Scout Quotes From To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The young Scout Finch,  from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is one of American literatures  most iconic and unforgettable fictional characters. The book deals with issues of racial injustice and gender roles in the American South. The book was largely based on Lees own childhood, growing up in Monroeville, Alabama, during the Great Depression. Published at the start of the civil rights movement, the book called for tolerance  and condemned the treatment of African-Americans in the South. Through its tomboy narrator, the author discusses the frustrations of living within strict female gender roles.   On Being a Girl â€Å"[Calpurnia] seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl.† â€Å"[Aunt Alexandra said that] I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year.† â€Å"I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.† â€Å"I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life, I thought of running away. Immediately.† On Boo Radley Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. At first, I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and tree trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp, and toast moved across the porch towards Jem. (They think the shadow is Boo Radley, whom theyve been taught to fear.) On Jem The sixth grade seemed to please him from the beginning: he went through a brief Egyptian Period that baffled me—he tried to walk flat a great deal, sticking one arm in front of him and one in back of him, putting one foot behind the other. He declared Egyptians walked that way; I said if they did I didnt see how they got anything done, but Jem said they accomplished more than the Americans ever did, they invented toilet paper and perpetual embalming, and asked where would we be today if they hadnt? Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and Id have the facts. To Jack â€Å"Pass the damn ham, please.† (said during Scouts attempt to try and get out of going to school) On Fighting â€Å"Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting anymore; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be.† â€Å"After my bout with Cecil Jacobs when I committed myself to a policy of cowardice, word got around that Scout Finch wouldn’t fight anymore, her daddy wouldn’t let her. This was not entirely correct: I wouldn’t fight publicly for Atticus, but the family was private ground. I would fight anyone from a third cousin upwards tooth and nail. Francis Hancock, for example, knew that.† ​ On White Lies â€Å"I said I would like it very much, which was a lie, but one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can’t do anything about them.† (on Aunt Alexandra moving in) On Dill â€Å"With him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.† On People I think theres just one kind of folks. Folks.

Barack Obama s Path Of Presidency - 956 Words

Barack Obama’s path to presidency was extremely difficult and one of the best executed political strategies in recent memory. In a country still ripe with racism and bigotry, a black man of mixed heritage was able to become the 44th President of the United States of America, an incredible accomplishment that many didn’t think was possible. For most politicians with career goals set towards lofty government positions like the Commander in Chief, there is a well worn path that many choose to take that leads up to running for such a high office. One part of that path is that somewhere along the way you need to write a book or memoir of some sort, this can help establish early how people feel about you and can start generating a buzz among voters, especially if you are already in a position in Congress. President Obama did the same thing in 1995 when he began his quest to join the Illinois Senate by writing his memoir, Dreams from My Father and later republished the same bo ok in 2004 when he was running for the U.S. Senate. In Dreams from My Father, Obama’s words are often frank and honest in a way that most people wouldn’t expect from a man that eventually becomes the leader of the free world. He talks very openly about casual drug use and his leisure time as a young man in a way that many think would raise flags for some potential voters seeing that most people want to believe the illusion of the polished and perfected lifestyles that people running for office often showShow MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis Of President Obama s Speech1407 Words   |  6 PagesIn his 2009 Inaugural Address, President Barack Obama gave an impassioned speech filled with extended metaphors along the lines of movement, travel, and a journey. 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Marketing and Upper Price Points Free Essays

2. What are the benefits and risks associated with the acquisition of PLFD? Risks * Manchester only authorized to use Paul Logan name for three years (p. 1) * PLFD lines characterized by bold styles and fashionable colors, whereas MH favored conservative, functional designs (p. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing and Upper Price Points or any similar topic only for you Order Now 3) * New products introduced by MH could not use the Paul Logan brand name (p. 3) * Heavy competition from cheaper imports (p. ) made it difficult to maintain mid- to upper price points * National Furniture Company (biggest PLFD competitor) stepping up advertising and initiating price reductions in response to MH/PLFD merger and aggressively pursuing a strategy to exploit the uncertainties associated with the pairing (p. 5) * PLFD core customers more fashion-conscious than MH core customers and considered themselves to be trend setters (p. 5) * A major furniture chain which carries PLFD products has expressed displeasure with the merger and is reevaluating their decision to carry PLFD products (p. ) * The debate associated with the brand-name transition strategy and the huge implications associated with the ultimate decision (p. 6) * Promotional debate, which has huge distribution network implications (p. 7) * PLFD favored â€Å"push† programs in the form of volume rebates an d purchase allowances * MH favored â€Å"pull† programs such as national advertising * Should co-op advertising strategy aim at the trade (push), the end consumer (pull), or some combination of both? Benefits: The merger dramatically expanded MH overnight and provided them with a strong brand and an instant market leader position in the household furniture segment (p. 1) * Over 150 SKUs of high quality furniture with a #1 or #2 position in the categories they competed in (p. 2) * PLFD is an instantly recognized and respected brand in furniture (p. 2) * The acquisition included PLFD sales, management, and design teams, 10 distribution centers, inventory for all 150 products, and the right to use the PL name for three years (p. ) * PLFD had a well established sales force (p. 2) * PLFD had strong ties to leading distribution channels (p. 2) * PLFD had a talented design team (p. 2) * The acquisition is very consistent with MH’s ultimate goal of providing a complete family of household furniture products in mid- to upper price points (p. 3) * Both MH and PLFD produced products in the mid, mid-upper, and upper price points (p. ) * Synergy potential between PLFD’s design skills with respect to colors, shapes, and textures coupled with Manchester’s engineering strength, manufacturing expertise, and ergonomic innovations could be a winning combination (p. 3) * Strong housing market (lots of new construction) and US economy in general in early 2005 * Furniture manufacturers relied on innovative and stylish product innovations to fuel growth once the housing boom of the 2000s cooled (p. ) * MH/PLFD partnership is a good combination of innovation and style * PLFD had strong relationships with buyers from major furniture chains, department stores, and wholesalers that sold to the smaller, independent furniture and specialty stores (p. 4) * 2003 Manchester survey showed that 30% of customers favored upscale department stores, 25% specialty shops, 20% large furniture chains, and 15% small, independent furniture stores (p. 5). * These preferences consistent with where PLFD products are currently sold (45% upscale furniture stores and chains, 30% specialty stores, and 25% department stores (p. 4) How to cite Marketing and Upper Price Points, Essay examples

Frees A lack of Respect in To Build a Fire Essay Example For Students

Frees A lack of Respect in To Build a Fire Essay London To Build a Fire Essays A lack of Respect To Build a Fire by Jack London is a short story about a man traveling along the Yukon River in the bitter winter weather. While warned against traveling alone in the frigid cold, he ventures out to meet his companions at a remote camp many miles away, with only his dog. Overcome by natures power, he eventually perishes along the way, leaving his four-legged partner to complete the journey alone. The story displays how the forces of nature can surprisingly overwhelm even the most confident of men. The traveler, or also referred to as a chechaquo, is the main character of Londons tale. He is a quick and alert man, yet lacks imagination to see things in the big picture. We know that he knows the ways of the arctic environment, but it becomes obvious that he has never experienced a situation like this. The man is observant and quite resourceful, exemplified when he coaxes the dog to walk ahead of him across the ice, in case of soft spots. A combination of arrogance and confidence are apparent with almost every thought he has. Even when faced with his own immortality, the man fights to contain himself and remain calm. London uses the dog traveling with the man to support some of the less obvious points in the story. We know from the dogs thoughts that the climate is not simply cold, but closer to unbearable. The central conflict in the story is the Traveler vs. Nature. He displays a total lack of respect for the environment in which he has chosen to travel. From the beginning, the reader understands that the man is undertaking a task where most would wait for more suitable conditions. His trip begins well enough, yet soon becomes disastrous when he breaks through the ice and wets himself up to the waist. He is more angry than worried as he begins to build a fire to dry his wet boots and socks. His arrogance shows when he thinks to himself, Those old-timers were rather womanish. Due to a grave mistake on his part of building the fire under a tree branch overburdened with fresh snow, his fire is doused out when the heat collapses the branch. His extremities are already numb from the cold and he lacks the dexterity to light another fire so begins to run in an effort to get to his companions camp as well as increase his circulation enough to warm up. He fails in both attempts and soon collapses from exhaustion. While laying in the snow, defeated and dying, he comes to understand that the old-timer was right. You were right, old hoss; you were right, he says. The man cannot deny the awesome power of nature has defeated him. London writes, To Build a Fire from the complete omniscient point of view. We are aware of what the Traveler is seeing, hearing, doing and thinking. We know things that happened before and what will probably happen after his death. This view allows us to gather facts, such as the seriousness of the temperature when the dog is depressed about traveling and knows that they should not be doing so. Never in the dogs experience had it known a man to sit like that in the snow and make no fire. shows the dog observing the man dying in the snow, in which it reflects on its past experiences and judges that something is wrong with the man. After catching the scent of death from the man it trots away in the direction of the camp. The reader normally would just see the dog walking away, yet the narration allows us to know what the dog was thinking. The setting of the story is the Klondike along the Yukon River in the cold of winter. London gives the reader an extremely detailed picture of the place in which this all is happening. .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd , .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .postImageUrl , .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd , .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:hover , .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:visited , .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:active { border:0!important; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:active , .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1f42fa0465e0e78ec5f1ed314c84c7dd:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Apert Syndrome Essay Day had broken cold and grey, exceedingly cold and grey is used by London to give us the introduction to the landscape of a winter day with chilling temperatures. The .

