Vocab #3

1) Accolade-An award or privilege granted as a special honor or as an acknowledgment of merit.
For his outstanding achievement, he received the accolade.
2) Acerbity- sourness, with roughness or astringency of taste.
These sweet persimmons have acerbity.   
3) Attribution- a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength
This does, however, pose problems of attribution.
4) Bromide- A platitude or trite saying
It is always boring to listen to bromide speech from teachers.
5) Chauvinist- a person who is aggressively and blindly patriotic, especially one devoted to military glory.
Danny is also a male chauvinist, he thinks women are too weak to do anything.
6) Chronic- constant; habitual; inveterate
Chronic stress can lead to heart disease.
7) Expound- to explain; interpret.
He expounded his opinion to his classmates.
8) Factionalism- The splitting of a group into factions; Conflict between factions.
Factionalism exists in any political party.
9) Immacualte- free from spot or stain; moral blemish or importy; fault or flaw; errors.
His soul is very immaculate, he never lied during his life.
10) Imprecation- a curse; malediction
Do not use imprecation during school.
11) Ineluctable- enescapable.
Using saw without safety glove is ineluctably dangerous.
12) Mercurial- changeable; volatile; fickle; flighty
Joey’s mercurial temperament made her difficult to live with.
13) Palliate- to relieve or lessen without curing.
Even though cancer is incurable, it can be palliated.
*14) protocol- the customs and regulations dealing with diplomatic formality, precedence, and etiquette.
15) Resplendent- shining brilliantly; gleaming, splended
My resplendent backpack got really old and dirty after I went on a hike with it.
16) Stigmatize- to work with a stigma, or brand.
Her response canfairly be stigmatized as a "lie"
17) Sub Rosa- confidentially; secretly; privately.
If someone is doing somthing sub Rosa, don't bother asking what they are doing.. hahaha
18) Vainglory- excessive elation or pride over one's own achievements, abilities...
Becareful, vainglory might make you forget your first intention.
19) Vestige- a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence

There was not a vestige left from his memory.

20) volition- the act of willing, choosing, or resolving; exercise of willing

Did you do it of your own volition ?

Beowulf Questions

I was out of town this weekedns so I had to do it all by myself. It took me so long. I did little bit on friday, almost to half on Saturday and finish them on Sunday. I used internet to get help. Just plain book was too difficult to look for the answers. It would have been better if I got to work with other people.

[Prologue: The Rise of the Danish Nation] (lines 1-85, pp. 33-34)

1.It is unusual because Shield was abandoned as a baby and he became a successful, powerful leader. By his own request, his body was on a vessel and wafted seaward. Hrothgar is the son of shield’s son’s Halfdane..

[Heorot is Attacked] (lines 86-188, pp. 34-36)

1. Hrothgar built a great mead hall Heorot to his success and symbol of his greatness. Grendel attacked the hall and killed 30 men. Danes’ are horrified.

 [The Hero Comes to Heorot] (lines 189-490, pp. 36-42)

1. When Beowulf hears about Hrothgar, he immediately created an army.

2. Geats meet the watchmen in Denmark. Beowulf explained why they were there. Finally they were permitted to enter.

3. The watchmen told Hrothgar’s Herald about Geat’s arrival. And he also told him that Hrothgar should let them come visit him. And Hrothgar lets them in but he gets surprised to see Beowulf because he knows him. 

[Feast at Heorot] (lines 491-661, pp. 42-46)

1. Unfirth teased Beowulf for losing a past swimming contest against a man named Bruca. Beowulf answers him by saying that his story is wrong.  Beowulf accuses Unferth for being weak because he hasn’t fought Grendel.

2. Queen Wealhtheow offered drink to the warriors and thanks Beowulf for coming.

[The Fight with Grendel] (lines 662-835, pp. 46-49)

1. For a fair fight with Grendel, Beowulf takes off all of his armor.

2. When Grendel enters Heorot, he finds Grendel bursting through Heorot’s threshold. Grendel fight him with not weapons at all. Grendel tries to escape but Beowulf ripped Grendel’s arm. Grendel has to leave behind his arms and blood.

