Research skills and MLA documentation Assignment

Research skills and MLA documentation - Assignment Example Bruce Catton’s essay â€Å"Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts,† is a reflection of the comparisons and differences between the characteristics and lives of two influential leaders, Grant and Lee. The two leaders were both tough and resilient and although they had very different views they managed to meet at the Appomattox Court House on 9th April 1865 and agreed upon ending the Civil War. After the war, America needed to start over and there was thus a wide call for equality and justice among the Americans. Basically, Lee, upheld traditional beliefs and thus, he widely held that America had to retain its traditions and cultural practices. Therefore, Lee had this belief that having unequal groups of individuals with different social classes would provide the society with an advantage. For that reason, Lee vied for the traditional aristocratic concept as the efficient system that would have ruled the American nation. On the other hand, Grant, was brought up the â€Å"hard way† by his father on the Western frontier, and for that reason, he primarily concentrated on what the future held thus opposing Lee’s view of leadership. Therefore, Grant advocated for a system that would create a balanced social structure which would not discriminate against any citizen. Hence, Grant believed in the notion of competition and held that every citizen had the right to attain their limits. As leaders, Grant and Lee had personal beliefs that conflicted thus creating numerous differences between them. Whereas Lee increasingly saw advocated for a more traditional and conservative way of life, Grant advocated for a more modern way of leadership that would give every citizen a chance to thrive. However, Catton also states that despite having numerous differences, the two leaders had a couple of similarities. For instance, both Grant and Lee were good fighters and showed high determination in their duties. Furthermore, the

Most Common Form Of Sexual Activity Essay Example for Free

Most Common Form Of Sexual Activity Essay Introduction As depicted in Salvador Dalis The Great Masturbator, masturbation is a fascinating and complex topic that affects each of us differently. Despite almost universal agreement by medical doctors that masturbation is a normal, safe, and common practice, masturbation continues to be associated with embarrassment, shame, and guilt, primarily due to societal perceptions of the act. Yet masturbation is a common and natural function that is practiced by individuals of all sexual orientations, genders, and ages. Masturbation is defined as sexual self-pleasuring that involves self-stimulation. According to recent studies, 97% of men and 83% of women have masturbated at some point in their lives. That is an increase from the 1950s Kinsey Report, which reported that 92% of men and 58% of women have masturbated. Although masturbation is statistically quite prevalent, it is still viewed by society as a taboo subject. Historical Background While there are no direct references to masturbation in cave paintings or other prehistoric artifacts, the practice of masturbation by Bonobo chimpanzees, which share 98.4% percent of our DNA, provides some confirmation that masturbation has likely been practiced since the dawn of mankind. The Ancient World In the ancient world, depictions of male masturbation are relatively common. The Egyptians, for example, celebrated masturbation as the process by which the sun god, Atum, created the first Adam and Eve equivalents, Shu and Tefnut. With the hand of God, Atum masturbated and brought forth the first pair of souls. The Sumerians, who invented the first written Western language, make reference to the Mesopotamian god Enki masturbating, his ejaculation filling the Tigris River with flowing water. Condemnation of masturbation is as old as fertility-worship and is probably based on early man’s realization that there is safety in numbers. A bigger tribe is more likely to gain new territory and expand its power base. In theory, this is this reason that any form of sexual pleasure unlikely to result in a population increase (e.g. masturbation, homosexuality, oral/anal sex) has routinely been denounced as wrong. While in today’s overpopulated world this rationale no longer makes logical sense, this belief structure continues to drive the moral attitudes of many people. In the Judeo-Christian tradition prevalent throughout Western society, the main Scripture quoted by Christians to denounce masturbation is Genesis 38. In biblical times, under Jewish law, a brother was required to procreate with his brothers widow. Onan of Judah refused, and spilled his seed (i.e. ejaculate), on the ground instead. This is the origin of the term Onanism (The Sin of Onan) which is incorrectly used in place of masturbation — in fact, what really happened was premature withdrawal (i.e. coitus interruptus). 18th 19th Centuries It was primarily during the 1700s and 1800s when masturbation was first associated with mental and physical deficiencies. Some prominent physicians, scientists, philosophers, and religious leaders believed that illnesses such as insanity, vision and hearing problems, epilepsy, mental retardation, and general health problems were caused by self-stimulation. In fact, over 60% of medical and mental illnesses were blamed on masturbation. The fear of masturbation was so great that throughout the world, extreme preventative measures were instituted including the use of mechanical restraints, genital surgery, and physical discipline. By the 19th century the cereal magnate John Harvey Kellogg declared sex for anything but reproduction to be sexual excess. Kellogg and others began advocating routine circumcision of males as a deterrent to masturbation. 