Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A thank you letter

My dear friend,

First of all, I would like to say thank you very much for your help for my Taiwan trip last September. It is such an interesting journey.

In the beginning of the journey, I wondered how I should stay in Taiwan and also worried about the transportation and accommodation. Then, it was very lucky for me when I met you on the http://www.couchsurfing.org/. You have helped me with much important information. What’s more exciting, you did agree to join with me as my tour guide.

I think we had a wonderful time together. We have explored around Taiwan, and I have discovered many beautiful places (spots) in your country as well. You know, those experiences touched my heart.

Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and your family. Hope to meet you in my country, Vietnam, in the near future.

Your friend,

Hoang-Hiep Le

Monday, December 27, 2010

Ha Noi, the capital of Vietnam (3/3)

The President Ho-Chi-Minh's Mausoleum

(cont.)

17. President Ho-Chi-Minh's Mausoleum:
- Inaugurated in 1975. It faces Ba-Dinh Square. President Ho's body lies inside a square stone - walled room - on a three tiered platform.

18. No 43, Hang-Ngang Street:
- Here in the 1945, President Ho wrote the famous Declaration of Independence.

19. The Museum of the Revolution:
- Relicas from various phases of the Vietnamese people's patriotic and revolutionary struggle.

20. The Museum of History:
- Developments of the Vietnamese nation. Rich collections of archaeological findings, including some relating to the era of the Hung Kings about 3,000 years ago.

21. The Museum of the Army:
- Great periods of the armed struggle of the Vietnamese people's. War trophies.

22. The Museum of Fine Arts:
- Artistic works ranging from bronze drums (1st millenium B.C) to sculptures, paintings, engravings, and lacquer works by contemporary artists not to mention folk art.

23. Tay-Phuong (West) Pagoda or Sung-Phuc Pagoda:
- 40km from Hanoi, Built in the 8th C., rebuilt in 1680, 1792. Three parallel one - storeyed structures. Its 76 statues carved out of jack-tree wood are valuable art objects. The collection of arhat statues (18th C.) is wonderful.

(A Handbook for the English Language Translator - Hữu Ngọc et al.)

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Ha Noi, the capital of Vietnam (2/3)


The Khue-Van Pavilion (Van-Mieu)

(cont.)

7. Quan-Su Pagoda (The Ambassadors' Pagoda):
- In the 15th C. it was the site of a Guesthouse for ambassadors coming from buddist countries, with a small pagoda close by. Rebuilt in 1936 - 1942.

8. Ba-Da Pagoda (The Pagoda of the Stone Lady):
- While the soil was being dug for the building of the citadel of Thang-Long (ancient Hanoi), the stone statue of a woman was unearthed. Hence the name of the pagoda.

9. The Temple of the Two Ladies:
- The Trung sisters (1st C.) rose against the Chinese Han invaders. They became queens but were in the end defeated.

10. Quan-Thanh Temple (Tran-Vu Temple):
- Built under the Ly (1010 - 1225); later rebuilt. Tran-Vu was the god of the North. (attributes: a Tortoise and a Snake). Bronze statue (1677): 3.7m in height, 4 tons in weight.

11. Tran-Quoc Pagoda:
- Built probably on the site of an old royal Summer Place. A stele (1639) on its history.

12. The Literature Temple (Van-Mieu):
- Built in 1070; later rebuilt. Dedicated to Confucius. Also the first University in Vietnam. Portico, Khue-Van Pavilion, 82 stone steles bearing the names of the laureates of "Tien si" royal examinations (1484 - 1789).

13. The Temple of the Kneeling Elephants (Voi-Phuc Temple):
- Built under Ly-Thanh-Tong (1054-1072) and dedicated to Ling Lang who used his war elephants to defeat the Chinese Song aggressors. Thu-Le 200 park and lake.

14. Lang Pagoda:
- First built under the Ly dynasty (1010-1225). Statues of the Monk Tu-Dao-Hanh and King Ly-Than-Tong - re-incarnation of Tu-Dao-Hanh - Stone stele (dated 1656).

15. Ngu-xa Pagoda:
- The biggest bronze statue of Buddha in Vietnam.

16. Co-Loa Citadel (Spiral-shaped Citadel):
- In Dong-Anh suburban district. The remains of a fortness with walls arranged in a spiral, built in the 3rd century B.C to serve as capital for King An-Duong-Vuong. Temple to him and Princess My-Chau whose love for her husband caused the fall of the Kingdom.

(to be continued...)

(A Handbook for the English Language Translator - Hữu Ngọc et al.)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Ha Noi, the capital of Vietnam (1/3)

The Lake of the Restored Sword

922.8 sq.km - population: about 2.700.000
- City proper (4 districts: Hoan-Kiem, Hai-Ba-Trung, Dong-Da, Ba-Dinh) + 11 suburban districts.

1. The old quarter:
- In the 15th century, the "City with 36 guilds and streets" was the embryo of present - day Hanoi's Old Quarter with narrow streets bearing evocative names (Silk St, Sugar St, Vermicelli St, Votive Objects St, etc...) The Dong-Xuan market intruduces you to tropical fruits, flowers and vegetables, and such hand-icrafts as basketwork, ceramics, etc...

2. The Lake of the Restored Sword (Ho Hoan-Kiem):
- Legend has it that one day, after victory over the Chinese Ming invaders, when King Le-Thai-To was boating on the lake, a golden tortoise came up out of the water to take back the sacred sword that had been given to him by the god to save the homeland (15th C.) - Noteworthy: The-Huc Sunrise Bridge, Tower of the Pen Brush, Portico of the Ink - Slab, Ngoc-Son (Jade Hill) temple built in the 19th C., on an islet: dedicated to General Tran-Hung-Dao, 13th C., who defeated the Mongols in the 13th C., Van-Xuong (God of Literature) and La-To (Patron Saint of Physicians).

3. The West Lake (Ho Tay): 833 hectares.
- According to a legend, this place was formerly a forest - covered mountain on which lived a fox spirit with 9 tails. The monster was later drowned under huge waves unleashed by a dragon god and a lake was born.
- According to another legend, the Vietnamese Buddist monk Khong Lo (XIth. C.) was rewarded with a vast amount of bronze by the Emperor of China for his outstanding services; with this bronze, he had an enormous bell cast. The sound of the bell carried so far that a Golden Buffalo Calf, believing this to be the voice of its mother, rushed down from the North. It trampled the ground so hard that a lake appeared under its hoofs.

4. The Truc-Back Lake (Truc-Bach: white silk of the Ivory Bamboo Village)
- The Trinh Lords (18th C.) built on its shore a Summer Palace turned later into a reformatory for offending royal concubines. The latter were put to work and weaved a fine silk called Truc-Bach.

5. The Lenin Park:
- It was reclaimed from swamps. One year after the liberation of Hanoi (1955) the population started voluntary work for its building.

6. The One Pillar Pagoda (Mot-Cot Pagoda):
- Built in 1049 in the shape of a lotus. According to a legend, King Ly-Thai-To, who had no male offspring, once saw in a dream the Goddess Quan-Am sitting on a lotus and handing him a boy. He later married a peasant girl he had met by chance and a son was born to them. Therefore he had the pagoda built.

(to be continued)

(A Handbook for the English Language Translator - Hữu Ngọc et al.)

Friday, December 24, 2010

Making sentences

1. In order to:
I must study hard in order to finish my degree as soon as possible.

2. Look into:
My father is looking into his writing novel now.

3. Focus on:
She always focuses on her work when she goes to the school.

4. As long as:
As long as the teacher stays in our Lab, we can not go out.

5. As well as:
I know her and I know her sister as well.
I know her as well as I know her sister.

6. As if (as though):
He ordered everybody around as if he is their boss.

7. Attribute ST to ST (SB):
He attribute his achivement to his wife's support.

8. Look after:
I am very busy now. I am looking after my sister's baby.

9. Look up (stop by):
I have already looked up a good thing (paper) for our research.
When I want to go to a movie, I will look you up.

10. Be composed of:
This book is composed of many different results.

A letter: Up-to-date list of address.

Thank you for your letter of 11th November, asking for an up-to-date list of address of our branches.
We have pleasure in enclosing this brochure, showing the location of all our branches and agencies at home and abroad.
Yours faithfully
S.S Carson

-----------------
Book: "Business Letters for All"
Oxford University Press

Bertha J. Naterop
Erich Weis
Eva Haberfellner

ISBN 0-19-580232-2

Thursday, December 23, 2010

LOVE AND HELP CHILDREN

Today’s children will become tomorrow’s civilization. Bringing a child into the world today is a little bit like dropping one into a tiger’s cage. Children can’t handle their environment and they have no real resources. They need love and help to make it.

It is a delicate problem to discuss. There are almost as many theories on how to raise a child or not raise him as there are parents. Yet if one does it wrong much grief can result and one may even complicate his or her own later years. Some try to raise children the way they were themselves raised, others attempt the exact opposite, many hold to an idea that children should just be let grow on their own. None of these guarantee success. The last method is based on a materialistic idea that the development of the child parallels the evolutionary history of the race; that in some magical way, unexplained, the “nerves” of the child will “ripen” as he or she grows older and the result will be a moral, well-behaving adult. Although the theory is disproven with ease—simply by noticing the large criminal population whose nerves somehow did not ripen—it is a lazy way to raise children and achieves some popularity. It doesn’t take care of your civilization’s future or your older years.

A child is a little bit like a blank slate. If you write the wrong things on it, it will say the wrong things. But, unlike a slate, a child can begin to do the writing: the child tends to write what has been written already. The problem is complicated by the fact that, while most children are capable of great decency, a few are born insane and, today, some are even born as drug addicts: but such cases are an unusual few.

It does no good just to try to “buy” the child with an overwhelm of toys and possessions or to smother and protect the child: the result can be pretty awful.

One has to make up his mind what he is trying to get the child to become: this is modified by several things: (a) what the child basically can become due to inherent make-up and potential; (b) what the child really wants to become; (c) what one wants the child to become; (d) the resources available. But remember that whatever these all add up to, the child will not survive well unless he or she eventually becomes self-reliant and very moral. Otherwise the end product is likely to be a liability to everyone including the child.

Whatever one’s affection for the child, remember that the child cannot survive well in the long run if he or she does not have his or her feet put on the way to survival. It will be no accident if the child goes wrong: the contemporary society is tailor-made for a child’s failure.

It will help enormously if you obtain a child’s understanding of and agreement to follow the precepts contained in this book.

What does have a workability is simply to try to be the child’s friend. It is certainly true that a child needs friends. Try to find out what a child’s problem really is and, without crushing their own solutions, try to help solve them. Observe them—and this applies even to babies. Listen to what children tell you about their lives. Let them help—if you don’t, they become overwhelmed with a sense of obligation which they then must repress.

It will help the child enormously if you obtain understanding of and agreement to this way to happiness and get him or her to follow it. It could have an enormous effect on the child’s survival—and yours.

A child factually does not do well without love. Most children have an abundance of it to return.

The way to happiness has on its route the loving and the helping of children from babyhood to the brink of adult life.

(Special thanks to: http://www.thewaytohappiness.org/thewaytohappiness/precepts/love-and-help-children.html)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Topic: Why are human beings living longer nowadays?

Human beings nowadays are living longer and longer. There are many reasons leading to this achievement. We can list here some main ideas as better living environment, good health care and nutritional food.

First of all, a recent better living environment gives human a longer life. With development of economy, science and technology, humans nowadays gain better living conditions than before. Most dangerous work now is executed by modern machinery A man by himself can do his job and make more products effectively without being under a rough condition. And he may choose a good living for himself and his family as he likes, with green environment and comfortable entertainment as well. A convenient living gives people optimistic and active attitude which helps us live longer. Next, a popular education is broadcasted now for most people all over the world. Everyone is guided on how to stay alive in dangerous situations (we call it “safety culture”) when he was a child. And he is also taught to make his surrounding environment fresher and better.

