The Roman Economy and Ancient Economics

The Roman Economy and Ancient Economics Get To Grips With The Roman Economy ChaptersRoman Farming Was A Huge Part of The Empire’s EconomyAncient Roman Money and Trade Practices Were Well-EstablishedLearn About Ancient EconomicsThe study of how ancient economies, such as the Roman Empire, and how they operated can be a fascinating topic to learn about. It's easy to see why given how enduringly popular this ancient civilisation is, with many a historian and archaeologist looking at how these ancient societies operated and how Romans and their vast wealth of philosophers and culture influenced the course of modern history today.Many economies in place in the world today are built on principles we are all familiar with, such as:Established and developed monetary systems and regulations;Developed agricultural, trade, and manufacturing practices; andCapitalism and free marketHowever, ancient economies looked very different to how we understand economics today.As we shall see below, the ancient Roman economy was not as developed as you may have expected, and actu ally placed a lot of emphasis on agriculture as well as the slave economy.Of course, the ancient Roman economy is not completely alien to the economic systems that we have in place today, as there were some features, such as their monetary system and basic trade routes, which feel a little more familiar.You may have already studied a little about ancient Rome and its economy at school or university, although many more will likely have never learnt anything about the workings of ancient economies.Perhaps understandably, the focus of many economics courses is on key areas such as:Macroeconomics;Microeconomics; andEconometrics.To the frustration of some, there is actually a tendency in economics courses, whether at A-Level or university, to focus on the above economic areas, along with particular schools of economic thought, such as classical or neoclassical economics.As a result, economic history, or the history of economic theory, can fall by the wayside on some courses.So, if you do find yourself naturally drawn to learning about the ancient world, including how their economic system operated, you may be better off reaching out for a specialist to help teach you about such systems in your own time.Superprof, for instance, offers a range of tutors that specialise in subjects from history and ancient history to economics and maths. This means it’s never been easier to search for a tutor that has great knowledge about a topic or subject you’d like to improve your knowledge of.Roman farming and agriculture was a huge part of the economy. (Image: CC0 1.0, TheDigitalArtist, Pixabay)Olive oil.These products are still famous exports within modern-day Italy today.Generally speaking, agricultural output in ancient Rome was carried out by both small-scale farmers, as well as landowners who had space and resources available to put both workers and slaves on their land to produce crops.Much of the ancient Roman economy was based on the leverage of slave labour, althoug h the jury is out among historians as to whether this bolstered, or ultimately hindered the progression of the ancient Roman economy.Regardless of historical opinion, it is accepted that slave labour was widely employed during this age. The Roman economy became even more dependent on the use of slave labour as the Republic progressed, due to the impact and cost of numerous wars  (see the post-war effects on economy)  and expeditions  that were commonplace in such ancient civilisations.However, it has been noted that, once conquests reduced in the Roman Empire, hired labour became more popular, as the price of slaves increased.Although certain developed agricultural practices, such as two-tier crop rotation, were used during the Roman Empire, they didn’t yield substantial results for the amount of manpower it required.For completeness, two-tier crop rotation is a practice whereby land fit for crops would be divided into two or more separate fields. While one field would be used to plant and grow crops, such as wheat, the other field or fields would remain unused, in order to help the ground recover for the next crop rotation.Agriculture formed a huge part of the ancient Roman economy in no small part due to the empire’s need to feed its inhabitants as well as the military men that served. In fact, often a conquest, for example to areas such as Egypt, could be partly attributed to the need to find more grain-producing regions, in order to feed the empire.Port routes were also a key part of the Roman Empire's economy. (Source: CC0 1.0, DanyJack Mercier, PublicDomainPictures)Ancient Roman Money and Trade Practices Were Well-EstablishedTrade was another cornerstone of the ancient Roman economy. Ancient Roman coinage was actually quite well established, although the supply of money wasn’t as controlled as it is in global economies today. For instance, there was no central bank at the time of the ancient Roman economy, and very little regulation.Nevertheless, t here was a single currency, and a variety of different coins in circulation, from brass and bronze coins to coins made of other precious metals.Although there was a currency in circulation, it was not the sole way that goods were exchanged during the Roman Empire. Bartering still remained a highly viable option within the ancient economies, and taxes could also be settled through bartering instead of using coins â€" quite an alien concept today!Ancient Rome’s monetary system, however, formed only a part of the total trade network at play.Ports, such as Ostia, formed a crucial part of the empire’s trade network, and there were also a large number of roads that connected the empire to diverse corners of the world, including:China via the Silk Road;India, which allowed for the import of spices; andAfrica, which offered goods such as ivory.Marble was one of the minerals extracted as part of the ancient Roman mining industry. (Source: CC0 1.0, PRAIRAT_FHUNTA, Pixabay)Learn About Anci ent EconomicsAs we’ve seen, the economy in the ancient Roman Republic was not as developed as you may have thought, given the Roman Republic's status as one of the major empires of the ancient world.Instead, there was a heavy emphasis on both agricultural output, as well as the use of slave labour in order to complete both skilled and unskilled work, even if it meant launching a conquest or two in order to gain access to arable land.Although the economy of ancient Rome may not have been as established or developed as many may think, there was features of this classical period economy that seem fairly similar to the systems we have in place today, from the operation of a single currency to the establishment of a variety of trade and port routes.In fact, some historians, such as Peter Temin, have even argued that the Roman Empire was essentially a market economy.Despite some of these parallels, the fact remains that ancient civilisations, from Ancient Greece to the Roman Empire,  an d their economies differed in a great many ways to global economies at play today.Just as the monuments and architecture of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire are foreign to us today, bartering was a prominent feature in ancient Rome, and the Empire's focus on agriculture is not one that we see as much today, as many modern-day nations have turned towards production and manufacturing.Ancient Rome, on the other hand, did have a manufacturing sector, but by no means did it take pride of place in the Empire when compared to sectors such as agriculture.The primary industry during the Roman Empire was mining, with the resulting minerals used for a variety of purposes, for example:Gold and silver, to create coins or jewellery;Iron, for weapons which conquered many nations; andMarble, for buildings.Understandably, the features of many ancient economies differ from what we understand as the norm today. This makes them fascinating to study, as they provide a small insight into what life wou ld have been like during those times, and how our economic systems and practices have changed.Should your Economics teacher merely gloss over these topics, perhaps you need a Superprof Economics tutor!If you’re drawn to history and would like to learn more about the economies of ancient Rome or Greece, or even if you would like to learn more about ancient history in general, then you can always turn to a level economics tutors for help.History and economics tutors, such as those featured on Superprof, should be able to answer any questions you have about ancient economies, and can also help improve your overall knowledge and understanding of this captivating area of economics and history.So whether you'd like to learn about Egyptian gods, Christianity during the Roman Empire, the earliest instances of Ancient Greek civilisation and the Persian Empire, or the temples, texts, sculptures and philosophy around during antiquity, you can find a tutor for you.Check out this info about th e UK Economy.See how more details about the Industrial Revolution.Consult this guide on behavioural finance.

