Direct-Indirect Speech (Story of Rapunzel

Rapunzel

Grimm's Fairy Tale version - translated by Margaret Hunt - language modernized a bit by Leanne Guenther

Note:  Rapunzel is an old nickname for a herb with leaves like lettuce and roots like a radish -- it is also called rampion.

There once lived a man and a woman who always wished for a child, but could not have one.  These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen.  The garden was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs.  It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an witch, who had great power and was feared by all the world. 

One day the woman was standing by the window and looking down into the garden, when she saw a bed which was planted with the most tasty rapunzel.  It looked so fresh and green that she longed for it and had the greatest desire to eat some.  This desire increased every day.  The woman knew that she could not get any of it and grew more pale and miserable each day. 

Her husband was worried about her and asked "What is wrong my dear?"

"Ah," she replied, "if I can't eat some of the rapunzel from the garden behind our house I think I shall die." 

The man, who loved her, thought, "Sooner than let my lovely wife die, I will bring her some of the rapunzel myself, no matter what the cost." 

In the twilight of the evening, he climbed over the wall into the garden of the witch, hastily grabbed a handful of rapunzel and took it to his wife.  She at once made herself a salad and ate it happily.  She, however, liked it so much -- so very much, that the next day she longed for it three times as much as before.  If he was to have any rest, her husband must once more descend into the garden.  In the gloom of evening, therefore, he set out again; but when he had climbed over the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw the witch standing before him. 

"How dare you," she said with angry look, "sneak into my garden and steal my rapunzel like a thief?  You shall suffer for this!"

"Ah," the frightened husband answered, "please have mercy, I had to have the rapunzel.  My wife saw it from the window and felt such a longing for it that she would have died if she had not got some to eat." 

Then the witch allowed her anger to be softened, and said to him, "If this is true, I will allow you to take as much as you like, only I make one condition.  You must give me the baby daughter your wife will bring into the world; she shall be well treated, and I will care for it like a mother."  The man in his fear consented and when the baby was born the witch appeared at once, gave the child the name of Rapunzel and took the baby away with her.

Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child beneath the sun.  When she was twelve years old, the witch shut her into a tower, which lay in a forest.  The tower had no stairs or doors, but only a little window at the very top.  When the witch wanted to go in, she stood beneath the window and cried,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair."

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the witch she wound her braids round one of the hooks of the window, and then the hair fell down the side of the tower and the witch climbed up by it.

After a year or two, it came to pass that the Prince rode through the forest and went by the tower.  He heard a song which was so lovely that he stood still and listened.  This was Rapunzel who in her loneliness passed her time singing.  The Prince wanted to climb up to her, and looked for the door of the tower, but none was to be found.  He rode home, but the singing had so deeply touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest and listened to it. 

Once when he was standing behind a tree listening to Rapunzel's song, he saw the witch come and heard how she cried,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair."

Then Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the witch climbed up to her. 

"If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I will for once try my fortune," thought the Prince and the next day when it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and cried,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair."

Immediately the hair fell down and the Prince climbed up.

At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man such as her eyes had never seen, came to her; but the Prince began to talk to her quite like a friend and told her that his heart had been so stirred by her singing that it had let him have no rest.  Then Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him for her husband -- and she saw that he was kind and handsome, she said yes, and laid her hand in his. 

She said, "I will willingly go away with you, but I do not know how to get down.  Bring a bit of silk with you every time you come and I will weave a ladder with it.  When that is ready I will climb down and we shall escape together."  They agreed that until that time he should come to her every evening, for the old woman came by day. 

The witch knew nothing of this, until once Rapunzel said in her distraction, "Oh my, you are so much heavier when you climb than the young Prince." 

"Ah! you wicked child," cried the witch "What do I hear thee say! I thought I had separated you from all the world but you have deceived me."

In her anger she clutched Rapunzel's beautiful hair, seized a pair of scissors -- and snip, snap -- cut it all off.  Rapunzel's lovely braids lay on the ground but the witch was not through.  She was so angry that she took poor Rapunzel into a desert where she had to live in great grief and misery.

The witch rushed back to the tower and fastened the braids of hair which she had cut off, to the hook of the window, and when the Prince came and cried,

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair,"

she let the hair down.  The Prince climbed to the window, but he did not find his dearest Rapunzel above, but the witch, who gazed at him with a wicked and venomous look. 

"Aha!" she cried mockingly, "You've come for Rapunzel but the beautiful bird sits no longer singing in the nest; the cat has got it and will scratch out your eyes as well.  Rapunzel is banished and you will never see her again!" 

The Prince was beside himself and in his despair he fell down from the tower.  He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell pierced his eyes.  Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate nothing but roots and berries and did nothing but weep over the loss of his dearest Rapunzel. 

In this way, the Prince roamed in misery for some months and at length came to the desert where the witch had banished Rapunzel.  He heard a voice singing and it seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it.  When he approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell into his arms and wept. 

Two of her tears fell on his eyes and the Prince could see again.  He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented.

