Lesson 7 Wordly Wise Assignment

Robert Enke's life story should make us pause before we castigate.

àRobert Enke, a genuine, kind soccer goalkeeper who mysteriously died and shocked the soccer nation should make us pause before we castigate.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

If, however, you’re writing a formal essay, avoid colloquialisms entirely.

àColloquialisms should be avoided while writing a formal essay because they are characterized by informal language, such as slang.

http://kimberlychapman.com/

Epitaphs are not usually written by the person in the grave, but rather by those who buried the person.

àEpitaphs are made to memorialize the person, so a person would not write one for himself or herself, but let a loved one do it to pay some respect and kind words.

http://www.holmdel.k12.nj.us/

We began with the Bible as our only guide and blueprint for locating places connected with the exodus.

àThe only way to find exact evidence and facts about places connected with the Exodus would be in the Bible, where no lies are told and there is no social influence.

http://www.bible.ca/

The War Relocation Authority's 1943 publication "Relocation of Japanese Americans" should also be read to understand what the general American public was told about the internment camps.                                                                      à”Relocation of Japanese Americans” should also be read to unearth hidden information about the internment camps, since there is relocation and we may have been told a different version than the truth about the camps. 
http://www.sfmuseum.org/

A chain saw cut through a boot and lacerated the top of an operator's left foot above the ankle.

àLacerations are cuts and wounds, and a chain cutting through a boot and into the top of the foot would be extremely painful and cause lots of blood loss.

http://www.timberlinemag.com/

Davos Elite’s largesse fails to appease critics.

àCritics would see straight through any candidate’s largesse, because it is often used as a type of bait for support and their job is to criticize.

www.wallstreetandtech.com

At the end of the obituary, you should note the date, time and place of the memorial or funeral service.

àObituaries offer a summary of the person’s life, and sometimes an invitation to the funeral with the location and time follow up at the end for those who want to pay their respects.

http://ezinearticles.com/

Some examples of omnivorous animals are pig and bear, both of which will eat a remarkably wide range of plant and animal products.

àPigs and bears could get through most survival situations because of their omnivorous nature that allows them to eat anything from another animal to grass.
http://science.jrank.org/

But black residents in Jena said issues of race permeate their town, 230 miles northwest of New Orleans.

àEven today, as the case in Jena, racial issues permeate various places, and there are still attitudes of racism everywhere.

http://www.diclib.com/

While America may seem less surprised by new renditions of the national anthem, it still considers the song's performance a litmus test for patriotism.

àVarious renditions of the national anthem are a great test of patriotism because it shows whether or not it is sang that original way or in a new, personal way.

http://www.infoplease.com/

The Ku Klux Klan does not appear to be having a resurgence in Colorado, despite a report by a Durango newspaper, but the Klan has a long history in the Centennial.

àThe Ku Klux Klan is still active in many places, with an exception being the false resurgence in Colorado, with the only difference from present-day and past Klan members is that they wear suits instead of hats.

http://www.thegrio.com/

The idea is that a stereotype is a mental connection between a group- for example, blacks- and a trait- for example, criminal.

àStereotypes are the judgments made about a group by an outside source based on collective behavior instead of individuality.

http://news.illinois.edu/

The amount of these monthly stipends can vary greatly with students in Mansfield, Ohio receiving $801, for example, while New York City GI Bill students qualify for $2,751.

àStipends, though given regularly, can vary in amount, sometimes depending on the expenses required.

http://www.gibill.com/

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said there were “probably” truths to claims that the courts were subservient to politicians back when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed was prime minister.

àDatuk Seri Nazri Aziz offers that courts gave in to Tun Dr Mahathur Mohamed in a subservient manner, and since he was prime minister there could be truth in saying he influenced their actions.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/

Good/Bad Examples of Arguable Claims

 Claim: Why does Janie marry three different guys, but at the end doesn’t try to find another guy to marry?

Response: This is not a good example of an arguable claim at all. First of all, a claim is a statement; a generalization. They are supposed to provide the clear stance of the writer on a topic, but still be open for argument. This "claim" is a question, and can only be answered at the most. It cannot be really argued. 

Claim: All marriage during this time period always had some sort of abuse.

Response: This is an example of an arguable claim. It clearly shows what this person is thinking and their opinion on marriage in the time period. It is most certainly arguable, because I know that there are marriages in that time period that went well. You cannot look at one person and assume that all marriages are like that. Easily arguable, but arguable nonetheless. Clearly showing a stance and open for both sides of discussion.

Claim: Janie doesn’t find true happiness until she escapes the control of others.

Response: Very good claim. First of all it is a statement. It easily arguable because someone can provide instances in which Janie was happy during her marriages, but there are still strong points for support that can be provided for this claim. The claim is general, including the whole book and is not just a summary. It is obvious that the whole book was considered in this claim and that it is open for discussion.

Weekly Blog #7 (College Tours)

Over the break, I went and toured several college campuses with the Clausen family. The visit was for T.R. Clausen, and Adam Clausen, but they were allowed to bring a guest so I joined them on the "2012 LaMotte-Clausen College Excursion". The total amount of driving for the trip amounted up to twenty hours sitting in a car. There was a ton of driving, but it was all for a good purpose and it paid off!
The first stop was at Auburn University, which I did not like too much. I liked the campus, but I just was not feeling for the whole school in general. I have to give them credit on their bookstore, though. The bookstore was  huge and had everything, including an authorized on-campus Apple retail store. I was halfway sold on Auburn from the visit to the Apple store, and they also had a Five Guys. Technology and hunger were definitely covered at the campus, but I could not see myself there. We toured the campus with a guide, and she was really cool. She taught all of the tourists an Auburn tradition called "War eagle", which started from an eagle that flew over a football game and the game ended with Auburn  winning their first ever football game. On campus, you could shout "war eagle!" to anyone and they would respond with a hearty "war eagle!". I loved this, and needless to say I screamed it the rest of the time at Auburn.
Next stop was Emory. We just drove through the campus, so I could not really get a good feel for the campus, but the actual buildings were very nice and I heard that Emory has a very good medical program, so that is a university I should look further into. After Emory, we finished the first eight hour drive at our hotel, where I played video games with Adam until the sun came up.
Next stop was Georgia Tech, and I absolutely love it. I really want to go there, and I have cast out any thoughts of other universities because I am so focused on Georgia Tech. Their admission process was one that fits what I need. In addition to GPA, they look at the rigor of the classes you took, so that should help me a bit. They have a fantastic engineering program, and the campus was amazing. They have the most amazing building I have seen through my own eyes in my whole entire life. The GT recreation center is absolutely crazy. Five stories, complete with indoor soccer, swimming, weights, track, basketball, and a lazy river made the experience unbelievable. Most of the buildings were modern, but I had a really good feeling about the campus. I could definitely see myself as a yellow jacket at Georgia Tech. The student center has Macs, video games, a bowling alley, every food place I can think of, ping pong, plasma TVs, and just everything I dream of. University-issued Buzz Cards grant students access to anything on campus, and they are easily able to be filled with money again. I want to commit to Georgia Tech right now.
Georgia University was massive and had an insane recreation center, and I have to give them credit on a really nice campus and curriculum. However, I was still so set on Georgia Tech that no amount of amazing could meet up to the amazing that Georgia Tech provided. All of the universities were nice, and the trip allowed me to put Georgia Tech as #1 on my list of universities. The LaMotte-Clausen road trip was a blast!

Weekly Blog #6 (Girls to the Finals!)

The Episcopal Girls Varsity soccer team made it to the semi-finals for the third consecutive year! In the last two years, they failed to advance, but the third time is the charm! They had to play U-High, which is the school's biggest rival. The girls had beat them once and lost to them once, so this was the ultimate tiebreaker. It was even more special because it was at home and a challenge to decide who goes to the state championship!
Both teams came out strong, but our defense was the strongest it has been all year. The defense was led by Caroline Goodner, Summer Rhynes, Caroline Sides, Caroline Chapple, and a few others. They were bulletproof the whole entire game. There was only one play where they had a mess up and it almost lead to a goal but Moira came to the rescue!
Our defense was key to our success. Another reason we won was because of Taylor Coleman, the 8th grade girl at Episcopal who starts for varsity. She scored THREE goals during the game. The first two were really good, but the third one was into the top corner of the goal. An 8th grader scored a hat trick (3 goals) in a semi-final soccer game against the biggest rival in a tiebreaker. She was on the news, and the game was published in the advocate.
 http://theadvocate.com/sports/preps/2088328-123/colemans-hat-trick-tough-d.html
We stormed the field after the game, and all of the girls were emotional. Moira Fontenot, the goalie, came up big time, and I feel like she deserves more credit for the win that she is receiving. This was the best appearance I have ever seen the Episcopal Varsity girls make, and I know that they will do well in the state championship.

Weekly Blog #5 (Learner's Permit)

A normal sophomore is 16 years old. I am a year younger than everyone, and I would be a freshman if I were born three days later. I took driver's ed with dozens of 9th graders, and it was weird to be the only sophomore there besides Matthew Wen. There are freshmen at Episcopal that are older than me and that already have their permits. The most disturbing part about this is not that they have their permits, but that some of they are actually older than me.
I would have gotten my permit a month ago, but apparently I did not have a required paper. They gave us the option of bringing a social security card or two secondary documents, and since I did not have my social security card we came with the two secondary documents and got turned down. That would have allowed me a month of legal driving experience. I drive without it at the moment, but come Tuesday a police officer would not be able to do anything with criminal penalties if we get pulled over.
So on Valentine's Day 2012, I will be a legal driver with a learner's permit. I will get my license next year, which is really bad. Being a junior and sixteen years old is bad, but having to ride the bus for the first two months is even worse. I have already arranged for my vehicle to be a Ford Escape SUV, but that is something to discuss in a year.
I am really excited to finally get my permit because I will be driving everywhere legally!

"The Yellow Wallpaper" Sequel

John, after returning to consciousness, was absolutely convinced that we needed to leave immediately. He feared that there actually was a pattern in the wallpaper that possibly contained a secret passageway behind it, but his investigation led to nothing and confirmed his idea that I was insane.

John had assumed that all of the peculiar conditions I had been experiencing were a direct result of the stay in the house, so needless to say our belongings were packed and we were gone all under 24 hours time.

Gone from the wallpaper and the woman confined inside, I was feeling better. I resumed writing, but it was about nature and funny highlights of my day and how things were going with John. We settled back in our house in our hometown ,and I felt fully normal and recovered. The first order of business in the house was to change the color of the wallpaper in our room.

Yellow is just such a horrid color..

Weekly Blog #4 (Soccer is Over)

Episcopal Knights' Soccer season of 2011-2012 had the most losses in the regular season in school history. Everyone would look at this and think that the team was horrible, but we truly were very good. Our final record was 8-17 in regular season. Twelve of the seventeen losses were by one goal. Three of the remaining five losses were by two goals, and the other two losses were by three or more goals. The teams we played were very challenging 5A schools that have won championships. If anyone were to look past our record to how we lost and to what teams we lost to, then we would have more respect than we do now.

Playoffs came around, and everyone that knew about us ranked us in the top 10 for the state. However, it is the bottom-feeder schools that ruined our seeding. All they saw was our record and gave us a terrible rank. These people dropped us to rank 16. This Saturday at 3:00 was our first playoff game. The weather was terrible, and it was pretty much like playing underwater soccer. We were playing the Lusher Lions, another very talented team that got messed up in the seeding like we did. If we were to beat them, we would have gone on to play the number one team in the state, Country Day, but that did not happen this season.  William James and Austin Couvillion scored for us. Austin's goal was really special. It was 2-1 with twenty seconds left in regular time, and if it was not for Austin's free kick with seconds left until the end of the season, we would not have gotten a shot at the Lions in overtime. Austin nailed the free kick and the regulation time ended ten seconds after.

Overtime was intense, and the field remained sloppy. The score stayed level after the first, second, and third overtimes. After the fourth overtime, they game would have gone into penalty kicks and the destiny of the season would have been changed. However, the Lions scored with fifteen seconds left in the last overtime. Fifteen more seconds would have changed the season, but they scored off of a cross and the season came to an emotional end. The final score was Lusher (3) Episcopal-Br (2) (Golden Goal).

The 2011-2012 season was a great one that came to an emotional end, but next year will be more successful. We are losing no seniors, and everyone is growing and getting better. The year after that will be legendary, mark my words.