Every time I sit down to write, the first thing I do isn’t open up a blank document, it’s find some nice video game music to listen to. And loads of it can be found free on YouTube. Ambient music from Skyrim, relaxing compilations from Animal Crossing, lo-fi Legend of Zelda remixes Sometimes, work or study just can’t get done without my 10-hour loop of Chrono Trigger’s Corridors Of Time.
Looking at the millions of comments, uploads, and views these uploads get, it’s clear that I’m not alone. If you’re reading this on a PC right now, there’s a statistically decent chance that YouTube is currently open and playing some video game tunes in another tab. And it’s only possible because YouTube doesn’t treat video game music as it does other popular music.
In case people haven’t yet heard or don’t believe that staying home when possible is pretty sensible right now, the UK government have launched a partnership with several video game companies to spread the message into games. Sniper Elite studio Rebellion say they’re going to put messages echoing the government’s “Stay At Home, Save Lives” instructions onto game menus, and Dirt Rally 2.0 has already raised warning banners on in-game tracks.
“I’m delighted to see the UK’s brilliant video games industry stepping up to strongly reinforce this message to gamers across the UK,” culture secretary Oliver Dowden said.
In Mount And Blade 2 Bannerlord, you can potentially command large armies in big battles, but you’re first going to have to win them over. Keeping their loyalty, feeding them, and upgrading them to stronger troop types will be the key to conquering the land. It’ll take a lot of work, so we’ll explain how to do it here.
Movement is make or break for VR games. A convincing, non-nauseating solution is vital, and Half-Life: Alyx does an admirable job of navigating through that. Valve have explained how they got there, in a new video that brings up sound design, pathing fiddliness, and why they had to ditch a certain system because tall testers kept hitting their virtual heads on low-hanging pipes.
Slick is such a brilliant word for describing Dead Cells, Motion Twin’s marvellous roguelite Metroidvania. It immediately gets across that we’re dealing with a clever, fast-paced, and relentlessly satisfying game. But there’s also a wetness to the word that perfectly matches the oozing pixel effects, the bioluminescent lighting, the squish of a heavy broadsword through dungeon-dwelling flesh.
So, quite definitively: Dead Cells is one slick goddamn game.
Tactical Breach Wizards is back to show off gameplay from a more updated build than the last video we got a look at. Coming from the maker of Gunpoint and Heat Signature, the modern day wizard cop tactics game looked swell already, but a meatier look at combat abilities is worth pulling over for. It looks to allow for lots of tinkering about with your turns, hemming and hawing over moves as you rewind time to try another option. Also, lots of cop jokes.
During the main quest in Mount And Blade 2 Bannerlord, you’ll meet a couple of influential people who want to steer you in a certain direction. Whichever person you decide to side with out of Arzagos or Istiana, the other person will try to thwart your plans later on. There is a lot of confusion surrounding these quests, so let’s talk about what’s happening in each one.
Survival MMO Last Oasis has had a rough launch week, but it looks like things might settle soon. After taking the servers offline to address stability issues that were making the game largely unplayable, it’s now back online and allegedly on better footing. Donkey Crew say that they won’t be shutting down servers or wiping player progress again now that they’re once again publicly available.
Holy Hogwarts, look at this entire dang Harry Potter-themed RPG built inside Minecraft. This mod has been in the works for a while, building on a huge Hogwarts Minecraft build from several years back. What I enjoy most is how reminiscent it is of the (not great, as I remember) Harry Potter games of the earliest aughts. The entire modded adventure is now available to play alone or with pals.
As with many other events in the year of Covid-19, Now Play This—the yearly exhibition on experimental game design—transitioned to a virtual space last weekend. Although not every planned part of the exhibition could be shown off in the new format, they still appeared to get up to some neat stuff that you can now watch back yourself. Game designer Gareth Damian Martin took players on a photography hiking trip in No Man’s Sky while Robert Yang leads a tour of Half-Life by way of the Sven Co-op mod.
Hey, you. Yes, you! You look like you’re after a Discord full of decent folks to chat and play games with. May I recommend to you the RPS community Discord? It’s been around for yonks but I am today pointing it out again because hey, it’s a good time for a good place. I’ve been on the RPS Discord a while myself, falling into our Destiny 2 clan and then Destiny raiding and well, that’s me cursed for life. It’s nice.
Welcome to the day the music died. Or, well, not entirely. Rocksmith still has plans for “weekly online content,” but Ubisoft San Francisco have wrapped up their planned DLCs for the guitar tutorial game as of the newly-released Opeth Song Pack. The team is moving on to a new—as yet unannounced—project. More music? We shall see.
Radiation levels in the Chernobyl exclusion zone spiked 17 times over the normal background reading, the head of Ukraine's ecological watchdog said, as forest fires blazed into the Chernobyl disaster area. https://t.co/8niBCtcJ7T
Australia's Great Barrier Reef has suffered its most widespread coral bleaching on record, scientists said in a dire warning about the threat posed by climate change to the world's largest living organism https://t.co/UITR7hwflapic.twitter.com/F5xnP7mopX
* Yellen said: 'If we had a timely unemployment statistic, the unemployment rate probably would be up to 12 or 13% at this point and moving higher' * She warned the downturn is 'absolutely shocking' amid the coronavirus outbreak * 'This is a huge, unprecedented, devastating hit', Yellen told CNBC Monday * New claims for unemployment benefits rose to 6.65 million last week
Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Monday the real unemployment level could be far higher than officially recorded as she warned of a depression.
Yellen told CNBC second-quarter GDP could decline by 30 per cent and unemployment is already at 12 per cent and 13 per cent amid the coronavirus outbreak.
She warned the downturn is 'absolutely shocking', adding: 'If we had a timely unemployment statistic, the unemployment rate probably would be up to 12 or 13% at this point and moving higher.'
With a labor forced of 165 million that means up to 21 million Americans unemployed by Yellen's calculations.
* The Prime Minister was transferred to the ICU at St Thomas' Hospital in London at 7pm this evening * He remains conscious and Number 10 sources stressed he had been moved to intensive care as a precaution * Mr Johnson has asked foreign secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him 'where necessary' * Mr Raab reassured that the premier was 'receiving excellent care' and thanked the NHS medics treating him * UK declared a further 439 coronavirus deaths, taking the toll to 5,373, while cases rose by 3,802 to 51,608
Boris Johnson was last night moved to intensive care after his coronavirus condition worsened, forcing him to temporarily delegate his responsibilities while he is treated by doctors.
The Prime Minister was transferred to the ICU at St Thomas' Hospital in London at 7pm yesterday - 11 days after testing positive for the deadly disease.
Only two hours earlier, Downing Street were insisting he was still spearheading the government's coronavirus response, despite de facto deputy Dominic Raab chairing the morning crisis meeting.
Yet shortly after the Foreign Secretary left the Number 10 podium following the daily 5pm press briefing, Mr Johnson suffered breathing problems and was given oxygen.
WNU Editor: No one gets wheeled into the ICU hooked up to an oxygen tank unless it is very serious. A good friend of mine works as an anesthesiologist at a major Montreal hospital who has seen more than her share of Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks, and she just told me that for such a fast collapse his case is probably far more serious than what they are reporting. This is who will take over if the Prime Minister becomes incapacitated .... Who is Dominic Raab, Britain's standby leader? (Reuters).
More News On British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Being Moved To Intensive Care As His Covid-19 Symptoms Worsen
When President Donald Trump weighed the options earlier last year to address the political and humanitarian consequences of Nicolás Maduro's tight grip on power in Venezuela, he realized his harsh rhetoric against the South American leader was not backed up by a show of force in the region.
That was corrected Wednesday, as Trump, surrounded by the country's top officials, announced an expanded military presence near the Venezuelan shores that had been unseen for decades.
Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, National Security Council Director Robert O'Brien and Attorney General William Barr all said during the press conference that the additional military is meant to crack down on "counternarcotics operations," but is also aimed at denying funds to Maduro and his closest allies, who have been recently indicted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges.
WNU Editor: The White House is focused on the Covid-19 pandemic. Venezuela is important, but it is not a priority for the administration. Newsweek is saying that Pentagon officials have told them that the U.S. Navy expansion in the Caribbean is a diversion from the coronavirus crisis .... Trump Administration Used Venezuela Anti-Drug Operation to Distract from Coronavirus Crisis at Home, Officials Say (Newsweek). I have doubts about this Newsweek report. Short of a nuclear war, nothing is going to divert the American public's attention right now from the Covid-19 pandemic.
President says someone should 'sue the ass off' whistleblower whose complaint fired official relayed
Donald Trump is "decapitating the leadership of the intelligence community in the middle of a national crisis", senior Democrat Adam Schiff has charged, after the president fired the inspector general of the US intelligence community late on Friday night.
News of the firing of Michael Atkinson came as the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the US passed 7,000 and the White House faced continuing criticism for its handling of the response.
Trump raged about Atkinson at Saturday's White House coronavirus taskforce briefing, claiming someone should "sue the ass off" the whistleblower whose complaint Atkinson relayed to Congress, per his constitutional duty.
WNU Editor: House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff wants to set up 9/11-style commission to review the White House's coronavirus response .... Lawmakers fight for a piece of coronavirus '9/11 commission' (Politico). Translation .... it looks like they want to lay the ground-work to impeach President Trump again. What I want to know is why did the US intelligence committee that oversees the intel community and led by Chairman Adam Schiff failed in its duty to warn the public that the intel community was not doing its job on the growing coronavirus outbreak in China in December, January, and February. Is it because they were more focused at the time on impeaching President Trump instead of overseeing the intel community and protecting the American public?Just asking.
Key point: The Air Force denies that the X-37B has ever carried weapons. Overtly arming a spacecraft would be a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
A Dutch skywatcher achieved a rare feat in late June and early July 2019. Using a 10-inch-diameter telescope fitted with a camera, Ralf Vandebergh photographed the U.S. Air Force's secretive X-37B space plane in mid-mission 210 miles over Earth's surface.
"We can recognize a bit of the nose, payload bay and tail of this mini-shuttle, with even a sign of some smaller detail," Vandebergh told Space.com.
Vandebergh had been hunting for the robotic spacecraft for months and finally managed to track it down in May 2019, according to Space.com reporter Leonard David. But it took a few more weeks to actually photograph the roughly 29-feet-long robotic shuttle.
* New video shows the moment a Venezuelan naval vessel and German cruise ship collided last Monday * A seaman aboard the Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguata is seen in the footage firing an AK-47 at the RGCS Resolute * The Naiguata, in the heavily edited footage released by the Venezuelan government, is then seen facing the liner head on * Moments later, the Resolute, which has a hull that's reinforced to enable the ship to smash through ice, strikes the warship, which begins to take on water * The Resolute's operator, Columbia Cruise Services, insists the Venezuelans were the aggressor in an ill-fated attempt to illegally seize the vessel
New video footage shows when a Venezuelan naval vessel and German cruise ship collide, which causes the warship to sink because the liner had a hull that was reinforced for crashing through ice.
A seaman aboard the patrol boat Naiguata is seen at the beginning of the footage firing an AK-47 at the RGCS Resolute from Germany last Monday
The heavily edited footage released by the Venezuelan Navy shows the warship at one point facing the cruise ship head on.
* Capt. Brett Crozier has tested positive for COVID-19, according to close friends * Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly decided to remove Crozier on Thursday * Crozier wrote letter to Navy high command about coronavirus on USS Roosevelt * He demanded Navy evacuate aircraft carrier due to an outbreak on board * Crozier's letter was eventually leaked to the news media on Monday * Military chiefs initially began investigation into the leak of Crozier's letter * Acting secretary reportedly fired him immediately against colleagues' advice * Modly is reported to have been told that the president wanted Crozier gone * Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of Joint Chiefs, reportedly backed military probe * Top naval officer, Adm. Michael Gilday, is also said to have opposed termination * But they were reportedly overruled by Modly, who announced firing on Thursday * Video online shows sailors giving rousing salute to Modly as he left ship in Guam
Captain Brett Crozier, the officer who was relieved of command of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt after his letter warning of a coronavirus outbreak on board the ship leaked to the press, has tested positive for COVID-19.
Two Naval Academy classmates of Crozier who remain close to the family revealed the diagnosis to The New York Times on Sunday.
The classmates told the Times that Crozier began to show symptoms of the disease before he was dismissed by Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly on Thursday.
Service members will be instructed to start wearing face coverings in public in the latest effort to limit the spread of the deadly coronavirus, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in in a military-wide memo issued Sunday afternoon.
DoD will not issue masks specifically for this and the memo says individuals should make their own face coverings.
The militant group said it is "asking the Americans to seriously comply" with a preliminary peace deal. US military officials have accused the group of distorting the deal, saying it should be the one reducing violence.
The Taliban militant group has accused the US of failing to comply with the terms of a confidence-building agreement that included releasing thousands of militants and suspending attacks on military targets, Afghan media reported on Sunday.
"We are asking the Americans to seriously comply with the contents of the agreement and to alert their allies to fully abide by the agreement," the Taliban said in a statement published online.
Defence ministry presses on with plans for 9 May event with 15,000 troops, despite coronavirus pandemic.
Russia is holding rehearsals for its Victory Day parade, scheduled for 9 May despite the coronavirus crisis, as the Kremlin resists cancelling a patriotic holiday with major political significance.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is supposed to host France's Emmanuel Macron and other world leaders at a military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of the second world war. The event is a significant historical landmark for Russia and a coveted photo opportunity to claim Putin's re-emergence from political isolation in the west.
WNU Editor: For the moment all preparations and rehearsals will continue (see above video). In Russia everyone goes out in their city/town/village on May 9 to watch their version of a Victory Day parade. If you want to infect a good portion of your population with this disease, I cannot think of a better way. I personally hope they will cancel, but they will not. This is the 75th anniversary of the defeat of the 'Nazis, and everything is being done to make it the biggest celebration since 1945. The only scenario where I can see them cancelling everything is if the hospitals are overflowing with patients, the morgues are filled, bodies are on the street, and no one is being buried because the grave-diggers are either sick or dead. Then, and only then, they may cancel it (and that is a big maybe). On a personal note. I am/was suppose to be in the Russian city of Vyazma with my mother on this day. It is a city that is about 100km west of Moscow, and my mom (along with her two sisters) are the last surviving members of the city that was destroyed by the Germans during the Second World War. The city was going to honour my mom, but with all international flights into Russia cancelled or restricted, and with the Covid-19 coronavirus raging in Canada where I live, I told my mom and the people that I know in Vyazma that such a trip and my mom's participation will not be possible. They understand, but they still want to honour my mom on what she and my family went through, and they will do so in the future.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan is to impose a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday to try to stop the coronavirus, the prime minister said, with the government preparing a $990 billion stimulus package to soften the economic blow.
More than 3,500 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Japan and 85 have died - not a huge outbreak compared with some hot spots. But the numbers keep rising with particular alarm over the spread in Tokyo, which has more than 1,000 cases, including 83 new ones on Monday.
"Given the state of crisis on the medical front, the government was advised to prepare to declare the state of emergency," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.
* Metrics model shows the US is 10 days from its peak resource use, when 262,092 hospital beds, including 39,727 ICU beds, will be needed * The University of Washington's Institute for Health warns that the protections for each state assume that social distancing measures are maintained * It shows New York - the epicenter of the outbreak in the US - will reach its peak in five days with 855 deaths * The figures for Illinois make for particularly grim reading; COVID-19 deaths there are expected to hit 3,386 by August 4 with the state's peak in 15 days when an estimated 109 people will die in 24 hours
Shocking graphs have revealed the United States is still 11 days away from its coronavirus peak when it is predicted 2,644 people will die in 24 hours across the nation.
The stark new model - created by researchers from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics - also shows the country is also 10 days from its peak resource use, when 262,092 hospital beds will be needed.
That is 87,674 less than the number of beds the U.S. has to its disposal, the predictions show. A staggering 39,727 ICU beds will be required; the estimated shortage of these will be 19,863, it adds.
Researchers also warn 100,000 Americans will die by August 4. Previous White House predictions have put the figure between 100,000 and 240,000 deaths in the US if the nation continues on its trajectory and current social distancing guidelines are maintained.
The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics's model details a grim state-by-state breakdown of when hospitals will be overwhelmed and how many will die.
DONALD Trump has said he may undergo additional tests for the coronavirus after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care yesterday evening after testing positive for the disease.
AN ANTI-VIRAL drug used to treat Ebola has shown promising signs in clinical trials of curing patients with COVID-19, bringing hope to those stricken by the deadly virus.
NEW YORK Governor Andrew Cuomo has prolonged the state's social distancing period until April 29, despite announcing the numbers of new coronavirus cases were slowing down.
Learn the differences between points, ticks, and pips and how each is used by investors to measure price changes in stocks, securities, and indexes. Each is unique in the degree of change it signifies and how it is used in the markets.
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A tax refund anticipation loan, offered by tax preparation firms and other companies, lets a taxpayer borrow money against their expected refund, but often at a very high cost.
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Nonfarm payrolls are a labor measure encompassing the majority of job classifications in the U.S. but excluding farm workers and some other classes as well.
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An inflation hedge is an investment that is considered to provide protection against the decreased value of a currency, made by investing in safe-haven assets and other less volatile instruments.
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Work in progress describes the costs of unfinished goods in manufacturing while work in process refers to materials that are turned into goods within a short period.
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Hundredweight is a standard of measurement used in trading agriculture and other commodities. Although the term was popular at one time, trade is now mostly measured in pounds and kilograms.
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Stock volume is easy to calculate but understanding its importance is a little more involved. Take the time, because it adds value to your investing decision.
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There is a wealth of information to learn about the stock market; however, there is no reliable way to eliminate the inherent risk and unpredictability of investing.
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Both capital gains and dividend payments are income that must be declared. Selling something for a profit leads to capital gains. A payment made by a corporation to stockholders is a dividend.
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Alphabet, parent of leading search engine Google, is one of the world's largest companies by market value. These 5 shareholders own the biggest stakes.
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Investopedia ranks the best discount brokers for low-cost trades. These brokers offer deeply discounted trades and low margin fees for investors and traders.
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CBI Recruitment 2020: Apply Offline | 11 Vacancies for Sub Inspector. Get CBI Recruitment 2020 for Freshers and Experienced Candidates. Central Bureau of Investigation is conducting a special recruitment drive for 11 Vacancies of Sub Inspector Posts. Applicants who are looking for the CBI Exam to step into the Central Bureau of Investigation can apply for these Vacancies through Offline Process. Candidates who are looking for the CBI Jobs can submit the applications from 16th April 2020 to 03rd May 2020. Scroll down and get complete details about the Central Bureau of Investigation Jobs 2020.
Central Bureau of Investigation Recruitment 2020
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has decided to initiate a recruitment drive for CBI in the year 2020. Candidates can read all the details given below and then decide if they are eligible for the posts. They can also refer to the official CBI notification for more details. Once the eligibility has been confirmed, download the CBI online application link. Duly fill the application form and sent it to the address given below.
Eligibility Criteria for Central Bureau of Investigation Recruitment 2020
Candidates who wish to apply for the CBI Jobs for the 11 Sub Inspector Posts should be under certain eligibility criteria. Go through the CBI Qualification details and age limit for the Trainee post.
Educational Qualification
Candidate must have passed graduation in any discipline
Age Limit
Minimum Age – 18 Years
Maximum Age – 40 Years
Age relaxation
As per the CBI Recruitment Norms
CBI Careers Salary Details:
Sub Inspector Pay Scale – Rs. 25,500/- to Rs. 40,000/- per month
Application Fee:
Candidates can check the official notification to know about the Application Fee details.
Selection Process – CBI Recruitment process:
Candidates will be selected for the CBI Jobs based on the performance in
Written Examination
Interview
How to apply for CBI Recruitment 2020?
Firstly, Candidates need to click on the Official Notification Pdf provided below
Read all the Eligibility criteria for CBI Recruitment 2020 jobs
Ensure that you satisfy all the above-listed eligibility conditions
Download the application form link provided below
Fill all the required details on the application form
Pay the application fee if required
Double-check the details which you have entered on the application form
Attach all the necessary documents
Finally, send the duly filled application form with required documents to the following postal address on or before the last date through Speed Post
Postal Address
To, The Deputy Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, New Delhi, Lodhi Road, Delhi – 110003
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the premier investigating agency of India. Operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, the CBI is headed by the Director. Originally set up to investigate bribery and governmental corruption, in 1965 it received expanded jurisdiction to investigate breaches of central laws enforceable by the Government of India, multi-state organized crime, multi-agency or international cases.
The agency has been known to investigate several economic crimes, special crimes, cases of corruption and other high-profile cases. CBI is exempted from the provisions of the Right to Information Act. The CBI is India’s officially designated single point of contact for liaison with Interpol.
Census of India Recruitment 2020: Download Application for 334 Statistical Investigator, Assistant Director & Others @ censusindia.gov.in!! The Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India has released the Census of India Notification. The publication was made to announce 334 vacancies in the board. The vacancies available are for Statistical Investigator, Assistant Director & Other Posts. Candidates interested in Census of India jobs should make good use of this opportunity. Interested candidates can start to apply for these posts now. The applications have to be made in the offline mode only. The last date to apply for the Census of India Recruitment is 25th April 2020.
Census of India Recruitment 2020-21
Interested candidates can read all the details given below. Here you will get a clear idea about the Census of India careers. Read through all the sections carefully and make sure you are eligible for the posts. You can also refer to the Census India notification for more information. Once the candidate has determined that they are eligible for the posts, they can proceed to apply. To apply they have to download the Census of India application form from below. Filled application forms have to be sent to the address given before the last date. For all candidates to which to know more about the Census of India board, we have provided the website link below. They can also visit the official website @ censusindia.gov.in.
Overview of Census of India Jobs 2020
Name of the Organization
Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India
Number of Vacancies
334
Name of Post
Statistical Investigator, Assistant Director & Others
Starting date of application
Started
Closing date of application
25th April 2020
Job Category
Central Government Jobs
Job Location
All Over India
Application process
Offline Application
Official Website
www.censusindia.gov.in
Details of Census of India Vacancy 2020-21:
The details of the vacancy as given in the Census of India Recruitment 2020 is as below
Name of the Post
Number of Posts
Deputy Registrar General (C & T)
08
Additional Director (EDP)
02
Joint Director of Census Operations
19
Joint Director (EDP)
09
Assistant Registrar General (Map)
01
Deputy Director (EDP)
13
Map Officer
04
Assistant Director of Census Operations (T)
52
Assistant Director (Data Centre)
55
Assistant Director (Admin)
01
Research Officer (Map)
04
Statistical Investigator Grade I
200
Senior Geographer
03
Executive Officer (Census)
18
Total
334
Eligibility Criteria for Census of India Recruitment 2020
Candidates interested in Census of India Jobs can check their eligibility with the details below to apply.
Academic Qualification:
Name of the Post
Education Qualification
Deputy Registrar General (C & T)
Masters Degree in Stats or Operations Research or Mathematics or Economics or Commerce or Anthropology or Sociology or Population Studies
Additional Director (EDP)
Masters Degree in Computer Science or Computer Applications or Degree in Computer Engineering
Joint Director of Census Operations
Masters Degree in Statistics or Operations Research or Mathematics or Economics or Anthropology or Sociology
Joint Director (EDP)
Master Degree in Computer Applications or Computer Science or MTech or Bachelors of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology in Computer Engineering
Assistant Registrar General (Map)
Masters Degree in Geography
Deputy Director (EDP)
Masters Degree in computer applications or computer science or MTech or BE/ BTech in Computer Engineering or Computer Technology
Map Officer
Master Degree in Geography
Assistant Director of Census Operations (T)
Master Degree in Statistic or Operation Research or Mathematics or Economics or Commerce or Anthropology or Sociology or Demography
Assistant Director (Data Centre)
Master Degree in Computer Application or Computer Science or Master in Technology or Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology in Computer Engineering or Science
Assistant Director (Admin)
Bachelor Degree
Research Officer (Map)
Master Degree in Geography
Statistical Investigator Grade I
Master Degree in Statistics or Mathematics or Economics or Business Studies or Management Studies
Senior Geographer
Master Degree in Geography
Executive Officer (Census)
Bachelor Degree in any Subject
Read the official notification for more details on Census of India Careers.
Age Limit:
For age limit as given in the Census of India Recruitment 2020, refer to the official notification
Selection Process:
Written Test
Interview
Document Verification
Pay Scale for Census of India Recruitment 2020:
Name of the Post
Number of Posts
Deputy Registrar General (C & T)
Rs. 15,600/- to Rs. 39,100/- Grade Pay Rs. 7,600/-
Additional Director (EDP)
Rs. 12,000/- to Rs. 16,500/-
Joint Director of Census Operations
Rs. 15,600/- to Rs. 39,100/- Grade Pay Rs. 6,600/-
Joint Director (EDP)
Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 15,200/-
Assistant Registrar General (Map)
Rs. 15,600/- to Rs. 39,100/- Grade Pay 6,600/-
Deputy Director (EDP)
Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 13,500/-
Map Officer
Rs. 8,000/- to Rs. 13,500/-
Assistant Director of Census Operations (T)
Rs. 9,300/- to Rs. 34,800/- Grade Pay Rs. 4,200/-
Assistant Director (Data Centre)
Rs. 5,500/- to Rs. 9,000/-
Assistant Director (Admin)
Rs. 6,500/- to Rs. 10,500/-
Research Officer (Map)
Rs. 9,300/- to Rs. 34,800/- Grade Pay 4,800/-
Statistical Investigator Grade I
Rs. 9,300/- to Rs. 34,800/- Grade Pay 4,200/-
Senior Geographer
Rs. 9,300/- to Rs. 34,800/- Grade Pay 4,200/-
Executive Officer (Census)
Rs. 56,100/- to Rs. 1,77,500/-
Census of India Online Application Fee:
Candidates may read the official notification to get more details on Census of India online application fees
How to apply for Census of India Recruitment 2020?
Open the official notification using the link below
Read all the details and check if you are eligible for the post
Download the application form given
Fill in all the details asked for
Submit the application form before the last date
Postal Address:
The Under Secretary, Admin III Section, Office of RGI, NDCC II Building, 1st Floor, Jaisingh Road, New Delhi – 110001
Contact Details:
Telephone Number – +91 – 11- 23438284, 23438120
Fax Number – +91 – 11 – 23438121
Email ID – rgi.rgi@nic.in
Important Dates for Census of India Recruitment 2020-21:
Starting Date to Apply
Started
Last Date to Apply
25th April 2020
Important Links for Census of India Recruitment 2020-21:
Revenue Department Recruitment 2020 Notification – Apply Online for 34 Village Accountant Vacancies: Latest Karnataka Government Job Alerts!! Revenue Department Hassan recently released the job notification for the recruitment of 34 Village Accountant Positions. Aspirants who want to apply for Revenue Department Recruitment 2020 must have passed 12th Class or Intermediate from a recognized Board. Interested Job aspirants can apply for Revenue Department Jobs through Online mode from 02nd March 2020. The last date to apply for the Revenue Department Vacancies is 31st March 2020 30th April 2020. Interested Candidates can know more about the Revenue Department Hassan Recruitment 2020 details from the below section. Get details about Revenue Department Jobs 2020.
Revenue Department Hassan Recruitment 2020-21 Notification
Revenue Department Recruitment 2020 Notification – Apply Online for 54 Village Accountant Vacancies: Latest Job Alerts for Karnataka Government Job Seekers!! Revenue Department Mandya District recently released the job notification for the recruitment of 54 Village Accountant Positions. Aspirants who want to apply for Revenue Department Recruitment in Mandya must have passed 12th Class or Intermediate from a recognized Board. Interested Job aspirants can apply for Revenue Department Jobs through Online mode from 12th March 2020. The last date to apply for the Revenue Department Vacancies is 18th April 2020. Interested Candidates can know more about the Revenue Department Mandya District Recruitment 2020 details from the below section. Get details about Revenue Department Jobs 2020.
Revenue Department Mandya District Recruitment 2020-21 Notification
Revenue Department Recruitment 2020 Notification – Apply Online for 50 Village Accountant Vacancies: Latest Karnataka Government Job Alerts!! Revenue Department Chikkamagaluru recently released the job notification for the recruitment of 50 Village Accountant Positions. Aspirants who want to apply for Revenue Department Recruitment 2020 must have passed 12th Class or Intermediate from a recognized Board. Interested Job aspirants can apply for Revenue Department Jobs through Online mode from 18th February 2020. The last date to apply for the Revenue Department Vacancies is 20th March 2020. Interested Candidates can know more about the Revenue Department Chikkamagaluru Recruitment 2020 details from the below section. Get details about Revenue Department Jobs 2020.
Revenue Department Chikkamagaluru Recruitment 2020-21 Notification
SAMEER Recruitment 2020: Online Application for 30 Scientist C & B Posts @ www.sameer.gov.in in Maharashtra!! Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research has released the SAMEER Notification. This is to announce 30 vacancies for Scientist C & B Posts. Interested candidates can read all the details of SAMEER Jobs and apply for the same. The officials are inviting online applications from candidates to fill up this SAMEER Vacancy. Candidates can start to apply online from 02nd April 2020. The last date to apply for SAMEER Recruitment is 30th April 2020. Interested candidates can make use of this opportunity now.
Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research Recruitment 2020-21
Aspirants looking for jobs in Maharashtra as advised to read all the details given below. Here the candidate will get all relevant information regarding the SAMEER jobs. They can also refer to the official notification for more details. Once the candidate has confirmed eligibility, they can proceed to apply online. To apply online, click on the SAMEER Apply Online link given. Candidates can get to know more about the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research by clicking on the website link below or visiting the official website @ www.sameer.gov.in.
Overview of SAMEER Jobs 2020
Name of the Organization
Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research
About Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research
SAMEER was set up as a self-governing R and D research facility at Mumbai under the then Department of Electronics, Government of India with a wide order to embrace R and D work in the zones of Microwave Engineering and Electromagnetic Engineering Technology. It is a branch of the extraordinary microwave items unit (SMPU) set up in 1977 at the TATA INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH (TIFR), Mumbai. SAMEER, Mumbai was an arrangement in 1984.
SAMEER, Mumbai is seeking after innovative work in the field of Opto gadgets, therapeutic Electronics, Radar-based instrumentation, Atmospheric Remote detecting and Meteorology, RF and Microwave frameworks and segments, Navigational hardware and so forth. A considerable lot of its R&D yields and turn-offs have discovered applications and acknowledgement in industry.
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
THE LOCH NESS MONSTER
In the Scottish Highlands there, is believed to be a monster Jiving in the waters of Loch Ness. The waters of Loch Ness are one mile wide and 24 miles long, the largest body of freshwater in the United Kingdom. To many sceptics, this monster is only a modem day myth, but to others who claim they have seen it, the monster exists and still lurks in the waters of Loch Ness today.
Throughout Scotland, research has been done at several lakes but Loch Ness Is the icon for monsters – Nessie, as the monster is affectionately named, being the most popular of them all. Both professionals and amateurs flock to this lake with their cameras in the hope of capturing a brief glimpse of Nessie and possibly solving the mystery of the Loch Ness monster.
The very first sighting of Nessie was as far back as 565 AD. It is believed that she ate a local farmer and then dived back into the waters, with no accounts of being seen again for over 100 years. However, since the turn of the 20th century, several other people have claimed to see her. Some people believe that old Scottish myths about water creatures such as Kelpies and water horses have contributed to the idea of tills wondrous monster lurking beneath.
2007 brought about the most recent sighting of Nessie. A tourist named Gordon Holmes from Yorkshire visited the Loch Ness waters and claims lie not only saw her, but has captured her on video. He claimed she was jet black, about 15 metres long and travelling in a very straight line at about 6 miles per hour. Despite this supposed evidence, controversy still reigns and opinion clearly divided about its existence. The video footage has been discredited amid accusations of tampering, whilst others claim mat the image caught by Holmes could be nothing more than a tree trunk or even one of the otters that inhabit the loch.
Some scientists believe that the Loch Ness monster could a mirage or a psychological phenomenon in as much as sometimes we see what we want to see. Of course those who have seen her beg to differ, but many experiments have been conducted to arrive at theories to explain what it is that people could be witnessing. It has been suggested that Nessie could be related to a prehistoric animal known as a Plesiosaur, an animal that measured up to ten metres in length and is otherwise thought to be extinct, although this theory is unsupported by any data, One scientist in particular has been researching the lake itself to find out more about its history, It seems that for such a large animal to Jive in this lake it would require a vast food source, but for such an amount of fish to survive there would need to be plenty of microscopic animals called zooplankton. The only way to find out how much of this there is in the water is to measure the amount of algae. Algae needs light to survive so by measuring just how deep the daylight can penetrate the lake scientists can then start to work out what kind of population can be sustained. Despite results that suggest that the fish population was too small, the conclusions drawn were inconclusive.
In the 1900s, a ten year observational study was carried out, recording an average of 20 sightings of Nessie per year, The phenomenon exploded in second half of the century, when photos were publicly released of a ‘flipper’, Submarines were sent into die Loch Ness to try to discover more about this creature (and now are actually run as tourist attractions). Another theory behind why Nessie rose to the top of the waters where she was more likely to be seen, was that disruption from nearby road works in the 1930s forced her to move to higher levels due to the amount of vibration fell in the water. Another argument centres on the geographical placement of the Loch, which sits on the Great Glen fault line formed over 400 million years ago. Some scientists have claimed that resulting seismic activity in the lake could cause disturbances on its surface and people could be mistaking this for Nessie.
Up until today, there is no convincing proof to suggest that the monster is real, which, given the preponderance of digital cameras, webcams trained on the loch and other technological advances in recording equipment, suggests that the myth of Nessie may be just that – a myth. Nonetheless, accommodation all over the Scottish Highlands offers tours of the lake itself so tourists can try to catch their own glimpse of Nessie, In 2007, it was estimated that related tourism brought in an estimated £6 million to the region, thanks in pan to the attention of the film industry.
Questions 1 – 6
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
The first reported sighting of the Loch Ness monster was in 1962.
It is believed the idea for the Loch Ness monster may have been inspired by other stories of sea creatures.
The last person who claims to have seen the Loch Ness monster has video footage.
There is evidence to suggest that the Loch Ness monster is related to the plesiosaur.
Testing of algae in the loch proved that the food source was insufficient to sustain Nessie.
Movement along a fault line could have caused Nessie to rise to the surface.
Questions 7 -13
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 7 -13 on your answer sheet.
When was the first recorded sighting of Nessie?
What was Cordon Holmes suspected of doing to the video footage?
What common animal may have been caught on camera and mistaken as proof of Nessie?
Images of what, caused an increase in the number of Nessie enthusiasts?
What can visitors hoping to see Nessie travel in?
Disturbances caused by what could have caused the creature to surface?
What has promoted tourism in the Loch Ness area in recent years?
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-28, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
A. The 'production line' system of creating and assembling goods was for many years been the standard mode of operation for many industries. Cars, electronic equipment, packaging – many diverse companies have employed the same methods, and most have hit two main problems, The first is that unscheduled maintenance required on essential machinery has often held up production all along the line, and the second Is the significant impact on employee morale, This has given rise to the increasingly adopted method of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) – a maintenance program which governs the maintenance of plants and equipment. The goal of the TPM program is to markedly increase production while, at the same time, increasing employee morale and job satisfaction.
B. The concept of TPM was first developed in Japan in the late 1970s, only moving to the western world a decade later, initial success of the programme in countries such as Australia was limited, but in the late 1990s a 'westernised’ version of TPM was launched. TPM brings maintenance into focus as a necessary and vitally important pan of the business. It is no longer regarded as a non-profit activity. Down time for maintenance is scheduled as a part of the manufacturing day and, in some cases, as an integral part of the manufacturing process. The goal is to keep emergency and unscheduled maintenance to a minimum.
C. TPM involves directing participating companies and industries to move away from traditional methods of production to more efficient mechanisms. This is evident in TPM’s operational focus on lea production rather than mass production. The lean approach favours flexibility within a team, rather than the specialisation of labour Introduced with mass production. It also involves a shift away from being driven by the financial department of the company to a more customer focussed goal. Another goal of the TPM method is to introduce quality control not by being overseen by managers, but rather by engendering a sense if responsibility amongst all staff; a move from autocratic management to empowerment. This shift means that shop floor workers are being able to take a sense of pride in their work, and with that comes the desire to perform well ultimately leading to higher productivity for the company.
D. in order to apply the concepts of TPM, a company will have to work through a number of stages. First, there must be universal agreement that the system has the potential to be successful within the company. Then a specific person or team needs to be appointed to coordinate the changes required to apply TPM methodologies, an aim that begins with training and education for all employees. Once the coordinator is convinced that the work force is sold on the TPM program and that they understand it and its implications, the first action teams are formed. These teams are usually made up of people who have a direct Impact on the problem being addressed. Operators, maintenance personnel, shift supervisors, schedulers, and upper management might all be included on a team. Each person becomes a stakeholder in the process and is encouraged to do his or her best to contribute to the success of the team effort. Usually, the TPM coordinator heads the teams until others become familiar with the process and natural team leaders emerge.
E. The concept of TPM is built on what are referred to as the three pillars – work area management, risk management and equipment management. An illustration of these pillars is highlighted in the importance of recognising and eliminating defects within the machinery used in a company, This refers to issues such as the accumulation of dust and grime on equipment, gauges that are broken or too dirty to read clearly and missing or loose bolts, nuts and screws, Using a sample company, statistics collected from a three month period Indicate a substantial reduction in machine maintenance costs, felling by $ 30,000 between 1996 and 1999. At the same time, the effectiveness of the equipment increased significantly, with machine uptime rising by almost 2096 over the same period.
F. Many observers have identified similarities between TPM and an earlier industry concept – total quality management (TQM), and in many respects, TPM and TQM resemble each other. Both require total commitment to the program by upper level management, and both promote the empowerment of all employees to initiate corrective action, Additionally, both processes require a long range outlook, as it may take a year or more to implement and is an ongoing process, Changes in employee mind-set toward their job responsibilities must take place as well, Indeed, initial results for at least the first quarter may actually lead to reduced productivity while changes are put into effect.
G. The difference between the two systems, however, becomes apparent in when looking at what each system considers to be a priority. TQM is essentially an output focussed system, whereas TPM is singular in that it looks more at input – the equipment used and the causes of real or potential maintenance failures. Also, although both programme stress the need for complete involvement of all parties, TPM stresses the equal importance of all levels of employee, whereas TQM has a more traditional focus on management structure, The main target of both is also slightly different; whereas TQM alms to improve quality, TPM aims to reduce wastage and minimise losses.
Questions 14 – 20
Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs A-G.
Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-G from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-x in boxes 14-20.
List of Headings
i. Unique focus of TPM
ii. Common issues TPM was establish to combat
iii. Statistical weakness of TPM
iv. The introduction of TPM
v. Parallels with a former concept
vi. Types of TPM coordination and training
vii. Implementing TPM
viii. The guiding principles of TPM
ix. The impact of staff involvement
x. Efficiency through involving all employees
xi. The value of mass production techniques
Paragraph A
Paragraph B
Paragraph C
Paragraph D
Paragraph E
Paragraph F
Paragraph G
Questions 21 – 24
Complete the flowchart.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from Reading Passage 2 for each answer.
Agreement about the 21_________________ offered
by implementing TPM
↓
Nomination/ establish of 22 __________
↓
Education and training of workforce
↓
Creation of 23__________
↓
Emergence of 24____________ to head group
Questions 25 – 28
Label the diagram below using words from the box below. USE EACH CHOICE ONCE ONLY
Write the correct letter A – I in boxes 25 – 28 on your answer sheet
A. Overall equipment effectiveness
B. % uptime
C. $000s / quarter
D. Machine maintenance costs
E . % downtime
F . $000s / month
G. Employee costs
H. Wasted resources
I. Hours spent cleaning maintaining machinery
READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 29 – 40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
CO- EDUCATIONAL VERSUS SINGLE SEX CLASSROOMS
It seems that across the western world, an increasing number parents are opting to return to more traditional divisions with regards their children's education, with a significant rise in most western countries of single sex classrooms, in which the classroom set up involves the teacher working with only boy's or only girls. For many, the issue is whether to opt for a mode of teaching that improves a child's academic learning or to choose a co-educational schooling offering a more 'rounded' education. There is no doubt that boys and girls have a very different way of learning, with research showing that boys learn better through movement, sound and touch, whereas girls learn better through visual and oral means. One clear advantage of a single sex educational setting is that the teacher fs able to focus on specific styles of teaching to the gender they are teaching. Naturally, the resurgence of single sex education has meant that many teachers have had to undergo additional in appropriate techniques for the environment.
There are many potential advantages for children studying in single sex schools, Some children succeed in single sex schools because of the lack of social pressure – children are more able to learn and grow at their own pace without the pressure commonly found between the genders in co-educational schools, Research done in a single sex school concluded that students thrived in what often became a dose-knit environment with closer interaction with teachers. In surveys of over 1000 single sex schools, it was reported that not having the opposite sex around was ‘missed’, but the absence of boys or girls allowed students to have a more direct and serious approach to their education.
In many western countries, the traditional way of thinking around thirty years ago was that co-education would somehow break down gender stereotypes, but this hasn’t always proved to be the case, The advocates of single sex education argue that boys in coeducational settings are less likely to study the arts or advanced academic subjects just to avoid the social categorization of certain subjects as being more in the feminine realm. Equally, girls may tend avoid the sciences and technology subjects as this has traditional been more of a male domain. Single sex schools are flourishing once again as parents realise that allowing their son or daughter to learn in his or her own individual way is a very important consideration in choosing a school.
For students attending single-sex secondary schools, there was a slight tendency for males to outperform females. In contrast, for students attending coeducational schools, there was a clear tendency for females to outperform males. It was also noted that in single sex schools girls were more likely to be involved in leadership activities such as student councils, athletic associations, and other activities additional to the school timetable. Accordingly, girls have reported to have favoured single sex schools as co-educational environments tend to be dominated by males, a situation often perpetuated by teaching staff.
Regardless of increased levels of academic performance and preference, a small percentage of people concerned about gender equality have argued against single-sex education as an ethical issue, in that forced separation between the sexes is forced on students. In order for schools to run single-sex classrooms, they must also offer parents the opportunity to enrol their children in a traditional co-educational classroom.
In regards to those who may oppose gender segregation in schools, many advocates of the idea believe single-sex classes actually negate gender stereotypes, As mentioned earlier, in a mixed classroom, boys tend to avoid tasks related to the arts while girls show Jack of interest in science and technology. However, in single-sex environments, there is no existing bias that "this is for boys” or "that is for girls". In fact, a 2005 study released by Cambridge University showed that in single-sex rooms, as compared to to traditional settings, girls are more interested in math and science, subjects generally preferred by boys in co-educational settings.
It is important to remember that coeducation is a modern concept, introduced into mainstream education less titan fifty years ago, despite being a change which has brought huge changes to the societies in which this method is observed. It was first introduced in Switzerland, and swept quickly around most western countries, and is certainly not without its benefits. Parents have said that a coeducational classroom has been excellent for their children’s confidence levels, has helped them to overcome issues such as shyness and helped students to converse about everyday topics with the opposite gender, surveys have also shown that a higher percentage of girls in the classroom lower classroom disruption, also creating a better relationship between the students and the teacher.
Which type of schooling is best comes down to what suits the individual child and which environment they best thrive in, therefore parents are recommended to seek advice and do their research before making that all important decision.
Questions 29 – 31
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 29 – 31 on your answer sheet.
In single sex classes
A. girls learn faster than boys.
B. teachers need a wider variety of teaching styles than in a co-education setting,
C. some children can thrive due to a more comfortable environment.
D. the opposite sex was not missed
Co-education schools
A. allow boys and girls to get a more rounded picture of the opposite sex.
B. may discourage males from studying certain subjects.
C. are falling in popularity.
D. have fewer people involved in extracurricular teams and groups.
Parents
A. must be offered the option of co-educational schools for their children.
B. often push boys to succeed in language tasks.
C. have reported that single sex classrooms have helped their child with confidence issues.
D. have been influential in the academic performance of single sex schools.
Questions 32 – 36
Complete the notes below USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
Co-educational schools
intended to reduce gender 32_______________ , but actually may not be successful.
started in 33______________ but quickly spread.
allow students to 34______________ more easily with opposite sex about general topic.
Single sex schools
girls have higher interest in traditionally male dominated 35___________________.
often have better relationship with 36__________________.
Questions 37 – 40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Single sex schools are becoming more popular again.
Girls do not learn as well as boys through speaking.
Surveys have found that coeducational schools are preferred socially.
The majority of equal opportunity activists have argued that forcing gender separation on children is unethical.
ANSWER KEY FOR IELTS READING PRACTICE TEST
False
‘The very first sighting of Nessie was as far back as 565 AD'
True
‘Some people believe that old Scottish myths about water creatures such as Kelpies and water horses have contributed to the idea of this wondrous monster lurking beneath,’
True
'2007 brought about the most recent sighting of Nessie. A tourist named Cordon Holmes from Yorkshire visited the Loch Ness waters and claimed he not only saw her, but had captured her on video'
False
‘It has been suggested that Nessie could be related to a prehistoric animal known as a Plesiosaur…although this theory is unsupported by any data
False
‘Despite results that suggest that the fish population was too small, the conclusions drawn were inconclusive’
False
Disturbances could be mistaken for the Loch Ness Monster.
565 A.D.
The very first sighting of Nessie was as far back as 565 AD’
Tampering
‘The video footage has been discredited amid accusations of tampering
Otter
‘…others claim that the image caught by Holmes could be nothing more than a tree trunk or even one of the otters that inhabit the loch’
A flipper
‘The phenomenon exploded in second half of the century, when photos were publicly released of a ‘flipper’,’
A submarine
‘Submarines were sent into the Loch Ness to try to discover more about this creature (and now are actually run as tourist attractions).'
Road works
‘disruption from nearby road works in the 1930s forced her to move to higher levels’
The movie industry
‘In 2007, it was estimated that related tourism brought in an estimated £6 million to the region, thanks in part to the attention of the film industry.’
II
The paragraph refers to the two main problems’ that TPM addresses.
IV
The paragraph talks about when and how TPM was introduced to parts of the world.
X
The paragraph focuses on the importance not only of managers but of all employees in the application of TPM.
VII
The paragraph refers to the stages of implementing TPM.
VIII
The paragraph talks about the three pillars (guiding principles) of TPM.
V
The paragraph talks about parallels with TQM.
I
The paragraph looks at what TPM sees as priority (‘unique focus’)
Potential
‘First, there must be universal agreement that the system has the potential to be successful within the company’
Coordinator
‘Then a specific person or team needs to be appointed to coordinate the changes to TPM…the coordinator.'
Action teams
‘Once the coordinator is convinced that the work force is sold on the TPM program and that they understand it and its implications, the first action teams are formed
Team leaders
‘Usually, the TPM coordinator heads the teams until others become familiar with the process and natural team leaders emerge'
B
See paragraph E
A
See paragraph E
C
See paragraph E
D
See paragraph E
C
‘Some children succeed in single sex schools because of the lack of social pressure -children are more able to ¡earn and grow at their own pace without the pressure commonly found between the genders in coeducational schools,’
B
‘boys in coeducational settings are less likely to study the arts or advanced academic subjects.,, girls may tend avoid the sciences and technology subjects’
A
In order for schools to run single-sex classrooms, they must also offer parents the opportunity to enrol their children in a traditional coeducational classroom,’
Stereotypes
‘co-education would somehow break down gender stereotypes, but this hasn’t always proved to be the case.'
Switzerland
‘it was first introduced in Switzerland, and swept quickly around most western countries’
Converse
‘…a coeducational classroom has…helped students to converse about everyday topics with the opposite gender’
Subjects
‘in single-sex rooms,„ girls are more interested in math and science, subjects generally preferred by boys'
Teachers
‘Surveys have also shown that a higher percentage of girls in the classroom lower classroom disruption, also creating a better relationship between the students and the teacher'
True
a significant rise in most western countries of single sex classrooms
False
girls learn better through oral means
Not given
the surveys only found that the opposite sex was ‘missed’
False
the text says ‘a small percentage’, not the majority.
1. How many bottles of wine do you have to buy to get one free?
A. one
B. three
C. four
2. Which type of wine do David's friends prefer?
A. French
B. Italian
C. Spanish
3. What is the price of the champagne?
A £20
B £35
C £25
Questions 4-10
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Belluci's Restaurant
Sam's suggestions
Would go best with the Lasagna:
4…………………………………………………….
5…………………………………………………….
Other side dishes that Sam mentions:
6 ………………………… with …………………………………..
7 ………………………… with …………………………………..
CUSTOMER DETAILS
Booking made on: 5th August
Date when customers will be at the restaurant: 8………………………………..
Time: 7. 00 pm
Number of people: 9…………………………………..
Email address: 10 ………………………..@……………………………com
Customer phone number 01445 333 6451 Customer willing to have emails sent to them: Yes
SECTION 2
Questions 11 – 12
Choose the correct letter A, B or C.
11. How did the players hit the ball when 12 In the 16th centufy what kind of people the game first launched in the 12th century?
A. with a bat
B. with a racquet
C. with their bare hand
12. In the 16 century what kind of people found tennis most appealing ?
A. royal families
B. wealthy merchants
C. everyday people
Questions 13 – 20
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Tennis Player
Year Born
Nationality
Number of Major Titles Won
Interesting Fact
Bjom Borg
13……………………..
Swedish
14 …………………..
the French Open in 15…………………. more than once the youngest ever male
Boris Becker
1967
German
16…………………….
Grand Slam singles champion at 17……………… months.
Pete Sampras
1971
American
18…………………….
He started hitting tennis balls at the age of 3
Andre Agassi
19………………………..
American
Eight
His first 20…………………. was in La Quinta
SECTION 3
Questions 21 – 27
Complete the table below.
Write NO MORE THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
College Conference 2009
Speakers
Professor Hannan – good at running 21……………………………………
Mr Steve Bishop – 22…………………………… among many Universities in England.
Sandra Bolton will give some Drama
23…………………………………..
Mr Max Wallington will give a lecture about Shakespeare.
Sean O’Brien has done a lot of work in the field of 24………………………………………
Geoff O'Hara has a lot of knowledge about Albert Einstein.
Administration and Organisation
Invitations to all speakers have to be typed on the school's headed paper.
The photographer will take pictures for the school 25…………………………………..
The caterers are called 26………………………….
The conference will be in the main college hall and rooms 10,11, 12 and 13.
The date of the next meeting will be on 27………………………………………..
Questions 28 – 30
Choose THREE letters, A – G.
What THREE rules, given to them by the headmaster, do the students have to follow during the conference?
28……………………….
29……………………….
30……………………….
A. Make sure they tidy up the hall and rooms after the conference.
B. Provide cleaners for the conference.
C. Provide lunch for the speakers.
D. Make a record of what each student at the conference wants to study at University
E. Make a record of all students who attend the conference.
G. Help organise the travel arrangements for the speakers.
SECTION 4
Questions 31 – 40
Complete the notes below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
To calculate your Body Mass Index you should first take 31…………………………… in kilograms and divide it by your height in metres.
Healthy Diets
It is important to eat starchy foods with fruit and vegetables.
There are people who 32…………………………………….. that starchy foods are 'fattening'.
Eat a minimum of 33…………………………………. of fruit and vegetables a day.
People tend to eat too much 34………………………………….. and you only need a certain amount to keep healthy.
People say that 35………………………………………… can help protect against heart disease.
Exercise is good for us because:
1) it strengthens the heart
2) it tones our 36……………………………………..
3) it is good for the mind
We do less exercise because we have domestic 37………………………………. to do things for us.
Adults should do at least 38………………………………… moderate-intensity physical activity, five days a week.
A physical activity can be:
a) a lifestyle activity b)a 39……………………………. activity c) sports
Activities that produce 40……………………………… on the bones are necessary.
Answer key:
B
B
A
Mixed Salad
Greek Salad
Bread (with) herbs
Cheese with peppers
27th August
15 (fifteen)
hamill@worthing
C
A
1956
Eleven
The same year
Six
17 years 7
Fourteen
1970
Tournament
Workshops
Well-respected
Seminars
Genetics
Newsletter
Flying fish
Wednesday 6th june
D
F
G
Your weight
(wrongly) think
Five portions
Protein
Oily fish
Muscles
Appliances
30 minutes
Structured
High physical stresses
BONUS EXERCISE: GAP-FILLING
The texts below are transcript for your IELTS Listening Practice Test. To make the most out of this transcript, we removed some words from the texts and replaced with spaces. You has to fill each space with the missing word by listening to the audio for this IELTS listening practice test.
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Self-check progress tests offer the opportunity for self-assessment and evaluation.
Focus on Academic Skills for IELTS is the ideal companion to Focus on IELTS Coursebook, providing further thematically-linked practice for each unit. It can also be used on its own for self-study or as a short intensive IELTS course. – Detailed information about the exam – Guided practice for all four skills in each of the ten modules – Language input for speaking and writing – Hints and tips to help with special areas of difficulty – Language review at the end of each module, focussing on key academic language – Five self-check progress tests recycling key language and skills in new contexts. – Guidance on assessing your writing – Ideas for speaking and writing about the topics in reading and listening texts – Tips on how to improve your performance in all four skills – Detailed answer key and tapescripts
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In the IELTS writing, you will get different topics on which you have to write the essay and to write a perfect essay there must also be a structure that you must follow. So here are some essays on health which give you a clear idea of how you can write an essay and also you can practice the few essays on health which will be mentioned at the end of this article.
Many people think that home-cooked food is healthy, but many people still prefer eating out. Why is this so?
Food is very important for our living. People nowadays prefer eating food outside rather than eating home-cooked food. Preparing food and eating is far better than eating food in restaurants because it will keep you healthy and fit. In this article, we will see the advantages and disadvantages of having food both at home and in restaurants.
One advantage of eating outside food is that it is more convenient and you do not have to cook food at home. In the present scenario in the family, both the husband and wife work and no one has time to cook food at home. You also get packaged food from the stores which can only be microwaved and eaten apart from that you can also get a variety of food, so most people prefer outside food. While talking about home-cooked food the main advantage is that you will have good health because you add the ingredients which are healthy and organic.
If on one side you get varieties of tasty food in restaurants they will also be harmful for your health. Most of the food outside is served for the sake of getting profit, and they are also prepared in the unhygienic conditions and many chemicals are used to make it tastier. They also use frozen items, a lot of oil is added, the things which are preserved for a long time and so on which will harm the health conditions. The disadvantage of home-cooked food is that it takes a lot of time to prepare food and as both of them n the family will be tired of work they find it difficult to come and prepare food.
Thus there are both advantages and disadvantages in both ways, even if you are tired, it is more preferable to cook the food and eat instead of eating unhealthy food and harming your health.
Some people claim that the government should provide free health care. Others think that the government will not provide the most innovative methods of treatment and it’s better to invest those funds in education and culture. What is your opinion?
Nowadays health is the main concern for people all over the world and most of the people want the government to spend their money on the health sector as the medicines also have become expensive. But some others think that as the government will not come up with innovative methods in the healthcare sector, it is beneficial if the money is spent on the education sector or the culture of society.
The healthcare is becoming expensive day by day and also there people who cannot afford even for the basic health checkup or the medicines of their family members. If the government does not bring any innovative methods in the health care it can at least provide free healthcare facilities to those who cannot afford for it and also the government can provide the people with free health insurance so that the people can have a secured life and can support their own life.
On the other hand, even education has become is also important for human life thus the government also should spend its funds on building schools and colleges and also help the students who are willing to take higher studies by giving them sufficient scholarships. Along with developing the healthcare and educational sector the government should also uplift the culture of the society so that the younger generation will get some ethical values.
To sum up we can say that the healthcare sector and the education sector are the two important sectors of the nation and if the government invests its funds in these two sectors, then our country becomes a better place to live in.
Other related essay topics
Along with the above essays there also other essays on health that you can practice for the IELTS writing test. You can practice this list of essays also. If you practice more and more you will be able to get a desirable score.
In some countries, the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing. What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?
Scientists agree that people are damaging their health by eating too much junk food. Some people think that the answer to this problem is to educate people. Others think education will not work. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Everyone should become vegetarian because they do not need to eat meat to have a healthy diet. Do you agree or disagree?
Fewer and fewer people walk on a daily basis. What are the reasons and how to encourage them to spend their time walking?
Scientists tell us that some activities are good for health and others are bad. Despite knowing that, millions of people still continue doing unhealthy activities. What are the causes and what are the solutions for this?
Scientists agree that people are damaging their health by eating too much junk food. Some people think that the answer to this problem is to educate people. Others think education will not work. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
In IELTS Writing Task 2 there are certain essays that you can practice. In this article, you will find sample essays as well as some topics which you can use for practicing writing task 2.
The planet’s population is reaching unsustainable levels, and people are facing a shortage of resources like water, food, and fuel. To what consequences may overpopulation lead? In your opinion, what measures can be taken to fight overpopulation?
Overpopulation has become a main issue that the world is facing nowadays and this overpopulation has also led to a major problem in the environment. The people in the world are not able to get proper resources like food water or fuel which are the basic necessities of the human being.
The main disadvantage of this overpopulation is that there are a lot of communicable diseases that are spread and also natural disasters tend to happen because of the overpopulation. In another way there will be an increased rate of unemployment due to overpopulation, the jobs available in the country are lesser than the people and when the people tend to use the resources daily the availability of water, food or fuel will definitely drop.
In order to overcome the overpopulation proper family planning has to be done so that the birth rate will be reduced. Another way to avoid overpopulation is to organize some campaigns in the town level and make the people understand the outcomes of it. The government can also ask people to take some birth control steps. Knowing about this problem as well as educating other people is a very important factor to reduce this problem of overpopulation.
To sum this up, we can say that overpopulation may become a major issue if it is not controlled sooner, and the government must take strict actions to overcome this issue by creating awareness among the people. If the government takes the above-stated measures seriously and implement it. We will be able to solve the problem.
An increase in the production of consumer goods is damaging the environment. What are the causes behind this environmental damage and how this problem can be solved?
In recent days, the environment is being polluted a lot, this may be because of the increase in the manufacturing of consumer goods. In this essay, we will be understanding how the environment is affected by the increased use of consumer goods.
The main reason by which the manufacturing of consumer goods is increasing is because of the overpopulation. More the people the demand for consumer goods will be even more. One more reason can be, the manufacturing companies are selling their products at a cheaper rate and the quality of the product is so low that it cannot be used for a longer period of time and has to be discarded. These manufacturing factories will discharge their waste into some ocean and the environment will get affected by the same.
There are also solutions for this and one of the solutions may be taking the birth control steps and trying to reduce the increasing population. One more step that we can take is to use the natural resources that are available carefully and wisely. We can plant more trees to save our environment as well as can find some alternative methods to manufacture quality consumer goods. We can reduce using plastics or polybags which will harm the environment and cannot be recycled also. You can use cloth bags instead. The government can also make strict laws to reduce the environment.
To conclude this, various causes which are mentioned above have caused a lot of pollution in the environment and to reduce this pollution we have to take some measures to make the environment a better place to stay.
Other related essays
Here are some other related essays about the environment which you can make use of for practice purpose:
The world’s natural resources are consumed at an ever-increased rate. What are the dangers of this situation? What should we do?
Nowadays, environmental problems are too big to be managed by individual person or individual country. In other words, it is an international problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The best way to solve the world's environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Yes, I'm definitely a book worm (a person who loves to read)! I believe that books are a way to not only escape, but also to gain more knowledge. By the same token, people who read tend to have a richer vocabulary and a higher level of general knowledge, so they tend to have more to converse about.
IELTS Speaking Actual tests Jan - May 2020 with suggested answers)
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IELTS Speaking Actual Tests & Suggested Answers written by IELTS teachers aims to help IELTS candidates perform at their best on the big day.
Do you read electronic book ?
Definitely yes. I'm a real sucker for e-books as they are portable. I often download my favorite books and copy them to my smartphones or Ipads and when I'm on the bus in other public places, I will take my hi-tech devices out and start to read right on my phone.
What was your favorite book as a child?
I remember being very fond of a book called "My Sister's Keeper". I recall that it was the story of two sisters, one of which needed a kidney transplant. Although the sister was initially apprehensive(scared; nervous) to do so, she ended up donating a kidney to her sister and saving her.
Have you lent books to other?
At times, I reckon. My friends and t are avid readers and would love to exchange books with one another. So, I often lend my books, mostly English books to my besties and get in return some comic books to read in my free time.
Have you borrowed books from others?
As I have said, I have a circle of friends who are bookworms! which means I'm in the habit of borrowing some comic books from my friends to while away the time during days off or just to catch up on things in the Manga world.
Do you read professional books ?
At the moment, I'm getting bogged down with work! so I can't manage decent time for reading books related to my major field of study, but in the past during my university years, I had to say I was a bookworm, and purchased books every week to enhance my expertise.
The IELTS Listening practice test will go up to 30 minutes and you will be getting an extra 10 minutes of time to transfer the answer to the answer sheets.
If you are practicing the test online, there will be 4 different web pages and you need to go through these web pages very swiftly so that you do not miss out with the time and you can also practice in a realistic way.
If you are practicing the test offline then you need to download the question paper as well as the blank answer sheet before taking the test. You can write the answers on the question paper using the pencil while listening to the audios played.
There will be four parts in the listening test and for each of the parts there will be specific time which is allotted and after listening to the audios the test taker will get separate 10 minutes to transfer the answers to the answer sheet.
For people with disabilities, they will make special arrangements and if the person wants any modified arrangements then he/she should contact a specific test center 3 months in advance.
Things to be kept in mind by the test takers
There are certain things which should be kept in mind by the test takers while taking the IELTS listening test:
Should not open the question paper until the examiner asks you to do so.
Write your correct name and candidate number given on the top of the page.
There will be 4 parts in the listening test and each test will be different from others. So you need to listen to the instructions of each part carefully.
Do not skip any of the questions, try to answer all.
You can write the answer on the question paper while listening to the audio.
Use a pencil while writing the answer on the question paper.
At the end of all the recordings, you will have extra time to transfer your answers to the extra sheet that is provided.
Practice Listening at Home
You can practice for the listening test very comfortably sitting at home. In order to do this you need to focus on certain things like:
Finding out the skills needed for listening
Predicting skill
The examiner will ask you to read the question before actually playing the audio. While practicing at home even you need to do the same and you should be able to predict what will be the audio about while looking at the question.
Understand the synonyms and paraphrasing
Sometimes the words used in audio may not be the same in the question and the paraphrasing made in both also might be different. So, you must be able to find out the sentences that match one another and also should be able to write the correct answer.
Should understand the connected speech
When the native speaker speaks English it is actually a little difficult to understand. This is mainly because of the usage of connected speech. Some teachers when they teach the English language they speak slowly in order to understand by the students, but this actually harms the understanding of the students, instead of helping them. So it is important to understand the connected speech in the Listening test.
Recognize the signposting
It is not possible to concentrate on the audio that is played fully, even the native speaker will not be able to concentrate on the recordings 100%. In order to get a practice of this, you need to simply listen to the lectures and when you listen to some difficult words in the audio you can pause and find out the meaning of the same.
Listening to two persons speaking
When two people speak there will always one person agreeing and another person disagreeing. You need to find out whether there are two people in the conversation and try to put yourself in one of the person's place and try to understand the conversation.
Taking the notes
If you want to practice this skill, more and more you need to listen to the lectures and take the notes as the lecture goes on so that it becomes realistic. Everybody as their own way of note-taking, so it is up to you how you take notes but the note taken should be understood by you. After you note down everything check for the spellings if you have written the correct spellings.
How to Review your Practice Test
There are some points through which you can review the listening practice you have taken, they are as follows:
Whether you have completed your listening test through complete exam cognition.
You need to identify any particular question that you found difficult while practicing the listening test.
Know your mistakes and try to analyze them.
You need to also find out the reason for the mistakes and in which part do the mistakes take place.
Try to know the weakest areas first and try to overcome them.
Repeat the process until you get your desired score.
Advanced Grammar for IELTS: Comparison – Diagnose Test, Grammar Explanation & Practice Exercises
The items compare in IELTS writing task 2 share the same characteristics or qualities, but the intensity is either greater or smaller than each other. This can be done in two ways:
Examining the similarities with different levels
Examining the similarities in different ways using two sentences.
DIAGNOSTIC TEST: Comparison
Nine of these sentences contain mistakes. Tick (✓) the correct sentences, then find and correct the mistakes.
Example: Which of these three houses in the expensivest? ==> ……most expensive ……
Come on, you've got to admit she's much slimer than you!
She’s always saying she's better looking than I.
Our cat Whiskers has been much more lively since we added vitamin supplements to her diet.
We felt the male character was realer than the female, who seemed very artificial.
‘Which do you prefer, darling, the brown or the green?' 'Oh, the green is definitely the best.'
I'm most proudest of this one. I won it against really stiff competition.
The divorce has made him the most unhappy man in the street, don't you think?
That special diet has worked miracles. He's much less fat than he used to be
The eldest piece in the museum is this Egyptian amulet from the Third Dynasty.
Hasn't their eldest son just landed some sort of job in Seattle?
Our new social security scheme is lots more generous than the previous Government's.
Windsor Castle is the largest occupied castle of Britain
Things are about as worse as they can get.
Children these days seem to get ruder and ruder and ruder
I'm angrier than upset. Complete each sentence so that it means exactly the same as the preceding one. You must include the word(s) in brackets. Example: I predicted the weather would be very hot and I was right. (just as. The weather …was just as hot as I predicted…….
The Hyperlink modem is much faster than all the others in our catalog. (by far). Of all the modems………………………………………………………………………..
Jan and Lucy are equally good at tennis. (no). Jan is ……………………………………………………………………….. Lucy at tennis
Getting a made-to-measure suit was much cheaper than I expected. (not nearly). Getting a made-to-measure suit ………………………………………………………………………..
I couldn't open the lock because it was very cold. (that). It ……………………………………………………………………….. open the lock.
He gets increasingly angry as he becomes more frustrated. (angrier). The more ……………………………………………………………………….. he gets.
GRAMMAR EXPLANATION: Comparison
Gradable adjectives can be used to make comparisons. The rules for the production of comparative and superlative forms of adjectives are generally straightforward but there can be difficulties with spelling, exceptions in use, and the different phrases which accompany them. This unit also describes ways of making comparisons without using comparative and superlative forms, e.g. with like and as.
COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
1A. Form and use
Hot Dog €1.50
Hamburger € 2.75
Fishburger € 2.75
Cheeseburger € 3.95
We use comparative adjectives to compare two (or more) things or people, and superlative adjectives to distinguish one thing or person from a number of others. This table shows the forms of comparative and superlative adjectives and the basic patterns they are used in:
comparative adjectives
superlative adjectives
adjectives with one syllable:
cheap
ending in silent -e: safe
ending in a consonant + y: dry
ending in a single vowel +
a single consonant: big
adjective + -er (+ than).
The hamburger is cheaper
(than the cheeseburger).
omit final -e: safer
change y to i: drier
double the final consonant:
bigger
the + adjective + -est:
The hot dog is the cheapest
omit final -e: the safest
change y to i: the driest
double the final consonant:
the biggest
adjectives with two or more syllables:
expensive
more + adjective:
The hamburger is more expensive (than the hot dog).
the most + adjective:
The cheeseburger is the most expensive.
irregular adjectives
good/ bad
far
old
better/ worse
further/ farther
older/ elder
the best/ worst
furthest/ farthest
oldest/ eldest
We can use than to introduce a clause after a comparative adjective:
Los Angeles is bigger than I expected it to be
We can use other phrases between a comparative adjective and a than clause:
Burgers were more expensive in this restaurant than in the others we visited.
Note: If the object of the comparison is a pronoun without a verb we usually use an object pronoun. If there is a verb we use a subject pronoun:
I'[m taller than he.] ✓ I'm taller than him ✓ I'm taller than he is.
Note: When we have two or more adjectives with more in a list, we usually only use more once:
[Lester and Craves were more hardworking and more determined than the others.]
✓ Lester and Graves were more hardworking and determined than the others.
When we refer to a place or group we use 'in' not 'of' after superlatives.
X New York is one of the largest cities of the world.✓ . . .in the world.
X He s by far the cleverest student of his class.✓…in his class.
But in formal English we can put an 'of' phrase at the beginning of the sentence, before the superlative.
Of the students in his class, he is the cleverest.
1B. Exceptions
There are some exceptions to the rules of form and the patterns of use listed above. One-syllable adjectives ending in -ed and the adjectives real, right and wrong form the comparative and superlative with more and most (they do not take -er and -est):
X I was boreder than I was on the flight to Sydney.
✓ I was more bored than I was on the flight to Sydney.
Many two-syllable adjectives ending in -ly. -y, -ow. -r and -l and the adjectives common, handsome, mature, pleasant, polite, simple and stupid can have either more and most or -er and -est:
The photographer wanted something more lively (or livelier).
Your son needs to develop a maturer (or more mature) attitude to his work.
When we add a negative prefix to two-syllable adjectives ending in -y (e.g. happy -unhappy) they can still take -er and -est:
He's the unhappiest man in the world.
Note: In informal spoken English we sometimes use a superlative adjective when we are only comparing two things, especially if the two things make a set:
I've got two cars but the Mercedes is the best
1C. Irregular adjectives
We can use elder and eldest (instead of older and oldest) to talk about people’s ages, especially people in the same family, but we can’t use elder immediately after a verb:
Their eldest I oldest son went to Harvard. Mary is the eldest/the oldest.
X My sister is elder (than me). ✓ My sister is older (than me).
Note that we don't use elder and eldest to talk about the age of things:
X This is the eldest house in the street. ✓ This is the oldest house in the street.
We use further or farther to talk about a 'greater distance':
John's house is the farther one.
I've moved further away from my parents. (= a greater distance away)
Note: We use further (not farther) with the meaning of ‘extra’ or 'more':
Let me know if you have any further questions. (= extra/more)
1D. Emphasis and strength
Most one-syllable adjectives can also form the comparative and superlative with more or most instead of -er or -est. We usually use this form for emphasis in spoken English:
You should be more proud of the things you’ve already achieved. (= prouder)
I think this is the one she is the most proud of. (= proudest)
Comparatives can be made stronger or weaker by inserting a word or phrase in front of them:
Stronger: even, (very) much, far, a lot, lots (informal), considerably, a great deal (formal) + comparative:
The cheeseburger’s even more expensive than the fish burger.
Weaker: a little, slightly, a bit (informal), somewhat (formal) + comparative:
The hot dog's a bit cheaper than the hamburger.
We can make a superlative weaker or stronger in the same way.
Stronger: by far, easily (informal) + superlative:
He's by far the cleverest student in his class. (= He is much cleverer than the others.)
She's easily the best programmer in the company. (informal) (= She is much better than the others.)
Weaker: one of, some of + superlative:
New York is one of the largest cities in the world. (= There may be some larger.)
1E. Equality
To say that two things are equal we can use patterns like is + no + comparative or is not + any + comparative:
The fishburger is no more expensive than the hamburger. (= They are the same price.)
The fishburger isn't any cheaper than the hamburger. (= They are the same price.)
1F. less and least
We use less and least as the opposite of more and most. We use these words with all adjectives including one-syllable adjectives:
I prefer the paisley pattern; it's less bold than the others.
The hot dog is the least expensive.
Note: But in informal English we usually prefer to make negative comparisons of this kind with not as … as:
I prefer the paisley pattern; it isn't as bold as the others.
ADJECTIVES WITH AS, SO, TOO, ENOUGH AND SUCH
2A. as……as
We can say that two things are equal by using as + adjective + as.
The hamburger is as expensive as the fishburger.
We make this comparison more emphatic with just:
We really shouldn’t have gone; it’s just as bad as I predicted it would be!
To say that things are almost equal we use just about, about, almost or nearly.
I’ve had just about as much as I can take.
She’s nearly as old as I was when I got married.
2B. not as….as
We make a negative comparison with not as/ so + adjective + as.
The hot dog isn't as expensive as the hamburger. (= The hot dog is cheaper.)
We can modify this comparison with nearly or quite:
The hot dog isn't nearly so expensive as the cheeseburger. (= It is much cheaper.)
The hot dog isn't quite as expensive as the hamburger. (= It is slightly cheaper.)
In informal spoken English we can use not anything like, nothing like or nowhere near + as + adjective:
The fishburger isn't anything like as expensive as the cheeseburger.
The fishburger’s nothing like (or nowhere near) as expensive as the cheeseburger.
2C. so, too and enough
We use another type of ‘comparison’ when we describe the result of a particular quality or characteristic. We can use several structures:
so + adjective + [that] clause:
I’m afraid I can't identify her. It was so dark (that) I couldn’t see her face. (= It was very dark. The result was that I couldn’t see her face.)
too + adjective (+ for/to phrase):
It was too dark (for me) (to see her face).
(not) adjective + enough (+ for/ to phrase):
It wasn’t light enough (for me) (to see her face).
A more formal alternative to these forms is so + adjective + as to phrase:
It was so dark as to make it impossible to see her face.
2D. as and such
We can use as and such to introduce a comparison. There are two patterns:
as + adjective + a + noun + as:
It wasn’t as bad a result as I’d expected. (= it was a better result than I'd expected.)
such a + adjective + noun + as (or that clause):
It wasn’t such a bad result as I had expected.
It was such a dark night that I couldn’t really see her face.
OTHER TYPES OF COMPARISON
3A. Progressive comparison
We can describe how something increases or decreases by repeating the same comparative two or sometimes three times, putting and between the forms:
Her visits to the country to see her son became rarer and rarer (= increasingly rare)
As the illness progressed the patients grew more and more detached from reality.
Marching into the sunset, the figures became smaller and smaller and smaller
3B. Combined comparison
To describe how a change in one thing causes a change in another, we can use two comparative forms with the. Note the use of the comma after the first clause:
The longer you leave it, the worse it'll get.
We sometimes omit the verb be in the clauses:
The more sophisticated the product, the more substantial the potential profit.
3C. Contrastive comparison
When we contrast two related qualities, we always use more (not -er):
X I ‘m sadder than disappointed.✓ I’m more sad than disappointed.
Her eyes are more green than grey.
We can also use not so much …as or rather than:
I'm not so much disappointed as sad.
Her eyes are green rather than grey.
3D. like and as
We often describe something by comparing it to something else which has similar qualities. These comparisons are known as 'similes’. There are two forms:
as + adjective + as:
Listening to her was about as interesting as watching paint dry.
(In informal English we sometimes omit the first asShe looks white as a sheet.)
like + noun or verb phrase:
The cruise ship was like a skyscraper lying on its side
There are many idioms in which we use these two patterns:
You ‘re as white as a sheet: I think you’d better see a doctor.
I feel full of energy today – I slept like a log last night.
Note: We use like (not as) before a noun when we are making a comparison between two things which seem similar:
X You look as a man who’s seen a ghost!✓ You look like a man who's seen a ghost!
When Mike puts on his dark suit he looks like a waiter (= He resembles a waiter.)
Note: We use as (not like) before a noun when we are describing someone's job, role or identity, or something's function:
X Simon’s working like a waiter during the summer vacation.
✓ Simon's working as a waiter during the summer vacation. (This is his job.)
Use your payroll number as a password for the computer. (This is its function.)
Note: We can also describe something by comparing it with something similar without using like or as, this is known as a 'metaphor':
We hope the new treaty will form a bridge between our two nations. (a bridge = metaphor for a link)
Metaphors are common in poetry and literary English:
Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines. (eye of heaven = metaphor for the sun)
PRACTICE EXERCISE
Q 1.
Fill the gaps with appropriate comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives in the box. Add than and the if necessary.
dry keen fat bored good loose real safe tidy bad big pretty wet scared wrong far
I'm rather worried about the side effects of aspirin. Can you recommend a …safer…. alternative?
And now we come to the award for …………… actor in a leading role.
It’s been raining non-stop. I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be …………… July on record!
The authenticity of dialogue and setting often makes low-budget films seem …………… the somewhat artificial version of reality in Hollywood movies.
In medieval times people rarely traveled long distances. For most peasants …………… they would ever travel would be to the local market town.
In our study children on a diet high in dairy products tended to be considerably …………… average.
Now that I’m employing a cleaner the house has become a lot …………… it ever used to be!
This skirt’s much too tight on the hips. I need something with a …………… fit.
DiCaprio was awful! I think that’s …………… performance I’ve ever seen him give.
I don't mind the Mediterranean summer because it’s a …………… heat than you find in the tropics.
They say the great pyramid at Giza is …………… structure to survive from the ancient world.
I like all Mozart’s operas but I think Don Giovanni is the one I am …………… on.
We inherited two paintings from my grandmother. Of the two, I’d say the landscape is …………….
I know all murder is wrong, but don't you agree that it's …………… to murder a child than to murder an adult?
…………… I’ve ever felt was when Joe and I were flying over the Himalayas and we hit a storm; it was absolutely petrifying.
That play was so tedious. I was …………… watching that than I was when I spent three hours trapped in that lift last year!
Q 2.
Match each sentence (1-7) with a sentence with the same meaning from A-G.
It's slightly cheaper
It’s much cheaper.
It isn’t anything like as cheap
It’s just as cheap.
It’s by far the cheapest.
It isn’t quite as cheap.
It isn’t as cheap.
It's considerably more expensive
It’s the least expensive.
It's more expensive.
It's somewhat less expensive.
It’s no more expensive.
It’s slightly more expensive.
It's nothing like as expensive.
Q 3.
Tick (✓) the best explanation, A or B.
The prices on the menu aren't nearly as expensive as I expected.
Prices are a little cheaper than I expected.
Prices are much cheaper than I expected.
2. It looks as if your new car isn't any more reliable than the old one!
Both cars are equally unreliable.
The new car is slightly less reliable than the old one.
3. Of all the teams in the league, theirs is the least successful.
Their team is the most unsuccessful.
Their team is less successful than some of the others.
4. They said it was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever.
No other earthquake was as powerful.
There may have been more powerful earthquakes.
5. The new tax regulations are somewhat more rigorous than last year's.
The new regulations are much more rigorous than last year's.
Last year's regulations were slightly less rigorous.
6. I have to say that the hotel wasn't quite as luxurious as the brochure claimed.
The hotel was much less luxurious than the brochure claimed.
The hotel was slightly less luxurious than the brochure claimed.
7. This is by far the best seat in the plane. There’s loads of legroom.
No seat in the plane is better.
Other seats may be equally good.
8. She isn’t anything like as snobbish as you said.
She is less snobbish than you said.
She isn't snobbish.
9. I'm afraid your figures are no more accurate than the ones Rachel gave me.
Your figures are less accurate than Rachel’s.
Your figures and Rachel's figures are equally inaccurate.
10. As far as Daniel's job is concerned, things are about as bad as they can be.
Daniel's job could get worse.
Daniel's job couldn't be any worse than it is.
Q 4.
Complete each sentence so that it means the same as preceding one(s). Use the words in brackets but do not change the words given in any way.
As students get closer to their exams they become more nervous. (the … more)
The closer students… get to their exams, the more nervous they become……
1. The lecture was very boring. As a result, I fell asleep. (so … that)
The lecture ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The tickets sold out within days because the concert was so well-publicized. (such … that)
It was …………………………………………………………………..
3. The wording of the document is very complicated. It's incomprehensible. (so … as to)
The wording of the document ……………………………………………………………..
4. I couldn't find my contact lens because it was very dark. (too)
It was ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. My friends claimed that the exhibition was interesting but I found it pretty dull. (exhibition)
It wasn't as ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6. She's slightly angry but she's very disappointed. (than)
7. Approaching the church, we noticed the sound of the bells becoming increasingly loud.
(and … and)
Approaching the church, we noticed the sound of the bells ………………………………………………
8. As dogs get older they become less aggressive. (the less)
The older dogs ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. My son can't get a place at kindergarten because he's too young. (enough)
My son isn't ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. Their remarks were only slightly insulting, but they were extremely inaccurate. (not so much)
Their remarks ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Q 5.
Match the situations (1-15) with the similes (A-P). Then use the similes to rewrite the sentences. You may need to use a good dictionary for this exercise.
A. like a cat on a hot tin roof
B. like a trooper
C. like a lamb to the slaughter
D. like a bull in a china shop
E. like a bear with a sore head
F. like a log
G. like a chimney
H. like a rocket
I. like hot cakes
J. as a fiddle
K. as a feather
L. as ice
M. as the grave
N. as a sheet
0. as a mule
P. as the hills
Stonehenge is incredibly ancient, more than 4,000 years old.
(P)Stonehenge is as old as the hills
She's a heavy smoker.
He's incredibly clumsy and often breaks things.
I slept really soundly last night.
It's absolutely freezing in here!
She so naive, she doesn't realize what a dangerous situation she’s going into.
My grandmother maybe 85 but she's incredibly fit and healthy.
Do you feel all right? You're very pale.
He's terribly nervous, he can't keep still for a moment.
She's in a foul mood this morning, shouting at and arguing with everyone.
Our new car goes really fast.
My new flatmate never stops swearing.
Once the lights were out the dormitory became eerily quiet.
She doesn't need to diet, she weighs hardly anything!
Once the old man has made his mind up he never changes it, whatever you say.
These new mobile phones are selling amazingly well.
Q 6.
Complete the following article. Use only one word for each space (1-20). Read through the whole text before you begin writing. The exercise begins with an example (0).
CONSUMER REPORT
HAIR CONDITIONERS
For this week’s consumer test we've been looking at the (0)…most…popular choices of competing hair conditioner. We chose the three (1)… –selling brands: Supremesoft, Vitabalm and ActiveShine, and gave them to our panel of ordinary consumers to try for a month.
Supremesoft **
At $2.99 for 250ml Supremesoft is the (2)……. expensive of the three brands. But, surprisingly, price is no guide to quality as this brand was (3) ……… more effective (4) ……… the cheaper brands. On the other hand, the panel felt the packaging was (5) ………… upscale than the competitors, and the conditioner itself had an attractive color and scent. But these advantages weren't significant (6) ………… to compensate for the extra cost.
Vitabalm *
Vitabalm is the (7)…… of the tested brands ($1.99 for 250ml). Our consumers thought the packaging wasn't (8)……… attractive (9) ………… the others and the conditioner had what one tester described as 'a rather chemical smell'. It was (10) …………. as effective as the others in dealing with tangled hair, but testers with dry hair found that it wasn’t rich enough (11) ………… give their hair any extra body. And everyone agreed that it was (12) ……….. harsh to be useable on a daily basis.
ActiveShine ***
This brand emerged as the (13)…… all-round value for money. It had a strong smell, rather (14) ……. an antiseptic cream, but the smell was not (15)…… strong as to be off-putting. Testers found that it was just as effective with greasy hair as with dry hair and it was (16)………. far the most successful with flyaway hair. ActiveShine doesn’t have (17) ……………. a rich composition as Supremesoft, but our testers found that (18)……… more they used it, the (19) ……….. noticeable the effect on their hair, so it was considered to be just as effective (20)……. the others in the long term.
So, at around $2.50 for 250ml ActiveShine receives this month's three-star rating.
ANSWER KEY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST
slimer ==> slimmer
than I ==> than me/ than I am
✓ (but also much more lively ==> much livelier)
realer ==> more real
✓
most proudest ==> proudest/ the most proud
✓ (but also the most unhappy ==> the unhappiest)
✓
eldest ==> oldest
✓
lots ==> a lot/considerably/ much/a great deal/even/far more
of ==> in
worse ==> bad
✓
angrier ==> more angry
Of all the modems (in our catalog), the Hyperlink is by far the fastest/the fastest by far.
Jan is no better/ Jan is no worse than Lucy at tennis.
Getting a made-to-measure suit was not nearly as expensive as I expected.
It was so cold that I couldn't open the lock.
The more frustrated he becomes, the angrier he gets.
ANSWER KEY FOR PRACTICE EXERCISE
Q 1.
1. the best
2. the wettest
3. more real than
4. the furthest/ farthest
5. fatter/ bigger than
6. tidier than
7. looser
8. the worst
9. drier
10. the biggest
11. (the) most keen/ keenest
12. the prettier/ prettiest
13. more wrong
14. The most scared
15. more bored
Q 2.
D
G
A
E
B
F
C
Q 3.
B
A
A
B
B
B
A
A
B
B
Q 4.
The lecture was so boring that I fell asleep.
It was such a well-publicized concert that the tickets sold out within days.
The wording of the document is so complicated as to be incomprehensible.
It was too dark to find my contact lens.
It wasn't as interesting an exhibition as my friends had claimed.
She's more disappointed than angry.
Approaching the church, we noticed the sound of the bells becoming louder and louder and louder.
The older dogs get, the less aggressive they become.
My son isn’t old enough to get a place at kindergarten.
Their remarks were not so much insulting as inaccurate.
Q 5.
G She smokes like a chimney.
D He’s like a bull in a china shop.
F I slept like a log last night.
L It's as cold as ice in here.
C She's like a lamb to the slaughter.
J She's as fit as a fiddle.
N You're as white as a sheet.
A He’s like a cat on a hot tin roof.
E She’s like a bear with a sore head this morning.
H Our car goes like a rocket.
B My new flatmate swears like a trooper.
M Once the lights went out it was as quiet as the grave.
K She doesn't need to diet, she's as light as a feather.
O The old man is as stubborn as a mule.
I These new mobile phones are selling like hotcakes.
Advanced Grammar for IELTS: Determiners – Diagnose Test, Grammar Explanation & Practice Exercises
Determiners or noun signals are the special adjectives used before nouns. There are different types of determines like, Articles (a, an, the), demonstratives (this, that, these, those), possessives (my, your, his, her, ours, theirs), quantifiers (few. little, fewer, many, much, more, less).
Usage of Determiners
Determiners can be used in the following ways:
Determiners come in the noun phrase.
Determiners are required with the singular nouns.
To speak about singular nouns, we use the indefinite articles.
While talking about plural nouns, determiners are not used.
DIAGNOSTIC TEST: Determiners
Complete each sentence with a/an the or – (no article).
Example: All our towels are made of….-…Egyptian cotton.
Ruthless poachers hunt………. elephant for the valuable ivory of its tusks.
Next week I’ll be reviewing a stunning new film. …….. film stars Michael Douglas and is directed by Curtis Hanson.
Yesterday evening's Nature Scope about …….. sun's future worried a large number of viewers.
Muhammad Ali was voted ……… greatest sports personality of the twentieth century.
It is commonly accepted today that ……….. brown bread is good for you.
Many research scientists are inspired by ……………hope of curing diseases by genetic engineering.
Fewer people attend…….. church regularly now than twenty years ago.
Julianne studied for seven years to become …….. criminal lawyer.
Like many people, I learned to play……… piano when I was a child but gave it up in my teens.
We recommend that children and teenagers are inoculated against………meningitis.
Underline the correct determiner or determiners in each sentence (- = no article). In some cases, two may be correct.
Example: None/ Some/ Both neighbors rushed to the aid of the elderly woman.
It costs £10 a/an/- hour to hire the squash court.
There’s a/ the/ – good wine bar in the town center, isn’t there?
A/ The/- Mr. Jones came to see you this afternoon.
My parents grew up in the 1950s. In the/ these/ those days there was far less freedom than there is now.
This/That/A woman I'd never met before came up to me in the bank and asked if she could borrow £10!
It's freezing! I’ve never known a winter -/this/that cold before.
Isn't there any / some/ the way that you can ensure delivery tomorrow?
Every /All/ Each the children in the school have to take up at least one sport.
We have asked our retail outlets to return both/both of/some the new models for further inspection.
Much/A lot / A few depends on the final outcome of the negotiations.
GRAMMAR EXPLANATION: Determiners
Determiners are words that precede nouns, e.g. articles, demonstratives, quantifiers, and possessive adjectives. Articles can be a problem area in English for students even at an advanced level, especially for those whose own language has a very different article system. This unit covers articles, demonstrations, and quantifiers.
ARTICLES
1A. Basic rules
Articles (a/ an, the) precede nouns and some other words in a noun phrase, e.g. few, little, adjectives. The article is usually the first word in a noun phrase, but note:
all/ both/ half + the: all the information, both the twins
quite / rather /such / what/ half + a/ an: quite a difficult problem
We use the indefinite article (a/ an) with singular countable nouns: a garage, an opinion.
We use the definite article (the) with singular countable nouns (the garage), with plural nouns (the latest computers) and uncountable nouns (the purest water). We can omit the with uncountable and plural nouns.
1B. Naming, describing and classifying
We use a/ an when we name or describe something:
That’s a scarab beetle. ‘What’s that?’ 'It’s an enormous anthill.’
We use a/ an when we refer to one example of a class or a species:
An African elephant has larger ears than an Indian elephant.
We use the to refer to the whole class or species:
The African elephant has larger ears than the Indian elephant.
However, it is more common to refer to the whole class with the plural:
African elephants have larger ears than Indian elephants.
Note: We do not use a/ an to refer to a whole class rather than individual examples:
X Ruthless poachers hunt an elephant for the valuable ivory of its tusks.
✓ Ruthless poachers hunt the elephant for the valuable ivory of its tusks.
✓ Ruthless poachers hunt elephants for the valuable ivory of their tusks.
We can also use them with an adjective to refer to a class of people :
The homeless will be removed from the streets and placed in hostels.
1C. Known or unknown topic
We use a/ an when the topic (noun) is not known to our listener/reader; we use the when it is known. Therefore, we usually use a/ an for the first reference to a topic in a text, but then use the for subsequent references:
A new travel guide has advised would-be tourists to Morecambe that it is a place to avoid. … The guide paints a bleak – if not third- world – picture.
We do not always have to mention something for it to be known to the listener. We consider that it is known in the following situations:
situation
example
something is unique superlatives
the context makes it ‘known’
We are in danger of permanently damaging the Earth.
Muhammad AH is the greatest heavyweight boxer ever.
‘Has Edward arrived get?’ ‘Yes, he’s in the dining-room.’
(= the dining-room of the house we are in)
a defining phrase makes it known’
a prepositional phrase makes it ‘known’
Oasis is the Manchester band that shot to fame in the early
With plural nouns, we use either the or no article. We don't use an article when we want to refer to a group or class in general. Compare:
Tourists are often blamed for changing the character of a place. (= all tourists)
Did you notice what the tourists in the cathedral were doing? (= specific tourists)
It is commonly accepted today that brown bread is good for you.
Did you remember to get the bread out of the freezer?
We only use an article before an abstract noun if we wish to make an abstract noun more specific, e.g. to talk about a particular type of hope.
X It is impossible to live in a world without the hope
✓ It is impossible to live in a world without hope (hope in general)
The hope of finding a cure for cancer drives a lot of medical research.
Nouns such as church, hospital, school do not take an article if we think of their purpose, i.e. church as a place of worship, or school as a place of learning:
Fewer people attend church regularly now than twenty years ago.
Can children leave school at fourteen in your country?
If we think of the physical place or building, we use an article:
The collection for restoring the church has almost reached its target.
Is there a school in the village or do the children have to go to the town?
1E. Other common uses of articles
A /an
jobs, nationalities, and beliefs: I'm a structural engineer. Helmut's an Austrian. Cat Stevens became a Muslim1
numbers: a hundred thousand
prices, speeds, etc: two dollars a kilo, 20km an hour
1: We can use these without an article if we put the noun before the person’s name: Irishman Eddie Jordan has put together a team of great quality and spirit.
the
some geographical names: plurals (the United States, the US), areas (the West),
mountain ranges (the Pyrenees), oceans or seas (the Pacific Ocean, the Black Sea), rivers (the Rhone)
musical instruments: She plays the violin.
the media: All our family work in the theatre 2
in some comparative phrases: the more the merrier, all the better
in front of superlatives and first, last, next, only, same, right, wrong: the most
dangerous profession, the last time, the only one
in measurements: You can buy saffron by the gram.
physical environments: I prefer the town to the country.
newspapers: the Times, the Herald Tribune, the Dally Mirror
dates when spoken: the tenth of May
2: We often use television, cinema, etc. without an article to refer to the art or entertainment form: She works on television. I'm studying film in my final year.
If we refer to a specific item we use the article:
Don't put flowers on the television. Have you seen the new film by Ridley Scott?
no article
proper names: James, Chris Graham, Mr. Jones 3
names of most countries, mountains, lakes: Japan, Mount Everest. Lake Victoria
substances, liquids and gases: Cooking oil is simply liquid fat.
materials: This blouse is made of silk.
political or business roles: Lagos became President of Chile in 2000.
transport: We're going by rail to London, then by plane.
times and seasons: at night, in summer, at dusk 4
meal(time)s: Have you had breakfast? See you at lunch.
sports: She plays both tennis and squash very well.
illnesses: He's got lung cancer. She’s had German measles.
3: We use a/ an if we want to make a nameless specific:
A Mr Jones came to see you this afternoon. (I don't know which Mr Jones.)
We can make a name more specific by using the:
The Mr Jones with the stutter came to see you. (The stutter identifies this Mr Jones.)
4: Although we don't usually use an article with seasons, it is possible to use the: in the
spring/the summer, and note that we use the with parts of the day: in the afternoon.
Note: We usually use a possessive adjective (not the) to refer to parts of the body:
Put your hand up if you know the answer.
DEMONSTRATIVES
2A. Used as adjectives
We can use demonstratives, this/that (singular) and these/those (plural), as adjectives before nouns to refer to someone or something known to both speaker and listener:
I'm not sure which shoes to buy.’ ‘Well, I think these shoes are lovely.’
close
distance
Space
Do you recognise this man?
These parrots can live to over 70.
I’ve seen that man before.
Can you see those birds in the tree?
Time
What are you doing this weekend? There’s so much crime these days.
Do you remember that weekend?
There were no drugs in those days.
We use them to distinguish between close and distant things (in both space and time): In very informal speech we can use this or these instead of a/ an or some, often to introduce a topic or start telling a story:
This woman came up to me in the bank and asked if she could borrow …
2B. Used as pronouns or intensifiers
We can use demonstratives as pronouns to refer to a noun, a thing or idea:
This is a really wonderful cup of tea. What kind is it?
A/ an says he's giving up his job to travel the world. I think that's stupid.
We can use this to talk about a situation that we are experiencing:
This is the worst recession we have seen for more than ten years.
We can use demonstratives as a more formal alternative to the one(s):
Hundreds of Brixton residents turned out to welcome Tyson to their borough. Those who had bothered were rewarded by a 40-minute walkabout.
In certain expressions, we can use this or that instead of so to intensify an adjective:
I’ve never known a winter this cold before. So you think you’re that clever, do you?
QUANTIFIERS
3A. Common quantifiers and their use
Quantifiers are determiners that describe the quantity of something. Notice the use of of or of the shown in the table:
quantifier
+ singular noun
+ plural noun
+ uncountable noun
no
none of the
neither
either
any
both
neither cat
either twin
any document
I've got no coins.
none of the details
neither of the cats
either of the twins
any (of the) documents
both (of the) awards 2
I ‘ve got no money.
none of the information
any (of the) information
few/ little
half
some
several
a lot of
many/ much
most
each
every (one of)
all
half (of) the task
a lot of the conference
most of the holiday
each applicant
every page 4
all (of) the problem
(a) few (of the) sweets 3
half (of) the tasks
some (of the) jewels
several (of the) episodes
a lot of (the) ideas
many (of the) chairs
most (of the) apples
each of the applicants
every one of the pages
all (of) the problems
(a) little (of the) water 5
half (of) the work
some (of the) jewelry
a lot of (the) time
much (of the) furniture
most (of the) fruit
all (of) the trouble
1: We often use quantifiers (except none and a lot) directly before a noun:
It is impossible to nominate both candidates for the Vice-presidency.
With most quantifiers, using the before a plural or uncountable noun changes the meaning of the noun from general to specific:
I'd like some jewelry. (general, we don’t know which jewelry)
I'd like some of the jewelry. (specific, a particular set of jewelry)
2: With both, we can omit of before the. Both (of) the candidates believed they had won.
3: For the difference between little/few and a little/ a few.
4: Note the difference between each and every. Both quantifiers describe 'more than one’; we can use each to refer to two things, but not every:
X She was wearing a fine gold chain on every ankle.
✓ She was wearing a fine gold chain on each ankle.
But: She was wearing a ring on every finger.
We usually use some in positive sentences, any in questions and negatives:
You’ve got some interesting ideas, but have you got any money to back them?
We can use any in positive sentences with the meaning 'it doesn’t matter which':
You won’t catch any fish here. Any fisherman will tell you that.
Note: it is possible to use some in questions where we have some expectation that the answer will be positive:
Is some of the information useful? (I expect that a part of it is.)
Is any of the information useful? (I have no idea if it is useful or not.)
3B. Quantifiers as subjects verb.
We can use quantifiers (except no and every) without a noun as subject of the clause:
The vote was split: half were in favor of the motion, half were against it.
When used as subjects some quantifiers take a singular verb, and some take a plural Others are used with a singular or plural verb, depending on the noun they substitute or modify. Look at the table.
always singular
each, either, much
Much of the research has already been completed.
always plural
both, several, a few, many
Some visitors to the new gallery are enthusiastic but many have
expressed their disappointment.
singular or plural
any, half, some, a lot. all
Some of the information is considered top secret.
Some of us are hiring a minibus to go to the match.
'We can't get many books to the schools in the outback.' ‘Don't worry. Any (books) are better than none.’
1: The quantifiers neither and none take a singular verb with plural nouns, though a plural verb is now accepted in speech and informal writing:
None of the students is/are willing to accept the increase in coursework.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
Q 1.
Read this story and fill in the gaps with the correct article: a/ an, the or – (no article). For one gap you will need a possessive adjective.
I first experienced terror when I was seven. My mother lived in London, but after a brief liaison with (1)____ soldier from the United States, she became pregnant and fled to (2)____ country. (At that time, fifty years ago, it was considered shameful to be a single parent.) A great aunt of hers lived in (3)____ cottage in (4)_____ North Wales, and there she was able to bring me up in (5)____ peace, pretending that she was a widow. (6)_____ locals were all very friendly to us and accepted us without question, and I had (7)______ blissful childhood.
One day I arrived home from (8)_____ school to find my mother clutching (9)_____telegram, in floods of tears. (10)_______ telegram informed her that her father – my grandfather – had died. His funeral would be in three days and we had to go to London. I had never been outside (11)_____ village and I was really excited at the thought of going to (12)______ capital city. So, two days later, we boarded a train to London. It was (13)_____ first time I had been on a train and I could barely contain (14)_______ excitement of such an adventure. Several hours later we arrived. I clutched my mother’s hand as we stepped down from the train. (15)________ station was full of people rushing home from (16)______ work and it was quite dark. Now (17)_____ fear was starting to creep into my mind. Then, suddenly, we were in (18)_______ street outside the station. I had never seen so many people, buses and cars, nor heard so much noise. I was terrified. I opened (19)________ mouth and the wail that I let escape was one of (20)______ sheer terror.
Q 2.
Complete these short sentences with an appropriate article: a/an, the or – (no article).
He’s got……… asthma.
The ring is just a band of ………. gold.
It prints seven pages minute.
Let’s have a weekend in ………. mountains
She’s at………. work.
It’s in Tasman Sea.
Sorry – it’s ………. wrong answer.
It appeared in ………. New York Times.
She’s always been ………. Catholic.
What’s for ………. dinner?
We’re going on a day trip by ………… coach
They're flying to …………. Seychelles.
It’s ……….. best solution.
Can you ski on …………… Mont Blanc?
It's quite warm there in …………. winter.
We all need ……….. oxygen.
We've had over …………. dozen applicants.
She works in ………. television.
It’s all…………… better if you can come early.
He was crowned…………. king.
Q 3.
Complete the dialogue with a demonstrative adjective or pronoun from the box.
this (x3) that (x4) these (x1) those (x2)
ROB What's on TV tonight, do you know?
JENNY No. Why don’t you look in the paper you’re reading?
ROB (1)…….. paper doesn't have TV listings.
JENNY Oh, right. Well try (2)………. one on the shelf, over there.
ROB OK … yes, let's see. There's nothing much on (3)…….. days at all, is there? It's all soaps and detective series.
JENNY Mmm. I thought there was always a serious documentary on Tuesday evenings. (4)…….. one last week on homelessness was really interesting.
ROB Yes, you're right. There's one on travellers. Listen. (5)………. is awful. ‘Although landowners may lose income while travellers are on their land, there is no fast route to evicting them. (6)……… who go through the courts often have to take out more than one injunction before the matter is settled.’
JENNY Well, what do you expect? The travellers need somewhere to live, like the rest of us. The government should give them land.
ROB (7)……….’s no solution, is it? They want to travel, not to settle.
JENNY How do you know? There was (8)……… story in my magazine about travellers from years ago and the encampments they made – they were allowed to settle down then.
ROB Yes, but in (9)…….. days there was more free land. Land is (10)………..valuable today, people use every bit of it and don’t want travellers on their land.
JENNY Mmm, well why don't we turn the TV on and find out what the documentary says?
Q 4.
Match one of the sentences or beginnings of sentences in each pair (1-8) with a continuation of the sentence or conversation from the list below (A-l).
I don't know him. Do you?
Could I have a closer look at it, please?
It’s a basic human right.
You just have to shop around.
It’s the tallest type of tree in the world.
She took journalism and media studies.
You know, the one where Chris works.
You know, the one that we couldn't get last week.
I’ve never come across one so talkative before!
Let's meet in a wine bar.
Let's meet in the wine bar. ==> ….b…. + …..G….
1.
My sister went to university.
My sister went to the university
2.
The cat communicates a lot of desires and emotions.
This cat communicates a lot of desires and emotions.
3.
Dr Richards called to speak to you.
Dr. Richards called to speak to you.
4.
People shouldn't be denied freedom.
People shouldn't be denied the freedom …
5.
A giant redwood once grew to over 70 meters.
The giant redwood can grow to more than 70 meters.
6.
Let's get a video out this evening.
Let's get that video out this evening.
7.
You can pay a lot less for a car these days.
You could pay a lot less for a car in those days.
8.
This is an interesting specimen.
That’s an interesting specimen.
Q 5.
For each of these questions, either one or two alternatives (A-C) are correct. Circle the letters of the correct alternatives.
1.I haven't seen ______ of those films, so I don’t mind which one we go to.
any
no
either
2. You shouldn’t slouch like that. It puts ______of pressure on one hip and leg.
much
a lot
all
3. At this stage______ information would have been a step In the right direction.
little
some
any
4. The Fitness Room would like to invite ________ of its patrons to enter the annual fitness challenge.
all
every
some
5. _______ witnesses responded to the police appeal after the accident.
No
None
Any
6. _______ of the women who attended the demonstration was willing to give us an Interview.
No
None
Many
7. We would like to add that _______ medallion is inscribed with the name of its lucky owner.
each
every
either
8. Only _______ of the news today has been about the election.
half
a little
a few
9. We guarantee that _______ item of the dinner service will be replaceable for a period of ten years.
each
every
all
10. We are delighted to be able to welcome _______ the competition winners to the gala evening.
both
either
all
Q 6.
Complete the article with the words from above each paragraph. (- = no article)
a all the the the The this your – –
FOOD FRIGHTS
Planning a big day out this summer? It's not just the rides that could turn your stomach!
The risk of food poisoning should be the last thing on (1)…. mind when you're enjoying a quiet day out (2)….. summer. But, in (3)….. UK, there were around 95,000 reported cases of (4)…. food poisoning in (5)….. last year alone – a four-fold increase on the number of reported cases just ten years ago.
At (11)………….. tourist attraction we bought a selection of sandwiches and other food products. Our tests revealed specific food-poisoning bacteria in five of (12)……….. sandwiches. High levels of other general bacteria were also found in more than (13)………. of the sandwiches – while (14)……….. bacteria don't make you ill, they do point to (15)………… poor hygiene practices.
Five sandwiches contained food-poisoning bacteria at levels that are not satisfactory according to guidelines. (16)……………could cause food-poisoning – (17)……….. children, elderly people and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. We've informed (18)…………… food outlets and tourist attractions concerned; (19)……………(but not all) have taken positive action as a result of (20)………….disturbing findings.
Q 7.
Read the following text. In most lines there is an unnecessary word, a word missing or an incorrect word. For each numbered line (1-23), identify the mistake and write the correct word in the space on the right. Some lines are correct. Indicate these with a tick (✓). The exercise begins with three examples.
Magnum past and present
Magnum is a co-operative of nearly sixty photographers with offices in New ✓
York, London, Paris and Tokyo. A co-operative was founded in 1947 by …. A => The
photographers the Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson. George Rodger and the
David Seymour. All them had been involved in the Second World War.
Rodger had walked hundreds of miles through forest to escape Japanese
in the Burma. And Seymour received a medal for his work in American
intelligence.
However, all of founders of Magnum had been photographers for
some time. Photographic work they were famous for dated back further.
Capa's photos of the Spanish Civil war were called ‘finest pictures of
front-line action ever taken.'
They all appreciated an importance of showing the world what really
happens during this major conflicts and world crises, so they decided to
produce the best documentary photography at this time. Cartier-Bresson
once commented 'Some photographers tell the news step by the step as
if making an accountant's statement.' He and Magnum, on the other hand,
felt that the news had to be shown in that way that would engage most
the people who are unable to experience world-changing events at first-hand.
Tragically, within a decade of the start of Magnum, the half of its original
founders died while covering other wars. However, agency had started to
employ other top-class photographers and its work was sure to continue.
Today, Magnum is some goal for many young photographers. It still
produces the finest documentary photographs of world events. Recent
coverage has included the events in Balkans and the tribal wars in East
Africa, and while Magnum photographers cover these events, we will all be
able to appreciate both best and worst of humanity.
Cambridge English Advanced Phrasal Verb in use Ebook helps you to understand your phrasal verbs in English. This gives you the explanation and practice of approximately 1000 or more phrasal verbs, which are written for the advanced level learners of English. This Ebook is perfect for both self-study as well as classroom study. There a number of phrasal verbs along with a lot of topics on lecturing and seminars, social life and so on. You can be confident about what you are learning, as it also consists of study tips, essay writing with answer keys and so on.
Cambridge English Advanced Phrasal Verb In Use Book can help you take your knowledge of phrasal verbs to a more advanced level.
It is intended for students who already have at least an upper-intermediate level of English. This book contains roughly 1,000 phrasal verbs, and related nouns and adjectives which are presented in this book were all selected from those identified as significant by the CAN CODE corpus of spoken English developed at the University of Nottingham in association with Cambridge University Press, and the Cambridge International Corpus of written and spoken English. The phrasal verbs selected are accordingly also to be found in the Cambridge Phrasal Verbs Dictionary where you can find additional usage notes and examples.
The book has 60 two-page units. The left-hand page explains the phrasal verbs that are presented in the unit. You will usually find an explanation of the meaning of the phrasal verb, an example of it in use and, where appropriate, some comments on when and how it is used. The exercises on the right-hand page check that you have understood the information on the left-hand page and give you practice in using the material presented.
The units are organized into different sections.
First, it starts with important information about phrasal verbs in general (Units 1-4): what they are, how their grammar works and so on. We strongly recommend that you do these units first.
The next section looks at some interesting aspects of more advanced phrasal verbs, dealing with such important issues as collocation, register and metaphor. As these are themes that are returned to throughout the book, it is a good idea to work through these units before progressing to other more specific units.
After these two introductory sections, there is a section dealing with some of the most common particles used in forming phrasal verbs. Working on these units will help you to gain a feeling for the force of these particles and will help you have a feeling for the meaning of a phrasal verb you are meeting for the first time.
The next two sections deal with Concepts (e.g. Change) and Functions (e.g. Arranging things). These sections are followed by a large number of topic-based units focusing on different aspects of Work, Personal life and The world around us.
The final section looks at some of the most common verbs which are used to form phrasal verbs.
The book has a key to all the exercises so that you can check your answers. At the back of the book, you will also find a useful Mini dictionary. This provides clear definitions of all the phrasal verbs and related noun and adjective forms that appear in this book. The Mini dictionary also indicates the unit number where you can find a particular phrasal verb.
New Delhi: The government could consider a phased exit from the national lockdown and is studying a proposal to partially lift restrictions in low-risk states and districts while continuing with stringent curbs in areas with the maximum number of cases.The high-risk states and districts could see the lockdown continue for 28 days more, according to the draft plan submitted by the Medical Emergency Management Plan, a Niti Aayog group. The group, constituted by the home ministry, is headed by Niti Aayog member Vinod Paul. ET has reviewed a copy of its proposal.It proposes dividing states into four categories based on the severity of outbreak, with the worst-hit ones placed in stage 4. The categorisation is based on parameters such as the number of active cases in previous seven days, the spread of active cases and the density of cases.'No Final Decision Yet'A state reporting more than or equal to 50 active cases will be put in stage 4; a state with less than five active cases or with no new case in seven days will be placed in stage 1, says the document. 75019646Paul told ET the government is looking at various studies and recommendations, but has not taken any decision yet on the post-April 14 scenario. "We are looking at various options, and a rational decision about the continuation of the lockdown or non-continuation will be dependent on various factors," he said.On Monday, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant held a meeting with officials from the Cabinet Secretariat, ministry of health, department of biotechnology, ministry of environment, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Prime Minister's Office.The group is also studying the progress made by the containment plans. One of the key points under discussion is the period of lockdown. "It is a dynamic situation, and a decision will be taken in the best interests of the people. The government is studying the benefits of the lockdown on the outbreak, and whether it has achieved the intended objectives. The issues related to the economy, human issues and the imperatives for (allowing) basic activities are being weighed. As of today, these studies are hypothetical. Work is in progress, and nothing has been decided yet on the post-April 14 period," added Paul.The group has been studying what might happen if the novel coronavirus gains a foothold in the country. Based on this, projections will be made on whether to extend or lift the lockdown in some areas. "We are looking at the best-case scenario, the worst-case scenario and the medium-term scenario, based on which projections will be made. The experts are doing mathematical modelling. The final call will be taken based on those projections," sources told ET.The proposal says elderly people should be confined to homes and inter-state travel should be restricted. It suggests that the districts with maximum positive cases should be isolated completely. While it suggests that factories can be opened in unaffected areas, the proposal comes with a caveat: "No interstate movement of labour should be allowed to facilitate the functioning of these establishments." The movement of people will be strictly controlled in the worst-hit states and districts, while people in the stage 0 and stage 1 areas will have more freedom of movement.
NEW DELHI: All the 11 empowered committees constituted to suggest ways to tackle different aspects of the Covid-19 crisis have favoured a gradual lifting of the lockdown even as Indian Council of Medical Research expressed 'concerns', people familiar with the matter said. A meeting headed by home secretary Ajay Bhalla on Monday discussed at least three possible exit scenarios even as everybody agreed that international travel should continue to be suspended even as the gradual exit begins, they said.A final decision on the date from which the lockdown will begin to be lifted and the manner in which it would be done now hinges on the data to be provided by ICMR and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — likely in three days — on the spread and likely progression of Covid-19 cases in the country, the sources said."ICMR will collect district-wise data based on half a dozen parameters such as number of fresh cases on a daily basis, number of people under observation and areas likely to be contaminated with Covid-19, and so on," a person aware of the meeting told ET.Another person said all the 11 groups submitted their recommendations "and about three presentations were made, outlining what the exit scenario could look like".One of the proposals was to divide the country into three zones — green, yellow and red — depending upon exposure risk to the disease. Green zone, the safest, could be opened up to most of the core economic activity; in yellow zone, production could start at a small scale; and red zone, or areas significantly impacted by Covid-19, should continue to be in lockdown for some more time.Another proposal to transport migrant labour back to cities in trains by ensuring social distancing and after checking passengers thoroughly for symptoms was also taken up.Similarly, local air travel could begin with certain standard operating procedures.
By: Kala Vijayraghavan & Lijee PhilipMumbai: India Inc has started preparing for life after the lockdown by chalking out Covid-19 risk mitigation plans including social distancing, remote working and even temporary succession planning to ensure business survival even as the pandemic remains a clear and present danger.Wearing masks, isolated workspaces and remote working will be a norm when the lockdown eases up and corporates try to return to normalcy, top industry officials said.Companies will have to strictly follow guidelines to ensure that employees are safe and business risks can be minimised, said Sangita Reddy, president of industry association Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). "Employees, too, have to be proactive and compliance issues should be followed strictly. No casual attitude (in terms of social distancing) should be tolerated." Corporates should parallelly focus on business continuity and maintain regular cashflow, she said. Ficci has chalked out multiple scenarios of how the Covid-19 can evolve and issued guidelines and advisories to corporates on ways to tackle various challenges at workplace. "Prepare temporary succession plans for key executive positions and critical roles and analyse if there is any high-risk work or any paper-based processes or processes that cannot be easily moved online and need a separate work plan," it said.Venu Srinivasan, chairman, TVS Motor Co, said, "With this complete uncertainty, the safest act is to make sure your business doesn't go bankrupt because of cashflows. Financial continuity and viability of the business is most important right now." Vivek Gambhir, CEO of Godrej Consumer Products, said there's an "urgency to get factories to open". The Ficci advisory said organisations need to "communicate with employees frequently and with the right specificity" to keep the workplaces prepared for infection prevention and ensure health and safety of employees. Harsh Mariwala, chairman of Marico, said wearing masks at workplaces will have to be a norm. "For a while, at least, letting people who can do work from remote places (to do so), and ensuring minimal gathering at workplaces, keeping the social distancing while working or lunch places, will be important. "Biocon has already ensured use of hand sanitisers, creating zoning in offices and factories where people from one section cannot go to another, and satellite food courts, its chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shah said. "I think it's important to continue remote working for a while and only allow travel of essential work people or logistics."
Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday reached out to several banks and non-banking finance companies to say that borrowers should be considered 'under moratorium by default' regardless of their opting-in or otherwise.The regulatory instruction, conveyed through emails, is very different from what many lenders have decided to follow.Many banks are offering the option to defer the payment of loan interest and principal only to borrowers who specifically ask for it. "But, according to RBI, it's just the opposite. The 3-month moratorium should be given to all unless a borrower informs the bank or NBFC that he/she is not interested in availing the facility," a senior banker told ET.The move could put some of the banks with high credit- deposit ratio and NBFCs struggling to roll over liabilities in a spot. These banks may face a liquidity crunch as the reduced inflow due to non-receipt of interest and loan repayment could be far more than the extra liquidity that would be available through lower cash reserve ratio and borrowing from RBI against gilts.NBFCs face a bigger dilemma. According to most banks, the RBI circular does not cover NBFCs. Under the circumstances while NBFCs which have borrowed from banks cannot benefit from the moratorium, they are under pressure to offer the facility to those which have borrowed from them.'Instructions Different from Mar 27 Circular'"RBI is quite categorical. For instance one of the emails make it clear that no demand should be made on borrowers or any recovery procedure undertaken by the bank or its agents for non-payment of amount due during the moratorium period. Thus, as long as borrowers fulfil the condition laid down in the recent RBI circular, they are eligible. Some of the banks were reluctant to extend the scheme to borrowers," said another banker.Bankers say this is different from what RBI had indicated in the March 27 circular. The notification on the Covid-19 regulatory package said, "Lending institutions shall frame Board approved polices for providing the above-mentioned reliefs to all eligible borrowers, inter alia, including the objective criteria for considering reliefs." Borrowers, however, are free to make repayments or service the loans at their own will even for dues of the moratorium period.
NEW DELHI: Oil and gas producers want the government to cut and defer taxes on output and end all price controls on domestic natural gas to help companies deal with the twin shock of a global supply glut and demand fall due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Companies have separately and as part of industry body made representations to the government, seeking relief on payment of cess, royalty and profit petroleum. "At least for the next couple of quarters or until prices correct, the Indian upstream sector needs tax relief, which will help domestic production bounce back quickly. Cess should be abolished for Brent below $50," Vedanta told ET.Association of Oil and Gas Operators (AOGO) has separately written to the finance ministry demanding deferment and reduction in cess, royalty, and profit petroleum. It has also demanded "unrestricted marketing and pricing freedom for both oil and gas," said secretary-general Ashu Sagar. ONGC too has separately sought a waiver of cess, currently at 20% of the price, and full pricing and marketing freedom for domestic natural gas.
NEW DELHI: Low oil and gas prices, lockdown and mobility restriction across several countries will delay several oil and gas projects from complex deep-sea projects that depend on men and material from across the globe to refinery expansion and pipe-laying, executives and analysts said.The oil industry is under twin assault from the demand destruction caused by Covid-19 and a price war between key global producers that has brought about a record quick drop in prices. Lockdown and mobility restrictions have induced economic uncertainty and are making it harder for executives to manage projects. Complex upstream projects are likely to be hit the hardest as they depend on an intricate global supply chain of expertise and equipment, executives said, adding that this would result in many exploration, development, and enhanced oil recovery projects stretching beyond original schedules. This will definitely delay production from many new fields, they said.Vedanta said it has sought extension of exploration timelines for its oil blocks won in recent auction rounds primarily due to the lockdown delaying seismic surveys.Project delays could also translate into increased cost but that could be partly offset by an expected decline in oilfield services rates that usually follows an oil price collapse. But sharply lower oil and gas prices pose a severe challenge. "For oil and gas producers, oil price at ~$30/bbl makes petroleum operations unviable. Companies are net cash flow negative and facing existential challenges," said Vedanta.Lower prices have the potential to shelve or delay development of some oil and gas discoveries. "Upstream capex will come down this year, especially by the private sector, due to lower oil prices," said K Ravichandran, group head-corporate ratings at ICRA. "There would be a delay in developing discoveries not viable at current prices. So firms may want to reengineer it."Lower prices have strangulated cash flow at upstream companies, weakening their ability to find capex plans. "Nowhere in the world is an upstream activity funded by borrowed money. With cash flow drying up, companies will have no option but to cut their spending plan," said an executive.Analysts feel downstream firms may not cut back on their spending and may use the current environment to extract better rates from vendors and lower project costs. "All refineries are owned by companies with strong balance sheets. They have the ability to ride out the current uncertainties. They can make use of this opportunity and push projects," Ravichandran said.
ET Intelligence Group: Crude oil leapt by about a fifth late last week on expectations that measures to contain a global price war will cushion a crucial global commodity — and price reversals in Brent and Nymex point to a rebound in Indian equities.Well, past data suggest that crude's revival from record lows has always triggered relief rallies in the Nifty. It isn't likely to be very different this time either, at least going by technical indicators, including the relative strength index (RSI) and put-call ratios that indicate Indian equities are in an 'oversold' zone.Over the past 25 years, each of the three bounce-backs in crude after its plunge to multi-year lows were followed by a recovery in emerging markets, including India.In 1998, through the Asian financial crisis that gripped many of the East Asian economies, crude gained 50 per cent in the next three months after falling to near $10 per barrel; Nifty gained over 30 per cent during the same period.Similarly in 2009, crude gained over 50 per cent from $40 to $70 in three months (February to May), and Nifty gained 60 per cent during the same period. And in the beginning of 2016, crude and Nifty formed the bottom together at $27 per barrel and 7,000 respectively.75019724After falling below $20, crude has recovered.RSI, one of the most reliable parameters used by technical analysts, as per Friday's closing was at 30 for Nifty and for Bank Nifty at 26. Below 30 is considered oversold and implies a rebound. Anything above 70 is overbought.The put-call ratio for both is between 0.7 and 0.9, and assets have bounced back from less than 0.8. Ratios above 1.2 are considered overbought.
Mumbai: Senior executives at some of the top listed Indian entities, unicorn startups and private equity (PE) backed companies who earn millions in employee stock option plan (Esop) are all set to see their earnings go down drastically due to coronavirus. In last few days some of the top companies, PE funds and senior executives have reached out to their advisors on the impact of the epidemic on their Esops and earnings. Many top executives have conditions attached to the number of Esops that they get as part of the salary and how much of that they can vest annually. Some of these companies and senior executives want the Esops plans to be modified to include the Covid-19 reality. In most cases earnings from Esops is based on certain variables depending on the companies. For some of BSE 500 companies CEOs and senior executives have to achieve certain revenue, share price, Ebitda targets every year, which would not be possible due to Covid-19 and the shutdown that followed.For some of the PE backed companies and unicorn start-ups, the valuations itself have seen huge change and shareholders may want to change the parameters of Esops. Industry trackers say that while in most cases the annual earnings from Esops will drop for most executives in the current financial year, many are looking at changing the terms of contract. Industry experts say that in most cases Esops vesting depends on achieving certain performance conditions. These conditions could include profit margins, sales, Ebitda margins, earning per share among other things. "Many CXOs who have their salaries linked to Esops, where they have performance linked clauses, will see a substantial impact on their income due to Coronavirus. In some cases companies may look to change the parameters of performance as some of the earlier growth numbers may be irrelevant in the post-Covid economy," said Harshu Ghate, Co-founder and CEO, Esop Direct, an equity compensation advisory firm. Industry trackers say that some of the larger listed companies are also looking to restructure salaries of some of the high performing employees—even at mid-level. The new salary structures would include more of Esops and less of cash components. This, say experts is mainly done to avoid slashing salaries of these employees but at the same time conserve cash. "All companies are looking to conserve cash and so many of them are also exploring if they can restructure the compensation and reduce the cash component by giving Esops to employees as part of their package instead of enforcing a salary cut. While the share prices are down and therefore the value of Esops may look to be low, it is a long term instrument and so the upside will come in the medium to long term. We could see several senior management executives opt for some level of share based compensation, said Sai Venkateshwaran, head - CFO advisory, KPMG in India. Industry trackers say that in some cases the parameters of Esops performance are being modified to include peer comparison and increasing the number years to achieve a particular revenue, market share or profit targets. These modifications are also being done in unicorn start-ups and PE backed companies.
Bengaluru: The government has started inter-departmental and industry consultations to revamp the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 to stay on top of the various technological advances in the social media, e-commerce, cybercrime and digital payments space. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has reached out to stakeholder ministries, including the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Telecom for their inputs, a senior government official told ET.Following MeitY's ask, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has written to industry bodies for feedback. Industry lobby group National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and Assocham received an email from DPIIT last week. ET has reviewed a copy of the email.DPIIT, in an email sent last week, asked industry bodies to share inputs and suggestions pertaining to the amendment in the IT Act, 2000, including studies, committee reports, court advisories and global best practices. In February, Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad disclosed the plan to revamp the IT Act, citing shifts in technology since the last decade.In a note, Nayonika Dutta, Deputy Director, e-Commerce Policy at DPIIT, said that though the Act was last amended in 2008, recent technological innovations such as social media, digital services, ecommerce services, artificial intelligence, machine learning, smart devices, Internet of Things and blockchain have changed the digital ecosystem significantly. "While on the one hand, these innovations have provided opportunities for growth and efficiency gains, on the other, they also pose significant challenges. Accordingly, the IT Act, 2000 needs to be amended in order to address such upcoming and future opportunities as well as challenges," Dutta added.
