Heritage Learners’ versus Second Language Learners’ Source of Errors in Advanced-Level Writing: Case of a Persian Media Course

This paper examines the acquisition particularities of advanced-level students. It also investigates the use of content-based—in this case media material—in teaching advanced-level students, as well as the impact of teaching such material on the students’ writing ability and overall proficiency. Finally, the subtle differences between heritage learners and second language learners are analyzed and discussed. Therefore, this research encompasses both a quantitative and a qualitative study of the issue at stake to ensure reliability of the findings. The results of the study suggest that there is no significant difference between the number of errors made by heritage learners and second language learners; however, the sources of these errors are often different. These sources of error and their possible reasons are discussed in this paper.     

An Investigation of the Ground Motion Scaling Procedures for the Nonlinear Seismic Analyses of Concrete Gravity Dams

Seismic assessment of gravity dams is generally carried out using time history analyses. Scaling of the motions is commonly used; however, in contrast to buildings, the performance of scaling procedures at predicting the mean and reducing the dispersion in engineering demand parameters (EDPs) is not known. The main goal of this study is to assess the performance of different scaling procedures in predicting seismic demands on dams. The performance regarding the prediction of the damage and the required number of motions for effective analysis was investigated. The results show that techniques commonly used for moment frames should not readily be applied to these structures.     

The political will and the administrative won't? Mathieu Thomassin and his dauphins (Charles III and Louis II)

The delphinal counsellor Mathieu Thomassin composed a Breviere des anciens droys … du Dauphiné de Viennoys (c.1453) after a career of 30 years in the service of Charles III (the French king Charles VII) and Louis II (the future Louis XI). This was his first major historical text in French, but has been overshadowed by his better-known Registre delphinal, commissioned by Louis II in 1456. This article analyses the historical culture and the conception of history revealed in the Breviere. It notes how Thomassin's careful definitions of frontiers in the past and present reflect his experience of territorial disputes. History and geography are imbued with polemic, however, allowing Thomassin to override competing claims to territory or autonomy by delphinal opponents within and outside the Dauphiné. The principles set out in the Breviere were refined and extended in the Registre. However, it is unlikely that either work was ever intended for wide circulation; rather, they were written to provide ‘authentic’ texts which could be consulted primarily by other delphinal officers. As such, they reflect on occasion the divergence of views between a proto-professional administrator, with a concern for the long-term, and his preoccupied (if not dilettante) prince, much more subject to the requirements of realpolitik.     

远古时期三峡地区长江洪、枯水位的考古研究(距今约15万年～1万年)

通过对三峡地区长江沿岸的考古发掘,发现了远古时期人类居住遗址的所处位置、海拔高度,尤其是遗址地层堆积中往往还叠压有洪水过后的淤积,根据这些洪水淤沙层的位置以及其上、下堆积层中包含物的年代,我们可推测出远古时期三峡地区长江发生洪水的大致年代,洪水水位的海拔高度,看看那时的河床究竟是比现在高、还是低,从而为当今人们治理长江、开发长江提供科学的证据。     

盛世才治新时期新疆农村基层政权建设体系中的中共特色

盛世才治新时期,新疆局势渐趋稳定后,他效仿中共基层民主建政做法,使新疆基层政权革新初步凸显中共政治民主化色彩。在县级政权,盛世才效仿中共民主集中制原则,设置县政务委员会,民主议决与执行;在县级以下政权建设中推行区村制、民主选举区村长、实施村代表会制。通过借鉴中共基层民主建政经验,盛世才不仅首次健全了新疆基层政权体系,而且率先引入了中共政治民主化的措施,这也在一定程度上推动了当时新疆各项事业的发展。     

The role of the Parlement de Paris in the ratification and registration of royal acts during the reign of Charles VI

The following article corrects the mistaken assumption held by a number of historians that during the reign of Charles VI of France it was necessary for the Parlement de Paris to publish and register all important royal ordinances before they could be executed. Individual cases are discussed to show the nature of the prerogatives of the Parlement and the methods used for the ratification and registration of royal acts.     

Seismic Behaviors of RC Frame Beam-Column Joints under Acid Rain Circle: A Pilot Experimental Study

This research was carried out to investigate the seismic performance of RC beam-column joints under acid rain circle via comparison of energy dissipation behavior and failure mechanism of joints with different corrosion levels and axial compression ratio. At the initial corrosion level, the strength, ductility, and energy consumption of RC beam-column joints improved slightly; at a later stage, the bearing and deformation capacity decreased as the corrosion rate of steel rebars increased. The test shows that with the increasing of the axial compression ratio, the initial stiffness and ultimate bearing capacity of the joints will increasing if the corrosion levels are the same, but the ductility of that will decrease.     

西海固区域文化与可持续发展研究

西海固地区是贫困民族地区。文章认为西海固地区区域文化具有农耕文化和牧业文化交错过渡性,伊斯兰宗教文化的主导性,区域文化的封闭性和落后性以及生育文化的独特性等特征。文章详细分析了区域文化对区域摆脱贫困和区域可持续发展的影响,并提出了加快区域文化建设,实现区域可持续发展的基本对策。     

Application of Wavelet Transforms on Characterization of Inelastic Displacement Ratio Spectra for Pulse-Like Ground Motions

In this article, a simple and effective wavelet-based procedure is implemented for describing principle features of a special class of motions, pulse-like ground motions, on inelastic displacement ratio spectra (IDRS). The computed spectra supply a simple estimation of maximum inelastic displacement demand from the corresponding elastic one. The results of analysis in this work provide a suitable platform for quantification of pulse effects into IDRS and highlight the need to better understanding of this effect on demand estimation. It is concluded that the pulse has a significant influence on IDRS of pulse-like ground motions for systems with high ductility level.     

Maximum Possible Ground Motion for Linear Structures

This article develops a method to generate ground motion time histories that maximize the response of a given linearly elastic structure. The root mean square (RMS) level of the input power spectral density (PSD) is used as a strong motion parameter. It is related to seismological data that is readily available. An empirical relation to estimate RMS value of the PSD from peak ground acceleration, magnitude, rupture distance, and shear wave velocity is derived from world-wide strong motion data. The ground motion is obtained by solving the inverse problem such that the structural response is maximized under the constraint of fixed value of RMS level of the input PSD enforced using a Lagrange multiplier. The proposed methodology is illustrated for a single-degree of freedom system, a six storey building and an earthen dam. It is shown that the critical PSD obtained in all the cases is a narrow band process resulting in stochastic resonance and not a Dirac-delta function with the entire energy of the system concentrated at its natural frequency. Moreover, the critical excitation samples generated using this critical PSD resembles actual earthquake acceleration time histories.