Artificial IntelligenceCognitive Ability of Information Processing essays

Artificial IntelligenceCognitive Ability of Information Processing essays Artificial Intelligence: Cognitive Ability or Information Processing Computers have become an integral part of our everyday lives. We rely upon these machines to perform innumerable tasks that we often take for granted. Most people realize that computers are able to perform the multitude of functions as a consequence of the programming they receive. These programs give computers a set of instructions that governs their transition from one information processing state to another. Thus, computational machines are able to respond to a certain set of inputs with a certain range of outputs. In order to comprehend programs one needs only to describe these instructions in functional terms. In this regard, computer programs are extremely similar to functional accounts of the human mind, which contend that in order to understand the mind, one must simply examine the relationship between stimulus and behavior. Consequently, the question has naturally arisen as to whether a computer which consisted of a sufficiently sophisticated program would be capable of tho ught. This question has resulted in lively debate, with one camp of people including John R. Searle emphatically denying the plausibility of Artificial Intelligence. On the other side of the debate, individuals such as Paul and Patricia Churchland have declared that although a serial machine with a program might not be able to think, Artificial Intelligence might be feasible in parallel processing computers. In Is the Brains Mind a Computer Program, John R. Searle presents an interesting argument against strong artificial intelligence proponents. Believers of strong artificial intelligence contend that a computer that can pass the Turing test is displaying cognitive ability. The Turing test basically states that if a computer can function in such a way that an expert can not distinguish its performance from that of a human who has a certain cognitive ability, such a...

Identifying the Authors Purpose on a Standardized Test

Identifying the Author's Purpose on a Standardized Test Knowing what authors purpose questions look like is one thing. Finding it is quite another! On a standardized test, youll have answer choices to help you figure it out, but distractor questions will often confuse you. On a short answer test, youll have nothing but your own brain to figure it out, and sometimes it isnt as easy at it seems. It may be helpful to practice these types of questions while preparing for standardized tests. Look For Clue Words Figuring out why an author wrote a particular passage can be as easy (or as difficult) as looking at clues inside the passage. Ive mentioned in the What is the Authors Purpose article several different reasons an author would have to write a passage of text, and what those reasons mean. Below, youll find those reasons, with the clue words associated with them. Compare: Author wanted to show similarities between ideasClue Words: both, similarly, in the same way, like, just asContrast: Author wanted to show differences between ideasClue Words: however, but, dissimilarly, on the other handCriticize: Author wanted to give a negative opinion of an ideaClue Words: Look for words that show the authors negative opinion. Judgment words like bad, wasteful, and poor all demonstrate negative opinions. Describe/Illustrate: Author wanted to paint a picture of an ideaClue Words: Look for words that provide descriptive detail. Adjectives like red, lusty, morose, striped, sparkling, and crestfallen are all illustrative.Explain: Author wanted to break down an idea into simpler termsClue Words: Look for words that turn a complicated process into simple language. A descriptive text will use more adjectives. An explanatory text will usually be used with a complicated idea.Identify/List: Author wanted to tell the reader about an idea or series of ideasClue Word s: Text that identifies or lists, will name an idea or series of ideas without providing much description or opinion. Intensify: Author wanted to make an idea greaterClue Words: Text that intensifies will add more specific details to the idea. Look for superlative adjectives and bigger concepts. A baby sadly crying is descriptive, but a baby mournfully howling red-cheeked for 30 minutes is more intense.Suggest: Author wanted to propose an ideaClue Words: Suggest answers are usually positive opinions and try to sway the reader to believe. The author will provide a point, then use details to prove it.​ Underline the Clue Words It helps to use that pencil in your hand when youre reading if youre unsure what the authors purpose is. As you read, underline the clue words in the text to help you get a better idea. Then, either compose a sentence using the key words (compare, explain, illustrate) to show why the author wrote the piece or select the best answer from the choices given.

