Thursday, March 19, 2020
Learn About Anaïs Nin, Novelist, Diarist
Learn About Anaà ¯s Nin, Novelist, Diarist Anais Nin was born Angela Anais Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell in France on February 21, 1903 and died on January 14, 1977ââ¬â¹. Her father was the composer Joaquin Nin, who grew up in Spain but was born in and returned to Cuba. Her mother, Rosa Culmell y Vigaraud, was of Cuban, French, and Danish ancestry. Anais Nin moved to the United States in 1914 after her father deserted the family. In the United States she attended Catholic schools, dropped out of school, worked as a model and dancer, and returned to Europe in 1923. Anais Nin studied psychoanalysis with Otto Rank and briefly practiced as a lay therapist in New York. She studied the theories of Carl Jung for a time as well. Finding it difficult to get her erotic stories published, Anais Nin helped found Siana Editions in France in 1935. By 1939 and the outbreak of World War II she returned to New York, where she became a figure in the Greenwich Village crowd. An obscure literary figure for most of her life, when her journals kept since 1931 began to be published in 1966, Anais Nin entered the public eye. The ten volumes of The Diary of Anaà ¯s Nin have remained popular. These are more than simple diaries; each volume has a theme, and were likely written with the intent that they later be published. Letters she exchanged with intimate friends, including Henry Miller, have also been published. The popularity of the diaries brought interest in her previously-published novels. The Delta of Venus and Little Birds, originally written in the 1940s, were published after her death (1977, 1979). Anais Nin is known, as well, for her lovers, who included Henry Miller, Edmund Wilson, Gore Vidal and Otto Rank. She was married to Hugh Guiler of New York who tolerated her affairs. She also entered into a second, bigamous marriage to Rupert Pole in California. She had the marriage annulled about the time she was achieving more widespread fame. She was living with Pole at the time of her death, and he saw to the publication of a new edition of her diaries, unexpurgated. The ideas of Anais Nin about masculine and feminine natures have influenced that part of the feminist movement known as difference feminism. She disassociated herself late in her life from the more political forms of feminism, believing that self-knowledge through journaling was the source of personal liberation. Partial Bibliography - By Anais Nin Celebration! with Anais Nin.Cities of the Interior.à Paperback. 1975.Collages.à Jean Varda, illustrator. Paperback. 1964.Delta of Love: Erotica.à Paperback. 1989.Fire: From a Journal of Love, the Unexpurgated Diary of Anais Nin, 1934-1937.à Paperback. 1996.The Four-Chambered Heart.à Paperback. 1974.Henry and June. Paperback. 199
Monday, March 2, 2020
NMSQT Expert Guide
About the PSAT/NMSQT Expert Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you think the PSAT is just a practice test, then you're missing a key part of the story. The Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, more commonly known as the PSAT/NMSQT or just the PSAT, is also essential in the competition for National Merit distinction and scholarships. Plus, it can help you figure out exactly how to study for the SAT. This guide's dedicated to the PSAT/NMSQT, from its overall structure to how itââ¬â¢s scored to what kind of questions show up in each section. Before putting the test under the microscope, letââ¬â¢s go over the purpose of this test. What is the PSAT NMSQT for, anyway? Whatââ¬â¢s the Purpose of the PSAT/NMSQT? The PSAT/NMSQT, which Iââ¬â¢ll sometimes just refer to as the PSAT so I donââ¬â¢t have to keep typing out all those letters, is automatically administered to most high school juniors. If you attend one of the many participating high schools, then youââ¬â¢ll be taking the PSAT one October school day in 11th grade. Unlike the SAT, the PSAT NMSQT test dates are predetermined; in 2016, schools are encouraged to give it on October 19. Younger students can also elect to take it as practice, but theyââ¬â¢ll have to make a registration request to their school counselor. College Board has recently offered other versions of the PSAT, the PSAT 8/9 and the PSAT 10, for younger students, as well. Depending on your grade level and academic readiness, you can decide which test, if any, would be most useful for you to take before junior year. Whenever you take the PSAT NMSQT, youââ¬â¢ll find that itââ¬â¢s useful practice for the SAT. The two tests are extremely similar; the main difference is that the PSAT doesnââ¬â¢t have an optional essay section. Theyââ¬â¢re even scored on a similar scale, with PSAT/NMSQT scores shifted down 80 points to account for the fact that itââ¬â¢s a slightly easier test. Your PSAT score report will give you detailed feedback on your performance with a bunch of section scores and subscores. You can use this feedback to direct your studying for the SAT. The PSATââ¬â¢s other main purpose is to qualify for National Merit distinction and scholarships. Only 11th graders with PSAT NMSQT qualifying scores are eligible. Students who score in the top 3-4% are named Commended Students while those who score in the top 1% are named Semifinalists. The majority of these Semifinalists, about 15,000 out of 16,000 students, are then invited to apply to become Finalists, also called National Merit Scholars. Finalists may receive scholarship money from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation or a participating college. If youââ¬â¢re looking to achieve top scores on the PSAT and ultimately earn scholarship money, then the PSAT/NMSQT becomes a very important test on your road to college. Even if youââ¬â¢re not, the PSAT is still highly useful as practice for the SAT. Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Now that you have a sense of when and why students take the PSAT/NMSQT, letââ¬â¢s examine the test itself, starting with its overall structure. The PSAT/NMSQT is almost identical twins with the SAT. It just has a few key differences and slightly easier questions overall. How's the PSAT / NMSQT Structured? The PSAT NMSQT is a time intensive test, clocking in at 2 hours and 45 minutes. It has four sections: Reading, Writing and Language, Math No Calculator, and Math with Calculator. The names and order of these sections match that of the SAT. The only difference, as mentioned above, is that the PSAT doesnââ¬â¢t offer an optional essay section. The chart below shows the order and length of the sections, along with the number of questions in each and approximate time per question. Order Section Time in Minutes # of Questions Time per Question 1 Reading 60 47 76 seconds 2 Writing and Language 35 44 48 seconds 3 Math No Calculator 25 17 88 seconds 4 Math Calculator 45 31 87 seconds Total: 2 hours, 45 minutes Youââ¬â¢ll get a five-minute break after about each hour of testing. There will be a break after Reading and a break after Math No Calculator. Before checking out the content of each section, letââ¬â¢s go over how the PSAT is scored. How's the PSAT/NMSQT Scored? Your PSAT score report will break down your performance with a bunch of different score types. One of the most important is your total score, which will fall between 320 and 1520. This total score represents the sum of two section scores, one for Evidence-based Reading and Writing and one for Math. Notice that certain test sections are combined to bring you two section scores, rather than four. These two section scores range between 160 and 760. In addition to these section scores, youââ¬â¢ll get three ââ¬Å"test scoresâ⬠that tell you how you did on the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math sections. Essentially, these test scores separate out the Reading and Writing and Language sections so you can see how you did on each individually. These test scores will range from 8 to 38. Test scores are also important for the PSAT NMSQT Selection Index, which is another scoring scale that the National Merit Scholarship Corporation uses to determine who makes Semifinalist. If these score types werenââ¬â¢t enough, youââ¬â¢ll also get ââ¬Å"cross-test scoresâ⬠and ââ¬Å"subscoresâ⬠between 1 and 15 that tell you how you did in certain skill areas. All of this detailed feedback can actually be really useful in telling you how to prep for the SAT. You can even calculate all these score types yourself on PSAT/NMSQT practice tests and use them to figure out your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker. Finally, itââ¬â¢s important to note that the PSAT/NMSQT uses rights-only scoring. Youââ¬â¢ll get one point for every correct answer, and no points for wrong or skipped answers. There arenââ¬â¢t any point deductions as there were in past years, so itââ¬â¢s in your best interest to answer every question. Now that you know how the PSAT NMSQT is structured and scored, your next step is to learn about the content and skills tested in each section. Letââ¬â¢s start with Reading. Rights-only scoring means you might as well roll the dice and give every question your best guess! PSAT Reading: Structure, Skills, and Study Tips The Reading section on the PSAT is all about reading comprehension. Youââ¬â¢ll read passages and answer questions about their meaning. To cover every nook and cranny of this section, letââ¬â¢s start by reviewing its structure, then take a look at some sample questions, and finally go over some of the best PSAT/NMSQT approaches to studying. PSAT Reading: Structure Every question on the Reading section of the PSAT is multiple choice and based on a passage or a set of paired passages. Youââ¬â¢ll get one passage from US and World Literature, two from History/Social Studies, and two from Science, for a total of five passages. One or more passages may accompany a graphic, like a graph or chart. The chart below further describes the passage types youââ¬â¢ll encounter on the SAT, along with an estimate of how many questions youââ¬â¢ll answer about each type. Passage Description # of Questions 1 US and World Literature Prose passage selected from a work of US or World Literature 9 2 History / Social Sciences (or 1 passage and 1 passage pair) Passage based on US founding document or selected from work in economics, psychology, sociology, or related field 18-20 2 Science (or 1 passage and 1 passage pair) Focused on Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics 18-20 Youââ¬â¢ll get a total of 47 questions in the Reading section. Read on to learn what these questions will ask. PSAT Reading: Skills and Sample Questions The reading section asks you to read passages from a variety of genres, including prose, argument, and nonfiction narrative, and comprehend their meaning. You might be asked about the meaning of the passage or a paragraph as a whole, a particular sentence or detail, or even just a vocabulary word or phrase. By analyzing the test, weââ¬â¢ve picked out eight main question types: big picture/main, little picture/detail, inference, vocabulary in context, function, author technique, evidence support, and data interpretation. To give you an idea of what these look like, here are some representative sample problems of each question type. For the complete test, check out College Board's official PSAT practice test. #1: Big Picture/Main Point: These questions ask about the main purpose of a passage. #2: Little Picture/Detail: These questions refer you to one or more specific lines within a passage and ask you to interpret their meaning. #3: Inference: These questions ask you to make some sort of reasonable inference from a line or paragraph. #4: Vocabulary in Context: These questions ask about the meaning of a word or phrase. #5: Function: These questions ask what one or more lines accomplish within the passage. Why did the author choose to include them? #6: Author Technique: These questions often ask about an author's style, tone, or some other technique. #7: Evidence Support: These questions tend to refer back to a previous question. They ask for the reason behind your last answer. #8: Data Interpretation: These questions ask you to read the data in a graph or chart. They often ask about the relationship between the graphic and the passage. Again, the above are not official categories, but rather based on our analysis of official PSAT/NMSQT tests. As for the official categories that College Board defines, there are four: Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Analysis in History/Social Studies, and Analysis in Science. The "evidence support" and function questions you read about above tend to fall into the Command of Evidence area, while questions on vocabulary in context and author technique tend to fall into the Words in Context skill area. Many of