Math Activities - One-to-One Correspondence

The concept of one-to-one correspondence requires two skills: (1) matching pairs and (2) comparing sets. Matching places two like items together as a pair while comparing determines which set has more or less. In these projects, the key is to focus on the language, emphasizing mathematical terms.

Books to Read
The following books teach one-to-one correspondence using stories. I love the impact a story has on understanding, and these books do a great job of packaging the mathematical ideas in a way that young children can comprehend.

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Two of Everything: A Chinese Folk Tale by Lily Toy Hong
Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Seaweed Soup by Stuart J. Murphy
A Pair of Socks by Stuart J. Murphy
Missing Mittens by Stuart J. Murphy
Monster Musical Chairs by Stuart J. Murphy
Just Enough Carrots by Stuart J. Murphy
Some Things Go Together by Charlotte Zolotow

Math Activities - One-to-One Correspondence

Projects to Learn Matching

Project #1
Take opportunity to point out situations where there is a matching set. Word emphasis: match, even, pair, each.

There are three cups and three straws. It is even. Three children and three cookies. It is a match! A pair of socks for your feet. One foot for each sock, and one sock for each foot.

Project #2
Provide the following items and allow the children to sort into pairs. Word emphasis: pair, match.

1 ice cube tray
2 screws
2 washers
2 electrical circuit binders
2 matching butterfly clips
2 matching hair pins
2 pennies
2 matching buttons

Project #3
Have a tea party with stuffed bears. Set one place setting for each bear. You could say, "One seat for each bear, and one bear for each seat." Word emphasis: each.

Project #4
Serve a lunch with matching shapes to make their own snacks. I used cookie cutters to cut the bread, cheese, and lunch meat into matching shapes. I provided at least two different shapes so that they would have to find the match in order to build their sandwiches. Word emphasis: match.

Project #5
Play the memory game. Word emphasis: pair, match.

Projects to Learn Comparing

Project #1
Take opportunity to point out situations where there is not enough or there is too much to go around. Word emphasis: more, less, fewer, even.

Oops, I grabbed one straw too many. There are three cups and four straws. There are more straws than cups. We have six chairs at our table, but only four people in the family sitting at the table. That leaves two empty chairs because there are more chairs than people. Today we have company, so we have eight people and only six chairs. We have fewer chairs than people, so we will need two more chairs. Three children and four cookies. There are more cookies. If I eat one, it will be even.

Project #2
Invite the children to collect toys to put inside two hula hoops. Then count to see which hula hoop has more toys and which has fewer. Ask, "Which set of toys has more? Which set has fewer?" Word emphasis: set, more, fewer, even.

Project #3
Pour two cups of water and compare the volume. Which cup has more? Which has less? Word emphasis: more, less, even.

Project #4
Make sugar cookies and put chocolate chips on the frosting. Compare two cookies to see which has more chocolate chips. For an added lesson, determine how many chocolate chips need to be added to make them even. Word emphasis: more, fewer, even.

Math Activities - One-to-One Correspondence

Spanish Famous Soccer Players

Soccer is the most popular sport in Spain. The Spain soccer team is a superior team and has produced the famous Spanish soccer players for years. As a national team, Spain was not able to achieve any success in FIFA world cup except the 1998 world cup. The team reached the quarterfinal stage by winning eight matches. This was only the best impressive performance in FIFA games where they lost to France. Spain participated in eleven world cups and it was ranked number four in 1950.

Though superior, the world cup squad never gave good results. The famous Spanish soccer players are Luis Suarez, Raul Gonzalez Blanco, Kubala, Alfredo Di Stefano, and the goalkeeper Zamora. Also, Michel, Santillana, and Butragueno are the rising stars of Spanish national team. Most interestingly, the world famous Spanish clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona have provided Spanish soccer with best world famous players. The Spanish clubs are more popular around the world and let us have a look at few big names.

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Raul Gonzalez Blanco was born in Madrid, Spain on June 27, 1977. On the club level, Raul as a member of Real Madrid is the most impressive soccer player who was responsible for the victory in Champions League in 1998. Again, in 2002, he was the leading player who allowed Real Madrid to win the Champions league. He was a real hero in the whole tournament and scored the famous two goals that turned the whole situation of the game.

Spanish Famous Soccer Players

The famous Spanish soccer players include names of world famous goalkeepers. Ricardo Zamora was named as the best goalkeeper in 1958. The place of Zamora has remained unchallenged and not a single goalkeeper in Spain is able to reach his height. He is the greatest goalkeeper produced by Spain and played with the national team for more than 46 occasions. Also, he played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Spain has managed to provide steady goalkeepers like Luis Arconada and Andoni Zubizarreta. Edson Arantes Do Nascimento also nicked as Pele, is regarded as one of the famous Spanish soccer players of all time.

Most of the star players from around the world are involved in the famous Spanish soccer players list. The players signed by Real Madrid include big names such as Roberto Carlos, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Robinho, and so on. To add on the world famous Barcelona soccer club granted Spanish nationality to Brazilian world famous player Ronaldinho and Mexican player Giovani.

The world cup winning captain of Argentina, Diego Maradona is related to world famous Spanish club Barcelona. The other famous players related to Barcelona club are Marcelo Trobbiani, Alberto Acosta, Marcelo Saralegui, Nicolas Hernandez, etc. Barcelona club from Spain is considered to be one of the top 10 clubs in the world.

Though the Spain soccer national team is not successful on international level, the Spanish soccer has got great respect on world sports platform. The Spanish soccer has great future and the list of famous Spanish soccer players is definitely going to rise in coming years.

Spanish Famous Soccer Players

Interesting Facts About Italy's Sports

Did you know...

Fencer Giuseppe Delfino won the gold medal in the individual épée at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games. He was the 6th Italian épée fencer in a row to win the Olympic title.

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In the 20th century, three Italians won the Alpine World Cup. They were Gustavo Thoeni (1971, 1972, 1973, 1975), Piero Gros (1974) and Alberto Tomba (1995). Thoeni became the first skier to win four world titles.

Interesting Facts About Italy's Sports

Italy -the winner of the 2006 World Cup- has qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Italian men's soccer team will be the second European team to participate in nine consecutive World Cups.

In 1925, Ottavio Bottecchia (cyclist ) won the Tour de France for the second consecutive year. Ottavio became the first Italian to win the French tournament.

Italy will send 80 (or 100) athletes to the Youth Olympic Games in 2010. The national team will probably compete in athletics, basketball, boxing, fencing, gymnastics, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, weightlifting and wrestling.

Federica Pellegrini (swimming /200m freestyle & 400m freestyle ) has amassed several international trophies. At the 2008 Olympic Games in China, Federica -country's most famous sportswoman- helped Italy to its first women's swimming gold. She could win a second gold medal in London 2012.

Diver Klaus Dibiasi -1st in the World Championships, 1975- is the only diver to win 3 consecutive Olympic diving gold medals (Mexico'68, West Germany '72, Canada '76).

From 1924 to 2006, Italy has won 101 winter Olympic medals, including 36 gold. Italy has more winter Olympic medals than Japan, China, Hungary, Russia, France...

Rome will host the FINA World Championships in 2009. About 2,200 swimmers from over 180 countries and territories are expected to compete in 66 events.

Many American athletes have Italian origin: Joe DiMaggio (baseball), David Scalabrine (basketball), Anthony Fasano (American football), Chris DiMarco (golf ), Tony Granato (ice hockey), Mario Andretti (auto racing), Charlie Colombo (soccer), Matt Biondi (swimming), Jennifer Capriati (tennis), Young Corbett III (boxing), Mary Lou Retton (gymnastics), Mike Gallo (baseball), Thomas James Gugliotta (basketball), Julia Mancuso (skiing), Rocky Marciano (boxing).

Domenico Fioravanti (2000 Olympic 100 & 200-meter breaststroke gold medalist ) and Federica Pellegrini (Olympic 100m freestyle gold medalist in 2008) were trained by Alberto Castagnetti. Alberto is one of the best swimming coaches in the world.

The first Olympic gold medal for an Italian female athlete was won at the 1936 Olympics. During these Games, Trebisonda Valla, or simply known as Ondina Valla, won the gold medal in the 80m hurdles.

Italian athlete Andrew Howe won the silver medal in the long jump at the IAAF World Championships in 2007. He was born in Los Angeles, California (USA).

Turin -It is one of the oldest cities in the world- hosted the 80th edition of the World Fencing Championships. The World Championships were one of the best tournaments in 2006. "Turin fencers had been entertaining the thought of having the elite of world fencing back in our city for some time", Cesare Salvatore (president of the organizing committee) told one interviewer. "They asked me if I would be the president of the organizing committee, because I had won the team competition in the 1972 Olympic Games with Italy after winning the silver medal in 1964 and 1968, and I agreed..."

Primo Nebiolo was one of the best Olympic leaders in the 20th century. From 1981 to 1999, Nebiolo was the head of the International Athletic Federation (IAAF). He is also considered the father of the World University Games-the second largest multi-sport event in the world. Nebiolo was born on July 14, 1923, in Turin, Italy.

In 1952, Nino Farini became the first European to win the Formula 1 world title.

Giovanni Benvenuti -who is known as Nino Benvenuti to his fans- became the gold medalist in the welterweight (67kg / 147 lbs) division at the Summer Olympic Games in 1960. Seven years later, he won the world championship.

Three Italians have won the New York City Marathon: Orlando Pizzolato (1984 & 1985), Giacomo Leone (1996), and Franca Fiacconi (1998).

Italian Bruna Mautino Vargas -the daughter of two Peruvian athletes- is one of Europe's best young volleyball players. Under her leadership, Italy -European champion- qualified for the semi-finals at the FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship in 2007. She -captain of the youth team- hopes to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games in the United Kingdom. Bruna -1.80m tall- was born on November 30, 1990, in Lima (Peru), the daughter of Giuliana Vargas -who won a bronze medal at the 1983 Pan American Games- and Marco Mautino-who was a sprinter in the 1980s. When she is not playing, she enjoys listening to music and spending time with her family. Bruna also likes Peruvian food. This sportswoman speaks four foreign languages (Italian, Spanish, English, French). Her idol is Mauro Camoranesi (Italian football player).

The 1920 Olympic Fencing Tournament was dominated by Italy. This European country won five Olympic fencing golds -individual foil, team épée, team foil, individual saber, team saber- at the Olympiad in Antwerp (Belgium). Italy's Nedo Nadi was elected the best fencer.

The Italian team won 10 medals -2 golds, 6 silvers, 2 bronzes- at the Winter Olympic Games in 1998. Italy ranked 11th among 72 nations and territories.

Stefano Baldini became the second Italian to win the Olympic marathon gold medal. He won the marathon at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens (Greece). Results:

1.Baldini, Stefano ( Italy ) 2:10.55

2.Keflezighi, Meb ( United States) 2:11.29

3.Lima, Vanderlei ( Brazil ) 2:12.11

4.Brown, Jon ( United Kingdom ) 2:12.26

5.Aburaya, Shigeru ( Japan ) 2:13.11

6.Wainaina, Erick (Kenya ) 2:13.30

7.Chaica, Alberto ( Portugal )

The Italian men's waterpolo team -European champion, 1947- won the Olympic title in 1948. Italy won the Olympic tournament again in 1960.

Italy has hosted several sports events:

