The Ultimate SAT Biology Subject Test Study Guide

The Ultimate SAT Biology Subject Test Study Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re applying to selective schools, you might have to submit SAT Subject Test scores along with your regular SAT (or ACT) scores. The Biology Subject Test (also called Biology SAT II) is a popular one because a vast majority of students take biology in high school, and most students find it less intimidating than chemistry or physics. This test can be a great way to fulfill your Subject Test requirements, especially if you plan on studying biology in college and want to show off your skills. In this study guide, I’ll give you all the background information you need to start studying for the Biology Subject Test as well as example questions, practice materials, and study tips to use along the way. Biology SAT Subject Test Overview: Format and Test Dates In terms of Biology SAT Subject Tests, you can choose to take either Biology Ecological (Biology-E) or Biology Molecular (Biology-M). According to the College Board's descriptions of the two SAT Subject Tests, Biology-E "leans more toward biological communities, populations, and energy flow," whereas Biology-M is more "geared toward biochemistry, cellular structure and processes, such as respiration and photosynthesis." Both versions have the same test format and guidelines: Total Time: 60 minutes Total Number of Questions: 80 multiple-choice questions Scoring: Scored on a scale from 200 to 800 No calculator allowed! Sixty of the questions are identical for both versions of the test, while the last 20 are specialized to either E or M. Biology E/M is offered on the May, June, August, October, November, and December SAT Subject Test dates. Should You Take the Biology Subject Test? Which Version? Now that you understand what the Biology SAT Subject Test entails, should you take it or not? To help you decide, you need to first find out if any of the schools you’re applying to require or recommend SAT Subject Tests. You can do this by simply looking at our other article for a full list of schools that ask applicants to send Subject Test scores (we also introduce these schools’ specific requirements). If you already know that you need to take Subject Tests, there are a few reasons you might look to the Biology test as a viable option. Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. When to Consider Taking the Biology Subject Test Here are three cases in which it's a smart idea to consider taking the Biology SAT Subject Test. #1: You Just Took a Biology Class It's best to take the test in the spring right after you finish a biology course to cut down on study time. Here is the College Board’s recommended preparation for the Biology Subject Test: A one-year introductory college preparatory course in biology A one-year course in algebra Laboratory experience The Biology Subject Test is an especially good idea if you’ve just taken AP Biology (and have already prepared for the AP test). Subject tests are less intense than AP tests, so in comparison, it will probably seem like a breeze to you. #2: You Haven't Taken a Science Subject Test Most colleges that require or recommend SAT Subject Tests are looking for one in the humanities and one in the sciences (except for a couple of outliers such as MIT, which wants math and science Subject Tests). If you need to take a Subject Test in the sciences and you’re nervous about it, Biology is the way to go. It should be slightly easier for you than Physics or Chemistry will be if you’re a stronger humanities student. Why? The Biology test involves fewer obscure concepts and calculations, and you can rely slightly more on memorization and basic logic to answer the questions. #3: You Have a Special Interest in Biology If you’re interested in pursuing biology as a course of study, it’s a great idea to take the Biology Subject Test as a way to demonstrate your aptitude for the subject. If you’ve also done other specialized programs or projects in high school related to biology, taking the Subject Test will only bolster the cohesiveness of your application. Alright, let's do this. Assuming some or all of the factors listed above apply to you, and you’ve decided to take the test, there’s still one more decision to make: Biology E or Biology M? How to Decide Between the Biology E and Biology M Versions I gave you a short description of the content of each of these two tests in the previous section, but it probably wasn't enough information for you to make a decision. This choice ultimately comes down to whether you’re more comfortable with the macro or micro aspects of biology. SAT Biology-E deals more with large-scale energy flow in ecosystems and changes in the environment over time. By contrast, Biology M focuses more on the chemical elements of biology that occur on a minuscule scale. If you’re more of a science-oriented student, you’ll probably be better off with Biology-M. If you’re more into subjects like history and English, Biology-E might be a better choice. Keep in mind that the two tests aren’t completely different. There are only 20 questions out of 80 that are specific to either E or M. For this reason, I wouldn’t stress too much over your choice. If you took a biology class and did reasonably well in it, you shouldn’t have a problem with either version of the test. Oh, and for anyone who’s wondering- yes, you can take both Biology-E and Biology-M, but you can’t take them both on the same test date (makes sense, considering they’re almost the same test!). Biology-M is more about this type of stuff. You know- all the creepy things happening at the molecular level inside your body. Right. Now. What’s on the Biology SAT II? Here’s a content overview provided by the College Board that lists the division of topics for each version of the Biology SAT Subject Test: From the chart, you can see that many more questions are devoted to Cellular and Molecular Biology on the Biology-M test, and many more are devoted to Ecology on the Biology-E test. Notice that Biology M also has slightly more questions on Genetics, whereas Biology E has slightly more questions on Evolution and Diversity. Both tests have the same number of questions dealing with Organismal Biology. These topics should all be familiar to you if you’ve taken a biology course. The types of skills tested on both Biology-E and Biology-M include the following: Recalling fundamental concepts and specific facts (about 30% of test) Applying biological knowledge to practical scenarios presented on the test and solving problems using mathematical relationships (about 35% of test) Making inferences and forming conclusions based on qualitative and quantitative data (about 35% of test) Essentially, 70% of questions will present a scenario and then ask you to make deductions or calculations based on it. The scenario could be a chart of bacteria growth or a description of a lab procedure. It’s important to know the