Human sexuality free essay sample

Sexuality freedom is the new civil rights we are fighting for this decade. The practice of BDSM has become a hot topic in our society lately since the book Fifty Shades of Grey went public in 2011. BDSM is an acronym for bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism /masochism. The term BDSM is defined as a variety of erotic practices involving power play. Now because this term does not cover everyone in the kink community, known as an umbrella term, people are now starting to use the term WIIWD, which stands for â€Å"What it is we do†. I will be using symbolic interaction theory to describe why BDSM is not deviant in our society today. Our society is always flowing and changing with the environment around us. We have fraught for rights of Jew, blacks, women, animals, Hispanics and many more but this decade we are on to a new type of rights. We will write a custom essay sample on Human sexuality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The right to be free sexually is such a different fight because it is now a private issue that we feel the need to control and label deviant. BDSM can be misunderstood if someone is naive to what actually happens behind the scenes of BDSM community. So for a simple run down of the basics. The main thing needed in a BDSM relationship is trust, without it the role play will not work. Everything is consensual and hard and soft limits are set up before any thing remotely dangerous. Now of course just like in the vanilla community there are deviants that do not abide by the rules set in place for our protection. Yes people have gotton hurt during the more dangerous scenes but this is from not following the roles and not trusting your partner. But this does not mean that Kinksters are all the same. Misinformed people like Melissa Farley, a known anti-kink /porn clinical psychologist who believes that no woman actually willingly participants in kink or porn. She says â€Å" In this economy, this is something women would rather not do, but they feel they have to, she said. This is a form of economic coercion. But people would rather not think of it that way. People think of it as a matter of rights, rather than ask the question, Should people have a right not to do this? Even though alternative sex has only recently been in the limelight, this does not mean that it has not been practiced quietly. There is evidence of alternative sex dating back to the medieval times but estimated to date back much further. In the eighteenth century there were reports of a french philosopher named ,Marquis de Sade who was imprisoned for thirty-two years for his violent erotic writings. That is where the term sadism came from. (Weiss,2013). Thirty-two years in prison because of the way he liked to spend his private time and what he wrote down. But thanks to our modern day of freedom to write what we want, society now has books that come out like Fifty Shades of Grey. Since the 18th century we have gone back and forth about how we express our sexuality. Twenty-five years ago there was a study in Canada in which they tried to tie alternative sex to people in need of psychiatric help by using 12 participants in a person perception task. Their studies found that there was a correlation(Tilby, P. J. , Kahn ). But just earlier this year The huffpost covered a story on a study of over a thousand participants about the mental health of the BDSM community. Their results were that people that engaged in alternative sex were actually healthier and more comfortable with themselves than vanilla people. There are countless more studies just like this over the last few decades, the results always reflect the attitudes towards expressing sexuality in society at the time of the study. Today, people are not frequently jailed or housed in mental hospitals For their private views. Unless their actual practices break local laws by violating anothers informed consent or causing harm to the point of death, sexual practices are mostly left to the realm of live-and-let-live. The US is still a recently religiously, and therefore sexually puritanical society, But the fact that our generations motto is â€Å"I can do whatever I want†, plus the large community of BDSM lets me believe that the world of vanilla people are actually the deviant ones in our society today. Almost all human behavior has symbolic value to it, including sexual behavior. Biologically , we are driven to reproduce, but this does not dictate who, when, where, what and how by which we choose to do so;(Arany, 2013) social interaction is the driving force behind this. These characteristics are then determined by what we have learned through our culture. BDSM community might stem from mutual sexual fantasies but really its our first non-exclusionary group. When outside the bedroom most of these kinksers would blend in with the rest of society. emphasizes that although reality is constructed by our social interactions, our perceived reality, including those of a sexual nature are not the same for everyone. It is critical that a situation is defined by the establishment of relevant identities of those involved in the interaction. It is this construction that involves negotiation and roletaking as well as role-making behaviors. This is where Goffman’s research style and staging details come into play, showing how the presentations of self are manifested deep in our everyday lives. One could view the discreet sexual practices of homosexuality as one of these staging details by which individuals avoid injuring their â€Å"identity†- the way they perceive themselves as being viewed by others. As a result of differences in how individuals are exposed to sexual culture, multiple connotations are associated with sexual terms, which vary by gender, social class, and other social characteristics. These connotations often come into play in how an individual presents themselves. Symbolic Interactionism, broadly, is the way individuals influence social meanings through their interactions with others. In analyzing a plethora of ideologies presented by popular scholars, we can ascertain that the perspective symbolic interactionism brings to the table, is one that allows us to understand ourselves much more intensely than we otherwise might. Furthermore, this insight also allows us to derive an accurate impression of how our behavior both influences and is influenced by those around us. According to Sandstrom, Martin, and Fine, â€Å"interactionism helps you remember that your choices and actions are not strictly dictated by cultural expectations or the reactions of others (p. 14). † I could go on to discuss how much I agree with this, however, it would not teach you a thing. Instead, I would prefer to discuss social interaction’s influence upon sexuality. You may be saying to yourself, â€Å"But that was not the question, it asked how it is relevant to you. † As a homosapien, the characteristics that make me human, do not relive me from the fact that as such, I still have primitive motives. Therefore, I insist that sexuality is very important to all of us thus worth further investigation. All human behavior has a certain symbolic value to it, sexual behavior being not different. Human sexual behavior has several components of which activities have many different meanings. Each of these meanings has a profound impact upon the way we feel about ourselves, and how others feel about us. Biologically, we are driven to reproduce, however it does not dictate who, what, when, where, and how by which we choose to do so; social interaction is the driving force behind that. These characteristics are thus determined by what we have learned from our culture. In respect to sex research, Blumer’s symbolic interactionist ideologies have become dominant. His approach emphasizes that although reality is constructed by our social interactions, our perceived reality, including those of a sexual nature are not the same for everyone. It is critical that a situation is defined by the establishment of relevant identities of those involved in the interaction. It is this construction that involves negotiation and roletaking as well as role-making behaviors. This is where Goffman’s research style and staging details come into play, showing how the presentations of self are manifested deep in our everyday lives. One could view the discreet sexual practices of homosexuality as one of these staging details by which individuals avoid injuring their â€Å"identity†- the way they perceive themselves as being viewed by others. As a result of differences in how individuals are exposed to sexual culture, multiple connotations are associated with sexual terms, which vary by gender, social class, and other social characteristics. These connotations often come into play in how an individual presents themselves. In conclusion, symbolic interactionism has made an incredible influence on human behavior, even the often underscored realm of human sexuality, as I have discussed. It has enhanced research in human sexuality by way of its adequacy in terms of predictability and parsimony in addition to the fact that it is generally devoid of moral judgments. Although our behavior is guided by social influence, the text reinforces the fact that â€Å"our choices and actions are not strictly dictated by cultural expectations or the reactions of others (p. 14). †We are all affected by sexuality and by the way others present themselves, the way we present ourselves and how the reactions of both feed upon the other. We are dependent upon these things. The symbolic interactionist viewpoint has further enhanced my understanding and how I perceive those around me, as well as how I perceive myself. That is how it is relevant to me. Human Sexuality free essay sample Human sexuality SOC 21 Masturbation is a very important meaner of learning about our bodies. Masturbation helps our bodies in many ways such as improve sexual health, reduces unwanted pregnancy, and helps prevent sexually transmitted diseases but most importantly it helps us learn about our bodies. Masturbation is usually seen as a bad thing when really it is way of helping our bodies. Although Masturbation is seen as an absurd and inappropriate subject to talk