A Prerequisite for Effective Performance within Complex Environments Free Essay Example, 2750 words

It is evidently clear from the discussion that the need to succeed in the international business framework is a concern that has got so many businesses executives thinking and raking their brains. It puzzles to find out what exactly makes a good international manager; a person who can drive the business into its destinations of success. This is the reason that has since prompted many researchers into conducting various studies to determine some reasons that could account for effective management in the global business arena. Among the studies that have done include finding out the connection between personal capabilities and characteristics of a manager to effective management. Most of the studies that have sought to answer this question have been founded on the assumption that certain qualities of an international manager predispose them to success and effective management. A study conducted Downes, Varner, and Hemmasi, based on the hypothesis that easily adaptable managers have hi gh chances of delivering effective management revealed that it indeed, the faster the manager is able to adjust the more effective their management is outcome felt. This study proved through the data collected that companies that do well in the international contexts are driven by well-adaptable managers. We will write a custom essay sample on A Prerequisite for Effective Performance within Complex Environments or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Wippl and D'Andrea further supported this position with the study in which a sample of international managers was evaluated through a case study. The results showed that out of ten managers, seven were found to have a great sense of adaptability. The seven expatriates were found to have had an extensive experience that had set them for easy adaptation. In this study, other factors such as age among others were also found to be influencing the level of adaption. In contrast, a study conducted by Olsen and Martins about the relationship between adaptability and management effectiveness found out that the formers contributes just a little to the outcome of the latter.

Reading in Intergrated Marketing Communication Research Paper

Essays on Reading in Intergrated Marketing Communication Research Paper The paper "Reading in Integrated Marketing Communication" is an excellent example of a research paper on marketing. With the diversified adoption of technology in communication, marketing has since benefited from the same. Marketing has revolutionary changed from the traditional print adverts to electronic and online campaigns. Both the sellers and the consumers have adopted online marketing based on the advantage of accessing online marketing services that are available in both wireless and mobile communication networks. The advantage of this form of marketing to markets is the advantage of reaching and making contact with each consumer individually. With these averages and potential, there are several challenges that come with mobile marketing; security in making payments, a guarantee of the said products in form and design, turnaround time and privacy of consumer information, data, and details. This study will seek to establish what several writers have said about these matters an d any other arising issues then identify the information gaps regarding the issues. These risks will be addressed with regard to mobile applications, QR codes and web 2.0 and any other marketing tool operating on mobile platforms.IntroductionMobiles are the most common forms of advertising today and the highest growing form of shopping (Munteanu, 2011). This form of marketing communication is widely used based on five factors. Ubiquity; mobiles are available everywhere and anytime. Reachability; A marketer is guaranteed of reaching the target consumer so long as the mobile device is on and the act is under real-time status. Convenience; the environment within which the user and the mobile device operate is one of ease and it is this which mobile marketers rely on for convenience. Connectivity; in most cases, the connection of a mobile device to the internet and to the network is instant. Lastly, content-sensitivity; in most cases, the mobile app is able to sense the kind of content the user is trafficking and presenting adverts which are in the same content-line.Today, most information gets shared through the internet and applications are the current tools of this mode of communication (Benou Bitos, 2008). The promotion of this is by the milestones made recently in the wireless and mobile communication technologies. As marketing is all about communication and the message to be communicated target to each individual consumer, mobiles present the most appropriate form of marketing communication. The advantage of mobiles which has made them the perfect choice for marketers is that everyone has his or her own. Mobiles are also portable and because every person walks around with a mobile, one can get reached regardless of where they are so long as there is network coverage (Bellman, 2011).

New Product Report

Question: Creative strategy development begins with an assessment of the marketing and promotional situation and a determination of what needs to be communicated to the target audience. This portfolio provides students with an opportunity to see the IMC Planning Process in action, where students undertake a situational analysis and prepare a Creative Brief. These tasks are crucial to an IMC Planning process as they establish a framework for developing, implementing and controlling an organizations IMC program. Answer: Establishing a new product in the market requires a lot of research to be done before the introduction of the product in the market. Depending on the research, a specific portfolio is set to market the product. Several factors play role in this respect, such as framing a competitive strategy in terms of its price, creating a promotional plan by means of target market and positioning strategies and other factors as well. This paper is based on creating a business plan for the entry of a new product. It has been assumed that the CEO of the company is unable to determine the market scenario well, and being the brand manager of the company, the writer has to acknowledge the market scenario and present a report on it. The product chosen for the purpose of this paper is a liquid detergent for car wash for the company Wash Tec, Australia. The market chosen for the product is New South Wales. Background of the company: Wash Tec is a manufacturer, distributor and whole seller of car care products. It is Worlds largest vehicle wash manufacturer. The company is growing with a number of subsidiaries. The company has been active in more than 100 countries. The plan is to develop a plan for selling liquid detergent for car wash. The detergent will be used for multi-purpose for cleaning the body of the car; tire of the car and for other cleansing purposes (washtec.com.au, 2016). Target market: The target market focuses on the group of scopes which includes the selling of the market product to a high extent. The initial step to promote an MOA which is Marketing Opportunity Analysis promotes the company to rectify the potential value of the market, and the amount of competition (Thorson and Moore 2013). The target marketing includes geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioral values. The demographic variation includes marketing departments regarding the specific product, ethnicity, and the overall productivity and marketing plan. The psychographics includes the information to establish a strong background and reason why a buyer should buy the respectable product in Australia. The company would stable the background of the product efficiency so that the buyers feel interested to buy the products (Barrett 2016). The criteria which would highlight the psychographic information are the quality of the product, the use of the product and the effectiveness of the product respectively. It also includes the subjects such as motives, lifestyle and personality characteristics (Solomon 2014). As the company is based on the car products specifically the washing products of the car, the lifestyle is a much more important factor which market of the respectable product. The percentage of car users has increased all over the world also including the New South Wales Australia. Therefore the buyers of the car products are of good percentage. It is noted that about 731 per thousand people in the year of 2015 are car users. Therefore it can be said that the users of the cars products are of good numbers in Australia. There are variable factors which can be used to enhance the market of the product and include the best strategy to capture as many consumers as possible (Shimp and Andrews 2013). These strategies are the major actors responsible for increasing the market value and the target market and maximizing the sale. Positioning strategy: A positioning strategy is important to occupy the minds of the target consumers. A right positioning strategy incorporates a strong value among the consumers. Certain things are to be kept in mind at the time of positioning (Sagala et al. 2014). These are: Quality positioning: The quality of the product must be very good. The detergent must be strong enough to remove grease and stains from the parts of the car. Value positioning: The product must have the right value. The price of the product must be reasonable for the consumers to buy it. Wash Tec has always focused on keeping a value of the customers and it is expected that they will continue with the same effort (Riley 2012). Rivalry based positioning: Although the market is dominated by Wash Tec, yet other competitors are Geo Wash, IMO car wash that can be counted as the rival of Wash Tec. Thus, a clear understanding of the operation of these companies needs to be accessed before introducing a new product. Benefit driven positioning: It is one of the most effective way of positioning a product. It is expected that at the beginning of the sale of the product, the company would provide free samples to the customers visiting their outlets (Rahmani et al. 2015). The company might provide discount in the new product on the purchase of other products from them. This way they can approach the target customers easily. Creativity: A bit of creative and innovative approach are made to sell the product with better appeal. It is the creativity of the product or the promotional techniques that attracts the target consumers of the product. Thus, it is always expected that a creative approach is taken towards the marketing of the product (Percy 2014). Designing a proper marketing mix is the foremost thing in the concept of creativity. A recommended promotional mix can be delivered here: Promotional mix The common 4 Ps of marketing is a necessary tool to frame for creating a promotional mix of a newly launched product. For car wash detergent, the promotional mix can be designed as below: Product The product is a liquid detergent that can be used for several purpose of cleaning cars, such as body of the car or the tire. The name of the product could be considered to be Quick Wash. The product is in a form of a spray and it can be easily carried by the user. The benefit of using this product is that only by spraying the liquid and then rubbing the surface of the car can bring shine and cleaning appearance in the car. This is the main selling proportion of the product. Place The region chosen for the sale of the product for the time being is New South Wales. The success of the product might provide it a global approach. Price The price of the product has to be reasonable and should give value to the consumers. The expected price could be $5 for 500ml of car wash. Promotion The promotional techniques have been mentioned here. On store promotion would be the best promotional technique for this particular product. Direct selling would be a better approach towards the selling of the product. Response process: The response process of the customer includes the cognitive which is the thinking, affective comprises the feelings, and cognitive including the behavior. The number of customers who are willing to move on to the final stage of the purchase, including awareness, and business need. The entire process includes awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction, and purchase (Papasolomou et al. 2014). The company makes aware of the products through normal mediums which are not much expensive of the company to expend. Customers gain knowledge about the respective product. According to the product quality and the efficiency the customers set their response on the products. The marketing and selling of the products depends on the publicity and effectiveness of the respectable product. The car washing product of the company Wash Tec produced different strategies which are responsible for the customer response. The company supplied a plan for creating a customer desire for the purchasing of the product (Naeem et al. 2013). The strategy that was subjected are of simple outbreaks for the understanding and satisfactory of the customers. The liking step of the strategies of the customer response includes the factors that encourage the customers to like the product. Therefore the business should try their utmost effort to get the customers to give a positive response for the product (Eisenbeiss et al. 2015). IMC objectives: Integrated marketing communication plays an important part in communicating the brand image to a larger audience. It is one of the effective tools for creating a marketing communication at a minimal cost. The traditional ways of marketing can easily be overcome by the process of integral communication. Integrated marketing saves time and allow the marketers to connect with the consumers in a more healthy relationship (Muruganantham and Bhakat 2013). In this respect, it can be said that direct marketing, personal selling and advertising could be the most effective means of promotional techniques that the marketers could use. Direct marketing: Direct marketing is used to outreach the consumers in the sales list. It has many pros because by the means of direct marketing, people can be reached out easily and directly and thus, getting a positive result is more (Lee et al. 2015). On the other hand, direct marketing requires great effort from the marketers and customer service too. Personal selling: Selling a product personally reduces the cost of marketing and vending the product. If a good sales person is equipped for the purpose of selling the product, then the marketers can achieve their goal to a great extent (Finley 2013). This could be the perfect promotional technique to be used by the company at this stage of product promotion. At every outlet, the company might appoint a sales person for selling the product to the visitors convincing them their own way. Advertising: This is the most effective and the most credible way of marketing a product. There are various channels that might be used for the sake of promotion. Advertisement helps to build a brand image among the consumers (Fang et al. 2015). By means of various advertising channels, the reach can be made higher for the product. New promotional tool The promotional strategy is one of the major plans for a company to promote the brand as well as the products of the company. The mediums through which it promotes the publications are such as brochure, advertisement, outdoor, etc. The main effectiveness of the publication includes major and proper thinking of the plan and the attractive strategies which will enable the customers to make a inquisitive move for the information about the product (Bickhoff et al. 2014). The company has produced big events in the outdoor parameter as well as publishing the products in the heavily crowded area, such as residential places, markets, office areas and also near the car shops. This is because the car shop may require car washes for managing the cars, provided by the customers to service. Another important strategy for the publication for promoting the car washing products is by POP or point of purchase, by a mall, market or sometimes in an open trade fair. Sometime free samples are to be supplied with respective goods, so that customers could analyze the quality of the product and have the interest to use it in a daily basis for the cleaning purpose of the car. Free sampling is strategies which have shown a major success in the field of marketing and sales (Babin et al. 2015). Major selling ideas: The central theme of selling the product is its multi-purpose use. Generally the wash products come with segregated usage. Different products are available for the purpose of cleaning the metallic body of the car, the inside parts such as the seat or the dash board and for cleaning the tire of the cars (Ewing and Ramaseshan 2015). However, quick wash is such a product that does not require segregating the parts of the car and it can be used for all purposes. The product also does not require any water support and it can be used just as a spray and on rubbing the surface, it can bring back the shine of the car. This is the Unique Selling Proposition of the product and this idea is needed to be focused on at the time of carrying out any kind of promotional activities. The competitive advantage of the product is the unique idea of the product. Moreover, the price of the product and the brand value could also be proved to be one of the competitive advantages for the company (Blakeman 201 4). On store publicity and direct selling could be the best way of approaching the product to the customers. Wash Tec has a loyal base of customers and there is a great possibility of convincing the consumers for using the product when they would approach the outlet. This way, the company can save a certain amount that they would have spent if they had adopted other means of selling. Thus, a greater earning of profit is expected. Creative strategy: It is very important to decide on an advertising media where the product is to be advertised. Again, creating a creative and attractive advertisement will be more appealing and would attract more consumers towards the product. As discussed, for a product like car wash, no such traditional advertising media would prove fruitful for the company (Bickhoff et al. 2014). The approaches made towards selling the product should be inclined more towards direct selling. However, a creative approach could be made towards the packaging of the product. The product could be made in the form of a spray and it could be made really handy that it can be easily carried by the users. Moreover, it is also recommended that the product might be available in all sizes that depending upon the choice of the consumers, they can buy the product (Babin and Zikmund 2015). Recommendations: It can be recommended that in case of a product like a car wash, the quality and the value of the product is what matters the most. The product is quiet unique to get attention of the consumers in the market. However, a proper promotional technique would be of greater importance for the launch of a new product. Other than direct selling and offering small sachet to the regular customers, the company might take on regular approaches towards promoting the product by the means of advertisement. On store promotion and outdoor media would be better choice of media rather than using the traditional media like television advertisement or new media such as social media networks. However, since, promotion through social media networking is cheap and easily accessible; this media can be used by Wash Tec because the reach by the means of social media becomes greater. Focusing on the packaging of the product, might result in greater chances of acceptance among the consumers. Conclusion: The discussion made throughout the paper made it evident that it requires a good research along with proper promotional approach towards the marketing of a product. Various approaches needed for proper marketing of the product has been analyzed here. It has been found that Wash Tec is a globally operated company and has a good market around the globe. The company has come up with various products related to cars maintenance. Launching a new product will not be a challenging task for the company. However, taking a proper approach will always result in better return from the market. Reference list: Babin, B. and Zikmund, W., 2015.Essentials of marketing research. Nelson Education. Barrett, C.B., 2016. Market analysis methods: are our enriched toolkits well suited to enlivened markets?.American Journal of Agricultural Economics,78(3), pp.825-829. Bickhoff, N., Hollensen, S. and Opresnik, M., 2014. Step 2: Strategic and Operative Marketing PlanningSegmenting, Targeting, Positioning. InThe Quintessence of Marketing(pp. 47-110). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Blakeman, R., 2014.Integrated marketing communication: creative strategy from idea to implementation. Rowman Littlefield. Eisenbeiss, M., Wilken, R., Skiera, B. and Cornelissen, M., 2015. What makes deal-of-the-day promotions really effective? The interplay of discount and time constraint with product type.International Journal of Research in Marketing,32(4), pp.387-397. Ewing, M.T. and Ramaseshan, B., 2015. Integrated marketing communications: Conflicts of interest, politics and performance. InProceedings of the 1998 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 265-272). Springer International Publishing. Fang, E., Lee, J. and Yang, Z., 2015. The Timing of codevelopment alliances in new product development processes: returns for upstream and downstream partners.Journal of Marketing,79(1), pp.64-82. Finley, W.E., 2013. Using personal selling techniques in embedded librarianship.Journal of Business Finance Librarianship,18(4), pp.279-292. Lee, H.H.M. and van Dolen, W., 2015. Creative participation: Collective sentiment in online co-creation communities.Information Management,52(8), pp.951-964. Muruganantham, G. and Bhakat, R.S., 2013. A review of impulse buying behavior.International Journal of Marketing Studies,5(3), p.149. Naeem, B., Bilal, M. and Naz, U., 2013. Integrated marketing communication: a review paper.Interdisciplinary journal of contemporary research in business,5(5), pp.124-133 Papasolomou, I., Thrassou, A., Vrontis, D. and Sabova, M., 2014. Marketing public relations: A consumer-focused strategic perspective.Journal of Customer Behaviour,13(1), pp.5-24. Percy, L., 2014.Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge. Rahmani, K., Emamisaleh, K. and Yadegari, R., 2015. Quality Function Deployment and New Product Development with a focus on Marketing Mix 4P model.Asian Journal of Research in Marketing,4(2), pp.98-108. Riley, J., 2012. Promotional mix-personal selling. Sagala, C., Destriani, M., Putri, U.K. and Kumar, S., 2014. Influence of Promotional Mix and Price on Customer Buying Decision toward Fast Food sector: A survey on University Students in Jabodetabek (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi) Indonesia.International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications,4(1), pp.1-7. Shimp, T. and Andrews, J.C., 2013.Advertising promotion and other aspects of integrated marketing communications. Cengage Learning. Solomon, M.R., 2014.Consumer behavior: buying, having, and being. Engelwood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Thorson, E. and Moore, J., 2013.Integrated communication: Synergy of persuasive voices. Psychology Press. washtec.com.au, 2016, Available at: www.washtec.com.au [Accessed on 26/5/2016]

