Race and My Community The WritePass Journal

Race and My Community Introduction Race and My Community IntroductionREFERENCES:Related Introduction Many people believe that racism is a thing of the past when in fact race related hate is still a problem in America today. There are many recorded incidences of stereotyping, discrimination, and racial issue within my community. Neighborhood segregation in the northern cities is the biggest reminder of racial division in America. New laws state that racism, discrimination, and stereotyping are absolutely illegal. Although race is not supposed to have an effect on communities today, racism, discrimination, and stereotypes are still present in America today. Racism is present in all walks of life and affects everyone, including the person that is harboring all of the hate. Racial division in the United States has primarily consisted of the separation of people into those with white skin and those with black skin. The degree to which skin tone shapes American social relationships is signified linguistically in the way we commonly identify each other as White or Black in everyday jargon. As Lee Artz outlines in his book Cultural Hegemony in the United States, In practice, race has regulated legal treatment, economic opportunity, and social status, and the most defining characteristic of race in the United States has been skin color. In many communities racism hides under rocks and behind the masks of individuals that would never be thought of as a person that holds hate in their heart. It is very hard to determine if someone is being racist because they hide it and use different issues, as an excuse, to show this hate. There are people out there that see, acknowledge, and accept the complications of racism, there are people that do not or cannot see racism, and there are people that are too oblivious to notice it. Racism, discrimination, and stereotyping rears their ugly head in many different forms. This type of ignorance shows itself among the young, the old, the rich, the poor, and in every race. All communities are ill with this problem in one way or another. Majority of the members of my community that looks like me but, there are some that don’t look like me. The individuals that resemble me the most are the people that work hard, love each other, try to help the weak, and attempt to make a differen ce somewhere along the way. The people that do not look like me are the people that rob, steal, lie, and murder. I believe some others look different because of nationality; Missouri is a very diverse state so we see many races. There are leaders of my community that are wonderful role models that take pride in their community and they really care about the people who live here in North Carolina. My community members treat me with respect because I treat them with respect.  Ã‚   As with any community there are also so members of the community who only come to work to get a paycheck and they don’t care about anyone but themselves. I have never personally been mistreated by a leader in my community but I have heard of instances were other community members have been mistreated because they were different or they were from a lower class than others. In my opinion the studies associated with this course does contain information about people like myself and people of my race because there were entries regarding African American history and great accomplishments of the black members of society. Overall, I feel like minority group interests are represented in my community. There are many programs, organizations, scholarship programs, grants, and research material available to the minority groups within my community. I am very fortunate to live in a community that offers the se types of programs because there are many communities that give out scholarships, grants, or loans to only the people that they like. The administrators of these programs may turn away someone because they wear a turban or because the person in need is Asian. My manuals at work are not specifically aimed toward any particular group because everyone is pretty much the same. I feel inequities do exist in my community, if I could change any inequities within my community I would change the way people treat the African Americans in my community. . Sides and Gross (2007) state that, â€Å"negative stereotypes relating to violence and trustworthiness are remarkably common towards African Americans in the publics mind. These stereotypes are underpinned by a similar set of factors that underpin stereotypes of blacks, Hispanic, and Asians- notably, authoritarian values. Furthermore, these stereotypes have consequences: those with less favorable views of African Americans are more likely t o support several measures that are part of the broader American society. African Americans are people that yearn for love, acceptance, and perseverance just as others do. This type of discrimination against the people in my community is very disheartening. It is extremely difficult to understand why anyone would want to hate another person simply because they are a different religion, race, or nationality. Racism is a problem that hurts everyone. It is pure discrimination and cannot be allowed in employment, education, in churches, or on the streets. Racism can also be blind and unreasoning hatred, malice or prejudice. Discrimination is the denial of any equality based on personal attributes. I plan to continue to raise awareness by speaking to people that I come in contact with. I also plan on making a difference by being a good role model. If I see someone acting out of hate I will love them just as I love my own family. Hate breeds hate but love breeds so much more. With love