Unfunded Educational Mandates and how they creat Non-Market Failures Research Paper

Unfunded Educational Mandates and how they creat Non-Market Failures - Research Paper Example Over the years, significant mandates have been put forth in relation to employment, persons with disabilities, water and air pollution, and equal opportunities in education. The debate on mandates have been long-standing historically primarily due to the implied fiscal responsibilities impinged on local districts. Redistribution of state funds becomes necessary to allocate budget for federal mandates. There are other non-fiscal consequences of mandates as well. With federal mandates, a generic solution is provided for highly sensitive issues underplaying the diversity factor in each state or locality. â€Å"The initiative of state and local governments to pioneer innovative approaches is undermined as a result† (Posner, 1998, p. 6). However, despite these continuing issues, mandates have proven resilient since inception, and policy makers [i.e. Congress] remain positive on their position in creating federal mandates. The first major wave of federal mandates happened between 1960’s and 1970’s which included essential issues such as environment, civil rights, and education (Posner, 1998). Specifically, in the mid-1960’s, the state government increased its authority and intervention in education. As pointed out by Fusarelli (2009), â€Å"a crucial reason for a fundamental shift in the state education role is the widespread loss of confidence in local educators and their communities† (p. ix). In 1983, the loss of confidence in local education revolved around children with special needs. In recent times, the No Child Left Behind Policy (NCLB) became the driving force behind an increase in the state-mandated laws in education. Perhaps one of the more formidable issues emphasized by individuals advocating against state-mandated laws, especially in education, is funding. Most, if not all, mandates come with price tags that become additional budgetary burdens for local districts. Sink (2010) borrows the

Basic difference between Behavior therapy and Psychoanalysis Essay

Basic difference between Behavior therapy and Psychoanalysis - Essay Example The therapist (psychoanalyst) helps the client "uncover" unconscious motivations, unresolved problems from childhood and early patterns to resolve issues and to become aware of how those motivations influence present actions and feelings. Once the Behavior therapist enquires Jack about himself and few formal questions, Behavior therapist will ask some more specific questions related to his way of treatment. The questions would be regarding Jack's interests, motivations, Friends, Academics, fantasies, strengths, goals, ambitions, aspirations, happy moments, distractions, weaknesses, other phobias (if any), disinterests, irritations, cultural values, relaxation techniques etc., Once Behavior therapist finds the reason behind the phobia, he will try to motivate the Jack to encounter the phobia on face, but with suitable rewards. Say Jack is interested in Sports, then the Behavior therapist will offer him a pair sport shoes for every encounter Jack faces with the phobia. This will make the situation into a competition rather than problem. Once this competition attitude sets in, Jack will unknowingly transfer his 'energy of phobia' into competitive spirit. And this is what Behavior therapist would like to achieve. Jack's treatment is properly scheduled with/without medication

