After 9 months, 6th grade is finally coming to an end. I am really excited to be going up to 7th grade with my friends and meeting new teachers. 6th grade has really been fun and I have really enjoyed it.
When I first came to ISKL, I was very worried and scared. I had so many questions. What would ISKL be like? Would the teachers be scary? Would I be able to make friends? What was the canteen food like? I was really nervous and worried then, wondering if I would be able to make a lot of friends or if I would get a lot of homework to do. I was also worried whether I would blend in with the people there and not look like an outsider. After a few weeks, I realized that I had nothing to worry about. I made plenty of friends. One of my best friends today is from Sri Lanka. We met during the legendary locker opening problem. There was a time when I had trouble opening my locker. I was worried because I knew I would be late to class but I didn't dare ask a teacher for help. After a few minutes, a boy came to me and asked why I wasn't in class yet. I told him the reason. He then asked a teacher to come help me. That’s how Jake and I became friends.
ISKL was SO different from my old school. It was like going to a different planet! My old school was a Chinese school and students were only allowed to speak in Mandarin. We were expected to complete our assignments on our own.
Here at ISKL, I had to collaborate with my classmates and work together with them to complete assignments. I had never done that in my old school! Here, students were expected to participate in class discussions a lot more. When I didn’t understand something, I didn’t ask questions because in my old school we were not allowed to interrupt the teacher. In ISKL, most of the work is done with computers and we were asked to present our assignments in many different ways like as a song or a video. It was pretty exciting for me but the problem was I wasn’t sure how to do it. Luckily my teachers were very patient with me and helped me out.
The piece of work that I think I'm most proud of is acting in front of my parents for the drama class. We did a play based on the Mad Hatter’s tea party in Alice in Wonderland, and I was the March Hare. I was actually really nervous because I’m very shy and I had never acted before. Somehow I just did it. After the play, my teacher told my parents that she was very happy with my performance. She said I had improved a lot because when I first started drama class, I only recited my lines in a monotone.
The greatest challenge for me was completing my assignments. For humanities, I really did not enjoy lit circles. I spent hours doing my lit circle assignments because I didn’t know how to start. I had to read the chapters over and over to try to understand them. It always takes me a long time to choose a passage to write about or coming up with a good question and a personal connection. If you ask me, I don't really like doing it because it puts a lot of stress on me.
Behavior
Satisfactory
Explanation:
I try to be on my best behavior most of the time and my behavior overall is good but sometimes I get distracted by things around me and I lose my concentration in class.
Participation
Needs serious help
Explanation:
I do not really participate in class that much and that is bad. I’m trying to improve but it’s not easy for me because I’m very shy.
Organization
Needs serious help
Explanation:
For some reason, I am always disorganized. My locker is a mess and I don’t file my work away. I think it is because my learning profile is gestalt which means I am not that organized and I need to see the whole picture every time.
Effort
Needs serious help
Explanation:
I would always put in just enough effort in my work like if the teacher wants two paragraphs, I would write two paragraphs. But I know that I should actually write more than that so that I can show the teacher that I am putting in more effort in doing my schoolwork and my homework.
My first goal: In 7th grade, I really want to be more proactive. In 6th grade, I never really talked that much in class or to my teachers. I think it affected my grades and I lost out because I ended up not understanding some topics. So in 7th grade I am totally going to try and ask the teacher whenever I have a problem or I don't understand something. My second goal: In 7th grade, I am going to really try and work on my organization. I am really messy when it comes to organization. For example, my locker is quite messy so I really hope to have a clean locker throughout the next year. My third goal: In 7th grade, I will try to improve my work so that I can stop core support. I actually wanted to learn I.T. because this class teaches us everything about computers, software, etc. but because of my poor grades, I had to take up core support. I really hope that I can get out of core support so that I can learn I.T.
This is some advice I'd like to give the next generation of 6th graders. Whenever you have a problem, always go and look for a teacher. That is one thing my teacher and parents keep telling me. Another advice: never do your work in the last minute because you always have to stay up late to do it and your work will never be good because you’re rushing to finish it. I should also tell you to communicate a lot with your teammates whenever you collaborate on group assignments. Lastly, take part in as many extra-curricular activities as you can. Well that is all the advice I can give and have a very good year!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
LETTER FROM WILL
Dear mom and dad,
I am writing to tell you that Henry and I are safe. We are now living among free men at a place called the White Mountains. It is a place very far from Wherton. I cannot tell you exactly where it is because that might endanger the lives of a lot of people. I know you must have been worried sick. I am sorry we left without telling you and without saying goodbye, but I think you wouldn't have understood why.
I left Wherton of my own free will. And that is the whole point of my journey.
The reason I left home is because I don't want to be Capped. I know you and everyone at Wherton think that it is normal and alright to be Capped. I don't agree. The Tripods are not who you think they are. The situation started when Jack got Capped. I noticed that Jack wasn't acting like himself after that. It seemed like something had been taken out of him. The vagrant Ozymandias explained to me that once you are Capped, you lose the power to think for yourself. He said that the Tripods make you obey and respect them by controlling your mind. I realized that Ozymandias was telling the truth because Jack used to have doubts about the Tripods, but after being Capped, he had no doubts anymore. Don't you think it's strange that no one who's Capped has ever asked why the Tripods are in our lives? We know so little about them. It's hard for me to explain all this to you because I'm not sure that you will understand, but I'm going to try.
Henry and I have been on an incredible journey. We have seen many wonders. We saw a "Shmand-fair" which is a long vehicle that is pulled by horses. It can carry many people and heavy things. We went to a great abandoned city created by the ancient humans. There we found a lot of inventions created by the ancient people. There were huge structures and buildings, and vehicles or carts that can move without having to be pulled by horses. There were underground tunnels which I guess must have been used for travelling. There was this metal egg that explodes once you pull out the ring that is attached to it. We even saw a man-made river. The ancient humans were actually really smart to build these great cities and gadgets. But I think that they must have perished in a war with the Tripods.
