Free Essays on Egyptian Pyramids

What exactly are pyramids? How were they built, and who built them? And just what were they used for? Well, you ¡Ã‚ ¯re about to find out. There are over 90 pyramids in Egypt today. However not all of them are like the Great Pyramid in Giza1. Over a time span of 1100 years the pyramids evolved from layered pyramids to the well know sloped shape. The first pyramid built was the Step Pyramid of Djoser. This pyramid was built in 2630 B.C.E. and was intended to hold the mummy2 of Pharaoh Djoser. This pyramid is 204 feet high and consists of six layers, each smaller than the one below it to form steps. The pyramid, designed by Imhotep3, also covers 40 acres. The Step Pyramid's burial chambers are hidden underground in a series of tunnels and mazes to keep grave robbers from reaching the actual burial chamber of the King. However, as with most pyramids The Step Pyramid and King Khufu were victims of grave robbers. All that remains of King Khufu is his mummified left foot4. The second pyramid, the Maidum Pyramid, was the first in a series of pyramids built by Pharaoh Snefru5 in the 4th dynasty. This pyramid, located in Maidum, was originally built as a seven story step pyramid. Shortly after, the eighth story was added and eventually the steps were filled in to make a smooth outside. The time is unknown, however most likely during or immediately following construction, this pyramid collapsed. Why the pyramid collapsed is still unknown. The debris from the cave in still stands under the pyramid today, giving it the appearance of being built on a sand hill. 1. The Great Pyramid of Giza was the largest pyramid ever built. It was built to house Kin... Free Essays on Egyptian Pyramids Free Essays on Egyptian Pyramids What exactly are pyramids? How were they built, and who built them? And just what were they used for? Well, you ¡Ã‚ ¯re about to find out. There are over 90 pyramids in Egypt today. However not all of them are like the Great Pyramid in Giza1. Over a time span of 1100 years the pyramids evolved from layered pyramids to the well know sloped shape. The first pyramid built was the Step Pyramid of Djoser. This pyramid was built in 2630 B.C.E. and was intended to hold the mummy2 of Pharaoh Djoser. This pyramid is 204 feet high and consists of six layers, each smaller than the one below it to form steps. The pyramid, designed by Imhotep3, also covers 40 acres. The Step Pyramid's burial chambers are hidden underground in a series of tunnels and mazes to keep grave robbers from reaching the actual burial chamber of the King. However, as with most pyramids The Step Pyramid and King Khufu were victims of grave robbers. All that remains of King Khufu is his mummified left foot4. The second pyramid, the Maidum Pyramid, was the first in a series of pyramids built by Pharaoh Snefru5 in the 4th dynasty. This pyramid, located in Maidum, was originally built as a seven story step pyramid. Shortly after, the eighth story was added and eventually the steps were filled in to make a smooth outside. The time is unknown, however most likely during or immediately following construction, this pyramid collapsed. Why the pyramid collapsed is still unknown. The debris from the cave in still stands under the pyramid today, giving it the appearance of being built on a sand hill. 1. The Great Pyramid of Giza was the largest pyramid ever built. It was built to house Kin...

Ochre - The Oldest Known Natural Pigment in the World

Ochre - The Oldest Known Natural Pigment in the World Ochre (rarely spelled ocher and often referred to as yellow ochre) is one of a variety of forms of iron oxide which are described as earth-based pigments. These pigments, used by ancient and modern artists, are made of iron oxyhydroxide, which is to say they are natural minerals and compounds composed of varying proportions of iron (Fe3 or Fe2), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). Other natural forms of earth pigments related to ochre include sienna, which is similar to yellow ochre but warmer in color and more translucent; and umber, which has goethite as its primary component and incorporates various levels of manganese. Red oxides or red ochres are hematite-rich forms of yellow ochres, commonly formed from aerobic natural weathering of iron-bearing minerals. Prehistoric and Historic Uses Natural iron-rich oxides provided red-yellow-brown paints and dyes for a wide range of prehistoric uses, including but in no way limited to rock art paintings, pottery, wall paintings and cave art, and human tattoos. Ochre is the earliest known pigment used by humans to paint our worldperhaps as long ago as 300,000 years. Other documented or implied uses are as medicines, as a preservative agent for animal hide preparation, and as a ​loading agent for adhesives (called  mastics). Ochre is often associated with human burials: for example, the Upper Paleolithic cave site of Arene Candide has an early use of ochre at a burial of a young man 23,500 years ago. The site of Paviland Cave in the UK, dated to about the same time, had a burial so soaked in red ochre he was (somewhat mistakenly) called the Red Lady. Natural Earth Pigments Before the 18th and 19th century, most pigments used by artists were of natural origin, made up of mixtures of organic dyes, resins, waxes, and minerals. Natural earth pigments like ochres consist of three parts: the principle color-producing component (hydrous or anhydrous iron oxide), the secondary or modifying color component (manganese oxides within umbers or carbonaceous material within brown or black pigments) and the base or carrier of the color (almost always clay, the weathered product of silicate rocks). Ochre is thought generally to be red, but in fact is a naturally-occurring yellow mineral pigment, consisting of clay, siliceous materials and the hydrated form of iron oxide known as limonite. Limonite is a general term referring to all forms of hydrated iron oxide, including goethite, which is the fundamental component of the ochre earths. Getting Red from Yellow Ochre contains a minimum of 12% iron oxyhydroxide, but the amount can range up to 30% or more, giving rise to the wide range of colors from light yellow to red and brown. The intensity of color depends on the degree of oxidation and hydration of the iron oxides, and the color becomes browner depending on the percentage of manganese dioxide, and redder based on the percentage of hematite. Since ochre is sensitive to oxidation and hydration, the yellow can be turned red by heating goethite (FeOOH) bearing pigments in yellow earth and converting some of it to hematite. Exposing yellow goethite to temperatures above 300 degrees Celcius will gradually dehydrate the mineral, converting it first to orange-yellow and then red as hematite is produced. Evidence of heat-treatment of ochre dates at least as early as the Middle Stone Age deposits in Blombos cave, South Africa. How Old Is Ochre Use? Ochre is very common on archaeological sites worldwide. Certainly, Upper Paleolithic cave art in Europe and Australia contain the generous use of the mineral: but ochre use is much older. The earliest possible use of ochre discovered so far is from a Homo erectus site about 285,000 years old. At the site called GnJh-03 in the Kapthurin formation of Kenya, a total of five kilograms (11 pounds) of ochre in more than 70 pieces was discovered. By 250,000-200,000 years ago, Neanderthals were using ochre, at the Maastricht Belvà ©dà ¨re site in The Netherlands (Roebroeks) and the Benzu rock shelter in Spain. Ochre and Human Evolution Ochre was part of the first art of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) phase in Africa called Howiesons Poort. The early modern human assemblages of 100,000-year-old MSA sites including Blombos Cave and Klein Kliphuis in South Africa have been found to include examples of engraved ochre, slabs of ochre with carved patterns deliberately cut into the surface. Spanish paleontologist