Topic sentences Exercise 1
paragraph 1- 3, 2, 5, 1, 4
paragraph 2- 2, 3, 5, 6, 1, 4
paragraph 3- 5, 2, 3, 1, 4
Exercise 2
1) Without knowing it, Americans tend to speak foreign languages as well as have foreign items in their homes.
2) There is a huge difference between European college life and American college life.
3) Depending on the environment of where people live, humans build homes based off of the things they have in their surroundings.
Exercise 3
Smoking cigarettes
1) No positive thing can come from smoking cigarettes; it only harms your body.
2) If you hate your life, but don't want to kill yourself just yet, smoking cigarettes can help you die much faster than most people, but it doesn't end your life immediately.
Foreign travel
1) Foreign travel is great if you want to learn about different cultures up close.
2) Foreign travel is the most dangerous way of traveling.
Space exploration
1) Space exploration is the reason we know everything about our solar system.
2) Space exploration is only for the strongest and the bravest.
Rock music or Rock musicians
1) Rock music has a negative impact on children due to the lyrics and style of the songs.
2) Rock music is great for working out; it releases energy and gives a sense of motivation.
Studying a foreign language
1) Studying a foreign language is a great start to becoming a spy.
2) Studying a foreign language is the first step to beginning a career or translating.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Harrison Bergeron Assignment
"Harrison Bergeron" was a great read. Although I already love reading, this story was written in a way that even a non-reader would enjoy. Vonnegut correctly used his own step three in his "Writing with style," which was keep it simple. "Harrison Bergeron" was very easy to follow. Vonnegut was able to get his point across in an easily understood way. He used short choppy sentences that were clear and far from complex, but got right to the point. For example, in the story, there is a sentence that reads: "On the television screen were ballerinas." Vonnegut could have shown his knowledge by stating the same sentence in a more sophisticated and complex way, but he chose not to. That is a clear example of Vonnegut's very own step three; Keep it simple.
Say what you mean to say is Vonnegut's step six in his "Writing with style." The setting of "Harrison Bergeron is ahead 67 years into the future. With that being said, Vonnegut could have easily created a new language for the characters in the story, but he didn't. Along with Vonnegut's step three, keeping it simple, Vonnegut clearly wanted to be understood in his writing. It was known, from the beginning of the story, that the setting was in the future, so nothing had to change for the reader to comprehend that information. Vonnegut greatly interpreted his Step six; Say what you mean to say.
The final step that Vonnegut used in the story "Harrison Bergeron" was step seven, pity the reader. The Writing in "Harrison Bergeron" was very simplistic and clear. I was able to picture the entire story in my head without confusion. Each sentence was just another detail to add to that already made picture. The flow of the conversations between George and Hazel were easy to follow. I always knew who was talking, and at what time. Overall, Vonnegut did a great job at taking his own advice, and putting his own steps into his writing.
Say what you mean to say is Vonnegut's step six in his "Writing with style." The setting of "Harrison Bergeron is ahead 67 years into the future. With that being said, Vonnegut could have easily created a new language for the characters in the story, but he didn't. Along with Vonnegut's step three, keeping it simple, Vonnegut clearly wanted to be understood in his writing. It was known, from the beginning of the story, that the setting was in the future, so nothing had to change for the reader to comprehend that information. Vonnegut greatly interpreted his Step six; Say what you mean to say.
The final step that Vonnegut used in the story "Harrison Bergeron" was step seven, pity the reader. The Writing in "Harrison Bergeron" was very simplistic and clear. I was able to picture the entire story in my head without confusion. Each sentence was just another detail to add to that already made picture. The flow of the conversations between George and Hazel were easy to follow. I always knew who was talking, and at what time. Overall, Vonnegut did a great job at taking his own advice, and putting his own steps into his writing.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Summary of how to write with syle
As a student of any kind, there is a lot of writing involved. Sometimes, depending on the writing topic, I get nervous because I feel my paper won't sound smart enough or I wont be able to fulfill the requirements of the paper. Kurt Vonnegut; however has eight quick and easy steps to "Write with style."
Step one is Find a subject you care about. In other words, if you have to do a class assignment with the topic already given to you, then get familiar with the subject. (Vonnegut 1036) states, "It is the genuine caring, and not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive elements in your style." Kurt is suggesting that if you know what you are talking about, then it will reflect in your writing. Step two is Do not ramble though. For the most part, that is self explanatory, but I understand the stress of trying to meet the desired length requirements for class, but that is where step one comes in handy. when you know exactly what you are trying to say, you won't ramble. Step three is keep it simple. Don't try to get too broad on the subject and try to do try to stay on topic the best you can. Step four is have the guts to cut. In other words, if the sentence doesn't fit with the topic of your essay, then take the sentence out. Step five, six, and seven are all alike in a way. They are all basically saying that you should try to make sure that what you are writing makes sense and that the reader will understand what you are trying to say and not get confused. Step five is Sound like yourself. Write in a way that comes naturally, don't try to sound smart. Step six is say what you mean to say. Step seven is pity the reader. Understand that you know what you are talking about, but others don't. Don't assume you are making perfect sense and try to think about your audience when you are writing. The final step in writing with style is For really detailed advice. This step is informing writers to be interesting and have fun things to talk about to capture the reader.
So, the next time you have a paper to type and the anxiety sets in, just think of these eight steps so you can remember how to be yourself, keep it simple, be interesting, and stay on topic. You will be able to get through the paper and know exactly how it needs to be written.
Step one is Find a subject you care about. In other words, if you have to do a class assignment with the topic already given to you, then get familiar with the subject. (Vonnegut 1036) states, "It is the genuine caring, and not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive elements in your style." Kurt is suggesting that if you know what you are talking about, then it will reflect in your writing. Step two is Do not ramble though. For the most part, that is self explanatory, but I understand the stress of trying to meet the desired length requirements for class, but that is where step one comes in handy. when you know exactly what you are trying to say, you won't ramble. Step three is keep it simple. Don't try to get too broad on the subject and try to do try to stay on topic the best you can. Step four is have the guts to cut. In other words, if the sentence doesn't fit with the topic of your essay, then take the sentence out. Step five, six, and seven are all alike in a way. They are all basically saying that you should try to make sure that what you are writing makes sense and that the reader will understand what you are trying to say and not get confused. Step five is Sound like yourself. Write in a way that comes naturally, don't try to sound smart. Step six is say what you mean to say. Step seven is pity the reader. Understand that you know what you are talking about, but others don't. Don't assume you are making perfect sense and try to think about your audience when you are writing. The final step in writing with style is For really detailed advice. This step is informing writers to be interesting and have fun things to talk about to capture the reader.
So, the next time you have a paper to type and the anxiety sets in, just think of these eight steps so you can remember how to be yourself, keep it simple, be interesting, and stay on topic. You will be able to get through the paper and know exactly how it needs to be written.
Friday, September 19, 2014
First month of college
My first month of college, for the
most part, has not been what I expected. I did expect a lot of assignments at
one time, and the stress of trying to get them all completed with Excellency,
but I didn't expect it to be this easy. I understand that this is my first year
of college and that it is going to get harder and harder as I go, but at the
moment it just seems like I am re-learning things that I already learned in
high school.
I think
that I may have over prepared myself for college in a way. I created college in
my head as: me being an outsider, having mean teachers, not being able to have
the slightest bit of a social life, and homework that made me cry every night
because it was too much for me to handle. Thankfully my experience so far has
been the complete opposite. I have made a few friends, my teachers are all
awesome, I have found a way to manage my friends, family, and work, and my
homework assignments are actually interesting, so I have no problem doing them.
I am still trying to figure out how to balance my everyday life with my college
life, but with the fantastic support system I have, I know that I will be able
to successfully get through School.
My strengths in college is making sure I know what all of my assignments
are, and making sure that they are completed and turned in on time if not
early. Another strength that I have is also my weakness, and that is time
management. Depending on the class, my time management varies. For the classes
I enjoy I arrange my time very well with knowing exactly when I will finish the
assignment. For my harder and boring classes I tend to procrastinate on my
assignments and wait until the last minute to start them. I do that because
when I feel like I don't understand the class I don't do the work so I don't
get stressed out, even though that system doesn't help me in any way. My biggest
challenge is going to be self pressure. I want to get straight A's in College,
and although it's possible, it's not going to be easy so I need to make sure I
get my mind right.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
5 wrong sentences
1) "So beautiful" is a great song it has an amazing example of love.
2) Some songs really express feeling, I enjoy a song with a point
3) Meeting new people is very fun I like the process of getting to know a stranger
4) I like watching tv, however I like listening to music more.
5) The boy made the girl angry, the boy later had to apologize.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Summary of why games are good for you
Something we hear far too often is that video games are bad for you and that it is ruining the minds of our youth. Steven Johnson believes in the complete opposite. Johnson proves in his "Why games are good for you" the benefits of playing video games. from learning things in a more interesting way, to obtaining reading and comprehension skills, to teaching dedication, Johnson proves that videogames are not as negative as people make them out to be.
Everyone has a different style of learning. Some kids actually prefer sitting in a classroom, some prefer reading books, and others couldn't care less about either and would rather play video games. Little do the kids who prefer video games know, they are actually learning more than just hand-eye coordination. Although Johnson believes that books are the most powerful form of learning, he also says: "The electronic world is starting to give printed books a run for their money." (Johnson 489) explains that after playing video games for an hour with his seven year old nephew, his nephew was able to understand that high tax rates in industrial areas can stifle development. Johnson also admits that his nephew would be asleep in five seconds if you put him in a classroom to learn the same thing. This is a clear example of how video games can still teach important information, just in a more entertaining way.
Reading and comprehension is another skill that can be learned through video games. figuring out what you have to do in video games to defeat the master, or get to the next level requires a lot of reading. (Johnson 484) has a quote from Andrew Solomon that states: "reading requires effort, concentration, attention. In exchange, it offers the stimulus to and the fruit of thought and feeling. While spock says "reading is an activity requiring active participation. We must do the reading ourselves- actively scan the letters, make sense of the words, and follow the thread of the story." In other words, children are forced to comprehend what they are reading in a video game in order to succeed, and they don't even realize it.
Lastly, Johnson talks about the dedication it takes to finish a video game. Believe it or not, video games teach kids not to give up, which is a great life skill to have. People rarely give up in video games because they usually want to see how the game ends whether it's to see the cool graphics, or to get rewards. (Johnson 491) explains how real life is full of rewards. He also elaborates on how in the gameworld rewards are everywhere. "Game rewards are fractal; each scale contains its own reward network." Johnson announces. For example, completing a video game releases a feeling of accomplishment, which is also another great life skill to obtain.
Johnson is not saying that video games should replace reading and classrooms, but he is implying that they can still be used as a tool to improve the human brain. Video games teach people things in a more interesting way. They help with reading and comprehension, and they bring out a dedication trait. All in all, video games are not only good for hand-eye coordination.
Everyone has a different style of learning. Some kids actually prefer sitting in a classroom, some prefer reading books, and others couldn't care less about either and would rather play video games. Little do the kids who prefer video games know, they are actually learning more than just hand-eye coordination. Although Johnson believes that books are the most powerful form of learning, he also says: "The electronic world is starting to give printed books a run for their money." (Johnson 489) explains that after playing video games for an hour with his seven year old nephew, his nephew was able to understand that high tax rates in industrial areas can stifle development. Johnson also admits that his nephew would be asleep in five seconds if you put him in a classroom to learn the same thing. This is a clear example of how video games can still teach important information, just in a more entertaining way.
Reading and comprehension is another skill that can be learned through video games. figuring out what you have to do in video games to defeat the master, or get to the next level requires a lot of reading. (Johnson 484) has a quote from Andrew Solomon that states: "reading requires effort, concentration, attention. In exchange, it offers the stimulus to and the fruit of thought and feeling. While spock says "reading is an activity requiring active participation. We must do the reading ourselves- actively scan the letters, make sense of the words, and follow the thread of the story." In other words, children are forced to comprehend what they are reading in a video game in order to succeed, and they don't even realize it.
Lastly, Johnson talks about the dedication it takes to finish a video game. Believe it or not, video games teach kids not to give up, which is a great life skill to have. People rarely give up in video games because they usually want to see how the game ends whether it's to see the cool graphics, or to get rewards. (Johnson 491) explains how real life is full of rewards. He also elaborates on how in the gameworld rewards are everywhere. "Game rewards are fractal; each scale contains its own reward network." Johnson announces. For example, completing a video game releases a feeling of accomplishment, which is also another great life skill to obtain.
Johnson is not saying that video games should replace reading and classrooms, but he is implying that they can still be used as a tool to improve the human brain. Video games teach people things in a more interesting way. They help with reading and comprehension, and they bring out a dedication trait. All in all, video games are not only good for hand-eye coordination.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Friday, September 5, 2014
Why Games are good for you
1) What is Johnsons main point? What are some of the supporting details he uses to make that point?
-Johnsons main point is that video games teach people way more than just hand eye coordination, and that video games are not as negative as people make them. Some supporting details he uses is that video games give different mental skills that are just as important as the ones practiced by reading books. (Johnson 486) states that video games help with spelling. the article also states many similarities between playing video games and reading, Johnson also talks about how video games can teach kids things in a more entertaining way. (Johnson 490) explains how his seven year old nephew understood that high tax rates in industrial areas can stifle development. Johnson then goes on to say that his nephew would have fell asleep in five seconds if you were to put him in a classroom to teach the same thing. Another detail that Johnson uses to make his point is that some games aren't even fun. He explains how much money he spent in his past trying to beat a game. Johnson helps prove his point that video games teach people even when the game is stressful and not fun. "Why do we use the word "play" to describe this torture? I'm always amazed to see what our brains are willing to tolerate to reach the next level in these games." Said Johnson. The quote proves the determination factor of games, which is another life skill games teach people other than hand eye coordination.
2) Johnson likes to challenge conventional wisdom in his writing. That video games are bad for you in this case, Argue against an aspect of pop culture that is generally considered "good" or "bad" use specific examples to support your point.
-Technology is considered a great thing and it has many great qualities, but humans abuse it too much. There are many arguments to defend technology, for example, it is great to have for hospitals and it is extremely convenient. I'm not saying I don't like technology (I mean I am using it for this homework assignment after all), but some things just shouldn't change. My little sister, a fifth grader has told me about a few changes her school is making. She informed me that her TCAP testing is going to be online, and that she has to take typing classes. I don't agree with these new rules. Technology is great for some things, but kids should not be getting rid of pencils and paper for good. Kids still need to know how to write and read manually, everything in life should not be computerized. Another problem with technology is that some teachers are no longer teachers. They assign homework through the web, and don't explain anything in person. They should still teach and not just tell you what to do and how to find out where the homework is. Technology is great when its not taking over our schools.
-Johnsons main point is that video games teach people way more than just hand eye coordination, and that video games are not as negative as people make them. Some supporting details he uses is that video games give different mental skills that are just as important as the ones practiced by reading books. (Johnson 486) states that video games help with spelling. the article also states many similarities between playing video games and reading, Johnson also talks about how video games can teach kids things in a more entertaining way. (Johnson 490) explains how his seven year old nephew understood that high tax rates in industrial areas can stifle development. Johnson then goes on to say that his nephew would have fell asleep in five seconds if you were to put him in a classroom to teach the same thing. Another detail that Johnson uses to make his point is that some games aren't even fun. He explains how much money he spent in his past trying to beat a game. Johnson helps prove his point that video games teach people even when the game is stressful and not fun. "Why do we use the word "play" to describe this torture? I'm always amazed to see what our brains are willing to tolerate to reach the next level in these games." Said Johnson. The quote proves the determination factor of games, which is another life skill games teach people other than hand eye coordination.
2) Johnson likes to challenge conventional wisdom in his writing. That video games are bad for you in this case, Argue against an aspect of pop culture that is generally considered "good" or "bad" use specific examples to support your point.
-Technology is considered a great thing and it has many great qualities, but humans abuse it too much. There are many arguments to defend technology, for example, it is great to have for hospitals and it is extremely convenient. I'm not saying I don't like technology (I mean I am using it for this homework assignment after all), but some things just shouldn't change. My little sister, a fifth grader has told me about a few changes her school is making. She informed me that her TCAP testing is going to be online, and that she has to take typing classes. I don't agree with these new rules. Technology is great for some things, but kids should not be getting rid of pencils and paper for good. Kids still need to know how to write and read manually, everything in life should not be computerized. Another problem with technology is that some teachers are no longer teachers. They assign homework through the web, and don't explain anything in person. They should still teach and not just tell you what to do and how to find out where the homework is. Technology is great when its not taking over our schools.
David And Goliath
Ted Talk : David and Goliath
A. David
- David was never an underdog.
- He was beyond prepared.
- He had Great Weaponry.
- Cloth pouch with string.
- could go at a distance of 200 yards.
- as fast as 6 revs. per second.
- has the stopping power of a .45 cal.
C. Goliath is not what he seems to be
- He may have had Acromegaly (tumor)
- too much human growth hormones
- blindness
- his strength was also his weakness
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