The eNotes Blog The 5 Big SAT Changes You Need toKnow

The 5 Big SAT Changes You Need toKnow High school freshmen and sophomores will take a new version of the SAT in 2016. Heres a run-down of what they can expect and how to prepare. Last month, we covered in depth what you could expect from the new SAT coming in 2016 (in a post you can read here). But now that the changes to this 88 year-old exam are making the media rounds once more, we wanted to take a quick minute to recap the biggest adjustments, and hopefully provide some clarity  in the process. So, here are the 5 big changes to come to  the SAT in two years time: No more SAT essay! The essay section will become  optional No more SAT words! The test will quiz students on relevant words instead of obscure ones No more point deductions for incorrect answers! Which means no penalties for guessing Fewer questions!  The test will shrink from 171 to 153 questions (52 in reading, 44 in writing and language and 57 in math) And lastly, the 1600-point system will return making the 2400-point test a mere blip in the radar for a select few But before you jump out of your seat with joy, future high school junior, you should read our in-depth analysis of the changes and how theyll affect your test-preparation here. Just because $5 SAT words are out, doesnt mean you dont need to learn strategy to handle unfamiliar vocabulary. AND just because the SAT essay will be optional does not  mean you shouldnt take it. In essence, the SAT is going to look almost identical to the ACT, so the best way to prepare for these changes is to look into  its counterpart. In fact, more and more colleges regard the ACT as  equal to the SAT, though students tend to score better on the former than the latter. Which leads one to wonder, why are we still placing so much emphasis on the SAT? Our advice: take both and go with the test youre better suited to. Have questions about either standardized test? Or thoughts  on the changes? Leave us a comment and well help you with your test-prep!

Complacent vs. Complaisant

Complacent vs. Complaisant Complacent vs. Complaisant Complacent vs. Complaisant By Maeve Maddox Both complacent and complaisant descend from Latin complacere, â€Å"to please, to be pleasant,† but they have acquired different meanings in English. complacent (adjective): feeling or showing pleasure or satisfaction, especially in one’s own conditions; self-satisfied. complacence/complacency (noun): the state of being pleased. The nouns complacence and complacency convey the idea of self-satisfaction accompanied by a lack of awareness of a potential danger. Here are some examples of current usage: The danger is that being too complacent can derail your career. 10 Signs Your Employees Are Growing Complacent In Their  Careers Complacent investors have a way of pushing markets steadily higher despite the swirl of bad news around them. The U.S. can’t afford to get complacent about obesity Complacency toward Ukraine crisis could cost Conservatives at the  polls complaisant (adjective): the action or habit of making oneself agreeable. complaisance (noun): courtesy, politeness. The noun complaisance entered the language by way of French about two hundred years after complacence. It retains its French spelling and the meaning of being pleasant to others. A complaisant person is eager to please. I think of complaisant as an old-fashioned Jane Austen word, but it is still to be found in current usage: He [Donald Sterling] will find a complaisant television talk show host to give him a platform for a heartfelt public apology. By closing down one plant and punishing its workers, workers in other plants would be forced into more complaisant behavior. As inevitably happens with such similar word pairs, complacent and complaisant are often misused. The following examples use complaisant in the sense of complacent: â€Å"The law doesnt affect me, so why should/would I care?†That is a very  complaisant attitude.   I think Don has been somewhat complaisant. Hes keeping tabs on the agency but he has made no effort to try and get back in to work. People who vote for the incumbent are probably pretty complaisant about what their Senator actually does and stands for on the world stage. We are very complaisant in this country because we have enjoyed so many years of having relatively peaceful lives. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Comma Before ButWriting a Thank You Note

Oil Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Oil Market - Essay Example This application, in intermediaries’ purchasing patterns, may also play a role in determining the prices of crude oil from exploration companies (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries 5). Oil supply Global supply of oil has been another significant factor in the oil market. A review of growth rate in the produced volume by different regions identifies volatility in supply volume with a significantly lower growth rate in the year 2013. Supply growth rate in America increased from the year 2011 to the year 2012 but the rate, while positive, reduced in the year 2013. Growth rate in Europe, in the past three years has however been negative with a reducing rate, an indication that oil productivity in the region is declining. Even though at lower rates than those reported in non OPEC European countries, countries in Pacific Asia have similarly reported negative percentage growth rates in the past three years. Other oil producing regions such as other parts of Asia, †Å"Latin America,† â€Å"Middle East,† â€Å"Africa,† and FSU have however registered minimal changes in produced volumes with more negative percentages and the trend in the non-OPEC countries indicating a general reduction in oil supply in the past two years (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries 34). A slight increment in supply volume has however been forecasted among non-OPEC oil producing regions. Oil supply from OECD countries has however been increasing while supply volumes from developing counties has registered a reducing trend between the years 2010 and 2012 by assumed an increasing trend in the year 2013. Supply volumes from former Russian States and other non-OPEC regions have also reported increasing... This paper describes oil prices, oil supply, demand, determinants of oil price, personal opinion. According to the paper trend in global oil prices has remained volatile over the past six months. Data from OPEC identifies three measures for oil prices over the period and the measures, though not equivalent over the time shows a consistent trend to support the hypothesis that prices in the oil market are relatively volatile. Global supply of oil has been another significant factor in the oil market. A review of growth rate in the produced volume by different regions identifies volatility in supply volume with a significantly lower growth rate in the year 2013. Demand is another significant factor to the oil market. The global demand has a predictable trend that can be used to forecast future levels of demand. Price mechanism is also significant to understanding the oil market through factors that determine the prices and the factors’ interaction to dictate the prices over time. Region of utility is one of the factors to oil prices and the level of industrialization determines price volatility by regions with demand shock as the key moderator. Oil prices in developing countries responds quickly and faster to demand shock as compared to prices in developed countries and this knowledge can be instrumental to oil distributers. The oil market is a competitive market that is majorly regulated by demand and supply forces. Data also indicates massive utility in OECD countries, especially in America, and significance of developing countries in determining global prices. Consistency in the market’s data trend means that it can be used to guide investment decision and a potential market is identifiable in America that has high demand for oil. Analysis of the market in developing countries is also necessary for predicting prices towards investment decisions.

Write a Book report from the following books Essay

Write a Book report from the following books - Essay Example The science in the book Pompeii is used by the author as foreshadowing for the events to come in each chapter. There is a quote from some sort of academic or professional book or journal such as Dynamics of Volcanism or Volcanoes: A Planetary Perspective. The science behind the physical actions of the mountain and the seas surrounding Pompeii adds a tension to the story that would not be present if the author did not tip off the reader at the beginning of each chapter. The science of volcanism is used as effectively in telling this story, as is any literary device. The action begins with Marcus Attilius being called from Rome to be the new aquarius for the cities along the Campagnia coast. Pompeii and Herculaneum are among these cities. The aquarius is the engineer charged with keeping the municipal aqueducts in working order. He was assigned here from Rome because the prior aquarius had gone missing mysteriously. Campagnia is in the midst of a terrible drought and Attilius is worried that the reservoir will soon go dry. To preclude this, the first chapter finds the new aquarius leading a reluctant team of laborers up the side of Mt. Vesuvius to fins a new spring they cam tap in order to supply more water to the aqueduct. The science that drives the first two incidents centers around the emission of sulfur from vents in the ground prior to a volcanic eruption. As magma moves into the space occupied by a dormant volcano, the balance of sulfur and carbon can change. This is because the minerals locked in rocks escapes as a gas when the magma melts the material that makes up the Earth’s crust. Sulfur can be emitted as a vapor into the atmosphere, giving off a smell like rotten eggs. This gaseous sulfur is important at the beginning of the story. Marcus Attilius uses a technique his father taught him to locate the source of a spring. Laying on his belly, he scans the horizon

