A Test of the Critical-Period Hypothesis for Second-Language Acquisition free essay sample

The analyses tested a key prediction of the hypothesis, namely, that the line regressing second-language attainment on age of immigration would be markedly different on either side of the criticalage point. Predictions tested were that there would be a difference in slope, a difference in the mean while controlling for slope, or both. The results showed large linear effects for level of education and for age of immigration, but a negligible amount of additional variance was accounted for when the parameters for difference in slope and difference in means were estimated. Thus, the pattern of decline in second-language acquisition failed to produce the discontinuity that is an essential hallmark of a critical period. The idea that there is a biologically based critical period for secondlanguage acquisition that prevents older learners from achieving nativelike competence has appeal to both theorists and social policymakers (Bailey, Bruer, Symons, Lichtman, 2001). The critical-period hypothesis was originally proposed in the neurolinguistic literature by Pen? ld and Roberts (1959) and vigorously followed up by Lenneberg (1967), who speculated that maturational aspects of the brain that limited recovery from brain traumas and disorders would extend to second-language acquisition. We will write a custom essay sample on A Test of the Critical-Period Hypothesis for Second-Language Acquisition or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Subsequent research using behavioral evidence appeared to con? rm this hypothesis (Johnson, 1992; Johnson Newport, 1989; Oyama, 1976; Patkowski, 1980, 1994). The measure of language pro? ciency in these studies varied (ratings of oral speech, grammaticality judgment tasks), but the typical result was that pro? iency scores declined with increases in age of initial exposure to the second language. The claim that there is an age-related decline in the success with which individuals master a second language is not controversial. The diminished average achievement of older learners is supported by personal anecdote and documented by empirical evidence (Flege, YeniKomshian, Liu, 1999; Stevens, 1999). What is controversial, though, is whether this pattern meets the conditions for concluding that a critical period constrains learning in a way predicted by the theory. A critical period minimally entails two characteristics: (a) a high level of preparedness for learning within a speci? ed developmental period to ensure the domain is mastered by the species and (b) a lack of preparedness outside this period (Bornstein, 1989; Colombo, 1982). The consequence of these conditions is that the relation between learning and age is different inside and outside the critical period. Proponents of a critical-period explanation have attempted to place the description of second-language learning within these parameters. Johnson Address correspondence to Kenji Hakuta, CERAS Building, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; e-mail: [emailprotected] edu. VOL. 14, NO. 1, JANUARY 2003 and Newport (1989, 1991) have argued, for example, that there is a strong age-related decline in pro? ciency for languages learned prior to puberty (de? ned as 15 years old) and random variation in achievement among individuals who are exposed to a second language later in life. Such developmental discontinuity at an identi? able maturational time would constitute support for the two conditions of a critical period. The data, however, are controversial because of the dif? culty in separating out the effects of age of initial exposure, duration of exposure, and social and linguistic backgrounds of the participants (see the analysis and critique of Johnson and Newport’s study in Bialystok Hakuta, 1994). Other researchers have argued that the evidence fails to support the interpretation that language-learning potential is fundamentally changed after a critical period (e. g. , Epstein, Flynn, Martohardjono, 1996; Hakuta, 2001). Two kinds of evidence have typically been used in these challenges. The ? rst is the identi? cation of older learners who achieve nativelike competence in the second language (Birdsong, 1992; Bongaerts, Planken, Schils, 1995; Ioup, Boustagui, El Tigi, Moselle, 1994). The second is behavioral evidence that fails to reveal a qualitative change in learning outcomes at the close of a critical period (Bialystok Hakuta, 1999; Bialystok Miller, 1999; Birdsong Flege, 2000; Birdsong Molis, 2001; Flege, 1999; Flege, Munro, MacKay, 1995; Flege et al. 1999). Whether such evidence is considered damaging to the critical-period hypothesis depends on the stringency of the criteria for de? ning the boundaries of the critical period (Birdsong, 1999; Harley Wang, 1997; Singleton Lengyel, 1995). Nonetheless, both weak and strong interpretations of the critical-period hypothesis require the demonstration of a signi? cant change in learning outcome, not merely a monotonic decline with age. Defense of the position that language learning is constrained by a critical period requires specifying the maturational stage at which languagelearning potential changes, and ideally the reason for the change. However, there has been little consensus about what age constitutes the critical point, and reasons for proposing different ages have rarely been offered. Researchers have variously claimed, for example, that the age at which the critical period terminates is 5 years (Krashen, 1973), 6 years (Pinker, 1994), 12 years (Lenneberg, 1967), or 15 years (Johnson Newport, 1989). An alternative to the critical-period hypothesis is that second-language learning becomes compromised with age, potentially because of factors that are not speci? c to language but nevertheless interfere with the individual’s ability to learn a new language. These might include social and educational variables that in? uence learning potential and opportunity, as well as cognitive aging that gradually erodes some of the mechanisms necessary for learning a complex body of knowledge, such as a new language. Among social factors, education has been most clearly demonstrated to in? ence second-language acquisition. Learners who arrive as immigrants at different ages have fundamentally different experiences, are exposed to qualitatively and quantitatively different samples of the new language, and have distinctly different opportunities for formal study of the language either directly or through other educational content (Bialystok Hakuta, 1994; Flege et al. , 1999). Flege and his colleagues have reCopyright  © 2003 American Psychological Society 31 PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE Critical Period in Second-Language Acquisition Table 1. Regression of English pro? iency on education: Spanish- and Chinese-speaking immigrants Variable Intercept 5–8 years education Some high school High school graduate Some college Intercept 5–8 years education Some high school High school graduate Some college Note. R2 Parameter estimate 1. 7431 0. 2493 0. 7324 1. 0693 1. 7398 2. 0573 0. 3484 0. 8710 1. 1708 1. 4445 SE Chinese 0. 00417 0. 00624 0. 00586 0. 00548 0. 00451 Spanish 0. 00136 0. 00184 0. 00196 0. 00209 0. 00198 SS 96,590 884 8,659 21,071 82,450 1,796,840 28,171 154,633 244,933 417,988 F 174,334. 0 1,596. 0 15,628. 1 38,030. 6 148,813. 0 2,293,711. 0 35,961. 197,393. 0 312,664. 0 533,572. 0 p . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 . 0001 .4221 for Chinese-speaking immigrants and . 2622 for Spanish-speaking immigrants. ported complex effec ts of educational programs on second-language acquisition, and in one of their studies age-of-learning effects disappeared when education was controlled (Flege et al. , 1999). The second group of factors is the changes in cognition that occur with aging. Although critical periods have not been posited in most cognitive domains, there are nonetheless age-related changes in cognitive processing. Some age-related changes in cognitive processes relevant to language learning are decreased ability to learn paired associates (Salthouse, 1992), increased dif? culty encoding new information (Craik Jennings, 1992; Park et al. , in press; Rabinowitz, Craik, Ackerman, 1982), and reduced accuracy recalling detail as opposed to gist (Hultsch Dixon, 1990). Kemper (1992) pointed out that older adults’ second-language pro? ciency, like their ? rst-language pro? ciency, could also be affected by such factors as working memory capacity, cognitive processing speed, and attention. All these factors decline with age, and the decline is documented across the life span. Such a reduction in cognitive resources would surely affect the ability to learn a new language. Older learners would ? nd the task more dif? cult than younger ones, although no critical period would be involved. In the present study, we examined the effect of age of acquisition on second-language pro? ciency by studying a very large sample of second-language learners who covered a wide range of ages of initial exposure to English. Minimally, demonstrating a critical period would require ? nding evidence for a clear discontinuity in learning outcome around a speci? ed age. Moreover, this pattern would have to be independent of social or educational factors that also impinge on successful second-language acquisition. the full range of the parameters in the variables of interest could be investigated. For Spanish speakers, we used data from California, Illinois, Texas, and New York, four of the largest states, with large populations of Spanish speakers.