about and should be kept private people shouldnt feel ashamed for doing it. We believe that people might feel ashamed of it r to do it is because they are scared that they wont be considered a virgin any more or that people will see them differently like as dirty. When kids hit a certain age around the time they hit puberty they should be informed about how masturbating a natural thing is. They also should be informed the appropriate times to do it and where. We will write a custom essay sample on Human Sexuality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For example, remind your child that touching her vulva (or his penis) is a private behavior. remind her she needs to be in private (ideally the bedroom or bathroom with the door closed). When genital touching occurs in public, repetitive, gentle, and discreet reminders about he inappropriateness of the behavior when others are around or in public places is usually all that is needed. (Convenient 109) By teaching kids at an earlier age that it is k to masturbate it can break the judgments and shame that people have towards masturbating. This can help future generations to be less Judgmental and better understands the subject. Human sexuality SOC 021 In our society there have been perceptions and myths regarding masturbation. In the past, many religious cultures viewed it as a sin and even a topic to not discuss, let alone do. Today that outdated ideology has shifted, and is seen as normal and an important mean of learning about our bodies. An author from advocates for youth (2007) notes, Many people cannot imagine that everyone?babies, children, teens, adults, and the elderly?are sexual beings. Some believe that sexual activity is reserved for early and middle adulthood. Teens often feel that adults are too old for sexual intercourse. Sexuality, though, is much more than sexual intercourse and humans are sexual beings throughout life. The topic of masturbation is way to self-explore the body according to Melanie Davis, New Jersey Center for Sexual Wellness. That is a healthy way we understand our bodies and what pleasure we desire during sexual intimacy. We should not have a weird attitude about self-exploration. There have also been common myths regarding this topic including masturbation leads to menta l illness, does not cause infertility ? men and boys will not run out of sperm, and it does not make you gay just to reference a few according to planned parenthood. These myths have existed throughout history and today are not looked at as a common belief in our society In our modern world we view masturbation now as healthy and that we shouldnt feel Reid masturbating or even discussing the health benefits of masturbating. Most doctors agree it is normal and healthy. Melanie Davis writes We can have this discussion with also for example youth who are struggling to understand their bodies during changes in puberty, and often because of the negative stigma that was attached Human Sexuality SOC. 021 to it. As adults we may feel with the idea of talking to our kids about it, however in the end it can actually help the child feel more confident as an adult during his stages of puberty which are very vulnerable times for youth. By putting your own embarrassment aside, you will continue the process of helping your child become a sexually confident and happy adult. There are times where we should talk to children where it is appropriate to masturbate. Parents should be careful when talking to them about it and to not make them feel like they are engaging in harmful behavior. Masturbation is very common. Studies show that about 7 out of 10 adult men and more than 5 out of 10 adult women masturbate. Its also common for children and teens to masturbate. (www. Plenipotentiary. Org) So we can see that it is common and more people take part in it than expected Masturbation is not viewed as any mental disorder. However If it is interfering with your day to day life then it may be considered an issue. Excessive Masturbation may indicate a more serious psychological or personal problem. (The Great Masturbation Scare, cal 710-1910) Although most people do not suffer from excessive masturbation it is possible, and this may be due to a variety of reasons that either can or cannot be determined. Both children and adults may be showing these signs if they are to be evaluated and determined if they should seek professional help or not. Most people will continue to masturbate throughout their lives because throughout peoples lives we are sexually beings. Masturbation i s a way of sexual expression so it is likely we will continue to masturbate in our lifetime. Human sexuality SOC. 021 Throughout the entire book masturbation is looked at as a great way to relieve sexual tension, help in unwanted pregnancies and a great way to learn about an individuals likes and dislikes during a pleasurable experience. The strengths in these arguments are practically the pros of masturbation. People have tasks and goals in life. Getting the bills paid, mowing the lawn, writing an essay for the best sociology class ever, and a whole lot of endless responsibilities. When the pressures of life become too hard to handle and youre looking for that instant satisfaction, why not masturbate? Masturbation can also help when it is time to be intimate with a partner. For example, according to Dry. Debby Herbicide, from Confidentialitys. Org, masturbation can help men learn to control the timing of their ejaculation, and to last longer if they would like to. From this site, I learned about the start-stop method, which involves the male stopping Just before the point of orgasm, to let the erection slightly decrease, then start up again(Confidentialitys. Org). If a person is a premature ejaculatory they can use this method in order to ensure both parties will achieve satisfaction. Any subject will have strengths and weaknesses; masturbation is one that can nave dire consequences, it you let it But tort the most part, beneficial for a persons self-esteem, learning of ones sexuality and helps in maintaining a stress. A weakness we found from the author is th at the book doesnt dive in to what can o wrong if a person were to become obsessed with masturbation. One can only learn through their mistakes or by seeing what can become of such choices. What is argued against masturbation usually pertains to the quantity of the act itself. The act itself can teach us about what we enjoy sexually, but too much of a good thing can come with horrendous consequences. For example, according to hellgrammite. Com, Dry. Hoses states that, Excessive masturbation can have some harmful effects. Some of these include abrasions on the foreskin from friction. Just because its pleasurable doesnt mean it wont wear down. Another con for masturbation is if a person is spending too much time indulging and ignores the social world, this can cramp a persons lifestyle and activities. Missing important tasks or spending all of your money on pornography on an ongoing basis will lead to an obsession that can result in shame and guilt. Control is the key to anything. Life is all about balance. We must know how to manage our time and curb our urges to lead a healthy life. Masturbation has always been a delicate discussion among society. Many dont like to speak about it because they view it as immoral. This topic could be very insensitive not only when it involves adults but children as well. Teaching kids and teens that masturbation isnt a bad thing can go against the customs that they have followed growing up, but experts now days encourage parents to think differently about this subject. Like the author in the book, Teaching Children about Their Bodies, Boundaries, and Sexuality, clearly states that [the norm] in infancy and childhood is all about healthy curiosity about body parts and their functions, and that exploration and touching of genitals [is] common (Convenient 2007). Its obvious that at this GE young kids dont really understand why they are stimulating the genitals, but its a good way of self-exploration and learning about our bodies. This outside source helps strengthen the argument because they believe that many boys and men (girls and women) who touch their own private body parts is okay (Convenient 2007). Masturbation is seen as a private activity in which you do not expose to the public, and for teens this should be a very important teaching. The author is all about teaching children and adolescents the importance of masturbation, but knowing when and where to do it. This action communicates acceptance about the behavior, but also teaches rules about safety and appropriate behavior (Convenient 2007). Masturbation is the most frequent type of sexual activity for most young people until they begin forming stable relationships in late adolescence, therefore being a normal aspect about exploring our bodies. It is clear that the author of this book, Terrier Convenient, is seen more of a support for our argument in which masturbation is seen as an important meaner of learning about our bodies. We as a group agree with the author of, Human Sexuality, Diversity in Contemporary America, in regards with masturbation being healthy and a normal part of development. Through masturbation, children and adolescents learn what is sexually pleasing, now to move their bodies and what their natural rhythm are. ( Warbler, Assayed, Strong, p. 279, 2008) The author states that through masturbation we can learn about our bodies and that there are several reasons such as for sexual tension, either because the partner is not available or does not want to have sex. The author also states how before masturbation was viewed as an illness, masturbation is the primary sexual activity of [human] kind. In the nineteenth century it was a disease; in the twentieth century its a cure. ( Sass, p. 279, 2008) To Summarize, our group agrees with the author that masturbation is a normal and healthy part of growing up and one can masturbate and it will not have any sort of negative impact on ones life if done wisely. We also agree that masturbation is also a vital way to fully understand our bodies needs and it can also help us understand what pleasures we are looking for during sexual intimacy.