Our journey wasn't smooth. I've fallen ill, been captured by Tripod, even had a tracking device implanted in me. But I managed to destroy a Tripod. I know it must be shocking to you!
We have met many people. They live very differently from us. There is this foreign boy called Zhan-pole or Beanpole, as we call him. He lives in a country beyond the sea. He joined us on our journey to the White Mountains. Beanpole is very smart. He has poor eyesight but he figured out a way to see better by wearing glass lenses in front of each eye. He learnt to speak our language just by reading a book. There was also this very nice family who live in a castle with a red tower. We stayed with them for a while. During that time, I learnt some important things about freedom. They are Capped like everyone else but that doesn't mean that they can't think or make their own choices unlike slaves. They can make their own decisions and choices, but not about important things. They can decide to hunt, or go to different places or make friends with strangers. So they still have some freedom. But their freedom is not real freedom. They still obey the Tripods. They don't question why their lives have to be ruled by the Tripods.
I realized that making a decision to be free is not easy. There are many kinds of freedom. I realized why some people would decide to live under the control of others like the Tripods. You can still live a nice life and be happy, maybe happier than free men. I know that you can't be totally free to do anything you feel like. But you should be free to make important decisions about your own life. You should be free to question everything. And that is the reason why I left Wherton. The only way that I can make important decisions about my own life is if I'm not Capped. That is why I cannot come home and risk being Capped.
I also discovered about love. I fell in love with a wonderful girl called Eloise. I was so in love with her that I was willing to forget going to the White Mountains and stay with Eloise and maybe get Capped. I think Eloise loved me too. Unfortunately, she was Capped and chose to go away to serve the Tripods. My heart was broken. I guess that love is a powerful thing. It can make you do funny things.
I think I have grown up at lot since leaving Wherton. I am sad that I will not be coming back home. I really love you but I want to make my own choices, good or bad. It is what makes us truly human.
Love,
Will
Friday, March 25, 2011
FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"The bitter thing was that all the spirit, all the gallantry, was wasted. For even more than their inferiors, they accepted and looked forward to being Capped. It was a part of becoming a knight, or of turning from girl to lady. Thinking of this, I saw how good things could be meaningless in isolation. What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?" (page 111)
This quote is saying that life is meaningless without freedom. Freedom is a word that means being able to make your own choice. The nobles are not like robots or zombies that can't think at all. They can think and make choices. They can decide to hunt, or go to different places or make friends with strangers. So they still have some freedom. But their freedom is not real freedom. They have very happy and comfortable lives but they are not allowed to think about who are their masters. They cannot challenge the Tripods. They cannot choose whether or not they want to be Capped. This is because their minds are controlled. Will thinks that their freedom is meaningless because they can only make their own decisions about things that are not so important but they can't make their own decisions about important things like whether or not to be Capped. Will thinks that it is very important to have a free and challenging mind. He thinks it is important to be able to make your own choice about anything. So I think that Will discovers that there are different kinds of freedom like total freedom and controlled freedom.
Chapter 6 shows that it's not easy to decide which kind of freedom is better. The nobles don't have free and challenging minds but they are happy and satisfied with their lives and they can do pretty much anything they like. It's just that they don't think about challenging the Tripods. Compared to the free men living at the White Mountains, this is a good life. Or is it better "to live wretchedly, like a hunted animal, suffering hardship and despair-or this life, with its fullness and security and happiness"? (page 125). It is very hard for people to choose which kind of freedom is better. Even Will, who was so determined to escape being Capped, is tempted to stay and accept being Capped because life would be so great at the castle. I think he definitely would have stayed if Eloise didn't have to go away to serve the Tripods. I think that for some people, sometimes other things can be more important than freedom, like love or happiness. So it can be tough to decide. I'm not sure which kind of freedom I would choose if I were Will.
This quote is saying that life is meaningless without freedom. Freedom is a word that means being able to make your own choice. The nobles are not like robots or zombies that can't think at all. They can think and make choices. They can decide to hunt, or go to different places or make friends with strangers. So they still have some freedom. But their freedom is not real freedom. They have very happy and comfortable lives but they are not allowed to think about who are their masters. They cannot challenge the Tripods. They cannot choose whether or not they want to be Capped. This is because their minds are controlled. Will thinks that their freedom is meaningless because they can only make their own decisions about things that are not so important but they can't make their own decisions about important things like whether or not to be Capped. Will thinks that it is very important to have a free and challenging mind. He thinks it is important to be able to make your own choice about anything. So I think that Will discovers that there are different kinds of freedom like total freedom and controlled freedom.
Chapter 6 shows that it's not easy to decide which kind of freedom is better. The nobles don't have free and challenging minds but they are happy and satisfied with their lives and they can do pretty much anything they like. It's just that they don't think about challenging the Tripods. Compared to the free men living at the White Mountains, this is a good life. Or is it better "to live wretchedly, like a hunted animal, suffering hardship and despair-or this life, with its fullness and security and happiness"? (page 125). It is very hard for people to choose which kind of freedom is better. Even Will, who was so determined to escape being Capped, is tempted to stay and accept being Capped because life would be so great at the castle. I think he definitely would have stayed if Eloise didn't have to go away to serve the Tripods. I think that for some people, sometimes other things can be more important than freedom, like love or happiness. So it can be tough to decide. I'm not sure which kind of freedom I would choose if I were Will.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Methyethy's Diary
Hi, I am an amazing archaeologist and author from New York, America, and my name is Rick Riordan. I create books out of my adventures.I was just going through the tomb of Tutankhamen, when I found an old diary next to some artifacts. I found out that this diary belonged to a doctor called Methyethy. By reading his diary, I found out that he was the doctor for Tutankhamen. He was the best doctor and priest in all Egypt and was really kind, he helped out anyone that needed his help. Now enough of me talking, it would be better if you read it for yourself. So here it is....
Monday, February 15th
Today, I woke up before dawn. My servant had prepared clean clothes for me - my usual linen skirt and a loin cloth.
After washing myself and changing into my clothes, I prayed to the deities Heset, the god of plenty, and Toth, the god of wisdom. I remembered to offer prayers for the victims of the recent inundation of the Nile river that happened 2 weeks ago. It had been a bad flooding. Many people had died .
I then ate my favourite breakfast of bread dipped in honey. I drank only a little wine today.
Usually I worked at the same place where I lived. This was a temple which Egyptians called "The Temple of Life". However today I decided to set up my clinic outside the temple. Sometimes sick people cannot come all the way to the Temple of Life so it is good to be at places which are nearer to them.
I gathered up all of my supplies and medicine and went to find a more suitable place to set up my shop.
I walked along the Nile river on my way to town centre. There were many fishing boats on the river and also many fishermen fishing from the riverbank. I saw my friend Neshi fishing. I went up to him and asked: “Hey Neshi, any good catches today?” He replied “Yeah, of course!” and as he said that, he smiled and pulled a huge fish from a basket next to him. I asked him to reserve that one for me later and I continued to search for the right location for my shop.
I passed the shop of Ani, the father of Neshi, and went to buy some jewelry from him. I bought an amulet from him and set up my store next to his.
After a few hours, a stone carver named Debi asked me to bring my supplies and follow him back to his house quickly,
so I followed him. I went to his house and found a peasant named Nebnefer lying on the chair and blood flowing out of his leg. I
quickly took out some cotton and dipped it on his leg, I told him that I had to stitch the wound back together or else more blood
would come out. I quickly stitched the wound back together before more blood could flow out and put a bandage on it to just cover up the wound for a while.
Nebnefer thanked me and Debi helped pay for the surgery. After that, I went to the Nile river to take a bath and went back to the temple for some rest.
Tuesday, February 16th
Today when I went to my shop, I found a letter on my desk. This is what it said:
Dear Methyethy,
King Tutankhamen is sick and we need you to come to the palace so that you can heal him. His whole body feels hot and he never feels like eating. So you must come AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
From,
Nebetah
(Grand Vizier)
I took my supplies and rushed to the
palace at top speed. Once I got there, I was welcomed by Nebetah and both of us rushed into the throne room. I saw Harry the musician and Aneksi the dancer, entertaining King Tutankhamen while he was sitting on his throne. I quickly went over to him and felt his forehead. He had a high fever. I asked the royal servant for some herbs so mix them with my medicine and I asked King Tutankhamen to lay down on his bed. I quickly did the mixture and made King Tutankhamen drink it. I told Nebetah to give the King this medicine again after dinner and I left. Once I got back to my shop, Ani asked me about King Tutankhamen's condition. I said that he would be okay and that I would go back to his palace tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 17th
Today I had a very delicious breakfast of beef, bread and wine. After that I went and set up my shop next to Ani’s. Then I went to King Tutankhamen's palace to check up on him. It turned out that he was better and I asked him to take more of the medicine. Then I went to buy some ingredients from the store and took it back to my shop. I then mixed it up and put them in to bottles based on their names. I managed to sell quite a lot of medicine and used the money to buy some food for dinner, I also went to Neshi’s store and bought the fish which I had asked him to reserve for me. After that, I went to the Nile river and took a nice long bath. Then I went back to the temple and prepared dinner for the priest and myself. I made roast beef, prepared some bread and placed the wine on the table. After a really good dinner, I went back up to my room and slept for the rest of the day.
Friday, February 27th
Since today was a Friday, I decided to take a day off from work and just relax. I had a delicious breakfast with my friend, Tia, and the rest of the priests and priestesses in the Temple of Life. We had some roast beef, some bread with honey, eggs and beer. After cleaning the dishes, I visited the 6 main parts of the temple which are the courtyards, the second hall, the sacred lake, the pylon, the sanctuary and the hypostyle hall. Going there reminded me of the first day I moved in. I was amazed that I was actually going to stay in this beautiful place. I felt really happy that day. I had a new house, new friends and a new family. Then I decided to go to The Temple of Heliopolis, where people go and worship the sun god, Ra. I asked him to bring prosperity to the fields so that there will be enough food for everyone. Then I went and sacrificed a cow to Ra. After that, I went to the Nile River so that I could take a bath and relax. I went back to the temple and prepared dinner for me and the other priests which is also part of my job. After finishing dinner, I cleaned up and went to bed.
Saturday, February 28th
Today I got up and found some depressing news. One of the priests had just passed away. His name was Sontiana and he was 81 years old. It seems that he died in the night because of old age. A few priests and I prepared his funeral while Rennefer, the mummy maker, mummified his body. Some of the priests and I prepared some wine and meat as offerings to sustain his spirit in the afterlife. After Rennefer informed us that he finished mummifying Sontiana’s body, we went to the burial site and waited there for his body to be brought there. Once the body was brought there, we chanted a chant and said our goodbyes to him one by one. I said that he would definitely find a good place to live in the afterlife and that he was a good priest. After that, we sadly watched as our friend was buried in the ground. Then we went back to the temple and we all had a dinner that was dedicated to Sontiana. The dinner went on for about 4 hours and everyone in the village came. Even our pharaoh, King Tutankhamen attended. Once the dinner was over, we prayed and offered the wine and the meat to Sontiana. After dinner, I went over to the Nile River to have a quick bath. Then I went home and got ready to sleep. I thought about the things Sontiana and I did together. It made me so sad that I cried myself to sleep.
Sunday, February 29th
Today I got up and went to set up my store next to Ani’s again. Once I got there, I noticed a sign. It said in big bold letters, “ Sale!!!!!!!! Sale!!!!!!!!! Get your jewelry here!!! 50% off!!!” I went into his shop and we started having a conversation. “Hey Ani, I see that you have a sale going.” He replied “ Well yeah, do you want to buy something?” I looked around and I saw it, the most beautiful amulet I have ever seen. There was a green diamond in the middle of it and two winged dragons curled around the diamond as if they were protecting it. I pointed to it and said “ I would like that one please!” He took it out and told me that I had a very fine taste to jewelry. I gave him the money and wore it around my neck. I swore to myself that I would cherish it with my life then I went back to my shop. Once evening came, I packed up my stuff and I started to go to the Nile River so I could take a bath. On the way there, a farmer was passing by on his horse and cart when a box on his cart suddenly fell off. I would have gotten squashed. But I suddenly tripped and luckily managed to evade it. The farmer apologised and I helped him put the box back into the cart and I continued on to the Nile River. While washing myself, I realized that the amulet could be the reason I managed to dodge the box. After all, amulets do bring people good luck . I washed the amulet and put it around my neck. Once I got back to the temple, I showed it to the priests. They admired it a lot. Some of them wanted to borrow it while others wanted to buy it from me. I said that I would only lend it to them and I went to prepare dinner. After cleaning up, I went back to my room and polished the amulet till it was spotless. I told myself that I learned two things today: one was that Ani has the best jewelry, and the second was that some amulets can really bring you lucky.
15th November, Saturday
Today, Ani’s servant came over and told me Ani was very sick. He said that Ani was too sick to move so he asked me to go to Ani’s house. I gathered up my medicines and tools, and rushed over to Ani’s house. When I got to his house, I saw Ani’s son, Neshi, putting a wet handkerchief on Ani’s forehead and his daughter, Teti, hugging Ani. I quickly went over and examined his body. His temperature was really high. I quickly got hold of a bowl, cut some herbs and mixed the herbs to form the medicine I needed to use. I quickly let Ani drink the medicine and put a wet handkerchief on his forehead. But his temperature didn’t drop; instead it was rising. It appeared that the problem was more serious than I had thought. I was about to mix the herbs again when Ani spoke to me. “Stop, I-I don’t think I will make it ...” I replied, “Don’t say that, I will definitely find a way to cure you.” He held my hand firmly and said “If I don’t make it, please adopt my children. There’s no one else whom I trust to take care of them.” I replied “No you will make it!!!” Just then his grip loosened and his eyes closed. I checked his heartbeat. Nothing, there was no heartbeat. Ani had died. I knelt down on my knees. I had failed to save him. My best friend was gone forever. He had always been there for me when I needed him but when he needed me most, I had failed. I looked back and saw Neshi and Teti crying together. Teti was only 10 years old so I knew this was hard for her. I remembered Ani’s last words. I said to them “Your father has asked me to adopt you children. I will treat you as my own and you can treat as your father too.” They hugged me and I said “We should have a burial for your father now don’t you think?” The children wailed even louder. “I’m sorry, what I wanted to say was ‘We must have a burial ceremony for your father now.’” I then said to myself “I really have to buy a book about how to be a father if I am adopting these children.” While the children went to get their stuff, I covered Ani’s body with a blanket and we brought it to Rennefer. After the burial ceremony, the children and I went back to the temple and prepared dinner for everyone. While eating dinner, I introduced my new children to the rest of the priests and we all had a really good dinner together. After that we cleaned up and I asked the children to help me make some medicine. We then put the medicine into some bottles and went to sleep.
16th November, Sunday
Today, I got up and decided to spend the day with my new children to keep their spirits up. I looked around the temple hoping to find something fun so I could play with the children. I looked into the store room and found a box. I blew the dust from it. It was a box of checkers. I took it back into my room. I said to them “ Hey, lets play this game.you are supposed to keep moving the pieces until you knock out all of your opponent’s pieces.” After an hour of playing checkers, I went with Teti to the market while Neshi went to the Nile River to fish. Teti and I came across a few stores when Teti pulled my sleeve. She pointed to a stall that was selling dolls. I asked her which one she wanted and she pointed to a doll that had blond hair and was wearing a pink dress. I paid the money and we went to an area where children like to play. The place was swarming with kids playing leap frog, tug-a-war and other games. She said that she wanted to join her friends who were playing leapfrog and I said yes. I told her that I was going to check on Neshi and she said okay. While walking to the Nile River, I saw what I wanted to buy just now. It was a book called “ How to be a good father”. I paid the money and continued my way to the Nile River. I reached the Nile River and saw Neshi talking to a woman. The woman looked very familiar. As I looked closer I saw that she was Aneksi, the dancer that entertains the pharaoh. I came closer and I heard some of their conversation. Neshi said “ Hey, how about you come and have dinner with my new father, Methyethy.” Aneksi exclaimed “ Your new dad is the famous doctor!!!” I was stunned, I didn’t know I was that popular and famous. I then walked over and surprised them. Neshi then introduced me and Aneksi, and we arranged dinner at the temple tonight. After walking for a while, I asked Neshi whether he and Aneksi was going out and he said yes. He said that they had been going out for 2 months. I asked whether they were planning to get married and she said no. He said that he still wasn’t ready to go that far yet. After that, Teti and I went back home to prepare dinner while Neshi sold the fish he caught at the market. I told the priests that I was going to eat in my room so I prepared a table and brought food to my room. After a few minutes of talking, Aneksi finally showed up and we then started eating. After dinner, Teti and I brought the dishes to the kitchen while Neshi said goodbye to Aneksi. Then we cleaned up and went to bed.
Monday, February 15th
Today, I woke up before dawn. My servant had prepared clean clothes for me - my usual linen skirt and a loin cloth.
After washing myself and changing into my clothes, I prayed to the deities Heset, the god of plenty, and Toth, the god of wisdom. I remembered to offer prayers for the victims of the recent inundation of the Nile river that happened 2 weeks ago. It had been a bad flooding. Many people had died .
I then ate my favourite breakfast of bread dipped in honey. I drank only a little wine today.
Usually I worked at the same place where I lived. This was a temple which Egyptians called "The Temple of Life". However today I decided to set up my clinic outside the temple. Sometimes sick people cannot come all the way to the Temple of Life so it is good to be at places which are nearer to them.
I gathered up all of my supplies and medicine and went to find a more suitable place to set up my shop.