20th Century In the 20th Century, individuals within the medical community began questioning whether or not masturbation was independent from the various psychiatric and medical illnesses to which it was historically linked. During the 1950s and 1960s, with greater discussion of sex and sexuality and lessening conservative social attitudes along with greater medical research on the topic of masturbation, the thought that the act of self-stimulation is associated with medical and mental illnesses dissipated. Beginning with the Kinsey Report of 1948, masturbation was demystified and even discovered to be beneficial. In 1966, Masters Johnson (see photo) revealed the practice to be virtually universal in North America, cutting across all boundaries of sex, age, race, and social class. In 1971 Goldstein, Haeberle McBride determined masturbation to be the most common form of sexual activity among humans. Today It is clear that masturbation has had a dynamic and varied history. It now almost universally accepted by the medical community that masturbation is a common, safe, and normal practice which occurs in infants, teenagers, and adults. Despite this new attitude, the actual practice and discussion of masturbation continues to be a social taboo within most societies. Former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elder was immediately dismissed by President Clinton in 1994 after she stated that masturbation â€Å"is something that is part of human sexuality and its part of something that perhaps should be taught.† Facts and Figures 1. Masturbation is not evil, dirty or harmful it will not make you go blind, drive you insane, turn you in to a pervert, stunt your growth, give you an STD, make you sterile or get you pregnant. 2. Both guys and girls masturbate, it is a normal and healthy part of sexual development. 3. Masturbation is a very personal thing and should not be done in public places or around people who are not willing partners (think safer sex activity). 4. You are normal if you masturbate, normal if you wonder about it but dont do it, and normal if you never give it a second thought and dont do it it is one of the few things in life that is normal if you do and normal if you dont. 5. Masturbation may make sexual intercourse more enjoyable because you will already know what it takes to please you. 6. Masturbation alleviates stress and releases endorphens (the pleasure hormones) in to your system making you more relaxed. 7. Masturbation as exploration of the body is common in children between the ages of 3 and 6, in teens masturbation becomes more sophisticated and sexually motivated. 8. Surveys have shown that 80% of males and 59% of females have masturbated by age 18. 9. Many experts believe that masturbation is more prevalent in the teen years due to a strong fluctuation of hormones; masturbation alleviates the strain of this build up and is a necessary part of development. 10. The only real problems that come with masturbation are psychological and are the result of unhealthy or weary attitudes toward doing it (if you do it but are ashamed) or abnormal practices (for example, public masturbation). Biblical View. One of the most prevalent rationalizations that people use is that the Bible never mentions masturbation and that it must therefore be alright. Is that logical? Is child molestation alright then? Its not specifically forbidden in the Bible. How about shooting heroin? Or how about torturing someone? Not mentioned! You see how illogical the argument quickly becomes. The most obvious biblical principle that is applicable to masturbation is found in Mt 5:28 where Jesus indicates that lusting after someone in the heart is the same as actually doing it. I am violating whomever I am picturing in my mind during the act of masturbation. It really doesnt matter whether it is a picture from a magazine, (Those are real people!), or someone Ive met or a memory of some act committed in the past. And if I can discipline my mind to think of no one, what of that? Attainment of such focus only serves to make obvious the desperation and obsession that drives us to such lengths. The principles found in 1 Cor 6:12; and Rom 6:14 clearly emerge as foundational to our plight that we are slaves to whatever masters us. When we get truly honest about the habit of masturbation, it is clear that it is a behavior that controls us one that we use to medicate pain, to alleviate stress or to forget rejection. In that way, it is similar to a drug habit just one more vehicle to avoid turning to God. Why wont we turn to God? We may be ashamed. We may believe that Hes going to judge and punish us. We may not trust Him. Or, it simply may never occur to us. We dont normally see God as being involved in the fulfillment of our sexual lives. Hes a Spirit after all and we are physical creatures. And yet, He is in fact the answer to every problem. He can quench our unholy desire and He can teach us to respond to problems by working through them rather than from running from them. Masturbating cultivates yearnings for sensations that differ from those generated by intercourse. Ju st how destructive to heterosexual relations this becomes will vary from person to person. Even in the mildest case, however, it would seem inevitable that masturbating when single will detract from one’s future enjoyment of, and appreciation of, the uniqueness of heterosexual relations. It is not uncommon for people to find themselves so addicted to solitary sex that they actually prefer it to heterosexual relations and it is even more common for people feel they at least occasionally need the unique sensations that solitary sex offers, despite having an eager sex partner readily