co mes understanding, happiness, and most importantly love breeds change. If one person will just stand up to make a difference then others will follow. Sometimes it just takes that one person to take the lead when others are too scared to stand up and do so. Men and women have lost their lives in the fight for freedom and equality. Racism, discrimination, and stereotypes are still present in our communities today even after everything that this country has gone through. Even though we do not hear about this hate every day is it still present. People are just less likely to be open about it because of fear. Racism has even gotten as bad as restricting people to certain circumscribed areas of residence or to separate institutions and facilities on the basis of race or alleged race. Racial segregation provides a means of maintaining the economic advantages and higher social status of politically dominant races. Historically, various conquerors - among them Asian Mongols, African Bantu, and American Aztecs - have practiced discrimination involving the segre gation of subject races. Racial segregation has appeared in all multiracial communities, except where racial amalgamation has occurred on a large scale, as in Hawaii and Brazil. In such places there has been occasional social discrimination but not legal segregation. In the Southern states of the U.S., public facilities were segregated from the late 19th century into the 1950s (see Jim Crow law), and in South Africa a system of apartheid sanctioned discrimination against nonwhites until it was abolished in the 1990s. While many people believe that racism is something of the past, race related hate is still a serious problem in America, even today. If everyone would realize that ignorance and hate can be channeled into something productive, every single person would be able to live a happy live and thrive in a community of personalities instead of a community of color. Cultural diversity exits in every corner of the world. With diversity unfortunately comes negativity and struggles. Each one of us has our own unique story about where we came from and the different struggles we all faced throughout the years. This is more than true for minority groups Even though we may be different on the outside, we all are here for a common cause, to make the best of what we have and ensure our culture lives on. Although the fact that we are different is never going to change, the negative way we treat out fellow brothers and sisters of the human race can definitely change. The bottom line is that we must accept each other for who we are and what we represent if we are ever going to live in peace. REFERENCES: Race and Place: African American Community Histories,   Retrieved December 4, 2009 www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/afam/raceandplace/index.html – Cached Sides, J. M. and Gross, K. A. , 2007-08-30 Stereotypes of African Americans, Their Causes, and Their Consequence  Retrieved December 3, 2009   allacademic.com/meta/p209079_index.html Ethnicity and race: Nature of ethnicity anthro.palomar.edu/ethnicity/ethnic_2.htm, Retrieved December 4, 2009 Ethnic groups and discrimination, African American Muslim Http://www.Everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1463139, Retrieved December 3, 2009

Macro Logic in ACT English Sentence and Paragraph Order

Macro Logic in ACT English Sentence and Paragraph Order SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Macro logic questions on ACT English ask you to determine where to properly place sentences within a paragraph and where to properly place paragraphs within a passage. These rhetorical skills questions test your ability to analyze sentences and determine how to most logically organize a passage. Knowing how to recognize and using my top ACT English strategies to approach these questions will enable you to correctly answer them in an efficient manner. How to Identify a Macro Logic Question The first step in solving any ACT question is determining whattype of question itis. Before learning how to solve macro logic questions, we need to figure out how to spot them. Once you identify a macro logic question, you can use the methods we'll discuss later in the article to determinethe right answer. Macro logic questions are easily identifiable. Bracketed numbers at the beginnings of sentences signal that a sentence order question will appear: Also, bracketed letters in different paragraphs signal an impending sentence order question: Similarly, bracketed numbers at the top of each paragraph signal that there may be a paragraph order question: Whenever you see bracketed numbers or letters within a passage, you know you'll encounter a macro logic question. Check out how these questions are constructed. Macro Logic Example Questions Most macro logic questions tend to be constructed in similar ways, so let's take a look at some example questions. Sentence Order Question Macro logic questions are among the most easily identifiable. All sentence order questions will ask you where a sentence should be placed. The answer choices will all be various locations within the passage. Paragraph Order Question The other category of macro logic question is paragraph order. Let's take a look at a paragraph order question: Like sentence order questions, paragraph order questions are fairly straightforward. You'll be asked where a paragraph should be placed. Again, the answer choices will all be various locations within the passage. I'll start by going over the types of and strategies for sentence order questions before moving onto paragraph order questions! Types of Sentence Order Questions Let's break down the threetypes of sentence order questions. Each