Carlos Duarte (2014) has even suggested that using red ochre as a pigment in tattoos (and otherwise ingested) may have had a role in human evolution, as it would have been a source of iron directly to the human brain, perhaps making us smarter. The presence of ochre mixed with milk proteins on an artifact from a 49,000-year-old MSA level at Sibudu cave in South Africa is suggested to have been used to make the ochre liquid, probably by killing a lactating bovid (Villa 2015). Identifying the Sources The yellow-red-brown ochre pigments used in paintings and dyes are often a mixture of mineral elements, both in their natural state and as a result of deliberate mixing by the artist. Much of recent research on ochre and its natural earth relatives has been focused on identifying the specific elements of a pigment used in a particular paint or dye. Determining what a pigment is made up of allows the archaeologist to find out the source where the paint was mined or collected, which could provide information about long-distance trade. Mineral analysis helps in conservation and restoration practices; and in modern art studies, assists in the technical examination for authentication, identification of a specific artist, or the objective description of an artists techniques. Such analyses have been difficult in the past because older techniques required the destruction of some of the paint fragments. More recently, studies that use microscopic amounts of paint or even completely non-invasive studies such as various types of spectrometry, digital microscopy, x-ray fluorescence, spectral reflectance, and x-ray diffraction have been used successfully to split out the minerals used, and determine the type and treatment of the pigment. Sources Bu K, Cizdziel JV, and Russ J. 2013. The Source of Iron-Oxide Pigments Used in Pecos River Style Rock Paints. Archaeometry 55(6):1088-1100.Buti D, Domenici D, Miliani C, Garcà ­a Siz C, Gà ³mez Espinoza T, Jà ­menez Villalba F, Verde Casanova A, Sabà ­a de la Mata A, Romani A, Presciutti F et al. 2014. Non-invasive investigation of a pre-Hispanic Maya screenfold book: the Madrid Codex. Journal of Archaeological Science 42(0):166-178.Cloutis E, MacKay A, Norman L, and Goltz D. 2016. Identification of historic artists pigments using spectral reflectance and X-ray diffraction properties I. Iron oxide and oxy-hydroxide-rich pigments. Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy 24(1):27-45.Dayet L, Le Bourdonnec FX, Daniel F, Porraz G, and Texier PJ. 2015. Ochre Provenance and Procurement Strategies During The Middle Stone Age at Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa. Archaeometry:n/a-n/a.Dayet L, Texier PJ, Daniel F, and Porraz G. 2013. Ochre resources from the Middle Stone Age sequence of Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Western Cape, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(9):3492-3505. Duarte CM. 2014. Red ochre and shells: clues to human evolution. Trends in Ecology Evolution 29(10):560-565.Eiselt BS, Popelka-Filcoff RS, Darling JA, and Glascock MD. 2011. Hematite sources and archaeological ochres from Hohokam and O’odham sites in central Arizona: an experiment in type identification and characterization. Journal of Archaeological Science 38(11):3019-3028.Erdogu B, and Ulubey A. 2011. Colour symbolism in the prehistoric architecture of central Anatolia and Raman Spectroscopic Investigation of red ochre in Chalcolithic Çatalhà ¶yà ¼k. Oxford Journal Of Archaeology 30(1):1-11.Henshilwood C, DErrico F, Van Niekerk K, Coquinot Y, Jacobs Z, Lauritzen S-E, Menu M, and Garcia-Moreno R. 2011. A 100,000-Year-Old Ochre-Processing Workshop at Blombos Cave, South Africa. Science 334:219-222.Moyo S, Mphuthi D, Cukrowska E, Henshilwood CS, van Niekerk K, and Chimuka L. 2016. Blombos Cave: Middle Stone Age ochre differentiation through FTIR, ICP OES, ED XRF and XRD . Quaternary International 404, Part B:20-29. Rifkin RF. 2012. Processing ochre in the Middle Stone Age: Testing the inference of prehistoric behaviours from actualistically derived experimental data. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 31(2):174-195.Roebroeks W, Sier MJ, Kellberg Nielsen T, De Loecker D, Pares JM, Arps CES, and Mucher HJ. 2012. Use of red ochre by early Neandertals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(6):1889-1894.Villa P, Pollarolo L, Degano I, Birolo L, Pasero M, Biagioni C, Douka K, Vinciguerra R, Lucejko JJ, and Wadley L. 2015. A Milk and Ochre Paint Mixture Used 49,000 Years Ago at Sibudu, South Africa. PLoS ONE 10(6):e0131273.

Nike Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Nike - Research Paper Example In this paper, some of the main matters have been questioned and thrown into the open as to how the company has faced accusations from different sections of society and the world, and what led to it. Since the mid 90s, Nike has been accused of being a violator of women’s’ rights, child labour, exploitation of labour in terms of wages, as well as forced labour. Many of these cases have been uncovered and let out of the bag, thus making the company lose a great deal of its goodwill. This brand has been known to violate a number of Articles present in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well. These are a certain set of rights that are universally applicable to all human beings, not taking into account anything about their race, colour, gender or age. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it has been set out and stated in Article 1 that â€Å"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.† Article 3 and 4 state, â€Å"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person†andâ€Å"No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.† Article 5 says â€Å"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment and treatment.† All these Articles and more have been laid down with a view to respect human beings all over the world, however, Nike has been found to be violating them in many ways, in its run d own factories in the third world countries. A better look has been taken during the course of this report, into how the company has been violating these Articles of the Declaration of Human Rights. The main concerns for the company have been coming in from their factories which are located in South Asia. Here, in places like Vietnam, China, Indonesia etc, there are people who have been contracted by Nike, and work under their name. They mass produce the sports equipment as well as sports apparel, but their

Social and Cultural Changes after the First and Second World Wars Essay

Social and Cultural Changes after the First and Second World Wars - Essay Example The political situation was polarized with Soviet Union focusing on national security and the US spreading the democracy that led to repartition of Europe (McCauley, 2008). With one form of totalitarianism defeated, with the ashes of Nazism literally scattered among the living and dead of that conflict, the tensions between East and West renewed themselves. In some respects, the Cold War was inevitable: the incompatibility between communism and capitalism, the differing opinions about the rights of man, cultural and ideological disagreements about the most profound issues including religion, personal identity, freedom of assembly, democracy -- all of these differences would (and did) come to the fore between the United States, Western Europe and the Soviet Union. And all of these differences were party the outcome of the WWI and WWII. The brutal reality of the wars contributed to the development of medical thought. A lot of soldiers were wounded and injured; their treatment became the upfront priority for the countries involved in the conflict as they have already lost a lot of men. The field of plastic surgery was rapidly developing as many men needed immediate treatment. (Hunt, 2009). Psychological damages that soldiers received also needed assistance. The work of psychologists cannot be underestimated (Merriman, 2010). All these demands forced the medical field to evolve and develop at an unprecedented speed. The field of vaccination industry was developing and was as effective as never before. Vaccine innovations were able to tackle such diseases as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia that took millions of lives in the past. The work of doctors and scientists contributed to the mass production and usage of penicillin and developed vaccines that were able to prevent various diseases across the world (Hoyt, 2006).

