Shrek Film Review Essay Example

Shrek Film Review Paper Hilarious, irreverent digitally-animated fable from the makers of Antz. A Scottish ogre, a talking donkey, a midget tyrant, a princess with a secret and a whole raft of fairy-tale characters poke fun at uptightness and dole out liberalism. Shrek!! The highly indulgent topic of cinematic conversation ever since its release during late 2001. Well, impressed by its popularity I decided to take a look!! In due course, I was not disappointed!! Based in modest moderation on William Steigs book about a giant green ogre, this irreverent and absorbing computer-animated fairy tale is aimed as much at children as their parents. From the start, tradition is acknowledged as well as mocked. The execution of both is masterly. Opening with a Once upon a time story narrated over the turning leaves of an illustrated book, the pages are abruptly torn away to be used as toilet paper by the mischievous Shrek. We will write a custom essay sample on Shrek Film Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Shrek Film Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Shrek Film Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The tone for a highly entertaining adventure has been set for the audience. The flatulent ogre then bathes in a nearby mud pool where he delights in blowing fart bubbles to the surface. So, far tradition is being turned on its head! Shrek is the Yiddish word for fear. I dont know what the Yiddish word for lovable is, but that would have been more appropriate! Shrek tries his best, but hes more cuddly than scary. This can be clearly seen in parts of the movie, which leads to the audience seeing new/interesting sides. Mike Myers Scottish brogue makes Shrek more endearing and adds another dimension to the movie. Mike Myers in a more familiar role of Austin Powers. The giant green ogre certainly doesnt intimidate the irrepressible and wise cracking Donkey (a character that accurately incorporates verbal diarrhoea, brought to life by an inspired Eddie Murphy, who imposes himself as the reluctant Shreks sidekick after fleeing from the evil ruler Lord Farquaad. The diminutive and dastardly Farquaad, voiced malignantly and masterly by John Lithgow, who has banished all the fairy tale characters from his kingdom of Duloc, including the Three Blind Mice, Pinocchio and Donkey. Whereupon they seek refuge at the home of the reclusive and sceptical Shrek, this despite the prominent Beware of the Ogre sign. Anxious to be rid of the intruders, Shrek pleads to Farquaad for their removal. The Lord agrees to his request, but this is a fairy tale and so naturally theres one condition. And again, because its a fairy tale, you have to have a princess in there somewhere. But this is no ordinary fairy tale and so when Farquaad has to find a wife to make his kingdom perfect; he picks Princess Fiona (the voice of Cameron Diaz) over two other contestants in a dating game and then gets Shrek to bring her back. The Dreamworks team behind Shrek take obvious delight in mocking their Disney rivals with Farquaads perfect kingdom bearing more than a passing resemblance to a certain other magic kingdom. Shrek enjoys feisty and addictive humour found in other recent animated films like Aladdin. The magic and charm of this genre is being able to plunder inspiration from everywhere and anywhere, enabling such moments as an aerial fighting sequence from The Matrix. Its while indulging itself with such gags that Shrek is at its best, as when the ogre inflates a hapless frog into a balloon as a gift for Princess Fiona, who in return snatches an unsuspecting snake from a tree, blows it up and twists it balloon-style into a dog. The styles of a princess and an ogre, at this point are equally amusing. Another example of a fairy tale with a slant. An encounter with Robin Hood and his merry men also gives an original slant when they break into a Riverdance routine. Comedy, it seems can only be restrained by rules. This production is clearly as amusing for the animators as the results are for the audience. Shreks frivolity extends to its soundtrack which is a refreshing change from the generic tunes that burden most animated films. Its collection of pop songs includes tracks by Smash Mouth, The Proclaimers, Maroon 5 and climaxes with Donkey leading a chorus of characters in a rendition of Im A Believer. As with all good fairy tales Shrek is built solidly around a moral, the message being to focus not on appearances but inner beauty, but that is secondary to the films main concern which is to make you laugh, and you do. Loudly and often, believe me!

