Principles of Ecotourism

Introduction Definition of sustainability. Briefly mentions environmental, experiential, socio-cultural and economic sustainability in relation to ecotourism. Environmental sustainability Importance of environmental sustainability in managing ecotourism and examples of impacts Strategies for achieving sustainability and how they are applied Experiential sustainability Importance of experiential sustainability in managing ecotourism and examples of impacts Strategies for achieving sustainability and how they are applied Socio-cultural sustainability Importance of socio-cultural sustainability in managing ecotourism and examples of impacts Strategies for achieving sustainability and how they are applied Economic sustainability Importance of economic sustainability in managing ecotourism and examples of impacts Strategies for achieving sustainability and how they are applied Conclusion Introduction Environmental sustainability Importance of environmental sustainability *Strategies* for achieving environmental sustainability Accommodating for hundreds of visitors has disadvantages for a site if the wildlife or vegetation isn’t capable to withstand an increased level of exposure. That’s why hardening of a site allows that site’s carrying capacity to be increased e. g. pit toilets, board walks and but still limiting number to ensure minimal impact of that site. The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania, Australia, have installed board walks along the track for the concerns of environmental degradation and overcrowding. The boarded sections are established in sensitive areas in the national park with significant importance for an ecosystem. The softening of a site refers to soil replacement and replanting of native vegetation to rehabilitate the site as much as possible. There are many businesses that were built with very low levels of impact, because of the extensive research done before the construction of their building. The Couran Cove Resort in Queensland assessed the area for their resort before construction and removed the native vegetation, planning to replant them after the completion of facilities. A number of environmental measures were put in place during the construction of the resort, such as installation of solar powered cabins, identification and mapping of significant trees, strategies to manage acid sulphate soils, and an integrated water management system. As a result of many of these management strategies, the resort has become an industry leader in environmentally sensitive technologies. Visitation quotas and fees are a clever strategy to maintain a high revenue flow for the protected area and continue appropriate management. Zoning and site hardening influence visitation levels in specified areas, so these factors are considered when implementing fees and quotas. The overall number of visitors can be limited through the imposition of quotas and user fees; quotas are formal restrictions on visitor numbers and user fees (entry fees and other fees) increase the latter until visitor demand falls below the carrying capacity threshold. Mt Buffalo National Park in Victoria, Australia charges entry fees for visitors, whether camping or just visiting. These fees are put towards managing the park, including regular maintenance of provided facilities. There are methods to restricting and allowing appropriate viewing or access of wildlife by providing information and education to tourists; informing users about the recreational resource and current level of use. Making the users more sensitive to the potential impacts their behaviours might have on the environment is an effective way to make them aware. Experiential sustainability Importance of experiential sustainability The experience of the tourist is important to be aware of to evaluate the sustainability in the way it is implemented. People learn better when they are actively involved in the learning process and use as many senses as appropriate. Interpretation is effective way to educate tourists because it works with the visitors rather than against them. Such techniques include; visitor centres, education centres, displays and exhibits, self-guided trails and guided tours. These techniques are strategies to inform tourists of the natural environment to which they participate in, to help understand the importance of sustainably managing activities in a site. Strategies for achieving experiential sustainability Socio-cultural sustainability Importance of socio-cultural sustainability Socio-cultural sustainability of ecotourism relates to the stability of social and cultural systems, including the wellbeing of local and indigenous communities. Their involvement is important for tourism to be successful and unique. It is a significant contribution to ecotourism’s global following. Socio-cultural and economic sustainability are linked together to also facilitate the wellbeing and satisfaction of visitors. Strategies for achieving socio-cultural sustainability Economic sustainability Importance of economic sustainability Economic sustainability is associated with socio-cultural sustainability; relating to the stability of social and cultural systems, including the wellbeing of local communities. The impacts of economics in local communities include start-up expenses (acquisition of land, establishment of protected areas, superstructure, and infrastructure), ongoing expenses (maintenance of infrastructure, promotion, and wages), revenue uncertainties, and revenue leakage due to imports and non-local participation. Examples of positive aspects of economics include direct employment, improvement of transportation and communication systems; negative aspects of economics include no local employment opportunities, and leakages may be high. Establishing a protected area requires lots of expenses to be able to maintain the environment sustainably. The development of buildings and infrastructure such as visitor centres and toilets require regular maintenance, which means there needs to be enough income to retain a standard quality. Employing staff can be limited when money is scarce, maybe even overworking employees. For example, the Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology in the Great Otway National Park is an ecotourism operation that was established in 2004. The owners of the Conservation Centre opened the business to become involved in conservation projects and research biodiversity conservation. When opening the operation, the owner’s budget was limited and was unable to employ enough staff to keep up with the daily routine activities; such as delivering service to guests and running of education programs. Their only choice was to employ enough to manage the business and providing the services themselves. *Strategies for achieving economic *sustainability Economic sustainability relates to the income of an operation or protected area to maintain the natural environment or site. Such income can come from user fees (public’s willingness to pay), taxation (sales tax, accommodation tax) and donations (lack of resources or money for endangered species). Earth Sanctuaries is a company that operates a network of privately-owned sanctuaries, set up with the aim of conserving native wildlife species. The company has eradicated exotic species from all of its properties, and has erected fencing that excludes feral animals from each sanctuary. To fund its conservation efforts, the company offers a mix of ecotourism products including accommodation, tours, and an environmental education program. These products are managed to provide the ongoing profit needed to run the sanctuaries, and to provide dividends to the company’s shareholders. Conclusion Sustainable tourism is important to be properly managed when utilising the natural environment. The four components of sustainability are environmental, experiential, socio-cultural and economic sustainability, each is critical principle for achieving ecotourism. Each component is linked to another and one cannot function well without the others. Ecotourism is difficult to be completely sustainable for the natural environment, but can be managed to minimise low impact. This is done by the four components between each; they interact with one another’s resources to appropriate management the natural environment; linking together to facilitate the wellbeing of local communities. References

How to being a successful student Essay

We all experience some sort of education during our lifetime, whether we succeed or fail depends completely on ourselves. To be a successful student there are a few guidelines you should follow. Attend all classes wherever possible, manage your time efficiently and put drive and effort behind your learning. Following these three guidelines will help to ensure a successful and fruitful educational career. The first step to being a successful student is attendance. Regardless of the teaching format, whether it is boring or simply impossible, attending class is a key to success. Even if all of your readings are complete and you feel comfortable with the information attend class and listen to the material as it is discussed in class. Make note of the teacher’s point of view and the topics that are covered in more detail, chances are you will see them again on a test or exam. Take notes on pertinent information and on subject matter that you do not quite understand and need to clarify. Attending class will ensure that you familiarize yourself with the knowledge you gain and that that knowledge will be easily recalled when most needed. The next step to being a successful student is time management. Organize your time between school, work and your social life very carefully. To be an efficient student you must balance your free time be sure to plan a loose schedule that you can keep day in and day out. Designate a certain number of hours to studying, reviewing and homework and try to keep the hours as consistent as possible. Do not study for extended periods of time; try studying for shorter intervals more often instead of studying for hours on end. You will find that your attention span stays focused and studying goes by much faster.

Dietary Supplements Report Essay

Dietary supplements are products intended for ingestion as supplements to the diet. Dietary supplements can have vitamins, herbs, enzymes, extracts, plant substances, amino acids, botanicals, and concentrates. Supplements are beneficial to the body because they can enhance the nutrients in foods, aid in weight loss, provide energy, cure illnesses, optimize health, and protect against diseases. If a person does not consume enough nutrients because of a disease or eating habits dietary supplements are extremely beneficial. There are certain groups that benefit most from dietary supplements; pregnant women, vegetarians, dieters, and the elderly. An increase of folic acid and iron is needed to reduce the risk of defects and prevent anemia. Vegetarians should take vitamin B12 because they do not eat animal foods which contain more vitamin B12 than any other food source. If a person eats less than 1200 calories when on a diet, they will not get the amount of nutrients needed. If dieters take a multi-vitamin they will meet the daily recommendations for nutrients. Anyone over the age of 50 should take calcium, Vitamin D, and B12 to maintain a healthy life. Calcium and vitamin D will help keep the bones strong, lower blood pressure, and prevent diseases like osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis. Vitamin B12 will promote heart health and fight fatigue. There are many risks when taking dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are not regulated or tested by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for side effects before they are available to consumers (â€Å"The skinny on dietary supplements,† 2008). Dietary supplements are also harmful because they contain chemicals that can be harmful. Some supplements contain non-essential hormones and enzymes. Dietary supplements may cause medications, over-the-counter or prescribed, to work differently or not at all. When taking any supplement it is important to read the label and ask a physician before taking the supplement to reduce chances of toxicity. Many people think dietary supplements provide all the nutrients needed to support a healthy diet; they are only part of a ealthy diet (Grosvenor, 2006). As stated earlier, the government does not regulate dietary supplements as they do other foods and drugs (â€Å"U. S. Food and Drug Administration: Dietary Supplements†, 2013). In 1994 the government created the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). The act states manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the product is safe before it is put on the market. If the product is unsafe after it is on the market the FDA is responsible for taking action to correct the issue. The FDA is responsible for providing product information and literature. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to ensure all ingredients are listed on the labels of the product and the information is true. The manufacturer has to submit reports for any supplement that has any type of negative reaction. The FDA implemented a Dietary Supplement Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMPs) that all personnel in the company must follow to ensure quality control. Supplements are needed by people with life-threatening diseases like kidney failure. People that have kidney failure, depending on the type of dialysis they use, peritoneal or hemodialysis. Peritoneal dialysis uses osmosis and diffusion through the peritoneal cavity to remove waste and fluid; this process causes a lack of potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Hemodialysis uses an artificial kidney to remove wastes and fluids from the blood; this process causes a lack of phosphorus, iron, and epogen. The common bond between both types of dialysis is the lack of phosphorus. Phosphorus supplements are used to strengthen the bones of dialysis patients, prevent renal bone disease, and keep the heart healthy. The dose varies from patient to patient, depending on the food intake. If the patient does not take the prescribed dose they experience many different effects. If too much of the phosphorus supplement is ingested, itching will occur. If not enough phosphorus is ingested, weakness will occur and bones will begin to get brittle causing them to break.

