French press scandal media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

French press scandal media - Essay Example For example, in early October of this year Sarkozy was featured on front news pages as having suffered a migraine that prevented him from attending his weekly ministerial meeting with rival de Villepin. A story of such a personal nature would likely not have been run prior to 2002, when he was first appointed interior minister. There are certain laws and restrictions that govern the French press and ensure protection of individuals. "The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the most precious human rights: hence every citizen may speak, write, print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be determined by Law." Freedom of speech, thus defined by Article 11 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen has achieved universal scope worldwide. The article inspired the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations on 10 December 1948 (Art. 19) and the European Convention on Human Rights adopted on 4 November 1950 (Art. 10). In France, the State guarantees press freedom and safeguards media independence by ensuring the diversity of opinion and pluralism of news and information. The law prevents excessive media concentration by prohibiting any one media group from controlling more than 30% of the daily press. The Act of 29 July 1881 on freedom of the press provides a framework for press freedom by setting restrictions designed to strike a balance between freedom of expression, protection of citizens and maintaining law and order. In 1984, the Constitutional Council acknowledged the constitutional value of press freedom and its necessary role in a democracy. Protection of individuals The law protects minors from written material and illustrations in which they can be identified. It prohibits licentious and violent publications which target minors. The law punishes slander and defamation: "Any offensive expression, contemptuous term or invective, not based on fact, constitutes slander. Any allegation or imputation of an act which dishonours or damages the reputation of the person or entity against whom it is made constitutes defamation". (Article 29, Act of 29 July 1881). Audiovisual media Article 1 of the Act of 30 September 1986 (amended) on Freedom of Communication states that "this freedom may be limited only, to the extent required, for the respect of human dignity, freedom and property of other people, the pluralistic nature of the expression of ideas and opinions and, for the protection of children and adolescents, safeguarding of law and order, for national defense, public service reasons ()." REASONS FOR AND AGAINST IMPOSITION OF A NEW LAW There are reasons why the Government should impose a new law that limits the intrusion of the press taking into consideration people's personal lives/ affairs and problems. First, the information intended to be published by the media should be subjected to scrutiny to ensure there is no contravention of the law leading to defamation or erosion of character of the party involved. Another reason is that as in the Sarkozy's case, the media have not been so sure

Return to Normalcy Essay Example for Free

Return to Normalcy Essay â€Å"Return to Normalcy† United States presidential candidate Warren G. Harding’s campaign promise in the election of 1920. Doc 7 Muscle Shoals famous for its contributions to American popular music in the 1920’s. Doc 24 Election of 1924 – Republican Calvin Coolidge wins election by a landslide. Doc 11 Federal Farm Board created in 1929, before the stock market crash on Black Tuesday, 1929, but its powers were later enlarged to meet the economic crisis farmers faced during the Great Depression. It was established by the Agricultural Marketing Act to stabilize prices and to promote the sale of agricultural products. The board would help farmers stabilize prices by holding surplus grain and cotton in storage. Doc 7 Theodore Dreiser an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters that succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm moral code, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of nature than tales of choice and agency. Dreisers best known novels include Sister Carrie (1900) and An American Tragedy (1925). Doc 3 T. S. Eliot a publisher, playwright, literary and social critic and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 (at age 25) and was naturalized as a British subject in 1927 at age 39. Doc 1 Fundamentalists The demand for a strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology, combined with a vigorous attack on outside threats to their religious culture. The term fundamentalism was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the Protestant community of the United States in the early part of the 20th century, and that had its roots in the Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy of that time. Doc 20 Billy Sunday an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseballs National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelistduring the first two decades of the 20th century. Henry Ford [Model T]- an automobile that was produced by Henry Fords Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to October 1927. It is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, the car that opened travel to the common middle-class American; some of this was because of Fords innovations, including assembly line production instead of individual hand crafting. (23) flappers- a new breed of young Western women in the 1920s who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior. Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms. (8,9,14,22) Harlem Renaissance- a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the New Negro Movement, named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke. Though it was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, many French-speaking black writers from African and Caribbean colonies who lived in Paris were also influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. 3) Marcus Garvey- a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL). He founded the Black Star Line, part of the Back-to-Africa movement, which promoted the return of the African Diaspora to their ancestral lands. (10) Charles Lindbergh- an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist. As a 25-year-old U. S.  Air Mail pilot Lindbergh emerged suddenly from virtual obscurity to instantaneous world fame as the result of his Orteig Prize-winning solo non-stop flight on May 20–21, 1927, made from Roosevelt Field[N 1] located in Garden City on New Yorks Long Island to Le Bourget Field in Paris, France. (5,21) Twenty-One Demands- a set of demands made by the Empire of Japan under Prime Minister Okuma Shigenobu sent to the nominal government of the Republic of China on January 18, 1915, resulting in two treaties with Japan on May 25, 1915. 5:5:3:1. 75:1. 5 naval ratio- after World War I, many nations became concerned about the threat of another war and the possibility of an arms race. To address these issues in the naval arena, in 1922, Great Britain, the United States, Japan, France, and Italy signed the Five Powers Treaty at the Washington Conference. In the treaty, the powers agreed to a 5:5:3:1. 75:1. 75 ratio of naval tonnage and restrictions with regard to new building of both ships and bases. Young Plan- a program for settlement of German reparations debts after World War I written in 1929 and formally adopted in 1930. It was presented by the committee headed (1929–30) by American Owen D. Young. The reparations, set in January 1921 by an Inter-Allied Reparations Commission at 269 billion gold marks (the equivalent of around 100,000 tonnes of pure gold) were deliberately crushing. Teapot Dome Scandal- a bribery incident that took place in the United States in 1922–1923, during the administration of President Warren G. Harding. Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall leased Navy petroleum reserves at Teapot Dome and two other locations to private oil companies at low rates without competitive bidding. doc 24 Secy. of the Treasury Mellon (tax cuts)- Mellon came into office with a goal of reducing the huge federal debt from World War I. To do this, he needed to increase the federal revenue and cut spending. He believed that if the tax rates were too high, then the people would try to avoid paying them. He observed that as tax rates had increased during the first part of the 20th century, investors moved to avoid the highest rates by choosing tax-free municipal bonds, for instance. (doc 15 Progressive Party- was an American political party. It was formed by former President Theodore Roosevelt, after a split in the Republican Party between himself and President William Howard Taft. â€Å"The Lost Generation†- is a term used to refer to the generation, actually a cohort, that came of age during World War I. The term was popularized by Ernest Hemingway who used it as one of two contrasting epigraphs for his novel, The Sun Also Rises. (doc 9, Doc 13 Ernest Hemingway [A Farewell to Arms]- a semi-autobiographical novel written by Ernest Hemingway concerning events during the Italian campaigns during the First World War. The book, which was first published in 1929, is a first-person account of American Frederic Henry, serving as a Lieutenant (Tenente) in the ambulance corps of the Italian Army. The title is taken from a poem by 16th-century English dramatist George Peele. (doc 13 prohibition [Volstead Act]- prohibited the production, sale, and transport of intoxicating liquors, it did not define intoxicating liquors or provide penalties. It granted both the federal government and the states the power to enforce the ban by appropriate legislation. A bill to do so was introduced in Congress in 1919. (Doc 2 Immigration Acts (1921, 1924)- was a United States federal law that limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that country who were already living in the United States in 1890, down from the 3% cap set by the Immigration Restriction Act of 1921, according to the Census of 1890. doc 11, doc 17 Scopes Trial- was a landmark American legal case in 1925 in which high school science teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessees Butler Act which made it unlawful to teach evolution in any state-funded school. (Doc 1 The Jazz Singer (Doc 7)- is a 1927 American musical film. The first feature-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue sequences, its release heralded the commercial ascendance of the talkies and the decline of the silent f ilm era. Produced by Warner Bros. with its Vitaphone sound-on-disc system, the movie stars Al Jolson, who performs six songs. The â€Å"New Woman† (Doc 22)- was a feminist ideal that emerged in the late 19th century. The New Woman pushed the limits set by male-dominated society, especially as modeled in the plays of Norwegian Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906). The New Woman sprang fully armed from Ibsens brain, according to a joke by Max Beerbohm (1872–1956). Langston Hughes (Doc. 3)- was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. Pan-African Movement (Document 10)- is a movement that seeks to unify African people or people living in Africa, into a one African community† Differing types of Pan-Africanism seek different levels of economic, racial, social, or political unity. Spirit of St. Louis (Doc 21)- is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize. Washington Naval Conference(NA)- also called the Washington Arms Conference, was a military conference called by President Warren G. Harding and held in Washington from 12 November 1921 to 6 February 1922. Conducted outside the auspices of the League of Nations, it was attended by nine nations. Dawes Plan(NA)- was an attempt in 1924 to solve the reparations problem, which had bedeviled international politics, in the wake of the Ruhr occupation and the hyperinflation crisis. It provided for the Allies to collect war reparations debt from Germany. Intended as an interim measure, the Young Plan was adopted in 1929 to replace it. Kellogg-Briand Treaty(NA)- agreement, signed Aug. 27, 1928, condemning â€Å"recourse to war for the solution of international controversies. † It is more properly known as the Pact of Paris. In June, 1927, Aristide Briand, foreign minister of France, proposed to the U. S. government a treaty outlawing war between the two countries.

A Comparison of Telling in Knight’s Tale and Miller’s Tale of Chaucers

The Importance of Telling in Knight’s Tale and Miller’s Tale In the Canterbury Tales, the Knight begins the tale-telling. Although straws were picked, and the order left to "aventure," or "cas," Harry Bailey seems to have pushed fate. The Knight represents the highest caste in the social hierarchy of the fourteenth century, those who rule, those who pray, and those who work. Assuming that the worldly knight would tell the most entertaining and understandable story (that would shorten their pilgrimage to St. Thomas Becket), Harry tells the Knight to begin. The Knight's tale of love, loyalty, and battle is placed in the chivalric romance genre. The courtly romance concerns the mythical kingdom of Theseus, wealthy rulers, and pagan (mythical) gods. Throughout the tale, the Knight and the other characters refer to the concept of the "wheel of fortune." In the beginning of the tale, weeping, broken women plead to Theseus to help them avenge their husbands. Although impoverished, they tell Theseus that they were all at one point wealthy and of high rank. Even though Theseus is glorified and powerful now, the goddess will spin the "wheel of fortune" and he will one day be low. The concept of destiny and the wheel of fortune represents the Knight's acceptance of an incomprehensible world. His inclusion of the mythical gods, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Diana furthers this idea. Emily, Arcite, and Palamon each pray to a diety, asking for help and their unattainable wish. In the end, father Saturn decrees Arcite's death. Thus, paradoxical human em otions and senseless tragedy are safely distanced; they are attributed to the will of the pagan gods. Similarly the love triangle between Arcite, Palamon, and Emily stresses tha... ...night, the Miller's characters are not moral or honorable; they simply want to gratify themselves. While the Knight's story ends with an honorable death and a union between lovers, the Miller's tale ends with humiliation: the cuckholded husband is branded insane, Absolom suffered and prank, and Nicolas a painful burn. Consequently the Miller mocks the Knight's prayer. He wishes the company well, but the content of his tale expresses his laughter. In a way he "paid back" the Knight's tale. The Miller tells his tale momentarily to amuse and and embarrass (the Reeve and his own cameo appearance), while the Knight tells a story strong on "sentence" or meaning. The two different motives reveal the fundamental differences between the two men: the noble Knight can still believe in a higher beautiful world, while the Miller cannot accept it ever existed.

