Personal Reflection

  If I have to be completely honest to myself, I will evaluate my class performance as OK. It means that I didn't really do a good job, in the meanwhile, I didn't really do a bad job. Since I am too shy to raise my hand for answering or asking questions, it seems that I didn't participate so well. I tried to pay attention in every class, although I might attract by the beautiful scenery outside or daydreaming about novels. Since I knew that I had terrible memories, I usually take notes in every classes unless I thought that I could understand. I am the kind of student who won't estimate my time very well cause I knew that I still have time to play. Therefore, I sometimes finish my homework until the last minute. On the other hand, I will try to start my homework right away when I calculated that I might couldn't finish all of them. I will complete all of my assignments as soon as possible, though I might be late. I spend almost three hours a day (regular day) for studying, and much more time in the weekends. I often go to my teachers to ask for clarification or extra help after class, especially before tests. I took advantage of extra credit opportunities, because I knew that my grades wasn't really good. Every time I answer a question, I try to participate constructively in class. However, I'll try my best in classes.

Style

  In "Raymond's Run", Toni Cade Bambara, the author uses different kinds of styles, such as allusions, dialect, irony and imagery. The style that I am going to talk about are allutions and imagery. For instance, the other kids call Squeaky “Mercury” because she’s the swiftest. Mercury was the messenger of the gods and was considered the personification of speed. The teacher was an example, too. The kids call Mr. Pearson "Jack and the Beanstalk" because he is tall, clumsy, and stands out in the crowds. The imagery in the story appears in a way that deeply impresses me. Before the running race, Squeaky imagined that she was in a dream, flying over a sandy beach and kissing the leaves as she flied by. There is also the smell of apples and she used to think she was a choo-choo train. She became lighter and lighter as long as she was dreaming this. She then felt like she was a feather. The content is descriptive in not only the version but also the touch and sound. Studying the styles, I like the style that Toni Cade Bambara expressed, it is connotative, delineative, and ironic.

Brainstorming a poem

Linda is an important person in my life, I won't born without her, and I won't live without her. She is my mother.
Ten adjectives for describing her:
careful, sensitive, kindhearted, optimistic, thoughtful, virtuous, creative, humorous, industrious, righteous
Looks: She is beautiful but quite chubby, and she has brown, straight hair.
Sound: She sings softly and beautifully and laughs frankly and loudly.
Smell: She sprays perfume that smells like nature.
Taste: She likes to make mango pudding.
Touch: warm and soft
Verbs:
run, paint, sew, water, cherish

Poem:
Running through the mountains and oceans,
painting on the sky,
sewing and mending the holes that Nu Wa forgot,
( Nu Wa is a goddess in Chinese mythology )
watering the plants,
waiting for the vitality in spring.
She is my mother.

Beautiful,
careful,
and thoutful, 
though she is quite chubby,
still glitter in my heart.

Creative,
sensitive 
and always optimistic,
she is my best support. 

Humorous,
virtuous,
industrious,
and righteous, 
whenever I brawl with my brother,
she is my heroine.

Sings softly and beautifully,
laughs frankly and loudly,
the sound of her voice,
is always sweet and pleasing.

Around herself,
spray the perfume,
smells like yulan,
eases in nature,
cares the plants,
and cherishes children.

Busy in kitchen,
making delicious desserts.
strawberry pie,
chocolate chips,
and mango pudding,
all we can it.

Touches warm and soft,
hug me whenever I am sad,
support me in the first place.

My mother,
born me and rears me,
smiles like a blooming flower,
embraces me like a teddy bear,
sparkles in the sky forever.

End Game

  Since we have made great efforts in the board game, overall, I love our project. Although the game idea that I wrote on March 3 was almost totally different, I was sort of satisfied but wish that we have  improvement. Basically, the main plot of our board game is similar to what I have think of- a murder. Mysterious murder often attracts players as well, not only reach at the end, but also discover the murderer. There are even different murderers for each round, because it's decided by the counter. When I first considered about the board game, I was thinking that we can have both detective notes for players, and clue cards hidden in the ladders (for the passage way to 2 floor) and famous paintings(on the walls). There are even different weapons and rooms that each murderer may use to kill people. Therefore, we have to infer the murderer with variations. We can also compose with others once, so that they can exchange clues and share their opinions. Though our project is different from our scheme, we still came out new ideas, such as doubled floors, but the second floor need supports. However, this is project that I spent lots of time and effort, so I like it.

Slang

  Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's dialect or language. Since friends and friends love to call each other easier, they nickname people. I have a friend named 朱祺, because her surname is same as (homophone) piggy in Chinese, and part of the reasons is that she is pretty cute and kind, we called her piggy. I had another friend who called 劉亭宜, because the sound of her name is similar to orange in Chinese (柳丁), we called her orange. In addition, we sometimes make jokes of someone, and we'll nickname them, such as FI ( flower idiot ), because the girl ( a classmate of mine ) changed her mind toward the boys very fast. Furthermore, there are slangs in some novels, such as "you need to mellow out and enjoy your life" means that you shall calm down and relax. Slangs are somehow absorbing and interesting because they are common in only a group of people. I like slangs because they make me feel a stronger and steadfast connection between my friends, though they are far away.

Analogy

  My analogy for the journal entry is: Reading fantastic novels is like playing roller coaster, while enjoying the beautiful scenery before the peak, we are gradually climbing higher and higher; abruptly, we tumble down the track, and we might scream or marvel at the excitement; finally, we don't feel satisfied to end the play and willing to play again. Since I'm not good at writing analogy, I spent a while for thinking and pondering. Whenever I read an interesting novel, I always have those kinds of feelings. I didn't want to have an ending for a novel, and willing to explore more about this book. ( That's why I always spend lots of time searching the information of novels and watching book trailers, instead of doing homework ) Since I love the novel so much, I would read over and over again, study the details and try to figure out what the author wanted to say. When I was young, I didn't really like to read novels because the words are tiny and really hurt my eyes. (often play around and wander through the hallways) However, I gradually attracted by the wonderful, exciting, and romantic plots and willing to read more, especially YA novels. Therefore, I always encourage people to read novels.

Fighting words

  Since I hate tricky people who say bad words behind another person, depends on our relationship, I will definitively fight for people who I love. Because I'm a girl, I won't fight physically with martial arts, I would mince frankly and dissuade them from hurting my family or friends. Since I have experienced traumas, I could deeply understand how painful was that, especially hurt by your best friends. Sometimes, I have smiles on my face, pretend I am happy, assume I am jovial, because I don't want others to worry. Once, I've been fighting words with a classmate, because she sneered at my friend and hurt her feeling deeply. I usually speak as fast as machine gun in Chinese, especially when having disputes with others. I have to seize the advantage or not I might lose the chance. However, although I am fighting words for my friend, it still isn't a good way to solve problems. At last, the classmate and I were both called by the teacher. Since we lift disturbances, we are scolded by the teacher and punished by doing recycling for a week, though I still feel a thread of happiness.

OOPS!

 Everyone might experience a special incident that made you turn to grow up, whether it was a happy memory or a sorrowful wound, we did learn things through the event. When I was an elementary school student, I was innocent and naive. Of course, we have our own group, a group that we often stay with friends during break time. My best friend, ___, a cute girl who is talkative and good at dancing, loves to chat and play with me. We ran through the hallways every day, chasing and laughing, although I was somehow tired, I never felt bored nor weary. She once promised that she will become a national dancer, and I said that I'll accompany with musical instruments; we then perform at the exhibition. However, good time never lasts long. Unreasonably, she started to become estranged to me, I didn't have a chance to understand her explanation, and she just ignored me. Through a series of seeking and discovering the truth, I finally knew the cause-- grades. Till this time, I clearly knew the feeling of distress and suffering; I didn't hate her, but I hated my grades. I couldn't really understand why she cared the grades better than the friendship. From now on, my impression to her was broken, my friendship with her was severed, and my memory with her was murky and gloomy. I lost my supporting, and lost my friend. Anyhow, every problem has a solution. She apologized to me the day before graduation; we then reconciled and maintain our friendship again. After all, the trauma still scratches deeply in my heart.

Brelow the Surface

 The idiom said: We cannot judge a person by only his or her appearance as we cannot judge a book by its cover. Although we knew that clearly, people often cannot help but getting the first impression based on a person's appearance. Sometimes, it's an assertive fault, because you lose a chance to understand a new, sincere friend. Sometimes, it's an absolute truth, because it's just how shallow a person can act. If people didn't like someone's first impression, they might try their best to edge them out. This is the truth, the darkest part of humans' heart, ugly and callous. However, there are still exceptions. The first time I met my truthful, genuine, optimistic elementary old friend, I was in grade one. Since I'm innocent and naive, running through the hall ways and playing games while my friend was drawing every class periods, our relationship is parallel. We met by chances, such as the patches of drifting duckweed, tranquil and quiet. The next time we met, we are in fifth grade. We are still parallel but closer, because of an event of betrayal and love, you comfort me and admit me, being your best friend. Dear ____ , this journal is written for you, for your supports and encouragement, till the last letter I wrote to myself in elementary school, I still wrote to you. Although you might never see this journal, I still want to say: Happy Birthday and I Love You~

Deception

  According to our class novel, the Westing Games, the author leads us to a fake character, Barney Northrup, who even ever exists. I think that the author deceives us and built the plot in order to confuse the readers. Since this is a mysterious, creepy horror story...... sorry, I don't meant it...... I mean it's a exciting murder that require the readers to discover the truth. It makes illusions that increases our interests and willing to keep reading till the final truth. There is always a reasonable and rational explanation for those kinds of stories. Eventually, we readers often respect the intelligence of the author, amaze how incredibly thrilling that a person can plot a story and how dazzling that the author can daze us readers. Although the story truly confuses me at the beginning, I started to drawn by the murder when I keep going on reading. Not only the plot, but the portrayal of every character is delicate in the story. I could image a mysterious picture of the Sunset Towers with cheerful Turtle, snobby Mrs. Wexler, and sorrowful Angela. I think the plot is successful to draw the readers and the setting creates a creepy atmosphere while discovering the truth.

Quiz or Circle

  Since we have done different types of quizzes this year, I prefer online quiz personally. For the reading circle, most of the people are chatting unless they have highly concentration to keep going on solving the questions. Although it feels easier, we students can discuss the answers and share opinions, it spends much more time to study the questions deeply. The reading cycle takes long time despite Mr. McCool hastens us. As for hand written quizzes, it spends me much time to go through the questions, thinking the answers, and of course- writing on the paper while worrying about enough spaces. Erasing the answers and trying to keep my words clean and neat are really tired and exhausted, rather than reading the novels. Though I can finish the quiz that no one will disturb me, it is bored and spending time. However, online quiz is the easiest. Although the forms are quite annoying, I can actually search for the questions while comparing with the book and decide the answers. I love this way, especially when I can't get the questions. Online quizzes are easy yet I type the words slowly. Furthermore, the computer will help me to check the mistakes!

Your Game

 Basically, my idea for designing a board game is inferring the murderer because the plot is related to the Westing Games. To deduce the murderer, we need clues that contain super clue cards and detective note cards. Each clue would hide in different corners. The independent variables for this game are the numbers of characters, different types of weapons, and the rooms that the victim had been killed. Clues are collected by obtaining special counters, and referencing the number on this to a list of clues on the detective notes. Some clues will inform players of a super clue, and give its location (e.x. "There is a clue in the garden"). Two of the corners show COLORS which are associated with the characters, weapons or room. This information can be found in the Detective Note Cards. Each character, weapon or room therefore has a different secret code. Since the players might communicate and exchange information, there are only accusations among the players. When a player thinks he or she has discovered, by means of the information collected, they have to declare the following three things:
I) The murderer
II) The weapon used
III) The room where the crime was committed
Eventually, this is my design for board games~

Your Ending

  Since I the narrator confesses that he murdered the old man, I think that it is sort of wasting the mysterious plot. However, in my journal, the Tell-Tale Heart ends with a different way......As the narrator starts feeling he must scream or die!--and now--again!--hark!--louder!--louder!--louder!--louder! " Splash!"A radiated sparkle suddenly glittering in the sky-- the soul has been released in the old man's body. The aura around him is bright, glitter with holy radiance. I couldn't believe what I saw at the first time, and worrying about whether the police noticed the soul of the old man; but, he smiled warmly at me, such as the flowers blooming in spring. His pale blue eyes turned into azure eyes, such as the surging sea. Then, the song began ringing with peace. The voice communicated the deep feelings in my heart, though I didn't understand what's that. The beautiful song seemed to disembody my soul and bring it to a wonderful world. The police looked surprise to observe my changing. I started telling them what I saw few moment ago, but they were suspected unbelievably. Then there was the sound. " Dear suffering spirits in the world, wished angels bless you and broke the reincarnation; wished you  enlightened the real, accepted the truth,  and faced your future." An idea suddenly struck my mind. I teared up the planks, yet the corpse was disappeared--NONE of them remained in the floor. I abruptly understood what the soul was talking about, and I thought that he was the avatar of god who was enlightening my life. I told the story to the police but they thought I was insane. This time, I really understood--I'm not insane. The tell-tale heart was disappeared, because it's a real heart and it won't betray me, from now on till forever.