WELCOME

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Actuality Hydropower


In "Hydropower," the author defines hydropower. It is energy comes from moving water. Also according to "Hydropower," hydropower has long history with human. The first users of hydropower were Greeks thousands of years ago to grind wheat into flour. Then, the author continues by telling the progress of this technology until these days. In addition, the author says the way that is how hydropower plant works. The ways to produce energy by hydropower has many steps. Finally, the author mentions some of advantages of Hydropower plants.

Most people around the world worried about the future. The common subject is energy. In fact, there are a high percentage of countries depending on nonrenewable resources like oil and most of them are more developed countries. The truth is we have to find other resources to avoid finishing nonrenewable resources. One of greatest technology is hydropower because it has many advantages. For example, it can produce high quality energy; it can be very economical and it is good to environment. Therefore, hydropower should use because it is efficiency, economy and environment.

First, hydropower produces energy with high efficiency. Actually, the demand increase to electricity day by day, so electric companies try to provide people with electricity without interruption. In fact, that depends on the energy provider, so Hydropower plant is great because it just need water to produce energy. Therefore, hydropower can meet people with their needs easily.

Second, hydropower is amazing way to save money. In fact, it can be with only a way that the fuel is free and renewable. It is water. As a result, the company can save a lot of money and invest it in other projects. The other projects will make new resources to improve income rate. Therefore, hydropower will save fuel's money to supply in other places.

Lastly, hydropower is very useful to environment. In fact, one of hydropower goals is keep environment healthy. This goal is absolutely reached because there are no gases burning like CO2 and no dangerous waste like old oil. All materials that use in with input and output of Hydropower plants is water, so water can not threat environment or species. Hydropower will protect environment by using water only as a fuel.

In conclusion, all people in different countries and positions consider changing into renewable energy is a good solution to avoid lacking in energy resources. In fact, hydropower is one renewable energy resources for many reasons such as it is good electric producer, great money saver and wonderful environment protector. By this way, we can achieve many goals at same time. As long as hydropower is used the improvement will go everywhere.

References:
Hydropower. (2006). Secondary Energy Infobook. Retrieved February 21,
2007 from www.need.org/needpdf/infobook

TOEFL Improves English

Are you an international student? Do you want to succeed in your classes at American universities? Of course the answer will be "yes". However, many students can not study as international students because of English. English is the first difficulty to many students who want to study at American universities. Furthermore, all American universities ask for a specific level of English to guarantee that students can deal with their classes very well. In fact, there is a test for people who do not speak English as a native language. It is TOEFL test. TOEFL can measure English skills such as listening, grammar and reading. Furthermore, the requirement is different from one degree program to another. For example, most American universities ask 520 for undergraduate programs and 550 for graduate programs. By TOEFL's result American universities can have confidence in their new students' English. Therefore, the TOEFL test should be used to measure students' English because develop English, guaranty good students and get study tactics.

First, the TOEFL test improves students' English. Students will try to realize a lot of English words to prepare for TOEFL. Therefore, they can notice distinguish between words such as affect and effect. Also, students will try to keep their minds think like people who speak English as a native language. For example, in Arabic language they use same pronoun many times in one sentence, but in English they do not. Therefore, TOEFL is useful to improve English.

Second, the TOEFL test keeps out students who might fail at university. Because English is only the language that used in American universities there is no way to study unless students know English. For example, some students do not know about their English level, so the TOEFL's score can judge for that and tell them if they need study more or not. TOEFL is a great way to keep these students away and save their family's money. For example, if there is a student and his family will pay for him, the TOEFL will be good evidence to know he is qualify to study at university or not. So, TOEFL is excellent way to make universities satisfy with their students.

Lastly, the TOEFL inspires students to study very hard. Every student has a goal when he comes to the United States and he wants to achieve the goal. All international students goal's starts with TOEFL. So, they start to study for TOEFL by learning tricky problems and adjusting time. For example;, some students need 550 to get an admission at university, for that student must study hard to achieve their goals. In addition, TOEFL like an enemy to many students and a lot of them learn to beat it by studying hard and managing time. If the student is not organized before and can not manage his time the right way, because of this challenge he will gain the best strategy to study and that strategy will help him in academic study. Obviously, TOEFL will change behavior study into good way.

Opponents of TOEFL test say that it is not real English to make a judgment on a student’s English. Obviously, their idea is not true because of students who take TOEFL test, they are going to study at American universities. Therefore, they need to use formal and academic English to deal with people at universities especially professors. Also, English is not only speaking. It has many skills like reading, listening and writing, so it is impossible to learn all these skills without a drawn plan.

In conclusion, most education makers believe in TOEFL because it can measure the ability of students’ English. It is a good way to increase students' knowledge of English, select serious students and help students to gain study methods. In fact, most American universities are very careful in their input because they want to be proud of their output. That means when they give an admission to a student they want to make sure this student can be fine during time that he study at university, also when he get graduate, too. In addition, TOEFL is a fair way to judge on students’ English because there is no difference between any nationalities. It means when TOEFL is served it does not care about your native language, it just care about your English. As long as TOEFL is taken, American universities do not anxious about students’ English.

The Great Evaluation


Most people worried when they send their children to school because usually they ask, are children’s teachers good? Are teachers organized in classes? Many questions might asked by parents to make sure about their children education. In addition, educators want to keep the standard of teacher in good level. There are many ways to make sure teacher can fill this job or not such as testing, screening and make interviewing. One of most important way is teachers’ evaluation by students. This way is very useful because it reflects the real condition for teachers. In addition, it done by students who are at teacher’s class, so this way makes sense. The teachers' evaluation by students should be used because students are very close to teachers during work, it gives responsibility to students early and it makes teacher do the best.

First, students are the people who are very close to teachers when teachers are working. There is no person can notice teacher during work like student. For example, if the teacher can not explain very well or does not use good methods for attracting students, of course students will detect that. Also, students can distinguish between good and bad teachers by comparing between them. For example, some teachers are not organized, have bad personality and get angry easily. According to Michael Scriven (1995) "Students are in a unique position to rate their own increased knowledge and comprehension as well as changed motivation toward the subject taught. As students, they are also in a good position to judge such matters as whether tests covered all the material of the course". (para. 4). From that we can know students only can notice everything on teachers. So, it is a good way to make judgment on teachers from close point.

Second, students will feel with some responsibility early by indirect way. It is an excellent technique to teach students how they can be responsible. For instance, this system will give students more confidence because they will say their opinions without hesitate. Also, students will learn to critic many things in their life to get better result. For example, they will learn to study important things in their life by recognizing advantages and disadvantages. After that, they can make a decision if it is fine or not. Also, students will be good people in the society because they detect early that they are part of their society and they can participate in many different ways. Therefore, teachers' evaluation will lead to amazing results.

Third, teachers will do the best to get high evaluation. In fact, evaluation will let teacher try to work very well to satisfy their bosses and students because no one likes to lose his job. Moreover, teacher will try to change bad habits into good such as the coming late to work, delaying to give back students' papers and talking in bad way. According to Astleitner (2005) "focusing on such only increases the success of instruction when instructional methods are continuously planned, implemented, evaluated, and adapted based on these principles" (para. 3). That means evaluation consider one of the important factors that can help in education. Obviously, teachers' evaluation will help to improve teachers' performance.

Opponents of teachers' evaluation say that students do not reach a level to evaluate teachers. They are not right because evaluation will be suitable with each study level. For example, evaluation at high school will be different from that at university. In addition, it can give students knowledge to know their needs. For example, math class depends on solve problems if the teacher do not do that, absolutely student will see it and say it at evaluation. Obviously, teachers evaluation has many benefits, so it is a wonderful way to achieve aims.

In conclusion, most people in different positions consider teachers' evaluation is wonderful way to encourage education within two groups, which are teachers and students. It can help to make judge on teachers closely, give students some dependability, and assist teachers to do the finest. By this way, we can to achieve many goals at same time. As long as teachers' evaluation is applied, education will progress and improve to protect our work is good quality.

References:
Astleitner, H. (2005). Printable of Effective Instruction. Retrieved January 28,
2007, from http://www.findarticles.com
Scriven, M (1995). Student Ratings Offer Useful Input to Teacher Evaluations.
Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://pareonline.net
Teacher Evaluation. (1998). Retrieved February 4, 2007, from http://www.aft.org

Enormous Energy with Hydropower

Most people around the world have recognized there is a crisis with energy resources. For that reason, many scientists and economists work on this problem to find some solutions. Fortunately, God is very generous with people because he gave us many different renewable resources such as water, solar and wind. In fact, the water's energy had found thousand years ago. What is hydropower energy? It is an energy that comes from the force of moving water. Therefore, when it rains in hills and mountains the water becomes streams and rivers that run down to the ocean. The moving or falling water can be used to do work. So, moving water, which has kinetic energy (the energy of motion), can be used to make electricity. In these days, almost all countries that have water resources have built some hydropower plants to convert water energy into electric energy for example the United States, Germany, China and Egypt. Furthermore, many poor country use this technology like Nepal, Pakistan and Colombia because it very useful and active technology to get energy with not much pay. Therefore, hydropower energy should be used if it is possible because there are many reasons like no fuel, no doubt and no waste.

The first recorded use of waterpower was a clock, built around 250 BC. Since that time, humans have used falling water to provide power for grain and saw mills. The first use of moving water to produce electricity was a waterwheel on the Fox River in Wisconsin in 1882. Hydropower continued to play a major role in the expansion of electrical service early around the world. Contemporary Hydroelectric power plants generate anywhere from a few kW, enough for a single residence, to thousands of MW, power enough to supply a large city. Moreover, the demand on electricity will increase day by day for many reasons. For example the population of world will increase; the technology will get better and better and many of low development countries will try to be high development. By these reasons, we can observe the demand for electricity will increase and we have to meet our needs without any interruption (“Facts about Hydropower”, 2004).

The most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir (see figure # 1) because by using dams the amount of electricity will be high. The progress to produce electricity in dams start with water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn activates a generator to produce electricity. However, hydroelectric power does not necessarily require a large dam. Some hydroelectric power plants use just a small canal to channel the river water through a turbine. Another type of hydroelectric power plant - called a pumped storage plant - can even store power. The power sends from a power grid into the electric generators. The generators then spin the turbines backward, which causes the turbines to pump water from a river or lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, where the power is stored. To use the power, the water is released from the upper reservoir back down into the river or lower reservoir. This spins the turbines forward, activating the generators to produce electricity. (“Renewable Energy Access”, 2007, para. 2-3).


Figure 1: Typical hydroelectric dam

Source: http://ga.water.usgs.gov


Actually, in these days hydropower is a big part of many people's life in many countries. So, there are some facts around the world that can be tell about some countries' experience with hydropower energy, also to show how much hydropower is active and useful. Around the world, about 20% of all electricity is generating by hydropower. The United States is the second largest producer of hydropower in the world. Hydropower provides about 10% of the electricity in the United States. Hydropower production in Wisconsin is about 2.1 billion-kilowatt hours (kwh) per year. Based on a home using 8,000 kwh of energy and 2.5 people per home, this is enough energy to supply the residential needs of 650,000 people. (“Facts about Hydropower”, 2004). By these facts, it is evidence that many people believe producing energy by using hydropower plants is the best way because they can meet with their needs easily.

First, hydropower plants just use water to generate electricity, so operate any hydropower plant cheap. That means there is no fuel requires supplying plant like oil. Therefore, people believe hydropower plant is a great energy producer because it could use fuel's money in other ways that can make profit. According to “Hydropower” (2006), “producing electricity from hydropower is cheap because, once a dam has been built and the equipment installed, the energy source -flowing water- is free” (p.26). This means, any hydropower plan will consume fuel from water free. Moreover, money that would have been used for fuel will be invested in a new commercial circulation like real estate or stock markets. This money will give profit to country. In addition, this advantage which is fuel free will give consumers a huge assist that is the price for electricity will be cheap because it does not cost much money to generate. That can make peoples' life more pleasure because they will save money and use it for their needs. Therefore, producing electricity by hydropower plant is great way to save money and give benefits to operators and consumers.

Second, people can be confidence with hydropower energy. It means there is no doubt with using hydropower energy because it depends on renewable energy resource that is water. With this advantage, people should feel relax because they will not miss their resource forever. According to “Hydropower” (2006), "the water on the earth is continuously replenished by precipitation. As long as the water cycle counties, we will not run out of this energy source". (para 3). It is amazing advantage. In these days, one of the big crisis is lacking in energy resources especially oil, so by using hydropower energy people will feel safe. That means people can confidant with hydropower energy. Therefore, hydropower energy is a great electricity supply without any doubt of the resource finishing.
Third, hydropower energy does not ruin environment. As mentioned, by using water as a provider to hydropower plants there are no burning gases. So, there is no waste from hydropower plants like CO2 or old oil. In other energy resources like oil or coal there will be gases as a result of using this kind of resources. In fact, waste will not go away from the Earth, it will return to the atmosphere. Besides, burned gases will increase global warming and ozone hole. Moreover, hydropower plants are clean because there is no spilled old oil or empty cans. Therefore, by using hydropower technology as much as we can we will protect the Earth from any threat like increasing temperature or change climate. Therefore, hydropower is the cleanest energy resource and can protect the environment.

Opponents of hydropower energy say that the initial price to build a hydropower plant or a dam costs a lot, so the investing in this kind of projects is not good way to gain money. In fact, they are not right because long-term is the way to evaluate the profit from these kinds of projects. For example, building a fossil fuel plant does not cost a lot of money, but to get the service you must pay for fuel every day. In addition, maintenance with generators of fossil fuel plants is higher than maintenance with same part in hydropower energy plants because of the type of fuel. That means using fossil fuel will effect on generators by causing layers of waste inside generators. So, operator of fossil fuel plants must deal with it carefully and pay more to maintenance. Besides, initial cost after a certain number of years the result will be amazing because hydropower plants will bring the initial price back plus profits. Therefore, the profit of hydropower plants is better than many other plants.

In conclusion, most people in different places believe in hydropower energy because it meets people‘s needs and it is mercy on environment. Hydropower will let people feel that they are in the safe side because they can save money and nothing will hurt their environment. In fact, many countries care when they want to establish a new plant to producing energy because they want to gain money also they want to protect environment. That means they will not choose easiest way or cheapest way, they will choose the best way according to their available resources. At all cost, most people believe hydropower energy is the best for people’s life and environment. As long as we use hydropower energy we are in safe side.

References:
About hydropower. (n.d.). Retrieved February 08, 2007 from http://www.fwee.org
Electricity from: hydro. (2005). Retrieved February 08, 2007 from
http://www.powerscorecard.org
Facts about hydropower. (September 07, 2004). Retrieved February 20, 2007 from
http://www.wvic.com
How hydropower works. (2006). Retrieved February 08, 2007 from
http://www.wvic.com
Hydroelectric power water use. (2006). Retrieved February 08, 2007 from
http://ga.water.usgs.gov
Hydropower. (2006). Secondary Energy Infobook. Retrieved February 21, 2007 from
www.need.org/needpdf/infobook
Miller, T. (1994). Environment Problems and Solutions. Belmont, CA. Wadsworth
Publishing Company.