Doctrine of Judicial Precedent Essay Example for Free

Doctrine of Judicial Precedent Essay Introduction Statutes and case law are two significant sources of the UK law. In the convention of common law, the law applied to a case is decided through judicial precedent and statutory interpretation. There can be effectiveness of judicial precedent and statutory interpretation in separation as well as when they are combined in the development of law. To what extend can a judge develop the law through the operation of doctrine of judicial precedent and application to the rules of statutory interpretation will be discussed in this assignment. In the first place, this assignment will give an introduction to judicial precedent and statutory interpretation. In the second place, how can judicial precedent and statutory interpretation develop the law will be analysed and evaluated. Eventually, the conclusion of this assignment will be given. Judicial precedent, a procedure whereby judges follow previous case with sufficiently similar facts, regulates case law, which is crucial to protect law stability. As MacCormick said: â€Å"to understand case law†¦ is to understand how it is that particular decisions by particular judges concerning particular parties to particular cases can be used in the construction of general rules applying to the actions and transactions of persons at large.† (James, 2010) Judicial precedent applies to the doctrine of stare decisis. That is to not disturb the decisions that are settled. For instance, through the stare decisis, the House of Lords held that the manufacturers owed a duty of care to their ultimate consumers of their goods in the case of Donoghue v Stevenson (1932), creating a binding precedent followed in Grant v Australian Knitting Mills (1936) in respects of duty of care and neighbor principle. The binding precedent is a legal principle formed by the ratio decidendi, the reason for the decision. This means that the ratio decidendi must be followed with the recognition of the legal reason for the decision in the previous case (Jacqueline, 2010). The remainder of a judgment is Obiter dicta. It is a statement made by the way, which though is not binding but can be persuasive in the future cases. Statutory interpretation is the process of how the statutes interpreted and applied by a judge. There are four approaches developed to deal with the task of interpretation, including literal rule, golden rule, mischief rule and purposive rule. When literal rule is applied, the words in the statutes are given their dictionary, original or everyday meaning, with the respect to the will of Parliament. For instance, in Whitley v Chappell (1868), with the application to literal rule, the court held that the defendant was not guilty since a dead person is not, in the literal meaning of the word, ‘entitled to vote’. Golden rule was defined in Grey v. Pearson4 (1857), â€Å"the ordinary sense of the words is to be adhered to, unless it would lead to absurdity, when the ordinary sense may be modified to avoid the absurdity but no further.† One of the illustrated cases is Re Sigsworth (1935). A son murdered his mother entitled to nothing since the court applied golden rule to modification to prevent repugnancy and absurdity. Instead of determining what the Parliament said, the Mischief rule is applied to what Parliament meant. The Mischief rule was applied in Smith v Hughes (1871). Lord Parker CJ held that the activities of prostitution were in a â€Å"street or public place† for the intension of the Act to prevent the mischief of the impact of solicitation on the passers by. With a wider application, purposive rule is aimed to give promotion to the general legislative purpose emphasizing the provisions. Lord Denning stated â€Å"we sit here to find out the intention of Parliament and of ministers and carry it out, and we do this better by filling in the gaps and making sense of the enactment by opening it up to destructive analysis†. In Cutter v Eagle Star (1998), instead of literal rule, purposive rule is applied, holding that car park was a road, which underlies the Road Traffic Act (1988). Also, a purposive approach is now often applicable as a result of European Law. (James, 2010) Examples and evaluations of development The judicial precedent is regarded as the backbone of the common law whereas approaches of statutory interpretation have developed as significant tools in interpreting the statutes. Furthermore, there has been a notable synergy between judicial precedent and statutory interpretation in the development of law. First of all, the development of law can be achieved by applying a suitable decision from previous cases with similar materials. In the case of Shaw v DPP (1962) the House of Lords held that a crime of conspiracy to corrupt public morals existed. The conspiracy to corrupt public morals consisted of an agreement to corrupt public morals by means of the magazine, and the defendants had been rightly convicted. This was followed in Knuller v DPP (1973), being held that an agreement to publish adverts to facilitate the commission of homosexual acts between adult males in private was a conspiracy to corrupt public morals (E- lawresources, N/D). Therefore, with the application to doctrine of judicial precedent, the decision in a previous case can be applied to similar cases in the future, which then can contribute to the development of law in terms of quantity, certainty and stability. In addition, since consistent decisions are provided, the law is more possible to ensure fairness, and the citizens can be more willing to trust the law with confidence of being treated fairly. On the other hand, it is said that the doctrine of judicial precedent can be too rigid, as there seems to be a tendency that the binding precedent will be strictly applied in the decisions of cases. Also, since there are no uniform cases, the operation of the doctrine of judicial precedent may lead to a certain degree of injustice, leaving limited space for the development of law. However, the rigidity of judicial precedent can be avoided in practice through the exceptions of decisions including application of overrule and distinguishing (James, 2010). As Posner (1990) claimed: â€Å" judges follow the previous decisions of their court when they agree with them or when they deem legal stability more important in the circumstances than getting the law right. But a precedents analogical significance means simply that the precedent contains information relevant to the decision of the present case.