question type requires a slightly different approach, even though all macro logic questions test the same general skills. Type #1: Accomplishing a Goal The question will ask you where to place a sentence for the author to fulfill some stated purpose. Our sentence order example question from above is representative of this type of question. For this type of question, you have to identify the intended goal. Then, you have to determine where the sentence should be placed in order to achieve that goal. Type #2: Determine the Most Logical Placement Within a Paragraph These questions will ask you where a sentence should be placed within a paragraph to maintain logic and coherence. You simply have to determine where the sentence should be placed for it to make the most sense. The sentence should logically proceed from the previous sentence and connect to the following sentence. Type #3: Determine in Which Paragraph Would Be the Most Logical Placement Most sentence order questions I've seen focus on a single paragraph. However, there are sentence order questions that ask you to determine in which paragraph a sentence should be placed to maintain logic and coherence. Here's an example: The letters in the answer choices are bracketed and placed at specific points in the various paragraphs. This type of question requires the same approach and skill set as the previous type. You'll just be looking at locations in different paragraphs as opposed to focusing on a single paragraph. It's good to be familiar with all of the basic constructions of these questions so that nothing shocks you on test day. Now let's go through the process of answering sentence order questions. Strategies for Answering Sentence Order Questions I'll go through the step-by-step process for how to answer a sentence order question. We'll use the first type as an example, but you should use the same approach for the other two types as well. #1: Determine What the Question is Asking This question is asking where the sentence be placed to emphasize previously expressed uncertainty.Focus on the key words or phrases in the question. In this question, the words "emphasize" and "amplify" are important. Therefore, the previous sentence should somehow suggest uncertainty. The sentence "I still have doubts" should be placed somewhere in which it would emphasize uncertainty that's already present. #2: Go Through the Answer Choices Plug in â€Å"I still have doubts† after each option to determine where it logically fits and will satisfy the requirement that it emphasize previously expressed uncertainty. Here are all of our options: [1] Our son has started playing organized T-ball, a beginner’s version of baseball. [2] â€Å"Organized† is what parents call it, anyway. [3] Joe is seven, living in those two or three years when they can manage to throw a baseball a few feet but when what they’re really interested in are things closer at hand, bugs, butterflies, dirt (if they’re in the infield), grass (if they’re in the outfield). [4] Children of that age still think nothing of doing little dances in the outfield, often with their backs to home plate and, consequently, the batter. #3: Eliminate Wrong Choices As we go through the choices, we’re looking for a sentence that somehow expresses uncertainty and would make sense preceding â€Å"I still have doubts." We can eliminate sentence 1 because that is a statement of fact and there is no expression of uncertainty. The narrator wouldn’t have doubts that his son has started playing T-ball. Similarly, in sentence 3, there is no implied uncertainty and these are just stated observations made by the narrator. He's commenting on the behavior of seven-year-olds. Finally, sentence 4 is also another observation that the narrator states about children of that age. There's nothing that implies or expresses uncertainty. We are left with B, â€Å"after sentence 2." #4: The Right Choice Should Logically Follow the Sentence Before and Connect to the Following Sentence The quotation marks in sentence two suggest uncertainty. The narrator is saying that parents call T-ball â€Å"organized," implying that he does not. That logically connects to him saying, â€Å"I still have doubts," meaning that he still doubts that there is organization in T-ball. The following sentence provides evidence that there is little organization in "organized" T-ball. Everything fits and the answer is B. Now let's focus on paragraph order questions. Types of Paragraph Order Questions There are two basic types of paragraph order questions. Type #1: Determine the Most Logical Paragraph Order These questions ask you where a paragraph should be placed for the passage to maintain logic and coherence. You have to figure out the main ideas of the various paragraphs to determine where a certain paragraph most logically fits. Type #2: Dividing a Paragraph Into Two These questions ask you where a paragraph could be split into two to fulfill a stated purpose. These questions are relatively straightforward. For this example, you just have to determine where the explanation of one type of kayak ends and where the explanation of the other type of kayak begins. Todetermine where a paragraph should be divided, you just have to identify where the topic shifts. Here's the process for figuring out paragraph order questions. Strategies for Answering Paragraph Order Questions We're going to focus on the first type of paragraph order question. These questions are more involved and require you to look at the passage as a whole as opposed to looking at a single paragraph. Again, here's our example question: #1: Determine What the Question is Asking Basically, the question is asking where paragraph 5 should be placed for the passage to be most logical and easily understandable. For these questions, make sure you identify the key word in the answer choice. The question is asking you to determine which paragraphparagraph 5 should be placed AFTER. #2: Determine the Main Idea of the Paragraph Use topic and concluding sentences to determine main ideas of paragraphs. Here are the topic and concluding sentences for paragraph 5: Topic: In 1788, a neighbor loaned Banneker some astronomical instruments and four books on mathematics and astronomy. Concluding: He also began to calculate annual tables of yearly sets of astronomical data, which became the basis for almanacs published under his name from 1792 through 1797. From these two sentences, we can determine that this paragraph is about the history of Banneker’s work in the field of astronomy. #3: Go Through the Answer Choices Use the main ideas of the other paragraphs and the general structure of the passage to determine if it would be logical to place paragraph 5 after a certain paragraph. Based on topic and concluding sentences, here are the main ideas of the paragraphs in the answer choices: A. where it is now (after paragraph 4): Paragraph 4 starts with a statement that Banneker lived and worked on the family farm, but it concludes with a statement about how he pursued scientific studies and taught himself the flute and violin. B. Paragraph 1 is a general introductory paragraph about Banneker. The topic and concluding sentences state that he was an African American inventor who grew up on his family’s farm and had a keen interest in acquiring knowledge. C. Paragraph 2 starts with a statement about Banneker’s grandmother: she was an indentured servant who bought some land and married a freed slave. It concludes by stating that his grandmother taught him to read and he attended a Quaker school when the farm work slowed down in the winter. D. Paragraph 3 is about how Banneker constructed a clock that kept time for over 40 years. #4: Eliminate Wrong Choices The concluding sentence of the preceding paragraph should logically transition to the paragraph about Banneker’s work in astronomy. Paragraphs 2 and 3 have nothing to do with astronomy and do not logically transition to Banneker’s work with astronomy; therefore, we can eliminate those choices. While the first paragraph mentions Banneker’s â€Å"keen interest in acquiring knowledge," the rest of the passage is in roughly chronological order. It makes more sense for the second paragraph to be about Banneker’s family history and his childhood. Consequently, we can get rid of B, C, and D. We are left with answer choice A. #5: The Right Choice Should Logically Follow the Paragraph Before and Connect to the Paragraph After Paragraph 4 concludes with a statement that Banneker pursued scientific studies. That logically transitions into the paragraph about his work in astronomy. Paragraph 6 is the concluding paragraph and mentions how Banneker liked to study astronomy. Paragraph 5 fits where it is currently placed. The answer is A. Follow this path to the right answer. General Tips for Macro Logic Questions Here are some tips for any macro logic question you may encounter on the ACT English section. Determine What the Question Is Asking Beforeanswering the question, identify the type of question that is being asked. Is it a sentence order question? Is it a paragraph order question? Which type of sentence order or paragraph order question is it? Look for the key words within the question. Make sure you know what you should be looking for before you attempt to answer the question. Go Through the Answer Choices For macro logic questions, you need to look at the various options you're given for where to place a sentence or paragraph. Look at the placement options and determine the function of the sentence or paragraph in the answer choice. For paragraph order questions, identify the main idea of the paragraphs. Eliminate Wrong Choices For sentence order questions, the wrong choices will not fulfill the intended goal or will not logically connect one sentence to the next. For paragraph order questions, the wrong choices will cause the passage to have less of a logical flow from one paragraph to the next. If an answer choice would make the passage confusing or hard to follow, then you should be able to eliminate it. Use Chronological Order or Order of Events When Applicable Often, paragraphs are ordered chronologically. In our paragraph order example, the paragraphs were ordered chronologically. For passages that have paragraphs in chronological order, the order of the paragraphs should coincide with the order in whichthe events that they're referencing happened. The things that happened first should go atthe beginning of the passage and the things that happened last should be placed at the end of the passage. Similarly, order of events can help determine sentence order within a paragraph. Order of events refers to the logical order of events. For example, you have to fall down before you can get up. Keeping in mind chronological order and order of events can enable you to more easily answer macro logic questions. Make Sure That the Answer Choice You Pick Logically Follows What Comes Before and Connects to What Comes After For all types of sentence and paragraph order questions, the placement of the sentence or paragraph has to make logical sense. Look at the sentences before and after to determine if the placement is logical and understandable. What's Next? I highly recommend that you read this article about how toapproach ACT English passages. For articles on other types of ACT rhetorical skills questions, check out these posts on author technique and author main goal. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: