Research on state government agencies Coursework

Research on state government agencies - Coursework Example With such core values, the agency is destined to make the best in their scope of work. To ensure they are working efficiently, the agency provided vital information. Some of the vital information include the address, telephone and contact details. The contact details for Texas transport department are telephone number: (800) 558-9368, address: 125 East 11th St. and the website is http://www.txdot.gov. The Texas department of public safety’s mission is to protect and serve the public. Its core values include integrity, excellence, and accountability. In order to serve people optimally, the department have given an email, which is kevin.jones@dps.texas.gov. Similarly, its address is 5805 North Lamar Blvd. while its contacts are Texas 78773-0251 and 512-424-5900. Its website is http://www.dps.texas.gov. The Texas parks and wildlife department mission is to maintain and conserve the resources in Texas. This includes the natural and cultural resources, in providing various services like fishing, hunting and outdoor activities (United States, 2012). It has various philosophies, which include being a recognizable manager of resources, serving Texas effectively, and maintaining responsibility. Its contacts include 4200 Smith School Road and its website is http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us. The Texas department of transportation has a wide scope of work. To begin with, the department ensures the highways are safe for public transport. This is by ensuring all roads are repaired in time. As such, they have to plan on all repairs on the highways. Secondly, the Texas department ensures the traffic is flowing accordingly. At times, there are traffic snarl-ups, which affect the people. As such, they have to avoid such instances. Thirdly, the department ensures people who commit road offences are apprehended. In some instances, people flout the traffic rules. This is the work of the department, to ensure people follow the rules.

Does High Perception of School Environment Correlate with Teacher Essay

Does High Perception of School Environment Correlate with Teacher Performance - Essay Example coming in, many educators have approached this researcher on concerns pertaining to administration support, discipline, and overall knowledge to serve their students. Some expressed concerns of not being equipped or trained properly to perform their job expectations. As the â€Å"new person† to the school, I have faced with some of the same issues. In this study, the researcher will use stratified random sampling to find his data. Stratified random sampling involves looking at distinct subgroups while obtaining data (CustomInsight, n.d.). For the research question, â€Å"Does High Perception of School Environment Correlate with Teacher Performance,† this researcher will be looking at two groups: regular education teachers and special education teachers. Atha Elementary has 9 special education teachers and 34 regular education teachers. The objective is to get a clear view on how educators perceive their environment. Therefore, a likert-scale must be utilized (Super Survey, 2007). This research after attitudinal information: describes how a person thinks or feels about something. Educators will be able to rate their feelings on a scale of 1 to 5 as shown below. In order to select the appropriate method of data recording one must first understand variables. Variables are used in the study of statistics. A variable is a characteristic that can take more than one set of values that numerical measures can be assigned to: height, age, income, country, grades, and housing type (Statistics Canada, 2011). Quantitatively, this writer will give a survey to collect initial perception of the school before professional developments are provided or major concerns are addressed. Surveys will be given to two mixed groups of elementary school educators (both groups will contain an equal amount of special and regular education teachers). Group A labeled (control group) will not be provided with options on professional development, will only meet with assistant principals at their