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/rapunzle/story.htm

Direct-Indirect Speech from story of Rapunzel:

1.      "What is wrong my dear?" asked her husband

2.      "How dare you," she said

1.      He asked her, what is wrong with her

2.      She said how dare him

Tag Question Task 4

*Add the question tag at the end of the following sentences

1. They want to come, won’t they?

2. They won’t be here, will they?

3. He has learned a lot in the last couple of years, hasn’t he?

4. She has not in car, has she?

5. Joan can’t come with us, can he?

6. Those aren’t your books, are they?

7. Everyone can learn how to play the violin, didn’t they?

8. Something is wrong with you today, isn’t it?

9. Nothing is wrong, is it?

10. She went to the campus yesterday, didn’t she?

11. You had a good time last week, hadn’t you?

12. You should leave for the airport by six, don’t you?

13. She doesn’t have cats, does she?

14. Nobody has told you the secret, did they?

15. I am right, aren’t I?

16. Let’s study English, shall we?

17. He is never late to class, is he?

18. Your parents haven’t arrived yet, are they?

19. Class ends at 11.00, isn’t it?

20. Mala sat next to Ria last meeting, aren’t they?

What Is Management Information Systems – And It’s Use in Decision Making?

Definition of Management Information Systems:  A management information system (MIS) is an organized process which provides past, present, and projected information on internal operations as well as external intelligence to support decision making.
Due to the increased advancement in technology, many organizations and businesses are using Management Information Systems to manage themselves efficiently and effectively.
However, as competition increases in the business world, small business owners must look for opportunities to provide high quality products and services basing on consumers needs and wants, but all this can be possible if they use technology and information. This all process makes information a frontier for businesses seeking to gain and maintain an edge over their competitors.
Many organizations and small businesses use technology to collect, process and manage information. Information systems can be tailored to facilitate various business functions and activities. A well managed information system can provide reports on each and every function in a business, for example; it can provide reports on human resource management, manufacturing, finance and accounting, consumer behaviors and so much more
In brief, lets see how a ”Marketing information system” helps a business. A marketing information system (MIS) can be used to be used by marketing managers or researchers to manage an overwhelming flood of information by organizing data in a logical and accessible manner. Through this system, a business can monitor its performance in the market and identify obstacles and opportunities with in a defined market. A marketing information system will collect data from inside and outside the business; then it will processes that data to produce relevant information which can be used to support marketing functions. Data processed can be stored for later use; it can be classified or retrieved when needed.
Well established businesses use a combination of high-tech and low-tech solutions to mange the flow of information. The speed at which information flows within and outside a business determines the success of that business, because, all businesses depend on information to make decisions.

USING DATABASES TO MANAGE INFORMATION:
Since management information systems deal with gathering and processing of data, all businesses use Databases to store this gathered data. A database is a centralized integrated collection of data resources. A database is designed basing on a company’s structure of information; it serves as an electronic filing cabinet which stores massive amounts of data and retrieves that data within minutes.
Small businesses can hire IT specialists to design an simple database to manage and store their data, however, this database has to be updated on a daily bases, information stored in a database can be updated at anytime, because, if you store outdated information on a data base, you will be misguided during the process of decision making.

USING INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR DECISION MAKING:
Now that we have seen that management information systems (MIS) are used to organize and process information, this information can be used to make decisions in an organization or business. MIS reports summarize or aggregate information to support decision-making tasks. MISs provide reports in many different ways. For example, MISs reports can be periodic, summarized, exception, comparative and ad hoc.
So, once a company has created a database, managers have to mine data which should be stored and processed in this database. Data mining is a task of using sophisticated technology to retrieve and evaluate data in a database to identify useful trends.  If data is well mined and managed, it can help a business discover patterns  in the sale of specific goods and services, it can also help a business find new customers, track customer complaints, requests and also evaluate cost of production and operation.
The process of making decisions in an organization is not easy, we have different types of decisions, and these include; structured decisions and non structured decisions. So, to simplify the all process of decision making, business managers and owners need to use different types of information systems to speed up the decision making process. Below I have listed some detailed points on how to use information systems to make decisions in an organization or business.

1. 1.       Decision Support Systems: By definition, a decision support system is an information system which provides data to business managers or owners to make decisions and choose a course of action. The primary objective of of DSS is to improve your effectiveness as a decision maker by providing you with assistance that will complement your insights. DSS retrieves data from a database in an analyzed manner to facilitate the decision making process with in an organization, DSS is made up of different types of tools and software, every business or organization uses a different type of Decision support system software to retrieve and process data.

A decision support system is commonly referred to as an interactive information technology system which is designed to support decision making when the problem is not structured. A Decision Support System has three components and these include; (Data management component, Model Management component and User Interface Management component), in brief, let me explain about each of these components of a decision support system.

• Data management component: This performs the function of storing and maintaining the information you might want your DSS to use. 
• Model Management component: This one consists of both the DSS models and DSS model management system.
• User Interface Management component: This one allows you to communicate with the DSS. It consists of the user interface and the user interface management system. A user interface is that part of the system you can see when entering information or commands.

1. 2.       Executive Information Systems: Many businesses and organizations are putting most of their attention on employee empowerment by use of technology and they forget about empowering business executives, but it is very important to create specialized information systems to address the needs of executives. An executive information system (EIS) allows business executives to access the organization’s primary database; information accessed can include financial statements, sales figures, stock market trends and so much more.EIS supports flexible data reporting and tools for analyzing the information. This simplified process, helps managers address problems and opportunities which in return helps them make quick decisions which can help a business or organization.

1. 3.       Expert Systems: This is a knowledge-based system which imitates human thinking through complicated sets. The system applies reasoning capabilities to reach a conclusion. An expert system is made up of three components and these include; Information Types, People and IT Components. Expert systems are used in different ways, for example, an expert system can be used to determine credit limit for credit card applicants, it can be used to monitor machinery to predict problems or breakdowns and so much more. Expert systems are developed by capturing the knowledge of approved experts in a business or outside it. Expert systems are excellent for diagnostic and prescriptive problems. During the process of decision making, you need to know ”What’s wrong?” and ”What to do?”

http://www.useoftechnology.com/what-is-management-information-systems/

In my opinion, Information is the knowledge gained from processing facts and figures. If a small business has a well managed information system, it can gain competitive advantage in a very competitive market, for example; small businesses can be in position to gather data about the demographics of a targeted market or needs and wants of people in those markets, this gathered information can be processed and used to create competitive decisions.

Management Functions

Effective planning & regulation of operation of an enterprise in the fulfillment of given purposes. It is a dynamic process consisting of various elements and activities. These activities are different from operative functions like marketing, finance, purchase etc. Rather these activities are common to each and every manger irrespective of his level or status.
Different experts have classified functions of management. According to George & Jerry, “There are four fundamental functions of management i.e. planning, organizing, actuating and controlling”. According to Henry Fayol, “To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, & to control”. Whereas Luther Gullick has given a keyword ’POSDCORB’ where P stands for Planning, O for Organizing, S for Staffing, D for Directing, Co for Co-ordination, R for reporting & B for Budgeting. But the most widely accepted are functions of management given by KOONTZ and O’DONNEL i.e. Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling.

PLANNING
It is the basic function of management. It deals with chalking out a future course of action & deciding in advance the most appropriate course of actions for achievement of pre-determined goals. According to KOONTZ, “Planning is deciding in advance – what to do, when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap from where we are & where we want to be”. A plan is a future course of actions. It is an exercise in problem solving & decision making. Planning is determination of courses of action to achieve desired goals. Thus, planning is a systematic thinking about ways & means for accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. It is all pervasive, it is an intellectual activity and it also helps in avoiding confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc.

ORGANIZING Organizing is the function of management which follows planning. It is a function in which the synchronization and combination of human, physical and financial resources takes place. All the three resources are important to get results. Therefore, organizational function helps in achievement of results which in fact is important for the functioning of a concern. According to Chester Barnard, “Organizing is a function by which the concern is able to define the role positions, the jobs related and the co- ordination between authority and responsibility. Hence, a manager always has to organize in order to get results.

STAFFING

The managerial function of staffing involves manning the organization structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal and development of the personnels to fill the roles assigned to the employers/workforce.

DIRECTING
It is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achievement of organizational purposes. It is considered life-spark of the enterprise which sets it in motion the action of people because planning, organizing and staffing are the mere preparations for doing the work. Direction is that inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding, supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for the achievement of organizational goals. Direction has following elements:

• Supervision
• Motivation
• Leadership
• Communication

Supervision- implies overseeing the work of subordinates by their superiors. It is the act of watching & directing work & workers.
Motivation- means inspiring, stimulating or encouraging the sub-ordinates with zeal to work. Positive, negative, monetary, non-monetary incentives may be used for this purpose.
Leadership- may be defined as a process by which manager guides and influences the work of subordinates in desired direction.
Communications- is the process of passing information, experience, opinion etc from one person to another. It is a bridge of understanding.
CONTROLING

Controlling consists of verifying whether everything occurs in confirmities with the plans adopted, instructions issued and principles established. Controlling ensures that there is effective and efficient utilization of organizational resources so as to achieve the planned goals. Controlling measures the deviation of actual performance from the standard performance, discovers the causes of such deviations and helps in taking corrective actions According to Brech, “Controlling is a systematic exercise which is called as a process of checking actual performance against the standards or plans with a view to ensure adequate progress and also recording such experience as is gained as a contribution to possible future needs.” According to Donnell, “Just as a navigator continually takes reading to ensure whether he is relative to a planned action, so should a business manager continually take reading to assure himself that his enterprise is on right course.”

http://exaudian.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/management-functions/
 
In my opinion, there are five functions in management : Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling. First we must plan so we can go to the next step. Planning is deciding in advance – what to do, when to do & how to do. After planning is organizing, organizing is a part when we must know about synchronization and combination of human, physical and financial resources takes place. Third is staffing, staffing pertains to recruitment, selection, development and compensation of subordinates. Next is directing, directing is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achievement of organizational purposes. Last is controlling, Controlling consists of verifying whether everything occurs in conformity with the plans adopted, instructions issued and principles est