fundamental parts of an experiment (independent and dependent variables) and be able to project your understanding onto unfamiliar situations. The other 30% of questions just ask you to recall biological facts directly. I'll provide examples of different types of questions you can expect to see on the test in the next section. You might see questions about changes in species population density in a particular ecosystem. It's the ciiiiiircle of liiiiiiifeeeee! Biology Subject Test Question Types Here are a few official examples of the different types of questions you might see on the Biology Subject Test. Each question corresponds to one of the three skills I mentioned above. Type 1: Data Interpretation As I mentioned in the previous section, many of the questions on the test ask you to look at data and make deductions from the information given. In this question, although species Y isn’t explicitly mentioned in the chart, we know from the background information that whatever percentage of species X is planted, species Y seeds must make up the remainder. To answer the question, we have to figure out where the graphed line intersects with the line that indicates the 25% mark on the x-axis (that is, the harvest at the point where 25% species X and 75% species Y were planted). It appears that the harvest was 50% species X, which means it must also have been 50% species Y. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Type 2: Applying Concepts In this question, you’re asked to apply your biology knowledge to a given situation. Why did the results recorded in the graph occur based on what you know about the experiment? From the background information (and from studying for the test), we know that thymine is one of the four main nucleotide bases present in DNA. Choice E makes the most sense as an answer to this question because as the embryos develop, they’re consistently forming DNA using the radioactive thymine that’s available to them. As I wrote above, you'll also be asked to apply your knowledge of the scientific method and lab procedures to specific scenarios on the test. Take a look at the next question dealing with this radioactivity experiment: The correct answer is choice C. This would be an appropriate control scenario because RNA contains uracil instead of thymine. The results of the experiment upon adding radioactive uracil would demonstrate definitively that the original experiment measured DNA and not RNA synthesis. Type 3: Recalling Facts You'll also see questions like this on the Biology Subject Test that ask you to recall basic facts. The answer to question 1 would be (B), and the answer to question 2 would be (A). Sometimes these questions are accompanied by diagrams. Here's an example of one in a slightly different format: This is a little more challenging since you need to identify the parts of the flower that the numbers are labeling and also remember the functions of those specific parts. The answer to question 6 is (A), and the answer to question 7 is (D). 10/10 would pollinate. Where to Find Practice Materials for the Biology Subject Test If you're looking to prep for the Biology SAT Subject test, you'll need some quality study materials. I've compiled a list of where to find the best practice tests and review guides. Free Online Sample Questions and Tests This is a list of online (official and unofficial) practice materials for the Biology E/M Subject Test. Most of these resources don't provide complete practice tests, but there are tons of questions available that will expose you to the full range of the content on the exam. Official Biology Subject Test Practice Questions We'll start with the best of the best: official practice questions created by the College Board. All of these questions are extremely realistic and very similar to the ones you'll see on test day. General Biology: 24 practice questions with answer explanations. Biology-E: Five questions specific to Biology-E. Biology-M: Five questions specific to Biology-M. The SAT Subject Tests Student Guide: Pages 20-24 offer a total of 17 biology questions (11 on general biology, three on Biology-E, and three on Biology-M). Answers and explanations are available here. CrackSAT Practice Tests and Questions Although all of these tests are much shorter than the real thing, they're still incredibly useful as practice materials. Note that since there's less of a focus on lab and data analysis, these questions might be less challenging than those on the actual test. SAT II: Biology Google Site This site has two full-length practice tests and two diagnostic tests. It doesn't have automatic scoring since all pages are scanned PDFs, so these are good to print out and take like the real test. Be sure to emulate real testing conditions as closely as possible: follow the official time limit and take them in a quiet room without distractions. Free Online Content Review Khan Academy is a free website and partner of the College Board that provides tons of learning materials, including video lessons, practice questions, and answer explanations, for the SAT and various school subjects. Its biology section is especially helpful since it offers an overview of essential concepts, many of which you'll find on the Biology SAT Subject Test. In addition to in-depth videos that teach you the basic (and even more advanced) biology concepts, Khan Academy offers more than 80 biology practice questions. While these questions don't look like those you'll see on the Subject Test, they're still useful for helping you learn and retain the fundamentals of the subject. Paid Review Books In addition to free resources, there are a few helpful review books you can buy that are specifically for Biology E/M. You can also check out this article that focuses on the best books to use for the Biology Subject Test based on your score level. The Official SAT Subject Test in Biology Study Guide: This official book is a must-have. It includes two full-length Biology tests (that were actually administered in the past!) as well as detailed answer explanations and a few test-taking tips. Buy it for around $13 on Amazon. The Official Study Guide for ALL SAT Subject Tests, 2nd Edition: This book contains official practice tests for all SAT Subject Tests, including, of course, the Biology test. It's a good choice if you're planning to take other SAT Subject Tests and prefer having one comprehensive resource. The current price is around $19 on Amazon. Barron's SAT Subject Test Biology E/M, 6th Edition: Although this is an unofficial resource, it's got a lot of material you can work with, including more than 350 questions and two full-length practice tests. It currently sells for about $16 on Amazon. Cracking the SAT Subject Test in Biology E/M, 16th Edition: This book by The Princeton Review aims to get you a perfect 800 on the Biology test. Although its questions aren't as realistic as those in official resources, it does offer a solid array of learning material, from helpful test-taking strategies to practice tests. You can buy it for around $14 on Amazon. Sterling SAT Biology E/M Practice Questions: High Yield SAT Biology E/M Questions: If you want a comprehensive resource of Biology practice questions, look no further. This book offers an astounding 1,500+ practice questions and answer explanations. The current cost is about $23 on Amazon. And when you're done taking practice tests, you can reward yourself with something that would be unacceptable to consume in public. In the immortal words of the Goo Goo Dolls, "And I don't want the world to see me / 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand / When everything's made to be chocolate / I just want you to know who I am." Want to get better grades and test scores? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. How to Study for the Biology Subject Test Here are a couple of pointers to keep in mind as you study for the Biology SAT Subject Test. Don’t Over-Prepare Remember that this isn’t an AP test- there are no free-response questions, and much of the test involves interpreting information that’s already been provided to you. Therefore, if you recently took a final exam for a biology class or the AP Biology test and felt pretty confident about your performance, you shouldn’t have any issues acing the Subject Test. I’d still recommend taking a practice test (as discussed in my next point), but there’s no need to kill yourself with studying if the information is fresh in your mind. If it’s been a year or so since you took a biology class, a few hours of review might be in order. Again, though, this test shouldn’t be especially challenging for you if you’ve already completed a mid- to high-level biology course. Take Plenty of Practice Tests Even if you feel very comfortable with the subject matter, you should take at least one practice test as an experiment to see how high you’re scoring. This way, if you’re at a satisfactory score level, you can avoid wasting time with additional studying. If your results are lower than expected, analyze your mistakes and then study the relevant content areas (or just do similar practice problems if your mistakes are related to data interpretation more so than they are to general biology knowledge). You can also do some practice questions for each version of the Biology test on the College Board website and/or those in the other resources listed above. Practice tests can help raise alarms about unexpected problem areas on the test. Acing the Biology Subject Test: 3 Essential Test-Taking Tips In this section, I'll give you a few tips for when you actually sit down to take the Biology SAT Subject Test. Tailoring your strategy to the format and content will do wonders for your score! Tip 1: Read the Background Information- but Don’t Overthink It As you saw from the examples above, questions on the Biology SAT Subject Test often come paired with background information to contextualize the data being provided to you. This will come in the form of a paragraph that describes the experiment so you don’t get confused when you look at the corresponding chart or graph. Always take a moment to read this paragraph, as it sometimes contains information that isn’t clear if you view the data in isolation. However, don't get too wrapped up in understanding every aspect of the experiment. It’s best to maintain a practical mindset and just focus on understanding the parts you need to know so you can answer the questions. Take the second sample question above. Here it is again for your reference: You can see that some of the information in the paragraph- such as the fact that radioactivity was measured in "counts per minute"- doesn't actually help you answer the question. Be efficient, and avoid dwelling on smaller details that might not be important. Tip 2: Don't Linger on Hard Questions As you're taking the Biology Subject Test, you might come across some questions you can't figure out right away. If you spend more than 30 seconds on a question without getting any closer to the correct answer, skip it for the time being and move forward. Lingering on problems that give you trouble spells danger for this test, so try to answer all the less challenging questions first so you don't run out of time at the end and miss any easy points. Tip 3: Keep Guessing to a Minimum Although there's no guessing penalty on the regular SAT, SAT Subject Tests are still under the fractional-point subtraction's reign of terror. This means that guessing incorrectly is worse for your score than leaving a question blank. Answering a question incorrectly on the Biology Subject Test will cause you to lose 1/4 a point, leaving a question blank results in no loss or gain of points, and answering a question correctly earns you one point. As a result, don't guess on a question unless you can eliminate at least one wrong answer choice. Otherwise, you're taking too much of a risk. If you're completely stumped by a question, just leave it blank. If you can't decide between five answer options that all seem equally viable to you, leave the question blank. Conclusion: How to Prep for the Biology SAT Subject Test The Biology Subject Test can be an easy and convenient way to fulfill your SAT II requirements for college applications. You have the option of taking either Biology-E (ecological) or Biology-M (molecular), but 75% of the questions are the same on both tests. Both versions of the test are an hour long and include 80 multiple-choice questions that deal with topics ranging from cell biology to genetics to evolution. Though these questions mostly cover basic biology knowledge, there's also a significant amount of data interpretation and analysis of experimental scenarios. Take a practice test to see where you stand, and do additional studying if you find your knowledge is lacking. If you were successful in your high school biology class, you should generally have no problem doing well on this test with just a little bit of preparation! What's Next? Are you currently taking AP Biology? Learn more about the format and content of the AP test, and get a rundown of the best resources you can use to study for the exam! You should also read our complete review guide for AP Biology. You can use it to brush up on some skills that will come in handy for the Biology Subject Test as well. While you're studying for the Biology Subject Test (or even if you're just taking bio), take advantage of our articles reviewing key bio concepts. Start with our exploration of the distinction between homologous and analogous structures, then go on to our guides to enzymes, the photosynthesis equation, cell theory, cell membranes, and the endoplasmic reticulum. Still not sure whether you should take the Biology Subject Test? Check out this expert advice on which Subject Tests you should take based on your goals and interests. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Babylonian Mathematics and the Base 60 System

