SPRING 2026English 125 VA: Essаy Exаm Pаrt I. Identificatiоn: Yоu are respоnsible for seven identification questions. Choose two terms and five quotes. Write a complete paragraph for each one you choose. For key terms, define the term and illustrate it with an example from a text we have read so far this semester. For quotes, identify the writer, the title of the work, and explain the significance. (35 points) untouchablesmagical realismclimate fictionTritonsent-down youth “A sublime stain, the color of life.”“He promised rain-making machines, portable breeders for table animals, the oils of happiness which would make vegetables grow in the saltpeter and clumps of pansies in the window boxes.”“They were timid and skittish, reacting to the tiniest of movements or sounds. Every single change was a strain and one by one they perished.”“Forget the names of those people who harmed you; hold fast to the names of those who stretched out a helping hand in times of difficulty.”“He had liked the sculpture so much when he first saw it as a child that he had stared at it refusing to be led away. It was like a symbol of his life.”“Within my Garden, rides a Bird/Upon a single Wheel--”“I ate crocodiles.”“Not free. Not free at all. No, that’s one thought I just can’t stand. Never!”"“So tired of thinking about food, about food here and now from the moment I woke up in the morning—do we have enough breakfast for today—until I went to bed in the evening—did Isa have enough to eat at supper.”“Dikeledi took the note, read it and shook with rage.”“Nothing puzzles God”“So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.”“The horses I have with me are true takhis, primal horses, the only breed of horse on earth with sixty-six chromosomes.”“Ride abroad in ostentation/And subsist on Fuzz.” Part II. Essay response: At least three of the following questions appear on the essay exam. At exam time, you must choose ONE question. For questions one through seven, write a clearly organized and thoughtfully argued essay that uses specific examples from three literary works by three different writers listed on our syllabus during the semester. For question four, write a clearly organized and thoughtfully argued essay that focuses on Maja Lunde’s The Last Wild Horses. (65 points) 1. The problem of exploitation has been addressed in several of the literary works we have read. Writers explore the emotional agonies individual characters undergo as they have been manipulated, blackmailed, or repressed for personal gain, social gain, or greater financial gain. Choose three literary works by three different writers. Address how exploitation functions, who becomes oppressed by it, and explain how the writer generates sympathy for the exploited by using a specific literary device (plot, character, imagery, symbolism, irony, etc.). Tie your analysis to the writer’s social message. (Possibilities: Wordsworth, Blake, Dickinson, Pushkin, Dickinson, Ibsen, Chekhov, Kafka, Head, Devi, Achebe, Wang, Marquez, Ling, Valenzuela, Fuentes, Lunde, etc.) 2 . How does the representation of violence convey the magnitude of a specific social problem? Choose three different literary works by three different writers. Identify and analyze a memorable scene in which a significant image of violence is presented to the reader. What social or political problem generated such violence, and how does it signify the writer’s message about that social problem? How do the scene’s images signify the writer’s message in an emotionally powerful manner? (Possibilities: Ibsen, Fuentes, Valenzuela, Achebe, Head, Lunde, etc.)3 . The representation of death signifies much about a writer’s attitudes toward the set of circumstances that culminate in a character’s demise. How does the representation of death reinforce the writer’s message? Analyze a significant death scene in three different literary works we have read this semester. In your discussion, evaluate why the character’s death conveys the larger social concerns, themes, and questions embodied in the literature. (Possibilities: Márquez, Fuentes, Valenzuela, Ibsen, Blake, Chekhov, Achebe, Head, Lunde, etc.)4 . How does Maja Lunde’s apocalyptic vision in The Last Wild Horses inform the novel’s argument for better stewardship of the environment? How does the novel warn us against failures to protect against environmental destruction?
As а result оf Ms. Stephаnie Flоres аnd Armandо Fernandez's visit to our last class session on Wednesday, April 16, 2026, you received an invitation to visit the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) for a full-time job interview. As experienced regulators, Fernandez and Flores were impressed with your questions and class participation, and they, along with their colleagues, wish to consider you for an Examiner position. This interviewing group will make the hiring decision. During the interview, you disclosed that you have completed a banking certificate and are graduating with a BBA in Finance from Florida International University this spring or summer 2026. Your answers to interviewers' questions will determine how up to date you are with topics in Commercial Bank Management. They would like to know what you learned from the following: Class lectures, including the OFR presentation Textbook chapters since the Mid-Term Examination Weekly readings. Ethical analysis. Research paper. Videos watched in class and as homework. Current economic scenario Then, they ask you to tell them: In detail, within the allowed time of 70 minutes, what have you learned from this course? and How do you expect to apply the knowledge acquired in the prospective job? Please answer by writing your responses within the seventy (70) minutes allotted for the interview. Select ten (10) discussion topics from the list below. The first six (6) questions are required and are indicated by a red ** next to the question number. You may choose the additional four (4) from the list below, shown by textbook chapters, provided that each selected question is derived from a different chapter. To use your time effectively, please answer each selected question within seven (7) minutes, allowing sufficient time to answer all ten (10) questions within the 70 minutes allotted. This Essay is the first section of the examination. The answers represent your story of what you have learned and can be expressed concisely and succinctly while giving definitions, explanations, and relevant examples. Please refrain from ambiguous statements and superfluous generalities that will fill the exam time, show your lack of preparation and knowledge, and significantly reduce your Final Exam and course grades. 1**. What did you learn in this course that will help you be a successful executive bank officer, auditor, or regulator in the future? Your personal learning journey is important, and reflecting on it will help you understand the value of this course in your future career. 2**. Define and explain the principal risks that every financial institution in the world faces daily, and, because of these risks, what are the duties and responsibilities of the Directors and Managers of these institutions, and how can they (1) identify, (2) measure, and (3) control risks? 3** Summarize your Ethical Analysis and your five (5) year comparative Bank Analysis. 4** Explain five (5) of the recent articles read. 5** What have you learned about bank regulation and supervision and the global joint efforts to combat fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption? Why is compliance so critical that it gives financial institutions' executives and directors constant headaches and sleepless nights, and how has FIBA contributed to this endeavor? In your discussion, explain the CAMELS and ROCA Rating Systems and why reputational and cultural risks are crucial to the bank, the banker, and the customer 6** Define, explain, and contrast the seven (7) Cs of Credit used by bankers and the six (6) Ps used by banking regulators in analyzing a bank's loan portfolio. Which ones are similar and different? Answer the additional four (4) questions by selecting each of them from four (4) different textbook chapters from the list shown below: CHAPTER 11 Define, explain, and give examples of various liquidity management strategies used by financial institutions. Include the definition of a liquid asset and what instruments are considered liquid. Define, explain, and give examples of the similarities and differences between Hot Money, Money Laundering, and Core Funds. Define, explain, and give examples of the principal sources of a financial firm's liquidity supply. CHAPTER 12 Define, explain, and provide examples of the various types of deposits that banks accept, including transaction and non-transaction accounts. Which accounts earn or do not earn interest, and which are considered core deposits? Define, explain, and give examples of conditional pricing in the context of deposit services offered by financial institutions. Define, explain, and give examples of the similarities and differences between commercial banking and investment banking, as well as why several large banks offer these services in the United States. CHAPTER 13 Discuss the significance of developing negotiable CDs in the 1960s for banks and large depositors, and explain how these instruments function in the market. Define, explain, and give examples of the similarities and differences between a Euro, a Eurodollar, and a Eurocurrency; what were the reasons for the creation of the Eurodollar Market, and who created it and when? Define, explain, and give examples of a Bank's Asset-Liability Management Committee (ALCO) risk management function, including how it forecasts funds' needs and establishes gap management. Define, explain, and give examples of the similarities and differences between Fed Funds sales and purchases and Repurchase Agreements. How do these transactions appear on the Balance Sheet of a financial institution? CHAPTER 14 Define, explain, and give examples of seven (7) risks that financial institutions face daily. Define, explain, and provide examples of the customer privacy laws and regulations that financial institutions must adhere to, and explain why. Define, explain, and give examples of why investment banks take higher risks than commercial banks. Define, explain, and provide examples of the historical average cost and pooled-funds approaches to gathering funds by a financial institution. Define and explain why fee income has become an increasingly important source of revenue for financial institutions. In your answer, discuss at least three reasons and provide examples of fee-based services. Define, explain, and provide examples of deposit pricing methods used by financial institutions. CHAPTER 15 Define and explain the reasons for the creation and differences between Basel I, II, and III, then give examples of the issues and challenges in their implementation. How are operational and credit risks mitigated? Define, explain, and give examples of the strategies used to manage capital and their role in financial institutions. Describe the diverse types of accounts in the stockholders' section of a financial institution's Balance Sheet. Define, explain, and give examples of uses of Value-at-Risk models. Define, explain, and give examples of the liabilities in a financial institution's balance sheet, including the importance of subordinated debt. CHAPTER 16 Describe the primary risks associated with lending and explain how financial institutions manage and mitigate these risks through internal policies and regulatory measures. Define, explain, and give examples of the sections of a typical loan agreement. Discuss the importance of regulatory limits on loan amounts and the impact of these regulations on bank stability and risk management. Define, explain, and give examples of how banks manage lending and credit risk, including the importance of a loan policy, key steps in the lending process, warning signs of problem loans, and methods used to reduce default risk. CHAPTER 17 Define, explain, and give examples of the different types of business loans and the methods used to evaluate and price these loans. Define, explain, and give examples of modern inventory management techniques. Define, explain, and give examples of short- and long-term business loan types and how they help borrowing firms. Define, explain, and give examples of contingent liabilities and where they appear in the bank's financial statements. Define and explain what self-liquidating loans are and give some examples. Define liquidity indicators for business customers, explain their importance, and give examples of their use. CHAPTER 18 Define, explain, and provide examples highlighting the significance of financial services sold to households, emphasizing the impact of automation and regulatory frameworks on service delivery. Explain the difference between banking and financial products and who needs a license for these activities. Define, explain, and provide examples of the importance of credit reports in the approval of consumer loans. Explain what a credit report contains, including the FICO score, as shown and discussed in class. Define, explain, and give examples of disclosure laws and regulations that apply to consumer loans. Define consumer debt, explain why it has grown quickly, and give examples of diverse types of consumer loans. Define and explain the difference between installment and non-installment loans. Give examples of both. Define, explain, and give examples of the right of offset against a customer's deposits. Define, explain, and give examples of residential mortgage loans. CHAPTER 19 Discuss the impact of legislative changes, such as the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, on the landscape of the financial services industry in the United States. Define, explain, and give examples of the driving forces behind mergers and acquisitions in the financial services industry. How do changes in legislation and regulatory environments influence the decision-making process of financial firms? Define and explain the motives for mergers and acquisitions in the financial services industry, and how these motives shape the strategies companies use to select their merger partners. Define, explain, and give examples of the reasons for goodwill to appear in a bank's financial statements and how to amortize this amount due to a merger transaction. Define "reducing competition" as a motive for mergers, explain why companies pursue mergers, and provide an example of their accomplishment in the financial services industry. CHAPTER 20 Discuss the organizational structures of international banks to expand their business operations globally, as the textbook outlines. Define, explain, and give examples of how globalization is shaping the future of banking and financial services. Define, explain, and give examples of the similarities and differences between an Edge Act Bank and a Foreign Bank Agency. Define, explain, and give examples of the types of services banks' international departments do not offer their clients in domestic banking. Define "International Banking Facility (IBF)," explain when and why they exist, their purpose, and give an example of an occurring transaction. Explain how the course has helped you become savvier in dealing with financial institutions as a customer, bank executive, internal auditor, or regulator. Within the seventy minutes (70) allotted, you should be able to write an essay of at least 1,500 words. To facilitate the reading and grading of your Essay, please leave two (2) blank spaces between paragraphs. Each paragraph should not exceed five (5) lines.
The mаjоrity оf the wоrld’s deserts аre locаted between what latitudes?