Mutual Respect Between Students and Teachers Essay -- Education Relati

Mutual Respect Between Students and Teachers The relationship between students and teachers should be one of mutual respect. Students should listen to the teacher and try their best in the class. Teachers, on the other hand need to do their best to give their students a quality education and respect them as individuals. There should be a set curriculum, but teachers need to be creative in how they teach what is required. California is considered one of the lowest in terms of education standards. In order for this to change, teachers and students both need to start working towards a solution. Students need to have more respect for their teachers and take more responsibility for their education. I have noticed a difference in the attitudes of people in high school now and when I went to school. Some high school teachers tell me that their students come to school high on marijuana, or drunk. From my own experience with young people at my workplace, I noticed when they go out, they often talk about different drugs they will take to heighten their enjoyment, and have heard some comment they don't want to go somewhere like Disneyland, or Magic Mountain sober. When I attended high school, people would drink and do drugs at parties, but only the "stoners" would do anything at school, or at most other functions. Some of the students I talked to at work said they feel school is boring and they don't learn anything from their teachers. Most of the homework their teachers give them is busy work. Some pointed out they learned more in elementary school and junior high, but haven't learned much in high school. Another point that was made was the lack of useful electives. Art, Auto shop, and Music are offered, but there are no busin... ...ross boundaries in a classroom they may see as intimidating, and a revision of how we see educational excellence. (117) Education will only improve if teachers and students learn to respect each other's positions. A place to start is by finding a common ground, an understanding. The curriculum, canon, or list of "Great Books" is a good common starting place. By keeping this canon in our schools, we will keep a common link between generations. The next step is the teachers' presentation of their lessons. The students need to be able to relate to the lessons. The final step is the students. They must take responsibility for their education and try to learn what is being presented to them. Works Cited Rose, Mike. "Lives on the Boundary." The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 105-119.

Eyewitness: Life Essay

In the movie Eyewitness Life, I had many factual observations. First, I noted that cockroaches can survive very low temperatures up until -40c. This has been a very efficient method for their survival. They are among the few creatures that have survived from the prehistoric era. During the change of times and periods such as the ice age, most prehistoric creatures have become extinct. It is this adaptation of the cockroaches that has allowed them to withstand change and be around until today. Second, it showed that humans need to eat as much as they weigh every 50 days. This shows the balance of intake and output with respect to the usage of food we eat for survival. It shows that an adequate amount of nutrition is important to maintain one’s self. It’s amazing how every 50 days, a 70kg man actually should be taking in 70 kg worth of food which is a large quantity, much more than we’d actually notice day by day. Third, primitive life can multiply very fast at breakneck speeds. The significance of this is yet another method of survival. In the wild, there are many predators which can devour the young. Being able to quickly multiply allows nature to continually keep species alive and in good numbers despite the dangers that abound. Fourth, early giraffes may have started with short necks but as they stretched their necks for food they passed on the genes to next generation. This shows us how each specie can adapt to its environment. This allowed giraffes to adapt in order to provide for its needs. Through time, the lengthening of the neck of a giraffe is proof of an animal’s capability to adjust to its environment for survival. Fifth, some male birds catch fish to attract females. The laws of attraction are indeed as real in nature as they are among us men. Sixth, oxygen isn’t always a requirement for life. Bacteria found in deep oceans do not require oxygen. This shows us diversity in nature. Although we humans use oxygen, other creatures are capable of utilizing the other gases for their survival. Those that don’t have access to oxygen, like the bacteria, can adapt and utilize other means. Seventh, when a live sponge is shredded it will replace itself exactly the same way. Once more we see how one can adapt to its environment and survive. This method of regeneration is how the sponge protects itself from extinction. The same goes for starfish and other similar creatures. They can re-grow a lost appendage or part to replace what may have been damaged by a predator. Eighth, tortoises on the Galapagos Island have a notch in their neck, a mutated trait that is passed on to adapt to their environment. Once more, like the giraffe, nature shows how a specie can adapt through time. Ninth, birds are incredible breathing machines. Some can sing without taking another breath. This is an interesting fact. It shows a similarity of birds to us humans, where professional opera singers can mimic this birdlike quality and sing for extended periods on one breath. Lastly, snails move 0. 0013 km per hour. Indeed, they are among the slowest creatures on earth. Hence, nature for adaptation has provided them with a shell for protection, as although speed may not be used for defense, at least the hard covering may pose some resistance in order to survive. Eyewitness: trees In the second movie, the first fact I learned was that trees once covered 4/5 of Earth’s land mass. Secondly, I also noted that trees still cover half of planet area today. This tells me two things. First, trees apparently through time have been an essential part of wildlife and the balance of nature, as since they covered 4/5th of the earth before, they were very much integrated in nature. Second, it shows me how much we have already lost. To have only a half left shows how much more should be done to preserve these trees before even more are destroyed. The third fact is learned is that the oak tree offers habitat for many living things and is one of 30 thousand kinds of trees. Again, this further shows that trees are essential for animals and other wildlife, and the preservation of them is important to protect many aspects of nature. Frogs, salamanders, insects and many more depend on these trees and protecting these creatures means protecting their trees. Fourth, trees can grow almost anywhere, but occasional nature is inhospitable such as in the North and South poles. This shows us that apart from these obscure places, our protection of the forest may not only consist of preventing destruction, but of rebuilding forests as well. Industry over the years has destroyed much of them. As these trees are very capable of growing in almost anywhere, then there is even greater reason to set forth and begin the restoration of these lost forests. Fifth, I learned that from aspirin to the latest cancer drugs, we find treatment from trees. This is a major contribution of trees to our own survival. As these trees show much promise to the world of medicine, then all the more people must be made aware that they must be preserved. For each time some are taken for study, then new ones should be planted. How is the world to progress if we keep taking and taking, and one day there is no more? Another fact I learned was that it takes 4000 mature trees are needed to build a ship. Given the way industry today has taken over, this shows that thousands of trees have been taken to fill our harbors for cargo and trade. The question is: how many of them were actually replaced? It enlightens us regarding the sheer amount of trees that are being taken. In light of their many uses, such as the medicinal use, then much care should be implemented in maintaining a balance between harvest of these trees and restoration of them. Imagine this, the seventh fact I learned was that one tree provides full year oxygen for 8 people. This means that the 4000 trees taken for one ship is oxygen for 32000 people lost. These trees very much provide for us so much, and such, much more concern should be placed on their survival. Eighth fact I learned was that tropical trees grow all year, and for each year, trees grow by just adding rings around their trunk. They add up a new coat each year. I found this interesting as it shows how nature found a way to account for age just the way we do. Ninth, trees are homes for variety of animals. For example, leopards store their prey on trees. Again, not only do trees provide a way of life for the small creatures like frogs and snakes, but for the larger animals as well. A whole environment and diverse balance of life revolves around one tree, from oxygen production, to shelter, to food, and all these are deprived from creatures by their loss. Thus, by destroying trees, we are contributing to the loss of nature itself. The last fact I learned was an interesting one about the giant sequoia. This apparently is the biggest tree and can grow up until 34-storeys tall. In a tree so great and so large, imagine how much it can provide to all life around it. Amazing. Eyewitness: Mammals I learned many things from this movie as well. The first fact I learned was that elephants never stop growing. Apparently, they can live up until 80 years, however in the wild, only until 30 years. I found it interesting that the elephants can actually live as long as we do. Also interesting was how much shorter they live in the wild, precisely 50 years shorter. This shows us the role of care and resources to life. In the wild, they have to provide food for themselves and in the event of a drought and such, when food is scarce, survival time is shorter. Secondly, in the wild, they are exposed to the elements, such as wind, heat and rain, which bear wear and tear on them also decreasing life. Of course, as an additional factor, they are targets as prey for carnivores and this also can decrease their life span. When in care, they are exempt from many of these, thus they live longer lives. I’d say the same for us humans, and any other creature, who can expect longer lives when in good care and nurturing environment. The second fact I learned was that bats are only mammals that can truly fly. They have great navigation skills, can see pray without using their eyes, and have enough stealth to attack their prey without being heard. This primarily shows that bats are in fact not birds, and belong to our group of species: the mammals. It’s interesting how they have managed to adapt by garnering the ability to approach in stealth. This ensures them adequate food resource needed to survive. It also helps with their habitat, as their flight skills allow them to navigate in the dark caves where the dwell. Third, polar bear have black skin and white fur. This was interesting as it shows camouflage. Polar bears live in icy regions. Their white fur allows them to blend in the surroundings to aid in the hunt for food. Fourth, a duck that lay eggs is a mammal. As ducks are birds, there are some mammals that may look like a duck because they possess a similar foot webbing or beak, such as a platypus. Fifth, some anteaters eat 30000 ants per day. This was another interesting fact as 30000 ants a day, would mean 210000 ants a week, and millions more a month. Sixth, rabbits communicate with tail talk. Communication is one similarity between us and animals only in different form. It interesting to see how just like we do, animals have learned to coordinate by other forms of communication. As whales can use their sonar, rabbits use their tails. Seventh fact is that camels are able to detect water more than few days away. These creatures live in the deserts where water is scarce. This ability is an amazing adaptation as it allows them to survival resources in the harshest conditions. Their hump is also another adaptation is it stores energy and fat needed in the event that water and food are miles away through the desert. Eighth, a dominant male seal can mate 100 times in one season. This is a survival method. By having the capability to do so, one males can impregnate more than a hundred females thus ensuring a lot of newborn seals to increase their number by next season. It keeps them in survival despite being prey to the polar bears and killer whales. Ninth, a mouse is only pregnant 6 weeks and a cat 9 weeks. The short gestation period allows room for multiple births a year, against ensuring survival of a species through regular reproduction. The last fact was that if a hedgehog falls down from height, it bounces. This was so interesting, as it apparently has a ball like quality. This helps it survive a fall as it covering allows the bounce to reduce the pressure of impact, and helping it survive.

