Mysql Case Study Essays

Mysql Case Study Essays Mysql Case Study Essay Mysql Case Study Essay MySQL 1. What was the business model of MySQL? Orignal Business model Originally, MySQL collected one time licensing revenues from original equipment manufacturers (OEM) businesses. These were businesses that redistributed MySQL embedded into their own products as in a standalone application. This was based on the dual license model for open source database. In the dual license model, software is available both under a General public license (GPL) , usually for non commercial end users, and under a commercial license for non GPL’ed redistribution. Example: As an example, MySQL firm makes MySQL available under the GPL at no charge, but sells it under other more traditional licenses to clients who do not find the GPL to be ideal for their purposes, such as inclusion of MySQL AB technology in a closed source product. A disadvantage of this model was that it did not generate significant revenues from end users. Hence inspite of a huge 33% market share, MySQL revenue share was l ess than 1% MySQL Network – New business model In early 2005, MySQL network was introduced. It is a subscription service that provides updates, alerts, notifications, knowledge base and production level support, that makes it possible for companies to easily manage hundreds or thousands of MySQL servers. This business model was growth focused and aimed at increasing revenues much higher than from OEM businesses. However, it lead to increased customer expectations as they were being charged for the first time. 2. What challenges they faced to remain sustainable? Low revenue business model: MySQL needed to find a healthy ratio between paying and nonpaying customers. It had low revenues inspite of a 33% market share. This was equivalent to trading off a larger community against faster sales growth which was imperative to support the increased investments in infrastructure new recruits. Competitors’ strategies: IBM, Microsoft Oracle had each lowered their database prices and created low end bundles aimed at smaller organizations and partners. In October 2005, Oracle released a free yet proprietary low-end version of its acclaimed database. Microsoft had already offered a zero-price product for a long time, Sysbase, since 2004. Oracle had acquired the two main transactional engines that MySQL could have used, namely Innobase and its replacement Sleepycat. In a way it gave Oracle some control as a partner with MySQL. Increasing competition: New open source database startups such as db4o leveraged open source community for development, marketing and sales and hence enjoyed an extremely low cost structure. This enabled them to expand their customer base in enterprise domain. Some closed source databases became open source. Eg: Cloudscape from IBM. This further increased the competition. 3. What is the current status of MySQL? MySQL status in 2006: Though it had 8 million active installations and 50,000 downloads per day, only 1 in 1000 productive installations ended up as paid MySQL customer. In April 2006, Oracle renewed the contract between InnoBase and MySQL in a multi year agreement, effectively becoming a MySQL partner. Mickos sees growth opportunities and plans to raise sales upto $ 100 million and to go public by 2008. Oracle clearly recognizes MySQL as its competitor though battle lines are a bit blurry in MySQL camp. CEO Mickos looks at Oracle as too big to be considered as a competitor while EVP of Sales, Burton, sees them as competitor only in select markets like Large Enterprise category. MySQL status in 2009: Sun Microsystems bought over MySQL in Jan 2008 and in April 2009, Oracle announced its plans for overtaking Sun. The deal was ratified in Aug 2009. In essence, MySQL is now owned by Oracle.

