Experience the Holidays like a Bookseller with These 10 Tips

Experience the Holidays like a Bookseller with These 10 Tips Im approaching my eighth holiday season as a bookseller. These days, I dont work in a bookstore full-time, but my favourite indie and former employer lets me pick up a few shifts every December. I love it! Theres no more magical time in bookselling than the holiday rush. Its busy, and exhausting, and your fingers will be covered in paper cuts from endless gift wrapping…and youll wish you could just curl up in front of a fire with one of those books and no one to bother you or ask for a recommendation for Great-Uncle Phil, who hasnt read a book since 1975… Youve Got Mails Meg Ryan (left) and Heather Burns (right) make bookselling during the holidays look easy. But then theres the magic of finding the exact right book for a harried shopper who needs something for that impossible-to-buy for relative. Theres the relief of the time you sold your stores entire remaining stock of Christmas-themed books an hour before closing on Christmas Eve. Theres the joy of getting to tell people about your favourite books and authors over and over again. Thats where the bookselling magic happens. Over my eight seasons as a bookseller, Ive learned how to have a very bookish holiday. Here are 10 ways to experience the holidays like a bookseller. (I have left off things like be cranky when the fifth customer of the day asks for that book with a blue cover' and collapse exhaustedly into bed after being on your feet all day because we should focus on the positives.) 1. Get really into decor. Every bookstore has to look its best for the holidays. This is, without question, the busiest time of year to be a booksellerâ€"I once worked at an indie that did 40% of its yearly sales in November and Decemberâ€"so it makes sense to dress the store to the nines. Tinsel, trees, menorahs, stars…have fun! These two (Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan) in The Shop Around the Corner may have hated each other, but they knew how to make their store look good. Image from IMDb. 2. GIVE BOOKS! (Books that YOU  WANT TO READ.) Give everyone on your list at least one book. Ive also been known to give people only books. Bonus: they are super easy to wrap. Booksellers are also sneaky, so get your partner, mom, dad, brother, grandma, or BFF a book youve been longing to read. Then, steal it from them as soon as they open it. This holiday season, I have my eye on  Little Fires Everywhere  by Celeste Ng. My mom will love it… 3. Give new books to avid readers. For that one friend whos read all the new and hot books already, I might wrap up an ARC (advance reading copy) and give it to them. Instant book cred. (Probably not possible if you dont work in a bookstore or have access to ARCs, but lots of books release right before the holidays. Get your super reader friend something buzzy thats hot off the press, like Elmet  by Fiona Mozley.) 4. create a theme. Create theme presents, where you put together a couple of books that go together for someone whos interested in the topic. For example, for your aunt whos planning a trip to Italy, you could pair a novel set there, like Catherine Banners The House at the Edge of Night, with an Italian cookbook like My Kitchen in Rome. Bonus points if you include some nice Italian wine or olive oil. 5. Keep your friends and familys tastes in mind. Better yet, think carefully about what your friends and relatives are into and assemble a selection of books you think they would like. When I make recommendations to customers, I usually ask, Whats another book that this person has really enjoyed? If they dont know, I ask what else theyre into or what they wouldnt like to read.  For an elderly relative who loves Agatha Christie but isnt into the darker Scandinavian thrillers, Ill suggest something by Louise Penny, like her newest Inspector Gamache book, Glass Houses. For a teenage boy who has read all the standard Harry Potter and Hunger Games recommendations and might be ready to branch out, Ill pick adult fiction that has a similar feel, like The Circle by Dave Eggers. Candid shot of me recommending books to a customer. (Okay, a scene from Beauty and the Beast.) Image from IMDb. As a bookseller, youre dependent on what the customer knows about the readerâ€"but if youre buying for your friends and family, youre one step ahead! You got this. 6. Consider your friends and familys interests and hobbies. If you have a friend or relative with a niche interest, look for a book thats tangentially related. Another go-to bookseller question is, What does this person like to do? Lets say the answer is read celebrity gossip. Id recommend Anne Helen Petersens Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud. 7. Take a bookish minute for yourself. Even amid the chaos, take a minute for yourself. My coworkers and I like to celebrate making it through another Christmas Eve at the store with a quick champagne toast. Its a nice reminder that were all in this together. Between all the different parties, concerts, gift exchanges, and work holiday lunches, the holiday season sometimes feels like a marathon. Make sure you take some time out. Books that are good for a quick me moment: Rupi Kaurs new book of poetry, The Sun and Her Flowers; an essay collection, like The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish; one of Kate Beatons comic anthologies, Hark! A Vagrant and Step Aside, Pops. 8. Give gift cards. For that person whos super hard to buy for (hi, Dad!), theres always a gift card to their local bookstore. When Im with a customer, I will recommend about a million books before suggesting a gift card. Because Im stubborn. But sometimes a gift card is really the best option. 9. WRAP IT ALL QUICKLY AND FLAWLESSLY. Now, put those book-wrapping skills to good use by wrapping all of your presents in impeccable packages with beautifully curled ribbon. No more than 1 minute per gift! Theres a line at the register! 10. GIVE YOURSELF A BOOK, TOO, AND THE TIME TO READ IT. Once all the presents have been unwrapped and the thank yous said, barricade yourself somewhere with a cozy blanket, a cup of tea, and that book youve been dying to read. This holiday season, after Im done helping everyone else buy their gifts, Ill be digging into Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante. Uninterrupted reading time is my gift to myself.

Business - 614 Words

Case study Submission details |Candidate’s Name | |Candidate ID | | |Assessor’s Name | | |Assessment Site | | |Assessment Date/s | |Date | | The Assessment Task is due on the date specified by your assessor. Any variations to this arrangement must be approved in writing by your assessor. Submit this document with any required†¦show more content†¦Robert was going to hire 14 more administrative staff and 17 more delivery personnel to operate the various locations in Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane. He also decided to replace all computers within the business and purchase more computers due to the new locations. There were so many computers brands on the market, and so many different styles and speeds of computers. All Robert knew was that he needed desktops for the administrative staff, laptops for his sales staff and PDAs (personal digital assistant) for his delivery personnel. Robert did not understand computers, but was going to research the desktop, laptop and PDA markets to determine his needs. Robert’s organisational requirements were: †¢ 20 brand new desktops †¢ 13 brand new laptops which were the lightest on the market. †¢ 50 PDAs with the latest GPS tracking. †¢ Purchase these items in the one location - if possible – to ensure discounts. He was going to conduct both online and non-electronic research. However, he did not know which websites would be best, or which places were best to view computers and PDAs. Questions Question 1 How can Robert ensure that his research is valid and relevant to his requirements and make efficient use of available resources? Question 2 When RobertShow MoreRelatedBusiness Analysis : Business And Business2361 Words   |  10 PagesEach business has products or services they want to sell to consumers, whether this is the man on the street or a multi-nation organisation, the difference in which person they targets will depend on what the product or service the organisation is offering Business to Business Business to business markets is, for example where to company engage in a transaction of a product or service, this could be a waste management company removing waste from a warehouse that produce a vast amount of waste. AnotherRead MoreBusiness Plan For A Business840 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Business plans are statement of a business goals, reason they are attainable and plans on meeting it’ (FoxBuisness, 2013). A business plan maps the course and gives a detail plan on how these goals are achievable. It is also important to establish a solid business plan for funding. 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These relationships, characterized by trust and continuity, extend to the IT realm. In the B2B business model, you must provide a level of integration of your IT systems with those of your business partners. The advantages to Volkswagen of developing and using its own proprietary B2B e-marketplace because they spend the money with suppliers, so that its can open and run their own B2B e-marketplaceRead MoreBusiness Plan For A Business1866 Words   |  8 Pages Business Plan Buiness model in theory and practice according to Wikipedia is used for a broad range of informal and forma l descriptions to represent the core aspects of a business, including the purposes of that business, its process, target customers, of ferings, strategies , infrastructure, organizational structures, trading practice, and operational processes and policies . 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Read MoreBusiness3599 Words   |  15 Pagesa selected business, suggesting potential improvements 7 4.1 Delivering customer service in a business 8 4.2 Review own performance in the delivery of customer service and recommendations for improvements 9 Conclusion 9 References 10 Introduction The objective of a business is to make profit and maximize its wealth and to ensure the customer satisfaction with which the business operates its activities. Customer satisfaction is a very important factor for surviving in the business world. Proper Business - 614 Words The Analysis of Leadership Case Problem A – The Global Insurance Tag Team Identify the teamwork problems that Calvin might be facing Calvin is the director of disaster insurance at a global insurance company and he has his own large department which located in New York. He is also the team leader of ten different representatives around the world. Each team member is responsible for encouraging the sales representatives in offices around the globe to sell disaster insurance. (Dubrin, 2010). Being a team leader of 10 different representatives, Calvin is facing teamwork problems of communication, organization and structural problem, as well as personnel issues. Firstly, his team member do not realize their roles or their lack of†¦show more content†¦Also, he should maintain communications by phone, email and Skype more frequently to share team members’ sales information and progress. What might Calvin do to provide stronger leadership to his global team? Calvin could set up a goal which gives his team members a vision that their task is meaningful to tem and resonate with the value of each team member. Besides that, he would try to ensure that diversity in the team is understood, appreciated, and leveraged. These two strategies would inspire team members to contribute coordinated efforts. To encourage his team member perform better, Calvin could arrange one or two face-to-face meetings every year. Face to face meeting would be the best way for human interaction which enable Calvin receive feedback from his team members directly. Conclusion Calvin is the director of disaster insurance at a global insurance company and the team leader of 10 representatives around the world. He encountered some problems within his team including communication, organization and structural issues. His representatives are not well aware of their roles in their team. So Calvin should practice E-leadership to fix these problems and improve his team members performance. References Chapter 9: Developing Teamwork [Powerpoint slides]. Cengage Learning (2010). Retrieved fromShow MoreRelatedBusiness Analysis : Business And Business2361 Words   |  10 PagesEach business has products or services they want to sell to consumers, whether this is the man on the street or a multi-nation organisation, the difference in which person they targets will depend on what the product or service the organisation is offering Business to Business Business to business markets is, for example where to company engage in a transaction of a product or service, this could be a waste management company removing waste from a warehouse that produce a vast amount of waste. AnotherRead MoreBusiness Plan For A Business840 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Business plans are statement of a business goals, reason they are attainable and plans on meeting it’ (FoxBuisness, 2013). A business plan maps the course and gives a detail plan on how these goals are achievable. It is also important to establish a solid business plan for funding. 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Capital Punishment Just or Unjust Essay - 1927 Words

Capital Punishment: Just or Unjust? Can you imagine knowing the exact day, time, and place you were going to die, not to mention how your death was to come about? Day after day of mental pain just knowing that days, hours, minutes and even seconds from now you are going to be killed. The night before, tossing and turning, playing through your head just the way you imagine your death is going to be, asking yourself heaven or hell, suffering or short? If only you can take that one moment of sin back or maybe there was never a moment of sin at all. After what seems like a hundred of years, the day finally arrives. You slowly walk into the chamber, your heart is racing, your hands are clammy, and you are shaking not because it is†¦show more content†¦The gas chamber, first used in Nevada in 1921, was located in an airtight room with a chair into which the accused was strapped. Death was then caused by an exposure to cyanide gas. As noted in the article Debate Over Capital Punishment-A Pro Stance, the suffering cau sed is easy to see; the prisoner is writing, vomiting, shaking and gasping for breath for many seconds (â€Å"Debate Over†). Lethal Injection, another form of execution, was introduced in 1977 and is now used in twenty-three states. This is the most widespread method and believed to be the most humane. The convicted is strapped to a table and injected with sodium thiopentone, loosing consciousness in ten to fifteen seconds. This is then followed by pancuronium bromide, which blocks respiration, and finally potassium chloride to stop the heart (â€Å"Debate Over†). In the 1930’s there were more executions than any other decade. The average executions were one-hundred and sixty-seven per year, which is an incredibly high number of deaths(â€Å"Amnesty Facts†). During the 1960’s people began challenging the legality of the death penalty. Many people said that it was â€Å"cruel and inhumane† and it violated the Eighteenth Amendment(â€Å"Amnesty Facts† ). In 1972 the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was cruel and inhumane which is unconstitutional according to the Eighteenth Amendment. The United States reversed this decision when a â€Å"cleaner† way to bring about death wasShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment: Just or Unjust?953 Words   |  4 Pagesmarksmen, seated 10 feet away behind a canvas curtain, fired at a black target pinned on his chest, and Gilmore died, the first man in the United States to be put to death following the ten-year moratorium on capital punishment ended by the Sup reme Court in 1967. (Mill 57) Capital punishment does not only lower the murder rate, but it s value as retribution alone is a good reason for handing out death sentences. Support for the death penalty in the U.S. has risen to an average of 80 percent. Read MoreRacial Discrimination And Capital Punishment1682 Words   |  7 Pagesand capital punishment has been a heated topic discussed ever since the 1972 case Furman v. Georgia. In the article, â€Å"Does Racial Discrimination Make Capital Punishment Wrong?† by Stephen Nathanson, his position in this argument is affirmative as he argues that racial discrimination makes capital punishment wrong since death penalty is administered in an arbitrary manner. Arbitrariness is the quality of being determined by chance or impulse, and not by reason or principle. He claims capital punishmentRead MoreAnnuling Capital Punishment Essay602 Words   |  3 PagesHomicide is unjust. Since youth we have been taught this unquestionable truth. Ask yourself, then, what i s the death penalty? In its easiest structure, the death penalty is characterized as one individual taking the life of another human. Incidentally, that is the meaning of homicide. 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While, punishments not severeRead MoreThe Death Pe nalty Is A Morally Appropriate Punishment846 Words   |  4 PagesHowever, times have changed and most of society relegates this â€Å"ultimate penalty† to the most heinous of crimes such as capital murder. There is much debate about the ethical nature of the death penalty with contrasting arguments on both the far left and far right. Nonetheless, I believe the Death penalty is a morally appropriate punishment only when the legal system is just and imposes strict scrutiny in giving/applying the penalty. It can be argued that society gains no utility by providing heinousRead MorePersuasive Essay : Capital Punishment1200 Words   |  5 Pages2015 Capital Punishment Capital punishment, which is also known as the death penalty, is the punishment of a crime by execution. This extreme retribution is reserved for those who have committed heinous, or capital crimes against society, therefore considered an ongoing threat. Capital punishment was abolished from the Canadian Criminal Code in 1976. It was substituted with a compulsory life sentence without possibility of parole for 25 years for all first-degree murders. However capital punishmentRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is A Capital Punishment1271 Words   |  6 Pages What is the death penalty? The death penalty is a capital punishment that is punishable by death or execution. This is usually given to people that have committed serious offences or capital crimes. There are 31 states in the United States that are for the death penalty. Crimes that are punishable by the death penalty, vary from state to state. Examples of such crimes are; first degree murder or premeditated murder, murder with special circumstances, such as: intended, multiple, and murder whichRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1106 Words   |  5 Pages Jesse Jackson once said, â€Å"Capital punishment turns the state into a murderer.† Capital punishment has been around for several hundred years, the first documented execution in America taking place in 1608, but more recently this form of punishment has been raising questions on its morality. While the form of execution has changed over the years, from firing squad to lethal injection, all forms succeed in their purpose: to kill. Support for capital punishment is still very strong in America, the reasonsRead More Capital Punishment Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesCapital Punishment Works Cited Not Included Capital Punishment was basically thought of for the good of society. The objective of Capital Punishment is to stop people from committing violent and offensive acts. Capital Punishment or the death penalty has failed however, to prevent or discourage crime. Moreover, it is cruel and gruesome. At present there are five methods of execution. The most commonly used form of execution is by lethal injection. In this method the convict is first injectedRead MoreA Look on the Impact of Capital Punishment in Canada1240 Words   |  5 PagesCapital punishment was the most severe punishment within the Canadian Justice system before it was abolished in the 1970’s. It is still used in many other countries around the world such as the United States, China and India, as it is believed to lower the crime rate within their country. Capital punishment was basically a form of torturing the suspect, but to their death as a consequence of their heinous crime. Many believe that capital punishment should be reinstated into Canada, while others are

We Are Young Free Essays

What percentage of new Jobs requires postsecondary education? Nearly two-thirds of Jobs require postsecondary education. 7. Are communication skills acquired by nature or by nurture? Explain. We will write a custom essay sample on We Are Young or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nurture. No one is born with perfect communication skills It’s something that can be perfected with effort such as effective listening skills, and the process of bettering these skills Is ongoing and can only Improve. 8. List seven trends In the workplace that affect business communicators. Be prepared to discuss how they might affect you in your true career. Flattened management hierarchy, more participatory management, increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, Innovative communication technologies, new work environments and Focus on Information and knowledge as corporate assets.. 9. Give a brief definition of the following words: A. Encode- put message into coded form B. Channel- directs towards a particular end or object C. Decode- to convert from code or plain text 10. List 11 techniques for improving your listening skills. Be prepared to discuss each. Stop talking, Control your surroundings, Establish a receptive mind-set, Keep an open mind, Listen for mall points, Capitalize on lag time, Listen between the lines, Judge Ideas. Not appearances. Hold your fire, Take selective notes, Provide feedback. 1 1 . When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, which are receivers more likely to believe? Give an Original example. Well it depends on the message being relayed. If so-in-so said something like â€Å"l found a thousand dollars on the ground† and you look at his friend who rolls his eyes and shakes his head meaning that he’s lien or exaggerating I’m more like to believe that person. But this could also work both ways. I think It depends on what’s being said. 12. Would your culture be classified as high- or low-context? Why? Low because Americans rely on facts, data and logic. We also value independence, Imitative and self-assertion. 13. What is ethnocentrism, and how can it be reduced? The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture is known as ethnocentrism. This natural attitude is found in all cultures. Ethnocentrism causes us to Judge others by our own values. In these cultures, however, personal relationships must be established and nurtured before earnest talks may proceed. 14. List seven or more suggestions for enhancing comprehension when you are talking with nonnative Speakers of English. Be prepared to discuss each. Use simple English, Speak slowly and enunciate clearly, Encourage accurate feedback, Check frequently for comprehension, Observe eye messages, Accept blame, Listen without interrupting. 15. List five suggestions for Improving communication among diverse workplace audiences. Be prepared To discuss each. Understand the value I similarity. How to cite We Are Young, Papers

Romeo And Juliet With Much Ado About Nothing Essays -

Romeo And Juliet With Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeare has written many different categories of plays: comedies, tragedies, romances, and histories. Comparisons are abundant between many of Shakespeare's works. Numerous comparisons can be made in characters, plot, and speech between Romeo and Juliet, which is a tragedy, and Much Ado About Nothing, which is a comedy. First, corresponding characters in both plays include villains, lovers, and friends in addition to characters who provide comic relief. These works have a similar villain. Tybalt of Romeo and Juliet is similar to Don John in Much Ado About Nothing in that both characters do not approve of the lover?s relationships and wish to break them up. Furthermore, Romeo and Juliet are similar to Claudio and Hero, who are the leading couples in each play. The comic relief in each play is the watch in Much Ado About Nothing and the servants in Romeo and Juliet. Also, Mercutio and Bene*censored* are both scornful of love. However, Bene*censored* does finally fall in love with Beatrice. Additionally, each male young lover has his group of friends in each play. However, in Much Ado About Nothing, Hero also has her group of acquaintances; Juliet does not. Also, several similarities in plot exist between Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing. In each of these plays, a romance between young lovers includes a false death of the female character, which the male character believes to be real. In Romeo and Juliet, there is a fatal ending; in which both of the lovers kill themselves because they would rather die than go on living without each other. However, in Much Ado About Nothing, the false death is discovered before there are any real deaths. Both couples do end up together, although one is in life and the other in death. In addition, similarities in speech occur in these works. Of course, the same Shakespearean language is in each work. Both of these plays have apparent oxymorons about love. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo says of his crush at the time, "O brawling love, O loving hate" (Shakespeare, 1.1.181). And in Much Ado About Nothing, Beatrice asks Bene*censored*, "But for which of my good parts did you first suffer love for me?" (Shakespeare 5.2. 63-64). Suffer love is an apparent oxymoron because it consists of two dissimilar terms. Also, the much overused rhetorical poetry is present in both of the plays. Additionally, the rules of Shakespearean addressing are used in both. In conclusion, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing can be compared in characters, plot, and speech. These comparisons are made between two different categories of plays; comedy and tragedy. Bibliography Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. Penguin Books, New York. 1993 Harrison, G.B. Shakespeare's Tragedies. Oxford University Press, New York, 1969 Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. Penguin Books, New York, 1987 Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Penguin Books, New York, 1993

The Song with no Motive and the Songwriter without a Clue

The Song with no Motive and the Songwriter without a Clue Analyzing songs must be one of the least gratifying tasks, since it is always hard to figure out not only what idea the author tried to get across, but also whether the author’s idea is more important than the interpretation of the audience.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Song with no Motive and the Songwriter without a Clue specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are different schools of thought that provide various answers to the given question. Some say that the author’s intent is the only valid interpretation; others claim that, once the work is released, it is open to criticism and can be viewed through the prism of other people’s vision. Hence the ambiguity concerning the â€Å"Omie Wise† comes. Although the issue raised by Anna Domino is not that big, it still offers an interesting introspective into the author’s universe. The very fact that the author chose writing a let ter as the means to convey her message to the audience makes the story told in the song of the same name look unbelievably real and, therefore, very touching. The author, therefore, raises a very peculiar question, asking her audience whether the leading character of a song should be viewed as a unique personality or a generic image[1]. While the latter is easier to relate to, since it allows literally any listener to find a number of points of contact with the image in question, creating a unique character that has individual character traits and, therefore, can be seen as a compelling personality is doubtlessly a much more interesting and definitely more challenging task. Although a generic character guarantees an instant success of a song, being very relatable, a unique character will help the audience evolve by posing a number of ethical questions and life choices to its audience. Offering a fresh look at the old character, the author of the article stresses the significance of a character that the audience can empathize with. Another bit of information from The Rose and the Briar that was meant to leave an impression, the story behind â€Å"Pretty Polly† narrated by Rennie Sparks also deserves being mentioned as the issue that gives a lot of food for thoughts. As the author claims, the song does not have any motive whatsoever, which begs the question whether a song can exist outside the basic rules of songwriting, such as the need for a clear motive. On the one hand, the given idea seems completely absurd – being one of the key elements of any song by definition, a motive sets the mood for the song, creates the atmosphere and invites the audience into its realm, not to mention the fact that a motive makes it possible for a band or a musician to play the song. â€Å"Pretty Polly,† however, proves the given rule wrong, as Sparks insists, telling about a song â€Å"cut from its original epic length to form a lean, mysterious and brutal folk song†[2].Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Described as a song without a motive by the author, it strangely creates an intriguing story canvas, dragging the audience into it and creating images in ones’ head; which is even more interesting, these images transform into pieces of a puzzle that fall into their places as the song unwinds. The given admittedly unique phenomenon begs the question whether motive is that important for a song. Although traditionally, a motive is supposed to be the glue that holds a song together, in the world of modern music, other elements of a song can perform the given function. For instance, the author of a song can supposedly rely solely on music, leaving the story behind. Thus, the concept of popular music is stretched to reach out to the classical music, in which motive is as complicated as a novel plot. Bibliography Domi no, Anna. â€Å"Naomi Wise, 1807.† In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus, 69–80, New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010. Sparks, Rennie. â€Å"Pretty Polly.† In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus, 35–50, New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010. Footnotes .Anna Domino, â€Å"Naomi Wise, 1807,† In The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010), 70. . Rennie Sparks, â€Å"Pretty Polly,† in The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad, ed. Sean Wilentz and Greil Marcus (New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 2010): 35.

Little Picture Questions in ACT Reading Find the Detail

Little Picture Questions in ACT Reading Find the Detail SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Little picture questions account for a huge amount of the questions on ACT Reading. Of the 4 publicly available ACTs I surveyed, between 25% and 50% of ALL Reading questions were little picture questions. So what does this mean for you and your ACT test prep? It means that it is well worth your time to make sure you can consistently answer little picture questions accurately and in a reasonable amount of time (what "reasonable" is will depend on the score you're aiming for). In this article, I’ll provide examples of the different ways ACT Reading will ask you to use little picture skills and explain the strategies you can use to help with these questions. I'll end with a walkthrough of a sample question as well as practice questions for you try out on your own. First, however, I’ll explain what exactly I mean by â€Å"little picture† questions tiny books by kelly taylor, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. What Are Little Picture Questions? Little picture questions are questions that ask you to find specific details from a passage. It's not like when my class was reading Great Gatsby in school, and I cared approximately ZERO about the different colors of Daisy’s dress and the green light and all that stuff that we had quizzes on â€Å"to make sure we did the reading.† The ACT asks you about details that are vital to understanding the passage (even though you don’t necessarily have to read the whole passage to find these details). For example, you might be asked what the milky blue that appears around the edges of older dogs’ eyes signifies (cataracts), but you will not be asked what color it is, all on its own. Out of the list of skills ACT lists you as needing to have (more on this here), little picture questions require you to... locate details within a passage and interpret them (although for little picture questions, the only interpretation you have to do is some paraphrasing) interpret sequence of events and flow of ideas (although again, for little picture questions, it's mostly just sequence of events, rather than flow of ideas) make comparisons understand cause-effect relationships Because little picture questions use so many of the skills the ACT sets out to test with its Reading section, if you can master little picture questions, you’re well on your way to mastering many of the other question types as well. I’ve divided up little picture questions into two levels. Level one questions only involve going back to the passage in order to identify the correct detail/fact. Level two questions, on the other hand, require you to gather multiple details/facts and then take that information a step further. Level One: Detail Hunting Questions on this level are the most basic the ACT gets: you basically have to go search out the information that answers the question. These questions can be further subdivided into two categories. 1. Find The Information In A Specific Place For these questions, you're given a line number and asked to find the detail to answer the question. Depending on how complicated the passage is, some vocabulary knowledge may prove necessary (more about vocab-in-context here); if there is a word you don't know, however, context clues can often be helpful. Here are a few of examples of the ways these sorts of questions might be phrased (all taken from official ACT practice tests): "Lines 42-44 indicate that another composer took over Mozart’s work in order to:" "Information in the second paragraph (lines 37-42) establishes that a change of one semitone translates into a frequency difference of..." "Information in lines 33-42 reveals that the public’s response to the conductor’s errors in the performance was to..." "The author indicates that the common factor in the events and periods listed in lines 50-54 is that they" "By his statement in lines 41-45, the author most nearly means that during the Classic period:" 2. Find The Information In An Unspecified Place For these level one questions, the information needed to answer them is somewhere in the passage. Sometimes the location is narrowed down to a few paragraphs or general areas like â€Å"the end of the passage,† but on occasion even that information is not given. Because these questions require you to do more searching than questions for which you are given specific location information, "Find the information in an unspecified place" questions are often relatively simple. You may need to do a little paraphrasing from text to answer choices, or you may be looking for the exact same words in the text. How can you be sure that questions asking you about information in a non-specific place are little picture questions, not inference or big picture questions? Because of the way the questions are phrased. Inference or big picture questions will have the phrases "It can be inferred from the passage" or "The passage suggests," whereas little picture questions will be more direct. See below for some examples of how little picture questions have been phrased on past ACT Reading sections. "According to the narrator, which of the following organizations is relatively new to her hometown?" "According to the passage, one of the woman’s worries about her present situation is that she..." "According to the passage, news reports attribute the flugelhorn player’s knees buckling to..." "The passage states that Leonard Bernstein believed the relationship between an orchestra and their section leaders should be:" "Which of the following statements about the galant style is best supported by the passage?" Rather than "It can be inferred from the passage," little picture detail questions will include phrases like "According to the passage" or "The passage states." You're not being asked to make assumptions based on the text - you're being asked to look for answers that are directly in the text. Level One Strategies I almost always do these level one little picture questions first when I start working on a passage. For me, hunting for the details gets me acquainted with the passage without having to read (and are easy points!). How you go about it, however, will depend on your reading strategy and, above all, on what works best for YOU. 1. Start by figuring out what the key information the ACT is looking for in the question. Take the following sample question. â€Å"The passage indicates that at the time Frank and Sigwarth presented new evidence supporting the small-comet theory, Frank most nearly felt...† The key information in this question: the names Sigwarth, Frank; â€Å"new evidence† or synonyms of that phrase; the phrase â€Å"small comet theory.† 2. Next, figure out where in the passage that information is (if you aren’t told outright) and read the relevant section slowly. You can try to quickly answer the question in your own words as well, even though the answer choices are sometimes taken word-for-word from the text. Putting the answers in your own words helps prevent you from falling into â€Å"I recognized the general phrasing so I’ll just choose it† trap (when in fact the ACT has sneakily reversed the meaning on you). 3a. If you tend to read the passage thoroughly first, I would recommend answering big picture questions before moving on to little picture questions. That way, you can answer questions about the whole passage before getting lost in the details. 3b. If you read the questions first, and don't think it will disorient you and make it harder for you to answer other types of questions, absolutely start with these questions and knock ‘em out of the way. World's best batsman and his mommy by joiseyshowaa, used under CC BY-SA/Cropped from original. Knock those questions out of the way like you are a small child playing cricket, and those questions are the ball. Look, it's...it's not a PERFECT analogy. Let's go back to the previous sample question for a moment. â€Å"The passage indicates that at the time Frank and Sigwarth presented new evidence supporting the small-comet theory, Frank most nearly felt...† To answer this question, you can scan the article for the words â€Å"Sigwarth† and â€Å"new comet theory† (either mentally or with your finger on the paper as you read, whichever is more effective for you). There's no need to read the entire article first. 3c. If you skim the passage, then answer questions, it could go either way. Skimming a passage can help you form a mental map of where certain details are more likely to show up, making it easier to answer detail questions; on the other hand, it can also give you enough info to get the big picture questions out of the way (just as if you'd read the passage all the way through). You'll need to experiment to figure out which way works best for you. Level Two: Using knowledge of multiple details, answer the question These questions will ask you to find multiple details across a passage or within a specified series of lines, then compare these details in one of two ways. 1. â€Å"EXCEPT† and â€Å"NOT† questions These types of little picture questions ask you to find the thing that is NOT true/NOT specifically described in the passage. They will typically appear at least once a test. Some examples (modified from ACTual ACT questions): "According to the passage, Aaron Copland believed that â€Å"American music† should include all of the following EXCEPT" "The author cites all of the following as causes of the unified musical style during the Classic period EXCEPT" "Which of the following is NOT listed in the passage as an element of the Classic period?" 2. Ordering or List questions These (relatively rare) questions ask you to choose the answer choice that lists a series of details in a particular order, or that match a particular criteria. The skill set you need to answer these types of questions is similar to that needed for "EXCEPT" and "NOT" questions; the main difference is that ordering and list questions are actually a little easier, because their answer choices tend to be more lengthy, and you only need to know that part of an answer choice is incorrect to be able to eliminate the whole thing. Here are a few examples of how ordering or list questions might be worded (all questions modified from real ACT questions): "According to the passage, which of the following cities is the last one Armstrong is said to have lived in?" "Which of the following most fully lists solutions considered by the author to the problem that the list of beloved women conductors is not nearly as long as the list of beloved men conductors?" "According to the frequency data presented in the passage, the audible ranges, from largest to smallest, of the following instruments is..." Level Two Strategies 1. Just like the strategies for answering level one little picture questions, the strategies for answering level two little picture questions involve finding the key words in the question, finding where the information is in the text, and reading the question carefully. 2. The process of elimination is also hugely helpful with these questions – if the text directly contradicts an answer choice, you can cross it out with no worries. 3. In general, I find it helpful to answer level two questions after you’ve already answered level one little picture questions or big picture/inference questions. Why? Because sometimes you end up covering the same ground as earlier questions with these level two questions. Here's an example of this: The sentence below is excerpted from an official ACT practice test and includes line 76-beginning of line 80. "Consider, for instance, the food crises that engulfed Europe during the Little Ice Age – the great hunger of 1315 to 1319, the food dearths of 1741, and 1816, â€Å"the year without a summer† – to mention only a few." The first question is level one (you’re given lines and asked to paraphrase), while the second is level two (an "EXCEPT" question). If you’ve already answered the first question, you’ve been focusing on the part of the passage that will help you with the information you need to answer the second question, which will then make that question easier to answer. Of course, these sorts of companion questions are not always right next to each other/in order, so don’t assume that answering questions in order will help. If you don’t remember exactly where you read the relevant information, however, you can always refer back to the first question, which may (as it does in this case) give a specific line number. 4a. If you read the passage thoroughly first, you might find it easier to start with these level TWO detail questions. Your memory will be fresh, so it will be easier to confirm that the â€Å"except† or â€Å"not† answer did not appear in the passage, or in what order events occurred. Once you've got those out of the way, you can move on to level one detail questions. 4b. If you read the questions first, then look at the passage, I’d suggest doing level ONE little picture questions first. As I said above, this can give you a better picture (har har) of the way the passage is laid out. Once you have a mental map of the passage's structure, you'll have a better idea of where to look for the details mentioned in the answer choices (whether you need to put them in order of occurrence or figure out which answer choice is NOT present in the text). 4c. If you skim first, then answer questions, it can go either way. The mental map you create as you skim the passage might help with confirming some details to be true/knowing where to look for the details...but it also might get you bogged down in detail too quickly and make it harder to answer big picture questions. 5. Ultimately, you need to do some trial and error on your own to figure out which way of reading the passage is most effective for you, and which questions you should answer first. This includes completing full ACT Reading sections as well as full length practice ACTs. The strategy you get the most points with is the one to go with. Little Picture Questions: A Walkthrough To finish, I wanted to do a brief walkthrough of my thought process (in italics) for answering a question from an official ACT practice test. Question: In the last paragraph, a comparison is made between â€Å"diminished excellence† and â€Å"flawed competence.† From the narrator’s point of view, the conditions are different because the one is: a source of sorrow while the other is a source of pride. based in the family while the other is based in the self. inherent in the environment while the other is inherent in the individual. a sign that the individual can improve the world while the other is a sign that the individual can’t. Key words in this question: â€Å"diminished excellence† and â€Å"flawed competence.† And â€Å"difference† (since I need to figure out how they’re different). I’ll search for those in the last paragraph of the passage. Okay, time to go to the last paragraph. "The whole time I work I wait to see where the screw-up is going to come. I imagine what my colleagues will be saying about me in the hallways. Did you know that Bryant built his shelves so they tilt? Did you know that Bryant’s books rejected the color he painted his shelves? But the screw-up doesn’t appear. I paint the shelves red, and they look O.K. (Granddaddy Bryant once painted yellow a whole row of company houses he built.) I paint a chair blue and red, and it’s a little silly-looking, but it picks up the blue of the carpet and the red of the shelves. The vision isn’t nearly as impressive as I thought it would be, but then what vision ever is? We plan-makers are accustomed to things turning out not-quite-as-good-as-we-had- in-mind. Our world view includes the â€Å"diminished excellence† component. Diminished excellence is a condition of the world and therefore never an occasion for sorrow, whereas flawed competence comes out of character and therefore is frequently the reason for the bowed head, the furrowed brow. Three months later, when I try to turn the heat off in my office, I discover that I have placed one of the shelf uprights too close to the radiator to be able to work the valve. The screw-up was there all along, but in this case I am relieved to find it. I am my grandfather’s grandson after all." So I see the phrase â€Å"diminished excellence† twice and â€Å"flawed competence† once nearby†¦I’ll read that section closely. "Our world view includes the â€Å"diminished excellence† component. Diminished excellence is a condition of the world and therefore never an occasion for sorrow, whereas flawed competence comes out of character and therefore is frequently the reason for the bowed head, the furrowed brow." How are they different? Well, for starters, â€Å"diminished excellence† is external (a condition of the world) and so you shouldn’t be sad, while â€Å"flawed competence† is something different (uses the word â€Å"whereas† to indicate a contrast) that makes you sad (bowed head, furrowed brow). What are the answers again? a source of sorrow while the other is a source of pride. One is a source of sadness, but there’s a difference between â€Å"never an occasion for sorrow† and pride, so probably not based in the family while the other is based in the self. Says nothing about family – it’s either based in â€Å"world† or â€Å"character,† neither of which is â€Å"family† in this context. So eliminate. inherent in the environment while the other is inherent in the individual. That sounds like it could be right – based in the world = inherent in environment, contrast to that = based in character = inherent in the individual a sign that the individual can improve the world while the other is a sign that the individual can’t. There’s stuff about the world but nothing about improving it, so no. Best answer is H. Review: It certainly helped that I knew the definition of inherent, but it was not critical; even if I couldn’t positively identify H as correct, I would have been able to show that F, G, and J were incorrect, which would have left me with H in any case. And now†¦it's your turn! Little Picture Practice Questions Just in case you hadn’t gotten enough of little picture questions, I’ve compiled a couple of different passages with some questions to answer. The answer key is up here, so you can scroll back up after you’ve finished the questions to check your answers. 1. J 2. C 3. J 4. H 5. D 1. Which of the following questions is NOT answered by the information in the passage? F. Has the narrator ever walked around inside Eugene’s house? G. What hobby or interest do Eugene and the narrator share? H. What makes Eugene’s house different from other houses on the block? J. What careers other than teaching has the narrator considered pursuing? 2. The narrator draws which of the following comparisons between the old couple and Eugene’s parents? A. The old couple were more socially outgoing and had many more friends than Eugene’s parents. B. Eugene’s parents are just as interested in tending the lawn and flowers as the old couple were. C. Eugene’s parents are less nurturing of each other and spend less time together than the old couple did. D. Just like the old man and old woman, both of Eugene’s parents appear to have jobs outside the home 3. According to the narrator, which of the following statements was true about Eugene at the moment when she first talked to him? F. Due to the size of the school, he had not even noticed the narrator until she started talking to him. G. He had searched unsuccessfully for the narrator’s locker several different times and had been too shy to ask someone where it was. H. He had first noticed the narrator in study hall but had been uninterested in her until she introduced herself. J. He had apparently taken notice of the narrator at school and had come to like her but felt nervous about introducing himself. 4. The narrator most nearly portrays her parents’ dreams as: F. close to being realized because of her father’s good job. G. somewhat uncommon among the other residents of the family’s building. H. ones she has heard about many times but that seem far off and remote to her. J. ones she shares with her parents and longs to fulfill. 5. The narrator claims that she felt close to the old couple because she had: A. listened in on so many of their conversations over the years. B. helped take care of the old woman’s flowers after the woman’s husband had died. C. been able to watch them as they moved through their entire house. D. regularly observed them during their mealtimes. What’s Next? Want more ACT Reading skills articles like this one? Start with our vocab-in-context article - more will follow over the next few weeks. Not sure what the best way to approach ACT Reading passages is? Read our article and figure out which one is right for you. Where can you find official ACT practice tests to hone your newly-acquired knowledge on? We can help you – go to our complete list of official ACT tests. Thinking you need more structured help to master little picture questions? Maybe a test prep platform customized to you is the answer for you. Try PrepScholar risk-free for five days! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: