Portfolio task 1

This table gives information about the sales of a small, downtown restaurant in an American business district, in a particular week in October.

For lunch sales, Monday to Friday, working days, the figures are very consistent, varying from $2,375 on Thursday to $2,595 on Wednesday, the busiest day. Lunchtime sales on Saturday were lower, at $1,950, as this is a weekend when many businesses are closed. For dinner, sales were similar for Monday to Thursday evenings, between $3,500 and $4,000, but there was a marked increase on Friday night, $4,350, probably due to people celebrating the start of the weekend. On Saturday evening, takings dropped to $2,950, perhaps because most regular customers work in the business district.

Lunch sales were highest on Wednesday and lowest on Saturday. Dinner sales were highest on Friday evening and, again, lowest on Saturday night. The restaurant was closed on Sunday, which is the quieter day of the American weekend.

155 words

Portfolio task 4: competition or co-operation

Should children be raised to co-operate or to compete? 

This is a universal conundrum and not one that is easy to answer. I think there are compelling reasons to support both sides of the argument.

 In favour of raising children to be competitive is the fact that it is a natural human trait to want to achieve well both at school and at work and an obvious way to do this is to test oneself against one’s peers. If children and adults didn’t strive to better themselves and to achieve difficult goals there would be no human progress. This is true not only in areas such as scientific and medical advances, which bring important life-saving and life-enhancing benefits, but also in activities auch as sport,where the desire to compete against others is both natural and healthy.

 On the other hand, it is equally important that children learn the virtues of co-operation and helpfulness towards others. Of course, it is a competitive world and we all need to survive, but equally we all need help at some point(s) in our lives, some more than others. It is important that children learn to be sympathetic and tolerant towards others who might not be as fortunate as themseves. Helping others, moreover, makes us feel better as human beings and raises our self-esteem. More practically, there is a need to work with others , not only at school,but also in the workplace. My students, for example, might often work in groups here at college and mutual co-operation is vital; similarly, as a teacher, I work in a team, and being able to do so effectively is an important professional requirement in most workplaces. 

In an ideal world, therefore, we should raise our children to be aware of the importance of achieving a balance between being competitive and co-operative; both are vital in our lives. 

286 words

Line graph

Population growth 1750 to 2150


World population growth

The line graph shows population growth in richer and poorer countries between 1750 and 2150. It is based on the United Nations World Population Prospects, the 1998 Revision, and estimates by the Population Reference Bureau.

In 1750 the total world population was less than one billion and the population of less developed countries was three or four times greater than that of more developed countries. By 2000 the total figure was 6.1 billion, but only about 1 billion were in the more developed countries. The estimate is that by 2150 the total world population will be well over 10 billion but the total for the more developed countries will remain at about one billion and may even fall slightly.

It is estimated that the total world population will increase dramatically over the next 150 years but that this growth will be entirely in the less developed countries .

153 words.