The Great War Essays - Germany In World War II,

The Great War As war consumed Europe, Americans hoped that the Atlantic ocean was enough to seperate them from it and keep them out of the war. President Wilson said that the US would stay out of it saying it was a war in which we had nothing to do. But America could not help but take sides. As immigrants from Europe gave roots to many Americans, it was hard for them not to be opinionated about which side to take. The herirage shared by most Americans and Britain put American public opinion on the sides of the Allies. Trade between the US and the Central Powers also shrank giving another reason it was hard to remain neutral. Adding to that was the fact that exports to the Allies nearly quadrupled and ties between them became closer. In 1915 the British passenger liner, the Lusitania was sunk supposedly by German U-Boats, pissing many people off. Most Americans considered this grounds for war. Wilson, however, refused to take extreme measures against Germany but instead sent them several messages insisting that its government safegaurd the lives of noncombatants in the warzone. When the Sussex was torpedoed by a German torpedo Wilson demanded that they give up submarine warfare or risk war with the US. The Sussex pledge was made out of that where Germans said they wouldnt sink any more merchant ships without warning. Wilson was re-ellected in 1916 and focused on finding a peaceful solution to the war. He knew the only way to keep America out of this war was to end it altogether. Germany announecd on January 31st, 1917, that any vessels in the waters near G.B., France, and Italy would be sunk without warning. This was a violation of the Sussex Pledge and caused the US to break off diplomatic ties with Germany. America Finally entered the war due to the fact that Germany and Mexico were going to attack the US. On April 2nd, 1917, Wilson asked the members of congress to declare war on Germany. He did state in his address to congress that the war was only with the military masters of Germany. The US was only able to raise a small army. By the spring of 1917 American forces numbered only 200,000 troops, 1,500 machine guns, 55 old planes, and no heavy artilery. Despite this, they mobilized quickly and in May of 1917 congress passed the selective service act which required all men ages 21-30 to register for military service. That June nearly 10 million men signed up. The draft was eventually extended to all men between the ages of 18 and 45, which brought another 2.8 million men into the armed forces. On top of that, another 2 million men and women volunteered for service. Among the drafted, were 370,000 African Americans, and of those, 200,000 were sent overseas. They encountered alot of discrimination, werent allowed in the marines, and were even restricted to lower ranks in the navy. That didnt stop the 369th from winning the French decoration, the Croix de Guerre. In the spring of 1918, Germany made a last effort to win the war and almost did. In March and June, they almost penetrated British and Paris lines. America helped to stop their advancement in a town less than fifty miles from Paris called Chateau-thierry. By November, the Allied forces were ready to advance onto German soil. Germany knew they had lost so they signed an armistace, putting a temporary stop to the fighting on November 11th, 1918. America wasnt all that well equiped for war when they first entered it. The biggest concern was keeping our armies supplied. The government needed to raise money to pay for the war and needed to gear the industry towards it as well. To do this, the government placed most industries under control of federal agencies. The biggest of these agencies was the War Industries Board. They handled purchases for the Allies and the US under the leadership of Bernard Baruch, who was a Wall Street stockbroker. His board tried to run the whole US as a single factory controlled by one management. Using the best businessmen in the the country to direct the effort, the government was able to get the cooperation of most businesses to convert their factories to war production. Federal Officials decided how raw materials would be priced and allocated. Women also played a big role in the war. Millions of jobs givin up by men going to war had to be filled and women did just that. It was a first for them because they had never been welcome in

