Friday, December 27, 2019

Alzheimer s Disease And Other Memory Disorders - 1101 Words

Kennedy Cooper Biotechnology 5th period What are scientists using to diagnose Alzheimer s Disease and other memory disorders early and why should they do so when there is still no cure for it?more Alzheimer s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. It is also the disease that took my grandfather. Since there is no cure and because of how late he was diagnosed, there was little the doctors could do for him. I personally noticed changes in my grandfather, when he would tell the same stories over and over again and not even know it, or would ask things like â€Å"when’d you get here?† when I had been there for hours. It eventually got to the point where he needed total assistance with eating, dressing, using the bathroom and all other daily self-care tasks. If he had been diagnosed sooner he could have adopted certain lifestyle habits that could have helped maintain or potentially improve his health and extended his life. That s why it is so important to me to be able to diagnose this disease early. If he had known before it was too late he could have lived a longer and healthier life, but because of the research t hat s happening right now, scientists will soon be able to diagnose it before it is too severe. To diagnose Alzheimer s Disease early, scientists are using neuroimaging such as MRI and CT which is important, although the lack of a cure, because after diagnosis, patients can improve and slow brain deterioration byShow MoreRelatedSymptoms Of Alzheimer s Disease1006 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer s disease is a severe illness that affects the brain and leads to gradual memory loss, reduced intellectual ability and deterioration function of thinking. Alzheimer s disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, is a progressive neurological disorder that increasingly robs individuals of cognitive, behavioral, and functional skills (Demakis, 2007). The reason for the appearance this disease is a collection of disorders in the brain due to which its cells are dying partially. In theRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : The Most Common Form Of Dementia1427 Words   |  6 PagesDementia, known as one of the world s current pandemics, is estimated to be the fourth most common cause of death in the developed country, second only to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and cancer. With the aging population, dementia has gradually become a serious threat to the health of the elderly people in Australia. Alzheimer s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer s disease usually occurs in a primary degenerative encephalopathy in senile and pre senior periodRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : The Mysterious Tragedy Essay1565 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract Alzheimer s Disease is a name that is not entirely uncommon. Alzheimer s is a disease that has only recently been classified as one, though it is not uncommon to mankind. Before Dr. Alzheimer officially diagnosed it has been present before under the premise of old age and dementia, as both disorders are a disruption of neural pathways related to memory and normal brain operation. Memory in this sense is not bound to the idea of experiences worth cherishing, but also incorporates loss ofRead MoreDealing With Dementia Essay979 Words   |  4 Pagesdid anyone know his memory and performance issues were due to a disease. (Life with ALZ)† This disease causes the loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. Dementia, is one form of this disease that gradually gets worse over time. It affects memory, thinking, and behavior. (WebMD, 1995) â€Å"Changes that take place in the brains of people. These brain changes may cause the memory loss and decline in other mental abilities that occur with Alzheimers disease. Alzheimer’s generallyRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Progressive Disease1663 Words   |  7 Pages Alzheimer s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. At first, someone with Alzheimer s disease may notice mild confusion and difficulty remembering. Eventually, people with the disease may even forget important people in their lives and undergo dramatic personality changes. Alzheimer s disease is the most common cause of dementia — a group of brain disorders that cause the loss of intellectual and social skills. In Alzheimer s disease, theRead MoreAlzheimer s And Alzheimer Dementia991 Words   |  4 PagesSome alternate names for Alzeheimer s include Alzheimer dementia (AD), Alzheimer dementiia, syndrome, and sclerosis. The name of the disease was chosen after Dr. Aloysius Alzheimer was credited with discovering the first case of presenile dementia. This would later be called Alzheimer s disease in honor of Dr. Alzheimer s discovery. In the year of 1901, Dr. Alzheimer was studying a 51-year-old patient named Auguste Deter. T he patient was suffering from strage behavioral patterns of symptoms. OneRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Progressive Decline1240 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s disease is a progressive decline in cognitive function. It affects the brain by damaging brain cells resulting in a decreased in cognitive function, physical mobility, swallowing and fine motor skills. This disease approximately 5.1 million Americans aged sixty-five or older (Alzheimer s Association, 2015) of which approximately 700,000 will likely die this year (Alzheimer s Association, 2015) of related symptoms such as aspiration pneumonia due to decreased swallowing ability. TheRead MoreDementia Is The Only Cause Death That Does Not Have A Cure972 Words   |  4 Pagesthinking, memory, and reasoning that is severe enough to interfere with a person s daily functioning. Dementia is not the name of a specific disease itself, but rather a group of symptoms that are caused by various diseases or conditions. This is referred to as an umbrella term, a phrase that covers a broad interval or set of functions or items that all fall under a single common category. Dementia is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affectRead MoreDementia And Alzheimer s Dementia995 Words   |  4 PagesDementia and Alzheimer s Dementia and Alzheimer’s was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer. He discovered both of them, dementia is like Alzheimer’s just not as severe. Dementia has several different types, these include Alzheimer s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and Front temporal dementia. The first changes you notice with dementia is Cognitive changes. These include memory loss, difficulty communicating or finding words, difficulty with complex tasks, difficulty with planningRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Progressive Disease925 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other vital mental functions. Alzheimer s disease is the most common cause of dementia, a group of brain disorders that cause the loss of intellectual and social skills. AD can eventually render a person unable to function in society and to even care for themselves. Since the disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States constant research is being done to try to prevent it and to find a cure. Alzheimer s disease

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee - 2350 Words

A parent is not someone who only provides protection and the necessities of life for their children. A parent is someone who deeply cares for their youngster and is a role model for them. A parent is a teacher; someone who can provide information and guidance and shows the real working of society for their child and guide them through it. A parent is someone who treats their children as an independent individual with full respectfully. The story, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is about Jean Louise Finch (Scout) who is a young girl growing up during the 1930s in Maycomb, Alabam. Harper Lee wrote about Scout’s life and how her father, Atticus, helped her and guided her through life. Harper Lee shows the real attributes of an excellent†¦show more content†¦In other words, this shows that Atticus treats Jem like a grown-up because most parents would avoid taking this action because children are demeaned for being young, inexperienced, and fragile, this is not the ca se for Atticus, instead he decides to take Jem with him and to show him what it s like to deliver bad news, and wants him to learn how to handle these kinds of situation in the future. Atticus is an excellent father for treating Jem like an adult because, when adolescence hit a certain age more is expected from them and they are supposed to act like an adult all of a sudden. By treating Jem like an adult Atticus is without doubt making the transition to adulthood much easier for Jem. An experienced adult is someone who can control their emotions when needed. For example, Atticus treats Scout like an adult by expecting her to control her emotions toward people who call Atticus a â€Å"nigger lover†. The evidence to support this is when Scout says, â€Å"My fists were clenched and I was ready to let fly. Atticus had promised me he would were me out if he ever heard of me fighting anymore, I was far too old and too big for such childish things† (99). This quote surely pro ves Atticus’s expectations of Scout and how he wants her to act as mature as possible and not let her feelings get in the way because by allowing that to happen, Scout will lose the ability to control her emotions fully in the future when something worse occurs. By treating her like an adult Atticus is

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Fellowship Of The Ring Analysis Essay Example For Students

The Fellowship Of The Ring Analysis Essay The Fellowship of the Ring AnalysisIn J. R. R. Tolkins novel The fellowship of the Ring Frodo and his friends attempt and dispose of the Ring once and for all. By distorying the Ring it insures that the ring wont ever fall into the wrong hands and be used for evil. The center of this book is the ring of power because if it falls into the wrong hands it could mean the distrouction Before the history of the ring was explained to Frodo he had no idea that it was capable of such dark powers and came from such a dark history. After hearing this Frodo was left with no choice other then to dispose of the rig for good. On this quest to expunge the ring Frodo and his friends, Pippin and Sam travel across the land in search of the volcano of Mount Doom. Along this road they make friends and enemies and experience good times and bad. Frodo and his companions are obliterating the ring because the ring that Frodo posses is far too powerful to fall into the wrong hands. The ring that Frodo had was one of the many rings created. It was the Elves of Eregion who made all the rings, except for the One, which Sauron forged by himself in Mount Doom. The ring that Sauron created is referred to as the one to rule them this was the most powerful ring of them all. This small hobbit named Frodo is by chance forced to leave everything he has ever know and travel across the land. Along the way Frodo is faced with many obstacles and challenges. If Frodo fails in keeping his ring safe it could very well fall into the wrong hand and could lead to death and suffering across the land.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Tesco Boston Matrix and Ansoff Matrix Essay Example

Tesco Boston Matrix and Ansoff Matrix Paper Access to Business Unit Title: Marketing Level 3 Credit Value: 6 credits Tutor: Alison Unwin Unit Code: 3-BA1-045 Email: [emailprotected] ac. uk This unit has 4 learning outcomes. LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT CRITERIA PROPOSED ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (TBC) Assessment Evidence Answer paper The Learner should be able to: 1. Establish the importance of the marketing environment The Learner can: 1. 1 Analyses the difference between micro and macro environmental factors 1. 2 Compare and contrast a minimum of two tools such as SWOT and POWER SWOT and apply to business solutions 1. 3 Critically contrast Primary and Secondary research methods 2. Evaluate the use of tools such as Boston and Ansoff Matrix to business situations 2. 2 Analyse the effectiveness of models such as Porter’s Generic Strategies 3. 1 Evaluate consumer buying behaviour and the adoption process 3. 2 Analyse the role of marketing mix to specific products 3. 3 Evaluate the Product Life Cycle in various forms 3. 4 Inves tigate different pricing strategies 3. 5 Analyse the significance of place and different distribution techniques 4. 1 Investigate and contrast the use of new and/or emerging technology in the marketing and distribution of specific products. 2. Appreciate the significance of Marketing Strategy Essay 800-1000 words 3. Recognise the use of Marketing Tactics Research report Approx 1500 words together with a short reflective account 4. Understand the significance of new and emerging technologies to marketing strategy and process Research report Approx 1500 words together with a short reflective 1 account The outline of the unit content includes: Marketing environment, marketing strategy, marketing tactics, new and emerging technologies. The unit content will be delivered in the form of: Tutor lectures, handouts, activities and the use of the internet for additional research. The handouts and lectures will give you the basic information you need for your assignments but it is important that you do other research on the topics to be able to deliver an excellent piece of work. The written assignments will be given in the next few weeks. As with all your other assignments it is important to correctly reference any work you use from books, publications and the internet. Please see the booklet given to you during your induction or research project lessons for how to reference correctly and how to complete your bibliography. We will write a custom essay sample on Tesco Boston Matrix and Ansoff Matrix specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Tesco Boston Matrix and Ansoff Matrix specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Tesco Boston Matrix and Ansoff Matrix specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Deadlines: The final deadline for the whole unit is the last week in January but there will be earlier deadlines for Learning outcomes 2 and 3 and the answer paper will be done in the class room during a lesson (probably after the October half term). All deadlines will be given to you when you are given your assignment briefs. All extensions will be done through the correct procedures (as per your course handbook) and any deadlines missed without a valid extension will only be marked at the lower Pass. All completed assignments will be handed into the tutor in a hard copy with the correct ‘front sheet’ fully filled in. Assignment brief Grading Criteria: ? To get a Pass you will have to answer all the Learning outcomes to a satisfactory level ? To get a Merit you will need to fulfil the Learning outcomes and the Grade Descriptors 1, 2 7 (look at the Merit column) ? To get a Distinction you will need to fulfil the Learning outcomes and the Grade Descriptors 1, 2 7 (look at the Distinction column) A copy of the Grade Descriptors are attached to this document o o o o Learning Outcome No 1 – Answer paper Learning Outcome No 2 Essay 800-1000 words Learning Outcome No 3 Research report Approx 1500 words together with a short reflective account Learning Outcome No 3 Research report Approx 1500 words together with a short reflective account The reflective account should be an evaluation about how you have found researching and writing the report. Scenario You work for a professional organisation who advise businesses on all matters to do with marketing. You have been given a business to work with and to give advice on various matters to do with their marketing strategies etc.. You will be required to advise the business on a number of aspects and give a written report to your selected business. Please choose a business that you would like to use as your case study for the whole unit. Choose carefully and pick a business that you find interesting or already work/ed for. You will be required to research the business and its marketing strategies, so make sure your business has plenty of information available to you via various research methods, i. e. publications, internet, journals etc.. 3 Learning Outcome No 1 (Establish the importance of the marketing environment) Answer paper 1. 1 Analyse the difference between micro and macro environmental factors Please use your chosen business and analyse the difference between the micro and macro environmental factor that concern your business. First explain the difference between micro and macro environmental factors and then give details on the micro and macro environmental factors that could impact your chosen business. 1. 2 Compare and contrast a minimum of two tools such as SWOT and POWER SWOT and apply to business solutions Use your chosen business and describe and use at least two marketing tools such as SWOT, POWER SWOT and PESTLE analysis to assist with various business solutions that your chosen business may come across. Examples could include: Expansion, new product, new market, new competitor, recession etc.. 1. 3 Critically contrast Primary and Secondary research methods Please describe both Primary and Secondary research methods, giving examples and then critically contract the two research methods, giving examples. Remember to look at Grade Descriptors 1, 2 7 to be able to get a Merit or Distinction Deadline: Opportunity to give in a draft copy to Alison by 15 November or before and final deadline is 29 November. Workshops will be done in class (not 8th November because of Ofsted) 4 Learning Outcome No 2 2. Appreciate the significance of Marketing Strategy 2. 1 Evaluate the use of tools such as Boston and Ansoff Matrix to business situations 2. 2 Analyse the effectiveness of models such as Porter’s Generic Strategies Essay 800-1000 words Essay Question: Why is the use of marketing strategies significant in all businesses? Guidance: Use your chosen business and evaluate the tools such as the Boston Matrix and the Ansoff Matrix to relevant and potential business situations that your chosen business may come across. Examples could include: Expansion, new product, new market, new competitor, recession etc.. Then look at Porters Generic Strategy model and analyse how effective it is and how it can be used in your chosen business. Remember to look at Grade Descriptors 1, 2 7 to be able to get a Merit or Distinction Deadline: Opportunity to give in a draft copy to Alison by 29 November or before and final deadline is 13 December. Workshops will be done in class 5

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Boston Chicken Case free essay sample

Boston Chicken implemented a franchising strategy that differed from most other franchising companies at the time. Boston Chicken focused its expansion through franchising the company through large regional developers rather than selling store franchises to a large number of small franchisees. In that, an established network of 22 regional franchises that targeted their operations in the 60 largest U.S. metropolitan markets and in order to do so, the franchisee would have been an independent experienced businessman with vast financial resources and would be responsible for opening 50 – 100 stored in the region. Boston Chicken focused on widespread continuous expansion of its operations to become to developed across the board food chain. Scouting for real estate assured the highest standards for developing properties and was critical to the company’s future success. To assist in future growth of the franchises, Boston Chicken implemented a communications infrastructure, which provided a supporting link for communication between its networks of stores. We will write a custom essay sample on Boston Chicken Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In addition in efforts to improve operating efficiency, the company locked in low rates from its suppliers and developed flagship stores, which did most of the initial food preparation which inadvertently reduced employee training costs. Many of these regional developers were given a revolving credit line to help support expansion. This type of financing came with credit risk while the franchises average revenue from operations were not sufficient enough to cover the expenses which raises doubt for the repayment of such loans. 2. The accounting policy of reporting the franchise fees from Boston Chicken’s area developers as revenue seemed most controversial. These franchise fees, which accounted for more than 50% of total revenue, did not represent revenues from operations. Also, the source of most of the ranchise fees came from the financing provided by Boston Chicken, the franchiser, where the money coming in was the same money that was going out. This overstated earnings of the company. Since the debentures can be converted into shares of common stock, most of the revenue from franchise fees should have been deferred. Reporting revenues that included these franchise fees his the fact the most of the franchised stores were operating at a loss, which provided a false impression to investors. While Boston Chicken, the franchiser reported a net income from operations of $24,611 in 1994, if they excluded the income provided by franchise fees, they company-operated stores would have been operating at a loss, which would have been a more accurate picture for the company’s operations and its question of having a profitable future. 3. Boston Chicken, the franchiser, reports revenue based on franchise fees (includes royalties, initial franchise development costs, interest income from area developer financing, lease income, software fees, and other related franchise fees), and company operated stores. The revenue reported on the income statement does not reflect the operating income or losses generated by the area developers, with most of these area developers operating at a loss. Since the franchiser provides financing to the area developers, it seems that consolidation of the financial statements would provide vital information to the users of the financial statements especially since the repayment of loans relies heavily on the profitability of the franchisees. Basically, Boston Chicken was not reporting the results of operations from its area developers because Boston Chicken did not have an equity position in these firms; rather their stake in these franchises was reported as debt financing. In doing so, Boston Chicken did not have to report the losses that were incurred in these operations. By manipulating the financial statements, the company gave a false impression on its future prospects of the company, allowing them to more freely raise capital through the issuance of common stock, and inadvertently inflating tock prices.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The Sixth Sense Essays - Sensory Systems, Olfaction, Perception

The Sixth Sense Essays - Sensory Systems, Olfaction, Perception The Sixth Sense If I could see her as a picture of pure beauty, it would be an image of a thousand thoughts. If I could hear her as the sound of a beautiful bird, I would hear the most extravagant voice in the concrete world. If I could smell her the way I smelt a rose, I would smell the fresh scent of a million flowers. If I could taste her like I tasted a cherry lollipop. it would be a sensation I would never forget. If I could touch her the way she touched my heart, it would be as though I was walking on thin air. If only she had the sixth sense ...undying passion. Bibliography none

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Economic Value Added Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic Value Added - Essay Example Thus it requires managers and employees to focus on how capital is utilized and how it generates cash an important idea for all investor analysis of a corporation. There is usually a common goal for all corporations which are to obtain capital and earn a return rate exceeding that of the capital. In order to achieve this goals EVA measure the amount of money left after deducting the capital thus providing a financial statement reporting. EVA can be used to determine whether an corporation is accountable for economic outlays whether they are on the balance sheet, income statement or in the financial statement. This is because this tool creates a financial statement that consists of all the cost of being in the corporation while giving managers an account of every dollar used. There are two gains from focusing on the growth of EVA in a corporation. On one hand, the attention of the management is more focused towards its main responsibility which is to raise investor’s assets. Io n the other hand, deformation resulting from the utilization of historical cost accounting data is eliminated or decreased to ensure that managers spend their time finding means to raise EVA. Therefore, the raised awareness of the effective use capital eventually creates additional shareholder value. This frees the corporation from spending more time in establishing ways to raise EVA but able to produce additional shareholder value according to Albrecht, Stice, Stice and Swain (2010). EVA creates a common language for decision making particularly long-term decisions which are important in improving the results and success of a corporation. For instance, it can be used in resolving budgeting problems and assessing the performance of organizational elements and directors in order to determine the end result .EVA quantification of results in terms of finance also aids in strengthening other management programs such as customer development, TQM and quick response by demanding and gettin g constant financial improvement as stated by Reynolds and Cuthbertson (2004). Thus in order to make EVA useful in attaining improved financial statement reporting and success, managers and workers need to espouse long-term focus and start to think like owners of the business. This way they will make them feel responsible for and participate in the economic value of the corporation leading to improved results. For improved success, EVA can be connected with an incentive award system. In such a way, EVA can provide a measure to calculate success and a medium for continued performance improvement. Since EVA is computed on an accounting period, it allows employees to plot progress during the year and this can help in improving on the end result thus a success. According to Shelo64 (2012), a transition to EVA measurements entails serious obligation of the board of directors and the senior management to utilize the measures in managing the business for an improved financial statement rep orting, results and success. In addition, every individual should buy into the plan in order to make it successful in such improvements. An extensive training and communication for everyone in the company is also required for using EVA to achieve such improvements. Problems of EVA One of the problems with EVA is that it does not provide an account for authentic options or growth opportunities intrinsic in the investment decisions as stated by Schon (2007). Additionally, it does not reflect the perception of the market on the value of growth

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Container Shipping and Chinese Stability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Container Shipping and Chinese Stability - Essay Example A positive development and a spread of container-based shipping industry are supported by its ability to provide different countries in-time with required goods. This industry has made China a rapidly industrialised country. Still, there are several uncovered issues in the container-based shipping industry. Currently, China is rapidly developing as the world’s leader on several fronts. The mechanisms of China’s enrichment evoke a vivid discussion among modern experts, researchers and scientists. Figure 1 China in the world maritime economy. This figure shows the Chinese contribution to 6 key areas of world economic and maritime activity. (Stopford 2007, p.2) Container shipping operates out the general society’s sight. That’s why this ‘secret’ industry is interesting for the modern society. ... Nearly 75% of international cargo volume is involved in shipping industry. China is on the upswing and shipping industry in this country is a rapidly developing industry. It is a well-known fact that China is steadily moving to position itself as the world’s greatest power (Stopford 2007) . Consequently, the development of a potential country-world leader and shipping industry, which is responsible for the major part of trade operations in the international market, makes this research relevant to the field of China’s economy. Different aspects of China’s development, social peculiarities, influence of EU regulations on shipping in China makes a context of the study rather complicated. Nevertheless, it is relevant to conduct the research on the basis of available literary sources and empirical data from recent studies. Background of Chinese shipping industry development China is economically fortunate, because of its geographical position and abundant shipping re sources. Nearly 40% of Chinese workers live near coastal regions, the GDP in the country increases 50% and the shipping sector carries out 80% of national import and export activities (Talley 2000). Figure 2 Chinese imports and exports activity steadily increasing (Stopford 2007, p.5) Starting from 1970s, China’s shipping industry has been steadily developing under conditions of continuous development of international trade. International shipping operations are the most relevant operations and well-known on the international arena for China’s business partners. Current perspectives of China’s shipping industry development International cooperation opens impressive perspectives for China.  

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Canadian Historical Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian Historical Development - Essay Example According to the essay findings  Canada is one country that has received immense influence on its political landscape from the French, Americans and Britons. For this reason what is practised in Canada is more less a blend of the three to a hug extent. The rights and freedoms of individuals are well guarded by the constitution and so are regional autonomy and the rule of law. The English traditions, French civil law and North American aboriginal government have all been embedded into one item to form the Canadian political culture.This study declares that  the political landscape being a borrowed one is characterised by the country being a constitutional monarchy whose origin is the traditions of Britain. The other important characteristic is that of having federal system of governance with a parliament. These manifestations in the political arena all work together in harmony under the guidance of well rooted democratic traditions. It is important to note that the Canadian struct ure of governance was one that was established by the British parliament whereas the federal system of governance came later and was enacted by politicians of Canadian descent. These developments where Canadian politicians begun to take full control of the changes witnessed in their country gained momentum with the advent of the 1st World War.  The natural resources in Canada are distributed in such a way that some regions are adored than others.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Effects Of Task Based Listening English Language Essay

