Tainted Blood free essay sample

Camilla woke up on something hard, most likely the rough stone ground. All around was the darkness, as it engulfed all certain possibility of light. She could barely move. She thought she was paralyzed, but then realized she could easily move her legs. She twisted around and propped up on one elbow, trying to stand up. She balanced, but then fell down again, sprawled against the cold. She sighed, breathing heavily, using all her energy. She thought she could hear voices, but thought nothing of it. But then, she heard someone speaking. â€Å"Shut up and come on!† She heard a male voice snap. â€Å"I love her though!† Another voice replied. Then it was silence. Camilla held her breath, hoping they didn’t know she was here. They spoke again. â€Å"Are you serious?† The first male voice asked. â€Å"Yes,† replied the second. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Well, because†¦ I don’t know, I can’t say, I just do. We will write a custom essay sample on Tainted Blood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † â€Å"You can’t,† the first male voice said, his voice a little high. Camilla took a quick breath and then held it again. â€Å"Why not?† The second male voice asked, confused. â€Å"Well, because, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"It’s because I love her!† There was silence again. Camilla suddenly knew where she was. She was in the cave, the cave from her dreams. But how did she get here? Her head was aching and she felt so bleary she couldn’t remember anything. The voices began to speak again. â€Å"You can’t,† the second voice whispered. â€Å"Well, I do,† the first voice replied, almost arrogantly. â€Å"How dare you!† â€Å"What?† â€Å"You†¦ you†¦ you don’t love her! You’re just saying that!† â€Å"No, that’s not like it at all,† the first male voice answered, kind of sarcastic. Camilla was confused. She then remembered who the voices wer e. Haden and Seth. But they sounded so alike that she couldn’t remember which one the voices belonged to. â€Å"Yes, it is! You didn’t even want her to come. You wanted to abandon her back at the castle. You’re a backstabber, you know that? You pretended to be her friend. You can’t love her. You can’t even like her!† Yes! That was Haden. Haden was the one who got all jealous and angry and then he decided to – Camilla choked, thinking what was soon to happen. â€Å"She already told me that she loves me, though, too.† â€Å"No! You’re lying! You’ll just hurt her, and I won’t allow that to happen! You’re going to pay! Don’t even try to come near her!† â€Å"What? Hey, what are you doing?† Camilla could suddenly hear an earsplitting crack, as if a bone broke. She then heard that Haden and Seth were fighting. She tried to move, her hand groping out for something to pull her up. She tried to scream, but only a faint croak came out. She tried louder. It came out as a whisper. She tried and tried. The fighting then stopped, as she heard someone fall to the ground. She tried harder to scream, hoping she could stop it if she did. She then heard him crawling, and grabbing something. She heard a click. Camilla yelled. Suddenly a thunderous explosion exploded. It sounded so because it was coming from the cave. Camilla then screamed as loud as she could. She realized it was she who screamed in her dream. She cried and felt blind there in the darkness, tears streaming down her face, her heart hurting. She heard the person who was shot slump to the ground, crashing hard down. Camilla cried harder, her body shaking violently now. Her cries were uncontrollable, as she threw her head back and yelled louder. She heard someone walking slowly to her. She tried to crawl away if she could, but everything hurt too much. She saw a light, and tried crawling out, as she heard the f ootsteps going slower, but louder, every time it moved closer. Camilla realized she had made it all the way into the opening of the cave. There were many shrubs and trees and boulders in every area, and she realized that this cave was in the middle of the forest. A full moon was glowing bright ahead, and she cried. Her heart stopped, and she froze. She saw a shadow coming out of the cave. Oh my God, Camilla thought, as she shook violently again, her hands hugging her waist, as she stood on her knees. This is what it has come to. Haden will execute me or he shall capture me as his Bride. Haden has turned fanatical. Oh, woe is me! Haden did come out. Camilla’s hand flew to her mouth as she saw what she had not expected. A dark red circle was on the front if his shirt. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He walked slowly towards her, his hand against his chest, soaked in the blood. He fell forward, crashing to the ground. Camilla screamed and crawled towards him. â⠂¬Å"Haden?† She turned him on his back, and saw Haden’s eyes, once dark and full of passion and mystery, now glazed over lifelessly as he stared at the sky. â€Å"Haden, talk to me,† Camilla urged, a note of panic in her voice. â€Å"Haden, what happened?† Haden turned his head to look at her, and smiled. His beautiful smile had blood all over it. â€Å"I tried to save you.† â€Å"How?† Camilla cried. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"We were at the castle,† Haden spoke. â€Å"You got hurt. Cristofer and his gang tried to hurt all of us. Meaning Seth, you and I. We escaped through the tunnel, leading into the cave. You were unconscious, and I wanted to stay with you. Seth didn’t. â€Å"We then argued. I told him I wanted to stay, because, well, because I loved you. He then said I couldn’t because he loved you. He was lying. He tried to trick us because, Camilla, he was a vampire too, like us†¦ only one of Cristo fer’s gang. â€Å"I fought with him and tried to get him away from you. I think I snapped his neck, somewhere, which should have killed him right away, but I guess it took a while, at least a minute. And in that minute he got a gun out and shot me.† Tears stung at Camilla’s eyes, and she let them fall. They fell on Haden’s wound. He cried, and Camilla moved a bit away. â€Å"I’m sorry.† Haden smiled at her, shaking his head, pulling her close again. â€Å"No, no†¦ I want them to fall. That way a part of you will always be apart of me.† Camilla smiled, but still the tears fell. â€Å"Please don’t go, Haden,† she whispered. â€Å"Please don’t go. You can’t. You can’t die.† Haden smiled. â€Å"It’s alright. I’ll always be with you, in spirit.† Camilla moaned, clutching her heart. â€Å"No, Haden! Don’t you get it? You can’t do that because we have no soul. Vampires don’t have souls!† Haden chuckled. â€Å"Oh, we may not have souls, Cami. But we sure as hell have hearts.† He chuckled again, but felt his heart slowing. Camilla felt it too. â€Å"Oh, Haden†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she cried. Haden laughed again. â€Å"Life is hard.† Camilla tried to smile, but that hurt. â€Å"Compared to what?† Haden smiled. â€Å"Cami?† Camilla nodded. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Do you love me?† â€Å"Yeah, Haden,† she replied, swallowing. â€Å"I love you, so much, dear, dear Haden.† Haden laughed again. â€Å"Cami?† Camilla bit her lip, as tears fell down, her heart screaming from the hurt. â€Å"Y-yeah?† â€Å"Did you know that I loved you? Not just because you’re beautiful, or artistic, or smart, or graceful, or compassionate, or independent, or any of that. But because of the time when I got my foot stuck in a tree, you called the ambulance for me. Or that other time when Austin broke his leg you stayed with him all day just to watch CSI shows and eat soup. Or when Marcus and Nicholas were being jerks and selfish and pretending to be better and going around school and bullying people, you made that wonderful poem saying how everyone was equal which totally changed them. Or when Gene forgot to write her English paper, you stayed up with her all night just to help her finish it. You see, Cami, I think you’re most beautiful when you care for people, or teach them, or help them. You always do that because you’re just a caring person. And do you want to know what else?† Cami nodded, as she bit hard on her lower lip, and the blood seeped through her mouth. â€Å"I love you for all of those things. And I know for sure that you’re going to become an angel when you die, because angels are beautiful, caring creatures, and you’re one of them, Cami. A beautiful and caring creature.† He breathed in harshly. â€Å"Ah†¦ Cami, it won’t be long now. I’m surprised I’m actually still alive. I should be dead by now.† Cami shook her head. â€Å"Don’t say that. Maybe you won’t die. You have to be hit in the heart after all.† Haden smiled, but it was a grim one. â€Å"This bullet was tipped in holy water and garlic powder. I felt it running through my veins and entering my heart. Or maybe all that pain was because I finally found out that you loved me too, and I feel so happy for it.† Cami shook her head, her eyes widened. â€Å"Oh, no Haden! I’ve always loved you. You just seemed so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Arrogant and juvenile?† Haden offered, with a smile on his sad face. Cami nodded. â€Å"I’m sorry, Haden.† Haden raised a hand, as if to silence her. He felt heavy, and his breathing her heavily. â€Å"N-no†¦ I†¦ I†¦ it’s not your fault, Cami. I’m just sorry that you’ll feel sad when I’m gone. But you have to remember, that God is a caring person, just like you. I have a good feeling he will allow me to come up there, ‘cause just because you think you may not have a soul, doesn’t exactly mean that’s true.† Cami looked up as a rain drop fell against her face. She looked down at Haden who was smiling at her. â€Å"Is that a rain drop or a tear?† Cami cried. Haden suddenly pulled himself up, using all of his energy. Cami sat beside him, crouching over on her knees and she stared at him. He suddenly touched the sides of her face, gently, as he pulled her close, their heads touching. Camilla’s pulse quickened. Haden parted his lips, and then†¦ he kissed her. It was a gentle, soulful kiss. Camilla wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. She never wanted to let go, and she didn’t want Haden to go. The kiss was sensual and slow, it seemed like it lasted forever, which Camilla hoped it would. It was so deep that she felt like she lost her self in it. The world seemed to disappear and time stood still. It was as if everything melted away to nothingness, and there was just the two of them. The rain pattered against them and the Earth. Haden pulled away, feeling his heart tighten. â€Å"Cami?† Cami cried louder. â€Å"Oh my god, Haden, please, don’t go! I love you so much! Please, I beg of you. Don’t go!† â€Å"Cami?† Haden asked again, and sighed, letting his head fall against the gentle, wet grass. â€Å"Valediction.† Cami couldn’t hold it in longer. She screamed and cried as she raised her head and stared into the sky, the rain pouring against her face. She pounded the Earth and fell down, lying on her back. She rolled onto her stomach and screamed into the ground. She breathed in, and screamed louder as she realized it hurt to breathe living without Haden. Actually, it hurt to live without Haden. She choked as she heard someone behind. Was Haden alive? She turned around only to stare into the eyes of Nicholas, Nicola, Adrian, Marcus, Austin and Gene. They all stared sadly down at Camilla. Gene pulled her up, and Nicola hugged her. Marcus patted her back as Austin and Adrian lifted up Haden. Nicholas murmured, â€Å"Oh my God†¦ Haden†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The seven of them, eight including the departed Haden, all headed back towards Camilla’s house. Camilla then stopped. Everyone turned to look at her. â€Å"Camilla?† Gene called. Camilla shook her head, and turned around, running as fast as she could, through the cold night air. **** Camilla didn’t know where she was going. She just wished she could go where she knew. Where she knew Haden would be. She ran over a river that after being polluted so much had turned yellowish green. Then she came to big piles and clumps of dark brown dirt, and almost fell into it. She cried harder until she got to a dark forest, and running through where the trees stood tall and bare, and the grass was a dark green. Finally she came to a large meadow that seemed pale green in the moonlight. She realized she couldn’t run anymore, and stopped, slowing crouching down and lying on the soft grass, tears flooding her face. She gasped, choked, and cried harder. She swallowed, and gasped again. She suddenly felt another present coming close to her. She tried to hide her head beneath a pile of weeds and a very tall area of grass that had not been hacked down. She heard the figure breathing, but normal breathing, only more heavier, like a man’s. She forced herself to turn her head ever so slightly to see who it was. Her heart did a little back flip, and she forgot how to breathe, but only for a second. Cristofer Cardei stood above her. He seemed, almost, uncertain of something. Maybe making second thoughts of killing her, perhaps? His usually smooth black hair was tousled, and his bright blue eyes were bloodshot. Camilla gulped, looking up at the once sophisticated and feared Cristofer, son of the terrible Great Count Cardei. He attempted a smile down at Camilla. â€Å"Hey†¦ what’s up?† Camilla said nothing, just stared. Cristofer looked away. â€Å"Um, I just wanted to say†¦ sorry.† â€Å"Ha!† Camilla laughed loud. Cristofer raised a brow. â€Å"For what happened to Haden†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Camilla nodded, looking away too. Then she shook her head, and stood up. â€Å"Shut up. Shut the hell up, you psycho! You†¦ monster! I hate you, and this is your entire fault that Haden is dead! You’re a murderer!† Now it was Cristofer’s turn to be angry. â€Å"What? I don’t think I’m the one that shot him! It was that idiot Seth’s fault. You know†¦ your boyfriend?† Camilla shook her head, turning away. Her voice was cold. â€Å"He’s not my boyfriend. He’s not even my friend.† â€Å"Which is, of course, opposed to Haden?† Cristofer smirked. Camilla sighed, and walked away, but Cristofer yelled, â€Å"Wait, I’m sorry!† Camilla turned around and walked slowly back. â€Å"Say that again?† Cristofer muttered, â€Å"Oh, don’t get me started. I’m sorry, all right? I guess, yeah, I loved power†¦ but I am definitely not a murderer†¦ I’m nothing like my idiotic father.† Now Camilla was very confused. â€Å"What? I thought you would give your life up to be exactly like old Daddy. Guess I was wrong?† Cristofer laughed. â€Å"Guess you were. Nah, I hated him to death. I just craved power so much I kind of became a bully. But never a murderer. I can promise you that.† Camilla looked down. â€Å"But how can I really trust you, Cristofer?† Cristofer shrugged. â€Å"You can’t. But you could try.† Camilla sighed. â€Å"It’s just so†¦ hard. To trust, I mean†¦ for everything. This world has turned so cruel and hopeless that you can barely try to love again.† Cristofer lifted her chin, looking into her eyes. â€Å"It’s hard to trust, I know, to do any of those things. But if everything was easy, could anyone get anywhere in life? Could we all truly succeed? And yeah, the world is cruel and hopeless, but you’ve just got to make it not cruel and hopeful. ‘Cause when one person makes a difference everything can change. You have to make the love for yourself, Camilla. ‘Cause where there’s darkness, this is always light.† Camilla gaped at him. â€Å"You know, I never knew how deep you were. Kind of reminds of Haden. It’s so sad without him.† Cristofer nodded. â€Å"Hey, Camilla?† Camilla nodded. â€Å"Yeah, Cristofer?† Cristofer laughed. â€Å"Just call me Cris. Anyhow, Camilla? Could we be friends?† Camilla smiled. â€Å"Yeah, sure Cris. Why do you ask? What about your gang?† Cristofer shook his head. â€Å"They’re not my gang. They’re not even my friends. In fact, I’d have to say you’re the first.† Camilla looked down. â€Å"Really?† Cristofer nodded. He smiled at her, and Camilla actually saw a light shine in his eyes. The bloodiness seemed to be gone, and they shone like two crystal diamonds. â€Å"Thanks, Camilla. Haden was right. You really a good and compassionate person.† Camilla smiled back. â€Å"When did he say that?† Cristofer rolled his eyes. â€Å"Long ago, when he I used to hang around. He said that everyone time you left. It got kind of annoying. But to him, it was like he was speaking about love, and what a beautiful and wonderful thing it was. In fact, I think he actually referred to you as love.† Camilla swallowed, as tears filled her eyes. But she smiled. â€Å"Yeah. He was a good guy.† â€Å"He still is,† Cristofer said. Camilla smiled. â€Å"Yeah†¦ because he’s angel.† Cristofer laughed. â€Å"Yeah. I think Haden proved that to us all.† Cristofer then stopped. He leaned close to Camilla. â€Å"You know, Camilla. I’ve heard of God actually giving vampires another chance. The good ones, I mean. Like, they can become human, once they died.† Camilla frowned. â€Å"Hmm? Right, like that’s true. I’m just going to accept the fact that Haden is an angel. Or a ghost. As long as he’s resting in peace and not getting burned up in some flames of hell.† Cristofer smiled. â€Å"Yeah†¦ let’s hope.† Camilla smiled, nudging him. â€Å"We should, because someone told me that there is always hope. In this case, I’m pretty sure he was right.† Cristofer laughed. â€Å"I’m pretty sure too.† Camilla sighed. â€Å"Yeah†¦ there’s always hope.† And as she looked at the dark sky she saw a star glimmer in the distance. That star reminded a lot of the gleam she would always miss seeing in Haden’s eyes. Camilla smiled, thinking of him. â€Å"There’s always hope,† she murmured to herself. â€Å"We should always trust in those words.† And she did.

Comparing The Longest Day with Saving Private Ryan Essay Example

Comparing The Longest Day with Saving Private Ryan Essay Example Comparing The Longest Day with Saving Private Ryan Paper Comparing The Longest Day with Saving Private Ryan Paper Essay Topic: Film The Longest Day was filmed in 1962, and was made to celebrate the victory for the Allies in World War II. All of the stars of the time appeared in it, including John Wayne and Richard Burton. Saving Private Ryan was filmed in 1998, and was purposely made to show how grim and horrific war is, and the director, Stephen Spielberg, researched a lot about the war by interviewing people involved in the specific events during the war. I am going to compare the D-Day sequences from both films, looking at the leaders, sergeants, the importance of individual soldiers and the way the Germans and Americans are filmed. I am also going to compare how each director tells the story using cameras, sound effects, mise-en-scene and editing. In The Longest Day, General Cota leads his men from the front, holding a cigar in his hand, looking rather relaxed. He announces, There it is, men. Omaha Beach and also waves the troops forward. Cota gives the troops a pep talk, as though he knows what to do. He also sends a soldier back through the battle to get his rifle, which tells the audience and the soldiers that he cares, but also is in control. In contrast, Captain Miller leads his men from behind, and seems nervous beforehand when we see his hand shaking to open the water bottle. This is shown to us at the beginning and the end. A lot of the battle is seen through Captain Millers eyes as a POV shot, as though we are Captain Miller, which gives you a good idea about how awful the war was. We do not get this in The Longest Day, as General Cota is seen to be a big hero and cannot put a step wrong. Captain Miller was white faced with fear, and when we see the battle as Captain Miller, most of the noise is shut out due to shell shock, and a soldier is shouting for orders, but is not heard, and then suddenly all the noise floods back to our ears. The Captain then puts his helmet back on to get back into battle, which shows that he snapped out of captain mode for a second, saw the horrific scenery, then remembered he had to be the boss again. The helmet is full of watered-down blood. Captain Millers orders are short and snappy, and very rushed, whereas General Cotas orders were rather long and cheery. We also dont see General Cota with a gun, but we see Captain Miller shooting the enemy. Captain Miller says Quite a view twice, which is usually said when theres beautiful scenery, but in this case he means the complete opposite-total carnage. Theres then a slow panning shot with the first music of the clip, which shows how ugly war really is. The sergeant in The Longest Day raises his hand, and shouts STAND BY! then just jogs behind the troops, copying the General. The sergeant in Saving Private Ryan (Sergeant Horner) is always focused, and just gets on with what he has to do. He says, Were in business! quite often, and there are lots of close ups on his face, showing detachment. He collects soil from Africa, Italy and now France. This is his way o blocking out the horror of the war. War is like a business to Horner, but he is also likeable as he cares about what happens to his men. Both sergeants give clear orders to their troops, and rally their men well. The Longest Day does not really have many individual shots of people; it is mainly midshots of lots of things or a long tracking shot. It is a very short scene compared to Saving Private Ryan, which is ten times longer, and contains a lot of ECUs and CUs, angle shots and tilt shots. At the beginning, we are shown close ups of lots of different soldiers, some being sick, some looking very determined to get out there, which gives us a sense of how they felt before going out to fight. There were lots of different ways in which soldiers die in this horrific film; some were shot down or blown up by bombs. It seemed absolutely terrifying and very painful. This is quite authentic because of the interviews with war veterans Spielberg did before directing the film. The medics are quite brutal, and just stab the wounded with needles loaded with morphine. They didnt have time to save anyone properly, but in The Longest Day, you see medics wrapping a soldiers arm with a clean white bandage, and the soldier was waiting as though his mum was going to come along and kiss it better. Private Jackson, in Saving Private Ryan, is an important character in the film. He is the sniper, and a very religious young man. He kisses the cross on his chain each time he goes to shoot, and also says a prayer beforehand. He carries his rifle in a plastic cover (and his bayonet is bone handled, too) to keep it pristine when he has to start shooting. It has a beautiful leather strap on it which all makes him look a little bit like a war fanatic. Jackson kills the first German, which we see, with this wonderful rifle. The audience feels glad about this: as we see so many of our own men dead, its good to see the opposition go down. The Germans are seen as killing machines in Saving Private Ryan as you see down the barrel of their guns to start with. The first you see of the Germans is when three Germans surrender, and two are shot down. The anger of the troops shows at this point, and also when they put a flamethrower into their trenches, and say, Let them burn! Spielberg is showing that war is beyond civilisation, and that when soldiers have had enough, they will kill others to get their own back. In The Longest Day, the Germans are seen almost the same amount as the American troops, and are filmed from the sides of the trenches for most of the scene. They are seen in mid shots, the same as the Allies, which shows fairness. There were caricatures of stereotypical Germans, like a fat German on a horse and a blonde German trying to run the troops in an office. It does not seem very realistic after seeing Saving Private Ryan. In The Longest Day the shots of guns and bombs seem to be in the background, and cheering of troops along with commands from officers are mainly what is heard. The explosions look feeble in black and white, as there is no brightness to show the effect of the bombs and how big they were. Saving Private Ryan was quite different. There were mainly shots and bombs heard all the way through the dramatic footage, which gives you a real life imitation, as though you were actually there. The contrast of the dull sand and sky and the bright oranges of flame throwers and bombs was very effective as it highlighted the different perspectives on war, the good side, winning, and the dull side, fighting. The cumulative effect of so many different details in this version was brilliant, as it really showed you how awful and unlike normal life war was, and is. It is not to be glorified. Spielberg does a wonderful job in creating an atmosphere where anything and anything could, and did, happen, along with some humour, too. For example, a soldier gets shot on his helmet, and takes it off thinking how lucky he was. He then gets shot in the head when he is holding the helmet in his hands in awe. I think the two films are trying to say different things about war and heroism because of the different purposes. Back in 1962, the war was still quite fresh in peoples minds, and nothing could have been made which would have offended these people. So The Longest Day was made to show how brave and strong the soldiers who fought were, and how much glory there was in the war. Spielberg made Saving Private Ryan to show the true effects of war, and how different individuals handled it. The heroes in The Longest Day were the leaders, but in Saving Private Ryan, most of the men had heroic moments. He was saying that there is no glory in war, but the director of The Longest Day was telling the audience that war could actually solve something.

Trade mark and Copy right Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trade mark and Copy right - Essay Example Trade marks are registrable at state level and federal level in the U.S. Whenever any one wants to claim some thing as a trademark, he can use the words" TM" next to the trade mark to serve public or competitor as notice of his right over the same whether registered or not. Unregistered trademark is called common law trade mark giving right to the user who is manufacturer or seller by virtue of its use. If it is registered with the U.S. patent and Trademark Office, the symbol can be used beside the trademark and not while the application for trade mark reiteration is pending. Benefits of registering with federal agency are 1) it serves as a constructive notice throughout the country, 2) evidence that it is owned by the user, 3) invocation of federal courts jurisdictions, 4) it can be used for registration in foreign countries, and 5) if registration is field with U.S.customs which will be used for preventing entry of foreign goods infringing trademarks. (FindLaw) The legal basis of Tempur-Basic is that ComfortStep used by Real Man Boot Company is similar to their brand name 'Comfort-step' in their goods. Though it is not registered, they are alleged to be the first ever users of the said name. However close scrutiny of the names reveals that they are not similar. There is a hyphen between the word comfort and step in the claimant's trade mark where as there is no hyphen in the defendant's trade mark. More over goods are also not the same. Whereas the claimant is using it on casual wears, defendants are using it on work boots though both are foot wears. Position would be different had the claimant registered the trade mark stating that they are using in all their goods including boots. The right over the trade mark registered or not is perpetual. Hence claimant can not succeed in their claim. Question 2 A Describe the general duties of a director of a corporation, and the standards that a director is expected to meet in fulfilling those duties. Also describe what factors or interests you can consider in making decisions as a director. Originally, a director was expected to act only in the interest of share holders of the corporation. But of late, it is the acting in the best interest of the corporation that has to be taken into account before considering interest of the share holders. By virtue of section 302 A.251, subd 5, other stake holders' interests have also to be kept in mind by the director. The other stake holders are corporation's bankers, creditors, Government bodies, employees, and environment. The director should be loyal to the corporation by not competing with the corporation's business. Any thing that the director is accessible to in the affairs of the corporation should not be used by the director for self-serving personal enrichment. He is expected neither to use for personal gain nor disclose matters that are confidential to outsiders and rivals. The director must notify any conflicting interest he may be involved on which the company board must decide for the director to continue with or drop i t before taking director ship or before assuming any new role during his directorship. The director has the power to appoint or dismiss the CEO of the corporation and also decide his salaries. The director is responsible to declare dividends, work out strategies, and can restructure corporation's capital structure including class of share

Water is the predominant constituent of all of the bodies tissues Essay

Water is the predominant constituent of all of the bodies tissues. Discuss and compare the roles of water in cellular tissues and the connective tissues - Essay Example However, when an isotonic solution is infused, only 1/4th of the volume infused remains in the intravascular space after some time due to the influence of osmotic and hydrostatic forces. The intravascular compartment contains molecules with large molecular weight which are incapable of crossing the semi permeable plasma membrane due to small size of the pores (www.merckvetmanual.com). These large molecules or colloids exert a force on the membrane due to the difference in osmotic gradient known as the colloidal oncotic pressure (COP). The difference in the COP and the hydrostatic pressure is responsible for the control of the fluid content in the intravascular space and the interstitial compartments. When intravascular hydrostatic pressure rises above the COP, fluid movement occurs in the direction of interstitial space resulting in rehydration or oedema depending on the pre-existing hydration status. Any increase in membrane pore size or high interstitial COP can also contribute to this phenomenon. The evolution of animal life has produced diverse life forms of various Phyla which have habitats as diverse as the depths of oceans to deserts and mountains. This has lead to the development of exclusive water regulatory mechanisms in different species. The mammalian water regulatory mechanisms are more or less uniform in structure, functioning and adaptive mechanisms. Terrestrial life involves the risks of desiccation as well as salt deficiency, which have important roles to play in water regulation of the body (Denton et al, 1996). The hypothalamus in the mid brain and kidneys are the important organs in mammalian species which play vital role in water regulation. In higher vertebrates, the hypothalamus is responsible for triggering and controlling mechanisms in response to external as well as internal disturbances to maintain the body homeostasis internally.

Enhancing community intergration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Enhancing community intergration - Essay Example Kennedy signed the law requiring states to begin investing in community-based mental health programs rather than funding state institutions for treating individuals with mental illness, the promise remains unfulfilled" In the modern times, meaning of community and its involvement is fast thinning. There is no doubt that we live in a deprived sense of 'loss of community'. Sociologists have untiringly pointed out this bereavement of modern times. "Maurice Stein's 1960 review of major sociological and anthropological community studies concludes with the central finding of a disappearance of the sense of community among residents of the towns studies (Stein 1960)," Rossi (2001, p.32). Even though olden days had their share of mental ill health, modern times of stress and strain have thrown up a plethora of mental health problems for people of all ages, especially for the elderly. Mental health problems could be very difficult for the afflicted person and for his family. As it is mostly a life span problem, with certain relief combined with cure, or sometimes simply progressive, the problem has to be faced for years and decades. Mental health problems cannot be faced in isolation. It needs help from family, school, and more importantly from community and society. ... It is not an individual problem either. It is the problem of community and society and should be treated so. Community has to take fair share of its responsibility because a person going through a mental sickness, or being cured and coming out of it, has a right to expect better and more considerate treatment from community around him. Treatment meted out to him by the community will be taken as standard measurement of his achievement in being cured, or the lack of it. Reaction of the community and people around him could send an individual reeling back into serious and more difficult mental problems, or can encourage him to come out of it. Afflicted person in his hopelessness of future and helplessness will be very watchful and wary of people around him. He would clutch at any kindness, but could turn violent or morose at the very hint of discrimination or ridicule. Mary and Andrew are mother and son, and the son is afflicted by the unfortunate Schizophrenia. We learn from his own words that Andrew treats his mental inadequacies as a form of education and a boon. He feels that he would never come out of his childhood, and experiences the complete happiness of childhood any time again, will never ask for better things and get disillusioned. He has his hobbies, his pets, his ideas and in his small world he is happy. Community around him had been understanding and cooperative and there lies the real root of Andrew's fulfilment. Is Andrew deceiving himself or taking a brighter view of his very difficult-to-cure mental problem It could be anything. But the fact remains that Andrew is happy in the small community, in their house along with his mother Mary. He could be blocking out the difficulties of the

