An Admission Testing Timeline for the Class of 2017

Many students in the class of 2017 are eagerly (or not-so-eagerly) awaiting the results of the PSAT they took in October. Even students at schools where the PSAT isn’t administered in 10th grade are still well aware of the looming gauntlet of standardized tests that students must run as they approach the college admission process. Anxiety around college admission is nearly unavoidable, and for many students it is the testing PSAT, SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, AP’s that causes the most stress. While some degree of angst over testing is probably inevitable, at Compass we believe that the recipe for relief is clear: careful advance planning, thoughtful and well-balanced preparation, and a determination to maintain a healthy perspective. Yes, test scores matter. But not this much: The stress relief starts with advance planning. For a student in the class of 2017, which tests should be taken and when? While individual circumstances should be accounted for and personalized advice from counselors should trump generalized advice, the following guidelines are a starting point from which to plot a customized path. To give you a basic summary of our recommendations for a testing timeline, Ive included the table below: Testing Timeline for the Class of 2017 Winter/Spring of 10th Grade: Too Early for Test Prep Resist the temptation to worry too much too early about tests. Instead, enjoy being a sophomore. Focus on your schoolwork. Engage intensely in non-academic passions. Cultivate friendships and your family relationships in a few years you’ll probably be in new surroundings and living on your own. What not to do now? Test prep. Seriously. I own a test prep company, but I’m also a dad, I care about kids (sophomores are still kids), and I couldn’t be more sincere. It’s too early and it’s not necessary. You’ll be taking the SAT, not defending a dissertation. Preparation might entail several months of work (at most), but not several years. In fact, a good way to gauge the ethics of a test prep company or tutor is to call them in the middle of tenth grade and see if they’ll happily get you started right away on test prep. You’d have to twist Compass’ arm almost to the breaking point to get us to agree to actually begin tutoring you this early. We’re more than willing to consult with you and/or your parents, evaluate your 10th grade PSAT scores, possibly administer a practice test, and lay out a plan to commence many months from now, but that’s it. (All of the aforementioned is complimentary and offered without obligation, by the way.) May/June of 10th Grade: Consider Subject Tests SAT Subject Tests (formerly known as SAT II’s and even longer ago known as Achievement Tests) are relevant at a tiny fraction of the almost 3000 four-year institutions in the U.S. Approximately 40 colleges require or recommend Subject Tests, while about 60 will consider them if submitted. Many of these colleges, however, are extremely popular. As a general rule, if you believe you might apply to a very selective school, it is best to keep your options open and plan to take Subject Tests. They are designed to align with specific academic classes, so the ideal window to take a particular test is when you are completing the corresponding class in school. Most Subject Tests are taken at the end of 11th grade when students are in more advanced classes and are a year more mature academically and otherwise. However, 10th graders in an honors or AP class should consider taking the relevant Subject Test. A common pairing would be Pre-Calc Honors → Math 2. History and Science cl asses also may align. The Literature and Language tests are generally better deferred until after additional semesters of cumulative coursework. The takeaway is to consider scheduling practice tests in March or April for any Subject Tests you are considering taking officially in May or June. The practice tests are only one hour each, will help you determine whether or not you should take the actual test, and will reveal any gaps that you need to fill. Take the practice test at least one month before the official test date, so that you have time react to the results. Test prep for Subject Tests should be minimal and of a â€Å"polishing† nature; if not, then taking that test is probably ill-advised in the first place. Summer Before 11th Grade: Take Practice Tests to Finalize Plan, Possibly Begin Prep There is no black-and-white answer as to whether students should start test prep the summer before 11th grade. The trend is certainly in that direction, but for some students it’s simply premature. If you don’t feel ready motivationally or otherwise then holding off until later in 11th grade is fine. For most students, summer prep at this stage is foundational, meaning that we will not be on an unrealistic quest to have you defy the odds with a â€Å"one-and-done† performance in fall of 11th grade. That feat is rarely accomplished even by the National Merit Scholars on the PSAT, who are by definition in the 99th percentile of testers. So it’s really about giving you a big head start on the kind of work that will eventually lead to your peak performance later in spring of 11th grade or even fall of 12th grade, and lightening the load of what test prep might entail within the school year. These subtleties and individual goals are discussed thoroughly befor e we recommend a customized program for you. Any summer prep you choose to do should be scheduled in such a way as to not preclude other activities and travel. A more universally appropriate testing event for rising 11th graders is diagnostic testing designed to finalize a testing plan for the coming school year. Practice test scores enable us to guide you towards a decision between the SAT and ACT, establish a baseline for prep, select specific test dates, and define appropriate parameters for the scope of your prep. For example, we will be the first to tell you if your scores in a particular area are high enough that little to no prep will be necessary. Conversely, if your scores are lopsided and a weakness in a particular area will require more time to address, we’ll explain that too. Bottom line is that by the summer of 11th grade (or fall at the latest), you should have a well-defined plan for what you will do in the 6-12 months ahead to ensure you reach your potential on these tests. That plan should be appropriately aggressive but should also strive for efficiency and a holistic balance of priorities. My favorite way of descri bing the ideal mindset is â€Å"I’ll give these tests their due, but not one second more.