Free Essays on Comparing Romantic Relationships

Love and Romance Throughout Word Count: 1,293 Most of the novels that we have read have a theme of love. Different kinds of love are shown throughout the stories, but one type of love interests me the most, romantic love. The romantic relationships are so different from each other in all the books. Some are true love, while others seem to be convience love. I wish to explore the feelings of two particular women who have very different ideas on love and marriage. Elizabeth and Janie are two independently minded women, living in times when such independence is not widely accepted. â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† focuses mostly on Elizabeth and her changing feelings of Mr. Darcy. â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God† is all about Janie and her three very different relationships throughout the novel. Elizabeth was unlike her sisters is many ways. One way that she thought completely different was on the subject of love and marriage. Elizabeth’s siblings were all about searching for husbands. Their only goal in life was to get married to wealthy men. Jane, the eldest sister seemed to be the only Benedict sister besides Elizabeth who did not necessarily want to marry for money, but for love. Getting married was extremely important to Jane but not for all the wrong reasons like her sisters. Elizabeth, however, did not seem to be in any hurry to get married. She refused two men before finally accepting a marriage proposal from Mr. Darcy. The difference between the men was that Elizabeth was truly in love with Mr. Darcy, while she did not even like the other two men who were chasing her. We could see from the beginning that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were meant to be together. They may have shown dislike and Elizabeth expressed much hatred, but there is a thin line between love an d hate. I don’t believe a person can have one without the other. When Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth finally express their feelings for one another and get engaged, we can feel... Free Essays on Comparing Romantic Relationships Free Essays on Comparing Romantic Relationships Love and Romance Throughout Word Count: 1,293 Most of the novels that we have read have a theme of love. Different kinds of love are shown throughout the stories, but one type of love interests me the most, romantic love. The romantic relationships are so different from each other in all the books. Some are true love, while others seem to be convience love. I wish to explore the feelings of two particular women who have very different ideas on love and marriage. Elizabeth and Janie are two independently minded women, living in times when such independence is not widely accepted. â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† focuses mostly on Elizabeth and her changing feelings of Mr. Darcy. â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God† is all about Janie and her three very different relationships throughout the novel. Elizabeth was unlike her sisters is many ways. One way that she thought completely different was on the subject of love and marriage. Elizabeth’s siblings were all about searching for husbands. Their only goal in life was to get married to wealthy men. Jane, the eldest sister seemed to be the only Benedict sister besides Elizabeth who did not necessarily want to marry for money, but for love. Getting married was extremely important to Jane but not for all the wrong reasons like her sisters. Elizabeth, however, did not seem to be in any hurry to get married. She refused two men before finally accepting a marriage proposal from Mr. Darcy. The difference between the men was that Elizabeth was truly in love with Mr. Darcy, while she did not even like the other two men who were chasing her. We could see from the beginning that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were meant to be together. They may have shown dislike and Elizabeth expressed much hatred, but there is a thin line between love an d hate. I don’t believe a person can have one without the other. When Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth finally express their feelings for one another and get engaged, we can feel...

The Great Gatsby review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Great Gatsby review - Essay Example This is apparently illustrated by Nick who relocates to New York in search of a better future. At the end of the film, Gatsby exclaims to Nick that he was born penniless. Gatsby was a millionaire who was renowned in the neighbourhood, and this goes to show that success is possible for anyone as provided for by the second tenant of the American Dream. The two final tenets of the ideals of the American Dream are not well depicted in the film. Success is attained through hard work is the third principle. It is not clear to establish what Gatsby did to amass such wealth but there is an instance where Tom accuses him of bootlegging alcohol and conducting other illegal deeds. If in deed this is the reason why Gatsby was wealthy, the third principle does not apply in this case. The same can be said about the fourth tenet that asserts that success is associated with virtue. The hint of involvement in illegal practices may invalidate this tenet in the case of Gatsby and also he plans to take Daisy away from

Corporate governenance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate governenance - Essay Example lowed by series of consequences in the capital markets including managerial, and accounting corruption or weakness of the internal control systems panel on activities of the financial institutions. Based on the above the global economy has witnessed the introduction of new terminology namely Corporate Governance to detect the weakness in the companies’ control. The concept of the Corporate Governance has been developed to direct the management and business inside and outside the company. The Corporate Governance function enables the company to ensure the existence of efficient systems, sets out responsibilities and duties of the board of directors’ members and the executive management of the company, considering that interest of the shareholders irrespective of their shareholding and the interests of the different stakeholders in the company should be protected (Menon and Joanne1997, p 564). The responsibility of the Corporate Governance is maintaining interest such genuine management of resources and engaging in environmental awareness of the shareholders and achieve fairness among them, strengthening the role of disclosure and transparency, and reiterate role of the management. The laws and regulatory policies of the business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have not given considerable attention to the concept of the Corporate Governance, except after the crisis of the Saudi Stock Exchange which took place in the second half of the year 2006 particularly 1/7/2006. In light of the flourished Saudi economy due to oil price soaring and availability of the cash along with the loans borrowing from the banks, individuals began to speculate in shares through availing loans from the banks and not from their own savings. Lack of transparencies in the market, misleading rumors, weakness of control from the Capital Market Authority and management of company’s speculations on the poor companies in terms of the financial position have increased (Ian and William 2005,

Starbucks company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Starbucks company - Research Paper Example Another short term objective for Starbucks Company is to increase the customer’s awareness on Starbucks environmental concerns. Actively planning and setting short term environmental goals will achieve a long term reputation of environmental appreciation for Starbucks. Functional Tactics Functional tactics can be used by Starbucks Company to implement a strong action plan that generates positive results for the company. Functional tactics include training employees, creating a new serving materials and common areas that are environmentally friendly. Including a recycling unit in every Starbucks is a functional tactic that will increase customer awareness and help achieve short and long term objectives. Implying these functional tactics will give Starbucks and increased competitive advantage over competitors who do not show environmental concerns. Policies to Aid Strategy Execution Starbucks Company has used policies in the past to aid in completing objectives. Policies ensure that employees are empowering the company and completely understand the objectives that the company is trying to achieve. Currently Starbucks Company has implemented a policy that focuses on the customers’ needs. Managers must follow a specific policy that enables them to properly handle any issues that arise with customers. Starbucks also has a policy that empowers the Starbucks brand.

