The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
When Germany invaded Poland, Stuka bombers devastated Warsaw—and the city's zoo along with it. With most of their animals dead, zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski began smuggling Jews into empty cages. Another dozen "guests" hid inside the Zabinskis' villa, emerging after dark for dinner, socializing, and, during rare moments of calm, piano concerts. Jan, active in the Polish resistance, kept ammunition buried in the elephant enclosure and stashed explosives in the animal hospital. Meanwhile, Antonina kept her unusual household afloat, caring for both its human and its animal inhabitants—otters, a badger, hyena pups, lynxes.
With her exuberant prose and exquisite sensitivity to the natural world, Diane Ackerman engages us viscerally in the lives of the zoo animals, their keepers, and their hidden visitors. She shows us how Antonina refused to give in to the penetrating fear of discovery, keeping alive an atmosphere of play and innocence even as Europe crumbled around her.(less)
Friday, September 20, 2013
Freedom of Choice
Their are a ton of pros and cons to having freedom. For me well my parents have always let me basically have my freedom under their roof. As long as my choices are reasonable and if I make the wrong choice they step in but I can honestly say the only time they have stepped in on my decision is when I want to go to my friends house and I still have homework so they say no. But this also opens some opportunities for you if you have never had your freedom. For example say you go off to college you get to choose your classes that you want to take and you can either pick easy classes or classes that are going to get you somewhere . But then again it can make something's easier and some harder. For instance you can maybe hang out with friends more often so that becomes easier but then you have to manage your time so you can fit I'm study time and homework time. Also it's easier to decide if your going to school that day or not because the teachers don't care if you through your life away . Now the harder part you have to be the one who reminds yourself about homework and waking up on time or leaving a friends at the right time and if you sleep in no body cares so you have to be the one that motivates your self to do things . Over all I prefer making my own choices. My parents have raised me and my siblings this way and I have learned already so it won't be such a surprise to me when I go off too college. And that's my honest opinion .
NO CHILD LEFT UNTABLETED
Most comments from Mr. Kein and Mr. Rotella reflect the connection between technology, learning process and the workforce. Mr. Britt describes teachers as facilitators (they just distribute work). Mr. Rotella states that they are kind of like architects of the environment. Some professionals are shifting to become facilitators of self-learning and self-expression. Many consider the new way of learning or more so teaching a disruptive form yet still like the idea after it was presented to the staff.
Vocabulary List #5
adroit- skillful in the use of hands or mind.
amicable- friendly
averse- having a strong dislike to something
belligerent- hostile or aggressive
benevolent- well meaning and kindly
cursory- not thorough or detailed
duplicity- deceitfulness
extol- praise enthusiastically
feasible- possible to do easily, conveniently
grimace- twisted expression showing pain, disgust or wry amusement.
holocaust- destruction on a mass scale, caused by fire or nuclear war.
impervious- impenetrable
impetus- the force or energy with which a body moves
jeopardy- danger of harm, loss, or failure.
meticulous- showing great attention to detail.
nostalgia- a sentimental longing for the past.
quintessence- the perfect example.
retrogress- to go back to a earlier state, usually a worse one.
scrutinize- examine or inspect closely
tepid- lukewarm
amicable- friendly
averse- having a strong dislike to something
belligerent- hostile or aggressive
benevolent- well meaning and kindly
cursory- not thorough or detailed
duplicity- deceitfulness
extol- praise enthusiastically
feasible- possible to do easily, conveniently
grimace- twisted expression showing pain, disgust or wry amusement.
holocaust- destruction on a mass scale, caused by fire or nuclear war.
impervious- impenetrable
impetus- the force or energy with which a body moves
jeopardy- danger of harm, loss, or failure.
meticulous- showing great attention to detail.
nostalgia- a sentimental longing for the past.
quintessence- the perfect example.
retrogress- to go back to a earlier state, usually a worse one.
scrutinize- examine or inspect closely
tepid- lukewarm
Vocabulary List #4
accede- agree to demand, request, or treaty
The authorities didn't accede to the strikers' demands.
brandish- wave or flourish as a threat or in anger or excitement
comprise- consist of; be made up of
The country comprises twenty states.
deft- neatly skillful and quick in one's movements
The deft piece of footwork was one to be admired.
destitute- without the basic necessities of life
Every charity will care about destitute children.
explicit- stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt
The speaker's intentions were not made explicit.
extirpate- root out and destroy completely
The use of every legal measure to extirpate this horrible evil from the land.
inopportune- occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time
A storm blew up at an inopportune moment.
ironic- happening in the opposite way to what is expected
It was ironic that now that everyone had plenty of money for food they wouldn't go buy it.
musty- having a stale, moldy, or damp smell
A dark musty library was filled with old books.
officious- assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way
A policemen came to move them on, an officious, spiteful man.
ominous- giving the impression that something had or unpleasant is going to happen
There were omnious dark clouds gathering this morning.
pinnacle- the most successful point; the culmination
The man had reached the pinnacle of his career.
premeditated- think out or plan beforehand
The criminal had premeditated the robbery.
rampant- of something unwelcome or unpleasant
Political violence was rampant in the US.
solace- comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness
She sought solace in her religion.
stately- having a dignified, unhurried, and grand manner
The man has a tall and stately wife.
supple- bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible
She has very supple fingers.
suppress- forcibly put an end to
The uprising was savagely suppressed.
venal- showing or motivated by susceptibility or bribery
Why should these venal politicians care how they are related?
The authorities didn't accede to the strikers' demands.
brandish- wave or flourish as a threat or in anger or excitement
comprise- consist of; be made up of
The country comprises twenty states.
deft- neatly skillful and quick in one's movements
The deft piece of footwork was one to be admired.
destitute- without the basic necessities of life
Every charity will care about destitute children.
explicit- stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt
The speaker's intentions were not made explicit.
extirpate- root out and destroy completely
The use of every legal measure to extirpate this horrible evil from the land.
inopportune- occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time
A storm blew up at an inopportune moment.
ironic- happening in the opposite way to what is expected
It was ironic that now that everyone had plenty of money for food they wouldn't go buy it.
musty- having a stale, moldy, or damp smell
A dark musty library was filled with old books.
officious- assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way
A policemen came to move them on, an officious, spiteful man.
ominous- giving the impression that something had or unpleasant is going to happen
There were omnious dark clouds gathering this morning.
pinnacle- the most successful point; the culmination
The man had reached the pinnacle of his career.
premeditated- think out or plan beforehand
The criminal had premeditated the robbery.
rampant- of something unwelcome or unpleasant
Political violence was rampant in the US.
solace- comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness
She sought solace in her religion.
stately- having a dignified, unhurried, and grand manner
The man has a tall and stately wife.
supple- bending and moving easily and gracefully; flexible
She has very supple fingers.
suppress- forcibly put an end to
The uprising was savagely suppressed.
venal- showing or motivated by susceptibility or bribery
Why should these venal politicians care how they are related?
Declaration of learning independence
I Johna Emerick declare that I will put all my effort into my classes to be able to accomplish what I need to attend Fresno State, UcDavis, and Colorado State. I dedicate my self to the school before my self.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Vocabulary List #3
Accomplice-a person who knowingly helps another in a crime or wrongdoing
The robber had an accomplice to complete the bank robbery successfully.
Annihilate- to utterly destroy
The Twin Towers were annihilated on September 11, 2001.
Arbitrary- based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system:
We made an arbitrary decision to go out to dinner before the game.
Brazen- shameless or impudent
Catalyst- a person or thing that quickly causes change
The dropping of the bomb was a major catalyst during the war.
Exodus- a going out, a departure
We went on a foreign exodus during the summer.
Facilitate- to make easier or less difficult
My mom helps facilitate my problems.
Incorrigible-bad beyond correction or reform
The car was incorrigible after the accident.
Latent-present but not visible, hidden, concealed
The spirit around the campus has been latent for too many years.
Militant-vigorously active and aggressive
The employees militantly protested in front of the company.
Morose-gloomily or sullenly ill-humored
They morosely looked at all of the assignments they had to accomplish.
Opaque-not transparent or translucent
She wouldn't drink the water because it was nearly opaque.
Paramount-above others in rank or authority, very important
It is paramount to remember all of these vocabulary words.
Prattle- talk in a foolish or simple-minded way
I don't like associating with those who prattle.
Rebut- claim or prove that (evidence or an accusation) is false
The reckless driver tried to rebut the ticket he received.
Reprimand-severe reproof or rebuke
My parents will reprimand me if I get caught doing something I shouldn't be doing.
Servitude-slavery or bondage of any kind
All forms or servitude in America are illegal.
Slapdash-hurriedly and carelessly
It was noticeable that student was very slapdash with his work.
Stagnant- not flowing or running
The riverbed is dry because the river is stagnant.
Succumb-to give way to superior force
She was trying to lose weight, but she would always succumb to sweets and soda.
The robber had an accomplice to complete the bank robbery successfully.
Annihilate- to utterly destroy
The Twin Towers were annihilated on September 11, 2001.
Arbitrary- based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system:
We made an arbitrary decision to go out to dinner before the game.
Brazen- shameless or impudent
Catalyst- a person or thing that quickly causes change
The dropping of the bomb was a major catalyst during the war.
Exodus- a going out, a departure
We went on a foreign exodus during the summer.
Facilitate- to make easier or less difficult
My mom helps facilitate my problems.
Incorrigible-bad beyond correction or reform
The car was incorrigible after the accident.
Latent-present but not visible, hidden, concealed
The spirit around the campus has been latent for too many years.
Militant-vigorously active and aggressive
The employees militantly protested in front of the company.
Morose-gloomily or sullenly ill-humored
They morosely looked at all of the assignments they had to accomplish.
Opaque-not transparent or translucent
She wouldn't drink the water because it was nearly opaque.
Paramount-above others in rank or authority, very important
It is paramount to remember all of these vocabulary words.
Prattle- talk in a foolish or simple-minded way
I don't like associating with those who prattle.
Rebut- claim or prove that (evidence or an accusation) is false
The reckless driver tried to rebut the ticket he received.
Reprimand-severe reproof or rebuke
My parents will reprimand me if I get caught doing something I shouldn't be doing.
Servitude-slavery or bondage of any kind
All forms or servitude in America are illegal.
Slapdash-hurriedly and carelessly
It was noticeable that student was very slapdash with his work.
Stagnant- not flowing or running
The riverbed is dry because the river is stagnant.
Succumb-to give way to superior force
She was trying to lose weight, but she would always succumb to sweets and soda.
Essay Topic
Our essay topic was a persuasive essay.The reason we choose it was mainly because I was good at that type of writing , and the other three said that it wasn't their best. We thought it would be a perfect opportunity for myself to explain to the three people how the persuasive essay works and that way they can all build up their persuasive writing skills. And with a great topic like this it's easy to find different statistics and stories or interviews from the internet .
Vocabulary List #2
obesity -The condition of being overweight
With a rise of fast food popularity, we are also seeing a rise in obesity.
accumulate-acquire an increasing number or quantity of
If you don't take the right precautions, body fat will continue to accumulate.
mass-a coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape
When the girl went to the doctors for her appointment, they found a large mass that needed to be removed.
disease- a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, esp one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury
It's important to stay healthy to make sure you aren't in danger of getting any diseases.
diet-the kinds of food that a person or animal commonly eats or a special course of food to which one restricts oneself to either lose weight or for medical reasons
It's crucial to maintain a well balanced diet consisting of nutrients for the body.
prevalence-the fact or condition of being prevalent; commonness
Fast food has become a very prevalent way of eating now days.
stigma: a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person
Some don't hold the stigma to successfully stay on the right diet.
prevent(able)-to keep from happening (capable of being kept from happening)
Many diseases due to obesity are 100% preventable.
adolescent- a young person in the process of developing from a child into an adult
Adolescents must know how to eat properly so that they'll remain healthy as they enter adulthood.
cardiovascular-of or relating to the heart and blood vessels
To keep the cardiovascular system running, one must exercise regularly.
excessive- more than what is necessary, normal, or desirable
One way to gain weight is to eat excessive amounts at one time.
mechanism- a natural or established process by which something takes place or is brought about
Learning certain mechanisms can help one make the healthiest options
sedentary-(of a person) tending to spend much time seated; inactive
You can't be sedentary and expect to be fit and in shape.
predispose- make someone liable or inclined to a specified attitude, action, or condition
You can't predispose others for your weight gain, it's your own fault.
syndrome- a group of symptoms that consistently occur together or a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms
Certain syndromes can be threatening to one's health.
With a rise of fast food popularity, we are also seeing a rise in obesity.
accumulate-acquire an increasing number or quantity of
If you don't take the right precautions, body fat will continue to accumulate.
mass-a coherent, typically large body of matter with no definite shape
When the girl went to the doctors for her appointment, they found a large mass that needed to be removed.
disease- a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, esp one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury
It's important to stay healthy to make sure you aren't in danger of getting any diseases.
diet-the kinds of food that a person or animal commonly eats or a special course of food to which one restricts oneself to either lose weight or for medical reasons
It's crucial to maintain a well balanced diet consisting of nutrients for the body.
prevalence-the fact or condition of being prevalent; commonness
Fast food has become a very prevalent way of eating now days.
stigma: a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person
Some don't hold the stigma to successfully stay on the right diet.
prevent(able)-to keep from happening (capable of being kept from happening)
Many diseases due to obesity are 100% preventable.
adolescent- a young person in the process of developing from a child into an adult
Adolescents must know how to eat properly so that they'll remain healthy as they enter adulthood.
cardiovascular-of or relating to the heart and blood vessels
To keep the cardiovascular system running, one must exercise regularly.
excessive- more than what is necessary, normal, or desirable
One way to gain weight is to eat excessive amounts at one time.
mechanism- a natural or established process by which something takes place or is brought about
Learning certain mechanisms can help one make the healthiest options
sedentary-(of a person) tending to spend much time seated; inactive
You can't be sedentary and expect to be fit and in shape.
predispose- make someone liable or inclined to a specified attitude, action, or condition
You can't predispose others for your weight gain, it's your own fault.
syndrome- a group of symptoms that consistently occur together or a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms
Certain syndromes can be threatening to one's health.
Analysis #1
I decided to do my text analysis on the article that I posted since I know most about it. My article was " fat letters" which is posted on this blog. So basically , some schools are sending letters home to let parents know that their child is overweight. Some people agree that this is a good idea and others not so much . I, personally , think its a waist of time because parents can obviously tell. I mean , how could they not? I feel like the only way a parent wouldn't notice is if they aren't involved in their child's life and just basically let them do whatever they want, other than that the parent would notice. Wouldn't you ?
Vocabulary List #1
Expository - intended to explain or describe
The students want to develop their creative and expository writing skills.
Composition - the act of putting together or making up by combining parts or ingredients
The Neighbors were curious about the composition of Lluvia's famous brownies.
Assuage - making something unpleasant less intense
The only way to assuage his pain was by icing his sprained ankle.
Decadence - moral or cultural decline especially after a peak of achievement
Decadence is wild spending spree with credit cards when job security is very low.
Hackneyed - lacking significance through having been overused
The phrase " I have a right to my own opinion" is a very hackneyed way to end an argument
Coalition - an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states
The armies of the north formed a coalition to help defeat the southern aggressors.
Transcend - be or go beyond the range of limits
The underlying message of the film is that love transcends everything else
Meritorious - deserving reward or praise
The family decided to give the meritorious boy a reward for returning their lost dog.
Lurid - very vivid in color especially so as to create a very unpleasantly or unnatural effect
The reporter wrote a lurid article about the gruesome murder.
Petulant - childishly sulky or bad-tempered
The child had a petulant reaction when his parents refused to buy him the new toy.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
My Big Question
My big question is have you ever said a word repetitively to the point to where it sounds like the weirdest word in the world. I mean try it with me Engine engine engune engan engien . You repeat it so much it's almost impossible to pronounce it right the next time. I guess what I'm getting at is how did these names come upon us how did these words create our English vocabulary. Who spoke our language the first time ? What If it used to be all written and nobody spoke and then one day someone tried to say it and mispronounced it and now we say cow instead of couw. I guess we will never know but that is my BIG QUESTION.
"It's All Latin To Me"
If you are not familiar with the Latin spoken language then you will find it is not an easy language to understand, and the latin written language is also very difficult because the English alphabet is not used, so when someone says 'sounds like Latin to me' they are actually saying they don't understand you. * In Greece, its ''Its all Chinese to me''. The Meaning Defined to this class to me would be that we are starting from scratch we know nothing about this resource yet. We are pulling a rabbit out of the hat that we didn't even know existed. But it is something possible to learn , and that is why I think you provided us with this saying .
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