BALI JOURNAL

April 3rd 2014

I went to Bali with #32015. There was a school event named Tur Budaya (Culture Trip). We gathered at Bandung Train Station at 5.00 pm. We travelled with train from Bandung to Surabaya. We departed with a train named "Turangga" at 8.00 pm. I sat with Faishal in train. Before the train departed, I took a picture with XI IPA 4.

April 4th 2014

After the train departed, we were given fried rice for dinner. After 12 hours, finally we arrived at Gubeng Station (Surabaya) at 8.00 am. We use some buses to continue our trip. In the bus we played some songs and sang together. We stopped in Probolinggo at 12.00 pm. We were having some lunch, taking a bath, and pray. Then, we continued our trip to Katapang Harbour in Banyuwangi. We took a ferry to Gilimanuk Harbour in Bali at 9.00 pm. After an hour on ferry, we arrived at Gilimanuk Harbour and continued our trip to Hotel Nirmala in Denpasar, Bali. It took 4 hours to the hotel, we arrived at 2.00 am. We took a rest in the hotel after very tiring journey.

April 5th 2014

We went to Tanjung Benoa. It was a place where we can play some watersports. We arrived there at 9.00 pm. After 3 hours, we gathered at beach to had some lunch and changed our shirts with 'Turbud' shirt. Then, we continued our trip to Pujamandala. It was a place that we can see 5 majority religions in Indonesia having their holy sites for praying. There was only one place like this in Indonesia. It shows us that tolerance is living among Bali's people. After that, we went to GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana). It is complex of statue that if all the statues is finished, it will be the highest statue in the world. It is located in the Jimbaran Hills, so we can see the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and Denpasar City from there. In that place, there is a holy water source. Some people believe that if we drink the water, our wish will came true. The 'GWK' project is have been long suspended because the financial crisis in 1998. But now, in some places there, the project continued again. After seeing the statue, we played a game. The goal is to finding all clues and guessing what is that thing. Our class won the game and we got some prizes. Then, we took some pictures together. After that, we continued to Jimbaran Bay for dinner. We saw our friends performance there and we danced and jumped together while enjoying the song. After 2 hours, we went to the hotel to having some rest.

April 6th 2014

The second day, we went to Penglipuran Cultural Village. There we can see the ancient and Bali's traditional village. There are 2 different culture that lived in Bali, Bali Aga (known as old Bali) that lived only in some places like Penglipuran and Trunyan, and the others people called it 'Bali Majapahit'. Except Bali Aga people, we having a close relationship with Java People because we are the remainders from Majapahit Kingdom. After that, we went to Kintamani Restaurant. Before having a lunch and pray there, my class took some pictures together. After lunch, we went to Sukowati. Sukowati was the one of traditional market in Bali which sold a lot of art craft, clothes, foods, with cheap prices. I bought a pants in Sukowati and went back to the bus. After that, we went back to the hotel and prepared for 'Makrab' (Malam Keakraban) Event in the hotel's convention center. We saw some performances from our friends, '#32015 Movie', and '#32015 Award' there.

April 7th 2014

The last day, we went to Pandawa Beach. But, on the way there, we had an accident. Our bus crashed with a motorbike. Then, we stopped the bus in gas station and joined with another bus to get there. Pandawa Beach is a new beach that previously blocked by hills. There we had tug of war game. We won the game again and got some money for prize. After that, we headed to Krisna. Krisna is a famous shopping store in Bali. I bought a 'barong' shirt and went back to the bus. Some of my friends want to go to Kuta Beach, but we must ride an elf to get there. So we ride an elf to Kuta Beach. At Kuta, we taking a walk at Legian Street. After an hour, we directly went to I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport. We departed with Air Asia plane at 5.30 pm and arrived in Bandung at 7.00 pm. It was a very amazing trip. There were many unforgettable moments in Bali.

Questions

READ: http://arsentt.blogspot.com/2014/04/movie-review.html

1. According to the text, what thing that connects the earth with another dimensional world?
A. Gate
B. Portal
C. Fissure
D. Hole
E. Pit

2. What are the creatures that come from the fissure?
A. Aliens
B. Kaijus
C. Dinosaurs
D. Zombies
E. Robots

3. Human developed a technology of controlling mechanical robots by some pilots. What is it?
A. Jabber
B. Jagged
C. Jagger
D. Jarger
E. Jaeger

4. Beckett Brothers are the pilots of the Jaeger named...
A. Crimson Typhoon
B. Chemo Alpha
C. Striker Eureka
D. Gypsy Danger
E. The Shatterdome

5. Who is the head of the Jaeger Program?
A. Dr.Geiszler
B. Mako Mori
C. Stacker Pentecost
D. Dr.Gottlieb
E. Raleigh Beckett

6. The Shatterdome is located in...
A. Russia
B. China
C. Australia
D. Hong Kong
E. Pacific Ocean

7. The pilots of "Chemo Alpha" were coming from...
A. England
B. Russia
C. Germany
D. China
E. USA

8. How much the pilots that control Jaeger named "Crimson Typhoon"?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
E. Five

9. Yancy Beckett died in a battle with Kaiju. Who is the new partner of Raleigh Beckett?
A. Stacker Pentecost
B. Dr.Gottlieb
C. Dr.Geiszler
D. Hannibal Chau
E. Mako Mori

10. There was a Jaeger that explodes inside the rift and destroyed the fissure once and for all. What is that Jaeger?
A. Shatterdome
B. Striker Eureka
C. Gypsy Danger
D. Chemo Alpha
E. Crimson Typhoon

Motivational Story for Life

A teacher was dying, but still was cheerful and kind. Students were gathering around his deathbed. "Ask. While I’m still here, I can help you somehow."
And he was showered with questions. The teacher listened to them and started crying.
"You ruined my feast, dear ones! Now, I see that I was a bad mentor. Fine, I will try to fix it in the last minutes of my life."
And he said the following:
"Every morning I would wake up with a smile on my face. I would meet the day, as though it was the first and the last day of my life and I would accept everything it offered me with gratitude. I was happy for every meeting with you, as though it was the first and the last meeting, and every time you would open to me as a new world. I would pray as though it was my first and last prayer that God will hear from me, it was necessary not to forget anything or anyone. I would work with pleasure and to exhaustion, as though I would never have to work again. I would look with a smile of admiration at every creation of God, as though I saw them the first and the last time. I always lived for that one day: I had to live it right, as though it was the only day of my life. I longed for the meeting with the Creator so much that I did everything so I would be worthy of meeting Him. Looking back at my way, I look for mistakes, but I can’t find them.
Now, it’s your turn to look."