Main Cause Hinder Implementation of Enterprise Essay Example for Free

Main Cause Hinder Implementation of Enterprise Essay 1. Background: Thirty years ago, companies started to develop software to automate their business functions. Enterprise Resourcing planning (ERP) evolved from  Material Requirement Planning (MRP) systems which were created to support inventory functions. MRP system later expanded to support manufacturing tasks, then merged with accounting systems to become ERP software (Jutras, 2011). 2. Definition: Enterprise Resourcing planning ERP is software package to integrate internal and external company’s business functions such as accounting, supply chain and human resources (Wong, Scarbrough, Chau, Davison, 2005). (Typical functionality is summarised in Figure 3. 1). [pic] Figure 3.1: Module Functionality Overview of an ERP System, Source: Adam Sammon (2003). The implementation of ERP consists of all tasks needed to achieve the ERP, start from getting the software and hardware until working properly on that software. ERP implementation goes through interconnecting phases. Those phases start from gathering all information about the current business process and applying that on the software, then testing phase to ensure the software is working accurately. Furthermore, ERP phases like any project may be execute sequentially such as business analysis should come before business setup or may be overlapped with each other such as user training can start at same time with business analysis (Wong, Scarbrough, Chau, Davison, 2005). ERP software is installed in a centralised database to be available to all company’s departments which all information can be accessible at anytime from anywhere. Moreover, consolidate data in one single installation can increase data integrity, avoid data redundancy because the main function for the software that to prevent the duplication. ERP has built based on standard business process which can improve internal business functions for the companies apply the ERP software (Zhang, 2005). 3. Research Methodology 1. Primary research: The primary data for this project was collected using the questionnaire. The questions focused on the implementation cost as a main factor involved in the ERP implementation. In addition the questions tracked other factors can hinder implementing the ERP software such as business analysis, management, technologies and training. The questionnaire sent via emails to over than 140 respondents from different companies providing ERP implementation services, 82 respondents answered the questionnaire. Moreover, the sample selected to represent various regions over the world such as the US, the UK, the Middle East and India. Also respondents were chosen in random from many levels such as project managers, business analysts and pre-sales specialists to collect different ideas from different positions. 2. Secondary research: The main source for secondary data collected which studies conducted in the same subject. Those research contain data about most recent reasons can fail ERP as well as case studies in many companies such as Hershey Foods Corporation. Also secondary data collected from: A. Internet: Sites of all ERP provider where can find updated information about the ERP products such Oracle and SAP sites. Also some sites include articles about ERP failure reasons. B. Books: which contain basics information about ERP software and implementation methods. C. Newspapers and business journals. 4. Findings 1. Findings from the secondary research: Companies spend the money for implementing the ERP software to automating their business which can accelerate the process time. In addition the main target of ERP software that to integrating business functions such as supply chain functions with accounting functions (Mehta, 2010, Davenport, 1998). Moreover after the supplier delivers items to inventory department the next step is to collect the money from the accounting department. Therefore, all information about quantities delivered and accepted inside the store should be shared and secured to the accounting department before pay the money (J.Umble, Haft, M.Umble, 2003). Although, ERP provides a significant improvement, there are frequent studies indicating that companies stopped using the ERP or cancelled implementation task due critical problems faced during the business analysis, training and testing process (Hawari, Heeks, 2010). Consequently, from 50% to 75% of the ERP projects are ended (Hawari, Heeks, 2010). Contrary to expectation in current study hypothesis that the cost is the main cause hindering implementation of the ERP software, this study found there were other significant factors than the cost. The first and substantial factor which can prevent the ERP implementation is the business analysis phase. Because of company’s business process unclearly, the implementation of business functions on the ERP software becomes different than the original needs. The second factor can fail the ERP implementation is the management in consultancy companies who lead the project as well as the companies who apply the ERP software. The former are hiring poor project managers which can underestimate the scope, size and complexity of the project and the later have top management which not committed to applying the ERP software (J.Umble, Haft, M.Umble, 2003). Also, turnover of project personnel such as project managers, consultants and employees in the customer site after the project started which lose key staff experienced with the project and may be the new staff can request more changings (Markus, Axline, Petrie, Tanis, 2000). The third factor is inadequate  training due users did not get enough practice on the new software which affects the operation of the ERP (Ligus, 2007). The cost of ERP implementation comes lately as a factor might fail the ERP implementation (Ligus, 2007). According to Aberdeen group (Jutras, 2008) the average total cost for ERP implementation is $366.583 for company size under $50 million and 35 average users, which including software licenses cost, implementation services cost and maintenance cost. The last factor can hinder the ERP implementation is the hardware and software technology. Moreover, technologies have been changing rapidly which means that the current hardware and software should sustain the upgrades and need new installations. As a result, more upgrades can reflect miss integration with other systems or data loss as well. 2. Findings from the primary research: Firstly, the participants were asked about the cost elements can fail the ERP implementation, 55% of respondents agreed that the software costs are too high, followed by strongly agree, disagree, 33% and 12% respectively. Moreover, the second element is the hardware cost, 51% respondents agreed that the hardware cost is too expensive. While, 34% thought the cost is not expensive. In addition, for the third element, it appears the respondents were distributed equality which 49% agreed that the upgrade costs too high and other 49% disagreed with that element. Also, for the training, 59% of participants disagreed that training cost is too high. However, 33% agreed that the cost is too high. The last element is the cost of skilled employees, by combining answers of strongly agree and agree, the result show that 81% of the sample believed that companies need to hire skilled employees with high salary. Regarding to the next question, about 91% respondents opposed that the software is difficult. In addition, 72% thought that unskilled employees might fail the ERP implementation. As far as the third question whether the ERP implementation influenced by the technologies, answers almost distributed between agree and disagree  for all elements that software updates, hardware Obsolescence, software Incompatibility and integration fails with other third party applications. In terms of question number four, this finding was unexpected and suggests that the business analysis factor is substantial for the ERP implementation failure where 80% of respondents answered that customers do not deliver enough or wrong information about their business process. Also, 92% thought that business processes are not clear in the company which reflects wrong implementation and 90% of the sample concerned that more changes during implementation time could effect on the ERP implementation. Another important finding was that largest set of significant respondents agreed with the management is the most important factor could hinder the ERP implementation where 97% of respondents said the lack of top management commitment had negative consequence on the ERP implementation and 98% believe that inefficient project controlling could prevent the ERP implementation. 5. Discussion 1. Discussion explanation: Based on results indicated from the primary and secondary research, there are five common factors failing the ERP implementation. Moreover, this research reveals that inefficient management is the first and most critical factor. Because of companies assign the project to staff members do not have enough information about current ERP characteristics or without defining company requirements. As a result, poor ERP package will be selected (Ligus, 2007). In addition, 97% of respondents agreed that the lack of top management commitments have an effect on the ERP projects, owing to the fact that, the top management delegates the controlling to the lower level, consequently, conflict of communication between the company and consultants can be happened. Another important factor is the business analysis phase. Due to business processes are unclear, more changes during the implementation process will be required. Apart from the business analysis  factor, consultancy companies are not providing experienced consultants or the turnover during the project because the salary of experienced consultant is too high or they want to reduce the project cost. Based on the result collected from the primary research, the cost factor came as a third reason has an effect on the ERP implementation. Whereas, the finding from the secondary research indicated that the cost factors is the last reason might prevent the ERP projects. Because of companies can pay to get more benefits of the ERP software that can improve their business processes and services. This means that the cost. The next factor might fail the ERP implementation is the training, 91% of respondent disagree that the software is difficult and the reason might affect the ERP implementation that companies hire unskilled employees. Consequently, they cannot use or understand the software. Also, (Ligus, 2007) believes that companies attempt to save dollars by hire inadequate resources or working on overtime basis. As far as the technology factor, results collected from the primary research spread equally between agree and disagree. Due to the fact that companies do not upgrade the ERP software frequently, they did not face problems with the software updates and the hardware. 2. Limitation on research: †¢ Number of samples did not represent all countries fairly. †¢ The questions did not mention company’s business size, which could effect on answers. †¢ Questionnaire did not deliver to all specialists’ equally. †¢ No more information about the ERP implementation costs for all products available which can compare between them. †¢ No more studies about ERP products and technologies for last two years in comparison to two years earlier, which can measure weather the software and hardware improved. 6. Conclusion 1. Conclusion explanation: The aim of this study to examine whether the cost is a major problem can hinder implementing the ERP software. Findings show that there are other critical factors can prevent the ERP implementation which can be summarised from the most critical to less critical factor as poor management, unclear business process then the cost factor came as a third reason can hinder the ERP implementation then inadequate training and the last factor is hardware and software technologies. But with more analysis for the output which can explore chain of factors can affect each other. Owing to poor management, unskilled managers will defect the ERP project and companies should pay more salaries to hire skilled managers. As a result, poor ERP will be selected. Moreover, the problem started from the cost of hiring skilled managers. In addition, Due to consultancy companies want to deliver the implementation services with low cost to compete with other companies, they hiring inexpert consultants because of the salary. In conclusion that, the cost is the major factor can hinder implementing the ERP software but with indirect consequence. 2. Recommendations: Companies only installing a hardware with ERP software, but are in fact, changing the culture of management and improve the business process are essential before implement the ERP software (Davenport, 2000). Regarding to the primary research, there are some points need to mention in the future: †¢ Number of samples should represented many countries based on some factors such as number of software usage, area and business volume. Namely, the US should represented by at least 520 respondents, 52 states*10 samples. †¢ Business size should be indicated in the questionnaire. The need of software varies from small, medium and large business. In addition,  employee skills are difference referring to the business size. Also, medium and large business size can pay more for the ERP software than the small business size. †¢ Questionnaire should be targeted the specialization. Information available to the sales specialists is about prices and they do not have more information about the business or management problems which can be collected from the project managers and consultants. 7. References and bibliography Adam, F. Sammon, D. (2003),The Enterprise Resource Planning Decade: Lessons Learned and Issues for the Future. Idea Group Publishing: Hershey. Ada,W., Harry, S., Patrick, K., Robert D., (2005). Critical Failure Factors in ERP Implementation. Ligus, G., (2007), 12 Cardinal Sins of ERP Implementation. Rockford Consulting Group LTD. IL.US Jutras, C. (2011), An ERP history. Retrieved from (http://www.mbtmag.com/articles/2011/08/erp-history-lesson)(23 Aug, 2012). Markus, L., Axline, S., Petrie, D. Tanis, C. (2000). Learning from Adopters Experience with ERP Problems Encountered and Success Achieved. Journal of Information Technology. 15(2). PP 245-265. Mehta, A. (2010), A Study on Critical Success Factors for Successful ERP Implementation at Indian SMEs. Dissertation for Master of Philosophy in Management. Muscatello, J. Parente, D. (2006), Enterprise resource planning (ERP): a post implementation cross-case analysis, Information Resources Management Journal, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 61-80. Parr, A. Shanks, G. (2000), A model of ERP project implementation. Journal of Information Technology 15(2). PP 289-303. Shanks, G., Seddon, B., Leslie, P. Willcocks (2003), Second-Wave Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Implementing for Effectiveness.

