San Dimas Essays - , Term Papers, Research Papers

San Dimas Last night I had a dream that we went to Disneyland, Went on all the rides, didn't have to wait in line. I drove you to your house where we stared up at the stars I listened to your heartbeat as I held you in my arms. We hung out at the rainbow where we drank til' half past two. Nothing could go wrong anytime that I'm with you. Like crashing a hotel room or leading up to that first kiss Or searching for a high school that you know doesn't exist... These are the things that make me free I feel like I'm stuck in stand by me This night was too good to be true. Today I woke up alone wishing you were here with me, I wanted us to be something that we'd probably never be. Today you called me up and said you'd see me at our show, But now I'm stuck debating if I even wanna go. Whitney, don't you understand that what I say is true? I just want you to know I have a major crush on you. I'd drive you to Las Vegas and do the things you wanna do I'd even have Wayne Newton dedicate a song to you. I only wish that this could be Just dump your boyfriend and go out with me I swear I'd treat you like a queen. Music Essays

An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly Essay Essay Example

An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly Essay Essay Example An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly Essay Essay An Inspector Calls by JB Priestly Essay Essay Essay Topic: Literature An Inspector Calls was written by J. B Priestly. It is set within an industrial town of Brumley. The play is a mystery drama which explores many kind of themes such as love, responsibility, lies and class and change. Responsibility is the main theme of the play. We see it occurring many times in the play. It shows that all of the characters, except Sheila and Eric, are irresponsible. They do not want to accept their responsibility for Eva Smiths death. An example of responsibility in the play is when Mr Birling says in Act One. Its about time you learned to face a few responsibilities. (Act One). But he, himself and his factory do not accept responsibility for what happens after Eva leaves. He is a hypocrite. His wife, Mrs Birling also does not face responsibility. She denies any responsibility for Evas death. She thinks that the father is to blame. She says in Act One. I blame the young man who was the father of the child. (Act Two). Ironically the father is her son, Eric. Another theme in the play is love. We can find several types of love. The romantic love of Sheila and Gerald, the family love of brothers and sisters and the inspectors love of the truth. There are also other attributes of love shown in the play such as gratitude, affection, loyalty and sexual feeling. All of these types/attributes of love are found in the play because Priestley wanted to show his audience whether or not the characters are sincere. The third theme in the play is lies. They lie to each other, to the inspector and to themselves. The characters try to lie in order to get out of their responsibility. An example of lie in the play is when Sheila says to Gerald. How did you come to know this girl? He then lies to his fianci by saying. I didnt. (Act One). Finally, the last theme is class and status. It is not a major theme like the other themes. It shows us that characters like Arthur Birling, value their position in the society. Towards the end of the play, Mr Birling says to Inspector Goole when he is about to leave. Look, Inspector- Id give thousands- yes thousands. But the Inspector replies. You are offering money at the wrong time. (Act Three). T his shows how much Mr Birling values his status. He does not want to destroy his reputation in the society. The play has bee set in 1912 just two years before World War One happened and before the titanic sank. It shows you that people like Arthur Birling, the ex-Lord Mayor who is arrogant and confident, could still be wrong even though they feel secure with their money and power. At the beginning of the novel, he tells his son and Gerald Croft. And I say there isnt a chance of war. (Referring to world war one). He also says. The Titanic- she sails next week-forty six thousand and eight hundred tons- forty six thousand and eight hundred tons- New York in five days- and every luxury unsinkable, totally unsinkable. (Act One). He felt so secure and confident about his words that two years later, World War One happened and the Titanic sank on its Maiden voyage. This allows the audience that they should not put their fate in him. Most of the actions are focused on Sheilas character, the Inspector and the dead Eva Smith. At the beginning of the play, we get an impression that Sheila is happy , delighted and pleased with her engagement. She acts girlish and spoilt when she receives the engagement ring from Gerald. She says to her mum when she gets the ring. Oh its wonderful! Look mummy-isnt it a beauty. You can tell from this that she is excited and enthusiastic and that is why her actions are like that. At the start of the play, her relationships to the other characters are good. They have love for each other. But as the plays continues, that relationships she had with the