The Challenges of Using Nonlinear Programming, Decision Analysis, Forecasting, and Queuing in Quantitative Decision Making.

The Challenges of Using Nonlinear Programming, Decision Analysis, Forecasting, and Queuing in Quantitative Decision Making. Introduction Linear programming can be referred to as a mathematical means for deciding the outcome of a function such as maximum or minimum as per relationships known as linear relationships, which are presented in a mathematical model (Hillier et al. 2010). It can also be referred to as a method for determining linear type functions in relations to their equality or inequality constraints.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Challenges of Using Nonlinear Programming, Decision Analysis, Forecasting, and Queuing in Quantitative Decision Making. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, non linear programming refers to a process by which a set of equalities and inequalities are collectively solved over a set of known variables in comparison to a function which is either maximized or minimized provided that the function or some of the set of variables are nonlinear (Strayer, 1989). A nonlinear equation curves at some point or at many points as per the complexity of your equation. Also, non linear equations consists of exponents and the higher the exponents the more the curves when they are graphed. However, in a linear equation, the exponents are not higher than one and thus linear equations are on a straight line and their purpose is to find the line that comes closest to your data (Hiller Hiller, 2010). Sometimes, due to the close relationship between linear and nonlinear programming, it is difficult for managers to decide which of the two to use in decision analysis, forecasting and queuing in quantitative decision making. However, nonlinear programming often provides a greater precision for problem solving to managers though it is more difficult to calculate due the exponent compositions. Linear programming can be used by managers for preliminary analysis whereas nonlinear programming, due to its precision, is best for the final analysis (Hiller Hiller, 2010) It is difficult to te ll the difference between a linear programming and a nonlinear programming in almost every aspect. This is because both of them share the fact that decisions are made regarding the levels of a number of activities that have any value that satisfy given set of constraints. Also, decisions in reference to these activities are based on overall measure performance. The applications of both differ in the following three ways; The first difference is found in the nature of their relationships. It is a proven fact that nonlinear programming is used to model non proportional relationships between activity levels and overall measure of performance while linear programming assumes a proportional relationship. The second major difference is that while the constructing nonlinear formulas used in nonlinear programming, it posses a greater challenge than constructing linear formulas. The final major difference lies in the solution of linear and nonlinear equations. It is difficult to solve a non linear equations and sometimes impossible unlike the linear equations which are easy and straightforward. Thus, it can be concluded that nonlinear programming raises various challenges because it uses a more complicated relationship between the activity levels and the overall measure of the performance.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The four types of profit graphs with Non proportional Relationships are; Decreasing marginal returns graph When a graph is plotted such that profit is against the level of activity and the slope of the graph doe not in any way show increment as activity levels increase, such a graph is known as a decreasing marginal returns graph. Also, an activity is said to have decreasing marginal returns when the slope of the cost graph increases as the level of activity increases. You can also encounter decreasing marginal returns when less effi cient inputs are used to increase the activity levels (Strayer, 1989). Piecewise Linear These are termed thus because they consist of sequences of connected line segments and the slope of the profit graph remains the same within each line segment as the level of activity increases. However, the slope of the profit graph decreases at the kink where the next line segment begins and this graph can also be termed as having decreasing marginal returns (Karlin, 1959). Discontinuities graph This is a situation where the profit graph is disconnected because it suddenly jumps up or slows down due to various reasons such as when the quantity discounts for the purchase of a product is available at a time the production levels for the said product has risen beyond specific levels (Strayer, 1989). Increasing marginal returns graph This is another way in which proportionality assumption is violated. In this case, the slope of the profit graph does not decrease but at times increases with increase in the level of activity. The four types of decision criteria are as listed below: The maximax Criterion This is the decision criterion for they who are always optimistic and it states that a manager should only look on the positive side of events. This works through the identification of the maximum payoff from each decision alternative and then finding the maximum of these payoffs before choosing the corresponding decision alternatives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Challenges of Using Nonlinear Programming, Decision Analysis, Forecasting, and Queuing in Quantitative Decision Making. specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Where this criterion is preferred, it is because it gives an opportunity for the best possible outcome to happen (Karlin, 1959). However, its drawback is that it ignores all the payoffs except the largest one. This means that all the rest are ignored despite their probability of success. The Max imin Criterion This is the criteria used by total pessimists because it focuses on the worst that can happen. It works through the identification of the minimum payoff from all decision alternatives and thereafter finding the maximum of these minimum payoffs before choosing a corresponding decision alternative. The rationale behind it is that it provides the best possible protection against any bad luck despite the likelihood of the decision leading to its worst state. However, it has a drawback in that it completely ignores all probabilities (Strayer, 1989). The Maximum Likelihood Criterion It focuses on the most likely state of nature by identifying that state of nature with the largest priority and choosing the decision alternative that has the largest payoff for the given state of nature. Bayes decision rule This uses the prior probabilities of the possible states of nature by using the calculation of the weighted average of its payoff through multiplication of each payoff by th e prior probability of the corresponding state of nature and then summing the products. This weighted average is termed as the expected payoff and according to Baye’s rule, the largest of this expected payoff is chosen (Karlin, 1959). Decision trees and the analysis process A decision tree can be termed as the process under which analysis progresses and decisions are made as per the analysis undertaken. Trees consist of nodes and branches. Nodes are points in the tree where events occur whereas branches can be referred to as lines coming from the nodes. There are two types of nodes; decision nodes represented by squares and indicating a point which a decision is made and an event node which is circular in nature and indicates the occurrence of a random event. Decision trees are useful for analysis and visualization of problems especially problems of complex nature. Thus, decision trees can be termed as critical in the analysis process (Gale, 1960).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The five types of Forecasting Techniques and the difference in each approach are: The last value forecasting method It is also called the naà ¯ve method and uses the last month’s sales as the forecast for the next moth. It is a reasonable method in situations where conditions change fast that previous sales before the last month are not reliable indicator of future sales. The Averaging forecasting method This is the use of the average value of all the monthly sales to date as the forecast for next month. It is used when conditions tend to remain stable throughout such that earlier sales are reliable indicator of future sales. The movings of queuing systems Commercial service system In the commercial type of service system, an organization takes the mandate of providing customers who are not from within the said organization with various services. These customers come, are served and return to their various destinations. Examples include institutions such as the Barber shop w here the customers are people and the server is the barber. Another example can be the plumbing services where the clogged pipes can be termed as the customers and the server is the plumber (Hiller Hiller, 2010). Internal service system This is a queuing system which customers receiving service are internal to the organization providing the service. Examples include the Mainframe computer where the customers are employees and the server is the computer and plumbing Inspection station where the customers are the items and the server is the inspector. Transportation Service Stations The transportation service system is a system which referrers to the involvement of transportation services. This is such that either the customer or the server is a vehicle. Examples include the highway tollbooth where the cars can be termed as the customers while the server is the cashier. Another example is the airline service where the customers are the people using the airline while the server is the airplane (Hiller Hiller, 2010). Conclusion In conclusion, as Hillier et al. (2010) states, management decisions can determine the success or failure of a firm. Thus, it is mandatory for the necessary for proper analysis and forecasting to be performed before decisions can be reached at. It is also important to note here that not all statistical tools for analysis into the decision making process have been discussed by me in this paper. This is a wide subject area that could not be covered in one assignment. However, it is an essential matter to have customers in mind whenever models are developed in any level because they are the end consumers of the company’s product and services. References Gale, D (1960). The Theory of Linear Economic Models, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Hillier, M., Hillier, S.(2010). Introduction to Management Science: A Modeling and Case Studies Approach with Spreadsheets, (4th Ed), New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin Publishing Company Karlin, S. (1959). ‘Mathematical Methods and Theory in Games,’ Programming and  Economics, vol. 1, Addison-Wesley Strayer, K. (1989). Linear Programming and Applications,New York, NY: Springer

Harold Rosenberg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Harold Rosenberg - Essay Example The paper "Harold Rosenberg" discovers the works and art of Harold Rosenberg. He saw art as a laboratory where experiments were carried out on trial and error basis. He saw expressionism as a major rupture within the history of modern art, describing what was to go on the canvas as an event rather than a picture, and captured a moment or rather stayed on as a record of the moment. Even though he claimed that the New York school Paris had taken over art, his writing was still influenced by the existentialist philosophy. Clement Greenberg’s views closely shaped the works of many artists in his time. He focused his attention to the formal properties of art such as color, line and space having a rigorous approach to criticism. He introduced many ideas into the discussion in the 20th century, explaining notions such as ‘kitsch’ and pictorial ‘flatness’ and inventing concepts such as the optical space. He believed in the necessity in abstract art as a means in resisting the intrusion of politics and commerce into art. Even though he championed what had most often been regarded as avant-garde art, he saw modern art as an unfolding tradition and thereby ended up attacking many others against those values that he held dear, including Rosenberg. Greenberg, believed that adopting to modern art, is like adapting to any other change, and those who do not change, they end up being misplaced in the society because people have to move with the current trends in the world as noted by Kocur and Simon.

How has your backgroung and experience prepare you to interact Essay

How has your backgroung and experience prepare you to interact effectively with individuals who are different from you in their social, cultural, or economic perspectives - Essay Example As an immigrant to the U.S., I have had to interact with people whose cultures are different from mine. In order to overcome the problem of communication barrier, I have had to learn English, French being my first language. In total, I can effectively communicate in three languages, thanks to my encounters with people of different cultural backgrounds. I have also had the opportunity to work with individuals who are physically and mentally challenged. This experience has made me learn and appreciate the challenges these people face and how they wish to be treated. Furthermore, I have worked in settings that encompass people who hold divergent views and who are from different backgrounds. My interactions with these people have made me learn about different cultures and their general orientations toward life. In conclusion, I have interacted with different people at different forums and settings, something that has greatly shaped my appreciation of divergent views. Today, I am a better person because I have learnt to put myself in other people’s shoes and can contribute constructively in discussions that involve people whose views are different from the ones I

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 15

Management - Essay Example The constitution of Italy was adopted in 1947, following a referendum on 2 June 1946 that abolished the Italian monarchy and established Italy as a parliamentary republic. The constitution took effect January 1, 1948. The 1948 constitution created the position of President to fulfil the ceremonial roles of the Italian monarchy. The country is divided into regions, provinces and municipalities. The are 20 regions, which are divided into 95 provinces.   For quite a long time Australia and Italy has good relations with each other which are underpinned by strong community ties which has led to the development of strong trade and investment and cultural links amongst the two countries. Many bilateral agreements have been concluded between Australia and Italy covering many areas such as culture, double taxation, air services, economic and commercial cooperation, reciprocal social security and health care benefits, and film co-production. Many memorandums of understanding (MoUS) have been signed in areas such as science and technology cooperation, defense materiel, defense industry, motor vehicle safety certification, game meat exports and trade cooperation. The relations between the two countries can be proved by the number of high level visits made by the country representatives. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer visited Rome for bilateral meetings with Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema, the Minister for European Policies and International Trade, Emma Bonino, and the Minister for the Interior Giuliano Amato.   An Australian Parliamentary Delegation headed by President of the Senate, Senator the Hon Paul Calvert, visited in 2005, and met with the Italian Presiding officers.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Neil Andrew, met his Italian counterpart Pierferdinando Casini in Rome during the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister, John Howard, visited Italy in July 2002, meeting then

