Babel Essy

Pain of Loss Imagine yourself without the ability to hear anything, how would your life be compared to how it is now? The deaf are incredible people because they lack the capability of hearing and that can alter the way of communication if they also cannot speak. Even with all these disabilities, they find other ways to communicate using symbols and handwriting. Babel is an award winning movie that displays diversity. They have scenes from Morocco, Japan, Mexico and the United States. Chieko Wataya is one of the main characters in that movie.She is a deaf Japanese girl who has been issing her sense of hearing since she was a child. In Babel, Chieko shows feelings of helplessness, being inadequate and experiences the loss of control throughout the movie. First off, Chieko is missing her sense of hearing which can lead to her feeling helpless. She experiences something horrifying that no one should, by her finding her mother's dead body with a bullet straight to her cranium. Having tha t said, she is left with her with her who is always busy. She feels as if her dad does not pay much attention to her even though he is trying his best.An inattentive father can cause feelings of neglect and psychological issues in the future if she is left isolated. With her given situation, she becomes a helpless emotional person. It seems as though her disability to speak and hear has driven her life off the edge sanity. Since Chieko is not an average girl, love is hard to find to her. With her dad always working and not giving her enough attention, she seeks attention somewhere else, which is from her friends and men she does not even know. The inability to speak and hear is majorly ffecting her life and it makes her feel nothing other than helpless.Chieko's hard life can also make her feel in adequate. While trying to have fun and meeting boys, her friend and her go out to a club called â€Å"I-pop. † During her time there, she is very flirtatious to boys she finds attrac ting and they give her smiles as a reactions, as if approve of her. Eventually a boy comes and notices her while she plays an arcade game. Girls do not usually play video games, so she could have done this as a call for attention. It took Chieko a while to notice him because she is deaf. The boy is probably wondering if she can even hear him.When she finally notices him, the boy said hi to her. The only probable is that he did not know that Chieko was deaf and incapable of speaking. When he realizes this about her, he Just walks away from her uninterested. As he is walking away from her, she did not seem surprised as if she was used to those kinds of actions. Her self-esteem must be low due to the fact that she cannot speak or hear. She results in a desperate move to get other guys attention by taking off her underwear and show her private part to other boys. She is willing to do this because she thinks she cannot find love any other way.She thinks so low of herself that she offers herself as an item to men and nothing else. These impairments of her senses make her feel that she is not good enough for anybody. Chieko's lack of senses and the events happening in her life has caused her to experience a loss of control. After witnessing her friend kiss the boy she admires, she feels like she is betrayed. It seemed as though the world around her was falling apart because sne stands stil I in a club while people around ner were dancing This is one of the mains causes to lose her self-control.After she witnesses her friend betray her, Chieko decides to call detective Kenji Mamiya as an act of the loss of self-control. She started telling him a sympathetic story about how her mother died. Chieko lies about her mother's death saying that she Jumped off the thirty story balcony, but in reality, she had shot herself in the head. That lie is said was possibly the action she was going to do herself as an act of suicide. She mentions this as an attempt to make the detectiv e sorry for her. As the detective is leaving, she tells him to wait and she goes to another room.When she came back, the detective has a shocked looked on his face to see her being fully naked. Chieko tries to seduce the detective as a final attempt to make herself feel happy, but Mr. Mamiya rejects her knowing that she is too young. She eventually realizes her actionsto him and apologizes for it. The loss of control with her emotions has caused her to do these extreme actions only because of the hard life she is living. In the end, feeling helplessness and inadequate has caused Chieko to lose control f herself.As she realizes this, her dad comes home to see her at the balcony. She could have thought of Jumping off to make all her pain go away. She cries and hugs him because she knows she is not truly alone, she has her dad by her side. The absence of her senses has makes her life rough. Speech is not the only way of communication, so Chieko should realize that her life could have b een worse. She could have been blind and is not able to see anything. Being deaf may be a hard disability in life, but people can work their way around it.

No Se

Chapter 12 Basic Approaches to Leadership MULTIPLE CHOICE What Is Leadership? 1. John Kotter’s view argues that management focuses on coping with complexity, whereas leadership focuses on coping with _____. a. conflict b. success c. defeat d. morale e. change (e; Moderate; Management and Leadership; p. 385) 2. Which of the following roles focuses on bringing about order and consistency by drawing up formal plans? a. leadership b. management c. task structure d. initiating structure e. none of the above (b; Easy; Management; p. 385) 3. Leadership is best defined as _____. a. he ability to influence a group in goal achievement b. keeping order and consistency in the midst of change c. implementing the vision and strategy provided by management d. coordinating and staffing the organization and handling day-to-day problems e. not a relevant variable in modern organizations (a; Moderate; Leadership; p. 385) 4. Which of the following statements regarding leadership is true? a. All l eaders are managers. b. Formal rights enable managers to lead effectively. c. All managers are leaders. d. All leaders are hierarchically superior to followers. . Nonsanctioned leadership is as important as or more important than formal influence. (e; Challenging; Leadership; p. 386) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Trait Theories 5. Which theory differentiates leaders from nonleaders by focusing on personal qualities and characteristics? a. Fiedler’s perspective b. characteristic theory c. LPC d. contingency theory e. trait theory (e; Easy; Trait Theories; p. 386) 6. According to a comprehensive review of the leadership literature, what is the most important trait of effective leaders? a. conscientiousness b. openness c. extraversion d. greeableness e. emotional stability (c; Easy; Big Five and Trait Theories; p. 386) 7. Recent studies indicate that ________ may indicate effective leadership. a. an endless supply of terrific ideas b. a compelling vision c. a highly analytical mind d . outstanding training e. emotional intelligence (e; Easy; Emotional Intelligence and Trait Theories; p. 387) 8. Emotional intelligence is so critical to effective leadership because one of its core components is ________. a. conscientiousness b. empathy c. openness d. extraversion e. agreeableness (b; Easy; Trait Theories; p. 387) 9.There is fairly strong evidence that traits can predict _____ more accurately than leadership effectiveness. a. leadership emergence b. extraversion in leaders c. leadership awareness d. leadership competence e. the conscientiousness of leaders (a; Moderate; Trait Theories; p. 388) Behavioral Theories 10. Trait research suggests that we focus on _____, whereas behavioral studies imply that we can effectively _____. a. teaching people certain traits; teach people certain behaviors b. selecting the right person for a job; train leaders c. changing jobs to suit people; change people to suit jobs d. raining new employees; dispense with training e. identifyi ng certain traits in leaders; ignore leaders’ traits (b; Moderate; Trait Theories versus Behavioral Theories; p. 389) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 11. If trait theories of leadership are valid, then leaders are _____. a. trained b. born c. authoritarian d. educated e. grown (b; Moderate; Trait Theories; p. 389) 12. If behavioral leadership theories are correct, then _____. a. leadership behaviors are consistent b. leaders are born with leadership behaviors c. leaders’ behavior should be altered d. leadership can be taught e. omen generally make better leaders than men (d; Moderate; Behavioral Theories; p. 389) 13. Which of the following is not a behavioral theory of leadership? a. Ohio State studies b. Fiedler model c. University of Michigan studies d. managerial grid e. All of the above are behavior theories of leadership. (b; Moderate; Behavioral Theories; pp. 389-390) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 14. The two dimensions of leadership behavior explained in the Ohio State stud ies are _____. a. coercion and motivation b. concern for people and concern for production c. employee-oriented and production-oriented d. nitiating structure and consideration e. operant conditioning and classical conditioning (d; Moderate; Ohio State Studies; p. 389) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 15. According to the Ohio State studies, the extent to which a leader’s behavior is directed toward getting the job done is called _____. a. consideration b. maximization c. relationship-oriented d. path-goal e. initiating structure (e; Moderate; Initiating Structure; p. 389) 16. A leader high in initiating structure would do which of the following? a. seek consensus b. exhibit laissez-faire type of leadership c. maximize leader-member relations d. ssign group members to particular tasks e. empower employees to make their own decisions (d; Moderate; Initiating Structure; p. 389) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 17. According to the Ohio State studies, the extent to which a leader is likely to h ave job relationships characterized by mutual trust and respect for his/her employees is _____. a. consideration b. matrix c. consensus-building d. LPC e. maximization (a; Moderate; Consideration; p. 389) 18. The two dimensions of leadership behavior identified in the University of Michigan studies are _____. a. coercion and motivation b. emotional and rational c. mployee-oriented and production-oriented d. initiating structure and consideration e. initiation and completion (c; Moderate; University of Michigan Studies; p. 390) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 19. The University of Michigan studies define a(n) _____ leader as one who takes personal interest in the needs of his/her subordinates. a. LMX b. contextual c. employee-oriented d. consensus-building e. consummate (c; Moderate; Employee-Oriented Leaders; p. 390) 20. If a leader’s main concern is accomplishing his/her group’s tasks, the University of Michigan studies label this leader _____. a. consideration-oriented . ma nagerial c. ineffective d. high achieving e. production-oriented (e; Moderate; Production-Oriented Leaders; p. 390) 21. According to University of Michigan researchers, which type of leaders is associated with higher group productivity and higher job satisfaction? a. situational b. employee-oriented c. production-oriented d. initiating structure-oriented e. heliocentric (b; Moderate; Employee-Oriented Leaders; p. 390) 22. The graphic portrayal of a two-dimensional view of leadership style by Blake and Mouton is known as the _____. a. least preferred co-worker scale b. leader-participation model c. utocratic-democratic continuum d. managerial grid e. matrix of discretion (d; Easy; Managerial Grid; p. 390) 23. According to the Managerial Grid, managers perform best using which of the following styles? a. 9,9 b. consideration c. contingency d. development-oriented e. rigid (a; Moderate; Managerial Grid; p. 390) 24. According to Blake and Mouton, a leader with a 9,1 style can best be de scribed as a(n) ____ type of leader. a. visionary b. laissez-faire c. authority d. effusive e. contrasting (c; Moderate; Managerial Grid; p. 390) Contingency Theories: Fiedler Model and Situational Leadership Theory 5. All contingency theories are based on the idea that effective leadership performance depends on _____. a. the proper match between the leader’s style and the control the situation gives the leader b. selecting the right leadership style based on the level of the followers’ readiness c. using a leadership style that is appropriate to the situational conditions d. making use of the best path for the goal that is identified e. none of the above (c; Challenging; Contingency Models; p. 392) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 26. Who proposed a contingency theory? a. Fiedler b. Surber c. Grey . Deickman e. Swartz (a; Easy; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 27. The first comprehensive contingency model for leadership was developed by _____. a. Hersey and Blanchard b. Bl ake and Mouton c. Fred Fiedler d. John Kotter e. Douglas Surber (c; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 28. Which model represents the theory that effective group performance depends on the proper match between a leader’s style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader? a. Leader-Member Exchange Model b. Fiedler’s Contingency Model c. Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model d.Vroom and Yetton’s Leader-Participation Model e. none of the above (b; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 29. Who developed the LPC (least preferred co-worker) questionnaire? a. Wachner b. Fiedler c. House d. Blake and Mouton e. Surber (b; Moderate; Least Preferred Coworker; p. 392) 30. In Fiedler’s model, if a respondent describes his or her least preferred co-worker in relatively positive terms, then the respondent is considered to be _____. a. relationship-oriented b. people-oriented c. consensus-building d. considerati on-focused e. unrealistic (a; Challenging; Least Preferred Coworker; p. 92) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 31. If a survey respondent sees his or her least preferred co-worker in unfavorable terms, Fiedler would categorize the respondent as _____. a. overly critical b. task-oriented c. emotionally deficient d. insightful e. laissez-faire (b; Moderate; Least Preferred Coworker; p. 392) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 32. Fiedler’s contingency model assumes that an individual’s leadership style is _____. a. changeable b. contingent c. situational d. fixed e. intangible (d; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 33. Three situational criteria identified in the Fiedler model are _____. . job requirements, position power, and leadership ability b. charisma, influence, and leader-member relations c. leader-member relations, task structure, and position power d. task structure, leadership ability, and group conflict e. emotional intelligence, group orientation, and employee status ( c; Moderate; Fiedler’s Key Situational Factors; p. 393) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 34. Fiedler labels the degree of confidence, trust, and respect that subordinates have in their leader as _____. a. leader-member relations b. relationship orientation c. positional power d. employee-orientation . none of the above (a; Easy; Leader-Member Relations; p. 393) 35. The degree to which job assignments are procedurized is classified in the Fiedler model as _____. a. leader-member relations b. task orientation c. task structure d. initiating structure e. productivity oriented (c; Moderate; Task Structures; p. 393) 36. Fiedler’s theory predicts that an individual who is considered task oriented will be most effective when the situation is _____. a. moderately to highly favorable b. moderately favorable c. moderately to highly unfavorable d. very favorable or very unfavorable e. highly favorable d; Challenging; Matching Leaders and Situations; pp. 393-394) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 37. Based on the contingency theory, if the leadership style does not match the situation, you should _____. a. change the leader to fit the situation b. change the situation to fit the leader c. accept this circumstance as unchangeable d. either a or b e. retrain the leader in a more appropriate style (d; Moderate; Matching Leaders and Situations; p. 394) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 38. The reconceptualization of the contingency model by Garcia and Fiedler is called _____ theory. a. situational b. cognitive resource . evaluative d. leadership recognition e. cognitive dissonance (b; Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) 39. Cognitive resource theory focuses on the role of ____ as a form of situational unfavorableness and how a leader’s intelligence and experience influence his or her reaction. a. stress b. task structure c. position power d. conflict e. resolution (a; Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) 40. All of the following are findings of the cognitive resou rce theory except _____. a. low stress situations show a positive relationship between intellectual abilities and performance b. ow stress situations show a positive relationship between job experience and performance c. high stress situations show a negative relationship between intellectual abilities and performance d. high stress situations show a positive relationship between job experience and performance e. None of the above are findings of the theory. (b; Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 41. Hersey and Blanchard developed which of the following? a. situational leadership theory b. cognitive resource theory c. managerial grid model d. path-goal theory . cognitive orientation model (a; Moderate; Situational Leadership Theory; p. 395) 42. Hersey and Blanchard’s leadership theory differs from other leadership theories primarily because it _____. a. explores the role of the expectations of the leader for the follower b. focuses on the fo llowers c. holds that leadership style should be dependent on the situation d. is normative e. deals strictly and exclusively with contingencies (b; Challenging; Situational Leadership Theory; p. 395) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 43. According to Hersey and Blanchard, readiness encompasses the _____. a. egree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader b. amount of influence a leader has over variables such as hiring, firing, and salaries c. level of morale and satisfaction of the employees d. ability and willingness of the followers to accomplish a task e. all of the above (d; Moderate; Readiness; p. 396) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 44. Hersey and Blanchard say that the laissez-faire leadership style should be used when employees are ____ to accomplish a task. a. unable and willing b. able and unwilling c. unable and unwilling d. able and willing e. none of the above d; Moderate; Situational Leadership Theory; p. 396) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 45. What theory was develop ed by Robert House? a. cognitive resource model b. decision theory c. leader-member exchange theory d. path-goal theory e. situational leadership theory (d; Moderate; Path-Goal Theory; p. 396) 46. The leadership model that integrates the expectancy theory of motivation with the Ohio State leadership research is _____. a. path-goal b. contingency c. leader-participation d. leader-member exchange e. cognitive arousal (a; Challenging; Path-Goal Theory; p. 396) 47. What is the essence of the path-goal theory? . Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style. b. Stress is a form of situational unfavorableness and a leader’s reaction to it depends on his or her intelligence and experience. c. Effective group performance depends on the proper match between the leader’s style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader. d. Leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers because of time pressures. e . The leader is responsible for providing followers with the information, support, or other resources necessary for them to do their jobs. e; Moderate; Path-Goal Theory; p. 397) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 48. The leadership behaviors identified by the path-goal theory are _____. a. supportive, employee-oriented, laissez-faire, and participative b. achievement-oriented, supportive, humanistic, and directive c. participative, achievement-oriented, directive, and supportive d. directive, participative, supportive, and laissez-faire e. affective, cognitive, and behavioral (c; Challenging; Path-Goal Theory; p. 397) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 49. Which path-goal leadership style leads to greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful? . directive b. supportive c. participative d. mixed e. reactive (a; Moderate; Path-Goal Theory; p. 397) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 50. According to House, what leader is friendly and shows concern for the needs of followers? a. the achievement-oriented leader b. the directive leader c. the laissez-faire leader d. the participative leader e. the supportive leader (e; Easy; Path-Goal Theory; p. 397) 51. Which of the following is not an example of a prediction based on path-goal theory? a. Subordinates with an internal locus of control will be more satisfied with a directive style. b.Directive leadership leads to greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful. c. Supportive leadership results in high employee performance when performing structured tasks. d. Directive leadership is likely to be perceived as redundant by employees with a lot of experience. e. All of the above are examples of predictions based on path-goal theory. (a; Challenging; Path-Goal Theory Predictions; p. 398) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory 52. Which of the following theories argues that because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their subordinates? . managerial grid b. lea der-member exchange c. path-goal d. expectancy e. contingency (b; Easy; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 398) 53. According to LMX theory, which of the following is not true of those individuals who fall into the out-group? a. They receive a disproportionate amount of the leader’s attention. b. They have leader-follower relations based on formal authority interaction. c. They are less trusted. d. They receive fewer of the preferred rewards that the leader controls. e. All of the above statements are true. (a; Easy; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 99) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 54. According to LMX theory, a leader implicitly categorizes followers as â€Å"in† or â€Å"out† _____. a. after careful analysis b. on a temporary basis c. early in the interaction d. because of political pressure e. based on job requirements (c; Easy; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 399) Decision Theory; Vroom and Yetton’s Leader-Participation Model 55. The leader-participatio n model was developed by _____. a. Hersey and Blanchard b. Fred Fiedler c. Blake and Mouton d. Vroom and Yetton e. Douglas and Surber (d; Moderate; Leadership-Participation Model; p. 400) 56.Vroom and Yetton’s leadership theory could also be described as a _____ theory. a. contingency b. decision c. behavioral d. trait e. cognitive dissonance (b; Moderate; Leadership-Participation Model; p. 400) 57. Criticism of Vroom and Yetton’s leader-participation model focus on ________. a. the model’s overall complexity b. the lack of research testing of the model c. the abstract nature of the model d. the model’s emphasis on follower commitment e. the model’s emphasis on time restrictions related to decision-making (a; Challenging; Criticism of Leadership-Participation Model; p. 400) TRUE/FALSEWhat Is Leadership? 58. Leadership and management are two terms that are often confused. (True; Easy; Management and Leadership; p. 385) 59. According to Kotter, manag ement focuses on coping with change; leadership focuses on coping with complexity. (False; Moderate; Management and Leadership; p. 385) 60. Leadership can be defined as the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of cohesiveness. (False; Moderate; Leadership; p. 385) 61. Holding a management position is an important step towards becoming a leader in an organization. (False; Moderate; Management and Leadership; p. 385) 62.Strong leadership is the primary element needed for optimum organizational effectiveness. (False; Moderate; Leadership; p. 385) Trait Theories 63. By the 1990s, numerous studies indicated that leaders differed from nonleaders only in ambition and self-confidence. (False; Challenging; Leadership; p. 386) 64. Research efforts at isolating leadership traits achieved a breakthrough, of sorts, when researchers began organizing traits around the Big Five personality framework. (True; Moderate; Big Five and Trait Theories; p. 386) 65. The Big Five personality framework revealed that traits are most useful as predictors of leadership emergence. True; Moderate; Big Five and Trait Theories; p. 386) Behavioral Theories 66. Trait research would provide a basis for selecting the â€Å"right† persons to assume formal positions requiring leadership. (True; Easy; Trait Theories; p. 389) 67. One assumption of the trait view of leadership is that leaders cannot be trained. (True; Moderate; Trait Theories; p. 389) 68. If behavioral theories of leadership are valid, selection of leaders should focus on length of experience an individual has obtained in the right situations. (False; Easy; Behavioral Theories; p. 389) 69.If behavioral theories of leadership are valid, we could have an infinite supply of effective leaders. (True; Challenging; Behavioral Theories; p. 389) 70. The most comprehensive and replicated of the behavioral theories resulted from research begun by Fred Fiedler. (False; Moderate; Ohio State Studies; p. 389) 71. The Ohio Stat e Studies involved research on only two dimensions – initiating structure and consideration. (True; Moderate; Ohio State Studies; p. 389) 72. A leader designated as high on initiating structure would be likely to clearly define the roles of his or her subordinates. (True; Easy; Initiating Structure; p. 389) 3. According to the University of Michigan studies, production-oriented leadership is defined as the extent to which a leader tends to emphasize the technical or task aspects of the job. (False; Moderate; University of Michigan Studies; p. 390) 74. The University of Michigan studies found that production-oriented leaders were associated with higher group productivity than employee-oriented leaders. (False; Challenging; University of Michigan Studies; p. 390) 75. The managerial grid model of leadership uses a grid containing nine possible positions on each axis, representing 81 different positions in which a leader’s style may fall. True; Moderate; Managerial Grid; p . 