A History of the French Language

A History of the French Language A Brief History of the French Language ChaptersWhat Was Spoken in France Before French?What Happened to the French Language When the Franks Came?The French Languages of the Middle AgesEvolution of the French LanguageCodifying the French Language: The Time of EnlightenmentModern Influences in the French LanguageThe French language belongs to the Indo-European language group; more specifically, it is a Romance language, meaning it stemmed from Latin. Of course the spoken French of today did not emerge all at once, but is the result of millennia of being spoken, written and revitalised with new vocabulary and changing grammar. So what exactly makes French, French?oldest inscriptions in Old Gaulish, dating to the 3rd century BC, are written with the Greek alphabet or the Lepontic alphabet (a system of writing based on the old Etruscan alphabet and used by Alpine Celts). The language, no doubt, was older. All in all, there are only about 800 inscriptions from which scholars try to reconstruct the language of Asterix.If Asterix were real, he wouldn't be speaking French, but Gaulish. Photo credit: Gianfranco Goria on Visual huntArchaeological testimonies and a few rare literary mentions suggest it did not go extinct as a spoken language until as late as the 5th century AD.The Celts have left a relatively minor imprint on the French language, with perhaps 150-180 words (not including their derivatives) surviving in modern French. These include the following words of basic French:Le balai, the broomLe chemin, the pathLe chêne, the oakLe manteau, the coatLa ruche, the beehiveLe tonneau, the barrelLatinAfter the Romans conquered the Gauls and made them part of the Roman Empire, the official language became Latin. Spoken throughout the Empire, a vernacular form of Latin (as opposed to the literary form you learn in school) became the founder of all Romance languages, including French, Spanish and Italian and various regional languages spoken in those countries.Latin remained the official language of diplomacy and government well into the Middle Ages, and remained a scholarly language as late as the 18th century. Many early French philosophers such as Peter Abelard wrote in Latin.But long before the Latin language started to fade from use, the Roman Empire disintegrated. The Roman Emperor became unable to hold a crumbling empire together, with inner turmoil and the increasing pressure of various Germanic tribes slowly eating away at it.What Happened to the French Language When the Franks Came?One such Germanic tribe was the Franks, who occupied most of Gaul and founded the Merovingian dynasty of kings in the 5th century.The Frankish languageThey spoke a Germanic language called Frankish, which also belonged to the linguistic group of the Indo European languages. The oldest inscription in Frankish is from a 5th century sword scabbard from the Dutch town of Bergakker.It heavily influenced the Vulgar Latin spoken in the Frankish Kingdom (which later, under Charlemagne of the Carolingian dyna sty, came to occupy most of Western Europe). In various parts of the Merovingian kingdom, it evolved into Old Dutch and gave the emerging language of Old French as many as a thousand loan words, such as the following French words:Blanc, whiteBleu, blueGaloper, to galopGâteau, cakeSale, dirtyTomber, to fallThe Emergence of Old FrenchOld French wasn’t born in a week; it was created by a slow, organic process. Trying to discern its origins is made all the more difficult by the fact that most inscriptions of the time are in Latin, the official administrative language.The oldest written attestation of Old French is the “Oaths of Strasbourg”, a document signed in 842 by two of Charlemagne’s grandsons. The document, in Latin, gives the oaths each of the sons spoke verbatim in the vernacular languages they spoke everyday: in French, or rather, in an early version of Old French (Gallo-Romance) and Old High German.Its linguistic relationship to the later Old French is evident, even i n so small a sample. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe French Languages of the Middle AgesUnder the Capetian kings towards the start of the 10th century, the Romance languages of France were pretty much established. The Langue d’Oc and Langue d’Oïl (based on their word for “yes”) are considered different languages, with another language called Franco-Provençal spoken in the East, about where t he Kingdom of Burgundy, seat of the Nibelungen saga, had prospered. Additionally, Breton was spoken in Brittany, Basque (the heir to the pre-Roman Aquitaine language) in a little corner of the south-west. The Burgundian language later evolved into Arpitan, of which there are several dialects in France today.Real Vikings sack Paris and speak FrenchFor a time during the 10th century, a Scandinavian language called Old Norse was spoken in Normandy, one of the territories ceded to the Viking chief Rollo by Charles III of France. They soon assimilated the Langue d’Oïl, however, and brought it with them when, a century later, they invaded England.Some Old Norse words (there are less than 50) to make it into modern French vocabulary are:Flâner, to wander, dawdleTurbot, turbotDuvet, duvetGuichet, booth or counterThe invasion of French-speaking Normans in 1066 is the reason that the English words for prepared meat are different from those for the living animal (the invaders having little to do with animal husbandry, left to the Saxon peasantry): thus, beef and bÅ"uf have the same root, as do poultry and poulet, veal and veau, mutton and mouton.Langues d'Oc or OccitanThe Occitan language was spoken in the south of France, in an area extending from the northwest of Spain to northern Italy. It incorporated Monaco and extended to the north up to a little north of Limoges. It was the language of the troubadours and was famous throughout medieval Europe. Eleanor of Aquitaine, mother of Richard the Lionheart, spoke Occitan - as did Dante, who frequently wrote in the language.Spread of the Langue d'Oc. By Fobos92 - Own work https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29443936Langues d’OïlThe Langue d’Oïl - oïl (weey) later became “oui” - was spoken in northern France, the Low Countries, Luxemburg and southern Belgium. In the Middle Ages, the poets of the language were called trouvères. In the area centred around Paris, the language evolved into modern Frenc h. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Hexagon, many of the languages spoken in various regions of France were derived from the Langue d’Oïl - for example, Norman, Picard, Bérichon or the Wallon of Belgium.Spread of the dialects belonging to the Langues d'Oil By Fobos92 - Own work, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29263284.French literature is born in this period, with the first French writers penning “romans” - works written in the vernacular, as opposed to Latin - in the 13th century, among them works such as the “Roman de la Rose” and the Prose Lancelot.Evolution of the French LanguageIn the centuries following the Middle Ages, the morphology of the French language underwent a series of changes.The Hundred Years War, or why we don’t speak French in the UKOn the Continent, the Renaissance was plagued by the Hundred Years’ War - not a single war per se but a series of interlocking conflicts opposing England and France that constantly changed the map. At the b eginning of the conflict, both of the parties were French-speaking, including Edward III of England.the defeat at Agincourt in 1415, followed five years lager by the signing of the treaty of Troyes, King Henry V of England was recognised heir to the throne of France.Ironically, he was the one who established English as the official language in England, ending the reign of Anglo-Norman French.The spread of Middle FrenchThough in England the Hundred Year’s War ended up with the demise of French and the rise of the English language, in France it favoured the spread of “françois”, the langue d’oïl spoken by the King of France - and much of the French army. In 1492, Charles VIII issued an edict requiring that all judicial matters be conducted either in Middle French or the “maternal” (local) language rather than Latin.In this time of confusion, French changed immensely. It lost most of its diphthongs, essentially changing its pronunciation. French spelling also changed to a dapt to these changes, including sometimes adding a silent “h” to words starting with a “u” to differentiate them from “v” (both letters being written the same in the script of the time).French grammar changed as well, losing many of the Latin declinations, and French verb conjugation was simplified as well (yes, you read correctly. It used to be worse.)With the wars of religion and the conflict between the Catholic monarchy and the Protestant Huguenots settled by Henry IV and the Edict of Nantes in 1598, French became even more prevalent.Francis I (François 1er) helped establish French as the main language of the Kingdom of France.By Unknown - wartburg.edu, Public DomainIn 1539, François I signed the Ordinance of Villet-Cotterêts that made French the official language for all legal documents and royal decrees. He also created the first publishing house dedicated to books not only in Latin, but in the French language as well.Codifying the French Language: The Time of EnlightenmentStandardising and purifying French…In 1635, the Cardinal de Richelieu founded the Académie Française, charged with creating a French dictionary and a grammatical guide to French and to “care for” the French language. This included “purifying” French from vulgar expressions, dialects and jargon. Its dictionary was published in 1694, but through its attempts at “purity” it was a poor reflection of conversational French, and fared poorly next to more comprehensive dictionaries such as César-Pierre Richelet’s “Dictionnaire françois contenant les mots et les choses” in 1680 or Antoine Furetière’s “Dictionnaire Universel” in 1690 (not to be confused with the great French encyclopedia edited by noted scholar Denis Diderot).French dictionaries continued to be popular, such as this 1898 edition of the Larousse. Photo credit: Internet Archive Book Images on VisualHunt.comThe Académie’s French grammar took a little longer. It wasn’t published un til 1935.Louis XIV reinforced French against the regional languages. The centralisation of the Sun King’s court at Versailles made French very much the language of the aristocracy, and in diplomatic circles it became proper French etiquette to communicate in French, but in the provinces the local dialects, or “patois”, were still widely used.  â€¦ while francophone colonies change it furtherConversely, in the new French colonies of the 17th century, French was the “lingua franca” used by most of the settlers. And in this period when the French monarchy was striving toward linguistic unity, Quebec and the French Antilles were spreading the French language and culture and were taking the first steps toward their own version of the language - the Caribbean island creole languages were already taking form as well.The second wave of colonisation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the subsequent decolonisation (not all the former colonies became French citizens), has increased the number of French speaking countries to almost 30. In many of them, a local form or creole mixes together French with other language families to create unique and colourful versions of French.Killing the “patois”Though the French Revolution killed Louis XVI and brought the Bourbon dynasty, it continued the Sun King’s policy in striving to make French the prevalent language. Beyond the Bastille, through the Reign of Terror, Napoleon’s Empire, a return to the monarchy, the Second Empire and the Third Republic, the local “patois” lost more and more ground in the 19th century.In 1880, Jules Ferry, Minister of Education, re-vamped the French education system,   making primary school in France compulsory, free and non-clerical - that is, free from religion. This further promoted French speaking in favour of the local dialects. Children learned French in school and were encouraged to speak it to their children.Modern Influences in the French LanguageOf course, Fre nch has not remained static since the 19th century. French colonial aspirations brought many North African immigrants into France and French soldiers into Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. Even after the Algerian War, many Algerians still live in France and Arabic has influenced French for the second time in its history. It first made its way into French vocabulary through Spanish in the late Renaissance and now mostly flavours French slang with words such as “toubib” (doctor) and “bled” (a small village).And of course English, which ironically has replaced French as “lingua franca” has survived in “jogging”, “week-end” and “chewing-gum” (not to mention the whole province of Internet abbreviations and expressions), despite renewed attempts to “safeguard the purity” of the French language since the 1990s .The European Union, though, encourages regional tongues and linguistic diversity, and several patois have experienced a linguistic renaissance.So now you kno w how the language spoken by so many famous French people has come about. Why not learn its most modern form with a Superprof tutor? Find a french course london here.

What is it Like to Attend The University of Chicago

What is it Like to Attend The University of Chicago The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Margarita is a New York City tutor who specializes in a plethora of subjects including ACT prep tutoring, Algebra tutoring, and Essay Editing tutoring. She graduated from The University of Chicago in 2010 where she studied Mathematics and Economics. See what she had to say about her undergraduate experience: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Margarita: The University of Chicago is in Hyde Park, a neighborhood approximately 20 minutes by bus from downtown Chicago. In the past few years, the university has taken steps toward consolidating the undergrad dorms, classes, and dining halls to all be within walking distance of one another. The campus itself is beautifulfull of a mix of gothic and modern architecture. For example, the Regenstein Library, which was built in the brutalist style, is right next to the egg-shaped, futuristic (and brand new) Mansueto Library, and across the street from the gothic quad. CTA buses will get you downtown, but routes are somewhat inconvenient. The university also provides late night door-to-door transportation throughout the Hyde Park neighborhood, for upper class students who choose to live off-campus. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Margarita: Accessibility to professors is one of the greatest things about The University of Chicago. Even the most prominent professors will make time to meet with undergraduate students. Teaching assistants are also readily available, though I found that meeting with professors was generally more fruitful. One of the best things about the university is the availability of undergraduate research opportunitiesall you have to do to get a position is ask, and it is a great way to supplement your education and get to know professors. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Margarita: The dorm that I lived in no longer exists, actually, but this is a good thing! The university has been building new dorms in the past few years, so the quality of on- campus housing is definitely improving. Almost all dorms are now on campus, and thus, walking distance to class. The great thing about the UChicago dorms is that they are separated into Houses (usually separated by floor). This gives students a community to belong to from day one. Houses generally engage in many bonding activities together, so its a great way to get to know people. In addition, each house has a dedicated table in one of the dining halls, so in case you ever go eat alone, you always have someone to sit with. For a lot of students, the houses form the core of their social circle in the first year. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Margarita: I double majored in Mathematics and Economics. I started as an Economics major, but later added the Mathematics major as a junior, because I wanted an additional challenge. I enjoyed both of my majors, and felt that I had access to classes that I wanted. There is ample opportunity for students to major in more than one discipline, and I think that students will find that the vast majority of disciplines are well supported. That said, Economics majors are far and away the most common at the school, simply because the school is so famous for its school of Economics. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Margarita: The House system makes this a lot easier, as does the emphasis on discussion-based classes as a first year student. Greek life is not a major player in the social scene, but there are several fraternities on campus. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Margarita: The Career Center runs several great programs to help students get experience, such as the Jeff Metcalf Internships and Externships. A couple of really helpful programs include College Careers in Business (CCIB) and College Careers in Law. A friend of mine participated in CCIB, and got an opportunity to attend seminars on everything from interview skills to proper dinner etiquette. Most major companies recruit on campus (for example, Goldman Sachs, UBS, Sears, etc.), though I get the sense that placement for Chicago grads is better in Chicago than New York. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Margarita: There is plenty of space to study (or hang out or nap) on campus. The Reynolds Club is the student activities hub, and features an enormous lounge called Hutchinson Commons (which remarkably looks almost exactly like the Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies). There are also a number of libraries, including Regenstein, Harper, Eckhart, Crerar, and the brand new Mansueto library. In particular, the A Level of the Regenstein Library is both the all-night study space as well as the group study spacemany students joke that it is the center of their social lives (and to be honest, I have fond memories of spending time bonding with friends while working on really tough problem sets on the A Level). UChicago students study a lot, but we have fun while we do it! VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Margarita: UChicago is located in Hyde Park, which in and of itself is not an exciting place. It is one of those places with a fairly deep town-gown divide, insofar as the local Hyde Park denizens tend to be opposed to the type of establishments that would seem to gentrify the neighbourhood, instead of favoring local businesses. Unfortunately, it means that there isnt much thats exciting to do in Hyde Park. Some highlights include several top-notch Thai restaurants (and a really great mom pop Korean place). Other local favorites include The Medici and Jimmys. However, if students are willing to take the time to travel to downtown Chicago or some of its more exciting neighborhoods (generally on the North side), theyll find a lot of amazing restaurants (Chicago is a great place for foodies), as well as all of the typical accoutrements of a big city, such as a thriving theatre and comedy scene (highlights include the Steppenwolf Theater and The Second City). VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Margarita: There are about 5,000 undergraduate students, so it is not overwhelmingly large. There are very few large lecture classes, generally these are limited to 101 level courses. The college makes an effort to limit the Core class sizes, so Humanities, Art, and Social Sciences courses are typically only about 21 students. My Economics classes were usually about 40 students, and my Math classes only about 15 students. I liked the small class sizes, it encourages students to attend all of their classes, and really engage with the professors. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Margarita: My third year of college, I took a class called, The Economics of Crime with Steven Levitt (author of Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics, and blogger for the NY Times). Pretty much all Economics majors read Freakonomics before they came to UChicago, so this was a really popular class (a student once tried to auction off his seat in the classLevitt supported it, but the Dean of the Collegenot so much). It was a really great class, every class was like listening to a story. It was a unique and unusual experience to have in undergrad, but it was a great way to get out of the ivory tower and glimpse the real world of our studies. Check out Margaritas tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

CFE Certified Fraud Examiner

CFE Certified Fraud Examiner Why Should I Take CFE Qualifications? ChaptersWhat Are The CFE Exams?How Do I Know If I Should Become a CFE?There are many reasons you may like to become a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).A Certified Fraud Examiner, as the name suggests, is there to try and detect and ideally prevent fraud from taking place. CFEs understand how fraud can be committed and can examine a company or business’s financial records and statements to detect the presence of fraud.A CFE may also be able to assist in cases where there is suspected employee theft, or where other types of fraud, such as insurance fraud, are suspected to be occurring.A CFE can work in a variety of industries, although they can commonly be seen within the:Accounting;Financial services; andGovernment sectors.What’s more, the kind of roles that a CFE may occupy varies. For instance, a CFE could be:A fraud investigator or analyst;A management consultant;A forensic accountant; orAn internal or external auditor, although there are many other positions available to CFEs.To become a CFE, you first have to join the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Thereafter, you will have to pass the CFE exam, which is described in further detail below.The ACFE describes itself as “the world’s largest anti-fraud organisation” and anyone looking to further their career within the world of fraud examination should consider whether they should become CFE certified.Although the ACFE is based in the United States, the organisation has chapters all across the globe, including a chapter in the UK, which is known as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners UK Chapter.If you live in the UK, then you still have to initially join the US association of the ACFE. Once you have completed all the necessary requirements to become a CFE and are awarded the qualification and membership, then you also become part of the UK chapter of the ACFE. There are over 1,000 members of the UK chapter.Some of them moonlight as accounting tutors near me!A CFA is trained in the art of fraud detection and examination. (Image Source: CC BY-SA 3.0, Nick Youngson, Alpha Stock Images)Financial transactions and fraud schemes;Investigation; andLaw.Across the four areas, a variety of topics are covered, ranging from professional ethics to why people commit fraud, the types of fraudulent transactions you might find in accounting records, the rights of the accused, and how to take statements from people.When it comes to preparing for the exam, there are a number of ways you can do so. For example, you could choose to take the CFE Exam Prep course, which is a computer-based way to study for the exam that comes with a variety of practice questions and exams to help get you ready for exam day.Join the discussion: is the CPA exam easier than the CFE?Alternatively, if you prefer to attend a course in-person, there is the CFE Exam Review course, which runs over a four day period. In the UK, you can usually find an authorised third-party who is licenced to run the cour se, so you don’t have to travel to the United States to take part in one.Finally, there is the option to self-study for the CFE through the Fraud Examiners Manual. You’ll need to be able to find the time to commit to going through the manual, which is around 2,000 pages long. However, if you prefer learning at your own pace with an accounting tutor, and feel dedicated enough to pursuing the CFE on your own, then you may prefer this learning option.It may be difficult to decide which route of study and revision is the best for you, but hopefully, you should have gained an idea of how you like to study and revise based on your experiences at school or university. Even if you're still unsure, there's no harm in asking someone who recently studied for the CFE what their learning experience was like, and asking whether they would recommend a particular way for you to study.Once you’ve decided how you would like to prepare for the CFE exam and you feel sufficiently prepped, the next step is to actually sit the exam! The CFE exam can either be downloaded or accessed online through a web browser. It’s worth noting that the exam is closed-book, so you need to ensure that you have memorised all the key knowledge you’ll need to pass the exam before you attempt it.Once you’ve completed the exam, you should be emailed the results within three to five business days, which makes the whole process very quick, especially compared to some other qualifications, where it can take five weeks or more to find out your exam results!How about becoming a member of the ICAEW?There are a number of different ways you can study for the CFE exams. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, mohamed_hassan, Pixabay)What Happens If I Fail?Unfortunately, while we would all like to pass exams the first time, it doesn’t always happen.In order to pass the CFE exam, you have to pass all four areas within the exam. Therefore, if you fail one area, you will have to retake the exam. Thankfully, if you do h ave to re-sit the exam, you only have to retake the areas that you originally failed.What’s more, the ACFE gives you “three attempts to pass all four sections of the CFE Exam” so you should have plenty of opportunities to successfully pass the exam!Must you also pass an exam to earn your CMA qualification?Are There Any Other Requirements To Become a CFE?Aside from the examination requirements, there are also professional and educational requirements that would need to be met before you could become a CFE.Further details are available on the ACFE website.Certified Fraud Examiners can work in a wide range of roles across a number of industries. (Image Source: CC0 1.0, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Pixabay)How Do I Know If I Should Become a CFE?Ultimately, only you can make the decision of whether becoming a CFE is the right choice. If you have any doubts at all, it’s always in your best interest to speak to a careers adviser for their input, and you can often find careers advisers at your local school, university, or perhaps within the wider community.Equally, to get a feel for whether a role as a CFE would be right for you, it’s always helpful to speak to someone that already works as a CFE. This way, you can ask questions such as whether they enjoy the job they currently have, what their day to day work entails, how they found the examinations, and where they see their career in the future.Hearing someone else’s first-hand experience can then help you see whether a career as a CFE would align with your own career ambitions and long-term goals.Your online accounting tutor most likely has that type of wisdom to share!While getting the right advice is crucial for any would-be CFE, it’s also important to bear in mind that, until you work as a CFE, you won’t know how you personally will react to being in the job. You may find that the type of work you perform is different from what you expected, or equally, you could find your role even more interesting than you previously thought.Learn also how the Certified Financial Analyst Institute could shape your career plans...There are some traits that successful CFEs usually have. Whether you have some of the below qualities may give an indication of whether a career as a CFE is suitable for you:Strong analytical skills;Good communication skills, including good listening skills;An understanding of technology; andAn ability to understand how a business operates, and where crucial information can be found.Of course, this list is not exhaustive, and the actual skills that you need to succeed as a CFE should very much depend on the role you actually have and the industry that you work in.However, if you’d like to improve some of the above skills, or would like to bolster other related skills, such as your numerical ability, then you may also consider hiring a Superprof tutor to help get your numeracy up to speed.You may also consider continuing education the Association of Chartered Accoun tants...Superprof has a range of tutors with experience in teaching subjects as diverse as accounting, mathematics, business, and economics, to art and history. So it's never been easier to leverage from Superprof's wide network of experienced tutors.It’s just a case of entering your postcode to find local tutors  who would be happy to help you improve your numerical skills or understanding of wider economic or business matters. Tutors within your local area can either visit you in person for a one on one lesson, or equally some tutors are happy to offer group tuition services.Equally, if you'd rather have lessons conducted remotely, for example over Skype, many Superprof tutors are also happy to offer this service, making lessons more convenient for you.Now discover the different accounting exams on offer in the UK!

Factoring Polynomials

Factoring Polynomials Solution of a simple equation depends only on the following axioms:- 1. If to equal we add equals the sums are equal. 2. If from equals we take equals the remainders are equal. 3. If equals are multiplied by equals the products are equal. 4. If equals are divided by equals the quotients are equal. Example 1.To solve the equation 7 x = 14 dividing both sides by 7 we get x = 2 Example 2.To solve the equation x/2 = -6 multiplying by 2 both sides we get x = - 12 Example 3.To solve the equation 7x 2 x x = 10 23 15 By collecting terms on each side, we get 4 x = - 28 dividing by 4, we get x = - 7 Example 4.Resolve into factors 2 x2y3 6 x2y2 + 2 xy3 2 x2y3 6 x2y2 + 2 xy3 = 2 xy (xy2 3 xy + y2) = 2 xy2 (xy 3 x + y) Example 5.Resolve into factors 6 x3 9 x2y + 12 x y2 6 x3 9 x2y + 12 x y2 = 3 x (2 x 3 xy + 4 y2 ) Example 6.Resolve the factors x2 ax + bx - ab x2 ax + bx - ab = (x2 ax) + (bx ab) x2 ax + bx ab = x (x - a) + b (x a) x2 ax + bx ab = (x - a) (x + b)

Equation for Volume of a Cone

Equation for Volume of a Cone Volume is an amount of 3-dimesional space occupied by an object. The equation or formula for volume of a cone is v = ( 1/3) x r2h. Here, the base is the circle. We know r is the radius of the base of the cone and h is the height of the cone. Example 1: Find the volume of the cone with radius 9 cm and height 7 cm. Solution: From the problem we can write, Radius = r = 9 cm and height = h = 7 cm. We know the formula to find the volume of a cone That is v = (1/3) x r2h Now we can plug the values in this formula, then we can write Volume = v = ( 1/3)x 22/7x 92x 7. From this we can write, v = 22 x 27 = 594 cubic cm. Example 2: Find the volume of the cone with radius 3 cm and height 14 cm. Solution: From the problem we can write, Radius = r = 3 cm and height = h = 14 cm. We know the formula to find the volume of a cone That is v =(1/3 )x r2h Now we can plug the values in this formula, then we can write Volume = v = ( 1/3)x 22/7x 32x 14. From this we can write, v = 22 x 3 x 2 =132 cubic cm.

Sympathy or Empathy English Listening Exercise

Sympathy or Empathy English Listening Exercise I like this video because it touches one of the most important parts of our lives, human relationships. How do we deal with other peoples life struggles? What is the difference between Empathy and Sympathy? She has a funny way of explaining the difference.The video also has some good English vocabulary and phrases, including at least. Although, she argues that it isnt a good way to relate to people and I agree it is an important phrase in English to understand and be able to use.Watch the video and do the exercise:1. What does she say is the difference between empathy and sympathy?2. Who is Teresa Wiseman?3. What are the four qualities of an empathetic person?4. Im _________, its dark and Im __________.5. Ooh, its bad down there, no? You want a _______?6. Why is empathy scary? What do you have to do to connect with people?7. Empathy rarely begins with __ ______8. We are trying to put a ______ ________ around it. What does that phrase mean?Writing: What do you do when someone you know tells you about a difficult situation? Are there times when you cant be empathetic? Why?

Learning English and Other Cultures Halloween

Learning English and Other Cultures Halloween by Muireann Prendergast Pumpkins are a traditional part of Halloween in most English-speaking countries.Learning another language isn’t just about the new grammar and vocabulary, it’s also about getting to know the different customs, celebrations and festivities that people who speak it hold important. When I first came to Argentina in 2005, I had no idea about the festivals and public holidays respected in the country. To find out about these customs, I had to ask questions, investigate and even expand my vocabulary.Students of English face the same challenges. I often find my classes fascinated by the things I hold important and celebrate as a person from a Celtic country. Chief amongst these festivals is Halloween, celebrated on October 31. If you have ever seen a face carved into an orange vegetable and wondered what that is about, read on.Here are five questions you need to ask to get an understanding of what it is and why we celebrate what we do in English-speaking countrie s as well as some vocabulary to get you started in telling your friends about Halloween.Question No. 1: What is the history behind the celebration? Halloween originated in the Celtic feast of Samhain. Samhain, in old Irish, means the end of summer. Samhain, for the Celts, marked the end of one year and the start of the next.The Celts believed that on Samhain, the gateway between this world and the next world (Otherworld) opened up to allow spirits to pass through. The word Halloween comes from the Scottish All-Hallows-Even (evening) meaning the evening before All Hallows (souls) Day. It was a time to ward off evil spirits while also trying to communicate with the souls of loved ones who had already died. During Samhain, the Celts dressed up in masks and costumes to trick the evil spirits that they too were spirits so that they would not do them harm.Samhain, was also a time to stock up on supplies for the winter for The Celts. Livestock was killed and crops were stored for the cold months ahead. Large fires were lit during Samhain and the bones of the dead animals were burned on them.Question No.2: Today, what customs are observed during the celebration?Today, children dress up in masks and costumes in keeping with the Celtic tradition. They go from door-to-door trick-or-treating. This means they ask for candy (treat) or if none is given, they will carry out a bad deed to the person refusing the treat (a trick). Large turnips and pumpkins are also hollowed out and placed by a window with candles lit inside them to ward off evil spirits. Black and orange are the traditional Halloween colors. These colors symbolize the darkness of night as well as those of bonfires and the fall. Large bonfires are also lit as was the tradition in Celtic times.Question No.3: What are the traditional foods eaten to mark the festival?Due to the fact that Halloween coincides with the fall harvest, apples are eaten during Halloween. These are rolled in caramel and called toffee apple s. Apples are also placed in water and blind-folded participants are challenged to pick them out with their teeth. Pumpkins are eaten on Halloween as pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. There is a tradition in Ireland of eating a fruitcake called Barmbrack on Halloween with surprises hidden inside it like coins and a ring. The belief is that if you are the one to find the ring you will find your true love in the year ahead.Question No.4: Is this festival celebrated in all Anglophone countries?Halloween is mostly celebrated in Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. However, it is also a big festival in the United States and Canada because emigrants from Celtic speaking countries brought it to these countries.Question No.5: Is this a Christian or a pagan festival?Halloween has pagan roots and was originally a pagan or secular festival. However, some Christians take the idea that the Celts saw Halloween as marking the gateway between this world and the next world and the day before All Souls’ Day to mean that it has certain Christian elements also.Here is some further English vocabulary to incorporate into English conversation on HalloweenTraditionHistoriansRitualsPracticesSymbolsDisguiseFrightSpookySupernaturalAfterlifeTake an English class with us using skype, and learn lots more.Online English Classes | Cursos de Inglés | Aulas de Inglês

Connect Two The Easiest Way to Learn a New Language?

Connect Two The Easiest Way to Learn a New Language? Making Meaningful Connections: The Easiest Way to Learn a New Language Do you ever feel lost and alone?If so, thats okayâ€"we all feel like that sometimes. Humans are social creatures, and we have a built-in need for human connection.When we try to learn a new language, that feeling of being lost can definitely flare up in new and strange ways. But that feeling is also normal, and theres even something you can do about it: You need to make a meaningful connection with both the language youre learning and the people who speak it.Making a personal connection is not only a great way to get rid of loneliness, its also the easiest way to learn a new foreign language.If youre not yet convinced, allow me to persuade you. Ill give you four easy yet important things you should know in order to learn a new language by forging a meaningful personal connection, along with plenty of tips and ideas to help you get started and continue on your road to success. Making Meaningful Connections: The Easiest Way to Learn a New LanguageWhere Do I Begin?Many people want to learn new languages for various reasons, but knowing where and how to start is very important.Nowadays there are many different ways to learn a new language, like taking a class,  downloading the latest language app  or  watching a movie in a foreign language.While its true that everyone learns in different ways and some ways work better than others, I believe the  easiest  way to learn a new language is to  create a personal connection with people who speak the language youre trying to learn.Creating a personal connection with people by spending one-on-one time with them is the most natural way to learn a new language, and my tips below have that crucial idea as their foundation.Making foreign friends and connecting with children are two of many ways to create a personal connection with people who are fluent in the language you want to learn, so well look at those ideas first.Youll Get By with a Little Help from Your Foreign FriendsOne of the easiest ways to learn a new language is to learn from (or together with) friends you already haveâ€"or to make new friends specifically so you can learn a language.Obviously, if you want to learn a language, its especially great if you make friends with native speakers of the language youre trying to learn.There are many great ways to make foreign friends. You can go on an overseas humanitarian trip. If youre planning a trip abroad, you can use a website like Meetup.com  to meet local people who speak the language you want to learn. You can join a club or take up a hobby that has meetings about things youre interested in. There are nearly as many ways to meet new friends as there are new friends to meet.Once youve made your new foreign friends, you need to practice, practice, practice.Not only is learning a new language through your foreign friends a great way to make your friendship even stronger, youll also learn things from them you probably wouldnt learn by taking a language class or by reading a  textbook.These thin gs include elements of language that carry cultural baggage, like figures of speech, jokes and idioms. Learning a new language is much more than just learning about grammar and how to structure a sentence. Its about  learning how a culture thinks and immersing yourself into that culture  through their language. Most of us would agree that its more fun to learn a new language through a friend than it is to learn it  through a complete stranger, and that makes the entire process much easier.One of the biggest advantages to learning a new language through your foreign friends is that  theyll most likely have more friends who speak the same language they do. This is a good thing because itll be easy for you to ask your foreign friend if they can introduce you to their friends, and that will be a great way to practice the language with them as well. The more friends you meet, the larger your friend network becomes, and it will naturally become easier and more enjoyable to learn their lan guage.Learn to Learn a Language Like a Child DoesIts been said that children are able to learn a language much faster than an adult, but why is that?Well, if youve ever noticed, children arent capable of taking a course at the local community college, downloading the latest language app  by themselves or pulling all-night study sessions to learn a language.According to a  Standford University study, children learn a language fastest by simply hearing their parents talk to them in a relational way.So in the case of learning a new language, rather than focusing on growing up, we actually need to grow down to match the simplicity of a childs thinking. Kids dont know anything about the language theyre trying to learn, and thats why theyre always asking, Whats that?Another thing that holds us back from learning a new language is our  fear of making mistakes. Most young children arent afraid of trying something new or making mistakes because they havent experienced failure yet.If your fir st language is English, then the way you think about how a sentence should be structured  will be based on English sentence structure. The problem with this way of thinking is that the rules of grammar and sentence structure are different in every language. In Spanish, for example, el  gato  negro means the black cat. But for native English speakers, they might be tempted to say that phrase as  el negro gato.While that would be a direct translation, thats not the correct way to say it in Spanish because the Spanish rules of grammar  are  different. But those differences dont seem to faze children.One reason children are able to learn languages so quickly is because they dont need to unlearn a previously-acquired sentence structure so they can relearn the process of structuring sentences in another language. Its important when we learn a new language to disregard (or at least view with a healthy dose of inquiry) everything we think we know about things like sentence structure, gramma r and pronunciation.Thinking like a child can also help you to connect personally with children, and connecting with a child in a personal way helps you to learn like a child. While thats certainly much easier said than done,  we can definitely learn a thing or two from children about learning a new language more effectively.Now that weve seen the importance of making personal connections and why its important to learn like a child, lets consider some ways to put those connections and approaches to use.Make a One-on-one Connection with a TutorNow you might be thinking, Doesnt tutoring fall under the same category as taking a class?Well kind of, but not really. The big difference between the two is that tutoring is  one-on-one, and taking a language class often involves 30 or more students trying to learn from one teacher who has a limited amount of time to spend with each student. Many people may think tutoring is not a realistic option because its expensive, but thats not true.In t his day and age there are plenty of  one-on-one online tutors  who offer very low-priced language learning services. For example, a site like  Wyzant  will let you review the profile of your potential tutor to make sure theyre the right fit for you.There are multiple benefits to having a private tutor. Two of the most important benefits  are  that you can receive one-on-one  dialogue  and get an understanding about proper  grammar  as well. These two things are important  because, as I mentioned above, adults need to unlearn the grammar rules of their mother  language before they can  learn a foreign language. Having a private tutor can help to make this unlearn/relearn process much easier by giving you the undivided attention you need to  learn  quickly.Another potential benefit to having a private tutor is that they can be  like  a  personal coach. For those of you  who have trouble  motivating yourselves to connect with other people, let alone those who speak a foreign language, having a personal tutor will help give you the motivation you need to open up and learn a new language as fast as possible.Lend a Hand: VolunteerDepending on the type of charity or organization and the services they provide, volunteering for a humanitarian aid group is a great way to learn a new language by directly connecting with people in need.  For example, I just recently signed up to volunteer for  World Relief  in Sacramento.In this type of organization, Ive discovered that learning a new language doesnt have to be a  one-way  street. Not only does it give me the opportunity to help refugees from other nations learn  English,  but it also opens up the possibility for me to learn their language as well.You can take a similar approach and volunteer where you live, or you can go to a new place to volunteer right in the middle of the actionâ€"where your target language is spoken. Most foreigners  will naturally want to help you learn their language if you take the first step by h elping them with something they need.There are many, many options for learning a language while volunteering, depending on where you live and what language you want to learn. If youre interested in Spanish and live in the US, for example, there are lots of opportunities right at your doorstep.But dont let geography limit you: you can always travel to a new place to volunteer and learn. Doing so will let you experience a new culture, learn a new language and, most importantly, make a personal connection with new people.There are many good ways to learn a  language,  but  building  a real  connection with people who are  fluent in the language you  want to learn  is  the easiest way.For many of you, it may be  challenging to put yourselves  out there and build a real connection with new people.While  taking a  risk  and  getting and to know people who speak a foreign language  isnt  always  easy, youll discover  that this process gets much easier over time.Learning a new language can be challenging but if you take the time to personally connect with the people you want to learn  from,  youll  end up with a much easier, richer,  faster and more enjoyable language learning experience.Ernesto is an author, blogger and freelancer writer, and he is  passionate about helping refugees and the poor. If you would like to  connect with him, you can find  him at ErnestoAragon.com