The Effect of Using Mental Imagination Strategy on Developing Critical Reading Skills among Ninth Graders

The study aimed at showing the effect of using Mental Imagination strategy in developing critical reading skills for ninth grade students in Gaza. The study used the experimental method and suitable critical reading skills for nine grade were identified. The sample of the study consisted of 81 students (ninth grade) distributed to an experimental group (41 students) and a controlled group (40 student), reading subjects were taught to the experimental group by using the Mental Imagination strategy which was applied by a teacher who received training related to this strategy. The controlled group were taught by using traditional methods. After a test was implemented to measure the critical reading skills and conducting statistical treatments by using Ancova, the study revealed that there was an effect on using the Mental Imagination strategy in developing targeted critical reading skills. It also clarified that there were significant differences at a ≤ 0.01 between the experimental and controlled group grades in the post test of critical reading skills attributed to the experimental group

交通インフラの最適整備についての研究

政策分析プログラム / Policy Analysis Program政策研究大学院大学 / National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies論文審査委員: 吉田 雄一朗（主査）, 福島 隆司, 園部 哲史, 川田 恵介（広島大学

Patterns of language choice and use among undergraduates of different ethnic groups in a malaysian public university

Language choice and use are sociolinguistic phenomena. The choice and use of language refers to selecting languages for different purposes in different contexts. In a bi-/multilingual society, these phenomena are very important issues. Fishman’s (1972) domain analysis is used to investigate the choice of language in a multilingual context in this study. The analysis answers questions directed at ‘who speaks what language to whom, when, where and even why’. In answering these questions, a host of variables come into play. These variables are language planning and policy, language user’s social background, linguistic profile, profession, educational background, and social domains. The objectives of this study were to identify UPM undergraduates’ patterns of language choice and use in the domains of family, friendship, neighborhood, transaction, education, office, religion and media; and to investigate the effect of ethnicity, gender, discipline of study and proficiency on their patterns of language choice and use. Data for the study were collected through a questionnaire survey administered to 300 UPM undergraduates. The analysis of data was done both quantitatively and qualitatively. SPSS was used to get percentage values and frequencies through descriptive statistics and correlations between variables were obtained through Chi-square tests. The strength of relationship was measured using Contingency Coefficient and the relationship was interpreted with reference to Guilford’s rule of thumb. Findings of the study indicate that the informants chose and used different languages in different domains with consideration to the status of the domains. They were found to use ethnic languages in those domains which were more informal and intimate such as family, religion and media. Bahasa Melayu and English were chosen in more formal domains such as education and office. In the patterns of language choice among the informants, the study found the influence of ethnicity and language proficiency in all the domains investigated. The discipline of study was also found to influence language choice partially, while the influence of gender was not found. In short, this study found variation of choice of languages to be constrained and influenced by different factors

Patterns of language choice in the education domain: The Malaysian context

With Malaysia being a multilingual, multicultural and multiracial country, it is not surprising that everyone in Malaysia speaks at least two or more languages. Such a multilingual situation leads people to choose and use different languages for different purposes in different domains. Even within a single domain the choice of language varies on contexts, topics and participants. The purpose of this study was thus to investigate the patterns of language choice and use in the domain of education in Malaysia and also to investigate what influences this choice. The study examined the patterns of language choice among UPM(University Putra Malaysia) undergraduates through a questionnaire survey and the data was analyzed. The findings reveal that language choice in education varies on sub-domains. It is also found that language proficiency, ethnicity, gender, and discipline of study constrain the choice and use of language

Towards Sustainable Wastewater Reuse in the Middle East and North Africa

Water has a precious value, and each drop must be accounted for in water scarce regions such as the Middle East and North Africa. Therefore, wastewater has to be reclassified as a renewable water resource rather than as waste. This helps in augmenting water availability, and at the same time in preventing environmental pollution. Utilization of this resource requires collection, treatment, and use of all generated wastewater. Although reuse of wastewater is recognized in most water-scarce countries, the reuse of wastewater is still very low. This paper analyzes the major components of a sustainable wastewater reuse scheme. It also reviews the different methods that are frequently used to quantify and report progress and achievements in wastewater reuse. The paper also introduces an alternative yardstick named by the author as the Wastewater Reuse Index (WRI) that has a value between 0-100; WRI is calculated by dividing the amounts of wastewater being actually reused by the total amounts of wastewater generated at country level. WRI enables water resource managers and policymakers to put a figure on the gap between achievements at different junctures. Moreover, WRI recognizes water saving efforts such as low water consumption and reducing losses; thus, WRI highlights the way forward for improving the reuse efficiency as an integral part of water resources management. The paper highlights the major barriers to extensive reuse of the reclaimed wastewater in the MNEA countries

Some diophantine quadruples in the ring Z[√-2]

A complex diophantine quadruple with the property D,$(z)$, where $z in$ Z$[sqrt {-2}]$, is a subset of Z$[sqrt {-2}]$ of four elements such that the product of its any two distinct elements increased by $z$ is a perfect square in Z$[sqrt{-2}]$. In the present paper we prove that if $b$ is an odd integer, then there does not exist a diophantine quadruple with the property D$(a + bsqrt{-2})$. For $z=a+bsqrt{-2}$, where $b$ is even, we prove that there exist at least two distinct complex diophantine quadruples if $a$ and $b$ satisfy some congruence conditions

