How To Say Nothing in 500 Words

How to Say Nothing in 500 Words

By: Paul Roberts

In this story “How to Say nothing In 500 Words.” Paul Roberts gives instructions with different examples to help college students learn how to write a good essay. In this story he talks about how an essay by a college student is boring. He gives different examples on how a writer should avoid creating a boring essay. One example Roberts use is don’t just fill the papers with just words, or other rewordings use important information to reach your goal word count. When you do this, it turns a boring topic into an interesting and fun essay for the audience. The author also talks about colorless words that they are words we use in everyday conversations, colorless words use are nothing and how student also use every day slang adjectives. (Roberts 326-327) He also added in their colorful words which means finding the right word in the right place, writers often struggle with this, he gives many examples of colored words. Roberts use this example, “instead of using “Her heart beat.” We may write “Her heart pounded, throbbed, fluttered or danced.”(Roberts Page 325)

I agree with the author on how we write essays, I must say everything he wrote in this story is true for me. I often have a hard time trying to figure out what words fit where to make complete sense of the sentences or paragraphs. I also just fill my paper with words and paraphrasing instead of using the actual important information that will keep my readers attention. I also use colorless words that I use in everyday conversations and I also use every day slang adjectives. I believe if I follow his advice on how to say nothing in 500 words I will be a better writer than I am right now. This story should be read by all Composition 101 students it will help them think about their choice of words when actually writing a 500 word essay.

Citation

Roberts, Paul. "How to Say Nothing in 500 Words." Trans. Array The Longman Reader. Judith Nadell, John Langan and . 9th Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009 - 2010. 515-517. Print.

How the Schools Shortchange Boys

How the Schools Shortchange Boys

By: Gerry Garibaldi

The story “How the Schools Shortchange Boys” is about how boys are different when it comes to school. Girls are more engaged in school than boys and how girls are more calm and pleasant and they succeed through cooperation. The author compares boys to a moth and how they pin you to a wall to receive a rational explanation to everything, and boys slouch in their chairs and stare out the windows and beat their pencils. Girls will turn their paper in two days before its due and how they hand in the final copy in neat vinyl folders with colorful pages. Boys will say, “Hey you never told us ‘bout a paper! What paper?!” (Garibaldi 537).  The author also noticed that a female teacher who has no male children that they find boys’ to be challenging to classroom assignments.  The author also talks about how some boys are diagnosed with a learning disability and they look at it as an easy way out.  Garibaldi goes on to talk about boys in special-ed and how he notice they sat at their desks with their head downs or just staring off in space. The boys enjoy the special-ed boosters like their grades start to rise, and the phone calls home stop.  The author goes on to say how they feel isolated and outgunned and how boys who get a ride on the special-ed train take the ride to its end without looking out the window.

I agree with the author on how girls are more engaged in school than boys in school, and how we are more pleasant and we succeed through cooperation. Boys are just lazy and how they just ask questions about why we got to do this assignment, and also how they are slouch in their chairs and just day dream. I do believe that boys take the easy road out by using a learning disability to make it through school so they do not have to work as hard. They just feel like they can hop on the special-ed train because they know they are going to pass regardless due to their disability.

Citations

Garibaldi, Gerry . "How the Schools Shortchange Boys." Trans. Array The Longman Reader. Judith Nadell, John Langan and . 9th Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009 - 2010. 515-517. Print.

In Praise of the "F" Word

In Praise of the “F” Word

By: Mary Sherry

                The story “In Praise of the “F” Word” is about a woman who son was a senior in high school who did not take it seriously. He was failing his writing class so his teacher pulls this technique she calls the “trump” card of failure.  The teacher told the author that they were going to fail their son. After the meeting she went home to tell her son that he was going to flunk him. At the end of the semester he finished with an A. The author goes on and talks about how we excuse dishonest behavior by saying kids can’t learn if they come from a terrible environment. She says “In spite of their difficulties they still decide to make an education a priority.” She goes on to talk about how flunking is used as a merit today but is a positive teaching tool.  Sherry concludes that this flunking policy has worked in the past and can work today with the support of parents, and how gave her son the opportunity to succeed or fail.

                I agree with this author coming from my experience, my teachers have pulled the “I am going to flunk you card” with me in high school because they knew it will get me to work harder to bring my grade up in their class.  It did motivate me, but I feel like they should have found some other way to motivate. I am pretty sure there are other alternatives to get students to want to pass their classes. I do agree with the author about it doesn't matter what type of environment you come from you can learn and become successful because you put education first and always will. It motivates you want to become something better.

Citations

Sherry, Mary. "In Praise of the "F" Word." Trans. Array The Longman Reader. Judith Nadell, John Langan and . 9th Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009 - 2010. 515-517. Print.

"Showing What Is Possible" Journal Response

"Showing What Is Possible" 

by: Jacques D' Amboise

   

The short story, "Showing What Is Possible" is about how the author began dancing at the age of 7 years old to keep out of trouble. He did not want to do this at first he would do things like disrupt the dance class so the teacher would kick him out. Little did he know the teacher had plans, she challenged him after every dance class. He became a great dancer, she thought him and his sister should be placed in a more advance dance school. He joined a ballet company and he goes on to tell about his personal life and careers he done with dance.  He starts to talk about him now, how he is a dance teacher and what type of students he has taught. He goes on saying that you can do anything no matter what your demographic, culture, size, or if you are handicapped. That no matter the difference someone is admiring you encouraging you to work better and harder.  That there are so much things to do out here in the world. He finally say that we are polluting our children’s mind, we are not teaching them civilizing things. He goes on to say that everyone has a trunk in their attic filled with things. And he basically ask are you going to fill it with negative things of this generation today  or fill it with things that truly matter the positive things like music, dance, poetry , literature, good manners, and loving friends.

I agree with the author of this short story in the book. I think he is right about children needing something to encourage them that there is more out in the world and they can become anything they want to be.  Today generations consist of violence and disrespect no values and goals. Children look at violence on TV’s cause children to become violent.  What I would put in my trunk for my children is music that has meaning, books, history, things that show family and love, things that show respect and goals. This will let them know they can be successful and that I am here to encourage them to go for their goals because there are wonderful things in this world. 

Citations

D'Amboise, Jacques. "Showing What Is Possibe." Trans. Array The Longman Reader. Judith Nadell, John Langan and Eliza A Comidromos. 9th Edition. New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009 - 2010. 405-408. Print.