Visit to the Museum of Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visit to the Museum of Modern Art - Essay Example The essay "Visit to the Museum of Modern Art" analyzes visit to Museum of Modern Art. The museum’s archive has a restaurant and relevant materials of explaining modern art. â€Å"The Museum of Modern Art† was an idea developed by â€Å"Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Lillie Bliss and Mary Quinn† in 1928. At first, the museum was on the twelfth floor of Heckscher structure in Manhattan in a six-roomed gallery, and within a period of ten years, it had moved to three dissimilar locations. At first, Abby’s husband was against the idea of opening up MoMA hence refusing to offer funds to support the artwork, thus forcing the initiators to seek funds from other sources. By 1935, the museum had various artworks from different artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, which promoted it, turning it to be a success. During 1940, the museum become famous internationally after Picasso held a concert with the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1939, Nelson Rockefeller was the museumâ€℠¢s president who highly participated in the investigation and foundation of publicity, acquisition and its expansion. In 1948, David Rockefeller became the new leader of the museum. In 1997, an architect called Yoshio Taniguchi executed and designed the current museum, which re-opened in 2004. Up to date, the museum is very famous around the globe enticing many visitorsevery year hence boosting the country’s economy. It has both countrywide and global programs that oblige the public by offering them with loans, video libraries and circulating films. among others (Umland 42). Globally, many people value The Museum of Modern Art because it has rich and many assortments of modern art works representing a comprehensive and panoramic modern museum. People consider it to entail the most current Western masterpieces Worldwide. It contains over 150,000 individual art performances for various artists Worldwide. It also contains 22, 000 films together with 4 million film stills. In par ticular, the museum contains very important and famous works; for example, â€Å"the Starry Night performed by Vincent Van Gogh, The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali, The Dance by Henri Matisse and Love Song by Giorgio De Chirico† (Umland 47). In addition, the museum is prominent of European and American performers such as Georges Braque, Edward Hopper, David Smith and Jackson Pollock among others. The museum is famous for having the best art photography Worldwide, which were designed by Edward Steichen and John Szarkowski. They also have a good collection of movies such as the Citizen Kane and Vertigo designed under the name of â€Å"Museum of Modern Art Department of Film† (Umland 47). The museum has the architecture and design department formed in 1932 as the World’s first department of architecture and design. It contains over 28,000 architectural and design works, which includes the drawings together with a photograph. It contains the following perman ent collections, 150, 000 paintings, monuments, sketches, designs, photographs, architectural models and other design objects. It has more than 22, 000 films, videos, film stills, scripts, historical documents and scripts among others. It has a library that contains artist books and periodicals, its archives have over 2, 500 historical documents and photographs (Umland 51). I have visited different museums, but I found MoMA to be a very high-class museum because it has modern art exhibits worth paying a visit. The museum

Methods of Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Methods of Motivation - Essay Example There are two types of motivation intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation implies an instrumental relationship between behavioral results and desired outcomes. The person is not vitally interested in his/her very behavior, but in particular in the outcome that results from it. Whoever wants to get a compliment from a specific somebody, in return for which some work has to be done (like completing schoolwork at home), is not focused on those tasks, but on the recognition she or he expects to receive from performing well. Intrinsic motivation consists of the feelings attached to or resulting from performing specified activities. Thus, intrinsically motivated people would be satisfied, happy, enjoy themselves, favor the things they do, and so forth (Armstrong, 2003). Achievement motivation theory (McClelland) asserts that maximum motivation will occur at moderate levels of difficulty when the incentive value of success is highest. Two problems with that model are the failure to include an explicit goal-setting stage and/or the failure to measure commitment to succeeding. These factors are crucial to predicting the individual's response to subjective probability estimates. But the value for achievement, a conscious motive that is not correlated with n ach, has been found to be significantly related to goal choice (Fulton, Maddock, 1998). One of the earliest and the most popular theories of motivation was developed by Abraham H. Maslow. His "Hierarchy of needs' theory is based on five needs: (1) psychological (hunger, thirst), (2) safety (protection), (3) social (be accepted, belong to a certain group), (4) esteem (self-confidence, achievements, respect, status, recognition), and (5) self-actualization (realizing one's potential for continued self-development). Whereas needs and (subconscious) motives are crucial to a full understanding of human action, they are several steps removed from action itself (Robbins, 2002). Goal-setting theory is odds with expectancy theory, which was first introduced into industrial-organizational psychology by Vroom in 1964. This theory asserts that, other things being equal, expectancy of success (which is inversely related to goal difficulty) is positively related to performance. However, as shown later, goal-setting theory and expectancy theory can be fully reconciled. Goal-setting theory approaches the explanation of performance quite differently from that of motive or need theories such as those of McClelland and Maslow. It then worked backwards from there to determine what causes goals and what makes them effective. In contrast, need and motive theories started with more remote and general (often subconscious) regulators and tried to work forward to action, usually ignoring specific and conscious factors (Fulton, Maddock, 1998). Equity theory (John Stacey Adams, 1963-1965) asserts that pay will bring satisfaction to the degree that it is seen as fair or equitable. Equity judgments will be based on the judged ratio of the individual's outputs and inputs in comparison to the output/input ratio of people to whom the individual compares himself or herself. If pay is seen as inequitable, thus producing dissatisfaction, people will take steps to restore equity by modifying the quantity or quality of

Jewish Purim Holy Day Essay Example for Free

Jewish Purim Holy Day Essay The Jewish faith has been around for more than a thousand years. Judaism like many other faiths such as Christian, Muslim, Hindus, and Buddhist has holidays that are part of a tradition that is followed. When an individual makes a choice to believe in one religion and follow it as its way of faith it is important to understand all elements that come along with that religion. This paper will review the holy day known as Purim and the review will explain the history of this day and the practices associated with this holy day. The last section will discuss cultural differences that may affect how this day is observed by different branches of Judaism. Purim The holy day Purim is celebrated in March this is the twelfth month in the Jewish calendar. The holy day starts at sundown of the first secular date for example 2014 the celebration will start at sundown on March 15th and end at nightfall of the 16th. The story The book of Esther explains that like many tails we read about we have a villain and a hero. Haman the adviser to the kind tells the king that there are people who do not follow the laws that the king has created. Haman creates a plan to exterminate all of the Jews. Esther the king’s queen, the king does not know she is Jewish. Esther uncle asked her to goes to the king and ask him to save her people. Esther fasted for three days for fear that she will be killed for visiting the king uninvited. Esther goes to the king and asks him to save her people. The Jewish people are saved. This leads to the celebration of the Purim. This holy day is noted as one of the joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar (Molloy, 2010). Religious practices Purim is not outlined in the Torah but has been celebrated by Jews sense the second century CE. Purim has been nicknamed the Jewish Mardi gras (Institute for Curriculum Services, 2012). For the holy day all Jews are required to fulfill the four Purim mitzvoth. The two readings of the Megillah the Scroll of Esther and Mikrah Megillah. There is to be a celebration with a feast during the feast alcohol is consumed, adults drink till they are unable to say distinguish between the phrase â€Å"Cursed be Haman† and â€Å"blessed be Mordecai† (Religion Facts, 2004 para.14). Next Jews are to give gifts of food to their friends. Last an act of charity to the poor. Purim states that two acts of charity must be given in the amount equal to the balance of one’s inexpensive meal. The act must be given directly to the poor and must be given without merit (Religion Facts, 2004). Branches of Judaism The Jewish religion is not unlike many other types of religion where many of the followers have created new branches. The Jewish religion has 4 different branches that appear to be the main views that are followed. Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the most traditional branch that is practiced by Jewish followers. There is a large range of differences in the orthodox views. The idea to modernize but to also adhere to the Jewish laws makes this a very difficult branch the idea to embrace new views but do not forget Jewish cultures. Reform Judaism The belief that individuals have a choice over what they believe to be meaningful within the views of Judaism. This giving each person the idea that they have the choice to follow the path that is best suited for them. Reformed Judaism teaches that ethical laws are binding while ritual laws can be changed to fit into modern day society. Conservative Judaism Currently the middle ground of orthodox and Reform Judaism, the idea that Judaism can keep tradition and also adapt to modern circumstances. There is an importance within Conservative Judaism to study traditional Jewish text to assist in the guide for ethics and practice. Reconstructionist Judaism Reconstructionist Judaism teaches that it is not simply a religion but also an evolving civilization; Within Reconstructionist Judaism the Jewish laws do not have to be followed, but it does state that the community will be strengthened if they are. Cultural difference in the observation of Purim Purim is a holy day that celebrates the defeat of those that wanted to exterminate Jews. Not only do religions celebrate that they have overcome many obstacles so do countries, nations, towns, and tribes. Many references to the holiday Purim states that this holy day has been around for over thousands of years and will continue to be celebrated for many more thousands of years (Institute for Curriculum Services, 2012). As society changes this may change how followers of the Jewish faith may change how they celebrate holy days. This Jewish holy day may not only referee to Esther the queen that saved all the Jews from extermination but also to the time in history were Hitler again tried to exterminate the Jewish race. Judaism has been around for century but so have people and races that have felt threated by them and felt the need to exterminate them. This day of celebrate is a day that the Jewish people can rejoice in the fact that they have overcome many obstacles in life and they will survive. Conclusion Holy days or holidays however it is said can mean many things depending on the faith that is may be referring to. To celebrate Santa clause or to celebrate overcoming an obstacle can bring people together. Religion is just that the bringing together of a group of people that want to rejoice in the feeling of something more than just themselves. Judaism is a faith that has had challenges but has overcome many challenges to become stronger with time that is why the tradition of Purim is important to follow. References Institute for Curriculum Services. (2012). Branches of Judaism. Retrieved from http://www.icsresources.org/curricula Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions Traditions, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ReligionFacts. (2004-2013). Purim. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/holidays/purim.htm

