Thursday, 17 November 2011

August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains

A) Genre: Science Fiction
B) Title: August 2026: There Will Come Soft Rains
Author: Ray Bradbury

C) Question 11: Does the story or article connect to one of the MYP AOI's? Explain how.

Answer: This story relates to the AOI of Environment of Society. The reason that this story relates to this AOI is because a nuclear bomb had just exploded, and it had left the city of Allendale California in ruins, and the only things left was this house. The other reason that this story relates to this AOI is because recently another nuclear explosion had just happened in Japan, so it relates to the society and the environment, because they have some of the same circumstances and situations that happen.

D) What element of Science Fiction and which elements are used/ can be found in the short story?


Answer: The elements of science fiction that are used and can be found in this story, is the main character itself which is the mechanical house, which has many little animals and programs set into it so it is like a robot. The house itself is the main science fiction element that is in this story, because it does everything that it was programmed to do, which is a very valuable thing to have in Science Fiction Story's.


E) What do you learn about the way people interact through this short story?


Answer: I have learned that people interact through commands and programming, and not even talking but making small noises and movements to communicate with each other. I have also learned that people can communicate my pictures to explain what has happened or what is happening.

The Lemon Orchard

A) Genre: Historical Fiction
B) Title: The Lemon Orchard
Author: Alex la Guma

C) Question 3: What is the Setting? When? Where? How important is the setting to the story? What effect does it have?

Answer: The setting is in South Africa in a Lemon Orchard, when apartheid or separation of blacks and whites was happening in SA. The setting is very important to the story, because the lemon orchard is the hidden character in the story itself, and the lemon orchard has a meaning to the story that Alex la Guma was trying to get across to the readers, which is to take pride in who your are and never give up respect for yourself.

D) What element of Historical Fiction and which elements are used/ can be found in the short story?

Answer: The elements of Historical fiction that are found in this story is the fact that these men are taking the black man to beat him, because he had been hit by the principle because they got into an argument and wanted some sort of reward as an apology. At this time the white people thought they were superior to black people, so when this happened the principle ordered these 3 men to take the man out of his house and take him to the lemon orchard, which did happen many times in South Africa at this time because of apartheid.

E) What do you learn about the way people interact through this short story?

Answer: I have learned that people interact through talking, or not talking at all which says many things not literally but mentally to people, which had happened in this story of "The Lemon Orchard".

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Wedding Decorations

A. Genre: Romance
B. Title: Wedding Decorations
Author: Harmeet Kaur Dhillon

C. Question 9: How is this text similar or different to other things you have read?

Answer: This text is quite different from other things I have read, because I normally read books about Horror or mystery, but from the romance books I have read it does have that affect of making someone osse and gush over the love and surprise that David had given to Rachael.

D. What element of romance and which elements are used/ can be found in the short story?


Answer: The elements of romance that are used and found in the story are when david hands back Rachael's birthday bracelet from her mum, or when Jack sends Rachael the nice card and roses then turns up at her doorstep and asks her to marry him. Another time the element of romance was used in this story, is when David gives her a big hug and kisses her hand.


E.  What do you learn about the way people interact through this short story?


Answer: What I have learned about the way that people interact in this story is through emotional interaction like love, Verbal communication, ad also body language, For example; getting down on one knee, kissing someone on the hand, smiling ect..

Sisters

A. Genre: Comedy
B. Title: Sisters
Author: Lena ??

C. Question 13: How has the writer used their own personal life in what you have read?

Answer: The writer has used their own personal life in this story, because it shows how she was talking to her sister and the relationship between her and her sister. It also showed she was talking about her personal life in this story, because she wouldn't know how two sisters react to each other at the ages they were in the story if she didn't have a sister of her own; she would of not known how the relationships between sisters work at that age.

D. What element of Comedy and which elements are used/ can be found in the short story?


Answer: The elements of comedy that can be found and are used in this short story are when the sisters are fighting and the little sister threatens to tell there mum, because I can relate to this having two sisters of my own. Another element and use of comedy in this short story would be at the very end, after the two sisters made a bet so no one would tell there mum, and as soon as the little sister got in the door she told their mother about what happened accidentally. This is also humorous, because again relating to people who do have sisters and because i was the little sister in my family I could see myself doing this and seeing my sisters just sigh and be prepared for a talking to. :)


E. What do you learn about the way people interact through this short story?


Answer: I learned that in this story, the people interacted through verbal communication, and mental communication. The two girls in this story also communicated with body language like hand movements, and face emotions.

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Dreams Come True

A. Genre: Mystery / Suspense
B. Title: Dreams Come True
 Author: Anuradha Iyer

C. Question 15: If you are only part way through a text, make some predictions about how it will end

Anwer: I predict that the woman in the story will start to cry hysterically and try to escape from what has happened in her life. I also predict that the woman might fall back asleep and have a dream about what had happened the day that she was dreading and talking about

D. What element of Mystery and which elements are used/ can be found in the short story?


The elements of mystery that are found in the story are that you don't know what has happened to the woman and why is is surrounded by blood, or you also do not know how she got the scar on her face, or who the man she was talking about was to her. You also do not know what has happened to the man and how or why he is gone.


E. What do you learn about the way people interact through this short story?


I have learned that people interacted through this story by flashbacks, hallucinations, emotions, and talking to people verbally.  

Harry

 A. Genre: Horror
 B. Title: Harry
Author: Rosemary Timperley


 C. Question 1: Comment on the opening. How effective? How does it try and hook you? What is introduced?

Answer: The opening of "Harry"  is quite effective, because it makes you think that the story will be a horror story, and it hooks you onto keep reading, because it makes you want to keep reading to find out why the name Harry can scare someone, or cause someone such stress. What is introduced in this story is that Harry is someone that causes anxiety to someone who knows a girl called Christine.

 D. What elements of Horror, and which elements are used/ can be found in the short story?

The elements of Horror that are in this story would be not being able to see Harry, but you can hear Christine talking to him, so when you look he's not there. Christine going missing and not being able to be found. Harry picking her up from school even though he was dead, and the old crazy woman who knew what happens to Christines birth family.

E. What do you learn about the way people interact through this short story?

I learned that people interacted through many different ways and it dosen't have to just be talking, it can be through feelings, body motions, and paranormal encounters.

Stranded Qantas Passengers await decision on labour dispute

Title: Stranded Qantas Passengers await decision on labour dispute
Author: CNN Wire Staff
City of Publication: ? Australia
Year of Publication: 2011
Genre: News/ Current Affairs
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/30/world/asia/australia-qantas/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Rating: 5

Question 5: What ideas or issues are explored? What is your opinion about the issue?

Answer: The issues that are mentioned in this article are that Qantas passengers trying to get home cannot, because flights have been grounded because of unfair work.  In my opinion I feel that Qantas should at least give the passengers now stranded tickets to get home on some other airline or something else, because even though the flights are grounded until further notice, they are loosing more people than they should be because they are not helping there customers at all. I also think the Australian government should be helping passengers, along with other governments with there people affected form this crisis.

Sharks go from predator to prey

Title: Sharks go from predator to prey
Author: Steve Almasy
City of Publication: ? USA
Year of Publication: 2011
Genre: News/ Environment
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/29/us/sharks-tournament-controversy/index.html
Rating: 4

Question 11: Does this article connect to one of the MYP AOI's? Explain How.

Answer: Yes this article does connect to one of the MYP AOIs and that AOI would be Social and Environment. The reason this article related to Social and Environment is because people are killing the sharks and the sharks are part of the environment we live in today. The sharks are being killed for an Asian Delicacy of shark fin soup. This is causing sharks to greatly decrease in population, which can cause the whole sea life environment to start to change.

Disease fear as flood waters choke Bangkok

Title: Disease fear as flood waters choke Bangkok
Author: Lindsay Murdoch
City Of Publication: Australia
Year of Publication: 2011
Genre: News/ Current Affairs
Source: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/world/world/general/disease-fear-as-flood-waters-choke-bangkok/2340395.aspx
Rating: 5

Question 12: What is exciting, horrifying, sad, or funny part of what you have read?

Answer: What is sad about what I have read through this news article is that many residents of Bangkok have had to leave there homes and belongings, because of the floods happening at the moment, and that people can not stay because there is no fresh water or any safe place to live, because the flood waters are becoming extremely close to the centre of Thailand. What is horrifying about this news article is that already the flood waters have killed 400 people and destroyed many things that are a main economic helping to the Thai People. Also it is sad to see that the water is so filthy and children and families have to tred through it so they can get to dry land, and in some cases they have to baith in the water to, which could cause horrible diseases.



Airhead

Title: Airhead
Author: Meg Cabot
City of Publication: New York
Publisher:  Scholastic Point
Year of Publication: 2008
Genre: Teen
Source: High School Library
Rating: 5

Question 2: Who is the narrator? How do you find out about him or her?

Answer: The narrator in the story would be Emerson Watts. You find out she (Emerson Watts) is the narrator of the novel, because from the beginning sentence of the story; "Emerson Watts, called my first period Public Speaking teacher, Mr.Greer, startling me form the light doze into which I'd drifted." you can tell she is referring to herself because she uses "my", and "I'd" which refers she is talking about herself.

Friday, 28 October 2011

The Survival Game

Title: The Survival Game
Author: Tim Wynne-Jones
City of Publication: London
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Lyd.
Year of Publication: 2006
Genre: Suspense
Source: High School Library
Rating- 2

Question 10: Is there and interesting Minor character? Describe him/her and explain why they are interesting.

Answer: An interesting minor character in this story would be a man named Japheth Starlight. Japheth Starlight was a man that burl woke up to on the train, after a long and painful day. Japheth was an older mean around the age of 50 - 60, who was smoking a pipe next to burl. Japheth was interesting in the story, because he was actually the owner of the land that N.O.G and burl had lived in before N.O.G left and passed away. He was also interesting, because Japheth didn't mind that the house that N.O.G built had burned down, and he was also quite happy that he had met Burl even though by accident Burl and his father burnt down the cabin.

Monday, 17 October 2011

Wintersmith

Title: Wintersmith                                                    
Author: Terry Pratchett                                                            
City of Publication: New York, NY                           
Publisher: Terry and Lynn Pratchett
Year of Publication: 2006
Genre: Mythical
Source: School Library Texas Middle School
Rating- 3



Question 5: Describe the main character. How is she / he like or unlike you? How interesting is she / he to read about?


Answer: The main characters name is Tiffany, and she is quite an adventurous girl who has  the brightest imagination. Tiffany is extremely creative and always thinking. Tiffany reminds me of myself, because when I was little I can  still remember myself acting like her as in the story. Tiffany also reminds me of myself, by the way she thinks during the story, and the things that she says. It is not that she is so similar she could be my twin, but it is more of that the main features of what the author created her to be remind me of myself at a young age. Tiffany is quite interesting to read about, just because of all the adventures she goes on and what she does during these adventures. Tiffany is also interesting to read about, because you really don't know what she will do next during the story.

The Last Thing I Remember

Title: The Last Thing I Remember                                                    
Author: Andrew Klavan                                                                  
City of Publication: Nashville, Tennessee                                  
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Year of Publication: 2009
Genre: Suspense
Source: High school Library
Rating- 5

Question 3: What is the setting? When? Where? How important is the setting to the story? What effect does it have.

Answer: The setting in this book is in a white walled room where Charlie is about to die, Then the woods, and many old buildings. This all takes place in the USA in a state called Florida. The setting is extremely important to this story, because it sets the genre of the story as well. For say if the story took place in a spring medow with all the flowers blooming, it would not make sense at all. The setting of the story is what brings the effect an emotions to the reader while reading the story. The setting has a huge effect on not the reader and the story, an without it it would not give a clear message to the reader about the story.

Saturday, 20 August 2011

"Search For My Tongue" By: Sujata Bhatt

 Search For my Tounge

Question 6: What ideas or issues are explored? What is your opinion about the issue?

Answer: In this poem Sujata Bhatt is expressing her feelings towards not being able to use her mother tongue. She has problems fearing that because of where she lives she can't use her mother tongue on a daily use, because of this Sujata fears that her mother tongue will be lost forever. The issues created makes Sujata feel like she will have to learn her mother tongue all over again, or not be able to learn it at all.  In my opinion, I would feel the same way as the author. The reason being that using your foreign tongue on a daily basis, and not using your mother tongue would make you feel like you would have forgotten everything from your mother tongue. I would feel very alone and always have a constant fear that if I don't use my mother tongue I won't know how to speak it any more, and I wouldn't be able to communicate with my family and friends. I would feel that one day my mother tongue might just "not be there" any more, and I would be left alone to try to figure out how to get it back. From reading this poem, I think that the author has a valid reason to fear that one day she might not remember her mother tongue, but she will always know that it will be in her heart and she will remember.