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Monday, August 27, 2012

Vocab #3

Accolade: a ceremony conferring knighthood; an expression of praise
---The movie 10,000 B.C. contained an accolade.

Acerbity: sourness of taste, character, or tone
---The acerbity of the book was quite pestering and made me dislike it.

Attrition: a gradual diminution in number or strength
---Righetti High School has a attrition with their school dances.

Bromide: a commonplace remark or notion
---Often hearing, “Good game!” after a game is bromide.

Chauvinist: prejudiced belief in the superiority of one's own gender, group, or kind
---The man was a chauvinist thinking that he was better then all the women at his work.

Chronic: of long duration; continuing
---My chronic headache wouldn't go away.


Expound: to explain in detail
---Sometimes I have to get other teachers to expound information for me to understand.

Factionalism: conflict within an organization or nation
---There was factionalism at COLC when we just wanted to have fun but our teachers wanted us to learn.


Immaculate: impeccably clean; spotless
---When I had completed my chores the house looked immaculate.


Imprecation: a curse
---I hope nobody ever sets an imprecation on me that would cause me harm.


Ineluctable: not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable
---All work that must be done is ineluctable.


Mercurial: quick and changeable in temperament; volatile
---The man with the gun acted mercurial while trying to rob the bank.


Palliate: to make less severe or intense
--My coach told me not to palliate my work outs or I would lose my strength.
Protocol: a code of correct conduct
---All civilization lives by some type of protocol.


Resplendent: splendid or dazzling in appearance; brilliant
---I hope to look resplendent on my next date to impress the girl.


Stigmatize: to characterize or brand as disgraceful
---I stigmatized the book because it had no plot line.


Sub rosa: in secret; privately or confidentially
---The man sub rosa information to the police..


Vainglory: boastful, unwarranted pride in one's accomplishments or qualities
---I hope that I never come across as vainglory whenever I speak proudly of something.


Vestige: a visible trace, evidence, or sign of something that once existed but exists or appears no more
---I hope that someday there will be vestige proving that he committed the crime.


Volition: the act or an instance of making a conscious choice or decision
---He did what he wanted by his own volition.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Beowulf questions


Prologue:
1 He started off as an abandoned infant and then rose to power. At his funeral, his baby was put in a boat with his treasure and armor and then cast off to sea.

Heorot is attacked

1. Hrothgar built the hall. Grendel attacked it in the night killing 30 men but returns every night for 12 years killing more. The Danes are horrified and avoid the hall.

Hero comes to Heorot (1-4)

1. Beowulf immediately created an army to go help Hrothgar defeat Grendel.
2. Geat first meets a nameless watcher in Denmark. He was guarding the shore and then interrogates Beowulf. Beowulf explains why he's there and he wanted rid of land of evil. Beowulf also wants to meet Grendel.
3. Hrothgar's Herald is the interrogator mentioned before. He goes to Hrothgar and explains the arrival of the Geats and also that Hrothgar should let them come visit him. He agrees and realizes he knows Beowulfs father, Ecgtheow.
4. Beowulf told Hrothgar that he plans to fight Grendel. Hrothgar took in Beowulfs father and protected him after he killed a man.

Feast at Heorot (1-2)

1. Unfirth accuses Beowulf of being a man who lost a swimming contest in the open sea against a man named Bruca. Beowulf says he has the story wrong and instead he got caught by sea monsters and killed nine of them before making it to shore. Beowulf shows lack of fear in the story. He accuses Unfirth of being weak because hasn't fought Grendel.
2. Queen Wealtheow salutes the warriors and offers them a goblet to drink and she thanks Beowulf for coming.

Fight with Grendel (1-2)

1. Beowulf takes off his armor for  a fair fight with Grendel.
2. Grendel takes the door off and mauls a great warrior. Beowulf tares off Grendels arm and uses it as a weapon. Grendel leaves with an arm.

Celebration at Heorot (1-6)

1. Beowulf is like a sigemund because he was a Dragon Slayer and Beowulf just killed Grendel. Coward.
2. Hrothgar claimed Beowulf as his adopted son. Unfirth no longer has a say.
3. The story is about how Danes lost a bloody battle to Finn, King of Frisians. Realizing their defeat the Danes struck a truce with Frisians in which they lived seperately but under common rule. Using a woman to unite the tribes showed wisdom because it basically combined the tribes and strikee common ground.
4. Queen Wealtheow asks Hrothgar to not have Beowulf to be their heir to their throne and instead pick one of his sons.

5)  The necklace will be worn by Beowulf’s king, Hygelac, and at his last battle the Franks will steal it from his corpse. The queen asks Beowulf to guide and protect her sons as she gives him the torque.


6)  The men stay at the beer hall to sleep because Grendel is dead and they feel safe. (There was a big party in celebration of Grendel’s death where the men drank a lot) This was a mistake because Grendel’s mother came back for revenge.


Another Attack (1-3)

1)  Grendel’s mother came to avenge her son’s death by killing men. Grendel’s motives aren’t really known, but they seemed to be driven by envy of happiness of the men in the hall.


2)  Hrothgar’s is grief stricken by the loss of his retainer and sends out Beowulf and his men alongside his own men.


3)  The mere is a lake where Grendel’s mother lives and the home of numerous other monsters.


Beowulf Fights Grendels Mother (1-8)

1)  Beowulf tells Hrothgar that it’s better to avenge the death of the ones you love rather than sitting around mourning for them. He swears to track down Grendel’s mother and slay her like the monster she is.


2)  Before Beowulf enters the mere, the warriors find Aeschere’s head and sea monsters show themselves. They sound a horn and the monsters scurry away, but not before Beowulf kills one.


3)  Beowulf puts on his chain-mail armor, his golden helmet, and takes out his sword. His sword was called Hrunting and was given to him by Unferth.


4)  Beowulf swims down the mere to find Grendel’s mother. The other monsters sense his presence and attack him. Grendel’s mom drags him to her hall where the water could do him no harm. This was interesting because Grendel attacked the Heorot hall and they also live in a sort of hall.


5)  Beowulf’s sword melts away until it’s just the hilt.


6)  Beowulf is protected by his chain-mail which saves him from stab wounds and then is able to wiggle his way free from the rubble on top of him.


7)  Beowulf uses the sword to decapitate Grendel’s mother. The lair becomes brighter and he sees Grendel’s body and decapitates him as well. Beowulf takes the head with him to shore as his sword melts from Grendel’s blood (he keeps the hilt).


8)  Beowulf was not expected to be alive so the Danes and Hrothgar left, but the Geat warriors stayed behind. When he comes to the surface the warriors are overjoyed to see him.

Further celebration at Heorot (1-3)



1)  Beowulf gives the hilt of the sword to Hrothgar.


2)  Hrothgar tells Beowulf of a bad king, Heremod, who was blood-thirsty. He tells him this so as to compare the dangers of wealth and power. He reminds Beowulf that everybody dies because God is in charge and that they should focus on the afterlife.

3)  Beowulf gives the sword, Hrunting, back to Unferth

Beowulf Returns Home

1)  Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf will come back and defend the Danes as their ruler.

2)  Hygd is not like Queen Modthryth because the latter was evil. Anytime a person would look at her, she would have them imprisoned and eventually killed.

3)  Hrothgar hopes that the marriage of his daughter Freawaru to Ingeld will end a blood-feud between the Danes and the Heathobards. Beowulf believes the feud will start all over again. Beowulf thinking the peace can be broken is a new side of him because he always acts on impulse rather than thinks through situations.

4)  Beowulf reports his adventures by storytelling. He stretches the truth and focus on the parts of the stories where he succeeds rather than when he fails.

5)  Beowulf formally presents the treasures that Hrothgar gave him to Hygelac. In return Hygelac gives him a jeweled sword, 7,000 hides, land, a hall, and a throne of his own.The Dragon Wakes

1) Part 2 takes place fifty years later. King Hygelac dies in battle, along with the following king, Heardred. A dragon was awakened at this time. 

2) The dragon awoke because someone stole a goblet from his treasure. The man took it because he was poor and intended to give it to his master. The treasure was there because a rich man had many treasures but he didn’t have anyone to leave them to. One day the dragon arrived to guard it.

3) That night, the dragon attacked the people in Geat and destroyed their land. 

4) Beowulf thought his home was burnt because he disobeyed the gods in some ways. He orders a new shield because he wants an iron one that cannot be burnt. The author adumbrates Beowulf’s death by having him fight the dragon.

5) Hygelac was killed in battle. Beowulf swam to safety with his loot, thirty battle-dresses. Hygd offered Beowulf the throne, but he denied it and became king of the Geats.

6) An group of Swedes that had been exiled killed Heardred. Beowulf avenged Heardred’s death with the killing of King Onela.

7) Twelve men went with Beowulf to the dragon. 

8) Herebeald's brother Haethcyn killed him in a hunting accident. King Heathrel would neither forgive him, nor punish him. He fled the land and left the throne to his sons. The Swedes and the Geats continued to feud. Haethcyn was killed in battle against the Swedes. Beowulf avenged Hygelac’s death by killing a great Frankish warrior, Dayraven.

Beowulf Attacks the Dragon

1) Beowulf tells his companions to wait and not enter the area of the dragon. He’d rather they watch than actually fight.

2) Beowulf’s sword fails and he has to fall back. While he is retreating he is hit by the fire of the dragon. His companions flee, but Wiglaf remains and wants to help Beowulf. Beowulf yearns for help, and Wiglaf remains and encourages him by reminding him of his past. 

3) Beowulf’s sword breaks and he is then bit by the dragon. Beowulf stabs the dragon in the side with his knife, killing it.

4) Beowulf wants Wiglaf to bring the treasure for him to see before he dies. Beowulf thanks God for having him die with wealth. He asks Wiglaf to build a barrow on the coast and for his body to be burned on a funeral pyre. 

Beowulf's Funeral

1) The warriors come back to see Wiglaf attempt to save Beowulf. Wiglaf reprimands them for abandoning Beowulf when he needed them most. In the future, Wiglaf sees that the Geats will be attacked by neighboring lands and that their kingdom will be destroyed.

2) The messenger tells the city that Beowulf has died. Ongentheow and his men surrounded the Geats and laughed at them. His men threatened and taunted the Geats. In the morning, Hygelac came to the Geats aid with reinforcements. Ongentheow could not match the reinforcements and retreated. He was cornered by Hygelac and in the battle, Ongentheow was killed. The messenger warns that the treasure is cursed and anyone who attempts to take it will be cursed. Beowulf won’t be cursed because he never “looked at it with greedy eyes”. The messenger has a final image of the dragon. 

3) Wiglaf tells the crowd that Beowulf was a great warrior. In a way, he reprimands Beowulf for not listening to the people. Beowulf would have lived if he had not gone to fight. He was a great warrior that will bear a king's funeral.

4) The dragon was pushed off the cliff into the ocean by Wiglaf’s men. The dragon was evil and wasn't worthy of a burial.

5) The Geats were mourning and singing because they were upset. The burial took about ten days, so everyone was upset and crying.

6) The Geats say Beowulf was a kind and beloved man who has left a mark on this earth. Being described as “kind” isn’t the usual description of a warrior. Beowulf killed Grendel and the dragon, with a great lack of mercy.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Question #1 AP 1987 Exam

Question #1
Geroge Elliot describes in her writing that "Old Leisure" is now gone in the modern times. She dosen't see the leisure that she used to in her time. Her standers to how leisure should be and isn't that high or  complicated. she just doesn't understand how our fast pace life style has any leisure time.  She expresses her point describing what the different between her time and the present is. 

In this passage, she uses personification of the word "leisure" and gives a detailed description by describing a simple more down to earth type of living. She uses words such as stout, gentlemen, contemplative, and innocent of leaders. She expresses that modern times is different and that there are too many unnecessary things that just interfere with the real meaning of leisure. Things are too complicated now-a-days and people are too concentrated on innovation and the ever changing world., While her time was more simple and calm, people only "read one newspaper" and lived chiefly in the country they were born in.


Not only dose she use personification but she uses allusion. The allusion of that perfect life of a peasant, it's the way most historian would say was a life of leisure. She uses specific details that help you see the leisure part of being a peasant. In her time the illusion of leisure wasn't so far off from reality. Now in modern time leisure is a far out thing to obtain.


Through her use of personification and allusion she is able to make a compelling  statement about leisure. Her way of leisure, "Old Leisure", is still attainable in today's society but make harder to get. 

Question # 2 1987 AP Exam

Question #2

Steinbeck consistently and woefully points to the fact that the migrants’ great suffering is caused not by bad weather or mere misfortune but by their fellow human beings. Historical, social, and economic circumstances separate people into rich and poor, landowner and tenant, and the people in the dominant roles struggle viciously to preserve their positions. "The Grapes of Wrath" is a perfect of man's inhumanity to man. Throughout this book the attitudes of the Joad family change in both a political and social way.


The Joad family comes to hate the government  after they get kicked out of there own house and are forced to move west due to work located in California. On there way to California they come crossed a lot police men from the different counties that they come from. It gets worse the closer they get to California, where police men are beating up, with the help of the locals, the men from out of state looking for Jobs after coming west. The police beat these men and don't care about it and don't pursue the criminal. They lose faith in the government because the government is who controls these agencies that are making mugging and murder.


The way the Joad family social change is not as far fetch as their attitudes toward the government. The Joad's are moving far from where they were born and raise and have to change along with the cultural differences in California compared to Oklahoma. The Joad family has to do what ever they can to make ends meat, so the idea of a new job forty miles north doesn't sound so far away. they have to get used to the harassment of the law enforcement no matter where they go in California. They social change because of the differences of cultural clashes.


Throughout the book the Joad make many attitude changes about the government and their social reality. This help the reader understand the background of where the family came from and see what they have to change during their long journey.The novel draws a simple line through the population—one that divides the privileged from the poor—and identifies that division as the primary source of evil and suffering in the world.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Textbook Notes (pg.31-60)


  • Epic- is a ling narrative poem, sometime developed orally, that celebrates the deeds of a legendary or heroic figure.
  • the hero battles forces that threaten the order of his world
  •  the story is told in a serious manner, often in special. elevated language.
  • legendary hero- is larger-than-life character whose accomplishments are celebrated in traditional tales.
Beowulf

  • Cain- oldest son of Adam and EVE, who murdered his brother Abel.
  • Healfdane's- son of Hrothgar
  • Higlac's Higlac was the king of the Geats and Beowulf's feudal lord and , uncle
  • mail- flexible body armor of metal that Beowulf wore.
  • Beowulf and his men arrive at Gerit and are called ti see the King
  • Wayland - From Germanic folklore, an invisible blacksmith
  • "That night Beowulf and his men stay inside Herot. While his men sleep, Beowulf lies awake, eager to meet with Grendel."
  • King tells Beowulf of the two monster in the water lair.
  • Battles with Grendel's Mother
  • After his battle he and his men return home where Beowulf is crowned King
  • serves 50 years as king then goes off to his last battle against a dragon
  • Wiglaf denounces the warriors who deserted Beowulf. The Geats burn their king's body on a funeral pyre and bitterly lament his death.
  • He died from wound of the dragon he killed

Beowulf

Something to help with the Beowulf Note taking

Beowulf Notes Prologue-X chapter


Prologue
  • the folk, both far and near, gave him gifts and called him king
  • The Wielder of Wonder the kings son
  • the king dies
Chapter I
  • Beowulf leader of the Scyldings in fame with all folk
  • folk met at Heorot
  • Father and son-in-law stood in feud
  • Grendel a monster grim
Chapter II
  • the might of Grendel to was known
  • Nobles gather to discus him
  • Lord if dying
Chapter III
  • 14 warriors where sent over seas
  • made land on the 2nd day
  • great vessel and weaponry
Chapter IV
  • the mean went there to kill the beast/ monster
  • the Lord leaves on a magnificent ship
  • the warriors stay to protect his home
Chapter V
  • the warrior make there way to the Hall
  • Beowulf shows up and says he seeks the son of Healfdene this mission of mine
Chapter VI
  • More warrior show up
  • Beowulf included wearing bright beautiful armor
  • "...foe against foe. Then faith be his in the doom of the Lord.."
Chapter VII
  • Grendal attacked the Hall
  • Blood lay everywhere
Chapter VIII
  • Beowulf is the man unbeatable
  • He has done think no man would dream of
  • He defeated the beast of the sea
Chapter XI
  • Beowulf speaks of how he defeated the sea beast
  • talk about a battle that will be Great
Chapter X
  • Beowulf and Grendel get ready to battle it to the death
  • Beowulf uses only a sword

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Vocab Fall List #2

Vocabulary Fall List #2 Definitions
accoutrements - personal clothing, accessories, etc.
apogee- the highest or most distant point; climax.
apropos- fitting; at the right time; to the purpose; opportunely.
bicker- to engage in petulant or peevish argument; wrangle.
coalesce- to blend or come together.
contretemps- an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance.
convolution- a rolled up or coiled condition.
cull- to choose; select; pick.
disparate- distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar.
dogmatic- of, pertaining to, or of the nature of a dogma or dogmas; doctrinal.
licentious- unrestrained by law or general morality; lawless; immoral.
mete- to distribute or apportion by measure.
noxious- harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being.
polemic- a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine.
populous- full of residents or inhabitants, as a region; heavily populated.
probity- integrity and uprightness; honesty.
repartee- a quick, witty reply.
supervene- to take place or occur as something additional or extraneous.
truncate- to shorten by cutting off a part; cut short.
unimpeachable- above suspicion; impossible to discredit; impeccable.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Assignment #1


The real truthful reason I decided to in role in AP English my senior year was because I wanted a challenge. I had taken AP English last year and though it wasn't to bad and the years before I had taken regular English and it just seemed to easy for me. I can't say I am the hardest worker or "committed" person, but my education come first. Not taking Dr. Prestons class as a sophomore made me not sure of what to think of this years AP English. I though about dropping his class so that my schedule would be easier, but its my last year and I wanted to go all out. Once I saw the presentation that the seniors gave to us last year I thought it was possible for me to actually do this thing.

 I like Socratic seminars because I get to listen to all the different points of view people have about a specific subject while incorporating life experiences. I missed the lunch meeting because I didn't know I was going to take AP English until the last days of school. When I learned that we weren't going to be using paper and we would be using all technology I was scared and excited at the same time. I am glad I am learning how to use the new types of technology available to me because it will benefit me in the future.

My goals for the year are to stay on task, and follow through will all my commitments. I don't want to let days pass and procrastinate. I want to standout and improve myself. This course will help me in the future because it will definitively improve my knowledge and thinking by learning the tactics and criteria that will be useful even after college.

1987 AP Exam

1987 AP Exam Questions

  1. C                     47.B
  2. A                     48.D
  3. C                    49.B
  4. E                     50.D 
  5. D                     51.C
  6. D                     52.C
  7. E                     53.D
  8. B                     54.B
  9. E                     55.C
  10. C                     56.B
  11. D                     57.C
  12. B                     58.D
  13. B                     59.A
  14. C                     60.D
  15. A                      61.B
  16. B
  17. C
  18. E
  19. A
  20. B
  21. E
  22. E
  23. A
  24. A
  25. C
  26. C
  27. A
  28. B
  29. A
  30. E
  31. A
  32. B
I started of thinking that this exam wasn't to hard then by about the third page I was lost. There were so many words and poems I did know how to interpret. Some of the passages were confusing which made me second guess myself more than once.

"Reflections On Week 1"

1. Some factors that may affect my participation and experience in the class is not knowing how to fully operate my blog and be able to upload documents or videos. I have friend that would be willing to help me throughout the class year and hopefully I will be able to help them in the future and return the favor.
2. I don't really have a way of stating my learning experience, but it started when I was either was told or I read this quote, "A smart man learn from his own mistakes, but a wise man learns from someone else's mistake." I learned I could make wiser decisions off of what other people have done wrong. I saw how when other people didn't do there work they would suffer when a test or quiz came, so I decided to work harder and smarter to help me complete my own goals.
3. One of the things I am most excited about is using a lot of technology throughout the class year and being able to learn how to use newer technology that will help to benefit me in the future. Some of the things that I am concerned about is figuring out how to use my blog. I look forward to learning more about all the different ways people are going to be able to view my blog and judge me, so that I know for the future what I need to change and or learn. I think it will make a good practical difference in my life because it changes how I look a learning and might be a more and efficient way of learning for me.

The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski