The US Government Role in the Declining Quality of Education

Spelling and Sound Challenges to Spanish L2 Learners of English

Spelling and Sound Challenges to Spanish L2 Learners of English Abstract Learning a second language is usually a difficult task for most people. This is because; each language has its own conventions, which are not necessarily similar to those of the second language one is trying to acquire. For native Spanish speakers trying to learn English as a second language, numerous challenges may be present.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Spelling and Sound Challenges to Spanish L2 Learners of English specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the literature review, spelling and sound system in the English language shall be addressed as the most common challenge encountered by Spanish learners of English as a second language. Problems arising from spelling and sound could be related to difficulties in pronunciation of words, learning of English vocabulary, grammar and spelling of words. Pronunciation of English words for native Spanish speakers may be a problem because of some words which star t with a certain sound for example ‘s’, being pronounced in a different way in the Spanish language. Because it is very natural for a learner to replicate the conventions of their language into the second language they are learning, it may be difficult for them to understand the pronunciation. Again, learning of vocabulary may be difficult because of words present in both languages which appear to have the same spelling but different meaning. The grammar and the spelling of words follow different conventions in the English language. In the methodologies section, selection of participants, data collection methods and procedure used will be addressed. The results of this report shall then be analyzed and thereafter, a discussion and conclusion shall follow. Introduction Those who speak Spanish as their first language have some advantages when learning English as a second language. One of the advantages is that, native Spanish speakers learn English vocabulary faster becau se of the numerous similarities that exist among words in the two languages. Nevertheless, there are some specific difficulties that native Spanish speakers encounter while learning English as a second language. Some of these problems are found in the area of spelling and sound while learning English. Most of the learners will encounter problems in these two areas because of the disparities that exist between the Spanish and the English language in spelling and sound pattern of words.Advertising Looking for report on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Literature Review Pronunciation Difficulties According to Farnen (2010), native Spanish learning English as a second language experience difficulties in learning English pronunciations. This is because, the there are numerous differences that exists in the pronunciation of words in the languages. The English language comprises of twelve vowels. There are also eight diphthongs. On the other hand, the Spanish language has only five vowels and five diphthongs. Due this background, whereby one is familiar with only five diphthongs and vowels, it becomes hard for such a person to learn English, which has numerous vowels and diphthongs. One challenge that native Spanish speakers encounter in the area of pronunciation is distinguishing between words in English that have similar pronunciation but different spelling, especially because of the vowels or diphthongs used. For exampled, the words ‘beat’ and ‘bit’ word be very challenging for a Spanish speaker to distinguish. Moreover, Farnen (2010) states that confusion of consonants may arise. Some English consonants such as ‘S’ may be confused for ‘Z’. Consequently, the English word ‘Sue’ may end up being pronounced as ‘Zoo’. Again, confusion between the consonants ‘b’ and ‘v’ is very common. The other sound that is very problematic to native Spanish speakers learning English as a second language is pronunciation of the initial sound ‘s’ in English words such as ‘solar’. This is mainly because in the Spanish language, the initial ‘S’ sound in the beginning of words is always preceded by an ‘e’ sound. The word ‘solar’ in English would end up being pronounced as ‘esolar’ by native Spanish speakers learning English. The initial ‘S’ sound in word’s beginnings will always give them problems. According to Farnen (2010), there is also a variation in the rhythm of syllables in words. This is because, in the Spanish language, all syllables have an equal length. However, in English, there are accented syllables, which are given more duration compared to the other syllables. This fact can be very difficult to understand for the native Spanish speakers who use an even rhythm in speaking En glish.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Spelling and Sound Challenges to Spanish L2 Learners of English specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Difficulty in learning vocabulary Skehan (1991) observes that there are many words in both English and Spanish languages that are similar. This similarity in a vast number of vocabulary works both for and against a person learning English as a second language. Some words that appear in both the English the Spanish language may confuse the learner, because they are not the same in their meaning. Examples of some of those words that may appear to be the same but in actual sense are not include the English ‘exit’ and Spanish ‘exito’. What is more is that some Germanic components which exist in the English language may present the Spanish learner with a lot of difficulties in mastering the language. An example of the Germanic component found in the English lan guage is the phrasal verb ‘look for’. Germanic derived components found in the English language are more difficult for the Spanish speaker to merge than French derived components. Difficulties in Grammar Learning English grammar for native speakers is one of the most difficult tasks. This is because of the confusion that always arises during learning. Particularly, there is a problem with relating the verb endings in Spanish with those in English. According to Hinkel (2011), verbs in the Spanish language have more verb endings compared to verbs in the English language, which poses a challenge to the Spanish learners in understanding the English verbs. In the English language, a meaningful and complete sentence always comprises of a subject, verb and an object. However, a complete sentence in the Spanish language does not always need a subject to be complete. Consequently, Spanish learners of English as a second language end up omitting the subject or subject pronouns in English sentences when writing or speaking. They are affected by the Spanish word order, which they tend to replicate in their English sentences, instead of the conventional subject-verb-object sentence structure required in an English sentence. Swan Smith (2001) note that: another problem arises when they are required to form negatives as well as questions using the helping verb ‘do’. This is mainly because in the Spanish language, the use of the helping verb ‘do’ is not necessary in order to form questions and negatives.Advertising Looking for report on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Third person singular possessive adjectives, which require the use of the correct gender in order for the sentence to be correct, are a major challenge to Spanish learners of English. This is because in the English language, there is differentiation of the genders in the third person singular possessive adjective, while in Spanish, this is not the case. There is only one third person singular possessive adjective that can be used for the English her, his and its. Difficulties in spelling and punctuation According to Shatz and Wilkinson (2010), native Spanish speakers experience a lot of problems in spelling English words correctly. This is because the native Spanish speakers have knowledge of Spanish, which is a language with more system as compared to the English language. Words in the English language which have the same sound can be spelt differently but in Spanish, the same sound is always spelt in the same way in all words. For example, the English sound /f/ can be spelt differ ently, for example, /gh/ as in ‘cough’, and /f/ as in ‘floor’. However, in the Spanish language, such a sound would only have a single spelling. This makes it difficult for the native speakers to understand how the same sound can be spelt differently in English words. The many vowels and diphthongs present in the English language pose a major challenge to the Spanish learners. The use of punctuation marks in sentences and in words is also confusing for native Spanish speakers. Difficulties in knowing where to put exclamation marks or question marks result to incorrect sentences. The Spanish learners have a tendency to put these punctuation marks at the wrong places for example at the beginning or at the end of sentences. This happens mostly in writing. The native Spanish speakers have also a problem in connecting sentences meaningfully. This is because they tend to use commas to link independent clauses in sentences, which results to wrong sentence structur es. Methodology Participants Twenty participants were selected randomly. The participants were chosen from Spanish native speakers who were learning English as a second language. Materials The content from books which handle the topic of difficulties encountered while learning English as a second language were used. Particularly, the area of spelling and sound challenges for native Spanish people learning English as a second language was the main focus. Procedure Various data collection methods were used. One of these methods was the use of interviews. In this case, the participants were individually interviewed in order to assess their understanding on the spelling and sound challenges they encountered while learning English. The participants were told to give their personal challenges that they encountered while learning spelling and sounds in English. The sessions lasted for an average of twenty minutes each. Group interviews were also conducted, whereby the same question was ask ed. Also, the observation method was used. The participants were observed while in a natural setting. In this case, they were observed while they were learning English during the lesson. Further observations were made while they were out of the lesson and were practicing what they had learnt by trying to speak English. While conducting both the interview and the observation, the sessions were video taped. This was done to enable the researcher look at the sessions later and make a correct analysis. Results The results showed that native Spanish learners of English language experience some difficulties while learning spelling and sounds in the English language. Some of these challenges include: Difficulties in pronunciation of English words due to the sounds that exist in both the Spanish and the English language but the pronunciation are different. Difficulties for the Spanish learners to learn English vocabulary because of similarities in some words in spelling in both languages b ut their meanings are different. Disparities in grammar rules between the English and the Spanish language also pose a major challenge to Spanish learners of English language. Finally, spelling of words which have different spelling but the sound is the same in English is a problem to native Spanish people learning English. Discussion and conclusion According to Hall (1995), the spelling of words in English is dependent on two major factors namely: phonology and morphology. This means that it is possible predict the spelling of some words in English based on their pronunciation, for example the word ‘fat’. However, it is not possible apply the same in some words in English. For example, some words retain the same root when they are changed to form words in different word classes but their pronunciation change. For instance, the second ‘c’ sound in the words electric, electricity, and electrician keep on changing as the word changes to form a different word . Additionally, Spanish learners of the English language use the grammar rules of their native language to spell words in English, which end up complicating their process of learning. Grammar conventions such as when to use capital letters vary from one language to another. Spanish learners of the English language need to be taught the new rules in depth to enhance a deeper understanding of the English language. Conclusion Learning a second language is not an easy task for people who speak a single language. This is especially difficult because, the learners of a second language are conversant with the conventions of their first language and they may try to apply the same rules to the second language they are learning. This may be a disadvantage to them because it may hinder their acquisition of the English language. According to Oxford (1990), those who teach native Spanish speakers English as a second language should teach the new rules in English explicitly to ensure that there i s an in depth understanding of English as a second language. Reference List Hall, D. (1995). Assessing the Needs of Bilingual Pupils: Living in Two Languages. London: Fulton. Hinkel, E. (2011). Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning:  ESL and applied linguistics professional series. New York: Taylor Francis. Farnen, K. (2010). Common English Difficulties for ESL Spanish Students. Santa Monica: Demand Media, Inc. Oxford, R. (1990). Language Learning Strategies. Boston: Heinle Heinle Publishers. Shatz, M. and Wilkinson, L. (2010). The Education of English Language Learners:  Research to Practice Challenges in language and literacy. New York: Guilford Press. Skehan, P. (1991). Individual differences in second language learning. Studies in  Second Language Acquisition, 13, 188-221. Swan, M. Smith, B. (2001). Learner English 2nd Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

What caused a hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster Essay

What caused a hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster - Essay Example Two of the most dreadful natural disasters on earth is Hurricane and Tornado. Both are abnormal weather occurrences that humans have little or no control of. Hurricanes are experienced when warm, saturated air from the surface of the ocean is heated and rises due to its reduced weight. The warm air is then condensed by cold air above and form rain, but as warmer air rises, more condensation takes place. This creates a very powerful and rigid wind pattern. The strong wind forces water to the earth’s surface at a high speed from a single point to another (Langley 33). A tornado is a spinning air, which is destructive and is usually in contact with earth surface and a cumulonimbus cloud developing from heavy rain and high speeding winds of different pressures. Hurricanes and tornadoes can be said to the most destructive, powerful, and awful natural disasters to mankind. For example, hurricane Katrina killed about 1,800 people and destroyed property of over $100 billion in the sta tes of Mississippi and Louisiana (Langley 35). Earthquakes are among the natural disasters experienced by man. An earthquake occurs when the tectonic plates of the earths crust move away from or towards each other. This movement of the plate causes them to collide, resulting in pressure, which in turn releases energy. When the pressure is high, it is impacted on the adjacent plates which end up shaking the earth (Langley 7-12). According to Langley (16-17), there are other natural causes of earthquakes, such as volcanic activities and landslides. Human activities such as mining, which involves crashing hard rocks, using powerful nuclear bombs can also trigger earthquakes. Flooding is another disaster that is controlled by forces of nature. Floods occur when a river or a lake bursts its banks causing water to spread in dry surfaces that are not normally occupied by water. Heavy, prolonged rains and the fast melting of ice are the main causes of floods. Lack of vegetation cover speed up

Feasibility Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Feasibility Report - Essay Example This trend is supported by the increasing demand of the tablets from the emerging markets around the world. In the study, many people revealed their preference to tablets to be based on its user-friendly nature, classiness and convenience. According to Richard Shim, an analyst and a member of the team who conducted the research, consumers continuously shift towards mobile computing against the traditional notebook, a trend that has picked up well in mature markets around the world. For example, tablet PCs are expected to grow by annual average of 28% in the next 5 years within the mature markets of United States, Japan, and West Europe. The challenge for HP is to ensure it manufacture tablets that are sleek and trendy, which will resonate with the increasingly trendy consumer. In a market where internet business giants such as Google and Microsoft have taken by storm through their flagship tablets in the market, it is logical to note that any failure by the HP to embrace the tablet m arket will deal a big blow to its market share. The strategy is to ensure the company maintains or improve its 16% market share around the global consumption of PC usage. Problem statement: While many tablet manufacturers have concentrated their tablet market share within the established or rather mature markets, HP has not involved itself in the manufacturing of tablets despite the growing trend in the tablet PC usage around the world. Companies such as Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and Google have consolidated their market share in the tablet PC manufacturing, leaving HP still struggling with its notebook PCs. A point to note, however, is that many of these companies only focus their products towards mature markets. This trend leaves the gap in the emerging markets, which are expected to grow in equal measure in the projected year. HP can take a leap into the emerging markets, which seem to be catching up with the established markets in the tablet PC usage on a daily basis. However, this should not mean that HP needs to ignore the mature markets, which sets trends for the emerging markets. The company, however, can develop cheap but classy tablets to match the buying trends in emerging markets. A proper study, however, will be needed to ensure a pricing criteria, design and consumption trend is established. The goal of this study is to establish the consumption trend, both in the mature as well as emerging markets. Methodology: The research will largely be an internet based, and phone calls. This study will involve web searches on what customers of competitors say on online forums, design online questionnaires, as well as feedback forms for HP notebook users. This strategy will ensure that information about the established and emerging markets are defined, the customers’ behaviours, and the future business prospects of both markets. This research will include acquiring of products information, analysis of the existing brands, profiling of the users psych ology, and geographical information. Document Specification: Project description Windows 8 application has been used by different firms in enhancing both their mobile and tablet applications. This has been the case through combination with other apps to suite needs of the company. For instance, PageSuite is one of the firms that have integrated Windows 8 with other applications to suite

Impact of an all women department vs. an all male department in a Research Paper

Impact of an all women department vs. an all male department in a company - Research Paper Example According to the statistics of the women working in the business world, it has come to an observation that a big portion of the women in the modern world are at the senior level positions in the organizations from across several business industries around various portions of the world. These business sectors include financial services, pharmaceuticals, insurance companies, banking, oil, and gas, health care, telecommunications and several others. Women have not only come under recognition due to transporting expertise in various processes within the organization that entails change management, diversity management, system theory and several others but also have come under appraisal for their enduring leadership skills and teamwork effectiveness (Cleveland & Stockdale &  Murphy, 2000). While looking at the other end of the spectrum, the records and information also reveals the truth that woman in quite a few nations of the world comes under consideration as the weakest vessel that c an never be on parity with the man. Moreover, they have restricted and limited access to a variety of sectors such as political and business. Indeed, they face a number of problems in the world of commerce that incorporate lower salaries, enjoy fewer benefits, do not get sufficient trainings, and lacks in progression or expansion as compared to the men working in the same organization. In addition, women are significantly prone to issues of unemployment and being a victim of harassment both physical and mental (Maatta, 2009). Studies also provide with evidence that the rate of female unemployment is escalating at a calamitously unprecedented rate in quite a number of countries. While on the other hand, the developing countries are making efforts to practice the equal employment opportunity and give fair treatment to all the employees of the enterprise. Furthermore, these organizations aims towards achieving productive work form all the employees regardless of their genders and provi de them a working environment of â€Å"freedom, equity, security, and human dignity† (Maatta, 2009). Studies and surveys have also provided with the information that within the past few decades, the women have contributed to a substantial level in the growth of the GDP on a global basis. Moreover, the current era is alleviating the prejudice attribute from the business world, thus, creating immense scope for the women to boost their productivity and incomes, as these features have been one of the biggest issues that the women used to face in the times of yore (Maatta, 2009). Teams have come under design in order to achieve the goals and tasks of the enterprise that have emerged to be complex and multifaceted. However, teamwork within the organization is â€Å"one of the most effective and efficient way of achieving incredible results with productive performances from the employees† (Carroll, 2011). Moreover, it also facilitates the employee in personal and career devel opment while determining one’s own strengths and weaknesses (Carroll, 2001). When it comes to decision-making, do women and men tend to think in a similar manner or do their brains have a different working mechanism? This is one of the primary questions that come to the mind of a person when talk men and women in relation to their decision-making capabilities.

The Life Of A Construction Manager

The Life Of A Construction Manager A construction manager is someone whose job it is to oversee, monitor and co ordinate the process of construction of a building from design and initial planning stage to finish of the building. This means architects, by the nature of their jobs can to some extent also act in the capacity of a project manager since they are trained in document control and financing projects as well handling resources and overseeing construction. In some instances like in design-build-operate procurement the job description of the construction manager goes as far as overseeing and managing the operation of the building(s). Construction project managers have many responsibilities that they have to attend to on a day to day basis. According to Ritz (1994) these responsibilities include: setting and achieving project objectives, purchasing of labour, equipment and materials, controlling of planning, design and estimation of costs as well as budgeting and monitoring progress of the project. He goes on to further state that the construction manager has to also handle project planning, costing, resource management such as time allocation, employee management and all communication necessary during a project including dispute resolution. In order to gain a better understanding of the typical day of a construction project manager I had to go interview one. I was fortunate enough to find a willing participant in Mr. Ngu Yen of Tomtek Malaysia Sdn Bhd which is a consultancy firm based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. What I learnt affirmed some of what I already knew from my studies and thought a construction manager goes through on a daily basis as well as gave me new insight into what it is that he actually does. Similar to other professionals in the construction industry like an architect, the day of a construction project manager usually begins with making phone calls and checking up on emails. He then checks his daily planner to see if there are any outstanding and important meetings scheduled for the day. On the day that I interviewed Mr. Yen, he had a big site meeting with a client as well as other contractors for a commercial project that his company was supposed to oversee. There was also another site visit to a cons truction site to check on the level of progress scheduled and a manning schedule for another project that needed reviewing. The work that the construction manager is hectic and stressful and requires a lot of employability skills, such as being organized, attentive to detail and an understanding of how a construction project is supposed to progress. During a construction project, the construction manager becomes the intermediary between the owners of the project (clients) and the workers on site. In this way the project manager acts in the same capacity as an architect. (Rojas 2009) the construction manager also has to be able to multi-task very well, as they often have to take notes while talking to the client and planning how to effect changes that a client, through the architect, will want done on the project. This was the case at the second site meeting where Mr. Yen was already preparing anticipated changes to the handover date of the project due to the fact that the client had relayed through the architect that there was changes that had to be made about the material used during construction. Workin g out the logistics proved to be a bit of a challenge especially as the contractor for the project was not familiar with knowledge on how to build using the new materials and there was now a need for a sub-contractor to take over erection of the building. On a daily basis, the construction project manager has to do office work to kep their records up to date and organised. They also have to schedule meetings for ongoing and upcoming projects to finalise issues such as budgeting, manpower requirements and procurement of material. The project manager will often chair the meetings and have to come up with clear goals and objectives for the rest of the members of the design team or the building team and ensure that these goals re achieved at the end of the meeting. Perhaps the hardest task in the day of the construction project manager is conflict resolution. Building projects require constant supervision to ensure the project will be finished on time, within the estimated cost and according to the quality specified. This usually results in contractors having to be pushed sometimes to get the job done, a move which they normally resent. As the custodian of the site and the project, the construction manager has to make sure that any issues raised by either the contractor or his workers are looked into and speedily resolved to make sure the project is not compromised. Apart from that the construction manager has to ensure the safety of the site for workers, pedestrians and other professionals who come to the site. It is the responsibility of the construction project manager under law to ensure site safety and check that safety measures are being put into practice as intended. This will involve talking to the site foreman and at extreme times or i n the case of serious emergencies halting the construction for an investigation into the accident to be carried out as well as safety recommendations to be implemented. The construction manager needs to be knowledgeable about the project as well in order to answer any questions the crew on site might have. On a busy day such as when the company is handling a lot of projects at once the project manager will be on his feet for most of the day. This results in a lot of stress and fatigue, hazards which they have to look out for and also deal with. Planning and organising people takes a lot of patience and the skill of foresight. (Walter A2007, pp 44) The major difference between what I thought I knew about the day of a project manager and what I actually saw and learn is that no two days are the same for the project manager. Each project has problems as well as solutions that are unique to it, and the project manager needs to have a lot of hands on experience sometimes to solve these problems and perform to the best of their ability. Conclusion At the end of the day the project manager has to do whatever it takes to get the job done. On a typical day they will rely on software to keep their schedule up to date, other professionals in the building industry to ensure the smooth continuation of the project as well as provide clients with input as well as feedback on the progress of their buildings. The project manager goes through a lot of meetings on any day and has to give precise instructions always to ensure the viability of the project. Communication plays a very important role in the day of the construction project management, coupled with a strong work ethic for excellence.

The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins Essay -- social issues, popular psych

The gothic traces of the sensation novel creates an ideal boulevard for the popular psychology of the Victorian period; a time of subconcious curiosity and indeed scientific discovery. The juxtoposition of the wild yet domestic framework of The Moonstone is not excluded from this enthusiasm . The novel thrives in the realms of the unknown much like the shivering sand of Cobb's Hole. From this sand the artefacts of discovery are drawn as the vindication of truth occurs in the realms of the unconcious. We will explore the relevance of the contemporary psychology and its preoccupation in The Moonstone by examining the Victorian enthrallment of contemporary pyschology and the supernaturalism of Collins characters, observing the quivers of both themes throughout the novel. The mid nineteenth century sensational novel though criticised for its commonplace compromise is a reliable validation of the importunate effect of the investigation into contemporary psychology. The preoccupation of this supernaturalism is dichotimized with the detective elements of The Moonstone .Throughout the novel, we seem to question the validity of what is commonplace and conventional and what is other worldly and experimental. This is well depicted through the changing narratives upholding the conventions of a small provincial Robinson Crusoe enthusiast, a dutiful christian member of the 'Mothers Small Clothes Conversion Society' to the professional ranks of Sergeant Cuff and Mr Bruff and finally the intellectual and scientific Mr Candy and more especially Ezra Jennings. The supernaturalism of contemporary psychology is always depicted by what is deemed empirical by the uneducated and... ...ysterious location in Collin's narrative is to conceal and reveal secrets, and to complicate the characters knowledge of each other and themselves. Both a grave and a hiding place, a natural phenomon and a preternatural horror ' (169). Works Cited Levy, E. 'The Moonstone' and the Problem of Pain in Life. Canada: Victorian Association of Western Canada, 2002. Print. Robert, L. 'Shivering Sands' of Reality: Narration and Knowledge in Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone . Canada: Victorian Studies Association of Western Canada, 1997. Print. Hutter, D,A. Tranformations and Literature: The Implications of Detective Fiction. USA: Indiana University Press. 1975. Print. Mossman, M. Representations of the Abnormal Body in 'The Moonstone'. USA: Cambridge University Press.2009. Print. Collins, W. The Moonstone. England: Penguin Group. 2012. Print.

