Backdrop
Noun
“Against this backdrop of teenage angst, there would have to be a symbol, representation of the confidence that comes with eventual intellect and spiritual growth.” (Funny in Farsi, 140)
Definition: A painted cloth hung at the back of a stage set
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge knowing that in a gymnastic event, a backdrop is a curtain that holds the gymnast in case they fall, so I figured that a backdrop meant it had to do with a setting of some sort.
Original sentence: when my friend was doing his act in the gym, he used the backdrop to ease his fall so he didn’t hurt himself in case he fell.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Noxious
Noxious
Adjective
“Without taking a break, I scrubbed intensely, trying my best not to inhale the noxious fumes.” (Funny in Farsi, 127)
Definition: harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being.
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge to realize that when there is a bad smell in the air, that when it was described by the word noxious, that it must have meant that noxious was meant to mean something harmful or foul.
Original sentence: when I was trying to clean the mold off the walls, I could smell the noxious fumes coming off the walls.
Adjective
“Without taking a break, I scrubbed intensely, trying my best not to inhale the noxious fumes.” (Funny in Farsi, 127)
Definition: harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being.
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge to realize that when there is a bad smell in the air, that when it was described by the word noxious, that it must have meant that noxious was meant to mean something harmful or foul.
Original sentence: when I was trying to clean the mold off the walls, I could smell the noxious fumes coming off the walls.
vocab
Permutation
Noun
“Every once in a while, though, somebody comes up with a new permutation and I am once again reminded that I am an immigrant with a foreign name” (Funny in Farsi, 66)
Definition: The act of changing the order of elements arranged in a particular order.
Page: 66
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge and then rereading the word in the sentence to realize that permutation is when something tends to change.
Original sentence: I will be cheering on my teammates and telling them what position to be in then I realize a new permutation and I am reminded that I am no longer a soccer player anymore because I am physically unable to play.
Noun
“Every once in a while, though, somebody comes up with a new permutation and I am once again reminded that I am an immigrant with a foreign name” (Funny in Farsi, 66)
Definition: The act of changing the order of elements arranged in a particular order.
Page: 66
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge and then rereading the word in the sentence to realize that permutation is when something tends to change.
Original sentence: I will be cheering on my teammates and telling them what position to be in then I realize a new permutation and I am reminded that I am no longer a soccer player anymore because I am physically unable to play.
reflection
Reflection
If I had to tell about an event in my life that changed me into the person I am today, it would have to be at least two different things.
The first thing that happened in my life that had changed me, was when my family and I too a trip to Kenya in the summer of my fourth grade year. My grandparents are missionaries there and so my parents though it would be nice to go see them. While we were there, we saw some amazing things there. For example, we saw the most amazing animals in the world. We saw two elephants fighting one on one. We also came within two feet of crocodiles and alligators in a lake. But in the end of the trip, things changed. We saw a side of Kenya you only here about on the news. We saw the poverty that people go through every day there. We saw children taking care of toddlers and no parents around. we saw children walking around with no shoes and no clothes on their back. We saw families dying because they have no food or water. Seeing this changed my whole outlook on life. It made me realize that we have life easy over here in America and how life can always be harder.
Another thing that happened in my life that changed me to become the person that I am today was when my girlfriend invited me to got to church with her one day. My girlfriend has given me such inspiration to become a better person in life and helped me become closer to God. Every day I think about what a changed person I am and how I am thankful for what she has done for me. I will carry this on for the rest of my life.
If I had to tell about an event in my life that changed me into the person I am today, it would have to be at least two different things.
The first thing that happened in my life that had changed me, was when my family and I too a trip to Kenya in the summer of my fourth grade year. My grandparents are missionaries there and so my parents though it would be nice to go see them. While we were there, we saw some amazing things there. For example, we saw the most amazing animals in the world. We saw two elephants fighting one on one. We also came within two feet of crocodiles and alligators in a lake. But in the end of the trip, things changed. We saw a side of Kenya you only here about on the news. We saw the poverty that people go through every day there. We saw children taking care of toddlers and no parents around. we saw children walking around with no shoes and no clothes on their back. We saw families dying because they have no food or water. Seeing this changed my whole outlook on life. It made me realize that we have life easy over here in America and how life can always be harder.
Another thing that happened in my life that changed me to become the person that I am today was when my girlfriend invited me to got to church with her one day. My girlfriend has given me such inspiration to become a better person in life and helped me become closer to God. Every day I think about what a changed person I am and how I am thankful for what she has done for me. I will carry this on for the rest of my life.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
reflection
My own reading habits are good ones. I, personally do not like to read at all. I would describe my reading habits as having to read instructions over and over again to get the true understanding of what I am reading. When I have to read instructions, I also have to read and re-read the instructions to understand. If I read and re-read and I still don’t understand what I am reading, I will ask for help.
I do not have very much strength as a reader. But if I did have to name a strength I have as a reader, it would be reading something that interests me. When I read something sports related, I would be a very strong reader. I would understand what I am reading.
One person that I know who loves to read is my mom. My mother is a teacher and is a very skilled reader. Growing up, I was encouraged to read very much by my mom. My mom would make me read at least an hour a day from a novel every day and write a summary of what I read and then I would have to show it to her and explain to her what I read. I hated it very much, but it has made me a better reader today. As a young child, my mom and my grandparents read to me quite a bit. They would read me goodnight stories and short comic book stories and help me use my imagination.
I do not have very much strength as a reader. But if I did have to name a strength I have as a reader, it would be reading something that interests me. When I read something sports related, I would be a very strong reader. I would understand what I am reading.
One person that I know who loves to read is my mom. My mother is a teacher and is a very skilled reader. Growing up, I was encouraged to read very much by my mom. My mom would make me read at least an hour a day from a novel every day and write a summary of what I read and then I would have to show it to her and explain to her what I read. I hated it very much, but it has made me a better reader today. As a young child, my mom and my grandparents read to me quite a bit. They would read me goodnight stories and short comic book stories and help me use my imagination.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
impelling
Impelling
Verb
Definition: to drive or urge forward; press on; incite or constrain to action.
Page: 153
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge knowing that my friends have helped compel me to do well in school.
Original sentence: “the single most significant factor, he realized, was a sense of future vision-the impelling conviction of those who were to survive that they had a mission to perform.”
Verb
Definition: to drive or urge forward; press on; incite or constrain to action.
Page: 153
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge knowing that my friends have helped compel me to do well in school.
Original sentence: “the single most significant factor, he realized, was a sense of future vision-the impelling conviction of those who were to survive that they had a mission to perform.”
constructive
Constructive
Adjective
Definition: helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement
Page: 153
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge by knowing that my dad is in construction and he helps develop advanced room additions to houses.
Original sentence: “some may seem constructive.”
Adjective
Definition: helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement
Page: 153
Context clues: I used my prior knowledge by knowing that my dad is in construction and he helps develop advanced room additions to houses.
Original sentence: “some may seem constructive.”
capacity
Capacity
Noun
Definition: the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained
Page: 143
Context clues: use my prior knowledge to know that capacity is when u fill somrhting up or do something to the max.
Original sentence: “As he found within himself the capacity to rise above the humiliating circumstance, he became an observer as well as a participant in the experience.”
Noun
Definition: the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained
Page: 143
Context clues: use my prior knowledge to know that capacity is when u fill somrhting up or do something to the max.
Original sentence: “As he found within himself the capacity to rise above the humiliating circumstance, he became an observer as well as a participant in the experience.”
Thursday, September 17, 2009
reflection
Reflection
All of the studying that I have done for the vocabulary required in this class has had a huge impact on me in a great way.
Ever since I have been studying all these vocabulary words, I still have not really noticed them around me anymore than I already had. I have however noticed them being used around me a lot in the classroom and it has given me a better understanding of my vocabulary.
I do in fact approach unfamiliar vocabulary in a different way than I did before. I used to just look at the word and if I didn’t understand it I would either look it up in the dictionary just for the definition or I would just guess on what it meant. Since I have started this class, I have now been able to look at new unfamiliar vocabulary in many different ways. If I don’t understand a word, I look at the sentences that surround the word and use my logic and see how the word is used. I will also use my schema and see if I know anything about that word in the first place. I will then put all of these factors into play together and try and learn not only the definition of the word, but also how I can use the word in a sentence and beyond that.
I have recently realized that I am using some of the new words that I have been learning in class more often. If you noticed, I used one of the new words that I learned in class in the paragraph before this. I have not used all of the new words yet , but I can definitely tell that I am getting a better understanding of the English language and I am broadening my vocabulary drastically.
Some of the words that I have been learning in class, I have been remembering long term. Reason being is that since I have found many new ways to learn new words and get a better understanding of them, I am able to get a much better comprehension of all the words. Even if I don’t remember them completely, I am able to at least understand the words a little bit more than before.
All of the studying that I have done for the vocabulary required in this class has had a huge impact on me in a great way.
Ever since I have been studying all these vocabulary words, I still have not really noticed them around me anymore than I already had. I have however noticed them being used around me a lot in the classroom and it has given me a better understanding of my vocabulary.
I do in fact approach unfamiliar vocabulary in a different way than I did before. I used to just look at the word and if I didn’t understand it I would either look it up in the dictionary just for the definition or I would just guess on what it meant. Since I have started this class, I have now been able to look at new unfamiliar vocabulary in many different ways. If I don’t understand a word, I look at the sentences that surround the word and use my logic and see how the word is used. I will also use my schema and see if I know anything about that word in the first place. I will then put all of these factors into play together and try and learn not only the definition of the word, but also how I can use the word in a sentence and beyond that.
I have recently realized that I am using some of the new words that I have been learning in class more often. If you noticed, I used one of the new words that I learned in class in the paragraph before this. I have not used all of the new words yet , but I can definitely tell that I am getting a better understanding of the English language and I am broadening my vocabulary drastically.
Some of the words that I have been learning in class, I have been remembering long term. Reason being is that since I have found many new ways to learn new words and get a better understanding of them, I am able to get a much better comprehension of all the words. Even if I don’t remember them completely, I am able to at least understand the words a little bit more than before.
Dote
Dote
“Now, whenever we visit my relatives, all of whom dote on my husband, I realized that he didn’t marry me despite my tribe, he married because of them.” (Funny in Farsi, 103)
Context clues: I used my logic realizing that the family still loves her husband despite the fact that he is different.
Definition: to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually (usually fol. by on or upon)
Original sentence: even though I may be a pain from time to time, my parents still dote on me regardless.
“Now, whenever we visit my relatives, all of whom dote on my husband, I realized that he didn’t marry me despite my tribe, he married because of them.” (Funny in Farsi, 103)
Context clues: I used my logic realizing that the family still loves her husband despite the fact that he is different.
Definition: to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually (usually fol. by on or upon)
Original sentence: even though I may be a pain from time to time, my parents still dote on me regardless.
Strewn
Strewn
“To my delight, I found that the lawn had been strewn with the miniature Iranian flags.” (Funny in Farsi, 113)
Context clues: I used my logic to find know that a lawn can by strewn with flowers and plants.
Original sentence: my mom had strewn many different eggs and candy all over the lawn for the children to find during the Easter egg hunt.
Definition: to let fall in separate pieces or particles over a surface; scatter or sprinkle
“To my delight, I found that the lawn had been strewn with the miniature Iranian flags.” (Funny in Farsi, 113)
Context clues: I used my logic to find know that a lawn can by strewn with flowers and plants.
Original sentence: my mom had strewn many different eggs and candy all over the lawn for the children to find during the Easter egg hunt.
Definition: to let fall in separate pieces or particles over a surface; scatter or sprinkle
Baklava
Baklava
“In Berkley, and only in Berkley, my name drew people like flies to baklava.” (Funny in Farsi, 64)
Part of Speech: noun
Context clues: used logic with flies attracting to sweet foods.
Definition: a Near Eastern pastry made of many layers of paper-thin dough with a filling of ground nuts, baked and then drenched in a syrup of honey and sometimes rosewater.
Original sentence: today in class, angela brought baklava to class for all of us to eat.
“In Berkley, and only in Berkley, my name drew people like flies to baklava.” (Funny in Farsi, 64)
Part of Speech: noun
Context clues: used logic with flies attracting to sweet foods.
Definition: a Near Eastern pastry made of many layers of paper-thin dough with a filling of ground nuts, baked and then drenched in a syrup of honey and sometimes rosewater.
Original sentence: today in class, angela brought baklava to class for all of us to eat.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
monstrosity
mostrosity
noun
def: maul formation of a plant of an animal
pg 45
context clues: we could not make this any less busy
original sentence: despite my fathers reassuance there existed no bag in our house big enough to hold this mostrosity
noun
def: maul formation of a plant of an animal
pg 45
context clues: we could not make this any less busy
original sentence: despite my fathers reassuance there existed no bag in our house big enough to hold this mostrosity
Thursday, September 3, 2009
frenzied
Frenzied
Adjective
“Between frenzied shopping trips to sears to buy presents for the relatives back home, my mother spent her last few weeks giving gifts to our American friends.” Pg. 35
Shopping is an example of frenzied because when shopping, people go crazy, especially during sales and during Christmas shopping.
Feeling or showing of abnormal excitement.
The crowd was frenzied when the home team made a touchdown
Adjective
“Between frenzied shopping trips to sears to buy presents for the relatives back home, my mother spent her last few weeks giving gifts to our American friends.” Pg. 35
Shopping is an example of frenzied because when shopping, people go crazy, especially during sales and during Christmas shopping.
Feeling or showing of abnormal excitement.
The crowd was frenzied when the home team made a touchdown
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