other characters at the beginning changes. Her feelings and relationships towards the characters changes as she finds out the truth about them. She gets to know the other side of the characters she never knew about. If we compared Sheila and her fathers actions, you would find lots of difference between them. For example, Geralds fianci e co-operate with the Inspector, all the way throughout the play. But her father, at first co-operates with Inspector Goole, but then becomes ignorant and rude to him due to his feelings that his status within the community may tarnish. Another example is that the ex-Lord Mayor denies any responsibility for the young girls death and thinks he is innocent. But his daughter accepts her responsibility and even thinks she is guilty. So we could now see the difference between the two characters. The Birlings dinner party has a particular impact on the mood and the tone at the beginning of the play. We feel their enjoyment and happiness before the Inspector arrives and every one feels comfortable in the dinning room. However, when Inspector Goole arrives, he interrupts their privacy and enjoyment. The Birling family and Mr Croft start to become awkward and uncomfortable. When the Inspector arrives at the Bilrings house, a new attitude appears in Sheilas character. She becomes more inquisitive and starts asking questions. She is concerned about what is going on. She responds to the Inspectors questions with prompt answers. It is like the Inspector has some kind of influence on her. She changed from being a young girl into a more mature young woman. Priestley uses the Inspector to create lots of tension in the play. One example is towards the end of the evening, the Inspector told us that not only the young girl ended her life, but also her child. this girl was going to have a child. (Act two). This is a shock revelation. This throws the audience and family back and a lot of tension and suspense is built up by Priestley. Mr Birling and Sheila got worried that it could have been Gerald but the Inspector reassures them it is not him. No, no. Nothing to do with him. (Act Two). This has created tension and curiosity in the family and audience about who the father of the child is. Another example is towards the end of the drama, Gerald finds out that the Inspector was a fake, the Birlings are relieved, but moments after, they receive a phone call from the police telling them that a girl has died in the infirmary and a police officer is on his way to ask questions. Mr Birling says to his family and Gerald Croft. That was the police. A girl has just died on her way to the infirmary-after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police officer is on his way here-to ask some-questions. (Act Three). They all look worried and the curtains fall. This has created lots of tension in the family. They thought they got away with it, but this time it is true and not a hoax. When Geralds fianci e hears that her father sacked Eva, she feels even more guilty. She says in Act One miserably. So Im responsible? (Act One). In Act Two, she again blames herself for leading the young girl to suicide. She says. Yes, thats it. And I know I am to blame-and I am desperately sorry-but I cant believe-I wont believe it-its simply my fault that in the end she committed suicide. That would be too horrible. (Act Two. ) Sheila Birling feels guiltier after hearing that she made her jobless after her father already did. J. B. Priestley creates tension and suspension towards the end of Act One and the beginning of Act Two by making Act One end right where the Inspector asks Gerald a question and then the curtain falls. This creates tension. The audience are waiting for Geralds answer in the next act. Sheila reacts very badly after hearing about Geralds summer affair with Daisy Renton. It was supposed to be her engagement night, a happy moment for her and the family but it seemed to have turned bad for the whole family. She fought she found the perfect guy but she hears that he has cheated on her. She says in the play. Were you seeing her last spring and summer, during that time when you hardly came near me and said you was busy? Were you? Yes, of course you were. (Act Two). From this quote, we can tell that she is not pleased after hearing about his summer affair. My impression of her character here to the beginning of the play is that Mr Birling s daughter now knows life is not always how you expect it to be. There are some ups and down. In the beginning of the play, she was happy and excited. It was the best moment of her life, but when the Inspector came, everything changed. Now Sheila is more grown up than she was before. She now knows that everything does not go according to how you want it to be. Sheilas reaction remains the same to the Inspector. She is very co-operative with inspector Goole. When she is asked a question, she answers it. But unlike the other characters, they get annoyed with the Inspectors questions. Her function in the play, in my opinion is to make the other characters confess the truth. When the Inspector asks questions, she warns them sometimes to stop acting so calm and confident nor should they feel that they could lie to