AP English Literature Multiple Choice Complete Expert Guide

AP English Literature Multiple Choice Complete Expert Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Does the thought of spending an hour answering multiple-choice questions on complex prose and poetry passages strike fear into your heart? The challenge of the AP Literature multiple-choice is enough togive even the most adept reader hives, but don't stress! This guide will serve as your complete roadmap to success on the AP English Literature and Composition multiple-choice section. First, we’ll go over what the multiple-choice section looks like- the nuts and bolts. Then, I’ll reveal the eight types of multiple-choice questions you can expect to encounter, and how to succeed on them. Next will come study tips, multiple-choice practice resources, and finally things to remember for test-day success! AP Literature Multiple-Choice Section Overview AP English Literature and Composition section one is the multiple-choice section. You’ll have 60 minutes to answer 55 questions about four-five literary prose and poetry passages. The date of composition of the passages could range from the 16th to the 21th century, however, you generally won’t be provided with the author, date, or title for any passages (poetry being an occasional exception with respect to title). Most passages come from works originally written in English, although there might occasionally be a translated passage from a notable literary work in a foreign language. The multiple-choice section is worth 45% of your total exam score. You receive a point for each correctly answered question. Since there’s no penalty for guessing on this exam, you should answer every multiple-choice question, even if you have to guess. However, you should only guess after you eliminate any answers you know are wrong.That’s the general overview. But what kinds of questions can you expect to see? The 8 Types of Multiple-Choice AP Lit Questions There are eight question types you may encounter on the AP Lit exam. In this section, I’ll go over each question type and how to answer it. All questions are taken from the sample questions in the â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description.† Passages for these questions are available there as well. 1. Reading Comprehension Reading comprehension questions test whether you understood what the passage was saying on a literal, concrete level. You don’t need to flex your interpretation or analysis muscles here- just report what the passage is saying. You can spot these questions because they usually use words and phrases like â€Å"according to,† â€Å"asserting,† and â€Å"mentioned.† The best strategy for these questions is to go back and re-read the portion of the text associated with the question to make absolutely sure that you are reading it correctly. You may need to read a little before and/or after the moment mentioned to orient yourself and find the most correct answer. Example: Explanation: The lines the passage is referring to say, â€Å"Spare us all word of the weapons, their force and range / The long numbers that rocket the mind / Our slow, unreckoning hearts will be left behind, / unable to fear what is too strange.† This question is asking why people won’t listen to the prophet when he talks about the dangers of weapons. Which of the answers makes the most sense? Choice (A), â€Å"human beings are interested in weapons,† might be a tempting choice simply because that’s a common theme and message of many works. But nowhere in the passage does it say that humans are interested in weapons! Eliminate it. Choices (B) and (C) can also both be eliminated because this part of the passage says nothing about nature or love, even indirectly. Choice (D) may also be tempting simply because it’s another common theme in literature- that people don’t listen to repeated warnings. But again, there’s not really anything in the passage to support that. This leaves (E), â€Å"people cannot comprehend abstract decisions of power.† This lines up nicely with the passage, which says that the â€Å"hearts† of the people are â€Å"unable to fear what is too strange.† (E) is the correct answer. The people in this poem have hearts of stone. 2. Inference These questions take you one step beyond simple reading comprehension and ask you to make an inference based on the evidence in the passage- you may be asked about a character or narrator’s implied opinion, the author’s attitude, etc. This will be something that isn’t stated directly in the passage, but that you can assume based on what is actually said in the passage. These questions generally use words like â€Å"infer† and â€Å"imply.† There are two keys to answering these questions: first, as always, go back and read the part of the passage the question is concerned with. Second, don’t be tripped up by the fact that you are making an inference- the best answer will be most supported by what is actually written in the passage. Inference questions are like second-level reading comprehension questions- you need to know not just what a passage says, but what it means. Example: Explanation: The first sentence of the passage reads, â€Å"Certainly the religious and moral ideas of the Dodson and Tullivers were of too specific a kind to be arrived at deductively from the statement that they were part of the Protest population of Great Britain.† Which choice is the most reasonable inference about the Dodson and Tulliver religious ideas based on the first sentence? Choice (A) says â€Å"the narrator is unable to describe them with complete accuracy.† This might be true, but there’s nothing in the first sentence to support this inference- the narrator says that their ideas are â€Å"too specific,† not they the narrator can’t describe them accurately. Eliminate Choice (A). Choice (B), â€Å"they have no real logical foundation† may also be true, but can’t be inferred from the sentence, which gives no indication of whether their beliefs are logical or not. Choice (C) may be tempting- the idea that they cannot be appreciated by anyone who doesn’t share them might seem to dovetail nicely with the fact that they are â€Å"too specific† for the mainstream Protestant population. But is this the best choice that’s most supported by the passage? Let’s keep it in mind but consider the remaining answers. Choice (D) posits that the beliefs of the Dodsons and Tullivers â€Å"spring from a fundamental lack of tolerance.† This is a leap that is not supported by what the first sentence actually says; eliminate it. Choice (E) says that their beliefs â€Å"are not typical of British Protestants in general.† The sentence says that their beliefs are â€Å"too specific† for one to know them simply because the Dodsons and Tullivers identify as British Protestants, which implies that their beliefs in fact do not â€Å"match up† with mainstream British Protestant beliefs. Choice (E) is the inference most supported by the passage, then- even more supported than Choice (C). So, (E) is the answer. Remember, multiple answers may seem like they could be correct, but only the best answer is the correct one. Do you think appropriately ornate churches are also important to the Dodsons and Tullivers? 3. Identifying and Interpreting Figurative Language These questions ask you to either identify figurative language within the passage or to interpret what figurative language means in the context of the passage. These questions are identifiable because they will either outright mention figurative language or a figurative device, or there will be a figurative language phrase in the question itself. Once again, the most important thing you can do to be successful on these questions is to go back and re-read! For figurative language, the meaning is very much dependent on the phrase’s context in the passage. Consider what is said around the figurative phrase and what the phrase is referring to. Example 1: Identifying Figurative Language Explanation: We need to look at each of these phrases in context to tell which is being used figuratively. Choice (A) comes from the sentence, â€Å"It was necessary to be baptized, else on could not be buried in the churchyard, and to take the sacrament before death as a security against more dimly understood perils; but if was of equal necessity to have the proper pall-bearers and well-cured hams at one’s funeral, and to leave an unimpeachable will.† The phrase â€Å"well-cured hams at one’s funeral,† is clearly literally referring to funeral arrangements; (A) can be eliminated. Moving on, choice (B) comes from the sentence, â€Å"A Dodson would not be taxed with the omission of anything that was becoming...such as obedience to parents, faithfulness to kindred, industry, rigid honesty, thrift, the thorough scouring of wooden and copper utensils, the hoarding of coins likely to disappear from the currency, the production of first-rate commodities for the market, and the general preference for whatever was home-made.† In this case â€Å"the hoarding of coins† refers directly to a behavior the Dodsons considered â€Å"becoming,† and is not figurative. (B) can be eliminated. Choice (C) comes from the clause, â€Å"society owes some worthy qualities in many of her members to mothers of the Dodson class, who made their butter and their fromenty well, and would have felt disgraced to make it otherwise.† Again, this refers literally to making butter and fromenty; (C) can be eliminated. Choice (D) is from the sentence, â€Å"To live respected, and have the proper bearers at your funeral, was an achievement of the ends of existence.† Once more, this refers on a concrete level to actual funeral-bearers (echoing the discussion of proper funerals earlier in the passage) and is not figurative. This leaves only (E), from the sentence, â€Å"A conspicuous quality in the Dodson character was its genuineness: its vices and virtues alike were phases of a proud, honest egoism, which had a hearty dislike to whatever made against its own credit and interest, and would be frankly hard of inconvenient ‘kin,’ but would never forsake or ignore them- would not let them want bread, but only require them to eat it with bitter herbs.† It’s pretty easy to identify â€Å"eat it with bitter herbs† as figurative if you are familiar with the allusion to â€Å"bitter herbs† which symbolize the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt in the Jewish tradition. If you don’t know that, you can still identify this as the figurative phrase because it seems more likely that this phrase is referring to feeding your ‘kin’ but shaming them for needing your help as opposed to actually feeding the hungry with bread and â€Å"bitter herbs.† (E) i s the correct answer. Example 2: Interpreting Figurative Language Explanation: This questions asks you to interpret what the figurative phrase â€Å"that live tongue† means. To orient you in the poem, these stanzas are advising the prophet to â€Å"speak of the world’s own change† (13). The poem states, â€Å"What should we be without / The dolphin’s arc, the dove’s return, / these things in which we have seen ourselves and spoken? Ask us, prophet, how we shall call / our natures forth when that live tongue is all / Dispelled, that glass obscured or broken.† In the context of the poem, right the narrator asks what we are without â€Å"that live tongue,† the poem speaks of how we â€Å"see ourselves† in â€Å"the dolphin’s arc† and â€Å"the dove’s return.† These are images of nature. The best interpretation of â€Å"that live tongue,† then, is answer (A), as a metaphor for nature. In essence, the stanza means, â€Å"Ask us, prophet, how we shall know ourselves when nature is destroyed.† The dolphin's arc. 4. Literary Technique These questions ask why the author uses particular words, phrases, or structures. Essentially, what purpose do such choices serve in a literary sense? What effect is created? These questions often include words like â€Å"serves chiefly to,† â€Å"effect,† â€Å"evoke,† and â€Å"in order to.† Of course to approach these questions, re-read the part of the passage referred to. But also ask yourself, why did the author use these particular words or this particular structure? What is being accomplished by this specific literary â€Å"move†? Example: Explanation: This stanza containing the repetition of â€Å"ask us† reads: â€Å"Ask us, ask us whether with the worldless rose / Our hearts shall fail us; come demanding / Whether there shall be lofty or long-standing / When the bronze annals of the oak-tree close.† So what is the effect of repeating â€Å"ask us, ask us†? Choice (A) says it suggests the prophet is causing much of the world’s misery. There’s nothing in the stanza- or even the entire poem- to suggest this, so we can eliminate it. Choice (B) says it represents a sarcastic challenge. This stanza doesn’t read as sarcastic, though, but very serious- eliminate (B). Choice (C) says it suggests the speaker is certain of the answer the prophet will give. This doesn’t really make sense because the speaker isn’t actually asking the prophet questions, but telling the prophet what questions to ask. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) says it makes the line into perfect iambic pentameter. You can eliminate this one without even worrying about what syllables are emphasized because a perfect line of iambic pentameter has 10 syllables and this line has . This leaves (E)- the effect is to provide a â€Å"tone of imploring earnestness.† Given that the speaker seems to be begging the prophet to ask particular questions, this fits. (E) is the correct answer. 5. Character Analysis Character analysis questions will ask you to identify something about a character- their opinions, attitudes, beliefs, relationships with other characters, and so on. In many ways this is a special type of inference questions, because you are inferring broader traits of the character based on the evidence presented in the passage. As you might expect, character questions are asked much more frequently for prose passages than poetry ones. The key here is to pay attention to everything that is directly stated about the character(s) in the relevant parts of the passage. Like in an inference question, there will be an answer that best fits with the evidence in the passage. Example: Explanation: These lines read, â€Å"Their religion was of a simple, semi-pagan kind, but there was no heresy in it- if heresy properly means choice- for they didn’t know there was any other religion except that of chapel-goers, which appeared to run in families, like asthma.† Choice (A) purports that this part of the passage draws attention to the Dodson sisters’ devotion to certain rituals. No rituals are mentioned here; (A) can be eliminated. Choice (B) says these lines point to their â€Å"untroubled complacency.† The passage states that they didn’t know of any other religion. If they don’t know, we can reasonably infer that they are not troubled by their own religion. Keep (B) in the running. Choice (C) purports they have â€Å"deep religious conviction.† This seems like a bit of a leap; all the passage really states is that their religions if â€Å"semi-pagan,† but not heretical because they simply don’t know any other religion other than â€Å"chapel-goers† which seems to be tied to family lineage. We can’t reasonably infer that they have strong religious conviction from this. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) states that they have â€Å"disturbed consciences.† Again, nothing in the passage makes this a reasonable conclusion; if they don’t know there could be other religious traditions, why would they be disturbed by their own? Choice (E) says they have a â€Å"sense of history and tradition.† This might be a tempting choice because they point to the fact that the religion of â€Å"chapel-goers...appeared to run in families.† But that’s not their religion, so this isn’t a well-supported inference. Thus, Choice (B) provides the most reasonable inference about the Dodson sisters and is the correct answer. Quite a character. 6. Overall Passage Questions These questions will require you to take a â€Å"bird’s-eye view† of the passage and identify or describe a characteristic of the passage as a whole: its purpose, tone, genre, and so on. These can be difficult because you can’t simply go back to a specific place in the passage to find the best answer; you need to consider the passage overall. Consider the overall picture created by the tiny details. I strongly recommend marking up texts for main themes, purpose, tone, etc on the first read-through so that you can consult your margin notations for these kinds of questions. Example: Explanation: It is clear through even a quick scan of this passage that the narrator goes on at length about the Dodsons, so we can surmise that the narrator is most concerned with something about the Dodsons. We can eliminate (B) and (C), then, as they don’t say anything about the Dodsons. So what about the Dodsons is the narrator most concerned with? The first sentence mentions their â€Å"religious and moral ideas,† but then describes their â€Å"semi-pagan† but not heretical religion. We then see â€Å"the religion of the Dodsons consisted in revering whatever was customary and respectable† (22-23), followed by a long list of what that is. The rest of the passage similarly describes what the Dodsons believe is important, from being â€Å"richer than was supposed† to doing right thing â€Å"towards kindred.† It is clear, then, that the narrator is most concerned with describing the values of the Dodsons, which aligns with choice (A). 7. Structure These questions ask about specific structural elements of the passage. Often you’ll be asked about shifts in tone, digressions, or the specific form of a poem.Sometimes these questions will point to a specific part of the passage/poem and ask you to identify what that part of the passage is accomplishing within in the larger excerpt. This is another question type where marking the passage on your first read-through will be very helpful- be sure to mark any shifts in structure, tone, genre, etc as you read, and any structural elements that seem unusual or significant. Example: Explanation: Lines 1-34 describe an image of the narrator playing his lute for his love. Lines 34-43 establish that the narrator is about to introduce an idle thought (yes, this is a loquacious poem). Lines 44-48 read: â€Å"And what if all of animated nature / Be but organic Harps diversely fram’d, / That tremble into thought, as o’er them sweeps / Plastic and vast, one intellectual breeze, / At once the Soul of each, and God of all?† So what’s the narrator saying here? He is wondering if â€Å"all of animated nature† (so all living things) are just harps, and thought is the strings being played. This is clearly metaphorical, and the third footnote for the passage tells us that â€Å"lute† is a synonym for â€Å"harp.† So the answer is (D)- this part of the passage functions as a â€Å"metaphorical application of the image of the lute.† It's a harp! No, it's a lute! No, it's both! 8. Grammar/Nuts Bolts Very rarely, you will be asked a question on the grammar of a part of a passage- like identifying what word an adjective is modifying. Very specific questions about the meter of a poem (i.e. iambic pentameter) would also fall into this category. These questions are not so much about literary artistry and more about the dry technique requisite for a fluent command of the English language. Example: Explanation: The section of the poem concerned reads, â€Å"Of yonder hill I stretch my limbs at noon, / Whilst through my half-clos’d eye-lids I behold / The sunbeams dance, like diamond, on the main, / And tranquil muse upon tranquility.† What a mouthful! If we can untangle this sentence, figuring out what â€Å"tranquil† is modifying will be fairly easy. First, though, we can eliminate all answers that call â€Å"tranquil† an adverb, because the adverb form of â€Å"tranquil† is â€Å"tranquilly.† Eliminate (B) and (E). In the sentence, we have that the speaker (â€Å"I†) is beholding the sunbeams dancing. Then we have â€Å"and† followed by another verb in â€Å"muse.† How do we know â€Å"muse† is a verb here? Because otherwise the clause â€Å"and tranquil muse upon tranquility† has no verb and makes no sense. Since â€Å"muse† is a verb, it can’t be modified by an adjective, so eliminate choice (D). This leaves (A) and (C). Does it make sense for â€Å"sunbeams† to muse upon tranquility? Not particularly; it makes much more sense for the speaker (I) to muse upon tranquility. Choice (A) is the correct answer. So are these sunbeams dancing? How to Prepare for AP Literature Multiple Choice I have several tips on how you can best position yourself for success on the AP Lit multiple-choice section. Read a Variety of Literary Works and Poems Because the passages on the AP Literature multiple-choice section come from a variety of eras, genres, authors, and styles, it’s important to familiarize yourself with a wide variety of English literary styles so that you will feel comfortable with the passages and able to parse what they are saying without becoming overwhelmed. So read a lot of everything: prose of course, but poetry in particular, as many students are less familiar with poetry already and poetry can be fairly opaque and hard to analyze. As a starting place for things you could read, see my ARTICLE ON BOOKS. When you start to feel comfortable with the language of many eras and styles, it’s time to work on honing your close-reading skills. Hone Your Close Reading Skills Your ability to read closely- to read passages not just for comprehension but with an eye for how the author uses literary technique- is paramount on the multiple-choice section. You will practice on close-reading prose and poetry in class, but extra practice can only help you. So when you’re doing all of your reading from different eras and genres, think about what the author is doing and why he or she is doing it. What techniques are being deployed? What motifs and themes are there? How are characters portrayed? If you’re stumped as to how to go about this, here are some prose close-reading resources: You can get close-reading guides online from The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s writing center and the Harvard College Writing Center. The Purdue OWL also has an article on steering clear of close-reading â€Å"pitfalls.† Here are some close-reading resources for poetry: Here’s a poetry reading guide from The University of Wisconsin-Madison. You should definitely check out this truly excellent guide to reading poetry from Poets.org, which comes complete with two poetry close-readings. Learn Literary and Poetic Devices You’ll want to be familiar with a literary terms so that any questions that ask about them will make sense to you. Again, you’ll probably learn most of these in class, but it doesn’t hurt to brush up on them. Here are some comprehensive lists of literary terms with definitions: About.com Literary Glossary Literary-Devices.Com list, which even has examples! Complete Practice Questions and Take Practice Multiple-Choice Sections To succeed on the multiple-choice section, practice taking multiple-choice questions! This may seem like a no-brainer but it’s still very important nonetheless. Set aside time to take a sizeable number of practice questions every week. Keep track of what kinds of questions are easy for you- do you identify the theme every time?- and which ones are hard- stumped by similes? This will help you figure out if there are any skills or concepts you need to brush up on. You should also take a complete multiple-choice practice section at least once, twice if you are able. You could do this as part of a complete practice test (which I recommend) or do it separately. But taking a multiple-choice section under AP-like conditions will help you feel prepared, calm and collected on test day. As prepared as a Regency belle who has snagged an officer! AP Literature Multiple-Choice Practice Resources There are a variety of practice resources available that you can use to hone your multiple-choice skills for the AP English Literature and Composition exam. The gold standard for the best multiple-choice practice questions is the College Board. This is because they write the AP exam, so their practice questions are the most like the real AP multiple-choice questions you’ll see on test day. They offer both complete released exams and sample questions. Even once you run out of official College Board practice questions, there are still unofficial resources you can use to hone your multiple-choice skills. In this section I’ll go over both. Official Resources See below for three potential sources of official College Board questions. Released College Board Exams There are two official released College Board Exams. Each have a complete multiple-choice section of 55 questions. Here are the links! 