† (Richard, 1990) Despite following the precedent strictly, judges are able to change the decisions in cooperation with facts. The Practice Statement was made by Lord Gardiner in1966, allowing the House of Lord to change its previous decision when it appears â€Å"right to do so† in an attempt to achieve justice (Jacqueline, 2010). To illustrate, in Miliangos v George Frank (Textile) Ltd (1976), the House of Lord overruled Re United Railways. In the case of Re United Railways (1961), it had been held that all debts were to be paid in sterling in an English civil case. In the case of Miliangos v George Frank (Textile) Ltd, the House of Lords held that damages could be awarded in any other foreign currency in the contract, due to the changes in conditions of foreign exchange (Vaughan, 2010). This was stated as â€Å" the existing reason ceased now for a rule† by Lord Denning (Michael, 2004). Distinguishing is another technique used by judges in order to avoid a previous binding decision that may cause inconvenient or unsuitable results. The case Balfour v Balfour (1919) is often cited in conjunction with Merritt v Merritt (1970) by way of illustration of how distinguishing works. In both of the cases, a wife sued her husband for breach of contract. In Balfour v Balfour, based on the fact that the parties had not yet been divorced when the agreement was formed, the court held that there was no enforceable agreement, owing to a rebuttable presumption against intention to create a legally domestic agreement. In the case of Merritt v Merritt, however, the claim was successful. The court was able to distinguish the material difference between two cases. Lord Denning stated that â€Å"When †¦ husband and wife, at arm’s length, decide to separate and the husband promises to pay a sum as maintenance to the wife during the separation, the court does, as a rule, impute to them an intention to create legal relations.† (Zander, 2004) As a result, the appeal from the husband in this case was dismissed. The exceptions of decisions enable the judges to be more flexible in relation of following or refusing earlier decisions from similar cases, which seems to extend the power of the law lords to create law and the space for the development of law. However, it may decrease the level of law certainty and predictability. Regardless of the role statutory interpretation plays in helping judges deal with the task of interpreting statutes, the application and development among the four rules of statutory interpretation can promote law to adapt to changing needs. In practice, judges are continually applying the existing rules to new fact situations and thus being able to keep pace with the changes of society. Firstly, approaches to statutory interpretation can attribute to the creativity and flexibility of law. Applying purposive rule, the court of the case of Royal College of Nursing v DHSS (1981) held that the Abortion Act 1967 aimed at preventing the mischief of ‘back-street abortions’ where no medical care was provided. Therefore, with the advancement of medical technology, abortion became legal to be administered by nurses. (James, 2010) In addition, rules of statutory interpretation can ensure the willing of Parliament. Judges cannot make law, which is the role of Parliament, however, they can and do try to give effect to Parliament’s intentions by using statutory interpretation. For instance, in the case of R v Registrar General ex parte Smith (1991), purposive rule was applied instead of literal rule due to the fact that the applicant was confirmed to be dangerous to his natural mother by a psychiatrist and ‘Parliament could never have intended to promote such serious crime.’ Consequently, the applicant was failed to obtain his birth certificate (Jacqueline, 2010). Approaches to statutory interpretation provide opportunities for judges to apply to different rules flexibly based upon the facts and the intention of Parliament. However, increases of flexibility and creativity of law may cause decreases of certainty and consistency. Last but not least, as two major aspects of the UK law, the interrelationship of the doctrine of judicial precedent and the rules of statutory interpretation are significant to the development of law. For example, in Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Ltd (1953), there is a technical legal meaning of â€Å"offer for sale†. With the application to literal rule, the display of goods in a store shelf was held as an invitation to treat but not an offer to sell. This decision was followed in Fisher v Bell (1961). The court held that the display of product in a shop window was an invitation to treat and thus there was no violation of the Act. (James, 2010) Conclusion As a consequence, with doctrine of judicial precedent, previous cases can be applied to cases with similar facts in the future, whereas with statutory interpretation, different decisions can be made with choices of different rules depending on different facts. The synergy between these two aspects produces certainty, elasticity and appropriate space for the gradual development of law. In conclusion, although a degree of rigidity and instability might occur in the progress of law development. Judicial precedent and statutory interpretation in combination can attribute to an increased level of certainty, consistency, flexibility, and elasticity of the law, creating an appropriate space for a gradual development of law. Bibliography: 1.James, H., 2010, Learning Legal Rules 2.Jacqueline, M., 2010, Unlocking The English Legal System 3.E-lawresources, N/D, [Internet] Available from http://www.e-lawresources.co.uk [Accessed 11 /11/ 2012]†¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬ 4.Richard, A, P., 1990, The Problems of Jurisprudence 5.Vaughan, B., 2010, Foreign Currency Claims in the Conflict of Laws 6. Michael, Z., 2004, The Law-Making Process

