Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Top 10 Confused English Words [U-Z]

Top 10 Confused English Words [U-Z] Top 10 Confused English Words [U-Z] Top 10 Confused English Words [U-Z] By Maeve Maddox Having come to the end of the alphabet with my series of â€Å"words often confused with one another,† I find myself hard-pressed to come up with a final set of ten for the remaining letters, U-Z. I can’t think of any for U or Z, but here are some for V, W, and Y. 1. vane / vain / vein All three sound alike and speakers know what they mean when they say them. The confusion arises with the spellings. INCORRECT: A cupola sat astride the angled wedge of the rooftop, sporting a beautiful gold colored  weather vain. CORRECT: A cupola sat astride the angled wedge of the rooftop, sporting a beautiful gold colored  weather vane. INCORRECT: If we cut one of our vains what chance do we have to live? CORRECT: If we cut one of our veins what chance do we have to live? vane noun: a blade that rotates vain adjective: 1. hopeless: â€Å"She continues to harbor a vain desire to write a novel that will make her rich.† 2. having an excessively high opinion of ones own appearance, attainments, qualities, or possessions: â€Å"He is especially vain about his hair.† vein noun: the tubular vessels in which the blood is conveyed through the animal body. 2. venal / venial Neither word is common in ordinary speech. Catholics are familiar with the adjective venial in reference to a lesser kind of sin than a mortal sin. In a secular context, â€Å"a venial fault† is one that does not deserve severe censure. Venial (three syllables) is usually applied to a thing. The adjective venal (two syllables) applies to people as well as to things.    â€Å"As a politician in a venal age, he preserved his independence and purity.† â€Å"The venal man raised the price from  $13.50  a pill to  $750 overnight.† venial adjective: easily forgiven. venal adjective: corruptible; likely to accept bribes. 3. vicious / viscous Although pronounced differently, viscous [VIS-kus] is often misspelled as the more familiar word vicious [VIH-shus], with comical effect. INCORRECT: Polymer solutions are very vicious so need lots of solvent. CORRECT: Polymer solutions are very viscous so need lots of solvent. vicious adjective: cruel and mean. viscous adjective: thick and sticky. 4. wave / waive Both words are pronounced the same. wave verb: move back and forth. â€Å"The sign waved in the wind. waive verb: give up; not require. â€Å"Do you waive your right to an attorney?† The usual error is to leave the i out of waive. INCORRECT: Can a 21-year-old who waved his rights to appeal without knowing the law get another trial? CORRECT: Can a 21-year-old who waived his rights to appeal without knowing the law get another trial? 5. weather / whether Both words are pronounced the same by speakers who don’t distinguish between the sounds of w and wh. weather noun: condition of the atmosphere at a given place and time. â€Å"The weather outside is frightful.† Whether is a function word used as different parts of speech. One use is as a conjunction to introduce an alternative expressing doubt or choice. The usual spelling error is to spell whether as weather. INCORRECT: I am a grown-up and can make decisions  weather to marry  or  not. CORRECT: I am a grown-up and can make decisions  whether to marry  or  not. 6. wet / whet The h in whet is often omitted, perhaps because so many speakers pronounce wh as w. wet adjective: full of moisture. â€Å"The wet dog shook vigorously.† wet verb: to make wet. â€Å"The oboe player wets his reed before playing.† whet verb: to sharpen. â€Å"Here, whet your sword on this grindstone.† whet verb: to stimulate. â€Å"The scent of baking bread always whets my appetite.† INCORRECT: One day in Quebec  will wet your appetite for  a longer visit.   CORRECT: One day in Quebec  will whet your appetite for  a longer visit.   7. wreck / wreak Although pronounced differently, the words are frequently mixed up in writing. wreck /REK/ verb: to damage severely; to destroy. wreak /REEK/ verb: to cause damage. Wreak is an old word, used chiefly in the phrase â€Å"to wreak havoc.† â€Å"Patricia is no longer a hurricane, but it’s about to wreak havoc in Texas.† INCORRECT: A  tornado wrecked havoc  in the city in 1896 killing several hundred people. CORRECT: A  tornado wreaked havoc  in the city in 1896 killing several hundred people. 8. wreath / wreathe The error with these words is failure to recognize wreathe as a verb in which the th is voiced. wreath noun: [The th is unvoiced, its sound in thin.] a ring-shaped arrangement of leaves or flowers. â€Å"She hung a Christmas wreath on the door.† wreathe verb: [The th is voiced, its sound in then.] to surround or encircle. â€Å"Inside, she wreathed the mirrors with holly branches.† INCORRECT: Martha Stewart makes small arborvitae wreathes to accent the front door of her home. CORRECT: Martha Stewart makes small arborvitae wreaths to accent the front door of her home. The plural of the noun wreath is wreaths. The third person singular of the verb wreathe is wreathes. 9. yoke / yolk Both words are pronounced the same. Yoke is usually spelled correctly in the context of a contrivance used to hook two animals together, as in â€Å"a yoke of oxen.† It’s when yoke is used in the context of sewing that it is sometimes misspelled as yolk. And on cooking sites, sometimes yolk is misspelled as yoke. yoke noun: (sewing) part of a garment, made to fit the shoulders. yolk noun: The yellow internal part of an egg. INCORRECT: The Creek Line House: How to Separate Egg Whites from the Yokes CORRECT: The Creek Line House: How to Separate Egg Whites from the Yolks INCORRECT: How To Sew A Shirt Yolk CORRECT: How To Sew A Shirt Yoke 10. your / you’re The query â€Å"difference between your and you’re† brings up 323,000,000 Google hits when typed in the search box. Clearly, a great many English speakers remain uncertain as to the difference. Your is a possessive adjective. â€Å"Is that your dog?† Your is always followed by a noun. You’re is a contraction of the words â€Å"you are.† The apostrophe in you’re indicates that something is missing. The ’re stands for the verb are. The a of are is what is missing. You’re may be followed by a noun, an adjective, or the present participle of a verb. â€Å"You’re [you are] the best friend I ever had.† (noun) â€Å"You’re [you are] wrong about this matter.† (adjective) â€Å"You’re [you are] making a big mistake.† (present participle) People who have difficulty with these words can avoid problems by spelling out â€Å"you are.† If the result sounds stuffy in an informal context, the writer can replace â€Å"you are† with you’re in revision. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsBest Websites to Learn EnglishUsing "zeitgeist" Coherently