Antecedents and Pronouns in the French Grammar Glossary

Antecedents and Pronouns in the French Grammar Glossary An antecedent is the previously mentioned or implied word, phrase, or clause that a pronoun replaces.  The pronoun typically agrees with the antecedent in gender, number, and/or grammatical function. Pronouns Agree With Their Antecedents Pronouns are words that stand in for nouns.  There are many different kinds of pronouns, but they can be divided into two main categories: personal (je, tu, il, nous, vous, ils), which changes according to the grammatical person it represents; and impersonal (adverbial, demonstrative, indefinite demonstrative, indefinites, interrogatives, negatives, possessives, relatives and indefinite relatives). The latter range from the adverbial y and en to the demonstrative celui, celle, ceux, celles and the popular relative pronoun  (qui, que, lequel, dont, and oà º), which links a dependent clause to a main clause and may replace a subject, direct object, indirect object or preposition. Examples   Pronouns and their antecedents, with which each pronoun agrees in form or function, are bolded. Nous regardons la tà ©là ©.We are watching TV. Jai achetà © un livre.  Il a à ©tà © à ©crit en 1999.I bought a  book.  It  was written in 1999. Je  lui  parle.Im talking  to  him. Si nous allons faire un gà ¢teau, nous devons le faire maintenant.If were going to make a cake, we need to do it now. Je  lui  parle.Im talking  to  him. Je cherche lartiste.  Il  Ãƒ ©tudie Paris.Im looking for the artist. Hes studying in Paris.Je cherche lartiste  qui  Ãƒ ©tudie Paris.Im looking for the artist whos studying in Paris.

Sidney Lumet and His Concerns

Sidney Lumet and His Concerns Each person who creates a piece of art has certain concerns that are usually presented with the help of interesting and thought-provoking themes, strong charismatic characters, and an appealing and attention-grabbing story. In this respect, it is necessary to analyze the movies created by an outstanding director Sydney Lumet who managed to provoke thoughts in his audience teaching them abut the life values and essential principles that should be followed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sidney Lumet and His Concerns specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A Stranger Among Us (1992) A Stranger Among Us (1992) starring Melanie Griffith who played a role of Emily, a detective undercover, is the first movie that should be assessed in terms of theme, characters, and story. Emily lives in the family of rebbe and investigates a case of robbery committed by a step-daughter of rebbe who knew nothing about her past life. This story i s full of spirituality and seriousness because the main character is depicted as an independent and emancipated woman who thinks that her life is her own business and she is the only person who can decide for her. This idea is suggested as a contrast to the fact that an arranged marriage will take place between the rebbe’s son and a girl he never saw before. In this respect, we can clearly see the relationships between American culture where women can do whatever they want and a highly spiritual Hasidic culture in accordance to which people can get married without knowing each other well enough. So, the investigation intertwines closely to the spiritual development of Emily as the main character and gaining of understanding about other people and motives behind their actions. One of the most powerful scenes is the one that took place in the store where Ariel (the rebbe’s son) cuts diamonds; two gangsters came to the place and demanded a sum of money given to them month ly for their services of protecting the store from all problems and concerns. This scene ended ambiguously as Emily saw the actions of gangsters but did nothing to prevent them from doing so; it is clear that she worked undercover though she could inform her colleagues about that gang. Moreover, neither Ariel nor his sister made efforts to prevent those criminals from extorting money from them.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The story told in the movie A Stranger Among Us (1992) is similar to all stories used by Sydney Lumet where the director manages to introduce characters who by all means choose the side of observing the laws or the side of illegal actions. In this respect, the character of Melanie Griffith represents the positions believed by Lumet as she chooses the side of legal actions and protects the right of others to be in safe. Though some characters really choose the side of good guys, other are definitely bad and the director does not show changes in characters in terms of their life way. However, he manages to show that the main character develops spiritually and recognizes her behavior as inappropriate for the Hasidic community. Family Business (1989) The second movie that should be discussed I terms of themes, characters, and story is the Family Business (1989) starring such celebrated actors as Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, and Matthew Broderick. Thus, we can see Sean Connery as the grandfather, Dustin Hoffman as his son while Matthew Broderick plays the role of son of Dustin Hoffman’s character. Relationships between the members of one family that were ruined due to the desire of one of them to change his destiny and live a good life without criminal matters can be considered the major theme of the movie. As the crimes were associated by Dustin Hoffman’s character with his father played by Sean Connery, he decided to protect his own son from the influence of criminal principles advocated by his own father. In this respect, the director managed to show the true family relations in the background of criminal activity exercised by all three men. This story shows that men cannot change though every person should remember about his/her relatives and strive to keep in contact with them regardless of the conflicts and misunderstandings that could have happened in the past. All three main characters are shown as similar in one way and absolutely different in another. Thus, the grandfather has a ‘career of criminal’ as he likes what he does and is not going to give it up. At the same time, his son is sure about the rightness of his decision to keep his own son farther from his grandfather whereas the mystery is revealed and the boy demonstrate interest and enthusiasm about performing some robbery together with his grandfather. It is clear that the relations between these people become be tter only when all three are operating together. This story also shows that the power of habits can make a person commit crimes again and again.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Sidney Lumet and His Concerns specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sydney Lumet does not introduce anything new but approach for showing of basic principles of life. Talent of actors and the director enable them to create something outstanding whereas the story for this movie can be traced in a great number of families all over the world. Generation gap and attempts to do quite the opposite what a father has done can separate people for the whole life. In this respect, the audience likes movies directed by Lumet because of the ideas and principles advocated by the director who manages to convey his message with the help of the story and characters. The Family Business (1989) directed by Sydney Lumet can be considered one of the feature films that provoke thoughts about relations with other members of the family and importance of keeping connections. The themes and characters used by Sydney Lumet contribute greatly to the stories chosen for a screen version. The director feels the audience and chooses the themes that can evoke certain emotions in people and make them rethink their life positions and beliefs. The positions believed by Lumet find their reflection in the characters of his movies; this can be found in every movie because he manages to make every character distinctive and unique. Though he can repeat what he said earlier, all words pronounced by characters are filled with specific meaning which is wise and thought-out. These two movies A Stranger Among Us (1992) starring Melanie Griffith and Family Business (1989) starring Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, and Matthew Broderick can be compared to The Hill (1965) starring Sean Connery where the story reveals the actions that took place in a detention camp. The similar thing in these stories is that they have strong characters who know what they want from life and are sure what side to support.

Walmart - International Logistics and Supply Chain Management Assignment

Walmart - International Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Assignment Example The chain store is renowned for its efficient supply chain management and control practices, which have enabled it to perform beyond the reach of its competitors in the consumer goods industry (Kallrath & Maindl, 2006). In particular, the company has employed state-of-the-art technologies in most of its operations to help improve service delivery. For instance, starting with bar coding to hasten its supply chain operations, Wal-Mart was among the first companies to follow up bar coding with RFID programs. Although the initial rollout of its RFID tagging programmes flopped, the current rollout, which started in 2010 is expected to be successful (Ingram et al., 2010). In fact, the latest rollout of Wal-Mart’s RFID program really excited its suppliers and vendors with the prospects of better and more efficient operations and increased profits. This paper explores Wal-Mart’s in-house fleet advantages and disadvantages, evaluates its state-of-the-art technologies and cross-d ocking operations. The Benefits of Cross-Docking to Wal-Mart In general terms, cross docking involves turning the demands from a company’s retail stores into purchase orders, which are then forwarded to manufacturers or suppliers (Kumar et al., 2009). The manufacturers then notify the stores about their capacity to produce and deliver the ordered goods in a timely manner. Once produced within the stipulated period, the goods are sent to a staging area where they are packed according to the procurement orders from different stores (Kumar et al., 2009). The goods are then delivered directly to the customers. The pre-requisites of docking are rather basic and easily monitored. The fundamentals pre-requisite are strong building foundations that support the entire cross docking process. The second pre-requisite is dedicated and experienced drivers who recognise and believe in prioritizing customer service above other things. Once employed, the drivers are filtered and assigned dut ies according to their capabilities. Further, the drivers’ reliability and competence to follow the laid down standards should be assessed. Wal-Mart also ensures that its drivers are committed to the standards set in the Private Fleet Driver Handbook. The drivers’ progress is then constantly monitored by the company so that the company is assured of the competence and reliability of its drivers. Fleet coordinators are also important in Wal-Mart’s cross docking operations as they inform drivers on expected time of arrival, departure and delivery of goods, which are quite precise according to Wal-Mart’s standards. Several changes had to be implemented in Wal-Mart’s managerial control if their cross-docking programmes were to be successful. Prior to the adoption of cross-docking, the company’s pricing, promotion and merchandising decision were centralised (Mentzer, 2001). However, with the implementation of cross-docking, focus was shifted to t he â€Å"demand chain† instead of the common supply chain. That is, instead of allowing retailers to push goods into the company’s shelves; customers did more of the pulling, according to their demands, tastes and preference (Kumar et al., 2009). Cross-Docking Saves Companies Time and Money Savings on time and money are the two most obvious and far-reaching benefits that Wal-Mart enjoys from using cross-docking. First, the company has the capacity not only to receive goods immediately but also the

Old is gold, let us not neglect it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Old is gold, let us not neglect it - Essay Example Gradually, I developed an attachment with them. The affection between the old couple and me was such that I was off and on discussing their matters with my wife during night times. Indians worldwide normally celebrate their Diwali festival (festival of lights) with unlimited enthusiasm and on one such occasion, my wife and I spent our day with them on their request. "Don't feel shy, have a satisfied lunch," said the old woman to my wife when we together addressed the dining table. Her husband spoke his mind with a silent smile, "we proudly consider you as our children. One day I will take you to my hometown in India .It is a beautiful place." All of a sudden, I was overcome with a feeling of new affections entering my life. 'From here afterwards, this must be my world,' my inner self silently but unknowingly declared. Then, the discussion extended to this and that over lunch. When we got up for washing, it was clear that the old couple were neglected by their son who stayed in the same city with his wife. My wife sat with the old lady in the main hall while we settled down on a sofa in the drawing room. I shot a casual question to the old man, "shall I request your son to take care of you" My enquiry made him furious but the very next moment, his face turned as gloomy and pale as the waning Moon. "No," he said curtly. I apologized but he said instantly, "No.

Environmental Management of Denbies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental Management of Denbies - Essay Example The Black Death of 1348 also served as a setback as many wine estate workers were killed. In the revival of Cardiff castle in 1875, vineyards were re-established and production continued until 1920. Today, some 410 vineyards exists in Britain growing the German Muller Thurgau variety so that by 1995, a total of 7.7 hectolitres were sold equivalent to 4836 million of which English wine accounts to one percent. Denbies, with a vineyard of 265 acres produces about 400,000 bottles of English wine per year making it the largest vineyard in England (Denbies, 2007). Situated at South East England, Denbies is a part of the North Downs with a total land area of 635 acres collectively called as the Denbies estate. Following strict planning permission, the estate's historical landscape has been preserved including use of old name of plantations such as The Dell and maintenance of paths and tracks around and through the estate consisting of seven miles of vineyard trials accessible to the public (Denbies, 2007). This report shall deal with Denbies' environment management program as well as its current wine tourism industry. Culture, tourism and agriculture sectors are all involved in the wine tourism industry but it was emphasised that three sustainability pillars: environment, economy and society must be embodied (Poitras and Geiz, 2006). Likewise, in a broader concept, the four political, economic, sociocultural and ecological pillars are proposed in the context of competitive destinations (Ritchie and Crouch, 2003). Wine tourism has been defined as visits to vineyards, wineries, attending wine festivals, and wine shows for which grape wine tasting as well as experiencing wine production and other attributes of a grape wine region are the prime motivating factors for visitors (Hall and Macionis, 1998). In evaluating the environmental management of Denbies, all of the above shall be incorporated, but most specifically, the environment considerations as well as impact of Denbies' activities with regards to its environment and its surrounding area shall be pointed out in consideration of conserving the natural resource base in wine regions requiring collaboration and sound planning not only by management but by many partners that include the community (Williams and Dossa, 2003). Strengths: Denbies as an environmentally conscious organisation maintain programmes both for the vineyard and the visitor centre. Environmental strengths of Denbies amongst others include: Chemical use is taken into account (selective chemical use). Use of chemical spray is every 28 days cycle- enough to protect the wine against frost damage. No pollution problems around the area. Cork is 100% natural. Recycle its glass and uses virgin glass. Use of preservatives in wine is very minimal. The only waste is from yeast. Chemical store is far away from the vineyard to ensure safety. Does not need to irrigate. Has natural drainage. Offers training for its staff. Very good in health and safety. Does its own plant maintenance. Natural fertilization from pips and skins spread on the vineyard after pressing. Changing to natural gas from diesel. Cardboard recycling for its packaging. Composting grape skin. Using old oaks from barrels. Reuse spray from

The Service Culture At Ritz Carlton

The Service Culture At Ritz Carlton This paper mainly presents the service culture at Ritz Carlton. The paper discusses the service culture in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. This paper covers some background history of the hotel as stated on the corporate website, service strategies golden rules incorporated by the hotel chain. With real life examples taken from interviews by professionals the service culture is illustrated and explained. The purpose of this is to inform and educate what the service culture includes and how Ritz Carlton maintains outstanding service atmosphere in all its branches across the world. This paper also states how Ritz -Carlton executes the service offered as stated in an interview taken by Jankowski. The line-up for which the hotel is known for is also discussed along with employee feedback, empowerment and their focus on service. The heritage of Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. started with The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. The service standard set by this Boston landmark provided a standard for all Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts across the world. In 1927, Mayor Curley requested Edward N. Wyner, who was a Boston real estate developer, to construct a world-class hotel. During this time, Wyner was constructing an apartment building. He agreed to change the apartment building into a hotel. Wyner was aware both of Ritzs reputation in Europe and Bostons cosmopolitan society and knew that the name would definitely bring success. After getting authorization from The Ritz-Carlton Investing Company and The Ritz Paris for using their name, he started work on the luxury hotel in Boston. The Ritz-Carlton, Boston opened its doors on May 19, 1927 charging $15 per room. As was the tradition of Cesar Ritz, Wyner maintained the privacy of his guests that attracted the elite. This policy is followed till today at all Ritz-Carlton hotels. Considered a private club for rich people, until 1960s the hotel was very formal and hotel guests had to be in the social register or admirable. It was believed that the hotel sometimes checked the quality of writing paper used by the guests when requesting reservations, having refused a few for having used inferior quality. As Boston society was formal, strict dress code was specified for all guests. Even the restaurants were strict regarding who they chose to entertain. The Cafà © did not allow women to lunch alone and until 1970, the Ritz Bar did not allow unescorted women. The hotel had its own upholstery, print shop and an in-house craftsman who was assigned to color gold stripes on the hotels furniture. Many guests were pampered and every care was taken to make them feel special. For Winston Churchill, the rooms fabric on the furniture was redone in red, as it was his favorite color. After Edward Wyner death in 1961, Cabot, Cabot Forbes (land developers) with their chairman and majority stakeholder, Gerald W. Blakely, took over the hotel. To continue with the Ritz legacy, Charles Ritz, son of legendary Cesar Ritz, was appointed on the board of The Ritz-Carlton until his death in 1977. In 1983, Blakely sold the hotel and the rights to William B. Johnson, who then established The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. The Ritz-Carlton logo created by Cesar Ritz is a combination of the British royal seal (the crown) and the logo of a financial backer (the lion). In 1965, Cabot, Cabot and Forbes revised the logo which is used till date. In many Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts tables are set with the signature cobalt blue glasses which were considered a status symbol in 1920s Boston. These glasses were originally made to go with the blue Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers present in the original Dining Room in The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. The window glasses which were imported from Europe chemically reacted with Bostons climate and turned blue. Having blue glass windows meant the owners could afford imported glass so Ritz ordered them in blue color (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010). Discussion Gold Standards This is the base on what The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. stands. They cover the values and philosophy on what the hotel bases its operation: The Credo The Motto The Three Steps of Service Service Values The 6th Diamond The Employee Promise 1. The Credo At Ritz-Carlton Hotel genuine care and comfort of guests is of highest importance. Emphasis on providing the finest personal service and facilities for guests is important. Guests are offered a refined ambience which they can experience while relaxing. In their words The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses, instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010). 2. Motto At The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen. This motto exemplifies the anticipatory service provided by all staff members (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010). 3. Three Steps of Service A warm and sincere greeting. Use the guests name. Anticipation and fulfillment of each guests needs. Fond farewell. Give a warm good-bye and use the guests name. (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010) Service Values: I Am Proud To Be Ritz-Carlton. These include: I build strong relationships and create Ritz-Carlton guests for life. I am always responsive to the expressed and unexpressed wishes and needs of our guests. I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests. I understand my role in achieving the Key Success Factors, embracing Community Footprints and creating The Ritz-Carlton Mystique. I continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve The Ritz-Carlton experience. I own and immediately resolve guest problems. I create a work environment of teamwork and lateral service so that the needs of our guests and each other are met. I have the opportunity to continuously learn and grow. I am involved in the planning of the work that affects me. I am proud of my professional appearance, language and behavior. I protect the privacy and security of our guests, my fellow employees and the companys confidential information and assets. I am responsible for uncompromising levels of cleanliness and creating a safe and accident-free environment. (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010) The 6th Diamond Mystique (service value 1 to 3), Emotional Engagement (service value 4 to 9) and Functional (service value 10 to 12) (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010) According to Coffman (2006), who led the Ritz Carlton team to define new service value, the middle piece of the Sixth Diamond is reviving the emotions and memories of guests by genuinely caring and making them feel recognized, important and unique. Creating the Mystique happens when we hear guests requests even before the guest knows them, going so above and beyond the call that folklore (wow moments) spreads throughout guests and hotels. The Employee Promise At The Ritz-Carlton, our Ladies and Gentlemen are the most important resource in our service commitment to our guests. By applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment, we nurture and maximize talent to the benefit of each individual and the company. The Ritz-Carlton fosters a work environment where diversity is valued, quality of life is enhanced, individual aspirations are fulfilled, and The Ritz-Carlton Mystique is strengthened. (Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC, 2010) The Lineup In Ritz-Carlton new employees learn the Golden Rules and they spend every day of their employment discussing one of the 20 Basics. This is done during The Lineup which is considered as the hotels most important tool. To illustrate the working of this tool we can imagine an employee who works with the kitchen staff and for initial 10-15 minutes of the day speaks with their team. They like others in the hotel, discuss one of the 20 Basics. A days discussion could center on Basic 10 which states that each employee is empowered. Therefore, when a guest needs help or suggestion, employees should break away from regular duties, address and resolve the issue immediately. Similarly, senior management meets with their top executives and respective teams. Dishwashers, doormen, and maintenance staff meet their groups respectively and discuss the meaning of Basic 10. The discussion revolves around situations, both hypothetically and in present reality. All 25,000 Ritz-Carlton employees act similar in their respective locations. So when the discussion cycle is completed with all Basic 20, the next day, everyone starts all over again, with Basic 1 (Lamton, 2003). Employee Empowerment The word empowerment is believed to be originally thought by the Ritz-Carlton. An amount is fixed on the employees resources for solving a problem immediately, without checking with a supervisor. An employee can use up to $2,000 to find an instant solution to a guests problem. An employee cannot avoid difficult situations by saying that its not their job. One cannot be limited with ones job descriptions when guest satisfaction is at stake. Employees need to step outside job boundaries, and no one questions them when they do so because it is more important to solve the issue (Lamton, 2003). Ongoing Employee Feedback Employees are empowered when occasional problems comeup and the hotels executives support, and reward continuous employee input. The hotel believes that employees are aware of what is happening, and the management must listen to them. The new employees might be asked about their opinion on improving service several times a month. Decisions are made by a small number of management staff and their reports are put into practice without any difficulty. The selection of employees is a team effort too. A supervisor does not hire an employee without taking opinions of candidates potential colleagues nor does Human Resources hire a new employee without group consultation (Lamton, 2003). Telling Wow Stories Stories can be used promote the culture and values of a company. In Ritz Carlton during the lineup, someone reads a wow story of the day. A story is communicated to all hotels in different countries. An employee in New York will hear the same story as an employee in Bali; same for one in Shanghai. These stories focus on a staff person who performs beyond his/her job description and offers a perfect service which creates an aura that alters luxury one time guests into repeat guests. There is a wow story of a family which stayed at the Ritz-Carlton, Bali. This family had carried with them special eggs and milk for their son who was suffering from food allergies. When they arrived they noticed that the eggs were broken and the milk had gone bad. The Ritz-Carlton manager and dining staff tried to look for alternatives in the local market could not find the any suitable items. Luckily the executive chef at this particular resort knew of a store in Singapore that sold them. He immediately got in touch with his mother-in-law, and asked her to buy the products and fly to Bali to give it to him at the hotel. The family was extremely happy. After such an experience, this particular family was definitely converted into a repeat customer. These stories have two functions. The first is to identify an employees dedication in front of colleagues and second is to emphasize a service value. In the above story of a family in Bali the intension was to reinstate service value No. 7: Use teamwork to meet the individual needs of our guests. This can be considered as an ideal way to express what is expected from the employees. Each story restates the way Ritz expects employees to act and shows how each employee contributes to the service values. Gallo compared two lineups; first a general one and second a more specific meeting for the housekeeping staff on the morning shift. Gallo noticed about both meetings that there was a keen interest these employees showed had outshined the enthusiasm that was observed in other companies. Employees were enthusiastic to share. The stories served as teaching tools. Two, 15-minute lineups across 61 hotels, 365 days a year. The hotel offered many hours of training to its employees but it all will not result in anything concrete unless employees were connected on an emotional level. Sharing stories helps in this matter (Gallo, 2007). Focus on Service Every single Ritz-Carlton staff member is entrusted to use up to $2,000 on a guest. Thats not per year but per incident. It is not used often, but it shows a deep trust in the staffs decision. They could use more than the designated amount after the general managers permission. The notion is to create an extremely amazing stay for a guest. It is not necessary that there is a problem, it could be something as simple as a guests birthday, an employee arranging champagne and cake in the room. Many times $2000 is to create an outstanding experience. The stories include instances of a carpenter being hired to construct a shoe tree for a guest; a laundry manager who when not being able get a stain out of a dress after trying two times took a flight from Puerto Rico to New York and returns back the dress personally; or in Dubai when a server overhears a guest speaking to his wife, on a wheelchair, that he felt bad that he was not able to take her to the beach. The waiter informs the maintenance, and the next afternoon a wooden walkway was created down the beach leading to a tent set up for dinner for them. The general manager was not made aware of this until it was complete (Reiss, 2009). Listening to customers makes it easier to personlize the service. Computers make it easier today. Ritz has a guest recognition system that has data on clients individual preferences (Janelle Maul, 2000, p.225). In an interview conducted with Diana Oreck, Vice President Ritz Carlton Leadership Centre, she throws light on how Ritz Carlton executes service culture. Following are the points made by her: Determine Culture The credo has to be clear and easy to understand. The hotel has steps of service that shows the attitudes toward interactions between employees and customers. The Ritz-Carltons three steps are: Greet guests warmly and sincerely, and use their names. Anticipate and fulfill the guests requests. Bid guests a fond farewell, and use their names. From the above, the most difficult is the second point. One can easily provide service if asked directly. It gets challenging when one has to develop an attitude that enables one to be sensitive enough to clients to foresee their needs (Jankowski, 2008). Surprise and Delight Wanda Jankowski states that recently she had stayed at a Ritz-Carlton to give her presentation. She was losing her voice and was surprised to notice that within five minutes of her arrival, the front desk person who received her during check-in sent to her room a handwritten note and a tea bag in the envelope. The note stated that hot water, lemon, and honey was coming. Hotels can train employees to anticipate clients needs. It can range from being able to sense whether a client needs more information or a suggestion regarding a storage facility while their house is being remodeled. The key is to surprise and delight customers. Employees are not expected to be on autopilot when clients needs are to be anticipated. It is important management and owner of the company to practice what they preach. If theyre not practicing service-centric values, they cant expect it from their employees (Jankowski, 2008). Reinforce Values Daily Ritz Carlton has a two-day formal orientation for its employees. 15 minute meeting are then held daily so that employees can register the cultural values. The companys values and ways to apply them in different situations are discussed. The attendances for these meetings are nonnegotiable. Every Monday and Friday, outstanding examples of customer service are discussed. These examples help in motivating employees and help them absorb service values. These examples include how each employee can treat another employee and guests. An example stated in Ritz -Carlton Atlanta, is of a guest who was asked his preference in a newspaper he would like in the morning. The guest replied that he did not need a paper, but desired a pizza right that moment. Within half an hour a sizzling hot pizza was delivered in his room. Ritz-Carlton has been able to measure through research that satisfied customers spend more money. On average employees have 40 hours to find a solution and make an impact on the customer (Jankowski, 2008). Conclusion Ritz Carlton is a hotel chain that signifies excellence. The service culture that was created in the first hotel in Boston was used as a model to replicate in other branches. Going beyond their call of duty is what Ritz Carltons employees pride themself on. The Gold Standards created by the hotel is followed in all its branches and any one is expected to be discussed every single day. The execution of service culture as stated by the Diana shows how the hotel chain considers it as an integral part of the hotel. Ritz-Carltons success has be in effectively using the information provided by its customers. Treating customers like guests and providing an unforgettable experience is what Ritz-Carlton believes in.

History of Abortion Essay -- essays research papers

Ever since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973, Abortion has changed its course in society. With the new decision made by the United States, abortion was now legal. Many abortions were performed before the Supreme Court decision, but the settlement made it less risky for the doctors involved. Abortion has caused society to be divided by a pro-choice group and pro-life group. Two groups with struggles that will never end. There are many different types of abortions that can be preformed. The type used depends on how far along in the pregnancy the woman is. In the very early stage of the pregnancy, up to 49 days after conception, the woman has two choices. The first is to take a combination of drugs. This is called a medical abortion. The embryo is then passed out. The other met... History of Abortion Essay -- essays research papers Ever since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973, Abortion has changed its course in society. With the new decision made by the United States, abortion was now legal. Many abortions were performed before the Supreme Court decision, but the settlement made it less risky for the doctors involved. Abortion has caused society to be divided by a pro-choice group and pro-life group. Two groups with struggles that will never end. There are many different types of abortions that can be preformed. The type used depends on how far along in the pregnancy the woman is. In the very early stage of the pregnancy, up to 49 days after conception, the woman has two choices. The first is to take a combination of drugs. This is called a medical abortion. The embryo is then passed out. The other met...

Small Team Group Paper

Paper I recently worked in a small group for my employer. The team included five of us. We had signed up to volunteer to serve at a benefit luncheon for M. S. Our previous general manager had been diagnosed with M. S. And stepped down from her position in order to take care of her health. The luncheon was very important to all of us. We were all of different personalities from five different walks of life. We were all girls. Each group always had that one out spoken person, one who was the caboose, and he other three of us where somewhere in the middle of the two personalities that stood out.One of the major problems we had with this group was that the one girl just loved to gab. I think if she could make a living for talking, she'd be a millionaire. Therefore, she would walk around, which we were encouraged to do, and talk to all those who attended. But she took advantage of the freedom to do so. At the luncheon we had sold well over 500 tickets, that didn't include the people who w alked in and bought a ticket at the door. So with being down one person we began to slip behind.We were running out food because our line of communication to the kitchen to refill was cut off, we had tables that needed clean, guest that needed assistance. Because this girl would run off and disappear we had to pull one girl from one station to pick of the slack, so we were constantly always moving around. Once we were able to find a rhythm and the girl came back we set some ground rules. She was not happy being told what to do since it was volunteer work, but we were there for one reason and it as to help raise money for a good cause.We didn't nominate a leader of the group. We figured we were all grown adults there to do grown adult work. We believed we didn't need a leader. We were able to all speak our minds to one another and agree on rules that needed to be enforced so we were successful. We also were representing the company we were working for at the time and did not want to set a bad example or lose our Job over something so silly. Making sure that our time was successful was our number one priority .Us girls all got along so well and liked each there that we wanted the five of us to continue to be able to work together in a team and represent our company at future events such as the one we were working at. Another goal we had was to make the over all luncheon a success. We wanted to help raise as much money for M. S. As possible so next year more people would want to come out and help support the cause. The communication among our group was great. We all had communicated on a daily basis at work. We would text each other on the weekends.None of us were real close until we started working in the groups gather. We were all honest with each other. I think that because we had an open line of communication and were honest with one another that that's what strengthen our relationship between the five of us. Ever since I worked in a group with these five gir ls, it makes me want to work more and more in groups. Sometimes with the same five girls I started with, and sometimes with new people. I enjoyed getting to know these young ladies, and because of it I have build a lifetime friendship. We did go on working more charity events for the community.Our goals for each and every event were always the same. Be positive, we are the face of our company so we had to be the role model, be successful as a whole, engage with the people, make them want to come back to other events we would be doing in the future. We all took to one another so when we had an opinion about something we were all open for discussion. We never took each others criticism to heart, we often would laugh about it and fix the issue that was at hand. Over all we enjoyed each other's company because it passed the time and made working with a group enjoyable.