Risks Facing the Profit-loss Sharing Banking System Within The Global Financial Crisis

بينما واجهت البنوك التقليدية تحديات لمعالجة المشاكل الناشئة عن اسو ازمة مالية تعلق في الذاكرة الحية، عرف النظام البنكي الاسلامي ازدهارا نسبيا.             ومع ذلك فان التغيرات الديناميكية التي حدثت في عالم المال العالمي فرضت على المؤسسات المصرفية مخاطر مختلفة. فالبنوك الإسلامية ليست في منأى عن هذه المخاطر.  ويتعلق ازدهارها المستمر نسبيا على كيفية إدارتها لهذه المخاطر.  وان تحديد هذه المخاطر يسمح بايجاد الحلول لها. وعكس البنوك التقليدية، فان البنوك الإسلامية شترك في المخاطر مع المستثمرين والمقترضين معا.             ويكمن الاختلاف في طبيعة تقاسم المخاطر. وتبحث هذه الورقة مختلف أنواع المخاطر المرتبطة بمختلف نظم العقود المالية المختلفة التي تواجهها البنوك الإسلامية.  وتتناول الورقة أيضًا العديد من الآثار السياسية المترتبة لتعزيز إدارة المخاطر من حيث العولمة والتغيرات الثقافية داخل الصناعة المصرفية القائمة على التشارك في الربح والخسارة.While conventional banks are facing challenges to resolve problems emanating from the worst financialcrisis in living memory, the Islamic banking sector is flourishing and remains in relative prosperity.However, dynamic changes occurring in the global financial world pose various risks to bankinginstitutions. Islamic banks are not immune to such risks. Their relative continuous prosperity depends on howwell they manage such risks. Identifying these risks sheds light on challenging these risks. Unlike conventionalbanks, Islamic banks share business risks with investors and borrowers. The difference lies in the nature of risksharing. This paper examines the different types of risks associated with different schemes of financialcontracts that Islamic banks are facing. The paper also addresses several policy implications to promote riskmanagement in terms of globalization and culture changes within profit-loss sharing banking industry

Prediction of hydrologic fluxes over the Marmot basin using small scale distributed hydrologic model

The distributed-Hydrology-Soil-Vegetation model (DHSVM) was applied to the Marmot Creek watershed in western Alberta. The purpose of this research was primarily to assess the applicability of the model as hydrologic prediction tool for a snow dominated forested watershed. Climate data from July 2005 to December 2007 were used as forcing data. The model was calibrated and validated for the Marmot Creek watershed conditions using both streamflow and snow water equivalent (SWE). DHSVM was able to accurately simulate the streamflow and snow water equivalent for the simulated years. Because the accuracy of DHSVM simulations was greatly improved through rigorous calibration, this research demonstrates the need for model calibration to a watershed of interest, prior to hydrologic simulations using different landscape scenarios. -- Next, two scenario were used to measure the effect of digital elevation model (DEM) and land cover change on streamflow and snow water equivalent. A hydrologically modified DEM was generated using ANUDEM software and was used to assess the sensitivity of DEM source on model simulations. Earth Observation for Sustainable Development (EOSD) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) land cover maps were also applied to evaluate the influence of land cover source on streamflow and SWE results. These sensitivity studies show that differences observed through direct comparisons of topographic parameters are reflected in the shape and timing of simulated streamflow and snow water equivalent (SWE) results. Results also show that the USGS DEM produced lower peak flows than the ANUDEM DEM and USGS land cover underestimate SWE when compared to the EOSD land cover. -- Overall, the significance of the study is that it broadens the knowledge of DEM and land cover change effects on hydrological processes in snow dominated mountainous watersheds. It thus provides a framework for assessing the vulnerability of watersheds to altered streamflow and SWE regimes attributable to changes in DEM and land cover that occur over large geographical areas and long time-frames

Performance improvement of simplified synchronous generators using an active power filter

Active power filters (APF) are used to improve power quality and are commonly connected in parallel with the load at the point of common coupling (PCC). They are used to compensate for harmonics from nonlinear loads, for reactive power compensation and/or balancing mains currents. This paper will investigate the effect of using an APF to improve the output power quality of a simplified synchronous generator (SSG) with distorted back-EMF. The work will further investigate the use of an APF in parallel to improve the transient response of synchronous generator without damper bars, in order to control the dynamic response from a sudden change in the connected load. Using an APF, simulation results show significant improvements in both generator output current quality and transient response to load step changes without damper bars

What determines the choice of language with friends and neighbors? the case of Malaysian university undergraduates.

Bi-/multilingual people exercise choices of language among the languages of their linguistic repertoire for different purposes in different domains. The choice is determined by various factors such as ethnicity, proficiency, attitudes, socio-cultural background, language policy, and in particular, the domain itself.Malaysia being a multilingual country, what languages are chosen with friends and relatives, and what determines the choice constitute the main objectives of this paper.Data for this paper was collected through a questionnaire survey administered to a sample of university undergraduates and analyzed those using SPSS. The findings show that respondents from the major ethnic groups preferred their respective ethnic languages with friends and neighbours of the same ethnic backgrounds but choice of Bahasa Malaysia (BM) among the non-Malays and choice for English among respondents irrespective of ethnicity increase while the interlocutors belong to other ethnic backgrounds. Ethnicity, proficiency and domain of use were found to be contributing factors of language choice with friends and neighbours in Malaysia