Discuss and Evaluate Vygotskys Theory of Cognitive...

Discuss Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development (8+16) Vygotsky proposed that children’s development is affected by their culture and social interaction. He also suggested that children are not born with knowledge but they gain it through their social interactions with peers and adults; he does not rule out the importance of biological processes but proposes an interdependent relationship between biological development alongside social activity and cultural interaction. Since language is our means of communicating cultural knowledge, it is extremely important in this theory. Vygotsky was particularly interested in the relationship between language and thinking processes; he believed language was crucial for cognitive development.†¦show more content†¦If a child has a fairly large ZPD then they may require more help; the ZPD can differ for children as some may be capable of working independently while others may require some support. Vygotsky also introduced ‘scaffolding’, which is the term referred to when parents, teachers and others help a child to acquire knowledge and skills. McNaughton and Leyland (1990) experimented with jigsaws of increasing difficulty; the amount of scaffolding/help mothers gave their children was directly related to the difficulty of the jigsaw. Below the child’s ZPD, the help they received was more like the mothers joining in with the task. A harder jigsaw within the child’s ZPD require d more assistance and guidance from the mother until child’s ability improved as they crossed the ZPD. Vygotsky may have overplayed importance on social influences because he suggests that child’s cognitive development occurs through social interactions, for example children do internalisation of problem solving via mutual interactions. However, if social learning is the essence of cognitive development then learning would be a lot faster than it is. Thus Vygotsky ignores the biological aspects that aid or restricts the cognitive development such as the development of brain and maturation. Therefore Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is different toShow MoreRelatedEssay about Aviation/Aerospace Psychology736 Words   |  3 Pagesthough training in the aircraft can not be totally replicated, the simulator does add its own merit within the pilot training program. 3. List and briefly outline Piagets four stages of cognitive development. How does Vygotskys theory differ from that of Piaget? a. Piaget’s theory was older children think qualitatively different than younger children. At each of their successive stages, it’s not just a matter of doing something better but doing something totally differentRead MoreThe Theories Of Child Development2240 Words   |  9 PagesThis assignment will discuss the main theories of child development and discuss the main principles across all area of development. The assignment will also evaluate an observation conducted on a child and link their behaviour to relevant child development theories. The assignment will firstly highlight some child development theories from behaviourists such as Bandura, humanists such as Maslow and constructivists such as Piaget. Secondly the child’s observation will be discussed and evaluated hereRead MoreChapter Of Historical Thinking And Other Unnatural Acts963 Words   |  4 Pagesview, or appreciation of, history or the â€Å"historic sense.† I feel it does not aid in the development of critical thinking skills or â€Å"the invaluable mental power which we call judgment† if not directly supported by other practices. Wineburg goes on to discuss various arguments proposed by researchers and academia on the best ways to teach and to assess the historical education of students. He notes the development of a â€Å"doggedly factualist approach† to the teaching and learning of history, and the â€Å"ascentRead MoreA Study On Male High School Student1505 Words   |  7 Pagesin the role he is given. Developmental Patterns Jayden’s consistently showed evidence of academic thought during class. He was able to follow recipes and make decisions along the way as to how to carry out those directions. However, his cognitive development did not reflect higher order thinking. Most of the thinking the student exhibited would be considered application based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. He was given a recipe to follow and was complete it based on his ability to follow loose directionsRead MoreEssay on EDU701 COURSE1519 Words   |  7 PagesCOURSE INFORMATION Course Information Course: EDU701 Education and Human Development Semester: Sep 2013 Year: 2013 Phone: 03-55227401 Core Person /Instructor: Associate Prof. Dr. Ros Aizan Yahaya Email: dr.rosyahaya@gmail.com Office Hours By Appointment Texts Fagerlind, Ingemar and Saha, Lawrence, J. (1986). Education and National Development: A Comparative Perspective, New York: Pergamon Press. Ohmahe, Kenichi (1991), Beyond National Borders, Tokyo: Bantam Books. Olson, David, R. (Ed)Read MoreEvaluation Of A Classroom At The School Age Child s Theory Of Mind Essay1548 Words   |  7 Pagesnamed Sarah has many words to remember for a project, she can use rehearsal to effectively remember the necessary words. Rehearsal is an activity that involves repeating the information to herself. Additionally, language expertise predicts the development of rehearsal in the early grade school years, perhaps because a clear vocabulary size and ability to automatically name items is required for children to use the strategy (Berk, 437, 5). In an educational setting, teachers can encourage studentsRead MoreDevelopmental Psychology14082 Words   |  57 PagesPOINT OF VIEW ON THE BASIC ISSUES UNDERLYING CHILD DEVELOPMENT. DETERMINE, DISCUSS AND EVALUATE THE POINT OF VIEW OF VYGOTSKY’S SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY AND THE INFORMATION PROCESSING APPROACH WITH REGARD TO THE ISSUES UNDERLYING CHILD DEVELOPMENT * THE COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUOUS OR DISCONTINUOUS) * THE COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT: ONE OR MANY * FACTORS THAT DETERMINE DEVELOPMENT (NATURE/NURTURE) Introduction Child development has many theories with different ideas about what children are likeRead MoreSantrock Edpsych Ch0218723 Words   |  75 Pages02-EdPsy-Chap02-6123 8/22/06 2 3:33 PM Page 32 Physical and Cognitive Development Preview Examining the shape of children’s development allows us to understand it better. Every childhood is distinct, and is the first chapter in a new biography. This chapter is about children’s physical and cognitive development. These are some of the questions we will explore: †¢ Do children develop in distinct stages, or is their development smoother and more continuous? †¢ How do children develop physicallyRead MoreDevelopmental Psychology14091 Words   |  57 PagesOF VIEW ON THE BASIC ISSUES UNDERLYING CHILD DEVELOPMENT. DETERMINE, DISCUSS AND EVALUATE THE POINT OF VIEW OF VYGOTSKY’S SOCIOCULTURAL THEORY AND THE INFORMATION PROCESSING APPROACH WITH REGARD TO THE ISSUES UNDERLYING CHILD DEVELOPMENT * THE COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT (CONTINUOUS OR DISCONTINUOUS) * THE COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT: ONE OR MANY * FACTORS THAT DETERMINE DEVELOPMENT (NATURE/NURTURE) Introduction Child development has many theories with different ideas about what children areRead MoreHow People Learn3958 Words   |  16 PagesThere are many different theories on how people learn. This paper will summarize in the next chapter, a range of conventional learning theories. In the third chapter, this paper will discuss on how children learn, concentrating on Piagets theory and Vygotskys social cognition theory. Finally the fourth chapter will discuss on the subject of adult learning theories particularly on Knowles theory of andragogy. CHAPTER 2 THEORIES OF LEARNING SENSORY STIMULATION THEORY Traditional sensory stimulation

Frankenstein, By Mary Shelly - 2635 Words

In the novel Frankenstein, A Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelly conveys a warning of the potential dangers of creating a new life form, or â€Å"treading in God’s domain.† However, when Victor Frankenstein creates his monster and it comes alive he believes that he has constructed an abominable to the human race. As soon as the being wakes Frankenstein abandons it, because he cannot face or cope with his creation. Victor immediately assumes that his creature is an evil beast, but contrary to this idea the nameless creation is not evil in nature and possesses what every human has; a soul. The being may not be human but has a soul because he emits the qualities of a human being; these are the moral or emotional nature of a being or identity, the†¦show more content†¦Because society expects him to act like a monster, he inevitably becomes one. The being is clearly a victim of a self- fulfilling prophecy. Expert Naomi Hetherington, a critic of Frankenstein, agrees tha t â€Å"The monster is undoubtedly placed in unusual circumstances . . . And yet his situation is not unique the way he claims . . . All men have moments when they feel different, when they feel themselves inadequate to mixing in society, when they sense some form of ugliness standing between themselves and other human beings. The monster s fear of not being accepted because of being different is, paradoxically, a very human fear† (Hetherington). Just as the being’s external features are heightened, the being also exhibits heightened internal qualities of man, shown by his altruistic attitude toward humanity. The being tells Victor that his â€Å"soul glowed with love and humanity† (Shelly 91). The being enjoyed helping others. This is evident because he risked his own life and saved a little girl from drowning. All the being wanted in return was companionship and acceptance, neither of which he received, the creation says, â€Å"Let man live with me in the interchange of kindness; and instead of injury, I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance† (Shelly 125) it is clear that initially the being was only monstrous in

My Entire Flute Career free essay sample

My flute career ended when I picked up my flute and poised it at my lips, ready for a flute test. I was shaking, making it hard to keep my fingers on the keys.Everyone in the room seemed to know that I was terrible at the flute, and I couldn’t help to think that their encouraging smiles were mocking. I hated the flute with a burning passion, or perhaps I just hated the idea of not being the best. â€Å"Go,† my teacher said with a tap of the baton on my music stand. I played the first few notes smoothly, but my fingers trembled and were unable to press the right key formation in time and I missed several notes. Frustration rose to my cheeks, I looked up at the teacher, calmly put my flute down, and my composure fell. My eyes teared up as they did whenever I got frustrated. We will write a custom essay sample on My Entire Flute Career or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I could imagine my parent’s disappointment and the looks they would send my way. Meanwhile, my teacher had pursed his lips and given me a zero. As I walked home I pondered every excuse I could think of for the overall B in flute class. My teacher was rude. The test was too hard. I had a sore throat. Anything. I burst through the front door and excuses exploded from my mouth, â€Å"I failed my flute test because it was too hard, and he is exceptionally rude and no one else in the class passed either and now I end with a B!† â€Å"I don’t really care about flute, as long as you learned something it’s fine,† my mother stated calmly from her desk. I began to realize the pattern my parents were never the ones applying pressure. As long as I learned something, it was okay.I continued the class for the rest of the year, but, by the end of the year, I had given it up. Effectively ending my flute career. It took me years to realize that this failure was the result of my inability to accept a flaw a perfectionist streak. Combined with pressure on my shoulders that I seemed to have materialized out of thin air, it was a recipe for failure. It took me about the same amount of time to realize I missed music, and while my rented flute was gone, I still had an old keyboard in my basement. It had spindly legs with dust all over the keys and sandwiched between the slats. It would occasionally give a hum or screech until I smacked it with my palm to get it going. I started with teaching myself the scales, then moved on to simple songs. I could read music well enough that I could pick up a sheet of music and slowly sight-read it, tapping out the keys to form a melody. I would practice it until it was fairly fluent. I sat in front of the keyboard as my fingers danced across the keys. I played the ‘complex symphony’, â€Å"Yankee Doodle† my first double handed song. I missed a few notes, but it didn’t bother me. I had time to improve myself. Teaching myself piano has taught me how to teach myself something, and how to prevent frustration. This opened a door. The curiosity that every young child possesses was rebirthed, and I finally understood that I could learn for the sake of learning. I could even teach myself if I had to. I was no longer frustrated with imperfections. Acceptance of these helps me self improve, identifying what I could change to make myself better.

Religion7 Essay Example For Students

Religion7 Essay What religion am I? In my life, I have been told many things about my religion. My mother is a Roman Catholic, while my father is Jewish. I have learned about both religions, and I have tried to practice both as best I could, but I am now faced with the decision; which one am I?Christians believe that Jesus is both God and man, incarnation of God, and man -gives man two natures, physical and divined that they are united in one person. Thus the mystery of God becoming a human being, Jesus, and suffered and died, and Mary (Jesus’ mother) was the mother of God. God resolved himself to mankind in 3 ways, as God the father, God the sun and the Holy Spirit. From this we can see that Christianity is based on the mystery of the doctrine of the trinity, which cannot be proven and requires Christians to have faith that this root of Christianity is in fact true. The promise of life after death (salvation) is very important, without it they find life meaningless. Ritual Christianity is a ritual filled religion, especially Roman Catholicism. There is a ritual for all stages of life from birth to death. In following a structured one needs constant reinforcement of one’s basic faith, what better way than to have a ritual based belief system which starts at birth with the celebration of Baptism, which is the entry to Christianity and the first step in developing ones faith. Then as one gets older; he/she is Confirmed which is a deepening of commitment to faith and allows one to receive Holy Communion, which is the final step to becoming a committed Catholic. From this point on one normally goes to Church weekly and breaks bread and shares wine with the Christian community to which one belongs. So ones life becomes ordered in the structure of the sharing of bread and wine, which is the Body and Blood of Jesus; i.e. God. His or her life is structured from birth to death, through, the sacraments weekly worship, daily prayer and the promise of eternal life. Judaism i s the complex expression of a religious community, a way of life as well as a set of basic beliefs and values, which is separated in patterns of action, social order, and culture as well as in religious statements and concepts. The ideal is to remember God in everything one does, through prayer and keeping the commandments. There are many spiritual practices that the Jewish people follow as a reminder of their faith and as a way to engage all the senses in awareness of God. Some of these scared practices include: circumcision, Sabbath, eating kosher foods, and Bar Mitzvah. Of all of the commandments in Judaism, the brit milah, is probably the one most universally observed. It is commonly referred to as a bris. Even the most seculars of Jews, who observe no other part of Judaism, almost always observe these laws. Boys are ritually circumcised when they are eight days old, to honor the seal of Gods commandment to Abraham. A person who is uncircumcised suffers the penalty of kareit, sp iritual elimination. Sabbath is the most important ritual observance in Judaism. It is primarily a day of rest and spiritual enrichment. The Jewish Sabbath runs from sunset Friday night to sunset Saturday night. Observant Jewish families begin the Sabbath eve with a special Friday night dinner. The woman of the house lights candles to bring in the Sabbath light; the man of the house recites a blessing over the wine. Special braided bread, challah, is shared as a symbol of the double portions of manna in the desert. The rituals help to set a different tone for the day of rest, as do commandments against working, handling money, traveling except by foot, lighting a fire, cooking and the like. The next morning Shabbat services begin around nine a.m., and continue until about noon. After services, the family says kiddush again and has another leisurely, festive meal. The family studies Torah for a while, talks, takes an afternoon walk, plays some checkers, or engages in other leisure ac tivities. It is traditional to have a third meal before Shabbat is over. This is usually a light meal in the late afternoon. Shabbat ends at nightfall, when three stars are visible, approximately forty minutes after sunset. At the conclusion of Shabbat, the family performs a concluding ritual called Havdalah. Blessings are recited over wine, spices and candles. Then a blessing is recited regarding the division between the sacred and the secular, between Shabbat and the working days. .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e , .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .postImageUrl , .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e , .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:hover , .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:visited , .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:active { border:0!important; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:active , .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud7ae53870ab409042c6ce87a9203c08e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Counterfeiting Money Essay These two religions have been practiced in my house since I was born. How do I choose which to be a part of? My mother has not been present in my life since I was two years old, so the family I know wants me to be Jewish. I feel separated, between this choice. What if I don’t want to be a part of either religion? I want to explore what else is out there, and make a decision on my own. I think because I practiced both religions, this had made me a very open-minded person. I see things from every angle, instead of just one. I accept everyone for who they are, and not for what they are, or what they practice. Since most of my family has shown me patience with this vital choice; I have also learned how to be patient with important decisions that have to be made. How do I make such a life altering decision? As my parents have showed me patience, I will wait. Even though I have to make a decision one day, the knowledge I have gained from this will be with me until the day I die. Bib liography:

Animal Welfare to Animal Rights Spectrum

Animal Welfare to Animal Rights Spectrum Although animal rights and animal welfare frequently fall on the same side of an issue, there is a fundamental difference between the two ideologies: the right of humans to use animals. The Right to Use Animals One of the basic tenets of animal rights is that humans do not have a right to use non-human animals for our own purposes, which include food, clothing, entertainment, and vivisection. This is based on a rejection of speciesism and the knowledge that animals are sentient beings. There are many who believe that humans do have a right to use animals for some purposes, but believe that animals should be treated better. This position is the animal welfare position. Example of Farmed Animals While the animal rights position seeks the elimination of the use of animals, the animal welfare position seeks more humane conditions for the animals. The difference between these two positions can be seen as applied to an issue like farmed animals. While the animal rights position would hold that humans do not have the right to slaughter and eat animals, the animal welfare position would be that the animals should be treated humanely before and during slaughter. The animal welfare position would not object to the consumption of animals but would seek the elimination of cruel factory farming practices such as confining calves in veal crates, confining pregnant sows in gestational stalls, and debeaking chickens. Animal rights advocates also oppose these cruel practices but seek to eliminate the consumption of animals and animal products. Unacceptable Uses To most supporters of the animal welfare position, some uses of animals are unacceptable because the human benefit is minimal compared to the amount of animal suffering involved. These usually include uses like fur, cosmetics testing, canned hunting, and dogfighting. On these issues, both the animal rights position and animal welfare position would call for the elimination of these uses of animals. Animal Issues Spectrum Like many other issues, there is a wide variety of positions on animal issues. One can imagine a spectrum with animal rights at one end, animal welfare in the middle, and the belief that animals do not deserve any moral consideration on the other end. Many people may find that their views do not fit completely in one box or the other or may find that their positions change depending on the issue. Other Terminology A variety of terms is used to describe positions on animal issues. These include animal protection, animal advocacy, and animal liberation. â€Å"Animal protection† and â€Å"animal advocacy† are usually understood to include both animal rights and animal welfare. Both terms embody the belief that animals should be protected and deserve some moral consideration. â€Å"Animal liberation† is usually used to describe an animal rights position, which would oppose any uses of animals for human purposes.

buy custom Mind of a Killer essay

buy custom Mind of a Killer essay Introduction Maniacs, or serial killers, are of particular concern in a civilized society. This is determined by the number of victims, sophistication of murders and panic among the population, which can be caused by the rumors about the appearance of a serial killer. Economic costs of neutralization of such criminals pose a serious problem to the government because they are significantly higher than the costs of law enforcement action in neutralization of other types of criminal activity (for example, a twelve-year search and arrest of Andrei Chikatilo cost the state about $14000 000 in 1990 prices) (Hickey, 2012). In modern conditions, the most important thing in practical terms is a typological approach to the study of serial killers, which facilitates identification of specific personality traits of individual groups of criminals, the characteristics of their before- and post-criminal behavior and its associated traces. Such serial killers as Jeffrey Dahmer, Andrei Chikatilo and Albert Fish are different enough to be contrasted, but similar enough to be compared. They are among the cruelest serial killers of all time, so their behavior traits and biography details are of crucial importance and should be remembered by everyone. Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Dahmer is an American serial killer whose victims were 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. All crimes, except one, were committed in Milwaukee from 1987 to 1991 (Masters, 2007). Crimes of Dahmer were distinguished by exreme violence: the bodies of the victims were raped and eaten by him. As a child, Jeffrey was considered a very reclusive and introverted person who contacted a little with others. This fact made him alienated from his classmates at first, and then from army comrades, relatives and friends. Alienation plays a very important role in shaping the personality of a serial killer, as it gives rise to suspicion and hostility to the surrounding world (Thomas, 2010). It also fosters the development of infantilism, inability to empathize with other people, which contributes to the commission of crimes. Dahmers mother was very ill after the birth of Jeffrey; he saw this and blamed himself, giving rise to a feeling of guilt and inferiority, which also had a significant impact on Jeffrey. He felt unnecessary to his own parents, so he developed anxiety, which also promotes the formation of deviant behavior (Masters, 2007). The feeling of unnecessariness also leads to a lack of a sense of security, to the formation of a neurotic personality, and, respectively, to the fear of death. This is an important observation, which explains why serial killers are very difficult to commit suicide, though sometimes they extremely want it. Dahmer often tried to commit suicide, but he lacked the courage (Thomas, 2010). Dahmer experimented with animals, and he later admitted that the autopsies of the animals gave him a sense of power, superiority and domination from which he enjoyed. At the age 14, he kisses a neighbor boy and realizes his homosexual orientation (Masters, 2007). He had no chance to say this to anyone and was very ashhamed of his desires. This situation also affected the psyche of Dahmer very much. A feeling of alienation from others worsened, unconscious experiences continued to accumulate and demanded the output that Jeff carried out with the help of the dismemberment of the animals bodies (Thomas, 2010). When the feeling of alienation and unnecessariness reached its apogee, Dahmer killed his first victim. Andrei Chikatilo Andrei Chikatilo was born in Ukraine, in 1936. The facts about his childhood are almost unknown. Andrei Chikatilo commited 53 proved murders: 21 boys from 7 to 16 years, 14 girls from 9 to 17 years, and 18 adult girls and women (Hickey, 2012). It appears that the two circumstances slowed down his social advancement. Firstly, he caused a strong antipathy and rejection towards himself in many people. He himself said that he was verbally abused at work by everyone from a simple worker up to the chief. Secondly, he was a passive homosexual in the army and in the detention center, where he was under investigation for embezzlement. Chikatilo also suffered several injuries of the skull (Hickey, 2012). This also affected his personality and contributed to the development of irritability, nastiness, and intolerance. According to his temperament, he belonged to an epileptoid type of people with typical for this type cruelty and rancor. He was also a member of the Communist Party, but in connection with the arrest on charges of embezzlement, he was expelled from the party, losing thereby even such formal social recognition as a membership in the ranks of the ruling party (Hickey, 2012). Buy custom Mind of a Killer essay

