The Importance Of Accuracy And Fluency

The Importance Of Accuracy And Fluency Accuracy and fluency are two key components of second language acquisition. In todays world, it seems that learning the usage of grammar and focusing on accuracy are emphasized by many language students over fluency. This topic of accuracy and fluency has been a controversial issue that has been discussed for many years. Although some formalists argue that learning a language means learning forms and rules, some activists take a different view and claim that learning a language means learning how to use a language (Eskey, 1983). Thus, this essay will argue that accuracy is not necessarily more important than fluency. It depends on learners needs and the purpose of instruction in second language acquisition. In order to demonstrate this, this essay will first focus on the importance of accuracy and fluency in English learning and show that they are both essential by looking at two different teaching methods. Second, it will turn to discuss both accuracy and fluency in term of learner goals, learner variables and instructional variables. Third, it will suggest what language teachers should do to deal with the issue and find the right balance between them. The importance of accuracy and fluency In this section, it will be argued that both accuracy and fluency are needed in second language acquisition. There has been much discussion about these two components, with arguments put forward in support of either one of the other. However, it will be shown that neither component is useful without the other. Early teaching methods promoted accuracy over fluency. For instance, the Grammar-Translation Method has been used by language teachers for many years. It is the traditional style of teaching method emphasizing grammar explanation and translation (Cook, 2001). In such a method, it is important for students to learn about the form of the target language. The role of the teacher is the authority. Students merely do what the teacher says and learn from the teacher, and many students consider that correct answers are essential. If they make errors or do not know an answer, it is the teachers duty to supply them with the correct answer. However, accuracy cannot be regarded as enough in language learning. According to Larsen-Freeman (2000), in the Grammar-Translation Method, the language that is used in class is mostly the students native language. In this case, there is much less attention to second language speaking and listening. When it comes to speaking and listening skills, fluency needs to be taken account in language learning. For this reason, other methods have emphasized fluency in language learning. It is clear that these approaches are built on learning the use of language not on learning the usage of it. For example, compared with the Grammar-Translation Method, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emphasizes the process of communication rather than just focusing on language forms (Larsen-Freeman, 2000). Since the concept of CLT places an emphasis on fluency, errors of form can be seen as a natural outcome of the development of communication skills. Another argument in favour of fluency is the implementation of language in an authentic environment. In the real world, language is mostly used to express feeling and thought (Eskey, 1983). When there is a purpose to exchange meaning, fluency is the key element during communication. While communicating with each other, foreign language learners often encounter the difficulty, that is, what they know how to say does not achieve their communicative intention. In order to bridge the gap of such discrepancy, learners may use communicative strategies, such as prediction to make the communication successful. This is because if communicators are in the same context, one may predict what the other is going to say next. For example, before the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, taxi drivers in Beijing were trained in order to obtain English speaking ability so that they could communicate with foreign tourists fluently. In this situation, although the taxi drivers were poor at grammar rules, they still can communicate with foreigners. This is because the driver can predict where the foreign passenger will go since their destination may be related to the Olympic Games. In this case, although some grammatical errors exist, communicators can still understand each other because they are in the same context. When listeners can not understand what speakers mean, they usually predict the following conversation and provide immediate response with speakers in the process of meaning negotiation. However, it must be remembered that the achievement of this level of communicative competence does not mean an equal one of grammatical competence (Eskey, 1983). As Eskey (1983: 319) claims, fluency in a language is no guarantee of formal accuracy. A realistic concern is that focusing on fluency may cause the significant effect on accuracy. According to Eskey (1983: 319), rewarding a learners fluency may, in some cases, actually impede his or her achievement of accuracy. For example, in order to get meaning across, language learners find the words, but they either pronounce them wrongly or put them together inappropriately. Such problem happens due to the fact that they can speak English continually but express themselves poorly. Thus, although accuracy is not enough by itself, it is still considered as necessary in language learning. Although learners can still communicate the message to make sense without correct form, it can not be denied that in order to use the language, learners still need to be able to convert linguistic forms into the ability to actually use then. Therefore, when using CLT approach, correcting for accuracy will still be offered by teachers. Although prediction in communicative context may benefit successful communication, fluency is not enough in this circumstance. Without accuracy, misunderstanding may occur because of misspelling, poor pronunciation and grammatical structures. It is therefore clear that as language teachers, both fluency and accuracy must be equally concerned in teaching students to use a language. The elements towards focusing on accuracy and fluency As the first section has mentioned, both accuracy and fluency are needed in the process of language learning. In this section, it will be argued that although these two components are equally necessary, there are three elements that may influence focus on them. The first element to consider is learner goals. It is suggested that many ESL teachers facilitate their students to develop communicative competence to really use the language for authentic purpose. Nonetheless, what students learn from the teacher may not be the outcome that the teacher supposes them to acquire. For example, if Thai children learn English in a rural Thai village, the outcome of language achievement may not all be positive. This is because these children do not need to use English as a tool in their daily life. In contrast, if Thai children learn English in order to sell products to foreigners, then there may be concern about a purpose for communicative competence. Moreover, if they want to pursue higher education in England, accuracy needs to be focused in language learning. Therefore, it seems that the need for accuracy and fluency relates to what goals learners want to achieve. It is considered that learner variables are also a key element which influences the focus on accuracy or fluency. According to Celce-Murcia (1985), a strategy guideline is provided to assist teachers in determining what degree they ought to focus on form in their own classes. In his study, learner variables include age, proficiency level and educational background. It is noted that every individual learns in different ways. Compared with adolescents and adults, young children seem to be more holistic in learning a concept instead of doing apparent analysis. This is because they are too young to analyse the structure of a language. Therefore, if young ESL learners are taught, it is most likely that little grammar instruction is needed. However, if the students are adolescents or adults, focusing on form may be more important. It is also suggested that education level is relevant to focus on accuracy or fluency. This is because teaching learners with preliterate level differs from teaching ones with literate level. If adults are at the level of beginners with little formal education, then focusing on form will be less important while fluency is the top priority. On the other hand, if the learners are at the intermediate or advanced level and are well educated, accuracy may be required and it may be necessary for the teacher to provide some feedback relating to form correction in order for them to make progress. Therefore, focusing on accuracy is not enough, fluency still needs to be concerned in terms of learners age, proficiency level and educational background. Moreover, instructional variables can be seen as the third element, which includes skill, register and need. It is suggested that the need of focus on accuracy and fluency also changes according to the purpose of the instruction. For instance, according to Celce-Murcia (1985), when the teacher is teaching receptive skills, such as listening or reading, the emphasis on form will be less important, since these skills require competence primarily in word recognition. Nevertheless, this does not mean accuracy can be neglected, because when knowing grammatical structure, learners can build up logical connection between sentences, which facilitates both listening and reading comprehension. On the other hand, if the teacher is focusing on productive skills, such as speaking and writing, then formal accuracy will become an essential concern. In addition, it has to be remembered that fluency is still needed for communication purpose. This is because if the teacher is offering a conversation class which purpose is for learners to really use the language to communicate with others, then fluency will be emphasized. Furthermore, if the learners immediate need is survival communication, formal accuracy is less focused. On the other hand, if the learner wants to use the language in a professional field, such as writing an academic essay or being a diplomat, then a high degree of formal accuracy is essential. The higher the stakes, the more likely that accuracy will be important (Eskey, 1983: 318). Therefore, it is clear that both accuracy and fluency are needed and whether focusing on accuracy or fluency depends on learner needs and course objectives. Approaches of finding balance between accuracy and fluency a) Course design and needs assessment Based on these three elements mentioned above, it is suggested that teachers should find the right balance between accuracy and fluency. Eskey (1983) argues that: Teachers must be prepared to deal with students who know grammar rules but can not speak the language fluently; likewise, they must also be prepared to deal with students who are fluent but not accurate (Eskey, 1983). In order to balance accuracy and fluency in language learning and teaching, it is suggested that both these components need to be taught in the process of learning situation. Thus, in this section, it will suggest methods of keeping a balance between accuracy and fluency in term of course design and needs assessment. It has been argued that many language learners have learned grammar rules, but when they want to express themselves, they do not have enough authentic experience of using languages (Celce-Murcia, 1985). Such result may be due to the fact that teaching materials does not provide learners with the context relevant to the communicative situation. In order to solve this problem, Celce-Murcia (1985) suggests an integrating grammar instruction into a communicative curriculum providing purposeful task-based discourse samples. For example, for the general purpose language learners, their beginning level course may start with teaching grammar-meaning correspondences, such as present tense versus past tense. By giving the time frame, students can easily distinguish the difference between these two tenses. After that, students are then taught grammar-function correspondences, such as the tone of must is stronger than need to. As soon as these two basic levels have been established, the teacher can offer discourse-level grammar, such as use of conjunctions. In this case, students not only acquire the grammar rules which focus on accuracy but also apply it for purposeful discourse which focuses on fluency. By this course designed to integrate form, meaning and content, it is possible for learners to balance accuracy and fluency in the communication (Celce-Murcia, 1985). However, there is a simple question about why learners need to balance accuracy and fluency. The answer to this question relates to English for specific purpose (ESP). According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987), courses should be designed to meet learners needs. This may suggest that language teachers should note which learners need more attention on accuracy or fluency. To achieve this goal, for instance, teachers need to gather information about learners needs on accuracy and fluency and identify their target situation by using questionnaires, interviews, observation and informal consultations with learners before a course. Having done this, teachers analyse strategies required to cope in target situation, and then create syllabus which is a document saying which aspect needs more effort on accuracy or fluency. After that, select and design materials to focus on these strategies in syllabus. Finally, after teaching the materials, teachers establish evaluation procedures to test lear ners acquisition of accuracy and fluency (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). b) Evaluation and feedback In this section, it will be argued that course design and needs assessment are not enough. The evaluation and feedback afterwards from learners can also help teachers find the right balance between accuracy and fluency. Evaluation can be defined as a whole process of action which begins with decision of information gathering and ends with change in current courses or influence on future ones (Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998). According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 145), an ESP course, after all, is supposed to be successful. This is because it is designed for particular learners to achieve particular objective with language level of accuracy and fluency. There are two levels of evaluation. The first one is learner assessment. Students performance is assessed at strategic points, such as at the beginning and at the end of the course. This is because ESP concerns with the necessary skills for particular learners to carry out communicative tasks. This kind of assessment enables teachers to determine how much focus on accuracy and fluency is needed (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). As ESP teachers, they need to consider if the objectives are too ambitious for learners. If so, the learners initial language competence may be overestimated. For example, a teacher designs a syllabus by analysing students needs. Students are expected to present written work and make an oral presentation in accurate English. After teaching, the teacher may find that serious weakness in grammar leads to unclearness of students oral presentation. Although the course contains the objectives of achieving certain level of accuracy and fluency, perhaps students achieve more on either one of them, and then students will require more specific help by teaching both accuracy and fluency used in the context relevant to their needs. The second one is course evaluation by learners. This helps teachers to demonstrate how well the course actually meets a particular educational aim. Therefore, evaluation not only reflects learners performance on accuracy and fluency during the process of learning but also shows how effective students feel the course was. In this case, if they feel the ESP course fails to meet their goal, then there must be something wrong with course design or methodology. It is therefore clear that both learner and course evaluation have a similar function in providing feedback on the ESP course (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). Moreover, the feedback of the learning outcome is essential not only for students but also for teachers. This is because feedback reflects students learning achievement on accuracy and fluency and the effectiveness of teaching. Therefore, how to evaluate learning and teaching to obtain feedback is important to teachers. In order to find the balance between accuracy and fluency, evaluation and feedback are essential not only at the beginning of the course but also after the instruction. Conclusion In conclusion, although accuracy has been emphasised by many language students, as the three sections mentioned above, it can clearly be seen that both accuracy and fluency are important at different needs for different people of different priorities. Despite the fact that some arguments show that accuracy is essential for learners to acquire linguistic form to produce the language, this is not enough. Fluency is still needed considering the language implementation in an authentic environment. This essay has suggested that both accuracy and fluency are needed in second language acquisition. Whether to focus more on accuracy or fluency depends on learners needs and course objectives. Therefore, language teachers can find the right balance of accuracy and fluency by using an ESP approach to design courses relevant to the needs and objectives. Thus, these courses can maximise the effects of teaching and learning through evaluation and feedback. Although ESP can solve this problem, teachers ability to design the course should be taken into consideration. Therefore, it is suggested that teacher training program is certainly necessary and the real development may be made in the future.

