General Book Club Questions for Study and Discussion

As a member or leader of a book club, you are likely to be reading books on a wide variety of topics, both fiction and nonfiction. No matter the genre, age, notoriety, or length of the book of the moment, book club questions can kickstart or enhance your group discussion. Whether you are discussing characters and their actions, setting, theme, or images, having a guide to questions that will lead to fruitful exchanges on your enjoyment — or lack thereof — of the book, plot, and even its moral implications can help make your discussion more productive and keep it on track. Before Diving In Before you dive into the heavy plot points, character development, themes, or other weighty subjects, start off your book club discussion by finding out everyones  first impression of the book, advises Sadie Trombetta, via Bustle. Doing so, and starting slowly, will give you a jumping-off point to discuss what about the selection kept you turning the pages, she says, or what made the book difficult to get through. These introductory questions can help you ease into the more detailed book discussion. Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?What were your expectations for this book? Did the book fulfill  them?How would you briefly describe the book to a friend?In a book in which the author was not a character or was not doing first-person reporting, was the author present in the book anyway? Was the presence of the author disruptive? Or did it seem appropriate or fitting?How would you describe the plot? Did it pull you in, or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book? Characters  and Their Actions Before other elements of the book, such as the  setting, plot, and  theme, the characters who inhabit the book will either infuse the work with life or drag it down to dull reading. Your book club may encounter many types of characters:  you may have a round, flat, or stock character, or even a traditional  protagonist. Knowing what kinds of characters the author has used to populate her novel or book is key to understanding the story she is trying to tell. After asking introductory questions as discussed above, put the following book club questions before your group members.   How realistic was the characterization? Would you want to meet any of the characters? Did you like them? Hate them?If the book was nonfiction, do you think the characters accurately portrayed the real events upon which the book was based? If not, what would you have changed to make the book more accurate?Who was your favorite character?Which character did you relate to most and why?Did the actions of the characters seem plausible? Why? Why not?If one (or more) of the characters made a choice that had moral implications, would you have made the same decision? Why? Why not?If you were making a movie of this book, who would you cast? Setting, Theme, and Images Many  writers  believe that the setting is the most important element of any fictional work. Whether or not you agree — for example, if you believe the storys characters are the most significant element — setting can have considerable influence over the events, feeling, and mood of a story. If the setting is a horse racing track, such as with a Dick Francis novel, youre sure to find yourself reading about horse owners and trainers, jockeys, and stablehands working hard to prepare their mounts, as well as spirited and competitive races. If the setting is London, events may be influenced by the heavy fog and damp, dank cold that city experiences. Just as importantly, a books theme is the main idea that flows through the narrative and connects the components of the story.  Any imagery the author uses is sure to be connected to the characters, setting, and theme. So, focus your next set of book club questions on these three elements. Following are a few ideas: How does the setting figure in the book?  If the book was nonfiction, do you feel the author did enough to describe the setting and how it might have influenced the plot or narrative of the book?How would the book have been different if it had taken place in a different time or place?What are some of the books themes? How important were they?How are the books images symbolically significant? Do the images help to develop the plot or help to define characters? Summarizing Your Reading Experience One of the most enjoyable aspects of a book club — indeed, the very essence of why books clubs exist — is to talk to others who have collectively read a given work about their impressions, feelings, and beliefs. The shared experience of reading a single book gives members a chance to discuss how it made them feel, what they might have changed, and, significantly, whether they believe that reading the book altered their own lives or perspectives in some way. Dont move on to your next book until youve thoroughly hashed out some of these conclusion-type questions. Did the book end the way you expected?If the book was based on real events, what did you already know about this book’s subject before you read this book? Did the story reflect what you already knew? Do you feel the book helped enhance your knowledge and understanding of the subject?If the book was nonfiction, what did you think about the author’s research? Do you think s/he did an adequate job of gathering the information? Were the sources credible?At which point of the book were you most engaged?Conversely, were there any parts of the book that you felt dragged?How would you describe the pace of the book?What three words would you use to summarize this book?What, if anything, set this book apart from others youve read in a similar genre?What other books have you read by this author? How did they compare to this book?  What did you think of the book’s length? If it’s too long, what would you cut? If too short, what would you add?Would you recommend this book to other readers? To your close friend? Why or why not?

Intelligence, Cognitive, And Cognitive Psychology

Introduction Cognitive psychology is defined as the internal mental processes, or how human beings process information. Cognition itself refers to mental actions of acquiring knowledge and understanding through: â€Å"experience, and the sensory input,† resulting in a sense of perception and notion (http://spl.stanford.edu/pdfs/2001%20Emotions%20-%20Emotional%20intelligence.pdf). Intelligence is an example of cognition, and the ongoing debate on intelligence and how to measure it intrigued me into further investigation. Moreover, recent research has touched on whether intelligence is determined exclusively by genes or by the environment of the individual. Most definitions of intelligence are reflected by Intelligence Quotients tests, or IQ†¦show more content†¦Despite the limitations of IQ tests, researchers have not found a better alternative to measure intelligence. Supporting evidence on the idea that intelligence is malleable is Howe (1997) that claims that in ord er to raise a person’s intelligence significantly and permanently both time and constant effort are required to a large extent. In addition, a lackluster attempt in changing an individuals IQ, will not produce sudden and lasting changes (Howe, 1997). Furthermore, the Milwaukee Project and the Head Start initiative in the U.S.A., also shows supporting evidence that intelligence, in terms of IQ, can change, as pre-school children demonstrated IQ point gains (Heber et. al. 1968, Gross 2001). In regards to the affect genes and the environment have on intelligence, studies about adoption, in Romania, also indicate that the environment significantly influences the plentiful physical and mental catch-up and IQ gains, after living in stimulating and stable conditions (Rutter Rutter1992). However, not all-reliable research shows that the environment is an important factor of intelligence, which might be because of biases among genetics researchers that do not consider the environmen t when theorizing about intelligence. For example, research by Bouchard and McGue in twin

Theoneyourlookingfor Essay Example For Students

Theoneyourlookingfor Essay Computer HackerThe meaning of Hacker is one who accesses a computer which is supposably not able to be accessed to non authorised people of the community. Hackers may use any type of system to access this information depending on what they intend on doing in the system. MethodsHackers may use a variety of ways to hack into a system. First if the hacker is experienced and smart the hacker will use telnet to access a shell on another machine so that the risk of getting caught is lower than doing it using their own system. Ways in which the hacker will break into the system are:1) Guess/cracking passwords. This is where the hacker takes guesses at the password or has a crack program to crack the password protecting the system. 2) Finding back doors is another way in which the hacker may get access to the system. This is where the hacker tries to find flaws in the system they are trying to enter. 3) One other way in which a hacker may try to get into a system is by using a program called a WORM. This program is specially programmed to suit the need of the user. This programme continually tries to connect to a machine at over 100 times a second until eventually the system lets in and the worm executes its program. The program could be anything from getting password files to deleting files depending on what it has been programmed to do. ProtectionThe only way that you or a company can stop a Hacker is by not having your computer connected to the net. This is the only sure fire way in which you can stop a hacker entering your system. This is mainly because hackers use a phone line to access the system. If it is possible for one person to access the system then it is possible for a hacker to gain access to the system. One of the main problems is that major companies need to be networked and accessible over the net so that employees can do overdue work or so that people can look up things on that company. Also major companies network their offices so that they can access data from different positions. One way which is used to try to prevent hackers gaining access is a program used by companies called a Firewall. A Firewall is a program which stops other connections from different servers to the firewall server. This is very effective in stopping hackers entering the system. Tho this is not a fool proof way of stopping hackers as it can be broken and hackers can get in. Tho this is a very good way of protecting your system on the InterNet. Major Hacks Some of the major hacks that have been committed have been done by young teens aged between 14 and 18. These computer geniuses as they are known have expert knowledge on what they are doing and also know the consequences. Tho the consequences do not really enter there mind when they are doing it. This hack occurred on February 10, 1997, and again on February 14, 1997 Portuguese hackers launched a political attack on the web page of the Indonesian government, focusing on that countrys continued oppression of East Timor. The attack was online for about 3 hours from 7.00 PM to 10.00 PM (Portuguese Time) at the web site of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. The hackers did not delete or change anything. The said We just hack pages. Another major hack that occurred was on April 1 1981 by a single user. This hacker who was situated in an east coast brokage house was interested in the stock market. SO he purchased $100,000 worth of shares in the stock market. Then he hacked into the stock markets main computers and stole $80 million dollars. The hacker was eventually caught although $53 million dollars was not recovered. .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 , .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .postImageUrl , .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 , .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:hover , .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:visited , .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:active { border:0!important; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:active , .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90 .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubc2558f6ef88ecf71405382e887f2f90:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Business Ethics EssayOn Wednesday, March 5 1997 The home page of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations was recently hacked and the contents changed. The group known as H4G1S. This group of hackers managed to change the contents of the webpage The hacking group changed the webpage and left a little message for all. It said Gr33t1ngs fr0m th3 m3mb3rs 0f H4G1S. Our mission is to continue where our colleagues the ILF left off. During the next month, we the members of H4G1S, will be launching an attack on corporate America. All who profit from the misuse of the InterNet will fall victim to our upcoming reign of digital terrorism. Our privileged and highly skilled members will stop at nothing until our presence is felt nationwide. Even your most sophisticated firewalls are useless. We will demonstrate this in the upcoming weeks. The homepage of the United States Air Force was recently hacked and the contents had been changed. The webpage had been changed completely as the hackers had inserted pornographic pictures saying this is what we are doing to you and had under the image screwing you. The hackers have changed it and shown their views on the political system. One other major hack which was committed was by a 16 year old boy in Europe. This boy hacked into the British Airforce and downloaded confidential information on Ballistic missiles. The boy hacked into the site and down loaded this information because he was interested and wanted to know more about them. This boy was fined a sum of money. In conclusion it can be said that hackers are sophisticated and very talented when it comes to the use of a computer. Hacking is a process of learning not following any manual. Hackers learn as they go and use a method of trial and error. Most people who say they are hackers most of the time are not. Real hackers do not delete or destroy any information on the system they hack. Hackers hack because they love the thrill of getting into a system that is supposably unable to be entered. Overall hackers are smart and cause little damage to the system they enter. So hackers are not really terrorists in a way they help companies find out flaws in their sy stem. Words/ Pages : 1,038 / 24