Medical Ethics Abortion Essay

Most moral issues in medicine and healthcare will instigate lively debate, but no subject seems to inflame tempers more than the question of abortion. The gulf between pro-life and pro-choice can be an uncompromising stance of deeply held beliefs and principles. On the one hand, there is the claim that the foetus is a human being with the same right to life as any other human being, and abortion is therefore nothing less than murder. On the other hand, it is argued that a woman has a right to choose what happens within her own body, and is therefore justified in deciding to have her foetus removed if she so wishes. Even a liberal view is problematic; these tend to take the view that it is permissible for an abortion to take place before a certain stage in the foetuses development, but not beyond that given point. Such an arbitrary perspective does seem difficult to quantify; how can anyone determine the criteria that would navigate a decision that finds termination acceptable today but morally reprehensible tomorrow? It is sometimes argued that the foetus reaches personhood well before birth. â€Å"By the tenth week, for example, it already has a face, arms and legs, fingers and toes; it has internal organs, and brain activity is detectable.†[1] But does this undermine a woman’s right to self determination—can it still be reasonable for her to choose abortion, given its level of development? We shall explore this question; not from the perspective of whether the foetus is human, but from the premise â€Å"that the woman’s rights over her body are more important than the life of the person or part person in her womb.†[2] A Woman’s Right to Self-Defence Judith Jarvis Thomson presents the following hypothesis:[3] a woman becomes pregnant and then learns that she has a cardiac condition that will cause her death if the pregnancy continues. Let us grant the foetus personhood, with a right to life. Obviously the mother too has a right to life, so how can we decide who’s right to life is greater? A way of answering this question could be to say that an abortion is an act of aggression with the sole intention to kill. Whereas to do nothing would not be an attempt by anyone to murder the mother, rather to just let her die. The passivity of the latter could be seen as morally preferable than directly killing an innocent person. Thomson argues that â€Å"It cannot seriously be said that†¦she must sit passively by and wait for her death.†[4] There are two people involved, both are innocent, but one is endangering the life of the other. Thomson believes that in this scenario a woman is entitled to defend herself against the threat posed by the unborn baby, even if ultimately this will cause its death. I feel Thomson is correct in her appraisal. If an impartial judgement was sought by an individual as to whose life has greater worth; the foetus or the woman, they might not feel able to choose—both lives could be seen to hold equal value. But there is nothing objective about the woman’s situation—her life is endangered. If a person threatens my life—even if they are not conscious of their actions—I have a right to kill them, if that is the only course of action I can take to repel the attack. The scenario becomes less clear when we consider if a woman holds the same right to defend herself if the continuation of her pregnancy causes her serious health problems that are not terminal. Again, I would assess the situation in terms of an attack. Do I have a right to kill an assailant if he attempts to wound me? The answer, I think, is dependent upon degree—the injury that would be inflicted. It seems reasonable that the degree of retaliation should be proportional to the severity of the attack. Similarly, a woman has the right to terminate her pregnancy if its continuation instigates a degree of illness that is severe enough to warrant that decision. The problem then is quantifying such comparatives. It might seem reasonable to nominate the woman involved as the person best qualified to make that decision, but shouldn’t such judgments emanate from an objective source? After all, should I be able to ‘take the law into my own hands’ and choose whatever reprisal I thought necessary against my attacker? A Woman’s Right to Ownership A woman holds ownership of her own body; therefore she may abort her foetus if that is what she chooses â€Å"it is in a very real sense her own—to dispose of as she wishes.†[5] Professor Thomson analogises: it is not that the woman and foetus are like two tenants occupying a small house that has been mistakenly rented to both of them—the mother owns the house.[6] But not all claims of ownership hold an automatic right to dispose of their property. John Harris gives an example[7] suppose I own a life-saving drug, and have nothing planned for its use other than placing it on my shelf. If I meet a person who was dependent on that drug otherwise they will die, I would not be morally entitled to withhold the drug—it would be wrong of me to exercise that right. What Harris is expressing is that a woman may have the right to do what she wishes to her own body, but it would be wrong of her to exercise that right. The question then is; does the value of ownership of your body take precedence over the value of the foetus? Property is sometimes commandeered during war, and this action is usually justified because national security is thought to take priority over an individual’s right to ownership.[8] Another compelling, and I think decisive, argument comes from Mary Anne Warren. She states that ownership does not give me a right to kill an innocent person on my property, furthermore, it is also immoral to banish a person from my property; if by doing so they will undoubtedly perish.[9] If one does not accept that a foetus is a human being, then the woman may have it removed from her body, similarly to having a kidney stone taken out. But if the foetus is believed to be a person, then I do not think any argument of ownership can hold up against the soundness of the given examples. A Foetuses Right to its Mothers Body Can a woman’s right to choose abortion take priority over the foetuses right to life? Professor Thomson argues that â€Å"†¦a right to life does not guarantee having either a right to be given the use of or a right to be allowed continued use of another person’s body—even if one needs it for life.†[10] Thomson goes on to give an example[11], that if she was terminally ill, and the only thing that would save her life was the touch of Henry Fonda’s cool hand on her fevered brow, she would have no right to expect him to travel to her side and assist her in this way. No doubt, Thomson adds; that it would be frightfully nice of him, but she holds no right against him that he should do so. An obvious criticism is to argue that a woman has a special responsibility to her foetus, simply because she is its mother—a responsibility that ‘Henry Fonda’ does not owe, so the analogy, is rendered useless. But Thomson postulates that â€Å"we do not have any such ‘special responsibility’ for a person unless we have assumed it, explicitly or implicitly.†[12] Thomson therefore argues that if a pregnancy is unwanted, and the woman holds no emotional bond to the foetus, there is no attachment and so no responsibility. A possible dispute to Thomson’s idea is to suggest that the ‘special responsibility’ is bonded through genes rather then emotion. If a child is born and the mother abandons it, her culpability is held through their ‘mother and baby relationship’ rather then what the mother ‘thinks’ of her baby. Another argument that can give claim by the foetus to its mother’s body is one of contract.[13] It could be said that by voluntarily engaging in sexual intercourse a woman—even if using contraception—risks the chance of pregnancy. By understanding the possible consequences of her actions, she must be seen as responsible for the existence of the foetus, because no method of contraception is known to be infallible. Since the woman is accountable for bringing the foetus into the world (albeit in her womb) she assumes an obligation to continue to provide nourishment for its survival. Michael Tooley offers an example that he believes analogises this argument[14] there is a pleasurable act that I practice. But by engaging in it, it can have the unfortunate risk of destroying someone’s food supply. This will not cause the person any problem, as long as I continue to make such provisions, even though it causes me immense trouble and expense. Tooley says that he arranges things so that the probability of the ‘pleasurable act’ having such an effect is as small as possible (contraception). But he says that if things do go wrong, he is still responsible for the person needing food, and therefore obligated to supplying the food needed. Tooley believes that once we engage in an activity that can potentially create a child, then we assume responsibility for its needs, even if bringing that child into existence was accidental and precautions were taken to prevent that outcome. Professor Thomson offers her own powerful analogy in contrast to the above view: If the room is stuffy, and I therefore open a window to air it, and a burglar climbs in, it would be absurd to say, â€Å"Ah, now he can stay, she’s given him a right to the use of her house—for she is partially responsible for his presence there, having voluntarily done what enabled him to get in, in full knowledge that there are such things as burglars, and that burglars burgle.† It would be still more absurd to say this if I had had bars installed outside my windows, precisely to prevent burglars from getting in, and a burglar got in only because of a defect in the bars.[15] Abortion, Due to Rape As already stated, most views against abortion base their position from the value they place on the foetuses life. Even so, in the case where pregnancy had occurred through rape, most opponents of abortion would believe that there would be sufficient justification for termination. Obviously, there is something paradoxical about this—if the foetus is valuable because it is human, it is obviously no less human because its mother had been raped. So how can some opponents of abortion hold such contradictory ideas? Janet Radcliffe Richards’ explains that when a woman is forced to continue pregnancy until childbirth, â€Å"†¦the child is being used as an instrument of punishment to the mother, and that talk of the sanctity of life is being used to disguise the fact.†[16] The only thing that a woman that wants to abort for reasons of accidental pregnancy has done differently, is to of engaged willingly to sex—and that is what she is being punished for.[17] Richards’ offers an interesting approach to the apparent inconsistency stated, although I don’t find its supposition altogether convincing. I think the ‘double-standards’ described, portray an individual that holds only a relative opinion to the value of life that is held by the foetus. That is, the foetus is human, with rights, but not as human and not as much rights as an adult human being. And this is how I feel critics of abortion consider priority to women in rape cases. A Father’s Right To what degree, if any, does the father’s opinion count on whether his unborn child should die at the hands of the mother? After all, the foetus is very much a part of him—sharing his genetic make-up. It is noted by John Harris[18] that a man is not entitled to violate a woman for the purpose of impregnating her—that is rape—so then it follows that he must not violate her by forcing his wishes for a pregnancy to continue until birth. The counter argument is that by agreeing to sex, a woman has tacitly agreed to carry the man’s child. Ultimately the woman’s opinion must take priority over the man’s—because she has to carry the foetus, but, once a foetus is formed, one can have a degree of sympathy for the man’s situation. If copulation had taken place for the purpose of impregnation, then why should the man suffer a feeling of loss just because his partner changes her mind? Where contraception is used, his argument may be weakened—they did not intend parenthood. But if both were planning for a baby, is it fare that once that child exists, the mother can take it away from its father, even though he has done no wrong? A Right to Death If a pregnancy is terminated during its early stages, the foetus will undoubtedly die. But if an abortion takes place later in pregnancy, and by some miracle survives, the mother has no â€Å"right to secure the death of the unborn child.†[19] If the baby was still unwanted, the â€Å"woman may be utterly devastated by the thought of a child, a bit of herself, put out for adoption and never seen or heard of again†[20] but she can only demand her separation from it; she may not order its execution. I guess there would be few opponents to this assertion; but it is interesting to understand why. If a person accepts the permissibility of abortion, how is it so different to kill a child that survives its attempted termination? Presumably the foetus has acquired rights that it didn’t hold inside the womb, or perhaps the woman loses her rights during that transition. It seems strange that location should alter the foetuses perspective so drastically—after all, it is the same being. It could be argued that it is independence that qualifies the foetus for its right to live. When it no longer needs its mother for survival, and is not ‘reliant’ upon her in any way, she loses the right to decide its fate. Professor Thomson’s explanation is somewhat different; she too agrees that there is no justification for a woman to order the death of a foetus that lives following an abortion, but her reasoning is not dependent upon any acquisition or loss of rights. Thomson argues that a termination is just the right for a woman to detach the foetus from her body. This is not an act of murder (even though its death is inevitable during its infancy) but an entitlement to liberation, whatever its outcome.[21] Professor Thomson presents an account that would be reasonable if the act of abortion was purely an attempt of separation. But in fact the procedure used is an attempt, not only to detach and remove the foetus, but to kill it.[22] If the abortionist fails in this task, then Thomson allows the baby a right to live. But as the method of termination is designed for the foetus to die, I believe it renders Thomson’s point unsound. Conclusion Professor Thomson concedes that â€Å"It would be indecent in the woman to request an abortion, and indecent in a doctor to perform it, if she is in her seventh month, and wants the abortion just to avoid the nuisance of postponing a trip abroad.†[23] So, even staunch defendants of feminist ethics feel compelled to consider the foetuses interests once its development reaches a mature stage. It could be argued that the foetus has become a baby, and abortion is therefore tantamount to infanticide. I believe that anyone can exercise their right to self-defence if their life is threatened, and a woman can use her prerogative against the unborn baby at any stage of its development without recrimination. However, I feel that a woman’s right to expel her foetus for any other reason has only relative justification. Relative: because a woman’s rights to abort become less valid as the foetus develops. There is, in my opinion, a necessary correlation between foetal development and a woman’s right to termination. A woman may exercise her choice without compromise during early pregnancy, because the foetus is nothing more then potential, but justification becomes less palatable as potential becomes actualised. Can a woman really hold the same rights to ‘choose what happens within her own body’ when the foetus is twenty five weeks old, as she did when it was ten weeks old? As previously mentioned, arbitrarily choosing a point in the foetuses life and exclaiming ‘before this point the thing is not a person, after this point it is a person,’ does appear contrived. But its comparison with ‘before this point a woman can choose, after this point she can’t; does seem vindicated against less satisfactory views. The purpose of this essay was to assess a case for abortion that was not dependent on the foetuses right to life, but instead to appreciate a woman’s right to choose. I don’t believe that either position can be considered without respecting the rights of the other. Therefore, in my opinion; a woman holds considerable rights; but they are only relative to the foetuses level of development. BIBLIOGRAPHY Dwyer, Susan, The Problem of Abortion. London: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1997 Glover, Jonathan, Causing Death and Saving Lives. London: Penguin Books, 1997 Harris, John, The Value of Life. London: Routledge, 1985 Info on Abortion â€Å"Abortion†, Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopaedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion#Other_means_of_ abortion Richards, Janet, The Sceptical Feminist. Harmondsworth: Pelican, 1982 Sherwin, Susan, No Longer Patient. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992 Thomson, Judith, â€Å"A Defence of Abortion†, Philosophy and Public Affairs, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1971: pp. 47-66 Tooley, Michael, Abortion and Infanticide. London: Oxford University Press, 1983 Warren, Marry Anne, â€Å"On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion†, The Monist, 1973

Life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart essays

Life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart essays He showed passion for music at a very young age. At the age of six, young Mozart was already playing before the Austrian empress. Mozart traveled a lot but ended up in Vienna composing for Joseph II. Mozart wrote some of his greatest operas in Vienna such as Die Entfhrung aus dem Serail, but Joseph II told him Too many notes, my dear Mozart. Mozart fell in love with Aloysia but married her younger sister Constanze Weber. Mozart lived a great life and produced great operas that did not always please the emperors. In the movie Amadeus there were some operas performed and composed by Mozart. There were different types of operas presented in the movie. There was an opera buffa which was a comedy, also an opera for everyone rather than the royalty. There were different instruments used in the movie and the piano was one of the most popular one. The piano was played by Mozart himself, also during his childhood he played the piano with his eyes closed. The piano played a big role in the movie because everyone showed their talent on the piano. There was another composer in Vienna who also composed for Joseph II that hated Mozart because of his talent. He loved his music, but he envied him and also hated him because he could not compose such great music. Mozart produced an opera buffa Don Giovanni which was supposed to be a comic opera. Mozart also composed a lighthearted piece which was designed to divert and did not have content. The operas composed during the 1700 have been great and had more meaning than music does now. Although, the music in this era is a lot easier to listen to than for example Die Entfhrung aus dem Serail. If a teenager who did not have background information on operas and were to listen to one, he or she will not understand the language or what the opera is trying to represent. People are more accustomed to this eras music rather tha ...