Madness through king lear Essay Example for Free

Madness through king lear Essay In the 17th Century, madness was still a relatively new concept. Many people believed it was due to a person being possessed, which resulted in madness often being linked back to black magic and witchcraft. In context, the public would frequently visit Bedlam Hospital to enjoy the spectacle of a madmans behaviour thus, Renaissance dramatists typically used mad scenes for a comical effect. In spite of this, Shakespeare seems intent on a serious, if not slightly disturbing, portrayal of madness in King Lear. Throughout the play King Lear, we bear witness to Lears gradual and possibly inevitable descent into madness. As early as Act I Scene 1 we, as the audience, observe early signs of the kings insanity, albeit political at this point, we are alarmed at Lears decision to break up his state. Especially through the means he wishes to do so, his love-test is foolish and egotistical, as is his desire to be treated as an important, royal personage after he has given away his kingdom. It is fair to say that all through Act I Scene 1 Lear shows many times that he most concerned with appearances. Seemingly his love-test is going to plan, as Goneril and Regan extravagantly pledge their love and allegiance to their father, this is until Cordelia refuses to comply with Lears love-test, answering I love your Majesty according to my bond, no more, no less. simply meaning that Cordelia loves her father as a daughter should. Lear, in his blissful ignorance, cannot see past Goneril and Regans elaborate speeches and instead feels humiliated by his youngest daughters unadorned answer. As a result, he disowns her and banishes her, Cordelia then departs to France. We can see Lear is already losing control as he goes to strike his faithful advisor Kent and banishes him also, all because Kent questioned the Lears actions. As a consequence of Lears vituperative temper and his irrational, insane, actions he leaves himself powerless and at the mercy of his two eldest daughters, with neither his loyal advisor nor his devoted youngest daughter to protect him from what is to proceed. As the play progresses, we can see that the kings identity is gradually becoming unbeknown to him when he asks the question Who is there that can tell me who I am? 1, we can see that Lear is slowly losing his wits. Lears speeches become increasingly disjointed as he becomes more distressed, hinting at the madness that will overtake him later in the play. He is becoming progressively isolated due to his fragile mental state, thus, through Lear the idea of madness could be seen as being presented as vulnerability. In Act II, Lears changes of moods and tones indicate his escalating mental instability. His foolishness persists as he insists he will stay with the daughter that allows him to keep the most knights; there is desperation in his confrontation with his dog-hearted daughters. Eventually, the beleaguered kings rages become signs of impotence, not authority, emphasising the fact that the patriarchs insanity has left him powerless and increasingly vulnerable. When the storm starts we recognise that Lears fear that he would go mad, first voiced in Act I Scene 4, has been realised. The storm serves as a metaphor for Lears and Englands plight, his speeches establish and reflect properties of the storm. Through the storm, Lears madness is presented as destructive as his speeches are full of anger and distress, as the mad king moves swiftly from one topic to another. The violence of the imagery that the king employs reflects his state of mind. It is easy to see how Lears insanity could be viewed as destructive; he has caused his kingdoms predicament through his rash actions at the beginning of the play, he has divided his family through his egotism and in his mad rages he often behaves like a scorned child using invective language. However, all this considered, Shakespeare also presents Lears madness as pitiful. Due to his madness Lear confronts his failings: as a father and a ruler. He shows compassion to the characters that have helped him i. e. the Fool, Kent/Caious and Poor Tom. Even when Lear starts to regain his wits, we sympathise with the king as with his new clarity of vision brings with it distress and much regret. These are not the facts that make us truly pity Lear; it is the reality that wisdom came too late. Jesters were often kept by the monarch to provide witty analysis of contemporary behaviour and to remind the sovereign of his humanity; Lears Fool certainly fulfils these functions for his master. At first glance, the Fools professional madness is rendered as comical, his seemingly asinine jests often lighten the tone and provide some much needed moments of relief, the Fools flippant remark about Poor Toms clothing is a good example of him lightening the tone of a distressing scene. However, through the Fools professional insanity Shakespeare presents a hidden wisdom. Lears Fool is all-licensed which essentially means that the Fool is licensed to say things to his superior that anybody else would be punished for. Taking this, and the fact that Lear and his Fool seem to have a very close relationship (the Fool calling Lear nuncle and Lear calling the Fool boy), throughout the time the Fool exists in the play he is able to counsel Lear. The Fools sarcastic jesting is blunt and hard hitting. Almost as soon as the Fool enters in the play he harps on Lears folly, this is apparent when the king asks Dost thou call me fool, boy? to which the Fool replies All thy other titles thou hast given away; that thou wast born with2. Through the Fools madness he serves to