The Effects Of Task Based Listening English Language Essay In the Malaysian educational context, the main purpose of English language instruction is to prepare learners for effective and efficient communication in English in their social and professional situations (Chitravelu et al, 1995, p.4). In many organizations, English is the main language of communication and one needs to be competent in English in order to succeed and advance in the respective organization. The importance of English language as a global language has always been a major motivating feature in the learning and use of the language in Malaysia especially as a medium to gain information in science and technology, commerce and trade as well as for entertainment and media. In April 2000, there was an issue highlighted in the mass media about the reasons behind the inability of some 39,000 graduates in the country to get a job. Tan Sri Musa Mohamad the Minister of Education at that time as quoted in the New Straits Times stated that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ employers did not just lo ok at ones qualification but also factors like personality, potential, English proficiency and experience. This implies that job seekers should try to achieve certain level of mastery of English to help them secure appropriate jobs particularly in private sector. Besides, job interviews for professional vacancies in critical fields like Law, Accountancy and Engineering are generally understood to be conducted in English (Hanapiah, 2004) In many contexts where English is regarded as a foreign as opposed to a second language, there are many problems in developing real communicative competence in learners including the ability to listen and comprehend properly. Brown and Yule (1983) believe that many language learners regard speaking skills as the criteria for knowing a language. They defined fluency as the ability to communicate with others much more than the ability to read, write and comprehend oral language. However, learning to talk in the foreign language is often considered to be one of the difficult aspects of language learning for the teacher to help students with. Unlike written language, it is also not easy to provide good models of spoken language for the foreign learners. According to Bygate (1987), one of the basic problems in foreign-language teaching is to prepare learners to be able to use the language. How the preparation is done and how successful it will be, are very much depending on how the teachers understand the aim of teaching the language (p.3). The main features of speaking which can be traced to the processing conditions of communication involve the time factor in which the words are being spoken as they are being decided and understood. The fact that the language is being spoken as it is being decided affects the speakers ability to plan and organize the message, and to control the language. Thus, mistakes often occur in the message and in the choice of words during a conversation (ibid. p12). 1.3 Objective The objective of the study is to investigate the effects of task-based listening activities on the speaking performance of FELDAs EFL learners. The difference in students speaking performance before and after undergoing the Task -Based Listening activities would be one of the main concerns in this study. A comparison will be drawn between the TBL and non TBL classes to see whether there is any difference in students speaking performance. Besides, students confidence to speak is another area of interest to be investigated in this study. It is hoped that the study will be able to identify any significant difference in students level of confidence to converse in English after undergoing the Task- based listening activities as compared to those who have not been exposed to the activities. Another objective of the study is to investigate FELDAs EFL learners attitude towards the implementation of the task-based listening activities. Expressions of either positive or negative feelings towards the task-based listening activities will reflect impressions of the effectiveness of the activities in enhancing students speaking skill. 1.2 Problem Statement Speaking is considered one of the most difficult language skills to acquire among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. In rural setting schools, particularly in the FELDA (Federal Land Development Authority) scheme, there is a lack of exposure and communicative use of the English language. Most students regard English as serving very limited function once they leave the classroom and as such they hardly see the need to use it in their daily life. As in the classroom setting most EFL learners rather remain silent or resort to rote learning when they are required to respond to a speaking task. As such, it is a demanding task for language teachers to provide sufficient inputs for students to be competent speakers of English (Bygate, 1987). Students usually feel insecure about their level of English and face problems communicating as well as expressing themselves in the target language. As a result, they rather remain silent as they are in fear of making mistakes and do not show active participation in speaking lessons. Ian G. Malcolm (1987) refers to the guarded and taciturn behavior of students who refuse to speak as the shyness syndrome and that this problem has been reported of Polynesians in New Zealand, various American Indian groups, Hispanics in the United States, Black Americans and Southeast Asians. Malcolm quoting Tan (1976) and Salleh (1981) says that many pupils in Southeast Asian classrooms are bilinguals whose use of the classroom language is hesitant. Yap (1979) also quoted as saying that the frequent complaint mainly in secondary schools is that learners do not respond or take too long to respond, or speak too softly (cited in Gaudart ,2003, p.2) Emphasis should thus be given to address this problem as speaking is an important element in mastering English language. Therefore, it is important to explore new methods of teaching in order to enhance students speaking performance and confidence to use the language. 1.4 Research Questions The study attempts to answer the questions that follow: 1) What is the speaking performance of FELDA learners after undergoing task-based learning activities? 2) Do task-based listening activities enhance EFL students confidence to speak in English? 3) What are the attitudes of the FELDA EFL learners towards task-based listening activities in enhancing their speaking performance? 1.5 Significance of study The findings may provide language teachers with specific language teaching procedures to enhance ESL learners ability and confidence to communicate orally in English. Besides, in a wider scope, the study can also be used as the yardstick in designing supplementary materials to assist teachers in teaching speaking skill more effectively in the Malaysian classrooms. 1.6 Definitions of terms The following terms are significant in this study: 1.6.1 Task-based Listening Activities Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) or Task-based Instruction (TBI) makes the performance of meaningful tasks central to the learning process. The Task-based listening activities which will be used are based on authentic materials used in teaching second language. Nunan (1999) defines authentic materials as spoken or written language data that has been produced in the course of genuine communication, and not specifically written for purposes of language teaching. The materials are based on the real world context outside classroom in situations in which they really occur. Gebhard (1996) suggested some examples of the authentic materials that may serve as source for lesson planning including for listening and speaking class. The authentic listening- viewing materials include TV commercials, quiz shows, cartoons, news clips, comedy shows, movies, soap operas, professionally audio-taped short stories and novels, radio advertisements, songs, documentaries and sales pitches. In this study, the task based listening activities will include the use of audio CDs on selected stories and songs. Throughout the implementation of the activities students are required to respond to certain tasks related to the selected materials following the framework for task-based learning proposed by Jane Willis (1996) which comprise of pre-task, task cycle and language focus. Among the tasks suggested include listing(e.g. brainstorm/ fact finding), ordering or sorting (e.g. sequencing/ ranking), comparing (e.g. matching/ finding similarities or differences), problem solving (e.g . analysing real situation/ decision making), sharing experience (e.g. narrating/opinions) and creative tasks which includes all the tasks mentioned. 1.6.2 Speaking Performance Speaking in a second language involves the development of a particular type of communication skills. Because of its circumstances of production, oral language tends to differ from written language in its typical grammar, lexical and discourse patterns (Tareq Mitib, 2009). A person can be considered to be able to perform well in speaking skill when he is able to speak a language using the components correctly for example by making the right sounds, choosing the right words and getting the constructions grammatically correct. Pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary tasks will focus on the need for practice in language accuracy. At the same time, one also needs to get a clear message across and this involves choosing appropriate content or ideas to suit a situation, e.g. deciding what is polite or what might appear rude, how to interrupt or how to participate in a conversation. (http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistant/pdf/Unit4.pdf ) 1.6.3 School Based Oral Assessment Previously the English SPM examination had an oral examination component which was graded based on the candidates comprehension of a dialogue text and the ability to respond to a pictorial stimuli. However, the test was considered to be inadequate since students proficiency in English language continued to drop to the point where prospective employers in private and government sectors complained about the inability of graduates to converse in even the most rudimentary situations (Vinodini Murugesan, 2003). In 2002, the School-Based Oral Assessment (SBOA) was implemented for the first time on Form Four students who will be sitting for SPM in 2003 to replace the old oral assessment and this time it is considered to be in line with the communicative language teaching approach adopted in Malaysian schools. The School-Based Oral Assessment (SBOA) consists of 4 Models. The models are Model 1:Individual, Model 2:Student-Prompter, Model 3:Pair work and Model 4: Group work. Students are to be assessed twice in Form Four (using Model 1 and 2) and once in Form Five (using either Model 3 or Model 4). Marks are given based on students ability to converse on a topic effectively with appropriate responses, speak fluently using correct and acceptable pronunciation, speak coherently, speak the language using a wide range of appropriate vocabulary within context and speak using correct grammar. In some cases, students can actually request to repeat the test if deemed necessary especially when they are n ot satisfied with their mark. The total mark for each assessment is 30. When the students are in Form 5, the best mark among the three assessments will be taken and submitted together with other School Based Assessment Marks for SPM examination to the Malaysian Examination Board (Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia). 1.6.4 Confidence Confidence can be defined as a belief in one own ability to do things and be successful (Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, 7th ed., 2005, p.318). It is ones perceptions of ones own abilities to achieve a stated outcome. ARCS Model of Motivational Design developed by John M. Keller of Florida State University identified Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction as the four steps for promoting and sustaining motivation in the learning process. According to Keller, confidence helps students to understand their likelihood for success. If they feel they cannot meet the objectives or that the cost (time or effort) is too high, their motivation will decrease. Besides, confidence also provides objectives and prerequisites that help students to estimate the probability of success by presenting performance requirements and evaluation criteria. It allows for small steps of growth during the learning process, provide feedback and support internal attributions for success. Not only lear ners should feel some degree of control over their learning and assessment, they too should believe that their success is a direct result of the amount of effort they have put forth (Keller, 1983 and 1987 cited in http://www.learning-theories.com/kellers-arcs-model-of-motivational-design.html.). Confidence in speaking involves ability to speak the target language fluently using the right rules and appropriate choice of words. In speech situation, thinking, listening and speaking go on almost simultaneously and people expect feedback on or response to what they have said almost as soon as they stop speaking (Chitravelu et.al, 1995). Anxiety of making mistakes is one of the major obstacles that learners have to overcome in learning speaking because most of the time learners are reluctant to be judged by listeners. Of all the four language skills, speaking skill is probably the one most affected by personality features. Students who are confident and have experienced success are likely to be more motivated and more willing to try harder. Therefore, teachers have an important role in building up students confidence to speak by being sensitive, sympathetic and encouraging as well as selecting material that is motivating and within the ability of the students (ibid). 1.6.5 Attitudes Attitudes refer to a persons way of thinking or feeling about somebody or something; the way that he or she behaves towards somebody or something actually shows how the person thinks or feels (Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, 7th ed., 2005, p.85). The measurement of language attitudes provides information that is useful in teaching and language planning (Richards, Platt and Platt, 1997 cited in Tareq Mitib, 2009). In this study the EFL learners attitudes towards the Task-based listening activities will be measured through the use of a questionnaire which will be developed from the findings from focus group discussions. The questions will comprise of an adaptation of Gardners (1985) Attitude/ Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and Rossett (1982) Needs Analysis questionnaire. 