Midterm Review Strategy

       Well, I will use the same technique that i have always used: flash-cards. I find that repetition is the best way to embed information in one's head. I have been using flash-cards to study since list one so all I have to do is organize them and make sure none are missing. From there, I just study and study the flash-cards until I have them down.

Hamlet Learning Communities

http://mrduncanaplit.blogspot.com/2011/02/writing-essay-on-hamletmessages-from-ap.html

• So this is a website of an AP English Literature classes' blog. It contains the students interpretations of the play. 

http://gallagherseniorhonors.blogspot.com/search/label/Hamlet%20Videos

• This is another  AP English Literature classes' blog. I linked this particular http to various videos of Hamlet being brought to the big screen. 

http://apliteratureblog-jody.blogspot.com/2012/04/hamlet.html

• This is a link to a student's synopsis of Hamlet

http://quizlet.com/subject/ap-english-literature-and-composition-hamlet-act/

• Quizlet is a website that is used to make electronic flash-cards. This particular link contains vocabulary for every scene of Hamlet.

Pre - William Shakespeare Questions

a) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?  b) What do you know about Shakespeare?  c) Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?  and d) What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?

A-B) Well, I know that Shakespeare is a renowned poet for making stories in iambic pentameter. He is also know for his tragedies (Romeo & Juliet) and betrayals (Othello). I predict Hamlet will also be a tragedy filled with puns and old english. 
C)Shakespeare is known for old english style writing. His plays were written hundreds of years ago. He also includes puns that relate to events and peolpe of his time or from the past. Many of these puns are quite confusing unless you know some of the colloquial-wise words for that time. 
D) I think we should definitely read the play in class. I'm a fan of reading at home but this play will be memorable if read in class.

Vocabulary: list #7 Sentences

I guess I would be an aberration because I have chosen to be with someone that is usual for society.
The guinea pigs are ad hocs because they were bred to be used for scientific experimentation.
Tom’s mere existence was the bane of we existence because he betrayed her.
Prince Zukos bathos was very dramatic and violent because he went from being a respected prince to the bane of the dynasty.
Everyone in anger management has a tendency to be cantankerous when something goes awry in their lives.
Jacob utilized much casuistry in order to obtain followers, he even downsized other religions.
The prince is heir to the throne by de facto of lineage.
Vikings were known for depredation of small villages in order to obtain supplies, even of it meant robbing hundreds of families dry.
I empathize with my friend on our feelings toward our parents' bigotry.
Fish dying and crows flying are usually harbingers of doom.
I dislike that people assume nerds are lackluster and only have a nerdy side.
I choose hedonism over an aesthetic lifestyle because I rather live life to its fullest and than live a life of self denial.
I am malcontent with the regulations that restrict my movements out of the house.
Her voice is soothing and mellifluous that all my frustrations tend to melt away.
Many kingdoms fell because nepotism was the norm in which incompetent relative were placed in a position of power.
Chocolate cookies and my muse are the pander in which I indulge yet I'm not supposed to have.
White lies are usually peccadilloes because they are lies but they are not told for harmful intentions.
The piece de resistance of the YMCA is creating a commercial to advertise their business.
The business man remanded the shipment because he got a box of sandals instead of a box of candles.
When Lena arrived, many accidents occurred that pointed to her and she possibly commenced this syndrome with her arrival. 

Vocabulary: List #7

1. aberration-(Noun)A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome; A person whose beliefs or behavior are unusual or unacceptable.
2. ad hoc-(Adjective)Formed, arranged, or done for a particular purpose only.
3. bane-(Noun)A cause of great distress or annoyance;Something, typically poison, that causes death.
4. bathos- ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax;
5. cantankerous-(Adjective)Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
6. casuistry-(Noun)The use of clever but unsound reasoning, esp. in relation to moral questions; sophistry;The resolving of moral problems by the application of theoretical rules to particular instances.
7. de factor-(Adverb)In fact, whether by right or not; (Adjective)Denoting someone or something that is such in fact: "a de facto one-party system".
8. depredation-(Noun)An act of attacking or plundering.
9. empathy-(Noun)The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
10. harbinger-anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign: Frost is a harbinger of winter.
11. hedonism-the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good; choosing pleasure as a way of life
12. lackluster-lacking brilliance or radiance; dull: lackluster eyes.
13. malcontent-not satisfied or content with currently prevailing conditions or circumstances. dissatisfied with the existing government, administration, system, etc.(Noun) A person who is dissatisfied and rebellious. (Adjective) Dissatisfied and complaining or making trouble.
14. mellifluous-(Adjective)(of a voice or words) Sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.
15. nepotism-(Noun)The practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, esp. by giving them jobs.
16. pander-Gratify or indulge (an immoral or distasteful desire, need, or habit or a person with such a desire, etc.).
17. peccadillo-(Noun)A small, relatively unimportant offense or sin.
18. piece de resistance-the principal dish of a meal; the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.
19. remand-to send back, remit, or consign again.
20. syndrome-a group of related or coincident things, events, actions, etc.;predictable, characteristic pattern of behavior, action, etc., that tends to occur under certain circumstances

Wuthering Heights LAQ

Wuthering Heights

By Emily Brontë 

General

1.    Well, I have to say that Wuthering Heights is a depressing “love story” filled with the do’s and don’ts of marriage in the eighteenth century. Lockwood is a guy who is traveling and decides to rent Thrushcross Grange from a guy named Heathcliff. One day while visiting his landlord’s house, it starts to snow and he is trapped for the night at Wuthering

Amor Vincit Omnia

"AMOR VINCIT OMNIA"

be an epicurus...

   

      Amor vincit omnia- "love conquers all" ( quoted from the Canterbury Tales Prologue). Life is but a roller-coaster ride filled with ups and downs, and turn arounds. Life isn't simple. For anything to really having meaning and be of value to oneself, one has to work for it. You must strain yourself, and endure hardships even when at the time the odds may be stacked against you.

      As Bukowski wrote, "your life is your life don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission. be on the watch. there are ways out. there is a light somewhere. it may not be much light but it beats the darkness....". Honestly, I can quote the entire poem and still have meaning in each sentence be relevant to life choices. When life seems tough, that's when you have to stop and think, "why am I doing what I am doing?' Because, without love, life is empty. Whether it is love of work or love of another, love brings happiness and hope of better future. Happiness and hope is what endures when all else fails. "Those who endure, conquer." If you truly want something in life, you have to work for it, build it, mold it, and grow with it until it becomes apart of you. 

      For some, this may seem gibberish filled with truth. For others that can fully grasp the modicum of reading between the lines, I applaud you. 

   

Active Reading Notes Bede (pp.74-82) & Prologue to Canterbury Tales (pp.90-115)

Active Reading Notes Bede (pp.74-82) & Prologue to Canterbury Tales (pp.90-115)

History of the English Church and People (pp. 72-78)

• Historical writing- tells story of past events using evidence, such as documents from the period, that the writer has evaluated for reliability
• Bede (673-735) is a historian who documents the history of England and the spread of Christianity even if majority or people are illiterate
• Written in Latin so it died pretty easily because who clergy understood Latin
• Speaks of geography and areas around the city
• Abundance of fish products 
• Scarlet dye is symbol of power and endurance because it is a dye that does not fade
• Bede wrote of Ireland in a nicer way... he didn't speak of snakes or anything that could view Ireland in a bad/scary way

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (pp. 79-82)

• Written because Bede's account is not as accurate
• Invasions caused much danger
• the people were spread out so communication hard plus they never agreed on anything
• They are unified as a culture but not in opinions
• Picts choose kings from female blood line
• Britain contains four languages (English, British, Scots, Latin, and Picts)
• Picts settled in south of Britain
• Scots are called Delreudians…dal means division
• Prepare to Read “The Canterbury Tales Prologue” (pp. 90)
• Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) – soldier, diplomat royal clerk
• He gives broad spectrum of personalities/experiences
• He worked for wife of Lionel of Antwerp- close to aristocratic life
• He was captured as a soldier and latered freed when king paid ransom 16lbs
• He married Philippa Pan
• No one knows why he wrote stories perhaps when he went on his own pilgrimage=inspiration
• Tales varies from romance to comedy, rhyme to prose, crude humor to religious mystery
• He only completed 24 out of 120 stories

Characterization: (pp. 91)

• Direct characterization: the narrator or a character in the story tells us what we need to know about a character
• Indirect characterization: we find out about characters indirectly through thoughts, comments, or actions of the characters
• Flat: character with few personality traits (few details given)
• Round: character with many personality traits (many details given)
• Static: a character that does not change personality, beliefs, ideas, etc. throughout  the work
• Dynamic: a character that experiences some type of change during the course of the  story due to events
• Social commentary: writing that offers insight into society, its values, and its customs
• Chaucer’s Guided Tour of Medieval life and Literature (pp. 92-93)
• Pilgrimage-  long, annual trips to holy places (joyous event that gathered people from various backgrounds and occupations)
• Prologue begins with a pilgrim at the Tabard Inn.
• Host Harry Bailey proposes a challenge that along the way there and back, each pilgrim tell a total of 4 stories… the most interesting story wins.
• 24 different stories told…. Even though there are 29 pilgrims, not including Bailey 

• Chaucer uses French poetic forms… a heroic couplet is a pair of rhyming lines with five stresses syllables each

The Canterbury Tales (The prologue) (pp. 94-115)

• Canterbury town where archbishop Thomas a Becket (martyr) killed 1170, people go pay respects
• Zephyrus is west wind
• Ram- Aries, the first sign of the zodiac pilgrimage began april 11, 1387
• 29 pilgrims at Tabard Inn preparing for journey to Canterbury
• Chaucer describes a 1) knight-honorable, distinguishable record, he fought 15 battles, and some battles with narrator, he was usually vanguard (forefront soldier), wise, modest, a true knight
• 2) knight’s son- squire, lover, cadet, handsome, 20yrs old,  could write, joust, ride horse, and recite poems… carved to perfection
• 3) yeoman (attendant) at knight’s son’s side- “proper forester”, he wore St. Christopher pendant, bow & arrow
• 4) nun (prioress-nun ranking below an abbess)-simple, coy, solicitous (caring, compassionate), pretty
• 5) monk-hunterer, garnished, bald
• 6) friar- jolly, listened and gave penance, beggar, truckled people into giving him money, he was respected beggar
• 7)merchant-blunt, and egotistic, in debt,
• 8) oxford cleric- thin, intelligent (read Aristotle), he only cared about study
• 9) sergeant at the law-fame, scholarly, high position, knows every case up to King William’s time, 
• 10) franklin (weathly landowner)- lived for happiness, happy-fat man, liked to keep house full of food, change food with seasons
• 11, 12, 13, 14, & 15) haberdasher, a dyer, a carpenter, a weaver, and a carpet-maker were worthy burgess, wisdom and rich
• 16) cook-good cook, made a good creamy chicken dish (blancmange), he had an ulcer on knee
• 17) skipper-who was a good watch, good worker
• 18)doctor- best surgeon, rich
• 19) wealthy woman-she was a traveler, been to many cities, bad teeth, skilled in old dances, aiding in loves mischances
• 20)parson- holy man, not like taxes, like visiting people
• 21) plowman- brother to the parson, good worker,
• 22, 23, 24, 25) a reeve( estate manager)- old choleric and thin, a miller- big strong man, manciple (buyer of provisions)- rational buyer , pardoner- gentle singer blonde, and a church court summoner- red face bc of carbuncles pus filled boils) very drunk
• 26) narrator will be blunt with his descriptions and dialogue
• Host was definition of a man, strong, he told challenge and all accepted
• They drew straws to start

Customize Blog

         Well hello viewer! Not everyone is tech savvy or knows how to customize/use blogger to its full extent. I am definitely barely learning, taking baby steps. Thanks to Ubi Kim and Matt Pattel, that journey to optimize my blogger to its full extent has been made easy. Ubi taught me how to add music to my blog, while Matt taught me how to use hyperlinks (which is a way to link a word on a comment). I hope these links help! I definitely recommend checking out their blogs and seeing how they "pimped out" their blog :)

Screen Shot

I got this picture using Snipping Tool.

Vocabulary: Fall List #6 sentences

1. It is beatitude to live in America with free public education.
2. Spiders and cockroaches are my bête noire because I just cringe at the site of them.
3. Dogs are bodes of earthquakes because they always bark before an earthquake hits.
4. My cellar is dank because there is no are no lights and there is a pipe leak.
5. Milk is an ecumenical grocery to find inside a fridge. 
6. It feels as if every encounter is fervid and the atmosphere is electric.
7. Sometimes I detest living in Los Alamos because of the fetid smell of manure ever present.
8. Gargantuan only begins to describe the Great of China.
9. Eighth grade year was my heyday because I was involved in ASB, sports, and I was also valedictorian.
10. One of my brothers' favorite bands is incubus and they love the song "Threshold".
11. Employees are the infrastructure of a business. If the employees don't do their jobs, then the business will crumble.
12. Prostitutes usually inveigle a customer by sexual arrousement.
13. Kudos to Ubi for figuring out how to add music to a blog and for showing me as well.
14. People who attend the VIP party will acquire a lagniappe which varies from an iPod to a certificate to a day spa.
15. I found Hemingway’s writing style to be prolix when compared to Faulkner who used fewer words to describe a setting.
16. Joshua is my Protégé and I am his patron. I have bestowed him with my skill as a student and he has granted me his attentive ears.
17. Terminator was only the prototype of the X9's that will invade the earth in the future.
18. Mycha is a sycophant known for kissing up to the teacher around grading period.
19. Lance psyches me out sometimes with his tautology because he asks me if I want him to arrive at 12 am or to land at midnight at my doorstep.
20. I truckle to any question or favor under her mesmerizing gaze of beauty.

Vocabulary: Fall List #6

1. Beatitude- Supreme blessedness
2. bete noire (anathema)- someone or something which is particularly disliked or avoided; an object of aversion, the bane of one’s existence.
3. Bode- Be an omen of a particular outcome; announce beforehand
4. Dank- unpleasantly damp, musty, and typically cold
5. Ecumenical- general; universal; Promoting or relating to unity among the world's Christian churches
6. Fervid- Intensely enthusiastic or passionate; heated or vehement in spirit or enthusiasm. 
7. Fetid- Smelling extremely unpleasant or having an offensive odor
8. Gargantuan- gigantic; enormous; colossal:
9. Heyday- The period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, vigor, strength, or success; an exclamation of cheerfulness, surprise, wonder
10. Incubus- A male demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; a cause of distress or anxiety like a nightmare
11. Infrastructure- the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization
12. Inveigle- to acquire, win, or obtain by beguiling talk or methods; persuade by trickery or cleverness
13. Kudos- Praise and honor received for an achievement  
14. Lagniappe- a gift or token
15. Prolix- Using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy
16. Protégé- a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare
17. Prototype- the original or model on which something is based or formed
18. sycophant-A person who acts obsequiously toward someone in order to gain advantage; a servile flatterer
19. tautology- A phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words
20. truckle- to submit or yield obsequiously or tamely; to give in like a coward
21. obsequious-Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree; false flattery

Vocabulary: Fall List #5 Sentences

1. Obviously I think the best way to reinforce something is to rewrite it on paper, but so much of our modern lives are dominated by technology that using your own material has been scarce. Many people do rely on tools and that will affect the acumen of youth.
2. Judges will adjudicate whether an accused person is guilty or not, only after careful consideration.
3. An iPod found in the Iliad is an example of anachronism.
4. Most people listen and believe in the apocryphal acts of those who have come before them.
5. When metaphors always seemed grammatically incorrect to me because of the disparity between the two objects being compared.
6. I understand why heroes dissimulate their identity with masks and false names, because people fear what they don’t understand.
7. I learn by observing and working out problems so empirical formulas are easier for me to grasp than formulas in which you naively accept by previous scientists. I would love to observe experiments rather than accept information blindly.
8. I love flamboyant people who are overly exuberant because the atmosphere just lights up.
9. It really makes me angry when people are so pretentious of their peers yet they are fulsome to adults.
10. Many Indian women were immolated as an offer to the gods. They were immolated usually by decapitation.
11. His imperceptible gaze makes it hard for me to decipher his emotions.
12. I personally think golf is very boring, so being a golfer’s lackey and having to endure the entire game would kill me.
13. I am the community liaison for the club Latinos Unidos and it is my job to reach out to the community and represent my school.
14. My favorite Pokémon is a Kanto because they are monolithic, almost as big as Godzilla.
15. Brothers have a way with words. They know what to say and when to say it. They use mot juste for the most appropriate conversations
16. Everyone has their own belief systems and mantras. I am a catholic but I also have a level of skepticism because my religion was created hundreds of years ago. I’m not a nihilist because I do have optimism but I am also skeptical of certain things/outcomes.
17. In Spanish, we are reading about an orphan who grew to be a patrician because he worked and believed in his future. Have to love fate sometimes.
18. Jin has gone to work for his wife’s’ father in order to propitiate his blessing.
19. I was so enraged by the adult’s dogmatic beliefs that I sicced my dog on that person.
20. I snap my fingers so that I sublimate the urge to scratch my scab.

Vocabulary: Fall List #5

1. Acumen-The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions; keen insight; shrewdness
2. adjudicate- Make a formal judgment or decision about a problem or disputed matter; judge
3. anachronism- A thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, esp. a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned; something that is out of place
4. apocryphal- of doubtful authenticity;unsure
5. disparity- A big difference; dissimilar
6. dissimulate- Conceal or disguise (one's thoughts, feelings, or character) under a false appearance
7. empirical- Based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic
8. flamboyant- Tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and stylishness
9. fulsome- offensive to an excessive degree; Of large size or quantity; characterized by generousity or abundance
10. immolate- Kill or sacrifice by fire
11. imperceptible- Impossible to perceive; very slight, gradual, or subtle
12. lackey- a servant; a servile follower
13. liaison- A person who acts as a link to assist communication or cooperation between groups of people; Communication or cooperation that facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations
14. monolithic- consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken
15. mot juste-the exact appropriate word
16. nihilism- The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless; extreme skepticism
17. patrician-an aristocrat or nobleman; pertaining to the aristocracy
18. Propitiate- Win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them.
19. Sic- usually written parenthetically to denote that a word, phrase, passage, etc., that may appear strange or incorrect has been written intentionally or has been quoted verbatim:
20. Sublimate- Divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity; to divert the energy of (a sexual or other biological impulse) from its immediate goal to one of a more acceptable social, moral, or aesthetic nature or use.