Academic History

I am currently enrolled in the Business School at Villanova University. My academic standing is good and I have maintained a grade point average of 3.62. I believe I am stable and the change I wish to make in my choice of universities is based on logic and not a whim. I have not transferred before, so this will be a first.My university experience has not had any significant breaks; it flows in an unbroken line from my initial enrollment to the present time. I suffered a few hiccoughs alone the way, but I have persevered, and I managed to rise from the bottom of my seventh year class in Shanghai to the rank of number one in ESL.I was in an alien environment and it was no small matter to adapt to the different culture I found in Shanghai. Despite my lack of height I managed to excel in varsity basketball as well. I think it is worth noting that I am not a native English speaker, but I took my deficiency in the language as a challenge and managed to thrive. I am proud of the fact that I quickly moved from ESL to 1B Class in the British system, which is equivalent to AP.I am steadfast in my resolve and I have not changed career paths. I have found that there is a lack of cultural diversity at Villanova. I initially did not realize the lack was so profound. I had erroneously assumed that matters would balance themselves and I would find there was more diversity than I first saw.This proved not to be the case, however. I believe that the university experience is not one-dimensional. I think a university education is only complete when the student is rounded into a productive member of society instead of just being grounded in the basics of his or her major.I was once accepted at the University of Washington, and I have every hope that the university will look favorably on my application once more, permitting me to correct my mistake and allowing me to attend the University of Washington as I should have done in the first place.  Major and Career Goals:It is my inte ntion to major in Finance. I believe that the university is home to one of the best and most extensive business programs in the United States. I am Taiwanese by birth and spent most of my life in Shanghai, which has a reputation as being the future â€Å"Finance Center† for all of Asia.Early on I came to realize the importance of knowledge in financial dealings, with money management being particularly important.   I spent my high school years in pursuit of learning all I could on the subject of economics, calculus and other math related subjects. Business is the life-blood of my country’s economy.I am savvy enough to understand that capital is the engine that drives business. It is as the old Chinese proverb says, â€Å"Money is not everything, but without money nothing can be done.† But I also realize that money alone is not enough. Having funding is only the first step toward a successful business. The entrepreneur must have the knowledge and associated ski lls to handle turning a profit and ensuring that the business operations run smoothly.Money management is the second part of the equation in producing success. I believe that a degree from the University of Washington will go far toward ensuring that I will have this knowledge and the necessary skills. I have expectations that a degree from your university’s Finance program will benefit me greatly as I scale the corporate ladder.Further, I believe that a University of Washington education will help me fulfill my avowed goal of becoming a specialist in investment analysis. My intention is to become an investment or business analyst in the United States, with an eye toward the Wall Street Journal. I have a fervent believe that I can attain this dream if I am blessed and fortunate enough to be accepted at the University of Washington.Cultural Understanding:The University of Washington is culturally diverse, and being Taiwanese, I am acutely aware of how important that can be for a student, irrespective of his area of study. I look forward to the healthy interaction and social intercourse that will avail itself to me in the richer milieu of this university.I look forward to the exchange of ideas and the broadening effect that intercultural communication can bring. In essence I look forward to being able to share my culture and I look forward to the learning experience I will receive from the various cultures of my fellow students.I fully expect the school to pave the path which I will follow as I experience personal growth on the road to my ultimate goals. It is not a capricious decision, I have carefully studied my options and have chosen what I believe to be the most advantageous avenue for me.When considering the reputation which the university enjoys I feel confident that my acceptance into the business program will furnish me with the needed tools to accomplish my goal in this life. I expect to become a highly competent business analyst, but more, I ex pect to become a productive citizen, replete with the values that will enhance the fulfillment of my aspirations.I expect to become a valued alumnus, having been enriched by the university experience. This growth in personal values and mores is important to my sense of self worth, and will make me a more valuable member of society.It is my belief that the true excellence of any institution of higher learning lies in its ability to educate the whole person. A school becomes truly excellent by excelling in the programs that it offers as well as the values it inculcates in its students, which is how I see the University of Washington.

Chapter 5 Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes

Harry spun faster and faster, elbows tucked tightly to his sides, blurred fireplaces flashing past him, until he started to feel sick and closed his eyes. Then, when at last he felt himself slowing down, he threw out his hands and came to a halt in time to prevent himself from falling face forward out of the Weasleys' kitchen fire. â€Å"Did he eat it?† said Fred excitedly, holding out a hand to pull Harry to his feet. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry, straightening up. â€Å"What was it?† â€Å"Ton-Tongue Toffee,† said Fred brightly. â€Å"George and I invented them, and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer†¦.† The tiny kitchen exploded with laughter; Harry looked around and saw that Ron and George were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table with two red-haired people Harry had never seen before, though he knew immediately who they must be: Bill and Charlie, the two eldest Weasley brothers. â€Å"How're you doing, Harry?† said the nearer of the two, grinning at him and holding out a large hand, which Harry shook, feeling calluses and blisters under his fingers. This had to be Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania. Charlie was built like the twins, shorter and stockier than Percy and Ron, who were both long and lanky. He had a broad, good-natured face, which was weather-beaten and so freckly that he looked almost tanned; his arms were muscular, and one of them had a large, shiny burn on it. Bill got to his feet, smiling, and also shook Harry's hand. Bill came as something of a surprise. Harry knew that he worked for the wizarding bank, Gringotts, and that Bill had been Head Boy at Hogwarts; Harry had always imagined Bill to be an older version of Percy: fussy about rule-breaking and fond of bossing everyone around. However, Bill was – there was no other word for it – cool. He was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. Bill's clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, except that Harry recognized his boots to be made, not of leather, but of dragon hide. Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr. Weasley appeared out of thin air at George's shoulder. He was looking angrier than Harry had ever seen him. â€Å"That wasn't funny Fred!† he shouted. â€Å"What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?† â€Å"I didn't give him anything,† said Fred, with another evil grin. I just dropped it†¦.It was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to.† â€Å"You dropped it on purpose!† roared Mr. Weasley. â€Å"You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet -â€Å" â€Å"How big did his tongue get?† George asked eagerly. â€Å"It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!† Harry and the Weasleys roared with laughter again. â€Å"It isn't funny!† Mr. Weasley shouted. â€Å"That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons â€Å"We didn't give it to him because he's a Muggle!† said Fred indignantly. â€Å"No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git,† said George. â€Å"Isn't he, Harry?† â€Å"Yeah, he is, Mr. Weasley,† said Harry earnestly. â€Å"That's not the point!† raged Mr. Weasley. â€Å"You wait until I tell your mother -â€Å" â€Å"Tell me what?† said a voice behind them. Mrs. Weasley had just entered the kitchen. She was a short, plump woman with a very kind face, though her eyes were presently narrowed with suspicion. â€Å"Oh hello, Harry, dear,† she said, spotting him and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her husband. â€Å"Tell me what, Arthur?† Mr. Weasley hesitated. Harry could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs. Weasley what had happened. There was a silence, while Mr. Weasley eyed his wife nervously. Then two girls appeared in the kitchen doorway behind Mrs. Weasley. One, with very bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth, was Harry's and Ron's friend, Hermione Granger. The other, who was small and red-haired, was Ron's younger sister, Ginny. Both of them smiled at Harry, who grinned back, which made Ginny go scarlet – she had been very taken with Harry ever since his first visit to the Burrow. â€Å"Tell me what, Arthur?† Mrs. Weasley repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice. â€Å"It's nothing, Molly,† mumbled Mr. Weasley, â€Å"Fred and George just – but I've had words with them -â€Å" â€Å"What have they done this time?† said Mrs. Weasley. â€Å"If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes -â€Å" â€Å"Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?† said Hermione from the doorway. â€Å"He knows where he's sleeping,† said Ron, â€Å"in my room, he slept there last -â€Å" â€Å"We can all go,† said Hermione pointedly. â€Å"Oh,† said Ron, cottoning on. â€Å"Right.† â€Å"Yeah, we'll come too,† said George. â€Å"You stay where you are!† snarled Mrs. Weasley. Harry and Ron edged out of the kitchen, and they, Hermione, and Ginny set off along the narrow hallway and up the rickety staircase that zigzagged through the house to the upper stories. â€Å"What are Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?† Harry asked as they climbed. Ron and Ginny both laughed, although Hermione didn't. â€Å"Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room,† said Ron quietly. â€Å"Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was brilliant, I never knew they'd been inventing all that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually making things,† said Ginny. â€Å"We thought they just liked the noise.† â€Å"Only, most of the stuff – well, all of it, really – was a bit dangerous,† said Ron, â€Å"and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burned all the order forms†¦.She's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.L.s as she expected.† O.W.L.s were Ordinary Wizarding Levels, the examinations Hogwarts students took at the age of fifteen. â€Å"And then there was this big row,† Ginny said, â€Å"because Mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like Dad, and they told her all they want to do is open a joke shop.† Just then a door on the second landing opened, and a face poked out wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a very annoyed expression. â€Å"Hi, Percy,† said Harry. â€Å"Oh hello, Harry,† said Percy. â€Å"I was wondering who was making all the noise. I'm trying to work in here, you know I've got a report to finish for the office – and it's rather difficult to concentrate when people keep thundering up and down the stairs.