Tanning. Why do people still tan after knowing all the bad effects Essay

Tanning. Why do people still tan after knowing all the bad effects - Essay Example Within the same era as that of Shakespeare, Elizabeth I passed away from white lead cosmetics. Such concept of beauty was also prevalent in Europe during much of the 18th and 19th centuries. This was because tanned skin signifies manual labor, of people who toil under the sun, the fair skinned people were regarded as the elite of the society. However, it was only when the labor practice has changed, where indoor work had become a norm, that tanned skinned became a trademark of people who can afford to do it for leisure purposes. Iconic figure Coco Channel during the 1920's accidentally acquired a tan during one of her holidays. This has had ignited a fad among fair skinned people to get themselves tanned. ( Wikipedia ) The first and the most common is sunburn, where the usual symptoms are marked by the redness of skin and peeling that takes places after a few days of too much sun exposure. This is described to be as a short-term skin damage. The next problem encountered is the premature aging or photoaging. ... Another one that is most dreaded by all is skin cancer. One type is called melanoma which is considered to be the less common but dangerous form of skin cancer that can cause death. UV radiation causes cancer in two ways : 1. By damaging DNA cells that will cause abnormal growth in the skin, that could be benign or malignant, and 2. by making the immune system weak that leads to the inability of the body to defend itself from aggressive cancer cells. Another kind of growth named actinic or solar keratoses is a concern because it has the tendency to develop into cancer cells. Then another risk which most people are not aware of is eye damage. This happens when the eyes weren't protected from the heat of the sun. It causes cataract characterized by the clouding of the lens of the eyes thereby blocking one's vision. Lastly, most people regardless of the race or skin color will most like suffer from immune suppression where the body's natural defenses to fight against diseases were compromised. Apparently, weak immune system makes one susceptible to different diseases where one of them could be skin cancer. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Reasons Why People Tan Despite Risks Robin Hornung and Solmaz Poorsattar, students of the University of Washington, conducted a study among 385 UW students about their tanning behaviors. It was revealed that 75% of the students do tanning in order to look good and 41% specified it is a relaxation technique. Due to these reasons, students strive to achieve their aim that the researchers described it to be an addictive behavior. ( Paras ) Steven Feldman, a lead researcher for the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center , said that they believed that tanning has a