† October of 11th Grade: Take the â€Å"New† PSAT Unless you’ve been covering your ears every time anything related to standardized testing comes up, you’ve probably heard that the College Board is pushing through an extensive revamping of the SAT, led by their new President who is an architect of the Common Core and who is determined to return the SAT to its former glory (as of 2013, the ACT is more commonly taken nationally than the SAT). The class of 2017 has the rather dubious â€Å"honor† of being the guinea pigs for the new SAT, which officially debuts with the Oct 2015 PSAT. The reality is that most students will opt out of being guinea pigs and choose in spring 2016 to take the ACT instead, thereby avoiding the new SAT’s drawbacks in its debut year, which include a thin and compromised library of prep materials and delayed reporting of scores (all of which you can read more about here). However, even if you strongly suspect that you’ll take the safe route offered by the ACT, we still recomm end that you take the 11th grade PSAT when offered by your school in Oct 2015. Reasons for doing so include a) you get the valuable experience of taking a standardized admissions test under real conditions, b) you’ll get a score that will be comparable to your 10th grade PSAT and a useful guidance tool for your counselors and other experts (us), and c) hey, you never know, maybe the new P/SAT’s idiosyncrasies will suit you so well that you’ll choose it over the ACT despite the compromises. Unlikely, but possible. Fall/Winter of 11th Grade: Finalize SAT vs ACT Decision and Begin Prep An unfortunate strategic error that we hear about all too commonly every year involves 11th graders starting prep for one test only to realize well into the process that prep for the other test would have been a better choice. At Compass we insist on pre-program diagnostic tests to minimize the risk of this happening to our students. A less common but much worse situation is when students fall victim to an unscrupulous test prep provider who intentionally steers them into concurrent or consecutive prep for both tests a totally unnecessary overkill approach that is self-serving for the test prep company and typically harmful or at best inefficient for the student. We’re also not fans of students taking their first SAT or ACT entirely cold as a â€Å"dry run.† The result is almost always a score that is useful as a baseline only and not a score that you will want to report to colleges. A practice test taken with Compass is a) professionally administered just like the real thing, b) accurately and promptly scored, c) without cost or obligation, d) all of the above. (We hate to just give away the answer, but it’s D.) As early as summer before 11th grade and no later than winter of 11th grade, take the necessary practice tests to accurately select the test that you will target officially. With this task completed, you will be ready to benefit fully from the deliberative, tried-and-true approach we profess. January of 11th Grade: Possibly Consider Sitting for Final Administration of â€Å"Old† SAT Students in the class of 2017 are in the rather quirky position of technically having more options (ACT, old SAT, new SAT) than the students a year before or after them while pragmatically having fewer options that are uncompromised. The new SAT is problematic for the reasons discussed above. The old SAT would be a perfectly good option as it has been for years, except for the fact that it will be offered for the last time in January 2016. We cannot in good faith recommend to most students an option that would unduly accelerate their timeline. The vast majority of students need at least the full sweep of 11th grade and quite often the fall of 12th grade before they are ready and able to peak on a college admission test. What would typify the student in the small minority for whom the old SAT would be worth a shot? That would be the rare student who did extremely well (National Merit level) on the 10th grade PSAT, confirms those results with an SAT practice test in summer 2015, prefer s the format and content of the old SAT, and is available for potentially rigorous prep in fall of 11th grade. Students who choose the ACT will have nearly an additional full year of testing opportunities to peak. February and/or April of 11th Grade: Take the ACT The ACT will be the test of choice for most students in the class of 2017, and February or April of 11th grade (2016) will be the ideal window for their first sitting. February works well for students who got an early start on prep and/or are at the higher end of the score range, while April is ideal for students who will benefit from that many more months of academic maturation before their first official test. Both the February and April test dates leave the final 4-6 weeks of the school year open for students to focus more on Subject Tests, AP exams, and their academic classes. There is also an ACT offered the second Saturday in June for students who wish to retest. May and/or June of 11th Grade: Take the Subject Tests (If Needed) As discussed above in the context of the 10th grade year-end period, SAT Subject Tests are required, expected, or at least considered by approximately 100 colleges. It is critical to schedule Subject Tests when you are completing the corresponding class in school, so the end of the 11th grade year is the most popular and optimal time. We recommend scheduling practice tests in March or April for any Subject Tests you are considering taking officially in May or June. Considerable thought can go into which Subject Tests you select, when you take them (the timing of AP exams plays a role), whether you take them just once or utilize both the May and June dates, how many you take on any given date, and so on. The directors at Compass are experts at helping you think this through, and we aim to have our advice complement and expand upon the guidance you will likely receive from your counselors and teachers at school. Fall of 12th Grade: Retake Any Tests As Necessary ACT offers test dates in September, October, and December. The College Board fall dates are the first Saturdays in October, November, and December. Reporting of scores from fall test dates must be handled promptly and carefully by students applying to a college with early decision or early action, but otherwise the fall test dates are excellent opportunities for seniors to take the test a final time. While it is no longer common for students to wait until the summer before 12th grade to begin test prep, we still find many students who benefit from minimizing testing and test prep in 11th grade so as to focus more exclusively on schoolwork. As has been a theme in this post, these very individual decisions are well-informed by practice tests and in-depth consultations with a Compass expert.