17 SAT Hacks to Help You Ace the Exam

17 SAT Hacks to Help You Ace the Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Standardized tests have a reputation for presenting questions in formats that are tricky and confusing. Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to get past all that and take a shortcut to the correct answer? This article provides expert SAT hacks to help you solve SAT questions that might otherwise leave you stumped! Can You Actually â€Å"Hack† the SAT? Well, yes and no. Quick tidbits of advice like the ones in this articlecan prevent you from squandering your potential and teach you how to work with the test to earn the best score possible. However, you can’t rely on shortcuts to arrive at an excellent score if you’re missing knowledge that is critical for understanding essential aspects of the test. Be warned that these SAT hacks, though helpful,are no substitute for in-depth studying, especially if you struggle with the content at a fundamental level.If you think you need prep that addresses deeper weaknesses, you should check out our complete guide on how to study for the SAT. Overall SAT Hacks Here are some tricks you can use on any part of the SAT to help you get through the section and earn the most points possible. #1: Answer Every Question (No Matter What) The SAT doesn’t have a guessing penalty, so you should fill in an answer bubble for every question even if you have no clue what the correct response is.If you find yourself with a few questions left in the section and only 30 seconds on the clock, you should provide random answers for all of them.You never know if you’ll get lucky and answer one or two correctly, and even if you don’t, your score won’t be any lower than if you had left the questions blank. #2: Be Prepared for the Format Knowing what to expect is half the battle on the SAT.When you sit down to take the test, you want everything to look familiar so you can avoid mistakes triggered by stress. At the very least, you shouldreview the timing and structure of the exambefore test day.Taking practice tests with appropriate time constraints is the best thing you can do to alleviate confusion on this front. #3: Don’t Linger on Hard Questions Getting stuck on one question for too long can do serious damage to your performance on the SAT, especially considering the fact that there are only four sections.If you have no idea how to solve a math problem or can’t seem to settle on one choice for a writing or reading question, skip it and move on.You can come back to it after you make it through the rest of the section. #4: Practice Managing Anxiety Especially if you’re hoping to earn a really high score, coming across a problem that stumps you can kill your momentum on the test.To avoid this pitfall, you need to establish coping mechanisms to deal with these moments of doubt without letting them affect your overall performance. Mindfulness techniques are a great tool to have in your arsenal. Check out this article for more tips on how to reduce test anxiety! Imagine you're not taking the SAT. Instead, you're floating on a serene lake under a beautiful blue sky. You still have to stay awake, though. Seriously, don't fall asleep. SAT Reading Hacks Here are a few more SAT hacks that are specific to the content and format of the SAT Reading section. #5: Plan a Passage Reading Strategy Don’t jump into the test without deciding how you plan to approach passages on the Reading section.Are you more comfortable with skimming, or do you like to read the questions first and then go back and reference the passage to locate the answers? Complete apractice Reading section with appropriate time constraints so you can figure out what feels most comfortable for you and makes for the fewest struggles with time management. #6: Take Advantage of Find the Evidence Questions Find the evidence questions on the SAT are a gift because they help make the correct answers to the previous questions clearer.If none of the answer choices for a find the evidence question make sense in conjunction with your answer to the previous question, this should prompt you to double-check your reasoning.These questions remind you that you need to choose answers to Reading questions based on concrete statements made in the passage.If you made any unfounded assumptions, find the evidence questions will alert you to your mistakes. #7: Engage With the Content It’s much easier to get through the Reading section if you develop an interest in what the passages have to say.You’ll also retain more information from the passage when you move onto the questions. To get yourself interested, envision a scenario in which it's absolutely critical for you to remember what the passage says so you can explain it to other people. Imagine that you'll be presenting the information in the passage to another group of students after you finish reading it. "Notice anything different about me? Teehee" Denise, I accept that love is love, but you just met the SAT Reading section a week ago. YOU'VE BEEN HURT TOO MANY TIMES. SAT Writing Hacks These hacks will give you some insight into the way Writing questions work and how you can answer them more efficiently. #8: When in Doubt, Choose the Most Concise Answer The shortest answer is often the best answer on the Writing section because good writing consists of saying what needs to be said without any unnecessary fluff.Super wordy answers are usually not the ones you want.Of course, this doesn’t hold true for every single question, but it’s a solid rule of thumb if you’re stuck. #9: NO CHANGE Answers Are Just Like Other Choices Often, NO CHANGE answers are wrongfully viewed as more likely or less likely options than other answer choices in the Writing section. In fact, they’re just as likely to be correct as any of the alternative options. Don’t be afraid to pick NO CHANGE if you’ve double checked your reasoning and determined that it’s the correct choice. #10: Get Rid of Duplicate Answers Sometimes, questions on the Writing section will have answer choices that are so similar to one another that choosing one over the other wouldn’t make any functional difference in the sentence structure. Thismeans you can get rid of two choices in one fell swoop.If they’re essentially the same answers, then neither of them is unique enough to be the correct choice.Here's an example: In this case, C and D are functionally the same answers. They both indicate that the author is about to make a statement that goes against what was said in the previous sentence or sentences. Both C and D can be eliminated (the answer is NO CHANGE for this question). Sometimes answer options are just two halves of the same bad berry. This strawberry actually looks really good though. SAT Math Hacks The SAT has two Math sections, one taken without the use of a calculator and one taken with the use of a calculator.On both of these sections, you can use the following SAT hacksto improve your performance. #: Don’t Ignore Diagrams In many cases, the test will provide a diagram to help illustrate a math problem.These diagrams exist for your benefit, so make sure you pay attention to all the information they give you.Does your answer mesh with the way the diagram looks?If you’re asked to find a dimension of a shape, make sure the relative sizes make sense. Your final answer shouldn’t seem out of whack with what the diagram is telling you. #12: Know the Formulas Although the SAT does provide important formulas at the beginning of each of the Math sections, you’ll be a much more efficient test-taker if you have the formulas memorized.It's a waste of time to keep flipping back to the beginning of the section whenever you think you need a formula to solve a problem. For studying purposes, here'sa list of all the formulas you might need for the SAT Math section. #13: Underline Your Goal To keep yourself on track in the Math section, underline the value that you need to find (and circle it in the diagram if applicable).It's frustrating to confidently solve a math problem and later realize that you had to take your calculations one step further to actually get the answer the question wanted. In many cases, the wrong answers will be answers that you might get if you didn’t complete the solution process or solved for the incorrect quantity. #14: Plug in Answers If you have no idea how to solve a math problem, one way to get around that is just toplug in the answer choicesuntil you find the correct solution.This oftentakes longer than solving aproblem with algebra, but if you have time, it can be a useful strategy. Plugs, not drugs. This is probably a t-shirt by now, right? SAT Essay Hacks The essay is optional on the SAT, but many colleges still require it. Hereare some ways you can improve the quality of your essay with minimal effort. #15: Provide a Clear Thesis The essay graders are looking for an easy way to interpret your essay and understand the points you’re making.The best way to tap into this is to write a strong thesis that falls at the end of the introductory paragraph.Reread the central claim of the passage that’s described in the prompt, and transpose it into your thesis statement. Make sure you sketch out the structure of your essay in your thesis by listing three examples of major techniques the author uses to support his or her argument. #16: Write a Good Intro and Conclusion The introductory and concluding paragraphs are extremely important because graders typically pay the most attention to these parts of your essay.The introduction gives graders a preview of the quality of the rest of the essay and the way you’ll structure your ideas.It also contains your thesis, which is the most critical sentence in the entire essay and is what ties all of your points together. #17: Write More Than One Page Try to make your essay around two pages long.The graders don’t have a specific quota for the number of words they want to see, but they expect you to provide a response that fully addresses the most important components of the author’s argument.It’s almost impossible to do this if your response only takes up one page.Consider whether you’ve really explained what’s going on in the passage, and if necessary add more evidence to make your essay complete. Also, make sure your writing is legible. If you bring a quill to the test, expect some backlash. Conclusion: How to Hack the SAT "Hacking" the SAT is possible to an extent, but you need to understand the content fairly well before you can employ most of these tips successfully. To recap, here's a list of all the SAT hacks listed in the article organized by section: Overall Answer every question Be prepared for the format Don't linger on hard questions Learn to manage anxiety Reading Develop a passage reading strategy Use find the evidence questions to your advantage Engage with the content Writing Choose the most concise answer Remember that NO CHANGE answers are no more or less common than other options Eliminate duplicate answer options Math Don't ignore the diagrams Underline your goal Know the formulas Plug in answer options Essay Provide a clear thesis Write a strong introduction and conclusion Write at least two pages If you follow all these pieces of advice and combine them with in-depth studying, you'll be well on your way to an awesome score on the SAT! What's Next? If you think you need more structured guidance in your studying for the SAT, check out our list of the best prep books released this year. Khan Academy now provides free SAT prep services. Learn more abouthow it works and how to get the most out of these resources. There are also other ways to practice for the SAT online that you may not know about. Read all about the best websites to use for SAT prep! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Comparative Analysis Essay

Comparative Analysis Essay Comparative Analysis Essay Comparative Analysis Essay: The Basics The old adage tells us, Cognition comes through comparison. Really it is hard to qualify anything as absolute in our world. As long as there are people with their unique tastes, preferences and views, there will be comparison and of course comparative analysis. Perhaps no writer, actor, musician or painter ever escaped comparison with someone else. For this purpose a comparative analysis essay and a comparative analysis paper are usually written. As you might have guessed the comparative analysis essay includes not only writers personal opinion but also critical comparative analysis. The main goal of the comparative analysis essay is a comprehensive analysis of works, for instance books, and their comparison. Comparative Analysis Essay: What Can You Write About? Homogeneity of comparison objects. Most probably you understand that it is impossible to compare an orange with a tank or a cookie with plutonium, but sometimes the verge is not that obvious. Thus before you start analyzing the objects, make sure they are homogeneous. Practicability of the comparison. For instance, Mozart and Stevie Wonder have a lot in common: both are genius and famous composers, both play piano, and etc. But does the comparative analysis of these people make sense? What is the use of it? Therefore, make you comparative analysis essay practical: Key points for the comparison and analysis. The comparison of principle characters, styles, techniques, word pictures anything you consider to be important for your comparative analysis essay may be a key point. The key points will help you in the final text of the comparative analysis essay, but you do not have to emphasize them separately use them for simplification and systematization of your work. Personal opinion. The essay requires the expression of your personal viewpoint. The comparative analysis in this case is only the tool of thoughts expression. If you do not mention your personal opinion in the comparative analysis essay, then why did you write it? Comparative Analysis Essay: Final Advice With the help of the recommendations in this article you will be able to write the comparative analysis essay on any topic better and faster. With each new experience in writing the comparative analysis essay you will develop your own methods and principles. Analytical and comparative skills will stand you in good stead in real life. And finally instead of I like this more than that you will provide an argumentative comparative analysis on the topic. Read more: Descriptive Essay Sample Deforestation Essay Conformity Essay Writing Editing Revising an Essay

Peer Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Peer Review - Essay Example The writer also provides a lot of quotes from the writings of both the feminist writers to support the arguments. The paragraphs are organized in a coherent manner with each paragraph building on the previous one. However, it lacks a conclusion and there are few grammatical and punctuation errors e. g. the writer writes â€Å"oppression† instead of â€Å"oppression†. This writer provides a catching introduction by directly addressing the two writers, Anzaldua and Kingston. It is important to highlight the creativity when the writer notes that the two women share more than just their XX chromosomes. After the introduction paragraph, the writer provides a background of how the writers encountered sexist oppression. In the next paragraph, the writer adequately describes how the two writers use their languages as the strongest weapons against sexist oppression and patriarchy. This writer also provides relevant quotes that support these arguments. In conclusion, the writer describes examples of use of language as both shields and methods of attack. The essay is well organized, with each paragraph complementing the other. Though there are extremely few punctuation errors, the writer uses a few paragraphs. These errors can be fixed by proofreading through the essay again, while the paragraphs can be divided up to cover different points that are in a si ngle paragraph. This writer does not adequately capture the needs of the question. While the question demands that the writer develop a detailed argument that compares how Anzaldua and Kingston use language as a weapon against patriarchy with detail, this writer only provides summaries of the two writings. The writer just details the events that took place in the book including instances of sexist oppression and patriarchy. However, the writer fails to derive the differences and similarities of how the two writers tackle these issues. At the

Raymond Carvers Cathedral Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Raymond Carvers Cathedral - Essay Example ed helpless and plain and was even dreading their meeting following his wife’s insistence after a short interaction which opens an entirely new state of affairs in his life. The foregrounding of seeing over looking is the author’s centre of focus. This is well demonstrated through a juxtaposition of the two related but substantively dissimilar ways of ascertaining and acquiring knowledge and insight into different phenomena. Literally, the hosts who are composed of the narrator and his wife are able to see as they have fully functional eyesight. Their guest for the night who is called Robert on the other hand is a blind widower fresh from the mourning of his wife Beulah who passed away after suffering from bouts of cancer. It is through the dynamism of the narrator that the author successfully manages to bring out the distinction between seeing and looking. The narrator clearly portrays the picture of a person with eyes but ironically cannot see. He initially uses his ability to see as a special attribute that makes him more important than the blind guest they expect to host for the night. According to Carver’s Cathedral, the narrator quickly sums up the pitiable look of Robert asserting how peculiar his eyes looked with glasses instead of shades. In his imagination, a woman married to him was like bondage to sorrow especially the thought of not being seen by a visually handicapped man. However, with his fully functional sense of sight, the narrator is unable to describe the structure of a cathedral shown on the television to Robert with whom they are watching. It is then that Robert asks for a pen and a paper and asks him to draw what he was seeing as the blind man’s hands followed the movement of his own. He is later asked to try drawing with eyes closed which he ably does. On finishing, Robert asks him to open his eyes and look at the drawing but the narrator marvels at the artistic creation with his eyes closed exclaiming that he had never

Federal Legalization of Recreational Marijuana Research Paper

Federal Legalization of Recreational Marijuana - Research Paper Example Proponents argue that legalizing marijuana would increase revenue, lower burden on law enforcement, increase national security, safeguards individual rights, and make consumption safer. Opponents on the other hand, argue legalizing marijuana would create a gateway for harder drugs like cocaine, emergence of black markets, create new users, cause health problems, and loss of productivity. The issue is thus a headache for the federal and state governments bearing in mind the public support that legalization has been getting over the years. Leaders and mostly governors are also at a loss whether to succumb to people’s needs or use their discretion or moral values in deciding whether to support or not. The issue is thus becoming a great concern not only for law enforcement officers but also parents, educators, health care workers, government and the public as a whole. This paper is to discuss the debate surrounding federal legalization of recreational marijuana to get an insight i nto its complexity. Whilst Hanson et al, Donovan et al, Rushefsky, and Fox et al argue that legalization is necessary for a safer society; Martel is against such a move. Morgan on the other hand, gives a balanced view on the subject. Martel argues that it is the media especially print media who constructed the problem of recreational marijuana in the 1960s, reported on it and mobilized groups around the issue by creating a moral panic (Martel 11). Moral panic in this case refers to â€Å"sudden rise of an issue, often out of proportion with reality, and it is more or less equally rapid disappearance from public agenda† (13). This moral panic created fear in the public that their social values are being threatened by drug use giving rise to Pro-marijuana groups in its defense to the public and also law governing bodies. This Martel believes should be rejected at all cost. He agrees with Blanchard the Attorney General’s sentiments that it is time to take into account

Four factors of leadership transformational leader

Four factors of leadership transformational leader Four Factors of Leadership Leader: The successfulness of a leader is determined by his followers not by himself or someone else. If the followers lack confidence or do not trust their leaders, then they will be un inspired. You must know and have an good understanding of what you know, who you are, and what can you do. To be successful you have to influence your followers, have to be loyal towards your followers. Followers: Followers are the most important part of a followers life. A leader must know his people with whome he have to deal with, he must know what his people want or requires like: a new worker would require more supervision than an experienced worker. Leadership Factors Communication: Communication is the most important part of Leadership, if a leader lacks in communicating, he can not be said a good leader. Mainly there are two ways of communication written verbal, the most used one is verbal, but it is not that effective as there can be misinterpretation of things. Situation: All situations are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an employee for inappropriate behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, then the results may prove ineffective. C:UsersdellPicturesOBefmh.jpg Transformational Leadership is a style of leading people in an inspirational way rather than driven by transactional numbers alone. C:UsersdellPicturesOBArrowLeader.jpg For Example: There must have been a situation in a group where someone took control of whole group by just conveying a clear vision of the groups goals, he then must had an ability to make the group feel his importance, recharged and energized. This person just might be what is called a transformational leader. Transformational leadership is a leadership style that leads to positive changes in followers. Transformational leaders are generally enthusiastic and passionate. They also try to help every person in there group. Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla says Transformational leadership to me means leadership in its highest form, such that it transcends the trappings of hierarchies, authority, power, as well as, formal and informal systems of reward and recognition and in the political sphere, votes. GREATEST TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER C:UsersdellPicturesOBgjugouhoiu.jpgC:UsersdellPicturesOBjnbkjhbgkjb.jpg MAHATMA GANDHI If we take an example of Father of Nation Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi, the greatest Transformational Leader ever can be. What he did? He just did DANDI MARCH by which he proved Yes, he is the person having Importance in others Life. He helped his followers and did everything a transformational leader should do. The Components of Transformational Leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Intellectual Stimulation Transformational leaders not only challenge the status quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn. Individualized Consideration Transformational leadership also involves offering support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition of each followers unique contributions. Inspirational Motivation Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers experience the same passion and motivation to fulfill these goals. Idealized Influence The transformational leaders serves as a role model for followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate the leader and internalize his or her ideals. COMPANY PRACTICES C:UsersdellDesktopimages.jpgHarvard Business School Working Knowledge Bharti has long relied on inquiry as a source of learning to deepen its understanding of Leadership needs. Rather than collect impressions second- or third-hand, Bharti goes to those in the know experienced leaders who have been with Bharti, often under demanding conditions, who then act as Transformational Leaders. With the help of Transformational leadership sales rose more than 85 percent over the previous year and the initial shipment sold out within weeks because the satisfaction level of workers in the organization increased. C:UsersdellDesktopuntitled.bmp ITC Limited conducted reviews of its own software engineers to determine why some were more productive than others with the goal of distilling their techniques into best practices that their less successful counterparts could adopt. After the stars were identified, they were interviewed in-depth about how they went about their work and, specifically, what they did to be more productive. Using these insights, the ITC team designed an innovative hands-on transformational leadership, which the star performers then delivered to a subset of their peers. The results were immediate and impressive. Participants reported a quick 10 percent productivity improvement, rising to 25 percent a year later. There were equally striking gains in managers evaluations of their ability to spot problems, conduct high quality work, keep their bosses informed, work across organizational boundaries, and attend to customer and competitive needs. C:UsersdellDesktopimagesCAEM8PW0.jpg Walmart, Americas leading company, embarked on a bold project to revolutionize the production process for manufacturing customized things that would reduce the unproductive things, tailor-made orders from eight to ten months to weeks or days. Because they were breaking new ground, not only in the industry, the challenge clearly demanded exploratory learning. A design team was assigned responsibility for implementing Transformational Leadership Programme. The leading process included elements of both competition and cooperation. It resulted in a great change within company as the satisfaction level of employees increased therefore the costumer satisfaction also increased. SWOT ANALYSIS I N T E R N A L Strengths Weaknesses E X T E R N A L Opportunities in Your Career Field Threats in Your Career Field I N T E R N A L Strengths Internal positive aspects that are under control and upon which you may capitalize in planning  ·Transformational leaders dose not require much work experience.  ·Education: Transformational leader need not to have any degree.  ·Transformational leaders contains good communication skills to handle its followers and motivates to work in team.  ·Transformational leaders have strong work ethic, self-discipline, ability to work under pressure, creativity, optimism.  ·Good contacts/successful networking  ·Interaction with professional organizations Weaknesses Internal negative aspects that are under your control and that you may plan to improve  · Sometimes transformational leaders are thrown out due to lack of Work Experience  ·Lack of goals, lack of self-knowledge, lack of specific job knowledge  ·Weak leadership knowledge  ·Weak skills (leadership, interpersonal, communication, teamwork)  ·Weak job-hunting skills  ·Negative personal characteristics (e.g., poor work ethic, lack of discipline, lack of motivation, indecisiveness, shyness, too emotional E X T E R N A L Opportunities Positive external conditions that you do not control but of which you can plan to take advantage  ·Positive trends in the field of Leadership that will create more jobs.  ·Opportunities you could have in the field by enhancing your education  ·Field is particularly in need of Leaders set of skills  ·Opportunities a Leader could have through greater self-knowledge, more specific job goals  ·Opportunities for advancement in the field of Leadership  ·Opportunities for professional development in the field of Leadership.  ·Career path youve chosen provides unique opportunities  ·Strong network Threats Negative external conditions that you do not control but the effect of which you may be able to lessen  ·Negative trends in the field of Leadership that diminish jobs (downsizing, obsolescence)  ·Competition from your companys Leader  ·Competitors with superior skills, experience, knowledge  ·Competitors who went to schools with better reputations.  ·Obstacles in your way (e.g., lack of the advanced education/training )  ·Limited advancement in the field of Leadership, advancement is cut-throat and competitive  ·Limited professional development in the field of Leadership, so its hard to stay marketable  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Companies are not hiring people with your major/degree Recommendations Dose Transformational Leadership affects satisfaction level in Organization? With the help of above Analysis it can be easily said that Yes,Transformational Leadership has a great affect on Satisfaction level in the Organisation as according to companies (analysed as above)like Walmart, Bharti and ITC Limited they have earned a lot of Profit by implenting Transformational Leadership Quality in to their Organizations. As far as recommandations are concerned Transformational leadership has a great scope in Future. It is in demand a lot, all the factors favours Transformational Leadership. Scope for Transformational Leadershipcan be seen in the figure below. C:UsersdellDesktopadas.png Review of Articles Are You a Transformational Leader? In todays world, when ones life and business has paced fast, everyone is having a tendency to try and control more and trust over the people remained less. People manages the system and squeeze every last drop of efficiency out of it, Even at the cost of people whose efforts made the success of work It does not take much to see the cost of all of this, whenever we will take a look around us , we can see the apathy, reluctance to take personal responsibility for the outcomes of our actions, be it at home, at the office or in the world at large. This system can only change if we change our focus, and be more upfront with some of the critical issues that are around us. It is so easy to play small and not contribute what you are here to give. Everyone have their own unique way of thinking to bring changes, that differs from other persons views and until we will not utilize this developing and giving of this unique gift, the world will not have that as a transformational tool. Being a tra nsformational leader means many things, and from the academic perspective, there are 4 specific areas by which you can be identified by others. 1. Charismatic Leadership, or Idealized Influence. When you are a Transformational leader, who will be the ideal of your followers and they will respect and admire you. You must have a clear vision and sense of purpose and should be willing to take risks. 2. Inspirational Motivation. Transformational leaders behave in ways that inspires others, generate enthusiasm and motivate them to take challenges. They clearly communicate expectations and demonstrate a commitment to goals and have a shared vision. 3. Intellectual Stimulation. Transformational leaders prevail new ideas and different prospect to do work. They stimulate creativity among others but never publicly correct or criticize them. 4. Individualized Consideration. Transformational leaders pay attention to the needs and the potential for developing others. They respect the individuals differences and respect them. They are always aware of individuals concerns and appreciate and encourage the interaction with others. Yet there are many elements that are the characteristics of transformational leadership, but we have discussed some crucial points. There is also a requirement for authenticity. This is about being who you are at the most fundamental level, and having a very clear understanding of yourself and your life purpose. This gives you a unique and powerful ability to be congruent with who you are in the work that you do. It transforms into a power that is unheard of, let alone experienced by most people in this world. 2.How to deal with Fear in Transformational Leadership Anyone who engaged in Transformational Leadership will experience fear at one or other point. Being human being, it is very natural to feel this when someone is engaged in a large or important undertaking, may be commercial, private or in the support of others and will create some kind of discouragement in mind. One of the reason for transformational Leaders to experience fear may be due to their position, Fear of failure, the unknown, uncertainty of self can occur, as the leader transforms them self through the process of being a Transformational Leader. Transformational Leadership is not to be at the top, and shouting the orders down to those who are below you. He is the one who is just a few steps ahead and finding the way together with the group. Any leader whenever engaged to fulfill large goals or purposes , he will feel fear on the journey. I am not enough, is a deep seated and common false belief and position that a scared, reactive mind may take on the journey, as we learn t o let go of ourselves, and learn to trust the process. We all can face fear if we have the courage to look at it. So the question for the leader of transformation is: How can I overcome my fear, and continue towards the goal? Just Do It! may be one option, or Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway may be another and the best way to remember what FEAR really is: F- False E Expectations A Appearing R Real So, the Transformational Leadership is about making the right choice, so that you will be full of confidence to overcome any kind of fear in the path of success and leading others to engage and commit to their own process, as you did. 3.The Benefits of Transformational Leadership Whenever In an organisation, the cost values get compared between hiring new employees and retaining old ones, later will be always prove beneficial.Poor cultural fit or a leader, who is not really the empowering type, perhaps more the transactional type becomes the reason for the organizations to loose their old employees which finally results in high turnover in organisations costs, that could only be reduced through the use of Transformational leadership. Transformational leadership has the potential to change others, and to realize them their full potential. So, they will both thank you and will contribute to your organization to their best level, or perhaps they will move on to a more fitting environment. Either way, you win. Better to have a high performing team member that is happy, or a space to replace with someone more suitable. Transformational leadership practices are helpful in fostering organizational improvement and effectiveness such as organisational learning; in par ticular, vision building, individual support, intellectual stimulation, modelling, culture building and holding high performance expectations. People that are led by a transformational leader have a role model to respect, admire and follow. This creates a high level of attachment between leaders and followers, so allowing the flow of information and trust. A strong common vision can be communicated through this relationship. When working with a transformational leader, you would feel engaged, enthusiastic and challenged in a way that would be personal and appropriate for your specific requirements. The vision and goals of the organization or group would be clearly communicated and there would be a tangible commitment to them by the leader. By actively stimulating others, transformational leaders are creative hubs for new ways of doing things, leading others to be more creative, productive and cohesive within in the organization. The potential for individual development and fulfillin g the needs of the individual are high. Never the less, it seems that there are many powerful benefits for an organization that encourages the use of Transformational Leadership. 4.The Potential of Transformational Leadership Transformational Leadership exists in the top level in the evolution of leadership. It is the highest manifestation of the art of leadership, and one of the most challenging to live. As humans we evolve always therefore, it is unlike that transformational leadership will be the last level of development, but it certainly give us hope in potentially addressing some of the issues that the human race are facing as individuals, groups and collective as a whole. Business, one of the oldest of human behaviors, after many decades and centuries of development, has lead us to spend whole time in looking at a computer screens or interacting with some form of electronic device instead to interact with other humans. No doubt, technology has made our life luxurious , comfortable and exceptionally fast but all this is at the expense of our humanity.Being a leader, one could lead himself and others to achieve the goals and outcomes that we or our collective group have set. This may include interfac ing with technology, but behind that we are still very much human beings. In a technological age, we are under threat of losing our humanity, and at the same time advancing it more powerfully that ever before. Transactional leadership, the definition of the outcome and the management of it, serves a purpose, and is reasonably easy to learn. The people you lead may do what you say, as the dictator dictates, yet how can you find a way to really genuinely inspire them to perform at a level far beyond the normal levels? Transformational leadership offers that possibility. As a transformational leader, we are called to be the highest expression of humanity at this time, and so lead ourselves and others towards a new destiny that awaits us. A way of being that inspires our most noble selves, to be of service, as an act of self mastery. To consider and hold ourselves and others in a way that is empowering, uplifting and inspiring. To engage each person we interact with, with honour and res pect. To be this and all the other ways of being that a transformational leader is, is a commitment to something far greater than just ourselves. It is more that just basic survival, acceptance and group recognition. It is the expression of our individual potential, or self actualisation. In some ways it is a calling, and requires an investment in you and in others, with no promise of a return, and a willingness to trust that there is something in humanity that has the potential to respond with in a positive, upward overall trend the potential for each of us to lift each other into a new level of understanding, relationships and consciousness. Like evolution, it is a journey of uncertainty. Never knowing where exactly we will end up, yet a willingness to be present for what is happening now, and making powerful choices about our future from there. THANK YOUà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ By: Abhinav Jain Reg. no. :11009737 Roll no. :RQ1005A23