Attachment Theory and Community Development Theory

Attachment Theory and Community Development Theory The Practical and Theoretical Applications of Attachment Theory and Community Development Theory in Social Work Social work theories are extremely helpful in placing certain problem situations in context, and dealing with those situations. Two theories, Attachment Theory and Community Development Theory, will be particularly helpful in analyzing the case of Dave and Jenny, a married couple in their early twenties, who live on a London housing estate with their two children, Sean (aged four) and Sarah (aged two). Dave works irregularly as a labourer, and spends a good portion of his wages each week at the pub and at the bookies. This causes tension in their marriage, including repeated rows and occasional violence. The family have rent arrears and hire purchase debts, and they recently received a letter from a loan company threatening to repossess some of their property. Most of their problems are about money, and each blames the other for Sean’s willful and aggressive behaviour at the local day nursery. A mother and toddlers group was offered for Sarah, but was never taken up. Both Dave and Jenny would like help with their financial difficulties, and Jenny would like their relationship to improve. Dave claims that the only thing wrong with their relationship is their lack of intimacy since Sarah was born. The family was referred by the Health Visitor, who felt the familys problems were affecting Sarah. The first theory is question is Attachment Theory. Intimate relationships with others are the context in which we discover who we are, learn how others feel about life’s important issues, and how to bridge differences (Waters, Merrick, Treboux, Crowell and Albersheim, 684). The emotional security and warmth derived from a loving parent provides us with a foundation from which we can take the risks that are inevitably part of life (Bornstein and Tamis-LeMonda, 1990). In short, close relationships between babies and their caregivers are central to human life, and the theory of attachment is about these relationships: how they are formed, what happens during the relationship with the nurturing parent, and what the consequences are for later development (Ainsworth, 969 ) If we begin life with an experience of successful closeness, we are better able to create closeness in our relationships with friends and partners. The connection between caregiver and child ensures the two will remain near each other physically, but at the same time, the security of this closeness creates the courage the child needs to venture forth into the world (Waters etc. et al., 686). Secure attachment therefore actually facilitates independence as well as the formation of an autonomous self (Weinfield, Sroufe and Egeland, 687). Attachment theory proposes that the maintenance of bonds, particularly the bond between a mother and her young child, is essential to the survival of the human species and a compelling individual need (Belsky and Nezworski, 1988). An attachment may be defined as an affectional tie that one person or animal forms between himself and another specific one a tie that binds them together in space and endures over time (Ainsworth, 989). Secure attachment provides the foundation for positive growth. It is therefore essential that all children have the opportunity to enjoy such relationships. The key factor for the caregiver is â€Å"sensitive responsiveness† the ability to attune to the child and respond to their signals (Caruso, 121). The child’s responsiveness is also an important contributor to the process. Attachment problems are more likely to arise with â€Å"difficult† babies. Research has established a clear link between secure attachment and other developmental processes, in particular language development, exploratory behaviour and socially appropriate behaviour (Belsky and Nezworski, 1988). The desire to gain the approval of adults is a powerful motivation in learning to control equally powerful but less desirable urges (Bornstein and Tamis-LeMonda, 1990). For children learn to take care of themselves only as well as they have been cared for, and attentive care fosters self regard, se lf protection and self control, fostering a view of the world as responsive and caring (Weinfeld, etc. et al., 200). The securely attached child has formed the mental image of the self as a â€Å"cared about person in conjunction with the mother or other partner as a caring person, which enables the child to tolerate being separated from the caregiver, both physically and mentally, without anxiety increasing enough to disrupt play† (Rutter, 267). In the simplest terms, securely attached toddlers are more independent than insecurely attached ones. Attachment is the â€Å"laboratory of human connection, the experience that prepares us for a life in which we have the opportunity to thrive† (Bowlby, 1988). As part of our general duty to protect the young, we must support them in these early important relationships and do whatever we can to preserve the family relationships that support them. The attachment process is based on fine-tuning the relationship between caregiver and child, and multiple difficulties may arise in any situation. Separation due to illness, depression, stress and tension within the family may make it difficult for the primary caregiver and/or child to respond to each other (Ainsworth, 1009). Where the environment is chaotic and the primary caregiver is not available to the child secure attachment will not be possible. Failure to accomplish the goals of the parent-child relationship will result in an inadequate attachment relationship, placing the child on a pathway to relationship difficulties through out life (Bornstein and Tamis-LeMonda, 1990). Here is where our case study comes into play. The problems Sean is having at the day nursery (willful and aggressive behaviour) could very easily be derived from a lack of attachment at home. As evidenced in the preceding paragraphs, Attachment Theory is particularly applicable to â€Å"difficult† children, and there is a direct correlation between secure attachment and appropriate behaviour. This behaviour, in combination with the ability to act independently, is not evidenced by Sean, and, while there is not enough data to support it, could very well be applied to Sarah as well. After all, the reason the family was referred by the Health Visitor was out of concern for her. Furthermore, if Sean isn’t receiving the secure attachment he needs, then probably neither is Sarah. It is therefore safe to assume that the tension and chaos of the home environment is having a detrimental affect on Sean and Sarah, especially looking at it from a theoretical standpoint. And unfortu nately, while Sean at least has the opportunity to forge positive relationships at the day care centre, without the proper foundation at home, such relationships are not likely to succeed. Bringing an Attachment Theory standpoint to the attention of Dave and Jenny would be the first step in addressing these problems, followed by a comprehensive plan of action to redress the problems derived from a lack of secure attachment. Another theory that will be useful in assessing our case study is Community Development Theory. Since the late nineteenth century, the use of the term community has remained to some extent associated with the â€Å"hope and the wish of reviving once more the closer, warmer, more harmonious type of bonds between people vaguely attributed to past ages†(Hoggett, 1997). Before 1910 there was little social science literature concerning community, and it was really only in 1915 that the first clear definition emerged, which was coined by C. J. Galpin in relation to delineating rural communities in terms of the trade and service areas surrounding a central village (Harper and Dunham, 19). A number of competing definitions of community quickly followed. Some focused on community as a geographical area, some on a group of people living in a particular place, and others as an area of common life. Community development as a theory and practice centers on community work, organization and participation. As a child needs guidance to develop correctly, communities, too, need mature guidance from experts to ensure the proper developmental trajectory (Almond, 1970). Community development (or building) presents an image of â€Å"continual improvement and grassroots efforts, using a combination of mental and manual work, with a division of labor within the community, not between the community and the outsiders† (Cook, 1979). Community building implies a broad set of participants and a shared vision of what the community should be like in the future, looking at the whole and not just a few parts. When community residents are addressed in terms of what they can offer rather than what they need to receive, they become active participants in the process of change (Almond, 1970). While a community is made up of individuals, it is more than the sum of its individual parts. A healthy community is able to use the skills, knowledge and ability of all the people in it to take initiative and to adapt in the face of constant change (Morgan, 1942). It requires there to be relationships and communications both inside and outside of the community. There is a generally recognized set of characteristics distinguishing community development, which include: Focus on a unit called â€Å"community.† Conscious attempts to induce non-reversible structural change. Use of paid professionals/workers. Initiation by groups, agencies or institutions external to the community unit. Emphasize public participation. Participate for the purpose of self-help. Increase dependence on participatory democracy as the mode for community (public) decision-making. Use a holistic approach (Lotz, 69) There are many ways to define community. Each of the standard definitions may be sufficient in most situations, but here is a general operational definition: A community is a particular type of social system distinguished by the following characteristics: People involved in the system have a sense and recognition of the relationships and areas of common concerns with other members. The system has longevity, continuity and is expected to persist. Its operations depend considerably on voluntary cooperation, with a minimal use (or threat) of sanctions or coercion. It is multi-functional. The system is expected to produce many things and to be attuned to many dimensions of interactions. The system is complex, dynamic and sufficiently large that instrumental relationships predominate. Usually, there is a geographic element associated with its definition and basic boundaries (Christenson and Robinson, 1980). In the context of community development, development is a concept associated with improvement. It is a certain type of change in a positive direction. The nature and direction of development can only be made by people according to their own values, aspirations and expectations (Wade, 116). In the case of community systems, this must be a collective judgment. Since people are different in many ways, the chances of finding unanimity about what constitutes improvement are slight (Lotz, 71). Community development builds from this proposition (people are different). Each is distinguishable from all others, indicating that each has something unique about him or her. It also takes the position that each person probably has some bit of information or insight not available to anyone else. While it is impossible to collect and process â€Å"all the bits of intelligence embodied in the population, it is possible to collect and evaluate more of the diverse intelligence that does exist† (C ook, 1979). Community development theory involves certain assumptions about people and the community system. These include the following: People are diverse. Community systems can organize to take advantage of that diversity. Community systems are not totalitarian. People have life spaces outside of the community structure. Breadth of experience, intelligence, information and energies represented in a population far exceed that which the community system takes into account. People learn from participation in community systems and community systems learn from the participation of people. People are capable of exercising a considerable degree of autonomy, while exercising self-restraint required for social order. People have the capacity for a significant level of empathy with others that permits tolerance and voluntary relationships within the community systems. While people prefer justice and fairness in community systems, they often perceive it differently. Imperfections will mark every community system. A degree of inequity will exist in every community system. Resorting to absolutes is likely to stand in the way of finding practical accommodations within the community system. Working from the principle that everyone affected by a decision has a right to participate helps the community system locate areas of difficulty and expands the range of potential intelligence available to the system with which to address the situation (Wade, 118). As the situations faced by community systems become more complex and subject to change, there is need for more and greater variety of intelligence to govern the system (Christenson and Robinson, 1980). Members of the community have been, and are, an underused source of intelligence and information. â€Å"Open democratic processes give the system access to this reservoir. Participants learn and the system learns. Learning is the requirement for, and the product of, the community development process† (Botkins, Elmandjra and Malitza, 1979). And here is where this applies to our case study. Dave and Jenny are new to their community, and don’t know anyone. Therefore, they feel isolated. However, if they were more involved, either with those in their immediate environment, or with their greater surroundings, they would feel more welcome and more â€Å"part of a whole.† With more friends, and more of a sense of community and belonging, they would feel happier, which would no doubt affect their relationship and, subsequently, their relationship with their children. In addition (and more importantly), they would have an incredible resource at their disposal: the other members of their community. While the phrase â€Å"it takes a village† is perhaps something of a clichà ©, or something that belongs in rural Africa, it is entirely applicable to countless situations and in a modern context. The fact is, over time, the only way progress has been made is collectively. People, working together, pooling their resources, have been able to make extraordinary pr ogress, the kind which could not have been done alone. And on the surface, while this kind of progress, along with Community Development Theory itself, may seem to apply to big, societal projects like keeping the streets safe or the streets clean, it is relevant to families as well. Raising kids is hard work, and even with systems in place like day care, it is sometimes impossible to do so in ways that are healthy and productive. However, by utilizing one’s community, which is chock-full of â€Å"underused sources† (babysitters, teachers, tutors, social programs, civic organizations, churches, etc.), everyone can benefit. And in this case, the advantages for Dave, Jenny, Sean and Sarah are obvious. Issues of family, community poverty and violence are as old as recorded history. Millions of reports of child abuse and neglect are made each year, and these statistics and others reinforce the long held-concerns of the effects of poverty and stress on children’s development. However, the task of discovering familial and societal causes and consequences are enormously important not only scientifically but morally and practically. They are also among the most difficult types of social work. Both Attachment Theory and Community Development Theory, though vastly different in terms of their goals, applications and functions, are extremely useful in looking at ways to assist and comprehend Jenny and Dave and people like them. Whether at home through secure attachment, or outside the family unit via the community at large, help (and understanding) is at hand. Bibliography Ainsworth, Mary D.S. Object Relations, Dependency, and Attachment: A Theoretical Review of the Infant-Mother Relationship. Child Development, Vol. 40, 1969. Almond, G. A Functional Approach to Comparative Politics. The Politics of the Developing Areas. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1970. Belsky, J. and Nezworski, T. (eds.). Clinical Implications of Attachment. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc., 1988. Bornstein, Marc, and Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine. â€Å"Activities and Interactions of Mothers and Their Firstborn Infants in the First Six Months of Life: Covariation, Stability, Continuity, Correspondence, and Prediction.† Child Dev, 1206 (1990). Botkins, James W., Elmandjra, Mahdi and Malitza, Mircea. No Limits to Learning. New York: Pergamon Press, 1979. Bowlby, J. â€Å"Attachment and Loss: Retrospect and Prospect.† American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 52(4), October, 1982. Bowlby, J. A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development. New York: Basic Books Inc., 1988. Caruso, D. A. â€Å"Attachment and Exploration in Infancy: Research and Applied Issues.† Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4, 1989. Cook, James B. â€Å"Advocacy of Grassroots Citizenship.† Journal of Community Development Society. Fall, 1975. Cook, James B. â€Å"Democracy and Rural Development.† University of Missouri-Columbia. Department of Community Development, June 1979. Christenson, James A., and Robinson, Jerry W., Jr. (eds.). Community Development in America. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1980. Harper, E. H. and Dunham, A. Community Organization in Action: Basic Literature and Critical Comments. New York: Association Press, 1959. Hoggett, P. Contested Communities. Experiences, Struggles, Policies. Bristol: Policy Press, 1997. Kopp, Clair B. â€Å"Trends and Directions in Studies of Developmental Risk.† In Threats to Optimal Development: Integrating Biological, Psychological, and Social Risk Factors. Nelson, Charles, (ed.). Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1994. Lotz, Jim. â€Å"Training in Community Development.† Community Development Journal, 1970. McKnight, John L. â€Å"Looking at Capacity, Not Deficiency.† In Revitalizing Our Cities. Lipsitz, Marc (ed.). New York: The Fund for an American Renaissance and the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, 1985. Morgan, Arthur E. The Small Community: Foundation of Democratic Life. New York: Harper and Bros., 1942. Rutter, M. Scientific Foundations of Developmental Psychiatry. London: Heineman, 1979. Schmidt, E. and Eldridge, A. â€Å"The Attachment Relationship and Child Maltreatment.† Infant Mental Health Journal, vol. 7. No. 4, Winter 1986. Sroufe, L.A. and Fleeson, J. â€Å"Attachment and the Construction of Relationships. In Relationships and Development. Hartup, W. and Rubin, Z. (eds.). Hillsdale: Earlbaum, 1986. Wade, Jerry. â€Å"Felt Needs and Anticipatory Needs: Reformulation of a Basic Community Development Principle.† Journal of the Community Development Society 20, 1989. Waters, E., Merrick, S., Treboux, D., Crowell, J. and Albersheim, L. â€Å"Attachment Stability in Infancy and Early Adulthood: A 20-Year Longitudinal Study. Child Development, 71, 2000. Weinfield, N., Sroufe, L. A. and Egeland, B. â€Å"Attachment from Infancy to Early Adulthood in a High Risk Sample: Continuity, Discontinuity, and their Correlates.† Child Development, 71, 2000.

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impacting the Etiology of Eating Disorders Essay

Childhood Sexual Abuse Impacting the Etiology of Eating Disorders Today's literature estimates that as many as 1 in 3 females and 1 in 7 boys have been the victim of sexual abuse. There are about 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of incest each year in each major city in the United States. It is reported by the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse that in 1993, 2.9 million children were reported to protective services because they were being abused, neglected, or both (Schwartz). 16% of these 2.9 million children had been sexually abused. It is estimated that there are 60 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in America today http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/stats.htm#Disclosure. This childhood sexual abuse has been implicated by some eating disorder experts as a factor in the etiology of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Eating disorder experts are currently engaged in heated debate concerning whether sexual abuse is a specific risk factor or a general risk factor in the development of eating disorders. Those who propose a spec ific link hypothesis believe that eating disorders are directly related to early sexual abuse and are a form of gender specific posttraumatic stress disorder. The proponents of the specific link hypothesis believe that their exists "complex, multiple mediating mechanisms between sexual abuse and disordered eating" (Kearney-Cook, 1994). They believe that sexual abuse has a direct effect on the victims body image. There is an emphasis on the "adverse effects of sexual abuse on body esteem, self-regulation, identity, and on interpersonal functioning" (Kearney-Cook, 1994). Those on the opposite side of the argument believe that eating disorders are not specifically caused by sex... ...ke-Kearney, Ann and Striegel-Moore, Ruth H. (1994). Treatment of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: A Feminist Psychodynamic Approach. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 4, 305 - 319 Waller, Glenn. (1991). Sexual Abuse as a Factor in Eating Disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 159, 664 - 671 Kinzl, Johann F., et al. (1994). Family Background and Sexual Abuse Associated with Eating Disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 151, 1127 - 1130 Moyer, Diane M, et al. (1997). Childhood Sexual Abuse and Precursors of Binge Eating in an Adolescent Female Population. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 21, 23 - 30 Zlotnick, Caron, et al. (1996). The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse and Eating Pathology. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 20, 129 - 134

Economics Syllabus

CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations Correspondence related to the syllabus should be addressed to: The Pro-Registrar Caribbean Examinations Council Caenwood Centre 37 Arnold Road, Kingston 5, Jamaica, W. I. Telephone Number: (876) 920-6714 Facsimile Number: (876) 967-4972 E-mail address: [email  protected] org Website: www. cxc. org Copyright  © 2008, by Caribbean Examinations Council The Garrison, St. Michael BB 11158, Barbados This document CXC A20/U2/08 replaces CXC A20/U2/03 issued in 2003. Please note that the syllabus was revised and amendments are indicated by italics and vertical lines.First Issued 2003 Revised 2008 Please check the website www. cxc. org for updates on CXC’s syllabuses. RATIONALE1 AIMS 2 SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO BE ASSESSED2 PRE-REQUISITES OF THE SYLLABUS3 STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABUS3 UNIT 1: MICROECONOMICS MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY 4 MODULE 2: MARKET STRUCTURE, MARKET FAILURE AND INTERVENTION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 12 MODULE 3: DISTRIBUTION THEORY 17 UNIT 2: MACROECONOMICS MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMY27 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES28 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS36 OUTLINE OF ASSESSMENT44REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATE CANDIDATES 55 REGULATIONS FOR RESIT CANDIDATES56 ASSESSMENT GRID57 RESOURCES58 GLOSSARY59 T T he Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) are designed to provide certification of the academic, vocational and technical achievement of students in the Caribbean who, having completed a minimum of five years of secondary education, wish to further their studies. The examinations address the skills and knowledge acquired by students under a flexible and articulated system where subjects are organised in 1-Unit or 2-Unit courses with each Unit containing three Modules.Subjects examined under CAPE may be studied concurrently or singly, or may be combined with subjects examined by other examination boards or ins titutions. The Caribbean Examinations Council offers three types of certification. The first is the award of a certificate showing each CAPE Unit completed. The second is the CAPE diploma, awarded to candidates who have satisfactorily completed at least six Units, including Caribbean Studies. The third is the CAPE Associate Degree, awarded for the satisfactory completion of a prescribed cluster of seven CAPE Units including Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies.For the CAPE diploma and the CAPE Associate Degree, candidates must complete the cluster of required Units within a maximum period of five years. Recognized educational institutions presenting candidates for CAPE towards the award of the Council’s Associate Degree in nine categories must, on registering these candidates at the start of the qualifying year, have them confirm in the required form, the Associate Degree they wish to be awarded. Candidates will not be awarded any possible alternatives for which they d id not apply. T ? RATIONALEEconomics is the study of how society provides for itself by making the most efficient use of scarce resources so that both private and social welfare may be improved. The subject, therefore, covers the study of individuals, households, firms, government and international economic institutions as they attempt to make better use of scarce resources. The study of Economics enables individuals to develop a better understanding of the economic issues which affect them and the world in which they live. It will also enable students to offer informed comments on economic matters.The knowledge gained from this course in Economics will be of lifelong value to the student. The influence of the subject on all areas of activity should stimulate the individual to continue reading and conducting research in Economics. It is recognised that persons doing this course may be drawn from different backgrounds and may possess different interests. Some may wish to study Econom ics as preparation for further specialisation in the subject. Others may study the subject to complement other subject disciplines, such as, careers in finance, accounting or law.Some students may see the subject as one worthy of study in its own right. Students of Economics will be able to contribute, significantly, to economic and social development in the Caribbean and the wider world by acting as catalysts for wider awareness of social and economic issues. A study of Economics at the CAPE level will be of benefit to all students by introducing them to the philosophy which underlies everyday economic interactions. The study will also train the student to think logically, critically and impartially on a variety of contentious issues. AIMS The syllabus aims to: 1. promote understanding of the basic principles and concepts of economics which are accepted in large measure by economists while recognising that the field is changing continuously; 2. develop an appreciation of the variou s methods used by economists in analysing economic problems; 3. develop an understanding of the global economy and of the relationships between rich and poor nations with respect to international trade and finance and the most important international financial institutions; 4. ncourage students to apply economic principles, theories and tools to everyday economic problems, for example, inflation, unemployment, environmental degradation, sustainable development and exchange rate instability and to contribute meaningfully to any dialogue on these issues; 5. encourage students to apply economic theory to the critical issues which affect the small open Caribbean-type economy; 6. encourage students to evaluate contentious economic issues so that decision-making may be informed by logical and critical thinking; 7. sensitize students to the need for ethical behaviour in the conduct of economic transactions. SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO BE ASSESSED The assessment will test candidates’ ski lls and abilities to: 1. identify and explain economic theories, principles, concepts and methods; 2. interpret, analyse and solve economic problems using economic models and concepts; 3. develop structural and reasoned expositions and evaluate economic theories and policies. PRE-REQUISITES OF THE SYLLABUS Successful participation in this course of study will be enhanced by the possession of good verbal and written communications skills. A good foundation in Mathematics would be an asset to students doing this course.STRUCTURE OF THE SYLLABUS The Syllabus is arranged into two Units. Each Unit consists of three Modules, each Module requiring 50 contact hours. UNIT 1: MICROECONOMICS Module 1-Methodology: Demand and Supply Module 2-Market Structure, Market Failure and Intervention Module 3-Distribution Theory UNIT 2: MACROECONOMICS Module 1-Models of the Macroeconomy Module 2-Macroeconomic Problems and Policies Module 3-Growth, Sustainable Development and Global Relations Lists of reso urces are provided in the syllabus. The lists provide information that may be helpful for the study of each Module.It is advised that the topics listed in the sections do not necessarily follow sequentially. Teachers may thus introduce certain concepts before others. It is recognised that Economics may be taught using a strictly qualitative approach or a strictly quantitative approach. However, a proper mix of the two approaches is critical to the understanding of the subject at this level. Teachers are advised, therefore, that proper delivery of the subject would involve the integration of the two approaches. ? UNIT 1: MICROECONOMICS MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLYGENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: 1. appreciate the main problem of economics namely, the allocation of scarce resources and the inevitability of choice; 2. understand the laws, principles and theories governing demand and supply; 3. understand the basic tools of economic analysis. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 1: Central Problem of Economics Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of scarcity; 2. apply the concept of opportunity cost in a variety of real-life situations; 3. explain the concept of production possibilities frontier (PPF); . use the production possibilities frontier to indicate constant returns, diminishing returns and increasing returns; 5. account for shifts in the production possibilities frontier (PPF); 6. differentiate between positive and normative economics; 7. outline the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative mechanisms by which resources are allocated. CONTENT 1. The meaning of scarcity, free goods and economic goods. 2. (a)Definition of opportunity cost. b) Choice: what, how and for whom to produce. UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) ) The concept of opportunity cost applied to economic agents (individuals, households, firms and governments). 3. (a)Assumptions: maximum output attainable, g iven full employment and constant state of technology. (b)Regions: attainable, unattainable, efficient and inefficient levels of production. 4. Production possibilities frontier: slopes and shapes. 5. Use of production possibilities frontier to show growth and technological change. 6. Examples of positive and normative statements. 7. Different types of economic systems: traditional, market, planned and mixed. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVESTOPIC 2: Theory of Consumer Demand Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of utility; 2. explain the law of diminishing marginal utility and the limitation of marginal utility theory; 3. explain the meaning of indifference curves and budget lines; 4. explain consumer equilibrium using the marginal utility approach; 5. explain consumer equilibrium using the indifference curve approach; 6. isolate the income and substitution effects of a price change; 7. explain effective demand; 8. derive the demand curve using both the marginal utility and indiffe rence curve approaches; 9. ifferentiate among normal, inferior and Giffen goods; 10. distinguish between shifts of the demand curve and movements along the curve; UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) 11. identify the factors that affect demand; 12. explain the meaning of consumer surplus; 13. explain price elasticity, income elasticity and cross elasticity of demand; 14. calculate numerical values of elasticity; 15. interpret numerical values of elasticity; 16. assess the implications of price elasticity of demand for total spending and revenue; 17. state the factors that determine the price elasticity of demand.CONTENT 1. Utility: total, marginal, cardinal (marginalist approach), ordinal (indifference curve approach). 2. (a)Explanation of diminishing marginal utility. (b)The main assumptions and limitations of Marginal Utility Theory. 3. Indifference curves and the budget constraint (budget lines). 4. The law of equi-marginal returns. 5. The point of tang ency of the budget line to the indifference curve. 6. Income and substitution effects of a price change. 7. Effective demand. 8. Deriving the demand curve using the marginal utility as well as the indifference curve approach. . Normal, inferior and Giffen goods using the indifference curve approach. 10. Shift versus movements along demand curves. 11. Price and the conditions of demand. 12. Consumer surplus including graphical representations. UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) 13. Price, income, and cross elasticities. 14. Calculation of values of elasticity. 15. Classification and interpretations (sign and size); including the drawings and interpretations of graphs. 16. The implications of price elasticity of demand for total spending and revenue. 17.Factors that determine the price elasticity of demand. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 3: Theory of Supply Students should be able to: 1. identify the factors of production; 2. explain the term production functio n; 3. differentiate between the short run and long run; 4. explain the law of diminishing returns; 5. calculate total, average and marginal physical product; 6. explain the relationships among total, average and marginal physical product; 7. identify the stages of production as they relate to total, average and marginal product; 8. calculate total, average, marginal and other costs; 9. xplain the relationship among total, average and marginal costs; 10. explain why supply curves are usually positively sloped; 11. explain the concept of producer surplus; 12. explain the shape of the short run and long run supply curves; UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) 13. explain returns to scale and the concepts of economies and diseconomies of scale; 14. distinguish between a movement along the supply curve and a shift in the supply curve; 15. explain the concept of elasticity of supply; 16. calculate elasticity of supply; 17. interpret elasticity of supply. CONTENT . Factors of production: land, labour, capital and entrepreneurship. 2. Relationship between output and input. 3. Fixed and variable factors. 4. The law of diminishing returns. 5. Calculation of total average and marginal physical product. (See suggested teaching and learning activities). 6. Change in the relationship as input increases. 7. Production and its stages, as they relate to the total, average and marginal product including the use of graphs. 8. (a)Fixed cost, variable cost, total cost, marginal cost, average fixed cost, average variable cost, average total cost, sunk costs. ) The shape of the long run average total cost curve. c) Productive optimum. 9. The relationship between total, average and marginal cost including the use of graphs. 10. Relationship between quantity supplied and price. 11. Producer surplus including graphical representations. UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) 12. Relationship between marginal cost and the average cost in the short run and long run. Explanation of why the supply curve is the section of the marginal cost curve above the average variable cost and average total cost. 13. (a)Long run and economies of scale. ) Factors determining economies of scale. c) Internal and external economies of scale. d) Diseconomies of scale. 14. Price and the conditions of supply. 15. Concept of elasticity of supply. 16. Calculation of elasticity of supply. 17. Classification and interpretation (size of coefficient) including the drawing and interpretation of graphs. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 4: Market Equilibrium Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of the market; 2. explain market equilibrium; 3. calculate equilibrium price and quantity; 4. outline factors that cause changes in equilibrium; . evaluate the impact of price controls on market equilibrium; 6. analyse the effects of taxation and subsidies on market equilibrium. UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) CONTENT 1. The concept of the market. 2. Equilibrium price, equilibrium quantity. 3. Use of demand and supply data to calculate equilibrium price and quantity. 4. Changes in conditions of supply and demand. 5. The effects of price ceilings and price floors on equilibrium. 6. (a)The effects of taxation and subsidies on market equilibrium. (b)The incidence of an indirect tax.Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the teaching and learning activities listed below. 1. For topic 1, Central Problem of Economics, let students provide examples from personal life, the home, firms and government to demonstrate opportunity cost and the production possibilities frontier (PPF). 2. For topic 2, Theory of Consumer Demand, let students derive their own schedule and plot the demand curve for commodities which they use in their everyday lives. 3.For utility, use water or any other drink to show the different levels of satisfaction (utility). Use the data to derive total and marginal utility curves. 4. For the concept of elasticity, teachers may use two types of materials, one that could change in varying degrees and the other which remains the same regardless of circumstances. Teachers should then apply this concept to market conditions illustrating the concepts of elasticity and inelasticity. 5. For deadweight loss, teachers may use the graphs for consumer and producer surplus to show how market intervention may lead to loss welfare (deadweight loss). 6.For stages of production, allow students to derive the total average and marginal product curves using simulated data. Use the results of the graphs to point out the different stages of production. An example is given below. UNIT 1 MODULE 1: METHODOLOGY: DEMAND AND SUPPLY (cont’d) GRAPH SHOWING THE STAGES OF PRODUCTION [pic] (i)Stage 1occurs up to the point where APPL is at its maximum. (ii)Stage 2 occurs fr om the point where APPL is at a maximum up to the point where MPPL is zero. In this stage new workers add to total physical output. (iii)Stage 3 occurs when MPPL is negative. The producer will operate in stage 2.In stage 1 there is insufficient labour being used (up to the point where MPPL is at its maximum) and the output per worker is increasing. In stage 3 the producer gets no addition to total physical output from additional workers. It would be possible to have more total physical product with less labour applied to a fixed factor (say machinery). UNIT 1 MODULE 2: MARKET STRUCTURE, MARKET FAILURE AND INTERVENTION GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: 1. appreciate the distinction between the different types of market structures; 2. develop awareness of the causes of market failure; . appreciate the measures that can be adopted to reduce or eliminate market failure; 4. appreciate the arguments which suggest that government intervention may not necessa rily improve economic performance. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 1: Market Structure Students should be able to: 1. outline the goals of the firm; 2. explain how firms measure profits; 3. explain the concepts of average, marginal and total revenue; 4. explain the concept of market structure; 5. outline the characteristics of the different market structures; 6. distinguish among the different market structures; 7. xplain the factors that influence the pricing and output decisions of the firm; 8. calculate measures of industrial concentration; 9. interpret measures of industrial concentration. UNIT 1 MODULE 2: MARKET STRUCTURE, MARKET FAILURE AND INTERVENTION (cont’d) CONTENT 1. Profit maximization, growth, satisficing, sales and revenue maximization, market dominance. 2. Total revenue, total cost, normal and economic (abnormal) profit. 3. Relationship between average, marginal and total revenue. 4. Types of market structures: perfect competition, monopoly including price discrimin ation, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and cartels. . Characteristics of the different market structures. a) barriers to entry; b) control over market and price; c) nature of the good; d) numbers of buyers and sellers; e) competitive behaviour and performance. 6. Focus on all characteristics of the different markets in addition to profit maximization. a) Examples of close approximations of market structures in the Caribbean. 7. Marginal cost and marginal revenue, total cost and total revenue, marginal cost pricing and average cost pricing. 8. Herfindahl Hirschman Index – the percentage of an industry’s output produced by its four largest firms (four-firm concentration ratio): pic] where si is the market share of firm i in the market, and n is the number of firms. 9. (a)Interpretation related to market structures. b) Limitations of measures of industrial concentration. UNIT 1 MODULE 2: MARKET STRUCTURE, MARKET FAILURE AND INTERVENTION (cont’d) SPECIFIC OBJECT IVES TOPIC 2: Market Failure Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of economic efficiency; 2. distinguish among private goods, public goods and merit goods; 3. distinguish between social costs and private costs and social benefits and private benefits; 4. explain the concept of market failure; 5. explain what is meant by deadweight loss; . outline the causes of market failure. CONTENT 1. Inclusion of discussion of Pareto efficiency. 2. (a)Examples of private goods, public goods and merit goods. (b)Discussion of issues of rivalry and exclusion. 3. Social costs, private costs, social benefits, private benefits, external costs, external benefits. Use of graphical representations. 4. Divergence of social costs and social benefits and efficiency. Use of graphical representations. 5. Deadweight loss including verbal and graphical representations. 6. Causes of market failure: a) monopoly; b) public goods and merit goods; c) externalities: positive and negative;UNIT 1 MODULE 2: MARKET STRUCTURE, MARKET FAILURE AND INTERVENTION (cont’d) d) divergence between social and private costs and social and private benefits; e) imperfect information; f) asymmetric information: adverse selection and moral hazard; g) open access to resources; h) lack of property rights (squatting, streams, ocean); i) non-existence of markets (for trading). SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 3: Intervention Students should be able to: 1. evaluate the measures used by government to correct market failure; 2. evaluate the measures used by the private sector to correct market failure. CONTENT 1.Measures used by government to control market failure: a) -regulation; – anti-trust policy; – taxation; – privatisation and deregulation; – state ownership; – subsidies; – legislation; – market creation (tradable permits); b) pros and cons of government intervention; c) -merits and demerits; – effectiveness of intervention in Caribbean societies (effect of small size in relation to policy making). UNIT 1 MODULE 2: MARKET STRUCTURE, MARKET FAILURE AND INTERVENTION (cont’d) 2. Private Sector Intervention: (a)corporate code of conduct; (b)corporate social responsibility; (c)voluntary agreements; (d)corporate ethics.Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the teaching and learning activities listed below. 1. For price discrimination, teachers could identify the first, second and third degree price discrimination using different examples from students’ experiences. Teachers should then illustrate by use of diagrams. 2. For the kinked demand curve model, teachers may use the daily newspaper or mobile phone industry as examples. UNIT 1 MODULE 3: DISTRIBUTION THEORY GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: . understand what accounts for the returns that accrue to the owner s of the factors of production; 2. appreciate the issues surrounding poverty and the measures used to alleviate poverty; 3. develop skills in applying microeconomic analysis to critical social issues involving income inequality. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 1: The Demand for and Supply of Factors Student should be able to: 1. explain the rewards of the factors of production; 2. explain the concept of derived demand; 3. outline the marginal productivity theory; 4. apply the marginal productivity theory to the demand for land, capital and labour; 5. nalyse the factors affecting the supply of land, capital and labour; 6. analyse the factors determining rent, interest and wages; 7. distinguish between transfer earnings and economic rent. CONTENT 1. Rent, interest, wages and profits. 2. Derived demand. 3. (a)The assumptions and limitations of Marginal Productivity Theory. (b)Marginal Physical Product, Marginal Revenue Product and their relationship. UNIT 1 MODULE 3: DISTRIBUTION THEORY (con t’d) 4. The value of the Marginal Product: a) land; b) labour; c) capital – using present value (use of graphical representation required). 5.The fixity of land, the supply of loanable funds and the labour supply. 6. The demand for and supply of factors. 7. Numerical, graphical and verbal explanations of transfer earnings and economic rent. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 2: Wage Differentials Student should be able to: 1. explain the concept of wage differentials; 2. analyse imperfections in the labour market; 3. analyse the effect of labour mobility on wages; 4. explain the concept of compensating wage differentials; 5. explain the role of Government, Trade Unions and Employers’ Associations in the pricing of labour. CONTENT 1.Differences in wages within industries and among industries. 2. Imperfections on the demand side (for example, differences in marginal productivity) and on the supply side (for example, geographical immobility). 3. The mobility and immobility of labour; geographical (migration of workers), occupational. 4. Compensating (equalizing) differentials. UNIT 1 MODULE 3: DISTRIBUTION THEORY (cont’d) 5. The minimum wage rate; monopsonies; migration of workers; collective bargaining; trade union strategies, the role of employers’ associations; efficiency wage. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 3: Income inequality, Poverty and Poverty AlleviationStudents should be able to: 1. differentiate between size and functional distribution of income; 2. explain the concept of income inequality; 3. explain the measures of income inequality; 4. explain the measures used to reduce income inequality; 5. distinguish between absolute and relative poverty; 6. outline factors that contribute to poverty; 7. explain why certain categories of people are more susceptible to poverty than others; 8. evaluate the different ways used to measure poverty; 9. outline strategies used by Governments to alleviate poverty; 10. analyse the economic costs of poverty; 1. assess the economic benefits of government intervention to alleviate poverty. CONTENT 1. Size and functional distribution of income. 2. How income is distributed. 3. Lorenz curve measurement of income inequality; and Gini coefficient (interpretation only). 4. Measures to reduce inequality: taxes, subsidies, transfers. UNIT 1 MODULE 3: DISTRIBUTION THEORY (cont’d) 5. Absolute versus relative poverty. 6. Factors that contribute to poverty including: a) social and physical environment; b) discrimination – gender, race; c) restrictions on certain economic activities; d) non-ownership of resources; ) family size; f) single parent; female- headed families. 7. Persons who are most susceptible to poverty: (a)people with special needs; i) physically challenged; ii) elderly; iii) youth; iv) single parent families; v) indigenous people; (b)reasons – Limited access to employment, level of training, legislation, availability of income to share among family. 8. Wa ys used to measure poverty: a) basic needs; b) poverty line; c) head count; d) UNDP Human Development Index (HDI). UNIT 1 MODULE 3: DISTRIBUTION THEORY (cont’d) 9. Strategies to alleviate poverty: a) transfer payments; b) free education and health care; ) housing; d) minimum wage legislation; e) equal employment opportunities; f) Government employment creation(special works programmes). 10. The cost of poverty, including: a) unemployed human resources; b) lower potential output; c) inefficient allocation of Government expenditure; d) social and environmental costs. 11. Economic benefits including: a) provision of education and health leading to development of human capital; b) improvement in well- being as measured by the UNDP (HDI); c) more equitable distribution of income. Suggested Teaching and Learning ActivitiesTo facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the teaching and learning activities listed below. 1. Use knowledge from topic 3, unit 1, Theory of Supply, to derive the demand curve for factors of production. 2. Teachers may use graphical representation of the Lorenz Curve to illustrate unequal distribution of income. Teachers should also relate the Lorenz Curve to the GINI coefficient. Also show the effect of taxes on the Lorenz Curve and the GINI coefficient. UNIT 2: MACROECONOMICS MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMYGENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: appreciate the notion of National Income accounting and the importance of these accounts for macroeconomic theory and policy; 1. understand the views of the classical keynesian and monetarists schools; 2. understand the factors that influence the level of investment in an economy. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 1: National Income Accounting Students should be able to: 1. explain the circular flow of income; 2. explain the concept of National Income Accounting; 3. explain the different ways of der iving National Income Accounts; 4. nterpret National Income statistics; 5. use National Income accounts to analyze the performance on an economy as a whole; 6. derive real GDP from nominal GDP; 7. explain the limitations of GDP. CONTENT 1. Economic agents. 2. Gross Domestic Product (GDP),Gross National Product (GNP) and other measures. 3. Calculation of GDP, GNP and their components (personal income, disposable income), Net National Income (NNI), and per capita income; avoidance of double counting. UNIT 2 MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMY (cont’d) 4. Total measures: a) GDP at market prices; b) GDP at factor costs. 5.Use of National income accounts to measure economic performance over time and to make inter-country comparisons. 6. Calculation of real and nominal GDP using the price deflator. 7. Limits of National Income Accounts as a measure of well-being: a) non-inclusion of the informal sector (the underground economy, illegal activities); b) non-payment for do-it-yoursel f activities; c) non-accounting for externalities, environmental degradation (Green GDP); d) the fact that it measures changes in the value of output but not changes in the quality of life. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 2: Classical models of the MacroeconomyStudents should be able to: 1. explain why within the classical model, all employment is voluntary; 2. explain how full employment is restored in the classical model; 3. explain the factors that influence aggregate demand; 4. explain the factors that influence aggregate supply; 5. interpret the classical long run supply curve; 6. explain price level determination within the classical model; 7. use the classical aggregate demand and supply model to show changes in the price level and employment. UNIT 2 MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMY (cont’d) CONTENT 1. Flexibility of wages and prices. 2.The role of wage price and interest rate flexibility. 3. The factors that influence aggregate demand: a) consumer spending; b) investmen t spending; c) Government spending; d) net export spending. 4. Factors that influence aggregate supply including changes in input prices and incomes. 5. The assumptions of the vertical aggregate supply curve. 6. The interaction of the classical aggregate demand and supply curves. 7. Shifts in the aggregate demand and aggregate supply curves. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 3: Basic Keynesian Models Students should be able to: 1. explain the consumption function; 2. xplain the relationship between saving and consumption; 3. calculate the simple multiplier; 4. explain the effect of changes in investment on national income; 5. explain the effect of government spending on national income; 6. describe the effect of withdrawals and injections on national income; UNIT 2 MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMY (cont’d) 7. explain the relationship between net exports and national income; 8. determine the equilibrium level of national income; 9. explain inflationary and deflationary gaps. CONTE NT 1. Autonomous and induced consumption. 2. (a)Income = consumption plus saving. b)marginal propensity to consume and save. (c)average propensity to consume and save. 3. Simple multiplier [pic]. 4. Relationship between changes in investments and national income. 5. Government’s expenditure and its effects on national income. 6. (a)Concepts of injections and withdrawals in an economy. (b)The effect of injections and withdrawals on national income. (c)Small multipliers in the Caribbean context due to leakages. 7. (a)Relationship between net exports (x – m) and national income. b) Exports as an injection and imports as a withdrawal. 8. Determination of equilibrium income using: a) 45 o line or E=Y; ) withdrawals and injections approach; c) the Keynesian aggregate demand and supply curves (long run and short run). UNIT 2 MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMY (cont’d) 9. (a)Full employment level of output. (b)Actual level of output. (c)Equilibrium level of national i ncome could be either below, at or above potential level of output. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 4: Investment Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of investment; 2. differentiate between the investment demand curve and the investment curve; 3. explain the accelerator theory; 4. outlinethe factors that account for the volatility of investment.CONTENT 1. Investment (induced and autonomous). 2. (a)Marginal efficiency of capital (investment demand as a function of expected rate of return). b) Marginal efficiency of investment (non-interest rates as determinants of investment demand, taxes, costs, stock of capital goods on hand expectations). 3. Accelerator theory of investment. 4. Determinants of investment: a) The accelerator; b) Durability; c) Irregularity of innovation; d) Variability of profits, expectations and interest rates. UNIT 2 MODULE 1: MODELS OF THE MACROECONOMY (cont’d) Suggested Teaching and Learning ActivitiesTo facilitate students’ attainment o f the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the teaching and learning activities listed below. 1. For topic 1, teachers should pay special attention to the rules of accounting working from the GDP down to consumption and savings. Teachers should also deal with the concepts such as market price and factor costs, as well as real GDP and normal GDP. Make use of the circular flow diagram from the closed economy to the open economy. 2. For topic 2, Classical Models of the Macroeconomy, teachers should use graphs to emphasize flexibility and the automatic return to equilibrium. . For topic 3, teachers could demonstrate the operation of the multiplier by using data to show the successive rounds of spending. Calculations and graphical representations of the multiplier are required. 4. Use the 45 ° line and average demand and average supply to show inflationary and deflationary gaps. 5. For topic 4, Investment, teachers may use tables to illustrate and expla in the accelerator, that is, the necessity to increase expenditure, constantly, for investment. UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: nderstand the reasons why an economy may be characterised by unemployment and how intervention may be used to improve economic performance; appreciate the role of the Central Bank in the economy; understand monetary and fiscal policy and their applications; understand the nature and burden of the national debt. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 1: Unemployment and Inflation Students should be able to: 1. explain what is meant by the labour force; 2. explain the unemployment rate; 3. distinguish between unemployment and underemployment; 4. evaluate the costs of unemployment; 5. explain the causes of unemployment; 6. valuate the policies used to reduce unemployment; 7. explain the causes of inflation; 8. distinguish between real and nominal variables; 9. explain how inflation is me asured; 10. explain the causes of inflation; 11. evaluate the effects of inflation; UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d) 12. evaluate the policies used to combat inflation; 13. explain the relationship between the unemployment rate and inflation. CONTENT 1. Employed and unemployed. 2. The unemployment rate. 3. Unemployment and underemployment. 4. The effect on output, income and growth: additional financial burden on the state; social costs. . Labour immobility, other market imperfections, structural changes in the economy, inadequate aggregate demand, increase in labour force participation rate, seasonality, intervention. 6. Fiscal policy, monetary policy, wage subsidies, retraining programmes, investment tax credit, employment tax credit, government employment programmes, reducing market imperfections. 7. Inflation: general price level. 8. Real and money wages: a) real and nominal GDP; b) real and nominal interest rate. 9. The GDP deflator; the reta il price index; the producer price index. Calculations and limitations of the indices. 10.Demand shocks, supply shocks, increase in the money supply growth rate. 11. The costs and benefits of inflation: the impact of redistribution of wealth; impact of business activity and growth, impact on the balance of payments. 12. Income policy, monetary policy, fiscal policy and supply side measures. 13. Trade-off between inflation and the rate of unemployment: Phillips curve – stagflation. UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 2: Monetary Theory and Policy Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of money; 2. outline the functions of money; 3. explain the demand for money; . explain the supply of money; 5. explain monetary policy; 6. explain how the money supply is controlled; 7. explain how money is created in the banking system; 8. explain why residents substitute foreign for domestic currency; 9. explain the Quantit y Theory of Money; 10. outline the types of monetary policy; 11. describe the effects of monetary policy on national income; 12. evaluate the limitations of monetary policy. CONTENT 1. (a)The meaning of money. (b)Types of money: token and commodity. 2. Functions of money. 3. (a)Liquidity Preference Theory. (b)Motives for holding money (transactions, precautionary, speculative). UNIT 2MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d) 4. The money supply (M1, M2). 5. Monetary policy – expansionary and contractionary policies. 6. (a)The role of the central bank in creating high-powered money (monetary base). (b)Instruments of monetary control: i) open market operations; ii) discount rates; iii) financing fiscal deficits; iv) reserve requirements; v) moral suasion; vi) interest rates. 7. (a)Excess reserves. (b)Credit creation. (c)The money multiplier. 8. The nature of currency substitution and hoarding. 9. The Quantity Theory of money. 10. (a)Tight monetary policy (in flation). (b)Easy monetary policy (unemployment). c)Balance of payments. 11. How monetary policy affects national income. 12. Limitations of monetary policy including the fact that it is: a) permissive, not compelling and only creates the environment; UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d) b) difficult to control the money supply of foreign-owned commercial banks; c) difficult to eliminate lags in monetary policy; d) weakened by fiscal indiscipline. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 3: Fiscal Policy Students should be able to: 1. explain the concept of fiscal policy; 2. outline the goals of fiscal policy; 3. explain the nature of the budget; 4. xplain the balanced budget multiplier; 5. outline methods of financing budget deficits; 6. evaluate the limitations of fiscal policy; 7. distinguish between discretionary and non-discretionary fiscal policy. CONTENT 1. The meaning of fiscal policy. 2. Fiscal policy as a means of addressing: a) aggregate demand; b) unempl oyment; c) inflation; d) balance of payments. UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d) 3. The nature of the budget: a) taxation, revenue, transfer, expenditure; b) budget surplus and budget deficit; c) balanced budget. 4. Explanation of the balanced budget multiplier. 5.Methods of financing budget deficits including external and domestic borrowing. 6. Lags and potency of fiscal policy. 7. (a)Expansionary and contractionary. (b)Automatic stabilizers. Specific objectives TOPIC 4: Public Debt Students should be able to: 1. explain the national debt; 2. explain the cause of the national debt; 3. evaluate the effects of the national debt on the economy; 4. explain the burden of the national debt; 5. evaluate ways of reducing the debt burden; 6. interpret the debt service ratio; 7. calculate the debt service ratio. UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d) CONTENT 1. The national debt: ) stock/flow; b) fiscal indiscipline; c) domestic and foreign debt. 2. The causes of the national debt. 3. The effects of the national debt on the economy: a) output and investment decisions; b) exchange rate pressures; c) inflation; d) crowding out and crowding in. 4. The responsibility for debt repayment. 1. Management of the national debt: a) internal and external borrowing; b) taxation; c) debt rescheduling; d) debt forgiveness. 2. Interpretation of the debt service ratio. 3. Calculation of the debt service ratio (principal plus interest as a percentage of export). UNIT 2 MODULE 2: MACROECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND POLICIES (cont’d)Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in the teaching and learning activities listed below. 1. For topic 1, Unemployment and Inflation, teachers should use the Phillips Curve to show the relationship between the unemployment rate and inflation rate. 2. For topic 2 (money multiplie r), show the various rounds in the money expansion process as done in the multiplier. Use Central Bank Acts and Reports for data gathering. 3. For fiscal policy, there is no need for students to derive the balanced budget multiplier.This should only be explained. 4. Teachers should emphasize the causes of the national debt and the burden it places on future generations. UNIT 2 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS GENERAL OBJECTIVES On completion of this Module, students should: 1. understand the basic concepts of growth and development; 2. understand the impact of imports and exports on the macroeconomy; 3. understand the balance of payments accounts and appreciate the causes and consequences of balance of payments crises; 4. become aware of the benefits and costs derived from current integration arrangements, such as CARICOM, FTAA and the EU; . understand the role and functions of international economic institutions. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 1: Growth and Sustainable Development Students should be able to: 1. distinguish between growth and development; 2. explain the concept of sustainable development; 3. outline the factors that determine growth; 4. outline the factors that contribute to sustainable development; 5. explain the concept of human development; 6. anaylse the structural characteristics of Caribbean economies; 7. analyse the impact of the region’s structural characteristics on sustainable economic development. UNIT 2MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) CONTENT 1. Differences between growth and development. 2. Current growth versus the well-being of future generations. 3. Differences between exogenous (technical change) and endogenous growth (capital accumulation, human capital). 4. Economic, social and environmental factors. 5. Indices of human development including mortality rates, literacy, per capita income, life expectancy. 6. Structural characteristics of Caribbean ec onomies including: a) small size; b) openness; c) composition of exports; d) resource base; e) poverty; f) economic dependence. . Implications for regional economies: a) dependence on aid; b) preferential trade agreements; c) foreign direct investment (FDI); d) vulnerability to natural and man-made change; e) changes in world prices. UNIT 2 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 2: International Trade Students should be able to: 1. analyse the role of imports and exports in a small open economy; 2. outline the factors that influence exports and imports; 3. explain the effects of foreign exchange earnings on a small open economy; 4. explain the theory of comparative advantage; 5. valuate the arguments for protection; 6. evaluate the arguments for Trade Liberalisation; 7. outline methods of trade protection; 8. explain the commodity, terms of trade; 9. interpret changes in the commodity terms of trade; 10. calculate the commodity, terms. CONTENT 1. The role of exports in creating domestic income and the role of imports in generating income for foreigners. 2. The factors which determine exports and imports including: a) international price; b) domestic production; c) domestic prices and exchange rates; d) international economic activity as it affects the tourism market in the Caribbean; UNIT 2MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) e) shifts in international demand and the emergence of substitutes; f) changes in International Income. 3. Foreign exchange earnings from exports: a) access to capital goods; b) the export multiplier; c) access to consumer goods; d) increased domestic production. 4. The theory of comparative advantage. 5. Arguments for protection including: a) infant industries; b) employment; c) food security. 6. Arguments for Trade Liberalisation including access to technology, availability of cheaper goods and services. Application of the theory of comparative advantage. . Methods of protection including: tariffs, quotas and other non-tariff methods. 8. Explanation of the commodity terms of trade. 9. Interpretation of changes in the commodity terms of trade. 10. Export price index divided by import price index multiplied by 100. UNIT 2 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 3: Balance of Payments and Exchange Rates Students should be able to: 1. explain the balance of payments; 2. distinguish between the current account and capital account; 3. analyze the causes and consequences of balance of payments disequilibria; 4. utline the policy measures for correcting balance of payments disequilibria; 5. explain exchange rates; 6. explain exchange rates determination; 7. distinguish between fixed and floating exchange rate regimes; 8. describe the effects of the exchange rate changes. CONTENT 1. Explanation of the balance of payments. 2. Capital items and current it ems. 3. The causes and consequences of balance of payments – disequilibria. 4. Policy responses to balance of payments crises including: a) devaluation; b) expenditure switching; c) expenditure reducing measures. 5. Explanation of exchange rates. 6.Determination of exchange rates. UNIT 2 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) 7. Fixed and floating exchange rate systems (fixed, free floating and managed float). 8. The effects of exchange rate changes. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 4: Economic Integration Students should be able to: 1. explain the main forms of economic integration; 2. evaluate the costs and benefits of economic integration; 3. evaluate the objectives of Caribbean integration; 4. analyse the implications of international integration arrangements for Caribbean economies. CONTENT 1. Main forms of economic integration, including: ) free trade area; b) customs union; c) common market; d) economic union. 2. The costs and benefits of economic integration including trade creation and trade diversion. 3. The objectives of CARICOM and the rationale for the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). 4. The significance of integration movements, for example European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for Caribbean Economies. UNIT 2 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES TOPIC 5: International Economic Relations Students should be able to: 1. xplain the role and functions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO); 2. explain the role of international financial institutions (IFI’s); 3. explain the term multinational (transnational) corporation; 4. explain the nature of foreign direct investment; 5. outline the potential benefits and disadvantages of foreign direct investment; 6. explain the term globalisation; 7. describe the factors responsible for globalisation; 8. evaluate the effects of globalisation on developing countries . CONTENT 1. The role and functions of the WTO. 2. The role of the IMF and World Bank in the International Financial System. . Explanation of multinational (transnational) corporation. 4. The nature of foreign direct investment. 5. Potential benefits and disadvantages, including: a) access to technology and capital; b) access to markets; c) access to management skills; d) repatriation of profits; UNIT 2 MODULE 3: GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBAL RELATIONS (cont’d) e) transfer pricing; f) crowding out of domestic businesses. 6. The concept of globalisation. 7. Forces driving globalisation, for example, technological innovation, trade liberalisation, and liberalisation of capital markets. 8.Implications of globalisation for developing countries with particular reference to the greater Caribbean (greater competition, access to markets, access to technology, cheaper prices and greater variety of goods, loss of preferential markets). Suggested Teaching and Learning Activ ities To facilitate students’ attainment of the objectives of this Module, teachers are advised to engage students in examining the structure of the economies of the Caribbean and the problems of imports and exports using international partnership agreements and policies. Teacher should ensure that students could distinguish among; ) Terms of Trade; b) Balance of Trade; and c) Balance of Payments. ? OUTLINE OF ASSESSMENT Each Unit of the syllabus will be assessed separately. The same scheme of assessment will be applied to each Module in each Unit. Grades will be awarded independently for each Unit. Candidate assessment on each Unit will comprise two components: i) External Assessment undertaken at the end of the academic year in which the Unit is taken. This component contributes 80% to the candidate’s overall grade. ii) Internal Assessment undertaken throughout the course of the Unit. This contributes 20% to the candidate’s overall grade. EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT | (80%) | |Paper 01 |Forty-five multiple-choice items, fifteen (15) on each Module. |30% | | |(1 hour 30 minutes) | | | | |Paper 02 |The paper consists of three (3) sections comprising six (6) questions spread across |50% | | |(2 hours 30 minutes) |all Modules in the Unit.Each section contains two (2) essay type questions from which| | | | |candidates are required to attempt one (1). | | | | | | |INTERNAL ASSESSMENT FOR EACH UNIT | | |

Historical Criticism of Anton Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Dog”

Russian short story writer and playwright Anton Chekhov's The Lady with the Dog (1899) is a brilliant exposition of how society's laws and institutions hinder an individual's quest for freedom and happiness (RadEssays, n. pag.). According to the poet and critic Dana Gioia, the style in which the short story was written was consistent with the emerging trends in nineteenth-century short story writing (Gioia, n. pag.).On one hand, it was based on the â€Å"anti-Romantic realism of Maupassant with its sharp observation of external social detail and human behavior conveyed within a tightly drawn plot† (Gioia, n. pag.). On the other, it also mirrored the â€Å"modern psychological realism of early Joyce in which the action is mostly internal and expressed in an associative narrative built on epiphanic moments† (Gioia, n. pag.). Hence, Gioia considered The Lady with the Dog, along with his later works, as a turning point in European literature (Gioia, n. pag.).The short story 's main character, Dmitri Dmitrich Gurov, was a man whose life was trapped early by society and the institution of marriage (RadEssays, n. pag.). During the 1900s, Russian society, just like all other societies, believed that marriage is a sacred institution (BookStove, n. n. pag.). To go against this norm (by committing adultery) meant facing social condemnation and ostracism (BookStove, n. pag.). However, Russia's upper classes only paid lip service to this rule – marriage for them was more of a convennient way to establish and secure fortunes and bloodlines (BookStove, n. pag.). Therefore, while they paraded themselves in public as respectable and happily-married people, they secretly engaged in extramarital affairs to temporarily escape the harsh reality of being trapped in a loveless marriage.Gurov was no exception. Although his real interest lay in the arts (he graduated with a degree in this field), he was forced to take up a â€Å"dignified† job in a bank (Chek hov, n. pag.). To make matters worse, his parents had set an arranged marriage for him with a woman he described as â€Å"unintelligent, narrow (and) inelegant† (Chekhov, n. pag.) – simply put, a woman he did not love. As a result, Gurov was miserable, â€Å"bored and and not himself†¦cold and uncommunicative (in the society of men)† (Chekhov, n. pag.).But feminist critcs argued that the real reason for the scorn he felt towards his wife was that she was an â€Å"outspoken woman who considers herself an intellectual† (Answers, n. pag.) – Gurov was intimadated with assertive women and preferred a woman whom he could control (Answers, n. pag.).Just like many other Russian upper-class men of his time, Gurov found solace in extramarital affairs (BookStove, n. pag.). For him, these liasons were more than just outlets for lust – they were manifestations of his protest against the society which condemned him to a â€Å"pitiable† existen ce (BookStove, n. pag.). Although Gurov openly labelled women as â€Å"the lower race† (Chekhov, n. pag.), he â€Å"could not get on for two days together† without them (Chekhov, n. pag.). His treatment of and philosophy towards women reflected the hypocrisy of Russian society with regard to the issues of love, marriage and infidelity (BookStove, n. pag.).Gurov came across an ally in his latest mistress, Anna Sergeyevna. Just like him, Sergeyevna was also a prisoner of her marriage – she got married young (20 years old), but soon regretted having done so (ECheat, n. pag.). She no longer loved her husband, regarding him as a â€Å"flunkey† (ECheat, n. pag.). In sharp contrast to Gurov’s wife, Sergeyevna was â€Å"soft and childlike, weepy and vulnerable, even a bit ‘pathetic’† (Answers, n. pag.) – the ideal Russian woman of the 1900s (Answers, n. pag.). Eager to live a single and uncommitted life once again, she feigned il lness and went to Yalta, a well-known health resort in Russia (Answers, n. pag.).Free from the unhappy situation of their respective families, Gurov and Sergeyevna carried out an illicit affair in Yalta (Answers, n. pag.). Although Sergeyevna initially felt guilty after Gurov kissed her for the first time, she was already in love with him by the time she returned to S (ECheat, n. pag.). Chekhov used symbolisms to decribe the intensity of their passion for one another. The moon, a timeless symbol of fertility, symbolized the birth of Gurov and Sergeyevna's affair (Openpapers, n. pag.). Sergeyevna's pet Pomeranian, meanwhile, represented the dependency, loyalty and amusement that they were looking for in their respective spouses, but found in one another (Paperstarter, n. pag.).When Gurov and Sergeyevna resumed their normal lives, it was then that they realized how much they missed and loved each other (ECheat, n. pag.). After meeting again in a theater, they decided to continue their clandestine affair. They secretly met in Moscow (Gurov’s hometown) â€Å"once in two or three months† (Chekhov, n. pag.).But Gurov and Sergeyevna eventually got tired of hiding like theives just to maintain their relationship. When they had their usual rendezvous at Sergeyevna’s room at the Slaviansky Bazaar hotel, they discussed â€Å"how to avoid the necessity for secrecy, for deception, for living in different towns and not seeing each other for long at a time† (Chekhov, n. pag.). But they were unable to come up with a clear solution (ECheat, n. pag.).Indeed, Gurov and Sergeyevna’s illicit liaison was a no-win situation. True, they had found real love in each other. But in a society that abhors relationships such as theirs, they were left with three options: run away, tell their respective spouses the truth or end the affair then and there (ECheat, n. pag.). Divorce was out of the question – in 1900s Russia, it was a social taboo, along with adultery (Answers, n. pag.). Divorced people were met with the same social denunciation and isolation bestowed on adulterers and adultresses (Answers, n. pag.). The open-ended conclusion added more credibility to the short story’s theme – the choice between being true to one’s self or adhering to what society believes to be correct.Chekhov’s other writings also echoed the animosity between an individual and society. In the short story Betrothed (1903), the protagonist, Nadya, was engaged to Andrey Andreyich, a man whom she didn’t love (Chekhov, n. pag.). She had no other choice – Russian women during the 1900s were not allowed to study or to work outside the home. Hence, marriage appeared to be Nadya’s only ticket to economic advancement (Eshbaugh, 3).But her perspective changed when Aleksander Timofeyich (fondly called â€Å"Sasha†) arrived from Moscow to visit her family. Upon learning of Nadya’s engagement to And reyich, Sasha warned her about the lifeless existence that is the result of an arranged marriage (Eshbaugh, 3).â€Å"Only enlightened and holy people are interesting, it's only they who are wanted. The more of such people there are, the sooner the Kingdom of God will come on earth†¦ Dear Nadya, darling girl, go away! Show them all that you are sick of this stagnant, grey, sinful life. Prove it to yourself at least (Chekhov, n. pag.)!†Despite Nadya’s initial misgivings, she heeded Sasha’s words. With his help, she fled to St. Petersburg, where she attended university (Eshbaugh, 3). Nadya eventually realized that she made the right decision in relying on herself instead of on marriage to achieve happiness (Eshbaugh, 3). Even her family ultimately supported her choice – their letters to her were â€Å"resigned and kindly, (as if) everything seemed to have been forgiven and forgotten† (Chekhov, n. pag.).Betrothed was â€Å"the last published work of Chekhov and thus his dying words to his literary audience† (Eshbaugh, 3). In a way, this explains its optimistic ending. If in The Lady with the Dog, Chekhov exposed the futility of society’s norms of â€Å"marriage for monetary gains (and) living an idle life without purpose and without love† (Eshbaugh, 3), in Betrothed, he imparted that if man can create society and the status quo, he can also change them.Works CitedChekhov, Anton. â€Å"The Betrothed.† 2008. Ibiblio.org. 11 March 2008 . Chekhov, Anton. â€Å"The Lady with the Dog.† 2008. Online-Literature. 11 March 2008 . Eshbaugh, Ruth. â€Å"Literary Analysis of The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov.† 21 June 2007. AssociatedContent. 11 March 2008 . Gioia, Dana. â€Å"Anton Chekhov’s ‘The Lady with the Pet Dog’.† 1998. Dana Gioia Online. 11 March 2008 . â€Å"Anton Chekhov, ‘The Lady with the Dog’.† 2008. RadEssays.com. 11 March 2008 . â€Å"A Review of Lady with a Pet Dog by Anton Chekhov.† 4 July 2005. ECheat. 11 March 2008 . â€Å"The Lady with the Dog.† 11 July 2007. BookStove. 11 March 2008 . â€Å"The Lady with the Dog (Anton Chekhov).† 2007. PaperStarter. 11 March 2008 . â€Å"The Lady with the Dog by Chekhov.† 2008. Openpapers. 11 March 2008 . â€Å"The Lady with the Pet Dog (Criticism).† 2008. Answers.com. 11 March 2008 .

The Merchant of Venice Act 1 Summary

'The Merchant of Venice' Act 1 Summary Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice is a fantastic play and boasts one of Shakespeares most memorable villains, the Jewish moneylender, Shylock. This Merchant of Venice Act 1 summary guides you through the plays opening scenes in modern English. Here, Shakespeare takes the time to introduce his main characters - most notably Portia, one of the strongest women parts in all Shakespeares plays. Act 1 Scene 1 Antonio is speaking to his friends Salerio and Solanio. He explains that a sadness has come over him. His friends suggest that his sadness could be due to him worrying about his commercial ventures. He has ships at sea with merchandise in them and they could be vulnerable. Antonio says he is not worried about his ships because his goods are spread between them and if one went down he would still have the others. His friends suggest that he must then be in love, Antonio denies this. Bassanio, Lorenzo, and Graziano arrive as Salerio and Solanio leave. Lorenzo says that now Bassanio and Antonio have been reunited they will make their leave but arrange to meet up later for dinner. Graziano tries to cheer Antonio up but to no avail, he tells Antonio that men who try to be melancholy in order to be perceived as wise are deceived. Graziano and Lorenzo leave. Bassanio complains that Graziano has nothing to say but just will not stop talking. â€Å"Graziano speaks an infinite deal of nothing† (Act 1 Scene 1) Antonio asks Bassanio to tell him about the woman he has fallen for and intends to pursue. Bassanio acknowledges that he has borrowed a lot of money from Antonio over the years and promises to clear his debts to him: To you Antonio, I owe the most in money and in love, And from your love I have a warranty to unburden all my plots and purposes how to get clear of all the debts I owe.(Act 1 Scene 1). Bassanio explains that he has fallen in love with Portia the heiress of Belmont but that she has other richer suitors, he just wants to try to compete with them in order to win her hand. He needs money to get there. Antonio tells him that all his money is tied up in his business but that he will act as a guarantor for any loan that he can get. Act 1 Scene 2 Enter Portia with Nerissa her waiting woman. Portia complains that she is weary of the world. Her dead father stipulated, in his will, that she herself cannot choose a husband. Portia’s suitors will be given a choice of three chests; one gold, one silver, and one lead. The winning chest contains a portrait of Portia and in choosing the correct chest he will win her hand in marriage. He must agree that if he chooses the wrong chest he will not be permitted to marry anyone. Nerissa lists suitors who have come to guess including the Neopolitan Prince, County Palatine, A French Lord and an English nobleman. Portia mocks each of the gentlemen for their shortcomings. In particular, a German nobleman who was a drinker, Nerissa asks if Portia remembers him she says: Very vilely in the morning when he is sober, and most viley in the afternoon when he is drunk. When he is best he is little worse than a man, and when he is worse he is little better than a beast. An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.(Act 1 Scene 2). The men listed all left before guessing for fear that they would get it wrong and face the consequences. Portia is determined to follow her father’s will and be won in the way in which he wished but she is happy that none of the men who have come have succeeded. Nerissa reminds Portia of a young gentleman, a Venetian scholar, and soldier who visited her when her father was alive. Portia remembers Bassanio fondly and believes him to be worthy of praise. It is announced that the Prince of Morocco is coming to woo her but she is not particularly happy about it.

Adf

Adf Although our country is very powerful and strong, we do not need to overlook the possibility for being attacked as we saw on the 11th day of September. We need to be ready for anything and everything. We need to be prepared by increasing security on many major landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge in California. The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the finest bridges in the world as was the Twin Towers in New York. Security on and around the bridge needs to be increased to make sure one of America's most precious landmarks is protected and out of harm's way. The Golden Gate Bridge is the most respected bridge in the United States and one of the oldest, it was built in 1937 for a mere 27 million dollars. This magnificent bridge has heightened its security and I believe that many other major landmarks need to take consideration for doing the same.English: Early morning fog over San Francisco and ...

Peep vs. Peek

Peep vs. Peek Peep vs. Peek Peep vs. Peek By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, What exactly is the difference between peep and peek? The words are similar in meaning. In fact, peep may derive from peek. And peek may come from an earlier word that still exists in in Scots dialect and dialects spoken in northern England: keek. keek: to look secretly, as through a narrow aperture, or around a corner. peek: to look through a narrow opening; to look into or out of an enclosed or concealed space; (also) to glance or look furtively at, to pry. peep: to look through a narrow aperture, as through half-shut eyelids or through a crevice, chink, or small opening into a larger space; (hence) to look quickly or furtively from a vantage point; to steal a glance. Peep and peek are often used in connection with children, who â€Å"peek at Christmas presents† and â€Å"peep out from under furniture.† Shakespeare has Cassius use the verb peep to convey the idea that Romans had become as powerless as children compared to Caesar: Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves. –Julius Caesar, I,2, 136-139. Peep also means, â€Å"to emerge or protrude a very short distance into view; to begin to appear. For example: Just then the  sun began to  peep  over the eastern hills.   Another word that may be related to peep is the verb peer: peer: to look narrowly or closely, esp. in order to make out something indistinct or obscured; to look with difficulty or concentration at someone or something. Here are some examples of the use of peek, peep, and peer from the Web: She was  afraid  Arthur Kincaid  would peek  at the  will, learn of the contest, and try to destroy the clues. [The suspect] was arrested Monday after residents at a Gretna housing complex said they  saw him peeping  into several windows.  Ã‚   [The use of iPads in trendy restaurants] solves the issue of diners having to peer at the menu in the dim lighting. As for the reader’s question regarding the difference between peep and peek, I have to say that in most contexts they are probably interchangeable. One difference is that peep is the usual choice when someone is attempting to see another person in an act meant to be private. For example: A man working towards a PhD at Delaware University is in custody on suspicion of using spy cameras to peep [at] women going to the bathroom. Because this kind of peeping is so common, states have what are called â€Å"peeping Tom laws† to punish it. Note: The expression â€Å"peeping Tom† derives from the legend of Lady Godiva, the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia (d. 1057). The lady begged her husband to lift certain heavy taxes he had imposed on his tenants. He said he’d do so if she would ride naked through the streets of Coventry. With only her long hair to cover her nakedness, she rode through Coventry. The population respectfully stayed indoors and didn’t look, with one exception. A tailor named Tom peeped through his window. According to legend, he was immediately struck blind. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing LightEnglish Grammar 101: Verb MoodBail Out vs. Bale Out

Differences between Private and Public Schools Essay

Differences between Private and Public Schools - Essay Example One of the main differences between private and public schools in related to curriculum and policy management. Public schools need to follow and adhere to the local and federal educational guidelines (Long Island Schools n.p.). They cannot bring any change to the curriculum unless the government approves it. Every public school located in any part of the state has the same curriculum. On the other hand, private schools can have a slightly different curriculum from that of the public schools. Although private schools also need to adhere to the educational guidelines of the government, they can make slight changes to the guidelines as per the need of the school and students and can design their own curriculum. In public schools, the government does not apply any restriction on the number of admissions. On the other hand, there is usually some limit related to the number of admissions in private schools. If that limit is over, the school reserves the right to reject other admission applications. The restriction of the limit of admissions also helps private schools give more attention to students individually which results in a better learning environment, as well as improves the teacher-student relationship. Moreover, in private schools, admissions are based on merit (Egan n.p.). Public schools cannot apply any limit to admissions because they are funded by the government, which is responsible to provide education to all children (Gilmore n.p.). The cost of education is also significantly higher in private schools as compared to that of the public schools. The reason is that private schools are not funded by the government because of which the management has to arrange salaries for teachers and money for all administrative expenses on their own. They charge high money to the parents of children in return for providing high-quality education.

Critically analyse how changes in the role of information systems have Essay

Critically analyse how changes in the role of information systems have determined their use in the evolving competitive landscape of many industries - Essay Example The very first word that springs to our mind when we discuss Mp3 technology is "copyright". Inefficient copyright mechanisms can make or break the Music Industry as apparent from the yesteryears hype created by the Music Industry suing for piracy of their music through Mp3 versions of their copyrighted material. The digital age seems to have compromised the concept of copyright material and has had negative outcomes for the publishing, music and the computer industries. An important example of this is the peer-to-peer file sharing system of copyrighted music. The Napster and Grokster cases are a good illustration of the legal response of the industries .The copyright industries themselves have responded with new business strategies by providing legal download services.1The internet has been famously defined as a network of networks, and the denser these networks become; the more complicated it becomes to prevent the bane of copyright infringement and other intellectual property viola tions from occurring. 2Even though the courts have been willing to intervene where there has been an infringement of copyright, the practical difficulties of managing copyright violations arise whenever the "sheer scale" and "speed" of the internet causes high speed reproduction of the material to be achieved without actually being detected.Therefore my strategic analysis of the Mp3 technology involves the stress on DRM technologies to prevent heavy losses to the industry.Further discussion entails the emergence of Ecosystems with in this industry bringing about a collusion of the Singers,Record Labels and online Information service providers as well as the role played by governmental and legal agencies to protect the financial interests of the industry as illegal downloading and burning continue to compromise the industry's ability to invest in the new music talent of tomorrow. When assessing the purchasing trends of any industry it is pertinent to note that the buyers will display certain types of buying behaviors. The aim of assessing the competitive landscape of the Music industry it would be worth employing a Marketing Mix (MM) strategy to tap into the preferences of the consumer base(Laudon,and Laudon 2008).The diagram below shows five dimensions of the customer buying behaviour. Figure: THE FIVE KEY DIMENSIONS OF BUYING BEHAVIOUR (Jobber, 1998) The answer to these questions can be given through direct contact with consumers (in a retail environment) and increasingly by using marketing research for the Music Industry.However there are other issues at stake.The use of information systems for the sale purchase and management of the Music industry has harmed it more than benefitting it.No doubt the online music stores are a testimony to the blessings of the cost efficient era of E commerce and allow Ecosystems to develop in the cyber world thereby integrating the industry to bring about cheaper goods and services. (Laudon,and Laudon 2008).The era of digitalization for this industry began very positively as the dot.com bubble encouraged many small and large businesses to open online stores.Significant record labels also clamored to advertise their merchandise and labels online.The scale and magnitude of advertisement potential available online brought about a temporary boom in the Online Music industry while bringing fringe bene fits for the offline record labels but the entry of Kazaa, Grokster, EDonkey, and Bit-Torrent and their