Thursday, November 29, 2007

Hornet League Debate

Court Cases:
1). These debates occur in a court room in front of a group of people.
2). This debates help people get something that they want or deserve. Wether it is money or an actual though.
3). Court cases help people reach a better decision by having a lawyer fight for their rights.
4). This debate is structured.
5). This changes the decision making process because in this particular debate a judge and a jury decides the winner.
Political Debates:
1). These debates occur in a huge room with a crowd of people watching.
2). The purpose of these debates show what particular canidates want and will fight for if they get into office.
3). This type of debate helps voters pick the canidate they think will best represent them in Washington.
4). This debate is structured.
5). This effects the decision making process for voters because it shows what the candidates are actually like. (personalities and beliefs.)

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Week 2: Part B

In the second part of the book "Water For Elephants" the main charactor Jacob is now the only vet in the circus (Benzini Bros Most Spectacular Show On Earth) that he is now in.(Pg 59) Uncle Al the owner gives him the jobh because he just left college and there is a horse on the train that needs medical help. In the book it jumps forward to the present where he is in the hospital and he is mad because one of the residents said that he brought water to the elephants.(Pg 65) In the last part of the section Jacob is helping Marlena's horse and she is very greatful for him to be there. She is very sad about her horse being in pain and you can tell that she is emotionally attached to it(The Silver Star).(Pg 87) Also one of Jacobs new bosses wanted him to know that he was in charge by telling him to feed the tigers and he ended up geting bit by one with no teeth.(Pg 85-86)

Week 2: Part A

Vocab:
1).Carrion(Pg 77): Dead and putrifying fish.
2).Ingratiating(Pg 89): To establish oneself in the favor or good graces of others.
Figurative Language:
1). "Uncle Al may be a tough old crow, but he's no fool."-Metaphor
2). "He bares his teeth and screams long, unhuman haul."-Personification
3). "Thin strips of moonlight filter throught the slatted sidesof the stock car."-Personification
Quote:
"when I return to the stock car, Silver Star is against the far wall in knee-deep straw. His eyes are glassy, his heart rate high." (Pg 81) This quote shows that he is now the vet in the circus and he is helping Marlena's horse heal his leg.
Sentance:
The emerging theme of this book is Jacob's job as the new vet in the circus.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

week 1: Part B

In this first part of the book the protagonists name is Jacob Jankowski. When the book starts telling his story he is in college and is about to take his test, when his parents die he doesn't want to be there any more. "I walk until the edge of town and then veer off to follow the train tracks." (pg 23) He jumps onto a train and finds himself in a boxcar with a couple of men in it and he finds out hat he is on a circus train. Since he has lost his parents he wants a fresh start and in the morning he starts to work by shoveling horse manure and then moves up to work with the crowd when the circus started. This happens in the real world all the time, when people work really well in one area they move up to something better. When Jacob started working at the circus he didn't know what he had gotten himself into and all he wanted to do was run away from the hard times he was having back at him home and he ended up throwing away his chance to take the placement test he was going to take at his college. He should have thought about what he was really doing before giving up the money and time that he had already spent on his college education.

Week 1: Part A

Vocabulary:
1). Esquire (Pg 19): An English counrty gentleman.
2). Diaphanous (Pg 47): Of such fine texture as to be transparent or translucent.
Figurative Language:
1). "so long ago. So long. But still it haunts me." Shows foreshadowing says that he still thinks about that moment throughout his life.
2). The eggplant purple on bludless white. Metaphor about the look of his dead parents in the hospital bed/table.
3). When he jumps the train this is foreshadowing because that is what he will be doing for most of his life.
quote:
"I awake to the prolonged screeching of brakes."(pg 31) This is significant because this is his first time working at the circus.
Theme:
The emerging theme of this book is about a man that joins the circus and is working with the crowd and everything included at the circus.

Monday, November 12, 2007

Choice Book: Quarter #2

  • Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen
  • Published in 2006
  • Fiction
  • 331 pages
  • This book is challenging for a sophmore because the content is different than something that I would normally pick out and want to read, also this book was on your list.
  • I chose this book because it is about the circus and it sounded really interesting.