A)In the first stanza, the speaker feels unease and is worried for his family members. This can be seen from the fact that he was not able to take lessons in the morning, and waited in “the college sick bay” from morning until 2’o clock in the afternoon. In the third stanza, the speaker felt embarrassed when he was treated as a mature adult by old men who were” standing up to shake my hand”. Also, the fact that they apologised to the speaker made him embarrassed too, and the “whispers informed strangers I was the eldest” made it even worse for him. Also, he probably was shocked to see the other side of his usually stoic father, who “had always taken funerals in his stride” cry so melancholy over the death of his child.
B)The first literary device used in this poem is alliteration. In the seventh and last stanza, the phrase “four foot” is used to show the size and age of the child which passed away in the car accident, by using “a foot for every year”, to indirectly tell the readers that the child died at the age of four years old. Also, the literary device, onomatopoeia and irony are used in the poem also. It can be seen from the third stanza, “the baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram”. The onomatopoeia is “cooed” and irony can be seen from the fact that the child was ignorant of the tragic and the melancholy of the family, and thus was in the mood to coo and laugh despite the sad atmosphere. Also, the speaker also describes in the first paragraph as “counting bells knelling classes to a close”, uses metaphor, by replacing the normal “ringing” of the school bell to “knelling”, signifying inauspiciousness.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Analysis on "mid-term break" poem
The title “mid-term break” actually is talking about the fact that the speaker is taking a break from his studies, due to a reason, and in this case, it is the death of his brother.
The poem begins with an ominous tone as the readers are made aware of an abnormal situation the schoolboy is in. This is established by a series of symbols such as “sick bay” and “bells” –objects associated with misfortune and injury. Also, the precise reference to the time “two o’clock” and the fact that “the neighbours drove me home” instead of the persona’s parents combine to suggest that this event must have had a long-lasting impact on the persona, making him remember even the minute details which build up tension and reinforce the feeling that something dreadful has happened.
The speaker received the news of the death of his brother, and was awaiting the arrival of his neighbour to pick him up. This was because his house was far from the school, and needed someone to fetch him, or he would not have to trouble outsiders like his neighbours to come and fetch him. His parents could not come personally as they were busy with the funeral and were grief-stricken over the death of their child. The speaker was in the college sick bay not because he was unwell or sick, but it was because the school did not have a waiting lounge.
When the speaker returned back home, his other baby brother was laughing and rocked the pram, showing his ignorance of the death of his other brother. He saw his father crying, despite being a stoic man. This can be seen from,” He had always taken funerals in his stride”, but this time he could not manage to put up a brave front when his child has died. On the other hand, her mother was not crying. This was because she probably has bawled her eyes out and could not shed any more tears even if she tried to. The “angry tearless sighs” were evidence that she was not able to cry anymore, thus was sighing instead. The sentence “old men standing up to shake my hand and tell me they were ‘sorry for the trouble’ ”, indicates that they were “sorry” for calling the speaker back home, which disrupted his studies. Also, the speaker felt embarrassed when he was treated like a mature adult because he was shaking hands with old men standing up to shake his hands.
In the poem,”snowdrops and candles” served the purpose of soothing the negative feelings of the speaker’s loss of a loved one. The phrase “Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple” signifies death as poppy is literally red in colour, and in this poem, shows the death of the speaker’s sibling. In the fifth stanza, the speaker expresses it in such a way that he had not seen his brother ever since 6 weeks ago, which can be seen from” for the first time in six weeks” before he left for school, and when he had returned 6 weeks later, he only saw the corpse of his sibling, “wrapped and stanched and bandaged by the nurses”.
The seventh stanza tells us that the baby was knocked down clear by the car driver, with no gaudy scars seen on him. Lastly, the phrase “a four foot box, a foot for every year” shows that the box was very small, and the writer’s sibling died at the young age of four.
The poem starts off with the sad and pessimistic tone, and then ends with making the writer feel sympathy for the dead child.
The poem begins with an ominous tone as the readers are made aware of an abnormal situation the schoolboy is in. This is established by a series of symbols such as “sick bay” and “bells” –objects associated with misfortune and injury. Also, the precise reference to the time “two o’clock” and the fact that “the neighbours drove me home” instead of the persona’s parents combine to suggest that this event must have had a long-lasting impact on the persona, making him remember even the minute details which build up tension and reinforce the feeling that something dreadful has happened.
The speaker received the news of the death of his brother, and was awaiting the arrival of his neighbour to pick him up. This was because his house was far from the school, and needed someone to fetch him, or he would not have to trouble outsiders like his neighbours to come and fetch him. His parents could not come personally as they were busy with the funeral and were grief-stricken over the death of their child. The speaker was in the college sick bay not because he was unwell or sick, but it was because the school did not have a waiting lounge.
When the speaker returned back home, his other baby brother was laughing and rocked the pram, showing his ignorance of the death of his other brother. He saw his father crying, despite being a stoic man. This can be seen from,” He had always taken funerals in his stride”, but this time he could not manage to put up a brave front when his child has died. On the other hand, her mother was not crying. This was because she probably has bawled her eyes out and could not shed any more tears even if she tried to. The “angry tearless sighs” were evidence that she was not able to cry anymore, thus was sighing instead. The sentence “old men standing up to shake my hand and tell me they were ‘sorry for the trouble’ ”, indicates that they were “sorry” for calling the speaker back home, which disrupted his studies. Also, the speaker felt embarrassed when he was treated like a mature adult because he was shaking hands with old men standing up to shake his hands.
In the poem,”snowdrops and candles” served the purpose of soothing the negative feelings of the speaker’s loss of a loved one. The phrase “Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple” signifies death as poppy is literally red in colour, and in this poem, shows the death of the speaker’s sibling. In the fifth stanza, the speaker expresses it in such a way that he had not seen his brother ever since 6 weeks ago, which can be seen from” for the first time in six weeks” before he left for school, and when he had returned 6 weeks later, he only saw the corpse of his sibling, “wrapped and stanched and bandaged by the nurses”.
The seventh stanza tells us that the baby was knocked down clear by the car driver, with no gaudy scars seen on him. Lastly, the phrase “a four foot box, a foot for every year” shows that the box was very small, and the writer’s sibling died at the young age of four.
The poem starts off with the sad and pessimistic tone, and then ends with making the writer feel sympathy for the dead child.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Alphabet Poem (Famous Inventors/Inventions)
C was a camera, which took pictures of fishes;
D was a dishwasher, which helped washed dishes;
E was for Edison, who invented the light bulb;
F was a fly swatter, which squelches flies to a pulp;
I was an ice-cream, cold and soothing on a hot day;
J was a jigsaw puzzle, that kept me busy and gay;
K was a kettle, which seemed to glitter;
L was a laptop, that introduced me to twitter;
M was a tricky magnet, which I tried to pry with all my might;
N was Nintendo, that saw me up all night;
O was the odometer, which measures speed;
P was the printer, which many people need;
Q was QWERTY, the typewriter’s keys;
R was the restaurant, where you can order peas;
S was the scotch tape, that replaced the pin;
T was the television, that made my head spin;
U was the umbrella, which provided shade from the sun;
V was the video game, which was super fun;
W was the watch, which evolved with time;
X was for Xerox, which copies for a dime;
D was a dishwasher, which helped washed dishes;
E was for Edison, who invented the light bulb;
F was a fly swatter, which squelches flies to a pulp;
I was an ice-cream, cold and soothing on a hot day;
J was a jigsaw puzzle, that kept me busy and gay;
K was a kettle, which seemed to glitter;
L was a laptop, that introduced me to twitter;
M was a tricky magnet, which I tried to pry with all my might;
N was Nintendo, that saw me up all night;
O was the odometer, which measures speed;
P was the printer, which many people need;
Q was QWERTY, the typewriter’s keys;
R was the restaurant, where you can order peas;
S was the scotch tape, that replaced the pin;
T was the television, that made my head spin;
U was the umbrella, which provided shade from the sun;
V was the video game, which was super fun;
W was the watch, which evolved with time;
X was for Xerox, which copies for a dime;
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Poem by Andy
Young Innocence
Zeal for life
Fun and carefree
Up till primary five
Loss of innocence
As studying and even more studying starts.
