Sunday, 15 December 2019

How playing an instrument benefits your brain

Summary 

In the TED Talk How playing an instrument benefits your brain, Dr. Anita Collin says that There is a recent research on playing music has a positive effect on our brains. This research was conducted by a neurologist. They installed scientific equipment that call fMRI and PET scanners to people who were listening to music. They saw brain activity similar to small fireworks. But when scientists switched from brain of people who were listening to music to people playing music. They saw the little backyard fireworks became a fireworks in celebration, which can be interpreted as while listening to music causes the brain to start working at a certain level, but playing music is equal to a full-body brain workout.




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Response 

I am interested in this research because I like playing music and I'm also a music teacher. Knowing the benefits of playing music that is good for brain development will greatly benefit me in my teaching career. I find that parents often ask "What are the benefits of playing music?". This research gives me useful and reliable information that benefit to give advice to student parents.

When reading exam books, I often listen to instrumental music, which helps me to relax and remember more information. I tend to not listen to music that have lyrics while reading books because the lyrics have distract my reading, I often sing along when I listen. Aside from that, I also had personal experiences that made me agree with this research that says playing music is a brain exercise. I feel dizzy after every long hour piano practice. This dizzy feeling is similar to the feeling after reading an exam or after studying ielts class. This dizziness, I think it is caused by the brain working until exhaustion.

If you not ever playing a musical instrument, I advise you or your child to try playing musical instruments because I think listening to music and playing music will benefit everyone. Especially in brain development. In addition to developing brain Music training also has other benefits, such as discipline practice, expression in public places, creating little happiness in the family etc.

Saturday, 14 December 2019

A different way of thinking in language

Summary 

In the TED"how language shapes the way we think"Lera boroditsky says that There are 7000 different languages ​​in the world, and different languages ​​have different ways of thinking. Each way of thinking determines the different definition of things. language can convey the most complicated feelings, human beings can transfer knowledge to each other, even strange ideas, which can be achieved through language.the most interesting is the kuuk thaayorre people in the indigenous group of Australia. They have no concept of left and right.they used east, south, west, and north instead of left and right.language provides different ideas, but it disappears on average every week, which means that a way of thinking disappears.




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Response 

"To have a second language is to have a second soul"when I saw this sentence, I feel like I am on another planet.let me rethink the meaning of learning a new language.what does language bring us? How does learning a new language help us? Why can we use our mother tongue proficiently? Etc.These seemingly simple and ordinary problems suddenly came to my mind.language brings us knowledge and emotions, even unrealistic fantasies in our heads. But how do we get to it.
Thinking back,when we were babies, our parents spoke to us every day, even though we didn't know anything during our infancy.we also listen every day.since then,we have actually absorbed these words,until we can speak.we do not even need to be able to learn its grammar and how to use a sentence correctly, because we already have a habit and feel of the language.but as adults, we want to learn a new language. We are more or less affected by our mother tongue, so we are forced to learn grammar and recite correct sentences,but when we are in the process of learning, we suddenly find that oh ~ Every language has its own system.different feelings expressed in different systems are completely different.when we practice a new language day by day until we can feel the feeling it brings,Invisibly our brain is also undergoing changes, even personality, expressions, feelings...then we think different way.
When I learned Thai, I also learned about Thai culture and Thai thinking patterns. Language is an important tool for magic and building relationships between people.I think this is the topic until the discussion, language has shortened the distance between people and provided different ways of thinking.but language needs to be used to survive. As some languages ​​gradually disappear, in other words, the disappearance of a language may mean the disappearance of a mode of thinking.I think
assimilation of the world is not interesting things.
At the same time, we call on people around the world to actively use their mother tongue to make the world colorful.
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Question

How many different languages ​​do you know about way of expression?

Friday, 13 December 2019

Everything in this world has a meaning

Summary 

In the TED Talk There Is More to Life than Being Happy, Emily Esfahani smith says that our culture is obsessed with happiness. However, even though our life is getting objectively better, more people feel hopeless, depressed and alone, and the suicide rate has been increasing around the world. There are lack of something else in our life; lack of having meaning in life. The presentation identifies what is happiness and what is meaning of life, and shows the interesting points of creating meaning of life, which are four pillars: Belonging, Purpose, Transcendent and Story telling.
The presenter gives her own powerful experience and it impressed the audiences.
Happiness comes and goes. But when life is really good and when things really bad, having meaning gives you something to hold on to.


Response 


“Meaning of life” “Purpose of life” and “Mission”, these words have been interesting me since I was a child. I realized happiness is not purpose of life and happiness itself is always unstable. I needed more and I understood it in my own idea and feeling, but this was the first time I knew such a clear principle how to live a meaning of life. I was also interested in Positive phycology.

Eighteen months ago, when I just came to Thailand, I got crazy. I quite my job that I had engaged for 20 years, at the same time I quite take care of my father who underwent artificial dialysis and entrusted him to three nurses. I lost the meaning of life; work and take care of my parents. After coming here, I was able to use all my time for myself. However I was always anxious and frustrated. I did not know why at that time, I just understood slightly the feelings that people, who don’t suffer from serious poverty or disease or unavoidable situation, commit suicide. After I came across this presentation, I was so impressed to decided to start rebuild the pillars of mine.

Fortunately, I met a person who encourages me enthusiastically anytime and the friendly and warm attitude made me feel a sense of belonging. Unexpectedly I can cultivate a new relationship other than my family in Bangkok. It give me a power. And I started play saxophone in a band again to get the transcendent moment. I tried to go out to make friends and talk my experience and anything related to how I became me. The most important pillar for me is “Purpose”. I strongly agree the presenter’s opinion “Without something worthwhile to do, people flounder”. Serving others using your strength is the most important element in my life. I want to contribute and feel needed so I started work again. Consequently, I got better week-by-week. I stopped feel anxious and got back my sense of taste that I lost.

Actually, I still don't know exactly what is meaning of my life but I know what kind of things give meaning to my life. At least, I understood what make me depress and feel adrift. I believe my all experience will turn out to be a great meaning in my life and one day I wish I could contribute others telling my experience in some form or other.

Are you seeking Happiness? What kind of Happiness satisfies you? When you realize meaning of your life, you can have different points of view about Happiness.




Question

Write one (not two) question for your classmates to comment on in response to your blog post. Write a question that needs more than a single sentence for a strong answer. See the page "Blogging template & instructions" for full instructions. Delete these notes. 

Our human fictions

Summary 

In the TED Talk What Explains the Rise of Humans, Yuval Noah Harari says that our greatest achievements both good and evil that have made humans the dominant species on Earth over the past 70,000 years were enabled by our evolved ability to make up stories. It is because we can tell fictions about gods, nations and human rights and so on that we can cooperate with strangers in vast organizations with flexibility no other animal has, that made us masters of the planet. Money, especially the US dollar, which is strongly believed in even by terrorists who hate America, is another example of a powerful fictional story Harari gives to explain our success over every other animal.


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Response 

Harari tells his story of humankind's rise to power over all of Earthly creation very well. I had actually read the book before I watched this talk, so his ideas were not entirely new to me, but he presents them very well. His thesis that we are nothing special on an individual level is well supported with reasons, and he uses great examples to clarify his more abstract ideas about our species' place in the world. In his discussion of the fiction that is money, for example, he uses the example of how we successfully exchange a banana for a piece of paper, whereas no chimpanzee wouild do such a thing. Harari's imaginary chimp example would say, if offered  a piece of paper in exchange for a tasty banana, "What do you think I am? A human?" As well as presenting a powerful thesis about us, his talk is, throughout, also entertaining. 

Harari is a professor of history, and he clearly knows his subject well. When his books began to be published a few years ago, they got rave reviews, although I'm sure that they must have upset many people, especially the traditionally religious who think that gods, ghosts, Santa Claus, heaven, Valhalla, Thor, and life after death are real. Harari very clearly states that all of these things are fictions, made up stories that are totally untrue. That did not worry me, but some of his other points were a little more disturbing. I think that morality matters, that we should to what is just both in our own lives and in society, but Harari makes a strong case that along with every religious belief, the whole idea of morals is a fiction, including the human rights stories that I personally think very important, and which have, as he notes in other examples, been powerful forces for human organization,  helping millions of people to effectively cooperate to make a better world. But then, is the very notion of a "better world" itself anything more than a fiction that we make up, with a reality that only exists inter-subjectively, that is, between the minds of the human beings that share belief in the story they have made up? 

These seem to me deep waters for us to swim in, but we should swim in them if we care about any values, since the foundations of our beliefs about values will otherwise be easily washed away. And as science teaches us,  with its truer (?) stories about the world, understanding is a safer home to live in than confusion that is untested, unsubstantiated and perhaps not even logically consistent. 

I hope you find Harari's ideas as challenging and thought provoking as I have. 
 
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Question

According to Harari, our political systems, our nations, our moralities, our businesses, our gods, and so on are all only fictional stories, albeit very powerful stories, that our brains make up out of nothing, with no more objective reality than the nation of Wakanda, vibranium or the afterlife showin the fictional story Black Panther

To what extent do you agree or disagree with Harari's statement?
(I thought it might be more interesting to write an IELTS writing task 2 type question this time. But it is still only one question for you to respond to.)  

fall of the Mongol

Summary 

In The rise and fall of the Mongol Empire, Anne Broadbridge says that The 12th century CE before the Mongol empire formed. The people steppe was home to scattered groups of Mongol and Turkic pastoral nomads led by khans, they herded sheep, cattle, yaks and camels. They also lived in felt tents and move in summer and winter. Nomadic women held significant authority, men specialized in mounter warfare. In the 1230s, Chinqqis Khans' sons and daughter conquered the Turks of Central Asia and the Russian Princess, then destroyed two European armies in 1241. In the 1250s, the Mongols seized Islamic territory as far as Baghdad while in the East their grasp reached southern China by 1279. Once the Mongols conquered territory, they left its internal politics alone and used local administrators to govern for them. The Mongols let all religions flourish, as long as the leaders for them. They routinely captured artisans scholars and engineers, they appreciated what those specialists could do and forcibly settled them across Asia to continue their work. the most valuable produce in the Empire was gold brocade, which took skills from China, gold from Tibet and weavers from Baghdad.


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Response 

        This TED talk caught me know about Mongols history and know about the beginning of Mongols. I have studied archaeology. I need to study Chinese history, but this is the new story that I know. I heard the names' Chinqqis Khans and Kublin Khans in Chinese history. I just know only he is the important king of Mongols. I think this TED is very good to show the Mongols history. it talks about the beginning of Mongols to the reason for Why is Mongols very progress? It is interesting because it made by animation, all generations can watch it. 
         In my opinion, I think the Mongols history is very interesting. It like Siamese history because they also migrate to anywhere, it different that Mongols had winter, but Siamese had hot and rain. It divided the country had a lot of countries such as Thawarawadee, Sriwichai, Labburi, Haribunchai, but the Mongols had only one country and one dynasty is Khans.
        


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Question

       What do you think about Mongols history?

Thursday, 12 December 2019

A scapegoat

Summary 

In Ugly history: Witch Hunt, Brian A. Pavlac says that witch-hunting had started from the15 century until the 18 century in Europe and America. 'Witch' means the Satan-believer who gained black magic. According to Hammer of Witches, it says that women are easier impacted by demons, therefore many women who were doubted to be witches were tortured while in the questioning process based on the unproven-believe. Some strongly refused and were released, but some accepted the fault claims and were burnt to death despite their innocence. However, there were some jurists, scholars, and physicians who argued against no-evidence-based investigation of witchcraft. Until in the 18 century, the witch hunt decreased by the strengthened central government and the standardization of law.


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Response 

This TED talk caught my interest because I like to learn about history both good and bad. After I listened to the story I did not feel surprised or shock once I finished, even think that it still happens nowadays only just in a different way as it was said in the last past of the video. Even though there is no stake to burn the victim, these scapegoats still get damaged in their minds from the gossip that was spread by people in the society and the incident like this is getting worse once the internet is normally used. 

Five or upper years ago, I used to spend a long time to surf the internet, to read the news, to update trends or else, and every time the tea was spilled I went to read the whole story and also comments and see how netizen reacted to that topic. Sometimes I agreed with them and sometimes I did not, this was not a weird thing because everyone has a different thought. But on the internet, where everyone thinks they can say or do anything as they wish, who spoke different against the majority, especially when the topic was about the politic, will face the witch hunt in the form of cyberbullying. Besides being treated as if he or she is a real criminal, some victims of this cyberbullying even got their personal information spread all over the website. This made me feel sick and changed the way to update news and information such as sticking with the official pages and some trust-worthy websites, no more reading the comments on some websites, etc.

From what I said above, the definition of the witch in this cyber-witch-hunt on the internet is different from witch hunt in TED talk, it means a person who speaks out his or her opinion in a different way and causes argument which makes him or her get a backlash from strangers, which is very injustice and abusive in my opinion. Even if the real witch hunt already was vanished, but as the talker said in the last minute, in the present, there is false information spreading around in social and also the rational argument to fight against it, so witch hunt on the internet will die down one day in the future.


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Question

Do you think witch hunt is still existing in these days? 

Wednesday, 11 December 2019

Swimming with the big fish

Summary 

In Four Billion Years of Evolution in Six Minutes, Prosanta Chakrabarty says that although it is called a theory, evolution is in fact a fact  solidly supported by observations we can make about the organs we share with other mammals, but also in the DNA we share with every living thing on Earth, from fish, to plants, to bacteria. This is because, as the theory of Darwinian evolution by natural selection says, life began once on Earth, so every single living thing is related to every other living thing. Another point Chatrabarty makes to correct a common mistake is that everything alive today is equally the end product of four billion years of evolution exactly as we humans are.


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Response 

Before I tried to write my summary, I listened to the talk twice last night, and again a couple of times this morning. Then I thought about the most important ideas and wrote short notes in my own words. Then I was ready to write my summary in 120 words or less. When I wrote the first draft, after listening to the talk again, probably for the sixth time, I thought it went well. Then I did the Google Word count, which returned 130 words. It wasn't a lot over the limit, but it did take me a few more minutes work to decide who to change the grammar to get of a few words, and in the end I had to decide which idea to cut. I think the current summary above, 119 carefully chosen and organized words, gives a good idea of the main points Chakrabaty makes. If you listen to his talk, which is actually a little less than the six minutes the title promises, you can decide how well I did. 

In fact, having written a few summaries of different pieces of work over this term, I'm thinking of revising the maximum limit on the number of words in the summary up from 120 words to 140 words, which might make it a bit easier while still keeping it challenging. I'll think about that more over my Christmas and New Year break. In the meantime, challenging is good. We learn when we challenge ourselves to do more than we have before: to hit a golf ball further, to play a new piece of music, to read a difficult essay, to cook a dish, to run further, to solve a mathematical problem or whatever. I hope you also find getting to the other side of a challenge rewarding. 


I like Chakrabaty's talk for a couple of reasons. First, I've been a fan of Darwin's theory of evolution since I first learned it in high school some for or more decades ago. It doesn't just explain all the life around us, but in a very brief, and relatively simple answer that our species did not fully discover until 1859, tells us why we are here, how we came to be. You can understand why it was so unpopular with popes and some other religious people: it neatly dissolves a major traditional reason for believing in gods. And the evolving history of reactions to Darwin's theory also interests me. In the US, for example, there is still strong opposition to teaching the truths of Darwin's theory in science classes in school. But in fact, the ideas in Darwin's theory go back much further. I remember when I was a young undergraduate at Sydney University how amazed I felt when I first read the Roman Epicurian poet Lucretius, whose only surviving work, the philosophical poem De Rerum Natura, includes guesses about the universe and life that are very similar to some of Darwin's fundamental ideas. We might be related to the fish, the roses and the bacteria, but the stories of our species are still fascinating.  
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Question

Since we are related to every living thing on Earth, how should we treat them? How should we treat the dogs, the pigs, the roses, the grass, the bacteria, and all of our other relatives?
(This is two sentences, but it's only one question.) 

Sunday, 8 December 2019

A mysterious plane crash

Summary 

The Netflix series Vagabond tells the story of The man called “Cha Dal-Geon”, who earns his living and his abandoned nephew, as a stuntman. One day, his nephew was invited to be one of the Taekwondo athletes to attend an important event between Morocco and South Korea. During a flight, the plane crashed, so he traveled to join the funeral his beloved nephew in Morocco. While he was in Morocco, he saw a man who took flight on the same plane with his nephew. He recognizes this man because his nephew sent him a clip to watch while traveling. He chased after this man, but he fought and escaped. After this incident made him try to find the truth behind.


ผลการค้นหารูปภาพสำหรับ Vagabond (배가본드) summary


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Response 

I chose this Netflix series Vagabond because i'm a fan of korean drama and it is one of the latest netflix series that I like. Another reason is that most Korean dramas are romantic movies but this movie is an action movie that capture me to click to watch it. After I watched this series, I thought that it would become my favorite series because I was impressed with the story that made me thrilling all the time, whether it was a fierce fight scene or an unpredictable story.

If you have a chance to watch this series, you may think like me that the lead character(Cha Dal-Geon) is like a madman because he is a normal person, nothing at all. How normal guy fight a powerful and wealthy person? But he proves to me that if a man has enough effort, there will be situations or people who will support his actions. This lesson reminds me of a teacher who asked me "Do you agree or disagree with the statement that hard work, not good luck, determines income level?", in which I answered him that successful people must work hard and have good luck. But this series makes me see another perspective: If we do it with enough intention, good luck will follow.

I would recommend you to watch this series because you will enjoy the fighting scenes and prediction of various situations, sometimes the person you think is good may be a bad person.What are you waiting for? Watch now!
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Question

Do you think efforts to make humans successful?

For living fulfilling life

Summary 

The novel the remains of the day tells the story of a butler’s life in Oxford, England in 1920-50. He dedicated his life to his owner. Before the World WarⅡ, he had served to a British owner; load Darlington. After the war, his owner has changed to an American since load Darlington has passed away with notoriety, which he had helped Germany, and it effected on cause of the war. The butler reflected on his unshakable royalty, but he decides to start to serve new owner. Since the new owner encouraged him to take a vacation, he went to trip and he looks back to good old memory of 1920’s and 1930’s event in the darling house.

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Response 

When I graduated from University and just started work, I came across this novel unexpectedly. However, This novel taught me principles that guide my life, such as how to live a better life or what is work in society, and what is dignity.

What impressed me the most was his royalty to the first owner: load Darlington. In the novel, Load Darlington was so generous that he thought the treaty of Versailles had forced Germany to pay too much compensation and he tried to reach more peaceful agreement. In the result of that, the part of the Germans took advantage of his generous, and started the World War Ⅱ. Even though being at the big changing of times and politics, the butler always got things done as a butler with absolute royalty. I thought in my future, there might be such aspects, and the way I believed might be wrong. However, I can retain our self-respect as long as doing all my best with royalty.
At the end of the novel, the butler called back whole his life while he was watching a beautiful sunset. He had given up his romance because of his work as a good butler, and he wondered if his own life has been good or not. When I read the last, I felt that people couldn’t look back their life in the hustle and bustle of daily life; people finally can do it after times passing. I was determined to spend my important day.
The novel taught me a lot of things.

Other interesting point is the historical background of the UK. It might be a true story. There was a class society and I could understand the nobility had played a big role in politics, and this was the first time for me to know the idea of “noblesse oblige” that means the people with wealth, power and prestige come responsibilities to society.
One of the good references to me was the British ways, which shows how to treat others, how to be gentle when you are extremely busy, they don't say too much and always imply something. I could not help stop getting emotionally attached to British characters.

This novel gave me a good guidance trough the life of butler who had dignity and had much proud of his work. After 25 years when I read the novel, this story is still the most memorable one for me.

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Question

Write one (not two) question for your classmates to comment on in response to your blog post. Write a question that needs more than a single sentence for a strong answer. See the page "Blogging template & instructions" for full instructions. Delete these notes. 

Saturday, 7 December 2019

Knight of the Knight

Summary 


He is supported by the next angel king. He is the best friend of King of devil. He has a brother who is the latest dragon of the world. And he is homeless. “Sanctity Knight(s)” is a fantasy novel written by Finch. The story began with, a century after 3 races War including heaven, earth, and the devil, a homeless boy; names Diwdrof; has to be a Sanctity Knight which is the head of the Kingdom’s knight by the accident. Nevertheless he reborn to conclude the 3 races war and connect them together. “I will not help people who want me but I will help everything which needs me help.” said Diwdrof.
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Response 

This world has a thousand million of the stories including romance, drama, and comedy; however fantasy story is the most interesting story in the latest years, espectically, the fantasy novel book named “Sanctity Knight(s)” Sanctity Knight(s) is my first and favorite fantasy story. Although, it will show the reasons why Sanctity Knight(s) is the best story ever.

To begin with, the main character named Diwdrof Errigran Holialtia. His character is extremely unique because he is a round character. He developed during a period of story. What I meant, at the beginning of the story, he is a homeless who unfortunate to be a Sanctity Knight which is the king of Knight in kingdom by accident; after that he reminded that he was the first Sanctity Knight when 100 years ago and he has to protect the world and connect all of race together. A writer created Diwdrof to be a funny person but at the same time, he is respectful. In addition, there is no weak girl in the story. Some stories love to create girl character to be susceptible and foolish; nevertheless, all the characters in this story are smart and gorgeous; for example, in a part that a daughter of King's fairy was raped with Diwdrof, she would not cry like a baby but she listens to what Diwdrof say and does it.

To sum up, the above reason is an example of the cause that I love this story especially, the character of Diwdrof; nevertheless, there are various reasons why people have to read this novel more than once. If children want to find a book to read, it will recommend

Sanctity Knight(s) for them.Then this book will become their favorite book as same as me.
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Question

Do you have the most favorite character? Why do you love it?

Tuesday, 3 December 2019

A friendly but reserved cat

Summary 


According to the BBC's article "Why do we think cats are unfriendly?", cats have a well-aware-behavior that made them look independent and cold, and taming cats could not help humans removing all wild-instinct from them for they still want to hunt and protect their territory from strangers. Also, cats' emotions and companionability are lower than dogs though they are improved in the present. However, companionability is changeable by its experience in the first six or eight weeks. Positive experiences at its early age can help cats getting good relationships with humans and a positive sign to notify us that a bond is being created is when they close their eyes slowly or be relaxing when they are around humans.

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Response 


What caught my interest when I saw the title is it was my question too. Even though I have a cat as my pet, I still wonder sometimes because when I play with it there is sometimes it turned in to a wild cat in a second and bite without holding back, made me got a couple of wounds. And I got the answer after I read this article; it is because there is still come wildness in cats even though it's been tamed as a pet. So I think what the article said might be right and agreed with it. But what I dislike is they did not answer the question in the title clearly if cats are friendly or not. The writer only told us that they can be bonded with humans and you can notice their sign when cats are relaxing when it is with you. 

In my opinion, Cats are like a reserved person who will not give any affection or being open-minded to strangers. It takes a bit of time for a reserved person to warm up and create a relationship and be friendly with anyone, and I think cats are like this type of person if you want an example to compare with humans. Therefore, to me, cats are friendly but not to everyone. It is an answer from my experience I got from my cat. My cat was a stray cat before when my dad found her. She was two or three months old when she first came to my house. It took a few hours before she decided to eat foods my mom prepared for her and walked around the house as if she wanted to inspect if my house safe enough before settled down on the spot she liked. It took me a couple of days to be able to play with her, got to hear she purred for the first time and took me almost a month or upper for my cat to play with me and sleep on my legs. She can play with my parents or my nephew but she always goes to hind when my cousin or guest comes to visit.

Anyway, what I could not agree with more is cats' body-language is hard to interpret and very easy to be misunderstood, especially if you do not have some interaction with them enough to be able to guess if they are in a good mood and want to play or if they want to be alone. It took me almost a year to be able to guess my cat's body language and avoid to get wound from her nails or fangs. I often get wound from my cat, because even though her intention is to play with me but after play for awhile her wild-instinct sometimes took control of her as for a toy triggered her desire to hunt and ended up hurt my hand or my leg. But sometimes she is not in a good mood and will really bite hard if I or anyone interrupts her private time. Even nowadays I still guess wrong sometimes and got a bit from this ten years old cat. So I think experience is really needed to understand cats' body language, and in order to not get hurt from a poker face cat. So if you want to befriend with cats, you might need to give more an afford than when you want to befriend with dogs.


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Question

Do you think cats are friendly or unfriendly?

gains form growth

Summary 

The film the "call me by your name"tells the story of It was the summer of 1983. 17-year-old Jewish American Elio lives in northern Italy with his parents. Elio's father invited 24-year-old graduate student Oliver to live with his family during the summer vacation and help with his academic work.Elio and oliver met each other that summer. They went to swimming,reading,traveling together, and spending a lot of time in a sparsely populated and beautiful Italian town.As Oliver's term comes to an end, he and Elio both find themselves overcome by uncertainty and longing. Elio gradually realized the most true feelings in his heart. Under the patient guidance of his parents, he bravely accepted his true self .

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Response 

Why choose this story? I don't think this is a homosexuality film. This is a complicated story that involves the depressed emotions of each of us as we grow up, and we often ignore it. Those depressive longing and fears of passions,One by one in this story. It looks like a look back in my youth. and because of this look back, we realized how much we missed. When I watched this movie,I was attracted by the slow pace of this story and the slow pace of the Italian town in the 80s. especially the open attitude of Elio parents to their children's active guidance in education. fruit trees in the backyard of Elio's parents' home,every summer everyone can drink fresh peach juice and then discuss academic together.reading books by the pool, jump into the pool when tired, fresh fruits can be picked at any time, who sleep under the fruit tree waiting for inspiration.
The story uses two actors' dialogue and simple body language to explain the real emotional changes in the hero's heart.however, most of the time, our lives are not as fanatical as drama, and it is difficult for us to truly express our feelings.Just like elio doesn't know how to deal with a relationship with Oliver.fortunately,Elio has an open-minded parent. Elio can be the most true self,and most impressed is Elio's father told him at the end of the story“How you live your life is your business. Just remember: our hearts and our bodies are given to us only ones. Before you know it, your heart‘s worn out,as your body there comes a point when no one looks at it, much less wants to come near it.”made me though about the meaning of life.
That is why I chose this story.


Question  

What are the gain in growing up ?

How to accept and become a true self?

Monday, 2 December 2019

Not fictional enough

Summary 

John Grisham's latest
legal thriller
The novel The Guardians tells the story of a small law firm working to free convicted murderers who are innocent. John Grisham's story opens with lawyer Cullen Post meeting with a client, who has to rush his last steak before the prison finds out they can't kill him that night. The main story follows the Guardians using their limited resources to overturn Quincy Miller's murder conviction from more than 20 years ago, when the black man was framed by a corrupt sheriff working with drug gangs. Post's team have to persuade old witnesses to admit the lies they had previously told in court, uncover new evidence hidden in a "haunted" house, and avoid the vicious drug gangs still operating.

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Response 

As usual, my first draft of the summary was much too long. It was 140 words, and I had to make about six revisions to get it down to the allowed word limit of no more than 120. Summarizing takes some time as you decided what is important enough to be included and what has to be cut. The latest novel by John Grisham, which I read over the last couple of days, is 375 pages, which is normal for one of his legal thrillers, and getting that down to 120 words or less isn't easy. But I'm happy with the current 119-word summary above. The most important starting point is that you know the source you are summarizing very well, which is why I asked you to choose a favourite story: if it's one of your favourite stories, I'm assuming that you already know it very well, so will not need to do any research by reading the book or watching the film again. And of course, your reaponse has to be your own personal response, so you can't do any research for that: no one else can tell you what your response to something is. 

As I was reading the novel, which is based on a couple of true stories about failures in the American legal system, I was reminded of an article in the BBC News a week ago. That article on the BBC News, "Maryland trio set free after being wrongfully jailed for 36 years," published on November 26, tells us that the three innocent young men, black men, were convicted because the police used "coaching and coercion of other teenage witnesses to make their case," which is very similar to the criminal activity of the police and state prosecutors in Grisham's story. As Grisham, who is a qualified lawyer, explains at the end of his book, although his novel is a work of fiction, it is based on real cases, and the BBC News article reports other cases where the legal system has committed great injustice, including death row cases where someone legally convicted of a serious crime has been proved innocent, often as a result of modern DNA testing, which also plays an important role in Grisham's fictional story. 

These things make me wonder how many other innocent people are in prison, or have been killed by the court system, when they were in fact innocent. Perhaps we need to be less trusting of police and courts than we are, since we know that that do make mistakes, even in the US, where legal protection for people accused of a crime is relatively strong. But I also wonder whether some things should even be crimes. In some countries, drinking alcohol is illegal because, but if someone uses that popular drug and does not harm anyone else, have they really committed a crime that can be justly punished? Or is the law itself unjust? 

More recently in Thailand, I read a couple of days ago that the parents of a young teacher who was murdered want her killer to be killed by the courts. Should the courts ever do that, however sure we might be that the real killer has been found? 
 
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Question

Should the death penalty ever be used as punishment for a crime?