Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 4

Research Paper Example The question remains what the future holds regarding artificial intelligence that is autonomous and able to communicate other systems as well as with humans? An immense amount of research is underway about autonomous robots. The researchers are eager to predict what the future would look like as it is evident from science fiction novels and Hollywood movies. Robots and artificial intelligence are technically different terms, but they are perceived as one. Czech Writer Karel Capek invented the term ‘robot’ derived from the word ‘robota’ meaning labour (Chen, David & Gligorescu, 2011). Artificial Intelligence is a term used to describe for machines that can mimic the intelligence of humans (Chen, David & Gligorescu, 2011). At the moment, many mobile robots and their applications are serving the humans. These robots include wheeled, flying, swimming, crawling and even legged robots. Humanoid robots that copy some aspects of human experiences or behaviour appear in the news now and then. It is considered the mid-stage between human and a robot (Huang, 2011). Moreover, group robotics that understand the ways in which single robots cooperate and communicate is also part of the recent research. Sensors actuators enabling to connect the world, robot intelligence, the software architecture of these machines, methods to control them and the application issues such as localization, navigation or grouping, are now a part of the modern technological culture. It is almost a clichà © to presume that the artificial intelligence in the future would make a dramatic change and offer stunningly new developments for the humans. If the developments are gradual than probably we wont see much difference and will accept it as part of technological evolution. But this is a mystery, maybe the shift will be dramatic due to the courtesy of truly ground-breaking technology. Autonomous robots instil both hope and fear in the minds of humans. These

The management of organisational culture is central to contemporary Essay

The management of organisational culture is central to contemporary management ideas and practices - Essay Example â€Å"American management had been preoccupied by rational and systematic aspects of management like organizational structures and strategies whereas Japanese companies had a more holistic approach which included attention to people’s skills and management styles† (Grey, 2009, p.65). Along with the changes happening in the life styles, attitudes and philosophies of people, organizational culture is also undergoing constant changes. Scientific and technological advancements contributed heavily in rewriting some of the traditional and established organizational principles. The introduction of internet and computers has revolutionized the organizational world and the concept of business has changed a lot because of that. Organizational communication strategies underwent drastic changes because of computers, internet and mobile phones. Current organizations realized the importance of a healthy organizational environment for the better productivity of the organization. New techniques like teamwork, outsourcing, offshoring etc like business strategies have gained prominence in the current organizational world in place of the traditional concepts like individual work, insourcing etc. Moreover, current organizations are more particular about doing something for the comm unity in which it operates and also for environmental protection in order to demonstrate their corporate social responsibilities. This paper briefly analyses the current organizational culture existing in the global organizational world. Musacco Ph.D (2009) has pointed out that â€Å"harassment, mobbing, bullying, and emotional abuses are common at the workplaces which resulted in increased fear and minimal trust between workers† (Musacco Ph.D, 2009, p.2). It is difficult for an organization to progress rapidly if the environment does not provide the necessary atmosphere. Most of

Orientalism And The Depiction Of Arabs Through Media Media Essay

Orientalism And The Depiction Of Arabs Through Media Media Essay I am half Egyptian, but was raised in a non-Arab society; therefore I can relate personal experiences into the concept of Orientalism. I connect to the Arab culture, in this case the other, but since I grew up in a Western society, I also express outlooks molded by this environment. Upon visiting Egypt for three weeks in 2001, I was able to contrast the two portrayals and create my own image of Arabs through direct observations. My paper will approach orientalism, specifically dealing with Middle Eastern people, and how the media has altered the Western image of the orient to exaggerate Arabs as a villainous race. Through political speeches, movies, cartoons, video games and news reports in the media, orientalism in the Western world, primarily being the Americas along with Europe, falsifies the Arab image and validates the barbarically threatening notions seen within Western societies. When asked to define an Arab person, people immediately bring forth a specific sketch. It is where these specific images come from that anti-Arab racism and, in this case, orientalism exist. Orientalism is defined as a framework that includes symbols, signs, language, and images to depict the East, and determine how they act differently than the West (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). In othering the Arab population, Orientalists [have] created a stereotype image of the [Middle] East in order to better manage it (Salaita 2006: 248). This categorizes the Western culture as normal, above the abnormal Arab culture which, according to the orient, is habitually in need of being helped. Orientalism unreasonably brings millions of individuals together in one simplified image to which it is wrongly assumed applies to all people of the Arab race. Although I was able to visit an Arab country and note characteristics first hand, orientalism first began through images which were in no way based off of immediate observation, but through the fabricated representations told by others. Without various media sources widely available in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the portrayal of the Arab race developed through European artists and travel writers who conjured ideas and fabricated art with their thoughts of what the people represented (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). Many never witnessed the culture first-hand and worked predominantly off imagination and exaggeration of learned details (Sut 1998). Embellished characteristics that have been inherited in the West through time to represent Arabs include seeing them as: highly sexualized, mysterious, evil spirited, thieving, terroristic, exotic, needy and untrustworthy (Earp and Jhally 2006). This distorted image has been growing in peoples perception ever since the early paintings , and has only strengthened with new forms of media being introduced in the world. Images and media now reach the Western people with increased frequency and efficiency, thus allowing no chance for the dated depictions to dissolve. Edward Said, who is famous for his studies with orientalism, claims the barbaric Arab image is timeless as it was created outside of history. It is eternal as the images created within the colonial era are those same portraits we see today (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). Presently, these colonial images are constantly reinforced through numerous media sources, whilst viewers in society subconsciously take in the commercialized image without question. Moving into the media, the government in the West is an institution that holds the highest power to directly influence the lives of individuals, controlling and deciding what the ideas and images of Arabs their citizens are accustomed to believe in and trust. Political elites thus hold the responsibility in transmitting international issues so that the public may stand informed about what is happening half way across the world. As demonstrated with the Bush-Era and his view on Arabs post September 11th, the United States took to their presidents speeches on the entire Arab race and allowed the media to form their ideas for them. In 2006 George Bush stated, We face an enemy that has an ideology. They believe things. The best way to describe their ideology is to relate to you the fact that they think the opposite of what we think(Kumar 2010: 259). He then later said: Since the horror of 9/11, weve learned a great deal about the enemy. And we have learned that their [the Arabs] goal is to build a radical Islamic empire where women are prisoners in their homes, men are beaten for missing prayer meetings, and terrorists have a safe haven to plan and launch attacks on America and other civilized nations. (Kumar 2010: 260). Bushs remarks are only one example of how a political speech can falsely characterize Arabs and cause countless societies to use the skewed form of media as their source for learning about the other. The media is controlled by the most influential people who can successfully impose specific ideas on those willing to accept them as truth (Sut 1998). In stating the Arab race as a whole to be the enemy, millions of ordinary Arab individuals have their lives, which do resemble Western lives in many senses, being distorted within the Western image. Pinning every single Arab as the enemy is unrealistic and robs the larger part of the race, which is trusting and simply living an average life with no intent of harming the West, of ever being respected. Furthermore, politics is connected to Hollywood as the two rely on one another to formulate images pushed into societies. Therefore Hollywood cinema incorporates Arabs into productions where they are not needed and of no help to the stories. As American producers are the power holders in the movie industry, it is in their authority to determine how the Arab image is intentionally warped and presented (Earp and Jhally 2006). Over three hundred movies today, or 25% of the film industry, demean Arabs with racial slurs and static characters, usually added solely for comic relief or to bring a barbaric presence (ibid). The seemingly innocent Disney shows through the classic Aladdin, stereotypes of those with Arabic decent. With a song in the film it is said that the Middle East is a place where they cut off your ears, if they dont like your face, its barbaric, but hey its home. The video influences young children to grow up with preset images of an Arab who is purely violent and malicious , based off the Arab characters numerous evil actions. Another example of the distorted image is in the Gladiator, where slave traders were, for no reason, Arabs (ibid); In True Lies Arabs were made out as incompetent (ibid); Never Say Never and Jewel of the Nile both show Arabs as prominently imprisoning and oppressing women (Shaheen 2000); Navy Seals justifies the tang and bang of Arabs; and 24 justifies the torture of innocent people because of the idea that Arabs are suspicious and dangerous despite the fact they live in an American community (Earp and Jhally 2006). Film after film, Arabs are robbed of their humanity, yet the repetition in these Western created films recycles the images to the point where the stereotype is transparent and the depictions are expected. In reality, however, many Arab women work outside the home, men are in trusted occupations, families are not secretive and violence is not tolerated (Salaita 2006). The consistent images in the media refuse to show Arabs in the previously mentioned positive light, and thus with never seeing favourable images in the media, the public is hesitant to believe such characteristics are true. Falling in close line with the original European portraits of the other, cartoons today are a form of media where the Arab origin is vastly exaggerated and exploited through harmful humour. One controversial cartoon was published in a Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, in September 2005 which caricatured Islam and presented the Muslim Prophet Muhammad in twelve intended satirical affairs (Kumar 2010). One of the images shows him with a lit bomb on his head instead of a turban, while another has him with a sword ready to fight, accompanied by two women dressed with only their eyes visible (ibid). The comic was drawn with humour as the objective, however, offended many and caused much debate due to the obvious attached portrayals. Looking once again to Disney, even in the well-known show Looney Tunes, Daffy shoots at three winsome Mexican mice. The mice call Daffy, among other things, Arab Duck!' (Shaheen 2000). The children watching Daffy Duck would have otherwise associated the shoot er with any bad person, but with the comment they learn to connect people who shoot others as Arab (ibid). Because cartoons are colorful images with few words, it is easier for them to slide by as a joke or pun, when in reality the oppressed woman, terrorist men and villainous personas are brought into orientalism as real tags to the Arab nations. Cartoons bring direct ideas, which are simply put, causing readers to instantly absorb the offered stereotype, as they are easier to bring forth when characterizing others than ones own ideas. As children get older they tend to switch from cartoons to video games for immediate amusement, and once again, orientalism is found within the media form. Game makers have the power to create games in any manner they desire, thus in distorting portrayals of the Middle East to suit existing Western ideas, they reel in their desired capital whilst leaving audiences with self-satisfying yet incorrect images. Research done on 90 European and 15 Arab made video games with Arab people holding a key role in game-play have shown that the identities of the Islamic world have been flattened out and reconstructed into a serious of social typologies operating within a broader framework of terrorism and hostility through video games (Sisler 2008:203). Games such as prince of Persia (Broberbunst, 1989), Arabian nights (Krigalis, 1993) and Al-Qadim: The Genies Curse (SSI 1994) are all examples of video games which solidify the image of the orient where Arabs are dangerous, aggressive, untrustworth y and live only in the desert (Sisler 2008). As the video games above have quests, many require the player of the game to save a girl or princess who has been kidnapped by an Arab man (ibid). As well the Arab tend to raise their guns above their heads after a kill and mockingly laugh while adding nothing to the games purpose (Sisler 2008: 209). The idea that the Western player has to save the girl from the Arab and be the hero up against the villain character reinforces the stereotypical image of the Middle East as barbaric. As stereotypes can lower self-esteem, injure innocents, impact policies and encourage divisiveness the images of orientalism need to be removed from society so that people of the Arab race are not faced with deeply rooted prejudices which lack valid ideas about who they are as people individually (Sisler 2008: 204). Additionally videogames based in Arab settings are one-dimensional with little to no variety in scenery. Even though each Middle Eastern nation is unique, the in-game surroundings and setting are rendered frequently by iteration of a limited number of textures and schemes, most often the desert, so that an idea is assumed that no other landscapes or appearances of the nation exist (Sisler 2008: 206). Although video games are often a neglected source of media, the problem behind video games is that most of them are foreign made [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and bear enormous false understandings that habituate teenagers to violence, hatred and grudges which add to the racist issues within the world (Sisler 2008: 211). With the youth of today absorbing one sided false perceptions of a race at such a young age, the individuals reach adulthood with the ideas often so heavily embedded that one becomes blind to accepting the true image and allows the orientalism depictions to influence actions and jud gments towards the other. Not aimed for purpose of comedy or entertainment, still photography acts similarly to cartoons in creating an imaginative geography [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] which unambiguously divides the world into two unequal parts the known world of the Occident and the larger, different part called the Orient (Trivundza 2004: 489-490). Images used in the media are strategic in that certain absences are intentional to the pictures. This refers to three main factors that ensure that stereotypes remain. First is the absence of diversity, which deals with showing coverage of only specific events and ignoring others (Trivundza 2004). The second fact is the absence of unveiled women, which leaves spectators believing all women of the Arab race are oppressed and forced to cover (ibid). As an Arab myself, I am one of the thousand underrepresented women to prove this image wrong, yet only one in ten photographs in Western Media shows an unveiled Arab (ibid). Third, and finally, is the absence of active subject who are working. Images show them as passive, grieving, and incapable of creating value (ibid). All three absences add to the idea that Arab women are oppressed, the race is lazy and that what applies to one individual applies to all. The absences collectively provide the audience with portrayals that only stand true to a certain extent, and ignore the other realities of the race. In short the media pushes to produce photographs completed with images of backwardness and irrationality (Trivundza 2004: 489-490). Although Orientalism has existed since colonization, it is upon the September 11th bombings of 2001, where many argue the image of the Arab other exploded in news reports, and the characteristics of Arabs as terrorist and savage were highlighted. Since the bombings took place in the United States, the West felt that the attacks [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] provided an ostensibly empirical pretext to legitimize anti-Arab racism, but in no way did 9/11 actually create anti-Arab racism (Salaita 2006: 251). This means that 9/11 did not create anti-Arab racism but instead validated it (Salaita 2006). Upon watching the news on television, the most barbaric images with high violence and extremists are shown to evoke emotions within the audience, and solidify the images orientalism generates. Even when it had been proven Saddam Hussein was in no way linked to the actions of Al-Qaeda, the public continued to rely on embedded conceptions through the news to believe Iraq posed as an immediate threat to th e US (Glyn, Meth and Wilis 2009). As well, in certain cases voiceovers are done so that the English Western viewers can make sense of situations, yet, the translations are at times improper and edited by Western stations to only present specific words (Sut 1998). The news adjusts story details because they have the control to do so, and because they know that communities are powerless as to what they are shown. In maintaining their own Western image, news of how the US has killed innocent Arabs, or how their soldiers abused those held captive by leaving them naked in compromising positions to the entertainment of soldiers, rarely, if ever, hit TV screens (Sut 1998). The news is presented so that harm on the Arab communities is deserved and justified, while harm to the Wests is for no apparent reason. Additionally, videos on the news are specially selected to include