i miss the old class.... :)) But we are year 10 now.. Grown ups. not me though!!! :D

This is Tinhvan from 10B, 9B used to be my class but im older now :D
Yay me! :D

Homework Due Monday

1) Explain how this passage develops from something playful into something horrific.

2) What is shocking and disturbing about the boys’ behaviour in this passage?

3) Select and explain one powerful image of the weather that is used by Golding to enhance the atmosphere of danger and destruction.

4) Why is Simon’s death significant?
-What does it reveal about the boys?
-What has Simon come to symbolise?

Year 9 Homework:

1) Read Chapter 6 (Beast from Air) and summarise the chapter
Due: Next Monday 10th May

2) Read Chapter 7 (Shadows and Tall Trees)
Due: Tuesday 11th May

3) Yellow Books: Write one paragraph which explains how each of the symbols (from chart) is significant in the novel (glasses, fire, pig)
Due: Tuesday 11th May

Enjoy the weekend and happy reading!

Year 9 Homework

1) Read Chapter 5 (Beast from Water)

2) Write a short extract from the point-of-view of Piggy in which he comments on
-The theft of his glasses
-His fear of Jack
-His thoughts about Ralph

3) Finish the Symbolism Chart by finding suitable quotations

Due: Friday 7th May

what is the homework?

Also in my diary can any one tell what the HW is please. :~)

05/05/2010...

What's our homework? To read chapter 5 and.... =| can somebody please tell me? My diary only reads "see blog"...

The Accident Man. The Most Amazing Novel I have read in a while!

The Accident Man,
He works for the law under the law. Samuel Carver can make any accident happen in the right place at the right time. Exploded gas pipe, car crash, poisoning, heart attack. He can make anything seem like the perfect coincidence. But what happens when the very people who employ you turn on you. "Someone wants you dead carver, and there ain't no stop'in them. so i suggest...."
"that i kill them first."

the most amazing suspense, and genius beyond that of any i have read before, The death of lady Diana has never been as thrilling(and thats an achievement.). As well as all the intrigue and romance to feed a hungry fantasist.

I have the book nd if you are smart you'll come ask me for it.

Homework (Tuesday 2nd March):

1) Find an example of a
-news paper report;
-an editorial;
-an information leaflet;
-a set of instructions; or a
-magazine article

2) Glue the article / text (First two paragraphs) into the middle of a blank piece of A4 paper
3) Annotate it according to how it uses language that is appropriate to its purpose and audience

Due: Friday 5th March

SUPPORT GROUP:

Complete your PAF task (blue card) - at least 1.5 pages of yellow book. You will receive your yellow books on Wednesday 3rd March (Due: Friday 5th March)

Homework - Friday 5th February

Finish the questions below - due for Monday 8th Feb.

1) Reread p. 3 from ‘So what…’ to ‘Never step off!’. Why does Travis warn Eckles not to step off the path? Do you agree with Travis’ theory?

2) What is the effect of the following two sentences?
‘Silence.
A sound of thunder.’

3) Re-read the paragraph at the bottom of page 4:
(from ‘It came on great oiled, resilient, striding legs…’ to ‘…It moved into a sunlit arena warily, its beautifully reptile hands feeling the air.’)

Select two key examples of imagery used (metaphors / similes etc) to describe the dinosaur and explain – in detail – why they are effective (PEE)


Don't forget to bring your copy of the story on Monday!

Year 9 Homework - Friday 29th Jan 2010

- Learn Vocab Words

- Plan your own story (10 bullet points maximum), divided into the 5 key stages of a dramatic narrative structure (Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution)

- Finish the questions from the lesson:

1) How does the author create tension as the story builds toward the climax?

2) What emotions / thoughts does the sniper experience throughout the story? How are they linked to the structure of the story?

3) Comment on the resolution. Do you think it is satisfactory or effective? Explain.

All due: Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Happy Times! Have a good weekend!

chocolate chip cookie murderer (436 pages)

Do you think that there is any connection between chocolate chip cookie and murder?

This book is the first novel of the Hannah Swensen series written by Joanne Fluke. I thought it was a great mystery story with a little bit of romance. (Actually there's no romance in this book but there are hints of a possible love triangle in later series.) I couldn't stop guessing who the killer was until the end and there was a quite shocking ending.

I found the face that the main character, Hannah, was a baker very interesting and made me want to bake some cookies because in the story, Hannah says the cookie receipe of hers. Also, there were some events that I couldn't expect which let the story more interesting.

Just PICK UP this book and READ IT! I'm looking forward to read the series of the novel!

Memoirs of a Geisha - 428 pages (2 books)

This is a historical novel written by Arthur Golden.

Sayuri, known as Chiyo Sakamoto, lives with her sister Satsu in a poor town called Yoriodo along with her sick mother and her elderly father. One day, her father decides to sell Chiyo to Nitta Geisha house. Since then, her life begins to change. There, she meets the kind Chairman, who buys iced snow-cone for her to cheer her up when she's crying. Inspired by his act of magnanimity, Chiyo tries to become a renowned Geisha to meet the Chairman again. However, her attempt encounters harsh obstacles to overcome, such as Hatsumono trying to destroy Chiyo's carrier and Nobu trying to prevent Chiyo from her way to the Chairman....(I'm not giving away the ending! Read it to find out :D)

[Mr,Ballantine, sorry if this and my previous posts don't make sense because I'm really sleepy right now. I'm trying to finish posting tonight because tomorrow is the deadline (I think?). So I promise to come back to this later and redo it :-S]

I like this book because it gives me profound insights into old Japanese culture. It is quite stunning how a Western author could represent a totally exotic culture with such extremely intimate fine descriptions. I really love his writing-style, the way he overuses similes and metaphors which just put you in that amazing fantasy.

6/10 Because the font is too small and I found it hard to read, although the story is very enthralling.

The Last Lecture - 206 pages (1 book)

It is a very popular book (currently) written by the author Randy Pausch.

The author was a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon who was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was asked by his school to deliver a "last lecture" [in fact, his lecture was taped and spread on YouTube]. These lectures are traditional speeches where a teacher tells the audience what knowledge he'd want to impart if he was going to die soon. Since Randy was in fact going to die soon, it made the meaning much more powerful to him. He was then asked by the avid audience to write a book to add to the lecture - this book.

[This book is hard to explain, so excuse me if my synopsis doesn't make sense :(]

This book is not about dying, it is about living to the fullest by striving to achieve your childhood dreams. Through this autobiography that tells tales of his childhood, he wants to make a point that "you need to have fun in everything you do, you need to live life to its fullest because you never know when it will be taken from you.".

Erm...so that pretty much explains why I like this book. Of course, it is highly recommended! 8/10.

The Silence of the Lambs - 419 pages (2 books)

The Silence of the Lambs is a horror fiction written by Thomas Harris.

Clarice Starling is in training at the FBI Academy. She is a star student in the Behavioral Sciences Division when the Department Chief, Jack Crawford, calls her into his office and gives her a job. She is to interview one Dr Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter in order to help get into the mind of a serial killer. There is an open case with a serial killer who has been nicknamed "Buffalo Bill", and Dr. Lecter may be the only chance to solve the case without there being many more murders. Starling is only a trainee, and this may be why Lecter is actually willing to speak to Starling about Buffalo Bill, though he is always holding something back.

[Lecter is a villain of extreme intellect and this comes through in his dialogue. He is a gifted psychologist who killed nine people and ate their body part.]

Meanwhile, Buffalo Bill has captured the daughter of a senator and the clock is ticking as Starling races to piece together the identity and whereabouts of Buffalo Bill using her brains and Hannibal’s insights. Will she be able to save Catherine Martin in time? And what will happen to Hannibal if he gets the opportunity to escape…?

