What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the skill to apply reasoning and logic to fresh or unused ideas, views, and conditions. Thinking critically includes seeing stuffs in an open-minded manner and observing an idea or concept from as many approaches as likely. This essential skill lets people stare past their individual interpretations of the world and to improve and realize the views of others. It is frequently used in discussions, to procedure additional cogent and well-rounded arguments, and in science. The skill to think critically is essential, as it generates new opportunities in problem solving.Being â€Å"open-minded† is a huge portion of critical thinking, permitting an individual to not simply search for out all likely answers to a problem, but to as well accept an response that is diverse from what was initially expected. Open-minded thinking needs that a individual does not take responsibility that his or her method of approaching a circumstances is always best, or even right. Cri tical thinking is well-defined as reasonable, reflective, responsible, and skillful thinking that is fixated on determining what to have confidence in or do.Critical thinking is analytical thinking. This sort of thinking takes complications away from each other fundamentally and down to their origins, in order to solve the problems. Critical thinking is not a matter of gathering information. An individual with a respectable memory and who recognizes a lot of facts is not automatically good at critical thinking. A critical thinker is capable to deduce concerns from what he identifies, and he recognizes how to create the use of information to answer problems, and to search for related sources of information to advise him.How is your response different from the one you wrote in Week One? The differences from what I wrote in week one till now is that in week one I was just looking up there information and just cite everything, but now I have a good understanding about what critical thin king is and how to be a critical thinker. In week one I did not know how to think critical but now everything I do I make sure I’m using critical thinking as an everyday route.

Food Culture Difference

? ? ? ? ? ? Differences Between Chinese and Western Food Culture ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Abstract Food plays an irreplaceable role in the development of society and the progress of human civilization. It is an essential prerequisite for human existence. However, different nations have different food and food habits. That is because they have different culture, especially food culture. Only within the context of each individual culture can food and food habits be best understood.This thesis expounds the important function of food culture between different countries’ cultural communication by analyzing Chinese and Western food culture. By examining these differences, we can improve our ability in cultural communication. Food culture is a special cultural phenomenon. By the process of people’s studies, people know food culture from one side to the study of different culture backgrounds, customs and historical environments.This thesis endeavors to analyze the cultural differenc es and their root causes in Chinese and Western food cultures from the perspective of concept, etiquette and content, and points out that with the development of cross-cultural communication, more communication and interaction will arise between Chinese and western food cultures and they will develop together. Key words: value conception; feature; etiquette; Chinese food culture; western food culture ( : 3-5? , , ; , ; , , ) ? ? , , , , , , , , , : ; ; ; ; ( , 3-5? , , ; , , ) Contents Abstracti ? ? ii 1. Introduction1 2. Different Values in Chinese and Western Food Culture1 . 1 Collectivism in Chinese food culture1 2. 1. 1 Collective orientation1 2. 1. 2 Collective orientation in Chinese food culture2 2. 2 Individualism in western food culture2 2. 2. 1 Individualistic orientation2 2. 2. 2 Individualistic orientation in western food culture3 3. Different Features in Chinese and Western Food Culture3 3. 1 Extravagance in Chinese3 3. 2 Simplicity in western food culture3 4. Differ ent Etiquette in Chinese and Western Food Culture4 4. 1 Different time-conceptions in Chinese and western food culture4 4. 1. 1 â€Å"M-time† and â€Å"P-time†4 4. 1. 2 Lateness in Chinese food culture4 . 1. 3 Punctuality in western food culture5 4. 2 Different seating arrangement5 4. 2. 1 The south and north seating arrangement in Chinese food culture5 4. 2. 2 The right and left seating arrangement in western food culture6 5. Different Consents in Chinese and Western Food Culture6 5. 1 Different drink in Chinese and western food culture6 5. 1. 1 Liquor and tea in Chinese food culture6 5. 1. 2 The wine and beer in western countries7 5. 2 Different main food in Chinese and western food culture7 5. 3 Different banquet course in Chinese and western food culture8 5. . 1 Banquet course in China8 5. 3. 2 Banquet course in western food culture8 5. 4 Different tableware in Chinese and western food culture9 5. 4. 1 Chopsticks in Chinese food culture9 5. 4. 2 Fork and knife in w estern food culture9 5. 5 Different cuisine naming10 5. 5. 1 Cuisine naming in China10 5. 5. 2 Cuisine naming in western food culture11 5. 6 Different healthy conceptions in Chinese and western food culture11 5. 6. 1 Healthy conception in Chinese food culture11 5. 6. 2 Healthy Conception in western food cultures12 6. Conclusion13 Bibliography14 Acknowledgements15 : , ;1. 5 ? : ( ) , , , ; ? , ; ? 1. Introduction Culture is a historical phenomenon. It is the summation of civilization and a mental picture which can be created in the progress of a nation’s development. This thesis expounds the important function of food culture between different cultures by analyzing Chinese food and Western food. By examining these differences, we can improve our ability in cultural communication.The contact between different countries becomes much tighter through the incorporation of a global economy. At the same time, the cultural communications become more important in the big distance between these two cultures. The distinction between cultural communications become more and more evident and the study of Chinese and Western food culture is an important part of it. Food is a special phenomenon, people having knowledge of food from one side of the study of different cultural backgrounds, customs and historical environment by study. We all know that different nations have different cultures.This thesis focuses on the different food cultures in Chinese and western countries. Chinese food culture in this thesis mainly refers to the one in the Han nationality. As we know, China is a nation with 56 ethnic groups, each of which has its own unique food and food habits. The Han nationality and its culture are the mainstream in China due to historical, political and economic reasons. Western food culture in this thesis is mainly concerned with the British one due to the fact that its cultural pattern and influence have become dominant in the west, which is generally recogni zed by the world. 2.Different Values in Chinese and Western Food Culture 2. 1 Collectivism in Chinese food culture 2. 1. 1 Collective orientation In China, collective orientation with deep roots can be traced back to ancient time. Confucius points out, â€Å"If one wants to establish himself, he should help others to establish themselves at first. † in which collectivism is appreciated. â€Å"Even the dog swaggers when its master wins favor† shows the fact that everything in China is branded with collectivism. In such collectivistic culture, a â€Å"we† consciousness prevails, and people are expected to be interdependent and show conformity to the group’s norms and values.Group goals usually take precedent over individual goals, and the primary value is to seek harmony with others. Actually, group harmony is so highly valued that obedience to, and compliance with, in groups pressures is routine. (Neuliep, 2000:33) 2. 1. 2 Collective orientation in Chinese food culture This collectivistic orientation also plays an important role in Chinese food culture. Normally, Chinese people would like to take the style of â€Å"sharing† when they have a dinner together, whether at home with family members or outside with friends. As Vera Y. N. Hsu describes, â€Å"The typical Chinese dining table is round or square.The ts’ai dishes are laid in the center, and each participant in the meal is equipped with a bowl of â€Å"fan†, a pair of chopsticks, a saucer, and a spoon. All at a table take from the ts’ai dishes as they proceed with the meal. Good eating manners require each participant take equally from the different ts’ai dishes, so that all will have an equal chance at all the dishes. † (Chang, 1977:304) When the dinner starts, the host usually shows a menu to guests asking them to order the dish they like before making the final decision. When a dinner comes to an end, participants always strive to pay the bill unless someone has claimed it in advance.The â€Å"truth of sharing† reflects almost everywhere from the dinner start to the end. 2. 2 Individualism in western food culture 2. 2. 1 Individualistic orientation It is well known that Great Britain tends toward individualism. Individualism refers to the doctrine, spelled out in detail by the seventeenth-century English philosopher John Locke, that each individual is unique, special, completely different from all other individuals, and â€Å"the basic unit of nature†. (Samovar 2000:62) Therefore, in individualistic culture, an â€Å"I† consciousness prevails, and emphasis is placed on an individual goal over group goals.This value orientation stresses individual initiative and achievement, and individual decision-making is highly appreciated. 2. 2. 2 Individualistic orientation in western food culture Western food culture is characterized by the â€Å"separated’ style because of the great influence of the individualistic orientation. It is contrary to the â€Å"sharing† style in Chinese food culture in many ways. For example, westerners do not take the ts’ai dishes from the public plate, but have separate individual plates. The way of â€Å"going Dutch† is widely taken when the bill is to be paid, which means everyone pays his own share.The role of individualism in Western food culture is obvious and its influence is self-evident. 3. Different Features in Chinese and Western Food Culture 3. 1 Extravagance in Chinese Chinese food culture is probably much older than any other kind of food cultures. Few cultures are as food oriented as Chinese culture. The most common example is the greeting used among Chinese people when they encounter: â€Å"Have you eaten? † food plays so important a role in people’s daily life that it inevitably becomes an ostentatious way because of face (or â€Å"mianzi† in China).So the extravagance and exquisitene ss become the main features of Chinese food. Face in China involves a claim for respect and dignity from others. Losing one’s face is one of the worst ways to injure one’s self-esteem. The banquet is also influenced by the â€Å"face† system. They are no longer a social occasion just for meeting or eating, but to some extent, a good chance for the host to show off his power and earn his face. The more expensive or precious the food is, the more dignity the host has, the more the quantity of dishes in a banquet, the warmer hospitality can be shown, and the more â€Å"face† he can earn.In this sense, formal banquets in China have one thing in common: there should be more than enough food on the table. Otherwise the host will lose face. That leads directly to the extravagant food culture. 3. 2 Simplicity in western food culture Compared with extravagant banquets in China, the scale of banquets in western countries is much smaller. That is because the belief in food in western countries is mainly focused on function as necessity for human beings survival or a way of communication.For example, in a party, the host usually does not prepare food and drinks and serves some simple food only like cheese, sandwiches, fruits etc. For most Westerners, this is a good opportunity for communication and reunion, or a great occasion where they can strengthen relationships and make new friends. What they actually care about is the casual, harmonious and joyous atmosphere, the maximum freedom and relaxation they can enjoy at the banquet. 4. Different Etiquette in Chinese and Western Food Culture 4. 1 Different time-conceptions in Chinese and western food culture 4. 1. â€Å"M-time† and â€Å"P-time† Edward T. Hall, who is well known for his discussion of time across cultures, proposes that cultures organize time in one of two ways: either monochronic (M-time) or polychronic (P-time) (Hall, 1989:46). He also points out that M-time is the c haracteristic of people from western countries, while P-time is the characteristic of people from Asia, Africa and Latin America ( ,1999:93). The two conceptions are incompatible. We can see the sharp contrast between P-time and M-time from the lateness in Chinese food culture and the punctuality in western food culture. . 1. 2 Lateness in Chinese food culture People in the P-time cultures do not emphasize scheduling by separating time into fixed segments. They treat time as a less tangible medium so that they can interact with more than one person or do more than one thing at a time. Therefore, in these cultures, personal interaction and relationship developments are far more important than making appointments or meeting deadline. China is a country with P-time. Chinese people are usually a little later than what is scheduled when participating in some activities like banquets.Normally, they would be half an hour late. The host will arrange some entertainments, such as playing card s or chatting. Tea and various desserts like candy, cakes etc. are served for the guests who have arrived on time to kill time. Both the host and guest get used to that and would not interpret this kind of lateness as an impolite behavior. However, this conception changes sometimes. With the development of cross-cultural communication, more and more Chinese people, especially the young, are gradually influenced by the M-time in western countries. 4. 1. 3 Punctuality in western food cultureUnlike Chinese people, people in M-time cultures tend to follow precise scheduling. Once the time is set, it is rarely changed, and people should take it seriously. Usually, everyone is supposed to arrive on time when attending a formal meeting or banquet. It is also acceptable that people can be a little late sometimes, but no more than 10 minutes, otherwise this behavior will be regarded as inappropriate by both the host and other guests, and one will have to give a proper explanation. The one wh o violates the rule of punctuality shall be punished seriously in M-time culture. 4. Different seating arrangement Samovar pointed out that â€Å"Culture influences even the manner and meaning in seating arrangement†. So seating arrangement is an important means of giving different explanations on social status or interpersonal relations. With regard to seating arrangement in a banquet, there exist some major distinctive disparities between Chinese and Western food culture. 4. 2. 1 The South and north seating arrangement in Chinese food culture In China, the seat facing south in a banquet is usually regarded as the most important, while the seat facing north is comparatively less important.It is because of traditional Chinese culture. China is an old country with a long history of more than five thousand years. There used to be many dynasties. Whatever the dynasty, the emperor always sat with facing south during the ceremony of the royal inauguration or in the process of disc ussing governmental affairs with ministers. On the other hand, the ministers were all facing north when they met the emperor. Gradually, the word â€Å"south† has been elevated into a position relatively high in Chinese people’s minds, and it symbolizes the supreme authority, power and position.By contrast, the position of the word â€Å"north† is much lower. Therefore, in a formal banquet, the seats that face south undoubtedly will be reserved for those who are respectable or powerful. 4. 2. 2 The right and left seating arrangement in western food culture In Western countries, the seating arrangement is quite different. In the past, the most distinguished guest was seated on the left side of the host. The reason is that in ancient times there were many assassinations for political and social reasons, and assassins held daggers in their right hands to attack.It was convenient and easier for the host to protect the guest who was on his left hand when the assassin attacked. However, with the development of civilization, this old style of assassination has been extinct for a long time and the seating arrangement also changed. Nowadays, what Westerners are most concerned about is the perspective of psychological need instead of physical security when they arrange seats in a banquet. The result is that the seat at the right side of the host is more honorable than the one on the left side in the widely recognized rule. 5. Different Consents in Chinese and Western Food Culture . 1 Different drink in Chinese and western food culture 5. 1. 1 Liquor and tea in Chinese food culture Liquor and tea are two kinds of main drinks in Han nationality. It is known to all that China is the hometown of tea, and one of the countries which invented the earliest brew technology in the world. Wine culture and tea culture have long history in China and they have become an essential part of Han national food culture in the past thousands of years. They greatly influ ence other countries all over the world. There are many kinds of tea and liquor in China.Different kinds of tea and liquor have different functions, so people drink different tea and liquor in different seasons to keep healthy. Normally, people drink three kinds of tea in four seasons. In spring and autumn, people drink tea, which was made of various flowers to make them more beautiful and active. In summer, green tea is the best choice. It is a special kind of healthy drink and has many unique functions, such as refreshing oneself, removing strain, preventing heatstroke, cooling, caring for eyes etc. Most people choose black tea in winter because it is fermenting and not belonging to cold.It can not only foster your stomach, promote digestion and your appetite but also help to strengthen the cardiac muscles. Chinese people always drink beer in hot summer and liquor in winter. Liquor has thousands of year’s history in China and it creates a unique style in the world. It is fr agrantly pure and has flavors. Drinking a small cup of liquor everyday could promote digestion, whet appetite and keeps one warm. 5. 1. 2 The wine and beer in western countries The grape wine and beer are common drink in western countries. People in some cold area even drink sherry everyday to keep themselves warm.In Britain, bars meet your eyes everywhere on the streets and become second living rooms. The British are experts in drinking and beer is their favorite drink. Normally, there are three kinds of beer which are divided by flavor: Bitter, Lager and Cider. In recent years, it has come into vogue to drink wine and the wine consumption in Britain is the greatest in the world. Simultaneously, juice is also a very popular drink in western countries. Usually people drink juice at breakfast. Juice gets unique welcome in Britain, the annual average consumption amounts to 19. 1 liters in Britain. 5. Different main food in Chinese and western food culture Rice and cooked wheaten food are two main staple foods in the Han nationality. The southern and northern regions cultivate rice, and rice has become the main nourishment in these areas. The northeast and northwest regions cultivate wheat and give first place to cooked wheaten food. Also, other kinds of cereals like maize, Kaoliang, grain, tuber crop have become staple food, in different areas as well as coarse cereals. The Han nationality’s staple foods have colorful and various cooking methods and has hundreds of kinds of rice and wheat products.Nowadays, the northeast regions in China still give first place to cooked wheaten food. Meat, milk and bread are the staple food in western countries. A common meal usually consists of soup, bread and butter. There are also various roasted foods besides the brown bread. Another staple food in Western countries is the potato. To westerners, potato is as important as rice to Chinese. You can often see that the British move packages of potatoes in shopping carts in the supermarket just like Chinese people buying rice. 5. 3 Different banquet course in Chinese and western food culture 5. 3. Banquet course in China Generally speaking, a formal banquet in China consists of six major courses served in turn, including a hand plate, cold dish, hot dish, staple food, soup and dessert. A hand plate is for the guests who come early. Traditionally, it usually consists of candied fruit, traditional cake, but now, tea and melon seeds. I have mentioned that lateness is the traditional time conception in China. The hand plate is made ready for the guests and host when they chat or play cards to wait for other guests. Cold dishes are often served as the beginning of a banquet, which usually consists of a ariety of small dishes and snacks. Actually, a cold dish is not for food but for beauty. Then, come the hot dishes, which are the most weighty and richest part of the whole. Staple food is also an indispensable component, which is rice or noodle in most case s. Soup is another important course. Unlike a western banquet, Chinese soup comes as a later course but not at first. Finally, comes dessert, which is composed of various finely made cakes, nuts, pastry, fruits etc. Only after the six courses are served will a formal Chinese banquet have come to an end.It is also interesting to note that different from Chinese banquets which tend to break up immediately after the last course is served, Westerners may linger for hours after the completed meal in elevated and animated discussions. 5. 3. 2 Banquet course in Western food culture A formal banquet in western countries usually comprises four major courses, including soup, a subsidiary dish, a main dish and dessert. Soup is the first course, probably because westerners want to refresh themselves with some soup before the meal, and taking soup will help to whet their appetites. The subsidiary dish is the second course.It is usually composed of various types of fish for fish is easy to digest . The main dish is a heavy weight in a Western banquet, and it is often composed of meat, especially beef sticks or fish together with vegetables. Salad, which is composed of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and asparagus etc. dessert come lastly. Western dessert includes all food after the main dish, such as cakes, biscuits, cheese, pies, pudding, fruits, ice cream etc. Sometimes, people drink coffee or tea with sugar and milk while they have dessert. 5. 4 Different tableware in Chinese and western food culture 5. 4. Chopsticks in Chinese food culture In China it is usually thought that people are an inherent part of nature. Many scholars pointed out that the traditional attitude of Chinese people toward universe or nature is â€Å"Oneness between Man and Nature. ( )† ( , 1997:59) Under the influence of this orientation, Chinese people attempt a balanced act with nature and try to live in harmony with it. China is also a traditionally agricultural country. Since Chinese people main ly live on rice and wheat as their staple food by cultivating the farmland, the harvest of the crops depends on nature.Therefore, in such cultural context and natural environment, people tend to live and work in peace. The application of chopsticks as the chief tableware can be traced back as early as the Shang and Chou periods, although hands were probably used more often than chopsticks (Chang, 1977:35). When Chinese people use chopsticks, they usually appear to be cultivated and their attitudes toward food are gentle and kind. Roland Barthes, a famous French literary critic, once talked about the usage of chopsticks, and he remarked that unlike fork and knife, chopsticks were not used to cut, poke or stab food.Therefore, â€Å"food was no longer the prey suffering the human beings’ violence but turned out to be the substance passed harmoniously through them. † ( , 2002:74) In this sense, chopsticks are the gentle medium between man and food, and they reflect the har monious relationship between man and nature. 5. 4. 2 Fork and knife in western food culture Many Westerners think that people are dominant over nature. Quite different from China, the ancestors of many western countries lived by hunting due to some ecological and historical factors. Of course, meat was their basic food source and gradually took the place of staple food.In order to survive in severe and harsh environments, they tried their best to be good at hunting, such as the use of some weapons like knives, forks and arrows etc to fight with or kill animals. That resulted in the aggressiveness and the adventurous sense in their temperaments. Compared with chopsticks, it is not exaggerating at all to say that knife and fork represent the violence and cruelty to food without any concealment. The way of eating in western countries actually reflects human’s conquest over nature. 5. 5 Different cuisine naming 5. 5. 1 Cuisine naming in China Cuisine naming in China differs from place to place.Generally speaking, there are three kinds of cuisine naming in China. The first cuisine naming method is, according to Professor Wang Fengxin’s research, the name of an ordinary Chinese dish usually contains four parts: main ingredients, subsidiary ingredients, way of cutting and way of cooking. They constitute the primary motivation of Chinese cuisine naming. (Wang, 1999:220) He also believes that the naming of Chinese home-style cuisine is based on the primary motivation. Take the Chinese cuisine â€Å" , Stir-fried Shredded Pork with Green Pepper† for example, its main raw material is â€Å"? ,pork†; its subsidiary raw material is â€Å" green pepper†; the result of cutting is â€Å"? , shred†, and its way of cooking is â€Å"? , stir-fried†. Certainly, not every Chinese cuisine naming should follow the pattern of â€Å"main ingredients—subsidiary ingredients— cutting method — cooking method†. Fo r example, â€Å" , Fried Scrambled Eggs with Tomato† is the pattern of â€Å"main ingredients—subsidiary ingredients— cooking method†. The second cuisine naming method is: usually, Chinese people eat for not only consumption but also many other purposes. In such a situation, they would like to have more refined and graceful names than the plain names for the food served.The secondary naming method consists of the initiator’s name, the animal’s name and the plant’s name. As a matter of fact, Chinese cuisine naming after initiator’s name usually involves much Chinese culture or historical information and the cuisine naming after the animal’s name or plant’s name may give rise to cultural implications. For example, Chinese people will naturally associate â€Å" , Dongpo Meat† with Su Dongpo, the initiator of this dish, who was a famous poet in Song Dynasty. It is said that Su Dongpo created this dish when he was relegated to a local government.He did many good things for the local people, so they decided to give the dish a name after him as a kind of commemoration. The cuisine â€Å" , Lotus Soup†, will remind Chinese people of lotus, which has been taken as a noble plant for its purity and freedom from dirt. Actually, it is a kind of soup which is made with eggs. In Chinese cuisine naming, â€Å" † stands for egg-white because of its shape and color. The third cuisine naming method is: in order to attract more customers, some restaurants or hotels give some common dishes very fantastic names, which originate from some Chinese legends or allusions.For example, the cuisine name â€Å" , Turtle and Chicken Meat† originates from a famous historical allusion in ancient times that a famous general was surrounded by his enemy and had to bid an emotional farewell to his beloved concubine. Although the name is really attractive, the content is nothing new at all. 5. 5. 2 Cu isine naming in western food culture The feature of cuisine naming in Western countries is straightforward, which is similar to the first cuisine naming method in China. Time is money in Western people’s eyes, and they think people should not waste too much time on trivial things like eating and dining.Therefore, from this point of view, the first and foremost requirement for the cuisine naming should be straightforward and simple. For example, â€Å"Black Pepper Steak, † , â€Å"Stewed Seafood Combination with Lobster Sauce, † etc. You can easily perceive the meaning of the cuisine and know what it is. Sometimes, even the name of some restaurants, such as â€Å"KFC† (Kentucky Fried Chicken) will reveal the information about the cuisine they serve. Undoubtedly, straightforwardness is much more suitable to the Westerners for their fast pace of cooking and living. 5. Different healthy conceptions in Chinese and western food culture 5. 6. 1 Healthy concepti on in Chinese food culture Chinese food and drink usually contains little sugar, which will not lead to getting fat. But there are more and more fat people in China while our living standard has improved. China enjoys a good reputation for its plentiful and splendid cuisine. Chinese people have many complex cooking methods, such as braising, boiling, braising with soy sauce, roasting, baking, grilling, scalding, deep-frying, steaming, drying, salt-preserving etc. (? ,? , ,? ,? ,? ,? ,? ,? ,? , and the Chinese cuisine is always exquisite and tastes excellent. But much nutrition is destroyed because of such complex cooking methods. Simultaneously, Chinese people share dishes when they have a meal. Everyone’s chopsticks touch the same dish and that highly increases the probability of hepatitis. 5. 6. 2 Healthy Conception in western food cultures Nutrition and balance are greatly cared for by westerners when they have a meal. An interesting phenomenon in western countries is the nutritional information on the food label, by which people’s concern about nutrition is clearly reflected.A look at information like the number of calories per serving, grams of fat, sodium, fiber and sugar content will make you more knowledgeable in selecting foods to reduce your nutritional health risk. In addition, the balance in diet structure is also essential to Westerners. Nowadays, more and more westerners are starting to worry about their weight for their diet containing too many calories. This is evident in menus in many restaurants offering â€Å"low calorie† or â€Å"weight watchers† meal. The vegetable and fruit salad served to westerners all year around because they have low calories and high vitamin.In conclusion, it is by the influence of pragmatism that westerners are inclined to take the food into consideration basically from the nutritional perspective. In their eyes, food or eating is just a way to keep health and thus what the westerners car e about most is the nutrition contained in food and the balance of the whole structure. When they have a meal, they use separate plates for each other, which usefully guard against the probability infection. 6. Conclusion By comparison and analysis we have made so far, one conclusion may be drawn that Chinese and Western food culture reflect each other’s cultures with their own unique features.They are neither superior nor inferior to the other and should deserve the same respect from each other. Certainly, for the process of globalization, Chinese and Western food cultures do not exist in isolation. It is well known that globalization has been becoming an inevitable trend around the world and an inexorable force to influence people’s life in almost every aspect. In other words, the wheel of human history has moved as inexorably forward from isolation to integration. Due to the open policy, Chinese people and Chinese culture have more and more chances of contact with f oreigners and foreign cultures.People of different cultures can learn from each other. When Chinese culture is learning or adopting something new or different from foreign cultures, we should remember that Chinese culture is also being learnt and adopted by them at the same time. A good case in point is that, nowadays, more and more people , especially the young people, have been fond of the typical western fast food like KFC or Macdonald’s, while on the other hand, more and more Chinese foods have been welcomed by foreigners, and it is said that where there are people, there are Chinese restaurants.In a word, Chinese and Western food culture will develop together by the cross-cultural communication. Bibliography [1] Chang, K. C. Food in Chinese Culture: Anthropological and Historical Perspective [M]. USA: The Vail-Ballou Press Inc. , 1977:35~304 [2] Chen, G. M. & Starosta, W. J. Foundations of Intercultural Communication [M]. USA: Allyn & Bacon Press, 1998: 3 [3] Hall, E. T. Beyond Culture [M]. New York: Anchor Books, 1989: 46 [4] Neuliep, J. W. Intercultural Communication: A Context Approach [M]. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000: 33 [5] Samovar, L. A. & Porter R. E.Intercultural Communication: A Reader [M]. USA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2000: 62 [6] Samovar, L. A. , Porter R. E. & Stefani L. A. Communication Between Cultures [M]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press, 2000:165 [7] Wang Fengxin. The Cultural Implication of the Chinese Cuisine Naming [M]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press, 1999: 220~222 [8] . [M]. : ,1999: 93 [9] . [M]. : , 1995: 59 [10] . [M]. : 2006: 203 [11] . —— [M]. : , 2002: 74 [12] . [M]. ,2004: 16 [13] , . [M]. : ,2006: 8 [14] . [OL]. http://www. wfcyw. com/cywh/yswh/ 200608/22. html, 2007-04-16/2007-05-4. [15] . [OL]. http://www. ilib. cn/A-bflc 2003 02028. html, 2007-03-16/2007-04-08. Acknowledgements The thesis has been completed. I want to express my g ratitude to my tutor *******. I received Mr. Zhang’s instruction in the writing of the thesis many times. I appreciate the tutor’s concentrated guidance and help not only in the selection of my title, required materials of the thesis, but also in the research writing.I can say that it is very difficult to have completed the thesis without his guidance. I wish to take this opportunity to express the hearty thanks to his advice. I want to express sincere gratitude to teachers and friends who cared about and supported my thesis. Here, I appreciate my classmates who helped out with my thesis. Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to Mr. Zhang again for his careful instruction of my thesis. ———————– Times New Roman? , , Times New Roman 1. 5 4-5 Times New Roman , Times New Roman â€Å"Key words:† , 1. 5 â€Å" :† , Times New Roman Times New Roman Times New Roman Times New Roman Tim es New Roman ( ); Times New Roman 1. 5 4~5 ( ) Times New Roman Times New Roman ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )? : , , ( ) Times New Roman 1. 5 Times New Roman Times New Roman 1. 5 4~5 Times New Roman