the above question types could be considered Analysis in History/Social Studies or Science; they tend to be the ones that follow the history and science passages. For instance, hereââ¬â¢s an example of an Analysis in History/Social Studies question, followed by an Analysis in Science sample question. Analysis in History/Social Studies Sample Question Analysis in Science Sample Question The first example, you might notice, falls into the "big picture/main point" category mentioned above. The second one is more like a "little picture/detail" question. None of the Reading questions require you to have any pre-existing knowledge on a topic. Instead, all of your answers should be entirely based on information present in a passage. The questions should go in chronological order alongside the passages, so you should be able to locate information with some efficiency. To some extent, this section tests the reading skills youââ¬â¢ve accumulated throughout all your years of schooling. However, there are still ways you can prepare to do well on the Reading section. On your mark, get set, read! PSAT Reading: Study Tips The Reading section is a challenging part of the SAT. A lot of students have the reading comprehension skills to do well on this section, but they still need to prepare specifically for the unique question types and fast-paced nature of the test. Below are a few tips for studying for the Reading section of the SAT. Read, read, read! One key way to improve your reading comprehension is to read a lot! Make it a point to read works from various genres and pay attention to their main point, tone, and style. Note how certain words and phrases take on different meanings depending on context. If youââ¬â¢re reading fiction, consider what the characters do and say to move the plot forward. If youââ¬â¢re reading an argument-based text, take notes on how the author structures the piece and uses details to support her point. Taking the time to really engage with a work of literature or nonfiction will allow you to build your reading comprehension skills across genres. Take Timed Practice Tests While reading in and out of class should help you develop your reading skills, you should especially focus on passages from PSAT practice materials. Take timed PSAT/NMSQT practice tests and try out various reading strategies, like skimming the passage for key points or reading the questions first. Through practice, figure out which strategy works best for you. By scoring your tests and analyzing your results, you can figure out where you most need to improve. You can also learn whether you need to brush up on certain skills or improve your time management. Taking timed practice tests will gradually turn you into a test-taking rock star. Learn About Each Question Type Just as this guide does, make sure your study materials break down each Reading question type so you can recognize exactly what each question is asking you. The data interpretation questions are a relatively new addition. Practice reading graphs and charts to make sure youââ¬â¢re prepared for these unusual question types. Since the Reading section doesnââ¬â¢t require you to have any preexisting knowledge of a topic, make sure that your answers are based completely on a passage. The evidence-based question types are a useful reminder that your interpretations should be entirely based on the information before you. As you read above, your Reading score will eventually get combined with your Writing and Language score to form one Evidence-based Reading and Writing score. Read on to learn how the two sections are different. Get out your red pen! It's time to proofread some messy papers. (Not actually, though. Only No. 2 pencils are allowed on the PSAT.) PSAT Writing and Language: Structure, Skills, and Study Tips The Writing and Language section asks you to be an editor. Youââ¬â¢ll read some passages that have errors in word choice and problems with organization. Your job is to identify and fix these issues. This sectionââ¬â¢s technically called Writing and Language, but youââ¬â¢ll probably hear it shortened to Writing. Writing Section: Structure Just like in the Reading section, all of the questions in the Writing section are multiple choice and based on passages. Another similarity between the two sections is that the sources of the passages are pre-determined. Youââ¬â¢ll get one that has to do with Careers, another with History/Social Studies, a third with Humanities, and the fourth with Science. Youââ¬â¢ll answer 11 questions on each passage for a total of 44 questions. As you saw in the Reading section, some of your questions will refer to graphs or charts. In the Writing section, this kind of data interpretation question may ask you if the passage accurately reflects the graph or where you could add a data point to strengthen a passageââ¬â¢s argument. You wonââ¬â¢t find any prose in the Writing and Language section. All of the passages will be argument-based, informative, or nonfiction narrative. The chart below describes the passage types in greater detail. Passage Description # of Questions 1 Careers Passage may deal with trends or debates in major fields of work, such as information technology or health care. 11 1 History/Social Studies Passage based on US founding document or selected from work in economics, psychology, sociology, or related field 11 1 Humanities Passage explores arts or literature 11 1 Science Focused on Earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics 11 So how does the Writing section ask you to edit for grammar, organization, and meaning? Read on to find out. Writing Section: Skills and Sample Questions What exactly do I mean when I say the Writing section asks you to be an editor? The questions ask you to edit the passage for meaning and clarity in a few ways. They may ask you whether or not a specific word is the best choice in a sentence. They might ask you to reorganize the order of ideas. You might also have to add or delete a sentence, along with explaining the reason behind your change. Most questions give you the option of, ââ¬Å"No Change,â⬠meaning there might not always be an error. Not only will you have to recognize whether or not thereââ¬â¢s an error, but if there is, youââ¬â¢ll have to find the correct or improved revision. According to College Board, 20 of the 44 questions ask about Standard English Conventions. These questions ask