Sympathetic Imagination in Northanger Abbey Essay -- Northanger Abbey

Sympathetic Imagination in Northanger Abbey   Ã‚  Ã‚   Critics as well as the characters in the novel Northanger Abbey have noticed Catherine Morland's artlessness, and commented upon it. In this essay I have chosen to utilise the names given to Catherine's unworldliness by A. Walton Litz in Jane Austen: a Study of her Artistic Development,[1] and Christopher Gillie in A Preface to Jane Austen.[2] Litz refers to "what the eighteenth century would have called the sympathetic imagination, that faculty which promotes benevolence and generosity" (Litz, p. 67). Gillie calls this same quality "candour", and states the importance of it to Jane Austen herself, gleaning a definition of it from one of Austen's own prayers: Incline us, oh God! to think humbly of ourselves, to be severe only in the examination of our own conduct, to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, and to judge of all they say and do with that charity which we would desire from them ourselves (cited in Gillie, p. 22). Both critics recognise that Catherine's possession of this quality is problematic; it is desirable, but it must also be regulated if a heroine is not to be frequently duped by the harsh world. Both Gillie and Litz also acknowledge that an investigation of this enigma is at the heart of all Jane Austen's work. I believe that the exploration of this fundamental conundrum is at the core of Northanger Abbey, and that this should be so dismisses the claims of those who believe that the lessons Catherine learns in the Gothic section of the novel are thematically most important.[3] I maintain that Northanger Abbey is not merely a curiosity, a burlesque of the Gothic style, a remnant which looks back to the parodic style of much of the juvenilia.... ...1974). For instance, Marvin Mudrick, Jane Austen: Irony as Defence and Discovery, (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1952). Peter L. De Rose and S. W. McGuire, A Concordance to the Works of Jane Austen, (New York: Garland Publishing, 1982). Northanger Abbey, p. 56. Northanger Abbey, p. 18, and Northanger Abbey, p. 206. Northanger Abbey uses "artless" three times in two volumes; Emma uses "artless" four times in three volumes. [ J. F. Burrows, Computation into Criticism: a Study of Jane Austen's Novels and an experiment in Method, (Oxford: Clarendon, 1987). See Northanger Abbey, pp. 22-23. See Northanger Abbey, p. 92, pp. 110-112. [Back] See Northanger Abbey, p. 30. "That a young lady should be in love, and the love of the young man undeclared, is an heterodoxy which prudence, and even policy, must not allow" (Johnson's Collected Works, V. 168).

Is Atticus a good father? Essay

TurnipIn the beginning of the story, Jem and Scout considered Atticus to be inadequate as a father. However, I think that they were acting somewhat childish. In reverse, Atticus is definitely an excellent role model and a good father for Jem and Scout. Firstly, Atticus raised two children – Jem and Scout on his own and was always there for them. He was affectionate with his children and he was always ready with a big hug when they needed comfort. Also, he was a loving and caring father who cared about their education and tried to use as much time as possible out of his packed work schedule to teach them how to read. Moreover, he spent father-child bonding time with them by reading stories to them at night. Secondly, he taught his children about morals and values patiently. He guided them with everyday lessons in life. He set such a good example for his children, even when it means risking his safety. Obviously there was a case where he defended Tom Robinson though no one else would. This shows that he was showing his children that everyone deserved to be treated equally regardless of their skin colours and that one must do what is right even when that means doing something difficult. Thirdly, he taught his children valuable lessons through trivial incidents. For instance, he accepted payment in any form that his clients were able to give it, e. g. turnip greens, stove wood and hickory nuts, etc. It shows that he was teaching his children that money meant less than helping one’s human beings and that all people regardless of income or status deserved his help and friendship. Fourthly, although he allowed his children to play and explore freely, he was also a firm disciplinarian who always taught his children to think of how their actions will affect others and gave suitable punishments to them. For example, when Jem damages the camellia bushes of Mrs. Dubose, Atticus advised him to say sorry to such an old and sick lady. Mrs Dubose then punished him by asking him to read to her every afternoon for two hours. Atticus used this experience to teach Jem what real â€Å" courage† meant and focus on the principles of life and respects while upholding fairness and justice. To conclude, although Atticus is not a perfect father, he was very responsible and easily gained trust of Jem and Scout, which is something essential in every parent-child relationship.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-nine

THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED were a blur. Sonya might have kept spirit's touch at bay, but it didn't matter. I was still in shock, still unable to think. They put me in the front seat, as far from Victor as possible. Dimitri drove us somewhere–I didn't pay much attention–where he and Sonya disposed of the body. They didn't say what they did, only that it was â€Å"taken care of.' I didn't ask for details. After that, we were back and headed toward Court. Sonya and Dimitri tossed around options on what to do when we got there. Seeing as no one had yet cleared my name, the current plan was that Sonya would have to escort Jill into Court. Jill asked if she could call her parents to let them know she was okay, but Dimitri felt that was a security risk. Sonya said she'd try to reach Emily in a dream, which made Jill feel a little better. I coped during the drive by checking in on Lissa. Focusing on her took me away from the horrible guilt and emptiness I felt, the horror at what I'd done to Victor. When I was with Lissa, I wasn't me, and just then, that was my greatest desire. I didn't want to be me. But things weren't perfect for her either. Like always, a number of issues were weighing her down. She felt close–so, so close–to unraveling who had killed Tatiana. The answer seemed within her grasp, if only she could reach just a little farther. The guardians had dragged Joe the janitor in, and after a fair amount of coercion–they had methods that didn't require magical compulsion–he'd admitted to having seen the twisted-handed Moroi in my building on the night of the murder. No amount of pushing would get Joe to admit he had been paid off–by either the man or Daniella. The most he'd admit was that he might have been â€Å"a little off' in his times that night. It was by no means hard evidence to save me. Lissa had Ambrose's letter too, which had subtly threatened Tatiana. The writer had opposed the age law for being soft, disapproved of Tatiana's endorsement of spirit, and resented the secret training sessions. The letter might have been perfectly polite, but whoever penned it had had a serious grudge against the queen. That supported the political motive theories. Of course, there were still lots of personal motives for the murder too. The sordid mess with Ambrose, Blake, and the women involved pegged any of them as the murderer. Daniella Ivashkov being on that list was a constant point of stress for Lissa, and she dared not breathe a word to Adrian. The saving grace there was that Daniella's bribery had been to get Adrian out of trouble–not solidify my guilt. The unknown Moroi had funded that bribe. Surely, if she had killed Tatiana, Daniella would have paid for both of Joe's lies. And of course, there was the last test pressing against Lissa's mind. The riddle. The riddle that seemed to have so many answers–and yet, none at all.What must a queen possess in order to truly rule her people? In some ways, it was more difficult than the other tests. Those had had a hands-on component, so to speak. This? This was her own intellect. No fire to build. No fear to look in the eye. She hated that she took the riddle so seriously too. She didn't need its stress, not with everything else going on. Life would have been simpler if she'd kept treating the trials simply as a scam to buy us time. The Court was continually swelling with those who had come to see the election, and more and more of them–much to her disbelief–were throwing their support behind her. She could hardly walk anywhere without people calling out about â€Å"the Dragon' or â€Å"Alexandra reborn.' Word of her attack had gotten out too, which seemed to have fueled her supporters even more. But, of course, Lissa still had plenty of opposition. The biggest case against her was the same old legal one: that she wouldn't be eligible for votes when the time came. Another mark against her was her age. She was too young, her opponents said. Who would want a child on the throne? But Lissa's admirers wouldn't hear any of it. They kept citing young Alexandra's rule and the miracles Lissa had wrought with her healing. Age was irrelevant. The Moroi needed young blood, they cried. They also demanded the voting laws be changed. Unsurprisingly, her opponents also kept bringing up the fact that she was tied to a queen-killing murderer. I'd have thought that would have been the biggest issue in her candidacy, but she'd been so convincing about how I'd shocked and betrayed her that many felt her being queen would actually right the wrong I'd committed. She'd used bits of compulsion whenever the topic came up, which also went a long way in making others think she was now completely dissociated from me. â€Å"I'm so tired of this,' Lissa told Christian, back in her room. She'd sought escape there and was lying on her bed in his arms. My mom was there, on guard. â€Å"This queen thing was a horrible idea.' Christian stroked her hair. â€Å"It's not. Abe said the election will be delayed because of the uproar. And no matter how much you complain, I know you're proud you made it this far.' It was true. The chalice test had cut the nominees in half. Only five remained. Ariana Szelsky was one of them, as was Daniella's cousin, Rufus Tarus. Lissa was the third, with Marcus Lazar and Marie Conta rounding out the group. Ronald Ozera hadn't made it through. My mother spoke up. â€Å"I've never seen anything like this–it's incredible how much support you're getting. The Council and other royals are under no obligations to change the law. But the mob's loud †¦ and gaining the love of â€Å"commoners' could benefit certain royals. Standing by your claim to run would certainly reflect well on a couple families that are out of favor. What's holding them back is the thought that you might actually win. So they'll just keep arguing and arguing.' Lissa stiffened. â€Å"Winning †¦ that's not really possible, is it? Ariana's got it sealed †¦ right?' Winning had never been a part of this crazy plan, and now, with so few candidates, the pressure was even greater to get Ariana on the throne. As far as Lissa was concerned, the other candidates showed no promise of improving Moroi life. Ariana had to win. â€Å"I'd say so,' said Janine. There was pride in her voice, seeing how close she was to the Szelsky family. â€Å"Ariana's brilliant and competent, and most people know it. She'd treat dhampirs fairly–more so than some of the other candidates. She's already spoken about reversing the age law.' The thought of worse laws oppressing the dhampirs made Lissa's stomach sink. â€Å"God, I hope she wins. We can't have anything else go wrong.' A knock at the door snapped my mom into full guardian mode until Lissa said, â€Å"It's Adrian.' â€Å"Well,' muttered Christian, â€Å"at least his timing's better than usual.' Sure enough, my boyfriend entered, wreathed in his now usual scent of smoke and liquor. True, his vices were the least of my concerns, but it kept bugging me that he needed me to be there in person to enforce his good behavior. It reminded me of when he said I was his strength. â€Å"Get up, guys,' he said. He looked very pleased with himself. â€Å"We've got a visit to pay.' Lissa sat up, puzzled. â€Å"What are you talking about?' â€Å"I am not hanging out with Blake Lazar again,' warned Christian. â€Å"You and me both,' said Adrian. â€Å"I've got someone better. And more attractive. Remember how you were wondering how close Serena was to Grant? Well, looks like you can ask her yourself. I found her. And yes, you're welcome.' A frown crossed my mother's face. â€Å"Last I heard, Serena had been sent away to teach at a school. One on the east coast, I think.' After the Strigoi attack that had killed Grant and several others, the guardians had decided to pull Serena from active bodyguard duty for a while. She'd been the only guardian to survive. â€Å"She is, but since it's summer, they brought her back to help with election crowd control. She's working the front gates.' Lissa and Christian exchanged looks. â€Å"We have to talk to her,' said Lissa excitedly. â€Å"She might have known who Grant was secretly teaching.' â€Å"That doesn't mean one of them killed Tatiana,' warned my mother. Lissa nodded. â€Å"No, but there's a connection, if Ambrose's letter is right. She's there now? At the gates?' â€Å"Yup,' said Adrian. â€Å"And we probably don't even need to buy her a drink.' â€Å"Then let's go.' Lissa stood and reached for her shoes. â€Å"Are you sure?' asked Christian. â€Å"You know what's waiting out there.' Lissa hesitated. It was late at â€Å"night' for Moroi, but that didn't mean everyone was in bed–especially at the gates, which was always jam-packed with people lately. Clearing my name was too important, Lissa decided. â€Å"Yeah. Let's do it.' With my mother leading the way, my friends made their way to the Court's entrance. (The â€Å"door' that Abe had made had been patched up.) The Court was surrounded in high, multicolored stone walls that helped further the human image that this was actually an elite school. Wrought iron gates at the entrance stood open, but a group of guardians blocked the road leading into Court grounds. Normally, only two guardians would have manned the booth at the gate. The extra numbers were both for greater interrogation of cars and for crowd control. Spectators lined the road's sides, watching the arriving cars as though they were at a red carpet premiere. Janine knew a roundabout way that avoided some people–but not all. â€Å"Don't cringe,' Christian told Lissa as they passed a particularly vocal group, which had noticed her. â€Å"You're a queenly nominee. Act like it. You deserve this. You're the last Dragomir. A daughter of royalty.' Lissa gave him a brief, astonished look, surprised to hear the fierceness in his voice– and that he clearly believed his words. Straightening up, she turned toward her fans, smiling and waving back, which excited them that much more. Take this seriously, she reminded herself. Don't disgrace our history. In the end, getting through the crowd to the gate proved easier than getting time alone with Serena. The guardians were swamped and insisted on keeping Serena for screening, but my mom had a quick conversation with the guardian in charge. She reminded him of Lissa's importance and offered to stand in for Serena for a few minutes. Serena had long since healed from the Strigoi attack. She was my age, blond-haired and pretty. She was clearly surprised to see her former charge. â€Å"Princess,' she said, maintaining formalities. â€Å"How can I help you?' Lissa pulled Serena away from the cluster of guardians speaking to the Moroi drivers lined up at the gate. â€Å"You can call me Lissa. You know that. You taught me to stab pillows, after all.' Serena gave her a small smile. â€Å"Things have changed. You might be our next queen.' Lissa grimaced. â€Å"Unlikely.' Especially since I have no clue how to solve that riddle, she thought. â€Å"But I do need your help. You and Grant spent a lot of time together †¦ did he ever mention training Moroi for Tatiana? Like, secret combat sessions?' Serena's face gave the answer away, and she averted her eyes. â€Å"I'm not supposed to talk about that. He wasn't even supposed to tell me.' Lissa gripped the young guardian's arm in excitement, making Serena flinch. â€Å"You have to tell me what you know. Anything. Who he was training †¦ how they felt about it †¦ who was successful. Anything.' Serena paled. â€Å"I can't,' she whispered. â€Å"It was done in secret. On the queen's orders.' â€Å"My aunt's dead,' said Adrian bluntly. â€Å"And you said yourself you might be talking to the future