Babylonian Mathematics and the Base 60 System Babylonian mathematics used a sexagesimal (base 60) system that was so functional it remains in effect, albeit with some tweaks, in the 21st century. Whenever people tell time or make reference to the degrees of a circle, they rely on the base 60 system. Base 10 or Base 60 The system surfaced circa 3100 BCE, according to The New York Times. â€Å"The number of seconds in a minute - and minutes in an hour - comes from the base-60 numeral system of ancient Mesopotamia,† the paper noted. Although the system has stood the test of time, it is not the dominant numeral system used today. Instead, most of the world relies on the base 10 system of Hindu-Arabic origin. The number of factors distinguishes the base 60 system from its base 10 counterpart, which likely developed from people counting on both hands. The former system uses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 60 for base 60, while the latter uses 1, 2, 5, and 10 for base 10. The Babylonian mathematics system may not be as popular as it once was, but it has advantages over the base 10 system because the number 60 â€Å"has more divisors than any smaller positive integer,† the Times pointed out. Instead of using times tables, the Babylonians multiplied using a formula that depended on knowing just the squares. With only their table of squares (albeit going up to a monstrous 59 squared), they could compute the product of two integers, a and b, using a formula similar to: ab [(a b)2 - (a - b)2]/4. The Babylonians even knew the formula that’s today known as the Pythagorean theorem. History Babylonian math has roots in the numeric system started by the Sumerians, a culture that began about 4000 BCE in Mesopotamia, or southern Iraq, according to ​USA Today. â€Å"The most commonly accepted theory holds that two earlier peoples merged and formed the Sumerians,† USA Today reported. â€Å"Supposedly, one group based their number system on 5 and the other on 12. When the two groups traded together, they evolved a system based on 60 so both could understand it.† That’s because five multiplied by 12 equals 60. The base 5 system likely originated from ancient peoples using the digits on one hand to count. The base 12 system likely originated from other groups using their thumb as a pointer and counting by using the three parts on four fingers, as three multiplied by four equals 12. The main fault of the Babylonian system was the absence of a zero. But the ancient Maya’s vigesimal (base 20) system had a zero, drawn as a shell. Other numerals were lines and dots, similar to what is used today to tally. Measuring Time Because of their mathematics, the Babylonians and Maya had elaborate and fairly accurate measurements of time and the calendar. Today, with the most advanced technology ever, societies still must make temporal adjustments - almost 25 times per century to the calendar and a few seconds every few years to the atomic clock. There’s nothing inferior about modern math, but Babylonian mathematics may make a useful alternative to children who experience difficulty learning their times tables.