How Muslim practises reflect Islamic teaching on the role and status of women Essay Example for Free

How Muslim practises reflect Islamic teaching on the role and status of women Essay Explain how Muslim practises reflect Islamic teaching on the role and status of women Islamic teaching and theories are such so that they can be applied to modern life. Islam recognizes the fact that men are generally physically stronger than women, but does not place men above women. They are given different skills to do so women are given the duty of providing food for the hungry, refuge for the weary, hospitality for the guest, comfort for the distressed, peace for the troubled, hope for the insecure and encouragement for the weak. They are expected to cook for the family, clean and give love to her husband. This sounds all very one sided, however marriage in Islam is a team effort- the husband has his expectations and requirements to. Islam treats women as equals to men and that their role is as important as men. The rights of a woman are sacred; ensure that women are maintained in the rights assigned to them [Hadith] A Muslim woman has the right to stay a virgin, unmolested by anyone. She has the right to be looked after when in pain. She does not have to fast during Ramadan, because she is going through so much pain, therefore she must be treated with respect. It is a privilege given to women because Islam recognizes the crucial role they play in life. Since they are burdened with the responsibility of upholding the home and bringing up the children, she is not expected to work or earn money. Allah says in Quran, surah 2, verse 228, and women shall have the rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable A man came to Prophet Muhammad asking, O Messenger of Allah, who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said, Your mother. The man said, Then, who is next? The Prophet said, Your mother. The man said, Then, who is next? The Prophet said, Your mother. The man further asked, Then who is next? Only then did the Prophet say, Your father. This shows the importance that Islam gives to women. Islamic teaching about modesty states that men and women, but especially women, should cover themselves up and present themselves modestly so that men do not stare at them. This is not compulsory however, but most women choose to do it anyway. This shows that women do not feel that they are treated inferior to men and being forced to wear it. Instead of totally covering themselves up completely in some countries, they just dress modestly by covering their heads or wearing a scarf. They never wear anything tight. Modesty and faith are joined closely together; if either of them is lost, the other goes also. Every religion has a special character; the characteristic of Islam is modesty [Hadith] This is an example of how Islamic teaching about women is applied in every day life. Men also have to dress modestly. Women do not have to go to the mosque, but instead pray at home. This reflects the teaching about women having to bring up the household. Since this is their duty, they are allowed to pray at home. Because women are not seen as objects, but as equals to men they are given a dowry from the husband when they get married. This is to show that the woman is not just an object to fulfil any sexual desires, or work for him, but that she is a human being. A man being allowed to have more than one wife is not just a benefit to the man. The woman chooses whether or not she wants to marry a man with a wife already, or if the man she is marrying is allowed to have more than one wife after her. It is entirely her choice. By allowing her husband to have more than one wife she will benefit by the fact that there will be someone else to help her bring up the children and to bring up the household. The man is allowed to have more than one wife, but the woman decides it in the end. In Islam, the woman can have any job she pleases, since they are equals. If a woman chooses to work, it is entirely her choice but she does not have to. The husband should treat the wife with respect and not take her for granted. He should not think of her a servant and that she must make his dinner. She doesnt but she probably does because marriage in Islam is give and take. He should consult her when making decisions, because women are just as important and clever as men. So Muslim couples discuss things and work things out together and do not take each other for granted. Women have as much of a right to pray in a mosque as a man, since everyone is equal. All people are equalas the teeth of a comb. No Arab can claim merit over a non-Arab, nor a white over a black person, nor a male over a female [Hadith] What happens is that the men pray at the front, while the women pray at the back behind a sheet or curtain. The reason for the men being at the front is not that men are superior, but to prevent any flirtatious thoughts by the men and help them focus on Allah rather than the opposite sex. There are many rules concerning women, and these have been incorporated into modern life so that they still hold true to the rule.

Effects of Technology :: Computers Society

Effects of Technology The technology which surrounds almost everyone in the modern society, affects both work and leisure activities. Technology contains information that many would rather it did not have. It influences minds in good and bad ways, and it allows people to share information which they would otherwise not be able to attain. Even if a person does not own a computer or have credit cards, there is information on a computer somewhere about everyone. The technology which is just now beginning to be manipulated and harnessed is affecting the minds of small children and adolescents in ways that could be harmful. It is affecting our immediate future. It also gives another form of communication and exchange of information which was not available before, information that is both good and bad. Technology is one of the principal driving forces of the future; it is transforming our lives and shaping our future at rates unprecedented in history, with profound implications which we can't even begin to see or understand. Many different elements affect how satisfied we are with our lives. The impact of technology on these elements can change how safe, healthy and happy people feel. Throughout history, people have looked for better ways to meet their needs and to satisfy their expectations. Technology has improved the way people feed, clothe and shelter themselves. Technology has also changed other aspects of everyday life, such as health care, education, job satisfaction, and leisure time activities. People have used technology since they first chipped stone blades to improve their hunting. Yet some people call the current age the "Technological Age" because of society's dependence on technology. For the first time in human history, almost all the goods and services people use depend on technology. The products of technology are available to almost everyone in society. The economy of a country influences how the people of the county live. Technology is often considered the key to a nation's economic growth. Most economists would say that it is one of the factors in economic growth, but they would probably disagree about its importance. Many economists think that if technology sparks growth in one sector of the economy in the form of increased productivity, growth will also occur in other sectors of the economy. Jobs may be lost in one industry, such as agriculture but new jobs may emerge in other sectors of the economy.

Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education I have thought several times over what my philosophy towards teaching is, or quite frankly, will be as I learn more about the teaching profession and eventually begin teaching on my own. While I have already been teaching swim lessons for the past five years and presently hold the position of assistant football coach at Bluefield Middle School, I can say that my hat goes off to anyone possessing the patience and expertise to stand before a classroom or gymnasium of students and have the confidence to pass their knowledge on to that group of students. On the other hand, I have an equal level of disgust for those "oxygen thieves" that merely roll out a basketball and read the paper while the whole time claim to be teaching. These teachers, a term I use loosely, have taught nothing. They have at no point attempted to communicate with their students the importance of taking care of their bodies and learning the essential movements that will provide them the opportunity to be active for a lifetime. With that in mind, it our responsibility as Health and Physical Educators to provide that knowledge, instill that importance and to never allow a child to fall through the cracks, but rather to make a lasting impression on the lives we teach. It is my firm belief that our duties begin in the way we present ourselves. I look back at my experiences growing up and compare them to what I have learned. It amazes me that someone on the opposite end of healthy can try to teach others how to be healthy. The solution lies with credibility. We must evoke fitness and encourage that concept in our own lives before we should ever think to influence the life and well-being of children who see teachers as role models. How can we expect our students to accomplish something that we are not willing to pursue? We must challenge our student’s everyday by setting high, but realistic goals for those under our instruction. Why would you give a student a starting line without defining a place to finish and leave them with a sense of accomplishment?

Core Curriculum Is there a Need :: Teaching Education

Core Curriculum Is there a Need In high school, most students went through four years where they got a general knowledge of most basic subjects. You were forced to take three to four years of math, science, English, and some form of history. In addition, most students were required to take two years of a foreign language and Physical Education. All these things are mandatory for most high school students to do, just to pass high school. Many students don’t want to stop there. They want to go on to higher education. Most students want to go to college. All of those years of math, science, history, English, foreign language, and physical education are all required to get into college. So most students think that when they get to college, they will pick a major, and they will extensively learn about that major. The student thinks that they were done with learning general knowledge about all subjects. They believe that they will get into college and hop right into their major. But the way that most colleg es are set up, you don’t really get into your major until the second semester of your sophomore year or the first semester of your junior year. When you first get to college, you are taking many of the same classes that you took in high school. This is a very unnecessary policy. The first two years of college, you are completing your core curriculum. These are mostly the same classes that you took throughout high school. These are the same classes that you took to get into college. Yet you must spend two years and thousands of dollars to take those same classes all over again. Regardless of your major and job field that you want to go into, you must retake math, science, history, English, foreign language, and physical education. Not only must you spend your valuable time taking these classes again, you must also spend your money. Depending on your major and job field, many of these things you learn in these classes, you will not use ever again. In college, you should be learning about what you want to do for a living. Your degree should symbolize your learning and mastery of the skills that your job field requires. Instead, it says that you know a little about every subject, and know a little bit more about your major than someone without a degree in that field.