An Examination Of The Kalabagh Dam Controversy Environmental Sciences Essay

An Examination Of The Kalabagh Dam Controversy Environmental Sciences Essay Since the Independence of Pakistan in August 14th 1947, Pakistan had many dams but the three main operating dams were Tarbela, Mangla, and Warsak. For the past decade following the new millennium, there has been an immense electricity shortage in the country of nearly 3000 megawatts due to severe water logging and siltation in the dams. Thereby President Pervez Musharaff in 2005, realizing this great problem, re-opened the idea of Kalabagh dam, in December 2005, It was said to be in the greater interest of the nation. This dam was to be built on the Indus River. It was situated in Kalabagh in the Mianwali district which is in the province of Punjab. The dam would be bordering the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area. This multipurpose dam would provide a storage capacity of 6.1 million acres, which would not only provide water for irrigation but for the development of new projects under the Water Appointment Accord (WAA) of 1991. However, even though this project was already proposed in 2008, whe n the peoples party government came into power, Raja Pervez Ashraf the Federal Minister for Water and Power cancelled the plan by stating that there was fierce opposition from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the project was no longer feasible. kalabagh 3.jpg kalabagh 4.jpg This disagreement arose due to a conflict of interests between the three provinces of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . Main reason was that there would be unequal benefits to the provinces. However, after the heavy floods that touched Pakistan in the year of 2010, many believed that the construction of the Kalabagh dam would have helped save a large amount of devastation. The main importance of dams is to stop the flow of water, divert water, generate hydroelectricity, and provide water for irrigation, improving navigation, supply water to a town or a city, flood control, and generate power for that specific area. The main controversies that exist in this issue can be highlighted as water availability, food security, energy, the environmental and ecosystem impacts, the technical and financial feasibility of Kalabagh, social impacts; these include community displacement and rehabilitation. The debate on the Kalabagh dam takes its importance from the fact that if it had been built it could have saved the country from its worst ever natural disasters in which 20 million people were displaced. Apart from this, the dam if built would be able to produce 3500 megawatts of electricity which could have in turn saved the country from the power crisis it is facing today. However, this debate can be rebounded through another theory that if the three operating dams Mangla, Tarbela, and Warsak flush the silt, the country would almost be rid of its power shortage in the first place and it would mean a huge misallocation of resources in a time where the country is already in great debt. There seems to be a chronic mistrust and conflict of self interest between the central governments, land owners and politicians from which some fear that the building of the dam could mean more floods, and eventually destroy their crops. The Kalabagh dam would cost an estimated US $3.4 billion and was scheduled to be completed in a time span of six years. Literature Review kalabagh 8.gif Debate The Kalabagh dam is a huge and costly multipurpose project. Its main focus will be to provide electricity, and water for irrigation. The Kalabagh mega dam will professedly be able to generate 3600MW of electricity and store 6.1 MAF of water which will be able to irrigate 2 million acres providing for the food, and power needs of Pakistan. However, it will result in severe degradation of land by water-logging in about 20 years time. The other issues are the financial issues related with the building of Kalabagh dam. There is a very tiny possibility of our government in getting financial aid from international organizations. Most probably the dam will only increases are countries debts. However, if private infrastructure funds are attracted to finance the Kalabagh dam at a high return rate, it is uncertain that the project will still stay fiscally and cost-effectively feasible.1 The thought and possibility of building a large scale irrigation and power generation project at Kalabagh has evoked fierce criticisms among stakeholders. This has enabled this topic to still be a debated argument, and idea without a clear conclusion The very thought of building a large scale dam and not many smaller ones, to the thought of providing fair compensation, and the tremendous environmental and social impacts has emerged Kalabagh as an intensive and extensive field of argument. Clear cut information gaps, with low credibility of the government and the operating agencies, puts Kalabagh as an obstacle to informed debate. People supporting the construction of kalabagh dam argue that it is essential to meet the growing demands of an ever increasing population for cheap food, energy and that it will also increase the useful life of Mangla and Tarbela dams through reducing siltation. There seems to be an absence of systematic comparisons of Kalabagh with alternative ways of increasing deliveries of water in the irrigation system. It remains seemingly doubtful whether water flow in the Indus are violated or modified. Second, if fresh water below Kotri are reduced, the impact upon people dependant on agriculture and fisheries in coastal Sindh is highly disastrous. This will further result in the violation of the Water Accord. Another harmful effect of severe irrigation increase could also cumulate to further high levels of water logging and salinity in the Indus basin. kalabagh 9.jpe Continuous failures by the government in Tarbela, Ghazi barotha and Chotiari inspire little confidence in the government. The seminar also raised fundamental issues about the collection of funding for the construction of the kalabagh dam. If this project was to take place, hundreds and thousands of people will have to be resettled.1 Feasibility The Kalabagh mega dam will professedly be able to generate 3600MW of electricity and store 6.1 MAF of water which will be able to irrigate 2 million acres providing for the food and power needs of Pakistan. The inundated kucha Lands along the river Indus are 595,000 acres of think forest land and 600,000 of rich grazing land. If kalabagh dam project is given a green light, it could result in the grazing of this land which will further result in the lost of economic and social well being of a million people. However, it could also result in solving the power crisis of the entire country. Furthermore, the mangrove forest in Pakistan is spread over 650,000 acres and is the 6th largest in the world. It protects and nurtures thousands of botanic, aquatic, and wild life species. kalabagh 5.jpg Construction of Kalabagh will threaten the existence of these species. The total estimated cost of financing this project would be around US $8.0 billion (Oct, 1996 cost). The positive outcome identified from Kalabagh dam would be the Indus floods every five or six years, if there was a place to store this water, most of Pakistans problems concerning water availability would be almost over.2 Besides storing over 6 million acre feet of water for irrigation purposes, the dam would produce over 3600 MW. Kalabagh would be a source of cheap electricity and could serve to a massive advantage of many people. Petitions by some people have been filled against the federal government of neglecting the national interest by abandoning the project of Kalabagh which if constructed could serve hugely advantageous to the national economy. The dam would be a multipurpose project and should purely be falling in the domain of professional engineers as it seems that politicians oppose the dam more for political reasons than for any defect in the project. Opinions of Provinces kalabagh 10.gif The leading political party in creating opposition was the Awami National Party which expressed fierce reservations on the issue. The then Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff supported the construction and said that it should initiate without any further delay. Stakeholders in the National interest say that the agriculture and industrial sector could be served with the construction of the Kalabagh dam. It would be able to serve 2400 MW hydel power which could be maximized up to 3600 MW. According to some prominent individuals, It seems to be critical that the Kalabagh issue be resolved as day by day the the storace capacity of Mangla, Tarbela, and Chashma is gradually decreasing by sediment deposits. A difference of opinion in the ruling provinces has risen with Punjab and the federal government vowing for and the other three provinces voting against. A wrong decision could indeed jolt the federation.3 The irrigation and hydropower structure constructed along the 2900 km long the length of the river Indus includes two dams, nineteen barrages and forty three canals. The