Tasmac

Chapter 20: Development Experience Of India Pakistan And China- A Comparative Study Learning Objectives: INTRODUCTION : *China *Pakistan COMPARITIVE STUDY: INDIA, CHINA AND PAKISTAN †¢ Demographic Indicators †¢ Growth Indicators †¢ Human development Indicators. †¢ Appraisal of Development Strategies ( China and Pakistan ) Q1. Compare between India, China,& Pakistan in terms of GDP growthrate. Ans: After the Independence in 1947, India & Pakistan adopted planned development programmes which relied on public sector to spearhead the process of growth and development. China adopted more rigorous model of growth in 1949 and it decided to bring all critical areas of production activity under government control. †¢ The great leap forward (GLF) campaign was launched in 1958, focusing on widespread Industrialization of the Economy. People were encouraged to launch household Industry in the country yards. †¢ China adopted Commune system of agricultural production which was a system of collective cultivation. †¢ Great Proletarian Cultural revolution launched in 1065 and making it mandatory for the students and professionals to go to the country side to work and learn from the countryside. Chinas Export driven manufacturing is the key parameter of its success story in economic growth. †¢ Till about 1980, the economies of India, china, & Pakistan did not show much divergence in the GDP growth rate and it was around 4% annually. †¢ It was around early 1980s in China, mid 80’s in Pakistan, 90’s in India that the breakthrough in GDP Growth rate was recorded. †¢ In 2005, India & Pakistan both recorded GDP growth of 6 to 8 percent, where as china recorded GDP growth of about 10% per annum. 2.Compare the structure of growth between India, China, and Pakistan. % Share in GDP % share in employment India Pakistan China India Pakistan China Primary 23 23 15 60 49 54 Secondary 26 23 53 16 18 27 Tertiary 51 54 32 24 33 19 China has succeeded in placing greater reliance on Industrial sector compared to India &Pakistan. It is due to (i) GLF , a campaign launched in China in 1958 focusing on widespread Industrialization of the Country . (ii) Policy of reforms and opening up launched in 1978 which gave big push to china’s manufacturing exports.Page | 74 Sector Q4. What is the important implication of the one child norm in China? Ans : One child norm in China has successfully reduced the growth rate of population . †¢ After few decades in china there will be more elderly people in proportion to young people. †¢ This will force China to take steps to provide social security measures with fewer workers. Q5. Compare the Demographic profile of India, China, and Pakistan. Ans: One child policy in china adopted since 1979 has reduced the growth rate of population from 1. 3 percent in 1979 to0. 64% in 2005. (i) Growth rate of Population Country Growth rate of Population 0. 64 China 1. 33 India 2 . 5 Pakistan Fertility rate is also very low in china as Compared to India & Pakistan. ii)Low Density of Population Country Person per square kilometer China 138 India 358 Pakistan 193 iii) Urbanization Country % of Population China 36% India 28% Pakistan 34% iv) Sex ratio Country Female per 1000 male China 937 India 933 Pakistan 922 Q6. Compare between the parameter of Human development. Ans.Human development i)HDI Ranking Country Ranking in the world China 81 India 128 Pakistan 136 ii) INFANT MORTALITY RATE Country Per thousand China 30 India 63 Pakistan 81 iii) Maternal Mortality Rate Country Per Lack China 56 Page | 75 India Pakistan iv) Improved Sanitation Country China India Pakistan v) Safe Drinking Water facility Country China India China vi) Below Poverty Line Country China India Pakistan 540 500 Of Population 44% 30% 54% Of Population 77% 86% 77% Of Population 16. 6% 21. 8% 13. 4% Q7. Mention the common success story of India &Pakistan.Ans; i) A substantial rise in GDP per capita. ii) Self-sufficiency in food production. iii) Dualistic nature of the economy is gradually declining. iv) Considerable increase in the incidence of poverty. Q8. Mention the common failures of India and Pakistan. Ans. I) Relatively slow pace of GDP growth rate as Compared to China. 2) Poor performance in HDI ranking. 3) Poor fiscal management. 4) Lack of political interest for social prosperity. Q 9. Mention the areas where India has an edge over Pakistan. Ans. i) Skilled manpower ii) Investment in Education. ii) Health facilities. Q10. Mention the areas where Pakistan has an edge over India. Ans: 1) Urbanization 2) Less percentage of population below poverty line. 3) More percentage of population having access to improved water sources. Q11. Mention the areas where China has an edge over India. Ans. 1) China has successfully focused on Pro-poor reforms. 2) Agrarian reforms have been effectively carried out. 3) Export driven manufacturing has significantly grown, adding to t he pace of GDP growth. 4) SEZ policy has proved to be a boon for FDI flow in India. Page | 76 Tasmac Chapter 20: Development Experience Of India Pakistan And China- A Comparative Study Learning Objectives: INTRODUCTION : *China *Pakistan COMPARITIVE STUDY: INDIA, CHINA AND PAKISTAN †¢ Demographic Indicators †¢ Growth Indicators †¢ Human development Indicators. †¢ Appraisal of Development Strategies ( China and Pakistan ) Q1. Compare between India, China,& Pakistan in terms of GDP growthrate. Ans: After the Independence in 1947, India & Pakistan adopted planned development programmes which relied on public sector to spearhead the process of growth and development. China adopted more rigorous model of growth in 1949 and it decided to bring all critical areas of production activity under government control. †¢ The great leap forward (GLF) campaign was launched in 1958, focusing on widespread Industrialization of the Economy. People were encouraged to launch household Industry in the country yards. †¢ China adopted Commune system of agricultural production which was a system of collective cultivation. †¢ Great Proletarian Cultural revolution launched in 1065 and making it mandatory for the students and professionals to go to the country side to work and learn from the countryside. Chinas Export driven manufacturing is the key parameter of its success story in economic growth. †¢ Till about 1980, the economies of India, china, & Pakistan did not show much divergence in the GDP growth rate and it was around 4% annually. †¢ It was around early 1980s in China, mid 80’s in Pakistan, 90’s in India that the breakthrough in GDP Growth rate was recorded. †¢ In 2005, India & Pakistan both recorded GDP growth of 6 to 8 percent, where as china recorded GDP growth of about 10% per annum. 2.Compare the structure of growth between India, China, and Pakistan. % Share in GDP % share in employment India Pakistan China India Pakistan China Primary 23 23 15 60 49 54 Secondary 26 23 53 16 18 27 Tertiary 51 54 32 24 33 19 China has succeeded in placing greater reliance on Industrial sector compared to India &Pakistan. It is due to (i) GLF , a campaign launched in China in 1958 focusing on widespread Industrialization of the Country . (ii) Policy of reforms and opening up launched in 1978 which gave big push to china’s manufacturing exports.Page | 74 Sector Q4. What is the important implication of the one child norm in China? Ans : One child norm in China has successfully reduced the growth rate of population . †¢ After few decades in china there will be more elderly people in proportion to young people. †¢ This will force China to take steps to provide social security measures with fewer workers. Q5. Compare the Demographic profile of India, China, and Pakistan. Ans: One child policy in china adopted since 1979 has reduced the growth rate of population from 1. 3 percent in 1979 to0. 64% in 2005. (i) Growth rate of Population Country Growth rate of Population 0. 64 China 1. 33 India 2 . 5 Pakistan Fertility rate is also very low in china as Compared to India & Pakistan. ii)Low Density of Population Country Person per square kilometer China 138 India 358 Pakistan 193 iii) Urbanization Country % of Population China 36% India 28% Pakistan 34% iv) Sex ratio Country Female per 1000 male China 937 India 933 Pakistan 922 Q6. Compare between the parameter of Human development. Ans.Human development i)HDI Ranking Country Ranking in the world China 81 India 128 Pakistan 136 ii) INFANT MORTALITY RATE Country Per thousand China 30 India 63 Pakistan 81 iii) Maternal Mortality Rate Country Per Lack China 56 Page | 75 India Pakistan iv) Improved Sanitation Country China India Pakistan v) Safe Drinking Water facility Country China India China vi) Below Poverty Line Country China India Pakistan 540 500 Of Population 44% 30% 54% Of Population 77% 86% 77% Of Population 16. 6% 21. 8% 13. 4% Q7. Mention the common success story of India &Pakistan.Ans; i) A substantial rise in GDP per capita. ii) Self-sufficiency in food production. iii) Dualistic nature of the economy is gradually declining. iv) Considerable increase in the incidence of poverty. Q8. Mention the common failures of India and Pakistan. Ans. I) Relatively slow pace of GDP growth rate as Compared to China. 2) Poor performance in HDI ranking. 3) Poor fiscal management. 4) Lack of political interest for social prosperity. Q 9. Mention the areas where India has an edge over Pakistan. Ans. i) Skilled manpower ii) Investment in Education. ii) Health facilities. Q10. Mention the areas where Pakistan has an edge over India. Ans: 1) Urbanization 2) Less percentage of population below poverty line. 3) More percentage of population having access to improved water sources. Q11. Mention the areas where China has an edge over India. Ans. 1) China has successfully focused on Pro-poor reforms. 2) Agrarian reforms have been effectively carried out. 3) Export driven manufacturing has significantly grown, adding to t he pace of GDP growth. 4) SEZ policy has proved to be a boon for FDI flow in India. Page | 76

The References

1. Describe the different between internal and external costumer. Internal customer was staffing that work to marketing the product by one organization or firm. In the other words, internal customers can are any persons who either works for an organization and sever people that are note employed by organization. External customers on the other hand are was one who not working for organization or firm. External customers can be explained as those which requires product serve a purpose. 2. What are the components and activities associated with the complaint resolution process? 3.Describe some potential pitfalls of customer-driven quality. Can you think of any ways to avoid or lessen the impact of these potential pitfalls? Customer-Driven Quality represent a proactive approach to satisfying customer needs that base on gathering data about customer to learn their needs and preferences and then providing products or services that satisfy customers. Figure 5-1 presents a model of reactive customer-driven quality. This model shows that when quality is reactive, rather than planned, customer expectations increase at a faster rate than supplier performance.Firm quality performance in increasing while customer expectation also increasing. The firm will be in reactive mode when customer expectation increasing at a faster rate than supplier performance. At the point where these trends cross, customer dissatisfaction increases. 4. Describe the basic idea behind a focus group. Are focuses grouping an effective way of gathering data about customer preference and taste? The basic idea behind a focus group as actively solicited customer feedback. What is the basic idea behind a focus group?Are focus groups an effective way of gathering data about customer preferences and tastes? †    It defines a focus group as â€Å"actively solicited customer feedback. †    They gather â€Å"customers and solicit their ideas and reactions to products or concepts. They also a ddress a selection of individuals with similar characteristics. Their steps are: to Identify Purpose, narrow scope of questions, select target population, develop questions, run multiple groups and Summarize and develop common themes. 5. Describe the difference actively solicited customer feedback and passively solicited customer feedback.Which type of feedback result in a lower rating of quality? Explain why. References http://wiki. answers. com/Q/Explain_the_difference_between_internal_and_external_customers http://www. google. com. my/url? sa=t&rct=j&q=describe%20some%20of%20the%20potential%20pitfalls%20of%20customer%20driven%20quality&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CC4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fskellogg. sdsmt. edu%2FENGM620%2FSolutions%2FSolutions_4. doc&ei=bjRTUf7rMoisrAew_oCADQ&usg=AFQjCNH_0Z_LhPY_eV6VPDa6L0hQbxgjKg&bvm=bv. 44342787,d. bmk

Teaching Gifted and Talented Students

Many educators have become well-versed in modifying the regular classroom curriculum to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Educators are not as experienced, however, in meeting the instructional needs of high-ability students. In a growing number of states, revisions in regulations pertaining to gifted and talented students are requiring that high-ability students, previously served in part-time pull-out programs, must also receive appropriate instruction within the context of their regular classrooms. For example, in Kentucky, high-ability students can no longer be viewed as sufficiently served by a once-monthly or once-weekly program. These students have educational needs that must be met daily, just as students with disabilities have. Many regular education teachers report that meeting the needs of high-ability students equals and often exceeds the challenges of integrating disabled students in their classrooms. High-ability students can be delightful, but they can also be demanding, impatient, perfectionistic, sarcastic, and disruptive. In addition, few regular education teachers have received sufficient training in issues related to gifted and talented education. Before teachers can develop appropriate instructional strategies to meet the needs of high-ability students, they must recognize the value of such efforts. For many educators, services to gifted and talented students may seem to be elitist. However, public education is founded on the belief that all students (including those with high abilities) have the right to instruction appropriate to their needs. Gifted and talented students, like all students, should learn something new every day. General Strategies for Modifying the Curriculum The objectives for modifying standard curricula for high-ability students include: meeting the learning capacity of the students, meeting the students’ rapid rates of learning in all or some areas of study, and providing time and resources so that students can pursue areas of special interest. In order to modify standard curricula for high-ability students, Lois Roets (1993) proposed three options: lesson modifications, ssignment modifications, and scheduling modifications. Lessons can be modified through acceleration or enrichment of content. Assignments can be modified through reducing regular classroom work or providing alternate assignments. Scheduling options include providing opportunities for high-ability students to work individually through independent study, shared learning in homogeneous groupings with peers of similar ability and in terests, and participation in heterogeneous groupings of mixed-ability students. Lesson Modifications. One way teachers can extend or enrich the content they present is by asking open-ended questions. Such questions stimulate higher order thinking skills and give students opportunities to consider and express personal opinions. Open-ended questions require thinking skills such as comparison, synthesis, insight, judgment, hypothesis, conjecture, and assimilation. Such questions can also increase student awareness of current events. Open-ended questions should be included in both class discussions and assignments. They can also be used as stimulation for the opening or conclusion of a lesson. Another strategy for lesson modification developed by Susan Winebrenner (1992) is to use Bloom’s taxonomy of six levels of thinking to develop lesson content. Bloom’s model implies that the â€Å"lower† levels (knowledge, comprehension, and application) require more literal and less complex thinking than the â€Å"higher† levels (analysis, evaluation, and synthesis). Teachers are encouraged to develop thematic units with activities for students at all ability levels. This strategy involves four steps. Teachers first choose a theme that can incorporate learning objectives from several different subject areas. Secondly, teachers identify 6 to 10 key concepts or instructional objectives. Third, they determine which learner outcomes or grade-level competencies will be targeted for the unit. Finally, they design instructional activities to cover each of the six levels of thinking. Assignment Modifications High-ability students are often expected to complete assignments that they find boring or irrelevant because they represent no new learning for them. Allowing them to reduce or skip standard assignments in order to acquire time to pursue alternate assignments or independent projects is called urriculum compacting. The curriculum for a gifted student should be compacted in those areas that represent his or her strengths. When students â€Å"buy time† for enrichment or alternate activities, they should use that time to capitalize on their strengths, rather than to improve skills in weaker subjects. For example, a student advanced in math should have a compacted curriculum in that area w ith opportunities given for enriched study in mathematics. The first step in compacting the curriculum is determining the need to do so. A student is a candidate for compacting if he or she regularly finishes assignments quickly and correctly, consistently scores high on tests related to the modified area, or demonstrates high ability through individualized assessment, but not daily classwork (i. e. , he or she is gifted, but unmotivated for the standard curriculum). The second step in compacting the curriculum is to create a written plan outlining which, if any, regular assignments will be completed and what alternate activities will be accomplished. A time frame for the plan should also be determined. Modification plans can be limited to a few days (i. e. , length of lesson or chapter) or extend over the course of an entire school year. Alternate assignments for high-ability students can either be projects related to the modified area of study that extend the curriculum, or they can be independent projects that are chosen based on students’ individual interests. Winebrenner (1992) described a strategy in which students use written independent study contracts to research topics of interest to become â€Å"resident experts. † The students and teacher decide upon a description and the criteria for evaluating each project. A deadline is determined, and by that date, each student must share his or her project with the entire class. Before choosing their projects, students are also given time to browse various areas of interest. After completing compacted work, students are allowed to look through research materials to explore various topics. A deadline for choosing a topic for independent projects is also given to the students to limit their browsing time. Scheduling Modifications Cooperative learning through traditional heterogeneous groups is often counterproductive for high-ability students. When the learning task involves a great deal of drill and practice, these students often end up doing more teaching than learning. When placed in homogeneous cooperative learning groups, however, gifted students can derive significant learning benefits. This does not mean that high-ability students should never participate in heterogeneous cooperative learning groups. Rather, groupings should be chosen based on the task that is being assigned. When the task includes drill and practice, such as math computation or answering comprehension questions about a novel, gifted students should be grouped together and given a more complex task. When the task includes critical thinking, gifted students should be part of heterogeneous groups to stimulate discussions. Open-ended activities are excellent choices for heterogeneous groupings. Cluster grouping of high-ability students in the same classroom is another option for meeting the needs of gifted students in the regular classroom. The traditional method of assigning students to classes has often been to divide the high-ability students equally among the available classes so each teacher would have his or her â€Å"fair share. Under this system, however, each teacher must develop strategies for modifying the curriculum to meet the needs of the advanced students. With cluster grouping, four to six high-ability students are placed in the same classroom. This system allows the students to learn with and from each other and reduces the need for multiple teachers to develop appropriate instructional modifications. Case Studies The following case studies describe how the curric ulum was modified for three academically able students. Mark Mark entered first grade reading at a fourth-grade level. He had mastered math concepts that challenged his first-grade peers. He was placed in a second-grade class for math instruction and in a third-grade class for reading and spelling instruction. Despite these opportunities, Mark was always the first to finish assignments and spent the majority of his school day reading library books or playing computer games. His parents and teacher were concerned that he was not sufficiently challenged, but as a 6-year-old, he was too young to participate in the district’s pull-out gifted program. They were also concerned that he was having difficulty developing friendships in his classroom since he spent much of the day apart from his homeroom peers. A request for consultation was made to the school psychologist. With input from Mark’s parents and teachers, an independent study contract was developed for Mark to channel his high reading abilities toward study in a specific area. After browsing for a week, he chose dinosaurs as his project area. Mark then narrowed his focus to the Jurassic Period and decided to create a classroom reference book complete with pictures he drew. When he completed his daily work, Mark researched his topic area and worked on his project. When completed, Mark’s teacher asked him to share his project with his classmates. Because he had chosen a topic of high interest to his peers, Mark’s status as â€Å"resident expert† on dinosaurs made him attractive to his classmates. Mark’s teacher encouraged these budding friendships by asking the other students to bring dinosaur toys and books from home to share with the class during the following weeks. Katrina Katrina’s parents chose to move her from a private school to public school at the end of her third-grade year. Following the advice of the private school staff, Katrina’s parents enrolled her in a second year of third grade at the public school due to reported weaknesses in reading and written expression. After a few weeks of school, Katrina’s teacher approached the school psychologist with her concern that retention may not have been in Katrina’s best interest. The teacher reported that Katrina was performing on grade level in all areas and demonstrated high-ability math skills. Upon meeting with Katrina’s parents, however, they expressed the desire to keep her in the third grade. They felt that Katrina had suffered no harmful effects from the retention since it involved a move to a new school with different peers. Further, Katrina’s parents reported that she felt very comfortable and successful in her classroom. Although the committee decided to keep Katrina in the third grade, they developed a compacted curriculum for her in the area of math. A contract was written specifying modifications for Katrina in the regular class math curriculum. She was required to complete half of the assignments given to her peers, as long as she did so with 90% or higher accuracy. When finished with her modified assignment, Katrina then used her time earned through compacting for enriched study in mathematics. The committee was careful to avoid presenting material to Katrina that she would study in the future to avoid the possibility of repetition. Instead, an enriched program of study was developed that emphasized critical thinking and problem solving related to the addition and subtraction being taught in her classroom. Katrina’s contract included several choices of activities, any of which she could choose to do on a given day, such as creating story problems for the class to solve, drawing pictures or using manipulatives to demonstrate calculation problems, or activities involving measuring, classifying, estimating, and graphing. Katrina’s teacher would present a specific activity choice in these areas that extended and enriched the basic concepts being taught to the class as a whole. With these modifications, Katrina's advanced skills in math were addressed. Her parents and teacher judged her school year a success, and Katrina made an easy transition to fourth grade, where she was able to work on grade-level material with an average level of accuracy in all areas. Adam Adam demonstrated a very high spoken vocabulary and advanced ideas when participating in class. He completed few of his assignments, though, and showed strong resistance to putting pencil to paper despite obvious high abilities. He was able to read orally at a level 2 years above his fourth-grade status and could perform multidigit calculation problems mentally. However, in the classroom, Adam demonstrated task avoidance and disruptive behaviors. His teacher and parents were frustrated by his lack of work output and behavior problems, and they sought assistance from the school psychologist. In interviewing Adam, the psychologist found that he did not see the need to put on paper answers he already knew. It seemed likely that Adam’s behavior problems were related to boredom and frustration. To test this theory, the psychologist recommended the use of Winebrenner's (1992) â€Å"Most Difficult First† strategy. With this strategy, the teacher identifies the most difficult portion of an assignment and the student is allowed to attempt that portion of the assignment first. If he or she completes it with 100% accuracy, the student is excused from the remainder of the assignment and allowed to use his or her free time to pursue an alternate activity. Adam was resistant to this strategy at first, but he quickly saw its advantages and began completing those assignments that were modified using the strategy. With guidance from the school psychologist, Adam’s teacher then extended modifications to include pretesting and compacting opportunities across the curriculum. Adam used his time earned from compacting to pursue independent projects and recreational reading, and his behavior problems decreased accordingly. Conclusion The focus of educational services for high-ability students is shifting to the regular classroom. While this expansion of services to the regular classroom is a welcome recognition of the need to challenge high-ability students all day, every day, this initiative also brings with it a significant need to train regular education teachers. Support staff such as educators of gifted and talented students and school psychologists must learn to become effective consultants to assist regular classroom teachers in applying instructional strategies appropriate for meeting the needs of high-ability students References Roets, L. (1993). Modifying standard curriculum for high ability students. New Sharon, IA: Leadership Publishers. Winebrenner, S. (1992). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. One of the biggest complaints that teachers hear from truly gifted students is that instead of having different or more challenging work, they simply have more of the same work every other student is assigned. For most parents, it is difficult to understand the difference. They see their child who can write and read well, and who can do math calculations easily and quickly and think that by having twice as much homework, the student's needs are being served. Unfortunately, they are wrong. While there has been a significant push to improve the lot of students with disabilities, programs for the truly gifted student are often left to their own devices. Without training and supervision, some teachers will be intimidated by their precocious class and rather than opening doors to more advanced insight, will simply load students down with what amounts to busy work. A child who already knows how to read and write well, probably should not be burdened with basic grammar exercises. Instead, this student should be reading for research and writing essays. This isn't beyond the scope of truly gifted children as young as nine or ten. But with funding cut at every turn and demands being made on public schools to provide services beyond the scope of mere education, too often G/T programs are left to their own devices. The solution lies in the intervention of parents and the interest of the community at large. This is the point where mentors from various professions can spark a bored but talented student to the next level. Imagine how much more interesting a talk about cancer cells would be from a visiting oncologist. People in the community are often more than willing to help, but it takes more than just teachers making the request. Parents have to get involved. Quite often parents are the first to notice their child's abilities. Some schools will try to put off testing or divert attention, but the parent needs to be their child's advocate. Students are legally entitled to and schools are federally mandated to offer programs for students according to their abilities. This means that gifted children deserve and should receive educational work commensurate with their abilities. Don't take no for an answer. Parental involvement can be a double-edged sword. Gifted programs need parents to push school districts to offer and support programs for gifted students that go past minimum standards. Without parental pressure, districts will ignore programs and allow them to atrophy. But it is also important that the need for parents to view their children as gifted isn't allowed to drive the enrollment of the program. In some district, testing for admission has become a tug of war for parents to get their children into programs viewed as having better teachers or lower enrollment. While any gifted student should be encouraged to take more challenging courses, it is a mistake to simply place a student into a program. It is also a mistake to water down curriculum in order to raise enrollment in advanced classes. Students need to be in programs that fit. Some students are good across the board learners and will be in language arts, science and math programs; other students have abilities in just math or just language arts. Make sure your student is in classes that fit his or her needs. Many parents make the mistake of thinking that having a child in a G/T program of classes is a ticket to academic success. That isn't really the case. Students in advanced classes suffer from some of the same problems that students in regular classes endure. And students in gifted classes have been known to fail. Failure is seen as anathema for most parents, but especially those of gifted students. Their first reaction is to blame the teacher or the school. Sometimes that action is justified, but just as often students make the choice to fail. Sometimes the decision to fail is an attempt to fit into the prevailing social structure of the school. Gifted students sometimes have difficulty dealing with their peers and will â€Å"dumb down† in order to fit in. Other times, learning disabilities such as ADD or anxiety will create situations in which the gifted student has problems processing or completing work. This doesn't mean the student doesn't deserve to be in an advanced program; it means that the student's educational disabilities need assistance in much the same way that a nearsighted student needs glasses to see the board. It's a balancing act. One of the biggest hurdles gifted students face is the social acceptance within the school. In some schools being in the gifted program is a mark of excellence. In others, it labels you as a nerd and causes problems that can be difficult for a shy or immature student to overcome. Teachers and parents should always monitor their student for situations where they are settling for lower recognition in order to avoid confrontation or bullying. This is especially a problem for some minority students and needs parental intervention and outside activities in church or the community in order to give the student a social support structure. Students such as this thrive in activities such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church service, community volunteer programs and other activities that require a level of independence. By having a group of friends outside of school, the gifted student won't feel the need to mitigate their own achievements in the classroom in order to keep friends. Finally, and this is a very hard situation, parents have to learn to separate their personal needs from the accomplishments of their child. It's very easy to look at the kid who does math and science well and try to push them into a program for Med school. Don't do it. Gifted kids learn quickly, but they also suffer from the same false starts and lagging development that other kids experience. The failure or success of your gifted child belongs to them. And if that is the case, parents have to develop a hands off policy towards homework and projects. Teachers can spot the project where Mom or Dad tweaked something here or added something there. By intervening on such projects, parents dilute the learning experience and undermine their child's self-confidence. Gifted children often have self-doubt because they are doing things that are months or sometimes years beyond their peers. Don't exacerbate that by taking over the learning experience. Gifted children can offer a great deal of joy, but they are also a huge challenge. Quite often hey will offer opinions far beyond their years and understand provocative situations while still appearing innocent. It is important to support your child without smothering them. No matter what their abilities, they will still suffer the same teen angst and doubt held by others of their age. Roll with the punches, expect to be challenged and encourage them to explore areas beyond their comfort zone academically. BACKROUND http://www. azagt. org/teaching-gifted. html Common wisdom of the day once said bright children take care of themselves. Leta Hollingworth didn't believe a word of it. Instead, she thought teaching gifted students required specialized environments designed to bring out the full range of talents of the student. Hollingworth stumbled onto the concept of teaching gifted and talented students in a different way than the ordinary when her own teaching career hit a dead end. Hollingworth had been born and raised in Nebraska. She even graduated from the University of Nebraska at the age of 20, in 1906. Two years later, Leta Anna Stetter (Hollingsworth) moved to New York City and married Harry Levi Hollingworth, a Columbia University graduate student. Expecting to resume her teaching career in New York, her plan failed when she learned no one in New York City hired married women as teachers. Bored with the prospect of being a housewife for the rest of her life, Hollingworth took the next step in developing the methods for teaching gifted students still in use today. She enrolled at graduate school, too. Perhaps it was here that her interest in teaching gifted children sparked to life. She studied educational psychology and became a Columbia University professor. She focused her research and studies on finding the origins of human intelligence. She measured thousands of babies and monitored others for decades. It seems to have been important to Hollingworth to uncover any gender issues before tailoring methods for teaching gifted children of either gender. Her meticulous studies debunked the idea female inferiority. Over the years, her research and her methods for teaching gifted children led to more research and more books. She considered it vital to identify gifted children at as early an age as possible. She also advocated grouping gifted children with other gifted children instead of placing them in classes designed for the average student. Because Hollingworth considered daily contact a key component to her methods of teaching gifted and talented students, she eventually established a school in New York that was devoted to exceptionally bright students. Instead of a teacher-led program of study, the flow of the education was student driven instead. Hollingworth felt her special students would benefit from knowing about some of the challenges life might send their way. To prepare them, her curriculum for teaching gifted students included learning experiences based on issues they were likely to encounter at some point in their adult lives.

