Genetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos ) - 1780 Words

American science-fiction writer Ramez Naam once said, â€Å"I support GMOs. And we should label them. We should label them because that is the very best thing we can do for public acceptance of agricultural biotech. And we should label them because there s absolutely nothing to hide†. I agree with Mr. Naam in that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are not something the world should fear, but rather something the general public should embrace. Countries should not ban GMO products nor write legislation prohibiting the research or manufacture of GMO products as they provide vital benefits to the world. Among these benefits are producing high-yield, highly-nutritional crops and livestock for impoverished regions of the world, producing crops that can aid small/impoverished farmers, and producing vital medicinal products. Much of the opposition towards Genetically Modified Organisms comes from lack of information of false information. In essence, GMOs â€Å"are living thing s--microorganisms, plants, or animals--that do not occur naturally. They are the product of genetic engineering, a scientific process that alters the biological makeup of a species, or combines genetic material from one species with that of another species. The goal is to create organisms that possess desirable characteristics, such as resistance to plant diseases in a food crop† (Source 1). Many people view GMOs as produced in a laboratory by cold, unfeeling scientists, and GMO foods have earned the nicknameShow MoreRelatedGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmo )1665 Words   |  7 PagesA genetically modified organism (GMO) is a chemical organism processed in a laboratory where genes from the DNA of the crops are extracted and then artificially forced into an unrelated product that, when put into the crops the farmers raise, can chemically change the makeup of the crop. The chemical makeup can be from the change in the skin color of the crop to the actual organic chemistry co mpound. Genetic engineering is the process of splicing the genes in the crop and taking out a certain chemicalRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms, Or Gmos, Are Genetically966 Words   |  4 Pages Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, are genetically modified plants, animals, or microorganisms whose genetic information has been modified by DNA-editing methods such as DNA splicing or gene modification. This modification creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, or bacterial genes that are not found in nature (GMO Facts). It is the right of the consumer to know exactly what they are consuming. However, in the United States, it is not required that food containing GMOs has to be labeledRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )996 Words   |  4 PagesGenetically modified organisms (GMOs) are seeds that are genetically altered in a laboratory before being planted. Later on, they grow into genetically modified (GM) foods. Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) A GMO is a plant-based organism, such as seed. However, it has: Genes that are altered to act in a certain way that does not naturally happen OR Contains genes from another plant-based organism History Since 1994, about 85 GM foods have been approved for sale in Canada. This includes GM foodsRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmo )1236 Words   |  5 PagesLayla Sugawara 4/12/15 9/Fe Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetics has been altered by some form of technology. GMOs were first developed from the idea of selective breeding or artificial selection. Selective breeding or artificial selection is when humans purposely breed two selected organisms to reproduce a offspring with a desired trait. The beginning of genetic engineering is unclear. Before the 1900s, some farmers and naturalistsRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms Or Gmos1231 Words   |  5 Pagesthese innovation scientists have been working with are genetically modified organisms, or GMOs for short. The topic of GMOs is extremely controversial. There are those who back it one hundred percent, and those who seek to see it destroyed. While much of GMOs’ fame comes from the field of genetically modified foods, it is most certainly not limited to it. A quieter, and perhaps more imaginary field of GMOs has to do with genetically modified pigs. Scientists have been reworking the genes of someRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmo )1383 Words   |  6 PagesGenetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is one of the most important issues around the world. Genetic engineering is a process where scientists take genes from one species and force it into the DNA of other species. GMO has long been in practice to b reed select individuals of a species to produce offspring of the desirable behaviors. It is used in conventional livestock production, crop farming and even pet breeding. It involves combining elements of DNA from different sources to create a new DNA moleculeRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )1775 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on GMOs† (Smith). For more than 20 years GMOs have been produced and placed on store shelves; there are many recognized and uncertain hazards that may affect the health of humans and the environment (Ehrenberg). Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), although they provide many benefits to the economy and food supply, are associated with numerous environmental implications; there is a noticeable increase of food allergiesRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )1525 Words   |  7 PagesGenetically modified organisms (GMOs) are highly embedded into our food systems. The use of GMOs is a subject that is often highly debated. GMOs have been viewed as a way to produce food more efficiently, and to aid in the feeding of our ever growing population. However, there are numerous countries that have placed a ban on the use of these products. Comparing production increases in the U.S. to those countries that have banned the use of GMOs will help to give insight into why these products mayRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )2083 Words   |  9 PagesABSTRACT Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genetic make-ups have been changed, inserted or deleted into another organisms. While the safety, disadvantages, and public concerns of genetically modified foods has grown significantly with the productivity of the genetic engineered foods. The problem can be solved with stricter regulations for manufacturer from the Food and Drug Administration and U.S Department of Agriculture. Some of many possible solutions to the genetically modifiedRead MoreGenetically Modified Organisms ( Gmo )1194 Words   |  5 Pagesof? If you are eating anything that was processed more likely than not you’re eating genetically modified organisms (GMO) in some way. This is because â€Å"in the U.S. GMO are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food (Non-GMO project).† A GMO is a â€Å"genetically modified organisms† which can be a plant or animal. What makes them a GMO is that they have been genetically engineered with DN A of another organisms that has a desired trait of some kind. The DNA used can come from other animals and plants

The Rise Of The Roman Empire - 2740 Words

Power, prestige, intelligence, and fear, when you hear these words one thing comes to mind, the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was one of the greatest empires of all time. The span of the Roman Empire grew from itself outward to the countries of England, Africa, Spain, and even Syria. The Roman Empire covered a vast area of land, with ambitions of continued growth. The Roman Empire rose to glory in 27 BC. The rise of the Roman Empire began with its military forces and its many emperor’s reign. The society and life of Romans were also affected by the empire’s rule. What led to the empire’s rise can also be seen in what led to the fall of the greatest empire in history. The rise of the Roman Empire began with the refusal of the†¦show more content†¦After the death of Caesar there became a struggle between Caesar’s son Gaius Octavianas and Mark Antony over leadership. This lasted a while till finally the Octavianas were able to beat Anthony and his army surrendered. This left Octavianas the ruler of the whole Roman world (Drinkwater,21). The rise of the Roman Empire began in 27 BC, when Octavianas changed his name to Augustus and led a strong military force. The Roman military could be easily identified by sight alone. The Roman army had soldiers called legionaries, these legionaries were grouped into combat units of six thousand men called legions (Miquel, 10). Each legion was broken down into smaller units for easy control. For every one hundred men there was a centurion. The centurion was the leader of that group of one hundred men (Miquel, 10). Senior officers were pretty much in charge of the whole legion. There were ten senior officers in each legion, they would take direct orders from the emperor and were picked by the emperor himself. (Miquel, 10). The legions were sent to the frontiers of the empire to protect from any invasions. Any man that was a Roman citizen and between the age of 17 and 60 can join the army, but they had to pay for all of their own equipment (Miquel, 10). Later on when the empire went to build up its army, the states were to pay for all of the expenses for the man (Miquel,10). Three hundred thousand armed men were stationed at Rome, center of the empire. Augustus

Audio Lingual Method free essay sample

Compare and contrast the Direct Method and the Audio-Lingual Method. (1) Both are oral-based approaches. (2) The Direct Method emphasizes vocabulary acquisition through exposure to its use in situations; the Audio-Lingual Method drills students in the use of grammatical sentence patterns. (3) Unlike the Direct Method, the Audio-Lingual Method has a strong theoretical base in linguistics and psychology. 2- How has the behavioral psychology influenced the Audio-Lingual Method? It was thought that the way to acquire the sentence patterns of the target language was through conditioning—helping learners to respond correctly to stimuli through shaping and reinforcement. (2) Learners could overcome the habits of their native language and form the new habits required to be target language speakers. 3- Define a backward build-up drill (expansion drill). State its purpose and advantages. (1) Definition: The teacher breaks down a line into several parts. The students repeat a part of the sentence, usually the last phrase of the line. The author also puts out her recommendations for the use of the ALM in the second language classroom. 2. 1 HISTORY By the first half of the twentieth century, the Direct Method had lost its popularity in the U. S. However, it is believed that the decline of the Direct Method brought about the emergence of the ALM. As Brown (2001) puts it: â€Å" by the middle of the twentieth century, the Direct Method was revived and redirected into what was probably the most visible of all language teaching â€Å"revolutions† in the modern era, the Audio-lingual Method. † The U. S. educational institutions at the time still believed that a reading approach like the Grammar Translation Method was more practical than an oral one. Therefore the 1930s and 1940s saw the Grammar Translation Method going strong in all schools across the U. S. However, after World War II, the U. S. saw an urgent need for her to be orally proficient in the language of her allies as well as foes. This led to a drastic change in 4 the current view of language teaching from a mere reading approach to one with a heavier emphasis on aural and oral skills. Special intensive language programs were developed by the U. S. army which came to be known as the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP), or more simply, the Army Method. In the 1950s, the Army Method was renamed the Audiolingual Method. 3. 