Italian Personal Pronouns - Pronomi Personali

Italian Personal Pronouns - Pronomi Personali Italian personal pronouns (pronomi personali) replace proper or common Italian nouns (and in some cases even animals or things). There are three forms in the singular and three forms in the plural. They are also further divided into personal subject pronouns (pronomi personal soggetto) and personal object pronouns (pronomi personali complemento). Personal Subject Pronouns (Pronomi Personali Soggetto) Oftentimes in Italian, the personal subject pronouns are implied because the form of the verb indicates the person. egli (he) and ella (she) refer only to people: Egli (Mario) ascoltà ² la notizia in silenzio.He (Mario) heard the news in silence. Ella (Marta) gli rimproverava spesso i suoi difetti.She (Martha) often reproached him for his faults. NOTE: ella is now a literary form and has fallen into disuse in spoken language. esso (he) and essa (she) refer to animals and things: Mi piace quel cane perchà © (esso) sia un bastardino.I like that dog because (he) is a mutt. NOTE: In colloquial language essa is also used to indicate people. essi (they) and esse (they) refer to people, animals and things: Scrissi ai tuoi fratelli perchà © (essi) sono i miei migliori amici.I wrote to your brothers because they are my best friends. Il cane inseguà ¬ le pecore abbaiando ed esse si misero a correre.The barking dog chased the sheep and they began to run. NOTE: Often, in the spoken language, but also when written, the personal object pronouns lui (him), lei (her), and loro (them) function as the subject, and in particular:  »Ã‚  When they follow the verb È stato lui a dirlo non io.It was him who said it, not I.  »Ã‚  When you want to give special emphasis to the subject Ma lui ha scritto!But he wrote!  »Ã‚  In comparisons Marco fuma, lui (Giovanni) non ha mai fumato.Mark smokes, he (John) has never smoked.  »Ã‚  In exclamations Povero lui!Poor him! Beata lei!Lucky you!  »Ã‚  After anche, come, neanche, nemmeno, persino, proprio, pure, and quanto Anche loro vengano al cinema.They too are at the cinema. Nemmeno lei lo sa.Not even she knows. Lo dice proprio lui.He says it himself. Personal Object Pronouns (Pronomi Personali Complemento) In Italian, personal object pronouns replace direct objects and indirect objects (that is, those preceded by a preposition). They have toniche (tonic) and atone (atonic) forms. toniche or forti (strong) are those forms that have a strong emphasis in the sentence: È a me che Carlo si riferisce.Its me that Charles is referring to. Voglio vedere te e non tuo fratello.I want to see you and not your brother. atone or debole (weak) (also called particelle pronominali) are those forms that do not have particular significance and that may depend on the adjacent word. The unstressed forms are referred to as:  »Ã‚  proclitiche when they relate to the word they precede Ti telefono da Roma.Ill phone from Rome. Ti spedirà ² la lettera al pià ¹ presto.Ill send the letter as soon as possible.  »Ã‚  enclitiche, when they relate to the previous word (usually the imperative or indefinite forms of the verb), giving rise to a single form Scrivimi presto! Write to me soon! Non voglio vederlo.I do not want to see it. Credendolo un amico gli confidai il mio segreto.Thinking he was a friend, I confided in him my secret. NOTE: When verbal forms are truncated the consonant of the pronoun is doubled. fa a me- fammidi a lei- dille Pronomi Personali PERSONA SOGGETTO COMPLEMENTO Forme Toniche Forme Atone 1a singolare io me mi (reflexive) 2a singolare tu te ti (reflexive) 3a singolare maschile egli, esso lui, s (reflexive) lo, gli, si (reflexive), ne femminile ella, essa lei, s (reflexive) la, le, si (reflexive), ne 1a plurale noi noi ci (reflexive) 2a plurale voi voi vi (reflexive) 3a plurale maschile essi loro, s li, si (reflexive), ne femminile esse loro, s le, si (reflexive), ne

The Wright Brothers and the First Flight of an Airplane

The Wright Brothers and the First Flight of an Airplane In 1899, after Wilbur Wright had written a letter of request to the Smithsonian Institution for information about flight experiments, the Wright Brothers designed their first aircraft. It was a small, biplane glider flown as a kite to test their solution for controlling the craft by wing warping. Wing warping is a method of arching the wingtips slightly to control the aircrafts rolling motion and balance. Lessons From Birdwatching The Wright Brothers spent a great deal of time observing birds in flight. They noticed that birds soared into the wind and that the air flowing over the curved surface of their wings created lift. Birds change the shape of their wings to turn and maneuver. They believed that they could use this technique to obtain roll control by warping or changing the shape, of a portion of the wing. The Gliders Experiments Over the next three years, Wilbur and his brother Orville would design a series of gliders that would be flown in both unmanned (as kites) and piloted flights. They read about the works of Cayley  and Langley and the hang-gliding flights of Otto Lilienthal. They corresponded with Octave Chanute concerning some of their ideas. They recognized that control of the flying aircraft would be the most crucial and hardest problem to solve. So following a successful glider test, the Wrights built and tested a full-size glider. They selected Kitty Hawk, North Carolina as their test site because of its wind, sand, hilly terrain and remote location. In the year 1900, the Wright brothers successfully tested their new 50-pound biplane glider with its 17-foot wingspan and wing-warping mechanism at Kitty Hawk in both unmanned and piloted flights. In fact, it was the first piloted glider. Based on the results, the Wright Brothers planned to refine the controls and landing gear, and build a bigger glider. In 1901, at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers flew the largest glider ever flown. It had  a 22-foot wingspan, a weight of nearly 100 pounds and skids for landing. However, many problems occurred. The wings did not have enough lifting power, the forward elevator was not effective in controlling the pitch and the wing-warping mechanism occasionally caused the airplane to spin out of control. In their disappointment, they predicted that man will probably not fly in their lifetime. In spite of the problems with their last attempts at flight, the Wright brothers  reviewed their test results and determined that the calculations they had used were not reliable. They decided to build a wind tunnel to test a variety of wing shapes and their effect on lift. Based upon these tests, the inventors had a greater understanding of how an airfoil (wing) works and could calculate with greater accuracy how well a particular wing design would fly. They planned to design a new glider with a 32-foot wingspan and a tail to help stabilize it. The Flyer In 1902, the Wright brothers flew numerous test glides using their new glider. Their studies showed that a movable tail would help balance the craft and so they connected a movable tail to the wing-warping wires to coordinate turns. With successful glides to verify their wind tunnel tests, the inventors planned to build a powered aircraft. After months of studying how propellers work, the Wright Brothers designed a motor and a new aircraft sturdy enough to accommodate the motors weight and vibrations. The craft weighed 700 pounds and came to be known as the Flyer. The  First Manned Flight The Wright brothers built a movable track to help launch the Flyer. This downhill track would help the aircraft gain enough airspeed to fly. After two attempts to fly this machine, one of which resulted in a minor crash, Orville Wright took the Flyer for a 12-second, sustained flight on December 17, 1903. This was the first successful powered and piloted flight in history. In 1904, the first flight lasting more than five minutes took place on November 9th. The Flyer II was flown by Wilbur Wright. In 1908, passenger flight took a turn for the worse when the first fatal air crash occurred on September 17. Orville Wright was piloting the plane. Orville Wright survived the crash, but his passenger, Signal Corps Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge, did not. The Wright Brothers had been allowing passengers to fly with them since May 14, 1908. In 1909, the U.S. Government bought its first airplane, a Wright Brothers biplane, on July 30. The airplane sold for $25,000 plus a bonus of $5,000 because it exceeded 40 mph. Wright Brothers - Vin Fiz First Armed Airplane On July 18, 1914, an Aviation Section of the Signal Corps (part of the Army) was established. Its flying unit contained airplanes made by the Wright Brothers as well as some made by their chief competitor, Glenn Curtiss. Patent Suit Although Glenn Curtisss invention, ailerons (French for little wing), was far different from the Wrights wing-warping mechanism, the Court determined that use of lateral controls by others was unauthorized by patent law.

