Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development Lev Vygotsky views collaboration with peers as an effective way of development. He suggests that more cooperative learning activities should be used in the classroom in which less capable students develop with assistance and support from more knowledgeable peers, within their zone of proximal development. In other words, according to Vygotsky, the task becomes â€Å"internalised through actual relations between† the students (Vygotsky, 1978:57) and successfully performed. In one of my English Literature lessons, I taught a group of Y11 second language learners how to answer and analyse a question using PEER (Point – Evidence –Explain – Reflect) technique. The students were revising exam-type questions and had to be ready for analysis. I started with a demonstration activity from the novel I am the King of the Castle. With some leading questions, I started analysing the point, involving the students in finding evidence, linkers, explanation, etc. As soon as the students were assigned with an individual task, the majority of them (7 out of 10) were able to perform with no challenges due to their prior knowledge and vocabulary. On the other hand, the ‘ripe’ students were not able to follow the critical task unaided. Therefore, they were paired with more able students to practise analysis, finding evidence, explaining and evaluating. The less able students were doing it correctly till the point when more criticality needed. With a little aid from a more competent peer, they developed conceptual learning. In future lessons, given a similar task, students will be able to perform with more confidence; and once it is internalised, scaffolding might be removed. I think as a conceptual tool for teachers the ZPD is very helpful in developing a curriculum which will challenge students’ learning and enable them to enquire; it also helps teachers in effective grouping of students where less able students can achieve with some guidance and support from more competent students. Finally, the ZPD might be helpful in assessing students’ abilities in order to decide their year group distribution. ===================================================================================== In this specific lesson, I managed scaffolding the group of Y11 second language students to write effectively. My main objective was how to write interesting, imaginative and thoughtful texts, using appropriate and effective vocabulary. (The lesson objectives were taken from the Writing Assessment Foci (AF1/AF7) of the National Curriculum.) Due to the different ability level of students, I demonstrated all the instructional options summarised by Wood, (1988). In the video clip, David Wood explained evidently the difference between contingent teaching and scaffolding, highlighting that scaffolding is â€Å"a functional analysis of the kinds of activities that a teacher might undertake to simplify the students’ learning; whereas contingency is about interaction, process, it’s how teachers go about of supporting a particular individual when they are setting out to learn.† Therefore, I involved all the five instructional options as aspects of scaffolding. I introduced the lesson objectives and outcomes of writing effectively, and assigned the students to write a one line description of a man who is smiling coldly. My verbal instruction was to look at their partner’s work and compare their responses, ensuring that the sentences matched the assessment foci. The more competent students performed very well because of their pre-existing knowledge of literary devices, sentence structure, effective vocabulary, and the ability to look at the context, whilst the less capable students used very simple and uncomplicated sentences. At this point, I provided some prompt by asking them to write a one line description of a man who is smiling coldly, using the word ARCTIC. This time, the students also worked individually and upon their task completion, I asked them to compare their responses with the model sentence on the board: â€Å"Mr. Fisher had a smile of arctic brightness.† While working as a class and comparing their sentences, t he students then had to consider how the description worked there, what literary devices were used to make the sentence more effective. Obviously, a few of the students with less competence could construct a sentence with the word ‘arctic’ because they did not know what it meant. I then provided a thesaurus support, asking them to first look up the word and then, using some other techniques of personification or imagery and careful sentence structure to construct a sentence, which meets the objectives of the lesson. The students still struggled with the use of a simile, metaphor, etc.; therefore, a group of more knowledgeable students was swapped to provide support to those less competent peers by sharing their examples, reinforcing the use of literary devices, using effective vocabulary and correct structure. With the additional support, the students came up with a variety of sentences. They were also provided with a checklist of expected skills they needed to accomplish the task. This was done as a class work, thoroughly read and explained. In Wood’s terminology, this was a stage where I demonst rated contingent teaching with the features of interactive instruction. I indicated the material and prepared them for the assembly. The rest of the lesson was spent in focus on exploring the necessary skills in writing; and the students were assigned with a final task of writing a character description using one of their carefully crafted sentences as a starting point. To sum up, I should put together Wood’s theory of scaffolding: General Verbal Prompt (GVP) was given throughout the lesson to give instruction and introduce the topic, etc. Special Verbal Instruction (SVI) was given as well when the students had to construct their own sentences and compare them either with their partners or with the model. Even though this work was done individually, the students still could do this unaided, due to their pre-existing knowledge. Indicating Material (IM) was the next step when I suggested the use of a dictionary, constantly reminded the students of the AFs, objectives of the lesson, and provided the assistance of more competent students to help to successfully accomplish the task. To prepare for the assembly of the final writing piece using literary devices, appropriate and effective vocabulary, and an effectively written text, the students were distributed a checklist and framework of expected skills explored during the lesson. A demonstration (DEM) of how to write imaginary and thoughtful sentences using an effective word choice was also used throughout the lesson by sharing model sentences with all the students to facilitate their work and understanding. Throughout the lesson, there was a varied level of teacher interaction supporting the students to ‘internalise’ the knowledge and complete the task successfully, at which point, the teacher should have not intervene. The following lesson aimed at peer marking and spotting mistakes and the discussion of the skills acquired during the previous lesson. ===================================================================================== Child-centred learning has been advocated by several educationalists and psychologists for many years. Its basic emphasis is children’s individual interests and needs in education, which may vary in terms of development rates and the nature of the teacher’s control. The term ‘child-centeredness’ is related to children’s individual needs and decisions about the curriculum and the teacher’s role in the classroom. However, since child development theories vary, child-centred learning also varies in a classroom. Pioneers in child development theory, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygostsky, observe considerable differences between cognitive and social constructivist theories assigned to each individual child and the social context of play in their development. They both support the idea of knowledge construction by individuals. However, Piaget believes that knowledge is a product of the individual and the environment. Vygostky, on the other hand, advocates the idea that knowledge is constructed due to social interaction and then internalised by guidance. Piaget and Vygostky differently promote the relationship between learning and development: Piaget believes that development follows learning, whilst Vygotsky shows that learning leads to development and plays a vital role in it. He states that â€Å"†¦the only ‘good learning’ is that which is in advance of development† (Vygotsky, Mind in Society and the ZPD, 2002:113). Both theorists emphasise, though, that peer interaction and cooperation promote children’s learning. Since Piaget’s and Vygostky’s child-centred approaches vary greatly, their implication in a classroom varies as well. Piaget’s approach relies on the liberty of children and appropriate environment for learning, where children learn by exploring things by themselves. Those with Vygotsky’s approach, provide a balance between teacher-directed and child-initiated classroom, where teachers provide assistance to ensure that the children are able to attain a higher l evel within their ZPD. Other theorists, John Dewey and Maria