Contemporary trends in corporate finance - Free Essay Example

Brief: 194364 Title: Contemporary trends in corporate finance This report looks at the contemporary trends in corporate finance in the UK. The major trends and their implications are analysed below. Major trends in corporate finance Growth in private equity Private equity has grown rapidly over the last decade. Private equity has grown both in number of deals it is involved in and also the size of companies being taken private. In UK, a consortium led by CVC is bidding for J Sainsbury and another consortium led by KKR is bidding for Boots (Larsen, 2007 I). Both of the above two deals are valued at around  £10 billion. The growth in private equity has been fuelled by the interest of new investors in private equity and availability of cheap debt. Pension funds and wealthy investors are now putting more of their investments in private equity resulting in huge amount of investment funds with private equity. Due to high amount of cash at their disposal, it makes more economical sense for private equity firms to invest in larger deals rather than chasing a large number of smaller deals. UK has also been subject to higher buyout activity from non-UK buyout firms. Acquisitions in the UK by foreign companies in the first three quarters of 2005 exceeded the values for such deals for 2003 and 2004 (Dolbeck, 2005). Both CVC and KKR are US-based firms keenly pursuing buyouts in UK. . Big high street banks have also set up their own private equity funds. Lloyds TSBà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s LDC invests in UK mid-market with up to  £100 million in private equity[1]. Investment and participation by investment banks Previously investment banks participation in private equity was limited to advising private equity and/or companies and raising capital for private equity companies. But in the last few years, investment banks have also started investing alongside private equity firms. Not only that investment banks are also raising their own funds to invest on their own or alongside with private equity firms. Merrill Lynch is even investing from its own funds[2]. Investment banks participation stems mainly because of the two reasons. First, they generate lucrative fees on the overall deal. Second, investment banks earn good returns on their money invested. Emergence of hedge funds in diverse investment instruments Hedge funds are investing in securities of longer term lock-in periods. Hedge funds active in the leveraged buyout market are providing subordinate debt and payment-in-kind securities. A consortium of hedge funds helped finance Malcolm Glazers pound  £790 million takeover of Manchester United FC by taking payment-in-kind securities (The Lawyer, 2006). This has brought hedge funds in direct competition to established companies funding such investments. Hedge funds have also started taking active roles in changing companies in distress or special situations. Availability of cheap debt Growth in private equity has been fuelled by availability of cheap debt. Increase in corporate earnings over the last few years and reduced interest rates allowed banks to increase their lending for acquisitions. Stable economic environment in UK has also increased bankà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s appetite for risk. Private equity investors are often borrrowing six to seven times the equity they are putting in the deal[3]. Emergence of activist investors Activist investors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" individual investors and / or hedge funds à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" are taking more active role in forcing companies to restructure and increase shareholders value. Cadbury Schweppes recently agreed to demerge its businesses and list them separately to increase shareholder value. The company had previously decided not to take this route but the turnaround came swiftly after appearance of the US activist Nelson Peltz as one of the main shareholders (Jackson, 2007). Hedge funds are now coming out in open and asking companies to take drastic actions to increase their returns. Implications Corporate debt to equity ratio Companies with good and predictable cash flows are facing more prospects of being acquired by private equity firms. Mature businesses with significant proportion of their assets in tangible and physical assets offer good securities against which buyout firms can raise cheap loans. To reduce their likelihood of being taken over by buyout firms, companies are raising more debts and returning cash to shareholders. It is do or die scenario in some cases as companies reluctant to take on more leverage could find themselves on the receiving end of a takeover bid (Larsen, 2007 II). This has led to increase in debt to equity ratios of companies. Stagecoach plc is returning  £700 million to its shareholders. Because of disposal of some of its businesses, the company had a net fund position of  £140 million in October 06 (Stagecoach, 2007). Stagecoach will have to take debt to finance the return of capital to the shareholders. According to Modigliani and Millerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s proposition II, the expected return on equity of a levered firm increases in proportion to the debt to equity ratio (Brealey Myers). Higher debt should then raise shareholders return but it also increases the chances of bankruptcy. Some of the corporate decisions, made under the influence of active investors, may appear to be good for shareholders in short-term. Return of cash or separating businesses may increase shareholders value but would expose companies to risk of high interest rate or may not leave them with sufficient cash to pursue growth opportunities in future. Increase in interest rates Higher buyout activity and return of capital to shareholders have been funded by availability of cheap debt. But with the continuing increase in house prices and moderate to high inflation, Bank of England has been raising interest rates. Due to higher financial leverage, companies with higher debt will have to incur more interest charges if interest rates increase. Additionally consumers, who have taken more mortgages on their homes, will find that they have lower income