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Je tu il elle on vous - Singular French Subject Pronouns

Je tu il elle on vous - Singular French Subject Pronouns To replace a noun, French uses a word called â€Å"a pronoun†. You choose this pronoun according to both the grammatical value of the word it replaces and the meaning of the word it replaces. Anne est au marcheÃŒ . Elle est avec Mary.Anne is at the market. She is with Mary   To replace â€Å"Anne† in the second sentence, I used â€Å"elle† (she). â€Å"Elle† is a subject pronoun: it replaces a noun subject of the verb, and its a third person singular to match Anne which is a person about whom I am speaking, feminine, one person, so she. What is a Subject? The subject is the person or thing that does the action of the verb.   How do you Find the Subject of a Sentence in French? There is an easy way to find the subject of a sentence, and its important in French you learn this grammatical question in order to be able to find the subject of a verb without any doubt. First, find the verb. Then ask: â€Å"who verb† or â€Å"what verb†.  The answer to that question will be your subject. A subject is a noun (Camille, flower, room...) or a pronoun (I, you, they...). It can be a person, a thing, a place, an idea...   Examples:  I paint.Who paints?Answer: I paint. â€Å"I† is the subject. Camille is teaching French.Who is teaching?Answer:  Camille is teaching.â€Å"Camille† is the subject.   What is happening to Camille?What’s happening?Answer:  What is happening.â€Å"What† is the subject (This one was trickier, wasn’t it?)   French Subject Pronouns Replacing One Person In French, the list of singular subject pronouns is: Je (or j’ vowel or h, its called an elision) I  Ã‚   Tu (never t’) you singular informal   Il it, he - long â€Å"ee† sound​ Elle it, she - short clip â€Å"L† sound On - this one is more difficult to understand. It used to mean â€Å" one â€Å", but nowadays is used in casual French to say â€Å" we , instead of the now more formal/written form â€Å" nous â€Å". So although its listed as a singular pronoun, nowadays its mostly used to replace several people, so for a plural. See my lesson on on. Vous you, one person, formal. Note that vous is also the pronoun we use for you plural, when you say you to talk to more than one person (yous guys :-) Traditionally, vous is listed as a plural subject pronoun, although it can and does often refer to only one person. Its confusing, I know, so I wrote a whole lesson on tu versus vous. ​French Subject Pronouns Replacing Several People In French, the list of plural subject pronouns (replacing several people) is: Nous we - S is silent, but becomes Z when followed by a vowel or an h. (Nowadays, â€Å" nous â€Å" is used in a formal context and in writing mostly. In conversation, we tend to use â€Å"onâ€Å"). Vous you plural, both formal and informal - S is silent, but becomes Z vowel or an h. Ils they masculine or they masculine and feminine - S is silent, but becomes Z vowel or an h. Elles they feminine ONLY - S is silent, but becomes Z vowel or an h. ​Important : In Pronunciation Il ils / elle elles â€Å"Il† and ils have the same pronunciation, sort of an English eel, and â€Å"Elle† has the same pronunciation as its plural form â€Å"Elles† sort of an English   L sound . Do not pronounce the S to remember the spelling; it would mess up your pronunciation! Oh, and since Im talking about pronunciation, you will soon see that most verbs will take an silent ent to match with ils and elles - Im not explaining the whole French conjugation concept here yet, just planting a seed: this ent matching ils and elles will always be silent. Its not pronounced an, its not pronounced at all. Never in a verb. Its a very bad, but very common mistake French student make. No it Subject Pronoun in French There is no â€Å"it† form in French. Everything: objects, concepts, animals etc. are either masculine or  feminine in French, and are therefore referred to as â€Å"il† or â€Å"elle†. So dont think of il and elle as being only he and she, they also mean it. It will be weird at first, but you will get used to it, I promise.   What Do First, Second, Third Person Singular and Plural Mean? This concept is often baffling to student of French, but its a standard for grammatical jargon. Subject pronouns are often referred to as persons and this is how most grammar books will present a French verb conjugation : a table, with 3 lines, and two columns. As an example, I will take the verb chanter, to sing, in the present indicative tense. Singular Plural Je chante Nous chantons Tu chantes Vous chantez Il, elle, on chante Ils, elles chantent Je is often referred to as the first person singular or 1ps, tu as second person singular or 2ps... can you guess nous? 1st person plural. Which makes ils and elles both third person plural. This presentation is super confusing if you ask me since vous for example could replace BOTH a singular or a plural... But its very common to talk about verbs this way in French, and most French teachers are so accustom to it that they wont even understand that its weird...   French Subject Pronouns in Detail So now that you get an overview of the singular French subject pronouns, lets look at them individually. There is a lot to be said on each. Singular French Subject Pronouns Je Tu Il Elle (what about moi, me, mon...?) Plural French Subject Pronouns Nous, Vous, Ils, Elles (please dont say the s)The Misunderstood French Subject Pronoun on. Finally, before you can go ahead and start conjugating your French verbs, I will encourage you to learn more about Tu versus Vous - A French Dilemma.   I post exclusive mini lessons, tips, pictures and more daily on my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest  pages - so join me there! https://www.facebook.com/frenchtoday https://twitter.com/frenchtoday https://www.pinterest.com/frenchtoday/