Illustrative Essay

In society today we look at magazines and movies and strive to be just like the people we see. The guys in these magazines have six packs and arms with muscles the size of Mt. Everest. And the girls are all size double zeros with no meat anywhere on their bodies. A lot of Americans work out and diet to accomplish the goal of having these body types, but some go to drastic measures to get it. Many eating disorders and their side effects are taking over the lives of Americans every day. Anorexia Nervosa is the number one eating disorder in America. One in every one hundred woman suffers from this disorder.Anorexia is where you deprive your body from any food. This can create many problems with the body. In the beginning, minor problems can occur like fatigue, dizzy spells, and weakness. But later on, you can do so much as to give yourself certain heart diseases and some women even lose their menstrual cycles. Anorexia has controlled the lives of many celebrities like Karen Carpenter (w ho actually died from it), Mary Kate Olsen, and Tara Reid. Another eating disorder wide spread through the United States in Bulimia. Three in every one hundred woman suffer or have suffered from Bulimia.This disorder is where you still eat, but you cause yourself to vomit. Statistics show that many women will turn to this disease because it is â€Å"less threatening† than anorexia. Bulimia can cause slight abdominal pain and bloating. Long term side effects of this disorder can be broken blood vessels in your eyes, rotting of your teeth, and even some types of colon and throat cancers. The last eating disorder that is an issue in the USA is obesity. Many people don’t think obesity is an eating disorder, but in fact it is. Everyone’s standard of obesity is obviously ifferent, but on a national scale PBS says that seventy three percent of Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity can cause diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure which are all li fe threatening problems. In conclusion, many eating problems are taking over America. There are healthier ways to get the body image you want. Don’t put your body at risk just to be what society wants you to be. You should be healthy, but you should become healthy, in a healthy manner. If you or anyone you know is struggling from an eating disorder, you should seek help as soon as possible.

Burn Burnings Thesis-Support Essay Essay

In William Faukner’s â€Å"Barn Burning†, Sartoris is torn between his loyalty to his family and an inner sense of justice. Between these two factors, Sartoris decides to warn de Spain about the barn due to his grasp on what is right at the age of ten. Sartoris’ sense of justice that compels him to warn de Spain about the barn are portrayed during the trial with Mr. Harris, when they arrive at de Spain’s mansion, and when he breaks free from his mother. At the start of the story, Sartoris is placed in the scenario of lying to the judge about his father burning Mr. Harris’ farm. Sartoris displays great loyalty to his family when the Judge talks to him. When the justice compels Sartoris to tell the truth, Sartoris views the justice as an enemy (Faulkner 801). Despite his loyalty to his father, he truly does not wish to lie about his father’s actions. Faulkner captures Sartoris’ unwillingness to lie through the emotions of grief and despair as Sartoris thinks to himself about lying for his father (801). This inner conflict shows that Sartoris has been exposed to and religiously taught the concepts of absolute family loyalty. However, his unwillingness to lie portray his belief in fairness and justice, which is an impressive level of maturity for his age. His early understanding of right and wrong is one reason why Sartoris decides to warn de Spain. Another event in â€Å"Barn Burning† that displays his sense of justice is when Sartoris and his family first arrive at Major de Spain’s mansion. Sartoris’ initial reaction to de Spain’s mansion is a positive one. Sartoris claims that the mansion is â€Å"big as a courthouse† (Faulkner 804). Sartoris’ reference to a courthouse along with his feeling of peace at the sight of the mansion portrays that he has positive feelings towards the legal system, contrasting his father. He also hopes that his father will feel the peace Sartoris feels and stop burning barns. The hope Sartoris displays shows his genuine feelings that his father’s actions are wrong. This event marks the beginning of Sartoris siding his moral concept of justice in the conflict between family loyalty and justice. When Sartoris breaks free from his mother, Faulkner shows readers that he chooses to turn in his father due to his moral sense of justice. When Sartoris threatens to hit his mother if she doesn’t let him go, he is cementing his moral values over his father’s (Faulkner 811). Throughout the story, Sartoris is shown to have a mature concept of right and wrong, but when he threatens to hit his mother, he is confirming that letting his father burn the barn is worse than hurting his family. Breaking free from his mom symbolizes Sartoris’ making his presence known in the world. He knows that he will breaking family loyalty, but he choose to make his own choice and side with justice. The inner conflict between choosing his family and justice is rough for Sartoris, especially at his age of only ten. However, his strong sense of right and wrong is the final determining factor when he goes to warn de Spain that his father is burning the barn. Bibliography Faulkner, William. â€Å"Barn Burning. † The Norton Anthology American Literature. Ed. Mina Baym. New York, CT: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. 800-812. Print

Huitzilopochtli, the Founding Deity of the Aztecs

Huitzilopochtli, the Founding Deity of the Aztecs Huitzilopochtli (pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-POSHT-lee and meaning Hummingbird on the Left) was one of the most important of the Aztec gods, the god of the sun, warfare, military conquest and sacrifice, who according to tradition, led the Mexica people from Aztlan, their mythical homeland, into Central Mexico. According to some scholars, Huitzilopochtli could have been a historical figure, probably a priest, who was transformed into a god after his death. Huitzilopochtli is known as the portentous one, the god who indicated to the Aztecs/Mexica where they should build their great capital city, Tenochtitlan. He appeared in dreams to the priests and told them to settle on an island, in the middle of Lake Texcoco, where they would see an eagle perching on a cactus. This was the divine sign. Birth of Huitzilopochtli According to a Mexica legend, Huitzilopochtli was born on Coatepec  or Snake Hill. His mother was the goddess Coatlicue, whose name means â€Å"She of the Serpent Skirt,† and she was the goddess of Venus, the morning star. Coatlicue was attending the temple on Coatepec and sweeping its floors when a ball of feathers fell on the floor and impregnated her. According to the origin myth, when Coatlicues daughter Coyolxauhqui (goddess of the moon) and Coyolxauhquis four hundred brothers (Centzon Huitznahua, the gods of the stars) discovered she was pregnant, they plotted to kill their mother. As the 400 stars reached Coatlicue, decapitating her, Huitzilopochtli (god of the sun) suddenly emerged fully armed from his mother’s womb and, attended by a fire serpent (xiuhcoatl), killed Coyolxauhqui by dismembering her. Then, he threw her body down the hill and proceeded to kill his 400 siblings. Thus, the history of the Mexica is replayed every dawn, when the sun rises victoriously over the horizon after conquering the moon and stars. Huitzilopochtli’s Temple While Huitzilopochtlis first appearance in Mexica legend was as a minor hunting god, he became elevated to a major deity after the Mexica settled in Tenochtitln and formed the Triple Alliance. The Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (or Templo Mayor) is the most important shrine dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, and its shape symbolized a replica of Coatepec. At the foot of the temple, on the Huitzilopochtli side, lay a massive sculpture portraying the dismembered body of Coyolxauhqui, found during excavations for electric utility works in 1978. The Great Temple was actually a twin shrine dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and the rain god Tlaloc, and it was among the first structures to be built after the founding of the capital. Dedicated to both gods, the temple symbolized the economic basis of the empire: both war/tribute and agriculture. It was also the center of the crossing of the four main causeways that connected the Tenochtitln to the mainland. Images of Huitzilopochtli Huitzilopochtli is typically portrayed with a dark face, fully armed, and holding a snake-shaped scepter and a smoking mirror, a disc from which emerges one or more wisps of smoke. His face and body are painted in yellow and blue stripes, with a black, star-bordered eye mask and a turquoise nose rod. Hummingbird feathers covered the body of his statue at the great temple, along with cloth and jewels. In painted images, Huitzilopochtli wears the head of a hummingbird attached to the back of his head or as a helmet; and he carries a shield of turquoise mosaic or clusters of white eagle feathers. As a representative symbol of Huitzilopochtli (and others of the Aztec pantheon), feathers were an important symbol in Mexica culture. Wearing them was the prerogative of the nobility who adorned themselves with brilliant plumes, and went into battle wearing feathered cloaks. Feathered cloaks and feathers were wagered in games of chance and skill and were traded among allied nobles. Aztec rulers kept aviaries and tribute stores for feather-workers, specifically employed to produce ornate objects. Huitzilopochtlis Festivities December was the month dedicated to Huitzilopochtli celebrations. During these festivities, called Panquetzalitzli, the Aztec people decorated their homes held ceremonies with dances, processions, and sacrifices. A huge statue of the god was made out of amaranth and a priest impersonated the god for the duration of the ceremonies. Three other ceremonies during the year were dedicated at least in part to Huitzilopochtli. Between July 23 and August 11, for example, was Tlaxochimaco, the Offering of Flowers, a festival dedicated to war and sacrifice, celestial creativity and divine paternalism, when singing, dancing and human sacrifices honored the dead and Huitzilopochtli. Updated by K. Kris Hirst Sources Berdan FF. 2014. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press.Boone EH. 1989. Incarnations of the Aztec Supernatural: The Image of Huitzilopochtli in Mexico and Europe. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 79(2):1-107.Taube KA. 1993. Aztec and Maya Myths. Fourth Edition. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.Van Tuerenhout DR. 2005. The Aztecs: New Perspectives, ABC-CLIO Inc. Sanata Barbara, CA; Denver, CO and Oxford, England.

Why Russian Jew Made good immigrants essays

Why Russian Jew Made good immigrants essays Almost 3 million Jews of Eastern European and Russian decent settled in New York Citys Lower East side between 1890 and 1910. The primary reason for this large migration in such numbers was to escape the harsh persecution of the Russian government. During this time of mass European migration, many ethnic groups such as Italian and Irish were frowned upon by natural born Americans and other immigrants from England, France and Germany. But Russian Jews were deemed the least desirable of all immigrants. The thoughts of most Americans were that the Jews were unclean, illiterate and had no desire to adapt to the American culture. Russian Jews possessed many traits that should have been considered desirable by all immigrants. Russian Jews considered education extremely important and held educated men in high regard. Russian Jews tended not to engage in excessive drinking or other vices that led to crime and sickness. And as a group Russian Jews were law-abiding citizens who came to America be productive and not drain the public and private charities set up to help the poor. Jewish immigrants possessed a great respect for education and educators. In Eastern Europe and Russia education was restricted for Jews. Many immigrates came here unable to read and write their native language. Once in America, it became a priority for them to learn the language of their new country. Many Jewish immigrants filled the classes of night schools or hired educated Hebrews to tutor them in the tenements. And this was after working long hours in the sweatshops. Jewish immigrant parents made huge sacrifices to send their children to school. They have high hopes for the futures of their children, and often set lofty professional goals for them. The public schools in the Jewish ghettos were overcrowded, but they still maintained a high standard of learning and achievement for its students. The Russian Jews were generally not a peop ...