The companies were referred to as Texaco

In South Africa there were two companies that were selling shares its the residents.The companies were referred to as Texaco Inc. and Standard Oil Company of California (SOCAL).   The Members of   Interfaith centre that dealt with corporate responsibility   argued that they owned shares in both companies and they were suggesting to terminate their businesses because South Africa was facing political unrest thus their decision to shut down the two companies.Mr. Tim Smith was the Project Director of Interfaith Centre on corporate responsibility.   He was behind the decision of closing the two companies.   In an annual meeting that was held in 1977, it stated that the people of South Africa were being mistreated by the whites who were the minority in the country.The residents human rights were being abused since they were not being given the chance to vote, to trade freely in the country, they were being paid low wages and the blacks were always discriminated against by the wh ites and this issues triggered Mr. Tim Smith to decline to invest in   the country.There were other social crimes that were being experienced by     the residents of the country such as widespread killings, arrests and repression.   These issues continued to affect the human rights of the people of South Africa and thus the level of investment was affected.The Board of Directors of the two companies later agreed that it was reasonable to shut down the two companies due to the abuse of human rights of the residents of South Africa since they contributed to the success of the company and they also enabled the economy of the country to grow.   The Board of Directors urged the government of South Africa to end the crisis so that they could embark on their businesses.(http://164.233.169.104/search?q=cache:-RHK5RrmMQJ)The resolution to close down the two companies was later reviewed by the Board of Directors because they owned an oil company known as Caltex Petroleum Company whi ch was located in the country and was reported to be performing well .   It was reported that the company was owned by the Texaco Inc.   and Standard Oil Company of California (SOCAL) by a rate of 50% shares thus it was impossible for them to leave the business yet it was generating some revenue to the country and the owners were also benefiting from it.They announced that Caltex Company was worth $100 million and the management of the company was planning to expand its refinery plant in Milnerto in South Africa from a capacity of 58,000 barrels a day to a capacity of 108,000 barrels a day and this would increase the supply of oil in South Africa by a rate of 11%, hence it would contribute to greater returns for the country.The management of Texaco and SOCAL resolved to continue with their business besides the political unrest in the country.   They thus urged their stockholders to vote against liquidating their companies .   The management of both companies promised to impr ove the working conditions of its black employees.The Caltex management implemented six principles in its code of conduct.   These were: ensuring that employees were not segregated due to their race; they were equally paid and fairly treated in their   work place.The code of conduct stated that there was a training programme that would be developed and initiated so as to prepare their employers for supervisory, administrative, clerical and technical jobs so as to improve their performance in their activities and hence enable the company to generate as much revenue to the country as possible ( http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story-id=9767615).The management of a company has legal duties besides ensuring high returns for its shareholders.   It has the duty of ensuring   that the employees comply with the employment law so they do not deviate from what they are expected to do.   The employment law states   that the management of the company should not unf airly dismiss its employees from their   work places since they should be given time to defend their cases before being dismissed.The employers are also requested to ensure that they do not discriminate their employees based on their race since this can affect their performance because no employee knew where he or she was born and brought up.In the case of the South Africa there was racial discrimination that was carried out against the black employees and this affected their performance.   In my view companies should implement laws of ensuring that these practices are not carried out so that the performance of a company cannot be affected. (http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story-id=9767615)The management of a company also has the obligation of ensuring that the interests of the company do not go against the interests of the society.   It has been noted that society is the final consumer of the products of the company thus it is important for the management t o ensure that they pay attention to the queries that arise in the community so that they can address the employees’ problems effectively since the success of the company’s depend on the employees performance hence they need to protect their rights and also they need to be treated fairly.The management of a company has the responsibility of ensuring that the employees are given health insurance schemes because they are responsible for the production of goods and services of the company.   The issuance of health schemes can prevent workers from leaving the work places due to poor working conditions which affects their productivity.The management of a company should train its employees about the activities of the company so that they can learn what they are expected to do.According to the South African case, Reverend Doctor Leon Sullivani   initiated a training programme that would ensure good performance of the company and this programme was implemented in a code of conduct so that their policy would be followed at all times by the employees of a company and this was a positive move since this would increase their productivity since the time would not be wasted on repeating small issues, yet training highlights all activities of the company thus enabling work to be carried out effectively.The management of a company should not look at the law and the rate of return on its investment as the ultimate criteria for deciding what investment it should make because there are other factors that an investor should take into account when deciding on the type of investment that he should carry out such as time value of money that is whether the returns on an investment are required now or in the future.The investor also   considers the capital outline that is required in starting and maintaining a project until the time it starts to generate returns for the company.   Another criteria the management of a company should     consider is that the typ e of industry in which they would like to set up.   The investors should research from the people about what they prefer most so that the management of a company can have a ready market for their goods and services once the industries start to operate.In case of the South African company, the South African government had imposed some restrictions on the company known as Caltex, that it would not supply its oil products to the military or the police of South Africa.   This was a challenge to the company because such restrictions reduced the returns of the company.It was wrong for the South African government to ban the sale of its petroleum products because the companies should sell their products anywhere in the world and to any potential buyer since the returns of the company are also beneficial to the residents since they can be paid better wages by the companies’ returns, the economy of the country can improve due to the corporate taxes that are collected from these co mpanies .In the case of South African companies, Bishop Desmond Tutu’s decision to impose laws that were beneficial to the black workers was a positive move since the government had failed to recognize the employees who contributed to the success of the company.The laws included providing good working condition by ensuring they were properly accommodated with houses that were near their places of work, by recognizing black trading unions and also by recognizing the right of workers and the   allowance of labor mobility, so as to enhance productivity of workers.   He also enforced a law of ensuring that fair trade practices were being practiced as education and training was conducted so as to eliminate illiteracy among the workers of a company.The company’s should consider various factors when investing because the success of a company depends on them .For instance the workers of a company should be fairly treated they should not be unfairly discriminated against ,t hey should be properly remunerated so that they can not leave their company’s since this can affect their productivity and the reputation of a company can be affected due to the high rate of turnover of their employees.ReferencesWebsite http://www.businessLink.gov.UK/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCE8jter   accessed on 2nd May 2, 2008  Website  Ã‚   http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story-id=9767615   accessed on 2nd May 2, 2008Website  Ã‚   http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:OyvnSHhOd18J  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ACCESSED ON 2nd May 2, 2008Website  Ã‚   http://164.233.169.104/search?q=cache:-RHK5RrmMQJ  Ã‚   ACCESSED ON 2nd May 2, 2008