How to Learn Arabic Fast

How to Learn Arabic Fast Master Arabic in 30 Days ChaptersIntensive Arabic Language Classes at a Language SchoolLearning Arabic in One Month With a Private TeacherHow to Learn Arabic Quickly for Free: Arabic Courses OnlineStudy Abroad in an Arabic CountryWhen you sign up for a class in literary Arabic, you’ll often start to have quite a few questions about the best ways to learn the language.How much time will it take to learn to speak Arabic?Can I learn Arabic in one month?You’ll need at least the next 30 days just to learn the basics of Arabic.The only thing is, you don’t know anything about this language, the script looks nothing like anything you’ve ever seen before, and what the heck are these sounds which are words in Arabic?So how are you supposed to learn Arabic in 30 days?Superprof walks you through a few tips in this article to help you succeed in your efforts during your intensive Arabic class, and learn the language quickly. HalimaArabic Teacher £13/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KotaibaArabic Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SoledadArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NancyArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaouesArabic Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DinaArabic Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AbrarArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UsamaArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsIntensive Arabic Language Classes at a Language SchoolThe Arabic language is regularly included on lists of the 10 hardest languages to learn.It’ll take an estimated 2200 hours of classes to speak Arabic properly…that works out at 3 years of studying for two hours every day.Quickly increase your Arabic skills with an intensive class.It’ll be pretty difficult to learn to speak Arabic in one month, even for the most dedicated students.However, all is not lost. With a good teacher or a good language school, you’ll be able to walk through some of the basics, including learning to write the Arabic script and reading the letters of the Arabic alphabet.In order to achieve this though, you’ll have to head to the classroom to study Arabic every day.This intensive period of study will help you learn the basics of the Arabic language.Here are some of the top Arabic language schools in the US:Middlebury College’s Intensive Arabic Summer program: located on Middlebury’s leafy Vermont campus, this summer intensive course will have you in the classroom for five hours each day, and the school promises to teach you vocabulary, syntax, and “how to use the language to engage effectively with Arabic culture.” The intensive offers lots of optional extras too, including tutoring in different spoken dialects, and lessons in Arabic calligraphy.Georgetown’s Summer Language Institute on the university's campus in DC’s trendy neighborhood. Classes are three hours each day and “offers students the opp ortunity to acquire skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in Arabic.” Georgetown’s program promises small class sizes and incorporates technology into learning.University of Michigan’s Arabic Summer Language program - is a 10 week summer intensive course that requires students to have already completed at least one semester of Arabic. The summer intensive intends to bring them up to the same level as if they’d completed a year of intermediate study and is a good option for students who’ve mastered the basics and feel like they’ve lost momentum.The popularity of these immersion courses shows there’s something to it - by showing up and studying Arabic every day for one or two months, you will be immersed in the language and progress quickly.Here’s a list of some of the things you’ll cover in an intensive Arabic language course:Learn the Arabic alphabet, with its 28 letters and all of their different forms, depending on if they fall at the beginning, mid dle, or end of a sentence, or if they stand alone.Gain a basic understanding of how to pronounce all of the Arabic letters - vowels, consonants, hamza, and guttural consonantsLearn to write short words in Arabic scriptLearn to read Arabic lettersBegin to learn some Arabic vocabularyConduct basic conversationsIf you work hard and study regularly, you can easily get through the beginners level and begin to read and write in Arabic.Learning Arabic in One Month With a Private TeacherPrivate Arabic classes are a good alternative to a language school, as they’ll give you direct access to a teacher who can come up with a personalized curriculum for you to learn Arabic at home.Ask your Arabic teacher how to say a few expressions in one month - time is running out!A private teacher will be able to adapt to your needs and adjust to your level. Also, you can decide how many hours a day you want to study Arabic (within reason, of course!)Browse Superprof for Arabic classes London.Your teacher will work with you on the letters of the alphabet, and help you master Arabic pronunciation and script.Above all, they’ll be there to gently correct your errors and stop you from picking up bad habits.The advantage of taking private courses is that it’s easy to find a good teacher - and you’ll have your choice of native speakers for whichever spoken dialect (Egyptian Arabic, Syrian Arabic, Moroccan Arabic etc) you decide to learn.By imitating your teacher and the sounds they make, you can work on the form of your mouth, (and the vibrations in your throat for all the guttural sounds), and memorize different Arabic words by ear.Private lessons will give you a personalized and intensive introduction to the Arabic language, and there are also many other learning tools that you can also pick up - newspaper articles, online videos and cartoons, children's books in Arabic, easy dialogues…Check out our database on Superprof  where you can find an arabic teacher or private teacher a nd follow an accelerated course of study of Arabic, whether you decide to study a spoken dialect or Classical Arabic.The one thing is that taking intensive private Arabic lessons could be costly.Speak to your teacher and see if they could work with you for a discount. Depending on where you live and your level of Arabic, classes will be at least $20-40 per hour.Let’s suppose the normal hourly rate for private Arabic classes in $30. If you’re doing four hours every day for a month, even if you skip weekends, the bill will mount quickly - $600 per week, or $2400 for a month of intensive Arabic study. It’s expensive to take the time to learn Arabic!If you don’t have the time or the money to invest in learning Arabic this way, check out some of the options - Arabic courses online.How to Learn Arabic Quickly for Free: Arabic Courses OnlineThere are many different websites where you can go to learn Arabic online. Some of them are free and others cost money, but they’ll all offer complete courses for beginners, and intensive Arabic classes that cover the alphabet, reading the script, writing in Arabic, and basic conversations.What about if, instead of playing Pokémon Go, you decided to learn Arabic online?If you type ‘online Arabic classes,’ you’ll get plenty of different websites on the first page of the Google search results:busuu.comarabiconline.eumadinaharabic.comalison.com/arabicarabacademy,comverbalplanet.comlearnarabiconline.commadinaharabic.netOnline Arabic classes are often a good way to test your level of Arabic.It’s a window into the lives of experienced native speakers who grew up speaking Egyptian, Tunisian, or Moroccan Arabic, and all without needing to leave your home or worry about the time.Courses on literary Arabic are often individual or collective, fun and simple, and you can find different Arabic classes online for all levels.The internet is also a great resource if you want to learn more about religion, Islam, Arabic culture, Muslim culture, or the Quran. There are plenty of websites to introduce you to the Muslim religion at the same time as you learn Arabic, if you’re interested.There are complete curriculums to learn Classical Arabic quickly and for free. Interactive listening exercises will help you master the different sounds of the Arabic language. Other segments will teach you to recognize the letters of the alphabet, learn how to write the Arabic script, and how to say it all.Online resources are also great for improving your grammar and working out just how possessive pronouns, personal pronouns, verbs, conjugations, and diphthongs work in the Arabic language.Even if you only have 30 days, working on your Arabic every day will help you improve.And finally, here’s my favorite learning tool, which I used to learn a few phrases in a Slavic dialect before a trip to the Balkans. It’s called Teach Yourself.By regularly listening to different phrases that build on one another, and one lesson a da y, you learn the different elements easily without really having a sense of studying a new language.Teach Yourself costs between $20-50 on Amazon and will bring you right through the intermediate level of Arabic in order to learn the script, grammar, how to read the language, as well as some easy every day phrases.It’s a great way to learn Arabic in one month without any stress and at a very low price!Study Abroad in an Arabic CountryWe’ve saved the best for last - there’s no better way to learn a language than to go and spend some time abroad living in it.Head off on an Arabic immersion course to learn the language quicklyIn order to learn Arabic in just one month, take a vacation to an Arabic speaking country. While the Middle East might seem far away, you can get to Morocco from the East Coast in just 8 hours.As soon as possible upon your arrival in Marrakech or Cairo, try to detach yourself from the Latin alphabet. It’s a bit radical, but if you want to learn the Arabic language in just a short time, hard challenges are necessary.If you can’t manage to immerse yourself in the script, at least immerse yourself in conversations with locals.This will require that you have at least some basic skills in Modern Standard Arabic, but you can also use English, or French if you know any. In most of the large North African cities, many young people use English as a professional and commercial language.Therefore you can always make sure you’ve been understood in English after you’ve at least first tried to express yourself, in written or oral form, in Arabic.Going abroad to study a language requires a mix of different techniques to make you as successful possible. In order to improve your skills in reading and writing Arabic, express yourself verbally in Arabic, you’ll need a host of resources , like intensive classes, private Arabic lessons at home, free online Arabic classes, or studying abroad…And one last thing if you can stand any more - read th e papers and listen to the Arabic media. Remember, learning Arabic can be difficult, but if you do everything we’ve suggested, you’ll be bilingual in no time at all!

Algebra 2 Help

Algebra 2 Help Algebra II involves solving linear equations. Linear equation with one variable is the simplest form of equation. The equations involving only linear polynomials we call as linear equations. The highest power of the variable appearing in linear equation is 1. Any value of the variable which when substituted in an equation makes its both sides equal is called a solution of the equation. To solve an equation we need to follow two permissible rules. They are:- Addition Subtraction Rule If any number is added or subtracted from both sides of an equation, the resulting equation has the same solution as the original. Multiplication Division Rule If each side of equation is multiplied or divided by non-zero number, the resulting equation has the same solution as the original. This can be easily understood by taking the separate examples for using the rules Example 1:- Find the solution of x 15 + 7 = 25 Solution 1:- Use Addition Subtraction Rule To eliminate 15, add 15 on both sides x 15 + 15 + 7= 25 + 15 x + 7= 40 To eliminate + 7, subtract 7 on both sides x + 7 7 = 40 7 x = 33 Hence the required solution This problem helps to understand the Addition Subtraction rule Example 2:- Find the solution of 2 x / 3 = 8 Solution 2:- Use Multiplication and Division rule. Multiply by 3 on both sides, 3 in the denominator gets cancelled 3 X 2x/3 = 8 X 3 2x = 24 Divide by 2 on both sides X= 12; Solution obtained These examples we applied basic rules for solving linear equation with one variable.

If You Won the Lottery - English Listening Exercise

If You Won the Lottery - English Listening Exercise What would you say to your boss if you won the lottery? Its a question made to produce funny answers, which is why American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had someone go to Hollywood Boulevard and ask pedestrians what they would do.This makes a great listening exercise because there is a lot of slang, everyday English, its funny, and it uses interesting and complicated grammar structures. Watch the short video below, then see if you can answer the questions.Note: In the video, the lottery is referred to as Powerball.Answer the questions below in comments, and well respond.1. How much was the Powerball  worth? What was the record?2. How does he recommend recreating the experience of playing  Powerball?3. If you ___ $600 million dollars, ___ ___ quit the show?4. It seems to be everyones fantasy when they think about winning  the lottery, being able to quit their job  and ___ ____ boss ___.5. What does the phrasal verb in the sentence above mean?6. If you ___ the $600 million Powerball, wh at ____  you say to your boss?7.  Snap! This guys gonna ___ you ___ to ___ and leave you there.8. I am ___ __ ___ I never have to do _______ lunch duty again!9. Id definitely tell him about the time his wife ___ __ ___ __ at the Christmas party.10. What would you tell your boss?

Being Strategic Set Goals, Gather Facts, Consider Alternatives, Make Plans

Being Strategic Set Goals, Gather Facts, Consider Alternatives, Make Plans Improving Academic Performance “Strategy is about making choices, trade-offs; it's about deliberately choosing to be different.” -Michael Porter, famous Harvard Business School professor I think training in strategic thinking could be the glue that is missing for many students trying to improve performance at school. By thinking strategically and following a structured process for reaching specific goals, you are far more likely to actually succeed. This article is all about bringing powerful principles of strategy development â€" principles the world’s most successful companies and best MBA programs have been discussing and refining for decades and which I learned both on the job as a strategy consultant for 6 years and in one of those top MBA programs â€" to the process of improving an individual student’s academic performance. As I researched and read about what truly drives academic performance, I realized this notion of employing strategies was extremely underrepresented, although Heidi Grant Halvorson, who is the Associate Director of the Motivation Science Center at the Columbia Business School, in her book Nine Things Successful People do differently. does address head on the topic of employing strategies to reach goals. Any successful business develops a unique system for serving its customers and making a profit for its owners. The create processes for developing and producing products, recruiting employees, marketing and selling to customers, setting goals and plans, etc. The CEO of a large corporation or the owner of a small business generally tend to understand that market trends or customer preferences impact their success, but they intuitively know that they are, to a very large extent, in complete control of the success of their business. If the choices they make are right and they put in the required effort, they business will thrive. Sometimes the right choices aren’t clear, but they are in control of making them. So, it’s natural for a business to be very deliberate about setting strategies and making plans. Students need to do the same. How are good strategies developed? Basic strategy development involves four steps: 1) set a goal, 2) gather facts about how to reach that goal 3) consider alternatives (i.e., different sets of choices) for getting to that goal and 4) make specific plans and assign accountabilities and rewards. Without using too much unnecessary business jargon, let’s walk briefly through the process and point out what’s critical to get right when you’re developing a strategy. We’ll start by discussing these principles in the context of business strategy, and then I’ll use some personal examples to explain how these ideas can be applied in the context of academics. 1. Setting goals First, business must have specific goals, and fewer is better than more. For example, if you are the CEO and you have one goal â€" double profits in three years â€" every decision you make can be linked back to that goal. I’m not saying having this one particular goal is appropriate, but surely it would make decision-making throughout the company clear. Should you close this plant? We’ll, if you’ll save a million dollars without losing any revenue and your only goal is to double profits in three years, you certainly should close the plant, even though that’s a very tough decision to make. Another aspect of this goal is that it’s specific. After three years, the CEO of this business will either have doubled profits, or not. He or she will know if the goal was met without a doubt. But, if your goals as the CEO are to “improve profits for the owners, treat employees well, serve your community, and delight customers,” as you might imagine, you really have no idea whether to close that plant. Closing the plant might improve profits, but it won’t make the employees that get laid off very happy, and it hurts the local community. And, if your goal is to “improve profits,” you can never really know if closing the plant was worth it, because the goal itself isn’t specific enough. Here is an excellent, short blog article about goal setting as applied to individuals’ personal and career decisions. 2. Gathering Facts Businesses pride themselves on being “fact-based,” which is definitely a good thing. They track the moves of competitors, conduct research on their customers’ preferences, and analyze their internal financial data for interesting trends in sales, etc. They then use all of this information to make decisions. Basically any reasonably run business does these things. The practice of fact gathering is something students need to be doing more often and better. Ask a high school student what it takes to get into a Ivy League school, and they’ll probably say a perfect SAT score, perfect grades, a resume chock full of activities, and the probability is extremely low. It is just so competitive. But is this general sentiment true? Here are the facts. Per the above table, the average admission rate, under regular admission timing, is 9%. If you can develop an “average” Ivy League quality application only (i.e., test score, GPA, activities, etc.), and you apply to all 8 Ivy League schools, your chances of getting denied are 91% * 91% * 91% * 91% * 91% * 91% * 91% * 91% = 47%. In other words, the facts actually suggest you have a greater than 50% probability of getting admitted if you can pull together an average Ivy League quality application. Now, of course, the average Ivy League application is strong, but it’s within reach for many high school students to work towards an average Ivy League quality application and resume. Once that happens, the probabilities suggest you can get admitted, not that your chances are incredibly slim. What other facts would you then want to gather in this case? You’d want to know about average test scores, GPA, activities, etc. for those that applied, and of course for those that were admitted, to these schools. 3. Consider Alternatives I’ve consistently been surprised about the extent to which large business don’t effectively use alternatives when developing strategies. All too often, an opportunity arises (i.e., to develop a new product, enter a new country, or buy another company), and facts are gathered to determine whether to do it, or not. That’s it. Using alternatives releases the pressure of this binary decision, and tends to lead to even better options. The way new options are created is sometimes incredibly simple. For example, say a business is considering acquiring a competitor. Everyone knows the competitor is for sale, and the CEO starts asking for as much information (i.e., facts) as possible about whether it’s a good deal or not. Soon, dozens of people are focused on analyzing this opportunity, and forming opinions about whether it’s a good one or not. Let’s assume it’s a really expensive company to buy. All too often, the CEO forgets to step back and consider what other alternatives exists that might also accomplish many of the same objectives that an acquisition would accomplish. What about buying other, smaller, less expensive companies? What about a joint venture, instead of an acquisition? The best alternative should then be chosen after being evaluated against criteria that everyone agrees on. 4. Make plans Business tend to also do a very good job of making plans and assigning accountabilities. If the agreed alternatives is in fact to buy a company, there are many, many things that need to happen. Who is going to build a financial model to determine how much to pay? Who is going to organize the integration of the two facilities, etc.? The specific steps are typically written down, with accountabilities assigned to specific people. Students, and people in general, tend not to make specific plans in this way. We tend to be along for the educational or corporate ride, following the instructions given to use by teachers, guidance counselors, bosses, etc. But, if we have a goals, and we’ve gathered information about how to reach them, and considered some different ways to get there, we can and should write out the specific lists of activities and steps we need to take, hold ourselves accountable for meeting specific deadlines. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(215486, 'f08a3c58-464f-4164-a82e-313b7951bbb2', {});