Thailand vs. Indonesia

I enjoy spending my summer vacation traveling. I have visited a lot of countries but here i am going to talk about two beautiful countries,Thailand and Indonesia. They both beautiful. They're very similar but different in some points. For me, the atmosphere in the streets of Thailand and Indonesia is very similar. Both streets are full of life. In Thailand, stalls fill it streets. You can find a lot of things accessories, books, movies and even clothes. Trees shade the roads, the smell of fresh air filling the place. I'd go out strolling by myself and lose sense of time.In Indonesia bazaars and food trucks are everywhere. The tropical rain forests there are just breathtaking . The sight of nature and stalls reminded me of Thailand. In spite of their similarities, Thailand and Indonesia are different in some points. Indonesia is an Islamic country. The number of big mosques there is 100,000 while the small ones are over half a million. There is no transportation other than cars; the t raffic is 24/7 which can waste a lot of time. There is a huge amount of Homeless people begging for food or money which is very sad and heartbreaking fact.On the other hand, there are 3,494 mosques in Thailand even though it's a Buddhist country. There are subways and metros that are very well arranged which saves a lot of time. The citizens there are financially stable, you seldom see people panhandling there. In my point of view I find the similarity and differences in both countries beautiful. Thailand and Indonesia are different in how developed they are, but they're also similar in nature and how energetic they are. I enjoyed both countries and I sure intend to spend my next vacation in one of these two beautiful countries again.

Free Essays on Demonology

Demonology: The Doctrine of Fallen Angels This excerpt (would you believe, a condensed one at that!) of Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s extensive Messianic Bible Study mbs-082, on the subject of demons gives an overview while addressing these five common, crucial misconceptions: Demons do not exist; they do not have personalities; they are responsible for every sin; every physical infirmity; and, every mental ailment. THE EXISTENCE OF DEMONS Does the Bible really teach that demons exist? Yes, most definitely, and we see this in three ways. First, the existence of demons is mentioned by every New Testament writer except the author of Hebrews (the latter does, however, mention Satan, who is the head of demons). A second way in which the Scriptures teach the existence of demons is apparent in that Jesus recognized the existence of demons: Not only did He positively teach that demons really do exist (Mt. 7:22; 10:8; 12:27-28; 25:41; Mk. 7:29; 16:17; Lk. 10:20; 11:18-20; 13:52), but He also affirmed this through His actions by casting out demons (Mt. 12:22-29; Mk. 1:39; 5:1-20; Lk. 4:35, 41; 8:29-33; 9:12; 11:14). A third way that the Bible clearly teaches the existence of demons is that the disciples – both within (Mt. 10:1) and without (Lk. 10:17) the apostolic group – recognized the existence of demons. THE PERSONALITY OF DEMONS Are demons merely emanations, or influences, or powers? Or does the Bible teach that demons have personalities? There are three attributes of personality. If it can be proven that something has all three of these attributes, then that something is a personality. These three attributes are intellect, emotion, and will. First, do demons have intellect? Yes, and this is evident in six ways: first, demons know who Yeshua is (Mk. 1:24); second, demons know their own future doom (Mt. 8:28-29); third, demons know both Jesus and Paul (Acts 16:16; 19:15); fourth, demons know that God is One (Ja. 2:19); fifth, de... Free Essays on Demonology Free Essays on Demonology Demonology: The Doctrine of Fallen Angels This excerpt (would you believe, a condensed one at that!) of Arnold Fruchtenbaum’s extensive Messianic Bible Study mbs-082, on the subject of demons gives an overview while addressing these five common, crucial misconceptions: Demons do not exist; they do not have personalities; they are responsible for every sin; every physical infirmity; and, every mental ailment. THE EXISTENCE OF DEMONS Does the Bible really teach that demons exist? Yes, most definitely, and we see this in three ways. First, the existence of demons is mentioned by every New Testament writer except the author of Hebrews (the latter does, however, mention Satan, who is the head of demons). A second way in which the Scriptures teach the existence of demons is apparent in that Jesus recognized the existence of demons: Not only did He positively teach that demons really do exist (Mt. 7:22; 10:8; 12:27-28; 25:41; Mk. 7:29; 16:17; Lk. 10:20; 11:18-20; 13:52), but He also affirmed this through His actions by casting out demons (Mt. 12:22-29; Mk. 1:39; 5:1-20; Lk. 4:35, 41; 8:29-33; 9:12; 11:14). A third way that the Bible clearly teaches the existence of demons is that the disciples – both within (Mt. 10:1) and without (Lk. 10:17) the apostolic group – recognized the existence of demons. THE PERSONALITY OF DEMONS Are demons merely emanations, or influences, or powers? Or does the Bible teach that demons have personalities? There are three attributes of personality. If it can be proven that something has all three of these attributes, then that something is a personality. These three attributes are intellect, emotion, and will. First, do demons have intellect? Yes, and this is evident in six ways: first, demons know who Yeshua is (Mk. 1:24); second, demons know their own future doom (Mt. 8:28-29); third, demons know both Jesus and Paul (Acts 16:16; 19:15); fourth, demons know that God is One (Ja. 2:19); fifth, de...

Micro economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Micro economics - Essay Example (Worker`s compensation, web). Compensation of an employee who has died as a result of the company`s negligence, can be collected by the widow or other family members who were directly dependant on the employee. Employers are required to pay into the compensation once a month. Employees are not required to pay anything for the compensation fund and therefore, the employers cannot charge it to the employee`s wage. A lawyer is obliged to give clear advice keeping in mind the core values as well as the rules of the company. The advice should also be in the interests of the company. if the company has an employee compensation fund, then the family of the deceased cannot sue the company as long as they get compensation. Because the employee was killed due to the company`s negligence it is evident that the compensation for the dependants of the deceased employee should be enough so as to support them. For the spouse, the company should give twice the amount of the pension which the employee would have received if they were completely disabled (Labor law, Web). This should be paid as a lump sum amount and along with this, almost 30% of the employee`s monthly wage should be paid on a monthly basis if there is no other source of income for the spouse. As the company`s negligence resulted in the death of this employee, it is the responsibility of the company to support the family of the employee. Compensation should also be given for other dependant members of the employee such as children, parents etc. 10% of the employee`s wage should be given to the children until they reach the age of 18. Other dependants, if they were fully dependant on the employee, should be given the same amount as the spouse. If they were dependant partially, then a one-time payment should be made according to their level of dependence. In all this, it should be kept in mind that the total compensation paid should not be more than 75% of the employee`s wage because the company has to

Financial Accounting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Accounting - Coursework Example It was also decided that the auditors would also have to follow the International Standards of Auditing (ISA), so that it would be easier to analyze the financial statements of the company on a global platform. The objective of this study is to discuss the improvement in the quality of information that users of financial statement get in IAS environment. Developing a strong accounting system is of significant importance because ability of the investors and the banks to calculate and assess the financial strengths and the performances of the companies depends on the transparent corporate accounting system. There should be mandatory consolidation of accounts along with the subsidiary accounts for ascertaining the true profitability. There was lack of segmented reporting of income, other disclosures, extent of deferred tax liabilities, etc. These were few reasons for which a common accounting standard was introduced. The Regulatory Framework for Financial Reporting All the companies in UK have to comply with the company laws regardless of its size. It was also important for companies to develop financial statements for the investors to analyze the financial position of the company. It is also the legal responsibility of the directors to see that the company is working in compliance to the accounting standards. According to the Companies Act of 1985, companies must represent a true and fair view of their accounting statements. In 1990s, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) was set up for setting the accounting standards in UK. It was a solely independent body set up by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the City institutions. In the year 2000, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) reviewed the IAS. It was proposed that all the EU companies would have to prepare their accounts or financial statements by following the IAS standards. It was estimated that about 7000 companies in EU were accountable for using IAS, whereas there w ere only 275 companies who were using IAS till then. All the measures required were taken to establish IAS as a law in EU. This regulation was applicable for the detailed accounting provisions. It was on the member states to choose whether they wanted to permit their unlisted companies to follow the IAS standards. However the UK Accounting Standard Board (ASB) did take several initiatives to narrow down the gap between IAS and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). IAS is still being modified and it has become IASB in the process of converging IAS and GAAP. A survey was conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers in the year 2002 among 650 Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), all across the European Union to find the response of the companies towards the usage of IAS. It was found that 62 percent of the CFOs agreed to the fact that IAS would help in establishing an effective and transparent accounting system for them. 85 percent of the companies still did not use IAS, 92 percent of t he CFOs were confident of meeting their deadlines of 2005 and about 60 percent did not even begin their planning for transition. International Accounting Standards (IAS) The study aims at discussing the different aspects of IAS, in order to analyze the improved quality of

Market Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Market Reaction Paper - Essay Example I could see that all kinds of vegetables and meat products were available at this market with fair pricing policies. I visited the market twice to observe how its vendors work and perform their duties. Once I went there in the morning. Citarella market usually remains open from 10am to 6pm. I went there at 10am, right at the time and I could see the vendors were decorating their baskets with vegetables, fruits and other products. On the corner side of the market, a mini-bakery shop was full of rush. I could not even believe that this market is going to be crowded with people so early but it was. The people were mostly buying breakfast items from the mini-bakery. I loved to spend most of my time among the vendors who were raising their voices to attract the people for the purpose of selling their items. Then I left the market at 12pm and again came here at 4pm. Only two hours were left before this market could shut down. I decided to spend the two hours wandering into the adjoining streets. The market is surrounded by residential area so I could easily find various restaurants, houses and business buildings around. It was a nice time to spend at Citarella market and I loved the way its vendors and sellers deal with buyers. Mostly the buyers were Asians, as the market is situated in the hub of the town where Asians

Japanese Comfort Women Essay Example for Free

Japanese Comfort Women Essay It is estimated that between one and two hundred thousand female sex slaves were forced to deliver sexual services to Japanese soldiers, both before and during World War II. These women were known as comfort women and the Imperial Conference, which was composed of the emperor, representatives from the armed forces and the main Cabinet ministers, approved their use by Japanese soldiers. Walkom) The term comfort women refers to the victims of a premeditated systematic plan originated and implemented by the government of Japan to enslave women considered inferior and subject them to repeated mass rapes, said Michael D. Hausefeld, one of over 35 lawyers in his firm representing the former sexual prisoners in a class action lawsuit currently pending against the Japanese government. (Eddy) Since ancient times, prostitutes in Japan chose to sell their bodies either for family, poverty, or for saving her husband and her children. More or less, their sacrifices were seen as positive. But, being forced to become comfort woman by Japanese is seen as negative. The difference between the Japanese prostitutes and comfort women is that the comfort women did not choose to be trapped as a sex slave and they were not paid for what they did. In 1931, when the Japanese army invaded Manchuria, â€Å"comfort houses† made their first appearances. These comfort houses were created to provide the Japanese soldiers with outlets for their sexual needs. In the beginning, there were only a few comfort houses but after the Nanjin Massacre occurred in 1937, many more were added, basically to every place that the Japanese were stationed. (Walkom) After the Japanese soldiers slaughtered thousands of Chinese people in the Nanjin Massacre, they barbarically raped an insurmountable number of women. As a result, anti-Japanese sentiments grew and it became harder to fully occupy these lands. The government set up comfort houses to decrease disorder and give the approximately two million soldiers a place to satisfy their sexual needs. The Japanese did not have enough prostitutes to supply the needs of the soldiers so they commissioned civilians to develop comfort houses. At the time, only a small percentage of Japanese women were mobilized to â€Å"work† in comfort houses and they were all prostitutes to begin with. The majority of the comfort women were actually Korean women, who were forcibly taken from Korea to service the needs of the Japanese soldiers. After the war, the Japanese government destroyed all evidence of their involvement in Japanese comfort houses, enforcing that commercial businessmen were responsible for the movement of women. Many of the comfort women were kidnapped or deceived into voluntarily working in comfort houses. Once they were there, they were trapped and forced into prostitution. Some women reported that Japanese agents offered them good jobs or education. Others were told that each family in the village had to donate a daughter to the war effort. Many others were offered food, shelter and factory jobs. The Japanese also kidnapped young, unmarried girls when they had a shortage of comfort women. The ages of the girls in the comfort houses ranged from 15 to 19, with the minority exception of some younger girls and some older, married women. The girls were transported between military bases like cargo, under heavy guard in army trucks, trains, ship and bus. They were forced to lose their virginity before arriving at the bases to prepare them for having sexual intercourse with tens of soldiers every day. Many women contemplated death after this, as they believed their virginity to be more precious than life. (Henson) When living in the comfort houses, the comfort women lived in fear and desperation. They were unable to leave, as they were heavily guarded. Each day, they were penetrated by as many as 50 soldiers, until they were sore and bloated to the point of not being able to open their legs. If they were infected with a sexually transmitted disease, they received injections known as Injection 606. If infected enough times, they lost their fertility. In Japan, infected women were killed. Their food was mixed with cyanide, their bodies taken to a cave and finally, the cave was blown up with a grenade. The comfort houses made money off these women and it is believed that the Japanese government paid them, as most of the soldiers paid by coupons. As soon as the war was finished, the Japanese Imperialist guards disappeared without trace. Most comfort women describe the experience this way, Suddenly, the soldiers came no more, and upon asking we found that the war had ended. In other regions, as the Japanese committed â€Å"harikari, the women were forced to do the same. In extreme cases, the women were put in a cave and blown up. After the war, many of the comfort women were too sick to be moved and were taken under the care of the American army. Most of the women were left with no place to go, as they were in a strange country with no money, and were too humiliated to go home. According to one comfort woman, my bodys wasted, therefore I do not dare go home in fear of being ignored and looked down upon. Even after the war ended, the comfort women were not free. Their guilty minds and inferiority complexes kept them from returning home and they stayed in foreign countries. The small amount that married, were often forced to separate after the fact that they were comfort women was known, or they were divorced because they could not have children. The victims are still suffering the pain physically and psychologically. More than half of them could not get pregnant, and most of them have chronicle diseases. Furthermore, the psychological impact on these women made them felt themselves dirty, ashamed that they disgraced themselves and isolated themselves from others. They are either afraid of getting married, or unable to ask for any commitment from their lovers. For those who got married, their marriage was unstable and unhappy due to their past. Some thought that they must have done something evil in their previous life that they have to be punished in this life. (Hicks) They go to tempos to chant sutras, to confess, to pursue liberation, and they even commit suicide. Although the period of time they spent at the Japanese military base was a small part of their life, what they had experienced caused an incurable impact on their health, marriage, mind, and social adaptation. Although the Japanese government continues to deny or minimize their involvement with comfort women, their defense is unraveling. A conference on Japanese Crimes Against Humanity: Sexual Slavery and Forced Labor was held last year, in which Japanese researchers delivered papers which claimed that the Japanese military, the rest of the government, and Japanese industry were all involved in the decision to provide sex slaves for the countrys soldiers. (Chunghee) Japanese historian Hirofumi Hayashi said: The establishment and development of the military comfort women system as not only carried out by the total involvement of every section of the military but also by administrative machinery at every level of the Japanese state In addition, we should not overlook that Japanese companies were their accomplices. (Chunghee) Researchers from the Center for Research and Documentation of Japans War Responsibilities in Yokohama showed that Japanese rubber companies were under government contra ct to supply 20 million condoms a year to armed forces once the decision had been made to provide sex slaves to the soldiers. Rumiko Nishino wrote that high-ranking adjutants commissioned by Cabinet and sub-Cabinet-level government officials implemented the distribution of the condoms. The availability of condoms to the general population became almost nil. (Chunghee) Last year, the Japanese appeals court overturned an earlier ruling that orders the government to compensate women who were forced to serve as sex slaves during World War II. Both sides had appealed that ruling. The plaintiffs because they thought the compensation was too small, and the government because they refused to pay. Duke) In deciding in favor of the government, the Hiroshima High Court said abducting women to use them as forced laborers and sex slaves was not a serious constitutional violation. Tokyo has admitted that its wartime army had set up brothels, and forced thousands of Koreans, Filipinos, Dutch and Chinese to serve as prostitutes, but it has refused to compensate these victims. Historians say as many as 200,000 women were f orced into sexual slavery during World War II.

