5 books

1. Divergent

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

2. Flipped

    A love story between a young girl and boy.

3. The notebook

     In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhoun and rich girl Allie are desperately in love. But her parents don't approve. But when Noah returns to their small town years later, they met again.

4. And then there were none

    A criminal novel, In the novel, ten people are enticed into coming to an island under different pretexts.

5. The kite runner

 It tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, whose closest friend is Hassan, his father's young Hazara servant.

Spelling Bee summary

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a musical, music and lyrics are written by William Finn. Spelling Bee is a word spelling competition, in the game, spellers will spell some difficult words. In the musical, there are six spellers, they all have different personality, family story and techiniques. But they are eager to win the competition. Olive brings the ductionary to the competition, Barfee uses his "magic foot" to spell words, Leaf is not confident and she can't believe that she can spell. Finally Barfee wins the competition. There are 24 songs in the musical, with dancing in some scenes. In this show, audience can interact with actors, audiences are invited to go on the stage to spell words. The show includes some funny plots and touched plots.

Haiku quiz

1. Three lines. Five syllables in the first and the last line, seven syllables in the second line.

2. Japanese culture.

3. Sweet scented gentle,

    Confetti sent from heaven,

    With a floating breeze.

4. Spring turns winter's side,

    Nature comes transforming alive,

    Bees buzz, hope for brides.

5. Daffodil, tulip,

    Flowers blossom in green lands,

    I love spring so much.

    

    Sunshine is so bright,

    I see buds in that large field,

    Spring is confortable.

6. Write something unexpected, a surprise for readers.

Three haiku poems

Dancing is boring,

I don't want to do it again

Let me play tennis,

School day is boring,

I will go home in the break,

I miss my dear friends.

No biology,

Life will be much better then,

I love CS more.

Haiku poem examples

An afternoon breeze

expels cold air, along with

the fallen brown leaves.

Cherry blossoms bloom,

softly falling from the tree,

explode into night.

The warmth on my skin.

Fire falls beneath the trees.

I see the sun set.

Summer here again.

Music plays sweetly, drifting.

And life is renewed.

A winter blanket

covers the Earth in repose

but only a dream

An ocean voyage.

As waves break over the bow,

the sea welcomes me.

An old silent pond...

A frog jumps into the pond,

splash! Silence again.

 

Autumn moonlight—

a worm digs silently

into the chestnut.

 

Lightning flash—

what I thought were faces

are plumes of pampas grass.

Slowly, graceful wings

Lift skyward; as you lift me

Friends always, grateful

Essay: Do you gather your pearls?

                                                         Do you gather your pearls?

    “Women are like oysters. Just as an oyster takes an irritating grain of sand and creates a pearl around it, a woman can take a painful experience and enrich herself by creating something precious from that pain.”(Choi132) Have you ever heard about such motto? This is from the book Gathering of Pearls which is written by Sook Nyul Choi. It's a story about an international student's life in an American college. Sookan is a Korean girl, she went to American college alone for study. This book is like a journal, it includes everything of her college life, it includes happiness and difficulties in Sookan’s life. The cover of this book is impressive. A girl who wears a black dress is sitting on the floor and gathering pearls with background of pink flowers. The pearls in the image represent strength. The process of gathering pearls is like overcoming difficulties and becoming stronger when she is growing up. The flower represents Sookan herself. After a long and cold winter, flowers will blossom in the spring; same as Sookan, when she experiences a long and hard life, she will be enriched with enormous wisdom.

    Sookan had a hard life in the college. She took many difficult courses in first year, "I signed up for world literature, world religions, Greek and Roman culture, and early European history."(Choi18) She studied early in the bathroom on everyday early morning and spend most of her night in the library."It was five minutes to four o'clock and I had to get up to study."(Choi 73) She studied hard to catch up others in the class. As an international student, I can understand why Sookan did this. Paper, essay, test, projects, those are what I work hard on every night. I need to spend much more time on the reader than my classmates do because of the language. Same as Sookan, we chose difficult class and try best to do everything as good as other students because we don't want to disappoint families and we want to show everyone that we can do it. Too much work brought her health disease. “Suddenly, my head starting spinning, and I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.”(Choi74) She was also under a huge pressure that is from her sister, Theresa. Because Theresa always can't understand her and wanted to control her life which is making her become a nun and work with her together. Sookan is struggling with the traditional Korean culture and desire of being independent. The most bitterness is her mom's death, she lost the most important person and even couldn’t stay with her at the last moment. These difficulties are challenging Sookan all the time in her life.

    Although life is full with pain and bitterness, Sookan overcame difficulties and became stronger. Courses are never easy to Sookan, but she always keeps working hard instead of give up for its difficulties. To keep working is a long and hard process. Families are not always around her, she has to bear the huge load of study. Load can push a person to be better. For me, I have same experience. Under the load, I can find all of my potential, be used to difficulties; and then I won’t be afraid of them or give up anymore. I think pressure from family can destroy someone, but Sookan has begun thinking about her own future, "But now,I was slowly beginning to feel that I didn't always have to obey my sister. Just because she was older didn't guarantee that she had the right answer for me."(Choi130) She knew what she want. Sookan felt pain about being disobeyed to her sister, she couldn't agree with her sister in many ways; but with mother's support, she became acceptable to her sister. “It was my responsibility to try to understand her as a human being. I was older now. I had to realize that no one was infallible. I could respect Theresa without obeying her blindly.” This is a necessary process for someone to grow up; everyone has shortcomings, being acceptable to others is important in the society. And this will make Sookan become a mature woman who is full filled with wisdom and tolerance. Mother is the most important person to Sookan. Mother’s death hit Sookan a lot but this fact also forced her to be strong at that moment. “I would do as she wished for me. I would gather my pearls and forge ahead.”(Choi163) These are all tough times for Sookan, but she remember what her mother told her and follow it; she forges ahead instead of being depressed. The process of gathering pearls is like growing up, Sookan collect strength as pearls to overcome the tough time.

   The cover of Pink blossomed flowers is not only a cover, flowers also represents Sookan. Flowers will blossom in the beautiful spring season after bear a whole cold and harsh winter. In that cold winter, some flowers will be died, but some flowers can fight with the chilly winter and finally show their beauty to the world. “Tough times are the times when one gathers one’s pearls.”(Choi163) Tough time is like that chilly winter. Some people will be stuck by the difficulties in their way and give up, but some woman can take in the misery and bitterness and then turn them into precious pearls instead of letting them hurt us. Sookan's mother always hope Sookan can become this kind of women. Difficult times will finally make the Sookan enrich with love, understanding and wisdom. That will be the time for beautiful blossoming.

   Sookan has changed a lot and grow up during the one year in American college. Before, she had hard time on the study, obeyed her sister blindly, met a lot of difficulties in life and felt painful. Now, everything goes better; she do nice work on the study, has own goal, became independent and acceptable to her sister’s shortcomings and still forge ahead after bear the mother’s death. Sorrow and bitterness make Sookan get precious experience from life. These help Sookan to become a independent, kind, confident woman. There are a lot of people still fighting with the difficulties in life, gather your pearls, wait patiently for the blossoming, everyone can be strong and accomplish dream.

Citation:

Sook Nyul Choi, Gathering of Pearls, Houghton Mifflin Company Boston, 1994, Print.

Epilogue

The class bell is ringing, I grab the book and rush into the classroom. Children are sitting in the group, as they see me, they smile at me. To see these children's pure smiling is the happiest thing for me everyday. This is the fifth year from I graduated from college, I don't obey my sister, I became an elementary school teacher and work at Mr. Bennett's children's school. Whenever I remember this, still feel guilty to my sister, I know I should choose to be a what kind of person by myself and now I don't think I'm doing wrong things. But Korean culture influenced me too much, I can't completely forget it. 

As soon as I graduated, I went back to Korea for one time, my little brother has grown up, my older brothers are busy working, my sister is working as a nun. We hugged together, I sobed even can't say anything. I know what to say, I have missed them so much after all I couldn't  see any of them in the whole four college years. My sister is so relieved that I came back, she told a lot about the nun work. I breathed deeply and said:"Theresa, I know to be a nun is the best thing for you. But I just think it's not for me. In these four years, I have thought a lot about the future. It changed my mind. I'm sorry I don't obey you, but I think being a teacher is better for me." My sister starred at me and was silent for a long time. She sighed:"I know something changed you a lot in America. If you had decision, just do it. I can't control you now, but I hope you are not swepped by the American culture." I know my sister was angry with me, "No, I'm not. I won't forget anything about Korea." She didnt respond and leaf tthe room.

After I came back from Korea, I went to Greece with Marci. Greece is such a beautiful and mysterious country. Marci took many pictures. In these five years, Marci tried to accept her parents. I sometimes went to Ellen's home, she has got married with Kyle. Ellen always tell me to find a nice boyfriend. This reminded me Tom. In the whole four years, he has ever invited me for many times to go out, but I have too much work to do. Sometimes I, Ellen, Kyle and Tom go out side together, I would more like to regard Tom as a nice friend. Ellen always complained this, she think we should be a nice couple.

Study guide 13-18

Chapter 13

1. Marci has a bade relationship with her parents. Because Marci have own interest, she likes classics; but her parents always want to control her entire life, ask her to learn photography, chemistry and work with Father in the company.

2. Marci gives Sookan advice that Sookan should tell her sister the truth about hard life in college and want to make own decision for the future life. And also suggests that Sookan needs to live her own life, not just imitate her sister's and be the kind of person her sister wants her to be.

3. No. Because I think Sookan is still a Korean girl; although she has realized that she can be more open and expressive since she got America, she has Korean opinion. In her mind, it's the obligation and duty to obey elders. National culture is usually not that easy to forget. So though Sookan has conflict with her sister, but Sookan won't do as what Marci suggests, she won't against her sister in that way as Marci against her parents.

Chapter 14

1. Sister Reed gave Sookan a string of cream-colored pearls with a platinum-and-diamond clasp. Because sister Reed's aunt asked Reed to make a special present of pearls on her behalf when Sister Reed came upon a truly extraordinary young woman. Sister Reed thinks that Sookan accomplish every school work and study well and Sookan is a extraordinary young woman, so she gave this present to her.

2. Ellen was engaged with Kyle and announce it in the college, but her parents were so upset and disagreed with that engagement, then Ellen has conflict with her parents.

3. Ellen's parents are upset and furious aboytvthat Ellen announced the engagement in school, they told Ellen to call it off and go back home.

4. I agree with Sookan. Because eloping is a kind of way to avoid the conflict. But engagement is an important event. If Ellen eloped with Kyle, she will have more conflict with her parents which causes worst result. Ellen should talked with her parents and try to solve the problem. And Ellen' parent loves Ellen a lot, it will hurt them if Ellen eloped.

Chapter 15

1. Sookan had positive emotion because she had a wonderful night, she enjoyed the college life, enjoyed herself and makes Ellen happy with that. She also had negative emotion because she felt guilty that she spent all of the money on the outfit even can't buy presents for families, and she thought if her sister knew this, she would say that Sookan has lost her values.

2. I would go to the dance party. Because this is the only one time in whole freshman year to have a break. And such kind of social activity is part of college life, it is important to a college student. And I don't want to be said as a bookwarm.

Chapter 16

1. Sookan has done well in study and school job, she got passing grades. She made friends with Ellen and Marci. She had her favorite art class, draw painting and gave to Marci and Ellen as presents. She bought present for her families.

2. At the beginning of the year, she felt nervous when she talked with others and have to study extremely hard. And she can't balance the time on job and study. But later, she did better. She can speak more in American ways 

Chapter 17

1. Father Lee told Sookan that her mother died in the first of May.

2. Sookan shouted, sobbed and can't believe it's true.

Chapter 18

1. She realized that growing up is like the process of gathering pearls. As her mom said, she should take that suffering, and create a pearl around the pain, not let the hurt poison herself. Come through those difficulties and sadness, turn them into pearls of wisdom, make herself stronger.

2. I would say to Sookan that: you are a strong girl, although mother's death gives you hurt, you must be stronger. You have done well in the first year, maybe next year you can choose some more difficult classes or classes you like. And enjoy your college life, study and job is not everything I college after all. And try to be accepting to your sister, everyone has disadvantage, but she is your sister, that relationship is precious in the family.