Sentence 1

His sentence:
I could lose my ability to walk; I could lose my ability to think.
from feed by M.T. Anderson.

The use of anaphora in this sentence as well as the semicolon add emphasis to the severity of the girl's situation by building up the tension that comes from losing her ability to walk. Then, more importantly, her ability to think.

My sentence:
We should win Conference; we should win State.

Spot the Fake Smile

I recently finished reading A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future by Daniel H. Pink. When I completed the empathy chapter, I read the portfolio and decided to take BBC's Spot the Fake Smile test. This test was formed through the research of Paul Ekman.

I chose to take this test for a few reasons. One reason I decided to take this test was that I wanted to see whether or not I could spot a fake. Also this test would tell me the difference in a true smile, and a fake. The final reason I chose this test was because it could help me in the future when meeting new people to see if they were truly friendly or not.

For the test, I streamed twenty clips of people smiling, and I determined whether or not the smile was genuine or fake. The test took about ten minutes. I scored fifteen out of twenty videos correct. I learned that determining whether a smile is fake or genuine is not as easy as it looks. After I took the test, I read a brief overview of the test, and I learned that different muscles were used in forming a genuine or a fake smile, thus using a different part of the brain. Also, when a smile is genuine, it is generated by the unconscious brain, unlike a fake one. Hopefully by taking this test, I can tell a fake in the future. I also noticed that when determining whether a smile was true or not was to look into their eyes because the eyes never lie.

Here are some examples of fake and genuine smiles that I got correct.

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men showed me the hardships of living in the Great Depression. Following the lives of two field hands, this book gives a firsthand experience of what some people went through in order to find work.

Set during the Great Depression in California, George and Lennie, two best friends, are complete opposites, yet have so much in common. They wander the country together looking for work on a farm, after Lennie accidentally assaulted a woman. George is the smarter of the two, and he watches out for Lennie, as Lennie does the same for him. Lennie, a mentally retarded man, struggles living in the world, due to him being so big. He loves to touch soft things, but gets overexcited, and if the thing is an animal he usually crushes it.

The two men get into some trouble when they are hired onto a new farm because the farmer's daughter-in-law is a bit promiscuous. After an unfortunate incident occurs, Lennie and George must make some difficult choices which result in tragedy.

Of Mice and Men was a short read, yet it had explicit language throughout. I did enjoy reading this book, and recommend it as a classic to anyone who does not mind reading a lot of vulgar language.

Reflection of My Sophomore Year

From baseball, to Homecoming, to huge amounts of homework, my sophomore year has been a blast. Although very busy and stressful at times, I have enjoyed this year. High school is far more demanding in junior high, part of the reason I liked it. Being in high school taught me to become more independent.

Getting to hangout with my friends in baseball was one of the highlights of my year, especially getting to play with my brother before he graduates. Homecoming was also very memorable because I had the chance to design the shirt, which was really cool. On the other hand, the homework put a damper on the year. Taking eight classes the first semester and seven the second, kept me under a lot of stress, but taking a full load was worth the time in the end.

All in all, being a tenth grader was fun, but I am even more excited about next year. I will have more freedoms in the future, and will be one step closer to graduating high school!

The House On Mango Street

Sandra Cisneros' The House On Mango Street followed a young Mexican-American girl through her teenage years. In a series of small, random chapters, Esperanza Cordero, a name she despises, grows up on Mango Street. She meets various people including Lucy and Rachel, two girls she befriends from Texas. Although the story does not have a deep plot, Esperanza's one wish is to own a house of her own that she can call home.

Esperanza is a girl just trying to fit in in life. When she moves to Mango Street, her family finally owns a house, although it is not all that she hoped for. In the end, all that she hates becomes all that she loves and cannot leave behind her, even when she moves. Nenny, Esperanza's younger sister, is probably her best friend. Esperanza is in charge of her in a way, since they have so many siblings.

Being an easy read, The House On Mango Street was an enjoyable book, even though the story was quite boring. I would recommend this book being read by elementary students, or for any high school students who need a quick read.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was an eerie tale of a man with a bit of a split personality. This is the story about two men living in one man's body and the struggles that result from it.

When Dr. Jekyll, a wealthy and honorable man, creates a potion that transforms him into the ugly Mr. Hyde, he is able to commit whatever crime he wishes without being help accountable or having a guilty conscience.

The two main characters in this thriller are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, two polar opposites residing in the same body. At night the madman known as Mr. Hyde is unleashed on the city commiting horrible acts of violence.

I would recommend reading this classic because it is a very good book. This novel kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way though it.

Wheelbarrow Poem

So much depends

upon

a brown book

falling apart

at the spine

sitting on my

nightstand