ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The teenagers’ psychology is one of the mostly discussed problems nowadays. There are plenty of research papers which present the different views on the reasons and consequences of the adolescents’ behavior. Hongling Xie of Temple University and Yan Li of Duke University initiated their own research aimed at determination of the key characteristics of adolescents’ understanding of popularity in social peer groups. The results of their work are presented in the article What Makes a Girl (or a Boy) Popular (or Unpopular)? African American Children’s Perceptions and Developmental Differences. The Main Points of the Article In order to characterize the attitude of youths to the concept of popularity and to determine the dependence of their attitude on such factors as age or social status, the authors used a survey method. They asked a number of the Afro American students living in the socially disadvantaged neighborhoods of the city of answering some questions. The survey method has a number of essential advantages. In particular, it allows researchers to collect a significant volume of data in a short period of time ( Cherry n.d.). The survey undertaken by Xie and Li covered the population of 489 students of different school grades (Xie & Li 2006). The authors also used a method of interview to collect the necessary data. “Questionnaires and interviews can also be used to collect data for other research methods, for example a correlational analysis” ( Research methods 2010, p.41). The collected data have been analyzed using the following measures: narrative accounts for popularity and unpopularity, prominence of domains, deviance for popularity, age, physical maturation, peer social groups, and peer characteristics (Xie & Li 2006). The authors have made certain important conclusions. In particular, they have found the negative deviance for popularity meaning that the children’s perception of popularity and unpopularity does not deviate from the social values and norms (Xie & Li 2006). The social and ethical values play an important role in the coordination of people actions. Victimization and violence often result from the adolescents’ misunderstanding of these values. “Furthermore, perceived-popular youth may influence the development of antisocial behavior among their peers” (Cillessen & Rose 2005, p.105). The results of the study of Xie and Li show that there is no positive correlation between the popularity and aggression (Xie & Li 2006). However, the findings of the study initiated by David Swartz, Jonathan Nakamoto, Andrea Hopmeyer Gorman, and Tara McKay showed that the popularity influences the progress in studies. The scholars found that “the increase in popularity were associated with increases in unexplained absences and decreases in GPA” (Swartz et al. 2006, p.1125). Xie and Li emphasized the gender and grade differences in attitude to popularity (Xie & Li 2006). In particular, they stressed that the girls
Task performance is associated with the set of behaviors relevant to the process of converting resources available to an organization into the products or services (Colquitt, LePine, & Wesson, 2012). Every job description focuses on the various task performance behaviors pertinent to the position. It outlines tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a future employee would have to carry out in order to uphold their part of an employment contract. Those specific activities can fit into three categories: creative, adaptive, and routine (CAR) (Colquitt et al., 2012). Classifying task performance helps to analyze different jobs across the employment spectrum and understand the extent to which particular activities are routine or fluctuating. Creative Task Performance Creative task performance can be assessed by the degree to which explicit obligations of an employee require the implementation of new ideas and approaches (Kaifi, Khanfar, Nafei, & Kaifi, 2013). The database assistants are often assigned with the task of creation of department memos using specific data. The creative category of job performance is based on improvisational learning and action (Høyrup, 2012). From this perspective, employee’s ability to perform creative tasks is based on their openness and spontaneity in dealing with the variety of emerging situations during the work process. Therefore, the successful database assistant has to have a sufficient level of cognitive knowledge that would allow them to reframe the existing situation in order to solve a problem (Høyrup, 2012). Adaptive Task Performance Adaptive task performance involves specific responses to work activities that are novel and unpredictable. This general category requires employees to shift their behavior from performing undemanding, mechanical tasks to demonstrating their “adaptability” (Colquitt et al., 2012). The database assistant is responsible for reporting and documentation, among other duties. Their ability to adapt to novel tasks is often tested when they have to deal with changing database software. The Assistant’s duty also includes the development of forms and drafting correspondence based on specific information (Blake, n.d.). The job of database assistance requires a great level of autonomy and emphasizes on individual’s ability to organize their work process in such a manner that the need for monitoring of their progress by superiors would be reduced to a minimum. According to Erez, the empowerment of employees plays a key role in the creation of a unique and individualistic culture (2010). Autonomy also serves as a motivational factor that significantly contributes to positive work outcomes. The
In his article “Civil Disobedience”, Henry David Thoreau deals with his vision of justice in Massachusetts. He is worried about so many problems that exist in the system of law and the justice of the state. He calls out his audience to act against the government to help the afflicted people gain abolition and other freedoms. In this essay, I aim to review his article to find important issues regarding injustice and its implications in. At the beginning of his argument, Thoreau states that some laws in the country are extremely ghastly, and they do nothing else, but bring great pains and problems to the citizens of the country (Thoreau 184). So, he urges the audience to disobey the government and become rebels against such idle-headed regulations. He says that people act foolishly when they decide to be patient, and tolerate less than even-handed treatment. Thoreau proposes to follow the examples of cool dudes from the past such as Copernicus, Luther, Washington, and Franklin (Thoreau 185). He explains that even though these great guys were seen as rebels and rioters by their contemporaries, at the end of the day, they became heroes. Today, no one remembers those who opposed Copernicus, Luther, Washington, Franklin, and the other enlighteners, but many people do remember mutineers. In the main part of the argument, the author is talking about all sorts of different examples of evil laws that bring nothing but harm to the nation. When he splits the log of a bad law, he asks: “why on earth should we obey the government that makes traps to its people?” And he answers this question by stating that there are no reasons for this. On the contrary, he concludes that it is better to resist the government like this, and do one’s best to cut up this government along with its laws. He even takes notice of the fact that the law endorsement system makes no efforts to protect people against evil. Nothing, no slightest fact or evidence,
Introduction China has a vibrant economy that forms potential for many investors. The government of China has improved the infrastructure of the country to ensure that investors have a good business environment. The legal systems of the country are favorable for conducting business. The economy of the country has been good and this forms a good foundation for performing business activities. In addition, the political and legal systems support business activities in the country. China has a viable business environment and investors should consider establishing investments in the country (Harper & Huhti, 2009). Political system After the second word war China experienced political stability due to the good systems that were established to protect the economy of the country from future events similar to those experienced during the war. China is politically neutral and this favors business and economic activities in the country. The government participates actively in international activities such as peace talks, environmental protection forums and other global political events. China is located in a business friendly location. The country borders Asia, China Sea, Yellow sea and this facilitates water transport. In china there are civil society groups which monitor the activities of the government leaders. There are lobby groups which ensure that the rights of the people are preserved. China has diplomatic representation in several countries and this makes the country to have peace with other countries in the world (World Factbook, 2010). Legal system The current constitution of China was promulgated in 1982 but has been amended severally to suit the changing legal needs. The legal systems of China are established on civil system. The laws were developed from the Soviet as well as the legal guidelines of the continental civil code. This implies that the legislature has the mandate to interpret statutes. The constitution of China has no clear guidelines about the review of the legislation by the judiciary. Compulsory ICJ authority is not acceptable by the Chinese government. The constitution of China provides the minimum suffrage is 18 years. This is the age that persons become legally liable (Harper & Huhti, 2009). The government of china is headed by a president who is assisted by a vice president. Government events are headed by the premier while the cabinet is headed by state council. The president and his vice are elected after every five years. China has efficient court systems which implement the rule of law. This provides good judicial protection to all business people in the country as well as guiding the people on how to maintain law and order (Harper & Huhti, 2009). Economic analysis For the last three decades the economy of China has experienced a lot of changes. The economy has been transformed from a closed to open economy where international trade has been accepted. The participation of the private sector has also e
The Things They Carried is a fictional chef-d’oeuvre by Tim O’Brien, which catalogs among other things, the different things that soldiers carried to the Vietnam War. These soldiers carried emotional and physical burdens alike. Obrien notes, “They carried the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing-these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specific gravity, they had tangible weight. They carried shameful memories…cowardice…they carried the soldier’s fear (20). The psychological effects of the Vietnam War tore the soldiers psychologically especially Lieutenant Cross. The psychological burden of guilt surfaces immediately after the story starts. Jimmy Cross, a lieutenant enlisted to take care of the other soldiers is the victim of the guilt burden. Jimmy witnessed as a bullet broke open Lavender’s skull. Given the fact that he was the one in charge of the other soldiers’ well-being, he felt he could have done something to prevent Lavender’s death. Unfortunately, he could do nothing at that point; Lavender was dead and gone for good. Jimmy became emotionally troubled because instead of concentrating on the security and well-being of fellow soldiers he could only think of Martha. Consequently, Lavender died due to his lack of concentration or so he thought. Jimmy could not live up to this duty and when Lavender died before his eyes, he realized how careless he had been in executing his duties. All these feelings culminated into guilt feelings, an emotional burden that he had to bear so long as the war continued. What a terrible emotional baggage for one to carry! Cross sincerely loved Martha and no matter how hard he tried to subdue these feelings, they resurfaced with time. This psychological burden weighed so heavily on him that at times he lost focus on the war. O’Brien observes, “He loved her so much…though painful, he wondered who had been with her that afternoon” (8). Though painful, Jimmy decided to forget Martha completely, bear the psychological turmoil attached to it, and focus on the war. Forgetting a lover is not an easy task, it takes more than a willing heart, it takes absolute resolve, and this comes with its psychological upheavals. Emotionally, Cross was a torn person, full of sorrows and heavy laden with emotional burdens. O’Brien deliberately explores Jimmy’s case to show the psychological burdens that the soldiers brought along together with the things they carried. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was not alone in this predicament, as aforementioned, every soldier had his fair share of emotional baggage, as shown by the few soldiers O’Brien chose to use in The Things They Carried. Family ties are usually very strong and separating someone from his/her family amounts to emotional torture; something that the soldiers had to live with. For instance, Kiowa, “…carried an illustrated New Testament that had been presented to him by his father…” (O’Brien 3).
Introduction The chamber music masterclass with the Borromeo Quartet lasted two hours. Yeesun Kim, cello, Nicholas Kitchen, violin, Mai Motobuchi, viola, and Kristopher Tong, violin, are the soloists of the quartet who taught and monitored students playing three different pieces of the chamber music during the masterclass (“The Borromeo Quartet” par. 1). First, Anne Schneller, violin, and Shane McFadden, piano, were asked to play Allegro con brio from Beethoven’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2. Main body Mr. Kitchen and Mr. Tong stated that much attention should be paid to representing the dynamics of Allegro and to the collaboration of these two instruments that need to sound as perfectly combined. Mr. Kitchen noted that the sound of the violin should be connected to the sound of the piano because the sound of these instruments should be perceived as a whole. Therefore, the beginning phrases of the violin should be strongly connected with the piano phrases. Mr. Kitchen and Mr. Tong stated that to achieve the sound balance, more attention should be paid to the subito piano because of the necessity to accentuate the dynamics of the movement and intensity of the played octaves (Gritten and King 34). The final comments regarding the movement emphasized the necessity to avoid contrasting sounds because the focus is on the collaboration and unity of two instrumental parts. Richard Adger, clarinet, Sunnat Ibragimov, cello, and Teng Fu, piano, were invited to play Allegro from Johannes Brahms’s Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114. Yeesun Kim monitored their playing. Before commenting on the technique, Ms. Kim stated that the overall playing was beautiful and rather sensitive, but there could be some improvements. Ms. Kim pointed at the mood of Allegro and noted that musicians should not oppose each other to make the sound deeper and more powerful, but they should tell a single story. Therefore, players should concentrate on poco forte that is typical of Brahms (Notley 92). Ms. Kim noted that the cellist should avoid focusing on the wide vibrato because clarinet and piano cannot imitate that sound (Berger 68). As a result, the cellist should adapt his approach to emphasizing vibrato to accentuate the sound appropriately while using the right hand. Moreover, the pianist should not hesitate while accentuating the phrase and avoid making the triplet too fast, and both cellist and clarinetist should listen to the pianist’s part carefully to understand its tension. Mickayla Chapman, clarinet, Cong Cong Chai, piano, and Mandy Wang, violin played Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Trio for Violin, Clarinet, and Piano in B flat, K 358. The members of the Borromeo Quartet had only a few comments regarding the playing because the performance was rather convincing. They noted that the efforts in sound imitation made by the violinist and clarinetist were significant, but they should also try making the melody and phrases different to add to the liveliness of the piece (Girdlestone 23). Furthermore, in the second movement, the pianist and violinist