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The study of sociology and its applications Essay

The study of sociology and its applications - Essay Example However, in order to be successful, I know that I need to get an in-depth knowledge of how sociology is efficiently done. Thus, in recognition of the availability of various resources in the World Wide Web, this paper will include mostly articles from the internet together with books and magazines where doing sociology can be easily understood and efficiently taught. The best starting point in undertaking the research in doing sociology is Lee Harvey and Morag McDonald's Doing Sociology: A Practical Introduction which is published by Palgrave and McMillan in 1993. Though the edition is quite old, the book is still valuable in the sense that it encourages readers to learn by doing "combining sociological theory with research methods and social philosophy in an accessible way." Being focused on first-year degree students, this book is a must for starters. On the other hand, Sociology: The Core with PowerWeb written by Michael Hughes and Carolyn Kroeler provides a more recent discussion of sociological issues. After a straightforward presentation of what sociological imagination is, the book specializes in applying the functionalist, interactionist, and conflict perspective to the various sociological debates and issues. The best feature of this book is its ability to relate real world examples to the theories and concepts presented inside the classroom. Recognizing the popularity of internet in the provision of data and information used in understanding the happenings and situations of an individual nation and the world as a whole, visiting the Virtual Explorations in Sociology created by Prof. Robert E. Wood of the State University of New Jersey also proves very helpful. This virtual tour is designed to introduce students to the resources for sociology in the internet. T is broken down in areas most discussed in sociology like deviance, race and ethnicity, and the field where I am most interested at-economics. The websites presented in the tour comprises "official U.S. and U.N. sites, academic sites, advocacy sites, personal sites, and others" which are very important for data mining. The virtual tour also tests the progress of students by giving quizzes. This is a fun way of interactive learning. Focusing on the relation of business and sociology, much information can be gathered in the websites where recent business news and ideologies are presented like Times online and Financial Times. These websites contain the most recent news in the global arena and is also organized in a way that readers and users can choose the geographic region the news comes from. It should be noted though that these articles do not directly relate sociology to real world cases but stimulates the readers by making them think how sociological imagination explains the recent trends in the business arena. I find searching the archive for specific news and articles about human interaction, behavior, and global trends as an exciting way to learn and explore how sociology is imprinted on business activities. For example, I am amused at how business organizations are increasingly turning to use of social corporate responsibility in order to enhance their image and increase their bottom line. For me, this is a new trend that sociology can explain through its theory of social contract and social

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Yoani Sanchez and the Power of Internet Blogging Research Paper