390) 76. The managerial grid model holds that managers tend to perform best under a 9,9 management style. (True; Moderate; Managerial Grid; p. 390) 77. The managerial grid was developed by a team of researchers known as the Scandinavian Studies group. (False; Easy; Managerial Grid; p. 390) 78. The managerial grid helped promote the progress of leadership research by identifying the productivity results produced by each of 81 different leadership styles. (False; Challenging; Managerial Grid; p. 390) Contingency Theories: Fiedler Model and Situational Leadership Theory 79.The Fiedler contingency model proposes that effective group performance depends upon the proper match between a leader’s style and the degree to which a situation gives control to the leader. (True; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 80. Fiedler’s contingency model is considered to be the first comprehensive contingency model for leadership. (True; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392 ) 81. Contingency models of leadership suggest that there is no one best style of leadership. (True; Easy; Contingency Models; p. 392) 82. Fiedler believes that a key factor in leadership success is the follower’s preferences for co-worker types. False; Easy; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 83. Fiedler’s findings focused on results obtained from his pioneering use of the most preferred co-worker (MPC) questionnaire. (False; Easy; Least Preferred Coworker; p. 392) 84. In Fiedler’s approach, if a respondent uses unfavorable terms to describe the co-worker in question, the respondent can be said to be primarily task-oriented. (True; Moderate; Least Preferred Coworker; p. 392) 85. Fiedler’s theory is based on the assumption that leaders can’t change their styles to fit changing situations. (True; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 86.Fiedler’s theory suggests that training is an effective tool to improve leader effectiveness. (False ; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) 87. Fiedler’s three situational factors include: leader-member relations, task structure, and stress. (False; Moderate; Fiedler’s Key Situational Factors; p. 393) 88. According to Fiedler, task structure is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized. (True; Moderate; Task Structures; p. 393) 89. According to Fiedler, leader-member relations concern the degree to which a leader takes a personal interest in the needs of his or her employees and accepts individual differences among them. False; Challenging; Position Power; p. 393) 90. According to Fiedler’s contingency model, task-oriented leaders are most effective in situations of high or low control. (True; Moderate; Matching Leaders and Situations; pp. 393-394) 91. Fiedler assumes that we should concentrate on changing situations to suit the leaders or changing the leaders to fit the situation. (True; Moderate; Matching Leaders and Situations; p. 394) 92. Taken as a whole, tests of the overall validity of the Fiedler model tend to support substantial parts of the model. (True; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 394) 93.One criticism of the Fiedler model concerns the fact that the logic underlying the model’s questionnaire is not well understood. (True; Moderate; Problems with Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 395) 94. Studies regarding the Fiedler model have shown that respondents’ questionnaire scores tend to be relatively stable. (False; Moderate; Problems with Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 395) 95. One advantage of the Fiedler model is that its contingency variables are simple and easy to assess. (False; Moderate; Problems with Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 395) 96. The essence of cognitive resource theory is that stress is the enemy of rationality. True; Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) 97. Cognitive resource theory predicts that in low-stress situations, bright individuals perform better in the le adership role than their less intelligent counterparts. (True; Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) 98. Cognitive resource theory predicts that in high-stress situations, more experienced individuals perform better than do less experienced people. (True; Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) 99. Under the cognitive resource theory, experience is generally a strong predictor of leadership effectiveness. False; Easy; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) 100. Hersey and Blanchard argue that the correct leadership style is contingent on the level of the follower’s readiness. (True; Easy; Situational Leadership Theory; p. 395) 101. Situational leadership theory essentially views the leader-follower relationship as analogous to that between a parent and child. (True; Easy; Situational Leadership Theory; p. 396) 102. Situational leadership theory has been well validated by research but not well received by practitioners because there are so many factors to examine. (Fal se; Moderate; Situational Leadership Theory; p. 96) 103. SLT is an example of a trait theory. (False; Easy; Situational Leadership Theory; pp. 395-396) 104. The path-goal model of leadership integrates the expectancy model of motivation with key elements of the Ohio State Studies. (True; Moderate; Path-Goal Theory; p. 396) 105. Path-goal theory assumes leaders are flexible and can display different leadership behavior depending on the situation. (True; Moderate; Path-Goal Theory; p. 397) 106. A hypothesis that has evolved out of path-goal theory is that directive leadership leads to greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful. True; Moderate; Path-Goal Theory Predictions; p. 398) Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory 107. In the leader-member exchange theory, leaders don’t treat all of their subordinates alike. (True; Moderate; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 397) 108. According to LMX theory, out-group members get more of the leader’s time, but in a neg ative manner. (False; Moderate; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 397) 109. In the leader-member exchange theory, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of employees called the â€Å"supportive followers. † (False; Moderate; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 397) 110.Research testing of LMX theory has been generally supportive. (True, Moderate, Evaluation of Leader-Member Exchange Theory; p. 398) Decision Theory; Vroom and Yetton’s Leader-Participation Model 111. The leader-participation model provides a set of rules that leaders can use to determine the appropriate leadership behavior for a given task structure. (True; Moderate; Leadership-Participation Model; p. 400) 112. The complexity of the leadership-participation model enables leaders to apply it realistically when they are assessing decision-making situations. (False; Challenging; Criticism of Leadership-Participation Model; p. 00) SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS Application of Trait Theories Your company’s HR director is a believer in trait theories of leadership. He believes that he can differentiate leaders from non-leaders by focusing on personal qualities and characteristics. The HR director plans to promote Lawrence, a highly extroverted manager with a great deal of ambition and energy. Furthermore, the president of the company is preparing to retire, and the HR director is searching for her replacement. He asks for your expertise in helping him to apply trait theory to leadership selection within your company. 13. You explain that research efforts at isolating leadership traits have ________. a. identified six leadership traits that predict leadership b. been supportive of the Big Five leadership traits predicting leadership c. shown that conscientiousness does not help much in predicting leadership d. identified emotional stability as the most strongly related trait to leader emergence e. been more focused on developing contingency theories and replacing trait theories (b; Easy; Big Five and Trait Theories; p. 386) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 114.When selecting individuals for leadership positions, trait theory suggests that which of the following is least helpful for identifying leaders? a. extraversion b. conscientiousness c. openness to experience d. agreeableness e. ambition (d; Moderate; Big Five and Trait Theories; p. 387) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 115. You advise the director to prioritize which of the following when looking for appropriate candidates for the president’s replacement? a. goal-orientation b. analytical capacity c. emotional intelligence d. emotional stability e. training (c; Moderate; Emotional Intelligence and Trait Theories; p. 387) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 16. The director believes that because of these innate characteristics, Lawrence will be highly effective at helping the company achieve its production goals. You advise the director against this decision because ________. a. research has identified emotiona l stability as the strongest predictor of leadership effectiveness b. studies have found that the Big Five traits are difficult to identify in leaders c. studies have shown that traits are poor predictors of leadership effectiveness d. research has found that conscientiousness is a better predictor of effectiveness than extraversion e. esearch has shown that effective managers are often unlikely to become effective leaders (c; Moderate; Trait Theories; p. 388) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} Application of Trait and Behavioral Theories You are the CEO of an engineering design firm that has several departments, each specializing in the design of different products. You have noticed a great deal of difference between the styles of the various department directors. You also see a big difference in the morale, employee satisfaction levels, and effectiveness (productivity) levels of the departments.One of your goals as CEO is to maximize productivity across all departments. 117. As you look at the difference between the department directors, you notice that some are more charismatic and enthusiastic than others. In identifying this difference, you are looking at the directors’ _____. a. behaviors b. traits c. personalities d. attitudes e. all of the above (b; Easy; Traits; p. 386) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 118. Some of the departmental directors spend more time training and helping their employees, while other spend more time on the technical issues that arise in the development process.According to the categories used in the University of Michigan studies, the directors can be described as ________. a. oriented toward initiating structure vs. oriented toward consideration b. employee-oriented vs. production-oriented c. training-oriented vs. development-oriented d. assistance-oriented vs. growth-oriented e. authority-type leaders vs. laissez faire-type leaders (b; Moderate; University of Michigan Studies; p. 390) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 119. Based on the results of the University of Michigan studies, which directors most likely have departments with higher productivity and job satisfaction? . the employee-oriented leaders b. the production-oriented leaders c. the consideration-oriented leaders d. the development-oriented leaders e. the task-oriented leaders (a; Moderate; Employee-Oriented Leaders; p. 390) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 120. Of all the departments, Gerard’s department has the greatest production output. His employees seem most satisfied with his leadership as well. You categorize the behavioral styles of each department director using the managerial grid. According to the work of Blake and Mouton, who developed the grid, which of the following is most likely to reflect Gerard’s score on he grid? a. 8,8 b. 5,5 c. 1,7 d. 7,1 e. 1,1 (a; Moderate; Managerial Grid; p. 390) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 121. 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Task-oriented leaders will perform better than relationship-oriented leaders in moderately favorable situations. . Each person’s style will change in accordance with the situation at hand. (a; Moderate; Fiedler Contingency Model; p. 392) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 123. Fran completes the LPC questionnaire and finds that she described her least preferred co-worker in relatively positive terms. She is surprised by this finding because she recalls being particularly annoyed by this difficult co-worker. Based on your understanding of Fiedler’s model, you explain to Fran that her LPC score makes sense within the model because ________. a. Fran tends to become very dominating when given ambiguous tasks b.Fran is usually much more focused on productivity than on developing relationships c. Fran tends in general to focus on building good relationships with the other employees at your company d. Fran has a spotty work history and has tended to switch jobs every couple of years e. 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Good management brings about order and consistency by drawing up formal plans, designing rigid organization structures, and monitoring results against plans. Management consists of implementing the vision and strategy provided by leaders, coordinating and staffing the organization, and handling day-to-day problems. (Easy; Management and Leadership; p. 385) {AACSB: Analyti c Skills} 135. What â€Å"breakthrough† resulted in consistent and strong support for traits as predictors of leadership?When researchers began organizing traits around the Big Five personality framework, it became clear that most of the dozens of traits that emerged in various leadership reviews could be subsumed under one of the Big Five. This approach resulted in consistent and strong support for traits as predictors of leadership emergence. (Easy; Leadership; p. 385) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 136. What are the implications of the behavioral theories of leadership? If trait research had been successful, it would have provided a basis for selecting the â€Å"right† persons to assume formal positions in groups and organizations requiring leadership.In contrast, if behavioral studies were to turn up critical behavioral determinants of leadership, we could train people to be leaders. The difference between trait and behavioral theories, in terms of application, lies in t heir underlying assumptions. If trait theories were valid, then leaders are born rather than made. On the other hand, if there were specific behaviors that identified leaders, then we could teach leadership – we could design programs that implanted these behavioral patterns in individuals who desired to be effective leaders. Moderate; Implications of Behavioral Theories; p. 389) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 137. Identify and explain the two dimensions of leadership described in the Ohio State studies. The Ohio State studies proposed that two categories accounted for most of the leadership behavior described by employees. They called these two dimensions initiating structure and consideration. a) Initiating structure refers to the extent to which a leader is likely to define and structure his or her role and those of employees in the search for goal attainment. ) Consideration is described as the extent to which a person is likely to have job relationships that are characterized b y mutual trust, respect for employees’ ideas, and regard for their feelings. (Easy; Ohio State Studies; p. 389) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 138. Explain the components of Blake and Mouton’s managerial grid. Blake and Mouton proposed a managerial grid based on the styles of concern for people and concern for production. This grid shows the dominating factors in a leader’s thinking in regard to getting results. Managers were found to perform best under a 9,9 style.The dimensions represent the Ohio State dimensions of consideration and initiating structure and the Michigan dimensions of employee oriented and production oriented. (Easy; Managerial Grid; p. 390) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 139. How was cognitive resource theory developed, and what are its main findings? Fiedler and Joe Garcia re-conceptualized Fiedler’s contingency model. They focused on the role of stress as a form of situational unfavorableness and how a leader’s intelligence and experience influence his or her reaction to stress. The essence of the theory is that stress is the enemy of rationality.Fiedler and Garcia found that a leader’s intellectual abilities correlate positively with performance under low stress but negatively under high stress. According to the theory, it’s the level of stress in the situation that determines whether an individual’s intelligence and experience will contribute to leadership performance. (Moderate; Cognitive Resource Theory; p. 395) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 140. Describe LMX theory and identify its main beliefs. This theory argues that because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers.These individuals make up the in-group – they are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader’s attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group. They get less of the leader’s time, fewer of the preferred rewards that the leader controls, and have leader-follower relations based on formal authority interactions. The leader implicitly categorizes the follower as an â€Å"in† or â€Å"out† and that relationship is relatively stable over time. (Moderate; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; pp. 398-399) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 141. Describe the leader-participation model.Victor Vroom and Phillip Yetton developed a model that related leadership behavior and participation in decision making. Recognizing that task structures have varying demands for routine and non-routine activities, these researchers argued that leader behavior must adjust to reflect the task structure. The model was normative – it provided a sequential set of rules that should be followed in determining the form and amount of participation in decision making, as determined by different types of situations. The model was a decision tree incorporating seven contingencies and five alternative lea dership styles. Easy; Leadership-Participation Model; p. 400) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} MEDIUM LENGTH DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 142. Explain the principles of Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory. Situational leadership is a contingency theory that focuses on the followers. 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Moderate; Situational Leadership Theory; pp. 395-396) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 143. What are the predictions of path-goal theory? Path-goal theory made several predictions: a) Directive leadership leads to greater satisfaction when tasks are ambiguous or stressful than when they are highly structured and well laid out. b) Supportive leadership results in high employee performance and satisfaction when employees are performing structured tasks. c) Directive leadership is likely to be perceived as redundant among employees with high perceived ability or with considerable experience. ) Employees with an internal locus of control will be more satisfied with a participative style. e) Achievement-oriented leadership will increase employee s’ expectancies that effort will lead to high performance when tasks are ambiguously structured. (Moderate; Path-Goal Theory Predictions; p. 398) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 144. Summarize the leader-member exchange theory. The leader-member exchange (LMX) theory argues that because of time pressures, leaders establish a special relationship with a small group of their followers.These individuals make up the in-group—they are trusted, get a disproportionate amount of the leader’s attention, and are more likely to receive special privileges. Other followers fall into the out-group. They get less of the leader’s time, fewer of the preferred rewards that the leader controls, and have leader-follower relations based on formal authority interactions. The theory proposes that early in the history of the interaction between a leader and a given follower, the leader implicitly categorizes the follower as an â€Å"in† or an â€Å"out† and that relations hip is relatively stable over time.The theory and research surrounding it provide substantive evidence that leaders do differentiate among followers; that these disparities are far from random; and that followers with in-group status will have higher performance ratings, lower turnover intentions, greater satisfaction with their superior, and higher overall satisfaction than will the out-group. These positive findings for in-group members are consistent with our knowledge of the self-fulfilling prophesy. (Moderate; Leader-Member Exchange Theory; pp. 98-399) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} COMPREHENSIVE ESSAYS 145. Explain Fiedler’s contingency model. In your discussion, describe the role of the LPC (least preferred coworker) questionnaire and identify the key situational factors that determine leadership effectiveness, according to this model. Fred Fiedler developed the first comprehensive contingency model for leadership. This model proposes that effective group performance depends upon the proper match between the leader’s style and the degree to which the situation gives control to the leader.The least preferred co-worker (LPC) questionnaire is used to determine what the leader’s basic style is. Sixteen contrasting adjectives are used to ask respondents to describe their least-preferred co-worker. If the least preferred co-worker is described in relatively positive terms (a high LPC score), then the respondent is primarily interested in good personal relations with this co-worker. This person is considered relationship oriented. If the least preferred co-worker is primarily interested in productivity, they would be labeled task oriented.Fiedler assumes that an individual’s leadership style is fixed. Fiedler identified three contingency dimensions that define the key situational factors that determine leadership effectiveness. a) Leader-member relations are the degree of confidence, trust, and respect members have in their leader. b) Tas k structure is the degree to which the job assignments are procedurized. c) Position power is the degree of influence a leader has over power variables such as hiring, firing, discipline, promotions, and salary increases.The better the leader-member relations, the more highly structured the job, and the stronger the position power, the more control the leader has. With knowledge of an individual’s LPC and an assessment of the three contingency variables, Fiedler proposes matching them up to achieve maximum leadership effectiveness. Task-oriented leaders tend to perform better in situations that were very favorable to them and in situations that were very unfavorable. Relationship oriented leaders perform better in moderately favorable situations.Fiedler has suggested recently that task-oriented leaders perform best in situations of high and low control, while relationship-oriented leaders perform best in moderate control situations. There are two ways to improve leader effect iveness. You can change the leader to fit the situation. The second alternative would be to change the situation to fit the leader. This could be done by restructuring tasks or increasing or decreasing the power that the leader has to control factors such as salary increases, promotions, and disciplinary actions. (Challenging; Fiedler Contingency Model; pp. 92- 394) {AACSB: Analytic Skills} 146. Compare and contrast Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory with House’s path-goal theory. Hersey and Blanchard’s situation leadership theory is a contingency theory that focuses on the followers. Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style, which Hersey and Blanchard argue is contingent on the level of the followers’ readiness. The emphasis on the followers in leadership effectiveness reflects the reality that it is the followers who accept or reject the leaders.The term readiness refers to the extent to which people ha ve the ability and willingness to accomplish a specific task. SLT says if a follower is unable and unwilling to do a task, the leader needs to give clear and specific directions; if followers are unable and willing, the leader needs to display high task orientation to compensate for the followers’ lack of ability and high relationship orientation to get the follower to â€Å"buy into† the leader’s desires; if followers are able and unwilling, the leader needs to use a supportive and articipative style; and if the employee is both able and willing, the leader doesn’t need to do much. Path-goal theory was developed by Robert House. The essence of the theory is that it’s the leader’s job to assist followers in attaining their goals and to provide the necessary direction and/or support to ensure that their goals are compatible with the overall objectives of the group or organization.The term path-goal is derived from the belief that effective le aders clarify the path to help their followers get from where they are to the achievement of their work goals and make the journey along the path easier by reducing roadblocks. House identified four leadership behaviors. The directive leader lets followers know what is expected of them, schedules work to be done, and gives specific guidance as to how to accomplish tasks. The supportive leader is friendly and shows concern for the needs of followers.The participative leader consults with followers and uses their suggestions before making a decision. The achievement-oriented leader sets challenging goals and expects followers to perform at their highest level. House assumes that leaders are flexible and that the same leader can display any or all of these behaviors depending on the situation. (Challenging; Situational Leadership Theory and Path-Goal Theory; pp. 395-396) {AACSB: Analytic Skills}

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Human Motivation Essay

Gran Torino 2008 Film Studies Essay

