The question is, do Americans have the right to their own opinion? I believe this is somewhat true and somewhat not. Yes, we all can think whatever it is we want. We are all very different individuals and will all have different viewpoints on certain subjects. Although, this does not mean we can just state our opinions without fact or reason. I respect those who state their opinion if they good backup and reason for it. But, if they just state their opinion in a biased fashion or say it without reason, I cannot respect that. As said by one of my classmates: "Saying one has the right to their own opinion is like saying one has the right to be stupid." Don't be the person with the stupid or racist opinion who just says "I have the right to my own opinion" when someone confronts them. When in reality, no, you do not have the right to degrade others to make yourself feel superior. When it comes to having the right to your own opinion or not, I believe it depends on the situation and circumstance.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Reflections on Week 1
1. The one thing that has already affected my participation in this class is the unreliable technology I have at home. My computer works fine but isn't the fastest, making it somewhat annoying to try to get my homework done this way. But, I will not let this affect my performance in my schoolwork as I always find a way to get a reliable computer. Another factor that may affect my participation in this class is when college application time and soccer season comes up. Those are both things that will keep me busy and may take me away from studies. But, overall, I plan to stay focused and not let much take me away from succeeding in this course.
2. My best learning experience came from the summer when I was 13. During that summer, I had two surgeries and was hospitalized for one month and in recovery for many months later. I had these surgeries for a ruptured appendix and complications that followed the first surgery. The doctors told me many times that I was lucky to be alive. If I had waited any longer to go to the ER, I may not have been so lucky. This really got me to thinking. It made me realize that the many things I thought were important in life, like material things and what others thought of me, were no longer so important. What was important was my family, education, faith, and my overall health. Since then, I have been determined to be the best person I can be and make the best life for myself.
3. I am very excited to start this school year with "open source learning". I think it is a great way to prepare us for our futures and how college will be like. It interests me to be able to interact with my classmates on a daily basis and be able to hear their opinions on so many different topics. Meanwhile, I hope to stay open-minded and understanding of other peoples' viewpoints and contribute to class discussions.
2. My best learning experience came from the summer when I was 13. During that summer, I had two surgeries and was hospitalized for one month and in recovery for many months later. I had these surgeries for a ruptured appendix and complications that followed the first surgery. The doctors told me many times that I was lucky to be alive. If I had waited any longer to go to the ER, I may not have been so lucky. This really got me to thinking. It made me realize that the many things I thought were important in life, like material things and what others thought of me, were no longer so important. What was important was my family, education, faith, and my overall health. Since then, I have been determined to be the best person I can be and make the best life for myself.
3. I am very excited to start this school year with "open source learning". I think it is a great way to prepare us for our futures and how college will be like. It interests me to be able to interact with my classmates on a daily basis and be able to hear their opinions on so many different topics. Meanwhile, I hope to stay open-minded and understanding of other peoples' viewpoints and contribute to class discussions.
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Vocabulary #1
1. adumbrate - (v.) give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of
2. apotheosis - (n.) the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
3. ascetic - (adj.) practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; (n.) someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
4. bauble - (n.) a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
5. beguile - (v.) attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
6. burgeon - (v.) grow and flourish
7. complement - (n.) something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; (v.) make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
8. contumacious - (adj.) willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
9. curmudgeon - (n.) a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
10. didactic - (adj). instructive (especially excessively)
11. disingenuous - (adj). not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
12. exculpate - (v.) pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
13. faux - (adj.) not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
14. pas - (n.) (ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet)
15. fulminate - (n.) a salt or ester of fulminic acid; (v.) cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
16. fustian - (n.) a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap; pompous or pretentious talk or writing
17. hauteur - (n.) overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
18. inhibit - (v.) limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
19. jeremiad - (n.) a long and mournful complaint
20. opportunist - (adj.) taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible
21. unconscionable - (adj.) greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
Sentences:
1. I adumbrated the main plot of the story.
2. The apotheosis given to all those celebrities did not interest me.
3. In order to fast during all of Lent, you must have an ascetic nature.
4. Material possessions and baubles will not make you any better than the person next to you.
5. The sound of the ice cream truck beguiled the children to run it.
6. She burgeoned into a beautiful young lady.
7. The red lipstick complemented the red shoes.
8. The contumacious student was suspended from school.
9. My neighbor, the curmudgeon, hated whenever I played music too loud or drove too fast down our street.
10. I'm happy to have a didactic teacher who willfully helps and instructs us students.
11. The use of this blog is somewhat disingenuous to me.
12. I was so happy when the innocent person was exculpated in court.
13. The faux pair of jeans tried to imitate the Miss Me brand jeans.
14. The dancers were perfecting their pas moves.
15. Do not fulminate others by their appearances.
16. That quilt is made of fustian.
17. Seniors should not present hauteur towards underclassmen.
18. Parents should not dramatically inhibit their children. They should let them flourish to be the person they want to be.
19. When it comes to school, I can say jeremiads all day.
20.Be an opportunist when it comes to applying for colleges and receiving all the financial aid you can.
21. The amount of homework I've had these first two weeks of school is unconscionable.
2. apotheosis - (n.) the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
3. ascetic - (adj.) practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; (n.) someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
4. bauble - (n.) a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
5. beguile - (v.) attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness
6. burgeon - (v.) grow and flourish
7. complement - (n.) something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; (v.) make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to
8. contumacious - (adj.) willfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
9. curmudgeon - (n.) a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
10. didactic - (adj). instructive (especially excessively)
11. disingenuous - (adj). not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
12. exculpate - (v.) pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
13. faux - (adj.) not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article
14. pas - (n.) (ballet) a step in dancing (especially in classical ballet)
15. fulminate - (n.) a salt or ester of fulminic acid; (v.) cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely
16. fustian - (n.) a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap; pompous or pretentious talk or writing
17. hauteur - (n.) overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
18. inhibit - (v.) limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority
19. jeremiad - (n.) a long and mournful complaint
20. opportunist - (adj.) taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible
21. unconscionable - (adj.) greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience
Sentences:
1. I adumbrated the main plot of the story.
2. The apotheosis given to all those celebrities did not interest me.
3. In order to fast during all of Lent, you must have an ascetic nature.
4. Material possessions and baubles will not make you any better than the person next to you.
5. The sound of the ice cream truck beguiled the children to run it.
6. She burgeoned into a beautiful young lady.
7. The red lipstick complemented the red shoes.
8. The contumacious student was suspended from school.
9. My neighbor, the curmudgeon, hated whenever I played music too loud or drove too fast down our street.
10. I'm happy to have a didactic teacher who willfully helps and instructs us students.
11. The use of this blog is somewhat disingenuous to me.
12. I was so happy when the innocent person was exculpated in court.
13. The faux pair of jeans tried to imitate the Miss Me brand jeans.
14. The dancers were perfecting their pas moves.
15. Do not fulminate others by their appearances.
16. That quilt is made of fustian.
17. Seniors should not present hauteur towards underclassmen.
18. Parents should not dramatically inhibit their children. They should let them flourish to be the person they want to be.
19. When it comes to school, I can say jeremiads all day.
20.Be an opportunist when it comes to applying for colleges and receiving all the financial aid you can.
21. The amount of homework I've had these first two weeks of school is unconscionable.
Monday, August 18, 2014
MONTAIGNE/AUSTEN ESSAY- revised to Richard Rodriguez
Humans are often thinking a mile per minute, reflecting on everything going on around them. But, through all this thought, how often do humans get to express all their thoughts? David Foster Wallace once wrote in his 2001 story "Good Old Neon": "What goes on inside is just too fast and huge and all interconnected for words to do more than barely sketch the outlines of at most one tiny little part of it at any given instant." This idea of words not being able to justify our thought process can be found in the writing style of Richard Rodriguez. He reflects on this idea directly and indirectly in his autobiographical essay, "The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez".
As you read Rodriguez's work, you feel the way his internal struggles have affected him and changed him as a person. Growing up as a bisexual Mexican Roman Catholic in such a prejudice world while aspiring to become a successful educated writer has been a huge challenge that he has faced during his lifetime. You can sense his doubts, fears, and insecurities as he tries to convey his thoughts to his audience through his works. Although, words could not always justify and express all he is thinking. Words could not capture his feelings of depression, the hatred he had towards himself, and the emotions he went through after being disapproved of by so many people, including his family. While he stated what his struggles were, he did not always state how they made him feel or what thoughts they brought to his head, supporting the fact that thoughts cannot always be expressed effectively.
Rodriguez directly reflects on the way words can be expressed in his work, "The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez". This reflection can be found in his quotation, “Intimacy is not trapped within words. It passes through words. It passes. The truth is that intimates leave the room. Doors close. Faces move away from the window. Time passes. Voices recede into the dark. Death finally quiets the voice. And there is no way to deny it. No way to stand in the crowd, uttering one’s family language.” The first line of this quotation: "Intimacy is not trapped within words," supports the fact that words do not always efficiently express emotion and internal feeling. Our minds are capable of retaining endless knowledge and thought, making it impossible for simple words to express. This is why humans are not be able to fully grasp ideas such as religion, human existence, and some of the ideas reflecting the internal struggles faced by Richard Rodriguez, passed down through word of mouth. Therefore, while there's only so much words can express, mindful thoughts are endless.
As you read Rodriguez's work, you feel the way his internal struggles have affected him and changed him as a person. Growing up as a bisexual Mexican Roman Catholic in such a prejudice world while aspiring to become a successful educated writer has been a huge challenge that he has faced during his lifetime. You can sense his doubts, fears, and insecurities as he tries to convey his thoughts to his audience through his works. Although, words could not always justify and express all he is thinking. Words could not capture his feelings of depression, the hatred he had towards himself, and the emotions he went through after being disapproved of by so many people, including his family. While he stated what his struggles were, he did not always state how they made him feel or what thoughts they brought to his head, supporting the fact that thoughts cannot always be expressed effectively.
Rodriguez directly reflects on the way words can be expressed in his work, "The Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez". This reflection can be found in his quotation, “Intimacy is not trapped within words. It passes through words. It passes. The truth is that intimates leave the room. Doors close. Faces move away from the window. Time passes. Voices recede into the dark. Death finally quiets the voice. And there is no way to deny it. No way to stand in the crowd, uttering one’s family language.” The first line of this quotation: "Intimacy is not trapped within words," supports the fact that words do not always efficiently express emotion and internal feeling. Our minds are capable of retaining endless knowledge and thought, making it impossible for simple words to express. This is why humans are not be able to fully grasp ideas such as religion, human existence, and some of the ideas reflecting the internal struggles faced by Richard Rodriguez, passed down through word of mouth. Therefore, while there's only so much words can express, mindful thoughts are endless.
1987 AP Exam
I found the questions that asked you the general idea of the text to be pretty easy along with the questions that asked you questions based solely on your own knowledge. I found the vocabulary based questions to be pretty challenging, showing I need some practice on expanding my vocabulary. Relating one passage to another was also pretty challenging for me along with questions about tone and poetic style. I did have a few questions that I absolutely dreaded and ended up having to just guess. These questions included answers that all seemed right to me or all seemed wrong or had two answers that I could not choose between.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
I CAN READ!
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Poetry #1
1. This commercial borrows a poem written by Charles Bukowski called The Laughing Heart.
2. The use of the poem, The Laughing Heart, is very ironic in this commercial made by a corporation. The Laughing Heart inspires people to break free from the detainment of the people in power and encourages people to be their own individual person. Ironically, corporations represent the exact opposite of this as they are the ones who typically abuse their power and try detain humans and restrict their rights.
3. This poem reflects the reputation of the author, Charles Bukowski, as he is known for writing on the ordinary lives of poor Americans. Through many of his life experiences, he has come to understand the struggles Americans go through and reflects on the idea of the light shining at of the end of the dark tunnel.
4. I can thank google for finding the answers to #1 and #3. For number one, I just typed in the first few lines of the poem into my search engine and the name of the poem and the author came up. For number 3, I typed in the name of the author and many different sites came up about him that helped me answer the question.
2. The use of the poem, The Laughing Heart, is very ironic in this commercial made by a corporation. The Laughing Heart inspires people to break free from the detainment of the people in power and encourages people to be their own individual person. Ironically, corporations represent the exact opposite of this as they are the ones who typically abuse their power and try detain humans and restrict their rights.
3. This poem reflects the reputation of the author, Charles Bukowski, as he is known for writing on the ordinary lives of poor Americans. Through many of his life experiences, he has come to understand the struggles Americans go through and reflects on the idea of the light shining at of the end of the dark tunnel.
4. I can thank google for finding the answers to #1 and #3. For number one, I just typed in the first few lines of the poem into my search engine and the name of the poem and the author came up. For number 3, I typed in the name of the author and many different sites came up about him that helped me answer the question.
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