How far do you agree with the intentionalist perspective that Hitler Coursework

How far do you agree with the intentionalist perspective that Hitler had always intended the extermination of the Jews - Coursework Example Hitler insisted to the German population that the Jews were socialists as well as democrats who eagerly exploited the Aryan people’s need for social justice to grab social power over the Aryan population (Victor, 2000). The same school affirmed that Hitler made a blue print of his step by step architectural plan. The plan prioritised removing the Jews from the face of the earth. The intentionalists declared the Hitler Germany policy to exterminate the Jews led to the 1941 German invasion of USSR. The attack on the Jews was dubbed as Hitler’s final solution. Intentionalist philosopher Gerald Fleming branded Hitler as the Fighing Prophet. (Totten, 2000). Further, the Nazi anti-Semitism policy from 1933 to 1939 focused on the discrimination of the Jewish people. Hitler’s government priorities included removing the Jews’ rights. For example, the business companies implemented the Hitler government policy by terminating Jews from their workplaces. In Germany, the Jewish youth did not have equal societal opportunities with non-Jewish youths (Friedlander, 2014). In terms of how far Nazi leaders achieved prescribed policy goals, the Hitler government implemented a new civil service law on April 7, 1933 prohibiting the hiring of Jews. On April 26, the German government ordered the public burning of all Jew-authored books. On July 14, 1933, the German government cancelled the citizenship of its Eastern Jew residents (Friedlander, 2014). Concentration camps, including the Oranienburg_camp and the 1936 Dachau_concentration camps, were set up starting in 1933. During 1937, the government set up the Buchewald concentration_camp to accommodate the growing number of new Jewish prisoners. The camps were used for the consequent massacre of the German Jews. Instead of forcing Jewish prisoners to help in the production of German military equipment, Hitler preferred

Effective Bookkeeping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effective Bookkeeping - Essay Example A failure to keep books properly can have very real ramifications for a school, a district, and the workers in it: it could cause intense scandal and cost people jobs and the district money. Furthermore, regular audits are done to ensure that all moneys are accounted for in reasonable ways, meaning that mistakes will get found and will have real consequences for everyone in the chain of bookkeeping, which could possibly include dismissal. It is difficult to overemphasize the importance of proper bookkeeping. This will simply serve as a refresher, please remember that the full description of appropriate policies and legislation relating to school accounting can be found in the Tennessee Internal School Uniform Accounting Policy Manual. There are several things that can lead to effective bookkeeping, and it is firstly important to emphasize basic and fundamental general rules before moving on to the specifics. Firstly, a record keeping must be orderly and complete. Any transaction incl uding school funds should be kept in a safe location, organized by date and able to be recalled at will. Secondly, transparency is of fundamental importance. If anything does seem to be amiss, it is my responsibility as principle to immediately notify a superior, and thus it is your responsibility to immediately notify me. ... These include funds of a variety of sources, including rental fees for non-district use of school property, student activity fees, donations, and even including cafeteria money. One of the most important and sometimes irking aspects of accounting is that specific fees sometimes need to be assigned to specific tasks, and cannot be used for other tasks. A school’s general fund, which constitutes money gained for the operation of a school, for instance, are only allowed to be use to supplement and not to replace the obligations of the school board, for instance. This means that while the general fund should not be used for school repairs, for instance, which are the responsibility of the district. Thus it is important to keep auditors happy and the whole process smooth that we be very conservative when administering funds, keeping careful track of the money flow and be able to demonstrate that moneys collected under one fund, the general fund, for instance, are not used in inappr opriate, or even seemingly inappropriate ways. Thus, it is incredibly important to keep strong firewalls between different kinds of funds used by the school, and flag any funds that might transfer between the two. Finally, it is of the greatest importance that enough internal controls are in place to ensure that the school is not damaged or defrauded, and that moneys are not misused. There can be very serious consequences from lack internal controls, including bank deposits being stolen, money being diverted for internal use, and so forth. This means things discussed above such as physical control of records, but also daily tallying of cash flows in and out (in cafeterias, and with cash registers, for instance) as well as ensuring proper security

