Minimalist Toolkit

Minimalist Toolkit What do you need to become a minimalist? What tools do you need to start your journey? If you could purchase a minimalist toolkit today what would it have in it? What would it look like? Heres a quick exercise for you: Grab an empty box todayâ€"one thats about the size of an empty Xerox paper box, or even bigger. Tonight, before you go to bed, make sure the box is completely empty, and then tape it shut. Then, grab a bold marker and write Minimalist Toolkit on the side of the box. On the third morning of your journey into minimalismâ€"when your friends and family come over for your packing partyâ€"break out the box. Gather around with your friends and tell them you got this special Minimalist Toolkit that is going to help you with your journey. Slowly, dramatically, cut open the box to reveal the contents to your crowd. Explain to them that you dont need anything to become a minimalist. Minimalism is about getting rid of unnecessary stuff so you can enjoy life. You dont need a box of stuff to accomplish this. If you find value in The Minimalists, consider donating a dollar.

Failures in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay

Failures in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Arthur Miller develops a number of significant and central themes throughout the play using techniques such as characterization, setting and language. The best explored theme in the play is the theme of failure and disappointments. Death of a Salesman is a modern day play about a salesman, Willy Loman, his life and his failures in a success driven society and world. He is a victim of The American Dream destroyed by false promises and ideals. As the play unravels we realize that he more than just a financial failure but also socially, personally and morally. These failures and faults are not only confined to him but they rub off on his family.†¦show more content†¦This again indicates Willys lost opportunities in life. So Willy is surrounded by great successes in a society where success and money is what is respected. This means that Willy is far from respected. A technique Miller employs is using language to aid deeper meanings in the storyline. It is used frequently throughout the play. The references to the jungle as the setting for Bens ruthless success carries uneasy connotations of a place where only the fittest will survive and in which weaker members will die. Indicating that Willy will not survive in the financial world. Even after all that Willy went through with his own failure and his sons he still does not understand why it happened to them. He believes that the only keys to success are contacts and popularity. Unfortunately, in the business of sales, Willy has outlived his contacts and his popularity (if he ever had them) and is now unable to make any money. The best example of this is when Biff failed Maths and was going to fail school Willy said he would talk to his teacher and shed understand. This shows that Willy thinks he can get by in life by being popular and charming but he realizes the hard way that this is not true. Willy Lowmans home is presented as small and fragile, surrounded by a wall of apartment blocks whose presence contributes to the trapped, claustrophobicShow MoreRelatedArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1144 Words   |  5 Pages Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman Life for many in America are missing the same elements that â€Å"Death of a Salesman† exposed. Those element are love and direction. Many people face these struggles at some point in their life, but don’t know what to do to progress. Arthur Miller devised a style whereby he could show how your past can continuously impact on your future. Each character highlights the powerlessness of a dream to give meaning and control to human life. I disagree with someRead MoreArthur Miller Criticism913 Words   |  4 Pages Arthur Miller is a highly distinguished author. He is considered by many to be one of Americas greatest writers. As distinguished a writer he is, Miller deserves to be selected for a spot in the prestigious American Author Hall of Fame. His works meet the criteria for the American Authors Hall of Fame since they have themes important to society, are unique, and have universal appeal. Arthur Millers works meet the American Author Hall of Fames first criteria by dealing with themes highly importantRead More The American Dream Conspiracy in Death of a Salesman Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesArthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of the failure of a salesman, Willy Loman. Although not all Americans are salesmen, most of us share Willy’s dream of success. We are all partners in the American Dream and parties to the conspiracy of silence surrounding the fact that failures must outnumber successes.(Samantaray, 2014) Miller amalgamates the archetypal tragic hero with the mundane American citizen. The result is the anti-hero, Willy Loman. He is a simple salesman who constantlyRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman: Illusion In An American Tragedy Essay1738 Words   |  7 Pagesto choose the most convenient solution to his problem: illusion. They build dreams and fantasies to conceal the more difficult truths of their lives. In his play Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller portrays the hold of such illusions on individuals and its horrible consequences. Through the overly average, overly typical Loman family, Miller shows how dreams of a better life become, as Choudhuri put it, â€Å"fantasies to the point that the difference between illusion and reality, the Loman’s dreams andRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1611 Words   |  7 PagesResearch paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead MoreAnalysis Of Arthur Millers Death Of Salesman 1548 Words   |  7 Pages Research paper on death of salesman Arthur Miller created stories that express the deepest meanings of struggle. Miller is the most prominent twentieth-century American playwrights. He based his works on his own life, and his observations of the American scene. Arthur Asher Miller was born 17 October 1915 in Manhattan, New York city. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents had a prosperous clothing company. Unfortunately when the stock market crashed, because his familyRead MoreThemes of Failure, Self Delusion, and Conflict in Death of a Salesman568 Words   |  3 Pagesplay â€Å"Death of a Salesman† there are multiple themes, some are obvious and others are just noticeable. Much of it revolves around the Main Character Willy and how he has confused reality with constant illusions and dreams. Based on my experience with â€Å"Death of a Salesman† I can say that there are multiple themes fused through this play. For example the author used these themes to create a strong cent ral meaning or message that the reader can clearly understand. Overall I believe Arthur Miller has deliveredRead MoreWilly Loman And The American Dream Analysis1075 Words   |  5 PagesDream In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans pursuit of the American Dream is characterized by his selfishness, demonstrating how the American Dream can subtly turn into the American Nightmare. However, Willy’s role is quite important because he often led to failure through the creation of the American Dream and the real world. To fully understand the storyline of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, one must evaluate each member of the Loman family. The death of Willy LomanRead MoreDeath of a Salesman Essay584 Words   |  3 Pages In Arthur Millers play Death of a Salesman, the protagonist Willy Loman sets out to pursue the American Dream only to find complete failure. With hard work and devotion, Willy believes that he will one day be a success in a booming economy. As one critic states, Willys character is of a common man. He is not anything special, nor ever was. He chose to follow the American dream and he chose to lead the life it gave him (Death of a Salesman: The Culture Of Willy Loman). Willy dies an unsuccessfulRead More Failure of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman907 Words   |  4 PagesFailure of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman    In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller forces the reader to deal with the failure of the American Dream(Field 2367) and the effect it had on the Loman family, how it ruins the life of Willy, and destroys Biff’s life as well.   By focusing on serious problems that the reader can relate to, Arthur Miller connects us with the characters facing these life-altering crisis.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To Willy Loman success is defined as

Cloning VS Religion Essay - 1349 Words

The year is 2020. You are walking down the street and you see your friend. You give your friend a wave and continue with your walk, but then you pass by your friend again. This makes you turn around, you think your head is playing games on you. But when you turn around there is not one, but two of the exact same people standing in front of your eyes. This is an example of what cloning can be in the future. People one day will be able to create another version of themselves or someone else. Cloning does not just apply to creating whole humans, but also discusses the attempt to create new cells to help cure different diseases. Science and religion often clash, and in this situation they do through majority of the religions. Buddhism has†¦show more content†¦Reproductive cloning uses somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to create organisms that are genetically identical (wikipedia.org). To create a clone one must transfer the nucleus from an adult cell into a de-nucleated egg. This egg then needs to be put into a surrogate mother. Buddhists do not agree with this type of cloning because they feel that scientists will start breeding those who have advanced moral qualities. Although scientists have not yet cloned a full human they still are researching it. In the Catholic religion it is believed that God creates every living thing on Earth. Every human is created differently from the next, but one thing we all have in common is that God has given us each a soul. A Catholic can believe in the theory of evolution, as long as they believe that at one point God intervened to give us a soul. Every person should be born into a family where there is a mother and father who are joined in holy matrimony. In this family you can have brothers, sisters, grandparents,aunts and uncles, who all teach us to love. â€Å"Parents must regard their children as children of God and respect them as Human persons. Showing themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they educate their children to fulfill Gods lawâ€Å"(2222 CCC). In the eyes of a Catholic person, cloning is wrong for many reasons. Many ask the question â€Å" who are we to play God?†The phrase â€Å"playing God† comes from theShow MoreRelatedCloning as Solution to Food Shortages and Needs for New Medicine1436 Words   |  6 Pagesthat there could ever be a solution to these issues. Cloning could be one of the many solutions to the problems that are afflicting the world as we know it. But that has many people wondering what exactly cloning is, and, more importantly why people do it. Knowing what cloning is, why people do it, and other opinions and feelings about cloning could help us solve these issues. To clone means to create a genetic copy of another organism. Cloning depends on there being two cells, one of a female’sRead More Cloning Technology: With Respect to Faith and Reason Essay1642 Words   |  7 PagesCloning Technology: With Respect to Faith and Reason Church VS Science The idea of sitting in an airport and seeing someone walk past that looks identical to you may seem absurd, but due to new scientific development it may not stay that way for long. In 1953 two scientists by the names of James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA.1 DNA can be defined as the makeup of chromosomes, which carry genetic information. DNA is present in nearly every living organismRead MoreHuman Cloning Essay1540 Words   |  7 PagesHuman Cloning For the last few decades, cloning was a fictitious idea that lay deep within the pages of sci-fi novels and movies. The very idea that cloning could one day become reality was thought to be a scientific impossibility by many experts. But on February 22, 1997, what was thought to be purely science fiction became reality. That day, a team from the Roslin Institute, led by Dr. Ian Wilmut, changed the history forever by revealing what looked like an average sheep. And its name