Oxford Movement and the Church

Oxford Movement and the Church Article reprinted from Cross Way Issue Autumn 2008 No. 110 (C)opyright Church Society; material may be used for non-profit purposes provided that the source is acknowledged and the text is not altered. THE OXFORD MOVEMENT By David Phillips It is likely that we will see a growing interest in the Oxford Movement in the wake of proposals by Roman Catholics to declare one of its founders a saint. The early part of the 19th century was a period of great social change in Europe and the role of the Church was being weakened and threatened. However, some reform was necessary and parliament took the lead. In 1833 a Bill was passed to abolish two archbishoprics and eight bishoprics in Ireland. Whilst the decision was reasonable not least because of the problems in Ireland it was for some the straw which broke the camels back. There were those who believed this was unwarranted interference by the state in the affairs of the Church and demonstrated the weakness of the Church. John Keble responded with a sermon in the University Church in Oxford entitled national apostacy and he found support from three other Oxford men in particular John Henry Newman, Hurrell Froude and William Palmer. In September 1833 these men began to publish Tracts which were referred to as The Oxford Tracts giving rise to the later name The Oxford Movement. It is said that the chief concern of the Oxford men was the dignity of the Church and they argued in the Tracts that it was sacrilege for non-Church bodies to lay hands on the Church. They also had a strong aversion to the emerging liberalism and a desire for personal holiness. In these things they would have found sympathisers amongst Evangelicals but this was not all that surfaced in the Tracts. At the time High Church referred to those who had a high regard for the Church and its ways including establishment and its Protestantism. Thus High Churchmen were split in their response to the new movement. Some warmed to what was said about the nature and dignity of the Church whilst others saw that it would lead to disestablishment and indeed to some Roman practices at least. The impact of the movement was such that the old distinction of high church was largely lost and the term came to be associated with the Tractarians. The authorities in Oxford also distanced themselves from the Tracts and from any association of the name with the university. Historians will sometimes say that Evangelicals were slow to respond or even ill equipped to do so, but this is clearly not the case. The robustly evangelical newspaper The Record (later to become The Church of England Newspaper) commented on a letter sent by the Oxford men to the Archbishop of Canterbury and then later on the early Tracts in its December issues of 1833. We must confess the surprise was extreme and the sorrow poignant with which we read the tracts of the Apostolical Society at Oxford, extracts from which appeared in our last number. Had we not read them with our own eyes, it would have been difficult to persuade us that such effusions could have escaped, at any time, from the pen of Protestant clergymen The Record attacks the Oxford men on apostolic succession not because Evangelicals rejected the idea but because the Oxford men were touting the Roman view of succession. As a Protestant Church the Church of England, cannot nor would it wish to claim such succession and to do so was sheer folly. They also state that the Tracts talk of clergymen conveying the sacrifice, being intrusted with the keys of heaven and hell and being intrusted with the awful and mysterious gift of making the bread and wine Christs body and blood. The editorial describes all these as melancholy and wicked Popish delusions. Thus right from the outset Evangelicals, or at least some of them, saw the errors and responded to them, a fact that is not always recognised. Shortly afterwards Hurrell Froude, one of the original four died and his theological remains were published in 1838. These showed unequivocally his opposition to the Protestant Reformation and his empathy for Medieval Catholicism. This seems to have woken others up to the real heart of the Tractarians who were becoming increasingly critical of the Church of England and idealistic regarding the Church of Rome. In 1841 Newman published his famous Tract 90 attempting to argue that the Articles, if properly understood, support Roman Catholic doctrine. Newman himself seems to have eventually recognised that his arguments were wrong because he left for Rome but others continued and still continue to argue the same points. I recall one clergyman arguing that his belief in purgatory was acceptable because the Articles denounce the Romish doctrine of purgatory and that was not his doctrine. Eventually this perverse sort of reasoning had to be resolved and evangelicals found that they had to resort to law to do so. Evangelicals at the time, as today, were adamant that they were the legitimate Anglicans, the true heirs of the Reformed Church of England. The case of George Gorham therefore shook the movement to its roots. Bishop Philpotts of Exeter despised Evangelicals and when a Patron attempted to present Gorham to a living in the Diocese the Bishop argued and then set out to prove that Gorham did not hold to the doctrine of the Church on baptismal regeneration. This was serious because no evangelical believed in baptismal regeneration and nor did they believe that it was the doctrine of the church. If Gorham was rejected on this basis then all evangelicals could find themselves driven out. An appeal was therefore launched but the Bishops decision was initially upheld. Evangelicals however contested the issue right to the Privy Council where they won. For Anglo-Catholics this demonstrated the problem of establishment that a secular court, as they saw it, had the final say. For Evangelicals it was a reminder that within the Church hierarchy they were weak and often opposed whilst they had much stronger support amongst the laity, and particularly in parliament. More importantly it demonstrated that men like Philpotts could not be trusted to read the Articles and Prayer Book in its plain historical meaning, revisionism had begun. From an early stage Tractarianism was manifest in Ritualism and they founded the Church Union to promote their cause. In 1865 Evangelicals responded by forming the Church Association which from the outset had amongst its aims the goal of clarifying the law on ritual and doctrine. Thus a series of test cases were fought which mostly, though certainly not in every detail, upheld the Evangelical view. This ought to have settled matters, but of course it did not. The Ritualists still refused to abide by the law. The obvious thing would have been for Bishops to remove such clergy from office but the Bishops generally declined to do this. This failure to discipline has plagued the Church of England down to the present and has encouraged all manner of practices and beliefs to flourish unchecked. The problem therefore for Evangelicals was what to do next and this led to division amongst them. The Church Association believed it must fight on and so they took the matters to the courts. The fact was that the law forbade certain practices and the Ritualists were doing them. Therefore the courts instructed the Ritualists to stop and they did not. If the law was to be upheld then there had to be a final recourse when people refused to obey it and thus some clergy were imprisoned. But many Evangelicals either did not like this approach either because they did not like taking the matter to court in this way or because they feared the outcome. Thus J.C. Ryle in particular encouraged the creation of a new body, The Protestant Churchmens Alliance, which absorbed the earlier Protestant Association. The Alliance also fought ritualism but not to the lengths the Association did. The Alliance merged eventually into the National Church League and thus was finally reunited with the Association in 1950 when both became Church Society. With the benefit of hindsight it is possible to see that the fears of many were realised because the imprisonments led to a swing in public opinion in favour of the Ritualists. At the same time the Association, as a primarily lay organisation, tried to do what the Bishops failed to do, which was preserve discipline as a mark of the Church. Today many of the practices that were opposed by our evangelical forebears are common within the Church of England and are even found, sometimes unwittingly, in evangelical churches. David Phillips is General Secretary of Church Society.

Our Town :: essays research papers

Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, is an American classic, expressing with warmth and humor the eternal truths of human existence. It is a heartening, compassionate glimpse of that time before the Great Wars; before our innocence was lost forever. From the time of its first performances in 1938, it has continued to be regarded as one of the best representations of life in America and of the richness of our theatre world. For decades it has remained a landmark of theatrical craftsmanship and a loving picture of American life. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Our Town depicts pathos set against a background of centuries of time, social history, and religious ideas. As the Stage Manager (who functions as a Greek chorus in the drama) says: "This is the way we were in our growing-up and in our marrying and in our doctoring and in our living and in our dying." Our Town is set in 1901 in Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, where the Gibbses and the Webbs are neighbors. During their childhood George Gibbs and Emily Webb are playmates and their lives are inextricably woven together as neighbors' lives are likely to be. But as they grow older they pass into a state of romantic (and embarrassing) interest in one another. George proposes to Emily in the drug store over an ice cream soda, and they are married with all the good folks of Grover's Corners in attendance. But George and Emily's happiness is short-lived. Emily dies in childbirth and is buried in the town's cemetery on a rainy, dreary day. There she is reunited with those friends and neighbors who have died before her, and who help her acclimate herself to her new existence. In one of the most vital scenes in modern theatre, the peace and quiet of death, which can never be understood by the living, is portrayed. Our Town is not just about Emily and George and, indeed, is not just about a small town in northern New England a hundred years ago. Our Town is a play about what we (and Thornton Wilder) thought America and Americans were. As we are about to take a head-long leap into the next century we are forced, not only to look ahead to what we might become, but to turn and look back at what allowed us to arrive at this threshold of the new millennium.

