An Online Course Review of TestDEN TOEFL

An Online Course Review of TestDEN TOEFL Taking the TOEFL test can be an extremely challenging experience. Most universities have a minimum entrance score of 550. The range of grammar, reading and listening skills required to do well is enormous. One of the biggest challenges for teachers and students is identifying the correct areas to focus on in the limited amount of time available for preparation. In this feature, it is my pleasure to review an online course that specifically addresses this need. TestDEN TOEFL Trainer is an online TOEFL course which invites you to: Join Meg and Max in the TOEFL Trainer. These two, upbeat and friendly personalities will find the areas you need to improve the most and create a special study program just for you! Your virtual trainers will also give you focused practice tests to strengthen your TOEFL skills, and send you daily test-taking tips. The course costs $69 for a 60 day entrance period to the site. During this 60 day period you can take advantage of: personalized study guidesfull-length practice exams16 hours of audioover 7,000 questionsfull explanationse-mail test tips TestDENs TOEFL Trainer credentials are also quite impressive: TestDEN TOEFL Trainer is produced by ACT360 Media, a leading provider of education content. Since 1994, this innovative Vancouver company has been producing quality CD-ROM titles and Internet sites to enhance learning. Among these is the award-winning Digital Education Network and online tutorials for Microsoft Corporation. The only flaw seems to be that: This program has not been reviewed or endorsed by ETS. During my test period, I found all of the above claims to be true. Most importantly, the course is extremely well-planned and helps test takers pinpoint exactly those areas which cause them the most difficulties. Overview The course begins by requiring test takers to take an entire TOEFL examination called the Pre-test Station. This examination is followed by another section entitled Evaluation Station, which requires participants to take further sections of the examination. Both of these steps are required for the test taker to reach the heart of the program. While some people might become impatient with these steps, they are required to help the program assess problem areas. One reservation is that the test is not timed as in an actual TOEFL test. This is a minor point, as students can time themselves. The listening sections are presented using RealAudio. If the Internet connection is slow it can take quite a while to finish sections that require the opening of each listening exercise separately. Once both of the above sections have been finished, the test taker arrives at the Practice Station. This section is by far the most impressive and important section of the program. The Practice Station takes the information gathered in the first two sections and prioritizes a learning program for the individual. The program is divided into three categories: Priority 1, Priority 2 and Priority 3. This section includes exercises as well as explanations and tips for the current task. In this manner, the student can focus on exactly what he/she needs to do well on the exam. The final section is a Post-test Station which gives the participant a final test of his/her improvement over the course of the program. Once this section of the program has been taken there is no going back to the practice section. Summary Lets face it, taking the TOEFL test and doing well can be a long, hard process. The test itself often seems to have little to do with actually being able to communicate in the language. Instead, it can seem like a test that only measures the ability to perform well in an extremely academic setting using very dry and formal English. TestDENs layout does a wonderful job of preparing test takers for the task while keeping the preparation rather enjoyable by its user interface. I would highly recommend TestDEN TOEFL Trainer to any student wanting to take the TOEFL. In fact, to be completely honest, I think this program may do a better job of addressing individual needs than many teachers can! Why is this? Based on in-depth pre-testing and statistical information, the program uses computer technology to find exactly those areas that need to be covered. Unfortunately, teachers are often not able to access student needs so quickly. This program is probably quite sufficient for any high-level English student preparing for the exam. The best solution for lower level students would be a combination of this program and a private teacher. TestDen can help identify and provide practice at home, and a private teacher can go into more detail when working on weak areas.

Free Essays on Comedy Of Errors

This Shakespearean play is all about separation of family and then being reunited. Egeon and Emilia are the parents of twin boys named Antipholus. Egeon and Emilia purchase two more twin boys named Dromio from a poor woman. Dromios will become the servants to Antipholus’. The family is separated at sea. Emilia end up in Ephesus with Antipholus and Dromio. Egeon ends up in Syracuse with the other Antipholus and Dromio. A fisherman takes the boys away from Emilia so she becomes a nun in the town of Ephesus. Antipholus and Dromio never know who their real mother really is. After eighteen years of separation and growing up Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse go to Ephesus to look from their long lost brothers. After seven years and not returning their father Egeon also goes to Syracuse to look for them. Now everyone is in Ephesus, but they all do not know of this. Ephesus and Syracuse are enemies. Egeon is arrested and sentenced to death when he arrives in Ephesus because h e is Syarcusean. Duke Solinus finally lets Egeon speak and feels sorry for him so he gives him an option of how to get out of punishment. He must return with one thousand marks. Being twins no one can tell them apart and the twins being unaware of the others presence, causes confusion, drama, and comedy through out the rest of the play. Antipholus of Syracuse sends his servant Dromio to deposit gold. Antipholus of Syracuse thinks he is speaking with his own servant Dromio and not the servant of Antipholus of Ephesus. He asks about the bag of gold. But the servant knows nothing of gold. When the servant Dromio returns home, Adriana (wife to Antipholus of Ephesus) yells at him for returning without her husband. After Dromio of Syracuse returns from depositing the gold, he denies having invited his master Antipholus to supper. Already both men think Ephesus is crazy. Then Adriana appears with her sister Luciana. Adriana scolds Antipholus for not returning to supper... Free Essays on Comedy Of Errors Free Essays on Comedy Of Errors This Shakespearean play is all about separation of family and then being reunited. Egeon and Emilia are the parents of twin boys named Antipholus. Egeon and Emilia purchase two more twin boys named Dromio from a poor woman. Dromios will become the servants to Antipholus’. The family is separated at sea. Emilia end up in Ephesus with Antipholus and Dromio. Egeon ends up in Syracuse with the other Antipholus and Dromio. A fisherman takes the boys away from Emilia so she becomes a nun in the town of Ephesus. Antipholus and Dromio never know who their real mother really is. After eighteen years of separation and growing up Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse go to Ephesus to look from their long lost brothers. After seven years and not returning their father Egeon also goes to Syracuse to look for them. Now everyone is in Ephesus, but they all do not know of this. Ephesus and Syracuse are enemies. Egeon is arrested and sentenced to death when he arrives in Ephesus because h e is Syarcusean. Duke Solinus finally lets Egeon speak and feels sorry for him so he gives him an option of how to get out of punishment. He must return with one thousand marks. Being twins no one can tell them apart and the twins being unaware of the others presence, causes confusion, drama, and comedy through out the rest of the play. Antipholus of Syracuse sends his servant Dromio to deposit gold. Antipholus of Syracuse thinks he is speaking with his own servant Dromio and not the servant of Antipholus of Ephesus. He asks about the bag of gold. But the servant knows nothing of gold. When the servant Dromio returns home, Adriana (wife to Antipholus of Ephesus) yells at him for returning without her husband. After Dromio of Syracuse returns from depositing the gold, he denies having invited his master Antipholus to supper. Already both men think Ephesus is crazy. Then Adriana appears with her sister Luciana. Adriana scolds Antipholus for not returning to supper...

Yellow Rain Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Yellow Rain - Research Paper Example Therefore, the US government made a case stating that around tens of thousands of people was killed on account of yellow rain since it contained contagious chemicals harmful for human life. However, the accusations were denied by Soviet Union while the UN investigations also didn’t prove to be futile in this context. In addition, a few of the samples containing the chemical were tested by an independent group of scientists which in reality proved to be merely honeybee feces. This discovery suggested that the liquid came about after defecating digested pollen out of bees swarms. Yet, there are conflicting views regarding these claims and various scientists offer diverse opinions on the subject. USA, however, haven’t backed off from the allegations till date and thus the issue is still often touched upon at various instances. For these reasons, the paper will present a study on various aspects of the yellow rain including a historic perspective and various hypothesis pres ented over time to explain the underlying concepts of the chemical. The concept of yellow rain emerged back in 1975 when various events in Vietnam and Laos took place with alleged involvement of Soviet Union. Refugees have reported that various instances which took place during the insurgency movement in these states involved chemical warfare via low flying helicopters or aircrafts (Ferrel 2013). These refugees describe that an oily yellow liquid which was later popularized as yellow rain was seen dropping from these aircrafts which produced chronic symptoms. These symptoms were related to but not limited to neurological disorders, for instance, seizures, bleeding and sometimes even blindness. These ailments were similar to those reported in Vietnamese insurgency which has occurred in Cambodia. In this context, a textbook maybe quoted which was authored by the Army Medical Department of USA which

Financial Analysis BMW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Analysis BMW - Essay Example For example the 2011 and 2012 financial reports shows that the company had a toatl of â‚ ¬27,038 million and â‚ ¬30,295 million respectively for the equity attributed to shareholders of BMW. In the year 2011, 28.9% of the shareholders equity contributede to the company toatal capiatl while in the year 2012 , 30.4% of the shareholders equity contributed to the company total capital contribution. The debt of the company is managed through a fixed debt ratio of capital . Therefore, the company debt ratios for the year 2011 and 2012 are maintaind at a fixed rate of a bout 70% or 0.70 The BMW debt ratios are effective since they are bellow 100% which is the maximum limit the ratio , the company debt ratio further fall bellow 80% that is set by many companies hence this is a positive figure for the BMW company. the debt ratio is relative lower compared to TVS motors company that has debt –equity ratios of 0.79 for the year 2011. This is shows that the BMW company ismore competive in the market and cannot under go recervership or liquadation. BMW company uses both operating and financial lease.the lease arrangement policy enables the customers of the company to iether have an option of buying the vehicle or lease it for a fixed pertiod of time as stated in the company leasing policy. Customers are given the oportunities under lease programe to drive a BMW vehicle of his or her choice for a fixed period of time in return for a pre-determined lease rental where the customers have the oportunities to iether retain the vehicle at a pre-determine price or return it to the BMW company. Under finance lease; the customer has a flexible chance of choosing a new BMW that best suits their driving interest and lifestyle needs. The contract tenure can range from 12 months to 48 months with an option to buy at the end of the lease or return thec vehicle. During the finance leasing period, the payment can be

CRITICAL THINKING PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CRITICAL THINKING PROJECT - Essay Example The next section will be an analysis of the strategy required to make my theory of an educated person practical. Malcolm X distinguishes education and schooling in terms of the objectives that each seek to meet. According to him, being educated is about one having an internal drive to read more and discover what has been left out in conventional educational system. For him being educated is more than gaining â€Å"status symbol† which is offered by colleges (Malcolm X 217). This is based on his belief that education outside the formal system ensured he read more and developed increased sensitivity to knowledge propagated by different authors. The relationship between education and the community is found in its ability to empower people and enable them rediscover their position in the world. For instance, Malcolm X’s education was central to discovering the inconsistencies between the truth of African history and negative portrayal of their contribution to human civilization. For Bell Hooks, the process of education involves students learning by internalization of information as opposed to rote learning where students are consumers of knowledge. Therefore, for one to become educated, they must be ready to be active participants in the process of learning. Active participation according to Hooks ensures the learner is able to â€Å"link awareness with practice† (Hooks 14). Hooks see schooling as a process that leads to education of students; however, for the students to be educated, they must be empowered. Hooks advices students to seek education that leads to self-actualization attained through unification of body and mind. The author is against education that seeks to separate body and mind as necessary in wellbeing of the learner. It is only through education that emphasizes union of mind, body and spirit is necessary for the learner to be able to

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Cubism | Analysis

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Cubism | Analysis The Art of Cubism and its Role In this research paper, I have explained the art of cubism and its role. I have chosen the cubit painting â€Å"Les Demoiselles d’Avignon† painted by Pablo Picasso. He was the famous cubist painter. Picasso and Braque were the innovators of the cubist painting. In this research paper, I have tried to explain the formal characteristics like color, theme and texture that were used in the painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. The paper also includes political and social factors related to the painting. In this paper I have also mentioned the interpretation of the art historians related to the painting. About Cubism Cubism can be defined as an advanced art movement that modernized European painting and sculpture in the early 20th century. The core essence of cubism is that instead of viewing subjects from a single, fixed angle, the sculptor breaks them up into a multiplicity of aspect, so that several aspects or features of the subject can be seen simultaneously. It is a wonderful way to express the complexity and depth of world in a simplified manner (Cubism, 2001). Cubism is a unique format where square shapes are formed together. In cubism, the square shapes are also often softened with curves. In the artworks of a cubist, objects are broken up, analyzed, and re-assembled in an abstracted form. The artist depicts the subject of his painting from a massive number of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint (Curtis, 1999). One of distinct characteristics of Cubism is that the background and object planes interpenetrate with one another to create the shallow ambiguous space. The Cubist style emphasizes on the flat and two-dimensional surface of the picture plane. It rejects the traditional techniques of perspective, foreshortening and disproving the time-honored theories of art as the replication of nature. A cubist painter presents a new reality in paintings that depicts radically fragmented objects, whose several sides can be seen simultaneously. They do not copy the form, texture, and color (Cubism, 2001). The chief creators or innovators of Cubism were Picasso and Gorges Braque. In the year1908, the term cubism was first used by the French art reviewer Louis Vauxcelles. After some years, the term was in wide use but the two creators of cubism avoid using it for a long time (Cubism, 2001). Cubism seems to be uniquely adjusted to the busy dynamic of contemporary life. Cubism consists of both theoretical and practical forms; practical form being more dominant (Curtis, 1999). Formal characteristics of the work Picasso was a painter as well as a sculptor. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was the most significant work of Picasso in the development of Cubism. Picasso uses angry definitive lines and a great concept of light and shadow (Picasso, 1996). With his artwork, Picasso was also a free thinker. He had a unique style and due to this unique style, he became the first artist to have fame during his lifetime. Picasso was a great innovative artist who used to search new ways to express space and forms in painting. There are different shades used by Picasso that describe the still life composition of women (Cubism, 2001). The painting is designed with tempera paint using a flat style and a neutral pallet. In this painting of Picasso, collage papers are created by mixing colors and creating texture by using sponges. After the shapes are attached in place, oil pastels are used to create patterns and enhance the overall design. Picasso is used to apply different themes, styles and moods to design the painting (Picasso, 1996). All his paintings are different to each other. He tries to use very dark colors and textures, which make his painting unique and different. In the early modern art, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon was widely held as an influential and decisive work (Picasso, 1996). The painting is more a record of an artist in the process of changing his mind than a resolved composition. The forms are dislocated and inconsistent in style. In fact, they seem to be unfinished. It is a painting with overthrowing perspective, single viewpoint, local and decorative color and integral form (Les Demoiselles dAvignon, 2008). Picasso uses darker colors on the left side of the painting and warmer colors on the right side of the painting. The painting is slightly buff as compared to the paintings of Cezanne. The strong, harsh and different coloring has given the painting a different look in the cubist era (Picasso, 1996). The structure indicates the use of sharp white or black curves and outlines and cinnamon tone of the background at the left (Les Demoiselles dAvignon, 2008). A harsh blue, as if a sudden glimpse of sky, surrounds the figure at the upper right. The middle figures warmly indeterminate body of Picasso’s painting. Contrasts of color and texture are reduced to a minimum, so as not to compete with the design. Larger social/political context The painting â€Å"Les Demoiselles d’Avignon† was painted during the summer of 1907 by Picasso. According to Picasso, the cubism has came in a time period when the world was experiencing modernization in technology and medicine; and the societies were rapidly growing and developing as well (Picasso, 1996). The meaning of the painting in English was the Young Ladies of Avignon; it depicted five prostitutes in a brothel. It is one of the most important paintings in the genesis of modern art. There is a strong similarity in the dramatic clashing of light and dark tones and the overhead light source (Meighan, 2008). The work of Picasso in Les Demoiselles d’Avignon truly introduced cubism as art of movement. His painting has been noted as the twentieth centurys most significant painting. His work depicted a crude version of prostitutes through a deformed style never seen before. The painting was an anti-idealist representation of un-ideal subject matter (Meighan, 2008). Depictions of prostitutes and the theme of sexuality had been the subject of paintings in the past, but Les Demoiselles left an impact because of Picasso. He had portrayed the prostitutes in erotic poses with their arms recognizable positioned above their heads in order to show off their feminine, but offensively distorted female framework (Meighan, 2008). Picassos choice to use five figures in his work was to multiply the penetration of the bitter gaze created. The harsh life style gives sad expressions on the faces of the prostitutes, which in fact, lack any kind of emotion (Picasso, 1996). To conceal their identity, the two women painted on the right are shown wearing African inspired masks. Through the representation of these prostitutes, Picasso conveyed a message of filth disease in the cubist style. He has deliberately changed the prostitute as a way to express the rising cultural awareness and effects of venereal disease, which had become a violent threat to these womens lives (Meighan, 2008). According to Picasso, cubism is directly related to modernism. Picasso has his own perception to explain cubism. According to him, cubism is an expression of the minds relationship with the external world (Picasso, 1996). He is of the opinion that it is a direct analysis of the awareness, the process of vision and the relationship of ones unconscious that is based on ones personal experiences. Cubism represents the process, which the mind undergoes in order to create a classical art from the past. Picassos Cubist art is the first aesthetic representation, which accurately conveys the process of reflexivity of the human mind. Picasso was a productive and creative artist. He has made near about 12,500 paintings, 2,500 original prints, 1,000 different ceramics, and 700 sculptures. His works are often categorized in periods and each period is different in style and themes than the other. Picasso’s paintings are like pages from his diary (Picasso, 1996). He believed that painting is another way of keeping a diary. Picasso says that painting brings him a great pleasure and release. For him, painting is an extremely hard work. He tells us that when he works on a painting, there is a feeling that he is climbing a mountain with a heavy load on his back, without even knowing when he will lose his balance (Picasso, 1996). Once the picture is completed, he feels exhausted and tired but at the same movement he enjoys a lot. He has created the pictures based on his own experiences. Picasso’s work is approved by all the cubist painters like Filla, Braque, Feininger, Dellunay, etc. He is used to paint on the real aspect of the life. He believes that painting should be such a medium that describes the things on its own (Picasso, 1996). In the year 2007, Les Demoiselles dAvignon was described as the most influential work of art of the last 100 years. Picasso had the ability to interpret the most complex images in his own language (Picasso, 1996). There were many painters who could transform the sun into a yellow spot, but Picasso was the one, who with his art and intelligence could transform a yellow spot into the sun. The movement also inspired about the modern architecture, sculptures, clothes, and even literature (Art of Picasso, 2008). Interpretation by two art historians The painting seems to be a form that goes in all pursuits of spatial depth and maintains a relationship to the pictorial surface. Picasso restructured the painting into harsh and angular planes, which destroyed the spatial depth and ideal form of female nude. The painting is not flat, but it is shaded in a way that gives it different dimensions. The painting includes the concave or convex style and looks like a portion of solidified space (Art of Picasso, 2008). The cubist painting constitutes a unique kind of matter, which imposes a new kind of integrity and continuity on the entire canvas. Each individual figure is united by a general geometrical principle, which overlays its own laws on to the natural proportions and merges almost completely with the background (Les Demoiselles dAvignon, 2008). There are no differences of light and darkness that might lend shape to the women’s bodies and with the combination of several perspectives; this contributes to a general impression of perplexity in space. To reach the internal structures of objects and to establish that a picture is not a window on the world, Picasso simplifies the painting. The flat space in the painting is created by the definite solid outlining, tonal contrast and by both thick and heavy curves (Les Demoiselles dAvignon, 2008). Picasso was not interested in describing tone, depth or form of some of his painting. He expressed his indignation by making the use of imagination like the bull, the dying horse, a fallen warrior, a mother and dead child, a woman trapped in a burning building and a figure leaning from a window and holding out a lamp. The painting represented a revolutionary breakthrough in the history of modern art (Art of Picasso, 2008). The nudes that frame the composition already demonstrate the decisive change of direction in Picassos art. In terms of Cubism, this painting is of a seminal importance. His revolt against the myth of feminine beauty is relatively insignificant when compared with his other rebellion. With this picture, Picasso wants to destroy the whole of Western art; not only the proportions, but the organic integrity and continuity of the human body also Choi, 2004). It is almost impossible to overestimate the importance of this picture and the profound effect it has on art. There has been a critical debate over the years on the Picasso painting that attempts to account for multiplicity of styles used within the work. The famous art historian Leo Steinberg in his landmark states that Picasso used different explanation for the wide range of stylistic attributes. Another art historian Rubin states that some of the figures faces symbolize the disfigurements of syphilis (Choi, 2004). The painting of Picasso is created by following a series of brothel. Rubin interprets that the painting expresses the artists skepticism, his willingness to risk anarchy for freedom, his fear of disease and illness and most forcefully his deep-seated fear and disliking of the female body. The painting is sharp and pointed and has the influence of ancient Iberian sculpture. The faces have a compelling force that obliges to African sculpture. Picasso has sometime used Negro sculpture. Picasso has used the different objects, analyzed them and re-assembled in an abstracted form (Choi, 2004). Conclusion Cubist painting is an art form created through a modernized approach to expression of the minds interpretation of the natural world. Cubist art is a form based on art. Cubism is a unique format where square shapes are formed together. The artist depicts the subject of his painting from a massive number of viewpoints to represent the subject in a greater context instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint (Meighan, 2008). Picasso was a very good painter and sculptor. He painting had the meaning and was different to others. He used to paint his own experiences and believed the painting should have some meaning. He used to create paintings with connection to reality. Reference Cubism, (2001). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.ethnicpaintings.com/popular-painting-styles/cubism.html Picasso, (1996). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.gospain.org/jewels/picasso.htm#cubscul Cubism, (1994). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.pet-portraitartist.com/learning-to-paint-and-draw/painting-styles/Cubism.htm Curtis, P. (1999). Sculpture 1900-1945: After Rodin. Published: Oxford publishing press. Meighan, M. (2008). Presentations, Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.students.sbc.edu/meighan07/Presentation.text.htm Les Demoiselles dAvignon, (2008). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.geocities.com/rr17bb/LesDemoi.html JH GALLERY, (2005). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.geocities.com/jhinais/ Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://artchive.com/artchive/P/picasso.html Cubism, (2007). Retrieved April 11, 2008 fromhttp://www.centre-pompidou.net/education/ressources/ENS-cubisme_en/cubisme_en.html Art of Picasso, (2008). Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/102066.html Choi, E.(2004). Picasso and Early Cubism with Braque. Retrieved April 11, 2008 from http://www.people.vcu.edu/~djbromle/modern04/elizabethc/index.htm