Yoani Sanchez and the Power of Internet Blogging - Research Paper Example Due process has often been denied on many instances, and, as a result, many feel that Cuban laws are unethical and oppressive. Despite all these, Cubans have lacked a voice to fight for them. Many have been afraid to come out in the open and oppose the constant oppression and violation of human rights by the government. People have feared the consequences of opposing the violations against their rights because those who speak out against such oppression are mostly the ones who suffer the most since the government does not want to be opposed or criticized (Sweig 47). Yoani Maria Sanchez Cordero has been acting as a voice for the voiceless in Cuba. She has been standing up for the rights of the many oppressed Cubans who have been afraid to question the current regime over the common human rights violations. Sanchez has been using the internet as her main tool in fighting the oppression being netted out by the government. This paper will critically analyze the power of internet blogging as used by Yoani Sanchez in creating a window into the harsh realities of oppression that have been facing the people of Cuba. Yoani Maria Sanchez Cordero is a renowned Cuban blogger with international recognition and global awards for her efforts in criticizing the current rot in the Cuban government. Sanchez has been lauded for the creation of Generation Y. She has been using her words as a voice for the oppressed. Sanchez has been using the internet to inform the rest of the world about the sad state of affairs in Cuba. She has been instrumental in informing the international community about the injustices and arbitrary punishments that have been facing the people of Cuba (Henken 1). Her aim of exposing these injustices via the internet has been to let the world see what innocent Cubans have to go through every single day of their

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Motivation Essay Essay Example for Free

Motivation Essay Essay Civil Engineering is my passion and a very important part of my life. From the very beginning of my school life I was intrigued in various types of structures and its complication from engineering side. In time this desire was growing and I start being interested in construction processes and especially in different structural solutions. My mind was overfilled with questions such as how process of construction design runs, what are the reasons why some of structures sustain more loads while other ones collapse affected with lower loads. So I dedicated my post-secondary education to search the answers which allows me to understand how the engineering science works. And I made the right decision by choosing Civil Engineering studies. It was a key which unlocked the right doors to get the answers that I needed. During my Bachelor studies I was interested in design branch and especially in Structural Design. It has admired me because of its complication and oneness. None of the other sphere requires such a wide range of knowledge and none of them is as universal engineering specialization as the Structural Design is. Furthermore, Structural Design studies in TU/e provide the possibility to do research project what is a chance to explore and gain understanding in the structural design of structures and the aspects of the design process. Due to these reasons I would like to take the Architecture, Building and Planning programme because one of its specializations is Structural Design. After taking decision that it is time to continue my education I started exploration of Western Europe universities and I found out that TU/e is the best option to fulfill my needs. TU/e is a great choice because of its objective to grow up creative, initiative and independent thinking experts. Furthermore, this university cooperates with international companies and universities and can offer many MSc programm es in English what demonstrates that TU/e is oriented towards exchanging international knowledge and experience. The other aspect I chose TU/e is its worldwide reputation and ranking among world’s top technical universities. This fact enthuse me and it would be such an honour to study in one of the best Technical universities in the world and get lots of knowledge from authoritative and meritorious professors. Furthermore, TU/e is well known because of its research institutes and that students are taking responsibility of impressive projects. Young engineers have a chance to express their creativity and innovation. I believe that opportunity to  participate in educational life of such an outstanding university is an ambition of all engineers. In conclusion, the facts such as great rankings among the world’s best technical universities, high level professors and leading position in research inspired me to take MSc programme in TU/e. I have no doubts I made the right decision. The master’s studies of chosen programme are the best way to seek the goals of my career. I believe in it due to the circumstance that there are a lot of educated but not enough experienced engineers in Lithuania. So only the best of them are able to compete for the most sought-after and perspective positions. Whereas I am ambitious person I want to become one of the most professional, desirable and promising engineer for engineering companies. So I would like to continue purposeful studies and to advance knowledge of my previous degree what could help me to perform in more professional way. Considering my personal features such as a strong will to learn and activity on taking participation in diverse educational projects I daresay that I will be adorable student for your university and your professors. Furthermore, I believe that I and these master’s studies we are great match due to the feature of my character that I cannot face up with myself when I have unsolved problems and the attribute of these studies to be challenging. This feature of my character shows that I will be persistent and committed student. With a foundation of academic knowledge and experience I gained during the years of my bachelor studies, I believe I am qualified for the Master’s degree of Architecture, Building and Planning, specialization Structural Engineering. I am convinced that TU/e will provide me with knowledge, experience and confidence for the future. I think that this programme matches perfectly with my academic expectations and offers the best way to make my goals come true.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

During the Meiji Restoration, Japan transformed into a strong industrialized nation by adopting the Western political, cultural, and technological ideas. Japan was the â€Å"only non-Western country to industrialize in the nineteenth century and that, moreover, she did so in an extremely short time† (Sugiyama 1). Japan’s social, political, and economic aspects were all affected by the Western technologies to transform Japan into an industrialized nation (Wittner 1). By adopting the Western ideas during the Meiji Restoration, Japan has turned into a powerful industrialized nation by becoming an â€Å"international political player in the 1880s† (Wittner 1). Prior to the Meiji Restoration, the Western powers viewed Japan as the backward nation because â€Å"in terms of military strength and economic development, Japan was indeed far behind the Western nations† (Hane and Perez 84). The Meiji government feared that Western nations would colonize Japan because they had already done it to other Asian countries by using military forces (Hane and Perez 84). The Meiji government’s fear came out to be true when the Western powers imposed unequal commercial treaties on Japan. Because of these unequal treaties Japan was â€Å"deprived of the right to regulate tariffs, and Western residents in the treaty ports were granted the privilege of extraterritoriality† (Hane and Perez 84). However, these unequal treaties were significant to the Meiji Restoration because they became the foundation of Japan’s industrial revolution by providing Japan with the access not only to Western technologies but also to political, cultural, and social ideas (Hane and Perez 82). Moreover, the treaties were important to Japan’s economic future because they increased the Japan’s econom... ...Restoration was the telephone. Iwadare Kunihiko established Nihon Denki (Nippon Electric Co., also known as NEC) by teaming up with the Western Electric (WE) of the United States (Odagiri and Goto 161). Kunihiko and NEC adopted WE’s technology and communication equipment, which helped expand the production of telephones (Odagiri and Goto 162). The telephone production was important for Japan’s industrialization because communication became easier. Many people were able to keep in touch with their friends and families who live far away by simply calling them. The telephone was also important for business because it sped up the commercial transactions. As more people are using the telephone, more private owned telephone companies were operated to raise profits. The American telephone technology brought industrialization in Japan by increasing the telephone production.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Harlequin Five Forces Analysis Essay

High economies of scale required. For an entrant to gain success in romance novel market, it must possess mature sales, production, and distribution to operate effectively, which also leads to great risk. High product differentiation required. Other companies start to add more features while Harlequin products remain relatively unchanged. Significant capital requirement required. This is evident in Simon and Schuster’s case, in which it bears a high upfront investment for this battle. Access to distribution channels is medium to difficult. Harlequin has gained exclusive access to groceries, but failed on stand-alone retails. Other competitors either choose regular bookstore or similar as Harleuqins’; however, it might be difficult to entrants to gain access to these channels by themselves. Government policy has been very protective to authors; however, no clear restrictions on product images. Buyers Power Increasing buying power due to additional competing products Low switching cost Changing target markets A variety of choices Poor retention rate, high return rate Loss of existing customers and high cost of attracting a new customer American Romance Series to meet consumer’s tastes Substitutes Threat of Substitutes is high due to technology advancement and demand diversification. Evident in Harlequin’s attempts of film, magazine and scholar’s choice (bookstore). Suppliers Power Increasing supplier power due to promising offer from Simon and Schuster Loss of excellent authors who later generate sales for Simon and Schuster shows that authors possess significant supplier power Other supplier powers such as sales force, printing business are relative stable Industry Competitors, Rivalry among existing firms Low growth rate as more competitors are competing for a stable market other competitors are earning market share at Harlequin’s expenses oligopolistic market is another factor of intense competition â€Å"Romance War† due to introduction of silhouette Simon and Schuster introduced Silhouette, a rival line of romance novels, in 1980 32% market share and rising Competes the oversea markets Emerging competitors as a result of Silhouette’s introduction; also evident in 5 additional rival lines launched in 1982 accelerate the intensity of competition and decrease Harlequin’s market share and volume sales Possession of competitive advantage (i.e. No best seller management and standardization) which ease competition temporarily Bitter rivalry with Sillhouette – S&S although losing money, but gaining market share underestimated by Harlequin hired Harlequin’s former vice president and best-selling authors advertising budget copied Harlequin’s Presents – confused buyers Financial Revenue increase slowly Profit dropped to half 1980-1981 ($44.7 –> 22.3) drastically decreased from 1982 -1983 ($25.8 –> 5.5) remove unprofitable subsidiaries – films, scholar’s choices, magazine etc Debt high debt ratio – rapid increase from 1980-1982, then lower in 1983 expensive bad debts from the Reader Service Cost 40 new stores eating up all the cash increasing costs of Reader Services reducing costs at corporate level – cut overhead expenses by 20% sales decreased, advertising expenses increased Working Capitals decreasing working capitals – lack of cash flow for investment – only 33 millions in 1983

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Quiz About the Great Gatsby Essay

1. Who is â€Å"The Great Gatsby† narrated by? What do you know about his family background, and why does he com e to New York? What business is he in? Nick Carraway, the novel’s narrator, comes from a well-to-do Minnesota family. He travels to New York to learn the band business; there he becomes involved with both Gatsby and the Buchanas. 2. What is the difference between East Egg and West Egg? East Egg: East Egg is the fashionable group of social elite, also known as â€Å"old money† or people who have always had money. Tom and Daisy represent the â€Å"old establishment†, having lived the wealthy upper class for most of their lives. West Egg: West Eggers are the newly rich. The people who have worked hard and earned their money in a short period of time, sometimes by bootlegging (Gatsby). 3. Describe Tom Buchanan. How old is he? What was he famous for at college? How do you know that he is a racist? Tom Buchanan is 30 years old and he’s a former Yale football player who comes from an immensely wealthy Midwestern family. His racism and sexism are symptomatic of his deep insecurity about his elevated social position. He tried to interest others in a book called â€Å"The Rise of the Coloured Empiresâ€Å". 4. Where did Nick first meet Tom? How does Nick meet Gatsby? Tom Buchanan: Nick first met Tom at Yale University, and when Nick heads over to East Egg to have dinner with Daisy, his second cousin, he meets Tom again. Gatsby: Nick goes to his first party at Jay Gatsby’s after receiving an invitation via Gatsby’s chauffer. Suddenly a man tells Nick that he has to come with him. The man brings Nick to Gatsby, in his house during the party. 5. Where did Daisy first meet Gatsby? Why didn’t she wait for him and marry Tom instead? Gatsby and Daisy meet themselves for the first time in Louisville, where he was stationed at Camp Taylor as a young officer before being shipped overseas during World War I. Gatsby had to go to war and left Daisy at home. She once told him that the reason she didn’t wait for him is because â€Å"rich girls don’t marry poor boys†. Daisy was flattered by Tom’s generous gifts. 6. How do you know that Daisy and Tom’s marriage is troubled? She and Tom were in love at one point as well, and he also had the money to provide her with the lifestyle she was  accustomed to. Tom cheated on Daisy by having an affair with Myrthle. Tom hasn’t been faithful from the very beginning. 7. What are Daisy’s ambitions for her daughter? Why? Daisy hopes that her daughter once will be a little fool, because then she will never have to suffer the harsh realities of the real world. 8. What kind of background does Gatsby come from? How did he acquire his riches? He was born in North Dakota to an impoverished farming family. Gatsby made his fortune through criminal activity. Gatsby had a mentor from whom he learned the things that rich people do, how the live. Gatsby was a bootlegger and sold illegal alcohol. 9. Give reasons why Daisy doesn’t just leave Tom and break up her marriage. Daisy has a child with Tom and they also had a pleasant and wealthy life. Tom buys Daisy a lot of jewellery. Tom is also a Bully, so Daisy fears Tom. Above all, Daisy fears a scandal. Daisy doesn’t love Gatsby as much as he loves her. To Daisy, Gatsby is an affair. 10. Give reasons why Gatsby’s dream to get Daisy back doesn’t work. Daisy loved him, but she wanted to live with Tom. She didn’t want to leave him. It would be a scandal for Daisy’s family if they knew how Jay earns his money. 11. Explain what the â€Å"green light† at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes to Gatsby. The green light is a symbol for the hope and promise of the future. It’s like a guiding light to Daisy. 12. What does Mr. Klipspringer represent? He’s not a true friend, he is a shiftless freeloader who almost lives at Gatsby’s mansion. Though he takes advantage of Gatsby’s wealth and generosity, he fails to attend his funeral. 13. Why does Nick return to the Midwest at the end of the novel? After his friend Gatsby died, Nick wanted to return to the Midwest. He was disgusted at the behaviour of the East Eggers. To Nick the people of the Midwest are more honest and down-to-earth. 14. Explain the symbolism of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. It’s a symbol of God seeing everything, even Myrtle’s affair. It is a metaphor for God.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Samantha Runnion Case

The Samantha Runnion Case On July 15, 2002, 5-year-old Samantha Runnion was playing with her friend, Sarah Ahn, outside of her home. A man approached, asking if they had seen his chihuahua. Samantha spoke to him briefly and then he grabbed her and pulled her into his car. Samantha, while fighting to get free, screamed out to her friend, Help me! Tell my grandmother! Sarah ran and told her mother what had happened and the massive manhunt for little Samantha Runnion began. Sarah, who was the same age as Samantha, was able to provide the police with a description of the man and the details about his car. Other witnesses confirmed details for the police. They were looking for a Hispanic man with slicked-back black hair and a thin black mustache, possibly driving a light green Honda or Acura. On July 16, a  man called 911  and reported that he found a little girl’s nude body along rural Highway 74 in neighboring Riverside County.   The  Riverside County Sheriffs Department confirmed that the body found was Samantha Runnion. An autopsy determined that Samantha was sexually assaulted, suffered physical trauma, and was asphyxiated sometime on July 15. Authorities reported that the killer spent several hours with her before murdering her. Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona delivered a strong message to the killer: Dont sleep. Dont eat. Because were coming after you. We will take every resource thats available to us to bring you to justice. The Investigation A tip line was set up and by July 18, caller’s tips lead the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)  to Alejandro Avila, 27, a production line supervisor from nearby Lake Elsinore. Avila reportedly denied any involvement in the murder, telling the police that he was 30 miles away on the day of the abduction. Phone and credit card records did not support his alibi. The FBI learned that Avila had previously been to the apartment complex where Samantha lived during 1998 and 1999. His ex-girlfriend’s daughter lived in the same complex as the Runnion family. His relationship with the woman ended in 2000. In 2001, Avila was charged with molestation of her 9-year-old daughter and another young girl, but he was acquitted on all charges. An Arrest Is Made On July 19, 2002, Avila was arrested and charged with the murder, kidnapping, and two counts of forcible lewd acts on Samantha Runnion. Detective Carona reported having evidence from the two crime scenes found outside of Samantha’s home where she was kidnapped and where her body was found, and what they obtained from Avila’s home and cars. Samantha Runnion’s funeral was held at the Crystal Cathedral and a crowd of over 5,500 mourners attended. Mourners received a program with a drawing of Samantha’s – a little girl in a red dress, a house and a heart under a bright blue sky with her favorite saying written, Be Brave. The DA Seeks the Death Penalty District Attorney Tony Rackauckas from Orange County announced that because the murder occurred after the kidnapping and the crime involved lewd acts with a child, the prosecutors would seek the death penalty against Alejandro Avila pleaded not guilty. Public Defender Denise Gragg was turned down by an Orange Country Superior Court judge after she requested a delay in the arraignment of Avila for at least a month. The judge also scheduled a pretrial hearing for Sept. 16. Erin Runnion on Larry King Live The day after the funeral for Samantha Runnion, her mother, Erin Runnion, discussed Samanthas murder on the Larry King Live program. She expressed anger toward the jury that let Alejandro Avila go when he was on trial for a previous charge of molesting two young girls: I blame every juror who let him go, every juror who sat on that trial and believed this man over those little girls, I will never understand. And that is why he was out. And that is why his sickness was allowed to do this. Erin Runnion Faces Daughters Accused Killer Larry King interviewed Erin Runnion a few days after she faced her daughter’s accused killer for the first time in person at his pre-trial hearing. Erin Runnion told Larry King, I tried to prepare myself for it, but there was no way I could. It was awful. It was awful. I dont know what it is for everybody else, but I just- I want so much from that person. I want him to undo what he did. And I want to see some remorse. I want him to know the magnitude of what happened. And we cant get that, and so I was just instantly flooded with tears. Joyful Child Fund in Memory of Samantha Runnion Erin Runnion and her partner Ken Donnelly established the foundation out of a commitment to turn Samantha’s tragedy into something positive. The foundation’s focus is on proactive approaches in dealing with the difficult issues of violence against children while celebrating the gift that is every child.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Tips to Improve Your French Vocabulary

Tips to Improve Your French Vocabulary Words, words, words! Languages are made up of words, and French is no exception. Here are all kinds of French vocabulary lessons, practice ideas, and tips to help you get better at learning and remembering French words. Resources to Learn French Vocabulary The following resources will help you learn, practice, and master French vocabulary. French Vocabulary: Utilize vocabulary lists and lessons on all the basics and topic areas including introductions, food, clothing, family, and more.Mot du Jour: Learn 5 new French words a week with this daily feature.French in English: Many French words and expressions are used in English, but do not always have the same meaning.Cognates: Hundreds of English words mean the same thing in French, but some are false cognates.French Expressions: Idiomatic expressions can really spice up your FrenchHomophones: Many words sound alike but have two or more meanings.French Synonyms: Learn some new ways to say the same old things and master words like bon, non, oui, petit, and trà ¨s.   Know Your Genders One of the most important things to remember about French nouns is that each one has a gender. While there are a few patterns that let you know what the gender of a particular word is, for most words, its just a matter of memorization. Therefore, the best way to know whether a word is masculine or feminine is to make all your vocabulary lists with an article, so that you learn the gender with the word itself. Always write une chaise or la chaise (chair), rather than just chaise. When you learn the gender as part of the word, youll always know what gender it is later on when you need to use it. This is particularly important with what I call dual-gender nouns. Dozens of French pairs have different meanings depending on whether they are masculine or feminine, so yes, gender really does make a difference. Chance Encounters When reading French, its very likely that youll come across a lot of new vocabulary. While looking up every single word you dont know in the dictionary may disrupt your comprehension of the story, you might not understand anyway without some of those key terms. So you have a few options: Underline the words and look them up laterWrite down the words and look them up laterLook up the words as you go Underlining is the best technique because when you look the words up later, you have the context right there in the case of words with multiple meanings. If thats not an option, try to write down the sentence in your vocabulary list, rather than just the word itself. Once youve looked everything up, read the article again, with or without referring back to your list, to see how much more you understand now. Another option is to look up all the words after each paragraph or each page, rather than waiting until youve read the whole thing.Listening can also offer up a lot of new vocabulary. Again, its a good idea to write down the phrase or sentence so that you have the context to understand the meaning provided. Get a Decent Dictionary If youre still using one of those little pocket dictionaries, you need to seriously consider an upgrade. When it comes to French dictionaries, bigger really is better. Practice French Vocabulary Once youve learned all this new French vocabulary, you need to practice it. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to find just the right word when speaking and writing, as well as to understand when listening and reading. Some of these activities might seem boring or silly, but the point is simply to get you used to seeing, hearing, and speaking the words - here are some ideas. Say It out Loud When you come across a new word while reading a book, newspaper, or French lesson, say it out loud. Seeing new words is good, but saying them out loud is even better, because it gives you practice both speaking and listening to the sound of the word. Write It Out Spend 10 to 15 minutes every day writing lists of vocabulary. You can work with different themes, such as kitchen items or automotive terms, or just practice words that you continue to have trouble with. After you write them down, say them out loud. Then write them again, say them again, and repeat 5 or 10 times. When you do this, youll see the words, feel what its like to say them, and hear them, all of which will help you the next time you are actually speaking French. Use Flashcards Make a set of flashcards for new vocabulary by writing the French term on one side (along with an article, in the case of nouns) and the English translation on the other. You can also use a flashcard program like Before You Know It. Label Everything Surround yourself with French by labeling your home and office with stickers or post-it notes. Ive also found that putting a post-it on my computer monitor helps me remember those terms that Ive looked up in the dictionary a hundred times but still cant ever seem to remember. Use It in a Sentence When you go over your vocab lists, dont just look at the words - put them into sentences. Try making 3 different sentences with each word, or try to create a paragraph or two using all the new words together. Sing Along Set some vocabulary to a simple tune, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and sing it in the shower, in your car on the way to work/school, or while washing the dishes. Mots Flà ©chà ©s French-style crossword puzzles, mots flà ©chà ©s, are a great way to challenge your knowledge of French vocabulary.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Interest in Vanguard Accelerated Development Program Personal Statement

Interest in Vanguard Accelerated Development Program - Personal Statement Example only to get an understanding of Vanguard’s leadership philosophy but also to continue its pursuit of excellence within the financial services industry. Although I am relatively new to the Vanguard Investment Services, but I have had the opportunity to demonstrate my ability to learn, adapt, and communicate effectively with clients. At present, I am working as a Corporate Staff Accountant at Education Corporation of America (ECA) where some of my job responsibilities include performing account reconciliations, preparing monthly financial statements, and reviewing the accounting reports. I have also worked as a Human Resource Recruiter at Abae Personnel Services Inc. Both of these jobs have helped me gain valuable experience that I require to progress in my professional life. I want to have an excellent professional record, which could help me attain the heights of success in my life. I am willing to do whatever it takes to make it. An important point, which I want to mention, is that relocation is not an issue for me when it comes to advancing in my career. I am sending this statement of purpose to get an opportunity to join the Vanguard Accelerated Development Program and maximize my skill set, experiences and knowledge. I am hopeful of getting an interview

Friday, November 1, 2019

Public speaking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public speaking - Essay Example The two goals contradicted each other, as Vietnams had threatened to attack US if their troops were not to be withdrawn from South Vietnams. For that reason, Nixon addressed the issue with a two sided mind. Paradoxically, Nixon imparts a withdrawal mode to his audience, a strategy that makes them feel like he cares so much for the Americans, and especially the American men in Vietnam. He acknowledges that American troops stand a higher risk in the attacked zones but concludes the sentence by mentioning that withdrawing implies a greater risk to the natives of the attached zones. Nixon considers it wise to analyse the situation in two ways to make the audience understand that withdrawal, as the solution suggested earlier, is a controversial action that worsens the situation. As matter of fact, the Nixon understands that his audience are Americans, who would want their men protected but keeps in mind that the outside world is also watching his action. Therefore, the speech is planned n ot only to please the immediate audience but ensure that the problem is effectively addressed. Nixon confidently convinces the audience that his speech is well advised, by mentioning that the decision being presented wasn’t his own opinion but an informed discussion with national Security Council, other crucial personnel as well as the president’s advisers. To ensure this confidence, the speech creates some sense of inductive reasoning, by first defining the problem, analysing the available solutions and drawing a generalised conclusion later on. Nixon explains the problem by describing the actions and motives of the enemy. According to Nixon, America has no enmity whatsoever with North Vietnam, in the past there had been no troops moving to attack Vietnam, neither had the south Vietnams attacked their opponents before . He at the same time mentions the existence of alliance with South Vietnams. These create some sense of reasoning to the audience that