Not Just Your Average Q-tip

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Kayla Mock

Book List for 2009-2010 Discoveries Class

1. Morganville Vampires: Carpe Corpus        Rachel Caine

This is the last book I read of this series. I really liked it because it really finished off everything Cammie wanted to accomplish, and it also led us to believe that there was something more that could possibly happen in the series. Plus, Cammie and Shane finally make a HUGE step in their relationship if you know what I mean (wink wink) so that also was very interesting to follow. I love how descriptive and dangerous this series is, and how everything was so suspenseful in this book.

1. The Named                                                    Marianne Curley

This book really wasn’t that interesting to me at first, but after the first couple of chapters I couldn’t put the book down. I’m really not a fantasy reader, but this got me hooked! I love how it talked about time traveling in a whole different aspect, and how that the secret organization was made up of everyday people he knew, but was not allowed to let show. I held my breath every time they went back in time and their body on earth was being messed with. By the end of this book I absolutely had to read the second one!

1. The Dark                                                        Marianne Curley

Of course I actually read the second book so I just have to say that it was better than the first. It really described how all of your senses are totally stimulated when traveling through time. The Goddess of Chaos was such a great part of the plot and describing the Underworld was a whole new experience. I couldn’t believe who Isabel turned out to be with! And I love how she took immortality to be with him too! She will look good in blue hair!

1. Pendragon: The Merchant of Death            D.J. MacHale

I started reading this book because I just happened to find it in a bookcase somewhere in my house. The beginning was really good, and made me want to keep reading. About three quarters of the way through, however, I just wanted to stop reading. It was so repetitive and the alternate universe that they were in just got so old that I had to force myself to finish the book. However, I can imagine the fat queen in my mind and they did a good job of describing her.

1. Uglies                                                             Scott Westerfeld

I really liked the futuristic aspect of this book and I can so relate to the insecurities that Tally faced concerning her appearance. Everything seemed so well described that I felt that I was sneaking out across the river with her. I could feel the romantic tension and it made me really wonder where the relationship was going. Tally is so brave in that she is so willing to do everything with passion.

1. Pretties                                                           Scott Westerfeld

The voices got really annoying in this book when they were talking, but I found that it was necessary to be able to distinguish between when somebody is an Ugly or a Pretty. I could not put the book down when things between Tally and David started happening. They seemed like such a perfect couple. I could not believe how freaky the Specials seemed when they were described, and its hard to believe that Tally could become one of them.

1. Specials                                                         Scott Westerfeld

I can’t believe Tally became one of the bad guys! All she wanted to be for the longest time was a Pretty, but this book really gave a perspective on how you can’t have everything. I thought that this book was really repetitive of the other two books and I found it hard to finish because it got boring for me. I love how Tally describes her new body and being ‘sharp’. However, it is so weird that she is a cutter now.

1. Chains                                                            Laurie Halse Anderson

Even though this was a good book it was surprisingly good. I had a hard time understanding everything that was happening because I didn’t really know anything about the American Revolution when I started reading it. I was so confused with the Loyalist and Patriot status of her master, but eventually learned what was happening. The first part was so sad about her mom, and everything that happened to her was really an eye-opener.

1. City of Ember                                                Jeanne DuPrau

It took me a while to get into this book, but in the end it was really good. If I lived in a dark place, I don’t know what I’d do! I was really suspicious of what was in the dark land when I was about half way through the book, but it came as a real shocker to me at the end to find out that they lived in a whole, The way that these people recycled things was amazing!

10. City of Sparks                                                Jeanne DuPrau

When the people first arrived I was skeptical of how the townspeople would invite them, but I found it very selfish that they wouldn’t be willing to give the people from the city of Ember a more permanent place of residence. After all, they were the ones who knew best about civilizations fighting and destroying each other. It got somewhat old after a while, but in the end was a good book.

11. The Devouring                                               Simon Holt

I read this book from one of the book lists we were assigned to read. It was a really good horror book. I loved the way it started with an old tall tale that turned out to be completely real. I would have hated to see my little brother overcome with an evil spirit. The scene with the clown and the mirrors was such a good touch to the book, it was probably my favorite part.

12. Twilight                                                           Stephanie Meyer

I had watched the movie, but felt that I needed to read the book to get the real Twilight experience. I have to say that the book was so much better than the movie! I really loved how passionate Edward was throughout the whole book, but Bella is such a wimp and needed to stop acting so brave because she isn’t really fooling anybody. The romantic tension in this book was so addicting and all of the vampire quirks are so interesting to learn about.

13. Suite Scarlett                                                 Maureen Johnson

I read this book because Abby suggested it and so I thought I might as well read it. It was so funny to listen to Scarlett tell about her family living in a hotel, and I could picture everything so vividly. I love how actors are portrayed in this book! I was very disappointed about what happened with Scarlett’s crush, and how he had a girlfriend sort of ruined the book for me.

14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone                   J.K. Rowling

15. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J.K. Rowling

16. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban             J.K. Rowling

17. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire                         J.K. Rowling

18. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix             J.K. Rowling

I read all of these books in the span of a week and loved how they flowed together so perfectly. Each year held a new adventure and they weren’t repetitive as so many books in a series usually are. Harry grows up a lot in these five years and its really funny to see how he and Cho interact. The books are so like the movie,  but he movie leaves out really good parts in the books. Hermione is really funny to listen to, especially as she is looking up things in her book, and her relationship with Vicktor in the Goblet of Fire is a real shock. I really couldn’t figure out why Snape didn’t like Harry throughout the whole series, other than how Harry’s dad treated him, which was actually very surprising to me. I love how Dumbledore always takes Harry’s side, which is actually a very good thing or Harry would be expelled from Hogwarts for sure.

19. Zombie Blondes                                                        Brian James

This book was just okay. I could relate to the perfection of the cheerleaders, and I could visualize how out of place Hannah must have felt, but it always felt so disconnected. I love how the only person who really knew about what was happening was a total loser. The scene where Maggie tries to dye Hannah’s hair was probably the best, but as I said, the book was just okay.

20. Perfect                                                                        Natasha Friend

This was my second time reading this book and I really did enjoy it. It really demonstrated a common problem in teenage girls. It progressed through a girls tragedy when her dad dies, and how she is bulimic. She learns that everybody is not what they seem, including the perfect Ashley, and that she should not have to be punished because her mom can’t suck it up. The ending was really sweet with the picture hanging, and celebrating Hanukah. I  could really understand the sibling tension in the book and thought that the author was really good at putting the text in perspective.

21. Killer Angels                                                              Michael Shaara

This book was really boring. I am not so good with military strategies and that just so happened to be about eighty percent of what the book was about. However, the emotional parts were very good and deep, and I enjoyed that part. It was a very useful resource for learning about the Civil War. It was somewhat confusing with the time lapses, but was easy enough to catch up on.

22. Crank                                                                          Ellen Hopkins

This book was such a breath of fresh air. The layout of the text was somewhat confusing at first, but it made the book easier to read. This girl is so completely normal, and she just makes bad choices. I was really disappointed in her dad, and how everything started under her supervision. I hate how she gets pregnant, but I could sort of see it coming. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series from the baby’s perspective.

23. Fahrenheit 451: Graphic Novel                               Tim Hamilton

This book was somewhat hard to understand. I really liked how it condensed everything though, because I feel like I always have to read such long books, when that is not always the case. However, the symbolism was harder to catch because you had to really pay attention. This scenario of government was an interesting point, and I can relate it to some governments today, too.

24. Cupcake Queen                                                        Heather Hepler

This book was cute. I really wanted a cupcake after reading it though! I thought it was weird that the guy she liked had a dad that made sculptures of planets for a living, but I also found it very sweet (no pun intended). The cupcake bakery was very well described, and I found it very interesting how she decided between her parents like she did.

25. New Moon                                                                  Stephanie Meyer

This book made me mad! Bella spent like half of the book mourning over Edward. It was so repetitive with how she was ‘holding herself together’ and I thought she was a little too dramatic. It was so inevitable that she and Edward would end up together in the end, but it made me feel like she was cheating on him when she was with Jacob, but I thought he deserved it. I think Bella is way too needy.

