What we read
We have now read both "Feeling the Heat" (Bixby & Scanlon, 2013, p. 39) and "Fire in the Sky" (p. 41). As usual, the authors now invite us to respond critically to the ideas from both readings.
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Bixby and Scanlon's questions
The questions that ask for our response to both readings are:
- "Feeling the Heat" stresses how fire can be dangerous and frightening, but "Fire in the Sky" reminds us how people are attracted to it. Why do you think some people are attracted to danger in their lives?
- Think about the other "classical elements": air, water and earth. In what ways can they be dangerous as well as life-giving?
Remember
As usual, your response writing will be stronger i you write for readers who have not seen the questions you are responding to. That is, if a reader who has not seen the questions above reads your writing, it should still make sense to that reader.
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Reference
- Bixby, J. & Scanlon, J. (2013). Skillful Reading & Writing, Student's Book 3. Oxford: Macmillan Education
I liked the question about "classical elements," which takes us back to ancient Greek ideas about what makes up the world. Actually, I think similar ideas also existed in Chinese culture, but I don't remember them so well. And that reminds me of the movie The Fifth Element, starring Bruce Willis when he was young. It was a fun bit of nonsense, with the addition of live fifth element from outer space coming to save humanity.
ReplyDeleteAll of the four elements air, earth, water and fire, can be both seriously helpful and harmful to us, which I guess is why they were chosen as the fundamental types of things that make up everything around us.
Water turns turbines to create electricity in Australia, but it also used to flood my family home every few years, causing massive damage to our crops. Similarly, air keeps as breathing and alive, and a gentle breeze is a pleasure on a hot day, while a hurricane is massively destructive, tearing down houses and other constructions. Earth can also be both harmful and helpful: it is what we grow our food in and on, and when it slides down a mountain after rain, it can engulf entire villages, or collapse on miners digging riches from it.
I think some people may have this idea 'the more dangerous they face, the bigger rewards they get' such as people who love hiking go to the Everest which they know it's dangerous to hike there and not everyone can come back, but they want to go because they want to stand on the highest place
ReplyDeleteof the world.
Because danger is challenging, some people are attracted to it. For example, if we can achieve the challenge that is hard and dangerous, we feel proud.
ReplyDeleteAir, water and earth can all be useful and harmful. Air can contain a pollution that can harm our breathing system.
Water can be contaminated. Also, a huge wave of water is tsunami, which ruined our land and people.
Earth is dirt. This causes an earthquake that destroy city, town, and people.
In conclusion, everything has two sides depended on which side we choose to see.
Well I think some people like to try dangerous or risky things to challenge their ordinary life. I can think about one thing that many people are taking their life to risk and difficulties in order to enjoy the extreme scenery of nature which is "Conquering Everest". There might be extreme danger and exhaustion to get to the peak of the Everest but the experience and proud of their achievement are a reward for them. I believe that the view there are extraordinary and you couldn't find anywhere in the world.
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about another element that can be both beautiful and dangerous is water. There're many people love diving to the under water world.The beauty of marine creatures and coral reefs are attracting however,there're risks of diving activity such as storm, pressure of body, attack from sharks or big sea animals.Therefore, people should have well trained before going to under the ocean ,otherwise you can risking you life with the nature.
1. So they might think that the fire in the sky looks a very beautiful colors or looks colorful by shooting for the ground to the sky and can be used for celebrations in some events such as festivals which are very popular activity in most of countries in the world, grand openings and fortunes.
ReplyDelete2. I think air and water can cause danger by using in the wrong functions and many time they cause very big problem with natural destruction such as storm and flood which are badly destruction
It quite very difficult to answer why some people attracted to danger in their lives. It is probably they carefully consider that they can deal with the risky situation. So, they decide to do it. I think this is a very interesting decision to choose or not choose. Every one all fear in something. But, after they analyse the situation that they are going to face, they decide to do it or change it. They all have their own reason to choose it or not.
ReplyDeleteI think the pollution in air, water and earth are very dangerous. It is because we cannot see it directly. We do not know what inside. Is it clean or not? But, it is an important elements. we cannot live without them.
Danger is a form of challenging in a way that human beings want to overcome and it makes people feel excited too. This may be why some people like to do some risky sports e.g., hiking the Everest. However, in some cases, it is just an innocence as people are not aware of a danger. For example, young children would like to play fire while they don't know that it is hot and dangerous.
ReplyDeleteAir, water and earth are fundamental elements and is the origin of everything including lives. In contrast, they can destroy lives as we can see from disasters like flood or earthquake. They are to balance the world.