A History Of Fly By Wire

A History Of Fly By Wire Abstract This research report provides a historical portrait of the development and implementation of fly-by-wire flight control systems. The report explains to the reader what flight controls are. It provides an overview of major innovations in flight control systems. It then goes on to explain what a fly-by-wire flight control system is and discusses the NASA development program that made fly-by-wire a reality. It then discusses the F-16 Fighting Falcon which was the first mass produced aircraft to utilize a fly-by-wire system. The benefits of fly-by-wire flight control are discussed as is the expansion of fly-by-wire flight control systems into commercial and general aviation. Finally, a conclusion on the substance of this report is provided. 1. Introduction Purpose This historical research report describes the development and implementation of fly-by-wire flight control systems in order to satisfy the formal report requirements outlined in the course syllabus for EGR 3350, Technical Communications for Engineers and Computer Scientists. 1.2 Background Ever since the dawn of powered human flight was realized by Orville and Wilbur Wright in December 1903, engineers and aeronautic innovators have sought to institute more efficient and safer methods of aircraft flight control. The evolution of flight control systems from human powered mechanical linkages to fly-by-wire computer systems constitutes a marvelous display of aeronautical engineering progression. Fly-by-wire flight control systems signaled a great leap in aeronautical thinking and design from mechanical linkage and large hydraulic systems to computer-aided electrical flight control systems. An article by Gray Creech of NASAs Dryden Flight Research Center explains how [1] these systems created enormous benefits for the aerospace industry allowing overall reduction of weight and aircraft system redundancy increasing safety of flight. NASAs fly-by-wire development program was the first program to successfully institute an electrical flight control system without a mechanical b ackup. This programs success led to the first mass produced fly-by-wire aircraft, General Dynamics and Lockheed Martins F-16 Fighting Falcon, the space shuttles fly-by-wire flight control computer, and many other advancements in fly-by-wire flight control that are now being realized in the commercial and general aviation industries. 1.3 Scope This report will explain to the reader what flight control is and detail a brief history of aircraft flight control and the innovations that preceded fly-by-wire system development. This report will then discuss NASAs fly-by-wire development program and the initial deployment of this technology in the F-16 Fighting Falcon. This report will explain the many benefits inherently derived from employing a fly-by-wire flight control system. Finally, this report will detail how this flight control system evolved to be used in the commercial and general aviation industry. This report will not cover future trends of fly-by-wire flight control systems. 2. Discussion 2.1 What is Flight Control? The control of flight of an aircraft is determined by control surfaces on the aircraft body that are adjusted in coordinated movements by a flight control system that orients an aerospace vehicle around three axes of motion. These axes of motion are referred to as yaw, pitch, and roll. Figure 1 illustrates these axes. Figure 1. Aircraft Axes of Motion Dr. William Elliot gives a great synopsis on how these axes of motion are affected by control surfaces. [2] 1. Normal (vertical) axis, perpendicular to the surface of the wings. Movement about the vertical axis in flight is called yaw. In most modern aircraft, stability in yaw is affected by a fixed vertical fin in the rear; active control in yaw is accomplished by a movable rudder fixed behind the vertical fin. 2. Longitudinal axis, passing through the fuselage from front to back. Movement about the longitudinal axis is called roll. Stability in roll is taken care of by wings fixed at a slightly upward angle (dihedral); active flight control in roll is done by flaps (ailerons) behind the outer wings. 3. Lateral (horizontal) axis, passing through the wings approximately from tip to tip. Movement about the horizontal axis is called pitch. Stability in pitch is conferred by a fixed horizontal tailplane; flight control in pitch is accomplished by elevators mounted behind the tailplane. In controlling these surfaces, a pilot utilizes various control mechanisms such as mechanical linkages, hydraulics, trim tabs, actuators, and, in the case of fly-by-wire systems, electricity and computers to create the desired output on the flight control surfaces based on the pilots input. 2.2 Brief History of Flight Control System Progression Dr. Elliot continues to explain that after [2] Glenn Curtisss patent of the aileron, the basics of modern flight control were firmly established, and the result was a standardized cable-operated control system. [2] In this standard arrangement, a single control column (or stick) was used to operate both elevators and ailerons through a series of cables and pulleys; in a similar fashion, the rudder was moved by foot pedals. The physical strength of the pilot was all that was required to augment these control surfaces in flight for slow moving aircraft. The physical limitations of pilots began to be realized as aircraft became faster and heavier. [2] This problem was initially solved by the installation of small flaps (tabs) on primary control surfaces. These surfaces utilized the airflow acting on the tabs to move the main control surface they were attached to. The development of automatic piloting systems was also on going at this time and [2] steady advances in autopilot technology led to the development of mechanical boosters to assist pilots in moving control surfaces of very large aircraft. [2] Successive aircraft produced during the late 1940s and early 1950s continued to make great advances in hydro-mechanical flight control systems. [3] During this time period hydro-mechanical control systems developed into 3000 psi hydraulic systems as seen in Figure 2. Figure 2. Flight Control System Innovation Timeline [3] Technology Military Commercial Un-Powered: 1910s 1920s Powered Boost: 1940s 1940s 3000 psi Hydraulics: 1940s 1950s Auto Pilots: 1950s 1950s Fully Powered, w/*Reversion: 1950s 1960s (Boeing 727) Fully Powered, w/out *Reversion: 1950s (B-47) 1970 (Boeing 747) Fly-By-Wire: 1970s (F-16) 1980s (A-320) Digital Fly-by-Wire: 1970s 1980s (A-320) 5000 psi Hydraulics: 1990s (V-22) 2005 (A-380) Power-By-Wire: 2006 (F-35) 2005 (A-380) *Reversion: Servo actuators unlock allowing pilot mechanical control. [3] Figure 2 details the engineering progression of flight control systems over the last 100 years. Interestingly, prior to the institution of fly-by-wire flight control systems, [2] artificial feel systems were incorporated in flight control systems to necessitate the need for pilots to feel as though they were still mechanically connected to the aircraft flight control system even though hydraulic systems broke this connection between pilot and control surface. These advancements in flight control technology culminated in the desire for an electrical means of flight control system execution. 2.3 What is a Fly-By-Wire (FBW) Flight Control System? [2] Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) defines FBW as a flight control system wherein vehicle control information is transmitted completely by electrical means. A FBW control system is a computer system that monitors pilot control inputs, various parameters such as airspeed, altitude and angle-of-attack, and outputs flight control surface movements with the objective of keeping the aircraft within its designated flight envelope. Literally, this computer interprets electrical signals via pilot control and sensor input and outputs electrical signals to actuate the corresponding control surface in order to achieve the desired flight orientation. The flight envelope refers to the safe operating characteristics an aircraft is designed to fly at given different speeds, altitudes and other variables. The actuation of a fly-by-wire system is effectively the same for all such systems, namely; the system employs electrical signal inputs to create electrical signal outputs. However, these systems can be deployed with a varying array of design elements or control law algorithms that decide how the system will react in a given situation as well as what entity, human or computer, has superior control of the aircraft at a given time. This subject will be elaborated on in a later section. 2.4 NASAs Digital Fly-By-Wire (DFBW) Development Program On May 25, 1972 at NASAs Dryden Flight Research Center, the first flight to successfully demonstrate a digital FBW flight control system without a mechanical backup was conducted. [1] Support for the concept at NASA Headquarters came from Neil Armstrong, himself a former research pilot at Dryden. He served in NASAs Office of Advanced Research and Technology following his historic Apollo 11 lunar landing and knew electronic control systems from his days training in and operating Apollo spacecraft. Armstrong suggested that the Dryden DFBW team adapt an Apollo program digital flight control computer. It wasnt long, however, before the DFBW program developed a digital flight control computer that significantly advanced the state of the art. This was demonstrated by the fact that for the Space Shuttle, designers turned to the DFBW program for a flight computer for the Orbiters. The result was a classic case of in-house technology transfer. The original digital flight control computer deve lopment from Apollo proceeded to the DFBW program and then back again into space aboard the Shuttle. The program utilized a Navy F-8C Crusader for testing which incorporated the use of computers in making the flight control surface deflections that corresponded to the pilot input. [3] NASAs DFBW program, consisting of 210 flights, lasted 13 years. Figure 3 [6] shows the avionics bay of the test aircraft where the computers that managed the flight control system were installed. Figure 3. F-8C Test Aircraft Avionics Bay 2.5 F-16 Fighting Falcon Originally developed by General Dynamics and now produced by Lockheed Martin, the F-16 was the first mass produced aircraft to use a FBW flight control system. The F-16 has seen multiple upgrades since its service debut in the 1970s. These upgrades are typically called blocks and are designated by a number. In the F-16s case, [4] the F-16 A/B model consists of blocks 1, 5, 10, 15, 15OCU, and 20 while the F-16 C/D model consists of blocks 25, 30, 32, 40, 42, 50, and 52. There also is F-16 E/F block 60 models developed for the United Arab Emirates, an F-16 MLU (Mid Life Update) block, and various other F-16 models developed for special purposes or foreign customers. These blocks signaled upgrades in areas such as avionics, engines, engine inlet area, and weapons capabilities to name a few. According to Joe Sambor, a Lockheed Martin aero field service engineer, [5] all F-16 block designations developed prior to block 40 utilized analog flight control computers while all later blocks in cluding block 40 utilized digital flight control computers. The difference between analog and digital computers lies in the way they process information. Analog computers work in a continuous time environment where data can take on an infinite set of values which results in no loss of transmitted data; however, its implementation is cumbersome requiring an extensive hardware configuration. Moreover, this hardware configuration is difficult to upgrade. Digital systems operate in a discrete time environment where data values are finite. Loss of data is augmented by high resolution and sampling rates which effectively renders data transmission loss negligible. The benefit in system implementation is mainly software based providing smooth transitions for system upgrades and reduction in overall system cost and maintenance. The F-16 utilizes four separate flight control computer systems which work together to select the proper flight response output at any given time. This flight control configuration is considered practically immune to failure as long as power is applied to the aircraft. 2.6 Benefits of Fly-By-Wire Flight Control Systems One of the great benefits FBW technology brings to the aviation industry is the ability for aerospace engineers to design an aircraft to be inherently unstable allowing for increased maneuverability. Prior to FBW, aircraft had to be designed to inherently want to return to straight and level flight. This meant that maneuverability was diminished due to the fact that, in order for the aircraft to maneuver, the aircraft had to first overcome its inherently designed stability. FBW systems are able to monitor aircraft flight in real time allowing aircraft that could never fly with simply the skill of the pilot because of the aircrafts instability the ability to take to the skies. Also, [6] aircraft weight is reduced with the removal of mechanical linkages and reduction in hydraulic system components. Enhanced safety is provided by the redundancy design of electrical circuits as well as the computers ability to respond to an adverse flight condition much faster than a pilot. The overall c ost of the system is reduced as less hardware and mechanical parts are required, fuel efficiency of the aircraft is increased, and passengers experience greater comfort derived from the increased aircraft handling characteristics. Furthermore, the system can be designed to control the flight envelope keeping the pilot from making control inputs that would put the aircraft outside its safe operating capability. Also, digital FBW control systems can accept input from any aircraft sensor reducing rigidity constraints in system design. 2.7 Expansion of Fly-By-Wire Systems in Aviation Currently, DFBW flight control systems are available in every aspect of government, military, and commercial aviation. These systems are deployed on helicopters, fighter jets, stealth bombers, and commercial airliners. Even general aviation is starting to see the benefits that DFBW technology has to offer. Mark Tatge, a writer for Forbes magazine, explains that [7] small-piston aircraft and business jets are undergoing a radical upgrade. Digital technology developed for combat fighters and commercial aircraft 20 years ago is finally making its way into the cockpits of small aircraft, often at a fraction of the cost of the electronics currently installed in Boeing jumbo jets. Major airlines like Airbus and Boeing have already begun moving their fleets toward the DFBW domain. Airbus made this move with its A320 aircraft, [6] the first commercial airliner to have DFBW technology. Boeing subsequently followed suit by employing DFBW technology on its 777 and 787 aircraft models. It is interesting to note however, that Airbus and Boeing differ in the employment of their respective DFBW flight control systems and algorithm control laws. An article written by Brian Palmer summarizes the differences between the two aircraft manufacturers. Palmer explains that [8] Airbus employs a joystick that electrically connects the pilots input to the flight controls where Boeing employs the standard yoke that still uses cables to deliver pilot input commands. Airbus also utilizes control algorithms called flight envelope protection that keeps the aircraft from flying outside its designed operating area. Boeing gives more latitude to the pilot in being able to push the envelo pe when appropriate. Palmer also goes on to explain how [8] it is unclear as to whether flight envelope protection makes air travel safer. Palmer cites two aircraft incidents; namely, China Airlines Flight 006 and the crash of an American Airlines jet in November 2001 where flight envelope protection could have hindered the aircraft flight control recovery or could have prevented the crash, respectively. 3. Conclusion 3.1 Summary The employment of flight control systems over the past one hundred years has seen quantum leaps in the design and theory behind how a pilot actually controls the flight of an aerospace vehicle. DFBW technology has exponentially increased the safety of flight for millions of people. This area of engineering owes its continued refinement and evolution to countless individuals and organizations who have taken on the challenge of developing the control systems that advance the safety and efficiency of flight. It is amazing to look back in history on the evolution of aerospace vehicles and recount that within fifty years of human beings first successfully completing powered flight that autopilots were flying planes without human pilot commands from Canada to England. That physical power of flight controls was supplanted by hydraulic actuation which in turn was augmented with electrical circuits. That the advent of seemingly unrelated hardware such as microprocessors and logic circuits wou ld have such a profound place in designing an aircraft to fly. That the innovators in this field had the vision and courage to trust their knowledge and engineering skill in putting the lives of capable pilots in the hands of a computer system. The flight control systems currently deployed in aviation constitute some the most well engineered, capable and, failure resistant electrical systems ever created. However, it should be noted that such systems seem to still be in their adolescence and much discovery and improvement is left to the next generation who endeavors to improve upon and invent the future of aerospace flight control systems. Sources Cited [1] Creech, Gray. Digital Fly By Wire: Aircraft Flight Control Comes of Age. http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/improvingflight/fly_by_wire.html. Jim Wilson. NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, September 30, 2007. Internet. October 24, 2012. [2] Elliot, Dr. William. The Development of Fly-By-Wire Flight Control. Air Force Material Command: Office of History, AFMC Historical Study No. 7, December 1996. Print. [3] Greetham, Tom. Evolution of Powered Flight Controls. http://mae.osu.edu/sites/mae.web.engadmin.ohiostate.edu/files/uploads/ME888Presentations/evolution_of_powered_flight_controls_seminar.pdf, February 10, 2012. Accessed November 10, 2012. Internet. [4] F-16.Net. Production Blocks and Experimental Versions. http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions.html. Accessed December 2, 2012. Internet. [5] Sambor, Joe. F-16.Net Forum. http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-6605.html, October 22, 2006. Accessed December 2, 2012. Internet. [6] Philippe, Christian. The Impact of Control Technology. T. Samad and A.M. Annaswamy (eds.), IEEE Control Systems Society, 2011. Internet. October 23, 2012. [7] Tatge, Mark. Fly By Wire. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2005/1128/083.html. November 11, 2005. Accessed December 2, 2012. Internet. [8] Palmer, Brian. Boeing Vs. Airbus. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/07/boeing_vs_airbus.html. July 11, 2011. Accessed December 2, 2012. Internet.

Steven Crane’s Maggie: A Girl of the Streets :: Maggie: A Girl Of The Streets

Maggie A Girl Of The Streets Maggie and Jimmie are two siblings being raised within the slums of New York City in the Stephen Crane novel; Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. The parents of these two are constantly fighting as broken furniture and fistfights are an everyday occurance in the decrepid family apartment. The mother and father fight while their children hide frightened as "There was a clash against the door and something broke into clattering fragments .... (Jimmie) heard howls and curses, groans and shrieks, confusingly in chorus as if a battle were raging" (11). Crane exxagerates the furniture destruction as every night when the two parents battle, seemingly all the furniture in the apartment is destroyed. Obviously, this poor family couldn't afford to fix and/or buy new furniture everyday. This then is the environment that Maggie and Jimmie struggle with throughout the novel, but both respond to in opposite ways. Maggie dreams of a better life than of her roots while Jimmie excepts his roots and becom es nihilistic. However, the hope of Maggie sadly goes unfulfilled. Maggie is introduced into the storyline quite subtle and quickly becomes the main focus of attention by the other three main characters. From the beginning, Maggie is a harsh contrast to the slum environment she has to endure. She "blossomed in a mud puddle ... a most rare and wonderful production of a tenement district, a pretty girl" (16) that not only had the physical beauty that her family seemed to lack, but also the hope that she could be better than what was around in her environment. Therefore, the slum environment that surrounds her contrasts her character greatly. "None of the dirt of Rum Alley was in her veins" (16) as she became the talk of numerous males in the neighborhood. Pete; an acquaintance of Jimmie, became Maggie's infatuation. They meet when Pete is called to the Johnson apartment by Jimmie after Pete promised to attend a boxing match with him. Although only a bartender, Maggie finds Pete as a man of "personal superiority" (17) that is capable of providing her with any dream she desires. She views the contrast between Pete and her environment when: The broken furniture, grimy walls, and general disorder and dirt of her home all of a sudden appeared before her and began to take a potential aspect. Pete's aristocratic person looked as if it might soil.

Porter’s five forces Essay

It is very important for the drug companies and supermarkets to use the five forces to ensure that they strategically position themselves in a way that they become very competitive to make sure that they remain in business and also make and maximize profits. Managers have a very important role in ensuring that they do enough analysis so that they employ strategies to make them make the best out of the business that they do. Porter’s forces can be analyzed to act as yard sticks for the supermarkets and the drug companies to position themselves so as to do a profitable business as they face a very competitive and saturated environment that is very sensitive to changes. (McGahan, 2004) The supermarkets and the drug companies should utilize the Michael Porter’s five forces analyses as a framework to guide them operate in the competitive environment. The forces that affect the supermarkets and drug companies are those that are close to them and need to be properly analyzed since they affect their ability to effectively serve their customers and also make profits. When the supermarkets and drug companies face changes in the five forces, they need to re-examine the market place and make decisions that will ensure that they remain profitable and challenge their competitors. Their management should highly depend on research and marketing intelligence to gather the necessary information that will help them make sound decisions that will help their firms since they are faced with a lot of competition from their rival competitors. The closeness of substitutes Substitutes are alternative products that have the ability to satisfy similar needs and give solutions. Substitutes in the supermarkets and drug industries reduce the potential returns since they place a ceiling on the prices offered for products. Firms that realize that products being offered bring a lot of profits look for substitutes products that can substitute so that they may also enjoy profits. Drug companies face a big challenge since scientists and researchers are coming up with products generic drugs that compete very much with the existing original products. Due to research, drug industries are discovering new products every day that are either more effective or cure the same diseases. This has become a very big challenge since the market has become open and new discoveries are welcome every time. Customers will always be tempted to try the new products to see whether they are more effective and are made to believe that the newest drugs on the market are the best since they are more new and tested. Malaria drugs for instance are changing every time and patients believe that the new discoveries can handle Malaria more strongly than those that were there before. Marketers in drug industry must constantly try to sell there drugs by marketing them all the time and assuring their markets that the drugs they have are the best. Almost all drugs have tested substitutes and it gives the sellers and the users a variety of choices to choose from and making it very hard for some drugs to be pushed. The drug industry is so concentrated and even the herbal industry is attracting a lot of audience sine they claim to have varieties and more effective drugs. (Porter, 1985) Supermarkets are facing very stiff challenges since many supermarkets are opening up everyday with better supplies from substitute goods that make them appear to be cheaper than the others. Customers will go to those supermarkets with variety of substitutes so that they may get more cheap goods that can meet their needs. In a supermarket, companies will take and buy spaces in the supermarkets and also arrange and make them more appealing than the products from their competitors. When we look at basic products like bread and flour, you will find that there are many substitutes that will be in the same supermarket and that can play the same role and act as substitutes of the other. Supermarkets face a stiff challenge from the others and therefore need to do extensive advertising, introduce new cheap products every time and increase service to the customers since there is a stiff competition from other supermarkets. Supermarkets will always try to take customers from each other by winning them with the substitutes that they offer and services that they also offer at a cheaper price. (Lovelock, 2006) The Intensity of Rivalry among Established Companies Supermarkets and drug companies face a very competitive environment that has a big concentration of rival competitors making it a very competitive venture in business. They compete with heir rivals across al levels and try all strategies to ensure that they beat their rivals and try to do extensive marketing and innovation to attract more customers every day. There are many established companies that are more organized and have better strategies than the new ones that come up and therefore have a competitive edge over the others. An established company will mean having a well developed network that has a good client base and that is supported by customer loyalty and therefore locking out the new firms that try to make an impact by trying the existing markets. The well established pharmaceutical firms give a big challenge to the new companies in the market that try to make their products known. Even though substitute products are received in drug industries, it becomes easy for the established firms to push customers to start using their new products in the market since they have a name in the market and customers are loyal to them. (Porter, 1985) Customers will always be pulled to go to the already established supermarkets that they are used to them and will always feel that their services are the best. They also believe that products and services that are offered in the established supermarkets are the best and all they offer are the best to take car of their needs. The new supermarkets are highly challenged and must therefore position themselves strategically by ensuring that they price their products well and also do extensive advertising to market their products and services and have new customers and prospects that will be customers in future. The rate of growth of the drug companies and supermarkets has become a big challenge as new ones come into the market every time with very attractive terms for customers and therefore pulling them and pulling away their loyal customers. Competitors in the drug companies and supermarkets have diversities and therefore make them very unique and unequalled and thus being very hard to compete with them in a very competitive environment due to high concentration of players who are doing the same businesses. There is need for e advertising to market both individual products and the supermarkets and drug companies due to the stiff competition from rival players in the same field that is concentrated highly. The bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers take advantage of their unique supplies to ask and bargain for what they want and enjoy the monopoly and charge expensively for the products or services that they offer. Customers are very sensitive to any changes that may affect them that are caused by the bargaining power of the suppliers. Suppliers are a competitive threat in drug industries because they can raise the prices of new and the old supplies and therefore making the customers to try substitute products that can satisfy the same need. Suppliers may cost the drug companies a lot of financial constrain if they switch and fail to supply their products as it is involving to get new and reliable suppliers that can give quality and be efficient all the time. (Grant, 2005) Doctors will recommend their clients to use substitutes according to their financial abilities and are in a position to refer them to use any of the substitutes. Supermarkets must try as much as possible to bargain well with their suppliers so that they may get quality products at the right price so that they may also sell and price their products well in relation to those of the competitors so that they may not loose customers to the other supermarkets. Suppliers will have more power if they are few or alone in the market and will give their products at a very high price and will affect the sales of the supermarket in the long run. It is very important for the drug companies and the supermarkets to have suppliers that can supply substitute products that are more or les the same so that their customers will not run to the other outlets that have the products that they need. In the event that the suppliers reduce their products quality and raise the price of their products, it will be a great competitive challenge to the drug industries and the supermarkets that offer the same services. The determinants of the suppliers power in both the supermarkets and the drug companies includes: suppliers concentration in one particular place that is central in location, volume of suppliers that they offer to the supermarkets and the drug companies and finally the costs related to the total purchases that they do. The suppliers ensure that they take advantage of their strengths to bargain and register as much profits as possible and make the buyers of their suppliers to accept what they offer and fix high prices. (Cullen and Boteeah, 2005) The Risk of Entry by Potential Competitors The new competitors enter into business with an intention to bring new capacities that never existed before so that they may give competition to the existing firms. Every new entrant into the drug and supermarket business is a big threat to the existing firms since they may pose a big danger when they come and take the existing customers by intimidating them with good attractive services and also set their businesses in strategic points that will attract more customers. Supermarkets and drug companies are very profitable and has therefore it has been attracting very many new entrants who perceive it as a good profitable business that has a lot of assurance since the customers will always need food and other materials offered I the supermarkets and drugs to help prevent and cure diseases. Their main interest is to capture big market share that exists so that they make more sales and therefore make profits. Supermarkets face a lot of competition from new entrants who come up with new and customer satisfying service that are very attractive and take their customers. They are few barriers to the new entrants in this field and many businessmen are thinking of opening up one stop supermarkets that are in strategic positions to attract customers. (Mark, 2001) There are many barriers that might be in the drug industries that may affect the drug firms. They include the following: government policies on drug companies, economies of scale, capital requirements that are needed to start a drug company, brand identities and reactions from firms in the drug industry. New entrants in the drug industry are seen by those that are already in existence as a threat since they take and reduce their market share and make them reduce their sales and therefore register fewer profits from the sales. Though governments might create barriers to help streamline the industry, it will not fully succeed since many new entrants might meet the requirements put on them and give challenge to the already flocked market. The higher the entry barriers, the less it is likely for outsiders to enter the industry. (Sparrow and Hilltop, 1994) The Bargaining Power of Buyers This is the marketplace of outputs. Customers in the supermarkets and drug industry put the two businesses a lot of pressure since they are very sensitive to any change in prices and are always ready to window shop and find where prices are relatively cheap. The availability of substitute products in both the supermarkets and drug companies has made it very challenging for all those who run these businesses and are therefore supposed to learn the behavior of their customers so as not to scare them to their competitors and therefore reducing their profitability. The players in the drugs and supermarket firms make it .Many supermarkets and drug companies give room for their customers to bargain and make the competitors to be on toes. It is very important for the drug companies and supermarkets to highly depend on market intelligence so as to be very strategic in their pricing since there are many supermarkets and drug industries that are ready to reduce their prices by negligible amount that can attract customers from their competitors. (Brewster, 1995) Buyers are ready to run into substitute products that are being marketed everyday in the supermarkets and drug companies due to the changing technologies that are leading to cheaper and quality production of substitute products. Advertisers are taking advantage of the sensitivity that the buyers have to market new products that hit the market daily. The drug industries and the supermarkets should have a variety of substitutes in their business premises to pull all the customers and reduce the customers from moving to their competitors who offer various products in different prices. Since buyers are the ones that ensure that there is continuity of business, the supermarkets and the drug companies should learn and be very sensitive to the changing tastes and preferences in order to win buyers and also ensure that they remain loyal to them since the concentration of many firms is a big threat. Supermarkets and drug firms must ensure that they use the Porter’s analysis since they face stiff and very competitive challenges from firms that have realized that they can make lucrative profits from the supermarket and drugs since they are assured of a lot of profits from a large customer base that is attracted by these firms. They need to assess the market very well and ensure that they learn there customers very well and also ensure that they position themselves to compete more effectively to remain in business and also maintain a good relationship with their customers so that the competitors may not take away their customers. It is only through these methods that they will be assured of remaining in business tomorrow. (Brandenburger and Nalebuff, 1995) Reference Brandenburger, M. and Nalebuff, J. (1995): The Right Game. Use Game Theory to Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review pp.59-69 Brewster. C (1995): Towards a European Model of Human Resource Management-Journal of International Business. Vol 26, pp 112 Cullen, J. and Boteeah, K. (2005): Multinational Management. A strategic Approach, 3rd Edition, Mason; Thomson South-Western, pp 54 Grant, R. (2005): Contemporary Strategy Analysis: – Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford pp 24-45 Lovelock, J. (2006): Services Marketing, People, Technology, and Strategy. New York, Prentice Hall, pp 23-45 Mark, D. (2001): Human Resource Management and organizational performance; 3rd Edition of the Institute of Management, Washington, U.S, pp 76 Porter, M. (1979): How competitive forces shape strategy. Harvard Business Review pp 34 Porter, M. (1985): Competitive Advantage:-Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. The Free Press, New York, pp 12-56 McGahan, A. (2004): How Industries Evolve: – Principles for Achieving and Sustaining Superior Performance. Harvard Business School Press, pp 27-37 Sparrow, P. and Hilltop, J. (1994): European Human Resource Management in Transition: New York, Prentice Hall, pp 45-76 Â  

Inference Questions on SAT Reading 6 Strategies

Inference Questions on SAT Reading 6 Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Inference questions make up nearly 15% of all SAT Reading questions (based on analysis of four publicly available new SATs). Answering inference questions correctly requires the ability to take information given in the text and then draw logical, supported conclusions from it. What are the different kinds of inference questions asked on the SAT Reading Section, and how should you go about answering them? I've got the answers for you in this article. feature image credit: Fellow citizens of Massachusetts! by Boston Public Library, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Inference Questions? Inference questions ask about the meaning of a line, paragraph, or even an entire passage. The ideas being asked about are not directly stated in the text, which mean that inference questions often include the phrases â€Å"could be interpreted to mean† or â€Å"suggests that." Since there can only be one correct answer to any SAT question, however, the answers to these questions cannot be subjective or ambiguous. Via funnyworld.info. Inference questions often also require big picture skills, since you must be able to get meaning from entire passages to answer questions about paired passage relationships, or from entire paragraphs for other inference questions. In contrast to function questions, which ask "what does [this word, phrase, or line] DO," inference questions ask "what does [this word, phrase, or line] MEAN?" There are three main kinds of inference questions: deduction, speculation, and examination. Type 1: Deduction Inference questions that fall into this subcategory ask you to fill in missing information. The gist of most of the questions is "If something is said in the passage, what is the logical extension?" Deduction questions are very close to detail questions, except that you must make a logical deduction, rather than relying only on information in the passage. For example: According to the passage, Woolf chooses the setting of the bridge because it A) is conducive to a mood of fanciful reflection. B) provides a good view of the procession of the sons of educated men. C) is within sight of historic episodes to which she alludes. D) is symbolic of the legacy of past and present sons of educated men. The relevant lines: Close at hand is a bridge over the River Thames, an admirable vantage ground for us to make a survey. The river flows beneath; barges pass, laden with timber, bursting with corn; there on one side are the domes and spires of the city; on the other, Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. It is a place to stand on by the hour, dreaming. But not now. Now we are pressed for time. Now we are here to consider facts; now we must fix our eyes upon the procession - the procession of the sons of educated men. To get the correct answer, (B), you must deduce from the info given. My thoughts: Normally we'd be on the bridge to dream and have fanciful reflection, but that's not the case now. Instead, now we have to do something else while standing on the bridge. What is that something else? Fixing our eyes on the procession of the sons of educated men. There will be a more full walkthrough of an inference question later on in this article – the point of that was to show the eensy, teensy step you have to take beyond what is written to answer inference questions. It's not like high school English literature classes, where you’re encouraged to make any interpretation you can, as long as you can back it up with enough words/rambling. In fact, I know that some people just think of these kinds of inference questions as paraphrasing, becaus so little interpretation is involved. Some examples of how these questions have been asked on the SAT (with some modifications to keep them on the same theme): Based on the passage, the authors’ statement â€Å"If a pair consisted of two piccolos, for example, there would not be room for it† (lines 29-30) implies that a pair The narrator implies that Ms. Boulanger favors a form of education that emphasizes In Passage 1, Bach contends that breaking the laws of counterpoint has which consequence? La Orquestra Filharmà ³nica Nacional entonà ³ el Himno Nacional y la cancià ³n Patria Querida by Luigino Bracci, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. From my constant comments about musicians, you may be able to DEDUCE that I, too, am a musician. Type 2: Speculation These inference questions ask you to speculate about the meaning (or "suggested" meaning) of a statement, description, or something else in the passage. In some ways, these are similar to function questions, but the answers the SAT is looking for are very different. Take this question: In the passage, Akira addresses Chie with If this were a function question, the answer choices would be generic, like â€Å"a continuation of an extended comparison† or â€Å"an unexpected answer to a question.† Since this is an inference question, the answer choices are more specific, along the lines of â€Å"affection but not genuine love† or â€Å"amusement but not mocking disparagement.† Some examples of how this sort of inference question is asked: It can reasonably be inferred that â€Å"the strong-minded† (line 32) was a term generally intended to In line 42, the authors state that a certain hypothesis â€Å"can best be tested by a trial.† Based on the passage, which of the following is a hypothesis the authors suggest be tested in a trial? The phrase â€Å"liquid gold† (line 71) most directly suggests that What does the author suggest about the transgenic studies done in the 1980s and 1990s? Type 3: Examination Inference questions which fall into the examination subcategory question you about the internal life (thoughts, feelings, motivations) of the narrator, author, or someone mentioned in the passage. They can mostly be summed up as asking "What would [this person] think about [that thing]?" Examination questions are the most complicated type of inference questions, because they ask you to get into the head of the author/narrator/character/other person mentioned in the text. You will often see these sorts of questions on paired passages. Fortunately, it is pretty easy to identify examination inference questions, since they do tend to fall into "what does X think about Y" format. See below for some examples: The â€Å"social psychologists† mentioned in paragraph 2 (lines 17-34) would likely describe the â€Å"deadweight loss† phenomenon as The passage indicates that when the narrator began working for Edward Crimsworth, he viewed Crimsworth as a It can be inferred that the authors of Passage 1 believe that running a household and raising children It can most reasonably be inferred from Passage 2 that Paine views historical precedents as Beecher would most likely have reacted to lines 65-68 (â€Å"Now . . . woman†) of Passage 2 with Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! 6 Superior Strategies for Attacking Inference Questions So how do you attack inference questions? Is there any way other than just reading the entire passage? (Answer to the first question: hold on one moment. Answer to that second question: yes, for sure) I've compiled for you a bunch of different strategies for attacking inference questions. Some of these strategies work better if you read the passage a certain way (for instance, looking for context may not be as necessary for students who read the passage all the way through), but much of the advice is useful no matter what your method of reading the passage. Strategy 1: Understand What The Question Is Really Asking Understanding what an inference question is actually asking can be hard to wrap your head around, particularly when they ask about multiple passages. Questions are often wordy and seem to require a lot of information before you can even begin to answer them. For instance: The author of Passage 2 would most likely respond to the discussion of the future of space mining in lines 18-28, Passage 1, by claiming that such a future A) is inconsistent with the sustainable use of space resources.B) will be difficult to bring about in the absence of regulations.C) cannot be attained without technologies that do not yet exist.D) seems certain to affect Earth’s economy in a negative way. This question requires you to find information about the future of space mining in Passage 1 and then put yourself in the shoes of the author of Passage 2 and figure out what that author would think about the topic †¦ugh. Aches and pains by Quinn Dombrowski, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. How do you answer this kind of question without causing your brain to hurt too much? You break it down, piece by piece, into a question that is answerable. For the example above, you have to start by figuring out what the future of spacing mining says in Passage 1. How? Look at the sentence(s) referenced in the question (sometimes the quoted word may actually refer to something in another sentence, but I’ll go into that later). In this case, the author of Passage 1 claims that not only will space miners might "[meet] earthly demands for precious metals...and the rare earth elements," "enrich themselves," but they will also "build an off-planet economy free of any bonds with Earth." Now all you have to do find specific places in Passage 2 where the author talks about the implications of space miners meeting demand for elements rare or valuable on earth (vaguely referenced in lines 48 and 51), getting rich themselves (specifically mentioned in lines 57-66), or creating an off-world economy (mentioned in lines 73-78). As you can see, figuring out what an inference question is asking can get you most of the way to figuring out what the answer is. Let's look at the example from above again, keeping the three topics discussed in lines 18-28 in mind. The author of Passage 2 would most likely respond to the discussion of the future of space mining in lines 18-28, Passage 1, by claiming that such a future A) is inconsistent with the sustainable use of space resources.B) will be difficult to bring about in the absence of regulations.C) cannot be attained without technologies that do not yet exist.D) seems certain to affect Earth’s economy in a negative way. To find the answer to this question, use the process of elimination on the answer choices. Do any of the parts of Passage 2 that address the claims in lines 18-28 of Passage 1 support the choices? Choices C) and D) can be eliminated immediately because Passage 2 does not make either of these claims at all, which leaves you with a choice between choices A) and B). While the authors of Passage 2 posit that "Others will suggest glutting ourselves on space’s riches is not an acceptable alternative to developing more sustainable ways of earthly life," they do not make any claims about the sustainable use of space resources, which means that choice A) is wrong. By contrast, after mentioning that "the relevant legal and regulatory framework" for space mining "is fragmentary, to put it mildly" in lines 73-78, the author of passage 2 concludes that â€Å"†¦miners have much to gain from a broad agreement on the for-profit exploitation of space. Without consensus, claims will be disputed, investments risky, and the gains made insecure.† This directly discusses regulation of space mining and how it would be difficult to move forward with space mining in the absence of regulation, making the correct answer to this question choice B). Strategy 2: Look For Context SAT Reading may lull you into a sense of false security, because line numbers are given in a question (so you clearly don't have to look elsewhere). WRONG! The lines present in the question (particularly when it is an inference question) are not necessarily the only lines you’ll need to answer the question - often, more context is needed. If you're having trouble with an inference question because the lines cited aren't enough, the best strategy is to look at the sentences before and after the phrase/sentence/lines you’re given in the question. Sometimes even that isn't enough, and you'll need to know the main point of the passage or the perspective of the author in order to properly answer an inference question. Don't panic if this is the case - if you're struggling to answer the question, mark it in your test booklet and come back to it after you’ve answered other relevant questions (like questions about the paragraph/section the lines in question are in, or even questions about the whole passage). Strategy 3: Answer In Your Own Words For me, this strategy is the key to answering inference questions correctly. If I don't come up with the answer in my own words before I look at the answer choices, I get tripped up by answer choices that include irrelevant information (because I search for ways to prove that they are true) - this is a waste of time and an easy way to get confused. Your answer for "Based on the passages, Lincoln would most likely describe the behavior that Thoreau recommends in lines 64-66 (â€Å"if it . . . law†) as" will probably not be as prettily worded as the actual answer choices, but because your answer should include only relevant and accurate information, matching it to the correct answer should be easier. The College Board knows that you've been trained (via high school English classes) to see as many different points of view as possible and is banking on you getting bogged down in wrong answers that are interpretations that â€Å"seem like they could be true.† Don't be fooled: there is only one right answer on the SAT, and if you start with the right answer in your own words, it’s a lot easier to choose the right answer in THEIR words. But how do you figure out what a phrase, line, or sentence means/suggests/indicates, or what its implications are? Strategy 4:Nail Down Other SAT Reading Skills The skills you need to answer inference questions build on other SAT Reading skills. Take this question: The author's attitude toward pharming is best described as one of A) apprehension. B) ambivalence. C) appreciation. D) astonishment In order to answer this question sucessfully, you need all of the following skills: Vocab in Context – you need to be able to sum up an attitude in a single word Little Picture – you need to figure out what pharming is and when it's discussed in the passage Big Picture – you need to be able to scan the passage to get a sense of the attitude of the author If all else fails, you can use author technique skills to figure out the general tone of the passage (is it positive or negative towards pharming? Which answers are positive and which are negative?) Pulling all of these skills together allows you to successfully answer an examination inference question that asks you "How does the author of the passage feel about pharming?" Nail by Craig Dugas, used under CC BY-SA 2.0. Nail down those SAT Reading skills better than some person nailed down that...nail. Strategy 5:Answer Questions In The Order That Works For You What order this is will depend on the way you read the passage. If you read the passage all the way through, then look at the questions, I'd recommend starting with big picture questions and then going to inference (and function) questions. That way, you can answer questions about larger amount of text while it's still fresh in your mind, and you might get some useful information that'll help you with inference questions. It's also possible that just answering questions in order of appearance might work best if you read quickly enough to get through the passage and have plenty of time to answer the questions, because you'll be less likely to accidentally skip a question or fill in the wrong answer bubble. If you start by reading through all the questions, then jumping back to the passage(s), start with little picture and vocab in context questions (which themselves can require some degree of inference, if you don't know the word being asked about and need to rely on context clues) to get more information about the author and topic being covered, then move on to inference questions. If it turns out you need big picture information to answer a particular inference question, mark it on your test booklet and come back to it later. If you skim the passage and then tackle questions, it's better to answer both big and little picture questions before you start in on the inference questions. Even if the phrases/sentences/lines mentioned in an inference question are in introduction or conclusion sentences (or paragraphs), chances are that more context will be needed than you picked up on your initial skim. Leave inference questions until after you've answered the questions that are easiest to answer after skimming a passage - big picture questions (because they ask about a large amount of text) and little picture questions (because you will have a good idea of where in the passage details might be located). Strategy 6:Eliminate Answers As you may or may not already know, the fundamental rule for SAT Reading is that you must eliminate 3 wrong answers. For inference questions, this can be difficult, because even if you answer the question in your own words correctly, the inference you make may not what they’re looking for. How do you figure out if an answer can be eliminated? After all, you have to go through the text and then match it with these weird answers that have all these different components. That last part, however, actually makes going throught the answer choices to inference questions easier, because if any part of the answer choice does not match with the passage, then you can eliminate that answer choice. Take this examination question, for instance: Based on the passages, both authors would agree with which of the following claims? A) Women have moral duties and responsibilities. B) Men often work selflessly for political change. C) The ethical obligations of women are often undervalued. D) Political activism is as important for women as it is for men. The correct answer must be completely correct. So even the author of Passage 2 would agree that political activism is just as important for women as it is for men, as per answer choice (D), if the author of Passage 1 would not also agree with it then you must eliminate it. For this question, the correct answer, (A), passes this test: the author of both passages would agree that women have moral duties and responsibilities. Inference Questions: A Walkthrough To finish up (and before you get to practice inference questions), I’ll do an in-depth walkthrough with you of a particularly nasty inference question. On the actual SAT, you won't need nearly as much explanation to justify the correct answer - I just wanted to make sure my reasoning was clear. Which reaction does Akira most fear from Chie? A) She will consider his proposal inappropriate. B) She will mistake his earnestness for immaturity. C) She will consider his unscheduled visit an imposition. D) She will underestimate the sincerity of his emotions. Because the question is asking what reaction Akira most fears from Chie, I’ll need to focus on the parts of the passage that are from Akira’s point of view or talk about what he is concerned about only. The question isn’t asking what any other character thinks Akira fears, just what Akira fears, so the evidence should come from him. Here’s the two sections of the passage that are from Akira's point of view or involve him expressing things he cares about: â€Å"Madame,† said Akira, â€Å"forgive my disruption, but I come with a matter of urgency.†His voice was soft, refined. He straightened and stole a deferential peek at her face.In the dim light his eyes shone with sincerity. Chie felt herself starting to like him.â€Å"Come inside, get out of this nasty night. Surely your business can wait for a moment or two.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"I don’t want to trouble you. Normally I would approach you more properly but I’ve received word of a position. I’ve an opportunity to go to America, as dentist for Seattle’s Japanese community.†(Lines 31-42)Akira blushed.â€Å"Depending on your response, I may stay in Japan. I’ve come to ask for Naomi’s hand.†Suddenly Chie felt the dampness of the night.â€Å"Does Naomi know anything of your . . .ambitions?†Ã¢â‚¬Å"We have an understanding. Please don’t judge my candidacy by the unseemliness of this proposal. I ask directly because the use of a go-between takes much time. Either method comes down to the same thing: a matter of parental approval. If you give your consent, I become Naomi’s yoshi.* We’ll live in the House of Fuji. Without your consent, I must go to America, to secure a new home for my bride.†Eager to make his point, he’d been looking her full in the face. Abruptly, his voice turned gentle. â€Å"I see I’ve startled you. My humble apologies. I’ll take no more of your evening. My address is on my card. If you don’t wish to contact me, I’ll reapproach you in two weeks’ time. Until then, good night.†He bowed and left. Taking her ease, with effortless grace, like a cat making off with a fish.*a man who marries a woman of higher status and takes her family’s name(Lines 57-78) My thinking: At first glance, Akira appears to be afraid of a few things (in order of appearance in the passage): worried he’s interrupting (line 31, â€Å"forgive my disruption†) doesn’t want to trouble because of his improper method of approaching (lines 39-40, â€Å"I don't want to trouble you. Normally I would approach you more properly†) concerned he might be turned down because of the way he approached (lines 63-64, â€Å"Please don’t judge my candidacy by the unseemliness of this approval†) On the face of it, these are all possible answers (although the question asks what he most fears, so eventually I’ll have to narrow it down a little). But are there any answer choices that can be eliminated right away?A) She will consider his proposal inappropriate.That matches up with the third thing Akira is worried about, so we definitely can’t eliminate that.B) She will mistake his earnestness for immaturity.That doesn’t match with any of the three things Akira is worried about, so it seems unlikely. This is a sneaky answer choice, though, because in a section of the passage we learn that Chie does think he’s immature (â€Å"That’s how she viewed him, as a child†). But there’s no evidence that Akira is worried about this, so it can’t be the correct answer and thus can be eliminated.C) She will consider his unscheduled visit an imposition.This matches up with the second thing on the list above, so it shouldn’t be elimi nated yet.D) She will underestimate the sincerity of his emotions.That doesn’t match with any of the reasons Akira is worried. It does seem like a logical thing for Akira to worry about, but to make that inference is too big a leap, particularly when there are two other choices that are supported by the passage. Plus, the only thing the passage does state about Akira’s sincerity is â€Å"In the dim light his eyes shone with sincerity. Chie felt herself starting to like him.†, which if anything would imply that Chie knows Akira is sincere. Eliminate it!So now I’m down to two answer choices:A) She will consider his proposal inappropriate.andC) She will consider his unscheduled visit an imposition. Since the remaining answer choices are both things that Akira fears from Chie, the next step is to figure out which one Akira most fears. There can only be one right answer to an SAT question, so the correct answer has to be clearly more fear-inducing. One of the reasons this question is so tricky is that figuring out which scenario Akira fears the most requires other SAT Reading skills like finding the detail and understanding the big picture. Here's more of my thinking as I reasoned through the rest of this question: The whole reason Akira approaches Chie in the first place is about the proposal, and the first words out of his mouth have to do with it (â€Å"forgive my disruption, but I come with a matter of urgency†). This detail isn’t the only evidence that suggests Akira is more worried about his proposal than about his visit being an imposition, which would suggest answer choiceA). The bulk of the supporting evidence for the answer to this question, though, requires big picture skills. The main reason Akira visits the house is to tell Chie he wants to marry her daughter. While C) She will consider his unscheduled visit an imposition. is something that Akira fears, it is only a smaller subset of Akira’s fear about the inappropriate nature of his proposal. In fact, the only reason Akira worries about his visit being seen as an imposition is because he worries it might make Chie see his proposal as inappropriate. So in this case, the thing that Akira most fears (and the corr ect answer) is A) She will consider his proposal inappropriate. Can we go for a walk? by Kathleen Tyler Conklin, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Your reward for completing that arduous question is this picture of an adorable dog. Enjoy! Inference Questions: Practice Time! I've included three medium-level official practice questions for you to...practice...with. Unfortunately, the most complicated inference questions required too much text to copy and paste, so you will just have to hunt those down on your own (perhaps via our complete list of official SAT practice tests?). This passage is adapted from MacDonald Harris, The Balloonist.  ©2011 by The Estate of Donald Heiney. During the summer of 1897, the narrator of this story, a fictional Swedish scientist, has set out for the North Pole in a hydrogen-powered balloon. 1. Over the course of the passage, the narrator’s attitude shifts from A) fear about the expedition to excitement about it. B) doubt about his abilities to confidence in them. C) uncertainty of his motives to recognition of them. D) disdain for the North Pole to appreciation of it. 2. Which choice best describes the narrator’s view of his expedition to the North Pole? A) Immoral but inevitable B) Absurd but necessary C) Socially beneficial but misunderstood D) Scientifically important but hazardous 3. The question the narrator asks in lines 30-31 (â€Å"Will it . . . railway†) most nearly implies that A) balloons will never replace other modes of transportation. B) the North Pole is farther away than the cities usually reached by train. C) people often travel from one city to another without considering the implications. D) reaching the North Pole has no foreseeable benefit to humanity. Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. C 2. B 3. D In Conclusion Inference questions ask you to deduce, speculate, and examine based on evidence directly stated in the text. In order to successfully answer inference questions, you must make sure you understand the question Look for context to help if the lines/words mentioned in the question aren't enough Answer the question in your own words before looking at the SAT’s answer choices Nail down other SAT Reading skills to help you with inference questions Answer questions in an order that makes sense and is not confusing/disorienting Eliminate three wrong answers What’s Next? Did you find this SAT Reading skill-focused article useful? You're in luck - we have a whole series of SAT Reading skills articles! You can find them all collected here in our ultimate guide to SAT Reading, or you can jump to specific articles on main point, little picture, function, vocab in context, author technique, analogy, and paired passage questions Feeling overwhelmed and not sure what the best way to practice SAT Reading is? Find out how to read the passage and how to attack paired passages. Worried about running out of time on SAT Reading? You’re not alone. Read more about how to avoid getting caught in a Reading time crunch here. Do you find that breaking down questions by skill type and drilling them really works for you? Consider the PrepScholar platform to help you with your SAT test prep! 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 Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: