This week was a hectic one. Filled with tests and lots of practicing and revision. This week, surprisingly we had 4 students from China who came to our class to interact with us. 2 were boys and 2 were girls. It was something special for our class as we had never had any visitors in our class. The China students sat with us for all the lessons for the day, they even participated in our english class where we supposed to analyse a poem. The students were quite friendly and even helped us in our discussion. At the end of the day, when the China students had to leave, our class had gladly sent them off with a smile. I wonder when we will have new visitors in our class. All in all, I feel that this was a good experience for all of us in 1o3. This not only tested how good we are in communicating in chinese but also gave us the chance to practice how to host a visitor. I guess this wont be the 1st time I will be doing this, but I am happy that we got to do it with the class.
Yours Sincerely,
Wei Jin :D
Friday, August 6, 2010
Pride and Prejudice
Book Review 3#
Pride and Prejudice
This is one of the most meaningful and romantic books, I have ever read.This is a classic romance, with all the misunderstandings that characterize a romance with its twists. Since the novel is 200 years old Elizabeth seems unreal today at times in the novel. During Austen's era women's choices were limited. Elizabeth is very opinionated and would have made well of herself no matter what station she finally had chosen.
At times the language seems wordy and hard to follow. Yet stick with it. It's not modern brief language. It reflects the language and pace of the era. Pride and Prejudice stands all tests of time. Enjoy!
This is the summary of the book:
Elizabeth Bennet is one of five daughters, a plight that her father bears as best he can with common sense and a general disinterest in the silliness of his daughters. Elizabeth is his favorite because of her level-headed approach to life when his own wife's greatest concern is getting her daughters married off to well-established gentlemen. Only Jane, Elizabeth's older sister, is nearly as sensible and practical as Elizabeth, but Jane is also the beauty of the family, and therefore, Mrs. Bennet's highest hope for a good match.
When Mr. Bingley, a young gentleman of London, takes a country estate near to the Bennet's home, Mrs. Bennet begins her match-making schemes without any trace of subtlety or dignity. Despite Mrs. Bennet's embarassing interference, Mr. Bingley and Jane become fond of one another. Mr. Darcy, who has accompanied Bingley to the country, begins his acquaintance with Elizabeth, her family, and their neighbors with smug condescension and proud distaste for the all of the country people. Elizabeth, learning of his dislike, makes it a point to match his disgust with her own venom. She also hears from a soldier that she has a fondness for that Darcy has misused the man. Without thinking through the story, Elizabeth immediately seizes upon it as another, more concrete reason to hate Mr. Darcy. She contradicts and argues with Darcy each time they meet, but somewhere along the way he begins to like Elizabeth.
When Bingley leaves the countryside suddenly and makes no attempts to contact Jane anymore, the young woman is heartbroken. Elizabeth, who had thought well of Bingley, believes that there is something amiss in the way that he left Jane in the lurch. Only when Elizabeth goes to visit her friend at the estate of Darcy's aunt does the mystery begin to unfold. After several encounters with Mr. Darcy while visiting her friend, Elizabeth is shocked when Darcy proposes to her. Elizabeth refuses him and questions him about the way that he misused her soldier friend and his undoubted role in the way that Bingley abandoned Jane. Darcy writes a letter to explain himself, and Elizabeth is embarrassed to learn that she had been mislead about Darcy's character. Had she known the truth, she would have loved Darcy as he loved her. Darcy leaves that part of the country before she can sort out her feelings and make amends with him. Then she meets him again when she is touring the gardens of his estate with her aunt and uncle. Darcy treats her with kindness and she believes he may still love her, but before anything can be done about it, she learns that one of her younger sisters has shacked up with the very soldier who mislead Elizabeth and the rest of her family about Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth returns home immediately.
When the indignity of her sister's shot-gun wedding is straightened out, Elizabeth is surprised that Darcy returns to the country with Bingley. She expected that the shame of her sister's actions had ruined any chances of a relationship with Mr. Darcy, or Jane and Bingley. Elizabeth learns from her aunt that Darcy did a great part to help get her younger sister properly married to the infamous soldier. Jane and Bingley sort out the misunderstanding that drove him away before and get engaged. Then Elizabeth and Darcy work out their misunderstandings and agree to marry.
Pride and Prejudice
This is one of the most meaningful and romantic books, I have ever read.This is a classic romance, with all the misunderstandings that characterize a romance with its twists. Since the novel is 200 years old Elizabeth seems unreal today at times in the novel. During Austen's era women's choices were limited. Elizabeth is very opinionated and would have made well of herself no matter what station she finally had chosen.
At times the language seems wordy and hard to follow. Yet stick with it. It's not modern brief language. It reflects the language and pace of the era. Pride and Prejudice stands all tests of time. Enjoy!