† â€Å"We're not thundering, â€Å"said Ron irritably. â€Å"We're walking. Sorry if we've disturbed the top-secret workings of the Ministry of Magic.† â€Å"What are you working on?† said Harry. â€Å"A report for the Department of International Magical Cooperation,† said Percy smugly. â€Å"We're trying to standardize cauldron thickness. Some of these foreign imports are just a shade too thin – leakages have been increasing at a rate of almost three percent a year -â€Å" â€Å"That'll change the world, that report will,† said Ron. â€Å"Front page of the Daily Prophet, I expect, cauldron leaks.† Percy went slightly pink. â€Å"You might sneer, Ron,† he said heatedly, â€Å"but unless some sort of international law is imposed we might well find the market flooded with flimsy, shallow-bottomed products that seriously endanger -â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah, all right,† said Ron, and he started off upstairs again. Percy slammed his bedroom door shut. As Harry, Hermione, and Ginny followed Ron up three more flights of stairs, shouts from the kitchen below echoed up to them. It sounded as though Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Weasley about the toffees. The room at the top of the house where Ron slept looked much as it had the last time that Harry had come to stay: the same posters of Ron's favorite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, were whirling and waving on the walls and sloping ceiling, and the fish tank on the windowsill, which had previously held frog spawn, now contained one extremely large frog. Ron's old rat, Scabbers, was here no more, but instead there was the tiny gray owl that had delivered Ron's letter to Harry in Privet Drive. It was hopping up and down in a small cage and twittering madly. â€Å"Shut up, Pig,† said Ron, edging his way between two of the four beds that had been squeezed into the room. â€Å"Fred and George are in here with us, because Bill and Charlie are in their room,† he told Harry. â€Å"Percy gets to keep his room all to himself because he's got to work.† â€Å"Er – why are you calling that owl Pig?† Harry asked Ron. â€Å"Because he's being stupid,† said Ginny, â€Å"Its proper name is Pigwidgeon.† â€Å"Yeah, and that's not a stupid name at all,† said Ron sarcastically. â€Å"Ginny named him,† he explained to Harry. â€Å"She reckons it's sweet. And I tried to change it, but it was too late, he won't answer to anything else. So now he's Pig. I've got to keep him up here because he annoys Errol and Hermes. He annoys me too, come to that. Pigwidgeon zoomed happily around his cage, hooting shrilly. Harry knew Ron too well to take him seriously. He had moaned continually about his old rat, Scabbers, but had been most upset when Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, appeared to have eaten him. â€Å"Where's Crookshanks?† Harry asked Hermione now. â€Å"Out in the garden, I expect,† she said. â€Å"He likes chasing gnomes. He's never seen any before.† â€Å"Percy's enjoying work, then?† said Harry, sitting down on one of the beds and watching the Chudley Cannons zooming in and out of the posters on the ceiling. â€Å"Enjoying it?† said Ron darkly. â€Å"I don't reckon he'd come home if Dad didn't make him. He's obsessed. Just don't get him onto the subject of his boss. According to Mr. Crouch†¦as I was saying to Mr. Crouch†¦ Mr. Crouch is of the opinion†¦Mr. Crouch was telling me†¦They'll be announcing their engagement any day now.† â€Å"Have you had a good summer, Harry?† said Hermione. â€Å"Did you get our food parcels and everything?† â€Å"Yeah, thanks a lot,† said Harry. â€Å"They saved my life, those cakes.† â€Å"And have you heard from -?† Ron began, but at a look from Hermione he fell silent. Harry knew Ron had been about to ask about Sirius. Ron and Hermione had been so deeply involved in helping Sirius escape from the Ministry of Magic that they were almost as concerned about Harry's godfather as he was. However, discussing him in front of Ginny was a bad idea. Nobody but themselves and Professor Dumbledore knew about how Sirius had escaped, or believed in his innocence. â€Å"I think they've stopped arguing,† said Hermione, to cover the awkward moment, because Ginny was looking curiously from Ron to Harry. â€Å"Shall we go down and help your mum with dinner?† â€Å"Yeah, all right,† said Ron. The four of them left Ron's room and went back downstairs to find Mrs. Weasley alone in the kitchen, looking extremely bad-tempered. â€Å"We're eating out in the garden,† she said when they came in. â€Å"There's just not room for eleven people in here. Could you take the plates outside, girls? Bill and Charlie are setting up the tables. Knives and forks, please, you two,† she said to Ron and Harry, pointing her wand a little more vigorously than she had intended at a pile of potatoes in the sink, which shot out of their skins so fast that they ricocheted off the walls and ceiling. â€Å"Oh for heaven's sake,† she snapped, now directing her wand at a dustpan, which hopped off the sideboard and started skating across the floor, scooping up the potatoes. â€Å"Those two!† she burst out savagely, now pulling pots and pans out of a cupboard, and Harry knew she meant Fred and George. I don't know what's going to happen to them, I really don't. No ambition, unless you count making as much trouble as they possibly can†¦.† Mrs. Weasley slammed a large copper saucepan down on the kitchen table and began to wave her wand around inside it. A creamy sauce poured from the wand tip as she stirred. â€Å"It's not as though they haven't got brains, she continued irritably, taking the saucepan over to the stove and lighting it with a further poke of her wand, â€Å"but they're wasting them, and unless they pull themselves together soon, they'll be in real trouble. I've had more owls from Hogwarts about them than the rest put together. If they carry on the way they're going, they'll end up in front of the Improper Use of Magic Office.