What Is Marketing Research Why Is It Needed by Companies free essay sample

FL Learners

The Uses, Functions, and Shortcomings of University Writing Centers The Disservice or No Proofreading Policies for ES/FL Learners Distinguishing the Problem Area Importance of successful composing aptitudes is gigantic as to the current scholarly and expert norms. During the companion coaching meetings, understudies are frequently tested by the professors’ guidelines and, along these lines, they need extra help to adapt to composing assignments.Advertising We will compose a custom paper test on The Uses, Functions, and Shortcomings of University Writing Centers: The Disservice or No Proofreading Policies for ES/FL Learners explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is of specific worry to ESL understudies who regularly face a quandary of editing in light of absence of qualified editing administrations nearby. Nonetheless, the fact of the matter is that a large portion of understudies are not completely mindful of the need to check their papers for sentence structure and spelling before submitting them to their educators. Is additionally baffling that the present composing habitats for se cond language students neglect to offer adequate types of assistance for them, aside from the costly ones. According to the above-introduced suspicions, two significant issues go to the forward: What are the primary purposes behind students’ ignorance of the need to edit their papers before entries? What does the University neglect to give top notch editing administrations to ESL understudies? In light of this, it is important to investigate the primary driver and beginnings of the issue, just as characterize who these dire issues can be tended to through an activity inquire about arrangement. Importance of the Problem The issue of insult composing strategies, just as students’ hesitance to address proficient help has as of late become substantially more genuine. Numerous ESL students neglect to meet with their managers simply on the grounds that they can't convey successfully, just as comprehend what really an educator need them to do. Along these lines, understudies contemplating the English language as their subsequent one frequently go to the composing place for composing help, yet to improve their communicational abilities (Pistone, 2010). Be that as it may, absence of adequate relational abilities may turn into a major issue since it likewise impacts the recurrence of students’ participation to the editing habitats. Beside the correspondence challenges, ESL understudies can confront huge composing issues that need particular mediation. The fact of the matter is that composing aptitudes can't be belittled in light of the fact that they exhibit students’ learning capacities (Tan, n. d.). Accordingly, understudies having poor composing level have more noteworthy changes to bomb their scholastic tests. The difficult zone is of particularly criticalness since it gives noteworthy hindrances to the ESL understudies and contributes adversely to the issue of global learning. The issue is likewise firmly connected with social assorted v ariety issues which are frequently disregarded by teachers. Along these lines, understudies contemplating the subsequent language don't consider editing administration as a feasible answer for the issue since autonomous learning is exceptionally refreshing in some countries.Advertising Looking for article on instruction? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Rationale for the Research Regarding the issue of second language learning and the results of damage composing focuses, it is basic to give a more profound investigation of explanations behind students’ hesitance and ignorance of going to composing focuses, just as underpinnings for reconsidering the current capacities and utilization of editing administrations. Looking the issue through the crystal of creative ways to deal with editing, just as existing composing places guaranteeing compelling help and help to understudies, the exploration activity plan ought to be ac quainted with take the relating measures to improve the present circumstance. Hypothetical Implications for the Action Research Lack of exceptionally qualified editing administrations, just as students’ hesitance to address such administrations, gives a strong ground to looking into the principles and fundamental procedures applied by driving composing communities. It will assist with characterizing how ESL understudies can improve their composing aptitudes. There is additionally a need to investigate the explanations behind students’ numbness of the significance of tending to guides at the composing habitats to contrast the discoveries and the outcomes got from poll. At last, it is likewise intentional to concentrate on the current systems and ways to deal with helping remote students in propelling their composing abilities. As per the investigations performed by Tan (n. d.), barely any colleges in Asian nations can give adequate composing administrations to ESL under studies. What is increasingly tricky is that these administrations are frequently given under the help of more extensive administrations, for example, learning or self-get to focuses. Therefore, absence of composing and bolster focuses doesn't add to perceiving the way that numerous understudies have major issues with the composed assignments. In spite of the distinguished deficiency, a few colleges despite everything figure out how to present development in the circle of editing. For example, the Baptist College in Hong Kong has made the Writing Enhancement Service since educator turned out to be increasingly mindful of their understudies having issues with composing (Tan, n. d.). In this regard, they built up a viable framework tending to different parts of composing, just as helping understudies in investigating downsides in their composition. In the investigations gave by Gupta Woldemarian (n. d.), it is likewise conceivable to follow the interdependency of composing aptitudes a nd level of inspiration to improve them. Since understudies are frequently activated by the need to fulfill the scholastic composing guidelines, such angles as mentality and inspiration are constantly under the inquiry. In this regard, these variables empower to separate since understudies with low and high achievement.Advertising We will compose a custom article test on The Uses, Functions, and Shortcomings of University Writing Centers: The Disservice or No Proofreading Policies for ES/FL Learners explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More Because inspiration and mentality are enthusiastic composites of passionate comprehension, they recognize students’ hesitance or yearning either to join in or to skip editing administrations. Like Gupta Woldemarian (n. d.), Ma (2011) alludes to the job of observation and disposition in accomplishing high scholarly outcomes. In particular, the researcher calls attention to that occasionally, understudies and teachers’ im pression of scholarly destinations vary fundamentally, which prompts confusion and inclination. Thus, understudies are frequently debilitated to introduce appropriately composed assignments and comprehend the genuine motivation behind propelling their composing aptitudes. Since understudies don't completely understand the significance of the composing abilities, it is intelligent that they don't understand the significance of going to composing focuses. The reliance between teachers’ procedures and learners’ consideration has likewise been concentrated by Torki (n. d.) who has figured out how to investigate similarity between these two viewpoints. Exploring those perspectives inside a setting of jargon class, the exploration depends on the two factors, â€Å"frequency and request of event of lexical things in homeroom discourse† (Torki, n. d. p. 336). The discoveries have uncovered that a portion of the teachers’ suppositions concerning the learning syste ms have been bogus, including recurrence of event. In general, the given hypothetical ramifications makes an adequate ground for leading an overview that tries to characterize the real reasons and level of understudies going to composing focuses and the ones thinking of it as a unimportant exercise in futility. Additionally, the given activity research ought to characterize the new systems for existing composing communities and editing administrations. Approach Data Collection In request to respond to the exploration questions and take care of the examination issues, a review was led among 100 understudies nearby. The review addresses plan to characterize students’ disposition to composing administrations, just as their attention to the significance of going to editing administrations before accommodation. The example populace was picked out of 3000 understudies. The members made out of various nationalities, religions, and convictions. Sexual orientation trademark have not b een considered on the grounds that it gives no significance to responding to the examination question. While gathering information about the members, I experienced a few difficulties. To start with, a few understudies dismissed to take an interest since they didn't really comprehend the reason for look into, however the degree was adequately clarified. Second, the members experienced issues while responding to explicit inquiries that identified with their own mentalities and convictions. The information assortment was made out of two phases. The first included messaging all understudies nearby about the overview and the subsequent one was simply the study. The greeting letter contained a short trait of the examination issue and a nitty gritty investigation of an activity inquire about venture. Out of 3000, around 230 responded precisely. Be that as it may, the review was finished by 100 members on the grounds that not all understudies had the option to answer the questions.Advertisi ng Searching for exposition on instruction? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More The poll arranged for the review was created with respect to such points as recurrence of going to composing focuses, explanations behind utilizing administrations, students’ disposition of significance of utilizing editing administrations, mindfulness and view of teachers’ commitments and down to earth application

The Link Between Soft Drinks and Aggression in Children

The Link Between Soft Drinks and Aggression in Children Theories Behavioral Psychology Print The Link Between Soft Drinks and Aggression in Children By Amy Morin, LCSW facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our editorial policy Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on May 02, 2019 GJI/Jamie Grill/Blend Images/Getty Images More in Theories Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology To some parents, the idea that soda could lead to aggressive behavior in kids may sound a bit far fetched. After all, can a beverage really cause your child to physically attack someone? Well, studies indicate theres a clear link between aggressive behavior and soft drink consumption in children.??? The Health Problems Associated Soft Drinks Americans have some of the highest consumption rates of soda per capita worldwide. And many of those individuals consuming soda are very young children.?? Over the years, there has been a big push to eliminate soft drinks from school vending machines and to educate parents about the risks associated with sugary drinks. Physicians and nutritionists have made it clear that soda provides children with empty calories and contributes to childhood obesity. Dentists advise parents not to let children drink soda as well. Sugary drinks arent good for childrens teeth and may  cause cavities. Most soft drinks also contain caffeine. Caffeine can cause headaches, upset stomach, jitteriness, and sleep problems. It’s also been associated with some behavioral problems and nervous system disorders. In children, it doesn’t take much caffeine to produce effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine intake for kids of all ages. The Behavior Problems Associated With Soft Drinks If the health problems aren’t enough to dissuade parents from giving kids soda, the behavior problems associated with soft drinks might be a deterrent. A 2013 study published in The Journal of Pediatrics found that aggression, withdrawal behavior, and attention problems are linked to soft drink consumption in young children.?? The researchers assessed 3,000 5-year-old children from 20 different U.S. cities. Even after adjusting for factors such as maternal depression, paternal incarceration, and domestic  violence, soft drink consumption was still linked to aggressive behavior. Children who drank four or more soft drinks per day were more than twice as likely to destroy other peoples belongings, get into fights, and physically attack people.?? Potential Reasons for the Link Between Soft Drink and Aggression It’s unclear why soda consumption was associated with more behavior problems. Since soft drinks are highly processed, researchers suspect ingredients such as aspartame or phosphoric acid may be linked to behavior problems. Caffeine has also been linked to some behavior problems in children, so researchers suspect the caffeine content may play a role. High soda intake may also affect blood glucose levels. Low blood glucose may cause children to crave soda, while also causing them to become withdrawn or aggressive.?? The Dangers of Soft Drink Consumption and Older Children Studies have also linked behavioral and emotional problems in teens to soft drink consumption. A 2013 study published in the International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion linked soft drink consumption to aggression, depression, and suicidal behavior in adolescents.?? The more soda teens drank, the more likely they were to be in a physical fight. In addition, they were more likely to feel sad or hopeless and to report suicidal thoughts or behavior.?? Could Your Child’s Behavior Stem From Soft Drinks? If your child drinks soda, aggression and other negative behavior issues may be linked to their soft drink consumption. Eliminating soda from your child’s diet may improve their behavior.  In addition to better behavior, cutting out soda will have health benefits as well. In addition to eliminating soft drinks, don’t allow your child to consume energy drinks. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages children from drinking energy drinks. Many of them contain stimulants like guarana and taurine, as well as massive amounts of caffeine. If your child is aggressive, eliminating soft drinks could be one step in a comprehensive behavior management plan. Your child may need to learn new skills, such as impulse control and conflict resolution. Negative consequences, like time-out and restitution, can reduce aggressive behavior.  But, consequences and discipline need to be consistent. Reward systems and praise can also be healthy ways to promote pro-social behavior. Token economy systems can be especially effective in reducing aggressive behavior. If you’re struggling to manage your child’s aggression, or your discipline strategies aren’t working, talk to your child’s doctor. Your child’s pediatrician may assess him for behavior disorders or mental health issues and you may be referred to a professional who can help you find the most effective discipline strategies to manage your child’s behavior.

Hw Oscar Wilde Pokes Fun at the Attitudes and Etiquette of...

Hw Oscar Wilde Pokes Fun at the Attitudes and Etiquette of the British Aristocracy Oscar Wilde presents a very candid impression of Victorian society and its values in The Importance of Being Earnest. The title itself represents the irony of the play. The word earnest works on two levels - first the name Ernest, which is the main focus of the play, and also it sounds like honest which is exactly what Jack and Algernon - the two main characters of the play - are not. There are four main themes which can be recognised in the play: social snobbery, money matters, appearance matters and false values and lastly, not being sincere. In this essay I intend to focus on each category to highlight the†¦show more content†¦In Act Three Lady Bracknell proves her place in the upper class whilst criticising Algernon. She tells him, Never speak disrespectfully of societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦only people who cant get into it do that, so really she is saying that she and he are both in, but he is not acting like it as she is. Algernon himself views the lower class as only having one use - to set good examples. At the beginning of Act One he says to himself If the lower orders dont set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility. When Jack arrives he patronises Algernon on speaking like a dentist. This shows that they didnt have a very high opinion of dentists in Victorian time s - You talk exactly as if you were a dentist. It is very vulgar to talk like a dentist when one isnt a dentist. Later on in the scene he says From motives of respect that you could not possibly appreciate. This proves that he views himself as superior to Algernon. Also in this scene, university students are spoken of quite highly. Algernon, when speaking of literature says to Jack to leave it to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦who havent been at a University.They do it so well in the papers, so the upper class must respect people who attend university more than those who havent. The characters in The Importance of Being Earnest are greatly infatuated

Stem Cells Pros And Cons - 913 Words

Joshua Thomas Arndt 4th Stem Cells: Pros and Cons When talking about stem cell research, there are many differing opinions. This has been a hot topic for debate over the last several years. It boils down to ethics. Does sacrificing the life of a potential person justify saving another person s life with a fatal disease or illness? To many, the answer is yes. However, for others, the answer is no. Those in favor argue that these cells could possibly help to cure diseases like Parkinson s, Alzheimer s, Diabetes, and even Cancer. Those opposed argue that it is still taking the life of a human, and that it is morally wrong to do so. It is my belief that the benefits of the research far outweigh the costs. Curing those diseases could potentially save thousands, if not millions of lives. But, what exactly are stem cells? Stem cells are cells that can, essentially, create new tissue. There are two categories of stem cells; embryonic, and non-embryonic. Embryonic Stem cells are found in embryos. Embryos are the clusters of cells during the early stages of pregnancy that form the fetuses. Once the fertilized egg divides, an embryo is formed. They are made up of these Stem Cells. The stem cells create the living tissue of the child. We all developed this way. Non-embryonic stem cells are cells that are found in adults, children, and infants. they generally create new types of the same cell depending upon where they are located. These cells are surrounded by, and repair nearbyShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of Stem Cell Research1003 Words   |  5 PagesFoundations Ethics Stem Cell Research Stem Cell Research Explorable.com 1.6M reads 32 Comments Printer-friendly versionSend by emailPDF version Pros And Cons in Research The debate of the pros and cons of stem cell research clearly illustrate the difficult ethics evaluations researchers sometimes must do. All scientists must consider whether the positive effects from their research are likely to be significantly higher than the negative effects. What are Stem Cells? Stem Cells are crucial to developRead MoreEssay on The Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Research928 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction This report aims to investigate the different views held on the pros and cons of development in stem cell research. This report will provide background to the debate, its social significance, parties that are involved and analysis of the arguments related to the topic researched. 2.0 The Issue and background to the debate Those who favour stem cell research are optimistic about the continued developments in stem cell research will open doors to many breakthrough discoveries in biomedicalRead MoreEssay about Pros and Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research1261 Words   |  6 Pagesagainst Embryonic Stem Cell research mainly because they consider it unethical to use aborted fetuses for research. The two main issues concerning the research are the ethics (Cons) and the benefits (Pros). In any scientific case, ethics must always be considered. But the use of fetuses is something that is of the utmost importance. The costs are generally measured based off of people’s feelings, morals, and knowledge about the subject up for debate. The use of aborted fetuses for stem cell research mayRead MoreThere Was A Seventeen-Year-Old Boy Named Joe Beene That1674 Words   |  7 PagesThere was a seventeen-year-old boy named Joe Beene that severely injured himself during a football practice in November. Because of Joe’s injury, Joe’s family had a very difficult moral dilemma that involved the right to conduct stem-cell research to help with medical conditions. The injury that Joe sustained was a broken neck that left Joe paralyzed from the Chest down hindering Joe from any activities including taking care of himself. I couldn’t even start to understand the pain and suffering thatRead MoreThe Advantages and Disadvantages of Stem Cell Research Essay1197 Words   |  5 Pagescontroversy regarding the bioethical issues of stem cells and the pros/cons of its research. In order to understand the clash of opposing opinions on stem cells, it is important to know the root of stem cells, as well as their functions and scientific findings. â€Å"Stem Cells are very essential to develop organisms. They are non-specialized cells which have the potential to create other types of specific cells, such as blood, brain, tissue or muscle cells† (Experiment Resources, 2008). In ad dition, injuriesRead MoreGenetic Engineering Pros And Cons1648 Words   |  7 PagesGENETIC ENGINEERING: PROS: Pros of genetic engineering are the facts that scientists and doctors in our generation could first and foremost discover new diseases and parasites and types of unheard cancers and illnesses before they spread further than they need too. The doctors can therefore invent a cure for this illness before it spreads really far and before anyone else gets sick. With the genetic engineering they can then stop the spreading and cure the diseases before it gets out of hand. ThisRead MoreAmazed by Cloning1544 Words   |  6 Pagesuse of cloning. Information includes the processes and some animals that have been cloned. The history includes the different cloning achievements starting with the first artificial twin. The good and bad parts will of course talk about the pros and cons of cloning. Human cloning tells what is the use of it and how people feel about it. The last part talks about the possibility of using cloning to protect endangered species, and if it would be enough to h elp the population. If cloning is usedRead MoreStem Cell Type Is Best?1264 Words   |  6 PagesTopic: Stem research, which stem cell type is best? Umbilical cord stem cells or embryonic stem cells. General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform the audience of the advantages and disadvantage of using embryonic and umbilical cord stem cells in research. Central Ideal: While medical researchers believe that the use of embryonic stem cells is their best option in research, others believe it to be unethical and immoral, and that umbilical stem cells are a good alternative to embryonicRead MoreWhat Are Unethical About Stem Cell Research?956 Words   |  4 Pagesestablished the theory that every cell comes from a precursor cell. Maximow was deeply involved in histology, the study of plant and animal tissue. Being the first to show that blood cells come from a common precursor cell, he is given the most credit in discovering what is known as stem cells (source #7). Stem cells have the ability to change into other cells such as blood, bone, tissue, and muscle cells. Researchers are trying to better understand these foundation cells to create cures and treatmentsRead MoreThe Debate Over Stem Cell Research936 Words   |  4 PagesStem cell research is full of controversy with a million different opinions on each side of the argument. In th is essay, the â€Å"pro† side will be viewed and discussed. The background, the pros, the experiments and other information will be deliberated. Hopefully by the end of the composition, one will understand the benefits of stem cell research. In the early 1900s, Alexander A. Maximow was the first to actually use the term â€Å"stem cell† when he discovered the cell. He was a Russian-American physician

The Return Shadow Souls Chapter 34 Free Essays

I don’t think about those things, Elena answered in the same way Damon had spoken and for the same reason. I don’t think because if I do I’ll go insane. But if I go insane, what good will I be to Stefan? I couldn’t help him. We will write a custom essay sample on The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 34 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Instead I block it all out with walls of iron and I keep it away at any cost. â€Å"And you can manage that?† Damon asked, his voice shaking slightly. â€Å"I can – because I have to. Remember in the beginning when we were arguing about the ropes around our wrists? Meredith and Bonnie had doubts. But they knew that I would wear handcuffs and crawl after you if that was what it took.† Elena turned to look at Damon in the crimson darkness and added, â€Å"And you’ve given yourself away, time after time, you know.† She slipped arms around him to touch his healed back, so that he would have no doubt about what she meant. â€Å"That was for you,† Damon said harshly. â€Å"Not really,† Elena replied. â€Å"Think about it. If you hadn’t agreed to the Discipline, we might have run out of town, but we could never have helped Stefan after that. When you get down to it, everything, all you’ve done, you’ve done for Stefan.† â€Å"When you get down to it, I was the one who put Stefan here in the first place,† Damon said tiredly. â€Å"I figure we’re just about even now.† â€Å"How many times, Damon? You were possessed when you let Shinichi talk you into it,† Elena said, feeling exhausted herself. â€Å"Maybe you need to be possessed again – just a little – so you remember how it feels.† Every cell in Damon’s body seemed to flinch away from this idea. But aloud he just said, â€Å"There’s something that everyone has missed, you know. About the archetypal story of how two brothers killed each other simultaneously, and became vampires because they’d dallied with the same girl.† â€Å"What?† Elena said sharply, shocked out of her tiredness. â€Å"Damon, what do you mean?† â€Å"What I said. There’s something you’ve all missed. Ha. Maybe even Stefan has missed it. The story gets told and retold, but nobody catches it.† Damon had turned his face away. Elena moved closer to him, just a bit, so he could smell her perfume, which was attar of roses that night. â€Å"Damon, tell me. Tell me, please!