english blog

theme of robinson crusoe

2010-05-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Fear

Robinson Crusoe must overcome his fear in order to survive his long ordeal on the deserted island. The trial by fear begins when he runs about like a madman, scared of every shadow, and sleeps in a tree with a weapon: "fear banished all my religious hope, all that former confidence in God." He quickly realizes that he must recover his wits and reason if he is to survive.

At several points in the narrative, Crusoe is almost overwhelmed by his fear of the unknown. It propels him to colonize the island, securing his shelter and becoming self-sufficient. His ability to funnel his fear into productivity and creativity allows him to survive under extreme conditions.

Crusoe masters his fear when he faces the ultimate challenge — the devil. Investigating a cave, he is met by a pair of eyes. At first scared, he realizes that he can confront this enemy just like he has met every other challenge on the island. "He that was afraid to see the devil, was not fit to live twenty years in an island all alone."

With that, he rushes in to confront the devil and discovers a dying goat. He has passed his trial. Had he not faced his fears, he would have run away in full belief that the devil lived in that cave. Instead, he investigates and confronts his fear.

Human Condition

Robinson Crusoe is a meditation on the human condition, and an argument for challenging traditional notions about that condition. Finding himself alone in a deserted island, Crusoe struggles to maintain reason, order, and civilization. His "original sin" is his rejection of a conventional life. When he leaves England for a life on the high seas, he refuses to be "satisfied with the station wherein God and Nature hath placed" him.

Crusoe struggles with — and eventually triumphs over — nature. The book suggests that this struggle is at the heart of human nature: man is on earth to triumph and gain profit from nature. Any profit makes sense in this view of the world, whether that means getting just one plank out of a huge tree or building a boat too heavy to bring to the water. Once Crusoe is able to overcome his fear and subdue nature is rewarded handsomely.

Money

Consistent with Defoe's writings on economics, money is an important theme in Robinson Crusoe. At the beginning of the narrative, Crusoe details how much money he has, what he does with it, and what he gains by his actions.

On the island, money loses all value. Crusoe has to find another way to measure his worth. While rummaging through a ship for salvage he laments aloud at the sight of some money, "O Drug! what are thou good for." At that point he realizes that just one knife is worth more than money. Usefulness is the key to evaluation of worth.

Crusoe's hope of returning to England is symbolized by these tokens of civilization — on the island, the money is only a reminder of his old life and he treasures it as a memento. In all of his other endeavors he freely admits his success or failure. But as a merchant, he knows that though separated from the world now, he can only reconnect with it if he has money. Once he returns to London, his old reliance on money returns.

Industrialization

Industrialization is defined here as a process whereby humans channel the forces of nature into the production and manufacture of goods for their economic consumption. This industrialization is Crusoe's occupation, according to his cultural background and his religion. He immediately sets out to be productive and self-sufficient on the island.

By the time of Robinson Crusoe, most villages were experiencing labor specialization. People began to buy bread instead of baking it. Thus Crusoe has to relearn many of these arts to survive. With practice, Crusoe is able to increase the level of industrialization on his island.

Crusoe has a few implements with which he is able to reconstruct a semblance of civilization as well as create more advanced technology. While building his house, he notes that every task is exhausting. In brief, he praises the idea of "division of labor" as he describes cutting timber out of trees, bringing the wood from the trees to the construction site, and then constructing his shelter. He soon devises labor-saving devices, thus increasing his efficiency and productivity.

The necessity of a sharp ax leads Crusoe to invent his own foot-powered sharpener. He has "no notion of a kiln," but he manages to fire pottery. He needs a mill for grinding his grain, but not finding a proper stone, he settles for a block of hard wood. The entire process of baking his own bread spurs a realization of how wonderful the state of human technology is.

People take the labor behind the necessities of life for granted when such items can be easily purchased in the market. Crusoe is not suggesting that people return to a world of self-sufficient households. Instead, as he goes about his Herculean tasks, like creating a simple shelf in his house, he comments that a carpenter could have finished the two-day job in an hour. Thus he appreciates the process of specialization that helps make industrialization so successful
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ENGLISH

2010-05-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

IDIOMS

- A set expression of two or more words that means something other than the literal meanings of its individual words.
-examples:A fair-weather friend

A person who"s a friend during the good times, but not the hard times.

Talk about fair-weather friend, I mentioned my problems with my phone bill and he disappeared for six months.

