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Erin
Jan 29, 2015 10:33:08 GMT 9
Post by Admin on Jan 29, 2015 10:33:08 GMT 9
Please introduce yourself.
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Erin
Jan 29, 2015 12:57:48 GMT 9
via mobile
Post by Erin on Jan 29, 2015 12:57:48 GMT 9
Hello, my name is Erin. I'm from the United States. I have many interests. I love all sorts of art and creating it, from painting to making films. I'm also really passionate about the environment, which is why I do everything I can to recycle or reduce waste products. Some day I want to bring a bigger awareness to being more earth friendly.
I am nervous, but also beyond excited to attend Soka University. I hope to have wonderful and beautiful experience while in FILA program. Thank you much for letting me share! Peace!
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Erin
Jan 29, 2015 16:21:03 GMT 9
Post by Admin on Jan 29, 2015 16:21:03 GMT 9
Dear Erin, Welcome to the FILA message board and thank you for making your first post. I'm from the United States too. What kind of art do you enjoy? What kind of work do you want to do in the future? Please share with us your thoughts and dreams. Please also read your classmates posts, comment on them and learn more about them. I'm looking forward to reading your weekly reports.
Sincerely,
Miyagi H
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Erin
Jan 30, 2015 5:43:30 GMT 9
via mobile
Post by Erin on Jan 30, 2015 5:43:30 GMT 9
Generally I like all kinds of art, but I am drawn to the art of film making. To me, film is so amazing because the stories or documentaries come to life. It really moves me, even to the point where I think about the topic for days. Sometimes they change the way a person sees life. For example, there is this film I watched in my marine biology class during my senior year it's call "Blackfish." It's a story about the cruelty of killer whales/ dolphins in captivity. This was something I never realized, it enabled me to open my eyes to the certain realities of the world we live in.
The future is so broad, there are so many possibilities in the line of work I want to someday accomplish. At this time I can't pick a specific thing that I want to do becuase there are so many! I know that in my heart I want to help people to live happier lives. I want to study topics like humanities, anthropology, and the fine arts as well as culture.
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Erin
Jan 30, 2015 19:26:56 GMT 9
Post by Cheri on Jan 30, 2015 19:26:56 GMT 9
Hi Erin, I'm Cheri! I think the best thing in a film is how it conveys its messages and how the audiences interpret it. In my view, it is how it makes a connection to the people that makes it interesting! I'm happy that we share the same interest in culture and humanities! It would be fun studying together in FILA. Looking forward to see you soon!
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Erin
Jan 31, 2015 4:51:53 GMT 9
via mobile
Post by Erin on Jan 31, 2015 4:51:53 GMT 9
Cheri, I am glad we have the same interests. It will be great studying amongst peers like you!
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Erin
Feb 7, 2015 3:43:30 GMT 9
Post by Erin on Feb 7, 2015 3:43:30 GMT 9
Hello!
Vocabulary: This week I learned 25 new words. First I would write the definition. Once I have it down, I would write one or two sentences using the words. To fully understand each word,I say, read, and write the words again before moving on to the next.
Reading:I just started reading a new novel called "Stolen" by Lucy Christopher. It's a fictional book about a girl, Gemma, who gets drugged and kidnapped at an airport in Bangkok. She wakes up in the middle of the Australian dessert in makeshift house with just her and her kidnapper. The book is written in Gemma's perspective and how she feels towards her kidnapper, Ty, and the situations she's in. I'm currently reading to find out if Gemma will ever be found or escapes the outback... I like reading these kind of novels because I get to experience what the characters are going through without actually living through it myself. To me fictional novels are more exciting to read because it's something that entirely created and made up.
Listening: One of the TED Talks I listened to this week was, "How to Grow Fresh Air" by Kamal Meattle. This was quite interesting because the speaker talks about 3 common household plants that can filter and produce fresh air indoors naturally. Throughout his lecture, Meattle talks about the studies and the effects of indoor plant filtration, all of which have positive impacts. For example, one of the studies showed that the build he works at, Paharpur Business Centre and Software Technology Incubator Park in India, has 1,200 plants for 300 occupants making it the healthiest building in New Delhi by the government.I liked this TED Talk because the idea of natural and healthy air is great, but it also helps with the environment.
Writing: I did 4 quick writes this week. The word count ranged from 240 to 390 words. Usually I don't write much, but this assignment was helpful because it allowed me to let my ideas flow at a quicker pace.
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Erin
Feb 8, 2015 22:51:18 GMT 9
Post by malcolm on Feb 8, 2015 22:51:18 GMT 9
Hi Erin!
This is Malcolm, one of the FILA English teachers.
Vocabulary: Good job with the vocabulary! Try using the new words that you learn each week when you write posts on this board or any time you speak or write in daily life. It may seem strange at first, but it does help you remember them. Maybe you have heard the phrase, "Use it or lose it." Using the words regularly with help you to remember them and keep them in your long-term memory. Then you can say, with certainty, that you have learned them. Good job this week. Keep it up! What is the most interesting word you studied this week?
Reading: Is it a suspense/thriller novel? Yes, I would rather read these kinds of novels rather than experience them in my life. Who are some other authors you like? How do you think the story will end?
Listening: I am also interested in environmental studies. What are the 3 types of plants? I need some plants at home, and healthy air is always good.
Writing: That is the idea, let your ideas flow. Great word counts! Strengthen your "writing muscles!"
Keep up the good work!
Malcolm
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Erin
Feb 14, 2015 3:13:42 GMT 9
Post by Erin on Feb 14, 2015 3:13:42 GMT 9
Hello Malcolm, Thank you for the advice about using the vocabulary words and using it to integrate it into my daily life. I will try doing that. The most interesting word I studied was Hawk/Hawking because I've always referred to it as the bird. I didn't know it that it also meant to aggressively call out someone or something. For reading, the book "Stolen" is somewhat emotionally raw with some thriller. The main character has mixed feeling about her own kidnapper from hating him to liking him. She doesn't know if her feelings of empathy towards her kidnapper is real or a sign of Stockholm syndrome. From the TED Talk, the three types of plants are Areca Palm ,Mother-In-Laws Tongue, and Money Plant All of these plants produce oxygen and filters certain pollutants. Though, the last two plants I mentioned are toxic for pets. So, if you have pets be careful they don't consume the plants.
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Erin
Feb 14, 2015 4:43:39 GMT 9
Post by Erin on Feb 14, 2015 4:43:39 GMT 9
Vocabulary: This week I learned 15 words. It's 10 less than last week, but they are a lot more elaborate. I even had a difficult time pronouncing the word cacophony which was the hardest to say out of the 15. It's seldom for me to use these words while I talk, but I've actually managed to use them in certain situations. My favorite word for this week was voluptuously because it's fun to say and it mean full of delight or pleasure.
Reading: I finished reading "Stolen" from last week, this week I finished reading the book "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis. It is a young adult science fiction about space travel. The main character Amy and her family are a part of a government project to travel through space on a ship called "Godspeed" to land on a new earth like planet. The journey is supposed to take 300 years, so her body is frozen and enclosed in a pod until landing. But, she was awoken 50 years earlier than expected. Amy discovers that life on Godspeed is dystopian with strange government rules and people. Now, I am currently reading "1984" by George Orwell. So far I'm only on the first chapter. To be quite honest I am not sure if I like this book yet. It seems compelling because Orwell creates this intricate world in the future. I usually don't read about political or topics like dictatorial governments. But I thought I'd give it a try because many people have suggested it to me.
Listening: Two of my favorite TED Talks of the week were "3 ways to Speak English" by Jamila Lyiscott and "A Glimpse of Life of the Road" by Kitra Cahana. The first one I mentioned was a spoken word essay about "Broken English," which I found interesting because it was real. Living in the United States, I have personally seen so many different ways of speaking English. Lyiscott describes this so well, talking about the challenges of speaking English at home, classroom, and with friends and what it means to speak "proper" English. The second TED Talk "A Glimpse of Life of the Road" is about living the nomadic dream. Cahana is a photojournalist who blurs the lines between anthropology and journalism. She depicts a glimmer of adventure to living freely across the United States while photographing the lives of travelers, gypsies, and hobos. She talks about how some choose to live this life of "freedom" and those who fell into poverty. I liked this TED Talk because it reminded me of one of my favorite movies, "Into the Wild." Cahana gave me a glimpse of a different culture of people.
Writing: I wrote about the same as last week (4 quick writes). The word count was about 300-400 words, again depending on the topics I chose. I also keep my own journal, which I frequently write in. I find it very cathartic to hand write my own thoughts rather than typing them. The only disadvantage to that it's not a quick as typing.
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Erin
Feb 18, 2015 9:57:10 GMT 9
Post by malcolm on Feb 18, 2015 9:57:10 GMT 9
Hi Erin!
Hope you had a a happy Valentine's Day.
"Voluptuously," great word! That one is hard to use in daily conversation as are its related words. "Cacophony" is much more useful. I was awakened the other morning by a cacophony of barking dogs, ringing phones, car horns, and screaming children. Thanks for sharing!
The important thing with vocabulary is to be able to use them over the long term. If you "learn" 15 words each week and you can still use them correctly 2 months later without having to think about the meaning, then you have really learned them. In this case I think that quality is more important than quantity for vocabulary learning.
Sounds like you like to read! I am a huge science fiction/fantasy fan, but I will read anything. I just recently re-read "1984," and I would say that it is a bit hard to really get into. It is a good story, but it doesn't have the excitement level of more modern novels. Keep reading and let us know what you get from the book.
Yes, the study of how English which is used in different situations is called sociolinguistics. What are some specific examples from your experience? I know you are interested in the environment, would you like to do a photoshoot? Where would you like to go and what specifically would you shoot with the camera?
Great job with the writing! I will say that for you it is probably faster to type, but most of your classmates will not have typed much before coming to university, so they will have a much harder time when they have to type. For a personal journal, I think handwriting is preferable.
Keep up the great work! You do a great job with your weekly reports. Thank you!
Malcolm
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Erin
Feb 21, 2015 4:01:04 GMT 9
Post by Erin on Feb 21, 2015 4:01:04 GMT 9
Hello! To answer your question from last week about sociolinguistics, some example of English that I encounter a lot is "street" talk or broken English or even pidgin English. A lot of it is used mainly around family friends, not in a class room setting or at an interview. I would also love to do a photoshoot of an array of topics maybe something like lush green misty mountains and or the ocean. But, I would like to shoot very raw and real pictures of people, not the kind with the "glamour" of a studio. I would also like to capture people in a very beautiful, free, and natural way in the wild.
Vocabulary: This week I learned about 15 words. Most them have come from the book "!984" and the others are from people I've talked to recently. Whiling do the self study, I have started to pick up on the vocabulary that people around me have used. I'm learning words like totalitarian, vociferous, and conspicuously.
Reading: I haven't been able to read as much this week compared to last week, so I'm still reading the same book. So far, "1984" is a pretty interesting read and somewhat enthralling. I think it's because of the totalitarian government with this whole world that's so extreme and messed up. It's interesting in that this book can be related to the world today because society is being surveillanced by the government already. Of course it's not as extreme as !984, but everywhere people go there are camera's on traffic posts, stores, etc. People seem to know what other are doing through medias like Twitter or Facebook. It's scary to think about what could happen today, if people were to be controlled by "Big Brother." I would hate to live in a society like that. Though, there are already places in the world that seem quite similar to Oceania.
Listening: This week's pick for TED Talks is "A Forensic Anthropologist Who Brings Closure For The Disappeared" by Fredy Peccerelli. Peccerelli helps people in Guatemala who have lost loved one and uncovers the disappeared. Guatemala's 36 year conflict has cost the lives of many people. What Peccerelli does is, that he tries to understand what happened there. By looking for bodies and exhuming them he compares the DNA of the bodies to various families who have members that have "disappeared." He finds the evidence and gives a voice to the voiceless, as well as giving closure. I think it to great to see people like Peccerelli have a passion for helping those who have lost people and finding out the truth of what happened.
Writing: I did 5 quick writes all of them had about 300 words. One of my quick writes #43 "Is it okay to sometimes tell a lie?" was an interesting debate for me. This one I kept going back and forth about it, but eventually I concluded that it is okay to tell a lie to a certain extent or depending on what the lie is.
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Erin
Feb 22, 2015 15:07:05 GMT 9
Post by malcolm on Feb 22, 2015 15:07:05 GMT 9
Hi Erin.
Malcolm again.
Vocabulary: Great! That is the best way to learn new words...from reading and normal life. This is how I learn new words! Lists are fine, but it is better to find them in context with what you are doing. The word "totalitarian" is definitely from "1984."
It is very important to review the vocabulary you are learning. Keep using them as often as you can and in as many different situations as possible. Don't forget to study related words, or other meanings for the words. Using the words consistently will help you remember them, so they will become automatic and you won't have to think about them when you are using them. Making original sentences will help you to use and remember the words better.
Reading: Glad you are enjoying "1984." The background of "1984" was the rise of the communist governments in Russia (and China). But as you say, we have developed a less physically oppressive form of Big Brother, but it may be Big Brother nonetheless. Or are we headed toward being controlled by technology like in the background of the "Terminator" series of movies and TV spinoffs? What do you think?
Listening: Sounds like a very noble cause! I really like science....if I were a university student now, I think I would like to study forensic medicine and do something like Peccerelli is doing. I love the TV shows like "CSI" and "Bones." Do you like this kind of science? I know you are interested in the environment. Are you interested in the science like ecology, environmental sciences, and other related sciences?
Writing: Great job! Keep it up!
As for telling lies, research has found that it seems to be almost an innate behavior. Children seem to spontaneously be able to lie from 2 or 3 years of age. It may be a survival technique that is part of being human.
I would agree with you that there are times that some lies are a necessary part of human interactions. We do it all the time when we interact with friends, family, and even strangers. They seem to be a necessary evil for good human relations.
Example: Your friend comes up to you and says, "What do you think of my new shirt? Don't you love it?" You think it is the ugliest thing on the planet, but you say "I love it! It is so cute!" You lie to preserve the friendship.
What was the last lie you told to grease the gears of human interactions? What was the last big, "bad" lie you told? (You don't have to answer the second one if you don't want to.)
Malcolm
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Erin
Feb 28, 2015 6:40:39 GMT 9
Post by Erin on Feb 28, 2015 6:40:39 GMT 9
Hello! To answer your questions: From the listening: I think science is really interesting. I do think forensic science is fascinating, but I find marine biology more enjoyable. In high school I took a class in marine biology it was one of my favorites because I got to learn about how ocean life impacts the not just marine life, but the entire planet's ecosystem and how they are all connected. From writing: I can't really remember the last lie I told. It's probably because the lie was so small and insignificant, that I couldn't even remember it. I can't really tell a big "bad" lie because I end up telling the truth. Lying sometimes feels like I'm adding this extra responsibility to worry about.
Vocabulary: This week I studied/learned 19 words. My favorite word of the week is pugnaciously. I like the way it sounds (sounds kind of funny) and it can be easily used without having to put much thought into it.
Reading: I jut started reading the book 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' by Stephen Chbosky. This book was another recommendation from my friend. It's written from Charlie, the main character's, perspective. Charlie writes his experiences of life as well as becoming a high school student in letters to someone anonymous. This book is more of a coming of age story, which is completely different from the last book I read. I like reading a diverse collection of stories and books because I tend to get bored of the same topics. So, I'm excited to see how 'Perks of Being a Wallflower' will turn out.
Listening: This week I listened to quite a few TED Talks about marine life. I also listened to a TED Talk from Stephen Hawking, which is always amazing. I was really entertained by "Why we should care about whale poo" by Asha de Vos. I was drawn by the title at first because one, it was amusing and two, whales are one of my favorite animals. Asha is a marine biologist who talks about how whales are the ecosystem's engineer. They keep the oceans healthy with their poo as well as maintain stability. Whale poo brings nutrients to other organisms such a phyto plankton, which is at the base of the food chain. Whale's carcasses also provide nutrients to organisms in the deep ocean. Asha also explains that whales are important to the ecosystem, but because of many human impacts (whaling and pollution), whale populations are decreasing. She wants to shed light on the need to conserve and protect them and their importance.
Writing: I did 5 quick writes this week. The word count was around 350 to 370 words. I definitely see an increase increase in speed while it write. My favorite was "What is your Dream?" I explained how one of my dreams is to create/ be a part of a film that will be featured at the Sundance Festival. I think that will be so cool.
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Erin
Mar 4, 2015 16:27:21 GMT 9
Post by malcolm on Mar 4, 2015 16:27:21 GMT 9
Hey there, Erin.
How is everything going? Are you getting ready for the move to Soka? Just a few short weeks now.
Yes, trying to remember the lies and who you told them to is a very difficult juggling act.
Vocab: "Pugnaciously" is quite a funny sounding word. It sounds like it means the way a dog sniffs things, especially pugs. Just remember to continue reviewing the words so that they stay firmly entrenched in your working vocabulary bank.
Reading: I have heard the name of this book and, I believe, the movie based on that book, but I don't much about it. I can't wait to hear more about it once you are well into the story. Are you a wallflower?
I understand about wanting to "ix it up" with the types of books you read, I'm the same way!My reading is very eclectic (well,maybe a little heavy in the area of science fiction/fantasy/supernatural area).
Listening: I am laughing at this...I can't believe I am responding to a poo story. It is true that poo is great stuff! Not only whale poo but all poo. I grew up with poo all around me on our small family farm. Now that I have typed poo six times, I think it is out of my system....oh dear.... Biologically, this is an important commodity which is an essential link on the food chain. Whether you want to believe it or accept it, poo is good for you!
On the serious side, are whale populations still decreasing? In the past 40 years there have been a lot of changes and hunting has almost disappeared. Are all whale populations decreasing or are there only certain ones at risk? How many whales are out there? Yes, there are problems with pollution and acidification, but hasn't some of the changes that we have made in regards to whales made some difference? I'm getting depressed....is there no hope?
Writing: Great work with the Quick Writes!
That is a cool dream! Have you stared scripting your film yet? What would you like the film to be about?
Have a great week and see you soon.
Malcolm
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