?

On a valid IQ test - say for example, one orchestrated by MENSA, must you do everything in your head or can you write down your thoughts?

In September, I have a week's work experience placement at a teenage magazine, and since it is a magazine, I really want to make an impression and hopefully get a reference. Although I'll probably turn up and see everyone wearing jeans, I want to look professional at least on the first day but not overly serious.

I was looking at some websites and they said that I should dress conservatively on the first day, check what the staff are wearing, and then adjust my outifts for the next days. Another websites about "casual workwear" said I should never wear a skirt above the knee (!) My friend said I should wear a suit on the first day but somehow I think that would be too serious/business-y/frumpy. I've saved up some money and I'm thinking of this dress:

http://www.cosstores.com/Store/Women/Dresses/Twist...

It should be on the knee and I know COS is a really fashion-forward brand, but I'm afraid that just wearing black is too severe (after all it is a teen magazine) and I want to accessorise it with colourful items. Any ideas on items I could pair it with so I don't come across as too serious?

I'm currently doing a GCSE in Astronomy, which is, in my opinion, one of the hardest GCSEs around., because it can be so impractical! Anyways, I am trying to do some coursework on the moons of Jupiter using a telescope - which I have to do urgently because by February Jupiter will be hard to see in the night sky.

I'm a real beginner with telescopes, but I really want to do well in this assessment. Apart from recording date, time, latitude and weather/seeing conditions, and I think safety requirements, what special things could I include to get the top marks? What is the best way to record my observations?

I've tried the exam board website (Edexcel) but all the exemplar coursework is Grade C and I really don't want to get a grade like that! Could anyone help? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know if this is still true, but apparently it's possible to do a GCSE in Maltese. If the option is still available, does anyone know about anywhere in London where I can do it? Which exam boards offer the language?

I'm 14 and I would like to have my own bank account to keep the money that I've saved. I live in the UK, and I know that many of my friends have bank accounts. I have one bank account but it is owned by my parents and I have no idea how much is in it. I am tired of having to hide my money in my room, but I want to have complete control of this account without having the records of the transactions given to my parents. Is this possible, and what banks are best for saving (i.e give the best interest) and normal bank accounts?

Hi I'm going on a school trip to Barcelona soon and I realised I don't really have a nice suitcase to go with. I've seen this suitcase, but it looks a bit on the small side. Do you think this suitcase will hold enough clothes for 5 days?

http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/product/Liberty//Flor...

I bought this dress for a very special occasion and since it was quite expensive I would like to wear it more than once. But I don't go out to many formal balls and occasions, and usually go out for more causal events, wearing flat shoes instead of heels, so I'd like to know how to style it in a way that doesn't look too overdressed and high-maintainence . How would you make the dress look more casual? It doesn't have too many frills, but I think it's quite unique so I think it would work in a more casual emsemble.

http://www.jaeger.co.uk/index.cfm?page=1013&produc...

Hi, I found this rather interesting recipe from the "Pinch My Salt" blog, but as it is an American blog it is in American (imperial) measurements rather than the British metric ones that I can work with. Obviously I understand the teaspoon/tablespoon measurements but could anyone help me with the cups? The American/metric converters online try to calculate it a bit too scientifically and give me endless lists of decimals. Here are the ingredients:

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

I'm in Year 9 and I've wanted to be a fashion journalist for a while now : it's a career that combines my two favourite talents and hobbies - fashion styling and writing, and although I know there will be a lot of competition for jobs in fashion journalism, I think this is the career I would enjoy most.

My school will be asking us to pick our options for GCSE in a few months time. So I did some searching on the internet to find out what sort of GCSEs. Most websites recommended that I should do and English, History, Art & Design, History of Art and Media Studies and an extra language might be handy.

I'm good at English and History and other academic subjects like that, but with Art I just don't have the natural ability. In short, I'm really bad at Art - but I do know what skirt goes with what top in practice! I want to Media Studies to compensate for my lack of talent at Art, but they don't offer Media Studies? Is there any place outside of school that I can do this, and how do I go about it?

I've been trying to transform my wardrobe and I'm trying to go for a Parisian chic/ Preppy Londoner/ ladylike look on a budget. I'm shopping for essentials first, and I've spotted this blouse:

http://www.riverisland.com/Online/women/tops/going...

How should I wear it? I'm quite young so I don't want to look middle-aged but I do want to look ladylike. I don't want to look too dressed up either, it'll probably just be for a casual shopping trip most of the time. Should I go for a pencil skirt, jeans or trousers? Any ideas?

I found some really interesting chutney/jam/nut butter recipes in a food-related magazine a while ago and I would like to try them. However, they always say I should buy jam jars in the shops and sterilise them at home. Can I just use up the shop-bought jam I've got and sterilise the jars to use again? Or must you buy jam jars specifically for home made jams?

I love breakfast; it's sort of my favourite meal of the day, but it's always cereal, toast, eggs/omelettes or pancakes. Does anyone have any alternatives to the boring stuff I have all the time at home? They don't have to be that healthy but it would be great to see some healthy breakfast ideas too.

Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know what shop she got the blue dress on the cover of the latest Cosmo UK magazine?

What is the criteria for getting a Level 8 for writing in English? If I were to get a level 8 in Year Eight, what grade am I predicted to get for my GCSE's?

Hey, does anyone know how to make parsnip porridge? Please make it easy and uncomplicated!

Thanks.

I've had plantain before and I've heard you can make plantain porridge so I'm wiling to give it a go. Does anyone have a recipe? Metric measurements , please.

What I don't get is how anyone could be "anti-life" as such. After looking at Yahoo Answers, most of the people who answer questions to do with abortion say that it is a good thing in ALL cases! People who agree with abortion normally says these things:

1)"Oh the baby isn't even alive yet!" - This has not been proven true by science. People say that babies would not be able to feel it, but as the point when life begins has not been proven yet, how do you know?

2)"That baby could grow up to be the next Hitler, etc...." - This is very unlikely, and you haven't even given the baby a chance to prove itself! Were you killed as an infant because of the possibility you could be a tyrant? If you're reading this, then no.

3) "Adoption is potentially dangerous for the child." - Um, and killing it isn't?

4)" Unplanned pregnancies should be terminated because of financial reasons or because the parents are too young ." - Adoption is potentially a kinder option to the child.

So, having put these issues forward, can someone please justify why abortion is legal? I don't mean abortion for serious cases such as medical and traumatic reasons, I'm talking about the vast majority of abortions which carry no physical threat to the mother. Why do people decide to abort their children instead of adoption?

I want to do this recipe from www.heathereatsalmondbutter.com but it calls for purple cauliflower. Does anyone know where I can buy this is in the UK? Can I use normal cauliflower?

Do I need a pasta machine, or can I do it by hand? What ingredients will I need to make it? Is homemade pasta better than shop bought pasta? Does anyone have any recipes and tips for making your own pasta?

I like baking cakes but I'm a bit bored of the normal sponge/chocolate cakes and cupcakes. Does anyone have any ideas of unusual ingredients for a cake? The crazier, the better, but it has to be tasty! Tried and tested ones please.