available. Nevertheless, suppose your marriage partner somehow manages to fluke giving you sensations so like what masturbation has trained you to crave and expect that you do not actually find yourself preferring solo sex. Even then, your mind has been trained to connect those feelings not with intimacy with your marriage partner but with having sex with yourself. Want it or not, masturbation programs your mind to think of sexual feelings not as a precious gift from your partner, but as something you have generated yourself. So what will come flooding into your mind when your partner lovingly gives you those feelings will tend to be not thoughts of how wonderful your partner is, but of how much pleasure you used to give yourself. Despite what is actually happening, your mind will tend to register the sensations not as coming from your life partner but as if they were produced by yourself. Feelings that should be binding you to your marriage partner have already been locked in your mind as being associated with having sex with yourself. When making love, your mind will consciously and unconsciously flit from what is currently happening between you and your partner to what used to happen when you had solitary sex. For example, if your past history of masturbation had trained your mind to associate sexual feelings with fantasizing about an imaginary partner, that is what your mind will drift to, even though you now have a real partner who does not correspond exactly to your imaginary partner. Even if your partner somehow manages to exceed the heights of what you used to experience in solitary sex, masturbation will have cheapened the most precious sensual gift your partner could ever give you, to being something only ten or so percent more pleasurable than what you used to give yourself. Past masturbation will have robbed you of so much of the â€Å"magic† and bonding power of marital relations, thus weakening your marriage. Church View Roman Catholic The Catholic Church teaches that Masturbation constitutes a grave moral disorder and that both the Magisterium of the Church—in the course of a constant tradition—and the moral sense of the faithful have declared without hesitation that masturbation is an intrinsically and seriously disordered act. Although it is said that psychology and sociology show that masturbation is a normal phenomenon of sexual development, especially among the young, this does not change the fact that it is an intrinsically and seriously disordered act and that, whatever the motive for acting this way, the deliberate use of the sexual faculty outside normal conjugal relations essentially contradicts the finality of the faculty. For it lacks the sexual relationship called for by the moral order, namely the relationship which realizes the full sense of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love.' This is because the deliberate use of the sexual faculty outside of marriag e is, according to the teaching of the Church, contrary to its primary purpose of procreation and unification of the husband and wife within the sacrament of marriage. In addition, the Church teaches that all other sexual activity—including masturbation, homosexual acts, acts of sodomy, all sex outside of or before marriage, and the use of any form of contraception or birth control—is gravely disordered, as it frustrates the natural order, purpose, and ends of sexuality. To form an equitable judgment about the subjects moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability. The traditional view of masturbation has been consistent for almost all of the Catholic Churchs 2,000-year history. Early Catholic theologians universally condemned both masturbation and contraception as sinful. One such example is Clement of Alexandria, considered a saint and a Church Father, who said of masturbation, Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the seed is not to be vainly ejaculated, nor is it to be damaged, nor is it to be wasted.. St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most prominent Doctors of the Roman Catholic Church, wrote in the 13th century that masturbation was an unnatural vice which is a species of lust as bad as bestiality, sodomy, and pederasty, and that it by procuring pollution , without any copulation, for the sake of venereal pleasure pertains to the sin of uncleanness which some call effeminacy However, after a study commissioned by the Catholic Theological Society of America in 1972, a number of dissident Catholic theologians have come to hold that an act of masturbation should not be judged as an objective moral evil, but assessed within the life context of the person involved. Protestant Theologians toward the middle of the 20th century began revising previous teachings, and some today even take pro-masturbation viewpoints. Some view it as an act of self-indulgence and even a sin of the flesh, and believe that the practice is principally considered a sin because of its invitation to lust. Those who view it within the range of allowable sexual behavior encourage it as guard against adultery, pre-marital sex, or other forms of non-allowable sexual behavior, and as a method of balancing differing libidos between spouses. Arguments Masturbation decreases rather than increases vice. Objection 1: Masturbation is a squandering of human time and physical energy that could otherwise be used for Godly worship, self-improvement, or good works. Objection 2: Masturbation inflames carnal lusts, leading to worse sexual vices. Objection 3: As an indulgence of physical appetite, masturbation encourages indulgence of other appetites, such as gluttony. Reply to Objection 1: It is said that idle hands are the devils workshop. Insofar as masturbation occupies the onanist, it prevents him from engaging in vicious or