This is the summary of the book:
Elizabeth Bennet is one of five daughters, a plight that her father bears as best he can with common sense and a general disinterest in the silliness of his daughters. Elizabeth is his favorite because of her level-headed approach to life when his own wife's greatest concern is getting her daughters married off to well-established gentlemen. Only Jane, Elizabeth's older sister, is nearly as sensible and practical as Elizabeth, but Jane is also the beauty of the family, and therefore, Mrs. Bennet's highest hope for a good match.
When Mr. Bingley, a young gentleman of London, takes a country estate near to the Bennet's home, Mrs. Bennet begins her match-making schemes without any trace of subtlety or dignity. Despite Mrs. Bennet's embarassing interference, Mr. Bingley and Jane become fond of one another. Mr. Darcy, who has accompanied Bingley to the country, begins his acquaintance with Elizabeth, her family, and their neighbors with smug condescension and proud distaste for the all of the country people. Elizabeth, learning of his dislike, makes it a point to match his disgust with her own venom. She also hears from a soldier that she has a fondness for that Darcy has misused the man. Without thinking through the story, Elizabeth immediately seizes upon it as another, more concrete reason to hate Mr. Darcy. She contradicts and argues with Darcy each time they meet, but somewhere along the way he begins to like Elizabeth.
When Bingley leaves the countryside suddenly and makes no attempts to contact Jane anymore, the young woman is heartbroken. Elizabeth, who had thought well of Bingley, believes that there is something amiss in the way that he left Jane in the lurch. Only when Elizabeth goes to visit her friend at the estate of Darcy's aunt does the mystery begin to unfold. After several encounters with Mr. Darcy while visiting her friend, Elizabeth is shocked when Darcy proposes to her. Elizabeth refuses him and questions him about the way that he misused her soldier friend and his undoubted role in the way that Bingley abandoned Jane. Darcy writes a letter to explain himself, and Elizabeth is embarrassed to learn that she had been mislead about Darcy's character. Had she known the truth, she would have loved Darcy as he loved her. Darcy leaves that part of the country before she can sort out her feelings and make amends with him. Then she meets him again when she is touring the gardens of his estate with her aunt and uncle. Darcy treats her with kindness and she believes he may still love her, but before anything can be done about it, she learns that one of her younger sisters has shacked up with the very soldier who mislead Elizabeth and the rest of her family about Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth returns home immediately.
When the indignity of her sister's shot-gun wedding is straightened out, Elizabeth is surprised that Darcy returns to the country with Bingley. She expected that the shame of her sister's actions had ruined any chances of a relationship with Mr. Darcy, or Jane and Bingley. Elizabeth learns from her aunt that Darcy did a great part to help get her younger sister properly married to the infamous soldier. Jane and Bingley sort out the misunderstanding that drove him away before and get engaged. Then Elizabeth and Darcy work out their misunderstandings and agree to marry.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Book Review 2#
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
In my opinion, the plot of the story is the most interesting part of the book. I feel that Tom is a very unique character. He is playful and troublesome, however the special thing is that beneath the surface he is actually a down to earth, good boy.
This is the summary of the book:
Thomas Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly, his half-brother, Sid, also known as Sidney, and cousin Mary, in St Petersburg, Missouri. After playing hooky from school on Friday and dirtying his clothes in a fight, Tom is made to whitewash the fence as punishment on Saturday. At first, Tom is disappointed by having to forfeit his day off. However, he soon cleverly persuades his friends to trade him a large marble for the privilege of doing his work. He trades these treasures for tickets given out in Sunday school for memorizing Bible verses and uses the tickets to claim a Bible as a prize. He loses much of his glory when, in response to a question to show off his knowledge, he incorrectly answers that the first two Disciples were David and Goliath.
Tom falls in love with Rebecca Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town, and persuades her to get “engaged” to him. Their love is ruined when she learns that Tom has been engaged to another girl before: Amy Lawrence. Shortly after Becky shuns him, Tom accompanies Huckleberry Finn, the son of the town drunk, to the graveyard at night to try out a “cure” for warts. At the graveyard, they witness the murder of young Dr. Robinson by a part-Native American “half-breed”, Injun Joe. Scared, Tom and Huck run away in the process dropping the previously obtained marble, and swear a blood oath not to tell anyone what they have seen. Injun Joe blames his companion, Muff Potter, a hapless drunk, for the crime. Potter is wrongfully arrested, and Tom's anxiety and guilt begin to grow. Tom, Huck and their friend Joe Harper run away to an island on the Mississippi, in order to "become pirates". While frolicking around and enjoying their new-found freedom, the boys become aware that the community is sounding the river for their bodies. Tom sneaks back home one night to observe the commotion. After a brief moment of remorse at the suffering of his loved ones, Tom is struck by the idea of appearing at his funeral and surprising everyone. He persuades Joe and Huck to do the same. Their return is met with great rejoicing, and they become the envy and admiration of all their friends.
Back in school, Tom gets himself back in Becky's favour after he nobly accepts the blame for a book that she has torn. Soon Muff Potter's trial begins, and Tom, overcome by guilt, testifies against Injun Joe. Potter is acquitted, but Injun Joe flees the courtroom through a window. Tom and Huck witness him, disguised as a deaf and dumb Spaniard, finding a box of gold with his partner and Huck begins to shadow Injun Joe every night, watching for an opportunity to nab the gold. Meanwhile, Tom goes on a picnic to McDougal's Cave with Becky and their classmates. That same night, Huck sees Injun Joe and his partner making off with a box. He follows and overhears their plans to attack the Widow Douglas, a kind resident of St. Petersburg. By running to fetch help, Huck forestalls the violence and becomes an anonymous hero.
Tom and Becky get lost in the cave, and their absence is not discovered until the following morning. The men of the town begin to search for them, but to no avail. Tom and Becky run out of food and candles and begin to weaken. The horror of the situation increases when Tom, looking for a way out of the cave, happens upon Injun Joe, who is using the cave as a hideout. At the sight of Tom, Injun Joe flees. Eventually, just as the searchers are giving up, Tom finds a way out. The town celebrates, and Becky's father, Judge Thatcher seals up the main entrance with an iron door. After a week Injun Joe, trapped inside, starves causing him to die. Injun Joe's partner accidentally drowns trying to escape.
A week later, Tom takes Huck to the cave via the new entrance Tom has found and they find the box of gold, the proceeds of which are invested for them. The Widow Douglas adopts Huck, and, when Huck attempts to escape civilized life, Tom promises him that if he returns to the widow, he can join Tom's robber band. Reluctantly, Huck agrees.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
In my opinion, the plot of the story is the most interesting part of the book. I feel that Tom is a very unique character. He is playful and troublesome, however the special thing is that beneath the surface he is actually a down to earth, good boy.
This is the summary of the book:
Thomas Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly, his half-brother, Sid, also known as Sidney, and cousin Mary, in St Petersburg, Missouri. After playing hooky from school on Friday and dirtying his clothes in a fight, Tom is made to whitewash the fence as punishment on Saturday. At first, Tom is disappointed by having to forfeit his day off. However, he soon cleverly persuades his friends to trade him a large marble for the privilege of doing his work. He trades these treasures for tickets given out in Sunday school for memorizing Bible verses and uses the tickets to claim a Bible as a prize. He loses much of his glory when, in response to a question to show off his knowledge, he incorrectly answers that the first two Disciples were David and Goliath.
Tom falls in love with Rebecca Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town, and persuades her to get “engaged” to him. Their love is ruined when she learns that Tom has been engaged to another girl before: Amy Lawrence. Shortly after Becky shuns him, Tom accompanies Huckleberry Finn, the son of the town drunk, to the graveyard at night to try out a “cure” for warts. At the graveyard, they witness the murder of young Dr. Robinson by a part-Native American “half-breed”, Injun Joe. Scared, Tom and Huck run away in the process dropping the previously obtained marble, and swear a blood oath not to tell anyone what they have seen. Injun Joe blames his companion, Muff Potter, a hapless drunk, for the crime. Potter is wrongfully arrested, and Tom's anxiety and guilt begin to grow. Tom, Huck and their friend Joe Harper run away to an island on the Mississippi, in order to "become pirates". While frolicking around and enjoying their new-found freedom, the boys become aware that the community is sounding the river for their bodies. Tom sneaks back home one night to observe the commotion. After a brief moment of remorse at the suffering of his loved ones, Tom is struck by the idea of appearing at his funeral and surprising everyone. He persuades Joe and Huck to do the same. Their return is met with great rejoicing, and they become the envy and admiration of all their friends.
Back in school, Tom gets himself back in Becky's favour after he nobly accepts the blame for a book that she has torn. Soon Muff Potter's trial begins, and Tom, overcome by guilt, testifies against Injun Joe. Potter is acquitted, but Injun Joe flees the courtroom through a window. Tom and Huck witness him, disguised as a deaf and dumb Spaniard, finding a box of gold with his partner and Huck begins to shadow Injun Joe every night, watching for an opportunity to nab the gold. Meanwhile, Tom goes on a picnic to McDougal's Cave with Becky and their classmates. That same night, Huck sees Injun Joe and his partner making off with a box. He follows and overhears their plans to attack the Widow Douglas, a kind resident of St. Petersburg. By running to fetch help, Huck forestalls the violence and becomes an anonymous hero.
Tom and Becky get lost in the cave, and their absence is not discovered until the following morning. The men of the town begin to search for them, but to no avail. Tom and Becky run out of food and candles and begin to weaken. The horror of the situation increases when Tom, looking for a way out of the cave, happens upon Injun Joe, who is using the cave as a hideout. At the sight of Tom, Injun Joe flees. Eventually, just as the searchers are giving up, Tom finds a way out. The town celebrates, and Becky's father, Judge Thatcher seals up the main entrance with an iron door. After a week Injun Joe, trapped inside, starves causing him to die. Injun Joe's partner accidentally drowns trying to escape.
A week later, Tom takes Huck to the cave via the new entrance Tom has found and they find the box of gold, the proceeds of which are invested for them. The Widow Douglas adopts Huck, and, when Huck attempts to escape civilized life, Tom promises him that if he returns to the widow, he can join Tom's robber band. Reluctantly, Huck agrees.
Kidnapped!
Book Review #1
KIDNAPPED
Overall, I find the book very interesting and full of action. However, some parts of the book especially during dialogues, Robert Louis Stevenson uses 18th Century Scottish which is sometimes hard to comprehend.
This is basically a summary of the whole book:
David has just become orphaned when his father pasted away. He lost his mother some time earlier and now, he finds himself alone. David embarks on a journey to the House of Shaws, the home of his uncle, Ebenezer. When he arrives, Ebenezer is not happy to see David. He even makes an attempt to kill his young nephew. It is then David learns that he is the heir to the House of Shaws and is, in reality a wealthy man. Unfortunately, Ebenezer has other plans. He takes David to the port and sells him to Captain Hoseason, who plans on reselling David in America at a profit. David is kept prisoner in the brig of the schooner Covenant. During their voyage to America, the Covenant collides with a small French vessel. The only survivor of the French ship is Alan Breck. Alan is taken aboard the Covenant, where he pays the captain a large sum of money to take him to France.
David, who now has become the cabin boy, overhears several of the crew discussing plans to kill Breck and steal his money. David immediately informs Breck and the two forge an alliance. Alan and David barricade themselves in the ship’s hold and battle the attacking crewmembers. After a fight, several of the crew have been killed and Captain Hoseason is injured. The Captain has no choice but to release both David and Alan and take them ashore.
On their way to shore, the vessel is caught in a violent storm and both Alan and David fall overboard. They separate and make their way to shore. David’s adventure then continues on the Scottish highlands. David and Alan witness the assassination of Red Fox, a powerful local leader. The two companions are blamed for the murder and are forced to flee the English authorities who are frantically searching for them. Eventually, David and Alan arrive at the House of Shaws, where David gains his rightful inheritance. David becomes a wealthy man and parts ways with Alan, who continues on to France.
KIDNAPPED
Overall, I find the book very interesting and full of action. However, some parts of the book especially during dialogues, Robert Louis Stevenson uses 18th Century Scottish which is sometimes hard to comprehend.
This is basically a summary of the whole book:
David has just become orphaned when his father pasted away. He lost his mother some time earlier and now, he finds himself alone. David embarks on a journey to the House of Shaws, the home of his uncle, Ebenezer. When he arrives, Ebenezer is not happy to see David. He even makes an attempt to kill his young nephew. It is then David learns that he is the heir to the House of Shaws and is, in reality a wealthy man. Unfortunately, Ebenezer has other plans. He takes David to the port and sells him to Captain Hoseason, who plans on reselling David in America at a profit. David is kept prisoner in the brig of the schooner Covenant. During their voyage to America, the Covenant collides with a small French vessel. The only survivor of the French ship is Alan Breck. Alan is taken aboard the Covenant, where he pays the captain a large sum of money to take him to France.
David, who now has become the cabin boy, overhears several of the crew discussing plans to kill Breck and steal his money. David immediately informs Breck and the two forge an alliance. Alan and David barricade themselves in the ship’s hold and battle the attacking crewmembers. After a fight, several of the crew have been killed and Captain Hoseason is injured. The Captain has no choice but to release both David and Alan and take them ashore.
On their way to shore, the vessel is caught in a violent storm and both Alan and David fall overboard. They separate and make their way to shore. David’s adventure then continues on the Scottish highlands. David and Alan witness the assassination of Red Fox, a powerful local leader. The two companions are blamed for the murder and are forced to flee the English authorities who are frantically searching for them. Eventually, David and Alan arrive at the House of Shaws, where David gains his rightful inheritance. David becomes a wealthy man and parts ways with Alan, who continues on to France.
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