about concepts like grammar, usage, and punctuation. You might need to insert or delete a comma, fix an apostrophe, change a verb tense, or ensure subject-verb agreement. Here's a straightforward sample question about apostrophe rules in singular vs. plural nouns. This question, as with all the Writing questions, refers to a passage (not pictured here). The remaining 24 questions fall into an umbrella category that College Board calls Expression of Ideas. These questions ask you to make larger structural changes to improve the flow of ideas and organization of paragraphs. Just like in the Reading section, some of these questions have to do with the skill areas, Command of Evidence, Words in Context, and Analysis in History/Social Studies and Science. This sample question, for example, asks you to how to choose the best introductory sentence for a passage. This next sample question is focused on evidence, or the reason why a writer should or shouldn't add a sentence to improve clarity. In this example, you can see a portion of the passage to which the questions refer. Both of these questions can be classified as Words in Context questions, since they ask you to improve word choice. Finally, these next couple of questions ask about data interpretation. These ones are an example of an Analysis in Science question. College Board classifies these questions in a variety of ways, and these categories can get blurry since some of them appear on both the Reading and Writing sections. One way to keep them straight is to divide them into "little picture" and "big picture" questions. Little picture questions ask you to apply a grammar rule or fix punctuation. Big picture questions ask you to reorganize ideas, provide evidence for a change, or interpret data. Altogether, the questions ask you to fix a passage and make it better with editorial revisions. Now that you have a sense of whatââ¬â¢s tested in Writing, read on for a few study tips for mastering this section. Writing Section: Study Tips If you've written a paper, email, or even just a text message, then you've surely done some editing to make sure you're communicating exactly what you want to say. Below are a few tips to develop the kind of editing skills that will help you succeed on the Writing section of the SAT. Study Grammar Rules As mentioned above, you can think of the Writing section as containing two main types of questions- those that have to do with little picture changes, like grammar and punctuation, and those that ask about big picture changes, like sentence order and organization of ideas. To prepare for little picture questions, you should review all the relevant rules of grammar, punctuation, and usage. Some of these rules include subject-verb agreement, parallel structure, and comma and apostrophe use. Your prep materials should break down each rule and pair it with sample questions so you can see how the PSAT tests each one. Read With an Eye for Structure As for the big picture changes, you should practice active reading on argument-based, explanatory, and nonfiction narrative texts. As you read SAT passages and other works that you may be assigned in school, keep an eye on structure, how ideas are introduced, transitions between sentences and paragraphs, and introductions and conclusions. Engage with a work and think about why the author chose to present the information in a certain way. It may also help to pay attention to teacher and peer feedback on your own writing. Similarly, you should take the time to edit your writing and, if possible, that of a peer. Through practice, youââ¬â¢ll develop your editorial eye! Take Timed Practice Tests Taking timed PSAT/NMSQT practice tests is a key part of your prep for all the sections. After you take a test, make sure you thoroughly go through the answer explanations and analyze your results. You might also calculate your subscores and cross-test scores to see how you fare on certain question types. For instance, you could calculate your cross-test score for Analysis in Science questions to see how you do on these questions across both Reading and Writing and Language. By targeting your weak spots, you can focus on improving them and thereby bringing up your scores. Don't worry too much about the Math No Calculator section. Rumor has it, some people did math before calculators were even invented. PSAT Math No Calculator: Structure, Skills, and Study Tips This Math No Calculator is new to the PSAT (and SAT) this year. Itââ¬â¢s very similar to the Math with Calculator, with one clear difference: youââ¬â¢re not allowed to use a calculator on any of the questions. Donââ¬â¢t worry, though- the questions wonââ¬â¢t require very complex calculations. Theyââ¬â¢re meant to test your conceptual understanding, rather than your ability to write out complicated arithmetic by hand. Read on for the structure and skills tested in the Math No Calculator section, followed by some suggestions for your prep. PSAT Math No Calculator: Structure The Math No Calculator is the shortest section on the PSAT at 25 minutes. Youââ¬â¢ll answer 17 questions: first, 13 multiple choice and then 4 grid-ins, or student-produced responses. The questions fall into three major skills areas, as youââ¬â¢ll see below. PSAT Math No Calculator: Skills and Sample Questions The Math No Calculator section asks questions that fall into three main skills areas, as defined by College Board: Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics. The chart below shows how many questions test each skill area. Content Area Number of Questions % of Test Heart of Algebra 8 47% Passport to Advanced Math 8 47% Additional Topics 1 6% Questions that fall into the Heart of Algebra questions ask about, as you might have guessed, algebra. You might find word problems or questions that ask you to solve for variables in linear equations or inequalities. Hereââ¬â¢s one example of a Heart of Algebra question. Passport to Advanced Mathproblems may ask you to work with quadratic functions and equations or exponential functions and equations. You may also solve for variables in nonlinear expressions. Hereââ¬â¢s an example of this question type: The vaguely named Additional Topics contains all the concepts that donââ¬â¢t fit in the other categories. These include some geometry, trigonometry, and complex numbers questions. Hereââ¬â¢s an example: Read on for a few study tips to keep in