Of Mice and Men Summary

Of Mice and Men Summary Of Mice and Men is John Steinbeck’s best-known work. The 1937 novella tells the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers who travel from farm to farm in search of work in Depression-era California. Chapter 1 The story begins with two childhood friends, George Milton and Lennie Small, who are traveling through California in search of work. Lennie is drinking from a puddle of standing water, and George reproaches him. When Lennie stops drinking the water, George reminds him that they only have a little way to go until they arrive at their next farm. George notices that Lennie isn’t really listening; instead, Lennie has been focusing on petting a dead mouse that’s in his pocket. George mentions that Lennie picked up the habit from his Aunt Clara, then reminds Lennie that he always used to kill the mice. George angrily tosses the mouse into the woods. The two men settle down in the woods for the night. They eat a dinner of beans and talk by the fire about their dreams of making enough money to buy land of their own, with rabbits to care for. Chapter 2 The next morning, George and Lennie arrive at the ranch and meet their boss (referred to only as the Boss). The Boss tells them that they were supposed to arrive the night before; thanks to their delayed arrival, they will have to wait until the next day to start working. During the conversation, George speaks for both himself and Lennie, which frustrates the Boss. However, once Lennie finally speaks, the Boss agrees to hire the men. Next, George and Lennie meet Curley, the son of the Boss. Curley tries to intimidate them- especially Lennie- but once he leaves, they learn some gossip about his character from Candy, one of the ranch hands. Candy explains that Curley is a good fighter who made it to the finals of the Golden Gloves, but that he is mad at [big guys] because he aint a big guy. Curleys wife briefly appears and introduces herself to George and Lennie. Lennie cant take his eyes off of her, but the farm hands warn him against talking to her and describe her as flirtatious and a tart. Lennie frets about having to fight Curley, but George reassures him and instructs him to go to their predetermined hiding place should a fight begin to brew. Lennie and George also meet two other ranch hands- Slim and Carlson- and learn that Slims dog has recently given birth to a litter of puppies. Chapter 3 In the bunk house, George and Slim meet up. George thanks Slim for allowing Lennie to take one of the puppies. As the conversation continues, George tells Slim the truth about why he and Lennie left their previous farm: Lennie, who loves to touch soft things, tried to pet a woman’s red dress, leading people to think that he had raped her. George explains that Lennie is a gentle person and that he never raped the woman. Candy and Carlson arrive, and the conversation turns to the topic of Candys elderly dog. Candy clearly loves the animal and doesnt want to let him go, but he also recognizes that the dog is suffering; plus, according to Carlson, we cant sleep with him stinkin around in here. Candy finally agrees to let the dog go, and Carlson takes the dog away with a shovel to end its life. Later, George and Lennie discuss their plan to save up some money and buy land of their own. With childlike fascination and hope, Lennie asks George to describe more and more elements of the imagined farm. Candy overhears the conversation and says that he wants to join in using his own savings. George is skeptical at first, but he eventually agrees to let Candy in on the plan, convinced by the fact that Candy has considerable money saved up already. The three men agree to keep the plan a secret. As they make this pact, an annoyed Curley appears and starts to pick a fight with Lennie. Lennie doesnt want to fight and begs George for help. Curley punches Lennie in the face and, going against his own promises to protect Lennie, George encourages Lennie to fight back.  In nervous retaliation, Lennie grabs Curley’s fist in his own and squeezes; as a result, Curley starts â€Å"flopping like a fish on a line.† Lennie and Curley are separated, and it becomes clear that Curley’s hand is shattered. He is rushed to the doctor, but not before he and the others agree not to say a word about what has happened to anyone else. Once Curley has been taken away, George explains that Lennie only acted that way because he was scared. He then tries to calm his friend by telling him that he didn’t do anything wrong and that he can still tend the rabbits on their land. Chapter 4 That night, after everybody else has gone into town, Lennie is out on the farm visiting his puppy. He walks past the room of Crooks, the African American stable-hand who lives in separate lodging because the other farm hands wont allow him in the bunk house. The two men start talking, and Crooks asks him some probing questions about his relationship with George. At one point Crooks suggests that George won’t return that night, which frightens Lennie, but Crooks settles him down. Lennie lets slip that he, George, and Candy are planning on saving up for their own piece of land. Upon hearing this, Crooks calls the idea â€Å"nuts,† and says that â€Å"ever’body wants a little piece of lan’†¦nobody gets no land. It’s jus’ in their head.† Before Lennie can respond, Candy enters and joins in the conversation, also talking about their plan to buy some land. At this, Crooks once again expresses his skepticism, though Lennie and Candy remain unconvinced. Unexpectedly, Curley’s wife appears, mentioning that she is looking for Curley and drawing the attention of the three men as she flirts with them. The men tell her that they don’t know where Curley is. When she asks how Curley hurt his hand, the men lie, saying that it got caught in a machine. Curleys wife angrily accuses the men of covering up the truth, and Crooks tells her to leave. This response angers her even further; she hurls racial epithets at Crooks and threatens to have him lynched. Powerless, Crooks averts his gaze and apologizes flatly to her. Candy tries to come to Crooks’ defense, but Curley’s wife retorts that nobody would believe them over her. Before slipping out, she says she’s glad Lennie crushed Curley’s hand. As  soon as Curleys wife exits, the three men hear the other farm hands. Lennie and Candy return to the bunk house, leaving Crooks to himself once again. Chapter 5 The next afternoon, Lennie sits in the barn with his puppy, which has died as a result of his indelicate touch. As he buries the body, Lennie worries that George will find out and that the revelation will cause George to forbid Lennie from tending rabbits on their farm. Curley’s wife enters the barn. Lennie blurts out that he is not supposed to talk to her, but they converse nevertheless. Curleys wife describes her youthful dreams- now crushed- of becoming a Hollywood actress, as well as her resentment towards her husband. Lennie then tells Curleys wife about how he likes to pet soft things, like rabbits. Curleys wife lets Lennie stroke her hair, but Lennie clasps her too tightly and she squirms in his grip. Lennie shakes her - so hard that â€Å"her body flopped like a fish†- and breaks her neck. He runs off. Candy discovers the body of Curleys wife in the barn. He runs to get George, who, immediately recognizing what Lennie did, decides that they should walk away and let the others find the body. Once Curley learns the news, he quickly decides that Lennie must have killed her. Curley and the other farm hands set off to kill Lennie in revenge- only they can’t locate Carlson’s Luger pistol. George is supposed to join the search party, but he sneaks away, knowing that Lennie has gone to their pre-established hiding spot. Chapter 6 Lennie sits by the river, waiting for George and worrying about how he might react. He begins to hallucinate; first, he imagines that he is talking to his Aunt Clara, then, he imagines a conversation with a giant rabbit. George arrives at the hiding spot. He reassures Lennie that he wont leave him and describes the land theyll own together, which calms Lennie down. As the two men are talking, George can hear Curleys search party closing in. He raises Carlson’s Luger pistol to the back of Lennie’s head, so that Lennie cannot see it. George hesitates at first, continuing to calmly tell Lennie about their farm, but just before Curley and the others arrive, he finally pulls the trigger. The other men take in the scene. Slim tells George that he did what he had to do, and Carlson remarks to Curley, â€Å"Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?†

The Incan Religion essays

The Incan Religion essays The Incans would worship the dead, such as ancestors, their king, who was divine, nature, and also people who founded their culture which they called heroes. The way that they worshiped nature and the cycles of nature tells us that they felt that time and space was very important to them. They also felt that the calendar was religious, and each month they held a festival for that month. Inti was the sun god who encouraged the earth and man with his rays. They had an important feast that was dedicated to Inti, the sun god; they called it the Intip Raimi. The Incans would wear costumes and would give offerings of silver and gold. The mother of the earth was called Pachama, or Wiracocha, it was an important god, which people believe is to be caused by the importance of Christianity, while others say that it was a hero from their culture that changed into a god. The mother of the earths full name is Con Ticci Wiracocha-pachaya, which means: the ancient foundation, the Lord and Ins tructor of the world. The Incans also believed in the concept of split personality things, which were shown by hanan, and hurin. Hanan was the high, superior, masculine, right, while hurin showed the low, inferior, left, and feminine side of things. Inca culture was formed from the evolution of carious Andean cultures that are traced back to twenty thousand years ago. Valdivia and Chavin were the foundations for the Incan empire, where it is said that they have gained their religious system. The Incan empire was destroyed in 1532 by the Spaniards. ...

7 Solutions for Sentences with Problematic Parallels

7 Solutions for Sentences with Problematic Parallels 7 Solutions for Sentences with Problematic Parallels 7 Solutions for Sentences with Problematic Parallels By Mark Nichol 1. â€Å"The street is lined with boisterous sports bars, nail salons, and clothing boutiques. Some neighborhood, where nail salons and clothing boutiques can be described as boisterous. Do I misunderstand? I do, because when only the first of several items in a list is given an adjective, it is easily confused as applying to each item in the list. Either omit the adjective, or play fair and supply each item with its own: â€Å"The street is lined with elegant nail salons, trendy clothing boutiques, and boisterous sports bars.† 2. â€Å"The process would be confidential, voluntary, and the information would remain the property of the teachers.† The same rule applies for verbs. Either use a verb to apply to all items in a list, or attach a verb to each item. Or, in this case, combine the first two items into a combined item: â€Å"The process would be confidential and voluntary, and the information would remain the property of the teachers.† 3. â€Å"The so-called beer summit was photographed, discussed, and dissected on blogs, newscasts, and in barbershops and bars nationwide.† Let’s not forget prepositions. In a list, one preposition carries each item, or each has its own; there’s no middle ground: â€Å"The so-called beer summit was photographed, discussed, and dissected on blogs, during newscasts, and in barbershops and bars nationwide.† (For variety, try to use a different preposition for each item.) 4. â€Å"It would be safer to keep our bushy tree trimmed so that no would-be burglar could hide under it and buy a locked mailbox to help prevent identity theft.† Infinitives want equal standing, too. The original sentence implies that the would-be burglar might buy a locked mailbox after hiding under the bushy tree. The addition of a parallel infinitive after the conjunction linking the two parts of a sentence arrests this infelicity: â€Å"It would be safer to keep our bushy tree trimmed so that no would-be burglar could hide under it and to buy a locked mailbox to help prevent identity theft.† 5. â€Å"Legislation is often to blame, not because legislators are bad people but often they act on partial or misleading information.† Two reasons, one invalid and the other valid, are supplied in this sentence. Set them up separately, each with its own because: â€Å"Legislation is often to blame, not because legislators are bad people but because they often act on partial or misleading information.† 6. â€Å"The location features stifling heat, bacteria, polluted seas, lice, and bad cuisine.† If you’re going to modify one or most nouns in a list, go all the way and precede each with a pertinent adjective: â€Å"The location features stifling heat, gut-wrenching bacteria, polluted seas, itchy lice, and bad cuisine.† 7. â€Å"The afflictions are believed to include autism and learning and hyperactivity disorders.† Is learning a stand-alone item, or does disorders apply to it as well as to hyperactivity? You don’t know until you get to the end of the sentence, when it’s too late. The inclusion of a comma after autism prevents a stumble, and inserting â€Å"as well as† helps link the two remaining list items: â€Å"The afflictions are believed to include autism, as well as learning and hyperactivity disorders.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†Body Parts as Tools of Measurement50 Synonyms for â€Å"Villain†

Statistics for Managers Individual Work wk5 Essay

Statistics for Managers Individual Work wk5 - Essay Example Generally, the list sale price for Gulf View Condominiums seems to be higher than No Gulf View Condominiums. The mean for list price for Gulf View Condominiums is $474010 while for No Gulf View Condominium is $212810. Also, on the same variable Gulf View Condominiums seems to be higher, it has a standard deviation of $197290 while No Gulf View Condominiums is $2395640 Out of the variables listed above, the one that can help a real estate agent understand the Condominium market is the standard deviation. Standard deviation is very critical because it shows how the prices are stable. Therefore, if the standard deviation is high then it means the prices fluctuates very much. When the significance level is increased then the critical area is reduced as a result you are likely to reject the null hypothesis. Hence, one is less likely to accept the null hypothesis when it is false thereby reducing type 1 error but type 1 error will

For this paper you will compare and analyze different primary Essay

For this paper you will compare and analyze different primary documents of the same topic or historical era - Essay Example II. An Old Whig An article published in The Massachusetts Gazette on November 27, 1787 questioned whether or not the â€Å"proposed constitution† was rushed (AntiFederalist Papers No. 1-85). This article written by and titled â€Å"An Old Whig† pointed out that the constitution itself would require that every state in the union revise its existing laws so that those laws are consistent with the US Constitution. It therefore makes sense that the proposed constitution be revised and debated to ensure that it does accomplish that which it sets out to accomplish: the formation of a â€Å"great republic† (AntiFederalist Papers No. 1-85). The article expressed fear that the proposed constitution was rushed primarily because the public demanded its passage. However, in rushing the proposed constitution, it was important not to lose sight of the dangers of putting too much power over the entire domain of the country into the hands of so few. Such a constitution must care fully consider the fundamental freedoms of the people and methods by which to safeguard against the abuse of powers by so few over the majority. Therefore it is important that the proposed constitution be revised and accompanied by a carefully drafted Bill of Rights otherwise, the proposed constitution could eventually turn the US into a monarchy (AntiFederalist Papers No. 1-85). III. ... Unlike An Old Whig, the Philanthorpos provided specific examples of why the new constitution as it was threatened liberties and challenged the formation of a great Republic. For example the new constitution confers upon Congress the power to regulate commerce but does not give Congress the authority to borrow money. Moreover, Congress will have the power to appoint members of the judiciary and can exercise that power for altruistic reasons (AntiFederalist Papers No. 1-85). Philanthorpos like An Old Whig predicted that the new constitution would lead to unstable and autonomous rule. While An Old Whig predicted the formation of a monarchy, Philanthorpos predicted the formation of a â€Å"tyranny† and â€Å"despotism† (AntiFederalist Papers No. 1-85). The rich and powerful will fight to retain power and the poor will struggle to gain some measure of power and improvement in their lives. The likely outcome would therefore be a civil war (AntiFederalist Papers No. 1-85). The refore the predictions made by Philanthorpos were far more devastating than those made by An Old Whig. The latter article merely called for a careful reframing and revision of the proposed constitution and the former expressed the belief that it was a downgrade on the previous constitution and would, if presented as it stood lead to political unrest, divisions among the people, autonomy and eventually civil war. IV. Madison The Federalist Papers unlike the Anti-federalist papers supported the new constitution and were written by Jon Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison between late 1787 and May 1788. James Madison’s The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection, took an entirely different view of the Philanthorpos and An Old Whig

Role of Biology in Contemporary Criminological Thinking Essay

Role of Biology in Contemporary Criminological Thinking - Essay Example Cesare Lombroso was an Italian prison doctor during the 19th century who later to be known as the 'father of criminology'. Cesare Lombroso suggested that physiological features such as cheek bones, hairline, or cleft palate are indication of one's inclination to criminal acts. Lombroso's approach was greatly influenced by the theory of phrenology and by the theory of evolution of Charles Darwin. However, such theories were later taken over by the modern day theory on genetics and chemistry as influencing factors in one's inclination to behavioural crime ("Criminology", 2006). Lombroso furthered his studies with statistical analysis wherein he identified more 'Watavistic stigmata', as well as the immorality of efficiency in the approach of born criminals. Lombroso proposed the fair treatment of offenders by suggesting rehabilitation instead of harsh punishment. Despite Lombroso being the forerunner of criminology, his studies became the foundation of movements such as the eugenics during the 20th century. Today, Lombroso's research is no more the basis of modern criminology; however, psychology as well as psychiatry has used his theory in identifying crime potential of an individual independent of his surrounding environment ("Casare Lombroso", 2006).Ever since, medicine has been involve in the study of crime and its related problems. Medical studies such as physiognomy and phrenology which found the interconnection of the shape of the skull to the way mind think and behave. These theories were popular because they relieve the blame of the cause of crime from the hands of the government and the society as a whole, rather the blame is placed on the offender themselves who were biologically predispose to commit a crime which have distinct features from peaceful citizens. Modern studies only relate the body structure to crime due to the fact that people with stronger features can do more harm physically, however, with regards to studies such as by Lombroso is no longer being adopted. The new studies on genetics further showed evidence in the genetic cause of crime as chromosome and some genes that predispose one to commit crime were identified. However, further studies on twin, family, and adoption proved no direct link of genetic factor to crimes being committed ("Positivist school", 2006). Thereby propelled the nature vs. nurture debate further. Genetic factors More and more studies have shown that genes play a big role in aggressive behaviour of individual. One such study was conducted by Philip Vernon and colleagues wherein they have studied 247 adult twin pairs. 183 were identical twins and 64 others are fraternal twins. The subjects were examined with the use of 18 aggression measurements. Their analyses, they say, 'revealed that multiple measures of different dimensions of aggressive behaviour have moderate to quite large heritabilities'. Moreover, they say, 'there appears to be substantial overlap between genes associated with different types of aggression' ("Strong genetic influence on aggression seen", 2000; Vernon et al, 1999,

Leading Group Challenges Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leading Group Challenges Paper - Essay Example There have been a significant number of literatures covering the nature, theories and applications of leadership and its effect to job performance and satisfaction. The diverse patterns of behavior and actions that leaders exhibit over a period of time and perceived by followers have been identified as the dominant style of leadership. This style is developed utilizing an interplay of factors which shape leadership development. In this regard, the essay is written to proffer challenges of leading groups in a criminal justice organization. Particularly, a description of the challenges currently faced by criminal justice leaders would be included in the discourse; as well as predictions of the challenges that will be faced over the next 5 years. Leadership is the process of influencing people to work or act towards the attainment of specifically defined goals (Martires & Fule 2000: 569). â€Å"Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal† (Northouse, 2004). Authors Lussier & Achua (2004) define leadership as â€Å"the influencing process of leaders and followers to achieve organizational objectives through changes†. And Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn (2008, 243) state leadership as â€Å"the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives†. All authors share the same conviction who perceived leadership as a process of influencing others. Further, all authors conform to the following factors as relevant components of the leadership process: (1) influencing people; (2) towards the achievement of a goal. There is the component of influence by exerting the ability to develop and communicate that vision to a group of people who would make that vision come true. According to McKinney (2008, par. 1),

Final Paper- Research Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final Paper- Research Proposal - Essay Example In the country, water scarcity is believed to be part of the reasons for civil conflict as accompanied by instances of high poverty rates, high population density and income inequalities. In the urban migrant settings, religious, ethnic and class differences are believed to exacerbate the community-wide patterns of adapting to environmental scarcities due to water conflicts. Therefore, the understanding of the nature of conflicts in these region requires not only the spatial investigation as shall be conducted by this study, but also in-depth socio-economic study of the factors that might result in the situation (Hay 145-148). This research proposal shall be guided by these perspectives in assessing the spatial impacts of water scarcity in Villa Israel, Bolivia, an area in which water scarcity conflicts have been part of normal life for an extensive duration. This is because, with each seasonal water shortage, the residents of the area are often forced to make hard decisions on their usage of available social and economic resources. As a result, the current result will add to the informational bank on the matter by bridging the information gap that has existed in relation to the reciprocity and sociability aspects of the subject matter. The general objective of this study shall be to assess the severity of water scarcity in the region by determining its spatial impacts on the reciprocal and social relationship exchanges in the marginal setting. This shall be studied alongside minor objectives such as: a. To document the water scarcity incidence in the research community through development and testing of scales for water consumptions and interviews on the water use by households based on proximity to the water sources. The general methodology that shall be applied in this study shall be a descriptive research design that focus on the ethnographic perspectives of the study to yield data for analysis. The target population for the study shall be the

Leading Group Challenges Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leading Group Challenges Paper - Essay Example There have been a significant number of literatures covering the nature, theories and applications of leadership and its effect to job performance and satisfaction. The diverse patterns of behavior and actions that leaders exhibit over a period of time and perceived by followers have been identified as the dominant style of leadership. This style is developed utilizing an interplay of factors which shape leadership development. In this regard, the essay is written to proffer challenges of leading groups in a criminal justice organization. Particularly, a description of the challenges currently faced by criminal justice leaders would be included in the discourse; as well as predictions of the challenges that will be faced over the next 5 years. Leadership is the process of influencing people to work or act towards the attainment of specifically defined goals (Martires & Fule 2000: 569). â€Å"Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal† (Northouse, 2004). Authors Lussier & Achua (2004) define leadership as â€Å"the influencing process of leaders and followers to achieve organizational objectives through changes†. And Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn (2008, 243) state leadership as â€Å"the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to accomplish shared objectives†. All authors share the same conviction who perceived leadership as a process of influencing others. Further, all authors conform to the following factors as relevant components of the leadership process: (1) influencing people; (2) towards the achievement of a goal. There is the component of influence by exerting the ability to develop and communicate that vision to a group of people who would make that vision come true. According to McKinney (2008, par. 1),

Water and the Arab- Israeli Peace Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Water and the Arab- Israeli Peace Process - Essay Example After the war, a larger section of water resources was taken by Israel (Asser 1). The complete control of water resources has led to conflict. Israel has dominated 80 percents of the mountain aquifer leaving only 20 percent to the Palestinians (Asser 1). This leaves little water resources to the Palestinians. Moreover, the Palestinians complain of limited access to their water resources (Asser 1). They cite the Israel military as the one preventing them from using their own water resources. There has also been allocation of more water to Israel nationals as compared to Palestinians. This has been evident in West Bank. The issue of water has also led to increased tension in the area. The tension has been due to the effect on Palestinian agriculture. The little available water has negatively affected the Palestinian agricultural economy (Asser 1). The Palestinian are also subjected to water rationing as the reserves gets dry (Asser 1). Proper water management has been cited as necessary for peace in the region. In the 90s, water was viewed as being tricky point of discussion in Arab-Israel peacemaking (Asser 1). The continued settlement of Israel in sensitive water areas, in West Bank, has also been seen as a threat to peace and stability in the region. Additionally, some of the stalled negotiations on the peace process between Israel and other Arab countries have been based on water related issues (Asser

Job opportunities in performing arts Essay Example for Free

Job opportunities in performing arts Essay The below information is a rough guide based on the information from the jobs4you website. There are over 500,000 people that work in the creative and cultural skills area of work, there are over 62,000 creative businesses in the UK, and 94% of the businesses only employ 10 people a year, so being an arts administrator is a very competitive area of work to get into. There are opportunities throughout the whole of the UK, in public and private organisations. You can get a job in theatre, concert halls, galleries, museums, exhibitions and festivals, etc. Jobs for admin are advertised in the local and national press, and through magazines such as the Arts Professional and The Stage. Qualifications Most of the employers ask for GCSEs at A-C in English and Maths, also it helps to have some relevant work experience. Some arts administrators have gone on to complete a degree, there are many degrees that offer relevant experience, for example business studies, arts management, music, drama or visual arts. The degrees normally last for 3 years, entry for a degree is normally at least two A levels. Entry for adults is a bit harder, so relevant work experience is required, for example: Administration or secretarial work, marketing or public relations, finance, performing arts, for example as a dancer or performer. Access courses are available for people that dont have the relevant qualifications, and who would like to study a degree. In this job, many people train on the job, but they can take short courses to help develop or to produce new skills. There are many NVQs and SVQs that are relevant, these include: * NVQ/SVQ levels 3 and 4 in business and administration * NVQ/SVQ levels 2,3,4 and 5 in cultural heritage. A promotions manager in the music industry is specialised in finding any opportunities in publicity, this can be for all types of artists, for example a singer or instrumentalist. promotions managers may work with record labels and individual musicians or bands.

Investigation of Tunisian Geography Teachers

Investigation of Tunisian Geography Teachers Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate some Tunisian geography teachers/researchers reading of research articles (RA) in English in their field, in particular their use of metadiscourse and the factors that might affect this use. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods addressed the purposes of this study. Two major reasons have motivated the choice of this topic: theoretical and contextual. Theoretical Justifications Of The Study A good number of studies have highlighted the facilitative role that metadiscourse plays in reading comprehension (e.g. Camiciottoli, 2003). Metadiscourse is defined, in the present study, as â€Å"self-reflective linguistic material referring to the evolving text and to the writer and to the imagined reader of that text (Hyland and Tse, 2004, p. 156). In defining reading comprehension, I adopted the componential interactive approach (e.g. Grabe, 2008). According to this approach, readers are active participants who actively take knowledge, connect it to previously assimilated knowledge and make it theirs by constructing their own interpretation. They develop, modify and even reflect on all or some of the ideas displayed in the text. Research has shown that second language (SL) and foreign language (FL) reading comprehension process is highly complex (Grabe, 2008; Koda, 2007; Sheng, 2000). Indeed, a wide range of variables intervene in the process: linguistic, metalinguistic, cognitive, metacognitive, social and psychological (Koda, 2005; Pressley, 2006; Rapp et al., 2007). Researchers reported the difficulty to clearly understand the exact degree of the contribution of each variable to the final product. All aspects of the reader variables interact with one another and interact with textual and contextual factors (e.g. Dhieb-Henia, 2003). Different models have been proposed in the literature in order to take account of these factors (the Top-down approach, the Bottom-up approach, the Interactive approach) (Grabe, 2008). Also, there has been a debate among SL reading researchers about whether SL reading is a language problem or a reading problem (Alderson, 1984, Bernhardt and Kamil, 1995; Grabe, 1991; Khaldieh, 2001). Some researchers contended that some SL linguistic knowledge threshold was necessary in order to get first language (L1) reading knowledge to engage and first language reading strategies to transfer (Cummins (1979) threshold level of language proficiency and Clarkes (1978) linguistic ceiling). Others argued that reading difficulties in a SL can be caused by a deficient reading ability in general, or can be caused by a failing transfer of L1 reading ability to an FL (the linguistic interdependence hypothesis, or alternatively called the common underlying principle (Bernhardt Kamil, 1995). Reading in English for Academic purposes (EAP) is still a more complex process (Flowerdew and Peacock, 2001). EAP is concerned with the English required for specific academic purpose such as studying at universities and colleges, doing research or publishing papers. Based on the literature, the present study views EAP reading as the ability to read an EAP discourse as the product of a particular disciplinary culture (e.g., Swales, 2004). Daoud (1991, p. 6), for instance, recommended that non-native readers (of EAP) should acquire â€Å"those abilities which would allow them to recognize the existence of certain types of implicit presuppositional rhetorical information, abilities that the experienced native reader possesses. Studies in Contrastive Rhetoric (CR) have demonstrated that texts are shaped by their cultural origins even if they participate in international discourses such as those of the science disciplines (Burgess, 2002; Connor, 2004; Kaplan, 1966, 1987). Mauranen (1993) asserted that â€Å"science, or more widely, academic research, does not exist outside writing, and so we cannot represent it, or realize it, without being influenced by the variation in the writing cultures that carry it† (p. 4). This suggests that the belief that scientific academic discourses merely transmit natural facts is debatable. Hyland (2005) argued that discourses are never neutral but always engaged in that they realize the interests, the positions, the perspectives and the values of those who enact them (p. 4). The RA, for instance, is a discourse written by a particular writer belonging to a particular scientific discourse community in the purpose of engaging an audience and persuading them of his/her findings (Adel, 2006; Hyland, 2005; Martin, 2004). Webber (1994) explained â€Å"scientists are writers who fight for their ideas to be accepted, recognized, and to be competitive and get their work published† (p. 257). The tendency of scientific writers to choose a particular range of rhetorical devices, might reveal their attempts to establish interpersonal relations, to interact with their audience and to express personal attitudes about the content of their texts and about their audience( s). Metadiscourse is the linguistic system that enables writers to achieve these goals (Adel, 2006; Hyland, 2004; 2005; Martin, 2004). It represents some internal stylistic map whereby an external reality is created and conveyed. Metadiscourse also helps to perceive discourse as a social action between two parties, author(s) and audience, researchers and scientific communities; in other words, writers and readers are viewed as social agents and texts as a social enterprise in which writers do not only want their messages to be understood (an illocutionary effect), but also to be accepted (a perlocutionary effect) (Hyland, 2005). Hyland (2001, p. 550) argues â€Å"a central aspect of the writer-reader dialogue involves careful interpersonal negotiations in which writers seek to balance claims for the significance, originality, and truth of their work against the convictions of their readers†. The readers ability to construct the writer-intended meaning, via metadiscourse, is one ma jor key to a successful comprehension. This idea of interaction was grounded in Hallidays (1985) metafunctional theory of language. Halliday (1985) argued that language is a system of meanings and maintains that the writer needs to operate at three levels: the ideational, the textual and the interpersonal. On the ideational plane, the writer supplies information about the subject of the text and expands propositional content, on the interactive plane, he/she does not add propositional material, but helps readers organize, classify, interpret, evaluate, and react to such material. Many researchers have attempted to investigate the contributions of metadiscourse to language teaching. However, most of the literature on metadiscourse has focused on the writing skill. The immense part of these studies has compared writers use of metadiscourse across cultures and disciplines (Dahl, 2004; Hyland TLe, 2004; Ifantidou, 2005; Lee, 2002; Perez Macia, 2002; Steffensen Cheng, 1996). Only a few studies have examined the role that this crucial part of discourse plays in reading comprehension skill. There is still an opaque picture of the correlation between the recognition of metadiscourse markers and reading comprehension performance. Indeed, a good number of the studies conducted with native readers of English has yielded inconclusive results (e.g., Crismore and Vande Kopple, 1997; OKeefe, 1988). While some researchers demonstrated the positive role of metadiscourse (e.g. Vande Kopple, 2002), other researchers concluded that metadiscourse did not have larger effects in their studies (e.g., Crismore, 1989). Research on the interaction between SL reading and metadiscourse seems to be still in its infancy. The little research carried out has demonstrated the complexity of the entreprise (Camiciottoli, 2003; Daoud, 1991; Dhieb-Henia, 2003; Mustapha and Premalatha, 2001). In fact, research has shown that many factors could intervene in the reading process and hamper EAP readers from using metadiscourse, namely language proficiency, prior disciplinary knowledge and metacognitive strategies (e.g., Camiciottoli, 2003; Daoud, 1991; Dhieb-Henia, 2003). Language proficiency refers to the ability to understand technical and semi-technical language used by a particular academic discourse community. Metacognition is the awareness readers have of their own mental processes and the subsequent ability to monitor, regulate, and direct themselves to a desired end. Prior knowledge includes knowledge of the rhetorical conventions of the genre and the subject discipline. It has been also interesting to note that no study has investigated SL experts use of metadiscourse when reading materials in their fields. Local Justifications Of The Study Reading RAs is a prerequisite for doing research, updating ones knowledge and ultimately publishing RAs. Publication is not optional or a matter of personal choice in Tunisia. The last reform of postgraduate studies has given prior importance to the number of published RAs (Labbassi, 2000). Therefore, researchers who would like to become visible in the international scientific community, have to read and write RAs in English, the international Lingua Frinca in the age of electronic communication. In fact, in Tunisia there are few specialised local journals. Labassi (2008, p. 4120 aptly put â€Å"reading and writing English have become unavoidable conditions for joining academic communities in almost all disciplines†. The Tunisian geographical society seems to be eager to integrate into the international geographic community. Indeed, the Tunisian Geographers Association, in collaboration with the International Geographical Union (IGU), managed to organise the 31st International Geographical Congress (IGC) in the country in 2008. Tunisia was the first Arab and African country to host the biggest appointment for geographers all over the world. Adding to that, there is a clear political intention to enhance English status in Tunisia. English is gaining ground over French, which has been until recently the principal language of modernity, as well as the dominant economic language. (Champagne, 2007; Labassi, 2009a, b; Tossa, 1995). The Tunisian government is aiming at creating an English-speaking workforce to enhance the prospects for successful integration into the global economy. Under the New Maitrise reform of 1998, English was introduced in the curriculum of all undergraduate students from all disciplines (Labassi, 2009 a). What is ironical, however, is that â€Å"potential researchers and professionals who have to read a literature, which is up to 90% in some disciplines in English, are not offered courses in English† (Labassi, 2009 a, p. 249). However, while the literature abounds with arguments for and against the role that metadiscourse plays in reading comprehension, little research has been conducted to assess the reading practices of the Tunisian geography society.Therefore, the present research aims to fill in this gap and gain more insight into the reading practices of some Tunisian university teachers/researchers of geography; in particular it aims to assess the extent they use metadiscourse to facilitate their comprehension of RAs in English in their field and to find out about the variables that may hinder this use. Research Objectives The main aims of the present research are three-fold: (1) to determine to what extent Tunisian geography faculty researchers use metadiscourse markers when reading research articles in English in their fields, (2) to assess whether this use facilitates their comprehension of research articles in English in their fields, (3) to find to what extent this use is related to the participants proficiency in English, to text familiarity (defined in the present study in terms of both content and formal knowledge) and to their use of metacognitive reading strategies. Research Questions The present study addresses the following questions: 1. To what extent do Tunisian geography faculty researchers use metadiscourse markers when reading research articles in English in their fields? 2. To what extent does this use relate to their comprehension of research articles in English in their fields? 3. To what extent do their proficiency in English, discipline-related knowledge (content and genre) and metacognitive reading strategies contribute to their use of metadiscourse markers and comprehension of research articles in English in their fields? Significance Of The Study This study explored the use of metadiscourse by some Tunisian geography faculty when reading research articles in English in their disciplines. Theoretically, findings from the study can help clarify the role metadiscourse plays in SL reading comprehension. The research into metadiscourse markers is useful in itself. It helps us have an insight into how writers interact with their readers to establish a reader-friendly atmosphere and to persuade them of their findings. Such information can add to our understanding of factors contributing to language pedagogy, in particular to the teaching of reading comprehension skill. At the practical level, information from this study can be useful for making decisions about organizing training sessions to university teachers/researchers to introduce them to the rhetorical conventions of academic genres, namely the research article and to the rhetorical importance of metadiscourse. They should be made aware of the facilitative role of metadiscourse markers when reading academic materials in English. Metadiscourse markers should be taught explicitly in EAP reading comprehension classes as a means to enhance the researchers reading comprehension ability. Thesis Organisation This thesis consists of six chapters. The first chapter describes the background of the research and the context in which the research was conducted. The second chapter comprises two sections: the first is a review of research into the nature of foreign language reading. The second section provides a descriptive account of what metadiscourse is, then explores the studies conducted on the effects of metadiscourse, reviews a few taxonomies on metadiscourse and ends with a description of the taxonomy to be adopted in the present study. Research questions are presented after the discussions of these reviews. Chapter three concerns the methodological decisions taken for this research. It describes how the participants were selected, how the material and instruments were piloted, and which materials and instruments were finally used. It provides as well an account of how the main study was conducted and how the data were analysed. Chapter four reports the findings of the present study. Cha pter five discusses the key findings from this study and highlights their implications for the area of EAP. The contributions and limitations of this research and suggestions for future research are presented in chapter six. Literature Review The previous chapter introduced the context for this research. This chapter clarifies the two central variables underlying the present study, namely EAP reading comprehension and metadiscourse use. It can be divided into three parts. In the first part, I will focus on the reading variable. Since foreign language reading modeling has been strongly influenced by first language reading theories, I will first discuss four different approaches to reading in a first language, I will then explain how they have been adopted in and adapted for a foreign language reading context. Next, I will elaborate on theoretical concepts particular to reading in English for academic purposes (being the focus of the present study) and I will draw attention to studies that investigated the interaction between reading in English for Academic purposes and language proficiency, background knowledge and reading strategies. This part aims at underscoring the complexity of the EAP reading process and the need to account for the many factors intervening in it. In the second part, I will introduce the second variable of the present study, metadiscouse. I will first try to define the concept and then provide an overview of its main assumptions and classifications to highlight the confusion surrounding the term and emphasize its benefits to EAP readers, and last I will detail Hylands (2005) taxonomy, the theoretical framework within which the present study is conducted. In the last part I will review some empirical studies that have investigated the interaction between metadiscourse and EAP reading. This part will also draw attention to the scarcity of research in this area. Reading Comprehension Understanding the processes involved in reading comprehension is a prerequisite to select reliable and valid research instruments. Alderson (2000) stated â€Å"if we are not able to define what we mean by the ‘ability to read, it will be difficult to devise means of assessing such abilities† (p. 49). Likewise, Hogan (2004, p. 1) maintained The real question we are asking when we look at assessing reading is: What distinguishes a good reader from a poor reader? Implicit in this question is an even more fundamental question: What are we doing when we read?