1898: Shooting World Championships

1902: Cycling World Cup

1902: Shooting World Championships

1911: Cycling World Championships

1911: Shooting World Championships

1930: Shooting World Championships

1932: FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

1934: FIFA World Cup

1939: Cycling World Cup

1941:FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

1951: Cycling World Championships

1953: FILA Wrestling World Championships

1954: Gymnastics World Championships

1955: Fencing World Cup

1956: Winter Olympic Games

1956:FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

1959: Summer Universiade

1960: Summer Olympics

1961: Fencing World Cup

1962: Cycling World Championships

1963: Mediterranean Games

1966: Winter Universiade

1970: World University Games

1970: FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

1973: Baseball Intercontinental Cup

1975: World University Games

1975: Winter Universiade

1976: Cycling World Championships

1978: FIVB World Championships

1978: Baseball World Cup

1981: IAAF World Cup

1982: Fencing World Cup

1985: Winter Universiade

1985: FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

1985: FiVB Under-21 World Championship

1987: IAAF World Championships

1987: FIBA Under-21 World Championship

1988: Baseball World Cup 1990: FIFA World Cup

1990: FILA Wrestling World Championships

1991: FIFA Under-17 World Cup

1993: Baseball Intercontinental Cup

1993: FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup

1994: FINA World Championships

1997: Mediterranean Games

1997: World University Games

1997: FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

1998: Baseball World Cup

1999: ICF Flatwater Racing World Championships

2001: IHF Women's Handball World Cup

2003: Winter Universiade

2004: IAAF World Junior Championships

2005: FIS Alpine World Ski Championships

2006: Winter Universiade

Pietro Mennea won the gold medal in the men's 200-meter at the 1980 Games in Russia. He was the third European to win the 200m. The gold medal by Italy's Pietro was not a surprise to the journalists, sports fans and sportswriters. Why? Pietro Mennea set a new world mark on September 12, 1979 at the World University Games in Mexico City, when he ran the 200-meters in 19,72 seconds.

Italy -It is about the size of the state of Arizona- has played an active role in the Modern Olympic Movement.This European nation has participated in 25 Summer Olympics:

Olympiad...............Gold...........Silver........Bronze...........Total.......Ranking

Athens 1896..............0..............0...............0.........................0...................

Paris 1900................2..............2...............0.........................4...............8

St.Louis 1904........Did not compete.......................................................

London 1908.............2..............2...............0.......................4...............9

Stockholm 1912.........3..............1..............2......................6.............11

Antwerp 1920...........13...............9..............9....................31...............7

Paris 1924.................8..............3..............5......................16................5

Amsterdam 1928.......7..............5..............7....................19................5

Los Angeles 1932.....12............12............12.................36................2

Berlin 1936................8.............9...............5.....................22...............4

London 1948..............8............11.............8....................27...............5

Helsinki 1952.............8.............9..............4....................21...............5

Melbourne 1956..........8.............8.............9....................25................5

Rome 1960.............13............10............13....................36................3

Tokyo 1964..............10............10.............7....................27................5

Mexico 1968..............3..............4............9......................16.............13

Munich 1972.............5..............3..........10......................18.............10

Montreal 1976...........2...............7............4.....................13..............14

Moscow 1980............8..............3.............4.....................15...............5

Los Angeles 1984.....14.............6...........12..................32..............5

Seoul 1988...............6..............4............4......................14.............10

Barcelona 1992.........6..............5............8....................19.............12

Atlanta 1996.............13............10............12.................35...............6

Sydney 2000............13..............8............13.................34...............7

Athens 2004.............10............11...........11.................32..............8

Beijing 2008..............8.............10...........10.................28..............9

Interesting Facts About Italy's Sports

TOEFL or IELTS - Which is Better?

Because universities want to make sure you have the English language skills necessary to study at their school, almost all institutes of higher learning require you to take a test of English. And TOEFL and IELTS are the two biggest standardized tests of the English language. One of the most frequent questions I hear is which test is easier or which test is better. The answer depends on what kinds of tests you excel at, as well as where you plan to apply. This article breaks down the differences between the two tests so that you can make your own decision.

Admissions

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The IELTS test is administrated by the British Councils, the University of Cambridge, and IELTS Australia. That is to say, it is associated with the British government and traditionally was used by British universities, as well as New Zealand and Australian universities to determine the language capability of foreign students. TOEFL is administered by ETS, a US-based non-profit and is used widely by American and Canadian universities. However, these days, in order to make it easy on international students, universities all over the world take both TOEFL and IELTS. While you should check with the specific university you want to apply to, in general any school in the US, the UK, Australia or New Zealand will take either test score. So that's one worry off your mind. Pick the test you think will be easier for you to complete. To do that, you probably need to know the structure of each exam.

TOEFL or IELTS - Which is Better?

Structure of the TOEFL

As of last year, official TOEFL is almost universally given in the iBT (Internet Based Testing) format. It consists of four sections:

Reading

The TOEFL Reading section asks you to read 4-6 passages of university level and to answer multiple-choice questions about them (multiple-choice means you choose the answer from provided options). Questions test you on comprehension of the text, main ideas, important details, vocabulary, inferring, rhetorical devices and style.