Montessori, have also played a significant role in child-centred learning theory development. Despite the similarities in their belief that some guidance is important for children to help them develop their intelligence, they both have different perspectives about the role of children’s freedom in education and the teacher’s role in the classroom. Dewey believes that democratic schooling is based on child-centeredness where learning means experiencing. Being a progressivist, he believes in the development of the ability in children to function well in the larger democratic society and attain personal fulfilment. Dewey emphasises that the construction of children’s freedom of intelligence via observation is more important than their freedom of will. Therefore, he summons up the teachers to act as a representative of the children’s interests as a whole. They should create self-control in children, which will assist the t eacher to understand the aim of education. Montessori, by contrast, sees teachers’ authority in the support they give to the children rather than in their â€Å"dignity†. She believes that orderly environment and appropriate materials will promote children’s development. Teachers, therefore, should prepare motives and inspire children to develop without any direct instruction. I think the combination of all four theories is beneficial for my understanding of child-centeredness in education and in conceptualised classroom situations. Piaget’s cognitive constructivist theory helps me understand when children have freedom to explore and construct knowledge, they make choice and experience. Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory can help me understand children’s ability to develop with adult guidance to attain their ZPD. Dewey’s understanding of children’s freedom of intelligence to promote learning will assist me how to nurture this with guidance for each individual’s constant growth. Finally, Montessori’s support of each child’s potential to have inner drive to learn, will help me remove all the obstacles that impede learning. ===================================================================================== Nowadays, Early Years Education (EYE) has a mixture of their foundation in the work of Montessori and her critics W. Kilpatrick and J. Dewey. A confident Early Year practitioner should be aware of the ways how children learn and develop; support them in solving problems and making decisions; and provide them with practice and roles to enhance learning. The Montessori method has been partially embraced by the International Community School in Amman, Jordan, where I am currently working. Some of the pedagogic principles, however, have not been accepted by the school administration due to their understanding of the method as â€Å"purely academic, mechanistic and rigid†. Below, I will demonstrate the aspects which are currently practised in the school, and which I, a Secondary Teacher, have observed as part of my EC in Lower Primary. One aspect of â€Å"good practice† in Foundation Stage of the school is that the teachers utilise activities in â€Å"sensory rich† environment. The students are guided and supported to learn to interact and thus develop independent learning. In this environment, the children choose their activities and learn by doing. Montessori believes that training senses is fundamental and that it will promote the basis for the development of imagination. According to her, intellect should be developed early, through stimulation of senses, as a basis for the development of imagination and social relationships (Montessori, 1964). The FS teachers do apply this aspect of learning because they find it fruitful: students become prepared for KS1 as â€Å"self-directed†, independent students, who are able to perform and master inter-connected and challenging tasks. On the other hand, W. Kilpatrick argues in his book The Montessori Method Examined (1914), that imagination and social relations should be developed before the intellect because the premature development of the intellect can stifle creativity. Kilpatrick believes in the opposite that providing children with â€Å"socially conditioned environment† will create a spontaneous unity of groups to work out their tasks. This suggests that children will develop their imagination and social relationship by â€Å"cooperating† with each other. The FS teachers apply this aspect of learning in their classroom as well, believing that only through their [teachers’] â€Å"consideration† and â€Å"suggestion† (p.20) can the students cooperate socially and learn effectively. Another aspect of â€Å"good practice† utilised by the FS teachers is the child’s liberty. Montessori believes that students’ free choice and freedom on the â€Å"educational playground† can be advantageous and can promote their free self-expression. This is practised in my school with caution, however. The teachers as well as Kilpatrick believe that too much liberty will not lead to â€Å"right conduct† (p.23). He emphasises that â€Å"†¦in the effort to suppress†¦ impulses, a certain amount of positive pain association (â€Å"punishment†) will prove necessary†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p.24). Thus, having acquired a positive self-expression with the guidance and support of the teacher, the child develops self-discipline and â€Å"proper conduct† (p.24). Finally, one more aspect of â€Å"good practice† applied in FS of my school is that the students exercise â€Å"practical life† in their classroom. Activities like cooking, cleaning, serving, setting tables, washing hands, constructing, etc. become so intrinsically meaningful that the students develop their potential to perform these tasks with interest and concentration. Utilising this approach, teachers create the Montessori model which is â€Å"the school should fit the needs of the students.† This means that the Montessori curriculum is based on the students spending a lot of time taking part in different sessions of uninterrupted activities, which last several hours. These activities contain a variety of independent and group-solving tasks related to different subjects: maths, science, music, geography, etc. Here, Kilpatrick agrees with Montessori that â€Å"schools should function more definitely as a social institution, adapting itself to its own environm ent, utilising more fully actual-life situation† (p.41). In contrast to a Montessori classroom, the FS classrooms are NOT mixed age, but are counterparts. This is why the teachers mix the children according their abilities when less-able students are supported by more capable students. To conclude, our students are a combination of the Montessori Method and a modern democratic school, where the child’s day is a mixture of activities, starting from unstructured approach – where the students play and learn independently and ending with highly structured approach – where the tasks are teacher-directed and there is little play. Other activities are focused learning, when students are guided by the teacher and play and learn via experiential activities; and finally, the activities are child-initiated, when students interact sensibly and sensitively in a supportive and enabling environment. All these approaches are used by Early Year Foundation Stages (EYFS) in international schools in Amman. ===================================================================================== Freire’s views explicitly recognise the relationship between education and knowledge. He emphasises that liberal education would build on the knowledge resources and agency of learners: â€Å"Liberation education consists in acts of cognition, not transferals of information† (Freire, 2002:366). In Jordanian education system, however, â€Å"the raison d’etre of liberation education† lies in its didactic approach of teaching – the ‘banking’ concept of education – where teachers are ‘depositors’ and students are ‘depositories’. The system heavily relies on memorisation techniques, which is done for the academic performance. Students are required to learn from seven to ten subjects within the period of two years. At the end of the two-year, they sit for the end-of-year external examinations. The students’ learning styles involve a lot of writing and memorising; the classes are teacher-centred and in â€Å"transferals of information†; the content is massive and should be covered in a two-year period; and time constraints are obstacles to interactive lessons. Within this short time framework, students and teachers work hard to cover the content of learning, which is overwhelming. They display their â€Å"absolute ignorance† towards the â€Å"oppressed† situation and fail to respond to the â€Å"essence of consciousness†. They also fail to recognise cognition and thus, do not â€Å"establish an authentic form of thought and action.† (p.366) Problem-posing education would liberate Jordanian state school students if they were taught facts of the reasons and means of humans’ existence; if teachers regarded dialogue as a precondition to cognition; if students were taught how to think critically; if they built their understanding on creativity, etc. I believe the Jordanian education system would be one of the best if they accepted individuals as â€Å"historical beings† to clearly acknowledge their present, past and their willingness to †wisely build the future† (p.367).

