Monday, December 30, 2019

Parent-child relationships are not static. They almost...

Parent-child relationships are not static. They almost certainly change over time. Often, the changes involve the people and the things around. In â€Å"My Secret Left Me Unable to Help,† Joyce Maynard loses contact with her 22-year-old daughter, Audrey, who has volunteered in the Dominican Republic for six months. They keep in close contact with each other through e-mail. But, when Audrey informs her about falling in love with a man and pretends that she is very busy so that she cannot talk about the details to Maynard, Audrey’s emails stop. Somehow, Maynard has Audrey’s e-mail password so that she can hack into Audrey’s email to find out what is happening. Maynard feels sorry about hacking Audrey’s email, when she reminds that her†¦show more content†¦However, if she does not use the password and wait for the email responses, she will be very nervous day by day. She is unwilling to trace her daughter in this way, but as a parent, she does not have any other choices. At this moment, Maynard has to betray her daughter to hack into her e-mail. Maynard may know that if she did it, Audrey may not forgive her and even their relationship will become worse. Maynard must feel proud of Audrey going to a foreign country volunteering. But, when Audrey meets the guy, Maynard’s view of going abroad may change. As parents, they have a lot of expectations on their children. They want their children to be lawyers, doctors, engineers, and economists because they believe that those occupations can let their children be proud, successful and top. They believe that they raise their children the way they want to that their children must have good futures and have better lives. In Audrey’s view, she knows that falling in love with a man whom has H.I.V. may destroy all the expectations of Maynard so that she pretends there is nothing wrong with her. In a way, Audrey believe that she can handle the situation. She does not want Maynard involved because she thinks that she is not a child who needs protection from Maynard any more. Audrey says to Maynard, â€Å"‘You don’t need to try and fix my life any more, Mama,â€⠄¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ‘I can handle that part on my own’† (5). She has her own life she wants to spend in. She understand thatShow MoreRelatedPrivacy And The Privacy Of Privacy1803 Words   |  8 PagesFirstly, it would be a good idea to explain exactly what privacy is and then discuss the importance of privacy and some of the legal consequences that could arise when violating a patient’s privacy. I’ve always believed that privacy is one of the most important things when it comes to the patient s care. One of the main forms of privacy that I would like to discuss is, Informational privacy which is defined as the privacy of personal information and usually relates to personal data stored on computerRead MorePrivacy And The Privacy Of Privacy1735 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s society, the word â€Å"privacy† has become ubiquitous. When discussing whether government surveillance and data collection pose a threat to privacy, the most common retor t against privacy advocates – by those in favor of databases, video surveillance, spyware, data mining and other modern surveillance measures – is this line: If I’m not doing anything wrong, what would I have to hide? The allowance of the government’s gathering and analysis of our personal information stems from an inadequateRead MorePrivacy And The Privacy Of Privacy1626 Words   |  7 PagesPrivacy is the ability to maintain what or who can access and see your personal content and information. With that, the idea of privacy is different amongst different cultures and countries, while they all differ, they share common characteristics. The act of sharing ones own personal information is decision one must make on their own. Privacy is a right that all people should have and the government has the responsibility of maintaining that right. Data such as personal emails, bank details, medicalRead MorePrivacy Issues : Privacy And Privacy Essay2250 Words   |   9 PagesPrivacy Privacy has been a thing for consideration ever since the early days and has even become more worrisome recently with the evolvement of information technology. Individuals around the world value their privacy and the protection of their personal information. Having a knowledge of who is accessing their information and what it is being used for. But with the recent and rapid evolvement of IT, information privacy is being threatened and individuals no longer possess the control over who hasRead MorePrivacy1776 Words   |  8 PagesRunning Head: THE EXISTENCE OF PRIVACY WITH TECHNOLOGY THE EXISTENCE OF PRIVACY WITH TECHNOLOGY Obediah Howard Bellevue University â€Æ' THE EXISTENCE OF PRIVACY WITH TECHNOLOGY Abstract This research paper will discuss the relationship between privacy and technology. It will attempt to ascertain if technology and privacy can share the same plane of existence. Benefits and deficiencies of a particular technology are not hereditary to that technology, but are depend on theirRead MorePrivacy Is An American Invasion Of Privacy3114 Words   |  13 PagesPrivacy is an especially equivocal idea, in particularly because invasion of privacy is a concept that is arguably questionable. Privacy has been defined as the right to be left alone without unwarranted intrusion by government, media, or other institutions or individuals. While this definition serves as a quick start to the right of privacy, there are still several interpretations as to what may or may not constitute as an invasion of privacy. What one person may believe to be an innocent curiosityRead MoreA Brief Note On Privacy And The Privacy2459 Words   |  10 PagesDec. 2014 A Right to Privacy Technology has proposed a variety of different options to support the privacy rights of people. At the same time, technology has also done the opposite, making it almost impossible for anyone to have secured privacy. Nowadays, there are multiple hacking programs or devices that can help protect private information; however, they can also be used to invade privacy. Modern-day society has records of incidents and events involving the invasion of privacy, including those notRead MorePrivacy Is An American Invasion Of Privacy3113 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction Privacy is an especially equivocal idea, in particularly because invasion of privacy is a concept that is arguably questionable. Privacy has been defined as the right to be left alone without unwarranted intrusion by government, media, or other institutions or individuals. While this definition serves as a quick start to the right of privacy, there are still several interpretations as to what may or may not constitute as an invasion of privacy. What one person may believe to be anRead MoreThe Invasion Of Privacy And Privacy1399 Words   |  6 PagesCelebrities; They Have A Right To Their Privacy Too   Ã‚  Ã‚   Invasion of privacy occurs way too often in society. How would you feel if you had your personal photos hacked, and then reposted onto the internet, what if they were your nude photos? What about your medical records, would you like to have your records stolen and then announced for the whole world to know? Many groups have their privacies hacked, stolen, abused, or even shared through other means of social media.   Look at one particular groupRead MoreThe Right to Privacy1152 Words   |  5 Pages Personal interest in the right to privacy has intensified in recent years along with the rapid development of new technologies. A century later, these concerns remain, but many others have joined them. Advances in information and communications technology have increased our ability to collect, store and transmit data about individuals. While these advances could be considered useful, some see them as a situation where anyone can watch and record the actions of every ind ividual, and where the