† Mrs. Weasley jabbed her wand at the cutlery drawer, which shot open. Harry and Ron both jumped out of the way as several knives soared out of it, flew across the kitchen, and began chopping the potatoes, which had just been tipped back into the sink by the dustpan. â€Å"I don't know where we went wrong with them,† said Mrs. Weasley, putting down her wand and starting to pull out still more saucepans. â€Å"It's been the same for years, one thing after another, and they won't listen to – OH NOT AGAIN!† She had picked up her wand from the table, and it had emitted a loud squeak and turned into a giant rubber mouse. â€Å"One of their fake wands again!† she shouted. â€Å"How many times have I told them not to leave them lying around?† She grabbed her real wand and turned around to find that the sauce on the stove was smoking. â€Å"C'mon,† Ron said hurriedly to Harry, seizing a handful of cutlery from the open drawer, â€Å"let's go and help Bill and Charlie.† They left Mrs. Weasley and headed out the back door into the yard. They had only gone a few paces when Hermione's bandy-legged ginger cat, Crookshanks, came pelting out of the garden, bottle-brush tail held high in the air, chasing what looked like a muddy potato on legs. Harry recognized it instantly as a gnome. Barely ten inches high, its horny little feet pattered very fast as it sprinted across the yard and dived headlong into one of the Wellington boots that lay scattered around the door. Harry could hear the gnome giggling madly as Crookshanks inserted a paw into the boot, trying to reach it. Meanwhile, a very loud crashing noise was coming from the other side of the house. The source of the commotion was revealed as they entered the garden, and saw that Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, and were making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other, each attempting to knock the other's out of the air. Fred and George were cheering, Ginny was laughing, and Hermione was hovering near the hedge, apparently tor n between amusement and anxiety. Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang and knocked one of its legs off. There was a clatter from overhead, and they all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor. â€Å"Will you keep it down?!† he bellowed. â€Å"Sorry, Perce,† said Bill, grinning. â€Å"How're the cauldron bottoms coming on?† â€Å"Very badly,† said Percy peevishly, and he slammed the window shut. Chuckling, Bill and Charlie directed the tables safely onto the grass, end to end, and then, with a flick of his wand, Bill reattached the table leg and conjured tablecloths from nowhere. By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. To somebody who had been living on meals of increasingly stale cake all summer, this was paradise, and at first, Harry listened rather than talked as he helped himself to chicken and ham pie, boiled potatoes, and salad. At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his father all about his report on cauldron bottoms. â€Å"I've told Mr. Crouch that I'll have it ready by Tuesday,† Percy was saying pompously. â€Å"That's a bit sooner than he expected it, but I like to keep on top of things. I think he'll be grateful I've done it in good time, I mean, its extremely busy in our department just now, what with all the arrangements for the World Cup. We're just not getting the support we need from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Ludo Bagman -â€Å" â€Å"I like Ludo,† said Mr. Weasley mildly. â€Å"He was the one who got us such good tickets for the Cup. I did him a bit of a favor: His brother, Otto, got into a spot of trouble – a lawnmower with unnatural powers – I smoothed the whole thing over.† â€Å"Oh Bagman's likable enough, of course,† said Percy dismissively, â€Å"but how he ever got to be Head of Department†¦when I compare him to Mr. Crouch! I can't see Mr. Crouch losing a member of our department and not trying to find out what's happened to them. You realize Bertha Jorkins has been missing for over a month now? Went on holiday to Albania and never came back?† â€Å"Yes, I was asking Ludo about that,† said Mr. Weasley, frowning. â€Å"He says Bertha's gotten lost plenty of times before now – though must say, if it was someone in my department, I'd be worried†¦.† â€Å"Oh Bertha's hopeless, all right,† said Percy. â€Å"I hear she's been shunted from department to department for years, much more trouble than she's worth†¦but all the same, Bagman ought to be trying to find her. Mr. Crouch has been taking a personal interest, she worked in our department at one time, you know, and I think Mr. Crouch was quite fond of her – but Bagman just keeps laughing and saying she probably misread the map and ended up in Australia instead of Albania. However† – Percy heaved an impressive sigh and took a deep swig of elderflower wine – â€Å"we've got quite enough on our plates at the Department of International Magical Cooperation without trying to find members of other departments too. As you know, we've got another big event to organize right after the World Cup.† Percy cleared his throat significantly and looked down toward the end of the table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting. â€Å"You know the one I'm talking about, Father.† He raised his voice slightly. â€Å"The top-secret one.† Ron rolled his eyes and muttered to Harry and Hermione, â€Å"He's been trying to get us to ask what that event is ever since he started work. Probably an exhibition of thick-bottomed cauldrons.† In the middle of the table, Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Bill about his earring, which seemed to be a recent acquisition. â€Å"†¦with a horrible great fang on it. Really, Bill, what do they say at the bank?† â€Å"Mum, no one at the bank gives a damn how I dress as long as I bring home plenty of treasure,† said Bill patiently. â€Å"And your hair's getting silly, dear,† said Mrs. Weasley, fingering her wand lovingly.† I wish you'd let me give it a trim†¦.† â€Å"I like it,† said Ginny, who was sitting beside Bill. â€Å"You're so old-fashioned, Mum. Anyway, it's nowhere near as long as Professor Dumbledore's†¦.† Next to Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, and Charlie were all talking spiritedly about the World Cup. â€Å"It's got to be Ireland,† said Charlie thickly, through a mouthful of potato. â€Å"They flattened Peru in the semifinals.† â€Å"Bulgaria has got Viktor Krum, though,† said Fred. â€Å"Krum's one decent player, Ireland has got seven,† said Charlie shortly. â€Å"I wish England had got through. That was embarrassing, that was.