1 PRINCIPLES OF ALM Some of the main principles of language learning in the ALM are stated by Alkhuli 2005 (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies). One of these principles is that the second language learning process should be similar to that of first language acquisition. This complies with the natural order of language learning which is listening, speaking, reading and finally, writing. It is believed that the learner first learns to speak what he has listened to, then read what he has spoken, and write what he has read. Therefore, the ALM emphasizes on listening and speaking skills in order to facilitate the progress of reading and writing skills besides increasing communicative competency. Another principle is that the second language is best acquired by habit formation. A habit is created when an action is repeated and is subsequently produced 5 in response to certain stimuli almost without conscious activity. This is achieved via the repetitive pattern practices that are part and parcel of the ALM. Translation of the target language into the native language is considered harmful and will hinder acquisition of the second language. Such translations are believed to impede the mastery or control of the second language. When the target language is used in all circumstances in the classroom, learners learn to make direct connections between the vocabulary and its semantics in the target language itself, which is ideal for effective second language learning. However, these principles are merely assumptions. Counter-arguments include: second language learning is completely different from native language acquisition in many different aspects. In addition, the natural order of language learning that the ALM stresses on is irrelevant because the four language skills can be developed simultaneously rather than sequentially. The learning of a second language is not necessarily a process of habit formation where responses are elicited by stimuli, but also involves the cognitive. Finally, translation into the native language has proven a useful technique indeed in learning a second language, demonstrated in methods such as the Grammar Translation Method. 4. 1 MAIN FEATURES As aforementioned, the ALM follows the natural order of language learning. The use of repetitive drills is justified in shaping a new â€Å"habit† for learning the second 6 language. Stimuli-responses are expected and correct ones are immediately reinforced as conditioning, concurrent with the views of behavioural psychology. The native language also plays a minimal role in the ALM. Only the target language is used within the classroom by both teacher and learners. New material in the target language is also introduced in dialogue form, closest to a natural situational context for learners to gain communicative competence and skills. Modeling is done by the teacher whereby a particular structure of sentence is spoken and learners repeat the sentence, mimicking its sound patterns and intonation, and aiming for identicalness. Slips in learners’ pronunciation of words in the sentence are immediately corrected by the teacher to avoid formation of â€Å"bad habits†. Grammar rules are not taught explicitly but are expected to be induced by the learners through the various examples and patterns that are exposed to them during the lesson. Contrastive analyses are also done between the native language and the target language in order to draw learner’s attention to differences in pattern, structure and sound system of both languages. 5. 1 TECHNIQUES There are many techniques employed in the classroom that advocate the underlying principles (or assumptions) of the ALM, and are also based on the aforementioned two main schools of thought for the said method. 7 One of the main techniques used is of introducing new learning material in the form of a dialogue. A model conversation is analyzed, broken down and memorized through mimicry. Dialogues are seen as a natural conversational ontext that will aid learners in applying learned structures and vocabulary. Many drills are used in the ALM. The backward build-up drill (expansion drill) breaks down a difficult sentence into smaller parts. Usually the last phrase of the sentence is repeated by the learners and then parts are added on, or expanded, until learners are able to repeat the complete sentence without further trouble. Single-slot substitution drills require the learners to substitute in cues given by the teacher into a particular slot in the sentence. Multiple-slot substitution drills on the other hand, require a higher level of competence from the learners. Learners must recognize particular slots within the sentence to substitute the cues given by the teacher, occasionally having to alter subject-verb agreements as well. Other drills include the repetition drill, chain drill, transformation drill and question-and-answer drill. (Refer to Appendix A) 6. 1 ADVANTAGES As compared to an extreme method like the Grammar Translation Method, where reading and writing are so stressed on that speaking and listening skills are neglected, ALM does develop the aural/oral skills of learners. Learners through the ALM are able to participate in situational contexts competently. 8 In addition, learners are more aware of the phonetic aspects of the language. Through modeling and mimicry, learners pay more attention to proper pronunciation and intonation. Errors in pronunciation are immediately dealt with, while correct responses are positively reinforced. Learners are sensitive to the intonation and are aware of their different functions of questioning, requesting, pleading etc. Through substitution drills, learners also learn to recognize the borders between the phrases that make up the sentence. They are also exposed to a variety of different sentences that have similar structures through repetition drills as well. Transformational drills help learners familiarize with question tags and their corresponding answers, affirmative and negative sentences and even active and passive ones. Such a wide variety of sentence and question structures serve to enhance learners’ communicative ability. 7. 1 DISADVANTAGES Although the drills that are the ALM’s distinguishing feature may be considered one of its strengths, they are also its weakness. Such drills leave no room for creativity, causing learners to lose interest or feel bored in the classroom. When learners lose their motivation, it negatively affects their progress in second language learning. New vocabulary learned is also limited in context. Instead, the sound system and grammatical patterns are emphasized on more. Learners are taught set phrases in gruel repetition in response to certain questions, where the form and structure are 9 highlighted. Consequently, learners are only drilled to respond correctly with answers that are expected of them without caring much for its meaning. For example, the set phrase, â€Å"Fine, thank you,† is taught as a response to the question â€Å"How are you? † which learners use even when they feel otherwise. This phenomenon is comparable to robots that have no cognition and only give particular responses to particular stimuli! There is rarely any variation in learners’ responses other than the ones that have been taught. Therefore, interaction and dialogue is very schematic and unnatural. In short, communicative competence is still called to question. Learners of the ALM may be able to participate in conversations, but they are rarely spontaneous and it is observed to be rather a case of regurgitating the â€Å"right† responses in a certain situational context from memory. Should they not be able to recall the set phrases that have been learned, they are at a loss as to how to respond to the questions and conversational prompts of the other speaker. 8. 1 RECOMMENDATIONS From the discussion above, it is evident that although communicative competence is insufficient, the ALM drills provide learners with a multitude of structures and grammatical patterns that form the basic foundation for communication. The challenge is to help learners apply the knowledge they have gained to communicating effectively and in a natural manner. 10 However, this cannot be done if drills are continuously insisted upon in the classroom. A degree of flexibility is needed on the part of the teacher to allow spontaneous and natural conversation to take place after drilling them as well. Unguided dialogue practice forces the learners to apply what they have been drilled with into a communicative setting, taking into consideration the meaning of the phrases learnt with relevance to the given situation. Model conversations can still be provided, but spontaneous ones allow for creativity and variety in responding according to the individual learner. Communication becomes more natural. With regards to learner motivation, the responsibility is shouldered by both the teacher and the learners themselves. The teacher needs to, again, be flexible and allow for elements not necessarily ALM-like to be incorporated into the lesson, if only for the sake of breaking the monotone. Drills can still be employed of course, but in more interesting ways like role play and physical activities. In essence, the teacher should be creative in her strategies with the aim of increasing the communicative competency of the learners rather than teach by the book. Learners as well, play a major role in their own learning progress. They should maintain a high level of self-motivation by actively participating in tasks and activities and being attentive at all times. 9. 1 CONCLUSION The ALM definitely has its pros and cons in a second language classroom. However, the disadvantages and negative implications can be overcome if a slightly more eclectic approach to second language teaching is taken. Some teachers may stubbornly hold fast to the rules of the ALM and refuse to stray from it. In such a case, the 11 objective of second language teaching should be questioned. Is one’s loyalty to the method or to the goal of aiding learners in achieving communicative competence? If it is the latter, it does not matter what method is used in the classroom as long as ultimately, learners gain valuable communicative skills. As Celce-Murcia illustrates (as cited by Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim in the International Forum of Teaching and Studies): â€Å"Today, language students are considered successful if they can communicate effectively in their second or foreign language, whereas two decades ago the accuracy of the language produced would most likely be the major criterion contributing to the judgment of a student’s success or lack of success. † (1991, p. 125) One single method should never be used exclusively in the classroom because it shall always remain flawed. It is the teacher’s responsibility to determine her teaching goals and appropriate methods to be used; where an eclectic one might better achieve those goals. Therefore, the teacher of a second language must be prepared to modify and adjust her methods to suit the different learning needs of the learners. 12 APPENDIX A Here are examples of the different drills used in the Audio-lingual Method: Repetition drill Repetition drill is the normal drill, usually used to teach the lines of the dialogue. Students are required to repeat after the teacher’s model until they are almost identical. Chain drill The Chain drill uses maybe the first few lines of a simple dialogue. The teacher begins by addressing a student, or asking him a question. The student responds, then turns to the student beside him and asks him a similar question. The second student responds and the chain goes on until each student has participated. This allows for the teacher to check learner’s speech. Transformation drill The teacher may give learners a question, and the learners are then required to formulate an answer from the form of the question given, and vice versa. Or, an affirmative sentence is given and learners need to transform it into the negative. This can be used for teaching active and passive sentences, as well as direct and reported speech. Question-and-answer drill This drill allows for learners to practice answering questions accurately and rapidly. It can also be done the other way round, where the learners form the questions on cue. 13 REFERENCES Abdel-Rahman Abu-Melhim. 2009. Re-evaluating the Effectiveness of the Audiolingual Method in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. International Forum of Teaching and Studies 5(2): 1-9. Britto, Rory. 2009. The Dissipation of Methods in ESL: Expanding to Fill the Void. The Journal of Education p. 75-84. Brown, H. Douglas. 2001. Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, p. 13-37. Second edition. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. Larsen-Freeman, Diane. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. Savignon, Sandra J. 2001. Communicative Language Teaching. Theory Into Practice 26(4): 235.