26. Narrative of Fredrick Douglass                               Fredrick Douglass

This book was very confusing in the sense that he wrote it himself. The language was so different that it was difficult to understand at some points. I could barely keep up with where he was moved all of the time, but I could usually tell distinct differences between his owners. The slave stories are so horrendous that I winced a couple of times. It’s hard to believe that an actually human being could do this to another person. I really liked when he fought back and defended himself, I am sure that is why he ended up being free in the end.

27. Night                                                                           Elie Wiesel

This book was so riveting. The descriptions were so detailed that I felt that I was there too. I had a hard time keeping up with what camp he was at, but I understood that he moved often. I couldn’t imagine putting myself in his shoes, and I wondered how he survived the horrifying conditions he was presented with. If I had gone through that I would wonder what happened to the rest of my family. I cried when his dad died, and I couldn’t imagine how he must have felt to lose him to what the Jews were forced into.

28. Hunger Games                                                          Suzanne Collins

I loved this book. From the very beginning I was intrigued by what the future of the United States apparently turned into. She was so brave to sacrifice herself for her sister, and everything that happens with Peeta made the book hard to put down. During the Competition I really liked how the environment was so dangerous, and how they end with the berries. They were so rebellious, but I hate how Peeta finds out about the love charade.

29. Catching Fire                                                             Suzanne Collins

This book was even better than the first. I am so sure the government rigged the games so that she and Peeta would be punished that I would run into a force field. During the games it was interesting to see the players protect Peeta. Also, I love how the environment was a puzzle, and how Katniss figures it out. I was so shocked that everyone had planned how to escape, and how the revelation of the 13^th district came about. I can’t wait to read the next book.

30. Eclipse                                                                       Stephanie Meyer

I hated how Bella couldn’t choose who she wanted in this book. I felt that it wasn’t fair to either Jacob or Edward. I personally still liked Edward because he was so passionate, and Jacob could easily imprint on someone else and leave Bella heartbroken. I was so eager to see if Bella would actually become a vampire even with the condition of getting married.

31. Breaking Dawn                                                         Stephanie Meyer

The beginning was so good of this book, and I couldn’t believe that Bella got pregnant. I was sad to see that she couldn’t be a part of her biological family anymore, but thought she was better off with Edward. I really didn’t like when it switched to Jacob’s perspective because he didn’t really do anything special. The ending was somewhat disappointing because they were preparing for a battle, but nothing happens. I felt like Bella’s relationship with her baby took away from what she and Edward had, but also I wonder what will end up happening with her daughter and Jacob.

Total: 31 Books

• I would like you to take into consideration the length of the books I read. The whole Harry Potter series is at least 500 pages in each book, along with how lengthy the Twilight series is too. I looked for quality over quantity, and read enough pages for probably 50 short to medium sized books.

TOPIC-Describe a time a cell phone rule violation drove you crazy.

Not to mention this happened just a week ago, and I just wanted to scream. Enjoy.

Betty White sits on the screen doing some sort of a stand up just as we all knew she would. Her old, crinkled skin shown pale under a poof of white hair. As if imagined, her warm words filled the living room with laughter, that is the laughter of its few occupants. As my mom and I huddled on the sofa enjoying the show I could not help treasure her warmth and matriarchal comfort. As the commercial sprang into the the screens glare, I raised the remote and fast-forwarded the pre-recorded show until the famous elder once again filled the box. Time inched past, but I was forever interested and comfortable in my mother’s arms. Times like these are a rarity in my family, so having one always is something to look forward to. Just as th TV’s laughter sounded, my mother’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T ringtone came bounding through the room from the kitchen and my mom as if controlled by habit leaped up to go retrieve the call. Not wanting her to miss a thing, I paused the program and eagerly waited for her return.

