IKEA case study in strategic management report Essay

IKEA case study in strategic management report - Essay Example IKEA primarily sells furniture along with other home products such as appliances and accessories for kitchens and bathrooms. It sells these in knock-down kits that are ready-to-assemble by the customers themselves who are also resorted to for transportation of the goods to their respective homes. This retail model has been very successful for the company in all its emerging markets, resulting in a sheer increase in size to the point of becoming the largest furniture retailer in the world (Reuters). Their business model wholly focuses on a cost leadership strategy which forms the core of their competitive advantage. As we shall see, IKEA resorts to offer a distinguished appeal by coupling this strategy with various other methods of creating a unique product which not only appeals to those with an urge to maintain a level of quality but also to those looking to cut their purchasing costs. The purpose of this report is to outline its internationalization model and to verify some of the key opportunity areas for growth as well as managing looming risks. Analysis Retail is a fast growing industry in today’s consumer based societies, managing to look out for the needs of consumers directly without the expense of innovation. In today’s business, it has managed to become an important pillar industry of the society, certifying economic and social development in the region it most thrives in. With prosperity comes an improvement in lifestyle and comfort, and with an edge towards affordability, IKEA has sought to cater to the household goods market by passing on its cost leadership strategies to the benefit of consumers in the form of cheaper yet quality-proven products up to a range of 25 to 50 percent. Ever since its inception, IKEA has gradually set up shop in several different countries reaching a grand total of 267 Group stores by the end of 2009, with Germany being the highest selling country by far as a percentage of total sales. Their model incorpora tes the various principles of expansion that in turn harmonize their competitive advantage of price in several other markets. They achieve this by the process of internationalization. Internationalization for a company is a crucial stage of development, as it serves to integrate it into the retail sector for a consumer based economy (Dawson 2007). It not only increases the life cycle of a product, but also attains economies of scale by extending the size of potential markets. In order to pursue this task for any company, it must develop some conceptual strategies IKEA has managed to successfully integrate into other markets with the strategies of cost leadership, focused cost leadership, and focused differentiation. Cost leadership engages in reducing the product costs and ignoring the various market segments that the company caters to, while focusing on a distinct narrow segment, thereby saving on the additional research, analysis and management requirement that necessitate additio nal investment and lead to a rise in manufacturing costs. IKEA does this by allowing the customers to choose, buy, assemble and transport their own goods, passing on the benefit of cost leadership directly to the consumers in the form of a 25 to 50% discount compared to competitor rates. Moreover, IKEA’s Scandinavian image capitalizes on the persistence of quality, so that their target audience of first-time buyers, and elderly people are infused with the perception that

Mice & Men Essay Example for Free

Mice Men Essay In chapter 3, the setting, the bunkhouse can be seen to symbolise that people only see what is obvious to them. Steinbeck shows this through symbolism in the bunkhouse. ‘Although there was evening brightness showing through the windows of the bunkhouse, inside it was dusk†¦ Instantly the table was brilliant with light, and the cone of the shade threw its brightness straight downward, leaving the corners of the bunkhouse still in dusk. The brightness down the centre of the bunkhouse shows our assumptions about something, as we judge things solely for what we see and know. This happens at least once during the text and can be seen through the immediate judgement of Curleys wife as comes alone to the bunkhouse. George seems to know exactly where the trouble is going to originate, and this is shown when George cautions Lennie not to talk to Curleys wife. George immediately judges Curley’s wife from previous gossip from Candy, her appearance and her behaviour before he has a chance to get to know her. His assumption led the audience to believe that she is simply just a tart, and nothing more. The dark and gloomy corners on the other hand are a representation of the secrets and not so obvious things in life. This can be seen at the end of the text when we find out the real reasoning as to why Curley’s wife behaves the way she does, which is due to her lack of attention from Curley, not just because she is a floozy. The contrast of dark and light builds anticipation in the audience as the feeling of doubt seems to lurk permanently in the background. Others may interpret the bunkhouse to symbolise cruel world of reality. The dark corners of the bunkhouse suggest dreams and ambitions as in the dark, as we cannot see the problems in which lie ahead. It is only in the light which can be seen down the centre of the bunkhouse that we can see reality and all of the barriers in which will prevent us from achieving these ambitions. Steinbeck shows this when all ambitions of the ranch workers never go to plan. In the light down the centre of the Bunkhouse It appears to be a world in which fate often plays a hand, and the characters are frequently defenceless and watch their dreams turn to dust. Lennie’s puppy symbolises dreams, joy and the relationship between George and Lennie. A puppy is so fun to play with. You can spend time with it; a puppy can listen to all of your problems, is a great friend and you could never stay mad when you see one; however they are reliant on its owner for its wellbeing. This is like the relationship between George and Lennie. Lennie is reliant on George to keep him well and healthy and out of trouble just like the puppy would be reliant on Lennie when it grows older. George and Lennie are also have a close relationship, where they share their problems and although they George may get frustrated with George at times he is always quick to forgive him. The puppy brings joy to Lennie and George because ‘George said if Lennie didn’t hurt the puppy then he could tend the rabbits, when they get their own farm. The dream farm symbolises the tie between them and keeps them working, even when times are hard it is, and is ultimately, their version of heaven. So when Lennie kills a kills the puppy later on in the Chapter 5, it is obvious to the audience that their chances of going there are forever ruined. In contrast to this it may lead some to believe that the puppy is therefore a symbolism of the fate of the weak in the strong and foreshadows doom, shown particularly when Lennie brings the puppy in to the house and away from the it’s nest. ‘’He reached down and picked the tiny puppy from where Lennie had been concealing it against him’’. Concealing means to prevent something from being seen or known about. Many things are concealed during the story such as the petting and death of the mice, the incident in weed, the death of the puppy and briefly the death of Curley’s wife. We learn about the incident in weed in chapter 3 so it automatically foreshadows a doomed future of the puppy, given our knowledge about the mice. Our suspicions are confirmed During Chapter 5 when Lennie kills the puppy accidentally due to the fact that he still does not recognize his own strength. Although no other character can match Lennie’s physical strength, Lennie finds himself in a similar situation as the innocent animal, as Lennie is unaware of the vicious, predatory powers that surround him. This doom was foreshadowed by the puppy. The sequence of events of the puppy gives a cast contrast of scenes full of hope (when the puppy is first given to Lennie), in comparison to scenes of disappointment (when the puppy dies) increases the readers apprehension as they are continuously on the edge wondering what he will do next.

Hackers :: Technology Hacking Essays

Hackers We are people who live among a society where obeying the laws is apart of our culture. Of course there will be people trying to break the rules and disrupt society for whatever reason. Crime is always a possibility just like in an online community or anywhere on the Internet in general. These criminals are known as Hackers because of their capabilities to steal or damage information on the Internet that can be very valuable like bank accounts or even top-secret government files. Capabilities like these must come from in-depth knowledge of the computer and Internet. Which leads to the myth that anyone with computer intelligence or being a "computer nerd," is a hacker. In the movie entitled Hackers, this stereotype is greatly promoted. Throughout the film, it seemed like almost every single person who used a computer was some sort of hacker. There were so many hackers portrayed, you even had good hackers, bad hackers, and really weird hackers. Yet out of all the people I've known in my life that know a lot about computers have never hacked anything before. The majority were youths which leads to another myth about hackers, they are considered outsiders and live troubled lives which causes them to "screw with society." The reality is most hacking is a lot like in this movie, purely to mess around in a way. Since being in a virtual world that has no physical contact, there is no immediate punishment and no cops there to chase you down with a baton. In the film it also seemed like some sort of "cat and mouse," game between the hackers and feds, but in reality being hunted down by the FBI and sent to prison is not a light matter. It is also true that being hacker must have a sufficient amount of computer knowledge but even a "Software God," like Bill Gates is not a hacker. So just because someone practically built a computer or knows everything about the Internet doesn't mean they are stealing off of it also. That's like saying an auto-mechanic is going to commit Grand Theft Auto since that person knows a car like the back of their hand. In contrast, the same computer knowledge that is used to get around the Internet can also be used to protect it. Being fearful of hackers on the Internet is like being fearful of thieves in the real world.

The Allure of Drugs

The allure of drugs is one that many people cannot resist. We all know someone who has been affected by drug addiction. It may be a teenager at school who is using marijuana for the first time or a friend you know who has become addicted to meth. Whatever the circumstance, there are many things you can do to help someone sober up from drug addiction. Teens are under a lot of pressure to try drugs whether it comes from their curiosity their friends and peers or television and movies. They are also generally easy to obtain in schools and areas around schools.This makes the barrier to entry for these drugs very small for many teenagers. Teenagers often do not fully think through their decisions and the consequences. There are 8 common reasons why teenagers use drugs. The first one is their surroundings. The people they hang out with. They want to seem cool with their peers. Some do it because they see how their family uses it for fun. So they think there is nothing wrong with it. Some t eenagers see drugs and alcohol in TV. They see how the people they want to be use it all the time.There is a show called â€Å"True Life: I am an addict† In this episode they show different people and their drug addictions. Many of these people say they tried drugs at a very young age and that their reason was because of their peers. A young girl at the age of 18 says she uses alcohol to feel pretty, to get attention from other people, and because she enjoys the feeling. Teenagers are very emotional. They use drugs to escape from any pain they are feeling. They drink or do drugs to not feel any pain at all. Some teenagers consume such things to escape the real world. Some teenagers consume because they are bored.Being bored is something every teenager feels everyone in a while. They don’t know what to do so they get anxious and curious to try new things. So they try to have fun by trying and experimenting new things. Some teenagers don’t get much attention at ho me. They want to rebel and make their parents pay attention to what they are doing. They feel like the more they rebel the more they get to feel that their parents are going to be there showing they care. Unfortunately smoking and drinking are widely promoted as habits enjoyed by sophisticated, fun-loving, attractive and sexy people.What most teens want to become. If drug use wasn’t pleasurable, it would be relatively easy to keep kids and harmful substances separated. But the reality is that many teens enjoy the way they feel on drugs, at least for a while. Wayward children may engage in smoking, alcohol and drug use as a show of independence from family norms and valves. For many people life is just plain tough and normal waking can brings a constant stream of unpleasant sights, smells, sounds and sensations. The prospect of a chemical â€Å"timeout† may look very attractive.Even when a person has plenty of creature comforts, the prevailing emotional whether can stil l be turbulent: Kids and teens often feel anxious, angry, depressed oppressed, stressed, bored or unfulfilled. Many teenagers and young adults are prone to aware their own invulnerability or immortality make shortsighted decisions, or shrug off the most fervent warnings about life’s pitfalls and perish with a smirk or the defiant pronouncements â€Å"I don’t care† shedding this perspective, learning to weight consequences and adopting a long range view of life are normal parts of maturing into adulthood.Unfortunately some who become deeply involved in drug use remain stuck in an immature, self-destructive mind set. Teen’s drug abuse can have a number of negative consequences, including. Driving under the influence including Driving under the influence of any drug can impair driver’s motor skills, reaction time and judgment putting the driver, his or her passengers and others on the road at risk. Teens who abuse drugs are more likely to have poor ju dgment, which can result in unplanned and unsafe sex. Teens who abuse drugs are at risk of serious drug us later in life.Drug use may lead to love interests in or become indifferent about what happens at school or in other areas of his or her life. Use of drugs, such as marijuana, may affect the parts of the brain that control memory, motivation attention and learning, making it more difficult to learn and perform complex tasks. It can be difficult to talk to teens about drug abuse. Start by choosing a comfortable time and setting. Share feelings with the teen. When discussing teen drug abuse. Listen to your teens opinions which may differ from your own. Ask questions about drug use.Encourage them to talk by asking open ended questions. Avoid scare tactics. Emphasize how drug use can affect things important to your teens such as sports, driving, health and appearance. Explain that even a teen can develop a drug problem. Talk about what your teen has seen or heard. Don’t be af raid that talking about teen drug abuse will plant ideas in any teens head. Conversations about drugs won’t tempt them to try drugs. Instead talking about drug abuse lets teens know your views and understand what you expect of him or her. American Academy of child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), March 2011. Web.

China: Civil War and Communist Triumph Essay

* China: Civil War and Communist Triumph CCP gained control of the Manchurian countryside. After the war, the Nationalists appeared to have superior resources. They were recognized as the legitimate government. Nationalist party assassinated Wen (pg. 326) which showed their desperation to retain power. Taiwan suffered worse and they rioted in protest, 1947, but the Nationalist government responded with brutal and bloody repression. The government couldn’t stop the inflation and people had to carry bundles of paper money to shop. The CCP had a disciplined and well-organized political and military leadership. In Jul 1947, communist armies attacked several fronts in Northern China. Lin Biao completely routed the Nationalist party in 1948. In 1949, Nationalist generals surrendered Beijing and Tianjin. Mao Zedong formally proclaimed the establishment of People’s Republic of China. * Japan: The Occupation Ends and Means The Occupation’s mission was to demilitarize Japan and turn the country into a peaceful and democratic state which was under the authority of the Far Eastern Commission in Washington. Japanese government continued to function, but according to the Occupation authorities under MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. Occupation supplied food and medical supplies and US become seriously concerned with rebuilding Japanese economy is 1947. People were purged, half of them from the military. Outside of Japan, people were tried and sentenced to death. Tojo as well who headed Japan’s wartime government. The emperor was not charged and was pressured to substitute a more open lifestyle like British monarch. Under the new constitution he became a symbol of the nation. Constitution went into effect May 1947.

how to clone in ur kitchen essays

how to clone in ur kitchen essays Cloning is the production of multiple, identical offspring. A clone is an animal who is genetically identical to its donor "parent". We now know that this can be achieved using cells derived from a microscopic embryo, a fetus, or from an adult animal. Cloning from adult animals was introduced to the public in 1997 when scientists announced the birth of Dolly, the first animal cloned in this way. There have now been hundreds of clones produced from skin cells taken from adult sheep, cattle, goats, pigs and mice. The real key to cloning an adult animal is the ability to reprogram the skin cell nucleus and cause it to begin developing as if it was a newly fertilized egg. Cloning requires specialized microsurgery tools and involves five basic steps: 1. Enucleation of the recipient egg 2. Transfer of the donor cell into the recipient egg 3. Fusion of the donor cell to the recipient egg 4. Culturing the resulting cloned embryo in the incubator 5. Transferring the developing embryo into the reproductive tract of a surrogate mother Step 3 - Fusion of the Donor Cell to the Recipient Egg The egg and the donor cell are placed in the fusion chamber between 2 electrodes. A low electrical current is passed across the positive and negative electrode. This electrical charge causes the membrane of the donor cell to fuse with the membrane of the enucleated recipient egg. When the 2 membranes fuse together, the nucleus (containing all the genetic material from the donor animal) of the skin cell is now surrounded by the recipient egg. The offspring that result from this procedure are genetically identical to the donor animal that the skin biopsy was taken from. In this case, all five of these goats are clones, produced from the same donor cell line. They are genetically identical to each other and to their donor "parent". They are different ages because the cloned embryos were made and transferred to surroga ...

Week Case Study Essay Example

Week Case Study Essay Example Week Case Study Paper Week Case Study Paper Look up the paper that started the study of computer security. Prepare a summary of the key points. What in this paper specifically addresses security in areas previously unexamined? The RAND Report R-609-1 was commissioned by the Deputy Director in June 1967 according to www. Linearitys. Com. The report was to study and recommend solutions that would unsure the protection of classified information while allowing multi-level access along with computer sharing capabilities. The report was broken down into four sections. First, the nature of the problem was identified. This identified security problems from the computer systems to lack of security and potential threats. The second part looked at policy considerations and gave recommendations. This section dealt with systems personnel to information structure and ended with system certification recommendations. The third section detailed technical recommendation while the last section detailed management and administrative controls. With the increased and wide spread use of computers in the military, a need for procedures we due. These procedure recommendations revolved around technique and security which had not previously existed on such a broad call. Even with the large scale of operations, there still needed to be some privacy around the system and data that was shared or accessed. Through this study, batch, multiprogramming, and time-shared processing were all recommended for different levels of access and control. Three types of threats to system security were identified. These are accidental access of data, deliberate access of data, and a physical attack on the system. There were recommended safeguards to protect from all three vulnerabilities. This protection had to be identified and secured by the system designer so not APS were missed. These gaps could be in the software, hardware, communication of information and general lack of organization or the organization itself. There were recommended characteristic needs of the system seemed almost too massive to have all at one time. The system had to be flexible in term of performance, responsive to different conditions, dubitable for security breaches, reliable, manageable, adaptable based on sensitivity needs, dependable, while assuring configuration integrity. With all of these demands, a definition list was put together so everyone could be Lear on the document and the interpretation was consistent from person to person. The second part of the study started out with fundamental principles and system personnel. This detailed who could have access to what part of the system and the data. It also identified gate-keepers and administrators with user authentication guidelines. The data was organized and controlled so that any variance was identifiable. All transactions into the system and the activity that took place was logged for transaction accounting. Auto-testing was implemented and sufficient redundancy checks were put in place to ensure data control was not compromised. Input and output parameters were very specific and access was obtained only through several checkpoints in the system. The system was checked, tested, and evaluated often for any fail-points or weaknesses. Inspections were performed by experts to determine if the system was in compliance with pre-determined requirements and regulations. There were three types of certifications that protected the system and access to the system; design certification, installation certification, and recertification. The last part of the report detailed the technical recommendations. Due to the size of the system needed for the data-sharing, the present technology was insufficient and additional safeguards had to be put into place. The central processing hardware had to have user isolation along With protection against unexpected access or conditions. This meant that each user was unique and the program would isolate the data needed for that user. The software had to run with complex programs that allowed sorting and file copying while maintaining security checkpoints. This lead to access controls in different levels of the system. Certain users could only gain access to some information. If an unauthorized user tried to gain access to information Outside their authority, a denial of access Was sent. This also generated a flag to be immediately checked. All these steps and processes were new and now seem to be a very standard practice in the world of computers. Even with the most secure systems, there are still people or even other computer systems trying to gain access to data that they are not authorized to see or control. The cyber world continues to fill up with public and private data at tremendous speeds which will continue to lead the curious hacker to halogen themselves to getting data they should not have. 2. Consider the information stored on your personal computer. For each of the terms listed, find an example and document it: threat, threat agent, vulnerability, exposure, risk, attack, and exploit. Threats this could be a person driving around your neighborhood looking for the insecure network. Threat Agent this could be a hacker that finds the unsecured network with the intentions of installing a worm, computer virus, or some sort of damaging program. Vulnerability This could be an account that has a weak password like 123456. Exposure An example of this is when someone opens and e-mail with a Trojan, worm, or virus attached. Risk This could be an event in which you let someone you dont know very well use your laptop or access a program without good intent. Attack This is what happens when your system has been intentionally or unintentionally exposed to a malicious program or person. Exploit Can be gained at a local level or network level to take advantage of weaknesses or vulnerability in a system. They are used to gain control to a computer system. 3. Using the web, find out who Kevin Nitpick was. What did he do? Who caught him? Write a short summary of his activities and why he is famous. Kevin Nitpick is know that he worlds most famous hacker according to his website (win. Indestructibly. Com). In the early 199(Yes, he proved to be a computer genius that thrived on the breaking into high-profile company computers through the now out-of-date dial-up modem superhighway. He would assume false identities and cover his tracks to out run the FBI and other authorities looking to track him down. He was finally caught and arrested in 1995 by the FBI in his North Carolina apartment, resourced four years later for wire fraud, computer fraud and identity theft. Kevin Nitpick started his computer hacking at a seemingly young age of 15 gaining access to the Los Angles bus system. This lead to him obtaining free rides on the public transport system. His first arrest for hacking came in 1988 when he was convicted of unauthorized access of a computer network in 1979 at the age of 16. This earned him a year in prison. After his release, he continued his hacking using The Condor and The Darkies Hacker as his calling cards. He pushed the limits of his activities and became one of the Bis most wanted. After his arrest in 1995, it took four years to get a conviction. He had a lot of supporter that felt his conviction and incarceration was too harsh which include eight months in solidarity confinement since he was a perceived threat to national security.

