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

The Elephant and the Fox

A Good Lesson from Moral Stories

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Aug 25, 2023

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There were a fox and an elephant in a forest. The two lived very intimately, so much so that one could not leave the other. Across the river was a sugarcane field. One day, the elephant wanted to eat sugarcane.

The elephant said to the fox, "Today I want to eat sugarcane."

The fox replied, "Yes, I also want to eat. It has been a long day, and I have not eaten."

"But how do we cross the river? I can't swim," said the fox.

The elephant said, "I will carry you on my back."

The elephant carried the fox on his back and crossed the river. Together, they went to the sugarcane field. The fox ate quickly and got full, but the elephant's stomach did not get full. The... Continue reading "The Elephant and the Fox: A Story of Friendship and Revenge" »

Daisy Miller: An Analysis

The Narrator and Gossip

The narrator of Daisy Miller presents the events as a "true" story that took place "three or four years ago." The story is framed as a piece of gossip, told by a distant, first-person narrator who is interested but not involved. This narrative strategy is ironic, as the story itself revolves around gossip, assumptions, and the difficulty of judging character based on hearsay.

Themes and Contrasts

The opening paragraph establishes several key themes, including the contrast between old and young, history and novelty, movement and stillness, and American vibrancy and European dignity. The narrator describes the variety of hotels in Vevey, from the grand and new to the classical and mature. The bustling... Continue reading "Daisy Miller: A Study of American Innocence and European Sophistication" »

1. Option Payoffs:

• Call Option: (S_T − K)⁺ = max(S_T − K, 0)
• Put Option: (K − S_T)⁺ = max(K − S_T, 0)
• Call Binary Option: 1 or Q$ when S_T > K, 0 otherwise.

2. Profit and Loss (P&L) Diagrams:

• An asset.
• A Future.
• Call option.
• Put option.
• A Binary option.
• An asset (current value 50 euros) and a Put option on the same asset with Strike 30. This strategy is used to cover potential losses, limiting them to 20 euros plus the option fee.
• Long Call + Put Option with the same Strike and Maturity. This strategy is used when a significant price movement is expected, but the direction is uncertain.
• Long position in a Call option with Strike 50 and Short Position in a Call option with Strike 60. Selling the call option reduces the overall cost of the strategy,

Due to the sheer effort it has to put in to move its hulking body, and the image of fish bellies for eyes is a disturbing image that makes me think of a dead or soulless creature, as eyes are supposedly the window to the soul. The quote his stall narrows to rage is also quite a frightening quote, as I would not like to be around such a colossal creature when it is enraged. To add to the aggression of the bull, Clarke describes the smell of a heifer's fear sweet (from the point of view of the bull). The fact the bull knows the smell of fear makes the reader even more afraid of this absolute monster of an animal that relishes its counterpart's fear.

But the poem ends with an empathetic view of the bull describing his aggressive behaviour as a... Continue reading "Analysis of Aggression and Empathy in the Friesian Bull Poem" »

Common Mistakes and Corrections

Instead of:

• The lifts were SO old that: Use: The lifts were so old that...
• the..photocopied some copies for me: Use: I had some copies photocopied.
• She takes 1min: Use: It takes her 1 minute.
• Althoug: Use: Although
• Too+adj: Use: Not + adjective + enough
• If he doesnt: Use: Unless he...
• I would prefer to+inf: Use: I'd rather + infinitive

Remember:

• Use the -ing form after "remember".
• Use "regret to" + infinitive.
• Use the -ing form after "try".
• Use "had better not" instead of "shouldn't/ought to".
• Use "on the point of" + gerund instead of "be about to" + infinitive.

Other Useful Tips:

• Instead of "It's time + past simple", use present perfect continuous: "They have worked here for... years."
• Use "like + gerund" instead of "to be fond

Words for Predicting the Future

Prescient - knowing or suggesting what will happen in the future

Prognosticate - to foretell from signs or symptoms

Prophecy - a prediction of what will happen in the future

Speculate - form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence

People Who Make Predictions

Town Planner - a professional involved in the planning and control of the construction, growth, and development of a town or other urban area

Weather Forecaster - someone whose job is to study the weather and predict what it will be like in the future

Career Advisor - someone who gives information about education and work opportunities to children and youths

Financial Advisor - a person whose job is to provide financial advice to clients

Football

A graphic novel is a longer, complex piece of text that usually covers the story in one book. A comic book is shorter and tells the story over many volumes.

Why Are Graphic Novels Important for Learning?

Graphic novels are important tools for cognitive learning and are rich in visual literacy. The more image-based nature of graphic novels can make them less intimidating to read for beginners and also allows readers to understand words through pictures.

Graphic: Single volumes. It is monographic. Full-length novel.

Comic: Serials. They are published every once in a while. They can be compared with short stories.

Caption: A box of text that gives details on the background and setting of the scene. Often at the top or bottom of the panel.

Close-up:... Continue reading "Difference Between Graphic Novel and Comic: Importance for Learning" »

Contrasts Between American and European Cultures in Daisy Miller

Innocence vs. Knowledge/Experience

Innocence vs. knowledge or experience
Utility vs. form and ceremony
Spontaneity vs. ritual
Action vs. inaction
Nature vs. art
Natural vs. artificial
Honesty vs. evil

Daisy Miller: A Representation of American Innocence

In Daisy Miller, Henry James focuses on the differences in behavior between Americans and Europeans. Daisy Miller embodies the American, while Mrs. Costello, Mrs. Walker, and Winterbourne represent the European perspective. Ironically, these "Europeans" are American-born but have adopted European views.

Sophistication and Prejudice: A Two-Fold Meaning

Europeans in James's novels are often portrayed as more sophisticated and art-conscious,... Continue reading "American vs. European: Innocence and Experience in Henry James's Daisy Miller" »

Announcement: to announce something unrelated to a brand.

Advertisement: to promote something like an ad or a campaign.

Mark: a visible sign on the face.

Brand: a type of product manufactured by a company under a specific name.

Label: used for clothes.

Make: refers to electrical equipment, cars, and domestic appliances.

Trademark: a name, symbol, or design used by a company on its products, legally owned by the company, or something that characterizes a person, place, or product.

Audience: a group of people gathered in one place to listen to a concert, watch a movie, etc.

Public: ordinary people.

Viewers: people who watch TV, computers, etc.

Spectators: people who watch an activity, especially sports, without participating.

Grief: sorrow.

Bond: a connection.... Continue reading "Understanding the Difference: Announcement, Advertisement, Mark, Brand, and More" »

Themes of the Lost Generation

It was somewhat common that among members of this group to complain that American artists' culture lacked the breadth of European work. Nevertheless, this same period saw an explosion in American literature and art. Common themes in works of literature by members of the Lost Generation include:

• Decadence and the Frivolous Lifestyle of the Wealthy

  Consider the lavish parties of James Gatsby in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby or those thrown by the characters in his Tales of the Jazz Age. Recall the aimless drinking and parties of the circles of expatriates in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises and A Moveable Feast. With ideals of the war lost for many, hedonism was the result. The Lost Generation writers revealed the hollow