The Da Vinci Code Chapter 21-23

CHAPTER 21 The Mona Lisa. For an instant, standing in the exit stairwell, Sophie forgot all about trying to leave the Louvre. Her shock over the anagram was matched only by her embarrassment at not having deciphered the message herself. Sophie's expertise in complex cryptanalysis had caused her to overlook simplistic word games, and yet she knew she should have seen it. After all, she was no stranger to anagrams – especially in English. When she was young, often her grandfather would use anagram games to hone her English spelling. Once he had written the English word† planets† and told Sophie that an astonishing sixty-two other English words of varying lengths could be formed using those same letters. Sophie had spent three days with an English dictionary until she found them all. â€Å"I can't imagine,† Langdon said, staring at the printout,† how your grandfather created such an intricate anagram in the minutes before he died.† Sophie knew the explanation, and the realization made her feel even worse. I should have seen this!She now recalled that her grandfather – a wordplay aficionado and art lover – had entertained himself as a young man by creating anagrams of famous works of art. In fact, one of his anagrams had gotten him in trouble once when Sophie was a little girl. While being interviewed by an American art magazine, Sauniere had expressed his distaste for the modernist Cubist movement by noting that Picasso's masterpiece Les Demoiselles d'Avignon was a perfect anagram of vile meaningless doodles.Picasso fans were not amused. â€Å"My grandfather probably created this Mona Lisa anagram long ago,† Sophie said, glancing up at Langdon. And tonight he was forced to use it as a makeshift code.Her grandfather's voice had called out from beyond with chilling precision. Leonardo Da Vinci! The Mona Lisa!Why his final words to her referenced the famous painting, Sophie had no idea, but she could think of only one possibility. A disturbing one. Those were not his final words†¦ . Was she supposed to visit the Mona Lisa? Had her grandfather left her a message there? The idea seemed perfectly plausible. After all, the famous painting hung in the Salle des Etats – a private viewing chamber accessible only from the Grand Gallery. In fact, Sophie now realized, the doors that opened into the chamber were situated only twenty meters from where her grandfather had been found dead. He easily could have visited the Mona Lisa before he died. Sophie gazed back up the emergency stairwell and felt torn. She knew she should usher Langdon from the museum immediately, and yet instinct urged her to the contrary. As Sophie recalled her first childhood visit to the Denon Wing, she realized that if her grandfather had a secret to tell her, few places on earth made a more apt rendezvous than Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. â€Å"She's just a little bit farther,† her grandfather had whispered, clutching Sophie's tiny hand as he led her through the deserted museum after hours. Sophie was six years old. She felt small and insignificant as she gazed up at the enormous ceilings and down at the dizzying floor. The empty museum frightened her, although she was not about to let her grandfather know that. She set her jaw firmly and let go of his hand. â€Å"Up ahead is the Salle des Etats,† her grandfather said as they approached the Louvre's most famous room. Despite her grandfather's obvious excitement, Sophie wanted to go home. She had seen pictures of the Mona Lisa in books and didn't like it at all. She couldn't understand why everyone made such a fuss. â€Å"C'est ennuyeux,† Sophie grumbled. â€Å"Boring,† he corrected. â€Å"French at school. English at home.† â€Å"Le Louvre, c'est pas chez moi!† she challenged. He gave her a tired laugh. â€Å"Right you are. Then let's speak English just for fun.† Sophie pouted and kept walking. As they entered the Salle des Etats, her eyes scanned the narrow room and settled on the obvious spot of honor – the center of the right-hand wall, where a lone portrait hung behind a protective Plexiglas wall. Her grandfather paused in the doorway and motioned toward the painting. â€Å"Go ahead, Sophie. Not many people get a chance to visit her alone.† Swallowing her apprehension, Sophie moved slowly across the room. After everything she'd heard about the Mona Lisa, she felt as if she were approaching royalty. Arriving in front of the protective Plexiglas, Sophie held her breath and looked up, taking it in all at once. Sophie was not sure what she had expected to feel, but it most certainly was not this. No jolt of amazement. No instant of wonder. The famous face looked as it did in books. She stood in silence for what felt like forever, waiting for something to happen. â€Å"So what do you think?† her grandfather whispered, arriving behind her. â€Å"Beautiful, yes?† â€Å"She's too little.† Sauniere smiled. â€Å"You're little and you're beautiful.† I am not beautiful, she thought. Sophie hated her red hair and freckles, and she was bigger than all the boys in her class. She looked back at the Mona Lisa and shook her head. â€Å"She's even worse than in the books. Her face is†¦ brumeux.† â€Å"Foggy,† her grandfather tutored. â€Å"Foggy,† Sophie repeated, knowing the conversation would not continue until she repeated her new vocabulary word. â€Å"That's called the sfumato style of painting,† he told her,† and it's very hard to do. Leonardo Da Vinci was better at it than anyone.† Sophie still didn't like the painting. â€Å"She looks like she knows something†¦ like when kids at school have a secret.† Her grandfather laughed. â€Å"That's part of why she is so famous. People like to guess why she is smiling.† â€Å"Do you know why she's smiling?† â€Å"Maybe.† Her grandfather winked. â€Å"Someday I'll tell you all about it.† Sophie stamped her foot. â€Å"I told you I don't like secrets!† â€Å"Princess,† he smiled. â€Å"Life is filled with secrets. You can't learn them all at once.† â€Å"I'm going back up,† Sophie declared, her voice hollow in the stairwell. â€Å"To the Mona Lisa?† Langdon recoiled. â€Å"Now?† Sophie considered the risk. â€Å"I'm not a murder suspect. I'll take my chances. I need to understand what my grandfather was trying to tell me.† â€Å"What about the embassy?† Sophie felt guilty turning Langdon into a fugitive only to abandon him, but she saw no other option. She pointed down the stairs to a metal door. â€Å"Go through that door, and follow the illuminated exit signs. My grandfather used to bring me down here. The signs will lead you to a security turnstile. It's monodirectional and opens out.† She handed Langdon her car keys. â€Å"Mine is the red SmartCar in the employee lot. Directly outside this bulkhead. Do you know how to get to the embassy?† Langdon nodded, eyeing the keys in his hand. â€Å"Listen,† Sophie said, her voice softening. â€Å"I think my grandfather may have left me a message at the Mona Lisa – some kind of clue as to who killed him. Or why I'm in danger.† Or what happenedto my family. â€Å"I have to go see.† â€Å"But if he wanted to tell you why you were in danger, why wouldn't he simply write it on the floor where he died? Why this complicated word game?† â€Å"Whatever my grandfather was trying to tell me, I don't think he wanted anyone else to hear it. Not even the police.† Clearly, her grandfather had done everything in his power to send a confidential transmission directly to her.He had written it in code, included her secret initials, and told her to find Robert Langdon – a wise command, considering the American symbologist had deciphered his code. â€Å"As strange as it may sound,† Sophie said,† I think he wants me to get to the Mona Lisabefore anyone else does.† â€Å"I'll come.† â€Å"No! We don't know how long the Grand Gallery will stay empty. You have to go.† Langdon seemed hesitant, as if his own academic curiosity were threatening to override sound judgment and drag him back into Fache's hands. â€Å"Go. Now.† Sophie gave him a grateful smile. â€Å"I'll see you at the embassy, Mr. Langdon.† Langdon looked displeased. â€Å"I'll meet you there on one condition,† he replied, his voice stern. She paused, startled. â€Å"What's that?† â€Å"That you stop calling me Mr.Langdon.† Sophie detected the faint hint of a lopsided grin growing across Langdon's face, and she felt herself smile back. â€Å"Good luck, Robert.† When Langdon reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs, the unmistakable smell of linseed oil and plaster dust assaulted his nostrils. Ahead, an illuminated SORTIE/EXIT displayed an arrow pointing down a long corridor. Langdon stepped into the hallway. To the right gaped a murky restoration studio out of which peered an army of statues in various states of repair. To the left, Langdon saw a suite of studios that resembled Harvard art classrooms – rows of easels, paintings, palettes, framing tools – an art assembly line. As he moved down the hallway, Langdon wondered if at any moment he might awake with a start in his bed in Cambridge. The entire evening had felt like a bizarre dream. I'm about to dash out of the Louvre†¦a fugitive. Sauniere's clever anagrammatic message was still on his mind, and Langdon wondered what Sophie would find at the Mona Lisa†¦if anything. She had seemed certain her grandfather meant for her to visit the famous painting one more time. As plausible an interpretation as this seemed, Langdon felt haunted now by a troubling paradox. P. S. Find Robert Langdon. Sauniere had written Langdon's name on the floor, commanding Sophie to find him. But why? Merely so Langdon could help her break an anagram? It seemed quite unlikely. After all, Sauniere had no reason to think Langdon was especially skilled at anagrams. We've never even met.More important, Sophie had stated flat out that she should have broken the anagram on her own. It had been Sophie who spotted the Fibonacci sequence, and, no doubt, Sophie who, if given a little more time, would have deciphered the message with no help from Langdon. Sophie was supposed to break that anagram on her own.Langdon was suddenly feeling more certain about this, and yet the conclusion left an obvious gaping lapse in the logic of Sauniere's actions. Why me? Langdon wondered, heading down the hall. Why was Sauniere's dying wish that his estranged granddaughter find me? What is it that Sauniere thinks I know? With an unexpected jolt, Langdon stopped short. Eyes wide, he dug in his pocket and yanked out the computer printout. He stared at the last line of Sauniere's message. P. S. Find Robert Langdon. He fixated on two letters. P. S. In that instant, Langdon felt Sauniere's puzzling mix of symbolism fall into stark focus. Like a peal of thunder, a career's worth of symbology and history came crashing down around him. Everything Jacques Sauniere had done tonight suddenly made perfect sense. Langdon's thoughts raced as he tried to assemble the implications of what this all meant. Wheeling, he stared back in the direction from which he had come. Is there time? He knew it didn't matter. Without hesitation, Langdon broke into a sprint back toward the stairs. CHAPTER 22 Kneeling in the first pew, Silas pretended to pray as he scanned the layout of the sanctuary. Saint- Sulpice, like most churches, had been built in the shape of a giant Roman cross. Its long central section – the nave – led directly to the main altar, where it was transversely intersected by a shorter section, known as the transept. The intersection of nave and transept occurred directly beneath the main cupola and was considered the heart of the church†¦ her most sacred and mystical point. Not tonight, Silas thought. Saint-Sulpice hides her secrets elsewhere. Turning his head to the right, he gazed into the south transept, toward the open area of floor beyond the end of the pews, to the object his victims had described. There it is. Embedded in the gray granite floor, a thin polished strip of brass glistened in the stone†¦ a golden line slanting across the church's floor. The line bore graduated markings, like a ruler. It was a gnomon, Silas had been told, a pagan astronomical device like a sundial. Tourists, scientists, historians, and pagans from around the world came to Saint-Sulpice to gaze upon this famous line. The Rose Line. Slowly, Silas let his eyes trace the path of the brass strip as it made its way across the floor from his right to left, slanting in front of him at an awkward angle, entirely at odds with the symmetry of the church. Slicing across the main altar itself, the line looked to Silas like a slash wound across a beautiful face. The strip cleaved the communion rail in two and then crossed the entire width of the church, finally reaching the corner of the north transept, where it arrived at the base of a most unexpected structure. A colossal Egyptian obelisk. Here, the glistening Rose Line took a ninety-degree vertical turn and continued directly up the face of the obelisk itself, ascending thirty-three feet to the very tip of the pyramidical apex, where it finally ceased. The Rose Line, Silas thought. The brotherhood hid the keystone at the Rose Line. Earlier tonight, when Silas told the Teacher that the Priory keystone was hidden inside Saint- Sulpice, the Teacher had sounded doubtful. But when Silas added that the brothers had all given him a precise location, with relation to a brass line running through Saint-Sulpice, the Teacher had gasped with revelation. â€Å"You speak of the Rose Line!† The Teacher quickly told Silas of Saint-Sulpice's famed architectural oddity – a strip of brass that segmented the sanctuary on a perfect north-south axis. It was an ancient sundial of sorts, a vestige of the pagan temple that had once stood on this very spot. The sun's rays, shining through the oculus on the south wall, moved farther down the line every day, indicating the passage of time, from solstice to solstice. The north-south stripe had been known as the Rose Line. For centuries, the symbol of the Rose had been associated with maps and guiding souls in the proper direction. The Compass Rose – drawn on almost every map – indicated North, East, South, and West. Originally known as the Wind Rose, it denoted the directions of the thirty-two winds, blowing from the directions of eight major winds, eight half-winds, and sixteen quarter-winds. When diagrammed inside a circle, these thirty-two points of the compass perfectly resembled a traditional thirty-two petal rose bloom. To this day, the fundamental navigational tool was still known as a Compass Rose, its northernmost direction still marked by an arrowhead†¦ or, more commonly, the symbol of the fleur-de-lis. On a globe, a Rose Line – also called a meridian or longitude – was any imaginary line drawn from the North Pole to the South Pole. There were, of course, an infinite number of Rose Lines because every point on the globe could have a longitude drawn through it connecting north and south poles. The question for early navigators was which of these lines would be called the Rose Line – the zero longitude – the line from which all other longitudes on earth would be measured. Today that line was in Greenwich, England. But it had not always been. Long before the establishment of Greenwich as the prime meridian, the zero longitude of the entire world had passed directly through Paris, and through the Church of Saint-Sulpice. The brass marker in Saint-Sulpice was a memorial to the world's first prime meridian, and although Greenwich had stripped Paris of the honor in 1888, the original Rose Line was still visible today. â€Å"And so the legend is true,† the Teacher had told Silas. â€Å"The Priory keystone has been said to lie' beneath the Sign of the Rose.† Now, still on his knees in a pew, Silas glanced around the church and listened to make sure no one was there. For a moment, he thought he heard a rustling in the choir balcony. He turned and gazed up for several seconds. Nothing. I am alone. Standing now, he faced the altar and genuflected three times. Then he turned left and followed the brass line due north toward the obelisk. At that moment, at Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport in Rome, the jolt of tires hitting the runway startled Bishop Aringarosa from his slumber. I drifted off, he thought, impressed he was relaxed enough to sleep. â€Å"Benvenuto a Roma,†the intercom announced. Sitting up, Aringarosa straightened his black cassock and allowed himself a rare smile. This was one trip he had been happy to make. I have been on the defensive for too long.Tonight, however, the rules had changed. Only five months ago, Aringarosa had feared for the future of the Faith. Now, as if by the will of God, the solution had presented itself. Divine intervention. If all went as planned tonight in Paris, Aringarosa would soon be in possession of something that would make him the most powerful man in Christendom. CHAPTER 23 Sophie arrived breathless outside the large wooden doors of the Salle des Etats – the room that housed the Mona Lisa.Before entering, she gazed reluctantly farther down the hall, twenty yards or so, to the spot where her grandfather's body still lay under the spotlight. The remorse that gripped her was powerful and sudden, a deep sadness laced with guilt. The man had reached out to her so many times over the past ten years, and yet Sophie had remained immovable – leaving his letters and packages unopened in a bottom drawer and denying his efforts to see her. He lied to me! Kept appalling secrets! What was I supposed to do? And so she had blocked him out. Completely. Now her grandfather was dead, and he was talking to her from the grave. The Mona Lisa. She reached for the huge wooden doors, and pushed. The entryway yawned open. Sophie stood on the threshold a moment, scanning the large rectangular chamber beyond. It too was bathed in a soft red light. The Salle des Etats was one of this museum's rare culs-de-sac – a dead end and the only room off the middle of the Grand Gallery. This door, the chamber's sole point of entry, faced a dominating fifteen-foot Botticelli on the far wall. Beneath it, centered on the parquet floor, an immense octagonal viewing divan served as a welcome respite for thousands of visitors to rest their legs while they admired the Louvre's most valuable asset. Even before Sophie entered, though, she knew she was missing something. A black light.She gazed down the hall at her grandfather under the lights in the distance, surrounded by electronic gear. If he had written anything in here, he almost certainly would have written it with the watermark stylus. Taking a deep breath, Sophie hurried down to the well-lit crime scene. Unable to look at her grandfather, she focused solely on the PTS tools. Finding a small ultraviolet penlight, she slipped it in the pocket of her sweater and hurried back up the hallway toward the open doors of the Salle des Etats. Sophie turned the corner and stepped over the threshold. Her entrance, however, was met by an unexpected sound of muffled footsteps racing toward her from inside the chamber. There'ssomeone in here! A ghostly figure emerged suddenly from out of the reddish haze. Sophie jumped back. â€Å"There you are!† Langdon's hoarse whisper cut the air as his silhouette slid to a stop in front of her. Her relief was only momentary. â€Å"Robert, I told you to get out of here! If Fache – â€Å"Where were you?† â€Å"I had to get the black light,† she whispered, holding it up. â€Å"If my grandfather left me a message – â€Å"Sophie, listen.† Langdon caught his breath as his blue eyes held her firmly. â€Å"The letters P. S†¦ . do they mean anything else to you? Anything at all?† Afraid their voices might echo down the hall, Sophie pulled him into the Salle des Etats and closed the enormous twin doors silently, sealing them inside. â€Å"I told you, the initials mean Princess Sophie.† â€Å"I know, but did you ever see them anywhere else? Did your grandfather ever use P. S. in any other way? As a monogram, or maybe on stationery or a personal item?† The question startled her. How would Robert know that? Sophie had indeed seen the initials P. S. once before, in a kind of monogram. It was the day before her ninth birthday. She was secretly combing the house, searching for hidden birthday presents. Even then, she could not bear secrets kept from her. What did Grand-pere get for me this year? She dug through cupboards and drawers. Did he get me the doll I wanted? Where would he hide it? Finding nothing in the entire house, Sophie mustered the courage to sneak into her grandfather's bedroom. The room was off-limits to her, but her grandfather was downstairs asleep on the couch. I'll just take a fast peek! Tiptoeing across the creaky wood floor to his closet, Sophie peered on the shelves behind his clothing. Nothing. Next she looked under the bed. Still nothing. Moving to his bureau, she opened the drawers and one by one began pawing carefully through them. There must be something for me here! As she reached the bottom drawer, she still had not found any hint of a doll. Dejected, she opened the final drawer and pulled aside some black clothes she had never seen him wear. She was about to close the drawer when her eyes caught a glint of gold in the back of the drawer. It looked like a pocket watch chain, but she knew he didn't wear one. Her heart raced as she realized what it must be. A necklace! Sophie carefully pulled the chain from the drawer. To her surprise, on the end was a brilliant gold key. Heavy and shimmering. Spellbound, she held it up. It looked like no key she had ever seen. Most keys were flat with jagged teeth, but this one had a triangular column with little pockmarks all over it. Its large golden head was in the shape of a cross, but not a normal cross. This was an even-armed one, like a plus sign. Embossed in the middle of the cross was a strange symbol – two letters intertwined with some kind of flowery design. â€Å"P. S. ,† she whispered, scowling as she read the letters. Whatever could this be? â€Å"Sophie?† her grandfather spoke from the doorway. Startled, she spun, dropping the key on the floor with a loud clang. She stared down at the key, afraid to look up at her grandfather's face. â€Å"I†¦ was looking for my birthday present,† she said, hanging her head, knowing she had betrayed his trust. For what seemed like an eternity, her grandfather stood silently in the doorway. Finally, he let out a long troubled breath. â€Å"Pick up the key, Sophie.† Sophie retrieved the key. Her grandfather walked in. â€Å"Sophie, you need to respect other people's privacy.† Gently, he knelt down and took the key from her. â€Å"This key is very special. If you had lost it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her grandfather's quiet voice made Sophie feel even worse. â€Å"I'm sorry, Grand-pere.I really am.† She paused. â€Å"I thought it was a necklace for my birthday.† He gazed at her for several seconds. â€Å"I'll say this once more, Sophie, because it's important. You need to learn to respect other people's privacy.† â€Å"Yes, Grand-pere.† â€Å"We'll talk about this some other time. Right now, the garden needs to be weeded.† Sophie hurried outside to do her chores. The next morning, Sophie received no birthday present from her grandfather. She hadn't expected one, not after what she had done. But he didn't even wish her happy birthday all day. Sadly, she trudged up to bed that night. As she climbed in, though, she found a note card lying on her pillow. On the card was written a simple riddle. Even before she solved the riddle, she was smiling. I know what this is! Her grandfather had done this for her last Christmas morning. A treasure hunt! Eagerly, she pored over the riddle until she solved it. The solution pointed her to another part of the house, where she found another card and another riddle. She solved this one too, racing on to the next card. Running wildly, she darted back and forth across the house, from clue to clue, until at last she found a clue that directed her back to her own bedroom. Sophie dashed up the stairs, rushed into her room, and stopped in her tracks. There in the middle of the room sat a shining red bicycle with a ribbon tied to the handlebars. Sophie shrieked with delight. â€Å"I know you asked for a doll,† her grandfather said, smiling in the corner. â€Å"I thought you might like this even better.† The next day, her grandfather taught her to ride, running beside her down the walkway. When Sophie steered out over the thick lawn and lost her balance, they both went tumbling onto the grass, rolling and laughing. â€Å"Grand-pere,†Sophie said, hugging him. â€Å"I'm really sorry about the key.† â€Å"I know, sweetie. You're forgiven. I can't possibly stay mad at you. Grandfathers and granddaughters always forgive each other.† Sophie knew she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't help it. â€Å"What does it open? I never saw a key like that. It was very pretty.† Her grandfather was silent a long moment, and Sophie could see he was uncertain how to answer. Grand-pere never lies. â€Å"It opens a box,† he finally said. â€Å"Where I keep many secrets.† Sophie pouted. â€Å"I hate secrets!† â€Å"I know, but these are important secrets. And someday, you'll learn to appreciate them as much as I do.† â€Å"I saw letters on the key, and a flower.† â€Å"Yes, that's my favorite flower. It's called a fleur-de-lis. We have them in the garden. The white ones. In English we call that kind of flower a lily.† â€Å"I know those! They're my favorite too!† â€Å"Then I'll make a deal with you.† Her grandfather's eyebrows raised the way they always did when he was about to give her a challenge. â€Å"If you can keep my key a secret, and never talk about it ever again, to me or anybody, then someday I will give it to you.† Sophie couldn't believe her ears. â€Å"You will?† â€Å"I promise. When the time comes, the key will be yours. It has your name on it.† Sophie scowled. â€Å"No it doesn't. It said P. S. My name isn't P. S. !† Her grandfather lowered his voice and looked around as if to make sure no one was listening. â€Å"Okay, Sophie, if you must know, P. S. is a code. It's your secret initials.† Her eyes went wide. â€Å"I have secret initials?† â€Å"Of course. Granddaughters always have secret initials that only their grandfathers know.† â€Å"P. S. ?† He tickled her. â€Å"Princesse Sophie.† She giggled. â€Å"I'm not a princess!† He winked. â€Å"You are to me.† From that day on, they never again spoke of the key. And she became his Princess Sophie. Inside the Salle des Etats, Sophie stood in silence and endured the sharp pang of loss. â€Å"The initials,† Langdon whispered, eyeing her strangely. â€Å"Have you seen them?† Sophie sensed her grandfather's voice whispering in the corridors of the museum. Never speak ofthis key, Sophie.To me or to anyone.She knew she had failed him in forgiveness, and she wondered if she could break his trust again. P. S. Find Robert Langdon.Her grandfather wanted Langdon to help. Sophie nodded. â€Å"Yes, I saw the initials P. S. once. When I was very young.† â€Å"Where?† Sophie hesitated. â€Å"On something very important to him.† Langdon locked eyes with her. â€Å"Sophie, this is crucial. Can you tell me if the initials appeared with a symbol? A fleur-de-lis?† Sophie felt herself staggering backward in amazement. â€Å"But†¦ how could you possibly know that!† Langdon exhaled and lowered his voice. â€Å"I'm fairly certain your grandfather was a member of a secret society. A very old covert brotherhood.† Sophie felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She was certain of it too. For ten years she had tried to forget the incident that had confirmed that horrifying fact for her. She had witnessed something unthinkable. Unforgivable. â€Å"The fleur-de-lis,† Langdon said,† combined with the initials P. S. , that is the brotherhood's official device. Their coat of arms. Their logo.† â€Å"How do you know this?† Sophie was praying Langdon was not going to tell her that he himselfwas a member. â€Å"I've written about this group,† he said, his voice tremulous with excitement. â€Å"Researching the symbols of secret societies is a specialty of mine. They call themselves the Prieure de Sion – the Priory of Sion. They're based here in France and attract powerful members from all over Europe. In fact, they are one of the oldest surviving secret societies on earth.† Sophie had never heard of them. Langdon was talking in rapid bursts now. â€Å"The Priory's membership has included some of history's most cultured individuals: men like Botticelli, Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo.† He paused, his voice brimming now with academic zeal. â€Å"And, Leonardo Da Vinci.† Sophie stared. â€Å"Da Vinci was in a secret society?† â€Å"Da Vinci presided over the Priory between 1510 and 1519 as the brotherhood's Grand Master, which might help explain your grandfather's passion for Leonardo's work. The two men share a historical fraternal bond. And it all fits perfectly with their fascination for goddess iconology, paganism, feminine deities, and contempt for the Church. The Priory has a well-documented history of reverence for the sacred feminine.† â€Å"You're telling me this group is a pagan goddess worship cult?† â€Å"More like the pagan goddess worship cult. But more important, they are known as the guardians of an ancient secret. One that made them immeasurably powerful.† Despite the total conviction in Langdon's eyes, Sophie's gut reaction was one of stark disbelief. Asecret pagan cult? Once headed by Leonardo Da Vinci? It all sounded utterly absurd. And yet, even as she dismissed it, she felt her mind reeling back ten years – to the night she had mistakenly surprised her grandfather and witnessed what she still could not accept. Could that explain – ? â€Å"The identities of living Priory members are kept extremely secret,† Langdon said,† but the P. S. and fleur-de-lis that you saw as a child are proof. It could only have been related to the Priory.† Sophie realized now that Langdon knew far more about her grandfather than she had previously imagined. This American obviously had volumes to share with her, but this was not the place. â€Å"I can't afford to let them catch you, Robert. There's a lot we need to discuss. You need to go!† Langdon heard only the faint murmur of her voice. He wasn't going anywhere. He was lost in another place now. A place where ancient secrets rose to the surface. A place where forgotten histories emerged from the shadows. Slowly, as if moving underwater, Langdon turned his head and gazed through the reddish haze toward the Mona Lisa. The fleur-de-lis†¦ the flower of Lisa†¦ the Mona Lisa. It was all intertwined, a silent symphony echoing the deepest secrets of the Priory of Sion and Leonardo Da Vinci. A few miles away, on the riverbank beyond Les Invalides, the bewildered driver of a twin-bed Trailor truck stood at gunpoint and watched as the captain of the Judicial Police let out a guttural roar of rage and heaved a bar of soap out into the turgid waters of the Seine.

Critical Analysis of a Child’s Reading Essay

Reading is an essential skill in modern society. Not only does it enable people to access information, it provides people with a great deal of pleasure. It is vital that primary schools equip children with effective strategies for reading as well as foster a desire to read that will stay with them throughout their lives. This analysis of reading will firstly give a brief outline of the context of my school placement. It will analyse two pupils as readers and their strategies. The school’s policy indicates that the context of teaching reading is very important – suggesting a variety of text styles. English & Williamson (2005) inform us that the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy (DfES 2001) broadened the range of texts children are introduced to at primary level. The school is superbly resourced, with thousands of books available to all pupils. Silent reading is also practised daily. X Primary is a larger than average three-form entry primary school with 472 pupils. It’s in an area of average to high socio-economic status and the majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds with few pupils who speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. (Ofsted 2010). Below is an analysis of a child’s reading. I will focus on analysing the child’s mistakes in reading, called miscues (Hall, 2003) to gain information of the child as a reader. See more: how to write a critical analysis outline Pupil A was chosen for assessment as he enjoys reading and is a strong reader. He has had several school moves due to family issues, and has received intervention and support throughout his time at Primary X due to his level of absence. He is eager to learn, and was keen to read for me. The assessment involved analysing his word recognition and comprehension skills. This provides an opportunity to understand how Pupil A as a fairly fluent reader may process a text. The text which was read by Pupil A was chosen as it was unknown to him. It was also chosen as a text that was suitable for his level of reading. Many of Pupil A’s miscues take place in the form of substitution. These miscues often relate to his syntactic knowledge. He reads ‘a’ instead of ‘one’ (line 3) and ‘but’ instead of ‘and’ (line 8). He also produces the miscue ‘even’ (line 9) as an insertion. These miscues suggest that he is making predictions about a text using his syntactic knowledge. This suggests that Pupil A brings his own knowledge to a text which causes him to make ‘predictions’ (Smith cited in Hall, 2003), resulting in a miscue. This suggests that Pupil A uses his syntactic knowledge to obtain meaning in what he reads (Hall, 2003). This miscue can also alter the meaning of the text which may affect his understanding. Pupil A makes the same miscue when he substitutes ‘for’ for ‘from’ (Page 2 line 1). He self corrects and asks for reassurance in his correction. Pupil A also corrects himself on the word ‘quickly’ (Pg 3 line 3). This self-correction reveals that he uses syntactic knowledge to process the text, but also that the text Pupil A sees is different from the text on the page (Goodman cited in Hall, 2003). Goodman suggests that there are two texts in question when reading takes place, being the actual text, and the perceived text. Pupil A demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the text. He demonstrated an understanding for the organisation of the text and recalled events of the story. Pupil A demonstrated an ability to infer from the text and evaluate it. When questioned, he was able to express that he liked the text and expressed why. He demonstrated emotional or psychological response to the text and characters feelings. This suggests that Pupil A engaged with the text and was interested in the plot. In conclusion Pupil A demonstrates a clear ability to read fluently and uses different strategies for decoding words. His ability to decode unknown words could be extended by knowledge of consonant digraphs. Pupil A shows an ability to understand a text on a literal level, as well as engaging in a text by making inferences and evaluating a text. We could improve this motivation to read by encouraging Pupil A to read regularly for pleasure. Pupil B was chosen as although she receives literacy support, she does not enjoy reading. She has accessed literacy support since starting at Primary school in Year 3 and has made considerable progress and is able to read certain texts independently however she also shows little interest in reading for pleasure. She is willing to read with me, as she is used to reading with adults, in a 1-1 situation, and is comfortable with me as I have been in her class for several weeks. She is reluctant to pick a book she in unfamiliar with and cannot think of a favourite author/book when questioned. Pupil B begins well, with her decoding strategies revealing her processing of a text but also her phonic knowledge. She reads the word ‘spider lings’ (line 8) correctly, by segmenting the word in her head first. She then blends ‘ling’ quietly, to herself, and then asks for reassurance to put both words together. This is because this is an unusual, unknown word, and Pupil B is unfamiliar with the term. She stumbles over the word ‘different’ (line9). She did not segment the word out loud and so it is difficult to determine which strategy she used to decode the word. Nevertheless, it is possible that Pupil B may have used one of two strategies. For the first strategy, it’s possible that she segmented and blended the word in silently. This suggests that Pupil B is confident in segmenting and blending. For the second strategy, Pupil B may have used her graphophonic knowledge to decode the word. Therefore it is possible that she recognised the word from previous reading exercises. She demonstrates her grapheme-phoneme correspondence knowledge in her unsuccessful attempt to decode the word ‘notice’ (line 10). She fell silent which suggests she attempted to segment the word in her head. However, Pupil B finds this strategy unsuccessful and then chooses to segment the word out loud Pupil B often falls silent throughout the exercise, and waits for a prompt. I feel this is due to her lack of confidence rather than lack of knowledge. Pupil B demonstrates her grapheme and phonemic knowledge (Hall, 2003) by successfully sounding out the first syllable of the word ‘children’ (line11). She was unable to sound out the second syllable. This suggests that she struggled to sound out a particular grapheme. It’s possible that Pupil B was unfamiliar with the consonant digraph ‘il’. However, Pupil B demonstrates a fluency in reading which may suggest that she uses sight reading as a strategy (Ehri cited in Hall, 2003) to process a text. Erhi (cited in Hall, 2003) suggests that readers find new ways of identifying words. Finding new methods to identify a word can help a reader to become a more fluent in reading. My reading assessment can provide an insight to how a reader may process a text (Ellis & Lewis, 2006 but it’s only an insight. I cannot be certain that the suggested reading strategy is the method used. The child’s responses is dependent on the text. Another influence could be the text’s difficulty. Too difficult a text may cause them to make miscues and create an unfair representation of the reader (Campbell, 2011). A reader’s inability to engage in the text may be because the reader is not interested in the text. To remedy this, it would be useful to find out what books the reader prefers. Another strategy for developing reading is shared reading which provides opportunities for children to peer assess. Iversen & Reeder (1998) suggest that this allows children to actively participate when they feel comfortable. This is useful when children haven’t developed full confidence in their own reading ability, it provides a ‘safe’ structure encouraging contribution. This would be beneficial if both pupils could work together as Pupil A may help Pupil B become more engaged with the text. After analysing both Pupil A and Pupil B, I was surprised at how both pupils used similar techniques, however they were different when reading aloud. I felt there was a gap in understanding and intonation from both pupils, despite being close in age, and both receiving support. I believe another difference was the pupils was desire to read, with Pupil A keen to read books, demonstrating a clear opinion on authors or genre, however Pupil B was reluctant to name a book she’d read, and didn’t have a favourite author/style. I believe this lack of enthusiasm for reading will hinder her development, regardless of support put in. In conclusion, both pupils show an understanding and varying strategies to break down a text, however the major difference seems to be their attitude towards reading itself. References EDP 4120 Assessing Reading Riley, J & Reedy, D. (2000) Developing writing for different purposes: teaching about genre in the early years. Paul Chapman Publishing, London. Iversen, S. & Reeder, T. (1998) Organising for a Literacy Hour, London: Kingscourt Publishing. Hall, K 2003 Listening to Stephen Read: Multiple perspectives on Literacy Buckingham: Open University English, E. and Williamson, J. (2005) Meeting the Standards in Primary English. Routledge Falmer. DfES. (2006) The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics, London: Department for Education and Skills. DfES. (2006) The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics: Core position papers underpinning the renewal of guidance for teaching literacy and mathematics, London: Department for Education and Skills. DfEE. (1999) The National Curriculum: Handbook for primary teachers in England, London: Department for Education and Employment. Ofsted 2010 Campbell, R 2011 Miscue Analysis in the Classroom Leicester: UKLA

Accounting for Carbon

INTRODUCTION This article describes the impact of using various methods to calculate carbon emissions. This article briefly introduces the Kyoto Protocol. Then that involves accounting issues surrounding the carbon. The starting point to solve is to calculate carbon credits and free quota and then calculate debt. After considering current carbon accounting practices such as the International Financial Reporting Interpretation Committee Act No. 3, the net debt approach, approval of government subsidies, several other issues must be considered . Carbon accounts are listed as one of three Alipay accounts along with cash accounts and credit accounts to measure the user's low carbon activity. Ant Financials believes that the future of finance is green finance and we are committed to making the carbon account a global carbon measurement, trading and sharing platform. Carbon dioxide emissions from individuals, countries, or organizations can be measured by implementing greenhouse gas emissi ons estimates or other computational activities expressed as carbon calculations. Once you know the size of the carbon footprint, for example, through strategies to reduce it through technical development, process and product management improvements, green public or private procurement (GPP) changes, carbon recovery, consumption strategies, carbon offset, etc. You can design. . There are several free online carbon footprint calculators, including publicly available peer-reviewed data and computing support, such as the University of California, Berkeley's CoolClimate Network Research Alliance and CarbonStory. These sites are asking for answers to more or less detailed questions about meals, transportation, family size, shopping and entertainment activities, electricity consumption, heating, and heavy machinery such as dryers and refrigerators. The first step is to measure the carbon footprint of the company. But before you escape you will have to do some reading and start adding numb ers. So-called carbon accounting - There is a specific rule for carbon dioxide equivalent to corporate emissions, whether it is a national state, whether it is a company or an individual - the habit of measuring it. Let's see an example. Imagine your company selling widgets at Amazon provided by delivery company UPS. When someone buys one of your gadgets, the carbon used to deliver it is burned by your company, Amazon, UPS, or end user? It is difficult to say intuitively, but from the viewpoint of common sense, you can see that all parties are involved in different degrees.

Global political economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Global political economy - Essay Example This economic crisis caused by political issues in US later spread to other countries resulting to economical, political and social problems especially in Europe, China and Africa. It started in United States due to production of excess paper assets produced for prices of houses. The US financial system anticipated a continuous increase of prices of housing and, therefore, they created more paper assets expecting that their demand will increase, but, unfortunately, the prices of housing declined leading to a financial crisis. Europe and China had purchased the paper assets for pricing of houses and, therefore, when the prices of houses declined they were also caught up in the financial crisis. The business elites who introduced the paper assets in US violated moral and social responsibility seeking their own personal gain but not the society as a whole. This was a political issue in US financial system itself and US also wanted to dominate the global political economy through supplying of the paper assets to other countries like Europe and China. It was speculated that the financial elites who were involved in the generation of the paper assets were in conjunc tion with the political elites in the US government. This is because if the financial crisis was involved in criminality why then did the political system fail to render such actions as a crime (Gup 2010, p. 24). The financial crisis spread to Europe where it was accelerated by the European political crisis which resulted from distrust among the parts of Europe in agreements. In Europe, there has been a minority group which has long felt that the European Union was put in place to support some countries like Germany and France at the expense of others. Greece experienced a debt crisis due to Greek government failure in funding them and when they approached the Germany government to bail them out, they refused due to political tensions between them (Kolb 2010, p. 30). In China, the economic

