This book addresses the question: What can close discourse analysis contribute to the understanding of language? To do so, it presents a centering theory-based computational approach to discourse analysis concerning Chinese bei passive sentences, disposal ba constructions, ditransitive gei sentences, and locative fang sentences. The book first discusses the use of discourse analysis in the context of bei and ba constructions and then demonstrates how discourse analysis can contribute to the syntactic and semantic studies of these sentences. It also examines the various thematic roles differentiated in these four special sentence patterns, namely agent, recipient, theme/patient, and locative, and reveals the various degrees of discourse accessibility of these thematic roles. Exploring the correlation between centering theory and Chinese discourse, the book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in discourse analysis and Chinese special sentential structures, especially the formal approaches to these issues.

This book addresses the question: What can close discourse analysis contribute to the understanding of language? To do so, it presents a centering theory-based computational approach to discourse analysis concerning Chinese bei passive sentences, disposal ba constructions, ditransitive gei sentences, and locative fang sentences. The book first discusses the use of discourse analysis in the context of bei and ba constructions and then demonstrates how discourse analysis can contribute to the syntactic and semantic studies of these sentences. It also examines the various thematic roles differentiated in these four special sentence patterns, namely agent, recipient, theme/patient, and locative, and reveals the various degrees of discourse accessibility of these thematic roles. Exploring the correlation between centering theory and Chinese discourse, the book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in discourse analysis and Chinese special sentential structures, especially the formal approaches to these issues.

The industrial attachment links classroom practicals with the induction training which provides the student with the opportunity to have an insight into the practical application of knowledge, skills and safety consciousness in industry. The objective of induction training is to adapt the student on industrial attachment to the specialized equipments, machines and work methods of the industry. The rapid developments in new technologies together with the industrial restructuring of recent years have highlighted the writing of this book. This book addresses some specific contents which include: Effects of induction training on performance of students on industrial attachment; Benefits of induction training on the growth of industry; Challenges facing the induction training programmes in industry; and Strategies that could be adopted to overcome the challenges. In writing this book, the author had special concern for students in training institutions pursuing studies in the field of engineering. The book will also serve as a text for the industry trainers and the training institutions requiring induction training during specific stages of their programmes.

This book analyses the impact of drought and famine in Kerio Valley, Kenya, among the Keiyo community. In particular, it assesses the impact of drought and famine on people and their environment. The book explains how the Keiyo community strategically copes with drought and famine using their indigenous traditional knowledge. The main question this study addresses is: How relevant are indigenous traditional strategies in averting food insecurity in Kerio Valley and other parts of Kenya? Consequently, the author observes that indigenous traditional drought and famine coping strategies are still very relevant today in mitigating food insecurity. This book is a must-read for all scholars in Environmental Studies particularly those dealing with sustainable food security.