How to Write an Exemplification Essay

How to Write an Exemplification Essay How to Write an Exemplification Essay In its essence, an exemplification essay is an essay in which the writer proves its thesis with the help of various examples. An exemplification essay is also sometimes referred to as an illustrative essay. No matter how it is called though, here are some useful tips on how to write an exemplification essay. Essence of exemplification essay First, you need to choose a topic, although very often it is given explicitly. The most important thing in writing an exemplification essay is to find the right examples which will clarify, enhance and intensify the topic and the content of the whole essay. Once the topic and its supportive examples are clarified and carefully chosen, you have to actually start writing the essay. Opening of exemplification essay It is a principal rule in all types of essay writing, including the exemplification or illustrative one, that the beginning of the essay should be strong; it has to state the defended thesis and direct the reader to what is following. A good way to start an exemplification essay is with a famous quote, an anecdote, a question or by stating a common fact or statistics. For example, let’s say you have decided to write an exemplification essay on genetic engineering; you may start with the question: What comes first, the chicken or the egg? After that, you can use and state different statistics results and researches which will help you reveal the benefits or disadvantages of using genetic engineering depending on whether you are writing about pros or cons of genetic engineering. A good opening of any essay, including the exemplification one, guarantees that the readers will focus, examine and reflect on it. Body of exemplification essay After you have finished writing the opening of the exemplification essay, you need to move forward to its body. Again, the body of the essay must include strong and clear ideas, arguments and points, details and brief examples, and of course information to support the topic. It is very important to use arguments and information that will make the thesis of the exemplification essay sound valid. In order to do that, you must consider its audience. The facts and research that you will have to do in case you decide to write an exemplification essay on genetic engineering or on the effect of fashion in our daily life will be completely different. So, in order to write a good and influential essay you must first think about your audience. Once you have already decided on the thesis, identified your audience and conducted proper research of examples, facts, arguments and points, you have to categorize them by importance and influence in relation with the thesis. The strongest and the most influential example should be stated and examined in the first paragraph of the body of the essay. After that, you must continue stating its examples and evidence which support your thesis depending on how they are categorized. Sometimes, instead of presenting facts you can use a story to prove your point in one of the paragraphs. It is very important to use transitional sentences between the paragraphs of the exemplification or illustrative essay. Conclusion of exemplification essay The last but not least important part in writing an exemplification essay is the conclusion. In general, the conclusion summarizes the opening or the introduction of the essay, its thesis and body, adds a final touch and convinces the audience to accept the thesis. In other words, in the conclusion you restate your thesis and pinpoint the main arguments proving it. Statistics and facts should be kept out. The information in the conclusion has to be served in a reflective or philosophical manner. The conclusion is the place of the essay where you create and shape the final conclusion of the work. Apart from restating the thesis of the exemplification essay and its strongest arguments, that part of the essay must establish a sense of closure and completeness of the whole work. It’s recommended to link the first paragraph with the last one by repeating certain words or phrases. Simple grammar structure and sentences are preferable in that part of the exemplification or illustrative essay. Restating what you have proven in the exemplification essay with simple and strong sentences can only further the audience’s feeling of closure and completeness of the subject. For additional cogency you can use a reference or quotation. Also, it is important to note that you should not simply summarize the exemplification essay but should try to strengthen its thesis for one last time.

Function and Development Questions on ACT Reading

Function and Development Questions on ACT Reading SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Function questions (also sometimes known as â€Å"meaning in context† questions) make up approximately 20% of all ACT Reading questions (based on my survey of four publicly available ACTs). The ACT Reading will also occasionally have "development" questions, which are sort of like larger-scale versions of function questions (they ask about the structure of the passage or passages). Both function and development questions require you to judge the effect of a phrase in a certain place (as opposed to little picture and vocab in context questions, which are just concerned with meaning). So how do you get asked function questions on the ACT, and what strategies can you use to answer them? Keep on reading to find out! feature image credit: The Thinker by Japanexperterna.se, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Function Questions? Function questions are those questions that ask you to describe what the effect is of a phrase, sentence, or paragraph in the context of a passage. The wording of function questions makes them seem as if they are asking â€Å"The author [wrote a thing] in order to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Figuring out the right answer to these questions can be problematic, because the way function questions are phrased often makes it seem as if they're asking â€Å"Why did the author do this thing?† Unless you're the author, your immediate reaction is probably going to be "How should I know? I'm no psychic!" (unless you are able to read the author's mind, in which case this test just got a whole lot different for you). A better way to answer function questions would be to rephrase them like this: â€Å"What effect does [this thing] have in the context of [the lines, paragraph, or passage]? Regardless of whether or not I am a psychic?