1987 AP English Literature and Composition Exam 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam Sample Questions from the Course and Exam Description The AP English Literature Course and Exam Description has 46 practice multiple-choice questions! Your Teacher Your AP teacher may also have copies of old AP exams that you can use for practice. Ask him and see! In my mind, all English teachers look like they came from the 19th century. Unofficial Resources In addition to the multiple-choice practice questions provided by the College Board, there are also several places online where you can get unofficial multiple-choice practice questions. However, they aren’t all worth your time in terms of quality. I’ll go over the best ones here. For an even more robust list, check out our complete list. Barron’s Books Free Practice Test Barron’s offers a complete free practice test with multiple-choice and free response. So, that’s 55 questions at your disposal! There’s a timed mode and an untimed â€Å"practice† mode. The author and name of the work is provided for each passage, but not the date. You won’t have the author/title on the actual exam; I suspect that many free resources give this information to you for copyright reasons.Overall, the questions are high-quality and this is a good option when your well of official multiple-choice practice questions has run dry. McGraw-Hill AP Diagnostic Quiz McGraw-Hill has a 25-question multiple-choice â€Å"diagnostic quiz† for the AP English Literature exam. The questions are difficult and are pretty good imitations of AP questions. You may even be able to get more than 25 questions out of this site because every time you open a new test window, you’ll receive 25 randomly selected questions from their question pool.One slightly annoying thing to note if you use this resource is that the passages open in another window.As with the Barron’s test, you will receive the author and the title for each passage. You will not, however, recieve an atmospheric picture of the setting. Another solid option for getting more practice multiple-choice questions is a good review book. You want to make sure it’s high quality- I recommend Barron’s for the AP Literature exam in particular, as their questions do resemble real AP questions in difficulty and writing style. Test Day Tips for AP Lit Multiple-Choice Success Don’t rely on your memory of the passage when answering questions. Always look back at the passage, even if you think the answer is obvious! Interact with the passages- circle, mark, underline, make notes, whatever floats your boat. This will help you retain information and actively engage with the passage. Especially mark areas where there seems to be some kind of transition or change, as it’s highly likely that you will be asked questions about these transitions! It may also be helpful for you to jot some quick notes on the overall theme or motif of the passage/poem once you reach the end. This will help you on questions about the passage overall. If you’re having trouble making sense of a passage, skip it and move on to the next one. Odds are when you come back to it later, you’ll find it much easier to understand. And if you don’t, at least you didn’t waste too much time puzzling it out before you answered the questions about other, easier passages. Acing the AP Lit Multiple Choice: Key Takeaways The first section of the AP English Literature and Composition Exam is an hour-long, 55-question multiple-choice test about four-five literary and prose passages. This section is worth 45% of your total exam score. There are eight kinds of questions you can expect to see on the multiple-choice section: Reading Comprehension Inference Identifying and Interpreting Figurative Language Literary Technique Character Analysis Overall Passage Questions Structure Grammar/Nuts and Bolts Here’s how to best prepare to crush the multiple-choice sections: Read a variety of literary works and poems, from all of the eras and genres covered by the test! Hone your close-reading skills so you can identify what writers are doing and why they are doing those things. Learn literary techniques and terms and how to identify and apply them! Practice for the exam by taking practice sections and practice questions. There are a variety of official and unofficial resources available to practice. The best are College-Board official, but once you run out of those, there are also high-quality unofficial resources available. Here are some test-day tips to help you hit an English Lit home run: Always look back at the passage when answering questions- don’t rely on memory! Interact with the passages as you read through them, including marking significant moments and structural or tonal shifts in the text. You may also wish to write a couple of quick notes about the overall theme(s) and motifs of the passage at the end, to refer to when answering overall passage questions. If the language of a passage is hard to parse, skip it and come back later. Odds are it will make much more sense the second time around, and if it doesn’t, at least you didn’t waste time that you could have spent answering easier questions. And then you lived happily ever after. What's Next? Need more resources for AP English Literature? See our complete guide to the AP Literature Exam, our complete list of AP English Literature practice tests, and our AP English Literature Reading List. Also taking AP Language and Composition? We have an expert guide to AP Lang and Comp, a comprehensive list of AP Language and Composition practice tests, and a list of 55 AP English Language terms you must know. If you're taking other AP exams, check out our five-step AP study plan, when to start studying for AP exams, and how to find the best AP practice tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Dynamics of Strategy Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Dynamics of Strategy - Dissertation Example The current study tries to investigate the strategies that are pursed by Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc and whether they are successful or not? Especially in context of on-line business that has opened up numerous options for the organization that can be effectively tapped. An extensive external business environment evaluation will be undertaken for determining the impact of external factors on company’s strategy (Tassou S & Ge Y, retrieved on 20th April, 2011). The e-strategic resource capability of Morrison would be analyzed in order to figure out its potential and capacity to meet the current demand and requirement of the retail industry. And lastly, it will also be examined whether Morrison is in strategic fir with the environment or needs certain reconstruction in its policies and procedures to sustain in the competitive league (Scotland H, 2005). INTRODUCTION Wm Morrison Supermarket plc is generally referred to as ‘Morrison’ which was initially propounded by W illiam Morrison way back in the year 1899, one of the most important organization featuring in the FTSE 100 Index with almost 375 stores in operations currently. The organization is widely spread in both the northern and southern part of England and strong presence in other regions as well. The organization prefers to keep its working as simple as possible but renders it services efficiently and effectively with the company policy to keep the pricing low and maintaining high efficiency level. The study would analyze the strategic approaches of Wm Morrison Supermarket plc through traditional marketing tools such as PESTEL, Porter’s five forces model, along with emergent and international market strategy on e-business or online business strategy adopted by Morrison.. The company’s financial decision making and risk analysis approach would also be studied intensively. The term in itself is too wide; e-business can actually describe the organizations operation. E-business also reveals the various applications of information and communication technologies that a business can apply for attaining a cost reduction, enhancement in customer quality services and creating a new market for exiting products and for newly developed products. Morrison can effectively make use of e-business strategy in order to maximize its competitive advantage. However, what Morrison actually needs to work upon is: 1) The excessive high costs which the firm has incurred in the ICT investment and also the financial analysis for the investment amount regarding its payback time period and the profits which can be recovered from the same. 2) The organization has to ensure that best technical skills and managerial skills must be available for putting the strategy into actual implementation. 3) Thirdly the disinclination of the firm towards marinating networking relationships with other enterprises must be overcome for attaining optimum results. EXTERNAL ANALYSIS Morrison’s vi sion for the future is to exhibit itself as a ‘

Proposal for Emerging Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Proposal for Emerging Technology - Essay Example The research will provide IT professionals to understand different aspects of cloud technology being used by car manufacturers to allow the drivers to conduct dashboard dialogue. This will allow the cars to be connected to the human- efficient processes. The research will allow different organizations as an aid of content work (Staff, 2011). The research can also be helpful for the business practitioners who aim to undertake cloud technology for manufacturing cars with the dashboard dialogue for staying connected on the go. There has been negligible research done on the possibilities of connectivity through cloud technology. Thus, this research will allow the IT professionals and business enterprises to attain broader spectrum (Staff, 2011). Staff, C. (2011, November 11). Ford Cloud-Connected Car to Make Debut at 2012 International CES. Retrieved November 14, 2012, from CEA:

Tuition Reimbursement Paper Essay Example for Free

Tuition Reimbursement Paper Essay Often regret their decision. Adults with this degree find that they do not need to prove themselves in every position as much as those with a two-year degrees. Applicants with four-year degrees are hired before two-year degree applicants in most white collar career fields. Upward Mobility-adults with bachelor degrees have greater opportunities for corporate upward mobility, than those without this degree. Scholarships and Grants-Most scholarships and many grants are only eligible to students enrolled in bachelor degree programs. Cost-the tuition costs for a bachelors degree is more expensive compared to nrolling in an associate program. The average cost was $13,424 per academic year for public four-year schools and $30,393 for private four-year schools in 2008 (National Center for Educational Statistics, Fast Facts, 2007-2008). Student Loan debt often places graduates in financial hardship for years following graduation. One thing about the money is that the company will be helping the employees with the tuition so it will be a little easier for them to get started with the program. The employees wont have to worry about getting in debt. Since we have been doing so ood this year, we have provided a budget for this program and any employees who want to go back to college. This is not mandatory for employees. This program will be for employees who are interested in going back to school and dont already have a bachelors degree ( even if they have an associates degree). Some benefits of a bachelors degree According to http://www. ehow. com/facts_5139903 _benefits-bachelors-degree. html and the U. S. Census Bureau, the average lifetime earnings of someone with a bachelors degree is $2. million. A high school graduate can expect to earn $1. 2 illion over his or her lifetime, while a person holding an associates degree can expect average lifetime earnings of $1. 6 million. People with bachelors degrees have higher savings because of their higher incomes, so they can engage in more hobbies and participate in more leisure activities. When it comes to skills, the skills n ecessary to succeed in college and earn a bachelors degree are time management, responsibility, critical thinking skills, ability to communicate. These skills come into play at work as well. It is also important to choose the right college too. The type of ollege that the employees choice will be very important because accredited colleges will be looked for in resumes when hiring. Employers want people not only to have a good education, but to have an education from a really good college. Degrees from accredited colleges and universities are typically valued higher than degrees from schools that are not accredited because of the standards they must meet. Benefits for the company There are many benefits for the employees for getting their bachelors degree. But, there are also great benefits for a company that hires employees who have their achelors degree. One of the benefits is having more time to spend towards the company. Employers wont have to worry about training new employees if they have the experience and skills needed for the Job. Employers can spend that time on things they need to do for the company and less time trying to teach new employers things they should already know. Also, having employees who have a good education from good schools are always well respected for having highly educated employees. It makes the company look good and gives them a good reputation.

Ecstasy, the Brain, and Serotonin (MIA) :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Ecstasy, the Brain, and Serotonin (MIA) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy, is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. Ecstasy is an often talked about drug due to its recent popularity and rapid spread amongst teenagers especially. Many newspapers and magazines have featured articles in the past 5 years highlighting the danger of this easily made drug, and its rampant use in the club/rave scene of almost all Western countries. The complete effects of ecstasy are still unknown, although much research has been produced that shows the deleterious effects of the drug on the brain. Ecstasy is also controversial because the content of pills varies widely; buyers and sometimes sellers don't really know what each pill consists of (1). The results of a survey published in 2002 set out with the purpose of examining the prevalence and patterns of ecstasy use among college students, and to determine characteristics, associated behaviors, and interests of ecstasy users. These resu lts showed that from 1997-1999, ecstasy use increased significantly in every college subgroup except for noncompetitive schools. The variable most strongly associated with ecstasy use was found to be marijuana. In terms of social context, MDMA users were more likely to spend large amounts of time socializing, attend residential colleges, and belong to a fraternity or sorority. The first study that provided direct evidence that chronic use of ecstasy causes brain damage was published in 1999. The study used advanced brain imaging techniques (PET scan) to show that MDMA harms neurons that release serotonin, a chemical that is thought to play an important role in memory, among other functions. The PET scans showed significant reductions in the number of serotonin transporters, the sites on neuron surfaces that reabsorb serotonin from the space between cells after it has completed its work. The lasting reduction of serotonin transporters occurred throughout the brain. This study and others suggest that brain damage and the amount of MDMA ingested are directly correlated (2). But what are the functional consequences? The functional consequences of ecstasy use have just begun to be explored in the past few years. Another study, published in 2000, found that heavy ecstasy users (30-1000 occasions) as opposed to non-ecstasy users, reported significantly higher scores on tests for somatisation, obsessionality, anxiety, hostility, phobic-anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, poor appetite, an restless or disturbed sleep. Another interesting effect of MDMA found was a significantly higher degree of impulsivity.

Lincoln: An American Historical Drama Film by Steven Spielberg Essay

Lincoln is a 2012 American historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as United States President Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln. The film is based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s biography of Lincoln, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, and covers the final four months of Lincoln’s life, focusing on the President’s efforts in January 1865 to have the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution passed by the United States House of Representatives. Lincoln begins a year before the end of the civil war with the movie’s only battle scene. It’s a minute of the bloody, hand-to-hand combat at Jenkins’ Ferry, Arkansas. Then two black soldiers recall the battle while talking to Lincoln about the future of the Union. In January 1865, and United States President Abraham Lincoln had just started his second term in office as an extremely popular leader, especially among his supporters. However, the country is in disorder with the Civil War entering its fourth year and having taken the lives of many a soldier on both sides. Lincoln believes that passing of the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution; This would declare that â€Å"neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction†, would most importantly achieve something he strongly believed in, but also end the war since slavery was a large reason for it. The Amendment already passed in the Senate, and was scheduled for vote in the House of Representatives at the end of the month. While he is assured of yes votes from his fellow Republicans, he and his team had to work hard under the radar to assure enough yes votes from Democrats, which will require compromise in other areas. But other factors may also come into play on the vote, such as the Confederate forces in the war issuing their own compromise to end the war but keep slavery. Meanwhile, Lincoln also deals with hostile relationship with wife Mary Todd Lincoln and their latest situation in oldest son Robert leaving law school to enlist. From personal experience, President Lincoln is thought of as one of the most influential and best president throughout history. Abolishing slavery really put the nation on its path to unity and the superpower it is today. Even though throughout history after that historical event there has been several steps taken to further his actions to make black and whites and equal part f society, abolishing slavery was the largest and most influential step. After watching this film, it became evident that President Lincoln was an extremely well respected man and made the hard decisions that he knew wouldn’t be popular at the time because of how the country was structured. The film illustrated that Lincoln was wise beyond his years and knew that his decisions would impact the nation in a positive manner for the rest of time. Pre sident Lincoln’s leadership skills were evident and were the major theme in the film. From the beginning of the movie, from his wife to his cabinet members, everyone was trying to convince him that getting rid of slavery wasn’t going to happen and he will lose the approval of his country by pushing the issue. Slavery in the United States was a way of life up to that point. Blacks were not considered equal and were looked at more as property than people. From the first President until Lincoln’s time everyone including the past presidents had slaves. Slaves were a major part of the economy because of the labor power that was being utilized. Slaves were used as servants, worked in the fields for countless hours and used for everyday jobs that today are vital occupations. With the 13th Amendment, slaves would be freed of their unpaid work and would now have to be compensated for their time and would cause many people to lose money. Of course such an immense decision to change the entire culture of the country would be hated by a majority of the people. President Lincoln felt strongly about the issue and was looking at the big picture of the country, not the present, which is why he is considered one of the best presidents of all time. Being a leader means not always making the popular decision. It’s making the hard decisions that are not always the popular one, but the one that will directly or indirectly benefit, in President Lincoln’s case, the country as a whole. Even in today’s society there is still racism and controversy between ethnicities. Until the 1950s, not too long ago, there was still segregation and blacks were not looked at as equals. After watching this movie, these themes really stood out and hit home about how far the country has come since President Lincoln made one of the most historical decisions of all time. His leadership skills are evident throughout the course of the movie by being able to sway the decisions of both parties into standing by his decision and believing in him that the 13th Amendment was the right thing. I would absolutely recommend this movie to everyone, young or old, because of the history that’s behind it. The scene of the movie that really stood out was in the end of the film when the votes were being cast and the leader of the house asked to cast his vote. He was called out by a Democrat that was against the amendment because it was an irregular occurrence for him to cast a vote but responded with, â€Å"This is a historical event. † President Lincoln changed history and this country forever. Even though it took over a century to get to where we are as a country today and many major events occurring in between, President Lincoln was arguably in my opinion the indirect forefather of the civil rights movement and one of the most influential men in history.

