ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
“Rip Van Winkle” is a classic story from the 19th century that focuses on the relationship between the past and the present. The titular protagonist goes to sleep for 20 years, missing the American Revolution in the process, and finds his familiar environment entirely different from what it used to be, though he adjusted to it quickly. At the same time, the story draws a parallel to the uprising itself, with the tyranny of Rip’s wife leading him to try and escape, only for this woman to disappear before his return. Ultimately, the central idea of the story is that progress waits for no one and must happen, and one can only adapt to the new situation. The story takes place in a small Dutch American village located near the Catskill Mountains. It begins during the final years of the British dominion, which is overthrown in the American Revolution while Rip sleeps. However, the village is mostly removed from the active flow of political events, receiving news irregularly and months after the events’ occurrence. Overall, the location is quiet and idle, reflecting the character of Rip himself. The protagonist is described as a simple and good-natured man, beloved of most women and children of the village, with his foremost flaw being an inability to maintain his well-being. This trait leads his family to live in near-poverty, much to the chagrin of Dame Van Winkle, his wife, who grows more bitter and aggressive with time. Confrontations lead him to frequently escape – at first, to a gathering of men near the village inn, then into the woods, to hunt. There, he encounters a group of mystical creatures that put him to sleep for twenty years, paralleling the folk stories of fairies spiriting people away for years. When he awakens, his rifle is rusted to unrecognizability, and as he discovers later, he has aged considerably. The setting parallels the situation of America at the time, with Rip seeking freedom from the increasingly abusive reign of his wife. Nothing he does satisfies her, and she lets her displeasure be known throughout the entire village. The protagonist does not actively oppose the scolding, choosing to stay silent and inviting further ire in doing so. However, eventually, Rip decides to escape into the forest, similarly to how America’s distance from the British Isles contributed to its isolation once it severed ties, which ultimately made the prospect of sending forces there unaffordable for the Crown. Wolf, Rip’s dog, symbolizes the wild and independent nature of the American frontier, which was at odds with the views of the metropolis, reflected in Dame Van Winkle’s hatred of the animal. The supernatural event that occurs to the protagonist is a device used by Irving to provide a perspective of the average American from before the Revolution on the state of the country afterward. The small, culturally and politically, the isolated village becomes considerably more diverse and active on both fronts. The inhabitants adopt new habits and styles, demolishi
Introduction The major turning points in the history of the Middle East can be divided into three main time periods. During the 1980s and 1990s, the history of the Middle East was shaped by three main events namely the Gulf War, the Palestinian rebellion, and the meltdown of the U.S.S R ( Turning Points 114). The second time period occurred during the first half of the new millennium. The events that had great significance on the history of Middle East included the September 11 attack, a second Gulf War, and a Palestinian rebellion ( Turning Points 114). The third time period covers the years that followed the second half of the new millennium. Events that occurred during that period include America’s plan to depart from Iraq, the Arab spring, and squabbles between Israel and terror groups in the region. These events had significant implications on the economic, social, and political stability of the Middle East. Their effects market critical turning points in the modern history of Middle East. 1980s and 1990s The collapse of the U.S.S.R was a critical turning point in the history of the Middle East because it heralded a new system of political and economic ideology, alignment, and population. The position of the Soviet Union as a superpower was beneficial to countries such as Iraq, Syria, and South Yemen because of the military and financial assistance the received ( Turning Points 115). However, its collapse meant that the support was withdrawn and the beneficiaries had to find other benefactors. The event would instigate the emigration of Jews from the region into Israel and a subsequent increase in its population that presented numerous social, economic, and financial challenges. Muslim countries were compelled to create new alliances with Western nations. The invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990 initiated the involvement of the United States in the Gulf War. The U.S. joined forces with other nations to help liberate Kuwait from the tight grip of Iraq ( Turning Points 115). As a result, the military and economic infrastructure of Iraqi were adversely affected. Jordan struggled with helping Palestinian refugees who had been expelled from Kuwait for siding with Saddam Hussein. The financial aid that was coming from Western and Gulf countries was lost and Jordan had to forge new alliances. Egyptians were expelled from Iraq, Yemeni workers were expelled from Saudi Arabia, and Syria gained more control over Lebanon ( Turning Points 114). These events created enemies and allies depending on the side that each country was supporting between warring nations. For instance, enmity between the United States and Iraq dates back to this period after the U.S. helped Kuwait defeat Iraq in the war. The Iraq-Kuwait war introduced enmity in the Arab world because it was the first time two Arab nations turned against each other. The war also led to creation of alliances between Arab and Western countries. For instance, the United States, United Ki