at their disposal after paying higher mortgages. Lower income and higher interest charges will likely lead to reduction in companies earning and increase their chances of bankruptcy. Dividend With a view to avoid being acquired by buyout firms, companies are increasing dividend to better utilise cash sitting in the business or its ability to raise cheaper funds. This is also done under pressure from hedge funds who are pressurising companies to increase their share prices by efficient use of funding and return of capital. Last few years have seen growth in private equity deals, both in number of deals and size of individual deals. This has been fuelled by the increase in funds available with buyout firms and also by the availability of more and cheap debt. Also activist investors are pushing firms to increase shareholder value. Companies are now taking steps to return capital to shareholders to avoid being taken private. All of the above has resulted in higher amount of debt for companies with stable cash flows and exposing them to bankruptcy risks in case interest rates rise further and consumers demand slows down. BIBLIOGRAPHY REFRENCES Brealey, R.A. S.C. Myers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Principles of corporate financeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Sixth edition, Tata Mcgraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, pg. 481 Dolbeck, A. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Mergers and acquisitions around the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Weekly Corporate Growth Report, Santa Barbara, 19 December 2005, Iss. 1370, Pg. 1 Jackson, T. (2007). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“The public company is battered but not brokenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Financial Times, 19 March 2007 Larsen, P.T. (2007, I). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Private equity bids keep on growingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Financial Times, 28 March 2007 Larsen, P.T. (2007, II). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Takeovers reach a record highà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Financial Times, 25 January 2007 The Lawyer (2006). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Private equity funds bristle as hedge funds muscle inà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , The Lawyer, London, Feb13, 2006. Pg. 13 Stagecoach (2007). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Proposed return of value of approximately  £700 million to Shareholdersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (https://investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200703140701329088S), 14 March 2007. [1] Lloyds TSB LDC (https://www.ldc.co.uk/), 6th April 2007 [2] Larsen, P.T. (2007, I). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Private equity bids keep on growingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Financial Times, 28 May 2007 [3] Larsen, P.T. (2007, I). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Private equity bids keep on growingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , Financial Times, 28 May 2007

Pinocytosis Definition and Examples

Tobacco And Its Effects On The Health Of The United States

â€Å"Loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, and dangerous to the lungs.† says King James of England and Scotland, describing smoking in 1604 (Connolly 13). Tobacco use kills millions of people a year but still only has few legal restrictions. Many argue that the use of tobacco is a right we have in the United States but the harm that it does to the innocent may outweigh those rights. Because the use of tobacco negatively impacts the health of both the users and those around them, all tobacco products and their use should be illegal. Often times in history when a new product is created it is not fully understood in the beginning but as time passes new information surfaces and the development of understanding the†¦show more content†¦As they learned these methods and began smoking it it became a very important part of the Native American culture, using it for religious rituals and Native American diplomacy (12). These rituals continued even as the colonists came to their land and discovered their tobacco, Nicotiana rustica, that they grew and smoked. The colonists took an interest in the tobacco and smoked it themselves but found it to be bitter tasting and weak. Looking to improve the taste of this Native American plant they started to mix it with a sweet tobacco that they had imported. While the Native Americans used tobacco for religious and ritual reasons the colonists in Virginia smoked pipes as a mark of a gentleman (Cordry 3). But the colonists did not keep this plant to themselves, Christop her Columbus introduced tobacco to Europe in the 1490’s, and soon after Jean Nicot introduce tobacco to France, who then nicotine was named after in 1556. Spain, Portugal, and England soon caught on to this trend and began using tobacco in 1565 (Connolly 13). As tobacco made its global rise to fame, many doctors began to use it as a medication for things such as â€Å"griefs† of the stomach, snakebites, toothaches, joint pain, and a dry scalp. William Byrd was one man in particular who tried to promote general wellness to the public, convincing people to follow in his example by hanging tobacco leaves next to their

The French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte Essay