English Language Teaching Essay

This paper aims to highlight the importance of teaching sociolinguistic competence to ESL learners in Malaysian schools. Sociolinguistic competence is the knowledge of socio cultural rules of language and of discourse. This type of competence requires an understanding of the socio context in which language is used. It is proposed that carefully designed language activities be carried out by instructors in order to impart sociolinguistic skills to learners. The importance of universal intelligibility should be stressed, as opposed to native accent. Furthermore students should also be taught proper contextual use of English, in accordance to cultural reference and cultural appropriacy should be part of the learners’ core sociolinguistic competence. Keywords: Socio-cultural rules, Sociolinguistic competence, Formal language, Colloquialism 1. Introduction Malaysia is a multi-racial society which is strongly bounded by its system of monarchy. However, Malays form the largest portion of its demography, with Malay as its national language. Though Malay is still the most commonly used lingua franca among Malaysians, English is gaining more importance and relevance in the country. In fact, Malaysians have come to realize that it is no longer necessary, nor desirable to aim at an English native speaker’s speech to achieve their communicative function. However, there has been a strong decline in the levels of English proficiency in the country .This is evident in Malaysians’ everyday speech, which are often marred by grammatical and phonological errors or at times too loaded with â€Å"suffixes† (e.g. lah, lor, meh) and loan words from other languages. English is the second most important language in Malaysia. It is used in  various professions and is an important requirement in Malaysian academic settings. The academic setting is a microcosm of the Malaysian population, which is a mix of interlocutors of different racial and language backgrounds. They may also differ in their English language proficiency levels. Therefore, it could be assumed that in Malaysian schools’ unique language environment, sociolinguistic competence contributes to Malaysian students English language proficiency. 2. Malaysian School Language Policy When Malaysia got its independence in 1957, the government of Malaysia set out on a program to establish Bahasa Melayu as the official language, to be used in all government functions and as the medium of instruction at all levels in the education system. The introduction of a new primary school curriculum which goes by the Malay acronym, KBSR (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah), and the new secondary school curriculum which goes by the acronym, KBSM (Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Menengah), is an approach to provide holistic, balanced and integrated development of an individual’s potential; intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical aspect. However in 2002, the government announced a reversal of policy, calling for a switch to English as a medium of instruction for Mathematics and Science at all levels in the education system. Since 2003, Science and Mathematics have been taught in English. Therefore, teachers will be forced to code-switch to make pupils understand the su bject matter. 3. Sociolinguistic Competence Sociolinguistic competence is the knowledge of the sociocultural rules of language and of discourse. This type of competence requires an understanding of the social context in which language is used: the rules of the participants, the information they share, and the functions of the interaction. Only in a full context of this kind can judgement be made on the appropriateness of a ‘particular utterance’, as mentioned by Brown (2000). Lyie Bachman’s (1990) sociolinguistic competence comprises aspects, which deal with factors such as politeness, formality, metaphor, registers, and culturally related aspects of language. For students learning English in Malaysia, sociolinguistic competence should take into account those aspects as proposed by Bachman. Broersma (2001) stated that the process of learning sociolinguistic competence is challenging even in one’s first language. He also proposed that evidence of this can be found in the popularity of â€Å"Miss Manners† columns. He claims if we all had perfect sociolinguistic competence, we wouldn’t need advice about the proper way to send wedding invitations or give a dinner party. Having good sociolinguistic competence means knowing how to â€Å"give every person his or her due.† It means knowing when to be quiet, and when to talk, when to give compliments to others, and when to apologize. It also means being able to read situations and know what is the right thing to say or do. There are an infinite number of combinations of roles, tasks, contexts, and feelings that govern what is appropriate in any given encounter. 4. Sensitivity to Dialect or Variety The standard variety of English used in our country is the variety that is taught formally in schools and the Standard British English is the linguistic model in the education system of Malaysia. However in Malaysia, English, being the second language, is learnt for a functional purpose. The most important measure of success when a language is learnt for a functional purpose is communicative effectiveness; that is, whether the language enabled the learners to achieve the purpose of learning. A dialect is a language variation spoken by a particular ethnic, social or regional group and is an element of the group’s collective identity (Ogbu, 1999). Each dialect within a language is just as logical, complex and  rule-governed as the standard form of the language (often called standard variety). Malaysian English (or Manglish) is a non-native variety of English and is one of the most prominent features of Malaysia’s linguistic corpus. Baskaran (1994) has categorized ‘Manglish’ into three sociolects, which are: †¢ Acrolect (‘high’ social dialect) – used for official or educational purposes, considered to be the standard educated sub-variety that approximates native competence and is used in formal speech as well as in written forms by speakers who have been educated in English; †¢ Mesolect (‘middle’ social dialect) – used in semiformal and casual situations, a sub-variety that is used in informal situations among fellow Malaysians. †¢ Basilect (‘low’ social dialect) – used informally and colloquially as a ‘patois’ shades into a pidgin used mostly by village peddlers when talking to tourists and other potential customers. 5. Different English Varieties. There are different varieties of English used here in Malaysia. The important issue here is what would be considered as an acceptable variety of English for Malaysian students? In Malaysia, there is a strong tradition of teaching English when learners are still very young. Also, due to home language interferences and strong media influence, which at times popularises Manglish as a more convenient spoken variety, Malaysian students might not have enough exposure to models of Standard English. Parents might communicate with their children in  strong accented English which is unique to each cultural/racial group, or/and even in broken or grammatically incorrect English. This variety of English could be incomprehensible at times. 5.1 Malaysian English (ME) Some words of ME reflect the multilingual traits of the country. The existence of loan words in the lexis of ME is very rampant and common, especially since Malaysia is a Malay dominated country both in language and culture. Moreover there are no lexical equivalents of certain Malay words in English. Listed below is a list of commonly used borrowed words and phrases which have made their way into the repertoire of speech among speakers of Manglish. At the lexical level, some words of ME used by students reflect the multilingual traits of the country. There exist loan words from contact languages such as Chinese (ta-paw, pu-yao) and Bahasa Malayu (makan). Using substrate lexemes plural in the usual English way is common, e.g. kopios coffees (kop-o, black coffee), Menteri Besar (head of state government) and pengarahs (directors). Other cultural expressions adopted in ME, for instance: †¢ Kadhi (religious judge) impose a fine for khalwat (illicit proximity to the opposite sex) †¢ Don’t act so ulufied (backward, not hip) Wear something more stylo (stylish) †¢ Lets go ngerdate (dating), an Indonesian slang very common among the Malays. †¢ Hello thamby, (boy) one cup of coffee please. An example of a short conversation in colloquial Malaysian English (non-standard English) may sound like this: Housewife: Your fish so flabby, no good one. Fishmonger : Like that already hard †¢what. How hard one you want? You want stone, want wood. I can’t find. Housewife : You half-past six lawyer one. Give little bit cheap la, this fish. Fishmonger : Oh, that’s why you said that kind, said my thing flabby, you want Cheap-cheap. Housewife : You don’t want give, I look other places. Fishmonger : Look, look la, wait you come back look for me also. (Adibah Aroin, New Straits Times, 3V December 1992) 6. Awareness of language differences in the classroom Though the use of Standard English is very much desired, one must not dismiss the significance of other varieties of the language, particularly Manglish. Students must be made to realise the importance of Standard English in academic and formal settings; but at the same time be conscious of the communicative function of Manglish. Manglish helps learners to bridge the gap between the use of acrolect among proponents in an academic setting and the basilect used among their peers to facilitate understanding. More importantly, Manglish has a social function of fostering ties. It motivates students to move from one speech to another level through the opening up of communication channels across the sociolects. Students must realise that the main objective of learning English is not to acquire native speakers’ competency but rather to be intelligible among international English speakers and those within their ‘community’. Students  must be conscious that dialects are not inferior languages and that they should be respected, and that Standard English is necessary only in a formal context. 6.1 Intercultural Media Language The English language and its varieties would make excellent vehicles to create cross-cultural awareness. Students are able to use print and non-print resources of language such to compare the language used in British newspapers and the local dailies. Students will find differences in the use of lexical items and would be able to familiarize themselves with the constructs of ‘Manglish’. They will then proceed to examine larger texts such as novels and plays. This will encourage students to accept their own variety and ‘overcome reluctance to approach another variety once they found that the texts in these other varieties were accessible to them’ (Kachru and Nelson: 1996) 6.2 New English Literatures An excellent method to introduce other varieties of English is through literature. The area of literature opens up multi-traditional aspects of human life, which encourages students to broaden their horizons. By introducing literatures that is very much Malaysian, students will be exposed to new uses and forms of their own language. 6.3 Manglish Discourse Materials, which have features of ‘Manglish’ such as advertisement, obituaries and excerpts from TV and conversations, provide excellent  resources in discussing discourse markers. In this way, students are able to study speech acts such as negotiating, persuading, and apologizing within the structures and cultural context which is most familiar to them. Rather than perceiving it as an obstacle to learning the English language, the recognition of ‘Manglish’ by educational bodies may perhaps be of a great value. 6.4 Importance of Standard Variety I would suggest that students learn to handle formal language in schools. This is because they can easily revert to conversational and colloquial language as and when the context arises. However if one only learns to speak at the colloquial level, one can never rise up to the occasion to speak formal English when the need arises. Formal English requires usage of proper grammar and syntax with appropriate vocabulary. It takes a lot of practice before one can master English at this level. So why short change our students by accepting communication that is only up to the non- native variety level? In fact there is worry in many English speaking countries that teenagers are so used to using colloquial English in their ‘SMS’, that they cannot manage formal English, especially at the written level 7. Sensitivity to Registers The notion of ‘developing a language’ means, adding to its range of social functions. This is achieved by developing new registers. According to Halliday (1978:195), a register is a set of meanings that is appropriate to a particular function of language, together with the words and structures which express these meanings’. Registers are commonly identified by certain phonological variants, vocabulary, idioms and other expressions that are associated with different occupational or socio-economic groups. 7.1 Importance of Registers to Learners The term register includes different aspects of language in various contexts such as field of discourse, modes of discourse, style of discourse and discourse domain. It is important for students to develop styles and registers and recognize how to use them appropriately and be conscious of the need to do so. 7.1.1 Field of Discourse The knowledge of discourse enables students to have the ability to communicate with specialists in a particular field once they’ve understood the use of terminologies used in that field. In The STAR online, 24h March, there was a write up from a concerned parent who felt that teachers needed help in the field of Maths and Science and how crude errors are made such as ‘8 push 4 is 4’ a literal translation from BM (8 tolak 4 ialah 4). Therefore it is important for students to be exposed to mathematical and scientific terminologies because knowledge is power Having knowledge in various fields will help students in their future studies or career such as being proficient in delivering speeches, conducting negotiations, preparing drafts of agreements and in routine business communication. 7.1.2 Modes of Discourse Modes of discourse can be either written or verbal. Students who are not very well versed in their speech may produce ungrammatical, short, incomplete sentences, filled with false starts, fillers and pauses. Tongue (1968:83) has defined ‘fillers’ as a term used to indicate those items of language which communicate no particular denotative meaning but which are used to indicate the emotive, affective attitudes of the speaker, or sometimes simply to fill a pause or a moment of hesitation or reflection in the stream of speech. The most well known is the â€Å"suffix† lah or sometimes pronounced la, which realises different pragmatic functions as illustrated below: †¢ Emphasizing support e.g. I agree lah †¢ Persuading e.g. †¦ .you must do it in a proper way lah †¢ Complementing e.g. that’s a good idea, good lah Other common fillers used are ‘bah’ (by the Sabahans), ‘mah’ (by the Chinese) and â€Å"a?† or â€Å"ah†. â€Å"Ah† serves to function as fillers or breaking points as well as bringing out a question force as shown below. †¢ No point helping friends who are not interested, do you agree with that, ah? Other features of Malaysianess include the use of tag questions in particular the use of â€Å"isn’t it?† and adding the phrase â€Å"or not† to the preceding instead of presenting two alternatives. †¢ We’ve done it, isn’t it? †¢ You want to follow or not? Students must be mindful that usage of such a variety of English is accepted in informal settings. However in a formal setting, the standard variety of English is necessary and is the acceptable norm. With the changing role and the decline in the standard of English in Malaysia, it is found that instances of deviation from Standard English have increased in frequency. Though there is an attempt to use the Standard English, inadequate exposure and lack of knowledge result in the many basic Standard English deviations, which are found even in the speech of educated users of the language. As far as Malaysian students are concerned, these irregularities are usually tolerated and overlooked, as long as they do not interfere too greatly with communicative purposes. At present, indication of these irregularities may be observed in the spoken mode, as many students seem to feel quite free to incorporate features of the local dialect, into their speech, be it in a formal or informal situation . 7.1.3 Style of Discourse An important issue is how students use their verbal repertoire and what are the uses they will put them to. According to Halliday (1978), there are factors, which affect the way people use language. Halliday classifies this as field, mode and tenor. Field refers to ‘why’ and about what a communication takes place, mode is about ‘how’, and tenor is about to whom. For example, in writing a letter, one might start: â€Å"l am writing to inform you that†¦.† but in another letter, the same person might write: â€Å"I just  want to let you know that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  According to Joos (1967), there are five types of formalities: 1) Frozen style is more characteristic of writing than speech e.g. Students should make their way at once to the upper floor by way of the staircase. 2) Formal style uses sentences that show careful planning and logical development of ideas e.g. Students should go up the stairs at once. People who have limited shared background use consultative style; sentences are complete and some background information is given e.g. Would you mind going upstairs right away, please? People who have a shared background use casual style; it is marked by slang, profanity and incomplete sentences e.g. Time you all went upstairs now. Intimate style is the style, which is highly economical and is accompanied by a lot of non-verbal communication; people who know each other very well use it e.g. Up you go, fellows! It seems to me that it is in the area covered by consultative, formal and frozen, that our students need to be competent in. They ought to know which style to use when an occasion arises. Once a student said to his teacher in class: â€Å"Would you be so kind to explain again?† and a moment later, he said, â€Å"I want you to explain this question again†. This shows that the student is not consistent in the level of formality. In a classroom situation, the second one is acceptable but the first one is too formal. Our students fail to take into account the relationship between participants and situations or settings. Students need to be aware that a formal setting requires formal speech and that they may use colloquial words or phrases in an informal setting. They need to be aware that using language often involves how formal one needs to be in a situation. 8. Cultural References and Figures of Speech An overall understanding of the significant role of cultural variables in cross-cultural interactions will act as a bridge to mutual understanding and acceptance in situations of cultural conflict. Students must be aware that in certain cultures, the people are expected to respond to certain  utterances in an appropriate way, which is of the linguistic norm. 8.1 Importance of Cultural Appropriacy A possible way of dealing with varied cultural behaviour is to sensitise students to the unique characteristics of other cultures. Students should develop cultural tolerance and show understanding for other people’s differences. The ability to be tolerant is necessary for anyone hoping to avoid miscommunication. It involves the learner recognizing that every culture has its own logic, its own integrity and that no one culture is any better (or, for that matter, any worse) than any other. Malaysian idiomatic expressions used by learners could only be understood at the local context. Some are even fond of the idea of contextualization these days. It truly gives a Malaysian flavour to our speech. Localised expression appeals to the average man in the street. Having a common speech pattern somehow helps some students to bond quickly and so it helps to establish friendship between like-minded people. 9. Ways of Improving Students Sociolinguistics Competence The lack in cross-cultural understanding or sensitivity on the part of the teacher has serious implications because it affects classroom management and consequently, student’s learning. There are various activities that can be carried out in classrooms to instil cultural understanding. Learning how to perform particular speech acts in both formal and informal settings,  learning particular â€Å"ways of speaking†, like story telling, narratives, joke-telling, simply learning to chitchat, are all important in learning how to speak proficiently. Syaharom Abdullah (1995) believes that students will become conscious of the values and expectations, which are basic in a culture through dialogue practice or role-play. In learning English, the student has to learn how to use and interpret the sociolinguistic rules of English in various contexts. To achieve this, the learner must develop an awareness of areas in which the sociolinguistic system of his own culture differs from those of other cultures. Teachers can design some problem-solving exercises in order to do so. 10. Conclusion It is obvious that sociolinguistic competence offers more insights in learning a language. Problems may arise for students’ who may not be familiar with the various context of language use. By means of getting acquainted with the various cultures of Englishes and updating their knowledge about language learning, students may be better able to accomplish the goals of engaging themselves in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purpose. It is important that the second language instructors in Malaysia be familiar with sociolinguistics. Teaching language is not just about learning the rudiments of the language but also various cultural refinements. Students must be made aware of formal and informal language use. They should be knowledgeable as to appropriate expressions for different context. Students must be mindful as to when they can resort to colloquial language and when formality is necessary. Lastly students need to be made aware that mastering English does not mean acquiring native proficiency, but rather having universal intelligibility. References Adibah A. (1992). The New Straits Times, SO†1 December. Bachman, L. (1990). Fundamental Considerations in Language Testing. Oxford University Press. Baskaran,L. (1994). The Malaysia English Mosaic. English Today 37 Vol. 10. Brown H. Douglas, (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Fourth Edition, Longman. Broersma, D. (2001). â€Å"‘You’re So White, So Fat, and So Hairy!†: Developing Sociolinguistic Competence in a Second Language.† In Helping Learners Develop Second Language Proficiency, L. J. Dickerson (Ed.), pp. 200-205. Colorado Springs: Mission Training International. M.A.K. Halliday. (1978). Language as Social Semiotic: The Social Interpretation of Language and Meaning, Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978; London: Edward Arnold, 1978. Joos, Martin. (1967). The Five Clocks, New York: Harcourt, Brace & World. Kachru. B.B. and Nelson, C.L. (1996). World Englishes. In Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching. USA Cambridge University Press. Morias, Elaine. (1994). Malaysian Business Talk: A Study of Conflict and Non-Conflict in Verbal Interactions. PHD Thesis, University of Malaya. Syaharom Abdullah. (1995). Thai Tesol Annual Conference, January 1995, Universiti Utara Malaysia. Test/cultural kind-html. The Star On Line, 24th March, 2003. Tongue, R.K. (1979). The English of Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore, Eastern University Press. Ogbu, J.U. (1999). Beyond Languages: Ebonies, Proper English and Identity in a Black- American Speech Community. American Educational Research Journal, 36 147-184.

Cross Tabulation and Exploratory Data Analysis

Prepare a preliminary analysis plan for this study. Which variables do you want frequencies on? Why?The initial stage of the data correlation and analysis would be the proper coding of the data and entry into an appropriate software database. For this case study, the data was presented as an Excel file, so the exploratory data analysis would include a complete descriptive statistical calculations and frequencies for applicable questions. I would suggest questions that create nominal or ordinal data are the most appropriate for frequency tables, and provide a clearer picture of the survey respondents. The data sets may be utilized to confirm if the teacher sample is representative of the overall population, and cross tabulations conducted to draw correlations between categories. I would suggest that data specifically addressing respondents who require a master’s degree, or those contemplating pursuing higher education would be of particular interest, as they represent the poten tial student market. Researchers will also need to account for non-response errors and missing data within the coding and analysis stages program, the program needs to continue the liberal arts tradition and strengthen the undergraduate teacher education program, as high quality under- graduate education is seen as part of Wittenberg’s primary mission.Additionally, new academic initiatives such as the one proposed are increasingly asked by the board to reach break-even within their first operating year. I don’t think the sample was appropriate for this research because the parameters of the systematic sampling are not detailed; such as were the teachers who already completed a MEd degree included in the sample? It would have been better to mail the 400 surveys to a more convenient sampling instead of the surrounding counties. It would be a lot better to see the market potential of the program.5. Which variables do you want to cross-tabulate? Why?Given the nature of the research questions, it would be beneficial to identity, through crosstabulations, those teachers who have not yet applied for their second licensure to teach and what level of education those teachers currently have. This would clarify the potential market for the WU program. In addition, cross-tabulations to identify potential teachers relative to their home counties would give a clearer picture of those teachers who could/would realistically attend the WU program over another program closer to their homes.A final cross tabulation that may prove beneficial is the number of teachers who currently are not impacted by the new legislation, but may look to the WU MEd. program for professional development courses. As noted earlier, the new legislation presents an opportunity for to expand upon their graduate level programs, but given the costs to initiate a new program, the decision to proceed must be based upon valid and credible research data. Therefore, the exploratory research under taken is critical, as it will form the foundation for any decisions made by the university administration.

Environmental Issue raised in the Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling

Environmental Issue raised in the Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling In the article, â€Å"Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling†, weather change was the major environmental issue affecting the United States. This change comes in different forms such as vicious storms, famine and high temperature, which have adverse effects on the nation’s infrastructure (Wald and Schwartz par. 1).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Environmental Issue raised in the â€Å"Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Notably, the environment is susceptible to human and natural activities; for instance, the heavy construction of highways in the country affects the natural ecosystem. In addition, the article indicated that the nuclear power plant in Illinois affects the natural attributes of the environment due to the consequences of reacting components. There are considerable environmental effects arising from complicated engineeri ng, steel and concrete works in the US, which have altered of natural ecosystem (New York Times 1). The article further outlines the affects of asphalts on the landscape. For example, the condition interferes with the flight operations because jets sometimes stick in the asphalts, thus threatening the human life (Wald and Schwartz par. 2). Similarly, train operations are also affected by the stretching of the track. This means that the environmental disasters could pose danger to the human life and interfere with the natural aspects of the ecosystem. Another observation in the article was its revelation that the excess heat interferes with the behavior of clay soil, especially those found beneath the highways. This condition makes the soil shrink (Wald and Schwartz par. 2). Consequently, it affects the roads since they crack to adjust to the weather conditions, thus becoming risky to the users. As outlined in the article, the other effect of heat on the environment was that it could lead to unprecedented expansion of certain sections of the highway.Advertising Looking for article on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This expansion sometimes goes beyond the planned limits and the force excreted from each end could lead to jarring and other dangerous speed bumps, which alter the traffic flow in the affected areas. The article also pointed out that the intense heat affects the grid, a situation that increases changes in the environment. For instance, the temperature of a water pond in Chicago that was used to cool the units in a nuclear plant increased to a high of 102 degrees, which has serious consequences on the aquatic life (Wald and Schwartz par. 3). Since the temperature of the pond should only reach 100 degrees, an increase beyond this limit is environmentally disastrous. The other aspect of the environmental issue that was presented in the article was the devastating s torms, flood and forest in some areas of the United States. For example, the article highlighted the flooding in New Orleans, which brought several damages to the environment and the inhabitants of the area, such as washing away bridges, roads, plants and loss of human life (Wald and Schwartz par. 8). On the other hand, the forest fires and storms were attributed to prolonged drought and intense heat respectively. They create environmental disasters in the areas affected, thus must be controlled. Solutions to the Environmental Issues According to the article, the author proposed that since extreme weather patterns effect environment and the country’s infrastructure, the construction of highways and nuclear plants should be done while considering such extreme episodes (Wald and Schwartz par. 4). For example, the designs for roads and railway tracks should consider the seasonal changes in rainfall and temperature because this could help minimize their affects on the environment . It could also reduce the amount of money wasted on the construction of highways on disaster prone areas.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Environmental Issue raised in the â€Å"Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More New York Times, Environment. 7 Aug. 2012. Web. https://www.nytimes.com/section/climate Wald, Mathew and J. Schwartz. Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling, 25 Jul. 2012. Web. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/us/rise-in-weather-extremes-threatens-infrastructure.html?_r=1ref=earth

Wend and Wind

Wend and Wind Wend and Wind Wend and Wind By Maeve Maddox A reader questions the use of wind (rhymes with kind) in the following notation on the website of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): After expediting your arrival and clearing you to the ramp, ATC has one last function. They will fill out a mandatory occurrence report (MOR), which will wind its way to a flight standards district office (FSDO) where it will be assigned to an inspector. Says the reader, I had always thought, and still believe, that the correct word is wend, not wind, although the former does imply a winding course. Please comment. Both verbs, to wend and to wind, have been with us since Old English times: wendan verb: to turn, direct. windan verb: to plait, curl, twist Wend has been used with different meanings of turn, such as â€Å"to translate/turn a text from one language to another,† but it has retained the connotation of the kind of turning involved in travel or the movement of a river. In Old English, wind had additional meanings such as whirl, brandish, swing, fly, leap, etc. The word is frequently seen in lively descriptions of Old English battle scenes. Its most common use now is to convey the idea of twisting. As we’re discussing wend and wind, I’ll mention a similar verb form, went. Like wend and wind, the verb go existed in Old English. Its past tense was eode. The form went belonged to the verb wendan. Speakers tended to mix up the past of wend with the past of go. In time, eode was replaced by went as the simple past of go. The past of wend became wended. The original past participle form of go (gan) remains with us as gone. In modern usage, wend is used chiefly in the sense of making one’s way, especially in an unhurried manner by an indirect route. It’s used literally and figuratively. Here are examples of recent usage: This was a four-month trek that began in London and  wended  its way through Central  Europe  and on to the Middle East.   We adjourned soon after the first ballet, and  wended  our way back to the restaurant, where supper was already awaiting us. Just before the troops arrived, a federal judge blocked key components of SB 1070 from going into effect as scheduled, and the case seems sure to wend its way ultimately to the U.S. Supreme Court. Even if you dont live near the  sea, much of the run-off from your garden ends up down the drain, which  wends  its  way  down to the  sea  eventually. Wind, with its past tense wound, is used in a similar way to describe a convoluted and slow course of movement, as in these examples: Mules and donkeys strung together in groups of five  wound their way down the mountain  toward the river.   A bill is currently winding its way through the U.S. Congress to give Europeans the right to legal redress. The case eventually wound its way  to the Supreme Court where Ginzburg lost on a  5-4 decision in 1966, ultimately serving eight months in prison. I  saw  their gaunt  figures wind down  the valley, and  watched  them till they disappeared in  the distance.   The Awash River winds down  from the mountains through deep gorges to the plain. My answer to the reader’s question is that either wind or wend works in the context of a report making its slow way to the appropriate office. I’d be hard-pressed to formulate a rule for when to use wend and when to use wind. I think that if I wished to emphasize the leisureliness and intentionality of the movement, I’d choose wend. To emphasize sinuousness and obstruction, I’d choose wind. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)What is Dative Case?Writing Styles (with Examples)

Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age

Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age Answers to Questions About Hyphens in References to Age By Mark Nichol The rules about references to age, and the proper use of hyphens in such references, are simple yet easily misunderstood. Here are a few explanations in response to readers’ questions about the topic. 1. Could you help me understand the correct way to write ages? For example, â€Å"My three-year-old was too young for the movie† is hyphenated, while â€Å"He is three years old† is not, or at least I dont think it is. Your examples are correct: Hyphenate â€Å"three-year-old† and similar phrases only when they serve as phrasal adjectives describing someone or something (or when, as in the case of the first example above, the someone or something of that age is implied). The simple phrase â€Å"three years old† merits no hyphenation, because it isn’t being combined to modify anything. Unfortunately, many people are confused by this distinction, so the phrase is often hyphenated incorrectly, and the frequently seen error perpetuates the confusion. 2. In your sentence â€Å"Write ‘fifty years old,’ for example, rather than ‘aged fifty years,’† the phrase should read â€Å"fifty years-old,† shouldnt it? â€Å"Fifty years old† should be styled just like that, as explained in the previous response; in reference to a fifty-year-old, hyphenate as shown whether what is fifty years old is explicit or implicit. Never hyphenate years and old while leaving the preceding number detached, and never hyphenate fifty and year without also including old in the hyphenated string of words; â€Å"fifty-year old man† refers to an old man who is fifty years, which is nonsensical. The only case in which years and old would be hyphenated is in a sentence such as â€Å"It’s a years-old tradition† a reference to a tradition that is (many) years old. 3. â€Å"When a doctor was dictating a report, he said, ‘This is an approximately 40 50 year old woman . . . .’ It’s my job as a transcriptionist to make the doctor look good; I don’t just type verbatim. So I put, ‘This is an approximately 40- to 50-year-old woman . . . .’ ‘This is a 40-50-year-old woman . . .’ looks awful and confusing, even though that is actually what the doctor said. I could also have written, ‘This is a woman who is approximately 40 or 50 years old . . . .’† Both of your solutions are elegant. If, however, you were required to transcribe verbatim and I think doing so would be necessary only in a legal context the solution would be, â€Å"This is an approximately 40-, 50-year-old woman.† The comma indicates a pause for expansion or self-correction. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whether50 Idioms About Arms, Hands, and FingersWoof or Weft?