Although human will is a very popular topic in philosophy (it exceeds mathematical manifestation), Conway and Kochen maintain that atoms may exhibit unpredictability if humans hold the tiniest of free will (56). After all, quantum mechanics, which was traditionally interpreted, holds some unpredictability. However, this sort of indeterminism has been opposed by some physicists who want to eliminate indeterminism. Some scholars argue that the unobservable behavior in sub-atomic elements is determined by some hidden variables (Albert 12). Conway and Kochen maintain that indeterminism in not only found in quantum theory, but also in the world itself (56). Ideally, if an element that exhibits freewill is the one that has unpredictable behavior, then it could be argued that free will exists. In this regards, sub-atomic particles can be categorized in this definition and hence argue that they posses free will. It could be difficult to establish whether people or sub-atomic particles have free will, if the elements which exhibit free will are defined as those with the capability of changing their condition through means that are not random or those that are unpredictable. This argument renders the above statements completely incompatible as there is no evidence to support their credence. It is also necessary to mention the assertion that human decisions, be it religious, moral or otherwise, is as a result of chemical reaction which takes place in the human brain. Ultimately, if it is not possible to model a human brain which functions well, then it can be argued that humans are devoid of free will and that unpredictability is a fruit of chaos, and does not happen as a result of an agent of super-natural decision making which directs decisions to the meat. It could perhaps be argued that the forces that impair decision making such as alcohol are indication of the fact that our brain, rather than mystic moral principles’ engines, drives our decision making process. Occurrence of incidences can be attributed to three things; that is, random, free will, and determinism. Free will and randomness cannot be discriminated easily, which means that even if an atom can be described as unpredictable, it does not mean that it possesses free will. Nonetheless, use of the word ‘unpredictable’ can be complex because, for instance, weather can be described as unpredictable yet it can as well be associated with deterministic behavior. Determinism too, can be hard to prove. Nonetheless, definition of determinism can be supported through various counter-arguments (Albert 52). Arguably, the laws of quantum mechanics make unsubstantiated anticipations regarding atoms. These principles point out that both the velocity and the position cannot be accurately predicted. Even though this sphere is a concentration of physical principles, future happenings are hard to predict with accuracy, and indeed, we can never be sure that something will take place. If we argue from this point of view, then it will be correct to say that free will exists, though it still remains very difficult to provide
Abstract The growth and development of plants require various factors, including water, light, warmth, and nutrients. The purpose of this paper was to determine the origins of plant growth and ascertain the role of light in the growth and development of plants. Twenty seeds in potting soil were grown in light and darkness, followed by the measurement of root biomass, shoot biomass, as well as the root to shoot ratio. It was observed that plants grown under light conditions had a higher shoot and root biomasses compared to those grown in darkness. However, the root to shoot ratio was higher in plants grown in darkness. These observations were explained by the role of light in photosynthesis and the subsequent deposition of manufactured sugars in the roots and shoots. It was concluded that light plays a vital role in the healthy growth of plants. Introduction Plant physiology is a branch of science that deals with the life processes of plants from germination, growth, development, and reproduction. Preliminary observations by primitive humans were that plants thrived in the presence of moisture, warmth, and sunlight and that the addition of manure to soil enhanced the growth of plants. This knowledge was applied in agriculture for food production for many centuries. Early investigations of plant physiology were based on this fundamental knowledge regarding plant growth (Kutschera et al. 657). Early experiments on plant growth questioned the source of materials used for plant growth. One physician hypothesized that water was the main material needed for plant growth. He tested this supposition by growing a tree in a known volume of soil using only rainwater. At the end of his experiment, only two ounces of soil had been used up. Even though he suspected the involvement of carbon dioxide, he quickly ruled it out because he could not find the relationship between wood and diffuse gas. Antoine Lavoisier discovered that carbon and oxygen were the major constituents of organic matter (Nicolaou 105). Later on, three scientists discovered that in the presence of light, plant leaves took in carbon dioxide and produced similar amounts of oxygen. The opposite reaction took place in darkness, and water was involved in the two processes. It was then concluded that light energy was transformed into chemical energy in the form of organic carbon, which was important for the growth and development of plants. Therefore, by the end of the nineteenth century, it was established that photosynthesis was a crucial synthetic process for plant growth (Métioui et al. 280). The purpose of this paper is to describe the origins of plant growth and identify the impact of light on the development of plants. It is hypothesized that the presence of light enhances the growth and development of plants. Methods Twenty sets of plant seeds were planted in potting soil and allowed to germinate. Thereafter,