† Another name sometimes used for these questions is â€Å"meaning in context,† which is fine†¦except that they’re not exactly asking about meaning. Rather than asking you what a particular phrase MEANS (which would be an inference question), function questions ask â€Å"what does [that phrase] DO† or â€Å"what is the effect of this meaning in context?† For example, let's make up a scenario where the public transportation in my town was basically shut down for two months due to massive amounts of snow, and just as the trains were starting up again on their normal schedule, there was another snowstorm, prompting me to sing (sarcastically) "It's the most wonderful time of the year." The MEANING of the words "most wonderful" in this context would be "worst" (as in "It's the worst time of the year"); the FUNCTION of the words "most wonderful" would be "to suggest that the speaker actually feels the opposite is true." Like primary purpose questions, function questions usually have answer choices in the form of â€Å"verb a noun† (as in "illustrate the narrator's frustration with the city infrastructure" or "convey the joy the narrator felt in the unseasonable snowfall"); the main difference between the two is that function questions ask about relatively small amounts of text (phrases or lines), rather than entire paragraphs (which are asked about with big picture questions). In fact, having a good understanding of the big picture/main point of a passage can often assist you in answering function questions. Take the following example: you're asked "The phraseâ€Å"live and die depending on her whimsy† primarily serves to..." If you know that the main point is, for instance, about desert life, you’re unlikely to assume the phraseâ€Å"live and die depending on her whimsy† illustrates that there is an insane and murderous empress ruling over every desert on Earth. Instead, it's far more likely that the function of the statement is to support the idea that in the desert, even a small change in the amount of rainfall can have drastic effects on desert life. Here are a few examples of the most common ways you’ll see function questions presented on the ACT (adapted from ACTual ACT questions): â€Å"The quotation by Finck and Cranor in lines 32–41 is used in this passage to support the idea that:† â€Å"The author uses the fourth paragraph (lines 27–33) primarily to:† â€Å"The main purpose of the second paragraph (lines 6–18) is to:† â€Å"The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to:† â€Å"It is reasonable to infer that the primary reason the author included the information in the eleventh paragraph (lines 59–64) is to:† â€Å"In relation to the first paragraph’s earlier description of the nightmare, the narrator’s comments in lines 10–13 primarily serve to:† Sidebar: Development Questions Development questions involve the same skill set as you use for function questions, but generally ask about larger chunks of text. Instead of asking â€Å"what does this paragraph DO,† development questions seems to ask â€Å"what happens in this paragraph?† In order to lower the possibility of interpretation (and more than one correct answer), ACT Reading usually frames development questions as being about the "author's approach. It's a little hard to explain what I mean in the abstract, so here’s an example: Which of the following best describes the author’s approach to presenting the story of the narrator’s discovery about himself? F. Revealing the narrator’s self-awareness about a trait through a blend of personal reflection and scenes from the narrator’s youth and adulthood G. Starting immediately with a statement of the discovery in the narrator’s voice and continuing with scenes that reveal how the discovery came about H. Describing the physical details of scenes and summarizing their significance in a concluding statement in the narrator’s voice J. Using dialogue in the midst of scenes fraught with tension to indicate what the narrator is experiencing internally For paragraphs, it's possible to ask about the function (you can ask â€Å"what’s the main function of this paragraph†), but it's more difficult to do this for entire passages without the questions turning into primary purpose questions. Development questions differ from primary purpose questions because they're not about authorial intent; instead, development questions are closer to the flip side of function questions. If the above example were a function question, rather than a development question, it might go something like this: The author describes the physical details of scenes and summarizes their significance in order to... A. Present the story of the narrator's self-discovery. Compare with answer choice H and the original question: Which of the following best describes the author’s approach to presenting the story of the narrator’s discovery about himself? H. Describing the physical details of scenes and summarizing their significance in a concluding statement in the narrator’s voice Here are other ways I've seen development questions asked on ACT Reading: â€Å"Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage?† â€Å"The narrator develops the third paragraph (lines 19–29) mainly through:† â€Å"In terms of developing the narrative, the last two paragraphs (lines 67–87) primarily serve to:† â€Å"In terms of the passage as a whole, one of the main functions of the third paragraph (lines 13–19) is to suggest that:† Strategies for Conquering ACT Reading Function Questions Some of the advice below works best for certain ways of approaching the passage, while other advice is useful for everyone, regardless of your passage reading strategy. In the end, you should mix and match strategies in a way that works for you - these are just suggestions to help get you started. Understand What The Question Is Really Asking For me, this is the key component needed to consistentIy answer function questions correctly. This isn't to say that you don't need to know what other ACT Reading questions are really asking, of course - it's more that function questions have the weirdest wording. Often, it seems like you need to read the mind of the author (or character) in order to answer these questions. I can understand why the ACT words the questions the way they do: questions that say â€Å"What does the mentioning of the two events listed in lines 77-79 do† are too open to interpretation, while questions like â€Å"The author uses the events listed in lines 77–79 primarily to" can only have one right answer. Understanding the motivation behind the wording doesn't make the wording any less confusing at first glance, though. So what's the best way to grapple with the wording of function questions? Learn to translate the questions into ones that are actually answerable (i.e. that don't require mind-reading abilities). Here's a sample function question: The author most likely includes the information in lines 53–57 to suggest: Wrong way to rephrase it: Why does the author include the information in lines 53-57? The answer to this question (unless you know the author and/or can read minds) will probably be along the lines of "Because it was his birthday? Because he felt like it? I have no idea." Right way to rephrase it: What does the information in lines 53-57 suggest/do? This is a question that can be answered (in this case, the information in lines 53-57 illustrates Armstrong’s highly developed skills.). Corollary: Answer In Your Own Words For most questions on ACT Reading, it's helpful to come up with the answer in your own words before you look at the answer choices. This strategy is particularly helpful with function questions because the answer choices for these questions tend to be complex, and so coming up with your own answer before looking at the answer choices can help prevent you from getting confused. True, your answer for â€Å"what best describes the transition the author presents in lines 80-84† will probably not be as nicely as the correct answer choice. However, the answer choice you come up with should only include relevant and accurate information, while the wrong answers may have irrelevant information or interpretations that â€Å"COULD be true, I guess." Why do the wrong answer choices include wrong or irrelevant information? Because this is one of the ways ACT Reading tries to trick you – the people writing the questions know that you’re used to trying to see things from multiple perspectives as part of school (which is ordinarily a good thing), when in fact there is only ONE right answer on the ACT. Figuring out the answer in your own words forst, then, makes it a lot easier to find that one correct answer. But how do you find the function of a phrase, line, or sentence in a passage in the first place? Question mark by the Italian voice, used under CC BY 2.0. Look For Context On ACT Reading, sometimes questions give you the specific lines where the information being asked about is located, which is nice (since the passages are so long). Alas, for function questions, the lines that the question gives you are not necessarily the only lines you’ll need to answer the question - sometimes, you just need more context. If you’re having trouble answering a function question, your best bet is to take a look at the sentences before and after the phrase/sentence/lines you’re given in the question and see if that helps make it clearer. On occasion, though, it may end up that you need even more context to answer a particular function question (like knowing the bigger picture/main point/perspective of the text/author). In these cases, if you don't already know that context and are having difficult answering the question, mark it and come back to it after you’ve answered the relevant big picture questions (questions about the paragraph/section the lines in question are in, or even questions about the whole passage). Answer Questions In The Order That Works For You This is a strategy that depends heavily on how you read the passage. You may also decide that this strategy works well for certain passage types better than others. For instance, you might be able to get away with looking at the questions first and skipping around Natural Science passages, but feel like you need to read Prose Fiction passages all the way through before you start answering questions. Basically, don't lock yourself into one way of doing things. That being said, if you read thoroughly first, then answer questions, I really recommend answering big picture questions first, then function and inference questions. It's better to answer questions about larger amounts of text while that text is still fresh in your mind, and starting out with big picture questions first might also give you information/context that is useful when it comes to answering the function questions. If you read quickly enough that you can read all the passages thoroughly and have still have plenty of time to answer the questions, just answering the questions in order is certainly a valid choice, because it lowers the chance that you'll accidentally fill in an answer in the wrong place or miss a question. Because there is so much text to get through on ACT Reading, however, I do not recommend the "read everything through" strategy (and yes, this is coming from someone who reads 60-100 pages/hour). If you start out by reading through all the questions, then going back to the passage, I recommend starting with little picture and vocab in context questions before getting to function questions. The answer to these more focused questions provide you with information about the author and topic being covered, which can assist you in answering function questions; if you do end up needing to know the big picture in order to answer a particular function question, you can always circle it and come back to it later. If you skim through first, then questions, then back to passage, it's best to answer both big and little picture questions before getting to function questions. Why? Well, unless the phrase, sentence, or lines being asked about were in part of the passage you read during your skim (at the beginning or end of a paragraph or passage), you probably didn’t read the necessary information during your skimming. If you're going to skim, you might as well make the most of it by answering questions that would be better served with a quick skim (questions about the passage as a whole and questions about specific details you might have mapped during your skimming). Eliminate Answers The fundamental rule for ACT Reading is that you must eliminate 3 wrong answers. For function