German Proficiency Tests and Certification

German Proficiency Tests and Certification At some point in your study of the German language, you may want to, or you might need to take a test to demonstrate your command of the language. Sometimes a person may want to take it for his or her satisfaction, while in some cases a student may be required to take a test such as the Zertifikat Deutsch (ZD), the Großes Sprachdiplom (GDS), or the TestDaF. There are more than a dozen tests you can take to certify your proficiency in German. Which test you take depends on several factors, including for what purpose or for whom you are taking the test. If you plan on attending a German university, for instance, you need to find out which test is required or recommended. While many colleges and universities have their in-house proficiency tests, what we are discussing here are established, widely recognized German tests offered by the Goethe Institute and other organizations. A standardized test such as the widely accepted Zertifikat Deutsch has proven its validity over the years and is recognized as certification in many situations. However, it is not the only such test, and some of the others are required instead of the ZD by some universities. There are also specialized German tests, particularly for business. Both the BULATS and the Zertifikat Deutsch fà ¼r den Beruf (ZDfB) test a high level of language competency for business German. They are only suitable for people who have the appropriate background and training for such a test. Test Fees All of these German tests require payment of a fee by the person being tested. Contact the test administrator to find out the cost of any test you are planning to take. Test Preparation Since these German proficiency examinations test general language ability, no one book or course prepares you for taking such a test. However, the Goethe Institute and some other language schools do offer specific preparatory courses for the DSH, GDS, KDS, TestDaF, and several other German tests. Some of the tests, particularly the business German tests, provide specific requirements (how many hours of instruction, type of courses, etc.), and we outline some of that in the following list. However, you need to contact the organization that administers the test you want to take for more detailed information. Our list includes Web links and other contact information, but one of the best sources of information is the Goethe Institute, which has local centers in many countries all over the globe, and an excellent Web site. (For more about the Goethe Institute, see my article: Das Goethe-Institut.) BULATS (Business Language Testing Service) Organization: BULATSDescription: The BULATS is a worldwide business-related German proficiency test administered in cooperation with the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Besides German, the test is also available in English, French, and Spanish. BULATS is used by organizations to assess the language skills of employees/job applicants in a professional context. It comprises several tests that can be taken separately or in combination.Where/When: Some Goethe Institutes around the world offer the German BULATS test. DSH - Deutsche Sprachprà ¼fung fà ¼r den Hochschulzugang auslndischer Studienbewerber (German Language Test for College Admission for Foreign Students) Organization: FADAFDescription: Similar to the TestDaF; administered in Germany and by some licensed schools. The DSH examination is used to prove an international students ability to understand lectures and study at a German university. Note that, unlike the TestDaf, the DSH may be retaken only once!Where/When: Usually at each university, with the date set by each university (in March and September). Goethe-Institut Einstufungstest - GI Placement Test Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: An online German placement test with 30 questions. It places you in one of the six levels of the Common European Framework.Where/When: Online at any time. Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (GDS, Advanced German Language Diploma) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: The GDS was established by the Goethe Institute in cooperation with the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt, Munich. Students taking the GDS must be virtually fluent in German as it is rated (by some countries) as being the equivalent of German teaching qualification. The exam covers the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking), structural competence and dictation. In addition to spoken fluency, candidates will need advanced grammatical ability and be capable of preparing texts and discussing issues about German literature, natural sciences, and economics.Where/When: The GDS can be taken at Goethe Institutes and other testing centers in Germany and other countries. Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS, Intermediate German Language Diploma) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: The KDS was established by the Goethe Institute in cooperation with the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt, Munich. The KDS is a German language proficiency test taken at an advanced level. The written test involves the understanding of texts, vocabulary, composition, understanding instructions, as well as exercises/questions about specifically chosen texts. There are also general questions on geography and German culture, plus an oral exam. The KDS satisfies university language entrance requirements.Where/When: The GDS can be taken at Goethe Institutes and other testing centers in Germany and other countries. Tests are held in May and November. OSD Grundstufe Ãâ€"sterreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch - Grundstufe (Austrian German Diploma - Basic Level) Organization: Ãâ€"SD-Prà ¼fungszentraleDescription: The OSD was developed in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Transport, the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs. The OSD is a German language proficiency exam which tests general language skills. Grundstufe 1 is the first of three levels and is based on the Council of Europes Waystage Level specification. Candidates should be capable of communicating in a limited number of everyday situations. The exam comprises both written and oral elements.Where/When: At language schools in Austria. Contact the Ãâ€"SD-Prà ¼fungszentrale for more information. OSD Mittelstufe Austrian German Diploma - Intermediate Organization: Ãâ€"SD-Prà ¼fungszentraleDescription: Candidates must be able to handle a level of German beyond everyday situations, including intercultural skills. See the listing above for more about the OSD. Prà ¼fung Wirtschaftsdeutsch International (PWD, International Test for Business German) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: The PWD was established by the Goethe Institute in cooperation with Carl Duisberg Centers (CDC) and Deutscher Industrie-und Handelstag (DIHT). It is a German business proficiency test taken at an intermediate/advanced level. Students attempting this examination should have completed 600-800 hours of instruction in German business and economics. Students are tested on subject terminology, comprehension, business letter standards, and proper public relations. The examination has both written and oral components. Students attempting the PWD should have completed a course in intermediate business German and preferably an advanced language course.Where/When: The PWD can be taken at Goethe Institutes and other testing centers in Germany and other countries. TestDaF - Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (Test (of) German as a Foreign Language) Organization: TestDaF InstituteDescription: The TestDaF is a German language proficiency test recognized by the German government. The TestDaF is most commonly taken by people who want to study at the university level in Germany.Where/When: Contact the Goethe Institute, other language schools, or a German university for more information. Zentrale Mittelstufenprà ¼fung (ZMP, Central Intermediate Test) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: Accepted by some German universities as proof of German proficiency. The ZMP was established by the Goethe-Institut and can be attempted after 800-1000 hours of advanced German language instruction. The minimum age is 16. The examination tests reading comprehension, listening, writing skills, and verbal communication at an advanced/intermediate level.Where/When: The ZMP can be taken at Goethe Institutes and other testing centers in Germany and other countries. Contact the Goethe Institute for more information. Zentrale Oberstufenprà ¼fung (ZOP) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: Candidates must show they have a good command of the regional variations of standard German. Must be able to understand complex, authentic texts and to express themselves accurately both orally and in writing. Level compares with that of the Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom (KDS). The ZOP has a written section (text analysis, tasks that test the ability to express oneself, essay), listening comprehension, and an oral examination. Passing the ZOP makes you exempt from the language entrance examinations to German universities.Where/When: Contact the Goethe Institute. Zertifikat Deutsch (ZD, Certificate German) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: Internationally recognized proof of basic working knowledge of the German language. Candidates must be able to deal with everyday situations and have a command of basic grammatical structures and vocabulary. Students who have taken about 500-600 class hours can register for the exam.Where/When: the examination centers set ZD exam dates. As a rule, the ZD is offered one to six times per year, depending on location. The ZD is taken at the end of an intensive language course at a Goethe Institute. Zertifikat Deutsch fà ¼r den Beruf (ZDfB, Certificate German for Business) Organization: Goethe InstituteDescription: A special German test aimed at business professionals. The ZDfB was developed by the Goethe Institute and the Deutsches Institut fà ¼r Erwachsenenbildung (DIE) and is currently being administered by the Weiterbildungstestsysteme GmbH (WBT). The ZDfB is specifically for those students interested in business relations. Students attempting this exam should have already completed an intermediate level course in German and additional courses in business.Where/When: The ZDfB may be taken at Goethe Institutes; Volkshochschulen; ICC members and other testing centers in over 90 countries.

Euthanasia and Suicide

Euthanasia and Suicide Introduction Euthanasia can be defined as the intentional act of inducing an easy and painless death to a suffering individual or mercy killing. It is closely associated with suicide act which involves an individual deliberately terminating his or her life in most cases without any assistance. There are usually cases of assisted suicide where the individual takes his or her own life intentionally with assistance from another person who may either be a medical practitioner or even a lay person.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Euthanasia and Suicide specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The final act that results in the death of the person is however usually performed by the person intending to die after the provision of information, advice and even the ways through which he or she can take his or her life by the assisting individual. Euthanasia can either be active or passive depending on the amount of action a person take s to bring about the intended result / death. Physician Assisted Suicide Physician assisted suicide is a process where an individual takes his or her own life on purpose with assistance from a medical practitioner or a physician. Active euthanasia involves causing death of the sick person without his or her involvement but rather through assistance by someone else. Active euthanasia can be in the form of voluntary euthanasia which is performed upon the request of the patient, involuntary euthanasia where the patient’s life is taken without his or her request and mostly where the patient express non acceptance for termination of his or her life, the main intention being relieving pain and suffering, and non-voluntary euthanasia that takes place with neither the patient’s request nor consent. Passive euthanasia on the other hand can be termed as literally letting a patient die through carelessness or not providing the necessary care and treatment needed to keep him or he r alive. According to me, physician assisted suicide is more of active euthanasia than passive euthanasia as the physician is actively involved in the termination of the patient’s life without the patient’s participation. There is however a thin distinction since it can be passive where the doctor neglects the patient with the aim of letting him or her die (McDougall, Gorman, and Roberts, 2008). Legalization of assisted suicide in comparison to Adolph Hitler’s Aryan supremacy world view Some of the reasons given by medical practitioners for their choice to conduct physician assisted suicide on a patient are; the fact that the person is suffering from a terminal illness which have no cure or where the person has no chances of benefiting from the discovery of a cure for the disease in comparison to his or her life expectancy, and where the person is in too much pain or has become a burden and therefore unacceptable to those he or she rely on for support.Advertisin g Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Connor (2009) suggests that the legalization of assisted suicide is comparable to Adolph Hitler’s Aryan supremacy world view. I also agree on this argument since both ideologies results in unnatural deaths of the persons involved and the belief that the individuals are unworthy and a burden to the society and so the solution is their elimination through induction of death. Conclusion Although euthanasia is termed as good death and emphasizes on dying with dignity as opposed to suffering and being a burden to others, it should not be used as the solution but other means of reducing pain and ensuring that the patient dies a natural death in dignity should be considered, for instance, hospice care bearing in mind that every person is important and life is divine. A person should also not be offered with the option of terminating his or her life since he or she is part of the society and the decisions made may have impacts on the society at large. Reference List Connor, K. (2009). Expansion of Assisted Suicide to Washington Targets Elderly, Disabled With Death. Retrieved from https://www.lifenews.com/2009/06/08/bio-2868/ McDougall, F.J, Gorman, M., and Roberts, S.C. (2008). Euthanasia: A Reference Handbook 2nd Ed. New York: ABC-CLIO.

