Free Essays on Salems Lot

Salem’s Lot is the story of a man who returns to his home town to face the fears of his childhood, only to find a entire new set of fears awaiting him. Ben’s hometown now has a new occupant, Barlow, an evil as old as time. As one by one the inhabits of Salem’s Lot disappear only to turn up later in the night, as something worse than dead. Ben Mears is a successful novelist who returns to Jerusalem’s Lot his hometown. As a child Ben had gone through a terrifying experience in the local â€Å"haunted house†. He believed that by renting the old Marsten house he could face his fears, and be able to write away old ghosts. The first person he meets when he returns is Susan Norton, a fan of his writing, with whom he is immediately attracted to. He tells her about his childhood experience; how on a dare from a group of friends he was supposed to go into the Marsten house and bring something out. But all that the nine-year-old had seen was the hanging body of the former owner Hubie Marsten, and how the dead body had opened its eyes. And though now he knows that he really didn’t see the body, he feels that the Marsten house is a ‘storage place’ for the evil things that had happened there. Susan tells Ben that the house, unoccupied for many years has already been rented to a newcomer in town, a Mr. Barlow, a man that no one has ever seen, but intends to open an antique store in town. His partner, Mr. Straker, has made all the arrangements. The book then describes how the inhabitants of Salem’s Lot discover what Mr. Barlow truly is. Young children disappear, and adults as well as c hildren begin to suf! fer from a mysterious illness, extreme sensitive to the sun, anemia, and eventually death. But as twelve year old Mark Petrie, a supernatural lover, discovers when one of his recently deceased young friends scratch outside his second story bedroom window begging to be let in, that there is no mysterious illness but they are the un... Free Essays on Salems Lot Free Essays on Salems Lot Salem’s Lot is the story of a man who returns to his home town to face the fears of his childhood, only to find a entire new set of fears awaiting him. Ben’s hometown now has a new occupant, Barlow, an evil as old as time. As one by one the inhabits of Salem’s Lot disappear only to turn up later in the night, as something worse than dead. Ben Mears is a successful novelist who returns to Jerusalem’s Lot his hometown. As a child Ben had gone through a terrifying experience in the local â€Å"haunted house†. He believed that by renting the old Marsten house he could face his fears, and be able to write away old ghosts. The first person he meets when he returns is Susan Norton, a fan of his writing, with whom he is immediately attracted to. He tells her about his childhood experience; how on a dare from a group of friends he was supposed to go into the Marsten house and bring something out. But all that the nine-year-old had seen was the hanging body of the former owner Hubie Marsten, and how the dead body had opened its eyes. And though now he knows that he really didn’t see the body, he feels that the Marsten house is a ‘storage place’ for the evil things that had happened there. Susan tells Ben that the house, unoccupied for many years has already been rented to a newcomer in town, a Mr. Barlow, a man that no one has ever seen, but intends to open an antique store in town. His partner, Mr. Straker, has made all the arrangements. The book then describes how the inhabitants of Salem’s Lot discover what Mr. Barlow truly is. Young children disappear, and adults as well as c hildren begin to suf! fer from a mysterious illness, extreme sensitive to the sun, anemia, and eventually death. But as twelve year old Mark Petrie, a supernatural lover, discovers when one of his recently deceased young friends scratch outside his second story bedroom window begging to be let in, that there is no mysterious illness but they are the un...

Why Erlitou Is Known as the Bronze Age Capital of China

Why Erlitou Is Known as the Bronze Age Capital of China Erlitou is a very large Bronze Age site located in the Yilou basin of the Yellow River, about 10 kilometers southwest of Yanshi City in Henan Province of China. Erlitou has long been associated with the Xia or early Shang Dynasty but can be more neutrally known as the type site of the Erlitou culture. Erlitou was occupied between about 3500-1250 BCE. During its heyday (ca 1900-1600 BC) the city included an area of almost 300 hectares, with deposits in some places up to 4 meters deep. Palatial buildings, royal tombs, bronze foundries, paved roads, and rammed earth foundations attest to the complexity and importance of this early central place. The earliest occupations at Erlitou date to the Neolithic Yangshao culture [3500-3000 BCE], and Longshan culture [3000-2500 BCE] followed by a 600 year period of abandonment. The Erlitou settlement began about 1900 BCE. The city rose steadily in importance, becoming the primary center in the region by about 1800 BCE. During the Erligang period [1600-1250 BCE], the city decreased in importance and was abandoned. Erlitou Characteristics Erlitou has eight identified palaces,  large-scale buildings with elite architecture and artifacts, three of which have been fully excavated, the most recent in 2003. Excavations indicate that the city was planned with specialized buildings, a ceremonial area, attached workshops, and a central palatial complex enclosing two rammed-earth foundation palaces. Elite burials were placed within the courtyards of these palaces  accompanied by grave goods such as bronzes, jades, turquoise, and lacquer wares. Other tombs were discovered scattered throughout the site rather than in a cemetery precinct. Erlitou also had a planned grid of roads. An intact section of parallel wagon tracks, 1 meter wide and 5 meters long, is the earliest known evidence of a wagon in China. Other parts of the city contain the remains of smaller dwellings, craft workshops, pottery kilns, and tombs. Important craft areas include a bronze casting foundry and a turquoise workshop. Erlitou is known for its bronzes: the earliest bronze vessels cast in China were made in the foundries at Erlitou. The first bronze vessels were made expressly for the ritual consumption of wine, which was probably based on rice or wild grape. Is Erlitou Xia or Shang? Scholarly debate continues concerning whether Erlitou is best considered Xia or Shang Dynasty. In fact, Erlitou is central to the discussion concerning whether the Xia dynasty exists at all. The earliest known bronzes in China were cast in Erlitou and its complexity argues that it had a state level of organization. Xia is listed in Zhou dynasty records as being the first of the bronze age societies, but scholars are divided as to whether this culture existed as a separate entity from the earliest Shang or was a political fiction created by the Zhou dynasty leaders to cement their control. Erlitou was first discovered in 1959 and has been excavated for decades. Source: Allan, Sarah 2007 Erlitou and the Formation of Chinese Civilization: Toward a New Paradigm. The Journal of Asian Studies 66:461-496. Liu, Li, and Hong Xu 2007 Rethinking Erlitou: legend, history and Chinese archaeology. Antiquity 81:886–901. Yuan, Jing and Rowan Flad 2005 New zooarchaeological evidence for changes in Shang Dynasty animal sacrifice. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 24(3):252-270. Yang, Xiaoneng. 2004. Erlitou Site at Yanshi. Entry 43 in Chinese Archaeology in the Twentieth Century: New Perspectives on Chinas Past. Yale University Press, New Haven.