Concentration on my path,
Sometimes bearable, soemtimes fun
Pressure cooked,
Environment does not pun
PSLE over,
And studying done
Now times aplenty,
And we are stumped.
Besides ourselves,
With Rambunctious fun
Then we are spent and
Boredom sets in
Twirling my finger
I pray that results could be
Obtained soon
I hate the nagging thought that something
Is looming amidst my fun
Zeal for life
Fun and carefree
Up till primary five
Loss of innocence
As studying and even more studying starts.
Concentration on my path,
Sometimes bearable, soemtimes fun
Pressure cooked,
Environment does not pun
PSLE over,
And studying done
Now times aplenty,
And we are stumped.
Besides ourselves,
With Rambunctious fun
Then we are spent and
Boredom sets in
Twirling my finger
I pray that results could be
Obtained soon
I hate the nagging thought that something
Is looming amidst my fun
Favourite poem
Homework! Oh, Homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.
I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.
Homework! Oh, homework!
you're last on my list,
I simple can't see
why you even exist,
if you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!
Reason for choosing this poem: I feel that this poem is very funny, and expresses the author's detest and hate for homework, to such an extent that he would rather put himself in danger, to do his homework and that is also probably what most students feel as well. The author used hyperbole, like''Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink!'' to express to what extend does he detest homework.
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.
I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.
Homework! Oh, homework!
you're last on my list,
I simple can't see
why you even exist,
if you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!
Reason for choosing this poem: I feel that this poem is very funny, and expresses the author's detest and hate for homework, to such an extent that he would rather put himself in danger, to do his homework and that is also probably what most students feel as well. The author used hyperbole, like''Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink!'' to express to what extend does he detest homework.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Village by the sea presentation
Biju
In the story, Biju, probably the richest and biggest fisherman in Thul is a proud person, who always flaunts his wealth before other villagers. Being rich, he is the first person in the village who could afford to build a motor-powered boat for fishing. This struck awe in all of the villagers, amazed by his wealth. Being a rich person, he was also arrogant and socialised very little people from the village as he despised them for being poor. He boasted about the motorboat he was going to build day and night, and supervised the work everyday. During the Monsoon season, when it rained day and night, hardly stopping, a few fishermen, who were not satisfied with staying at home, decided to go out to the sea, when the clouds became clear one day, even though it was still monsoon season, and ended up getting their boats sunk. Biju offered his unexpected help to search for the missing fishermen, and found out that 3 were dead, whereas the rest fell ill, starved and suffered from fever. As expected, he boasted about the greatness of his motor boat after the incident even more.
Hira Bai
In this story, Hira Bai takes on the role of a kind and cheerful old lady. She offered help to Hari’s family whenever they approached her for aid. She is the mother of the 3 Khanekar brothers, who indulged themselves in toddies after the death of their father. Hira Bai was also a drunkard, but she was not as indulgent as Hari’s father or her 3 sons. As the Khanekar brothers’ wife all left them after seeing their plight, Hira Bai took care of her 3 children.
Hira Lal
In the story, Hira Lal is the watchman of Seabird, and had been assuming that role for 12 years. He is a friendly and approachable person. When he first met Hari, he treated him indifferently, and put him down when he heard he had come for a job at the Sahib’s place. However, after finding out that he was homeless and jobless, he offered to bring him to his friend, Jagu’s place for a free supper to satiate his hunger.
In the story, Biju, probably the richest and biggest fisherman in Thul is a proud person, who always flaunts his wealth before other villagers. Being rich, he is the first person in the village who could afford to build a motor-powered boat for fishing. This struck awe in all of the villagers, amazed by his wealth. Being a rich person, he was also arrogant and socialised very little people from the village as he despised them for being poor. He boasted about the motorboat he was going to build day and night, and supervised the work everyday. During the Monsoon season, when it rained day and night, hardly stopping, a few fishermen, who were not satisfied with staying at home, decided to go out to the sea, when the clouds became clear one day, even though it was still monsoon season, and ended up getting their boats sunk. Biju offered his unexpected help to search for the missing fishermen, and found out that 3 were dead, whereas the rest fell ill, starved and suffered from fever. As expected, he boasted about the greatness of his motor boat after the incident even more.
Hira Bai
In this story, Hira Bai takes on the role of a kind and cheerful old lady. She offered help to Hari’s family whenever they approached her for aid. She is the mother of the 3 Khanekar brothers, who indulged themselves in toddies after the death of their father. Hira Bai was also a drunkard, but she was not as indulgent as Hari’s father or her 3 sons. As the Khanekar brothers’ wife all left them after seeing their plight, Hira Bai took care of her 3 children.
Hira Lal
In the story, Hira Lal is the watchman of Seabird, and had been assuming that role for 12 years. He is a friendly and approachable person. When he first met Hari, he treated him indifferently, and put him down when he heard he had come for a job at the Sahib’s place. However, after finding out that he was homeless and jobless, he offered to bring him to his friend, Jagu’s place for a free supper to satiate his hunger.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Comparison of the urban and rural life
(Urban life) 1. Medical facilities like hospitals and pharmacies are readily available.
(Rural life) 1. Had to travel far before they could reach a hospital.
(Urban life) 2. More equality between men and women
(Rural life) 2. Less equality between men and women
(Urban life) 3. People were not superstitious.
(Rural life) 3. People were superstitious.
(Urban life) 4. On the road, cars were a common sight.
(Rural life) 4. On the road, cars were not a common sight.
(Urban life) 5. People owned watches and clocks to help them tell the time with.
(Rural life) 5. People told the time by looking at the sun.
(Urban life) 6. Women had their own way of thinking and have their own rights.
(Rural life) 6. Women were submissive and took on the job of taking care of the household due to the 'traditional family style'.
(Urban life) 7. More industrialization,more pollution.
(Rural life) 7. Less industrialization, less pollution.
(Urban life) 8. Lived in apartments.
(Rural life) 8. Most lived thatched huts.
(Urban life) 9. Higher crime rates, thus need policemen to maintain law and order.
(Rural life) 9. Low crime rates, so does not need policemen to maintain law and order.
(Urban life) 10. Lesser natural environment, lesser greenery due to development and industrialization.
(Rural life)10. More natural environment, more greenery due to lesser development and industrialization.
(Urban life) 11. More technology, has television sets, refrigerator etc.
(Rural life) 11. Lesser technology, few people own televisions sets and other electronic gadgets.
(Urban life)12. Everything has to be bought, and at high prices
(Rural life)12. Could rely on nature by getting fish from the sea, coconuts from trees etc.
(Urban life)13. Well prepared for elements like monsoon season
(Rural life) 13. Ill prepared for elements like monsoon season
(Urban life)14. Presence of electricity
(Rural life)14. Electricity not present
(Urban life)15. More job prospects
(Rural life)15. Less job prospects
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Village by the sea worksheet
A fairy tale(How does it follow the fairy tale pattern?)
1.Protagnist in unhappy situation
(Cinderella's story): Cinderella's mother died, and her father remarried. After her father died, her stepmother was in-charge of the family.They dismissed all of Cinderella's servants, and made her their slave, depriving her of freedom.
2. The situation worsens
(Cinderella's story): One day, a prince held a ball, and Cinderella wanted to attend it. However, her step-mother and step-sisters refused to let her go.
3.Protaganist receives unexpected help, usually of a magical creature
(Cinderella's story): A fairy god mother empathised with her plight, and decided to help her. She turned rats into horses, pumpkin in carriage, changed raggedy shoes into glass slippers, on one condition. That was, she had to leave before midnight, as they would revrt back to their true form once the clock struck 12.