Gran Torino 2008 Film Studies Essay Clint Eastwood. A legend in the film industry. Born on the 31st of May in 1930, he began directing in 1971 and producing in 1982. Famous for his roles in the Dollars Trilogy, the Dirty Harry films, Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, his name is synonymous with masculinity. He has 7 children from 5 different women where only 2 of whom, each were at one point his wife. In December 2008, Gran Torino was released and distributed by Warner Brothers. The movie tells a story of Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), a caucasian veteran of the Korean War. Walt is the spitting image of the generic racist American war veteran who sits outside his house with a 12 gauge shotgun firmly pointed at immigrants with a southern drawl. Clint Eastwoods portrayal of Walt is true to this generic image albeit as the story progresses, his attitude towards his neighbours softens. Walts most prized possession is his Gran Torino, a classic muscle car. The film begins with Walt Kowalski mourning silently the passing of his wife. Living alone, his two sons do not get along well with their father. Days later, Walts neighbours son, Thao (Bee Vang), tries to steal his car as part of a gang initiation ceremony. Walt foils this attempt with his semi-automatic rifle from his war days. Thaos family is grateful towards Walts actions that saved Thao from a life in the gang. Walt takes it upon himself to set Thao on the right path. But when Thaos sister, Sue (Ahney Her) is assaulted by the same gang who tried to recruit Thao, Walt is forced to take action. Walts rifle from the Korean War is symbolic of his past deeds. It represents the acts of violence and aggression he perpetrated during his days of service. Shut the fuck up! You want to know what its like to kill a man? Well its goddamn awful, thats what it is. The only thing worse is getting a medal of valour for killing some poor kid that wanted to just give up, thats all. Yeah, some scared little gook just like you. I shot him right in the face with that rifle you were holding in there a while ago. Theres not a day goes by that I dont think about it. You dont want that on your soul. But I got blood on my hands. Im soiled. Thats why Im going it alone tonight. Walt is a man who is tortured by his past. Walts Gran Torino and his dog, Daisy are the only source of happiness and comfort for him prior to him befriending his Hmong neighbours. At the beginning of the movie, Walts distaste for the asian people is very apparent. He refers to them as gooks most of the time. However, as the film progresses, he realises that he is closer to his asian neighbours than he is to his own family. God, I got more in common with these gooks than I do with my own spoiled-rotten family. Jesus. Happy birthday. At one point in the movie, Walt becomes so close to Thaos family that hes seen grilling some steak in his backyard with Thao, Sue and Thaos date. Walts resourcefulness is apparent as he has a garage filled with tools that according to him took 50 years to put together. He sees Thaos interest in them and gifts to him a lubricant, duct tape and a visier grip. He later goes on to to help toughen Thao up by teaching him how to talk like a man. Walt even goes so far as to help Thao secure a job at a construction site and purchase tools for him to kickstart his independence. In order to show their appreciation of Walts help towards Thao, the local Hmong community frequently brings food to him. At first, Walt is reluctant to accept the gifts. But as they persist, he gives in after tasting and falling in love with the flavorful Hmong food. The Hmong shaman reads Walt and tells him that he is not respected by people and that he carries a heavy burden. Upon hearing this, Walt becomes visibly shaken and begins coughing blood. Every instance that Walt was about to take aggressive action, a military themed drum beat would follow. This use of music indicated to the audience that Walt was about to undertake something important. The military drum beat also brings to mind a sense of patriotism that Walt has towards his country. This is further illustrated by the large American flag on his porch. The overall colour used throughout the movie is a dull green. This is reflective of the calm pace of the movie with the exception of the times during confrontation when it is usually dark. Thaos character at the beginning of the film is a passive one. He seldom talks and even when he does, he speaks with a soft tone. This can be attributed to his sisters role as the dominant figure in the house. Thao is regarded as feminine even by his own family. Needless to say, Walt despises Toad as he calls him. Yeah Yum Yum yeah nice girl nice girl, very charming girl I talked with her yeah. But you, you just let her walk out right out with the Three Stooges. And you know why? Cause youre a big fat pussy. Well, I gotta go. Good day, pusscake. As the film progresses, Walt gradually succeeds in toughening Thao up. At one point, Thao stands up for himself when he encounters the Hmong gang while going home from work. Though Thao may be weak willed, he is definitely a kind and helpful boy intent on helping others. At one point in the film, when a caucasian lady drops her groceries on the sidewalk, a group of 3 Hmong teenagers notice but do not help. Instead they make lewd gestures. Thao however rushes to aid the lady much to the surprise of Walt who was watching intently. Some of the issues discussed in the movie are that of racism, multiculturalism and religion. In terms of racism, Walt is racist towards every non caucasian person in the film. Though he mostly keeps it to himself, sometimes his outburts contain racial slurs. Walts neighbourhood is also assumed to be a previously white dominant one. But as immigrants moved in, more people of other races settled down there. Particularly the Hmong people. The movie intends to show audiences that racism can be overcome by intellect. This is apparent when Walt saves Sue from some African American thugs. When Sue is in the car conversing with Walt, he tells her that shes alright. From then on, the relationship between Walt and Thaos family improves and they become close allies. Multiculturalism is an important aspect of this film as various races can be seen and traditions of the races are also portrayed. When Walt is invited for lunch at Thaos house for a celebration, he pats a child on her head. This act is seen as disrespectful in Hmong culture. In the scene where Sue is ambushed by the African Americans, she is seen to be dating a caucasian teen. During Walts visit to the doctor, in the waiting room, people from various races can be seen as well. Theres Walt, a caucasian, an African American lady, an Indian lady with a traditional dress, a presumably Mexican man, an Arabian nurse with a headdress and an asian doctor. The film intends to educate the viewers that the American landscape is fast changing where once Walts neighbourhood used to be predominantly White, it is a rarity to see a caucasian. In terms of religion, Walt is a catholic though not a devout one. His take on faith is insouciant and of disdain. Father Janovich: Why didnt you call the police? Walt Kowalski: Well you know, I prayed for them to come but nobody answered. While talking to Father Janovich, he calls the priest a young 27 year old virgin. By the end of the movie though, he appears to reconnect with his religious roots as he attends confession. The movie doesnt appear to lean to either to matriarchy or patriarchy. Though the values of the different cultures are quite apparent. In the Hmong culture, a lot of family members can be seen congregating. Communication is generally open and inclusive. Whereas for the western culture as seen in Walts family, the viewer can see a family which is estranged and on bad terms. Walts sons dont pay much attention to their father and only contact him when they want something. In terms of respect, the Hmong people generally are more respectful towards their elders. But in the case of Walts grandkids, the granddaughter smoked a cigarette in Walts house. There are a few film techniques used in the film that are noteworthy. When Walt is confronting the gangs house at night towards the end of the film, an estblishing wide shot is used showing Walt approach the house. The lighting at this point is very low-key, only highlighting what the audience needs to see. Faint background noises such as a barking dog, and crickets can be heard in the distance leading the viewer to assume that the location is one which is seldom visited. When the gang members begin talking to Walt, the camera cuts to a wide shot of him. From the houses behind him in the background, curious neighbours can be seen coming out of their rooms. In the next few moments, a few more shots of neighbours coming out of their houses can be seen to further emphasise the point that the whole scenario is being scrutinised. At this point, the gang leader draws his weapon, but Walt keeps insulting them, determined to carry out his plan unfazed. He insists on defending his neighbours. This is the point where the viewers see that deep beneath the grouchy exterior, Walt is a genuinely good man. The movie overall was a refreshing change from the regular action films which lack depth and substance. Gran Torino has enough action to maintain the male audience attention while catering to the emotional aspect as well via good character development and storyline. The touching scenes in the film truly can impact the viewer and make them question their own attitudes towards culture and racism and doing whats right. Where at first the viewer is antagonistic towards Walt, they come to appreciate is gruffness and empathise with him and feel genuine sadness when he sacrifices his life in the end.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Essay -- Informative Essay

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is the process of converting the ocean waters temperature difference at different depths into usable energy. From the solar heated upper depths of the ocean to the cooler depths below 2,000 feet a 40 degree temperature difference must be maintained to generate electricity. This is a relatively new and unheard of source of energy. Many people are not aware of the many benefits of OTEC and the impact it will have in the future as the use of fossil fuel conversion declines. Heightened environmental concerns in today's world makes OTEC an attractive alternative for energy conversion. The ocean offers a natural and renewable resource which will make it possible for converting energy this way to last for a very long, long time. OTEC is a very cost effective method of using the oceans waters for energy conversion but its use and benefits to society have been obscure to the general public. In the coming years OTEC will probably be at the forefront of ne w energy resources and a good understanding of it know will prove invaluable to power engineers of the future. How does Thermal Energy Conversion Work? OTEC is a form of solar power in that it uses the sun's energy to heat the upper depths of the oceans waters. Since the sun's energy cannot penetrate very deep depths (approximately 2000ft.) the temperature below these levels is much colder then those near the surface. Most of the solar energy is absorbed in the top layer (35 to 100 m) of water. This upper layer of warm water is very uniformed in temperature because wind and waves cause the water to circulate and mix. The temperature in this layer can reach close to 82Â ° F (28Â ° C ) from regions close the equator. Beyond this layer the temperature drops noticeably with the depth until 800 m to1000 m. At this depth the temperature is 40Â ° F (4.4Â ° C ). From here the temperature changes very gradually. The colder water at these great depths is the result of melting ice in the polar regions. The colder water has a higher density than the warmer water which causes two important events. First the higher density water will sink and displace the lighter, warm water. Secondly, the rotation of the earth forces the heavier cold water to move toward the equator. Because of this, the ocean provides a large reservoir of cold and warm water that can differ in temperature of 40Â ° to 45Â ° F ( 22Â ° to... ...implementation. The system is still in heavy research to bring these costs down and also to make improvements on the system. Although the full scale commercial size systems are not practical at this time, small scale experimental plant systems are being for further research. OTEC is expected to make an impact on the future. The Future of OTEC OTEC is a very exciting new way of energy conversion. People are skeptical about new and innovative ideas because of their unfamiliarity and lack ofknowledge about the idea. This holds true with OTEC. Many people are unaware of what OTEC is and the benefits that OTEC holds for the future of our Earth. Much more development and research must be made to make OTEC a large scale operation and to bring the cost to consumers down. This is only going to happen if people are made aware of OTEC and its many possibilities. OTEC has many environmental benefits and can produce the world s necessary energy needs for a very long time (it is after all a renewable energy source!). We are quite certain that in the upcoming years OTEC will become a much more publicized topic and greater research will come about to produce a fully sized commercial plant.

Canadian and Taiwanese Schools Essay -- Education Teaching Essays

Canadian and Taiwanese Schools School is the best place for people to be educated. Everyone has to go through this stage in order to be knowledgeable, so they can be useful in society and solve any problems they encounter. Not only they are educated for themselves but also for their countries. Different countries have different systems on how to teach students. Canada's educational system is a perfect and ideal way to ensure that students will live successful lives. Canadian high school students study both compulsory and elective courses together. They pursue academic studies based on the achievement of credits. In the meantime, they take prerequisite courses that are related to their university studies. Hence, they know the basic fundamentals before getting in the universities. After completion of required number of credits, the universities take their averages and determine if they are qualified for the studies in universities that they choose. Even the students' averages are low, they can still go to universities that don't require high averages. Therefore, many students can easily study in this highest level of education. However, all courses are mandatory in Taiwan. High school students study the same courses together no matter what they plan to take in the universities, and thus it is hard for them to know what they are interested in. After graduation from high school, students have to write a major exam on all kinds of courses to achieve a sco...

New Religious Movements & Religion

When studied, compared, and scrutinized, every religion – though said to be basically similar in that all believe and worship a god/gods – is actually different from each other in many respects. Before tackling diversities however, it is better to start with similarities. Many people view all adherents of any religions share at the very least certain commonalities such as historical roots, practices/rituals, and doctrines. In other words, to be considered religious, one must be a follower of a certain form of ritual/practice prescribed by a founder or guru, a worshiper or believer of a god – whatever or whoever that god might be.When looked at the surface, this might be true. However, looking closely and seeking out the nuances, one can find real diversities. For example, for a Jew and a Muslim, Christianity is a religion represented by Vatican and the pope as its representative. To the eyes of these two, no differences whatsoever are detected between a devout Ro man Catholic and a Protestant and a Mormon. Of course when investigated, marked differences come to the surface and the initial seemingly unified similarities are gone. Actually, differences are underscored every time there occurs along the way a deviation from the fundamentals of any religion. In the history of Christianity alone, schisms are either a deviation or a return to its roots (Adherents.com, 2007).Effects of Religious PluralismPost your response to this question: What effect do you think religious pluralism and the interfaith movement will have on the future of organized religion? Explain your answer.Religious pluralism and interfaith movement are recently advocated by proponents from different religions with certain political aims. For instance, during Holy Week in 1971, there were many demonstrations conducted by different religious groups to voice their antiwar protests. Professor Robert McAfee Brown of Stanford University was among those arrested for blocking the way to a draft board office in Berkeley, California. He said he chose to preach his sermon â€Å"not in a church but on a pavement, not with words but with a deed† (Microsoft Encarta, 2007). Though there are certain benefits to it in terms of rights, there are also disadvantages and innumerable damages that may have paved the way for further confusion in the future.In what ways has learning about world religions influenced the way you think about religion? Why is it important to learn about other peoples' beliefs and attitudes? How will you utilize this information in the future?Knowledge of World religionsKnowledge of the different religions of the world and their adherents’ beliefs and practices is necessary for a better understanding of different peoples and cultures. Religious tolerance means differently when taken in the light of this endeavor. The ability to understand world religions and appreciate people because of their different persuasions and beliefs mean a mor e empathic and compassionate stance towards any group, ethnic or religious assemblage. Those who differ from us will not be seen as enemies, which oftentimes have become a common experience (Adherents.com, 2007).Reference:________ Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents, 2007. Retrieved March 11, 2008 < http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html>________ Microsoft Encarta. 2007.

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-Three

FOR A MOMENT, I THOUGHT it had to be a coincidence. After all, what was so special about a peridot star? For all I knew, Alicia might have been born in August and was just sporting her birthstone among that mess of necklaces she always wore. And yet, if there was one thing I believed more than ever, it was Sonya's adage that there were no coincidences in the world of the supernatural. I sank to the floor and tried to reason my way through things. If the charm Alicia had worn was like this one, then it meant she too was a strong magic user trying to mask her abilities. Did she know about Veronica? Was Alicia trying to protect herself? If so, then it seemed like she wouldn't have been so casual about Veronica staying at the inn. So, that meant either Alicia didn't know about Veronica's true nature – again, a suspicious coincidence – or that Alicia was covering for Veronica. Could Alicia be in league with Veronica? That seemed the likeliest answer to me. Although Veronica apparently sought out young, powerful magic users, it was totally possible that she'd seen the advantage of having one as an assistant. And, as we'd observed, Veronica had plenty of other victims to choose from. Alicia could therefore help and cover up Veronica's nefarious plans – like when a curious couple came asking questions. I groaned. Alicia had been playing us from the beginning. From the instant we'd stepped through her door with stories about our anniversary and â€Å"friend† Veronica, she'd known we were lying. She'd known we weren't actually friends with Veronica, and she might have been strong enough to fight Adrian's compulsion a little. She'd gone along with everything – even being so helpful as to call me when Veronica had shown up again. I had no idea now what was true, if Veronica had ever left in the first place or returned from being gone. I did, however, have a sinking suspicion that my car wasn't the only one she'd incapacitated. I could understand if she'd used the cross to find me, but how had she initially located the Mustang? I racked my brain for any identifying information. Adrian's spirit magic should have muddled our appearances, covering up any connection to us. Then I knew. Alicia had walked us out and admired the Mustang. A clever person – someone who was already on high alert because of our visit – could've made note of the license plate and used it to track down where Adrian lived. But why slash the tires? To delay us, I realized. That was the night Lynne had been attacked. And we had arrived too late to warn her. The more I began to sift through the events of the last few weeks, the more I began to think we had been very, very careless. We'd thought we were being so cautious about concealing ourselves from Veronica. No one, not even Ms. Terwilliger, had considered that she might have an accomplice we also had to watch out for. And the dreams . . . those had started the day Adrian and I had been on the velvet bed. The day my garnet had slipped and had possibly been enough for Alicia to sense a magic user in the inn. Which brought me back to the present. Ms. Terwilliger. I had to tell her what I'd found. I called for a third time. Still no answer. Although I often had images of Ms. Terwilliger conducting late-night rituals, it was entirely reasonable that she'd be in bed right now. Was this the kind of thing that could wait until morning? No, I decided on the spot. No, it wasn't. We were dealing with dangerous, violent magic users – and my car had just been attacked. Something might be happening as I stood there, trying to decide. I would have to wake her up . . . provided I could get to her. It took only a moment to make my next decision. I called Adrian. He answered on the first ring but sounded wary, which I couldn't blame him for after what I'd done earlier. â€Å"Hello?† I prayed he was the noble guy I thought he was. â€Å"Adrian, I know things are bad between us, and maybe I have no right to ask, but I need a favor. It's about Veronica.† There was no hesitation. â€Å"What do you need?† â€Å"Can you come over to Amberwood? I need you to help me break curfew and escape my dorm.† There were a few moments of silence. â€Å"Sage, I've been waiting two months to hear you say those words. You want me to bring a ladder?† The plan was already unfolding in my head. The security guards that patrolled at night would have eyes on the student parking lot, but the back property would be relatively unguarded. â€Å"I'll get myself out of the building. If you come up the main road that leads to Amberwood and then go past the driveway you'll see a little service road that runs up a hill and goes behind my dorm. Park there near the utility shed, and I'll meet you as soon as I get out.† When he spoke again, his earlier levity was gone. â€Å"I'd really like to believe this is some awesome midnight adventure, but it's not, is it? Something's gone really wrong.† â€Å"Very wrong,† I agreed. â€Å"I'll explain in the car.† I quickly changed into clean jeans and a T-shirt, adding a light suede jacket against the evening chill. To be safe, I also decided to pack my bag with a few supplies and bring it along. If all went well, I'd simply be warning Ms. Terwilliger tonight. But with the way things had been going lately, I couldn't presume anything would be simple. Bringing the suitcase this time would be unwieldy, so I had to make a few quick decisions about chemicals and magical components. I tossed some in the bag and stuffed others in my jeans and coat pockets. Once I was ready, I headed down to Julia and Kristin's room. They were dressed for bed but not asleep yet. When Julia saw me with my coat and bag, her eyes went wide. â€Å"Sweet,† she said. â€Å"I know you've gotten out before,† I said. â€Å"How'd you do it?† Julia's many dates often occurred outside of sanctioned school hours, and both she and Kristin had bragged about Julia's exploits in the past. I'd hoped perhaps Julia knew about a secret tunnel out of the school and that I wouldn't have to attempt some crazy feat of acrobatics. Unfortunately, that was exactly what I had to do. She and Kristin walked me to their window and pointed at a large tree growing outside it. â€Å"This room has a view and easy access,† said Kristin proudly. I eyed the gnarled tree warily. â€Å"That's easy?† â€Å"Half the dorm's used it,† she said. â€Å"So can you.† â€Å"We should be charging people,† mused Julia. She flashed me a smile. â€Å"Don't worry. We'll give you a freebie tonight. Just start on that big limb there, swing over there, and then use those branches for handholds.† I found it amazing that someone who'd claimed badminton in PE was too â€Å"dangerous† would have no qualms about scaling a tree from her third-floor room. Of course, Marcus's apartment had been on the fourth floor, and that fire escape had been a million times more unsafe than this tree. Thoughts of Alicia and Ms. Terwilliger snapped me back to the importance of my mission, and I gave Julia and Kristin a decisive nod. â€Å"Let's do this,† I said. Julia cheered and opened the window for me. Kristin watched just as eagerly. â€Å"Please tell me you're running off to meet some breathtakingly handsome guy,† she said. I paused, just as I was about to climb out. â€Å"Yes, actually. But not in the way you're thinking.† Once I made it to the limb Julia had indicated, I discovered she was right. It was pretty simple – so simple, in fact, that I was surprised no school official had noticed this easy access escape route and chopped it down. Well, so much the better for those of us with late-night errands. I made it to the ground and waved goodbye to my watching friends. The dorm's back property had some lights on it, exactly for the reason of deterring wayward students like me. It was also along the patrol route of one of the security guards but wasn't a spot he stayed regularly stationed at. He wasn't in sight, so I crossed my fingers that he was busy with another part of his beat. There were enough shadows on the lawn that I was able to stay within them the whole way – until I reached the back fence. It was lit up pretty well, and really, the only assets I had were that I was a fast climber and that the guard hadn't surfaced yet. Falling back on that hope that the universe owed me some favors – especially after tricking me about Alicia – I gulped and scrambled over. No one shouted at me when I landed on the other side, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd made it out. Getting back in would be harder, but that was a problem for later, hopefully one Ms. Terwilliger could help out with. I found Adrian waiting for me in the Mustang, exactly where I'd indicated. He gave me a sidelong glance as he drove us away. â€Å"No black catsuit?† â€Å"It's in the laundry.† He smiled. â€Å"Of course it is. Now, where are we going, and what's going on?† â€Å"We're going to Ms. Terwilliger's,† I said. â€Å"And what's going on is that we've been walking around in front of the enemy this entire time without even realizing it.† I watched Adrian as I related my revelations and saw his face go from disbelieving to dismayed the more I spoke. â€Å"Her aura was too perfect,† he said once I finished. â€Å"Perfectly neutral, perfectly average. No one's is like that. I brushed it off, though. Figured maybe it was just a weird human one.† â€Å"Can someone influence how their aura looks?† I asked. â€Å"Not to that extent,† he said. â€Å"I don't know enough about these charms you guys use, but I'm guessing it was one of those that skewed the way her colors looked.† I slumped into the seat, still angry at not having figured this out sooner. â€Å"On the bright side, she doesn't know we're on to her and Veronica. That could give us an advantage.† When we reached Ms. Terwilliger's house, we found all the lights on, which was a surprise. I'd assumed she was in bed, though this certainly wouldn't be the first time she'd missed a phone call. Only, when we reached the house and knocked on the door, there was no answer. Adrian and I exchanged looks. â€Å"Maybe she had to leave abruptly,† he said. The tone of his voice conveyed what his words didn't. What if Ms. Terwilliger had already found out what we had and had taken off to fight Alicia and Veronica? I had no idea how powerful Alicia was, but the odds didn't seem promising. When no answer came from my second knock, I nearly kicked the door in frustration. â€Å"Now what?† Adrian turned the doorknob, and the door opened right up. â€Å"How about we wait for her?† he suggested. I grimaced. â€Å"I don't know if I'm comfortable breaking into her place.† â€Å"She left the door unlocked. She's practically inviting us in.† He pushed the door open farther and looked at me expectantly. I didn't want to go back to Amberwood without speaking to her tonight, nor did I want to sit on her doorstep. Hoping she wouldn't mind us making ourselves at home, I gave a nod of resignation and followed Adrian inside. Her house was the same as ever, cluttered and redolent with the scent of incense. Suddenly, I came to a standstill. â€Å"Wait. Something's different.† It took me a moment to figure it out, and when I did, I couldn't believe I hadn't realized it immediately. â€Å"The cats are gone.† â€Å"Holy shit,† said Adrian. â€Å"You're right.† At least one of them always came to greet visitors, and others were usually visible on furniture, under tables, or simply occupying the middle of the floor. But now, there were no cats in sight. I stared around in disbelief. â€Å"What in the world could – â€Å" An earsplitting shriek made me jump. I looked down toward my hip and found the dragon sticking his head out of my satchel and trying to claw his way up my side. Belatedly, I realized I'd forgotten to cover the aquarium. He'd apparently slipped inside the bag back in my room. The sound he was making now was similar to his hunger cry – except even more annoying. Then, impossibly, he nipped my leg. I bent over and tried to pull him off me. â€Å"I don't have any pie! What are you trying to – ahh!† Something zoomed over my head and smashed into the wall behind me with a loud splat. A couple wet drops of something landed on my cheek and began to burn. It was a wonder I didn't hear a sizzling sound. â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian cried. I turned toward where he was looking and saw Alicia standing in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Her palm was raised toward us, a shimmery and gooey substance cupped in it. Presumably it was the same substance that currently seared my skin. I almost wiped it away but feared I'd simply be spreading it to my fingers. I winced and tried to ignore it. â€Å"Sydney† said Alicia pleasantly. â€Å"Or should I say Taylor? I figured I'd be seeing you two again. Just not so soon. I guess your car trouble didn't delay you tonight.† â€Å"We know everything,† I told her, keeping on an eye on that goo. â€Å"We know you're working for Veronica.† The smug look on her face momentarily shifted, overcome by surprise. â€Å"Working for her? I got rid of her ages ago.† â€Å"Got rid of. . . .† For a few seconds, I was at a loss. Then the rest of the puzzle pieces fell together. â€Å"You're the one who's been absorbing those girls. And that witch in San Diego. And . . . Veronica Terwilliger.† I'd been able to track Veronica back to the inn with the scrying spell. When Ms. Terwilliger had attempted a different locating spell, she'd come up blank. She'd assumed it was because Veronica had some sort of shielding. But the truth, I was suddenly certain, was that Veronica was already comatose. There was no active mind for Ms. Terwilliger to reach because Alicia had consumed Veronica. Ms. Terwilliger . . . â€Å"You're here for her,† I said. â€Å"Ms. Terwilliger. Not me.† â€Å"The untrained do make easy targets,† conceded Alicia. â€Å"But they don't have the same power as full-fledged witches, who can be just as easy to absorb if you break them down first. I don't need the youth like Veronica did, just the power. Once she showed me how the spell works, I was able to catch her in a weak moment. That other college girl tided me over until I wore down Alana Kale.† Where had I heard that name? Alana . . . she was Ms. Terwilliger's comatose coven sister. â€Å"And finally I can take out the big hit: Jaclyn Terwilliger. I actually wasn't sure if I'd be able to break her, but it turns out she's done an awesome job of wearing herself out these last few weeks, all in the service of protecting her sweet little apprentice.† â€Å"I'm not her . . .† I couldn't finish. I'd been about to say I wasn't her apprentice, and yet . . . wasn't I? I wasn't just dabbling in magic anymore. I had joined the ranks. And now, I had to protect my mentor, just as she'd protected me. If it wasn't too late. â€Å"Where is she?† I demanded. â€Å"She's around,† said Alicia, clearly delighting in having the upper hand here. â€Å"I wish you hadn't found out about all this. You would've made a good hit, once you'd learned a little bit more. You're just a small spark to Jaclyn's flame right now. She's the big score tonight.† â€Å"Tell us where she is,† ordered Adrian, a powerful note in his voice that I recognized. Alicia's gaze flicked from me to him. â€Å"Oh, please,† she scoffed. â€Å"Stop wasting my time with your vampire compulsion. I realized what was going on after that first visit, when I kept having trouble remembering your faces.† From her jumble of necklaces, she showed us a jade circle. â€Å"I acquired this afterward. Makes me impervious to your ‘charms.'† Something that resisted vampire magic? That would be a useful item to have in my bag of tricks. I'd have to look into it . . . provided I survived tonight. I saw Alicia tense to throw again, and I managed to jump out of the way, pulling Adrian with me toward the living room. More of that goo splattered behind us with a hiss. I produced a dried thistle blossom and crumpled it toward Alicia, shouting a Greek incantation that would blind her. She made a small wave with her left hand and sneered at me. â€Å"Really?† she asked. â€Å"That remedial blindness spell? Maybe you aren't a prodigy after all.† Adrian suddenly flipped open a small panel in the wall beside us. I hadn't even noticed it, largely because I'd been too distracted about having my face melted off. I saw a flurry of motion from his hand, and suddenly, we were plunged into darkness. â€Å"Now this is remedial blindness,† he muttered. Alicia swore. I froze, immobilized by the blackness around me. As much as I appreciated any attempts to slow Alicia down, I was kind of at a loss myself. I felt Adrian's hand grab hold of mine, and without a word, he tugged me farther into the living room. I followed quickly, relying on his superior vampire eyesight to guide us. I could already hear Alicia chanting and was sure some light-giving spell was coming soon. Either that or something that would magically fix a fuse box. â€Å"Careful,† Adrian murmured. â€Å"Stairs.† Sure enough, I felt my foot hit a wooden step. He and I hurried down as quietly and as quickly as we could, descending into a basement. My eyes still hadn't adjusted to the darkness, and I wondered if I'd just entered some secret dungeon. Yet as he wound us through stacks of boxes, I realized the basement was just used for ordinary storage. There was a lot of junk down here. After seeing Ms. Terwilliger's already messy house, I wondered what more she could possibly own. Adrian finally stopped when we were in a far corner behind some oblong boxes stacked nearly as high as me. He pulled me to him, keeping me in his arms so that he could speak softly in my ear. My head lay against his chest, and I could hear his rapid heartbeat, a mirror for my own. â€Å"That was a good idea,† I said in as low a voice as I could manage. â€Å"But now we're trapped down here. It would've been better if we could go outside.† â€Å"I know,† he whispered back. â€Å"But she was too close to the door, and I didn't have time to mess with a window.† Above us, I could hear the floor creaking as Alicia walked through the house. â€Å"It's just a matter of time,† I said. â€Å"I was hoping it'd give you a chance to think of something to get us out of here. Can't you use that fireball? You were pretty good at it.† â€Å"Not inside. Especially not in a basement. I'd burn this place down around us. And we don't know where Ms. Terwilliger is yet.† I racked my brain. The house was small enough that there weren't that many places Alicia could have stashed Ms. Terwilliger. And I had to assume she was stashed somewhere, if she hadn't come to our aid already. Alicia's language made it sound like she hadn't sucked away Ms. Terwilliger's power yet, so hopefully she was just incapacitated. â€Å"You must be able to do something,† said Adrian, tightening his hold on me. â€Å"You're brilliant, and you've been reading all those spell books.† It was true. I'd consumed tons of material these last couple of months – material I wasn't even supposed to have learned – but somehow, in this one terrified moment, my mind couldn't focus on any of it. â€Å"I've forgotten everything.† â€Å"No, you haven't.† His voice in the darkness was calm and reassuring. He smoothed back my hair and pressed one of those half kisses to my forehead. â€Å"Just relax and focus. Sooner or later, she'll be coming down those stairs after us. We need to take her out or at least slow her down so that we can escape.† His reasonable words centered me and allowed the gears of logic that ran my life to take over again. A little light was coming through from the basement's small, high windows, allowing my eyes to finally adjust and make out some of the dark shapes in the basement. I could still hear Alicia moving around upstairs, so I crept away from Adrian and walked over to the staircase. With a few graceful hand arcs, I chanted a spell over the steps and then hurried back to my corner with Adrian, slipping back under the shelter of his arm. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"I think I've got a minor delay ready.† â€Å"What is it?† he asked. Just then, we heard the door at the top of the stairs open. Light spilled down, though we still remained in the shadows. â€Å"You're out of options,† I heard Alicia say. â€Å"No place left to – ahh!† There was a loud thump-thump-thump-thump as she went sliding down the stairs and hit the bottom with a crack. â€Å"Invisible ice on the stairs,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I know I'm not supposed to say this,† he said. â€Å"But I think I love you more than ever.† I took his hand and tried not to think about how happy his words made me, even in this life-or-death situation. â€Å"Come on.† We left our hiding spot and found Alicia sprawled ungracefully on the floor, trying to get to her feet. A silver orb of light hovered in the air near her, bobbing along faithfully with her movements. Seeing us, she snarled and waved her hands to cast at us. I'd anticipated this and had an amulet ready. I swung it on its silken cord and said a few quick words as we passed her. A brief, shimmering shield flared between us and her, just barely absorbing the small glowing darts she hurled our way. The shield was similar to the one Ms. Terwilliger had used at the park but had to be summoned on the spot and didn't last long. I didn't know what Alicia planned on doing next, but obviously, something bad was coming. I cast a preemptive spell I'd never used before, one of the ones that Ms. Terwilliger had told me not to bother with. It took a lot of energy and was powerful if used correctly, yet was deceptively simple and elegant in its effects. I merely blasted Alicia across the room with a wave of power just as she was about to stand. She flew backward, into a stack of Christmas items. A box of ornaments fell down, shattering near her on the hard floor. Casting the spell left me dizzy, but I managed to keep moving. I summoned a fireball when we reached the stairs but held it in my hand, keeping it low as though I were going to roll a Skee-Ball – though my intent was simply to carry it. I prayed it would melt the ice, and after my first few steps, I knew I was right. â€Å"Careful,† I warned Adrian. â€Å"They're wet.† We made it to the top, but Alicia had already scrambled after us. From the bottom of the stairs, she used the same spell on me that I'd used on her, throwing a wave of invisible energy at Adrian and me that knocked us to the floor. I'd been holding on to the fireball, despite Ms. Terwilliger's warnings about how doing so would drain my own power. When Alicia knocked me down, the fireball flew from my hand and landed on Ms. Terwilliger's couch. Considering it looked as though it was covered in some cheap fabric from the 1970s, I wasn't entirely surprised that it lit up so fast. On the bright side, the fire solved our darkness problem. On the downside, it meant the house was likely going to burn down around us after all. The callistana, who hadn't been fast enough to keep up with us when we'd gone downstairs, came scurrying over to my side. I had only half a heartbeat to make a decision. â€Å"Go look in the rest of the house for Ms. Terwilliger,† I told Adrian. â€Å"I'll stop Alicia.† The growing fire created weird shadows on his face, highlighting his anguish at this. â€Å"Sydney.† â€Å"This is one of those times you have to trust me without question,† I said. â€Å"Hurry! Find her and get her out.† I saw a thousand emotions flash through his eyes before he obeyed and ran off toward the other wing of the house. The fire was spreading rapidly throughout the living room, in a way that had to be magical. The increasing smoke gave me an idea, and I cast a spell that enhanced it, creating a hazy wall at the entrance to the basement stairs. It allowed the dragon and me to make a short retreat before Alicia appeared, parting the smoke as cleanly as though she were opening curtains. â€Å"That,† she declared. â€Å"Hurt.† I cast a spell that should've encased her in spiderwebs, but they fell away before they even reached her. It was infuriating. I'd memorized so much, but these â€Å"remedial† spells weren't working. I understood now why Ms. Terwilliger's main strategy had been for me to lie low and hide my ability. How would I have ever been able to take on Veronica? True, Alicia had taken her out, but only after probably weakening her as she had Ms. Terwilliger. I even understood now why Ms. Terwilliger had told me to get a gun – which, I realized now, I'd left in the car. The ice spell had worked because Alicia hadn't seen it coming. The only other spell that had worked on her was the blast of power, an advanced one that had still left me weak. It was going to take another one of those, I realized. I had no idea if I had the ability to do a second one, but trying was the only chance I had of – I screamed as what felt like a thousand volts of electricity shot through me. Alicia's hand movement had been so subtle, and she hadn't even spoken. I fell down again, writhing in pain as Alicia strode toward me, her face triumphant. The dragon bravely put himself between the two of us, and she simply kicked him aside. I heard him yelp as he skittered across the floor. â€Å"Maybe I should absorb you,† said Alicia. The shocks abated, and I could only sit there and gasp for breath. â€Å"You could be my fifth. I can come back for Jaclyn in a few years. You've turned out to be a lot more powerful than I thought – and annoyingly resourceful. You even made a good effort tonight.† â€Å"Who says I'm done?† I managed to say. I cast the first of the advanced spells that came to mind. Maybe it was inspired by the broken Christmas ornaments, but suddenly, I had broken shards on the brain. The spell required no words or physical components and only the slightest of hand movements. The rest was taken from me – a draining of energy and power that hurt almost as much as the electrifying spell Alicia had just used. But oh, the results were breathtaking. On Ms. Terwilliger's coffee table (which was now on fire) sat a set of five perpetual motion balls. I used a transmutation spell on them, forcing them out of their spherical shape and breaking them apart into thin, sharp razor blades. They broke free of their strings and came at my command. That was the easy part. The hard part was, as Ms. Terwilliger had told me, actually attacking someone. And not just making them slip and fall. That wasn't so bad. But an actual physical attack, one you knew would cause direct and terrible damage, was an entirely different issue. It didn't matter how terrible Alicia was, that she'd tried to kill me and wanted to victimize Ms. Terwilliger and countless others. Alicia was still a living person, and it was not in my nature to show violence or try to take another's life. It was, however, in my nature to save my own life and those of my loved ones. I braced myself and ordered the razors forward. They slammed into her face. She screamed and frantically tried to pull them out but in doing so lost her balance and went back down the stairs. I heard her shriek as she fell into the basement. Although I couldn't see her, her magical lantern orb merrily followed her all the way down. My triumph was short-lived. I was more than dizzy. I was on the verge of passing out. The heat and light from the fire were overwhelming, yet my vision was going dark from the exhaustion of casting a spell I was in no way ready for. I suddenly just wanted to curl up there on the floor and close my eyes where it was comfortable and warm. . . . â€Å"Sydney!† Adrian's voice jolted me out of my haze, and I managed to peer up at him through heavy eyelids. He slipped an arm around me to help me up. When my legs didn't work, he simply scooped me up altogether and carried me. The dragon, who'd suffered no permanent damage from the kick, clung to my shirt and scurried into the bag that was still draped over my shoulder. â€Å"Where . . . Ms. Terwilliger. . . .† â€Å"Not here,† Adrian said, heading swiftly toward the front door. The fire was spreading over the walls and ceiling now. Although it hadn't quite made it to the front of the house yet, our way was still thick with smoke and ash. We both were coughing, and tears ran out of my eyes. Adrian reached the door and turn the knob, yelping at how hot it was. Then he managed to kick the door open with his foot, and we were free, out into the clean night air. Neighbors had gathered outside, and I could hear sirens in the distance. Some of the spectators watched us curiously, but most were transfixed by the inferno that was Ms. Terwilliger's bungalow. Adrian carried me over to his car and gently set me down so that I could lean against it, though he still kept an arm around me. We both stared in awe at the fire. â€Å"I really did look, Sydney,† he said. â€Å"I couldn't find Jackie in the house. Maybe she escaped.† I prayed he was right. Otherwise, we had just abandoned my history teacher to a fiery death. â€Å"What happened to Alicia?† â€Å"Last I saw, she was in the basement.† A sickening feeling twisted in my stomach. â€Å"I don't know if she'll get out. Adrian, what have I just done?† â€Å"You defended yourself. And me. And hopefully Jackie.† His arm tightened around me. â€Å"Alicia was evil. Look what she did to those other witches – what she wanted to do to you guys.† â€Å"I never saw it coming,† I said bleakly. â€Å"I thought I was so smart. And each time I talked to her, I dismissed her as some dumb, scattered girl. Meanwhile, she was laughing and countering my moves every step of the way. It's humbling. I don't meet many people like that.† â€Å"The Moriarty to your Holmes?† he suggested. â€Å"Adrian,† I said. It was all I needed to say. He suddenly did a double take, noticing my attire for the first time tonight now that the jacket had come open. â€Å"You're wearing your AYE shirt?† â€Å"Yeah, I never wage magical battles without – â€Å" A small mewling noise suddenly caught my attention. I searched around until I spotted two green eyes peering at me from under a bush across the street. I managed to straighten up and found that my legs, though weak, could support my weight again. I took a few halting steps toward the bush, and Adrian immediately ran to my side. â€Å"What are you doing? You need help,† he said. I pointed. â€Å"We have to follow that cat.† â€Å"Sydney – â€Å" â€Å"Help me,† I pleaded. He couldn't resist. Supporting me with his arm again, he helped me walk across the street toward the cat. It ran ahead between two bushes, then glanced back at us. â€Å"It wants us to follow,† I told him. So we did, cutting through houses and streets until when we were about four blocks from the bungalow, the cat dashed off into a park. Whatever energy I'd had when I started after the cat was long gone. I was panting and dizzy again and fighting hard to resist asking Adrian to carry me. Something in the center of the park caught my attention and gave me one last burst of adrenaline to run forward. There, lying on the grass, was Ms. Terwilliger. She was awake, thankfully, but looked nearly as exhausted as I felt. Tears and smudges suggested she'd been through quite an ordeal. She had managed to escape Alicia, but not without a fight. That was why we hadn't been able to find her in the house. Seeing me, she blinked in surprise. â€Å"You're okay,† she said. â€Å"And you found me.† â€Å"The cats led us,† I said, pointing. All thirteen of them were sitting around in the park, surrounding their owner – making sure she was okay. She glanced around at them and managed a weary smile. â€Å"See? I told you cats are useful.† â€Å"Callistanas aren't so bad either,† I said, looking down at my satchel. â€Å"That ‘pain in the ass' screeching saved me from a face full of acid.† Adrian put his hand to his heart in mock horror. â€Å"Sage, did you just swear?† Glancing over, Ms. Terwilliger noticed him for the first time. â€Å"And you're here too? I'm so sorry you had to get dragged into this mess. I know you didn't ask for any of this trouble.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† said Adrian, smiling. He rested a hand on my shoulder. â€Å"Some things are worth the trouble.†