Top ten books for great half-term reading

Top ten books for great half-term reading Half-term gives kids a great chance to catch-up on some great, fun, reading time. And with these adventure-packed, hilarious and heart-warming books, we guarantee your child won't get bored this break. Keep their minds sharp and boost their English skills with some of these fabulous new releases: 1. The Racehorse Who Wouldn't Gallop by Clare Balding A classic, funny, animal story about 10-year-old Charlie Bass who is absolutely horse-mad. After her dreams come true and she buys a pony that she thinks is perfect, Charlie faces a major problem; her horse, Noble Warrior, won't gallop. With the family farm at risk of being repossessed and Darby Day just around the corner, Charlie is convinced that Noble Warrior can save the day. Can Charlie enlist the help of her family and help Noble Warrior overcome his nerves? 2. Clover Moon by Jacqueline Wilson Jacqueline Wilson's new book about Clover Moon, a bright, young heroine who's imagination is her escape from her hard life in Victorian London. Sad, moving, exciting, this book has everything and your children will struggle to put it down. A great read for ages 7-12. 3. The World's Worst Children by David Walliams For those who have yet to read this wonderfully funny and entertaining book about truly terrible children, then this half-term is the perfect opportunity. Get ready to meet five beastly boys and five gruesome girls including Dribbling Drew, Grubby Gertrude and Nigel Nit-Boy. An absolute must-read for all young readers who enjoy a good giggle. 4. Double Down (Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 11) by Jeff Kinney The Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a best-selling series and for all those fans this read is an absolute must. Greg's mum is on his back about the amount of time he spends playing video games. With Halloween coming up, Greg discovers a bag of gummy worms and his mind goes into overdrive. Can Greg make a movie and become rich and famous getting his mum off his case in the process? Or will doubling down just double Greg's troubles? 5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K.Rowling Author of the adored and internationally best-selling Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling introduces this magnificent adventure-packed story about Newt Scamander, a Magizoologist who arrives in New York. When Newt loses his magical case and some of his unusual beasts escape, there is trouble for everyone. The film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be released in theatres on 18th November. 6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition by J.K.Rowling, Jim Kay (illustrator) For those who want to revisit Harry Potter with the exceptionally beautiful illustrations by Jim Kay then this book is for you. Unforgettable characters, such as Dobby and Gilderoy Lockhart, and dark, intriguing themes this book is full of humour and magic. Now in year two at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft, Harry Potter and his friends seek out a legendary chamber and the deadly secret it hides. 7. DanTDM: Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal by Dan TDM and Daniel Middleton For all YouTube fans this graphic, adventure-filled novel sees Travarus and DanTDM embark on an exciting, yet dangerous adventure when a strange looking crystal plummets to earth and shatters into five pieces. When they recover one of the shards they quickly realise they hold an object that is far more powerful than they have ever known. Follow them on their quest to defeat evil. 8. Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven This heartbreaking and exhilarating love-story is a new best-seller and an absolute favourite half-term read. It tells the story of Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed 'America's fattest teen' and the girl with dreams and Jack Masselin, the charming, Mr.Popular who can't recognise faces. Their lives are pushed together when they both end up in group counselling and the more time they spend together, the less alone they begin to feel. 9. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff This fabulous YA book is based on the story of 16 year-old Mia Corvere who has been having lessons in death since the age of ten. Since the day Mia lost everything she made a promise to seek her revenge. But first she must be trained by the Red School; and Mia is no ordinary student. A wonderful story of a heroine in a dark, dangerous fantasy world. 10. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern 'Flawed' is a great novel about teenage life and trying to keep up with your peers. The story is about a young, beautiful model named Celestine. From a poster girl, Celestine's life is turned upside down after a moment of compassion sees her made an example of. A must read for all teenagers and a great thought-provoker.

Today In History

Today In History 1930 Dr. Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon was born. Buzz was an American engineer and former astronaut, and the second person to walk on the Moon. He was the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history. 1820 Anne Clough, promoter of higher education was born. Clough's personal charm and high aims, together with the development of the college under her care, led her to be regarded as one of the foremost leaders of the women's educational movement. Clough is responsible for all women who have the opportunity to educate through higher education, today. 1909 One of Ernest Shackleton's polar exploration teams reaches the Magnetic South Pole. 1952 British troops occupy Ismalia, Egypt. 1327 Edward II of England is deposed by his eldest son, Edward III. If history interests you or you would like to study history at a higher level, have a look at our 'Why Study History?'blog post or test your History General Knowledge. If you are already a History Student, and would like additional support you can meet some of our History tutors.