mass amounts of people to appear as though the evil and negative emanation gives off a frightening and threatening imp ression that can be applied to the race as a whole (ibid). The images of rallys and swarms are not representative of the entire race, but as it primarily what is shown in the West, it is clear why the image is believed. Between Arab countries vast differences exist, for example Egypt compared to Algeria shows immense lifestyle differences and culture, but with Western news, Arab unites all the Arabian countries as identical. One specific example of where orientalism wrongly accused Arabs through the news was in 1995 with the Oklahoma City bombings (Sut 1998). Immediately after the attack, countless news reports aired which forcedly claimed the Arabs were behind the attack and that it was linked to a Muslim plan. The bombing, unlike any media claims, was actually performed by a Caucasian male within the state itself (ibid). Audiences were told to be aware of Arab citizens who looked suspicious, and even Edward Said had been contacted personally, when he had no personal connection to anything of the matter (ibid). After the white male had been convicted, he was in no sense labeled a terrorist, where as the Arabs had attracted the allegation without one piece of actual proof. The bombing revealed that the portrayal of Arabs within Western news jumps to conclusions based on the stereotypical images that the Global North has been bred to believe. With such generalized depictions of the Arab peoples, many struggle to understand how the images have remained in the media. Unfortunately almost all Arab countries have no democracy and therefore require Western patronage to function (Sut 1998). The Arabs have given way to the power of money and allow the images to be presented because if they were to stand up and protest or enforce policies, the West would be quick to threaten dropping all assistance (ibid). Money sadly pays off the the other to allow the images to continue, and the West, as capitalists, continues to do just that. As James Baerg, Director of Program Practices for CBS-TV in New York City said [Arab stereotyping] is the same thing as throwing in sex and violence when an episode is slow, implying that insulting humour it is a quick fix to boost sales (Shaheen 2000: 22). Middle Eastern countries are aware of how they are seen by the West, but are currently faced with too many other issues to focus on changing the image . In imagining speeches, news, movies, or cartoons without the exaggeration or unnecessary use of Arab characters, it is possible to conceptualize a true image, which would not distort how the majority of Arab individuals live. Through my paper it is evident that media has the power in displaying images they know most Western citizens will be unable to experience themselves, and therefore impose Orientalism. As it is easier to carry on the false image from history to the present than recreate and adjust how people see Arabs, few have found success in changing the representations. So will the image of the orient ever dissolve? And if so will it be in the medias hands? Or will Arabs stand as a race to change the image of the orient? Only the future will answer the questions, but it is still unusual how many people today believe in the phrase seeing is believing, but when seeing is done through anothers eyes (the media) before our own, the phrase seems to lose no value.

The Last Man and the Plague of Empire Essay example -- Shelley The Las

The Last Man and the Plague of Empire      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I find myself in easy agreement with Alan Richardson's perceptive account of The Last Man as a novel written in the service of British colonial interests and of Mary Shelley as an individual swept up in the collective arrogance of nineteenth-century imperial England.    In one striking example of the novel's colonialist complicity, Lionel Verney presumptuously declares that England's prime resource is its people (its "children" [323]) whereas the greatest assets of the equatorial regions are their commodities--their spices, plants, and fruits. Verney further sentimentally recalls Britain's history of unshrinking exploration (read colonization and economic exploitation) of foreign nations under the crown's sponsorship, as he grieves for lost "times when man walked the earth fearless, before Plague had become Queen of the World" (346). It appears crystal-clear that The Last Man contains fewer sites of resistance than are present in Frankenstein and more moments of racism, jingoism, and religious contempt; therefore, in order to facilitate conversation, I will address here primarily the possible meanings of the novel's few heteroglossic moments, including the "ironic twist or two towards the end" that Alan Richardson mentions, in addition to posing some suggestive, or polemical, questions.    The horror of The Last Man may for Shelley lie in its revelation that the operations of nature obliterate both civilized and barbaric, Christian and Mahometan, with the same moral neutrality. In the end, Adrian, the sophisticated "blue-eyed boy" (27), a stand-in for Percy Shelley, s... ...e United States, 1898-1935.    http://www.accinet.ent/~fjzwick/ail98-35.html (December 2003). Greenblatt, Stephen Jay. Learning to Curse: Essays in Early Modern Culture.New York: Routledge, 1990.    Holmes, Richard. Shelley: The PursuitLondon: Penguin,1974.    Kipling, Rudyard. "The White Man's Burden." McClure's Magazine 12 (Feb.1899). http://www.accinet.net/~fjzwick/kipling.html In Jim Zwick,ed., Anti-Imperialism in the United States, 1898-1935. http://www.accinet.ent/~fjzwick/ail98-35.html (January 2004).    Richardson, Alan. Romantic Circles: "The Last Man and the Plague of Empire." http://prometheus.emory.edu/RC/mwsprogram.html (September 2003).    Shelley, Mary W. The Last Man. Betty T. Bennett and Steven E. Jones, eds. http://www.rc.umd.edu/editions/editions.html#mws   September 2003

How was Macbeth’s fall from grace a tragedy? Essay

Shakespeare presents an image of Macbeth originally as a hero, a role model of courage and bravery. However his indiscernible fascination with darker forces, portrayed by the witches, and whilst he is aware of the treachery in his subsequent actions throughout the play, his ambition engulfs his better judgement, where he contributes to his downfall from such greatness, and thus his character is human, enhancing such a tragedy. Macbeth experiences a sudden disastrous reversal in fortune where his material wealth rapidly multiplies and his personal values swiftly decrease, leaving him loveless, as well as childless, and eventually lifeless, factors which are remnant of Shakespearean tragedies. Even as he retains comprehension of his fate, approaching the play’s finale the audience experiences a certain catharsis, in which they feel pity for his misfortune, even if this character has behaved appallingly, in that his ambition and Lady Macbeth had pressure him to transform someone he himself did not like. Originally, Macbeth is portrayed as an image of prominence, and his relentless enthrallment with supernatural forces results in circumstances whirling out of his control. ‘Brave Macbeth†¦like Valour’s minion carved out his passage†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and thus assisted significantly in the victory which ensued, earning him a multitude of respect from not only the people, but King Duncan. In fact, the worthy King does see to it that as an added prestige and a gift of gratitude to such a noble gentleman, the title of Thane of Cawdor which has been retrieved from a most ‘disloyal traitor,’ and somewhat ironically considering Macbeth’s fate, ‘what he has lost, Macbeth has won.’ It appears, that upon the meeting of the three witches, who do deliver the three prophecies that indicate such a prosperous future for Macbeth, he is fuelled by his own ambition. It could be argued that this is beyond his own control, a mere circumstance often viewed in tragedies, where other characters and conditions are unrestrained by the protagonist, as it is realized that the witches have arranged to ‘meet with Macbeth’ and tempt him, yet he is aware of the possibility of their lies as ‘imperfect speakers’ and thus, his ‘rapt’ removes the possibility of his providence being unpreventable. The reader forms an impression of Macbeth prior to his personal introduction into the play, and thus Shakespeare employs a clever technique in placing Macbeth on a pedestal from our perspective prior to his  arrival. Unexpectedly, Macbeth experiences a sudden reversal in fortune, where he is forced to maintain criminal conflict in order to preserve his status which he has come to rely upon, and in doing so, manages to lose all that was initially dear to him. In what seems like moments, Macbeth achieves the Thane of Cawdor alongside the King of Scotland, but eludes the intimacy he once shared with his wife, and once such a conspirator, leaves her an innocent spectator to ‘applaud the deed.’ The gradual separation of Macbeth and his Lady is strangely sardonic, especially subsequent to the death of Lady Macbeth, where his perspective offers that ‘she should have died hereafter’ resignedly, similar to his manner upon achieving realization that his death is impending, thus presenting a double meaning in referral to himself and his deceased beloved. Shakespeare displays a sharp contrast in which Macbeth seems to have at one instant everything a man could desire including a kin gdom and pregnant wife, afterwards he is found to be truly alone, ‘abhorred tyrant, stripped of his love, child and eventually life. Such abrupt affluence exchanges in which a protagonist moves from happiness to misery, perhaps even death is often a result of dramatic conflict, typical in an Elizabethan tragedy. Disasters which are to follow Macbeth’s foremost crime are inevitable, and his awareness of this increases his humanity, as he has a flaw of pride which eventually is fatal. His evident ignorance of the many signs which do indicate to him to discontinue this murderous work are either for his own personal objectives as he has ‘no spur†¦but only vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself’ or for that of Lady Macbeth’s taunts which stimulate him as she insults his manhood in her opinion of him as a ‘coward in thine own esteem.’ Early in the play, he does establish the distrustfulness of the witches, as ‘the instruments of darkness’ and with knowledge of their ‘imperfect’ speech he still allows their words to effect him greatly, so much as to he ‘is in blood, Stepped in so far that †¦should wade no more, returning were as tedious as go’er.’ Upon knowledge of Macduff’s flight, Macbe th’s overruling passion for his prominence engulfs his better judgement, and he does order to murder of ‘his wife, his babes, and all  unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.’ Macbeth’s judgment is so weakened by worship for the position he holds that barbarian acts of murder to innocent women and children is no longer beneath him, and Shakespeare presents this in such little light that it appears to be of no importance to Macbeth at all. Prior to Macbeth’s death, the audience experiences a purgation of emotions, almost a catharsis in which empathy is felt for the protagonist, due to the fate dominated by supernatural forces which he appeared to never have true influence over. For his fate was partly predetermined, and his eventual loss followed by a release from such a suffered life is partly relieving, and partly saddening, as his eventual outcomes differ so greatly from his intentions. This misfortune he experiences may be larger than he deserves. Macbeth was once ‘valour’s minion’ and now communicates and consorts with ‘black and midnight hags,’ a procedure used to represent his obvious downfall. Formerly, upon the initial assassinations Macbeth does commit, we see glimmer of conscience when he ‘could not say Amen.’ His discarding of God’s ways in the Elizabethan era would have caused uproar from certain people, yet others would be moved to pity with empa thy for somebody who could lose such faith in God. In fact, Macbeth pities himself, when he realizes that to ‘know my deed, ’twere best not know myself’ and thus the reader commiserates with Macbeth in his regret. Finally, the reader experiences such compassion as Macbeth admits he has ‘lived long enough’ and cares not about his lack of army, and only wishes to die fighting, a soldier, the way he did begin, and agrees to ‘let them fly all.’ In termination, Macbeth’s fall from grace is a tragedy in the way in entails many such factors, involving elements of catharsis, as well as a sudden reversal in fortune for the protagonist. The circumstances beyond Macbeth’s control also contribute to his collapse, thus his disgrace was premeditated, and the pity exploited amongst the audience for Macbeth allows for a purgation of emotion, leading to the belief that the tragedy’s conflicts were a result of human flaws and perhaps his death was whilst deserved for his actions, perhaps not his beliefs.

Ancient Chinese Dynasties Essay

There were many Chinese dynasties that rose and fell throughout China’s history. The history of China, in a way, is a history of battles and wars. These wars were so important that they changed the structure of Chinese culture both then and now. Three dynasties that rose and fell during ancient China were the Han, the Tang, and the Song. The rise and fall of these great dynasties form a link that runs through Chinese history. The Han period was one of the golden ages of Chinese civilization. The Han dynasty lasted from 206 B. C. to A. D. 220. It began when the prince of Han, Liu Bang, took the title Gao Zu and began to restore order and justice to his new empire. He lowered taxes and reduced the Qin emperor’s harsh Legalist policies. These policies created a strong basis for the Han dynasty. The most famous emperor, Wudi took China to a new level. During his reign from 141 BC to 87 BC, he strengthened both the government and economy. Economic expansion, strengthening the palace at the expense of the civil service, weakening the states hold on the peasantry and the rise of the rich and the gentry were all factors that led to the adoption of Confucian ideals. Han emperors made Confucianism the official belief system of the state. Under Wudi, China conquered many lands, expanding their power and influence. The Han Dynasty now controlled northern Vietnam and the Korean Peninsula. Wudi sent explorers toward Central Asia, eventually opening up the famous trade route known as the Silk Road. However, signs of decay began to appear throughout the dynasty which put an enormous burden on the economy. Weak emperors allowed canals and roads to fall into disrepair. Burdened by heavy taxes, and crushing debt, many peasants revolted. Thousands of rebellious peasants abandoned their villages and fled to the mountains. In AD 220 warlords overthrew the last Han emperor. After four hundred years of unity, China broke up into several kingdoms. The Han dynasty was over. After the Han dynasty collapsed, China remained divided for nearly four hundred years. It was not until the development of the Tang dynasty, in 618 that China was restored to its earlier glory. The tang was an imperial dynasty of China. Its territory was acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers and was greater than that of the Han period. Tang rulers carried empire building to new depths. Chinese armies forced the neighboring lands of Vietnam, Tibet, and Korea to become tributary states. It is estimated that the population had grown by the 9th century to about eighty million people. The Tang Dynasty was largely a period of progress and stability. They rebuilt the bureaucracy and enlarged the civil service system to recruit talented officials trained in Confucian technology. Chinese culture flourished and further developed during the Tang era. It is considered the greatest age for Chinese poetry. Tang emperors began to lose territories in Central Asia to the Arabs. Corruption, high taxes, drought and famine all contributed to the downfall of the Tang Dynasty. In 1907, a rebel general over through the last Tang emperor, which brought the dynasty to an end. The Song Dynasty lasted for more than three hundred years. It began in 960, when a educated general reunited most of China. The Song controlled less territory than the Tang dynasty did. The dynasty was constantly threatened by invaders in the north. Despite military obstacles, the culture brought rise to a new religion. Education expanded the growth of literature and the arts. Foreign trade flourished and Chinese cities prospered as centers of trade. Positions in government were no longer held by aristocrats and were instead given to people with experience and degrees. This made the government stronger and formed new concepts. Chinese wealth and culture lead East Asia even when its militaries did not. Most problems in this dynasty were due to military power. A combination of corrupt officials and weak emperors contributed to its downfall. China has a long and mysterious history of almost five thousand years. China can trace her culture back to a blend of small original tribes which have expanded until they became the great country we have today. Each rise and fall of a dynasty created new leaders, new laws, new rules, and usually new expansion. Chinese history is that of alternating periods of political unity and disunity. The rise and fall of many dynasties created a rocky path in Chinas history.

Complete List of FREE SAT Math Practice Problems

Complete List of FREE SAT Math Practice Problems SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Need to study for the SAT Math section but don’t know where to start? On a budget, too? Not to worry! In this article,we've put together a comprehensive list of all the best (and free!) SAT Math study materials and guides currently available online. Note: For info on the best SAT study materials you have to pay for, check out our picks for top SAT prep books. Feature Image: Alan O'Rourke/Flickr The Importance of Using High-Quality SAT Math Materials It is incredibly important to get your study materials from the right places. The SAT is a very specific kind of test, and there are many (many!) websites and programs out there that, sadly, offer only poor-quality SAT resources. If you study using mainly inferior SAT materials, you won't get a clear sense as to how you’ll do on test day. Test prep is about assessing and improving upon your current level, but you won’t be able to do this if you get a false sense of your skills based on poor study materials. Ultimately, products and test questions that don’t accurately reflect the SAT are a waste of time. Therefore, it's best to prioritize official SAT materials. The SAT is designed by the College Board, and their free materials are by far the best place to start studying. From here, you can branch off into programs and materials that use (or closely resemble) official SAT material. Now, let's look at the best resources you can use for free official SAT Math practice questions. Ready, set, go! Top 5 Free Resources for Quality SAT Math Practice In this section, we go over the top five free resources you can use for quality SAT Math prep. #1: The College Board As the creator and issuer of the SAT, the College Board is the best place to begin for collecting your free SAT Math study materials. The official website offers full-length SAT practice tests and practice questions for all sections. Free Official Full-Length SAT Practice Tests 10 official practice tests are currently available online. Each test comes with an answer key and in-depth answer explanations to help you understand why you got questions wrong. Practice Test 1: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 2: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 3: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 4: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 5: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 6: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 7: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 8: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations Free Official SAT Math Practice In addition to full-length tests, the College Board offers several SAT Math practice questions (as well as sample questions for all other sections of the test). For SAT Math, there are 30 calculator-permitted questions and 18 no-calculator questions. Though it's not quite a full SAT Math section, it gives you an opportunity to get more exposure to the kind of math you'll see on test day. As you answer each question, try not to look at the correct answers right away. Instead, write your answers on a piece of paper as you take the "test." When finished, refer to the official answer explanations; this will help you understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. Old Official Full-Length SAT Practice Tests While the newest practice tests will be most useful for your prep, you can also use any of these four old (pre-2016) SAT practice tests. Most math questions on these should be helpful- just note that these days geometry is less important and data interpretation is more important. SAT Practice Test 2013-14: Questions | Answers SAT Practice Test 2012-13: Questions | Answers SAT Practice Test 2007-08: Questions | Answers SAT Practice Test 2004-05: Questions | Answers You might notice that there are some missing years (e.g,. 2005-06, 2006-07, etc.). This is because the tests for these years are repeats of the ones above. In other words, the four tests linked above are the only free SAT tests available from the past 10 years (excluding the newest ones). No need to weigh the pros and cons here- all of the resources we recommend are guaranteed to help you get a great SAT Math score! #2: Khan Academy Khan Academy is a nonprofit and partner of the College Board that offers a free online SAT prep program and practice questions. While most of the questions come from official SAT practice materials (such as those linked above), others have been created or adapted with approval from or in tandem with the College Board itself. Sign up for a free Khan Academy account to get access to SAT study questions and materials, complete with guides and explanation videos to aid your studying. #3: PrepScholar SAT Blog Here at PrepScholar, we offer tons of free resources, including detailed guides on every SAT math topic and a complete collection of our best SAT Math articles. All our guides include definitions and explanations, examples of how you’ll see the topic on the test, and real SAT practice questions with detailed answer explanations. Browse our SAT Math guides below to get started! All guides are arranged by topic. Numbers Integers (Basic) Integers (Advanced) Fractions, Ratios, and Proportions Statistics (Mean, Median, Mode) Probability Sequences // Algebra Single Variable Equations Systems of Equations Functions Coordinate Geometry Points Lines and Slopes Reflections, Translations, and Rotations Plane and Solid Geometry Lines and Angles Circles Triangles Polygons Solid Geometry Trigonometry Trigonometry Formulas The 28 Critical SAT Math Formulas You MUST Know In addition, we have strategy guides that will help you solve numerous SAT Math problems across the board: Plugging in Answers Plugging in Numbers If you find our guides and quizzes helpful, you can also sign up for a free five-day trial to our test prep program. Our program assesses your current strengths and weaknesses and adapts based on your progress. It gives you practice questions tailored to your areas of needed improvement and provides answer explanations for all questions. All our questions are based off real SAT test questions and, though the full program is not free, we guarantee your money back if you do not improve by 160 points. #4: CrackSAT.net CrackSAT is a free, unofficial SAT website offering PDFs of official SAT practice tests and an array of both official and unofficial SAT Math questions. Many of the questions on CrackSAT come from SAT prep books by well-known test-prep companies including The Princeton Review and Kaplan. Though generally solid, unofficial SAT questions can vary wildly in quality, so don't rely on only these to give you a sense of your math abilities. Rather, it's best to use this website after you've exhausted all the official SAT resources above. What's especially nice about this website is its organization: math questions are available in both multiple-choice and grid-in categories to give you the full range of math practice. You can also browse problems by concept (e.g., linear functions, exponents and radicals, etc.). #5: Ivy Global SAT Practice Tests Finally, if you want to practice math in the context of more full-length SAT practice tests, use Ivy Global's two unofficial practice test PDFs (SAT Online Practice Test 1 and Practice Test 2). These resources closely follow the format of the SAT and are both highly realistic. However, they're not perfect. Some of the questions on the Math sections are a little too easy and not as similar to those on the SAT as they could be. There are also no answer explanations, making it difficult to determine how to find the right answers for math questions you get wrong. // You've gathered all your study material ... so now what? Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! How to Use SAT Math Study Materials Effectively: 6 Tips It's just as important to know how to best utilize your SAT study materials as it is to know how to access them. These six tips will help you achieve your highest SAT Math score on test day. #1: Take a Full Practice Test in One Sitting You're probably most concerned about your SAT Math score, but it's still important to take a full SAT practice test so you can see how you'll fare on test day. Although answering one or two Math questions might not be too much of a challenge for you, in truth the SAT is a marathon- and if you aren't prepared, you'll likely be exhausted by the end of it. And exhaustion can lead anyone to make mistakes! So before you dedicate your focus to the SAT Math section, take an official SAT practice test to see how your Math score fits into the larger test-taking picture. Make sure to take the whole test in one sitting; this will help you build endurance for test day. #2: Use Proper Timing and Pace Yourself As you take SAT practice tests and any Math-specific sections, be sure to use the same time limits you'll have on test day. The chart below shows how much time you'll have on each SAT section as well as how much time you should (approximately) spend per question: SAT Section Total Time # of Questions Time per Question Reading 65 minutes 52 75 seconds Writing and Language 35 minutes 44 48 seconds Math No Calculator 25 minutes 20 75 seconds Math Calculator 55 minutes 38 87 seconds Essay (Optional) 50 minutes 1 50 minutes You'll have about 75 seconds per question on No Calculator Math section, and 87 seconds per question on the Calculator Math section. Some questions might take you less or more time, but keep practicing so that you're not consistently spending too long on a single math question. Remember that accuracy is only half the battle- you have to actually finish the questions within the time limits if you want to get a high Math score! That said, don’t worry if you run out of time while taking your first SAT practice test. This is completely normal and gives you a starting point from which you can later improve. #3: Review Your Mistakes It's one thing to take an SAT Math test, but you also need to look over your results and identify any patterns in your correct and incorrect answers. Do you tend to get the last few questions wrong on each Math section? Do function questions just seem to throw you for a loop? First, figure out what went wrong. Then, see how you can pick up some easy points and diligently target those areas in your prep. (Remember that each Math question, no matter its difficulty, is worth the same number of points!) #4: Target Your Biggest Weaknesses Once you've pinpointed patterns in the errors you make, it's time to dig deeper and examine your biggest weaknesses. Your ultimate goal will be to tailor your studying so that you can focus on improving the areas you struggle with the most. Since your overall objective is to answer as many questions as accurately as possible, you'll want to dedicate the majority of your study time to improving your weaknesses, rather than to reviewing material you already know well. Refreshing your known material again and again might make you feel productive and confident, but it doesn't do a whole lot to improve your score. Your best bet is to focus on your problem areas by practicing and expanding your knowledge base. #5: Set a Study Schedule Don’t be tempted to cram right before the test. You might have a busy schedule and feel as if your only option is to cram for the SAT, but improvement really happens over time. We generally advise giving yourself at least three to six months to study for the SAT. If you don't have a lot of time left before test day, however, don't give up! No matter how much time you've got for studying, it is possible to come up with a balanced SAT study plan. First, calculate the amount of time you have before your test date. (For example, say you've got a month before your test.) Next, assign yourself at least three full practice tests (in addition to your normal study materials) and spread them out over the course of your study schedule. If you only have a week or so before test day, this probably won’t be possible. In this case, try to fit in at least one or two practice tests wherever you can. Nothing else replicates the SAT experience like a full practice test does, so don't underestimate its importance in your prep! #6: Not Seeing Any Improvement? Get Additional Prep Help Some students prefer to do all of their SAT studying by themselves, but others work better with a little guidance. If the SAT subject matter just isn't making sense to you or you need help prioritizing your time, an SAT tutor or prep program (or both!) are excellent options to try. Both can give you that final push you need to stay focused and maximize your SAT Math score. At PrepScholar, we offer expert SAT tutoring services in addition to a fully customizable SAT prep program. For more info, read our guides on how to find the best SAT tutor for youand how much you should spend on tutoring. Targeted and careful practice, rest, and confidence: the perfect recipe for SAT success. What’s Next? Don't know where to start? Take a look at our list of all math topics on the SAT Math section, and target your weaknesses with our individual SAT Math guides. Want to know what the hardest SAT Math questions are? We've compiled a list of the 13 most challenging SAT Math questions, along with answer explanations for each. Bitten by the procrastination bug? Time running out until test day? Check out how to beat the urge to procrastinate, and learn how to balance time for your studies. Looking to get a perfect SAT Math score? Dig into our guide to getting a perfect 800 on SAT Math, written by a perfect scorer! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: //