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader and eventual political leader in France who was able to seize power during the end of the French Revolution of the late 1790s and early 1800s. Napoleon was the leader of France from 1804 to 1815 and mostly remembered as a leader in a cycle of European battles. He institutionalized the changes brought about by the French Revolution and sought to spread them throughout Europe. It has been long debated the factors that allowed Napoleon to seize power and eventually crown himself emperor. Such factors that have been considered have been Napoleons personality, his military exploits, the failings of the Directory, support of the people and army and even sheer luck. Napoleons personality has†¦show more content†¦In 1796 as a young officer of 27 years old, Napoleon was given command of the French army in Italy. In his proclamation to his troops, Napoleon said, The two armies which but recently attacked you with audacity are fleeing before you in terror; the wicked men who laughed at your misery and rejoiced at the thought of the triumphs of your enemies are confounded and trembling. Acts like this display the strong personality that Napoleon possessed and how his endearing nature captivated his troops. The control and support of the army was effective in enabling Bonaparte to eventually seize power. Napoleon has been recognised as a military genius. His various military exploits have been widely regarded as great feats and his military prowess was definitely an important factor is his ascension to power. Napoleon has been said to be a great tactician and strategist in war which was essentially why he was able to progress through the ranks of military also while becoming a national hero. In 1793, the then young Napoleon became a national hero by leading the recapture of the French port of Toulon from the British which drew the attention of the upper echelons. As a reward for his services, the RepresentativesShow MoreRelatedNapoleon Bonaparte And The French Revolution1133 Words   |  5 PagesThe French Revolution, a revolutionary movement of extensive social and political upheavals triggered by the dissatisfaction of the monarchy. Inspired by the ideals of the Enlightenment, the Third Estate overthrew the monarchy and established many different governments and constitutions. These proved to be unhelpful and useless as anyone who came into power was blinded by it and became unreliable until Napoleon Bonaparte. Born as the fourth child of the Bonaparte, Napoleon grew up desiring to beRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte and The French Revolution2105 Words   |  8 PagesNapoleon and The French revolution Napoleon Bonaparte was a visionary to some, and a ruthless ruler to others. The purpose of the French revolution was to free the oppressed and stop the bloodshed that was occurring in France. The real question is whether Napoleon was the legitimate heir to the visions of the French revolution. Napoleon was in essence a very powerful man that took control of France but threw out many of the ideals of the French Revolution. His actions during his takeover whereRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte And The French Revolution1481 Words   |  6 Pages Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), also known as Napoleon I, was a French military leader and emperor who was determined and had strong ambition the helped him conquer most of Europe in just 30 years. He rapidly rose to power through promotions during the French revolution (1789-1799). After gaining power in France he crowned himself the emperor in 1804. He was an ambitious and skillful militant how staged war against various coalitions of European nations and expanded the French empire howeverRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte And The French Revolution1189 Words   |  5 PagesNapoleon Bonaparte is remembered as a more significant ruler who redefined the history of not only France but also Europe, and the world at large. Interestingly, he went about realizing his objectives by both continuing and breaking from the aims of the revolutionary predecessors. His battleground was critical to determine his prowess by either supporting or opposing the path that had been laid before him. Napoleon made tremendous contributions towards changing the political structure of FranceRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte : The Downfall Of The French Revolution702 Words   |  3 Pages Napoleon Bonaparte was a military leader whose fame reached his peak in the French Revolution. He would serve as the Emperor of France from 1804-1814; He would resume this role in 1815 during the Hundred Days. He would become one of the most successful emperors in all of France and world history. He would win many wars and build a huge empire that ruled across Europe. His legacy has been analyzed by historians and learned by students in modern time. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on AugustRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte Betrayed the Ideas of the French Revolution 622 Words   |  3 PagesNapoleon did not always follow through with his theories and ideas about the well being of France with actions, making him very hypocritical; there are however some contrasting points to suggest that not all his choices were insincere. Therefore his initial claims and theories were not completed, his actions contradicted his preliminary ideas. Consequently, Napoleon betrayed the ideas of the French Revolution: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. We can see how Napoleon Bonaparte repeatedly opposedRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte and The Legacy of the French revolution Essay1392 Words   |  6 Pagesprinciples of equality, fraternity and liberty, the French revolution spanned from 1789-1799. The revolution was a historical world landmark for the massive bloodshed and intensity of the revolution. The country was torn apart by political and religious turmoil which had persisted for over a decade. The revolution began due to the resentment of feudalism, civil inequality and religious intolerance that was present in France. The people of the revolution wanted France to establish a new political andRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte : A Powerful Person Of The French Revolution947 Words   |  4 Pages Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the most powerful person of the French Revolution. Today, many countries world-wide still remember his name because observing his legacy; his name will be forever in the human history. â€Å"Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769, in Ajaccio, Corsica, France. He died in 1821, on the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Napoleon was the most distinguished leaders in the history of the West† (â€Å"Napoleon†). According to the article, Napoleon’s dreams were to organizeRead MoreThe French Revolution: Napoleon Essay954 Words   |  4 Pages The French Revolution was a period of social and political turmoil in France from 1789 to 1799 that greatly affected modern and French history. It marked the decline of powerful monarchies and the rise of democracy, individual rights and nationalism. This revolution came with many consequences because of the strive for power and wealth, but also had many influential leaders attempting to initiate change in the French government and the economy. In 1789 the people of France dismissed King Louis XVIRead MoreBonaparte Betrayed the Revolution1638 Words   |  7 PagesBonaparte Betrayed the Revolution ‘Bonaparte betrayed the revolution.’ Do you agree with this statement? Justify your answer. Napoleon Bonaparte’s attitude towards the French Revolution is one that has often raised questions. That the revolution had an influence on Bonaparte’s regime cannot be denied – but to what extent? When one looks at France after Napoleon’s reign it is clear that he had brought much longed for order and stability. He had also established institutions that embodied the

Analysis Of Danny Torrance s The Night - 1311 Words

Belle Doraz American Lit Honors Mr. Young 1 March, 2017 Isolated and Ill Danny Torrance is a clever five year old boy. He loves his father, Jack, and often times waits for him to return from work for hours at a time. Danny, despite the love he has for his father, is isolated from feeling loved by Jack. Jack has physically abused Danny many times in Danny’s short life. The first instance was when Jack dropped Danny on his head as a baby while Jack was heavily intoxicated. According to studies done by John M. Grohol, Psy.D., head trauma at an early age can be the beginning of mental illness and can initiate psychological issues in the future. â€Å"Psychiatric issues, including hallucinations and delusions, are certainly more common after†¦show more content†¦Although King never explicitly states that Danny was sexually abused, it can be inferred because of the sexual nature of some of Danny’s Hallucinations, â€Å"I m going to eat you up, little boy. And I think I ll start with your plump, little cock. (King 494) This disturbing sentence was said, in Danny’s mind, by a man who appeared to be dressed up like a dog. This apparition that Danny sees signifies that he has been sexually abused because most five year old would never be able to imagine something as gruesome and perverted as he did. This sexual knowledge not only separates him from his family but also from other children his age. This is most likely the cause of his inability to make friends. Also, the fact that the one saying the sexual threat was someone in a costume, furthers the proof that it was only from Danny’s mind because children shows (that Danny is described watching in the start of the story) often contains characters that are simply men dressed up as animals. Another sense of isolation that Danny experiences is the absence of friends in his life. Danny does not know any other children his age. His only friend is a dangerous figment of his imagination . His mother, Wendy, says that Danny started talking to the imaginary friend right around the time when his father lost his job and began isolating Danny even more than usual. This â€Å"friend† (caused by his hallucinations, brain damage, and neglect) bring Danny

Text Analysis Art for Heart’s Sake free essay sample

The author of the extract under analysis is an American sculptor, cartoonist and writer Reuben Lucius Goldberg (1883-1970). Rube Goldberg began practicing his art skills at the age of four when he traced illustrations from the humorous book History of the United States. After graduating from the University of California in 1904 he worked as a cartoonist for a number of newspapers and magazines. Goldberg is best known for a series of popular cartoons he created depicting complex devices that perform simple tasks in indirect way. Among his best works are Is There a Doctor in the House? (1929), Rube Goldberg’s Guide to Europe (1954) and I Made My Bed (1960). The text under analysis is a short story Art for heart’s sake. The title of the story reveals its subject matter, but it is only when we have read the whole story we shall understand what underlies this title. The story is told from the point of view of the author. We will write a custom essay sample on Text Analysis Art for Heart’s Sake or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From the point of view of presentation the text is a 3rd person narration with dialogues of the characters. Since the text under consideration presents a story it belongs to belles-lettres style, emotive prose substyle. The character drawing is of a mixture type because the author both describes his characters directly through words and through their actions, attitudes to other personages. The author managed to depict all his characters with genuine skills. Koppel, doctor Caswell, Swain and Ellsworth were described mostly through their behaviour, speech and dialogues. The first character who was introduced to the reader was the male nurse Koppel. He was the helper of doctor Caswell to treat the old man. The author described how hard it was. He used gradation to reveal the male nurse’s despair (He won’t take his pineapple juice. He doesn’t want me to read to him. He hates the radio. He doesn’t like anything! ). Koppel couldn’t do a thing with the old man. The nurse even tried to prevent him from exhibiting the Trees Dressed in White as the old man could become a laughing-stock. Anxious and uneasy Koppel sets off calm and gentle Doctor Caswell. He is a professional and thinks a lot about his patients (He had done some constructive thinking since his last visit. Making proposition to the old man he took his stethoscope ready in case the abruptness of the suggestion proved too much for the patient’s heart. In spite of rude and vigorous Ellsworth’s answers like Rot and Bosh Caswell managed to persuade him to take up art with his professional calm). He understood Ellsworth was no ordinary case. The doctor preferred not to interfere when Ellsworth decided to exhibit his painting at the gallery. Doctor Caswell was the only man who managed with a supreme effort to congratulate the old man on the First Prize while Swain and Koppel uttered a series of inarticulate gurgles. One mistake the doctor made is he thought it safe to allow