Essay --

The company before 2000 is referred as ‘Old Monsanto†, and today the company is known as â€Å"New Monsanto† Monsanto’s GM seeds have not been accepted everywhere. For example European Union has banned Monsanto’s crops except for one variety of corn. Monsanto’s products have generated two main concerns regarding safety of GM food and environmental effects of genetic modification. Concerns about the Safety of GM food’ The consequences of genetically transforming our food and environment are unpredictable and irreversible, and will affect all future generations of species on this planet. For many of reasons, the corporate media has been all but silent about this transformation. Although most Americans are unconscious of it, more than 60% of the food we are eating is genetically modified. These days, genetically modified (GM) corn, soybeans, and canola are added to much of our processed foods, starting from breakfast cereals to corn chips to soft drinks. Even fresh vegetables are genetically altered. Genetically, the modified crops are created when scientists would take genes from one organism and insert them into another. Usually genes are transferred from plants, animals, insects, bacteria or viruses and then introduced into crops with the intention of developing a particular characteristic. For instance, scientists have taken a gene with anti-freeze trait from an arctic fish to a tomato. While the goal was to make the tomato more frost resistant, the gene transfer brought with it unpredicted side effects: the tomatoes changed its natural color easily and consumers not liked their ‘metallic’ taste. The recent introduction of GM crops is not the predictable outcome of scientific progress. Relatively, GM crops have been pushed into ... ... in its customers’ confidence on the company. Misrepresentation of essential information and lack of preventive measures result in penalties and disrupt the company's operations. Furthermore, distortion of information negatively affects the shareholders’ confidence, the profitability and credit rating of the company in the long run (Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis., 2013, p. 6). References Landsman J. (August 09, 2013) Monsanto and GMO lies revealed, Retrieved November 22, 2013 and available at: http://www.naturalnews.com/041559_Monsanto_GMOs_lies.html Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis. (2013). Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis, p.6 Unknown (June/ July 2001), Continuing the Green Revolution: The corporate assault on the security of the global food supply, Volume 13, Number 4, Retrieved November 22, 2013 and available at: http://www.mit.edu/~thistle/v13/4/food.html

Effects of Discriminatory Practice Essay

Negative behaviour is being aggressive and violent towards a person or a thing. For example if someone is getting discriminated for any reason such as age, culture, sex, appearance or many more their behaviour may become negative towards themselves or others. This is a potential effect of discrimination because they may feel that they have had enough of being discriminated and become aggressive towards the person who is discriminating against them. When a person has negative behaviours because of discrimination they may feel angry and feel that everyone is being discriminative towards them and may feel that they need to do something to stop people from discriminating them. For example in the questionnaires I collected my information from a person was discriminated about their race in a setting which made them upset and angry so they became violent and aggressive towards the person that was discriminating them. This is a clear example of negative behaviours. Low self esteem Low self-esteem is when a person is pushed out and feels unwanted. Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person’s overall evaluation or appraisal of her or his own worth. When a person has low self-esteem they can feed off each other in a vicious circle; the more depressed or anxious they become the lower their opinion of their self and their abilities. Things that can lower people’s self-esteem are if people discriminate them about their appearance or if they are unhappy with their self-image. For example in the questionnaires I collected  my information from, a person was discriminated

How English Language Has Brought Change to Urdu Language

As my group and I interviewed Amjad Islam Amjad we got to know several reasons for the changes that English has brought to the Urdu language over the period of time. The two I will be discussing are: * Differences in schooling. * Government role in making English as an official language. However these two reasons are interlinked. At sir Amjad’s time English was taught like a foreign language in schools, after the 5th or 6th grade and now it is taught since prep. In fact when a child is taken for an admission he/she is interviewed in English language and is expected to answer in English as well. Before people could easily and fluently interact in Urdu language and children could speak in Urdu without any code mixing and code switching. They had a command over their mother language but today translations into Urdu are even more difficult than English and are understood by even fewer people. Especially, children and young people find it easier to use English. The current generation believes that Urdu language brings orthodoxy and limits their scope and vision. To date, when a child enters the learning stage, he is taught words and things in English. Indeed parents try to use as much English vocabulary as they can so that their child learns and speaks the higher language of the society. Analysing the government’s part in bringing a change in the Urdu language, we see that it has played a vital role by declaring English as the official language. It should not be so; people have actually become confused about their mother language, first language and the second language. The Advisory Board of Education in its first meeting in 1948 had resolved that the mother tongue should be the medium of instruction at the primary stage. Also, a number of institutions were established or supported by the State to do basic work in Urdu: from coining new terms, to translations, to developing new tools and techniques to speed up its adoption as an official language. The Sharif Commission, formed in 1959, had recommended that both Urdu be used as a medium of instruction from Class VI onward and in this way, in about fifteen years, Urdu would reach a point of development where it would become the medium of instruction at the university level. The Commission clearly stated that until Urdu was ready to replace English, English should continue to be used for advanced study and research. Now, this statement served a purpose. It allowed confusion to take root in terms of how and when and by whom it would be determined that Urdu was ready to replace English. This was a convenient method of maintaining the status quo and English was given a fifteen-year lease. The 1973 Constitution of the Republic was propagated with Article 251 stating: (1) The National language of Pakistan is Urdu, and arrangements shall be made for its being used for official and other purposes within fifteen years from the commencing day. 2) Subject to clause (1), the English language may be used for official purposes until arrangements are made for its replacement by Urdu. The timing of the Constitution coincides with the lapse of the fifteen year lease given to English by the Sharif Commission and hence refreshes that lease for another fifteen years. The contradiction that emerged in Bhutto’s era was that on the one hand, he propagated a socialist ideology, nationalized industry and education, and stood for the rights of the po or. On the other hand, he did not make any effort to change the official language to include the poor in decision making. The elected governments of Benazir and Nawaz Sharif continued with parallel education systems and encouraged private sector English medium schools and higher educational institutions. One step that Benazir’s first government took was the introduction of English as a compulsory subject from Class I in all government schools on the plea that it would enhance opportunities for poor children. The implementation remained weak because there was no quality teaching available. In all parts of Pakistan, more public and private institutions are coming up and promoting the use of English. The recently held national education conference in Islamabad, attended by both the President and the Prime Minister, saw no single change in the government’s policy on language education and the medium of instruction. The primary issue is not the choice of a medium or various mediums of instruction. It is the language in which the affairs of the state are managed, legislation is drafted and decisions are made.