Three Diversity Case Studies on the Automobile Industry (Ford, Honda, Research Paper

Three Diversity Case Studies on the Automobile Industry (Ford, Honda, Toyota websites) - Research Paper Example It is also stated that Ford embraces diversity of thought, experience, perspective, race, gender and faith in their own company culture by learning of their emotional and intellectual roots to enable effective communication. And this inclusion principle has helped them organize a diverse staff to work towards the satisfaction of the needs of very diverse customers. It can also be observed that their website is available as well in Spanish language to cater to their numerous Spanish speaking website visitors that also comprise a significant percentage of their target market. Ford company’s awareness of the big diversity of their product enthusiasts has driven them to provide a social platform in their website where articles, stories and ideas of various persons are featured. It must be a good experience to be able to work at Ford, as they have depicted good corporate values in their websites. Their corporate system maximizes the diversity of their community to create informatio n that enables the company to deliver better products and communicate well to satisfy customers’ needs and preferences.... II. Honda, http://www.honda.com/ â€Å"Honda The Power of Dreams.† Honda website is characterized with simplicity of text presentation with minimal images on a white background. Its featured products are shown in text logos that can link the website visitor to another page that provides more car images and useful information to a potential customer, supplier or employee. Automobile shopping tools, ownership resources and car model research tools are also provided. The website also banners Honda’s environmental commitment by featuring their Hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles and more related news and stories about it. They also include future car models and concepts. This depicts Honda’s good organization skills and focus on car innovation and environmental leadership. Diversity is addressed generally through the â€Å"About† section in the welcome page. And the website is also available in Spanish language. The corporate structure is said to be built on â€Å"respect for the individual† principle that deals with trust, initiative and equality. Honda tangibly adopted diversity through diverse workforce, dealer body, team of suppliers and building of strong community through promotion of national events that benefit the company’s associates. Honda also recognize diversity in non-tangible ways by embracing viewpoints and concerns regarding their product design and marketing, the daily staff interactions, and sensitivity and responsibility to the diverse needs of the automobile communities. They adhere to the understanding that society, and the needs of their customers and associates and even the public, change. This must be their company’s motivation to produce more innovations. Honda further shows their commitment to

Children with Intellectual Disability Research Proposal

Children with Intellectual Disability - Research Proposal Example The apparent impression discerning from literature surveys is that of lack of consensus. Cuskelly puts it forthright; the research studies dealing with psychological adjustment of the siblings of individuals with disability, gives an impression of contradiction, or confusion (1999). Another methodical advance of recent origin emphasizes quantitative research. This approach seeks to narrow the disagreements referred above through meta-analysis. The strategy used herein is to assess factors that produce inconsistencies, stemming from both, substantive and methodological. One popular approach of quantitative research is that of vote-count meta-analysis, which presents a tabulation of studies by their outcomes. Using this technique, Howe reviewed 21 studies to show that there appears to be a negative psychological impact on siblings of intellectually challenged individual (1993). However, even here, conclusions vary. Summers et.al, reported both positive and negative consequences on the sibling of an individual with disability (1994). The research problem embodies the research study, both in its scope and depth, and unambiguously defined (Fouche, 2005). In this study, the research problem is centered around the psychosocial effects on the siblings of individuals subject to intellectual disability. The World H... The prevalence of intellectual disability is generally estimated to be between 1-3% of the population. People with intellectual disability (PWID) represent a heterogeneous group with a varied range of highly complex needs, yet they remain among the most vulnerable members of society (O'Hara, 2008). The underlying rationale and principles of care for PWID have undergone radical changes in countries such as, USA, Europe, Australia and Canada over the past four decades. The focus is now on civil and human rights, with social inclusion and citizenship free from discrimination (Bouras, 2002). The emphasis has shifted to the movement towards integration, participation and choice with the development of community based facilities, and growing empowerment and self advocacy for PWID and their families (Tsuda, 2006). The family is seen as the most appropriate living environment for PWID, which is a function both of cultural values and availability of services (Special Olympics, 2003). In this context, this study shall identify with recommendations, the counseling and support needs of siblings of individuals with intellectual disability. The study shall also seek to integrate the current efforts of agencies, organizations and support groups with the findings of this study. Research Theme: The researcher has selected the following main themes for focused study, research, and analysis with regard to siblings of children with intellectual disability: a) Psychosocial risks: kind, intensity, short and long term effects b) Coping strategies and family support systems c) Society and community empathy, sensitivity and support systems d) Cultural impact; gender impact; ageing factor; in adapting strategies e) Positive spin-offs, if

The study circle using focus group discussion Essay Example for Free

The study circle using focus group discussion Essay This paper would combine the framework of Study Circle and focus group discussion in order to bring out a â€Å"natural† discussion between the participants. In this discussion, participants would be observed on how they tackle and react to the topic presented to them. The following would describe how the process would go: Participants The target population for this would be the East End Intermediate School in the Sheridan School District #37 in Arkansas. In accordance with the purpose of this paper and the framework of Study Circle and FGD, participants would be around 10-12 and will be divided into school representatives, community leaders and some family members of students who attend in the target school (Heiskanen, 2008). By doing this, everyone would have its turn to voice out their opinion regarding the role of community in school improvement. The school representatives could voice out what support they need from the community and from the parents as well regarding the improvements that their school lacks of. The same situation goes for community leaders and parents too. Community leaders could present the problems the school have at the present and at the same time suggest solutions for these. Family members could clamor for revised school curriculums and other educational programs that could bolster the student’s growth both physically and mentally. In this process, everyone is contributing evenly for the development of the framework and for their community. Sample Questions Questions are key factors in stimulating the discussion both for Study Circle and FGD. Questions could be considered as the lifespan of a discussion since it could determine the beginning and the end of a discussion. It also dictates the flow of the discussion by giving the participants something to ponder on for several minutes. Questions could determine the clarity of the data or its vagueness, thus implying that questions could determine the outcome of a study. The following questions below are sample questions for this study and they are still subject upon revision. They are the following: 1. What are the problems in your school that do you think impedes development? 2. What are the causes of these problems? 3. Physically or mentally, do these problems affect the students in those categories? 4. Do these problems affect the education of the students? 5. What are the temporary solutions you came up with to solve these problems? 6. What are the roles of community and families of the students in solving these problems? 7. Do these problems exist within the community where the school belongs to? If yes, what were the reaction pf community leaders? 8. On the other hand, if these problems exist within the family of the students, what are the responds of school officials and concern family members in order to address some of these problems? 9. So far, are there any collective actions (school officials, community leaders and concern family members) been done by the in order to solve these problems? 10. If the problems cease to exist, are there any suggestions in order to prevent such thing from occurring or happening again? These questions would serve as the main guidelines for the discussion and as it goes on, additional questions could be generated based from the answers of the participants. Furthermore, not all of these questions could be answer in one meeting thus series of discussion between these people would be held in order to address these questions. Series of Discussions. In order to address the issue carefully and to come up with an ardent foundation for the framework, a single discussion will not be adequate, especially if the participants want to come up with long term solution for the problem. This series of discussions is similar to the ones conducted for a Study Circle. Continuous dialogues are carried out in order to come up with a solution and while they are pondering on these issues, they share insights and ideas thus educating each other. School officials for an instance, could guide family members about the proper care of children entering teens or puberty age and vice versa. Family members could enumerate the improvement areas of the school that they think would be essential in their child’s holistic growth and development. Research and further observation could also be done in order to obtain necessary information for solving their problem. While thinking of solution for their problem, people that will be involved in the study would learn from each other thoughts and ideas, thus promoting growth and education between the participants. The combination of focus group discussion and Study Circle were necessary to provide the foundation for the school-community framework. Both of there characteristics comprehend each other. The focus group could capture multiple perspectives of the participants while Study Circle influences the participants to strive forward in order to achieve better results. Doing this together could produce better result than using only one. Furthermore, considering the funding, timeframe and research subject, incorporating Study Circle with focus group would be the best choice. References Andrews, C. (1997). Study Circles: Education of Our Times. Retrieved July 24, 2008 from: http://www. pathsoflearning. net/Paths11-Andrews.pdf. Bau-Madsen, J. (2000) Study Circle: the workshop of democracy. – Folkevirke, Kobenhavn Bjerkaker, S. (2003). The Study Circle: A method for learning, a tool for democracy. Paper for the FACE Annual Conference Oslo, 2003 Blid, H. (1990). Education by the people: Study Circles. – Arbetarnas bildningsforbund Stockholm, Sweden Blid, H. (2000) Learn and act with Study Circles. – Books-on-Demand, Stockholm Brattset, H. (1982) What are the characteristics of the Study Circle? (English Summary), Norwegian Institute of adult education, Trondheim Heiskanen, E. et al. (2008). Qualitative Research and Consumer Policy: Focus Group Discussions as a Form of Consumer Participation. The Qualitative Report 13 (2) Kindstrom, C. (2002). The Study Circle Method. Studieforbundet Vuxenskolen, Stockholm, Sweden Larsson, S. (2001) Study Circles as Democratic Utopia: a Swedish Perspective in Michael Agnieeszka Bron (Eds) Study Circlehemmann, Civil Society, Citizenship and Learning, London Loenstrup, B. (2002) Teaching Adults – with openness, Nordic Folk Academy, Gothenburg/Riga Myers, M. (2002). Qualitative research and the generalizability question: Standing firm with Proteus. The Qualitative Report, 4(3/4). Oliver, L. P. (1987) Study Circles: coming together for personal growth and social change, Washington D. C. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Persson, T. (2006). The Study Circle: an efficient method for learning and Social Change. Retrieved July 24, 2008 from http://www. folkbildning. net/~tore. persson/Shanghai_StudyCircle_En. pdf Putu, M. (2006). Starting a Study Circle in my community: What to do? Retrieved July 24, 2008 from: http://www. idasa. org. za/gbOutputFiles. asp? WriteContent=YRID=1690.

Essay --

Lowi and his collaborators established four different typology for identifying and categorizing policy: Distributive, Redistributive, Protective Regulatory and Competitive regulatory. Distributive Distributive policies take â€Å"a resource from a broad group of people and gives the resource to a narrower group (Birkland, 210).† Such policies can be controversial because typically only the small group receiving the resources benefit from them. This can lead to interest group liberalism, â€Å"in which all claims to federal support and funding are assumed to be legitimate (Birkland, 212).† Detractors of distributive policy argue that government is â€Å"catering to clients† often failing to find better alternatives (Mitchell, 2014). An example of distributive property would be the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill, which was labeled â€Å"Pork-Barrel† spending. The bill would allocate resources to specific districts that needed repair. Those districts and groups would, theoretically, be the only ones to benefit from said resources. Redistributive Redistributive policies are those â€Å"that takes a resource from one identifiable group and gives a benefit to another readily identifiable group (Birkland, 213).† Arguably the most contentious typology, redistributive policies involve taking some â€Å"valued public asset† from one group and allocating it to another (Mitchell, 2014). Affirmative action is an example of redistributive policy. It was series of policies and mandates that strove to provide minorities equal access to housing, educational, and employment opportunities, (Garrison-Wade, 24). Institutions of higher education began recruiting minorities in efforts to diversify their predominantly white population. Such policies were highly contentious as seen in... ...els. With issues such as unemployment and minimum wage, the issue has been debated and no new legislation has surfaced. President Obama has turned to these â€Å"workarounds† of collaborating with companies that help tackle his agenda initiatives due to a need for action. My argument would be, anyone that can contribute to fixing a problem, no matter how insignificant the contribution may seem, has a responsibility t do so. One of my classmates suggested that it wasn’t the president’s role to be involved in these matters. However, the role of the president has often been to use â€Å"the considerable prestige of the office to persuade people (Birkland, 108).† As long as there is logic and transparency in interlocal collaborative networks, Public-Private collaborations, and workarounds to federal legislation, citizens will still have opportunity to voice concerns and dissent.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 29