Dead Poets Society Essays - Dead Poets Society, Films, John Keating

Dead Poets Society Essays - Dead Poets Society, Films, John Keating Dead Poets Society is a famous drama film shot in the USA in 1989. This film was directed by Peter Weir and the main role was played by Robin Williams. The action takes place in Welton Academy for aristocratic students in Vermont in 1959. Dead Poets Society is about English language and literature teacher John Keating who decided to inspire his students to change something in their boring everyday lives and encouraged their fascination with poetry and literature. John Keating is a new teacher in a conservative academy. Everyday life and activity of students is controlled strictly by the officials of this academy. He decided to help his students develop their spiritual side and he conducted his lessons in the original manner. The motto of this film is carpe diem or seize the day. Mr. Keating stated that students should start changing their lives at this very day, because it is useless to delay your happiness and dreams until a later time. When he was young, he was a member of an unsanctioned Dead Poets Society, a group of students who enjoyed poetry. The main characters of the film, Neil Perry and his classmates, decided to revive this society and got involved into poetry. Neil was the most promising student of the academy and he dreamt of playing at the theatre, though his father opposed him to do it. Neil committed suicide under the pressure of his father who did not understand the real dreams of his son. The film teaches to work hard if you want to achieve your goal. Moreover, it teaches to respect your family and make a compromise for the solution of any important problem. Dead Poets Society is an interesting and thought provoking film that can be useful to every student who is involved into social work or pedagogy. It is useful to watch this film and learn something new about perception of life. When you need to analyze Dead Poets Society in detail, you should watch it attentively, take notes and learn about every main character of the film. Then one should focus on the main idea of this film, observe its motto and say something about its hidden ideas. Finally, you are able to observe Dead Poets Society from technical side and evaluate the directors work, performance of the camera operator and actors play. Students always have troubles with term paper writing, because this assignment consumes time and efforts. Luckily, every student is able to improve his writing skills and prepare a successful paper if he reads a free college term paper sample on Dead Poets Society analysis composed by a multitasking and intelligent writer.

Response Sheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Response Sheet - Essay Example The watch house is crusty with peeling paint and is filled with clustered tools, fishing books and kerosene lanterns. She is only provided with little amenities that she appreciates. Their tour guide plans their days visit and prepares for them a wonderful lunch. Later in the day, they visit the white sand bitches of Cobb Island. Her photographer and the tour guide opt to enjoy a ride on a speed powerboat, and she enjoys the rhythm of the salt marsh and the soft splash by the boat paddles as they cut into the muddy water (Burnett, Retrieved from ). She also describes other sounds around the place. The writer says that Bill shows them the diamond terrapins and the beautiful scenery carries her away. They later return to the island, and they walk around the shore looking for shells. Dave explains to them the geography behind the shape of the island. They enjoy the scenery at the end of the shore as they listen to the sounds from the breaking waves and shells. The writer asks about the presence of sharks, and the guide assures the that they are rare on the island They return to their boat and being afraid of the coming tides they paddle back to the watch house. They enjoy a delicious dinner cooked by a local caterer. By this time, the writer and her photographer have collected many times from the shores. Evening comes, and the writer enjoys the glow from the planets and stars. The  next  morning they wake up to a set of beautiful sunrays, which reflects the water surface prompting them to take photographs (Burnett, retrieved from ). Later, they pack up their belongings and take a boat to the mainland. She still enjoys the views of the island and does not want to leave  the place. The writer enjoys her visit and promises herself to come back

How Virgin Atlantic Advertise itself in the UK and Los Angeles Essay

How Virgin Atlantic Advertise itself in the UK and Los Angeles - Essay Example For a large and successful organization like Virgin Atlantic, the company uses various modes of advertising depending on the location or place where it tries to target. The type of advertisements or promotional strategies used depends on the consideration of the cultural barriers, language, attitudes of people towards such factors like advertising, advertising regulations and media infrastructures. In Los Angeles, Virgin Atlantic mainly advertises through the radio, print advertisements and publications. The following figure shows some of the print advertisements used in USA by the company. Figure 1: Print Advertisements in USA (Source: Virgin Atlantic, â€Å"Print Advertisements†) The company has recently launched its second phase of its global advertising campaign in Los Angeles. This has been titled as ‘Get Local’. This campaign targeted the ‘out of home’ advertisements which included bill boards, train shelters, buses, etc that runs in the top gat eways in the US. This primary includes Los Angeles along with New York, Washington D C, San Francisco and Boston. This is a perfect picture of an adaptation strategy by the company as it not only highlights particular aspects of the upper classes flying experiences but also tailored to present certain nuances that resonate in the city in which they appear. The following is an example of an advertisement of Virgin Atlantic in Los Angeles. Figure 2: Example of advertisement of Virgin Atlantic in Los Angeles (Source: Virgin Atlantic-b, â€Å"GET LOCAL CAMPAIGN†) Following is an example of an advertisement used by Virgin Atlantic in UK. Figure 3: Print Advertisement in UK (Source: Virgin Atlantic-a, â€Å"UK Advertisements†) In 2003, Virgin Atlantic used e-mail marketing for the creation of a new standard of upper class air travel which had lie-down beds along with personal services in the upper class cabins. E-mail alerts were sent to the air travellers having a hypertext which directed them to the website of Virgin Atlantic. Under this system customers were able to take a complete look at the cabins which were introduced, the ticket options available and the check routes also. The idea was to attract the upper classes of passengers to pay for the premium prices by the exclusivity and comfort that the new cabins provided. Virgin Atlantics’ integrated communication schemes used membership schemes with benefits that enhanced the name of the brand considerably and helped in increasing the happiness and satisfaction of the customers also (Hackley, p.128). There are certain standardized marketing elements used by the airline for all places. These global marketing elements include its logo, brand value and distinctive airplanes. The brand value of the airline as â€Å"caring, honest, value, fun, innovative†, is found in all its communication and strategies. However, certain adaptive formats are evident in its accompanying international adver tisements where it tries to translate its brand themes in certain culturally specific ways and at the same time tries to retain its international image. For example, it tries to draw passengers from Los Angeles through its bright, luxurious and