Emergence of Communicative Language Teaching

Discuss the three terms â€Å"Approach†, â€Å"Method† and â€Å"Technique† and describe one Approach which provides the basis for a Method and subsequently some Techniques under that particular Method. APPROACH Theories about the nature of language and language learning Theory of language Structural Functional Interactional METHOD Objectives Organization of Content Syllabus Design Roles 1. Learner2. Teacher3. Materials Types of Interaction Types of activitiesContent Based TECHNIQUEImplementation of the design Classroom Practice Activities behavior's In English language teaching process, there are terms that teachers need to know. They are approach, method, and technique. About four decades ago (1963) Edward M. Anthony gave us a definition that has admirably withstood the test of time. According to Edward M. Anthony an approach is a set of correlative assumptions dealing with the nature of the language and the nature of language teaching and learning. In other w ords the word ‘approach’ in ELT refers to different theories about the nature of language and how languages are learned.Let us move on to our second definition – of method. Method is an overall plan for systematic presentation of language based on selected approach. It consists of a number of techniques, arranged in an order. When we talk about techniques we mean specific activities which take place in a classroom. Using flash cards in the classroom is a technique. Techniques must be consistent with a method, and therefore in harmony with an approach too. According to Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, Approach refers to different theories about the nature of the language and how languages are learned.Method refers to a way of teaching a language based on systematic principles. It is an application of views on how language is taught and learned. Technique refers to what takes place in the classroom. The forthcoming analysis focuses on the behaviourist app roach, the audio lingual method and different drilling techniques. The Audio-Lingual Method The Audio-lingual method is a style of teaching used in teaching foreign languages. It is based on behaviorist theory. Behaviourist theory professes that certain traits of living things could be trained through a system of reinforcement.The Audio-lingual method was widely used in the United States and other countries in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The theory underlying Audio-lingual method is that ‘language is primarily speech’. If listening and speaking skills were developed, they would form the foundation for developing reading and writing skills. As learning a language is acquiring a certain set of habits, this method recommends that the teachers of English should take up pronunciation practice, pattern drills and conversation practice in their classroom regularly.Another principle that has become the basis for this method is that all of us have learnt our languages b y listening to the language spoken by others and speaking it starting with monosyllabic disyllabic sounds. According to ELT experts a second language can be learnt in this way. The Audio-lingual method is a method that deals with a behaviorist theory that uses stimulus, response, and reinforcement. STIMULUSRESPONSEREINFORCEMENT Here are some psychological foundations of the Audio-lingual method. Foreign language learning is basically a process of mechanical habit formation.Good habits are formed by giving correct responses rather than by mistakes. By memorizing dialogues and performing pattern drills the chances of producing mistakes are minimized. Language is verbal behaviour. Language skills are learned more effectively if they are presented orally first, then in written or printed form. An analogy provides a better foundation for language learning than analysis. Analogy involves the process of generalization and discrimination. Explanation of how language functions under certain rules is not given by the teacher.Students should practice a pattern in different contexts and arrive at the analogy between the first and the second language. The teaching of grammar is best done inductively rather than deductively. The meanings that the words of a language have for the native speaker can be learnt only in a linguistic and cultural context and not in isolation. Teaching a language thus involves teaching aspects of the cultural system of that people who speak the language. Dialogues and drills form the basis of Audio-lingual classroom practices.The use of drills and pattern practice is a distinctive feature of the Audio-lingual method. Various kinds of drills are used. Types of Oral Drills Repetition: where the student repeats an utterance as soon as he hears it Teacher: This is the seventh month. Student: This is the seventh month Inflection: Where one word in a sentence appears in another form when repeated Teacher: I ate the sandwich. Student: I ate the sandwiche s. Replacement: Where one word is replaced by another Teacher: He bought the car for half-price. Student: He bought it for half-price. Restatement: The student re-phrases an utteranceTeacher: Tell me not to smoke so often. Student: Don't smoke so often! Completion: where the student repeats the utterance in completed form. Techer: I’ll go my way and you go. Student: I’ll go my way and you go yours. Instruction materials in the Audio-lingual method assist the teacher to develop language mastery in the learner. †¢Tape recorders †¢Audiovisual equipments †¢Language laboratory In the late 1950s, the theoretical underpinnings of the method were questioned by linguists such as Noam Chomsky, who pointed out the limitations of structural linguistics.Despite being discredited as an effective teaching methodology in 1970, audio-lingualism continues to be used today. REFERENCES ?Richard. C. Jack and Rodgers. S. Theodore. 2003. Approaches and Methods in Language Teac hing . The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. ?Rao Venugopal, K. 2002. Methods of Teaching English. Neelkamal Publications. pvt. ltd ? Allen, B. Teaching English as a Second Language. 1965. ?http//www. mindmeister. com ?http://en. Wikipedia. Org/wiki/audio-lingual-method

Effective Use of Language in Martin Luther Kings Letter...

In April 16, 1963 Martin Luther King wrote a letter from Birmingham jail that was addressed to the eight leaders of the white Church of the South, the â€Å"white moderates†. Dr. King’s letter talks about how unfair the white Americans were towards the black community, and how true civil rights could never be achieved. Throughout his letter, King talks about how unfair the white Americans were towards the black nation, he talks about the disrespect, unfair and unjust treatment the black community had received from the white Americans. In the letter King’s response is very moving and effective to the readers, he has achieved this by effective use of language, stylistic devices such as the use of imagery, similes and metaphors, and by using†¦show more content†¦Dr. King explains to readers that from how much the Black community had heard the word wait over and over again, even though they had waited and waited, there wasn’t any result. Segregation had had many effects on the black nation, to the point that it started building up ones character, â€Å"See the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky and see her begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness towards white people†, King shows readers that segregation is even affecting little children, that it is starting to build up a young girls character and is contributing to the child developing hatred â€Å"bitterness† towards the white Americans. King makes readers imagine a black cloud settling in a young girls brain mentally, when instead she should have an image of a colorful blue sky with a rainbow, isn’t that suppose to be part of a 6 year-old’s imagination? King gives readers an image of destruction civil disobedience had created in the black community, especially in the young innocent little children. Martin Luther king asserts that the white Americans don’t make logical assertions, he says â€Å"In your statement you assert that our actions eventhough peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion?†. Dr. King proves his point by using this rhetorical questionShow MoreRelatedBirmingham Jail Functional Theory1638 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail (1965) is important from both historical and sociological points of view. It is an example of self-sacrifice as in idea for the of equality of all people. Formally, King addresses this letter that he wrote while in Birmingham jail at the clergymen who opposed his protests. In fact, he applies it to everyone who approves of racism, and considers the methods of nonviolent struggle to be too radical and far fetched from achieving an actual goalRead MoreRhetorical Language : The Power Of Words1534 Words   |  7 PagesRhetoric al Language: The Power of Words Ever since humans have existed, their ideas, and philosophies existed along with them; however, these ideas would split them into two groups, those who agree, and those who do not agree with the idea. Additionally, there are people who truly believe that everyone should believe in their ideology; therefore, will take certain measures to make people believe in their ideas. One certain measure is using their own words because words can have its own power. ByRead MoreMartin Luther King’s (Mlk) â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† Argument Analysis1432 Words   |  6 Pages102-01 14 September 2009 Someone Else’s Shoes Martin Luther King’s (MLK) â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,† was written in 1963 as a response to the Eight Alabama Clergymen’s public statement against King’s actions in April of that year. Martin Luther King Jr. was an activist for desegregation of the south in the early 1960s and overcame much adversity to attain incredible gains on the segregation issue in the United States. King uses effective persuasive appeals of logical evidence, emotional appealRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay1266 Words   |  6 PagesPower Analysis: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail A statement from eight white clergymen from Alabama prompted Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter From Birmingham Jail†. 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SpecificallyRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King And Black Lives Matter1279 Words   |  6 PagesWhile in Birmingham City Jail, Martin Luther King wrote a letter in response to some fellow priests who felt that his actions were â€Å"unwise and untimely† (King). Throughout this letter his long road of struggle to racial freedom and the actions and words that are fueling the fight are outlined. In his letter, Martin Luther King claimed, â€Å"the goal of America is freedom†. Written into the Dec laration of Independence is the idea that all men are created equal, but many feel robbed of their freedom. MovementsRead MoreRhetorical Strategies In Martin Luther Kings The Letter From Birmingham1518 Words   |  7 PagesLauren Rodriguez Professor Tucker English 1310 19 Sep 2017 Rhetorical Strategies in Martin Luther King’s â€Å"The Letter from Birmingham† Martin Luther Jr, an advocate of civil rights and pastor, was sent to jail after engaging in the Birmingham campaign. 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Personal Statement Texas, Texas - 937 Words

Everyone has an event in their life that helped changed them in some way or stood out to them in some type of way in their life. Rather if it is, something like a birth of a child, a death of a family member or even receiving a job. A significant event in my life and helped me grow as a person was when I decided to pack up and move to Houston, Texas. My move to Texas may have been short but in that short period it helped me to grow to be more independent and to provide for myself and much more. When I made the moved to Texas, I moved with family members that I knew but I was not close with it. Before moving to Texas, I was somewhat independent. I bought my clothes, shoes and put gas in the car that my parents provided for me to drive. I guess you can say that I did the bare minimum to provide for myself or I did what a typical nineteen/twenty year did for their self. 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Homosexuality in the Caribbean - 2169 Words

UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN MARACAS ROYAL ROAD, MARACAS, ST. JOSEPH. Research Paper An Assignment Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course ENGL215 ENGLISH COMPOSITION II INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Kevin M Holder By Shernelle Cyrus amp; Ramona Grant 5th July, 2012 Approval†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Table of Contents Definition of Homosexuality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Cuba’s statistics on homosexuality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 Negative views about homosexuality in the†¦show more content†¦I feel them kinda people want killing, man. That type of people aint have no right living under this sun If I had my way I would burn all homosexuals in the place I feel them sort of men want putting off the earth They should burn all. Those people want putting on an island by themselves. These comments reveal a rather contradictory, but common, misconception: that one is capable of â€Å"beating† or eliminating homosexuality out of existence or beating the life of an individual through a violent intervention. Popular reggae artist Shabba Ranks, no stranger to controversy over issues of homosexuality, is quoted in the Village Voice as having said; â€Å"if a man is thinking of homosexuality, he is thinking of disease and wrong doings, so God almighty himself hates homosexuals. 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Night Creature Crescent Moon Chapter 41 Free Essays