ADJECTIVES

- a describing word and many writers and authors need these words to give their story some added oomph. Adjectives are used in our speech to tell us more about the nouns we use.
-example:silent, young, old

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSION

- the extension of the idea of an idiom, using it as the basis of the statement. In many cases this is a more effective use of the language, because it maintains the same subject, and extrapolates its meaning.
-example:Back To Square One - To start again
Ball and chain: To be burdened with a task that that cannot be left or abandoned
Beat a dead horse: To engage in pointless and repetitive discussion.

IMPERATIVES

-Use the imperative form when giving instructions or orders. The imperative is also very common in written instructions. Be careful when you use the imperative, as it is often considered impolite in English. If someone asks you for instructions, use the imperative. If, on the other hand, you would like to request that someone do something use a polite question form.
-example:Hurry up!
Take the first left, go straight on and the supermarket is on the left.

ANALOGIES

-is a card game for whole class, small group, or individual practice that encourages word associations, conceptual relationships, and vocabulary development. Analogies are typical items on aptitude and achievement tests.
-example:eye:sight::teeth:chew
hand:elbow::foot:knee

ANTONYMS

-words with the opposite meaning to another word
-example:tall-short

SYNONYMS

-are words that have a similar meaning to another word.
-example:terrified-frightened, scared, petrified

a muslimah dream

2010-05-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

I remember it was winter in England and I was catching a train back to the city where I lived. It was cold, I looked out, White snow was falling lightly from the gloomy sky. The train was moving fast, and as it moved I could see grounds in white all covered up by snow. ‘Covered up?’ the word rang in my head. Images of hijab and headscarf flashes on my mind.
For the two hours journey, I couldnt sleep even once. There was too much on my mind. I was born as a Muslim. And I didn‘t pray five times a day like everybody else. I hardly could read the Quran. People could say I was illiterate in a way. Because at times, it took me a long while to finish even a short verse from the Quran. It was in Arabic and I was never taught Arabic, that was my excuse of not reading. I thought as long as you have a good heart that‘s good enough. And if you don’t commit huge sins, you’ll be fine. But what she said, made my whole perspective looked, vain.
I was from London and on my way back home to the North West region. My heart wasn’t at ease. What she said had made me thinking, and I was thinking real hard. She was a nice girl. ‘Be a true Muslim, and not just a Muslim by name,’ she said politely with a smile, but the meaning was intense. She was merely quoting and was not saying it to me but my heart was touched. What kind of Muslim, had I been all these while? I don’t want to be a Muslim and only by name. It doesn’t sound good either. As the train moved, heading to North West where I lived, I let out few sighs.
Few months after later.. ‘Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim..,’ I read out loud before starting to read the Quran. My web-cam was on. That night We were in the middle of Quranic circle. It’s an activity that we do once a week. Through this circle, we read the Quran in turns. All were ladies. Sometimes we get to discussed about the meaning behind the Quran verses and some Hadith from Rasulullah. It was amazingly fun and I never thought I would actually had fun doing religious activity. I was very thankful to Siti and her older sister because now I can read the Quran much better. And since then, I keep on gradually changing, I realised. How I view life has changed too, a bit if not much.
At nights before I slept, I thought of going to a place. Somewhere faraway and seemed hard to reach but I knew its reachable. And if possible, I wanted to go there with someone that I loved. Of course that’s still remain as a wish and I hope it’ll come true one day. My life is never this calm! I now wear headscarf everywhere I go. It doesn’t feel right without it. Sometimes that leads to guilt, when people sees my hair. So I wear headscarf whenever I go out. My social activity especially when interacting with men has also changed. I used to be friendly and outgoing, even with the opposite gender. Now I feel sort of afraid. Sometimes I limit myself from being too ‘friendly’ with men. Sometimes, I think twice before I talked to them. Is it necessary or not to talk now? Because Women can be a fitnah to men, I don’t want to build up sins.
I used to look for a romantic boyfriend before. I searched high and low but funny that I never really had a boyfriend until now. I used to ask why? The question is why. Because I’m not unpretty. But now I understand the reason behind. Having a romantic relationship outside marriage can lead to something that breaks the law of Syariah. All praise to Allah, I’m glad I never had boyfriends before. I’m not worried if I don’t find a guy any sooner. I’m not looking for a relationship anymore. And definitely not looking for someone based on how romantic he is. I’m going with the flow, after all everything about humans has been written. I want to fix myself first.
I read somewhere about ‘Mencintai kerana Allah’ or ’Loving you because of God’. It was a nice Malay blog entry. I am aiming for that kind of love now. It sounds more pure than romantic love, to me.
‘What’s your dream guy like?’ a friend asked me one day while we ride on a taxi.
I didn’t replied him immediately though, ‘and have you found him?’ he added quickly.
‘Why do you want to know’ I politely asked with a smile.
‘Well, only asking,’ he replied calmly. Then there were silent. The road was wet due to the rain. It was soon before the taxi reached my home.
‘Was he like me?’ he then added. He was hinting something, I knew. I’ve been waiting for this moment all this year. And this could be a dream come true, but..
‘My dream guy is,’ I began ‘Someone who can guide me, you know, he leads and I follow,’ Then I paused.
‘I can be the guy,’ He said confidently.
There was silence again, a long one. The taxi finally reached my home. I said goodbyes to him and walked to my front door. I wave before the taxi accelerated again. He smiled to me even though I didn’t gave him the answer. He was a nice guy but he couldn‘t be the guy. Because…
I want to live with a guy who could guide me, so that I can get closer to My Creator. I want a man who can lead as an Imam, in every prayers that we’re gonna do together as married couple. A man who would tell Islamic history as a bed-time-stories to our children in the future. I want a man who’ll read the holly Quran to me, to cheer me every time I’m down. That is my dream guy and before I can meet him, I knew I need to fix myself first.
One beautiful spring afternoon, I was at a function. There were many Malays all gathered. That’s when I met him. He’s not just decent but he has the characteristic of my dream guy. Every time our eyes met accidentally during the event, he quickly moved away his stare. That convinced me, even more. I knew he’ll be a good amir, a leader of a family. Secretly I prayed: O‘ Allah, I want that kind of guy as a partner in life. At nights before I slept, I thought of going to a place. Somewhere faraway and seemed hard to reach but I knew its reachable. And if possible, I wanted to go there with someone that I loved. I want to go to Jannah (the heaven) with him! I’ll wait here and I know the wait is worthy.