 

[Celebration at Heorot] (lines 836-1250, pp. 49-60)

1. Like Beowulf, Sigmund was a Dragon slayer. However, Beowulf is not like Heremod because Heremod was a coward.

2. Hrothgar thanks Beowulf and offers him rewards. Unfirth couldn’t say anything because he had lack of confidence in Beowulf’s skill.

3. The story was about the battle between Danes and Finn and how Danes lost. Using a woman as bride showed wisdom because it combined the tribes and strike common ground.

4.Wealhthewo ask Hrothgar not to have Beowulf to be their throne and choose one of their two sons.

5. After giving necklace to Beowulf, Wealhtheow asks Beowulf to protect her sons.

6. Those men felt comfortable thinking they are safe from Grendel. However, it was a mistake because his mother came back for revenge.

 

BEOWULF AND GRENDEL'S MOTHER (lines 1251-2199, pp. 60-79)

[Another Attack] (lines 1251-1382, pp. 60-62)

1.Grendel come to Heorot for revenge of her son’s death. 

2.Hrothgar asks Beowulf to kill Grendel’s mother.  Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s advisor “Aeschere.”

3. The mere is a lake where Grendel’s mother and many other monsters live.

[Beowulf Fights Grendel's Mother] (lines 1383-1650, pp. 63-68)

1.Beowulf tells Hrothgar not to be a coward and remain resilient and strong. 

2. Before entering the mere, they find Aeschere’s head and sea monsters. Beowulf slays a monster and other scurry away.

3.Beowulf is well equipped this time. He brought a sword called Hrunting and it was given by Unferth.

4. Beowulf had to swim down the mere to find Grendel’s mother. However, other monsters attacked Beowulf. Grendel’s mom drags him into a hall.

5. Beowulf’s sword melts away.

6. The armor that Whealhtheow gave to Beowulf protected him from Grendel’s mother. Then he grab a sword, slash her, the escape.

7. Beowulf uses a sword to kill Grendel’s mother. When she gets slashed, his sword gleamed. Beowulf takes demon son’s head with him.

8. When Beowulf returned, the Danes and Hrothgar already left. They thought he would be dead. But he finds Geat warriors who overjoyed to see him.

[Further Celebration at Heorot] (lines 1651-1798, pp. 68-71)

1. Beowulf gives the head of Grendel and the hilt of the sword.

2. Hrothgar tells Beowulf about Heremod who was blood-thirsty. He is telling us about Heremod to tell us the dangers of wealth and power.

3.Beowulf give Unferth back his Hrunting sword.

 

 

[Beowulf Returns Home] (lines 1799-2199, pp. 71-79)

1. Hrothgar predicts Beowulf will come back and become their ruler.

2. Hygd and Modthryth are different because Modthryth was cruel and evil when Hygd was kind and nice to the people.

3. Hrothgar hopes that this marriage will break the blood feud between the Danes and the Heathobards. However, Beowulf thinks it will not work. This is new side of Beowulf because he usually acts right away more than think.

4. Beowulf reports his adventure by telling a story. He focuses on his succeeds and exclude the times his failed.

5. Beowulf gives the treasure to Hygelac and reciprocally, Hygelac gives him jeweled sword, seven thousand hides, land, a hail, and throne of his own.

BEOWULF AND THE DRAGON (lines 2200-3182, pp. 79-99)

[The Dragon Wakes] (lines 2200-2509, pp. 79-86)

1. Part 2 take place after fifty years. King Hygelac has died in battle. Other horrifying dragon has waked up.

2. The  dragon is angry because someone stole a goblet from his board of treasures. The man took the cup because he was poor and he wanted to give it to his master. The treasures were owned by a wealthy man who did not have any relatives to give those treasures to. So the dragon decided to guard them.

3. The dragon destroyed the people of Geat and their land.

4. Beowulf thinks his home was burnt because he felt he offended God. He order a new shield that can block dragon’s fire. I am thinking that this battle will be Beowulf’s last battle.

5. Hygelac died during the battle.  Beowulf refused Hydg’s offer to become king but eventually become king of the Geats.

6. An exiled group of Swedes killed Heardred. Beowulf plan to revenge Hearded’s death by killing King Onela.

7. Eleven warriors and the person who stole the cup.

8. Herebeald was killed by his brother Haethkyn. King Hrethel could not punish him or forgive him. After Hrethel’s death, Geats and Swedes still feud. Haethcyn also gets killed in battle against the Swedes. Beowulf revenge Hygelac’s death by killing a great Frankish warrior, Dayraven.

[Beowulf Attacks the Dragon] (lines 2510-2820, pp. 86-92)

1. Beowulf tells his companions to just wait and observe, rather than actually fight.

2. Beowulf struggle against the dragon’s flames. While other companions run away, Wiglaf stays and help Beowulf.

3. Beowulf gets bit by the dragon on his neck. Beowulf kills the dragon by stabbing it in the side with his knife.

4. Beowulf asks Wiglaf to bring the treasure to him to see before he dies. Beowulf thank god for letting him die like this with god. He tells Wiglaf to build a barrow on the coast and for his body to be burned on a funeral pyre.

[Beowulf's Funeral] (lines 2821-3182, pp. 92-99)

1. When the companions return, Wiglaf scorns them for leaving Beowulf when he needed them. Wiglaf expects that Geats will be attacked by their neighbors and their nation will be destroyed.

3. Wiglaf tells the crowd that Beowulf was a great warrior.

4. The dragon was pushed off the cliff because he was an evil that does not deserve any burial.
5. The Geats were singing with sadness. The funeral took about 10 days and many people were sad.
6. The Geats say Beowulf was a gentlest of men, most winning of manner, friendliest to folk-troops and fondest of honor. And it was weird, because you don’t really use these saying to describe a military hero.

Peer Feedback #1

Essay # 1

It is common that “old” generation is obsolete. It is also common that “new” generation takes over the “old” generation and rule it until the other “new” generation comes out. George Eliot decried the new generation by saying that old leisure is defunct because of the egregious new leisure. Eliot uses personification to express his views.

Eliot would dislike the newer leisure in this modern time. All we do is, play games, play with phones, I-Pod, computer, and many other electric devices. Eliot’s new leisure was probably playing outside or playing some board games. But now, it is worst. Eliot’s view of real leisure is more of relaxing and comfortable act. But nowadays people tend to play or be active more than being comfortable.

Eliot personifies the leisure and talks about how "old" leisure is a lovely, friendly old friend and how Eliot relishes spending times with old leisure. She wishes that old leisure can come back to her life. Like how she describes the old leisure,” He was a contemplative, rather stout gentleman, of excellent digestion, of quiet perceptions, undiseased by hypothesis: happy in his inability to know the causes of things…” and on and on. The whole story was about how sweet and placid the old leisure was.

It is a life-cycle that old leisure does not extant when new leisure comes out. And when another new leisure comes out, the old “new” leisure dies down. Nobody can change that. However, George Eliot just wanted to describe how nice and warm the old leisure was. And how nice it would be if old leisure can come back.

Essay #2

It is common in the novel that authors modify the character’s attitude or tradition to build up the story. By doing this, the story gets more complicated and makes the story line interesting. In The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle, the author uses two different characters to emphasize the dissimilarity of their traditions and attitudes. By doing this, the story gets less tedious and gets into conflict.

In the novel, a Mexican couple, Cándido and América, migrates to America illegally dreaming of a good life. Meanwhile, a rich American couple, Delaney and Kyra, moves to a new house near where the other couple lives. That is how the story starts, comparing their situations and attitudes. While Cándido and América lives illegally and get a job illegally to survive, Delaney and Kyra try to live quietly and safely by following the law. Throughout the story, characters’ attitudes change several times. For example, Delaney does his best to give immigrants to benefit of the doubt, correcting himself when he uses derogatory words and when he makes racist comments. However, after he bumps into Cándido, his life gets complicated. His life routine gets tangled up, his car gets stolen, and he starts to blame them in immigrants.

By showing two different traditions and attitudes, it helps the reader to see the differences between characters and how they change throughout the story. Modifying characters’ attitudes or traditions makes the story more complicated and interesting. This does catch the readers’ attention and makes them curious how it is going to happen.

****** I personally did not like the essay 2 because I thought the prompt was to vague..
... I just don't like writing essays...

Reflecting on today's socratic seminar

Today's Socratic seminar was very interesting and funny. It was basically Conner's talk show in the beginning, but when we were on track later, many other people were throwing out their opinions and it was very fun listening to them. Through out the socratic seminar, I learned that even though everyone has right to express their opinion, because of the strong example that are stated in front of people, it is hard to express them. So having right opinion is very limited. It was too bad that there was only 5~6 people who were speaking in the socratic seminar. Hopefully by next socratic seminar, atleat the half of the class (which including me!) can participate in them.

Reflection on week 1

1. Since I get out of the school at 12:20, I have much more time than last 3 years. But I have to walk home everyday and I have to help my parents with the store often so I don't get to go home till later. Not everyday, but several times. And also, I am a faciltator of a youth group called YMC so I have to go to the meeting twice or three times a month. So my schedule is pretty tight but I need to get used to it.

2. My junior high changed me so much. It was not because of my teachers, or classes, or friends, it was the school trip. The trip was only for top 40 students, and they get to go to Monteray and Universal Studios. When I heard that they have those school trip, I started to work hard on school works. And soon, I realized that it was not that hard to get good grades.(not in high school, only in junior high!) I still laugh when I think about those years. It was an awesome experience that encouraged me to think that I can do it!

3. I am actually looking forward to learn more about the technology part. I don't really get along with technology, it took me forever to upload your presentation video on my blog. I had to call my friend to tell me step-by-step! When I heard that we are going to use blog and post stuffs on there  (last year) I was little confused and curious about how that is going to help us in learning? But I think it is much cooler to use technology than handing boring papers in and gets grade. But I am still little concerned to show everyone (not just our righetti students) what I wrote in the blog. People might not understand I am saying or might think it is stupid, or something. But I think that is the part that I have to learn from the class!

The Laughing Heart (Charles Bukowski)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daHlo_Mcol

Reciting poem!

Essay

1) If I had more time, I would have understand the prompt better. When I'm in rush, my understanding skill decrease. First, I understood the quote wrong. Short time enervated me that I could not think right. Also I would have write more examples. I only used one example that is not really good either. And my thesis statement was ubiquitous, it was not lucid and did not answer the prompt right.

2)I could not think right after the class becasue I was very depressed about my egregious essay. But when I got home and read the prompt again, I realized I could have done better if I have read the prompt correctly. But probably I would not have. I just can't write in-class essay. It takes me at least one hour to plan and think about how I am going to write it. But without having time to think it through, it was a mess..

3) Interruption just attacked my brain. I had something in my mind that I was going to write in the essay, so I wrote them really quickly on the other paper, but when I got back I totally forgot that I wrote them. And it shorten up the time more, so I got really rushed. Sadly, I didn't even get to get the book because my schedule did not have the bar code.

Out of any other AP classes, AP English was the class that I was not sure if I should take it or not. It's becasue I am really bad at writing. It takes me too much time to write one essay. However, I think the only way to develope my skill in  writing is to face the challenge. I am excited to improve my skill in writing and hopefully I can write better by end of the year! But I am still  scared that I am going to get bad scores on writing and won't get better in them. My goal would be.. improving writing skill and learn how to read and understand literatures.

Hopefully by end of the year, I would understand and enjoy reading literatures better. Most importantly, I hope my writing skill will be improved so I will not have to worry about that in college.