buy custom International Marketing Executive Summary and Competitive Analysis essay

buy custom International Marketing Executive Summary and Competitive Analysis essay Executive summary This paper analyzes in detail New Dawns Light (NDL) Company that is located China, Beijing, dealing with provision of solar panels and other solar-powered alternatives. New Dawn Light Company is among the best firms on the Chinese market, and hence, its intention is to assist the Ethiopian state. The approach is meant to help the Ethiopians from a positive perspective. A research has been undertaken to find out how the Ethiopian market works, and, hence, the rationale for the proposed investment. A SWOT analysis of the Company entails that the Company is applying the right approach, as there is a huge market in Ethiopia interested in solar panels and other solar alternatives. The paper will include a competitive analysis meant to assist the Company counter any possible challenges that might arise while investing in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian market is one of the fastest and the second most populated in the sub Saharan Africa, which is an indication that there is huge market platform for NDL Company. Significantly, using the competitive analysis, the company will be in the position to undertake the needed steps in order to deliver quality services to the Ethiopians. Furthermore, the organization will be able to relate with the Ethiopian citizens and government in a way that benefits both parties. The mutual benefit is expected to be attained through the provision of employment opportunities and offering the products at an affordable price. The indication here is that New Dawn Light Company aims at delivering service that is profitable to both ends. Ethiopia has been chosen as it is seeking alternative ways that can be incorporated to light up the country at a cheap cost. Based on the fact that it uses its traditional ways of lighting, introducing solar panels and other solar products at a cost that is affodable will be upheld and embraced with high esteem. Competitive analysis Ethiopia is among the primary countries in the Sub Saharan region that is developing so rapidly, and, hence, our focus on New Dawn Light is a huge opportunity for us as an international organization. The fact that we intend to focus mainly on solar panels is a good approach as the majority of the developing states are leaning more towards the renewable energy. The fact that the cost of the solar panels has decreased by 80% since 2008; it is our huge advantage (Ethiopia, n.d. ). The advantage implies that we will be able to create solar panels that are within the budget of the government and the citizens, and, as a result, we are in the position to reach our objective in Ethiopia. Based on the fact that most sub Saharan countries like Ethiopia suffer from shortage of electricity, the substitute of solar panels will definitely work in our favor. It is a good approach, but the state is still leaning mostly towards its traditional ways of lighting especially in the rural areas. It is noted that the parts of western and eastern lowlands receive a high density of irradiation, which will be our primary investment market (Abate). The Ethiopian solar market is still at an early development stage of 5 MW, and, hence, we will be able to penetrate the market with ease. The rationale is based on the fact that we intend to offer the solar panels at an affordable price and cost that will be based on occupation and area in concern. Moreover, Ethiopia with a population over 90 million individuals is an indication that we are likely to get the desired market. Furthermore, we are willing to learn their primary language, i.e. Amharic and Oromo languages, which will destroy any possible communication barriers. The outcome will be better interaction that will generate better business understanding. Ethiopia is diversifying its economy expenditures in education sector, unemployment and manufacturing. In education sector, we will be able to offer electrification, especially in the rural areas whereas in manufacturing we will offer alternative means of lighting in cases where electricity is not working (Abate). Furthermore, unemployment will be countered by our assistance in terms of offering the locals employment opportunities from the firm that we intend to build in Ethiopia. Ethiopia being an agricultural country is a good entity from our point of view as we will offer farmers solar panels that will be used to light their homes and farms as well. Significantly, we have a huge competitive advantage as the Ethiopian country is not dominated by a huge number of investors associated with solar panels. Investing in Ethiopia is a good competitive advantage on our part as it is a real market opportunity likely to generate high profit margin as there is a huge population as mentioned in the above paragraphs (Murison 34-39). Furthermore, the Ethiopian market has a cheap cost of labor, which is also an advantage on our part as an international Company. It has been reported that there is a huge spread of African employees who are exploited, thus, we will not undertake the same approach, but we will rather work with them as a family. Significantly, relating with the locals in a friendly way will be appreciated by both the government and the locals as well (Marino). Ethiopians often spend their earning on non-essential products, and, therefore offering them solar panels as an essential perspective will automatically attract them as it acts as a means of development. Fundamentally, it is apparent that we have a huge competitive advantage on our part as an international organization, hence, likely to reach the Ethiopian market from a positive point of view. Buy custom International Marketing Executive Summary and Competitive Analysis essay

A Guide to Power Relationships in The Tempest

A Guide to Power Relationships in The Tempest The Tempest includes elements of both tragedy and comedy. It was written around 1610 and its generally considered Shakespeares final play as well as the last of his romance plays. The story is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, schemes to restore his daughter Miranda to her proper place using manipulation and illusion. He conjures up a stormthe aptly named tempestto lure his power-hungry brother Antonio and the conspiring King Alonso to the island. In The Tempest, power and control are dominant themes. Many of the characters are locked into a power struggle for their freedom and for control of the island, forcing some characters (both good and evil) to abuse their power. For example: Prospero enslaves and treats Caliban badly.Antonio and Sebastian plot to kill Alonso.Antonio and Alonso aim to get rid of Prospero. The Tempest: Power Relationships In order to demonstrate power relationships in The Tempest, Shakespeare plays with master/servant relationships. For example, in the story Prospero is master to Ariel and Caliban although Prospero conducts each of these relationships differently, both Ariel and Caliban are acutely aware of their subservience. This leads Caliban to challenge Prospero’s control by taking on Stefano as his new master. However, in trying to escape one power relationship, Caliban quickly creates another when he persuades Stefano to murder Prospero by promising that he can marry Miranda and rule the island. Power relationships are inescapable in the play. Indeed, when Gonzalo envisages an equal world with no sovereignty, he is mocked. Sebastian reminds him that he would still be king and would therefore still have power – even if he did not exercise it. The Tempest: Colonization Many of the characters compete for colonial control of the island – a reflection of England’s colonial expansion in Shakespeare’s time. Sycorax, the original colonizer, came from Algiers with her son Caliban and reportedly performed evil deeds. When Prospero arrived on the island he enslaved its inhabitants and the power struggle for colonial control began - in turn raising issues of fairness in The Tempest Each character has a plan for the island if they were in charge: Caliban wants to â€Å"people the isle with Calibans, Stefano plans to murder his way into power, and Gonzalo imagines an idyllic mutually controlled society. Ironically, Gonzalo is one of the few characters in the play who is honest, loyal and kind throughout – in other words: a potential king. Shakespeare calls into question the right to rule by debating which qualities a good ruler should possess – and each of the characters with colonial ambitions embodies a particular aspect of the debate: Prospero: embodies the all-controlling, omnipresent rulerGonzalo: embodies the utopian visionaryCaliban: embodies the rightful native ruler Ultimately, Miranda and Ferdinand take control of the island, but what sort of rulers will they make? The audience is asked to question their suitability: Are they too weak to rule after we have seen them manipulated by Prospero and Alonso?

LOVEThere are 5 parts to this, each part has to be a paragraph long I Essay

LOVEThere are 5 parts to this, each part has to be a paragraph long I will be sending each part one by one - Essay Example The story â€Å"Flapper† and the poem â€Å"where has the mother flown† have similar content or themes. One consistent theme that comes out is that of death. First is the disappearance of the wren’s parents leaving the chic’s to die, second, Bess’s and her sister’s husband die and in the end Bess’s sister dies of stroke. The poem also depicts the same theme with the disappearance of a lover over sixty years and the question of where Salvi, Philmoor, Baxton, Seddar and Clives mother have disappeared to. In terms of techniques we can identify flashback as having being used consistently in both pieces, oxymoron- such as â€Å" she was a young girl at 85† and similes such as â€Å" deaf as a rock† have also been extensively used. The two poems use flashback as a dominant technique for example in the poem â€Å"by the Duomo† the phrase â€Å"27, a child, he reminds me of Kenny’s older brother, whom I met In a gay bar in ’67.† In the poem, â€Å" In the Duomo Museum† the phrase â€Å"am reminded of Betty Jean in ’76, Her agonized rant Of Scripture and Obscenity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  also shows use of flashback. The dominant theme that can be found in the two poems is romance or love. Another similarity is that the two poems end with an aspect of separation with the characters going opposite ways. The difference that can be spotted in these two poems is in terms of techniques where the poem â€Å"By the Duomo† uses Rhyme in the phrases â€Å"Innocently, Cheerfully,† and the first phrase â€Å"27†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦ ‘67† while the second poem has no rhyme. Sonnet 18 and Sonnet 130 are two quite different poems though with the same theme. In the first poem Shakespeare describes his love in a straight forward way and adores the beauty. His lover has many good qualities that cannot be found under the sun. The poem introduces the aspect of immortality where Shakespeare sees his lover alive in the lines of the poem even

Go Ahead, Use facebook case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Go Ahead, Use facebook - Case Study Example Technology is contrary to the human nature leading to the erosion of the human self hence making people to behave out of self hence they behave selfishly and stupidly. People behave like machines, impatient and full of hubris due to influence of technology. In addition, technology is moving so fast that it may lead to self-destruction and failing to control itself (Sarah). This is the adoption of a trend, which has a leadership of native-technology work force having collaborative tools for self-provisions. It is characterised by human networks plus sources of information that does not require the central IT hub. The culture make the generation and the workforce to be comfortable with what they use at home like the social networking software hence they are actually unable to utilize the main frame technology applications in the work place. Though the use of IT is a vital component of running today’s industry, it important and necessary to carry out regulation at the work place to ensure that the employees are productive and do not major on issues which do not add value to their works. Therefore, there is a need for regulation for the use of IT in the industry to ensure that workers do not waste time .However; this will have an implication in the workers feeling within the organization. The company can allow the employees to use technologies such as webcam video conferencing, Skype, twitter, and iPods provided they use them in a way protected by the company firewalls to expose the company to external hackers. Equally, there is the need of educating the work force not to use the programs for unofficial duties during the working

Oppressed Rights by the Oppressive Regime in Margaret Atwoods the Handmaids Tale Essay Example for Free

Oppressed Rights by the Oppressive Regime in Margaret Atwoods the Handmaids Tale Essay Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale delves well into the horrid nature of extreme control and immoral limitations in defining the corrupt theocratic government at large, and more specifically the effect this control has on the society’s women. In an age in which a newly emerged and merciless governmental system called the Republic of Gilead has â€Å"put life back to the middle ages,† sparked by a widespread panic of infertility, personal freedom and individuality have become unimaginably reduced (Genny 1). Handmaids selected to live in the houses of wealthy, well-respected couples go through a life entirely designed by the government for the sole purpose of bearing children. Caught between following the strict rules made for women by the Republic and breaking them in secret for the sake of her sanity, the protagonist Offred essentially but not purposefully offers close to nothing for her society’s benefit. Not allowed to read, write, speak her thoughts or even look another in the eye, the most she can offer proves to be occasional, well-monitored grocery errands and the slight possibility of providing the gift of life for an elite Commander and his Wife. Parallel to a dystopia in which Offred has been stripped of the most simplistic allowances, women in today’s various Middle Eastern societies find relatively equal difficulty in utilizing their strengths due to the severe suppression and forced structure of their daily lives. Regardless of the varying context of these two scenarios, they both present themselves problematically in light of women’s personal struggle to contribute in society—in both Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and the modern Middle East, seemingly unethical yet extreme theocratic government exercises examples of such radically unformed control over its people that the exploitation and demeaning of the natural rights of women become prevalent. But on what grounds should the male citizens of the Republic of Gilead and those in today’s foreign communities be granted more liberation and opportunity while the women are held more captive of their own independence? As Offred finds herself trapped in such an unreasonably restrained living situation, she instinctively recognizes the current lack of available free will because she once knew what freedom looked and felt like. For example, in opposition of her training as a handmaid with the Aunts, she cannot help but wander her ind back to the pre-Republic days â€Å"thousands of years before,† when she and fellow females could actually go to school and watch â€Å"movies of the rest of the world† that even included â€Å"dancing[,] singing, ceremonial masks, [and music],† clearly taking place in a land where â€Å"people†¦were happy† (Atwood 118). Offred as well as other handmaids in her place inevitably suffer within their reality by trying to maintain a grasp on the memories of such privileges they once took for granted, such as real television to promote quality education. Instead of living the naturally liberal life of opportunity that was once available to Offred and existed in her home and school life, such a vision has been taken away by the government and exists now only in her memory, as the Aunts present to her and the other potential handmaids a government-approved film with â€Å"the title and [few] names blacked out†¦with a crayon so [they] couldn’t read them†Ã¢â‚¬â€another example of a ludicrous constraint, reading, that could have instilled fruitful possibilities in the mind of a woman (Atwood 119). In addition, as if the recollection of accredited education and other past events were not enough a cause of longing, Offred also recalls the fearless, empowering spirits of her late loved ones—particularly her mother whom she spots in the film, â€Å"wearing the kind of outfit Aunt Lydia told [the handmaids] was typical of Unwomen in those days† while â€Å"smiling, laughing†¦and raising [her] fists in the air† (Atwood 119). To witness such a wild and free spirit in action, that once was allowed for women but has been officially banned by the radical Christian followings of the Republic of Gilead, undoubtedly sparks a deep temptation within handmaids to rebel against this authority inflicting such â€Å"unacceptable losses of intellectual liberty†; however, such a temptation proves to be a challenge to pursue for some women today (Tolan 1). While the initial teachings of Islam attempted to improve living conditions for Muslim women by granting them some of the same rights as men in the seventh century, women become incapable of endorsing these rights when their society attempts to enforce the â€Å"laws† of the Islamic religion, described by the Columbia University professors who wrote At the Crossroads of the World: Women in the Middle East: Today, many Muslim women do not have the opportunity to enjoy rights once considered theirs by their religion. Women may be unaware of their rights or live in societies where these rights have been misinterpreted or misrepresented by individuals in power (be it the state, culture, or family). In Muslim countries around the world, there is a fundamental difference between what is prescribed by religious texts and what is actually practiced, a gulf between the ideal and the real (Esposito 1998, xiii). Often, the purportedly ‘religiously grounded’ restrictions placed on women within certain societies have little or nothing to do with the teachings of Islam. More often they are a function of socioeconomic and political factors. Recent examples of such restrictions included Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, which prohibited women from receiving medical attention from males and placed other restrictions on their movement in public (Revolutionary Association of the Women in Afghanistan)(Crocco, Pervez, and Katz 110). At most, these women are granted with the illusion that they possess legitimate freedoms, when in actuality their government prohibits this execution with the false justification that it simply conforms to the Islamic religion. The handmaids and all women alike governed by the Republic of Gilead correspondingly must follow the rules of the regime that claims to be operating in the name of the Christian faith in an attempt to validate its restrictive essence. Thus, no question exists as to how Offred becomes â€Å"increasingly reckless with her actions and behaviors,† or to why in the end â€Å"there is the strong possibility that her recklessness has cost her her life† (Genny 1). Most emphatically does Offred’s situation come off as unjust when she finally experiences a small taste of the natural freedom she once had but still deserves. Because it is obviously an â€Å"oasis of the forbidden,† she has to force herself to â€Å"hold†¦absolutely rigid† when the Commander invites her into his off-limits personal turf to play a game of Scrabble, something harmless, yet banned. Despite â€Å"[t]he fact that [she’s] terrified,† Offred still recognizes that â€Å"this is freedom[;] an eyeblink of it,† as if â€Å"he were offering her drugs† (Atwood 138-139). While Atwood implies in her novel that â€Å"feminist utopianism cannot avoid the taint of totalitarianism,† she employs the concept of defiance in that Offred can nourish her natural tendencies to actually enjoy herself through breaking the rules (Tolan 30). Similarly for the women in Iraq, the Ba’ath Party that emerged in 1963 sought provisions for women’s equality, including the liberties of education and employment; however, outside the major urban center of Baghdad, â€Å"the society still relegated Iraqi women to a very inferior position vis-a-vis men† (Brown and Romano 1). To maintain two adjacent communities with such contrasting ways of governing women is arguably contradicting and therefore, a cause for concern. Ultimately, women have simplistically natural rights that ought not to be rendered in the least, especially by illegitimate theocratic governments. Under no circumstances are the rights to thought, decision, reading, and writing, among many others, capable of being outlawed justifiably, regardless of gender. With such liberties, women carry great potential in contributing to society, despite the possibility of infertility or radically religious devotion—and in a lot of cases, that contribution can be imperative. Today in Iraq, a woman cannot own private property or hold any status, while forced to give up her education and marry a stranger. However, women still make up 65% percent of the population, and make up 70% of the agricultural workforce (Al-Jawaheri and Harris). Though they continue to fight for the equal rights and treatment they deserve while accepting their low circumstances, the crucial importance of granting women this moral blessing remains strong.

The United States, the United Nations, and Global Human Rights Essay

The United States Positioning as a World Superpower: Its Subsequent Influence in the United Nations and Views Regarding Human Rights â€Å"America stands at this moment at the summit of the world.† -Winston Churchill, 1945 As World War II came to a close, a new need for an international peacekeeping organization became apparent in order to maintain peaceful relations among nations in the post-World War II era. The United Nations (UN) came into effect on October 24, 1945 for this very purpose and also â€Å"to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small†. One of the leading organs of the UN, the Security Council (UNSC), was given â€Å"primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security† and held its first session on January 17, 1946. The United States was overwhelming supportive and instrumental in the construction of the UNSC as compared to their post-WWI refusal to support the League of Nations, an organization similar in structure to that of the UNSC. The United States decision to reject the League of Nations after WWI was seen as a contro versial move to the rest of the world. It reinstated the U.S.’s isolationist foreign policy when the world was seeking for their cooperation in the maintenance of post-WWI peace. However by rejecting the League in 1919, the United States conversely benefited as it led them to be more influential in the creation and administration of the United Nations Security Council. The United Nations and its Security Council worked cooperatively with the U.S. post-WWII. However, in the last few decades, it can be seen that the values of the United States have grow... ...edia.org/wiki/Henry_Cabot_ Lodge> Hiscocks, Richard. The Security Council: A Study in Adolescence. London: Longman Group Limited, 1973. Luck, Edward C. Mixed messages: American politics and international organization, 1919-1999. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1999. Nicol, Davidson. The United Nations Security Council: Towards Greater Effectiveness. New York: UNITAR, 1982. â€Å"Rules of Procedure,† The UN Security Council. functions.html> Schlesinger, Stephen C. Act of creation: the founding of the United Nations: a story of superpowers, secret agents, wartime allies and enemies, and their quest for a peaceful world. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2003. The Covenant of the League of Nations. The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. May 24, 2005. The United States, the United Nations, and Global Human Rights Essay The United States Positioning as a World Superpower: Its Subsequent Influence in the United Nations and Views Regarding Human Rights â€Å"America stands at this moment at the summit of the world.† -Winston Churchill, 1945 As World War II came to a close, a new need for an international peacekeeping organization became apparent in order to maintain peaceful relations among nations in the post-World War II era. The United Nations (UN) came into effect on October 24, 1945 for this very purpose and also â€Å"to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small†. One of the leading organs of the UN, the Security Council (UNSC), was given â€Å"primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security† and held its first session on January 17, 1946. The United States was overwhelming supportive and instrumental in the construction of the UNSC as compared to their post-WWI refusal to support the League of Nations, an organization similar in structure to that of the UNSC. The United States decision to reject the League of Nations after WWI was seen as a contro versial move to the rest of the world. It reinstated the U.S.’s isolationist foreign policy when the world was seeking for their cooperation in the maintenance of post-WWI peace. However by rejecting the League in 1919, the United States conversely benefited as it led them to be more influential in the creation and administration of the United Nations Security Council. The United Nations and its Security Council worked cooperatively with the U.S. post-WWII. However, in the last few decades, it can be seen that the values of the United States have grow... ...edia.org/wiki/Henry_Cabot_ Lodge> Hiscocks, Richard. The Security Council: A Study in Adolescence. London: Longman Group Limited, 1973. Luck, Edward C. Mixed messages: American politics and international organization, 1919-1999. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1999. Nicol, Davidson. The United Nations Security Council: Towards Greater Effectiveness. New York: UNITAR, 1982. â€Å"Rules of Procedure,† The UN Security Council. functions.html> Schlesinger, Stephen C. Act of creation: the founding of the United Nations: a story of superpowers, secret agents, wartime allies and enemies, and their quest for a peaceful world. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2003. The Covenant of the League of Nations. The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. May 24, 2005.

Foods Fantastic Company Essay

Foods Fantastic Company’s IT processing is very complex and sophisticated, therefore according to the SAS 109’s risk assessment procedures and SOX Section 404 Management Assessment of Internal Controls, an IT General Control review is required. The purpose of an ITGC review is to provide the foundation for reliance on any financial information Foods Fantastic Company produce. Although an ITGC review does not directly result in misstated financial statements or material control weaknesses, it can indirectly cause  application control deficiencies, and affect the financial auditor in assessing the risk of material misstatement in FFC’s financial statements. For the risk assessment my team performed at Foods Fantastic, first, we wrote down some questions and concerns for each ITGC area. Then, we looked at the company’s organization chart and had a meeting with the head of each department, and took notes from the meetings. We also observed the audit team. Af ter that we wrote down the strengths and weaknesses, and decide the level of risk assessment for each area. First of all, in the area of IT Management, the risk assessment is medium. They have a strategic plan, which is a strength, because a strategic plan will help FFC to meet its business goals by outlining the objectives and strategies for the information system group. In addition, FFC has an IT steering committee, which is also a strength, because the committee develops and revises IT and security policies, and reviews the operations of the IT department. However, there are a couple of weaknesses in the area of IT Management. For instance, their Chief Information Office only reports to their Chief Financial Officer. According to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the company’s chief executive officer and chief financial officer are requires to include an assessment of the operating effectiveness of their internal control structure over financial reporting when issuing the annual report. In addition, the Vice President of Applications, Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Information Security, and Vice President of Database Administration reports only to Chief Information Officer Second, there are quite a few strengths in their Systems Development area, they design, develop, and implement systems in a logical fashion, which all the duties ar e segregated. In addition, the organization consider internal controls as an integral part of systems design, and the IT personnel adequately tested the new bio-coding payment system prior to its implementation, so we determined the risk assessment in this area is low. However, FFC’s Internal Audit Department is involved as a voting member of the project teams. Internal audit performs post-implementation reviews on all projects over $2 million. Internal Audit should be independent, and should not be involved in the project ream. Third, the risk assessment in the area of Data Security is high. Although they have high control on the physical access to their data center computer room, but they have low control on the logical access. In order to control  the physical access, FFC’s computer room within its data center is locked at all times. All outsiders must first contact the data center manager in order to enter the computer room. Each must bring an official picture ID, sign a visitors’ log, and be escorted at all times by data center personnel during the visit. They also have environmental control in the computer room and are tested semi-annually. However, the Human Resources Department only forward the Transfers and Terminations report each month, and not immediately after the employee is transferred or terminated. The security policy is not current and was revised in 2005. The system generates a logical access violation report daily, but the company police only requires the Vice President of Information System to review the unauthorized system access report once a month. Finally, the risk assessment in Change Management area is low, but the risk management in the Business Continuity Planning area is high. Although they have no incidents occurred that required them to recover their systems, a company should always have a business continuity plan. They did not document any business continuity or disaster recovery plan, nor they did test the backup tapes during the past years, which they have no intention to test the tapes in the future. FFC backs up all of the data daily, but only store them once a week at a company-owned offsite location. They should store the data daily. Overall, I set FFC’s assessed level of ITGC risk as high because of their data security and business continuity planning. Data is the most important elements of an organization. Without data, the organization will not be able to operate. The fact that FFC does not have a business continuity plan because they believe that is cost prohibitive for an organization of its size is wrong. Every organization should have a business continuity plan in case there is a natural disaster. In addition, FFC should do a better job in control of logical access because hacker don’t necessary have to gain access to the organization’s data physically.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 13

Thirteen WHEN WE GOT BACK to our rooms, I made up an excuse to Lissa about how I needed to go take care of some guardian stuff. She was eager to patch up the earlier conflict with Christian – probably in the form of clothing removal – and didn't ask any questions. There was a phone in my room, and after calling an operator, I was able to find out which room was Dimitri's. He was surprised to see me at his door – and a little wary. The last time this had happened, I'd been under the influence of Victor's lust charm and had behaved †¦ aggressively. â€Å"I have to talk to you,† I said. He let me come in, and I immediately handed over the note. â€Å"V. D – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I know,† said Dimitri. He handed the note back. â€Å"Victor Dashkov.† â€Å"What are we going to do? I mean, we talked about this, but now he really is saying he's going to sell us out.† Dimitri didn't answer, and I could tell he was assessing every angle of this, just like he would a fight. Finally, he pulled out his cell phone, which was a lot cooler than having to rely on the room's phone. â€Å"Give me a moment.† I started to sit on his bed, decided that was dangerous, and instead sat on the couch. I didn't know who he was calling, but the conversation took place in Russian. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked when he finished. â€Å"I'll let you know soon. For now, we have to wait.† â€Å"Great. My favorite thing to do.† He dragged an armchair up and sat opposite me. It seemed too small for someone as tall as him, but, as always, he managed to make it work and appear graceful in the process. Beside me was one of the Western novels he always carried around. I picked it up, again thinking about how alone he was. Even now, at the Court, he'd chosen to stay in his room. â€Å"Why do you read these?† â€Å"Some people read books for fun,† he observed. â€Å"Hey, watch the dig. And I do read books. I read them to solve mysteries that threaten my best friend's life and sanity. I don't think reading this cowboy stuff is really saving the world like I do.† He took it from me and flipped it over, face thoughtful and not as intense as usual. â€Å"Like any book, it's an escape. And there's something †¦ mmm. I don't know. Something appealing about the Old West. No rules. Everyone just lives by their own code. You don't have to be tied down by others' ideas of right and wrong in order to bring justice.† â€Å"Wait,† I laughed. â€Å"I thought I was the one who wanted to break rules.† â€Å"I didn't say I wanted to. Just that I can see the appeal.† â€Å"You can't fool me, comrade. You want to put on a cowboy hat and keep lawless bank robbers in line.† â€Å"No time. I have enough trouble keeping you in line.† I grinned, and suddenly, it was a lot like when we cleaned the church – before the fight, at least. Easy. Comfortable. In fact, it was a lot like the old days when we'd first begun training together, way back before everything had gotten so complicated. Well, okay†¦things had always been complicated, but for a while, they'd been less complicated. It made me sad. I wished we could relive those early days. There'd been no Victor Dashkov, no blood on my hands. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Dimitri said all of a sudden. â€Å"For what? Reading cheesy novels?† â€Å"For not being able to get you here. I feel like I let you down.† I glimpsed a shadow of worry on his face, like he was concerned he might have caused some irreparable damage. The apology totally caught me off guard. For a moment, I wondered if he was jealous of Adrian's influence in the same way Christian had been. Then I realized it was completely different. I'd been giving Dimitri a hard time because I'd been convinced he could do anything. Somewhere – deep inside – he felt the same, at least where I was concerned. He didn't want to deny me anything. My earlier bad mood had long since vanished, and I suddenly just felt drained. And stupid. â€Å"You didn't,† I told him. â€Å"I acted like a total brat. You've never let me down before. You didn't let me down with this.† The grateful look he gave me made me feel as if I had wings. If another moment had passed, I suspected he would have said something so sweet that I would have flown away. Instead, his phone rang. Another conversation in Russian took place, and then he stood up. â€Å"All right, let's go.† â€Å"Where?† â€Å"To see Victor Dashkov.† It turned out that Dimitri had a friend who had a friend, and somehow, despite the best security in the Moroi world, we managed to get into the Court's prison facilities. â€Å"Why are we doing this?† I whispered as we walked down the hall toward Victor's cell. I'd really, really hoped for stone walls and torches, but the place looked very modern and efficient, with marble floors and stark white walls. At least there were no windows. â€Å"You think we can talk him out of it?† Dimitri shook his head. â€Å"If Victor wanted to take revenge on us, he'd just do it without any warning. He doesn't do things without a reason. The fact that he told you first means he wants something, and now we're going to find out what it is.† We reached Victor's cell. He was the only prisoner currently being held. Like the rest of the facility, his room reminded me of something you'd find at a hospital. Everything was clean, bright, and sterile – and very bare. It was a place without any sort of stimulus or distraction whatsoever, which would have driven me crazy in one hour. The cell had silvery bars that looked very hard to break, which was the most important part. Victor sat in a chair, idly examining his nails. It had been three months since our last meeting, and seeing him again made my skin crawl. Feelings I hadn't known were buried in me suddenly burst to the surface. One of the hardest things of all was seeing him look so healthy and young. He'd bought that health by torturing Lissa, and I hated him for it. If his disease had run its normal course, he might be dead by now. He had receding black hair, with only the slightest touch of silver. He was in his forties and had a regal, almost handsome cut to his face. He glanced up at our approach. Eyes the same pale jade as Lissa's met mine. The Dragomir and Dashkov families had a lot of intertwined history, and it was creepy seeing that eye color in someone else. A smile lit his face. â€Å"Oh my. This is a treat. Lovely Rosemarie, practically an adult now.† His eyes flicked toward Dimitri. â€Å"Of course, some have been treating you that way for quite a while.† I pressed my face to the bars. â€Å"Stop screwing with us, you son of a bitch. What do you want?† Dimitri put a gentle hand on my shoulder and pulled me back. â€Å"Easy, Rose.† I took a deep breath and then slowly stepped backward. Victor straightened up in his chair and laughed. â€Å"After all this time, your cub still hasn't learned any control. But then, maybe you never really wanted her to.† â€Å"We aren't here to banter,† said Dimitri calmly. â€Å"You wanted to lure Rose over, and now we need to know why.† â€Å"Does there have to be some sinister reason? I just wanted to know how she was doing, and something tells me we aren't going to have a chance for any friendly chats tomorrow.† That annoying smirk stayed on his face, and I decided then that he was lucky to be behind bars and out of my reach. â€Å"We're not going to have a friendly chat now,† I growled. â€Å"You think I'm joking, but I'm not. I really do want to know how you're doing. You've always been a fascinating subject to me, Rosemarie. The only shadow-kissed person we know of. I told you before, that isn't the kind of thing you walk away from unscathed. There's no way you can quietly sink into the regimented routine of academic life. People like you aren't meant to blend in.† â€Å"I'm not some kind of science experiment.† He acted like I hadn't said anything. â€Å"What's it been like? What have you noticed?† â€Å"There's no time for this. If you don't get to the point,† warned Dimitri, â€Å"we're going to leave.† I didn't understand how Dimitri could sound so calm. I leaned forward and gave Victor my coldest smile. â€Å"There's no way they'll let you off tomorrow. I hope you enjoy prison. I bet it'll be great once you get sick again – and you will, you know.† Victor regarded me levelly, still with that amused look that made me want to choke him. â€Å"All things die, Rose. Well, except for you, I suppose. Or maybe you are dead. I don't know. Those who visit the world of the dead can probably never fully shake their connection to it.† There was a snarky retort on my lips, but something held me back. Those who visit the world of the dead. What if my Mason sightings weren't because I was crazy or because he was seeking revenge? What if there was something about me – something that had happened when I'd died and come back – that was now connecting me to Mason? It was Victor who had first explained what it meant to be shadow-kissed. I wondered now if he had any of the answers I'd been looking for. My face must have given away something, because Victor gave me a speculative look. â€Å"Yes? There's something you'd like to say?† I hated to ask him for anything. It made my stomach turn. Swallowing my pride, I asked, â€Å"What is the world of the dead? Is it heaven or hell?† â€Å"Neither,† he said. â€Å"What lives there?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Ghosts? Will I go back? Do things come out of it?† Victor was taking great pleasure in me having to come to him for information, just as I'd feared he would. I saw that smirk intensify. â€Å"Well, clearly some things come out of it, because here you stand before us.† â€Å"He's baiting you,† said Dimitri. â€Å"Let it go.† Victor gave Dimitri a brief glare. â€Å"I'm helping her.† He turned back to me. â€Å"Honestly? I don't know that much about it. You're the one who has been there, Rose. Not me. Not yet. Someday, you'll probably be the one educating me. I'm sure the more you deal death out, the closer you'll become to it.† â€Å"Enough,† said Dimitri, voice harsh. â€Å"We're going.† â€Å"Wait, wait,† said Victor, voice congenial. â€Å"You haven't told me about Vasilisa yet.† I moved forward again. â€Å"Stay away from her. She doesn't have anything to do with this.† Victor gave me a dry look. â€Å"Seeing as I'm locked away here, I have no choice but to stay away from her, my dear. And you're wrong – Vasilisa has everything to do with everything.† â€Å"That's it,† I said, suddenly getting it. â€Å"That's why you sent the note. You wanted me here because you wanted to know about her, and you knew there was no way she'd come talk to you herself. You had nothing to blackmail her with.† â€Å"Blackmail's an ugly word.† â€Å"There's no way you're going to see her – at least outside of the courtroom. She's never going to heal you. I told you: You're going to get sick again, and you're going to die. You're going to be the one sending me postcards from the other side.† â€Å"You think that's what this is about? You think my needs are that petty?† The mockery was gone, replaced by a feverish and almost fanatical look in his green eyes. The tight set of his mouth stretched the skin of his face a little, and I noticed he'd lost weight since our last encounter. Maybe prison had been harder on him than I'd thought. â€Å"You've forgotten everything, why I did what I did. You've been so caught up in your own shortsightedness that you missed the big picture I was looking at.† I racked my brain, thinking back to that time last fall. He was right. My focus had been on the wrongs he'd committed against Lissa and me personally. I'd forgotten other conversations, his insane explanations of his grand scheme. â€Å"You wanted to stage a revolution – still want to. That's crazy. It's not going to happen,† I said. â€Å"It's already happening. Do you think I don't know what's going on out in the world? I still have contacts. People can be bought off – how do you think I was able to send you that message? I know about the unrest – I know about Natasha Ozera's movement to get Moroi to fight with guardians. You stand by her and vilify me, Rosemarie, but I pushed for the very same thing last fall. Yet, somehow, you don't seem to regard her in the same way.† â€Å"Tasha Ozera is working on her cause a bit differently than you did,† noted Dimitri. â€Å"And that's why she's getting nowhere,† Victor retorted. â€Å"Tatiana and her council are being held back by centuries of archaic traditions. So long as that sort of power rules us, nothing will change. We will never learn to fight. Non-royal Moroi will never have a voice. Dhampirs like you will continually be sent out to battle.† â€Å"It's what we dedicate our lives to,† said Dimitri. I could sense the tension building in him. He might show better self-control than me, but I knew he was getting just as frustrated here. â€Å"And it's what you lose your lives for. You're all but enslaved and don't even realize it. And for what? Why do you protect us?† â€Å"Because †¦ we need you,† I faltered. â€Å"For our race to survive.† â€Å"You don't need to throw yourselves into battle for that. Making children isn't really that difficult.† I ignored his quip. â€Å"And because the Moroi†¦ the Moroi and their magic are important. They can do amazing things.† Victor threw his hands up in exasperation. â€Å"We used to do amazing things. Humans used to revere us as gods, but over time, we grew lazy. The advent of technology made our magic more and more obsolete. Now, all we do is parlor tricks.† â€Å"If you have so many ideas,† said Dimitri, with a dangerous glint in his dark eyes, â€Å"then do something useful in prison and write a manifesto.† â€Å"And what's this have to do with Lissa anyway?† I asked. â€Å"Because Vasilisa is a vehicle for change.† I stared incredulously. â€Å"You think she's going to lead your revolution?† â€Å"Well, I'd prefer that I lead it – someday. But, regardless, I think that she's going to be part of it. I've heard about her too. She's a rising star – still young, certainly, but people are taking notice. All royals aren't created equal, you know. The Dragomir symbol is a dragon, the king of the beasts. Likewise, the Dragomir blood has always been powerful – that's why the Strigoi have targeted them so consistently. A Dragomir returning to power is no small thing – particularly one such as her. My impression from the reports is that she must have mastered her magic. If that's so – with her gifts – there's no telling what she could do. People are drawn to her with almost no effort on her part. And when she actually tries to influence them†¦well, they'll do anything she wants.† His eyes were wide as he spoke, wonder and happiness on his face as he imagined Lissa living out his dreams. â€Å"Unbelievable,† I said. â€Å"First you wanted to hide her away to keep you alive. Now you actually want her out in the world to use her compulsion for your own psycho plans.† â€Å"I told you, she's a force for change. And like you being shadow-kissed, she's the only one of her kind that we know about. That makes her dangerous – and very valuable.† Well, that was something. Victor wasn't all-knowing after all. He didn't know about Adrian's spirit use. â€Å"Lissa will never do it,† I said. â€Å"She's not going to abuse her powers.† â€Å"And Victor's not going to say anything about us,† said Dimitri, tugging my arm. â€Å"He's achieved his goal. He brought you here because he wanted to know about Lissa.† â€Å"He didn't find out much,† I said. â€Å"You'd be surprised,† said Victor. He grinned at Dimitri. â€Å"And what makes you so certain I won't enlighten the world about your romantic indiscretions?† â€Å"Because it won't save you from prison. And if you ruin Rose, you'll destroy whatever weak chance you had of Lissa helping you with your warped fantasy.† Victor flinched just a little; Dimitri was right. Dimitri stepped forward, pressing close to the bars as I had earlier. I'd thought I had a scary voice, but when he spoke his next words, I realized I wasn't even close. â€Å"And it'll all be pointless anyway, because you won't stay alive long enough in prison to stage your grand plans. You aren't the only one with connections.† My breath caught a little. Dimitri brought so many things to my life: love, comfort, and instruction. I got so used to him sometimes that I forgot just how dangerous he could be. As he stood there, tall and threatening while he glared down at Victor, I felt a chill run down my spine. I remembered how when I had first come to the Academy, people had said Dimitri was a god. In this moment, he looked it. If Victor was frightened by Dimitri's threat, he didn't show it. His jade green eyes glanced between the two of us. â€Å"You two are a match made in heaven. Or somewhere.† â€Å"See you in court,† I said. Dimitri and I left. On our way out, he said a few words in Russian to the guardian on duty. From their manners, my guess was Dimitri was offering thanks. We ventured outdoors, walking across a wide, beautiful parklike space to get back to our rooms. The sleet had stopped, and it had left everything – buildings and trees alike – coated in ice. It was like the world was made of glass. Glancing at Dimitri, I saw him staring straight ahead. It was hard to tell while walking, but I could have sworn he was shaking. â€Å"Are you okay?† I asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You sure?† â€Å"As okay as I can be.† â€Å"Do you think he'll tell everyone about us?† â€Å"No.† We walked in silence for a bit. I finally asked the question I'd been dying to know. â€Å"Did you mean it†¦ that if Victor did tell†¦that you'd†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't finish. I couldn't bring myself to say the words have him killed. â€Å"I don't have much influence in the upper levels of Moroi royalty, but I have plenty among the guardians who handle the dirty work in our world.† â€Å"You didn't answer the question. If you'd really do it.† â€Å"I'd do a lot of things to protect you, Roza.† My heart pounded. He only used â€Å"Roza† when he was feeling particularly affectionate toward me. â€Å"It wouldn't exactly be protecting me. It'd be after the fact – cold-blooded. You don't do that kind of thing,† I told him. â€Å"Revenge is more my thing. I'll have to kill him.† I meant it as a joke, but he didn't think it was funny. â€Å"Don't talk like that. And anyway, it doesn't matter. Victor's not going to say anything.† He left me to go to his own room when we got inside. As I was opening the door to mine, Lissa rounded the hall corner. â€Å"There you are. What happened? You missed dinner.† I'd completely forgotten. â€Å"Sorry †¦ got carried away with some guardian stuff. It's a long story.† She'd changed for dinner. Her hair was still pulled up, and she now wore a form-fitting dress made out of silver raw silk. She looked beautiful. She looked royal. I thought about Victor's words and wondered if she really could be the power for change he swore she was. Looking like she did now, so glamorous and self-composed, I could imagine people following her anywhere. I certainly would, but then, I was biased. â€Å"Why are you looking at me like that?† she asked with a small smile. I couldn't tell her that I'd just seen the man who frightened her the most. I couldn't tell her that while she'd been out living it up, I'd been off watching her back in the shadows, like I would always do. Instead, I returned her smile. â€Å"I like the dress.†

How You Can Take Advantage of ACT Math Question Order

How You Can Take Advantage of ACT Math Question Order SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Understanding how to do your best on the ACT math section means understanding how the math section is structured and where you can get the most points for your time and energy. We’ll walk you through how each ACT math section is organized and how you can use this information to your benefit, both in your studies and as you take your official ACTs. ACT Math Organization The ACT math section is ordered in two main ways- by difficulty and by content. Let's look at each. Math Organization Type 1: Difficulty Of the two organization categories, the biggest factor that determines the order of questions is difficulty level. "Difficulty" on the ACT math questions is characterized by: the time necessary to solve a problem, the steps required, how many math concepts you must employ, and/or how familiar or unfamiliar you are likely to be with the material. And the difficulty level increases over the course of the math test. You can generally split the difficulty of ACT math problems into three even zones. There are 60 math questions total and you can arrange them roughly like so: Questions 1-20- "easy" Questions 21-40- "medium" Questions 41-60- "hard" The reason we put these terms in quotes is due to the fact that these breakdowns are approximately true, but not everyone will have the same concept of"easy" or "hard" when it comes to math problems. The difficulty of any particular problem will depend on your experience with the topic, how well you understand the phrasing of the question, or even your level of fatigue and concentration at the time. But splitting the ACT math section this way works as a rough guideline for most students. In general, with each new tier of difficulty, the questions will take longer to solve and often require more steps. For instance, it might take you as little as 10 seconds to solve question number 3, but take as many as a two or three minutes to puzzle over question 55. (Note: we will talk more about how you can balance your time per question later in the guide.) Math Organization Type 2: Content Because â€Å"difficulty† is partially determined by how well you’re likely to know the material (based on the typical middle and high school curriculum), this follows that the test is also ordered, in part, by topic. The more years you’ve spent studying a math topic, the more likely that you are to consider a particular question â€Å"easy.† Though the topics mix and mesh with one another, there are still overarching patterns of where you are most likely to find your algebra questions or your trigonometry problems. Because you’re likely to have seen and studied single variable equationsfor more years than you've studiedtrigonometry, you’ll see more of your algebra questions early on in the test and more of your coordinate geometry and trig questions later in the test. So most of the algebra questions will be "easy" (though not all) and most of the geometry and trig questions will be "medium" or "hard" (though, again, not all). The ACT is a standardized test, so each test will look very similar. We have broken down one ACT math test (test code 67C) by math topicto demonstrate this pattern in action. 1. Algebra 31. Plane and Solid Geometry 2. Algebra 32. Numbers 3. Algebra 33. Coordinate Geometry 4. Numbers 34. Coordinate Geometry 5. Algebra 35. Numbers 6. Algebra 36. Coordinate Geometry 7. Algebra 37. Plane and Solid Geometry 8. Algebra 38. Plane and Solid Geometry 9. Algebra 39. Coordinate Geometry 10. Plane and Solid Geometry 40. Plane and Solid Geometry 11. Plane and Solid Geometry 41. Coordinate Geometry 12. Algebra 42. Trigonometry 13. Numbers 43. Numbers 14. Algebra 44. Coordinate Geometry 15. Numbers 45. Plane and Solid Geometry 16. Numbers 46. Plane and Solid Geometry 17. Plane and Solid Geometry 47. Plane and Solid Geometry 18. Numbers 48. Plane and Solid Geometry 19. Numbers 49. Algebra 20. Plane and Solid Geometry 50. Coordinate Geometry 21. Algebra 51. Coordinate Geometry 22. Trigonometry 52. Coordinate Geometry 23. Numbers 53. Algebra 24. Coordinate Geometry 54. Algebra 25. Algebra 55. Algebra 26. Numbers 56. Plane and Solid Geometry 27. Plane and Solid Geometry 57. Trigonometry 28. Coordinate Geometry 58. Numbers 29. Algebra 59. Algebra 30. Coordinate Geometry 60. Numbers As you can see, the math topics are mixed in with one another, but there are some distinct patterns. Questions 1-30 are more algebra and numbers heavy (70% of the questions), while questions 31-60 are more geometry and trig heavy (67% of the questions). This pattern will hold true for any given ACT. The difficulty of questions may increase as you go, but if you take it one step at a time, you'll soon be scaling to the top. How to Use the Test Structure to Your Advantage There is no guessing penalty on the ACT, so your goal is to answer as many questions as accurately as possible across the board. Of course you are also on a strict time crunch, so this is not always easy. Depending on your current scores (and your target scores), this may mean that you focus most of your time and energy on a particular section of the test and then blindly- or, time permitting, strategically- guess the rest of your questions. (Note: for more on how to guess to your best advantage, check out how to guess on the ACT math section). For others, your score goals may mean that you look at at and attempt every single question. There will, however, be a general step-by-step guideline to follow for students scoring at all levels. So let's break it down. Step 1: Take a Full Practice Test Taking a practice test- a full practice test!- is always step one when embarking on any kind of study plan for a standardized test. You won’t truly know where you currently stand or how to specifically improve from there without first taking a practice test. And though you may be concerned specifically with your math score right now, that score fits into the larger test-taking picture. The ACT lasts for several hours at a time, and your levels of concentration and fatigue will fluctuate. So only by taking the full test will you be able to see how your math score fits into your overall ACT score. Try to emulate the structure of the real test as much as possible, so carve out a few hours on a weekend and take the full practice test in a quiet environment. Here, you can find free full ACT practice tests and answer keys. Step 2: Set a Target Score Goal Now that you’ve taken your practice test and scored the results, check out how your scores currently stack upand set yourself a target score goal. This will be the score that you aim to reach by test day, and both your current scores and your progress towards this goal will determine how you go about your studying. Step 3: Find the Patterns in Your Right and Wrong Answers Now take a look at all your wrong answers and see if you can spot any patterns to the errors. Are you mostly getting wrong answers in a particular section, like questions 25 - 35 or 45 - 60? Are you mostly getting questions wrong by topic (do those triangle problems throw you for a loop no matter where they are on the test)? Let's look at the different types of errors by location and by content and see which apply to your current test scores. Different types of location errors include: Errors spread fairly evenly throughout the math test (so about as many wrong answers in questions in the first 20 questions as the last 20). Errors clustered in pockets. Usually, these occur around questions 25-35 and questions 40-50 because this is where the test transitions difficulty levels. Errors mostly contained in the "medium-high" and "high" difficulty ranges of questions 45-60. Now look over your math test and see if you can identify the questions according to topic. How did your right and wrong answers sync up with specificACT math topicsbeing tested? Tally how many questions on each topic were on the test and how many questions you answered correctly for each topic. (So if questions 15 and 29 were sequence questions and you answered number 15 correctly and 29 incorrectly, give yourself a score of $1/2$ in sequences.) Often, student errors will be a combination of location and topic, so don’t be alarmed if this is the case. Write down on a separate piece of paper: The location of most of your errors Your personal "score" by math topic (e.g., $3/6$ in lines and angles, $4/4$ in statistics, and so forth.) This list will help you hone in on your weak areas and target them as you go through your studies. Step 4: Brush Up on the Most Important Content The big-picture goal when studying for the ACT is the maximize your score gain for every hour spent studying. This means that the best strategy for success is to focus your time and energy on places you can make the easiest (and, therefore, quickest) improvements and areas where you can make the most improvement. So let's divide and conquer. Making Quick Improvements Each and every question on the ACT is worth one point. It doesn't matter if it was the easiest question on the test and took you all of three seconds to solve, or if it was the hardest question on the test and took three minutes- each question is worth the same amount of points as every other question. This means you should maximize your time and energy by picking up any points you're missing in the first half of the test (which, you'll remember, is the "easier" half of the test). This will net you a point increase in the shortest amount of time. So if you’re missing five or more questions in the 1-30 range, take a close look at each of your wrong answers. This is about 17% or more of the "easy" half of your test, so see if you can look at your errors and identify whether or not you’re missing these questions based on a lack of knowledge of the content. If so, it’s time to brush up on some of your algebra and numbers topics. If, however, you’ve taken a look at your errors list and seen that you're mostly missing questions in the later half of the test based on both difficulty and content, it’s time to more specifically hone your focus. Making the Most Improvement Let’s say you can organize your current mathematical knowledge into four categories: perfect understanding, good understanding, okay understanding, and no understanding. Because we're looking to now gain the most improvement from your time, the first step is to focus on improving your "okay" areas. These are areas you have some familiarity with, but aren't the strongest in, and just a quick refresher on the topic can gain you tremendous point value for your time. Our individual math topic guides will take you through the know-how on each and every ACT math topic you need to brush up on. In each, you'll gain a greater understanding of the topic in question as well as how you'll see it presented on the ACT, as well as get a chance to practice on real ACT math problems. After you've brought these "okay" topics up to speed, the next step is to look at improving your "no understanding" topics. These are areas where you have a current weak foundation and so will represent the greatest potential leap and improvement in your score. (Again, our math topic guides will help you improve your knowledge of each and every ACT math topic you'll see on the test.) Because this might be difficult to visualize right now, let's take a sample score breakdown of the test by topic. Let’s say that there were six questions each on four different topics- exponents, circles, lines and slopes, and trigonometry- and your score breakdown of correct answers looked like this: Exponent questions: 5 out of 6 Circle questions: 2 out of 6 Lines and slope questions: 4 out of 6 Trigonometry questions: 0 out of 6 If we classify each of these topics by your understanding, we would say that you had a â€Å"perfect† (or nearly perfect) understanding of exponents, â€Å"good† understanding of lines and slopes, an â€Å"okay† understanding of circles, and â€Å"no understanding† of trigonometry. Now that you've cataloged your scores, you know which topics to target your study focus on and in which order. To start with, the next step would be to focus and brush up on your â€Å"okay understanding† areas (in this case circles). Although rehashing your near-perfect knowledge might make you feel productive, it won’t actually help you all that much at this moment. Until you start getting â€Å"perfects† or nearly perfects in all topics across the board, it’s better to spend your study time on areas where you can make the greatest improvement. In this case, honing your knowledge of exponents would only gain you one more point out of 60. Your time can be better spent elsewhere. You may also be tempted to perfect those â€Å"good† understanding areas (in this case lines and slopes). But the difference between â€Å"good† understanding and â€Å"perfect† is likely to only be a question or two out of 60. In this case, you would get a maximum return of 2 points, which is not nothing, but you can spend the same amount of time studying circles and probably get a higher point return for that time. Again, only focus on getting your good scores up to perfect once you’ve brought up your scores on all your topics and you’re aiming for that perfect ACT math score. Now if you bring your â€Å"okay† areas up to almost perfect, you will likely be able to gain a significant point increase. In this case, if you spend your study time learning your circle material, you could potentially increase your score by 3 or 4 points. Once you’ve brushed up on your â€Å"okay† understanding areas, set your sights on those â€Å"no understanding† math topics. The reason these topics are in â€Å"no understanding† purgatory is likely because it is a topic that you dislike or that you haven’t studied much in school. But, despite this, even a little more understanding of the topic than you have now will likely gain you a few more points than you had before. In addition, bringing up your â€Å"okay† understanding and â€Å"no understanding† areas will allow you to use your imperfect- but still significant- knowledge of the ACT math topics in question to strategically eliminate answer choices. Even if you don’t actually know how to solve the problem, knowing a little more about the topic than you do now will give you a much better foundation to strategically eliminate answer options and guess for your right answer. Your study time is precious and limited, so distribute it wisely and use it to gain the most point return for your energy. An hour spent brushing up on unfamiliar topics will gain you a much more significant point increase than an hour spent brushing up on topics you already understand almost perfectly. Step 5: Develop Your Own Personal Timing Plan for the ACT Math Section One of the hardest aspects of the ACT math section is the fact that you must keep track of your pacing yourself. You are given 60 minutes and 60 questions to do with what you will, so taking too long on some questions will leave you with no time at all to solve others. And yet going too quickly through the test can lead you to make careless errors. Everyone's pacing and ability to solve questions on a time crunch will be different, and yours may even change from test to test as you get used to ACT questions and the pacing involved. So take the time as you study to develop your own personal timing structure and adapt it as you need to. A good plan to start with is to break the test into thirds and give yourself varying time limits for each section. So begin by giving yourself: 15 minutes for questions 1-20 20 minutes for questions 21-40 25 minutes for questions 41-60 Now this may not be the perfect timing structure for you, but it's a place to start. See how you need to adapt it to your own personal preferences by experimenting. And if you find that you're simply running short on time no matter what you try, check out our more specific advice on how to stop running out of time of the ACT math section. Step 6: Adapt Your Study Focus Based on Your Current and Target Scores As you go through your studies, we recommend that you take at least two to three practice tests, evenly distributed across your study time. So, if you have three months to prep, take a practice test about once a month. This will give you not only the chance to practice the best simulation of the real ACT possible, but will also show you how well and in which areas you’re improving. Your study plan will adapt based on your current scores, your score goals, and your rate of improvement. Current Score is 25 or Under If you’re currently scoring in the 25 or under range, your goal is to turn yourself into a â€Å"jack of all trades, master of none† type of mathematical warrior. If you already have a â€Å"perfect† understanding of any given math topic, great! If not, don’t worry about it right this second. Try your best to get yourself up to â€Å"okay† or even â€Å"good† understanding of each topic before you start mastering any particular one. As you go through your list of "okay" and "no understanding" topics to improve your knowledge of each, focus first on the topics that come earlier in the test, since most of the questions will be "easy" or "medium" difficulty.So if you have an "okay" understanding on both an algebra topic and a coordinate geometry topic, start by bringing up your knowledge of the algebra topic first. If your knowledge base in each topic is relatively similar, then always start by improving your algebra and numbers topics first, then turn to plane and coordinate geometry, and finally trigonometry. We have compiled all of our math guides by topic as well all the free ACT math practice you can find online. No matter where you're struggling, we'll help get you up to speed on where you need to be before test day. Current Score is 26 and Above Only once you start getting into the 26 and above range should you work on perfecting all of your math topic knowledge as much as possible. At this scoring level, you’ve probably already achieved at least a passing understanding of all the math topics on the test, so now is the time to master them to the best of your ability. Look to the types of questions and math topics you missed the most questions in and start by focusing your attention there. Again, areas in which you can make the greatest improvement will be the best focus of your time and energy. And just as you would in the 25 and under range, check out our math topic guides for definitions of each topic, ACT math strategies to solve the questions on each topic based on how you’ll see them on the ACT, and practice questions with answer explanations. Practice and more practice is the way to go when attempting to master an ACT math topic. Be sure to also test yourself against the most difficult math problemson the test to see where you currently stand against the toughest of the tough and where you can improve. Deep breaths, clear head. Though it may all seem overwhelming right now, you are entirely capable of mastering the ACT.(John Henderson/Flickr) The Take-Aways Understanding how the ACT math test is structured and how to use that knowledge to your best advantage while studying is a good chunk of the battle won already. The key to mastering the ACT math section is a combination of understanding and practice, and you’re well on your way already. Your study plan should always be a reflection of your current standing and your target goals, and should adapt as you make progress. Study smart and work with the structure of the test instead, and you’ll see improvements in your scores in no time. What’s Next? Stuck on your ACT math problems? Check out our guide to learn how to spot when you're going down the wrong path and how to correct the course. Stuck procrastinating? Learn how to turn your studying around and overcome your desire to procrastinate. Looking to get a perfect score on the ACT math section? Our guide (written by a perfect-scorer) will help you get those high scores you've been aiming for. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent

Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent Loan, Lend, Loaned, Lent By Ali Hale Renee wrote to us to ask: Can you please clarify the proper way to use these words: loan, lend, loaned, lent? Thank you! If you’ll lend me a few minutes of your time, Renee, I’d be glad to! How to use the word â€Å"loan† as a noun and verb The word loan is most commonly used as a noun, and usually means a sum of money which will be paid back with interest (though can refer to any item which is borrowed temporarily.) This is the definition from Merriam-Webster: 1 a: money lent at interest b: something lent usually for the borrowers temporary use For example, the word â€Å"loan† is a noun in all of these sentences: I took out a loan to pay for my new car. If you can’t get another loan, you’ll have to save up.† The loan of your car was very helpful to me. Loan can also be used as a verb in American English, and can replace â€Å"lend† when the meaning is (from Merriam-Webster): (1): to give for temporary use on condition that the same or its equivalent be returned (2): to put at anothers temporary disposal b: to let out (money) for temporary use on condition of repayment with interest Note that â€Å"lend† is used almost exclusively in British English except for when referring to the formal act of borrowing money at interest. â€Å"Loan† can sound odd or old-fashioned, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary states: Although a surprising number of critics still voice objections, loan is entirely standard as a verb. You should note that it is used only literally; lend is the verb used for figurative expressions, such as â€Å"lending a hand† or â€Å"lending enchantment.† Examples of loan being used as a verb are: Please could you loan me some money. I’ll loan him the car if he really needs it. When can â€Å"lend† be used instead of â€Å"loan†? In many cases, the verb lend can be substituted for the verb loan – note that lend can never be used as a noun, though. (â€Å"I took out a lend to pay for my new car† doesn’t make sense!) Lend doesn’t have the same connotations of a financial transaction as loan, and you can lend both physical objects and intangible concepts. For example: I will lend you my bicycle so you can get to work on time. When I’ve finished reading my book, I’ll lend it to you. Could you lend a hand with this suitcase? The new carpet lends the room a cheerful air. What should â€Å"lent† and â€Å"loaned† be used? The word lent is the past tense of the verb to lend. For example: I lent you my bicycle last week. Why haven’t you given it back yet? When I lent you my book, you promised not to write in it. No-one lent a hand with my suitcase. (If you’re used to British English, be careful not to confuse this with leant, the past tense of the verb to lean, which is pronounced in the same way. If you’re American, you’ll probably use â€Å"leaned†, but British English uses â€Å"leant† and this can cause a lot of confusion.) The word loaned is the past tense of the verb to loan. For example: He loaned me a thousand pounds to start my business. If you had loaned me the money when I asked for it, I’d have succeeded. When I loaned him my tractor, I had no idea what he was going to do with it. Hope that clarifies the use of â€Å"loan, lend, loaned and lent†, and do ask in the comments – or on the Daily Writing Tips forum – if there’s anything you’re still unclear on. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of AdjectivesUse a Dash for Number RangesMay Have vs. Might Have

Paths out of homelessness in chicago Research Proposal

Paths out of homelessness in chicago - Research Proposal Example However, there are several issues that shall be faced while reaching to the desired state and respective goals and objectives must be attained in order to tackle these issues effectively. Chicago needs a steadfast plan of action to eliminate homelessness to minimum acceptable levels, deciding on objectives to be achieved, steps to be taken, who shall take the initiative and what population must be targeted in priority. Chicago’s environment Internal Causes Internal Effects External Causes External Effects Severe levels of addiction to alcohol and drugs Affected mental stability and health of the homeless Fall in individuals’ income levels and unemployment in Chicago Homelessness consumes national funding and increases residents’ taxes Social and sexual abuse for children and lack of parental guidance Behavioral problems especially in children Adverse local housing market conditions making it unaffordable for Chicago masses Homeless people engage in criminal activ ities thereby harming others Family frictions eventually causing parents to turn children out of home Loss of community connectedness and social life Racial, status, social and other demographic differences between Chicago residents Cleanliness cannot be ensured causing health and hygiene related issues in Chicago (Fertig and Reingold, 2007) SWOT Analysis Strengths: Availability of surplus community resources adequate to cater the homeless in Chicago; presence of performance management systems with authorities of the Chicago government to collect information about homeless, measure statistics and prioritize people in order of need for aid; and strong relations and ties with outside countries and other American states shall enable it to bring in foreign aid support for the homeless in crucial times of need. Weaknesses: Lack of political will to bring about improvements and eliminate homelessness at state level for Chicago; inadequacy of community support from other Chicago residents to help the poor and homeless since the busy lives racing for money don’t allow them enough time and sympathy for others; and large size of this state with only a limited amount of funding makes it an extremely difficult job for government to operate smoothly, not only satisfying its abiding taxpayers but also managing to save surplus for the homeless. Opportunities: Chicago has a severe educational and illiteracy problem and this area has lot of room for improvement and therefore government should capitalize here to create better employment opportunities; Chicago needs foreign funding to accommodate its overpopulated region and therefore it should work efficiently and effectively in industrial areas to manufacture goods and services that attract foreign funding and investments; and the government should join international bodies that exist for these purposes only and should participate actively in grooming homeless slums of Chicago. Threats: Denial of help from foreign econo mies and international charitable bodies working for these causes; political pressures for own benefits might eventually stifle this cause; and lack of housing schemes available for the homeless due to full accommodation. Vision of path out of homelessness in Chicago Chicago shall become homeless-free through community engagement, creating unlimited employment opportunities, development of housing scheme

Failure on a Grand Scale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Failure on a Grand Scale - Essay Example Overall, the effort itself was a failure because of the way the objectives were carried out. Rampant corruption instilled enmity in the people unnecessarily, the focus on political rather than economic restructuring was vengeful as well as counterproductive, and the naivet of the new electorate set the stage for their unwitting participation in a process that would establish segregation and second-class citizenship for the next nine decades. Corruption. Under the methodology employed by the framers of Reconstruction, there were four demographic groups which emerged in the South: The white southerners, the Freedmen (former slaves), the Scalawags (southerners loyal to the North), and Carpetbaggers (Northerners who moved to the region) (Wikipedia 1). The white southerners were largely excluded from power by the military governors, and the Scalawags joined with the Carpetbaggers to restructure the governmental and economic systems. As in any case where there is absolute power and a vengeance mentality, exploitation became the norm. In the political processes, the Scalawags and Carpetbaggers engaged in collusion to reform every office from state governors to local commissioners. Using the power of the military and the consent of the new electorate, the entire area was destabilized to the point of requiring martial law for the majority of the period; and that didn't even stop the violence against both blacks and whites. In te rms of the economic corruption, the situation was even worse as the economic resources of the South were siphoned off into corporations run by Northerners. The Northern commercial interests formed links with their like-minded political associates and created, under color of law, one of the biggest lootings in history. Seeing the homeland violated by the Carpetbaggers and their corporate lackeys, the predictable response of the southern whites was anger, resentment, violence and, ultimately, institutional segregation. Political Focus. A second contributor to the failure of reconstruction was the fact that legislators in Washington chose to focus their attention on the political infrastructure of the states as well as the voting rights of the Freedmen. This approach reflected the political environment in the newly-reunited nation's capitol, where there was a power struggle between those who wanted a moderate implementation of Reconstruction and those who took a more radical view. The radicals won the fight handily, and the result was a political restructuring that disenfranchised almost every office holder in the South along with their former constituency. Rather than taking an economic development approach, which would have resulted in a stabilization of southern society, the top-down reformation only addressed the issue of who was in charge. Unfortunately, those newly elected officials were much more concerned with punishing the South than with transitioning it back into the Union. Had Congress u ndertaken policies of self-determination and economic development, Reconstruction might have succeeded in bringing the states back together without the socialized hatred between the southern whites and everyone else. Nave Electorate. A final consideration in the