† Damon started to turn toward her – And it was at that moment that the liftmen stopped. Elena had only a second to wipe her face, and the curtains were being drawn. Meredith had told them all the myth about Bloddeuwedd, which she’d got from a story-telling globe. All about how Bloddeuwedd had been made out of flowers and brought to life by the gods, and how she had betrayed her husband to his death, and how, in punishment, she had been doomed to spend each night from midnight to dawn as an owl. And, apparently, there was something the myths didn’t mention. The fact that she had been doomed to live here, banished from the Celestial Court into the deep red twilight of the Dark Dimension. All things considered, it was logical that her parties started at six in the evening. Elena found that her mind was jumping from subject to subject. She accepted a goblet of Black Magic from a slave as her eyes wandered. Every woman and most of the men at the party were wearing clever attire that changed color in the sun. Elena felt quite modest – after all, everything out of doors seemed to be pink or scarlet or wine-colored. Downing her goblet of Magic, Elena was slightly surprised to find herself going into automatic party-mode behavior, greeting people she’d met earlier in the week with cheek kisses and hugs as if she’d known them for years. Meanwhile she and Damon worked their way toward the mansion, sometimes with, sometimes against the tide of constantly moving people. They made it up one steep set of white (pink) marble stairs, which sported on either side banks of glorious blue (violet) delphiniums and pink (scarlet) wild roses. Elena stopped here, for two reasons. One was to get a new goblet of Black Magic. The first had already given her a pleasant glow – although of course everything was constantly glowing here. She was hoping that the second cup would help her forget everything that Damon had brought up in the litter except the key – and help her remember what she’d been fretting over originally, before her thoughts had been hijacked by Bonnie and Meredith’s talk. â€Å"I expect the best way is just to ask someone,† she told Damon, who was suddenly and silently at her elbow. â€Å"Ask what?† Elena leaned a little toward the slave who’d just supplied her with a fresh goblet. â€Å"May I ask – where is Lady Bloddeuwedd’s main ballroom?† The liveried slave looked surprised. Then, with his head, he made a gesture all around. â€Å"This plaza – below the canopy – has gained the name the Great Ballroom,† he said, bowing over his tray. Elena stared at him. Then she stared around her. Under a giant canopy – it looked semipermanent to her and was hung all around with pretty lanterns in shades that were enhanced by the sun – the smooth grass lawn stretched away for hundreds of yards on all sides. It is bigger than a football field. â€Å"What I’d like to know,† Bonnie was asking a fellow guest, a woman who had clearly been to many of Bloddeuwedd’s affairs and knew her way around the mansion, â€Å"is this: which room is the main ballroom?† â€Å"Oh, my deah, it depends on what you mean,† the guest replied cheerfully. â€Å"Theah’s the Great Ballroom out of doors – you must have seen it while climbing – the big pavilion? And then theah’s the White Ballroom inside. That’s lit with candelabras and has the curtains drawn all round. Sometimes it’s called the Waltz Room, since all that is played in there is waltzes.† But Bonnie was still caught in horror a few sentences back. â€Å"There’s a ballroom outside?† she said shakily, hoping that somehow she hadn’t heard right. â€Å"That’s it, deah, you can see through that wall theah.† The woman was telling the truth. You could see through the wall, because the walls were all of glass, one beyond another, allowing Bonnie to see what seemed to be an illusion done with mirrors: lighted room after lighted room, all filled with people. Only the last room on the bottom floor seemed to be made out of something solid. That must be the White Ballroom. But through the opposite wall, where the guest was pointing – oh, yes. There was a canopy top. She remembered vaguely passing it. The other thing she remembered was†¦ â€Å"They dance on the grass? That – enormous field of grass?† â€Å"Of course. It’s all especially cut and rolled smooth. You won’t trip over a weed or hummock of ground. Are you sure you’re feeling quite well? You look rathah pale. Well† – the guest laughed – â€Å"as pale as anyone can look in this light.† â€Å"I’m fine,† Bonnie said dazedly. â€Å"I’m just†¦fine.† The two parties met later and told each other of the horrors that they had unearthed. Damon and Elena had discovered that the ground of the outdoor ballroom was almost as hard as rock – anything that had been buried there before the ground was rolled smooth by heavy rollers would now be packed down in something like cement. The only place that anyone could dig there was around the perimeter. â€Å"We should have brought a diviner,† Damon said. â€Å"You know, someone who uses a forked stick or a pendulum or a bit of a missing person’s clothing to home in on the correct area.† â€Å"You’re right,† Meredith said, her tone clearly adding for once. â€Å"Why didn’t we bring a diviner?† â€Å"Because I don’t know of any,† Damon said, with his sweetest, most ferocious barracuda smile. Bonnie and Meredith had found that the inside ballroom’s flooring was rock – very beautiful white marble. There were dozens of floral arrangements in the room, but all that Bonnie had stuck her small hand into (as unobtrusively as possible) were simply cut flowers in a vase of water. No soil, nothing that could justify using the term â€Å"buried in.† â€Å"And besides, why would Shinichi and Misao put the key in water they knew would be thrown out in a few days?† Bonnie asked, frowning, while Meredith added, â€Å"And how do you find a loose floorboard in marble? So we can’t see how it could be buried there. By the way, I checked – and the White Ballroom has been here for years, so there’s no chance that they dumped it under the building stones, either.† Elena, by now drinking her third goblet of Black Magic, said, â€Å"All right. The way we look at this is: one room scratched off the list. Now, we’ve already got half of the key – look how easy that was – â€Å" â€Å"Maybe that was just to tease us,† Damon said, raising an eyebrow. â€Å"To get our hopes up, before dashing them completely†¦here.† â€Å"That can’t be,† Elena said desperately, glaring at him. â€Å"We’ve come so far – farther than Misao ever imagined we would. We can find it. We will find it.