High Pump Prices Oil Demand and Supply Factors Essay

High Pump Prices Oil Demand and Supply Factors - Essay Example The upward shift in the demand curve (D1 to D2) results from the increase in crude demand due to seasonal factors. As cited in the article, February is commonly slated for refinery maintenance. As such, decline in gasoline stockpiles occurs with refinery production slowing down. Ceteris paribus, a higher equilibrium point E2 is seen. The above graph also exhibits no shift in the supply curve S. This assumption is derived from the advisory of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a powerful cartel of major oil producers, that they would keep current output restrictions in place. In this regard, no additional supply may be expected to offset the increase in demand, thus, increasing crude price. Another case of supply and demand schedules interesting to analyze is the declining oil prices in the world market at the onset of 2007 (Ghatous 2007). Last year, oil price hovered at around $60-65 per barrel. With OPEC aiming to maximize its earnings, the cartel decided to reduce supply. However, oil price continued to slide despite the supply cut. This could be explained using Graph 2 below. Assuming an initial equilibrium price and quantity of $60 per barrel and 52 million barrels, respectively, an upward shift of the supply curve (from S1 to S2) due to the OPEC supply cut would cause an upward movement in the oil price. However, the supply shift was accompanied by a greater downward shift in the demand curve (from D1 to D2). The downtrend in demand resulted from the warmer than expected winter season in the US. With this, there is lesser demand for oil used for heating. Given the simultaneous shift in both supply and demand curves, equilibrium point E2 is reached with a lower price of $58 per barrel and quantity of 52 million barrels. References Articles Ghatous, G. (2007). "OPEC concerned about price, to act if needed". Reuters. Accessed: 14 March 2007 from http://www.reuters.com Valdmanis, R. (2007). "Oil rises on US fuel draw, eyes on OPEC". Reuters. Accessed: 14 March 2007 from http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStockNews/idUSSP28601520070314 Books Samuelson, P.A. and W.D. Nordhaus. (2001). Economics 17th Ed. McGraw-Hill. Sayre, J.E. and A.J. Morris. (2004). Principles of Microeconomics 4th Ed.

History--Alamo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History--Alamo - Essay Example People with a strong knowledge of the historical events at the Alamo were also able to point inaccuracies in parts of the film (McCrisken & Pepper, 2005 p. 22). The earlier Western films starring John Wayne such as Rio Bravo, Fort Apache, and also Rio Grande were in many ways typical examples of the milieu of the Western, and how that genre portrayed the white settlement of the Western states during the 19th century. These motion pictures were not however generally based upon actual historical events (McCrisken & Pepper, 2005 p. 23). John Wayne often played the role of the brave gunfighter attempting to make things better, or the lawman fighting (often alone) the less savoury gunfighters that brought anarchy to the West. John Wayne in the majority of his Western roles plays heroic characters from his youth in Fort Apache through to his later middle age in films such as True Grit (Carter, 2008 p. 83). Occasionally the milieu of the Western would throw up a film that intended to be a highly accurate portrayal of real life historical events, such as The Alamo, starring and also directed by John Wayne. Though John Wayne was not overtly attempting to be very patriotic the film arguably generates the ideological meaning that the successful breakaway of Texas from Mexico was a significant event in the history of the United States itself. As well as a beneficial development for the people of Texas because they escaped the misrule of the Mexicans and went on to gain greater freedom as part of the United States (Carter, 2008 p. 166). Naturally enough John Wayne cast himself as the main figure in the story, Davy Crockett, the man that American folklore most readily identifies with the brave resistance against the Mexican army despite being heavily outnumbered, and easily overcome in the end. The Alamo was made during the golden era of the milieu of the Western, its

Elements of Art in the Reproduction of the Blue Bird Essay Example for Free

Elements of Art in the Reproduction of the Blue Bird Essay Reproduction of the Blue Bird fresco, ca. 1700-1525 B.C. Watercolor on paper. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Line: For this assignment, I chose the Reproduction of the Blue Bird fresco. This is a very interesting piece. The very light, almost fragile lines, combined with the watercolor medium, give this piece a very delicate appearance. The watercolor medium allows much of the lightness of the paper underneath to reflect through the colors to give the painting an overall lustrous appearance. Most of these lines seem to bend and sway, creating movement toward the blue bird, making the bird itself the focal point of this piece. Color: While the painter did not seem interested in using a lot of different hues in this painting, it was painted with values ranging from pure white to medium values of grey. If you notice, the red hue used is much less saturated, making it a darker tone than the more saturated, more pure blue hue of the bird and the nearby flowers. Texture: The overall physical texture of the painting, I imagine, is very smooth to the touch because it is a watercolor painting. However, texture can be simulated through the use of line as it was done here. The stylized, curving lines near the bottom of the painting indicate a rocky coastline. They imply texture. Texture doesnt seem to be something that the painter was overly concerned with making part of their work. Shape: Many of the shapes surrounding the focal point are left implied. The painter seemed to want to keep the attention focused on the blue bird and thus, did not fill these shapes with color or detail. The shapes that were given full form were done so with curved, more organic lines rather than sharp, angular lines associated with more geometric shapes. Form: This painting takes the form of a fresco, as it was originally part of a large series of panels that covered a large wall. Since this is a watercolor painting rather than a sculpture, the forms are illusionistic. They cannot be viewed from all angles and have no actual measurable depth and volume. Space: Much like texture, Space does not appear to have been a major concern to the painter. The overlapping forms do indicate a progression of space; however, there is little else to create the illusion of depth.

Contemplating the End in Shaving and There Will Come Soft Rains Essay

Contemplating the End in Shaving and There Will Come Soft Rains  Ã‚   What happens at the end? "Shaving" and "There Will Come Soft Rains" both address that issue, the first referring to the end of a man's life, the second to the end of humanity. Both ends come about through illness, whether that of a dying man or of a society that drives itself to suicide. The microcosm, the macrocosm- both show in their own way that man is mortal, that this too shall pass. The authors seem to have irreconcilable messages about humanity, which are in fact merely two faces of the same coin. "There Will Come Soft Rains" says that, yes, we can build magnificent machines: beautiful houses to cater to our every need, a thousand servants at our beck and call- yet what benefit will they be at the end? When we fry ourselves into radioactive smithereens because we can sooner built houses fit for gods then learn to live in peace with our fellow mortals, what good will our machines be to us then? The loyal family dog searched futilely for his masters, the house tried in vain to save itself from the fires, but their efforts to save their masters were ludicrous, for the master race had exterminated itself and left the servants all alone, impotent. Not one of man's creations could stand at the day of reckoning and save him from extinction- nor would many mourn his passage. This is a humbling thought, that our planet would survive quite well without us were we to rid it of our presence- and that in just a short while, it would almost be as if we had never existed at all. Times have changed since the writing of "There Will Come Soft Rains", when the threat of nuclear extermination seemed more real than it is now. But should we read it only as a chill... ...y chose to perform a small favor for his terminally ill father, to reach out to another human being and to work for a while for another's gain at his expense- and by doing so he gained more than the hapless family had ever known. "Really, of what benefit is it if a man gains the whole world, but loses his soul?" demands the Bible. The pursuit of all the latest and greatest things, be they beautiful clothes or flashy cars or gorgeous homes or staggering bank-balances or prestigious degrees or considerable political power, is not important. We can deceive ourselves into believing otherwise at the risk of creating the future as seen in "There Will Come Soft Rains", or we pursue the more important things, as hinted at in "Shaving", so that when the end does come- and both stories reflect that inevitability- we will know that we have not spent our lives in vain.   

Cell Phones: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Essay

The prevalence of cell phones in American culture shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone. Cell phone use has risen in the United States from approximately 91,000 users in 1985 to 250,000,000 in 2007 and in 2009 was somewhere in the neighborhood of 280,000,000, which means that approximately 90% of Americans own cell phones. And Americans aren’t the only ones. According to a February 2010 article on www.cbsnews.com, there are approximately 4.6 billion cell phone subscriptions worldwide and that number is expected to surpass five billion by the end of the year. I had to wonder, what are the advantages and disadvantages of 90% of Americans (New York Times, May 13, 2010) and nearly 85% of the world’s population using cell phones? I figure there had to be quite a few advantages for so many people to have cell phones, so I asked around. The number one answer I found was the convenience. Peoples’ ability to be reached at all times, able to reach others at all times, and how fast communication with others has become. Can’t reach someone by phone? Send a text. Text messages are delivered almost instantaneously and there’s no need to leave a message and wait for a call back anymore. Many others cited having a cell phone in case of emergency. According to Pew Internet, in 2006, 74% of cell phone users reported using their cell phones in emergency situations. While cell phone bills are usually not lower than landline bills alone, the long distance cost is significantly less for cell phone users. Long distance costs are included in the overall minute usage for most cell phone subscriptions, whereas many landline providers charge by the minute for long distance calls. As cell phone technology advances, so do the tools available to cell phone users. A growing number of users report using their phones for such things as listening to music, checking email, keeping their daily calendars, making grocery lists, and even keeping track of daily calorie intake. (New York Times, May 13, 2010). There are many organizational tools available on the new generation of â€Å"smart phones† as well as many different navigational tools. GPS locators in phones are subscribed to by many parents of underage cell phone users. Cell phones can also be used as cameras and video recorders and those photos and videos are easily emailed to others or  uploaded to sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Entertainment is even making the list of advantages to having a cell phone these days. As I mentioned previously, users can listen to music on their cell phones, but it doesn’t stop there. Technology has advanced so much that users can now watch television shows and movies on their phones. So it seems I was correct about how many advantages must be out there, but what about the downside? The very first thought I had was about the ban on cell phones in schools and what a huge disruption cell phones must be in the classroom. That issue is just part of the larger issue of the widespread distraction cell phones cause. Everywhere you go you see cell phones in use – in the coffee shop, the movie theater, the grocery store, even church, and while driving. Going back to the cost of cell phones, while heavy long distance users may notice a relief in their long distance costs, cell phones are still on average much more expensive to operate than a landline. There are costs for air time usage, text message usage, broadband usage, music purchases, games purchases, and app purchases, not to mention the dreaded overage costs. Some cell phone companies charge as much as sixty cents per minute for every minute of air time over your allotted plan. Add that to long contracts and hefty fees for cancelling contracts and cell phones become quite an expensive venture. The ever-increasing technology is adding to these costs as well. Newer, smarter phones released every few months are of course attractive to users, but on top of the cost of upgrading phones on a regular basis is the added cost of the service provider’s data package. In order to utilize these newer smart phones, the data package is a requirement and on average costs something like an additional $30 per month. Aside from financial impact, what about health impact? There seems to be quite a bit of worry over the radio frequency radiation given off by cell phones and cell phone towers. There is much argument about whether or not this sort of radiation is of any real concern, but according to www.controlyourimpact.com, there are many very serious health concerns to think about. There are reports that cell phone use can cause disturbances in sleep and concentration, fatigue, and headache. According to a BBC News report (www.news.bbc.co.uk), â€Å"Cell phones damage key brain cells and could trigger the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease . . . Researchers have found  that radiation from cell phone handsets damages areas of the brain associated with learning, memory and movement.† Reports linking cell phones to sterility in men, eye tissue damage, and increased chances of depression and cancer have also been published. In researching the negative effects of cell phones, I happened across some even more sinister effects. Take â€Å"sexting† – â€Å"the act of sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, photos, or images via cell phone, computer, or other digital device. These messages, photos, and images are then often being further disseminated through email and internet-based social networking websites well beyond their original intended recipients.† (www.mass.gov) There have been hundreds of reported cases of sexting – a handful of those cases involving suicide and/or sex offense criminal charges such as child pornography in the cases involving high school students. According to www.msnbc.com, 39% of high schools students admit to sending these types of messages and 48% say they’ve received them. Another very dangerous habit Americans have developed is talking on their cell phone while driving. â€Å"You have four times the risk of being in a crash if you’re on the phone while driving.† (www.myoptumhealth.com) What’s even scarier are the results of a Car and Driver Magazine study that found texting while driving is much worse than driving while intoxicated. The results of this study showed that unimpaired, it took the test driver .54 seconds to brake when indicated to do so. Add four feet to that time for legally drunk drivers, thirty six feet for drivers reading email and seventy feet for drivers reading a text. (http://www.cnbc.com/id/31545004/site/14081545). According to a report by the National Safety Council, 28% of accidents involve talking or texting on cell phones. I couldn’t help but notice that the risks seem to outweigh the benefits considerably, but I also admit that I’m still addicted to my cell phone. There has been some state regulation of cell phone use while driving, but there is little restriction of their use elsewhere and I think there needs to be much more, although, I’m not certain how feasible that would be to accomplish. At any rate, we all make our own choices and we all need to  make smarter choices about our cell phone use.

Facebook Brings More Good Than Harm

Stress is the body natural response to the changes which occurs in live. Stress is the combination of psychological,physiological and behavioral reaction. Stresss can be good or bad. Stress can affect both your body and your mind. Stress occurs when an individual is confronted by a situation that they perceive as overwhelming and cannot cope up with. The effect of stress is health problem,impact on students academic performance and changes in personal behavior. Firstly,effect of stress can lead to health problem. It can cause headaches, nausea, rise in blood pressure, pains in the chest, and insomnia.When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength . People under large amounts of stress can become tired, sick, and unable to concentrate or think clearly. Sometimes, they even suffer mental breakdowns. But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health,Moreover,stress can give impact on students academic performance. The pressure to perform well in the examination or test and time allocated makes academic environment very stressful. However, academic work is never without stressful activities. Stress is defined as the physical pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one thing by another; strainIn conclusion, stress could cause depression, hopelessness, psychiatric disorders, behavioral changes and the weakening of the immune system. These effects are not all inclusive but these are the ones that most commonly effect people. Finally,stress can lead to changes in personal behavior.Students will become irriatable. His relationship between college mates and lecturers could be damag ed. Futhermore,this changes could make him depressed and leads him to violent behavior. Students are the future leaders of tomorrow and anything that interferes with their well being should be termed as denying the society their future leaders. University should conduct stress reduction sessions to the students, and lecturers too should be encouraged to advise their students where necessary. Students in Universities and colleges should control their stress and hence minimize the possibilities of psychiatric disorders and suicides. (379 words)

Fraily - A Movie Analysis essays

Fraily - A Movie Analysis essays I really enjoyed the movie Frailty and it's nod to Hitchcock's work. I think that Frailty to Hitchcock because of the serene and peaceful setting that is the background for something menacing and evil. Looking at the opening scenes of Adam's flashbacks, you would never have guessed that something as twisted as the 'God's Hand' killer murders took place there. The rose garden's pristine beauty innocence in the beginning is the perfect contrast to the modern day garden; which in my mind looks like a cemetery with the references to the stone statues and fog. My favorite scenes are of the car ride to the rose garden. The use of lighting is excellent because it seriously adds to the dramatic tension of the scene. The grail marks across Alex's face allude to the fact that he is hiding more that what he leads on. The heavy lines created by light coming through the driver's side window give the cop a sinister look. This is especially highlighted when Alex and he have the conversation about his mother being murdered. This was a well timed non-verbal foreshadowing element. The effects of sound and water also add dramatic tension to this scene. Being in the car in the rain gives the both of them isolation from the rest of the world. The rain, sounds of the rain, and the lights are an illusion to the outside world and chaos. While in the car, it is somewhat quite... no one else can hear what these two are saying. What stands out most in my mind about this movie is some of the editing.... very creative and innovative. There is this transition when water is whipped across the window during the car ride and it slowly dissolves into a close-up of TV pixels while Alex and Fenton are watching. In analyzing this, this transition is almost symbolic of the cop's uncertainty of what is about to happen or what Alex is trying to reveal. The pixilated close-up reveals an animated kids show on the Bible. During this time in the flashba...

Choosing a Chinese Name by Number of Strokes

Choosing a Chinese Name by Number of Strokes The art of choosing a Chinese name takes several things into consideration, such as the meanings of the characters, the elements they represent, and the number of strokes. When all of these factors are combined in a harmonious fashion, the result is an auspicious name that will bring good fortune to the bearer. Chinese characters are defined as either Yin or Yang depending on their number of strokes. Strokes are the individual pen movements that are required to draw a character. For example, the character ä º º (person) has two strokes, and the character Ã¥ ¤ © (heaven) has four strokes. Characters which have an even number of strokes are considered Yin, and characters with an odd number of strokes are Yang. The Chinese Name - Zhong Ge A Chinese name usually has three characters – the family name (a single character) and the given name (two characters). The family name is called tiÄ n gà © (Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦   ¼) and the given name is called dà ¬ gà © (Ã¥Å" °Ã¦   ¼). There is also the rà ©n gà © (ä º ºÃ¦   ¼) which is the family name and the first character of the given name. The name in total is called the zhÃ… ng gà © (Ã¥ ¿  Ã¦   ¼). The total number of strokes of the zhÃ… ng gà © should equal 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 25, 29, 31, 32, 33, 37, 39, 45, 47, 48, 52, 63, 65, 67, 68, 73, or 81. In addition to the number of strokes, the Chinese name must be balanced in terms of Yin and Yang. The characters of the name should match one of these patterns: Yang Yang YinYin Yin YangYang Yin YinYin Yang Yang When considering whether the family name (tiÄ n gà ©) is Yin or Yang, the number of strokes is always increased by one.

Reading Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 22

Reading Response - Essay Example In 1964, President Lyndon announced a war against poverty. There were many discussions held that sort to show the manner through which children suffering from cultural deprivation can be helped (Wang, 2011). The discussions were to handle the issue of stigma going around. The issue of head start classrooms came around at about that time. The head start classroom is designed in a manner that the children are offered the opportunity to engage in various activities that show the major differences between the home environment and the academic environment. Another Concept to understand is the issue of linguistic diversity. This is where the various students get to engage in many speech events. These events are effectual in that they ensure the kids spend more time working on their talking skills that are beneficial to them both now and later on. Despite the background or race of kids, it is appropriate to treat them all equally and

International Financial Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Financial Market - Essay Example 008 because most of the investors are big institutions like the pension fund, investment funds, sovereign states, and banks. The sovereign states have significant strategic and economic considerations that inform the willingness to buy the treasury bills (Grabbe, 2006). Additionally, treasury bills are not purchased for their contribution and returns, but because they are the safest method for holding reserves. Although most people believe the risk in the financial system, the investors are ready to accept less return for the protection of reserves (Grabbe, 2006). Task 2: a) Development in the rate of inflation. Inflation in the United Kingdom experienced growth in the value of consumer services and retail sales. The two elements rose slightly during the 6 months of year, but it remained modest. Also, the housing market strengthened continuously. The intentions of investments continued to greatly aim at increasing efficiency, with minimal large expansion capacity underway. Also the m anufacturing exports grew at a moderate level (Dufey & Giddy 2008). In recent months, the output in manufacturing grew for the domestic market. Consequently, there was a modest development in the turnover of business services. The annual rate of construction output declined as the building of houses increased. Generally, the output in the industry changed significantly on previous years. Additionally, the corporate credit conditions continued to improve gradually, but various companies reported the urge to dwell on the non-bank or internal funding. The intentions in employment edged higher over the recent months but were flat for the services of consumers (Grabbe, 2006). Also, the capacity utilisation remained below normal in both services and manufacturing. The labour costs for each employee grew modestly but in stable rates over the earlier months. Material costs’ inflation fell to lower levels and remained in stable conditions for the prices of finished goods (Dufey & Gidd y 2008). The business services prices and manufacturer’s increase rate remained subdues, though the rate of profitability edged high with rise in output. Finally, the consumer price inflation rate remained unchanged. Bank of England Prospects for inflation: The Bank of England has foreseen a sustained output expansion, although the upturn pace is more likely to be tempered by financial crisis legacy. The spare capacity degree is expected to be constant for some time. The economic slack persistence is expected to continue dampening domestic inflation. Although Consumer Price Index is scheduled to remain at 3%, it is more likely to fall to a target of 2% over the prospected