U.K. Energy Sustainability Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

U.K. Energy Sustainability Public Policy - Essay Example The intention of this study is Public Policy as a set of rules, or guides promulgated by governments to ensure that the branches of government all deal with issues in a similar, consistent manner, according to the laws and constitution of the particular country. Inevitably, public policy is not simply decided by an elected government: it is influenced and changed by pressure, or lobby groups, by organisations within the society or community, and by the public at large and its perceptions. While public policy can be confined to domestic policy and thought, the increasingly globalising world means that it is not only internal pressure which is brought to bear on government and their policy formulation, but also international trends and necessities. Thus, although this essay will focus on the Energy Policy of the UK Government, some consideration must necessarily be given to the influence that international trends in energy policy have on the UK. The Department of Energy and Climate Cha nge formulates public policy in this area and relies on two pieces of legislation: the Energy White Paper of 2007, and the Low carbon Transition Plan of July 2009. Four key policy goals were tabled in the 2007 paper: †¢ The UK should be on a path to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 60%, and significant cuts should be evident by 2020; †¢ The UK should ensure reliable energy supplies; †¢ Competitive markets in the UK and internationally should be promoted, so that sustainable economic growth is possible, and productivity can improve;   and Every home in the UK should be adequately and affordably heated. Additional considerations are highlighted in the policy, among them the production, distribution and use of electricity, fuel used for transport, and heating. The longer-term intention is to contribute to the worldwide fight against climate change, and to ensure secure, clean and affordable energy for the UK itself. By 2008, the policy included emphasis on the energy ma rket, offshore gas and oil, and investment in nuclear power. Direct control of energy in the UK economy now does not lie with the government, after the liberalisation and nationalisation policies of the 1980s and 1990s, and while UK energy is recognised as being highly reliable in delivery to the population (Bowlby, 2011, website) there are a significant number of UK citizens in fuel poverty. Yet,

Odontology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Odontology - Term Paper Example He approaches his victims in public places while feigning injury or disabilities then overpowering and restraining them as he puts them in his car. Several evidences collected included pantyhose mask (which was also used for strangling victims), ice pick, handcuffs and crowbar but the most famous evidence of him doing the crime was the bite mark he left on Lisa Levy’s buttock that linked him to other murders (Saferstein, 2009). Lisa Levy was a student in Florida State University and she was bludgeoned to death while sleeping at the Chi Omega sorority house. The bite mark was actually one of the two bite marks on Levy’s body. There was also another one on her breast. The buttock bite mark proved to be useful because it left impressions that gave the investigators more points of comparison for leading a match in identification. The analysis of the bite mark was a success because the investigator used a ruler to show the scale of the bite mark in relation to Bundy’s . They also analyzed the bite mark by using impressions, illustrations and such. Because of this, Bundy was forced by the court to give a dental impression. Then, the forensic dentist confirmed that Bundy’s teeth were the exact match of the dental pattern that they derived from the bite mark on Levy’s buttock. Bear in mind that people have unique bite marks – no two are alike (Saferstein, 2009).

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Economics - Essay Example b. The Fed fund rate averages at 7.10% during the 1970s, 9.97% during the 1980s, 5.15% during the 1990s, and 3.25% during the 2000-2007. The huge differences in the means of Fed fund rates can be explained by the differences in economic and monetary policies adhered by the different chairmen of the Federal Reserve. c. The Fed fund rate reached its maximum during January 1981 at 19.08% which is during the administration of Paul Volcker. Compared to the other Federal Reserve chairman, Volcker has been reputed as an inflation hawk who is more concerned on fighting inflation compared to a dove whose main concern is unemployment. This perception requires him to set the Fed fund rate at higher levels to fight stagflation. d. Fed fund rate is lowest during December 2003 at 0.98% due to the strong performance of the US economy. In fact this period saw the strongest economic development in the economy in nearly two decades. It can be recalled that during this period, the inflation targeting monetary policy has been adopted by the US. f. The Federal fund rate and ten-year Treasury bill rates tend to move apart as shown in the graph above. It should be noted that increases in Fed fund rates is simultaneous with declines in ten-year Treasury bill rates. g. The Federal Reserve solely influences the level of Fed fund rate. It should be noted that this is set during Federal Open Market Committee meetings depending on the agenda and economic situation of the United States. h. The ten-year Treasury bill rate is set by different variables in the economy like the real interest rates and inflation. The Fed can indirectly influence T-bill rates by affecting the monetary variables mentioned

Economic--Government Regulation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economic--Government Regulation - Research Paper Example Regulation of a country’s affairs by the government is not a contemporary issue as it is considered an event that began several decades ago as most governments engaged in attempts to advance their interest. In other words, regulations have been used to protect key interests of the civilians and those of the government of the day. Government regulations touch on a number of issues key among them being political, economic and social. As time passes by regulations, tend to develop at numerous government levels as commissions gain greater powers with respect to operation of regulations. In other words, the government departments and agencies are becoming heavily involved in design and final implementation of the regulations. It is noteworthy that government agencies constituted by either the executive or the legislative branches are highly responsible for actual implementation of various regulations issued by the government department in charge. For instance, in the United States, the Food and Drug Association (FDA) and Environment Protection Agency (EPA) are responsible promoting laws that ensure safe food and drug products are in the market while as well as laws that cut down on pollution effect in the country respectively. Government agencies have become powerful institutions over the recent past owing to the delegate roles they have been extended to by the government. For instance, the legislative arm of the government may formulate or enact laws and establish guiding principles and the agencies are left to make follow-ups and final implementation. The operations of these agencies are highly influenced by their independence and as such, there are certain agencies that free from the control of the executive and other department of the government. The government departments as well as agencies do not often work in isolation considering the fact that members from the private sector are normally included in the board. The private sector

Study skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Study skills - Essay Example The leading areas of focus include: Economic development and wealth creation. Social development. Environmental development. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Generally, the main concern that necessitates the upgrade of modern cities is the need to accommodate the ever-growing population especially around the bigger cities. One of the causes for this increase is the rapid rural-urban migration. The main cause for this migration is the pursuit for job opportunities and better housing facilities among others. There is a need to upgrade the existing social amenities to match this rate of migration in order to avert the major social problems that are associated with any unprecedented rise in population. London has been on the fore front in ensuring that the general infrastructure of the city is developed to ensure that the city retains its global position despite the sudden rise in urban dwellers. The other reason for the upgrade is to address recent global areas of concerns associated with the urban ar eas, top among them being the global warming menace. Most authorities have realized that the current global race towards industrialization has led to an upsurge in environmental degradation in levels never seen in the recent past. Keywords: urbanization, global warming, infrastructure, energy, renewable energy, sustainability, waste management. Introduction There has been a high motivation to improve on the development of London over the recent years. The Greater London Authority (GLA) is an authority whose role is to seek development in a brighter future for London. GLA is made up of members such as the Mayor, London Assembly, and staff. Other functionalities existing include London Development Agency, Metropolitan Police Authority, Transport and London Fire and Emergency authority. Therefore, the report seeks to expound on environmental improvement in London Powers and Responsibilities of the GLA and the Mayor: The Mayor of London is a very important figure as he sets the strategy used to focus on development, procedures to be used as well as the policies to be followed to realise the vision of making London the biggest and best city or choice of destination in the world. This involves the areas described above such as economic development and wealth creation, social development and finally environmental development. The work of strategizing the London vision is a responsibility of London’s Mayor. The mayor comes up with the best strategies that will be used to implement and fulfil the vision for the future. The Mayor of London also seeks to establish working relationships with key parties such as organisations. This will see to it that essential lines that will enable London to move easily to the strategized vision for its future can be drawn. According to the Mayor of London, Johnson Boris insists that he wants to bring about the changes that most Londoners have always aspired. Some of these changes include remodelling the general outlook of London so that it reflects a cleaner city with safer streets. There is also a need to introduce modern transport system as well a state-of-the art housing facilities. This will play a crucial part in attracting local, as well as foreign visitors to this great city. The Mayor of Lond

Why Should a Firm Cooperate with an Advertising Agency Coursework

Why Should a Firm Cooperate with an Advertising Agency - Coursework Example At Keller Advertising Agency we employ competitive professionals who are able to organize, create as well as place an advertisement to meet the objectives better than any company.   We do extensive market research and thus we are able to build an effective advertising strategy that will help you capture the market share as well as build a stable relationship with the consumers creating customer loyalty and help in building the company brand. With our knowledge of the eReader market coupled with an innovative and unique approach to the market, we are able to engage, capture the attention of the target market and enhance their interaction with the new product thus creating a relationship with the brand. At Keller Advertising we go at greater lengths to please our clients by ensuring that they have a great strategic vision that will steer them towards strategic success for their business in the global market.Our strategy is your strategy and this is what guides as to intriguing, competitive and ultimately successful campaigns. Our main aim is to inform and persuade the consumers on the new product through communicating ideas and information about the product in a way that will create a memorable experience for the consumer and enhance brand recognition. What counts most in campaigns is the message and we have talented experts who ensure creativity and logic. Finally, we provide a follow up after implementation of the campaign to ensure success.  An effective product name is one which is simple and easy to remember and thus will help in selling the product during marketing. A good product name should have the following characteristics be unique and thus distinguish the product from its competitors, hold appeal for the target audience, imply the benefits of the brand, create customer loyalty through bonding with the company, motivates the customers to purchase, can buy the image of the product and name and have symbolic association which fortifies the company’s image.

Adapting Communicative Language Teaching Approach to China’s Context Essay Example for Free

Adapting Communicative Language Teaching Approach to China’s Context Essay 1. Introduction With the development of market economy, China is accelerating its steps to join the world family in commerce and cultural partnership. With the recent accession to the WTO, the long-awaited Olympic Games in Beijing, China has made learning English a national priority. English, with its unique status, has been taught in China for more than 100 years. Today, English is becoming more and more popular. It is a compulsory course for all Chinese students from primary school to university. Clearly it is relatively easy to demonstrate the importance of English in current China. This essay intends to argue that to achieve success in English learning for Chinese students the methods of teaching must be reconsidered. Therefore this article is structured as follows: First, analyzing different types of English teaching methods in China and then focusing on the CLT Method. By analyzing and contrasting these English teaching methods, the need to change current English teaching methods in China will be discovered. Finally, explaining the problems of adopting the more modern CLT Approach and giving suggestions on how it may best be adapted to the Chinese context. See more:  Social Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay 2. A Brief Introduction to English Teaching Methods in China 2.1 Grammar-Translation Method  English has been taught in China for more than 100 years. In the beginning stage, people did not have any experience on modern language teaching and learning, so they followed a European language teaching method YE Jin (1978- ), Master of education, lecturer of School of Foreign Language, Shenzhen University; research fields: English language teaching methods, cross-cultural communication, educational assessment,which is used in teaching Greek and Latin in Middle Ages in Europe—Grammar-Translation Method. Some Chinese students become accustomed to this method in learning English and generally showed great interest in language structures and linguistic details. Most of them believe â€Å"we would like to know what happens, because if we understand the system, we can use English more effectively† (Harvey, 1985). Therefore, most Chinese English teachers always stick to this method, and think it is essential to analyze grammar to learners, without considering the age of the students or their English proficiency. This method is effective and suitable for some Chinese students, but not all of them. The outcome of this method is that students develop poor oral English ability with pronunciation and intonation not standard. Although they have learned lots of grammar rules, when using English to communicate, they will make grammatical mistakes frequently. Especially when they are in foreign countries, they cannot ask the way; they cannot order taxi. They are â€Å"observers† rather than active participants in classes. Students became almost â€Å"structurally competent but communicatively incompetent† (Johnson Morrow, 1981). It has been pointed out that this grammar-oriented approach reflects an artificial and formalistic view of language skills and learning. It doesn’t allow the learners to use a language in a natural way (Widdowson, 1990). This is the most serious problem in Grammar-Translation Method and also in current China’s English teaching. 2.2 Direct Method  This English teaching method is totally different from Grammar-Translation Method. It uses English directly in teaching, such as using English to make conversations or have discussions. Students’ English competence is developed in this way instead of using mother tongue to translate. The basic principle of this method is that the foreign language learning process should be like the natural process of a child learning his or her mother tongue. It believes that language is a skill or habit, and this habit can be achieved by repetition and imitation. Although this method can inspire students’ interests in learning English and is in favour of their English pronunciation and intonation, it has certain limitations: (1) It only focuses on experiences and perceptual knowledge in English and it has little estimate on students’ level of consciousness. (2) This method rejects mother tongue in English teaching. It only sees the disadvantages of mother tongue, but never makes use of mother tongue to facilitate students’ comprehension. (3) After learning English for a long time, some students may understand simple oral English but not complicated sentences and have poor grammar skills. (4) The class size should be small in using this method. So this method is just suitable to teach English beginners, and cannot be fully applied in the large country—China. 2.3 Audio-Lingual Approach  This English teaching method puts listening and speaking in the first place. It uses sentence pattern as the base of teaching and tries to avoid mother tongue in class. When using this method in learning English, students should first listen and then speak. After a long time practice, students can automatically express what they had heard. Because this method relies on repetition and drills, the main limitations are: (1) It over emphasizes the mechanical practice and ignores students’ English skills training and learning flexibility. (2) This method focuses too much on the language structure and ignores the meaning of the language, so students’ reading and writing abilities are poor. 2.4 Communicative Language Teaching Approach (CLT)  In the early 1990s, a new English teaching method was introduced to China—Communicative Language Teaching Approach. This method emphasizes how to use language as a media to communicate. Teachers should not only train students’ listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, but also train them how to use all of these language skills into the real life communication. The teacher sets up a situation that students are likely toï ¿ ¼encounter in real life. The CLT can leave students in suspense as to the outcome of a class exercise, which will vary according to their reactions and responses (Galloway, 1993). The basic features of CLT are: (1) It focuses on students’ active participation, the whole classroom is not the teacher-centered, but students-centered one. The teacher should give students enough time to practise during class. (2) The English teacher should help students to be more independent, active and fluent in using English. In real life situation, students will use the language without teacher’s help. (3) When using the CLT, the teacher often organizes pair and group work, the whole classroom setting should be arranged in favour of these activities. Although this method is quite useful and can inspire students’ interest, it still has some limitations: (1) The textbook using in CLT breaks up the English grammatical system, which increases students’ difficulty in learning grammar. (2) This method is hard to assess. The above four English teaching methods are all used in China in different time and to a certain extent; they have their own features and focuses on improving different language skills. So the limitations are unavoidable when we use them separately in English teaching. Among them, the oldest language teaching method—Grammar-Translation Method is still popular in some places in current China. Meanwhile, for various reasons, using the CLT in China met considerable difficulties. How to use the CLT in China’s English teaching context properly still has a long way to go. 3. Adapting Communicative Language Teaching Approach in China To solve this problem, we need to use the CLT flexibly, that is to say, we need to adapt CLT to China’s English teaching context. But just as Johnson and Morrow (1981, p. 1) state â€Å"new movements often begin as reactions to old ones. Their origins lie in a discontent with an existing state of affairs†. In fact, in 1992 the State Education Development Commission (SEDC) introduced a functional syllabus, in which the communicative teaching aim was set and the communicative functions to be taught were listed. In the same year, in cooperation with the British Longman, the SEDC published a new textbook series. The syllabus and the textbooks required teachers to teach communicatively in classrooms. This action met considerable resistance at that time. 3.1 Problems  The main problems of adopting CLT in China are: First, class size. In China, each class has at least 50 students, and there are only 45 minutes in one English class. Each student could potentially speak in each class less than 1 minute. So it is impossible for English teachers to conduct CLT well in this kind of class. Second, English teachers especially some primary and secondary school English teachers lack sufficient English knowledge and teaching skills to adopt CLT without further guidance and training. â€Å"Many teachers have tried to change the dominant teaching procedures but quickly get frustrated, lose their initial enthusiasm, and acquiesce to tradition†. (Campbell ZHAO, 1993) Third, in China the whole process of English teaching and learning is heavily influenced by examinations, and the matriculation English test focuses on students’ linguistic competence. The English teaching pattern in China is textbook-based, teacher-dominated and test-oriented, which prevents students from improving their communicative competence (ZUO, 1993). Finally, lack of teaching materials is another obstacle to adopt CLT in China. Right now, some universities in China stick to their own textbooks—College English, which was published in 1989 by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, and has remained unchanged for more than 10 years. College English does include some authentic materials from English novels and magazines, but it lacks practical applications and is hard to organize communicative classroom activities to go with it. Because of the above reasons, English teachers cannot adopt CLT directly in China’s context, and the history 31 Adapting communicative language teaching approach to China’s context ï ¿ ¼has already proved that direct adoption would fail at last. They must adapt CLT and use an eclectic method according to Chinaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s current situation. 3.2 Factors to be considered of adapting CLT to China’s context The above four English teaching methods are all used in China’s English teaching. They have their own advantages and disadvantages. Previous research and analysis show that the most scientific way to teach English in China’s context is to combine those different English teaching methods together, using an eclectic method. An eclectic method is a method that accepts the best teaching techniques from other methods according to the actual situation. To reconcile communicative approaches to the teaching of English with traditional Chinese methods helped English teachers in their teaching, but to be eclectic, teachers were required to use CLT as a method while accepting elements of the traditional methods, especially the Grammar-Translation Method. 3.2.1 Combining accuracy and fluency in China’s English teaching In English learning, accuracy and fluency are two equally important factors, but in China, accuracy is emphasized more than fluency. Chinese students are keenly interested in the exact words, have a low tolerance of ambiguity, and tend to focus on discrete grammar points and specific syntactic constructions (Barnhouse, 1981). Modern society needs students use English not only accurately but also fluently, so more attention should be paid to fluency in the future’s English teaching. As for teaching beginners, a solid foundation of English must be emphasized, which is primarily built on accuracy, so English teachers should use Grammar-Translation Method more in this stage . Then teachers should encourage students to use English orally with as few errors as possible, and to manipulate the language system as spontaneously and flexibly as possible. CLT is largely involved in this process. After students have mastered the language forms, they ought to be given intensive fluency practice, because although linguistic competence is the basis of communicative competence, communicative competence does not automatically result from linguistic competence (DUAN, 1992). At this stage, English teachers should not interrupt students’ practice to correct their mistakes frequently, but at the end of each fluency practice, the teacher should let students aware their mistakes, so they can avoid next time. During the whole practice, the teacher should let students use English extensively and limit the use of Chinese. Through this way, accuracy and fluency can be achieved and students’ English linguistic competence and communicative competence can both be developed. 3.2.2 Student-centered orientation  For a long time, China’s English classroom is dominated by teachers. They always stand in front of the blackboard, and talk all the time; students sitting in lines separately to listen. This kind of classroom setting is in favour of using Grammar-Translation Method in teaching, but it is not convenient to carry out students’ practice. In order to facilitate English acquisition, students need oral practice in English classroom. Teachers must ensure that classroom interactions are managed, not just by the teacher, but by all participants. To achieve this, teachers should arrange the desks in such a way that the students can look directly at one another to help create interactions among students. 3.2.3 Teacher’s role  Instead of being the master of the class, the English teacher could act as an independent participant and facilitator in English classroom. He or she facilitates the communicative process among all learners and between students and various tasks. He or she can give guidance and advice when necessary. But this does not mean in the teaching process, the teacher should only be a passive observer. Although the teacher may be nondirective in general, it is still the teacher’s responsibility to recognize the distinctive qualities in the students (HAN, 1979) and to help students develop those qualities. Of course, to perform these roles well, English teachers in China need further guidance and training to let 32 Adapting communicative language teaching approach to China’s context ï ¿ ¼them fully understand that teaching English does not consist only of teaching grammar but that the true mastery of a language involves communicative competence, and to let them know how to use CLT in their daily teaching process successfully. 3.2.4 Classroom activities  Classroom activities such as role-play, pair work and group discussion should be largely involved in English teaching. At the same time, teachers can also use any unexpected occurrence that happens during class. I still remember when I was in secondary school, I was always attracted easily by outside sights and noises. Once in an English class, I saw a very beautiful butterfly flying outside the window. It was so beautiful that I signaled my best friend to look at it. Just at this moment, my English teacher also noticed my signal. Instead of being angry, she asked the whole class to enjoy the beautiful butterfly, and me to describe it in English. Although in China, classroom activities are usually based on textbooks; English teachers can try to create activities to provide students with speaking opportunities and motivate them. 3.2.5 Changes in English test  For a long time, English examinations in China did not have oral test and the language use section. Recently, some important English tests in China developed by the State Education Development Commission began to include the language use section. English teachers can teach to the test from now on. The section was added to measure the four English language skills used for communication and it included such elements like: role-play, reading comprehension and communicative writing. Most of my students in China told me that the English examination is more interesting than ever before and they like these changes. 4. Conclusion  English teaching in China, with its traditional setting and current situation, differs from many English speaking countries. But this does not mean that the CLT approach is not applicable in China’s context. On the other hand, English teachers can use an eclectic method according to their actual situations. Adapting the CLT approach, making full use of its advantages and reconciling it with the traditional Grammar-Teaching Method, this approach can work the most effectively in China. But adapting CLT to China’s context is a very complicated process, under the guidance of the SEDC, the representatives of the central government, it should be done step by step. Right now what English teachers in China need to do is to modernize, not westernize, English teaching.