† Assessment is an attempt to answer the first question, but if we cannot at least try to answer the second, we do not know what we are assessing, and any measure or description of reading proficiency we suggest is meaningless. Thus, in what follows I will first attempt to define the construct of reading comprehension, and then present a number of models that provide a framework for organizing and explaining the nature of reading comprehension. I will give due prominence, however, to the issues specific to reading in EAP dwelling upon the complex cognitive processes that EAP readers go through when they read. I will try to show how certain variables such as linguistic proficiency, background knowledge and reading strategies interact with reading comprehension process. Definition Of The Construct Of Reading Comprehension Reading comprehension has often been a subject of controversy among teachers and scholars. Kintsch (1998, p. 2) stated â€Å"the terms understanding and comprehension are not scientific terms but are commonsense expressions. As with other such expressions, their meaning is fuzzy and imprecise†. In defining the construct of reading comprehension, I adopted Kintschs (1998) theory of human text comprehension, as it is a â€Å"widely-recognized† theory of text comprehension and as it has â€Å"consistently defined the research agenda for the field of text comprehension† (Grabe, 2008, p. 3). The concepts of ‘Comprehension and ‘Understanding are used interchangeably in the present study as â€Å"a matter of linguistic variation† following Kintsch. ‘Comprehension is to be understood in relation to ‘perception and ‘problem solving. Both ‘perception and ‘understanding involve unconscious and automatic processes. They â€Å"can each be described as a process of constraint satisfaction† (p. 3). They differ, however, in that ‘understanding should result in an action, be it â€Å"an overt action in the environment or a mental event† (p. 3). Kintsch (1998, p. 2) stated â€Å"understand is used when the relationship between some object and its context is at issue or when action is required†. As for the ‘problem solving process, it is more complex and involves more demand on cognitive resources. It is an action readers resort to when they fail to understand something. Kintsch (1998) maintained â€Å" perception and understanding are the processes people normally use; when an impasse develops in perception or understanding, they resort to problem solving as a repair process† (p. 3). Reading is the process in which the reader sequentially deals with letters, words and sentences. It was defined by Sheng (2000, p. 2) as â€Å"the process of recognition, interpretation, and perception of written or printed material†. Comprehension, on the other hand, involves the ability of the reader to grasp and interpret the meaning of written material, and to reason about cognitive processes that lead to understanding. In other words, it not only covers cognitive understanding of the materials at both surface and deep structure levels, but also the readers reactions to the content. Sheng (2000, p. 2) maintained â€Å"it is a more complex psychological process and includes in addition to linguistic factors (phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic elements), cognitive and emotional factors†. In sum, the process of reading deals with language forms while the process of comprehension, the end product, deals with language content. The term ‘reading comprehension can, in some respects, be considered a complex construct, as highlighted by numerous reading researchers (Carrell, 1988; Grabe, 1991; Kintsch, 1998; de Beaugrande, 1981). According to Brumfit (1980), reading comprehension is a complex activity covering â€Å"a combination of perceptual, linguistic and cognitive abilities† (p. 3). It is a constructive thinking process which â€Å"involves application, analysis, evaluation and imagination† (Taylor, 1984, p.391). Grabe (2008) attributed the complexity of the reading comprehension process to the multiple purposes of reading and the complex cognitive processes involved. In the present study, reading is viewed as a process of communication between a writer and a reader and this communication will be incomplete unless it is affected by the readers evaluation and appreciation. In fact, both the reader and the writer contribute to the reading process. Despite the uniqueness of second language reading processes (Geva and Wang, 2001; Koda, 2007), second language reading has drawn extensively on first language reading research. Different models have been adopted and adapted based on a variety of L1 reading theories. Below is a review of these theories. Reading Theories In A First Language A reading model provides an imagined representation of the reading process. It provides ways to represent a theory and explain what reading involves and how reading works based on available evidence. Goldman, et al., (2007) explained â€Å"the term model refers specifically to a representation of the psychological processes that comprise a component or set of components involved in human text comprehension† (p. 27). According to Samuels (1994), a good theoretical model has three characteristics: it summarizes a considerable amount of information discovered in the past; it helps explain and make more understandable what is happening in the present, and it allows one to make predictions about the future (p. 816). Researchers, however, are somehow cautious about the comprehensibility of the model because of its inability to account for all the available evidence that exists. Dhieb-Henia (2002) warned that the models are not always backed up by sufficient empirical evidence to val idate (them) (p. 18). In the same fashion, Grabe (2008) argued â€Å"to assert that a model must be an accurate synthesis, () is problematic†. Thus, these researchers recommend that we consider these models as a possible representation of the reading process, rather than absolute models. They nonetheless stress the key role that these models play in â€Å"synthesizing information and establishing central claims† (Grabe, 2008, p. 84). Reviewing the literature, four major approaches have been proposed in an attempt to understand the reading process. The major distinction between the approaches is the emphasis given to text-based variables such as vocabulary, syntax, and grammatical structure and reader-based variables such as the readers background knowledge, cognitive development, strategy use, interest, and purpose (Lally, 1998). The following sections review these approaches and discuss them with reference to the specific context of the present study. The Bottom-Up Approach The concept of decoding is central to what is usually called the bottom-up approach to reading. The term bottom-up originated in perception psychology, where it is used to signify the processing of external stimuli (Mulder, 1996). In reading research, the term is not always used in a consistent manner and has drifted away from the original meaning it had in perception psychology. Nevertheless, the term always focuses on what are called lower order processes, i.e. decoding ability and word recognition ability (Mulder, 1996). These abilities are believed to form the key to proficient reading. In other words, the reader perceives every letter, organizes the perceived letters into words, and then organizes the words into phrases, clauses and sentences. Meaning, at any level, (e.g. word or phrase), is accessed only once processing at previous (e.g. lower) levels has been completed (Carrell, 1988). The argument is that bottom-up processing requires a literal or fundamental understanding of the language. Carrell (1993, p. 2) maintained Reading (is) viewed primarily as a decoding process of reconstructing the authors intended meaning via recognizing the printed letters and words, and building up a meaning for a text from the smallest textual units at the bottom (letters and words) to larger and larger units at the top (phrases, clauses, intersentential linkages. Advocates of this theory argue that successful reading comprehension of a text relies heavily on an efficient application of bottom-up processes. The best known representative of this type of approach is Goughs (1972) model. The model is summarised by Urquhart and Weir as follows: T]he reader begins with letters, which are recognized by a SCANNER. The information thus gained is passed to a DECODER, which converts the string of letters into a string of systematic phonemes. This string is then passed to a LIBRARIAN, where with the help of the LEXICON, it is recognized as a word. The reader then fixates on the next word, and proceeds in the same way until all the words in a sentence have been processed, at which point they proceed to a component called MERLIN, in which syntactic and semantic rules operate to assign a meaning to the sentence. The final stage is that of the Vocal System, where the reader utters orally what has first been accessed through print. (Urquhart Weir, 1998: 40) The decoding approach, however, has been viewed by many as inadequate. According to Eskey (1973), the approach underestimates the contribution of the reader. The reader, according to this approach, does not read the text through a self-determined, predefined perspective or goal, but rather lets the text itself (and therefore its author) determine the reading process (Urquhart Weir, 1998). The approach fails to recognize that readers utilize their expectations about the text based on their knowledge of language and how it works. Similarly, Carrell (1984) stated that this view assumes a rather passive view of reading. Grabe (2008) stated â€Å"we know that such an extreme view of reading is not accurate, and no current model of reading depicts reading as a pure bottom-up process† (p. 89). Criticism of the bottom-up theory has given impetus to the Top- down theory. The Top-Down Approach Whereas the bottom-up approach gives incoming information a central place in the reading process, the top-down approach focuses on the knowledge a reader already possesses. It stresses what are called higher order cognitive processes. The top-down theory posits a non-linear view of the reading process, i.e. from higher levels of processing, and proceeds to use the lower levels selectively. It assumes that readers interrogate the text rather than process it completely. They get meaning by comparing their expectations to a sample of information from the text. The proponents of this theory argue that readers experience and background knowledge is essential for understanding a text. Grabe (2008) explained â€Å"top-down models assume that the reader actively controls the comprehension process, directed by reader goals, expectations, and strategic processing† (p. 89). Carrell (1993, p. 4) stated In the top-down view of second language reading, not only is the reader an active participant in the reading process, but everything in the readers prior experience or background knowledge plays a significant role in the process. In this view, not only is the readers prior linguistic knowledge (â€Å"linguistic† schemata) and level of proficiency in the second language important, but the readers prior background knowledge of the content area of the text (â€Å"content† schemata) as well as of the rhetorical structure of the text (â€Å"formal† schemata) are also important. According to this view, the readers background knowledge may compensate for certain syntactic and lexical deficiencies. Readers start with their background knowledge (whole text) and make predictions about the text, and then verify their predictions by using text data (words) in the text (Urquhart Cyril, 1998). Clarke and Silberstein (1977, p.136-137) stated that â€Å"more information is contributed by the reader than by the print on the page, that is, readers understand what they read because they are able to take the stimulus beyond its graphic representation†. The most frequently cited representative of this approach is Goodmans (1976) top-down model. He defined reading as a process of verifying hypotheses — hypotheses that are based on knowledge which the reader possesses. His model, also called the guessing game theory, is summarised by Bossers as follows: According to Goodman, the reading process consisted of sampling and selecting cues, on the basis of which an interpretation is predicted or guessed, which is subsequently tested against the semantic context, and then confirmed or rejected as the reader processes further language, and so on. These stages of the process were called features of the reading process or effective strategies or effective reading behaviour alternatively. (Bossers,1992:10). A very influential theory that is usually discussed in relation to the top-down perspective is that of schema theory. The prior knowledge gained through experiences, stored in ones mind and activated when readers encounter new information is referred to in the literature as schemata (Carrell, 1980; Widdowson, 1983). Schema Theory Schema theory, which comes from cognitive psychology, owes much to the work of Bartlett (Rumelhart, 1981) and Piaget (Orasanu and Penny, 1986). Schemata, the plural form of schema, also called ‘building blocks of cognition (Rumelhart, 1981, p. 3), refer to â€Å"abstract knowledge structure (s) stored in memory† (Garner, 1987, p. 4). They are defined as the mental framework that helps the learner organize knowledge, direct perception and attention, and guide recall (Bruming, 1995), as cognitive constructs which allow for the organization of information in long-term memory (Widdowson,1983) and as the underlying connections that allow new experience and information to be aligned with previous knowledge ( McCarthy ,1991). Within the framework of schema theory, reading comprehension is no longer a linear, text-driven process, but is the process of the interpretation of new information, and the assimilation and accommodation of this information into memory structures or schemata (Anderson Pearson, 1984). Schemata are not static entities, however, but are continually constructed and reconstructed through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. In other words, a comprehension of a text involves activation of relevant schemata, which are initiated as a result of ‘bottom-up observation, and proceeds through a constant process of testing the activated schemata, evaluating their suitability, and refining or discarding them (Rumelhart, (1984, pp. 3, 6). Rumelhart (1981, p. 4) stated â€Å"according to schema theories, all knowledge is packed into units †¦ (which) are the schemata. Embedded in these packets of knowledge, in addition to the knowledge itself, is information about how this Investigation of Tunisian Geography Teachers Investigation of Tunisian Geography Teachers Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate some Tunisian geography teachers/researchers reading of research articles (RA) in English in their field, in particular their use of metadiscourse and the factors that might affect this use. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods addressed the purposes of this study. Two major reasons have motivated the choice of this topic: theoretical and contextual. Theoretical Justifications Of The Study A good number of studies have highlighted the facilitative role that metadiscourse plays in reading comprehension (e.g. Camiciottoli, 2003). Metadiscourse is defined, in the present study, as â€Å"self-reflective linguistic material referring to the evolving text and to the writer and to the imagined reader of that text (Hyland and Tse, 2004, p. 156). In defining reading comprehension, I adopted the componential interactive approach (e.g. Grabe, 2008). According to this approach, readers are active participants who actively take knowledge, connect it to previously assimilated knowledge and make it theirs by constructing their own interpretation. They develop, modify and even reflect on all or some of the ideas displayed in the text. Research has shown that second language (SL) and foreign language (FL) reading comprehension process is highly complex (Grabe, 2008; Koda, 2007; Sheng, 2000). Indeed, a wide range of variables intervene in the process: linguistic, metalinguistic, cognitive, metacognitive, social and psychological (Koda, 2005; Pressley, 2006; Rapp et al., 2007). Researchers reported the difficulty to clearly understand the exact degree of the contribution of each variable to the final product. All aspects of the reader variables interact with one another and interact with textual and contextual factors (e.g. Dhieb-Henia, 2003). Different models have been proposed in the literature in order to take account of these factors (the Top-down approach, the Bottom-up approach, the Interactive approach) (Grabe, 2008). Also, there has been a debate among SL reading researchers about whether SL reading is a language problem or a reading problem (Alderson, 1984, Bernhardt and Kamil, 1995; Grabe, 1991; Khaldieh, 2001). Some researchers contended that some SL linguistic knowledge threshold was necessary in order to get first language (L1) reading knowledge to engage and first language reading strategies to transfer (Cummins (1979) threshold level of language proficiency and Clarkes (1978) linguistic ceiling). Others argued that reading difficulties in a SL can be caused by a deficient reading ability in general, or can be caused by a failing transfer of L1 reading ability to an FL (the linguistic interdependence hypothesis, or alternatively called the common underlying principle (Bernhardt Kamil, 1995). Reading in English for Academic purposes (EAP) is still a more complex process (Flowerdew and Peacock, 2001). EAP is concerned with the English required for specific academic purpose such as studying at universities and colleges, doing research or publishing papers. Based on the literature, the present study views EAP reading as the ability to read an EAP discourse as the product of a particular disciplinary culture (e.g., Swales, 2004). Daoud (1991, p. 6), for instance, recommended that non-native readers (of EAP) should acquire â€Å"those abilities which would allow them to recognize the existence of certain types of implicit presuppositional rhetorical information, abilities that the experienced native reader possesses. Studies in Contrastive Rhetoric (CR) have demonstrated that texts are shaped by their cultural origins even if they participate in international discourses such as those of the science disciplines (Burgess, 2002; Connor, 2004; Kaplan, 1966, 1987). Mauranen (1993) asserted that â€Å"science, or more widely, academic research, does not exist outside writing, and so we cannot represent it, or realize it, without being influenced by the variation in the writing cultures that carry it† (p. 4). This suggests that the belief that scientific academic discourses merely transmit natural facts is debatable. Hyland (2005) argued that discourses are never neutral but always engaged in that they realize the interests, the positions, the perspectives and the values of those who enact them (p. 4). The RA, for instance, is a discourse written by a particular writer belonging to a particular scientific discourse community in the purpose of engaging an audience and persuading them of his/her findings (Adel, 2006; Hyland, 2005; Martin, 2004). Webber (1994) explained â€Å"scientists are writers who fight for their ideas to be accepted, recognized, and to be competitive and get their work published† (p. 257). The tendency of scientific writers to choose a particular range of rhetorical devices, might reveal their attempts to establish interpersonal relations, to interact with their audience and to express personal attitudes about the content of their texts and about their audience( s). Metadiscourse is the linguistic system that enables writers to achieve these goals (Adel, 2006; Hyland, 2004; 2005; Martin, 2004). It represents some internal stylistic map whereby an external reality is created and conveyed. Metadiscourse also helps to perceive discourse as a social action between two parties, author(s) and audience, researchers and scientific communities; in other words, writers and readers are viewed as social agents and texts as a social enterprise in which writers do not only want their messages to be understood (an illocutionary effect), but also to be accepted (a perlocutionary effect) (Hyland, 2005). Hyland (2001, p. 550) argues â€Å"a central aspect of the writer-reader dialogue involves careful interpersonal negotiations in which writers seek to balance claims for the significance, originality, and truth of their work against the convictions of their readers†. The readers ability to construct the writer-intended meaning, via metadiscourse, is one ma jor key to a successful comprehension. This idea of interaction was grounded in Hallidays (1985) metafunctional theory of language. Halliday (1985) argued that language is a system of meanings and maintains that the writer needs to operate at three levels: the ideational, the textual and the interpersonal. On the ideational plane, the writer supplies information about the subject of the text and expands propositional content, on the interactive plane, he/she does not add propositional material, but helps readers organize, classify, interpret, evaluate, and react to such material. Many researchers have attempted to investigate the contributions of metadiscourse to language teaching. However, most of the literature on metadiscourse has focused on the writing skill. The immense part of these studies has compared writers use of metadiscourse across cultures and disciplines (Dahl, 2004; Hyland TLe, 2004; Ifantidou, 2005; Lee, 2002; Perez Macia, 2002; Steffensen Cheng, 1996). Only a few studies have examined the role that this crucial part of discourse plays in reading comprehension skill. There is still an opaque picture of the correlation between the recognition of metadiscourse markers and reading comprehension performance. Indeed, a good number of the studies conducted with native readers of English has yielded inconclusive results (e.g., Crismore and Vande Kopple, 1997; OKeefe, 1988). While some researchers demonstrated the positive role of metadiscourse (e.g. Vande Kopple, 2002), other researchers concluded that metadiscourse did not have larger effects in their studies (e.g., Crismore, 1989). Research on the interaction between SL reading and metadiscourse seems to be still in its infancy. The little research carried out has demonstrated the complexity of the entreprise (Camiciottoli, 2003; Daoud, 1991; Dhieb-Henia, 2003; Mustapha and Premalatha, 2001). In fact, research has shown that many factors could intervene in the reading process and hamper EAP readers from using metadiscourse, namely language proficiency, prior disciplinary knowledge and metacognitive strategies (e.g., Camiciottoli, 2003; Daoud, 1991; Dhieb-Henia, 2003). Language proficiency refers to the ability to understand technical and semi-technical language used by a particular academic discourse community. Metacognition is the awareness readers have of their own mental processes and the subsequent ability to monitor, regulate, and direct themselves to a desired end. Prior knowledge includes knowledge of the rhetorical conventions of the genre and the subject discipline. It has been also interesting to note that no study has investigated SL experts use of metadiscourse when reading materials in their fields. Local Justifications Of The Study Reading RAs is a prerequisite for doing research, updating ones knowledge and ultimately publishing RAs. Publication is not optional or a matter of personal choice in Tunisia. The last reform of postgraduate studies has given prior importance to the number of published RAs (Labbassi, 2000). Therefore, researchers who would like to become visible in the international scientific community, have to read and write RAs in English, the international Lingua Frinca in the age of electronic communication. In fact, in Tunisia there are few specialised local journals. Labassi (2008, p. 4120 aptly put â€Å"reading and writing English have become unavoidable conditions for joining academic communities in almost all disciplines†. The Tunisian geographical society seems to be eager to integrate into the international geographic community. Indeed, the Tunisian Geographers Association, in collaboration with the International Geographical Union (IGU), managed to organise the 31st International Geographical Congress (IGC) in the country in 2008. Tunisia was the first Arab and African country to host the biggest appointment for geographers all over the world. Adding to that, there is a clear political intention to enhance English status in Tunisia. English is gaining ground over French, which has been until recently the principal language of modernity, as well as the dominant economic language. (Champagne, 2007; Labassi, 2009a, b; Tossa, 1995). The Tunisian government is aiming at creating an English-speaking workforce to enhance the prospects for successful integration into the global economy. Under the New Maitrise reform of 1998, English was introduced in the curriculum of all undergraduate students from all disciplines (Labassi, 2009 a). What is ironical, however, is that â€Å"potential researchers and professionals who have to read a literature, which is up to 90% in some disciplines in English, are not offered courses in English† (Labassi, 2009 a, p. 249). However, while the literature abounds with arguments for and against the role that metadiscourse plays in reading comprehension, little research has been conducted to assess the reading practices of the Tunisian geography society.Therefore, the present research aims to fill in this gap and gain more insight into the reading practices of some Tunisian university teachers/researchers of geography; in particular it aims to assess the extent they use metadiscourse to facilitate their comprehension of RAs in English in their field and to find out about the variables that may hinder this use. Research Objectives The main aims of the present research are three-fold: (1) to determine to what extent Tunisian geography faculty researchers use metadiscourse markers when reading research articles in English in their fields, (2) to assess whether this use facilitates their comprehension of research articles in English in their fields, (3) to find to what extent this use is related to the participants proficiency in English, to text familiarity (defined in the present study in terms of both content and formal knowledge) and to their use of metacognitive reading strategies. Research Questions The present study addresses the following questions: 1. To what extent do Tunisian geography faculty researchers use metadiscourse markers when reading research articles in English in their fields? 2. To what extent does this use relate to their comprehension of research articles in English in their fields? 3. To what extent do their proficiency in English, discipline-related knowledge (content and genre) and metacognitive reading strategies contribute to their use of metadiscourse markers and comprehension of research articles in English in their fields? Significance Of The Study This study explored the use of metadiscourse by some Tunisian geography faculty when reading research articles in English in their disciplines. Theoretically, findings from the study can help clarify the role metadiscourse plays in SL reading comprehension. The research into metadiscourse markers is useful in itself. It helps us have an insight into how writers interact with their readers to establish a reader-friendly atmosphere and to persuade them of their findings. Such information can add to our understanding of factors contributing to language pedagogy, in particular to the teaching of reading comprehension skill. At the practical level, information from this study can be useful for making decisions about organizing training sessions to university teachers/researchers to introduce them to the rhetorical conventions of academic genres, namely the research article and to the rhetorical importance of metadiscourse. They should be made aware of the facilitative role of metadiscourse markers when reading academic materials in English. Metadiscourse markers should be taught explicitly in EAP reading comprehension classes as a means to enhance the researchers reading comprehension ability. Thesis Organisation This thesis consists of six chapters. The first chapter describes the background of the research and the context in which the research was conducted. The second chapter comprises two sections: the first is a review of research into the nature of foreign language reading. The second section provides a descriptive account of what metadiscourse is, then explores the studies conducted on the effects of metadiscourse, reviews a few taxonomies on metadiscourse and ends with a description of the taxonomy to be adopted in the present study. Research questions are presented after the discussions of these reviews. Chapter three concerns the methodological decisions taken for this research. It describes how the participants were selected, how the material and instruments were piloted, and which materials and instruments were finally used. It provides as well an account of how the main study was conducted and how the data were analysed. Chapter four reports the findings of the present study. Cha pter five discusses the key findings from this study and highlights their implications for the area of EAP. The contributions and limitations of this research and suggestions for future research are presented in chapter six. Literature Review The previous chapter introduced the context for this research. This chapter clarifies the two central variables underlying the present study, namely EAP reading comprehension and metadiscourse use. It can be divided into three parts. In the first part, I will focus on the reading variable. Since foreign language reading modeling has been strongly influenced by first language reading theories, I will first discuss four different approaches to reading in a first language, I will then explain how they have been adopted in and adapted for a foreign language reading context. Next, I will elaborate on theoretical concepts particular to reading in English for academic purposes (being the focus of the present study) and I will draw attention to studies that investigated the interaction between reading in English for Academic purposes and language proficiency, background knowledge and reading strategies. This part aims at underscoring the complexity of the EAP reading process and the need to account for the many factors intervening in it. In the second part, I will introduce the second variable of the present study, metadiscouse. I will first try to define the concept and then provide an overview of its main assumptions and classifications to highlight the confusion surrounding the term and emphasize its benefits to EAP readers, and last I will detail Hylands (2005) taxonomy, the theoretical framework within which the present study is conducted. In the last part I will review some empirical studies that have investigated the interaction between metadiscourse and EAP reading. This part will also draw attention to the scarcity of research in this area. Reading Comprehension Understanding the processes involved in reading comprehension is a prerequisite to select reliable and valid research instruments. Alderson (2000) stated â€Å"if we are not able to define what we mean by the ‘ability to read, it will be difficult to devise means of assessing such abilities† (p. 49). Likewise, Hogan (2004, p. 1) maintained The real question we are asking when we look at assessing reading is: What distinguishes a good reader from a poor reader? Implicit in this question is an even more fundamental question: What are we doing when we read?† Assessment is an attempt to answer the first question, but if we cannot at least try to answer the second, we do not know what we are assessing, and any measure or description of reading proficiency we suggest is meaningless. Thus, in what follows I will first attempt to define the construct of reading comprehension, and then present a number of models that provide a framework for organizing and explaining the nature of reading comprehension. I will give due prominence, however, to the issues specific to reading in EAP dwelling upon the complex cognitive processes that EAP readers go through when they read. I will try to show how certain variables such as linguistic proficiency, background knowledge and reading strategies interact with reading comprehension process. Definition Of The Construct Of Reading Comprehension Reading comprehension has often been a subject of controversy among teachers and scholars. Kintsch (1998, p. 2) stated â€Å"the terms understanding and comprehension are not scientific terms but are commonsense expressions. As with other such expressions, their meaning is fuzzy and imprecise†. In defining the construct of reading comprehension, I adopted Kintschs (1998) theory of human text comprehension, as it is a â€Å"widely-recognized† theory of text comprehension and as it has â€Å"consistently defined the research agenda for the field of text comprehension† (Grabe, 2008, p. 3). The concepts of ‘Comprehension and ‘Understanding are used interchangeably in the present study as â€Å"a matter of linguistic variation† following Kintsch. ‘Comprehension is to be understood in relation to ‘perception and ‘problem solving. Both ‘perception and ‘understanding involve unconscious and automatic processes. They â€Å"can each be described as a process of constraint satisfaction† (p. 3). They differ, however, in that ‘understanding should result in an action, be it â€Å"an overt action in the environment or a mental event† (p. 3). Kintsch (1998, p. 2) stated â€Å"understand is used when the relationship between some object and its context is at issue or when action is required†. As for the ‘problem solving process, it is more complex and involves more demand on cognitive resources. It is an action readers resort to when they fail to understand something. Kintsch (1998) maintained â€Å" perception and understanding are the processes people normally use; when an impasse develops in perception or understanding, they resort to problem solving as a repair process† (p. 3). Reading is the process in which the reader sequentially deals with letters, words and sentences. It was defined by Sheng (2000, p. 2) as â€Å"the process of recognition, interpretation, and perception of written or printed material†. Comprehension, on the other hand, involves the ability of the reader to grasp and interpret the meaning of written material, and to reason about cognitive processes that lead to understanding. In other words, it not only covers cognitive understanding of the materials at both surface and deep structure levels, but also the readers reactions to the content. Sheng (2000, p. 2) maintained â€Å"it is a more complex psychological process and includes in addition to linguistic factors (phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic elements), cognitive and emotional factors†. In sum, the process of reading deals with language forms while the process of comprehension, the end product, deals with language content. The term ‘reading comprehension can, in some respects, be considered a complex construct, as highlighted by numerous reading researchers (Carrell, 1988; Grabe, 1991; Kintsch, 1998; de Beaugrande, 1981). According to Brumfit (1980), reading comprehension is a complex activity covering â€Å"a combination of perceptual, linguistic and cognitive abilities† (p. 3). It is a constructive thinking process which â€Å"involves application, analysis, evaluation and imagination† (Taylor, 1984, p.391). Grabe (2008) attributed the complexity of the reading comprehension process to the multiple purposes of reading and the complex cognitive processes involved. In the present study, reading is viewed as a process of communication between a writer and a reader and this communication will be incomplete unless it is affected by the readers evaluation and appreciation. In fact, both the reader and the writer contribute to the reading process. Despite the uniqueness of second language reading processes (Geva and Wang, 2001; Koda, 2007), second language reading has drawn extensively on first language reading research. Different models have been adopted and adapted based on a variety of L1 reading theories. Below is a review of these theories. Reading Theories In A First Language A reading model provides an imagined representation of the reading process. It provides ways to represent a theory and explain what reading involves and how reading works based on available evidence. Goldman, et al., (2007) explained â€Å"the term model refers specifically to a representation of the psychological processes that comprise a component or set of components involved in human text comprehension† (p. 27). According to Samuels (1994), a good theoretical model has three characteristics: it summarizes a considerable amount of information discovered in the past; it helps explain and make more understandable what is happening in the present, and it allows one to make predictions about the future (p. 816). Researchers, however, are somehow cautious about the comprehensibility of the model because of its inability to account for all the available evidence that exists. Dhieb-Henia (2002) warned that the models are not always backed up by sufficient empirical evidence to val idate (them) (p. 18). In the same fashion, Grabe (2008) argued â€Å"to assert that a model must be an accurate synthesis, () is problematic†. Thus, these researchers recommend that we consider these models as a possible representation of the reading process, rather than absolute models. They nonetheless stress the key role that these models play in â€Å"synthesizing information and establishing central claims† (Grabe, 2008, p. 84). Reviewing the literature, four major approaches have been proposed in an attempt to understand the reading process. The major distinction between the approaches is the emphasis given to text-based variables such as vocabulary, syntax, and grammatical structure and reader-based variables such as the readers background knowledge, cognitive development, strategy use, interest, and purpose (Lally, 1998). The following sections review these approaches and discuss them with reference to the specific context of the present study. The Bottom-Up Approach The concept of decoding is central to what is usually called the bottom-up approach to reading. The term bottom-up originated in perception psychology, where it is used to signify the processing of external stimuli (Mulder, 1996). In reading research, the term is not always used in a consistent manner and has drifted away from the original meaning it had in perception psychology. Nevertheless, the term always focuses on what are called lower order processes, i.e. decoding ability and word recognition ability (Mulder, 1996). These abilities are believed to form the key to proficient reading. In other words, the reader perceives every letter, organizes the perceived letters into words, and then organizes the words into phrases, clauses and sentences. Meaning, at any level, (e.g. word or phrase), is accessed only once processing at previous (e.g. lower) levels has been completed (Carrell, 1988). The argument is that bottom-up processing requires a literal or fundamental understanding of the language. Carrell (1993, p. 2) maintained Reading (is) viewed primarily as a decoding process of reconstructing the authors intended meaning via recognizing the printed letters and words, and building up a meaning for a text from the smallest textual units at the bottom (letters and words) to larger and larger units at the top (phrases, clauses, intersentential linkages. Advocates of this theory argue that successful reading comprehension of a text relies heavily on an efficient application of bottom-up processes. The best known representative of this type of approach is Goughs (1972) model. The model is summarised by Urquhart and Weir as follows: T]he reader begins with letters, which are recognized by a SCANNER. The information thus gained is passed to a DECODER, which converts the string of letters into a string of systematic phonemes. This string is then passed to a LIBRARIAN, where with the help of the LEXICON, it is recognized as a word. The reader then fixates on the next word, and proceeds in the same way until all the words in a sentence have been processed, at which point they proceed to a component called MERLIN, in which syntactic and semantic rules operate to assign a meaning to the sentence. The final stage is that of the Vocal System, where the reader utters orally what has first been accessed through print. (Urquhart Weir, 1998: 40) The decoding approach, however, has been viewed by many as inadequate. According to Eskey (1973), the approach underestimates the contribution of the reader. The reader, according to this approach, does not read the text through a self-determined, predefined perspective or goal, but rather lets the text itself (and therefore its author) determine the reading process (Urquhart Weir, 1998). The approach fails to recognize that readers utilize their expectations about the text based on their knowledge of language and how it works. Similarly, Carrell (1984) stated that this view assumes a rather passive view of reading. Grabe (2008) stated â€Å"we know that such an extreme view of reading is not accurate, and no current model of reading depicts reading as a pure bottom-up process† (p. 89). Criticism of the bottom-up theory has given impetus to the Top- down theory. The Top-Down Approach Whereas the bottom-up approach gives incoming information a central place in the reading process, the top-down approach focuses on the knowledge a reader already possesses. It stresses what are called higher order cognitive processes. The top-down theory posits a non-linear view of the reading process, i.e. from higher levels of processing, and proceeds to use the lower levels selectively. It assumes that readers interrogate the text rather than process it completely. They get meaning by comparing their expectations to a sample of information from the text. The proponents of this theory argue that readers experience and background knowledge is essential for understanding a text. Grabe (2008) explained â€Å"top-down models assume that the reader actively controls the comprehension process, directed by reader goals, expectations, and strategic processing† (p. 89). Carrell (1993, p. 4) stated In the top-down view of second language reading, not only is the reader an active participant in the reading process, but everything in the readers prior experience or background knowledge plays a significant role in the process. In this view, not only is the readers prior linguistic knowledge (â€Å"linguistic† schemata) and level of proficiency in the second language important, but the readers prior background knowledge of the content area of the text (â€Å"content† schemata) as well as of the rhetorical structure of the text (â€Å"formal† schemata) are also important. According to this view, the readers background knowledge may compensate for certain syntactic and lexical deficiencies. Readers start with their background knowledge (whole text) and make predictions about the text, and then verify their predictions by using text data (words) in the text (Urquhart Cyril, 1998). Clarke and Silberstein (1977, p.136-137) stated that â€Å"more information is contributed by the reader than by the print on the page, that is, readers understand what they read because they are able to take the stimulus beyond its graphic representation†. The most frequently cited representative of this approach is Goodmans (1976) top-down model. He defined reading as a process of verifying hypotheses — hypotheses that are based on knowledge which the reader possesses. His model, also called the guessing game theory, is summarised by Bossers as follows: According to Goodman, the reading process consisted of sampling and selecting cues, on the basis of which an interpretation is predicted or guessed, which is subsequently tested against the semantic context, and then confirmed or rejected as the reader processes further language, and so on. These stages of the process were called features of the reading process or effective strategies or effective reading behaviour alternatively. (Bossers,1992:10). A very influential theory that is usually discussed in relation to the top-down perspective is that of schema theory. The prior knowledge gained through experiences, stored in ones mind and activated when readers encounter new information is referred to in the literature as schemata (Carrell, 1980; Widdowson, 1983). Schema Theory Schema theory, which comes from cognitive psychology, owes much to the work of Bartlett (Rumelhart, 1981) and Piaget (Orasanu and Penny, 1986). Schemata, the plural form of schema, also called ‘building blocks of cognition (Rumelhart, 1981, p. 3), refer to â€Å"abstract knowledge structure (s) stored in memory† (Garner, 1987, p. 4). They are defined as the mental framework that helps the learner organize knowledge, direct perception and attention, and guide recall (Bruming, 1995), as cognitive constructs which allow for the organization of information in long-term memory (Widdowson,1983) and as the underlying connections that allow new experience and information to be aligned with previous knowledge ( McCarthy ,1991). Within the framework of schema theory, reading comprehension is no longer a linear, text-driven process, but is the process of the interpretation of new information, and the assimilation and accommodation of this information into memory structures or schemata (Anderson Pearson, 1984). Schemata are not static entities, however, but are continually constructed and reconstructed through the processes of assimilation and accommodation. In other words, a comprehension of a text involves activation of relevant schemata, which are initiated as a result of ‘bottom-up observation, and proceeds through a constant process of testing the activated schemata, evaluating their suitability, and refining or discarding them (Rumelhart, (1984, pp. 3, 6). Rumelhart (1981, p. 4) stated â€Å"according to schema theories, all knowledge is packed into units †¦ (which) are the schemata. Embedded in these packets of knowledge, in addition to the knowledge itself, is information about how this