One of the other important reasons why humans are living longer is good health care. To attain our aim of getting longer life, humans always hope to find out good methods to treating for all diseases. The twentieth century saw the development in medicine, for examples, pharmaceutals, antibiotics, vaccines and surgical skills… These major achievements will help humans against most health problems such as cold, fever, headache even cancers or AIDS. Besides, diagnoses now are more and more exact which can make treatments become more effective and easier. By building popular health networks, reaching good health care conditions of people is not an “impossible thing” even in rural communinties. The people with better health care should live longer.

The third idea we could show to explain the question in this topic is nutritional food. By development of biotechnology, humans have made recent food more nutritional with abundance than before. Therefore we can say that food is not still thehumans’ greatest challenge recently or in the future. Genetically modified food is a very strong demonstration for this opinion. Unfortunately, like all new technology, they also pose some risks, both known and unknown. To fix this problem, organic food became a good choice for us. It brings good health fundation to people by fresh food, and then we can live longer.

However the human is destroying his own life at the same time. The climate change is now widely recognized as the major environmental problem facing the globe. The greenhouse effect and deforestation will impact on our lives. Floods, droughts and other natural calamities became more and more complex problems. These consequences are mainly a result of human activities. Besides, terrorism and wars do not stop stepping up. The conflicts with effective modern weapons still cost the lives of many people. The growing risk of a nuclear war remains very serious. It exists possibility of leading human living be destroyed completely. The mass destruction of human lives is still a possibility.

There are many reasons leading people to live longer and longer. The three main ones are better living environment, good health care and nutritional food. However, human have to work together (corporate) against negative phenomena, then make our life better and longer.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

An English topic: Describe your last week at home before you came to this city

Describe your last week at home before you came to this city / country. Then describe what you have done and been doing since you arrived here.

I have lived in Taiwan for one month and half. (I came to Taiwan one and half month ago) The last week at home before I came here was a special period. My parents were very happy when they knew I got the DYU scholarship. We had a small party together and I drank with my close friends also. However, there had been some worries of me because I didn’t know when I would come back home.

When I came to Taiwan, there were many things to do. The first thing was expanding my Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) for the next year. The second thing was signing up my courses. Then I went shopping for my life in dormitory. This semester my scholarship is increased so I could buy more than before. I have planned a schedule for me to do exercise, because I hope I could be stronger and fatter. I have been doing my exercise for one month and I feel everything is better now.

I have started my study since early September. I must work hard for my own knowledge. I have been studying English and Digital Communications for my courses this semester. And I have been working in my Lab to do my research. Besides, I have been learning Chinese for one month also.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Television and Children - Is It Always Wonderful? (2/2)


(continue)

The quality of children's programs is an especially important issue, because children are heavy television viewers who are strongly influenced by what they see. As we know, the most important interest of television companies is profit. They don't give much thought to what may be harmful for children to see. Some children's programs are educational and give useful and helpful information through cartoons, puppets, and movies. On the other hand, many programs show violence - fighting, chasing, shooting, and murder. With all this choice, children are affected in several ways:


1. Children don't develop a good imagination, because everything is pictured for them. When they read, they create pictures in their minds in order to follow story. With television, this is not necessary.


2. Children watch television rather than read book; it's much easier. Because children read less, their vocabulary is limited.


3. Many children don't understand the stories they watch but are impressed with the physical actions they see. They become aggressive in their play and are willing to hurt people. They learn that violence mean power: you can make someone do what you want by simply hurting that person. The strongest person "wins."


4. Children can't concentrate on a topic; they lose interest quickly. Pictures on television are usually fast moving. When a story slows down, the viewer changes channels back and forth. They get no practice in concentrating and then are bored with activities in the classroom.


5. Commercials teach children that being young, beautiful, and sexy are the most important personal qualities.


6. At an early age, children have a broad knowledge of what the world is like... near and far, below the oceans, and in outer space. They also become familiar with people of many ethnic backrounds working, playing, and living together.

Can anything be done to improve the negative points? The answer is yes, but it is not easy. Some helpful suggestions are:


1. Don't have television sets in every room in the house.
2. Don't allow television watching during mealtime or homework periods.
3. Discuss with children in advance which programs they can watch.
4. Watch television together with your children. Have discusstions about the characters; what is realistic; and what behavior is unacceptable.
5. Use some programs as a basis for more research of a country, an animal, a person, or a time in history.


Yes, television is remarkable... if we use it wisely!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Television and Children - Is It Always Wonderful?


Among the outstanding inventions of modern times, television definitely must be included. Without leaving home, we can see and hear queens, presidents, ordinary people, and animals in African jungles. In other words, the whole world is brought home to us through television. Interesting events from all parts of the world are pictured and explained on television for everyone to see. We can get to know people from faraway places, and people in foreign lands get to know Americans. Television is a remarkable invention!

In the United States, television stations are not run by the government; they are owned by companies that want to make a profit from the business of television. They put on all kinds of programs and always do a lot of research to find out how many people watch each program. Profits come from the money paid by various companies for commercials. (Advertisements on television are called commercials.) For programs with large audiences, the cost of commercials is high. For program with moderate audiences, the cost is lower. When a program has a small number of people watching it, it is discontinued. There is a variety of programs that one can see on every channel: news, sports (baseball, tennis), interviews, talk shows (where different topic are discussed), comedies, mysteries, game shows, musical programs, and children's programs.


(to be continued...)

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Money - Does It Bring Happiness ... or Problem? (2/2)


(continued)

Credit cards are the modern magic that allows people to buy, fly, eat, and treat without cash. With credit cards, people feel rich, powerful, and happy. For many, however, credit cards are the first step to serious financial problems.

Charge cards or credit cards are an easy way of getting credit - that is, borrowing money. They are very convenient and safe to use. Shoppers get monthly bills for their purchases. If they pay their bills promptly, they avoid paying interest charges. If they pay only part of their bills, high interest charges are added on every month. This, in reality, increases the price of whatever they bought.

Many shoppers have trouble controlling their spending because of the cards. Because they can get all kinds of things just by signing their names, they don't think about the bills that will surely come. They are not efficient money managers. Financial advisers and counselors are in business to help people manage their money wisely. They teach their clients to make a budget. A budget is a written record that helps people see where their money goes, where they can cut down on spending, what they can cut out, and how they can manage better. Most often, however, the first bit of advice is to get rid of all credit cards!

Credit cards can make shopping a pleasure. However, the user must know how to control the cards and not be controlled by the cards.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Money - Does It Bring Happiness ... or Problem? (1/2)

Money! Money! Money! No ones goes through life without handling money. Millions of people work hard year in and year out to earn money. Some people are born into money; some marry into money; others inherit money. Millions buy lottery tickets hoping to win money. Some even break the law in order to get money. Everybody wants to have money, because it makes life easy... or does it?

Saving money is often difficult, but spending it can cause difficulties, too. The many different ways people deal with money reveal much about them. Uncontrolled spending may be a sign of personal problems. Some shoppers buy, buy, buy more than they can use. Psychologists say that this is a way of giving themselves love or power. Many people buy expensive things they don't really need in order to get rid of unhappy feelings. Some people are heavy gamblers and cannot stop, even though they lose all their money. Others find it very painful to spend money, even if they have a lot of it. People who misuse their money probably need psychological help for their personal problems. This help might also change their ways of using money.

For all of us, it makes good sense to live within one's income - that is, not to spend more than what one earns. For people with low and moderate incomes, it is not easy to spend less than they earn. Surprisingly, many people with high income have the same problem. How is it possible to spend more money than one has? Actually, it is quite easy. People can shop in department stores, stay in hotels, fly to distant places, order expensive gifts, eat in fine restaurants, yet not spend one penny in cash... temporarily. It is the small, plastic credit card that lets a person shop without using cash.


(to be continued...)

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Prastic - A wonderful invention (2/2)

(continued...)

Furthermore, a research company predicts that foods now packed in steel cans will also eventually be packed in plastic containers. These will weigh less than steel and will not use up precious natural resources. Business and consumers benefit from the many advantages of plastic.

Not only private industry but also the Army is testing the uses of plastic in the form of helmets, bulletproof vests, plastic car engines, jet planes with partly plastic wings, and plastic parts on submarines.

In the field of medical science, amazing progress has been made with plastic in recent years. Many defective organs of the body can now be replaced by artificial ones made mostly of plastic. The possibilities are really endless and exciting. Artificial hearts, as well as knees, hips, and other joints have already becomes a reality. Biomedical engineers are doing more and more research in this area.

One serious problem with plastic is the fact that it is not biodegradable - that is, it does not decompose. Even after years of being in a garbage dump, plastic remain plastic. Currently, however, researchers are working on biodegradable plastic, which will reduce the amount of garbage generated. Biodegradable plastic will also be recyclable into new plastic products. The amount of garbage will be further reduced when plastic can be used over and over again.

We can easily see that people will use plastic for a long, long time. Doctors, plumbers, and people everywhere benefit from using plastic in one form or another. The plastic industry continues to grow, because there are always new ways to use this material. Without a doubt, the Plastic Age is with us.



active plastic

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Prastic - A wonderful invention (1/2)

Man has lived in the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and now we are in the Plastic Age. When plastic was a new material, it was cheap both in quality and in cost. Anything made of plastic was usually an inferior copy of a stronger, higher-quality item. Older adults can recall the poor-quality toys, handbags, shower curtains, shoes, etc., that were made in large numbers after World War II.

Today, however, the value of plastic has changed completely, because scientists have learned better ways to make a wide variety of quality plastics. It is currently possible to manufacture plastic so strong and so versatile that it can replace steel, aluminum, glass, and even paper. American automobile manufacturers are planning to make cars with plastic bumpers and fenders in the near future. Japanese auto makers are working on plastic car windows. These have the advantage of not only being lighter but also reflecting heat better than glass. Ultimately, any metal car parts will no doubt be replaced by plastic. With the use of plastic, rust problems will be eliminated, and repairs should be less expensive.


Food companies are also working with plastic for packaging their products. Many are putting precooked food into plastic bags that can be heated in either microwave or conventional ovens. One company now uses a squeezable plastic bottle for ketchup, making it easy to use up all the ketchup. In the conventional glass bottle, it was nearly impossible to get out all the ketchup. The plastic container is a little more expensive than the glass bottle, but shipping costs are lower because plastic weighs less. Another important point about plastic is that it does not break.


(to be continued...)

Friday, June 18, 2010

Free Time - Why do we always lose it? (2/2)

(continued)

Where does the free time go? This question persists in spite of growing list of timesaving devices that come into our lives. We don't have leisure time: time to relax, to talk peacefully with family or friends. In fact, all kinds of "organizers" (an efficient system of recording appointments) are sold in large numbers. We are busy, busy, busy.

The answer to the free time question seem to be that people find new activities for their leisure time. They do things they always wanted to do but didn't have the time. That's how they get busy all over again. Colleges have more and more older adults as students. Going to class and doing homework keep them quite busy. People of all ages also do a lot of traveling. They travel across the United States and also visit foreign countries. In this way they get an education in the real world.

Some people learn how to play golf and other sports. These games give people a new interest in life and make it easy to meet new people. Other people like to use leisure time to do things with their hands - like gardening and painting pictures. These activities are very relaxing. Many Americans are very busy keeping their bodies in good condition. Every morning joggers run through the streets; in the evenings they go to gyms to do exercises; and sometimes they go to lectures to learn about eating properly.

It's easy to see that people always do something new and enjoyable with their free time. It's always hard to find more free time for that relaxing bath or unhurried walk without a destination.
.

Free Time - Why do we always lose it? (1/2)

Americans use all kinds of wonderful things that make life easy and save lots of time - things like cars, computers, phones, and dishwashers. In spite of this, people lack free time in their lives; they keep wishing for it. We rarely have time for a long, relaxing bath or an unhurried walk without a destination. People seem to be always busy. The question is, with all the timesaving devices we use today, where does the free time go?

Today we shop in supermarkets. We can store a week's supply of meat and vegetables in spacious refrigerators. Dependable freezers enable us to store food for months. This save a great deal of time.

Food itself has become "fast". Famous fast-food shops seem to be everywhere. Even coffee comes in an instant form. For those who want other types of meals at home, there is a large variety of foods to choose from: fresh food, prepared food, canned food, and frozen food. Microwave ovens defrost frozen food in minutes. It is no longer necessary to spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals; food companies do most of the work for us. This saves much time and works.

We even have a choice of how to serve food at home. We can use paper plates or dishes that can be cleaned in an automatic dishwasher. Either way we save a lot of time.

There are always new inventions that do things faster and easier. We can clean our teeth quickly with an electric toothbrush. We never have to touch a garage door to open or close it; an "electric eye" takes care of that. Television sets can be worked by remote control.

The timesaving tricks that modern telephones can do are really amazing. Dialing numbers has become old-fashioned; gently tapping them is much faster. Phones with a memory are now available. By tapping a preset code number, we can make a call. Phones in cars are becoming very popular, too. Being able to drive and talk saves a lot of time.
.

...

(to be continued)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

CLARENCE TULLY - A Man With a Secret (2/2)

(continued...)
When Tully went to military meetings or gatherings with real veterans as a reporter, he would dress in a serviceman's uniform. As he became more comfortable with the uniform and the imaginary stories about his years in the Air Force, he began to wear medals of honor and make the stories more danger-filled and exciting. Also, as he got more important jobs in real life, he gave himself a higher rank in his fictitious military life. He became a second lieutenant, then a first lieutenant, then a major. It got to the point where he himself could not tell the difference between fact and fiction anymore. In reality, he never attended college or served in the Air Force.
Tully was doing very well in his career, and people easily trusted and respected him. He was always careful and consistent when he talked about his military adventures. He did not make mistakes with his "facts." He was a clever impostor; he told believable phony stories. No one questioned the exciting, brave, dangerous events of his nonexistent military experience. he deceived everyone for many years.
Recently, something happened that changed Tully's whole life. In his newspaper, he published some negative articles about a well-known lawyer of his city. This lawyer became very angry with Tully. He decided to investigate Tully's personal life. In a short time, he discovered that Tully was a impostor. He publicized the fact that Tully told untrue stories about himself. Tully immediately acknowledged all his dishonest information and resigned from his job. He did not give any explanation for his behavior. He put himself in the care of a psychiatrist in order to find out why he did this. As he entered a hospital in Arizona, he said, "I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me." With these words, the fantasy life-style of "Duke" Tully ended.
.
.

CLARENCE TULLY - A Man With a Secret (1/2)

Clarence Darrow Tully was tall, good-looking, and intelligent. He worked as a reporter at first and eventually became publisher of two newspapers in Arizona. He was a competent newspaper executive and got along well with other important people in the community. He was very successful in his career. These was, however, something unusual about Tully that was a secret for a long, long time.
When Clarence Darrow Tully was a young man, he told everyone to call him "Duke." He copied that name from a famous movie actor, whom Americans liked because he was strong, tough and brave. Tully want to be admired for the same reasons as this actor was. He also believed that men in military uniform looked strong, tough, and brave. Tully wanted very much to make this impression on others. His desire for this image got stronger and stronger as time went on.
He tried to join the Air Force, but poor vision prevented him from being accepted. His older brother became a Marine pilot and was killed in service in 1942. When this happened, Tully began to put his imagination to work: he started to tell untrue stories about his personal life. At first, he simply claimed he was in the Air Force and that he had a college degree. Every time he got a promotion in his career, he added more stories about brave active duty in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
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(to be continued...)

Thursday, June 3, 2010

On Being Shy (2/2)

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We can help ourselves be rid of shyness. Nobody is perfect, and everybody has good qualities. Is it fair to pay attention to our imperfections and overlook our good qualities? Definitely not! The following suggestions may be helpful in reducing shyness:
1. First, understand that you cannot eliminate shyness overnight. It is a slow process that you must work on gradually.
2. Think about situations when being shy is most painful. Perhaps your biggest problem is making small talk with a stranger at a party. In that case, prepare yourself with some interesting current news to talk about. The weather is a topic often used for starting conversations.
3. Getting the other person to talk about himself/herself is a clever idea. Many people enjoy talking about themselves - or give their opinions. For example, you can say something like, "I notice you like modern jewelry; your rings are very unusual. Did you design them yourself?" This can be the start of a friendship.
4. Whenever you begin making negative comparisons between yourself and others, force yourself to stop doing that immediately. Take your thoughts off yourself. Observe others and think of a compliment with which to start a conversation with someone.
5. If you are shy at work where there are many coworkers, choose the least intimidating person to perhaps have coffee with or make casual small talk with.
6. Know that if an effort to socialize sometimes is unsuccessful, it happens to everyone now and then. Feel proud of yourself for making the effort.
7. If you are required to give a report to a group, tell them that you feel nervous. This feeling is quite natural, and everyone can sympathize. Expressing that to the group will make you feel better.
8. Think about your good qualities and believe that you are as good as anyone else... because you are!
9. Take a course in developing self-confidence or read books on the subject.
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Life is much more enjoyable for people who are not shy.

On Being Shy (1/2)

How many times have you felt angry with yourself because you were too shy to speak up when you really wanted to have a conversation with another person? Are parties times for standing in the corner and watching others chat and dance - afraid to join them? Do you listen to discussions but do not give your opinions because you think you are not smart enough? Do you wish to be friendly but don't know how? All these thoughts lead to unhappy feelings.
This kind of unhappiness comes about not because other people are trying to hurt us. We make this unhappiness for ourselves. Naturally, we really don't want to hurt ourselves, but often we grow up thinking we are not as good as others - we are inferior; everyone is better, smarter, and more interesting. These negative thoughts make us shy. Why do we do this to ourselves? Only a psychologist can discover the reasons. It is interesting to note that very large numbers of people are shy. There is, however, good news. If we want to get rid of shyness, it can be done.
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(to be continued)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Texas: More than Cowboys and Oil Wells

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"Bang! Bang! Cowboy?" I often heard these words while traveling in Europe years ago when I said that I was from Texas. The next words were usually, "Do you have an oil well?" Although my home state is known around the world for its cowboys and oil wells, Texas has other interesting, though lesser known, features, which are its varied geography, its cultural heritage, and its strong pride.
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The first interesting feature of Texas is its varied geography. Texas is located at the intersection of several geographical regions. It has mountain, hills, plains, beaches, deserts, and forests. In one long day of driving, a person can start the morning beside rice fields in the humid southeastern part of the state and, in the evening, stop beside wild cactus plants in the dry western part. On a winter day, a person in the northern tip of Texas can be playing in the snow while another person in the southern tip is picking oranges near palm trees.
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The second interesting feature of Texas is its cultural heritage. The Institute of Texas Cultures, a museum in San Antonio, explains the cultural history of Texas and contains permanent exhibits of twenty-six cultural groups that helped build Texas. These groups range from Native Americans and Mexicans to Japanese and Chinese. Today visistors to Texas can still see elements of ranching and cowboy culture, the culture of the rural Old South, and the cultures of German and Czech immigrants, mixed with the generic culture of modern American. However, the past and the future of Texas are most closely associated with Mexico. For examble, the 2000 census shows that about 28 percent of Texans speak Spanish in their homes, and this number is likely to grow.

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In addition to its geography and cultural heritage, the third interesting feature of Texas is the regional pride of its people. Supermarkets sell Texas-shaped pasta and people wear Texas-shaped earrings. Bumper stickers say, "Native-born Texan" and "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could." Many people think of themselves as Texans first and as U.S. citizens second. This strong Texas identity is rooted in the history and the size of Texas. From 1836 to 1845, Texas was an independent country. Then, after it became a state, it was the biggestin area for over 100 years, and Texans loved to say that everything was biggest in Texas. When Alaska became the forty-ninth and largest state in 1959, proud Texans joked that, because Alaska was mainly ice, it could melt. According to them, Texas was still the biggest state..
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In conclusion, Texas is an interesting place because of its varied geography, its cultural heritage, and the strong pride of its people. When I travel outside Texas or meet international visitors in Texas, I know the stereotypic images of Texas that they probably have. Therefore, I make sure to tell them that Texas is very diverse and has much more to see than cowboys and oil wells.
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Sunday, May 23, 2010

Portraits of Special People

My Grandmother
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Wood, my grandmother, died many years ago, but she is still one of my favorite people. Althought she was too strict, she had many good qualities. One of these is her love of learning. She had little money and lived on a farm, but she wanted to learn as much as possible. For examble, after she finished all eight grades of her rural school, she took a one-month course in teacher training. It was the maximum education available for her. When she was old, she often took out her world globe after dinner and studies the countries on it. Another of Lizzie's good qualities was she ability to cook everything well. Without written recipes, she made delicious bread and desserts, such as fruit pies. She turned ordinary potatoes into tasty soup and ordinary apples into wonderful jelly. Still another of her good qualities was that she was helpful to everyone. One time she organized a drama production for kids in her community. Another time she was the president of a service organization. Many times she helped her neighbors with the hard parts of their sewing. Grandma Wood was a strict person, but her good qualities made her one of my favorite people.

A Great Friend
Kyle Robertson, my best friend from childhood, has three good qualities that I admire. His sister's name is Emily. The first quality is his energy and sense of adventure. We visited his grandparents in Georgia. His granfather dirves a Volvo. We went to see my uncle in San Francisco. We went skiing, backpacking, or rock climbing together. A second quality is his technical skills. In junior high, we spent hours at the computer as "pilots" of simulated planes and, in high school, flew remote-controlled planes. Now we enjoy different activities. We like building Web sites and editing wideos together. A third good quality is that he is loyal. He is always there for me, no matter when or where. I recently needed last-minute help at 4 A.M. with an important Java assignment. I love computers. There was no problem when I telephoned and woke him up, and he had an answer to my question, as always. In short, Kyle has many good qualities and is really a special friend.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Sharing Stories - Quick Action

It was an ordinary day at the First National Bank. Everything seemed normal. An elderly woman and her grandson were in the bank. The woman had an old handbag and a new umbrella on her arm, and the little boy had a balloon on a long string. The woman began to make a deposit and cash a check. Then a man with a black-and-white hat walked in. The little boy saw the man's picture on the wall and began to feel afraid. The man slowly walked to a teller's window and suddenly pulled out a big gun. He gave the teller a note and got two heavy bags of money from her. He started to run away, but the woman quickly started to run after him. She hit him hard with her umbrella and stopped him! A young policeman immediately took the famous robber away to jail, and a crowed watched. The bank manager gave the woman a reward, so she looked very happy. He gave the boy seven balloons, so the boy also had a big smile of his face. In the end, everyone was happy except the robber. In this incident, quick action by an ordinary person stopped a crime.

Not Only On TV

When my family lived in another city, we had two experiences with robberies.One time someone broke into our car in front of our house and took some CDs.We were upset and unhappy, but we did not call the police. It did not seem too important.Another time a few week later, someone took our new camera and $55 from our house.The person came in through a window when we were out of the house during the day.The camera was very expensive, and we did not have teh money for another camera.We felt afraid and bought new blocks.Robberies were not only on TV. They were real now.(Philip L. Sladek)

Why Football Is Successful on U.S. Television

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Football is a very successful sport on U.S. television for serveral reasons. One reason is that football has lots of action. Viewers do not get bored while watching fooball because something happens on every play. In a sense, each team wins, loses, or ties on every play, so viewers stay interested. Another reason for football's TV success is that viewers can actually see the game better on TS than in person. Closeup camera shots, mutiple cameras, and instant replay make the sofa at home as good as the best seat in the stadium. Still another reason for football's success on TV in the United States is that it is good for advertising. Because there are frequent short breaks in the game, advertisers have many opportunities to show commercials to large audiences without interrupting the action. In short, because football pleases both TV viewers and advertisers, it is a big success on U.S. television.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Popular Types of Student Housing

When U.S. students leave home and move to another city to attend a university, they have three popular types of housing to consider. One popular type is student dormitories. Dorms are especially good during the first year because they usually provide meals and offer opportunities for making friends. Another popular type of housing is apartments. They are especially good for people who like to cook or have special dietary or personal needs. Still another popular type of housing is student cooperative houses, sometimes called co-ops for short, which are available near many American universities. In these democratically-run houses, students do household tasks, such as cooking, shopping, or cleaning, to keep the operating costs low. Thus, before signing a contract, students should think carefully about the best type of housing for them.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Great Virtual Trips!

1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, New York, http://www.metmuseum.org/. Visit the collections and click on "Director's Choices," which shows twenty-five of the director's favorite objects.

2. California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California, http://www.calacademy.org/. It offers nice online tours of exhibits in the natural history museum and aquarium.

3. The White House in Washington, D.C, www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour. You can take a room-by-room tour of the presidential residence.

4. The Natural History Museum in London, England, www.nhm.ac.uk/meseum/vr/index.html. There is a tour of the online gallery of virtual objects. You can grab and rotate the objects.

5. The Museum of Modern Art in New York, New York, www.moma.org/collection/collection_highlights.html. You can choose a collection and see the highlights of one or more galleries.

6. National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, www.baseballhalloffame.org/help/tour.html. You can see baseball artifacts and read about baseball history.

7. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, http://www.nga.gov.au/. It provides an interesting virtual tour of an Aboriginal art exhibit and other exhibits.

8. The University of Texas in Austin, Texas, www.utexas.edu/tower/. Visit the main building of the university to see both the inside rooms and the view of the university from the top of the tower.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Fast Way to a New Life

(Doctor Noe Itall)

Are you tired of your daily routine? Are you bored with your typical days? You can change your life. Here is the important first step.
Use your imagination! Imagine that you now have your prefect routine.
You wake up at the perfect time, and you eat the perfect breakfast. You put on the perfect clothes. Perhaps you have the perfect way. You have exactly the schedule that you like best. Imagine your perfect day in detail and write to me about this routine. Begin your letter like this: "Dear Dr. Itall: I now have the perfect routine for me. Every morning, I... "
When you finish your letter, send it to me. I will read it. Maybe I will print it here in my column, so keep reading "Psychology Corner."

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Class Statistics


A. Math Problems

Addition

3 + 2 = 5

The sum of three and two is five

Three plus two equals five


Subtraction

8-1=7

Eight minus one equals seven.


Multiplication

4x5=100

Four times twenty-five equals one hundreds.


Division

12:2=6

Twelve divided by two equals six

Two into twelve equals six


B. Fraction and decimals

Fractions

1/2 = one-half or a half

5 (1/3) = five and one-third or five and a third

7 (3/4) = seven and three-fourths or seven and three-quarters


Decimals

0.87 = zero point eight seven or eighty-seven hundredths

3.01 = three point zero one or three and one hundredths

3.009 = three point zero zero nine or three and nine thousandths


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California in 2000

Among the many ethnic groups in California, the largest groups are whites (59.5%), Hispanics (32.4%), Asians (10.9%), and black (6.7%). This makes it the most populous state in the United States. About a quarter of the population is under the age of 18. Few visitors to California know many statistics about the state. The population has grown 13.6% since 1990. Just over half of the population is female. The smallest reported group in Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders (0.3%) Visitors who are interested in more statistics about California can find them at http://quickfact.census.gov/gfd/states. One tenth is 65 years or older. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, California has a population of more than 33,871,000.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Compare two drafts

Draft 1
A few years ago, my grandfather Paul, who loved to cook but did not like recipes, made an especially disgusting and memorable dish. It did not have a name, but here is his process. First, he looked in the refrigerator. Second, he got some leftover enchiladas. Third, he put the enchiladas in a saucepan. Fourth, he looked in the pantry. Fifth, he found two cans to add. They were a can of green beans and a can of hot dog chili sauce. Sixth, he added the green beans and hot dog chili sauce to the enchiladas. Seventh, he cooked the mixture on top the stove until the food was very hot. This step took about fifteen minutes. Eighth, he put some crunchy dry cereal on top of the mixture. Finally, he served the dish in the saucepan.
Unfortunately, as the pieces of cereal absorbed the liquid, they began to look like short, fat brown worms. This dish was unforgettable because it looked so disgusting that no one would eat it, except my grandfather.

Draft 2
A few years ago, my grandfather Paul, who loved to cook but did not like recipes, made an especially disgusting and memorable dish. It did not have a name, but here is his process. First, he looked in the refrigerator, got some leftover enchiladas, and put them in a saucepan. Then, he looked in the pantry and found two cans to add. They were a can of green beans and a can of hot dog chili sauce. Next, he cooked the mixture in a saucepan on top of the stove until the food was very hot. This step took about fifteen minutes. Finally, before serving the dish in the saucepan, he put some crunchy dry cereal on top of the mixture.
Unfortunately, as the pieces of cereal absorbed the liquid, they began to look like short, fat brown worms. This dish was unforgettable because it looked so disgusting that no one would eat it, except my grandfather.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

RED SEA and GULF OF ADEN (II)

The State of Preparedness

Developments and improvement in the state of preparedness and response capabilities in the region have been slow, but in recent years there has been progress towards improved regional co-operation.

The Jeddah Convention of 1982, formally titled "Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment," provides an important basis for environmental cooperation in the Region. It was the result of a Regional Intergovernmental Conference, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The Regional Intergovermental Conference also adopted a "Programme for the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (PERGSA)." PERGSA is an intergovernment body dedicated to the conservation of the coastal and marine environments. Its daily affairs are managed by a secretariat run by a team of professionals recruited from various countries in the region. All countries in the region are currently party to the Jeddah Convention and members of PERGSA.

In addition to regional agreements and conventions a number of initiatives have been developed that aim to promote and encourage cooperation and mutual assistance. These initiatives include, for example, a regional oil spill contingency plan between Israel, Egypt and Jordan ensuring cooperation and assistance for oil spills within the Gulf of Aqaba.

Efforts are also being made to protect the marine environment under the World Bank funded Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which aims to improve coastal and marine environments by reducing navigational risks and preventing and controlling marine pollution in a regional context. The countries of Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen have established marine protected areas consistent with the aims of the SAP for promoting awareness of the sensitivitives of the marine environment.

Progress with regard to implementation of international conventions over the past decade has been relatively slow. As at October 2003, only two of the seven countries have ratified MARPOL 73/78 and OPRC 90. Two states are party to the CLC 92. Despite the limited oil imports and high risk of pollution damage within the region, only Djibouti has ratified Fund 92 to date.

The knowledge of national contingency planning within the region is limited. However, it is understood that most of the states have some form of contingency planning arrangements in place. The extent of implementation varies from government plans to national oil company plans, draft plans awaiting approval and co-opperative plans involving more than one country. Generally the industry plans are exercised regularly.

Improvements in preparedness and response capabilities may be expected with recent initiatives by PERGSA and ROPME (the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment, which comprises Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Emirates) in promoting greater co-operation between the countries of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and those of the Gulf.

In addition to the regional initiatives, the Petroleum Association of Japan has a significant stockpile located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and another in Saudi Arabia. This non-profit, trade association has a number of stockpiles strategically located along the tanker route from the Middle East to Japan. The equipment is available free of charge to anyone in need of assistance, subject to the equipment being returned clean and any damaged items repaired or replaced.
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Satelite view of the Middle East. Photo: NASA

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

RED SEA and GULF OF ADEN (I)

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The Rea Sea and Gulf of Aden region includes the Res Sea, Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, and comprises the states of Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The countries within this region hold some of the world's largest oil and gas reserves and export potential.


The waters of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden constitute a unique ecosystem with high biological diversity. In particular, they host and extensive system of coral reefs and their assiociated animals and plants. Surrounded by arid terrestrial environments, the reefs support rich biological communities and representatives of several endangered species. There are also mangroves, seagrass beds, salt marshes and salt pans in the region. Fishing and an ever growing tourism industry are important to the economy of this area.


THE RISK OF OIL SPILLS


The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden form an important transport route between Europe and the Far East, particularly for the carriage of oil and commodities. Although appoximately 11% of the world's seaborne oil is transported through the region, there have been no major spills (>5,000 tonnes) resulting from shipping accidents. Most spills in this region have been the result of operational discharges, equipment failures and groundings.


Despite the low occurrence of major accidents within the region, the high volume of shipping results in chronic pollution in the form of tarballs arriving on the shorelines. Studies of water quality suggest that the Red Sea environment receives more oil per square kilometre than any other regional sea. The coast of Saudi Arabia between Jeddah and Yemen is heavily tarred in places. The Egyptian coast near the offshore oil fields of the Gulf of Suez is similarly affected by oil discharges. Increasing levels of dredging, construction and industrial waste associated with coastal development, are also creating threats to the marine environment.

In terms of navigation there are some potentially hazadous areas within the region. The strait of Bad-el-Mandeb is well defined and marked with an established traffic separation scheme. Numerous offshore platforms in the Gulf of Suez pose a danger to navigation, as do a number of coral reef systems in the Strait of Tirana at the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, where many ships have grounded in the past.

(from Regional Profiles (ITOPF): http://www.itopf.com/information-services/country-profiles/documents/redsea.pdf)

Friday, May 7, 2010

No More Accidents

(By Ryota Imai)

A few years ago, I got hit three times on my bicycle in two months. The first accident was at night in June. I was going across an intersection. A car hit my bicycle side, but the car was going slowly. The car driver said "Are you okay?" I said, "I'm okay," but my right shin hurt. My bicycle was no problem. The second accident was at night in July. The car was a little fast, and I was thrown onto the hood of the car. The car driver said, "We are going to the hospital and the doctor can check you." My body was no problem, but my bicycle was broken. The third accident was in the morning when I was going to school. That day I was feeling a little uneasy, and my uneasiness came true. I was hit by the side of a car, but we were going very slowly. The car driver and I exchanged address. After that, I went to school. My mother said, "If you get in another accident, you can die." I hope I don't have any mor accidents.

Why I Look Almost Bald

(By Toru Imai)

The reason that I shaved my head is not a heartwarming story. Yesterday I wanted to cut my hair. I didn't have a lot of money, so I looked for a cheap haircut. I found a salon with only $5.99 haircuts. I said to the barber, "My hair is so long." Then she shaved my side hair and made a favorite Chinese hairstyle in only three minutes! But, I'm Japanese. I said, "shorter," and she said "Oh, I see! You need to say Number 2!" She shaved my head all over in just one minute! She never thought or waited. It's the reason for the cheap price. I will never go for a cheap haircut again. Also, I learned that I need to study hairstyle in English before I go for a haircut.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Some Stories?

The Tank Was Empty
(By John Lapatsanis)

Six years ago I lived in Athens. Every fifteen days I went to my village with my friend who had a new Italian car. One Friday the engine didn't work. My friend got out of his car and looked it. He didn't see anything. For one hour he and I looked everywhere. We checked everything. Finally, after one hour, we looked in the gas tank. It didn't have any gasoline! My friend and I feel terrible because the day before he had filled the tank, and today it didn't have any gasoline. Anyway, together we put gasoline in the tank and went to my village. In the end, my friend was lucky because the thief took only the gasoline. My friend still has his car.



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My Daughter
(By Gerardo Nunez)

I remember when my daughter was born. When I brought my wife to the hospital, I stayed there in the room with her. I put on doctor clothes and was able to see the birth on my daughter. She was beautiful. Then my wife and I were happy. Now my daughter goes to school in my country, and she practices gymnastics because she like it. Also, all the time she draws with colors. She studies English and Spainish in her school, but I hope maybe for a short time she can go to study English in the USA. When my wife was a child, she lived in USA for one year, and she spoke English very well. I hope that my daughter can study in the USA because she is very important to us.