How to Offer Things in English as a Second Language

How to Offer Things in English as a Second Language Offering things in English is essential whenever you want to be polite, have guests at your home, or even organize a work event. The phrases below cover both how to offer various items to your guests, as well as how to accept offers graciously. Learn to use these phrases so that you can offer and accept things graciously and in a socially appropriate manner. Offering Phrases Its common to use phrases such as would you like and modal forms such as Can I or May I  to offer something. Here are some of the most important phrases used to offer something: Can I get you some...?Would you like some...?May I offer you some...?Would you like me to get you some...? Some mini-dialogues containing these asking phrases might be: Bob: Can I get you something to drink?Mary: Yes, that would be nice. Thank you.Jack: May I offer you some tea?Doug: Thank you.Alex: Would you like some lemonade?Susan: That would be nice. Thanks for offering. Always use some words when offering someone something. Informal Use these phrases when offering something in an everyday situation: How about some...?What about some...?What do you say about some...?Are you up for some...? Mini-dialogues  containing offering phrases in informal situations would be: Dan: What about something to drink?Helga: Sure, do you have any scotch?Judy: Are you up for some dinner?Zina: Hey, thanks. Whats on the menu?Keith: What do you say about going bowling?Bob:  That sounds like a good idea! Accepting Offers Accepting offers is just as important, or even more important, than offering things. Make sure to thank your host. If you dont want to accept an offer, politely refuse. Offering an excuse is also a good idea in order not to offend your host. The following phrases are commonly used when accepting offers: Thank you.Id love to.Id love some.That would be nice.Thank you. Id like... Some examples of accepting phrases include: Frank: May I get you something to drink?Kevin: Thank you. Id like a cup of coffee.Linda: Would you like me to get you some food?Evan: That would be nice. Thank you.Homer: May I offer you something to drink?Bart: Thank you. Id like a soda. Politely Refusing Offers Sometimes its necessary to politely refuse an offer even if its a kind one. In such cases, use these phrases to politely refuse offers. Provide a reason why you want to refuse an offer rather than just saying no.   Thank you, but...Thats very kind. Unfortunately, I...Id like to, but... Examples of using polite refusals in dialogue include: Jane: Would you like some cookies?David: Thank you, but Im on a diet.Allison: How about a cup of tea?Pat: Id like to have a cup of tea. Unfortunately, Im late for a meeting. Can I take a rain check?Avram: How about some wine?Tom: No thank you. Im watching my weight.

Global Marketing and the new opportunities and challenges which Mc Dissertation

Global Marketing and the new opportunities and challenges which Mc Donald fast food restaurant faces - Dissertation Example With increasing global competition, emphasis on organic food choices, smarter and healthier eating habits, the fast food industry is undergoing a major turning point. Gone are the days when people would blindly allow their children to eat all the burgers, fries and Coke they wanted, with no thought or care to how this foodstuff would affect their lives. There has been much innovation in the industry and revamping of menu items to includes things which will appeal to a new type of customer. The developed world is full of perceptive people who are more health conscious people now than ever before; anyone with an internet connection can access a world of information about eating choices, about what is healthy and what is not and access research from all over the world; the consumer is now more aware of his eating habits and the impact they have on his lifestyle and life longevity. Sodium, sugar, oil and carbohydrates are no longer thought to be delicious tasting food choices; they have dire consequences in the long run. Childhood obesity, blood pressure and heart trouble are only a handful of concerns that are becoming the bane of our existence. All of these present a huge challenge to the fast food industry and all the major players. Bringing things into context, the world has never been busier. People are swamped with busy work and social lives and taking out the time to put together a home cooked meal is just not convenient. Adding to that the stress of buying the right food among thousands of choices that stock the supermarket shelves are stocked with has made cooking at home too cumbersome for many families. Furthermore, the Generation X - that grew up getting to learn about and love fast food - and Generation Y - which hankered with fast food since childhood - are going to take their own time catching up with the new eating lifestyle. Combine all of these with the soaring prices of food stuff and this leads to a steady demand for fast food. Therefore the same people are very much dependent on fast food for themselves and their families. Thinking along these issues has encouraged me to research the fast food industry in general and McDonalds in particular to understand what the company is doing to address the se issues now and how these decisions will shape the company and the fast food industry in the future. The reason for selecting McDonalds for this project seems to be quite obvious as McDonalds is the biggest and most relevant player in the fast food business with operations and customers all over the world. The decisions this giant takes will be followed by the rest of the pack. So, what kind of challenges does the Marketing Director face when he creates the strategy to be followed across the board? How does he set to implement the strategy and which tools does he deem necessary for the implementation, such as promotional tools, pricing, packaging, location and advertising? How do the strategies which are set globally translate into local markets? How does the global experience help in deciding local product and service offerings? I think these concerns have never been more relevant than today and are the premise of the paper that follows. 2. Scope and Objectives This project is ba sed on the research conducted in relation to McDonalds globally and in the U.S., Poland, Pakistan, Russia and Switzerland specifically. The scope of this project covers marketing activities of McDonalds in recent years. This paper is not intended to shed light on the

Value shares and Growth Shares in the UK market (FTSE 350) Research Paper

Value shares and Growth Shares in the UK market (FTSE 350) - Research Paper Example This means that the significance level of the test is 0.05 or 5%. The null hypotheses are usually accepted when the test is significant statistically at chosen significance level of 5%. When Null hypothesis is rejected it implies that all sample means are not equal. If this is true, it may not be sufficient to give required inference. In such case it might be required to know which sample means differ. To find that out proper confidence interval has to be chosen using small sample procedures based on t-distribution. A parametric correlation test of coefficient and non parametric run test was further used to test the auto correlation for the stock returns over time. When the null hypothesis will be accepted at 5% or 10% level then it can be said that the regression model developed earlier was statistically significant. The marginal significance in the regression model is given by the p-value. When the probability for observing the t-values is large, then the null hypothesis will be tr ue. The value of p ranges from 0 to 1 and it gives the researcher the cut-off level or the lowest significance level below which the null hypothesis may be rejected. If the p-values are very small then the significance of null hypothesis is reduced. Smaller p-values indicate that null hypothesis is not significant and hence should be rejected.

The inferno Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The inferno - Essay Example c. The interesting mention of Beatrice who seems to be out context because she was only mentioned and not explained and this begs the question who is Beatrice particularly in the passage â€Å"The prophecy by Ciacco of the fall of Dantes party, Canto vi., and that byFarinata  of Dantes exile, Canto x., which Virgil had told should be made clear to him by  Beatrice† (Canto XV). These cruxes identified in Dante’s Inferno cannot be interpreted literally by relying merely on Dante’s text of the Inferno. The reader has to take account of Dante’s other works and inclination in order to understand the identified texts. For example, in the first crux which was in the introduction part of Canto X in the sixth circle of hell of Dante’s Inferno, what actually Dante meant in this passage is his personal amusement and curiosity if any of his friends from Floernce are in hell. He was tempted to ask one of sufferers but did not really get the satisfaction with the reply. With regard to the old man in Canto XIV, this passage is reminiscent of Dante’s aptitude in classical text such as the text of Ovid’s Metamorphes where the metal composition of the head of the old man is made up of the four ages of history: gold, silver, brass and iron, which is typical of its civilization’s rise and decline. The old man looks at Rome because his feature is characteristic of Rome’s strength and weakness. Its strength is in the right foot made of chosen iron indicating strength in the leadership of the empire. On the left is its weakness as it is made of clay, implying declining influence and the corruption of the church. The third passage in Canto XV which mentioned Beatrice could never be understood or explained by just relying on the texts of Inferno. The reader has to refer to Dante’s personal circumstance and other works in order to understand the significance of Beatrice. Beatrice was, in

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing - Assignment Example Westwood (2006) states that with innovation and marketing being driving force of most organizations, the brand manager does the following: †¢ Supports in driving innovation of new strategies of marketing in communication industries, †¢ Assists in leading the improvement of developing new products for the brand. Major duties in this role include new product ideation and exploratory, insight mining, presentation as well as development of results of marketing concept with senior management, developing packaging design, developing claims and interfacing with other departments of the organization throughout all stages of developing new products. †¢ The brand manager also partners with and motivates a wide-ranging cross-functional overall team of market R&D, research, finance, sales, package design, operations and engineering to enable breakthroughs along with game-changing advancement to the market. To accomplish this, the brand Manager requires highly motivated individuals with strong creative, analytical, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. †¢ Brand manager manages customer relations. With management of customer relations, he communicates with organizational customers during the many phases of the process of purchasing the products. †¢ The brand manager controls the marketing mix. Marketing mix entails all tangible fundamentals that enable marketing of products of the organization. These include organizational employees, facilities, the products themselves, the selling process, the cost strategy and process of advertising and promotion

Bank failure in jamaica Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bank failure in jamaica - Essay Example According to Jenifer Daley, the banking industry in Jamaica relied on foreign-owned banks. Foreign heads managed these banks, and the banks depended on the requirements of foreign legislation. The banking industry in Jamaica was crowded with diverse financial institutions including building societies, credit unions, money markets, export-import banks and stock exchanges. Commercial banks dominated the financial sector, in Jamaica. This diversity led to the fragility within the banking environment and structure (Daley 4). The changes in the banking sector in 1990s showed these fragilities in the arrangement of the banking industry. This placed immense pressure on the institutional structure and financial resources. The banking environment in Jamaica resulted from immense deregulation of activities, in the financial sector. This increased competitive challenges for the financial firms and banks. This mandated a strong Central Bank with roles such as the formation of monetary policies and directing an orderly development and growth of the system. Additionally, the experienced growth in the industry provided a springboard for the establishment and proliferation of financial firms and groups with different structures. These structures contributed to the breakdown of operational safeguards because of their fashion of operations (Daley 3). The structures also pressurized the cadre of managers. The instability experienced in 1980-1990s led to the unfavorable macroeconomic climates because of no-growth on the real sector and high inflation. This led to the beginning of government guidelines in the industry. Later politics took a central role in the management of the financial sector. The Finance Minister controlled the Central National Bank and closed it because of insolvency. The bank was illiquid and insolvent than the financial statement of 1997 had indicated. The bank tried to hide this state by ignoring the provision of

Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing - Assignment Example Westwood (2006) states that with innovation and marketing being driving force of most organizations, the brand manager does the following: †¢ Supports in driving innovation of new strategies of marketing in communication industries, †¢ Assists in leading the improvement of developing new products for the brand. Major duties in this role include new product ideation and exploratory, insight mining, presentation as well as development of results of marketing concept with senior management, developing packaging design, developing claims and interfacing with other departments of the organization throughout all stages of developing new products. †¢ The brand manager also partners with and motivates a wide-ranging cross-functional overall team of market R&D, research, finance, sales, package design, operations and engineering to enable breakthroughs along with game-changing advancement to the market. To accomplish this, the brand Manager requires highly motivated individuals with strong creative, analytical, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. †¢ Brand manager manages customer relations. With management of customer relations, he communicates with organizational customers during the many phases of the process of purchasing the products. †¢ The brand manager controls the marketing mix. Marketing mix entails all tangible fundamentals that enable marketing of products of the organization. These include organizational employees, facilities, the products themselves, the selling process, the cost strategy and process of advertising and promotion

To produce an informal report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

To produce an informal report - Assignment Example ROCE also increased to 24% in 2011 as compare to 20% in 2010 due to increase in net income and shareholder’s equity and decrease in long term debt. Current ratio increased from 1.39 to 1.67 mainly due to decrease in current liabilities particularly bank overdraft by 4000 during 2011 and increase in inventory by 2000 during the year. Acid test ratio also increased from 1.25 to 1.42 in 2011 due to decrease in current liabilities by 2000 and increase in current assets by 1300 during 2011. Stock turnover decreased from 20 in 2010 to 17 in 2011 due to increase in cost of goods sold and inventory, which highlights the hotel’s efficiency in managing its inventory and avoiding under stocking instead we could conclude that hotel is experiencing higher sales than the previous year. Debtor collection period decreased from 48 days in 2010 to 41 days in 2011 due to application of robust collection policies. Creditors payment period decreased from 16 days to 15 days during 2011 is mainly due to increase in payables. Capital gearing ratio decreased from 16% to 11.5% in 2011 is due to increase in shareholder’s equity and decrease in long term debt, which is considered good as it signifies the hotel dependence more on equity financing as compare to debt financing thus it lessens the risk of interest rate burden and other related fixed costs but it may also heightened the financial risk due to higher volatility in profits. As per the financial ratio analysis for the year 2010 and 2011, it is clear that Hotel is enjoying a marvelous growth in terms of sales both from rooms and other restaurant functions. However, hotel needs to control the cost of goods in order to improve the gross profit margin for the up coming years and other operating expenses. In addition, hotel may also have to look upon its payment patterns and improvise the payment period to suppliers and creditors for the goods bought on credit by paying off early. In order to reduce the financial risk

Heroin Addiction Essay Example for Free

Heroin Addiction Essay According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is both the most abused and the most rapidly acting of the opiates. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as â€Å"black tar heroin†. Although purer heroin is becoming more common, most street heroin is†cut† with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Street heroin can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Heroin also poses special problems because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles or other injection equipment. According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which may actually underestimate illicit opiate (heroin) use, an estimated 3. 7 million people had used heroin at some time in their lives, and over 119,000 of them reported using it within the month preceding the survey. An estimated 314,000 Americans used heroin in the past year, and the group that represented the highest number of those users were 26 or older. The survey reported that, from 1995 through 2002, the annual number of new heroin users ranged from 121,000 to 164,000. During this period, most new users were age 18 or older (on average, 75 percent) and most were male. In 2003, 57. 4 percent of past year heroin users were classified with dependence on or abuse of heroin, and an estimated 281,000 persons received treatment for heroin abuse. According to the monitoring the Future survey, NIDA’s nationwide annual survey of drug abuse among the Nation’s 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, heroin use remained stable from 2003-2004. Lifetime heroin use measured 1. 6 percent among the 8th graders and 1. 5 percent among 10th- and 12th graders. The 2002 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collects data on drug related hospital emergency department (ED) episodes from 21 metropolitan areas, reported that in 2002, heroin -related ED episodes numbered 93,519. NIDA’s Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG), which provides information about the nature and patterns of drug use in 21 areas, eported in its December 2003 publication that heroin was mentioned as the primary drug of abuse for large portions of drug abuse treatment admissions in Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Newark, New York, and San Francisco. How is heroin used? Heroin is usually injected, sniffed/snorted, or smoked. Typically, a heroin abuser may inject up to four times a day. Intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and most rapid onset of euphoria (7 to 8 seconds), while intramuscular injection produces a relatively slow onset of euphoria (5 to 8 minutes). When heroin is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes. NIDA researchers have confirmed that all forms of heroin administration are addictive. Injection seems to be the predominant method of heroin use among addicted users seeking treatment; in many CEWG areas, heroin injection is reportedly on the rise, while heroin inhalation is declining. However, certain groups, such as White suburbanites in the Denver area, report smoking or inhaling heroin because they believe that these routes of administration are less likely to lead to addiction. With the shift in heroin abuse patterns comes an even more diverse group of users. In recent years, the availability of higher purity heroin (which is more suitable for inhalation) and the decreases in prices reported in many areas have increased the appeal of heroin for new users who are reluctant to inject. Heroin has also been appearing in more affluent communites (z). According to the NDIA the immediate effects of heroin (the short term), soon after injection (or inhalation), heroin crosses the blood-brain barrier. In the brain, heroin is converted to norphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. Abusers typically report a feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation-a â€Å"rush†. The intensity of the rush is a function oof how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to the natural opioid receptors. Heroin is particularly addictive because it enters the brain so rapidly. With heroin, the rush is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and severe itcing. After the initial effects, abusers usually will be drowsy for several hours. Mental function is clouded by heroin’s effect on the nervous system. Cardiac function slows. Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. Heroin overdose is a particular risk on the street, where the amount and purity of the drug cannot be known. The long term effects of heroin use and the most detrimental is addiction itself. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, and by neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain. Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which are also motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse. As with abusers of any addictive drug, heroin abusers gradually spend more and more time and energy obtaining and using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin abuser’s primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change their brains and their behavior. Physical dependence develops with higher doses of the drug. With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last time the drug is taken. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps (cold turkey), and leg movements. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, some people have shown persistant withdrawal signs for many months. Heroin withdrawal is never fatal to otherwise healthy adults, but it can cause death to the fetus of a pregnant addict. At some point during continuous heroin use, a peson can become addicted to the drug. Sometimes addicted individuals will endure many of the withdrawal symptoms to reduce their tolerance for the drug so that they can again experience the rush. Physical dependence and the emergence of withdrawal symptoms were once believed to be the key features of heroin addiction. We now know this not to be the case entirely, since craving and relapse can occur weeks and months after withdrawal symptoms are long gone. We also know that patients with chronic pain who need opiates to function (sometimes over extended periods) have few if any problems leaving opiates after their pain is resolved by other means. This may be because the patient in pain is simply seeking relief of pain and not the rush sought by the addict. The Medical consequences of chronic heroin injection use include scarred and/or collapsed veins, bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves, abscesses (boils) and other soft –tissue infections, and liver or kidney disease. Lung complications (including various types of pneumonia and tuberculosis) may result from the poor health condition of the abuser as well as from heroin’s depressing effects on respiration. Many of the additives in street heroin may include substances that do not ready dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs. Immune reactions to these or other contaminants can cause arthritis or rheumatologic problems. Ofcourse, sharing of injection equipment or fluids can lead to some of the most severe consequences of heroin abuse-infections with hepatitis B and C, HIV, and a host of other blood-borne viruses, which drug abusers can then pass on to their sexual partners and children.

