French Culture 101

French Culture 101 Everything You Need To Know About France: Culture, Language and Etiquette ChaptersForming French Culture: History of the French LanguageFrench Culture and Philosophy: Understanding the WorldFrench Writers and their Impact on French CultureThe Face of France: French Celebrities You Ought to KnowLoving French Culture: Attaining French CitizenshipNo Faux-Pas Possible: The Etiquette of French CultureWhat do you think about when you think about France? French food? Its art and architecture? The Eiffel Tower, perhaps, and the Arc de Triomphe, the palace of the Louvre or other famous monuments? Or the impact of French artists on European art, the Romantic Delacroix, the impressionists such as Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir and Edgar Dégas, or post-impressionists such as Paul Cézanne or Gaugin? Or perhaps its history, with Catherine of Medici’s persecution of the Protestant Huguenots?Or have you considered its languages and their fascinating evolutions, the myth surrounding French celebrities, or its literary heritage? Here is an overview of some fascinating asp ects of French culture you may never have considered.Enlightenment took the intellectual revolution of the Renaissance one step further and paved the way for true scientific research.However, this required a restructuring of how we see the world, and of religion’s place in it.Enlightenment: Baroque PhilosophersThe Age of Enlightenment not only brought us a fairly useless French dictionary (in its quest for Purity, the Académie’s dictionary failed to include perfectly usual colloquial expressions) but one of the great scientific endeavors of all time: the Encyclopédie Universelle. With articles by all the great minds of eighteenth-century France, its editor, Denis Diderot, was himself an intellectual and philosopher. His philosophical musings include The Philosophical Thoughts (1746), an appeal to the reconciliation of reason and feeling, traditionally in opposition, in order to achieve a psychological balance, and The Skeptic’s Walk (1747), a dialogue between a deist, atheis t and pantheist in which each attempts to explain the universe. It was banned for a long time before ever seeing publication (some sources maintain the manuscript was seized by the police as an attack on Christianity), but was finally published posthumously in 1830.The Enlightenment brought about a new way of seeing the world. This was true not only of scientific endeavours, but of politics as well. Two of the great minds of the era wrote treatises on political philosophy: Mirabeau and Montesquieu.The two became acquainted in the army and are notable for their interest in social economy and political anthropology, centuries before such subjects came to be taught at universities.Victor de Riquetis, Marquis de Mirabeau believed that a country’s riches lay in its population, and since that population needed to be fed, a country’s treasure lay in its agriculture rather than trade. His interest in the common man earned him the sobriquet “l’ami des hommes”, the Friend of Man. Hi s treatise on taxation, encouraging direct taxation rather than relying on private “tax famers”, earned him a stint in prison courtesy of the French government and a two-month exile to his estates at Bignon. His views corresponded well with the Physiocratic school of thought founded by Quesnay.Charles Baron de Montesquieu was one of the most famous French philosophers of the Enlightenment. Photo credit: byb64 on Visualhunt.comCharles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu wrote extensively on the philosophy of history, but is best known for his political work The Spirit of the Laws. Montesquieu wanted to do away with the last vestiges of feudal thought as reflected by the États-Généraux, a conclave of representatives from each of the “classes” of society: clergy, aristocracy and commoners. Instead, Montesquieu divided French society into the monarchy, aristocracy and commoners. The kings, as sovereigns, would remain separate from the administrative branch of government, which itself would be divided into the judicial, legislative and executive branches, each tending to its own concerns and keeping an eye on the others by a system of checks and balances - a political system used by many modern democracies. Montesquieu thus influences French politics even today.Turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: Henri Bergson and Paul ValéryHenri Bergson lived between 1859 and 1941. His philosophy was influenced by Kant and Spencer insomuch as a critique of their works allowed him to sketch out his theory on free will, introducing the concept of duration in order to harmonise it with theories of causality and creativity. He also coined the idea of the “élan vital”, or vital impetus, to explain evolution beyond a purely mechanical process. His study of creativity also led him to research what causes laughter.A celebrated poet and mathematician, Paul Valéry wrote a number of musings based on aphorisms or bon mots, some of which he published in articles, others having come from his Cahiers, a diary in which, every day, he put down a thought on any subject, from mathematics to philosophy. His views coincide best with constructive epistomology, but Valéry himself never subscribed to any school.For more influential French philosophers on Superprof, why not take French lessons London?writing his own plays. Mostly satirical, touching on subjects such as religious hypocrisy, hypochondriacs and avarice, his plays were heavily influenced by the Italian commedia dell’arte, and often involved stock characters such as the incompetent doctor, the lover, etc.Through the patronage of Louis-Philippe, brother to Louis XIV, he gained the right to perform at court - to general acclaim, although some of his satire, such as the Tartuffe, caused outrage by hitting the aristocracy just a little too close to home.Jules VerneGenerally considered the father of science fiction, Jules Verne (1828-1905) published fantastical tales that somewhere i ncorporated the most cutting-edge technology of his time, indulging in fantasies of how they might be improved and evolve. Scaphanders, electrical torches, submarines - all found their place in his roaring tales of adventure. From A Thousand Leagues under the Sea and its iconic character, Captain Nemo, to the Journey to the Centre of the Earth to the Mysterious Island, many of the novels from his “Extraordinary Voyages” have been adapted by Hollywood.Only two of his stories were rejected for publication. One, Paris in the 20th Century, paints an eerily accurate picture of a city - in the 1970s, perhaps, before home computers and, of course, smart phones.Jules Verne is a French writer known as the father of science-fiction. Photo credit: sheffieldhammer on VisualhuntHis gift for extrapolating possible technologies based on the possibilities offered by new inventions of his time has influenced a sub-genre of science-fiction, steampunk, in which stories are set Vernesque universes filled with gas lighting, differential engines and dirigeables.Albert CamusBorn of French parents in Algeria, growing up in poverty, Camus studied philosophy and finished his diploma despite suffering from tuberculosis. Though often called an existentialist because of his early friendship with Sartre, he saw himself as an absurdist, seeing the dichotomy between the value of our lives in the grand scheme of things and the value we must give our life to live it to the fullest.He moved to Paris with his second wife in 1940. Having been a member of first the communist, then the anarchist party, he fought in the French Resistance during World War II.Camus worked as a journalist for various magazines and wrote several novels and philosophical treatises; he received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957 his best-known work is L’Étranger (The Stranger), which is part of his absurdist cycle. The Stranger is characterised by the protagonist’s indifference to life around him and the very simple language structure the author uses to underline it. For that reason, it’s a good book for a beginner exercise in reading French.The Face of France: French Celebrities You Ought to KnowWhile for most of the 20th century, France was known for its cinema and music, celebrities of French film such as Brigitte Bardot and Luc Besson are now rather overshadowed by France’s politicians.For example, François Mitterand was, together with America’s Reagan, Russia’s Gorbatchov and Germany’s Helmut Kohl, a symbol of post-war prosperity and change. France’s longest-running president (at a time when the mandate was still for eight years), Mitterand led France from 1981 to 1995. He was a strong voice in the European Economic Community and was one of the main architects of the Maastrich Treaty that founded the European Union in 1993.More recently, Nicolas Sarkozy, French president from 2007-2012, has made the headlines both with controversial policies and a stormy private life. He divorced his wife shortly after the election, met Carla Bruni, a singer and former model, a month later and married her in 2008. The couple gave the Elysée its first presidential baby in 2011.His constitutional reforms, modifying some of the checks and balances between Parliament and the Presidency, are among his more controversial acts while in power.Following Sarkozy in 2012 was François Hollande, France’s most unpopular president to date owing to his reforms on labour laws and pensions. During his presidency, Hollande had an affair with actress Julie Gayet, thus ending his relationship with reporter and acting First Lady Valérie Trierweiler, once more bringing the President’s love life into the papers.By the 2017 elections, Hollande’s approval ratings were so low he decided not to run for a second term, but endorsed Emmanuel Macron instead, who won against Marine Le Pen and is now France’s current president.Loving French Culture: Attaining French CitizenshipIs a yea rly trip to France not enough to satisfy your francophilia? Or do you already live in France and tire of applying for work visas? Angsty about Brexit and eager to have an EU passport? You can try and apply for French citizenship.Of course, the easiest way to become a French citizen is to be born French, or at least in France (if you were born on French soil and have lived more than 5 years in France after your 11th birthday, you automatically become a French citizen at 18), but if your family has been living in France for over 25 years, are over 65 and one of your descendants is a French citizen, you qualify. You can also qualify if you are married to a French national, even if you are not currently living in France (though your spouse must be registered as an expatriate at the local French embassy or consulate.)If none of the above apply but you are over 18 and have been living permanently in France for at least five years and have a basic grasp of the French language, you can cont act your local préfecture and see if you qualify. The process takes some time, as your dossier is sent to the ministry in charge of naturalisation and processed there, then your brand-new papers as a citizen of the French Republic sent back to your local préfecture (or embassy).France supports multiple citizenships, so no need to turn in your British passports!No Faux-Pas Possible: The Etiquette of French CultureNow that you are naturalised a French citizen, you need to be able to function in polite French society! What is proper French etiquette?Remember above all that while French street culture is very informal, French business culture is much more formal than in many other parts of the world. Until you find your footing, always opt for more formality rather than less.Please and Thank-YouIf you are simply having a nice holiday in French, there are four things you need to know:Please is s’il vous plaîtThank-you is merciHello, how are you is bonjour, comment allez-vous? (infor mally: Salut, ça va?)You will be kissed.Meet and greetIn the business world, you will be shaking hands; the formal greeting - “bonjour”, or “Ravi de faire votre connaissance” - comes shortly before the handshake, often with a little pause in-between.French business etiquette is very formal. Photo credit: amtec_photos on Visualhunt.comAnywhere else - you will be kissed. An acquaintance meets you on the street?Hop, la bise!They are introducing you to another acquaintance, or one of their family?Hop, la bise!The bise consists of alternate light kisses on each cheek. Most often the lips don’t truly touch your cheek at all, but you will be grasped by the shoulders.The number of kisses varies from region to region - just go with the flow and you will be fine!Remember to address anyone you meet for the first time with “vous”, until they offer the more informal “tu”.French punctualityGenerally speaking, you should always be on time. However, the French do have a more flui d approach to punctuality, so don’t be surprised if your business appointments are a little late. As the newbie, though, it’s better to err on the safe side and arrive early.Unless, that is, you are invited to someone’s house. Then you should consistently be a quarter of an hour late, to allow the host to make any necessary last-minute touches to the house or meal. If you are running later than 15 minutes behind, you should call to let the hosts know.Polite communicationFrench letters are very, very formal, and e-mails have kept more of that formality than in other countries. A letter should start with “Cher Monsieur (Last Name or le + “man’s title or simply”) or “Chère Madame (Last Name or la + “woman’s title”) and end in any one of several formal parting phrases. The most ubiquitous, perhaps is: “Veuillez agréer, Monsieur/Madame le/la (title or name here), à l’expression de mes salutations distinguées”.As formal as their letter-writing is, most Fren ch people simply answer the phone with “Allô?” You are then expected to say “bonjour” and state your name and business.The French in general keep late hours, but you should not call anyone after 10 PM unless it’s an emergency.Ready to dive into French culture? Why not tune into French radio, watch France 24 or subscribe the French news magazin Paris Match? Or improve your French grammar and vocabulary with one of our Superprof tutors.

5 Common Problems Beginner Spanish Learners Face [Video]

5 Common Problems Beginner Spanish Learners Face [Video] Suzy S. Learning a new language can be tough. From new vocabulary to strange grammar rules, theres a lot of places beginners can stumble or get frustrated. Although Spanish is a relatively easy language to learn, its not without obstacles. Many English speakers, in fact, run into the same hang-ups along the way. For example, conjugation rules take some time to get used to theres a reason  most Spanish teachers include lots of Spanish conjugation practice in their classes! Repetition helps you understand the rules, and once youve got them figured out, the language gets much easier. In the video below, tutor Sara T. shares five of these common  trouble spots, and below the video, weve listed some extra resources and links to help you work on them! 1.  Conjugating Verbs in Spanish For example, with the verb to talk, in English, there are five  conjugations but the verb is only going to change one time on the other hand in Spanish, the verb is going to change  five  times. Resources for Spanish conjugation practice: Intro to Spanish Verb Conjugation | Tips, Charts, More Spanish Verb  Drills, via StudySpanish.com Conjugation Practice Quiz, via SpanishDict.com 2. Understanding Lack of Pronouns Youll notice that speakers do not use I, you, we, or they when they speak  because the verb is already communicating the pronoun for you. Resources for pronoun practice: Pronoun Guide Pronouns Quiz, via StudySpanish.com 3. Irregular verbs Most of the verbs that are the most common are irregular they DO NOT follow the same conjugation as regular verbs. Remember, the only way to tackle this is to memorize the conjugations! Resources  for practicing irregular verbs: The Most Common Irregular Verbs in Spanish, via Linguasorb The Simple Guide to Untangling Irregular Spanish Verbs, via Fluent U 4. Phonetics There are some different sounds in Spanish that youre going to have to get used to!  The biggest ones are vowels for example, in Spanish the A has one sound, a soft ah sound like in hablar. Whereas the E is going to have a strong ay sound, like in leer. Resources  for practicing pronunciation and phonetics:   Phonetic Transcriptions of Spanish Words, via EasyPronunciation.com 3 Embarrassing Mistakes New Spanish Speakers Make [With Audio!] 5. Expressions That Use Different Verbs For example, the verb tener, which means to have, is used with many expressions that we would use to be in English. For example instead of saying I am cold, in Spanish youre going to say I have cold. (Tengo frio.) Resources  for learning Spanish expressions:   12 Common Spanish Expressions with Tener, via SpeakingLatino.com Idiomatic Expressions with Tener, via StudySpanish.com Readers, what other resources do you use for Spanish conjugation practice, verb practice, or pronunciation practice? Let us know by leaving a comment below! Post Author:  Sara T. Sara T.  teaches Spanish, English, Anatomy, and more through online lessons. She has over five years of teaching experience  and holds a Masters degree in  Teaching and Learning with Technology, with a specialization as an online educator. Learn more about Sara here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

The Smartphones with the Best Cameras

The Smartphones with the Best Cameras The Best Smartphones for Photos ChaptersApple iPhone 11 ProHuawei P30 ProGoogle Pixel 4 XLSamsung Galaxy Note 10 PlusGoogle Pixel 3A/3A XLXiaomi Mi Note 10“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” - Alfred StieglitzEverybody seems to have a smartphone but not everyone uses them in the same way. For some, their phones are just for making calls and sending messages whereas, for others, there’s so much more to them than that.There's the facial recognition, fingerprint recognition, and also the camera.There’s some stiff competition between Android and Apple smartphones and each model is vying for its place in the market so when it comes to megapixels, selfies, zoom, and cameras, which smartphones are the best?Let’s have a quick look at some of the best smartphones for taking photos. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Tea cher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsApple iPhone 11 Pro“Photography is about a single point of a moment. It’s like stopping time. As everything gets condensed in that forced instant. But if you keep creating these points, they form a line which reflects your life.” - Nobuyoshi Araki Apple phones have always been famed for having good cameras. (Source: Horacio30)Who hasn’t heard of the iPhone?Apple’s new iPhone is even more advanced than its predecessors, especially when it comes to photos.For this model, photography is at the forefront of its design. There have been interesting developments, especially in terms of the camera, which makes the device far more powerful when photographing.What better way to get the best snaps?Be it the powerful zoom, ultra-wide-angle, or normal snaps, this new smartphone offers superior quality photos. After all, that’s what you want out of a camera.This model’s ultra-wide camera (new on this model) makes all the difference. Be it in wide-angle or ultra-wide-angle, the results look professional and are very simple to achieve.There’s also the low light mode which activates automatically. The Smart HDR Mode will help you to increase shadows, lighting, and details on faces, which is great for subjects with glasses.In short, t his phone is versatile and takes some of the best photos you’ll see from smartphones.Huawei P30 ProIn comparison, this phone is very versatile in terms of photos both during the day and at night. Its three-sensor camera with 8-megapixel sensors include a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor and offers great colours. Huawei phones are affordable and come with a decent camera. (Source: Free-Photos)The front-facing camera takes clear and detailed photos and is great for selfies!There’s also ultra-wide-angle modes and a 10x zoom. The Portrait mode works great with the three sensors and is comparable to some of the better digital cameras. It’s great value for money.The triple-sensor setup is what makes this device so powerful and a great smartphone for taking photos.Find out more about the different photo modes on smartphones. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all o ur tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGoogle Pixel 4 XLWith two 12.2 megapixel sensors and a 16-megapixel telephoto sensor, this smartphone is great at taking photos. After all, the competition is pretty stiff and each model is trying to stand out.The Pixel 4 takes similar photos to the others. However, we have to mention the portrait mode that works as well with the front-facing camera as it does the main camera. The AI is in its element here as it helps to improve contours.The best part?The macro mode which allows you to capture close-up details. Night mode also works really well and enables you to take photos at any time of the day.While the wide-angle isn’t as impressive as the one on the Huawei, this Google smartphone is still a good investment.First search engines and now phones?Samsung Galaxy Note 10 PlusSamsung smartphones are always up there when it comes to the best on the market and the camera on this one with its 4 sensors (the fourth being a TOF) puts it in serious contention. There are 12-megapixel telephoto sensors and a 16-megapixel wide-angle sensor. Samsung is famed for making good smartphones. (Source: FirmBee)The best thing is the Bluetooth S Pen stylus which can be used to take photos when you can’t reach the device or even draw on the photos. This is a fun and versatile smartphone that takes great photos, especially in wide-angle shots.A class above the S10, which already set the bar really high, when you take photos, they’re sharp, colourful, and beautiful.Even at night, the photo quality is really good thanks to the Night Mode. This mode clears up your shots and can be used in conjunction with normal, ultra-wide-angle, and telephoto modes. Now you’ve got no reason to be afraid of the dark.Finally, when taking selfies, this phone is great because the 10-megapixel sensor offers great results.In short, this Android smartphone is great for showing off your skills as a photographer.Ready to go?Google Pixel 3A/3A XLAs we saw earlier, Google is more than just a search engine. This web giant also makes phones and the Google Pixel 3A and 3A XL come with some great cameras built-in.Both of these phones are useful for taking professional-looking photos. You don’t need to spend a fortune and these models are quite affordable given the quality they offer.In fact, these smartphones are great value for money, especially for those on a fairly strict budget. The cost of the Google Pixel is one of the best things about it.There’s a 12.2-megapixel sensor with Dual Pixel technology. This helps to make the autofocus more powerful, especially in portrait mode. The result is clean photos.Perfect for your first smartphone for photography.Check out these tips for improving your photography.Xiaomi Mi Note 10Last but not least is the phone of a thousand faces. The 5 cameras include:The main camera: 108-megapixel ultra-high-resolution camera. f/1.69.Portrait camera: 2x optical zoom, f/2.0, dual pixel autofocus.Telephoto camera: 5 megapixel, 50x digital zoom, f/2.Ultra wide-angle camera: 20 megapixels, f/2.2.Macro came ra: 2 megapixels, macro zoom shooting. Xiaomi produces some affordable smartphones with good cameras. (Source: NickyPe)The ultra-wide-angle allows you to take photos of landscapes and groups of friends.The macro camera is great for close-ups of small objects like insects. Thanks to its five cameras, this phone is incredibly versatile and will do almost anything asked of it.These are just a few of the smartphones on the market but as you can see, many manufacturers are focusing on photography with their offerings. Now there’s very little between “real” cameras and the cameras on your smartphones. You’d be surprised at just how good the photos are from devices that are supposed to be for making calls.When it comes to taking pictures with the digital camera on your smartphone, you'll be surprised at just how good the camera lens is and how you can get better photos by changing the settings for the shutter speed, white balance, depth of field, and aperture.Furthermore, there's plenty of editing software available to r etouch your photos after the fact. Of course, you want to get the most out of your photography when taking the photos so try and get the most out of the natural light available, use a tripod if your photos keep coming out blurred, and consider aspects like composition and the rule of thirds before you hit that shutter button.If you'd like more help with photography, there are many talented and experienced tutors on Superprof who'd be willing to help you. There are three main types of tutorial and you can choose the one which best suits your preferred learning style and your budget.Group tutorials tend to be the cheapest and best for those on a budget as all the students in the tutorial are sharing the cost of the tutor's time and expertise. However, this does mean you'll get less one-on-one time with your tutor and the lessons won't be tailored to just you and what you want to learn.Online tutorials tend to be slightly more expensive than group tutorials but are just between you and your tutor. This means you can benefit from tailored lessons and learning programmes as well as enjoying the tutor's undivided attention throughout your tutorials. However, without the tutor physically being there with you, it can make certain hands-on aspects of learning a little bit more difficult.Finally, face-to-face tutorials have the benefits of the previous two types of tutorials without the drawbacks of the tutor not being there or there being other students in the tutorial vying for your tutor's attention. If you want to learn with these types of tutorials, however, you will have to pay more than the other two types as you'll be paying for your tutor's expertise, travel costs, and all the time they put in outside of your tutorials to ensure that they're tailored to you and exactly what you want to learn about.Think carefully about which type is best for you and discuss all this with any potential tutors before hiring them!

Maths Tuition A Guide To Differentiation And Integration

Maths Tuition A Guide To Differentiation And Integration A Maths Tutor Guide to Differentiation And Integration ChaptersWhat Is Differentiation?When And Where Might I Need To Use Differentiation?An Introduction To Basic Differentiation TechniquesAn Introduction To Integration TechniquesOnce you have rearranged the formula, you can then safely integrate on both sides like[`int_{}^{} u frac{ ext{d}v}{ ext{d}x} dx = int_{}^{} frac{ ext{d}(uv)}{ ext{d}x} dx - int_{}^{} v frac{ ext{d}u}{ ext{d}x}dx`]before the final step, which is to simplify the entire formula.This will ultimately leave you with[`int_{}^{} u frac{ ext{d}v}{ ext{d}x} dx = u v - int_{}^{} v frac{ ext{d}u}{ ext{d}x}dx`]If you are a English student too, think of the above process of simplifying the formula as sort of a way to write it in shorthand.Why Do I Need To Learn Integration Techniques?When we have so many pieces of software that can now use Integration techniques to simplify and work out formulas, why do we need to learn about the methods as students?The simple answer is that nobody really knows if they will actually use these tools in the future, but isn't it nice to know how the technology you are using operates and to know that you could potentially do the working out in the event that computers ever become extinct, albeit a little slower (not that we can expect that to happen any time soon!)?While some may think that these techniques have no practical application and are therefore a bit of a waste of time, it is important to remind oneself that the professionals behind the syllabus are merely trying to help you build up an intellectual understanding of complicated mathematical processes while encouraging you to develop logical intuition.Remember also that, while your A Level course may offer a somewhat rigid approach to learning techniques related to Differentiation and Integration, you will have the opportunity in future to learn different patterns, some that may even be self-taught, if you ever decide to follows steps and processes without the aid of a computer. Or you can learn them with maths tut ors who will help you find the technique best suited to your learning style.Whether this is as part of a degree, a Masters degree or during your mathematical career, you will no doubt find some (if not tonnes of) uses for the methods taught during this A Level course.For more Maths lessons, see below:Solving Exponentials and Logs: A guide  Solving Mechanic Forces: A guide

5 Insider Tips for a Successful Music Career

5 Insider Tips for a Successful Music Career Mac Breaking into the music industry is tough, but its a lot easier when you have some help along the way. In this article, professional singer and music teacher  Liz T.  will show you 5 valuable tips you can use to make it  the music industry Based on my performing experience in the music industry, Ive observed many fellow (and talented) musicians struggle. Having a successful music career isnt easy, but you dont have to be the next Beyoncé or Hunter Hayes to be considered a “success. There are many independent musicians out there who  perform  in front of sold-out crowds each night, run their own marketing campaigns, and promote  their music in the media all while making money! Here are some tips from my personal experience that will help you  have a successful music career, no matter which instrument or genre you choose! How to Make It in the Music Industry 1. Choose  Your Band/Co-Writers Wisely I’ve seen many leaders fail when they don’t have reliable members in their band. Heres my advice: Choose musicians you know you can depend on, both on and off the stage. In other words, choose musicians who  you can trust to show up to all rehearsals, recordings, and act  professional in a music environment. Dont  Choose on a Whim More often than not, because of the lack of effort, support, and preparation from the band, the leader may fail. Audition your band mates, try a few gigs with them, and if it’s not working, move on just like in the dating world!  Theres no sense in keeping bad relationships. The same goes for songwriting: Choose members you want on your team wisely, and consider choosing members who have strengths that you dont. The bottom line is that you should never feel at competition with your band mates or co-writers; its completely a team effort! 2.  Research the Music Industry As a musician, you should always be listening and watching the charts. Its important to keep your finger on the pulse find out whats popular, whats performing well, and whats dying in the industry. From knowing current artists to knowing music-sharing trends, youve got  to be current with the times! You Dont Need to Research Everything Even if youre an old school person, you don’t necessarily have  to download  every music app or listen to every artist, but you need to be familiar with what’s happening in the industry. In my experience, a surprising amount of people  don’t do their research.  Those who dont do their research might  send their music demos on CDs, even when the publisher clearly says only MP3s via email. If you do that, youre only going to upset the publisher. Keep Up With the Trends With that being said, read directions carefully and do your homework you don’t want to make enemies in the industry by making bad impressions! The trends in the industry are always changing, so be sure to read books, blog articles, and ask your friends how they listen to (or even buy) music; who are they going to see in concert, what are their favorite music videos? Don’t be behind the times be ahead! 3. Be  Your Own Booking Agent Ive often found this very  frustrating in the music industry: trying to get the booker or promoter’s attention. Oftentimes, you’ll hear no response, or theyll  have incredibly high demands (and want you to play at less-than-appealing venues). I challenge you to start booking your own gigs when you feel your music is ready to be performed in front of live audiences. You Can Do It All I  started booking my own gigs first in Boston, then to the New York scene, which eventually lead to Europe! Ive booked 100+ gigs  entirely on my own, without the help of a booking agent. Of course, it takes a lot of time to do this research, along with  negotiating contracts and figuring out logistics, such as backline equipment (like  amplifiers) and transportation. There’s no reason you can’t start booking your gigs right away. Focus your attention on one region, then  figure out the venues in that market.  Indie on the Move is a great resource for this sort of thing! 4. Keep  Plugging Away Rejection is a common theme in the music industry. Youll often go to tons of auditions, submit your song, and hear no, more than youll hear yes. With thousands of musicians vying for their shot at fame and fortune, along with  few opportunities out there, the competition is fierce. Rejections Eventually Lead to Success I encourage you to keep performing and submitting your music. Ive felt extremely  discouraged after going to 100 auditions, but then after the 101st audition, I would land the gig! Moreover, I would  submit my music to publishers and record labels over and over, hearing no response, only to finally hear an answer  a couple years  later! Don’t let rejection tear you down and stop you from doing what you love. Continue to work on your craft practice, compose, and write like theres no tomorrow. You can even create your own opportunities. For example, if youre still having trouble getting signed, release an album independently! Or, be your own social media manager and promoter. Remember to always stay positive and believe in yourself! 5.  Pick the Right Songs Whether you decide to write your own music or be in a cover band, the decision is up to you! Many bands become successful by writing new  material, and other bands find their first  success by creating new interpretations of original songs. With YouTube, you can easily  upload your songs,  promoting them for people  all over the world to explore and enjoy! But first, its best to decide if youre going  to be an artist that focuses on just making videos, or if youre more interested in  booking live shows. Allocate  your resources accordingly. How to Choose The Right Songs When choosing your song material, youll want to make sure youre completely comfortable performing these songs. You dont have to sing an Adele song just because its popular and challenging, or write material if you stink at writing lyrics. Instead, find out what your strengths are and which songs showcase your voice or musical instrument the best! Its important to find your musical niche. To do this, I encourage you to listen and watch other bands perform in order to see what repertoire they have  in their sets or albums. Dont outright copy other bands or artists, but instead use them as a source of  inspiration. The End Goal is the Audience Visualize your album or set in advance; the flow, the rhythm, and the melodic content is important to keep in mind. You dont want to do a show thats entirely made up of  slow rock ballads your audience will be asleep in no time! Its vital that you keep them engaged, even if youre singing about serious subject matter. The end goal is really to grab and hold the audiences attention the entire  time youre performing. The same goes for an album; make sure the songs you record transition nicely into each other. The last thing you want is for the listener  to skip tracks! Use Sheet Music to  Choose Songs If youre still stuck on which songs to choose, you can always browse through sheet music. You can find sheet music for thousands of popular  songs, namely by big-name publishers like  Alfred  and Hal Leonard.  There are also a couple of dedicated sheet music websites. Check them out here: www.musicnotes.com www.sheetmusicdirect.com If youre looking for more than just sheet music, check out this all-encompassing resource guide for musicians: 100+ Online Tools and Resources for Musicians Conclusion I hope these tips help you on your way to a successful music career! Remember, you don’t need to be the hottest celebrity in L.A. to have a successful music career. Many musicians find their musical success right in their own backyard (or garage)! If you ever need one-on-one advice for how to get  into the music industry, schedule a meeting with a professional musician  on TakeLessons today! Post Author:  Liz T. Liz T. teaches singing, acting, and music lessons online.  She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, RB, and Country. Learn more about Liz here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Accounts Top Distractions when its Time to study Accounts -Tutorpace

Accounts Top Distractions when it’s Time to study Accounts -Tutorpace Accounting is always a difficult subject for the college students. They aren’t able to grasp the accounting subjects quickly. Accounting comprises of numerous subject areas including management accounting, financial accounting, accounting information systems, auditing, and taxation, but students find it very hard to understand it as they face few distractions. Their friends can hang out and gossip with them, or they may be tired going in a party, or they may want to watch TV, or any other kind of distraction can prevent them to concentrate on their studies. Then the students say to themselves that they will do it afterward. As a student, if you want to identify your distraction and take accounts study as a challenge, your accounting tutor online will help you in distinguishing few distractions easily. If you are among those students whose minds get diverted from books, first check out the distractions and know how to overcome them! 8 Distractions how to overcome on accounts study 1) Find a quiet place, instead of noisy If you’re sitting in a room where your roommates are laughing and giggling and gossiping among themselves loudly, you may get distracted easily from studying accounting. There might be music and loud noise in the room where you have a tough time in focusing. You can leave that noisy place and move to a library, a peaceful café, a quiet room or another spot of campus area where there isn’t any noise. Anyhow, get rid of noise to study concentratedly with the help of managerial accounting tutor. 2) Avoid temptations of entertainment If you are sitting and studying in a room where you play video games, watch TV, or go through magazines, you tend to get distracted automatically. These things will influence you to watch or play, instead of studying. The moment you would find your assignments difficult, or it seems boring, your eyes will shift to entertainment zone around you. Therefore, you should leave that living room or entertainment space and sit in a room where there aren’t any entertainment options near you. In this way, you can resist yourself from seeing TV shows or movies. 3) Study alone If you are having an exam in a matter of few days and your best friend comes to meet you and wants to chitchat with you, it’s hard to avoid such a situation. Your longtime friend might want your full attention. You too must have started sharing your talks and laughing on the good old memories, before you might have forgotten that you have to prepare for your class tests. In order to overcome this disturbance, you decide to study alone. You can tell them that you will prefer hanging out later after you complete your revisions. 4) Stay away from online distraction You tell your mom that you have to search a study material online. Then you do your research via your desktop laptop or mom’s smartphone. Suddenly your mind gets changed and you are checking Facebook or any other website, consoling yourself that you’re surfing it for few seconds only. But your half-an-hour is wasted on social networking sites, instead of finding the accurate study material for your assignment. Thus, to ward off from this online disturbance, you have to unplug yourself from anything that isn’t related to school. Turn off the Wi-Fi or close the internet access completely and finish your school work firstly. The lesser you surf online, better for you. 5) Do fewer text messages Even if you don’t have your personal smartphone and you are chatting with your friend using your mom’s smartphoneon WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, this is actually hampering your study. Too much messaging can distract your mind from studies. Even while you study, there is constant buzzing of multiple messages in the mobile placed next to you. Thus take your books out, put your mobile or your mom’s mobile in your hand in silent mode and away from you for three-four hours, and finish up your studies. 6) Meditate or take a deep breath Many things in your room might attract you to go near them. It might be your phone, music player, television, internet, video games, etc. In order to have a control over your urge, you can sit on the floor in a room where no one is there and close your eyes. Then you start meditating for fifteen minutes to half-an-hour. Breathe-in and breathe-out and repeat this process for a short period in the morning and evening till your mind becomes calm and steady. You can thus concentrate on your study more seriously. 7) Ask your near and dear ones to give you privacy When you are studying in your study room, your mom might drop in to ask about something, your sister might ask for help with her homework, your brother might ask for advice, your friend might drop by to chat with you, or your neighbor might come to your room to have a word or two. In this case, you can ask them to give you privacy to study without disturbance. Share this thing politely so that they can understand your situation and won’t disturb you during your study hours. You can even close your study room from inside so that no one can come in your room to interact with you. Others also will get to know about your commitment towards academic excellence and hence would respect your privacy. 8) Get eight hours of proper sleep at night You should get sufficient sleep as a student for seven to eight hours daily at night. There might be projects to do or your homework or assignments. You need to adjust timing for them so that you can sleep at the right time at night and get up by six-thirty in the morning. Sleep is very important as you can have a good memory, your brain functions well and you can concentrate greatly. Make sure to arrange your schedule accordingly and go to bed by 11 pm. Therefore, all the students who want to excel in their accounts study should follow the above steps! When they stop themselves from the above distractions, then only they can accomplish their tasks and execute better results! Share your opinions if you have faced any such distraction at the time of study!

Critical Reasoning Question 4-Critics of Promotional Gates - Private Tutoring

Critical Reasoning Question 4-Critics of Promotional Gates BobbiM Jan 31, 2014 Critical Reasoning Question 4 Critics of strict promotional gates at the grade school level point to a recent study comparing students forced to repeat a grade with those promoted despite failing scores on an unscheduled, experimental competency test. Since there was no significant difference between the two groups scores on a second test administered after completion of the next higher grade level, these critics argue that the retention policy has failed in its expressed purpose of improving students basic skills. Which of the following best expresses the argument made by critics of promotional gates? A. Anxiety over performance on standardized tests often hinders a students ability to master challenging new material. B. A students true intellectual development cannot be gauged by his score on a standardized competency test. C. The psychological damage a child suffers by repeating a grade outweighs the potential intellectual benefits of a second chance at learning. D. Strict requirements for promotion do not lead to harder work and greater mastery of fundamentals among students fearful of being held back. E. Socioeconomic factors as well as test scores influenced whether a given student in the study was promoted or forced to repeat a grade. Think you know the answer? Correct answer: D Since the critics claim, based on the studys results, that the policy of leaving students back doesnt improve their skills, the best restatement of their view is (D). (A) fails for two reasons: one, the critics never hinted that test anxiety was the reason for poor performance, and two, (A) discusses challenging new material, whereas the tests in question assess students basic skills. In (B), were not interested in students true intellectual development-again, its their mastery of basic skills. Anyway, (B)s criticism of standardized test scores tends to go against the critics argument, which is based on those very scores. The psychological damage of being left back, raised in (C), is well beyond the scope; the critics never hinted at this. Finally, (E) fails because the critics never discussed socioeconomic factors at all-just test scores.

Critical Reasoning Question Types-Strengthen Or Weaken Questions Pt 2 - Private Tutoring

Critical Reasoning Question Types-Strengthen Or Weaken Questions Pt 2 BobbiM Feb 6, 2014 Kaplan Strategy For a Strengthen or Weaken Question, keep the following in mind: Weakening an argument is not the same as disproving a conclusion-and strengthening is not the same as proving.  A weakener tips the scale toward doubting the conclusion, while a strengthener tips the scale toward believing in the validity of the conclusion; The wording will always take the form of, Which one of the following, if true, would most [weaken or strengthen] the argument?  The if true part means that you have to accept the validity of the choice right off the bat, no matter how unlikely is may sound. Wrong answer choices in these questions often have the opposite of the desired effect.  So if youre asked to strengthen a stimulus argument, a wrong choice will likely contain information that actually weakens the argument.  And when asked to weaken a stimulus, one answer choice is sure to strengthen the argument.  Pay attention to what the question stem is asking. Sample Stems The stems associated with these two question types are usually self-explanatory.  Heres a list of what you can expect to see on Test Day: Weaken: Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above? Which one of the following, if true, would most seriously damage the argument above? Which one of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the argument above? Which one of the following, if true, is the most serious criticism of the argument above? Strengthen: Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument? Which of the following, if true, would provide the most support for the conclusion in the argument above? The argument above would be more persuasive if which one of the following were found to be true? Its also common that the question stem explicitly refers to part of the argument.  You might, for example, see the following: Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the authors conclusion that the Brookdale Public Library does not meet the requirements of the new building code? This example illustrates another advantage of Basic Principle 2: Reading the question stem first.  Here we would be told outright what the authors conclusion is, making the reading of the stimulus much easier to manage.