4.Protaganist is rescued from the initial unhappy situation
(Cinderella's story): When she was dancing with the prince, she discovered that it was going to be 12 already. In her hurry to leave, she left behing one of the glass shoes.The prince took a liking to Cinderella, and the next day, he announced that whoever could fit into the glass shoe would be his wife. Many have tried, but none could fit in perfectly. When he arrived at Cinderelaa's house, the step sisters had a go, and failed as well. They refused to let Cinderella try, but the prince insisted, and found out she was the one dancing with him the day before. They married and lived life happily ever after.
B. What parts of the book are ignored in the fairy tale pattern?
In the story, Hari embarked on a journey to Bombay, and this incident is not part of the fairy tale pattern as the fairy tale pattern does not consist of a part where the main character goes on a journey to solve his problem. The main character, usually receives unexpected help. This part can only be seen when Lila, the other main character of the book, manages to earn a living when Sayyid Ali Sahib lived in the Mon Repos during the monsoon season, which is the period of time when there were hardly any people to live in the Mon Repos. From this, they managed to earn their keep after the de Silvas left and had money to sustain their daily life.
C. The village by the sea has also been described as an adventure story. How far do you agree with this description? Why?
I agree to the village by the sea being described as an adventure story to a large extent, while I disagree with it to a certain extent.
As a typical adventure story usually goes according to this pattern: [Character faces problems--> character embarks on an adventure in an attempt to solve problems--> character faces problems in the process of adventure--> Character receives helps or solves problem by himself,] this pattern clearly reflects that Hari is the character who embarks on his journey to Bombay, in search for a job to solve his family problem.
The story goes like this. Hari’s frustration with his family led to his leaving home. Originally, his trip to Bombay was to protest against the government for building factories in Thul on their land. However, after a series of events which happened in Bombay, he got lost and was separated from the villagers who had come along with him to the protest. Being unfamiliar with Bombay, Hari decided to look for Mr de Silva, who would employ him whenever he went to Thul for a vacation to take care of the family while they were there. Upon reaching there, he was told by the watchman, Hira Lal, that the de Silvas were on a vacation at Thul, and would not be returning until next month. Unexpectedly, Hira Lal turned out to be Hari’s saviour when he brought Hari to the Sri Krishna eating house, which led to his employment and coincidental meeting with the watch mender who offered to take him in as apprentice during his rest time. After the courses of events, Hari returned back to Thul, and in the end, his family situation had altered tremendously, ending on a happy note.
However, I feel that The village by the sea is not an adventure story, because adventure stories usually have scenes whereby the character has close encounter with death and peril, whereas Hari, in the village by the sea, only had his life in Bombay, and how he struggled with his jobs to earn money in written in the story. Also, in most adventure stories, there would be a clear antagonist, whereas there was not a clear one in the story.
1.Protagnist in unhappy situation
(Cinderella's story): Cinderella's mother died, and her father remarried. After her father died, her stepmother was in-charge of the family.They dismissed all of Cinderella's servants, and made her their slave, depriving her of freedom.
2. The situation worsens
(Cinderella's story): One day, a prince held a ball, and Cinderella wanted to attend it. However, her step-mother and step-sisters refused to let her go.
3.Protaganist receives unexpected help, usually of a magical creature
(Cinderella's story): A fairy god mother empathised with her plight, and decided to help her. She turned rats into horses, pumpkin in carriage, changed raggedy shoes into glass slippers, on one condition. That was, she had to leave before midnight, as they would revrt back to their true form once the clock struck 12.
4.Protaganist is rescued from the initial unhappy situation
(Cinderella's story): When she was dancing with the prince, she discovered that it was going to be 12 already. In her hurry to leave, she left behing one of the glass shoes.The prince took a liking to Cinderella, and the next day, he announced that whoever could fit into the glass shoe would be his wife. Many have tried, but none could fit in perfectly. When he arrived at Cinderelaa's house, the step sisters had a go, and failed as well. They refused to let Cinderella try, but the prince insisted, and found out she was the one dancing with him the day before. They married and lived life happily ever after.
B. What parts of the book are ignored in the fairy tale pattern?
In the story, Hari embarked on a journey to Bombay, and this incident is not part of the fairy tale pattern as the fairy tale pattern does not consist of a part where the main character goes on a journey to solve his problem. The main character, usually receives unexpected help. This part can only be seen when Lila, the other main character of the book, manages to earn a living when Sayyid Ali Sahib lived in the Mon Repos during the monsoon season, which is the period of time when there were hardly any people to live in the Mon Repos. From this, they managed to earn their keep after the de Silvas left and had money to sustain their daily life.
C. The village by the sea has also been described as an adventure story. How far do you agree with this description? Why?
I agree to the village by the sea being described as an adventure story to a large extent, while I disagree with it to a certain extent.
As a typical adventure story usually goes according to this pattern: [Character faces problems--> character embarks on an adventure in an attempt to solve problems--> character faces problems in the process of adventure--> Character receives helps or solves problem by himself,] this pattern clearly reflects that Hari is the character who embarks on his journey to Bombay, in search for a job to solve his family problem.
The story goes like this. Hari’s frustration with his family led to his leaving home. Originally, his trip to Bombay was to protest against the government for building factories in Thul on their land. However, after a series of events which happened in Bombay, he got lost and was separated from the villagers who had come along with him to the protest. Being unfamiliar with Bombay, Hari decided to look for Mr de Silva, who would employ him whenever he went to Thul for a vacation to take care of the family while they were there. Upon reaching there, he was told by the watchman, Hira Lal, that the de Silvas were on a vacation at Thul, and would not be returning until next month. Unexpectedly, Hira Lal turned out to be Hari’s saviour when he brought Hari to the Sri Krishna eating house, which led to his employment and coincidental meeting with the watch mender who offered to take him in as apprentice during his rest time. After the courses of events, Hari returned back to Thul, and in the end, his family situation had altered tremendously, ending on a happy note.
However, I feel that The village by the sea is not an adventure story, because adventure stories usually have scenes whereby the character has close encounter with death and peril, whereas Hari, in the village by the sea, only had his life in Bombay, and how he struggled with his jobs to earn money in written in the story. Also, in most adventure stories, there would be a clear antagonist, whereas there was not a clear one in the story.
Amish way of life
The Amish community considers technology demonic for it brings along temptations like vanity, inequality coveting of material things. Amish hierachy is male dominance and the women are subserviant. Exposing them especially the women to television will create an identity crisis and forlore which is likened to that of opening a can of worms-it is like chopping one's feet own hoe.
Amish speak four languages, a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch at home, High German for worship and English with outsiders.
From a very young age,the Amish childern are instilled with the values of simplicity, and are taught to abhor pride or vanity-the core child's values of Amish philosophy. In addition to this, they are taught the value of hard work since young. Regardless of gender, chores are administered as soon as the child are physically able to handle them. The clear gendered divisions of labour which persist throughout the lifetime of the child. In general, these involvethe boys working with their fathers as soon as they are able and the girls at the side of the mother, assisting her with raising other children and taking care of the home.
The reason why the Amish people farm is because, as christians, they believe that they should farm as steward's of God's creation, and that this is a spiritual activity.
The daily life of an Armenian man(husband) and woman(wife) are as follow:
The man usually wakes up at 5a.m in the morning, go to the barn and feed the animals, milk the cows and process the milk to the cans for truck delivery to the local dairy. He would then join the family for prayer and breakfast. Depending on the seasons, he would work in the fields, preparing in the fields for planting(late winter), planting the crops in the Spring or harvesting the crops in late summer or Fall. He usually works from sunup to sunset in the fields for planting and harvesting with a break for lunch. In the evening, the cows would need to be milked again.
The woman would also get up at about 5a.m, help with the milking, prepare breakfast, and if laundry day(usually monday), get the gasoline motor started on her wringer washing machine and do the laundry, hanging them out on the line to dry. She would work in the kitchen garden, preparing it for planting(with the help of her husband), or harvesting vegetables for meals. If there are children, she would prepare them for school, including preparing lunch boxes, etc. Daytime household duties i.e. ironing, washing clothes by hand, baking and cooking lunch and dinner. Depending on the season, she would can fruits and vegetables, making jellies and jams, etc. She would also sew clothes for herself, her husband and her children.