mind as you prep for the PSAT NMSQT Math No Calculator section. PSAT Math No Calculator: Study Tips While you may feel nervous about not getting to use a calculator on this section, rest assured that none of the problems require especially complex calculations. There may be a few that ask you to write out addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, so you should brush up on your arithmetic skills and ability to write out problems by hand. The most common mistakes here are simply rushing through and making a calculation error, so work on writing out these problems efficiently. Make sure your study materials break down each concept and try lots of practice questions in addition to taking timed practice tests. A thorough conceptual understanding of the tested concepts is essential for doing well in this section. Finally, you can take out your trusty calculator and use it for the rest of the test. You might find, though, that you don't actually need to use it on too many questions. PSAT Math with Calculator: Structure, Skills, and Sample Questions The Math with Calculator section doesnââ¬â¢t look all that different than the Math No Calculator section apart from two key differences. First, of course, you can use a calculator throughout. Second, over half of the questions in this section fall into a new skill area, Problem Solving and Data Analysis. Read on to see how this section works. PSAT Math with Calculator: Structure The Math with Calculator section asks 31 questions. The first 27 are multiple choice and the remaining four are grid-ins. A couple of these grid-ins may be related to each other in whatââ¬â¢s known as an Extended Thinking question. Read on for a more detailed breakdown of the requisite skills, along with sample questions in each skill area. PSAT Math with Calculator: Skills and Sample Questions About half of the questions in this section are similar to the ones in the Math No Calculator section. They cover Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics. The other half cover Problem Solving and Data Analysis. Hereââ¬â¢s the exact breakdown: Content Area Number of Questions % of Test Heart of Algebra 8 26% Passport to Advanced Math 6 19% Problem Solving and Data Analysis 16 52% Additional Topics 1 3% You saw an example of a Heart of Algebra above, but hereââ¬â¢s one taken from the Math with Calculator section. You donââ¬â¢t really even need to use your calculator here, though you could if you wanted to plug in numbers to check your answer. This Passport to Advanced Math question asks about functions. Again, you don't really need a calculator, even though you have the option of using one. As you read above, half the questions involve Problem Solving and Data Analysis. These questions may ask you to calculate ratios, rates, or percentages or work with scatterplots and graphs. Hereââ¬â¢s are two sample questions: Sample Question #1 Sample Question #2 Finally, Additional Topics covers geometry, trigonometry, and complex numbers. The following is a sample geometry question from the Math with Calculator section on the PSAT/NMSQT. While most of the tips you read above will help you on both PSAT math sections, read on for a few tips specific to the Math with Calculator section. PSAT Math with Calculator: Study Tips In addition to studying all the algebra, geometry, and trigonometry concepts you need to know for both sections, you should focus on Problem Solving and Data Analysis problems. These questions involve word problems, graphs, scatterplots, percentages, rate, and ratios. Make sure you can work in these areas, since they make up half of the questions in this section. Another consideration for this section is the idea of calculator fluency. Just because you can use a calculator on every problem doesnââ¬â¢t necessarily mean that you should. There are plenty of problems here that donââ¬â¢t require a calculator at all; using one might end up costing you time. As you study, make note of when a calculator is a useful and productive tool and when itââ¬â¢s not helpful for the work at hand. If youââ¬â¢ve made it this far, then you should have a good sense of the content and structure of all four sections of the PSAT/NMSQT. Letââ¬â¢s conclude with some final thoughts about the test and why itââ¬â¢s important for high school students. If you're a U.S. citizen taking the PSAT/NMSQT in 11th grade, then you're in the running for National Merit distinction and scholarships! Final Thoughts About the PSAT/NMSQT Most students take the PSAT/NMSQT in October of 11th grade. Some may ask to take it earlier for practice. Let's review the two important functions of the SAT: National Merit distinction and preparation for the SAT. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT for National Merit While taking the PSAT NMSQT as a younger student can be valuable test-taking experience earlier than 11th grade, you wonââ¬â¢t be eligible for National Merit until you take it as a junior. Juniors who score in the top 3-4%, or 96th to 97th percentile, are named Commended Scholars. Those who earn top 1%, or 99th percentile, scores get named Semifinalists. Most of these Semifinalists can then apply to become Finalist and potentially gain scholarships. Even if you donââ¬â¢t ultimately get National Merit scholarship money, having that distinction on your college application is an impressive achievement. If youââ¬â¢re aiming for National Merit, you should set aside time to prep in the months leading up to the test. Familiarizing yourself with the test, as you did if you got this far in the guide, is a first great step. Then you can go on to review the tested concepts, take timed practice tests, and analyze your results to figure out how you can improve. All of this studying will also help you get ready for the SAT, the other important benefit of taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT to Get Ready for the SAT Studying for the PSAT/NMSQT will not only help you earn your target scores, but it will also help you get ready for the SAT! The two tests are very similar, so any studying you do for one will help on the other. In fact, the two tests are almost identical, with the SAT featuring slightly more advanced questions, as well as an optional Essay section. If you're running low on PSAT prep materials, you could use SAT practice tests or other prep guides to help you get ready. Once you get your PSAT/NMSQT score report, you can use it to figure out your specific strengths and weaknesses and go from there. The PSAT NMSQT helps break the ice for test-takers. Rather than going into the SAT cold, you can feel more experienced because you already sat through a very similar College Board test. Whether or not youââ¬â¢re aiming for PSAT NMSQT scholarships, the PSAT is great practice for the SAT and an important landmark on your road to college! What's Next? If you made it through this guide, it might be safe to assume you're getting ready for the PSAT! Check out this guide to find official PSAT practice tests and tips for how to make the most of them. While you now have a sense of how the PSAT is scored, you might be wondering what scores are considered good. Check out this guide to figure out what makes a good score on the PSAT/NMSQT. Are you aiming for National Merit scholarships? This guide is for high scorers looking to achieve top scores on the PSAT! 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:
Saturday, February 15, 2020
Minimum Wage in WA Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Minimum Wage in WA - Coursework Example The Supreme Court in the U.S. ruled out various attempts brought forth by labor unions in the view of establishing a minimum wage that would be mandatory for all employers. The court insisted that such a move would restrict the right of the worker to create a price value for his or her own labor. As a result, the workers continued to face exploitation from their employees throughout the 1930s when the Great Depression was at its peak. The employee wages dropped lower during the same period in response to the increased demand for jobs (Rayback, 2008). Due to the increase in national poverty, President Roosevelt vowed to offer protection to the workers through the constitution during his 1936 campaigns (Rayback, 2008). The president kept his promise when he went into office by assenting to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and signing it into law in 1938. The minimum wage had been instituted by the congress in 1938 as a component of the Fair Labour Standards Act (FLSA) with the minimum wage set at 25 cents for every hour. The last change in the national minimum wage occurred in 2007, where it was increased in steps by the congress from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour in 2009. However, different states, including Washington, have established their own local systems of minimum wage, which is higher than the rate established by the federal government. Case in point, Washington offers the highest rate of the minimum wage at $9.47 per hour. The table below shows the changes in the Washington State minimum wage since 1961 (Washington Sate Dep artment of Labor and Industries, 2015). In terms of inflation based buying power, there have been considerable variations in the minimum wage for the last over sixty years. In 2013, it averaged at $6.60 per hour in terms of purchasing power in dollars (Sherk, 2013). Nevertheless, it had ranged between $3.09 per hour as exhibited in
Sunday, February 2, 2020
International trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4
International trade - Essay Example The major types of jobs that I have been seeking from various potential employers are business oriented as per my qualification and academic credentials. Before I started looking for part time employment, my first step was to seek information about recruitment process. The major recruitment processes that employers use are identification of vacancy or need, specifying the job, advertisement of the specified job, managing the response of job seekers, shortlisting, planning for the interview, conducting interviews and making decision on who to recruit. When recruitment processes are taken into account, my areas of interest are how the employment agency identifies and advertise its vacancies, managing responses to job applications, how it plans and conducts the interviews and the appointments formalities (Garner & Alty,2001,p.72). Currently, most of job vacancies are usually advertised through media outlets. However, some job vacancies may be advertised through social networks in social arenas such as clubs, churches and family gatherings. Everyday, I go through job advertisements in the media in order to get a vacant position that fits my academic credential. My academic qualifications are bachelor of business management major and diploma in marketing. I always look for business and marketing related vacancies, check the level of work experience needed and other miscellaneous skills such as advanced computer skills. The media outlets that I use when searching for jobs include daily newspaper job advertisements, internet advertisement through job sited such as linked, and television job advertisements. I am active in social interactions especially with professionals and so I use the social networking opportunity to inquire about job opportunities. In my view, searching for job vacancies in different outlets h as been assisting me in locating many job vacancies, which I apply and get positive feedback and in some cases, employment opportunities. When one applies
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Pettiness of the Wealthy Exposed in The Stolen Party Essay -- Stolen P
Pettiness of the Wealthy Exposed in The Stolen Partyà à à à à In Liliana Hekerââ¬â¢s short story, "The Stolen Party," Senora Ines invited Rosaura to the party for only one reason, to serve. Rosaura was a very smart girl in school, but she lacked people smarts. Senora Ines told Rosaura that she would be a guest there but tricked Rosaura into being a helper instead of a guest. Senora Ines needed Rosaura to help at the party so she mislead Rosaura by making her tasks seem as if they were privileges. Senora Inesââ¬â¢ deviousness ultimately devastated poor, innocent Rosaura. Rosaura was a smart yet naive girl. Heker tells us that, "she was barely nine, and one of the best in her class" (1133). But as her mother, Herminia, says, "Get away with you believing any nonsense youââ¬â¢re told" (Heker 1133). Rosaura felt like she was equal to Lucinda, but to Senora Ines she is nothing but the maidââ¬â¢s daughter, another pair of hands. Rosaura wanted a better life than her motherââ¬â¢s, and she thought that this might be the first step in that direction. Senora Ines was very secretive in her true intentio...
