Read the text below entitled “A world of connections” in order to answer questions 24 to 26:

A world of connections
Source: www.economist.com (Adapted)
Jan 28th, 2010

    To sceptics all this talk of twittering, yammering and chattering smacks of another internet bubble in the making. They argue that even a huge social network such as Facebook will struggle to make money because fickle networkers will not stay in one place for long, pointing to the example of MySpace, which was once all the rage but has now become a shadow of its former self. Last year the site, which is owned by News Corp, installed a new boss and fired 45% of its staff as part of a plan to revive its fortunes.
    Within companies there is plenty of doubt about the benefits of online social networking in the office. A survey of 1,400 chief information officers conducted last year by Robert Half Technology, a recruitment firm, found that only one-tenth of them gave employees full access to such networks during the day, and that many were blocking Facebook and Twitter altogether. The executives’ biggest concern was that social networking would lead to social notworking, with employees using the sites to chat with friends instead of doing their jobs. Some bosses also fretted that the sites would be used to leak sensitive corporate information.

Read the text below entitled “A world of connections” in order to answer questions 24 to 26:

A world of connections
Source: www.economist.com (Adapted)
Jan 28th, 2010

    To sceptics all this talk of twittering, yammering and chattering smacks of another internet bubble in the making. They argue that even a huge social network such as Facebook will struggle to make money because fickle networkers will not stay in one place for long, pointing to the example of MySpace, which was once all the rage but has now become a shadow of its former self. Last year the site, which is owned by News Corp, installed a new boss and fired 45% of its staff as part of a plan to revive its fortunes.
    Within companies there is plenty of doubt about the benefits of online social networking in the office. A survey of 1,400 chief information officers conducted last year by Robert Half Technology, a recruitment firm, found that only one-tenth of them gave employees full access to such networks during the day, and that many were blocking Facebook and Twitter altogether. The executives’ biggest concern was that social networking would lead to social notworking, with employees using the sites to chat with friends instead of doing their jobs. Some bosses also fretted that the sites would be used to leak sensitive corporate information.

Read the text below entitled “Regulation Modernization” in order to answer questions 21 to 23:

Regulation Modernization
Source: www.iii.org (Adapted)Jan, 2010

    Insurance is regulated by the individual states. The move to modernize insurance regulation is being driven in part by the globalization of insurance services. Some large U.S. companies that operate in other countries support the concept of a federal system that provides one-stop regulatory approval while others believe the merits of a state system outweigh the virtues of a single national regulator. As a result of discussions about the merits of each system, states are making it easier for insurers to respond quickly to market forces.
    States monitor insurance company solvency. One important function related to this is overseeing rate changes. Rate making is the process of calculating a price to cover the future cost of insurance claims and expenses, including a margin for profit. To establish rates, insurers look at past trends and changes in the current environment that may affect potential losses in the future.
    Increasingly, even in the most regulated states, officials are relying on competition among insurance companies to keep rates down and are modernizing and streamlining the rate setting process.

Read the text below entitled “Regulation Modernization” in order to answer questions 21 to 23:

Regulation Modernization
Source: www.iii.org (Adapted)Jan, 2010

    Insurance is regulated by the individual states. The move to modernize insurance regulation is being driven in part by the globalization of insurance services. Some large U.S. companies that operate in other countries support the concept of a federal system that provides one-stop regulatory approval while others believe the merits of a state system outweigh the virtues of a single national regulator. As a result of discussions about the merits of each system, states are making it easier for insurers to respond quickly to market forces.
    States monitor insurance company solvency. One important function related to this is overseeing rate changes. Rate making is the process of calculating a price to cover the future cost of insurance claims and expenses, including a margin for profit. To establish rates, insurers look at past trends and changes in the current environment that may affect potential losses in the future.
    Increasingly, even in the most regulated states, officials are relying on competition among insurance companies to keep rates down and are modernizing and streamlining the rate setting process.

Read the text below entitled “Regulation Modernization” in order to answer questions 21 to 23:

Regulation Modernization
Source: www.iii.org (Adapted)Jan, 2010

    Insurance is regulated by the individual states. The move to modernize insurance regulation is being driven in part by the globalization of insurance services. Some large U.S. companies that operate in other countries support the concept of a federal system that provides one-stop regulatory approval while others believe the merits of a state system outweigh the virtues of a single national regulator. As a result of discussions about the merits of each system, states are making it easier for insurers to respond quickly to market forces.
    States monitor insurance company solvency. One important function related to this is overseeing rate changes. Rate making is the process of calculating a price to cover the future cost of insurance claims and expenses, including a margin for profit. To establish rates, insurers look at past trends and changes in the current environment that may affect potential losses in the future.
    Increasingly, even in the most regulated states, officials are relying on competition among insurance companies to keep rates down and are modernizing and streamlining the rate setting process.