Her name was the Mina M. She was a speedy ship and a thing of beauty, with sleek lines and white sails. Her wooden mast was oiled to a sheen, boasting smart red flags that snapped in the breeze. I stood at the prow and closed my eyes, imagining our journey. The stinging salt air and the bright yellow sun would whip my cheeks red as the Mina cut through waves, leaving white foam and spray in her wake. Little silver fish would glint in the water below in their hurry to get out of the way. On our travels we would see tiny skiffs cross the water loaded up with bananas and rum in the West Indies. We'd trade for spices in India. I'd finally see Italy, walk through the Sistine Chapel, marvel in front of the Duomo, and drink Chianti straight from the vineyard. Maybe†¦ maybe this would be a new way of life for me. Traveling at the speed of water rather than confining myself to the shadows. I'd never stay in one port for too long, outrunning death and my curse. Sailors usually had no friends but the men they crewed with – I would fit right in. But then I opened my eyes, my fantasy evaporating into the heavy midnight that surrounded me. A dense cloud cover obscured the sky and any stars embedded there failed to shine through. The Mina slipped silently out to sea, cutting the oily water with barely a hiss. This was the vampire's realm. Though my ring allowed me to walk in the daylight, my world existed in darkness. It was then, while the sun slumbered, that I hunted, evaded enemies, spewed curses, broke promises, and gave myself over to hate. We had escaped Klaus's minion, but we hadn't defeated him. He and his master were still out there, somewhere, planning on future torture and death for me and Damon. Lexi came up on deck behind me and touched my shoulder. â€Å"We're en route to San Francisco,† she said quietly. â€Å"I've not been there†¦ in a while. But you'll love the fog and dismal weather. Great for brooding.† She gave me a thin smile. â€Å"And I can tell you're going to be quite the brooder.† I leaned against the deck rail. I didn't have the heart to tell her that there would never be a place for me, that I would never fit. And I didn't deserve to, after all the lives I'd ended. The night wind tousled my thick brown hair and Lexi tucked it behind my ear. â€Å"He said an eye for an eye,† I began. â€Å"Yes. Well.† Lexi took a deep sigh and looked serious for a moment, eyes narrowing. â€Å"This is a fast ship and it will take him time to figure out our manifest. Besides the legal cargo of tea and coffee, there's a sizable shipment of opium they're planning to pick up in Frisco. The captain failed to register with the dock master, so it will be a while before anyone figures out where we turn tail to.† â€Å"No. I mean yes, that's good.† I rubbed a sudden spray of water from my eyes. â€Å"But I meant†¦ he killed the people that were supposed to be our wives, because his Katherine was killed.† Lexi nodded, shivering. â€Å"And then he grabbed you†¦ and was going to kill you and me, and probably Damon, in a church, just like Katherine was killed.† Lexi narrowed her eyes. â€Å"I'm not sure I understand where you're going with this.† â€Å"If he was being so particular about whom he killed and in what manner, why didn't he set the place on fire?† Lexi blinked. I saw her work through the logic. She stayed silent for a long time. I couldn't read her eyes, but still I felt embarrassed to be thinking of Katherine at a time like this. â€Å"Stefan,† she began. â€Å"Please listen to me. There are all levels of evil among our kind. From that old thing that commits great atrocities to†¦ minor, horrible little things that exist just for their own pleasure, regardless of whom it hurts. â€Å"Katherine wanted you to become a vampire. And look at the results. Do not weep overmuch for her, Stefan, or search for clues to her death or existence. Let her go. It is truly the best thing you can do.† I turned my head away from her and looked toward the only star bright enough to shine through the cloud cover – the North Star. Katherine was like that star: fixed in place, a silent specter hanging above me, a benchmark against which to measure my progress. No matter my feelings toward her, she had made me, and she would be with me always. â€Å"We're not all evil,† I said, putting my arm around her. â€Å"You're not.† â€Å"I'm a lot older than you,† she said gently. â€Å"And who I am now isn't who I've always been. You're not the only one with things to atone for, Stefan. But I've made a vow to myself to be different.† â€Å"Oh, ugh. Vows.† Damon stumbled onto deck loudly. â€Å"By Our Lord, haven't we made enough vows for a lifetime?† â€Å"The marriages were your idea, not mine,† I pointed out. â€Å"Waah, wahh, I'm a vampire, I had a really great wedding, great champagne, my brother rescued me, and I'm still tortured.† He bounced off the deck rails, palming the smooth wood and propelling himself back to the other side, port to starboard back and forth until he reached us. The untrained eye would have marked him as drunk, but there was a telltale crimson smear in the corner of his lips. He was drunk with our escape, with our rescue, with the lifeblood of some poor cabin boy – but not with drink. Not yet, at least. â€Å"Yes, and speaking of rescues, Margaret†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I prompted. Damon sighed. â€Å"When I confronted her about being able to withstand compulsion, Margaret admitted she was a witch and said she would help me.† â€Å"Just like that?† I asked skeptically. Damon rolled his eyes. â€Å"In return for us leaving New York and never coming back – in her lifetime, at least. And, this is the part that kills me, returning the dowries.† â€Å"Aw, Damon. I'm so sorry,† Lexi said, her sparkling eyes belying her serious tone. â€Å"Your plan to fleece the rich didn't work out. Better luck next time.† She punched him lightly in the shoulder. â€Å"We owe her our lives,† I said seriously. â€Å"She didn't have to help us at all. By all rights, she shouldn't have. The protection spell she cast around her and her husband – do you think it will really keep them safe?† â€Å"I have to believe. Either way, she's a better soul than you lot,† Lexi pronounced. â€Å"And speaking of better souls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I said, barely suppressing a smile, â€Å"what made you come back and rescue me? I thought you were hell-bent on ‘never forgiving me' and ‘punishing me until the end of my days.'† Damon's blue eyes were veiled. â€Å"Yes. Well, I meant every word. I will never forgive you. I will torture your every living moment.† I shook my head, tamping down the stirring of black rage inside me that wanted to shout to Damon that he may have lost the love of his life, but I lost a life that I loved. And a father, and a home. And a brother. But as quickly as the rage flowed in, it ebbed back out again, leaving me hollow. How could I expect my brother to forgive me for turning him into a vampire when I couldn't forgive myself for it? He had once loved me, as I had once loved Katherine, but I would never, ever forgive her for making me what I was now. Damon took me by the shoulders. â€Å"Besides,† he added, the corners of his lips turning up, â€Å"if anyone is going to kill you, it's going to be me.† Then, without another word, he leaped with vampiric speed to the deck rail itself, balancing without moving a muscle as the boat dipped and rocked in the water, as though he were the ship's figurehead, carved in cold marble. He lifted his hand in salute. â€Å"I'll be seeing you, brother.† Then, before I could even utter his name, he stepped off the rail and plunged into the dark water below. I raced to the edge of the boat and looked at the churning water. But my brother didn't resurface. Lexi and I stood there for what felt like an eternity, until we were so far from shore and sky that it felt as though we were suspended in blackness. Then, when the sun finally peeked its red head over the watery horizon, we went inside the dimly lit cabin to face our future.

Plannng an expedition to an extreme environment

The place that our expedition is going to take is in the region of Norway called Svalbard. To get there we have to take a boat from Norway port and bring our equipments ready for the cold environment. The average temperature is around 5à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C and -12à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C in winter. Equipments I need to bring on the expedition are: A parka is essential in cold weather. It insulates the heat even at a -47 degree Celsius. It is waterproof so the melted snow couldn't get in to your body. Insulator trousers are used to keep our legs warm. It is water proof with fleece lining to keep the heat in because the temperature is really low there. Fleece jumper is essential in this harsh weather condition. It keeps our body temperature in which is great. A woolly jumper is also good to keep heat in. I use this jumper as a spare in case the fleece gets dirty. A long sleeve shirt is to be worn before the jumper to keep me extra warm. Tracksuit bottoms with fleece lining are ideal to put on first before the thermal trousers. It will keep me extra warm. These are essential accessories for parts of our body like hands, neck and head. This faux fur hat keeps most of my body temperature in because the heat is loss through our head. Earmuffs are good to keep my ears warm; scarf is great to prevent coldness to enter my body. Waterproof gloves are used to keep my hands warm and prevent melted ice to get through the material. Thermal socks are there to keep my feet warm and these water proof boots are useful to walk through snow and uneven land. They have thick rubber soles to prevent slipping and provide good friction. Map and compasses are the must have. They will help me to find my way back if I get lost. Water is good because it stop me from being dehydrated. Dry food is ideal in this weather as it is easy to cook and quick. Swiss knives are useful because you never know when you need it. I will need it to open a can or defend myself when I get attacked by a bear. Task 2: Glacier retreat project A: Find maps and photographs of Glaciers on Spitsbergen 1: Label the features you can see 2: How did glacier form and move? 1. Snow is collected over millions of years. The snow flake compressed and fused together, squeezing air and moistures out to create one solid ice block. With the pressure of more snow the firn will eventually over years become glacier ice. 2. Glacier is like a mighty river of ice. It is capable of doing what a river can do such as flow and change in flow rate. In ice, the flow rate is faster in the centre than at the edges and quicker on the surface than at the bottom because the gravity pulls the weigh there greater. That is why some glacier surge forwards than the other. 3. When ice moves it picks up rocks on the way therefore the rock make good cutting tools such as erosion. Erosion by plucking and abrasion make the hollow deeper and bigger. * Plucking is when rocks and stones froze to the bottom of the glacier and being plucked up by the movements of the glacier. * Abrasion happens when the materials rubbed against the bedrock at the bottom and sides of the glacier. They were being pulled down by gravity. This also causes wearing to the landscape. Fine grained debris polishes the bedrock called glacial polish. 4. Some of this debris is deposited at the edge of the corrie, as a moraine, building up the lip. This combined process creates a rounded shape, with a steep back wall, and an armchair shape characteristic of a corrie. 5. When the ice melts, a lake is left in the corrie. This is called a tarn. 3: Why do you think that many people might find them both interesting and enjoyable to look at? I think people find it interesting to look at the glacier because they can find answers to their wonders of how landscape form. It is amazing to see the nature is so powerful which can move and change the land. They can also do some sporting activities such as camping and sledge riding. Furthermore they can compare the difference between places which are affected by glacier retreated and see how much ice have melted. They might find it interesting because they can see how the climate is changing and some responsibilities are down to human. B: Look at the map on page 11 and other evidence that shows how glaciers have retreated on Spitsbergen 1: Using the picture above, the time scale that retreating of glacier has been measured is 103 years. Since 1900 and up until 2003, the resources tell me that the glacier has moved 3 miles from 1983 to 2003. I measure the scale and worked out that 3mile is equivalent to 1 cm. Therefore I can say that from 1900 to 2003, the glacier has moved 16 miles and in the present time, there is a great possibility of it moving further than 16 miles. 2: The ice moves at the rate of 241 metres every year from 1983 to 2003. The map shows the glacier melted the most in 1983 to 2003, the gap between 1900 to 1916 is smaller therefore I can say that less ice receded then. The amount of precipitation on this island is very little; causing ice on Svalbard accumulates snow very slowly. This affects the way the ice movements. 3: The evidence of glacier retreating appears to match with the theory of global warming because the ice is melting very fast as the year goes on. It is because the Earth is affecting by the green house effect. This means that heat and CO2 gas are being trapped in the atmosphere instead of leaving the Earth. They insulate the heat which causing ice to melt. The pollution is increasing which makes the ice melt faster as well. The â€Å"albedo effect† has an important role in climate change. It is used to describe what material can reflect sunlight. The higher the albedo the greater it can reflects the sunlight. The higher the Earth's albedo, the more solar radiation will reflect and the Earth will heat up less. White is a good colour which doesn't absorb the heat. If the ice melts, there will be more heat being trapped and will lead to more global warming because dark colour material tends to absorb heat than the lighter colour. 4: What the likely effects on melting glaciers in the sea around Svalbard Islands? Think about salinity, exposure to erosion and changes in the land/sea level. Salinity: amount of salt dissolved in water. Melting glaciers in the sea around Svalbard Islands effects on a lot of things such as the Thermohaline, living things like polar bear and climate not only on the island but also UK and other countries. Ocean water never rest which means it moves constantly. The complicated patterns are influence by wind, the water's salinity and heat content, bottom of the ocean's structure and the Earth's rotation. One of the biggest oceans current is the Gulf Stream. It transports 150 millions cubic metres per second of warm water from the Gulf of North Mexico across the Atlantic to Svalbard. On the way it mixes with water from other current, exchanging qualities of salinity, temperature, plants and animal. When warm Gulf Stream collides with the cold Atlantic current, it causes the seawater to become extremely dense. It is because warm water has higher mass due to the heat and salty water is heavier than fresh water. The warm water sinks and exporting towards south but some will continue towards Svalbard. When it reaches South Atlantic, it moves east to join the current flows to Indian Ocean and the rest move to Pacific Ocean. There it will heat up and repeat the same cycle. If the ice in Svalbard melts even more, there will be an increase in sea level as well as more fresh water will be added in to the ocean. This fresh water will move down south and affect the Gulf Stream because it will get colder and less salty; this also upset the process of Thermohaline. If the Gulf Stream slow down or shut down completely the climate in Britain would be colder. It would be like Moscow which is on the same latitude. This is called Rapid Climate Change. Britain is warmer than Moscow due to the warm current. If the ice in Svalbard melts even more polar bear will have no where to live and reproduce because these bears rely on ice. They can not swim well enough to catch seals or fish. It will results in shortage of food and could lead to distinction. If the ice in Svalbard melts even more the land will expose more because the glacier would disappear. This will have an impact on people and tourism on this island. The unique site and land on this island will change dramatically. C. Read the Glacial meltdown information sheet. 1: The problem in suggest the reason why the glacier melts because of global warming is that it is not the only reason why. They blame it on human because we consume a lot of fossil fuel can produce toxic gas that harms the environment. Yes they are right partly, but even before we begin to us fossil foil, glacier already started to retreat. This is normal for them. They have different opinions and views but they need to know both side of the evidence. Furthermore, global warming doesn't occur in a short amount of time. It is measured over a long period and find out the changes in pattern of the temperature, ocean life, etc†¦ 2: It is important to know who produce and interpret the evidence of global warming because they could be bias and have different views of the global warming. Some time they can exaggerate. It is good to know all the evidence that global warming caused by human and nature. This statement from Greenpeace is saying that the cause of global warming that makes ice melt is due to human activity such as burning fossil fuels in cars, aeroplane, bus, etc†¦They exaggerated it even though parts of it is down to human activity. The climate change is measured over many years, decades even centuries. Climate change doesn't happen that quickly. This evidence suggests that one of the reasons why glacier retreated faster is because some ice surges forward than the other. This is normal and is due to nature and not human activities. Task 3: Climate change and effects on the food chain A: Find out about phytoplankton that grows in Arctic waters. Phytoplankton – Microscopic plants and plant-like organisms found in massive quantities in the sea. They are known as ‘the ocean's grass'. Algae bloom – A plankton bloom also known as algal bloom, is simply an area where phytoplankton (algae) reproduce very fast that you may find many thousand plant cells per litre of water. The chlorophyll in these plants colour the water green. Zooplankton – Microscopic animals and animal-like organisms found in the sea. 1: Just like any normal plant, phytoplankton needs light, warmth, nutrients, carbon dioxide and water in order to grow and reproduce. The condition and environment around it has to achieve some of the requirements for algae to grow. 2: The Ocean's bottom contains decaying plants and animals which carry nutrients; they are being brought to the surface by currents. Algae bloom occurs when the Sun comes out like in spring because plants need sunlight to develop healthily and gives it the colour green. The phytoplanktons also use the nutrients to produce; this leads to algae bloom as well as the bloom of zooplankton because they have more food to eat. The light and warmth control the multiplication of algae. In winter it is harder for this specie to grow. 3: The growth of phytoplankton is very important to the Arctic food chain because they are the producer. They are food to zooplanktons which they are eaten by fish. Small fishes like Arctic cod are eaten by other predators such as polar bears, whales, seabirds and other fish. If there are less of them then the population of other consumers and predator can decreased. B: Look at page 12 in the High Arctic book. Look at the maps and other information about the growing conditions for plants on land in the Svalbard Islands and the Arctic in general. CAFF stands for The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna. 1:  Land surface: the Arctic tundra made of flat and low land surface. The further north you go the higher the land due to some mountains. The further up north, the land is usually covers in snow and only a few plants can survive, like in Spitsbergen. Plants on land only cover just over 5% of the surface and home to 165 species of plants on Svalbard. Low land and mountain tundra's vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, sledges and grasses, mosses and lichens. Scattered trees grow in some tundra. The ecological boundary region between the tundra and the forest is known as the tree line. There are likely no trees and no bushes. Taiga is described to be home to many living organism. Boreal forest refers to the southern part of this biomass. Northern taiga has small-leaves trees like birch, alder, willow and aspen. Nearly all the trees in this kind of forest are fir trees. They grow for just a few weeks and have tough leaves to survive frost, wind and snow. Whereas in southern also known as middle boreal. Trees grow bigger and home to many animals like red squirrel. The further south you go the more trees will grow and more living things are able to survive. Soil: mountain tundra has permanent frozen soil. But judging in the pictures the soil is quite fertile as there are living things growing on it. Snow buttercups, lichens etc†¦ are able to grow and reproduce on this soil. It is moist from the melted snow. Plants can not grow on the glacier because it is too cold to it to survive. Temperature: plants on Spitsbergen can grow at temperature as low as -5à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C. Plants like dwarf shrubs, sledges and grasses, mosses and lichens can survive at this temperature. The temperature increases as you go further south because it is nearer to the sun. the temperature raises after the snow melts so the plants can start growing. Precipitation: the mountain tundra gets less rain than the other part of this Arctic because it is colder and dryer. Places like the taiga have more precipitation because the trees need rain in order to grow big. There are more moisture in the air there than the area around glacier. Growing season: The map shows the length of time that plants need to grow. So in spring, the mountain tundra will have 80 days to grow. These plants are short whereas the middle boreal will have 160 days of growing season because the plants are tall and have loads of leaves. The further south you go the longer the growing season. Colourful wildflowers bloom from the end of June to the end of July. They have to adapt to this every short season. 2. Describe the main characteristics of plants that are found on the land. It is hard for plants to grow in the Arctic. Once the snow melts, the growing season is going to be short. Despite getting the most sunshine in summer, but the harsh weather condition have made the plants adapted to their environment such as Arctic tundra. They have distinctive characteristics such as being small, grow close together and close to the ground. This protects them from the cold temperatures and the strong winds. Some flowering plants covered in fine hair like the Arctic crocus to provide protection from the wind. Flowering plants use all the sunlight they can to produce flowers at very fast speed because they knew growing season is very short. Some plants have cup shaped flowers that face up to the sun, so they can get the sunlight shines directly at the centre of the flower that's why they are so bright. However, other plants have dark colour because they can absorb more heat. Some plants have small roots because only the top layer of the soil thaw and they have small leaves to retain moisture. Because of the short growing season, most tundra plants are perennials and they do not die in the winter. Other living organisms like lichens and mosses can survive on bare rock. They are very short. 3: Plants can be said to be part of a â€Å"fragile† environment is because they can be easily damaged. For example, tracks from a passing vehicle will tear up the fragile insulating tundra, allowing the soil to thaw into scars that may remain for hundreds of years therefore the surface layer is vulnerable to environmental damage. There are also other factors that could stop plants from growing such as colder temperature and shorter growing season. Plants there have already adapted to that low temperature, if it gets any lower there is a likely chance they will not survive. Furthermore, if the sun is not giving them enough sunlight, they wouldn't be able to grow healthily. C: Look at the Arctic food chain on page 13 in the High Arctic book. 1: The Arctic food chain consists of many animals, sea animals, land and sky. The most important producers start in the sea like the phytoplankton. They are food to the zooplankton and from that fishes consume them. Fishes are important because many animals rely and live on them such as seals, killer whales, birds, polar bear etc†¦ Birds like the kittiwake fed on fishes and they are food to Arctic foxes. If it wasn't for the sea animals, the land animals wouldn't be able to survive because they have nothing to eat. The sea environment keeps the food chain balance by providing the right amount food at the right time. Like when a female polar bear gave birth to her cub in December, the algae would bloom after December and make food for the polar bear. Numbers of birds are more than number of fishes. If the fishes do not multiply then it could cause a fall in number of animals. Numbers of whales are shortening due to whale hunting by human and animals. The food chain has interlinking which means a specie consumes more than one type of food. This increases the chance of getting something to eat than some other living organisms. 2: If the ice melts, the number of seals will decrease because they will have no where to mate and rest which will lead to the falling in polar bear's population. However, the number of fishes will increase and population of birds and foxes. It is because they will have fewer predators and more food to eat. Killer whales will be relying on squids and other fishes instead having them as well as seals. Their population will decrease but not greatly. In the future, seals might be hunted for their skin or their fat or it could be the melting of ice which will leave them homeless. 4: After the coal mining industry closed in the 1980s the future of Longyearbyen, a city in Svalbard seems to have no hope. The economy went down hill because there was not enough income and the population was decreasing. The Norwegian government decided that it would create new business opportunities on Svalbard. One of the main activities to be developed was tourism. Svalbard is a very beautiful wilderness, with many rare living organisms, and it's also a part of the Arctic that is easily accessible by plane. Because of the Gulf Stream, the temperature is not as cold compared to other places on the same Northern latitude. Longyearbyen received 25,000 tourists every year and they arrive by plane and another 25,000 visit on a cruise ship. They bring a lot of income to the town by using the facilities such as hotels, going on excursions, buying souvenirs, etc†¦. It's important that the government carefully manage the wilderness so that tourists can still enjoy coming here in the future because the view and places here are exclusive to Svalbard. It is advised not to use modern transport to go around on this island. Tourists can take the aeroplane or cruise ships but if they want to explore this land more it is best to only go with dogs, or on foot, or by skiing. One of the reasons they believe using those environmental friendly transport is because tourist come here from big city to find peace and quite. Silence is a valuable commodity today. If they raced around on snowmobiles, then people wouldn't want to come as much. In addition, motorised vehicles cause damage to the environment. They produce more C02 and destroy landscape. The Government of Norway has set a goal of trying to make Svalbard one of the best managed wildernesses in the world. To achieve this they have put a lot of regulations into force, including the Svalbard Environmental Protection Act. The purpose of this Act is to preserve a virtually untouched environment in Svalbard. Littering is forbidden, you can not pick a flower or even move a stone on the beach.

Hurdle vs. Hurtle

Hurdle vs. Hurtle Hurdle vs. Hurtle Hurdle vs. Hurtle By Maeve Maddox The following quotation is from a site devoted to business English. The blogger is explaining the expression â€Å"to give a heads-up†: â€Å"This is a heads-up† is a very American way of saying, â€Å"I’m telling you this now because xyz item is hurdling in your direction and you’re going to need to do something or get out of the way.† It’s simultaneously a notice and a warning. The presence of the word hurdling in this explanation is a strong indication that the author of this site may have a shaky grasp of the language he’s explaining. The word he’s reaching for is hurtling. Here are some more examples of the misuse of hurdling on the Web: Asteroid hurdling towards earth Hurdling Toward a Lockout Are we hurdling towards oblivion and cataclysmic destruction? Is wealth inequality in America hurdling our nation toward civil unrest? Truck crashes into car, sends it hurdling towards bus stop. In each example, the word should be hurtling. Although both hurdle and hurtle can be used as either verb or noun, in most general contexts, hurdle is usually a noun and hurtle a verb. hurdle A hurdle is a portable rectangular frame that farmers use to set up temporary enclosures. In sports, a hurdle is a barrier to be jumped over by horses or athletes. Hurdle can be used as a verb to mean either â€Å"to build a hurdle,† or â€Å"to jump over an obstacle.† The noun hurdle is frequently used figuratively: Ex-Im Bank Hits Hurdle in New GOP Leadership Xbox Ones Next Hurdle, Developing True  Exclusives Last hurdle before Palmas title Parliament clears final  hurdle towards  EU pesticide blacklist. In these figurative uses, a hurdle is any obstacle. The financial term â€Å"hurdle rate† refers to the minimum rate of return, when applying a discounted cash flow analysis, that an investor requires before committing to an investment. hurtle As an intransitive verb, hurtle means â€Å"to move along rapidly or wildly†: The out-of-control train hurtled along the tracks. Without warning, the rock came hurtling at the campers. Helplessly, I watched the bicycle hurtle past me into traffic. The transitive use of hurtle is not unknown, but in modern usage the word hurl is used more frequently for the meaning â€Å"to throw with force,† as in â€Å"The athlete hurled the shot put 20 yards.† Novelist Louise Penney, on the other hand, describes an arrowhead â€Å"hurtled from a bow.† If you find yourself writing the word hurdling, stop. Unless the context has something to do with jumping over a hurdle, hurtling is your word. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Spelling Test 1Among vs. AmongstTestimony vs. Testimonial

What Is a Salutatorian High School’s Second-Highest Honor

What Is a Salutatorian High School’s Second-Highest Honor SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Academics and athletics have a lot in common: they require tons of practice, dedication, and diligence to succeed. Athletes often get trophies, medals, and letterman jackets to reward them for their accomplishments on the field and in the gym. But earning great grades can be just as tough as winning a state football tournament! That’s why many schools choose to honor their top two graduates by awarding them the titles of valedictorian and salutatorian. We’ve already covered what a valedictorian is in another post, so in this article, we’ll answer all of your questions about salutatorians, including: What is a salutatorian? Does being a salutatorian help you get into college? What is a salutatorian speech? How do you become a salutatorian? Are you ready to learn more about what it means to be the salutatorian of your graduating class? Then let’s get started! What Is a Salutatorian? The meaning of the term â€Å"salutatorian† dates back to 1841 and means â€Å"of the nature of a salutation.† More specifically, the term originally referred to â€Å"the welcoming address given at a college commencement,† which was delivered in Latin! Things have obviously changed a bit since then. (Thankfully!) First, salutatorians are now more commonly seen in high schools instead of colleges. But what is a salutatorian, exactly? The honor of salutatorian is given to the student who ranks second-highest in the school behind the valedictorian, who graduates at the very top of the class. Like valedictorians, salutatorians are most often awarded the honor based on their cumulative GPA. In general, the student with the highest cumulative GPA in a graduating class becomes the valedictorian. That means that the student with the second-highest cumulative GPA becomes the salutatorian! Second, the title of salutatorian recognizes student’s exemplary academic work, and as a result, they are asked to give a speech to open the graduation ceremony. While the salutatorian definitely gives a speech, it is not in Latin. (Now you can breathe a sigh of relief!) As the name implies, salutatorians deliver a â€Å"salutatory,† or welcoming, speech that welcomes everyone to the ceremony, recognizes important guests, and delivers a hopeful, welcoming message on behalf of their fellow classmates. Photo by Matthew T. Rader Does Being a Salutatorian Help You Get Into College? f you’re thinking about trying to become your school’s salutatorian, that means you’re already an academically competitive person that’s looking to get into a top university. We know it might be tempting to try to become the valedictorian or salutatorian of your class in order to help you get into the college of your dreams. Unfortunately, becoming salutatorian doesn’t really make a difference in terms of college admissions. Honestly, the reason is mostly a logistical one: the distinction of salutatorian is conferred toward the end of your senior year, long after you’ve already submitted your college applications! Additionally, even if you were awarded the title on time, it can be hard for universities to understand what the honor of salutatorian means in terms of your school. Because the title can be more- or less!- prestigious based on your high school graduating class size and the school’s unique salutatorian criteria (more on that later), it’s not a good benchmark for determining how you stack up to other applicants. Ultimately, your transcript and GPA- more so than your class rank- tell admissions counselors what they need to know. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways becoming a salutatorian helps you in the college admissions process. First off, becoming your school’s salutatorian takes hard work. That means you’ve become self-motivated, learned how to study, been an excellent student, and embraced hard work. You’ve also figured out how to manage a busy schedule and still excel! These are all critical skills to excelling in college, too. You’ll be ready to hit the ground running from your first day, and you won’t struggle to adjust to college’s increased workload like your peers might. Secondly, salutatorians qualify for unique scholarship opportunities. Many scholarships still accept applications after you’ve already chosen your university. Graduating with top honors will help your application move to the top of the stack. Moreover, there are some scholarships that are only available to valedictorians and salutatorians! You can find a list of those unique scholarship opportunities here. Lastly, being salutatorian can help you as you look for jobs and internships. Remember, you’re going to college with a bigger goal in mind: getting a job! Internships can be just as competitive as college admissions, if not more so because the spots are much more limited. Companies often only take a handful of interns in every class even though they receive tens of thousands of applications. (Nike only accepts 40 interns a year!) So while being a salutatorian might not matter for admissions, it can have a huge impact on your opportunities long after high school. How Do You Become a Salutatorian? Like we mentioned earlier, in most cases the designation of salutatorian is determined by your cumulative GPA. To calculate your cumulative GPA, your numerical GPA in each class is added together, and the average is ranked against your fellow classmates. Additionally, schools often work from your weighted GPA. That means that AP and IB courses are assigned â€Å"extra points† to offset their difficulty (which is why many students who take college prep courses graduate with higher than a 4.0.) Traditionally, the two students with the highest weighted cumulative GPAs are awarded the distinctions of valedictorian and salutatorian (in that order). But keep in mind that each school handles salutatorian criteria differently! Some schools tackle the process like college admissions and look at a student’s GPA along with their extracurricular participation and community service hours. Other schools even allow students to cast votes for both valedictorian and salutatorian. Regardless of your school’s criteria, we think aiming for valedictorian or salutatorian is an excellent goal, so here are four tips for earning one of high school’s top academic honors. #1: Know the Criteria Since this differs from school to school, it’s super important that you know exactly how your school determines who becomes salutatorian. For example, Sheboygan Lutheran High School uses a combination of cumulative GPA, number of college prep courses, and ACT test scores to select a valedictorian and salutatorian. That’s much different than Edsel Ford High School, which only considers a student’s cumulative GPA and behavior record. #2: Take Weighted Classes AP and IB classes are important if you’re considering attending a competitive college, but they’re also critical to becoming salutatorian. Because you’re awarded â€Å"extra points† to your GPA, earning high marks in weighted classes gives you an edge over students who opt for a general curriculum. But be careful not to overextend yourself! It’s most important that you earn top marks in all of your classes, whether they’re college prep courses or not. #3: Ask for Help One of the big mistakes students make is that they don’t ask for help when they get confused. Since it’s important that you do well in all of your classes, make sure you’re talking to your teacher or tutor if there are concepts you don’t understand. An added bonus? This is a really important skill to have when you go to college! If you get comfortable asking for help now, it will make your college life that much easier. #4: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize It’s easy to let your competitive streak get out of hand when aiming for your school’s top honors. But the more time you spend worrying about other people’s grades, the less time you’re focusing on your own academic journey. So stay focused on working hard and doing your best, and let the rankings take care of themselves. Remember: even if you don’t become salutatorian, you’ll still have learned skills along the way that will make you more successful in college. Photo byBogomil Mihaylov What Is a Salutatorian Speech? So you’ve worked crazy hard and become your class’ salutatorian. Congratulations! Now it’s time for you to write a salutatorian speech. Salutatorian speeches are basically comprised of three different parts: welcoming people to the ceremony, acknowledging honored guests, and celebrating the accomplishments of your classmates. When you think about welcoming people to the ceremony, try to remember a time you felt welcome in a strange situation. What did people say to you? How did they make you feel important and like part of the group? Thinking about this might help you phrase your welcome so that the audience feels both acknowledged and included. Your second task in this section of your speech is to speak on behalf of your classmates. They don’t have a microphone and you do, so it’s important that you acknowledge the people who are attending the ceremony who’ve helped them on their journey. For example, people that fit in this category are family members, teachers, coaches, friends, and mentors! In this portion, you want to be both inclusive and brief. It might be a good idea to ask your classmates who they plan to bring with them to the ceremony. Their answers might surprise you, and they’ll help you make sure you include everyone in your opening remarks. You might also think about the people who are important to your classmates who couldn’t make it to the ceremony because of distance, illness, or death. Acknowledging them can be a lovely way of supporting your friends and classmates. The second part of your speech should acknowledge distinguished and honored guests. Make sure to talk with your principal or guidance counselor to get a list of these people. Most often, these are other participants in the ceremony, like the school’s superintendent or members of the school board. In most cases, if someone is sitting on stage, they’ll need to be welcomed individually. Talking to your school administrators about your speech is also important because you might have to follow a certain protocol. For example, your school might want you to read the person’s name and pause for a moment, which gives the person a chance to stand up and receive applause. Knowing this in advance will help you write a speech that stays within the ceremony’s time limits! The last part of your salutatorian speech gives you the chance to speak to your classmates and celebrate their achievements. This is a big day in everyone’s lives, and you get to be the person who makes them feel special. Congratulate them! Acknowledge their hard work and achievements, no matter how big or small. Additionally, might consider sharing a few lessons that you’ve learned in your own high school journey during this section. What will you take away from your years in school that will stick with you for the rest of your life? What do you hope your classmates take with them, too? But most importantly, have fun. Don’t be afraid to tell a story or share a joke that your classmates will love. Embrace the moment! This is your reward for four years of hard work, so make it count. Photo by Honey Yanibel Minaya Cruz Do All Schools Have Salutatorians? Becoming valedictorian or salutatorian has long been a way to reward academic achievement, but as society changes, so have the standards for awarding top marks. For instance, you might go to your guidance counselor’s office and be shocked to learn that your school doesn’t award the titles of valedictorian or salutatorian! More and more schools are doing away with ranked academic honors in order to help students focus on their education, not a ranking. According to Bob Farrace, the spokesman for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, administrators â€Å"worry about the college prospects of students separated by large differences in class rank despite small differences in their GPAs, and view rankings as obsolete in an era of high expectations for every student.† In other words, some educators believe that singling out the two top-performing students adversely affects the student body. But other schools have gone in the opposite direction and are now using the terms â€Å"valedictorian† and â€Å"salutatorian† to honor all high-achieving students. South Medford High School decided to name every student with a 4.0 GPA a class valedictorian. That means that there were 21 valedictorians in the Class of 2013! Other schools have followed suit in an effort to create a sense of camaraderie and collaboration around high school academics. But regardless of whether your school has salutatorians or not, one thing remains true: working hard in school will help you achieve your goals in college, in your career, and beyond. What's Next? If your high school does assign class rankings, learn about how that can affect your college application process. If you have your heart set on being valedictorian or salutatorian, check out this guide that gives you tips and strategies for raising your high school GPA. Of course, your GPA and graduation rank are just part of the picture: your test scores matter, too. Here’s a peek into what makes for a good (and a bad!) SAT score. (Don’t worry...we have an ACT score guide, too!) Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. 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Vietnam War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vietnam War - Essay Example Instead, the Americans entered the war in Vietnam to counter the growing clout of a communist group known as the Viet Cong. Although the Americans had superior firepower, the Vietnamese, with their knowledge of the terrain and their guerilla tactics, finally forced America to withdraw after two decades of a long drawn and costly war. The cost to America in terms of economic and political losses, as well as loss of lives and humiliation at the hands of an enemy that seemed small and insignificant, was immense. Today, after over three decades, there is still no consensus among scholars and historians about whether America should have ever entered the war. Vietnam War The war in Vietnam was a long drawn out and costly conflict between South Vietnam, which was backed by America, and the communist regime of North Vietnam. The war began in 1954 with the rise of the communist party of Ho Chi Minh in North Vietnam and escalated into a war of ideologies against the backdrop of the cold war be tween the Soviet Union and America. It is estimated that more than three million people died in this war, of which a great majority were innocent civilians. The war that America invested in so heavily has been a cause of dissent and divisions among Americans, and by the time president Richard Nixon ordered withdrawal of troops in 1973, America had sacrificed thousands of her young men to this war. Finally, in 1975, Saigon fell to the communist forces and ended the war that had stretched over two decades. Dr. John Guilmartin, in his book America in Vietnam, remarks â€Å"The United States of America became deeply involved in Vietnam and that involvement had serious consequences† (Guilmartin,1991). The origins of the Vietnam War can be traced to the end of the Second World War. Before the war, Indochina or French Indochina, as it was then known, was a French colony consisting of today’s Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. In 1940, the Japanese invaded and occupied the northern part of Indochina and a little later the rest of it. In 1941, Ho Chi Minh, a communist leader, formed a nationalist movement called the Viet Minh to repulse the Japanese invasion. Soon after, the French began to encourage nationalism in Vietnam and gave them nominal independence. However, at the end of the war, when the Japanese surrendered, the French renewed their claim on Indochina. Ho Chi Minh assumed power in the north and proclaimed himself the leader of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In his address in Hanoi, he proclaimed, "All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. This immortal statement was made in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America in 1776. In a broader sense, this means all the peoples on the earth are equal from birth, all the peoples have a right to live, to be happy and free. Those are undeniable truths" (Ho Chi Minh, 1945). In the months after the end of the Second World War, Chinese soldiers began the looting of Vietnamese villages as they came down to North Vietnam from China. In the South, the French soldiers, released from Japanese camps, went on a rampage, killing and looting both innocent civilians and Viet Minh soldiers. In 1946, Chiang Kai Shek of China agreed to withdraw his troops from North Vietnam in exchange for French