Saturday, August 16, 2008
Introductions
In reading this blog you can learn a little about me, but what about you? What is your "recommended reading?" Where have your travels led you this summer...to China, Sudbury Farm, Crane's beach? How did you unwind? In class this year, I hope we are able to explore ideas, experiment with learning, and have some fun. What are your hopes for English class this year?
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40 comments:
My recommended reading is "the five people you meet in heaven" by mitch albom. I didnt go to far this summer. I went to revere beach once or twice but thats about it. I hope that I do well in english this year and learn alot.
As I start this year I look back upon my life. I was born in Ukraine in the year 1993. When I was seven I moved to America and basically had to restart my life. I started with learning how to talk, even though for my first year the only phrase I could say was " I do not speak English." After I learned to speak English fluently, I felt like an eagle chick who had just learned to fly, free and ready to explore the world. This summer I went to Math camp for two weeks and really enjoyed it. I thought that The Alchemist was a good book because it is an interesting philosophical metaphor for the great journey of life. Another book which I read this summer and enjoyed was Sleeping Murder By Agatha Christie. I enjoyed this book because it was suspenseful, thrilling, and interesting to read.
Daniel Gendin
I recommend the book "Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I didn't go anywhere this summer. I was in Needham the whole time, but i was a camp counselor for a week and a half. I hope that i can improve in my writing this year.
Elaine C.
read Escape From Warsaw by Ian Serraillier, it was a very good book which i would advise anyone to read. It was about a family which was seperated by WWII and they all meet up in switzerland after a dangerious trip. Over the summer i volunteered with the Needham park and rec, and just hung out with my friends
-Brian Andersen
I recommend the book Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. This summer I swam on the Needham Swim Team and went to Scituate, MA with my mom, dad and cousins. I also went to New London, NH with my older brothers and sisters and thier children. We watch the opening ceremonies and had a mini one of our own. This year I hope to learn some oral presentation skills along with some more writing and researching skills.
I am recommending the book, "Eleven Seconds," by Travis Roy with E.M Swift. It is a book about Travis Roy and his life. It is a great book. I played hockey all summer. I also visited with family, but I stayed around Needham. I hope the english this year is fun, and I can understand everything.
I would recommend "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser. This summer i went to Ireland with my entire extended family (21 people) for a week. This year I hope to do well on my sophmore oral and become a better writer.
I recommend reading "Rainbow Six" by Tom Clancy. Over this summer I went to my grandparents house in South Dartmouth MA. When I wasn't there I was back in Needham with friend. I also went to camp in New Hampshire for a week. This year in English I wish to improve my writing skills.
Jon Csaplar
I would definatly recommend reading "the eye of the needle" by Ken Follet. This summer my family and I took an exciting trip to disney world. this year in english I would like to work on the smootheness of my writing
My recommended reading is "The Lost Boy" by David Pelzer. Although it had a very sad plot, it was a great book that I enjoyed a lot. This summer I went to Orlando, Florida, as well as New Hampshire. I also volunteered at a camp, in which the hours served go toward my community service for the High School. In addition, I hung out with my friends and went to work. This year in English, I hope I succeed and do very well. I hope I learn new ideas, concepts and vocabulary, as well as get better with my writing skills.
- Devyn Collins
My recommended reading would be "The Road" by cormac mccarthy. This summer I went to Italy with my family and our family friends for 10 days! This year in english I hope to get better at essay organization, and learn new stuff.
- Shannon Menchin
A book I would recommend would be "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton. I like his books because they are very exciting but also have interesting subjects which you learn about while reading. This summer I went to camp for 2 months, and then to California for the last week. This year in English, I hope to improve my writing.
My recommended summer reading is "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" by Mitch Albom. This summer I spent a week in Cape Code with my family. Other than that I have been around Needham. This year in English I hope to improve overall from last year, particularly in the wording of my sentences.
I recommend reading "My Sister's Keeper" becuase it has an interesting plot but it is also a sad book too. During the summer I went to New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesaukee and spent time at the beach, hung out with friends, and played tenis. I also went to the Cape and played soccer. This year in English I hope to become a better writer and be able to grasp new ideas and concepts to make me a better student.
I would recommend reading the book "Hope was Here" by Joan Bauer. This summer I went on several camping trips to New Hampshire and New York. This year in English I hope to improve my use of vocabulary in my essays.
I recommend the book Moneyball by Michael Lewis. This summer, I went to the outer banks in North Carolina for a family reunion, and went to camp in New Hampshire. I also played on a travel baseball team and chilled with friends. This year in English, I would like to improve not only the quality of my writing, but the vocabulary I use.
I recommend the book Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brian. It is only a book for people who are interested in historical fiction and are interested in sea or naval stories, but for those who do it is a great read. Over the summer I spend most of my time, about eight weeks, at summer camp. It is called Camp Eisner and it is out in western Massachusetts. I had a great time with all of my camp friends and it was our last year together as campers. In the few weeks after camp I spent a week with my dad in West Roxbury, and I spent the rest of the time in Needham just relaxing. My goal for this year in English class is to do well and improve my writing skills.
-Greg Wolf
I recommend reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. This book was very interesting and connected in several different ways that aren't clearly shown at first. You really have to try and comprehend this book to enjoy it. For anyone that has read "The Kite Runner" it is by the same author but this book is about girls intead of boys. Other than "The Alchemist", another book I read was "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. This book was about a girl in ancient Aisa who endures footbinding and a speical friendship. Both books I read this summer were really interesting and I enjoyed reading them. This year I hope to stay neater than usual and hopefully get a better grade in english than I did last year.
my recommendation for a good summer read would be "the truth about forever" by sarah dessen. for my summer i didnt really do that much i went to delware, new hampshire, vermont, and florida. i do alot of cheerleading and other girly sports. i hope to do alot better in english this year and push myself to do the work and do it well and learn alot more things and keep the knowledge
I recommend the book "My Sister's Keeper" because it got me interesting in the beginning and I didn't want to put it down. This summer I went to Ohio for a family reunion for three weeks. I also went to tennis camp. This year in english I hope to work on my writing and presenting skills.
I would recommend the book "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson because it is an exciting, interesting read. There was not a point in the book when i was not eager to know what was going to happen next. This summer I went to the beach in Delaware and I went to New York which was fun. I also played a lot of field hockey and horseback rode all summer. I hope this year in English I will learn a lot from my teacher and be willing to do well in class.
I recommend the book Bleachers by John Grisham. It is about a former all-american quarterback, Neely Crenshaw who comes back to the town where his football career began. This summer i played aau basketball and went down to the cape with my grandparents.
I recommend reading the book "Prey" by Michael Crichton, because it twists one's thoughts on new technologies made everyday. I read it during my ten-day vacation in Waikaloa Village, in Hawai'i (the Big Island). My summer before that was more productive than former years, because I actually got out the door to do activities with friends. For this year in English I'll try to better my essays by trying out different styles of writing.
A book that I would recommend to anyone is “My Sisters Keeper” by Jodi Picoult. This book was an intrusting read with a lot of unexpected events and a captivating plot. This summer I traveled to New York, California, and the Cape. I also returned to my camp as a C.I.T. this summer. It was a ton of fun and I can’t believe that summers over.
I recommend the book "Prey" by Michael Crichton. This book is a thrilling read that may cause you to fear nanotechnology. This summer I traveled to Aruba with my family. We mostly relaxed at the beach which was located right by our hotel. Also, I volunteered at the Needham Library for my 60 hours of community service. This year in English I hope to read a lot of good books and learn about archetypes.
- Zach F
My recommendation is "Its Not About the Bike: my journey back to life" by Lance Armstrong.This summer i stayed in Needham while my cousins and uncle from Hawaii. This summer i went to Canada,Cape Cod, and a camp in NH for soccer.
-Kelly G.
my recommended book is Faith of My Fathers by John McCain. this summer i visited family in South Carolina and Florida.The rest of the summer i spent working for a welding company and playing football. i want to improve my writing this year.
I recommend reading The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe. It is a great book about the begining of the United States space program. This summer I went to Kansas City and Buffalo New York. This year in english I hope to expand my details.
I reccomend people to read Call To The Wild because it is full of adventure and action in the eyes of a dog. I went to camp where i had earned the highest rifle shooting award there. I also went sailing with my friends in the boston harbor. over the summer i swam for the Needham Sharks which was fun...
I reccommend reading "playing for pizza" by john grissam. It is really intersting about football in italy. I was on marthas vineyard for most of the summer because I have house there. It is very fun and relaxing.
The book I would recommend is "Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich, the book that the movie "21" is based on. This summer I went to Cape Cod, Vermont, and Wisconsin. This year in english I hope to improve my writing mechanics.
The books that I read this summer, I really did not enjoy so I wouldn't recommend either snow falling on Cedars or The Memory Keepers Daughter. But the book that i read last year for summer reading, Kite Runner, is a book that i would most definitely recommend. It was a very good read. This summer i went to 4 different camps all over the place and they were all tons of fun. This year in English class i hope to improve in my essay writing skills and to be more descriptive. Also to be attentive in class.
I have read "the five people you meet in heaven" by Mitch Albom, one of my favorite author. I didn't do much during the summer, i went down to the cape, went to new york, and went fishing couple times. I wish i do well this year in english and get a good grade.
KO
I can't think of what to write so I'm just going to say some obvious things. I'm in 10th grade, I like music, and I have blue eyes. This year I hope to become a better writer.
Eleven Seconds
Page 41
“I was lying with my chin on the ice, and my head slightly tilted to the side. Most of my field of vision was only ice. Just the clean, white, slightly imperfect sheet of ice I remember it getting all shiny and smooth again from my breathing in the same place over and over. So it looked like it was newly surfaced just in front of my face. I couldn’t move my head either way, and my neck ached.
I could see the fans in the first row, and some of the players. Nobody panicked. Larry, the trainer, got out there pretty quickly, and he was soon joined by the team doctor, Anthony Schepsis. They knew it was a dangerous situation. Two student trainers, both girls, were there, and they were trying to comfort me. Just relax, one was saying, in a very soothing voice. Things are going to be okay. It was a serious moment, but it was nice to hear a voice like that. I needed someone to talk to me, to sooth me.”
This excerpt is a good example of descriptive writing because it gives you the point of view that he, Travis Roy, had when he was lying on the ground. Like when he describes the ice as clean, white and slightly imperfect, and that it gets smooth again when he breaths on it. This excerpt really puts you in his the perspective of Travis when he talks about the doctors coming out and only being able to see them and the first row of fans. I also chose this excerpt because it is the first time in the book that he talks about getting paralyzed in the first eleven seconds of his college hockey career. This sets the tone for the rest of the book because after this chapter it talks about life a quadriplegic, so without this excerpt the mood of the book would be completely thrown off.
Page 63
“After 17 days of living with those awful tubes in my mouth, bound by my paralysis, gagged by those hoses that pumped air into my lungs and sucked the phlegm out, I was given a tracheotomy a hole about the size of a nickel was cut in to my throat, just beneath the Adam’s apple, so the ventilator hose could enter my windpipe directly. Grim as that procedure may sound, the tracheotomy markedly improved my quality of life.”
In this passage personification is used, and paralysis is given human like powers when it says, “Bound by my paralysis”. It’s as if the paralysis is actually forcing him down on the bed as if he were able to move if it wasn’t. This excerpt uses descriptive words like bound, gagged, and grim, without those words there wouldn’t be as much emphasis on the situation. This sets a good mood for the book when it talks about life getting better when you get a hole cut in your throat, and then having a tube stuck in it just so you can breath. This shows that he was realty going through tough times dealing with paralysis.
Ariana Socci
Period: 5
Due Date: September 11, 2008
Two Analysis's on Murder On The Orient Express By Agatha Christie
Page 30
“The women opposite him was a mere girl--twenty at a guess. A tight-fitting little black coat and skirt, white satin blouse, small chic black toque perched at the fashionable outrageous angle. She had a beautiful foreign-looking face, dead white skin, large brown eyes, jet black hair. She was smoking a cigarette in a long holder. Her manicured hands had deep red nails. She wore one large emerald set in platinum. There was coquetry in her glance and voice.”
This passage illustrates a good example of descriptive writing because not only is her overall appearance described like her “jet-black hair,” but the author goes into so much detail as to describe the angle of her toque hat. The author describes other little details like her manicured, red fingernails. I like how Christie doesn't just describe her obvious features like her hair, eyes and skin and instead adds words like,“coquetry”to describe what her voice sounds like. This, and the little details make the passage interesting because the reader can imagine the person so much easier and clearly in their head. This character was important to describe because she was the only one out of the thirteen people on the train who didn't murder Ratchett. This ties in with the theme, morality of murder- if it is okay or not to kill a person if they are truly guilty. In this book, murder seems to be okay for twelve of the people, but Countess Adrenyi opposes this and didn't take part in the murder.
Page 18
“He was a man perhaps of between sixty and seventy. From a little distance he had the bland aspect of a philanthropist. His slightly bald head, his domed forehead, the smiling mouth that displayed a very white set of false teeth-all seemed to speak of a benevolent personality. Only the eyes belied this assumption. They were small, deep-set and crafty. Not only that. As the man, making some remark to his young companion, glanced across the room, his gaze stopped on Poirot for a moment and just for that second there was a strange malevolence, an unnatural tensity in the glance.”
This paragraph shows a good example of descriptive writing because like the other passage the author describes all of the small details of this character. Christie was very clear when talking about “the smiling mouth that displayed a very white set of false teeth-all seemed to speak of a benevolent personality.” I think the author was saying that his teeth, bald head and forehead have a mind of their own by using the words “benevolent personality.” Again, the reader has a better understanding of what the character, Ratchett, looks like. When the author was talking about how Ratchett gazed at Poirot, you can understand how is personality may be too because of the “strange malevolence.” This was another important character to describe because this ends up being the person who gets murdered. It ties in with the theme of the book because Ratchett gives off an unfriendly vibe and is murdered because he truly was guilty to most of the people.
Dan Colino
Period 5
9/10/08
Eleven Seconds
Page 41
“I was lying with my chin on the ice, and my head slightly tilted to the side. Most of my field of vision was only ice. Just the clean, white, slightly imperfect sheet of ice I remember it getting all shiny and smooth again from my breathing in the same place over and over. So it looked like it was newly surfaced just in front of my face. I couldn’t move my head either way, and my neck ached.
I could see the fans in the first row, and some of the players. Nobody panicked. Larry, the trainer, got out there pretty quickly, and he was soon joined by the team doctor, Anthony Schepsis. They knew it was a dangerous situation. Two student trainers, both girls, were there, and they were trying to comfort me. Just relax, one was saying, in a very soothing voice. Things are going to be okay. It was a serious moment, but it was nice to hear a voice like that. I needed someone to talk to me, to sooth me.”
This excerpt is a good example of descriptive writing because it gives you the point of view that Travis Roy, had when he was lying on the ground. Like when he describes the ice as clean, white and slightly imperfect, and that it gets smooth again when he breaths on it, it gives you a great image in your mind of what the ice looks like. This excerpt really puts you in his the perspective of Travis when he talks about the doctors coming out and only being able to hear their voices but not see their faces. When it talks about only being able to see them and the first row of fans it really puts you in the perspective of Travis. I also chose this excerpt because it is the first time in the book that he talks about getting paralyzed in the first eleven seconds of his college hockey career, and it relates to the title of the book. This passage sets the tone for the rest of the book because after this chapter it talks about life a quadriplegic, so without this excerpt the tone of the book would be completely thrown off.
Page 63
“After 17 days of living with those awful tubes in my mouth, bound by my paralysis, gagged by those hoses that pumped air into my lungs and sucked the phlegm out, I was given a tracheotomy a hole about the size of a nickel was cut in to my throat, just beneath the Adam’s apple, so the ventilator hose could enter my windpipe directly. Grim as that procedure may sound, the tracheotomy markedly improved my quality of life.”
In this passage personification is used to give paralysis human like powers when it says, “Bound by my paralysis”. It is as if the paralysis is actually forcing him down on the bed making him unable to move or get up, and that it could let go and he would be able to move. This excerpt uses descriptive words like bound, gagged, and grim, without those words there wouldn’t be as much emphasis on the situation, and it wouldn’t be as that that the situation is very difficult to live with. This excerpt sets a good mood for the book when it talks about life actually getting better because you get a hole cut in your throat, and then having a tube stuck in it just so you can breath. This shows that he was realty going through tough times dealing with paralysis.
These are just two examples in the book of how Travis has to deal with the tough times during and mostly after his accident.
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