VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI

UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION



SPEAKING ASSIGNMENT

Student: Phan Thi Thanh Loan

Group: 08.1.E4

Ha Noi, 5/2011

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 LIST OF ARTICLES

1. Going around the world with kids _ p.2

2. Middle children and their position in the family_ p.4
3. Pollution: A Life and Death Issue _ p.5
4. Alternative Energy_ p.9
5. Carry a Crumpler_ p.12
6. ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ Comes Up Short Classic performance gets lost in
the translation_ p.14
7. Warcraft III Dominating_ p.16
8. What are Anxiety Symptoms and Treatments?_ p.18
9. How to Lower Stress in Your Life_ p.20
10. Education in Developing Countries_ p.23
11. A Fable for Tomorrow_ p.27
12. “I want to seize fate by the throat.”_ p.29
13. Air pollution and traffic plague Damascus_ p.32
14. Dolphin Discovery_ p.35

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Article 1: Travel
Going around the world with kids
By Daniel Palmer

Don’t assume that children are a barrier to intrepid travel; they are surprisingly tough and
thrive on adventure. (Judy Bellah/LPI)
Fed up with the stresses and strains of a working life in London that left little time to spend
with our two boys (then ages 6 and 3), my partner and I decided to do the modern
equivalent of running away to join the circus: we rented out the apartment and took the
kids travelling around the world for a couple of years.
We had little idea of how we would cope, whether we could provide an education for the
children, and if three months later we would be home, shamefaced, saying "Oh, it just
didn't work out". Here we are, though, a year and a quarter later having crossed Borneo,
Indonesia, Thailand and Laos, and having had the adventures of a lifetime along the way.
If you are thinking of a similar adventure, here are a few of the lessons we have learned:
Kids and travel do mix
Do not assume that children are a barrier to intrepid travel; they are surprisingly tough and
thrive on adventure. Our lives are richer for having stayed in a tribal longhouse in
Sarawak, Borneo, spotted orangutans in the majestic rainforests of Malaysia, and cycled
through the tranquil villages of Laos. The kids are always first to make people smile, and
if they are too young to walk far you can often "cheat" by hiring transport to villages close
to the road.
Do not set too hectic of a pace
Small children tire quickly when things become monotonous and need to be able to spend
a good deal of time just playing. If you have been moving around a lot, stop somewhere

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nice and give your family a chance to recharge batteries and make friends. It is amazing
how quickly a place feels like home.
Take proper precautions with your family's health
Take out insurance, plan your vaccinations in good time and find out how to keep your
family safe before you go. But do not be paranoid: our children have both been healthier
than they ever were in London.
Beware the buses
Travel in the developing world often involves appallingly long, uncomfortable bus
journeys with speed-freak drivers, doubtful safety standards and air-conditioning that is
permanently set to high. We keep spare clothes and sick bags (as well as games and books)
in the hand luggage, but when we can, we take the train, boat or plane instead.
Keep yourselves sane
They may be the apples of your eye, but caring for children 24/7 while experiencing the
ups and downs of long-term travel can be tiring and stressful. When the opportunity arises,
we hire childcare and take a romantic evening out together, or we take it in turns to head
off and indulge in more individual pursuits, such as diving or climbing.
Educating on the road
You will need to give your kids an education, of course. We have had to discipline
ourselves to set aside a few hours every weekday for some one-on-one home schooling. It
has not always been easy - the boys would much rather be off grubbing around in the dirt
chasing small creatures - but we generally win them over by adapting exercises to their
interests and making use of our surroundings in the lessons.
Take a laptop
Apart from its important roles as cinema, games console and Skype-with-the-relatives hub,
a computer has been a vital tool for our home schooling. We can access educational
resources and conduct research wherever there is wi-fi.
It is a cliché, of course, but travelling itself is the best education. Rather than just heading
to the beach, seek out interesting and unusual experiences to maximise the value of your
trip. Our boys have wandered reef, forest and mountain; hung out with some startlingly
different cultures; explored ancient temples and exotic markets; and seen crocodiles,
hornbills, orangutans and many more creatures - in the wild, not in a zoo. Experiences
like those cannot be had at school

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Reference:
Palmer, D. (2011). Going around the world with kids. Retrieved April 12th, from
http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110509-round-the-world-with-kids-what-to-know-
before-you-go

Reflection:

Travelling is always my favorite topic and some lessons related to travelling is very
necessary for me, so I chose this article to explore. Daniel Palmer, after a three-month
journey around Borneo, Indonesia, Thailand and Laos, collected some valuable lessons
about travelling with kids.

Palmer presents seven major lessons to do before a travel. Each lesson is attached to a
clear and detailed explanation. All the lessons cover many aspects of a travel from
healthcare to necessary supplies. For example, the third lesson deals with proper
precautions with your family's health. The six one concerns about educating children on
the road to widen their knowledge about the world surround. To do these things, the last
lesson advices you to bring a laptop to connect to internet, which aims at seeking out more
interesting information related to the places you pass. The thing I am interested most is
“keep yourself sane”. I am in agreement that traveling with kisd can be very stressful and
tired because you always have to take care of children and lack of private time. In general,
hiring healthcare for children can be an effective way.
To sum up, Palmer’s target audiences are parents who want to travel with their kids and
through this article, they can make adequate preparation for that kind of adventure. From
my point of view, I have little appreciation of the content of the article.

New words:

1. Intrepid: Invulnerable to fear or intimidation

2. Thrive: Grow vigorously

3. Tranquil: (of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves

4. Vaccination: Taking a vaccine as a precaution against contracting a disease

5. Orangutan: Large long-armed ape of Borneo and Sumatra having arboreal habits

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Article 2: Family

Middle children and their position in the family

Reference:

Leman, K (2004). Middle children and their position in the family. Topics for today. US:
Thomson Corporation.

Reflection:

“Middle children and their position in the family” written by Dr.Lenan actually can bring
me some good things that make me understand more about my younger sisters who are
middle children in my family.

The article starts with Dr. Lenan’s attribution to middle children about personality traits
and behaviors. The can be overlooked by parents, but they play important role in working
group. It can be clearly inferred from the passage that middle children seem to be
independent, individual, negotiable and caring. The thing I like in this text is that it is short,
concise and easy to follow. In my experience, I have admitted that middle children tend to
make friends outside home and she has more friends than the firstborn. The author uses an
example from his observation to illustrate his point, so this point is more convincing.
However, I am not persuaded that middle children will become the best-adjusted adults in
the family. In my opinion, this character will be decided by the environment or situation
that one person live and grow.

In conclusion, I can benefit from this text many good things about middle children, their
roles and their features. New vocabularies, grammar and the ways of organization ideas are
on the list of what I can learn.

Article 3:
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 Pollution: A Life and Death Issue

As part of Planet under Pressure, a BBC News website series looking at some of the
biggest environmental issues facing humanity, Alex Kirby considers the Earth's growing
pollution problem.

One of the main themes of Planet under Pressure is the way many of the Earth's
environmental crises reinforce one another.

Pollution is an obvious example - we do not have the option of growing food, or finding
enough water, on a squeaky-clean planet, but on one increasingly tarnished and trashed by
the way we have used it so far.

Cutting waste and clearing up pollution costs money. Yet time and again it is the quest for
wealth that generates much of the mess in the first place.

Living in a way that is less damaging to the Earth is not easy, but it is vital, because
pollution is pervasive and often life-threatening.

- Air: The World Health Organization (WHO) says 3 million people are killed worldwide
by outdoor air pollution annually from vehicles and industrial emissions, and 1.6 million
indoors through using solid fuel. Most are in poor countries.

- Water: Diseases carried in water are responsible for 80% of illnesses and deaths in
developing countries, killing a child every eight seconds. Each year 2.1 million people die
from diarrheal diseases associated with poor water.

- Soil: Contaminated land is a problem in industrialized countries, where former factories

and power stations can leave waste like heavy metals in the soil. It can also occur in
developing countries, sometimes used for dumping pesticides. Agriculture can pollute land
with pesticides, nitrate-rich fertilizers and slurry from livestock. And when the
contamination reaches rivers it damages life there, and can even create dead zones off the
coast, as in the Gulf of Mexico.

Chronic problem

Chemicals are a frequent pollutant. When we think of chemical contamination it is often

images of events like Bhopal that come to mind.

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But the problem is widespread. One study says 7-20% of cancers are attributable to poor
air and pollution in homes and workplaces.

The WHO, concerned about chemicals that persist and build up in the body, especially in
the young, says we may "be conducting a large-scale experiment with children's health".

Some man-made chemicals, endocrine disruptors like phthalates and nonylphenol - a

breakdown product of spermicidal, cosmetics and detergents - are blamed for causing
changes in the genitals of some animals.

Affected species include polar bears - so not even the Arctic is immune. And the chemicals
climb the food chain, from fish to mammals - and to us.

About 70,000 chemicals are on the market, with around 1,500 new ones appearing
annually. At least 30,000 are thought never to have been comprehensively tested for their
possible risks to people.

Trade-off

But the snag is that modern society demands many of them, and some are essential for
survival. So while we invoke the precautionary principle, which always recommends
erring on the side of caution, we have to recognize there will be trade-offs to be made.

The pesticide DDT does great damage to wildlife and can affect the human nervous
system, but can also be effective against malaria. Where does the priority lie?

The industrialized world has not yet cleaned up the mess it created, but it is reaping the
benefits of the pollution it has caused. It can hardly tell the developing countries that they
have no right to follow suit.

Another complication in tackling pollution is that it does not respect political frontiers.
There is a UN convention on trans-boundary air pollution, but that cannot cover every
problem that can arise between neighbors, or between states which do not share a border.

Perhaps the best example is climate change - the countries of the world share one
atmosphere and what one does can affect everyone.

For one and all

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One of the principles that is supposed to apply here is simple - the polluter pays.

Sometimes it is obvious who is to blame and who must pay the price. But it is not always
straightforward to work out just that are the polluter, or whether the rest of us would be
happy to pay the price of stopping the pollution.

One way of cleaning up after ourselves would be to throw less away, designing products to
be recycled or even just to last longer.

Previous generations worked on the assumption that discarding our waste was a proper
way to be rid of it, so we used to dump nuclear materials and other potential hazards at sea,
confident they would be dispersed in the depths.

We now think that is too risky because, as one author wrote, "there's no such place as
'away' - and there's no such person as the 'other'".

Ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee, and for me.

Reference:

Alex Kirby. (December 13, 2004). Pollution: A Life and Death Issue. Retrieved April 6,
2011 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Reflection:

Nowadays, environment pollution is more and more serious. After reading the article
Pollution: A life and death issue written by Alex Kirby on BBC News website, I have
known more about negative effects of environmental pollution on human lives in this era.
Additionally, this writing leaves a strong impression on me with its content and the
author’s writing style.

In writing the text, the author figures out how important the pollution problem is to human
beings. At first, Alex shows that one of the greatest problems that the world is facing today
is the environmental pollution, increasing with every passing year and causing grave
damage to the earth. In fact, environmental pollution consists of three basic types of
pollution, namely, air, water, soil. Furthermore, there are several chemicals which can be
considered pollutants causing extreme health problems but, for some reasons, it is hard to
ban these chemicals on the market, mentioned in more detail on the third section. Lastly,

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the writer mentions difficulties in solving pollution problems in every country around the
world and he also suggests some possible solutions.

The first impression of mine about the article is its content. In the first place, it looks like
Alex writes about a notable matter: Environmental Pollution. Then, the way he divides the
text into four smaller parts with big headings, namely, Chronic problem, Trade-off and For
one and all, really makes me impressed. Next, the writer has successfully managed to
prove that air, water and soil can kill millions of people every year. However, in my
opinion, the text will be more convincing if he adds some real evidences about
consequences of other pollutions such as radioactive, light, or noise pollution, etc.
Anyway, he still makes readers frightened about the harmful influences of the
environmental problems to human beings. More importantly, in the last part, the author
also makes us awake to raise awareness of environmental pollution and asks everyone to
have useful ways to solve the issue.

Another impression of mine is about the author’s unique writing style. Firstly, the text is
written in a logical and obvious way. I meant that his brief and persuasive writing helps
readers not feel bored and get main points easily. Moreover, I can learn a lot terms of
pollution as well as awesome adjectives from Alex Kirby, such as pervasive, life-
threatening, and contaminated, etc. In particular, I really impress on relevant, illustrative
and persuasive examples which the author used, statistics and evidences, to cement his
statement like one study says 7-20% of cancers are attributable to poor air and pollution.
Secondly, the number of pollution-related deaths cited by the writer makes us extremely
fearful, and also puts an important impression on readers. For example, the author writes
The WHO says 3 million people are killed or Each year 2.1 million people die, etc.

To sum up, the author helps readers imagine the risks of environmental pollutions. In other
words, the article seems to be a message in order to warn mankind that there are a range of
severe consequences of growing pollution problems and that it is the time for people to
decide specific solutions which can decrease the dangers of the pollution.

Article 4:
Alternative Energy
The term alternative energy refers to energy sources that are naturally renewable and do

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not pollute.
Solar energy
Solar energy is one great alternative for future energy sources. It is environmentally
friendly and is renewable, thus making it an excellent choice as an alternative energy
source.
According to The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): 'Enough
sunlight reaches the earth's surface every year to produce approximately 1,000 times the
amount of energy produced by burning all fossil fuels mined and extracted during the same
time period.'
As with most renewable energy systems, the initial costs of setting up these solar energy
projects is quite expensive. However, the savings on electricity bills in the long-term
should make up for this and year after year, the costs of these solar energy are falling
which will make it more affordable and widespread.
Solar energy will also be powering some 70,000 homes and several hundred businesses in
Britain soon, after the government announced a £10 million investment into photovoltaic
(PV) technologies over the next three years.
Photovoltaic cells provide an unlimited supply of free power by converting sunlight into
electricity using modern semiconductors. Vast arrays of these cells will be placed on roofs
and walls around the country to provide buildings with a renewable source of energy for
lighting, heating and storage. Street lighting and traffic signals can also benefit from this
power supply further reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
Wind Energy
Wind energy is another one of the most commonly used alternative energy in the world, as
they enable electricity to be produced in an environmentally friendly way.
By 1999, there are approximately 749 operational wind turbines in about 40 wind farms in
UK. A typical turbine in the UK currently has a rated capacity of 0.66MW and will
therefore contribute emission reductions of:
• 1491.65 tones of CO2
• 17.34 tones of SO2
• 5.2 tones of NOX each year.
One single turbine will also produce enough electricity each year to meet the needs of just
slightly less than 400 home. The average wind farm in the UK will pay back the energy
used in its manufacture within three to five months, and over its lifetime a wind turbine

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will produce over 30 times more energy than was used in its manufacture.
Another advantage of wind energy is that the ground, which they are positioned on, can
still be used for agricultural purposes, such as sheep grazing. If the turbines need to be
taken down one day, there is no damage to the environment and no residues are left behind,
therefore causing absolutely no damage to the environment at all.
Hydroelectric Energy
Hydroelectric power stations provide about one/fifth of the world's electricity and in
Norway, almost all its energy comes from hydroelectricity.
Hydro-electric power is pollution free and safe once it's up and running, although in
creating it there can be tremendous disruption and upset to the environment, animals and
nearby residents.
The world's most powerful power station is the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant located on
the Pirana River in South America. It generates about 13,320 megawatts of energy, which
is enough to power several cities at one go.
Reference:
Saving Our Environment. (n.d.). Alternative Energy. Retrieved from Think Quest Site:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111401/alternative_energy.htm
Reflection:
The article Alternative Energy on the online library: Think Quest, written by C. Cline gives
me several ways to protect the environment. The author discusses three kinds of
Alternative Energy such as Solar Energy, Wind Energy and Hydroelectric Energy. He also
concentrates on many advantages of each method and then explains why people should
apply them in reality. Moreover, he provides exactly numbers as well as a range of factual
examples about alternative energy.
This text is divided into three paragraphs so it is easy for readers to understand. In addition,
Cline does not use lots of difficult major phrases, strange vocabulary and so on. In my
opinion, I agree with what the author wrote. Solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric
energy are environmentally friendly and are renewable. Therefore, we can use modern
technologies to help us become healthier and save money without smoke, rubbish and
chemical. Of course, air, land and animals won’t be killed by pollution. Can make use of
sunlight, wind, water to generate electricity. Especially, these projects are easy to expand
to families and use clear energy.
However, the reading is not without weakness. I can see a lot of disadvantages of these

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projects. They are quite expensive because they need modern equipment such as cells,
turbines. They can use in developed or developing countries and poor countries will not
have enough money to use them. In the day when the sun does not shine, don’t have
enough wind or water will not generate electricity. If so, they will not be popular with
everyone.
I am sure that in the future alternative energy will be familiar with everyone. And now we
should protect our environment with simple and easy activities such as plant trees, collect
and divide rubbish into group. Let’s act for our more and more beautiful world.

