Yackety-yak 1

Before the narration, I have to say that I think the whole story is funny and with no importance at all. I remember once my neighbor kept a dog. Because of my favor of dogs, I always said hello to the dog whenever I went by. It was an elegant dog with beautiful fur, and it always sat quietly and leisurely in front of its keeper’s store. From time to time, I particularly went to see it as if greeting it was my pleasure to end a routine day.

I remembered that when the first time I saw the dog, I had confusion of its size. I wondered if it would become bigger or not. Somebody told me that it was in the general size of its species, and it would keep the size. However, when I passed by, I found the dog became bigger, and I started getting confused. Therefore, I jumped in conclusion that this kind of dog would get much bigger than it was. Days after, I suddenly found the dog wasn’t there anymore, and sadly thought that the keeper sent it to someone else.

Time passed. One day, I walked on the street and habitually took a glance at the shop as I usually did. To my surprise, the dog wasn’t anywhere but there. It was back being thinner than it used to be. I gladly turned to ask its owner what happened. Then, I found that the dog had given birth to two plump puppies. Before, It was fatter because of pregnancy. My observation was right (it became fatter), but all my deductions are totally wrong.

The fact of the story made me feel funny. I was glad to see the dog again and to meet its new family members. At the same time, I cannot but feel that I always believe what I see or believe what I believe is true. However, the whole story might be different to the extreme. My story of the dog might not be interesting nor serious at all, but it made me consider a little more. Thinking not much or too much, or judge too quickly might easily lead to wrong answers. Things could be complicated, and they can be simple as well. Things are just what they are, no matter whatever they are.

Food: Relish or Disaster?

There are controversial political or social issues around the world, and, though it’s rather trivial, there are still some controversies on food as well. The different reactions and opinions on food are presented in everyday life. Are we picky or do we insist on what we like to eat? Do we stick to the food we’re familiar with or would we like to try something new? Do we prefer savoring some food due to genetics, habits, religions, visual delights, olfactory pleasure, or reasons for health? Anyway, there are always topics about the stuff we cannot do without – food.

In Chinese cooking, people often add ginger, garlic, spring onion, or shallots to strengthen the smell. However, some people may dislike these spices. People avoid eating garlic especially when they want to have a talk. People who believe in some religions may avoid those spices, either. Other popular examples are bell peppers and egg plants. People who love them may think their flavor is special and excellent, the food matching with meat, soy sauce, and other food materials. However, people who dislike it may not want to taste it even a bit, owing to its appearances, smell, and the strange stimulus to their taste buds.

In different countries, the culture and tradition of food are various. Stinky Tofu may frighten foreign travelers with its unspeakable odor. Travelers might hesitate for a while to try food which they’ve never eaten, heard, or imagined before. For example, food like ants, bat soup, frog soup, or roasted dove may arouse our interests or fears alike.

Generally, food fills people’s stomachs and desires for delicacies, and in some degrees, satisfaction with their life enjoyment. Then, what is tasty, or let’s just say, what kind of food is acceptable: the question leaves different answer to each person.

Summary-Response Essay 1 Draft

Smaller Class, Bigger Profit

In “Is Anybody Listening,” David Daniels claims his opinion about the present lecture system. He argues that the traditional lecture teaching is inadequate and the students don’t work hard on learning, either. He points out that it’s difficult to “listen intelligently;” however student should try to question the professors and give some feedback. He emphasizes the importance of small classes. Daniels thinks that in small classes, the ideal of “active learning” can be realized. Students can discuss with each other and with the professor, gaining individual attention, to get the better “intellectual growth.” As far as I am concerned, small classes can fit into the educational goals and benefit both students and professors with positive influence.