frienship

2010-05-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

Stars has 5 ends
Square has 4 ends
Trinagle has 3 ends
Line has 2 ends but
Circle of our friendship has no end...

logo for nie

2010-05-05T17:58:00.001-07:00

99 facts about guys

2010-04-27T18:51:00.001-07:00

QUOTE
1. Guys don't actually look after good-looking girls. They prefer neat and presentable girls.

2. Guys love flirts.

3. A guy can like you for a minute, and then forget you afterwards.

4. When a guy says he doesn't understand you, it simply means you're not thinking the way he is.

5. "Are you doing something?" or "Have you eaten already?" are the first usual questions a guy asks on the phone just to get out from stammering.

6. Guys may be flirting around all day but before they go to sleep, they always think about the girl they truly care about.

7. When a guy really likes you, he'll disregard all your bad characteristics.

8. Guys go crazy over a girl's smile.

9. Guys will do anything just to get the girl's attention.

10. Guys hate it when you talk about your ex-boyfriend.

11. When guys want to meet your parents. Let them.

12. Guys want to tell you many things but they can't. And they sure have one habit to gain courage and spirit to tell you many things and it is drinking!

13. Guys cry!!!!!!!!

14. Don't provoke the guy to heat up. Believe me. He will.

15. Guys can never dream and hope too much.

16. Guys usually try hard to get the girl who has dumped them, and this makes it harder for them to accept their defeat.

17. When you touch a guy's heart, there's no turning back.

18. Giving a guy a hanging message like "You know what?!..uh...never mind!" would make him jump to a conclusion that is far from what you are thinking.

19. Guys go crazy when girls touch their hands.

20. Guys are good flatterers when courting but they usually stammer when they talk to a girl they really like.

21. When a guy makes a prolonged "umm" or makes any excuses when you're asking him to do you a favor, he's actually saying that he doesn't like you and he can't lay down the card for you. 22. When a girl says "no", a guy hears it as "try again tomorrow."

23. You have to tell a guy what you really want before he gets the message clearly.

24. Guys hate gays!

25. Guys love their moms.

26. A guy would sacrifice his money for lunch just to get you a couple of roses.

27. A guy often thinks about the girl who likes him. But this doesn't mean that the guy likes her.

28. You can never understand him unless you listen to him.

29. If a guy tells you he loves you once in a lifetime. He does.

30. Beware. Guys can make gossips scatter through half of the face of the earth faster than girls can.

31. Like Eve, girls are guys EUR™ weaknesses.

32. Guys are very open about themselves.

33. It's good to test a guy first before you believe him. But don't let him wait that long.

34. No guy is bad when he is courting.

35. Guys hate it when their clothes get dirty. Even a small dot.

36. Guys really admire girls that they like even if they're not that much pretty.

37. Your best friend, whom your boyfriend seeks help from about his problems with you may end up being admired by your boyfriend.

38. If a guy tells you about his problems, he just needs someone to listen to him. You don't need to give advice.

39. A usual act that proves that the guy likes you is when he teases you.

40. A guy finds ways to keep you off from linking with someone else.

41. Guys love girls with brains more than girls in miniskirts.

42. Guys try to find the stuffed toy a girl wants but would unluckily get the wrong one.

43. Guys virtually brag about anything.

44. Guys cannot keep secrets that girls tell them.

45. Guys think too much.

46. Guys' fantasies are unlimited.

47. Girls' height doesn't really matterto a guy but her weight does!

48. Guys tend to get serious with their relationship and become too possessive. So watch out girls!!

49. When a girl makes the boy suffer during courtship, it would be hard for him to let go of that girl.

50. It's not easy for a guy to let go of his girlfriend after they broke up especially when they've been together for 3 years or more.

51. You have to tell a guy what you really want before getting involved with that guy.

52. A guy has to experience rejection, because if he's too-good-never-been-busted, never been in love and hurt, he won't be matured and grow up.

53. When an unlikable circumstance comes, guys blame themselves a lot more than girls do. They could even hurt themselves physically.

54. Guys have strong passion to change but have weak will power.

55. Guys are tigers in their peer groups but become tamed pussycats with their girlfriends.

56. When a guy pretends to be calm, check if he's sweating. You'll probably see that he is nervous.

57. When a guy says he is going crazy about the girl. He really is.

58. When a guy asks you to leave him alone, he's just actually saying, "Please come and listen to me."

59. Guys don't really have final decisions.

60. When a guy loves you, bring out the best in him.

61. If a guy starts to talk seriously, listen to him.

62. If a guy has been kept shut or silent, say something.

63. Guys believe that there's no such thing as love at first sight, but court the girls anyway and then realize at the end that he is wrong.

64. Guys like femininity not feebleness.

65. Guys don't like girls who punch harder than they do.

66. A guy may instantly know if the girl likes him but can never be sure unless the girl tells him.

67. A guy would waste his time over video games and basketball, the way a girl would do over her romance novels and make-ups.

68. Guys love girls who can cook or bake.

69. Guys like girls who are like their moms. No kidding!

70. A guy has more problems than you can see with your naked eyes.

71. A guy's friend knows everything about him. Use this to your advantage.

72. Don't be a snob. Guys may easily give up on the first sign of rejection.

73. Don't be biased. Try loving a guy without prejudice and you'll be surprised.

74. Girls who bathe in their eau de perfumes do more repelling than attracting guys.

75. Guys are more talkative than girls are especially when the topic is about girls.

76. Guys don't comprehend the statement "Get lost" too well.

77. Guys really think that girls are strange and have unpredictable decisions but still love them more.

78. When a guy gives a crooked or pretentious grin at your jokes, he finds them offending and he just tried to be polite.

79. Guys don't care about how shiny their shoes are unlike girls.

80. Guys tend to generalize about girls but once they get to know them, they'll realize they're wrong.

81. Any guy can handle his problems all by his own. He's just too stubborn to deal with it.

82. Guys find it so objectionable when a girl swears.

83. Guys' weakest point is at the knee.

84. When a problem arises, a guy usually keeps himself cool but is already thinking of a way out.

85. When a guy is conscious of his looks, it shows he is not good at fixing things.

86. When a guy looks at you, either he's amazed of you or he's criticizing you.

87. When you catch him cheating on you and he asks for a second chance, give it to him. But when you catch him again and he asks for another chance, ignore him.

88. If a guy lets you go, he really loves you.

89. If you have a boyfriend, and your boy best friend always glances at you and it obviously shows that he is jealous whenever you're with your boyfriend, all I can say is your boy best friend loves you more than your boyfriend does.

90. Guys learn from experience not from the romance books that girls read and take as their basis of experience.

91. You can tell if a guy is really hurt or in pain when he cries in front of you!

92. If a guy suddenly asks you for a date, ask him first why.

93. When a guy says he can't sleep if he doesn't hear your voice even just for one night, hang up. He also tells that to another girl. He only flatters you and sometimes makes fun of you.

94. You can truly say that a guy has good intentions if you see him praying sometimes.

95. Guys seek for advice not from a guy but from a girl.

96. Girls are allowed to touch boys' things. Not their hair!

97. If a guy says you're beautiful, that guy likes you.

98. Guys hate girls who overreact.

99. Guys love you more than you love them if they are serious in your relationships

THE BEST OF FRIEND

2010-03-26T18:26:00.001-07:00

The best of friends,
Can change a frown,
Into a smile,
when you feel down.

The best of friends,
Will understand,
Your little trials,
And lend a hand.

The best of friends,
Will always share,
Your secret dreams,
Because they care.

The best of friends,
Worth more than gold,
Give all the love,
A heart can hold.

plot diagram

2010-03-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

The Short Story
This PLOT DIAGRAM shows how the main events in a short story are organized into a plot.
In this activity you will find the main events in the fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk." Drag each event to the appropriate point on the plot diagram.
Take from here.

daily log

2010-02-20T05:13:00.000-08:00

Today, my family and I go to Marina Cove for a family day. It was organised by JAIP...... I'll be here until tomorrow...

winter (snowy season)

2010-02-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

Meteorological winter is the season having the shortest days and the lowest average temperatures, which have the coldest weather. This corresponds to the months of December, January and February in the Northern Hemisphere, and June, July and August in the Southern Hemisphere. The coldest average temperatures of the season are typically experienced in January in the Northern hemisphere and in June or July in the Southern hemisphere. Nighttime predominates the winter season, and in some regions it has the highest rate of precipitation as well as prolonged dampness because of permanent snow cover or high precipitation rates coupled with low temperatures, precluding evaporation. Blizzards often develop and cause many transportation delays. A rare meteorological phenomenon encountered during winter is ice fog, which comprises ice crystals suspended in the air; it occurs only at very low temperatures, below about −30°C (−22°F)[1].
Accumulations of snow and ice are mostly associated with winter in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the large land masses there. In the Southern Hemisphere, the more maritime climate and the relative lack of land south of 40°S makes the winters milder; thus, snow and ice are less common in inhabited regions of the Southern Hemisphere. In this region, snow occurs every year in elevated regions such as the Andes, the Great Dividing Range in Australia, and the mountains of New Zealand, and also occurs in the southerly Patagonia region of South America. Snow occurs year-round in Antarcti

Period

The road from Dornbirn, Austria to the mountain village of Ebnit in winter.
Astronomically, the winter solstice, being the day of the year which has fewest hours of daylight, ought to be the middle of the season, but temperature lag means that the coldest period normally follows the solstice, so the season is sometimes regarded (in the USA and England) as beginning at the solstice and ending on the following equinox [1][2]. In the Northern Hemisphere, depending on the year, this corresponds to the period between 21 or 22 December and 20 or 21 March. Meteorologists in the UK consider winter to be the three coldest months of December, January and February[3]. In Scandinavia, winter traditionally begins on 14 October and ends on the last day of February.[4] In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia [5][6], New Zealand and South Africa, winter begins on 1 June and ends on 31 August. In Celtic nations such as Ireland (using the Irish calendar) and in Scandinavia, the winter solstice is traditionally considered as midwinter, with the winter season beginning 1 November, on All Hallows, or Samhain. Winter ends and spring begins on Imbolc, or Candlemas, which is 1 or 2 February. This system of seasons is based on the length of days exclusively. (The three-month period of the shortest days and weakest solar radiation occurs during November, December, and January in the Northern Hemisphere and May through July in the Southern Hemisphere.)
Also, many mainland European countries tend to recognize Martinmas, St. Martin's day (11 November), as the first calendar day of winter. The day falls at midpoint between the old Julian equinox and solstice dates. Also, Valentine's Day (14 February) is recognized by some countries as heralding the first rites of spring, such as flowers blooming.
In Chinese astronomy and other East Asian calendars, winter is taken to commence on or around 7 November, with the Jiéqì (known as 立冬 lì dōng—literally, "establishment of winter").
The three-month period associated with the coldest average temperatures typically begins somewhere in late November or early December in the Northern Hemisphere and lasts through late February or early March. This "thermological winter" is earlier than the solstice delimited definition, but later than the daylight (Celtic) definition. Depending on seasonal lag, this period will vary between climatic regions.
Cultural influences such as Christmas creep may have led to the winter season being perceived as beginning earlier in recent years

Causes

Snow frozen onto a tree in Germany.
See also: Effect of sun angle on climate
The tilt of the Earth's axis relative to its orbital plane has a dramatic effect on the weather. The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.44° to the plane of its orbit, and this causes different latitudes on the Earth to directly face the Sun as the Earth moves through its orbit. It is this variation that primarily brings about the seasons. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere faces the Sun more directly and thus experiences warmer temperatures than the Northern Hemisphere. Conversely, winter in the Southern Hemisphere occurs when the Northern hemisphere is tilted more toward the Sun. From the perspective of an observer on the Earth, the winter Sun has a lower maximum altitude in the sky than the summer Sun.
During winter in either hemisphere, the lower altitude of the Sun in winter causes the sunlight to hit that hemisphere at an oblique angle. In regions experiencing winter, the same amount of solar radiation is spread out over a larger area. This effect is compounded by the larger distance that the light must travel through the atmosphere, allowing the atmosphere to dissipate more heat. Compared with these effects, the changes in the distance of the earth from the sun are negligible.

Exceptionally cold winters

1684, when the Thames was frozen solid, hosting one of many River Thames frost fairs, and the sea froze up to two miles out around the coast.
Year Without a Summer was the name for the summer of 1816, because the weather was so cold that it reminded people of winter all year.
In Europe, the winters of 1947,[7] 1962–63, 1981–82 and 2009-10[citation needed] were considered abnormally cold.

Ecology

The snowshoe hare is one animal that changes color in winter.
To survive the harshness of winter, many animals have developed different behavioral and morphological adaptations for overwintering:
Migration is a common effect of winter upon animals, notably birds. However, the majority of birds do not migrate—the cardinal and European Robin, for example. Some butterflies also migrate seasonally.
Hibernation is a state of reduced metabolic activity during the winter. Some animals "sleep" during winter and only come out when the warm weather returns; e.g., gophers, frogs, snakes, and bats.
Some animals store food for the winter and live on it instead of hibernating completely. This is the case for squirrels, beavers, skunks, badgers, and raccoons.
Resistance is observed when an animal endures winter but changes in ways such as color and musculature. The color of the fur or plumage changes to white (in order to be confused with snow) and thus retains its cryptic coloration year-round. Examples are the ptarmigan, arctic fox, weasel, white-tailed jackrabbit, and mountain hare.
Some fur-coated mammals grow a heavier coat during the winter; this improves the heat-retention qualities of the fur. The coat is then shed following the winter season to allow better cooling. The heavier coat in winter made it a favorite season for trappers, who sought more profitable skins.
Snow also affects the ways animals behave; many take advantage of the insulating properties of snow by burrowing in it. Mice and voles typically live under the snow layer.
Some Annual plants never survive the winter. Other annual plants require winter cold to complete their life cycle, this is known as vernalization. As for perennials, many small ones profit from the insulating effects of snow by being buried in it. Larger plants, particularly deciduous trees, usually let their upper part go dormant, but their roots are still protected by the snow layer. Few plants bloom in the winter, one exception being the flowering plum, which flowers in time for Chinese New Year. The process by which plants become acclimated to cold weather is called hardening.

Activities

Snowboarder in the halfpipe.
Main article: Winter sport
[edit] Snow activities
Many winter activities involve the use of snow in some form (which sometimes is man-made, using snow cannons):
Bobsledding — a winter sport in which teams make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, purpose-built ice-covered tracks in a steerable sled.
Skiing — the activity of gliding over snow using fiberglass planks called skis that are strapped to the skiers' feet with ski bindings.
Sledding — a gravity-powered activity using a sled to glide downhill.
Snow castle building — for example, constructions such as the SnowCastle of Kemi, the largest in the world.
Snowball fight — a physical game in which snowballs are thrown with the intention of hitting someone else.
Snowboarding — an increasingly common sport in which participants strap a composite board to their feet and slide down a snow-covered mountain.
Snowman building — creating a manlike model out of snow.
Snowmobiling — driving snowmobiles in snow, across frozen lakes, on public trails, or around mountains.
Snowshoeing — a means of travel on top of the snow by increasing the surface area of the feet by wearing snowshoes.

Ice activities

Bandy, an early form of ice hockey.
Many other winter activities and sports focus on ice, which may be contained in an ice rink.
Curling — a team sport using brooms and stones. The object of the game is to slide your stones in a bullseye and get your opponent's stones out of it.
Ice biking — the continuation of regular cycling activities in the winter and cold weather.
Ice boating — a means of travel in a specialized boat similar in appearance to a sailboat but fitted with skis or runners (skates) and designed to run over ice instead of (liquid) water.
Ice climbing — the recreational activity of climbing ice formations such as icefalls and frozen waterfalls.
Ice diving — a type of penetration diving where the dive takes place under ice.
Ice fishing — the sport of catching fish with lines and hooks through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water.
Ice hockey — a team sport played on the ice with skates, sticks, and a puck. The goal is to send the puck into the opposing team's net.
Ice racing — automobile racing on ice surfaces.
Ice sculpture — elaborate sculptures are carved out of blocks of ice.
Ice skating — a means of traveling on ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes parabolic) bladelike devices molded into special boots.

The Importance Of Reading Skills For School Success

2010-02-15T02:05:00.000-08:00

The importance of reading skills for a child’s success cannot be emphasized enough. As a teacher who has worked extensively with children within the 5-11 year old age group, I have personally witnessed the importance of reading skills on a daily basis in the following areas:
• Language Arts
• Social Studies
• Science
• Mathematics
• Social Skills

As you can see, the importance of reading skills filters into all aspects of school.
If you are like many parents, you probably think the importance of reading skills is only evident in language arts. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Of course, your child does need to have adequate reading skills to do well in language arts, but the importance of reading skills is noticeable in other subject areas, as well.

Let’s take a look at social studies, for example. Whether your child is learning about his neighborhood in kindergarten, or learning about other countries in the sixth grade, he needs to be able to read in order to have a rich learning experience. Even basics of social studies, such as map reading, emphasize the importance of reading. To further illustrate the importance of reading in social studies, let’s look at a real life situation. Let’s say Mrs. Smith has just introduced the state of Maine to the class. Your child has never heard of this state. Mrs. Smith then asks the class to locate the state of Maine on a labeled map of the United States. If your child does not have basic sound-symbol recognition skills, he will have a terrible time finding Maine. If, however, your child does have these skills, he will know that the state he is looking for starts with the letter M and has the letters A and N in it.

Now, he has a far greater chance of locating the state successfully.Rather than searching frantically for the state of Maine on a map, and likely becoming frustrated, your child can locate the state and pay attention to the rest of Mrs. Smith’s lesson. Having just basic reading skills has helped your child be more successful in Mrs. Smith’s social studies class.The importance of reading skills is also obvious is science. Scientific exploration and discovery are at the core of learning this subject. The hands-on nature of science often makes it a favorite subject of children ages 5-11. But, the ability to follow lab procedures correctly is important in science. Often, the procedures are very precise. If they are not followed correctly, the experiment will not work.If your child has solid reading skills, she will be able to successfully follow lab procedures. If she doesn’t, she is likely to be unsuccessful at completing science experiments. This will be both frustrating and disappointing for your child. It can even result your child disliking science, because she sees it as a subject in which she can’t be successful. Most parents don’t think the importance of reading is illustrated in math. But, poor reading skills can be a huge obstacle for students in math. As a teacher, I have witnessed students who excel in mathematical concepts fail because of poor reading skills.Most parents of children who are 5-11 years old remember math as just a number crunching subject. This is no longer the case. Nowadays, more emphasis is being place on the problem solving aspect of math. Therefore, math now includes many story problems, which require reading skills.A student with a strong math mind, but poor reading skills, can’t possibly do well in today’s math classes. The importance of reading skills is so high now that it is nearly impossible to pass a math class without being able to read.In addition, students are more and more being asked to review math material on their own. If your child has poor reading skills, he is unlikely to be able to review math material successfully.Believe it or not, the importance of reading is also shown in social skills. For example, many teachers at younger grade levels select reading material that teaches social skills. If your child can’t read these stories and participate in these discussions, she is likely to miss out on important social skills.Less obviously, the importance of reading in socialization is seen in the self-esteem of your child. A child who goes to school every day, unable to read, will experience self-esteem problems. It is human nature to compare ourselves to others. If your child can’t read, but everyone else around her can, she will begin to see herself as less adequate.Furthermore, a child who struggles with reading often develops a poor attitude about school – and understandably so. To illustrate this point, let’s pretend you had to go to a school where everyone speaks and reads only German. Let’s further pretend you are supposed to take social studies, science, and math at this German-speaking school. And, you need to try to make friends here, too. After doing this for a couple of months, you are likely to want to give up. If your child can’t read, he feels this way, too.The importance of reading skills for school success is immense. To give your child the best chance of excelling in school, be sure to provide him with a strong reading basis and to encourage reading at home.

daily log

2010-02-15T00:35:00.000-08:00

I woke up early this morning... Maybe because I feeling not well today... There's many things that I want to do today... This evening, I want to play badminton with my cousin and this night my father want to take my mother and me to a restaurant....

daily log

2010-02-13T22:03:00.000-08:00

hello, i'm so tired today... but, at the same time i'm very happy because last nigth, my mother' family were having a barbeque at my cousin's home... my mom with all my aunt were busy at the kitchen preparing food, desert and many more... while my father and my other uncle were busy grilling seafoods, chicken and meets... my job is being a cameragirl... since all my cousin is still children, absolutely they are the really excited persons... thats for today.... i hope during this chinese new year holiday, there are many precious moments with my family and friends...

Homework

2010-02-11T16:48:00.000-08:00

1.Daily Log
have done @ plan to do

2. Reflection
~personal thoughts

3. Interesting reading list
~ Article/ newspaper

Give personal comment

2010-02-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

Robinson Crusoe - The novel’s protagonist and narrator. Crusoe begins the novel as a young middle-class man in York in search of a career. He father recommends the law, but Crusoe yearns for a life at sea, and his subsequent rebellion and decision to become a merchant is the starting point for the whole adventure that follows. His vague but recurring feelings of guilt over his disobedience color the first part of the first half of the story and show us how deep Crusoe’s religious fear is. Crusoe is steady and plodding in everything he does, and his perseverance ensures his survival through storms, enslavement, and a twenty-eight-year isolation on a desert island.
Read an in-depth analysis of Robinson Crusoe.

Friday - A twenty-six-year-old Caribbean native and cannibal who converts to Protestantism under Crusoe’s tutelage. Friday becomes Crusoe’s servant after Crusoe saves his life when Friday is about to be eaten by other cannibals. Friday never appears to resist or resent his new servitude, and he may sincerely view it as appropriate compensation for having his life saved. But whatever Friday’s response may be, his servitude has become a symbol of imperialist oppression throughout the modern world. Friday’s overall charisma works against the emotional deadness that many readers find in Crusoe.
Read an in-depth analysis of Friday.

The Portuguese captain - The sea captain who picks up Crusoe and the slave boy Xury from their boat after they escape from their Moorish captors and float down the African coast. The Portuguese captain takes Crusoe to Brazil and thus inaugurates Crusoe’s new life as plantation owner. The Portuguese captain is never named—unlike Xury, for example—and his anonymity suggests a certain uninteresting blandness in his role in the novel. He is polite, personable, and extremely generous to Crusoe, buying the animal skins and the slave boy from Crusoe at well over market value. He is loyal as well, taking care of Crusoe’s Brazilian investments even after a twenty-eight-year absence. His role in Crusoe’s life is crucial, since he both arranges for Crusoe’s new career as a plantation owner and helps Crusoe cash in on the profits later.

The Spaniard - One of the men from the Spanish ship that is wrecked off Crusoe’s island, and whose crew is rescued by the cannibals and taken to a neighboring island. The Spaniard is doomed to be eaten as a ritual victim of the cannibals when Crusoe saves him. In exchange, he becomes a new “subject” in Crusoe’s “kingdom,” at least according to Crusoe. The Spaniard is never fleshed out much as a character in Crusoe’s narrative, an example of the odd impersonal attitude often notable in Crusoe.

Xury - A nonwhite (Arab or black) slave boy only briefly introduced during the period of Crusoe’s enslavement in Sallee. When Crusoe escapes with two other slaves in a boat, he forces one to swim to shore but keeps Xury on board, showing a certain trust toward the boy. Xury never betrays that trust. Nevertheless, when the Portuguese captain eventually picks them up, Crusoe sells Xury to the captain. Xury’s sale shows us the racist double standards sometimes apparent in Crusoe’s behavior.

The widow - Appearing briefly, but on two separate occasions in the novel, the widow keeps Crusoe’s 200 pounds safe in England throughout all his thirty-five years of journeying. She returns it loyally to Crusoe upon his return to England and, like the Portuguese captain and Friday, reminds us of the goodwill and trustworthiness of which humans can be capable, whether European or not.
source : from here http://www.sparknotes.com › ... › › ... ›

what do I learn today?

2010-02-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

I learned to add some of my friends' blog. I also learned to copy an article from others blog and paste it to my blog. I hope I can learn more things from days to days...

synopsis of robinson crusoe

2010-02-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

Robinson Crusoe is about a young Englishman who goes to sea without his parents’ blessing. He has many adventures on both land and sea, and learns many new things like trading, navigation, mathematics and fishing. A storm at sea leaves his shipwrecked and alone on a deserted island. The resourceful Crusoe manages to build himself a home on the island.
As years go by, he builds two more homes and, makes furniture and pottery for his own use. He also rears goats, plants rice and corn and collects fruit for food.
One day, he rescues a victim of a cannibal attack, who becomes his companion and friend for life. He names his new friend, Friday, because he rescued him on a Friday. Later, they save Friday’s father and a Spaniard for savages. Much later, they rescue mutineers on board a ship. Te captain takes Crusoe back to England and married a woman and had three children. After his wife death , he visits his island, and finds the English and the Spaniard living in harmony. Crusoe stays for a while, then continues to travel the seas.

something that new to my world...

2010-01-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

firstly,,,, I'm very thankful to God to have this blog..... surely I'm happy to have my own blog now.... i hope that i can improve my english since i have my own blog.... thanks to my english teacher too....