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Working Memory - 5992 Words

Working Memory ââ€"  Working memory enables us to keep things in mind for short periods (215 seconds) as we think, e.g. while reading, making a list etc. ââ€"  It s related to but different to short-term-memory (STM) and long-term-memory (LTM). ââ€"  Chapter focuses on Baddley s (1986) model of phonological working memory, vocabulary acquisition and computational modelling of working-memory. ââ€"  The concept of span means how many items from a briefly presented set can be remembered, e.g. word span is the number of words that can be recalled if reading a list of say 20 words. Digit span, operation span, reading span etc. are similar tests. Models of working memory evolved over time: Atkinson Shiffrin (1971) Baddeley Hitch (1974)†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â€"   However he tested normally for long-term learning and memory, and had no problems understanding normal speech, so spared LTM. ââ€"   This suggests STM and LTM are distinct and normal STM is not required for LTM to function normally. ââ€"  Garden path sentences show we do retain words in memory as we process them (building up and interpreting sentences) but there are competing theories: ââ€"‹ Just and Carpenter (1992) claimed individual ability to hold multiple interpretations depends on working memory capacityÍ ¾ ââ€"‹ Caplan and Waters (1999) argued working memory isn’t involved as comprehension is done by a separate system. 5.1.3 Working memory as more than STM ââ€"  Baddeley and Hitch (1974) investigated whether STM acts as working memory: ââ€"‹ They used a dualtask paradigm (if two tasks interfere with each other they may be competing for the same limited resource): ââ€"   Participants simultaneously did an STM test, remembering and repeating a sixdigit sequence, along with one of three cognitive tasks: reasoning, language comprehension or list learningÍ ¾ ââ€"‹ They found: ââ€"   load in the STM task adversely affected cognitive performance, although a small number of items could be remembered without affecting the main task much, suggesting that information might be transiently stored and processed simultaneously by working memory, and that there may be two systems involved, one for storage and one for processingÍ ¾Show MoreRelatedWorking Memory and Its Benefits Essay2434 Words   |  10 Pagesfunctioning effectively to face immediate environmental changes in our everyday life. This ability is called the Working Memory. The term working memory was coined by Miller, Galanter, and Pribram in 1960 (Baddeley, 2003). It refers to the temporary storage in the brain for manipulation of necessary information to execute cognitive tasks. According to Baddeley and Hitch’s study (1974), working memory comprises three main components, a control system, the central executive and two storage systems, the visuospatialRead Moreworking memory18399 Words   |  74 PagesPAGES CHAPTER Working Memory 6 Le arn i ng O b j ec t i ves 1. Using Working Memory 1.1. A Computer Metaphor 1.2. Implications of the Nature of Working Memory 2. From Primary Memory to Working Memory: A Brief History 2.1. William James: Primary Memory, Secondary Memory, and Consciousness 2.2. Early Studies: The Characteristics of Short-Term Memory 2.2.1. Brevity of Duration 2.2.2. Ready Accessibility 2.3. The Atkinson-Shiffrin Model: The Relationship of Short-Term and LongTerm Memory 2.4. The Baddeley-HitchRead MoreWorking Memory Trainings and Limits of Its Transfer2205 Words   |  9 PagesWorking Memory Trainings and Limits of Its Transfer Working memory is the ability one has to manipulate and maintain information mentally, while ignoring other irrelevant distractions and interference in the brain. In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of interest in this field. Research in this area is in fact, still a currently active and quickly developing area. Working memory is so essential in every person’s everyday life that one would not be able to function and perform theirRead MoreWorking Memory : The State Of Memory1367 Words   |  6 PagesWorking Memory describes the state of memory we are actively engaged with. It performs the functions of receiving, temporarily holding and manipulating information (Baddeley, 2010). To assess memory psychologists have found it helpful to define their theories as models. Atkinson and Shiffrin ‘s 1968 Stage Model of Memory defined 3 main components of memory systems; sensory memory from perception of experience that becomes short-term memory (STM), which through rehearsal loads more permanent connectionsRead MoreThe Effects Of Bilingualism On The Executive Function And Working Memory1948 Words   |  8 Pagesmore rapidly to conditions that placed greater demands on working memory. In all cases the bilingual advantage was greater for older participants. These two findings imply that bilingualism have beneficial effects on the executive function and working memory. Besides the excellent executive function ability and the great capability of working memory, researchers also found out that bilinguals have advantages on a particular working memory. The study of Luo et.al (2013) demonstrated that bilingualsRead MoreThe Aging Memory: A Research on Working Memory and Recall Essay1969 Words   |  8 PagesThe aging memory: short-term memory and rec all performance differences found in age groups. 1. Introduction The following research proposal aims to continue to further the discussion and study into human memory. However, specifically more into the difference that can be found between age groups in terms of short-term memory and recall performance. Motivation to undertake in such a study can be said to expand on the existing knowledge as well as to close any gaps due to lack of insight and testingRead MoreEvaluate the Working Memory Model1310 Words   |  6 PagesEvaluate the Working Memory Introduction Human memory is a complex cognitive structure, which can be defined in many ways. One would argue that memory is 1.) The mental function of retaining information about stimuli, event, images, ideas, etc. after the original stimuli is no longer present. 2.) The hypothesized storage system in the mind that holds this information is so retained. A clear distinction is made between different types of memory systems and can be divided into subclasses. TheRead MoreThe Effects Of Anxiety Disorders And Situational Anxiety On Short Term Working Memory1651 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract: This research paper summarizes the results of three academic articles exploring the effects of anxiety disorders, and situational anxiety on short term working memory. These three articles all used different methods in attempt to connect anxiety with working memory performance. To summarize, these studies attempt to answer the question of whether or not an attentional bias toward threatening (anxiety triggering) exposure or conditions, causes a greater susceptibility to distraction andRead MoreThe Effect Of Speed Pressure On Working Memory During Mental Arithmetic Tasks1211 Words   |  5 Pagesspeed pressure on working memory during mental arithmetic tasks. 392 undergraduate students’ working memory capacities were measured and participants were divided into high and low working memory groups. They were then randomly assigned into the fast or slow condition and tested with the critical stimuli compromised of addition equations. The findings showed that fast conditions result in higher error rates than the slow conditions. The speed pressure also caused high working memory individuals to shiftRead MoreWorking Memory Model Essay941 Words   |  4 Pagesfor being a very simplistic view of memory. They saw short term memory as a store that had many individual sections inside it. This was supported by patient KF who had epilepsy, the doctor wanted to try and remedy this by removing his hippocampus. This surgery was done, however instead of fixing his epilepsy, it damaged his short term memory, yet he still had his long term memory intact. In the multi-store model it states that in order to have long term memory, one needs to have gone through the

Saturday, December 14, 2019

When Small Means Big The Impact of Nanotechnology Free Essays

string(22) " of this small world\." A revolution in science and technology, which will significantly impact our daily lives, is looming in the horizon. The scientific community is now excited by changes that could be brought about by the multidisciplinary discipline of nanoscience and nanotechnology, which is comprehensively defined as â€Å"[r]esearch and technology development at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular levels, in the length of approximately 1–100 nm range, to provide a fundamental understanding of phenomena and materials at the nanoscale, and to create and use structures, devices, and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small size. The novel and differentiating properties and functions are developed at a critical length scale of matter typically under 100 nm. We will write a custom essay sample on When Small Means Big: The Impact of Nanotechnology or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nanotechnology research and development includes integration of nanoscale structure into larger material components, systems, and architectures. Within these larger scale assemblies, the control and construction of their structures and component devices remain at the nanoscale†. (National Research Council 2002, cited in Dreher 2004). Although technically encompassing any device measuring at least 1,000 nanometers—a nanometer (from Greek ‘nano’, meaning dwarf) is one-billionth of a meter (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004)—much of the work being done presently focuses on materials smaller than 100 nm (Gupta et al 2003) since it is at this level that materials exhibit unique physical and chemical properties that can be harvested to convey improvements to engineered materials (i.e. enhanced magnetic properties, better electrical and optical activity, and superior structural integrity) (Thomas Sayre 2005). Ralph Merkle, as cited by Gupta et al (2003), noted that atomic configuration, to an extent, determines physical and chemical characteristics of materials, using as examples carbon in diamond, or silica from sand. From this perspective, the manufacturing techniques we are using today appear crude since we are moving molecules by heaps and mounds, and, therefore, are manufacturing devices that could still be improved for accuracy and precision (Gupta et al 2003). Nanotechnology, according to Gupta et al, aims to explore and exploit the possibility of designing at the molecular and atomic levels, and producing a generation of novel products that boast of greater strength, lighter weight and better precision (2003). Technically nanotechnology is not something new. Ball (2003) notes that nanoscale devices have been, and are currently being, utilized by organisms in their daily functioning. He cites, for instance, the proteins that serve as motors to flagella of motile bacteria, as readers and interpreters of the genetic code, or as miniature solar panels in plants that gather sunlight for photosynthesis (Ball 2003). The possibility of harnessing this potential within the environment and put them to practical use has been floated in the scientific community as early as the 1940s, when von Neumann forwarded the idea of manufacturing systems or machines that are capable of self-replication, which could potentially lower production costs (Gupta et al 2003). Richard Feynman in 1959, in an address to the American Physical Society entitled ‘There Is Plenty of Room at the Bottom’, advanced the possibility that, similar to what we are doing at the macroscopic scale, we could maneuver atoms to where we want them to be, and produce materials that would solve the problem of manufacture and reproduction (Buxton et al 2003; Gupta P et al 2003). In 1986, K Eric Drexler provided a picture of nanotechnological use in the future in his book Engines of Creation, where humans are utilizing self-replicating nanoscale robots in daily life processes (Ball 2003). The move from the drawing board to actual application, however, has been very recent—as evidenced by the relatively few nanotechnology products—fuelled by theoretical and laboratory progress which showed that, indeed, systems can be built from molecules and atoms maneuvered at the microscopic scale (Gupta et al 2003). L’Oreal recently introduced in the market sun creams that contain nano-sized grains of titanium dioxide, which absorbs ultraviolet light, but without the ‘smeared chalk’ appearance of regular creams (Ball 2003). This same technology, according to Ball (2003) was taken a step further when it was found that titanium dioxide particles become reactive when exposed to ultraviolet light, leading to the development of self-cleaning tiles and glasses—titanium-coated tiles and glasses that use the sun’s energy to burn up dirt stuck to their surfaces. In the filed of medicine, nanotechnology is currently being utilized with state-of -the-art technology to combat genetic diseases (Dunkley 2004). In addition to these, researches are currently undergoing, exploring the various possible applications of nanotechnology in various fields. For instance, in the medical sciences, the development of nanorobots could aid in precise, and rapid, cellular repair and regeneration, delivery of drugs at the site where it is needed, destruction of cancerous cells, or unblocking of clogged blood vessels (Dunkley 2004). The capacity to detect disease through alterations in body chemistry or physiology is also a possibility through nanotubes or nanowires coated with detector molecules (Buxton et al 2003). Molecular imaging, according to Buxton et al (2003) will also provide us with a view of the human body beyond gross anatomic structures, since this would utilize molecules that would home to tissues affected by specific disease processes. Environmental problems we face today, such as air pollution or oil spills, could be remedied through nanorobots designed to clean these toxic elements from th e air we breath or the water we drink (Dunkley 2004). The material sciences will also significantly benefit from nanotechnology, with the promise of development of stronger and lighter plastics, computers with faster processors and increased memory storage, ion storage for batteries (which will improve performance), quick-charging battery cars, and fuel cells for motor-driven devices that are environment-friendly and energy efficient (Gupta et al 2003). Perhaps a bit too far in the future, Dunkley even forwards the idea that it might be possible, with nanorobots moving atoms and molecules, for us to create common and everyday things from our own backyard, moving manufacturing to the domain of the household with a wheelbarrow and a shovel (2004). Because of the great promise held by nanotechnology, governments worldwide are investing in nanoresearch, to further refine our understanding of this small world. You read "When Small Means Big: The Impact of Nanotechnology" in category "Essay examples" Global investment in nanotechnology has been estimated to be â‚ ¬5 billion, according to the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering (2004). The European Union pledged to spend â‚ ¬1 billion (Ball 2003), whereas Japan allocated $800M in 2003 (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). The United States is willing to spend nearly $3.7 billion for nanotechnology from 2005 to 2008, with nearly $500 million allocated for research funding (Dunkley 2004; The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004; Thomas Sayre 2005). The considerable change nanotechnology can bring, as well as the huge sums of money governments worldwide are currently spending to make this a reality, has sparked some questions from various sectors on the impact of nanotechnologies, not only to the scientific fields to which it will be applied, but to the society in general. In the biological sciences, for instance, the primary concern is the possible toxicity exposure—and chronic exposure, at that—to nanoparticles can bring about, since these materials have the capability of interacting with cells and cellular organelles, and hence, alter body physiology (Ball 2003; The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). Dreher (2004), and Thomas and Sayre (2005) have recently reviewed the evidence on the health impact of nanotechnology exposure, and found that there is a paucity of evidence to encourage or preclude use of nanotechnologies in humans pending full investigations and detailed evidence supporting or debunking the same. Ball (2003) notes that, in the same way as new drugs or devices, nanotechnology must be viewed as a potential health hazard unless proven otherwise. Large scale production in the future would necessitate hazard-testing and human exposure assessment, to minimize risks (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). The significant economic impact of nanotechnologies, according to experts, may not be felt in the short-term, although this must be viewed with caution, since it is entirely difficult to predict what impact a developing technology that has not yet realized its full potential will have (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). The differing capacities of developed, developing and underdeveloped countries to participate in the nanotechnology race has also raised concerns that it might intensify the economic gap between these nations, leading to what is referred to as a ‘nanodivide’ (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). Finally, patenting of nanotechnology—which is advantageous since it would, though economic incentive, encourage other individuals to contribute to scientific progress—may stifle creativity or innovation when a broad one is granted (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). Another area of concern is military and defense capability. The development of new devices—pervasive sensors, improved clothing and armor, and enhanced information and communication exchange—could be viewed both as opportunities and threats, depending on who uses them, and how they are used (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). But more than this, the Royal Society (2004) cautions that the secrecy coupled with development of technologies for defense use might fuel public distrust, and heighten the understanding that nanotechnology is being developed primarily, if not entirely, for military ends. Ethical issues pervading the socio-cultural impact of nanotechnologies are also a concern. For instance, development of new nanodevices may cause a significant change in employment patterns, role perception, education patterns, and eventually family life (Dunkley 2004). The end result, still according to Dunkley (2004) would be a shift in our present definition of inequality, poverty, and class, and finally, the way we construe society in general. If what Dunkley predicted would come true (i.e. manufacturing at our own backyard), then the capacity to produce would be entirely dependent on having the necessary resources for this production, which brings to fore the concern of concentration of the harvests of nanotechnology in the hands of a few. Although nanomanufacturing could present the solution to hunger and homelessness, the question remains whether it will alter our perception of the material world where we move (Dunkley 2004). The possibility of devices being used to store personal information, although enhancing personal security on the one hand, also raises the possibility of violation of civil liberties, especially when collection and distribution of the same is made without the consent of the person involved, or access to these information could be limited to the hands of the few who could develop and control personal information databases or systems (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). Finally, the possibility of radical human enhancement, or the creation of humans in the future, through nanotechnology (in conjunction with biotechnology and information technology), though a remote possibility, still carries with it the burden of resolving whether these creations are really human, and whether they also possess souls like we do (Dunkley 2004). In the same vein, this new capability would radically change, if not totally abolish, our perception of religion and morality (The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004). On a lesser plane, the possibility of nanotechnology extending human longevity to hundreds of years will definitely alter our view of aging and death (Dunkley 2004). What, then, lies in store for us in the future with nanotechnology? Actually, no one can tell, since nanotechnology is but a frontier—which, to Melbin is a pattern of sparse settlement in space or time—or what Dunkley (2004) describes as relatively ‘unsettled and a wilderness waiting to be discovered’. Until such time, therefore, that the full potential of nanotechnology has been realized, or at least understood through research, we may endlessly speculate about how nanotechnology will affect our daily lives and society in general, who will benefit from its, what and capabilities will it provide us. The concerns, however, raised in this paper are valid considerations of the impact the future application of nanotechnologies will have, and this necessitates caution and vigilance on the part of all stakeholders. References Ball P, 2003 (23 Jun), ‘Nanotechnology Science’s Next Frontier or Just a Load of Bull?’, New Statesman, vol. 132, no. 4643, pp. 30-31. Buxton DB, Lee SC, Wickline SA, Ferrari M for the Working Group Members, 2003 (02 Dec), ‘Recommendations of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Nanotechnology Working Group’, Circulation, vol. 108, pp. 2737-2742. Dreher KL, 2004, ‘Health and environmental impact of nanotechnology: Toxicological assessment of manufactured nanoparticles’, Toxicological Sciences, vol. 77, pp. 3–5. Dunkley RWS, 2004, ‘Nanotechnology: Social Consequences and Future Implications’, Futures, vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 1129-1132. Gupta P, Malhotra R, Segal MA Verhaeren MYFJ, 2003, ‘Recent trends in nanotechnology’, in R Gulati, A Paoni M Sawhney (eds), Kellogg on Technology Innovation, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ, pp. 261-283. The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2004, Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties, The Royal Society The Royal Academy of Engineering, London. Thomas K Sayre P, 2005, ‘Research strategies for safety evaluation of nanomaterials, Part I: Evaluating the human health implications of exposure to nanoscale materials’, Toxicological Sciences, vol. 87, no. 2, pp. 316–321. How to cite When Small Means Big: The Impact of Nanotechnology, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Problems of Upbringing free essay sample

At the same time they are asked to take up ballet dancing (in the case of girls), taekwando (in the case of boys), music lessons, computer classes and so on. On top of this, they insist that their children obtain straight ‘A’s in their examinations and excel in everything else. In this rat-race they turn their children into display objects; possessions which they can be proud to show off to their friends and relatives and for others to talk about. In the good old days, life as a child and a teenager was never stressful because there were not too many expectations to fulfil. But children these days, especially those in urban areas, seem to have so many things to do and compete in that they are deprived of a normal childhood. Many people fail to realise that as parents, they have certain rights and also responsibilities. The child has his or her rights and responsibilities too. We will write a custom essay sample on Problems of Upbringing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page What we have today are people who want to be super parents, but in many cases the children do not turn out to be super. Parents should therefore be realistic and reasonable. They should not set targets which they well know their children cannot fulfill, thus avoiding unnecessary stress and disappointments to the family. Building a happy family is a continuous process. Hence, parents must not only be fully aware of their roles and responsibilities, but also apply modern techniques in parenting accordingly. Remember the saying of the Taoist philosopher, Zhuang Zu; ‘if you have 6 fingers do not try to made them 5, and if you have 5 fingers do not try to made them 6. Do not go against nature. ’ You are responsible as a concerned parent for the well-being and up-bringing of your children. If the child grows up to be a strong, healthy and useful citizen, it is the result of your efforts. If the child grows up to be a delinquent, it is you who must bear the responsibility. Do not blame others. As parents, it is your bounden duty to guide your child on a proper path. Although there are a few incorrigible cases of juvenile delinquency, nevertheless as parents, you are morally responsible for the behavior of your children. Parental support and control have to be adjusted as the child grows. The ultimate goal of parenting is to become a friend to your child but only according to his capacity to accept responsibility. A mistake some parents make is that they want to be a friend to their six-year old. But we need to be careful about what we mean 1 by â€Å"friend†. It certainly does not mean we treat a child as if he is an equal in maturity. But there must be love, trust and respect. At that age, a child needs a parent, not a friend. While building a loving and supportive relationship with the children, it is recommended that parents help them develop spiritually. Above all, you must have time for your child. Time to answer his questions, to help him understand the wonder of life. You have to bear in mind that you are stifling the creativity in your child when you do not answer the questions that he is raising. When a child is asking questions, he is indeed seeking to communicate, so the biggest challenge confronting you is to respond readily with love, and everything you do should be congruent with the natural inquisitiveness in a child. Being spontaneous is also important in getting children involved in things and the greatest scientists have been known to be spontaneous. If parents do not know the answers to questions they must make it a point to find it out for their children instead of brushing them of and telling them that they are too busy, or it is not important, thus shutting them up and stifling their curiosity. You will feel guilty about telling your children during their most tender and inquisitive age: ‘Don’t ask so many questions! ’ As a caring and responsible parent you should in fact respond readily to that natural inquisitiveness in your child. The scientific way of solving a problem is to look at the problem, find all the data available and then come up with a solution in a coherent manner. Likewise, a child whose curiosity meets with a favoured respond will learn to think and act scientifically as well as creatively and this will serve him well into adulthood. For instance, when you give a toy to your child, you should give it with tender love and joy. Instead, certain parents tend to almost shout: ‘ don’t open it like that. Don’t break the toy, it is very expensive. Do you know how lucky you are to get such a toy? ’ If you can afford to buy the toy, he will quite logically think he can afford to break it. You could instead be part of his discovery by telling him: ‘Come my dear, lets open the toy box together,’ and use the fun element instead of the negative element. Give the present with joy and love. It can be done if you are not stressed and unhappy yourself. You must be happy for it is only in a state of happiness that one is comfortable and generous. Parents sometimes are to be blamed for unwittingly inculcating negative social habits in their children. For instance, a parent who asks a child to say that he or she is not in when answering a phone call (a seemingly innocent act) plants the first seed of falsehood in the tender mind of the child. If allowed to flourish in an environment not conducive to promoting human values, the child may well in the future, become a destructive element to the peace, happiness and well being of families and society, and more importantly, to himself. Many parents and elders are today responsible for planting these seeds of falsehood in many different ways. They either encourage falsehood directly, or by acting or speaking falsely, initiating and allowing the vicious cycle of human value degradation to develop. The fate of our children may well depend upon the parents and elders developing the right attit ude towards a moral upbringing truth and truthful living. Children echo the language of their parents. To prevent the use of rude or vulgar worlds, responsible parents should use pleasant terms, as children generally tend to imitate their parents. A child at its most impressionable age needs the love, care, affection and attention of the parents. Without parental love and guidance, the child will be emotionally handicapped and will find the world a bewildering place to live in. Showering parental love on the other hand does not mean pandering to all the demands of the child, reasonable or otherwise. Too much pampering would in fact, spoil the child. The mother in bestowing the love and care on the child, should also be strict and firm, but not harsh. Show your love with a disciplined hand – the child will understand. Parents should spend more quality time with their children, particularly, during their formative years. They should consider giving their children the gift of healthy parenting instead of showering them with material presents. The gift includes giving the child self-esteem, striving for positive communication, granting unconditional love and eliminating aspects that hinder the child’s psychological development. These are gifts with true, deeper meaning. Healthy parenting is the greatest gift a child can receive and a parent can give. Unfortunately, amongst contemporary parents, parental love is sadly lacking. The mad rush for material advancement, the liberation movement and aspiration for equality among the sexes have all resulted in many mothers joining their husbands in the workforce, spending many hours in offices and shops, rather than remaining at home and attending to their offsprings. The children, left to the care of relations, day care centres or paid servants are deprived of tender motherly love and care. Providing the child with all sort of sophisticated modern toys (as a form of appeasement) such as tanks, machine guns, pistols, or swords are detrimental to character formation and not psychologically advisable. Loading a child with such toys is no substitute for a mother’s tender love and affection. The child as a result, is unwittingly taught to condone aggression and destruction instead of being taught to be kind, compassionate and helpful. Such a child will develop violent tendencies as it grows up. Devoid of parental affection and guidance, it will not be surprising if the child subsequently grows up to be a delinquent. Then, who is to be blamed for bringing up such a wayward child? The parents, of course! 3 The working mother, especially after a hard day’s work in an office, followed by household chores, can hardly find time for a child that is yearning for her care and attention. Parents who have no time for their children now should not complaint later in life when these same children have no time for them. Parents who claim that they spend a lot of money on their children but are too busy to spend time with them should not complain when in their old age, their ‘busy’ children in turn decide to leave them in homes for the aged! Most women work today so that their families can enjoy more material benefits. They should seriously consider Gandhi’s advice for men to seek freedom from greed rather than freedom from need. Of course, given today’s economic setup we cannot deny that some mother are forced to work. In such a case, the father and mother must make extra sacrifices of their time to compensate for what their children miss when they are away. If both parents spent their non-working hours at home with their children, there will be greater harmony and understanding between parents and children. We call this ‘quality time’ with the family. Children who are left in the care of relatives, day care centres and paid servants, as well as latch key children who are left to their own devices at home, are often deprived of motherly love and care. The mother, feeling guilty about this lack of attention, will try to placate the child by giving in to all sorts of demands. Such actions only spoil the child. Most men devote their energies and their creativity to their work and thus what energy they have reserved for the family are merely the ‘leftovers’. Here is where the argument for quality time comes in, usually from guilty parents who want to justify the limited time they spend with their children. One of the flaws of the quality time concept lies in the fact that the needs of the children and the availability of the parents do not always converge. When the children need them, they are not around. Parents are often placed in a dilemma. Rushing home from a hard day’s work, weary parents have the household chores waiting for them. When the day’s work is done, it would be time for dinner followed by watching TV, and whatever time there is left is hardly enough to attend to a child’s need for love and affection. More importantly, parents are not around to transmit cultural, social and religious values to their children at the time when children are best attuned to receive them. This cannot be simply forced on to the children during ‘quality time’! Some working parents may even take their work home and bring back the stress and tension they gathered at their work place. As a result, they may lose their temper at the children. 4 As husband and wife, they may not have enough time together and this may even lead to broken marriages. There should be increased awareness that strong family ties can contribute to the healthy growth of a child. Gender differences do operate in parent/child relationships. It is said that mother and their grown-up daughters communicate often, even after the daughters are married and have left home. The father perhaps think that the son is a big boy and that he should know his role and duties at home, towards his parents and outside the home. But with mothers, it is different – the daughter is forever ‘my little girl. Whatever it is, parents have an important role to play in bringing up their children and doing it well if they want to help ease the many ills plaguing our society today. Good values cannot be taught through words, but example by conduct trough. Parents must be good models themselves. The old parental attitude that ‘you do whatever father tells you to do and not what he does,’ does not hold water any more. Parents must be of the right character themselves. If we want our children to begin life well with the proper values, we have to start and conduct at home. If there are problems in the relationship between the child and parent, the parent must begin to look within themselves for the cause of those problems. Sacrifices by both parents are needed. They should make time and try as far as possible to get the family members involved together in family – oriented activities. In essence, the answer lies in setting their priorities right i. e. , putting the family ant marriage at the top of their list of priorities in life, thus creating a close-knit family relationship for a harmonious environment at home. A Happy Family It is true in every society that a family is the smallest social unit. If every family in the country is happy, the whole nation will be happy. What constitutes a happy family? A happy family is defined as one that is stable in terms of social, economic, psychological and physical aspects of life; and where there is warm affection and harmony among family members. A family which can strike a balance between these factors is indeed a happy family. But when we look around us and at the situation in most parts of the world, what do we see? Children loitering in the streets and video arcades. They play truant. Children are abused, wives are beaten and ageing parents are packed off to old 5 folks homes regardless of their feelings. All these are tell-tale signs that all is not well at the most basic level of society: these are sign of social decadence. It is a sad situation when good values and traditions are no longer practised. There is little interaction among members of the family and friends and the sense of responsibility towards other members of the family is weakening. Unhappiness in the family may be attributed to poverty, but having material wealth is no guarantee of happiness either, if it simply breeds selfishness, cruelty and greed. A child learns affection and love from his parents and, together they make a happy family unit. Through this microcosm of society, it learns about caring, sharing, compassion and concern for others. Throughout the ages, religion has been an important force to organise these values into a system that is easily recognised and taught. Thus family and religion are vital components in imparting and nurturing these values. The family plays an important role in the development of its members. The best of Asian and Western cultures teach and practise respect for elders, compassion for the sick and needy, care for elderly parents and consideration for the young. Children growing up in families practising these values will emulate them and act accordingly towards others. But with the vast technological advances in modern civilization we are fast losing these values. Something must be done to bring the family back together and save society. We must protect and support family development as an institution in the light of the rapid demographic and socio-economic changes world-wide. Extended families are giving way to nuclear families. We can do little to stop this trend but the values of respect, concern and compassion must be preserved. Good values, both Eastern and Western must be maintained despite changes in lifestyle brought on by modernisation, industrialisation and urbanisation. The mother is an important figure in family development. As care, love, tenderness and compassion are her innate qualities; she imparts these sterling values to her children in their upbringing. The mother, because of her love, concern, compassion, patience and tolerance thus holds the family together. Her espousal of these values may be passed on the her children who are great imitators and who learn by examples. We must as a group reinstate the traditional function of the mother, with of course adjustments to suit modern needs and pressures. Religion too, promotes good human values. Strong resilient families and the pratice of religion are therefore necessary in he promotion of family development. 6 It could be said that a happy family is a group of people living amicably and peacefully together with emphasis on religion, discipline and parenthood to create a happy family atmosphere. Value like these should be upheld and religiously protected so that a family is not influenced by anti-social values and unacceptable norms. Realistic and r easonable parents make a happy family. And the only way parents can build a happy family is through the institution of marriage. It has worked very well in the past. It can do so now, provided we make it relevant to the needs of today’s living. Marital Problems Almost every day, we hear of people complaining about their marriages. Young people reading romantic novels and seeing romantic films often conclude that marriage is a bed of roses. Unfortunately, marriage is not as sweet as one thinks. Marriage and marital problems are inter-related and people must remember that when they get married, they will have to face certain problems and responsibilities that they have never expected or experienced before. After the euphoria of the wedding, the realities of living together will set in for the couple, and for some, the prospects are daunting. Lack of communication or interaction with members of the family are some of the factors which can be attributed to an unhappy marriage. A stage will be reached when husband and wife do not even communicate with each other. Common examples of non-communication between husband and wife are :- (a) at the breakfast table he is deeply engrossed with the newspaper; (b) when he returns from work he will be absorbed in his hobbies or watches television, and during the weekends he plays golf or indulges in other pastimes; (c) he does not express any feelings or concern for the wife, let alone observe important anniversaries or birthdays. The wife on her part, after getting married, is no longer interested in her figure and general appearance. She dresses shabbily. As she no longer reads or maintains a stimulating circle of friends, the husband finds that he can no longer engage in a stimulating conversation with her. Life then becomes boring and this leads the husband to resort to drink and seek solace outside the matrimonial home. When does discontent first creep into a marriage? For most couples, the first year is usually a good year. For some couples, the adjustments of living together as husband and wife may turn out to be a stressful experience. The arrival of the first child could also give rise to problems as both husband and wife grapple with the realities of being first-time parents. 7 Some people say that for the first year after their marriage, the husband would listen to the wife. In the second year, the wife would listen to the husband. From the third year onwards, neighbours would listen to both of them when they shout at each other. Usually, discontent will be greater if there is no adequate preparation for marriage. For instance, pre-marital counselling will help couples prepare for the many surprises, pleasant or otherwise, that they may discover in the course of their marriage. The dissatisfaction that is supposed to hit most men after being married for some years arises from a misconception that ‘the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. ’ The tendency to be attracted to members of the opposite sex has no age limits. Such restlessness can occur anytime during the marriage, even for women. Boredom is the usual cause, whereas disappointment with the partner is also a common complaint. When expectations are not fulfilled, pockets of grouses will start to develop. In any case, when there is no firm commitment to the marriage and no religious foundation, anything can happen at anytime to jeopardise it. What are the roots of discontent? Many wives say that they wish their husbands would listen to them more, be more attentive to their needs or express their feelings better. It all boils down to a case of communication which is very much lacking in most modern marriages. In the past, because of their upbringing and social conditioning women were contented to remain in the background and accept any kind of treatment at the hands of their husbands. But times have changed. Women are now much better educated, hold responsible jobs and are aware of their rights. Men must accept these realities and treat their wives as equal partners in a marriage. Women can no longer be taken for granted. For most men, marriage is a goal which they set for themselves to achieve. Having done so, they will pour their energies and ime to the other most important aspect of their lives, that is, their career or business. The expectations of women, on the other hand are totally different. They expect more love and intimacy after marriage and therefore seek to spend more time with their husbands. Bringing one’s external problems back to the home and taking it out on the spouse and children is damaging to the family’s stability and creates a stress spiral. In Asian societies, the problem of in-law interference is a common one. This is particularly so if the in-laws are able to influence the decisions of their child. A common complaint put forward by wives is that the husbands listen to their 8 parents instead of to them. The interference of the in-laws in the upbringing of the children is also a problem. The grand-parents tend to be relaxed with the children and sometimes spoil them, while the parents have to discipline them. The conflict of values between generations is often glaring in such cases. Some young couples are not happy to allow their children to have close association with their grand parents thinking they will learn the old fashioned way of life from their grand parents. In India and Sri Lanka and to a lesser extent even in Malaysia, the dowry system is one of the main obstacles to a happy union. The dowry could include the huge amounts of money, a bungalow, a luxury car, all of these or even more, depending on how affluent the parents are. And because parents want desperately to marry their daughters off, they make promises which they cannot keep and the marriages start to crumble. The dowry system has been abused. In the old days, a dowry was given to the daughter for safekeeping in case of an emergency. Unlike today, the women then were totally dependent to their husbands and the dowry was a kind of insurance in case their husbands became unable to support them. Later, the dowry was to be handed over to the in-laws for safekeeping and now it has become compulsory for the daughter-in-law’s parents to present her future in-laws with the dowry. People often think that it is a duty to get married and that marriage is a very important part of their lives. However, in order to ensure a successful marriage, a couple has to harmonise their lives by minimising whatever differences they may have between them. A couple must also learn to accept each other’s shortcomings and personal weaknesses. Even happy, well-matched couples can experience conflict, hurt, disappointment and anger. They may encounter shortcomings in areas such as showing appreciation of each other, willingness to converse and expressing emotions clearly. Do not shy away from conflict. Disagreements can lead to marital growth, not distance. Quarrels are essential for survival in a healthy marriage. But a quarrel can only be successfully terminated if both parties can forgive and forget. Be willing to work at your marriage. Do not assume that since the first 10 or 20 years were good, the next 10 or 20 years will also be good. Love needs to be fed – with shared experience, joys and sorrows. This requires time, attention, courage and understanding. One of the major causes of marital problems is suspicion and mistrust. Both husband and wife should have and show implicit trust for one another and try not to have secrets between them. Secrets create suspicion, suspicion leads to jealousy, jealousy generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation or divorce, suicide or even murder. 9 If a couple can share pain and pleasure in their day-to-day life, they can console each other and minimise their grievances. Thus, the wife or husband should not expect to experience only pleasure in their wedded lives. There will be a lot of painful, miserable episodes, burdens and misunderstandings. Discussing mutual problems with one another will give them confidence to resolve any obstacle that they will have to face. They must have the strong will-power to reduce tension and develop the confidence to live together with better understanding and tolerance. Men and women need the comfort of each other when facing problems and difficulties. The feeling of insecurity and unrest will disappear and life will be more meaningful, happy and interesting if there is someone who is willing to share the other’s burden. Marital problems prompted a cynic to say that there can be a peaceful married life if the marriage is between a blind wife and a deaf husband, for the blind wife cannot see the faults of the husband and a deaf husband cannot hear the nagging of his wife. Extracted From The Book : Human Life Problems The Full Text is on Sale and can be obtained from: Buddhist Missionary Society Buddhist Maha Vihara 123, Jalan Berhala, Brickfields 50470 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 10

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Green Turtle Essays - Sea Turtles, Reptiles Of The Philippines

Green Turtle Introduction The Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) is one of the many species of turtles that inhabits the vast oceans. The green turtle is named for the greenish color of it's fat found under its shell. It is a large, heavy reptile, usually about 0.7-1.0 m in shell length and about 90-140 kg in weight. The maximum length and weight are about 1.2 m and 375 kg respectively. (1) The green turtles upper shell is smooth and wide, the animal is brown, but when the light from the sun hits it, the green color from the fat is visible. The green turtle is found in warm, coastal waters around the world. (2) Sea turtles, in adaptation to an aquatic life, have limbs modified into flippers for efficient swimming. It feeds mainly on marine grasses. Most female sea turtles leave the water only when it is breeding season because the female needs to dig a nest on the land and deposit her eggs. But an unusual characteristic of the green turtle is that it will often emerge onto land to enjoy the sun. (2) The green turtle is classified as follows: Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chrodata Subphylum Vertebrata Class Reptilia Order Testudines Family Chelydra Genes Chelonia Species mydas (3) And (4) In this paper the classification and origin of the green turtle will be discussed further. Their diet, mating habits, offspring, senses, and their economic value will also be discussed. Classification and Origin There are four characteristics that have played a role in discussion of the relationship and classification of turtles. The characteristics include the dermal armor, the acromion process on the scapula, the astragalus-calcaneum complex, and the hooked fifth metatarsal. (1) The dermal armor (shell) is the interlocking osteoderms that are found lying above the vertebral column and the ribs. The acromion process in the turtle is an extension medioventrally on the scapula. (1) This unique characteristic allows for different muscle attachments in the turtle and accounts for the awkward positioning of the frontal limbs for walking or swimming. The astragalus-calcaneum complex has to do with the fusion of these two junctions to from a mesotarsal joint. (1) The hooked fifth metatarsal is evidence of a delay in ossification compared to the other metatarsals. It is predicted that the origin of the turtle had to have been around the around the Germanic Basin of southern China and the western United States in about the Lower Permian time, about 280 millions of years ago. (4) Evolution Throughout time the turtle has been whimsically portrayed as a slow moving creature. A unique feature to the turtle is that it exists as both a creature of the sea and a creature of the earth. The reputation that it holds as being a slow moving creature on the earth is true, but gliding in the water is another story. The marine green turtle (Chelonia mydas) has been known to swim three hundred miles in ten days. (3) The green turtles are found distributed throughout the world's oceans. There are found in the eastern and western hemispheres and on beaches throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. (5) The Pacific Green turtle and the Atlantic Green sea turtle are of the same species, they have basically the same length and weight. Since these two are over 3,000 miles away from each other combined with the centuries of separation, evolution has left the two of them with slightly different internal structures. Not only is their coloring a little bit different but also the Pacific green turtle's limbs are much longer. (5) Diet When food is available, the turtle will eat, but characteristic to all reptiles, the turtle can survive long fasts, they can live on weekly or monthly feedings. Their water is stored in cloacal bladders, which allow them to survive long droughts. (3) The Green Turtle like most turtles, prefers a varied diet. They usually enjoy small invertebrates such as worms, snails, slugs, insects, thin-shelled bivalves and crayfishes and other crustaceans. (3) Many sea turtles love to eat jellyfish. Plastic bags are therefore very hazardous because they look similar to jellyfish, especially since the bags tend to float near the surface. (6) The larger aquatic turtles occasionally catch fish and sometimes birds or small mammals. Marine grasses and plants are also eaten but the fibrous parts are avoided,

Monday, November 25, 2019

The financial statements in assessing a company’s performance and prospects. The WritePass Journal

The financial statements in assessing a company’s performance and prospects. Introduction     Ã‚  Ã‚   The financial statements in assessing a company’s performance and prospects. Introduction     Ã‚  Ã‚   Main Problems involved in revenue recognition:The views taken by the two boardsReasoned CritiqueConclusionRelated Introduction     Ã‚  Ã‚   Revenue is a key element to the users of the financial statements, in assessing a company’s performance and prospects. However, revenue-recognition standards in U.S GAAP differ from those in IFRS, and both sets of requirements are considered to be in need of improvement. In June 2002 the FASB and the IASB started a joint project to clarify those principles and to create common revenue-recognition standards that companies can apply across various industries and transactions. It aims to remove inconsistencies and weaknesses in existing revenue-recognition standards and practices and to provide a more robust framework for addressing revenue recognition issues. In this report we are going to analyze the main problems that are involved in the revenue-recognition, the views that have been taken into concern by the two boards and assess the appropriateness of the project and their thinking. Main Problems involved in revenue recognition: Problems arise in both US.GAAP and IFRS. As far as it concerns the US.GAAP, many standards exists that define an earnings process inconsistently. At this case the concept of an earning process might not be precisely defined and people often disagree on how it applies to particular situations. Take into consideration a cable television provider. Does its earnings process involve only the provision of a cable signal to the customer over the subscription period or is the service of connecting the customer to the cable network an additional earnings process? According to the Statement No. 52 of FASB,΄΄Financial Reporting by Cable Television Companies΄΄, ‘an entity accounts for connection services as a separate earnings process and recognizes revenue for them when rendered (but only in an amount equal to direct costs).’ The fact that entities apply the earning process differently to economically similar transactions makes the usefulness of the approach questionable. There are also some gaps in guidance and conflicts with asset and liability definitions. There is not for example a general standard on recognizing revenue for services. More guidance is needed because the earnings approach sometimes leads to misinterpretation of an entity’s contractual rights and responsibilities in financial statements. Such approach accounts for revenue with little consideration of how assets and liabilities arise and change over the life of a contract. As with the US.GAAP, revenue-recognition standards in IFRS could lead to misinterpretation of the financial statements since the recognized amounts might not represent the economic reality. This due to the fact that revenue-recognition of a sale, depends mostly on when the risks and rewards of ownership of the goods are transferred to a customer. This could lead a firm to recognize a good as inventory even after the customer has obtained control over it. This is inconsistent with the IASB definition of an asset which depends on the control of the good and not on the risk and the rewards of owning the good. IFRS also lack guidance in transactions that involve the delivery of more than one good or service,that is a multiple element arrangement. IAS 18 does not state clearly how or when a firm entity should segment a single transaction into components. Guidance is also needed on the measurement of the elements of such arrangements. As no particular measurement target exists, entities apply various approaches to comparable transactions, that lessens the comparability of revenues across entities. This comparability is also being reduced by the non-existence of a clear distinction between goods and services. There is also inconsistency between IAS 11 and IAS 18. Between those two there is not a clear and straightforward principle to apply in changing and complex transactions. The IAS 11 principle states that an economic entity should recognize revenue as the activities required to complete a contract that takes place. The IAS 18 on the contrary, states that revenue should be recognised only when an entity transfers control and the risks and the rewards of ownership of the goods to the customer. The views taken by the two boards Both IASB and FASB are pursuing an approach that focuses on changes in assets and liabilities rather than concept of realization and earned. The approach was chosen because the realization earned approach involves recognising late debits and overdue credits that do not meet the definitions of assets and liabilities. Through this approach revenue-recognition would result from changes in assets and liabilities rather than from satisfaction of the realization and earned criteria. The basic principle of the new proposed model is that an entity should recognise revenue when it transfers goods or services to a customer in the amount of consideration that the entity expects to receive from the customer. There have been suggested five key-proposals for this model. The first is concerned with identifying the contracts with the customer. A company could combine two or more contracts together if the prices of those contracts are interdependent. Equally, a company could account a single contract as two or more contracts if some goods or services are priced independently of other goods or services. The second is how to identify the separate performance obligations. A contract is all about promises to provide goods or services to a customer. Such promises are called â€Å"performance obligations†. An entity would account for a performance obligation separately only if the promised good or service is distinct. A good or service is distinct if it is sold separately or if it could be sold separately because it has a distinct function and profit margin. The third one is how to determine the transaction price. The transaction price is the amount of deliberation an entity expects to obtain from the customer in exchange for transferring goods or services. This price would reflect the company’s probability weighted estimate of variable consideration in addition to the effects of the customer’s credit risk and the time value of money. The fourth one is how to allocate this price. A company would allocate the transaction price to all separate performance obligations in proportion to the standalone selling price of the good or service underlying each performance obligation. The last one is how to recognize revenue when a performance obligation is satisfied. An entity should recognize revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring the promised good or service to the customer, which is when the customer obtains control of the promised good or service. The amount of revenue recognized is the amount allocated to that performance obligation in the transaction price allocation step. Reasoned Critique Many entities criticized the proposed model, but we will take into account the views of ’’Big 4’’. PriceWaterhouseCoopers agree with the board’s objective to define certain principles for revenue recognition that would provide clearer and more consistent guidance. There are however some concepts of the proposed model that according to their opinion, are ambiguous.   According to them, ’’the boards should consider a more practical approach in areas such as: (1)identification and separation of distinct performance obligations; (2)measurement and presentation of the impact of credit risk on revenue;(3)the impact of the time value of money on revenue recognition; and (4)accounting for warranties.’’   The changes in those areas should benefit the adopting entities at a greater level in comparison with the incremental processes, systems and other costs that may occur. KPMG believes that it’s a critical that the new standard provide a framework capable of addressing the broad range of current and emerging revenue recognition issues.   Despite the substantial changes in all areas, there are still some that lack revision or need further development. According to KPMG those areas are ‘’the concept and indicators of transfer of control, identification of distinct performance obligations, determination of the transaction price for transactions with variable consideration, consideration of collectability in the determination of the transaction price, recognition of onerous performance obligations, and identification of constructive performance obligations.’’ The boards should test the proposed model effectiveness to assess where it’s capable of being applied to various types of transactions. Ernst Young strongly believe that the five-step model will help entities to apply those principles. They are concerned however, about the application of the proposed model and the consequences of it. The organization notes: ‘’A new standard on revenue will impact all entities and the consequences of some aspects of the model are only the beginning to become apparent. It needs to be given further consideration to the potential effects of the proposed model, including the subsequent accounting for transactions and that constituents need more time to consider the proposals and comment further on them.’’ Finally Deloitte follows a more negative attitude towards the whole project. The organization disagrees with certain aspects of the Exposure Drafts proposals and they are more skeptical with the proposed model. The organization notes: ‘’ Our main concern with the ED is that the material in relation to ‘control’ is neither well developed nor clearly explained-we believe that the ED’s proposals on how the transaction price should be allocated between performance obligations and on how to account for contract modifications that are judged interdependent, should be modified.’’ The proposed model seems to be rather controversial. The clarity and the effectiveness of certain concepts seem to be questioned. A reasonable reaction, in my opinion, since many entities and accounting firms would be hesitant in the beginning. The same applies and for both IASB and FASB.   A concept project of such scale as the revenue recognition joint-project, will have major difficulties in its conceptual framework. As long as, it stays in theory and is not tested under real circumstances, it will always have those who opposed to it. It needs to be field tested to ensure that is capable of being applied normally. There are many aspects that need to be revised and change. The Boards should take into account the results of the application of the proposed model and seek ways in which the adaption and transition would be smoother and better. Conclusion There are some serious implications in the revenue recognition process. For that reason, the two Boards proposed some views to help in eliminating those problems. Those views have been criticized by the world as for their strengths and weaknesses and the effectiveness of the proposed model has been questioned. Nonetheless, FASB-IASB joint revenue recognition project is a significant effort, which is crucial for the future accounting standards. As Sir David Tweedie, chairman of the IASB,said: ‘The proposal by the two boards is the result of our intensified joint efforts. It is an important step towards a single global principle-based standard that would make it absolutely clear when revenue is recognized and why,’’.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sysco Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sysco Case - Assignment Example se of business information systems is to predict certain patterns or trends that might otherwise escape the attention of management because of the difficulty of assessing such a big amount of raw data. This is where business information systems can provide their utility. The new term to designate this specific type of computer software is business analytics that is taking the world of business by storm. This new very potent tool has been called as the science of winning (Davenport & Harris, 3). Analytics has been used for a variety of ways to enhance a distinctive capability usually overlooked before due to the sheer mass of data and the difficulty of making sense out of it without the help of sophisticated quantitative analysis. In general, analytics (the newer term) goes a step further than old business information systems (BI) by producing quality data-driven insights that can be used by astute management in producing impressive performance not otherwise attainable before. The amazing power of analytics can be leveraged in a number of ways limited only by the imagination of the owner. Among these possibilities are identifying the most profitable customer segments and how to serve them best, introduce new products, improve the service or offer a better price. SYSCO was founded in Houston, Texas back in 1969 and today is the largest US food distributor. Its main customers are institutional clients such as hotels, restaurant chains, health care-related institutions, educational facilities and lodging establishments. As a measure of its size, company has 420,000 customers, 8,000 marketing associates and some 9,000 delivery associates. Overall, SYSCO has 45,000 employees as of December 2002. In a way, SYSCO is just sort of like any distributor that needs to manage its supplier relationships in a meaningful and tight way that ensures prompt deliveries at less cost. Due to its expertise and efficiency, it can unload a billion cases of product per year without major

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Management of External Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management of External Resources - Essay Example tcomes of the poor relationship management with the subcontractors. The outcome of such poor relationships and communication with the suppliers and subcontractors is that they start looking to take advantage for their business rather than for the project they have been chosen to work on, so in order to ensure that the suppliers and subcontractors are working for the benefit of the company or project the relationship and communication should be emphasized more. The relationships with the suppliers and subcontractors can be improved by working jointly for one goal, it is the managements job to ensure that the supplier or subcontractor is working for maintaining a long term relationship with the company or is very much devoted to the project that is undergoing, the changing attitude of the supplier is a hint that he wants to either end the relationship or is willing to get some more benefits from the company, in such circumstances it is the job of the management to ask the supplier about the problems they are facing, a very good idea about maintaining a very good relationship with the suppliers that is commonly seen in the successful companies is that the managers of those companies know every thing about the suppliers, they know their backgrounds, their history of working and even the names of their children, this is a very good technique to maintain healthy relationships with the supplier, as the supplier would now pay attention to the particular company and would take interest in its operations as they would see that the company is also taking interest in their personal life. In modern times it is so commonly found that the companies are paying bonuses to the suppliers and else they are providing them with complimentary gifts such as air tickets for spending the holidays outside the country and also many other rewards are given to them to ensure that they all are working for the benefit of the company, one can say that it is not a relationship of love but it is a relationship of need, both of them are dependent on each other. It is also seen that there are many companies that are having problems in making payments to the suppliers, they usually cause a lot of bad debts in the suppliers or subcontractors accounts, as a result supplier either stops supplying the raw material or subcontractor stops working on the project or the supplier brings in the name of the company in bad customers list. To avoid this happening the company has few choices, again it is the management's job to clear all the billings of the supplier and secondly if the company has

Monday, November 18, 2019

Barbara Kruger Contemporary Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Barbara Kruger Contemporary Art - Essay Example The essay "Barbara Kruger Contemporary Art" talks about the Contemporary Art of Barbara Kruger. For instance, in Your Body is a Battleground, Kruger chooses a common font style, which is strongly emphasized against a somewhat monochromatic photo of an attractive woman. However, in this particular work, the woman depicted in the photo is split down the middle, with the left side of her face exhibiting a rosy-colored, somewhat positive expression. The right side of the subject's face is shaded, in a somewhat obscured light, with the artist using a variety of antiquing processes to add further emphasis to the message Kruger is attempting to relay. Further, it is important to identify what specific message is attempting to be sent in this poster image titled Your Body is a Battleground. It is vital to realize that during the latter portion of the 1980's, civil unrest and global demands for independence were being heard around the world. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to radical changes in feminism and women's rights, it is no wonder why Kruger chose to blend contemporary imagery and the written word (usually using red as the font color of choice) to exhibit the pain, suffering, joy, and outright complexity of being a woman in modern times. Having offered this, some individuals viewing Kruger's artwork may consider her attempts at expressing feminism as being somewhat outlandish due to its simplicity. However, using simple materials, such as photography, words, and collage-inspired designs.

Friday, November 15, 2019

American Expeditionary Forces in World War I

American Expeditionary Forces in World War I A. Plan of Investigation This investigation assesses the significance of the American Expeditionary Forces to the United States victory in World War I. In order to asses this, the role of the American Expeditionary Forces is investigated during major battles of World War I. The success or failure of the American Expeditionary Forces at each battle is determined and evaluated for significance. Two of the sources used in this paper, I. The World War., and Americans as Warriors: Doughboys in Battle during the First World War. are evaluated for origin, purpose, value and limitation. This investigation does not assess the significance of other American Forces (U.S. Army Air Service and United States Navy) to the United States victory in World War I. B. Summary of Evidence The first American battle of World War I was the Battle of Cantigny, fought from May 27th, 1918 to May 31st, 1918. During this battle the 1st Division of the American Expeditionary Forces and French Army attacked the German held French village of Cantigny. Cantigny was taken by the American Expeditionary Forces and French Army on May 28th, 1918, marking the first successful battle of World War I for the American Expeditionary Forces. [1] Piper, Gayln Battle of Cantigny First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/battle_of_cantigny/default.aspx. [2] I. The World War. Political Science Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 3, 1918, pp. 1-27., www.jstor.org/stable/2141489. Pg. 22 Following the Battle of Cantigny, the Battle of Saint-Mihiel was fought from September 12th, 1918 to September 15th, 1918. After proving their combat ability at the Battle of Cantigny, the American Expeditionary Forces planned to overrun German held Saint-Mihiel with overwhelming force.   Under the American onslaught, German defenders gave way, preferring to give up ground and retreat in good order rather than fight. The German retreat marked another success for the American Expeditionary Forces. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the final Allied offensive of World War I. The battle was fought on the entire Western Front, lasting from September 26th, 1918 to November 11th, 1918. This battle marks the crowning achievement of the American Expeditionary Forces, after 47 days of fighting the German Empires armistice ended the battle. The American Expeditionary Forces won the war. C. Evaluation of Sources I. The World War published by Political Science Quarterly in 1918 is a record of political events from August 1, 1917 to July 31, 1918. This journal was written with the purpose to act as a factual news source, pulling information from newspapers, letters and interviews. [3] Manning, Mary St. Mihiel: A Push Forward First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/st_mihiel/default.aspx. [4] Manning, Mary St. Mihiel: A Push Forward First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/st_mihiel/default.aspx. [5] Keene, Jennifer D. Americans as Warriors: Doughboys in Battle during the First World War. OAH Magazine of History, vol. 17, no. 1, 2002, pp. 15-18., www.jstor.org/stable/25163558. Pg. 1 [6] I. The World War. Political Science Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 3, 1918, pp. 1-27., www.jstor.org/stable/2141489. Pg. 1 The journals value is that it provides unbiased information for the reader to consume, however the journal is limited because many war statistics were withheld from the public during World War I. Americans as Warriors: Doughboys in Battle during the First World War published by the Oxford University Press in 2002 is an article evaluating several key battles in the final year of   the war, including Cantigny, Belleau Wood, Chà ¢teau-Thierry, Soissons, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne. The article was written with the purpose of providing the reader information about the American Expeditionary Forces and their involvement in World War I battles. The articles value is that it provides an evaluation of major World War I events, however the article is limited because the evaluations are only from an American perspective. D. Analysis It is clear that the American Expeditionary Forces were critical to the success of the United States in World War I. Beginning with their first offense at the Battle of Cantigny the American Expeditionary Forces proved to be a powerful, well trained force. Cantigny made a profound statement to Germans and Allies, setting the stage for Allied success in the war. The Battle of Saint-Mihiel again proved the strength of the American Expeditionary Forces. The battle was won with only 7,000 American casualties, a very small loss [7] Keene, Jennifer D. Americans as Warriors: Doughboys in Battle during the First World War. OAH Magazine of History, vol. 17, no. 1, 2002, pp. 15-18., www.jstor.org/stable/25163558. Pg. 1 [8] Piper, Gayln Battle of Cantigny First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/battle_of_cantigny/default.aspx. [9] Manning, Mary St. Mihiel: A Push Forward First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/st_mihiel/default.aspx. by World War I standards.The battle provided an opportunity for the newly organized American units to work and fight together as an American army, gaining valuable experience they would need for the coming Meuse-Argonne offensive. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the most important battle fought by the American Expeditionary Forces, proving that they were the single most import force to the United States victory during World War I.   Nearly 1.2 million soldiers participated in the battlewithout a force of this size the Allies may have lost the battle and never gained German Armistice. The the American Expeditionary Forces is greatly responsible for the success of the Allies and the United States in World War I. E. Conclusion The American Expeditionary Forces were the most significant attribute to the United States victory in World War I. The American Military Forces were essential to the success of the Allies in many key battles of World War I, without the American Expeditionary Forces a German armistice may have never occurred. The American Military Forces were so significant to the United States victory in World War I, that they have become a symbol of patriotism and stability in America, paving the road for American success in future wars. [10] Manning, Mary St. Mihiel: A Push Forward First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/st_mihiel/default.aspx. [11] Keene, Jennifer D. Americans as Warriors: Doughboys in Battle during the First World War. OAH Magazine of History, vol. 17, no. 1, 2002, pp. 15-18., www.jstor.org/stable/25163558. Pg. 1 [12] Wingate, Jennifer. Over the Top: The Doughboy in World War I Memorials and Visual Culture. American Art, vol. 19, no. 2, 2005, pp. 26-47., www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/444480.   Pg. 28 F. Bibliography Primary Sources: I. The World War. Political Science Quarterly, vol. 33, no. 3, 1918, pp. 1-27., www.jstor.org/stable/2141489. Front Matter. Political Science Quarterly, vol. 34, no. 3, 1919, pp. i-iv., www.jstor.org/stable/2141668. Secondary Sources: Keene, Jennifer D. Americans as Warriors: Doughboys in Battle during the First World War. OAH Magazine of History, vol. 17, no. 1, 2002, pp. 15-18., www.jstor.org/stable/25163558. Manning, Mary St. Mihiel: A Push Forward First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/st_mihiel/default.aspx. Piper, Gayln Battle of Cantigny First Division Museum at Cantigny. Web. Mar. 2016. http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/online/toward_the_front/battle_of_cantigny/default.aspx. Wingate, Jennifer. Over the Top: The Doughboy in World War I Memorials and Visual Culture. American Art, vol. 19, no. 2, 2005, pp. 26-47., www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/444480.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Anxiety Disorder Essay -- Diseases, Disorders

It is perfectly normal for any human being often to be nervous before making an important decision or before taking a test. But in some cases, the nervousness is extreme leading to a condition known as Anxiety Disorder. This is a serious and un-preventable mental condition where by worry and fear is constantly overwhelming. It affects people from all age groups starting in childhood. The most common symptoms of anxiety disorders includes: dizziness, dry mouth, shortening of breaths, nightmares, sleeping problem, not able to concentrate or stay calm, panic, fear and uneasiness amongst others. Anxiety disorder can reach to a point of the patient not being able to lead a normal life (Chakraburtty, 2009). The symptoms can be lessened by the patient seeking help from a professional counselor in case they detect the slightest hint of the symptoms or after a traumatizing experience. People should also observe the quantities of coffee, tea, and chocolate they consume for these substances contains caffeine which is a known anxiety stimulant. Also, people should take caution and only consume medicines proscribed by a qualified medical doctor. This is because majority of medicines and herbal solutions bought over the counter contains chemicals known to cause the anxiety symptoms. The main cause of anxiety disorder is not certain, but continued mental research has shown that the disorders are caused by an array of factors. A chemical imbalance is among the probable causes of anxiety disorder. Research has also proved that the brain’s chemical balance can be affected by prolonged stress. The disorder also runs in families where by siblings inherit it from parents. However, some forms of the anxiety disorder may be triggered by trauma. T... ...es people changing on what they eat and drink from food that might provoke anxiety to more healthy food. It also involves leaving bad lifestyle practices like excessive alcohol consumption and instead the need to lead a more responsible lifestyle. Group therapy: This involves patients suffering from anxiety disorder coming together and sharing experience on how to overcome various challenges that comes with the condition for the benefit of each of them. They give each other hope and advice on how to handle different situations in the future (Prentice-hall, 1995-2002). Works Cited Chakraburty Amal (2009), Anxiety disorders. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-anxiety-disorders Prentice-hall, (1995-2002), Therapies objectives. Retrieved from: http://cwx.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/morris5/chapter14/deluxe.html

Monday, November 11, 2019

Marketing and Nike Essay

Q. N. 1: What have been the key success factors for Nike? Ans. The key success factors for Nike are their exciting marketing strategy, product innovation and staying to the mission which is â€Å"To bring, inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.† These are as follows: * Nike established a strong brand name through designing innovative footwear for serious athletes. * Nike’s management has found most significant celebrity support: the right collaboration between celebrity and product. * Nike stayed focused on being an authentic sports and fitness company serving the athlete and sports minded people. * Nike’s campaign even featured an 80 year old long distance runner with the slogan â€Å"Just Do It† that placed the emphasis on self-empowerment through sports and fitness for all ages. * Making corrections and change of the American style ads in Europe also a key factor for success. Q. N. 2: Where is the Nike vulnerable? What should they watch out for? Ans. Vulnerable points of Nike as well as its solution are as below: * There is one fact, when using celebrity endorsements Nike advertisers need to keep in mind that is to never let the celebrity become your brand. If so, the company will run the risk of killing the brand as soon as celebrity becomes faded. * Selecting a spokesperson whose characteristics are congruent with the brand image. * Nike deals with only one product line that it footwear. In this circumstance, it should watch out for diversification of the products to increase the maker share. Q. N. 3: What recommendations would you make to their senior marketing executives going forward? Ans. For going forward senior marketing executives of Nike can follow the recommendations as below: * Find the right collaboration between celebrity and product. * Promote prospective display that is going global and evaluate current position rate. * Watch out for diversification of product line. * Collecting feedback from customers about the products quality * Customize the advertisement for the customer of different culture in different region. Q. N. 4: What should they be sure to do with their marketing? Ans. They be sure to manage their marketing system in a proper way that it is satisfying the customer needs and wants keeping pace with the time. They can give importance to the following topics: * Be sure that your product performance quality is ok as you advertise. * Ensure innovation on designing the product. * Collect ideas from customers to improve the product * Make aware the customer about the continuous improvement * Establish Customer Relationship Management.

Friday, November 8, 2019

DNA Technology and its Application to Disease Essay Example

DNA Technology and its Application to Disease Essay Example DNA Technology and its Application to Disease Essay DNA Technology and its Application to Disease Essay Name: Course: Lecturer: Date: DNA Technology and its Application to Disease DNA technology has noted significant progression since 1990 and has become an essential diagnostic measure within medical laboratories. First, it is utilized during the detection of diseases through replication of DNA strands associated with a given ailment. The clones are then employed in tracing the presence of ailments or faulty DNA structuring that also contributes to various ailments. This has been highly employed in the analysis of AIDS especially within developing and underdeveloped nations and thereby underlining the technology’s significance. Secondly, recombinant DNA is utilized in gene therapy where DNA replicas are created to replace defective ones (Solomon, Linda and Diana 282). DNA extracted from bone marrow acts as the best form of recombinant DNA due to high replication levels. This approach has been helpful in overcoming genetic disorders like klinefelters syndrome that is being noted in at least one in every five hundred males. With the given ailment occurre nce, DNA technology is highly demanded. The third application in DNA technology is noted in forensic work, as it is very useful in crime scenes for analysis purposes. Criminal patterns have progressed with many incidents noted as being impeccably performed and thus DNA technology becomes helpful. Fourth, DNA modification is highly useful in cultivation practices especially in the creation of resistant crops. With global warming and the enhancement of desertification in various regions, the technology has aided with the creation of crops that endure adverse weather patterns (Solomon, Linda and Diana 285). DNA technology has demonstrated its usefulness and effectuality as identified within the presented areas and therefore as more investigations are accorded for technological progression, the technique will be highly used in the future. Additionally, cost elements within the subsequent years, say three to five years, will be lower thereby creating an opportunity for enhanced usage. DNA technology has been intensively employed within the criminology field. Law enforcers have incorporated DNA knowledge with computerized systems in the creation of the Combined DNA index system, mainly referred to as CODIS that allows storage of DNA materials from individuals such that when a search is created, identification is achieved through the likening mode (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2011). With increased crime instances, DNA testing through the CODIS has created a restraint with the system being overwhelmed by the workload. Therefore, the government cites a prospective need for the program’s expansion in a bid to effectually deal with the program’s demand. Presently, due to the change in weather patterns, the agricultural technology remains the most appropriate DNA technology from a subjective standpoint. As rainfall becomes more inadequate in various regions due to global warming, DNA technology is useful as it supports the creation of enhanced crops in terms of temperature resistance and minimal water utilization. Presently, African nations notably Kenya, Ethiopia and Somali have noted famine patterns necessitating food supplements from other regions (Mitchell, 2011). The Sub-Saharan regions and other arid sections of the world bear increased likelihood of such food deficiency. In fact, investigators have ascertained that the Sahara progresses towards the south by about ten kilometers per year. Within the US, the southwest region evidences the same tendency and climatologists have noted that within the future periods aridity will be amplified. Therefore, in anticipation of such situations DNA technology should be employed in creating favorable crops as a means of food safeguard (Solomon, Linda and Diana 285). Following this interest, I would like to study agricultural modifications on crops and employ the knowledge in assessing whether such plants hold long-term health impacts on the human populace. This is because the scientific community has been able to ascertain that DNA modified crops pos e no health challenges to individuals within the short-term yet the same cannot be said authoritatively in regard to long-term effects. Federal Bureau of Investigation. â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the CODIS Program and the National DNA Index System.† 2011. Web. 10 Aug. 2011. . Mitchell, Andrew. â€Å"Africa drought: World ‘must do more’†. BBC News UK 3 Aug. 2011. Web. 10 Aug. 2011. . Solomon, Eldra, Linda Berg and Diana Martin. Biology. Belmont: Cengage Learning, 2004. Print.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

ESL Beginner Reading Comprehension

ESL Beginner Reading Comprehension This dialogue involves an interview in which a customer speaks about what brands she likes the best. When comparing two brands use the comparative form, but when speaking about many brands use the superlative form to discuss which brand is best or worst. Teachers can use this lesson on the comparative and superlative forms to help practice the form. Practice using this dialogue and then have your own discussions about which types of products you like best. An Interview at the Shopping Mall Interviewer: Good evening, I hope you dont mind answering a few questions. Alice: How long will it take? Interviewer: Just a few questions.​ Alice: I guess I can manage to answer a few questions. Go ahead. Interviewer: Id like to ask your opinion about consumer electronics. As far as consumer electronics is concerned, which is the most reliable brand? Alice: Id say that Samsung is the most reliable brand. Interviewer: Which brand is the most expensive? Alice: Well, Samsung is also the most expensive brand. I guess thats why its the best. Interviewer: Which brand do you think is the worst? Alice: I think LG is the worst. I really cant remember using any of their products that I liked. Interviewer: And which brand is the most popular with young people? Alice: Thats a difficult one to answer for me. I think that Sony is probably the most popular with young people. Interviewer: One last question, Have you tried using any HP products? Alice: No, I havent. Are they good? Interviewer: I enjoy using them. But I didnt stop you to tell you what I think. Thank you for your time. Alice: Not at all. More Dialogue Practice - Includes level and target structures/language functions for each dialogue.