Friday, January 17, 2020
Cardon Carpet Mills Case
Cardon Carpet Mills Issues and constraints The issue, which Cardon Carpet is facing, stems from the lack of expansion throughout the United States, specifically limiting their contract sales portion of its business only to the southeastern portion of the United States. Cardon Carpet Mills has several action options: 1. Expand its market share in contract sales segment throughout the US. Employ ten sales representatives to seek potential institutions and businesses throughout all of the US. Compensate these personnel based on commission, that is, the amount of clients they contract to the business. . Sell its products of Contract sale to institutions and businesses especially ones located in the metropolitan areas their wholesalers reside in. 3. Present a contract that specifies a referral of at least five institutions by each of their wholesalers and in turn Cardon would compromise in regards to the ââ¬Å"Margin Sharingâ⬠proposal. Organization Assessment Cardon Carpet Mills, I nc. is a privately held manufacturer of a full line of medium-to-high-priced carpet primarily for the residential segment.The company markets its products under the Masterton and Chesterton brand names. Robert Meadows is the president and Suzanne Goldman is his special assistant. Refer to Exhibit 3. Market and Industry Assessment Wholesale and retail distribution in the U. S. carpet and rug industry has gone through a lot of instabilities since the 1980ââ¬â¢s. Shaw Industries, a manufacturer, the carpet and rug industry leader opened its own retail stores but suffered losing many of their buying groups. Shaw eventually sold its retail stores and returned to their prior channel.The Market has experienced an increase in dollar sales, however this is offset by limited profitability for manufacturers. Refer to Exhibit 2. Customer Assessment Cardon Carpetââ¬â¢s direct customers include: institutions and businesses and wholesalers. Cardonââ¬â¢s indirect customers include: Retaile rs and consumers. Action Assessment The industry shows a lot of instability in this industry, but more importantly highlights the sensitiveness of retailers and wholesalers to a manufacturerââ¬â¢s decisions. Refer to Exhibit 4.Shaw industriesââ¬â¢ experience proves that Cardon should maintain their wholesalers and capitalize on their long-term relationships by seeking their expertise in targeting business and institutions. Refer to Exhibit 1. Recommendation/Action Selection and Plan Cardon must Compromise with the wholesalers in order to expand its Contract sales segment and increase market share. The agreement would guarantee at least five new clients in each of the seven wholesaler locations. In return, the wholesalers would receive a price reduction and have incentive to help Cardon Mills become sustainable.This presents a mutually acceptable solution that looks to fill a huge part of the market, which Cardon has yet to capitalize on. Implementation Plan Set up a meeting wi th a leading official at each wholesaler site and Send a Cardon executive to each of the seven locations. Specify in the contract/agreement that the referrals have to actually become contracted customers of Cardon. Indicate that these institutions can be the wholesalerââ¬â¢s accounting firm, corporate locations etc.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
The Black Plague Of The 17th Century - 904 Words
The Black Plague of the 14th Century And its effect on the European Nation All throughout history nations all over the world have dealt with deadly diseases, but one in particular brought out the fear in the nations of Europe, the bubonic plague or as others call it, the black death. During the thirteenth century, medicine was not as developed as it is now, causing England to suffer more than others. According to Cantor (2002) the European nations encountered the bubonic plague in its most brutal state during 1348 to 1349, taking out about a third of Europeââ¬â¢s population (pp. 6-7). He continues on by claiming that one big question to this event was whether or not the plague was the full cause to the loss of lives or if there was another cause along with it (p. 11). Cantor (2002) also explained that the reason the black plague stopped in Europe around the eighteenth century could possibly have been from an introduction to a new species of rats, the gray rat (p. 13). Even though there is controversy based around the plague being spread by rats and how it was stopped by isolation, it may have taught countries useful strategies and ways to grow stronger. Leading up to the Black Plague in Europe, there were many other plague outbreaks around it, such as the one in the East Roman empire in the sixth century. In 1348 the Bubonic Plague was introduced to the European nations from a type of bacteria called Yersinia pestis which can be carried by fleas that are on the backs of rats,Show MoreRelatedThe Plague Of The 19th Century926 Words à |à 4 PagesThe plague that struck Europe and Asia in the 14th century was undoubtedly the most devastating disease or natural disaster the world ever faced. The Bubonic Plague or Black Death killed an estimated 25 million people from 1347 to 1352 in Europe, which accounted for one third of Europeââ¬â¢s population.