Development of Womens Rights in Afghanistan

Development of Womens Rights in Afghanistan Progress, Stagnation and Regression A lot needs to be done before the equality of political rhetoric becomes an everyday reality for  women in Afghanistan (Amnesty International UK, 2013). Since the disempowerment of the Taliban, the status of women’s rights has seen  progress, stagnation and even regression. The Bonn Agreement of December 2001, endorsed  the establishment of a â€Å"gender-sensitive† government and laid the groundwork for the  Ministry of Women’s Affairs. In addition to MOWA, the Afghan government also created the  Office of the State Minister for Women and set up a Gender Advisory Group (Sarabi, 2003:  3). Moreover, the Bonn conference endorsed the establishment of the Afghanistan  Independent Human Rights Commission which is, amongst others, responsible for the  advancement of women’s rights. Over the years the Afghan government continued its efforts to promote women’s  rights by adopting its Constitution on January 4, 2004, that incorporates the principle of  equality in article 22 as well as a guaranteed quota for women in the bicameral National  Assembly in article 83 and article 84 (Ballington; Dahlerup, 2006: 253). On October 1st, 2004,  after years of political oppression, women voted in the first democratic elections; over the last  years, women held 27-28 percent of parliamentary seats in the Wolesi Jirga (The World Bank,  2013). These positive developments, however, are not secure. For example, the latest electoral  law has reduced the quota of guaranteed seats for women in provincial assemblies from a  quarter to a fifth (International Crisis Group, 2013: ii). Furthermore, it is often criticized by  feminists from within and outside of Afghanistan that those women who hold a political  mandate are only there to symbolize the Western su ccess, and simultaneously support with  their presence the Western imperialist as well as the Afghan patriarchal oppression, but in fact  have no say in politics (Franks, 2003: 148; Wajika, 2008: 140). An example for this claim is  the report of Malalai Joya, a former assembly women, who was pelted with water bottles by  other male assembly men and threatened by â€Å"Rape her!† calls (Ihlau; Koelbl, 2009: 253)  while delivering a speech in parliament. Another issue is the serious discrepancy between theory and practice, between words  and signatures on paper and effective actions to implement signed conventions and approved  laws. The Afghan government ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of  all Forms of Discrimination against Women in 2003, and adopted the Elimination of Violence  Against Women Law in 2009, what can be described as positive developments. However,  often not all adopted laws are known by judges, prosecutors and lawyers, nor are they always  agreed to, and therefore are not applied. Furthermore, that conservative members of  parliament oppose, for example, the EVAW law, calling it â€Å"un-Islamic† (International Crisis  Group, 2013: ii), is an example of the fundamental incompatibility of article 22 and article 7  (compliance to the UN Charter, inter-state agreements, international treaties to which  Afghanistan has joined, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rig hts) with article 3 (no  law shall contravene the tenets and provisions of the holy religion of Islam) of the Afghan  Constitution. The interpretation of what counts as â€Å"un-Islamic† differs immensely in  Afghanistan. That girls and women now have the right to education and to employment is also a  very positive development. However, statistics show that the proportion of girls who go to  school and university is not only lower than that of boys, but declines with every level of  higher education; less than one in five women in Afghanistan is literate (CSO; UNICEF,  2012: 110). Also the female labor participation rate did not significantly increase over the last  ten years (World Bank, 2014). But with the historical background of women’s rights  violations under the Taliban regime as well as the decades of war in mind, no one can expect  women to suddenly break out of the traditional role allocation between men and women in  Afghanistan. Furthermore, it needs to be pointed out that not all Afghans support the  emancipation of girls and women. Girls’ schools are burned down as a symbol for the fight  between tradition and change (Brieger, 2005: 134). There is a com mon use of â€Å"night letters† – messages of insurgents groups to threat women and girls who go to school or to work, leave  their homes, speak to non-family men, or call radio stations with music requests (ACUNS,  2013: 108). Last year, UN Women condemned the increasing intimidation and targeted  killings of Afghan female government officials and public figures and called for justice (UN  Women, 2013). Moreover, it has to be mentioned, that in 2011 Afghanistan was named â€Å"the  most dangerous country for a women to live in†, because of high levels of violence, poor  healthcare and poverty (BBC, 2011). Especially domestic violence against women is a  problem that has become a regular feature of almost all households, and that shapes every  aspect of women’s and girls’ lives – their health, their livelihoods, their access to social and  cultural resources, and their educational opportunities (Global Rights Partners for J ustice,  2008: 1). Besides, many cases are not reported to the police nor prosecuted. The continuing  practice of child marriages and forced marriages is one of those forms of violence against  women and girls. Although getting reliable data is difficult, it is estimated that 60-80 per cent  of all marriages in Afghanistan are forced (UNFPA, 2012). All in all it can be said that there are improvements of the situation of women and girls  in Afghanistan. However, the level of progress differs between the regions of the country,  urban and rural areas, and between those districts where ISAF troops are present and those  where they are not. In a country where the emancipation of women has always been a  controversial issue (there have been multiple efforts to establish women’s rights in  Afghanistan from above in the past one hundred years – see AmÄ nullÄ h KhÄ n, Mohammed  Zahir Shah, Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan, or the PDPA) a change of the status of women  in society is a long-term process. After thirteen years of intervention in Afghanistan, the IC  has to recognize that fact and has to admit that a lot of mistakes were made. In their article  Schwere strategische Fehler des Westens, Mariam Notten and Ute Scheub cited the survey of  the Afghan author Lina Abirafeh about the counterproductive gender-strategy of the West. Abirafeh criticizes different circumstances that led to the partial failure of Western attempts to  establish gender equality in Afghanistan. Amongst others, she mentions the fact that many  Afghan women feel like their own wishes of a self-determined life are not heard by the IC,  but rather ignored. The stigmatization of Afghan women as victims and not as active members  of the Afghan society is considered to be problematic. The result of this treatment is that there  is resistance against the Western efforts to enhance women’s rights in Afghanistan (Notten;  Scheub, 2009: 34). The IC has to recognize that it is not only necessary to establish a legal  framework for the implementation of women’s rights, but that the volition to actually live in a  community where men and women are equal has to come from within society. Therefore it is  important, for instance, to support NGOs in their grass-roots work. Also in the future.

Juvenile Stats On Crime :: essays research papers

40% of all residential burglary charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles -- up from 9% in 1996. 28% of all non-residential burglary charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles -- up from 5% in 1996. 29% of all Residential Entry charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles -- up from 18% in 1996. 19% of all Theft charges and 18% of all Receiving Stolen Property charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles -- down from 22% (Theft) and up from 6% (Receiving) in 1996. 18% of all Auto Theft charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles -- up from 6% in 1996. 16% of all Criminal Conversion charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles. 37% of all Child Molesting charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles. 25% of all Handgun Violation charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles. 12% of all Marijuana Possession charges filed in 1997 were committed by juveniles. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Secure Detention Costs The per diem costs to Morgan County of placing juvenile delinquent offenders in the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Facility decreased in 1997, as compared to 1996. According to the weekly detention statistics maintained by the Morgan Superior Court No. 2, the total costs of secure detention of juvenile delinquent offenders in 1997 was approximately $179,900.00 (average cost: $3459.00 per week). By comparison, the total costs of secure detention of juvenile delinquent offenders in 1996 was approximately $214,686.00 (average cost: $4128.00 per week). Juvenile Probation Supervision Stats As of January 1, 1997, 154 juvenile delinquency cases were under supervision by the Juvenile Probation officers of Morgan County. During 1997, 302 new probation cases were referred to probation supervision; of that total, 164 Delinquents and Status offenders were placed under formal probation supervision, and 125 Delinquents and Status offenders were placed under informal probation adjustment and supervision. Also during 1997, 246 probation cases were completed and closed. As of December 31, 1997, 210 juvenile delinquency cases were open and under supervision by the Juvenile Probation officers. Here is a table summarizing Juvenile Delinquency Probation Cases supervisions for 1997: Total Supervisions Pending on 1/1/97 154 Total Supervisions Opened during 1997 302 Formal Probation - Delinquents 101 Formal Probation - Status Delinquents 63 Informal Adjustment - Delinquents 54 Informal Adjustment - Status Delinquents 71 Transfers in: Intra/Inter State 2 Supervisions Completed/Closed during 1997 246 Supervisions Pending on 12/31/97 210 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Waiver of Jurisdiction in Juvenile Delinquency Cases to Adult Court

DNA †Genetically modified food Essay

Virtually every crop we eat have undergone hundreds of years of genetic modification by farmers and scientist in search of desirable traits. Selective breeding and hybrid strains have contributed immeasurably to farm productivity during this time. Over the past 30 years however, genetic engineering has been revolutionized. While before, a farmer wanting to develop a frost resistant tomato would be able to breed towards one only if the necessary genes were available somewhere in tomatoes or a near relative to tomatoes, modern biological engineering techniques overcome such restrictions. Genetic traits from outside a species’ gene pool, in the tomato’s case from an arctic fish, can be spliced into the organism to create an entirely different species, a transgenic organism with the typical traits of a tomato and frost resistance from a fish. The most widely used method of gene splicing, recombinant DNA, uses biochemical â€Å"scissors† called restriction enzymes to cut the strings of DNA, selecting required genes. These are then â€Å"ferried† by a virus or a bacterium that infects the host, smuggling the gene into the plant’s DNA. In this way scientists have been able to create slow ripening and seedless fruit, crops that grow in unfavourable conditions and are resistant to disease or herbicides and milk from cows given a genetically engineered growth hormone. The benefits of gene technology in terms of food production are enormous. The most common genetically engineered crops contain modifications that make the plants resistant to certain diseases and herbicides, or allow them to produce their own pesticides, thereby eliminating or reducing the need to spray. So-called â€Å"Bt corn,† for example, contains a gene resistant to the harmful mycotoxin fungus and herbicide producers, Monsanto have created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be unaffected by their product Roundup. The soybean farmer therefore can avoid targeting specific weeds and require just one application of a general weed-killer, reducing costs and agricultural waste run-off. Genetically modified crops are also being adapted to grow in salty, dry or frosty environments, contain edible vaccines, have a longer shelf life and be more nutritious. A group of Swiss and German scientists recently developed a strain of GM rice know as ? golden rice’ due to its altered colour. Containing genes that produce a unusually high amount of beta-carotene (vitamin A), this rice could be a solution to the thousands of poor children in Asia who eat little but rice and go blind or die from lack of vitamin A Public reaction to the use of recombinant DNA in genetic engineering however has been mixed. Sliding US export commodities such as genetically modified soybeans and corn have highlighted hardened public opinion and widespread resistance to biotech crops, especially in the European Union. Concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: economics, environmental hazards and human health risks. The latter two have been the subject of hot debate, both in Australia and overseas. Environmental damage from GM crops can be caused through various channels. One of the main concerns has been the possibility of gene transfer to a non-target species, that is crops engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds cross-breeding, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance to create ? superweeds’. In addition, environmentalists fear that transgenic plants may proliferate rapidly, pollinating natural plants in their surroundings eliminating existing species. Further environmental suspicions include those of unintended harm to other organisms (especially non-target insects) and of the reduced effectiveness of pesticides once insects become tolerant to a crop’s natural pesticide. Questions have also been raised on the human impact of genetically modified organisms. Critics of recombinant DNA fear that the pathogenic, or disease-producing organisms used in some recombinant DNA experiments might develop extremely infectious forms that could cause worldwide epidemics. Likewise, the unknown effect of foreign genes introduced into GM food crops in terms of human health also presents a controversial issue. Furthermore, there is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans in order to increase their nutritional value was abandoned when it was found that the genetically engineered soybeans caused an allergic reaction in people sensitive to Brazil nuts. For these reasons, extensive testing and labelling of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Biotechnology has started to revolutionise food production, with fantastic results. With the world population of 6 billion expected to double in the next 50 years and an adequate food supply becoming a major challenge it will no doubt continue to do so in the future.