Manager Resume Example Essay

ALBERT A. YAGUDAEV Home (718) 956-7299   Cell (917) 865-4782 Fluent in English & Russian CORE KNOWLEDGE AREAS Risk Management Finance Management Strategic Analysis Team Building Problem Solving Statistical Analysis Commercial Banking Client Relations Budget Management Report Management Goal-Oriented Communication Skills Bond Assurance Detail-Oriented Decision Making Team Building Time Management Organization Skills PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE    Calyon New York, NY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2005 – Present Senior Analyst – Capital Markets / Global Funding Desk Prepares and presents consolidated entity level risk reports for Senior Management including the Senior Executive of the Trading Desk. Provides consultation and advice regarding dynamic hedge strategies utilizing interest rate derivatives. Automates various workflows utilizing Excel and Visual Basic. Identifies and quantifies all risks borne by the trading books. Reviews and analyzes calculations of risk parameters including sensitivities, volatilities, VaR, and reporting of total position risk. Runs scenario analyses and stress loss tests. Explores P&L and positional impacts of market movements. Quantifies portfolio size and stop-loss limits; monitor and report on breaches. Guides traders on market risk, P&L, liquidity risk, and limit utilization. Analyzes the integrity and maintains the quality of the data feeds from various global systems by establishing effective processes for timely VaR reporting for the Investment Bank. Optimizes the management framework. Produces ad-hoc reports and quantitative analysis for the Treasury/Global Funding Desk. HSBC Bank USA, New York, NY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   2001-2005 Sr. Risk Analyst – Interest Rate Derivatives Desk Verified and analyzed daily Profit and Loss. Analyzed calculations of risk parameters including volatilities, stress testing and (VaR). Deconstructed and analyzed reports on Fixed Income and Interest Rate Derivatives. Measured and analyzed credit exposures and various elements of risk. Provided financial reports to Head Office and Senior Management. Reorganized the use of proprietary relational databases, complex spreadsheets, and concomitant macros to streamline corporate business operations. Tested and implemented the VaR model (Taylor-Series). Ensured levels of risk were consistent with limits established by management. Continue†¦page 1 of 2 ALBERT YAGUDAEV  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Page Two Integrated Leasing, Melville, NY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2001 Consultant Successfully streamlined corporate business operations through the utilization of spreadsheets and macros. Developed and maintained relational databases for product centers. Natexis Banque Populaires, New York, NY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      1999 – 2000 Treasury Risk Manager – Fixed Income and Interest Rate Derivatives Desk Performed VaR analysis using RiskMetrics. Analyzed the results of Monte Carlo simulations and historical Time Series risk measurement Responsible for defining department’s market risk measurement methodologies, including statistical measures, stress testing, monitoring overall positions and setting limits to govern exposure Researched simulation models for incorporation into firm’s risk systems Managed P&L risk on both an intra-day and end-of-day basis, specifically monitoring risk exposure    Ambac Capital Corp., New York, NY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1997-1999 Risk Analyst – Fixed Income Desk in Asset/Liability Management Prepared detailed mark-to-market risk analysis of a $10.5 billion asset and liability portfolio for Securities including GICs, CMOs, Corporates, ABS, Municipals and Treasuries. Analyzed and recommended appropriate hedges with respect to interest rate exposure for duration, convexity, and time value utilizing options, futures and other derivative products. Measured portfolio risk utilizing dollar and effective duration, convexity, key rate duration, volatility, prepayments, and basis between Treasury, Libor and AAA Corporate yields. Maintained, reviewed and updated model assumptions for measuring sensitivity of the GIC portfolio to market value fluctuations and changes in interest rates. J & W Seligman & Co., New York, NY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1995-1997 Business Analyst Conducted quantitative and statistical analysis for the Fixed Income Analytical Team. Reviewed and analyzed trends in the bond market, interest rates, and yields. Effectively prepared and presented detailed reports to Senior Management describing the firm’s current risk status. Salomon Smith Barney Inc., New York, NY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1994-1995 Associate Analyst Evaluated department financial progress through the compilation and manipulation of data utilized in daily reports. Significantly reduced the capital charge imposed by the SEC on aged items from $159 million to $13.3 million. Successfully managed the $83.2 million Smith Barney commission account for proper allocation. TECHNICAL SKILLS Bloomberg  ¨ Bloomberg Trader Workstation  ¨ Reuters 3000 Calypso  ¨ RiskWatch  ¨ RiskMetrics,  ¨ Summit,  ¨ Kondor Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Advanced Excel w/ VBA & Functions, Access) EDUCATION St. John’s University – College of Business Administration, Queens, NY Bachelor of Science in Finance, (date) Associates in Computer Science, (date)

Big Picture Questions in SAT Reading Strategies and Tips

Big Picture Questions in SAT Reading Strategies and Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Of the many question types on SAT Reading, "big picture" questions are the ones that require the most thorough comprehension of large amounts of text. You'll be asked to discuss and examine the main claim or purpose of a paragraph, passage, or even multiple passages. But how do you identify these "big picture" questions on SAT Reading? And what are the best ways to approach answering them? Below, I’ll discuss the three primary types of big picture questions you’ll encounter on the SAT, along with common ways the SAT will ask you about each. I'll also give you expert SAT Reading strategies to answer these questions, illustrated with examples from real practice questions. Secret Bunker Turn Right and My Garden_in The Big Picture by Amanda Slater, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped and rotated from original. Big Picture Questions: A Brief Intro On SAT Reading, there are three kinds of questions that require you to read large amounts of text and distill them down into answers. At PrepScholar, we call these "big picture" questions. In contrast to "little picture" questions that ask for specific details, big picture questions tend to ask about big ideas found in large chunks of text, which can be anything from a paragraph or a series of paragraphs up to an entire passage (or multiple passages, if it's a paired passage question). Learning to answer these sorts of questions will prove very useful for college or university, where professors will expect you to do exactly this with even more dense and academic writing. Type 1: Main Point, Perspective, and Author Attitude On the SAT, you'll rarely get asked questions about the main point of a passage outright like this: "The main idea of the passage is that the author..." "Over the course of the passage, the main focus shifts from..." Instead, questions are far more likely to ask you about the author’s attitude or perspective towards something discussed in the passage. Here are a few examples of ways I’ve seen these questions asked, all modified from actual SAT questions: "This passage is written from the point of view of a..." "The author's attitude toward narrative structure is best described as one of..." "Which of the following best characterizes Staffaroni's attitude toward 'today's digital technologies' (lines 42-43)?" "Which best reflects the perspective of the "narrativists" (line 42) on aleatoric music? "The authors of both passages agree that Valve’s Portal..." "With which of the following statements about the role of music in games would the author most likely agree?" In some ways, these perspective questions are just inference questions that are only focused around the point of view of the author (or narrator). What makes these questions big picture questions, rather than inference questions, is that the perspective of the author or narrator inevitably affects what is written in the whole passage. Being able to answer these kinds of perspective questions is not only important for your SAT score, but an important skill for you to have going into post-high school life: if you can figure out where someone’s coming from and what their attitude is, you can use that to inform how trustworthy you should consider their information. Type 2: Primary Purpose These questions ask what’s the point (vs. what’s a point, which would be a detail question). Is the cited text describing an issue or event? Is it trying to review, inform, prove, contradict, parody, or hypothesize? Primary purpose questions are almost always asked in this way: "The primary/main purpose of the passage(s)/paragraph/X paragraphs is to†¦" On occasion, there's a little variation in the wording: "The sixth paragraph (lines 67-68) is primarily concerned with establishing a contrast between†¦" "The passage primarily serves to " Sometimes questions asking about purpose are function questions, rather than big picture questions; which type of question it is depends on the answer choices. More specific answer choices that include information about what the point of the paragraph is indicate a big picture question, while vaguer answer choices point to questions asking about the paragraph's function (what does the paragraph do). For example, if the question was "The primary purpose of the paragraph is to†¦", answer choices like "analyze a faulty assumption" or "disparage an opposing viewpoint" would indicate this is more of a function question. If, on the other hand, the answers choices were more like "discuss findings that offer a scientific explanation for the Venus flytrap’s closing action," "describe Nawab’s various moneymaking ventures," or "convey the passage’s setting by describing a place and an object," then it would be safe to assume it is a big picture question. Type 3: Rhetorical Strategy Rhetorical strategy questions are more commonly asked about, but not limited to, paired passages. Rather than asking why something happens in the passage (an inference question), these questions ask how something happens/happened in the passage(s). In contrast to primary purpose questions, which have relatively specific answer choices (eg. "The primary purpose of this paragraph is to...explain what rhetorical strategy questions are"), rhetorical strategy questions sometimes require generalization. Like the answers to primary purpose questions, however, the answers to rhetorical strategy questions are usually in the form of "verb a noun" (or more often, "verbs an X of Y," as in "explaining the appeal of a discredited tradition"). Abstract answer choices can be tricky, because they can require some degree of analogy/inference skill (you have to take the answer choices and see if they apply to the passage). How do you get around this? Answer the question in your own words first, then see which answer aligns with yours (we’ll show an example later on). Here are some examples of questions you might be asked that fall into the rhetorical strategy category: "Which best describes the overall relationship between Passage 1 and Passage 2?" "Which choice identifies a central tension between the two passages? "Which best describes the overall structure of the passage?" Notice that the wording of some of these questions is similar to that of little picture/detail questions. Again, just as with primary purpose questions, the answer choices are what turn the question into rhetorical strategy. Here's a specific example: In the context of each passage as a whole, the questions in lines 25-27 of Passage 1 and lines 67-69 of Passage 2 primarily function to help each speaker (A) cast doubt on the other's sincerity. (B) criticize the other's methods. (C) reproach the other's actions. (D) undermine the other's argument. This is a rhetorical strategy question because the answer choices are relatively abstract. If the answer choices were more specific (eg "relate Maguire's study of mental athletes to her study of taxi drivers"), then this would be a detail question, and you would need to use little picture skills to find this specific detail in the passage. A Brief Warning: Big Picture Questions ≠  Function Questions Caution Tape by Eugene Zemlyanskiy, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Big picture questions are different from function questions because they ask what the author said (not asking why the author wrote a thing). The wording of the questions sometimes makes it difficult to clearly see this, so I wanted to hash it out here. Questions about the author’s purpose (function question) ask "why is the author writing this?" rather than "what is the perspective the author is saying/arguing?" (which would be a big picture question). Questions about the paragraph’s function ask "how does this paragraph function?" or "what is the purpose of this paragraph in the context of the passage as a whole?" rather than "The main argument of this paragraph is," "what is the primary purpose of this paragraph" or "The author develops her argument by†¦" Read more about what exactly goes into answering SAT Reading function questions in this article. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Strategies For Answering Big Picture Questions Naturally, part of your strategy depends on how you read the passages. If you have enough time to read each passage all the way through, then you should be trying to figure out the main point and author perspective as you read. You can do a quick check to see if there will be any questions about it first (usually they're among the first few questions on the passage), but even if there aren’t any questions that directly ask you about the main point, knowing it can be helpful in answering other questions (more on that later). If you read the questions first before going back to the passage, you may be able to get a sense of what the big picture is just by the various questions that are asked- for instance, if all the passages are asking about food in the UK, you can be pretty sure that the main point of the passage isn't going to be about the Mayan calendar. This is also the one case where I recommend answering detail questions first- those are much easier to answer with just line numbers, and their answers (as well as the questions themselves) may give you even more clues about the main point/primary purpose/rhetorical strategy of the passage. If you skim the passage, then attack questions, you should focus on just the key information the first time skimming through and answer the big picture questions first. But how do you know what the key information is? Read on for three strategies to help you out with that. #1: Check The Introduction and Conclusion When it comes to nonfiction passages, chances are that if the author’s done a good job, the main point and perspective should be clear in the conclusion (if not also in the introduction). This can be true for fiction passages as well, but since having a clear thesis isn’t as essential to the construction of a successful piece of fiction, the author doesn’t always structure her writing that way. When finding the main point of a single paragraph, however, this rule gets a little fuzzy, because sometimes there will be direction-changing words in the middle of the paragraph that are essential to understanding the main point. In addition, last/conclusion sentences often try to take the argument a step beyond what has been discussed in the article, placing it in a broader context. Still, reading the introduction and conclusion can be helpful as a place to start. If the introduction and conclusion seem to contradict each other, that is a clear sign that you need to go even deeper into the passage/paragraph to find the main point/primary purpose/rhetorical strategy. #2: Use Key Words as Clues If you're looking for key words in a passage or paragraph, it makes sense that you’d want to note where the author says things like "important" or "significant"- those things probably are important (or even significant). What isn't as obvious, however, is that you should also pay attention to words that signal changes of direction to help uncover key information. Words like "in contrast," "while," "however," and so on, indicate important, contrasting information, while words like "again," "still," and "similarly" indicate the information is the same (or comparable to) what was just written. Spotting key words and reading the sentences around them can help you get to the meat of the issue and also help you avoid the trap of just reading the first sentence of a paragraph and assuming that's what the paragraph will be about. Let's take a look at this strategy in the context of a sample of my own writing: This paragraph is excerpted from the paper "‘This was a triumph:’ Narrative and dynamic uses of music in Portal" by Laura Staffaroni ( ©2013 by Laura Staffaroni). This paper was written as the final assignment for a Research and Materials class. In general, because Portal is a puzzle game, it might be expected to lack a strong narrative; this, however, is not the case. While the gameplay is focused on the solving each level’s puzzle, you are also provided with tantalizing bits of story in the form of dialogue spoken to you by GLADoS, the AI directing the "tests." Bits of the story are revealed over the course of the game in this way, picking up with the introduction of secret rooms with writing on the walls and the adorable but deadly turrets. The beginning sentence seems to start with "Portal doesn’t have a strong narrative," which might cause you to stop reading- after all, you've found the author's argument, right? Not so fast! The word "however" in that sentence should catch your eye, as should the following sentence that starts with "While", because they indicate that something in contrast to the opening statement is being presented.  ©2013 Laura Staffaroni Don't just read the first part of a sentence or paragraph and walk away- look out for key words as well! #3: Answer In Your Own Words First If you come across a question that asks you a big picture question, try to formulate the answer using your own words before you look at their answer choices. When doing this, it's important that you rely only on what you read in the passage or paragraph, not on things that could be true but aren’t supported by the passage. After you've answered the question in your own words, when you go to look at the answer choices you can simply see which one best matches your own answer and choose it. You must be careful, however, not to oversimplify with this strategy. Remember, the central argument and primary purpose are asking about the specific point the author is making, not a general topic or theme. Also, since you're not being directly scored on your "own word" answers, you should use as few words as possible to write them down- you don’t want to waste too much time on something that won’t be graded. Putting SAT Reading Strategies To Use: An Example Before I set you loose on big picture practice questions, I've written out a walkthrough of an example from an actual SAT to find the primary purpose of a paragraph. Here's the relevant paragraph for the purposes of this question (fifth paragraph, lines 45-56 of the passage): This passage is adapted from Ian King, "Can Economics Be Ethical?"  ©2013 by Prospect Publishing. There is yet another approach: instead of rooting ethics in character or the consequences of actions, we can focus on our actions themselves. From this perspective some things are right, some wrong- we should buy fair trade goods, we shouldn't tell lies in advertisements. Ethics becomes a list of commandments, a catalog of "dos" and "don'ts." When a finance official refuses to devalue a currency because they have promised not to, they are defining ethics this way. According to this approach devaluation can still be bad, even if it would make everyone better off. Here's the question: The main purpose of the fifth paragraph (lines 45-56) is to (A) develop a counterargument to the claim that greed is good. (B) provide support for the idea that ethics is about character. (C) describe a third approach to defining ethical economics. (D) illustrate that one's actions are a result of one's character. Where should I start with figuring out the main purpose of the fifth paragraph? Step 1: Check out the introduction and conclusion (sentences, in this case). Introduction: There is yet another approach: instead of rooting ethics in character or the consequences of actions, we can focus on our actions themselves. Conclusion: According to this approach devaluation can still be bad, even if it would make everybody better off. What do these sentences reveal about the main purpose of the paragraph? My thinking: Both these sentences call whatever's being discussed in this paragraph an "approach", so the main purpose probably has something to do with whatever this approach is. Since both the intro and conclusion tie back into this approach, maybe the main purpose of the paragraph is to explain it? Not enough information just from this to be sure, though. Step 2: Look for direction words The next step is to look within this paragraph for words that indicate the author might be presenting information that either contrasts with or matches what he already wrote about. Direction words in this paragraph: "yet another", "instead", "even if" My thoughts: Wow, there are a lot of direction words in this paragraph, most of them in that first sentence: "There is yet another approach: instead of rooting ethics in character or the consequences of actions, we can focus on our actions themselves." So "yet another" is interesting because it implies that there were at least two other approaches before the one described in this paragraph; if it were just one other approach, the author wouldn't bother with the "yet" and would just say "another". The word "instead" also backs this up, because it implies that in previous paragraphs at least one alternate approach was taken. Plus, two alternate approaches (rooting ethics in character and rooting ethics in consequences of actions) are listed in the same sentence. What about "even if"? Does that add or change anything? "According to this approach devaluation can still be bad, even if it would make everybody better off." Hmm, not much more here. It further fleshes out the idea that doing a thing that some might see as good (devaluation) can be bad under the approach described in this paragraph, I guess. Step 3: Answer the question in your own words The final step is to answer the question in my own words before looking at the answer choices. My thoughts: The main thing this paragraph talks about is the ethical approach of focusing on actions themselves, rather than on their character or consequences, which means the main purpose of the paragraph is probably something like "describe the action-focused ethics approach?" maybe? let's check how it fits into the rest of the passage to see if that changes everything- nope, that seems pretty accurate. Here's the question, once more: The main purpose of the fifth paragraph (lines 45-56) is to (A) develop a counterargument to the claim that greed is good. (B) provide support for the idea that ethics is about character. (C) describe a third approach to defining ethical economics. (D) illustrate that one's actions are a result of one's character. Okay, now that I've gone looked at the first and last sentences, key words, and answered it in my own words, let's consider the answer choices one by one. (A) develop a counterargument to the claim that greed is good. Not really? I guess it kind of has a counterargument to the other two ethics approaches, but it doesn't really say one thing or another about greed being good. Oh and plus there's that thing about this approach seeing devaluation as bad even if it technically is better for everyone, which doesn't seem greedy. I'm going to put this one as a probable nope. (B) provide support for the idea that ethics is about character. This one is a definite no- in the very first sentence of the paragraph it says that the approach being discussed in this paragraph is an alternative to ethics being about character ("instead of rooting ethics in character"). And the rest of the paragraph follows through on ethics being about actions, not character. (C) describe a third approach to defining ethical economics. Yep, this is pretty much what this paragraph does. The author talks about "yet another approach" which is at least the third approach based on wording, definitely the third approach based on reviewing the rest of the passage and counting the other approaches mentioned. And this answer lines up with my "answer in my own words" answer, which was "describe the action-focused ethics approach." This answer's certainly more correct than choices (A) or (B). I'll double check that the last choice isn't an even better answer, though. (D) illustrate that one's actions are a result of one's character. For one thing, no, it doesn't do that; for another, isn't that basically the same as (B)? I guess not exactly, but either way, it's still wrong. The main purpose of this paragraph is to say that in yet another approach, you could say that ethics is about the actions we take. It doesn't say anything about whether or not those actions are a result of one's character in particular. Looking back over the answers, (C) is clearly the one that discusses the main purpose of this paragraph, which is to talk about "yet another" way to define ethical economics. Boom! The answer is (C). August 25th "The Big Picture We've Done It_I'm a World Record Holder!" by Amanda Slater, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original.Huge success! Try It Out on Your Own! Below, I've provided three questions on short paired passages from an official, publicly available SAT practice test. As a bonus, these questions also involve paired passages (for more on paired passages, read my article about how best to attack paired passages on the SAT). Want more practice tests? Check out our list of official practice SATs, complete with links to free content! Questions 1-3 are based on the following passage. This passage is adapted from Henry W. Blair's statement to the United States Senate during the 1886 "Debate on Woman Suffrage" in Washington, D.C. There is no escape from it. The discussion has passed so far that among intelligent people who believe in the republican form- that is, free government- all mature men and women have under the same circumstance and conditions the same rights to defend, the same grievances to redress, and, therefore, the same necessity for the exercise of this great fundamental right of all human beings in free society. For the right to vote is the great primitive right. It is the right in which all freedom originates and culminates. It is the right from which all others spring, in which they merge, and without which they fall whenever assailed.This right makes, and is all the difference between, government by and with the consent of the governed and government without and against the consent of the governed; that is the difference between freedom and slavery. If the right to vote be not that difference, what is? No, sir. If either sex as a class can dispense with the right to vote, then take it from the strong, and no longer rob the weak of their defense for the benefit of the strong.It is impossible to conceive of suffrage as a right dependent at all upon such an irrelevant condition as sex. It is an individual, a personal right. It may be withheld by force; but if withheld by reason of sex it is a moral robbery.But it is said that the duties of maternity disqualify for the performance of the act of voting. It can not be, and I think is not claimed by anyone, that the mother who otherwise would be fit to vote is rendered mentally or morally less fit to exercise this high function in the state because of motherhood. On the contrary, if any woman has a motive more than another person, man or woman, to secure the enactment and enforcement of good laws, it is the mother. Beside her own life, person, and property- to the protection of which the ballot is as essential as to the same rights possessed by man- she has her little contingent of immortal beings to conduct safely to the po rtals of active life through all the snares and pitfalls woven around them by bad men and bad laws which bad men have made. And she has rightly to prepare them for the discharge of all the duties of their day and generation, including the exercise of the very right denied to their mother.I appeal to you, Senators, to grant this petition of woman that she may be heard for her claim of right. How could you reject that petition, even were there but one faint voice beseeching your ear? How can you deny the demand of millions who believe in suffrage for women, and who can not be forever silenced, for they give voice to the innate cry of the human heart that justice be done not alone to man, but to that half of this nation which now is free only by the grace of the other. By our action today we indorse, if we do not initiate, a movement which, in the development of humankind, shall guarantee liberty to all without distinction of sex, even as our glorious Constitution already grants the su ffrage to every citizen without distinction of color or race. #1: The central claim of the passage is that (A) the United States Senate should extend suffrage to women. (B) both sexes should have all of the same roles and responsibilities. (C) members of the Senate wish to enslave women by denying them the vote. (D) the female vote will lead to improved laws and better politicians. #2: The second paragraph is primarily concerned with establishing a contrast between (A) the interests of men and the interests of women. (B) politics before and after slavery ended. (C) governments in different countries. (D) having and not having suffrage. #3: With which of the following statements about the right to vote would the author most likely agree? (A) It is unrelated to the protection of other privileges (B) It is essential to the preservation of liberty (C) It is difficult to institute and execute in society. (D) It is unnecessary to some social groups. Answer key (scroll down when ready): 1. A 2. D 3. B In Conclusion Big picture questions require being able to read through a text and sum up "what’s the point," "what's the author's point of view," or "what does the author do here?" Knowing the answers to these questions can be useful for answering other types of questions, like function and author technique questions, that rely on you understanding the "big picture" of what's going on in the passage. No matter how you approach the passage, use the strategies of checking the intro/conclusion, looking for key words, and coming up with the answer in your own words to help you answer big picture questions What’s Next? Want more in depth guides like this? Our ultimate study guide for SAT Reading is a fantastic index of all of our SAT Reading strategy articles, including ones on Inferences, Words in Context, Analyzing Data Graphics, and many more. What if you can't finish Reading section before time's up? Learn strategies to improve your time management and stop running out of time on SAT Reading here. What are the other types of questions you’ll find on the SAT Reading section, and what’s the best way to read the passages to answer them? Check out our article on the three best ways to read the passage on SAT Reading. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

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