Should You Take AP English Literature or AP English Language

Should You Take AP English Literature or AP English Language SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you considering taking an AP English class at some point during high school? You might have noticed that AP offers two English courses – AP English Literature and Composition and AP English Language and Composition. (Those titles are a mouthful, so we’ll just refer to them as AP Literature and AP Language in this post.) So what are some of the differences between the two classes? Is one class harder than the other? Should you take both or just choose one? In this guide, we'll explain the similarities and differences between the two courses to help you decide which option is best for you. AP Literature vs. AP Language Overview Some schools offer AP Literature and AP English Language as a sequence, with AP Language and Composition as a sophomore or junior course, and AP Literature as a junior or senior course. But some schools only offer the courses during senior year, and students have to choose between them. Or your school might not have strict requirements at all, and you might be wondering if you should take both, one, or none. First we will reveal which course is more difficult. Then we'll discuss the similarities between the two courses as well as the differences. Finally, we will ask you some guiding questions to help you decide between the two classes. Which Is Harder: AP Literature or AP Language? You’re probably wondering...out of the two AP English courses, which one is harder? Well, it turns out both AP Literature and AP Language are not super easy to pass, and quite difficult to get a 5 (the highest score) on. (For more on AP test scoring, see our post.) Both exams have low pass rates and very low 5 rates. AP Literature has a pass rate of about 52%, while AP Language's pass rate is about 55%. This makes them the making them the 7th and 10th lowest-passed AP exams in 2017(out of the 38 total exams). Their 5 rates are also low. AP Language has a 9.1% 5 rate. AP Literature has just a 6.8% 5 rate. To put that in context, on other AP exams, it’s typical for between 10% and 20% of students to earn a 5. There are a few factors that could explain why both AP English exams have low pass rates and low 5 rates. The first is the fact that they are both very popular exams. AP Language is the number one most popular AP exam – nearly 580,000 students took the test in 2017 alone! AP Literature is the third most-popular AP exam, withover400,000 exams taken in 2017. This means that both tests have a very wide pool of exam-takers, which suggests there might be more students who take the exam who are unprepared. However, the fact that their 5 rates are so low suggests that both exams are more difficult than average to do well on. Given that the difference in pass rates is so small between the two tests, it’s unlikely one AP English class is dramatically harder than the other. Which test is harder for you will depend on your strengths and weaknesses, as both AP English classes have different readings and goals. Instead, to figure out which exam is best for you, we'll compare the two classes and the content they cover. First, we will note how the classes are similar, and then we will explain what makes each AP English class unique. What’s the Same for AP Language and AP Literature? So what are the similarities between AP Literature and AP Language? We will compare both the AP tests and the classes. The Exam The exam format is very similar for both AP English classes. The first part of AP Literature has 55 multiple-choice questions, and the first part of AP Language has 52-55 multiple choice questions. On both tests section I is worth 45% of your total score. These questions mainly have you read passages and analyze them. The AP English Literature questions focus on literary devices, character, and theme while the AP English Language questions focus on rhetorical strategies and tone. However, both tests include comprehension questions and require you to be able to read complex passages quickly and understand them. The second part the exam is worth 55% and has three essay questions. This means that both exams also require very fast writing skills. You need to plan, outline, write, and edit three essays in two hours, or in about 40 minutes per essay. Both exams also require you to be able to very quickly read and analyze a text by writing an essay, since the essay questions often ask you to analyze a piece of writing. The only major difference in exam format is that the AP Language exam has a 15-minute reading period before the free-response section, while AP Literature does not. This is to give you time to prepare for the synthesis question, which is unique to the AP Language test. The synthesis question has you incorporate several different sources into a coherent argument. To sum up, the format of the two AP English exams is very similar. You can expect the AP exam for either class to be quite challenging. The Class Both AP English classes are English courses and thus will mainly consist of reading and writing assignments. In particular, both emphasize writing clear, analytical essays. This is very different than just summarizing a book or writing your own stories like you might have in done previous English classes. Since both classes are meant to teach the same skills as an introductory college English class, the emphasis is on analyzing and writing about texts, rather than just reading, summarizing, and creating your own work. However, even though the exam and class formats are quite similar, the subject matter they tackle is very different. Next we will explore which makes each AP English course unique. What Sets the Two Classes Apart? There are some key differences between AP Language and AP Literature. This means that one AP English class might be more useful for you than the other. In this section we'll explain five of the main differences between the two classes. Looking at examples of actual prompts for both classes can also help you get a sense of how they differ. For AP Language, you can readall of the recent past free-response topics here, and you canread all the recent past AP Literature free response questions here. Difference 1: AP Language Is Broader Than AP Literature The main difference between the two courses is thatAP Literature focuses mostly on analyzing literature and poetry, while AP Language has a much broader scope. APEnglishLanguage and Composition teaches you to deconstruct arguments and rhetorical strategies in mostly non-fiction works.Non-fiction is a broad term, and can include journalism, memoirs, essays, satire, comics, and even photography.In other words, you will read (and watch!) material that is likely much more far-reaching than your past English classes. For AP Lang, you will also do lots of writing, learning to maximize your argument and/or effectiveness across different forms, from persuasive essays to memoir writing. As an example, in my AP Language course,our writing assignments included persuasive essays, reports on current events, memoir writing, and keeping a nature journal,a la Henry David Thoreau inWalden. (If you don’t know who that is, you probably will after taking AP Language!) For AP Literature, the works you read will be much less broad. They will be primarily literature, although the class will also include some poetry. You'll primarily be reading novels and plays, and the texts you read will be less broad compared to what you read in AP Language. Difference 2: AP Literature Is More In-Depth Than AP Language APEnglishLiterature teaches you to read and analyze works of literature and poetry with different lenses - for example, characterization, tone, or description. In that sense,it has less breadth but more depth than AP Language. You will work to discover a work’s theme or intent via use of literary devices, as opposed to analyzing its argument or effectiveness. Your essays for AP Literature will be mainly analytical. For example, you will explain how a novel achieves a certain tone by closely analyzing quotations. In most cases, you won’t be arguing for a point or saying how good or bad something is. You will simply read literature closely and try to figure out what makes it tick. For AP Language, you typically won't be diving so deep into one source; you'll instead be making broader comparisons and arguments for a variety of texts. You won't be referring to specific quotes as often as you would in AP Lit because you're taking more of a high-level look at the texts. Difference 3: AP Language Is More Applicable for Other Subjects Than AP Literature The skills you learn in AP Language are broadly applicable to not only the humanities, but to the social sciences as well.If you’re interested in political science, sociology, or economics, the skills you learn in AP Language will be directly applicable to your college coursework. AP Language is also a good choice if you are interested in natural science or engineering, since learning to break down arguments and read non-fiction texts will likely be more helpful in your chosen field than analyzing poetry and literature. In any field, having strong writing skills is very helpful. The essays on the AP Language exam are designed to â€Å"test your skill in composition and require close reading, thoughtful rhetorical analysis, andpurposeful argumentation.† As we mentioned above,AP Language has a synthesis prompt that requires you to pull together several different sources and write a cohesive argumentative essay.The synthesis prompt is similar to the Document-Based Question you’ll find on AP history exams. For AP Literature, you'll gain writing skills useful in any field, but this class has a very specific humanities/fine arts focus.You'll be studying primarily fiction texts, including poetry and literature. You'll spend more time studying how literary pieces are composed and how literary devices are used. Even if you rarely read newspapers anymore, you might encounter them in AP Language! Difference 4: You'll Likely Do More Reading in AP Literature You'll have to do a fair amount of reading for both classes, but AP Literature is generally a more reading-intensive course. For AP Literature,you need to read several books just to prepare for the AP exam, so expect regular reading assignments.For example, my class read several novels, including very long ones likeCrime and Punishment, as well as plays, short stories, and poetry. We also had to read six full-length books the summer before the class even started. You'll also be doing reading for AP Language, but the readings will often be shorter, and many won't be full-length novels or plays. If you're worried about having enough time to complete the required reading, it's an important factor to consider when deciding between the two classes. Difference 5: The Final AP Literature Prompt Is Especially Difficult Many students find the final prompt on the AP Literature exam to be especially challenging. For the last prompt, the AP Literature test does not give you relevant quotes or summaries of the works you can write about. This means you have to be familiar with at least a few books and be able to write about them without having the books with you when you take the exam. As an example, here is the 2014 open response prompt: The prompt gives you a wide variety of books and plays that you could write about, but also allows you to analyze any work of â€Å"comparable literary merit.† (Twilight isn’t going to cut it.) But the prompt doesn’t give you any more info than the work’s title – you need to be able to supply the evidence from that particular work based on memory. Some students memorize important quotes and page numbers to be prepared for this question, but this isn't essential if you have a strong grasp of the plot, characters, tone, themes, motifs, and so on.Furthermore, to write these essays well, you need to know literary devices, like allegory and hyperbole, to name a couple, and be able to use them as evidence. In contrast, the AP Language exam provides most of the sources for you to analyze. Just one essay asks you to consider outside sources, but it doesn’t require specific books, and in fact allows you to draw from your own experience. Again, this shows that you'll have to do a lot more reading for AP Literature so that you have a wide pool of books you can potentially use for the final essay prompt. How Do You Decide Which AP English Class to Take? Both AP English classes have key similarities – like exam structure – and differences, like the type of reading you’ll do. So how will you pick which one to take? Consider each of the following factors before making your decision. What Are You Planning on Majoring In? As a general rule, AP Language has a broader focus and will be more directly applicable to your work in various college majors, while AP Literature is a great choice if you are interested in the arts or humanities. For example, if you know for sure you want to pursue engineering in college, then AP Language is probably the best choice. You’ll pick up some writing skills but not be overloaded with tons of reading – saving you time for other challenging courses in math and science. But if you know you want to study the humanities – including philosophy, history, English or World Literature – the depth of reading you’ll do in AP Literature will give you a solid base of knowledge to build on in college. But what if you have no clue what you want to study in college? Keep reading! What Do You Like To Read? AP Literature and AP Language have very different focuses and reading lists. So think about what you tend to enjoy reading! If you like the reading for a class, you are much more likely to complete it all and be interested in the assignments – meaning you’ll get a better grade. For example, if you follow the news, read lots of blogs or magazines, and enjoy non-fiction books, you’ll probably enjoy the AP Language reading. If you read fiction books for fun and enjoy writing your own stories, you might prefer AP Literature. Sure, you won’t be doing lots of creative writing, but studying what makes literature great will help you be a better writer. Who Teaches These Classes at Your School? Preferences and future major aside, your experience in the class will really depend on how it’s taught at your school and how good the teacher is. If you can, get a syllabus from both of this year’s classes. There isn’t required reading for either course, although AP Literature has many suggested authors, so teachers have a lot of freedom in designing their reading lists. You might be much more interested in one class’s reading than another, and that will help you decide. You can also ask upperclassman and your guidance counselor about the reputation and pass rate of the different classes at your school. Chances are, both AP English teachers will be pretty good, if not excellent. But if, for example, everyone raves about the AP Literature class and say that they learned a ton and loved the teacher, consider taking it even if you’re leaning towards AP Language. Never underestimate the effect of an amazing teacher! Is It Possible to Take Both AP Language and AP Literature? If you really can’t decide, see if it’s possible to take both classes. Colleges want to see that you are taking a challenging course load based on what’s available at your school. That could mean fitting in both AP English courses, but if that causes you to have to sacrifice other AP classes or an extracurricular, taking one is plenty. Again, this will also depend on your intended major. For example if you’re a future engineer, taking both AP English classes won’t vastly strengthen your college applications,while fitting in both AP Calculus and AP Physics will. But if you are interested in the humanities, it would make sense to take both. Personally, I took both AP English classes: AP Language in 10th grade, and AP Literature in 11th grade. They were both challenging, but I liked taking them in that order, since Language was broader and gave me an introduction to writing AP essays. I was able to use the skills I developed in Language to do well in Literature. For me, Literature was more challenging, mainly because I had to know a few books and plays inside and out to be ready for the free-response section of the AP test. I found both test’s multiple-choice sections equally challenging. I found the skills I built in both classes to be incredibly useful to me across a range of college classes – from economics to political science to English. Don't choose just one path! Bottom Line: AP Lang vs AP Lit Both AP English classes will improve your writing skills. Both AP English classes have challenging exams. The main difference between the two is what types of reading they focus on. Hopefully reading about the two classes gave you an idea about which one you are leaning towards. If not, make an appointment to talk to your guidance counselor to discuss which class is best for you. What’s Next? Whether you decide to take AP Literature, AP Language, or both, you might also be wondering how many AP classes total you should take in high school. See our guide to choosing the right number of AP classes. Also studying for the SAT or ACT? Learn which reading section is harder, and get tips for an 800 SAT Reading score from our full-scorer. Still deciding between the SAT or ACT? Find out for sure which you will do the best on. Also read a detailed comparison between the two tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Where In The World Is CoSchedule Its Kind Of A BIG Deal... #OverheardAtCoSchedule - CoSchedule Blog

Where In The World Is Its Kind Of A BIG Deal... Blog When Kathryn and Nathan  host webinars, they usually kick things off by asking you gals and guys: Where are you from? Whats the weather like there? That probably has a lot to do with the kinds of conversations they have at the office, with their friends, and when they chat with family. Because  talking about the weather is pretty typical around here. And when  Kathryn and Nathan share  where the two offices are located, a lot of you are really surprised. So we want  to share the story with you about where we are why we LOVE it here and how its been a massive strategic advantage for (and therefore, a big win for our customers, too). Where in the world IS ? Its probably not  where  youd expectIn this video, Im chatting with Shannon Wiedman, s UI/UX Design Lead. Shannon grew up + loves it here, and she has some BIG things to share with you about  s home state. Youll also learn to start where you are with your business dreams (and how that can help YOU succeed, too). Subscribe to receive videos in your inbox: //

Finding George Orwell in Burma Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finding George Orwell in Burma - Assignment Example Moreover, while using the social media, the youths should be encouraged to use strong passwords which can be easily hacked by third party members. You should make main stream media and advertising channels your base for distribution. Most audiences using P2P networks often avoid the use of such kind of channels and by using them to advertise hot topics like trending movies and TV series, they are forced to constantly check their social media tools for updates on what is trending (Becker, 2008). You should run social media ads along P2P sites as youth audiences browsing through such sites will come along them and if the social media are good, they will be forced to shift to social media sites for more details hence promoting the a relationship between social media and the P2P networks. To achieve a return on investment in youths assessing P2P channels through social media, you are required to strategize on your digital marketing campaigns. This will you to be efficient and effective on your media and marketing experience as you wills have to increase traffic of P2P channels on social media platforms by delivering appropriate messages which are aimed at targeting the youth. You should be knowledgeable on trending topics concerning the youths like hot music selling and apply sound methodologies to measure the amount of initiative applied to attract audiences through social platforms like face book or twitter (Becker, 2008). You should apply the social media in developing metrics or marketing analytics to better manage the campaigns and communication channels of P2P channels. This you can achieve through using social media ads appropriately to promote transparency of processes and channels available on P2P channels. You should also ensure that the social media guarantees for the security of audiences using P2P channels. Since there are fears that the social media holds private and personal information about individuals, the youths can be

Budget Targeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Budget Targeting - Essay Example Absent these inferences, firms would not know how well they are doing, and capital markets would not know how to value them. And absent these inferences, firms would be unable to improve their processes and, as a consequence, improve their economic performance". (Meyer, 2002, p. 24) Budget meeting its target as personal performance measure can be analysed in two broad categories: "First, a budget can be used as a financial plan, utilised by the finance department to ensure that the organisation stays within its operating constraints. Second it is much more widely used in most organisations as a tool of overall management control. Here budget targets are set for individual responsibility centers and their operating managers, so that operating performance can be monitored and controlled". (Neely, Business Performance Measurement) Irrespective of any category, effective budget targets must possess the following characteristics: "Strong incentives for departments and their partners in service delivery to plan over several years and plan together where appropriate so as to deliver better public services with greater cost effectiveness". (Budget-2006) "Data collection and analysis for performance measures are defined to establish a common understanding for the measure, to describe how and when the data will be collected and interpreted, and to ensure the quality and integrity of the data". (Budget-2006a) Performance measures further include the following steps: "Analysis of existing systems (like accounting and auditing) should be conducted in order to determine its performance-basis, if one expects performance data to be used in the system this means that systems that relate to other outdated budgeting approaches need to be replaced to accommodate performance based budgeting". (Andrews & Hill, 2003, p. 135) "The use of performance information

My Goals Essay Example for Free

My Goals Essay â€Å"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes; you can go in any direction you choose, you’re on your own, and you know what you know, and you are the one who will decide where to go. † Dr. Seuss gives me hope within myself. This quote has gotten me through so many problems of mine to the point where I know it by heart. This makes me think of all the possibilities there are out there in the world. This helps me create my own goals to reach for instead of other peoples. The short term, five year, and ten year goals help me stride for success so I can complete those goals. They keep me going in the direction I choose which decides where I’ll go with my life. Within my short term goals, I wish to have straight A’s for my last senior report card. That would prove to everyone that I really can do it and maybe they would stop calling me stupid or dumb. I wish to also have high honor roll all year next year. Another short term goal is to get accepted to an Ivy League school such as Yale or University of Pennsylvania. This would make me so delighted to know that I am smart enough to be accepted. I may not go there, but it would be an honor to be accepted. I also wish to possibly get an internship at a wedding planning facility so I can see what it’s like. While there, maybe I can start completing my five year goals. Five year goals are a little harder to achieve because they can change quicker than short term goals if you make a wrong turn. Just like a GPS, they may recalculate themselves. One five year goal I wish to achieve is to graduate college with a major in business administration and a minor in musical theater so I can continue dramatics while fulfilling my job. I also wish to graduate with at least a 3. grade average if not higher. For that I will need to stay organized, control my procrastination, and do a fulfilled job on any assignments I may have. I wish to stay as an intern in the wedding planning business or even start planning businesses myself. Within these, I would also like to continue dramatics and singing so that if the opportunity forms to act on television or even Broadway, I can take it. While all this i s happening I hope to have a stable home and after graduating start saving money to open my own wedding planning business. Within these I should have a strong foundation to start my ten year goals. My ten year goals include owning my own successful wedding planning business and having a family. These goals are hopefully a little more stable than five year goals, but most likely not. They can change depending on your five year goals and short term as well. I don’t plan on starting a family until I am fully stable with my job and in my house. I don’t want to bring a child into this world without a stable family to take care of their every need. Since I already have these plans, I hope to have a good clientele following who will suggest me to other to plan their wedding instead of someone else. I want to help people save as much money on their wedding that they can. Another goal which will be extremely hard to fulfill will be to become a famous actress and singer, or even to perform on Broadway at least once. All goals are hard to achieve, but I wish to succeed at all of them. Many people don’t even think about what they want to do in the future, but ever since I was little I have wanted to perform on Broadway or television. Just lately, as in this past year, have I decided that I wanted to be a successful wedding planner. The job will be challenging with picky brides to be, and stressed out grooms, but I think I can do it justice. Goals in general are just hard to complete but I think I can. With as many goals as I have, I can definitely complete at least 3 of the long term ones. â€Å"Will you succeed? Yes you will indeed. Ninety-eight and three- quarters guaranteed†. Dr. Seuss.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Essay -- Raymond Carver Tru

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love After analyzing Raymond Carver’s â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,† it is easy to see that there are several different ideas concerning true love that the characters in the story are in dispute over. Terri’s idea of real love is the most valid out of the group at the table. All of the members of the group are rather confused as to what real love is. Terri is included as one of the confused. However, I believe that she is the closest to understanding what love is. A key piece of evidence demonstrating her understanding of love is her remark to Laura and Nick. She scolds the couple for basing their relationship on physical aspects, rather than emotion or passion. Terri, like the rest of the party, is on her second marriage. Her first husband was an abusive man that beat her, and even dragged her by her ankles around their living room. Terri’s current husband, Mel, is a cardiologist that believes in spiritual love, and that between spouses, pe ople are barren and hollow inside, and that he could be married to any other empty person without difference. Mel is rather shielded from emotion between spouses. His only real love lies with his children, unfortunately Mel allows his conflict with his ex wife to block him from calling his them. Terri does love Mel, but she reminisces about her time with Ed. Terri realizes that Ed was full of emotion, and that he was just befuddled and chaotic in his methods of sharing his feelings.... What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Essay -- Raymond Carver Tru What We Talk About When We Talk About Love After analyzing Raymond Carver’s â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,† it is easy to see that there are several different ideas concerning true love that the characters in the story are in dispute over. Terri’s idea of real love is the most valid out of the group at the table. All of the members of the group are rather confused as to what real love is. Terri is included as one of the confused. However, I believe that she is the closest to understanding what love is. A key piece of evidence demonstrating her understanding of love is her remark to Laura and Nick. She scolds the couple for basing their relationship on physical aspects, rather than emotion or passion. Terri, like the rest of the party, is on her second marriage. Her first husband was an abusive man that beat her, and even dragged her by her ankles around their living room. Terri’s current husband, Mel, is a cardiologist that believes in spiritual love, and that between spouses, pe ople are barren and hollow inside, and that he could be married to any other empty person without difference. Mel is rather shielded from emotion between spouses. His only real love lies with his children, unfortunately Mel allows his conflict with his ex wife to block him from calling his them. Terri does love Mel, but she reminisces about her time with Ed. Terri realizes that Ed was full of emotion, and that he was just befuddled and chaotic in his methods of sharing his feelings....