Imperialism in Africa and India

Section 1: A Scramble For Africa †¢ European nations needed to fuel industrial production †¢ Competed for new markets for goods and took huge interest in Africa †¢ Imperialism- Seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country o Occurred throughout most of Africa o Europe came in and dominated †¢ Mid 1800’s Africans divided into ethnic and linguistic groups †¢ Some converted to Islam and Christianity †¢ Most kept traditions and religion For 400 years African army able to keep Europeans out †¢ Until late 1800’s Europe only dominated coast of Africa †¢ Couldn’t navigate rivers †¢ Disease also kept them out †¢ Specialized trade networks †¢ Introduction of steam powered river boats allowed Europeans to dominate more of Africa’s interior †¢ Those who did get in were against slave trade †¢ People learned about Africa through their publications The Congo Sparks Interest: †¢ Dr. David Livi ngstone traveled with group of Africans into deep Africa to promote Christianity †¢ Several years past and people thought he was dead Henry Stanley went to find him and succeeded †¢ Stanley wanted to trace course of Congo River †¢ In 1879 and 1882 Stanley signed treaties with local chiefs of the Congo River Valley †¢ Gave King Leopold II of Belgium control of these lands †¢ Leopold II claimed wanted to abolish slave trade and promote Christianity †¢ Brutally exploited Africans by forcing them to collect sap from rubber plants †¢ About 10 million Africans died due to abuse In 1908 Belgian govt. took control of Congo away from king †¢ Congo 80x larger than Belgium †¢ This alarmed France because they had signed treated that gave them control of north bank of Congo †¢ Soon More European and Latin American countries began to claim parts of Africa Forces Driving Imperialism †¢ Industrial Revolution drove European countries to obtain m ore land †¢ European countries searched for more markets Europeans viewed themselves as the greatest nation and race †¢ Racism- the belief that one race is superior to others †¢ Social Darwinism- theory that those who were fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were superior to others †¢ Non-Europeans on lower scale of cultural and physical development because didn’t make technological progress †¢ Europeans thought was their job to bring advancements to other countries †¢ European missionaries sought to convert lands to Christianity †¢ Hoped Christianity would bring end to evil practices like slave trade †¢ Also wanted to civilize landsFactors promoting Imperialism in Africa: †¢ European’s technological superiority †¢ Europeans had guns †¢ Europeans had steam engines that allowed them to control deep Africa †¢ Europeans had railroads, cables, and steamships that allowed them to communicate within colony and to controlling nation †¢ Drug quinine prevented Europeans from catching diseases †¢ Africa wasn’t unified due to diversity and wars fought between different ethnic groups Divison of Africa: †¢ Discoveries of diamonds and gold in south Africa increased European’s interest in conquering Africa †¢ All European countries became part of raceBerlin conference divides Africa: †¢ Berlin Conference- 14 European nations who met to lay down rules for the division of Africa †¢ Competition between European countries †¢ Any country could conquer land but had to notify other European countries †¢ How Africans felt about it wasn’t a factor †¢ Didn’t pay attention to how ethnic and linguistic groups in Africa were distributed †¢ By 1914 only Liberia and Ethiopia were free from European control Demand for Raw Materials Shapes Colonies: †¢ During colonization Europeans believed Africans would buy their goods †¢ Only few Africans did this Businesses still needed raw materials †¢ Greatest wealth obtained from Africa was large mineral sources †¢ Congo contained copper and tin †¢ This nothing compared to diamonds and gold in south Africa †¢ Developed cash crop: peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber †¢ Replaced food crops needed by farmers to feed families Three Groups Clash over South Africa: †¢ Zulu chief, Shaka used highly disciplined warriors and good military organization to create large centralized state †¢ Shaka’s successors unable to keep control †¢ Zulu nation eventually fell to British controlBoers and British Settle in the Cape: †¢ Boers- Dutch settlers (Boer=farmer in Dutch) who took African’s land and established large farms †¢ When British took control of Cape Colony there was clash over British policy of slaves and land †¢ Boers moved north in Great Trek to escape from British †¢ Started fighting fie rcely with Zulu and other African groups whose land was getting taken †¢ When Diamonds and gold found in south Africa Boers tried to keep outsiders from gaining political rights †¢ British tried to rebel against Boers and failed Boers rose against British in Boer war †¢ The war was brutal (no mercy) †¢ Many black southern Africans also participated †¢ Many were captured and put in British concentration camps †¢ Britain won war †¢ Europeans made efforts to change political, social and economic lives of people they conquered Section 2: Imperialism: †¢ Imperialism of 18th and 19th century different than previous imperialism †¢ Europeans demanded more influence over all aspects of African lives †¢ Determined to shape economies to help benefit European economies †¢ Wanted people to adopt European customsForms of Control: †¢ 4 types: o Colony- a country or territory governed internally by a foreign power o Protectorate- A country or territory with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power o Sphere of influence- an area in which and outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges o Economic imperialism- an independent but less developed country controlled by private business interests rather than other govts. †¢ Also had direct and indirect control †¢ Britain and U. S. preferred indirect France and most other European nations preferred direct †¢ Indirect control: o Relied on existing political rulers o Rulers adopted British Authority o Rulers handled much of daily management of colony o Each colony had legislative council: ? Colonial officials ? Local merchants ? Professionals ? Colonial governor †¢ Direct Control: †¢ French and other European didn’t think Africans could run country †¢ Paternalism- the idea that the people in authority restrict freedoms to their subordinates for the subordinates’ good †¢ Gave them n eeds but not rights Europeans brought in own bureaucrats †¢ Didn’t train Africans in European methods of govt. †¢ Assimilation- the idea that the local population would adopt the superior culture in order to become more like them †¢ Africans adopted French culture †¢ All schools, courts, and businesses patterned after French institutions †¢ In practice idea of assimilation abandoned †¢ French resided to indirect control †¢ Recognized African culture but saw it as inferior |Indirect Control |Direct control | |Local govt. fficials used: |Foreign officials brought in to rule | |Limited self-rule |No self rule | |Goal: to develop future leaders |Goal: assimilation | |Govt. institutions based on European styles but may have |Govt. institutions are based only on European styles | |local rules | |A British Colony: †¢ Britain gained control of southern Nigeria †¢ Some local rulers agreed to sign treaties of protection and accept British r esidents †¢ Others opposed intervention and rebelled against it †¢ British defeated rebellions †¢ Royal Niger Comp. gained control of palm oil trade over Niger River Delta †¢ In 1914 British claimed entire Nigeria as colony Managing the Colony: †¢ Nigeria culturally diverse †¢ Three main groups were: o Hausa-Fulani: ? Muslim ? Had strong central govt. o Yoruba Followed traditional religion ? Relied on chiefs for control o Igbo ? Same as Yoruba †¢ Didn’t have enough British troops to govern such complex area †¢ British resided to indirect control †¢ Worked well with Hausa-Fulani but not with other two groups †¢ Local chiefs of Yoruba and Igbo resented limited power African Resistance: †¢ Africans resisted European attempts to colonize †¢ But Europeans had more advanced weaponry †¢ Therefore, Africans didn’t succeed in most cases Unsuccessful Movements: There was resistance and resistance through religious movements †¢ Algeria’s almost 50 year resistance against France †¢ West Africa’s Samori Toure’s 16 year resistance against France †¢ African villagers resisted Germans in spiritual defense o Believed magic water would turn German’s bullets to water o 20 groups came together and fought against Germans o Fighters believed God and their ancestors would return to life and assist them o Over 75,000 Africans died o Twice that many Africans died in famine to follow o Germans shocked and passed some reformsEthiopia: A successful Resistance †¢ Only African nation that successfully resisted Europeans †¢ Menelik II- became emperor of Ethiopia in 1889 †¢ Successfully played Italians, French, and British against each other †¢ Built up large arsenal of modern weapons he purchased from Russia and France †¢ Menelik II signed treaty with Italy while Italians were invading the country †¢ Menelik II declared war in 1896 †¢ B attle of Adowa was largest battle in history of Africa †¢ Ethiopians won and kept independence Legacy of Colonial Rule: †¢ Negative effects: Africans lost control of land and independence o Lost many people to disease and rebellion o Famine o Breakdown of traditional culture o Traditional authorities replaced o Homes and properties transferred o People lost jobs o Identity issues o Division of Africa o Unnaturally divided groups o No Unity †¢ Positive Effects: o Local warfare reduced o Sanitation improved o Hospitals o Schools o Lifespans increased o Literacy increased o Economic expansion o Railroads, dams, telephone, telegraph lines built in Africa o However, this only really benefited the EuropeansSection 4: British Imperialism in India: †¢ Area controlled by East India Company grew overtime †¢ Both directly and indirectly governed southern India, Bangladesh, and territory along Ganges River in north †¢ British govt. regulated East India company â₠¬ ¢ Company ruled India without British interference until 19th century †¢ Had own army with British officers †¢ Sepoys- Indian soldiers †¢ Army was dangerous because could easily turn against British Britain’s â€Å"Jewel in the Crown†: †¢ Industrial revolution turned Britain into world’s workshop †¢ India supplied Britain with many raw supplies India’s 3,000,000 people also large potential market for British made goods †¢ India was â€Å"brightest jewel in crown† because it was the most valuable of all Britain’s colonies †¢ British made restrictions that prevented Indian economy from operating on its own †¢ Indians could only produce raw materials for Britain †¢ Indians were not allowed to compete with Britain British Transport Trade Goods: †¢ Railroad system built in India †¢ India became more valuable †¢ Most of raw materials transported included: o Tea o Indigo o Coffee o Cotto n Jute o Opium †¢ Sold trade opium for tea from China †¢ Sold tea in England Impact of Colonialism: Negative impact on India: †¢ British held most of economical and political power †¢ British restricted Indian owned industries †¢ Many villagers couldn’t be self sufficient due to emphasis on cash crop †¢ Food production reduced †¢ Famine †¢ Racism †¢ Forced conversion to Christianity Positive impact on India: †¢ Had world’s third largest railroad system †¢ Railroad system united brought modern economy that India †¢ Sanitation and public health improved India modernized by railroads, telephones, telegraphs, dams, bridges, irrigation canals †¢ Schools and collages founded †¢ Literacy increased †¢ Idea cleared of bandits †¢ Local welfare amongst competing rulers The Sepoy Mutiny: †¢ British controlled most of India †¢ Believed British were trying to convert Indians to Christianity â⠂¬ ¢ There was so much racism †¢ Nationalist idea emerged †¢ The Indians decided to rebel †¢ Gossip spread amongst sepoys that the cartridges of their new rifles were greased with beef and pork fat †¢ To use cartridges Indians had to bite off ends Cows were sacred to them and Muslims didn’t eat pork so they were very angered †¢ Soldiers who refused cartilages were imprisoned †¢ Next day they rebelled †¢ Sepoy Munity- rebellion of the Indian soldiers †¢ Uprising spread from Delhi to much of northern India †¢ British and sepoys tried to slaughter each others armies †¢ Took company more than a year to regain control of country †¢ Indians couldn’t unite against British due to weak leadership and conflict between Hindus and Muslims †¢ Hindus preferred British rule over Muslim ruleTurning Point: †¢ After munity Britain took direct control over India †¢ Raj- British rule after India came under British crown during reign of Queen Victoria †¢ To reward many princes who stayed loyal to company during munity, Britain promised to respect all treaties they had with them †¢ Also promised that Indian states that were still free would remain independent †¢ Regardless, British gained control of free states unofficially †¢ Munity fueled racist attitudes of British Munity increased distrust between Indians and British †¢ Hindus and Muslims felt they were being ruined under British rule Nationalism Surfaces in India: †¢ In early 1800’s some Indians began demanding modernization †¢ Ram Mohum Roy, a modern thinking, well educated Indian began campaign to move away from traditional Indian practices †¢ Ram Mohum Roy believed that if practices weren’t changed India would continue to be controlled by outsiders †¢ Ram Mohum Roy’s writings inspired other Indians to press for social reforms and adopt western ways †¢ Nationalist feelings also began to surface in India Indians hated system that made them second class citizens in own country †¢ Made much less money than British workers Nationalist groups form: †¢ 2 nationalist groups formed: o Indian National Congress in 1885 o Muslim League in 1906 ? Focused on Indian’s concerns ? Wanted self government ? Divided in to Hindu and Muslim section ? Separation made it hard for them to unite in calling for independence ? In 1911 British regained control and divided them differently †¢ Conflict over Indian control continued to develop between Indians and British Key Terms: Imperialism- Seizure of a country or territory by a stronger country †¢ African goods: copper, tin, gold, diamonds, rubber, cocoa, palm oil, and peanuts †¢ Racism- the belief that one race is superior to others †¢ Social Darwinism- theory that those who were fittest for survival enjoyed wealth and success and were superior to others †¢ Berlin Conference- 14 Euro pean nations who met to lay down rules for the division of Africa †¢ Shaka- was a Zulu chief used highly disciplined warriors and good military organization to create large centralized state in South Africa.His successors weren’t as successful †¢ Boers- Dutch settlers (Boer=farmer in Dutch) who took African’s land and established large farms †¢ Boer War- War between British and Boers over land and minerals in which British won †¢ Colony- a country or territory governed internally by a foreign power †¢ Protectorate- A country or territory with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power †¢ Sphere of influence- an area in which and outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges †¢ Economic imperialism- an independent but less developed country controlled by private business interests rather than other govts. |Indirect Control |Direct control | |Local govt. officials used: Foreign officials bro ught in to rule | |Limited self-rule |No self rule | |Goal: to develop future leaders |Goal: assimilation | |Govt. institutions based on European styles but may have |Govt. institutions are based only on European styles | |local rules | | †¢ India was â€Å"brightest jewel in crown† because it was the most valuable of all Britain’s colonies †¢ Indian goods: Tea, Indigo, Coffee, Cotton, Jute, and Opium †¢ Menelik II- became emperor of Ethiopia in 1889.He was the only one who was successful at preventing his state (Ethiopia) from being conquered. †¢ Sepoys- Indian soldiers †¢ Sepoy Munity- rebellion of the Indian soldiers †¢ Raj- British rule after India came under British crown during reign of Queen Victoria †¢ Ram Mohum Roy- a modern thinking, well educated Indian began campaign to move away from traditional Indian practices and bring nationalism †¢ Paternalism- the idea that the people in authority restrict freedoms to their sub ordinates for the subordinates’ good †¢ Assimilation- the idea that the local population would adopt the superior culture in order to become more like them †¢

LV & UV GCSE French Oral Examination Essay

There are four broad areas of questions for the general conversation section of the oral examination. These are listed below: 1. Lifestyle 2. Leisure 3. Home and environment 4. Work and education Amusez-vous bien et bon courage! Lifestyle Health 1. Qu’est-ce que tu aimes manger et boire? (State what you like to eat & drink & why, mention things you don’t like to eat & drink & why, what did you eat & drink yesterday, what is your favourite food/drink & why, is it healthy.) 2. Qu’est-ce que tu fais pour rester en forme? (Mention things you do to stay fit – what you eat & drink & how regularly, what sport/exercise you do, what you could do more of.) 3. Qu’est-ce qui n’est pas trà ¨s bon pour la santà ©? (Mention things which are not so healthy – e.g. smoking, alcohol, drugs, no exercise, do you do any of these things, how often, how could you be healthier.) 4. Qui fait la cuisine chez toi? Tu aimes bien cuisiner ? Tu le fais souvent? (State who normally does the cooking in your house, is the food good/healthy, how often do you cook, what can you cook, what did you make the last time you cooked, how was it?) Relationships and Choices 1. Quel à ¢ge as-tu? Quelle est la date de ton anniversaire? (State age, when your birthday is, how you celebrated your last birthday, what presents you received, what you would like to do for your next birthday.) 2. Quel genre de personne es-tu? (Describe what you look like, what your personality is like, what you like and don’t like doing and why.) 3. Dis-moi quelque chose au sujet de ta famille. (Talk about your brothers, sisters, parents – physical appearance, personality, what you like and don’t like doing with them and why, how well you get on with them all and why, what you did last weekend with them.) 4. Est-ce que tu as des animaux domestiques? (Discuss what your pet is, its name, age, how well you get on with it, whether you would like another or a new pet, who looks after/feeds the pet. If you don’t have any pet, say why and whether you would like a pet and why) 5. Dà ©cris ta meilleure amie. (Describe your best friend – physical appearance, personality, why she is your best friend, how long you have known her, what you did with her last week, how it was, what you plan to do with her next week.) 6. Dà ©cris l’homme de tes rà ªves ! (Describe what your dream partner would be like – physical appearance, personality, why he would be your dream partner, what is important for you in a dream partner and why.) 7. Est-ce que tu voudrais te marier et avoir des enfants à   l’avenir? (State whether you would like to get married and have children in the future and why or why not. Why is marriage important to you, what type of mother and wife would you like to be.) 8. Tu touches combien d’argent de poche? (State how much pocket money you get, from whom and how often, is this enough – why or why not, what you normally spend your pocket money on, what you bought last week, how much you save, what you are saving for, whether you would prefer to have a part-time job or simply receive pocket money, and why.) 9. Tes parents sont-ils sà ©và ¨res? Pourquoi (pas)? (A continuation of discussing how you get on with your parents – state what you have to do at home, what you are allowed and not allowed to do, whether you think this is fair or not, how would you like to improve your relationship with your parents.) Leisure Free time and the Media 1. Qu’est-ce que tu aimes faire pendant ton temps libre? (Mention three things you like doing in your spare time – e.g. shopping, music, sport, cinema etc, state how often you do this and with whom, say why you like these activities, say what you like to do in good/bad weather, in summer/winter.) 2. Qu’est-ce que tu n’aimes pas faire pendant ton temps libre? (State three things you don’t like doing in your spare time and why, mention something you did last week which you did not enjoy and why.) 3. Est-ce que tu aimerais essayer un nouveau passe-temps ? Pourquoi ? (Mention a new hobby you would like to try out and why, mention also one you wouldn’t want to try out and why.) 4. Tu regardes souvent la tà ©là ©? Quelle est ton à ©mission prà ©fà ©rà ©e ? (State how often you watch TV – in the week and at the weekend, with whom you watch TV, what you saw on TV yesterday, what your favourite programme is, why, describe what type of programme it is and what usually happens, state what you don’t like on TV and why.) 5. Tu vas souvent au cinà ©ma? Parle-moi du dernier film que tu as vu. (State how often and with whom you go to the cinema, what are your favourite types of film and why, describe a film which you went to see recently, what happened, who the actors were, why you liked or disliked it, to whom you would recommend this film.) 6. Aimes-tu lire? Quel type de livres aimes-tu lire? Quel est ton livre prà ©fà ©rà ©? Pourquoi ? (State how often you like to read and which types of book, talk about your favourite book – title, author, what happens, why you like it, what you would like to read in the future and why.) 7. Qu’est-ce que tu as fait le weekend dernier pendant ton temps libre? (Talk about two activities you did last weekend – what, where, with whom, how much it cost, what the weather was like, whether you enjoyed it or not.) 8. Qu’est-ce que tu vas faire le weekend prochain? (Talk about a couple of things you will do next weekend – what, with whom, where, whether you’re looking forward to it & why.) 9. Comment sont les magasins prà ¨s de chez toi? (Describe what the shopping options in your area are like, how far do you live from the shops, how you travel there, favourite types of shops and why, what you bought the last time you went shopping, is it better to travel to London for shopping, why.) 10. Tu touches combien d’argent de poche? (State how much pocket money you get, from whom and how often, is this enough – why or why not, what you normally spend your pocket money on, what you bought last week, how much you save, what you are saving for, whether you would prefer to have a part-time job or simply receive pocket money, and why.) 11. Est-ce que tu utilises beaucoup internet ? (Talk about how often you use the internet and what for, e.g. for homework, to write to friends and family, to listen to music and watch programmes) 12. Est-ce que tu as un tà ©là ©phone portable ? (Explain if you have a mobile phone and how often you use it. You could also talk about whether you pay for the bill or whether your parents do. Is it fair ?) 13. Est-ce que les nouvelles technologies peuvent à ªtre dangereuses ? (Talk about the possible dangers of the new techonologies, particularly the internet, but also of their benefits, e.g. the advantages of having a mobile phone) Holidays 1. Qu’est-ce que tu as fait pendant les dernià ¨res grandes vacances? (State where and with whom you went, how you travelled, where you stayed, what the accommodation was like, what you did during the day, what you ate and drank, whether you liked it, what the weather was like, mention one thing you didn’t like and why, what the people were like, whether you want to return next year.) 2. Que fais-tu normalement pendant les vacances de Noà «l? (State what you normally do in the Christmas holidays, where you go, or whether you stay at home, whom you visit, what you do, what you eat and drink, which presents you received last year, what the weather is normally like, what you would like to do in the next winter holidays.) 3. Oà ¹ iras-tu pendant les prochaines vacances? (State where you will go and why, with whom, where you will stay, what you will eat and drink, what the weather will be like, what you hope to do in the day and in the evening, how long you will stay, whether you are looking forward to it.) 4. Es-tu dà ©jà   allà ©e en France? (State whether you have been to France – e.g. Vallà ©e de la Loire, say if you liked it and why, say where you went, what you did, what the weather was like, what the food and drink were like, whether you would like to return, what the people were like, say what the main differences between France and England are for you.) 5. Que peuvent faire les touristes dans ta rà ©gion? (State whether your area is good for tourists or not, list three things tourists can do, what the transport is like, what the accommodation is like, what the weather is like in the summer, what one can do in the evening, whether there are any good restaurants in the area, which sights you’ve visited in the area, whether you would recommend the area to tourists.) 6. Est-ce que tu prà ©fà ¨res partir en vacances en famille ou avec des amis? Pourquoi ? (Explain why you prefer going on holiday with your parents or friends. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both options. Explain whether there are any drawbacks when going on holiday with friends. Talk about a previous experience.) Home and Environment Home and Local Area 1. Oà ¹ habites-tu? Oà ¹ se trouve cette ville/ce village? (State where you live and where it is situated, say what type of town/village it is, say why you like or dislike living there, say what is nearby, what is good for tourists, what the weather is like in summer and winter.) 2. Dà ©cris-moi ta maison. (Describe what type of house you live in and where in the town/village it is situated, how long you have lived there, list some of the rooms upstairs & downstairs, say if you have a favourite room and why, describe the furniture in your bedroom and whether you like it, describe the garden and what you like to do there. Say where you used to live when you were younger and which one you prefer) 3. Oà ¹ aimerais-tu habiter plus tard? Pourquoi ? (State where you would most like to live and why, what there is to do there, what the weather is like, whether you prefer living in a town or in the country and why, what is there to do there at night, say why you would or wouldn’t want to live abroad.) 4. Tu vas souvent dans le centre de Londres? (Say how far you live from London, how often you go there, what there is to do there, how you travel there, what you did the last time you went to London, say one thing you dislike about London and why.) 5. Qu’est-ce que tu fais d’habitude pour Noà «l/Pà ¢ques à   la maison? (State what you normally do at Easter/Christmas at home, who visits, what you eat & drink, what you did last Easter/Christmas, presents, what would you like to do at Easter/Christmas next year?) Environment 1. Quels sont les problà ¨mes d’environnement dans ta rà ©gion et dans le monde? (List some of the environmental problems in your area and state why the environment is important to you, mention some of the environmental improvements in your area and around the world.) 2. Que peut-on faire pour protà ©ger l’environnement? Que faites-vous dans ta famille pour protà ©ger l’environnement ? (Mention several ways in which one can help the environment, state what you personally and your family do to help the environment, mention one thing you did last week to help, suggest a way in which your area could be more environmentally-friendly. Explain what would happen if we didn’t do something soon.) Work and Education School and Future Plans 1. Parle-moi de ton à ©cole. (Describe your school in every aspect – name, location, number of pupils, staff, private girls’ school, times of the school day, activities at lunchtime, what the school food is like, sports’ facilities, what you like & dislike about your school.) 2. Qu’est-ce que tu à ©tudies comme matià ¨res? (Mention some of the subjects you’re learning, say why you like & dislike some, say if you have a favourite lesson & why, are there other subjects you would like to learn?) 3. Parle-moi de ton uniforme scolaire. (State what your school uniform is, do you like it, would you prefer to have no school uniform, is uniform sometimes good?) 4. Qu’est-ce que tu as l’intention d’à ©tudier l’annà ©e prochaine pour le bac? (State which subjects you would like to learn next year and why, will you stay at this school or move somewhere else, state which subjects you would not like to learn next year & why.) 5. Est-ce que tu trouves l’à ©cole stressante? (Talk about what makes life at school stressful. You could mention the amount of homework that you receive everyday, the number of tests that you have and how difficult the exams are. You could talk about how easy life used to be like in primary school) 6. Comment pourrait-on amà ©liorer ton à ©cole? (Make a couple of suggestions as to how your school could be improved – e.g. having boys, no school uniform, better food/facilities etc.) 7. Est-ce que tu veux faire des à ©tudes à   l’università ©? (State whether you would like to go to university, where, to study what, why, or why you don’t know yet.) Current and Future jobs 1. Est-ce que tu as un petit boulot? Est-ce que tu voudrais en avoir un? (State whether you have a part-time job, what you do, where you work, how much you earn, do you like it, why, what you spend you money on, or say whether you would like a part-time job, doing what, earning how much, how you go about looking for work) 2. Qu’est-ce que tu voudrais faire comme mà ©tier plus tard? Pourquoi? (State what you would like to do career-wise, type of job, how much money you would like to earn, would you like to live/work abroad, why this is a good choice for you, what is your dream job & why.) 3. Quels sont les avantages et les inconvà ©nients des diffà ©rents metiers? (Talk about 2 or 3 different professions that you may find interesting and discuss their advantages and drawbacks)