queen.' This earned a glare from Lissa. Serena hesitated, then took a deep breath. â€Å"I can pull together a list of names. I might not remember all of them, though. And I have no clue how well they were doing–only that a lot resented it. Grant felt like Tatiana had purposely picked those most unwilling.' Lissa squeezed her hand. â€Å"Thank you. Thank you so much.' Serena still looked pained at giving up the secret information. They come first didn't always work when your loyalties were split. â€Å"I'll have to get it to you later, though. They need me here.' Serena returned to her post, bringing my mother back to Lissa. As for me, I returned to my own reality in the car, which had come to a stop. I blinked to clear my eyes and take in our surroundings. Another hotel. We should have had gold member status by now. â€Å"What's going on?' â€Å"We're stopping,' said Dimitri. â€Å"You need to rest.' â€Å"No, I don't. We need to keep going to Court. We need to get Jill there in time for the elections.' Our initial goal in finding Jill had been to give Lissa voting power. It had since occurred to us that if Lissa running was mucking up the elections, the surprise appearance of her sister would likely create just as much sensation and disbelief. A genetic test would clear up any doubts and give Lissa her voting power, but the initial confusion would buy us more of the time we so badly needed to find the murderer. In spite of the random evidence my friends kept turning up, they still had no substantial theories on a culprit. Dimitri gave me a don't lie to me look. â€Å"You were just with Lissa. Are the elections actually happening yet?' â€Å"No,' I admitted. â€Å"Then you're getting some rest.' â€Å"I'm fine,' I snapped. But those fools wouldn't listen to me. Checking in was complicated because none of us had a credit card, and it wasn't the hotel's policy to take a cash deposit. Sonya compelled the desk clerk into thinking it was their policy, and before long, we had booked two adjoining rooms. â€Å"Let me talk to her alone,' Dimitri murmured to Sonya. â€Å"I can handle it.' â€Å"Be careful,' Sonya warned. â€Å"She's fragile.' â€Å"You guys, I'm right here!' I exclaimed. Sonya took Jill's arm and guided her into one of the rooms. â€Å"Come on, let's order room service.' Dimitri opened the other door and looked at me expectantly. With a sigh, I followed and sat on the bed, my arms crossed. The room was a hundred times nicer than the one in West Virginia. â€Å"Can we order room service?' He pulled up a chair and sat opposite me, only a couple feet away. â€Å"We need to talk about what happened with Victor.' â€Å"There's nothing to talk about,' I said bleakly. The dark feelings I'd been shoving back during the drive suddenly fell upon me. They smothered me. I felt more claustrophobic than when I'd been in the cell. Guilt was its own prison. â€Å"I really am the murderer everyone says I am. It doesn't matter that it was Victor. I killed him in cold blood.' â€Å"That was hardly cold blood.' â€Å"The hell it wasn't!' I cried, feeling tears spring to my eyes. â€Å"The plan was to subdue him and Robert so we could free Jill. Subdue. Victor wasn't a threat to me. He was an old man, for God's sake.' â€Å"He seemed like a threat,' said Dimitri. His calmness was the counter to my growing hysteria, as usual. â€Å"He was using his magic.' I shook my head, burying my face in my hands. â€Å"It wasn't going to kill me. He probably couldn't have even kept it up much longer. I could have waited it out or escaped. Hell, I did escape! But instead of capturing him, I slammed him against a concrete wall! He was no match for me. An old man. I killed an old man. Yeah, maybe he was a scheming, corrupt old man, but I didn't want him dead. I wanted him locked up again. I wanted him to spend the rest of his life in prison, living with his crimes. Living, Dimitri.' It seemed strange that I'd feel this way, considering how much I hated Victor. But it was true: it hadn't been a fair fight. I'd acted without thinking. My training had always been about defense and striking out against monsters. Honor had never really come up, but suddenly, it meant a lot to me. â€Å"There was no honor in what I did to him.' â€Å"Sonya said it wasn't your fault.' Dimitri's voice was still gentle, which somehow made me feel worse. I wished he'd chastise me, confirming the guilt I felt. I wanted him to be my critical instructor. â€Å"She said it was a backlash of spirit.' â€Å"It was†¦ .' I paused, recalling the haze of that fight as best I could. â€Å"I never really understood what Lissa experienced in her worst moments until then. I just looked at Victor †¦ and I saw everything evil in the world–an evil I had to stop. He was bad, but he didn't deserve that. He never stood a chance.' Honor, I kept thinking. What honor is there in that? â€Å"You aren't listening, Rose. It wasn't your fault. Spirit's a powerful magic we barely understand. And its dark edge †¦ well, we know it's capable of terrible things. Things that can't be controlled.' I lifted my eyes to his. â€Å"I should have been stronger than it.' There it was. The thought behind all my guilt, all these horrible emotions. â€Å"I should have been stronger than it. I was weak.' Dimitri's reassuring words didn't come so quickly. â€Å"You aren't invincible,' he said at last. â€Å"No one expects you to be.' â€Å"I do. What I did †¦' I swallowed. â€Å"What I did was unforgivable.' His eyes widened in shock. â€Å"That †¦ that's crazy, Rose. You can't punish yourself for something you had no power over.' â€Å"Yeah? Then why are you still–‘ I stopped because I'd been about to accuse Dimitri of continuing to punish himself. Except †¦ he no longer was. Did he feel guilt for what he'd done as a Strigoi? I was certain of it. Sonya had admitted as much. But somewhere in this journey, he had taken control of his life again, bit by bit. She'd told me that, but only now did I truly understand. â€Å"When?' I asked. â€Å"When did it change? When did you realize you could keep living– even after all that guilt?' â€Å"I'm not sure.' If the question surprised him, he hid it. His eyes were locked with mine, but they weren't quite focused on me. The puzzle occupied him. â€Å"In bits, really. When Lissa and Abe first came to me about breaking you out, I was ready to do it because she asked me to. Then, the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was personal too. I couldn't stand the thought of you locked in a cell, being cut off from the world. It wasn't right. No one should live like that, and it occurred to me that I was doing the same–by choice. I was cutting myself off from the world with guilt and self-punishment. I had a second chance to live, and I was throwing it away.' I was still in turmoil, still raging and full of grief, but his story kept me quiet and transfixed. Hearing him pour his heart out was a rare opportunity. â€Å"You heard me talk about this before,' he continued. â€Å"About my goal to appreciate life's little details. And the more we continued on our journey, the more I remembered who I was. Not just a fighter. Fighting is easy. It's why we fight that matters, and in the alley that night with Donovan †¦' He shuddered. â€Å"That was the moment I could have crossed over into someone who fights just to senselessly kill–but you pulled me back, Rose. That was the turning point. You saved me †¦ just as Lissa saved me with the stake. I knew then that in order to leave the Strigoi part of me behind, I had to fight through to be what theyaren't. I had to embrace what they reject: beauty, love, honor.' Right then, I was two people. One was overjoyed. Hearing him talk like that, realizing he was fighting his demons and close to victory †¦ well, I nearly wept with joy. It was what I'd wanted for him for so long. At the same time, his inspiring words only reminded me how far I'd fallen. My sorrow and self-pity took over again. â€Å"Then you should understand,' I said bitterly. â€Å"You just said it: honor. It matters. We both know it does. I've lost mine. I lost it out there in the parking lot when I killed an innocent.' â€Å"And I've killed hundreds,' he said flatly. â€Å"People much more innocent than Victor Dashkov.' â€Å"It's not the same! You couldn't help it!' My feelings exploded to the surface again. â€Å"Why are we repeating the same things over and over?' â€Å"Because they aren't sinking in! You couldn't help it either.' His patience was cracking. â€Å"Feel guilty. Mourn this. But move on. Don't let it destroy you. Forgive yourself.' I leapt to my feet, catching him by surprise. I leaned down, putting us face to face. â€Å"Forgive myself? That's what you want? You of all people?' Words seemed to escape him. I think it had to do with my proximity. He managed a nod. â€Å"Then tell me this. You say you moved past the guilt, decided to revel in life and all that. I get it. But have you, in your heart, really forgiven yourself? I told you a long time ago that I forgave you for everything in Siberia, but what about you? Have you done it?' â€Å"I just said–‘ â€Å"No. It's not the same. You're telling me to forgive myself and move on. But you won't do it yourself. You're a hypocrite, comrade. We're either both guilty or both innocent. Pick.' He rose as well, looking down at me from that lofty height. â€Å"It's not that simple.' I crossed my arms over my chest, refusing to be intimidated. â€Å"It is that simple. We're the same! Even Sonya says we are. We've always been the same, and we're both acting the same stupid way now. We hold ourselves up to a higher standard than everyone else.' Dimitri frowned. â€Å"I–Sonya? What does she have to do with any of this?' â€Å"She said our auras match. She said we light up around each other. She says it means you still love me and that we're in sync, and †¦' I sighed and turned away, wandering across the room. â€Å"I don't know. I shouldn't have mentioned it. We shouldn't buy into this aura stuff when it comes from magic users who are already half-insane.' I reached the window and leaned my forehead against the cool glass, trying to decide what to do. Forgive myself. Could I? A small city sprawled before me, though I'd lost track of where we were. Cars and people moved below, souls out living their lives. I took a deep breath. The image of Victor on the asphalt was going to stay with me for a long, long time. I had done something horrible, even if my intentions were good, but everyone was right: I hadn't been myself. Did that change what had happened? Would that bring Victor back? No. And honestly, I didn't know how I would move past what I'd done, how I'd shake the bloody images in my head. I just knew I had to go on. â€Å"If I let this stop me,' I murmured, â€Å"if I do nothing †¦ then that's the greater evil. I'll do more good by surviving. By continuing to fight and protect others.' â€Å"What are you saying?' asked Dimitri. â€Å"I'm saying †¦ I forgive myself. That doesn't make everything perfect, but it's a start.' My fingertip traced the line of a tiny crack in the glass's surface. â€Å"Who knows? Maybe that outburst in the parking lot let out some of the darkness Sonya says is in my aura. Skeptic that I am, I have to give her some points. She was right that I was at a breaking point, that all I needed was a spark.' â€Å"She was right about something else too,' Dimitri said after a long pause. My back was to him, but there was a strange quality to his voice that made me turn around. â€Å"What's that?' I asked. â€Å"That I do still love you.' With that one sentence, everything in the universe changed. Time slowed to one heartbeat. The world became his eyes, his voice. This wasn't happening. It wasn't real. None of it could be real. It felt like a spirit dream. I resisted the urge to close my eyes and see if I'd wake up moments later. No. No matter how unbelievable it all seemed, this was no dream. This was real. This was life. This was flesh and blood. â€Å"Since †¦ since when?' I finally managed to ask. â€Å"Since †¦ forever.' His tone implied the answer was obvious. â€Å"I denied it when I was restored. I had no room for anything in my heart except guilt. I especially felt guilty about you–what I'd done–and I pushed you away. I put up a wall to keep you safe. It worked for a while–until my heart finally started accepting other emotions. And it all came back. Everything I felt for you. It had never left; it was just hidden from me until I was ready. And again †¦ that alley was the turning point. I looked at you †¦ saw your goodness, your hope, and your faith. Those are what make you beautiful. So, so beautiful.' â€Å"So it wasn't my hair,' I said, unsure how I was even capable of making a joke at a time like this. â€Å"No,' he said gently. â€Å"Your hair was beautiful too. All of you. You were amazing when we first met, and somehow, inexplicably, you've come even farther. You've always been pure, raw energy, and now you control it. You're the most amazing woman I've ever met, and I'm glad to have had that love for you in my life. I regret losing it.' He grew pensive. â€Å"I would give anything–anything–in the world to go back and change history. To run into your arms after Lissa brought me back. To have a life with you. It's too late, of course, but I've accepted it.' â€Å"Why †¦ why is it too late?' Dimitri's eyes grew sad. â€Å"Because of Adrian. Because you've moved on. No, listen,' he said, cutting off my protests. â€Å"You were right to do that after how I treated you. And more than anything else, I want you to be happy once we clear your name and get Jill recognized. You said yourself that Adrian makes you happy. You said you love him.' â€Å"But †¦ you just said you love me. That you want to be with me.' My words seemed clumsy, unworthy of his eloquence. â€Å"And I told you: I'm not going to pursue another man's girlfriend. You want to talk honor? There it is in its purest form.' I walked toward him, each step ramping up the tension around us. Dimitri kept saying the alley was his turning point. For me? It was now. I stood on the precipice of something that would change my life. For the last week, I'd done a very good job of detaching myself from anything romantic with Dimitri. And yet †¦ had I? What was love, really? Flowers, chocolate, and poetry? Or was it something else? Was it being able to finish someone's jokes? Was it having absolute faith that someone was there at your back? Was it knowing someone so well that they instantly understood why you did the things you did–and shared those same beliefs? All week, I'd claimed my love for Dimitri was fading. In reality, it had been growing more and more. I hadn't even realized it was happening. I had been re-establishing our old rapport, strengthening the connection. Reaffirming that of all the people in the world–even Lissa–Dimitri was the only one who truly gotme. I'd meant it: I loved Adrian. It was hard to imagine life without him, but my other words at the Mastranos' had betrayed me: I have fun with him. Now, you should have fun with the one you love, but that shouldn't have been what first came to mind. I should have said, We strengthen each other. Or, He makes me want to be a better person. Perhaps most importantly: He understands me perfectly. But none of that was true, so I hadn't said those things. I'd sought Adrian for comfort. His familiarity and humor were an important part of my world. And if he was in danger? I'd throw my life before his, just as I would for Lissa. Yet, I didn't inspire him, not really. He was trying. He did want to be a better person, but at this moment in his life, his motivations were more about impressing others–about impressing me. It wasn't for himself. That didn't make him bad or weak, but it made me his crutch. He would get past that, I was certain. He would eventually come into his own and be an amazing man, but he wasn't at that point of self-discovery yet. I was. I stood in front of Dimitri now, looking into those dark eyes again, the eyes I loved so much. I placed my hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating strong and steady–and maybe a bit faster than normal. Warmth spread through my fingertips. He reached up and caught hold of my wrists but didn't push me away. The lines of that gorgeous face looked strained as he fought some inner conflict, but now that I knew–now that I knew for sure–I could see his love for me. Love mingled with desire. It was so, so obvious. â€Å"You should have told me,' I said. â€Å"You should have told me this a long time ago. I love you. I've never stopped loving you. You have to know that.' His breath caught when I said I love you, and I could see his internal struggle for control become an all-out war. â€Å"It wouldn't have made any difference. Not with Adrian involved,' he said. The fingers around my hand tightened slightly as though he really might push me away this time. He didn't. â€Å"I mean it. I won't be that guy, Rose. I won't be that man who takes someone else's woman. Now, please. Let go. Don't make this any more difficult.' I ignored the request. If he'd wanted to get away from me, he could have. I splayed my fingers, touching more of his chest, drinking in the feel of that warm contact I'd missed for so long. â€Å"I don't belong to him,' I said in a low voice, pushing close to Dimitri and tilting my head back so that I could see his face clearly. So much emotion, so much conflict as his heart tried to decide right from wrong. Being pressed against him felt like †¦ completion. Sonya had said no couple could share one aura or one soul, but ours weren't meant to be apart. They fit together like a puzzle, two individuals making something greater than themselves. â€Å"I don't belong to anyone. I make my own choices.' â€Å"And you're with Adrian,' said Dimitri. â€Å"But I was meant for you.' And that did it. Any pretense of control or reason either of us possessed melted away. The walls crumbled, and everything we'd been holding back from each other came rushing out. I reached up, pulling us together for a kiss–a kiss he didn't let go this time. A kiss I didn't end by punching him. His arms encircled me as he lifted me onto the bed, one hand soon sliding along my hip and down to my leg, already half-bare, thanks to that poor tattered dress. Every nerve in my body lit up, and I felt that desire returned in him–and then some. After a world of death, he seemed to appreciate love more. Not only that, he needed it. He needed life. He needed me–not just physically, but in the same way my heart and soul always cried out for him. What we did then, as our clothes came off and we brought our bodies together became more than just lust–even though there was plenty of that too. Being with him after so long, after everything we'd endured †¦ it was like coming home. Like finally being where–with whom–I belonged. My world, my heart †¦ they'd shattered when I lost him. But as he looked at me, as his lips spoke my name and ran along my skin †¦ I knew those pieces could come back together. And I knew, with absolute certainty, that waiting for this–for my second time having sex–had been the right thing to do. Anyone else, any other time †¦ it would have been wrong. When we finished, it was like we still couldn't get close enough. We held each other tightly, our limbs entwined, as though maybe closing the distance now would make up for the distance that had been between us for so long. I closed my eyes, my senses flooded with him, and sighed dreamily. â€Å"I'm glad you gave in. I'm glad your self-control isn't as strong as mine.' This made him laugh, and I felt it rumble through his chest. â€Å"Roza, my self-control is ten times stronger than yours.' I opened my eyes, shifting to look into his. I brushed his hair back and smiled, certain my heart would expand and expand until there was nothing left of me. â€Å"Oh yeah? That's not the impression I just got.' â€Å"Wait until next time,' he warned. â€Å"I'll do things that'll make you lose control within seconds.' That comment was just asking for a witty Rose Hathaway quip. It also made my blood burn, which was why we were both surprised when I abruptly said, â€Å"There may not be a next time.' Dimitri's hand, tracing the shape of my shoulder, froze. â€Å"What? Why?' â€Å"We have a couple of things to do before this happens again.' â€Å"Adrian,' he guessed. I nodded. â€Å"And that's my problem, so put your honor-able thoughts aside. I have to face him and answer for this. I will. And you †¦' I couldn't believe what I was about to say. I couldn't believe I meant it. â€Å"You still have to forgive yourself if we're going to be together.' His puzzled expression turned to pain. â€Å"Rose–‘ â€Å"I'm serious.' I met his eyes unflinchingly. â€Å"You have to forgive yourself. For real. Everyone else has. If you can't, then you can't go on either. We can't.' It was one of the biggest gambles of my life. Once, I would have run to him without question, ignoring our problems, overjoyed just to be with him. Now †¦ after everything I'd been through, I'd changed. I loved him. I loved him so much, and I wanted him. But it was because of the strength of that love that I had to do this. If were going to be together, we had to do it the right way. Sex had been amazing, but it wasn't a magical cure for everything. Damn. Somewhere along the way, I'd picked up common sense. I still intended to confront Adrian. And if Dimitri wouldn't do what I asked, I really would walk away. I'd lose both men, but it was better to be alone with my self-respect than be in the wrong relationship. â€Å"I don't know,' Dimitri said at last. â€Å"I don't know if I can †¦ if I'm ready.' â€Å"Decide soon then,' I said. â€Å"You don't have to right this second, but eventually †¦' I didn't push the topic after that. For now, I would let it go, though I knew he would hold onto it and grasp its importance. I knew I was right to stand by it too. He couldn't be happy with me if he wasn't happy with himself. It occurred to me then, as I stood up for myself and what I needed, that our old teacher-student roles were gone forever. Now we really were equals. I rested my head on his chest and felt him relax. We'd bask in this moment, if only for a little longer. Sonya had said we needed â€Å"rest,' making me think we still had some time here before the ticking clock drove us back to Court. As Dimitri and I continued to keep close to one another, I found myself actually wanting to sleep. I was exhausted from the fight–which, I realized, had taken a very unexpected turn. My guilt and despair over Victor and the explosion of spirit had taken their toll too, no matter the healing locket still around my neck. And yes, I thought with a small smile, I was simply exhausted from what Dimitri and I had just done. It was kind of nice to use my body for something that didn't result in serious injury for a change. I fell asleep in his embrace, blackness wrapping around me as warmly as his arms. It should have been that simple. It should have been peaceful, happy rest. But as usual, I wasn't that lucky. A spirit dream pulled me from the enveloping depths of sleep, and for half a second, I thought maybe Robert Doru had come for me to take revenge for his brother's death. But, no. No vindictive Dashkov. Instead, I found myself staring into a pair of emerald- green eyes. Adrian.

French Literary Tenses - Temps littéraires

French Literary Tenses - Temps littà ©raires There are five French past tenses that are not used in spoken French. They are called literary or historical tenses because they are reserved for written French, such as LiteratureJournalismHistorical textsNarration At one time, literary tenses were used in spoken French, but they have gradually disappeared. When they are used, they raise the speakers register to an extremely refined (some might even say snobbish) level of French. They may also be used for humorous effect. For example, in the French movie Ridicule, the aristocracy use literary tenses in their word games, in order to make themselves sound more educated and refined. Each of the literary tenses has a non-literary equivalent; however, there are subtle nuances that are lost when using the equivalents. Most of these nuances dont exist in English, so I explain the difference in my lessons. Because literary tenses are not used in spoken French, you need to be able to recognize them, but you will most likely never need to conjugate them. Even in written French, most of the literary tenses are disappearing. The passà © simple is still used, but the others are often replaced by their spoken equivalents or by other verbal constructions. Some say that the disappearance of literary tenses leaves gaping holes in the French language - what do you think? Literary tenses  are not used in spoken French - they have non-literary equivalents, explained here. For a definition of literary tenses and a description of where/when they are used, please read the  introduction.Click the name of each literary tense to learn more about to conjugate and use it.I. Passà © simpleThe passà © simple  is the literary simple past tense. Its English equivalent is the preterite or simple past.Il  choisit.- He chose.The spoken French equivalent is the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  - the English present perfect.Il  a choisi.  - He has chosen. You can see that by not using the  passà © simple  and the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  together, the  French language  has lost the nuance between he chose and he has chosen. The  passà © simple  indicates an action that is complete and has no relationship to the present, whereas using the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  indicates a relationship with the present.II.  Passà © antà ©rieurThe passà © antà ©rieur  is the literary compound past tense.Quand il  eut choisi, nous rà ®mes.  - When he had chosen, we laughed.Its equivalent in spoken French is the  plus-que-parfait  (the English pluperfect or past perfect).Quand il  avait choisi, nous avons ri.  - When he had chosen, we laughed.The  passà © antà ©rieur  expresses an action that took place right before the action in the main verb (expressed by the  passà © simple). Aside from being extremely rare in spoken French, the  passà © antà ©rieur  is even disappearing in written French, as it can be replaced by several different constructions (see the lesson on the  past anterior  for more information).III. Imparfait  du subjonctif*The imparfait du subjonctif  is the literary simple past subjunctive. Jai voulu quil  choisà ®t.  - I wanted him to choose. (I wanted that he chose)Its spoken French equivalent is the  present subjunctive.Jai voulu quil  choisisse.  - I wanted him to choose. (I wanted that he choose)The distinction lost here is this: by using the imperfect subjunctive in French, both the main clause (I wanted) and the  subordinate clause  (that he chose) are in the past, whereas in the spoken French, the subordinate clause is in the present (that he choose).IV.  Plus-que-parfait  du subjonctif*The plus-que-parfait du subjonctif  is the literary compound past subjunctive.Jaurais voulu quil  eà »t choisi.  - I would have wanted him to choose.(I would have wanted that he had chosen)Its spoken French equivalent is the  past subjunctive.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jaurais voulu quil  ait choisi.  - I would have wanted him to choose.  Ã‚  Ã‚  (I would have wanted that he has chosen)This distinction is even more subtle, and is a combination of the  passà © composà ©Ã‚  and  imparfait du subjonctif  nuances: by using the  plus-que-parfait du subjonctif, the action is in the remote past and has no relationship to the present (that he had chosen), whereas using the past subjunctive indicates a slight relationship with the present (that he has chosen). V.  Seconde forme du conditionnel passà ©The  conditional perfect, second form, is the literary conditional past.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Si je leus vu, je leusse achetà ©.  - If I had seen it, I would have bought it.Its spoken French equivalent is the  conditional perfect.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Si je lavais vu, je laurais achetà ©.  - If I had seen it, I would have bought it.The use of the second form of the conditional perfect emphasizes the fact that I didnt buy it, whereas the non-literal conditional perfect makes it sound more like a opportunity that just happened to be missed. *The English equivalents for these two literary tenses are unhelpful, because English rarely uses the subjunctive. I gave the literal, ungrammatical English translation in parentheses simply to give you an idea of what the French structure is like. Summary Literary tense Literary tense classification Non-literary equivalent pass simple simple past pass compos pass antrieur compound past plus-que-parfait imparfait du subjonctif simple past subjunctive subjonctif plus-que-parfait du subjonctif compound past subjunctive subjonctif pass 2e forme du conditionnel pass conditional past conditionnel pass More Literary French The  present subjunctive  has some literary uses.Certain verbs can be negated with the  ne littà ©raire.In literary French, the  negative adverb  ne... pas  is replaced by  ne... point.