However, fake laughter ringing in my ears confirmed the worst possible scenario, it was her best friend. Who knew how long their conversation could last? The time went by so slowly I was counting the seconds. It felt like an eternity, but in reality it was just about 30 minutes. I was infused in resolute silence. My mind was angered, but soon calmed as my mother re-entered the room. As if we read each other’s mind she sat and we resumed the show. All was back to peace. Suddenly, the notorious ring tone sounded again. Could this get any more miserable? Time continued to tick by and we finished the show in short and choppy pieces.

Why was this so miserable? Hell0, direct violation of rule #3 and #5. Although i knew she had an obligation to fulfill as a friend and mother, she should have seen my side of the situation too. Lesson learned? Think of others with you before taking long and tedious phone calls!

What was the author’s purpose in composing this article?

The author’s purpose of this composition was to inform the reader.  You can tell because they have many facts about cell phones, and it also directs the reader in the way of etiquette of cell phone calls. Also, it tells the reader WHAT and WHAT NOT to do. This is the first major hint and a substantial indicator of its informing purposes.

Who is the intended audience of this piece?

The intended reader of this piece is of course anyone who owns and/or uses a cell phone. You can tell because, as already established, it to inform the reader, and of course it only talks about what to do and what not to do along with the harmful effects of cell phones so this would only effect those around them and those who own them.

Synthesis-

A category that would includes introspective, megalomania, vivacious and cognoscenti  would be feelings. They all have to do with feelings, those all consisting of a positive connotation, and they all can refer to how one feels towards or about something.

Divergence-

Consumer items of different kinds that are preferred by cognoscenti are those who are well known. Buyers want to purchase something that is recognizable and something that everyone knows to be a good brand or of good quality. Some of these known today would be Pepto Bismol, Coca cola and Maybelline.

Analysis-

• Circumvent(go around; circle)= circum(around)+vent(go)
• Exculpate(innocent)= ex(0ut)+culp(guilty)+ate(condition)
• Heliotropic(trailing the sun)= helio(sun)+tropic(following)

Evaluation-

The criminal should somewhat be prosecuted and up for blame even if the police evidence is unconstitutional and/or illegal. Sure what they did to get it was wrong, but because they already have it, why make it fruitless? But what the police should really do is to find evidence that isn’t illegal and use it to help support the illegal evidence.  But in the end, the criminal should be held somewhat responsible for the crime that was committed.

Intuition-

When I am of 80 years of age, I will have many hobbies that are off a bizarre nature. First of all, I would like to have parrots. I will clip their wings and have a front yard full of those stick ramps so they can have their own little oasis. Next, I will take the parrots on walks around my neighborhood. All in all, I will be the weird bird lady.

Emotion-

Emotions that I can group with a lively person are that of a talkative, sociable, and bubbly personality. Lively people are not ones to sit around and be an introvert, and are most famous for their bounce-around sort of way. In the end, vivacious people have everlasting energy.

Aesthetics-

To make a clear sculpture out of something like plexiglass, I would make it a free form figure that flows. It would look almost like water, and capture the essence of it moving and winding throughout the air as if it were being splashed upward. How I would chisel it, I do not know because the material is very durable and not easily malleable.

Each day we grow older. Each day we learn more than the last, we are wiser. Each day it is the life that we lead that morphs into the tomorrow that may or may not be. Time changes, we change. We change, technology changes. What am I talking about you ask? Life my friend, yes, life. Life back ten years is not the same as a baby born tomorrow. Even twenty years holds an irreconcilable difference in the life’s that will play out. Things change. That may sound awfully blunt but its just the fact that poses all of the answers we have questions to.

We are now working on teleportation, something about fifteen years ago would just be a fun idea on the Jetsons. Most everybody in our population has a cell phone, even kindergarteners! These were introduced just a few short decades ago, and most adults shiver at the thought of how advanced this technology is. Even computers. They used to fill a room, and thanks to a guy named Bill Gates, we can now sit and watch TV (Ha! See another one) at the same time. Just look at how far we have come in the short time period that we did it in. WOW.

If you mention an iPod to your great grandmother, imagine the response you’ll get. i-WHAT?!?!? See how advanced we are? Just generations count the successes that have been accomplished. Most of us cannot imagine living without technology for a day. Pathetic right? No, not pathetic, its just how the times are changing. Living without what we have made would be a shame on man kind and put the advances for which we worked so hard on in a corner. So what am I trying to say?

Embrace it. Live it. Love it.

Synthesis:

I believe that the words android, somnambulist and infidel all are classified under the category of a ‘robot’.  For one, a robot definitely is a robot (somewhat a rhetorical question). Next, a somnambulist is a robot because they do not know what they are doing, but are doing something by mechanical instinct, therefore placing it in the robotic category. Also, an infidel is a robot because they are lifeless, and as already known a robot is lifeless, otherwise it wouldn’t be a robot. All in all the words that I chose all had to relate to a certain aspect as a robot.

Divergence:

Pandemonium is the most common thing I can think of.  It will always be here, no matter how much anybody tries to cover it up. Good or bad, enjoyed or causing despair, it there. You can count on it. Now good is an opinion of course (you went to fifth grade right? just checking) but it can also be a feeling, a way of life in a larger sense. To me, pandemonium is only good. Chaos shows the true colors of the nature in which we live, and it really gives us the truth. Although it may be a bad thing at the time, in the end it is more of a growing experience than anything.

Analysis:

ir(not)+re(again)+vocable(call)= not able to call again

Evaluation:

It is a considerably good idea to market androids. Wow this takes me back about a half hour to my article of the week which talked about nothing but technology of our time and how it is becoming more and more popular among the youth. Whenever you think of the future it is inevitable to perceive the technologies that will fulfill our greatest desires, and so we all can see that robots are definitely going to be an up and coming factor in life as we know it. YES, MARKET THE ANDROIDS!

Intuition:

If I could somehow talk to an inanimate object, I would talk to a calculator. I mean, how do they know so much for not having a brain. Compute the biggest or smallest numbers, and there they are with a very precise and dead accurate answer. They read your fingers and link to your brain. They only have two little circular batteries and they can do almost anything your mathematical mind desires. But are they really that smart. Maybe they have everything but just spit it out, not really knowing anything at all.

Emotion:

Urbane living is that of the rich and wealthy, no doubt something to desire. The fact of living in such a posh nature stirs up many different emotions among those of its observers. Some might think that the people living as such are spoiled, and that they do not deserve it because they are rude and selfish. Others might be envious thinking of such living as only a figment of their wildest dreams. Others (the very few in fact) think that such living is a gift for those who can afford it, and that we should give those the chance to enjoy such a life.

Aesthetics:

Sculpture. A form of art combining material and the artist’s imagination. So many possibilities, so many  dreams that can honestly play out in materialistic form. Creepy, maybe. Sad, a possibility. Happy, mostly. Odd, obvious. If you asked me to make an odd artistic piece, an eccentric delicacy, I would make one of these mystical mentions. Of what you ask? Probably all of the random things that make up my life. There are enough to fill a room, but surely priceless in terms of money.

1. What is the author’s purpose for writing this piece?

The author’s purpose for composing this article is to show the comparison between the ages. Its making the contrast between kids of these days, and what kids of the past had. For kids today technology is somewhat essential. We expect it everyday, and most of us are very very familiar with multiple kinds of the technology used today. However, it shows how the adults of the day are ignorant to it. They haven’t been accommodated by it as long, because they didn’t have it as children growing up. And honestly, adults aren’t as naturally skilled with technology as kids are unless they work with it more. It really proves the ages and severe differences.

2. Who is the intended audience of this composition?

The intended audience of this piece is the general public, but more specifically adults and teenagers. It is trying to get the point across that times have changed, and that what used to be is not what it is today, and that effects the youth in a different way too. For the adults it is trying to say that technology is now a vital resource in the well being of the kids, so don’t get worked up about it. For kids it is somewhat telling us to have patience, because they haven’t been exposed to these electronic wonders as long.

I stare up at the screen and watch meticulously as the little green bar inches slowly towards the ending point at a rate of 1 cm per minute. Wow in about ten more minutes this page should be fully loaded.

The creaking sound of the computer assures me that my timing will be about right, as it struggles to complete the simple task of pulling up the internet browser.

I guess its going to be another late night, it’ll take me just about an hour to do my simple research for a paper, not including loading time, so I guess you can just go ahead and double that (if it is somewhat fast)

Mom said that we would get broadband soon, but we just can’t afford it right now what with the economy and all that.

I look around my room and try to spot a pencil through the mounds of clothes that etch through my room like rolling hills.

[CREAAAAKKKK}

Oh crud I guess this means that I have to reload the whole stupid page again.

I set in on folding my clothes while the computer slowly loses the battle of pulling up the internet browser. It creaks again and again as time passes on and on. About fifteen minutes later, the page successfully loaded and I sat down at my desk. Slowly and carefully I type in the words ‘Andrew Jackson’ and click search.

I slowly go through the same repetitious procedure until the first crack of dawn.

1. What are the negative effects of the lack of high speed internet on the Fields household?  What would the family have to give up to get access? Is the tradeoff worth it to them? Explain.

The negative effects that slow internet connection has on this family is that it does not fit the lifestyle of this family that is similar to many other American families. It is an inconvenience to everyone, and is a distress when it comes to working and pleasure.  The connection is so slow that the family either keeps themselves busy while it loads or they call somewhere else to have people look things up for them. The family would most likely have to give up TV for this access because gaining access is very costly. To them, and in most people’s opinion, the tradeoff is not worth it because in the way we live our lives today the demand for these things is forever increasing and internet is just sort of a given.

3. If people think internet is a waste of time or not worth the money, should the government give it to them anyway?  Why or why not?

People should have the same accessibility to resources as others, just because that is what is fair. If they soon decide that the internet is a very useful resource, then they will have the opportunity there before them already, just like everybody else. If the government is spending all of this money just to give internet to everyone, then why not just give it to EVERYONE. It doesn’t make sense to skip some people just because they don’t see the benefit to them. Whether they choose to use the internet is their choice, but the government should be fair to everyone.

Synthesis:

Some words that could describe a grumpy person on this week’s list are:

1. egocentric
2. pugnacious
3. incisive
4. deatribe
5. desputatious

Divergence:

The principles of the American culture both social and political that should be held to the sacred standards are of course those listed within our Constitution. Of course also, good manners should also be kept in tact, and the golden rule, treat others how you would like to be treated. Rules that could be changed are that of the mind’s nature. Stereotypes are becoming increasingly populare among racial and religious groups, and are causing more harm than ever.

Analysis:

EGO-CENTRI-c

ego (I) + centri (center) + c= self centered

ANRO-GYN-OUS

andro (man) + gyn (descendant) + ous ( full of) = masculine or feminine

Evaluation:

I think learning at public schools has been a good expirience. You are exposed to everything, not just the rich and snobby private schools, and I think the limitations set are at a good standard. The limitations apply only to the social aspect of the knowledge being distributed, and therefore meets the needs of the majority of individuals. I think the most important decisions should be made among the administration, but should be with confluence with the student’s feelings, as long as the notion is not too radical. I think that students should be allowed to make mistakes in order to learn, but should feel that their education will always be there to help pick them up at the end of the day. All in, all, we need to focus on letting kids understand that school is important.

Intuition:

In my dream, receiving a diatribe would be the most peculiar thing. I must have really deserved the scolding in order to be shouted at by a complete and utter stranger. I would imagine that I would be dreaming of me being somebody important, maybe even famous, and some sort of scandal would have been written about me. In the end, this dream would be highly unlikely and most probably would have been fogotten by the time I opened my eyes.

Emotion:

My emotions to someone who is egocentric are that of little simpathy. You have to give some to get some, and revolving around somebody 24/7 is not okay with me. However, if they were really in trouble, I would feel somewhat in need of giving them attention.

My emotions to someone who is pugnacious are that of little patience. If you get loud with me, what makes you think you deserve my respect. After all, the golden rule is treat others how you would like to be treated.

My emotions to someone who is locuatious are that of annoyance. Nobody wants to listen to you all day. At first I would be attentive to their fruitless comments, but in the end I would want some genuine peace and quiet.

Aesthetics: