€Å"Roy’s Street† and â€Å"15th Avenue† coffee shops succeed, what is the implication to the Starbucks brand and its over 16,000 stores worldwide, including the Philippines? Chapter 4: Product Strategy: Managing Product Lines During the 2010 annual stockholders meeting of San Miguel Brewery, it was reported that while the per capital consumption of beer in Luzon is 40 liters per year, it is only liters annually in the Visayas and Mindanao region. San Miguel Brewery, already with about 96% market shares of the total beer industry as of 2010, wanted to expand annual sales from 1.5 billion liters to 2 billion liters by encouraging higher consumption in the Visayas and Mindanao are its various beer brands. a. Investigate why Visayas and Mindanao consumption of beer is lagging far behind its Luzon counterpart. b. How can San Miguel Brewery use its various beer products to encourage higher consumption among underserved and unserved market in the Visayas and Mindanao area? c. How can San Miguel Brewery use its potential synergy with all its sister companies to increase beer demand in the Visayas and Mindanao area? Chapter 4: Product Strategy: Green Marketing Although having no nutritional value, Shark’s fin soup is a popular and much  sought-after dish served in many Chinese restaurants. Shark’s fin dumplings are an equally popular dimsum item. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore are the top three countries that trade shark fins and are the suppliers for Philippine Chinese restaurants. Each fin weighs about 100kg. coming from sharks that are about 50 to 60 meters long. Some fishermen would capture sharks, slice their fins off and toss them back to sea to die so they can save space on their boat. More countries are banning the fishing and trading of shark’s fin. However, unless the trade of shark fin is totally stopped, sharks may become extinct, thus creating an imbalance in the ecosystem. To preserve sharks, one way is to encourage government to ban its trade. Another is to encourage restaurants not to serve them, and lastly, to campaign for customers not to consume them. All three options while challenging to do is not impossible if the readers of this book can do something individually or collectively about it. The essence of learning is not in knowing but in doing what needs to be done based on what we know. Devise and implement a campaign that will ensure the slow down if not absolutely stop shark’s fin trade and consumption in the Philippines.

The play The Merchant of Venice is described as Romantic Comedy Essays

The play The Merchant of Venice is described as Romantic Comedy Essays The play The Merchant of Venice is described as Romantic Comedy Paper The play The Merchant of Venice is described as Romantic Comedy Paper Essay Topic: Merchant Of Venice Play The Lottery and Other Stories One aspect of Romantic Comedy is that it should contain Romance. This is evident in the fictional romance of Portias marriage lottery in the Three Casket Story. Another aspect of Romantic comedy is evident when the central character Antonio is saved from Death and Disaster. The rule of comedy is that however serious the conflict may be, it should all end well in a resolution. As the Italian poet Dante (1256-1326) wrote: A comedy is journey through hell to purgatory and up to heavens which ends well, but does not make the readers laugh. The play is described, as a comedy obeying all the conventions its settings is urban in Venice and countryside in Belmont, its characters middle class. It uses prose and iambic pentameter, there is a clownish comic servant (Lancelot) and a jester (Gratiano) Plot confusion arises from disguise and disaster is avoided, complications are resolved, marriage concluded. The main thematic and structural elements of the play all belong to the category of Romantic comedy rather than tragedy or history. The basic action of the play is moved by two interconnecting stories: 1. Bassanios courtship to a wealthy heiress of Belmont, Portia, which is straightforward romance. 2. The story of the flesh bond is an ancient time narrative known to Shakespeare by II Pecorone (1558) set by Ser Giovanni Fiorentini and the Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlow. I think to a modern day audience it is hard to classify the merchant of Venice as a comedy because the modern day audience would feel that the plot was designed tragically. Elements of harsh reality includes- the sinister and ruthless plan of Shylock also; his total and crushing defeat at the end, which brings the play more close to a tragedy rather than comedy. The play has been turned away from the conventions of Romantic comedy by the union of the, lovers in Act 3 the middle of the play, a modern day audience would have expected to see the romance of Portia earlier. The love of Portia and Bassanio is not comic, it comes about through a test devised by Portias father to safe guard her against unsuitable suitors. This kind of romance is normal to Elizabethan Audience because there is no alive interfering adult, however a modern day audience would consider this kind of courtship not leading freely to choose a marriage partner as it is through a attached condition of choosing the right casket. Portia and Bassanios love is outwards looking (by choosing the right casket), self-sacrificing, comprehensive and mature unlike the mad love normally associated with romantic comedy. Bassanio is helped in every way toward this marriage. Portia is naturally attracted towards Bassanio and Portia does not go against her fathers will to win him. She values her fathers will more than her love. But news of Antonio being in danger meant postponing of the honeymoon meant the harmonious society promised by the conventions of Romantic comedy is not fulfilled, and Portia suffer financially and emotionally. As later in the play Lorenzo comments on this sacrifice for love: You have a noble and true conceit of god like enmity, which appears most strongly in the bearing thus the absence of your lord. No modern day heiress as a bride would do that. I think modern day theatregoers will consider this disturbing and class it tragic rather than comedy. However the play ends on a suitably romantic comic note as Gratiano, the most humorous of the lovers promises a good life for his wife and shadow of Shylock has passed and Antonio is safely in Belmont and atmosphere is of love and Friendship. The plot is tied together by friendship and love of Antonio and Bassanio, which becomes the story of hatred and revenge (Antonio versus Shylock). Bassanios need for money to marry Portia, leads him to borrow from Antonio, who in turn borrows from Jewish moneylender, a usurer, Shylock. Shylock is a member of racial and religious minority of Venice, where Christians are in majority, Shylock hates Christians in general and Antonio in particular for the racial and economic enmity towards him and his business of money lending. Seeing an opportunity to gain advantage over Antonio, Shylock proposes the flesh bond, which Antonio agrees to. If the debt is not repaid in the said period, shylock will be permitted to cut off a pound of his flesh. In this we see revenge tragedy in commercial Venice is counteracted by romance in magical Belmont. The fiction of three-casket story in magical Belmont where Portia a wealthy heiress peruses her fathers will to choose her marriage partner by a successful suitor, who chooses correctly from the three caskets. This courtship romance works out perfectly for Portia, two suitors rejected for choosing incorrectly and eventually meeting her wanted suitor Bassanio, who chooses correctly. Thus ending the fairy tail courtship romance produces the perfect result for Portia. Immediately after the resolution of the romance plot between Portia and Basssanio, the news of Antonios disaster comes his loss of ships at sea, resulting in the forfeit of the bond. Shylock proceeds with his deadly suit against Antonio; according to the Venetian Law moneylender shylock has an answerable case. Bassanio not only has won a rich heiress as a bride but also Portia is more enterprising and intelligent than him. She disguises herself as a lawyer and defends Antonios case skilfully and legally by producing statutes, which not only stops Shylock from proceeding with the case but also Shylock is defeated, he becomes vulnerable to death penalty for conspiring against Antonios life. The Jew is then offered a merciful settlement his life is spared on condition that he becomes a Christian, and that half of his wealth is handed over to Antonio who will keep it in trust for the benefit of Shylocks runaway daughter Jessica. The emotional power of the Shylocks story overshadows the love of Portia and Bassanio. Therefore for the modern theatregoers overall effect is tragic rather than comic, because through T.V, cinema and video modern day audience take comic as funny and tending to laughter rather than social resolution typically ending in marriage. The three main characters that I think play a very important role in this play are Antonio, Bassanio and Shylock. Character of Antonio is used to show the relationship of love and friendship with Bassanio. In the beginning of the play, we meet Antonio who is a rich merchant suffering from depression, In sooth I know not why I am so sad. We have been introduced to a great centre of Venice, Rialto through the merchant Antonio, who is shy, anxious and lacking in confidence and who is deeply involved in his personal thoughts and naivety relying on his argosies with portly sails/ like signors rich burghers on the flood. He is trying to secure a credit for his friend Bassanio to send him to a Secret Pilgrimage and ignoring the perils at sea. We hear of spices scattered on the sea, enrobed with silk, which is the foreshadowing of the disaster at sea which will endanger his life. Antonio is in a deep crisis of identity, I have much a do to know myself. The impression we get from other characters in the play such as Shylock, who refers to Antonio as a good man. But on the other hand, another character and a friend of Antonio interrupt Shylock, Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? Shylock quickly rephrases his remarks,my meaning is that he is good man to have you understand me that he is sufficient. Which meant that he is credit worthy. Infact Shylock was not looking for his credit worthiness he is looking for an advantage over him. Antonio unstintingly helps to raise money for his friend Bassanio is to the extent that he is ready to put his life onto the hands of his enemy. Antonio is a loyal friend but has a vicious side to his character as well, he is a bully hiding behind the law, we learn from Shylocks aside that Antonio is racist, He hates our sacred nation Antonios judgement of Shylock is blinded by the intense desire to help his friend Bassanio, regardless of any cost. Bassanio can see the danger in borrowing money from Shylock unlike Antonio, I like not fair terms and A Villains mind. Antonio is gullible cannot see the ulterior motive of Shylock, by readily lending the money. He is taking revenge from Antonio because Antonio has mistreated him called him a misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spat on his Jewish gabardine. Not only this, Antonio promised to continue his racial hatred. I am as likely to call thee so again, spat on thee again, to spurn thee to which reinforces the Jewish case against Christians. Antonio faces the trial with resignation, I am the tainted weather of the flock, which gives us the cue as to see him this way, but does not reveal his character. At the end of the trial, after the crushing defeat of Shylock, Antonio shows no mercy by converting him into a Christian and giving the money to his run away daughter. Antonios behaviour shows he is no better than Shylock in taking revenge. However the Christian law supports him. Bassanio has accumulated debts mainly from Antonio. He is keeping up the lifestyle Showing a more swelling port/ than my faint means would grant continence His behaviour is prodigal because he has borrowed money to establish a social and economic status. Bassanio is describing to Antonio the Wondrous virtues of Portia to go on Sacred Pilgrimage, not only to gain a virtuous and loving wife but also to settle all the debts by marring a lady richly left. What he explains to Antonio is not courtship but more of a business plan, To shoot another arrow that self way which you did shoot the first/ I do not doubt, as I will watch the aim or to find both, or bring you back again, and I thankfully rest debtor for first. I think a modern day bank manager will see this kind of approach of Bassanio to pay debts as a Credit risk than being credit worthy. Nerissa describes him as a Scholar and soldier because his thinking type of attitude made him choose the right casket. I think he is more of a fortune hunter than as a suitor for a beautiful wife. Bassanios character develops toward the end of the play when he is honest in his love for Portia, which over takes his earlier sentiment: To pay all the debts I owe. His love for Antonio brings him back to Venice where he offers his own life: The Jew shall have my flesh, blood bones and all/ Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood. The character development emphasises that love and friendship are superior to his Earlier self-centred greed. Shylock is the most memorable character in the play. His name is equated with greed and miser ness. He is lonely and isolated figure, unloved even by his own daughter Jessica who implies, our house is hell. She is ashamed to be his fathers child! But though I am a daughter to his blood/ I am not to his manners. Jessica elopes due to her authoritative father Shylock and ends her strive, becomes a Christian and a loving wife of Lorenzo. Shylock is target of vicious mockery by Gratiano; he is a victim member of the oppressed minority in Venice where Christian are in majority. Shylock creates a sense of his different ethnic identity by his speech habits, he speaks of our tribe (Jews), and he will not eat with you (Christians). The Christians in turn call him a dog, spurn him with their feet, spat on him, so to the Christian is a cur, a wolf, a devil, and subhuman. Shylock reminds them of the physical basis of their common humanity if you prick us do we not bleed. In return he wants blood. Shylock is full of hatred and desire for revenge against Antonio because the environment he lives in years of ill treatment by the Christian is indicated in his outburst against the insensitivity that Christian represented in the form of anti-Semitic behaviour of Antonio: He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my loses, mocked at my gain, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies- and whats his reason? I am a Jew. Hath no the Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? (Act 3 S 1) This uncovers understandable motive for his revengeful behaviour, which brings sympathies of audience for him, but when he insists the bond, the audience takes this sympathy back. However, a person who has no feelings will be the only one not to move by the plight of Shylock at the hands of Christian in the end, when he is utterly crushed and leaves the courtroom in anguish. Shylock becomes the victim of his own stubborn cruelty; he loses everything even his faith. I think few of us will feel for Shylock that he got what he deserved in the end but others will see him as a victim of his environment made cruel by the years of ill treatment by the Christians. He is driven by hatred to the extend that he tried to use Christian law against Christians: To have the due and forfeit of my bond, if you deny it, let the danger light Upon your charter and your cities freedom. The victimised character aspect of him exposes hypocrisy of Christians and the modern day audience would sympathise with him but again when the audience learns about his attitude towards saving 9000 ducats, then 3000 ducats, when all attempts failed his dignity. I think it will bring laughter from the audience rather than sympathy. Two important themes in the play are appearance/reality and money/wealth. The main theme of The Merchant of Venice is appearance vs. reality. Bassanio had borrowed, and is borrowing more, money from Antonio so he can look and live on a higher level than his own income can sustain. Later, in Belmont, Bassanio must choose between caskets of gold, silver, or lead to win Portia, who he wants to marry. It turns out that lead is the correct choice. This shows that what may appear to be invaluable, can yield the best results is another example of appearance vs. reality. Yet, another example of this theme is when Shylock is lending money to Antonio without interest, but if Antonio fails to pay back on time, he loses a pound of flesh. Shylock offers this in a way that seems generous and jokingly, but really wants to use the situation to get back at Antonio for past humiliations: Were he (Antonio) out of Venice, I can make what merchandise I will When Portia appears in the trial scene she is not what she appears to be, yet provides the play with the most interesting and tense scene when she defends Antonio against shylocks attempts to gain his pound of flesh. The second theme in the play is Money/Wealth. Money is the theme of the love plot as well as the hate plot of the Merchant of Venice. Bassanios need for money to win a rich heiress Portia as a bride, a lady richly left is what puts Antonio in the power of Shylock. Antonio and Shylock are very different merchants, yet both trying to make money. Jessica brings lots of money, when she elopes with Lorenzo, she throws down a casket. She then spends extravagantly the money her father had earned so carefully. Attitudes to the getting and spending of money are the important themes of the play, wealth does not make Portia happy, By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is aweary of this great world. She needs to love and beloved, spending money is more fun than getting it, generosity is better than meanness yet generosity is not the word for a Jessica who exchanged a turquoise ring for a monkey and spent four score ducats in a night. Life with Shylock must have been grim but the ring Jessica steals and then exchanges for monkey was the ring her mother gave to her father. To a modern day audience the play is very anti-Semitic because Shakespeare age based their prejudice on religious grounds as the Elizabethan inherited the fiction, fabricated by the early Church, that the Jews murdered Christ and were therefore in league with the devil and were actively working to subvert spread of Christianity. The religious grounds of this anti-Semitism means that if a Jew converted to Christianity, as Shylock is forced to do in The Merchant of Venice, then all will be forgiven as the repentant Jew is embraced by the arms of the all merciful Christian God of love. In fact, some Christian believed-as do some fundamentalist sects today, that the coming of the Kingdom of God was aided by converting the Jews to Christianity. When the abuse of the Jew as usurer is combined with the Christian religious bias against Jewishness that marked Elizabethan England, this leads to a natural result in the demonisation of the Jew. This demonisation quickly leads to the image of the Jew as a wanton murderer, and is clearly revealed in the accusation of blood libel that arose against the Jews during their year before exile from England. In The Merchant Of Venice the central conflict is common enough, and decidedly the stuff of romantic comedy a young man borrows money to finance his pursuit of a beautiful and wealthy woman. But the devil is in the details as Shylock, and the details of this play are troubling, ambiguous, and risky. The borrower is a Christian, the moneylender a Jew. The merry bond, a pound of flesh, has overtones of the crucifixion of Christ, and in a Venetian courtroom, justice and mercy get so entangled that the final verdict seems neither just nor merciful. Therefore interpreted by a modern day audience as anti-Semitic, also because of the effects of more recent events of 20th Century such as the horrors of the holocaust, the very names of the WWII concentration camps such as Auschwitz, Dachau, and Belson remains the symbols of persecution of the Jews by Nazis. The part of the play I would like to highlight is the trial scene; I have chosen it because of its dramatic tension, who will win the court case? Will the judge really have to let Shylock carve a pound of flesh from Antonios body? Portia disguised as a man, how would she intensify the drama through the theme of appearance and reality. The evil of Shylock hidden behind the mask of friendship: I would be friends with you and have your love, kind offer is sealed as the dreadful bond. The language used in the many speeches can be staged to highlight the conflict and rivalry between Antonio and Shylock. The trial scene in The Merchant of Venice is one of the great scenes in Shakespeare. In the early stages of the play Shylocks deal with Antonio seems so silly that it does not make any sense. However, when Antonio is unable to pay his debts to Shylock the conditions of the deal assume a terrifying quality, I will have my bond! Speak not against it! What Shylock actually wants to do here is to kill Antonio and make it legitimate by using the idea of the contract. This, of course, is a viciously cruel punishment for the non- payment of debt, no matter how much Shylock hated Antonio. It is therefore necessary for Shylocks cruelty to be contained and this, of course, is where Portia, disguised as Balthasar comes in. Her brilliant probing attack on Shylock completely destroys his position and this is quite acceptable, given what Shylock actually deserved. However, Shylock is stripped of his wealth for his attempted murder of a Venetian, which in the full balance of things seems harsh. The court itself, after the request of Antonio, then shows some mercy to Shylock. He will lose only half his wealth, provided he converts to Christianity. The stage: will be an arena type in the round where audience would be sitting is semi circle around the stage in a stadium type seating arrangement for a fuller view of the court room scene for every one. The trial scene does not need to be changed so the curtain is not needed. The Set: to make it an informal court room scene where I would be highlighting the speeches I have chosen an uncluttered room with minimum furniture and props, an oval table with some chairs around it, few chairs at the side walls for Bassanio and others. The Dukes chair would be with arms and pen holder in front of him. Another square table and a chair with a computer to record the proceedings for the Clark of the judge. The walls of the room would be fitted with bookshelves full of law reference books and some upright filling cabinets in one corner. Costumes: Shylock dressed as modern Jew with a pinned stripped dark suit with three buttons, a Jewish skull cap, enters holding a leather briefcase containing a box of surgical instrument and digital weighing scales. Antonio dressed up in a dark blue suit with a light blue shirt, white collars and cuffs with Christian Dior cufflinks. Duke wearing a judges wig and a robe. Bassanio and others wearing Next suits. Portia and Nersissa disguised as men with moustaches wearing black gowns and white collars. Sound system: all actors wearing small microphones. Sound effects: through electronic tape players. I would want Shylock to deliver this speech with strong emotions. Now Shylock look at the Duke and answer him, what judgement shall I dread doing no wrong. Now with quivering muscles and altered tones move in a semi circle and point with his arms towards every one sitting in the court, You have among you many a puchasd slaves, you use in abject and in slavish parts, because you bought them. Now turn towards the Duke and say in a high pitched voice Let them be free, marry them to your heirs? Why seat they under brethrens? Let their beds be made as soft as your: Now, Shylock put your hands towards your mouth and let their palates be seasond with such viands: At this stage wave your arms and beat your chest with your arms and you will answer the slaves are ours. In a very angry tone, so do I answer you? Shylock, looking at Antonio moves towards him, the pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought, this is mine and I will have it. Turn towards the Duke and in a loud and angry tone there is no force in decrees of Venice: I stand for judgement, answer. Stress on shall and say, Shall I have it. Portia, now with your back towards the Duke looking at Shylock say in an eloquent way without overstressing on the word straind speak with two syllable without distracting affect and start moving in a rapid speech form, giving it as much energy as possible, The quality of mercy is not straind, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; But mercy is above this sceptred sway; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest Gods. When mercy seasons justice. Portia start urging Shylock to offer mercy to Antonio in a pleading tone, When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this, That, in the course of justice, none of us. Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; and that same prayer doth teach us all to render. The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much, to mitigate the justice of thy plea; which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice. Looking towards Antonio with anxiety and says Must needs give sentence gainst the merchant there. Antonio stand tall like a tower at the kneeling body of Shylock with a steady joyousness, addressing the Duke and all the court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods, I am content so he will let me have, the other half in use, looking down at Shylock Antonio now strike a harder blow, upon his death, tauntingly on that lately stole his daughter, and in a triumphant tone two things provided more, that for this favour, he presently become a Christian, the other that he do record a gift here in the court of all he dies possessd, unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter. I believe the play is of great relevance to contemporary society. Although the play was written and performed in England in the 16th Century, the theme of prejudice and religious intolerance is still very relevant today, in the 21st Century as it was in the Shakespeares time. Many recent productions have focused upon the treatment of the Jews and have used ideas from this period of history. The Oscar winning Spielberg film Schindlers List gives an account of Jewish Persecution under the Nazis and contains similar ideas at times to those in the play. The existence of Apartheid in South Africa was the recent reminder of the behaviour like that of Antonios does not go away, it simply changes where it happens. Even after 400 hundred years of this play someone, somewhere will behave like the characters of The Merchant of Venice. For a modern day audience it is not possible to remain neutral about the situation, such as in Merchant of Venice, it does arouse our response and encourages the need to identify and combat anti-Semitism and all other forms of racial prejudices in our contemporary society.

How to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years”

How to Answer â€Å"Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years† When you’re sitting in an interview, there’s a good chance that most of your mental real estate lately has been going toward this day. So when the interviewer asks you where you see yourself in five years, it can be a bit of a jolt to suddenly think about the long term. Knowing the reasoning behind it and doing some prep ahead of time, you can be ready to handle this one like a pro on interview day. 1. DO understand why you’re being asked.Five years is a long time away from now. We’ll have a different president, and maybe hoverboards will finally be a reality. (A gal can hope, right?) The interviewer isn’t asking you to predict fashion trends or whatever social media scene will replace Instagramming your food. Rather, he or she is trying to do two things: 1) gauge your commitment to this job; and/or 2) see what kind of ambitions you hold dear to your heart. So while thinking about society’s future might be fun, focus your thoughts on your pro fessional development.2. DON’T exaggerate, even to yourself.â€Å"Running this place† is not an answer that will get you in the door. Think about where you realistically see yourself. Are you mid-management now, and see yourself higher up that ladder? Are you just starting out, but you’d like to be managing others in five years? Those are realistic goals. Assuming you’ll be the next CEO is, well, not. (Unless you’re interviewing right now to be the CEO, in which case this is a totally valid response.) Well before interview day, think about what you want out of this job, and what it would mean for your future.3. DO emphasize the experience angle over the job title.In my experience, job titles are too much of a moving target, even within a company. Positions are created, changed, and reimagined all the time. Rather than strain to figure out what your business cards will say, talk about what you hope to have achieved in the meantime. â€Å"I see myse lf as having deep expertise in this field, and this position is the way to do that.† Or â€Å"I would like to be taking the lead on projects, and become a great manager like the ones I’ve had along the way.†4. DON’T be brutally candid.If you’re interviewing for a receptionist position with a financial company when you’re really hoping to become an assistant at a music company, this is not the time to come clean and advertise that fact. The interviewer is spending a lot of time and energy on this hiring process, and him or her knowing that you’re only doing this as a Plan B is not going to get you any bonus points. So while you should never lie to answer this question, and say that all you’ve ever wanted is to be answering phones at BankCorp in five years, you can talk around that. Emphasize the skills you’d like to gain in this position, and talk about how you’re looking forward to growing roots and developing as a professional.5. DO emphasize your commitment for the long haul.Again, the interviewer is looking to confirm that you’re not a flight risk or someone who will give half-hearted effort to this job. While you talk about your goals for the next five years, make sure you emphasize how this position and this company will help you achieve that- and perhaps more importantly, emphasize what you bring that will help the company move forward in that time as well.You don’t need a crystal ball to answer this question- just some forward-looking talking points that show you’re the right person for this company, for the right reasons.

Global Enterprise and Innovation (in China) Essay

Global Enterprise and Innovation (in China) - Essay Example The legal condition of the country is extremely crucial factor which decides the foreign investment. For making a good investment situation there must be a reliable and efficient legal system and the system must be transparent. This will help the investors to perform their business activity without any concern. Despite the above factor several legal problems have been encountered in China which affects the foreign investment and business enterprises (Bulcke & Beule, 2010). The Legal Environment Affecting Business of China China has a good and established legal condition that encourages the foreign investment of different companies and protects their interest to invest in their country. By various rules, regulation, legislation and joint agreement the country has strengthened their legal systems. In order to spread their business in the whole world China is taking part in many global trade activities. For maintaining a good legal environment condition for business, China has repeatedl y modified the existing law and conducted new laws. Moreover, 30 government departments have changed their regulation towards law in approximately 2300 files. By these changes in law and policies on foreign investment activities China has steadily developed a legal environment which is convenient for foreign business interests. For implementing the law there has been a series of actions and procedures regarding the management, establishment, purchase, investment, reinvestment, liquidation, reform and termination of foreign company. By the help of those policies and guidelines, China seeks to attempt the foreign capital entry. In the year 2002 China established ‘Directory of Guidelines for Foreign – Capital Investment’ for motivating foreign company to invest in their construction industry, agriculture industry and technology industry and resource development sector. China also provided permit to the telecommunication industry, insurance industry, financial indust ry, service industry and foreign trade sectors. ‘The General Agreement of Science and Trade’ showed 142 services and business enterprises which are grouped under 11 activities. Foreign investors always want a sound legal condition because it allows high return on investment and they want a system which allows them to withdraw their investment capital according to their strategic plan. There are various methods by which the investor can withdraw their capital investment which are: initial public offer, equity transfer, management takeover, liquidation and purchase share back (Feng, 2010). The Political Environment Affecting Business of China Any country’s political condition has a significant impact on business. There are several factors which a country must consider if it wants to expand the business and investment of foreign companies because a political environment of a country is unstable and can change rapidly. The power of political party and government repr esent the opinion of the country’s citizen. The rules and regulations created by politician have great impact on business. Political condition creates advantages and also disadvantages for certain companies. For example, the policies of Chinese government drove out few U.S. technology