proposed location is 200 km downstream of Tarbela and Mianwali in Punjab province. The project will provide 35000 jobs. Experts say that Wapda has exaggerated the figures of water availability and that the water quality will be degraded if project initiates. The Arabian sea water might travel upwards for considerable distances submerging/immersing large region of lower Sindh. The shortage of water created by the dam could result the desertification of Sindh. Wapda has claimed that there is 17 MAF net available water but actually there is a shortage in the system and that Pakistan requires 16.0 MAF, so there is no surplus water for Kalabagh dam. It is also argued that if the water level in Mangla was increased without any major capital investment, what was the need for the construction of Kalabagh dam at the cost of Rs. 250 billion. Also, if farming practices were corrected, water logging and salinity could be reduced and there would be no need for the construction of Kalabagh.4 Division proportions The Kalabagh debate facts are not transparent and key issues like how much Indus river water is available and for whose usage and what expense remains unanswered. The 6.1 MAF water stored at Kalabagh is planned to be distributed as follows: Here are the supposed calculations of the water distribution, NWFP 1.1MAF, Punjab 2.1 MAF, Sindh 2.1 MAF and Balochistan 0.7MAF. This clearly shows that water distribution will be far from proportionately divided. Recent studies by professional analysts also clearly show that Wapda has incorrectly calculated the eastern river flows.5 Matters to consider Looking at the historical context, three trends can be seen, firstly, the need for water increasing, secondly, available water decreasing, and lastly downstream flow of water also decreasing. Like previously, it also seems unclear how the federal government plans to compensate the displaced persons, particularly the Sindhis who will be affected the most if the dam is to be built. From the information gathered, it can be noted that the construction of Kalabagh would mean a critical loss of natural habitat; we need more information on how Kalabagh will affect the Indus and Pakistan before making a decision.6 Discussion: kalabagh 11.jpg The Kalabagh dam has many positive and negative sides to it. Many specialists believe that Kalabagh dam is a constructive and necessary project while others believe that it has too many substantial negative aspects to it, and that it would be a bad idea to go through constructing it. My personal perspective on Kalabagh is that it should not be made and instead a better planned dam with less profound resistances, and difficulties should be implemented. Many facts show that Kalabagh dam could bring about major catastrophic problems, and yet would not guarantee the required supply of energy. Some major problems of the Kalabagh dam being implemented include the major problem of the Indus River running out of water or the water that remains there could get polluted due to salinity. The Indus river has already seen water shortages in the past decade, and the dams that are present already have not been able to be filled to their capacities. Besides this, the major conflict between the Punjab and the other three provinces is far too great. It is a common thing to believe among the people of the other three provinces that only the Punjab would be benefiting from the project. This belief amongst the three provinces can lead to a huge dispute within the country. The other major conflicts that caused for the plan to be rejected back in 1996 were that Kalabagh has been estimated to silt quicker than normal dams, the overall articulated performance of the dam seems not to be up to the required standard, and would have more cons than pros. It is estimated that the electricity that would be generated would be much less than the other already operating, and what is really needed. The electricity generation being so less, would mean that the maintenance, and operating expenses of the dam would be higher than the overall outcome. If the dam silts quicker this could cause the capacity of the dam and its performance to decrease even further. Another serious concern of the Kalabagh dam project is the displacement of the people who live in the area near the projected dam. These people will have to be resettled elsewhere which is another serious cost to the government. There would be a huge loss in the fertile land of the country, especially in the Punjab and Khyberpakhtunkhwa provinces. kalabagh 2.jpg The Kalabagh dam project is located near the forests where there is a huge amount of wildlife as well as trees necessary for mans survival in that area. These trees have material necessary for manufacturing of certain herbs and medicines. Endangering the wildlife is in turn dangerous for us as well, as food chains and the environment would be negatively afflicted. roads.jpg The structured building of the Kalabagh dam would also affect some of the major transportation routes in those particular areas. One of such bypasses is the Attock-Talang by-pass. These highways and bypasses would have to find a substitute route and this would cause further plans, implementation, and construction of new roads all across the province. This would further increase the cost, and would mean additional costs to the already weak project.7 The Kalabagh dam would bring more pressure on the river Kabul, and this would in-turn cause more water logging. Another disruption would be in providing gas. Kalabagh would disrupt the Sui gas pipe line between Peshawar-Rawalpindi, and Rawalpindi-Kohat. This would mean that new ways must be found to produce gas to these areas just as effectively and efficiently as these Sui gas lines do. Kalabagh dam would need a high amount of capacity to be filled for storage and irrigation canals, and to fill these amounts Sindh and Balochistan would have to suffer from shortages in water availability. This discussion could go on and on, the list will keep growing. However, the last major issue that the project of Kalabagh represents is that the location at which the dam is designed to be built lies on a faulty piece of earth, where a major earthquake could result in a really massive disaster.8 http://www.doodhpattiblogs.com/wp-content/earthquake_Pakistan.jpg In a world where the worlds less fortunate countries continue to be taken for granted by the more powerful nations, and where constant exploitation is norm, the World Bank continues on to show its state of readiness for the help of the Kala Bagh Dam, financially or otherwise. It has continued on to express that this project is the largest one currently present in the Banks Agenda. It has been in the Banks books since 1962 when Sir William Illif, the Banks chairman, along with USAID gave their votes for the Kala Bagh Dam. Wapda, on the other hand, were in the favor of the Tarbela Dam, which was later on selected by the countrys government and became the entity after a little while. kalabagh 7.JPG The Kala Bagh Dam has been described as a social service for the countrys electricity users who are using it free of cost. It has also been noted that the main idea behind the whole Kala Bagh Dam Project was to construct another source of electrical power generation for Pakistan, which has been facing deficits in meeting its electrical power demand. The Environmental Impact of the project is also considered to be a major issue. Keeping all these things in mind, the project incurs more social costs than benefits if the project is accepted and brought into construction.9 kalabagh 12.jpg It can be concluded that Kalabagh dam is not going to be beneficial to the country. It obviously poses some positive points such as higher production of energy, more irrigation, but these claims are just claims and have not stood well under the analysis of technical experts. WAPDA along with the present government has had a reputation for being highly non reliable, and untrustworthy. The projective supporters of Kalabagh seem to have not addressed the problems that would arise from the project in much detail. Even if the claims of the governments and the figures by WAPDA are accepted there are other major problems that cannot possibly be dealt with easily dealt with or avoided. The pollution of the water in the areas of Sindh and Balochistan are major sources of disputes. Even on human grounds when people living in those areas would be displaced, besides the cost, the people would have to move to a whole new lifestyle and familiarize themselves to a whole new environment. The long term effects of Kalabagh dam are inevitable such as the environmental degradation of the forests and the wildlife being adversely affected. Instead of constructing Kalabagh, the full capacity of the Pakistans existing dams Tarbela, Warsak, and Mangla should be utilized by clearing the silt, and increasing the height of the walls. Kalabagh dam is a mega project with huge risks as well. It would be wiser to construct a number of small dams which could produce the required energy, and not have major conflicts of opinion associated with their construction. kalabagh 13.jpg