The main thesis of this essay states that more severe and comprehensive legislation is needed to protect ordinary citizens from the aggressive assaults of dangerous dogs. The thesis is defended through analysis of the main facets of the problem and involves following points. The first point postulates that many dogs are dangerous to the life and health of people, especially children. In defending the second point we claim that guard and specially trained dogs are aggressive and often uncontrollable which the abundance of cases reveals. Thirdly, we address the issue of the lack of law enforcement which is evidenced by the fact that owners of aggressive dogs often do not have responsibility for their aggressive behavior. And finally we propose some measures for improving law enforcement and legislation on the aggressive dogs. This essay is mainly directed at law enforcement and dog’s owners’ audience. The first should take all necessary measures to redress the situation with dogs attacks and adopt effective and viable legislations as well as to compromise the demands of personal security with individual freedom of ownership. The latter – owners are often unaware of dangerous connotations of aggressive breed dogs’ ownership both for strangers and the members of their own family. They often are not good specialists and simply regard a dog as a safeguard for them and their property. Their lack of awareness of possible consequences leads to complete absence of societal responsibility. This argumentative essay tries to draw their attention to these burning issues in the view of changing their attitude to aggressive dogs’ ownership. This is necessary for consolidated efforts in law enforcement and legislation.  1. The dangerousness of dogs is evidences by many examples of violent assaults of dogs on passer-by or even on family members. The assaults of brutal dogs on Meg Jordan in Oakland, California, Diane Whipple who was killed by a dog near San-Francisco as Michel (2002) states show that the occasions of dog attacks with tragic outcomes for people have considerably increased and this is mainly due sufficient inefficiency of legislation and a rush for personal security in the United States that often is associated with violent and specially trained killer dogs.  2. Such guard dogs that are often bought by people who think that it is prestigious and secure to hold them in apartment but often being ignorant of necessary canine knowledge and skills needed for a owner to secure his own family and other people. As the case of 16-year old daughter of Nathan (girlfriend of Rudy Giuliani – ex-mayor of New York) who after violent assault of rottweiler required the plastic surgery and forty five stitches on her face which was torn, suggests that guard dogs are very dangerous for family members and especially for children (Michel 2002). This is particularly a case for such breeds as r
One of the ethnic communities in the US with its own history and a set of cultural and religious traditions is the Armenian community. This paper’s objective is to examine the peculiarities of the cultural and religious background of the Armenian ethnic minority, history of its development, and features of the cultural events inside the community. The paper is also to analyze the preconceptions and biases associated with the community on the basis of the interview with a community member. Contextual background: demographics and history American Armenians represent a strong ethnic minority community in the US. The distribution of the families with the Armenian ancestry is not even around the different states. In total, there are nearly a million of people of Armenian ethnicity in America. However, despite the fact that the approximate number of the American citizens with the Armenian ancestry in Arizona is nearly 2,500 households the community manages to preserve its historical, cultural, and religious identity (Griffiths, 2008). Considering the history of the Armenian nation, it may be the overcoming the hardship that helped this ethnic community to protect their national and cultural values and beliefs while integrating into the American society. For the immigrant communities in the US and their descendants, there are a number of issues concerning the assimilation to the society while trying to preserve the cultural identity and traditions of their ethnic roots. The socialization and affiliating with the American most common lifestyle, as well as functioning in the society with the different cultural values imposes some boundaries on the process of recognition of the cultural heritage. That often concerns the background of preserving unity in terms of religious, linguistic and customary aspects. Also, the cultural identity of the ethnic or immigrant groups can often be lost because of their uneven geographical spread, or lack of geographical unity, when their local communities are too small to keep them together. In this respect, the communities of the American Armenians represent an interesting example of the geographical integration. Usually, the immigrants of the Armenian ancestry in the US tend to settle near the groups of their ethnicity. Thus, the diaspora is unevenly represented throughout different states, but they have powerful communities in the places where they settle. Perhaps, the tenden