1.7 Limitation/ Delimitation Since this study will be carried out within a relatively short period of time on students with average to good proficiency of English, it would thus be interesting to see if using task-based listening activities on a lower English-proficiency group of EFL students with varying time spent would have a different effect on the results. Thus, this study might not be able to represent the whole FELDA scheme students speaking performance because only two groups of students from a school will be selected. Further studies need to be conducted in order to seek similarities or differences on this issue. Chapter 2: Review of Literature 2.1 Relationship between listening and speaking Speech involves communication between people and the rules that apply to all forms of interpersonal behaviour also apply to speaking behaviour (Chitravelu et.al, 1995, p.59). Graham-Marr (2004) mentioned many reasons for focusing in listening and speaking in EFL classroom and one of them is the fact that speaking skills have been found to be a fundamental skill necessary to succeed in life. The ability to speak in the target language has always been associated with the success of learning the language. Before a person can speak the language he learnt, he should first be able to listen and understand the language. Listening should be the first and foremost skill to be acquired in learning a new language because understanding spoken words is prerequisite to speaking, reading and writing; and that comprehension should precede reproduction. Listening skill transfers to other skills and promoting listening skills before focusing on oral skills can result in increased second language acqui sition. (Cheung, 2010). The relationship of listening and speaking skills was further elaborated by Goss (1982) who claimed that listening is a process of taking what you hear and organizing it into verbal units to which you can apply meaning. Applied to speech processing, listening requires that you structure the sounds that you hear and organize them into words, phrases, sentences, or other linguistic units. Bowen, Madsen and Hilferty (1985) (ibid) defined listening as attending to and interpreting oral language. The student should be able to hear oral speech in English, segment the stream of sounds, group them into lexical and syntactic units (words, phrases, sentences), and understand the message they convey (p. 73). Gary (1975) cited in Ghazali, (2003) said that giving pre-eminence to listening comprehension particularly in the early stages of second language teaching and learning contributes advantages of four different types, namely cognitive, efficiency, utility and effective. As such, Doff (1988) added that speaking skills cannot be developed unless listening skill is also developed. In order to have successful conversation, students must understand what is said to them because later on the ability to understand spoken English may be very important for studying, listening to the radio or understanding foreign visitors. To develop this ability, students need plenty of practice in listening to English spoken at normal speed (p.163). A listening lesson gives students the opportunity to listen to native speakers conversations if the related materials are well-chosen, and, listening to the target language a lot can help the students improve in their pronunciation (Gethin and Gunnemark, 1996). Bruton (1997:14-15) argues that students need to listen to prepare themselves for their future listening. They need to listen in order to know how to produce. The better students understand what they hear, the better they will take part in spoken interactions. Although students usually face difficulties to understand the language produced by the native speakers in the listening activities, teachers have to be creative to tackle the problem by exposing students to more of the materials. At the beginning of the listening activities, teachers help may still be needed to explain to the students what is required from them. However, the dependency on teachers can slowly be eliminated later on when the students are working on the act ivities or in their groups. In order to measure the effectiveness of any speaking lesson, students need to be tested. The two main aspects of direct procedures for testing speaking according to Nation and Newton (2009) are the way in which the person who is being tested is encouraged to speak and the way in which the speaker performance is assessed. The first procedure can include interviewing, describing something for someone to draw and discussing while the latter can include rating scale, communicative result and assigning marks for the parts of an outcome (p.171). 2.2 Task-based Instruction in Language Classroom In task-based language teaching (TBLT), syllabus content and instructional processes are selected with reference to the communicative tasks which learners will (either actually or potentially) need to engage in outside the classroom and also with reference to theoretical and empirical insights into those social and psycholinguistic processes which facilitate language acquisition. Among the features identified by Nunan (1991) for this approach is the emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language, the introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation, the provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language, but also on the learning process itself, an enhancement of the learners own personal experiences as important contributing elements to classroom learning and an attempt to link classroom language learning with language activation outside the classroom. According to Brown (2001), Task- based Language Teaching (TBLT) puts tasks at the centre of the methodological focus. The learning process is viewed as a set of communicative tasks that are directly linked to the curricular goals they serve. The main characteristics of TBLT according to Ellis (2003) include the natural or naturalistic use of language, learners-centred activities rather than teacher-centred, focus on form and tasks serve as the means for achieving natural use of language. Ellis also claimed that the traditional approach of Present, Practice and Produce (PPP) are inadequate. Some critics also supported this and viewed PPP as clearly being teacher-centred and therefore sits uneasily in a more humanistic and learner-centred framework (Harmer, 1988, p.66). Task can be defined in various ways. Nunan (1999) in Bahrami (2010) for example, defined a task as a piece of classroom work that involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is focused on mobilizing their grammatical knowledge in order to express meaning, and in which the intention is to convey meaning rather than to manipulate form. The task should also have a sense of completeness, able to stand alone as a communicative act in its own right with a beginning, middle and an end. (p. 25). Long (1985a) as cited in Nunan (1991) suggests that a task is nothing more or less than the things people do in everyday life like for examples buying shoes, making reservations, finding destinations, and writing cheques. Breen (1987) similarly suggests that a task is any structured language learning endeavour which has a particular objective, appropriate content, a specified working procedure, and a range of outcomes for those who undertake the task. Task is therefore assumed to refer to a range of work plans which have the overall purpose of facilitating language learning-from the simple and brief exercise type, to more complex and lengthy activities such as group problem- solving or simulations and decision making (p. 23). Prabhu (1987) stands as the first significant person in the development of Task-based instructions in language classrooms. He defines a task as an activity which required learners to arrive at an outcome from given information through some process of thought, and which allowed teachers to control and regulate that process (cited in Tareq Mitib ,2009). Nunan (1989) further defines a task as a piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form (p.10). He suggests that in all definitions of tasks, one can see communicative language use where the learner focuses on meaning instead of linguistic structure. Many people have studied the implementation of Task-based instruction in language classrooms and have advised using tasks in language classrooms because students motivation rises through assigned tasks. On looking at the positive results that the use of tasks may bring about in the EFL classroom, it can be said that using a variety of tasks in class gives positive results (Ruso, 2007). Bahrami (2010) examined the influence of four specific types of task-based activities of matching, form-filling, labelling and selecting on the listening ability of 90 senior EFL learners of Sadra English Institute of Darood .The data for the quasi-experimental study included two task-based tests of listening comprehension and a test of language proficiency. The result shows that there was a significant relationship between the three tasks of matching, labelling and form filling on the other hand and listening comprehension on the other. However, there was no relationship observed for the task of selec ting and listening comprehension. In conclusion, not only the listening-comprehension skill of the EFL students tended to improve through exposure to task-based input; it is also proven to be suitable for students of various levels. Similarly, Tareq Mitib (2009) who also adopted a quasi experimental design to study the effects of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) on developing speaking skills among the Palestinian Secondary EFL students from two schools in Israel concluded that the method succeeded in improving the students speaking skills and develop students attitude towards English language. It was found that girls speaking skill improved more than the boys when classroom practice was organized and authentic as in the case of TBLT. Boys on the other hand, did better in the conventional teaching situations. Tareq therefore claimed that task-based language teaching can be the solution for the lack of exposure to authentic English as it enabled students to practise using the language through different activities in real world tasks and in a stress free atmosphere. This finding conforms to Underwood, (1998); Gethin and Gunnemark, (1996) and Kenworthys, (1987) claims, that, exposing students to native speakers o f English Language through listening gives them the opportunities to acquire the correct model of English pronunciation which will eventually leads to intelligibility (cited in Ghazali, 2003). Awang and Md. Supie (2011) stated that, one of the main issues in second language learning is ESL learners who are less proficient in the language opt to avoid speaking in English language classes. Some learners might find speaking English in front of the class as very intimidating. In a way it implies that regardless of how many English classes students have attended, if they do not practise the language, they will not be able to improve their communication skills as well as their self-confidence. Both researchers proposed that task-based speaking activities would enable students to communicate easily as the activities are usually conducted in pair work or group work. As such, a study was conducted in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia(UTM) on 30 second year students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering enrolled for the Advanced English for Academic Communication course in semester 2, 2007/2008. A set of questionnaire was designed and distributed to find out the students perspectiv es on task-based speaking activities in fostering their communication in English. This study also seeks to find out which types of Task-Based Speaking Activities (TBSA) that highly promotes learners communication in English. The types of task-based speaking activities used in the study were problem-solving, information-gap, and sharing personal experience or feelings. Results show that all the 30 participants agreed that task-based speaking activities improved their communication in English because the activities offered opportunities to practise the language. It was also found that students with low level of proficiency in English also participated in the TBSA during English classes and they were not intimidated by their low level of proficiency. As for the activities, problem-solving is found to be the most preferred type of TBSA that encouraged participation and use of English language. Other study related to the use of TBL includes an exploration of the implementation of TBLT in three primary classrooms in Hong Kong by Carless (2001). The subjects of the case study were three female English teachers who implemented task-based innovation over a seven months period in their primary one and primary two classrooms with children aged six to seven. Results reveal that there was a certain amount of interplay between different issues studied like for example, the more positive the teachers attitude towards TBLT, the more likely she was to take time doing the preparation of the supplementary materials for her class or to allocate time for carrying out activities (cited in Tareq Mitib, 2009). Despites many positive feedbacks of using TBL on EFL and ESL students, there are also evidences of sceptical perceptions on its implementation. One of them is in a case study conducted by In-Jae Jeon and Jung-won Hahn on EFL teachers perceptions on the practice of TBLT in Korean secondary School Classroom in 2005. Data were collected through questionnaires from 228 teachers at 38 different middle and high schools in Korea. The overall findings of the survey show that even though majority of the respondents have a higher level of understanding about TBLT concepts, teachers still retain some fear of adopting TBLT because of perceived disciplinary problems related to classroom practice. Other reason for teachers fear to adopt TBLT is related to their lack of confidence. Hence, much consideration should be given to overcome the potential obstacles such as on the part of the teachers before TBLT can really be successfully implemented. 2.3 Theoretical Framework of TBL Task-based learning (TBL) seems to gain currency since the publication of Jane Willis Framework for Task-Based Learning in 1996. N. Prabhu originally popularizes TBL in early 80s and since then has influenced subsequent models of Task Based Teaching such as Willis (1996) who developed a framework for task-based learning. Prabhu (1987) used a task-based approach with secondary school classes in Bangalore, India in his Communicational Teaching Project beginning 1979. Reports on the Bangalore project indicated that a syllabus organized around problem solving tasks and feedback can effectively accomplish and in many ways improve on what a traditional linguistic syllabus provides (cited in Tareq Mitib, 2009, pp. 53). In Framework for Task-Based Learning (1996), Willis proposed a three stages process of carrying out TBL. The stages include: pre-task (introduction to topic and task), task cycle (planning and reporting) and language focus (analysis and practice).The framework can be illustra ted as below: FRAMEWORK OF TBL (Jane Willis, 1996) Pre task Introduction to topic and task instruction (Exposure) Task cycle Use expose to tasks (6 tasks Types), planning (prepare to report outcomes), reporting, post task (optional) Focus on forms Language Focus Analysis: learners focus on form, Ask about language features Practice: teacher conduct activities TASK (Introduction to topic/ task) TASK CYCLE ( Task /Planning /Report) LANGUAGE FOCUS (Analysis Practice) In the Pre-Task stage, the learners and teachers explore the topic and the teacher may highlight useful words and phrases while helping students to understand the task instructions. The purpose of pre-task is to prepare students to perform the task in ways that will promote acquisition. As for the Task Cycle stage, the students perform the task in pairs or small groups while the teacher monitors or facilitate the lesson from a distance. During this stage students will also plan on how to report or present to the class what they have done and how they do it. At the same time teacher should encourage students to communicate in the target language while helping students to prepare w

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Why Walk

Why walk walking as a perfect form of exercise. There are definite benefits of walking to both your physical and mental wellness. the original zero-emission transport We all know the environment could do with a helping hand, and by swapping your car for your feet you’ll be doing just that. Walking, as well as being one of the cheapest ways of getting around, is also the smartest for our planet. You won’t leave a carbon footprint, just your own. did you know? If we all swapped one car journey a week for walking instead, car traffic levels would reduce by at least 10%;We all know we need to reduce our CO2 emissions. By changing some of our travel behaviour, we all have the power to contribute and act on climate change; Local shops are easy to reach on foot and using them helps to support local business and save food miles; Less busy roads will give us safer and quieter streets – who knows, we may even see more children playing outside just like we used to. It's fre e! There's no special skill, training, or equipment needed – all you need is the right footwear Walking is free. Walking doesn’t involve bulky and expensive vehicles or dangerous fuel.Walking doesn’t produce excess carbon dioxide or fumes or cause noise pollution Walking is a more efficient use of space: 20 times as many people can move in the same space by walking as in a car Walking and public transport are perfect partners. If we all swapped one car journey a week for walking instead, car traffic levels would reduce by at least 10%. If every car driver in the UK left their car at home once a month and walked for 20 minutes instead, we could save up to 320,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, the same amount produced by 50,000 homes.Car users regularly suffer up to three times as much pollution as pedestrians because they are sitting in traffic in the line of exhaust fumes from the car in front. Walking also has indirect environmental benefits. The more we walk, the more we take an interest in our surroundings. The more people use parks, green spaces, attractive urban public spaces and the countryside, the more likely it is that money will be spent to preserve, maintain and improve them. Walking helps create better and more prosperous places to live People on foot are likely to spend more at local shops and businesses.More people out walking on the streets helps deter crime and makes places feel safer. Before industrialisation took place there were some alternatives such as riding animals, horse drawn carriages and water transport, but walking must have been by far the most substantial transport mode. The Roman roads of 2000 years ago were predominantly used by pedestrians. Conflicts between pedestrians and wheeled traffic did occur, however, especially in urban areas. For example Hass-Klau (1990) mentions that Julius Caesar banned chariots from the streets in Rome between sunrise and sunset to offer space to the pedestrian.Since the nineteenth century the development of railway and highway systems have led to dramatic changes in travel behaviour towards motorised transport modes. In addition, the bicycle became available as a possible substitute for the pedestrian. Why Not Walk? We’re all good at thinking of reasons why not to get more active, but there are many more reasons why we should. Regular walking improves your general health and reduces your risk of heart disease, some cancers, and Type 2 diabetes. It’s also a great way to lose weight, improve your fitness and your mental health and wellbeing.Read more about the benefits of walking. For those who still aren’t convinced, here are some answers to the most common excuses! â€Å"I don’t have the time. † Walking is by far the easiest exercise to fit into a busy lifestyle since you can do it anywhere at a time that suits you. Every minute you spend walking is quality time, rather than sweating on a packed bus or train or fu ming in a traffic jam. You’ll still have to make a little effort to find time, but remember active people live longer and have a healthier old age – so think of your walking time as a good investment. â€Å"I don’t know any good places to walk. Sometimes main roads don’t feel pleasant and safe for walkers. But there are plenty of quieter streets, parks, watersides and green spaces even in busy urban areas if you know where to look for them. Read more about finding good places to walk and free walking routes for beginners. â€Å"I don’t feel safe on the streets. † It’s understandable that people are concerned for their personal safety and security – but it’s a great shame if this stops you enjoying the benefits of walking. If you can, walk with a companion, or read our advice on staying safe. Also, the more people walk, the safer the streets will be. I don’t have anyone to walk with. † Why not ask your famil y, friends and colleagues if they’re interested in walking with you? Or try an organised programme or led walk. Read more about walking in a group. Where people walk Walking is a common movement in urban transport, as nearly everyone is a pedestrian for part of their trips, but walking as a means of transport is often overlooked walking should not be neglected in these countries as it also is important in connection with other modes. for example, walking from the parking place to the final destination; biking to the railway station, etc.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Matty Doolin

Matty Doolin: 700 Headwords Author: Oxford Bookworms Library Summary:Â   Matty is fifteen and is leaving school in a few weeks time. He wants to work with animal, and would like to get a job on a farm. But his parents say he is too young to leave home – he must stay in the town and get a job in ship-building, like his father. They also say he can't go on a camping holiday with his friends. And they say he can't keep his dog, Nelson, because Nelson barks all day and eats his father's shoes. But it is because of Nelson that Matty finds a new life026 The Plot:Â   is very nice and easy, so I could follow easily the plot of this novel. Characters: 1)Â   The main character in the story is a boy his name is Matty and he is fifteen years old, who has a dog his name is Nelson. 2)Â   The second main character is Nelson, because of Nelson that Matty finds a new life. Basically, it all began because of Nelson. 3)Â   Matty's parents, Mr. And Mrs. Doolin, especially his mother Mrs. Doolin, that she pushed Nelson out into the street, so Nelson died because of her, but she didn't mean that, she was angry from Matty because Matty stayed out all day, and the dog was barking for hours while she was waiting for him, so she pushed Nelson out into the street, then the car hit him. 4)Â   Mr. Funnell. He was Matty's teacher in the school, but he also helped the children to find jobs when they left school. 5)Â   Willie and Joe, they are Matty's friends. Also, the camping holiday was Willies's plan. He, Matty, and Joe were best friends. 6)Â   Mr. Walsh, the farmer and Mrs. Walsh and her daughter Jessica, and Mr. Walsh's the two sheep dogs, the bigger dog her name is Betsy and the other one, her son, Prince. Subplots: 1)Â   Staying out all day including the story of Nelson's death. 2)Â   Going for their first long walk. 3)Â   The storms story. 4)Â   The Matty's first real day on a farm. 5)Â   Matty and Jessica, having a talk in the barn. 6)Â   The story of Matty and Jessica's adventure on the hills. Action: the action of the story is very interesting and dramatic. There are six basic actions: 1)Â   Matty and Nelson 2)Â   Camping 3)Â   Blisters and storms 4)Â   Helping on the farm )Â   A night on the hills 6)Â   A new life for Matty Themes: Kindness, love, respect, cooperation, and helping are the main themes of the novel. Moral: The moral of the story is that if you want something in this life, you have to work to get it. Opinion: In my opinion, Matty was not young to leave home, because Mr. and Mrs. Walsh will be life second parents to him. In addition, he will be very happy in his job, because he loves animals and he loves the hills and mountains. But, I think, at fifteen, nobody really knows what he wants to do. Also, perhaps Matty will be bore with his job after a few or many years.

Friday, November 8, 2019

In the Fall of the House of Usher, Poe has written the Gothic narrative par excellence. Discuss.

In the Fall of the House of Usher, Poe has written the Gothic narrative par excellence. Discuss. Poe has written his Gothic story "The Fall of the House of Usher" to perfection. This statement is correct, especially considering the fascinating, and some what eccentric style of writing used by Poe, which makes his stories particularly Gothic.The primary reason why "House of Usher" is such a superior Gothic work is because of the language used. Throughout the narrative, Poe uses extremely cinematic language to describe the Gothic feature of the story. This may be done because of the lack of technology in the day of Poe's writing, yet the language is still quite unique. The vocabulary that Poe uses vividly describes the Gothic nature of the setting, which is a key factor in the story. Poe instantly makes the reader aware of the Gothic features of the storey in the first paragraph of the narrative. This is done by the narrator, who uses a string of Gothic words to describe the House, where expressions such as 'gloom' and 'depression' are used to describe the setting.English: The Fal l of the House of Usher (1928) is ...When the story begins on one "dull, dark and soundless day in the autumn of the year" the reader is instantly conscious of a sense of death and decay, an extremely Gothic characteristic. This vocabulary alerts the reader immediately to the darkness surrounding the House, and paints a precise picture of the setting which Poe intends to use. This extremely descriptive language is a common feature throughout the story, and Poe uses this technique to his advantage.Another reason why the "House of Usher" is a great Gothic work is because of the way Poe reveals his plot. On many occasions Poe fools the reader into thinking something, whilst he actually intends to end the scenario differently. Such great exposition is what makes this particular narrative such a great one.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Coping With School Violence essays

Coping With School Violence essays Violence is definitely a major problem in our school systems today. Establishing guidelines and observation by educational staff and parents cannot only deter violence but also prevent it. Noticing the early warning signs in a childs behavior is the key to observance. As adults, we have a responsibility to protect our children. Whether the violence has to do with typical shoving, name calling, or weapons; school violence is getting out of control. Consider these grave statistics: 160,000 children nationwide ditch school daily in fear of violence, every day 100,000 take guns to school, and 6,250 teachers are threatened daily and 260 are assaulted, and an estimated 14,000 children are attacked on school property every day Washington Education Association. Preventing Online. (p.2).14 Nov. 2004 When parents begin to worry about their childrens safety at school, it should flag us that there definitely is a problem. School violence is a major issue and begins to grow bigger each year. Each time there is an occurrence, more children are afraid to go to school. Every child has a right to an education in a safe and secure environment, and violence in our nations schools threatens that right. This is a sign that something has to be done. Since the late 90s, shootings and other random acts of violence have grown significantly in our nations schools. On the 2nd day of February 1996, Barry Loukaitis from Moses Lake, Washington opened fire in his Algebra class killing two students and a teacher. There was yet another shooting in the same month that took place on February 19th, 1996 in Bethel, Alaska killing the principal and a student. Three more shootings took place in 1997, including the shooting in Pearl, Mississippi on October ...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Developing Child Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Developing Child - Essay Example Particularly, child is attributed to have phisycal, psychological and cognitive development. Those will be descussed in current paper. Both child developmentalists and life-span researchers recognize that development is more than increases in frequency, size, complexity, or functional efficacy. For example, in some areas of psychometric intelligence, such as crystallized intelligence, development proceeds in an incremental fashion over the life span into late adulthood; in others, such as fluid intelligence, it declines beginning in early adulthood. Similar phenomena exist in social development. Relationships with opposite-sex peers may show a discontinuous pattern with declines in the elementary school years and increases in adolescence and young adulthood. Ontogeny therefore is a reflection of aspects of both growth and decline. Development thus may be viewed as a gain-loss relationship. Both child development and life-span development have models involving such ideas. In research on adulthood and old age, Bronfenbrenner (2003) has suggested that a basic process underlying this dynamic interplay between gains and losses over the course of development is selective optimization with compensation. As constraints in development or limitations in plasticity occur with age, individuals become more specialized and selective in adapting to situations and in solving problems. They develop substitutive skills to compensate for declining abilities. In confronting new tasks; the elderly draw selectively upon past experiences, existing knowledge and skills, and personal and social resources. The particular form of selective optimization or compensatory skills or strategies adopted will depend on the individual's past life conditions. Gains and losses may also exist in childhood development. For example, even in Piaget's theory there is evidence for loss (in perceptual accuracy) as children more toward a higher cognitive stage ( Bronfenbrenner, 2003). A more concerted effort by both child and life-span researchers to focus on gains and losses and multidirectionality in development could lead to enhanced and increasingly fruitful developmental models.Both contemporary child psychologists and life-span developmentalists see child development as resulting from the interaction between an active, organized individual and an active, organized environment. Individuals act on their environments, evoke behavior from others, select settings, and discriminate among stimuli to which they respond. Moreover, the individual exists in multiple levels of embeddedness in his or her environment, for example at the individual psychological level, the dyadic level, the family level, the community level, the historical level, and so on. There is a dynamic interaction among these contextual levels and between the individ ual and the contextual levels. Development is a process of constant change based on the interaction between the changing individual and these changing contextual levels.Although the ecological movement, led in child development by Bronfenbrenner ( 1979), has had a profound impact on theory in child development, much developmental research still presents a picture of the child developing within rather static ecosystems. Certainly more attention is focused on individual

Friday, November 1, 2019

Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Paper - Assignment Example If they are actively involved in the planning process they will be more open to allocating resources and providing accurate time forecasts. Employees also need to feel like they will not be subject to punitive measures if time frames are not met (provided that this is not a perennial problem) or else they (or their managers) can unnecessarily extend the projected amount of time required to complete a task. A functional company that wants to shift from an adversarial culture to one that is supportive and interactive should take several factors into consideration. First, it should start by creating a corporate wide strategy that aims at uniting and inspiring employees (Pinto 58). Next, they should establish a reward/punishment framework that matches that strategy. Finally, they will have to develop clear policies founded on lines of leadership and communication. This will facilitate fast and efficient decision

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Opportunities and challenges by multi-national companies in setting an Essay

Opportunities and challenges by multi-national companies in setting an appropriate transfer price - Essay Example One of such implications that come with inappropriate transfer pricing, as mentioned above, is the possibility of the transfer-in subsidiary making a loss or just no profit at all on the sale of the products received from the parent subsidiary. If for example the parent subsidiary manufactures a certain product at a cost of say $700 and transfers it to the distributer in another country at a cost $800, it shall have made a positive contribution of $100. Depending on the market price, the distributer may incur another variable cost of $100 and sell the product at $1000. In this case, the manufacturer has made a profit while the distributer has not. Therefore, one side will be motivated while the other will be demoralised. Nonetheless, both sides will be required to pay tax. There is, therefore, a need to set up an appropriate transfer price that does not favor one side of an enterprise. The fact that these subsidiaries exist in different locations with different tax jurisdiction creates a complex puzzle for the MNE. It has always been a challenging task to come up with a plausible method of setting up the most appropriate transfer pricing that accommodates all these contrasting tax jurisdictions. In most host nations, when a subsidiary transfers goods to another, the local governments usually view the buy-in subsidiary as a target customer from whom to siphon revenues. This perception has led to mandatory taxation on the sales of such goods even if no considerable profit has been realised. It should be noted that the subsidiary from which the goods were transferred had also been taxed the authority under which it operates. Therefore, these two corporate have been taxed for the very product. This is called double-taxation. Double taxation is a liability to any MNE and may deter the realisation of net profit (ACCA, 2009). The principle of Arm’s Length had been proposed to resolve

Monday, October 28, 2019

The collapse of Enron Essay Example for Free

The collapse of Enron Essay The collapse of Enron seems to be rooted in a combination of the failure of top leadership, a corporate culture that supported unethical behavior, and the complicity of the investment banking community. In the aftermath of Enron’s bankruptcy filing, numerous Enron executives were charged with criminal acts, including fraud, money laundering, and insider trading. Ben Glisan, Enron’s former treasurer, was charged with two-dozen counts of money laundering, fraud, and conspiracy. During the plea negotiations, Glisan described Enron as a â€Å"house of cards. † Andrew Fastow, Jeff Skilling, and Ken Lay are among the most notable top-level executives implicated in the collapse of Enron’s â€Å"house of cards. † Andrew Fastow, former Enron chief financial officer (CFO), faced 98 counts of money laundering, fraud, and conspiracy in connection with the improper partnerships he ran, which included a Brazilian power plant project and a Nigerian power plant project that was aided by Merrill Lynch, an investment banking firm. 2. How did the top leadership at Enron undermine the foundation values of the Enron Code of Ethics? Enron’s ethics code was based on respect, integrity, communication, and excellence. Kenneth Lay, former chairman and (CEO) of Enron Corp. , once quoted as saying: â€Å"I was fully exposed to not only legal behavior but moral and ethical behavior and what that means from the standpoint of leading organizations and people. † In an introductory statement to the revised Enron Code of Ethics issued in July 2000, Lay wrote: â€Å"As officers and employees of Enron Corp. Its subsidiaries, and its affiliated companies, we are responsible for conducting the business affairs of the companies in accordance with all applicable laws and in a moral and honest manner. † Lay went on to indicate that the 64-page Enron Code of Ethics reflected policies approved by the company’s board of directors and that the company, which enjoyed a reputation for being fair and honest, was highly respected. Enron’s ethics code also specified that â€Å"An employee shall not conduct himself or herself in a manner which directly or indirectly would be detrimental to the best interests of the Company or in a manner which would  bring to the employee financial gain separately derived as a direct consequence of his or her employment with the Company. † 3. How did Enron’s corporate culture promote unethical decisions and actions? Enron has been described as having a culture of arrogance that led people to believe that they could handle increasingly greater risk without encountering any danger. According to Sherron Watkins, â€Å"Enron’s unspoken message was, ‘Make the numbers, make the numbers, make the numbers—if you steal, if you cheat, just don’t get caught. If you do, beg for a second chance, and you’ll get one. ’† Enron’s corporate culture did little to promote the values of respect and integrity. These values were undermined through the company’s emphasis on decentralization, its employee performance appraisals, and its compensation program. Each Enron division and business unit was kept separate from the others, and as a result very few people in the organization had a â€Å"big picture† perspective of the company’s operations. Accompanying this emphasis on decentralization were insufficient operational and financial controls as well as â€Å"a distracted, hands-off chairman, a compliant board of directors, and an impotent staff of accountants, auditors, and lawyers. † Jeff Skilling implemented a very rigorous and threatening performance evaluation process for all Enron employees. Known as â€Å"rank and yank,† the annual process utilized peer evaluations, and each of the company’s divisions was arbitrarily forced to fire the lowest ranking one-fifth of its employees. Employees frequently ranked their peers lower in order to enhance their own positions in the company. Enron’s compensation plan â€Å"seemed oriented toward enriching executives rather than generating profits for shareholders† and encouraged people to break rules and inflate the value of contracts even though no actual cash was generated. Enron’s bonus program encouraged the use of non-standard accounting practices and the inflated valuation of deals on the company’s books. Indeed, deal inflation became widespread within the company as partnerships were created solely to hide losses and avoid the consequences of owning up to problems. (p29-31) Weiss, Joseph W. (2009). Business Ethics: A Stakeholders Issues Management Approach

Saturday, October 26, 2019

International Soccers Influence on Diplomatic, Social, and Political R

To what extent has international soccer influenced the world politically and socially? This research question will be investigated using different books pertaining to the subject. The investigation will cover the impacts of soccer in the 1930s during the First World War, the 1940s during the Second World War and the 1970s during the Cold War. The effect of soccer on a country’s nationalism will be researched as well. Soccer had a great impact on people’s lives socially; it gave people hope when in a time of need. It did not matter whether there was a war going on, or if there were prisoners in camps, soccer was a popular activity to help people survive in the hardest of times. Soccer had a great impact on the world politically as well. Many dictators used soccer to show the power of their nation and prove that their nation is better than another. There was friendly competition and competition that caused great hostility. In conclusion, soccer has affected the world politically and socially. This sport has caused intense nationalistic views and has brought countries together. Even though soccer has brought countries together, the game has driven countries away from each other just like what happened in Germany in the 1974 World Cup when East and West Germany played against each other. Soccer has helped people and hurt people, and has had an influence on people’s lives. Throughout history, soccer has had a noticeable impact on the world. Sports in general created a sense of nationalism in nations, soccer especially, it being a more popular sport where there is international competition across the world. â€Å"Although soccer boomed in the 1920s, in the 1930s it swept all before it as the most popular game throughout most of Europe... ...occer game was even said to have caused a war. The game of soccer also has a large impact on both the World Wars as well as the Cold War. Dictators, such as Mussolini have supported soccer in their nation to promote their nation, which in return boosted their reputation. Soccer has been compared to a war because the importance of different games and how the outcome can define a nation. Works Cited Goldblatt, David. "Goldblatt, David. The Ball Is Round." New York: Penguin Group, 2008. Print. Murray, Bill. "The World's Game: A HISTORY OF SOCCER." Urbana, Illinois: n.p., 1998. Print. Kapuscinski, Ryszard. â€Å"Soccer War 1969.† N.p., 1969. Web. 13 Nov. 2015. http://libcom.org/library/soccer-war-1969-el-salvador-honduras-kapuscinski Walvin, James. The Only Game: Football in Our Times. Great Britain: Pearson Educated, 2002. Print.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Brand Hierarchy

Smart Principles for Designing a Brand Hierarchy We all know the recession has drastically impacted consumer behaviors, but we may often overlook its direct impact on brands themselves. The recession has changed the way marketers manage their brand portfolios as they try to do more with less. As such, marketers are taking a closer look at how then can stretch existing brand equity across a greater number of products, often taking a parent brand/sub-brand approach. We generally see four different sub-brand approaches, each with their own benefits and risks: 1.Driver Sub-Brands—A driver sub-brand encourages purchase decisions by representing the value proposition central to the user experience. The parent brand endorses the sub-brand—but it’s the sub-brand that defines the consumer’s perceptions of the product or service experience and proves the primary driver motivating consumer purchase. Take the Gillette Fusion razor. Customers primarily buy the technolo gy and performance represented by the Fusion name. Fusion is the driver brand while Gillette creates a strong identity and clear visibility for the Fusion name on the package, retail rack, and in consumers’ minds.As you might guess, if a company is going to take a driver sub-branding approach, then the sub-brand must generate real response to its entrance in the marketplace to succeed. 2. Co-Driver Sub-Brands—In this case both the parent brand and the sub-brand play major—and often equal—roles in driving the consumer toward purchase. Cadillac’s Escalade sub-brand serves as a co-driver, as both the Cadillac and Escalade brand names influence consumers’ purchase decisions.While consumers associate the Cadillac name with top of the line performance, quality, and style, the Escalade brand compounds that image with the slightly rugged, more versatile associations of a sports utility vehicle. Cadillac marketers leverage the associations of both dr iver brands to command market share in the luxury sports utility vehicle category, as well as generating significant demand for the car among Hollywood celebrities attracted to the brand’s image of luxury, spaciousness, and high performance versatility.In co-driver situations, both the parent brand’s image and the sub-brand’s image together influence the consumer’s decision to purchase the product. 3. Descriptor Sub-Brands—As implied by the name, descriptor brands communicate a distinct facet of the parent brand—e. g. , class, feature, target segment, or function. For example, Purina Dog Food maintains the following descriptive brands: Dog Chow, Beneful, Hi-Pro, Fit & Trim, Puppy Chow, Moist & Meaty.Purina Brand Dog Food uses these descriptor sub-brands to more accurately meet the needs of individual dog breeds and the specific demands of dog owners. While all dogs could potentially thrive off of the standard Puppy and Dog Chow offerings, de veloping specialized offerings for overweight, high-energy, and performance dogs defined by a unique descriptor sub-brand enables owners to better address their dog’s perceived needs. This is the riskiest category of sub-brands, as the sub-brand may cannibalize the parent brand if insufficient differentiation among the varieties exists. . Endorsed Sub-Brands—In an endorsed sub-brand relationship, the parent brand often provides support and credibility to the sub-brand’s claims in a more explicit fashion than co-drivers (for example, Rugby by Ralph Lauren). Endorsed sub-brands provide consumers with assurance that the sub-brand will deliver on the same value propositions as the parent offering, enabling the parent brand to expand into new markets while retaining its established brand position.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Underlying Meanings within Children Stories

Underlying Meanings within Children Stories People enjoy a good story. More importantly, children enjoy their fairytales. However, many of these stories have more morbid underlying meanings. Everyone should know, or at least be vaguely familiar with, the cute story of Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Woods. What people may not know, or may not have figured out, is that this particular story’s dark messages are mental disorders. Each character in Winnie the Pooh, according The Perfectionist, author of a biomedical blog, has a different mental disorder.Are these disorders going to affect the way kids view others and themselves? The initial story line of Disney’s 2011 â€Å"Winnie the Pooh† is innocent enough. The movie starts off with the introduction of a young boy named Christopher Robin who has, as the narrator says, â€Å"a very active imagination. † However, Christopher Robin may have more than just that. He displays the common charac teristics of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a condition in which one has trouble defining the line with perception of reality.Common symptoms, according to the medical dictionary, are delusions, hallucinations, and hearing voices based on the person’s behavior. All of Christopher Robin’s â€Å"friends† are depictions of his stuffed animals coming to life. He talks and interacts with them and each character responds back appropriately. We are next introduced to Pooh. This is Christopher Robins’ â€Å"best friend. † Winnie the Pooh is a bear who is so obsessed with food, in particular honey, that he can be classified with an eating disorder.His consistent desire for honey interrupts his daily activities by not allowing him to think of other things besides filling his tummy. He thinks about it in his dreams, during the day, and even while he is attempting to complete another task. He makes eating his biggest priority. The first example of this in the movie is the very first glimpse we see into the Hundred Acre Woods. Pooh is talking in his sleep about honey, suggesting that that is what he is dreaming about. He then is woken up and the first thing he sets out to do is get honey.This priority is evident throughout the entire movie while he is trying to get honey from his friends or get some honey wherever he possibly can, with little to no regard to how he obtains it will affect his friends. While Pooh is searching for honey, for he had run out, he hears the grumbling sigh of his friend, Eyore. Eyore can easily be classified as clinically depressed. Depression is displayed by always feeling gloomy or sad. The first time Pooh and Eyore come together, this constant gloominess is apparent. Pooh greets him with a â€Å"Good morning. Lovely day, isn’t it? and Eyore promptly responds with â€Å"Wish I could say yes† in his typical bummed out manner. Eyore becomes more hopeless when he discovers his missing tail. This is the â€Å"very important thing† that everyone is the Hundred Acre Woods must do, they must help Eyore find his tail, or a tail. It is at this point Owl flies in. Owl is characterized as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Narcissistic Personality disorder is an obsession with oneself. There is an exaggeration in the importance of the self and the belief that they are exponentially unique and need constant approval and admiration of others.Owl enters the scene interrupting Pooh and Eyore with the need to bring the attention of his friends to him. He perches himself in a tree and announces that this is the tree where he was hatched and all about the marks his mother made on the tree. He begins to write his book. He titles chapter one â€Å"The birth of a Genius. † Pooh interrupts this â€Å"important work† by asking him to help find Eyore’s tail and feeds Owl’s Narcissism by saying he â€Å"has such a talent for speaking and telling [them] wh at to do. † Of course, Owl quickly recognizes his own importance in this and takes the lead to finding Eyore’s tail.Pooh is nailing up signs announcing that there is â€Å"a very important thing to do† when Tigger pounces in at a red balloon that is floating around nearby. The Perfectionist diagnoses Tigger with having ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). ADHD cause a person to have trouble paying attention and be constantly over-active. Tigger goes from fighting with the balloon, to playing, to being afraid of it, and to being worried something will happen to it if it is his â€Å"sidekick,† all within the span of about 1 minute. Also, from the moment he enters the scene to the very end, he does ot stop moving or talking. Pooh goes to Christopher Robin’s house in search of some honey to share but finds a note. He cannot read the note so he takes the note to Owl to be deciphered. Owl is, of course, more than happy to be the one selected to decode the meaning of this note. However, he misinterprets the note. He thinks that â€Å"back soon† is a monster called the â€Å"Backsoon† and that Christopher Robin has been captured by this creature. This sets off Piglet’s Panphobia. Panphobia is a disorder that makes a person overly fearful.They are afraid of basically everything but especially the unknown. The fact that this monster is lurking around gives Piglet the shakes. While setting up the trap for the Backsoon to capture him and get Christopher Robin back, it becomes apparent that Rabbit also suffers a mental disorder; Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is a disorder that causes obsessive thought about a ritual that must be performed or to adhere to rules with strict acuteness. If these things are not completed then it causes the person extreme anxiety.When setting everything up for the trap, Rabbit made sure everything was just so and that nobody interfered with what has been done. Christo pher Robin came back, much to their surprise, and explained that he had gone out and that he would be back soon. After that was settled, Pooh went back to Owl’s house to see if he would have some honey but when he saw the bell rope was actually Eyore’s tail and Owl had taken it by mistake Pooh rushed the tail to Eyore and won a prize pot of honey for finding his tail. There is obviously a lesson here about putting your friends first when Pooh denies honey to return the tail to Eyore.However, when children are watching this and they see characters with symptoms of these disorders, does it make them more tolerable when they are around friends at school with these same issues? Winnie the Pooh is not the only children’s story with madness as a twist; for example, the original â€Å"Grim Brothers Fairytales† and â€Å"Alice in Wonderland. † It could serve as an exposure for children to be more accepting differences among the people around them. As it is put in Alice in Wonderland, â€Å"we are all mad here. †