Educational Philosophy :: Education Teaching Teachers Essays

Educational Philosophy Teaching children has been an important goal for me since I was a little girl. I remember gathering my neighborhood friends into my basement to play school and of course I was Ms. Schaeffer. As I got older my grandfather was a huge influence in my decision to pursue teaching as a career. He was a teacher in every sense of the word. . He taught me the importance of teaching, to reach people. My first actual classroom experience was during my senior year of high school. I shadowed a kindergarten class for two months. The children amazed me with their craving for knowledge, they soaked in every bit of information they could. Children at that time are learning the basic fundamentals they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Knowing that I can have a positive, or possibly a negative impact on this crucial part of life is a scary thought, but I have been waiting my entire life for the challenge. The basis of my own classroom would could only be based on my own experience as a student. Seating would be arranged in small groups, four tables to a group. Two children would face another two children. This would promote working together on projects, sharing, and socializing. In the upper right hand corner of the desk the child’s name would be neatly printed on a laminated card then taped down. On the first day of school the child would find their name and know that was their seat. I would change seating arrangements every couple of months, allowing for more diverse social groups. A classroom needs to be colorful and comfortable. Bulletin boards would be decorated in bright, cheerful colors and be low to the ground, easily accessible for the students. One board would be a calendar displaying holidays, birthdays, special trips, guests visiting, etc. Another would contain students responsibilities and weekly helpers. The weekly helper would be in charge of lines to the cafeteria or the cleanliness of the classroom. Letting the students have a sense of responsibility promotes pride in their classroom and a lesson in leading others instead of being a follower. Another board would be for assignments. Gold stars awarded for every homework turned in the students with all homework turned in on time would be rewarded. To teach the children about weather one board could have small pictures of a sun, clouds, rain, etc.

The History of the Hard-Boiled Detective :: essays research papers

There are many sub-genres of detective fiction and hard-boiled fiction is one of them. What exactly is hard-boiled detective fiction? Hard-Boiled detective fiction is fiction that features tough, cynical, urban private eyes who expose corruption and frequently get injured in the course of their investigations (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hard-Boiled fiction is considered one of the more popular sub-genres of detective fiction; there have been numerous films and novels about urban detectives exposing corruption in the police force and in politics. The author credited with inventing the first successful hard-boiled story is Carroll John Daly. His character, Terry Mack, was quick to fight, was quick to shoot and he made plenty of wise-cracks (Marling). This character is what defined hard-boiled detective fiction and is the prototype for thousands of other detectives. To really understand what sets hard-boiled fiction apart from other type of detective fiction you need to know about the history of detective fiction up to when hard-boiled fiction was invented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characters that use logical reasoning and notice â€Å"clues† have been appearing in literature since the 6th century BC. The first appearance of a detective like character was the fox in Aesop’s fables. In one story the fox decided not to enter a hungry lion’s cave when he saw that there were many animal footprints going into the cave but none coming out (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary). Another ancient detective was Daniel from the Bible. In one of the stories Daniel exposes a religious fraud by tracking the culprits’ footprints (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary). In a different story Daniel uncovers a conspiracy by questioning two witnesses separately to reveal contradictions in their evidence (â€Å"Detective Fiction,† Literary).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The actual invention of detective fiction did not occur until 1841 when Edgar Allen Poe wrote The Murders in the Rue Morgue. In this novel Poe introduced Auguste Dupin, who was the main character of the story. In Poe’s story the detective was very intelligent and he had superior reasoning skills. Poe’s story set the basic plot for detective stories of that time. A crime, usually murder, is committed; a detective investigates the crime; a number of suspects are considered; the guilty party is discovered and imprisoned, killed, or allowed to escape at the conclusion (Detective Fiction,† 1 Twentieth Century).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The detective story was originally a competition between the reader and the writer. It was a game intended to challenge the intellect and stimulate though. The reader is challenged by the writer to attempt to solve the mystery with the clues provided.