Listening

The Listening Section presents long 2-3 conversations and 4-6 lectures. The situations are always related to university life i.e. a conversation between a student and a librarian about finding research materials or a lecture from a history class. The questions are multiple choice and ask you about important details, inferences, tone, and vocabulary. The conversations and lectures are very natural and include informal English, interruptions, filler noises like "uh" or "Uhm."

Speaking

The Speaking section is recorded. You will speak into a microphone and a grader will listen to your answers at a later date and grade you. Two questions will be on familiar topics and ask you to give your opinion and/or describe something familiar to you, like your town or your favorite teacher. Two questions will ask you to summarize information from a text and a conversation--and may ask your opinion as well. Two questions will ask you to summarize information from a short conversation. Again, the topics of the conversations are always university-related.

Writing

Finally, there are two short essays on the TOEFL. One will ask you to write your opinion on a broad topic, such as whether it is better to live in the country or the city. One will ask you to summarize information from a text and a lecture--often the two will disagree with each other and you will need to either compare and contrast, or synthesize conflicting information.

IELTS Structure

The IELTS contains the same 4 sections, Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing, but the format is very different.

Reading

The reading section of the IELTS gives you 3 texts, which may be from academic textbooks or from a newspaper or magazine--but all at the level of a university student. One will always be an opinion piece--i.e. a text arguing for one point of view. The variety of questions on the IELTS is quite broad, and not every text will have every question type. One question type asks you to match headings to paragraphs in the text. You may be asked to complete a summary of the passage using words from the text. Or you may have to fill in a table or chart or picture with words from the text. There may be multiple-choice questions that ask you about key details. One of the hardest question types presents statements and asks you whether these statements are true, false or not included in the text. You may also be asked to match words and ideas. Finally, some questions are short-answer but the answers will be taken directly from the text itself.

Some questions come before the text and may not require careful reading to answer. Others come after the text and may expect you to have read the text thoroughly.

Listening

The IELTS has four listening sections. The first is a "transactional conversation" in which someone may be applying for something (a driver's license, a library card) or asking for information (say calling for more details about an advertisement or a hotel). The second section is an informational lecture of some kind, possibly a dean explaining the rules of the university. Third is a conversation in an academic context and the final section will be an academic lecture. For all sections you may be asked to fill out a summary, fill in a table, answer multiple-choice questions, label a diagram or picture, or classify information into different categories. You will be expected to fill out answers as you listen.

Writing

There are two writing tasks on the academic IELTS. The first asks you to summarize a table or chart in about 300 words. You will have to identify important information, compare and contrast different figures or maybe describe a process. The second task asks you to present your opinion on a statement about a fairly open topic such as: "Women should look after children and not work" or "Too many people are moving to cities and rural areas are suffering."

Speaking

Finally, the speaking section will be held on a different day from the rest of the test and in the presence of a trained interviewer. The questions are the same for all examinees but some parts may be more in the form of a conversation than a monologue. The first part of the test will be a brief introductory conversation followed by some short questions about familiar topics. The interviewer may ask your name, your job, what kinds of sports you like, what your daily routine is, and so on. In the second part, you will be given a card with a topic and a few specific questions to address. You will have to speak for two minutes on this topic, which may be about your daily routine, the last time you went to the movies, your favorite part of the world or a similar familiar topic. In the last section, the interviewer will ask you to discuss a more abstract side of the topic in part 2--why do people prefer daily routines? Why do people like the movies? How does travel affect local life?

Which is Better for Me?

So now you have some understanding of what each test involves, but you might be wondering which is better for you. Maybe in reading about the structure, you thought, "Wow TOEFL sounds so easy," or, "Oh the IELTS sounds like it's kind of fun!" That might be a good sign that one test will be easier for you than the other. More concretely, there are a couple of key differences between the tests.

British versus American English

While both the UK and the US accept both tests, and while British English and American English are not as different as some think, the fact of the matter is the IELTS tends to use British English and the TOEFL uses exclusively American English. On the IELTS, this difference will have a larger effect because spelling counts, and that is one area where Britain and the US do not always see eye-to-eye. Obviously if you have problems with the British accent (and the test may include a wide variety of accents, including Australian, New Zealand, Irish and Scottish). On the other hand, American accents may throw you off. Certain terms are also different and you don't want to waste time in your speaking test asking what a flat or a lorry is. So whether you are used to British or American English is certainly a factor. If you are more comfortable with US English, the TOEFL is a good bet but if you are used to British English and accents, you'll do better on the IELTS.

Multiple choice versus Copying Down

For the reading and listening sections, TOEFL gives you multiple-choice questions, whereas IELTS generally expects you to copy down words from the text or the conversation word-for-word. Multiple-choice questions will tend to be require slightly better abstract thinking, but the IELTS favors people who have good memories and think more concretely. The good thing about multiple-choice is that it is easy to pick out wrong answers, whereas the good thing about copying down is that the answer is sitting there in the text. You just have to find it and repeat it. So, concrete thinkers will tend to do better on the IELTS and abstract thinkers will tend to excel on the TOEFL.

Predictable or Different Every Time

Of course, the TOEFL is also more predictable than the IELTS. The IELTS throws lots of different question types at you, and the instructions are often slightly different every time. That makes it harder to prepare for. The TOEFL, on the other hand, is pretty much the same test every time--pick A, B, C, D, or E. On the other hand, the IELTS certainly keeps you on your toes and that can keep you more alert.

Speaking to a Person or a Computer?

Another large difference is in how the speaking section is carried out. For some people, it's very relaxing to just record your answers into a computer because it feels like no one is listening. You just try your best and forget about it until you get your grades. Because the IELTS test is done in an interview format with a native speaker present, you might get nervous or feel you are being judged. And they take notes: Oh God, did he write down something good or something bad? On the other hand, you might feel more relaxed in a conversation, with a person there to explain if you don't understand a question, or simply having a face to look at, instead of a computer screen. Getting feedback from a native speaker can be helpful too, in order to correct mistakes and improve during the test. So it depends on what you are more comfortable with. If you like talking to people, the IELTS is a better bet. If you just want to be alone and not feel judged, the TOEFL will be more comfortable for you.

Holistic versus Criteria

Finally, the speaking and writing sections of the TOEFL are graded holistically. The grader gives you a score based on the overall quality of the essay, including vocabulary, logic, style, and grammar. The IELTS by contrast is marked by individual criteria and you are scored individually for grammar, word choice, fluency, logic, cohesion, and a dozen other criteria. In other words, if you write well but have a lot of small grammar mistakes, your TOEFL score might be quite good because graders will ignore small mistakes if the overall essay is logical and detailed. The IELTS will not overlook bad grammar. On the other hand, if your grammar and vocabulary are strong but you have trouble expressing your opinion or organizing an essay, you could end up with a low TOEFL score but the IELTS will give you good marks for language use. So while it may sound like the IELTS is much tougher since it grades you on everything, in fact you can get quite a good score if you are strong in a number of areas. The TOEFL emphasizes the ability to put together a logical and detailed argument (or summary) and looks at clarity, word choice, and style above all. If you don't feel comfortable writing essays but you think you have excellent grammar and vocabulary and overall are a decent writer, the IELTS will probably be easier for you.

I hope this essay was helpful in making your choice. In any case, I recommend you go to the websites of IELTS and TOEFL and get some more detail on each test, and also try out some practice problems on your own.

TOEFL or IELTS - Which is Better?

Basic Soccer Rules

Basic soccer rules are pretty simple to follow, the team that scores the most goals wins!

Each team will consist of 11 starting players of which there is one goalkeeper and 10 outfield players. The game will be played on a soccer pitch and the field dimension will normally be just over 100 yards long although it could be shorter if it is a youth soccer game.

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Soccer teams are normally split into formations consisting of defence, goalkeeper and forwards. Each team will also nominate a captain although this role is not as significant as other sports such as cricket and rugby. The captain will start the game by tossing a coin with the referee and the winning captain has the option of selecting which way their team will shoot. This can be an advantage if there is a strong wind which could change direction by the time the teams reach the second half.

Basic Soccer Rules

Soccer games consist of two halves lasting 45 minutes each although injury time is often added by the referee to cover any stoppages. If the game is a cup tie, a world cup final for example then extra time will be played consisting of an extra two 15 minute periods. If the teams are still level at this stage the game will develop into a penalty shoot with each team nominating 5 penalty kick takers who will try and beat the goalkeeper from the penalty spot (12 yards) until one team wins.

During the game the referee has the power to caution players and issue yellow and red cards. Yellow cards are issued for minor or a serious of fouls by the same player which results in a booking, however if two yellow cards are issued then this equals a red card and the offending player is sent off the field.

A straight red card can be also be issued for serious foul play or denying an opponent a goalscoring opportunity. Each team has to have a minimum of 7 players on the field so if one team have more than 5 players sent off then the game would be abandoned, this is very rare but has happened a few times in violent games!

One of the most important basic rules of soccer is the offside rule which basically prevents attacking players from gaining an unfair advantage as when a pass is made there has to be 2 opposition players closer to the goal than the attacking player. If the attacking player is level with a defender then he is still onside so play continues. The referee has two assistants (previously known as linesman) on either side of the field to help judge the offside rule.

Basic Soccer Rules

Archery Competition: Introduction, Rules, & Scores

In these modern times, archery is no longer considered a weapon of war and destruction but an organized sport and a true test of precision and accuracy. The most popular of all the archery competitions is Target Archery. Here, the archer is given a target which he will have to hit with arrows from certain distances.

From 1900 to 1920, Archery was included in the Olympic Games four times. It was reintroduced in 1972 as an individual event and a team event was added in 1988. In the Olympics, only the recurve bow is allowed because the level of skill it requires. At the recent Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, Korea has dominated the playing field in this event, especially in the women's division. The Korean women won the gold, silver and bronze medals in the individual events and the gold medal in the team event.

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The International Archery Association, which is an English abbreviation of FITA (Fédération Internationale de Tir à l'Arc), regulates and standardizes the rules, policies and techniques of the Archery events of the Olympic Games.

Archery Competition: Introduction, Rules, & Scores

Rules and Regulations

Competitions in Archery can either be held indoors or outdoors. The distances from the shooting line to the target are 18 meters and 25 meters for indoor players. Outdoor players shoot from distances of 30 meters to 90 meters for senior archers because outside competitions consist of several distances; junior archers can shoot from closer distances. The distance used in the Olympic Games is 70 meters.

Each competition is separated into 'ends'. In one 'end,' an archer is allowed to shoot three or six arrows depending on the type of round played. After each end, the players walk towards their targets to determine their scores and retrieve their arrows. In a round of indoor competition, there are twenty ends with three arrows each end. Outdoor competitions usually allow more shots per end although this may vary. All competitors shoot from a set shooting line and only release and retrieve their arrows on command.

In formal competitions, there is a standard time limit set for archers to shoot their arrows. This requires a quick and sure aim from the archers. The FITA gives two minutes to shoot three arrows in indoor competitions. However, sound generating devices like whistles are never used to signal that the time is up. Other silent signaling devices such as lights and flags are used so as not to unnerve or distract the archer that may result in a stray arrow. A lot of attention is given to ensure order and safety of the archers, officials and the spectators since archery is a sport that utilizes a weapon that could be lethal.

Scoring

In Archery, the targets are marked with ten evenly spaced concentric rings. In each concentric ring, a value from one to ten is assigned. The innermost ring is called the 'X' ring and becomes the tenth ring in indoor competitions. The 'X' ring is considered a tiebreaker in outdoor competitions and whoever scores the most number of 'X's wins. FITA colors the rings of the target as follows: the 1st and 2nd rings are white, the 3rd and 4th rings are black, the 5th and 6th rings are blue, the 7th and 8th rings are red and the 9th and 10th rings are gold.

The score of each archer is the sum of the values of the rings hit by his arrows. In the event where the arrow hits the boundary line of the rings, the higher score is given to the archer. All the values scored by each player are recorded on a score sheet and they must be in a descending order regardless of the real order of the scoring. Before and during the scoring, absolutely no one is allowed to touch the arrows. When conflicts arise in the scoring, a judge is called upon and he will rule on where the arrow lies. Only after the scoring and when each hole is marked will the arrows be removed. Points may be awarded to an unmarked hole which happens in events like a 'pass through' or a 'bouncer.' A 'pass through' is when the arrow passes through the target while a 'bouncer' is when the arrow hits the target but bounces off.

The size of the target faces depend largely on the type of round played and the distances from the shooting line. Common sizes however are regulated by FITA which are: 40 cm for indoors with 18 m distances, 60 cm for indoor with 25 m distances, 80 cm for outdoor with 30 and 50 m distances and 122 cm for outdoor with 70 and 90 m distances. In the Olympic Games, 122 cm target faces are used.

Archery Competition: Introduction, Rules, & Scores

Barriers to Intercultural Communication

Today's competitive global economy results in frequent cross-border movements of staff that results in a growing diversity at the workplace. As the inevitable happens between cultures, breakdowns in communication are a common occurrence. That is certainly costly to the multinational enterprise in terms of workplace relations, returns and revenues, and customer relationship. Not to mention, the firm's competitive advantage.

As such, three main obstacles to intercultural communication are identified and accordingly expounded further below. It is noteworthy to the International Assignee the consequences if due care is not exercised when interacting with non-native English speakers.

English Football Results

1. Language

Barriers to Intercultural Communication

* Slang, Jargon

* Dialects, Pidgin

* Accents

The transfer of International Assignees across geographical borders perpetuates the use of the English language. That has never been as pervasive or as widely, although variations of the language and degree of fluency differ from country to country, individual to individual.

As it is, usage of slang and jargon - examples: sport, technical - is to be avoided unless the Assignee is very sure the local audience understands them well. Also, the presence of globally known brands, products and services does not mean that the locals possess the same level of mindset.

It is therefore imperative that the Assignee be sensitive of both connotations and implications that may arise as a result of local usage; further influenced by the local languages where English is a second or third, or foreign language.

2. Modern Technology

* E-mail

* SMS Text Messaging

* Video Conferencing / Teleconferencing

The advent of modern technology, especially the Internet, has made access easier and cheaper to people worldwide such that it helped speed up globalisation. Similarly, the pervasive use of technological tools like Short Message Service [SMS] and e-mail amongst locals does not mean that cultural mishaps will not occur.

The difficulty that comes with the aforesaid tools is gauging the recipients' expressions. Their responses could be not what the Assignee expects or least anticipates. On the other hand, the ease of communicating electronically removes formality and business etiquette that can not only be misconstrued but also leads to a breakdown in communication.

Hence, it is pertinent on the Assignee's part to convey himself as clearly and plainly as possible to avoid any misunderstandings that may arise.

3. Behaviourial and Mindset

* Anxiety

* Discomfort

* Fear of the "Unknown"

* Prejudice and Stereotyping

* Perceived Cultural Superiority or Ethnocentrism

* Discrimination = Racial, Sexual, Educational

Coming from a culture that upholds individualism, privacy and independence; the Assignee will certainly experience shock, resistance, and to a lesser degree, disgust towards the host culture that is perceived as inferior. Which as a result, he may withdraw himself seeking similar individuals; or refusal to adapt accordingly to his environment.

The Assignee may also display anxiety and discomfort if he has not come across - or having little or rare opportunities to socialise with - people of other cultures before. He will lose sight on effectively communicating his ideas as his fear[s] of not being understood - amongst others - overwhelms him.

Thus, it is to both the organisation's long-term interest and the Assignee's well-being that he has the ability to manage the conflicts well enough. Otherwise it is detrimental to his work performance which can affect the entire department's morale as a whole.

One Last Word...

It is convenient to dismiss Cultural Differences as the major or sole reason for a breakdown in communication - which does not serve the International Assignee well in the long run. Instead, he could be more proactive by confronting the issues that prevented him from working closely with his team.

By addressing the problem and then taking practical steps to remedy any unintentional misunderstanding caused; such actions will not only make him more motivated at work but his stay more pleasant too.

Just remember: Treat anyone regardless of ethnic, racial or cultural background the same way you would want to be treated.

Barriers to Intercultural Communication