RadioShack Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

RadioShack Corporation - Case Study Example With stiff competition in the market and emergence of newer technologies, margins of the company are under pressure as of now, but the company has not yet given up. Its product line include wireless telephones and communication devices such as scanners and two-way radios; flat panel televisions, residential telephones, DVD players, computers and direct-to-home ('DTH') satellite systems; home entertainment, wireless, imaging and computer accessories; general and special purpose batteries; wire, cable and connectivity products; and digital cameras, radio-controlled cars and other toys, satellite radios and memory players. RadioShack also provides third-party services such as wireless telephone and DTH satellite activation, satellite radio service, prepaid wireless airtime and extended service plans to its customers (Datamonitor, 2007, 5). RadioShack started off in 1921 with a one-store retail and mail order operation in the heart of the downtown Boston when two brothers, Theodore and Milton Deutschmann pooled their efforts. The name "RadioShack," was arrived at after considering the most useful radio technology at that time i.e. the shipping radio signals2. RadioShack signifies the small, wooden structure which housed a ship's radio equipment. Therefore, it was thought that the name would be appropriate for a store that would supply the needs of radio officers aboard ships, as well as "ham" radio operators. Gradually, the store started becoming quite a useful one in the Northeast, and became a leading electronics mail-order distributor to hobbyists. And it continued to fulfill the needs of the amateur radio operators and other radio enthusiasts for couple of decades. The company also issued its first catalog in early 1940s, considered a luxury till that time. It opened its first audio comparator showroom for customer s to view audio equipment in 1947. Same year, the company started visualizing the opportunity in the hi-fi equipment market and entered the high-fidelity market with the nations' first audio store in 1947. This store provided comparisons of speakers, amplifiers, turntables and phonograph cartridges. In the mid-1950s, RadioShack began selling its own private-label product line with the Realistic brand name, a variation of Realist, which had been used earlier3. The store chain kept growing in strength and by the early 1960s it had nine retails stores and a mail-order business under its name. Soon, it was a leading distributor of electronic parts and products to do-it-yourselfers around the world. Sooner thereafter, the company started feeling the pinch when the company's some of the poor operating practices took its toll and it fell on hard times. The company was later purchased by Charles Tandy, a successful entrepreneur in leather business, in 1963 for the equivalent of $300,000 cas h. And the dwindling fortunes of the company started looking up once again when Charles Tandy turned out a plan of action for the newly acquired business. Tandy opened RadioShack stores in Australia, Belgium, France, Germany and Holland in 1969. RadioShack sold its first electronic calculator in the year 1972. Subsequently in early 1970s, Tandy Corporation started wrapping up its leather business to concentrate on radio equipment only. By 1975 it became exclusively an electronics company after it spun off all other operations into Tandycrafts and Tandy Brands4. In 1986,

Britain of evacuation in World War Two Essay Example for Free

Britain of evacuation in World War Two Essay During the course of World War Two, many people were evacuated, not just children. There were many differing reactions to evacuation. The reaction would depend on the experience you had. Reactions would also change over time during the war and even after the war had finished. One set of people affected by Evacuation was the Children. Many children did not know where they were going and therefore experienced feelings of fear and anger. The children disliked being separated from their parents but put on brave faces so not worry their families. When the children arrived at their destination, they were taken to school halls of town meeting places where the were chosen by their foster families, which they disliked because often they were split from their sisters and brothers. If they had negative attitudes, they very often did not settle quickly like those who had positive attitudes and would see their stay as a holiday. If an evacuee had a positive experience, they would have pleasant memories of being treated as one of the family. Evacuation was described as no better than a paedophiles charter as it would have been easier to abuse children away from home. However, in a study of 450 ex-evacuees, only 12% of them had bad experiences. Michael Caine remembers being evacuated with his brother Clarence. He said My brother used to went the bed when he was nervous. My foster mother could not figure out who it was so she beat both of us, and Clarence became more nervous and wet the bed more. However, not all experiences were bad. On ex-evacuees remembers being given clothes when he was evacuated. A childs reaction to evacuation would depend on their experiences while in care. Another set of people who were affected by evacuation was the childrens parents. Most parents were reluctant to send their children away but agreed because of propaganda. Not all parents sent their children away though. Some parents thought that their children were safe in their family home. However, most parents brought their children home due to the phoney war. But the children were evacuated again when the Blitz happened, although the scale of evacuation was not as large as the first wave in September 1939. Thanks to the Blitz, many parents changed their opinions on evacuation, now agreeing that it was probably best for their children.