Rallying the Masses (1 January 1992) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rallying the Masses (1 January 1992) - Essay Example f the Republic) This creative process will afford us great opportunities, which the people of Kazakhstan merit for sure, but we are also going to face great challenges, which I’m sure the people of our country will rise to. One of the greatest opportunities that lie ahead and will directly result in people’s prosperity is the development of an independent republican economy based on the market principles. Kazakhstan is abound with natural resources – uranium, chromium, copper, coal, iron, oil and natural gas (International Crisis Group, r.133) – which, if managed properly, could provide a steady inflow of foreign currency and thus, along with our wheat, textiles, and livestock exports, to predetermine our success in the economic field. As to which way is the proper one such wealth to be managed, I vote for profit-orientated management, but with strong regard for the national interest. In that connection, what we need is to attract large foreign investments into the national economy, under strict governmental supervision, as well as to help the formation and growth of domestic private capital. Therefore, we are going to face some of the greatest ever challenges. First and most impor tant is the matter of stepping out of the centralized economical structure of the former Soviet Union, which matter should be carried to its logical conclusion with perseverance, as well as with a certain dose of cautiousness – in order to be minimized the shock for the Republic’s economy, hence to protect the living standard of the people against collapse. In that train of thoughts, as major obstacles ought to be mentioned our exports’ exclusive dependence on trade partners within the ex-Soviet Union, the vast distances between Kazakhstan’s coalfields and the European industrial centers, the existing infrastructural deficiencies, etc. Second and not less important is the process of privatization of many industries hitherto owned by the state. The correct manner of

India Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

India Inflation - Essay Example High rates of inflation can have serious consequences for the economy in general. Therefore, for governments all over the world, reducing movements of prices to a minimum is seen as a primary economic objective. A wide variety of economic literature deals with the effects of inflation. The most widely discussed outcome of inflation is unemployment. In price-sensitive markets, rising prices result in businesses losing sales and thus reduced turnover. This ultimately affects employment as the firms engage in cutting manpower labor to reduce costs. Additionally rising prices during inflation create unrest amongst labor. Inflation encourages employees to demand higher wages in order to maintain their current living standards. The worst hit during inflation is the fixed income groups like pensioners. An increase in wages during inflation can fuel an additional increase in product prices. This results in a vicious circle of increased wages further increasing prices which in turn would push up the wages again. In economic terms, this 'wage/prices inflationary spiral' can have disastrous effects on any economy. (Worthington & Britton, 1997) Depreciation in the monetary value results in falling purchasing power and wipes out the past savings.

ASTR 123 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

ASTR 123 - Assignment Example It remains unclear what chain of circumstance led to the emergence of life on Earth. However, scientists believe that the long period of relatively stable climate originating from the stable orbit of the planet at the favorable distance from a proper type of star are necessary factors of complex life on Earth (Guangxian and Xiao 33-34). The Rare Earth Theory holds that few planets can support the kind of complex life that the Earth supports. It contradicts the mediocrity principle which assumes Earth is a typical planet and that there is not much that is special about humanity. Other analysis suggests that the only planet that is capable of supporting complex life is the Earth. Proponents of the Rare Earth Theory indicate the long list of circumstances required for the evolution of complex life on earth. The creation of life requires water, and no planet apart from the Earth if known to have liquid water in large quantities. Many other planets do not have the right temperature to keep water liquid. Therefore, complex life cannot be found in such planets (Guangxian and Xiao 36). Considering that the galaxy is a very thin circular disk of stars of radius approximately 50,000 light years with 2500 civilizations in our galaxy capable of communication, the approximate separation of these civilizations in light years will be the perimeter divided by the number of civilizations. Based on the suggestions and responses of people, humans do not have the right characteristics to foster sustainability. Many of the respondents suggested that humans are moral, selfish, and lazy. The respondents feel that majority of human beings seek their own personal interest, want power, and work for selfish gains. Even though many people remain moral, majority do not have the characteristics to foster sustainability. Guangxian, Xu, and Xiao Jimei. New Frontiers in Rare Earth Science and Applications: Proceedings of the International Conference on Rare Earth Development and Applications

The Transformation of Tata Group to the Biggest Conglomerate in South Research Paper

The Transformation of Tata Group to the Biggest Conglomerate in South East Asia - Research Paper Example A change agent is an individual or group who undertakes the process of creating and managing change in an organization. Change agents can be internal, such as employees or managers or it can be people appointed to oversee the change process. In many large organisations and companies driven by innovation, both employees and managers are trained to build up the skills needed for managing the process of change (Tschirky, 2011). Change agents also can be external, such as consultants from outside the firm. The most important contributions that a change agent can make are by sustaining the firm’s present performance and assuring its future growth and performance. A change agent works by enabling employees and other staff members to work effectively according the plan implement and experience the change strategically. The change agent also aims to increase the ability and efficiency of people and resources to produce a change that is sustainable and growth-oriented. For an organisat ion to sustain and show continuous growth, the senior management must establish themselves as leaders and help in reinforcing and establishing the cultures of the company (Carson, 1999). Continuous monitoring and assessment from the senior leaders is very important for the steady growth of the company. The transformation of Tata Group can be greatly credited to the vision and execution of the chairman, which was extraordinary. He is credited for the excellent transformation because he could see his vision for the company and transform it into a reality. After he took over the Tata group, he started introducing strategic changes in the company. The first was by regulating a compulsory policy for retirement age. This step removed a large number of employees from top management. This was done to remove those departments and companies of the group which were not growing and making loss. By replacing these individuals, he cleared the entry for young and fresh talent which will bring new ideas to the company. In addition he also created a Group Executive Office whose members were representatives of the strategic group, on the boards of the Tata companies. The Tata Business Excellence Model (TBEM) was introduced as the Tata Group’s largest change initiative. Excellence Model of the Tata Business (TBEM) was maintained and implemented through specific procedures and quality services. Ratan Tata showed a democratic style of leadership that encouraged openness and creativity among groups. With this approach of leadership he induced openness and creativity among young members of the organisation. He also acted as a supportive leader by helping and encouraging these young professionals in their ideas and plans and implementing them wherever it fitted. Answer 2 Business Streamlining becomes very important during economic instability.

SAM 448 UNIT 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SAM 448 UNIT 5 - Assignment Example After discovering the client’s desire, the matters are whittled down to sizes that are communicated to the world in the next excellent meeting. The client also gets a picture why his presence in of assistance in the next meeting (Milne & McDonald, 1999). Specific questions that define the objective of the event will aid in finding out the priorities and goals of the meeting. Why should we get together? What is the point of the meeting or event or banquet or conference? Could the goal of the event be educating, inspiring, informing the audience or networking or making money? What is the objective group: Event members or spouses or children or suppliers or customers? As the meeting ponders the answers to these questions, the potential of the event will be determined. An objective statement will be obtained and can be communicated to the planning team. The attendees of the event will be identified as well as their desires during the event. The objectives highlighted will be used in meeting’s promotional material. As a result, everyone will sing from the same page (Freedman,

Cross-cultual Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cross-cultual Managment - Essay Example How important are organizational status, prestige and level in the organizational hietrarchy What rights to make decisions are given to managers as function of their positions To what degree should employees automatically defer to the wishes and decisions of their managers Power distance refers to the belief that strong and legitimate decision-making rights separates managers and employees; this custom is frequently observed in Asian and South American countries. By contrast, employees in the United States and Scandinavian countries subscribe to beliefs of lower power distance and are less likely to believe that their managers are automatically correct. Therefroe, many employees in the United States and Scandinavia do not blindly defer to their manager's wishes. Cultures that emphasize individualism tend to accent individual rights and freedoms, have very loosely knit social networks and place considerable attention on self-respect. Strong emphasis is placed on the person's own career and personal rewards. Collectivism heavily accents group and values harmony among members. Individual feelings are subordinated to the group's overall good, and employees are more likely to ask, "What is the best organization" Face-saving (maintaining one's self-image in front of others) is highly important in collectivistic cultures. When face-saving is accomplished, then one's status in the group can be maintained. The United States has an individualistic culture; Japan is collectivistic, with a culture that can be characterized by the proverb "The nail that sticks up gets pounded down." The Chinese culture accents the importance of quaxi or relationships. Femininity versus masculinity Masculine societies define gender roles in more traditional and stereotypical ways whereas feminine societies have broader viewpoints on the great variety of roles that both males and females can play in the workplace and at home. In addition, masculine societies value assertive behavior and the acquisition of wealth; feminine cultures trasure relationships among people, caring for others and a greater balance between family and work life. The Scandinavian countries have the most feministic cultures; Japan has a markedly masculine one; and the United States has a moderately masculine culture. Uncertainty avoidance Employees in some cultures value clarity and feel very comfortable receiving specific directions from their supervisors. These employees have a high level of uncertainty avoidance and prefer to avoid ambiguity at work. Employees elsewhere react in an opposite manner since ambiguity does not threaten their lower need for stability and security. These employees may even thrive on the uncertainty associated with their jobs. Employees in countries such as Greece, Portugal and Belgium have high uncertainty avoidance characteristics and often prefer structure, stability, rules, and clarity. Countries lower in uncertainty avoidance characteristics include China, Ireland and the United States. Long-term versus short-term time orientation Some cultures accent values such as the necessity of preparing for the future, the value of thrift and savings and the merits of persistence. Members of these cultures exemplified by Hong Kong, China, Japan

Teaching Nonverbal Communication Research Proposal

Teaching Nonverbal Communication - Research Proposal Example There are many styles and techniques in teaching. Some are more effective than others and not all of them are standardized. The active learning technique is a rather uncommon way of teaching and as expected, not many teachers agree to use this method mainly because it is unconventional and others are simply not comfortable doing so. As it was mentioned in the article Vol. 50/No. 3 89, "Lectures remain the primary method of instruction in higher education despite several limitations". The word several here as it was used in the description, is not merely an expression or an exaggeration, but an accurate way to describe the limits of the traditional classroom teaching, more commonly known as "lecture". In the lecture setting, as we all know and experience, we all sit and listen and only the teacher is the one sharing information from his point of view. He may ask questions from time to time to see if the students understood the lesson or ask if the students have any questions regarding the topic. Some teachers do it in a more interactive manner, but it still does not provoke creative thinking. As compared to active learning, which Professors Schwebel experimented on, students were able to do a "hands-on" experience learning non-verbal communication. In the activity, students were asked to do a role play of both an interviewer and interviewee alternately. As instructed, the interviewees did all that they can to show that they are not listening. Some played with their pens, rolled their eyes, or avoided eye contact, which they found out later was non-verbal communication. This way, the students experienced how non-verbal communication can affect

Psychology Journal Essay Example for Free

Psychology Journal Essay Jaime, a nine-year-old kid living nearby is the youngest son of a couple namely Cel and Eugene. He has 4 siblings who are of a large age gap with him, somewhat around 7, to be exact. The boy is fond of racing cars, playing basketball, â€Å"hide and seek† and interactive games with his neighbors and cousins living near their compound. Since his siblings are from different levels, that three of them are already in college, he finds company with other young boys in town like for Aldrin and Benedict. His parents try to understand him since they could not provide the boy with the things he needed like for material things and also the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Looking at the situation of the young boy, it can be said that, reading and analyzing his family background, he needs some attention from the parents and he finds it in the presence of his friends and playmates. For some other kids who are lacking for attention, they might bully other children or might really someone who seeks attention badly by acting strange or hitting others. But the kid is just hyperactive on play time and he pays attention on his class, studies well on weekends before going to sleep and do household chores like washing the dishes when his sisters are not at home. Therefore the kid is a normal kid, without having attention deficit disorders and some bullying attitudes that might be evident for young people who do not receive adequate time and attention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The parents are lucky though to have inculcated good breeding with their son who in turn realizes at his young age the essence of behaving properly outside the house.   Having a lot of different friend from different families, the boy might be affected for some point, that he can adapt their attitudes. But it never came to a point that the family had some trouble with Jaime. Like most of the children who have problems for concentration, I think it would not cost the family much for treatments and sessions with a psychiatrist who treats ADHD and the like for kids at Jaime’s age. From the article of Richard R. Matt, the discipline and behavior of a child is of great importance with a kid to become efficient in their education or studies. In Jaime’s case, it is not a problem hence; he is part of the honor roll in his batch. References Richard R. Matte and Jon A. Bolaski. ADHD in the Classroom, Part 1: Strategies for  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Behavior Management. Retrieved December 5, 2007 from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/child_behavior/cfadhd01.html

Becketts superimposing Essay Example for Free

Becketts superimposing Essay On the surface this exchange is witty and would have the audience laughing if well performed. However, when considering what theyre talking about it is slightly depressing the humour then turns much more sardonic and despairing. One is chair bound and the other is tormented by having to be constantly on his feet. A little bit later on they have another exchange which shows their discontent and depression with these fact Hamm: Nature has forgotten us. Clov: There is no more nature! The possibility of nature not existing gives the whole play still further meaning. Are they living in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust? If one does decide that the characters are living in a bunker avoiding the effects of a nuclear winter, then everything in the play is given extensive resonance and to call it meaningless would be ignorant. If Beckett did intend the play to have this nuclear agenda, then it would explain Hamm saying towards the end of the play when Clov sees a little boy outside the house/bunker Its the end, Clov, weve come to the end The end Hamm refers to would be the end of the nuclear winter. The play, for one which has such elusive dialogues, has very strong themes. The strength of themes, I feel, is one of the things which makes it difficult to claim that Endgame has no meaning. One theme, which Beckett refers back to regularly throughout the play, is finishing. The reason for Becketts choice of this word for this theme is the multitude of its possible meanings. The theme is so important it is presented in the opening moments of the play by Clov Finished, its finished, nearly finished, it must be finished. One could argue that the fact that Beckett chose a word, which has so many meanings, indicates that Beckett does not wish to imply any specific meaning what so ever. If this were true then one of the main themes of the play is meaningless thus providing substantial evidence for the argument that Endgame has no meaning. I however disagree with this, everything in this play remains unfinished or incomplete even the characters bodies. I think Beckett is implying that the only thing that finishes everything is death. The only way to be complete is to die. I feel this is backed up by the following exchange Clov: I couldnt finish you. Hamm: Then you shant finish me. The design of the set also provides argument as to what the meaning of the play is. Beckett designed the set to accommodate many possible readings of the play. One could take it, as I mentioned earlier, as a nuclear bunker; this would explain the ground level windows and the deformed characters. The stage setting has also been likened to a skull, the two windows being the eyes. If this were true the characters could represent the differing departments of the brain. In this reading the entire stage and production would be a metaphor for an ageing or dying mind; evidence for this would be Clovs continual memory lapses and the death of Nell. In conclusion I do find Endgame very resonant. There are many different ways of interpreting this play and Beckett invites this by the seemingly abstract dialogue. Becketts superimposing of his ability to write comical (if slightly obscure) dialogue on top of his contrary and nihilistic attitude to life creates a very amusing yet conceptually powerful piece of drama.

Information Retrieval from Large Databases: Pattern Mining

Information Retrieval from Large Databases: Pattern Mining Efficient Information Retrieval from Large Databases Using Pattern Mining Kalaivani.T, Muppudathi.M Abstract With the widespread use of databases and explosive growth in their sizes are reason for the attraction of the data mining for retrieving the useful informations. Desktop has been used by tens of millions of people and we have been humbled by its usage and great user feedback. However over the past seven years we have also witnessed some changes in how users store and access their own data, with many moving to web based application. Despite the increasing amount of information available in the internet, storing files in personal computer is a common habit among internet users. The motivation is to develop a local search engine for users to have instant access to their personal information.The quality of extracted features is the key issue to text mining due to the large number of terms, phrases, and noise. Most existing text mining methods are based on term-based approaches which extract terms from a training set for describing relevant information. However, the quality of the extract ed terms in text documents may be not high because of lot of noise in text. For many years, some researchers make use of various phrases that have more semantics than single words to improve the relevance, but many experiments do not support the effective use of phrases since they have low frequency of occurrence, and include many redundant and noise phrases. In this paper, we propose a novel pattern discovery approach for text mining.To evaluate the proposed approach, we adopt the feature extraction method for Information Retrieval (IR). Keywords –Pattern mining, Text mining, Information retrieval, Closed pattern. 1.Introduction In the past decade, for retrieving an information from the large database a significant number of datamining techniques have been presented that includes association rule mining, sequential pattern mining, and closed pattern mining. These methods are used to find out the patterns in a reasonable time frame, but it is difficult to use the discovered pattern in the field of text mining. Text mining is the process of discovering interesting information in the text documents. Information retrieval provide many methods to find the accurate knowledge form the text documents. The most commonly used method for finding the knowledge is the phrase based approaches, but the method have many problems such as phrases have low frequency of occurrence, and there are large number of noisy phrases among them.If the minimum support is decreased then it will create lot of noisy pattern 2.Pattern Classification Method To find the knowledge effectively without the problem of low frequency and misinterpretation a pattern based approach(Pattern classification method) is discovered in this paper. This approach first find out the common character of pattern and evaluates the weight of the terms based on distribution of terms in the discovered pattern. It solves the problem of misinterpretation. The low frequency problem can also be reduced by using the pattern in the negatively trained examples. To discover patterns many algorithms are used such as Apriori algorithm, FP-tree algorithm, but these algorithms does not tell how to use the discovered patterns effectively. The pattern classification method uses closed sequential pattern to deal with large amount of discovered patterns efficiently. It uses the concept of closed pattern in text mining. 2.1 Preprocessing The first step towards handling and analyzing textual data formats in general is to consider the text based information available in free formatted text documents.Real world databases are highly susceptible to noisy, missing, and inconsistent data due to their huge size. These low quality data will lead to low quality mining results. Initially the preprocessing is done with text document while storing the content into desktop systems.Commonly the information would be processed manually by reading thoroughly and then human domain experts would decide whether the information was good or bad (positive or negative). This is expensive in relation to the time and effort required from the domain experts. This method includes two process. 2.1.1 Removing stop words and stem words To begin the automated text classification process the input data needs to be represented in a suitable format for the application of different textual data mining techniques, the first step is to remove the un-necessary information available in the form of stop words.Stop words are words that are deemed irrelevant even though they may appear frequently in the document. These are verbs, conjunctions, disjunctions and pronouns, etc. (e.g. is, am, the, of, an, we, our). These words need to be removed as they are less useful in interpreting the meaning of text. Stemming is defined as the process of conflating the words to their original stem, base or root. Several words are small syntactic variants of each other since they share a common word stem. In this paper simple stemming is applied where words e.g. ‘deliver’, ‘delivering’ and ‘delivered’ are stemmed to ‘deliver’. This method helps to capture whole information carrying term space and also reduces the dimensions of the data which ultimately affects the classification task. There are many algorithms used to implement the stemming method. They are Snowball, Lancaster and the Porter stemmer. Comparing with others Porter stemmer algorithm is an efficient algorithm. It is a simple rule based algorithm that replaces a word by an another. Rules are in the form of (condition)s1->s2 where s1, s2 are words. The replacement can be done in many ways such as, replacing sses by ss, ies by i, replacing past tense and progressive, cleaning up, replac ing y by i, etc. 2.1.2 Weight Calculation The weight of the each term is calculated by multiplying the term frequency and inverse document frequency. Term frequency find the occurrence of the individual terms and counts. Inverse document frequency is a measure of whether a term is common or rare across all documents. Term Frequency: Tf(t,d)=0.5+0.5*f(t,d)/max{f(w,d):wbelongs to d} Where d represents single document and t represents the terms Inverse Document Frequency: IDF(t,D)= log(Total no of doc./No of doc. Containing the term) Where D represents the total number of documents Weight: Wt=Tf*IDF 2.2 Clustering Cluster is a collection of data objects. Similar to one another within the same cluster. Cluster analysis will find similarities between data according to the characteristics found in the data and grouping similar data objects into clusters.Clustering is defined as a process of grouping data or information into groups of similar types using some physical or quantitative measures. It is an unsupervised learning. Cluster analysis used in many applications such as, pattern recognition, data analysis and web for information discovery. Cluster analysis support many types of data like, Data matrix, Interval scaled variables, Nominal variables, Binary variables and variables of mixed types. There are many methods used for clustering. The methods are partitioning methods, hierarchical methods, density based methods, grid based methods and model based methods. In this paper partitioning method is proposed for clustering. 2.2.1 Partitioning methods This method classifies the data into k-groups, which together satisfy the following requirements: (1) each group must contain at least one object, (2) each object must belong to exactly one group. Given a database of n objects, a partitioning method constructs k partitions of the data, where each partition represents a cluster and k 2.2.2 K-means algorithm K-means is one of the simplest unsupervised learning algorithms. It takes the input parameter, k, and partitions a set of n objects into k-clusters so that the resulting intra cluster similarity is high but the inter cluster similarity is low. It is centroid based technique. Cluster similarity is measured in regard to the mean value of the objects in a cluster, which can be viewed as the clusters centroid. Input:k: the number of clusters, D: a data set containing n objects. Output: A set of k clusters. Methods: Select an initial partition with k clusters containing randomly chosen samples, and compute the centroids of the clusters. Generate a new partition by assigning each sample to the closest cluster center. Compute new cluster centers as the centroids of the cluster. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until an optimum value of the criterion function is found or until the cluster membership stabilizes. This algorithm faster than hierarchical clustering. But it is not suitable to discover clusters with non-convex shapes. Fig.1. K-Means Clustering 2.3 Classification It predicts categorical class labels and classifies the data based on the training set and the values in classifying the attribute and uses it in classifying the new data. Data classification is a two step process (1) learning, (2) classification. Learning can be classified into two types supervised and unsupervised learning. The accuracy of a classifier refers to the ability of a given classifier to correctly predict the class label of new or previously unseen data. There are many classification methods are available such as, K-nearest neighbor, Genetic algorithm, Rough Set Approach, and Fuzzy Set approaches.The classification technique measures the nearing occurrence. It assumes the training set includes not only the data in the set but also the desired classification for each item. The classification is done through training samples, where the entire training set includes not only the data in the set, but also the desired classification for each item. The Proposed approaches find the minimum distance from the new or incoming instance to the training samples. On the basis of finding the minimum distance only the closest entries in the training set are considered and thenew item is placed into the classwhich contains the most items of the K. Here classify thesimilarity text documents and file indexing is performed to retrieve the file in effective manner. 3. Result and Discussion The input file is given and initial preprocessing is done with that file. To find the match with any other training sample inverse document frequency is calculated. To find the similarities between documents clustering is performed.Then classification is performed to find the input matches with any of the clusters. If it matches the particular cluster file will be listed.Theclassification techniques classify the various file formats and the report is generated as percentage of files available. The graphical representation shows the clear representation of files available in various formats. This method uses least amount of patterns for concept learning compare to other methods such as, Rocchio, Prob, nGram , the concept based models and the most BM25 and SVM models. The proposed model is achieved the high performance and it determined the relevant information what users want. This method reduces the side effects of noisy patterns because the term weight is not only based on term spac e but it also based on patterns. The proper usage of discovered patterns is used to overcome the misinterpretation problem and provide a feasible solution to effectively exploit the vast amount of patterns generated by data mining algorithms. 4. Conclusion Storing huge amount of files in personal computers is a common habit among internet users, which is essentially justified for the following reasons, 1) The information will not always permanent 2) The retrieval of information differs based on the different query search 3) Location same sites for retrieving information is difficult to remember 4) Obtaining information is not always immediate. But these habits have many drawbacks. It is difficult to find when the data is required.In the Internet, the use of searching techniques is now widespread, but in terms of personal computers, the tools are quite limited. The normal â€Å"Search or â€Å"Find† options take several hours to produce the search result. It acquires more time to predict the desire result where the time consumption is high.The proposed system provides accurate result comparing to normal search.All files are indexed and clustered using the efficient k means techniques so the information retrieved in efficient manner. The best and advanced clustering gadget provides optimized time results.Downtime and power consumption is reduced. 5.References [1]K. Aas and L. Eikvil, ‘’Text Categorization: A Survey,’’ Technical Report NR 941, Norwegian Computing Centre, 1999. [2] R. Agarwal and R.Srikanth, ‘’Fast Algorithm for Mining Association Rules in Large Databases, ‘’ Proc. 20th Int’l Conf. Very Large Data Bases(VLDB’94), pp.478-499, 1994. [3] H. Ahonen, O. Heinonen, M. Klemettinen, and A.I. Verkamo, â€Å"Applying Data Mining Techniques for Descriptive Phrase Extraction in Digital Document Collections,† Proc. IEEE Int’l Forum on Research and Technology Advances in Digital Libraries (ADL ’98), pp. 2-11, 1998. [4] R. Baeza-Yates and B. Ribeiro-Neto, Modern Information Retrieval. Addison Wesley, 1999. [5] N. Cancedda, N. Cesa-Bianchi, A. Conconi, and C. Gentile, â€Å"Kernel Methods for Document Filtering,† TREC, trec.nist.gov/ pubs/trec11/papers/kermit.ps.gz, 2002. [6] N. Cancedda, E. Gaussier, C. Goutte, and J.-M. Renders, â€Å"Word- Sequence Kernels,† J. Machine Learning Research, vol. 3, pp. 1059- 1082, 2003. [7] M.F. Caropreso, S. Matwin, and F. Sebastiani, â€Å"Statistical Phrases in Automated Text Categorization,† Technical Report IEI-B4-07- 2000, Instituto di Elaborazionedell’Informazione, 2000. [8] C. Cortes and V. Vapnik, â€Å"Support-Vector Networks,† Machine Learning, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 273-297, 1995. [9] S.T. Dumais, â€Å"Improving the Retrieval of Information from External Sources,† Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 229-236, 1991. [10] J. Han and K.C.-C. Chang, â€Å"Data Mining for Web Intelligence,† Computer, vol. 35, no. 11, pp. 64-70, Nov. 2002. [11] J. Han, J. Pei, and Y. Yin, â€Å"Mining Frequent Patterns without Candidate Generation,† Proc. ACM SIGMOD Int’l Conf. Management of Data (SIGMOD ’00), pp. 1-12, 2000. [12] Y. Huang and S. Lin, â€Å"Mining Sequential Patterns Using Graph Search Techniques,† Proc. 27th Ann. Int’l Computer Software and Applications Conf., pp. 4-9, 2003. [13] N. Jindal and B. Liu, â€Å"Identifying Comparative Sentences in Text Documents,† Proc. 29th Ann. Int’l ACM SIGIR Conf. Research and Development in Information Retrieval (SIGIR ’06), pp. 244-251, 2006. [14] T. Joachims, â€Å"A Probabilistic Analysis of the Rocchio Algorithm with tfidf for Text Categorization,† Proc. 14th Int’l Conf. Machine Learning (ICML ’97), pp. 143-151, 1997. [15] T. Joachims, â€Å"Text Categorization with Support Vector Machines: Learning with Many Relevant Features,† Proc. European Conf. Machine Learning (ICML ’98),, pp. 137-142, 1998. [16] T. Joachims, â€Å"Transductive Inference for Text Classification Using Support Vector Machines,† Proc. 16th Int’l Conf. Machine Learning (ICML ’99), pp. 200-209, 1999. [17] W. Lam, M.E. Ruiz, and P. Srinivasan, â€Å"Automatic Text Categorization and Its Application to Text Retrieval,† IEEE Trans. Knowledge and Data Eng., vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 865-879, Nov./Dec. 1999. [18] D.D. Lewis, â€Å"An Evaluation of Phrasal and Clustered Representations on a Text Categorization Task,† Proc. 15th Ann. Int’l ACM SIGIR Conf. Research and Development in Information Retrieval (SIGIR ’92), pp. 37-50, 1992. [19] D.D. Lewis, â€Å"Feature Selection and Feature Extraction for Text Categorization,† Proc. Workshop Speech and Natural Language, pp. 212-217, 1992. [20] D.D. Lewis, â€Å"Evaluating and Optimizing Automous Text Classification Systems,† Proc. 18th Ann. Int’l ACM SIGIR Conf. Research and Development in Information Retrieval (SIGIR ’95), pp. 246-254, 1995. [21] G. Salton and C. Buckley, â€Å"Term-Weighting Approaches in Automatic Text Retrieval,† Information Processing and Management: An Int’l J., vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 513-523, 1988. [22] F. Sebastiani, â€Å"Machine Learning in Automated Text Categorization,† ACM Computing Surveys, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 1-47, 2002. [23] Y. Yang, â€Å"An Evaluation of Statistical Approaches to Text Categorization,† Information Retrieval, vol. 1, pp. 69-90, 1999. [24] Y. Yang and X. Liu, â€Å"A Re-Examination of Text Categorization Methods,† Proc. 22nd Ann. Int’l ACM SIGIR Conf. Research and Development in Information Retrieval (SIGIR ’99), pp. 42-49, 1999. : .

Symbolism in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson :: The Lottery Essays

Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† is a chilling tale of a harsh ritualistic gathering conducted by people of a small village. The word lottery would typically remind someone of a drawing to win a cash prize. A better comparison to the story would be the lottery used to select troops for the Vietnam War; a lottery of death. Another would be the human sacrifices the Aztecs willingly made long ago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story opens by embracing the reader with a relaxed setting, giving the anticipation for an optimistic story. â€Å"†¦with the fresh warmth of a full summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green (p.445).† The discussion of children and school also gives well meaning of an organized and well-balanced village the people have put together, one the average parent would want their children raised in. â€Å"They tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play, and their talk was still of the classroom and the teacher, of books and reprimands (p.445).† The thought of children playing also illustrates of a positive outlook for the rest of the story, a sense of happiness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is also mentioned that the story begins on June twenty-seventh. â€Å"With the fresh warmth of a full summer day (p.445). † Again, the setting is depicted as a bright, happy place. The date is important, because the end of June is a time when the summer has fully set in, possibly giving the meaning that change is up ahead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the mood continues to be pleasant, the village gathers for what would appear to be a joyous festival everyone looks forward to. â€Å"The lottery was conducted –as were the square dances, the teen-age club, the Halloween program†¦ (p.445).†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves are basically the two men in charge of making sure the lottery is conducted each year. Mr. Summers’ name seems to represent the time of the year the lottery is conducted. Mr. Graves represents the grave the chosen lottery victim will be sent to, as he has no problem administering death to those close around him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The lottery itself is conducted in a black box using paper-slips. The color black represents death, as the future of someone’s life will be decided from it. The dark mood is felt when it is introduced. A general feeling of nervousness is spread throughout the crowd, the younger people in particular.

Training , Development & Performance with Motivation Essay examples --

Training , Development & Performance with Motivation Training includes all forms of planned learning experiences and activities designed to make positive changes to performance and Motivation. Development approaches the individual and employees’ motivation from a different angle from that of training. While training is typically concerned with enabling the individual to contribute to meeting the objectives of the organization better, personal development is more concerned with enabling individuals to develop themselves in the way that best suits individual needs. The two, it is hoped, will come together. By helping individuals to develop themselves, they will be more inclined and better able to contribute to helping the organization meet its objectives. It is important to stress that the process of linking performance and training and development the process of appraisal and other forms of evaluation should be closely linked to training and development. If the organizations to achieve its objectives, it is essential to train and develop its people so they are best able to support the organization in working towards objectives. At the same time the individual needs to have the opportunity to be able to communicate employees’ own personal development needs to the organization through appraisal or personal development planning schemes. The Financial and non-financial can be no doubt that financial reward is perhaps the most significant factor in pe...

Wives in Silkos Yellow Woman and Chopins The Story of an Hour :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Roles of Wives in Silko's Yellow Woman and Chopin's The Story of an Hour The predominant feminist theme that stood out for me in the story 'Yellow woman' by Leslie Marmon Silko and 'The story of an hour' by Kate Chopin relates to the protagonists' expectations of fulfilling thier roles as wives. The two women struggle with what they should think, what is appropriate for them to feel in their circumstances and the obvious restrictions on their freedom. In 'Yellow woman', the protagonist struggles with her feelings for Silva and the nagging thoughts of her husband and her baby at home. She thinks a lot about how her family willfret because she has been away for so long. She appears to want to remain with Silva yet worries about how evasive he is in connection with who he really is. In the end, she returns home to see her husband Al playing with the baby and decides to fabricate a story on being kidnapped. Mrs. Mallard in 'The story of an hour', is a woman that has had to live her life composed and in control as the wife of her husband, Brently Mallard. Chopin details Mrs. Mallard's reaction to the news of her husband's death with convolted emotions that were considered appropraite and yet horrifying to the reader. At the end of the story, her death came as no surprise. In a world where the vast majority of cultures are patriarchal, in response to traditional structures, women often find themselves at war in their minds, hearts and in their own actions. 'Yellow woman' and 'The story of an hour' are examples of how women struggle in a male domintaed society. In these two stories, the women fnd themselves wrestling with thoughts and emotions that our society consider unacceptable. The following statements ,ay be asked and considered of these women: Why would a married woman go out, spend the night with a man whom she barely knows, when she has a wonderful, devoted husband and child? Mrs. Mallard's cry of ultimate relief and the joy she felt when she learned of her husband's deathis intolerable.

Permissive And Authoritarian Approaches In Hypnotherapy

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Chapter 20 The First Task

Harry got up on Sunday morning and dressed so inattentively that it was a while before he realized he was trying to pull his hat onto his foot instead of his sock. When he'd finally got all his clothes on the right parts of his body, he hurried off to find Hermione, locating her at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where she was eating breakfast with Ginny. Feeling too queasy to eat, Harry waited until Hermione had swallowed her last spoonful of porridge, then dragged her out onto the grounds. There, he told her all about the dragons, and about everything Sirius had said, while they took another long walk around the lake. Alarmed as she was by Sirius's warnings about Karkaroff, Hermione still thought that the dragons were the more pressing problem. â€Å"Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening,† she said desperately, â€Å"and then we can worry about Karkaroff.† They walked three times around the lake, trying all the way to think of a simple spell that would subdue a dragon. Nothing whatsoever occurred to them, so they retired to the library instead. Here, Harry pulled down every book he could find on dragons, and both of them set to work searching through the large pile. â€Å"Talon-clipping by charms†¦treating scale-rot†¦' This is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate†¦' But Sirius said a simple one would do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Let's try some simple spellbooks, then,† said Harry, throwing aside Men Who Love Dragons Too Much. He returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set them down, and began to flick through each in turn, Hermione whispering nonstop at his elbow. â€Å"Well, there are Switching Spells†¦but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous†¦.The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide†¦.I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall†¦unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers? But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers†¦.† â€Å"Hermione,† Harry said, through gritted teeth, â€Å"will you shut up for a bit, please? I m trying to concentrate.† But all that happened, when Hermione fell silent, was that Harry's brain filled with a sort of blank buzzing, which didn't seem to allow room for concentration. He stared hopelessly down the index of Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. Instant scalping†¦but dragons had no hair†¦pepper breath†¦that would probably increase a dragon's firepower†¦horn tongue†¦just what he needed, to give it an extra weapon†¦ â€Å"Oh no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship?† said Hermione irritably as Viktor Krum slouched in, cast a surly look over at the pair of them, and settled himself in a distant corner with a pile of books. â€Å"Come on, Harry, we'll go back to the common room†¦his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away†¦.† And sure enough, as they left the library, a gang of girls tiptoed past them, one of them wearing a Bulgaria scarf tied around her waist. Harry barely slept that night. When he awoke on Monday morning, he seriously considered for the first time ever just running away from Hogwarts. But as he looked around the Great Hall at breakfast time, and thought about what leaving the castle would mean, he knew he couldn't do it. It was the only place he had ever been happy†¦well, he supposed he must have been happy with his parents too, but he couldn't remember that. Somehow, the knowledge that he would rather be here and facing a dragon than back on Privet Drive with Dudley was good to know; it made him feel slightly calmer. He finished his bacon with difficulty (his throat wasn't working too well), and as he and Hermione got up, he saw Cedric Diggory leaving the Hufflepuff table. Cedric still didn't know about the dragons†¦the only champion who didn't, if Harry was right in thinking that Maxime and Karkaroff would have told Fleur and Krum†¦. â€Å"Hermione, I'll see you in the greenhouses,† Harry said, coming to his decision as he watched Cedric leaving the Hall. â€Å"Go on, I'll catch you up.† â€Å"Harry, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring -â€Å" â€Å"I'll catch you up, okay?† By the time Harry reached the bottom of the marble staircase, Cedric was at the top. He was with a load of sixth-year friends. Harry didn't want to talk to Cedric in front of them; they were among those who had been quoting Rita Skeeter's article at him every time he went near them. He followed Cedric at a distance and saw that he was heading toward the Charms corridor. This gave Harry an idea. Pausing at a distance from them, he pulled out his wand, and took careful aim. â€Å"Diffindo!† Cedric's bag split. Parchment, quills, and books spilled out of it onto the floor. Several bottles of ink smashed. â€Å"Don't bother,† said Cedric in an exasperated voice as his friends bent down to help him. â€Å"Tell Flitwick I'm coming, go on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This was exactly what Harry had been hoping for. He slipped his wand back into his robes, waited until Cedric's friends had disappeared into their classroom, and hurried up the corridor, which was now empty of everyone but himself and Cedric. â€Å"Hi,† said Cedric, picking up a copy of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration that was now splattered with ink. â€Å"My bag just split†¦brand-new and all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Cedric,† said Harry, â€Å"the first task is dragons.† â€Å"What?† said Cedric, looking up. â€Å"Dragons,† said Harry, speaking quickly, in case Professor Flitwick came out to see where Cedric had got to. â€Å"They've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them.† Cedric stared at him. Harry saw some of the panic he'd been feeling since Saturday night flickering in Cedric's gray eyes. â€Å"Are you sure?† Cedric said in a hushed voice. â€Å"Dead sure,† said Harry. â€Å"I've seen them.† â€Å"But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know†¦.† â€Å"Never mind,† said Harry quickly – he knew Hagrid would be in trouble if he told the truth. â€Å"But I'm not the only one who knows. Fleur and Krum will know by now – Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons too.† Cedric straightened up, his arms full of inky quills, parchment, and books, his ripped bag dangling off one shoulder. He stared at Harry, and there was a puzzled, almost suspicious look in his eyes. â€Å"Why are you telling me?† he asked. Harry looked at him in disbelief. He was sure Cedric wouldn't have asked that if he had seen the dragons himself. Harry wouldn't have let his worst enemy face those monsters unprepared – well, perhaps Malfoy or Snape†¦. â€Å"It's just†¦fair, isn't it?† he said to Cedric. â€Å"We all know now†¦we're on an even footing, aren't we?† Cedric was still hooking at him in a slightly suspicious way when Harry heard a familiar clunking noise behind him. He turned around and saw Mad-Eye Moody emerging from a nearby classroom. â€Å"Come with me, Potter,† he growled. â€Å"Diggory, off you go.† Harry stared apprehensively at Moody. Had he overheard them? â€Å"Er – Professor, I'm supposed to be in Herbology -â€Å" â€Å"Never mind that, Potter. In my office, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry followed him, wondering what was going to happen to him now. What if Moody wanted to know how he'd found out about the dragons? Would Moody go to Dumbledore and tell on Hagrid, or just turn Harry into a ferret? Well, it might be easier to get past a dragon if he were a ferret, Harry thought dully, he'd be smaller, much less easy to see from a height of fifty feet†¦. He followed Moody into his office. Moody closed the door behind them and turned to look at Harry, his magical eye fixed upon him as well as the normal one. â€Å"That was a very decent thing you just did, Potter,† Moody said quietly. Harry didn't know what to say; this wasn't the reaction he had expected at all. â€Å"Sit down,† said Moody, and Harry sat, looking around. He had visited this office under two of its previous occupants. In Professor Lockhart's day, the walls had been plastered with beaming, winking pictures of Professor Lockhart himself. When Lupin had lived here, you were more likely to come across a specimen of some fascinating new Dark creature he had procured for them to study in class. Now, however, the office was full of a number of exceptionally odd objects that Harry supposed Moody had used in the days when he had been an Auror. On his desk stood what looked hike a large, cracked, glass spinning top; Harry recognized it at once as a Sneakoscope, because he owned one himself, though it was much smaller than Moody's. In the corner on a small table stood an object that looked something like an extra-squiggly, golden television aerial. It was humming slightly. What appeared to be a mirror hung opposite Harry on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus. â€Å"Like my Dark Detectors, do you?† said Moody, who was watching Harry closely. â€Å"What's that?† Harry asked, pointing at the squiggly golden aerial. â€Å"Secrecy Sensor. Vibrates when it detects concealment and lies†¦no use here, of course, too much interference – students in every direction lying about why they haven't done their homework. Been humming ever since I got here. I had to disable my Sneakoscope because it wouldn't stop whistling. It's extra-sensitive, picks up stuff about a mile around. Of course, it could be picking up more than kid stuff,† he added in a growl. â€Å"And what's the mirror for?† â€Å"Oh that's my Foe-Glass. See them out there, skulking around? I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk.† He let out a short, harsh laugh, and pointed to the large trunk under the window. It had seven keyholes in a row. Harry wondered what was in there, until Moody's next question brought him sharply back to earth. â€Å"So†¦found out about the dragons, have you?† Harry hesitated. He'd been afraid of this – but he hadn't told Cedric, and he certainly wasn't going to tell Moody, that Hagrid had broken the rules. â€Å"It's all right,† said Moody, sitting down and stretching out his wooden leg with a groan. â€Å"Cheating's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been.† â€Å"I didn't cheat,† said Harry sharply. â€Å"It was – a sort of accident that I found out.† Moody grinned. â€Å"I wasn't accusing you, laddie. I've been telling Dumbledore from the start, he can be as high-minded as he likes, but you can bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human.† Moody gave another harsh laugh, and his magical eye swiveled around so fast it made Harry feel queasy to watch it. â€Å"So†¦got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?† said Moody. â€Å"No,† said Harry. â€Å"Well, I'm not going to tell you,† said Moody gruffly. â€Å"I don't show favoritism, me. I'm just going to give you some good, general advice. And the first bit is – play to your strengths.† â€Å"I haven't got any,† said Harry, before he could stop himself. â€Å"Excuse me,† growled Moody, â€Å"you've got strengths if I say you've got them. Think now. What are you best at?† Harry tried to concentrate. What was he best at? Well, that was easy, really – â€Å"Quidditch,† he said dully, â€Å"and a fat lot of help -â€Å" â€Å"That's right,† said Moody, staring at him very hard, his magical eye barely moving at all. â€Å"You're a damn good flier from what I've heard.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry stared at him. â€Å"I'm not allowed a broom, I've only got my wand†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"My second piece of general advice,† said Moody loudly, interrupting him, â€Å"is to use a nice, simple spell that will enable you to get what you need.† Harry looked at him blankly. What did he need? â€Å"Come on, boy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  whispered Moody. â€Å"Put them together†¦it's not that difficult†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And it clicked. He was best at flying. He needed to pass the dragon in the air. For that, he needed his Firebolt. And for his Fire-bolt, he needed – â€Å"Hermione,† Harry whispered, when he had sped into greenhouse three minutes later, uttering a hurried apology to Professor Sprout as he passed her. â€Å"Hermione – I need you to help me.† â€Å"What d'you think I've been trying to do, Harry?† she whispered back, her eyes round with anxiety over the top of the quivering Flutterby Bush she was pruning. â€Å"Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon.† And so they practiced. They didn't have lunch, but headed for a free classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make various objects fly across the room toward him. He was still having problems. The books and quills kept losing heart halfway across the room and dropping hike stones to the floor. â€Å"Concentrate, Harry, concentrate†¦.† â€Å"What d'you think I'm trying to do?† said Harry angrily. â€Å"A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason†¦Okay, try again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He wanted to skip Divination to keep practicing, but Hermione refused point-blank to skive off Arithmancy, and there was no point in staying without her. He therefore had to endure over an hour of Professor Trelawney, who spent half the lesson telling everyone that the position of Mars with relation to Saturn at that moment meant that people born in July were in great danger of sudden, violent deaths. â€Å"Well, that's good,† said Harry loudly, his temper getting the better of him, â€Å"just as long as it's not drawn-out. I don't want to suffer.† Ron looked for a moment as though he was going to laugh; he certainly caught Harry's eye for the first time in days, but Harry was still feeling too resentful toward Ron to care. He spent the rest of the lesson trying to attract small objects toward him under the table with his wand. He managed to make a fly zoom straight into his hand, though he wasn't entirely sure that was his prowess at Summoning Charms – perhaps the fly was just stupid. He forced down some dinner after Divination, then returned to the empty classroom with Hermione, using the Invisibility Cloak to avoid the teachers. They kept practicing until past midnight. They would have stayed longer, but Peeves turned up and, pretending to think that Harry wanted things thrown at him, started chucking chairs across the room. Harry and Hermione left in a hurry before the noise attracted Filch, and went back to the Gryffindor common room, which was now mercifully empty. At two o'clock in the morning, Harry stood near the fireplace, surrounded by heaps of objects: books, quills, several upturned chairs, an old set of Gobstones, and Neville's toad, Trevor. Only in the last hour had Harry really got the hang of the Summoning Charm. â€Å"That's better, Harry, that's loads better,† Hermione said, looking exhausted but very pleased. â€Å"Well, now we know what to do next time I can't manage a spell,† Harry said, throwing a rune dictionary back to Hermione, so he could try again, â€Å"threaten me with a dragon. Right†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He raised his wand once more. â€Å"Accio Dictionary!† The heavy book soared out of Hermione's hand, flew across the room, and Harry caught it. â€Å"Harry, I really think you've got it!† said Hermione delightedly. â€Å"Just as long as it works tomorrow,† Harry said. â€Å"The Firebolt's going to be much farther away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That doesn't matter,† said Hermione firmly.† Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll come. Harry, we'd better get some sleep†¦you're going to need it.† Harry had been focusing so hard on learning the Summoning Charm that evening that some of his blind panic had heft him. It returned in full measure, however, on the following morning. The atmosphere in the school was one of great tension and excitement. Lessons were to stop at midday, giving all the students time to get down to the dragons' enclosure – though of course, they didn't yet know what they would find there. Harry felt oddly separate from everyone around him, whether they were wishing him good luck or hissing â€Å"We'll have a box of tissues ready, Potter† as he passed. It was a state of nervousness so advanced that he wondered whether he mightn't just lose his head when they tried to lead him out to his dragon, and start trying to curse everyone in sight. Time was behaving in a more peculiar fashion than ever, rushing past in great dollops, so that one moment he seemed to be sitting down in his first lesson, History of Magic, and the next, walking into lunch†¦and then (where had the morning gone? the last of the dragon-free hours?), Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to him in the Great Hall. Lots of people were watching. â€Å"Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now†¦.You have to get ready for your first task.† â€Å"Okay,† said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter. â€Å"Good luck, Harry,† Hermione whispered. â€Å"You'll be fine!† â€Å"Yeah,† said Harry in a voice that was most unlike his own. He heft the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. She didn't seem herself either; in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Hermione. As she walked him down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put her hand on his shoulder. â€Å"Now, don't panic,† she said, â€Å"just keep a cool head†¦.We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand†¦.The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you†¦.Are you all right?† â€Å"Yes,† Harry heard himself say. â€Å"Yes, I'm fine.† She was leading him toward the place where the dragons were, around the edge of the forest, but when they approached the clump of trees behind which the enclosure would be clearly visible, Harry saw that a tent had been erected, its entrance facing them, screening the dragons from view. â€Å"You're to go in here with the other champions,† said Professor McGonagall, in a rather shaky sort of voice, â€Å"and wait for your turn, Potter. Mr. Bagman is in there†¦he'll be telling you the – the procedure†¦. Good luck.† â€Å"Thanks,† said Harry, in a flat, distant voice. She left him at the entrance of the tent. Harry went inside. Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a how wooden stool. She didn't look nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy. Viktor Krum looked even surlier than usual, which Harry supposed was his way of showing nerves. Cedric was pacing up and down. When Harry entered, Cedric gave him a small smile, which Harry returned, feeling the muscles in his face working rather hard, as though they had forgotten how to do it. â€Å"Harry! Good-o!† said Bagman happily, looking around at him. â€Å"Come in, come in, make yourself at home!† Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. He was wearing his old Wasp robes again. â€Å"Well, now we're all here – time to fill you in!† said Bagman brightly. â€Å"When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag† – he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them – â€Å"from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different – er – varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too†¦ah, yes†¦your task is to collect the golden egg!† Harry glanced around. Cedric had nodded once, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing around the tent again; he looked slightly green. Fleur Delacour and Krum hadn't reacted at all. Perhaps they thought they might be sick if they opened their mouths; that was certainly how Harry felt. But they, at least, had volunteered for this†¦ And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking†¦.Harry felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species. And then – it seemed like about a second later to Harry – Bagman was opening the neck of the purple silk sack. â€Å"Ladies first,† he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour. She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon – a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck And Harry knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that he had been right: Madame Maxime had told her what was coming. The same held true for Krum. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground. Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout, the number one tied around its neck. Knowing what was left, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number four. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs. â€Å"Well, there you are!† said Bagman. â€Å"You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now†¦Harry†¦could I have a quick word? Outside?† â€Å"Er†¦yes,† said Harry blankly, and he got up and went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked him a short distance away, into the trees, and then turned to him with a fatherly expression on his face. â€Å"Feeling all right, Harry? Anything I can get you?† â€Å"What?† said Harry. â€Å"I – no, nothing.† â€Å"Got a plan?† said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. â€Å"Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean,† Bagman continued, lowering his voice still further, â€Å"you're the underdog here, Harry†¦.Anything I can do to help†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No,† said Harry so quickly he knew he had sounded rude, â€Å"no – I – I know what I'm going to do, thanks.† â€Å"Nobody would know, Harry,† said Bagman, winking at him. â€Å"No, I'm fine,† said Harry, wondering why he kept telling people this, and wondering whether he had ever been less fine. â€Å"I've got a plan worked out, I -â€Å" A whistle had blown somewhere. â€Å"Good lord, I've got to run!† said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off. Harry walked back to the tent and saw Cedric emerging from it, greener than ever. Harry tried to wish him luck as he walked past, but all that came out of his mouth was a sort of hoarse grunt. Harry went back inside to Fleur and Krum. Seconds hater, they heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face-to-face with the living counterpart of his model†¦. It was worse than Harry could ever have imagined, sitting there and listening. The crowd screamed†¦yelled†¦gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum was still staring at the ground. Fleur had now taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent. And Bagman's commentary made everything much, much worse†¦.Horrible pictures formed in Harry's mind as he heard: â€Å"Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"He's taking risks, this one!†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Clever move – pity it didn't work!† And then, after about fifteen minutes, Harry heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had gotten past his dragon and captured the golden egg. â€Å"Very good indeed!† Bagman was shouting. â€Å"And now the marks from the judges!† But he didn't shout out the marks; Harry supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd. â€Å"One down, three to go!† Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. â€Å"Miss Delacour, if you please!† Fleur was trembling from head to foot; Harry felt more warmly toward her than he had done so far as she heft the tent with her head held high and her hand clutching her wand. He and Krum were left alone, at opposite sides of the tent, avoiding each other's gaze. The same process started again†¦.†Oh I'm not sure that was wise!† they could hear Bagman shouting gleefully. â€Å"Oh†¦nearly! Careful now†¦good lord, I thought she'd had it then!† Ten minutes later, Harry heard the crowd erupt into applause once more†¦.Fleur must have been successful too. A pause, while Fleur's marks were being shown†¦more clapping†¦then, for the third time, the whistle. â€Å"And here comes Mr. Krum!† cried Bagman, and Krum slouched out, leaving Harry quite alone. He felt much more aware of his body than usual; very aware of the way his heart was pumping fast, and his fingers tingling with fear†¦yet at the same time, he seemed to be outside himself, seeing the walls of the tent, and hearing the crowd, as though from far away. â€Å"Very daring!† Bagman was yelling, and Harry heard the Chinese Fireball emit a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath. â€Å"That's some nerve he's showing – and – yes, he's got the egg!† Applause shattered the wintery air like breaking glass; Krum had finished – it would be Harry's turn any moment. He stood up, noticing dimly that his legs seemed to be made of marshmallow. He waited. And then he heard the whistle blow. He walked out through the entrance of the tent, the panic rising into a crescendo inside him. And now he was walking past the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence. He saw everything in front of him as though it was a very highly colored dream. There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at him from stands that had been magicked there since he'd last stood on this spot. And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs, her wings half-furled, her evil, yellow eyes upon him, a monstrous, scaly, black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, heaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, but whether friendly or not, Harry didn't know or care. It was time to do what he had to do†¦to focus his mind, entirely and absolutely, upon the thing that was his only chance. He raised his wand. â€Å"Accio Firebolt!† he shouted. Harry waited, every fiber of him hoping, praying†¦.If it hadn't worked†¦if it wasn't coming†¦He seemed to be looking at everything around him through some sort of shimmering, transparent barrier, like a heat haze, which made the enclosure and the hundreds of faces around him swim strangely†¦. And then he heard it, speeding through the air behind him; he turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling toward him around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside him, waiting for him to mount. The crowd was making even more noise†¦.Bagman was shouting something†¦but Harry's ears were not working properly anymore†¦listening wasn't important†¦. He swung his leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground. And a second later, something miraculous happened†¦. As he soared upward, as the wind rushed through his hair, as the crowd's faces became mere flesh-colored pinpnicks below, and the Horntail shrank to the size of a dog, he realized that he had left not only the ground behind, but also his fear†¦.He was back where he belonged†¦. This was just another Quidditch match, that was all†¦just another Quidditch match, and that Horntail was just another ugly opposing team†¦. He looked down at the clutch of eggs and spotted the gold one, gleaming against its cement-colored fellows, residing safely between the dragon's front legs. â€Å"Okay,† Harry told himself, â€Å"diversionary tactics†¦let's go†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He dived. The Horntail's head followed him; he knew what it was going to do and pulled out of the dive just in time; a jet of fire had been released exactly where he would have been had he not swerved away†¦but Harry didn't care†¦that was no more than dodging a Bludger†¦. â€Å"Great Scott, he can fly!† yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. â€Å"Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?† Harry soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following his progress; its head revolving on its long neck – if he kept this up, it would be nicely dizzy – but better not push it too long, or it would be breathing fire again – Harry plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time he was less lucky – he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and as he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes – He could feel it stinging, he could hear screaming and groans from the crowd, but the cut didn't seem to be deep†¦.Now he zoomed around the back of the Horntail, and a possibility occurred to him†¦. The Horntail didn't seem to want to take off, she was too protective of her eggs. Though she writhed and twisted, furling and unfurling her wings and keeping those fearsome yellow eyes on Harry, she was afraid to move too far from them†¦but he had to persuade her to do it, or he'd never get near them†¦.The trick was to do it carefully, gradually†¦. He began to fly, first this way, then the other, not near enough to make her breathe fire to stave him off, but still posing a sufficient threat to ensure she kept her eyes on him. Her head swayed this way and that, watching him out of those vertical pupils, her fangs bared†¦. He flew higher. The Horntail's head rose with him, her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, hike a snake before its charmer†¦. Harry rose a few more feet, and she let out a roar of exasperation. He was like a fly to her, a fly she was longing to swat; her tail thrashed again, but he was too high to reach now†¦.She shot fire into the air, which he dodged†¦.Her jaws opened wide†¦. â€Å"Come on,† Harry hissed, swerving tantalizingly above her, â€Å"come on, come and get me†¦up you get now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And then she reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small airplane – and Harry dived. Before the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs – he had taken his hands off his Firebolt – he had seized the golden egg – And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm, and it was as though somebody had just turned the volume back up – for the first time, he became properly aware of the noise of the crowd, which was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the World Cup – â€Å"Look at that!† Bagman was yelling. â€Å"Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!† Harry saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to subdue the Horntail, and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, and Hagrid hurrying to meet him, all of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance. He flew back over the stands, the noise of the crowd pounding his eardrums, and came in smoothly to land, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks†¦.He had got through the first task, he had survived†¦. â€Å"That was excellent, Potter!† cried Professor McGonagall as he got off the Firebolt – which from her was extravagant praise. He noticed that her hand shook as she pointed at his shoulder. â€Å"You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your score†¦.Over there, she's had to mop up Diggory already†¦.† â€Å"Yeh did it, Harry!† said Hagrid hoarsely. â€Å"Yeh did it! An' agains' the Horntail an' all, an' yeh know Charlie said that was the wors' -â€Å" â€Å"Thanks, Hagrid,† said Harry loudly, so that Hagrid wouldn't blunder on and reveal that he had shown Harry the dragons beforehand. Professor Moody looked very pleased too; his magical eye was dancing in its socket. â€Å"Nice and easy does the trick, Potter,† he growled. â€Å"Right then, Potter, the first aid tent, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Professor McGonagall. Harry walked out of the enclosure, still panting, and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the mouth of a second tent, looking worried. â€Å"Dragons!† she said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Harry inside. The tent was divided into cubicles; he could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least. Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while. â€Å"Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next? You're very lucky†¦this is quite shallow†¦it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though†¦.† She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked and stung, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and he felt it heal instantly. â€Å"Now, just sit quietly for a minute – sit! And then you can go and get your score.† She bustled out of the tent and he heard her go next door and say, â€Å"How does it feel now, Diggory?† Harry didn't want to sit still. He was too full of adrenaline. He got to his feet, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before he'd reached the mouth of the tent, two people had come darting inside – Hermione, followed closely by Ron. â€Å"Harry, you were brilliant!† Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. â€Å"You were amazing! You really were!† But Harry was looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at Harry as though he were a ghost. â€Å"Harry,† he said, very seriously, â€Å"whoever put your name in that goblet – I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!† It was as though the last few weeks had never happened – as though Harry were meeting Ron for the first time, right after he'd been made champion. â€Å"Caught on, have you?† said Harry coldly. â€Å"Took you long enough.† Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. Harry knew Ron was about to apologize and suddenly he found he didn't need to hear it. â€Å"It's okay,† he said, before Ron could get the words out. â€Å"Forget it.† â€Å"No,† said Ron, â€Å"I shouldn't've -â€Å" â€Å"Forget it, â€Å"Harry said. Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back. Hermione burst into tears. â€Å"There's nothing to cry about!† Harry told her, bewildered. â€Å"You two are so stupid!† she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front. Then, before either of them could stop her, she had given both of them a hug and dashed away, now positively howling. â€Å"Barking mad,† said Ron, shaking his head. â€Å"Harry, c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores†¦.† Picking up the golden egg and his Firebolt, feeling more elated than he would have believed possible an hour ago, Harry ducked out of the tent, Ron by his side, talking fast. â€Å"You were the best, you know, no competition. Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground†¦turned it into a dog†¦he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him. Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well – the dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador; he only just got away. And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance – well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire – she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand. And Krum – you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying! He was probably the best after you, though. Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs – they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them.† Ron drew breath as he and Harry reached the edge of the enclosure. Now that the Horntail had been taken away, Harry could see where the five judges were sitting – right at the other end, in raised seats draped in gold. â€Å"It's marks out of ten from each one,† Ron said, and Harry squinting up the field, saw the first judge – Madame Maxime – raise her wand in the air. What hooked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight. â€Å"Not bad!† said Ron as the crowd applauded. â€Å"I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air. â€Å"Looking good!† Ron yelled, thumping Harry on the back. Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever. Ludo Bagman – ten. â€Å"Ten?† said Harry in disbelief. â€Å"But†¦I got hurt†¦.What's he playing at?† â€Å"Harry, don't complain!† Ron yelled excitedly. And now Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too – four. â€Å"What?† Ron bellowed furiously. â€Å"Four? You lousy, biased scum-bag, you gave Krum ten!† But Harry didn't care, he wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given him zero; Ron's indignation on his behalf was worth about a hundred points to him. He didn't tell Ron this, of course, but his heart felt lighter than air as he turned to leave the enclosure. And it wasn't just Ron†¦those weren't only Gryffindors cheering in the crowd. When it had come to it, when they had seen what he was facing, most of the school had been on his side as well as Cedric's†¦.He didn't care about the Slytherins, he could stand whatever they threw at him now. â€Å"You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!† said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school. â€Å"Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened – but that was unbelievable! Oh yeah – and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes†¦.Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent.† Ron said he would wait, so Harry reentered the tent, which somehow looked quite different now: friendly and welcoming. He thought back to how he'd felt while dodging the Horntail, and compared it to the long wait before he'd walked out to face it†¦.There was no comparison; the wait had been immeasurably worse. Fleur, Cedric, and Krum all came in together. One side of Cedric's face was covered in a thick orange paste, which was presumably mending his burn. He grinned at Harry when he saw him. â€Å"Good one, Harry.† â€Å"And you,† said Harry, grinning back. â€Å"Well done, all of you!† said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon. â€Å"Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth – but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open†¦see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg – because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!† Harry left the tent, rejoined Ron, and they started to walk back around the edge of the forest, talking hard; Harry wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail. Then, as they rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind them. It was Rita Skeeter. She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them. â€Å"Congratulations, Harry!† she said, beaming at him. â€Å"I wonder if you could give me a quick word? How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?† â€Å"Yeah, you can have a word,† said Harry savagely. â€Å"Good-bye.† And he set off back to the castle with Ron.