the Inspector. She makes the other characters at times speak more than the Inspector. For example, when Inspector Goole is questioning Gerald, Sheila asks more questions because she wants to no more details about Geralds summer affair. My impression of Mr and Mrs Birlings daughter at the end of Act Two is she is feeling sorry for her mother. She says to her mother. Mother-I begged you and begged you to stop- (Act Two). But she refused to listen to her and she became agitated. The mood and atmosphere is much more tense at this point of the play. Sheila and Geralds relationship might break up. Her relationship with her mother and father may also break up. Also everyone wants to know if Eric is the father of Eva Smiths child. They are all waiting for him to enter. The use of photograph also causes tension and suspense in the play. The Inspector shows the picture to one person at a time and the rest wants to see the photograph, so they cannot wait for their turn. They all want to see the picture so therefore this creates more tension and suspense in the drama. We the audience are waiting on tender hooks to see whether or not the individuals have any connection to Eva Smith. As the involvement of each member of the family is progressively established, the structure becomes that of a whodunnit, with the Inspector apparently slowly unravelling the history of the twenty-four years old young woman. The audiences interest is sustained not only by the progressive revelation, but their desire of who is responsible for driving the young working class woman to suicide. Ironically, when the Inspector leaves the Birling family to sort out their family problems, Sheila acts like a parent. She tells her parent about not facing their responsibility. Her reactions compared to Eric are the same. She accepts her responsibility so does Eric. It tells us that the younger generation are willing to accept their responsibility more than the older generation. The ideas of responsibility and changes have developed through Sheilas experiences. For example, we learn that when Sheila realises how much damage she has caused to Eva Smith, therefore she feels responsible and her attitudes and values changes. Through Sheila, we are able to learn the differences in the other characters and we sympathise with her and have hope for a better society through the younger generation of Sheila and Eric.

Developing a Mission Statement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Developing a Mission Statement - Research Paper Example The mission statement should portray the vision of the company of how the clients should be seeing it. Generally, mission statements include a business statement, a statement of purpose and signs of the values of the business. The statement of purpose clearly states what the purpose of the company is. For example, a generator company’s purpose is manufacturing of generators. The business statement defines how those generators will be manufactured. The portion of the statement related to values tells us of the common values that are shared all through the company and how these shared values contribute towards the manufactured product. A mission statement is said to be ideal when it is inspirational for the employees. The employees should build upon a good morale and commitment level with the firm after reading the mission statement of the organization. The statement provides a certain direction for the staff as the purpose of their work is highlighted and they can particularly see their own contribution in the value chain. The mission statement should be such from which each employee can personally look at what is his role in the success of the firm (Bart, 2008). A mission statement is a primary instrument that can be as significant as the business proposal. It summarizes, in a few brief sentences, the fundamental nature of the business objectives and the ideas lying beneath the business proposal (Ireland & Hitt, 2007). Likewise, the mission statement indicates what the business is all about to the buyers, employees, sellers and the society. What the Mission Statement Should Portray? The mission statement portrays every aspect of the business: the variety and quality of the products you sell, cost and price, service, its position in the market, capacity for growth, application and usage of technology, and the rapports you have with the buyers, workers, suppliers, rivals and the community. The mission statement should exhibit the special function of the bu siness. Although, examining the mission statements of other companies can stimulate the imagination and creativity (Peyrefitte & David, 2006). The mission statement should be a brief account of the business plan, created from the viewpoint of the customer and should be compatible with the goal of the business (Williams, 2008). The Three Important Questions The mission statement should answer three questions: 1) What do we do? This query should not be responded to with respect to what is actually supplied to the users, but by the emotional desires that are satisfied when consumers purchase the products or services. Consumers’ decision-making process is backed by several reasons that include cost-effectiveness, logistics, and emotions. 2) How do we do it? This query deals with the technological aspects of the business. The response should include the physical product or service and how it is put up for sale, advertised and supplied to users, as well as the customer desires it s atisfies when they purchase it. 3) For whom do we do it? The response to this question is also crucial, as it will facilitate in focusing the advertising efforts. Although many minor business dealers

Marketing Communications campaign - Razed Roof charity Coursework

Marketing Communications campaign - Razed Roof charity - Coursework Example The group of forty people are managed by a team of experts in the company that help in the production of attractive programs which in turn help the company draw effective charities from the larger society. The people that constitute the company belong to both the disabled and young people groups that are trained by the concern to render quality drama and theatre programs to help entertain the public and draw charities for the larger cause. Scripts for the above programs are written and scripted by eminent authors and through proper management and enthusiasm rendered by the management group the people in the organisation gains confidence in performing in the society (Razed Roof, n.d.). The paper herein tends to focus on the designing of effective communication plan for gaining a larger amount of charities from an enhanced marketplace. A Context Analysis Current Awareness Level of Razed Roof in Harlow Awareness about the charitable organization, Razed Roof is high in the Harlow area wh ere the councillor of the region, Sue Livings focuses on helping in drawing large amount of charitable funds from the locality. The councillor states that drawing in large funds from the locality would help the organization in effectively gaining in resources for training the disabled people to perform productively in the functions and performances organised. Moreover the councillor also endeavours to enhance the awareness level of the organisation among large sections of people belonging to different income categories in the region (Harlow Council, n.d.). The significant awareness of the charitable organization in the Harlow area can be traced from the posting made in the online magazine ‘EverytingHarlow’ on 7th June, 2011. It is stated that the performing arts organization, Razed Roof is one of the shortlisted concerns to gain the benefit of the national awards in producing the ‘best art’ campaign that in turn amounts to a large lottery for the organizati on. Enhancement of the awareness of the charitable organization is being conducted by the local MP of the Harlow area, Mr. Robert Halfon by inviting large number of localities to render their vote in favour of the performing arts organisations, Razed Roof. These level of activities conducted in the Harlow area signify the mass awareness of the charitable organization in the stated region (EverythingHarlow, 2011). Further a chronology of volunteering events in the Harlow area reflects the amount of charitable funds gained by Razed Roof. During 2011 the group received a volunteer support of around 25,000 Pounds from Heritage Lottery organisation. Similarly during 2010 the charitable organization gained a fund support of around 10,000 Pounds donated by voluntary services rendered by Big Lottery group. In 2007 the organization received a volunteer support of around 19,750 Pounds that was donated by the Arts Council of England. In 2006 also the Council for Arts in England worked to donat e a fund amounting to 15,000 Pounds to Razed Roof organization in regards to funding for a program. The above list reflects the pattern of volunteering

Macroeconomics. A fixed exchange rate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Macroeconomics. A fixed exchange rate - Essay Example 5. Using the closed economy IS-LM model, show how falls in business and consumer confidence can precipitate a deep and prolonged recession. Set out what Keynes meant when he advocated fiscal policy to solve the problem. 10 6. By what means may the monetary authorities maintain a fixed exchange rate Outline how devaluation may help a country experiencing difficulties under a fixed exchange rate regime and set out circumstances under which devaluation makes things worse. 13 The Keynes and Pigou effects can be understood in the context of the impact of a change in the money supply on consumption. The economists Keynes and Pigou studied the effects of a fall in wages and prices on real aggregate demand and attempted to determine what underlies the closed-economy AD curve. Keynes maintained that a fall in money wages and price levels would reduce the demand for money and result in a fall in interest rates, thereby taking the economy to full employment. This is known as the Keynes effect. This takes place, he explained, in a situation where the money supply is constant because a fall in price levels would increase the real money supply. ... rence between money supply and real money supply We define the money supply as the quantity of money supplied by the central bank and then assume that it is constant or unchanged for different price levels. However, if the money supply (represented by the variable M) is constant while the price level (P) falls, the real money supply (represented by the fraction M/P) increases. Therefore, a fall in P at constant M raises M/P, the real money supply that in effect represents the "value" of M, shifting the upward sloping L-M curve to the right, with effects that are analogous to those of an increase in M. Increasing M has the effect of bringing the interest rate down, generating a rise in investment spending. Businesses will expand to increase production, employment will rise, and so would output and consumption. The effect would be small (that is, the AD curve is steep) if either (a) the L-M curve is quite flat so that the fall in the interest rate is small, or (b) the downward sloping I-S curve is steep, so that falls in interest rate will have little effect on spending. In standard textbooks, the derivation of the closed economy aggregate demand (AD) curve relies entirely on the Keynes effect. Pigou studied the same phenomenon and maintained that lower prices would encourage consumption, thereby boosting total income and employment. This is known as the Pigou effect. Like Keynes, he observed that a fall in prices would raise the real money supply (M/P), which raises wealth and stimulates a rise in consumption. This shifts the I-S curve to the right. The Pigou effect is largest when the Keynes effect is smallest (that is, the L-M curve flat and the I-S curve steep). This phenomenon, also known as the real balance effect, is based on the assumption that part of

The Role Of ICT In Teaching ESL

The Role Of ICT In Teaching ESL The association of ICT and English in last few years had made rapid changes in the presentation of curriculum in various aspects. Practitioners, theorists and researchers have started to pay serious attention to the challenges of the new technology and these challenges and opportunities that new technology presents have resulted English teachers into a new dimension. There are different issues related to the relationship of ICT and English which consists of complex implications for classroom teaching and initial teacher education. Student teachers who play a vital role in delivering ESL have wide range of experiences and level of expertise in ICT. My aim is to enable student teachers to be aware of these important issues and have the skills, knowledge and critical understanding to respond teaching of English through ICT. Initially, I perform analysis of the changing nature of ESL in the light of current technology advancement. Then, explore the interpretations of the role of ICT in teaching English, the provision made by ICT in college and policy and classroom practice in the area of the curriculum. Changing nature of ESL at present Recent years have seen a move from the predominance of the printed test to varied sites for textual production, including web-based environments, mobile phones and computers games. Screen based texts are characterized by varied and densely interrelation multimodal communication with an increasing emphasis on visual aspects of texts, such as layout use of font and images and the incorporation of sound, animation and hyperlinks. Digital technology has also made it easier to experiment the text production and to communicate rapidly with a range of familiar and unfamiliar audiences. ESL teachers have to consider how to teach language literacy and technological skills so that learners can make effective use of ICT. When teachers develop and implement an electronic literacy approach, they must address a number of questions: How should ESL teachers make the best use of new online opportunities to maximize language study and practice while also helping students develop computer-based communication and literacy skills? What strategies for communicating and networking should students be taught? What goals should language teacher aim for and what kinds of online projects could students carry out to accomplish those goals? Which are the most crucial electronic resources and tools that teachers should learn about so that they can teach them to their students? How can teachers encourage students to become autonomous learners who can continue to learn how to communicate, conduct research and present their ideas effectively using information communication technology beyond the confines of the class or semester? (cited in Shetzer Warschauer, 2000, 171-172) The purpose of this study was to explore the use of the Internet in vocational high-school English learning environments in a specific socio-cultural context including in the physical world and in cyberspace. The results of the in-depth study aim to shed light on the combinations of English language and ICT that can both enhance vocational high-school students technological competence as well as facilitate English language acquisition and applications in an authentic situation. Research questions Specific questions explored in the study include the following: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can students learn the functions of the Internet via the English language and Significantly improve their English e-talk on the Internet? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the benefits or difficulties with the use of Information Communication Technology in the teaching of English as a Second Language? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the perceptions of both teacher and students regarding the use of the Internet in the class? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What are the issues and challenges that arise in the integration of the Internet in English learning contexts? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Can students feel comfortable communicating in English on the Internet? Can the design of the Internet and English class improve their language proficiency and grammatical usage? The setting for the study The research study was conducted at a vocational high school________________ The course was named Internet and English; its major objective was to help vocational high school students learn English in a natural setting with the assistance of ICT. This course used various methods to facilitate students Internet usage by way of English writing. A ______-hour on-line lecture plus a computer session was held on Tuesdays in a computer lab where ______ Personal Computers were set-up and networked. In the lab the teacher lectured on some introductory aspects of the Internet and its functions and at the same time demonstrated its uses and gave students opportunities for practice using English and exploring the Internet. In addition to the weekly lecture and computer session, the after-class activities and assigned tasks were required of each student. To carry out the after-class projects and assignments, the students therefore needed to connect to the Internet and search for the required materials in response to the teachers weekly questions and, meanwhile, they were required to use English to communicate with the teachers as well as with the other classmates. Although ICT facilities and support were limited in the vocational school studied, the English teacher wanted to overcome the barrier by the inclusion of some outside-campus network resources in his class. A course syllabus, updated announcements, handouts, profiles of the teacher and the students, and class presentations, pictures and recommended relevant web resources were all converged in colourful words on the website. Contents of the project English was the main language used throughout class activities, which included English website information collection, topic-centred discussion, on-line communication, and email exchange. the course used four major tools-the World-wide web, Newsgroups, Chat-rooms, and email to cultivate students network accessibility and language expressions/utterances so that the course was given primarily in four segments. First, for the World-wide web section, Project A self introduction and Project B website recommendation were their assigned tasks. Second, in the Newsgroup section, the teacher asked students to subscribe to the newsgroups they were interested in and then used the chat messenger to post articles and questions and required students to either answer the questions or discuss the given topics in English. Third, in the Chat section, the students were allowed to freely e-talk about whatever interested them in the chat room in chat messanger. Through the different presentation formats of online tutoring, online discussion, and online debate, they were given different objectives each time. Finally, in the email section, students learned the basic commands by using Outlook and basic ideas about email user interface design and the system setup and some key functions (POP setup, web-mail, filtering, and so on). Participants The participants in this study were ______ students: ____22 females and _____7 male students plus the_______ young male teacher. To take the elective course Internet and English, certain prerequisites were required. For instance, the students needed to have previously taken Introduction to Computer Science and Applications of Computer Science, which were the first-year and second-year courses. Assessment For this course students were assessed as follows: 20% for class participation, 20% for homework exercises, 30% for the combined score on the 1st and 2nd midterm exams, and 30% for the final exam. Projects A and B were counted as the scores of the 1st midterm. The quality as well as the quantity of each students specific online utterances their portfolio was used as students 2nd midterm scores. The Chat performance in the chat messanger was used for the final exam grades. The Final exam consisted of an article on the topic How do I perceive Internet and English ; students were instructed to talk about the current semester only and to include three parts: my impression of this class ; what I have learned from this course and my suggestions . Methodology The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher used a multi-method approach to document and evaluate the process of integration of the Internet in the English learning settings, including the collection of their electronic data from chats, discussions, dialogues and email exchanges on the Internet, observations of their online classroom activities, formal and informal interviews with the instructor. A post-class questionnaire was administered to the participants at the end of this class. In addition, a student who had a special need for remedial instruction had actively interacted with the English teacher via email communication throughout most of semester. The students email exchanges with the teacher were used as a case study. Data collection Data collected for the studies included authentic email messages, questionnaires, classroom observations, formal and informal interviews, and student logs. Descriptive statistical information was provided for cross-referencing. The study was conducted in a natural learning setting. None of the student subjects were aware of being observed and analysed during the data collection procedures. Overall results of the use of ICT in the class The teacher used an open-ended question to solicit student overall responses to the use of information communication technology in the class. This question was, Do you think Internet and English can really improve your English? Tell me why. Most students thought the Internet was an interesting and useful tool in their Internet and English class (Table 1). Table 1. Data from the open-ended question Positive reactions (19 out of 23 82.16%) Negative reactions 3 out of 23 (13%) Being able to practice typing 5 Not liking the Internet 1 Learning more English 4 Too much vocabulary resulting in Being more motivated in learning new vocabulary 4 learning pressure 1 Being able to learn more about computers 4 The fast-paced schedule of the class 1 Communicating with others using emails and making friends from other countries 4 Looking for information on the Internet and enhancing reading comprehension by materials on the Internet 3 Meeting people 2 Talking on line 1 Being able to correct mistakes instantly 1 The Tell me why self-report data were used for further analysis. The positive perception of Internet use could stem from two sources. First, due to the convenient access provided by the Internet, students were able to make foreign friends. Second, in the process of navigating the webpages, the chances of directly reading English and learning new vocabulary, sentence patterns, and grammatical patterns increased. Moreover, the immediacy of the online tutoring enabled the teacher to correct their mistakes quickly. The other advantages include the acquisition of relevant Online discourse data analysis The data for quantitative analysis were gathered from the Chat function in chatmessanger, which generally meant participating in online tutoring and online debates. Also, the data from both the midterm exam and final exam in the first semester were collected for analysis. In online tutoring and online debate, not every student wrote down his or her responses. Although five students were completely silent, the other 24 students had at least one sentence (here one sentence means an utterance with a period or a question mark at the end) in the online chatting. However, in online debate, which discussed the interesting topic of having a girl friend or a boy friend, the volume of discourse obviously increased by an average of six sentences, and that was five times as many as the very first time, when they were required to talk about a good teacher. Most students, who had already e- talked the first time, were more likely to write more than the second time. As for the 2nd midterm exam and final exam, since the written records were used for students grades, every student was mandated to express his or her opinions in order to gain points. Eventually the volume of the discourse resulted in an average of approximately 15 sentences in final exam. This was two and half times as many as in the midterm exam. When addressing the reasons for the increase in students discourse volume, the researcher found that students gradual increasing familiarity with the computer commands and the digital environment contributed to the increased number of their expressions. Moreover, the topics for discussion which appeared to be interesting, controversial or abundant in readily available online information also resulted in an increase in the number of sentences. Non-online discourse data analysis based on two projects In addition to the online data, non-online data were collected from Project A and Project B for analysis. For Project A, in order to encourage students to begin their English writing, the English teacher purposefully used self-introduction as an introductory and familiar topic. Thus each student was asked to use English to introduce himself/herself. For Project B, each student had to browse the English resources on the Internet and then recommended some websites as their favourites and to give reasons for their recommendation. Consequently, the average number of sentences produced in Project A was eight, and this was about four times as many as the number produced for Project B. Further analysis of the in-depth data revealed that Project A was a self-introduction and there were several basic items that the students could always include in their written presentations, such as blood type, sign of Zodiac, and favourite sports. On the other hand, Project B asked students to recommend a web site that they found interesting. This topic was of wide scope and more challenging than Project A. Student perceptions of the use of ICT in English learning In order to understand students perception of learning English by using the Internet and the impact of the Internet on English learning as well, a questionnaire was administered to the students shortly before the end of the first semester in order to collect their demographic information and their responses to the use of the Internet in this English class. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: personal data; experience in using a network computer; and ten 5-point-Likert-scale questions. A general question was given at the beginning of the questionnaire and 10 more corresponding statements followed with choices. A total of 26 questionnaires out of 29 were collected and used for analysis. The statistical results of this questionnaire are presented below (Table 5). Questionaire What do you think might be the reasons that the Internet could facilitate English learning? (1-Totally Disagree; 2-Strongly Disagree; 3-Agree; 4-Strongly Agree; and 5Totally Agree) Statements 1 2 3 4 5 Rank 1. The teacher interacted with students on the 0 3.8% 57.7% 15.4% 23.1% 1 Internet so that I feel less pressured in class. 3.8% 94.2% 2. I can learn new vocabulary, sentence patterns, 0 19.2% 57.7% 15.4% 7.7% 8 and grammar on the Internet. 19.2% 81.8% 3. Anonymous communication makes me less afraid 3.8% 3.8% 42.3% 15.4% 34.6% 2 of making mistakes in English chatting. 7.6% 92.4% 4. I could learn good English sentences from others. 3.8% 3.8% 30.8% 38.5% 23.1% 2 7.6% 92.4% 5. I dont need to speak English in front of my 7.7% 26.9% 26.9% 34.6% 3.8% 9 classmates. Instead, typing in front of the 34.6% 65.4% computer screen reduces my stress. 6. Learning English wont be that boring since I 3.8% 7.7% 38.5% 15.4% 34.6% 5 could find some intriguing English information 11.5% 88.5% on the Internet quickly 7. I could improve my English response speed since 7.7% 26.9% 30.8% 30.8% 3.8% 10 online chatting in English requires instantly 34.6% 63.8% answering in English. 8. I could make key/pen pals in foreign countries 3.8% 3.8% 23.1% 30.8% 38.5% 2 and practice English writing. 7.6% 92.4% 9. I could often practice English since English is 0 11.5% 26.9% 38.5% 23.1% 5 the common language on the Internet. 11.5% 88.5% 10. I could freely practice English because I could 3.8% 11.5% 34.6% 26.9% 23.1% 7 build up my little virtual world on the 15.3% 84.7% computer screen.

A Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay

A Shattered Dream in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man confronting failure in the success-driven society of America and shows the tragic path, which eventually leads to Willy Loman's suicide. Death of a Salesman?is?a search for identity, [Willy?s] attempt to be a man according to the frontier tradition in which he was raised, and a failure to achieve that identity because in [1942] and in [Brooklyn] that identity cannot be achieved. (Gross 321) Willy is a symbolic icon of the failing American; he represents those that have striven for success in society, but, in struggling to do so, have instead achieved failure in the most bitter form. Perhaps what is wrong with the society is not that it has implanted the wrong values in [Willy], values which finally do not lead to success anyway, but that it has lost touch with values which should never be relegated only to the personal sphere or the family unit. (Lawrence 57) In Arthur Miller?s Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman, the protagonist, pursues a false perception of the American Dream. Arthur Miller establishes Willy Loman as a traveling salesman in his sixties, a dreamer of success, and a troubled man. Willy is not a successful man, but clings to his dreams and ideals. ?[Arthur Miller] did not realize either how few would be impressed by the fact that [Willy] is actually a very brave spirit who cannot settle for half but must pursue his dream of himself to the end? (Hayman 55-56). Willy reminisces about the neighborhood years ago. His past recurs through the play in vivid scenes. Each time he returns from an episode in the past, Willy discovers new information that throws light on his troubled past. Willy portra... ... of a Salesman. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1988. 25-38. Roudanà ©, Matthew C. ?Death of a Salesman and the Poetics of Arthur Miller.? The Cambridge Companion to Arthur Miller. Ed. Christopher Bigsby. New York: Cambridge UP, 1997. 60-85. Sister, M. Bettina. ?Willy Loman?s Brother Ben: Tragic Insight in Death of a Salesman.? Modern Drama. Feb. 1962: 409-412. Spillane, Margaret. ?Life of a Salesman.? Nation 8 Mar. 1999: 7. Steinberg, M. W. ?Arthur Miller and the Idea of Modern Tragedy.? Twentieth Century Views Arthur Miller. Ed. Robert W. Corrigan. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1969, 81-84. Weales, Gerald. ?Arthur Miller?s Shifting Image of Man.? Twentieth Century Views Arthur Miller. Ed. Robert W. Corrigan. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1969. 131-142. ?Why Willy Loman Lives.? The Economist 19 June 1999: 19-21.