Impact Of Internet Advertising On Television Advertising

Impact Of Internet Advertising On Television Advertising Various techniques and methods have been used by advertisers to convey the message their product is meant for and to create a brand image. This paper basically deals with the evolution of advertising, the typesof advertising and concentrating on the two most important types i.e. television and internet advertising. A comparison has been done of the two major types of advertising and the impact of internet advertising on television advertising is shown. EVOLUTION OF ADVERTISING: Earlier the capitalists ruled the market and early advertising was done by simple announcement of goods or services available in the traditional placard style. The government stepped in to counterweight the monopoly created by capitalism, but nature despises a vacuum and eventually the competing force came along. Once they realised that they were dependent on a single economy, the adversarial entities also got into the advertising game in order to attract business by this means rather than debasing the market, consumers and each other. The mass production of posters and circulars was initiated after the invention of Gutenbergs printing press in 1450. The first advertisment was a handbill, printed in Englishand introduced in 1472. The main purpose of this handbill was to propagate about the sale of a prayer book.This followed by the first newspaper ad, offering a prize money for finding 12 stolen horses, 200 years later.Classified ads started appearing frequently in Englands newsletter by the 17th century.These ads just consisted of the description of the product and their price whereas color and illustrations were introduced in the late 19th century. The commision system i.e. giving a discount of 25% on the ad space in newspapers, was introduced by the first advertising agency which was set up in 1841 by Volney Palmer in Boston. The concept of space selling initiated from here. The first full-service advertising agency was N.W.Ayer Son, established in 1869. Pears Soap launched one of the initial highly successful advertising campaigns. Thomas Barratt, Father of modern advertising, introduced a series of advertisements that featured children, nature and beautiful women, in order to promote the companys product. The influential inventions that have helped to shape media and in turn advertising are: Printing press: Broadcast of information done in the form of words through different newspapers and magazines. Radio: With the invention of radio, for the first time, advertising was heard and not just seen. The sales of products advertised on radio increased since every home in America was in a possession of a radio. The advertisers started promoting their products with the advent of jingles. Television: The invention changed everything. Invented in 1920s, television became popular in 1950s after the decrease in price. With this invention print and radio had to take a backseat as for the first time a commercial message was broadcasted with sight, sound as well as motion. Internet: The invention of internet technology has made the jobs of the advertisers quite easier and more effective as it is a very powerful and fast growing communication medium that provides the consumer with easy and quick access to information and knowledge. WHAT IS ADVERTISING? Advertising can be explained as the promotion of ideas, goods or services which results in the promotion of companies. The demand of the product can be increased by promoting about the product through advertising. Some find advertising to be an unnecessary assault on their senses-typified by either a billboard distorting a beautiful landscape or a loud-mouthed boor hard selling something they dont need. Others find it an unnecessary economic burden-the one that inflates the price of everything that is being bought. But advertising actually tends to take many forms apart from the various definitions given to it. It includes communication that evidently attempts to facilitate a transaction, reaction or action. Social interactions do not necessarily have the variant of advertising in it but industrial democratic societies revolve around it. Word of mouth is not an appropriate way to sell mass produced products-they must be delivered to distant consumers who have knowledge about them. Similarly an industrialized democratic society cannot operate/survive without competition or the ability of varied competitors to offer alternatives. Mass production, then, is nothing but freedom of speech, long distance. Advertising can be seen as a promoting strategy for a companys products in order to drive sales and services but also to create a brand identity and to communicate changes to the new product/service to the customers. Advertising has become an integral part of the corporate world and hence companies invest a considerable amount of revenue on it as their advertising budget. The various reasons for advertising are: There are various reasons and media which can be used for advertising. On this basis there are several branches of advertising. Print Advertising Newspapers, Brochures ,Magazines, Fliers It is one of the most popular and common means of advertising. The advertising space is sold according to the position of the advertisement, the area occupied by the advertisement and the readership of the publications. Print media also offers promotional brochures and fliers for advertising purposes. Example: Outdoor Advertising Billboards, Tradeshows and Events, Kiosks. It also a very popular medium for advertising attracting the outdoor customers through the use of billboards, kiosks and various events and tradeshows organized by the company. Example: Broadcast advertising -Radio, Television and the Internet Television, radio and the internet make this medium of advertising very popular amongst the various types of customers. The popularity of television advertisements was seen to grow right after the moment they were introduced. The total cost depends on time of broadcast, the span of the advertisement and the popularity of the television channel on which it is to be broadcasted. Example: Vodafone Essar initiated the Zoozoo campaign and won three awards including two gold and one silver at the AME awards ceremony held in Shanghai. The radio has been decreasing in popularity ever since television and internet advertising have been introduced, but still certain small-scale advertisers prefer them. Covert Advertising Advertising in Movies This is a special type of advertising in which a brand or product is integrated in some entertainment channels like television shows, movies or sports. There is no commercial specifying about the product or brand in the entertainment but it is evidently or subtly showcased in the entertainment show. Examples of covert advertising are: The American Idol judges: Paula, Randy and Simon all sitting at their large desk and drinking out of a large cup that says Coca-Cola. BMW, Ford and Ashton Martin cars were featured in the recent James Bond movie Casino Royale. Surrogate Advertising Advertising Indirectly It is prominently used in scenarios where advertising a particular product has been banned by the law. Products like alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited any kind of advertisement in several countries due to the injurious effect of these products on the health of people. These products have to innovatively come up with many other products that might have the same brand name and which will indirectly remind people of the cigarettes or alcohol of the same brand. Example: Kingfisher and Fosters are beer brands that use surrogate advertising to advertise their products. Public Service Advertising Advertising for Social Causes It is a technique that uses advertising to convey and promote social messages and issues like global warming, AIDS, poverty, illiteracy, energy conservation, etc. David Oglivy, one of the founders of marketing and advertising concepts, encouraged the use of advertising for a social cause. He once quoted: Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes. Example: Celebrity Advertising: The modern day consumer is gradually getting immune to the claims made in various advertisements but there is still a section of advertisers that depend on the celebrities and the popularity that they bring along with them. Celebrity advertising involves signing up celebrities for various ad campaigns which includes television ads and print ads. Example: TELEVISION ADVERTISING HISTORY: Broadcasting developed with companies selling radios but gradually the companies realised that many households listened to radios for a significant amount of time everyday. These companies started a way to explore this medium as a way to convey their message across to the masses. Radio broadcasting began with radio program broadcast by station WEAF in the New York City on August 28, 1922. It was a 10 minute advertisement for the suburban apartment housing. By the late 20s radio advertising had advanced dramatically and was dominating the advertising world. The utilised the creative component to sell one product or another. This paved way for genesis of television advertising that was predicted to begin in a few more decades. It took United States a long time to recover from the Depression and the World War II which resulted in the gradual hold of the full time telecating until 1948. As television was totally a new phenomenon i.e. the one offering sound and moving pictures, the advertising sector moved very vigilantly into this domain as they were not sure what method would work best to promote their rpoducts on television to their customers. After doing extensive research through study and surveys, the advertising agencies concluded that the most effective way, at that moment, to reach their consumers was by creating shows that featured a single product or a line of products from a single company. This concept gave rise to television shows of the 1950s like Colgate Comedy Hour, Kraft Television Theater and Coke time. As the television gained popularity with more and more people watching it, the television networks raised the cost of doing business and this led to the increase of the cost incurred for telecasting a product on television forcing a massive change between the relationship of advertising agencies, the sponsors/clients and television networks. Sylvester Pat Weaver, NBC executive, introduced the magazine concept according to which the sponsors would purchase blocks of time in a show instead of sponsoring an entire show. This idea was resisted by Masison Avenue but after experimentation it was seen that this was an effective method in case of various packaged-goods companies manufacturing an abundance of brand names like Procter and Gamble with products like Jif (peanut butter), Tide (detergent) and Crest (toothpaste). The magazine concept dominated the television advertising by 1960 and from thereon. In order to reach maximum number of consumers, sponsors spread their messages across the schedule of various television shows. The evolution of the magazine concept marked the birth of most modern television advertising. CATEGORIES OF TELEVISION ADVERTISING: PROS AND CONS OF TELEVISION ADVERTISING: PROS: CONS: A lot of people can be reached on an international, national as well as regional level in a short period of time. Viewers may not view the commercial if it is not interesting. Different segments of people can be targeted with ease through one medium at the same time. The exposure is limited due to a specified amout of airtime and ad clutter and amount of information communicated is less. Helps to convey the message across with the help of sight, sound and motion and reach different targeted audiences easily. In order for the consumer to retain the advertisement and act, the exposure should not be restricted to a few numbers. The advertisement needs to reach the viewer minimum 5-7 times or else it will result in nothing but a waste of money. People are not loyal to one channel. Availability of various channels due to cable leads to various choices and so it becomes difficult for an advertiser to know the exact viewership for a particular program in order to reach maximum number of people. It is not necessary that a viewer may indulge in watching commercials during a break. Infact he may end up doing lot of other things like going to the bathroom, getting a snack or having a conversation with someone The relative cost of commercials is higher since it is dominant in the area of influence and the cost depends on creativity, airtime and production. INTERNET ADVERTISING: With the advancement and development in technology came the internet, which is considered to be the most efficient channel for communication. Internet was not considered as a serious option for advertising as the websites were expensive and was mainly funded by government and various academic institutions. But nowadays internet advertising has become one the most popular medium and the websites that did not support this did not survive. Internet advertising followed the commencement of the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web was introduced in 1991 by CERN located in Switzerland. It acted as an easily accessible medium for various companies to market their products. Online advertising experienced a rapid boom and by 2001, top companies like Yahoo!, Microsoft, American Online and Amazon managed to attain a viewership of around 125-442 million viewers. Originally advertisers had to pay to advertise on the internet, mostly in the manner of a banner at the top of a webpage.But nowadays they have to pay depending on the number of clicks their ad receives. The initial web ads were banners which were nothing but horizontal adverts located across the top of the webpage. But with the rapid evolution of the internet, the concept of banners also progressed. Now the information of the advertiser could be obtained just by scrolling the mouse over the banner. Some banners even contain short videos that show the product in action. The advertisers and webmasters found new ways of placing the ads on the internet apart from banners. The ads could now be included within the content of the page, vertical banners and small buttons. Vertical banners became very famous with the advertisers as the viewer can see the ad while scrolling down a long page. Earlier all these advertisements were encoded by the webmaster and then added to the webpage but nowadays there are third party organisations who do the job of putting the ads into the webpage. Internet advertising has become a necessity for all kinds of organizations, big or small, and it is a rare situation to not find a marketing department of a large firm that does not include an e-Advertising group. Although it is the most feasible way to advertise, still internet advertising accounts for just 2% of all the advertising spending in the economy today.This is mostly because of ths fact that internet advertisements are much cheaper than the television, radio or print advertisements. TYPES OF INTERNET ADVERTISING: BANNER ADS: Their main purpose is to do branding so that the consumer can recall it later and the other one is to ensure direct sales by either just clicking on the banner or calling the number given in the banner or just visiting the sales location mentioned. Example: UNICAST ADS: These type of ads pop-up and demonstrate something similar to a miniature television commercial. If the consumer is interested in the ad and wants to learn more about the product, then he can do so by clicking on the ad. Example: SIDEBAR ADS: These are the ads that are placed vertically on the computer screen and are generally known as skyscraper ads. They are larger than the banner ads and are more effective then them since they cannot be scrolled off the screen and so the time for which the viewer is on a particular page; he has to bear the sidebar ad. Example: BLOGGING: Blog is a type of website that used to maintain various comment entries, description of events or products and different materials like videos and graphics. Example: POP-UP ADS: These are ads that pop-up in another window and are more revenue generating then the banner ads. Example: SEARCH ENGINE SUBMISSION: This is done by submitting your site to different search engines and works better with smaller search engines. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION: This strategy works by getting your website ranked amongst the top websites which makes it a point that someone is likely to visit your website. TEXT LINKS: These are links which the viewer can click to visit another site. Owners of two websites can agree to swap links meaning that both of them install a link on the other owners site. FLOATING ADS: These ads pop-up on the screen and then drift anywhere within a timespan of 5-30 seconds. Example: IMPACT OF INTERNET ADVERTISING ON TELEVISION ADVERTISING: The advertising industry has been dominated by the television industry for all these years until recently with the advent of internet which resulted in a social boom as the social networks provided viewers with online movies and video. A huge amount of time is spent by the viewers on the internet then watching television. Internet helps to satisfy particular interests of people more completely which television fails to do. The internet provides the viewers with more and a better choice which gives them immediate satisfaction by helping them concentrate on the subject they are looking for at that moment. The monopoly of television over its viewers is no longer prevalent and is gradually decreasing. The use of DVRs has also led viewers to switch from television to internet as the DVR owners are now skipping all the television commercials. Television ads are found to be long, troublesome and easily avoidable whereas there are certain types of internet advertising which cannot be avoided and it must be watched since it is brief and interesting. The marketers are now accomodating as much as 20% of their advertising budget to internet advertising as internet advertising is more interesting and affects the brand image in a completely different manner as compared to television advertising. Also, different viewers can view different advertisements on the same webpage while browsing through the internet whereas this option is not available with television advertising. Advertisers have realised that internet works as a direct communication medium with their customers and that providing them with useful information about their products, helps them build a customer database for their future use. The major characteristics of internet advertising that distinguishes it from television advertising are: CONCLUSION: In order to reap the benefits of information technology, Internet works as a stepping-stone. The future of internet advertising is very bright and advertisers should refocus their ideologies about advertising in relation to the use of internet and the policy pertaining to privatizing the internet service. The popularity of the internet can be seen by the usage in different regions depicted in the graph below: As it has been shown above that internet is gradually taking over the advertising market and destroying the monopoly of television advertising, we can easily say that internet advertising can turn out to be the new leader of advertising and entertainment in future.

Nature Imagery in Tennysons In Memoriam and Arnolds To Marguerite--Continued and Dover Beach :: Comparison Compare Conatrast Essays

Nature Imagery in Tennyson's In Memoriam and Arnold's To Marguerite--Continued and Dover Beach Two poets who used an abundance of nature imagery in the Victorian period were Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Matthew Arnold. In Tennyson's In Memoriam, he utilizes many different aspects of nature as metaphors to describe his emotions after the death of a close friend. Arnold's poetry uses different types of water as metaphors in To Marguerite--Continued and Dover Beach. In the beginning of Tennyson's poem, he describes an old yew tree. The tree, to him, is dead and at this early point of his grief he cannot find any life in the nature surrounding him. The old yew "which grapsest at the stones/ That name the underlying dead,/ Thy fibers net the dreamless head,/ Thy roots are wrapped about the bones" (2.1-4). Therefore he sees the tree as an extension of the graves it grew on. The roots are entangled around the dead bones and are as dead as the skull of the person, unable to dream ever again. The world around the tree and grave will begin again to bloom, but Tennyson feels the tree will not change and keep its gloomy appearance throughout the year. He is "sick for thy stubborn hardihood" (2.14) and seems to wish to be like the tree. For if he were also dead, he would not have to feel the pain he is experiencing. He likens his poetry to nature also. He uses "words, like weeds..." (5.9) to envelope himself from the pain. His poem is "this poor flower of poesy" (8.18) but he writes it anyway since it once pleased his dead friend. "I go to plant it on his tomb./ That if it can it there may bloom,/ Or dying, there at least may die" (8.22-24). At this point he is considering the possibility of life continuing, at least through his poetry. Yet he does not seem to care about this possibility strongly. If there is no life within his poetry, then he feels its proper place is dead with his friend. Further into the poem, the immediate frenzy of grief has subsided, and he reflects upon his grief more calmly. "Calm is the morn without a sound,/ Calm as to suit a calmer grief, And only through the faded leaf/ The chestnut pattering to the ground" (11.1-4). His natural surroundings are quiet, which he feels are suited to this stage in his grief.