Oral Reading And Reading Comprehension Performance English Language Essay

Oral Reading And Reading Comprehension Performance English Language Essay Reading ability has always been considered as a critical measurement in language education. It involves both reading behaviours and reading comprehension. Among all the different reading behaviours, there are many debates around whether oral reading has any influence on the reading comprehension performance or not. Hence, this study has been focused on the relationship between oral reading and the comprehension performance of second year students in Shandong Normal University, China. The grades of participants who participated in two reading comprehension tests, before and after a 6-week oral reading practice experiment had been measured and compared. Results had revealed a significant correlation between everyday oral reading practice and reading comprehension performance in late-teen and early-twenty EFL/ESL university students. The practice of oral reading showed significant influence on reading comprehension performance in the test. Most of groups showed that oral reading practic e had positive influence on the reading comprehension performance. Feedback suggested that oral reading experiment was successful because it helps in improving the scores of the reading comprehension test. It is recommended that English as foreign language or second language (EFL/ESL) teachers and students use oral reading as a practicing method and reading method during English learning. And also employ it as a reading method in reading comprehension outside examination. Beside the benefits of the oral reading method on reading comprehension performance, a clear bottleneck was also observed in this method during the investigation. As a consequence, to improve reading comprehension performance in EFL/ESL study, more factors such as vocabulary capacity, analysis ability of sentences and the understanding of the background culture would need to be taken into consideration, apart from the oral reading practice. 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Reading methodologies take an important part in both first language and second/foreign language learning (Alshumaimeri, 2005; Grabe, 1991; Jackson Coltheart, 2001; McCallum, Sharp, Bell, George, 2004; Prior Welling, 2001). In general, there are three reading methods used in language learning and teaching, oral reading, silent reading and subvocalization. Oral reading usually refers to the act of reading aloud, either to oneself or to audience. Silent reading, as stated in the phrase itself, it is the act of reading to oneself without pronouncing words out aloud. Subvocalization, which is similar to silent reading, however, is defined as the internal speech made when reading word, thus allowing the reader to imagine the sound of the word while reading (Carver, 1990). The term refers to the movement of muscles associated with speaking originally. But most subvocalization is undetectable even by the person using it (Carver, 1990; Rayner, et al, 1994). Reading comprehension refers to the ability of understanding of a written text or message (Keith, et al, 2001). This understanding of the writing comes from the words themselves, and the knowledge outside the written text can be triggered (Keith, et al, 2001). Reading comprehension performance is one of the essential criteria in language education (Bernhardt, 1991). There are many different methodologies of teaching reading comprehension throughout the centuries (Adams, 1994; Keith, et al, 2001). Modern methodologies usually stressed on using model strategies to analyse or interpret the passages (Pressley, 2006). There is no definitive set of strategies, but general ones include summarizing what you have read, monitoring your reading paragraphs, and analysing the structure of the text (Pressley, 2006). Some programmes teach students how to self monitor whether they are understanding and provide students with tools for fixing comprehension problems. These kinds of methods have also be en highly used in English education in China, in order for students to target high reading comprehension scores in the examination. This study was focused on the influence of reading behaviour on reading comprehension performance; hence, these technical strategies and their effects on the reading comprehension performance of EFL/ESL students would not be discussed further in this dissertation. 1.2 Previous literatures and researches on Oral Reading Previous studies on the effects of reading methods on the comprehension performance had shown significant differences between the different reading methodologies. Oral reading had the best effect on comprehension performance among the three reading methods (Alshumaimeri, 2011). In Alshumaimeris research, all groups stated that oral reading was the most preferred reading method with the most of students reporting it was the best method to support reading comprehension. Feedback suggested that this method was preferred because it helps in memorizing words and texts, concentration, and practicing and pronouncing words for real world encounters (Alshumaimeri, 2011). For decades, investigators have stressed the importance of oral reading to children in first language teaching situations in many cultures, not only as a method of encouraging children to read, but also of developing their reading comprehension ability (Alshumaimeri, 2005; Grabe, 1991; Jackson Coltheart, 2001; Juel Holmes, 1981; McCallum, Sharp, Bell, George, 2004; Prior Welling, 2001; Rowell, 1976, Yang, 2008). Oral reading has been considered as an essential approach in teaching pronunciation, vocabulary recognition and memorisation, during the early stages of foreign or second language (EFL/ESL) learning. There are many debated around the topic for decades. With the fast-developing technologies involved in the teaching activities, traditional teaching and learning strategies like oral reading, had been considered as an out-dated methodology, and discouraged by some EFL/ESL teachers (Amer,1 997). Hill and Dobbyn pointed out in their research that oral reading could be a waste of class time in 1979 (Hill Dobbyn, 1979). This situation is especially is especially critical in Chinas education system, since the focus is generally on improving the examination grades, rather than using a language practically. Another reason for oral reading has been overlooked by many teachers is because of lacking scientific instructions; consequently, students could not use oral reading as an efficient method to practice a foreign language after class in a non-native speaking environment (Yang, 2008). On contrary, researches had demonstrated that oral reading with scientific techniques could be beneficial in proof-reading, pronunciation practice, and fluency of conversations (Cho Choi, 2008; Gibson, 2008; Rennie, 2000; Reutzel, Hollingsworth, Eldredge, 1994; White, 1982). A survey conducted by BBC on the influences of oral reading on EFL/ESL at the EFL/ESL forum (Gao Xia, 2006), in which 98% of the 314 EFL teachers thought that oral reading had essential functions on English learning (Gao Xia, 2006) The majority of EFL/ESL teachers suggested oral reading as an essential English learning method based on teaching experiences (Gao Xia, 2006; Yang, 2008) 1.2.1 Oral reading in English Learning In China, or other countries where students learn English as a foreign language, the input of the target language is very low in daily life. The output of a language requires the understanding of large amount of the input first (Krashen, 2009). Oral reading is generally considered as an essential and effective way of the foreign language input. In China, the purpose of learning English as a second language has moved from understanding and using the language, to target high scores in various examinations in order to gain high grades, or get into and graduate from universities. As a consequence, the most of English teachers in China, especially the ones in secondary schools, colleges and universities, focus the English teaching and learning on the grammar, writing skills and reading comprehension test skills. Few teachers are actually taken oral reading or reading aloud as a regular teaching strategy during classes or as a regular practicing method for students. The lack of oral readin g practice in long term could result in a lack of the language input in a non-native speaking environment. Therefore, many students in China who have learnt English for many years have a good amount of vocabulary and well understanding of the grammar, and had passed many examinations including CET-4 and CET-6, still have troubles to use English fluently when needed. The lack of the language input during foreign language learning would result in lack of the scenes of the target language. Therefore, as suggested by many educators, oral reading is an effective, concentrated, and enhanced input route for language information. It could help EFL/ESL students to enrich their information pool of the target language and also provide the base of imitating and expressing the language for students language output. From imitating the reading material, the information in the texts would be converted into their natural and fluent expression and communication. Educators suggested that there are several reasons why oral reading takes an important part in English teaching and learning. Firstly, oral reading is a method to improve pronunciation and speaking ability. With the correct direction from English teachers, students could be benefit from oral reading practice for their pronunciation, voice tone. Additionally, during the oral reading behaviour, students eyes, mouths, and ears can all be involved. It can enhance the corresponding area in the brain to process the sound. So effective reading aloud practice is also a good foundation for listening. Thirdly, oral reading can improve the sense of phrase during foreign language learning in a non-native speaking environment. The process can also help student to concentrate on the text and memorise vocabulary (Alshumaimeri, 2011). With all the advantages of oral reading practice above, as suggested by Halliday in his An introduction to Functional Grammar, reading texts aloud would help the reade r to understand complicated contents (Halliday, 1994). Moreover, it has also been suggested that oral reading to help foreign language learners to improve their written communication skills. By imitating the language during oral reading, students could overcome the effect of their first language on the writing skills. Correct guidance of oral reading is essential in English learning. Reading aloud without wise strategies would not have any positive input in the learning process, which is a great waste of time and energy. As suggested by researchers, ESL/EFL teachers should pay attention to oral reading during the class to inspire students interests in oral reading. Teachers should also provide clear demonstration of the correct pronunciation and tone. And also explain the differences between the first language and foreign language. In addition, students are encouraged to practice oral reading regularly outside the class spontaneously. Furthermore, the reading materials should be well-selected. Articles, passages or books written by the native speakers of the target language with approximately 5% of new vocabulary are suggested to be suitable reading materials. To sum up, oral reading is an essential methodology that can improve many skills in English learning, including pronunciation, vocabulary, intonation, voice tone, and the sense of the language. Many researchers and educator believe that oral reading can improve the reading comprehension performance. Therefore, this study would like to investigate the relationship between oral reading practice and the reading comprehension performance of Chinese university students, through a series of designed oral reading practicing experiment. 1.3 Previous literatures and researches Reading Comprehension The research of reading comprehension has begun to increase rapidly in 1970s (Thorndike, 1973). It has then increasingly become the main standard in language understanding. As mentioned above, reading comprehension is described as the level of understanding of a content or text. In this thesis, the word text is used to refer to the written materials, which have specific meanings in semantics, informative in pragmatics, coherent in logic and cohesive in linguistics; it carries out the communication functions and conveys the interactive purposes between the writer and the reader; it depends on context, linguistic or non-linguistic, in which the textural meaning can be perceived by the reader. 1.3.1 Reading Comprehension of Text Reading comprehension is generally a fundamental mean for people to get information. Readers integrate and comprehend the text information on the basis of al parts of information. They complete their comprehension according to part and whole understanding of the text. Therefore, reading comprehension relies on the interaction of meaning between local and whole information. Text theory has become central to contemporary linguistic sciences. Text is considered as central to the construction of reality as entities are brought into existence, given meaning and significance. The purpose of reading is to uncover the meaning underlying in texts, and to examine the pattern of text and to link them to social backgrounds. Through the past few decades, the research on reading comprehension of text has been made more progress through the efforts of many text linguists (Gao, 2010). Reading comprehension of the text requires perceiving auditory and visual inputs, process these inputs in their highly complex cognitive systems (Anderson and Pearson, 1984). Reading comprehension began with the studies on memory and representation. The current researches of reading comprehension involve in the study on the retrieval of central concepts, different dimensions of situational models and different processing of text information. English reading comprehension theories developed from the earliest Grammar-Translation theory to current situational model theory. Through the empirical researches and English reading teaching theories, the above two research fields tend to draw together. Both fields had developed from linguistic micro aspect to semantic macro aspect. In the field of psycholinguistics, reading comprehension of text refers to the capacity to construct new knowledge from the written text (Anderson and Pearson, 1984) and apply the acquired information to new situations (Kinstch, 1998). The Propositional Theory, the Schema Theory and the Mental Models are considered as the three most influential psycholinguistic theories of reading comprehension of text (Gunning, 1996). 1.3.2 Brief Comparison between Reading Comprehension Theories The three main reading comprehension theories identified by Gunning in 1996 will be described and compared briefly in this section. Propositional Theory: According to Gunning, the Propositional Theory engages the reader constructing a central idea as they process the text. These central ideas are organised in a hierarchical pattern with the most important factors given the highest priority to be memorised (Gunning, 1996). Schema Theory: Schema, came from Greek which means shape or plan. The term has been introduced into education by Bartlett in 1932 (Bartlett, 1932). According to Bartlett, a schema was defined as a complex knowledge structure which groups all the information an individual knows about or associates with a particular concept. The term was linked with reconstructive memory by a series of experiments demonstrated in Bartletts work (Bartlett,1932). By presenting participants with information that was unfamiliar to their cultural backgrounds and expectations and then monitoring how they recalled these different items of information (stories, etc.), Bartlett was able to establish that individuals existing schemata and stereotypes influence not only how they interpret schema-foreign new information but also how they recall the information over time.(Wikipedia) The Schema Theory in had been studied and developed by many researcher ever since. In 1980, Rumelhart had taken an important breakthrough of the sche ma theory in reading comprehension, by portraying individuals understanding of tales and stories (Rumelhart, 1980). Later, the schema in text theory refers to content schema, where the the readers understanding of the text might depend on having a clearly established context for the text. Gunning (1996) defines a schema as the organized knowledge that one already has about people, places, things, and events. Kitao (1990) says the schema theory involves an interaction between the readers own knowledge and the text, which results in comprehension. This schema, as Gunning defined, can be very broad, such a schema for natural disasters, or more narrow, such as a schema for a hurricane. Each schema is filed in an individual compartment and stored there. In attempting to comprehend reading materials, students can relate this new information to the existing information they have compartmentalized in their minds, adding it to these files for future use. Based on the Schema Theory, depending on how extensive their files become, their degree of reading comprehension may vary. (website) For instance, the researches of reading comprehension sometimes term as formal schemata, which reveal previous experience of a certain text type. For instance, readers usually expect to see an abstract, a background review, a methodology and analysis and discussion of data in a scientific paper. This kind of schema provides the expectation about the style of the text. Schema could also be used to represent the meaning representation built up by a reader during processing a particular piece of text. People begin to read texts with expectations about the content, which can be derived from the title or from the purpose of the texts. These enable people to develop a text-specific schema even before reading. More information might be added to the original schema, or the initial schema might be revised during the reading. (Sample Paper) Schema is different between languages. There are three possible changes of schemata. The change is involved when small adjustment is made temporarily in order to confront immediate needs. Accretion modifies a schema gradually but when new information is acquired or repeated examples of contrary evidence are accumulated, the schema may be changed. Restructuring occurs when a sudden insight or new piece of knowledge leads to radical reorganisation of existing knowledge structures. (Sample Paper) To sum up, the schema theory, as the mental representations of typical situations, are used in text processing to predict the contents of the particular situation which the text describes. The idea is that the mind which is stimulated by key words or phrases in the text, or by the context, activates a schema of knowledge, and uses this schema to understand the text. Mental Model Theory (Dominican.edu website) Another major theory we would like to discuss is the Mental Model. This model can be thought of as a mind movie created in ones head, based on the reading content. Gunning gives a detailed description of this process, stating that a mental model is constructed most often when a student is reading fiction. The reader focuses in on the main character and creates a mental model of the circumstances in which the character finds him or herself. The mental model is re-constructed or updated to reflect the new circumstances as the situation changes, but the items important to the main character are kept in the foreground according to Gunning, (1996). Perkins (1991) identifies that sometimes misconceptions about important concepts reflect misleading mental models of the topic itself or the subject matter within which it sits. There are, however, interventions the teacher can do to help the reader to stay on track and create a more accurate picture. One suggestion is for the teachers to ask the students to disclose their mental models of the topics in question, through analogy, discussion, picturing, and other ways. This information gives the teacher insight on the students knowledge gaps and misconceptions, therefore allowing them to help students reconstruct a more accurate picture. 1.3.3 Reading Comprehension in Foreign Language Study Reading comprehension is one of the critical teaching objectives in all foreign languages education. The ability of reading comprehension is also an important factor to evaluate the learners language competence. Studies on first language learning showed that the comprehension performance is better when reading silently (Bernhardt, 1983; Leinhardt, Zigmond, Cooley, 1981; Wilkinson Anderson, 1995). Nevertheless, recently study from Teng suggested that reading comprehension results had no significant difference between oran and silent reading (Teng, 2009). In EFL/ESL learning, Al-Qurashi et al had proposed that oral reading was only beneficial in acquisition; for reading comprehension, silent reading is better strengthened (Al-Qurashi, Watson, Hafseth, Hickman, Pond, 1995). While researchers continue to explore the effectiveness of oral reading on both language acquisition and comprehension, many questions remain unanswered. Further research on the relationship between oral reading s and reading comprehension is needed in order to enhance EFL teaching methodologies and to improve learning outcomes. This research furthers understanding of the relationship between oral reading and comprehensio n performance at later stage of EFL/ESL learning. As such, findings would assist colleges or universities, the EFL/ESL researchers, educators and students. 1.3.4 The Previous Research on the Correlation between Oral Reading and Reading Comprehension Oral reading and reading comprehension are different reading activities that are related and interact to each other. Research had been done on the two aspects from various perspectives, including psychological linguistics, neurological linguistics, cognition and the functions in foreign language education. Oral reading is a reading activity that expresses the emotions using reading skills, such as stress, rhythm or tone, in the linguistic materials. It involves reading out aloud the words, sentences or passages, with eye sight focusing on the texts. It is different from a mechanical word-to-word articulating process. Oral reading is a more complex and cognitive process which engages not only pronouncing, reading, and listening, also language perception, comprehension and production of the reader. Previous research suggested that oral reading represented a complicated and dynamic performance that indicate the individuals sensorial skill at automatically recognising orthographical representations, unitising those components into recognisable wholes and automatically accessing lexical representations, processing meaningful connections within and between sentences, relating text meaning to prior information, making inferences to supply missing information, and his production skill the form ulation and execution of speech plan, the performance on which characterises the readers overall language proficiency (Gao, 2006). The psychological process of oral reading had also been investigated. During the activity of oral reading, the reader could formulate the phonetic plan and convert it into vocal sound after comprehending the text (Gao, 2007). Then the input of information could activate the lemma in the mental lexicon  ¼Ã‹â€ Yang, 2008 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °. Text is a language phenomenon based on psychological activites and also a product of psychological process. Reading comprehension of the text involves how people recognise auditory and visual inputs, process and understand the input information in the highly complex cognitive systems. In the field of psycholinguistics, reading comprehension of the text refers to the capacity to construct new knowledge from the written text (Anderson and Pearson, 1984) and apply the acquired information to new situations (Kinstch, 1998).] Furthermore, the performance of reading comprehension is an indicator of the foreign language students competence. If one has difficulty in the comprehension of reading, his or her execution of phonetic plan, mechanisms of articulation and monitor cannot work together simultaneously and effectively. His or her oral reading performance could be stumbled and mistaken as well. Thus, the process of both oral reading and reading comprehension are relevant to cognition and psychology of human. 1.4 Significance and Aims of the Study The main aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between oral reading and comprehension performance. Previous literatures suggested that the oral reading method is correlated to the comprehension performance during language studies among young children and teenagers (Alshumaimeri, 2005; Rowell, E.H. (1976).). Alshumaimeri s research on the effects of different reading methods on the comprehension performance in 10th grade Saudi male students indicated that, reading comprehension performance could be benefited from oral reading method because it could help students to concentrate on the passages and memorise new vocabulary (Alshumaimeri, 2011). The research from Alshumaimeri was conducted among teenagers. Additionally, the experiment was designed to investigate the reading comprehension performance after oral reading the passages (Alshumaimeri, 2011), i.e. the immediate effect of oral reading on comprehension performance. However, the experiment was designed differently in th is study to investigate the long-term effect of oral reading on reading comprehension performance. Therefore, this study has been carried out among second year students in Shandong Normal University in China, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. This study has aimed to investigate the influence of oral reading practice on reading comprehension performance, in ESL/EFL students with relatively long English learning history and who already have relatively higher ability in English. Because with the development of English teaching and learning strategies, and the ability of self-learning and gaining resources by students, oral reading is more neglected with the age increasing as well, especially for college and university students, who despise oral reading as a leaning method because it is time consuming, childish and shows no immediate improvements in examination grades. Therefore, the ability of reading comprehension would be measured by two designed multiple-choice tests, before and after a 6-week oral reading practice experiment. The scores from both tests would be ana lysed to investigate the relationship between oral reading practice and the reading comprehension performance. Besides the quantitative data comparison from the reading comprehension tests, the opinions from both students and English teachers participated in this research on oral reading and reading comprehension would be collected by questionnaires. This aimed to investigate the attitude of oral reading and reading comprehension from both learners and teachers point of views during EFL/ESL education. These results would be valuable for future English as a foreign language education. Theoretical exploration and quantitative analysis would be illustrated in the thesis; experimental data would be processed with SPSS to support the theory as well. 2. Methodology The study mainly focused on discovering whether the students performance of oral reading would have any positive influence on students reading comprehension performance. Additionally, the work of EFL/ESL teacher in China put in teaching correct oral reading techniques to improve their ability in reading comprehension performance. In order to get reliability and validity data and results, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in this research. In the foreign language education field, quantitative research is objective, noticeable, and outcome-oriented, which can be generalised. On contrary, qualitative research is more subjective, contextual and process-oriented, during which the process is based on systematic methods. In this section, the key questions involved in this study would be discussed, followed by research subjects (university teachers and students), research procedures (experimental design, implement process and data collection), and measurements (pre-test, post-test, questionnaires and teaching experiments). 2.1 Research Questions The study was designed to investigate the influence of oral reading practice on reading comprehension performance, and the relationship between the two. The key questions in this study are as follows: How to use oral reading as an effective teaching method in English classes regularly? How often do students use oral reading as an exercise technique in their self-study time? What is the relationship between oral reading and reading comprehension performance? Would the oral reading experiment have positive influence on the reading habit of students? The research of these questions would be illustrated in the Results section, and the answers to these key questions would be discussed further in the Discussion section. 2.2 Research Subjects The experiment around the topic was carried out in second year student in Shangdong Normal University, China. A full-time university could be used to represent the majority of universities in China. A group of 120 non-English department students were chosen as the research subject in this study. They could represent most of the English learning students in China. As second year university students, they usually have a good understanding in English by passing the National Entrance Examination of China, and had leant English for approximately 9 years since the fourth grade in primary schools. The average age of the chosen students was around 19 to 21; and participants were selected from both genders. More importantly, they have similar education background and English level in the reading comprehension. The non-English-specialised College English Test Band 4 (CET-4), which is a national English as a Foreign Language test in China, could be used as a standard to measure the ability of t he participants in the reading comprehension study. The purpose of the CET is to examine the English proficiency of undergraduate students in China and ensure that Chinese undergraduates reach the required English levels specified in the National College English Teaching Syllabuses (NCETS). The level of CET-4 could be considered as around 5.5 to 6 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The 120 participants were selected from 300 non-English-specialised students from different departments who join the research on their own will. Their scores were fall between 25% and 40% in the pre-experimental reading comprehension test (details in the next section). This score range represents a group of students who have certain understanding in English but with lower level in the reading comprehension. As a consequence, there is a big gap to see the improvements in this study. After the selection, there were 79 female students and 41 male students were chosen for the next step experiment. The reason for the difference in genders was due to that the female student proportion was naturally higher in this University. However, since the purpose of this study was not focus on the effect of oral reading on reading comprehension performance between genders, this big difference could be accepted in this research. The gender proportion information is illustrated in Tabe.1 below. Gender Number Percent