Maya Angelou Essays - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou Essays - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou Maya Angelou A poet, an author, a play-write, an actress, a mother, a civil-rights activists, historian and most important a survivor. Perhaps Maya Angelou, award winning author of many books is one of the most influential African Americans in American history. I believe that she rates at the top of the list of American authors, with Hemingway, Hawthorne, and Voight. I believe through my research and reading of Maya Angelou that she should be among the members of The American Authors Hall of Fame. Maya was born on, April 4th, 1928 as Marguerite Johnson, in St. Louis Missouri. She was raised in Stamps Arkansas, by her Grandmother Annie Henderson and Her Uncle Willie. Stamps was a rural segregated community. However, it was tight knit between the African Americans. Maya grew up during a very difficult time period in American history. They were just recovering from the Great Depression, and learning how to deal with different races of people. Maya knew this and made it clear in her writing. "It was awful to be Negro and have no control over my life. It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to charges brought against my color with no chance of defense. We should be dead. I thought I should like to see us all dead, one on top of each other. A pyramid of flesh with the whit folks on the bottom, . . . and then the Negro's." (Angelou Caged Bird 153) "If growing up was painful for the Southern Black Girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat." (Angelou, Caged Bird) Page 2 Grandma Henderson was a very religious person, and a key factor in Maya's upbringing. as with the rest of the people of Stamps. Maya and her brother Baily were punished as necessary. She kept Baily and Maya out of trouble and on the right track. "A devout woman Grandmother Henderson led her family in prayer each day at 4:00am." (Aging and Human Development 181) When Maya was about six, she and Baily moved to St. Louis to live with her mother, and her boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. While staying in St. Louis, she was raped by Mr. Freeman. Afterwards, Mr. Freeman was killed. Maya was certain that her voice had the power to kill, after all, she was the one that told on him, so Maya became mute for the next two years. After returning to Stamps, a woman by the name of Bertha Flowers brought Maya out of her mute. "Mrs. Flowers she had the grace of control to appear warm in the coldest of weather... she acted just as refined as the white folks." (Angelou, Caged Bird 76-78) Mrs. Flowers brought the works of Shakespeare, Hawthorne, and many others to Maya. Mrs. Flowers made her read and recite the verses. Maya was about 11, Grandma Baxter moved her and Baily to San Francisco, California to escape to racial fights in the south. Maya was just as mystified with her mother now as when she first meets her in St. Louis. Maya would go to see her father every so often, until one summer he asked Maya to live with him for the summer. Maya's father often took trips to Mexico on the weekend. Maya went with him on one, just to find herself driving her drunken father home. When Maya returned home, she got into an awful fight with her father's girlfriend. Maya then ran away, became homeless, and lived in a junkyard. One year after Maya became homeless, she returned home with her mother. Maya Page 3 attended secondary school, and found herself a job being the first black conductorette on the San Francisco street cars. This was a great accomplishment in Maya's mind, she had done something that no one else has ever done. Maya was now about 16 years of age, and curious about sex. She thought that maybe she was lesbian, so to find out, she had sex with a friend, and ended up pregnant. Maya was only 16 years old. She was now the Mother of Guy Johnson. Maya moved to West Africa, and took up the job as a professor at The University of Ghana.

Misplaced Modifiers

Misplaced Modifiers Misplaced Modifiers Misplaced Modifiers By Mark Nichol Misplaced modifiers- words or phrases that provide additional information to the main idea of a sentence but create confusing or at least awkward phrasing because of where they are placed within the sentence’s syntax- abound in writing. As explained below in the discussion of revision of sentences burdened by this problem, the solution is often simply relocating the modifier as a subordinate clause that precedes the main clause. 1. A Bill Cosby Show actress claims the comedian raped her in a new lawsuit. The sentence literally states that the rape occurred in a lawsuit. But the point is that the lawsuit states that the rape occurred, so the sentence should begin with the context: â€Å"In a new lawsuit, a Bill Cosby Show actress claims the comedian raped her.† Another option is to parenthesize â€Å"in a new lawsuit† between the subject, â€Å"A Bill Cosby Show actress,† and the predicate, â€Å"claims the comedian raped her.† (The parenthesis can also follow the verb.) 2. The attorney said that he was confident that justice would be served as he stood on the courthouse steps. Just as in the first example, this sentence features a distracting misstatement. The attorney did not claim that during the time he was standing on the courthouse steps, justice would be served, but that’s what the sentence implies. To clarify that the reference to the courthouse steps is tangential to his pronouncement, it should be moved to the beginning of the sentence as a subordinate clause: â€Å"As he stood on the courthouse steps, the attorney said that he was confident that justice would be served.† As in the previous example, the modifier can be inserted in the middle of the sentence, either before or after said. 3. The property belonged to Lance Benson twice, who lost the land in a divorce settlement and then bought it back in 2012. The antecedent, or prior reference, to who- the name Lance Benson- must appear immediately before the pronoun, with no intervening words, so twice must be relocated: â€Å"The property twice belonged to Lance Benson, who lost the land in a divorce settlement and then bought it back in 2012.† Twice could also begin the sentence, but the statement flows more smoothly when it follows the subject. 4. North Korea’s government says its military tested a bomb to widespread skepticism. This sentence suggests that widespread skepticism was an intended result of the bomb test; it appears as if a verb such as garner is missing from before â€Å"widespread skepticism.† To explicitly note that the skepticism was independent of the bomb test, the result should be introduced as a subordinate clause before the main clause: â€Å"To widespread skepticism, North Korea’s government says its military tested a bomb.† (Again, the modifier can be inserted before or after the verb instead.) Better yet, however, the result could be described with a verb inserted before it and the entire phrase set off from the main clause by a comma: â€Å"North Korea’s government says its military tested a bomb, prompting widespread skepticism.† 5. The rocks appeared to be the size of small cars in pictures posted by the National Park Service. This sentence, read literally, compares the size of the rocks to the size of small cars featured in photographs posted by the National Park Service. To clarify that the photos show rocks the size of small cars, not small cars themselves, the phrase describing the photos should precede the main clause as an introductory subordinate clause: â€Å"In pictures posted by the National Park Service, the rocks appeared to be the size of small cars.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Contronyms (Words with Contradictory Meanings)Italicizing Foreign WordsUses of the Past Participle

In what ways, if any, were women better off in 1901 than they had been Essay

In what ways, if any, were women better off in 1901 than they had been in 1837 - Essay Example The ideology of separate spheres was a cultural philosophy of the separation of female and male roles. The line of demarcation was relatively simple. The public sphere was the domain of men and the domestic sphere was the domain of women. While this separation was not absolute, women had to contend with the cultural implications as well as the legal ramifications of having no real legal standing within the public sector. This meant without a male representative who could stand in her place to support her cause, and without that male having standing over her person, she was at the mercy of society and without much recourse to right wrongs committed against her. This ideology was not conducive to the needs of women as change began to roll through a variety of aspects of life. These changes begin to emerge during the reign of Queen Victoria and mark her reign with the advancement of society within Britain. In 1837 Queen Victoria became queen of England when her uncle, King William IV di ed. Queen Victoria was eighteen at the time of his death meaning that she was eligible to take the throne without a regent, which put her in the role as sovereign at a very young age. Her reign lasted for 63 years and seven months, during which time the world changed dramatically. A great number of advances occurred in industry, science, society, and military areas which helped civilization to move forward into a time of betterment for the citizens of England. However, it was the women’s movement that caused some of the larges changes during her reign than any other, despite the slow simmer that it held in the background of all of the other advancements. Women moved from being merely extensions of the males in their lives to full legal entities, capable of creating change within their personal circumstances through legal action. A woman became a full individual, no longer the possession of her husband, but the embodiment of her own ownership. During the early part of the 19th century, English women took up the cause of the abolishment of slavery, their voices ringing with American voices in the cause to free all men and women from ownership. During the course of this movement, a metaphor for female oppression began to emerge through the cause of slavery (Hall, Rendall, and McClelland 2000, p. 123). Eventually, the metaphor dropped away, leaving a women’s suffrage movement that was active in trying to gain roads towards allowing women the legal standing within society that would allow women to have more than the good graces of the males in their life through which to support their lives. Hall, Rendall, and McClelland (2000), state that â€Å"it was not†¦the drudgery of hard labour for women which constituted slavery for women, but the effects of long standing patriarchal oppression and its shaping of the submissive - or slavish - character of women† (p. 124). In 1846, the Westminster Review published an article that discussed the †˜fictions’ about the way in which literature was