Environmental Issue Essay

Poor waste management is one of the major problems that have vast social-ecological and economic negative effects on a global scale. This has resulted from the fast growth of the urban centers which form the main source of wastes and its poor management by the respective authorities. Indeed, over 90% of the total major cities globally have problems related to waste management (Bureau of National Affairs, 2007). However, cities in the third world economies are affected more by the problem than those in developed countries. Urgent measures are therefore required to address the problems and therefore guarantee ecological sanctity and social integrity of the affected systems. Use of qualitative and quantitative data Addressing the problem of the wastes in the urban regions demands the collection of factual information to establish the correct methods and ways that can be used to address the problem. Taking into consideration that the problem has escalated over a long period of time, use of qualitative data would provide the relevant descriptive information for the waste and therefore aid in determining the best modes of addressing the problem (Toma, 2008). Wastes from the cities can be qualitatively categorized as solid and liquid wastes. The data can further be descriptive of the biodegradable wastes, plastic wastes, pharmaceutical wastes, and sharps. Quantitatively data on the other hand would be very essential in understanding various quantities of the qualitatively categorized wastes. Understanding the statistics provides the respective authorities with the relevant information that can assist them in determining the mode they would use in countering the same problem. Chemical treatment of liquid wastes is sustainable and more effective for smaller quantities of liquid wastes while use of aerobic lagoons is better for larger quantities. Besides, understanding the quantity of recyclable materials in solid wastes makes it easier to calculate the economic returns of the recycled products (Toma, 2008). Hypothesis: Scientific process forms the best system for providing the solution of waste management in the cities. With the problem of the waste being a major source of ecological and social problems globally, it demands a holistic approach that appreciates the complexity of the issue and therefore provide the best possible solution. It is worth noting that scientific method of addressing the problem is based on factual information that is qualitatively and quantitatively derived. Therefore, will be able to assess and address actual problem affecting the people and the ecological systems. All aspects of urban wastes are scientifically derived and science only would interpret them on the same tone to establish means of reducing their effects (Worldwatch Institute, 2009). Socially, addressing the problem using scientific methods aid in ensuring that As a result, it has the ability to link the cause and consequences of the negative effects of the wastes and provide a long term solution to them. Conclusion With the pollution problem threatening to get out of hand in the major cities, it has become important to address it in a sustainable mode. Scientific process will therefore be the best mode due to its thoroughness and intrinsic capacity to alleviate the problem. The demand for cleaner and healthier environment over the years has increased greatly globally. Therefore, taking into consideration that the urban centers are growing faster than any other period in history, scientific process seeks to address the waste problem holistically at all levels. Most of the international considerations like Basel convention of 1989 and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development of 1992 have called for scientific approaches to address the problem. The scientific process calls for effective consideration of the wastes from the point of production to disposal. Besides, it emphasizes on reduction of wastes at the source and application of the best systems that reduces its effects to the people and the natural systems (Worldwatch Institute, 2009). It demands for recycling of all the recyclable waste materials in the wastes a notion that goes a long way in improving the resources utility. Through use of the life cycle analysis/ end of pipe system, wastes are slowly turning into precious resources to be used in other areas like conditioning farms, irrigation, and making building bricks. Notably, the scientific process demands that cooperation be instituted at all levels of the waste management to harmonize the process and ensure long term sustainability. Finally, the scientific process sets effective standards that should be observed by waste producers and managements, and monitoring systems to ensure compliance. Reference list Bureau of National Affairs, (2007). International environment reporter: current report. Washington, D. C. : Bureau of National Affairs. Toma, V. (2008). Waste Management Research Trends. Basel: Nova Publishers. Worldwatch Institute, (2009). State of the World 2009: Into a Warming World. London: W W Norton & Co Inc.