questions, the answer choices are often complex, which can make eliminating just one answer choice seem daunting. After all, how can you figure out if the answer is right when there are so many parts of it to check? First of all, if you've successfully answered the question in your own words, you might not even have to worry about eliminating answers – only one answer choice should match yours. If it does turn out you need to eliminate answers, however, you're in luck - complicated answers are actually easier to eliminate, because if any part of the answer choice does not match with the passage, then you can cross it out. Example: Which of the following best describes the structure of the passage? A. A dialogue between two people in which both relate their dreams in an almost equal amount of detail B. An account of the narrator’s perspective on the woman revealed primarily through the narrator’s report of their conversations C. A character sketch of two people as related by a narrator who knows both of them and their thoughts D. A detailed narration of several of the narrator’s dreams accompanied by a description of the woman’s reactions to them Let's say you think the answer is probably B, an account of the narrator’s perspective on the woman revealed primarily through the narrator’s report of their conversations.In order for that to be true, it must pass the following obstacles: Is it an account of the narrator’s perspective? If not, ELIMINATE Is it about the narrator’s perspective of â€Å"the woman†? If not, ELIMINATE Is the information revealed primarily through the narrator’s report (or someone else’s)? If not, ELIMINATE Is the report of their conversations? If not, ELIMINATE As you can see, there are many chances for elimination as you consider the answer choices. For this question, the correct answer, B, passes this test: yes, it is an account of the narrator’s perspective on the woman, and it is revealed primarily through the narrator’s report, which is about their conversations. Function Questions: A Demonstration And now, before I leave you to your practice questions, a full breakdown of answering a function question on ACT Reading. First, the question: The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: F. give a sense of proportion to the numbers provided earlier in the paragraph. G. point out the limitations of the evidence provided by the Iowa scientists. H. supplement the paragraph’ s description of the comets with additional details about their size and capacity. J. provide readers with a sense of how old the planet really is. Before I even take a look at the lines (and the paragraph) cited in the question, I’m going to rephrase this question in a way that is answerable: What effect do lines 64-66 have in the 8th paragraph? ...Well, that wasn’t as drastic a change as I expected. Oh well. Time to take a look at the paragraph! Based on their images, the Iowa scientists estimated 20 comets an hour- each about 30 feet or so across and carrying 100 tons of water- were bombarding the Earth. At that rate, they would produce water vapor that would add about an inch of water to the planet every 10,000 years, Frank concluded. That may not seem like much, but when talking about a planet billions of years old, it adds up. Out of this paragraph, here are lines 64-66 (since they don’t specify that you should begin at the beginning of the sentence, I’m including all of line 64 in all its glory): planet every 10,000 years, Frank concluded. That may not seem like much, but when talking about a planet billions of years old, it adds up. My first thoughts: So what do lines 64-66 say? Basically that while the information given doesn’t seem impressive on its own, it actually is when considered over a long period of time. What does that do in terms of the paragraph as a whole? Well, what does the paragraph look like without those lines? Based on their images, the Iowa scientists estimated 20 comets an hour- each about 30 feet or so across and carrying 100 tons of water- were bombarding the Earth. At that rate, they would produce water vapor that would add about an inch of water to the It’s basically just giving information about tiny comets hitting the Earth (with water). If you don’t have lines 64-66, you don’t get the sense that this creates a significant amount of water over time, so the function of those lines is to put the amount of water the comets could have brought to Earth into perspective, I guess. I’ve reworded the question to make it easier to answer and answered in my own words considering the context of the paragraph. Next: eliminating answers. The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: F. give a sense of proportion to the numbers provided earlier in the paragraph. Yeah, that seems right – my answer was that those lines â€Å"put the amount of water the comets could have brought to Earth into perspective,† which matches up pretty well with that answer. Let’s just look over the rest of the answers to double check†¦ The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: G. point out the limitations of the evidence provided by the Iowa scientists. No, no limitations are pointed out. In fact, lines 64-66 actually bring the information from the first part of the paragraph into a larger context. ELIMINATE. The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: H. supplement the paragraph’s description of the comets with additional details about their size and capacity. Hmm†¦it has additional details, but it’s not about the size of the comets at all, so even if capacity is somewhat related (because of the amount of water they could add to the Earth) this answer must be ELIMINATED. The main function of lines 64–66 in terms of the eighth paragraph (lines 59–66) as a whole is to: J. provide readers with a sense of how old the planet really is. I mean, the age of the planet is sort of mentioned (billions of years old), but there’s nothing in lines 64-66 that provide â€Å"a sense of how old the planet really is.† I guess you could try to twist this answer so it works, except F already is a clear answer choice because this question is asking about the MAIN function. So even if A function is that you get a sense of how old the planet is, it’s not the main function. ELIMINATE. The correct answer is F. Comet activity, 21 June by European Space Agency, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. Function Questions: Your Turn To Practice! The following questions are all on the same passage, taken from an official (and currently public and free) ACT: 1. The main purpose of the last paragraph is to: A. reveal the enduring impact of Mr. Marsh’s lessons on the author. B. acknowledge that the author came to doubt some of Mr. Marsh’s teachings. C. describe a typical class as taught by Mr. Marsh. D. present a biographical sketch of Mr. Marsh. 2. The author mentions Melody Maker, the top 20, and articles about musicians primarily to suggest that his: A. early interest in music has remained with him to the present. B. time spent playing music should instead have been spent reading. C. fascination with pop music and musicians gave focus to his life for a time. D. commitment to study enabled him to perfect his drumming technique. 3. Viewed in the context of the passage, the statement in lines 55–56 is most likely intended to suggest that: A. schools should require students to take philosophy courses. B. students can become passionate when learning about science in school. C. schools need to keep searching for ways to tap into students’ deeply held interests. D. students should resolve to take school courses that interest them. 4. The author calls pen and paper â€Å"rudimentary tools† (line 80) as part of his argument that: F. the use of computers has made the use of pen and paper obsolete. G. students should become skilled with pen and paper before moving on to better tools. H. while writing with pen and paper can be pleasant, it can also be physically painful. I. although seemingly simple, pen and paper allow people to perform great feats. Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. A 2. C 3. C 4. J In Conclusion Function questions on ACT Reading ask you â€Å"what effect does this [phrase, sentence, or series of lines] have, in context,† or, more simply put, â€Å"what does this [phrase, sentence, or series of lines] DO?† Development questions involve the reverse of function questions and ask "What is the structure of this passage/paragraph?" The most important part of answering function questions correctly is making sure you understand what the question is asking. Answer the question in your own words before looking at the ACT’s answer choices. If the lines cited in the question don't provide enough context, look to the surrounding sentences. Depending on your passage reading approach, you may wish to answer function questions after answering other types of questions first. Eliminate three wrong answers What’s Next? Want more practice with real ACT questions? Go to our guide and find links to free ACTs and information about what other official tests are out there. Interested in more ACT Reading skills articles like this one? We’ve got a whole series of articles that cover each ACT Reading skill - be sure to read my articles on main point, little picture, vocab in context, inference, and paired passage questions. Not sure how to finish all 40 questions on ACT Reading without running out of time? Learn about the three different ways to approach the passage on the ACT and figure out what works for you. Are these articles all very well and good, but you need more structured help to reach your ACT goal? Then why not try out our very own PrepScholar test prep platform FREE for five days? Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Dollar pegging and curreny basket Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Dollar pegging and curreny basket - Essay Example As the oil producing countries are getting more capital due to rising oil prices, people have more spending power and the relative commodity prices increase in the domestic economy. Table 1 shows the inflation rates in gulf countries over three different periods: 1980-81 (high inflation), 1986-2003 (low but volatile inflation) and 2006-07 ( current inflation situation). As chart 1 and Table 1 show falling dollar contributes to high oil prices that in turn lead to high inflation. On the other hand when the state of dollar is normal the oil prices remain average and hence the result is low inflation (Garriga and Armesto, â€Å"A Falling Dollar Raises Inflation in the Gulf†). After de-pegging from dollar, new exchange rate was governed by the basket of currencies that helped to stabilize the effect of depreciating dollar on the exchange rate of Kuwaiti Dinar in the world market. Due to this basket of currencies which included a good proportion of Euro allowed checking rising import rates due to depreciation of dollar against Euro. This further helped in controlling inflation which was rising due to increase in imports from European and exports to Asian countries. â€Å"Since 1980 the Bahraini dinar and the Qatar riyal have been pegged to US dollar at the rate of 0.37 per $ and 3.64 per $, respectively. Likewise, since the 1980s the Saudi riyal (1986) and UAE dirham (1981) are fixed at a rate of 3.75 per $ and 3.67 per $, respectively† (Hebous â€Å"On the Monetary Union of the Gulf States†). The exchange rate of a currency is determined by the â€Å"purchasing power parity†. For eg. If 10 gms of 24 carat gold can be bought with 1 USD and same amount of gold can be purchased with 4 Qatar riyal then 1$ equals to 4 Qatar riyal. This is how the exchange rate of every currency is determined in the world market (Saville â€Å"How are currency exchange rates determined†). â€Å"The value of a currency is usually determined by the demand for and supply of that currency.† For

Case study discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Case study discussion - Essay Example In this regard, the assets, interests, and rights of the project are basically held as the secondary security or act as the collateral. Therefore, in any case the forecasted cash flow from the project does not sustain the project, there is high risk exposure to debt risks though the failure of the projects may be attributed to many factors like the interest rates, business risks, economic situation like inflation and the type of the shareholders (Gatti, 2013). In the case of Autopistas del Centro, the financial recession hit the project quite since most of the projected cash flow had been forecasted prior to the great financial crisis of 2008 (Lubian, 2015). Therefore, the only option it to sell the project to new owners since the shareholders are reluctant to go into their pockets and revive the project once. Therefore, it is imperative to identify some of the factors that must be considered when pricing the project so as to make sure both the buyers and sellers are satisfied. Besides, the head of the projects is deeply concerned about the best approach that can be used to make sure that the shareholders are satisfied with the handing over of the project to the new owners. Inflation is one of the critical issues that must be looked into when pricing a project to the new owners. The implication is that inflation has the potential to increase the original estimates of the construction costs (Esty, 2014). Usually, the inflation rates are put into consideration when the project is at the design stage but future changes in the inflation rates may affect the original estimated construction costs and this will have a huge effect on the final pricing of the project (Gatti, 2013). Therefore, when pricing the project, it would be important to look at the inflation rates in Spain, as well as Europe in general. In 2009, the CFO of AC, Martinez saw the need to revise the status of the project finance under different circumstances under which the

The Harlem Renaissance Essay -- Culture

The Harlem Renaissance In Harlem between the 1920’s and 1930’s the African American culture flourished, especially in areas such as music, art, literature, dance, and even in film. This soon became known as the Harlem Renaissance. With the entire positive and the negative situations of this time period the African Americans still seemed to have it all. The Harlem Renaissance came about because of the changes that had taken place in the African American community after the abolition of slavery because of World War I and the social and cultural changes in early 20th century in the United States. After harsh conditions for African Americans after the Plessy vs. Ferguson Trial many of them decided to move to the North to New York. By staying in the South they became more and more economically depressed and there was less of a demand for labor. Moving to the North became one of the best things African Americans did for themselves. There, men could vote and there was a better education system fo r children. As a result of World War I and the Industrial Revolution there were better job opportunities for African Americans as well. At the end of the American Civil War in 1865 many free African Americans searched for a place with education and employment opportunities. They ended up finding this place in Harlem, New York. This was where the first black middle class was created. In the early 1900’s the African American middle class began to publicize for racial equality. During this time W.E.B DuBois was the head of the civil rights movement. Soon after, he began to work closely together with other civil rights workers and activists. Together they discovered the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, also known as t... ...issance applauded the appreciation of the African American roots and culture. For example, literature written during this time showed artistic and imaginative ideas freeing black people from their past life and what happened to their ancestors just years before. Since these cultural experiences were now shared the African Americans celebrated this and today it gives us just a little bit of an outlook on some of our history. Works Cited http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap9/9intro.html http://www.biography.com/tv/classroom/harlem-renaissance Wallington, D. (2006) Harlem Renaissance Wiseman, G. (2008) How the Harlem Renaissance inspired a national community of black writers Watson, Steven. (1995) The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African American Culture (1920-1930) Baker, Houston. (1992) Modernism and the Harlem Renaissance.

Illegal and Prescription Drug Abuse; How Do We Prevent It? Essay

Drug abuse is a psychological or physical dependency with a mind altering substance1. There is continued drug use even though a person knows that the drug causes harm. Physical dependency is the result of the body building up a tolerance to the drug and needing to increase its dosage to have the effect desired and to prevent symptoms of withdrawal. Psychological dependence has something to do with the mental and emotional make up of the person; some people may also have a genetically linked tendency to addiction. Early signs and symptoms of drug addiction involve building up of tolerance to the present dosage. Late signs of drug overuse may show mood swings and irritability, and physical symptoms like craving. Having the right knowledge about drug abuse can help people prevent addiction. The three types of widely abused prescription drugs are CNS depressants, CNS stimulants, and narcotic analgesics. CNS depressants like barbiturates, methaqualone and benzodiazepines can slow down the normal functioning of the brain and can cause uncoordination. CNS stimulants like nicotine, amphetamine, cocaine and caffeine on the other hand enhance the brain’s activity to increase energy and alertness. This may cause an increased heart rate and blood pressure. Narcotic analgesics like opiates (eg. Morphin and Demerol) are used for pain. On the year 2006, the abuse of painkillers ranked 2nd, while marijuana is the first, as the community’s most common illicit drug problem2. Most drugs being prescribed by doctors are opiate based and therefore can be very addictive. One drug called Oxycontin is a pain reliever that has a strong opiate base and causes people to be addicted to it. Other specific drugs that are widely abused are Heroin, Crack Cocaine and Marijuana. Normal college students have been noted to use drugs that are for patients with disorders. Many students take Adderall, a drug for individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which helps heighten their concentration for studying for an examination3. This imposes danger to many students using this and has caused death in about 5 people per 1 million individuals taking it. Even though some drugs can be addictive, there are drugs that can substitute for them 4. Dexamphetamine is shown to help with CNS stimulant addiction 5 and clomethiazole can help in managing alcohol addiction 6. For cocaine addiction, desipramine and bromocriptine is effective 7. A psychoactive drug that can interrupt addictive rersponses for nicotine, cocaine, SSRI, and heroin addicts that’s being studied is Ibogaine 8. There are many studied physiologic mechanisms involved in drug addiction. Acute use of a certain drug can release and prolong serotonin and dopamine’s action in the reward circuit. Almost all addictive drugs increase the reward circuit or mesolimbic pathway’s dopamine release which in turn activates the feeling of pleasure 9. The more one engages in a pleasurable act, the more one wants to repeat it. To add to the reward circuit, it is also studied that stress mechanisms may have a function in promoting the sequence of acquiring addiction.  µ-opioid receptor system, is acted on by enkephalin and influences the reward system 10. A behavioral operant conditioning is also showed in addicts, being able to link a behavior or an action to seek the reward, which is the drug’s effect 11. One enters into a fresh allostatic state as he progresses into being an addict. A person taking a drug for a long period of time may also develop sensitization and a psychological tolerance to the drug. Taking the same dose doesn’t seem to have any effect and leaves one feeling dissatisfied and depressed, therefore he turns to the drug for the pleasure with an increased or more than maximum dosage 7. One must know how to recognize a drug addiction to prevent it. This happens when an individual seems to have an inability to withdraw from the drug. The first step is to know the signs and symptoms experienced by an addict. The second step is evaluating the risk of being addicted as various kinds of drugs are further expected to be abused than others. In addition, having a family member with a history of drug addiction may put an individual at a higher risk of abusing medications. Consulting with a medical professional with this issue may lower the chances of becoming addicted. The third step involves religiously sticking to one’s prescription, taking only the prescribed amount at the recommended times. A person must contact his/her doctor if the drug doesn’t seem to have any effect. The fourth step is considering the drug type one is taking and the length of time he/she has been using the drug because using a drug for long terms may add to the possibility of being dependent on it. Step five is making a plan that will help one in gradually getting out of his/her prescription. Being prescribed with an addictive drug requires one to slowly reduce it’s dosage before eliminating it. The sixth step requires one to consult a medical professional once he feels that he may already be drug dependent. This is possible when one is experiencing the early signs and symptoms of addiction. The seventh step is disposing of drugs that aren’t needed. This can remove the tempting effects of taking the drug. Eighth is contacting a drug abuse treatment center or a doctor for specialized and professional advice and prevention. And lastly, take note of having the late signs of drug abuse. To break the series of constant drug use, individuals that are drug-dependent must build vital changes in their attitudes and life styles. Psychosocial and behavioral treatments are the foundation of services accessible to assist drug abusers to attain and carry on important periods of abstinence. The other illegal use of drugs, especially cocaine, is frequently a main target of behavioral managements. There are current studies for the treatment for cocaine and opiate, including tobacco smoke abusers. For the treatment of ones who abuse opiates, new studies have exposed that counseling for drug abuse with procedures of abstinence incentive and psychosocial services access is an active element in its treatment. 90 – 100% amongst patients in the VA methadone maintenance sample who received incentive procedures and psychosocial services were abstinent from cocaine and heroin for as long as eight weeks; merely 30% of individuals who received methadone with no other services were abstinent 12. Management is most important for cocaine abusers. It relies completely on psychosocial and behavioral therapies since there have been no successful medications revealed to date. Relapse prevention therapy however, which teaches abusers to distinguish high-risk situations for the use of drugs and to apply coping techniques, has also revealed assurance for management of cocaine abusers 12. For the treatment of tobacco smokers, studies show that nicotine replacement with gum or patch and behavioral therapy is the most effective. Moreover, smokers who have a history of depression experience a hard time with quitting 12. On the other hand, research efforts in this significant region have remained quite inactive in relation to the speed of studies on molecular and biological bases of medications development and drug dependence. Bibliography 1. Brittanica Concise Encyclopedia. 2. Pat Moore Foundation. Prescription Drug Abuse – As Addictive and Dangerous as Illegal Street Drugs. Get the Facts. Orange County, California. 3. Izzo, T. Social functioning and emotional regulation in the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. 2000;29: 30 – 42. 4. Johnson RE, Chutuape MA, Strain EC, Walsh SL, Stitzer ML, Bigelow GE. A comparison of levomethadyl acetate, buprenorphine, and methadone for opioid dependence. N. Engl. J. Med. 2000; 343: 1290–7. 5. White R. Dexamphetamine substitution in the treatment of amphetamine abuse: an initial investigation. Addiction. 2000; 95: 229–38. 6. Majumdar SK. Chlormethiazole: current status in the treatment of the acute ethanol withdrawal syndrome. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1991; 27: 201–7. 7. Giannini,AJ. and Billet, TA. Bromocriptine-desipramine protocol in cocaine detoxification. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 1987; 27:549-554. 8. Alper KR, Lotsof HS, Kaplan CD. The ibogaine medical subculture. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;115 : 9–24. 9. Nutt D, King LA, Saulsbury W, Blakemore C. Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse. Lance . 2007; 369 (9566): 1047–53. 10. Koob G, Kreek MJ. Stress, dysregulation of drug reward pathways, and the transition to drug dependence. Am J Psychiatry. 2007; 164 (8): 1149–59 11. Jones S, Bonci A. Synaptic plasticity and drug addiction. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2005; 5 (1): 20–5. 12. The College on Problems of Drug Abuse. â€Å"Behavioral & Psychosocial Treatments for Drug Abuse. 2007.