â€Å"Stand back.† Mandenauer pointed his gun at Henri’s head. â€Å"Old man, you try my patience,† Elise muttered. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 41 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Confusion swept over his face. â€Å"What did I do?† â€Å"You can’t shoot someone with a soul.† â€Å"Since when?† Her mouth moved as if she was counting to ten. I kind of thought she was. â€Å"We’ve been over this. Put the gun away.† â€Å"Never.† But he did lower it. â€Å"What do you suggest? A mad werewolf, soul or no, is not something I plan to let run free.† â€Å"I’m with him,† Adam said. Elise stared at Henri as if he were a brand-new science experiment. â€Å"I wish I could cage him until I’m certain what we’re up against† Adam and I exchanged glances. â€Å"I’ve got a cage,† I said. â€Å"I’d forgotten,† Mandenauer murmured, and Elise shot him a glare. â€Å"That’s not something that should be forgotten.† â€Å"I’m ancient.† He sniffed. â€Å"Sometimes I forget.† â€Å"One day you’ll forget to shoot the bad guys, and then you’ll be dead.† â€Å"Perhaps.† He didn’t appear concerned. â€Å"We must hurry and incarcerate Henri before the sun disappears.† A flurry of activity ensued, followed by a frantic trip to the mansion; then we practically dragged Henri through the swamp, and tossed him into the cage. Not a minute too soon. I turned the key on the padlock as he came awake with a howl of agony. His body bent; his clothes tore; hair sprouted from every pore. I’d seen him change from wolf to man; now I watched as he went from man to wolf. That had to hurt. His too human eyes peered at us from behind the bars. When I’d seen them before they’d been full of hate and hunger. Now the hunger was there, but the hate was gone. He paced back and forth, whining, pawing the ground, then throwing himself against the bars until he bled. â€Å"Give him the serum, Elise,† Mandenauer ordered. She’d already pulled a vial from the pocket of her shorts and snapped gloves onto her hands once more. Another migraine she didn’t need. â€Å"What’s de matter with him?† â€Å"The hunger is maddening. On the night of the full moon I have to run as wolf. Without this,† she held up the vial â€Å"I’d kill. I wouldn’t be able to help myself. For him, the same thing must happen under the crescent moon.† She shook her head. â€Å"One night a month is bad enough.† â€Å"Why is he whining?† I resisted the urge to cover my ears, the pathetic noise grating on my nerves like sandpaper. â€Å"Killing sickens him,† she whispered, â€Å"but he can’t resist the desire.† Elise walked to the cage, and Henri slammed against it right in front of her. â€Å"Be careful,† I called. â€Å"He can’t hurt me. I’m a werewolf already.† In a lightning-fast movement, she reached inside and grabbed Henri’s snout. Then she poured the contents of the vial down his throat. When she was through, he actually licked her hand before falling asleep. â€Å"Does Damien still get furry every full moon?† I asked Elise. â€Å"My touch cured him.† â€Å"But you can’t cure yourself?† Something flickered in her eyes, and she looked away. â€Å"Not yet† â€Å"And Henri? What’s his problem?† â€Å"I’m not sure. I’d like to take him back to the lab and figure that out.† â€Å"No,† Adam said flatly. â€Å"I can fix him,† Elise insisted. â€Å"I haven’t spent much time in the lab since this.† She lifted her palm. â€Å"Works better than any medicine. But not so long ago, I lived there. I’m sure I can discover what his secret is.† â€Å"You can’t kill him. If he dies, I’m cursed.† â€Å"The curse might be lifted. His soul is restored.† â€Å"De only way to know is for him to die. I’m not willing to take that chance.† â€Å"He’ll be safe with me. You should see the compound we built Impregnable this time.† â€Å"This time?† I asked. â€Å"Last one went boom. But the werewolves survived the blast.† â€Å"That really sets my mind at ease,† Adam muttered. Cassandra, who hadn’t said a word since we’d gotten here, moved closer to the cage. â€Å"I think I might know why your cure didn’t work.† â€Å"I’m all ears,† Elise said. â€Å"Henri was made a loup-garou through voodoo, not by science or by being bitten.† Cassandra stared at each of us in turn. â€Å"A voodoo curse can only be removed by voodoo.† My heart kicked against the wall of my chest. â€Å"You can fix him? Why didn’t you say so?† â€Å"Not me.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Only the one who placed the curse can take it away.† My shoulders slumped. â€Å"She’s gotta be long dead.† â€Å"Exactly.† Cassandra’s eyes met mine. â€Å"But the dead can rise.† â€Å"Zombie.† Elise’s eyebrows shot toward her silky blond hair. I was amazed that in her profession she could still be surprised. â€Å"Zombies are dangerous,† Mandenauer muttered. â€Å"And unpredictable.† â€Å"You’ve seen one?† Cassandra asked. â€Å"Ja.† â€Å"You know someone who can raise a zombie?† â€Å"I did.† He sniffed. â€Å"That means he killed the guy,† Elise said. â€Å"Grandfather, sometimes it’s better to keep them alive.† â€Å"Wait a second.† I held up a hand. â€Å"He’s your grandfather?† That the head werewolf hunter had a granddaughter who was a werewolf was a little hard to digest. â€Å"Yes,† Elise confirmed. â€Å"Neither one of us is too happy about it.† I could imagine. Adam turned to Cassandra. â€Å"Tell me about raising de woman who cursed my family. Could you do it?† â€Å"Not me, no. I’d need to find a practitioner powerful enough to perform that kind of magic. I’m not even sure it’s possible to raise someone who’s been dead that long.† Adam’s shoulders slumped. I moved closer and slipped my hand into his. â€Å"Until then, let me try,† Elise urged. I understood why Adam didn’t want to give anyone power over Henri. In relinquishing his grandpere, Adam relinquished control over his own and Luc’s destiny. But we’d exhausted our options. Protecting Henri wasn’t getting us anywhere. We needed the experts’ help. Adam must have thought the same thing, because he squeezed my hand and said, â€Å"OK.† The night passed; the sun rose; Henri became a man again. A very crazy man. Elise was forced to sedate him to get him back to the compound in Montana. She’d been right. The knowledge of all he’d done had sent him over the edge. He did a lot of moaning and muttering. If I hadn’t almost been one of his victims, I might have felt sorry for him. As it was, I was glad to see him go. Cassandra decided to take a trip to Haiti, courtesy of the Jager-Sucher society. â€Å"Mandenauer wants me to discover more about voodoo, zombies, and this goddess-of-the-moon question. I’m game.† She’d hired a local to run her store and take care of Lazarus when I refused to. Cassandra and I were friends, but I drew the line at snake-sitting. â€Å"I think we’ve proved I’m not a moon goddess,† I said. â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not. It won’t hurt to look into things a little more. You want Henri cured, don’t you?† â€Å"For all I care, Henri can burn in hell.† â€Å"He probably will. But if we can make certain Adam and Luc don’t follow him there – â€Å" â€Å"I’ll do anything,† I said. â€Å"That’s what I thought I made a few calls after you traveled to Ife and spoke to Erzulie.† â€Å"Do not tell me I’m a lost priestess of the voodoo nation. I’m a cryptozoologist from Boston. Period.† Cassandra’s shoulders shifted, as if something were crawling down her neck. â€Å"I think I sent you to Ife.† â€Å"What?’ â€Å"I performed the ceremony. The magic came from me.† Cassandra appeared sheepish. â€Å"I might be more powerful than I thought† â€Å"That’s good news, isn’t it?† â€Å"Don’t tell Mandenauer. He gets weird when people talk about power.† I couldn’t imagine why. â€Å"What’s next for you?† Cassandra asked. â€Å"I don’t know.† She tilted her head. â€Å"Love, marriage, mommyhood. I see it in the cards.† â€Å"You don’t read cards.† She put her hand over mine. â€Å"Your future is with them.† â€Å"I haven’t seen Adam or Luc since Henri went away.† Three days ago. I’d hung around the mansion waiting. Pathetic but true. I’d have to get a job soon, considering Frank hadn’t paid me. Since his butt was in jail, courtesy of me, I didn’t mink he was going to. Before Mandenauer had left he’d told Detective Sullivan there’d been one rabid wolf in the swamp and he had killed it. Case closed. I had no reason to hang around. â€Å"Adam loves you,† Cassandra said. â€Å"I’m not so sure.† â€Å"He put his son in your protection. There’s no greater love than that.† â€Å"Henri found a gris-gris under Luc’s pillow.† â€Å"Really? I guess that’s the love charm you were so worried about.† She narrowed her gaze. â€Å"You want me to give you one to counteract the magic?† â€Å"He burned it.† She peered into my face. â€Å"And you still love them both, don’t you?† â€Å"Desperately.† I’d realized sometime over the past few nights I’d slept alone that I’d fallen for Adam before I’d even met Luc. The gris-gris was irrelevant, even if it weren’t dust. â€Å"Maybe you need to say good-bye to your first love before you move on to the last one.† At my confused expression, she continued. â€Å"Simon. You’ve never really put him to rest† â€Å"And how do you suggest I do that? Another gris-gris?† She smiled and squeezed my hand. â€Å"Only you can say good-bye to him, Diana.† I wasn’t sure how I’d say good-bye to a dead man, but I certainly couldn’t do it long-distance. I packed my things and went to Chicago, where I’d buried Simon four years ago. The place no longer felt like home. I’m not sure it ever had. The cemetery was peaceful, deserted. No one would see me talking to a headstone. â€Å"You were right, Simon. There’s more in this world than anyone could imagine.† I sat on the grave and ran my hand over the grass. â€Å"I had to break my vow, and I’m sorry. I couldn’t clear your name. I’d only hurt more people. I figured you’d understand.† Absently I pulled out the gris-gris that contained the fire iris petal. A little truth wouldn’t be so bad. Where was Simon now? Had he truly come to me in the swamp? Was there any way of getting him back? Did I want to? When I touched the sack, the tie fell off, and when I peered inside, I discovered the petal had disintegrated into dust The wind swirled the particles away. I guess some truths are better left unknown. â€Å"I still miss you,† I said. â€Å"I probably always will, but I have to say good-bye.† The breeze, warm despite the autumn chill off Lake Michigan, stirred my hair. I wanted to smell Simon’s aftershave, hear his voice, feel his love, know that he’d heard me. I closed my eyes and wished for him, but he was as gone as the wind. When I opened my eyes, Adam was there. Talk about magic. â€Å"You scared me to death, cher. I thought you’d left for good.† How had he found me? â€Å"Cassandra,† I said as I got to my feet. He shrugged, then indicated Simon’s grave with a tilt of his head. â€Å"You were saying good-bye.† â€Å"I can’t live in the past anymore.† â€Å"Me, neither.† Hope lit my heart and probably my face, because he held up his hand. â€Å"There’s something I have to tell you. Luc and Sadie did a love spell.† â€Å"I know.† He started. â€Å"You do?† I nodded. â€Å"I was going to destroy it, but Luc can’t find de gris-gris.† â€Å"Henri burned it. One of his insane little mind games.† â€Å"But†¦ I still feel de same way.† â€Å"Which is?† â€Å"Crazy mad in love with you.† â€Å"Ditto,† I said. â€Å"And your little boy, too.† Adam gave me a rare smile. â€Å"I never thought I’d love anyone but my son.† â€Å"I never thought I’d love again.† â€Å"I guess we were both wrong.† He tugged on my hair. â€Å"What you think about fixing up de mansion?† â€Å"I thought you hated the place.† â€Å"Kind of grew on me. Lots of good memories there now.† My face heated at some of them. â€Å"I can’t promise a certain future.† I lowered my gaze to Simon’s headstone. â€Å"Who can?† After several moments of silence, Adam said, â€Å"Mandenauer offered us jobs.† â€Å"Us?’ He nodded. â€Å"We’d be perfect.† â€Å"What would we have to do?† â€Å"Same thing we’ve been doing.† I wiggled my brows. â€Å"He’s going to pay us for that?† Adam snorted. â€Å"He wants you to chase down rumors of paranormal beasts. He wants me to kill werewolves.† I frowned. â€Å"That sounds dangerous.† â€Å"I’ve been doing it for years, cher† â€Å"What about Luc? We can’t both traipse off, tra-la-la.† His lips curved. â€Å"You’re thinkin’ like a mother already.† I was. When had that happened? â€Å"You sure you want a ready-made family?† he asked. â€Å"I’m sure I want you and Luc.† â€Å"There’ll be no more children.† â€Å"I’ll be lucky if I can handle the one we have.† â€Å"You’ll do fine,† he said. â€Å"The boy was crazy about you from day one. That’s why he did de love spell. Couldn’t bear to lose you. I have to say I understand why, but he’s still grounded.† I stifled a laugh at the notion of being grounded for performing a voodoo love spell. My life certainly had taken a turn for the strange. â€Å"I figure if we take Mandenauer’s offer we can take turns bein’ away from home.† â€Å"Home,† I murmured. â€Å"That sounds nice.† Adam reached into his pocket For an instant I thought he’d brought another belly chain. I still wore the one he’d given me. I planned never to take it off. â€Å"Partners?† he asked, and held out his hand. In his palm lay a circlet of interlinked silver fleurs-de-lis with a moonstone center. The ring was so beautiful, I ached to put it on. But not yet â€Å"When you say partners†¦?’ â€Å"I’ll understand if you don’t want to marry me. Who knows when I might change under de crescent moon?† â€Å"I’d still love you, even then.† He just shook his head. â€Å"The only way I’ll do this is if we’re married,† I insisted. â€Å"I adopt Luc. I’ll protect him if you can’t Once that’s settled, we take the jobs, help save the world. Together, we’ll face whatever comes.† He hesitated so long, I feared he’d take back the offer and the ring. At last he slipped the silver circlet onto my finger, sealing the deal without saying a word. But there was one thing that still bugged me. â€Å"Did you really believe everything that was between us was the result of magic?† â€Å"I still believe that.† My startled gaze flicked to his. â€Å"What?† Reaching out, he touched my cheek. â€Å"Don’t it feel like magic to you, cher?† I couldn’t speak, could only nod, as he took my hand, then led me away from my past and into a bright new future. How to cite Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 41, Essay examples

Financial Performance of Virgin and Qantas-Samples for Students

Question: Analyse and interpret the financial performance of two airlines from Australia. Answer: Introduction The main objective of the report is to analyse and interpret the financial performance of two airlines from Australia that is Virgin Australia and Qantas Airlines. The analysis and interpretation will be based on various ratio calculations like profitability ratio, liquidity ratio and efficiency ratio. Finally, based on the analysis some recommendation will be provided for increasing the revenue target. Qantas Airline was established in the year 1920 in Queensland and became the largest international and domestic airline in Australia. They are well known for excellence in operational reliability, safety, maintenance, engineering and the service provided to the customers. Main business of the company is to provide transportation service to the customers through 2 complementary brands of airlines that is, Jetstar and Qantas. The company also operate subsidiary business that includes other airlines and the businesses under specialist markets like Q Catering (Flights | Qantas AU, 2018). It operates international, domestic and regional services and employs more than 30,000 employees out of which near about 93% are based in Australia. On the other hand, Virgin Australia entered into the aviation market of Australia in the year 2000 and brought the real competition in the markets leisure sector. The main objective of the company is to revolutionise the air travel through all the market seg ments. The objectives will be achieved through delivering seamless experience all over the international and domestic market in addition to retaining same level of excellent services (Virgin Australia | Home, 2018). Ratio analysis Formula Qantas Airline Virgin Airline 2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014 Current assets/Current liabilities 0.49 0.68 0.66 0.62 0.69 0.64 Current assets less inventories/current liabilities 0.44 0.63 0.61 0.60 0.67 0.62 Net sales/Average account receivables 18.47 14.68 11.66 16.06 15.44 15.37 365/account receivable turnover 19.76 24.87 31.31 22.73 23.64 23.75 Total liabilities/shareholder's equity 4.12 4.09 5.04 5.72 4.66 3.45 EBIT/interest expenses 5.79 3.00 -13.01 -1.42 -0.53 -3.16 Net profit/Total assets 0.06 0.03 -0.16 -0.04 -0.02 -0.08 Net profit/Total equity 0.32 0.16 -0.99 -0.25 -0.09 -0.34 Given in the annual report (in cents) 49.4 25.4 -128.5 -7.4 -3.2 -11.4 Ratio analysis is the quantitative analysis with regard to the information included in the financial statement of the company. It is used for evaluating different aspects of the financial as well as operating performances like liquidity, efficiency, solvency and profitability (Grant, 2016). Most of the investors are familiar with various key ratios like current ratio, debt-equity ratio, return on equity ratio and return on asset ratio. Ratio analysis can be segregated into various groups like Liquidity Ratio it measures the ability of the company to pay off the short-term obligations as they become due and are met through the quick assets or current assets. Various ratios through which the liquidity of the company is measured are the current ratio and quick ratio. Current ratio it is the liquidity ratio that computes the ability of the company for paying off the long term and short term obligations. To measure the ability current ratio tales into consideration the total current assets of the company against the total current liabilities (Heikal, Khaddafi Ummah, 2014). It is calculated through dividing the current assets by current liabilities. It is called current ratio as as it incorporates all the current liabilities and current assets. Generally the ratio less than 1 represent that the current assets of the company are lower than its current liabilities. Looking into the annual report of Qantas airline and Virgin Australia airline and the calculation from the above table that the current ratio of Qantas airline reduced from 0.66 to 0.49 and for Virgin Australia it is reduced from 0.64 to 0.62 over the years from 2014 to 2016. Therefore, it presents that the financial health of both the companies are not good (Hevert, 2013). However, it do es not mean that the company will become bankrupt and various ways are there for the company to access finance if it has realistic expectation regarding the future earnings to pay-off the borrowings. Further, these ratios of below 1 will be acceptable to the investors if the companies are able for negotiating long term credit periods with the suppliers and at the same time offering lower credit terms to the customers. These companies will be able to maintain the minimum levels of the inventory under the balance sheet if the operations are carried out efficiently. Quick ratio the quick ratio that is also known as the acid-test ratio measure the efficiency of the company to meet its short-term financial obligations. It is calculated through dividing the current assets of the company reducing the inventories of the company by the current liabilities. Through the quick ratio of the company is similar to the current ratio, the quick ratio provides more precise analysis of the ability of company for paying off the current obligations (Jones Kulish, 2013). Looking into the quick ratio of both the companies it is identified that the quick ratio of Qantas airline are reduced from 0.61 to 0.44 and for Virgin Australia it is reduced from 0.62 to 0.60 over the years from 2014 to 2016. Therefore, taking into consideration both the liquidity ratios, it is observed that the liquidity position of Virgin Australia airline is better as compared to Qantas airline. However, the liquidity ratios assumed that the company will liquidate the current assets for paying the current liabilities that is not realistic always taking into consideration the thing that the company is required to maintain the same level of working capital for the operation management. Solvency ratios it is also called as he financial leverage ratio and it compares the debt levels of the company with the earnings, equity and assets for evaluating whether the company can sustain in the market for long-term period through paying off its long term borrowings and interests on that (Sunder, 2016). Various solvency ratios include interest coverage ratio or number of times interest earned and debt to equity ratio. Number of times interest earned it is used for determining the efficiency of the company to pay off their interest expenses on the outstanding borrowings. It is calculated through dividing the operating profit of the company by the interest expenses for the period (Brooks, 2015). The lower ratio represents that the company is burdened with debt expenses. While the interest coverage ratio of the company is 2 or lower than that the ability of the company to meet the interest expenses can be questionable. It measures the times that the company can pay the outstanding borrowings using the earnings of the company. It is considered as the margin of safety for the creditors of the company that can run into the financial difficulty for the company. The ability of paying off the debt obligations is major factor for determining the solvency of the company and it is a crucial statistic for the shareholders and potential investors (Drehmann Nikolaou, 2013). Looking into the calculation table i t is found that the Interest coverage ratio of Virgin airline for all the three years are in negative as the company was not able to earn any positive operating income throughout all 3 years. On the other hand, the interest coverage ratio for Qantas airline improved in 2016 as compared to the year 2014 and 2015. Debt to equity ratio the debt to equity ratio is calculated through dividing the total liabilities of the company by the shareholders equity. It is used for measuring the financial leverage of the company. This ratio indicates the amount of debt used by the company to finance the assets as compared to the amount of equity. If the company use higher amount of debts for increasing finance for its operations the company can generate higher level of earnings as compared