Is A Space Station Finally the next logical Step essays

Is A Space Station Finally the next logical Step essays Is A Space Station Finally "the next logical Step"? If America plans to continue its space exploration program, the question that must be asked next is: "Where do we go from here?" America has made major strides in space exploration in this century. We have built enormous rockets that can carry three men and their supplies to the moon and back. We have mastered the physics that are involved in shooting a rocket out of our atmosphere and bringing the return capsule back again. The next step in the space exploration process should be to build an orbiting space station. A space station could be used to learn many things about spending large amounts of time in space. If man plans on further exploring the vastness of space, we must understand what the effect of space will be on our bodies. Once we understand this concept, then we can start engineering projects that can send humans far out into space. A space station in orbit around the earth will also teach us about what preparations will need to be made when we decide to set up a colony on the moon. The only way we can learn about these things is if we experiment with them in a space station. How could we know what to expect when we start colonizing the moon if we don't first simulate the experience in a controlled environment? The space station will also serve as a stopping point for future missions out into space. The station could be used like a pit stop in space where astronauts could refuel and make any necessary repairs before starting their journey into outer space. This will prove very useful since there is a limit to how much fuel can be carried on board a rocket leaving earth because of gravity. There would be no weight restrictions out in space and the amount of fuel needed for a long trip out into space will no longer be as much of a problem. NASA has been hoping to build a space station since the end of the Apollo program. Interestingly enough is ...

Free Older Official ACT Practice Tests

Free Older Official ACT Practice Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There’s one thing that every student studying for the ACT definitely needs: practice tests that are almost identical to what you will face on your test day. No matter how else you study, we've found that most students really benefit from practicing by taking the full ACT test severaltimes in as close to test-taking conditions as possible. This is the best way to get comfortable with the format, timing and pace, your own endurance, and ways to manage your stress. So how do you get your hands on enough ACT tests to put yourself in the hot seat for practice? In this article, I’ll link to all the official tests and question sets released by ACT, and give you suggestions on where to find others, so that you have more than enough practice materials to get ready for the ACT. Why Use Old Official ACT Tests to Study? The good news about the ACT is that althoughits design has undergone some changes in the past few years, older tests are still verysimilar to the one you'll be taking. This means that you should still definitely try your best to use official ACT tests to study instead of the ones written by other companies. What Has Changed on the ACT? Though the basic format of the ACT has stayed the same for the past few decades, ACT, Inc. has made some recent revisions. First, the ACT Reading section now sometimes includes aset of paired passages, with multiple choice questions that compare and contrast them. If you're worried about this new style of passage, we have some advice on how to approachthe paired passage section of ACT Reading, as well as some commiseration on what makes this part of the test hard. Second, the ACT Writing section now features an expanded promptandan increased focus on your ability to analyze differing points of view. There have also beensome adjustments to the way it's scored. For all the details, read our full breakdown of all changes on the new enhanced ACT Writing test. Why Are Official ACT Tests Still Your Best Option? Now, let me explain why official tests are better than those written by other companies. Official tests released by ACT are made up of questions from older tests that have been retired. This means that they’ve gone through the same writing and editing process as the questions you'll see on test day. In other words, they are the real thing. On the other hand, other companies might be good at mimicking ACT style, or they might not be. If you stick to official ACT tests, you will put yourself in the position of having to judge the authenticity of style, wording, or approach of third-party work. Ifound my true self inAuthenti City on our last vacation, just aftera fewshocking days in Electri City and a spy tour of Dupli City. Free Official Test Links Here is a list of all of the full official ACT tests that have been released in the past 14 years. They are in PDF format, and you should print them out totake the test on paper just like you will on test day. Wondering why the 14-year list has fewer than 14 tests? ACT, Inc. releases the same practice test several years in a row. I’ve included the form number of each test so you can always tell whether you’ve already seen this test or not. You can find form numbers in the bottom left-hand corner of each ACT test page. ACT Practice Test and Answers (2018-2019)- form number 74F Test: p-55. Answer key: p57-60. ACT Practice Test and Answers (2015-2016)- form number 72C Test: p-55. Answer key: p57-62. ACT Practice Test and Answers (2014-2015)- form number67C Test: p-51 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p56-62. ACT Practice Test and Answers (20-2012)- form number64E Test: p13-56 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p60-65. ACT Practice Test and Answers (2008-2009)- form number61C Test: p13-55 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p60-64. ACT Practice Test and Answers (2005-2006)- form number59F Test: p13-55 (ignore the essay). Answer key: p60-65. Free Practice Question Sets From ACT In addition to releasing a fullofficial test every two years, ACT, Inc. publishes practice question sets on its website. If you countthem, you'll see that these practice questions make up another completeACT. But I don't recommend usingthem for yourtest-day conditions practice sessions. For one thing, the actual test will be in hard copy and not online. Moreover, on the ACT site, the correct answers to the practice questions pop up immediately after you click your answer choice. Believe me, that will not happen on your actual test booklet. Instead, use the online practice questionsto work onskills and to boost your comfort level with the different ACT test sections. 75 ACT English questions 60 ACT Math questions 48 ACT Reading questions 40 ACT Science questions 1 ACT Writing prompt with 6 graded sample essays ACT Question of the Day(keep scrolling down the page until you see it) Other Potential Official ACT Sources Find ACTtestsfor free on the internet.There are plenty of official old ACT tests that have not actually been published by ACT available online. Most of these are photocopies of actual past tests, which means they aren't authorized to be distributed, and that the websites they are on are breaking some intellectual property and copyright rules. I don't think you'll be at much risk if you decide to use them, but I'd advise you not to announce this fact over your school's loudspeaker. To find them, run a search for â€Å"free old act tests† and look for less commercial sites. Since you have theform numbers for the authorized, you can see which tests you haven’t taken or seen before. Maybe save the heralds for announcing your awesome ACT score, not broadcasting your internet searches for unauthorized practice tests. Buy ACT test books. If you have the resources, there are two great sources for ACT tests that you can buy: The first is the bookThe Official Guide to the ACT, 2019-2020 edition. It features5 official ACT tests and costs about $17 usedon Amazon. You can also check whetheryour library has a copy- just make sure it doesn't have the answers written into it. The second is theACT Online Program. It has two practice tests and costs $25 from ACT. We would advise you to skip their prep material, which is neither customized to you nor organized for the most effective studying. What’s the Best Way to Use These Tests? Now that you've downloaded all the ACT practice tests I linked to above, how do you make sure you're using them in the best and most effective way? Here are some suggestions. Work inas close to test-day conditions as possible. It makes sense that the more practice you have with how the test will actually go on the day you take it for real, the more prepared you'll be: Print the tests out andwork on paper. Work in a quiet room, without music or other interruptions and distractions. Time yourself ruthlessly and stop working on a section if your time runs out. You need to know if you are having trouble with pacing, so you can figure out how to stop running out of time on the math, science, reading, or writing section. Take the whole thing in one sitting. It’sa marathon 4 hours, so you need to get used to it, with justthe breaks that the real test with allow Take the test this waymore than once. In my experience, the 3rd or 4th time you take it is when you become sofamiliar with the format that takingthe testbecomes second nature. Review your answers in order to learn from your mistakes. Once you identify problem areas, use other kinds of test prep to honeyour skills (check out our guide to figuring out which ACT prep method is best for you). The wrong place to take your practice test. What’s Next? Need to know whether to retake the ACT? We can help you decide. Wondering how to study for the ACT? Check out the complete study plan we developed to know when you should take the ACT tests and when to study. Read our extensive guide on what it takes to get a 36 on the ACT, written by a perfect scorer. Also, read our in-depth strategy approaches togetting a 36 on ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Science,ACT Reading, and the ACT Writing essay. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.