The Impact of Mobile Marketing on Mobile Users Research Paper

The Impact of Mobile Marketing on Mobile Users - Research Paper Example Mobile marketing has helped the mobile users enhance their relationship with the organization brand. The interaction between the consumers and the organization has been enhanced. Mobile phones have created a good platform for delivering information to the organizations. The introduction of mobile advertisement has made it easy for consumers to purchase their products using mobile devices, and this has made to the increase in the purchase response (Leppà ¤niemi & Karjaluoto, 2005). Compared to the traditional methods of marketing, mobile marketing has tremendously changed the perception of marketing today. The mobile users’ perception towards marketing has changed, and they feel it personal as though they are part of the marketing strategy (Church & Smyth, 2009). The consumers who are the users of mobiles feel as though they own the organization. The change in perception towards organization and businesses has been reported as a result of mobile marketing. Several companies are now recording a significant increase in the number of customers purchasing their products (Smutkupt, Krairit, & Esichaikul, 2010). Mobile marketing has been a success in the recent year. This has been contributed by the fact that the user of the mobile is instantly getting convinced upon receiving the message on a certain product or services being offered. This has contributed greatly to the organization to create relevance in marketing communication messages in meeting the expectations of the customers (Varnali & Toker, 2010). This mode of advertisement has been able to meet the satisfaction of most customers. This is because most customers are always getting frequent updates on the organization progress and the introduction of new products at the disposal. This has been able to save customers a lot of time and resources as opposed to the old methods including the use of internet. This up to date

Italian Film Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Italian Film Studies - Essay Example Being accustomed to the life of privilege, the Prince realizes this will change as soon as Sicily becomes a part of the United Kingdom of Italy (Tomasi 43). He later realizes that some things have to change for his aristocratic life to remain the same. He finally accepts the emergence and rise of the middle class; which he initially objected to. His strong hate for the rising middle class is clear in his objection to the relationship between his nephew and Angelica Sedara. Angelica is the daughter of one of the wealthy bourgeois families of Sicily. Later as the unification becomes a definite event, he changes his opinion regarding the relationship. He does this in contrary to the wishes of his daughter, Concetta; she is also in love with Tancredi. Don Fabrizio sees the marriage of the two as a way to restore wealth and status to his family. In addition to accepting this marriage, he also arranges the marriage of his daughter Concetta to the father of Angelica (Tomasi 68). Later in the movie, we see Fabrizio refusing to take a political seat as a Senator in the newly formed Italian government. He sees himself as a man caught in the crossfire between the old and the new. The ball, the penultimate scene of the movie, depicts the lavishness of Sicilian society, and it introduces Angelica to the same. In the end, we see the lonely figure of the Prince strolling in the darkness. Luchino Visconti together with the Giuseppe Tomasi all related to the movie’s thematic illustration of the change in the Italian society. Both were born in Italian and Sicilian aristocrat families, and they identified with the changes that resulted from the unification of the Italian states (Landy 152). The movie captures the ascension of the Italian middle class and the decent of the Italian aristocracy. Visconti aptly captures the uprooting of the Italian aristocracy due to the resurgence movement in the country. Luchino Visconti is famous for

I will upload the artical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

I will upload the artical - Essay Example On the other hand, MM-GBSA is normally used in the computation of the free binding energy differences between the bound and the unbound states of solvated molecules. This paper seeks to critically discuss the MM-GB (PB) SA methods and their potential applications There are a number of alternative and competing methods to MM-GB (PB) some of which include free energy perturbation (FEP), multi-state Bennett acceptance ratio (MBAR) and thermodynamic integration (TI) among others [1]. Many people use these alternative methods due to their computational accuracy. However, compared to the other methods, MM-GBSA and MM-PBSA methods are more computationally efficient molecular modeling algorithms that are potentially quite useful in drug design particularly with regard to ranking drug binding affinity. Drug binding affinity ranking is critically important in computer aided drug design where it is normally used to facilitate the efficiency and accuracy of the routine identification of the possible candidates. This is particularly critical during the early stage stages of drug discovery [1]. Generally, Implicit solvents addresses the problem by representing solvent as a continuous medium as opposed to individual â€Å"explicit† solvent molecules in order to estimate free energy of solute-solvent interactions in structural and chemical processes some of which often include folding and conformational transitions of proteins. This can significantly help in the estimation of the contribution of each residue to the overall protein-ligand/protein binding; thereby helping in the identification of mutations that can potentially enhance the binding affinities of the protein complex. A number of previous researches have explored the potential reliability of using MM-GB(PB)SA in estimating ligand binding affinities of a series of structurally diverse inhibitors. On the other hand,

Case brefings on Mary Tiano vs Dillard store Essay

Case brefings on Mary Tiano vs Dillard store - Essay Example Later, Dillards appealed the findings of religious discrimination which was later reversed. The main issue of the case was termination of employment on the basis of religious discrimination whereby the Dillard Departmental Store did not find the need of Mary Tiano’s pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Yugoslavia as sufficient ground for legitimate leave of absence from work. Title VII, 42 U.S.C. SS 2000e et seq. relates to the employment termination of an individual on the basis of their religious beliefs and states ‘to discharge any individual . . . because of such individual’s . . . religion’ (S 2000e-2(a)(1)). Title VII also defines religion as ‘all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employee’s or prospective employee’s religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer’s business’ (S 2000e(j)). The case is relatively simple in its context as it involves just 3 main elements. Firstly, the plaintiff, Mary Tiano was a bonafide employee of Dillard’s in 1988 who worked as salesperson in the women’s shoe department in its Park Central Mall, Arizona. She was a devout Roman Catholic which considerably influenced her life in general. Secondly, in 1988, the defendant, Dillard’s had an authorized policy of granting unpaid leave at management’s discretion. They also discouraged vacation leave during their peak season period between October and December and had specific vacation policy that particularly prohibited taking leave of absence during this time. It can be argued that Dillard’s had basically denied leave because of its ‘no leave policy’ and also because it was not convinced of her urgency to meet her religious commitment or ‘pilgrimage’ at Medjugorje, Yugoslavia at that particular time only and in the case of any accommodation that would be made at

Re-circulating Aquaculture Biofloc Systems in Deserts Research Paper

Re-circulating Aquaculture Biofloc Systems in Deserts - Research Paper Example The waste discharge as well as the use of chemicals or antibiotics to fight diseases is minimal. It is known that for at least 30 years, it has been under development. Unlike other methods which clean water from fish tank, there has been incorporation of aquaponics to some RAS fish farms (Lee and Richard, 18). Since biofloc systems are designed to improve environmental control over production in areas where there is water scarcity, such as desert in this case, or where land is expensive, more intensive aquaculture forms are required to be practiced for production that is cost effective. Economic incentive is considered to be strong for aquaculture business to be efficient in terms of production inputs, particularly limiting water or land. Biofloc systems were as well designed to prevent disease from being introduced into the system from the incoming water. Basing on the above, it can be affirmed that this system well fits the project that is to be staged in a desert where there is scarcity of water among other limiting factors. Shrimp farming, marine shrimp production in ponds, tanks and impoundments origin can be traced to South Asia. In this case, farmers were seen to raise wild shrimp incidental crops in tidal fishponds (Mungkung, 4). The birth of shrimp farming was in 1930s the time Motosaku Fujinaga ,a Tokyo University graduate became successful in Kuruma shrimp spawning(Penaeus japonicas) (Mungkung, 8).The larvae were cultured by him in the laboratory whereby in so doing this, he was successful in mass-production of these shrimp on a commercial scale. He then shared his research findings for at least 40 years and his work was published in 1942, 1941, 9167 and 1935.Emperor Hirohito had to honor him in 1954 with the title Inland â€Å"Japonicus Farming Father† (Mungkung, 4). Hatcherymen and fishermen started to supply large quantities of seed stock in the mid 1970s,

Cover letter and Resume letter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cover letter and Resume letter - Assignment Example an Assistant Industrial Engineer and the experience provided me with a valuable insight into the real world of engineering where my knowledge was used in a real world work setting. I am also a member of Engineering Club in University which supplemented our expertise from knowledge from various aspect of engineering such as electrics engineering, avionics engineering making our perspective about engineering more complete. I have been a President of the club manifesting my leadership skills and ability to work with others. Writing a cover letter and a resume serves as a purview of my qualification to a certain job I am applying for. It is important to highlight my qualifications that includes academic preparation, experiences (if any) and internship related to the job. It would also help if to mention extracurricular activities that manifests leadership and ability to work with others. Personal information such as religious affiliation, weight, height and ethnicity are not important and can be omitted in the

Assignment 9 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

9 - Assignment Example However, in your case, a false positive happened, wherein customers are inconvenienced, when their cards are temporarily suspended. We do not automatically suspend accounts, however, and we make sure that our customer care representatives call customers first before doing it. However, when customers are travelling abroad, it becomes harder to call them. Other customers have been inconvenienced by false positives too, much to our dismay, but our system has benefits and safeguards too that we must consider. First, the system is working. Our fraud rate has dropped from 15 centavos to 6 centavos for every $100. This means that we are also saving customers from the stress and inconvenience of having their available credit decreased or even depleted. Moreover, we have established safeguards against false positives. We advise you to call customer service at 1-800-553-0321 before travelling, in order to ensure smooth card transactions. You can also call the same number in case you experience other related problems. In addition, we are also working on reducing false positives in the system. We are identifying these trends and including them in purchases that must not be tagged for suspension. For more inquiries and concerns, you can e-mail us at  AskVisaUSA@visa.com. You can also access this website to see all our toll-free numbers in different countries:

Why did two separate German states appear in 1949 Essay

Why did two separate German states appear in 1949 - Essay Example When one looks beyond the facts, the Cuban missile crisis was just more of the balance of powers between the US and the Soviet Union. It was entangled in the Berlin crisis and the Soviets had three underlying motives, none of which was to force a nuclear war. The first motive was to deter the US attack on Cuba, the second was to obtain leverage over the Berlin issue and the third was to undermine the US nuclear superiority in the balance of powers (Betts 1987, 110). Following the Second World War, the Soviet Union together with the US, Britain and France occupied Germany for reconstruction and stabilization purposes. Ultimately, the country was divided into two with the Soviet Union taking responsibilities for East Germany and the remaining World War II allies taken responsibility for West Germany. Neither side could agree on concessions and strategies and by 1961, the situation had escalated into what has been described as the Berlin Crisis (Stern 2005, 18). The power struggle between the US and the Soviet Union during the ongoing Cold War and the US’s nuclear and military superiority did not help. By 1961, Russian leader Nikita Krushchev vowed that when he met with US President J. F. Kennedy in June that year he would â€Å"push hard for concessions in Berlin and elsewhere† (Stern 2005, 18). Based on the facts and circumstances in which Krushchev made that statement, historians have taken the position that the Cuban Missile Crisis was no more than a ploy on the part of the Soviet Union to compel Western powers, particularly the US to accept the settlement of Germany, and Berlin in particular on its terms and conditions. The idea was to use â€Å"quick and dramatic means† for strengthening the Soviet Union’s military, diplomatic and psychological position on a number of geopolitical matters, particularly the German issue (Divine 1988, 135). The Soviet’s would claim however, that

Future Life Reading Essay Example for Free

Future Life Reading Essay First, I can see a man and a woman walking into view from the bottom left of the image, diagonally across the scene to the top right. They are holding hands as they walk. She is wearing a very light and airy thin materialed flowing white dress; I cannot see her hair color. She is a thin woman. The man, as they are walking is pointing things out to the woman, things in the distance. He seems to speak a lot about the things he is pointing at. He has black hair and is wearing a shirt or a jacket that reminds me of Star Trek: TNG, or other similar sci-fi attire, goldish in color and almost sparkly; the edges a 2† (at least) thick line of slightly lighter color around the outer edges of the garment. The setting appears to be sand in color, Egypt would be the closest reference from here on earth, and the sun is shining. There are others around, but not immediately close-by to this couple. (To note: As I was writing this, at about 10:30 am Eastern Standard Time, I got a very strong smell of beer. I do not have any beer in my home.) Second, I got a close up image of a woman’s face/head. She has moderately long dark hair, and wears what appear to be thick-lensed glasses. She is sitting in some sort of layered seating such as in an auditorium, arena, or university classroom. She is holding a pen or pencil in her right hand between her fingers, constantly moving her hand around as she speaks to a person seated to her right. I believe the person she is speaking with is male, adult, but I cannot see him. All the while, she is watching and listening to what is going on in front of her. She was wearing a light colored long-sleeved thin blouse. Third, it started with an upside-down workboot. Behind this workboot, faded in the image of a garage or auto shop. The room looked large, but only seemed to have 1 garage door. The boot faded as other images came into view. In this garage, there is now a car at the far wall, directly across from the open door, which has 2 people on the other side of it. One man, which is clearly visible, is the focus of the scene. This man is older, white or very light grey hair, and he is wearing an orange t-shirt. This man is close to 6-feet tall from the look of it. The other man with him is like a shadow figure, never coming into view enough to see him, only enough to see that he is there; he is shorter than the older man. The older gentleman in the orange shirt is looking over toward another part of this room and seems to be arguing with someone. He doesn’t look happy at all. I cannot see the person he is arguing with, however, I get the feeling that he is arguing with his wife over something as he is getting ready to leave to go somewhere. Directly outside the garage door, I can see pavement and grass to the side, and there looks to be a fence next to the grass. On the grass, I see something largely red with blue, definitely a child’s toy; it looks like it may be a small wagon or dump truck, but I can’t see for sure. There is something else to the left of this object but I cannot make it out either; I’m guessing a tricycle.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Case Study

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Case Study Case Study: Anxiety Answer Sheet Diagnosing Tina Student Name: Robert Gianella Diagnosing Generalized Anxiety Disorder: 1a. Refer to the DSM-IV checklist for generalized anxiety disorder. Which of Tinas symptoms meet any of the criteria? (Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria.) 1b. Based upon your review of Tinas symptoms and the diagnostic criteria, could Tina be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder or not (and if not, why not)? Diagnosing Specific Phobia: 2a. Refer to the DSM-IV checklist for specific phobia. Which of Tina’s symptoms meet any of the criteria? (Be sure to match specific symptoms with specific criteria.) 2b. Does Tina have a specific phobia and if yes, what is the feared object? Diagnosing Panic Disorder: 3a. Refer to the DSM-IV checklist for panic disorder with agoraphobia and the checklist for panic disorder without agoraphobia. Which of Tina’s symptoms meet any of the criteria? (Be sure to match any specific symptoms with specific criteria.) 3b. Does Tina meet the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia or panic disorder without agoraphobia or neither? Explain why you believe your choice is the most appropriate diagnosis. Understanding Tina’s Disorders: 1. How would the Socio-Cultural Perspective explain Tinas GAD? 2. Explain Tinas GAD from the Existential Perspective. 3. Explain Tina’s GAD from the Cognitive Perspective (please identify any basic irrational assumptions that Tina is making, even if they may be unspoken). 4. Explain Tina’s Phobia from a Behavioral Perspective (please use classical conditioning as a possible example). 5. Explain Tina’s Phobia from a Psychodynamic Perspective. 6. Considering the biological correlates or causes of Tinas panic disorder, what role does the neurotransmitter norepinephrine play in her panic disorder? 7. What does Tinas locus ceruleus have to do with her panic disorder? 8. What role might GABA play in her symptoms? Treating Tina 1. Which Psychodynamic technique has been found to be the most useful in the treatment of GAD? 2. Explain why a humanistic approach would be helpful in treating Tinas GAD. 3. How might you use Rational-Emotive Therapy to treat Tina’s GAD? 4. How would Systematic Desensitization be used to treat Tina’s phobia of bridges? 5. What medications have proven useful for treatment with panic disorder? 6. What role could cognitive therapy play in Tinas treatment for panic disorder? 7. Considering that Tina may be treated for comorbid disorders, how do you see the treatments for the various disorders complementing each other? 8. Is there any reason to think that any of the treatments would be contraindicated when utilized together? Explain why/how or why/how not.

Quality Assessment System in Construction

Quality Assessment System in Construction 1.0 Introduction Quality assessment system in construction industry is a system or method to measure and evaluate the quality of workmanship of a construction work based on the relevant approved standard. This assessment sets out the standard on quality of workmanship for various construction elements of building and infrastructure construction work. The quality of workmanship of a construction work is assessed according to the requirement of the relevant standard, and marks are awarded if the workmanship complies with the standard, (CIDB, 2011). According to Wong, (2007), one of the hallmarks of a developed construction industry is in the output of quality buildings and structures. It is therefore critical to inculcate among professionals, contractors and end-users the awareness of quality products and good designs, not only to raise the standard of the industrys products, but also to reduce wastage arising from rework. The Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) developed by CIDB is an independent method to measure and evaluate the quality of workmanship and finishes of construction works based on objective comparison through a sampling and statistical approach. The Malaysian construction industry stakeholders are looking forward to action plans by CIDB in implementing QLASSIC with incentives as has been the case for the Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) in Singapore. Mahmood. et al. (2010) stated the quality management system is being increasingly applied to the construction company to solve quality problem. The implementation of this system required a culture change and change in management behaviour. The organization need to shift from their current culture to a quality management system culture that focuses on quality as a key strategy. A review of literature identifies ten important culture elements that contribute to successful implementation of quality management system, which include leadership and top management commitment, customer management, training and education, teamwork, people management and empowerment, supplier partnership, quality planning and strategic, process management, rewards and recognition and effective communication. 2.0 Problem Statements Nowadays, the quality of the building becomes an issue when many accidents occurred related to the building failure such as building collapse. Many criticisms received from public about this quality of the building. This has proven when Mahmood et al. (2010) stated that construction industry in Malaysia has been viewed as one of the sectors that have a poor quality compared to other sectors such as agriculture or automotive sector. This is supported by Said et. al. (2009) when he claims that there were misunderstandings among the organization player on Quality Management System (QMS) concepts has become a stumbling block for its successful implementation. Said et. al (2010, c.f SIRIM 2005) also found that QMS could be implemented either at the organization level or at the project level itself. Looking at the construction industry scenario in Malaysia, there are approximately 4000 ISO 9001:2000 QMS certified organizations in the Malaysian construction related industry. However, the number is still relatively small when compared to the total number of 63,204 organizations in this industry. Looking at the current scenario in the Malaysian construction industry, QMS compliance is a required factor to improve the quality of the Malaysian Construction Industry. Keng and Hamzah (2011, c.f Haupt et al. 2004) also found several problems found in implementing the quality assessment system on construction site such as too much paperwork, transient nature of workforce, field employees regard quality management as irrelevant, difficulty in measuring results, and subcontractors and suppliers not interested in assessment 3.0 Aim and Objectives of the Study The aim of this research is to study the impacts of implementation of quality assessment system in construction projects. Objectives: To identify the advantages from implementation of Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) system in construction project. To determine the challenges in implementing quality assessment system in construction project. 4.0 Scope and Limitation Among the parties involved in construction, the contractors are the one who know the real situation in the construction compared to others. Beside that, the contractors also know the whole process in construction starting site possession until the projects is completed. Therefore, this research will be conducted with focusing: Only to contractor G6 or G7 (CIDB) that already engaged with high cost construction project that focus on quality of the building and clients satisfaction as a main priority. The limitation of the research survey only focus on Klang Valley area because this area was highly developed with new buildings design. 5.0 Research Methodology Primary Data A set of questionnaire will distribute to collect valuable data for this research. This interview may conduct to the targeted group in construction projects or organization. Secondary Data The researcher found literature review as his secondary resources with aim to investigate the previous research and body of knowledge about the quality assessment system in Malaysian construction industry. Problem statement Objective 2 To determine the challenges in implementing quality assessment system in construction project. Objective 1 To identify the advantages from implementation of Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) system in construction project. Literature review Questionnaire Case study Comments and conclusion Impacts of implementation of quality assessment system in construction projects. Figure 1.1: flow chart of research process CHAPTER II:Â  LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Quality Assessment in Construction (QLASSIC) 2.1.1 Introduction According to CIDB (2006), Quality Assessment System for Building Construction Work (QLASSIC) is an independent method to assess and evaluate the quality of workmanship of building projects based on the standard stated as a guideline. Yin (2012), added that Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) is a system to measure and evaluate the quality of workmanship of a construction work based on the relevant approved standard. QLASSIC enables the quality of workmanship between construction projects to be objectively compared through a scoring system. The purpose of this scheme is to enable a construction project to be undergone in standard of procedure in order to ensure the quality of workmanship in the works The construction industry and the private sector plays an important role in creating wealth and improving the quality of life of Malaysians through interpretation of socio-economic policy of the governments social and economic infrastructure and buildings. In addition, the construction industry creates multiplier effects to other industries, including manufacturing, financial services, and professional services. The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) (2006), has published a special guideline for measuring the quality of construction and become As a parameter for the level of quality achieved in a construction project in Malaysia. Rating of the workmanship will be made through site inspections. Assessments will be conducted by a qualified evaluator of QLASSIC registered, trained and have passed the training conducted by the CIDB 2.1.2 Objectives of QLASSIC Masters Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) (2006), stated that CIDB list down objectives of the QLASSIC system: To elevate the level of quality in the construction industry. To have a standard quality assessment system as a benchmark for quality of construction works. To assist contractors to achieve defect-free when carrying out construction work. To be used as criteria to evaluate the performance of contractors based on quality of workmanship. To be used for data compilation for statistical analysis in estimating the level of quality and productivity of the construction industry. 2.1.3 Scopes of QLASSIC CIDB (2006), stated that this assessment is set out for the quality of workmanship for the various aspects of the construction elements for the general building works. It will cover four main components which is, Structural works, Architectural works, Mechanical and Electrical (M E) works and External works. Assessments on the workmanship are carried out based on this standard and marks are awarded if the workmanship complies with the standards. These marks are then summed up to give a total quality score (%) for the building project. However, the assessment excludes works such as piling, foundation and sub-structure works which are heavily equipment-based and called under separate contracts or sub contracts. The building is assessed primarily on workmanship standards achieved through site inspection and field testing. The assessment is done throughout the construction process for structural and M E works. For completed building projects the assessment is done for architectural, M E fittings and external works. Apart from site inspection, the assessment also includes field tests, test results on the material and the functional performance of selected services and installations. These tests help to safeguard the interest of building occupants in relation to safety, comfort and aesthetic; these defects may surface only after sometime. In addition, MBAM (2006), stated that QLASSIC sets out the standards for various construction elements in building work and other infrastructure work. The quality assessment on the workmanship and finishes of the construction work is based on these standards and points are awarded if the workmanship and finishes comply with the standards. These points are then summed up to give a total quality score called the QLASSIC Score (%) for a project. The assessment is conducted at the construction site through inspection and field testing. The score will be done on construction works that are inspected for the first time. Construction works that are rectified and corrected after the assessment will not be rescored. The objective of this practice is to encourage contractors to do things right the first time and every time 2.1.4 Components to be assessed According to QLASSIC (2006), the quality standards for building construction work are divided into four main components:- a) Structural works The structural integrity of the building is of paramount importance as the cost of failure and repairs are very significant. The assessment of structural works comprises: Site inspection of formwork, steel reinforcement, prefabricated or pre-cast elements, etc. during construction. Laboratory testing of compressive strength of concrete and tensile strength of steel reinforcement. Non-destructive testing of the uniformity and the cover of hardened concrete. b) Architectural works Architectural works deal mainly with the finishes. This is the part where the quality and standards of workmanship are most visible. Architectural works are works such as floors, internal walls, ceiling, door and window, fixtures and fittings, external wall, roofs, driveway, porch and apron. c) Mechanical and Electrical (M E) works The quality of M E works is important in view of its increasingly high cost proportion and its impact on the performance of a building. The assessment covers electrical works, air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation works (ACMV), fire protection works, sanitary and plumbing works, lifts, escalator and other basic M E fittings. d) External works External works cover the general external work elements in building construction such as the linkways/ shelters, drains, road works, car parks, footpaths, turfings, playgrounds, gates and fences, swimming pools, hardscapes and electrical substation. 2.1.5 Assessment approach In general, the assessor determines the samples or elements to be assessed to each assessment. The samples are selected from drawings and plans. The selected samples shall be distributed as uniformly as possible throughout the project and construction stages. All locations are to be offered for the assessment. The scoring will be done on the works that are inspected for the first time. When an assessed item does not comply with the corresponding QLASSIC standards, it is considered failed and an X will be noted in the assessment form. Likewise a v is given for an item meeting the standards. A - will be given to indicate that the item is not applicable. The score is computed based on the number of v over the total number of items assessed. (CIDB, 2006) MBAM (2006) stated that, it is impractical to assess all elements in a construction project, QLASSIC assessment uses a sampling process to carry out the assessment. The samples are selected from drawings and plans of the relevant construction project. a) Structural Works The assessment is carried out throughout the various construction stages. The numbers of samples are determined based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the building with a minimum and maximum number of samples. b) Architectural works The assessment is carried out upon completion of the building project and before handing over of the project. The samples are determined based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the building with a minimum and maximum number of samples. c) Mechanical and Electrical (M E) works The samples are determined based on the gross floor area (GFA) of the building with a minimum and maximum number of samples. For completed projects the assessment is carried out upon completion of the building project and before handing over of the project. For projects in progress the assessment is carried out throughout the various construction stages. d) External works The assessment is carried out upon completion of the building and before handing over of the project. The numbers of samples are determined based on (10m length section/ location) with a minimum number of samples. 2.1.6 Evaluation process of QLASSIC START Architectural work Structural work ME work External work Developers / contractors shall made application APPLY TO CIDB SCOPE OF EVALUATION Numbers of sample is based on guideline in CIS7 Samples are identified before assessors make an evaluation SAMPLING FROM ASSESSOR Qualified assessors will assess the samples. The quality standard based on CIS7. SAMPLING ON SITE QLASSIC SCORE (%) Report from CIDB based on the evaluation by assessors. FINISH 2.1.7 QLASSIC assessor To be an assessor, the persons must attend the QLASSIC training course before being qualified to carry out the actual assessment at the construction sites. The QLASSIC assessors are continuously updated to ensure consistency and effective implementation of the assessment. Requirements of QLASSIC assessor; Malaysian citizen Age: 25-60 years Possesses an academic qualification in construction related fields such as architectural/civil/mechanical/electrical engineering/quantity surveyor or other fields Successfully completed the QLASSIC Assessor Certification Programme. Posses minimum working experience in the construction industry according to academic qualification as follows. 2.2 Quality philosophy 2.2.1 Quality concept Many definitions had been made in order to explain the terms of quality. Hoyle (1998), defined quality as a degree of excellence, conformance with requirements, the totally of characteristic of an entity that bear its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs, fitness for use. In addition, he also stated quality as freedom from defects, imperfections or contamination. In other words, quality is focus on satisfaction needs and costumers demand as a first priority. In construction industry, the offer from clients to contractor to do projects with a terms and conditions need to be followed by contractors and if the projects is completed according the requirements given is a quality products. According to Besterfield (1998), quality cannot be measured by with number or it intangible and it only can be measure by personnel perception. Quality only can be quantified as follows: Q = P/E Where, Q=Quality P=Performance E=Expectations According to the formula, if quality is greater, the costumer has a good feeling about the products deliver. 2.2.2 Quality parameter According to Hoyle (1998), difference in design can be classified or group into different class and the results can be good or poor. It is not enough to produce product only conform to the specification or supply services that meet managements requirement. Quality can be classified in three parameters which is: Quality of design is the extent to which the design reflects a product or services that satisfies costumer needs. All the necessary characteristics need to be designed into the product or service at the outset. Quality of conformance is the extent to which the product or service conform to the design standard. The design has faithfully translating the clients need and it depends on the processes to realize the design into an actual end products. Quality of use is the extent which the user able to secure continuity of use from the product or service. Products need to have a low cost of ownership be safe and reliable and maintainable in use. 2.2.3 Quality management According to Juran (1989), basic purpose of quality management is to eliminate failure in services or products. Failure not only that products, process or services but it would be fail in their function or their function not satisfy to customer demand. Hence, the quality management consist of planning, organizing, controlling and preventing the products or services from failure. All the methods and technique that use in quality management must be useful to improve and increase the quality of the products or services. This quality management include inspection process. Inspection is a process where quality is measured before deliver the products or services to the costumer. However, inspection alone is not enough to deliver quality products or services, it must adopt with the other practice to prevent failure. Quality management is both technical and behavioural subject. Therefore, the management of quality involves many aspects of an organization and the organization must make sure all its function inter-related and work efficiently and effectively because whenever any function fail to perform, they will effect to another. 2.2.4 Quality control Quality control is the operational activities or techniques used to fulfil the requirement for quality. In other words, it is a process to maintain standards and prevent from failure. Standard can be control by process of selection, measurement and correction of work. Quality control can be applied in the processes that produce products by measuring the overall quality performance of the organization.(Juran, 1989) There are steps to control the quality; Determine what elements need to be controlled. Determine whether it needs to be control before, during or after the result. Establish details for the parameter to be controlled. Establish plans for control which specify the means by which the characteristics will be achieved and variation detected and removed. Organize resource to implement the quality control. Install sensor at an appropriate point in the process. Collect the data. Analyze the results. Propose solutions and decide the technique to overcome the problems. Take the action and check again whether it has been corrected or not. 2.2.5 Quality improvement Quality improvement can be defined as an action taken by the organization to increase and improve the effectiveness of activities or processes to provide satisfaction to the costumer. (ISO,2000). In other words, process of changing the quality for the products or services that can improve the level of satisfaction to the costumer. This can be done by control or increase the standard. Control approach can be done by improving the rate at which an agreed standard is achieved. The second approach is by increase the standard and setting new level. New standard can be created by making research and development to a products and services. 2.2.6 Quality assurance ISO (2000), defined the quality assurance as a planned and systematic action necessary to provide adequate confidence that an entity will fulfil the requirements for quality. Costumers and managers need a quality assurance, as they cannot oversee the operation for themselves. The assurance of quality can be gained by testing a products or services against prescribed standards to establish in capability to meet them. This approach can give confidence only to the tested products. Quality assurance not controls the quality, it establish the extent to which quality will be, is being or has been controlled. 2.2.7 Quality system Hoyle (1998), stated that system is a set of function or activities that operate together to achieve the aim. A success quality system will lead the organization to achieve, sustain and improve the quality. It is a planning, well evaluates and organized to produce a required quality performance. A quality system is the approach to achieve all desire quality goals. Quality system focus on the quality of the organization produces, the factors which will cause the organization to achieve its goals, the factors influencing the customer satisfaction and identify nonconforming product. Quality system needs to possess certain characteristics for them to be fit for their purpose. Robustness ability to withstand variation in the way operation are carried out without failure Complexity the number of interconnections, routings, pathways, variations, options, etc, which give rise multiple procedure. Maintainability the ease and economy with which system changes can be made. Flexibility ability of the system can handle the changes in circumstances. Consistency the ability of the documented system unifies communication both within itself and the organizations. 2.3 Challenges faced by construction project team in implementation of QLASSIC 2.3.1 Introduction CIDB (2008) stated that like any other countries around the world, Malaysian construction industries face the problems that affect the development of construction sector. If these problems not managed and addressed effectively it become worst. The construction sector will continue play an important role as a main contributor to the Malaysia economy. To make sure the construction sector become stronger, Malaysia introduced many ways and one of the ways by introducing the QLASSIC system by CIDB. Although it was introduced several years ago, the implementations of this system still not achieve the target. Only few projects were applied this system. This because there are few problems and challenges regarding implementing this system faced by construction team. 2.3.2 Fragmentation and Disintegration of the Construction Industry The construction industry has remained a very fragmented industry where different activities in the entire value chain of the construction processes are being undertaken by different parties, often undertaken in isolation, thus resulting in inefficiencies. In particular, the segregation of design and construction activities which is widely practiced does not encourage consideration for factors like savings in labour utilisation, ease of maintenance, construction safety and the practicality of construction methods.(CIDB,2008) As a result of the lack of such integration considerations in the industry, the process to implement the QLASSIC system to the construction projects is difficult. The different players are also become conflict and the implementation of this system become unsuccessful. This because there are many parties involved in construction projects. Thus, some of the parties will implement the system and some are not. So, the systems are not applied on the overall parts or elements that need to be assess in the construction projects. 2.3.3 Foreign labour Labour-intensive conventional methods of construction that are still prevalent in Malaysia. The adoption of such methods are encouraged by the cheaper cost of employment of foreign workers with lower wages and the availability of such workers for short-term periods of work.. Another reason for the heavy dependency on foreign labour involves the fact that the local workforce is reluctant to be employed as construction workers in the wet trades, where the image of the construction industry has always been one that is Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult. (CIDB, 2008) As a result, the implementation of QLASSIC system in construction projects becomes a problem because foreign workers do not understand this system. They are not expose about this system by the authorities. Thus, it become challenges for construction team to make sure the construction projects meet the standard that need in the QLASSIC system. 2.3.4 Lack of RD CIDB (2008) mentioned, the local construction industry is characterised as one that is labour-intensive, which has resulted in numerous challenges as highlighted previously. There is a need for the construction industry to progress towards one that is more focused on innovation and automation. However, the pace of innovation through RD and automation through the adoption of new construction methods are relatively low due to the abundance of cheap foreign labour. Despite the lack of RD initiatives in the Malaysian construction industry, there has been progress on the local front to encourage and stimulate RD activities in the construction industry. As a result, one of the factor this system did not get attention from construction team is because lack of RD. Before this system introduced to the construction sector, the responsible authorities that doing this research must make sure that the information gather from the research is enough and the opinion from all the parties involved in construction project is taking into consideration. This is because the construction parties are the main target as they will use this system. So, opinion from construction parties is the first priority to suite with construction projects when implementation this system. 2.4 Effective strategies in implementing QLASSIC 2.4.1 Stepping up research and development Wong (2007), stated that Research and Development (RD) is critical to productivity and quality. Improvements in the construction industry such as better materials, more cost-effective design and construction methods and labour-saving equipment are often introduced by way of RD initiative. However, for RD to be useful there is a need to ensure that new technologies and capabilities are efficiently shared and adopted by players in the industry to enhance the quality of the building. At the present moment, the amount of Malaysian construction RD ranges from negligible to non-existent. On the other hand, RD conducted by local institution of higher learning is often perceived as not been able to meet industry needs. Hence, there is a need for stronger collaboration between academia and the industry in stimulating RD efforts in order to produce quality of the building. 2.4.2 Raising the Skills Level According to Wong (2007), the reality is that so long as the industry has a ready access to a large number of foreign workers, there is very little incentive for the industry to upgrade itself. While recognizing that the industry will continue to rely on foreign workers in the near and medium term, there is a need to reduce the number of unskilled foreign workers. CIDB, in collaboration with the National Vocational Training Council of Malaysia (MLVKM) ha s developed the National Occupational Skill Standards (NOSS) for the construction industry, for the purpose of developing skilled manpower in the industry by development of training module for the various trades as well as for skill accreditation for career development of construction personnel. The Malaysian construction industry at present is largely dependent on low skilled foreign workers. As introduce new technologies and push for higher quality the demand for manpower especially foreign workers should be reduced. 2.4.3 Enhancing professionalism Enhancing professionalism of the industry can be achieved at three levels, namely the individual, trade association or professional institution, and the industry. At the individual level, the curriculum of institution of higher learning should be enhanced to include common modules and soft skills. At trade association or professional institution level, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme should be made mandatory for the renewal of professional membership as is currently practised by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), Board of Architect Malaysia (BAM) and Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM). To synchronize professional practice and thinking, it is also necessary for each profession to draw up its own set of code of conduct. (Wong, 2007) This will help to lay the foundation for constructional skills needed for construction players. Hence it must constantly promote, recognise and reward creativity, quality work, and innovation to integrate the various processes in the industry, but also to project a more progressive image. 2.4.4 Training and Education Firms that establish workplace education programmes report noticeable improvements in their workers abilities and the quality of their products (Cebeci and Beskese, 2002). The importance of training is to ensure that the skills of the workforce do not become obsolete in an environment of change and an understanding and attitude of quality is developed and maintained. Training should be directed at all levels of the organization to understand the QLASSIC process. 2.4.5 Integrated approach to construction According to Wong (2007), the construction industry is highly fragmented due to the sequential nature of the construction process. One of the major causes of low productivity and quality is the lack of integration of activities across the construction value chain. Consequently, mistakes in the construction stage resulting low quality of the building. So, through integration focus on effective interpersonal relationships, jointly planned work, identifying and solving problems will produce better quality. QLASSIC is one of the methods that need the integration by all the construction players to implement it. 2.4.6 Rewards and recognition An important feature of any quality improvement programme is showing due recognition for improved performance by any individual, section, and department or division within the company considers recognition as one of the most important steps of the quality improvement proce

Character Manipulation in The Rise of Silas Lapham Essay -- Rise Silas

Character Manipulation in Howells' The Rise of Silas Lapham  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Of all the characters who undergo change in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Lapham's change is the only one looked upon in a positive light by the narrator. William Dean Howells uses the corruption of other characters to promote Lapham's newfound morality and reinforce his ultimate triumph. Before Lapham's financial ruin, he is the only character with fault. Yet as his world crumbles, so does the credibility and innocence of his wife, two daughters, and former partner, Mr. Rogers. At the same time, the very catalyst of Lapham's ruin exonerates him. This allows Howells to reinforce Lapham's ultimate rise in the novel, despite his financial and social failures.    While Silas Lapham's character shines of perfect success in the book's opening interview, we soon learn of the fault that will lead to his ruin. In a time when his company needed help, Lapham used Mr. Rogers for his capital, then pushed him out of the company once back on his feet. Mrs. Lapham holds the strongest position towards Silas' treatment of Mr. Rogers: "No; you had better face the truth, Silas. It was no chance at all. You crowded him out. A man that had saved you! No, you had got greedy, Silas. You had made your paint your god, and you couldn't bear to let anybody else share in its blessings."(45) She believes that his treatment of Rogers is the only fault in his character, and is satisfied when he finally makes good on it by lending money to Rogers when asked. Despite his efforts to resolve the matter, Lapham refuses to admit his guilt. But the narrator tells us he is guilty*, and Silas admits feeling relieved after working it out: "'Well, I don't know when it's done me so much ... ...ng Lapham's upward motion cannot be accidental. Lapham needed his wife to nag at him about Rogers, and needed Rogers to be a "rascal" to start the events which lead to his rise. Lapham needed his daughters' distraction to ensure his lack of support and need for complete self-sufficiency during his hardships, as well as its incorporation of the Corey family to justify his involvement and failure with "society." Howells creates a plot in which Lapham figuratively steps on the other characters in order to rise.    Works Cited and Consulted Carter, Everett. Howells and the Age of Realism. Hamden, Conn.: Arcton Books, 1966 Howells, William Dean. The Rise of Silas Lapham. 1885. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1988 Van Wyck, Brooks. Howells His Life and World. Dutton, 1959. Wagenknecht, Edward. W.D. Howells The Friendly Eye. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969

Time in Thomas’ Fern Hill and Cummings’ anyone lived in a pretty how to

"Historically speaking,†¦time is lost; poetically speaking,†¦time is regained in the act of visionary creation" (Crewe 400). Poetry allows for the capture of a moment in time otherwise lost in the blink of an eye. British poet Dylan Thomas and American poet E.E. Cummings have both been noted for the recurring themes of passage of time in their poetry. In Thomas’ "Fern Hill" and Cummings’ "anyone lived in a pretty how town," both modern poets utilize a juxtaposition of paradoxes to express the irrevocable passage of time and the loss of innocence attributed to it. While Thomas projects his mature feelings into a nostalgic site of his childhood, Cummings takes a more detached approach by telling a seemingly trivial, paradoxical story of "noone" and "anyone," which through negation tells a universal life story. "Fern Hill" is a personal account, Thomas’ nostalgic revisit to a place where as a child he had spent time with his aunt. Through this sentimental revisit, he comes to realize the inevitable passage of time and a resulting loss of innocence. The poem was actually triggered by his visits to Fern Hill as an adult during a time of war. After Thomas’s hometown Swansea in Wales was bombed by the Nazi air campaign against Great Britain, Thomas’ parents moved out to their cottage near the farm of Fernhill. "[Thomas’] visits to his parents during the war triggered the memories of the happy Edenic times when he was young and thoughts of war were still distant" (Miller 99). In this poem, he revisits both his own childhood, and ,symbolically, the childhood and prewar innocence of his country. "Anyone lived in a pretty how town," is less personal. A love story made trivial through the use of "noone" and "anyone," this poem plays ... ...icking of the social clock becomes almost deafening. Works Cited Cox, C.B. "Dylan Thomas’s ‘Fern Hill’." The Critical Quarterly. 1 (1959): 134-38. Crewe, J.V. "The Poetry of Dylan Thomas." Theoria. Pietermaritzburg, Vol.XXXVIII 1972: 65-83. Davidow, Mary C. "Journey from Apple Orchard to Swallow Thronged Loft: ‘Fern Hill’." English Journal 58 (1969): 78-81. Kidder, Rushworth M. E.E. Cummings: An Introduction to the Poetry. New York: Columbia University Press, 1979. Miller, Tyrus. "Essay for Poetry for Students." Gale (1998). Rotella, Guy. "Nature, Time, and Transcendence in Cummings’ Later poems." Critical Essays on E.E. Cummings G.K. Hall & Co., 1984. 283-302. Turco, Lewis. "Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town." Masterplots II. Wegner, Robert E. The Poetry and Prose of E.E. Cummings. New York: Hartcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1965.

Close Analysis on Hippolyta a Midsummer Nights Dream Essay

Hippolyta is a dominant character in the play; A Midsummer night’s dream. Some views on the play may suggest that Shakespeare represented her as the Queen- Queen Elizabeth I. This may be illustrated through Act 4 Scene 1 where Hippolyta marries Theseus and becomes the Queen of the Amazons. Shakespeare bases Hippolyta’s character on the ancient Plutarch’s portrayal of her in his ‘life of Theseus’. This ideology covers the big mythological battle between Theseus and the Amazons. In the play Hippolyta uses long silences when speaking, this could show her expressions towards her wedding; there is no hurry for her wedding night. There are slight disagreements between Hippolyta and Theseus in the play where it is shown that they have a tense relationship, and the long silences used represents anger. ‘Four days will quickly steep themselves in night, four nights will quickly dream away the time’ is a memorable quote in the play. It can be viewed by some readers that it represents the disagreements between the couple; showing animosity, tension and anger. In the Elizabethan times, society was patriarchal; where the males were the dominant figure heads. The Elizabethan views on the Amazons were that they are a symbol of passion that should be governed by reason. In this idea the reason would be men; therefore Hippolyta has an acceptance of being a ‘trophy wife’ to Theseus where he is in control. As men are known as reason, women are known for emotion. Women should be governed by men in Elizabethan times and therefore in today’s society the text could be perceived in different ways. The Faerie Queen’ a narrative poem by Edmund Spencer had the same idea that women should be governed by men as they were produced in the same era. Hippolyta shows how men are controlling as in act 4 scene 1 she shows the power in which men have; ‘I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, when in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear’. This illustrates the ideology of the Elizabethan era, where no only are men controlling and powerful but also protective. A critic Louis Adrian Montrose had a view on the play in which Hippolyta’s submission to Theseus enacts as a fantasy about a female ruler submitting to male authority. This is what Queen Elizabeth I refused to do. Hippolyta can be seen to be a bit of a romantic, when Titania confesses about one of her sexual affairs and accuses Oberon of having a steamy relationship with Hippolyta; ‘the bouncing Amazon†¦ Your warrior love’. The Elizabethan audience would expect the queen of Amazons to be defeated as she represents passion and therefore this is used as reassurance. The account of ‘moon’ is used and interpreted in many different ways in the plays, Hippolyta says ‘Moon†¦ like a silver bow’. This is reassurance that she is not going to get defeated as this creates an image of a bow carrying Amazon women. The educated Elizabethan audience would see the moon as an image of Diana; she is the Goddess of Hunting, fertility and justity. However the moon can represent that itself. She also uses the moon many times in the play to represent good spirits, ‘the moon shines with a good grace’. Hippolyta can be seen as a nice and thoughtful character as she shows a concern for Hermia at the beginning of the play. Although Hippolyta is sympathetic for the lovers, she turns out to be quite a snob as she critics the mechanicals throughout their bumbling and amateur performance. As she says ‘I love not see wretchedness o’er charged.. , when duty in his service perishing. This means that Hippolyta hates to look at poor people especially when they are such lousy actors. She also shows an open mindedness for the lover’s adventures. She may show a fear that the mechanicals might be humiliated.

In Cold Blood Essay

Few authors have the skill to express their view of a setting without straightforwardly telling the audience. In this small passage from In Cold Blood, Truman Capote very eloquently does just that, describing the look and feel of Holcomb, Kansas through words. With Capote’s use of many elements like figurative language, imagery, and detain, he reveals his original but mysterious views on the scenery of Holcomb. All while describing this content town, Capote builds up for a drastic change to end the excerpt. Starting strong from the first line of the excerpt, Capote puts in uninteresting details about Holcomb, and saying that other Kansans call Holcomb â€Å"out there†. This brings attention to how isolated and far away from exciting city life this small town really is. Not only does Capote bring in the details of within the town, he describes the location of Holcomb, to give the readers a larger picture. Capote points out that the town is closed in on all side with fields of wheat, a river, and prairies. The inner town is shown as remote, boring, and with a sense of calmness. Images such as â€Å"unnamed, unshaded, unpaved† and â€Å"peeling sulphur-colored paint† show how Capote views Holcomb. He describes a remote and boring place to be. It is clear that Capote see the town as average and lacking in liveliness and excitement. Alongside the details of the landscape, Capote uses a great deal of imagery to describe the town’s small impurities and quirks, as well as they lifestyle and personalities of the people that live there. Concentrating on much of Holcomb’s looks, he describes â€Å"peeling sulphur-colored paint† and ramshackle mansion†, as well as â€Å"flaking gold on a dirty window†. This strong imagery portrays the town’s deteriorating liveliness. The author then shows the residents of the town with â€Å"The local accent is barbed with a prairie twang† and a â€Å"ranch-hand nasalness†. Capote shows his thoughts of the bland town through visual imagery. Through all Capote’s imagery and description, he portrays his true feelings  of how average and dull the town of Holcomb, Kansas is. However, all this simplicity is just used to strongly contrast the ending paragraph, which ends in a mysterious turnaround of having Holcomb become noticed for a certain significant event.