Movie Review: Pacific Rim

The film begins in 2013. Deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, a fissure opens up, that leads to another dimension. Through the fissure, a giant monster appears, and destroys portions of San Francisco. After many days and countless lives, the creature is defeated by human military forces.

However, what seemed to be an isolated attack builds, as more creatures begin to come through the fissure, attacking coastal cities around the Pacific. The World unites to stop the invaders, and build The Jaeger Program: a series of giant mechanical 'monsters,' intended to stop the creatures.

Original tests to have one pilot per Jaeger prove unsuccessful, as the test subjects were not able to handle the stress and strain of controlling such a huge robot by themselves. It was then decided that each Jaeger would be piloted by two pilots, their memories linked together in The Drift, synchronizing their movements to maneuver the massive machines.

As the Jaegers go to work, they begin to turn the tides, and take down the creatures (known as Kaiju). Pretty soon, the world is enthralled by the Jaegers and their pilots. They become celebrities, and even have merchandise made. As well, the dead Kaiju are soon seen as a black-market commodity, their parts sold off for various collections and medicinal purposes. But just as the war seems to be turning in humanity's favor, the Kaiju's attacks become more frequent and more brutal.

In 2020, seven years after the fissure opened, one of the more famous Jaeger duos, Raleigh Beckett (Charlie Hunnam), and his older brother, Yancy (Diego Klattenhoff) have become heroes with an impeccable record of defeating Kaijus. Pilots of the Jaeger named "Gipsy Danger," they are sent off to stop a category 3 Kaiju heading towards Anchorage. The beast is larger and more powerful than previous category 3s and will be a challenge for the team. Though the information on their monitors shows a fishing boat in the path of the attack, the Becketts are told their priority is to protect Anchorage.

Even so, they disobey orders, and still save the fishing boat, but end up being brutally attacked by the Kaiju, which rips off the Gipsy Danger's left arm, and tears away a chunk of the vehicle's helmet, sending Yancy to his death. Raleigh is devastated by his brother's death, and barely manages to pilot Gipsy Danger on his own and finishes the battle. Raleigh later pilots the Jaeger to a remote beach where he's found exhausted and emotionally devastated from his brother's death.

After the attack, Raleigh leaves the Jaeger Program, and goes to find work wherever he can. Five years later, he finds work along the Western coast of the United States as a construction worker, helping build a giant wall that is meant to keep the Kaiju out.

In the 5 years since Raleigh was with the Jaeger program, numerous countries have called for the program to be terminated due to spiraling casualties of Jaeger pilots in the increased Kaiju attacks. Many assume that building the walls will make them safe, but the head of the program named Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba), claims that the world's leaders are making a terrible mistake. Even though Pentecost claims the program is still viable, it is relocated to Hong Kong and given 8 months of funding before the program will be permanently retired.

Working on the wall near Sitka, Alaska, Raleigh sees television reports that a Kaiju has broken through the one surrounding Sydney Harbor in Australia. Luckily, a Jaeger named Striker Eureka is able to take it down. After seeing the news report, Raleigh is surprised when a helicopter lands near his building area, with Pentecost requesting he come along. Raleigh is reluctant to join the Jaeger program again, however, Pentecost convinces him that he belongs in the pilot's seat.

Raleigh is then flown to the Hong Kong Base (known as 'The Shatterdome'), where he meets Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi). Mako tells Raleigh that she has studied his moves during his years in action, and how to be a Jaeger pilot, Raleigh notes she seems apprehensive. Pentecost also introduces Raleigh to two scientists under their command. One of them, Dr Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day), is an obsessive 'Kaiju Fanboy,' who studies the creatures through salvaged organs and other parts. The other is Dr.Gottlieb (Burn Gorman), who is a more 'practical' man, and is using his mathematical skills to try and pinpoint the frequency of creatures coming through the ocean rift.

Within the Shatterdome, the last remaining Jaegers and their crews have been assembled: The 3-pilot Crimson Typhoon (from China), Chemo Alpha (from Russia), Striker Eureka (fresh from its stint in Australia), and (to Raleigh's surprise) Gypsy Danger. However, since her encounter 5 years ago, she has been rebuilt and retrofitted for more extreme combat.

Raleigh questions Pentecost on just what their plan is. Pentecost explains that are formulating a plan to drop a nuclear weapon into the channel between dimensions. If it works, the channel will be destroyed, stopping any further Kaiju from coming through. Though the plan of attacking the channel has failed in the past, the program's leaders are confident they will be successful this time if all the remaining Jaegers attack simultaneously.

Pentecost soon after meets again with Geiszler and Gottlieb. Gottlieb predicts that mathematically, the number of Kaiju coming up through the rift is increasing. Geiszler meanwhile, wonders if they can learn more about the Kaiju, if they are able to 'drift' with its brain. Having a portion of one, he is eager to test his theory, but is denied by Pentecost.

Without his brother, Raleigh is tasked with helping to find a replacement. However, during a training and reflex exercise, Raleigh is a little incensed when Mako keeps calling him out regarding the number of moves to take down his opponent. Inquiring why she is being so vocal, she responds that he could have taken down his opponents with a shorter amount of moves. After winning approval from Pentecost, Raleigh spars with her, and is amazed at her prowess. He proclaims that she should help him co-pilot Gypsy Danger, but Pentecost refuses.

Eventually, another pilot is chosen for Raleigh, but at the last minute, Mako is given permission. A test-run of Gypsy Danger within the Shatterdome appears to be going well, until during the Drift session, Mako gets locked into a tragic memory, and almost sets off the Jaeger's plasma cannon within the dome.

Following the incident, Raleigh understands more about Mako and Pentecost. When Mako was a child, she lost her family to a Kaiju attack in Tokyo, Japan. Just when it seemed the creature was going to kill her, a Jaeger was deployed that stopped it. The pilot of the Jaeger was Pentecost himself who is revealed to be able to pilot a Jaeger by himself. Even with her becoming unfocused in the drift, Raleigh still wants Mako as his partner, but is again rebuffed by Pentecost.

Meanwhile, Dr Geiszler has hooked up a crude connection machine, and hooks into the Kaiju brain in his lab. After Gottlieb shuts it down, Geiszler reports to Pentecost and his men that the link allowed him a glimpse into the other side of the portal. Geiszler had theorized that based on some Kaiju samples, that what they were seeing coming through were cloned creatures, and his drift vision appears to corroborate the theory. Unfortunately, the Kaiju brain has been damaged, and Geiszler needs a fresher brain in order to learn more. Pentecost gives him a small card, and sends him to Hong Kong to look for a man named Hannibal Chau.

Geiszler heads to Hong Kong where he finds Chau, who is actually an American going under an alias. Chau is a dealer in Kaiju remains, collecting them from battle sites and dealing them on the black market. Geiszler is sufficiently impressed with Chau's secret room containing live specimens that could be useful in his theory. Geiszler bats around Chau's arrogance and questioning demeanor, until he mentions how he drifted with a Kaiju brain, leading Chau to question that if he connected to the other side, what's to say those on the other side don't know what he now knows?

Shortly after their discussion, two Category 4 Kaijus surface near Hong Kong. Pentecost sends out the Crimson Typhoon and the Chemo Alpha to fight the creatures, with Striker Eureka as backup to protect the City's coastline. Just as discussion had seemed to point to the Kaiju becoming more dangerous, the two that have emerged come with extra accoutrements. One contains a pouch containing acid that melts away Chemo Alpha's armor before they are eventually destroyed. Crimson Typhoon's crew take her into the fight, but she is soon overwhelmed by the two.

The father/son team piloting Striker Eureka abandon their orders to protect Hong Kong, and go at the creatures. However, the other Kaiju lets loose an EMP burst that disables Striker Eureka, and the equipment in the Shatterdome. With 2 hours until the system can be rebooted, Striker Eureka is dead in the water until Raleigh gives a solution: though the newer models of Jaeger are digital, the Gypsy Danger is analog and thus more resistant to EMP attacks.

Pentecost sends out Raleigh and Mako, who end up destroying the EMP-bursting Kaiju after a protracted battle, but the other one ends up heading into Hong Kong. While Chau and his associates have fled to their bunker, Dr Geiszler has been pushed out into the streets, and into a fallout shelter. However, when it sounds like the creature has settled directly over them, he begins to panic that Chau may have been right, and that it may be looking for him. As if to answer that the ceiling caves in, and the Kaiju attempts to reach him.

Just then Gypsy Danger appears and distracts the Kaiju. The battle goes through many buildings, but takes a turn when the creature suddenly sprouts wings and begins to carry the Jaeger into Earth's upper atmosphere. Utilizing the Jaeger's chain-sword, they manage to destroy it before plummeting back to Earth, barely regaining control of the Jaeger as a team to make a safe landing.

Raleigh and Mako return to the Shatterdome to cheers as the pilots of the Striker Eureka also voice their thanks and appreciation. During the jubilation, Raleigh notes Pentecost bleeding slightly from both nostrils. In private, Pentecost explains how, in the earlier days of the Jaeger program, shielding from nuclear contaminants had not been considered and that his condition has been worsening over time.

Meanwhile, Geiszler has returned to Chau and demands claim over the dead Kaiju's brain. Chau's men attempt to get to it, but find that the Kaiju is actually pregnant. Just then, an infant Kaiju breaks through a slit in the side of its Mother, and attempts to escape before falling down, seemingly choking on it's own umbilical cord. As Chau gloats over the dead infant Kaiju, claiming he'd known it couldn't survive very long outside it's mother, the creature rears up and swallows him whole, finally dying in the street.

Dr.Gottlieb soon shows up in Hong Kong with Geiszler's machine, and though the first attempt almost killed him, Gottlieb volunteers to drift with the other scientist, to cooperate in learning more through the infant Kaiju's brain. Plans are soon made to set up the Gypsy Danger and Striker Eureka to deliver the warhead to the undersea rift, but due to the father in Striker Eureka's team having sustained an injury to his arm, a replacement must be found. Pentecost surprises everyone when he takes the role. However, the strain of piloting a Jaeger could prove fatal to Pentecost, but he volunteers anyway.

As the two Jaegers near the rift, Geiszler and Gottlieb rush into the Shatterdome's control room, and explain that the plan will not work. The channel between dimensions will only allow in a Kaiju, the very reason for the previous failures to destroy the channel with other nuclear weapons: if they attempt to drop the warhead into the channel, it'll just deflect out. The two Jaegers battle two Kaiju guarding the rift as a third Kaiju, a Category 5, larger more powerful than the previous creatures, emerges from the rift.

Gypsy Danger and Striker Eureka sustain heavy damage in the battle. Striker Eureka detonates its nuclear core to take out the defending Kaiju and give Gypsy Danger a chance to enter the rift. Gypsy Danger drags a dead Kaiju into the rift, bypassing the code that would reject any non-Kaiju. Inside the Kaiju world, Raleigh ejects Mako in a life pod and manually initiates the detonation of the nuclear core. As Gypsy Danger enters the other dimension, Raleigh ejects in his own pod before Gypsy Danger explodes and collapses the rift, ending the Kaiju threat once and for all. On the surface of the Pacific Ocean, both pods reach the surface. For a brief period it seems that Raleigh may be dead but he awakens, much to Mako's joy.

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/synopsis?ref_=tt_stry_pl

Script

Sherlock Holmes and The Mystery of The Aquilla Diamond

By: Sid River

Background:

Written in the style of a “Round the Horn” or “Goon Show” radio script, this has worked really well in a number of end of year reviews. It contains a few old jokes but it still makes me laugh ten years on! If the actors have good timing and can “over-act” it helps.

Parts Description

Sherlock Holmes: Traditional Homes character, intelligent, superior, arrogant and self-confident and always engrossed in the detective work.

Doctor Watson: A bumbling, upper-class fool. Idolises Holmes but just doesn’t understand him. Amazed at everything that Holmes does. Good with a revolver and a stethoscope.

Lady Aquilla (pronounced “a killer”): Acts incredibly posh and self-important. Thinks that she’s the most

glamorous thing since sliced bread.

Gertrude L’Escargo/Cook: An outrageously OTT French accent masks a supreme criminal and “mistress of disguise”. A difficult opponent for Holmes. Plays the cook with warts, a bad back and a West Country accent straight out of a Dickens novel.

Crumpton (the butler): Dead – that’s all!

Narrator: Straight from “Round the Horn”. Can stand on the edge of the stage for dramatic effect.

Voice: Voice of the play’s director offstage. Easily frustrated.

Notes

Some haunting violin music sets the scene well. A few props might be needed.

Sherlock Holmes and The Mystery of The Aquilla Diamond

Narrator: The story begins inside 221B Baker St. Holmes and Watson are sitting by the fire playing chess. There is a knock at the door.

Holmes: Get that would you, Watson.

Watson: Certainly Holmes. (goes to the door, opens it, in bursts a woman in very expensive riding gear, boots and a riding hat perched on top of a large nest-like hairdo.) Goodness me!

Lady Aquilla: Mr..Holmes! (addressing Watson) I need to speak with you immediately! It is of the utmost importance!

Watson: Well, I never.... Goodness me!

Holmes: (coolly, without turning round) And Mr.Sherlock Holmes will speak to you when he decides that he is good and ready!

Lady Aquilla: And who might you be, Sir?

Holmes: (getting up and turning round) I, Madame, might be Mr Sherlock Holmes. In fact, I definitely was the last time I looked! And you, you are Lady Henrietta Aquilla of Porkington. You have rushed here, directly from riding in the hunt to ask me to recover the famous Aquilla Diamond which was, two days ago, stolen from your country house!

Watson: Goodness me! Jolly good show Holmes!

Lady Aquilla: (astonished) How on earth did you know all that Mr.Holmes? I haven’t breathed a word to anyone!

Watson: It’s just a talent that he has. But I'd like to know anyway.

Holmes: Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary. First, the knock on the door. Too loud for a hand, but not for the ornate silver riding crop that her Ladyship is holding. As for coming straight from the hunt, well, leather riding boots, fresh mud, and the unmistakable smell of horse manure, simple really.

Lady Aquilla: But my name! And about the diamond!

Holmes: Quite straight forward! You have a ridiculously expensive hairdo covered by an extremely sad hat, and your picture is in tonight’s paper under the headline “Famous Aquilla diamond stolen from Lady Aquilla”. It is this that has brought you in such a fervour and so quickly to 221B Baker St!

Watson: Marvellous! I told you he was a smarty pants! Good show Holmes!

Lady Aquilla: Yes, Yes! Very clever! But can you help me?

Holmes: Lady Aquilla, I would only be too pleased to help you. Let us make our way directly to the scene of the crime! Come Watson, the game is afoot!

Watson: I thought the game was chess Holmes?

Holmes: (sighs and sounds impatient) Watson, just call me a cab.

Watson: Righty-ho. You’re a cab Holmes.

Holmes: Doh! You just can’t get the staff nowadays!

All three exit.

Narrator: As night falls over old London town, (loud bang and scream off stage) our gallant detective and his trusty sidekick gallop their way through the steaming metropolis. Eventually, they arrive at Lady Aquilla’s country mansion tired, travel sore and weary of the endless games of I-spy with my magnified eye. Losing no time they make directly for the scene of the crime, Lady Aquilla's study.

Lady Aquilla: This is where the diamond was kept Holmes, in this glass display cabinet.

Watson: Goodness me, it’s been smashed Holmes!

Holmes: (mockingly) Well done Watson, very astute. How on earth did you work that out with all this broken glass in the way!

Watson: (extremely pleased with himself) Well, just a good guess really!

Holmes: Lady Aquilla, when was the theft discovered?

Lady Aquilla: At about 4:00 PM, two days ago. The maid Florence noticed it when she came to polish the silver.

Holmes: And someone, in the meantime, had polished off the diamond!

Watson: (laughs) Oh, very good Holmes, very good.

Lady Aquilla: This is a very serious matter Dr Watson. Why that diamond has been handed down from generation to generation of Aquilla's It was only the other day that I was saying....

Holmes: (Holmes walks to the front of the stage) Over here Watson! What do you make of this? (points to something on the floor)

Watson: (excitedly) Why, it’s a carpet Holmes!

Holmes: No idiot! On the carpet.

Watson: Goodness me! It’s a footprint in the shape of a boot!

Holmes: Yes! And a strange yellow footprint at that. Notice that it is quite small and more pointed at the front and, if I'm not mistaken, has been repaired at least 3 times in the last year. (leans down and sniffs the footprint) Hmmm.

Watson: What is it Holmes, another clue?

Holmes: Can you smell anything Watson? Apart from Lady Aquilla's boots that is?

Watson: Why, yes! What on Earth is it?

Holmes: Garlic Watson! The overpowering smell of fresh garlic! (turns to Lady Aquilla) I would like to speak to the maid if you please.

Lady Aquilla: Certainly. I’ll send for her at once.

A loud scream is heard off-stage, all gasp and rush off.

Narrator: With capes flying our dashing duo head off in search of the crime scene, speeding through the underground passages of Gotham City in the fearsome Batmobile and wearing only dark blue underpants and....

Director’s voice: (Interrupting loudly or via a microphone off-stage) Err . . . Excuse me! That’s not right!

Narrator: What?

Director’s voice: That’s the wrong script, that’s Batman!

Narrator: (confused) Are we not doing Batman?

Director’s voice: (impatiently) Err . . No. That’s next week. This is Sherlock Holmes!

Narrator: Oh! Gosh! Sorry! I’ll try again. Sorry.

Director’s voice: OK! OK! Off you go!

Narrator What? Am I fired? You want me to go?

Director’s voice: (irritated) Nooo! Just read the script!

Narrator: Oh, Riiiight! (pause to re-establish dramatic voice) Our brave detectives head off in the direction of the scream. They arrive panting at the library to find the body of Crumpton, the butler, lying dead on the floor with a large kitchen knife sticking out from the back! (whispers to voice offstage) Was that alright?

Director’s voice: Yes! Shut up!

Holmes rushes over and examines the body. He pulls out the bloody knife and holds it up for all to see.

Watson: (urgently) Is he dead Holmes?

Holmes: (sarcastically) I’d say that was a fairly safe bet Watson. Hmm! An interesting weapon.

Watson: Well Holmes, at least we know one thing.

Holmes: What’s that Watson?

Watson: (smugly) The butler didn’t do it!

Holmes: I’m not so sure Watson. Lady Aquilla, all this criminal activity is making me quite hungry. Is there any chance that you could lay on a Roast turkey dinner for us?

Lady Aquilla: Now? But shouldn’t we call the police or something?

Holmes: Just trust me on this one Madam, just trust me.

All exit stage left and reappear stage right.

Narrator: Just one hour later the great detective and the faithful Watson are seated around a candle-lit table with Lady Aquilla. With no butler, and the maid in shock, the cook herself has had to lay the table and serve the dinner, as well as cook it.

Lady Aquilla: I must apologise gentlemen for the very sparse service. The only member of staff that we have left is the cook and I'm afraid that she is best left in the kitchen!

Holmes: Don’t you worry Lady Aquilla. Watson here is an Ex Indian Army man, he won’t mind roughing it for Sunday dinner. Besides, I am most interested to meet Cookie. Ah, here is the good lady herself!

Cook enter, hobbling with bent back and carrying a large covered roast dish.

Cook: (sounding old and servile) I’m so sorry hit’s a bit late your Ladyship, but has we’re so short staffed down below, I've ‘ad to do everything myself, an' when you get to my age madam you don’t want to be running round a field after a distraught Turkey with a large chopper!

Watson: (jumping up in amazement) You mean the turkey was armed!

Holmes: Sit down, Watson! Shall we begin? Allow me to reveal this evenings savoury delights!

Holmes whips the top off the meat dish to reveal a decimated carcass.

Lady Aquilla: (gasps and stands) Cookie, what on earth happened to the turkey! It looks like it’s been savaged by wild wombats!

Cook: (looking distressed) I. . . don’t know what you mean madam? I. . . Is there something wrong?

Lady Aquilla: (sounding hysterical) Something wrong! We can’t serve that to guests! It looks like it’s been carved with a wood axe! Take it away this instant!

Cook: Yes, Madam, I’ll remove it directly!

Holmes: (Leaping up and placing his hand on the meat dish as cookie tries to remove it) Not so fast Cookie! Watson, stand by the door if you please. Perhaps Lady Aquilla, I can shed some light on the matter.

Watson: I wish you would Holmes, it’s rather dark in here!

Holmes: (Ignoring Watson) Now, Cookie. Could you please tell us all just what exactly, did you use to carve the joint?

Cook: (nervously) Why, a carvin’ knife o’course!

Holmes: Would it be a carving knife similar to. . . THIS ONE . . . perchance!

Holmes whips out knife and bangs it on the table.

Cook: (getting agitated) I . . . I . . . suppose so, yes!

Holmes: (pointing his finger upwards as though a solicitor in court) Impossible! Because this was the very knife used to stab Crumpton, the butler!

Cook: It . . . It must have been another one, I was mistaken!

Holmes: (Still gesturing) Impossible again! Just before dinner your Ladyship, I took the liberty of checking the kitchen for another carving knife, and I found NONE! What do you say to that Cookie! (Holmes walks up to Cook) Or should I say (pulls off her hat and wig) MADAME GERTRUDE L’ESCAGO. Otherwise known . . . as ‘Garlic Gertie’ of Burgundy!

Garlic Gertie: (French accent) Oh no! I am undone! You’ll never take me alive!

Watson: Goodness me Holmes!

Holmes: Watson, your service revolver!

Gertie runs towards Watson. He draws his gun and points it directly at her nose. Gertie stops and puts up her hands. Watson forces her backwards at gunpoint.

Garlic Gertie: Ok! Ok! Take me alive! I surrender!

She is led to chair and Watson ties her hands behind.

Lady Aquilla: Goodness me, Mr.Holmes, this is just too much to believe. Are you saying that Cookie here is responsible for the murder of Crumpton and the theft of the diamond?

Holmes: I certainly am, Madam.

Lady Aquilla: But how on earth did you see through it all?

Holmes: Elementary, Your Ladyship. You see, the “modus operandi” of Garlic Gertie is known across the whole of Europe! I recognized it and was on to her from the very beginning. The smashed display cabinet; a cook who cannot carve a Sunday joint and who leaves footprints made by spilled custard powder; and of course, that tell tale smell of fresh garlic! It all added up to only one thing, Gertrude L'Escago! A fiendishly clever plot though!

Cook: Yes, and if it hadn’t been for you meddling kids. I'd have gotten away with it!

Watson: All that remains then Holmes, is for her to tell us where she hid the diamond.

Holmes: Ah, Watson, sadly that is the one thing that she cannot tell us. For up until now only one person knew the hiding place of the Aquilla diamond and he, unfortunately, lies dead in the library.

Watson: Crumpton! The butler did do it after all!

Lady Aquilla: Surely you must be wrong!

Holmes: I’m not wrong, and please don’t call me Shirley! Crumpton had the misfortune to see Gertie take the diamond in the first place and thought that he could have it for himself. He stole it from her, hid it quickly but then paid the price when he would not give up the hiding place.

Holmes walks to the sideboard to pour everyone a drink. As he picks up the cut glass decanter, he pauses, and slowly holds up the top of the decanter (which is in fact the missing diamond) to the light.

Lady Aquilla: So what your saying Mr.Holmes is that we are still no further on than when we started!

Watson: She’s right Holmes, you can’t deny her that!

Holmes: There is only one thing Watson, that I cannot deny Lady Aquilla, and that . . . is a celebratory drink.

Lady Aquilla: But Mr.Holmes, what could there possibly be to celebrate?

Holmes: Only two things, Your Ladyship. Firstly, that the great Sherlock Holmes has once again successfully resolved a baffling case and, secondly . . . (Holmes holds up the decanter stopper and slowly hands it to Lady Aquilla as he speaks) . . . the recovery of the .... beautiful ... Aquilla ... DIAMOND!

Lady Aqilla gasps and hold the diamond up to the sudience with a frozen look of amazement.

Watson: By Jove Holmes, how ever do you do it?

Holmes: Ah, Elementary my dear Watson, Elementary!

Whole cast freeze whilst ending music (Crossroads theme works really well and is funny) plays then audience erupts into applause!

END

GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES

Gerunds:
1. The sun shining bright today.
2. She enjoys reading a novel.
3. Gary dislikes working in front of computer all day.
4. The models practiced walking with some books on their heads.
5. My sister recommended eating in a seafood restaurant.
6. This broken bicycle needs some fixing.
7. The child denied stealing a piece of candy.
8. My brother would never consider buying another motorcycle.
9. They discussed moving to the city to find a job.
10. Nina imagined lying on a beach under a palm tree.

Infinitives:
1. His dream is to play for Arsenal FC.
2. My mother asks me to do my homework.
3. Don't forget to cut your hair today!
4. My teacher told me to study harder.
5. He taught my sister to swim.
6. We need something to eat.
7. He asked to talk to the store manager.
8. Where did you learn to speak English?
9. Tom plans to study abroad next year.
10. Frank offered to help us paint the house.

NATURAL PHENOMENON: BLIZZARD

Blizzard is a severe snowstorm caused by strong sustained winds causing blowing snow that results in low visibility. The difference between a blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind, not the amount of snow. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have sustained winds or frequent gusts that are greater than or equal to 56 km/h (35 mph) with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 m or 0.25 mi or less and must last for a prolonged period of time – typically three hours or more.