destructive acts. Reply to Objection 2: Rather than inflaming carnal lust, masturbation dissipates it by a harmless release of sexual tensions. In doing so, it removes, rather than proliferates, the driving force that motivates acts of sexual vice. Reply to Objection 3: Pent up libido will seek relief through other channels, and without the relief of masturbation, might well find its expression through the satiation of other appetites such as gluttony, gambling, and other material vices. Masturbation is a salutary use of the reproductive organs and does not conflict with reproductive sex. Objection 1: Masturbation enervates the sexual organs. Objection 2: In the male, masturbation wastes sperm that would otherwise be used for conception. Objection 3: By providing an alternative release of sexual energies, masturbation cheapens and may even diminish the physical gratification to be found in reproductive intercourse. Reply to Objection 1: Masturbation exercises the sexual organs and assures that they are in good working order. It prevents stagnation of fluids and atrophy of tissues, and in the male, increases the quality of sperm by stimulating the production of fresh gametes. Reply to Objection 2: Science has shown that regular and frequent ejaculations increase the quality of a males sperm by stimulating the production of fresh and healthy gametes. Therefore men who masturbate regularly are more likely to father a child. Thusly, the spilt semen is but a sacrifice toward a more favorable chance of achieving conception. Reply to Objection 3: Especially in the case of women, by demonstrating the range of possible sexual pleasure that one is capable of experiencing, masturbation encourages one to enter into a sexual relationship with confidence in ones own sexuality, and with the expectation of a positive experience. Masturbation makes a positive contribution to human society. Objection 1: Masturbation is most often a solitary, private and antisocial act, and is therefore contrary to human interaction and community. Objection 2: As a act of self-gratification and self-indulgence, masturbation encourages selfishness and promotes the tendency to put ones own needs first above others. Objection 3: As a form of self-love, masturbation engenders narcissism, pride, and self-regard, which are detrimental to forming human relationships. Reply to Objection 1: Masturbation is an activity in which all sexually mature humans may engage, therefore it can serve as a commonality upon which to build understanding amongst those of differing nationalities, viewpoints, etc. Reply to Objection 2: After engaging in masturbation, an individual will be in a relaxed, fulfilled, and pleasant mood, and therefore more apt to extend charity and good will toward others. Reply to Objection 3: The act of masturbation can give a sense of mastery, self-confidence, and ownership of ones body. Healthy self-esteem and a clear sense of self are necessary for healthy emotional bonds. Bibliography * http://www.afraidtoask.com/masturbate/Introduction.htm * http://www.afraidtoask.com/masturbate/History.htm * http://teenadvice.about.com/library/bl10thingsmasturbation.htm * http://www.net-burst.net/christian-help/christian-masturbation.htm * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_on_masturbation *

The Simple Pleasures of Life Bring Happiness Essay -- Happiness Essays

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." -- Martha Washington "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions." -- Dalai Lama An emotion is an intense feeling. Happiness is one of the many emotions humans experience. It may perhaps be the most important feeling a person can have and it is the one feeling everyone strives to achieve, yet strangely, for the most part, people seem to only get a glimpse of it. Pleasurable satisfaction, a state of well-being and contentment are the more outstanding elements of happiness. Happiness, known more formally as felicity, is good. A state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy and can be applied to almost every kind of enjoyment. It can be defined and characterized in several ways- metaphorically, by life’s everyday pleasures, and by the behaviors and accomplishments of a happy person. This emotion can be metaphorically compared with expressions such as, the sun shining through the rain and the â€Å"silver lining behind the dark cloud†. These expressions capture the optimistic outlook of happiness, they symbolize hope of a bigger, better and brighter future even in the midst of what could be termed as the â€Å"darkest hour†. Happiness is the essence of life, the wind gently blowing flowers in the open field, the puppies frolicking in a pile of leaves, and is reflected in the merriment of men. It is exciting, playful, full of good cheer and lighthearted and signifies life. It brings the smiles to the faces of children one to ninety-nine. Happiness i... ...e way. Apart from success, good health and longevity are associated with happiness. The lightheartedness that accompanies happiness has been said to lower the chance of strokes and heart attacks. Laughter releases tension and add to persons overall sense of well-being. Happiness is not death, or sorrow. It is not gloom, depression or heavy-heartedness. Happiness does not lament nor does it worry. It is neither moody nor pensive, neither wanton nor pessimistic. Happiness does not mourn for what was it instead rejoices in what will be. Happiness comes through good fortune and through loving and being loved. Eating a good meal, being in good health and enjoying the comforts of life can also achieve it. The simple pleasures of life bring happiness, whether it be enjoying a favorite dessert, smelling a rose or running in the rain. O happiness! our being's end and aim!

A Game of Thrones Chapter One

Bran The morning had dawned clear and cold, with a crispness that hinted at the end of summer. They set forth at daybreak to see a man beheaded, twenty in all, and Bran rode among them, nervous with excitement. This was the first time he had been deemed old enough to go with his lord father and his brothers to see the king's justice done. It was the ninth year of summer, and the seventh of Bran's life. The man had been taken outside a small holdfast in the hills. Robb thought he was a wildling, his sword sworn to Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall. It made Bran's skin prickle to think of it. He remembered the hearth tales Old Nan told them. The wildlings were cruel men, she said, slavers and slayers and thieves. They consorted with giants and ghouls, stole girl children in the dead of night, and drank blood from polished horns. And their women lay with the Others in the Long Night to sire terrible half-human children. But the man they found bound hand and foot to the holdfast wall awaiting the king's justice was old and scrawny, not much taller than Robb. He had lost both ears and a finger to frostbite, and he dressed all in black, the same as a brother of the Night's Watch, except that his furs were ragged and greasy. The breath of man and horse mingled, steaming, in the cold morning air as his lord father had the man cut down from the wall and dragged before them. Robb and Jon sat tall and still on their horses, with Bran between them on his pony, trying to seem older than seven, trying to pretend that he'd seen all this before. A faint wind blew through the holdfast gate. Over their heads flapped the banner of the Starks of Winterfell: a grey direwolf racing across an ice-white field. Bran's father sat solemnly on his horse, long brown hair stirring in the wind. His closely trimmed beard was shot with white, making him look older than his thirty-five years. He had a grim cast to his grey eyes this day, and he seemed not at all the man who would sit before the fire in the evening and talk softly of the age of heroes and the children of the forest. He had taken off Father's face, Bran thought, and donned the face of Lord Stark of Winterfell. There were questions asked and answers given there in the chill of morning, but afterward Bran could not recall much of what had been said. Finally his lord father gave a command, and two of his guardsmen dragged the ragged man to the ironwood stump in the center of the square. They forced his head down onto the hard black wood. Lord Eddard Stark dismounted and his ward Theon Greyjoy brought forth the sword. â€Å"Ice,† that sword was called. It was as wide across as a man's hand, and taller even than Robb. The blade was Valyrian steel, spell-forged and dark as smoke. Nothing held an edge like Valyrian steel. His father peeled off his gloves and handed them to Jory Cassel, the captain of his household guard. He took hold of Ice with both hands and said, â€Å"In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, by the word of Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, I do sentence you to die.† He lifted the greatsword high above his head. Bran's bastard brother Jon Snow moved closer. â€Å"Keep the pony well in hand,† he whispered. â€Å"And don't look away. Father will know if you do.† Bran kept his pony well in hand, and did not look away. His father took off the man's head with a single sure stroke. Blood sprayed out across the snow, as red as surnmerwine. One of the horses reared and had to be restrained to keep from bolting. Bran could not take his eyes off the blood. The snows around the stump drank it eagerly, reddening as he watched. The head bounced off a thick root and rolled. It came up near Greyjoy's feet. Theon was a lean, dark youth of nineteen who found everything amusing. He laughed, put his boot on the head, and kicked it away. â€Å"Ass,† Jon muttered, low enough so Greyjoy did not hear. He put a hand on Bran's shoulder, and Bran looked over at his bastard brother. â€Å"You did well,† Jon told him solemnly. Jon was fourteen, an old hand at justice. It seemed colder on the long ride back to Winterfell, though the wind had died by then and the sun was higher in the sky. Bran rode with his brothers, well ahead of the main party, his pony struggling hard to keep up with their horses. â€Å"The deserter died bravely,† Robb said. He was big and broad and growing every day, with his mother's coloring, the fair skin, red-brown hair, and blue eyes of the Tullys of Riverrun. â€Å"He had courage, at the least.† â€Å"No,† Jon Snow said quietly. â€Å"It was not courage. This one was dead of fear. You could see it in his eyes, Stark.† Jon's eyes were a grey so dark they seemed almost black, but there was little they did not see. He was of an age with Robb, but they did not look alike. Jon was slender where Robb was muscular, dark where Robb was fair, graceful and quick where his half brother was strong and fast. Robb was not impressed. â€Å"The Others take his eyes,† he swore. â€Å"He died well. Race you to the bridge?† â€Å"Done,† Jon said, kicking his horse forward. Robb cursed and followed, and they galloped off down the trail, Robb laughing and hooting, Jon silent and intent. The hooves of their horses kicked up showers of snow as they went. Bran did not try to follow. His pony could not keep up. He had seen the ragged man's eyes, and he was thinking of them now. After a while, the sound of Robb's laughter receded, and the woods grew silent again. So deep in thought was he that he never heard the rest of the party until his father moved up to ride beside him. â€Å"Are you well, Bran?† he asked, not unkindly. â€Å"Yes, Father,† Bran told him. He looked up. Wrapped in his furs and leathers, mounted on his great warhorse, his lord father loomed over him like a giant. â€Å"Robb says the man died bravely, but Jon says he was afraid.† â€Å"What do you think?† his father asked. Bran thought about it. â€Å"Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?† â€Å"That is the only time a man can be brave,† his father told him. â€Å"Do you understand why I did it?† â€Å"He was a wildling,† Bran said. â€Å"They carry off women and sell them to the Others.† His lord father smiled. â€Å"Old Nan has been telling you stories again. In truth, the man was an oathbreaker, a deserter from the Night's Watch. No man is more dangerous. The deserter knows his life is forfeit if he is taken, so he will not flinch from any crime, no matter how vile. But you mistake me. The question was not why the man had to die, but why I must do it.† Bran had no answer for that. â€Å"King Robert has a headsman,† he said, uncertainly. â€Å"He does,† his father admitted. â€Å"As did the Targaryen kings before him. Yet our way is the older way. The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die. â€Å"One day, Bran, you will be Robb's bannerman, holding a keep of your own for your brother and your king, and justice will fall to you. When that day comes, you must take no pleasure in the task, but neither must you look away. A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.† That was when Jon reappeared on the crest of the hill before them. He waved and shouted down at them. â€Å"Father, Bran, come quickly, see what Robb has found!† Then he was gone again. Jory rode up beside them. â€Å"Trouble, my lord?† â€Å"Beyond a doubt,† his lord father said. â€Å"Come, let us see what mischief my sons have rooted out now.† He sent his horse into a trot. Jory and Bran and the rest came after. They found Robb on the riverbank north of the bridge, with Jon still mounted beside him. The late summer snows had been heavy this moonturn. Robb stood knee-deep in white, his hood pulled back so the sun shone in his hair. He was cradling something in his arm, while the boys talked in hushed, excited voices. The riders picked their way carefully through the drifts, groping for solid footing on the hidden, uneven ground. Jory Cassel and Theon Greyjoy were the first to reach the boys. Greyjoy was laughing and joking as he rode. Bran heard the breath go out of him. â€Å"Gods!† he exclaimed, struggling to keep control of his horse as he reached for his sword. Jory's sword was already out. â€Å"Robb, get away from it!† he called as his horse reared under him. Robb grinned and looked up from the bundle in his arms. â€Å"She can't hurt you,† he said. â€Å"She's dead, Jory.† Bran was afire with curiosity by then. He would have spurred the pony faster, but his father made them dismount beside the bridge and approach on foot. Bran jumped off and ran. By then Jon, Jory, and Theon Greyjoy had all dismounted as well. â€Å"What in the seven hells is it?† Greyjoy was saying. â€Å"A wolf,† Robb told him. â€Å"A freak,† Greyjoy said. â€Å"Look at the size of it.† Bran's heart was thumping in his chest as he pushed through a waist-high drift to his brothers' side. Half-buried in bloodstained snow, a huge dark shape slumped in death. Ice had formed in its shaggy grey fur, and the faint smell of corruption clung to it like a woman's perfume. Bran glimpsed blind eyes crawling with maggots, a wide mouth full of yellowed teeth. But it was the size of it that made him gasp. It was bigger than his pony, twice the size of the largest hound in his father's kennel. â€Å"It's no freak,† Jon said calmly. â€Å"That's a direwolf. They grow larger than the other kind.† Theon Greyjoy said, â€Å"There's not been a direwolf sighted south of the Wall in two hundred years.† â€Å"I see one now,† Jon replied. Bran tore his eyes away from the monster. That was when he noticed the bundle in Robb's arms. He gave a cry of delight and moved closer. The pup was a tiny ball of grey-black fur, its eyes still closed. It nuzzled blindly against Robb's chest as he cradled it, searching for milk among his leathers, making a sad little whimpery sound. Bran reached out hesitantly. â€Å"Go on,† Robb told him. â€Å"You can touch him.† Bran gave the pup a quick nervous stroke, then turned as Jon said, â€Å"Here you go.† His half brother put a second pup into his arms. â€Å"There are five of them.† Bran sat down in the snow and hugged the wolf pup to his face. Its fur was soft and warm against his cheek. â€Å"Direwolves loose in the realm, after so many years,† muttered Hullen, the master of horse. â€Å"I like it not.† â€Å"It is a sign,† Jory said. Father frowned. â€Å"This is only a dead animal, Jory,† he said. Yet he seemed troubled. Snow crunched under his boots as he moved around the body. â€Å"Do we know what killed her?† â€Å"There's something in the throat,† Robb told him, proud to have found the answer before his father even asked. â€Å"There, just under the jaw.† His father knelt and groped under the beast's head with his hand. He gave a yank and held it up for all to see. A foot of shattered antler, tines snapped off, all wet with blood. A sudden silence descended over the party. The men looked at the antler uneasily, and no one dared to speak. Even Bran could sense their fear, though he did not understand. His father tossed the antler to the side and cleansed his hands in the snow. â€Å"I'm surprised she lived long enough to whelp,† he said. His voice broke the spell. â€Å"Maybe she didn't,† Jory said. â€Å"I've heard tales . . . maybe the bitch was already dead when the pups came.† â€Å"Born with the dead,† another man put in. â€Å"Worse luck.† â€Å"No matter,† said Hullen. â€Å"They be dead soon enough too.† Bran gave a wordless cry of dismay. â€Å"The sooner the better,† Theon Greyjoy agreed. He drew his sword. â€Å"Give the beast here, Bran.† The little thing squirmed against him, as if it heard and understood. â€Å"No!† Bran cried out fiercely. â€Å"It's mine.† â€Å"Put away your sword, Greyjoy,† Robb said. For a moment he sounded as commanding as their father, like the lord he would someday be. â€Å"We will keep these pups.† â€Å"You cannot do that, boy,† said Harwin, who was Hullen's son. â€Å"It be a mercy to kill them,† Hullen said. Bran looked to his lord father for rescue, but got only a frown, a furrowed brow. â€Å"Hullen speaks truly, son. Better a swift death than a hard one from cold and starvation.† â€Å"No!† He could feel tears welling in his eyes, and he looked away. He did not want to cry in front of his father. Robb resisted stubbornly. â€Å"Ser Rodrik's red bitch whelped again last week,† he said. â€Å"It was a small litter, only two live pups. She'll have milk enough.† â€Å"She'll rip them apart when they try to nurse.† â€Å"Lord Stark,† Jon said. It was strange to hear him call Father that, so formal. Bran looked at him with desperate hope. â€Å"There are five pups,† he told Father. â€Å"Three male, two female.† â€Å"What of it, Jon?† â€Å"You have five trueborn children,† Jon said. â€Å"Three sons, two daughters. The direwolf is the sigil of your House. Your children were meant to have these pups, my lord.† Bran saw his father's face change, saw the other men exchange glances. He loved Jon with all his heart at that moment. Even at seven, Bran understood what his brother had done. The count had come right only because Jon had omitted himself. He had included the girls, included even Rickon, the baby, but not the bastard who bore the surname Snow, the name that custom decreed be given to all those in the north unlucky enough to be born with no name of their own. Their father understood as well. â€Å"You want no pup for yourself, Jon?† he asked softly. â€Å"The direwolf graces the banners of House Stark,† Jon pointed out. â€Å"I am no Stark, Father.† Their lord father regarded Jon thoughtfully. Robb rushed into the silence he left. â€Å"I will nurse him myself, Father,† he promised. â€Å"I will soak a towel with warm milk, and give him suck from that.† â€Å"Me too!† Bran echoed. The lord weighed his sons long and carefully with his eyes. â€Å"Easy to say, and harder to do. I will not have you wasting the servants' time with this. If you want these pups, you will feed them yourselves. Is that understood?† Bran nodded eagerly. The pup squirmed in his grasp, licked at his face with a warm tongue. â€Å"You must train them as well,† their father said. â€Å"You must train them. The kennelmaster will have nothing to do with these monsters, I promise you that. And the gods help you if you neglect them, or brutalize them, or train them badly. These are not dogs to beg for treats and slink off at a kick. A direwolf will rip a man's arm off his shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat. Are you sure you want this?† â€Å"Yes, Father,† Bran said. â€Å"Yes,† Robb agreed. â€Å"The pups may die anyway, despite all you do.† â€Å"They won't die,† Robb said. â€Å"We won't let them die.† â€Å"Keep them, then. Jory, Desmond, gather up the other pups. It's time we were back to Winterfell.† It was not until they were mounted and on their way that Bran allowed himself to taste the sweet air of victory. By then, his pup was snuggled inside his leathers, warm against him, safe for the long ride home. Bran was wondering what to name him. Halfway across the bridge, Jon pulled up suddenly. â€Å"What is it, Jon?† their lord father asked. â€Å"Can't you hear it?† Bran could hear the wind in the trees, the clatter of their hooves on the ironwood planks, the whimpering of his hungry pup, but Jon was listening to something else. â€Å"There,† Jon said. He swung his horse around and galloped back across the bridge. They watched him dismount where the direwolf lay dead in the snow, watched him kneel. A moment later he was riding back to them, smiling. â€Å"He must have crawled away from the others,† Jon said. â€Å"Or been driven away,† their father said, looking at the sixth pup. His fur was white, where the rest of the litter was grey. His eyes were as red as the blood of the ragged man who had died that morning. Bran thought it curious that this pup alone would have opened his eyes while the others were still blind. â€Å"An albino,† Theon Greyjoy said with wry amusement. â€Å"This one will die even faster than the others.† Jon Snow gave his father's ward a long, chilling look. â€Å"I think not, Greyjoy,† he said. â€Å"This one belongs to me.†

English Phonetics and Phonology

THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG HKU SPACE Community College Associate Degree Programmes 2012-13 Course Document Course Title: English Phonetics and Phonology Course Code: C C 8 8 3 5 6 0 0 Aims and Objective This course will focus on articulatory phonetics and the classification of sounds in English. It will explain how English is pronounced in the context of a general theory about speech sounds and how they are organized in languages. Topics will include the speech production mechanism; the description of sound qualities and their representations; prosodic features.There will be many exercises in ear training, sound production and their written representations. Intended Learning Outcomes of the Course On completion of the course, students should be able to: ILO1. describe how speech sounds are produced; ILO2. describe sound production with reference to the articulatory track; ILO3. link perceptual descriptions with production and explain in general how perceptually different sounds diff er in their production; ILO4. distinguish the classification of speech sounds and discuss their phonological groupings and distributions in English; ILO5. ecognize English Phonetic symbols and be able to transcribe connected speech in English; ILO6. discuss the syllabic structure of English; ILO7. select relevant details and systematically organize ideas in answering questions. Syllabus 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Voice production and the organs of speech The production of vocalic elements in speech — cardinal vowels and their representation English vowels – their production, perceptual qualities and representation.Long short vowels, diphthongs and tripthongs The larynx, its structure and the role it plays in speech production The phoneme – its theoretical justification, symbol representation and realization under different phonetic contexts Consonantal elements in speech. English consonants – their production, perceptual qualities, place and manner of articulat ion. Discussion of the phonemic status of some consonants The syllabic structure of EnglishAssessment Type of Assessment (Weighting) Description Test 1: Transcription of English vowels (5%) Test 2: Short questions on the first half of the course (8%) Test 3: Transcription of English (entire text) (10%) Continuous Assessment (50%) Test 4: Long questions on phonemic theory and related issues (10%) Tutorial performance, ear training exercises and homework written exercises (12%) Attendance and performance in class (5%) Examination (50%) Pre-requisite(s) Nil Required and Recommended Reading Text Book: 1. English Phonetics and Phonology – A practical course by Peter Roach, Cambridge University Press, 2000.Written Exam Other References: 1. A Course in Phonetics by Peter Ladefoged, Heinle & Heinle: Australia, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, 2001. 2. Practical Phonetics and Phonology by Beverley Collins and Inger M. Mees, Routleddge: London and New Yo rk, 2003. 3. Fundamental Problems in Phonetics by J. C. Catford, Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 1982. 4. Introduction to Phonetics by L. F. Brosnahan & Bertil Malmberg, Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, London, New York, Melbourne, 1976. 29. 06. 11

Escape From A Dollhouse essays

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Sir Thomas Mallorie essays

Sir Thomas Mallorie essays While Mallorie wrote one of the most famous works of illusion, not many people have heard about Sir Thomas Mallorie. Even to those that do know him, not much is known about his actual life. It is known that the English knight Thomas Mallorie (also spelled Malorie, Mallory, or Mallorie) lived in the 1400s, being born anywhere from 1405 to 1410. It is most likely that he was from Warwickshire, and belonged to an old family of Warwickshire. Malorie was knighted in 1442, and became a member of parliament in 1445, when he was around 30 years old. He died on March 14th, 1471, while imprisoned in Newgate Prison. During his life, Sir Mallorie had been imprisoned at least eight different times. Sir Thomas Mallorie, author of the most famous and influential prose legends of King Arthur, the title Le Morte d Arthur is taken from the epilogue of William Cantons landmark illustrated edition of 1485. The epilogue tells us that this book was ended the ninth year of the reign of King Edward the fourth. Le Morte d Arthur was written in English and consists of eight tales in 507 chapters in 21 books, arranged by Caxton, for clarity of understanding. This book is the basis of most modern tellings of the Arthurian story and was the inspiration for Tennysons Idylls of the King. Mallorie mentions most nearly to himself as the knight-prisoner, which leads people to believe that most, if not all of Le Morte d Arthur was written as his days slowly passed him by inside Londons Newgate Prison. ...