What is economic growth Discuss the factors that promote economic Essay

What is economic growth Discuss the factors that promote economic growth in ( Australia ) - Essay Example The factors that promote economic growth within Australia comprise of its service sector which depicts around 68% of the GDP. Also the role of the agricultural and mining sectors is of utmost essence as these signify about 57% of Australian exports (Blackie, 2008). Economic growth within Australia is bolstered by being dependent on imported crude oil as well as petroleum products. The economic growth is manifested time and again by the strength of the Australian Dollar which has made its mark not only within the nation but also in the Commonwealth comity of nations. The inflation is at 2.8% by 2010 estimates and Gini index stands at 0.331 by 2009 figures (Dixon, 2010). In 2010, $210 billion worth of exports were recorded which suggests for success within the economic growth modules. It can be easily suggested that the economic growth domains within Australia are set on the right pattern and one can look forward to seeing more similar dimensions coming to the fore with the advent of

Business Integration topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business Integration topic - Essay Example During this period, the company opened 13 stores. (JB Hi Fi, Annual Report – 2007) The strategies followed by JB Hi Fi will be discussed in light of recommendations for further improvement and growth in this paper. These strategies will be discussed in terms of the phases put forward in the book by Kotter titled Leading Change, as well as theories by various other scholars like Taylor, Porter and others. In the book Leading Change, Kotter has used the word urgency to describe the first phase so as to get a head start into the process of transformation. This can be seen in JB Hi Fi’s foray into the market of technology with the popularity of its â€Å"Big Box†. This has to do with taking stock of competitive and market realities with a focus on crises and opportunities. (Kotter, 1996) This has been paralleled in Organizational Behavior and Management through a focus on competitive advantage which can be described as follows: (Ivancevich et al, 2004) This brings us to a discussion on the technicalities of the model proposed by Porter. Porters Five Forces model provides suggested points under each main heading. When taken into consideration individually, each of these gives rise to the development of a broad and sophisticated analysis of competitive position. This may further be used during the creation of a strategy, plans, or even where making investment decisions about a business or organization is concerned. These five competitive forces determine industry profitability and attractiveness apart from being responsible for shaping the prices that firms can charge, the costs they have to bear, and the required investments to engage in industry level competition. We are concerned with the fact that Porter’s essentially ahistorical approach cannot provide a full account of either a nation’s competitive advantage and corporate strategies or the growth and development of industrial

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Early Childhood Education- The High Scope Curriculum - Research Paper Example Of the entire curriculums one of the most effective and efficient process is that using the High Scope Curriculum (HighScope, 2009). This report will deal with analyzing the benefits and drawbacks of the High Scope Curriculum and based on the discussion the effectiveness of the approach will be analyzed. The High Scope Curriculum approach has been developed and refined over the last forty years and this method provides numerous strategies and techniques that can be utilized to assist children at the early stages to become problem solvers and independent thinkers (YMCA, 2009). The approach was originally developed and introduced to assist and serve the children ‘at risk’ in the Michigan area (YMCA, 2009). A research had been conducted by David Weikart, the Director of Special Services to assess the reasons for the number of children failing in school. The research brought out results that highlighted the need for early intervention and using the theories of Jean Piaget, he discovered the need for early introduction of ‘Active learning’ (YMCA, 2009). The High Scope Curriculum involves a high degree of active learning throughout the program. The curriculum includes a few early age indicators like the need and initiative of the children to learn new things by asking questions and looking for answers and also trying to solve problems. These steps form the key development indicators for the growth and development of the children and help the educators to develop and design better active learning programs for the children (High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, 2009). The High Scope Curriculum also takes into account the knowledge and the strengths of the children by exposing them to a wide range of learning experiences and also providing them with opportunities to learn things that interest them and learn based on experience. Also the High Scope educators allow the

Laboratory Report Essay Example for Free

Laboratory Report Essay The object of this experiment is to measure the effect of the concentration of the enzyme, amylase, on the rate of degradation of the starch and the effect of the chloride ion concentration in the solvent on enzyme activity. Also, the other object is to discuss the comparison between starch and cellulose digestion. Introduction: Starch is a polysaccharide and it is the major storage carbohydrate in plants where it is found in the plastids. It is made up of two types of polymers. One is amylose, the smaller linear and helical polymer, made up of many glucose molecules joined by ? 1 4 glycosidic bonds. The other larger polymer is amylopectin. It has a branched structure with many ? 1 4 glycosidic bonds between glucose molecules and ? 1 6 glycosidic bonds at branch points. Pure starch is in the form of a white powder which is tasteless and has no odor. It is insoluble in cold water. (Brown, W. H. Poon, T, 2005) Cellulose is another polysaccharide found in the cell walls of plants. It is made up of hundreds of linear chains of glucose molecules linked by ? 1 4 glycosidic bonds. Cellulose is a straight chain structure because the ? 1 4 linkage causes the glucose molecule to rotate 180 degrees. The many chains of cellulose are packed closely together by the hydrogen bonds existing between the hydroxyl groups of glucose molecules. These bonds contribute to the strength of the molecule. Cellulose is also odorless and tasteless and is insoluble in water (Young, Raymond ,1986). Starch is a major component of the human diet. For the digestion of starch, the enzyme amylase is needed which is present in the saliva and is also present in pancreatic secretions. This amylase breaks down starch into maltose, glucose, and limit dextrin. This enzyme works at an optimum pH of 6. 7-7. 0. Like for other enzymes, the greater the concentration of amylase present, the faster the digestion of starch would be. Also, chloride ions are coenzymes for this reaction and act as the allosteric activators of this enzyme. This means that the digestion of starch by amylase will only work in the presence of chloride ions (Thomas J. A. , Spradlin J. E. , Dygert S,1971). This experiment shows how the digestion of starch is carried out in the digestive tract by amylase and the conditions that are required for this reaction to take place. Method: to be inserted by the Results: a) This is a graph of the amount of the enzyme amylase in ml against the rate of reaction, taken as the reciprocal of the reaction time. Here, a linear relationship is seen and as the amount of the enzyme increases, so does the rate of the reaction. b) This is a graph of the chloride ion concentration in ? mol/tube against the rate of the reaction, taken as the reciprocal of the reaction time. This shows that as the concentration of chloride ions present increases, the rate of the reaction also increases. c) The ratio of the rates of digestion of these polysaccharides by salivary enzymes to bacterial enzymes can be approximately 10:1. This is because of the differences in the structures of starch and cellulose. Starch has just simple covalent bonds in its structure while cellulose has covalent as well as the stronger hydrogen bonds present to stabilize it. This is why it takes a longer time for bacterial enzymes to degrade cellulose compared to the time required to degrade starch. Discussion: The relationship that should exist between the rate of a reaction and the concentration of an enzyme should be a linear relation. This means that as the concentration of the enzyme increases, more active sites are present for the reaction to take place on, and so the overall reaction proceeds at a faster rate. The graph that we obtained from this experiment justifies this hypothesis because in it, there is a similar linear relation between the concentration of amylase and the rate of the reaction. After comparing the graph I obtained with two other students I realized that the enzyme that I used for my experiment was less active than the enzymes others used. It can be seen that when using the same amount of enzyme as the other students, the rate of my reaction is comparatively slower. For example, when using 5ml of enzyme solution of the same concentration, my reaction rate was around 0. 25 and others got a rate of around 0. 6 or more. That is greater than two times the difference in reaction rates. However, an error could have occurred if some of the enzymes supplied for the reaction were already denatured. In my graph of chloride concentration against the reaction rate, the shape of the curve is somewhat like this. In the beginning there is a great increase in the rate of reaction for a small increase in chloride concentration. However, as the concentration is further increased, the rate does not increase as much and the curve later flattens out. This means that a Vmax is reached and no matter how much the concentration is increased, there will be no more increase in the rate (Thomas J. A. , Spradlin J. E. , Dygert S,1971). This is because all the binding sites on the enzyme for chloride ions get occupied and addition of more chloride ions will have no effect. For example, in my graph, there is a greater difference in the rate of reaction between the initial change in concentration from 0 to 0. 2 ml than between the change in concentration between 1 and 2 ml. The digestion of starch takes place in the presence of oxygen while the digestion of cellulose is an anaerobic process carried out by bacteria in the stomach of ruminants. Also, ruminants have to regurgitate their food back into the mouth to chew and break down the cellulose further. However, breakdown of starch is not that complex and can be done just once in the mouth. Due to the anaerobic degradation of cellulose, methane gas is produced in these ruminants (Van Soest, Peter J,1994). There is no methane gas produced by animals feeding on starch. Also, the activity levels of animals feeding on starch is greater because the digestion process requires a shorter time, while in ruminants, the digestion takes a long time. Conclusion: Therefore, the rate of the reaction is directly proportional to the enzyme concentration and also increases in proportion to the concentration of its coenzymes to an extent. References: †¢ Brown, W. H. Poon, T. (2005). Introduction to organic chemistry (3rd ed. ). Wiley †¢ Young, Raymond (1986). Cellulose structure modification and hydrolysis. New

Disregard for Plant Life in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Lost World :: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Lost World Essays

Disregard for Plant Life in The Lost World Throughout The Lost World, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle continually portrayed his characters both revering and yet mistreating the beautiful foliage around them. It was a rather strange combination of attitudes: people usually have treated the things they revere quite well, but Doyle did combine these attitudes in this writing. Â   Take the example as the group was traveling down the river. During the trip "our two professors watched every bird upon the wing, and every shrub upon the bank" (74). They even used an Assai palm as a landmark so they could find their way back to Maple White Land (75), but what did the plant life get for a thanks? "We drew them up [the canoes] and concealed them among the bushes [probably breaking quite a few branches], blazing a tree with our axes, so that we should find them again" (77). Â   This was typical of the treatment plant life received all throughout the book. It was simply thought of as a resource and not as a living entity. It was noted for its beauty, but scarred or killed the instant one felt the need. Â   There was a much better example of this sort of treatment. To get onto the impregnable Maple White Land plateau there was a lone beech tree, a native to England but not to South America, on top of a pinnacle reasonably close to the plateau. Once the pinnacle was climbed, they cut down that "fellow-countryman in a far off land" (98) to use it as a bridge into Maple White Land. Â   I cut gashes in the sides of the tree as would ensure that it would fall as we desired. . . . Finally I set to work in earnest upon the trunk, taking turn and turn with Lord John. In a little over an hour there was a loud crack, the tree swayed forward, and then crashed over, burying its branches among the bushes on the farther side. The severed trunk rolled to the very edge of our platform . . . and there was our bridge to the unknown. (99) Â   A lone beech tree, rare enough in South America, growing out of the top of a pinnacle was quite an unusual sight and a miracle of nature, but the instant it was deemed useful in some minor way, it was forced to give up its life for the sake of exploration, with no remorse for the request.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 36. Bloodlust

They came with pageantry, with a kind of beauty. They came in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, but it was not a march; they flowed in perfect synchronicity from the trees – a dark, unbroken shape that seemed to hover a few inches above the white snow, so smooth was the advance. The outer perimeter was gray; the color darkened with each line of bodies until the heart of the formation was deepest black. Every face was cowled, shadowed. The faint brushing sound of their feet was so regular it was like music, a complicated beat that never faltered. At some sign I did not see – or perhaps there was no sign, only millennia of practice – the configuration folded outward. The motion was too stiff, too square to resemble the opening of a flower, though the color suggested that; it was the opening of a fan, graceful but very angular. The gray-cloaked figures spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center, each movement closely controlled. Their progress was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. It was the pace of the invincible. This was almost my old nightmare. The only thing lacking was the gloating desire I'd seen on the faces in my dream – the smiles of vindictive joy. Thus far, the Volturi were too disciplined to show any emotion at all. They also showed no surprise or dismay at the collection of vampires that waited for them here – a collection that looked suddenly disorganized and unprepared in comparison. They showed no surprise at the giant wolf that stood in our midst. I couldn't help counting. There were thirty-two of them. Even if you did not count the two drifting, waifish black-cloaked figures in the very back, who I took to be the wives – their protected position suggesting that they would not be involved in the attack – we were still outnumbered. There were just nineteen of us who would fight, and then seven more to watch as we were destroyed. Even counting the ten wolves, they had us. â€Å"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming,† Garrett muttered mysteriously to himself and then chuckled once. He slid one step closer to Kate. â€Å"They did come,† Vladimir whispered to Stefan. ‘The wives,† Stefan hissed back. ‘The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra.† And then, as if their numbers were not enough, while the Volturi slowly and majestically advanced, more vampires began entering the clearing behind them. The faces in this seemingly endless influx of vampires were the antithesis to the Volturi's expressionless discipline – they wore a kaleidoscope of emotions. At first there was the shock and even some anxiety as they saw the unexpected force awaiting them. But that concern passed quickly; they were secure in their overwhelming numbers, secure in their position behind the unstoppable Volturi force. Their features returned to the expression they'd worn before we'd surprised them. It was easy enough to understand their mindset – the faces were that explicit. This was an angry mob, whipped to a frenzy and slavering for justice. I did not fully realize the vampire world's feeling toward the immortal children before I read these faces. It was clear that this motley, disorganized horde – more than forty vampires altogether – was the Volturi's own kind of witness. When we were dead, they would spread the word that the criminals had been eradicated, that the Volturi had acted with nothing but impartiality. Most looked like they hoped for more than just an opportunity to witness – they wanted to help tear and burn. We didn't have a prayer. Even if we could somehow neutralize the Volturi's advantages, they could still bury us in bodies. Even if we killed Demetri, Jacob would not be able to outrun this. I could feel it as the same comprehension sunk in around me. Despair weighted the air, pushing me down with more pressure than before. One vampire in the opposing force did not seem to belong to either party; I recognized Irina as she hesitated in between the two companies, her expression unique among the others. Irina's horrified gaze was locked on Tanya's position in the front line. Edward snarled, a very low but fervent sound. â€Å"Alistairwas right,† he murmured to Carlisle. I watched Carlisle glance at Edward questioningly. â€Å"Alistair was right?† Tanya whispered. ‘They – Caius and Aro – come to destroy and acquire,† Edward breathed almost silently back; only our side could hear. â€Å"They have many layers of strategy already in place. If Irina's accusation had somehow proven to be false, they were committed to find another reason to take offense. But they can see Renesmee now, so they are perfectly sanguine about their course. We could still attempt to defend against their other contrived charges, but first they have to stop, to hear the truth about Renesmee.† Then, even lower. â€Å"Which they have no intention of doing.† Jacob gave a strange little huff. And then, unexpectedly, two seconds later, the procession did halt. The low music of perfectly synchronized movements turned to silence. The flawless discipline remained unbroken; the Volturi froze into absolute stillness as one. They stood about a hundred yards away from us. Behind me, to the sides, I heard the beating of large hearts, closer than before. I risked glances to the left and the right from the corners of my eyes to see what had stopped the Volturi advance. The wolves had joined us. On either side of our uneven line, the wolves branched out in long, bordering arms. I only spared a fraction of a second to note that there were more than ten wolves, to recognize the wolves I knew and the ones I'd never seen before. There were sixteen of them spaced evenly around us – seventeen total, counting Jacob. It was clear from their heights and oversized paws that the newcomers all were very, very young. I supposed I should have foreseen this. With so many vampires encamped in the neighborhood, a werewolf population explosion was inevitable. More children dying. I wondered why Sam had allowed this, and then I realized he had no other choice. If any of the wolves stood with us, the Volturi would be sure to search out the rest. They had gambled their entire species on this stand. And we were going to lose. Abruptly, I was furious. Beyond furious, I was murderously enraged. My hopeless despair vanished entirely. A faint reddish glow highlighted the dark figures in front of me, and all I wanted in that moment was the chance to sink my teeth into them, to rip their limbs from their bodies and pile them for burning. I was so maddened I could have danced around the pyre where they roasted alive; I would have laughed while their ashes smoldered. My lips curved back automatically, and a low, fierce snarl tore up my throat from the pit of my stomach. I realized the corners of my mouth were turned up in a smile. Beside me, Zafrina and Senna echoed my hushed growl. Edward squeezed the hand he still held, cautioning me. The shadowed Volturi faces were still expressionless for the most part. Only two sets of eyes betrayed any emotion at all. In the very center, touching hands, Aro and Caius had paused to evaluate, and the entire guard had paused with them, waiting for the order to kill. The two did not look at each other, but it was obvious that they were communicating. Marcus, though touching Aro's other hand, did not seem part of the conversation. His expression was not as mindless as the guards', but it was nearly as blank. Like the one other time I'd seen him, he appeared to be utterly bored. The bodies of the VolturFs witnesses leaned toward us, their eyes fixed furiously on Renesmee and me, but they stayed near the fringe of the forest, leaving a wide berth between themselves and the Volturi soldiers. Only Irina hovered close behind the Volturi, just a few paces away from the ancient females – both fair-haired with powdery skin and filmed eyes – and their two massive bodyguards. There was a woman in one of the darker gray cloaks just behind Aro. I couldn't be sure, but it looked like she might actually be touching his back. Was this the other shield, Renata? I wondered, as Eleazar had, if she would be able to repel me. But I would not waste my life trying to get to Caius or Aro. I had more vital targets. I searched the line for them now and had no difficulty picking out the two petite, deep gray cloaks near the heart of the arrangement. Alec and Jane, easily the smallest members of the guard, stood just to Marcus's side, flanked by Demetri on the other. Their lovely faces were smooth, giving nothing away; they wore the darkest cloaks beside the pure black of the ancients. The witch twins, Vladimir had called them. Their powers were the cornerstone of the Volturi offensive. The jewels in Aro's collection. My muscles flexed, and venom welled in my mouth. Aro's and Caius's clouded red eyes flickered across our line. I read disappointment in Aro's face as his gaze roved over our faces again and again, looking for one that was missing. Chagrin tightened his lips. In that moment, I was nothing but grateful that Alice had run. As the pause lengthened, I heard Edward's breath speed. â€Å"Edward?† Carlisle asked, low and anxious. ‘They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets – me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize – Zafrina and Senna in particular – and the wolves, naturally. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them.† â€Å"Outnumbered?† Tanya whispered incredulously. â€Å"They don't count their witnesses,† Edward breathed. â€Å"They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience.† â€Å"Should I speak?† Carlisle asked. Edward hesitated, then nodded. â€Å"This is the only chance you'll get.† Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. I hated to see him alone, unprotected. He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. â€Å"Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries.† The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment. I could feel the tension rolling off Edward as he listened to Aro's assessment of Carlisle's words. The strain mounted as the seconds ticked by. And then Aro stepped forward out of the center of the Volturi formation. The shield, Renata, moved with him as if the tips of her fingers were sewn to his robe. For the first time, the Volturi ranks reacted. A muttered grumble rolled through the line, eyebrows lowered into scowls, lips curled back from teeth. A few of the guard leaned forward into a crouch. Aro held one hand up toward them. â€Å"Peace.† He walked just a few paces more, then cocked his head to one side. His milky eyes glinted with curiosity. â€Å"Fair words, Carlisle,† he breathed in his thin, wispy voice. â€Å"They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones.† Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. â€Å"You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent.† Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed. â€Å"But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?† He frowned, and a shadow of sadness crossed his features – whether it was genuine or not, I could not tell. â€Å"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for.† â€Å"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today.† â€Å"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain.† Again, Carlisle offered his hand. Before Aro could answer, Caius drifted swiftly forward to Aro's side. â€Å"So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself, Carlisle,† the white-haired ancient hissed. â€Å"How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?† â€Å"The law is not broken. If you would listen – â€Å" â€Å"We see the child, Carlisle,† Caius snarled. â€Å"Do not treat us as fools.† â€Å"She is not an immortal. She is not a vampire. I can easily prove this with just a few moments – â€Å" Caius cut him off. â€Å"If she is not one of the forbidden, then why have you massed a battalion to protect her?† â€Å"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought.† Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the woods; some of them growled in response. â€Å"Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the child. Or you could just look at her, Caius. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks.† â€Å"Artifice!† Caius snapped. â€Å"Where is the informer? Let her come forward!† He craned his neck around until he spotted Irina lingering behind the wives. â€Å"You! Come!† Irina stared at him uncomprehendingly, her face like that of someone who has not entirely awakened from a hideous nightmare. Impatiently, Caius snapped his fingers. One of the wives' huge bodyguards moved to Irina's side and prodded her roughly in the back. Irina blinked twice and then walked slowly toward Caius in a daze. She stopped several yards short, her eyes still on her sisters. Caius closed the distance between them and slapped her across the face. It couldn't have hurt, but there was something terribly degrading about the action. It was like watching someone kick a dog. Tanya and Kate hissed in synchronization. Irina's body went rigid and her eyes finally focused on Caius. He pointed one clawed finger at Renesmee, where she clung to my back, her fingers still tangled in Jacob's fur. Caius turned entirely red in my furious view. A growl rumbled through Jacob's chest. â€Å"This is the child you saw?† Caius demanded. â€Å"The one that was obviously more than human?† Irina peered at us, examining Renesmee for the first time since entering the clearing. Her head tilted to the side, confusion crossed her features. â€Å"Well?† Caius snarled. â€Å"I†¦ I'm not sure,† she said, her tone perplexed. Caius's hand twitched as if he wanted to slap her again. â€Å"What do you mean?† he said in a steely whisper. â€Å"She's not the same, but I think it's the same child. What I mean is, she's changed. This child is bigger than the one I saw, but – â€Å" Caius's furious gasp crackled through his suddenly bared teeth, and Irina broke off without finishing. Aro flitted to Caius's side and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. â€Å"Be composed, brother. We have time to sort this out. No need to be hasty.† With a sullen expression, Caius turned his back on Irina. â€Å"Now, sweetling,† Aro said in a warm, sugary murmur. â€Å"Show me what you're trying to say.† He held his hand out to the bewildered vampire. Uncertainly, Irina took his hand. He held hers for only five seconds. â€Å"You see, Caius?† he said. â€Å"It's a simple matter to get what we need.† Caius didn't answer him. From the corner of his eye, Aro glanced once at his audience, his mob, and then turned back to Carlisle. â€Å"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the child has grown. Yet Irina's first memory was clearly that of an immortal child. Curious.† â€Å"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain,† Carlisle said, and from the change in his voice, I could guess at his relief. This was the pause we had pinned all our nebulous hopeson. I feltno relief. I waited, almost numb with rage, for the layers of strategy Edward had promised. Carlisle held out his hand again. Aro hesitated for a moment. â€Å"I would rather have the explanation from someone more central to the story, my friend. Am I wrong to assume that this breach was not of your making?† â€Å"Therewas no breach.† â€Å"Be that as it may, I will have every facet of the truth.† Aro's feathery voice hardened. â€Å"And the best way to get that is to have the evidence directly from your talented son.† He inclined his head in Edward's direction. â€Å"As the child clings to his newborn mate, I'm assuming Edward is involved.