National Film Registry and Existentialism Reflection Patch Essay

Existentialism Reflection Patch Adams is a movie about a man that is determined to be a doctor. Along the way, he comes across some issues when he won’t conform to the rest of the medical students. He is actually a good example of an existentialist. He is his own person within a larger society, or the other students at the school. He follows what he believes in and his life turns out almost just the way he wanted it to. In the movie, there were some quotes: â€Å"Look beyond the problem.† –Arthur †¢Everyone else stares whatever their problem is right in the face and expect to figure out the solution. Arthur tries to say, look past the problem. Focus on the solution. â€Å"See the world anew each day.† –Arthur †¢In a way, this is a stoic quote. To not let anything previous to this day affect it. Everyday holds a new adventure and if you are worrying about the past, how are you ever going to enjoy it? â€Å"The mental hospital was the best thing that ever happened to me.† –Patch †¢In the hospital, he found out he loved to help people. He wanted to listen to people and make them enjoy life. He really found his passion and without the mental hospital, he maybe never would have. â€Å"Death is not the enemy†¦indifference is.† –Patch †¢When people are dying, showing care is the most important thing. If they don’t know that people care, that makes death so much worse. Everyone is going to die someday. Everyone should just enjoy life. As relating to existentialism, Kirkegaard would have thought that Patch was a good example. He was a part of the group, yet he was his own person within that group.

The Significance of Deng Xiaopings Reforms on Chinese Society essays

The Significance of Deng Xiaoping's Reforms on Chinese Society essays Deng Xiaoping was the chief architect of China's pragmatic reforms since the 80s. It was under Deng's sophisticated sponsorship that China underwent the most dramatic changes of its history in the final two decades of the last century. China moved ahead with its modernization programs, scoring impressive results and thus emerging as one of the principal players in international politics. According to journalist Jim Rohwer, "the Dengist reforms of 1979-1994 brought about probably the biggest single improvement in human welfare anywhere at any time." This improvement was because the reforms effected hundreds of millions of Chinese people. The Chinese were drawn out of their pursuit of ideological purity and introduced to an alternative lifestyle above the line of general poverty, a new form of socialism that rewarded private entrepreneurship. Deng's great contributions are summarized in the twin policies of "enlivening the economy" and "opening to the outside world" that the regime cemented firmly in place at the end of 1978. "Enlivening" meant permitting and encouraging the development of market forces within a Chinese economy hitherto overwhelmingly bureaucratized and subject to central political control even at the micro level. "Opening" meant the full-bore pursuit of the benefits of global involvement for the purpose of China's national development. Deng's policies opened up the economy to foreign investment and market allocation within a socialist framework. The reform was designed to improve the socialist system, bring its superiority into full play and push forward the drive for modernization. And to accelerate and deepen the reform is the main task on which all political, economic and social activities must be focused. In the 1980s, the collective commune system in the countryside was first of all removed in favor of a "responsibility system" of household farming, and the long-term exploitation of peasants for the sake ...