push Lear towards the truth about his daughters this is evident when he warns Lear that Regan will side with Goneril, Shalt see thy other daughter will use kindly; for though shes as like this crabs like an apple, yet I can tell what I can tell3. And again when he hints at the dangerous situation Lear has put himself in by reversing the natural order, making his daughters his mother, The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long that it had it head bit off by it young4 this is clearly warning the king that his daughters will turn against him. Furthermore, the Fool also tries to open the kings eyes so that he can see these truths on his own, Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise5, as well as have some insight as to why these events are occurring. The third character in question is that of Edgar / Poor Tom. Edgar, Gloucesters legitimate son, is introduced as being a passive, credulous dupe upon whom Edmunds6 devious practices ride easy. We are only given a succinct introduction of Edgar before Shakespeare haves him disguise himself as Poor Tom. In the days of Shakespeare, Bedlam hospital housed the mentally ill. When they were released Bedlam inmates were allowed to go begging for survival; this is what Edgar has been reduced to by his gullible father and his brothers trickery. My face Ill grime with filth, blanket my loins. Elf all my hairs in knots, and with presented nakedness outface the winds and persecutions of the sky7 the fact that Edgar has to disguise himself as a Bedlam beggar, wandering the countryside in nothing but a loin cloth in order to preserve his life, presents to us his vulnerability and the sheer desperation of his feigned madness. Initially, Edgar is presented as a seemingly lucid character yet, as the plot unfolds we see he has many purposes within the play. Shakespeare uses Edgars alias Poor Tom to provide some comical relief as the plot thickens as some of his antics and ramblings can prove to be amusing gibberish. However, in contrast, Poor Toms erratic breathless craziness in Act III Scene iv increases the pathos infinitely. A prime example of this would be when he (Edgar / Poor Tom) says that a foul fiend laid knives under his pillow and halters in this pew, set ratsbane by his porridge, indicating towards suicide, this speech reflects Edgars fragile state of mind and, although fake, his madness is distressing to the audience. We are reminded of Edgars humanity in Act III Scene vi (the mock trail scene) as he listens to Lears lunatic agony, his act as Poor Tom momentarily breaks down at Bless thy five wits this in turn is another moment in which Edgars caricature increases the pathos of a scene. Furthermore, I feel that Shakespeare is using Edgar / Poor Toms situation to mirror Lears. Similarly to the besieged king, Edgar is now reliant on charity and he has also had his world and expectations turned upside down. Edgars assumed madness indicates towards Lears eventual submission to complete insanity in Act III, through Poor Tom we glimpse what Lear will be reduced to. Madness is portrayed in different ways through these characters: professional, feigned and genuine insanity. Nonetheless, the idea of madness is presented as purposeful, almost like a journey, for all three of the characters in question. Edgars pilgrimage through his contrived madness serves the obvious purpose of preserving his life. The preservation of Edgars life enables him to guide his father but ultimately through his madness his valour is awakened allowing him to play the role of avenger at the end of the play. However, Edgars madness also serves a purpose to the principle protagonist, Lear, as it is noticeable that on the heath Edgars presence as his caricature Poor Tom aids Lear, as through interactions with Poor Tom the kings humanity and understanding increase. The Fools professional jesting provides some much needed moments of relief. In spite of his comic role, the Fools main purpose within King Lear is to, in essence, be Lears conscience. In other words, he bestows the king with truth and reason throughout the turbulent situations that occur during his, the Fools, time in the play. Due to the fact that he is all-licensed, and also has a close relationship with the king, he can inform and criticise Lear for his mistakes without being punished for it, this permits him to counsel Lear. Lear eventually gains the insight he needs to perceive his daughters and society for what it really is, insincere and immoral. The Fools abrupt disappearance signifies that Lear has gained all the understanding he needs to distinguish between and reality. Therefore, the Fool is no longer needed: his purpose has been fulfilled. Unlike Edgar or the Fool, Lears madness is not an imminent occurrence, it develops throughout the play. The insanity of the king is unequivocally ironic, in his apparent sanity he was introduced to be conceited and imprudent, yet when he is mad he becomes a more humble, compassionate and attractive character. At the beginning of the play Lear acts exceptionally irrational and cannot see the verity of his superficial values but as a result of his madness he demonstrates an increasingly sincere, tolerant side to his nature. Attributable to his intensifying humility he is able to recognise his wrong doings as a leader and a father thus, the kings madness redeems him as he learns the value of true emotion and is able to consider the sufferings of those close to him. Consequently, this enables Lear to reconcile with his beloved daughter Cordelia. In conclusion, the madness of King Lear is deeply distressing, it develops from and points back to the kings instability.

Solutions to Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Chan

Solutions to Global Warming There are many solutions to reduce the amount of green house gases in the atmosphere, which causes Global Warming. A main culprit for global warming is the use of CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons). If the use of CFC's was reduced, the number of greenhouse gases will be reduced by a great deal (however there are many other thing that cause dramatic amounts of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide). The items that contain CFC's are regular house hold items, but they can have a devastating effect on the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They are found in aerosols, plastic foam and fridges. However now that the scientists have a greater knowledge on the effect of CFC's the government had banned the selling of objects with CFC's in; and also great care is needed when disposing of older items containing CFC's e.g. fridges. CFC's are 40 times more effective as a greenhouse gas then carbon dioxide. So reducing the amount of CFC's used will have a good effect on the atmo...

Language Acquistion Theories Essay

Bridging two worlds : Reading comprehension , figurative language instruction , and the English language learner ‘ Name University Introduction Many students in American schools today speak English as a foreign language . The English language learner (ELL ) finds that English contains words and phrases that may seem confusing because of the disparity between the literal and figurative meanings . These words and phrases are used in everyday conversations by native speakers but ELL students find them hard to decode not only because of their figurative meanings but because of the various meanings one figurative word or phrase could contain depending on the context by which it is used . The inability to interpret figurative language â€Å"leads to a breakdown in text comprehension which , in turn can frustrate readers and discourage them from continuing the reading task (Palmer Brooks , 2004 ‘ Figurative language instruction The article discusses the case of Alejandro , an ELL student , to illustrate how and why ELL students find it difficult to understand figurative language in English . His teacher found Alejandro to be timid and withdrawn in class because of a lack of confidence in communication with the language . As a result , he disliked reading and writing although he developed literal listening skills . The results of his Figurative Language Interpretation Test confirmed his weakness in interpreting figurative language . His teacher then designed a scaffolding plan involving several instructional strategies which include the following : â€Å"explicit instruction , connections to the real world , dialogue in context , modeling and independent practice , visualization and the use of the native language (Palmer , Miller Leclere , 2006 . The first step of the strategy involved a 3-step process by Simmons Palmer (1994 ) for finding meaning in figurative language . The teacher first identifies the figurative language in a written text , determine if the literal meaning in the text makes sense , then find the intended meaning of the figurative language expression . Through a series of questions the teacher leads the student towards the intended meaning . A fourth step is added to the 3-step process wherein which the figurative sayings are connected to real-life experiences of the student . Teachers define the various forms of the figurative language and contextualize them . Daily interaction and practice with the student , through both oral and written activities , are encouraged for the student to gain command of the newly-learned concepts . Another helpful strategy might be drawing both literal and figurative interpretations of the figurative expressions . Most children certainly relate more to visual imagery in figurative language . Finally , the primary language of the students should also be encouraged instead of dismissed during the teaching process . Second language students who study in bilingual programs perform better than those in non-bilingual programs . It also encourages students to understand the differences between their two languages , especially with regard to figurative language . Conclusion The strategies explained in the article look simple enough and can be practiced by any teacher handling classes with ELL students . They are practical and have been proven effective . The steps outlined in the article have actually†¦