Blood is the fluid that transports oxygen nutrients through the whole body and carries away the waste products of the organism. An average human adult has about five liters of blood, which constitutes 8% of the entire body weight (Shier et al., 2019). Due to its complex nature and transport function, a single drop of blood can contain a countless number of viruses. Therefore, the extraction of blood requires the strictest precautions to avoid infection. It is essential to analyze its structure to have a better understanding of blood’s functions. Blood consists of white and red blood cells, and platelets, which are cellular fragments. Shier et al. (2019) explain the origin of blood cells: “Blood cells originate in red bone marrow from hematopoietic stem cells, also known as hemocytoblasts” (p. 531). The function of red blood cells lies in carrying oxygen from the lung to the rest of the body. They are shaped into a biconcave disc, with a thinner layer in the middle and a thicker layer around the rims. Such a shape allows them to increase the area of the surface, which, in turn, creates space for the diffusion of gases into and out of the cell (Shier et al., 2019). Moreover, this shape shortens the distance for diffusion, where the cell membrane is set closer to hemoglobin molecules. Therefore, red blood cells assist the transference of oxygen across the organism, which supplements the body with needed nutrients. Another significant part of blood is white blood cells, or leukocytes, that serve as protectors of the organism. They fight bacteria, viruses, and other damaging bodies that threaten human health. They are responsible for preventing illnesses, and a person’s health directly depends on the quality of their work. There are five main types of white blood cells in circulating blood. They differ in the shape of their nucleus, size, and the nature of the cytoplasm. These are neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. The first three belong to the granulocytes group, while the last two to the agranulocytes group. They differ in the composition of their cytoplasmic granules, where granulocytes have a more prominent granular cytoplasm. Shier et al. (2019) describe the functions of each type of white blood cell. Neutrophils are the blood cells that come first at the site of the infection. Their task is to phagocytize bacteria, some viruses, and fungi. Eosinophils manage allergic reactions and protect the rest of the body from the infestation of parasitic worms. Basophils respond to neutrophils by migrating “to damaged tissues where they release histamine, which promotes inflammation and heparin, which inhibits blood clotting, actions that increase blood flow to injured tissues” (Shier et al., 2019, p. 537-39). Therefore, the function of the granulocytes group is to take the first act in fighting the infection. Agranulocytes are responsible for the composition of the organ
Introduction Businesses that want to survive and become more competitive in their respective sectors should have the right resources, tools, and systems. Organizational leaders should be involved in every stage of business growth and support the establishment of the right units. This paper gives a detailed procedure for setting up a functional HR department. Steps for Setting up an HR Department Depending on the nature and size of the firm, managers should begin by creating the best staffing plan. This initiative will dictate the number of positions that need to be filled. The specified salary for each person or employee will also be determined in the plan (Wilton 2016). The leader can consider the financial position of the company and decide the number of workers it will be able to afford. The second step is that of outlining or creating the right job profiles. For instance, a small firm can indicate the positions of managers, supervisors, IT specialists, and customer care or support (Wilton 2016). This will be combined with the responsibilities and guidelines for every job position. The right hierarchy is then constructed to guide decision-making processes, policy formulation, and the delivery of goals. The third phase is that of developing and creating the best applicant tracking system. With the current changes and developments in technology, any firm should purchase the right software to manage files and information. Data and information captured in spreadsheets will have to be transferred to the new system (Wilton 2016). This will be followed by categorizing, sorting, and comparing the flow of applicants. The fourth step towards having the best HR department is the development of an effective recruiting system. The person in charge will be required to consider the available tools to use. This will then result in the introduction of an effective recruitment strategy. Critical issues for managers to consider include the required listings and the best budget for hiring new workers (Wilton 2016). The HR team can select the best platforms or avenues for the targeted listings. The fifth phase is that of employee management. Since workers form an integral part of any organization, it is always appropriate to have a series of documents that can be utilized to track employees. This can be supported by the utilization of powerful software. Some of the cues or indicators to look for will include the nature of communication, employee performance, leaves and vacations, and time management (Wilton 2016). These tools or practices will ensure that the available employees are empowered, guided, and mentored depending on their s
Introduction The classical patterns of the science lessons have changed very little throughout the years. Quite often, they begin with teachers drawing numerous words on the blackboard and asking the students to write down the words, find their definitions in vocabulary, and read through them several times before the lesson could begin. It is not a very effective concept, as the words are often given without meaning or connotation, and do not stick in the memory for long. The information is forgotten as soon as it becomes unnecessary. This is the reason why so many of us remember so little from our science lessons, once we finish school. Many students consider science words to be akin to a new language, and the situation is even worse for those to whom English is not a primary language. During the last two decades, the educational and scientific communities started to make great progress, researching and implementing numerous and advanced methods of teaching ELL and ESL students. These advances were made possible with the rapid progression of technology. At the end of the 20th century, a blackboard and several vocabularies were the teacher’s only tools (Carrier par. 1). Nowadays, every classroom possesses a vast variety of multimedia resources and tools, ranging from projectors to audio-recordings to computers with access to the internet. The extra possibilities gave an additional impulse to researching new practices and techniques. In order to simplify and improve the comprehension and practical implementation of difficult scientific words for ELL and ESL students, an integrated approach is required, including associations of the words with certain patterns, actions, images, colors, and sounds, with the implementation of the latest technology available in the classroom. Understanding Scientific Vocabulary Definition Scientific vocabularies, also known as word banks, are lists of words, which a student is required to know, understand and utilize during their studies (Jackson, Tripp and Cox 45). These lists vary from grade to grade and become more complicated as the studies become more and more complicated. A 7th-grade word bank is much more complex than the word bank of the 4th grade. Common issues Learning and using scientific words presents an additional challenge for the ELL and ESL students, as they are forced to utilize them in a language they have not yet fully mastered. EL students often do not possess the required vocabulary needed to comprehend informational texts (“Who are ELL Students?” par. 8). They often experience peer pressure, especially in a mixed class. Cases, when ELL and ESL students are afraid to ask the teacher for additional clarifications because they do not want to look inadequate, are widespread. The situation is often made worse by the curriculum program that cuts hours on science classes. The teachers do not have enough time to make s
Introduction Any inquiry into the social costs and benefits of advertising leads ultimately to a consideration of the buyer-seller interface that is provided by the advertising media. There is increasing interest nowadays not only in the number of advertising messages produced but also in the qualitative differences between advertising messages. The lack of market information and of competition that would prevail in the absence of advertising would be costly to consumers: as some sellers offering bargains failed to attract buyers, others would find it possible to exploit a degree of monopoly power. The article “Cross-cultural advertising research” by Sh. Okazaki and B. Mueller discuss problems of cross-cultural advertising and research issues important for effective promotions and advertising campaigns. Okazaki and Mueller pay special attention to the concept of “culture” and ”national culture” and its impact on advertising and commercial communications. ‘Culture’ seems to have become a concept that almost all business-oriented people (researchers as practitioners) have found useful and have opinions about. These opinions sometimes differ widely. Okazaki and Mueller have claimed that every concept which has gradually come to contain more and more, sooner or later will become cumbersome and even meaningless. Okazaki and Mueller include in their analysis Hofstede’s dimensions of culture. “Hofstede delineated four important dimensions that can be used to classify countries: power distance, societal desire for hierarchy or egalitarianism; individualism, society’s preference for a group or individual orientation; masculinity vs femininity, a sex-role dimension; and uncertainty avoidance, a culture’s tolerance of uncertainty” (p. 504). The research underlines that power help researchers to explain and understand inequalities between cultures, even taken as natural, in a culture. A long power distance in a culture means that such inequalities are clear and obvious. The more stratified a society is, the greater are the feelings of inequality and the lesser are social interactions between people in different strata. Uncertainty avoidance relates to people’s need for structure. This concept is important for global businesses because it helps them to understand and evaluate the pros and cons of the marketing message and create a unified one for global promotional campaigns. This is a typical strategy for such global companies as P&G and McDonald’s. The higher such avoidance, the more there is a need in a culture for a structured life. In an uncertainty-avoiding organization, there are many rituals, for example, certain memos and reports, some parts of accounting, much of planning, a considerable part of control systems, and occasional reliance on experts. In American and Scandinavian cultures, the power distance is relatively short, even shorter in Scandinavia than in America. This concept is especially important for the wine and beer indu