“The ideal tour guide . . . both entertaining and informative.”—BooklistHere is the riveting story of the English language, from its humble... beginnings as a regional dialect to its current preeminence as the one global language, spoken by more than two billion people worldwide. In this groundbreaking book, Melvyn Bragg shows how English conquered the world. It is a magnificent adventure, full of jealousy, intrigue, and war—against a hoard of invaders, all armed with their own conquering languages, which bit by bit, the speakers of English absorbed and made their own. Along the way, its colorful story takes in a host of remarkable people, places, and events: the Norman invasion of England in 1066; the arrival of The Canterbury Tales and a “coarse” playwright named William Shakespeare, who added 2,000 words to the language; the songs of slaves; the words of Davy Crockett; and the Lewis and Clark expedition, which led to hundreds of new words as the explorers discovered unknown flora and fauna. The Adventure of English is an enthralling story not only of power, religion, and trade, but also of a people and how they changed the world.

This reader provides original readings and simplified selections from different periods of French literature. Pre- and post-reading activities are... provided, as well as a Communicative Activity and Review Exercises at the end of each section. Grammatical explanations for the basic structures and structural exercises appear in each selection.

Developed for second- and third-year French courses, Graded French Reader, Première etape, 6/e, helps students transition from language-based courses... to literature and culture courses through review of vocabulary and grammar and an emphasis on oral communication. Presenting a variety of genres, the readings feature works by contemporary francophone authors, including women writers. Texts are organized in order of difficulty and are presented in manageable sections. Comprehension, linguistic, and communicative activities accompany each reading.

This reader provides an array of cultural and literary material for students in their first year of German. The first five sections were written or... edited specifically for the text, while authentic material is presented in a concluding short story by Doris Dörrie. Features include frequent use of cognates and basic vocabulary; exercises in reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and word-building techniques; graded readings; and footnotes throughout the text along with a verb appendix and index of exercises.

Developed for beginning and intermediate-level courses, Graded Spanish Reader: Primera etapa features works by renowned Spanish and Latin American... literary figures, including prominent women writers. Selections of fiction, poetry, and drama are supported by a comprehensive pre-reading and post-reading apparatus designed to engage students as readers, writers, and speakers of the Spanish language.

Adaptable to a variety of teaching styles and student abilities, the Fifth Edition of the Segunda etapa introduces intermediate-level students to... Hispanic literature. Featuring renowned Spanish and Latin American literary figures, the 18 selections of fiction, poetry, and drama are fully supported by a comprehensive pre-reading and post-reading apparatus designed to engage students as readers, writers and speakers of Spanish.

The Second Edition of this classic introduction to the principles of architecture is everything you would expect from the celebrated architect, author,... and illustrator, Francis D. K. Ching. Each page has been meticulously revised to incorporate contemporary examples of the principles of form, space, and order-the fundamental vocabulary of every designer. The result is a beautifully illustrated volume that embraces today's forms and looks at conventional models with a fresh perspective. Here, Ching examines every principal of architecture, juxtaposing images that span centuries and cross cultural boundaries to create a design vocabulary that is both elemental and timeless. Among the topics covered are point, line, plane, volume, proportion, scale, circulation, and the interdependence of form and space. While this revision continues to be a comprehensive primer on the ways form and space are interrelated and organized in the shaping of our environment, it has been refined to amplify and clarify concepts. In addition, the Second Edition contains:* Numerous new hand-rendered drawings* Expanded sections on openings and scale* Expanded chapter on design principles* New glossary and index categorized by the author* New 8 1/2 ? 11 upright trimIn the Second Edition of Architecture: Form, Space, and Order, the author has opted for a larger format and crisper images. Mr. Ching has retained the style of his hand-lettered text, a hallmark of each of his books. This rich source of architectural prototypes, each rendered in Mr. Ching's signature style, also serves as a guide to architectural drawing. Doubtless, many will want this handsome volume for the sheer beauty of it. Architects and students alike will treasure this book for its wealth of practical information and its precise illustrations. Mr. Ching has once again created a visual reference that illuminates the world of architectural form.

Whatever his/her feeling about grades, nearly every teacher must give them. That's the rationale behind this straightforward text–helping prospective... teachers to understand grading and learn to do it well. Grading, Second Edition continues to be the resource staying true to its original intent–to help current and future teachers begin to see themselves as competent graders. The text focuses on explaining how grades function in schools and schooling, and on developing skills in grading work and creating report cards. Based on current research and informed by the author's experience, the text is replete with detailed explanations, stories and illustrations, student work samples, sample report cards and other school artifacts, and references for further study. Readers will be introduced to the historical, social, legal, and psychological contexts of grading, and will obtain the necessary content and practice on how to grade individual units of student work and techniques for turning discrete grades into report-card marks. Every major section of the book concludes with a more comprehensive assignment that will help readers assess their knowledge of the major concepts and applications recently studied. Every chapter ends with a set of questions or exercises that serve as a self-assessment tools and a means to practice skill development. Organized into three major parts (Understanding Grading, Integrating Assessment and Instruction, and Combining Grades Into Marks for Report Cards), with the added encouragement of self-reflection at the onset and throughout, Grading, Second Edition fully prepares current teachers and those working toward that goal to refine and perfect a simple, yet compelling function in the process of school, grading. Grading, Second Edition is a perfect supplement for pre-service and current teachers, and for use in General K—12 Methods courses and courses in Tests and Measurements.

''With NCLB down for the count, Grading Education puts forth the most comprehensive analysis and set of reform proposals to date. It should be required... reading for everyone on Capitol Hill and in state capitols as well.''-- Jacob Ludes, III, Executive Director/CEO, New England Association of Schools and Colleges''If you want to understand how policymakers, often with the best of intentions, are narrowing children's education and bollixing up school accountability -- and if you want to learn about what could be done about that -- Rothstein's well-written and timely book is a must-read.''-- Bella Rosenberg, former Assistant to the President of the American Federation of Teachers''A superb and provocative analysis of where we've gone wrong on accountability and what we need to do to fix it. The book is a must-read for those seeking answers for reducing our nation's tragic achievement disparities.''-- Susan B. Neuman, University of Michigan, former Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education (2001 2003)Yes, we should hold public schools accountable for effectively spending the vast funds with which they have been entrusted. But accountability policies like No Child Left Behind, based exclusively on math and reading test scores, have narrowed the curriculum, misidentified both failing and successful schools, and established irresponsible expectations for what schools can accomplish.Instead of just grading progress in one or two narrow subjects, we should hold schools accountable for the broad outcomes we expect from public education -- basic knowledge and skills, critical thinking, an appreciation of the arts, physical and emotional health, and preparation for skilled employment -- and then develop the means to measure and ensure schools' success in achieving them. Grading Education describes a new kind of accountability plan for public education, one that relies on higher-quality testing, focuses on professional evaluation, and builds on capacities we already possess. This important resource:* Describes the design of an alternative accountability system that would not corrupt education as does NCLB and its state testing systems.* Explains the original design of NAEP in the 1960s, and shows why it should be revived.* Defines the broad goals of education, beyond math and reading test scores, and reports on surveys to confirm public and governmental support for such goals.* Relates these broad goals of education to the desire for accountability in education.

Whether you're searching for your first job or apartment, navigating the treacherous waters of office politics, or just trying to figure out how to file... your tax return, Gradspot.com's Guide to Life After College tackles the most common issues facing twentysomethings as they find their feet in the “real world.” Authors Chris Schonberger, Stuart Schultz, David Klein, and Tory Hoen (twentysomethings themselves) have been through it all before, and they maintain a sense of humor about their triumphs and missteps along the way. In addition to sharing their own experiences and anecdotes, they have polled hundreds of recent grads and consulted topic experts to give readers the information they need to survive life off-campus. Packed with indispensable tips, candid advice, and humorous dispatches from early adulthood, this easy-to-use guide has everything you need to know but didn't learn in college! Topics include: Finding an Apt, Job Hunting, Healthcare, Credit, Top Recent Grad Cities, Cars, Student Debt, Saving & Investing, Office Etiquette, Networking, Dating, Travel, Cooking, Moving Home, The "One-Year Rut", 401(k)s, and more.

Veteran higher-education consultant Donald Asher demystifies the graduate school application process and offers a detailed action plan that has proved... successful for some of the most competitive programs in the country. The 50 sample essays-selected from thousands of candidates-showcase the best of the best, while the Essay Hall of Shame identifies common pitfalls to avoid. Sample letters of recommendation and essays for scholarships, residencies, fellowships, and postgraduate and postdoctoral applications cover all stages of the application process. Teaches how to craft a winning essay with 50 state-of-the-art samples to inspire, instruct, and all but guarantee a top-of-the-pile application. Updated third edition includes an entirely new chapter dedicated to online applications and how they're managed, processed, and considered. Previous editions have sold 100,000 copies.

This up-to-date textbook on mathematical methods of physics is designed for a one-semester graduate or two-semester advanced undergraduate course. The... formal methods are supplemented by applications that use MATHEMATICA to perform both symbolic and numerical calculations.The book is written by a physicist lecturer who knows the difficulties involved in applying mathematics to real problems. As many as 40 exercises are included at the end of each chapter. A student CD includes a basic introduction to MATHEMATICA, notebook files for each chapter, and solutions to selected exercises.* Free solutions manual available for lecturers at www.wiley-vch.de/supplements/