Online Community For Young Writers

Online Community For Young Writers Young people interested in writing have a new home, and its Figment.com. The site launched in early December, calling itself an online community for young writers to share work samples, receive feedback from other young writers, read and explore new, young fiction writers. Jacob Lewis, a former managing editor at the New Yorker, and Dana Goodyear, a staff writer at the New Yorker, created the site, originally envisioning it to be a similar to a social network site, like the young adults literary Facebook. However, the two noticed that young adults didnt want another Facebook. What they wanted, was to read and write and discover new content, but around the content itself, said Lewis, quoted in an article in the New York Times Figment is a free platform for young adults, encouraging them to write and read new fiction. The site also includes a mobile platform where aspiring writers can read and submit work, ranging from poems to short stories and novels. This idea came from Goodyear in 2008, when she wrote a 6,000-word article for the New Yorker about young Japanese women who were writing fiction on their cellular phones. Since then, the two have been promoting Figment at schools, literary organizations and libraries throughout the nation, recruiting several hundred students who would be willing to participate and post literary work. We wanted people to be able to write whatever they wanted in whatever form they wanted, Lewis told the New York Times. We give them a piece of paper and say, Go. He noted that people have posted work, including fantasy, science fiction, biographical work, and long serial novels. Theres a very earnest and exacting quality to what theyre doing. Many publishers will be paying close attention to Figment and the most popular work on it, trying to glean key insights into the literature young adults gravitate toward and introducing them to certain books and work. Lewis said that he hopes figment can at least capture a million users, serving as an opportunity for publishers to pluck young talent out of and promote their own authors by publishing novel excerpts. For publishers this is an amazing opportunity to not only reach your consumers but to find out really valuable information about how they are reading, Lewis told the New York Times. Figment has already signed on a few publishers, most notably Running Press Kids, a member of the Perseus Books Group. They will provide a novel excerpt from Purple Daze, a historical novel for young adults by Sherry Shahan.

A Beginners Guide to Computers

A Beginner’s Guide to Computers Learn All About Computers ChaptersWhat Are The Parts of a Computer?The History of ComputingUseful Computer HardwareThe World’s Most Famous ProgrammersStep-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Facebook Account“When you’re dealing with computers, you should be like ducks… Appear calm on the surface and pedal like crazy underneath.” -Richard LallementWhether you want an introduction to computers, become a software developer or take programming courses - there are many reasons you might want to known more about computers and their history. Either way, computer engineering wasn’t invented in a day and continues to require a lot of work.It’s fairly easy to naviguate the Web, but have you ever asked yourself how it is even possible? From the first electronic circuits, the building of the first computer, must-have computer gadgets, well-known coders and how to sign up to Facebook, find out everything you need to know about computers.Wikipedia is founded2004: Mozilla Firefox comes outThe shared-data era20 08: First appearance of the term MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)2009: Archos launches the first touch-sensitive tablet2010: first cloud-based data storage developed2011: smartphone sales overtake computer sales2014: more than a billion websites2016: Google Chrome surpasses Internet Explorer in market sharesA USB key: shock-resistant, lightweight and compact, it allows you to stock files and transport them anywhere from £3 for tiny (and rather obsolete) 2GB memory sticks to over £700 for encrypted keys capable of storing over 100 GB.External hard drive: to augment your computer’s memory or backup your data, you should count somewhere between £20 and £70 depending on its data storage capacity.7Learn more about IT by taking computer courses. or follow one of the many online computer courses.The World’s Most Famous ProgrammersBefore learning to program and throwing yourself heart and soul into IT, why not look at others who have shaped the history of computers. Programming suc h as we know it today could not exist without some exceptional people. Here are some of the most famous programmers.Grace Hopper: nicknamed Amazing Grace, she invented the first UNIVAC compiler in 1950. This compiler allowed computer engineers worldwide to understand the computer languages of the time.Mark Zuckerberg: founder and president of Facebook since 2004, he’s the fifth most wealthy man on the planet. Though he seems to have lost his coding edge, he was the one who wrote the first lines of code for the famous (and infamous) social media siteMaybe he should take refresher coding courses with Superprof!Margaret Hamilton: she corrected the programming for the Apollo 11 mission - by hand. Without her minutia and attention to detail, men would never have walked on the moon in 1969Louis Pouzin: French computer engineer, he developed a datagram that later allowed for the creation of the Internet. He is now helping to re-invent it!Larry Page: an American computer engineer, he desi gned the Google search engine. His father was one of the founders of eGroups, Yahoo’s forerunner.This list is, of course, far from exhaustive, but it gives you a small idea of what programming can entail: an opening for the future and a thirst for change.Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating a Facebook AccountFacebook saw the light of day in 2004 through the agencies of Mark Zuckerberg. The social network is accessible to all since September 2006. It is the third most visited website behind Google and YouTube and has passed the 2 billion user mark since July 2017.Facebook can help you stay in touch with friends and family and connect with new people. Photo on VisualHunt.comThe name Facebook comes from start-of-year handouts with pictures and names of staff and students handed out at American universities. This social network lets you post pictures, texts, videos… Its goal is to connect its users so they exchange information.Creating a Facebook account is free and easy. You just need to follow these steps after landing on the www.facebook.com page:Fill in a sign-in form with you first and last name, e-mail address, password and date of birthConfirm the account by clicking on a link sent to your e-mailFind friends already on FacebookAdd a profile picture and a header picture if you wantModify your profile by entering personal information: job, schooling, place of birth, family…Post content from your profile or your newsfeed.As you can see, you don’t need to be a programmer to create a social media account! Now it’s up to you to choose what you want to post.In summary:The central unit is the most important element to the computer’s functioning. The screen, keyboard and mouse simply serves as an interfaceComputers would be nothing without maths and particularly algorithms. Many men and women contributed to the construction of computers as we know them today.It might be useful to get a combination printer-scannerLook to programmers and computer enginee rs for inspiration: Grace Hopper, Larry Page or Bill GatesAnd finally, if you still don’t have a Facebook account, don’t panic: they are easy to create by following simple step-by-step instructions.

A Travellers Guide to Russia

A Travellers Guide to Russia How to Get the Most Out of Your Time in Russia ChaptersWhat Are the Most Famous Russian Cities?The Best Monuments to Visit in RussiaHow Much Does it Cost to Visit Russia?Where Should You Stay in Russia?“Russia has twelve different time zones just to weave its immense tapestry” - Sylvain TessonIt’s difficult to envisage a trip to Russia where you get to see everything. It’s the biggest country in the world, there’s a lot to do. Whether you’re going to Saint Petersburg, visiting Lake Baikal, reliving history on Red Square, or travelling through the Caucasus, you need to plan before you travel through Russia.Did you know that the average tourist spends around 8 days in Russia?Here’s some advice on travelling to Russia, accommodations, the sites to visit, how much money you’ll spend, and how to get visas.  The first thing to do is outline whereabouts in Russia you’re going to travel to. LavaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LarisaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!D iscover all our tutors InaRussian Teacher 4.88 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IrynaRussian Teacher 5.00 (8) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EvgeniaRussian Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnastassiaRussian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NikolaRussian Teacher 5.00 (4) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MargaritaRussian Teacher 5.00 (3) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Are the Most Famous Russian Cities?When you travel to Russia, it’s probably a good idea to decide which cities you want to go to. This is hugely important given that it’s the biggest country in the world and you don’t want to buy any train or plane tickets at the last minute. Here are some of the most popular cities in Russia:Moscow, the Russian capital city.Saint Petersburg, one of the most westernised Russian cities.Kazan, a Tartar city.Vladivostok, an eastern city.Sochi, a beach and winter reso rt.Irkutsk, the gateway to Lake Baikal.Murmansk, an arctic city.Vladimir and Suzdal, tsarist icons.Saint Petersburg is one of Russia's most popular destinations. (Source: quinntheislander)There are tonnes of things to see in Moscow! You’ll need several days to enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Novodevichy Convent and Saint Basil's Cathedral. Some of the most popular attractions include:Red SquareThe KremlinLenin’s MausoleumThe Ostankino TowerThe Memorial Museum of CosmonauticsSaint Petersburg has a more relaxed and European atmosphere. You’ll be able to find people who speak English slightly more easily than you would in Moscow, for example. If you go to Saint Petersburg in June, you can enjoy the White Nights Festival. Some of the most popular attractions include:The Admiralty BuildingThe Saint Petersburg CanalsSaint Isaac’s CathedralThe Russian Cruiser AuroraThe State Hermitage MuseumKazan CathedralThe Church of the Saviour on BloodMariinsky TheatreOf cours e, it’s really difficult to list absolutely everything you can enjoy in Russian cities.For example, if you take the Trans-Siberian Railway, you could ice skate on Lake Baikal, for example. If you speak Russian, go to Murmansk and take a dog sledge through the tundra!So which city would you like to visit?The Best Monuments to Visit in RussiaThe number of visitors to Russia has increased by around 20% since 2000. The fact that there are so many wonderful things to visit definitely hasn’t hurt.Learn Russian faster by taking this online Russian course.Moscow is home to plenty of unmissable sights. (Source: jackmac34)The first thing you should do is think about what you can do in Russia. When you travel through Russia, you can enjoy travelling from the past to the present. There are plenty of different monuments that you have to visit and there are others that are worthwhile going out of your way to see. Here’s our list of some of the most interesting attractions in Russia:Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow.Lenin’s Mausoleum and the Ostaniko Tower, Moscow.The Monument to the Conquerors of Space, Moscow.The Saint Isaac Cathedral, the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg.Kul Sharif Mosque, Kazan.The Golden Gate, Vladimir.Immanuel Kant's Grave, Kaliningrad.Livadia Palace, Crimea.The Shisselburg Fortress, Leningrad.The Keyboard Monument, Yekaterinburg.Each of these monuments represents part of Russian history or modern Russian culture.Red Square is a symbol of Russian power. This is where military parades take place, especially on 9th May to celebrate the end of World War II.The most surprising monument is probably is Immanuel Kant’s Tomb, which is hidden behind an Orthodox monastery.The Monument to the Conquerors of Space and the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics can be visited with children.The most impressive is the State Hermitage Museum. You can easily spend over six hours visiting this place. With so much to see, you might want an English guide to make sure tha t you don’t miss anything.You should opt for limitless transport cards when you’re in the big cities like Moscow, Saint Petersburg, or Kazan. A lot of these also allow you to travel on rivers.So are you looking to have a historical, cultural, or relaxing trip? How Much Does it Cost to Visit Russia?Unlike most European countries where you can quite clearly budget your costs, Russia sometimes will have unexpected additional costs. For example, you need to pay for your tourist visa, which you can do by contacting the Russian Embassy or via certain places that work with the Russian consulate, for example.Discover the best Russian language course on Superprof.Make sure you prepare a budget for your time in Russia. (Source:Flights can cost several hundred pounds and there are trains that cost between £15 and £40 per person if you’re travelling between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Then there’s insurance...You’ll also need to consider the exchange rate, which can quickly change the entire budget for your holiday.If you’re wondering how much travelling to Russia costs, here’s some advice. Your budget should include:The essential costs we mentioned above.Accommodation and booking fees.Food and dining out.Leisure activities.Additional costs.When it comes to food, you can find lots of good restaurants at a reasonable price. There are a number of chain restaurants that offer typical Russian food:Teremok, a fast food place that does traditional Russian dishes.Lepim y Varim, specialists in pelmenis.Pelmenya, another place that does pelmenis.Varenychna N °1, for reasonably-priced specialities.Think about the activities you want to do and budget accordingly. You can easily spend £30 per person per day on leisure activities.Similarly, depending on your destination, you might want to add around £300 per trip to Russia for registration fees, transportation within cities, etc. You might want insurance that covers repatriation in the event of death, etc. Shop arou nd for different insurance policies.How are you going to calculate your budget for Russia?Where Should You Stay in Russia?Before you even get your flights, you’ll probably look for reasonably-priced accommodation in Russia. You should prioritise places that offer free cancellation so that you make planning easier. You’ll need a reservation before you can get your visa for Russia since you can’t just land in Russia with nowhere to stay.You'll want to stay somewhere with good transport links if you want to visit the whole city. (Source: Tama66)Accommodation in Russia can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if you don’t know where to look. There are several criteria that you should take into account:Dates of stayHow long you’ll spend travelling in RussiaWhere you’re staying in the Russian FederationYour budgetYour tasteYou can choose between:Hotels (independent hotels, Russian hotel chains, international hotel chains)AirbnbYouth hostelsUnusual accommodationIf you like adven ture, you could book a dacha country house complete with a typical Russian banya.So are you ready to go to Russia?Let’s go!Russia welcomes plenty of tourists every year, so make sure you've planned which regions you want to visit, got your Russian visa, made sure your passport is still valid, and you've bought your rubles.Before you travel to Russia, you might want to learn more about the basics of the language. On Superprof, you can find private tutors offering Russian lessons. There are three types of tutorials available on the platform: private tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials.Private tutorials are usually the most expensive option but they also offer the highest level of teaching and tutorials that are tailored to the individual. Online tutorials are generally cheaper as the tutor has fewer expenditures and can schedule more tutorials per day since they don't have to travel. Finally, group tutorials are even cheaper because the cost is divided among the student s but you won't get the lessons tailored to each individual student.If you're thinking about becoming a tutor, you can create a profile on Superprof. Tutors who offer quality tutorials and tailored lessons won't tend to have any problems finding students as your profile will quickly fill up with glowing reviews. If you're looking to entice students, we recommend offering the first hour of tutorials for free so that potential students can see what you're capable of and you can talk about the different types of tutoring you offer.Don't worry if your students end up going to Russia, either! You can continue tutoring them as long as you both have decent internet connections through online private tutorials.

English Expressions with the Word Rock Improve English Vocabulary

English Expressions with the Word Rock Improve English Vocabulary My word this week is ROCK. In its simplest form it represents strength and dependability. We always associate the word with these facts. Here are some English expressios with the word ROCK  for you:He was my rock.   to describe someone you can depend on 100%The wall was made of solid rock.   nothing was going to break through. English Expressions with the Word ROCK However, a simple addition of a letter (suffix “-y” ) and the meaning changes dramatically. ROCK â€" ROCKY.Rocky  now means something unstable something not so dependable.I sat down in the restaurant and asked if I could move as the table was rocky and I had spilt my drink.Of course, in those wonderful American movies Rocky  was a boxing champion who was that strength and power. He was almost invincible. So be careful how you use it and how you interpret it when you meet this word in a book or film or in speech.Rock  as a noun means solid and strong.He is my rock.   We use this expression in English as a figure of speech means someone you can rely on A rocking horse  is an old fashioned toy horse enjoyed by thousands. The child sits on it and moves backwards and forwards simulating the action of a horse. In a similar way a rocking chair  provides the same action for an older user.We can use Rocky  as an adjective to describe a garden or field that has many rocks and is perhaps  not so fertile. As already indicated rocky as an adjective can also describe an unsteady table or  indeed we use it to describe relationships that are not going smoothly.They have a very rocky  relationship. It would not surprise me if they broke up (separated).As a figure of speech we have he has hit rock bottom  meaning he has gone as low as he can, he is very unhappy.His  business failed he has no money and is not sure what to do next.You must be off your rocker.  Used to describe someone who is acting in a strange way or suggesting something really stupid.He told his friend  he was going to do a bungy jump from a high platform located in the city centr e. His friend told him  it was dangerous and that he was mad to even consider it. You must be off your rocker he said.We all love to listen to a bit of RocknRoll  don’t we? There is nothing weak about this music. Full  of life and energy. Online English Course Learn over 40 English Phrasal Verbs and English Idioms in context for FREE ENROL IN COURSE NOW FREE

Should you Crack Your Knuckles An English Listening Exercise

Should you Crack Your Knuckles An English Listening Exercise When I was young, adults used  to warn me about cracking my knuckles. I cant remember what it was supposed to do, but it was something bad. So generally, I dont crack them. But is it really bad for you? Check out the video for this weeks English listening exercise and see what you think.Watch the video below, then see if you can answer the questions.Answer the questions in comments and we will respond.1. What is happening  when you crack your joints?2. How is a knuckle crack different from a knee crack?3. What experiment did Dr. Donald Unger do?4. What did he hope to learn?5. What were the results?6. What does other research say about cracking your joints?7. Do you crack your joints? Do you think it has any health effects?

Ghars Bilingual School

Ghars Bilingual School Ghars Bilingual School Why Ghars: Ghars plants in education yields spirits that are: Unique in their solid Islamic beliefs. Capable of creation and development. Benecial for themselves and others. Stable in facing changes. Ghars Mission: Ghars aim to instill Islamic values and educational skills to build unique and creative individuals who value themselves and others. Ghars Vision: Building an aware generation with positive personalities that will assist students to be independent learners and unique in their Islamic values. Ghars Philosophy: Ghars is a bilingual educational institution that combines the Arabic language curriculum with the English language curriculum to meet your childs needs. Ghars oers an American international curriculum (Scott Foresman: Pearson) using Common Core Standards that builds foundational skills, integrating Envision Math, and Interactive science with qualied and professional educational staff. Ghars drives its values from Islam, to prepare a generation where students are raised to honor the creator, respect themselves and others, be considerate of culture diversity, be ecient in the community, and become responsible and mature global citizens. Objectives: Ghars empowres the students to: Praise Allah by studying the Holy Quraan and understanding the names and attributes of Allah. Recite and learn verses from the Holy Quraan. Take initiative and have cooperative team spirit. Be respectfull of oneself and others. Appreciate the Arabic language through the use of diverse creative tools. Study from well-established curriculum that meets their needs. Be independent learners through research, meditation , observation. Develope critical thinking skills and creative approaches to learning. Discover their talents and develop them. Ghars provides: (a) Student-centered programs which reect 21st century learning and life-related experiences. (b) English learning program - An American international curriculum following Common Core Standards that construct foundational skills, integrating envision Math and interactive science. (c) Arabic programs as required by the Ministry of Education - Arabic Language, Islamic Studies and the Holy Quran. (d) Learning resources and activities, such as computer laboratory, and a library. (e) Instruction in art, computer literacy, physical education and swimming. (f ) Educational plans such as ELL and AFL and behavioral plans as needed.

Illiteracy at 90% for 10 year olds living in the World`s poorest Countries - Tutor Hunt Blog

Illiteracy at 90% for 10 year olds living in the World`s poorest Countries Illiteracy at 90% for 10 year olds living in the World`s poorest Countries Illiteracy at 90% for 10 year olds living in the World`s poorest CountriesSchoolsIn this country it is almost unthinkable that large swathes of the population might be unable to read or write. Literacy is such a necessity in today`s world, it`s difficult to imagine how anyone could get by, being unable to compose an email or text message, read a street name, or write a letter. We may enjoy good literary standards, but unfortunately there are a great many people living in parts of the world who are not so fortunate. In the world`s poorest countries illiteracy is the norm, with nine out of ten children being unable to read or write at the age of ten. This statistic is effectively mirrored in the wealthier countries, where only 9% of children of the same age are illiterate. The problem isn`t just confined to a small group of countries though - a recent study compiled by the UN and the World Bank looked into the levels of literacy among 135 low and middle income countries, and found that more than half of 10 year old children were unable to read a simple text. The World Bank is funding a programme which aims to cut the rate of `learning poverty` by at least half by 2030. It defines learning poverty as the percentage of ten year olds who cannot understand and read a simple story. After compiling a vast database with the UNESCO institute of statistics, it estimated that currently 53% of children fall into this category in low and middle income countries. `In poor countries, the level is as high as 80 percent. Such high levels of learning poverty are an early warning sign that all global educational goals and other related sustainable development goals are in jeopardy.` The World bank is joining other institutions in tackling the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - 8 targets that each of the 191 UN member states agreed to tackle back in the year 2000. Here are the list of these eight Millennium Development Goals: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. Achieve universal primary education. Promote gender equality and empower women. Reduce child mortality. Improve maternal health. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. Ensure environmental sustainability. Develop a global partnership for development. It is of course commendable that these targets have been set, and encouraging that international financial institutions such as the World Bank are involved - and even if the initial deadline for the completion of these goals was 2015, this should be taken as evidence of the entrenched and profound nature of the problems, rather than as a failure of the programme. The World Bank describes its new target of cutting `learning poverty` by at least half before 2030 as `ambitious, yet achievable.` The Unesco Institute for Statistics however has published a report that declares matters are progressing too slowly, saying the new global goal on achieving quality education for all by the year 2030 is unlikely to be met. It has predicted that, given the current rate of improvement, approximately 43% of children will still have not attained the required standard of reading proficiency by the deadline. In order for the target to be reached improvements would have to meet an `unprecedented` scale. With 260 million children currently not in school, it is easy to understand the huge scale of the challenges. Learning how to read is a `milestone in every child`s life`, according to Jaime Saavedra, the global director for education global practice at the World Bank. Reading is `a precondition for active participation in society a gateway to all other learning outcomes`, he said. `Eliminating learning poverty is as urgent as eliminating extreme poverty, stunting or hunger,` Saavedra went on to say Education standards in the UK are fairly high in global terms. Though we fall outside the top 20 in the PISA rankings (which primarily measures mathematics and the sciences), when it comes to basic literacy standards the country performs fairly well. Without reading skills the learning of all subjects will be impacted; and once a certain age has passed, even the most basic of literary skills become extremely difficult to acquire. 4 months ago0Add a Comment