to the amount that would have been earned if it did not opt for outside finance (Nobes, 2014). It can be identified from the annual report and calculation table that the debt to equity ratio of both companies is quite high. It represents that the total liabilities of both the companies are significantly high as compared to the total equities of the company. However, the debt to equity ratio of Qantas airline is better as compared to Virgin Australia as its debt to equity ratio is slightly lower than Virgin Australia. Profitability ratio it measures the companys ability to ear the profit and create return for its shareholders. While the solvency ratios and liquidity ratios states the companys financial position the profitability ratio and efficiency ratio states the financial performance of the company. Major profitability ratios are the return on assets, return on equity and earnings per share. Return on assets this ratio is the calculation of net income as compared to the total assets of the business during the financial year. It is used to measure the efficiency of business through using the assets for generating net income. It indicates the cents earned with each dollar of the asset. Therefore, the higher return indicates that the business is more profitable. However, this ratio shall be used to compare the companies under same industry. Increasing of ROA indicates that profitability for the company is improving (Luez Wysocki, 2016). Looking into the ROA of both the companies it is found that the ROA for Qantas airline for the year 2014 was in negative as the net income of the company was negative. However, for 2015 and 2016 the ROA of the company is in positive. However, the ratio is significantly low for Qantas airline. On the other hand, for Virgin Australia ROA, for all the three years are in negative as the net income of the company for all the 3 years are in nega tive. Return on equity - this ratio is the calculation of net income as compared to the total shareholders equity of the business during the financial year. It is used to measure the profitability on shareholders investment. It is the important measure for the companys profitability. Higher ratio represent that the company is efficient for creating income on the shareholders investment. When the capital is raised through debt for reducing the share capital the ROE will increase even if the income is constant (Kettunen, 2017). Looking into the ROE of both the companies it is observed that ROE of Qantas airline for the year 2014 was in negative as the net income of the company was negative. However, for 2015 and 2016 the ROE of the company is in positive. On the other hand, for Virgin Australia, ROA for all the three years are in negative as the net income of the company for all the 3 years are in negative. Earnings per share EPS are defined as the attributable net income to each of the companys common stock. It is the profitability ratio that indicates the income earned per share by the company in specific period. It is calculated through dividing the net income of the company by weighted average number of outstanding shares. While analysing the companys profitability the net income amount alone is not much useful as it is dependent on the size of business (Hill, Jones Schilling, 2014). Looking into the EPS of both the companies it is observed that EPS of Qantas airline for the year 2014 was in negative as the net income of the company was negative. However, for 2015 and 2016 the EPS of the company is in positive. On the other hand, for Virgin Australia, EPS for all the three years are in negative as the net income of the company for all the 3 years are in negative (Prasetyorini, 2013). Therefore, taking into consideration all the above mentioned profitability and efficiency ratios it is recognized that the profitability position of Qantas airline is considerable better as compared to Virgin Australia as Virgin Australia was not able to earn positive earning for all the three years under consideration. Activity ratios These ratios assesses the operational efficiency of the business. It attempts to find out the efficiency of the business to convert the inventories in sales and the sales into cash. In other words, it is the efficiency in using the working capital and fixed assets. Key activity ratios taken into consideration for the analysis of Qantas airline and Virgin Australia are account receivable turnover ratio and number of days the sales in receivables. Account receivable turnover it is the ratio of net credit sales of business to the average accounts receivables during the particular period, generally the accounting year (Ch, Patel White, 2015). It measures the efficiency of business in collecting the credit sales. High ratio represents the favourable condition and lower figure represent the inefficiency. It can be identified from the calculation that for 2014 and 2015 the receivable ratio of Virgin Australia is better as compared to Qantas. However, for the year 2016 the receivable position of Qantas airline is better. NO.of days sales in receivables it is used for measuring average number of days the business takes for collecting the trade receivables after the sales made (Acito, Hogan Imdieke, 2015). As it is the time taken to convert the sales into cash, lower days represent as favourable and the higher days are represented as unfavourable. It can be identified from the calculation that for 2014 and 2015 the days outstanding of Virgin Australia is better as compared to Qantas. However, for the year 2016 the receivable position of Qantas airline is better ?ermk, 2015). Revenue management As the nature of the airline business is of challenging type and requires continuous investment for updated and new technologies, the particular area for focussing is the revenue management (RM). The RM systems are used for determining optimum price for selling the seat at any given point of the time (Graf Kimms, 2013). The required information will be able to make the decision based on various factors. For increasing the revenue The company shall adapt to the conditions of changing market in the real time for the improves procedure Leverage the demand of customers across the revenue streams for increasing the revenue. Improve the forecast accuracy and analyst productivity through enhancing the decision making procedures (Board Skrzypacz, 2016). Enable the integration of unmatched business planning for enhancing the decision making. Conclusion It is concluded from the above discussion that if the financial position and financial performance of Qantas airline and Virgin Australia airline is taken into consideration it can be identified that Qantas is better investment as compared to Virgin Australia. The reason behind this is that Virgin Australia was not able to earn positive income for all the three years under consideration. Further, if the solvency ratios and activity ratios are considered, it is identified that Interest coverage ratio of Virgin airline for all the three years are in negative as the company was not able to earn any positive operating income throughout all 3 years. On the other hand, the interest coverage ratio for Qantas airline improved in 2016 as compared to the year 2014 and 2015. The debt to equity ratio of Qantas airline is better as compared to Virgin Australia as its debt to equity ratio is slightly lower than Virgin Australia. 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Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://mobile.virginaustralia.com/virginaustralia/index.html