Education: United States vs. Ukraine Essay

There are 1.8 million people coming to the United States every year. According to U.S. census estimates, in 2006 there were 961,113 Americans of Ukrainian descent representing 0.33% of the American population. The Ukrainian population in the United States is thus the second largest outside the former Soviet Union. One of the reasons is that the education is more progressive and flexible, which makes it easier for people to attain their educational goals. In different countries and in different cultural environments, education has different forms, methods and meanings for people. Given the opportunity to attend schools in Ukraine and in the United States, I could not help but notice the differences between the two educational systems. The U.S. educational system is more liberal, comprehensive, and specialty focused when compared to the Ukrainian system. The educational system of Ukraine is continuously changing due to the transitional period of the country from the former Soviet Union . During the Soviet period, educational organizations in Ukraine were state-supported institutions, none of which had religious affiliations. As cultural environment changes, this is no longer true for the modern Ukraine. Nowadays, all schools, from pre-school to the institutions of higher education, have Christian classes in their curricular activities. Contrary to the state-sponsored education of the Soviet era, there are both public and private educational establishments, all of which must be accredited by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine. Primary and secondary education comprise pre-school through grade 11. The components of primary level of education are pre-school programs which are attended by two-third of all Ukrainian children. Children ages 6 months to 3 years are enrolled in nursery schools. Children ages 3 to 6 years are enrolled in kindergartens. Then starts secondary education: elementary in grades 1 – 4; lower secondary in grades 5 – 9; and upper secondary in grades 10 – 11. Grades 1 through 9 are collectively called Incomplete (General) Secondary Education, and grades  10 and 11 are called Complete Secondary education. Three types of institutions also offer the upper secondary school curriculum: the general academic schools, the secondary vocational-technical schools and the specialized secondary school. Regardless of the type of upper secondary training completed, Ukrainian students have the right to continue their education at a postsecondary institution. Applications are accepted from citizens who meet the following criteria: * students have completed secondary education; * for full-time study students must be under 35 years of age and there are no age limits for part-time or evening study; * students have passed a competitive entrance examination set by each institution of higher education. There are three types of grading systems in Ukraine. Ordinarily universities used a traditional 5-point scale: â€Å"5† = â€Å"excellent†, â€Å"4† = â€Å"good†, â€Å"3† = â€Å"acceptable†, â€Å"2† = â€Å"unacceptable†. Since 2006, university students are graded on a rating scale of 0 to 100. These grades can be transformed to the 5-point scale approximately as follows: from 91 to 100 means â€Å"5†, from 71 to 90 means â€Å"4†, from 51 to 70 means â€Å"3†, from 0 to 50 means â€Å"2†. Both the rating scale and the 5-point scale are used in university registers at the present. As for secondary schools, they also used the 5-point scale until 2000. Since 2000 secondary schools use a 12-point scale, which could be transformed into the traditional 5-point scale as follows: â€Å"12† = â€Å"5+†, â€Å"11† = â€Å"5†, â€Å"10† = â€Å"5-† and so on. Education in the United States follows a pattern similar to that in the Ukrainian system. Early childhood education is followed by elementary school, middle school, high school, and then postsecondary education. Postsecondary education includes non-degree programs that lead to certificates and diplomas plus six degree levels: associate, bachelor, first professional, master, advanced intermediate, and research doctorate. The U.S. system does not offer a second or higher doctorate, but does offer postdoctorate research programs. Contrary to the Ukrainian system, in the United States people can go to college at any age and also have homeschooling programs. The most common grade scale in the United States is the letter grade: â€Å"A† through â€Å"F†, which is derived from a scale of 0–100 points. The following table shows the transformation: A| B| C| D| F| | | –| | | –| | | –| | | –| | 100-97| 96-93| 92-90| 89-87| 86-83| 82-80| 79-77| 76-73| 72-70| 69-67| 66-63| 62-60| Below 60 Percent| One of the big differences between two systems is course schedule. In Ukraine students have to follow a particular schedule made to satisfy the educational institution program, while in the United States students have flexibility in scheduling their classes. For example, if I start any level of secondary or postsecondary education in Ukraine, I will be assigned to a group of 20-30 people (called a â€Å"class†), who have the same schedule and we don’t have to register for any classes, because everything is already prepared for us. Nowadays, in US I make my own schedule that satisfies my choice of degree requirements and my work hours. Another big difference is the availability and accessibility of technology to students. In Ukraine, schools and colleges are very underfunded which results in poor or no equipment. Students in Ukraine do not have as many resources as students in the United States have, unless they come from wealth. Some people say that lack of technology lowers the quality of education. I believe the use of technology is helpful, has a significant positive effect on students and is just more fun; however it does not affect the quality of education. Taking into consideration all the similarities and differences of both educational systems, the Ukrainian system dictates to students each step of the educational process, while the US system is more flexible, provides more freedom and advanced technology. Overall, learning in the United States is a great opportunity that not everyone has. Thus, those who have it should make the most of the chance to learn.