The Amish families are more tied to the local community. Sledding, skating, ice hockey, swimming, camping, fishing and hunting provides breaks from the routines of work. Informal games of softball and corner ball and volleyball have long been favourites in many of the Amish communities. Camping in local meadows and wooded areas is also popular in some communities.
The old order relies totally on manual labour while the new order has technology to assist them in their manual labour. The only item of luxury would be a car. I think some of them would revert back to the old order because having electricity means having to pay bills, which is a mountain of burden should introduction of the internet invade the community. I personally emphathise with the youth who feel so lost when presented with the opportunity to experience life outside the community when they reach 18 . These gullible souls are target for conmen and tricksters. On the bright side,I think that they are being benovolent and magnanimous for allowing young youths to decide whether to venture back into their community or stay outside it. I also realised why about 80% choose home.Their experience further reinforces the fact that technology is demonic.
Amish speak four languages, a German dialect called Pennsylvania Dutch at home, High German for worship and English with outsiders.
From a very young age,the Amish childern are instilled with the values of simplicity, and are taught to abhor pride or vanity-the core child's values of Amish philosophy. In addition to this, they are taught the value of hard work since young. Regardless of gender, chores are administered as soon as the child are physically able to handle them. The clear gendered divisions of labour which persist throughout the lifetime of the child. In general, these involvethe boys working with their fathers as soon as they are able and the girls at the side of the mother, assisting her with raising other children and taking care of the home.
The reason why the Amish people farm is because, as christians, they believe that they should farm as steward's of God's creation, and that this is a spiritual activity.
The daily life of an Armenian man(husband) and woman(wife) are as follow:
The man usually wakes up at 5a.m in the morning, go to the barn and feed the animals, milk the cows and process the milk to the cans for truck delivery to the local dairy. He would then join the family for prayer and breakfast. Depending on the seasons, he would work in the fields, preparing in the fields for planting(late winter), planting the crops in the Spring or harvesting the crops in late summer or Fall. He usually works from sunup to sunset in the fields for planting and harvesting with a break for lunch. In the evening, the cows would need to be milked again.
The woman would also get up at about 5a.m, help with the milking, prepare breakfast, and if laundry day(usually monday), get the gasoline motor started on her wringer washing machine and do the laundry, hanging them out on the line to dry. She would work in the kitchen garden, preparing it for planting(with the help of her husband), or harvesting vegetables for meals. If there are children, she would prepare them for school, including preparing lunch boxes, etc. Daytime household duties i.e. ironing, washing clothes by hand, baking and cooking lunch and dinner. Depending on the season, she would can fruits and vegetables, making jellies and jams, etc. She would also sew clothes for herself, her husband and her children.
The Amish families are more tied to the local community. Sledding, skating, ice hockey, swimming, camping, fishing and hunting provides breaks from the routines of work. Informal games of softball and corner ball and volleyball have long been favourites in many of the Amish communities. Camping in local meadows and wooded areas is also popular in some communities.
The old order relies totally on manual labour while the new order has technology to assist them in their manual labour. The only item of luxury would be a car. I think some of them would revert back to the old order because having electricity means having to pay bills, which is a mountain of burden should introduction of the internet invade the community. I personally emphathise with the youth who feel so lost when presented with the opportunity to experience life outside the community when they reach 18 . These gullible souls are target for conmen and tricksters. On the bright side,I think that they are being benovolent and magnanimous for allowing young youths to decide whether to venture back into their community or stay outside it. I also realised why about 80% choose home.Their experience further reinforces the fact that technology is demonic.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Prefix
Prefix exercise 1
JECT
JECT means TO THROW
I. FOR EACH WORD:
1. Write the word
2. Write what it means
3. Draw a picture to go with it
4. Answer the question about it.
word
meaning and example
what to draw
question to answer
(you may draw your answer, too)
(you may draw your answer, too)
eject to throw out of, like a videotape from a VCR or a player from a baseball game something being ejected What are 3 examples of things or people being ejected?
inject to shoot into something, like a needle injecting insulin something being injected
reject to fail to accept, or to throw back (like a fish that is too small) something rejected or thrown back What are 2 examples of things or people being rejected?
projectile something being thrown, like an arrow or a cannon. Projectile can also be the path taken by something being thrown a projectile smaller than a football or larger than you What are three things that could be projectiles?
conjecture speculation - "throwing forward" a possible idea to think about What are three things people make conjectures about besides the weather?
abject total and hopeless (as if thrown down); abject poverty is the state of being hopelessly poor someone feeling abject fear What would a man in abject fear say?
What might a man say in abject love?
Some other words you might see with "ject" in them:
object
subject
objective
subjective
trajectory
Choose one of the "ject" words to complete the sentence.
1. My VCR will not eject my tape.
2. The pen became a projectile when it was thrown across the room.
3. A diabetic may have to inject insulin with a needle.
4. Do you really know they will get married, or is that just conjecture?
5. The school will automatically reject your application if you don't pay the fee first.
Prefix exercise 2
PRE
PRE means BEFORE
This is a common prefix that can be connected to fairly common words as well as more challenging ones. Both are included in this list.
Note that 'before' can have to do with time *or* space. To "predict" is say something will happen before it does; but to "present" something to you is to place it before you in space.
"Pre" can have other meanings than "before," though (as in the words prevail, pretend, prehensile, and prevaricate).
I. FOR EACH WORD:
1. Write the word
2. Write what it means
3. Draw a picture to go with it
4. Answer the question about it.
word
meaning and example
what to draw
question to answer
(you may draw your answer, too)
predict
To tell what one thinks will happen in the future, such as the weather, peoples' behavior, or the outcome of a contest.
Someone predicting something
What are two things you would like to be able to predict?
prevent
To keep something from happening before it happens, such as a window being broken or a person catching a cold
Someone preventing something (and explain what it is)
What are three things you would like to be able to prevent?
preview
a view or showing ahead of time such as "previews" of a movie
Something being previewed (and explain what it is)
What is something besides a movie or TV show that you could preview?
precaution
care or an action taken ahead of time against danger or failure, such as locking the door as a precaution against theft.
An example of something done as a "precaution"
What are four examples of precautions for four different things?
prefer
To choose first or like better (such as preferring vacation over school)
Something you would prefer to do
What are three things you prefer doing?
previous
happening or coming before; such as "on the previous page," meaning the page before, or "in a previous class," meaning some class before this one
What are three things you learned in previous classes?
prenatal
before birth, or during pregnancy
A "prenatal" baby
What would "prenatal care" mean?
pre-owned
Owned by someone else before now; "used."
A pre-owned car
What are three things people often buy "pre-owned?"
prelude
a part that comes before something else, such as a prelude to a piece of music, or dark clouds as a prelude to a storm.
A prelude to an event you enjoy
What are three examples of "preludes?"
preoccupied
having your attention already taken up by something, so you are not paying attention to what is happening around you. For example, if you are preoccupied with a test that is coming, you might not pay attention to what people are saying to you.
Someone who is preoccupied
What are three things someone who is "preoccupied" might say?
prequel
a book or story or movie that is set before something that has already been written. For example, the "Star Wars" series had a prequel set before the first Star Wars movie, where you found out about earlier times and people. The sixth book in the Chronicles of Narnia is a prequel because it tells how Narnia began, even though that book was written after other stories about Narnia.
A scene from the prequel to *your* life story.
Why would someone write a prequel?
predispose
to make something more likely to happen, before it does. For example, not getting enough sleep predisposes people to catching colds or being grumpy. (It is the opposite of taking precautions.) If a person is "predisposed" to act a certain way (such as to agree with others), they are already more likely to act that way than some other way.
Someone who is predisposed to win a marathon
What are three things you could do so that you were predisposed to get good grades?
preamble
an introductory statement before an important statement. The preamble to the constitution explains why the people of the U.S. thought they needed one.
How is a preamble like a prelude?
preempt
to take over something, (such as by getting in front of anyone else who would want it or being more important). Examples: to take over someone's land, to take over a group of people, or for one TV show to replace another (such as a news story or baseball game preempting a regular show).
Something being preempted
What are two things you would not like to be preempted?
preface
Introductory remarks
Where in a book would you find or put the preface?
preprandial
before the evening meal
Someone doing something "preprandially"
What are two of your favorite preprandial activities?
Here are some other words where "pre" means before
pretext, predecessor, preconception, precede, preclude, precognition, preliminary, premeditate, premature, premonition, prenuptial, preordain, prerogative, prerequisite
Complete these sentences with the "pre" word. Be sure to mix these sentences with words learned in previous lessons.
predict, prevent, preview, precaution, prefer, previous, prenatal, pre-owned, prelude, preoccupied, prequel, predisposed, preempt, preface, preprandial
1. I like to take a preprandial walk to work up my appetite for dinner.
2. I don't like it when the networks preempt my favorite TV shows because of sports.
3. One of the jobs of the meteorologist on the news is to predict tomorrow's weather.
4. Just as a precaution , I always lock the car doors when I am driving.
5. Which of these coats do you prefer to wear tonight?
6. I don't think Mike heard a word I said because he was so preoccupied about his sick sister.
7. We got to the concert at the symphony hall just in time -- we barely sat down before the conductor started the preamble .
Prefix exercise 3
UN
UN means NOT
There are several prefixes that mean "not" in one way or another. However, they are different, so sometimes you will have two different "not" suffixes in front of the same ending, and the two words will mean different things.
An "unarmed" man does not have a weapon. If the man is "Disarmed," then there was a weapon but it was taken away (and 'disarming' has several meanings). "Uninterested" means you "do not have the mind or feelings engaged." You're not involved; you don't care. "Disinterested," however, has come to mean "not having a selfish motive or interest." A "disinterested" person is good to help settle an argument.
Un- words are usually verbs (unplug or untie) or adjectives (untidy, unbreakable)
I. FOR EACH WORD:
1. Write the word
2. Write what it means
3. Draw a picture to go with it
4. Answer the question about it.
word
meaning and example
what to draw
question to answer
(you may draw your answer, too)
unplug
to take a plug out of; to disconnect from electricity, or to take out something blocking the way.
something unplugged from electricity AND an "unplugged" pipe.
What is "unplugged" music?
untidy
not tidy; not neat and orderly
an untidy place (room, desk, car)
What are three things an untidy person might do?
unbreakable
not able to be broken easily (like a sturdy plastic cup)
something unbreakable
What are two things that should be unbreakable, and why?
unemployment
not having employment; not having a job, or the number of people in an area who don't have jobs
Draw something an unemployed person might be doing
What are two ways an unemployed person could look for a job?
unruly
not following any rules; hard to manage (unruly hair, unruly kids)
unruly hair OR unruly kids
What's something else that could be unruly?
unconditional
not conditional, not limited; always there. "Unconditional love" means love whether the person is loved back or not, no matter what the other person does. "Unconditional surrender" means you give everything up.
What's the difference between an "unconditional surrender" and one with conditions? What might one of those conditions be? (You might want to draw this one)
uncertain
not sure about something, or something not clearly one way or the other
uncertain weather
What is something you are uncertain about?
unselfish
thinking of other people before yourself
someone doing something unselfish
What are three unselfish things a person could say or do?
unthinkable
"out of the question," going against what is reasonable, desirable, or probable; slavery is unthinkable now, but has not always been. The idea that my sister would forget to pay her bills is unthinkable because she just wouldn't ever do that.
Something unthinkable
What is something that is "unthinkable" to some people but not to others?
unveil
to remove a veil or covering; to make public (unveiling a painting for people to see; unveiling a new model of car)
something being unveiled
What are three things that could literally be unveiled? (Literally means you are actually taking a veil off of something.)
unconscious
not conscious; not aware of what is going on; a person can be completely unconscious & knocked out, or just unconscious of something that is going on ('he was unconscious of the bus coming up behind him' doesn't mean he was knocked out cold, but just that he didn't know the bus was coming)
an unconscious person
What are two things you could be unconscious of even though you were awake and alert?
unconscionable
not guided or controlled by conscience - not caring at all whether something is right or wrong. "Using unconscionable sales practices" would mean doing things to sell your product that were clearly wrong
an unconscionable crime
What are three things you think are unconscionable?
Some other words you might see with "un" in them:
unabated
unreconstructed
unalloyed
unstoppable
uneasy
unfair
unfortunate
unhappy
unfetter
unfurl
unkempt
unwise
unleash
undoing
unlawful
unflinching
uncharted
unscrupulous
unavailable
unknown
Sentence Practice:
unplug
untidy
unbreakable
unconscious
unconscionable
unthinkable
unemployment
unruly
unconditional
unveil
unselfish
uncertain
Be sure to mix these sentences with words learned in previous lessons.
1. Unemployment was a big problem in the Great Depression as many businesses shut down and people lost their jobs.
2. After a three week battle, the fort gave an unconditional surrender and was taken over.
3. When are you going to unveil your new painting?
4 I must have been unconscious during the whole movie -- I don't remember any of it!
5.The crowd at the game got so unruly that the game was stopped until they settled down.
6.If you are uncertain about which book to read, I will help you decide.
7. It's a good thing your dishes and furniture are unbreakable , with so many unruly children in the house!
8. Many people say you should unplug your computer in a thunderstorm so that lightning doesn't harm it.
9. It's just unthinkable that he would order roast beef -- he is a vegetarian!
10. It is hard to read or hear about the unconsicionable crimes that some people have committed.
11. It's unthinkable that my neat brother would ever let his house get untidy .
12. He is the most unselfish person I know - he would give everything he has away.
Prefix exercise 4
LOGY
LOGY means STUDY
When you see 'logy' at the end of the word, it means "study of;" 'ologist' at the end means its a person doing that.
Logy is the first of four roots to be featured on the Resource Room found often in scientific contexts.
I. FOR EACH WORD:
1. Write the word
2. Write what it means
3. Draw a picture to go with it
4. Answer the question about it.
word
meaning and example
what to draw
question to answer
(you may draw your answer, too)
biology
study of life
3 different things a biologist would study
What are 10 different things a biologist would study? --Make them as different as you can
geology
study of rocks and earth
something a geologist would study
Where's a place you could you go to see things a geologist would be interested in?
meteorology
study of weather
a meteorologist at work
what are 10 words a meteorologist would use because of his job?
genealogy
study of people's ancestors, where they came from & what they did
Draw a family tree
Why would a genealogist go to an old graveyard?
toxicology
study of poisons
a toxicologist at work
What are two reasons a person would want to talk to a toxicologist?
dermatology
study of the skin
Draw a dermatologist at work
What are three things a dermatologist would have in his or her office related to dermatology?
entomology
study of insects
an entomologist at work
What are five things an entomologist might study?
technology
a practical application of knowledge; something you can use that people had to learn to make
an example of technology
why is a pencil a kind of technology?
pathology
study of disease
two things a pathologist would use on the job
What are three examples of things a pathologist would study?
astrology
the study of how the way stars and planets supposedly affect human events (NOT the study of stars, which is astronomy)
an astrologist at work
What is the difference between an astrologist and an astronomer?
ornithology
study of birds
An ornithologist at work
What are five words an ornithologist would use because of his or her job?
theology
study of God or religious faith
a theologist at work
What are five words a theologist would use because of his or her job?
dendrology
study of trees
dendrologist at work
why is dendrology a kind of biology?
Complete these sentences with the -logy or -logist word that fits. Be sure to review words learned in previous lessons.
1. You do not need a telescope to study astrology , even though the word means "study the stars."
2 Computers and electric hair dryers and gas stoves are examples of technology
3. I called my friend who knows entomologywhen I found some very strange bugs in my house.
4. Ornithology and dendrology are two parts of biology because birds and plants are living things
5.meteorology has gotten a lot better because technology lets us predict the weather more accurately.