Original Writing – Cinderella

â€Å"And you can tidy that room before you go out anywhere, young lady!† Great, just what I needed. Another chore, which would take me all night. Well, maybe it's better than going out with them lot anyway. Carly and Michelle had been my best friends for as long as I could remember, but recently the three of us had started hanging around with a girl called Lauren and her friends. To begin with, I wasn't keen on Lauren, but put up with her comments for Carly and Michelle's sake. Then Carly began to change. She was always trying to impress Lauren, and became quite nasty, turning on me. And everyone else seemed to follow Lauren too. I began to feel like none of them liked me, and quite out of place. Just because I didn't worship the ground Lauren walked on. But I was too scared to stand up to her. It would've meant losing all of my â€Å"friends†. I got on with my room feeling down. Later on, we were all down at the youth club. Lauren was telling us all about her latest crush, and as usual, everyone was glued to her story. Well, everyone except from me. I looked around the room and let out a little gasp. Standing in the corner was the nicest guy I had ever seen. He was laughing with his friends, and had a gorgeous smile. He had short, perfect brown hair, and twinkling brown eyes. He looked over and smiled†¦and began walking over. All the girls went quiet, and secretly looked at Lauren. She flicked her hair, and flashed a dazzling smile. His smile moved from me to her. I looked in envy as he walked over to her, and began chatting. â€Å"She knows everyone,† I thought, and turned to them to listen to what he was saying. â€Å"†¦So it will be at my house on Saturday. And I hope to see all of you there.† Was it my imagination or did he look at me while saying that? He walked off, and I was about to ask the girls who he was when Lauren sighed†¦.†oh, he's sooo gorgeous!!† So this is the guy she likes! No wonder, he is really good looking. I can't believe I ever thought I had a chance!! â€Å"Cindy, what have you done to your hair today? It looks awful! And if you come with us to Josh's party, you'll have to make more of an effort with your clothes!!† Lauren's frosty, mocking tone cut right through me, â€Å"And another thing, Josh is mine.† It was Wednesday when I got the phone call. â€Å"Hello? Is that Cindy Lewis?† â€Å"Yeah. Who is this please?† â€Å"It's magic 828. We're ringing to let you know that you've won our ‘guess the year' competition, and have won à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40 in Topshop vouchers, and a free taxi service for the next time you go out!!† It was great, and it saved me a lot of money for a new outfit for Josh's party. I had spent a long time deciding whether I should actually go or not, after what Lauren had said. But in the end decided to go anyway. I had thought about Josh a lot, and wanted to see him again. My mum, on the other hand, was a different case. â€Å"What do you want to go to a party for when you can stay in and play games with your family?† â€Å"You can't go to someone's party you don't even know!† â€Å"I might have to ring up his parents to check if they're allowing alcohol.† She went on and on like that for ages, until finally, I talked her round. â€Å"Okay, you can go. Under one condition†¦ You get a taxi back and are in this house before 11:30. Otherwise you'll never go out again!† I hadn't been to any proper parties before, Lauren's gang always conveniently ‘forgot to mention it to me' or ‘ thought I already knew about it'. I was nervous, and had no idea what to expect. With my vouchers, I had bought a pair of jeans, which I'd have never been able to afford myself. They were the perfect fit, and sparkled under the light. I also bought a new hair bobble, which had a glittery heart on it. I knew they looked good, but was scared what Lauren would think of them. It was amazing what effect she could have over my life. When the taxi pulled up In front of the address Michelle had given me, a sudden thought that she'd given me the wrong address on purpose nearly made me ask to be taken home. But then I heard the music booming from the house, and saw some people scattered near the doorway. ‘Keep calm,' I told myself. Once I was inside, I saw how packed it was. Someone was trying to open the back door. I saw it was Josh. I began walking over when Lauren appeared in front of me. â€Å"Cindy! Didn't think you would make it. Good party isn't it? We have Josh to thank for that! I came round early to help him get ready. He asked me to, and I just couldn't resist! He's such a sweetie! Oh, have you decorated an old pair of jeans† She reached over and grabbed Josh's hand. She was trying to make me feel small, and it worked. I felt so stupid for thinking that someone might choose me over Lauren. If I had gone over to Josh, what would I have said? Would it looked like I fancied him? I made my way through the moving crowd, and sat outside on the step, alone. â€Å"Hello? How long have you been out here? You must be freezing!† It was him. Why was he talking to me? I looked up at his concerned face. â€Å"I†¦I. Needed some fresh air.† â€Å"What, for over an hour Is it Lauren? Has she upset you?† How did he know I still didn't believe he was actually talking to me. I found myself making up some excuse about something bad happening at home. â€Å"Well I hope it's not bad enough so you can't dance with me,† he smiled shyly. I couldn't believe this was happening. Josh was asking ME to dance! By now people had begun to drift outside, and the music was loud enough out here. Before I gave him an answer, he swept me into his arms, and began to move to the beat. Then a slow song began. â€Å"I hope you don't min†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He began. I rested my arms on his shoulders and he wrapped his around my waist. We swayed to the music together. The song seemed to last for ages, but when it ended, neither of us let go. He moved his face closer to mine†¦ â€Å"Oh no!!† I looked at my watch. It was 11:25. My taxi was supposed to turn up 5 minutes ago, and I was supposed to be home in 5 minutes. I moved away from Josh, and ran towards the front of the house. As I moved, I saw something fall to the floor, and my hair came loose. Great, my new hair bobble. Oh well, I would just have to leave it. I'd rather lose that than be grounded for the rest of my life!! The taxi was still there, so I jumped in without looking back, or saying goodbye to Josh. It was a week after the party, and we were in the youth club. Lauren had seen me with Josh, so was being even more awkward. I didn't dare say anything to her; I was too scared. â€Å"Cindy, get some drinks for all of us please,† She ordered. I went to the vender, thinking about Josh. Why had he danced and tried to kiss me when he could have Lauren? She was far prettier than me, and had a lot more confidence than me. While I was getting the drinks, I heard shouting coming from our table. â€Å"Honestly, it will tie back. I just need to pull it a bit†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned round, and took in a deep breath. There was Josh, looking as lovely as ever, standing over Lauren. She was trying to tie something in her hair. Something that looked a lot like my bobble. Suddenly, Josh turned around and spotted me. His face lit up with a smile, and he grabbed the bobble off Lauren. â€Å"Cindy! I've been looking for you all over. When you left so suddenly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know, I'm sorry. But I had to be home by 11:30.† â€Å"I knew there must be a reason. We were getting along so well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he winked. I went red, and looked over at Lauren. She was staring daggers at me. He reached over and brushed my hair back into a pony, and tied it with the bobble. â€Å"And I wanted to ask you something†¦ will you go out with me?† My stomach did a somersault, and I felt like I was floating. I knew how much Lauren liked him, but then I thought of all the awful things she'd said and done to me, and how she'd made my life hell, hoping that everything I did would be all right by her. I thought back to the party, and at the surprise that someone actually found ME attractive. I had managed to have a good time on my own, without being constantly being put down or made fun of. I'd met someone who appreciated me for being myself, not depending on how popular I was. I realised Josh was waiting for my answer. I looked him straight in the eyes and gave him a big smile. â€Å"Yes!† I said.

Many MNEs may want to start operations in some foreign country Essay

Establishment manner means that the MNE starts its operations from abrasion in the foreign state normally through a entirely owned subordinate where as in entry manner ; this can be accomplished by a subordinate or through partnership with a local party which involves shared ownership. In this survey the writers examine the consequence of same variables on both these picks available to a company. They do it through a series of hypotheses. The first hypothesis measures the positive consequence of greater institutional promotion on the pick that the company makes. Institutional promotion is defined in the survey as refering to alterations in formal establishments over a period of clip. It is argued that regulative forces are likely to be a large influence on a determination that an MNE makes with respect to its constitution or entry pick. Regulative forces or instead Regulative forces as described in the survey are non limited to Torahs and ordinances merely but besides include political and other societal factors. The writers conclude that institutional promotion has a positive consequence on the pick to set up a subordinate with shared ownership. The 2nd hypothesis postulated by the authors’ measures the chairing consequence of institutional promotion on the inclination of a technologically intense house to either travel for constitution manner or entry manner. It is argued that houses which are engineering intense should travel for constitution manner because their competitory advantages are embedded in their labour force accomplishments and organisational patterns so it is more efficient for them to get down from abrasion. They should engage and develop the local labour force. Furthermore in instance of a joint venture or portion ownership of the subordinate. protecting the rational rights can be an issue. Protection of such rights is dependent on the judicial system. In passage economic sciences where the bench is corrupt and rational belongings rights are non respected. an MNE would be loath to reassign its engineering. Therefore writers conclude that house with advanced proprietary engineering are likely to prefer establishment manner but degree of institutional promotion has a positive moderating consequence on such a house traveling for entry manner. The 3rd hypothesis measures the chairing consequence of institutional promotion on a multidomestic MNE to either travel for constitution of entry manner. Multidomestic houses are defined as those which pursue multidomestic scheme and want to set up a sustainable local market presence. For such MNEs geting a local company is a more attractive option because such acquisition can supply them with local trade names. market cognition. distribution channels and web relationships with the host country’s other concerns and authorities. How the restructuring and realignment of the acquired entity can be really ambitious. The houses in the host state are likely to be following a different paradigm. But on the other manus if an MNE goes for shared ownership or entry manner. it can carry through more without confronting these troubles. It is argues that a multidomestic MNE requires lesser control on the subordinate. If this is so so subordinates in the host state can hold considerable freedom and run on their ain to the full leveraging their local expertness. Hence it is concluded institutional promotion has a positive moderating consequence on a multidomestic MNE to travel for entry manner. Finally the writers have used an international study to garner the information to back up their findings. The study consists of a questionnaire with 33 unfastened and near complete inquiries. Furthermore the MNE’s latest constitution manner pick or entry manner pick has been taken as the dependant variable. Review This survey is no uncertainty a valuable plus for directors and pupils likewise in analyzing the behaviour of MNEs in doing their picks when it comes to Foreign Direct Investment but however it has a few defects and failings. But the biggest defect of this survey is the range. The writers have chiefly taken a sample of European MNEs. And the so called economic systems in passage are fundamentally east European states which were one time under the Fe drape. First we need to see the fact that Europeans MNEs may be really different from Nipponese or American MNEs and so forth. The constitution or entry manner pick for Nipponese houses may be dependent on or moderated by variables other than the 1s discussed here. Similarly an MNE whether European or Nipponese may make up one's mind to put in some state in Central Asia or North Africa or even South Asia. The market conditions in these states are really different from those of the passage economic systems discussed by the writers. This means that the findings in this survey are non universally applicable. Nevertheless it is a valuable add-on to our cognition sing MNE behaviour in doing Foreign Direct Investment determinations. But for any research worker seeking to confer with this survey. it is really of import to maintain the above mentioned restrictions in head.