While severe cold and large amounts of drifting snow may accompany blizzards, they are not required. Blizzards can bring whiteout conditions, and can paralyze regions for days at a time, particularly where snowfall is unusual or rare.

A severe blizzard has winds over 72 km/h (45 mph), near zero visibility, and temperatures of −12 °C (10 °F) or lower. In Antarctica, blizzards are associated with winds spilling over the edge of the ice plateau at an average velocity of 160 km/h (99 mph).

Ground blizzard refers to a weather condition where loose snow or ice on the ground is lifted and blown by strong winds. The primary difference between a ground blizzard as opposed to a regular blizzard is that in a ground blizzard no precipitation is produced at the time, but rather all the precipitation is already present in the form of snow or ice at the surface.

Australia Bureau of Meteorology describes a blizzard as 'violent and very cold wind which is loaded with snow, at least which has been raised from snow-covered ground'. Blizzard conditions of cold temperatures and strong winds can cause wind chill values that can result in hypothermia or frostbite. The wind chill factor is the amount of cooling the human body feels due to the combination of wind and temperature.

My Holiday

Last holiday, I went to my junior high school friend's house. It is located in Cimahi. I went there on December 31st, 2013, because I want to spend my time there to celebrate the new year. I felt very excited when I realized that the new year is coming. I was hoping that 2014 will be the year which I can be a better person, both in physical and spiritual. Also, I was hoping that many good things will happen this year.

The night before, I had prepared all of things that I have to brought to my friend's house. I have prepared some snacks, such as crackers, biscuits, and soft drinks. Also, I brought some great movies to watch at night. I brought some clothes and toiletries so it would be easy to take a bath there. After everything I need were packed, I went to my friend's house.

We decided to met at a restaurant. We were having lunch there, and shared some stories about our own schools. I felt happy because after long time, we can met and gathered together like the old days, when we were still at junior high schools. All of us missed that moments. Therefore, we would not waste this quality time.

After lunch, we were going to bought some fireworks for night. We stopped on the side of the road, and went to a shop that sold some fireworks. We bought many kind of fireworks there. Then, we decided to went to a supermarket because we want to bought more snacks to eat while watching some movies. After we thought the snacks were enough, we went to my friend's house.

It was almost 7 P.M. when we arrived at my friend's house. We have a prayer then prepared all of the snacks and movies. We watched some movies until it was 11 P.M. So, we went outside of my friend's house and having a fireworks party. It was a great view at the sky, when we light some fireworks plus some hits from other people fireworks.

Nobody saws that the clock shows it was 00:00 in January 1st, 2014. I can heard many voices from around me shouting "Happy New Year!", including my friends. People lighted the fireworks much more, grew louder from faraway places and filled the sky. Sounds from trumpets around my friend's house shouting like they were welcoming the new year. That were some great and unforgettable moments from my holiday.

LEADER OF STUDENT COUNCIL

Sometimes, maybe you hear your friends talking about Student Council in school. Do you know what Student Council is? It is an organization which role is to organize and hold various activities in the school. Student Council can also accommodate the aspirations from students. Student Council plays an important role to connect students with teachers. Without Student Council, it is hard to transmit the advice, opinions, comments, or even criticisms from students to teachers.

Student Council has to be an organizations that works best for serving and transmitting students aspirations. This can be happen if Student Council has a great leader, a hardworking person, a responsible person. Let me introduce myself before. My name is Arsent Medyna Ramsya. Now, I'm studying in XI Science 4, SMAN 3 Bandung. I want to offer myself as a candidate for the Student Council leader.

I have some abilities which can be some advantages for leading Student Council. I'm a responsible person. I'm also a good listener, I will hear all of students aspirations. I'm just going to sort out these aspirations, and draw a conclusion so it will be easy to tell them to teachers. I'm a hardworking person too. I will do my best to help all that students need, such as school events.

I have an vision and some missions if I can become the leader of Student Council. My vision is to make Student Council as a good organization that can help students to improve their abilities, creativity, and their achievements. My missions are:

1. Create a good atmosphere between students and teachers.
2. Make the Student Council as a container of aspirations from students.
3. Hold some social events which are beneficial, whether it is inside or outside our school

"A great leader is not a person which have good abilities, knowledge, and leadership skills. They are nothing if they can't be a good listener."

IF CONDITIONAL

1. If I have one billion rupiahs, I will buy a notebook.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would buy a notebook.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would have bought a notebook.

2. I will be happy if I play football with my friends.

    I would be happy if I played football with my friends.

    I would have been happy if I had played football with my friends.

3. If I have one billion rupiahs, I will travel to France.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would travel to France.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would have traveled to France.

    

4. I will be happy if I watch Arsenal's football match.

    I would be happy if I watched Arsenal's football match.

    I would have been happy if I had watched Arsenal's  football match.

5. If I have one billion rupiahs, I will build a mosque.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would build a mosque.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would have built a mosque.

6. I will be happy if I have a lot of money.

    I would be happy if I had a lot of money.

    I would have been happy if I had a lot of money.

7. If I have one billion rupiahs, I will donate some to the orphans.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would donate some to the orphans.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would have donated some to the orphans.

8. I will be happy if I spend my holiday in England.

    I would be happy if I spent my holiday in England.

    I would have been happy if I had spent my holiday in England.

9. If I have one billion rupiahs, I will save some at the bank.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would save some at the bank.

    If I had one billion rupiahs, I would have saved some at the bank.

    

10. I will be happy if I meet Thierry Henry.

      I would be happy if I met Thierry Henry.

      I would have been happy if I had met Thierry Henry.

Analytical Exposition from Debate

In Pursuance to Anti-Porn Law, The Government Introduced Public Dress Code

As we know, Indonesia is a developing country, with a dense population. A large number of people live there. Also, there are many cultures found in Indonesia, especially in clothing. Many types of clothes worn in Indonesia. In addition to the result of diverse cultures, various types of clothes worn by people in Indonesia also caused by globalization. People always obtain informations about modern clothes from all over the world, so they want to wear them too.

There is positive impact from this case, such as for clothes designer. They can develop their clothes design, so it won't be an ancient clothing style. But, the negative impacts are worse. Indonesia known as a polite country, especially in clothing. This is very different from modern clothes style. Some of these clothes often showing the parts of our body, such as thin and transparent dress. So, I think the government need to apply the public dress code.

Public dress code can reduce the sexual harassment level. Nowadays, we know that the number of sexual harassment happened in Indonesia are increasing everyday, because of the way we wear our clothes. If government introduced public dress code, it can prevent the occurrence of sexual harassment among the public. Women in Indonesia will have awareness in wearing clothes, so it will reduce the number of crime.

Public dress code can also improve civility. People from all over the world will know us by the politeness in dressing. I think if the goverment applied public dress code, Indonesia will become a famous country that upholds the decency in dressing. They will give us a sense of sympathy. So, this is a right policy which should be applied by the government.

Announcement + Questions

Arsenal Soccer School Recruitment

Arsenal Football Club is one of the leading forces in European football and, with 13 league titles and 10 FA Cup crowns, one of the most decorated in England. Under Arsene Wenger coaching, The Gunners have enjoyed the most successful spell in their 126 year history. Seven major honours, an unbeaten league season in 2003/04 and 15 consecutive seasons in the Champions League have marked Arsenal out as a team that is consistently at the top of its game. More than anything else though, Arsenal have stood out for the way in which they have played the game under Wenger, with the Frenchman championing a highly technical, passing brand of football. The manager’s philosophy has filtered right through the Club, to the Arsenal Ladies – England’s most successful women’s team, the youth academy and Arsenal Soccer School – the Gunners’ grassroots youth football programme. Arsenal Soccer School have been running programmes since 1985.


Arsenal Soccer Schools Philosophy

A – Attitude
To progress to your full potential as a football player it is vital to have the correct attitude both on and off the football pitch. You need to be as positive and dedicated as possible to fully master your skills and you need to be cool and composed when under pressure to keep control of the moment you’re in.

 R – Respect
Always respect your team mates, your opponent, your coach and the referee. In order to get the best out of your team it’s important to appreciate the efforts of those around you. If you fail to respect the opponent you underestimate their potential, which can make your own standards fall below your usual level. Football should be played in the spirit of fair play, encouragement and fun. Take advice from your coach to help your game improve and remember self-respect is key for your own development as a player and a person.

 S – Skills
At Arsenal we believe that skills and technique are essential to inspire creativity, flair, excitement and entertainment. Skills can help make football fun, help you improve as a player and help you beat your opponent. Be inventive with the turns and tricks you use to move the ball, use both feet and don’t forget to work on the basic skills such as control and passing.

E – Energy
You need to have lots of energy to get the most out of playing football. The longer you can maintain a high level of fitness for, the more this will benefit you in games. If you’re not as fit as you can be, it becomes difficult to play to your maximum level. Drink plenty of water, avoid junk food and be as active as you can in your day to day lives.

N – New thinking
Embrace your coach’s ideas and always think about different ways you can improve tactically and technically. Be creative with your thoughts and express them on the field whenever you can.

A – All for One
As much as you can work on your own development, football is a team game. The more you work with your team mates the better you will become as a player and a team. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from football is a game that can be played by everyone. Enjoy the feeling of belonging to a team and do all you can to help your team mates.

L – Learning
Learn how to play the Arsenal way. Football based around passing and movement, technique and skill. Incorporating the principles of fair play, teamwork, expression and fun!


Starting in the local Islington community, they have now expanded across the world, and give boys and girls of all ability levels the opportunity to learn to play football the Arsenal way wherever they are. Arsenal Soccer School is now giving a chance for boys and girls especially in Indonesia to learn some skillls and techniques, an art of playing football; for a free registration fee! Indonesia had a dense population, a great number of children who have some talents in playing football. Arsenal Soccer School offered a sensational offer for children who interested to train in London, give them a chance to play for Arsenal FC!

Participate in Arsenal Soccer School recruitment, which will be held at:
Place  :  Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta
Date   :  December 27th, 2013, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

What you should bring?

• Football kit or tracksuit
• Shin pads (must be worn)
• Football boots and training shoes
• Packed lunch (No nut-based food)
• Plenty to drink

What event will be held there?

Full day soccer skills coaching by qualified Arsenal Soccer School coaches featuring:

• Warm-ups and reaction games
• Technique training sessions (passing, dribbling, shooting, attacking, and defending)
• Fun games to practice techniques
• Some small-sided matches

What will you get?

Best 25 players will get a chance to train in London for one month long, with a free registration fee. If you want to continue the training for several months, another fees will be charged per months. But, if you are not selected, there will be special gifts from Arsenal Soccer School. Not only gift, but you also will get a official certificate for participating in Arsenal Soccer School Recruitment.

Come and join us! Don't miss the change to be a world-class football player!

Questions:

1. How much league titles Arsenal Football Club has ever had?
2. Who is the name of Arsenal Football Club coach?
3. How long Arsenal Soccer School have been running the training programmes?
4. Where is the first place Arsenal Soccer School held the training?
5. For whom Arsenal Soccer School giving a chance to learn some football skills?
6. Where the recruitment will be held?
7. When the recruitment will be held?
8. What should we bring when we want to participate the recruitment?
9. What is included in the technique training sessions?
10. How much player will get a chance to train in London?

What Makes Me Happy

What makes me happy:
1. Watching Arsenal's football match
2. Playing football with my friends
3. Playing FIFA and PES with my friends
4. I can meet Thierry Henry
5. I can spend my holiday in England and France
6. There's no criminality
7. The environment is clean and healthy
8. Hanging out with my friends
9. Have a lot of money
10. Have a good wife and good household in future

If I Have a Billion Rupiah

If I have a billion rupiah:
1. I will buy a new house
2. I will finance my parents' pilgrimage
3. I will save some of my money at the bank
4. I will buy a car
5. I will buy a new notebook
6. I will donate some of my money for the orphans
7. I will buy a ticket to watch Arsenal's football match
8. I will travel to England and France
9. I will build a mosque
10. I will save some of my money for tuition fee

The Last Lesson

By : Alphonse Daudet

I started for school very late that morning and was in great dread of a scolding, especially because M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles, and I did not know the first word about them. For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the open field back of the sawmill the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and hurried off to school.

When I passed the town hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin-board. For the last two years all our bad news had come from there—the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer—and I thought to myself, without stopping:

“What can be the matter now?”

Then, as I hurried by as fast as I could go, the blacksmith, Wachter, who was there, with his apprentice, reading the bulletin, called after me:

“Don’t go so fast, bub; you’ll get to your school in plenty of time!”

I thought he was making fun of me, and reached M. Hamel’s little garden all out of breath.

Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was. But nothing happened. M. Hamel saw me and said very kindly:

“Go to your place quickly, little Franz. We were beginning without you.”

I jumped over the bench and sat down at my desk. Not till then, when I had got a little over my fright, did I see that our teacher had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days. Besides, the whole school seemed so strange and solemn. But the thing that surprised me most was to see, on the back benches that were always empty, the village people sitting quietly like ourselves; old Hauser, with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster, and several others besides. Everybody looked sad; and Hauser had brought an old primer, thumbed at the edges, and he held it open on his knees with his great spectacles lying across the pages.

While I was wondering about it all, M. Hamel mounted his chair, and, in the same grave and gentle tone which he had used to me, said:

“My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.”

What a thunderclap these words were to me!

Oh, the wretches; that was what they had put up at the town-hall!

My last French lesson! Why, I hardly knew how to write! I should never learn any more! I must stop there, then! Oh, how sorry I was for not learning my lessons, for seeking birds’ eggs, or going sliding on the Saar! My books, that had seemed such a nuisance a while ago, so heavy to carry, my grammar, and my history of the saints, were old friends now that I couldn’t give up. And M. Hamel, too; the idea that he was going away, that I should never see him again, made me forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was.

Poor man! It was in honor of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and now I understood why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room. It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more. It was their way of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.

While I was thinking of all this, I heard my name called. It was my turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say that dreadful rule for the participle all through, very loud and clear, and without one mistake? But I got mixed up on the first words and stood there, holding on to my desk, my heart beating, and not daring to look up. I heard M. Hamel say to me:

“I won’t scold you, little Franz; you must feel bad enough. See how it is! Every day we have said to ourselves: ‘Bah! I’ve plenty of time. I’ll learn it to-morrow.’ And now you see where we’ve come out. Ah, that’s the great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till to-morrow. Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you: ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.

“Your parents were not anxious enough to have you learn. They preferred to put you to work on a farm or at the mills, so as to have a little more money. And I? I’ve been to blame also. Have I not often sent you to water my flowers instead of learning your lessons? And when I wanted to go fishing, did I not just give you a holiday?”

Then, from one thing to another, M. Hamel went on to talk of the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the world—the clearest, the most logical; that we must guard it among us and never forget it, because when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison. Then he opened a grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy! I think, too, that I had never listened so carefully, and that he had never explained everything with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give us all he knew before going away, and to put it all into our heads at one stroke.

After the grammar, we had a lesson in writing. That day M. Hamel had new copies for us, written in a beautiful round hand: France, Alsace, France, Alsace. They looked like little flags floating everywhere in the school-room, hung from the rod at the top of our desks. You ought to have seen how every one set to work, and how quiet it was! The only sound was the scratching of the pens over the paper. Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any attention to them, not even the littlest ones, who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks, as if that was French, too. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to myself:

“Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

Whenever I looked up from my writing I saw M. Hamel sitting motionless in his chair and gazing first at one thing, then at another, as if he wanted to fix in his mind just how everything looked in that little school-room. Fancy! For forty years he had been there in the same place, with his garden outside the window and his class in front of him, just like that. Only the desks and benches had been worn smooth; the walnut-trees in the garden were taller, and the hopvine that he had planted himself twined about the windows to the roof. How it must have broken his heart to leave it all, poor man; to hear his sister moving about in the room above, packing their trunks! For they must leave the country next day.

But he had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last. After the writing, we had a lesson in history, and then the babies chanted their ba, be, bi, bo, bu. Down there at the back of the room old Hauser had put on his spectacles and, holding his primer in both hands, spelled the letters with them. You could see that he, too, was crying; his voice trembled with emotion, and it was so funny to hear him that we all wanted to laugh and cry. Ah, how well I remember it, that last lesson!

All at once the church-clock struck twelve. Then the Angelus. At the same moment the trumpets of the Prussians, returning from drill, sounded under our windows. M. Hamel stood up, very pale, in his chair. I never saw him look so tall.

“My friends,” said he, “I—I—” But something choked him. He could not go on.

Then he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and, bearing on with all his might, he wrote as large as he could:

“Vive La France!”

Then he stopped and leaned his head against the wall, and, without a word, he made a gesture to us with his hand:

“School is dismissed—you may go.”

Source: http://www.world-english.org/stories.htm

Dolphins

Dolphins are marine mammals closely related to whales and porpoises. There are forty species. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genus. They vary in size from 1.2 m and 40 kg, up to 9.5 m and 10 tonnes. They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves. Dolphins are carnivores, eating mostly fish and squid. Dolphins breathe through a blowhole on top of their head.

Dolphins have a streamlined body, adapted for fast swimming. The tail fin, called the fluke, is used for propulsion, while the pectoral fins, together with the entire tail section, provide directional control. The dorsal fin, in those species that have one, provides stability while swimming. Dolphins frequently leap above the water surface, and sometimes perform acrobatic figures. Scientists are not certain about the purposes of the acrobatics.

The dolphin brain is large and highly complex, and is different in structure from most of land mammals. Most dolphins have acute eyesight, both in and out of the water. They have a small ear opening on each side of their head. They can hear frequencies ten times or more above the upper limit of adult human hearing. Hearing is also used for echolocation, which all dolphins have. The dolphin's sense of taste and touch are also well-developed. However, dolphins are believed to have no sense of smell. Dolphins are capable of making a broad range of sounds using nasal airsacs located just below the blowhole. Categories of sounds that can be identified: frequency modulated whistles, burst-pulsed sounds and clicks.

Generally, dolphins sleep with only one brain hemisphere in slow-wave sleep at a time, thus maintaining enough consciousness to breathe and to watch for possible predators and other threats. Earlier sleep stages can occur simultaneously in both hemispheres. In captivity, dolphins seemingly enter a fully asleep state where both eyes are closed and there is no response to mild external stimuli. In this case, respiration is automatic; a tail kick reflex keeps the blowhole above the water if necessary.

SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat)

My Strengths
I'm a friendly people. I can associate and will be kind to everyone as long as they are kind to me. I'm a caring person. I like to help my friends as long as I can do something that can help them. I'm a forgiving person too.

My Weaknesses
However, my weaknesses are far worse than my strength. I'm a selfish person, caring only for my business. I'm grumpy person too, I often get angry when someone doing a mistake that can bother me. Also, I'm a labile, lazy, careless, and impatient person. But, I promise I will try to be a better person.

My Opportunities
My environment, such as my parents, my teachers, my friends, and my school, can help me to be a success and better person in future.

My Threats
However, my threats are stronger than my opportunities. I like playing games. It can make me ignore my responsibilities, such as my tasks, homeworks, assignments, and many more. So, I will try to refrain, doing my responsibilities first rather than playing games.