Overall, this is an excellent thriller which is well written. Haunting and terrifying. Exactly the stuff that you can get in your worst nightmares. Fantastic. 8/10 (it scared me so much that I couldn't sleep that night so I can't give it 10/10 :D)

Where the Red Fern Grows - 272 pages (1 book)

This is a novel written by Wilson Rawls.

Billy suffers from a "disease" - an extreme longing for puppies. Helives in the Ozarks and wants 2 hunting dogs. He saves for 2 years, then sends away to get 2 puppies. When he finally brings them - Old Dan and Little Ann - home, they become fast friends and roam around the countrysides of Cherokee hunting for coons and having many exciting adventures and successful hunts. He trains those dogs, making them the best in the valley. They eventually get so experienced with their hunting skills that grandpa enters Billy and his dogs in a coon tournament. Does he win? [You will have to read to find out!]

I like this book really much because there are several intense parts of the book that would keep me reading. Also, it is well written with great characters. The story flows well too and there aren't any clunky spots. Highly recommended. 7/10.

Private Peaceful - 208 pages (1 book)

This is a stunning novel of the First World War written by Michael Morpurgo.

The story begins with Private Tommo Peaceful reflecting life from the battlefields of the First World War. He reminisces back to his childhood fondly - memories of his late father, his loving mother, his much respected older brother Charlie, his slow but gentle brother Big Joe and his childhood love - Molly. His memories are those of innocence and friendship, hard-luck and love.

As his story progresses, Tommo and Charlie join up to fight in the Great War - Tommo is only 15. They fight side by side and look after each other all the way. Each chapter is full of Tommo's memories, but each chapter also brings the reader closer to the present time - and to the life-changing moment that leaves you breathless.

I borrowed this book since it was recommended by Ms Cohen - and have never regretted reading it. It is truly one of the best books about war I've read, tackling a tough topic in a beautiful way. It really inspired me to learn more about World War One!

I love this book. It's and the characters are well developed and interesting. I love the way we follow the family growing up, with all their differences and challenges. Although the ending is stark, brutal and tragic, I still enjoyed it from beginning to the end. Very powerful, and worth a read! 7.5/10

Before I die - 336 pages (1 book)

It is a novel written by Jenny Downham.

The book is about a British teenager named Tessa, who is sixteen or seventeen, and dying of terminal leukemia. She only has months left to live.

Though she has come to terms with this, and is never panicky or hysterical, she just isn't ready to die yet. There are so many things she wants to try and do and experience before the cancer kills her, and this book chronicles her attempts to do a life time's worth of living in only under a year.

The list that she comes up with - the list consisting of things that make her feel ALIVE while her body fails beneath her - is gradually crossed out throughout the book with the help of her best friend Zoe, a wild college student. It consists of minor things, such as saying yes to everything and everyone for a day and learning to drive a car. It also consists of major things, including doing drugs, becoming famous and sex. Although along the way, the girls encounter many hindrances, Tessa keeps living to her fullest, no matter what. Then she meets Adam, the mystery garden boy who lives next door...

[I'm not going to ruin any more of the story, so read it to find out yourself :)]

The book is beautifully written, and brings about a number of emotions. What I especially like about this book is its the fact that despite her cancer, Tessa never gives up living like some people would do. The book shows all of the courage and hope that a person can hold. Also, the characters are well established (Tessa's father particularly) and this makes the story realistic and believable. It's interesting to learn about the relationships between the characters - we'd imagine that most kids would turn to their parents in a situation like this, however Tessa has a slight resentment towards her father - she thinks he's holding her back and being too overprotective. The ending is maudlin, sentimental and predictable from the very beginning, yet it never gives the thrill of the book away.

Overall, I highly recommend it :) Very worth reading. 8/10

Stunt Monkeys (191 Pages)

Hi this is Richard again and this is a book that I cant find a Picture for, so dont blame me blame the internet. The Book that Im Talking about (if you cant see it in the title already) is stunt Monkeys. This book is the craziest thing you will ever read, Its about Little Kids who do stunts, STUNTS!!!!!! WHAT?! Its Crazy!!!!! I dare you to read this book.

A little bit more on the sane side here, I liked it, even though it was CRAZY, it was also hilarious with tons of jokes that will make you giggle. Its about those little kids who do stunts and since they are so good they end up on a T.V show called Stunt Mania but there is an evil Mayor who hate these kids and wants to take down the show and take away the mayhem but the show to too popular to take down so he finds other ways to ruin the boys.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (309 Pages)

Hi this is Richard and this is the first Harry Potter book that I have ever red. I thought this book started the whole 'Harry Potter' thing pretty well and If you haven't been living under a rock for 10 years then you should know who Harry Potter is. But Just for the sake of this Blog I will explain. Harry Potter is a dorky looking boy with glasses who has magical Powers but a evil magic lord called lord Voldemort killed Harry's Parents when he was a baby so he now lives with a family that hates him (lucky Boy). I thought the book was OKAY but there were some times where I just got lost but other than that I enjoyed it.

Missing, Believed Crazy

This book was written by Terence Blacker. I had a lot of fun reading this book. It contained a lot of suspense since it is a crime thriller. The author had decided to write it in the first person but there are many points of views. This way you can know what everyone is thinking and doing. The only character in this book that we don't know what is thinking is Trix. I would say she was a main character in this book.

This is a little description of the book:

"Five kids at an exclusive private school hatch a daring plan to fake a kidnap and raise money for charity. There's brainy scholarship boy, Wiki, super-glam Jade, too-cool-for-school Mark, everyone's best friend Holly - and then there's Trix. It was her brilliant idea in the first place. A kidnap, a rural hideaway, a load of money...and all for the very best f motives. What could possibly go wrong?"

All American Girl

This is another book written by Meg Cabot. Its about an ordinary girl named Samantha (Sam) living in Washington D.C. She is your average american girl.

After her parents find out that she has been selling celebrity portraits to other students at school, she is forced to attend drawing classes with the famous Susan Boone. But Susan doesn't only help Sam with her drawing but with her life as well.

Sam finds herself going to her art teacher for advise when she has a problem involving David - the President of the the United States's son. Not only did she save the President's life but now she is appointed teen ambassador to the UN. What more can happen in her life? Oh, that's right, she falls in love.

The only problem is that the answers to all her questions are right in front of her. She just wasn't seeing it.

I really enjoyed this book since there was a mix of emotions from the character. I hope to find the second book, which is called "All American Girl - Ready or Not".

Dairy of a wimpy kid 2: Rodrick Rules

Dairy of a wimpy kid 2: Rodrick Rules By Jeff Kinney

This book is a diary of a boring, simple, wimpy and a-not-so-popular student, Gregory Heffley and how his life is ruled by his elder brother, Rodrick. Greg writes how awful and miserable his summer went with his brother, his parents and the swimming lessons he took, forced by his father! When school starts, things aren't that good to look forward, with the Cheese Touch.

I like this book because firstly, it shows a whole new way of a person’s life and secondly, it has a good sense humor to keep the interest of the reader. As it is a diary, it is in first person thus it feels like you are in the book being the character. This builds the reader’s interest in the book. The characters in the book are stereo typical therefore we can guess the personality of the character quite easily. Now and then there are jokes to keep the interest. It is one of the books where you can not stop reading or put it away. Although the book has pictures accompanied with the writing, it creates a good feeling about the surrounding of the characters.
I would give this book 10/10.

Ruby Red

RUBY RED

This is one of the novels written by the author Linzi Glass. It is sett in a divided world of South Africa during 1976. At those times the law of segregation was strictly enforced. The Winter family was different than any other English family. They were a part of the illegal African National Congress, and so their young daughter Ruby grew up to treat others as if color didn't matter.They live their secret life and so Ruby is forced to lie to everyone she knew, stopping her to make any true friends. She pretends to hate black people as much as everyone else.

This is until she meets Loretta and falls in love with a fellow Afrikaans boy, causing her classmates to treat her differently. She is no longer the most popular girl in their year. Even the headmaster made her return her prefect badge.

When she thought things couldn't get any worse, her mother holds an exhibition for Julian, the best black artist ever discovered, at her gallery at midnight. However, some uninvited police men show up, ruining everything. Ruby and her father are then forced to run away to find new identities and create their own lives.

It's a 50/50 thing

Kally is starting a new life with a new identity in a whole new town. She misses her dad, her mum is depressed and only her little sister Izzy seems to be coping. But Izzy doesn't know what Kally and her mum knows. Kally struggles to make friends without giving away her family's BIG secret , the question every one is asking themselves. Where is Kally's dad?

That's until she meets Jem. The perfect guy for her it seems. He loves to skate (on a skateboard) just like her, he loves Kallly and is willing to do anything to keep her happy, and Kally's mum and little sis seem to love him too. But that doesn't mean he is all good and no bad. She ignores all the warnings people give her. Although as their relationship develops, she starts to see a side to Jem she never knew about, causing her life to spin out of control.

I found this book absolutely amazing and I loved all the suspense. It was written by Chris Higgins.

Someone Like You - 272 pages (1 book)

Someone Like You is a book written by Sarah Dessen.

In Someone Like You, Scarlett's boyfriend Micheal, dies in a car accident and finds out that she is pregnant while her best friend Halley is away at summer camp. Halley and Scarlett have been best friend since they were little, so Halley knows she has to come home to shelp Scarlett. Halley helps Scarlett along with her pregnancy, putting up with her mood changes and food cravings. Scarlett has always been the more gregarious, independent one out of the pair, but since now, Scarlett is going to have a baby, Halley has so be the stronger one to support Scarlett. Meanwhile, Halley falls for Macon Faulkner, Micheal's best friend. Macon is a little bit of a rebel and a trouble-maker, causing Halley's temperament to start to become more rebellious. Halley and Macon's relationship starts to get amiss later in the book after Macon pressures Halley to do things she doesn't want to do. After a car accident and Macon not even coming to the hospital to see her, Halley learns she deserves better than that...

This is an awesome book about the sacredness and eternity of friendship. The very beginning of this book just captivated my attention. It automatically kept me asking what was going to happen next. Every detail and character was so authentic, so real, and from some of which we can relate our life and our friends to. A simple, yet powerful, masterpiece. 8/10.
.

Thirteen Reasons Why - 304 pages (1 book)

Thirteen Reasons Why is the debut novel written Jay Asher. It is a gripping novel; in fact, it is one of the best I have ever read.

Clay Jensen arrives home from school to find a package with his name on it but no return address. Inside are 7 cassette tapes, with 13 of the sides numbered chronologically with blue nail polish. When he finds a tape player and hears the recorded voice, he is flabbergasted. It's Hannah Baker, the girl he had loved for months, the girl who had committed suicide a few weeks earlier. Each side of the tapes is dedicated to one person, one of the reasons which propelled Hannah to where she is now.

I would absolutely give this book a 10/10. When I began reading, I did not think the concept of the book (teen suicide) was a good idea. However, the more I read, the more I became immersed into the story. I was rendered speechless after I finished the book. Hannah's suicide was not at all impulsive. It was all piled up by the petty, wanton cruelties that she had to deal with in high school - the very quotidian things that all of us cause/endure every day. Overall, I highly recommend this book. Stunning. Brilliant. Authentic.

Being Niki - Meg Cabot

After reading the first book "Airhead", I then read the second book of the trilogy which is called "Being Niki". I found this book A LOT better than the first book. It was more exciting and fun. It was very hard for me to put down and I found myself reading it at every free moment that came by. This novel is a mix of romance, crime thriller and comedy.

Emm Watts was pretty sure that there could be nothing worst then being a straight A student whose brain had been transplanted into the body of a teenage supermodel "Niki Howard". She is stuck with Niki's best friend Lulu, constantly followed by paparazzi, and things are just going down hill.

Emm soon meets her long lost brother, finds out she has a missing mum, is forced to participate in the Stark Angels runway fashion show, has to study for exam finals, finds out that her former best friend Christopher is trying to avenge his lost love and discovers that the so called accident (that changed her life) might not have been an ACCIDENT!

She struggles to live her life as a supermodel but nobody said that it would be easy being Niki.

Airhead - Meg Cabot

This is one of the books that I have read over the winter holiday. "Airhead" was written by Meg Cabot. While reading this book I didn't find it that interesting, and i think that it's quite boring.

Its about a young girl named Emmerson (Emm) Watts. She is your average everyday brainiac. Until an accident at a Stark Enterprise mall changes her life forever.

She is forced to become the world's most famous supermodel and the face of Stark. But how will she deal with her new fabulous life? Is a life of a world class supermodel really what Emm thought it would be like? What about her life long best friend Christopher?

The Mediator - High Stakes

HIGH STAKES

This book is the second book in the mediator series following the first book "love you to death".

In this novel, Suze's new life in California continues. She has to live with her mum, Andy her new step father, her 3 step brothers and Jesse (a ghost). Starting a whole new life away from New York is pretty cool, with pool parties and friends. But a new life doesn't mean that Suze stops being a mediator. A screaming ghost appears in her bedroom one night needing her help. Suze finds herself following the trail of a murderer. All the clues lead to a mega rich business man, Red Beaumont. She then finds out that Red isn't just a killer, he also appears to be a vampire! Suze isn't sure if vampires even existed, but in a world with ghost whats stopping her?

I really liked this book since I enjoy reading books that have a little mystery in them. I think that Meg Cabot is a superb author and her specialty consists of teenage fiction books.

Specials by Scott Westerfeld- 372 pages

After becoming a Special, everything seemed perfectly normal for Tally Youngblood. At first.

With just a cut of her own flesh, everything was in place and how it's ought to be. Her existence and reason for living is to track down runaways from the New Smoke. It's what Specials do, right? Though, like before, something felt out of place, tugging at Tally's existence. Did becoming a Special change who she was inside? Tally had her doubts.

When Shay and Tally destroys the city's armory in search of a cure for Zane, everything becomes a blur.

In this thrilling book, Tally finds herself trying to reverse her lies and prevent the war that she has caused.

___________________

In my opinion, "Specials" had more adventure and action than its previous books, though it's more depressing.

Overall, a fast-moving book with plots and twists unraveling within every page.

Highly recommended! c:

The Time Traveler's Wife - 518 pages (2 books)

"A big, reckless novel...utterly convincing" - Daily Telegraph

This best-selling book written by Audrey Niffenegger is about a phenomenal love story of Clare and Henry - the time traveler. They met when Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, but were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry was thirty. This might not seem possible, but it's true, since Henry has to suffer from an unusual 'illness' where he sometimes finds himself suddenly pulled into his past or future against his will and control.

Although the story is mainly about Clare and Henry's love, many other things, such as issues of friendships, family tensions and jobs, revolve around it as well, gradually accumulating to the crux of the story.

Overall, this book is an OK read and I'll give it a 6/10. I especially liked the intricacy of traveling from present to past to future and back to present again, making the structure of this book really intriguing. I also liked how the author dealt with "time travel paradoxes", making this masterpiece more realistic, assuming that time travel is possible. I also loved how titillating it is to keep track of how the two main characters miraculously manage to overcome the hindrance and successfully sympathise each other. However, what I don't like is the ending is just too tediously "stereotypical" for a sad romance, in which the male character always dies / meets a terrible fate at the end. I didn't find the ending satisfying because his death seems unrealistic (read it and you will find out how he dies!). Well, in summary, I think those who like bawling their eyes out due to the poignant ending / love story (which I don't) should try it out because it is definitely your type.