† Of course he wanted Edward. Once he could see into Edward's mind, he would know all our thoughts. Except mine. Edward turned to quickly kiss my forehead and Renesmee's, not meeting my eyes. Then he strode across the snowy field, clapping Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed. I heard a low whimper from behind me – Esme's terror breaking through. The red haze I saw around the Volturi army flamed brighter than before, i could not bear to watch Edward cross the empty white spacealone – but I alsocould not endure to have Renesmee one step closer to our adversaries. The opposing needs tore at me; I was frozen so tightly it felt like my bones might shatter from the pressure of it. I saw Jane smile as Edward crossed the midpoint in the distance between us, when he was closer to them than he was to us. That smug little smile did it. My fury peaked, higher even than the raging bloodlust I'd felt the moment the wolves had committed to this doomed fight. I could taste madness on my tongue – I felt it flow through me like a tidal wave of pure power. My muscles tightened, and I acted automatically. I threw my shield with all the force in my mind, flung it across the impossible expanse of the field – ten times my best distance – like a javelin. My breath rushed out in a huff with the exertion. The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy, a mushroom cloud of liquid steel. It pulsed like alivingthing – I could feel it, from the apex to the edges. There was no recoil to the elastic fabric now; in that instant of raw force, I saw that the backlash I'd felt before was of my own making – I had been clinging to that invisible part of me in self-defense, subconsciously unwilling to let it go. Now I set it free, and my shield exploded a good fifty yards out from me effortlessly, taking only a fraction of my concentration. I could feel it flex like just another muscle, obedient to my will. I pushed it, shaped it to a long, pointed oval. Everything underneath the flexible iron shield was suddenly a part of me – I could feel the life force of everything it covered like points of bright heat, dazzling sparks of light surrounding me. I thrust the shield forward the length of the clearing, and exhaled in relief when I felt Edward's brilliant light within my protection. I held there, contracting this new muscle so that it closely surrounded Edward, a thin but unbreakable sheet between his body and our enemies. Barely a second had passed. Edward was still walking to Aro. Everything had changed absolutely, but no one had noticed the explosion except for me. A startled laugh burst through my lips. I felt the others glancing at me and saw Jacob's big black eye roll down to stare at me like I'd lost my mind. Edward stopped a few steps away from Aro, and I realized with some chagrin that though I certainly could, I should not prevent this exchange from happening. This was the point of all our preparations: getting Aro to hear our side of the story. It was almost physically painful to do it, but reluctantly I pulled my shield back and left Edward exposed again. The laughing mood had vanished. I focused totally on Edward, ready to shield him instantly if something went wrong. Edward's chin came up arrogantly, and he held his hand out to Aro as if he were conferring a great honor. Aro seemed only delighted with his attitude, but his delight was not universal. Renata fluttered nervously in Aro:s shadow. Caius's scowl was so deep it looked like his papery, translucent skin would crease permanently. Little Jane showed her teeth, and beside her Alec's eyes narrowed in concentration. I guessed that he was ready, like me, to act at a second's notice. Aro closed the distance without pause – and really, what did he have to fear? The hulking shadows of the lighter gray cloaks – the brawny fighters like Felix – were but a few yards away. Jane and her burning gift could throw Edward on the ground, writhing in agony. Alec could blind and deafen him before he could take a step in Aro's direction. No one knew that I had the power to stop them, not even Edward. With an untroubled smile, Aro took Edward's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information. Every secret thought, every strategy, every insight – everything Edward had heard in the minds around him during the last month – was now Aro's. And further back – every vision of Alice's, every quiet moment with our family, every picture in Renesmee's head, every kiss, every touch between Edward and me†¦ All of that was Aro's now, too. I hissed with frustration, and the shield roiled with my irritation, shifting its shape and contracting around our side. â€Å"Easy, Bella,† Zafrina whispered to me. I clenched my teeth together. Aro continued to concentrate on Edward's memories. Edward's head bowed, too, the muscles in his neck locking tight as he read back again everything that Aro took from him, and Aro's response to it all. This two-way but unequal conversation continued long enough that even the guard grew uneasy. Low murmurs ran through the line until Caius barked a sharp order for silence. Jane was edging forward like she couldn't help herself, and Renata's face was rigid with distress. For a moment, I examined this powerful shield that seemed so panicky and weak; though she was useful to Aro, I could tell she was no warrior. It was not her job to fight but to protect. There was no bloodlust in her. Raw as I was, I knew that if this were between her and me, I would obliterate her. I refocused as Aro straightened, his eyes flashing open, their expression awed and wary. He did not release Edward's hand. Edward's muscles loosened ever so slightly. â€Å"You see?† Edward asked, his velvet voice calm. â€Å"Yes, I see, indeed,† Aro agreed, and amazingly, he sounded almost amused. â€Å"I doubt whether any two among gods or mortals have ever seen quite so clearly.† The disciplined faces of the guard showed the same disbelief I felt. â€Å"You have given me much to ponder, young friend,† Aro continued. â€Å"Much more than I expected.† Still he did not release Edward's hand, and Edward's tense stance was that of one who listens. Edward didn't answer. â€Å"May I meet her?† Aro asked – almost pleaded – with sudden eager interest. â€Å"I never dreamed of the existence of such a thing in all my centuries. What an addition to our histories!† â€Å"What is this about, Aro?† Caius snapped before Edward could answer. Just the question had me pulling Renesmee around into my arms, cradling her protectively against my chest. â€Å"Something you've never dreamed of, my practical friend. Take a moment to ponder, for the justice we intended to deliver no longer applies.† Caius hissed in surprise at his words. â€Å"Peace, brother,† Aro cautioned soothingly. This should have been good news – these were the words we'd been hoping for, the reprieve we'd never really thought possible. Aro had listened to the truth. Aro had admitted that the law had not been broken. But my eyes were riveted on Edward, and I saw the muscles in his back tighten. I replayed in my head Aro's instruction for Caius to ponder, and heard the double meaning. â€Å"Will you introduce me to your daughter?† Aro asked Edward again. Caius was not the only one who hissed at this new revelation. Edward nodded reluctantly. And yet, Renesmee had won over so many others. Aro always seemed the leader of the ancients. If he were on her side, could the others act against us? Aro still gripped Edward's hand, and he now answered a question that the rest of us had not heard. â€Å"I think a compromise on this one point is certainly acceptable, under the circumstance. We will meet in the middle.† Aro released his hand. Edward turned back toward us, and Aro joined him, throwing one arm casually over Edward's shoulder like they were the best of friends – all the while maintaining contact with Edward's skin. They began to cross the field back to our side. The entire guard fell into step behind them. Aro raised a hand negligently without looking at them. â€Å"Hold, my dear ones. Truly, they mean us no harm if we are peaceable.† The guard reacted to this more openly than before, with snarls and hisses of protest, but held their position. Renata, clinging closer to Aro than ever, whimpered in anxiety. â€Å"Master,† she whispered. â€Å"Don't fret, my love,† he responded. â€Å"All is well.† â€Å"Perhaps you should bring a few members of your guard with us,† Edward suggested. â€Å"It will make them more comfortable.† Aro nodded as if this was a wise observation he should have thought of himself. He snapped his fingers twice. â€Å"Felix, Demetri.† The two vampires were at his side instantaneously, looking precisely the same as the last time I'd met them. Both were tall and dark-haired, Demetri hard and lean as the blade of a sword, Felix hulking and menacing as an iron-spiked cudgel. The five of them stopped in the middle of the snowy field. â€Å"Bella,† Edward called. â€Å"Bring Renesmee†¦ and a few friends.† I took a deep breath. My body was tight with opposition. The idea of taking Renesmee into the center of the conflict†¦ But I trusted Edward. He would know if Aro was planning any treachery at this point. Aro had three protectors on his side of the summit, so I would bring two with me. It took me only a second to decide. â€Å"Jacob? Emmett?† I asked quietly. Emmett, because he would be dying to go. Jacob, because he wouldn't be able to bear being left behind. Both nodded. Emmett grinned. I crossed the field with them flanking me. I heard another rumble from the guard as they saw my choices – clearly, they did not trust the werewolf. Aro lifted his hand, waving away their protest again. â€Å"Interesting company you keep,† Demetri murmured to Edward. Edward didn't respond, but a low growl slipped through Jacob's teeth. We stopped a few yards from Aro. Edward ducked under Aro's arm and quickly joined us, taking my hand. For a moment we faced each other in silence. Then Felix greeted me in a low aside. â€Å"Hello again, Bella.† He grinned cockily while still tracking Jacob's every twitch with his peripheral vision. I smiled wryly at the mountainous vampire. â€Å"Hey, Felix.† Felix chuckled. â€Å"You look good. Immortality suits you.† â€Å"Thanks so much.† â€Å"You're welcome. It's too bad †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He let his comment trail off into silence, but I didn't need Edward's gift to imagine the end. It's too bad were going to kill you in a sec. â€Å"Yes, too bad, isn't it?† I murmured. Felix winked. Aro paid no attention to our exchange. He leaned his head to one side, fascinated. â€Å"I hear her strange heart,† he murmured with an almost musical lilt to his words. â€Å"I smell her strange scent.† Then his hazy eyes shifted to me. â€Å"In truth, young Bella, immortality does become you most extraordinarily,† he said. â€Å"It is as if you were designed for this life.† I nodded once in acknowledgment of his flattery. â€Å"You liked my gift?† he asked, eyeing the pendant I wore. â€Å"It's beautiful, and very, very generous of you. Thank you. I probably should have sent a note.† Aro laughed delightedly. â€Å"It's just a little something I had lying around. I thought it might complement your new face, and so it does.† I heard a little hiss from the center of the Volturi line. I glanced over Aro's shoulder. Hmm. It seemed Jane wasn't happy about the fact that Aro had given me a present. Aro cleared his throat to reclaim my attention. â€Å"May I greet your daughter, lovely Bella?† he asked sweetly. This was what we'd hoped for, I reminded myself. Fighting the urge to take Renesmee and run for it, I walked two slow steps forward. My shield rippled out behind me like a cape, protecting the rest of my family while Renesmee was left exposed. It felt wrong, horrible. Aro met us, his face beaming. â€Å"But she's exquisite,† he murmured. â€Å"So like you and Edward.† And then louder, â€Å"Hello, Renesmee.† Renesmee looked at me quickly. I nodded. â€Å"Hello, Aro,† she answered formally in her high, ringing voice. Aro's eyes were bemused. â€Å"What is it?† Caius hissed from behind. He seemed infuriated by the need to ask. â€Å"Half mortal, half immortal,† Aro announced to him and the rest of the guard without turning his enthralled gaze from Renesmee. â€Å"Conceived so, and carried by this newborn while she was still human.† â€Å"Impossible,† Caius scoffed. â€Å"Do you think they've fooled me, then, brother?† Aro's expression was greatly amused, but Caius flinched. â€Å"Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well?† Caius scowled, looking as chagrined as if Aro's gentle questions had been blows. â€Å"Calmly and carefully, brother,† Aro cautioned, still smiling at Renesmee. â€Å"I know well how you love your justice, but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage. And so much to learn, so much to learn! I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories, but be tolerant with me, brother, as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability. We came expecting only justice and the sadness of false friends, but look what we have gained instead! A new, bright knowledge of ourselves, our possibilities.† He held out his hand to Renesmee in invitation. But this was not what she wanted. She leaned away from me, stretching upward, to touch her fingertips to Aro's face. Aro did not react with shock as almost everyone else had reacted to this performance from Renesmee; he was as used to the flow of thought and memory from other minds as Edward was. His smile widened, and he sighed in satisfaction. â€Å"Brilliant,† he whispered. Renesmee relaxed back into my arms, her little face very serious. â€Å"Please?† she asked him. His smile turned gentle. â€Å"Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, precious Renesmee.† Aro's voice was so comforting and affectionate, it took me in for a second. And then I heard Edward's teeth grind together and, far behind us, Maggie's outraged hiss at the lie. â€Å"I wonder,† Aro said thoughtfully, seeming unaware of the reaction to his previous words. His eyes moved unexpectedly to Jacob, and instead of the disgust the other Volturi viewed the giant wolf with, Aro's eyes were filled with a longing that I did not comprehend. â€Å"It doesn't work that way,† Edward said, the careful neutrality gone from his suddenly harsh tone. â€Å"Just an errant thought,† Aro said, appraising Jacob openly, and then his eyes moved slowly across the two lines of werewolves behind us. Whatever Renesmee had shown him, it made the wolves suddenly interesting to him. â€Å"They don't belong to us, Aro. They don't follow our commands that way. They're here because they want to be.† Jacob growled menacingly. â€Å"They seem quite attached to you, though,† Aro said. â€Å"And your young mate and your†¦ family. Loyal† His voice caressed the word softly. â€Å"They're committed to protecting human life, Aro. That makes them able to coexist with us, but hardly with you. Unless you're rethinking your lifestyle.† Aro laughed merrily. â€Å"Just an errant thought,† he repeated. â€Å"You well know how that is. We none of us can entirely control our subconscious desires.† Edward grimaced. â€Å"I do know how that is. And I also know the difference between that kind of thought and the kind with a purpose behind it. It could never work, Aro.† Jacob's vast head turned in Edward's direction, and a faint whine slipped from between his teeth. â€Å"He's intrigued with the idea of†¦ guard dogs,† Edward murmured back. There was one second of dead silence, and then the sound of the furious snarls ripping from the entire pack filled the giant clearing. There was a sharp bark of command – from Sam, I guessed, though I didn't turn to look – and the complaint broke off into ominous quiet. â€Å"I suppose that answers that question,† Aro said, laughing again. â€Å"This lot has picked its side.† Edward hissed and leaned forward. I clutched at his arm, wondering what could be in Aro's thoughts that would make him react so violently, while Felix and Demetri slipped into crouches in synchronization. Aro waved them off again. They all returned to their former posture, Edward included. â€Å"So much to discuss,† Aro said, his tone suddenly that of an inundated businessman. â€Å"So much to decide. If you and your furry protector will excuse me, my dear Cullens, I must confer with my brothers.†