Immanual Kant Ethical Contribution Essay Example for Free

Immanual Kant Ethical Contribution Essay Born in Konigsberg, East Prussia in 1724, Immanuel Kant began school at the early age of eight years. He studied at the Collegium Fridiricianum, a Latin school that focused on classicism. Later he attended the University of Konigsberg and his major studies were physics, mathematics and philosophy. After receiving his doctorate, Kant became a teacher at the University and focused on philosophy. He was well known for his unorthodox approaches to religion and religious text that many students admired. However his radical teachings caught the eye of King Frederich William II, who barred him from any further writings. Kant obeyed the king until after the king’s death, Kant continued to write and publish his views on religion. He is famous for his deontic philosophical approach which believed actions were morally right or wrong, without the regard to consequences. Kant argued being moral was also being rational. Kant wrote the book Critique of Pure Reason in 1781 in which he investigated the limits of human knowledge and the ability to reason. Kant argued that we act morally because that is what reason demands and he analyzed the nature of reason and what it means to be rational. In 1797 Kant furthered his writings in the Metaphysics of Ethics, where he writes that reason is the fundamental authority for morality. The European Graduate School dictates â€Å"Metaphysics describes a science concerned with this inquiry, a solution to unsolvable problems set by pure reason itself, namely the concepts of God, freedom and Immortality. † Kant believed that our sense of duty, approved by reason and rationality, is considered moral. Kant believed that consequences were not important, but the processes in which people think when they make their choices. Kant argued only one thing was inherently good, and that was good will. Good will is also doing the right thing, doing one’s duty and respecting moral law. (LaFave 2006) This good will is found only in humans, not material, gives us human’s dignity and is our power of rational moral choice. (Garrett 2006) According to Kant, when we respect moral law we are doing something because it makes us feel good and we are doing it out of duty, not inclinations. Kant argues we know what the moral law is by using Categorical Imperative. The Categorical Imperative states â€Å"Act only on those maxims (or rules of action) that you could, at the same time, will to be universal law. † (Garrett 2006) Three tests must pass to for an act to be considered moral, 1) it must be amenable to being made consistently universal, 2) it must respect rational beings as ends in themselves; and 3) it must stem from and respect the autonomy of rational beings. (DeGeorge p. 64) Immanuel Kant unknowingly created what is now called Kantian philosophy with his works and studies. Not only did he have a major impact on literature and the fine arts, his biggest contribution was to modern philosophy. Kant died in 1804. Works Cited DeGeorge, Richard. Business Ethics. 7th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print. Garret, Jan. â€Å"Kant’s Duty Ethics. † Wku. edu. Western Kentucky University, 2 October 2006. Web. 12 June 2012. â€Å"Immanuel Kant – Biography. † Eds. edu, European Graduate School, n. d. Web. 12 June 2012. LaFave, Sandra, â€Å"Kant’s Ethics. † Instruct. westvalley. edu. West Valley College, 16 August 2006. Web. 12 June 2012.

Comparing Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres and William Shakespeares King

Comparing Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres and William Shakespeare's King Lear Jane Smiley's novel A Thousand Acres is a modern version of William Shakespeare's King Lear.   The tragic ideas brought out by King Lear are revisited in A Thousand Acres both containing universal themes in which societies from past to present can identify with.   Tragedy is a form of drama that depicts the suffering of a heroic individual who is often overcome by the very obstacles he is struggling to remove.   The novel and play each contain distinct tragic elements that lead to the development of similar characters, plot, and images but both have distinct themes.   A Thousand Acres provides a new interpretation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy allowing the reader to create a unique twist to their opinions of the Lear family. William Shakespeare's tragedy of King Lear begins with the King's decision to divide his kingdom between his three daughters.   He gathers them all together, and tells them he will divide up the kingdom according to whoever has the most love for him.   Goneril and Reagan, the two older daughters, make big declarations of love in order to get the shares they want of the kingdom.   The youngest daughter, Cordelia, tells Lear that she loves him, as a daughter should love a father.   Lear becomes angry and disappointed with Cordelia's response feeling she has shown a lack of devotion so he takes action and banishes her.   When Kent, a close friend of Lear, attempts to defend Cordelia, but as well he is banished by Lear.   Cordelia marries the King of France and goes to live there. The kingdom is equally divided between Goneril and Regan.   These two daughters are evil and decide if Lear becomes too much of a problem then they will take d... ... which would have prevented this tragedy.   The blinding Gloucester becomes ironic because when he is blinded he is able to see that he has judged his son Edgar wrongly and it is Edmund who is evil.   Similarly, in A Thousand Acres   Loren the loyal son is the cause of his tragedy.  Ã‚   Both Lear and Larry become mad after giving up their power too early.   When Lear turns his kingdom over to his daughters he looses respect and power which cause him to go mad.   When Larry signs his farm over to his daughters he looses control of the land and goes mad.   Works Cited and Consulted Bradley, A.C. "King Lear." 20Lh Century Interpretations of King Lear. Ed. Jane Adelman. New Jersev; Prentice-Hall, 1978. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of King Lear.   Ed. Russell Fraser.   New York: Penguin, 1998. Smiley, Jane.   A Thousand Acres.   New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1991.

School Culture

Culture of a School: Interview and Reflection Paper Guidelines Ana Luna EDL505 Prof. Karen Clark 02/25/2013 * * Part One: Interview * To: Johnette Robinson * Owner and Director * Childlife Preschool 1. What is the school profile? (Urban, rural, etc. , grade level of students, number of students, number of students on free or reduced lunch (if applicable), ethnicity, number of students receiving special services and which type of special services, etc. The name of the school need not be revealed. ) * Childlife Preschool is located in an exclusive area of the city of Tampa,Carrollwood.Our school serves 110 children between the ages of 6 weeks to 12 years old. We have a very special racial diversity composed of 42 Hispanic, 9 Blacks, 38 Caucasians and 18 students from other ethnic groups (Indians, Brazilians, and Europeans). We have 51 children participating in the free lunch program provided by the government and 7 children participating in therapy (occupational, speech, psychology) an d EELP (Exceptional Education Learning Program). Is state testing mandated? If so, how do students in general perform?If not, what type of testing is used to determine overall student achievement? * Our Program VPK (voluntary pre kindergarten) is tested by a standardized test called VPK assessment. This test is sent by Florida Department of Education and must be administered three times during the school year. The results of this test reveal the academic, social and language skills of our students. In these tests the state requires us punctuation not less than 69, our school earned a punctuation of 81 for the 2011-2012 school year. This year we are working towards our goal of 90 to become a five stars provider.In what ways are students and staff acknowledged in the school? * Members of our staff and students are recognized as an essential part of our school. Teachers are evaluated annually and earn bonuses depending on their performance in the classroom. Students are recognized each month, the staff choose the students of the month are five children who have distinguished for their improvement, behavior and achievement their works are displayed in the hallway for the whole month in the office hallway and are rewarded with a free pizza sponsored by a local business.What types of extracurricular activities are offered for students? Do students of both genders and all ethnicities represented in the school participate? Are some activities more popular depending upon cultural background? * In our school we offer both karate and gymnastics programs that are offered by local businesses specializing in these areas. Students of all races involved in those activities. Which is considered the greater challenge, academic achievement or behavior? Is there a connection between the two? We take equally the challenge of academic achievement and behavior, it is important for us to fully develop both areas because our main goal as a preschool is to prepare the child to go to th e regular school. I definitely think there is a connection between academic achievement and behavior therefore both must be of equal importance in the teaching process. Our curriculum contains a wide section of social studies and social skills that target to develop the child's behavioral areas at par with the academic area.What types of professional learning have been offered to staff within the last year? * All our staff must complete at least 20 hours of continuing studies to improve their performance in the classroom. In the last year our school offered several classes like CPR, Exceptional Student Population, Classroom Management and techniques and other workshops offered by Florida Early Learning Coalition. All workshops are paid by the school. How are teachers encouraged to share with each other what they learn and do? Most of the teachers who took a course paid by the school must offer their peers a summary of the techniques they learned in class in order to expand knowledge . Every Thursday of the month we have a meeting in which separates a time for this purpose. Does the school administration engage in looking at school data with the staff? If so how is the data used? * The school administration is responsible for analyzing the data of testing and using graphs, charts and percentages discussed the results to improve those areas that need to be strengthened or improved.Is the staff in the school aware of the impact of culture on teaching and learning? Explain. * Our staff is trained on the importance of providing a multicultural environment for our children as these multicultural experiences will help foster social skills and adaptation that are very useful in everyday life and in the regular school. What types of culturally responsive instructional practices are used in the school? Do all teachers, some teachers, or a few teachers use these practices? At Childlife each classroom must maintain at least one multicultural area or include multicultural e lements in various learning centers. For example in the babies classroom they have soft dolls representing different ethnic groups and some soft books in different languages. In other classrooms with older students we have musical instruments from other cultures, pictures of other countries and clothes that represent diverse cultures that expose the child to different cultural experiences.These multicultural practices are part of our philosophy so each teacher must use these practices in the classroom. Are the school rules or expectations posted? Are they stated in a positive way? Are they taught to students? * The rules and expectations are posted in the parent handbook and in the employee handbook. The rules are adapted to children at every level and are mostly hung around circle time in the classroom with pictures that help children to understand the rules. Do students have a voice in the school?Do they help determine rules, plan activities, etc? If so how? * Preschoolers do not have much involvement in designing the rules or school activities because of their young age lack the maturity to this. However our activities are focused in the interests of our children who will participate in the activity. How are families and the community encouraged to participate? * In Childlife preschool we believe in the integrity of the family and community as an essential factor in the optimization of the teaching, so we encourage them to be part of our school.Some of the activities which we encourage parents and community to participate in the school activities are the open house, fieldtrips and celebrations. * Part Two: Interview Reflection The Philosophy of Childlife Preschool is to create a caring, positive atmosphere that will motivate children to learn and develop physically, socially and emotionally. It is our goal to help children discover the joy of learning and have the desire to achieve that will last all their lives. We are committed to guiding children to deve lop a positive self-concept to e successful in their future educational endeavors. That is why we must not ignore the interaction between cultures that is occurring in our society and in our school. It is important to include multicultural elements that expose the child to experiences that help to accept other cultures and live in the diverse society in which we live. Our director has trained and oriented the staff about multicultural dynamics that we need to perform in the classroom as part of preschool education that we provide to our children.The classrooms in Childlife multicultural preschool contain elements that help children understand diversity. Through continuing education workshops for teachers we also have had the opportunity to learn a lot about this topic and have enriched the educational environment with different multicultural elements. Technology also helped us a lot, although she does not mention it in the interview our classrooms were equipped with ipads in May all owing us to expand through the resources we use technology in the classroom including culture.The integration of extracurricular activities, community and parents are other elements that help to incorporate other cultures and enrich the educational environment with diverse knowledge and experiences. Childlife Preschool is a secure, loving environment where Parents and Teachers work together to encourage each child’s independent exploration of their world and promote their social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth.The â€Å"culture† of a school is an important aspect for Both students and staff because it helps to build a school that teaches tolerance, acceptance and adaptation to diversity. Our multicultural practices are part of our philosophy and we have helped to develop social skills that will serve the child in their daily lives and will serve in the future. The school is the first social institution to which the child is exposed so it is important to promo te a culture of peace, tolerance and acceptance in which every single child feel special and proud of his heritage and roots.

Silk Road

The Silk Road was a trade network the connected the East to the West on the Eurasian continent. This trade included both overland and maritime routes. The central Asian kingdoms and peoples became the nexus point for much of this trade which lasted from the 3rd century B. C. E. to the 15th century C. E. Many products and other cultural expressions moved along the Silk Road and diffused among various kingdoms along it. In breaking down and separating the patterns of interaction that occurred along the Silk Road from 200 B. C. E. to 1450 C. E. one can conclude that changes and continuities in these interactions included products traded (changes in specific products and impact, continuity in luxury goods), cultural expressions and diffusion (changes in artistic expressions and societal impacts, continuity in diffusion), and religion (changes in the religions that traveled and impact, continuity in spread of religion along the trade route ). One of the patterns of interaction along the S ilk Road was in the products that were traded. The Silk Road trade system was created by interactions between Han China in the 2nd century B. C. E. nd their western neighbors when an expedition for alliances to deal with a pesky neighbor turned into something else. The first product traded for on the Silk Road were Ferghana horses that the Chinese leader of the expedition Zhang Qian brought back with him which stimulated a trade between the Han and Central Asia for these fine war horses . In return, Central Asian kingdoms began to see various Chinese goods such as silk but also jades, medicinal herb, bronze and other luxury goods. This trade continued throughout the first four centuries of the timeframe with more groups getting involved in the lucrative trade. Indian spices and cotton, European gold and silver, and Central Asian horses and camels all started being acquired by each other . With the fall of both the Han and Roman empires by the 476 CE, the trade declined due to less demand and merchant’s fear of trading on less protected routes . The rise of the Tang Empire in the 7th century C. E. , along with a stabilized Byzantine empire in the West, led to a renewed vigor as well as the Abbasid caliphate in the Middle East led to stabilized trade routes again . From the East, paper and porcelain begin to appear. The stirrup appears out of the Middle East and influences both Europe and China. In Europe it creates the medieval feudal knights because they can now stay seated and weld a long lance without fear of being unseated. A similar emphasis is put on heavy cavalry in China for the same reasons as Europe . Europe continues to export gold and silver from the West because it was what was valued heavily by eastern merchants as a medium of exchange (pretty much accepted everywhere ). By the 10th century C. E. China was in decline again under the Song dynasty and lost control over much of the central and northwestern parts of the trade route. They began to emphasize more the of the southern maritime routes and thus because of this invent the maritime compass that will make its way across to the West and later lead to an age of discovery with Portugal at the end of this timeframe circa 1450 C. E. beginning to search out another maritime route d irectly to Asia by exploring the African coast using Chinese inspired compasses and Islamic maps of the Indian Ocean . With arrival of the Mongol conquests in the 1200s C. E. , once again the Silk Road has a sponsor to protect the merchants and trade thrives between East Asia, the Islamic Middle East and Europe . Silk, porcelain, and paper continue to come from the East along with gunpowder. Gunpowder now shows up on the Silk Road because of the Mongols taking it from China and using it in a more direct fashion in its conquests . Cannon now appear at the end of the timeframe being used by the Ottoman’s in their conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and by the Portuguese on their caravel ships . Central and South Asian products still include spices and animals but now cotton also begins to appear within the trade out of India . Because the Mongols controlled so much territory from China to Russia and the Middle East (they conquered Baghdad and overthrew the Abbasid caliphate), the Silk Road prospered like no other time and products flowed freely from East to West . A continuity throughout the timeframe was the fact that luxury goods usually drove the trade. Because products had to travel such great distances and thus there were so many middle men, only the very wealthy could partake of the trade . That is why gold and silver were preferred exchange mediums for the trade of silk and other fine eastern products . Another pattern of interaction was cultural expression and diffusion . In the early part of the timeframe (200 B. C. E. -1450 CE), there was very little cultural influence occurring . This is because intermediaries carried on the trade between the Han and Roman empires and the two imperial powers really had no contact directly with each other . During the Tang dynasty in the middle of the timeframe, this actually changes. Persian dance and the game of polo are introduced in China as well as musical and clothing styles which become popular . Chinese paper influenced the Islamic and European medieval periods with written works now becoming more the norm in saving and transmitting cultural knowledge such as written bibles, histories, math and other intellectual discoveries . At the end of the timeframe during the 13th through 15th centuries the Mongols were instrumental in the dissemination of knowledge throughout the Middle East territory they controlled. Islamic scholars in all fields have their works spread from Europe to China . In Europe, a Renaissance emerges due to reconnection to Silk Road trade because of the Crusades which began in the 10th century and continued into the 13th century. Crusaders reconnected with Eastern luxury goods such as spices and cloth but were also culturally influenced when they saw large vibrant, urban cities . It changed their outlook on life in general. Some ancient works such as the Greeks were re-introduced due to reconnection with the Byzantine Empire and the Abbasid caliphate . Also eastern works were transmitted along the Silk Road thus inspiring Muslim and European scholars. The works of Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo become hits in Europe and the Muslim world because they opened the eyes of the people to the broader world that existed. Marco Polo actually traveled under protection of the Mongol Khan while Battuta traveled in the Muslim realm due to his being more comfortable in Arabic speaking kingdoms that practiced his form of religion . The station of merchants also changed by the end of the period in China because of the Mongols. During the Han period and other dynasties, Confucian principles kept merchants at the bottom the social hierarchy. Because the Mongols valued the profits they could generate, merchants under the Yuan period held much higher stations in life . A continuity in this period was the constant cultural diffusion that took place as intermediaries engaged one another and kingdoms became acquainted with each other. Lifestyles changed and peoples were introduced to new knowledge throughout the period. Religion, art, and knowledge were continually diffused throughout the history of the Silk Road . The last pattern of interactions that was evident on the Silk Road was that of religion . Trade was a great disseminator of culture along the routes of trade and religion was one of those cultural traits that spread throughout the period. Three major religions spread along the Silk Road- Christianity, Buddhism and Islam . Buddhism appeared early on the Silk Road in roughly the first century B. C. E. It was forced out of India due to its rejection by the Hindu majority but found homes in places like Tibet, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia . Many steppe peoples adopted it because it fit into their animistic religions of a universal spirit. Lower class people and women adopted it due to its equalitarian nature and its promise of an afterlife . It spread throughout the timeframe appearing in China and Japan during the Tang dynasty and being reinforced in places like Tibet and Mongolia when the Mongols adopted it . Christianity also spread along the trade routes in Western Asia but was blocked from spreading any farther eastward than the Byzantine Empire due to the rise of Islam in the middle of the period during the 7th and 8th centuries . Because of the adoption of Islam by the Il-Khan khanate, Islam would make its way into southern China by the end of the period in the 14th and 15th centuries . Christianity and Buddhism were spread by missionaries while Islam was primarily spread by merchants and by the sword. Buddhism as stated earlier continually spread throughout the period and found refuge primarily in Central, East, and Southeast Asia . It did not spread westward due to Islam and Christianity having hold on western Asia and Europe . In conclusion, there were several patterns of interaction on the Silk Road due to the many different cultures that interacted on it. It influenced cultural expressions, spread of religion, and as well as products and ideas that changed many cultures such as the stirrup and gunpowder to name a couple. These interactions were not all positive however in that one of the byproducts of this trade led to the spread of bubonic plague from China to Europe. The Black Death as it was called in Europe is one of the reasons that Silk Road trade diminished as well as the isolationist policies of the Ming emperors who abhorred all things â€Å"foreign† and the collapse of the Mongol empire due to internal fragmentation. Trade systems such as the trans-Saharan trade and the Indian Ocean maritime system had many of the same cultural impacts as the Silk Road and in total created early global networks of trade .

Literature review on Language Use

Literature review on Language Use Literature Review In academic arena, English plays a very crucial role especially in institutions whereby it has been used for infinitely long period of time as a medium of instruction. Students are expected to not only communicate effectively in English language. They are also supposed to master its extensive usage so that they can be able to grasp full content in their various fields of study. According to Bacha and Bahous (2008), there is no possibility of excelling in institutions which use English as medium of communication.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Literature review on Language Use specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, tremendous effort geared towards learning English language both from the teacher and learner levels is relevant in order to help students overcome academic demands so as to excel in their respective disciplines. Additionally, the acquired skills will assist students in meeting the de mands of English language use in a professional context (Bacha Bahous, 2008). Ismail (2011) explicates that the academic context consign strenuous demands on students as they are required to complete numerous writing tasks in different genres such as essays, research papers and critical reviews. On the other hand, for learners to be able to decipher the different structure and language forms that are most suited for diverse form of texts, they ought to focus on learning the rules of the language that is being used for instruction. Furthermore, in his study on students’ perceptions on writing in ESL, Ismail found out that English plays vital role in initiating students to the wider academic community owing to their improved proficiency and also due to their ability to make distinctions between language activities used in specific genres. Further exploration of students’ perceptions indicated that the kind of attitudes that students held towards ESL either hindered or p romoted their writing ability. On the same note, Bacha (2002) underscores that English has been elevated to a higher status around the world owing to the fact that it is the preferred language of use for various specific purposes. Needless to say, English is a preferred medium of instruction in many academic institutions across the globe bearing in mind that even the non-English speaking countries have adopted English in their academic curriculum. For this reason, English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Arab world as well as from other parts of the globe have little alternative but to learn English despite the difficulties they encounter in the course of learning. In spite of the fact that L1 (Arabic) has a role to play in students life, it is imperative to mention that English for academic purposes is very crucial not just to outshine in academic field, but also to fit in the global arena whereby it is the main language of communication. Concurrently, this current research offers an in-depth exploration on the use of English for purpose of academic learning and of course the acquisition of knowledge. In addition, it also highlights the difficulties Arabic speakers encounter in the course of switching between Arabic for social use and English for academic purposes.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Scholars interested in English for specific purposes (ESP) discipline tend to prefer the usage of two distinct subdivisions to distinguish between the use of English in academic (English for academic purposes (EAP) and the language use in occupational contexts (English for occupational purposes (EOP) (Gillett Wray, 2006). Besides, Gillett and Wray accentuate that the aspiration of ESP is to equip students with the necessary skills to communicate, write and read. Notwithstanding, the period of preparation is very short, but the skills are relevant to p romote success in academics. However, success in mastery of ESP is only achieved if activities of ESP are demonstrated in the context as it is the case in academic institutions. Moreover, the materials for teaching ESP ought to be authentic to enable students to grasp vital skills for a smooth transition into the employment world. Similarly, Fender (2008) in his research unearthed several characteristics of ESP which includes ESP materials that are designed to meet specific learners’ needs such as academic. Conversely, the methodology for designing such materials is tailored towards the specialized purpose. Needless to say, the aim of EPS should be focused, not just on teaching the lexicon, grammar and registers in a particular discipline, but should also provide skills on the appropriate use of the above activities. English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) In yet another development of this language, EOP falls under three categories namely business English, professional Engli sh and vocational English. The importance of English in occupational fields has been accentuated via several studies. One such study is by Fender (2008) that emphasized the necessity for learning above average English skills to facilitate communication in every profession. Furthermore, the two aforementioned authors provide indisputable solutions that ESL students can employ to overcome communication barriers in their respective business and management professions. Likewise, Gilmore (2009) points out that many students find it extremely challenging to produce written texts in their language and the challenges worsens when they are required to write in a second language and specifically to EFL learners. He adds that the widely usage of English language in business and academic environment can be directly linked to the gradual revolution heightened by globalization. As a matter of fact, Huang (2008) study supported Gilmore observation by accentuating that the spread of English usage i s likely to be accelerated by its’ widespread usage in mass communication, internet and business dealings. He further emphasizes that on a day to day basis, thousands of deals in trade, journalism, politics etc are conducted in English whereas the parties involved are non-native speakers of English. As a result, the necessity to equip the users with the relevant English competence skills cannot be overemphasized of which this is the main concern of the current study.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Literature review on Language Use specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, Huang study revealed that test scores for tasks written in English varied between the ESL learners and native speakers of English, whereby native speakers scores higher than ESL learners. Huang attributed these findings to the fact that ESL learners’ performance was limited for reasons not explained in his study. However, his fi ndings positively indicate the concept of using ESP in academics poses tremendous hardship to ESL students. Moreover, Puvenesvary (2003) research revealed that poorly-written business letters caused grievous harm to a business. His study which was conducted in the banking sector in Malasyia further portrays that ESP is a valuable skill not just in academics but also in professional arena. Challenges in reading and speaking in ESP for academic learners Research among Arab students has indicated that they face similar or more adverse challenges while reading and speaking in ESP. Obviously, in academic institutions, students are expected to communicate with their fellow learners as well as participate in both oral and reading classroom presentations. Similarly, they are also expected to have above average reading skills to enhance performance in academic tasks. However, most ESP learners posses below average skills in reading and speaking as cited by Jdetawy (2011). The aim of his rese arch was to conduct a conceptual review of challenges faced by Arab learners while using ESP in academic setting. A thorough review of literature exposes the reality that Arab ESL students faced serious problems while using ESP in academics and the problems impacted on all areas of language skills, i.e. speaking, reading, writing and listening (Jdetawy, 2011). The above current study concurs with a prior study by Savas (2009). Although Savas’ study aimed at unearthing learners’ challenges as perceived by their teachers, the two studies arrived at similar findings. Savas (2009) highlights that L2 learners of English face serious challenges while using ESP in accomplishing academic tasks such as writing, speaking, reading and listening. Interesting though, this study partly blame inadequacy of teaching methods as having contributed to the acquisition of below average linguistic skills in English. Problems faced by Arabic speakers in ESL learning for academic purposes On the same note, learners of L2 face many problems and Arab learners are no exception. Needless to say, these problems have caught the interest of various linguistic scholars due to their regular occurrences in both written and spoken English. As a result, numerous studies (Hisham, 2008; Rababbah, 2003; Kobayashi Rinnert, 2002) have been carried out to investigate some of the common and chronic problems faced by Arab learners in the process of acquiring L2 (English). To expound on the same, Kobayashi and Rinnert (2002) study attempted to investigate the effects of extensive and intensive L1 training in high school and how students transferred L1 knowledge while writing in L2. The study indicated that students tended to transfer knowledge in L1 to L2 and as a result committed weighty lexical errors during the writing process. However, errors in writing could be minimized if the students acquired the best writing strategy in L1 as they could transfer the same skills L2.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Kobayashi and Rinnert explanation ignores the fact that most of the errors of writing in L2 arise not because of the acquired writing strategies, but also because the mastery of L2 is restricted. Rababah (2003) extended his study further to identify the various reasons that could be attributed to these EFL learning problems. First of all, he identified that the problems of EFL among Arab learners arose because English language teachers were native speakers of Arabic; hence their performance and competence in English was likely to be restricted. In addition, use of English was not a common experience among Arab speakers bearing in mind that they also had little interaction with native English speakers. Consequently, Hisham (2008) investigated business students at the University of Utara Malaysia and pointed out that EFL learner encounter problems in vocabulary register, grammar and referencing. As a matter of fact, Umair (2011) reinforces the above discourse by res tating that Arabic native speakers encountered many problems while undertaking writing courses in English. In deed, the composition of learners in academic institution is very diverse and as well their multilevel ability in writing also varied. As a result, the lack of uniformity further accelerated the problems of competent writing for both teachers and students (ibid). Umair further explains that the diversified composition of learners in terms of abilities made it impossible for teachers to meet the needs of every learner. Additionally, Bacha (2002) reviewed past literature that is highly relevant to the current study owing to the fact that it identified the major problems that L2 learners encountered while writing for academic purposes. Moreover, the study pointed out that writing skills among L2 learners were restricted following their limitation of lexical variety and lack of subordination elements. Consequently, the importance of employing the appropriate methodology while te aching ESP cannot be overstated. Having established that there are various and grievous problems in ESL learning, L2 practitioners have been a search of comprehensive theory that would be employed to teach L2 in an attempt to minimize or eliminate problems that originated from poor teaching methodologies. As a result three major theories have been proposed which can be employed to guide learners in the process of writing in order to promote mastery of skills among ESP learners for academic purposes. Integral theories applied in the teaching of ESP One of the most important theories is that which touches on rhetorical drills and syntax. It is referred to as product theory and they are all important in assisting the process of writing (Badger White, 2000). As the name suggests, this theory is concerned with the final written product and eschews from establishing how the writing skills are acquired. Badger and White also exemplifies that the written product is a clear indicator of the level of structure skills of the target language (TL) that the learner have mastered. Moreover, the written product indicates the level of imitated input since L2 learning is a matter of imitation. Badger and White also explains that if students are exposed to written model texts their level of errors is likely to subside and vice versa. This is because as students focus on model texts they also focus on form and structure out of which they imitate the ideal writing skills. In addition, the students should be exposed to various exercises based on the model texts, and concurrently their level of mastered should be evaluated based on replicated product. On the contrary, process theory approach focuses on the identification of procedure employed to arrive at the final written text without any consideration of the appearance of this final product (Hyland, 2003). This indicates that this theory is more concerned with teaching methods that learner of ESP is exposed to so as to acquire wr iting skills in the target language. The author expounds that the various elements in the learning of English language such as drafting, actual writing carrying out revision as well as assessment and evaluation are all related to the theory. Henceforth, instructors are supposed to introduce the students to techniques that enhance success in writing. Therefore, students are taken through rewriting, revision and editing until the instructor is satisfied with the final draft. On the same note, it important to acknowledge a more recent research that sought to highlight the meta-cognitive strategic that Arab students employed while reading comprehension both in Arabic and English that was doe by Alsheikh and Mokhtari (2011). The study indicates serious implications for teaching and assessment on academic institutions since the researchers established that participants were more concerned with strategies than end products. Therefore, the study further reinforces the process theory that st rategy or mechanisms employed in teaching writing determines the quality of end-product. Finally, genre theory approach was proposed in an attempt to provide mechanisms to promote successful learning of ESP in the academic arena especially in writing. According to Badger and White (2000), this approach largely deals with studying the social context in which writing materials are produced. Generally, this theory considers the communicative events where written materials are produced. In the academic context, the process whereby a lecturer interacts with his/her students in the process of teaching is considered to be relevant while teaching writing skills in target language. Flowerdew and Peacock (2001) also explained that in this context, students are free to choose their own topic and write on them, while ensuring that their written texts fulfill the intended communicative purpose. Concurrently, Flowerdew and Peacock (2001) perceive this approach as the most significant due to its d ynamic nature as well as varied characteristics across disciplines, time and instructors. However, the approach might not be successful since it requires collaboration between lecturers and students, a situation which may sometimes be unattainable. In this case, the teacher assumes an authoritative position as he/she guides learners towards an elevated performance level of ESP (Paltridge, 2001). References Alsheikh, N.O. Mokhtari, K. (2011). An Examination of the Metacognitive Reading Strategies Used by Native Speakers of Arabic When Reading in English and Arabic. English Language Teaching, 4(2), 151-161. Bacha, N.N. (2002). Developing Learners’ Academic Writing Skills in Higher Education: A Study for Educational Reform. Language and Education, 16(3): 161-178. Bacha, N.N., Bahous, R. (2008). Contrasting views of business students’ writing needs in an EFL environment. English for Specific Purposes 27, 74-93. Badger, R. G. White. (2000). A process-genre approach to te aching writing. ELT Journal 54(2), 153-160. Fender, M. 2008. Spelling knowledge and reading development: Insights from Arab ESL learners, Reading in a foreign language, 20(2), 19-26. Flowerdew, J. Peacock, M. (Eds.) (2001). Research Perspectives on English for Academic Purposes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Gillett, A Wray, L. (2006). ‘EAP and Success in Assessing the Effectiveness of EAP Programmes, BALEAP. Gilmore, A. (2009). Using online corpora to develop students’ writing skills. ELT Journal, 63(4), 363-372. Hisham, D. (2008). Needs Analysis of Arab graduate students in the area of EAP: A case study of the ICT program at UUM. Unpublished minor thesis. Sintok: University Utara Malaysia Press. Huang, J. (2008).How Accurate are ESL students holistic writing scores on large-scale assessments? A generalizability theory approach. Assessing Writing, 13(3), 201- 218. Hyland, K. (2003). Genre-based pedagogies: A social response to process. Journal of Second Lan guage Writing, 12: 17-29. Ismail, S. A. A. (2011). Exploring Students’ Perceptions of ESL Writing. English Language Teaching, 4(2): 73-84. Jdetawy, L. F. A. (2011). Problems encountered by Arab EFL learners. Language in India, 11(3), 19-28. Kobayash, H. Rinnert, C. (2002). High school perceptions of first language literacy instruction: Implications for second language writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 11(2), 91-116 Paltridge, B. (2001). Genre, text type and the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) classroom. In A. M. Johns (Ed.), Genre in the Classroom. Mahwah: Erlbaum. Puvenesvary, M. (2003). A comparative study of the criteria employed by academics and workplace professionals in evaluating business correspondence. Unpublished Doctor of Philosophy, Thesis, Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Rabab’ah, G. (2003). Communicating Problems Facing Arab Learners of English. Journal of Language and L earning 3(1), 180-197. Savas, B. (2009). Role of Functional Academic Literacy In ESP teaching: ESP Teacher Training in Turkey for sustainable development. Journal of International Social research, 2(9), 396-408. Umair, N. (2011). Problems of Multi-ability Academic English Writing Classes in Arab Countries. Arab World English Journal, 2(2), 230-242.

The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics - An Analysis

The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics - An Analysis Avenue Q Lyrics - The Philosophy of Avenue Q Lyrics During a recent visit to London, I wandered through Covent Garden on my way to watch a West End production of Avenue Q. While passing various shops and street performers I spotted a large plaque placed on the walls outside of St. Pauls church. It was here, said the sign, that the famous Punch and Judy Shows were performed during the 1600s. Thats right, Shakespeares plays had to compete with puppet shows. In traditional Punch and Judy shows, the anti-hero Punch insults, pesters, and beats his fellow characters, much to the delight of the audience. The Punch and Judy shows were a glorious display of political incorrectness. Today, the tradition of puppets delivering obnoxiousness and social commentary continues with Avenue Q. The Origin of Avenue Q Avenue Qs music and lyrics were created by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. The two young composers met in the late 90s while involved in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Together they have written songs for Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. However, they wanted to create a puppet-friendly show that was strictly for adults. With the help of playwright Jeff Whitty and director Jason Moore, Avenue Q was born - and has been a hit Broadway show since 2003. Sesame Street for Grown Ups Avenue Q could not exist without Sesame Street, the long running childrens show that teaches kids letters, numbers, and practical life-lessons. The premise of Avenue Q is that adolescents grow up without learning the truth of adult life. Like the puppet protagonist Princeton, many new grown-ups experience anxiety and confusion when entering the Real World. Here are some of the lessons offered by Avenue Q: School / College Does Not Prepare You for Real Life With songs like What Do You Do with a B. A. in English? and I Wish I Could Go Back to College, Avenue Q lyrics portray higher education as an extended stay in the carefree Land of Adolescence. Princetons main conflict is that he is drifting through life, trying to discover his true purpose. One would hope that college would establish this sense of purpose (or at least a sense of self-sufficiency), but the puppet croons to the contrary: I cant pay the bills yet / Cause I have no skills yet. / The world is a big scary place. The ensemble of characters, both human and monster, wistfully recall the days when they lived in a dormitory with a meal plan, a time when if things got too difficult they could just drop a class or seek an academic advisors guidance. This criticism of the education system is nothing new. Philosopher John Dewey believed that public education should proactively prepare students with useful critical thinking skills rather than just facts from books. Modern day critics such as John Taylor Gatto further explore the failures of compulsory learning; his book Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling explains why many people feel the same social / intellectual impotence expressed within Avenue Qs lyrics. The Freedom to Find Our Own Purpose Princeton decides that he should seek his purpose in life. At first his quest for meaning is guided by superstition. He finds a penny from the year he was born and considers it a supernatural sign. However, after a couple a false-start relationships and a dead-end job or two, he realizes that discovering ones purpose and identity is a difficult, never-ending process (but an invigorating process if one chooses to make it so). Steering away from lucky pennies and mystical signs, he becomes more self-reliant by the musicals conclusion. Princetons resolution to find his own path would be smiled upon by existential philosophers. The main component of existentialism is the assumption that humans are free to determine their own sense of personal fulfillment. They are not bound by Gods, destiny, or biology. When Princeton laments, I dont even know why Im alive, his girlfriend Kate Monster replies, Who does, really? A rather existential response. There Are No Selfless Deeds Perhaps there are good deeds, according to Avenue Q, but there seem to be no purely selfless deeds. When Princeton decides to generate money for Kates School for Monsters, he does so because it feels good to help others†¦ and he also hopes to win her back, thereby rewarding himself. The lyrics from Avenue Qs Money Song explain, Every time you do good deeds / Youre also serving your own needs. / When you help others / You cant help helping yourself. This bit of wisdom would please Ayn Rand, author of controversial classics such as Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. Rands concept of objectivism which specifies that ones purpose should be the pursuit of happiness and self-interest. Therefore, Princeton and the other characters are morally justified in performing good deeds, so long as they do so for their own benefit. Schadenfreude: Happiness at the Misfortune of Others If youve ever felt better about your life after watching the miserable guests on a Jerry Springer re-run, then youve probably experienced schadenfreude. One of the Avenue Q characters is Gary Coleman, a real-life child star whose millions were squandered by his irresponsible family. In the show, Coleman explains that his personal tragedies make others feel good. Ironically, it becomes a virtue (or at least a public service) to be a wretched failure or a victim of calamity. (This by the way would would be frowned upon by Ayn Rand). Characters such as Coleman and the recently homeless puppet, Nicky, improve the self-esteem of the mediocre masses. Basically, these lyrics make you feel better about being a loser! Tolerance and Racism Avenue Q Heterosexual puppet Nicky tries to help the sexually repressed puppet Rod come out of the closet. He sings, â€Å"If you were queer / I’d still be here / Year after year / Because You’re Dear To Me.† A bit more devious (in a good way) is the song â€Å"Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist.† During this number, the characters proclaim that â€Å"everyone makes judgments based on race,† and that if we accepted this â€Å"sad but true† premise society could â€Å"live in harmony.† The song’s argument might be specious, but the audience’s self-deprecating laughter throughout the musical number is very telling. Everything in Life Is Only For Now Recently, â€Å"spiritual† books such as Eckhart Tolle’s have been asking readers to focus on the present, to embrace â€Å"The Power of Now.† (I wonder†¦ Does this message anger historians?) In any case, this currently popular concept stems from ancient times. Buddhists have long since explained the impermanence of existence. Avenue Q follows the Buddhist path in its final song, â€Å"For Now.† These cheerful Avenue Q lyrics remind the audience that all things must pass: â€Å"Each time you smile / It’ll only last a while.† â€Å"Life may be scary / But it’s only temporary.† In the end, despite its zaniness and crude jokes, Avenue Q delivers a sincere philosophy: We must appreciate the joys and endure the sadness we currently experience, and acknowledge that all is fleeting, a lesson that makes life seem all the more precious. Why Puppets? Why use puppets to deliver the message? Robert Lopez explained in a New York Times interview, â€Å"Theres something about our generation that resists actors bursting into song on the stage. But when puppets do it, we believe it.† Whether it’s Punch and Judy, Kermit the Frog, the cast of Avenue Q, puppets make us laugh. And while we are laughing, we usually wind up learning at the same time. If a regular human were on stage singing a preachy song, many folks would probably ignore the message. But when a muppet talks, people listen. The creators of Mystery Science Theater 3000 once explained that, â€Å"You can say things as a puppet that you can’t get away with as a human.† That was true for MST3K. It was true for the Muppets. It was true for the bombastically cruel Punch, and it is eloquently true for the ever-insightful show Avenue Q.

The Spinster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Spinster - Essay Example She added to her stock a female swine which she tended till it was old enough to breed. She was so glad that the swine had sixteen breast nipples because these would indicate it can have many piglets. She had her artificially inseminated. She must not have imagined a boar over her beast! Alter ego! After few months the beast delivered seven piglets. She was so glad tending the young ones and hoping to sell them at a better price soon. What a profit! Unfortunately, one morning while she was busy tending on her pregnant cattle, a mad dog drop by and bit three of the piglets. Eventually, all the piglets including the mother swine went crazy. It was so horrible for her that at the blink of an eye her capital went crazy and eventually underground with the dead. But, she did not despair. She still has her chicken and almost skinny, but pregnant cattle. Surely, the cattle delivered another female after a long wait. It certainly meant profit! Happily she goes to fields with plenty of free grass feed for her cattle' every morning, leave them to fodder till the late afternoons, when she brings them back home and give some water with little salt. One morning when she was ready to tow the cattle for fodder, the cattle just went crazily jumping around and around that sh