Mathematics subject Essay Example for Free

Mathematics subject Essay Write a simple sentence and then write the negation. Imagine situations where each statement is true or false. How does the truth value (true or false) of the negation statement compare with the truth value of the original statement? Simple sentence: Mathematics is an easy subject. Negation: Mathematics is not an easy subject. There are many situations in one’s life that is true or false. A proposition is a statement that is declarative in form and is either true or false. The truth value of a statement is unclear in real life due to some conditions and the reasoning of each and every people. Another is that the truth value of a statement may also depend on time and space. An example would be the statement â€Å"It is raining very hard. † The truth value of the statement is either true or false depending on the time and the location of the person mentioning the statement. A situation where each statement is true or false is that when there is a discussion between the existences of something like god. Each and every statement in this situation will be either true or false. The statement â€Å"God exists† can be true or false because no one really knows if god really exists. In the example, â€Å"Mathematics is an easy subject. † The truth value of the statement is either true or false. Also the negation of the sentence has a truth value of either true or false. If the truth value of the first statement is determined to be true, then the truth value of the negation will be false. On the other hand, if the truth value of the first statement is false then the truth value of the negation will be true.

The Project Duration Practices In Jkr Construction Essay

The Project Duration Practices In Jkr Construction Essay In project management delivering the project as stipulated time in the contract is the most important factor to be focussed by the contractor and the implementer. Time is one of the three factors in project management should be given priority beside cost and quality. These three factors are related to each other and will give effect if one of these factors neglected. Time estimation has been identified as one of the key performance to be addressed in providing best value to construction client. To predict the construction duration of project based variables which are construction duration, building type, procurement route, contractor selection method, type of client, contract value, building function and complexity of the building. Construction management decisions are made based on schedules that are developed during the early planning stage of projects, many possible scenarios also should be considered during construction. Construction programmes are of utmost importance for a successful timely delivery of buildings or infrastructure projects. A well developed project schedule model is a dynamic tool that can be used to predict when the project work that remains to be completed can reasonably be expected to be accomplished. There is no specific tool in determining the accurate time for project duration practices in JKR. Most of the project duration was based on previous durations of the project which were not the same component of each project. By using the previous experience it may not shows the correct duration for the project. From this estimation of project duration JKR use the history of project duration based on the cost of the project, the size of the project, location and complexity of the project. This method is used since the existence of JKR. No specific method for estimate the duration of the project. It is important that the project implementation schedule is planned so that it functions according to determine other than completion on schedule without delays that could affect the other activities expected by the end-user.  Good schedule will ensure the implementation of realistic; given enough time for activities such design approval procurement, construction, tests the line and so on.   Scheduling that fails to take into account the important matters will result in projects having extension of time, or termination.  This will affect the end user involve additional expenses, including financial liability, employee relocation and storage of equipment and problems inventory. Delays in the completion of an entire project due to poor scheduling can also create havoc for owners who are eager to start using the constructed facilities (Gomar et al., 2002). 1.2 Problem  Statement Delivering the project on time as stated in the contract to the client is important to JKR as an implementer. The main problem in JKRs current practice is estimating accurate time in JKR project. Failing to deliver the project on time to the client will show the performance of JKR. One of JKRs objectives is to deliver the entire project in time as agreed with the client. Inaccurate time estimation will lead to late completion of the project. Inaccurate time estimation will cause the client additional operational cost. Incorrect in determine the project duration will shows the capability of JKR as a technical department in government. This is one of the reasons for project to be given extension of time (EOT) beside other reason such as the contractor selected cannot give full commitment to the project. Base on the JKRs record most of the project will have at least one EOT. From the data provided by JKR Project Monitoring Unit shows that more than 50% of the projects in Ninth Malaysia Plan supervised by JKR are completed behind time. This shows that time estimation for those projects are not accurate. This study will create a standard model to be used to estimate project duration. Aim of the study The main aim of this study is to develop appropriate mathematical model and strategies that can be used by the practitioners to improve current method of time estimation for JKRs projects. Objectives of the study To achieve this aim, the following objectives have been delineated To  identify  the factors that influence the completion time of the JKR projects. To study the relationship between JKRs estimated times with the actual completion based on 5 years historical data To develop mathematical model improving time estimating for school project by JKR. Scope of the study This study will use school building project by JKR only. Historical data for this study will rely on project that had been completed within past five (5) years. Mathematical model that will be used is multiple regression technique. Other more advance technique will be employed as the research progress and if found suitable. Research Methodology The methodology is divided into three stages. Planning Stage The planning stage is where the topic of study determines, aim and objective is set. Besides that literature search is done to accommodate literature review. Data Collecting Stage At this stage the methodology used in conducting this study is through literature search, data collection and structured interviews with the professionals or expert panel who are involved in time estimating of the project and questionnaires survey to JKRs staff who directly involved in determining the time of the project. Data collection will be gathered from the project as stated in the scope of study. From the results, the questionnaires survey will be conducted among JKR staff within the category of the study to assess their opinions of the findings towards the objectives of the study. Besides the questionnaires survey some interviews has also been conducted with the professionals as the expert panel, project manager, engineer and quantity surveyor to assess their opinions towards the findings based on data that have gathered. The interviews are divided into face to face questions and answers session and answering the structured questionnaires. The qualitative data generated from the questionnaires have been analyzed using statistical method and finally inferences were made to support the study findings. Reporting and Validating Stage At this stage a report will be produced based on the analysis done in second stage. The new process created from the finding will be tested and validated by the expert and selected JKR staff who involve in the process. The overall sequence of study process undertaken is shown in figure 3.1 PLANNING STAGE DATA COLLECTION STAGE REPORTING AND VALIDATING STAGE Study Topic Literature Review Objective (i) To  identify  the factors that influence the completion time of the JKR projects. Questionnaire Survey to evaluate current practice to determine factors that influence project time completion Validation of the model Develop mathematical model to express the relationship Interview with Expert Panel to determine current practice to determine the current process Objective (ii) To study the relationship between JKRs estimated times with the actual completion based on 5 years historical data Defining Study Aim, Objective and Scope Document search about current practice Objective (iii) To  develop  mathematical model  improving   time  estimating  for  school   project by JKR. To establish mathematical model to show relationship between completion time and factors that influence completion date Report and Finding Validation of the process Figure 1.1 Research Methodology Process CHAPTER 2 SCHEDULING PRACTICE IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT 2.1 Introduction A skill essential for good project management is accurate time estimation. There are two important reasons to get time estimates right: To drive the setting of datelines for planning and delivery of projects To guide in determine the cost of contract. It is important to make time estimation as input into other techniques used to organise and structure all projects. People always neglected or underestimate the needed time to implement project. It may reduce large project to a series of smaller project if a good time estimation technique is being used. An important aspect of Project Management is scheduling time accurately. This is a critical component of Project planning as this will decide the deadline for the completion of a project, whether small, medium or mega. (Suri et al., 2009) Stage of Time Estimation Time estimation should be taken into account during planning of the project. During this stage it is important to set the target date for completion of the project. However, a reliable estimate of the construction time at the early stages of design development will reduce uncertainty, provide a key focus for the design team, and can prove beneficial to the overall management of the construction process (Nkado 1992). Forecasting of construction cost and time is very important to contract administration as time prediction and cost forming a basis for planning, monitoring, budgeting and litigation. There are two methods of estimating construction cost and time. According to available budget by the client and time constraint through a detailed analysis of work to be done and resources available, using estimates of the time and cost requirements for each specific activity The detailed estimation of construction activities usually relies on the estimators experience and judgement to correctly interpret project and site information and make the best possible decisions. (Alfred, 1988) Current Time Estimation With the use of computer software, the estimation of construction time can be determined. This is despite the fact that a number of computer-based time forecasting techniques have been developed through research and targeted to construction professionals, including quantity surveyors, for the purpose of forecasting construction time at early design stages (Brandon 1990; Nkado 1992). In some industries, there are books recording industry standards for use by cost and schedule estimators. In every industry area there will be a body of knowledge that associates the accomplishment of known work efforts with time duration. Interviewing those who have had experience with similar projects is the best way to determine how long things will really take. Construction time demands the focus of attention of all the key participants in the construction process and is often a basis for evaluating the success of a project and the efficiency of the project organisation. Alternative procurement approaches (Masterman 1992; Turner 1990) facilitate the overlapping of design and construction times. Scheduling is a process that anticipates the future and the time taken to complete the project can not be anticipated exactly. There are techniques that can increase the likelihood of being close if planning and estimating is done side by side, the project can be managed to achieve the schedule by accelerating some efforts or modifying approaches to meet required dates. Project Manager is responsible in developing a project schedule. According to Project Management Institutes Project Management Body of Knowledge defines a project schedule as the planned dates for performing schedule activities and the planned dates for meeting schedule milestones. The practice of schedule development leverages knowledge gained from activity definition, sequencing, and estimating to create a formal sequence of project activities, the project schedule, that outlines when required work should start, when it is expected to be completed, and who will do the work. Successful project managers are those who can plan for the unexpected and are flexible enough to accommodate the unforeseen. (Needleman, 1993) CHAPTER 3 SCHEDULING PRACTICE IN JKR PROJECT Introduction Time estimation still the main agenda when JKR preparing for any new project. It is very important for public projects to be completed on time, as the clients, users, stakeholders and the general public usually look at project success from the macro view where their first criterion for project success appeared to be the completion time (Lim and Mohamed, 1999). Construction time performance references has identified that time along with cost and quality are the three crucial success in construction project. Literature review on construction projects suggested that the common criteria for project success are generally considered to be cost, time and quality/performance (De Wit, 1988; Wright, 1997; Arditi and Gunaydin, 1997; Frimpong et al., 2003; Williams, 2003; Luu et al., 2003). 3.2 Time Estimation Practise by JKR In project management time is the important criterion in accessing the progress of the construction. According to Nkado (1995), construction time has been shown to be the most influential in the overall time performance of projects. Experience is one of important criterion in scheduling process together with experience with general scheduling in the project area. From the past experience of construction projects showed that more time was given during construction. This time was determined either by JKR or by the contractor depending on the type of tender. The fixed duration time was determined by JKR. Their estimated duration mostly is based on their past experience and as a result, these estimations were found to be inaccurate. The estimated time was done base on the rules of thumb. As the construction time often has to be compressed in order to fit into the imposed time constraints, there may be insufficient buffer time to overcome unexpected interruptions, or disturbances, to the planned schedule. (Isaksson, 2005). Practitioners prefer to rely instead on their experience or to refer to historical records of the time performance of past projects (Atkin et al. 1993). 3.3 Consideration for Estimation In determining the accurate time for the construction project, a few characteristic has to be considered. According to (Ahmad et al., 2006) data related to project characteristics were: contract size (in terms of Ringgit Malaysia); tender type three types of tender, i.e. open tender, open to bumiputra only (native Malay contractors) or selective tender; bid ratio (the difference between awarded bid and next lowest bid); bid spread (the difference between lowest and highest bid); percentage difference between awarded bid and estimate; extra project cost; number of bidders; size of contractor (class A, class B, class C and class D and E); project complexity (less complex, moderately complex or highly complex); type of design and supervision (projects both designed and supervised by appointed consultants, projects designed by consultant and supervised by government engineers, project both designed and supervised by government engineers); experience of contractors (similar to the work tendered, comparable or other experience); and project regional location (northern, western, eastern and southern region). Abd Majid and McCaffer (1998) conducted a literature survey on causes of project delay where they claimed that 50 percent of the delays can be categorized as non-excusable delays for which the contractors were responsible. A study by Kumaraswamy and Chan (1998) indicated that six common significant factors for both building works and civil engineering projects were: poor site management, supervision, low speed of decision making involving all project teams, client initiated variations, necessary variations of works inadequate contractor experience. In estimating time of project, a consideration on the characteristic and factors of the project must take into account during planning. The factors that JKR consider for the project that estimated are cost, location and complexity. These factors are taken base on the history of construction in JKR. In order to gets more accurate time estimating a few other factors should be consider not only the above. Reaction by JKR Top Management Director General of JKR Malaysia (2002) in meeting with Directors of JKR Malaysia has mention about the project duration implemented by JKR. Quoted from minutes of meeting the by Director General of JKR Malaysia (a) Mengambil maklum : (i) akan keterangan bahawa tempoh pembinaan yang ditetapkan adalah sesuatu yang tidak mustahil untuk dicapai. Pembinaan sekolah dalam tempoh 6 bulan merupakan sesuatu yang praktikal dan telah dibuktikan dengan kejayaan pembinaan Projek Sekolah Kebangsaan Paya Besar Lunas, Kulim yang disiapkan dalam tempoh tersebut. (ii) akan keterangan bahawa Projek SRJK(C) Tropicana Damansara berjaya disiapkan dalam tempoh 5.5 bulan sahaja. (iii) akan keterangan bahawa Pengarah INTAN begitu kagum dengan penyiapan Projek INTAN Kluang sehinggakan beliau meminta JKR melaksanakan semua kampus INTAN yang lain. Base on the above quote by Director General of JKR Malaysia it shows how important accurate time estimation in JKR Project to top management. JKR has used fixed duration time for the construction of school and it is successful. Another criteria to be consider in determining the time is method of construction. Most of the building projects implemented by JKR in the second half on Ninth Malaysian Plan (RMKe 9) are using Industrialised Building System (IBS). Base on the instruction by Ministry of Finance through the Treasury Circular Letters No 7 Year 2008, at least seventy percent (70%) of component must use IBS for government project. This instruction will lead to another criteria that accurately estimate the time in JKR project.

An Analysis of Class and Gender Conflict in Pygmalion Essay -- World L

"Pygmalion is a serious analysis of class and gender conflict." Bernard Shaw's play, entitled Pygmalion, transcends the nature of drama as a medium to be utilized for sheer entertainment value. Shaw's play powerfully comments on the capacity for the individual to overcome the boundaries established by systems of class and gender. Dominant assumptions and expectations may essentially prevent an individual from becoming socially mobile within a seemingly rigid hierarchical social structure. However, Liza, the protagonist utilizes language as the tool which enables the her to escape the confines of the lower class and to be regarded as a human of a certain degree of worth within society. As Liza transforms from flower girl to duchess, the audience is witness to the many ways that an individual can be dehumanised through the socialisation process. Issues of both class and gender arise from the tensions within the play that surround the interactions between Higgins and Liza and the viewer is able to openly question the values that exist within a soci ety that judges the character of a person on the basis of wealth and education. Henry Higgins represents the upper class of society, those that are expected to be both educated and wealthy. He is profoundly aware of his status and is not particularly sympathetic towards those of the lower class. This is revealed as he is first introduced to Liza and refers to her as a 'squashed cabbage leaf.' (Shaw, 2003:18) This first scene is important as it establishes the class differences that are evident within the language contrasts of each of the characters. Higgins plays an important role in establishing this theme as he places great emphasis on phonetics. He has the ability to place an i... ...e society of Shaw's time and of contemporary society. Liza is an independent woman at the closing of the play, when one takes into consideration that she possesses an assertive sense of free will and a determination to maintain her strength of character. Ultimately, Liza's insistence on remaining true to herself is a positive ramification of a transformation process, that in itself presented many moral questions to the perceptive audience. The protagonist has confronted the obstacles imposed on her by social conventions, with regards to both gender and class stereotypes, and has essentially deconstructed the boundaries that had previously prevented her from fulfilling her own capabilities and sense of self worth. Bibliography Bentley, E. Bernard Shaw, 2nd edn. London: Methuen, 1967. Shaw, B. Pygmalion, London: Penguin Books, 2003.

Fighting a War :: Personal Narrative Papers

Fighting a War I have never been to war. I hope I'll never go. There is nothing that I believe in enough to sacrifice my life. These are supposed to be days of idealism and youth, and I am blessed. I cannot care. I cannot fight. The only appealing little thing about violence is the potential for heroism, and I doubt I'll ever be a hero or save an innocent life from a burning building, stop a runaway train like so many bad movies. I can't see myself triumphing over this world. I can see myself climb out of the trench and nobly get mowed down by the bullets of a gattling gun. I let fly an arrow from my longbow. In the cockpit of a fighter plane, props twirling, I strafe Japanese ships and dodge innumerable Zeros. On a dusty hill I calculate the trajectory of an artillery shell and re-check my math. I slink through a dark jungle and blend in with the foliage, camouflaging my thoughts, a shadow amidst all the life. I can only see myself in war movies, not in actual wars. I have never been in an honest-to-god kill or be killed full on violent fight, much less a nationally sponsored war. Never defended my life or my honor, or someone else's; but I have taken and sadly given a beating. The closest I have ever been to war is a controlled skirmish with a friend, a fistfight for fun. No anger. One time, at his twenty-first birthday party, Frank and I gave up on docile lives and began to fight. Neither of us was born in Idaho. We never grew up together but we've both spent some time there. Our families moved, his east mine west, Hong Kong and Connecticut, so we're there for the summer and the winter. We know some of the same people, like the Peruvians and Adam Pracna and Jason Spicer, but we're three years too far apart. I'm younger, and we never hung out. We've got mutual friends and we've eaten at all the same places. Small town, not many places. We've both driven out the same canyons in a pickup with mud and girls, same girls? Who knows? There's a keg or two in the back kicking up dust up into it all and clouding up the sky, and we're throwing empty glass bottles shattering at trees and shadows and animals as we drive and sing.