Article 5:
Carry a Crumpler
Laptop bags needn’t be black, or boring. Try a Crumpler bag. They come in a sea of
colours, have silly names, and while they’re sturdy, they don’t take themselves too
seriously.
DO YOU SOMETIMES look at your computer bag and think “black, fake leather,
computer manufacturer logo on it. It’s boring and a walking advertisement for laptop
thieves”? If you do, then grab a Crumpler.
Crumpler bags (www.crumpler.com.au) are everything your average laptop bags aren’t.
They’re not made out of fake leather (they’re made out of something called Chicken Tex, a
tough, waterproof nylon). They’re not black unless you really, really want them to be. Oh,
and there’s no computer manufacturer’s logo (instead they sport a logo of a stick guy with
spiky hair). In fact there’s nothing computer-baggy about them: They don’t have business –
like grips, they don’t have special pouches for CD-Roms and a mouse, the strap is best
worn across the chest (which can crease your suit) and they have big bulky flaps (which if
opened in public places could cause damage to fellow commuters). Then there’s the model
name. Forget “Reverse-Access Notebook Case” or “M2 Standard Overnighter.” Instead
there’s a “Crippy Duck,” a “Budgie Smuggler,” a “Snauros,” a “Sheep Scarer” and a
“Wonder Weenie.” Crumplers are, well, different.
They’re some of the best bags I’ve seen. They’re sturdy. They’re capacious. They’re very
well made, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and if for any reason yours breaks,
you can take it back and get another one. Crumpler bags are the brainchild of three
Australian guys who got into the bicycle-courier business in Melbourne in the early 1990s.

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Couriers need good bags, and the only ones they could find were expensive and, well
rubbish. So they hooked up with another courier called Stuart Crumpler who, like a lot of
couriers, was whizzing about town on his bike to pay for his first love, art. (Well, furniture,
and sculpting, and careering around the Out-back.) So he made some bags, and they were
pretty good. They were so good he would sell them to anyone who asked, make a better
one, and soon more people were asking to buy them. So the threesome bought second-hand
sewing machines and rented a loft. “It just grew from there,” says Dave Roper, one of the
three. Word of mouth was helped along by some guerrilla marketing tactics, including
painting the Crumpler logo all over town, to putting small stickers on fruit to selling bags
in exchange for beer during certain periods. Warily, they explored interest in the outside
world and were pleasantly surprised: Enough, at least, to sell the courier company in 1997
and concentrate on bags full-time. When they realized that laptop bags were dull – “boring
black Targus things,” Dave calls them – and that more and more students were using
laptops, they expanded beyond courier bags into laptop bags, and later camera bags.
“Every kid’s got a camera, and iPod, a laptop and a gadget and they’re really keen to carry
it around in something more than a black vinyl bags,” says Dave. Now there are more than
40 different types of Crumpler bag.
So will a Crumpler only appeal to the young and hip? Well, they may not be to everyone’s
taste (see box below). While many of the models are aimed at laptop users, if you’re a busy
executive you may get the feeling you’re being gently mocked if you venture into a store
and ask for a bag called “Very Busy Man,” “Crisp Suit,” “The December Quarter” or
“Company Embarrassment.” If you like external pockets, you might be disappointed.
They’re not cheap, either (from $50-180). And don’t leave the catalogue lying around the
family home: It contains a smattering of earthy Australian humour. Some of this hasn’t
gone down well in the United States, says Dave. Apple, he says, wasn’t amused by a
promotional picture in which the Apple logo on a laptop had been replaced with the
Crumpler stick guy. “It’s been a reason we’ve not been able to get into Apple stores,” says
Dave, though he hopes that might change soon. Jeremy Wagstaff. (October, 21, 2004).

Reference:
Carry a Crumpler. Far Eastern Economic – Review, Vol: 167, No: 42, 44-45.
Reflection:
“Laptop bags needn’t be black, or boring. Try a Crumpler bag.” – It is a foreword for the

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advertisement of the accessory’s laptop – Laptop bag. In the article “Carry a Crumpler” on
Far Eastern Economic (Oct 21, 2004), Jeremy Wagstaff gives us an introduction of the
Crumpler Laptop Bag and advices us to buy this product. In my opinion, the article is so
interesting. The author provides the readers with not only the feature but also the history as
well as the development of Crumpler bag. They are exciting and worth doing. Moreover,
Jeremy has divided his ideas into some small parts so people can’t find any difficulties in
following the changes of them. On the other hand, every thought is so attractive and full of
information, which gives me a chance to expand my knowledge. In addition, the
vocabulary in this article is commonly used and easy to understand. Furthermore, the
author used so many adjectives to describe Crumpler bag so I can learn a lot and have a
collection of words. However, Jeremy has a few shortcomings. It would be better if the
article gave us more information and comments about the quality and the highlights.
Besides, he should combine the paragraph three and the last one to create a main part,
which will help people make a decision about whether or not they should buy Crumpler
bag. In summary, I can make a report on one of the best choices of the laptop bag –
Crumpler Bag. It is so useful when I have to equip for my laptop. Thanks the Jeremy
Wagstaff for this article.

Article 6:

‘Singin’ in the Rain’ Comes Up Short Classic performance gets lost in the
translation
More than 50 years after its release, the romantic comedy “Singin‟ in the Rain” (1952)
is still widely considered the greatest Hollywood musical ever, as movie fans can‟t get
enough of Gene Kelly gleefully singing and dancing down rain-sodden streets. The lasting
popularity of the film has extended to a stage version, the musical becoming a huge
success worldwide after its premier in London‟s West End in 1983 and moving onto
Broadway two years later. Now the stage adaptation has finally found its way to the
musical-crazed nation of Korea. The show, coming with a 3 billion won ($2.5 million)
price tag, opened in June at the PopCon House in Jeong-dong, downtown Seoul, and is
expected to remain on stage until Aug, 31.

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Arriving at a time of extremely tough competition and met by equally high expectations,
the Broadway-based production team and the star-studded domestic cast nevertheless
seemed confident about making the biggest splash among this summer‟s array of large-
scale foreign musicals, including “Cats,” “Saturday Night Fever” and “Chicago.” It‟s
debatable, however, whether the actual performance is good enough to back up their
exuberance. The story is set in 1927, when the movie industry was swept into an abrupt
transition from silent to sound following the release of “The Jazz Singer.” Don Lockwood
and Lina Lamont, two of the biggest silent film stars, are forced to retool their movie “The
Dueling Cavalier” into a musical “talky.” The problem is that Lina has a voice like
fingernails scratching across a blackboard. Don‟s friend and former acting partner Cosmo
Brown comes up with the idea of dubbing the voice of the talented young actress Kathy
Seldon over the screen image of Lina. And of course, Don and Kathy fall deeply in love.
The plot takes a twist when the jealous Lina finds out what‟s going on and attempts to
bottle Kathy‟s career by permanently locking her up as a voice replacement. However,
thanks to Cosmo and his bag of tricks, Kathy ends up replacing Lina for a spot in the
limelight on the movie‟s preview night. To make a screen classic out of such a corny plot
takes an extraordinary talent like that of Gene Kelly‟s. Garnering the same kind of respect
on the more lifelike stage is even more of a challenge, especially when the show is forced
to communicate with fans that do not share the same culture and language. In the end, the
Korean staging of “Singin‟ in the Rain” falls short in overcoming such difficulties and
leaves the audience feeling somewhat alienated. The translation is poor and the directorial
management is even worse, as the cast is left to hastily lash out their lines at a pace they
never seem to get a hold of. This makes the acting awkward enough to leave you
wondering what exactly is going on, despite running on such a predictable story.
Such awkward acting is a disappointment since the musical parts of the performance – the
singing and dancing – are actually satisfactory. Clearly the music must heighten the drama
and the acting must seamlessly bridge the rhythm of the music for a musical to be
successful. In the case of “Singin‟ in the Rain,” the music and acting fail to blend into one
and the show becomes too disorganized to be taken seriously. The musical ends up
resembling more a poorly dubbed TV show than an acclaimed theater piece.

Reference:

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Kim Tong-hyung. (August, 9, 2003). „Singin in the Rain‟ Comes Up Short. Korea Now,
Vol: 32, No: 16, 38.
Reflection:
The above article – ‘Singing in the Rain’ Comes Up Short is taken from Korea Now,
written by Kim Tong-hyung (Aug 9, 2003). In the reading, the author gave you the success
of the comedy „Singing in the Rain‟ and the way it arrives in Korea. In general, this article
is so interesting. It provides the popularity of this song on the worldwide as well as the
musical‟s triumph in Korea. It is accurate and full of information. I also find some
descriptive writings very attractive such as the content of the performance in Korea. On the
other hand, there are so many words in the text. However, the words are so exciting, they
are about the description of the songs, the art, the comedy, art, etc. and I managed to
expand my vocabulary. Moreover, I can learn some phrasal verbs as well as structures for
my writing. However, the reading is not without weakness. Kim divided them into a lot of
parts so the readers can find difficult in following the content of the article. I think he
should combine some sections in the middle to the one to two paragraphs. It will help
people read more effectively. In conclusion, I like this article. You can call it a report and I
think this piece of writing is worth reading and discussing more.

Article 7:

Warcraft III Dominating

Software games still winning battle over consoles The battle to take over the 500 billion
won ($420 million) game software market has just hit the late rounds, but the race seems
virtually over, with industry giant Blizzard Entertainment proving its lasting dominance
over Korean gamers. Blizzard‟s “Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne,” the expansion set to
the previously released “Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos,” defended the top spot on the sales
list for the third straight week in July, selling over 200,000 copies in that span. The
PlayStation 2 version of “Dynasty Warriors IV,” from the Japanese console giant Koei,
was a distant second with 45,000 copies sold after the start of sales on May 29. Valve
Software‟s WWII-based “Day of Defeat” capped off the top three, selling roughly around
40,000 copies since its June 30 release. With Blizzard‟s classic hit “Starcraft” still going
strong at No. 5 and “Reign of Chaos” not far away from the top 10, it seems the company
has yet again cleared the cream of the crop in the Korea market.

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“‟The Frozen Throne‟ has lived up to the enormous hype that followed the success of
„Reign of Chaos‟ and has hit the goldmine,” said an official from Sonokong, the domestic
distributor of “The Frozen Throne.” “We will continue to promote sales by joint marketing
with mobile phone companies and opening on-air tournaments on cable TV.” Based on a
fantasy battle of four races – Human, Orcs, Undead and Night Elves – on a war-torn place
called Azeroth, the Warcraft series quickly became one of the most popular PC games in
the world, selling over 8 million copies worldwide since its debut in 1994. The series‟
third chapter “Reign of Chaos” is marked as the fastest-selling PC game over, with over 3
million copies sold after its international release just a year ago. “The Frozen Throne” adds
to the excitement of “Chaos” by introducing new units, items are strategic tactics, giving
the original version more depth and pace. The expansion set has sold an estimated 2.5
million copies since its worldwide release July 1. Other than the success of Blizzard, the
first half was marked by the stunning expansion of the console game market. With the
domestic arrivals of PlayStation 2, Gamecube and X-Box, the console market grew by 854
percent in 2002 and is expected to grow another 60 percent this year, adding up to a 250
billion won market, according to figures released from the Culture Ministry. This number
is nearly identical to the estimates of the PC game market, which is expected to be reduced
by around 10 percent this year as companies are focusing more and more on the online
game market. However, since the ministry‟s figures fail to reflect the fact that most PC
games heavily rely on public game lounges, or PC rooms, which is worth 1.5 trillion won
as an industry, it could be said that console games are still far away from market
supremacy.

Reference:
Kim Tong-Hyung. (August 9, 2003). Warcraft III Dominating. Korea Now, Volume 32,
No. 16, 24.
Reflection:
From the first debut in 1994, Warcraft III had made an impression on game market and
helped Blizzard Entertainment to maintain its lasting dominance over Korean gamers. Kim
Tong–Hyung with the article “War-craft III Dominating” on Korean Now (2003) gave us
insight about the first period of the most famous game around over the world. First, the
article gave us accurate and prominent figures, summaries, comments, etc. about two
version of War-craft III. Version 1, “Reign of Chaos” and the expansion – “The Frozen

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Throne” defended the top spot on the sales list. Besides, a relative product of B.E is star-
craft still going strong at No. 5. In my opinion, this article has mentioned valuable
evaluation not only for that year (2002 – 2003) but also made an overview for development
of War-craft III, now has become one of the best games all over the world.
On the other hand, Kim has given his own predictions about the development of the
console game market and the tournament or the championship of War-craft III on TV in
Korea. He has anticipated so correctly, for instance the extension of the opening game
tournaments on TV or the remark that console game market are still far away from the
supremacy of PC game‟s one. Furthermore, by arranging the information reasonably, the
author presented a great number of information as well as notes. They are not too short but
succinct and interesting, readers could understand the content easily. To me, I would add
the article to my game overviews collection. Nowadays (2009), War-craft III is the popular
game in Korea, everyone knows about it. On TV, magazines, internet, top games, top
championships, etc. we even see the game in Vietnam, one of six games was chosen to
show off Vietnam gamers‟ skill.

Article 8:

What are Anxiety Symptoms and Treatments?

From my years of studying, I have found that there are quite a few known mental health
disorders ranging from anxiety to depression. Most disorders can be traced back to
chemical imbalances in the brain or through the abuse of dangerous drugs or alcoholic
substances. Whatever the case may be, there are great deals of mental health disorders that
need to be taken into account.
The most common mental health disorder is anxiety. According to the Wikipedia website,
“Anxiety is a physiological and psychological state characterized by cognitive, somatic,
emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant
feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, fear, or worry.” Anxiety is mostly a
form of psychological worrying that literally renders a person helpless to themselves. I will
go through a brief list of symptoms as well as suggested treatments for this mental health
disorder. 1) These are Symptoms of Anxiety I have run into Many Times:
- Racing heartbeats.

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- Heavy breathing or hyperventilation.
- Random mood swings.
- Obsessive compulsive thoughts.
- Nervous tendencies such as nail biting or yawning.
There are many more symptoms of anxiety I can present, but I do not want to use up the
entire page. The ones I have listed above represent the more obvious symptoms I have
encountered before. I have even portrayed some of these when I used to be shy in high
school. I am sure we can all relate to these. Just remember, if you show signs of these
symptoms it does not mean you are necessarily experiencing anxiety.
2) Here are a few Suggested Treatments for Anxiety:
- Eat healthy and stay away from foods that are high in fat.
- Get out and practice your social skills.
- Try to consider getting in shape with enjoyable exercises such as swimming. Altogether, I
see anxiety as an issue that we all have faced at least on time in our lives. There is no
perfect person who has never felt nervous or even avoided some social event. We just have
to deal with what life throws at us. I personally see anxiety as a basic, psychological “knee
jerk” reaction, so to speak. What I mean is that we automatically put up our defenses when
presented with certain life events. We are just reacting in terms of how we feel. I really
hope this article has opened your eyes to anxiety. Any which way you feel is perfectly fine,
just do your own research and see what works for you.

Reference:
Dr. Davon Jacobson, MD. (Jan 23, 2009). What are Anxiety Symptoms and Treatments?
Retrieved March 31, 2009 from http://healthy-nutrition-facts.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-
are-anxiety-symptoms-and.html
Reflection:
One of the most common mental health disorders is anxiety. It is not an interesting word as
well. “What is anxiety” and “how to overcome” are two main ideas of the article “What are
Anxiety Symptoms and Treatments,” written by Dr. Davon Jacobson in 2009 on his blog.
In the reading, the author has the answers for two above aspects. The article mentioned the
definition of “anxiety” from the Wiki Website as well as his studying. Besides, the readers
can see the first overview of the mental health disorders. In my opinion, Davon has a good
foreword and an interesting introduction in two first paragraphs. On the other hand, the

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author gave us a brief list of symptoms as well as suggested treatments for this mental
health disorder. It was divided into two pieces of writing and presented in two lists. The
tips for treatment and the accurate symptoms are so helpful as well. With each of
information, he always took notice to tell us that this information is tested by him so we
can trust them. In addition, the way Davon used the words and phrases is very effective.
He did not use complicated words, structures and organized the ideas as well. Moreover, I
really like his conclusion. Just including two parts, it contains the author’s great love and
even his devotion to the readers, his patients. Anxiety is an issue that people all have faced
at least on time in our lives. Thanks Dr. Davon Jacobson for this article, I get a lot of
important knowledge which we need for our health.

Article 9:
How to Lower Stress in Your Life

Dealing with stress can be a taxing task. Not everyone out there knows how to overcome
stress. Overwhelming stress can make you feel low in life to an extent that thoughts of
suicide can engulf your mind. We don’t see our self in our comfort zone when we are
enveloped with stressful situations. However, nothing great can be achieved by inviting
negative thoughts or by tuning into hazardous activities like smoking, drinking etc.

We all know that stress can hamper our health beyond our wildest imagination. More than
often, we tend to believe that there is no way out of the particular situation. However, this
thought has no co-relationship with the reality of life. Just like everything else, stress also
has a remedy. There are truckloads of means by which one can eradicate stress from their
lives. Let’s have a look at the activities which can relieve us from stress.

Sports/ Exercise:

Indulging in physical activities is an excellent way to get rid of stress. One can play any
sport of their choice to eliminate stress. If you don’t find a companion or a place to indulge
in these activities, then a simple game of juggling will help you eradicate stress. The idea is
to divert your mind from the stressful events. A juggling act requires lots of concentration
and focus. These pre-requites will help you forget about the stressful events in your life.
Alternately, you can visit a nearby gymnasium. Yoga is another great stress busting form

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of exercise which will help you deal with stress very effectively. It calms down your mind
and body and helps you stay focused.

Socializing:

Most individuals commit the horrendous mistake of locking themselves within the four
walls of their house. This mistake will not only rob you from the good moments in life, but
will also invite depression. Recent research has unleashed the fact that socialization is a
great stress busting tool. If you socialize with people, you will not only feel better, but it
will also draw your attention to the fact that there are loads of people facing similar
situations, and you are not the only one dealing with stress. Also, socialization will invite
fresh pool of ideas to deal with the situation.

Reading:

Reading is a great form of distraction which will help you deal with overwhelming stress.
All you need to do is grab a book of your interest and submerge yourself into the reading
activity. Not only will you feel better, but you will also emerge out as a more
knowledgeable person.

Music:

Listening to music is another rock and roll way of eradicating stress. It blows away the
stress by acting as a mood enhancer. As a matter of fact, there are certain CDs available in
the market, which are specially formulated to relieve stress. One can grab such CD’s from
the nearby store or from a reliable online shop.

If you are looking for an instant stress reliever tool, then nothing works better than
breathing. Take deep breath, preferably in the fresh air and see your stress vanish away.

While these activities can certainly make you feel better, you can indulge in any activity
which you enjoy doing, in order to eradicate stress from your life.

Reference:

Margrit Bradley. (n.d.). How to Lower Stress in Your Life. Retrieved May 11, 2001 from
http://www.healthguidance.org

Reflection:

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The article How to Lower Stress in Your Life, written by Margrit Bradley from website
Heath Guidance, brings us much interesting information about some ways to reduce stress.
Hence, the target readers, especially people who always have to encounter stress-related
problems see this writing as a helpful source of health knowledge. To my opinion, life
without stress may be a little boring but too much of it will affect life significantly. Also,
as far as I am concerned stress a natural part of daily life so knowing more about how to
overcome stress will help not only me but also normal busy people in cities.

In the text, Margit Bradley tries his best to give readers the efficient methods to lower
stress. At first, he mentions the negative effects of overwhelming stress on health which
can make someone have suicidal thoughts or some bad actions like this but who knows
how to deal with stress if anyone of us has to suffer stress? Next, based on the introduction,
he gives the suggestions to reduce stress, compositing of four/ five ways: sport/exercise,
socializing, reading, music and breathing deeply.

The structure of this writing is so logical with the two main part with the first one is about
some effects of stress and the left mentions the methods of reducing stress. Truly, the clear
organization of this article helps the author to list the methods one by one, showing big
headings easily for readers. Additionally, language used in this text is quite simple so
everyone can understand the article and, for myself, I see it very persuasive with
compound sentences and phrases making the writing interesting and enjoyable to read
through of it.

On the other hand, the reading has some minor shortcomings. The first drawback is that the
author has no intention to interpret the definition of stress. Therefore, just because all of us
know that stress is a feeling created when people are under pressure but why pressure
causes stress, Margit does not want to explain. Moreover, I think he should mention the
detailed factors causing stress such as: heavy workload, family life affairs, broken
relationships, physical illnesses and major events that happen to us or our loved ones.
These will make the article more clearly; perhaps, someone will find his/ her case in the
example mentioned in the article and then become interested in with the topic.

Last but not least, I am usually under pressure of learning and sometimes find tired of
everything. After reading this text I think that I’ve learned many ways to help me deal with
this problem. I highly appreciate these useful methods.

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In short, by reading the article, readers have had more knowledge of lowering stress. These
ways are not only helpful for one person in one time but for all in every time.

Article 10:
Education in Developing Countries
Around the world, some 75 million children – more than half of them girls – have no
opportunity to attend primary school. One in three children in Africa that are enrolled in
school drops out of primary education. For socially disadvantaged groups such as rural or
indigenous communities, poor urban dwellers, AIDS orphans or the disabled, access to
education is especially difficult. Four out of five children who do not go to school live in
rural regions.
In many countries, traditional role patterns stop parents enrolling girls in school. The
stronger the cultural preference for boys in a particular country or region, the greater the
gender disparities in the educational sector, for instance in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle
East, and in South and West Asia.
In addition, many children are prevented from going to school on account of crises and
wars. The majority of people who are forced to flee armed conflicts are women and
children. In many countries where civil war is raging, the majority of schools have been
destroyed.
Inadequate budgets
In most developing countries, the budgets allocated for primary education are too low to
meet requirements and to achieve the goal of universal compulsory school attendance.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), developing countries spend an average of 4.4 per cent of their national income
on education. The United States and countries in Western Europe invest 5.5 per cent on
average; some countries even invest more than 8 per cent on education. In the period
between 1999 and 2006, 40 countries reduced their education expenditure – and that figure
does not even include many countries that did not supply statistics.
If the primary school system is to keep pace with the growth in the number of school-age
children, which is still strong, considerably more money will have to be invested – and the
least developed countries (LDCs) at any rate do not have the necessary resources at their
disposal. Bad governance, high staff turnover, inefficient use of funding, corruption and

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lack of management and organizational skills are other obstacles to the universal provision
of education.
Lack of schools and teaching staff
Rural regions in particular but also poor urban districts often lack a comprehensive primary
school network. Children in rural regions often have to walk extremely long distances to
school. Many girls are not allowed to attend schools some distance away as parents are
concerned about their safety.
Many schools are poorly equipped. They lack textbooks and teaching materials, and when
these are available, they are often as outdated as the furnishings. Many schools have no
funding to cover overheads such as water, electricity or transport for pupils.
Teachers' working conditions are unacceptable in many developing countries: many
teachers have to teach two or three shifts a day – in classes with very high student numbers
and on poor pay. Many teachers are also poorly trained and ill-prepared for what awaits
them in schools. Many countries in sub-Saharan Africa also face a health problem: in some
regions so many teachers have contracted AIDS those schools are forced to remain closed.
Many developing countries face the problem of low-quality teaching. The curricula are
overloaded with subjects and do not meet the learning needs of the children, and convey
distorted or stereotypical images of female and male social role models. Too little account
is taken of cultural and regional factors. Teaching times and curricula are too little geared
to the children's actual day-to-day reality. Group work, independent learning, critical
thought and problem-solving, the use of new technologies, and the promotion of life skills
are not sufficiently promoted.
Costs of attending school
Many people in developing countries cannot afford to pay school fees or for learning
materials, school uniforms and transport to school. In countries in which school fees have
been abolished enrolment rates have risen markedly.
Numerous families rely on the income their children contribute. According to estimates
done by the International Labor Organization (ILO), some 166 million children between
the ages of 5 and 14 years have to work – often up to 16 hours a day. One in four children
in sub-Saharan Africa and one in five children in Asia have to work.
High illiteracy rates
Based on estimates, the lack of access to, and often poor quality of, the education systems
in developing countries means that some 30 to 50 per cent of those who leave school after

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four to six years of primary education are neither literate nor numerate. Around 11 per cent
of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are classed as illiterate. Worldwide, around
776 million adults and young people over the age of 15 cannot read or write – just under
two thirds of them women.
Between 1970 and 2006, illiteracy rates dropped from 37 to 16 per cent worldwide, but on
account of population growth the absolute number of those who cannot read or write has
continued to rise in many regions. Ninety-eight per cent of those who cannot read or write
live in developing countries.
Failing vocational training and higher education systems
Sustainable economic development is not possible without qualified experts. But most
developing countries lack well-trained specialists. Many countries only have a rudimentary
vocational training system, or one that is not integrated into the education and employment
system. The courses are usually too theoretical and not geared to the needs of the labor
market.
Universities and colleges in developing countries are poorly equipped and lack the
necessary funding. Only few are able to sufficiently fulfill their research and teaching
responsibilities. However, universities and colleges are important for the entire educational
system, when it comes to training specialists and managers, and for tackling development-
related tasks at private-sector, government and social level.
Reference:
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2010). Education in
Developing Countries. Retrieved May 11, 2011 from http://www.bmz.de/

Reflection:
Globally, education is generally seen as the foundation of society which brings economic
wealth, social prosperity and political stability. However, obviously, there is still a hard
question to answer for developing countries that whether all of them have special
investments for education or not? The exact answer can be found in the article Education
in Developing Countries, provided by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development in its official website. This writing is about the alarming situation of
education, including illiteracy and weaknesses in a number of third world countries.
In the reading, the authors discuss the important causes illustrating the high illiteracy rate
in developing countries. In fact, there are a variety of factors preventing people from

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attending school, for instance, socially disadvantage groups, traditional role patterns or
crises and wars, especially popular in Africa. Additionally, inadequate budgets and lack of
schools and teaching staff have negative effects on achieving the goal of universal
compulsory school attendance or maybe leading in poor equipped schools with low quality
of education. In the two last parts, the writers mention failing vocational training and
higher education systems as a characteristic enforcing learning demands of people,
indicating that the two features are important for entire educational system.
Among various articles about education, Education in Developing Countries leaves me
special impressions. Initially, the writers choose a hot topic in developing countries: the
illiteracy rate or other educational statistics in general. Then, they divide the article into
four smaller parts with four significant factors affecting every education system.
Furthermore, the writers always add factual numbers about the education situation in these
nations, for example, around the world, some 75 million children – more than half of them
girls – have no opportunity to attend primary school, point out the true educational facts in
the third world. Thanks to the information, it not only promotes persuasiveness but also
proves in-deep investigation of Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development.
Another impression of mine is about the authors’ unique writing style. He writes in a
logical and obvious way so readers will not feel bored and get the information more easily.
In particular, I am really impressed by relevant, illustrative and persuasive evidences,
especially some valuable statements like according to the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), developing countries spend an average
of 4.4 per cent of their national income on education, or according to estimates done by
the International Labor Organization (ILO), some 166 million children between the ages
of 5 and 14 years have to work – often up to 16 hours a day.
However, there is a shortcoming in the article. It would be better if the conclusion could
summary the problems mentioned above and give some suggestions to solve related issues.
In short, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development shows an overall
look on education issues in the developing countries of the world. In my mind, effective
solutions or breakthrough ideas can help to reduce illiteracy will be the most important
answers in the decades.

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Article 11:
A Fable for Tomorrow

There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony
with its surroundings. The town lay in the midst of a checkerboard of prosperous farms,
with fields of grain and hillsides of orchards where, in spring, white clouds of bloom
drifted above the green fields. In autumn, oak and maple and birch set up a blaze of color
that flamed and flickered across a backdrop of pines. Then barked in the hills and deer
silently crossed the fields, half hidden in the mists of the fall mornings.

Along the roads, laurel, viburnum and alder, great ferns and wildflowers delighted the
traveler’s eye through much of the year. Even in winter the roadsides were places of
beauty, where countless birds came to feed on the berries and on the seed heads of the
dried weeds rising above the snow. The countryside was, in fact, famous for the abundance
and variety of its bird life, and when the flood of migrants was pouring through in spring
and fall people travelled from great distances to observe them. Other came to the fish the
streams, which flowed clear and cold out of the hills and contained shady pools where trout
lay. So it had been from the days many years ago when the fires settlers raised their
houses, sank their wells, and built their barns.

Then a strange blight crept over the area and everything began to change. Some evil spell
had on the community, mysterious maladies swept the flocks of chickens, the cattle and
sheep sickened and died. Everywhere was a shadow of death. The farmers spoke of much
illness among their families. In the town the doctors had become more puzzled by new
kinds of sickness appearing among their patients. There had been the several sudden and
unexplained deaths, not only among adults but even among children, who would be
stricken suddenly while at play and died within a few hours.

There was a strange stillness. The birds, for example – where had they gone? Many people
spoke of them, puzzled and disturbed. The feeding stations in the backyards were deserted.
The new birds seen any where were moribund; they trembled violently and could not fly. It
was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus
of robins, catbirds, doves, jay, wrens and scores of other silence lay over the fields and
woods and marsh.

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On the farms the hens brooded but no chicks hatched the farmers complained that they
were unable to raise any pigs- the liters were small and the young survived only a few
days. The apple trees were coming into bloom but no bees droned among the blossoms, so
there was no pollination and there would be no fruit.

The roadsides, once so attractive, were now lined with browned and withered vegetation as
through swept by fire. There, too, were silent, deserted by all living thing. Anglers no
longer visited them, for all the fish had died.

In the gutters under the eaves and between the shingles of the roofs, a white granular
powder still showed a few patches; some weeks before it had fallen like snow up on the
roofs and the laws , the fields and streams.

No witchcraft, no enemy action had silenced the rebirth of new life in this stricken world.
The people had done it themselves.

This town does not actually exist, but it might easily have a thousand counterparts in
America or elsewhere in the world. I know of no community that has experienced all the
misfortunes I describe. Yet every one of these disasters had actually happened somewhere
and many real communities have already suffered a substantial number of them. A grim
specter has crept upon us almost unnoticed, and this imagined tragedy may easily become
a stark reality we all shall know.

Reference:

Carson, R. (1962). Silent Spring. New York: Dover Publications, INC.

Reflection:

The article A Fable for Tomorrow, written by Rachel Carson, debated changes in the
natural environment which made animals and plants die down and not in existence
anymore. In the text, it is told that a life of a town in America got worse, from the beautiful
life in the past to the decline of animals and plants in the present. I completely agree with
the opinion of Rachel Carson.

First of all, there were many animals and plants in the past not only in the town in America
but also elsewhere in the world. They were dependent on together in order to exist and

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develop. They also made beautiful places and made profit for people through farming,
rearing and exploiting, etc.

However, something has changed. Animals and plants couldn’t continue living because of
diseases. For example, a few years ago, bird flu, mad cow disease and hoof-and-mouth
disease appeared and broke out as pandemic. People were under threat of the spread of
disease and life on earth was more and more difficult. Thanks for technological
improvement, people invented vaccine to prevent disease not only for them but also for
animals and plants. But wildlife is still horribly destroyed. If authorities didn’t take any
strict measure against this action, people would face up with environmental disaster.

Finally, although author only drew a simple picture about a small town in America by
easily understandable words, we could understand content clearly. In my opinion, we
should look back on the past to prepare a new life in the future with protected environment.

Article 12: Ludwig van Beethoven

“I want to seize fate by the throat.”
BEETHOVEN
In a letter to his friend, Doctor F. G. Wegeler, November 16, 1816
Beethoven is one of the most important figures in Western music. He composed some
of the most astonishing music ever written, but had a troubled life. He was plagued by
hearing problems from a very early age. While still a boy, he supported his family as a
travelling performer. At the age of 17 he impressed Mozart in Vienna, Austria, and moved
there to study with Haydn. He amazed many people in high social circles with his piano
playing. The musical visions expressed in his many symphonies, piano compositions, and
string quartets were often far ahead of their time, and sometimes left the audience
bewildered. He was held in awe by his musical contemporaries.
Beethoven’s father was his first teacher. His work marks the crossover between the
Classical and Romantic periods when composers wrote more emotional music.
Beethoven’s work has three distinct periods: early, middle (when he was losing his
hearing), and late (by which time he was completely deaf).
Beethoven’s early works
During his early years, Beethoven was always exploring new directions and transforming
Classical music into something more dynamic and powerful. Each new work was a
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struggle, and he sometimes spent years on a piece. Among his most famous early works
are two piano sonatas: the Pathétique (meaning passionate) and Moonlight sonatas.
“Heroic” middle period Despite Beethoven’s deafness, this period (1803-1814) includes
some of his greatest work. Many of the pieces have a heroic atmosphere. They include his
Symphony No.5 (with its famous da da da daaaa opening) and his opera Fidelio, which
follows the exploits of Leonora, who disguises herself as a prison guard to defy a corrupt
governor and free her jailed husband. Beethoven’s ear trumpets In 1803, Beethoven
realized the seriousness of his growing deafness. In his despair, he wrote his famous
Heiligenstadt Testament, in which he resolved to pursue his artistic destiny in spite of
losing his hearing. Beethoven used these primitive hearing aids and later relied on
“conversation books” to communicate with friends, but found it increasingly difficult to
perform. Beethoven’s last works Although increasingly isolated by his deafness,
Beethoven grew older and more adventurous as a composer. The crowning achievement of
his last years was Symphony No. 9, the Choral Symphony. For the first time in the history
of the symphony, Beethoven used a choir and four vocal soloists to perform his setting of
Schiller’s Ode to Joy – a monumental cry for brotherhood among people. Summer
residence
There is evidence that Beethoven lived in more than 60 different places during his 35 years
in Vienna. He loved nature deeply as you can hear in his Symphony No. 6, the Pastoral
Symphony. During the summers, he often went to this country house in Baden. While here,
he also worked on his last symphony, Symphon, No 9.
Authentic orchestras
Musical instruments sounded very different in Beethoven’s time. Violins had softer strings,
the wind and brass instruments were not as powerful, and the concert rooms were smaller.
Many of the intimate details of performance have been rediscovered from the composer’s
notes by conductors like Austrian Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Now we can hear the music as
Beethoven’s audiences would have heard it.
Beethoven’s piano
Beethoven’s early success in Vienna was based on his gifts for improvisation at the piano.
He wrote 32 piano sonatas (pieces for one instrument with several sections, or movements)
and 5 piano concertos, which made new demands on the instrument. He preferred the
strong sound of the English Broadwood, which suited his energetic style; the company
gave him one in 1817.

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Patrons
Beethoven was an early “freelance” musician who, instead of working for one person,
supported himself through a combination of public concerts, sale of his compositions, gifts,
and encouragement from wealthy Viennese society patrons. In 1808, Archduke Rudolf
granted him an annuity (salary).

Reference:
Source: Robert Ziegler(2008). Great Musicians. DK Publishing.
Reflection
In order to raise people’s awareness of the art of music, Robert Ziegler wrote the book
“Great musicians” in which he poses 2 themes, the first one is about the roots of music and
the second one is concerned with great musicians. “Ludwig van Beethoven” is raised as
one of the greatest musicians of all time in the second part of the book.
For one thing, the topic of the chapter “Ludwig van Beethoven” grabs my whole interest
because I really love Beethoven’s music, especially his Symphony No. 5 with its famous
opening. What is more, I was deeply impressed by the very first statement “I want to seize
fate by the throat.” (Beethoven in a letter to his friend, Doctor F.G. Wegeler, November
16, 1816). Then, looking through the text I found the chapter was organized in a very
concise and interesting way so I kept reading it till the end.
While reading, I realized the other beauty of the chapter: the writer’s fine use of
vocabulary. The language used is quite plain, informative; the complex terminologies are
explained clearly in the glossary at the end of the book; and the style is rich in images.
After all, I found that I have learnt many things from the text. In terms of knowledge, now
I have known Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle
(when he was losing his hearing), and Late periods (by which time he was completely
deaf) and where he’d love to work on his symphonies. I gained much further information
from the text, adding to one I have learnt in the Piano Club. In terms of language, I have
encountered many interesting words such as high social circles, pastoral, patron, freelance,
and so on. Besides, I have learnt the way to write a concise biography in terms of written
communication skills.
Over all, the chapter has brought a reader with limited knowledge about Beethoven’s life
and works like me not only the information but also the feeling of full excitement and
admiration after reading.

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Article 13:

Air pollution and traffic plague Damascus

DAMASCUS -- A Japanese environmental organization had come to Damascus to
measure the rate of lead in the air in the Dowelah area of the city. I was there, helping
them. I will never forget their shock and dismay when they revealed their findings; the air
had 86% more lead than unpolluted air, which has at most trace elements of lead in it. This
heavy lead pollution in the air is the result of the constant traffic going in and out of
Damascus, the jams and gridlocks that cause cars to spew poisonous fumes as they inch
their way towards their destination. Lead can cause cancer and pulmonary inflammation,
yet it is pumped into the air every day by these commuters. When asked, however, the
commuters show less interest in the negative effect lead in the air might have on their
health and more interest in the negative effect long, traffic-filled commutes have on their
mental health and social relations.

Nabil, a teacher and journalism student, is a typical example of a commuter in Damascus.

“I feel like I’m blockaded in the city, fighting the geography just to get home. I live in
Garamana, which is full of never ending construction and traffic jams. The traffic is so bad
that I need to have tons of alternate routes just to get where I need to go. And when I’m on
the road, I’m surrounded by dumps and other unsightly scenes. Every morning, I wake up
full of energy, but by the time I’ve gotten through all that traffic and pollution, I often feel
the opposite of how I felt when I left.” Nabil told us that traffic changes the pattern of his
days. “When I need to go to the university, I go early in the morning, since the traffic is
easier then. Because if I am late going out, I will see grief from the traffic jams and huge
commotions which over silly causes. All of this can make it hard to study or lecture when I
get to school.” According to Nabil, people have grown accustomed to all of this pollution
and hassle. Even municipal projects meant to reduce the problem usually just make it
worse, as they drag on for years. He gave us an example from his own commute, a bridge
which was supposed to be renovated in order to make things easier for commuters. Due to
the attempts to fix the problem, his fifteen minute travel in that region now takes an hour.
For Nabil, as is the case for many, this is more than an inconvenience. “I can’t bid for a job
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in Damascus,” he said. “There are dozens of possible delays, most of which aren’t even
accidents, which would keep me from getting to work. For me, it is no longer strange to
see dirty and crowded streets – the strange thing now is to see a clean street with clear
paths for cars!”
Ammar, too, finds the traffic has a very negative effect on his attitude. “Every day I get up
happily, but by the time I have arrived at my destination, all I feel is grief. And it’s
something that can affect my relationships with other people, since it becomes so difficult
to bear sometimes.” He has grown to hate the city; it is so crowded and the air is so thick
with pollution that when he needs to study for exams, he goes home to his village where
it’s quieter and easier to breathe. “We’ve turned into sardines packed in a box,” he said of
Damascenes. Mouaiad, another university student, described the same phenomenon. His
bus ride to the university is so stressful for him that he needs a full hour afterward just to
calm down and balance himself again. He used to try to read on the bus, but no more; the
sight of the trash and pollution lining the roadways is too painful to ignore, and the
constant delays leave him stressed over whether he will be late to his appointments or have
to cancel them altogether. Nidal tries to take a more ironic approach to the whole problem,
joking about whether air pollution came from the buses or the bus-riders. He admitted that
he used to lose sleep over his transportation problems. When his stress began to hurt his
studies, however, he tried to set the stress aside. “Study is more important than such
disturbances. I don’t care. I just try to forget about it all; even the missed appointments can
worry me no more. I have developed a bunch of techniques to make sure I can get to my
appointments. I can go home early, or try to trick the traffic by switching buses.
Sometimes, I walk, and that can do better than expected.” Still, in spite of Nidal’s
determinedly positive attitude, his outlook for the future is pessimistic. “I don’t think, with
these crowds and all this pollution, that the solution is very close. On the contrary, citizens
should just reconcile themselves to this pollution and problem.” Some of the names of our
contributors have been changed to protect their identity. The names of people interviewed
have also been changed. The opinions expressed in our regional pieces reflect the beliefs of
their writers, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of the Tharwa
Foundation and its members.
Reference:
Tharwa. (2009) Air pollution and traffic plague Damascus. Retrieved May 13, 2009 from
http://foundation.tharwa.ws/tharwa-reports/syria/1150

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Reflection
Nowadays, when technology generation is more and more developed, air pollution is
considered a serious problem when it causes a lot of infectious disease that may kill a lot of
people. The above article with title “Air pollution and traffic plague Damascus” on the
Reading assignment Transportation Page 7 of 9
website http://foundation.tharwa.ws brings us a whole view of this matter in both current
state and solution put forward. The article is a brief report of interview with fully
quotations drawing our attention. In the first paragraph, the author draws a picture of the
current state in the Dowelah area of Damascus when air pollution is seriously warned. He
goes shock when getting a finding “the air had 86% more lead than unpolluted air, which
has at most trace elements of lead in it.” Where did the lead come from? The constant
traffic, the jams and gridlocks - they are reasons of lead the article pointed out. Besides,
cancer and pulmonary inflammation are diseases lead could bring out. To make the article
more persuasive, the author attached some statement of witnesses. All of them expressed
their dissatisfaction with air pollution and the result they have to get. They found it no
longer strange with dirty street and difficulty they put up with in spite of annoyances.

The way the writer reports the interview is vivid, mixed his emotion and comment. This is
expressed clearly in the first paragraph, such as “I will never forget their shock and
dismay” and so on.

He also gives the solution the witness proposed “citizens should just reconcile themselves
to this pollution and problem.” That is also the smart conclusion of the article. In sum, the
article is related lively and truly, brings us more helpful information and reminds us of
taking care of our environment.

Article 14:

Dolphin Discovery
WCS researchers have discovered a stronghold for one of the world’s rarest freshwater
dolphins, the Irrawaddy, deep in the water-logged jungles of Bangladesh. The scientists
counted nearly 6,000 of the dolphins in the South Asian country’s Sundarbans mangrove
forest and the adjacent waters of the Bay of Bengal.

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Prior to this study, little marine mammal research had taken place in the Sundarbans—
which translates to “beautiful jungle” in Bengali. Researchers had pegged the largest
Irrawaddy dolphin populations in the low hundreds or fewer. In 2008, the species was
listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
“This discovery gives us great hope that there is a future for Irrawaddy dolphins,” said
WCS researcher Brian D. Smith, who led the study. “Bangladesh clearly serves as an
important sanctuary for Irrawaddy dolphins, and conservation in this region should be a top
priority.” Despite his optimism, however, Smith and other researchers warn that the
dolphins are facing increasing threats to their survival. During the study, they encountered
two that had drowned after becoming entangled in fishing nets. Local fishermen say this is
a common occurrence. The scientists also found that the dolphins must cope with declining
freshwater supplies, caused by upstream water diversion in India coupled with sea-level
rise. The latter issue has been brought on by climate change. WCS researchers are
currently studying the long-term effects of this phenomenon. These circumstances also
threaten the endangered Ganges River dolphin, which shares part of its range in the
Sundarbans with the Irrawaddy dolphin. The recent likely extinction of the Yangtze River
dolphin, or baiji, is a potent reminder of how vulnerable freshwater dolphins are to human
impacts on the environment. Irrawaddy dolphins are related to orcas, also known as killer
whales. The dolphins grow up to 8 feet long and frequent large rivers, estuaries, and
freshwater lagoons in South and Southeast Asia. In Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady River, these
dolphins are known to cooperatively fish with humans, helping to herd schools of fish
toward boats and awaiting nets. The practice benefits the fishermen—increasing the size of
their catches up to threefold—as well as the dolphins, which fill their own bellies with
some of the cornered fish and those that fall out of the fishing nets. In 2006, WCS helped
establish a protected area along the Ayeyarwady River to conserve this critically
endangered marine mammal population. Currently, conservationists are working closely
with the Ministry of Environment and Forests in Bangladesh on plans for establishing a
protected area network for the dolphins in the Sundarbans. WCS is also supporting
sustainable fishing practices and helping to develop local ecotourism projects that benefit
the region’s people and wildlife.
Support for this study has been provided in part by the Kerzner Marine Foundation and
Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong; the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission;

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and the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, which operates a regional
program for cetacean conservation in the Bay of Bengal.

Reference:
Wildlife Conservation Society. (2008) Dolphin Discovery. Retrieved April 8, 2009 from
http://www.wcs.org/353624/wcs_dolphin_discovery

Reflection
In exertion of discovering and protecting wide animals, WCS researchers were successful
in discovering the Irrawaddy dolphin - one of the world’s rarest freshwater dolphins. This
article titled “Dolphin Discovery” from the website http://www.wcs.org gives me a lot of
interesting information about the survival of this friendly animal. In the first paragraph, the
author introduced briefly about dolphin discovery. The way of introduction was simple,
easy to access and especially, drew readers’ attentions. The rest part of the article was
divided among seven short and plain paragraphs, which helped readers easy to
comprehend. For example, revolving the extinction of Irrawaddy dolphins, the fourth
paragraph listed some reasons may threat to their survivals: “declining fresh-water
supplies,” “climate change,” etc. The article also told us about some methods of protecting
marine mammal population, such as establishing “a protected area along the Ayeyarwady
River,” “supporting sustainable fishing practices and helping to develop local ecotourism
projects that benefit the region’s people.” This was pointed out clearly in the sixth
paragraph. Moreover, we can see that the article was a report so that the way of using
word, sentences and phrases was very lively but simple and draw our attentions a lot, such
as “prior to,” “potent reminders of how vulnerable freshwater dolphins are to human
impacts on the environment,” “shares part of its range in the Sundarbans,” and so on. On
the other hand, the author also quoted some statements, which made the article more
spectacular as well as honest. For instance, the statement of WCS researcher Brian D.
Smith is in the third passage. However, the articles had not got the conclusion but instead a
list of “support for this study,” which made it not entirely done. In sum, the article with
title “Dolphin Discovery” gave us interesting, helpful information about the discovery and
protection of this lovely animal. It also raised an alarm of more and more animals’
extinction.
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