Professional development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Professional development - Coursework Example The key trends in the specialty of occupational health nurses include electronic records to integrate primary care and occupational health. This is the biggest change that is happening to the health care reforms particularly for the occupational health nurses. Use of electronic records will ensure employees are treated for personal medical issues by use of on-site clinic (American Association of Occupational Health Nurses). There is need for resources and for the relevant management to acknowledge the significance of occupational medicine or occupational health. The managers need to understand the cases and why we insist on occupational health on a daily basis. Most people who are outside the field have no knowledge what the occupational nurses do. Another trend that I notice in the American association of occupational hazard nurses is increase in OSHA surveillance and more awareness concerning environmental hazards and their impacts (American Association of Occupational Health Nurses). Environmental health is the main aspect of occupational medicine. Most nurses are starting to recognize the need for patient advocacy. Patients are helped by the occupational health nurses to navigate through surgeries since they are sort of case managers. The occupational health nurses carry out activities that determine whether a section of workers is suffering from an occupational illness because of exposure to certain hazards. Currently, employees are exposed to human blood, animals and other body fluids, viruses and bacteria. By increased health surveillance, more employees who have been exposed to infectious biological agents have gone through immunization. Health surveillance operates on the basis on environmental assessment, and the exposures are evaluated and documented. Health promotion and protection is yet another trend within the occupational health nurses. The nurses are aware that they are responsible for health