Making Spanish Nouns and Adjectives Plural

Making Spanish Nouns and Adjectives Plural If you know how to make nouns plural in English, youre close to knowing how to do so in Spanish. And once you know how to make Spanish nouns plural, you can simply follow the same rules for adjectives. Key Takeaways: Spanish Plurals The rules for making nouns plural in Spanish are similar to those of English, but Spanish has fewer exceptions.Nearly all nouns are made plural by adding s or es. The same rules are followed for adjectives.Sometimes it is necessary to add or delete an accent on the final vowel of a singular word when making it plural. The basic principle is the same: In Spanish, plurals end with the letter s, as is usually the case in English. Spanish plurals usually have an unaccented vowel preceding the s, as is often the case in English. The Basic Rule In fact, if you can remember that the Spanish plural is formed by making sure the plural word ends with s preceded by an unaccented vowel, usually e, youve taken care of nearly all of what youll have to learn. Most of whats left is learning the few exceptions as well as the spelling changes needed to make the written form of the language conform to what is spoken. The basic rule is this: If a word ends in anything other than an s preceded by an unstressed vowel, add either s or es to the end of the word so that it does. In some cases, a spelling change is needed to maintain the sound that would be needed to follow this rule. Heres how the rule is applied in various cases: Words Ending in an Unstressed Vowel When the word ends in a vowel without an accent, simply add the letter s. el libro, the book; los libros, the booksel gemelo, the twin; los gemelos, the twinsel pato, the duck; los patos, the ducks Nouns Ending in a Stressed Vowel A few nouns have a single syllable ending in a vowel or have multiple syllables and end in an accented vowel. In standard or formal writing, simply add the letters es. el tisà º, the tissue, los tisà ºes, the tissuesel hindà º, the Hindu, los hindà ºes, the Hindusel yo, the id; los yoes, the ids In everyday speech, however, it is common for such words to be made plural simply by adding s. Thus it would not be uncommon to hear someone talk about hindà ºs. Words Ending in a Consonant As is common in English, nouns ending in a consonant are made plural by adding es. el escultor; the sculptor; los escultores, the sculptorsla sociedad, the society; las sociedades, the societiesel azul, the blue one; los azules, the blue onesel mes, the month; los meses, the months Y is treated as a consonant for this rule: la ley, the law; las leyes, the laws. Words Ending in S Preceded by an Unstressed Vowel The plural form is the same as the singular form for nouns ending in an unstressed vowel followed by s. el lunes, Monday; los lunes, Mondaysel rompecabezas, the puzzle; los rompecabezas, the puzzlesla crisis, the crisis; las crisis, the crises The Exceptions Exceptions to the above rules are few. Here are the most common ones: Words Ending in É Words ending in a stressed e or à © simply need an s at the end: el cafà ©, the coffeehouse; los cafà ©s, the coffeehousesla fe, the faith; las fes, the faiths Foreign Words Some foreign words maintain the pluralization rules of the originating language. It is also very common to simply add an s to make plural words foreign regardless of what the originating language does. los jeans, the jeansel camping, the campground; los campings, campgroundsel curriculum vitae, the rà ©sumà ©; los curricula vitae, the rà ©sumà ©sel spam, a spam email or article; los spams, spam emails or articles Specific Exceptions A few words simply dont follow the rules. el pap, the father; los paps, the fathersla mam, the mother, las mams, the mothersel sof, the couch, los sofs, the couches Orthographic Changes Changes in either spelling or accents are needed sometimes due to the phonetic nature of the Spanish language. The rules above still apply - you just need to make sure a plural word is spelled the way it is pronounced, or that it is spelled according to Spanish convention. Here are the orthographic changes sometimes required: Nouns Ending in Z The z changes to c when followed by es: el pez, the fish; los peces, the fishes;el juez, the judge; los jueces, the judges Nouns Ending in an Accented vowel followed by S or N The written accent isnt needed in pluralizing a noun ending in a vowel followed by s or n. el interà ©s, the interest; los intereses, the interestsel francà ©s, the Frenchman, los franceses, the Frenchmenel avià ³n, the airplane; los aviones, the airplanes Nouns Ending in N in an Unstressed Syllable: But an accent is needed when a noun ending in an unstressed vowel and n is made plural: el examen, the exam; los exmenes, the examsel crimen, the crime; los crà ­menes, the crimes

Sports Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sports Management - Essay Example To achieve this, the plan must therefore analyze both micro and macro-economic factors that affect the industry and are therefore likely to influence the profitability of the new company (Elizabeth & Michelle, 2008). Among the factors analyzed in the summary below, include economic, social, legal, economic and technical factors that affect the industry and the institution of a new company in the country. In analyzing the factors, the summary below answers particular questions that help depict the relevance of the new company in the industry. Among the questions are problems the new company will solve, the company’s customers and the size of the market. By answering such questions, the plan below proves to the potential investors that the new company just as any other business will make profits thereby safeguarding their interests. Stamford Bridge Academy will be a football coaching company based in London. The company will train professional coaches and hire them out to local football clubs and schools within the city. As stated earlier, football is the most famous game in the city of London. The city has two main football teams playing in the national league, which have raised the popularity of the sport. Besides Arsenal and Chelsea, which are major contenders in the English premier league, the city has several other teams playing in various local and national leagues. Besides the hundreds of the smaller teams in different leagues, secondary and primary schools also have football teams and participate in different sporting activities within the country. The demand for professional coaches is therefore high in the city a feature that will earn the new company a potential local market before expanding to other regions within the country. The schools appointed a talented teacher to coach the teams in the past; however, the increasing competitiveness of the sport in the region has

Managing Information 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Information 2 - Assignment Example If considering the enterprise government, focus on executing management actions is required to support the strategic goals of the organization (JOHNSTON et al. 2009). It has been calculated approximately half of the breaches to the security of the information systems are made by the internal staff or employee of the organization (Spears et al. 2010). Security incident management facilitates the development of security incident handling and planning including preparation for detection and reply to information security issues. The standard of the incident management primarily relates to ensure the existence of processes rather than the contents of these procedures. The security incident of different computing systems will have dissimilar effects and escort to different consequences, bureau, departments the organization need to tailor the security incident handling plan according to specific operational requirements. Organizations invest enormous money to buy and install computing e quipments for securing their networks. Information systems security is a challenge for executives and the information technology professionals (Dhillon et al. 2006).Organizations focus on performance and efficiency of the security equipments. This is not enough, as human intervention and a proper plan need to be defined. The information technology professionals are not only responsible for securing the information systems, all the employees of the organization are responsible (Rotvold 2008). One needs to know what an incident is, before making a plan for dealing with the computer incidents. A simple definition is available in network dictionary which says â€Å"An incident as an adverse network event in an information system or network or the threat of the occurrence of such an event.† For organizations to be competitive with network incidents, they must lay a foundation within the organization for incident handling. The incident handling procedure refers to an action pla n associated with security breaches, thefts, distributed denial of service, fire, floods etc. Incident handling consists of six-step process: research, classification, restraint, purge, revival, and lessons learned. The information security should be handled internally and externally by the employees of the organization. They will be supported by the security teams with high-powered information security officers. The employees who do not have insufficient skills in dealing with information security, they can perform well in reducing risk factors (Bulgurcu et al. 2010). In each major business unit, an employee with a skill set of solid risk management and project management can be a good choice to be an information security officer. Likewise, the primary objective is to enforce policies and train the end users for following the procedures made for each policy. Moreover, acceptable use for networks and data on information systems must be communication, as end users can download susp icious codes or emails from the Internet etc. furthermore, if the company decides to outsource its security operations to another company, this will save cost but at the same time increase risks to critical information if no care has been taken for choosing a reliable business partner. Non disclosure agreement must be signed by the service organization and skill evaluation of the staff should also be considered. Furthermore, service level agreements