wasRead MoreThe Effects Of Cloning On Human Life1808 Words   |  8 PagesWeston Erbert Mrs. McEwen English 12 11 February 2016 The Effects of Cloning Cloning. The very word instills feelings of excitement, hope, possibilities and a montage of futuristic images of test tubes and beakers and DNA ladders spinning through space. But the word also conjures anxiety, fear and internal struggle over right and wrong, good vs. evil, science vs. religion. The cloning of vital organs or cells to cure diseases could potentially save the lives of millions of people around the worldRead More Analysis of The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay867 Words   |  4 Pagestoday, people try to play â€Å"God† and change things that nature has put in place. It’s human curiosity; how much can be changed, how many things can be perfected? The themes in this short story-- religion, gender, and science--were relevant in Hawthorne’s day, and still are many years later. The theme of religion is hidden in the desire to erase the birthmark. In trying to â€Å"perfect† Georgiana, Aylmer is testing God’s creation. He doesnâ €™t believe that how God created Georgiana is perfect, and he is obsessiveRead More Attack of the Cloning Regulations Essay2139 Words   |  9 PagesAttack of the Cloning Regulations Better and new technologies and ideas are constantly introduced through the passage of time, most of which are just for the convenience of modern life. There is usually not much of an objection when they are introduced into society because the pros of the idea greatly outweigh the cons; however, this is not the case with the discovery that human cloning is now practically possible. When a breakthrough like cloning comes about regulations must be set forthRead MoreThe Origins Of Humanity And Major Periods : Middle Ages, Renaissance, And Enlightenment1454 Words   |  6 PagesThe evolution theory is that of a good one and basically shows us about the Survival of the fittest. Science is based on a series of proven theories and facts. However, religion and its beliefs are based on the biblical interpretations and the spread of stories through its word. The long-standing issue is that between religion and science has molded the concept of Church and State. The relevance of the concept s stated before to include, natural selection, intelligent design, scientific creationismRead MoreTexts in Time Frankenstein and Bladerunner : )1400 Words   |  6 PagesModule A: Texts in Context â€Å"Mary Shelley’s values are still relevant to society today†. Discuss with reference to your knowledge of Blade Runner and Frankenstein. (1200 words) Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s cautionary tale of science vs. religion was first published in 1818, in an increasingly secular, but still patriarchal British society, amongst the aftermath of the French and Industrial revolutions and a burgeoning scientific research scene. Upon the second release in 1831, the novel was greetedRead MoreThe Ethics of Cloning Essays2173 Words   |  9 Pagescould be produced (Cloning Fact Sheet, 1). This process is called cloning, and essentially it takes from one’s own genetic makeup to produce an exact replica. These exact replicas, known as clones, can benefit our society in many different ways; however, these benefits are not without great controversy and concerns. Proponents of cloning suggest that through cloning, humans can experience a greater quality of life with fewer health concerns including hunger and reproduction. Cloning consist of threeRead MoreThe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks Should Be Included As A Work Of Summer Readi ng1181 Words   |  5 Pagesanalyzed within the story line, such as relationships, ethics, race, religion vs science, growth/decline of a character, and the loss of a loved one. An entire paper could be written on any of these ideas and a teacher could get an insight into his/her students’ passions with their choice in discussion. In addition to these themes, not only is the language of the poorly educated community able to be seen, but the way importance of religion in which they view life. Skloot is also able to depict an African-American

Language Acquisition Theories Free Essays

It is reported by Waggoner that one in six United States adolescents between the age of 14 and 19 speaks a foreign language at home besides English. Some schools expect these children to speak English fluently and at a rapid pace. They also have this hidden expectation that there will be no interference with their academic progress in the classroom. We will write a custom essay sample on Language Acquisition Theories or any similar topic only for you Order Now The information that is taught to English language learners is prolific in words and phrases. This can at times become baffled due to the literal and figurative language of words. Children who are fluent in English have a solid understanding of those figurative phrases. Lazar, Warr-Leeper, Nicholson, and Johnson (1998) reported that 11.5% of lessons taught in the classroom contain figurative language and teachers use idiomatic looks in one out of ten words used when teaching in the classroom. Idioms are very difficult for English language learners to translate. Often the English language learner also has difficulty understanding figurative language in the social setting. Figurative language is indeed a needed portion for the English language learner instruction. These students must have the appropriate instruction so that they can master the difficult task of speaking, reading, and writing a foreign language to them which is English. Palmer and Brooks (2004), states that if the English language learner is unable to understand and translate figurative language this will cause a disruption to their comprehension, which will cause frustrations and may hinder the student from wanting to become a reader of English. Classroom teachers must scaffold their instruction for the English language learner. The lessons must consist of comprehension strategies that are fostered around figurative language. This may have some challenges for the classroom teacher because the English language learner is diverse with a broad range of cultures and linguistics in the classroom. Alejandro’s Observation As a classroom teacher who possesses students who are English language  learners I could relate to some of the issues concerning Alejandro. According to MacGillivary and Rueda (2001), children like Alejandro will assist their parents who speak a little English and those who don’t speak English at all to translate for them any and everything that pertains to school, the doctor, or just everyday situations that may require English. Alejandro’s teacher created appropriate and purposeful lessons for him. These lessons were tailored around figurative language. This teacher modeled explicitly taught him how to translate words and phrases into English and also how to decide what the meaning is when it pertains to context clues. Alejandro is now able to communicate in both worlds English and Spanish. Strategies for Figurative Language Explicit Instruction: According to Palmer and Brooks (2004), â€Å"figurative language interpretation is based on students’ schemata; therefore, direct, or explicit, instruction is often needed to provide the knowledge necessary to understand not only the figurative language expressions but the context surrounding them as well† (p.375). When the English language learner receives instruction that is clear and direct this will aide those students who may not be familiar with figurative language. This will also help them students who possess a limited knowledge to recognize figurative language. Connections to the Real World When the English language learner uses figurative language in their communities they create this connection that allows them to communicate naturally. Tompkins (2002), states that children who are English language learners have challenges comprehending the figurative phases used in the real world. He suggests that classroom teachers use hands on objects like posters created by the students that will show the figurative meaning of those phrases. Figurative language can help the English language learner to see this world in a new light. It also magnifies their perceptions about the world. Dialogue in Context Educators of English language learners should explain the importance of  figurative language to their students. They should be aware of how this skill will be taught to them so they can create learning goals centered on figurative language. The classroom teacher should gear her lessons on the different types of figurative languages and provide explicit examples of the phrases used in paragraphs and sentences. It is also recommended that classroom teachers connect context clues with the use of figurative language. Using these context clues will allow the English language learner to construct meaning with the text. Modeling and Independent Practice How the English language learner grasps the concepts of figurative language depends upon their back ground knowledge and also what they have been exposed too. When the classroom teacher models explicitly the strategies for figurative language and provides opportunities for the students to practice what was taught this will strengthen their skills. These strategies should be modeled and practiced with students orally and written on a daily basis. The classroom teacher can use learning logs with the students during observations. Visualization With the use of illustrations provides the English language learner with a brighter interpretation of the figurative phrases used in the real world. Students can create literal pictures of the figurative phrases. For example, busy as a bee. Classroom teachers must keep in mind that the English language learner may need to communicate what was learned through pictures. This can be used for literal and figurative phrases. Use of the Native Language The English language learner who has a firm structure in bilingual education will achieve higher than those English language learners who have not had the opportunity for bilingual education. These students are impelled to use their native dialect which will help them to comprehend English. The classroom teacher must remember their students who are English language learners are on several different levels which can create challenges. Because the English language learner is learning two combined languages, they will make gains from the skills they accumulated from their back ground knowledge. Reflection The strategies provided in this article can aid the English language learner when they have difficulty with figurative language in the real world and in texts. The background knowledge of the English language learner has an important role in how they comprehend figurative phrases. Once they have mastered this skill they can transfer what they learned to context clues. Having visuals for these students will support them in language arts. It is important that these students continue to speak in their native dialect. These strategies will give them a sense of accomplishment which will inspire them to become proficient readers and writers. How to cite Language Acquisition Theories, Essays

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Cosmetic Products Through Door-to-Door Selling, Specialty Stores, Department Store Counters, and Supermarkets and Hypermarkets Essay Example

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Cosmetic Products Through Door-to-Door Selling, Specialty Stores, Department Store Counters, and Supermarkets and Hypermarkets? Essay What are the advantages and disadvantages of selling cosmetic products through door-to-door selling, specialty stores, department store counters, and supermarkets and hypermarkets? ?Door-to door selling The advantage of using door-to door selling is the salesperson can make initiative to go around door-to door to persuade customers to buy the cosmetic products instead of waiting the customers to visit your shop. The company is able to save money for setting up a visible shop which usually costs a lot. Besides, there is no need to take attention on the design and decoration of the shop and display of goods. Sometimes, the customers really have no intention to buy the products, but due to continuous persuasion of the salesperson, they buy it in the end. Using door-to door selling method has a great potential to earn unlimited revenues. It is also considered convenient to customer as products are delivered directly to them. Salesperson can explain the functions of the cosmetic products and recommend what is suitable for the customer face-to face and one-by one. This is typically vital in sales of cosmetic products as each person suits different kind of cosmetic products and customers will have lots of question to ask the salesperson. We will write a custom essay sample on What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Cosmetic Products Through Door-to-Door Selling, Specialty Stores, Department Store Counters, and Supermarkets and Hypermarkets? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Cosmetic Products Through Door-to-Door Selling, Specialty Stores, Department Store Counters, and Supermarkets and Hypermarkets? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Cosmetic Products Through Door-to-Door Selling, Specialty Stores, Department Store Counters, and Supermarkets and Hypermarkets? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is important to provide good services to customers in door-to door selling. On the other hand, there are also disadvantages of using door-to door method to sell cosmetic products. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, customers might have lots of questions about the cosmetic products and cause time consuming. Especially for cosmetic products, for those who have been using, they will be loyalty to particular brand and will not change dramatically which appears to be risky as they do not know whether the new brand suits them even you kept on persuading them. It is difficult to provide consistent good quality of services. Besides, it is also difficult to employ and retain salesperson due to the unattractive working conditions. Most of the people will reject to attend to the salesperson. As a result, the salesperson may even not have a chance to promote the products. ?Specialty stores Firstly, specialty store for cosmetics provide professional services by trained salesperson and beauty consultants. This can attract many consumers as they can save money to consult a professional consultant and yet can get recommendation, free analyze of their skins, newest information and trends. Specialty stores also provide full range of merchandises of specific cosmetic brand. This provides convenience to customers. Specialty stores can also be renovated and designed based on the theme or concept of the brand. This is helpful to build the identity of the brand in order to attract more customers. However, to train the salesperson and beauty consultants, the store has to spend a lot of money and time. And also, it is very costly to renovate the specialty stores. Without sufficient and a big amount of fund, it is totally impossible to operate a specialty store. Specialty stores might not be able to attract customers who initially do not have interest in this brand to step in. In addition, specialty stores have to put in effort to draw traffics on their own, unlike selling products in department stores and supermarkets. ?Department store counters Setting counters in department store is the most popular channel in cosmetic products. Department store attracts all groups of customers and offers a wide variety of brands of cosmetic products to customers. The cost of setting up counters in department store is much less compared to setting up a specialty store. However, setting counter in the cosmetic products department is very competitive as all different brands of cosmetic products are put together in a particular area. Especially for cosmetic products, customers can go to every counter and try each product. Customers can just walk around and compare among the brands. Besides, the space is rather small and has to put in great effort in the location of displaying the products to attract customers. ?Supermarkets and hypermarkets Selling cosmetic products in supermarkets and hypermarkets cost cheaper. Usually there is no salesperson promoting the products, thus can save money on recruitment. Basically, most cosmetic products sold in the supermarkets and hypermarkets are basic, lower-priced mass products. Without salesperson, the cosmetic products appear to be less attractive. Furthermore, similar to setting counters in department stores, supermarkets will diversify their products into different departments. Thus, all cosmetic products will be placed together which is highly competitive.

How Litter Trashes the Environment

How Litter Trashes the Environment Environmentalists consider littering a nasty side effect of our convenience-oriented disposable culture. Just to highlight the scope of the problem, California alone spends $28 million a year cleaning up and removing litter along its roadways. And once trash gets free, wind and weather move it from streets and highways to parks and waterways. One study found that 18 percent of litter ends up in rivers, streams, and oceans. In particular, the issue of microplastics is particularly dramatic in some parts of our oceans, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Cigarettes a Major Cause of Litter Cigarette butts, snack wrappers and take-out food and beverage containers are the most commonly littered items. Cigarettes are one of the most insidious forms of litter: Each discarded butt takes 12 years to break down, all the while leaching toxic elements such as cadmium, lead, and arsenic into soil and waterways. Litter Typically Viewed as a Local Problem The burden of litter cleanup usually falls to local governments or community groups. Some U.S. states, including Alabama, California, Florida, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia, are taking strong measures to prevent litter through public education campaigns, and are spending millions of dollars yearly to clean up. British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland also have strong anti-litter campaigns. Keep America Beautiful and Litter Prevention Keep America Beautiful (KAB), the group known for its â€Å"crying Indian† anti-litter TV ads of bygone days, has been organizing litter cleanups across the United States since 1953. KAB has a strong track record of success in litter prevention, though it has been accused of doing the bidding of its industry founders and supporters (which include tobacco and beverage companies) by opposing many mandatory bottle- and can-recycling initiatives over the years and downplaying the issue of litter from cigarettes. Nonetheless, 2.8 million KAB volunteers picked up 200 million pounds of litter in KAB’s annual Great American Cleanup last year [2007]. Litter Prevention Around the World A more grassroots-oriented litter prevention group is Auntie Litter, which started in 1990 in Alabama to help educate students there about the importance of a healthy and clean environment. Today the group works internationally to help students, teachers, and parents eliminate litter in their communities. In Canada, the nonprofit Pitch-In Canada (PIC), founded in the late-1960s by some hippies in British Columbia, has since evolved into a professionally run national organization with a tough anti-litter agenda. Last year 3.5 million Canadians volunteered in PIC’s annual nationwide Cleanup Week. Only You Can Prevent Litter Doing your part to keep litter to a minimum is easy, but it takes vigilance. For starters, never let trash escape from your car, and make sure household garbage bins are sealed tightly so animals can’t get at the contents. Always remember to take your garbage with you upon leaving a park or other public space. And if you’re still smoking, isn’t saving the environment a compelling enough reason to finally quit? Also, if that stretch of roadway you drive every day to work is a haven for litter, offer to clean it up and keep it clean. Many cities and towns welcome â€Å"Adopt-A-Mile† sponsors for particularly litter-prone streets and highways, and your employer might even want to get in on the act by paying you for your volunteer time. Edited by Frederic Beaudry

Full Analysis of SAT Grammar Rules Which Are Most Important

Full Analysis of SAT Grammar Rules Which Are Most Important SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you are planning your study approach for SAT Writing, it’s important to know where your time is best spent. Which grammar rules are really the most important to learn? What can help you make the greatest improvement to your score? Read on to find out exactly how much each grammar rule matters and how you can use this information on the test. What kinds of questions are on SAT Writing? SAT Writing follows an extremely predictable format. There are two Writing sections on the test. (Note: There are always two graded Writing sections, but some tests may have a third one that is experimental and ungraded.) The first Writing section will be between Section 2 and Section 7, and the second will ALWAYS be Section 10. In the first Writing section, you will have three question types. #1: Improving Sentences The first, which accounts for questions 1 – , isImproving Sentences. You will be given a sentence with an underlined portion and 5 answer choices. The first answer choice, A, is always the same as what is given in the original sentence (or Correct As Is). The other answers will re-write the underlined portion of the sentence in various ways. We have written aguide to the best way to approach Improving Sentences Questions. #2: Identifying Sentence Errors The second question type isIdentifying Errors (questions 12 – 29).In this type of question, you will be given a sentence that has four underlined words or phrases labeledA – D. After the sentence you also have the option of E, which is â€Å"No Error†. You have to choose the underlined part of the sentence that has a grammar mistake, or decide that the sentence has no errors and is correct as it is written. #3: Improving Paragraphs The third question type isImproving Paragraphs,which is questions 30 – 35. This section is a little different. You may be asked a grammar question, which oftentimes will look a lot like the Improving Sentences questions. However, you also may be asked questions about style and logic, such as where sentences best fit in the paragraph or what transition to use, and you can also be asked about the author’s rhetorical strategy. This ishow you should attack the Improving Paragraphssection. Section 10 consists of 14 questions which are alwaysImproving Sentences. So to summarize, this is what the breakdown of different question types looks like: But what concepts are tested? And why should you care? Almost as predictable as the question types are the grammar rules that SAT Writing will test you on. SAT Writing heavily favors a few main grammar rules,and lightly touches on a multitude of others. Why should this matter to you? This means that especially if you are aiming for a score in the 500 – 700 range, you shouldfocus your studying on the main grammar rules that are covered. In fact, many of the rules the SAT covers are so infrequently seen that there is a good chance that your testmay not cover them at all. I analyzed almost 700 SAT Writing questions from 14 official SAT tests, and wrote down the grammar concepts tested in each. For most SAT questions, the answer is fairly obvious if you know one main grammar rule. Occasionally, however, more than one rule is tested in the same question. In these circumstances, I counted the question for both grammar rules. And the winners are†¦ The overwhelming winner of the frequency test isverb tense and form.Using the correct form of the verb can mean quite a few different things, including whether or notverbs are used consistently throughout the sentence, knowing when to use gerunds and avoiding them when they are unnecessary, when to use the infinitive, when to use certain tenses, and when past participles are appropriate. These concepts make up over a whopping20% of the questionsin the Improving Sentences and Identifying Errors sections of the test. Not far behind in second place are questions dealing withcorrect use of pronouns.These questions make up12.5% of the questionsin Improving Sentences and Identifying Errors. These concepts include missing and ambiguous antecedents, pronoun case, and making sure that pronouns match their antecedents in number. We have a three-way tie for third place.Subject-Verb Agreement, Run-ons and Fragments,andParallel Structureeach weigh in at around9.5% of the questions asked. If you master these five concepts, you will have all the information you need toover 60% of the questions on SAT Writing. The full breakdown Here is the analysis of the most commonly-tested grammar concepts on SAT Writing, along with brief explanations of what each grammar rule means. #1: Correct Verb Tense and Form: 20.5% Verbs tenses are used consistently and correctly throughout the sentence Gerunds are only used when necessary Infinitives are used correctly Tenses of verbs are formed correctly Past participles are not confused with past tense Wordiness with gerunds To master this section, see our guide onhow verbs are used on SAT Writing. #2: Correct Pronouns and Antecedents: 12.5% Missing and ambiguous antecedents Correct use of singular and plural pronouns Pronoun case Pronoun-antecedent agreement â€Å"He or she† vs. â€Å"they† See our guides onpronoun caseandpronoun agreementto master these concepts. #3: Subject-Verb Agreement: 9.5% Matching singular subjects with singular verbs and plural subjects with plural verbs Sentences with verbs before subjects Sentences with non-essential clauses or prepositional phrases between subject and verb See thisguide to subject-verb agreement. #3: Parallel Structure: 9.5% Items in a list are phrased the same way Phrases connected by a conjunctionhave the same structure See ourguide to parallel structure on SAT Writingfor more on this topic. #3: Fragments and Run-ons: 9.5% Joining independent clauses incorrectly Missing subject and/or verb Recognizing non-essential or dependent clause vs. independent clause Correct use of semicolons and commas This guide breaks downhow to recognize and fix run-ons and fragments on SAT Writing. #6: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers: 7% Descriptive phrases must be next to the word they describe See theguide to modifiers here. #7: Idioms, Preposition use, and Diction: 6% Knowing which preposition is idiomatically correct in a phrase Recognizing commonly-confused words This guide will teach youall about idioms on the SAT Writing, and here is a guide to diction and word choice. #8: Faulty Comparisons: 4% Comparing two unlike things See theguide to faulty comparisonshere. #10: Logical conjunction use: 3% Using conjunctions correctly according to their meaning: e.g., â€Å"but† for contrast, â€Å"and† for similarity, etc. See more about conjunctions in ourcomplete parts of speech guide. #10: Word pairs: 3% Properly completed word pairs, e.g.either†¦or, neither†¦nor, not only†¦but also, between†¦and, just as†¦so #10: Adjective vs. Adverb: 3% Using adjectives to describe nouns, and adverbs to describe adjectives, verbs, and adverbs See theguide to adjectives and adverbs on SAT Writing here. The above concepts make up 87.5% of the questions on SAT Writing. What about that other 12.5%? In addition to the above, master the following topics if youare aiming for an 800 on SAT Writing.The following concepts each make upless than 2.5% of the questionson SAT Writing, and many of them will not appear on any given test. #: Active or Passive voice: 2.2% Using the active voice when possible to avoid wordiness Passive voice used to correct dangling modifier or in certain constructions #12: Correct relative pronouns: 2% See the guide to relative pronouns formore information #13: Noun agreement: 1.5% Match singular subjects with singular predicate nominatives, and plural subjects with plural predicate nominatives For example: John is a scientist. John and Maria are scientists. #14: Comparative vs. Superlative: 1% Comparative used for comparing two things, superlative used for three or more Correct formation of comparative and superlative #15: Redundancy: 0.8% Repeating the same information twice See theguide to redundancy here #16: Other: 5% These concepts are tested so infrequently that it would be pointless to give them their own category These questions are very unpredictable. They can include: â€Å"noun is because† structure, â€Å"the reason is that†, comma used between subject and verb, general awkwardness, and many more miscellaneous topics How can you use this information? You should use the information above to target your studying. The first step here is to understand what kind of SAT score you are aiming for in order to get into the colleges you are applying to. If you haven’t figured this out yet, take some time to do that first. For Low Scorers If you are currently getting a low score on the SAT Writing, you should use the list above as a checklist to master one grammar concept at a time. Start with Verb Tense and Form, and work your way down. Keep in mind that if you manage to completely master just the first 6 grammar concepts listed above (Verb Tense through Misplaced Modifiers), you will be able to answer close to 70% of the grammar questions on the test correctly. After you have reviewed these concepts, take a practice test. When you correct it, make sure you note what kind of questions you have missed. (Note: If you have The Official SAT Study Guide, you can use their online resource to find answers to the questions, or you can use the appendices in Erica Meltzer’s The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar to check which question types you are missing.) If you are missing questions based on the top 6 topics, go back and focus all of your study time on just those question types before moving on. If you want a mid-range score†¦ If you are aiming for a mid-level score (500 – 650), you should focus your attention on learning the grammar concepts that make up the top 87.5% of the questions and ignore the concepts that make up the trickier 12.5% of the test. If you get 87% of the questions correct on SAT Writing, and get a 7 or above on the essay, most curves will put you score in the 500 – 650 range. Take practice tests to check that you have mastered concepts #1 – 10. If you are able to answers those questions comfortably, move on to the more obscure topics. If you are aiming for a high score†¦ You will need to study all of the concepts listed above. The grammar concepts that appear infrequently, such as noun agreement and relative pronoun use, individually don’t count for much. However, enough mistakes in these areas could quickly add up to give you a lower score than you are aiming for. Once you have a good grasp on all of the concepts, you may want to add a bit of strategy to your game to make the test easier to conquer. You can do this by breaking down the test even further and understanding where you will see each type of question so that you know what to expect. Fortunately, I’ve done that work for you. Not All Question Types are Equal The above percentages correspond to the grammar concepts tested across all three question types on SAT Writing, taken as a whole. However, what if we were to break the test down by question type? Though most of the grammar concepts listed above will appear in all of the question types, there are a few grammar concepts that will only appear in certain question types. Others will heavily appear in a certain type of question. Let’s look at the Improving Sentences questions first. As you can see, there are a few concepts that make up a majority of the questions in Improving Sentences: Correct Verb Tense and Form (including gerund use) Sentence Fragments and Run-ons Parallel Structure Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers Correct Pronoun and Antecedent Use There are also some question types that will almost never appear on the Improving Sentences sections. They include: Adjectives vs. Adverbs Relative Pronoun Errors Noun Agreement Comparative vs. Superlative Now let’s look at Identifying Errors. Again, a few question types make up the majority here: Correct Verb Tense and Form Subject-Verb Agreement Correct Pronoun and Antecedent Use And the question types you will almost never see include: Sentence Fragments and Run-ons Active vs. Passive Redundancy Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers How can you use this information? You can use this knowledge of the test to help anticipate what grammar concepts you will see in each type of question. When you approach an Identifying Errors or Improving Sentences question, always look for the most common grammar mistakes first. For example, when you know that over 70% of the Improving Sentences questions will have one of the top five errors listed above, you will have a much better idea what kind of answers to look for, and it will also help you make more educated guesses. What about the Improving Paragraphs section? This sectiontests the same grammar rules as Improving Sentences. However, this section also tests several rules that don’t really fall into the grammar category. Instead, they are based on style and logic, and being able to understand how words and sentences work together in the context of a paragraph. This section will also occasionally test rhetorical strategy.This means that you may be asked what the purpose of a paragraph or sentence is. Here are the types of questions you will see on this section of the test: Sentence Revision (exactly like Improving Sentences): 33% Sentence insertion or deletion: 22% Using transitions: 15% Rhetorical strategy: % Information or word insertion: 7% Combining sentences: 7% Sentence order: 2% Paragraph division: 2% What does this mean for you? Keep in mind that Improving Paragraphs only make up 6 questions on every test. That means that even if you can’t figure out any of the style, logic, and rhetorical strategy questions, but ace the grammar, you will only be missing about 4 questions on the whole SAT Writing. Students aiming for a high score obviously will not want to write off four whole questions. However, if you are aiming for a lower score, you should use your study time wisely by focusing on the grammar concepts listed above instead of worrying about the extra question types that only appear in the Improving Paragraphs section. What about â€Å"No Error† and correct as is? On the Improving Sentences section, answer A is always the same as what’s given to you in the original sentence – meaning if you choose this, you are saying the sentence is correct as is. In Identifying Errors, answer E means there is no error. How often will you see these? Taken as a whole, you will see these answers about 15% of the time. You are slightly more likely to get a no error answer in Identifying Errors (19%) than in Improving Sentences (12.5%). So if you are completing one of these sections and you don’t have any of these answers, know you’ve gone wrong somewhere! Though somequestions don't containan error, they still test you on the above grammar concepts - byseeing if you can tell when they arebeing used correctly. We havea full article on the No Error answer here. What would the statistically perfect test look like? Now that we know everything about how the test breaks down by each question type and grammar concept, let’s see what a theoretically perfect test would look like. Of course, no real SAT would follow these figures exactly, but it’ll give you a decent idea of what to expect. Use this "Perfect Test" list to help guide your studying. After you take a practice test, take note of what kind of questions you have missed. Compare your notes to this list, and start off tackling your problem areas that appear highest up. Improving Sentences: 25 Questions Total 6 questions on Correct Verb Tense and Form 4 questions on Fragments and Run-ons 3 questions on Parallel Structure 3 questions on Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers 3 questions on Correct Pronouns and Antecedents 1 question on Subject-Verb Agreement 1 question on Logical Conjunctions 1 question on Faulty Comparisons 1 question on Correct Use of Active and Passive 1 question on Word Pairs 1 question on Miscellaneous Topics Identifying Errors: 18 Questions Total 4 questions on Correct Verb Tense and Form 3 questions on Correct Pronouns and Antecedents 3 questions on Subject-Verb Agreement 1 question on Idiom, Preposition Use, and Diction 1 question on Parallel Structure 1 question on Faulty Comparisons 1 question on Word Pairs 1 question on Adjectives vs. Adverbs 1 question on Noun Agreement 1 question on Comparative vs. Superlative 1 question on Miscellaneous Topics Improving Paragraphs: 6 Questions Total 2 questions on Sentence Revision (Improving Sentences) 1 question on Sentence Insertion or Deletion 1 question on Using Transitions 1 question on Rhetorical Strategy 1 question on either Combining Sentences OR Word or Information Insertion You would have about seven questions with the answer â€Å"No Error† or Correct As Is. What’s next? Now you knowexactly what is on SAT Writing.Use the above links to master each topic. All too much for you to handle? Never fear, there aresome schools out there who don’t care about SAT Writing at all! If you are aiming to improve a low grade, see our article onhow to score a 600 on SAT Writing. If you are aiming for an 800, you will need to master all of the above concepts, even the infrequently used ones. See our article on top tips forscoring an 800 on SAT Writing. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar 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. 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