Evaluation on pulmonary rehab audit Dissertation

Evaluation on pulmonary rehab audit - Dissertation Example This dissertation has endeavoured to prove both the existence of such high standards in the practice of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and the lack of adequate means for LNFH to meet those standards. A random sample of 47 patients revealed insufficient assessments and records of assessments. However, it is very clear from reviews of many doctors who published their findings that PR should improve the quality of life of patients through an improvem...... The present lean Team made up of only two (2) Specialist Nurses and one (1) Specialist Physiologist at LNFH did not have weekly records to control. And the main task was just to encourage patients to exercise at least twice a week. To see improvements, the standard has been to try and be able to prolong those exercises or increase the distance and time for walking as well as to gather positive feedback through the accomplishment of Chronic Respiratory Questionnaires (CRQs). Pulmonary Rehabilitation programs at LNFH consist of physical cardiovascular and strength training, disease education, and nutritional, psychological and behavioural intervention. The benefits should eventually include the improvement in exercise performance, health status, dyspnea, increased quality of life and reduction in use of health services. The Respiratory Assessment Unit of Lymington New Forest Hospital provides a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service (assessment and management) to the Hampshire PCT (SW) popul ation, following referral from Consultant, GP or Practicing Nurses following national standards. Phase 3 (supervised programme) and Phase 4 (ongoing lifestyle change management programmes) are available on an out patient basis. It delivers pulmonary rehabilitation at two sites, namely, Lymington New Forest Hospital and Hythe Hospital. This is to maximize capacity and offer a geographically more suitable location for patients. The course runs for eight weeks, on a rolling basis to improve compliance, and consists of exercises to improve limb strength and cardiovascular fitness. After a period of recovery and relaxation where refreshment is served and an education session is delivered based on the following core

Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Leadership - Assignment Example This will not only divert her focus from manager’s behavior but also help in aligning her focus towards her job thereby promising better outcomes. Secondly, as Drucker (2006) asserts, taking responsibility for communication helps in demystifying many misunderstandings or notions that both have built for each other. Patricia should try to understand what tasks and responsibilities the manager has, and how her work relates with the manager’s responsibilities. Through frequent and constructive interaction, she will be able to understand and assess the manager’s expectations. Thirdly, as a new comer, Patricia is required to learn all aspects related to the job, the organization and the business before she could start delivering the desired results. This can be achieved only through extensive communication with all relevant people, which includes her manager as well. In short, adaptation to the change, effective learning and improved communication will help Patricia to change her perception towards her manager and in improving their working

Culture and Orgnisaztion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Culture and Orgnisaztion - Essay Example Some of the excellent models that attained high sales volumes include V8 Morgan and Plus 8 models dues to their traditional craftsmanship and ability to win numerous sporting races. The company culture is appreciates innovation since Aero model ultimately evolved to a high-end luxury Aero SuperSports Morgan in order to meet the changing consumer needs of more fashionable and stylish cars. The political environment is characterised by stable governments while the economic environment is characterised by high growth in consumer incomes and increase in consumer spending (Stanford, 2013). The social environment has favorable attitudes towards luxurious cars while the technological environment is characterised by stylish automobile designs (Avolio & Gardner, 2005, p 320). However, there is stiff competition in the automobile industry and increase in the costs of raw materials. The company aspires to remain flexible and small while remaining faithful to the philosophy and original HFS†™s concept of lightweight construction. The aim of the paper is to illustrate the culture of Morgan Motor Company in the human resource department using Schein model of culture and determine how the organisation has maintained to remain consistent in its culture. The paper will also examine the application of Schein organisational culture model at Morgan Motor Company. The paper will examine the cultural artifacts and observable behaviours and determine their consistent with the current espoused values and assumptions. The country culture refers to the complex knowledge, art, beliefs, moral laws, customs and habits that define the interactions in the society. Accordingly, the country culture influences the business culture and includes the collective programming the distinguish the member of one human group from another (Hofstede, 2001). In this case, British culture can be identified by the greetings, dress code, customer tastes

Elaborate sustainable solutions on how to reduce construction waste Essay

Elaborate sustainable solutions on how to reduce construction waste during construction sites in United Arab Emirates - Essay Example and materials which are stored at the construction site are not always stored in the proper manner and as such, cause problems with regards to the performance of the workers and the use of the surrounding amenities. Most of the construction area pollution is being caused by activities such as drilling, piling, cement mixing, etc. which generate immeasurable dust stemming from the construction activities at various locations which utilize machinery in the mixing and exhausting of materials. With dust being pointed to as the major cause of air pollution, it has become quite evident that the chemicals and fuels necessary to proceed with the project need to be considered in terms of storage and use in order to lessen its harmful effects, discomfort, and air pollution at the site . Co2 emissions are normally traced back to the maachinery and stored materials. Over time these emissions affect not only the environment, but the moral of the workers whose productivity is directly tied in with their sick days. More sick days on their part often results on delayed project completion. Due to these aforementioned reasons, it is quite obvious that proper storage, organization, and regulations must be implemented at the construction sites fortheir materials, components, and machinery which can help to lower the pollution generated during the construction period. The sound pollution created by the vibration of the machinery and vehicles at the construction site due to the haphazard use of the equipment or low quality of construction materials used. The soil and heavy materials that move around at the site cause a vibration which create noise that can adversely affect the health and hearing of the workers. As such, a variety of building related illnesses can be noted during this span of time among the workers. Unfortunately, the noise cannot be avoided because of the size of the machinery used and large scale vibration that it creates. However, the noise pollution can be managed

Building Team Relationship by Communication Essay

Building Team Relationship by Communication - Essay Example The meeting was called to identify them. In the meeting the onus to find and hone up the winning debater was given to two senior students of the school. One of them was James a very aggressive and vocal student who was the leader extracurricular team of the school. The other was John known for his intelligence but agile and reserved personality. They were given the responsibility to select five students in each team to be groomed as the new winning team for the forthcoming debating competition. The committee on Extra-curricular Activities headed by the principal of the school was finally to decide two students to be sent for participating in the competition. He prepared a team of ten such students mainly from senior student group and asked them to participate in debating programs scheduled in the school for training them and asked every participant to prepare for effective presentation. He prepared a schedule for the program and informed students to participate without fail. "Students who have debating skills and killing spree through convincing arguments are invited to join the winning team for further grooming Students must be versatile, flexible knowledgeable and presentable. Early record of debating will be a plus point" James received 20 applications from all classes. Every one was encouraged to join for the grooming sessions. Grooming sessions were divided into nine debating sessions. Each session had different subjects to debate on. All participants were divided into four groups of 5 students each. Two winning participants from each group of James and John who would be sent for final presentation to the sports selection committee would be given letter of appreciation from the principal. The final two winners would get the chance to represent the school in the debating competition. The winner will get a silver trophy and reward of $10000 dollars as scholarship. Both James and John clearly spelled out the objective to their team members. "We have to groom ourselves to be the winner in the next debating competition and stand out with the winners' image the school had earned through ages" " Are you committed to this pious objective" Unanimous reply was "Yes Sir" The first grooming session started on 15th April. James was with team members sharp at 9AM in the hall. Only seven students were present. It was alarming for James. The team of seven had grueling debating on assorted subjects and no one was ready to give in. At the end the team expressed satisfaction that the super seven had the real fighting spirit. In another hall James and his team of twenty assembled to have the basic knowledge of debating. James had managed an old school alumni Anderson who had once won the Inter-school competition to groom the team members. He talked with

Discussion Forum #2 - Do Human Races Exist Assignment

Discussion Forum #2 - Do Human Races Exist - Assignment Example ans that the races can be viewed both as a biological construct that focuses on low levels of genetic diversity of humans, the clinical distribution of human characteristics, the non-concordance of human traits as well as the greater polymorphic as opposed to polytypic variants. In the case of cultural construct, it is arguable that the concept of race simply exists in the minds of different people. The anthropologists, therefore, believe that race cannot be solely explained through biology but by the understanding of the how individuals use the external attributes of humans to link them to different genetic traits that classify humans. This explains that it is extremely practical to understand the concept of race by assessing how humans create different groups in the society and how they strive to identify with these groups. Racial identification is evident in the different group interactions (Audio lecture 2015). It is, therefore, worth to conclude that an understanding of relations of different people in relation to culture as well as understanding of their physical characteristics is extremely vital and useful in the study pf races as compared to applying biological concepts. For instance, race is non-concordant since it is not correlated to bodily attributes such as skin color, weight or height. Race is also clinally invariant since we cannot trace its onset or its

The First Islamic State under Muhammad (622 - 632) Research Paper

The First Islamic State under Muhammad (622 - 632) - Research Paper Example The first Islamic state has thus been established by Prophet Muhammad based on the Holy Quran and the revelation he got from Almighty God, Allah. This piece of research paper presents a brief note on first Islamic State and described its salient features in comparison to other states and legal systems prevailing in today’s modern world. First Islamic State When prophet Muhammad and his companions faced increased opposition and emigrated to Medina, a small group of early converts to Islam in Medina provided accommodation and welcomed the religious, social and cultural changes perfectly. This is how Islamic State came in to existence (Temperman, p. 19). Islamic state represents a typical government system in which the basic ruling and jurisprudence for all the legal and other matters are Holy Quran, Prophet’s Sunnah (His wordings and activities) and scholars opinions based on the above two. When Prophet Muhammad arrived to Medina, the political, social and cultural enviro nments that had long been considered to be superior were swiftly getting altered. The rules and regulations that most Islamic nations even until today strictly adhere to, the legal notions that many of Muslim lawyers often refer to and the very underpinning business concepts that hundreds of Islamic banks and financing institutions research and develop to improve economies are certainly parts of the religious, political and economic concepts established by Prophet Muhammad. Prophet has emigrated to Medina in 622 and he started his mission and preaching in order to help his companions structure new-life systems according to the new Islamic State. The first Islamic State, constituted by Prophet Muhammad, has put forth a written contract between the state and its members, to show rights, duties and responsibilities between them. This document has been renowned as Al-Watiqua. Al-Watiqua As Berween (2003, p. 103) stated, Al Watiqua is a document that put forward a social contract between all members of the community in Medina between 622 to 632, during the time of Prophet’s mission in Medina. It was the first ‘Human Right Document’ in the history and is the first state constitution written by Prophet Muhammad and by the all representatives different tribes and clans in the region as part of his mission of establishing the first Islamic state. Al-Watiqua was merely a legal document that governed relation between three major political groups in medina that time, namely Al Muhajireen (who are the migrated companions from Mecca), Al-Answar (The residents in medina who believed Islam and helped people from mecca) and Jews and non-Muslims who also were residents of Medina that time. Al-Watiqua document was meant to clear duties, rights and responsibilities of each clan and tribe in Medina as each tribe had its own values, customs, cultural activities and commitments. The major contents of Al-Watiqua document were sovereignty, Unity and Independence. T wo main clauses contained in the document were: 1-It’s a document from Muhammad, to govern the relation between the believers and Muslims of people coming from Mecca and people who were residing in Medina, and those who followed them, 2- They are one community. These two clauses comprise of three basic policies, namely sovereignty, Unit

Mythical Object Outline Essay Example for Free

Mythical Object Outline Essay Blood is the one thing in all human beings that symbolizes life itself and although the history of vampirism is not conclusive, there are many images in history that reflect the fear of blood-sucking agents. At a stage in history, vampirism may have been a deeply feared faculty from beyond the grave, but today it is embraced in some cultures in terms of the Goth culture which is an historically inaccurate description of a culture that had existed long before modern memory. We explore these beliefs in an attempt to ascertain where the myth of the vampire began and how it is viewed in modern terms with the knowledge we now have about spirituality and physiology. We also explore the myth in modern media culture with reference to popular film and literature and explore modern beliefs about this ancient entity. 2. The Origins of Vampirism. One belief about the origins of vampirism stems from the oldest cultures in the world, that of Persian and Aramaic world. The Persian history has only a vase unearthed revealing a blood-sucking creature struggling with a man while the Hebrew belief is one of a woman named Lillith who sucked the blood from infants (VAU, date unknown). This had been a Babylonian myth believing that she had been the wife of Adam who had left him due to unfulfilled sexual appetites (VAU, date unknown ). If the films such as Blade and Interview with a Vampire are taken into account, we see that sexuality and the myth of vampirism are entwined deeply, making it all the more sensational. With numerous historical artifacts leaning towards vampirism, tow are extremely interesting but only one is founded on actual evidence. They are Lilith and the Elizabeth Bathory. The Rabbinical myth of Lilith is complicated but loosely translates to the opposition of good, which is naturally evil. She is believed to be the ‘other’ half of Adam, the very root of creation of humanity itself (Smith, date unknown). Some even believe her to symbolize Babylon in its entirety but either way she is interwoven with infancy and child-bearing, hence the belief that she fed off the blood of children. Furthermore, Lilith or Lilit as Adam’s shadow bears his children as demons and evil spirits while Eve produces children that are good in the eyes of God. She is not impregnated by normal means but by unclean thoughts of men (Ibid). We see a number of reasons for this, including that since her children are not born of flesh and blood, the need to for blood would make it necessary for them to feed off of it. Elizabeth Bathory or Erzsebet was known as the ‘Blood Countess’ and her story comes much later in history than Lilith probably around (1560-1614) (Monstrous, 2008). She was of a wealthy family, owning vat expanses of land and she was inextricably related to the famous Vlad Dracula of Transylvania who later became the subject of vampirism himself, but it was Elizabeth who truly exemplified the legend (Ibid). Extraordinarily beautiful and known for her complexion, it was this beauty that led to the blood-lusty narcissism. She was sadistic and also had lesbian tendencies (Ibid). known to have murdered and tortured anyone from peasant girls to nobility, and it was believed that upon seeing the effect of blood on her skin, the Baroness began to bath in the blood of her victims (BBC, 2001). This is not proved, but her innumerable crimes against humanity are well documented. She is known to have tortured her young victims to the point where pools of blood were gathered on the floor (Ibid). She may well have used this blood to bath it but it is known that she bit some of her victims when too ill to torture them herself (Ibid. ). 3. Vampires Examined in Today’s Society The two stories above are disturbing in the extreme, but modern explanations may pass off vampirism as a form of chemical imbalance or psychosis and not being more than psychopathic behavior rather than lending to the perception that vampirism is supernatural. In more modern terms the idea of vampirism was explained in terms of the dead returning to seek revenge for injustices (Richardson, 2008). It was also likened to rabies which causes excessive thirst, but one noblewoman of Austria Empress Marie Theresa forbade the opening of graves or the desecration of bodies and the attacks in that area appeared to cease (Ibid. ). We do know a lot more about human functioning today and we know that to human beings blood is indigestible, causing toxicity inside the body. This would mean that no normal human would be able to survive the drinking of blood for any length of time. We know that blood ‘rusts’ or oxidizes within the body making it useless to the body if consumed in raw form. Porphyria, a rare blood disorder was put forward as a possible reason for vampirism, and that is could be treated with blood in order to alleviate symptoms (Wikpedia, 2008). 4. Vampire Domestication Modern films make it seem possible that the diseased person can be treated and therefore rehabilitated into society. Blade and Underworld see outright war between ‘good’ vampires and ‘bad’ vampires and Interview with a Vampire inspires the belief that vampires are trapped within their fate of living forever on blood but that they only really seek to be normal. A ‘domesticated’ vampire would indeed be one that can function normally in society under the influence of special (fictional) drugs that suppress the blood-craving in the same way nicotine patches suppress cigarette cravings. Innana Arthen explains the difference between blood-sucking and true vampirism. Vampirism according to Arthen is a person is extraordinarily endowed by the planet’s cosmic resources and it is their bio-rhythms that cause them to function better at night (Arthen, 2008). Rehabilitating or taming the ‘true’ vampire is not only unnecessary but also irrational in terms that they are not psychotic serial killers who torture animals and humans for stimulation. 5. Fictional Stories We all grew up with Count Dracula and Frankenstein as classical stories. We also studied the Portrait of Dorian Gray and Wuthering Heights as so-called Gothic horrors, but what influence if any have they had on the way we view myths such as vampirism? Previously it was believed that vampires simply bit and sucked the blood from victims. Now it known that if indeed vampires exist, then they are people with heightened psychic senses, are highly photosensitive and have a greater need for blood than others. We also believe that vampires are immortal, but again, if they exist this would simply mean a longer lifespan but not immortality (AngelFire, 2008). Films such as Blade and Near Dark purport that vampires can be treated with some form of ‘serum’ to reduce blood-lust. Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula was based on the relative of the formerly discussed Elizabeth Bathory, and the man in question was known for severe cruelty and torturous actions but not for drinking blood itself. 6. Traditional and Modern Vampires Modern vampires are almost culturally defined. They are often perceived as being Satanic or evil and in terms of the modern Goth culture, they are almost counter-cultural. They openly flout the norms of society, attempting to be everything that society tells us is bad and unhealthy. Religious Tolerance websites explain that due to their black clothing, obsession with bondage and strange make-up allow them to be seen as violence and death-obsessed but this is untrue (Robinson, 2007). In most cases their appearance belies a devout religious belief, Christian or otherwise and express a profound interest Medieval history which would include the Germanic Gothic era from which many of the most beautiful Cathedrals in history (Ibid). Contrary to the popular belief that they try to be vampires, it is not necessarily part of the equation (Ibid). In other words, being Goth does not mean they are part of any particular sect or group, they merely express themselves differently. 7. Vampires and Family The Interview with a Vampire showed a ‘family’ life not dissimilar to our own. The definition of family in these terms was a convergence of people with common needs and common problems. All three of the ‘family’ members were vampires by default or by fate and having no other group into which they fitted, came together to support and understand one another. They were simply a group of outsiders that formed their own little family. The film itself also relates to the above section on Goth’s where they come together out of common beliefs and situations. When we are children we are inducted into a common vein of thought, we give them ideals, norms and values that are the same as the group into which we are born. For instance, if you are born in Spain, you grow up with bull-fighting and annual bull-runs, however if you are born in Sweden this practice may seem abominable. Family is not only something we are paternally or maternally related to, but a common thought particularly surrounding differences that the outside world does not understand. 8. Conclusion Vampirism is shrouded in misconception, misunderstanding and fear, and all this when the world is not even certain that they exist. Modern films have created somewhat of an enigma surrounding out ‘bloodsucking’ kin, but the fact is that evil people such as Elizabeth Bathory and Count Vlad Dracula exist among us not necessarily making them super-human or abnormal beyond mere psychosis (BBC, 2001). There are evidently people who believe themselves to be vampires, but they don’t run around biting other people; there are people with rare blood-disorders causing them to behave in strange or violent ways but they too are not vampires. Humans have this innate and complicated relationship with fear, both hating it and needing it. This is why we create these unknown creatures and terrifying realities, to feed our imagination and sometimes†¦to alleviate boredom. References Angel Fire. (2008). FAQs About Real Vampires. Retrieved June 27, 2008, from http://www.angelfire.com/biz4/vampyreresearch/faq.html Arthen, Inanna. (2008). Real Vampires. Retrieved 8 July 2008. http://www.earthspirit.com/fireheart/fhvampire.html

Sense Of Horror In Monkeys Paw English Literature Essay

Sense Of Horror In Monkeys Paw English Literature Essay Jacobs creates a sense of horror in The Monkeys Paw by using a variety of literary techniques. As The Monkeys Paw was written in 1902, Jacobs makes the story scary in ways that are very different to modern horror films and books. We can tell that the story was written in the early twentieth century as it contains many details that would have been common in Victorian literature. One of the most obvious features from The Monkeys Paw that tells us that the story was written over a century ago, is the old-fashioned language that Jacobs uses. The language used throughout the story contains words such as rubicund and visage, which are not words that are commonly used today. Also, the fact that  £200 was considered to be a lot of money shows that the story was from a long time ago as  £200 is not seen as a large amount of money in the modern world. Other aspects of the story also show that The Monkeys Paw was written in the Victorian time period the fact that India was seen as a new, e xotic and unexplored country tells us that the story must have been written in a time when transport wasnt as easily available as it is today. In the story, when the Sergeant-Major tells the Whites about his exploration, they seem almost in awe of him as he is seen to be the bravest and most adventurous person that they have ever met because of his journey to India. The fact that Jacobs used a Sergeant-Major character is also another typical feature of Victorian literature. Finally, the household objects that the Whites use in The Monkeys Paw show that the story was not set in modern times. For example, the Whites use candles for light and heat their kettle on a fire as there was no electricity in Victorian times. As The Monkeys Paw was written over a century ago, Jacobs doesnt use explicit gory details to create horror like modern scary films and books. Instead, he uses subtle hints in most aspects of the story to build up an element of terror and one of these aspects is the way that Jacobs uses setting. The main way in which Jacobs uses setting to increase the tension in The Monkeys Paw, is the way that he creates contrast between the wild outside weather and the cosy atmosphere inside the Whites home. At the beginning of the story, Jacobs describes the night as cold and wet, whereas Jacobs describes the Whites home by writing the fire burned brightly. This contrast makes the reader associate the outside with dark, cold and bad while associating the inside with light, warm and good. There is one thing that is keeping the White family safe from the badness of the outside, and that is the blinds. The blinds are drawn in part 1 of The Monkeys Paw when the Whites are a cosy, normal family protec ted from grief and terror. However, in part 3 of the story when Mrs White is looking for Herbert to come back from the dead, Jacobs writes the old woman, with burning eyes, walked to the window and raised the blind. I think that the blind is a symbol for a barrier that protects the Whites from the danger of the outside and when Mrs White raises the blind to look for her son she lets some of that danger into her home. Also, the visitors bring some of the danger and badness from the outside into the Whites home when they visit. For example, when the Sergeant-Major visits, he brings the monkeys paw which changes the Whites lives forever and when the worker at Maw and Meggins visits, he brings the news of Herberts death. It is clear that throughout the story, Jacobs corresponds the outside atmosphere to the mood of the characters. For example, in part 3 of the story, the house is steeped in shadow and silence which is much like the couple, as there is no longer any banter or chatter bet ween them after Herberts death. For this reason, the reader is lulled into a false sense of security when they read about the wintry sun and prosaic wholesomeness at the beginning of part 2. The reader thinks that this sunny weather and ordinary atmosphere will correspond to the characters moods. However, a little later on, the Whites discover about Herberts death; this leaves the reader feeling shocked as they would have been expecting the Whites to have a normal day, when instead the Whites receive horrific news of their son passing away. Finally, we know that the house is very isolated as Mr White says at the beginning of the story thats the worst of living so far out. This adds to the suspense in part 3 of the story as we know that the Whites are alone and there is no one that can help them. Another way in which Jacobs creates horror is through his use of characterisation. Firstly, we get to see the happiness of the White family right from the beginning of the story. There are many examples of their close-knit, normal family life throughout part 1 of The Monkeys Paw such as Mr White and Herbert playing a family game of chess at the beginning of the story. The Whites are generally presented as pleasant and ordinary people. Therefore, when their first wish upon the monkeys paw comes true but at the price of their sons life, we are even more shocked at their misfortune as they seem to be just a normal family and not foolish people who have no common sense. The fact that Mr and Mrs White are elderly also adds to the sense of danger in the story as they are seen to be more vulnerable than younger people may be. In part 3 of the story, Jacobs uses contrast in the characters moods for a dramatic effect. At the beginning of the story, the couple are chatty and make jokes with ea ch other which makes a light family atmosphere. However, in part 3 of The Monkeys Paw, Mr and Mrs White have radically changed into uncommunicative couple who hardly exchange a word as they have nothing to talk about after their sons death. This huge contrast makes the reader realise the enormity of the effect that Herberts death has had on Mr and Mrs White. This effect is also portrayed through Mrs Whites newly irrational behaviour throughout part 3. She is constantly having mixed emotions she laughed and cried together which show that she is not in control of her feelings and she has wild ideas about bringing her son back from the dead. Finally, another way in which Jacobs creates drama through his use of characters is by showing that the Sergeant-Major is unwilling to talk about the paw. The Sergeant-Major is described as doughty which makes us think that that he is very brave, so his reluctance to talk about the paw shows us that if even an extremely courageous soldier is too scared to talk about the paw, then it must be an incredibly strange and frightening object that shouldnt be messed with. Jacobs also creates a sense of tension in The Monkeys Paw by building up the suspense throughout the different parts of the story. The structure of The Monkeys Paw is like many pieces of Victorian literature; it is separated into three short chapters. In part 1, we get to see how close the White family are, the monkeys paw is first introduced and the first wish is made. At this point in the story, we dont know the power of the paw so we arent as frightened as we are later on in the story. However, the Sergeant-Majors reluctance to talk about the paw leaves us with questions. We wonder if wishes on the paw do come true, why the Sergeant-Major is wary of the paw and we also wonder what wishes the Whites will make. These questions make us want continue reading the story to discover what happens. Part 2 of the story begins on a seemingly ordinary day there was an air of prosaic wholesomeness. This lulls the reader into a false sense of security because they think that they were foolish for having fears of the monkeys paw as it seems to be such an ordinary day. The tension then starts to build when Mrs White spots the suspicious and mysterious man from Maw and Meggins outside of the house. Then, when Herberts death is revealed, the reader is even more shocked because of the huge contrast to the seemingly normal start of the day. The news of Herberts death also leaves the reader with even more questions. We ask ourselves whether wishes on the monkeys paw do actually come true or if the compensation of  £200 was just a freakish coincidence. This, again, makes us want to read further into the story to find out the answer to our questions. The description at the beginning of part 3 sets the scene for the rest of the story; it is night time and Mrs White is weeping. We associate these details with badness and we therefore are expecting for something scary to happen in the next part of the story. From the moment that Mr White makes the second wish, the tension is built up throughout the rest of part 3 by the increasing speed of the knocks and Mrs Whites attempt to open the door. The suspense is only relieved right at the end of the story when Mr White makes the third wish. This way, the reader feels scared for the longest time possible which creates the greatest sense of fear. Another way that Jacobs creates a sense of horror in the story is by withholding the full information from the reader to create a sense of mystery. For example, the reader does not know if the  £200 compensation for Herberts death is related to the paw or whether it is just a coincidence. We never find this out, even at the end of the story, and so there creates an element of mystery about the whole story. We are also left wondering about other questions at the end of The Monkeys Paw, such as whether wishes on the monkeys paw actually do come true and whether Herbert did actually come back from the dead. These questions make us discuss and think about the story even after we have finished reading it, and this is a sign of a successful story. Also, Jacobs withholds information in another aspect of the story when he doesnt tell us what Herberts mangled body looks like. Jacobs writes that Mr White says I could only recognise him by his clothing when describing Herberts body. This is v ery powerful as it makes us imagine Herberts body being far more contorted and gory than Jacobs could possibly describe with words. Also, in part 3 of The Monkeys Paw, Jacobs doesnt give us any information about Herbert. Instead of writing something like Herbert the zombie approached the house, Jacobs is much cleverer in his use of language to build up the tension. He does not mention Herbert once; instead he increases the suspense by describing the fusillade of knocks on the door. This way, Jacobs keeps the mystery of the monkeys paw in tact as he does not state that the knocks are definitely coming from Herbert, for all we know, the knocking could just be a figment of the couples imagination. Finally, senses are another thing that Jacobs removes from the characters to increase the tension in the story. Depriving the characters of some of their senses in parts of the story increases the tension as the characters are having something that is vital to them removed; this increases the ir level of fear. For example, in part 3 when Mr White goes downstairs, it is very dark so he is deprived of his sight. He has to use touch and sound as his main senses to be able to get around. Jacobs writes that Mr White felt his way to the parlour before he lost the direction of the door. By removing one of his senses, he loses the direction of where he is going which shows just how fundamental senses are and what effect being deprived of them can have. Jacobs goes on to prove that that Mr White is scared at losing his direction by saying his brow cold with sweat. When Mr White is scared in this part of the story, we empathise with him which makes us feel frightened too. A reason why we empathise with the characters is the way that Jacobs uses of language. The Whites dialogue is very realistic and believable it makes the Whites seem like real people which makes the reader feel sympathetic towards them. Also, the Whites just seem like an ordinary family as they make jokes with each other and at the start of the story they are playing chess and knitting by the fire. They do not seem like greedy or foolish people so we empathise with them at their misfortune of having their wish come true but at the cost of their sons life. Another one of the main language tools that Jacobs uses in The Monkeys Paw is irony. Jacobs creates irony throughout the story which makes the eventual horror even more shocking. For example, in part 2 of the story, Mr and Mrs White seem happily contented with their lives as they are making jokes and seem to be a close couple. Then when they receive the news of Herberts death, the reader is taken aback at this news as the couple see med to have a perfectly good, normal life before Herberts death. Other examples of irony in the story are the way that Herbert says goodbye when he is going to work and the way that Mrs White makes comments about waiting for Herbert to come home. Herbert says before I come back and Mrs White says when he comes home which are both referring to Herberts return. This is ironic as they do not know that Herbert will not be returning. Another language technique that Jacobs uses to create horror is sentence structure. For example, when Jacobs is describing the Whites at the start of the story, he uses long sentences like Father and son were at chess, the former, who possessed the idea about the game involving radical changes, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire that go into a lot of detail to describe what is happening. However, when the story becomes more tense, Jacobs uses short sentences to show the change in pace of the story and to build up a sense of panic. For example, in part 3 when the couple hear the first knock, the suspense increases dramatically and Jacobs shows this by using a series of short, simple sentences such as A third knock sounded through the house. The final way that Jacobs uses language to create horror in The Monkeys Paw is simply through the choice of the words that he uses. The way that he describes things creates powerful, scary imagery. Jacobs can make even the most ordinary household objects seem terrifying. For example, when describing a candlestick he writes [the candle-end] was throwing pulsating shadows on the ceiling and walls, until, with a flicker larger than the rest, it expired. This description gives the most powerful sense of imagery as Jacobs makes the candle seem alive by saying that it has a pulse. The use of the word pulsating also makes the reader think of the Whites as they are very tense at this point of the s tory and their pulse rate is probably very high due to their nervous anticipation of seeing whether their wish has come true. I think that WW Jacobs is a very powerful and intelligent writer who has cleverly used every possible feature in the story of The Monkeys Paw to create a sense of horror. The literary techniques that he uses are very typical to those of most short stories written in Victorian times. Personally, I think that these techniques, such as the mystery of the unknown, are a great deal scarier and build up a much better sense of tension than present day horror stories. Modern horror films and books mainly use gore, wounds and blood to create the element of disgust that generates the most profit. However, I think that Jacobs cleverly uses subtle details and suggestion in The Monkeys Paw to develop a sense of throughout the story, and this is what creates a classic horror story that really plays with the readers mind.

Consumer Buying Behaviour: Chocolate

Consumer Buying Behaviour: Chocolate The project being a part of TY.B.B.A curriculum had to be carried out to obtain an outline of Business Research Methods (BRM) by conducting research based project in the organization. The research was conducted onconsumer buying behaviour while purchasing chocolate. Questionnaires were filled by the cusumers at the at the different places. Marketer. Consumer decides what to purchase, for whom to purchase, why to purchase, from where to purchase, and how much to purchase. In order to become a successful marketer, he must know the liking or disliking of the customers. He must also know the time and the quantity of goods and services, a consumer may purchase, so that he may store the goods or provide the services according to the likings of the consumers. Gone are the days when the concept of market was let the buyers beware or when the market was mainly the sellers market. Now the whole concept of consumers sovereignty prevails. The manufacturers produce and the sellers sell whatever the consumer likes. In this sense, consumer is the supreme in the market. As consumers, we play a very vital role in the health of the economy local, national or international. The decision we make concerning our consumption behavior affect the demand for the basic raw materials, for the transportation, for the banking, for the production; they effect the employment of workers and deployment of resources and success of some industries and failures of others. Thus marketer must understand this. Preference (or taste) is a concept, used in the social sciences, particularly economics. It assumes a real or imagined choice between alternatives and the possibility of rank ordering of these alternatives, based on happiness, satisfaction, gratification, enjoyment, utility they provide. More generally, it can be seen as a source of motivation. In cognitive sciences, individual preferences enable choice of objectives/goals. The study of the consumer preference not only focuses on how and why consumers make buying decision, but also focuses on how and why consumers make choice of the goods they buy and their evaluation of these goods after use. So for success of any company or product promotion it is very necessary to depart its concentration towards consumer preference. SCOPE OF THE STUDY As learning is a human activity and is as natural, as breathing. Despite of the fact that learning is all pervasive in our lives, psychologists do not agree on how learning takes place. How individuals learn is a matter of interest to marketers. They want to teach consumers in their roles as their roles as consumers. They want consumers to learn about their products, product attributes, potential consumers benefit, how to use, maintain or even dispose of the product and new ways of behaving that will satisfy not only the consumers needs, but the marketers objectives. The scope of my study restricts itself to the analysis of consumer preferences, perception and consumption of Cadbury and Nestle Chocolates. There are many other brands of chocolates available but my study is limited to two major players of chocolates leaving behind the others. The scope of my study is also restricts itself to Ambala region only. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The other objective is to know about the customer satisfaction level associated with the product and the customer preference level. To increase customer satisfaction and recapture the market share by fulfilling the customer needs. To study the factors affecting the consumption pattern. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY In attempt to make this project valid and reliable, every possible aspect of the topic Is kept in mind. Nevertheless, despite of fact constraints were at play during the Formulation of this project. The main limitations are as follows: Different people from different places were selected for the study. The sample size of surveyed was 300. The main source of data for the study was primary data with the help of questionnaires. People were cautious to disclose the true facts. COMPANY OVERVIEW OF CADBURY Cadbury India is a fully owned subsidy of Kraft Foods Inc. The combination of Kraft Foods and Cadbury creates a global powerhouse in snacks, confectionery and quick meals. With annual revenues of approximately $50 billion, the combined company is the worlds second largest food company, making delicious products for billions of consumers in more than 160 countries. We employ approximately 140,000 people and have operations in more than 70 countries. Modern Cadbury Factory In India, Cadbury began its operations in 1948 by importing chocolates. After 60 years of existence, it today has five company-owned manufacturing facilities at Thane, Induri (Pune) and Malanpur (Gwalior), Bangalore and Baddi (Himachal Pradesh) and 4 sales offices (New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkota and Chennai). The corporate office is in Mumbai. Our core purpose make today delicious captures the spirit of what we are trying to achieve as a business. We make delicious foods you can feel good about. Whether watching your weight or preparing to celebrate, grabbing a quick bite or sitting down to family night, we pour our hearts into creating foods that are wholesome and delicious. Currently, Cadbury India operates in four categories viz. Chocolate Confectionery, Milk Food Drinks, Candy and Gum category. In the Chocolate Confectionery business, Cadbury has maintained its undisputed leadership over the years. Some of the key brands in India are Cadbury Dairy Milk, 5 Star, Perk, Éclairs and Celebrations. Cadbury enjoys a value market share of over 70% the highest Cadbury brand share in the world! Our billion-dollar brand Cadbury Dairy Milk is considered the gold standard for chocolates in India. The pure taste of CDM defines the chocolate taste for the Indian consumer. In the Milk Food drinks segment our main product is Bournvita the leading Malted Food Drink (MFD) in the country. Similarly in the medicated candy category Halls is the undisputed leader. We recently entered the gums category with the launch of our worldwide dominant bubble gum brand Bubbaloo. Bubbaloo is sold in 25 countries worldwide. Since 1965 Cadbury has also pioneered the development of cocoa cultivation in India. For over two decades, we have worked with the Kerala Agriculture University to undertake cocoa research and released clones, hybrids that improve the cocoa yield. Our Cocoa team visits farmers and advise them on the cultivation aspects from planting to harvesting. We also conduct farmers meetings seminars to educate them on Cocoa cultivation aspects. Our efforts have increased cocoa productivity and touched the lives of thousands of farmers. Hardly surprising then that the Cocoa tree is called the Cadbury tree! Today, as a combined company with an unmatched portfolio in confectionery, snacking and quick meals, we are poised in our leap towards quantum growth. We are the worlds No.1 Confectionery Company. And we will continue to make today delicious! CADBURY CELABERATION Cadbury Celebrations was aimed at replacing traditional gifting options like Mithai and dry- fruits during festive seasons. Cadbury Celebrations is available in several assortments: An assortment of chocolates like 5 Star, Perk, Gems, Dairy Milk and Nutties and rich dry fruits enrobed in Cadbury dairy milk chocolate in 5 variants, Almond magic, raisin magic, cashew magic, nut butterscotch and caramels. The super premium Celebrations Rich Dry Fruit Collection which is a festive offering is an exotic range of chocolate covered dry fruits and nuts in various flavours and the premium dark chocolate range which is exotic dark chocolate in luscious flavours. Cadbury Celebrations has become a popular brand on occasions such as Diwali, Rakhi, Dussera puja. It is also a major success as a corporate gifting brand. The communication is based on the emotional route and the tag line says rishte pakne do which fits with the brand purpose of strengthening your relationships with something sweet. 5 STAR Chocolate lovers for a quarter of a century have indulged their taste buds with a Cadbury 5 Star. A leading knight in the Cadbury portfolio and the second largest after Cadbury Dairy Milk with a market share of 14%, Cadbury 5 Star moves from strength to strength every year by increasing its user base. Launched in 1969 as a bar of chocolate that was hard outside with soft caramel nougat inside, Cadbury 5 Star has re-invented itself over the years to keep satisfying the consumers taste for a high quality different chocolate eating experience. One of the key properties that Cadbury 5 Star was associated with was its classic Gold colour. And through the passage of time, this was one property that both, the brand and the consumer stuck to as a valuable association. Cadbury 5 Star was always unique because of its format and any communication highlighting this uniqueness, went down well with the audiences. From deliciously rich, youd hate to share it in the 70s, to the lingering taste of togetherness Soft and Chewy 5 Star in the late 80s, the communication always paid homage to the product format. More recently, to give consumers another reason to come into the Cadbury 5 Star fold, Cadbury 5 Star Crunchy was launched. The same delicious Cadbury 5 Star was now available with a dash of rice crispies. Cadbury 5 Star Cadbury 5 Star Crunchy now aim to continue the upward trend. This different and delightfully tasty chocolate is well poised to rule the market as an extremely successful brand. DAIRY MILK The story of Cadbury Dairy Milk started way back in 1905 at Bournville, U.K., but the journey with chocolate lovers in India began in 1948. The pure taste of Cadbury Dairy Milk is the taste most Indians crave for when they think of Cadbury Dairy Milk. The variants Fruit Nut, Crackle and Roast Almond, combine the classic taste of Cadbury Dairy Milk with a variety of ingredients and are very popular amongst teens adults. Recently, Cadbury Dairy Milk Desserts was launched, specifically to cater to the urge for something sweet after meals. Cadbury Dairy Milk has exciting products on offer Cadbury Dairy Milk Wowie, chocolate with Disney characters embossed in it, and Cadbury Dairy Milk 2 in 1, a delightful combination of milk chocolate and white chocolate. Giving consumers an exciting reason to keep coming back into the fun filled world of Cadbury. Cadbury Dairy Milk has been the market leader in the chocolate category for years. And has participated and been a part of every Indians moments of happiness, joy and celebration. Today, Cadbury Dairy Milk alone holds 30% value share of the Indian chocolate market. In the early 90s, chocolates were seen as meant for kids, usually a reward or a bribe for children. In the Mid 90s the category was re-defined by the very popular `Real Taste of Life campaign, shifting the focus from `just for kids to the `kid in all of us. It appealed to the child in every adult. And Cadbury Dairy Milk became the perfect expression of spontaneity and shared good feelings. The Real Taste of Life campaign had many memorable executions, which people still fondly remember. However, the one with the girl dancing on the cricket field has remained etched in everyones memory, as the most spontaneous un-inhibited expression of happiness. This campaign went on to be awarded The Campaign of the Century, in India at the Abby (Ad Club, Mumbai) awards. In the late 90s, to further expand the category, the focus shifted towards widening chocolate consumption amongst the masses, through the Khanewalon Ko Khane Ka Bahana Chahiye campaign. This campaign built social acceptance for chocolate consumption amongst adults, by showcasing collective and shared moments. More recently, the Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye campaign associated Cadbury Dairy Milk with celebratory occasions and the phrase Pappu Pass Ho Gaya became part of street language. It has been adopted by consumers and today is used extensively to express joy in a moment of achievement / success. The interactive campaign for Pappu Pass Ho Gaya bagged a Bronze Lion at the prestigious Cannes Advertising Festival 2006 for Best use of internet and new media. The idea involved a tie-up with Reliance India Mobile service and allowed students to check their exam results using their mobile service and encouraged those who passed their examinations to celebrate with Cadbury Dairy Milk. Cement Industry: Environmental Changes Cement Industry: Environmental Changes Cement Industry Summary This report details the way in which the cement industry currently produces cement and outlines the reasons why it needs to be changed in order for it to have a lower less damaging effect on the environment as possible. This can be achieved by implementing new procedures in the process of manufacturing cement and also by using different materials in this process, all of these ideas and more are currently being implemented or are being developed for implementation in the near future by the cement industry and associated partners. Terms of reference This report is on an area of the UK construction industry that has a negative impact on the environment. This report was undertaken and focuses on the environmental impact that the production process of cement has on the environment in the UK and how the process in manufacturing cement is changing/developing for the future. The report show’s how the process of cement production was under taken and what steps have or are waiting to be implemented in the production of cement that will be less damaging to the UK environment. This report was created in November of 2007 for Phil Harris, lecturer at Wolverhampton University for Environmental Science in construction. What is Cement? Cement is the second most consumed substance in the world, and is second only to water consumption. A brief history of Portland cement sees that it was invented and produced in the UK in 1824 by an English bricklayer named Joseph Aspdin. He found that by Burning limestone and clay together at incredible heat (approx than 2700 degrees Fahrenheit) it made the two minerals fuse together. Once this newly created material was cool enough it was then ground down into a fine ash, this newly created substance could then be mixed with water and the resulting substance that when allowed to set, would be as hard as the Portland stone that gave it its name. This article appeared in the Guardian on Thursday May 11 2006 on p1 of the technology section. What do we use Cement for? Cement is one of the single most important materials relied upon in the world, without cement we would not be able to build houses, roads, bridges and other public structures that cement products help to build. We need cement to produce concrete; concrete is basically a mixture of two components: aggregates and paste. The paste is usually composed of Portland cement and water, and when mixed together it binds the fine and coarse aggregates together. A typical mix is about 10 to 15% cement, 60 to 75% sand/aggregate, 10 to 20% water and 5 to 8% air. The production process of cement. The manufacturing of cement is still one of the most energy consuming processes that is under taken in the world today. But a lot of development has and still is taking place within the cement manufacturing industry with a view to meeting the government targets of reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced per tonne of cement manufactured. â€Å"Cement is said to be one of the most environmentally hazardous materials in the world, adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than the entire weight of the global airline industry† – quote from the Guardian Newspaper. Most of the stages in the manufacturing of cement have a negative impact on the environment, and this report highlights those direct and indirect effects, and how the future of cement manufacturing will continue to implement new methods of manufacturing to reduce the negative effects on the environment. The first stage in manufacturing cement is to obtain the raw materials from a quarry; the raw materials are then crushed usually 2 or 3 times to approx 3† or less and then fed into a kiln in a dry state. The raw materials are then heated up to approx 2700 degrees F in large steel rotary cylinder, which is lined with a special heat resistant brick. Kilns are usually at least 12 feet in diameter and mounted on a slight incline. The finely ground raw material is then fed into the higher end of the kiln and at the lower end you have a roaring flame being applied and controlled very precisely, usually produced by coal, oil or gas with a controlled amount of forced draft. As the process flow continues through the kiln gas elements are burned off and the remaining elements form a new substance called a â€Å"clinker† these are in the form of small marble type shapes. Clinkers are discharged from the lower end of the kiln and brought down to a manageable temperature by means of various types of coolers. The coolers do however at this stage help towards reducing Co2 emissions by saving fuel by returning the hot air emitted from the cooling clinkers back into the cylindrical kiln as part of the controlled air used to sustain the flame used. Co2 emissions and cement production What is Co2? â€Å"Carbon dioxide is a colourless gas that makes up a minor part of the earth’s atmosphere – approximately three parts in 10,000. It is formed in the decay of materials, the respiration of plant and animal life, and the natural and human-induced combustion of carbon-based materials and fuels.† Quote from Ecosmartconcrete.com What is the role of Co2 in the Earth’s atmosphere? Carbon dioxide is one of a number of naturally occurring greenhouse gases (others include water vapour, methane, and nitrous oxide) that keep the Earth warm enough to support life. These gas molecules absorb much of the sun’s energy that is re-radiated by the Earth’s surface, and reflect this energy back to the Earth as heat. The gas molecules function like an insulating blanket, or like glass panes of a greenhouse, transmitting sunlight but holding in heat – hence the term â€Å"greenhouse gases.† Quote from Ecosmartconcrete.com The link between cement production and Co2 production is quite apparent as studies have been carried out by scientists who have concluded that there are a variety of human activities that are producing greenhouse gases such as Co2. One such activity is the production of cement which is one of the main contributors to the greenhouse effect due to the high amount of Co2 being produced during manufacturing. The traditional Portland cement based concrete is the UK’s backbone of the built environment and production of this cement is needed to keep up with the rapid population growth which in turn then lead’s to an increase in production of cement. This is due partly to an increase in the housing requirements of the public and associated buildings that are required by the general public to sustain a comfortable life style. Conclusion What is required within the cement manufacturing industry are some lower energy consuming cements that give of less carbon emissions during manufacturing to be developed and take over where the traditional cements left off. If this cannot be done then the negative effects that are currently damaging the environment will only continue to develop and have greater detrimental effect on the planet. There are a number of developing technologies coming through at the moment and these are produced using various different materials for use in the building industry. One of these new product’s is called Ceramicrete which is a lighter foam-based concrete which according to there makers is twice as strong as the concrete’s we currently use so builders use less of it hence the better it is for the environment! The only negatives known about this new product is that it is more expensive than traditional concrete and it needs to be subjected to further testing to establish it’s long-term structural suitability and environmental performance before it can be promoted on a wider scale. There are a number of other cements currently in production that are also worth exploring as they are less energy dependant during manufacturing and emit less carbon dioxide than traditional Portland cement these are†¦ Magnesium oxide-based cements CSA-belite cements Eco-cements based on municipal solid waste incinerator ash. Magnesium oxide-based cements Magnesium oxide based cements are quite a recent development in such that they haven’t been mass produced and have only had small commercial quantities made to produce non structural products such as concrete bricks, blocks and pavers. The magnesium oxide is produced by heating magnesium carbonate as a mineral magnesite, to a temperature of around 650  °C. A quantity of CO2 is given off during this process. In comparison, Portland cement which is based on calcium oxide and has to be produced by firstly heating calcium carbonate (limestone) to approx 900  °C, again with CO2 as a by product. At this stage in the process, the quantity of CO2 released is less than that from an equivalent mass of magnesium carbonate but the calcium oxide, plus other ingredients then has to be heated to 1450  °C to produce the final product a â€Å"clinker†. This other process is accompanied by more CO2 being emitted during the whole process, with the resulting CO2 being much greater than that emitted during the production of the same quantity of magnesite. So at first glance magnesium oxide-based cements look like a better solution than continuing with Portland cement manufacturing in the UK but in practice manufacture is dependent on the availability of the basic raw material and its proximity to a production facility but regrettably the raw material found in abundance in mainland Australia and Tasmania, is very rare in the UK where there are no significant deposits in UK suitable. Therefore, as a minimum, there would be a significant increase in traffic movements required to transport the raw material to existing kilns, with consequent environmental impacts. CSA-belite cements This type of cement has been successfully used on industrial scale throughout china for about 20 years; it is made by heating/sintering industrial wastes such as coal fly ash, gypsum and limestone at 1200 – 1250 °C in rotary kilns Compared with Portland cement the energy savings are quoted as being approx as high as 25%, along with limestone reductions of 60 % together with a reduction in CO2 emissions of approx 20%. At first glance, CSA-belite cements could be manufactured in the UK, as there is no technical process or supply issues to be dealt with in regards of their production. However, much applied research and many pilot studies would be needed to verify that local materials and existing plant could produce consistent high quality product before manufacturers in the UK would take it on. Eco-cements based on municipal solid waste incinerator ash Eco-cements are currently being manufactured in Japan, they are based on the traditional Portland cement in as such that they are processed in much the same way as traditional Portland cement but approx 50% of the content has been replaced by municipal solid waste incinerator ash (MSWIA), and the fossil-fuels used for heating purposes have been replaced by waste products such as oil and non recyclable plastics. MSWIA eco-cement use less energy as well as ‘clinkering’ takes place at 1350 °C as apposed to 1450 °C. But for a few exceptions eco-cements are virtually indistinguishable from Portland cement and consequently have very much the same properties, performance. There would seem to be no obvious technical barriers to production in the UK. However, manufacture would be dependent on the availability of MSWIA and its location to existing cement works. Currently, this is in short and irregular supply in the UK but even if this were not to be the case, public perception issues might arise about the process of manufacturing, so the likelihood of producing a familiar Portland cement by this process is at present very unlikely. References Bibliography BCA – British cement Association, Carbon Strategy (2005) [online]. http://www.cementindustry.co.uk/sustainability/our_sustainability_agenda/carbon_strategy.aspx BCA – British cement Association, cement (no date) [online]. http://www.cementindustry.co.uk/cement.aspx BCA – British cement Association, concrete (no date) [online]. http://www.cementindustry.co.uk/section_6.aspx BCA – British cement Association, Sustainable Development Task Force Report (2005) [online]. http://www.cementindustry.co.uk/sustainability/our_sustainability_agenda/sd_task_force.aspx BCA – British cement Association, Sustainable Development Task Force Report (2005) [online]. http://www.cementindustry.co.uk/key_issues/industry_regulation/cement_sector_plan.aspx Bye, G, C. (1999) Portland Cement: Composition, Production and Properties 2Rev Ed edition. Thomas Telford Ltd Dodson, S. (11th May 2006) A cracking alternative to cement. The Guardian Newspaper, p1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/may/11/guardianweeklytechnologysection.carbonemissions EcoSmart, cement production and the CO2 challenge (no date) [online]. http://www.ecosmartconcrete.com/enviro_cement.cfm EcoSmart, CO2 emissions (no date) [online]. http://www.ecosmartconcrete.com/enviro_co2.cfm Topliss, S. Hurst, M. Skarratt, G. (2007) Construction: Building Services Engineering Civil Engineering. Scotprint, Haddington, Scotland, UK