The Odyssey in Comparison With “My Father on His Shield” Essay Example for Free

The Odyssey in Comparison With â€Å"My Father on His Shield† Essay Often in literature, writers unintentionally create works that tie very well with one another. Two works that connect well are The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fizgerald, and â€Å"My Father on His Shield,† by Walt McDonald. While McDonald’s poem underscores the tone of mourning and sorrow by the main character, Homer’s work elucidates the tone of animosity and hurt. As previously stated, the tone of McDonald’s poem, â€Å"My Father on His Shield† is one of mourning and grief. The speaker of the poem is grieving his father who he lost to battle and experiences struggles in coping with it all. McDonald’s details about the sled mentioned in the poem reflect the closeness that was once there between the speaker and his father, in addition to the level of importance the speaker’s father had in his life. The use of diction by McDonald also emphasizes the speaker’s mourning, often accompanied by nostalgia, by implicating the repetition of the words â€Å"I remember† throughout the poem. This constant remembrance expresses the speaker’s difficulty coming to terms with his father’s death. In contrast with McDonald’s poem, Homer’s work, The Odyssey, exhibits a tone filled more with animosity and heartache rather than the previous, more somber and mournful feel. The main character, thus far, is named Telemakhos. The character’s father has been gone for many years without returning or sending any messages, causing the boy and his mother to wonder whether he has died, or if he is gone because he does not wish to return. By the use of detail, readers are able to find out that as a result of his father’s extended absence, a number of suitors have begun to take free reign over their home and all of their property, seeking to marry the possible widow. Homer uses diction in order to indicate the Telemoakhos’ animosity towards his father: Friend, let me put it in the plainest way. My mother says I am his son; I know notsurely.Who has known his own engendering? I wish at least I had some happy man as afather,growing old in his own house – unknown death and silence are the fate of him that, sinceyou ask, they call my father. (Homer 8) Telemakhos is saying that although his mother and everyone say Odysseus is his father, he does not feel that way because he lacks any memory of him. He wishes he could have his father in his life, and is bothered by the fact he hasn’t the slightest bit of knowledge in regards to the whereabouts of his father. Telemakhos and the speaker in the poem by McDonald share similar experiences. They both are dealing with the absence of their fathers who both partook in the military. However, the speaker in the poem actually knows for a fact his father has died, which may be why he copes with the lack of a father better than Telemakhos, solely because he does not need to question whether or not his father isn’t in his life due to sheer carelessness. Because Telemakhos hasn’t the faintest idea of his father’s whereabouts, he is in search for closure, not only for himself, but for his mother and property being destroyed by the savage suitors. Their circumstances are what control the tone in their dialog, allowing the reader to feel the same things the speakers are feeling.

Horror and Suspense

Horror and Suspense Discuss how horror and suspense are created in two short stories. In this essay I am going to look at how horror and suspense are created by the authors Charles Dickens and his gothic short story ‘The Signalman and Thomas Hardy and his mysterious story ‘The Three Strangers. In Charles Dickens ‘The Signalman, Dickens creates and maintains a sense of horror and suspense throughout the story. There are numerous ways in which he composes this sense to infiltrate the readers mind into the atmosphere present throughout the story. The presentation of the characters help to create this atmosphere throughout the story. The author creates a sense of mystery with the main character as he does not introduce or describe the appearance of the character, but yet sets the story through this characters first person perspective, acting as the narrator of the story. This allows the reader an insight into the thoughts and feelings of the main character. Dickens also introduces the signalman as dark and sinister. He describes his appearance in a gothic fashion, using repetition of the word ‘dark when describing his features; â€Å"he was a dark sallow man with a dark beard†. Dickens also presents the signalman to be a disturbed man who â€Å"had run wild, misused his opportunities, gone down, and never risen again.† The setting in which the story takes place also creates horror and suspense. Dickens gives a description of the railway cutting with intricate detail and encompasses it with a cloud of gloomy and a depressive mood. He associates places and objects with certain impressions which produce this large image of negative and horrifying vibes and feelings. When the narrating character has his first impression of the railway cutting, he compliments it as â€Å"extremely deep, and unusually precipitate†. When Dickens describes the signalmans box, Dickens bombards the reader with adjectives of a morphed and â€Å"depressing† atmosphere. He called it a â€Å"dungeon† which implies a sense of torture and a horrid nature. The description of the signalmans box creates a feeling of suffocation and being trapped. â€Å"On either side, a dripping-wet wall of jagged stone, excluding all view but a strip of sky; the perspective one only a crooked prolongation of this great dungeon. † The emphasis on the gloominess and â€Å"forbidding† â€Å"deadly† environment conveys the relevance to death. The mouth of the tunnel is also described as having â€Å"a barbarous, depressing and forbidding air.† These details combined with the cold wind and loneliness of the place; add up to a feeling of dread and foreboding. This all adds to the horror of the story and creates uneasiness and suspense for the reader. The language used in ‘The Signalman creates an atmosphere of horror and suspense and also draws the attention of the reader. The language used is of a Victorian context as the story was written and set in a Victorian setting. This creates an element of being in the Victorian times. Dickens also uses long sentences to create an element of suspense. Dickens uses the language of the story to create the atmosphere of horror and suspense through many methods. For instance, â€Å"Halloa! Below there!† is a small expression that is used several times throughout the story and was repeated by several characters. This strikes the reader with alarm and fear as Dickens creates a paradox for the reader; is it a coincidence or is it involved with the idea of the supernatural? The imagery used in ‘The Signalman also creates horror and suspense in the story. Dickens describes the place as a repugnant and disturbing place to illustrate the unnatural and gothic vibe of the place. The narrator describes the place as a â€Å"dungeon† and analysiss the cutting as â€Å"†¦extremely deep, unusually precipitous. It was made through a clammy stone, that became oozier and wetter as I went down.† Dickens emphasizes the gloomy and unpleasant elements of the cutting to engulf the reader into this unnatural world so the reader can endow the â€Å"depressing† feelings which the narrator has; â€Å"For these reasons, I found the way long enough to give me time to recall a singular air of reluctance or compulsion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Note the use of the words â€Å"reluctant† and â€Å"impulsive† which again adds to the suspense of the story. The conclusion of the story also creates horror and suspense. Horror is created in the tragic death of the signalman. The narrator begins to see the specter in the ghostly tunnel, and begins to realize that the death of the signalman had occurred just as he had imagined; â€Å"that only in my mind, to the gesticulation he had imitated†. Suspense is created in this conclusion as it links with the idea of the supernatural and the story concludes with no resolved ending, leaving a mystery to what can happen next. The story gives the impression that it is about the effect of technology and industrialization on the human soul. The signalman is driven â€Å"mad† by the monotony and, at the same time, the awful responsibility involved in his work. He is â€Å"alienated† from his environment; with little to occupy his mind and always knowing the smallest mistake will lead to terrible loss of life. The supernatural element reflects the Victorian fascination with the paranormal as a reaction against the advances in science and the technology during the 19th century that seemed to deny the existence of a spiritual dimension to life. The story is a true mystery; it can have no solution as it is about the impossibility of ever knowing what is real. In Thomas Hardys story ‘The Three Strangers, Hardy creates and maintains a sense of horror and suspense throughout the story. There are numerous ways in which he composes this atmosphere of horror and suspense. Unlike the narrator in ‘The Signalman, the narrator in ‘The Three Strangers does not have the roll of a character in the story. This allows the reader to see the story from a third person perspective which allows the readers to endure the atmosphere of the story. The characters in ‘The Three Strangers appear to have similarities to the characters of ‘The Signalman. One similarity is that the characters present mystery as well in Hardys story. Not much is revealed about the characters at the start of the story which creates a sense of suspense for the reader. The three strangers are the main object of the story and as the story proceeds, so does the readers knowledge of the three strangers. This creates suspense as the readers knowledge of the three strangers is the plot of the story, the strangers being the twist in the tale. Although Hardy describes the other characters in the story with warmth and, the three strangers are the only people who present horror and suspense. Hardy describes the first stranger to be thin â€Å"a man of supple frame† and tall â€Å"He appeared tall†, and considers him to be a dark and mysterious character by saying â€Å"he naturally belonged to the black-coated tribes of men.† Hardy also makes the stranger seem mysterious through some of his reactions such as when â€Å"At the sound of the same the man in the chimney-corner took up the poker†¦ as if doing it thoroughly were the one aim of his existence†. The second stranger also seems to present suspense as when he arrives, he causes the first stranger to do abnormal things, such as the example above. The third stranger also creates suspense as he alarms the people at the party into believing that he is the sheep stealer in which the authorities were after through his reactions of â€Å"his k nees trembling, his hands shaking violently†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Unlike the unnatural world created by Dickens in ‘The Signalman, Hardy sets a very natural scene in agricultural England, complimenting the place with â€Å"grassy and furzy downs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yet Hardy also uses this natural scene to build horror and suspense throughout the story. Hardy creates a balance of good and evil in the setting. He presents the party inside the cottage as a warm, comfortable, and cosy environment while on the outside of the cottage, he presents the weather as â€Å"boisterous†, with violent winds and heavy rain. This outside environment creates horror and suspense as it encloses the comfort and cosiness of the inside environment with its euphoric atmosphere. As in The Signalman the language again adds to horror and suspense. Hardys short story employs Victorian context as it too was written in Victorian times. This creates a Victorian atmosphere and engulfs the reader into the old culture of England. Hardy uses language to create an atmosphere of horror and suspense in various methods. For instance, the author maintains the mysterious identities of the strangers by referring to the strangers by their appearance or position, such as the first stranger being referred to as â€Å"the man in the chimney-corner† and the second stranger being â€Å"the stranger in cinder-grey†. This mystery about the strangers identities creates suspense as the reader does not know how the strangers interact with the plot of the story or even who they are. Hardy also uses long sentences in contrast to Dickens to create an element of suspense. The imagery used in Hardys short story is the opposite of Dickens as his imagery is more natural than gloomy and gothic. In the story, Hardy uses imagery to create horror and suspense. Hardy gives an image of a natural countryside in the south of England describing its features as â€Å"grassy and furzy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  An image of a storm is created in the story which compliments the suspense of the story and creates an uneasy atmosphere for the reader. Unlike the conclusion of ‘The Signalman, ‘The Three Strangers concludes in a more vivid tone. The story ends with the reader knowing that the first stranger got away with his crime however, creates a vibe of suspense as nothing is known about the whereabouts of the first stranger. Although ‘The Three Strangers concludes, it has a similarity to ‘The Signalman as nothing is known about what can happen next. We know that the first stranger got away with his crime but we dont know where he had gone to, while in ‘The Signalman we know that the death of the signalman may be partly the fault of the narrator, but we dont know what fate is in store for the narrator. All in all, it is evident that horror and suspense are created in the two short stories; ‘The Signalman and ‘The Three Strangers both writers use character setting, language and plot as a means of creating the desired atmosphere, and both succeed in achieving their aim. However there are differences in which this creation of horror and suspense are orchestrated within these stories. In conclusion, both stories provide a horrifying and suspense experience through different methods and techniques.

The Dynamic Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

The Dynamic Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities The most dynamic character in Charles Dickens, 'A Tale of Two Cities,' appears as Sydney Carton. First, Carton presents himself as a drunk, lazy attorney, who feels as though his life has no meaning. However, Carton as well as others know deep down that his life does have true meaning. Carton professes his love to Lucie Manette. Inexplicably, Carton becomes a changed man; this important turning point molds the remainder of the novel. After he exits the den, he finds his independence. When Sydney Carton becomes enlightened, he transforms into a Christ-like figure. He begins to shoulder his way through life. At the beginning of the novel, Sydney Carton presents himself as a drunken attorney. When Carton converses with Charles Darnay, Dickens presents Carton as a drunk, "Carton, who smelt of port wine, and did not appear to be quite sober" (89). Carton appears constantly drunk at the beginning of the novel. Also, Carton has no sense of self-worth. When Carton drinks at the Bar with Mr. Stryver, Stryver describes him as, "[Y]our way is, and always was, a lame way. You summon no energy and purpose" (95). Dickens, also describes Carton as, "Sydney Carton, idlest and most unpromising of men" (92). As most people believe, Carton feels that he himself has no purpose. He agrees with the way other people feel about him and takes no initiative. Proclaiming his love to Lucie Manette before her wedding, Carton has a turning point and becomes enlightened. Carton converses with Miss Manette, "O Miss Manette... think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you" (156). Apparently, Carton becomes a changed man; he becomes a caring person who tries to help others. However, Carton always noticed Lucie Manette; when they were in the courtroom, Carton focuses on Miss Manette. Dickens describes the scene, "when Miss Manette's head dropped upon her father's breast, he was the first to see it." Carton constantly focuses on Lucie. He makes her the center of his attention. Finally, throughout the novel, Dickens perceives Carton as a Christ-like figure.

The Importance of Masks in William Goldings Lord of the Flies :: Lord Flies Essays William Golding Papers

In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, we find a group of British boys stranded on a tropical island while the rest of the world is at war. Their plane has been shot down and they find themselves without adults to tell them how to act. As they struggle to survive, they encounter conflicts that mirror the decayed society from which they have come. We see Golding's theme come about as we watch the boys begin to lose their innocence and let their natural evil overwhelm their otherwise civilized manner. While formulating the theme of the story, Golding utilizes much symbolism, one of these symbols being the masks, or painted faces, that the boys wear.   The masks, and painted faces, became a producer of evil circumstances, give a sense of anonymity, and represented the defiance of social structure.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Whenever someone is wearing a mask or has a painted face, evil is at large.  Ã‚   The very purpose of a mask is for hiding. The boys use the masks to hide their lust for blood, killing, and death from their consciences. When going to hunt for the first time, "Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness" (Golding page #) because he knew that his manner of hunting was evil and would only lead to lascivious killing. While describing that hunt to the boys, Jack was "twitching" and "shuddering" as he talked.   He knew it was wrong. Eventually all the savages hid behind their masks when their lust for killing climaxes on the manhunt for Ralph. Throughout the story, all hunting, killing, and shedding of blood was done while the boys faces were hidden by masks.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A mask makes one unknown, unrecognized, and mysterious.   When the first mask was put on, Jack "looked no longer at himself but at an awesome stranger" (Golding page #). At the formation of Jack's tribe, all who join wear a mask from that time on and become a part of the savages. As three savages return to steal fire, they are driven because they are "demoniac figures with faces of white and red" (Golding page #) not individual boys. The mask becomes such an anonymous symbol that, towards the end of the story, Ralph "gazed at the green and black mask before him trying to remember what Jack looked like" (Golding page #).   Whether stealing, fighting, or hunting, the savages found their courage because they "looked like something else" "hidden behind the mask of paint" (Golding page #).

Individual Cultural Variables Role in Inter-Cultural Communication Essay

Individual cultural variables are very important to comprehend intercultural communication. Justify the statement with the help of three individual cultural variables. Solution: The following three individual cultural variables show that these variables have great importance in intercultural communication: Time: Time has great importance in our daily life in communication. But different cultures of the world value it differently. One should be aware of the different perception of time in different cultures in order to communicate effectively. Its importance can be seen in the following points: * People of Asian countries usually like to take nap in the afternoon while in some western countries, they just wake up at that time. * In developed countries like France, America, Canada etc the shops, markets and restaurants remain open for whole night but in developing countries like India, Pakistan etc they just remain opened till midnight mostly. * The developed countries value their time a lot. They consider their time as money. They are mostly straight forward and just try to reach at the point. * Similarly different people also have different view point about the weather. They like different seasons. One should keep in mind the perception of the people about the weather before communicating. Like people in Pakistan usually get hyper because of the hot weather. So, one should talk tactfully in order to keep the communication effective. * People of the Muslim countries usually take a break for prayers. So, while conducting a meeting with a Muslim, a person should keep in mind the prayers timing. * People of the Pakistan don’t follow time strictly on different festivals and occasions like marriages, parties etc. But in America, they usually try to conduct the event right on time. Dress: The dresses of the individuals also tell a great deal about that person and his culture while communicating. Its significance is explained in the following points: * Whenever a person gives a speech in some seminar, it is must for him to wear clean clothes and according to the custom of that country. A good dress always conveys a clear non-verbal message to the recipient. * If you wear the dress according to the culture of the visiting country, this will attract the persons of that country when you communicate with them and create the good reputation of yours in the mind of the people. * We also have to wear the clothes according to the fashion of the society. An up to date person always gets the attention of the people. * In Pakistan, we have four provinces, each province has its own traditional dress style. We should try to wear the clothes according to the culture of that province to win the hearts of that community. * The color of the dress should be chosen with great care and according to the occasion. Like in Pakistan, people usually wear white dress on the funeral ceremony. They don’t like if someone wear colorful dress on the fun eral ceremony. Food: People of the different societies have different tastes for food. The following points show its importance in the communication: * One should be very much careful about the food before going in any country. Like Muslims have to take great care in choosing the HALAL food before eating in any foreign country. * If you are conducting a party for the foreigners, then you should keep in mind their tastes and eating habits. The selection of the dishes should also be according to the guest’s choice. * People in Asian countries eat spicy food while western countries prefer to eat junk food. Similarly pork is forbidden in Middle Eastern countries. It’s very much hard to find beef in India. A person should be well aware of the eating habits of a country before visiting it. * Chinese people like noodles and rice a lot. They mostly use sticks to eat their food. One should also be aware of the eating and table manners of the country before going for any visit. * Some people like to take small bite and eat slow while some people eat fast. Some people eat with right hands while some eat with left hands. So all these things should be kept in mind before having a dinner with a person. This helps a great deal in developing an understanding level.