I walked along the Nile river on my way to town centre. There were many fishing boats on the river and also many fishermen fishing from the riverbank. I saw my friend Neshi fishing. I went up to him and asked: “Hey Neshi, any good catches today?” He replied “Yeah, of course!” and as he said that, he smiled and pulled a huge fish from a basket next to him. I asked him to reserve that one for me later and I continued to search for the right location for my shop.
I passed the shop of Ani, the father of Neshi, and went to buy some jewelry from him. I bought an amulet from him and set up my store next to his.
After a few hours, a stone carver named Debi asked me to bring my supplies and follow him back to his house quickly,
so I followed him. I went to his house and found a peasant named Nebnefer lying on the chair and blood flowing out of his leg. I
quickly took out some cotton and dipped it on his leg, I told him that I had to stitch the wound back together or else more blood
would come out. I quickly stitched the wound back together before more blood could flow out and put a bandage on it to just cover up the wound for a while.
Nebnefer thanked me and Debi helped pay for the surgery. After that, I went to the Nile river to take a bath and went back to the temple for some rest.
Tuesday, February 16th
Today when I went to my shop, I found a letter on my desk. This is what it said:
Dear Methyethy,
King Tutankhamen is sick and we need you to come to the palace so that you can heal him. His whole body feels hot and he never feels like eating. So you must come AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
From,
Nebetah
(Grand Vizier)
I took my supplies and rushed to the
palace at top speed. Once I got there, I was welcomed by Nebetah and both of us rushed into the throne room. I saw Harry the musician and Aneksi the dancer, entertaining King Tutankhamen while he was sitting on his throne. I quickly went over to him and felt his forehead. He had a high fever. I asked the royal servant for some herbs so mix them with my medicine and I asked King Tutankhamen to lay down on his bed. I quickly did the mixture and made King Tutankhamen drink it. I told Nebetah to give the King this medicine again after dinner and I left. Once I got back to my shop, Ani asked me about King Tutankhamen's condition. I said that he would be okay and that I would go back to his palace tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 17th
Today I had a very delicious breakfast of beef, bread and wine. After that I went and set up my shop next to Ani’s. Then I went to King Tutankhamen's palace to check up on him. It turned out that he was better and I asked him to take more of the medicine. Then I went to buy some ingredients from the store and took it back to my shop. I then mixed it up and put them in to bottles based on their names. I managed to sell quite a lot of medicine and used the money to buy some food for dinner, I also went to Neshi’s store and bought the fish which I had asked him to reserve for me. After that, I went to the Nile river and took a nice long bath. Then I went back to the temple and prepared dinner for the priest and myself. I made roast beef, prepared some bread and placed the wine on the table. After a really good dinner, I went back up to my room and slept for the rest of the day.
Friday, February 27th
Since today was a Friday, I decided to take a day off from work and just relax. I had a delicious breakfast with my friend, Tia, and the rest of the priests and priestesses in the Temple of Life. We had some roast beef, some bread with honey, eggs and beer. After cleaning the dishes, I visited the 6 main parts of the temple which are the courtyards, the second hall, the sacred lake, the pylon, the sanctuary and the hypostyle hall. Going there reminded me of the first day I moved in. I was amazed that I was actually going to stay in this beautiful place. I felt really happy that day. I had a new house, new friends and a new family. Then I decided to go to The Temple of Heliopolis, where people go and worship the sun god, Ra. I asked him to bring prosperity to the fields so that there will be enough food for everyone. Then I went and sacrificed a cow to Ra. After that, I went to the Nile River so that I could take a bath and relax. I went back to the temple and prepared dinner for me and the other priests which is also part of my job. After finishing dinner, I cleaned up and went to bed.
Saturday, February 28th
Today I got up and found some depressing news. One of the priests had just passed away. His name was Sontiana and he was 81 years old. It seems that he died in the night because of old age. A few priests and I prepared his funeral while Rennefer, the mummy maker, mummified his body. Some of the priests and I prepared some wine and meat as offerings to sustain his spirit in the afterlife. After Rennefer informed us that he finished mummifying Sontiana’s body, we went to the burial site and waited there for his body to be brought there. Once the body was brought there, we chanted a chant and said our goodbyes to him one by one. I said that he would definitely find a good place to live in the afterlife and that he was a good priest. After that, we sadly watched as our friend was buried in the ground. Then we went back to the temple and we all had a dinner that was dedicated to Sontiana. The dinner went on for about 4 hours and everyone in the village came. Even our pharaoh, King Tutankhamen attended. Once the dinner was over, we prayed and offered the wine and the meat to Sontiana. After dinner, I went over to the Nile River to have a quick bath. Then I went home and got ready to sleep. I thought about the things Sontiana and I did together. It made me so sad that I cried myself to sleep.
Sunday, February 29th
Today I got up and went to set up my store next to Ani’s again. Once I got there, I noticed a sign. It said in big bold letters, “ Sale!!!!!!!! Sale!!!!!!!!! Get your jewelry here!!! 50% off!!!” I went into his shop and we started having a conversation. “Hey Ani, I see that you have a sale going.” He replied “ Well yeah, do you want to buy something?” I looked around and I saw it, the most beautiful amulet I have ever seen. There was a green diamond in the middle of it and two winged dragons curled around the diamond as if they were protecting it. I pointed to it and said “ I would like that one please!” He took it out and told me that I had a very fine taste to jewelry. I gave him the money and wore it around my neck. I swore to myself that I would cherish it with my life then I went back to my shop. Once evening came, I packed up my stuff and I started to go to the Nile River so I could take a bath. On the way there, a farmer was passing by on his horse and cart when a box on his cart suddenly fell off. I would have gotten squashed. But I suddenly tripped and luckily managed to evade it. The farmer apologised and I helped him put the box back into the cart and I continued on to the Nile River. While washing myself, I realized that the amulet could be the reason I managed to dodge the box. After all, amulets do bring people good luck . I washed the amulet and put it around my neck. Once I got back to the temple, I showed it to the priests. They admired it a lot. Some of them wanted to borrow it while others wanted to buy it from me. I said that I would only lend it to them and I went to prepare dinner. After cleaning up, I went back to my room and polished the amulet till it was spotless. I told myself that I learned two things today: one was that Ani has the best jewelry, and the second was that some amulets can really bring you lucky.
15th November, Saturday
Today, Ani’s servant came over and told me Ani was very sick. He said that Ani was too sick to move so he asked me to go to Ani’s house. I gathered up my medicines and tools, and rushed over to Ani’s house. When I got to his house, I saw Ani’s son, Neshi, putting a wet handkerchief on Ani’s forehead and his daughter, Teti, hugging Ani. I quickly went over and examined his body. His temperature was really high. I quickly got hold of a bowl, cut some herbs and mixed the herbs to form the medicine I needed to use. I quickly let Ani drink the medicine and put a wet handkerchief on his forehead. But his temperature didn’t drop; instead it was rising. It appeared that the problem was more serious than I had thought. I was about to mix the herbs again when Ani spoke to me. “Stop, I-I don’t think I will make it ...” I replied, “Don’t say that, I will definitely find a way to cure you.” He held my hand firmly and said “If I don’t make it, please adopt my children. There’s no one else whom I trust to take care of them.” I replied “No you will make it!!!” Just then his grip loosened and his eyes closed. I checked his heartbeat. Nothing, there was no heartbeat. Ani had died. I knelt down on my knees. I had failed to save him. My best friend was gone forever. He had always been there for me when I needed him but when he needed me most, I had failed. I looked back and saw Neshi and Teti crying together. Teti was only 10 years old so I knew this was hard for her. I remembered Ani’s last words. I said to them “Your father has asked me to adopt you children. I will treat you as my own and you can treat as your father too.” They hugged me and I said “We should have a burial for your father now don’t you think?” The children wailed even louder. “I’m sorry, what I wanted to say was ‘We must have a burial ceremony for your father now.’” I then said to myself “I really have to buy a book about how to be a father if I am adopting these children.” While the children went to get their stuff, I covered Ani’s body with a blanket and we brought it to Rennefer. After the burial ceremony, the children and I went back to the temple and prepared dinner for everyone. While eating dinner, I introduced my new children to the rest of the priests and we all had a really good dinner together. After that we cleaned up and I asked the children to help me make some medicine. We then put the medicine into some bottles and went to sleep.
16th November, Sunday
Today, I got up and decided to spend the day with my new children to keep their spirits up. I looked around the temple hoping to find something fun so I could play with the children. I looked into the store room and found a box. I blew the dust from it. It was a box of checkers. I took it back into my room. I said to them “ Hey, lets play this game.you are supposed to keep moving the pieces until you knock out all of your opponent’s pieces.” After an hour of playing checkers, I went with Teti to the market while Neshi went to the Nile River to fish. Teti and I came across a few stores when Teti pulled my sleeve. She pointed to a stall that was selling dolls. I asked her which one she wanted and she pointed to a doll that had blond hair and was wearing a pink dress. I paid the money and we went to an area where children like to play. The place was swarming with kids playing leap frog, tug-a-war and other games. She said that she wanted to join her friends who were playing leapfrog and I said yes. I told her that I was going to check on Neshi and she said okay. While walking to the Nile River, I saw what I wanted to buy just now. It was a book called “ How to be a good father”. I paid the money and continued my way to the Nile River. I reached the Nile River and saw Neshi talking to a woman. The woman looked very familiar. As I looked closer I saw that she was Aneksi, the dancer that entertains the pharaoh. I came closer and I heard some of their conversation. Neshi said “ Hey, how about you come and have dinner with my new father, Methyethy.” Aneksi exclaimed “ Your new dad is the famous doctor!!!” I was stunned, I didn’t know I was that popular and famous. I then walked over and surprised them. Neshi then introduced me and Aneksi, and we arranged dinner at the temple tonight. After walking for a while, I asked Neshi whether he and Aneksi was going out and he said yes. He said that they had been going out for 2 months. I asked whether they were planning to get married and she said no. He said that he still wasn’t ready to go that far yet. After that, Teti and I went back home to prepare dinner while Neshi sold the fish he caught at the market. I told the priests that I was going to eat in my room so I prepared a table and brought food to my room. After a few minutes of talking, Aneksi finally showed up and we then started eating. After dinner, Teti and I brought the dishes to the kitchen while Neshi said goodbye to Aneksi. Then we cleaned up and went to bed.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Will the Tripods hater!!!!
In the book "The White Mountains", the Tripods control the behavior of humans by using devices that the humans call "Caps". They are metal plates which are fitted over the humans' heads and "somehow welded" (page 168) to the human's heads. I think these Caps are bigger and more powerful versions of the tracking device that is implanted in Will. So the Caps should have thousands of "tiny wires just below the surface" (page 173") which probably send out signals to the humans' brains and also to the Tripods. This lets the Tripods know what the humans are thinking and doing and also allows the Tripods to control the humans' behavior. I think when the Tripods first invaded Earth, they forced humans into wearing the Caps. Probably after many years, the Tripods made the humans create a custom that all children turning fourteen must go through a ceremony where they would be Capped. I think this was to make it easier for the Tripods to continue to Cap all humans without always having to force them because by having a human custom, the humans would not question Capping.
When Will is at the Red Castle, you can tell that he is feeling very comfortable living there but he is frustrated that the Comte, Comtesse and Eloise are Capped. In page 111, Will said "The bitter thing was that all the spirit, all the gallantry, was wasted. For even more than their inferiors, they accepted and looked forward to being Capped. It was a part of becoming a knight, or of hunting from girl to lady. Thinking of this, I saw how good things could be meaningless in isolation. What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?" In page 116, Will also said " And I had despised them for it-despised even, for all their kindness to me and their goodness, the Comte and Comtesse." I think that Will feels that even though the Comte, Comtesse and Eloise are kind and good hearted, they are still Capped and brainwashed, and obey the Tripods' commands no matter what. He is shocked and frustrated that the Comte and Comtesse would allow Eloise, their only daughter, to go away to serve the Tripods. "They had, as I knew, deeply missed their sons, sent away for a few years only to learn knighthood in another household. And this was their daughter, whom they loved perhaps more dearly still, and she was to go to the Tripods and never return ... and all day long I had seen them happy and rejoicing. It was monstrous." (page 135-136) Will is also shocked that Eloise is so happy to leave hr family and him to go to the Tripods. "Her words shocked me, but the look on her face was more shocking still. It was a kind of rapt devotion, the expression of someone who hugs in secret her heart's desire." (page 135). In page 136, Will says "She had forgotten me already, in any sense that truly mattered. All her mind was concentrated on the Tripods. Her masters had called, and she was going to them gladly." He is so shocked and frustrated that the Comte, Comtesse and Eloise don't even want to disobey the Tripods that he finally decides to leave the Castle even though he is so comfortable there.
It seems that Will's feelings about being Capped change a few times in the book. At first he doesn't seem to care about being Capped. "One did not think much about things connected with the Cappings" (page 10). He thinks it is normal for everyone to be Capped once they turn 14 years old so he doesn't have any feelings about it. But he starts to have doubts after seeing the changes in Jack after he has been Capped. "Why should the Tripods take people away, and Cap them? What right have they? ... But I don't see why it has to happen. I'd sooner stay as I am." (page 18) After learning about being Capped from Ozymandias, Will started hating being Capped. In page 39, Will says "And I knew that I would rather die than wear a Cap." This makes him decide to run away from Wherton.But later, when Will is living comfortably at the Castle of the Red Tower and is asked to stay by the Comtesse, he changes his mind about being Capped. He sees that you can be Capped and still be happy. "And the better I knew them, the harder it was to make a sweeping condemnation. They were Capped, they accepted the Tripods and all they stood for, but that did not prevent them from being, as I had seen in the Comte and Comtesse and Eloise and now in others, warmhearted, generous and brave. And happy." (page 122) Will tries to find reasons to accept being Capped. He asks himself, what was so bad about being Capped? "Before Capping there might be doubts and uncertainties and revulsion; perhaps these people had known them, too. When the Cap was put on, the doubts vanished. How great a loss was that? Was it a loss at all? The Tripods, apart from the act of Capping itself, did not seem to interfere much with men." (page 123) In page 125, Will thinks "If our ancestors, with all their strength, had failed, how pitiful was the defiance of a few men clinging to the slopes of barren mountains. And if there was no hope of defeating them, what were the true alternatives? To live wretchedly, like a hunted animal, suffering hardship and despair-or this life, with its fullness and security and happiness." This shows the doubts in Will about whether it's worth fighting the Tripods. But Will's feelings change again when Eloise tells him that she will go away forever to serve the Tripods. He is shocked that she and her parents can happily allow such a terrible thing to happen.
I think deep down, Will really doesn't want to be Capped at all. Will said in page 111, "Thinking of this, I saw how good things could be meaningless in isolation. What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?" That proves that he really wants to have freedom and that he wants to think freely and also live a good and free life.
When Will is at the Red Castle, you can tell that he is feeling very comfortable living there but he is frustrated that the Comte, Comtesse and Eloise are Capped. In page 111, Will said "The bitter thing was that all the spirit, all the gallantry, was wasted. For even more than their inferiors, they accepted and looked forward to being Capped. It was a part of becoming a knight, or of hunting from girl to lady. Thinking of this, I saw how good things could be meaningless in isolation. What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?" In page 116, Will also said " And I had despised them for it-despised even, for all their kindness to me and their goodness, the Comte and Comtesse." I think that Will feels that even though the Comte, Comtesse and Eloise are kind and good hearted, they are still Capped and brainwashed, and obey the Tripods' commands no matter what. He is shocked and frustrated that the Comte and Comtesse would allow Eloise, their only daughter, to go away to serve the Tripods. "They had, as I knew, deeply missed their sons, sent away for a few years only to learn knighthood in another household. And this was their daughter, whom they loved perhaps more dearly still, and she was to go to the Tripods and never return ... and all day long I had seen them happy and rejoicing. It was monstrous." (page 135-136) Will is also shocked that Eloise is so happy to leave hr family and him to go to the Tripods. "Her words shocked me, but the look on her face was more shocking still. It was a kind of rapt devotion, the expression of someone who hugs in secret her heart's desire." (page 135). In page 136, Will says "She had forgotten me already, in any sense that truly mattered. All her mind was concentrated on the Tripods. Her masters had called, and she was going to them gladly." He is so shocked and frustrated that the Comte, Comtesse and Eloise don't even want to disobey the Tripods that he finally decides to leave the Castle even though he is so comfortable there.
It seems that Will's feelings about being Capped change a few times in the book. At first he doesn't seem to care about being Capped. "One did not think much about things connected with the Cappings" (page 10). He thinks it is normal for everyone to be Capped once they turn 14 years old so he doesn't have any feelings about it. But he starts to have doubts after seeing the changes in Jack after he has been Capped. "Why should the Tripods take people away, and Cap them? What right have they? ... But I don't see why it has to happen. I'd sooner stay as I am." (page 18) After learning about being Capped from Ozymandias, Will started hating being Capped. In page 39, Will says "And I knew that I would rather die than wear a Cap." This makes him decide to run away from Wherton.But later, when Will is living comfortably at the Castle of the Red Tower and is asked to stay by the Comtesse, he changes his mind about being Capped. He sees that you can be Capped and still be happy. "And the better I knew them, the harder it was to make a sweeping condemnation. They were Capped, they accepted the Tripods and all they stood for, but that did not prevent them from being, as I had seen in the Comte and Comtesse and Eloise and now in others, warmhearted, generous and brave. And happy." (page 122) Will tries to find reasons to accept being Capped. He asks himself, what was so bad about being Capped? "Before Capping there might be doubts and uncertainties and revulsion; perhaps these people had known them, too. When the Cap was put on, the doubts vanished. How great a loss was that? Was it a loss at all? The Tripods, apart from the act of Capping itself, did not seem to interfere much with men." (page 123) In page 125, Will thinks "If our ancestors, with all their strength, had failed, how pitiful was the defiance of a few men clinging to the slopes of barren mountains. And if there was no hope of defeating them, what were the true alternatives? To live wretchedly, like a hunted animal, suffering hardship and despair-or this life, with its fullness and security and happiness." This shows the doubts in Will about whether it's worth fighting the Tripods. But Will's feelings change again when Eloise tells him that she will go away forever to serve the Tripods. He is shocked that she and her parents can happily allow such a terrible thing to happen.
I think deep down, Will really doesn't want to be Capped at all. Will said in page 111, "Thinking of this, I saw how good things could be meaningless in isolation. What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?" That proves that he really wants to have freedom and that he wants to think freely and also live a good and free life.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Beanpole the awesomeness!!!!!!
In the book "The White Mountains" Will and Henry have run away from home to escape being Capped by the Tripods. They meet a boy called Zhanpole or Beanpole who joins them on their journey to the White Mountains. Beanpole is a weird-looking boy and different from the other people that Will and Henry have met. In page 69 of the book, Beanpole is described as "He looked odd and solemn standing there, tall and thin, with that strange metal-and-glass thing on his face." Beanpole is a very clever person. He has "a tremendous brain" (page 71). He made his own spectacles so that he could see more clearly. He also taught himself English from an old book.
I think that Beanpole will be very helpful for Will and Henry on their journey to the White Mountains. First, he can communicate with them in English but he can also speak the local language. This is very useful because Will and Henry have to travel across Beanpole's country (France) to get to the White Mountains but they cannot speak the local language. Beanpole can communicate with the local people. This makes it easier for the boys to get important information, like when Capping day is held at the Castle of the Red Tower so they can leave in time (page 109). Also, since Beanpole can speak the local language, it makes it less suspicious to other people who might alert the Tripods. The boys would look like they are locals, and not runaways from another country. They achieved this by pretending to be deaf-mute cousins of Beanpole. This was also Beanpole's idea (page 103). So again it shows how useful he is to Will and Henry.
Another reason why I think Beanpole can help Will and Henry on their journey is because being a local, he knows certain things which can help the boys get to the White Mountains faster and without being detected. For example, Beanpole knows where the Tripods usually travel, so they could avoid the roads that the Tripods usually use. He also knows about ways of traveling that could get the boys to the White Mountains faster than walking on roads. He took them to the Shmand-Fair, the train pulled by horses. The train took them south much farther and faster than they would have done by walking (pages 72-77).
The last reason why I think Beanpole can help Will and Henry on their journey is because he is a good planner and inventor. For example, Beanpole came up with the idea to escape from the Castle of the Red Tower during the tournament and not immediately. He knew that people would be busy and there would be much confusion and so the boys would not be missed for a few days. And because there would be more exciting things to do at the castle during the tournament, the people would not take the trouble to hunt for the boys. I think that Beanpole is a good inventor because he created his spectacles and said that he knew that hot air rises and that this could be used to power a hot air balloon, or even the subway train and cars that they discovered in the Ancient City (page 79 and 87).
Being an inventor, he might be able create a hot air balloon that works so the boys could travel even faster. He might even be able to create a weapon using the "metal eggs" or grenades that they found in the Ancient City and brought along with them.
These are the reasons why I think Beanpole can help Will and Henry on their journey. I think that Beanpole is the smartest person in the book, even smarter than Ozymandias!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
How is Will just like me????
Right now, I am reading a science fiction novel called "Tripods: The White Mountains" for my lit circle. This story is about a twelve year old boy named Will who is trying to get to the White Mountains so that he can escape machines called Tripods. In the book, all humans are capped by the Tripods when they reach the age ofthirteen years. The Tripods implant a metal device on people's heads that allows the Tripods to control the humans' minds like how they think and what they want them to think. People are not sure what the Tripods are. It is believed that they are either man-made machines which rebelled against the humans, or that they are alien vehicles.
How is Will like me?
Apart from us being the same age, I think that Will is similar to me in several ways. First of all, Will and I both know people that bullied us and ended up being friends. The person I am talking about was a classmate of mine in Standard 1 at my old school, S.J.K.(C) Jalan Davidson. He is exactly like Henry, Will's cousin who always bullied him. This boy and I had many nasty encounters in school. He has kicked me in the back, threw my books and water bottle down two floors, and even pushed me down the stairs. We even fought several times. In the end, it would always end up really badly. One day in Standard Two, he couldn't be found when his parents went to school to pick him up. They panicked and got the teachers to look for him. But they still couldn't find him anywhere. Then his parents saw me and asked me to find him. I saw how worried they were and decided to help even though I didn't like him. I went looking all over the school and managed to find him. When he realized how worried his parents had been, and how much help I had given to search for him, he changed his attitude towards me. Eventually, I became his best friend. In the book, Will and Henry hated each other at first but slowly their attitudes towards each other changed.
Secondly, Will and I both have a cousin who we depend on a lot. The cousin that he depends on is Jack (who is Capped early in the story) and the cousin I depend on is a boy named Yee Jiang. Jack would always break up Will and Henry's fights, and he gave Will a lot of good advice. My cousin Yee Jiang would always help me out with any problems I had.
But the most important reason why I think that Will and I are similar is that we don't want or like our lives to be in the hands of others. It seems like I am always asked to do this and that by my parents and other adults, like teachers. I feel like I am being controlled. If we weren'tcontrolled by others, we could live our life however we want. That's the reason why Will wants to go to the White Mountains. In a way, my teachers and parents are just like the Tripods: they can control me and make me bow down to them. But even though I would like to control my own life, I would not run away like Will. That's a big difference between him and me!
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