Literary analysis #1

The Circuit

1. The story is mainly about the struggles of being an illegal immigrant in the United States. The book shows us a first hand account of someone that travels to America to achieve the "American Dream". Its starts out with Francisco as a child in his home and mexico and takes you through all the challenges he endures. I think that this is a book that is truly about being able to overcome obstacles in life with out being stopped.

-the theme of the book is that all obstacles in life can be overcome.

2. The author chose to write about this topic because clearly he felt that his life story would make an impact on other peoples lives. His life was truly a struggle. I think that he probably also wrote to be able to look back at his hardships and show the world that he overcame them and made something out of his life.

3. I chose this book because I had head about it from one of my teachers at my old school but I never got around to reading it. I think it mainly appealed to me right off the bat because the book is based in Santa Maria, Guadalupe and all up and down the central coast. Once i began reading I think that the author was able to appeal to my emotions through his writing. He had a way of putting the reader (me) in his shoes. Once I began to see the story from his point of view I could not stop reading it!

4. I definitely found the story to be realistic. Everything in the book seemed to be told from the heart and it never seemed as though he was bending the truth. Looking back at the book I definitely can relate some of the events of the story to my life and the people around me. My grandparents immigrated here for the "American Dream" and it definitely wasn't all sunshine and butterflies for them. I cant imagine how hard it must be to be an immigrant. I understand that it is not right to sneak in to America illegally but how can we stop someone from trying to live a better life?

1. Considering that most of the characters in the  book were his family he very well may have given us an impression that may not be entirely true. I cant imagine that he would purposely paint one of his relatives in a negative way so im sure the personalities were tailored a bit. The authors tone throughout the book is definitely motivational. He never gave up on anything and his style of writing reflects that.

2. Pancho(Francisco)- small and skinny, young child and was very attached to his home and doesn't like having to move all the time. Wishes for the America Dream

3. I chose Pancho because he is the author and his character is the most dynamic character in the story. I chose Roberto because he remained very static throughout the story and he never changed to much.

4. In the story he talks very openly about himself being very angry with the prejudice that would go on, he directly characterized himself as outspoken.At the same times he would give us the impression that he was very emotional person and he never really openly admitted it.

5. I dont think it changes all that much. He did use a lot of dialogue in the story but it never seemed to change that much.

6. The protagonist is definitely round and dynamic. He changes a lot during the book. Not only mentally and emotionally but physically too. He becomes more aware of his situation and began to take it into his own hands.

1. I think he used a journalistic style. He didn't use much foreshadowing or symbolism but he did incorporate it a bit. Most of it was journalistic though. It was mostly just real life events and accounts that were told in a way that didn't make you feel as though you were reading a book.

2. He mostly would use dialogue. I think it helped give the story more body and the dialogues gave us a better sense of who the character were and how they felt. The dialogue also made me understand the situations easier.

3. He would use a lot of his own thoughts to set the tone and he would also use the feelings reflected through dialogue to show what everyone was feeling and what they wete expressing.

4. The author probably wanted us to see that we can do whatever we want if we set our minds to it. He seemed like he wanted to inspire the reader to never give up and to always work through obstacles in life.

5. He used a lot of locations. He would saybwhere they would travel to and what jobs they would get there. I think that it did make an impact on the story because it gave us a sense of all the moving and hardwork they did. They never really had a "home".

Racial Profiling Lives On

This article was about the Judge's decisions and the police's racial profiling. They are always suspicious of African Americans and Latinos because SOME of their race is living in high crime areas, and the people doing it are the same color and race as them. The police tend to follow them or ask them questions when most of the time the have no wrongdoing or they are not even doing anything. Even when they have no information or evidence they are doing something bad, they still tend to pick them out because of their race. I think this is so relevant because something like this recently happened, though not with a police officer, it was with a guy named George Zimmerman who shot the innocent Trayvon Martin. George was in neighborhood watch and Trayvon happened to be in the neighborhood at night walking to the store, George was suspicious because Martin was black, in my opinion. I feel as if a white boy were walking down the street at night he would have not suspected it was him and he would have just let the kid keep walking. Also if it were a black man that shot a white boy, the world would have ended for people out there and they would have made an EXTREMELY HUGE deal out of it. it's crazy how some people are so cruel and have to judge others just to make themselves feel more superior. No one is better than anyone else, it'll all be determined on judgement day.

Vocabulary #9

Ultimate- being or happening at the end of a process.

Being a kindergarten teacher was my ultimate decision after high school.

Interactive- acting one upon it with the other.

The teacher is very interactive with the class when he lectures.

Principle- accepted rule of action or conduct.

She was born into a very respectable family so she had good moral principles.

Guidance- leadership; direction; act of directing

My mother gives me great guidance in life decisions.

Collaboration- act of collaborating.

I hope one day the weeknd, frank ocean, and Miguel do a collaboration.

Formative- giving form or shape; development.

We all have out formative years.

Summative- something that is added.

A summative was needed to thin the paint.

Racism- hatred towards another race or races.

I hope for no racism to exist in the near future.

Intelligence- manifestation of a high mental capacity.

I believe intelligence will get you a long way and will lead you to success.

Policing- civil force for maintaining order, preventing crime, and enforcing laws.

Unrestrained- uncontrolled.

The dog fight was unrestrained because no one wanted to stop it and get hurt.

Provision- a law

There was no provision for lodgers so he bought a house.

Discretion- freedom of judgment or choice.

It is my discretion whether I stay or I leave.

Hyperbolic- exaggerating.

My sister is always hyperbolic when she tells on me after we get into arguments.

Impermissibly- not allowable

Being out later than curfew was impermissible.

Inflected- to modulate (the voice)

She inflected her voice to make the situation seem worse than it really was so they would feel bad for her.

Inevitably- unable to be avoided.

She was inevitably clueless when it came to cooking.

Render- to provide; to do; to become.

She would render all the supplies needed for the project so we wouldn't have to buy them.

Doctrine- a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated.

I believe the doctrine of faith in GOD.

Consent- permission fr something to happen.

My dad gave my boyfriend his consent to  propose.

Hunch- a guess based on intuition.

I had a hunch she was stealing after she had looked around suspiciously.

Predominant- main element.

I think meat is predominant to a dinner meal.

Seizure- the act of capturing someone using force.

The cops had to seizure the criminals so they wouldn't do bad anymore.

Warrant- a document by a legal official authorizing the police to make an arrest or search them or other action.

My cousin was on the run and had a warrant out for his arrest.

Infraction- a violation of a law or set of rules.

After robbing the bank, they had committed an infraction.

Literary analysis #3

1. I did my literary analysis on the book "A Child Called "it" ." Such an impeccable story. It's about a young boy who lives a wonderful life but his mother turns into this monster and makes David's life a living hell. She tortures her poor son physically and emotionally. She starves him, brutally beats him, stabs him, makes him sit on a burning stove! She plays these horrible "games" with him to break him down but somehow David find the spirit to never let that happen. He never gives up and perseveres through all this madness till he's free. When I first read this I was extremely disturbed. I can't believe that his has actually happened and maybe is still happening today to innocent children or people. Emotional and physical abuse is never the answer to anything. It's a horrific feeling that no human being should experience. I boiled down to the conclusion that yes, bad things do happen to us, but it's our choice to grow from it, and move on. We have to be strong and never let anything hold us back from what we desire. Look on the bright side of life.

2. I think the writer David Pelzer, wrote about the topic of abuse because he was abused himself. This is his story and I think this is a huge way for him to move on. Writing this book, I would think, have him closure. Accept the fact that this happened but he's a stronger person from it and he could only move forward from this point. I also think he wrote this to relate to other people that have been abused in any sort of way and to let them know to not be afraid. It doesn't last forever and to let someone know before it's too late. Turn it into something positive in your life. Just like he did.

3. I chose this book because I remember my friend from junior high saying how it was such a compelling book and that I had to read it but I never got around to it, and what more better of an opportunity than to do it for my literary analysis. First off, I love non fiction books, they're my favorite. I like stories that have real life topics where the reader can relate and it's realistic. I was hooked in the very beginning! It started off with his mother beating him and it makes you think why is this happening and makes you want to read more.

4. I definitely found this book realistic. Abuse goes on in our world today and is happening everywhere, physically, emotionally, or maybe even both. I personally can't relate to being abused, I mean I've been scolded and hit, but not to the extent where I would call it abuse. I can relate it to stories I hear on the news, just like what recently happened to a Vikings football players son. His 2 year old was beaten to death by the mothers boyfriend 😧 So horrible!!! I can't imagine what his motives were. That is so evil and extremely sad. I feel for the parents and loved ones.

1. I think if we met the subjects in the story the mom would be maybe a little less angry and a bit more depressed. As for the rest of the characters I think they would be the same. I think he chose to have the mom be so torturous to show how evil she was and the excruciating things he had to go through. It gives the audience more of an idea of how his living environment was. The authors tone is scared but hopeful. I think he meant to depict that they were at the lowest points in their lives but once you've reached the bottom, you can only go up from there.

2. The mother of "it", Mrs. Pelzer is a fat alcoholic lady, who parties at night and wakes up in the morning with the same makeup on and outfit from last night, with a rats nest for hair. She is very depressed and takes it out on David, her son, who she tortures. 

David is a boy who is just scared. Has experienced the most loving family to the nightmare of a household he is experiencing now. He has been abused mentally and physically. Doesn't keep up with his hygiene, and wears raggedy clothes that have the worst stench. Though he is very intelligent he has given up in a certain point in his life but preservers through all of his troubles and ends up happy. I think the mother is an example of direct characterization and David is indirect characterization.

3. Mrs. Pelzer and David Pelzer are interesting enough to write about because theirs emotions strike out the most. They are the most relatable and you could actually feel what they are feeling by just reading their actions and words.

1. An example of direct characterization from this story is the way Mrs. Pelzer is described. I would depict her as a carless, lonely, mad person who is so angry and takes it out on the people around her, also how she abuses David. The ways she abuses him is not because he's a troubled child, it's because she's angry and not in her right mind. Two examples of indirect characterization that David had in this book were his feelings he had, he was sad but you didn't know if he was going to cover up for his mother or not. His actions showed that he is a strong person and such great spirits. I think the author did this so the reader can be compelled and want to figure out the character and why he or she is feeling a certain way or so they'll hypothesize what is going to happen next.

2. The authors diction did change as he was talking about a different character. When he was focused on the mother, the tone was angry and more forward. When he would talk about David , he would use a more scared tone, making him seem like a victim.

3. The protagonist is the story, which is David is a very dynamic character. He changes throughout the story to become a strong person who has been through hell and back to a happy person, who learned from the past and is molded to the person he is today. He is also a round character because it is obvious that he just wants to be free from the abuse and move on from the bad in his life.

4. I feel like I had read the character because I personally can't relate but I felt the emotion the author felt so I guess you can say I met him. It was very powerful.

1. the author used foreshadowing for example when David was called to the office after he had gotten checked by the nurse for his bruises and wounds. You knew that things were going to change. The author was in the future and went back to the past to explain what happened and how he had gotten to that point.

2. The author uses both dialogue and description as the story goes on. It helps the reader feel as if they were there and put themselves in the characters' shoes. 

3. The author uses action to demonstrate the tone of the story and create the mood.

4. I think the authors attitude toward the audience is to be informative. I feel like he just wants to tell his story and inform people on what he's been through and how he rose above it. He just wants to let people know that you will get through the most worst situations with hope and spirit. Just stick in there.

5. The author used the meeting he had with the teachers and officer, it did make a difference because it helped the reader understand the severity.

Two lessons that I have learned from this book is one; we are all survivors and we'll make it through! I believe as long as we have faith in GOD we can get through anything, regardless of the situation. If you hit rock bottom, it can't get any worse, it can only get better. We are strong and we can get past anything if we want too. We can't let bad things affect us, we need to grow from it and move on. Another lesson I have learned from this book that ill take to my grave is never take your family and their unconditional love for granted. Something that comes so natural for us , may not come so easy for others. Always be there for your family and love them till you can't anymore because you never know when you won't be able to anymore. 

"Mom holding me tightly. I could feel her heart beat. I never felt as safe and as warm at that moment in time, at the Russian River."

" There is absolutely no doubt in my mind how far you have truly come."

Vocabulary #8

Cursory- going rapidly per something without noticing details.

I went over my homework in a cursory manner.

Impetus- a moving force

Pinnacle- highest point of success 

Steve jobs, in my opinion, met his pinnacle in his work that he accomplished.

Contumely- humiliating insult

He kept teasing the kids, and was gave them contumely.

Bereavement- a period of mourning after a loss, especially a loved one

After my great grandma died, I was in a state of bereavement.

Cache- hiding place; anything so hidden 

The robbers didnt find the cache of jewelry we had in the house.

Consummation- completion; fulfillment

The consummation of her driving test, abled her to get her license.

Calamity- great misfortune of disaster

Hurricane sandy was such a calamity.

Avarice - desire to gain and hoard wealth

I am a very avarice person to a certain point.

Fortify- to protect or strengthen against attack; to make strong 

The whole town was heavily fortified.

Erratic- not proper course in conduct; eccentric 

When my sister is hyper she acts in an erratic behavior.

Ubiquitous- existing or being everywhere at the same time

My mom seems to be ubiquitous very time I am talking about my personal life.

Fortitude- mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger or temptation.

The big party I heard about didn't lessen my fortitude, because I needed to get homework done.

Nonchalant- casual

I tend to act nonchalant in front of people I have problems with because I don't like drama.

Affect - to act on

The weather affected my mood and I had gotten distracted on the task I was suppose to complete.

Effect- produced by a cause; result

There is always a good effect to a good cause.

Misappropriate- not appropriate 

The way she was acting in the meeting was very misappropriate and unprofessional.

Pragmatic- pertaining to a practical point of view

He was acting very pragmatic about his opinion about dogs.

Meta cognition- higher order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, ... Especially when engaged in learning.

Devoutly- expressing devotion to divine worship or service

 I act especially devout when I am in mass.

Value of Life

Activity 28 

 The article speaks about how people dont wanna prive someone elses life. It went on about how some companies pay the settlement injury versus death. As I said some companies are this way, as the article explained. Even if it was the affect to an employee's death, to not care enough to pay for their injuries. This passage talks about human life and the value of every individual, our qualities and characteristics and so on. The working environment affects us people and determines our worth.

Activity 29-30:
If I were Hamlet and i read Amanda Ripley's article I think that he would agree with it. The concept of choice in Hamlet and putting a price on a persons lofe worth, relates in some ways. Hamlet Contemplates on the effect of his uncles throne is in comparison with how Amanda says companies decision of an individual's death. Just like in 9/11 the suprised,distraught, and horrified nation was filled with anger and negativity. I think it all ties together and I would understand Hamlets point of view.
 Activity 31:
The article is unbiased. The interviews with the families and how they explained how this even affected them, and the things around them. Through thought it comes off to be emotional. It's affected people not only emotionally but financially.
In the beginning it gives you factual information and provides personal statments to people who actually witnessed.  The personal statements and stories have an emotional effect on the reader, it is extremely sad and disturbing for such a horrific thing to happen.
I think that the publication and Amanda are to be trusted in this case. Publications are known to be over exaggerated but with such case that affected millions, it is one of the most tragic events that happened in history and it would be unbelievable for it not to be real. I would believe that agencies would be strict on the media's regulations when this event happened and be careful to let any false information out.
There is definitely emotion involved with the reader when the personal stories are introduced. The logic has that statistics and factual information to back it up.

Melancholy Grad

2013 has been a rough year for me. Probably the hardest year of my life. I know all of us ha had some obstacles and challenges to get where we are now, but we did it. We are impetus towards our pinnacle. This is not a time to act so nonchalant, lets celebrate our achievements ! We made it !

Vocabulary #7

Cursory- going rapidly per something without noticing details.

I went over the paper in a cursory manner.

Impetus- a moving force

Pinnacle- highest point of success 

Steve jobs, in my opinion, met his pinnacle in his work that he accomplished.

Contumely- humiliating insult

He kept teasing the kids, and was gave them contumely.

Bereavement- a period of mourning after a loss, especially a loved one

After my great grandma died, I was in a state of bereavement.

Cache- hiding place; anything so hidden 

The robbers didnt find the cache of jewelry we had in the house.

Consummation- completion; fulfillment

The consummation of her driving test, abled her to get her license.

Calamity- great misfortune of disaster

Hurricane sandy was such a calamity.

Avarice - desire to gain and hoard wealth

I am a very avarice person to a certain point.

Fortify- to protect or strengthen against attack; to make strong 

The whole town was heavily fortified.

Erratic- not proper course in conduct; eccentric 

When my sister is hyper she acts in an erratic behavior.

Ubiquitous- existing or being everywhere at the same time

My mom seems to be ubiquitous very time I am talking about my personal life.

Fortitude- mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger or temptation.

The big party I heard about didn't lessen my fortitude, because I needed to get homework done.

Nonchalant- casual

I tend to act nonchalant in front of people I have problems with because I don't like drama.

Affect - to act on

The weather affected my mood and I had gotten distracted on the task I was suppose to complete.

Effect- produced by a cause; result

There is always a good effect to a good cause.

Misappropriate- not appropriate 

The way she was acting in the meeting was very misappropriate and unprofessional.

Pragmatic- pertaining to a practical point of view

He was acting very pragmatic about his opinion about dogs.

Meta cognition- higher order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, ... Especially when engaged in learning.

Devoutly- expressing devotion to divine worship or service

 I act especially devout when I am in mass.

To be or not to be

A)To act or not to act, shall be be a hero and kill his uncle or not kill him, and be judged and go through troubles 

To not end them; I would kill myself and not feel heartache and the shock that his blood is suppose to feel.

To feel complete is all I want. To die, to sleep, to sleep, maybe to dream

That's the catch

In deaths sleep, what dreams may come when we are not on earth

We must stop and think, there's that thing that makes our troubles last so long

Who could take the pain that long

Injustice of the oppressor, the proud mans rude insults, pains of unrequited love, the delay of the law, the insolence of our superiors and the rejections.

The merited that was unworthy

When he might take his life and end it all, who would want to bear it.

To be sad and stressed about a bad life, but the regrets of something after death.

The undiscovered country from where you are born, no one returns. That confuses us and makes us rather bear the troubles we have than to fly to new unknown troubles.

The conscious makes us cowards

So we never act upon what we really want we just think about it.

Enterprises of great power and importance go away and become inactive

Soft you now, the fair Ophelia, girl, in your orisons

May all my sins be remembered.

B) I think this is about going against the current and changing yourself and the world you live in. I think it has more than a literal meaning than the question he asking himself, "to kill himself or not to."  To me, I feel like to be or not to be is about doing what you want, what you think is right in your heart and brain. We always seem to think about things we should do, but never seem to do them because we think too much. Our conscious makes us cowards.

C) I am going to make decisions based on what I feel is right. I don't want to regret anything in life. If you attempt it and things don't work out at least you can say you tried. I'm not going to second guess myself. I'm going to follow my heart, if I want it I am going to go for it  . Life is too short to walk on egg shells.

Vocabulary #6

Adroit- skillful in use of hands or body.

Athletes have to be very adroit in order to   be a good player.

Amicable- showing goodwill; friendly

My little cousin is very amicable when playing with other children.

Averse- strong feeling against;opposed

I am averse to abortion, I think it is so horrible.

Belligerent- warlike;aggressive

I went belligerent when the girl crossed me in a rude manner.

Benevolent- expressing goodwill or kindly feelings wanting to help others

The celebrities became very benevolent after hearing about the storm that hit the jersey shore.

Cursory- going rapidly over something without noticing details

I am very cursory when it comes to reviewing my work when I am tired.

Duplicity- speaking or acting two different ways to different people concerning the same matter 

The man that was convicted of the felony was telling different stories, very duplicity.

Extol- to praise highly

Me and my family are Catholics and extol The Lord .

Feasible- capable of being done 

The tasks he had to take care of was very feasible.

Grimace- a facial expression that indicates disapproval

My mom gave a grimace at my younger sisters boyfriend.

Holocaust- a great or complete devastation or destruction.

I pray that there will never be a holocaust in the future that will take any lives or will result in destruction.

Impervious- not permitting passage; incapable of being influenced

I am a very impervious person and I don't easily fall into peer pressure.

Impetus- moving force

The ball was impetus after she had thrown it across the room.

Jeopardy- hazard or risk of exposure to loss, death, injury, or harm

My dog was in jeopardy when she ran in the middle of the street.

Meticulous- showing extreme care about details

My grandma is very meticulous when I comes to sewing, she always wants perfection.

Nostalgia- desire to go back to a point in ones life; yearning for happiness of a former place or time

I've always had a nostalgia of reliving junior high, I want to go back, no care sir worries.

Quintessence- the perfect embodiment of something

The sunset at the beach had such a quintessence to it.

Retrogress- to move backwards in a worse condition 

He retrogressed after coming back from rehab when he began using drugs again.

Scrutinize- to examine in detail

Some teachers are very scrutinizing.

Tepid- moderately warm/ or characterized by a lack of force of enthusiasm

The water was very tepid.

He was very tepid after waking up from his nap.

Accede- to give consent;approval

My mom acceded the video permission slip.

Brandish- to shake it wave as a weapon;flourish

He was brandishing the knife towards her.

Compromise- to include or contain 

Our class compromises of 31 students.

Deft- dexterous, humble, clever

He was a very deft bank robber, he nearly got away with everything.

Destitute- lacking food, clothing, and shelter.

Most poor African children are destitute.

Explicit- clearly developed and/or formulated.

The artists album was very explicit.

Extirpate- to remove or destroy totally; exterminate 

The exterminators came to extirpate the bugs.

Inopportune- inappropriate;inconvenient

The storm was especially opportune for the homeless.

Ironic- using words to convey meaning that is the opposite of literal meaning.

It was ironic that I was in Iceland eating ice cream.

Musty- having an odor of mold or old buildings/ outdated 

The old library books had musty smells to them.

Officious- very aggressive in helping people who don't need help.

My teacher is very officious to students even if we get the subject.

Ominous- portending harm or evil.

The ominous man in black disappeared into the darkness.

Pinnacle- highest if success or power.

He reached the pinnacle of his career after becoming the CEO.

Rampant- raging; furious 

The tiger grew very rampant with the zookeeper.

Solace- something that gives comfort or relief 

The child's visit was the dying mothers only solace. 

Stately- majestic;impressive

Their new home was very stately compared to their last.

Supple- flexible; bent without breaking

The spatula was very supple.

Suppress- to abolish/ end someone's activities.

My cousin went to rehab the suppress his drug use.

Venal- able to be purchased in return for a bribe

He made venal agreements in order to get his drugs.

Netvibes

I think that the net vibes website is pretty cool. It'll definitely make it easier to do my everyday online things. For example go to the blogger, or just go to YouTube. I think this is such a great thing for business as well. I read about net vibes and they have 1000+ of the worlds leading brands, agencies, etc. and they all started and branched off from this website that we are using.

Freedom of Choice

Freedom of choice, how great would it be do whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want?! Well there are some pros as well as cons about having freedom of choice. Some pros are you get to direct your own life, make your own choices with out an adult or superior  hounding you for doing something they wouldn't. It's freedom! In life, you come across many decisions you have to make every day. From the smallest decisions between an apple or orange, to the colleges you got accepted to. It helps to have a second opinion sometimes. The cons of having freedom of choice is not being mature enough to make some choices. Some elders have been what we have so they know better than to do it, and they don't want us too. I think we should learn from our mistakes though. Because saying no, will make us want to do it more. Overall, I think I like making my own choices. Someone's input is always helpful sometimes, but in the end I'm my own person and I'm gonna make my own decision.

Declaration of Learning Independence

I promise myself to do great at everything  you assign and to try my hardest at all I do. I want to do the best for myself because if I don't then it'll all come back to me. It's not gonna hurt anyone but myself. I want to get a 4.0 both semesters and complete all assignments, and ask for help if I need it. I don't want to fall behind because I am too afraid or lazy to ask a question. I'm going to put my best foot forward in everything that I do.

Vocabulary #5

Adroit- skillful in use of hands or body.

Athletes have to be very adroit in order to   be a good player.

Amicable- showing goodwill; friendly

My little cousin is very amicable when playing with other children.

Averse- strong feeling against;opposed

I am averse to abortion, I think it is so horrible.

Belligerent- warlike;aggressive

I went belligerent when the girl crossed me in a rude manner.

Benevolent- expressing goodwill or kindly feelings wanting to help others

The celebrities became very benevolent after hearing about the storm that hit the jersey shore.

Cursory- going rapidly over something without noticing details

I am very cursory when it comes to reviewing my work when I am tired.

Duplicity- speaking or acting two different ways to different people concerning the same matter 

The man that was convicted of the felony was telling different stories, very duplicity.

Extol- to praise highly

Me and my family are Catholics and extol The Lord .

Feasible- capable of being done 

The tasks he had to take care of was very feasible.

Grimace- a facial expression that indicates disapproval

My mom gave a grimace at my younger sisters boyfriend.

Holocaust- a great or complete devastation or destruction.

I pray that there will never be a holocaust in the future that will take any lives or will result in destruction.

Impervious- not permitting passage; incapable of being influenced

I am a very impervious person and I don't easily fall into peer pressure.

Impetus- moving force

The ball was impetus after she had thrown it across the room.

Jeopardy- hazard or risk of exposure to loss, death, injury, or harm

My dog was in jeopardy when she ran in the middle of the street.

Meticulous- showing extreme care about details

My grandma is very meticulous when I comes to sewing, she always wants perfection.

Nostalgia- desire to go back to a point in ones life; yearning for happiness of a former place or time

I've always had a nostalgia of reliving junior high, I want to go back, no care sir worries.

Quintessence- the perfect embodiment of something

The sunset at the beach had such a quintessence to it.

Retrogress- to move backwards in a worse condition 

He retrogressed after coming back from rehab when he began using drugs again.

Scrutinize- to examine in detail

Some teachers are very scrutinizing.

Tepid- moderately warm/ or characterized by a lack of force of enthusiasm

The water was very tepid.

He was very tepid after waking up from his nap.

No Child Left Untableted

Personally from my experience going from not even having to use the Internet to look up my homework or what to do in class , to Internet being the only source has its pros and cons. I think it is a great in some ways because its easier, now a days everyone has Internet connection or a smart phone so it easier to access. Sometimes if you forget to do an assignment it's faster to do it typing than writing in a piece if paper. It's not so beneficial because with all other things going around, some days it is easier, in my opinion, to assign things and just do them on paper. I like to know what I have to do and manage everything instead of having to look up my assignments and all that. If I had to choose I think I would honestly choose non Internet . But hey if my school gave me a tablet I wouldn't say no !

Vocabulary #4

Accede- to give consent;approval

My mom acceded the video permission slip.

Brandish- to shake it wave as a weapon;flourish

He was brandishing the knife towards her.

Compromise- to include or contain 

Our class compromises of 31 students.

Deft- dexterous, humble, clever

He was a very deft bank robber, he nearly got away with everything.

Destitute- lacking food, clothing, and shelter.

Most poor African children are destitute.

Explicit- clearly developed and/or formulated.

The artists album was very explicit.

Extirpate- to remove or destroy totally; exterminate 

The exterminators came to extirpate the bugs.

Inopportune- inappropriate;inconvenient

The storm was especially opportune for the homeless.

Ironic- using words to convey meaning that is the opposite of literal meaning.

It was ironic that I was in Iceland eating ice cream.

Musty- having an odor of mold or old buildings/ outdated 

The old library books had musty smells to them.

Officious- very aggressive in helping people who don't need help.

My teacher is very officious to students even if we get the subject.

Ominous- portending harm or evil.

The ominous man in black disappeared into the darkness.

Pinnacle- highest if success or power.

He reached the pinnacle of his career after becoming the CEO.

Rampant- raging; furious 

The tiger grew very rampant with the zookeeper.

Solace- something that gives comfort or relief 

The child's visit was the dying mothers only solace. 

Stately- majestic;impressive

Their new home was very stately compared to their last.

Supple- flexible; bent without breaking

The spatula was very supple.

Suppress- to abolish/ end someone's activities.

My cousin went to rehab the suppress his drug use.

Venal- able to be purchased in return for a bribe

He made venal agreements in order to get his drugs.

Will Study For Food

Well I researched Fresno state and and I would probably need about $13,000 for a school year. That'll pay for my dorm, my meals, my books, and other necessities I will need. In all honesty I don't think I'm going to go here though cause I have no clue what I want to do, or be when I grow up. My real plan is to go to Allan Hancock for my general education and hopefully transfer in 2 years to a college that has the major I want to study in.

Vocabulary #3

Accomplice-a person who knowingly helps another in a crime or wrong doing, often as a subordinate .

The lady on the news was an accomplice to a murder so she had been arrested.

Annihilate- to reduce to utter ruin or nonexistence.

King Kong was going to annihilate the whole city.

Arbitrary- subject to individual will or judgement without restriction;contingent solely upon ones discretion .

The graph we had made was so arbitrary.

Brazen-shameless

My sister is extremely brazen around people.

Catalyst-a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction with out itself being affected .

The catalyst in the experiment caused the reaction to bubble.

Exodus- a going out; a departure or emigration usually of a large number of people.

The exodus in the summer to Mexico was abundant.

Facilitate- to make easier/to assist progress of a (person)

We had to facilitate about the price of the house due to financial problems.

Incorrigible- bad beyond correction or reform. 

After my dog had gotten a hold of the basketball it was incorrigible.

Latent- present but not visible.

My Invisalign is latent.

Militant- vigorously active and aggressive especially in support of a cause.

The group outside of the clinic was very militant because they were protesting against abortion.

Morose- gloomily or sullenly ill-humored, as a person or mood.

After her dog died she was very morose.

Opaque- not transparent or translucent; not allowing light to pass through.

Her tint in her car is translucent.

Paramount- supreme;above others in rank.

She is paramount because of her hard work, wins, and awards.

Prattle- to talk to in a foolish way; chatter; babble.

He was acting foolish and was prattling on and on.

Rebut- to refute by evidence or argument.  

I had to rebut my opinion to show them I was right.

Reprimand- a severe reproof or rebuke; especially a formal one by a person in authority.

She was reprimanded by her boss because she had stolen money from the register.

Servitude- slavery or bondage of any kind.

I felt like the work I had done for my job was servitude.

Slapdash- in a hasty haphazard manner.

Her answer to the question was very slapdash and careless.

Stagnant- not flowing or running as water, air, etc.

I think medical careers are always going to be stagnant.

Succumb- to give way to a superior force; yield.

I succumbed to the oncoming traffic.

Essay Idea

The essay topic me and my group came up with was, " the word obese/obesity gets thrown around loosely. Why ?". We chose this because we feel our society has a certain perspective of what our bodies should look like, and if we don't meet up to the standards, we're fat or overweight. This topi will help my writing because I feel strongly about this topic and I feel it will be easy for me to elaborate on it. 

Vocabulary #2

Obesity-the condition if being very fat or overweight.

His obesity affected his health.

Accumulate-to gather or collect, into a heap or mass form, increasing quantity.

My debts keep on accumulating.

Mass- parts forming a body;whole.

There were mass amounts of sand in the sandbox.

Disease- any harmful depraved condition as of the mind or society/ incorrectly functioning organ, part of body resulting in illness.

She was diagnosed with a disease that was incurable. 

Diet- food and drink considered in terms of its qualities composition, and it's effects on health. 

I decided to go on a diet to better my health.

Prevalence- the condition of being widespread.

The prevalence of obesity in countries is affecting our societies health.

Stigma- a mark of disgrace or infamy, a stain as on ones reputation.

The social stigma against smoking helped change people's perspectives on their bad habits.

Prevent(able)- to keep from occurring.

Obesity is preventable with daily exercise and a healthy diet.

Adolescent- growing to manhood or womanhood; youthful 

Cardiovascular- of pertaining to or affecting the heart and blood vessels.

Smoking affects the cardiovascular system.

Excessive- going beyond the usual, necessary, proper limit. 

I tend to spend more excessive than I should.

Mechanism- assembly of moving parts performing a complete functional motion often being part of a machine.

I have a high defense mechanism, when people try and mess with my family.

Sedentary- characterized by or requiring a sitting posture.

He was very sedentary because of his weight.

Predispose- give inclination to beforehand; make susceptible.

Genetics are predisposed before we are born.

Syndrome- a group of symptoms that together are characteristic of a specific disorder, disease, or the like.

The doctor diagnosed the young girl with a case of Down syndrome after tests that were ran on her.

Pros&Cons: Obesity

    The article written about obesity and "fat letters" by Joanne Eglash totally surprised me. It is such an epidemic that we have come to the point where we have to send "fat letters" home to the students who are overweight. I am not going to say that there is not an obesity problem going on in our society but I think there are certain ways to go about it , and that is not one of them. Sending those letters, is very demeaning to the children who are recieving them, and even to the parents of the children as well. Though I think the letters shouldn't be sent out, I see  both how they are very wrong, and how they are trying to help.

       I personally think the "fat letters" are wrong because they will provoke bullying if other students do happen to find out. Bullying is a big problem that we have everywhere ; online, in school, in your neighborhood. Especially if you are more bigger tha. Students your age, or different, others tend to judge you. Bullying happens the most because I physical appearance, in my opinion. Another reason why these letters shouldn't be sent home is because I feel it will make the child feel horrible about themselves. It might cause them to go to extreme measures like anorexia, or bolemia, and/or maybe even depression. How would you like to get a letter saying that you are fat ? I don't think anybody would be pleased to open a letter like that.

    I, however get the schools' perspective of the whole "fat letter," and how it could be beneficial to the kids. These letters might open the parents and the children's eyes to realization that maybe they do need to go on a diet, and/or excercise. Since obesity is an epidemic in our country and it is affecting people's health and living expectancy. Another reason why this might help is because it could cause awareness and start more health programs in schools to help the problem.

   I came to the conclusion that I am totally against this still. I think is it so sad and cruel for them to give them letters about their physical appearance. 

Text Analysis #1

So I was looking at other people's posts about fast food and I came across Alex Hunter's. It was so disgusting ! A lady had come across a chicken head in her order of chicken nuggets. The whole head, with the beak and everything. That's completely lurid. I am so disgusted and that changes my whole insight on fast food. Nowadays when mom's are tired and don't have time to cook, they go out to get dinner. I get they are tired and worn out from work and/or cleaning but I think once they read this, they will never want to order out again! After finding out about Johnna's though, I am really interested in that article. I see both sides of the story, but I think it is completely horrible for a kid to have to go through that. I understand obesity is harming our society but maybe add more physical education into schooling, instead of taking up their time on those tests and maybe it will help.

                     Obesity

-Mexico is number one in obesity

-traditionally the wealthy got fat

-poor people are now getting fat because they can't afford nutritious food

-how we eat affects what others think of us

-nutrition affects the way we think and act

-Applebee's and Olive Garden foods are engineered to make you more hungry

-commercials make you want fast food more

-media is done to help convince people to buy products

This is PHAT!

I found an article about fast food, but this wasn't a bad one. It didn't talk about how unhealthy it is for you, it gives you alternatives to eat, that will be "healthier" for you.

http://m.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-fast-food

My Opinion Isn't (A) Right

The article "The right to your own opinion" was very tough to comprehend at first. The second time around I understood a little more. He was basically saying no one has a right to their own opinion because it might not be factual, and people just don't care. I definitely disagree with him because we do have a right to our own opinions. Everyone is different, therefore no one thinks the same. As long as we have emotions and mouths, we'll always state our opinion and our feelings towards something we care or don't care for. For example, saying the color red is ugly. Well someone else might not find it ugly, it might be their favorite color. That's THEIR opinion. We're all different .  Well at least that's what I think the article was about, that's what I got from it.

Vocabulary: Fall #1

Expository- serving to expand or explain
Composition-the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole
Assuage- to make milder or less severe; relieve; ease
Decadence- the act of or process of falling into an inferior condition or state; decay in society
Hackneyed- made common place;cliche;overused
Coalition- a combination or an alliance especially temporary, between persons, factions, states etc.
Transcend- to rise above or go beyond
Meritorious- deserving praise, reward, esteem, etc.
Lurid- gruesome, horrible, revolting
Petulant- moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance

This reading is very expository.

There is a wide variation of ethnic composition at Rghetti High School.

When my little sister fell down the stairs, I tryed to assuage the pain she felt.

There is a decadence going on in the world, in my opinion, due to new inventions and technology. 

Hackneyed phrase used over and over again, "I have the right to my own opinion."

We the people are in a coalition against war.

My knowledge is hopefully going to transcend by the end of the year.

I was very meritorious due to my 4.0 GPA.

The smell of the dead corpse was very lurid.

I was becoming very petulant due to my little sister's behavior.

Marc was trying to be very expository at the meeting to help them understand the composition of their plan to help the decadence in their city. As he was explaining he got a cramp, and fell to his knees. His coworker Nancy assuaged him, and told him to "walk it off", a very hackneyed phrase. He became petulant with her , and walked away. Marc started a coalition to help his city transcend past their old lurid ways. They are very meritorious.

What Is Expository Composition?

I was looking at my classmates blogs and realized I was missing one .. "What is expository composition?".  So here it is. Expository composition is a report that shares your ideas or knowledge about a certain topic.

Reflections On Week 1

1. Are there any factors that you think are going to affect your participation or experience in this class? Access to a computer?  Mobile/smart phone?  Transportation?  Friends/family? Schedule?
2. Think of an awesome best ever learning experience that changed you. What did you learn? Where were you? What happened? Who else was there? Did it teach you anything about how you learn (or pay attention... or remember, or think?) How did you know what was happening? 
3. What are you most [excited/concerned] about in this class? What do you look forward to in learning?  How do you think it can/will make a practical difference in your life?

     1. No, I don't think there are going to be any factors that are going to affect my work, experience, or participation in class. If I do have a problem with anything it might be technical, but I'll definitely be sure to ask you to get it cleared up. I have access to a computer, a smart phone and a car, fortunately so I think I'm covered.
     2. I remember in sixth grade, in my AVID class, we were watching a video about kids in Uganda and these 3 guys trying to help them. It was called Invisible Children. They were young African American kids being forced to be child soldiers. Being killed and taken away from their families, and just having horrible things happen to them. It taught me many things. For starters, realize I was, still am, very fortunate for the things I have and I shouldn't take them for granted. Like education, my family, food, and a roof over my head. It made me more aware of things that were happening in the world.
     3. I am most excited about in this class is probably going to be the new way of learning, blogging, and sharing and learning from my fellow classmates.

5 Go-To Sources for Good Non-Fiction

http://www.wattpad.com/stories/non-fiction
http://www.kobobooks.com/
http://www.booksinmyphone.com
/http://mnybks.net/
http://knowfree.net/

The Big Question

I always question and wonder what the future has in store for me, where am I going to be 10-20 years from now? Am I going to be doing something I love? Because I still do not have a clue what I want to do..

A Truly Interesting Piece of Non-Fiction

http://gawker.com/kc-man-kills-himself-leaves-behind-website-with-treas-1153793095


At first I wasn't sure to look up for an interesting piece of nonfiction, but I came across this story. A man named Martin Manely committed suicide on his 60th birthday. He was known for his sports blog. After he shot himself in the parking lot, his website that he made went live. It explained why he had done what he did and told his family and loved ones that he was sorry, and hoped that one day they will understand and forgive him. The best part of this story that got me intrigued was that he talks about gold and silver that he has/had, worth more than 200,000! Martin left GPS coordinates to what people think the treasure is buried. His family claims that all the gold and silver was given to them before his death, but i question that. What if they are just saying that so the investigators wont go and find the treasure? What if they had no clue about this until the now and want all of it to themselves. I feel they should still and trace those coordinates to see what it is and see If maybe there is a treasure buried there. If not, oh well. At least they know instead of wondering there whole life what those coordinates led to. Why else would he leave the world coordinates to where X marks the spot?