North and South and Hard Times Essay -- Dickens Hard Times Essays

North and South and Hard Times       In   "Industrial" H Sussman states that "one of the most significant shifts created   by industrialism" was that of the "separation of the workplace from the home".   This "shift" created "new gender roles" with the "husband as breadwinner [and   the] wife as childcare giver" and led ultimately to the "19th century   ideology of the two separate spheres -   the masculine public sphere of work [and]   the private female sphere of domesticity". Is, however, this "shift" one which   Elizabeth Gaskell in North and South and Charles Dickens in Hard Times not only reflect but one which they endorse?    If the public   sphere is masculine then the opening chapters of HardTimes immediately confronts us with this masculinity in the form of Gradgrind. The   opening line of the novel, "Now what I want is facts", is assertive and   authorative, the masculine manifestation of public speech. The demand for facts   can be articulated by Gradgrind and responded to in the appropriate terms   by Bitzer, who too, is part of this masculine world, and who can therefore   clinically define a horse. Sissy Jupe however, in the face of such assertiveness   is unable to react in any terms other than being inarticulate and "alarmed".   Dickens however does not share Gradgrind's demands for the masculine "fact".   In writing Hard Times Dickens drew heavily from the criticism of   industrial society in Thomas Carlyle's essay "Signs of the Times". In this essay   Carlyle condemned a society where: "Not only the external and physical alone is... managed by machinery, but the internal and spiritual also". This is the idea   that the competitive, masculine, business sphere has permeated into the private   sphere,... ...ard times but reflections of deeply   divided ones.    BIBLIOGRAPHY:    North and   South, Elizabeth   Gaskell, Penguin Classics (1995).    Hard   Times, Charles Dickens,   Oxford World Classics (1998).    "Signs of the   Times", Thomas Carlyle, Thomas Carlyle: Selected Writings , Penguin   Classics (1971)    "Industrial",   H Sussman in A Companion to Victorian Literature and Culture, ed. Herbet   F. Tucker (1999).    "The   Industrial Novels", Raymond Williams in Culture and Society (1958).    "What must   not be said: North and South and the problem of women's work", Catherine   Barnes Stevenson.    "The Domestic   Sphere in the Victorian Age", Bonnie G. Smith in Changing Lives.    Charles   Dickens: The Critical Heritage ed. Phillip Collins.    Elizabeth   Gaskell: The Critical Heritage ed. Angus Fasson.

Proportioning of Concrete Ingredients and Mixes

Ingredients for concrete are cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water. The best concrete can be obtained by mixing the ingredients in correct proportions. The ideal proportion of concrete will be that, which produces greatest strength and solidity at the least cost. In estimating the quantities of ingredients for cement concrete it should keep in mind that voids of coarse aggregates are filled up by sand and voids of fine aggregates are filled up by cement. The concrete mix of 1: 1: 2 and 1: 11/2: 3 are mostly used for water retaining structures.The concrete mix 1: 2: 4 is most commonly used for R. C. C. construction. The mix proportion of 1: 3: 6 and 1: 4: 8 are used in lean concrete works. The concept behind the proportioning of concrete mixes is that the resulting concrete is densest and strongest with least amount of cement. Following are the methods of proportioning concrete: †¢Arbitrary Standard Method. The concept of this method is that fine aggregate should be sufficient in the mix to fill the voids of coarse aggregate and quantity of cement is just sufficient to fill the voids of the fine aggregate.By experiments and experience, it is seen that ratio of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate to develop a dense mix lies between 1: 11/2 and 1: 21/2. Similarly, amount of cement, required to fill the voids of fine aggregate is ascertained. Based on experience and experiments, it is possible to fix arbitrary ratios of cement, F. A. and C. A. in forms of 1: n: 2n. †¢Minimum Voids Method. In this method of proportioning, the voids in F. A. and C. A. are found out the separately with the help of graduated cylinder and water.After finding the voids, cement and F. A. are so proportioned that they are slightly more in volume than the voids in F. A. and C. A. , respectively. Cement is normally taken 10% more and F. A. about 15% more than the percentage of voids in F. A. and C. A. Sufficient water is added to the mix, so obtained to make the mix wo rkable. This method does not give satisfactory results because presence of water, in sand and cement separates the constituents of coarse aggregate, thereby increasing the voids.In this method of proportioning no consideration is given to the grading of the aggregate which is very important concept in concrete technology. Hence, concrete designed by this method does not give the highest strength. †¢W/c Ratio. W/c ratio law states that the strength of well compacted concrete with good workabity is dependent only on w/c ratio. In addition to other factors like grading and proportioning of aggregates, proportion of cement, the workability of concrete also depends upon the quantity of water used in the mixture. ? Proportioning of Concrete Ingredients and Mixes Ingredients for concrete are cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water. The best concrete can be obtained by mixing the ingredients in correct proportions. The ideal proportion of concrete will be that, which produces greatest strength and solidity at the least cost. In estimating the quantities of ingredients for cement concrete it should keep in mind that voids of coarse aggregates are filled up by sand and voids of fine aggregates are filled up by cement. The concrete mix of 1: 1: 2 and 1: 11/2: 3 are mostly used for water retaining structures.The concrete mix 1: 2: 4 is most commonly used for R. C. C. construction. The mix proportion of 1: 3: 6 and 1: 4: 8 are used in lean concrete works. The concept behind the proportioning of concrete mixes is that the resulting concrete is densest and strongest with least amount of cement. Following are the methods of proportioning concrete: †¢Arbitrary Standard Method. The concept of this method is that fine aggregate should be sufficient in the mix to fill the voids of coarse aggregate and quantity of cement is just sufficient to fill the voids of the fine aggregate.By experiments and experience, it is seen that ratio of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate to develop a dense mix lies between 1: 11/2 and 1: 21/2. Similarly, amount of cement, required to fill the voids of fine aggregate is ascertained. Based on experience and experiments, it is possible to fix arbitrary ratios of cement, F. A. and C. A. in forms of 1: n: 2n. †¢Minimum Voids Method. In this method of proportioning, the voids in F. A. and C. A. are found out the separately with the help of graduated cylinder and water.After finding the voids, cement and F. A. are so proportioned that they are slightly more in volume than the voids in F. A. and C. A. , respectively. Cement is normally taken 10% more and F. A. about 15% more than the percentage of voids in F. A. and C. A. Sufficient water is added to the mix, so obtained to make the mix wo rkable. This method does not give satisfactory results because presence of water, in sand and cement separates the constituents of coarse aggregate, thereby increasing the voids.In this method of proportioning no consideration is given to the grading of the aggregate which is very important concept in concrete technology. Hence, concrete designed by this method does not give the highest strength. †¢W/c Ratio. W/c ratio law states that the strength of well compacted concrete with good workabity is dependent only on w/c ratio. In addition to other factors like grading and proportioning of aggregates, proportion of cement, the workability of concrete also depends upon the quantity of water used in the mixture. ?

List of Noble Metals

List of Noble Metals Here is a list of noble metals, which are metals that resist oxidation and corrosion. RutheniumRhodiumPalladiumSilverOsmiumIridiumPlatinumGold Some lists include mercury as a noble metal. Rhenium is also included as a noble metal by some scientists and engineers. While noble metals retain their shiny color, base metals tend to oxidize in moist air. However, some metals that resist corrosion are not considered noble metals. These include titanium, niobium, and tantalum. In atomic physics, the noble metal group consists of copper, silver, and gold. Only these three elements have completely filled d-subshells. Most noble metals are valuable and rare, yet the noble metals are not exactly the same as the precious metals. See a chart of noble and precious metals. Source Brooks, Robert R., ed. (1992). Noble Metals and Biological Systems: Their Role in Medicine, Mineral Exploration, and the Environment. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. ISBN 9780849361647.

Heart of Darkness vs Apocalypse Now essays

Heart of Darkness vs Apocalypse Now essays In the article, Narratological Parallels in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness and Francis Ford Coppolas Apocalypse Now Linda Costanzo Cahir compares and contrasts both the novella and the film. Both writers had the same theme and meaning in mind, but their structure and technique was what made the stories different. In both the novel and the film, we see the central character (Marlow or Willard) as a man drastically altered by a past experience. Each story begins with the main character explaining how he was appointed to take the journey up the river. Both Marlow and Willard made three unscheduled stops with the crew. The third stop being the soul-altering confrontation with the mysterious Kurtz (Cahir 1). Although the plot is the same, the stories are different. Not only in the way they are told, but also in the way the main character endures the excursion. Linda Costanzo Cahir speaks about the recording eye. The narrator serves as the recording eye in Heart of Darkness. Being invisible only between the teller and listener, the narrator sees what is going on and reports back to the reader. We see what the narrator sees just as we see what a camera sees. The narrator controls what we hear and see at all times. Apocalypse Now is a more contemporary version of Heart of Darkness, retold through a camera. Coppolas camera retells Benjamin Willards tale (2). We see everything through the eye of the camera. Another similarity between the two stories is the audience. Either by book or my film, this story is being told to someone. In Heart of Darkness, the narrator is telling the story to the other people on the boat, while in Apocalypse Now, Willard is telling the story to the audience. Like Chaucers Pilgrims, Conrads character (in this frame portion if the story) are identified by their professions only; and they, too, passed the t...

The future technologies of drug delivery systems Essay

The future technologies of drug delivery systems - Essay Example teins or synthetic gene design have matured to the level where they can transferred to industrial applications in recombinant protein design (Kayser & Warzecha, 2012). On the basis on genetic code, numerous proteins that have been approved for clinical use are subjected to alterations. These changes occur in amino acid substitution so as to improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic activity. In addition, these changes also lead to the development of antagonist functionality. These derived proteins with site directed mutations are referred to as muteins and display good pharmacological attributes. Several approved recombinant therapeutic products are engineered post-biosynthesis. From the molecular biology background, post-translational engineering is associated with glycosylation or lipidation post-biosynthesis (Kayser & Warzecha, 2012). A drug delivery system (DDS) is defined as a formulation or device that allows the introduction of a therapeutic substance in the body, such a system is capable of improving the efficacy as well as safety of the substance by controlling the rate, time and place of release of the drug in the body. This process includes the administration of the therapeutic product, the release of active ingredients across the biological membrane to the site of action (Jain, 2008). The majority of the pharmacological attributes of classic drugs can be enhanced by the use of drug delivery systems. These include particulate carriers mostly comprising of polymers and lipids as well as their associated therapeutics. Drug delivery systems are devised to change the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of the drugs. Alternatively, these drug delivery systems function as reservoirs for the associated drugs (Allen & Cullis, 2004). The main objective of medicine and pharmacy is the delivery of any medication at the right time in a safe and reproducible fashion to a particular target and at the appropriate level. However, this requirement is often

Evaluation Essay on The Dark Knight Trilogy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Evaluation on The Dark Knight Trilogy - Essay Example Far more than merely being a suit to which Batman wears, the costume in the progression that is exhibited itself is something of a subplot and corresponding and analogous to the main storyline is taking place. In addition to the progression of the costumes will that Batman wore within the trilogy, the viewer instantly comes to the extermination that a more flexible and freer style is exhibited in each progressive film. Naturally, it can and should be noted that this more free and flexible style also means that the representation of the suit becomes more fluid and less like a patchwork or mash of armor. It would therefore not be a stretch to compare the way in which the suit is exhibited within these films as an indication for the overall level of completeness, self identification, and personal development that Bruce Wayne brings to this created character. In such a way, the costume itself serves as a type of micro theme in which the viewer is made aware of the fact that Batman, throu gh the representation of the suit, is continually evolving and ultimately becoming more and more comfortable with the character he defines. Similarly, with regards the improvements that were made over previous Batman films, the current trilogy exhibits expertise in both makeup and costume design that ancillary characters and villains represent. No more can this be seen as with regards to the character of â€Å"the Joker†. Whereas in movies of the past, the Joker has been portrayed in unbelievably comical ways, the deep scars along with the faded clown makeup that the Joker exhibited only served to reinforce the level of understanding the audience had with regards to his villainy. In such a way, costume and makeup were able to... Element that gives the trilogy strength is with regards to character development that takes place within the secondary characters of Alfred Pennyworth and Jim Gordon. Whereas in the beginning of the trilogy Alfred Pennyworth acts as an unquestionable pillar of support for Bruce Wayne, as he begins to see the increasing psychological and emotional toll that the character of Batman is having upon Bruce, Alfred’s overall level of support beings to diminish. This is of course most distinctly noted within the third film as Alfred finally actively attempts to restrain Bruce Wayne from returning to his role due to the incalculable effect that it is having upon him. In something of an Opposite Way, Jim Gordon, at first highly skeptical of the character of Batman, eventually comes around to realize that such a character plays an important role within the society of Gotham. Although Jim Gordon cannot be considered as a villain, the fact of the matter is that he nonetheless exhibits less than desirable traits with regards to the manner in which he attempts to utilize Batman to his own ends. Regardless of such a selfish motive, Jim Gordon ultimately agrees to further a lie as a means of keeping Batman’s secret safe. Perhaps most importantly of all, with regards to character deterioration, Bruce Wayne undergoes the most romantic and prolonged transformation of any of the characters within the film series. Whereas the first film portrays the character that dabbles with his alter ego in the form of Batman, this dynamic is cemented within each subsequent film to the point that Bruce Wayne nearly ceases to exist by the time â€Å"The Dark Knight† concludes.