Nature’s Impact Essay

The outdoors contains many wonders that a child explores throughout the early years of life; therefore, a person’s childhood tends to position his path for the future. As a result, occurrences seen on an average day sitting at school, exploring in the woods, or examining the stars have the potential to be life changing. An American Childhood (Dillard), â€Å"Two Views of a River† (Twain), and â€Å"Listening† (Welty) all allocate this thought, yet the works juxtapose each other with different morals. Annie Dillard writes of the expectations of her to return after completing college and settling in the same town in which she resides her entire life before attending college: â€Å"It crawled down the driveway toward Shadyside, one of the several sections of town where people like me were expected to settle after college, renting an apartment until they married one of the boys and bought a house† (2). Dillard feels essentially unpermitted to broaden her horizon of a future. She believes she had been restricted too early and therefore Dillard feels she is not allowed to live up to her possible potential. Mark Twain, on the other hand, writes of the river and its influence upon him: This sun means that we are going to have wind tomorrow; that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it; that slanting mark on the water refers to a bluff reef which is going to kill somebody’s steamboat one of these nights if it keeps on stretching out like that [†¦]. (1) Within his piece, Twain wonders if he were to have noticed all the diminutive and revealing things of the river as a child, whether it would have foreshadowed the future from the perspective from which he sees the past now. Twain wishes he had respected the river further as a child rather than simply viewing it as an effortless beauty. Eudora Welty also writes of her childhood, explaining her love for the sky and all that dwells within it. She states, â€Å"I could see the full constellations in it and call their names; when I could read, I knew their myths† (Welty 1). Even with all the knowledge she had of the ominous unknown that seems endless and vague to the common child, it still takes Welty until she is already a published writer before she realizes the moon does not rise in the west. Learning of this alters her perspective. However, without believing that the moon rises in the west, less delight and excitement would have occurred within her childhood. Dillard, Twain, and Welty write of their upbringings and how certain changes, if varied, could have fashioned a different future. They outwardly realize the options they had, and the elements they would have distorted in the past to assist themselves in the future. Where Dillard, Twain, and Welty’s works mutually contain the reference to their childhoods, they contrast each other with the morals of their writings. Dillard’s extended metaphor places her in an equivalent situation as the Polyphemus moth whose overgrown wings span wider than the Mason jar that withholds it. The piece uses the bit about the moth to foreshadow her telling of her confinement to Shadyside. The moral of her piece is that one’s parents, friends, or even society’s restraints should not oppress one’s aspirations to what is simply considered to be correct: Conversely, Twain’s piece concludes one should not take life for granted because it can exceed so hastily, that a large quantity of imperative information and experiences can be neglected and missed: The world was new to me, and I had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought upon the river’s face; another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. (1) Welty teaches in her piece that a child’s learning is made of specific moments in time and she shares her involvements with this learning: â€Å"There comes the moment, and I saw it then, when the moon goes from flat to round. For the first time it met my eyes as a globe. The word â€Å"moon† came into my mouth as though fed to me out of a silver spoon. Held in my mouth the mood became a word† (Welty 1). Eudora reveals that moments like this which seem miniscule can alter one’s personality and interests. Each instant of learning creates a change in one’s mental makeup. Dillard, Twain, and Welty are each eloquent and sophisticated writers. Their works are relatively alike in the fact that they each converse of their childhoods and what they would have altered within them; however, they juxtapose each other with diverse morals veiled within the pieces. Works Cited Dillard, Annie. An American Childhood. New York: Harper & Row, 1988. Twain, Mark. â€Å"Two Views of a River. † Life on the Mississippi. New York: Harper, 1896. Welty, Eudora. â€Å"Listening. † Agents, Russell & Volkening. Welty: 1984.

Free Essays on Short Term Choices, Long Term Repercussions

Most people can pinpoint one or two times in their lives when the choices they made had long term repercussions. Such is the case for Briony Tallis in Ian McEwan’s book, Atonement. In the book, the concept of maturity is treated masterfully by the shift of a character’s perceptions, belief systems and social realities. Bryony Tallis is the younger sister whose literary skills are often belittled by her older sister Celia. As the book opens, she creates a play for her cousins and herself to perform. The family’s dynamics are at once set as the reader finds the mother remote and as distant as the father, who seems to spend most of his nights in London, rather then at home. As the evening’s events unwind, the small details and insignificant happenings of the day are spoken about, but the undercurrent of tension is building. Later, one of the cousins is assaulted on the grounds of the house and Briony, still stinging from an insult earlier, tells the authoriti es that it was Robbie, their childhood friend and Cecilia’s boyfriend. Briony witnesses her sister strip down to her undergarments and dive into a family fountain with Robbie looking on. Not comprehending what was going on between the two, she goes down to the fountain after the two have left. It is at this point that she begins to glimpse a bit of her future, and cleverly, McEwen foretells the tale. Briony had her first, weak intimation that for her now, it can no longer be fairy-tale castles and princesses, but the strangeness of the here and now, of what passed between the people that she knew. Though she does not understand what has happened, her imagination fills in what she supposes to be the gaps. It is this assumption that leads to the terrible culmination of events which destroys them all. Briony decides she has witnessed a scene that is sinister; that Robbie has somehow forced her sister to get naked. In this first section of the book, the reader is treated to the s ... Free Essays on Short Term Choices, Long Term Repercussions Free Essays on Short Term Choices, Long Term Repercussions Most people can pinpoint one or two times in their lives when the choices they made had long term repercussions. Such is the case for Briony Tallis in Ian McEwan’s book, Atonement. In the book, the concept of maturity is treated masterfully by the shift of a character’s perceptions, belief systems and social realities. Bryony Tallis is the younger sister whose literary skills are often belittled by her older sister Celia. As the book opens, she creates a play for her cousins and herself to perform. The family’s dynamics are at once set as the reader finds the mother remote and as distant as the father, who seems to spend most of his nights in London, rather then at home. As the evening’s events unwind, the small details and insignificant happenings of the day are spoken about, but the undercurrent of tension is building. Later, one of the cousins is assaulted on the grounds of the house and Briony, still stinging from an insult earlier, tells the authoriti es that it was Robbie, their childhood friend and Cecilia’s boyfriend. Briony witnesses her sister strip down to her undergarments and dive into a family fountain with Robbie looking on. Not comprehending what was going on between the two, she goes down to the fountain after the two have left. It is at this point that she begins to glimpse a bit of her future, and cleverly, McEwen foretells the tale. Briony had her first, weak intimation that for her now, it can no longer be fairy-tale castles and princesses, but the strangeness of the here and now, of what passed between the people that she knew. Though she does not understand what has happened, her imagination fills in what she supposes to be the gaps. It is this assumption that leads to the terrible culmination of events which destroys them all. Briony decides she has witnessed a scene that is sinister; that Robbie has somehow forced her sister to get naked. In this first section of the book, the reader is treated to the s ...

Chaucers Male Influence in The Wife of Baths Prologue essays

Chaucer's Male Influence in The Wife of Bath's Prologue essays Geoffrey Chaucer demonstrates his skill as a write with his "Wife of Bath's Prologue" in many ways. It is easy to lose ourselves in the character of the Wife of Bath because she is colorful and by reading her prologue, we feel as though we almost know her. Her unique qualities cause her to stand out and her honesty about her personal situation is admirable, among other things. Another critical element of the "Wife of Bath's Prologue" is the fact that a man pens it. This aspect of the tale makes it more enjoyable because such behavior by women was not acceptable during the fifteenth century. Additionally, because a man writes her prologue, we cannot help but consider why he wrote it. This fictional character provides Chaucer an opportunity to address many subjects that may have been taboo in his time. By employing irony and humor, Chaucer is able to make statements about women and how they are treated. It should be noted the Chaucer was indeed seeking to represent a woman's voice. In fact, by creating the Wife of Bath, we can assume he wanted to create a memorable character in her. Women were victims of subjugation in the fifteenth century, and the Wife of Bath would never have been able to speak out about the things she did. Women were especially not expected to speak out about such things as their sex lives and their physical desires. The Wife of Bath provides Chaucer an opportunity to create a character that speaks on behalf of women everywhere. Chaucer takes this opportunity to the extreme by not only creating a female character that is open and honest, but bold and brash as well. It is obvious that Chaucer is working against the stereotypes that existed about women during that time. Chaucer presents the Wife of Bath as a woman who has gained vast experience is the area of marriage. She therefore considers herself an expert on the subject. This first section...

Prostitution in Victorian Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Prostitution in Victorian Society - Essay Example The streets of London immortalized by Dickens in their fascination and horror were in many ways embodied by the spectacle of prostitutes, many little more than children, plying their trade. Prostitution became a symbol of the worst excesses of Victorian Britain, and as such were a focus for attempts at change. As with many social ills that attract a variety of attention, prostitution was viewed through a number of different lenses according to the interests of the viewer. By the beginning of the 1840's a number of different groups:- mainly religious groups, major news organizations and women's social groups - began to take notice of the problem of prostitution. One of the major reasons for this new attention, as William Acton noted in his landmark study, Prostitution (1870) was the sheer number of prostitutes now visible on metropolitan streets in general, and London streets in particular. Acton estimated that there were at least 40,000 prostitutes actively working in London alone. It had become impossible to simply ignore the activity as it was so prevalent. The very title of Acton's book shows the variety of different perspectives that were taken on the subject: The basic foundation for the study was moralistic in nature, but as was often the case in Victorian thought, it needed at least a veneer of the rational, scientific thought that had come to such dominance during the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. Thus the "social" and "sanitary" aspects also need to be considered. The concentration on "London" and "Other Large Cities" reflects the concern that these massively growing conurbations were essentially out of control. Prostitution was a visible, terrible sign of this lack of control. Various reasons were put forward to explain why there were so many prostitutes. The idea of the "fallen woman" was prevalent among these, as Walkowitz (1982) suggests. The fallen woman archetype was, of course, an essential element of the Christian theology of the period which often associated any expression of sexuality, and specifically any embodiment of female sexuality, as innately evil and something to be avoided. The "fallen woman" was in fact any woman who had sexual relations with a man outside of marriage, whether she had a single lover or slept with dozens of men a day as her profession. Prostitution was seen as a moral and social problem by many of the writers of the time such as Charles Booth and Henry Mayhew (Walkowitz, 1992). One major 'reason' given for prostitution by contemporary commentators was the rather surprising gender disparity that had been revealed by the 1851 census. This showed that there were 4% more women than men. This implied that about 750,000 women would remain unmarried because there were not enough men to go around. These unmarried females began to be known as "superfluous women" and/or "redundant women" (Bartley, 1999). These designations are telling: a woman's worth is seen purely within her ability to marry a man. Any woman who cannot marry because of a shortage of men is at risk for becoming a prostitute. The doubtful logic that this rather large leap relied upon was that unmarried women had no man to support them and so would need to support themselves through illegitimate means. The idea that all unmarried women would be tempted to

The qualitative and quantitative research paradigms and its underlying Essay

The qualitative and quantitative research paradigms and its underlying principles - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that epistemology has its origin from Greek and refers to knowledge. Therefore, the term epistemology is the acquired knowledge or explanation of how people come to know about the existence of something. The epistemology knowledge can be acquired through first hand experience or through theoretical study. According to Trochim, epistemology defines and explains how people come to know the reality of life. In general epistemology try to explain some of the following concept; the relationship between the knowledge and the individual who have acquired it, the manner in which the knowledge has been acquired, what is the meaning of the term knowledge to various individuals, and the general explanation of the important of the acquired knowledge to the knowledgeable and the entire society. On the other hand, the term ontology refers to the understanding and explanation of real life situation while the term paradigm is the entire belief systems that help people and researchers in doing their daily activities. It defines a set of practices and activities that are normal and valid in any situation. Therefore, proper understanding of the knowledge under study and the available research methods are the pillars of coming up with the best and practical research method which can bring about the desired outcome. In scientific research various methods are applied on various different scenarios. The paper below is based on explaining and analyzing the qualitative and quantitative research paradigms and its underlying principles as well as addressing the issue of different epistemological, ontological and methodological worldviews underpinning each of the two perspectives. The paper will also address the ethical considerations relating to research in tourism. Coll (2000, p 90) observed that, paradigm explains the experiment and practical means of acquiring knowledge, beliefs, and ideology on how an activity should be done. It is the mann er in which people acquire the knowledge and understanding of different perspectives. The object being studied should be researched and thoroughly analyzed to get the in depth knowledge and understanding of the subject (Coll 2000, p 91). The knowledge of the paradigm are acquired and approved through observation and analysis of the available ideas and facts. The individuals expected to acquire the paradigm beliefs and ideologies must practice the knowledge acquired to gain consistency and first hand experience. Therefore, knowledge is acquired through the meaning attached to a certain event. Researchers have to come to touch with the subject under study to acquire data necessary in the analysis process. The process to coming into touch with the object under study or the scenario under investigation to collect data is what is referred to as scientific research The interaction with the subject under investigation enhances changes in knowledge to both the researcher and the subject (Co ll, 2000, p. 91). Therefore, the knowledge and understanding of the epistemology differences between the various research paradigm among the research conducted on tourist is pure philosophical but not methodological. Denzin (2002, p. 102) stated that, the researcher theoretical knowledge plays a very crucial role in deciding the method to be used in a research. This is because of the implanted beliefs systems and ideologies about the subject under study. Hence, the researchers in the tourism study were guided by their initial knowledge about the tourism sector. The knowledge which guides the decision on the method can be acquired either through literature review or physical observation of a phenomenon. Therefore, the ontological assumption is squarely responsible for determination of the methodology to be applied in a research. In the study on tourism, the researchers have used the qualitative a