Child Marriage Facts and Causes

Child Marriage Facts and Causes The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (among other charters and conventions) all directly or indirectly forbid the degrading and mistreatment of girls inherent in child marriage. Nevertheless, child marriage is common in many parts of the world, claiming millions of victims annuallyand hundreds of thousands of injuries or deaths resulting from abuse or complications from pregnancy and childbirth. Facts About Child Marriage According to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), 100 million girls will be married before the age of 18 in the coming decade. Most will be in sub-Saharan Africa and the Asian Subcontinent (Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh). In Niger, for example, 77% of women in their early 20s were married as children. In Bangladesh, 65% were. Child marriage also occurs in parts of the Middle East, including Yemen and the rural Maghreb. In the United States, child marriage is still permissible in some states, with parental or judicial consent.Globally, according to UNICEF, 36% of women aged 20 to 24 were married or in a union, forced or consensual, before theyd reached 18.An estimated 14 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth each year. They are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than women in their 20s.Girls who marry between the ages of 10 and 14 are five times as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as women in their early 20s. Causes of Child Marriage Child marriage has many causes: cultural, social, economic and religious. In many cases, a mixture of these causes results in the imprisonment of children in marriages without their consent. Poverty: Poor families sell their children into marriage either to settle debts or to make some money and escape the cycle of poverty. Child marriage fosters poverty, however, as it ensures that girls who marry young will not be properly educated or take part in the workforce.Protecting the girls sexuality: In certain cultures, marrying a girl young presumes that the girls sexuality, therefore the girls familys honor, will be protected by ensuring that the girl marries as a virgin. The imposition of family honor on a girls individuality, in essence, robbing the girl of her honor and dignity, undermines the credibility of family honor and instead underscores the presumed protections actual aim: to control the girl.Gender discrimination: Child marriage is a product of cultures that devalue women and girls and discriminate against them. The discrimination, according to a UNICEF report on Child Marriage and the Law, often manifests itself in the form of domestic violence, marital rape, a nd deprivation of food, lack of access to information, education, healthcare, and general impediments to mobility. Inadequate laws: Many countries such as Pakistan have laws against child marriage. The laws are not enforced. In Afghanistan, a new law was written into the countrys code enabling Shiite, or Hazara, communities to impose their own form of family lawincluding permitting child marriage.​Trafficking: Poor families are tempted to sell their girls not just into marriage, but into prostitution, as the transaction enables large sums of money to change hands. Individual Rights Denied by Child Marriage The Convention on the Rights of the Child is designed to guarantee certain individual rightswhich are abused by early marriage. Rights undermined or lost by children forced to marry early are: The right to an education.The right to be protected from physical and mental violence, injury or abuse, including sexual abuse, rape, and sexual exploitation.The right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.The right to rest and leisure, and to participate freely in cultural life.The right to not be separated from parents against the childs will.The right to protection against all forms of exploitation affecting any aspect of the child’s welfare.The right to eventual employment. Case Study: A Child Bride Speaks The 2006 Nepal Report on Child Marriage includes the following testimony from a child bride: I was married to a nine-year-old boy when I was three. At that point of time, I was unaware of marriages. I dont even remember my marriage event. I just remember that as I was too young and was unable to walk and they had to carry me and bring me over to their place. Getting married at an early age, I was destined to suffer a lot of hardships. I had to carry water in a small clay-pot in the mornings. I had to sweep and swap the floor every day. Those were the days when I wanted to eat good food and wear pretty clothes. I used to feel very hungry, but I had to be satisfied with the amount of food that I was provided. I never got to eat enough. I sometimes secretly ate corns, soybeans, etc that used to grow in the field. And if I was caught eating, my in-laws and husband would beat me up accusing me of stealing from the field and eating. Sometimes the villagers used to give me food and if my husband and in-laws found out, they used to beat me up accusing me of stealing food from the house. They used to give me one black blouse and a cotton sari torn into two pieces. I had to wear these for two years. Never did I get other accessories like petticoats, belts etc. When my saris got torn, I used to patch them up and continue wearing them. My husband married three times after me. At present, he lives with his youngest wife. Since I married at an early age, early child-delivery was inevitable. As a result, I now have severe back problems. I used to weep a lot and consequently, I faced problems with my eyes and had to undergo an eye operation. I often think that if I had the power to think like I do now, I would never go to that house. I also wish I had not given birth to any children. Retrospective sufferings make me wish not to see my husband again. Nevertheless, I do not want him to die because I dont want to lose my marital status.

REFLECTIVE EASSY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

REFLECTIVE EASSY - Essay Example The teacher had an excellent mastery of content and commented on all of my assignment. My participation in the class and the tests I have done were a great deal to me. They helped me be more confident and aware of what I was learning. If I could improve on my punctuality maybe, I could grasp everything that was being taught in the class. I also feel like more homework’s, and group discussion could have improved my performance. However, I did the best in class participation that helped me in gaining the knowledge. Every topic was well explained, and I understood each concept. However, for the sake of those who are slow learners, I would recommend more practical on the topic. Instructors should not focus on the theory part only but engage the students on practical to make us improve our understanding. Measuring my future effects according to my personal review including what I have understood from the course; I accumulated lots of knowledge and know the knowledge will guide me on achieving my future goals. The practical I have also done I can apply them in my profession in the

Favorite figure from the Hebrew Bible Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Favorite figure from the Hebrew Bible - Essay Example Job is the significant and main character in the Book of Job. He is my personal favorite figure in the Hebrew Bible because of the attitude he maintained even throughout the face of sufferings and difficulties that ordinary men would not have been able to have. From the very beginning of the book, Job is described as a righteous and blameless man who pleased God in every way. After every feast his children held, â€Å"Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings [according] to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.† (Interlinear Hebrew Bible. Job 1:5) He did everything he could to stay away from all kinds of evil. He was even the greatest man among all the people of the East. He was also extremely wealthy and influential in the land of Uz, where he lived and resided. Because of his character and influence, Satan had come to the Lord’s presence with the angels and conferred with God regarding Job. Satan believed that Job was only faithful and loyal to the Lord because of the wealth and the influence that he had in the area where he lived. Without it, Job would, without hesitation, turn his back to God and would stop serving Him. This challenge of Satan resulted in Job becoming a ‘test’ of faith and loyalty in the Lord. After the Lord had told Satan and given him permission that, â€Å"all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand, Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.† (Interlinear Hebrew Bible. Job 1:12) And so Job’s troubles started pouring. In one day, several servants came to him telling him of the news that all the livestock that he had died. He quickly lost his wealth and even all his ten sons and dauhters, but in spite of

Sex, Violence and Transgression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sex, Violence and Transgression - Essay Example In some instances, violence occurs in relation to sex. This is mostly in instances of rape and any other sexual harassment (Fausto-Sterling, 2000). This essay will look at sex, violence and transgression with representation of violence from news media and analyze them. The modern culture is obsessed with sex and sexuality while there are still too many social pressures around sex. Some of these pressures are how to wear and what fashion trends to follow, how to raise and school your children and whom to befriend. These pressures affect people since everyone wants to accepted and fit in the society as a unique person. The study of sexuality encompasses an array of social activities, an abundance of behaviors, series and societal topics. Biologically sexuality involves sexual intercourse and contact. It also involves the psychological aspects in relation to medical related concerns. Being the main force conditioning human relationship, sex is essentially political. The construction of a sexual universe is fundamentally linked to the structures of power in any social context. Construction of sexual meaning is a means through which social institutions manage and shape relationships among human beings. Body Today s’ sexual behaviors have increased regardless of age or gender. Our cultures no longer respects sex as a power capable of producing human life instead to many, sex is not taken seriously and is used for the purpose of entertainment. Trivializing sex leads to loss of value in marriage, this degrades women and their families. Use of contraceptives has destroyed the family and society as well. Once divorced from the aspect of reproduction, any type of sexual union can practice marriages legal perquisites. Many girls are giving themselves away to gain things a child craves, and it will be years before they know what they have done to themselves. Once these girls are married for the purpose of having children they came to understand that life is a sacrifi ce, fulfillment was not part of their vocabulary. Sexual activity among youths and under children can bring serious consequences. Unfortunately, the recently long term trend in sexual activity among youth has not been promising (Monro, 2005). The rates of sexual activity have increased. About twenty percent of more males and females are having sex today by 18 than the earlier 1970s. Research shows that most of people who engage in sex are between ages 12 -10. About half of both boys between ages 12 -19 have not had sex. The increase of sexual activities among teenagers has led to an increase in teen birth rate, school drop –out rate and high level of poverty in the society. Adolescents who initiate themselves in these health risk behaviors’ of sexual intercourse and substance abuse such as contraceptives at an early age have poor health in their adult life. These adolescents achieve low in education and do not contribute adequately to society. There is also a big gap o f age difference between young girls and their first sex partners. The younger a girl is during her first sexual intercourse the higher the average age difference between her and sexual partner. This is also related to the number of sex partners she will have in her teenage life. This leads to teenage pregnancy due to lack of proper sex education (Connell, 2002). Non- voluntary and unwanted sex is particularly commonly among very young girls. This becomes a trouble to the