Small classes can offer students a more flexible and individualized curriculum. The professor can discuss the topic of each lecture with students, choose the suitable materials for them, adjusting the pace and styles of teaching depending on the condition of the students’ absorption and comprehension. Students can also participate in lecture planning more actively and pay more attention to what they are lectured. Owing to the negotiation between two sides, students can know and get what they need to and prefer to study and work on. Professors and students can fine-tune the contents and models in class whenever they think that the traditional ones are not adequate or not enough. On the contrary, the style of a big class might not be easy to be altered because of the large numbers of students, which results in the difficulties to meet everyone’s needs.

Active interaction and feedback can be best practiced in the small classes. Students in smaller class can be assigned with essays and get close, direct, and beneficial instruction and advice upon their work. When carrying the experiments, students in small class can observe the professors demonstrate in short distance and gain detailed information as well as instruction. Students can also form small discussion groups, which are under the assistance of professors, and begin to share and clarify their idea, opinion, criticism, and research on the subjects. They can study case report claiming and absorbing information they gather, and to discuss the question and suspicion from their studying, at the same time, solving their doubts and confusion about what they study.

The establishment of small classes shows a lot of advantages in schooling, which is beneficial to both teachers and students. Students can learn what meets their needs, gaining individual attention, well instructed. Professors can understand better about the students’ response upon learning. Even though large lecture classes in the university may still have its own necessity, small classes are certainly highly recommended for some courses. In this way, both teaching and learning can attain and maintain its efficiency and quality.

Different Concept of Value

Recently I heard that a music collector was selling his humongous collection, waiting for bid of 3 million. Besides, a calligraphy of the emperor of Song Dynasty is worth 0.3 billion. I am wondering that the bid on the famous work of art in the world, such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s, Van Gogh’s…etc. I think the work is invaluable to the artist and the collectors. Therefore, people are willing to buy it on a huge expense. Due to the same reason, people may value various things differently and buy the things by some means or other.

There are collectors of different tastes all over the world, from ordinary people to the rich, from children to the elders. Some collect stamps, which of limited edition attract consumers like bees. Some collect coins, and the value of the extinct coins can rise up to several degrees. Some may collect watches, and people may hear that some rich people bought large numbers of watches that count more than 1 million NT dollars. Some may collect books, and the ones out of print or in the first print can be the favorite of the collectors. Some collect paintings, Shu Fa, CDs, clocks, lighters, model airplanes, crystals, Hello Kitty, Snoopy, miniature dolls, antiques, and so on. Maybe I can say each person has his or her own taste, and each thing could be the collection of different people.

Each person has his or her own value. No matter people buy things out of sudden impulse or after consideration, they‘ve got their own reasons. Some people may be willing to spend 3 million to buy a house, while some would like to spend it on books,CDs, etc. In fact, they both spend the same amount of money, and they get their personal favorite things. After I listened to the radio clips about the music collector, I think maybe partly because he is blind, he has keen sense of music, and the CDs have become his best companions. It’s just my hypothesis. Anyway, if I won lottery somday, maybe I would like to purchase his whole collection. Who knows? ^^

Dogs, the best friends of humans

Recently, I‘ve read several news about pets, most of which are about dogs. I am not so sure of the 100% accuracy of the reports, but I still feel surprised with the news.

Actually, that dogs save their owners is not news anymore. However, the story still touches me. An old man keeps a stray dog which his son adopted from the center of stray dogs. One day, he fell into the fish farm (I guess it is dried), and his dog ran to seek help. The old man was then rescued and sent to the hospital. The other story is that when a little girl was nearly hit by a car zooming by, her dog rushed out and got hit instead. For the girl, it was really a near escape. I am not sure whether the dog ran out accidentally or it meant to save the girl. Nevertheless, the dog’s owner decided to save it and keep it till it dies. Still, there was a dog waited for its injured owner in the mountain for more than ten days. Another dog went a long, long way to get to its former owner’s home. I’m sure that there are more and more amazing stories about these faithful dogs at each corner in the world….

The loyalty of the dogs, this warm nature, moves me a lot. May the dogs are always the best friends of human beings, and vice versa.