† â€Å"What happened?† said Harry eagerly, regretting more than ever his isolation from the wizarding world when he was stuck on Privet Drive. â€Å"Went down to Transylvania, three hundred and ninety to ten,† said Charlie gloomily. â€Å"Shocking performance. And Wales lost to Uganda, and Scotland was slaughtered by Luxembourg.† Harry had been on the Gryffindor House Quidditch team ever since his first year at Hogwarts and owned one of the best racing brooms in the world, a Firebolt. Flying came more naturally to Harry than anything else in the magical world, and he played in the position of Seeker on the Gryffindor House team. Mr. Weasley conjured up candles to light the darkening garden before they had their homemade strawberry ice cream, and by the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table, and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass and honeysuckle. Harry was feeling extremely well fed and at peace with the world as he watched several gnomes sprinting through the rosebushes, laughing madly and closely pursued by Crookshanks. Ron looked carefully up the table to check that the rest of the family were all busy talking, then he said very quietly to Harry, â€Å"So – have you heard from Sirius lately?† Hermione looked around, listening closely. â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry softly, â€Å"twice. He sounds okay. I wrote to him yesterday. He might write back while I'm here.† He suddenly remembered the reason he had written to Sirius, and for a moment was on the verge of telling Ron and Hermione about his scar hurting again, and about the dream that had awoken him†¦but he really didn't want to worry them just now, not when he himself was feeling so happy and peaceful. â€Å"Look at the time,† Mrs. Weasley said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. â€Å"You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time.† â€Å"Wow – hope it does this time!† said Harry enthusiastically. â€Å"Well, I certainly don't,† said Percy sanctimoniously. â€Å"I shudder to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days.† â€Å"Yeah, someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?† said Fred. â€Å"That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway!† said Percy, going very red in the face. â€Å"It was nothing personal!† â€Å"It was,† Fred whispered to Harry as they got up from the table. â€Å"We sent it.†

Definition and Examples of Agreement in English Grammar

In grammar, agreement is the correspondence of a verb with its subject in person and number, and of a pronoun with its antecedent in person, number, and gender.  Another term for grammatical agreement is concord. Basic Principles In English, agreement is relatively limited. It occurs between the subject of a clause and a present tense verb, so that, for instance, with a third-person singular subject (e.g. John), the verb must have the -s suffix ending. That is, the verb agrees with its subject by having the appropriate ending. Thus, John drinks a lot is grammatical, but John drink a lot isnt grammatical as a sentence on its own, because the verb doesnt agree. Agreement also occurs in English between demonstratives and nouns. A demonstrative has to agree in number with its noun. So with a plural noun such as books, you have to use a plural these or those, giving these books or those books. With a singular noun, such as book, you use a singular this or that, giving this book or that book. This books or those book would be ungrammatical because the demonstrative doesnt agree with the noun.–Jame R. Hurford, Grammar: A Students Guide. Cambridge University Press, 1994 Keeping Track of Details Agreement is an important process in many languages, but in modern English it is superfluous, a remnant of a richer system that flourished in Old English. If it were to disappear entirely, we would not miss it, any more than we miss the similar -est suffix in Thou sayest. But psychologically speaking, this frill does not come cheap. Any speaker committed to using it has to keep track of four details in every sentence uttered: And all this work is needed just to use the suffix once one has learned it.–Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct. William Morrow, 1994 whether the subject is in the third person or not: He walks versus I walk.whether the subject is singular or plural: He walks versus They walk.whether the action is present tense or not: He walks versus He walked.whether the action is habitual or going on at the moment of speaking (its aspect): He walks to school versus He is walking to school. Tricky Nouns Some nouns are commonly used with singular verbs although plural in form: Some nouns are commonly plural in usage, even though naming something singular.–Patricia Osborn, How Grammar Works. John Wiley, 1989 news, politics, economics, athletics, molassesnouns that state a given time, weight, or amount of energytitles of books, newspapers, television shows, even of plural formHis trousers were old and torn.The suds are almost down the drain.Scissors are a great invention.The contents were ruined. Examples Many dogs are made anxious by loud noises.An anxious dog is not able to focus and maintain attention.Dogs and cats are the most common pets.A dog and a cat are in our house.Usually, either the dog or the cat is in my room.Abandoning a dog or a cat is grossly irresponsible. Examples and Observations Bill Bryson The manager was one of those people who are so permanently and comprehensively stressed that even their hair and clothes appear to be at their wits end.–The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. Broadway Books, 2006 James Van Fleet I have read statistics that show only five out of every 100 people become financially successful. By the retirement age of 65, only one of these people is truly wealthy.–Hidden Power. Prentice-Hall, 1987 Maxine Hong Kingston She brought back another woman, who wore a similar uniform except that it was pink trimmed in white. This womans hair was gathered up into a bunch of curls at the back of her head; some of the curls were fake.–The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts. Alfred A. Knopf, 1976 Bell Hooks Feminist activists must emphasize the forms of power these women exercise and show ways they can be used for their benefit.–Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center, 2nd ed. Pluto Press, 2000 Agreement in Radio TR: I dont know. Understanding guys dont mean you should live with them. SS: Lester... TR: What? SS: Understanding guys doesnt mean you should live with them. TR: Thats what I said. SS: Lester, subjects, and verbs have to be in agreement. The subject of that sentence is not guys, its understanding, and understanding, which is a gerund, by the way, is singular and it takes a singular verb. TR: I got no idea what youre talking about.–Tom Keith and Sue Scott in English Majors. A Prairie Home Companion, May 18, 2002

Negotiation Skills Self Assessment Essay - 1503 Words

Negotiation Skills Self Assessment By John Doe Executive Summary My time in the negotiation skills workshop was very humbling. Before the workshop began my negotiation ability was one of the business skills I knew needed the most improvement. When going into negotiations at work, prior to the course, the only thing I knew was that I wanted a lower price then I was given. What actually surprised me most what that I did actually have some effective negotiating strategies but I was correct in my belief that I had a lot to learn. When you have a goal but lack a game plan on how to achieve it that makes negotiating very difficult and something that I approached with much reservation at work. As you will see from my report I†¦show more content†¦The answer to what I want however was always limited to a particular dollar value. I would enter negotiations with either a target price given to me by a superior or with a somewhat arbitrary price reduction figure such as achieving a 10% or 20% lower price from the quoted price. While I list this as a strength, I am now aware that narrowing my focus in a negotiation to focusing purely on price also caused me to have a purely distributive approach to ‘dividing the pie.’ I failed to see other possibilities such as expanding the pie and adding value to both my company and potential suppliers. This mindset also means that my ability to create value for both parties in a deal was severely limited. While in the process of acquiring a product or service I always try and ensure that I have at least two alternative sources for services and products that my company frequently uses. In the case of a new product or service I always tried to ensure that I have three independent quotes. Although I wasn’t knowledgeable enough to label this as a BATNA(best alternative to a negotiated agreement) I believe it did allow me to have an alternative in most cases. I am aware that this is an extremely limited view of term BATNA and I certainly don’t mean to suggest that this is a sufficient approach to this strategy, it is never the less an alternative. I have never found it very difficult to determine who the real parties are in a negotiation. Most negotiations I haveShow MoreRelatedPersonal Statement : My Self Assessment1509 Words   |  7 PagesWhen looking through my self-assessment which analyzed my strengths, abilities, skills and areas of improvement it made me wonder if all leaders have similar strengths and areas of improvement. For the project I thought I would look at someone who I considered a polar opposite to myself and begin to explore this notion of similarities and dissimilarities. The leader I chose was the infamous Jack Welch. 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The characteristics of fourRead MoreCritical Thinking Is An Important Asset Of Individuals1384 Words   |  6 Pagesa willingness to disagree with others are strong traits associated with my critical thinking skills. I understand the importance of in depth analysis of information retrieved from various sources and perspectives. In this section, I will demonstrate my ability to apply critical thinking skills to various scenarios with four artifacts. The first artifact is a paper completed for the BSAD 415 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution course. For this assignment, the class was divided into three teamsRead MoreLearning Curriculum : Towards Student Driven Pedagogy993 Words   |  4 Pagesdevelopment. By summarizing key components of a learning curriculum including needs assessment and content-based curriculum, the study points out that curriculum negotiation in an adult ESL class can aid in increasing learner autonomy and motivating them to be in charge of their own learning. 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The first step to becoming a strong negotiator is toRead MoreSummary With ever increasing pace of change and complexity within businesses, it is easy to900 Words   |  4 PagesTypically the effective management aspects include problem solving, interpersonal communication, decision making, conflict management, negotiation, team building and motivation. To achieve these eminent skills with the accurate quality of management, an individual must begin with strengthening the skills that complement his/her best behaviour (Zenger 2009). Being self aware is highly important in today’s competitive environment and it is essential to exercise one’s existing positive managerialRead MoreMy Ideal Job And The Professional1731 Words   |  7 Pagesoutcome of this section is a set of critical professional, personal and interpersonal capabilities required to succeed in your ideal job. Tables are good for showing these capabilities – where appropriate do make sure you justify decisions – the assessment is based on this IDEAL JOB To achieve my career goal of becoming a public relations manager I need to be able to evolve with my practice of public relations and be able to keep up with new communication channels that are opening ( (Hall, 2015)Read MoreTeaching, Learning And Clinical Setting1563 Words   |  7 Pagespractices to ensure that the students learn skills, knowledge and behaviors which are essential for entry into practice. Clinical education can only be achieved by bridging academic education and clinical practice, introducing students to the real environment of the profession and reflecting knowledge, skills and professional behaviors by managing patients during the clinical affiliations.1 The goal of the clinical education is to apply academic skills, knowledge and to provide an environment that

Nazi Germany A Political Conspiracy By The Jewish...

The term â€Å"Judeo-Bolshevism† was used in Nazi Germany to describe a political conspiracy by the Jewish population of Easter Europe (mainly Soviet Russia) to take command of the government and instill communist ideals amongst the Slavic peoples and eventually the rest of Europe. The propaganda created to promote belief in this conspiracy was part of Germanys’ attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, as a â€Å"legitimate† reason to invade, to stop the spread of Jewish communist ideology. The belief that Jews were responsible for the creation and growth of communism existed in Germany well before 1941 but it only became useful as propaganda in combination with Hitler’s expressed fears of a Soviet betrayal and possible invasion of Germany. â€Å"Given†¦show more content†¦Hitler believed Jewish control over the Slavic peoples as proof that they were sub-human and could not govern themselves. In 1941 he preached that the war with Russia was a â€Å"w ar of ideology and racial differences†, Nazi Germany vs Soviet Judeo Bolshevism. The German plan for Eastern Europe combined the objectives of Lebensraum with Slavic slave-labor, and Jewish annihilation. â€Å"It was decided that 14 million of the indigenous Slavs would be deported and used as slaves along with the Jews; as the Jews died from overwork they would be replaced by Slavs†. Creating room for German colonization and agricultural settlements was the most important aspect of going east; the native Slavs were seen as unimportant â€Å"Redskins† by Hitler as he compared his policy towards them to the U.S. treatment of Native Americans. Under Operation Barbarossa the violent treatment of the Slavic people established itself militarily, specifically with the pre-invasion â€Å"Commissar Order†. The orders given to German soldiers stated that they were not to follow any international rules of warfare in regards to Soviet prisoners; they were to be s hown no mercy and killed. The Commissar order in regards to Soviet political commissars (Communist political officers) was to separate them from the regular army and kill them. From the Nazi perspective, the Soviet

Not All Heroes Wear Capes free essay sample

A hero, in the simplest form, is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Mother Teresa is someone that first comes to mind when I think of a hero. Originally Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, Mother Teresa spent her early days in India and felt her calling to religious life at the age of 12. At 18, she decided to become a nun and set off to Ireland to do so. There, she took the name Sister Mary Teresa. After one year, she was sent back to India to make her first vows and was sent to Calcutta to teach girls of the city’s poorest families. About six years later, she took her final vows and was to live a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience; during this time, she took the title, â€Å"Mother† and became Mother Teresa. Much later, she felt a call from God to leave teaching and work in Calcutta with the poorest of the poor. We will write a custom essay sample on Not All Heroes Wear Capes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She could not leave without official permission, but with permission one year later, she left the convent and ventured out into the city. Due to selfless acts such as these, Mother Teresa is looked up to by all. Mother Teresa is my modern day hero because of her courage and generosity. Courage is the first characteristic that Mother Teresa possesses that makes her a hero. Her calling to religious life shows us that she truly had courage and confidence in God because she accepted the call at such a young age. The acceptance of her call shows me, and hopefully others, that God always has the best path in mind for us whether we know it at the time or not. Another courageous decision that Mother Teresa made was moving from India to Ireland at 18. Although 18 may not seem young, moving at that age about 34 hours away takes great courage and is something that I do not think I could ever do. These callings and decisions show how much confidence Mother Teresa had in God and that he would carry her through any struggles or hardships. Generosity is the second trait that Mother Teresa possesses.When the term generosity comes to mind, most people think of it as meaning giving away lots of money to the needy. However, someone who shows generosity or is generous is someone who is happy and willing to give time and kindness to those in need. Mother Teresa is an exemplary example of this trait. Mother Teresa was generous with her time and spent almost all of her time giving back to the poor and working with charities. She also showed generosity through her kindness to the poor. She specifically showed kindness to the people that received it the least; some of these people included lepers, orphans, the disabled, and senior citizens. This trait of generosity shows people today how they should be living by giving back to others and putting others before themselves. Courage and generosity are two characteristics that Mother Teresa portrays that make her my modern day hero. Her confidence in God was a main factor in her ability to always say â€Å"yes† to her callings. She was very young when major decisions in her life were made, and her courage gave her the ability to listen to God’s calling and accept it. Generosity is seen through Mother Teresa’s willingness to give her time and kindness to those in need. She spent most of her time in the community with the poorest of the poor helping and caring for them. Mother Teresa shows a strong sense of loyalty to God and his plan; no matter what she went through, her loyalty to God never faltered. In conclusion, Mother Teresa is an inspiration to all and is my modern day hero due to these characteristics.

Pharmaceutical Industry and Drugs

Introduction Pharmaceutical industry has been on the upward over the recent years. This attributes to the growing demand of pharmaceutical products because of changing lifestyles experienced in the modern life. Pharmaceutical industry has a responsibility of developing, producing and marketing of drugs licensed for medication purposes.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Pharmaceutical Industry and Drugs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is the only body allowed in dealing with drugs having met the set conditions, which vary from country to country. This research paper will analyze the pharmaceutical industry based on its market size, research and development as well as regulation governing entry of new drug in the market. Market size and major players Global pharmaceutical market has been reporting an upward trend, which projects to continue over the coming years. Many researches done so far projects that the global pharmaceutical market will produce a total of more than a trillion dollars in its revenue for the year 2012. This is because of the changes that the pharmaceutical industry is undergoing leading to more growth than before. Some of the current changes in the pharmaceutical markets include the shifting growth from the developed markets, increased focus on biotech developed drugs and approval of new drugs (PRLOG, 2012). Some of the leading players who take nearly half of products in the market are Pfizer, Novartis, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi among others. The pharmaceutical expenditures are on the upward trend due to the pharmaceutical consumption experienced all over the world. The total number of pharmaceutical bills by 2007 was estimated to be USD 650 billion among the OECD countries accounting to 15 percent of the health spending. United States is the leading country in pharmaceutical expenditures per capita of $7,960 followed by Norway and Switzerland. Other leading co untries include Netherlands, Luxembourg, Canada, Denmark and Austria respectively (OECD, 2012). Globalization plays an important role in the pharmaceuticals markets, which is worth mentioning. The states of the third world countries have improved because of globalization from direct participation worldwide. Globalization eases the integration of different countries in forming umbrella bodies with no trade barriers.Advertising Looking for case study on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This has necessitated the free movement of pharmaceutical products worldwide. It has created global competition among leading brands in the pharmaceutical industry due to movements and marketing by companies. It has enabled the pharmaceutical companies in the long-term planning as they look for business opportunities in some parts of the globe (Kesic, 2009). Research and development Research plays an important role of innovating n ew products, which meets the market demand. As world’s population grows day by day, so does the need for more innovations in solving the emerging problems. Frequent research and developments leads to new products in the market to be used in treating different illness experienced in daily life. There are a number of agencies which funds research and developments. In some cases, American federal meets the cost of research and developments of drugs in collaboration with the public sector. Over the past years, the federal has laid out policy research, which they have funded to a tune of billions through private and public sectors in US (Austin, 2007). Similarly, pharmaceutical companies do meet the cost of research and development, which is latter, passed to consumers through buying the products. The global competition and increased need of resistance drugs are pushing private and pharmaceutical companies to research and develop drugs that meets the need of the public. Meeting th e market demand with new products is very important for pharmaceutical company’s research and developments (Swayne, Duncan Ginter, 2008). Every company is striving in satisfying its clients and developing brand loyalty with them. This makes pharmaceutical companies thrive continuously in producing and innovating new products, which meets the expectation of their customers. Developing strong brands is more important to pharmaceutical companies as it enables them to achieve a competitive advantage. Regulation Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the mandate of protecting and promoting health of the public through ensuring their safety. It plays a role in approving drugs, which takes two phases namely: clinical trials (CT) and new drug application (NDA).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Pharmaceutical Industry and Drugs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The drug approval process by FDA begins after the client has submitted investigational new drug application(IND) showing preclinical information, which justifies the testing of the drug to humans. In many cases, US subjects 85 % of applications to clinical trials. This ensures safety of the drugs before allowing them into the market (Guarino, 2009). The next stage in the approval process involves phase I of clinical trials, which takes 1-3 years on subjects involving human beings. There is evaluation of safety of the drug and its pharmaceutical contents are at this stage. Phase II trials take two years and only done when a drug successfully passes the first phase. This phase includes evaluation of dosage, broadness of the efficacy and there might be additional safety procedures performed at this phase. If the examination becomes successful at this stage, it proceeds to the third phase, which takes 3-4 years (Guarino, 2009). Phase III is concerned with effectiveness and safety of the developed drug. It takes data from different pop ulations and dosage of up to 3000 people in checking its effectiveness. Successful passing these three stages allows for new drug application (NDA). Some of the information considered includes drug manufacturing and its labeling, data analysis and pharmacokinetics of the drug. A team of Scientist in the Centre of Drug Evaluation and Research also takes clinical and preclinical reports and any analysis in masking it conforms to the laid down procedures of safety measurement. The approval of NDA may take up-to two years, but the company is allowed to market the drug after successful passage and approval of NDA before proceeding to phase IV. Phase IV involves exploration of new population as well as the drugs long-term effects and the response of the participants to the dosage (Guarino, 2009). Conclusion Pharmaceutical industries are involved in research and development because of increased demand for their products. Globalization has played a critical role in marketing their products because they can easily reach other parts of the world without difficulties.Advertising Looking for case study on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Despite the increased demand, which has necessitated more production, the major players are incurring the high cost in relation to research and development of new products. The cost for developing new drugs is passed to the consumer who pays higher in buying the drugs. This concept explains why United States is leading consumers of pharmaceutical products. References Austin, T. (2007). Research and development in the pharmaceutical industry, BO study. Washington DC: Government Printing Press. Guarino, R. (2009). New Drug Approval Process. 5th ed. London: Taylor Francis Kesic, D. (2011). Pharmaceutical industry in strategic development. 2 (6), 29-37. Web. OECD (2009). Health at Glance 2009 OECD indicators: OECD indicators. Canada: OECD Publishing. PRLOG (2012). Global Pharmaceutical market forecast to 2012. Web. Swayne, L, Duncan, W Ginter P. (2008). Strategic management of health care organizations. 6th ed. West Sussex: John Wiley. This case study on Pharmaceutical Industry and Drugs was written and submitted by user Bradley Compton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.