6.Hawks and hummingbirds are things the ornitologists would know about.
7. My friend got interested in genealogy when she found out her great-great-grandfather came from Italy.
8. When people got sick and nobody knew why, they called in a good pathologist who knew a lot about diseases.
9. A pathologist would want to talk to a toxicologyif he or she thought people had been poisoned.
10. My brother studied theology for six years before working in a church.
11. A tree farmer might want to study dendology
12. That's an interesting rock! A geologists could tell you what it is.
13. I have this itchy rash, so I am going to see a dermatologist.
Prefix exercise 5
THERM
THERM means HEAT
Therm is the second root featured on the Resource Room found often in scientific contexts.
I. FOR EACH WORD:
1. Write the word
2. Write what it means
3. Draw a picture to go with it
4. Answer the question about it.
word
meaning and example
what to draw
question to answer
(you may draw your answer, too)
thermometer
thing to measure temperature (amount of heat)
Two different kinds of thermometers
What do you think the "meter" part of "thermometer" might mean?
thermal
having to do with heat or conserving heat ('thermal blanket,' 'thermal underwear')
a "thermal" object
Why is 'thermal underwear' called that?
thermostat
machine that keeps something at the same temperature (or 'heat level'); "stat" means 'same.'
a thermostat (there may be one on the wall where you are).
What would you have to do if you didn't have a thermostat?
geothermal
heat coming from the earth (remember from the 'logy' group that geo means earth); volcanoes and hot springs are examples of geothermal heat sources.
a source of geothermal energy
Where are two places where geothermal energy can be found?
hypothermia
when the body's temperature goes below normal
someone with hypothermia
What are two ways a person could develop hypothermia?What do you think "hypo" means?
hyperthermia
when the body gets too hot (such as during heat stroke or a high fever)
someone with hyperthermia
What are two ways a person could develop hyperthermia?What do you think "hyper" means?
thermonuclear
change in an atom's nucleus that requires a very high temperature, such as in a hydrogen bomb or in the sun
a place where thermonuclear action is happening
What would happen if a thermonuclear bomb went off?
Thermos
a container designed to keep heat in or out to keep food at a desired temperature
a Thermos
What are three different foods that would likely be kept in a Thermos?
isothermal
a line on a map showing where the temperature is the same along that line
an isotherm (you might want to look in an encyclopedia)
What kind of job (-ologist) would be interested in isotherms? (See "-logy" words)
endothermic
taking heat into itself (making it get colder because it's taking heat away)
Draw two test tubes with thermometers in them - one before, one after an endothermic reaction
Why is the second test tube colder than the first one?
exothermic
sending heat out (getting hot to the touch) - much more familiar than endothermic reactions - and getting warmer.
Draw two test tubes with thermometers in them -- one before, one after an exothermic reaction
Why is the second test tube warmer than the first one
Complete these sentences with the "therm" word that fits. Be sure to mix these sentences with words learned in previous lessons.
1. Getting wet on a cool day and staying out side can lead tohypothermia
2. You can get a thermometer that will measure temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius.
3. I have a thermos full of coffee, piping hot.
4. A thermal blanket is designed to add a warm layer for cold weather, but not be too warm in warm weather.
5.The isothermal showed that it was 32 degrees in Boston, Massachusetts and 30 miles north of Cleveland, Ohio.
6.A thermonuclear bomb does more damage than other kinds of bombs, but is very expensive to make.
7. Spending too much time in the hot sun can cause hyperthermia , which can be fatal.
8. That endothermic reaction got very, very cold.
9. Setting off a thermonuclear bomb is an example of an exothermic reaction because it sends out a lot of heat.
10. In Greenland, geothermal energy from hot springs is used to heat houses.
11. The thermostat in my car broke, so it overheated.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Newsweek: Terrorism
1.The ordinary American lacks the know-how and tenacity to handle a possible terror attack even though it faces certain risk. The calculated move of President Obama to appear seventy-two hours beore making an appearance was measured and appropriate. It re-enforces the fact that staying alert and courageous citizenship would put a damper on any extremists or terrorist acts. The writer feels that Americans lack the tenacity demonstrated by Londoners who bravely showed up enmasse to commute to their destinations even when the accident was less than 24hours old. The Israelist simply dusted themselves off to rebuild blown-up cafes and targeted bus lines in a matter of days, sending a message of unbreakable and unyielding shield. I contrast, United States gaping hold where the twin towers once stood gives terrorists the satisfaction that shows them as weak and vulnerable, making it a desirable targer for terrorism. The mere fact that they fear being targeted by Al Qaoda should they try the convicted Khalid Sheikh Mohammad in a civil courtsd an irony for American's look like cowards, feeling powerless and afraid with irrational flows of fear. In the writer's point of view, that is what the terrorist want exactly.
2.The attempt was unsuccessful. The insurgeants have been borne into a system where their motto is "an eye for an eye" . They are filled with angst and seething with vengeance to be extracted on people who took the lives of their relatives and friends who died as matyrs. They want to return to the Islamic Emirate where they Islamic law is hailed above all. Their fight again the socivt saw them hanging on tenaciously in unity and they have seen the ups and downs of the turbulent past and present and dismiss this olive branch thenn Americans wave at them as an insult and further instils their desire for a state free from the infidels - America. Those who have left the fight against the Americans regret their decision as they are eke out a living. Others who tried returning to their village were murdered. Despite the economic boom since the collapse of Millah Omars regime, many are still unwilling to exchange their so-called dignity mainly in fear of retributions and blacklash from the Talibans. Even the Taliban leaders feel scrutinised under the constant watchful eyes of police who stand guard outside their doors. So, writers deem this caused the Americans who want to pull off as unfeasible and doomed form the start. It may take several generations before they see the light of day.
2.The attempt was unsuccessful. The insurgeants have been borne into a system where their motto is "an eye for an eye" . They are filled with angst and seething with vengeance to be extracted on people who took the lives of their relatives and friends who died as matyrs. They want to return to the Islamic Emirate where they Islamic law is hailed above all. Their fight again the socivt saw them hanging on tenaciously in unity and they have seen the ups and downs of the turbulent past and present and dismiss this olive branch thenn Americans wave at them as an insult and further instils their desire for a state free from the infidels - America. Those who have left the fight against the Americans regret their decision as they are eke out a living. Others who tried returning to their village were murdered. Despite the economic boom since the collapse of Millah Omars regime, many are still unwilling to exchange their so-called dignity mainly in fear of retributions and blacklash from the Talibans. Even the Taliban leaders feel scrutinised under the constant watchful eyes of police who stand guard outside their doors. So, writers deem this caused the Americans who want to pull off as unfeasible and doomed form the start. It may take several generations before they see the light of day.
Lamb to the slaughter
Logical/ Mathematical
Imagine you are a judge who had listened to the case of Mary Maloney. Write down the arguments for and against Mary accused of the murder of Patrick.
1.Mary Maloney might be emotionally unstable as she is pregnant, but since she tries to cover up her tracks, it partly shows that she was in the right mind.
2.Is it possible that Mary Maloney was planning for this attempt of murder ever since she heard the news?Or did she do it uncounsiously?
3.Mary Maloney lost her senses due to the shocking piece of news that Patrick was divorcing her, she killed Patrick unconsciously, which meant that she did not kill Patrick Maloney on purpose.
4. Could the piece of bad news be so shocking that it led Mary Maloney to be so mentally unstable such that there was a need to kill Patrick Maloney? Or was it that the fact that Patrick was divorcing her made the hatred in her to well up that she had the desire to kill Patrick? (If it is case number 1, it is manslaughter; case number 2,murder)
Imagine you are a judge who had listened to the case of Mary Maloney. Write down the arguments for and against Mary accused of the murder of Patrick.
1.Mary Maloney might be emotionally unstable as she is pregnant, but since she tries to cover up her tracks, it partly shows that she was in the right mind.
2.Is it possible that Mary Maloney was planning for this attempt of murder ever since she heard the news?Or did she do it uncounsiously?
3.Mary Maloney lost her senses due to the shocking piece of news that Patrick was divorcing her, she killed Patrick unconsciously, which meant that she did not kill Patrick Maloney on purpose.
4. Could the piece of bad news be so shocking that it led Mary Maloney to be so mentally unstable such that there was a need to kill Patrick Maloney? Or was it that the fact that Patrick was divorcing her made the hatred in her to well up that she had the desire to kill Patrick? (If it is case number 1, it is manslaughter; case number 2,murder)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Ten questions and review of Avatar
I feel that Avatar is a very good movie as it features the ugly side of human nature and also is a movie full of exciting adventures, and much more can be experienced when watching the 3D. Even me, who usually does not have much interest for adventure-packed shows, liked the movie very much. The storyline is also very exciting, and my favourite part is where the war broke out between the two planets, Earth and Pandora. It somehow makes me excited to see war between two different species.
This movie is mainly about the Earthlings trying to gain a type of valuable resource called the 'unobtainium', which is found on the planet of Pandora. Thus, humans have tried many different ways, and finally came up with a machine which could transfer a person's mind into an 'avatar' body. At first, they are using the people to try and negotiate with the Na'vi, the natives of Pandora, to relocate their home to elsewhere such that the extraction of the unobtainium from the ground directly under the Na'vis' home will not affect them. However, since the negotiation fell through, human had to resort to force to forcibly take the unobtainium, which triggered the war between the two planets, which is the best part of the movie. The way the war was fought was very exciting and thrilling, so, I would recommend this to people of all age group, and this is definitely not one that you would want to miss!
Here are the 10 questions about Avatar which I am curious about:
1.When Jake Sully(human form) was dying because of the lack of oxygen on Pandora, how did Neytiri(Jake Sully's Na'vi ''girlfriend'' in the movie) actually know that the human she saw was Jake Sully?
2.How did Earthlings got to know about the value of unobtainium?
3.We know that the Na'vis were taught English by Dr. Grace Augustine, but to do so, she must understand the Na'vi language.So how did they manage to understand what she was trying to teach them?
4. Why wasn't Jake Sully able to have an artificial leg transplant so that he would not be reliant on wheelchair for movement?
5. How did the military helicopters get to Pandora if it was not a part of Earth?
6. What is the longest time possible which a human can stay on Pandora in the 'Avatar' body?
7. Are there any side effects on the body if a person frequently goes into the 'Avatar' body?
8. How did they manage to get an 'Avatar' body for the human to transfer to in the first place?
9. How does one know if he/she is compatible with an 'Avatar' body?
10. Why was the wheelchair of Jake Sully seemed like those in modern times even though other forms of technology has improved by leaps and bounds?
This movie is mainly about the Earthlings trying to gain a type of valuable resource called the 'unobtainium', which is found on the planet of Pandora. Thus, humans have tried many different ways, and finally came up with a machine which could transfer a person's mind into an 'avatar' body. At first, they are using the people to try and negotiate with the Na'vi, the natives of Pandora, to relocate their home to elsewhere such that the extraction of the unobtainium from the ground directly under the Na'vis' home will not affect them. However, since the negotiation fell through, human had to resort to force to forcibly take the unobtainium, which triggered the war between the two planets, which is the best part of the movie. The way the war was fought was very exciting and thrilling, so, I would recommend this to people of all age group, and this is definitely not one that you would want to miss!
Here are the 10 questions about Avatar which I am curious about:
1.When Jake Sully(human form) was dying because of the lack of oxygen on Pandora, how did Neytiri(Jake Sully's Na'vi ''girlfriend'' in the movie) actually know that the human she saw was Jake Sully?
2.How did Earthlings got to know about the value of unobtainium?
3.We know that the Na'vis were taught English by Dr. Grace Augustine, but to do so, she must understand the Na'vi language.So how did they manage to understand what she was trying to teach them?
4. Why wasn't Jake Sully able to have an artificial leg transplant so that he would not be reliant on wheelchair for movement?
5. How did the military helicopters get to Pandora if it was not a part of Earth?
6. What is the longest time possible which a human can stay on Pandora in the 'Avatar' body?
7. Are there any side effects on the body if a person frequently goes into the 'Avatar' body?
8. How did they manage to get an 'Avatar' body for the human to transfer to in the first place?
9. How does one know if he/she is compatible with an 'Avatar' body?
10. Why was the wheelchair of Jake Sully seemed like those in modern times even though other forms of technology has improved by leaps and bounds?
Review on Percy Jackson and the lightning thief
If I were given a choice to choose between the book version and the movie version of Percy Jackson, I would choose the book. The favourite part of the book that I like is the part where the identity of Percy was revealed to him(the part which he got to know about who his father was.) The reason that I liked that part best is because the beginning of the story was written such that suspense will be with the reader about who Percy's father was. I, too, was very interested in finding out who his father was.
The reason why I preferred the book to the movie was that, the movie was too straightforward. All that sense of suspense that was supposed to be instilled within the reader was gone. The reason why I was motivated to continue reading the book was that I wanted to find out about who Percy's father was. In the movie, it was revealed to us almost from the start, that Percy was the son of Poseidon and that alone made me lose half the interest during the movie. Also, I was looking forward towards Percy's fight with the God of War, Ares, as I could not picture the scenes very well together when I was reading the book.
Overall, I was put off by the fact that there was no sense of suspense in the movie and had the best part of the story(book) taken away.
Next, these are some of the many differences between the two versions of 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' that I have noticed:
1.First of all, Clarisse, the daughter of Ares(God of War) was not part of the movie
2.Next,in the book, Percy did not know who his father was until the hellhound was summoned from the camp, while in the movie, it was revealed straight to Percy that he was son of the sea god, Poseidon, upon his arrival at the Half-blood camp
3.After the competition among the blue and red team(consisting of demigods from all the cabins), a hellhound was summoned instead of Hades appearing amidst the fire.
4.Dionysus was not in the movie, while he appeared in the book.
5.In the book, Percy got the 3 pearls(or something like that)from a kind a water spirit(if I'm not wrong) whereas Percy had to go on a quest to three locations in order to get them.
6. In the book, there wasn't a scene with a battle with the Hydra in the museum whereas there was one in the movie
7.There wasn't any mention of the Helmet of Darkness(Hades' weapon of authourity)
8.In the book, Zeus' bolt was hidden inside Percy's bag while it was hidden in the shield which Luke gave to Percy in the movie.
9. Ares, the god of war, was not featured in the movie.
10.There was not an encounter or conversation between Percy and Kronos, the titan lord.
Review of Percy Jackson and the lightning thief(book):
Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old kid, was leading his life well(except for the fact that he had to change his school frequently due to his dyslexia and ADHD). However, as the summer solstice began to approach, Percy was about to embark on a journey unlike other: a quest to save the world. Being a demi-god is fine, but being a child of the big three is certainly a crime...
With powers greater than any other half-blood, Percy was chosen for this quest to stop the imminent war between the the gods, and part of the reason was also that Percy was suspected the lightning thief, the thief who stole Zeus' weapon of authourity----the lightning bolt.
After all the obstructions by furies,monsters and even god, Percy finally completed the quest and cleared his name. But that was not all. The last statement of the prophecy from the oracle has not came true even after his quest was over. What awaits Percy after his glorious return from the solvation of the misunderstanding? To find out read Percy Jackson and the lightning thief now!
The reason why I preferred the book to the movie was that, the movie was too straightforward. All that sense of suspense that was supposed to be instilled within the reader was gone. The reason why I was motivated to continue reading the book was that I wanted to find out about who Percy's father was. In the movie, it was revealed to us almost from the start, that Percy was the son of Poseidon and that alone made me lose half the interest during the movie. Also, I was looking forward towards Percy's fight with the God of War, Ares, as I could not picture the scenes very well together when I was reading the book.
Overall, I was put off by the fact that there was no sense of suspense in the movie and had the best part of the story(book) taken away.
Next, these are some of the many differences between the two versions of 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' that I have noticed:
1.First of all, Clarisse, the daughter of Ares(God of War) was not part of the movie
2.Next,in the book, Percy did not know who his father was until the hellhound was summoned from the camp, while in the movie, it was revealed straight to Percy that he was son of the sea god, Poseidon, upon his arrival at the Half-blood camp
3.After the competition among the blue and red team(consisting of demigods from all the cabins), a hellhound was summoned instead of Hades appearing amidst the fire.
4.Dionysus was not in the movie, while he appeared in the book.
5.In the book, Percy got the 3 pearls(or something like that)from a kind a water spirit(if I'm not wrong) whereas Percy had to go on a quest to three locations in order to get them.
6. In the book, there wasn't a scene with a battle with the Hydra in the museum whereas there was one in the movie
7.There wasn't any mention of the Helmet of Darkness(Hades' weapon of authourity)
8.In the book, Zeus' bolt was hidden inside Percy's bag while it was hidden in the shield which Luke gave to Percy in the movie.
9. Ares, the god of war, was not featured in the movie.
10.There was not an encounter or conversation between Percy and Kronos, the titan lord.
Review of Percy Jackson and the lightning thief(book):
Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old kid, was leading his life well(except for the fact that he had to change his school frequently due to his dyslexia and ADHD). However, as the summer solstice began to approach, Percy was about to embark on a journey unlike other: a quest to save the world. Being a demi-god is fine, but being a child of the big three is certainly a crime...
With powers greater than any other half-blood, Percy was chosen for this quest to stop the imminent war between the the gods, and part of the reason was also that Percy was suspected the lightning thief, the thief who stole Zeus' weapon of authourity----the lightning bolt.
After all the obstructions by furies,monsters and even god, Percy finally completed the quest and cleared his name. But that was not all. The last statement of the prophecy from the oracle has not came true even after his quest was over. What awaits Percy after his glorious return from the solvation of the misunderstanding? To find out read Percy Jackson and the lightning thief now!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Amy Ng Ai Choo
Amy's father's daily return pronounced his expectation of her in front of her homework, doing nothing but studying and more of it. She did not have a choice to rest her tired physical body not her frustrated soul, as her father would be supervising her work, despite being tired from a day of manning odd jobs, he would without fail have this routine. Life during that time was not easy, and not many had the chance to get educated. Her father was expecting a son, but it turned out to be a daughter, in spite of that, she was expected to be the best in every aspect. She had to replace his dream son and his demands were getting more unreasonable with each passing day.
Under such constant pressure of her father, and much to her chagrin, it resulted in her deproving instead of improving, her studies were suffering at a remarkably alarming rate. On the actual year- end test, she was constantly reminding herself not to let her father down, however, after entering the exam room, her mind was a blank, so desperate was the need to succeed that she had to resort to cheating. Her first peek at her classmate's paper next to her was a success, but the next did not escape the scrutiny of the invigilator's attention - she was shocked when a hand was placed firmly upon her shoulder to announce her failure.
Being discovered and labelled as a cheater was the last thing she could face in her life. Too ashamed to be a disappointment to her father and tarnish his reputation on top of failing to live up to his expectation, she could not face her father who had high hopes for her. It led to the ultimate path of suicide, which to her was the only way out of this misery. She leapt into the air and plummeted to the ground with a loud thud - Bye bye world of misery. Her inconsolable father, realising the pressure he had constantly been placing on Amy, was filled with regret which he still carries with him today as a sense of guilt towards Amy. He knew clearly in his heart that it was his own selfish actions which led to the ultimate demise of his one and only beloved daughter.
Under such constant pressure of her father, and much to her chagrin, it resulted in her deproving instead of improving, her studies were suffering at a remarkably alarming rate. On the actual year- end test, she was constantly reminding herself not to let her father down, however, after entering the exam room, her mind was a blank, so desperate was the need to succeed that she had to resort to cheating. Her first peek at her classmate's paper next to her was a success, but the next did not escape the scrutiny of the invigilator's attention - she was shocked when a hand was placed firmly upon her shoulder to announce her failure.
Being discovered and labelled as a cheater was the last thing she could face in her life. Too ashamed to be a disappointment to her father and tarnish his reputation on top of failing to live up to his expectation, she could not face her father who had high hopes for her. It led to the ultimate path of suicide, which to her was the only way out of this misery. She leapt into the air and plummeted to the ground with a loud thud - Bye bye world of misery. Her inconsolable father, realising the pressure he had constantly been placing on Amy, was filled with regret which he still carries with him today as a sense of guilt towards Amy. He knew clearly in his heart that it was his own selfish actions which led to the ultimate demise of his one and only beloved daughter.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The dangers of Blogging
Blogging was actually an inspiration or spin-off from the days of using diaries or journals to record intimate details about a person's trials and tribulations, joy and laughter and a place to vent one's frustration or share an opinion. This is a progression into the modern realm where technology is second nature and closely associated with youths of all walks of life.
As with all things, there is the good and bad in blogging. Whilst we can stay connected to our friends and family, in this cyber world, danger lurks and is more prevalent than we would want to believe.
Every time we blog, be it confined or online, we become exposed and vulnerable to predators of all nature who, unlike vultures, pick the spoils to profiteer from or make use of. The rogues or thugs are sophisticated individuals who are masters at prowling, trawling and victimizing us without us feel hit and leave us traumatized from the damaged dealt to our reputations. Thus there is a need to be shrewd and protect ourselves against such a terror network artist.
Fortunately, there are various ways to keep out dangers from the cyber world when one blogs. These are some of the examples:
1. Avoid having an online profile, which few people heed as most may feel that it is fun to list down their list of likes and dislikes and other personal information, like home address, school etc.
2. Do not upload photos that may reveal your identity, pictures of school, yourself etc. Blogs have become a dream-come-through for paedophiles and those who are stalking people using the resources from the internet are widely-known as internet stalkers. Through uploads of photos of oneself, which seems innocuous but provides crucial clues to internet stalkers narrow in on their targets and capture them in one fell swoop.
3. Do not post personal information of yourself in your blog, like schedules for the week etc. Although there might not be any posts regarding your posts from anybody, do note that there may be lurkers on your blog. They are people who do not post posts, but they read your conversation with another person if the two of you communicate by posting.
One has to tow the fine line and avoid the pitfalls in this minefield of dangers to survive and utilize its full potential rather than sit in a corner and worry about being a victim. Happy blogging!
As with all things, there is the good and bad in blogging. Whilst we can stay connected to our friends and family, in this cyber world, danger lurks and is more prevalent than we would want to believe.
Every time we blog, be it confined or online, we become exposed and vulnerable to predators of all nature who, unlike vultures, pick the spoils to profiteer from or make use of. The rogues or thugs are sophisticated individuals who are masters at prowling, trawling and victimizing us without us feel hit and leave us traumatized from the damaged dealt to our reputations. Thus there is a need to be shrewd and protect ourselves against such a terror network artist.
Fortunately, there are various ways to keep out dangers from the cyber world when one blogs. These are some of the examples:
1. Avoid having an online profile, which few people heed as most may feel that it is fun to list down their list of likes and dislikes and other personal information, like home address, school etc.
2. Do not upload photos that may reveal your identity, pictures of school, yourself etc. Blogs have become a dream-come-through for paedophiles and those who are stalking people using the resources from the internet are widely-known as internet stalkers. Through uploads of photos of oneself, which seems innocuous but provides crucial clues to internet stalkers narrow in on their targets and capture them in one fell swoop.
3. Do not post personal information of yourself in your blog, like schedules for the week etc. Although there might not be any posts regarding your posts from anybody, do note that there may be lurkers on your blog. They are people who do not post posts, but they read your conversation with another person if the two of you communicate by posting.
One has to tow the fine line and avoid the pitfalls in this minefield of dangers to survive and utilize its full potential rather than sit in a corner and worry about being a victim. Happy blogging!
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