Use OptionParser to Parse Commands in Ruby

Use OptionParser to Parse Commands in Ruby In the article discussing OptionParsers features we discussed some of the reasons that make using OptionParser in Ruby preferable to looking through ARGV manually to parse commands by hand. Now its time to get down to learning how to use OptionParser and its features. The following boilerplate code will be used for all the examples in this tutorial. To try any of the examples, simply put the examples opts.on block next to the TODO comment. Running the program will print the state of the options has and ARGV, allowing you to examine the effects of your switches. #!/usr/bin/env rubyrequire optparserequire pp# This hash will hold all of the options# parsed from the command-line by# OptionParser.options {}optparse OptionParser.new do|opts|# TODO: Put command-line options here# This displays the help screen, all programs are# assumed to have this option.opts.on( -h, help, Display this screen ) doputs optsexitendend# Parse the command-line. Remember there are two forms# of the parse method. The parse method simply parses# ARGV, while the parse! method parses ARGV and removes# any options found there, as well as any parameters for# the options. Whats left is the list of files to resize.optparse.parse!pp Options:, optionspp ARGV:, ARGV Simple Switch A simple switch is an argument with no optional forms or no parameters. The effect will be to simply set a flag in the options hash. No other parameters will be passed to the on method. options[:simple] falseopts.on( -s, simple, Simple argument ) dooptions[:simple] trueend Switch with Mandatory Parameter Switches that take a parameter only need to state the parameter name in the long form of the switch. For example, -f, file FILE means the -f or file switch takes a single parameter called FILE, and this parameter is mandatory. You cannot use either -f or file without also passing it a parameter. options[:mand] opts.on( -m, mandatory FILE, Mandatory argument ) do|f|options[:mand] fend Switch with Optional Parameter Switch parameters dont have to be mandatory, they can be optional. To declare a switch parameter optional, place its name in brackets in the switch description. For example, logfile [FILE] means the FILE parameter is optional. If not supplied, the program will assume a sane default, such as a file called log.txt. In the example, the idiom a b || c is used. This is just shorthand for a b, but if b is false or nil, a c. options[:opt] falseopts.on( -o, optional [OPT], Optional argument ) do|f|options[:opt] f || nothingend Automatically Convert to Float OptionParser can automatically convert argument to some types. One of these types is Float. To automatically convert your arguments to a switch to Float, pass Float to the on method after your switch description strings. Automatic conversions are handy. Not only do they save you the step of converting the string to the desired type, but also check the format for you and will throw an exception if it is formatted incorrectly. options[:float] 0.0opts.on( -f, float NUM, Float, Convert to float ) do|f|options[:float] fend Some other types that OptionParser can convert to automatically include Time and Integer. Lists of Arguments Arguments can be interpreted as lists. This can be seen as converting to an array, as you converted to Float. While your option string can define the parameter to be called a,b,c, OptionParser will blindly allow any number of elements in the list. So, if you need a specific number of elements, be sure to check the array length yourself. options[:list] []opts.on( -l, list a,b,c, Array, List of parameters ) do|l|options[:list] lend Set of Arguments Sometimes it makes sense to restrict arguments to a switch to a few choices. For example, the following switch will only take a single mandatory parameter, and the parameter must be one of yes, no or maybe. If the parameter is anything else at all, an exception will be thrown. To do this, pass a list of acceptable parameters as symbols after the switch description strings. options[:set] :yesopts.on( -s, set OPT, [:yes, :no, :maybe], Parameters from a set ) do|s|options[:set] send Negated Forms Switches can have a negated form. The switch negated can have one that does the opposite effect, called no-negated. To describe this in the switch description string, place the alternative portion in brackets: [no-]negated. If the first form is encountered, true will be passed to the block, and false will be blocked if the second form is encountered. options[:neg] falseopts.on( -n, [no-]negated, Negated forms ) do|n|options[:neg] nend

The Worlds Funniest Dinosaur Jokes

The Worlds Funniest Dinosaur Jokes Dinosaurs have been the subjects of many serious movies, from King Kong in 1933 and its remakes, through animations such as The Land Before Time series, and on to later special-effects-laden extravaganzas including the Jurassic Park/World features. They are the focus of serious-minded research conducted in natural history museums and universities throughout the world. But dinosaurs have long been the focus of humor, including a bevy of jokes at the expense of these long-gone beasts, which roamed the earth millions of years ago. Here, then, is a crop of  the funniest jokes involving the  terrible lizards, better known as dinosaurs: Why do museums have old dinosaur bones?Because they cant afford new ones! What does a triceratops sit on?Its tricera-bottom! Why did the  tyrannosaur  cross the road?Because chickens hadnt evolved yet.Because it was chasing a chicken.Because it was being chased by a chicken. What’s the best way to talk to a  velociraptor?Long distance! How do you ask a tyrannosaur out to lunch?Tea, Rex? What was 30 feet long, had a two-foot-long beak, and left crumbs all over the mattress?Pretzelcoatlus! Dad:  Why are you crying?Son:  Because I wanted to get a dinosaur for my baby sister.Dad:  Thats no reason to cry.Son:  Yes, it is. No one would trade me! How do you know theres a seismosaurus under your bed?Because your nose is two inches from the ceiling! What’s better than a talking vulcanodon?A spelling bee! Whats worse than a giraffe with a sore throat?A tyrannosaur  with a giraffe in its throat! What do you call a gigantoraptor that wont stop talking?A dino-bore! Why cant you hear a pterosaur using the bathroom?Because the p is silent! How can you tell theres an allosaurus in your bed?By the bright red A on its pajamas. Person 1:  I keep seeing  pteranodons  with orange polka dots.Person 2: Have you seen an eye doctor yet?Person 1:  No, just pteranodons with orange polka dots! How can you tell theres a stegosaurus in your refrigerator?The door wont close! What family does shantungosaurus belong to?I dont know. I dont think any family in our neighborhood owns one! What has a prominent head crest, a duck-like bill, and 16 wheels?A Maiasaura on roller skates! Why did carnivorous dinosaurs eat raw meat?Because they didnt know how to barbecue! What has sharp fangs and sticks to the roof of your mouth?A peanut butter and jeholopterus sandwich. Child 1:  Hey, who stepped on your foot?Child 2:  Well, did you see that  gorgosaurus  over there?Child 1:  Yes.Child 2:  Well, I didnt! What do you call a terrible, horrible, unpleasant dinosaur?A thesaurus. What is a dinosaurs least favorite reindeer?Comet! Why dont dinosaurs ever forget?Because they never knew anything in the first place! What happened when the brachiosaurus took the train home?He had to bring it back! Whats purple and green and wont stop singing?Barney taking a shower! What do you say to a 10-ton Albertosaurus wearing earphones?Whatever you want. He cant hear you! Child 1:  I lost my pet  iguanodon!Child 2:  Why dont you put an ad in the paper?Child 1:  What good would that do? He cant read! What did dinosaurs use to make their hot dogs?Jurassic pork! Can you name 10 dinosaurs in 10 seconds?Yes, one gorgosaurus and nine velociraptors! What dinosaur could jump higher than a house?All of them. Houses cant jump! What should you do if you find a blue dilophosaurus?Try to cheer him up!

Article analysis summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article analysis summary - Essay Example How can health services be efficiently financed in the USA? What are the best practices in health services management in the USA? The research study will apply quantitative techniques. Data is collected through questionnaires, interviews, and secondary sources like health journals. Data recording was done in tables, and voice recorders. Data analysis was conducted through statistical measures, charts and graphs. Presentation of findings was done through presentations and reports. The sampling was conducted through random sampling method. 30 states were selected, and 10 health facilities were selected in each of the states, at random. Representatives of both private and public sector were included; each state had 5 private health facilities and 5 public health facilities. Therefore, the sample size is 300 health facilities spread across the USA. Data analysis leads to several results. 65% of the healthcare financing is got from programs like Medicare, Veterans Health Association, Medicaid and TRICARE. Health insurance by public employees is catered for by the government. Other segments of population have private health insurance providers, and some are uninsured. The main strength of this article is that it analyzes health care provision in both the private sector and the public sector. This ensures easy comparison of health care effectiveness in both sectors. The main weakness of this research article is that the sample size is small. 300 health facilities represent a very small proportion of the population; total number of hospitals in the USA. Healthcare facilities in the USA are mostly owned and managed by the private sector. 62% of the health centers are non-profit. 20% of the centres are owned by the government, public. 18% of the health centers are for profit (Mahar,

Finace (IGR, SGR, EFN) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finace (IGR, SGR, EFN) - Case Study Example The remaining income was added back as the retained earnings for the company. This type of retained earnings generally helps companies like S&S Air to provide for internal financing required for further investments in the company. However, in the past S&S Air did not have proper planning regarding the investment opportunities of the company. As a result of this, the company lost sales in the past and had to go through crunch situations as regards to the liquidity position of the company. Hence the company is requiring the need for proper planning for its future investments. Ratio analysis has been done to analyze the current financial condition of the company. Next utilizing the financial ratios calculated, the owners of the company is willing to have a proper financial planning of S&S Air in future. The company needs this type of planning to decide upon the forecasted sales next year which the company can expect to generate. Moreover it would also help the company to know whether an y external financing is required to have the desired growth of the company next year. The company management also needs to have a proper idea about its current efficiency in utilizing its capacity so that improvements can be made if the capacity utilization of the company is less. Hence, calculating the internal growth rate and sustainable growth rate of the company along with the EFN, can help the company plan efficiently for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2012. Question 1: Calculate the internal growth rate and sustainable growth rate for S&S Air. What do these numbers mean? Answer: Internal Growth Rate (IGR) The internal growth rate of a company is given by the following formula (Ross, Westerfield, and Jordan 108): Internal Growth Rate = (ROA*b)/(1-ROA*b) Where, ROA = Return on Assets = Net Income/Total Assets b = Retention Ratio = (Addition to Retained Earnings/Net Income) Thus for S&S Air, ROA = 1,845,242/17,379,480 = 10.62% = 0.1062 b = (1,285,242/1,845,242) = 69.65% = 0.6965 (appro x) Hence, the Internal Growth Rate for S&S Air is given by: Internal Growth Rate = (0.1062*0.6965)/(1-0.1062*0.6965) = 7.99 % This implies that S&S Air would be able to expand its business and grow at a rate of 7.99% per year without the need of any external financing. Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) This growth rate gives a measure about the growth of a company utilizing its internal financial sources (Jones 383). It is given by the formula: Sustainable Growth Rate = (ROE * b)/(1-ROE*b) Where, ROE = Return on Equity = Net Income/Total Equity b = Retention Ratio Thus for S&S Air, ROE = 1845242/9556430 = 19.31% = 0.1931 b = 69.65% = 0.6965 Hence, the Sustainable Growth Rate for S & S Air is given by: Sustainable Growth Rate = (0.1931*0.6965) * (1 - (0.1931*0.6965)) = 15.54% This implies that S&S Air would be able to expand and grow at a rate of 15.54% per year without the need of any equity financing externally. Question 2: S&S Air is planning for a growth rate of 12 percent next year. Calculate the EFN for the company assuming the company is operating at full capacity. Can the company's sales increase at this growth rate? Answer: External Financing Needed (EFN) A company requires financing from external sources if it is unable to generate adequate cash flows required to fulfill its present financial obligations (Moles, Parrino, and Kidwell 756). The EFN for S&S Air is calculated using the pro forma statements which utilizes the approach related to percentage of