Ellsworth to visit museums and galleries. The next character is Frank Swain. He is a 18 year-old promising student. Like Caswell, Swain was also patient. The author used such a simile (there was a drawing on the table which had a slight resemblance to the vase) to outline the Swain’s reaction (Not bad, sir. It’s a bit lopsided). Swain is professional too. As his visits grew more frequent he brought a box of water-colors and some tubes of oils. He was not indifferent to Ellsworth and worried about the picture Trees Dressed in White. He was forced to sneak into the Gallery and see the picture with his own eyes. The most inconsistent character is Collis P. Ellsworth. He behaved like a child with the nurse. The author used many slang words (rot, bosh, by gum, poppycock) to display the old man’s attitude to Koppel, Swain and Doctor, to emphasize such traits of his character as arrogance, confidence, whimsicality. The old man is rude, scornful but also clever and cunning. The author emphasizes the old man behaves like a child (he replied Nope on the male nurse suggestion many times. He colored the open spaces blue like a child playing with a picture book. He proudly displayed the variegated smears of paint on his heavy silk dressing gown. He requested someone to read his envelope because his eyes were tired from painting. It was done specially to archive strong effect). When the old man’s diagnosis was described the author used zeugma for the irony (All his purchases of recent years had to be liquidated at a great sacrifice both to his health and his pocketbook). Originally the old man was not sure whether to take up art. He looked appraisingly at Swain and drew the scrawls expecting the Swain’s criticism (the wrinkles deepened at the corners of the old man’s eyes as he asked elfishly what he thought of it). In some time he asked Swain to come three times a week. It tells about his progress in painting. The author used synecdoche (I want to ask you something before old pineapple juice comes back). It reveals the old man’s attitude to the male nurse. Asyndeton is used in the old man’s question: â€Å"I was thinking could you spare the time to come twice a week or perhaps three times? † Ellsworth displayed his insatiable curiosity about the galleries but in fact being a person who couldn’t help buying anything he formed an artful plan in his brain. Ellsworth organized everything beforehand. The fact that Koppel, Swain and the doctor were in the room when the envelope was brought was not a chance. He anticipated this result (He was unusually cheerful during the exhibition). He proved them that art is nothing and everything can be bought for money. All treatment and the good work, that the doctor has accomplished, were spoilt. Ellsworth managed to wind everybody round his finger. The idea of this text is that everything can be bought for money. Value of art will vanish if everyone foists their god-awful smudges as an eternal work of art. The text has a simple plot. The setting of events is mostly realistic. In the exposition the action centers around Collis P. Ellsworth, an old gentleman whose obsessional idea is buying unnecessary things. In this part the author uses repetitions and anaphora (â€Å"He won’t take†¦He doesn’t want†¦He hates†¦He doesn’t like†). The development is presented in the chain of events: doctor Caswell suggests him taking up art and he invites a student Frank Swain to teach him. The old man wants to exhibit his picture â€Å"Trees Dressed in White† in a famous gallery. Here oxymoron is used (Upon this distinguished group Ellsworth was going to foist his Trees Dressed in White). The climax is reached when the picture is accepted for the Lathrop show. The author used epithets (a god-awful smudge; a loud, raucous splash on the wall) and simile (which resembled a gob of salad dressing thrown violently up against the side of a house) to give a real appraisal of the painting and show the absurd accepting this picture to the gallery. The author used epithet (a lifetime dream of every mature artist was a Lathrop prize) and inversion (upon this distinguished group Ellsworth was going to foist his painting) to emphasize the importance of this exhibition, its scale and prestigious. The tension is still kept when we learn that this picture wins the first  prize. Then, in the denouement we learn that the old man had bought this gallery. The form of speech of the text under analysis is equally direct and indirect. The prevailing forms of utterance are narration and dialogue. The text is told in mixture type of speech. The types of speech have peculiarities at each language level. On the phonological level in the written type of speech full forms of modal and auxiliary verbs are presented: he had done some, he would dwell on, he would not allow, he could not bear. Although contracted forms of the spoken type prevail: it’s good, I can’t do, He won’t take, he doesn’t want, how’d you like, I didn’t expect, art’s nothing etc. On the morphological level both types of speech are presented. Let us proceed with the analysis of the tense-forms. The prevailing tense-form used in the story is the Past Indefinite. It denotes the past action and a succession of past actions: As the weeks went by Swain’s visits grew more frequent. I bought the Lathrop Gallery last month. â€Å"Would† expresses past repeated actions and routine: He would dwell on the rich variety of color in a bowl of fruit. He would not allow his valet to send it to the cleaner’s. The Present Indefinite tense is used in the spoken type to denote actions and states continuing at the moment of speaking, habitual actions: He doesn’t want me to read to him. He hates radio. I’m not an artist yet. The Present Continuous expresses a continuous action going on at the moment of speaking: you will have to look at what you’re drawing, sir. The present perfect tense is used to denote the action preceding the moment of speaking: I’ve thought of that too. all the good work we’ve accomplished. The First Landscape Prize of $1,ooo has been awarded to Collis P. Ellsworth for his painting. The Past Continuous tense denotes a continuous action in progress at a certain moment in the past: The treatment was working perfectly. An idea was forming in his head. Going to is used to express an intention: He was going to exhibit it in the Summer show at the Lathrop Gallery! Several examples of Past Perfect denote an action of which both the beginning and the end precede some moment of time in the past: He had done some constructive thinking since his last visit. He had suffered his last heart attack after his disastrous purchase of that jerkwater railroad out in Iowa. There is also one example of the Past Perfect Continuous tense which is used to denote past action of certain duration which had visible results in the past: He wanted to show the doctor how hard he’d been working. The Future Indefinite denotes a prediction It’ll be fun or a decision made at the moment of speaking: But, but – well, now, you’ll have to admit that art is much more satisfying than business. As to the nouns both proper (the Atlantic Art Institute, Iowa, the Metropolitan etc) and common ones are used, as countable and uncountable (material nouns: juice, chalk, paper, salad dressing and abstract nouns: information, calm, health, poppycock, terror, news). There are some examples of use of partitives in the text: a piece of crayon, a box of water-colors, tubes of oil, smears of paint, a bowl of fruit, a gob of salad. Among the articles the nominative meaning is present: a chair, an elevator, a house, a drawing etc. Nevertheless, the specifying meaning prevails: the five dollars, the art student, the painting the exhibit etc – the reader knows or can work out which particular thing the author means. There are plenty of examples of the use of the indefinite article with a descriptive attribute: a great sacrifice, a promising student, a palsied hand, an insatiable curiosity, a god-awful smudge, a supreme effort. The classifying meaning: a student, a special messenger. The numeric meaning: five dollars a visit, twice a week. The infinitives present in the text are used in different functions: †¢ Koppel heard the front door and was glad to leave the room – an object †¢ I can’t do a thing with him/He had to be kept from buying things/had to be liquidated at a great sacrifice – a part of a compound verbal modal predicate †¢ How’d you like to take up art? – an object that’s if I’m foolish enough to start – an AM of result and consequence †¢ I can get a student from one of the art schools to come here once a week and show you a part of a compound verbal modal predicate; an objective with the infinitive construction †¢ Ran an elevator at night to pay tuition – an AM of purpose †¢ If you want to draw you will have to look at what you’re drawing, sir – an object; a part of a compound verbal mod al predicate †¢ I want to ask you smth – an object I was thinking could you spare the time to come twice a week a part of a compound verbal modal predicate; an attribute †¢ When Doctor Caswell called Ellsworth would talk about the graceful lines of the andirons/he would dwell n the rich variety of color in a bowl of fruit/ He would not allow his valet to send it to the cleaner’s a part of a compound verbal aspect predicate †¢ He wanted to show the doctor how hard he’d been working – an object †¢ No more trips downtown to become involved in purchases – an attribute †¢ The doctor thought it safe to allow Ellsworth to visit – an object; an objective with the infinitive construction †¢ When the late spring sun began to cloak the fields and gardens with color a part of a compound verbal aspect predicate †¢ He was going to exhibit it in the Summer show/ was going to foist/We’ve got to stop him/We can’t interfere with him now/ where it could not excite any noticeable comment/He could not bear to hear (an object) what they had to say/you’ll have to admit a part of a compound ver bal modal predicate †¢ It gives the Lathrop Gallery pleasure to announce – an attribute There are some gerunds in the text: ? He had done some constructive thinking since his last visit – a direct object ? But he had to be kept from buying things – a prepositional object ? But, Caswell, how do I start playing with the chalk – a part of a compound verbal aspect predicate ? We can’t interfere with him now and take a chance of spoiling all the good work – an attribute ? During the course of the exhibition the old man kept on taking his lessons a part of a compound verbal aspect predicate ? My eyes are tired from painting a prepositional object In the text we can find the following examples of Participle I: o He added a few lines with a palsied hand and colored the open spaces blue like a child playing with a picture book – an attribute o As two giggling students stopped before the strange anomaly Swain fled in terror an attribute o During the course of the exhibition the old man kept on taking his lessons, seldom mentioning his entry in the exhibit – an AM of time o Doctor Caswell, exercising his professional self-control with a supreme effort, said – an AM of manner Participle II can be found in these sentences: said the doctor, relieved that disaster had been averted – an attribute No more trips downtown to become involved in purchases – which resembled a gob of salad dressing thrown violently up against the side of a house – an attribute In the story we can find many examples of the Imperative Mood: Here, take your pinea pple juice. Listen, young man. There are two complex sentences with subordinate clauses of condition (first conditional): If you want to draw you will have to look at what you’re drawing, sir. If the papers get hold of this, Mister Ellsworth will become a laughing-stock. On the syntactic level both written and spoken types of speech are present. At the point of the spoken type the story is characterized by the use of many short and elliptical sentences (Ran an elevator at night to pay tuition. Such foolishness. Poppycock). In the written type compound, complex and composite sentences are used. They prevail in narrations. On the lexical level neutral words prevail, though many slang and colloquial words are used (by the old man): scrawl, bosh, poppy-cock, jerkwater, rot, gob. Also there are some bookish words constructive, abruptness, purchase, proposition, variegated. We can see medical terms- patient, doctor, nurse, heart attack, stethoscope and a lot of art terms -oils, water-colors, canvas, chalk, crayon, colour, painting, exhibit, show, gallery, painter, artist.