Irish Dancing: A Celtic Family Passion Essay

Every family has some wonderful tradition that they share with each other and the rest of their kindred spirits. Our family holds Irish dancing as our most beloved musical tradition, and we share it amongst ourselves along with those in the world around us. Individuals who have viewed Michael Flatley’s, Riverdance or The Lord of the Dance, have heard the beautifully entrancing music and the almost hypnotic percussion nimbly played by the tapping of dancer’s feet. The swift and graceful movements, colorful costumes and mystic aura that this Irish dancing traditions hold can only be told best by those who have partaken in the event, danced the dance and been allured by the magic of the sounds. The following writing will explore some of the experiences of our family’s Irish step dancing tradition, as well as how we share it with the public world. Irish dancing means a great deal to us because it serves as an expression of our ethnicity and of who we are as a family. The females of our kin begin their dance training early, at about the age of three to four years. Almost as soon as they can fit into the shimmering brocaded dresses and tiny tapping shoes, the young ladies eagerly take to their lessons. Each dance that they master acts almost like a rite of passage and many of the girls soon find themselves performing at pubic fairs, parades and even dancing competitions. We pride ourselves in our little dancer’s endeavors since as stated by Wulff, â€Å"When it comes to Irish competitive dancing, the attempt to build character goes back to childhood and circles around the idea of national identity†(Wulff 2003, 186). Through this media we can express our particular ethnic heritage in the ever diverse United States. Younger and older generations practice together at family gatherings and put on a show for everyone. Males of our family also receive encouragement to pursue the activity, but the accomplishment of the women usually outshines them. In relation, the accomplishments of our Irish dancing heritage come with time, difficulty and dedication, in which our family takes pride. Irish dancing consists of rules of movement that do not make for an easy learning experience. To watch Irish dancers in competitions is to see how they must move in â€Å"jumps† with their backs straight, their arms tight to their sides and make it only appear that their legs do the work. Now imagine trying to do all of that and make a distinct rhythm with nimbly tapping feet. One of the proposed theories for why such strict rules of movement in Irish dancing exist states, â€Å"Irish bodies have long been subjected to particularly stringent forms of control by church and state, and within this context dancing has been deemed especially problematic†(Dyck and Archetti 2003,5). Others believe that the Irish values of, â€Å"proper manners† plays a vital role in the dancing posture (Wulff 2003, 182). Either way, the skill comes with hours of practice and dedication. Winning a public award for Irish dancing plays an important role in our family affairs. Those who have competed often travel around the nation at various times of the year, and many of us will travel with them to encourage and support their efforts. Award winners also usually have a lead part in producing the dances for our family gatherings, as well as act as teachers to our younger dancers. Consequently, the type of dancing that has been spoken of thus far constitutes a type of Irish dancing called â€Å"step dancing†. There are also jigs, polkas and other genres of Irish dancing that we partake in. These less formal types of dance usually occur solely at family gatherings. None of our family members have pursued a professional learning experience or participated in competition in any of these other genres that we know of to date. However, just because we do not pursue them as vigorously as step dancing does not mean that they are not enjoyable. Family events and competitions do not make up the entirety of our Irish dancer’s experiences. As mentioned previously, parades and community events also don the list. Sometimes our family dancers put on shows for charitable causes, church functions and Irish festivals. All of the opportunities that avail themselves help us express ourselves and our unique cultural heritage to our community. Also, as with the charitable causes, we have the opportunities us to use our talents help those in need. Performing for these community gatherings helps to inspire us as, and encourages our dancers to continue on with their grueling practice. Concerning Irish step dancing, it has probably by far the most dynamic of the music structures of Irish dance genres. This is due to the fact that the tapping of the dancers feet give more intricate percussion to the established musical rhythm. For example, â€Å"Riverdance is usually associated with the crescendos of the signature section and the long Chorus Line of Irish dancers pounding out their unison steps†(Wulff 2003, 187). The aim of such percussion centers on eliciting a powerful emotional reaction from audiences, aside from just impressing them with complicated dance steps. Irish dancers want their audiences to feel every note, every tap and every emotion that the music and dance combined can convey. As dancers, the goal revolves around letting others experience the heart and soul they put into their activity with every pounding beat on the stage. Joining with several dancers on stage not only urges those feelings deeper into the hearts of the audience members; it also gives them the sense of how the power of several individuals acting in unison can create a breathtaking experience. Acting together to create such a response in the audience helps dancers to recognize and appreciate the bonds of their ethnic heritage as well as their achievement in performance skills. Correspondingly, immense evolution of Irish step dancing has taken place since Michael Flatley entered the spotlight. In his performances Irish step dancing takes on more fluid movements, rather than the rigid, hands-at-sides traditional postures. This addition of the greater emotional expression using body movement caught on and made Irish step dancing quite popular. The outcome: The response was extraordinary; after the performance calls poured in from all over Europe for the video. A CD was recorded; it sold out and the show was transformed into a full-length evening of dance and music, which swept London, New York City, and the world. Today in towns and cities around U. S. boys and girls are taking up step-dancing in record numbers (Finnegan, and McCarron 2000, 394). Flatley’s work has brought Irish step dancing to the forefront, romanticized it and possibly changed its course in history as the popularity continues to grow. By and large as it can be seen, the magic and honor of our experiences in Irish dancing comes through to our family from many sources. We gain a sense of nationality and cultural heritage from dancing with our fellow family members and other Irish step dancers. We take pride in our ethnic heritage as we perform for both charitable causes and competition, which inspires our public audiences. Not to mention that our family’s field of musical tradition in turn has taken inspiring turns as Michael Flatley’s performances have drawn immense amounts of attention and popularity. Overall, the intricate steps and emotional combination of music and movement in Irish step dancing has created for us a unique way for our family to continually appreciate our ethnic background and take pride in our heritage. Works Cited Carmichael, Jennifer. â€Å"Re: Interview questions. † Email to Irish dancer. 9 July 2006. Dyck, Noel, and Eduardo P. Archetti, eds. Sport, Dance, and Embodied Identities /. New York: Berg, 2003. Questia. 10 July 2006 . Finnegan, Richard B. , and Edward T. McCarron. Ireland: Historical Echoes, Contemporary Politics. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000. Questia. 10 July 2006

A cross cultural perspective of polygyny essays

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