Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for English

1. August gets hearing aids in this section. How does he feel about them in the beginning and towards the end of pages in this section?

In the beginning, August didn’t want to wear them, but when the doctor turned them on, he stopped hearing the noise of the ocean that lived inside his head, and he began to hear perfectly. In his ears, there was quiet. In the end, he was very happy to take them.

2. Daisy is August’s dog, who has been sick for a while. Why hasn’t August noticed this?

Because his parents had hidden it from him; they didn’t want to worry him. She had been throwing up, and his mother had taken her to the vet three times in the last two months, but August didn’t know she was sick.

3. Miranda and Via used to be friends. Why

Character Analysis: Penelope

The Odyssey is a tale of a man's journey to Ithaca to return to his wife and son, but many complications arise during that journey. While the poem initially appears male-centric, several powerful women emerge, most notably Athena and Penelope.

The Role of Women in The Odyssey

Few women appear in this poem; most are goddesses, servants, or, in the case of Penelope, mothers. The inclusion of these women provides a dramatic effect, especially considering that women's lives were rarely documented during this era.

Penelope's Resilience and Fidelity

Penelope has waited 20 years for her husband to return from the Trojan War. During his absence, she has managed his estates while dealing with a house full of suitors. These men... Continue reading "Penelope in The Odyssey: Strength, Fidelity, and Wit" »

Vocabulary for Adventurers

Describing Adventures

• Awesome: increíble
• Book a session: reservar una sesión
• Breathtaking: impresionante
• Go trekking: hacer excursiones
• Make a reservation: hacer una reserva
• Make one's way: dirigirse
• Mountainous: montañoso
• Overcome fear: superar el miedo
• Risky: arriesgado
• Scenery: paisaje
• Steep: escarpado
• Stunt: acrobacia
• Trail: camino
• Unforgettable: inolvidable
• Wild: salvaje

Being Adventurous

• Adventurous: aventurero/a
• Brave: valiente
• Challenging: reto
• Face danger: afrontar el peligro
• Fit: en forma
• Give someone a thrill: entusiasmar
• Hurt oneself: hacerse daño
• Lose one's way: perderse
• Rescue (noun): rescate
• Rescue (verb): rescatar
• Run out of: quedarse sin
• Seriously injured: gravemente herido/a
• Set off: salir
• Survival skills: técnicas de supervivencia
• Survive:

Precious Artifact: A Martian Engineer's Journey

Milt Biskle was a reconstruction engineer working on Mars. He dreamed of bringing his family to the colony, yet he harbored a persistent, unsettling feeling that something was fundamentally wrong. Seeking the truth about the war, he consulted his psychiatrist, Dr. DeWinter, who arranged for him to travel to Earth.

Upon reaching Earth, Milt met his guide, Mary. He soon discovered a harrowing reality: humanity had lost the war, and no one had survived on Earth. His wife and children were merely illusions. Devastated, Milt contemplated suicide but eventually chose to accept his reality and move forward. He asked Mary to find him a cat, as she claimed animals had survived the conflict. However, this... Continue reading "Philip K. Dick Short Stories: Analysis of Martian and Earth Narratives" »

Silas Marner

Silas Marner is an honest weaver who has lived in the countryside of Raveloe for fifteen years. Previously, he lived in Lantern Yard with his best friend, William, and his girlfriend, Sarah. In Lantern Yard, he was accused by everyone of murder and stealing money from the church. Consequently, he moved to Raveloe. He lives alone because his appearance is considered odd, and he spends all day at his loom. He was robbed by Dunstan, but he later receives his recompense and, later on, recovers his money. At the end of the book, Silas adopted a little girl that he calls Eppie and becomes an exemplary citizen.

Godfrey Cass

Godfrey Cass is the eldest son of Squire Cass. He is an attractive man who is quite selfish, yet he is also a good... Continue reading "Key Characters in George Eliot's Silas Marner" »

An Unsettling Encounter

The novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde begins with a lawyer, Mr. Utterson, taking a walk with his friend and relative, Mr. Enfield. They walk past a mysterious door, prompting Mr. Enfield to recount a disturbing incident: a brutal man knocked down a little girl, drawing the ire of onlookers. The man offered a substantial payment, disappearing through the door only to return with a large check drawn from Dr. Jekyll’s bank account. The perpetrator was none other than Mr. Hyde.

The Lawyer's Growing Suspicion

Mr. Utterson, who serves as Dr. Jekyll’s lawyer, discovers a peculiar clause in Jekyll’s will: in the event of Jekyll’s death or disappearance, his entire estate is to be bequeathed to Mr. Hyde.... Continue reading "Jekyll and Hyde: The Dual Nature Unveiled" »

When I was on the train yesterday, I heard someone say this: “Someone left their bag on the train.”

Can you find anything wrong with the sentence?

If you looked in a traditional English grammar book, you would learn that the sentence should be, “Someone left his bag on the train.” The rule is to use the singular pronoun “he” when the gender of a person is not known.

But, if you asked native English speakers if there is something wrong with the sentence, many would probably answer no.

The pronoun “their” is generally plural. The speaker was talking about just one person. However, American English speakers use “their” and “they” as singular pronouns all the time in spoken English. They use it when the gender of a person is... Continue reading "The Evolution of 'They': A Singular Pronoun's Journey" »

The Cognitive Power of Handwriting

I believe that our brains develop strong connections through writing on paper. One significant benefit is the improvement of our memory.

Handwriting Boosts Memory and Retention

Scientific Evidence on Note-Taking

Scientific surveys point out how taking notes help students to recall new information more easily and clarify their ideas. It also benefits learning new languages (Pinola, 2011).

The Reticular Activating System (RAS)

From a more scientific perspective, there is a stimulation of the Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS acts as a filter, allowing us to prioritize the information we are writing, making it easier to retain later (Pinola, 2011).

Similarly, a recent study showed that students who write by... Continue reading "The Science of Handwriting: Boosting Memory and Brain Development" »