Why the US Is Said to Have a Mixed Economy

Why the US Is Said to Have a Mixed Economy The United States is said to have a mixed  economy because privately owned businesses and government both play important roles. Indeed, some of the most enduring debates of American economic history focus on the relative roles of the public and private sectors. Private vs. Public Ownership The American free enterprise system emphasizes private ownership. Private businesses produce most goods and services, and almost two-thirds of the nations total economic output goes to individuals for personal use (the remaining one-third is bought by government and business). The consumer role is so great, in fact, that the nation is sometimes characterized as having a consumer economy. This emphasis on private ownership arises, in part, from American beliefs about personal freedom. From the time the nation was created, Americans have feared excessive government power, and they have sought to limit governments authority over individuals including its role in the economic realm. In addition, Americans generally believe that an economy characterized by private ownership is likely to operate more efficiently than one with substantial government ownership. Why? When economic forces are unfettered, Americans believe, supply and demand determine the prices of goods and services. Prices, in turn, tell businesses what to produce; if people want more of a particular good than the economy is producing, the price of the good rises. That catches the attention of new or other companies that, sensing an opportunity to earn profits, start producing more of that good. On the other hand, if people want less of the good, prices fall and less competitive producers either go out of business or start producing different goods. Such a system is called a market economy. A socialist economy, in contrast, is characterized by more government ownership and central planning. Most Americans are convinced that socialist economies are inherently less efficient because the government, which relies on tax revenues, is far less likely than private businesses to heed price signals or to feel the discipline imposed by market forces. The Limits to Free Enterprise With a Mixed Economy There are limits to free enterprise, however. Americans have always believed that some services are better performed by public rather than private enterprise. For instance, in the United States, the government is primarily responsible for the administration of justice, education (although there are many private schools and training centers), the road system, social statistical reporting, and national defense. In addition, the government often is asked to intervene in the economy to correct situations in which the price system does not work. It regulates natural monopolies, for example, and it uses antitrust laws to control or break up other business combinations that become so powerful that they can surmount market forces. The government also addresses issues beyond the reach of market forces. It provides welfare and unemployment benefits to people who cannot support themselves, either because they encounter problems in their personal lives or lose their jobs as a result of economic upheaval; it pays much of the cost of medical care for the aged and those who live in poverty; it regulates private industry to limit air and water pollution; it provides low-cost loans to people who suffer losses as a result of natural disasters; and it has played the leading role in the exploration of space, which is too expensive for any private enterprise to handle. In this mixed economy, individuals can help guide the economy not only through the choices they make as consumers but through the votes they cast for officials who shape economic policy. In recent years, consumers have voiced concerns about product safety, environmental threats posed by certain industrial practices, and potential health risks citizens may face; the government has responded by creating agencies to protect consumer interests and promote the general public welfare. The U.S. economy has changed in other ways as well. The population and the labor force have shifted dramatically away from farms to cities, from fields to factories, and, above all, to service industries. In todays economy, the providers of personal and public services far outnumber producers of agricultural and manufactured goods. As the economy has grown more complex, statistics also reveal over the last century a sharp long-term trend away from self-employment toward working for others. This article is adapted from the book Outline of the U.S. Economy by Conte and Carr and has been adapted with permission from the U.S. Department of State.

What aurguments can you make, for and against, the assertion that Essay

What aurguments can you make, for and against, the assertion that democracy has made striking progress in the world during the past decade - Essay Example In a democratic system of governance, eligible citizens choose and replace the government via free and fair elections, all citizens enjoy the protection of human rights, there is freedom and rule of law, and citizens participate actively in all national matters. As such, democracy respects human rights, elections, women, and civil society. Democracy contrasts a monarch or an oligarchy.However, there has been an assertion that democracy has made striking progress in the world during the past decade. This paper will draw arguments for and against the progress of democracy in Turkey, Libya, and Egypt. Turkey may assume the definition of a democratic, unitary, and constitutional nation with a huge cultural diversity. It has a parliamentary system of governance and its constitution governs the centralized state. The nation has respect free and fair elections where eligible citizens elect a president for a seven-year term. The nation has universal suffrage for both sexes where all citizens above 18 years of age have the right to vote. Indeed, all citizens can participate in independent political organizations, access information and services, and own private property. In the past decades, Turkey has grown in terms of protection of fundamental rights and freedoms where perpetrators of extrajudicial killings can now face trial. Moreover, the military have taken control of the government for three times but later withdraws to allow for the resumption of democratic governance. (Turkone 1). Additionally, Turkey have shown great respect for the rule of law and the Sacred Law, as well as embracing cultural diversity and respect for the ethnic minority. Notably, previous governments introduced successive phases of limited democracy in preparation for full democracy as they encouraged the rise of civil society. However, the progress of democracy in Turkey has been very challenging as the country faced various controversies (Lewis 1) about individual liberties and freedom of w omen. Indeed, the country’s address on the  Kurdish issue (Turkone 1) contracts democratic ideals and human rights in Turkey faced international condemnation where Turkey violated the most human rights in the Council of Europe. The country had no respect for Kurdish rights, the right to life, women's rights and press freedom, and freedom from torture. The country exercised major crackdowns on press freedoms and arrested many journalists. Moreover, the constitutional problems in Turkey challenge democratic ideals. Notably, Turkey lacks a democratic identity and a democratic tradition but has made significant progress in the last decade. On the other hand, Libya is a parliamentary nation under a temporary Constitutional Declaration and governed by the General National Congress. Libya has depicted total disregard for democracy in the past decade. Indeed, the former president of Libya, Gaddafi rose to power through a military coup and ruled for 40 years. He had no respect for d emocracy as he retained all power, disregarded civil society, had no respect for human rights, and did not allow for active participation in national matters by the Libyans (â€Å"UN† 1). Libya banned all political parties from 1972 and all elections were nonpartisan under law. Indeed, Libyans did not participate in democratic elections for 47 years (â€Å"Foreign and Commonwealth Office† 1). However, the urge for democracy led to the revolution, which removed the Gadhafi government. Indeed, the National Transitional Council introduced multiparty democracy as the face of the revolution. Notably, the NTC declared Libya as a new democracy in 2010 where it promised to guarantee the rule of law, respect for civic and human