† â€Å"All right,† Damon said, suddenly deadly serious. â€Å"If we have to pretend to be staff and use pickaxes on that soil outdoors, we’ll do it. But first, let’s go through the entire house inside. That seemed to work well last time.† â€Å"All right,† Meredith said, for once looking straight at him and without disapproval. â€Å"Bonnie and I will take the upstairs floors and you can take the downstairs ones – maybe you can make something of that White Waltz Ballroom.† â€Å"All right.† They set to work. Elena wished that she could calm down. Despite most of three goblets of Black Magic oscillating inside her – or perhaps because of them – she was seeing certain things in new lights. But she must keep her mind on the quest – and only on the quest. She would do anything – anything – she told herself, to get the key. Anything for Stefan. The White Ballroom smelled of flowers and was garlanded with large, opulent blooms in the midst of abundant greenery. Standing arrangements were placed to shield an area around a fountain into an intimate nook where couples could sit. And, although there was no visible orchestra, music poured into the ballroom, demanding a response from Elena’s susceptible body. â€Å"I don’t suppose you know how to waltz,† Damon said suddenly, and Elena realized that she had been swaying in time to the beat, eyes closed. â€Å"Of course I do,† Elena answered, a little offended. â€Å"We all of us went to Ms. Hopewell’s classes. That was the equivalent of charm school in Fell’s Church,† she added, seeing the funny side of it and laughing at herself. â€Å"But Ms. Hopewell did love to dance, and she taught us every dance and movement she thought was graceful. That was when I was about eleven.† â€Å"I suppose it would be absurd for me to ask you to dance with me,† Damon said. Elena looked at him with what she knew were large and puzzled eyes. Despite the low-cut scarlet dress, she didn’t feel like an irresistible siren tonight. She was too wrought up to feel the magic woven in the cloth, magic which she now realized was telling her she was a dancing flame, a fire elemental. She supposed that Meredith must feel like a quiet stream, flowing swiftly and steadily to her destination, but sparkling and glinting all the way. And Bonnie – Bonnie, of course was a sprite of the air, meant to dance as lightly as a feather in that opalescent dress, barely subject to gravity. But abruptly Elena remembered certain glances of admiration she had seen directed toward herself. And now suddenly Damon was vulnerable? Yet he didn’t imagine she would dance with him? â€Å"Of course I would love to dance,† she said, realizing with a slight shock that she hadn’t noticed before, that Damon was in flawless white tie. Of course, it was on the one night when it might hinder them, but it made him look like a prince of the blood. Her lips quirked slightly at the title. Of the blood†¦oh, yes. â€Å"Are you sure you know how to waltz?† she asked him. â€Å"A good question. I took it up in 1885 because it was known to be riotous and indecent. But it depends on whether you are speaking of the peasant waltz, the Viennese Waltz, the Hesitation Waltz, or – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, come on, or we’ll miss another dance.† Elena grabbed his hand, feeling tiny sparks as if she’d stroked a cat’s fur the wrong way, and pulled him into the swaying crowd. Another waltz began. Music flooded into the room and lifted Elena almost off her feet as the small hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Her body tingled all over as if she had drunk some sort of celestial elixir. It was her favorite waltz since childhood: the one she’d been brought up on. Tchaichovsky’s Sleeping Beauty waltz. But some child part of her mind could never help but pairing the sweet sweeping notes that came after the thundering, electrifying beginning together with the words from the Disney movie version: I know you; I danced with you once upon a dream†¦. As always, they brought tears to her eyes; they made her heart sing and her feet want to fly rather than dance. Her dress was backless. Damon’s warm hand was on her bare skin there. I know, something whispered to her, why they called this dance riotous and indecent. And now, certainly, Elena felt like a flame. We were meant to be this way. She couldn’t remember if it was an old quote of Damon’s or something new he was just barely whispering to her mind now. Like two flames that join and merge into one. You’re good, Damon told her, and this time she knew that it was him speaking and that it was in the present. You don’t need to patronize me. I’m too happy already! Elena laughed back. Damon was an expert, and not just at the precision of the steps. He danced the waltz as if it were still riotous and indecent. He had a firm lead, which of course Elena’s human strength could not break. But he could interpret little signals of her own, about what she wanted and he obliged her, as if they were ice dancing, as if at any moment they might twirl and leap. Elena’s stomach was slowly melting and taking her other internal organs with it. And it never once occurred to her to think what her high school friends and rivals and enemies would have thought of her melting over classical music. She was free of petty spite, petty shame over differences. She was through with labeling. She wished that she could go back to show everyone that she’d never meant it in the first place. The waltz was over all too soon and Elena wanted to push the Replay button and do it from the beginning again. There was a moment just when the music stopped where she and Damon were looking at each other, with equal exaltation and yearning and – And then Damon bowed over her hand. â€Å"There is more to the waltz than just moving your feet,† he said, not looking up at her. â€Å"There is a swaying grace that can be put into the movements, a leaping flame of joy and oneness – with the music, with a partner. Those are not matters of expertise. Thank you very much for giving me the pleasure.† Elena laughed because she wanted to cry. She never wanted to stop dancing. She wanted to tango with Damon – a real tango, the kind you were supposed to have to get married after. But there was another mission†¦a necessary mission that had to be completed. And, as she turned, there were a whole crowd of other things in front of her. Men, demons, vampires, beastlike creatures. All of them wanted a dance. Damon’s tuxedoed back was walking away from her. Damon! He paused but did not turn back. Yes? Help me! We need to find the other half of the key! It seemed to take him a moment to assess the situation, but then he understood. He came back to her, and taking her by the hand said in a clear, ringing voice, â€Å"This girl is my†¦personal assistant. I do not desire that she dance with anyone other than myself.† There was a restless murmuring at this. The kind of slaves that got taken to balls of this sort were not usually the kind that were forbidden to interact with strangers. But just then there was a sort of flurry at the side of the room, eventually pressing toward the opposite side where Damon and Elena were. â€Å"What is it?† Elena asked, the dance and the key both forgotten. â€Å"Who is it, I’d ask, rather,† Damon replied. â€Å"And I’d answer: our hostess, Lady Bloddeuwedd herself.† Elena found herself crowding behind other people to get a glimpse of this most extraordinary creature. But when she actually saw the girl standing alone in the doorway to the ballroom, she gasped. She was made out of flowers†¦ Elena remembered. What would a girl made out of flowers look like? She would have skin like the faintest blush of pink on an apple blossom, Elena thought, staring unashamedly. Her cheeks would be slightly deeper pink, like a dawn-colored rose. Her eyes, enormous in her delicate, perfect face, would be the color of larkspur, with heavy feathery black lashes that would make them droop half-shut, as if she walked always half in a dream. And she would have yellow hair as pale as primroses, falling down almost to the floor, wound in braids that were themselves incorporated into thicker braids until the whole mass was brought together just above her delicate ankles. Her lips would be as red as poppies, half-open and inviting. And she would give off a scent that was like a bouquet of all the first blossoms of spring. She would walk as if swaying in the breeze. Elena could only remember standing, gazing after this vision like the dozens of other guests around her. Just one more second to drink in such loveliness, her mind begged. â€Å"But what was she wearing?† Elena heard herself say aloud. She could not remember either a stunning dress or a glimpse of lustrous apple-blossom skin through the many braids. â€Å"Some sort of gown. It was made out of what else? Flowers,† Damon put in wryly. â€Å"She was wearing a dress made of every kind of flower I’ve ever seen. I don’t understand how they stayed put – maybe they were silk and sewn together.† He was the only one who didn’t seem dazzled by this vision. â€Å"I wonder if she would talk to us – just a few words,† Elena said. She was longing to hear the delicate, magical girl’s voice. â€Å"I doubt it,† a man in the crowd answered her. â€Å"She doesn’t talk much – at least until midnight. Say! It’s you! How’re you feeling?† â€Å"Very well, thank you,† Elena replied politely, and then quickly stepped back. She recognized the speaker as one of the young men who had forced their cards on Damon at the end of the Godfather’s ceremony, the night of her Discipline. Now she just wanted to get away unobtrusively. But there were too many of the men, and it was clear that they were not about to let her and Damon go. â€Å"This is the girl I told you about. She goes into a trance and no matter how she’s marked; she doesn’t feel a thing – â€Å" † – blood running down her sides like water and she never flinched – â€Å" â€Å"They’re a professional act. They go on the road†¦.† Elena was just about to say, coolly, that Bloddeuwedd had strictly forbidden this kind of barbarism at her party, when she heard one of the young vampires saying, â€Å"Don’t you know, I was the one who persuaded Lady Bloddeuwedd to ask you to this get-together. I told her about your act and she was most interested to see it.† Well, scratch one excuse, Elena thought. But at least be nice to these young men. They might be helpful somehow later. â€Å"I’m afraid I can’t do it tonight,† she said, quietly, so that they would be quiet themselves. â€Å"I’ll apologize to Lady Bloddeuwedd directly, of course. But it just isn’t possible.† â€Å"Yes, it is.† Damon’s voice, just behind her, astounded her. â€Å"It’s quite possible – given that someone finds my amulet.† Damon! What are you saying? Hush! What I have to. â€Å"Unfortunately, about three and a half weeks ago I lost a very important amulet. It looks like this.† He brought out the half of the fox key and let them all take a good look at it. â€Å"Is that what you used to do the trick?† someone asked, but Damon was far too clever for that. â€Å"No, many people saw me do the act just a week or so ago without it. This is a personal amulet, but with part of it missing, I simply don’t feel like doing magic.† â€Å"It looks like a little fox. You’re not a kitsune?† someone – too clever for their own good, Elena thought – asked next. â€Å"It may look like that to you. It’s actually an arrow. An arrow with two green stones at the arrowhead. It’s a – masculine charm.† A female voice somewhere in the crowd said: â€Å"I shouldn’t think you need any more masculine charm than you have right now!† and there was laughter. How to cite The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 34, Essay examples

Points of Argument on the Settlement of Cyrene Essay Example

Points of Argument on the Settlement of Cyrene Essay The subject of â€Å"Tradition† is problematic when regarding historical sources pertaining to archaic Greece. Much of what we know about ancient times comes from literary sources and various inscriptions, such as Herodotus. Having been written by people of the epoch, influenced by oral tradition as well as political and social climates, and not as historical research, these writings should not be taken literally. And some, like Osborne, would say are automatically disqualified as historical evidence. When examining the case of the foundation of Cyrene, we must first assess the quality of our main source of information on the subject Herodotus. Herodotus, who wrote in the 5th century BC, tells us of the stories he had heard from the people of Cyrene and the people of Thera (The claimed Mother-city of Cyrene) regarding the founding of Cyrene. Osborne’s reading of Herodotus’ stories conveys they are not in unison. He claims that the Theran story emphasizes the difficulties they went through and the amount of careful planning put into the founding endeavor, whereas the Cyrenian version tells almost exclusively of their founder and first king, Battos. He explains these differences by looking at the socio-economical climate at the time the text was written. The Therans had an interest to keep their historical links with prosperous Cyrene alive and well, while it was important for the Cyrenian monarchy, the Battiads, to emphasize Battos’ role to legitimize themselves, as well as affirm Cyrene’s independence. It is clear now that these stories were based on each side’s interests and needs, and are selective and exaggerated. We will write a custom essay sample on Points of Argument on the Settlement of Cyrene specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Points of Argument on the Settlement of Cyrene specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Points of Argument on the Settlement of Cyrene specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Malkin dismisses Osborne’s presentation of Herodotus’ accounts as conflicting, and suggests that with further analysis of the text it becomes evident that the Theran version is a combined Theran-Cyrenian one, and the â€Å"Cyrenian† story is in fact just used to fill what is missing in the Theran version. He agrees that the stories, especially that of Battos’ origins, are filled with exaggerated and mythical elements, born of various social needs, but refuses that this is sufficient grounds to throw all â€Å"Traditional† evidence we have away. In example we see that in the combined Theran-Cyrenian version, it is said that all settlers of the first generation were Theran, and that no new settlers arrived for 60 years. This stands in direct conflict with a multitude of archeological and traditional evidence – Including that Polis around Cyrene show signs of settlement already during Cyrene’s first generation of settlers. We also find evidence of Spartan pottery at Taucheira since its first generation that is obviously of too poor a quality to have been imports. Malkin resolves the archeological problem by saying there were many other settlers from all over the Greek world that settled in Cyrene, and over time got blended in and their origins forgotten, a fact revealed by 6th century reforms that divided Cyrenians by their origin. This assimilation process occurred in reaction to the rise of various Polis around Cyrene, forcing them to differentiate themselves by creating a uniform identity as Therans. What we see in this process is that while certain facts may change, a basic frame of the story remains constant. The Sworn Undertaking of the Founders is a document written by the Therans and attributed to before the settlers from Thera set out to Libya, cited by Herodotus during his account of the foundation of Cyrene, and later presented by the Therans to the Cyrenians in the 4th century when coming to claim citizenship. Osborne relates to The Sworn Undertaking of the Founders with skepticism, he claims the text contains many elements which are out of place in an 8th century document, such as the anachronistic approach of sailing â€Å"On equal and fair terms† and the claim to having originated from an assembly at Thera, and questions the text’s authenticity. He states the reason for the Cyrenians willingness to accept this different version of their past as that the now fallen Battiad monarchy had become an embarrassment, and the Cyrenians were happy to adopt a version in which Battos no longer played a major role, and that better fitted their current needs. However, claims Malkin, this analysis relies on the Therans having a fairly vague and short-termed memory of their past, which, as seen by Teuchydides’ story of refugee’s from Epidemnus coming to Corcyra and pointing out their ancestors grave, was not the case as not only oral tradition, but also outside affirmation from visitors helped keep the memory alive. Furthermore, as seen in the story of Cyrene itself as told by Herodotus, already in the 6th century people regarded Thera as the natural home for exiles from Cyrene. As for Battos’ having become an object of embarrassment to the Cyrenians, both the Theran version and the Agreement name Battos as founder and king, and in fact affirm his position as leader on Thera’s authority. Furthermore, it is unlikely that Battos had fallen out of grace with the Cyrenians due to the fall of the monarchy; his grave in the agora was consulted as an Oraculum and ceremonies held near it, regardless of the changing political climate, Battos’ character remained heroic and mythic in the people’s minds and his memory important to the Cyrenians’ collective identity. We also find evidence of the popularity of the Founder’s cult in places such as Gela, where a cup was found with an inscription dedicating it to the city’s founder. What we see through the examples given by Malkin is that tradition isn’t as soluble as it first seems. People have a need for conformity, and look for constants on which to base their personal and collective identity. To that extent we have folk stories, religious beliefs and ceremonies, and various social conformities of thought and behavior, that are passed on and maintain their form if not specifics, in order to retain a cohesive social uniform. In conclusion, there is a certain amount of skepticism with which one must approach the study of tradition in history, and care with which to regard that which we see as fact, however, methodical skepticism is also dangerous, and one must carefully examine and differentiate the mythical from the factual, and the constant from the changing.