Africa, India and its Neighbors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Africa, India and its Neighbors - Essay Example The Sahel covers a vast territory of land from west to east and passes through various prominent countries of Africa including Mauritania, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. The Sahel is situated 5, 400 km away from Atlantic Ocean in the west of Africa to the Red Sea which is situated in the east. The belt or the boundary is about 620 miles in width and covers an area of about 3, 053, 200 square km. the area of Sahel is composed of semi arid grassland, steppers, savannas and thorny shrubs that are lying between Sahara desert and Sudanian Savannas. As far as the topography of Sahel is concerned, it is flat having just 200 to 400 meters elevations. Here it is interesting to note that several mountain ranges and plateaus rise from this boundary commonly known as Sahel. However, these plateaus and mountain ranges are regarded as separate eco- regions because of the distinction in flora and fauna present there (Webster’s Online Dictionary, 2012). Source: (Caritas.Org, 2012) Answer 2: Niger River is the primary river as well as the exotic stream of West Africa with a length of about 4, 200km.Niger River ranks third in Africa just after the River Nile and the River Congo. It is believed that the name ‘Niger’ has its origin with Greeks. It is very interesting to note that Niger River is known by several other names based on its courses. The upper course is known as Joliba, central track is known as Isa Rghirren and Mayo Balleo while the lower stretch is called Quorra. The exotic streams of Niger River have significant impact on the settlements and ongoing trade activities in the region of Africa. Basically, Africa is an agricultural civilization. So, water from these streams is a need for crops’ cultivation. Moreover, this region does not have well developed road network to allow trade activities so trade activities are mostly carried through water ways. Agricultural as well as other commodities are transferred from one place to another thro ugh waterways. So exotic streams originate through River Niger offer transportation routes and in this way facilitate the trade. Last but not the least; the water of these streams is also used in washing, bathing and drinking purposes. Source: (Wikipedia, 2012) Answer 3: TAN- ZAM railways pass which is also known as Tazara or Uhuru Railway connects Kapiri Mposhi town in Zambia with Tanzanian seaport of Dar es Salaam. This railway pass was built in 1970 to 1975 and financed by China. This railway network was especially designed for trade purposes for Zambian productions, particularly copper products. It runs for 1,860 kilometers. So, this network offered economic incentive to the region. However, it is important to note that this railway network is just for trade purposes and definitely, it is not a tourist train. Moreover, railroads have significant value in the economic development of a country. Railways, as in case of TAN- ZAM pass and surely many others round the globe, provides great market for different goods that might be agricultural as well as industrial. Railways connect far going areas of the country and allow widespread business activities that directly contribute in the economic development of a country. Here it is also important to note that before the invention of automobiles, highways and planes, the only way to travel was railroads. Railroads were used to travel goods from one place to another. So, this sort of communication paved the way for unprecedented growth for a country especially at industrial level. Moreover, with the help of train networks people can also travel with great ease, comparatively, at an inexpensive rate. Answer 4: Kenya Tanzania Uganda Capital