Previously conducted

Business environments exhibit a variety of structures and processes, Including flat and horizontal organizational forms, ultrasonically matrix structures, networks of â€Å"virtual organizations† and self- directed work teams. When business organizations respond to challenges by embarking on a change management path, they are faced with choices of which one of the management methods, techniques, and systems would be most effective (Waldron, 2005). Every organization is located within a particular configuration of contingencies.It Is dependent on the market and technological environment In which it operates its scale and diversity of operations, the technology applied to its work, ND the type of personnel it employs. To achieve congruence, an appropriate design is the one which best suits it's contextual and operational contingencies. According to Mores and Yen (2001 , p. 352), â€Å"to be internally consistent, organizations must have tightly independent and mutually supporti ve parts In terms of strategies, structures and process†. The management of organizations faces a challenge to reinforce the management accounting system. Tragedies and structures together In order to achieve competitive advantage and enhance performance. Thus, research needs to e carried out to help management make appropriate decisions in order to achieve this congruence. This study examines companies in Malaysia's manufacturing industry in responding to the rapid changes in technological and competitive environment In Malaysia as a result of globalization. Globalization has changed the environment surrounding organizations operating In developing countries with an increase In uncertainty, Intensified Industry competition and advanced technology.According to Kansas, Md-Mansard and Doris (2003) globalization brings in new genealogy and makes a developing country open to greater competition. These changes may affect the choice of management accounting practice (MAP) in an orga nization and may also result in the need for the firm to reconsider its existing organizational design and strategies in order to fit with the changing environment. This argument Is supported by Burns and Escapes (2000) and Shields (1 997), who suggest that changes in environment cause changes in organizations, which in turn cause changes in MAP.Background and Significance of the Study The business environment in a developing country differs from that within a plopped country with regards to market size, access to manufactured Inputs, although some developing economies are quite large, most are not; the menu of domestically produced intermediate inputs and capital equipment is often limited; a scarcity of technicians and scientists also affects flexibility in the production process and the ability to absorb new technologies; infrastructure is relatively limited; macroeconomic and relative price volatility is typically more extreme; legal systems and crime prevention are also relativ ely poor; and corruption is often a serious problem. Malaysia is categorized as the developing country, however it has more advanced infrastructure and technology compared to most other developing countries. Malaysian manufacturing industries are also more concentrated than those of most developed countries (Apothecary, 2002). With globalization, the application of technology in Malaysia has increased, especially through foreign investment (Kansas et al. , 2003).Changes in business environment in Malaysia arising from a market- oriented economy and government policies that provide businesses with the opportunity for growth and profits, have made Malaysia a highly nominative manufacturing and export base. LITERATURE REVIEW Management Accounting and Its Evolution: The basic purpose of accounting information is to help users make decisions. Management accounting is branch of accounting that produces information for managers and forms an important integral part of the strategic process within an organization. It involves the process of identifying, measuring, accumulating, analyzing, preparing, interpreting, and communicating information that helps managers fulfill organizational objectives (Hormone, Sunder, Stratton, Burgomaster, & Chatterer, 2007).Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (I-J) views management accounting as an integral part of management which requires the identification, generation, presentation, interpretation and use of information relevant to: – Formulating business strategy; – planning and controlling activities; – decision-making; – efficient resource usage; – performance improvement and value enhancement. Johnson and Kaplan (1987) argued for a ‘relevance lost' in management accounting. They pointed the issue of inappropriateness of conventional management accounting techniques which offered little capacity for roving useful and timely information for better decision and control in the contempo rary environment of rapid technological change and vigorous competition. Following Johnson and Kaplan (1987), management accounting techniques had rapidly developed for better decision-making and management control.To promote a better understanding of the changes in management accounting practices, the International Federation of Accountants (AFC) (1998) provides a framework explaining the development of management accounting. This framework explains the evolution in management accounting through four recognizable stages. Management Accounting change: Management accounting change is not a uniform phenomenon. Consequently one confirmed by management accounting. Researchers. It is evident that both the external factors (environmental) and internal factors (relating to the organization concerned) have influenced the recent development of new management accounting systems and techniques. According to Shields (1997), the potential change drivers are competition, technologies, organizatio nal design and strategies.These drivers of change also indicate the differing roles which causal factors can have in the process f change. Change in environment also implies uncertainty and risk which create a demand for further management accounting change in the form of ‘non-financial' measures (Vivo, 1999). Less attention has been given by researchers to the management accounting change process. Burns and Escapes (2000, p. 4) observed that, â€Å"little research attention has been given to understanding the processes through which new management accounting systems and practices have emerged (or failed to merge) through time†. Change can be addressed in a variety of dimensions.According to The American Heritage Dictionary, 4th Edition, change includes all of the following aspects: becoming different or undergo alteration; transformation or transition; going from one phase to another; making an exchange; modifying; substitution; giving and receiving reciprocally; repla ce with another; abandon. This definition illustrates different types of change and shows that, in general, it is not a uniform phenomenon. Wisecracking and Alliterate (2007) suggest change in management accounting as a learning methodology to understand how environmental factors shape internal process within organization. According to them, the process of change reflects on the question of how management accounting techniques emerged, evolved and were transformed when new demands from the changing environment are in place. From a management accounting perspectives, different types of change can be researched upon.For example Essay (2003) study change with respect to the integration of Activity Based Costing (BBC) into strategy to manage organization's operating activities. It is suggested that BBC can contribute to improve organizational performance if implemented as part of the overall organizational change strategy. Prefer, McKinney and Harrison (2003), examined changes in term o f introduction, abandonment and reintroduction of transfer pricing in government trading enterprise as it moved from protected monopolistic status to centralization. Research Method Data sources There are two types of data sources are used to obtain the required information 2. 1. Primary Data: Direct interview though a survey questionnaire. That was needed for this assignment. Secondary data Online articles on management accounting Previously conducted research papers on different issues of management accounting magazines, brochures, etc This study has attempted to enhance our understanding of the effect of alignment among management accounting and organizational change, in Malaysian manufacturing companies, on performance. It explores the causal relationship between competitive environment and advanced manufacturing technology; with MAP, strategy and structure. Interrelationship between MAP with structure and strategy is also investigated.The research findings confirm that the mode l developed mainly from a Western perspective is largely applicable to the Malaysian context. Moreover, this study presents a number of distinctive findings to add to the existing iterate. It identifies certain important associations, particularly in relation to the alignment among the organizational factors, I. E. , MAP, structure and strategy. As the business environment is continuously changing, organizations and their managers will find it is critical to cope with these changes to ensure that institutional factors are properly matched. Supply of relevant information is essential for managers to make effective decisions regarding an appropriate alignment.This study had been designed to achieve the research objectives. By employing a valid and reliable theology, this study has significantly contributed to the theoretical and methodological knowledge in this area. The findings from this research also provide a useful guideline to organizations, especially their managers, to make de cisions in light of the current changing environment. Apart from these contributions, this research's outcome has also provided useful guidance for future research. References magazines, brochure CT Web link http://www. En. Wisped. Org/wick/about management accounting http:// en. Wisped. Org/wick http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/management accounting system

The Host Chapter 52: Separated

We brought our plunder in through the south vent, though this meant that the jeep would have to be moved before dawn. My main concern with using the bigger entrance was that the Seeker would hear the commotion our arrival was sure to cause. I wasn't sure if she had any idea of what I was going to do, and I didn't want to give her any reason to kill her host and herself. The story Jeb had told me about one of their captives-the man who had simply collapsed, leaving no external evidence on the outside of the havoc wreaked inside his skull-haunted my thoughts. The hospital was not empty. As I squeezed myself through the last tight bubble of space out into the main room, I found Doc preparing for the operation. His desk was laid out; on it, a propane lantern-the brightest illumination we had available-waited to be lit. The scalpels glinted in the duller blue light of the solar lamp. I had known that Doc would agree to my terms, but seeing him thus occupied sent a wave of nervous nausea through me. Or maybe it was just the memory of that other day that sickened me, the day I'd caught him with blood on his hands. â€Å"You're back,† he said with relief. I realized that he'd been worried about us, just as everyone worried when someone left the safety of the caves. â€Å"We brought you a gift,† Jared said as he pushed himself free behind me. He straightened up and reached back for a box. With a flourish, he held it up, displaying the label on the side. â€Å"Heal!† Doc crowed. â€Å"How much did you get?† â€Å"Two cases. And we've found a much better way to renew our stores than to have Wanda stabbing herself.† Doc did not laugh at Jared's joke. Instead he turned to stare at me piercingly. We both must have been thinking the same thing: Convenient, since Wanda won't be around. â€Å"Did you get the cryotanks?† he asked, more subdued. Jared noticed the look and the tension. He glanced at me, his expression impossible to read. â€Å"Yes,† I answered. â€Å"Ten of them. It was all the car could hold.† While I spoke, Jared yanked on the rope behind him. With a clatter of loose rock, the second box of Heal, followed by the tanks, tumbled onto the floor behind him. The tanks clanked like metal, though they were built of no element that existed on this planet. I'd told him it was fine to treat the empty cryotanks roughly; they were built to withstand much worse abuse than being tugged through a stone channel. They glinted on the floor now, looking shiny and pristine. Doc picked one up, freeing it from the rope, and turned it around in his hands. â€Å"Ten?† The number seemed to surprise him. Did he think it too many? Or not enough? â€Å"Are they difficult to use?† â€Å"No. Extremely easy. I'll show you how.† Doc nodded, his eyes examining the alien construction. I could feel Jared watching me, but I kept my eyes on Doc. â€Å"What did Jeb, Brandt, and Aaron say?† I asked. Doc looked up, locked his eyes on mine. â€Å"They're†¦ in agreement with your terms.† I nodded, not convinced. â€Å"I won't show you unless I believe that.† â€Å"That's fair.† Jared glared at us, confused and frustrated. â€Å"What did you tell him?† Doc asked me, being cautious. â€Å"Just that I was going to save the Seeker.† I turned to look in Jared's general direction without meeting his gaze. â€Å"Doc has promised me that if I show him how to perform the separation, you will give the released souls safe conduct to another life on another planet. No killing.† Jared nodded thoughtfully, his eyes flickering back to Doc. â€Å"I can agree to those terms. And I can make sure the others follow through. I assume you have a plan to get them off-planet?† â€Å"It will be no more dangerous than what we did tonight. Just the opposite-adding to the stack rather than taking from it.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Did you†¦ have a time schedule in mind?† Doc asked. He tried to sound nonchalant, but I could hear the eagerness behind his voice. He just wanted the answer that had eluded him for so long, I tried to tell myself. It wasn't that he was in a hurry to kill me. â€Å"I have to take the jeep back-can you wait? I'd like to watch this.† â€Å"Sure, Jared,† Doc agreed. â€Å"Won't take me long,† Jared promised as he shoved himself back into the vent. That I was sure of. It wouldn't take enough time at all. Doc and I did not speak until the sound of Jared's scrambling exit had faded. â€Å"You didn't talk about†¦ Melanie?† he asked softly. I shook my head. â€Å"I think he sees where this is going. He must guess my plan.† â€Å"But not all of it. He won't allow -â€Å" â€Å"He won't get a say,† I interrupted severely. â€Å"All or nothing, Doc.† Doc sighed. After a moment of silence, he stretched and glanced toward the main exit. â€Å"I'm going to go talk to Jeb, get things ready.† He reached for a bottle on the table. The chloroform. I was sure the souls had something better to use. I would have to try to find it for Doc, before I was gone. â€Å"Who knows about this?† â€Å"Still just Jeb, Aaron, and Brandt. They all want to watch.† This didn't surprise me; Aaron and Brandt would be suspicious. â€Å"Don't tell anyone else. Not tonight.† Doc nodded, then he disappeared into the black corridor. I went to sit against the wall, as far from the prepared cot as I could get. I'd have my turn on top of it all too soon. Trying to think of something besides that grim fact, I realized that I hadn't heard from Melanie since†¦ When was the last time she'd spoken to me? When I'd made the deal with Doc? I was belatedly surprised that the sleeping arrangements by the jeep today had not elicited a reaction from her. Mel? No answer. It wasn't like before, so I didn't panic. I could definitely feel her there in my head, but she was†¦ ignoring me? What was she doing? Mel? What's going on? No answer. Are you mad at me? I'm sorry about before, by the jeep. I didn't do anything, you know, so it's not really fair – She interrupted me, exasperated. Oh, stop. I'm not mad at you. Leave me alone. Why won't you talk to me? No answer. I pushed a little harder, hoping to pick up the direction of her thoughts. She tried to keep me out, to put the wall in place, but it was too weak from disuse. I saw her plan. I tried to keep my mental tone even. Have you lost your mind? In a manner of speaking, she teased halfheartedly. You think that if you can make yourself disappear, that will stop me? What else can I do to stop you? If you've got a better idea, please share. I don't get it, Melanie. Don't you want them back? Don't you want to be with Jared again? With Jamie? She writhed, fighting the obviousness of the answer. Yes, but†¦ I can't†¦ She took a moment to steady herself. I find myself unable to be the death of you, Wanda. I can't stand it. I saw the depth of her pain, and tears formed in my eyes. Love you too, Mel. But there's not room for the both of us here. In this body, in this cave, in their lives†¦ I disagree. Look, just stop trying to annihilate yourself, okay? Because if I think you can do it, I'll make Doc pull me out today. Or I'll tell Jared. Just imagine what he would do. I imagined it for her, smiling a little through my tears. Remember? He said no guarantees about what he would or wouldn't do to keep you here. I thought of those burning kisses in the hall†¦ thought of other kisses and other nights in her memory. My face warmed as I blushed. You fight dirty. You bet I do. I'm not giving up. You've been warned. No more silent treatment. We thought of other things then, things that didn't hurt. Like where we would send the Seeker. Mel was all for the Mists Planet after my story tonight, but I thought the Planet of the Flowers would be more fitting. There wasn't a mellower planet in the universe. The Seeker needed a nice long lifetime eating sunshine. We thought of my memories, the pretty ones. The ice castles and the night music and the colored suns. They were like fairytales to her. And she told me fairytales, too. Glass slippers, poisoned apples, mermaids who wanted to have souls†¦ Of course, we didn't have time to tell many stories. They all returned together. Jared had come back through the main entrance. It had taken so very little time-perhaps he'd just driven the jeep around to the north side and hidden it under the overhang there. In a hurry. I heard their voices coming, subdued, serious, low, and knew from their tone that the Seeker was with them. Knew that the time had come for the first stage of my death. No. Pay attention. You're going to have to help them do this when I'm – No! But she wasn't protesting my instruction, just the conclusion of my thought. Jared was the one who carried the Seeker into the room. He came first, the others behind. Aaron and Brandt both had the guns ready-in case she was only feigning unconsciousness, perhaps, and about to jump up and attack them with her tiny hands. Jeb and Doc came last, and I knew Jeb's canny eyes would be on my face. How much had he figured out already with his crazy, insightful shrewdness? I kept myself focused on the task at hand. Jared laid the Seeker's inert form on the cot with exceptional gentleness. This might have bothered me before, but now it touched me. I understood that he did this for me, wishing that he could have treated me this way in the beginning. â€Å"Doc, where's the No Pain?† â€Å"I'll get it for you,† he murmured. I stared at the Seeker's face while I waited, wondering what it would look like when her host was free. Would anything be left? Would the host be empty or would the rightful owner reassert herself? Would the face be less repugnant to me when another awareness looked out of those eyes? â€Å"Here you go.† Doc put the canister in my hand. â€Å"Thanks.† I pulled out one thin tissue square and handed the container back to him. I found myself reluctant to touch the Seeker, but I made my hands move swiftly and purposefully as I pulled her chin down and put the No Pain on her tongue. Her face was very small-it made my hands feel big. Her tiny size always threw me off. It seemed so inappropriate. I closed her mouth again. It was moist-the medicine would dissolve quickly. â€Å"Jared, could you please roll her onto her stomach?† I asked. He did as I asked-again, gently. Just then, the propane lantern flared to life. The cave was suddenly bright, almost like daylight. I glanced up instinctively and saw that Doc had covered the big holes in the roof with tarps to keep our light from escaping. He'd done a lot of preparation in our absence. It was very quiet. I could hear the Seeker breathing evenly in and out. I could hear the faster, tenser breathing of the men in the room with me. Someone shifted from one foot to the other, and sand ground against rock under his heel. Their stares had a physical weight on my skin. I swallowed, hoping I could keep my voice normal. â€Å"Doc, I need Heal, Clean, Seal, and Smooth.† â€Å"Right here.† I brushed the Seeker's coarse black hair out of the way, exposing the little pink line at the base of her skull. I stared at her olive tan skin and hesitated. â€Å"Would you cut, Doc? I don't†¦ I don't want to.† â€Å"No problem, Wanda.† I saw only his hands as he came to stand across from me. He set a little row of white cylinders on the cot next to the Seeker's shoulder. The scalpel winked in the bright light, flashing across my face. â€Å"Hold her hair out of the way.† I used both hands to clear her neck. â€Å"Wish I could scrub up,† Doc muttered to himself, obviously feeling underprepared. â€Å"It's not really necessary. We have Clean.† â€Å"I know.† He sighed. What he really wanted was the routine, the mental cleansing that the old habits had given him. â€Å"How much room do you need?† he asked, hesitating with the point of the blade an inch from her skin. I could feel the heat of the other bodies behind me, squeezing in to get a better view. They were careful not to touch either of us. â€Å"Just the length of the scar. That will be enough.† This didn't seem like enough to him. â€Å"You sure?† â€Å"Yes. Oh, wait!† Doc pulled back. I realized I was doing this all backward. I was no Healer. I wasn't cut out for this. My hands were shaking. I couldn't seem to look away from the Seeker's body. â€Å"Jared, could you get one of those tanks for me?† â€Å"Of course.† I heard him walk the few steps away, heard the dull, metallic clunk of the tank he chose knocking against the others. â€Å"What now?† â€Å"There's a circle on top of the lid. Press it in.† I heard the low hum of the cryotank as it powered on. The men muttered and shuffled their feet, moving away from it. â€Å"Okay, on the side there should be a switch†¦ more like a dial, actually. Can you see it?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Spin it all the way down.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"What color is the light on top of the tank?† â€Å"It's†¦ it's just turning from purple to†¦ bright blue. Light blue now.† I took a deep breath. At least the tanks were functional. â€Å"Great. Pop the lid and wait for me.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"Latch under the lip.† â€Å"Got it.† I heard the click of the latch, and then the whir of the mechanism. â€Å"It's cold!† â€Å"That's sort of the point.† â€Å"How does it work? What's the power source?† I sighed. â€Å"I knew the answers when I was a Spider. I don't understand it now. Doc, you can go ahead. I'm ready.† â€Å"Here we go,† Doc whispered as he slid the blade of the scalpel deftly, almost gracefully, through the skin. Blood coursed down the side of her neck, pooling on the towel Doc had placed underneath. â€Å"A tiny bit deeper. Just under the edge -â€Å" â€Å"Yes, I see.† Doc was breathing fast, excited. Silver glinted out from the red. â€Å"That's good. Now you hold the hair.† Doc switched places with me in a smooth, swift movement. He was good at his Calling. He would have made quite a Healer. I didn't try to hide what I was doing from him. The movements were too minute for him to have any chance of seeing. He would not be able to do this until I explained. I slid one fingertip carefully along the back ridge of the tiny silver creature until my finger was almost entirely inserted into the hot opening at the base of the host body's neck. I traced my way to the anterior antennae, feeling the taut lines of the bound attachments stretched tight like harp strings into the deeper recesses of her head. I twisted my finger around the underside of the soul's body, caressing down from the first segment along the other line of attachments, as stiff and profuse as the bristles of a brush. I felt carefully at the juncture of these tight strings, at the tiny joints, no bigger than pinheads. I stroked my way about a third of the way down. I could have counted, but that would have taken a very long time. It would be the two hundred seventeenth connection, but there was another way to find it. There it was, the little ridge that made this joint just a bit bigger-a seed pearl rather than a pinhead. It was smooth under my fingertip. I pressed against it with gentle pressure, tenderly massaging. Kindness was always the way of the souls. Never violence. â€Å"Relax,† I breathed. And, though the soul could not hear me, it obeyed. The harp strings loosened, went slack. I could feel the slither as they retracted, feel the slight swelling of the body as it absorbed them. The process took no more than a few beats of my heart. I held my breath until I felt the soul undulate under my touch. Wriggling free. I let it twist itself a little farther out, and then I curled my fingers gently around the tiny, fragile body. I lifted it, silver and gleaming, wet with blood that was quickly shed from the smooth casing, and cradled it in my hand. It was beautiful. The soul whose name I'd never known billowed like a silver wave in my hand†¦ a lovely feathered ribbon. I couldn't hate the Seeker in this form. An almost maternal love swept through me. â€Å"Sleep well, little one,† I whispered. I turned toward the faint hum of the cryotank, just to my left. Jared held it low and angled, so it was a simple matter for me to ease the soul into the shockingly cold air that gusted from the opening. I let it slide into the small space and then carefully relatched the lid. I took the cryotank from Jared, easing it rather than tugging it, turning it with care until it was vertical, and then I hugged it to my chest. The outside of the tank was the same temperature as the warm room. I cradled it to my body, protective as any mother. I looked back at the stranger on the table. Doc was already dust-ing Smooth over the sealed wound. We made a good team: one attending to the soul, the other to the body. Everyone was taken care of. Doc looked up at me, his eyes full of exhilaration and wonder. â€Å"Amazing,† he murmured. â€Å"That was incredible.† â€Å"Good job,† I whispered back. â€Å"When do you think she'll wake up?† Doc asked. â€Å"That depends on how much chloroform she inhaled.† â€Å"Not much.† â€Å"And if she's still there. We'll have to wait and see.† Before I could ask, Jared lifted the nameless woman tenderly from the cot, rolled her face-up, and laid her on another, cleaner resting place. This tenderness did not move me. This tenderness was for the human, for Melanie†¦ Doc went with him, checking her pulse, peeking under her lids. He shone a flashlight into her unconscious eyes and watched the pupils constrict. No light reflected back to blind him. He and Jared exchanged a long glance. â€Å"She really did it,† Jared said, his voice low. â€Å"Yes,† Doc agreed. I didn't hear Jeb sidle up next to me. â€Å"Pretty slick, kid,† he murmured. I shrugged. â€Å"Feeling a smidge conflicted?† I didn't answer. â€Å"Yeah. Me, too, hon. Me, too.† Aaron and Brandt were talking behind me, their voices rising with excitement, answering each other's thoughts before the questions were spoken. No conflict there. â€Å"Wait till the others hear!† â€Å"Think of the -â€Å" â€Å"We should go get some -â€Å" â€Å"Right now, I'm ready -â€Å" â€Å"Hold up,† Jeb cut Brandt off. â€Å"No soul snatching until that cryotank is safely on its way into outer space. Right, Wanda?† â€Å"Right,† I agreed in a firmer voice, hugging the tank tighter to my chest. Brandt and Aaron exchanged sour glances. I was going to need more allies. Jared and Jeb and Doc were only three, though certainly the most influential three here. Still, they would need support. I knew what this meant. It meant talking to Ian. Others, too, of course, but Ian would have to be one of them. My heart seemed to slump lower in my chest, to curl limply in on itself. I'd done many things I had not wanted to do since joining the humans, but I couldn't remember any this sharply and pointedly painful. Even deciding to trade my life for the Seeker's-that was a huge, vast hurt, a wide field of ache, but it was almost manageable because it was so tied up in the bigger picture. Telling Ian goodbye was a razor-sharp piercing; it made the greater vision hard to see. I wished there was some way, any way, to save him from the same pain. There wasn't. The only thing worse would be telling Jared goodbye. That one would burn and fester. Because he wouldn't feel pain. His joy would far outweigh any small regret he might feel over me. As for Jamie, well, I wasn't planning on facing that goodbye at all. â€Å"Wanda!† Doc's voice was sharp. I hurried to the bed Doc was hovering over. Before I got there, I could see the tiny olive hand fisting and unfisting where it hung over the edge of the cot. â€Å"Ah,† the Seeker's familiar voice moaned from the human body. â€Å"Ah.† The room went utterly silent. Everyone looked at me, as if I were the expert on humans. I elbowed Doc, my hands still wrapped around the tank. â€Å"Talk to her,† I whispered. â€Å"Um†¦ Hello? Can you hear me†¦ miss? You're safe now. Do you understand me?† â€Å"Ah,† she groaned. Her eyes fluttered open, focused quickly on Doc's face. There was no discomfort in her expression-the No Pain would be making her feel wonderful, of course. Her eyes were onyx black. They darted around the room until she found me, and recognition was quickly followed by a scowl. She looked away, back to Doc. â€Å"Well, it feels good to have my head back,† she said in a loud, clear voice. â€Å"Thanks.†

Conservatism in American politics Essay

Conservatism commonly emanates from the domestic policies of republican administrations (Maisel 84). This ideology finds reflection in fiscal policies that support the major role of state and local governments in domestic affairs with the federal government focusing on foreign relations, national defense, and federal legislative enactments. Conservatism also means economic policies espousing minimal government intervention in business and economic growth via supply side economics by boosting production through capital access and tax breaks. Strong nationalist and religious values dominate conservative policies (84). However, there are also democratic administrations with conservative policies. Ronald Reagan was a republican when he became president and considered a conservative. His fiscal policies included the largest tax cuts to boost production, reduction in government spending on domestic areas, and concentration of expenditures on national defense (Light 243). The stress on federalism and the role of the state government became stronger through community level solutions and private sector initiatives on social issues such as the drug problem (252). Economic policies included loose or minimal regulation of the business sector such as removing price controls on domestically sourced oil and limiting the entry of imported automobiles from Japan to protect the local car industry (251). His administration also sought to control monetary supply to reduce inflation (250). Religious beliefs came into play in his handling of the AIDS issue by excluding those with AIDS from mainstream society based on the premise that AIDS is a manifestation of immoral acts. George H. W. Bush was also a republican president and a conservative. As the Cold War ended, his administration faced a huge budget deficit (Light 256). With limited funds and the burgeoning domestic issues, his fiscal policy focused on basic issues by increasing federal spending on education, health care for mothers and children, and technological research. Bush signed into law a number of bills that supported civil rights with the disabilities act and environmental protection via the clean air act (285). His administration also supported federal expenditures on the country’s highway system and law enforcement initiatives (285). He campaigned against new taxes but failed to achieve this because of strong pressure from the democrat majority in the legislature (277, 283). Bush implemented laissez faire. His administration was a key player in creating the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement that removes tariffs for goods traded by America, Canada and Mexico (285). This agreement controlled intellectual property and eased cross-country investments (285). Bill Clinton was a democrat but considered by some as a conservative because of some controversial policies. The conservative aspects of his fiscal policy included tax cuts through the earned income tax credit that operated as a way of reducing the tax exaction for workers with below a floor amount (Light 277). The signing of the budget reconciliation law decreased the taxes paid by those with low income and small businesses (285). He also signed NAFTA, initially negotiated by Bush (288). The non-conservative aspects of his fiscal policy included increasing taxes for wealthy citizens, budget allocation for healthcare reform and health insurance program for children, and extension of copyright regulation (285). Clinton’s economic policies had a tinge of conservatism with deregulation of trade (288). However, he was able to achieve economic growth by focusing on controlling inflation, reducing unemployment, and securing social welfare and other services (285). Conservatism emerged in his ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy that allowed entry of homosexuals into the military as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation (279). This received lesser criticism from conservatives and strong criticism from the gay and civil rights movements. In contemporary administrations, the trend is towards renewed conservatism given emerging conditions. The divide between the conservative republicans and non-conservative democrats is slowly diminishing (Maisel 86), with flexible administrative policies considered on an issue-to-issue basis.

Synthesis and Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Synthesis and Evaluation - Essay Example Friedman, therefore, wonders how a business can be said to have responsibilities, yet it is just an object. Similarly, Kotler & Zaltman (1971) agree that the objective of marketing a business strategy is to optimize profits. On a different note, however, while Kotler & Zaltman (1971) believe in the promising future of social responsibility in business, Freidman (1970) holds that businessmen who talk about social responsibility are puppets of social stratification. The difference in opinion, here is that Friedman does not believe in the future of social responsibility in business and is more objectivist. Kotler & Zaltman in contrast, though a bit objectivist, are more constructionist and still have faith in social responsibility of business. Some recent articles are similar in philosophy to seminal works, while others are not. Karnani (2010) is more objectivist just like Friedman, arguing that the idea that businesses can be socially responsible is a dangerous illusion. He argues that businesses only focus social responsibility in areas that promise massive profits. Carroll & Shabana (2010) on the other hand take on a more constructionist approach by arguing that indeed businesses can engage in social responsibility for the good of all stakeholders. Without the shareholders, the business would not exist. The latter, essentially, gives meaning to the former, thereby giving social responsibility in business a constructionist approach. Seminal works have a similar methodology as they rely more on qualitative methods to obtain data, specifically library sources. They constantly refer to the works of previous authors. Recent articles are different from seminal ones as they incorporate the use of both qualitative such as library sources and quantitative methods. Although recent scholars also make use of other literature, they also carry out researches and come up with statistical data to