-1 Historians believed that the Plague started in Asia and then spread to Europe. The plague lasted for five devastating years, but itââ¬â¢s wrath did not end in 1352. The Plague would reappear throughRead MoreThe Plague Of Athens By The Bacterium Yersina Pestis773 Words à |à 4 P agesIntroduction Plagueà is an infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Yersina pestis. Depending on lung infection, or sanitary conditions, plague can be spread in the air, by direct contact, or very rarely by contaminated undercooked food. The symptoms of plague depend on the concentrated areas of infection in each person: bubonic plagueà in lymph nodes,à septicemic plagueà in blood vessels, pneumonic plagueà in lungs. It is treatable if detected early. Plague is stillà relatively commonà in someRead MoreEssay on The Great Plague Of Europe1536 Words à |à 7 Pages The Great Plague killed nearly half of the European population during the fourteenth century. A plague is a widespread illness. The Illness was also known as the ââ¬Å"Black Deathâ⬠. Most of the European people believed the plague was the beginning of the end of the world. They were scarcely equipped and unready for what was to be entailed. It was by far one of the worst epidemics yet to be seen in those times. The Great Plague of Europe made its way all throughout the continent and its populationRead MoreShakespeare s Sonnet 12 ( 1609 ) And George Herbert s Poem Virtue ( 1633 )894 Words à |à 4 Pagesthe corporeal, and of what is left behind on earth after death. In contrast, Herbert focuses on the impermanence of the physical, instead advocating a focus on the eternal life of the soul in heaven. In the late 16th and early 17th century, London was ravaged by the Black Death, causing many people to ruminate on death and their mortality. Shakespeare was arguably affected also, indeed ââ¬Å"death as a concept is a reoccurring theme within Shakespeareââ¬â¢s work; prevalent through sonnets, tragedies andRead MoreEssay on Racism and the Enslavement of African Americans620 Words à |à 3 Pagespunished. Now Racism is a negative attitude towards another race. After these to words are cleared up you come to a conclusion that racism in the 17th century caused enslavement of African Americans. To believe this you have to look at the history left for us to read. The court papers, and journals of people back in the 17th century. The first blacks arrived at Jamestown in 1619, they were from Africa and there were 20 of them, (C. Degler pg 64) there were probably Africans in the Virginia colonyRead MoreThe Black Death Of India And The Peasant s Revolt1688 Words à |à 7 Pagesexamine the causes and affects of the Black Death in India and the Peasantââ¬â¢s Revolt in England, during the medieval period lasting from the 5th century to the 15th century (500-1500s). Throughout the report, information will include significant individuals involved or affected by the event, a significant occurrence during each event, and finally the interconnections that can be established between the Peasantââ¬â¢s Revolt and Black Death. The Black Death The Black Death is said to be the worst catastropheRead MoreAnalysis Of English Renaissance : Three Important Things922 Words à |à 4 Pagesall very common things during this time period, it wasnââ¬â¢t the meaning behind the renaissance. The Renaissance actually means the ââ¬Å"rebirthâ⬠and is dated from the late 15th Century to the early 17th Century. The country went through a plague where half of the population passed away from a disease that resulted in skin turning black. This was going on right before the renaissance had started, so it took away so much from the country. It wasnââ¬â¢t until after they had finally began to find a fix to the diseaseRead MoreWhat Effects Did The Black Death Changed Europe1408 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Death Plague That changed Europe In 1348, a plague arrived that caused severe damage in many countries in Europe. The plague made a significant impact on the country, and it ending up killing fifty million people, which was sixty percent of Europeââ¬â¢s entire population (Slack 432). All of the deaths from the Black plaque it caused many different social and economic effects in Europe. Along with devastating effect, there were positive, social and economic changes resulting from the Black death includingRead MoreWhat Can Educators Do For African Americans?815 Words à |à 4 PagesFor more than 50 years black students lag behind their peers from other racial groups on achievement. Educators play a huge role in the equality of education for all students. Interventions, reforms, and legislation have been proposed in various forms for several decades. The question is what can educators do to assist African American students in being successful and having an unbiased educational experience? How do we create children to be new thinkers and inventors that tackle racial disparitiesRead MoreEuropeans and the New World: 1492 to 1600901 Words à |à 4 Pagescivilization of Spain was formed. Since then, the country has traveled from an era of prehistoric Iberia to the Middle Ages to a rise as an empire and a member of the European Union . The main reason why Spain grew so much in power during the fifteenth century is because of a series of events that took place around that time. The first in such a series of events was the discovery of new passages and trade channels. The Caribbean and the Mediterranean trade routes dominated the trade in these regions before
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