str_methods.py

name='Swaroop'
if name.startswith('Swa'):
    print'Yes, the string starts with "Swa"'

if 'a' in name:
    print'Yes, it contains the string "a"'

if name.find('war')!=-1:
    print'Yes, it contains the string "war"'

delimiter='_*_'
mylist=['Brazil','Russia','India','China']
print delimiter.join(mylist)