Reflection on writing skills

                From now on, i have learned a few of the writing skills : annotating, summarizing, thesis-based writing and paragraphing. First of all, the annotating skill, i learned that i need to read the passage twice, and in the second time, i need to underline the important ideas that i may want to quote later. Therefore, i do not need to read the passage again and again. It is because i already know where is the most important ideas that i needed. Second, the summarizing skill, this helped me how to write a good summary for the readers to read and make them feel that i know what is the passage talking about. Third, the thesis-based writing,this is the specific argument that the rest of my essay will support or explain. I learned that this is really important for a good essay. It is because if i have a good thesis-statement, it not only can be a guide line to guide the readers to read my essay, but also help me to write more clearly. Lastly, the paragraphing, i learned that what should be included in a paragraph to make it become a successful paragraph.

               To prove that what i have learned, you can go to my blog to have a look the entry 6 "I know the truth". Honestly, I cannot say that i did very well, but i had already tried to use the writing skills to improve my writing.

               Actually, the material that we have covered is clear, but only one thing is i am still not sure that where is my position now. I mean i do not know what is my weakness and which part i need to work on. But i believe that after you tell me what i should do to improve my writing, i will feel more confident to pass the CATW.

               The last thing i want to tell you that is i feel you are a good professor :) and i really think that you can help me to pass the CATW. I will also try to do my best in this class and work harder to pass the test. It is because to pass the test is the most important thing that i need to do right now.

I know the truth

According to the passage "I know the truth", Jeffrey Kluger states that most of the people in the world just believe in what they think even they are not real. What is that means? It means that even there is the fact which is showed in front of the people to prove that they are wrong, they will still just ignore the fact and then will still thinking themselves are right. Jeffrey Kluger also uses the study "fewer than a third of people were willing to reverse their positions, regardless of the contradictory evidence they were given" to show that how people ego are. Furthermore, he points out that everyone has freedom to choose to believe the facts and changed their mind or not. However, the most important thing that we should know is "fact is the fact", at least we need to recognize that the fact is right even we do not change our mind.

        From the passage, I agree that "we may not always agree on what those facts mean, but at a minimum we need to agree that they mean more than fantasy". It is because fact has evidence to prove that it is right. Somehow truth is just fantasy and no one can prove that it is correct or not, but fact is real and it cannot be changed. First of all, some people always do not agree what the facts mean, they just believe themselves. However, there always have evidences to prove the meaning of the fact is correct.  For instance, the history of the 19th century, Japanese government never recognizes what they did to China people, but all of the facts had been recorded into the book, such as they raped the women, they robbed their property etc. Therefore, even the government always denies the fact, everyone knows what the fact is. 

           Moreover, everyone knows that fact cannot be changed and it is realistic in the world whatever is in the past, now or in the future, they still will not change their opinions. “Some of that may be simple ego – none of us like being told we’re wrong” which is from the passage has shown that no one likes to be denied and it is true. That is the reason why people already know they are wrong but they still stay strong in their positions. For example my sister, when I told her something that which was from the fact, she always said that I was wrong and she was the one who was correct.  

        In conclusion, it is true that we cannot change people mind even what they are thinking is unreal and nobody can prove that it is true or not, but “fact is the fact”. Therefore, we still need to agree that the fact is real and it is correct even we do not change the “truth” which comes from our mind.

1. Truth is not equal to the fact

2. I agree the statement "we may not always agree on what those facts mean, but a mimimum we need to agree that they mean more than fantasy".

3. fact is real ; truth is just fantasy sometimes
    fact has evidence
    fact cannot be changed

4. I know Jeffrey Kluger is right when states that "we may not always agree on what those facts mean, but a mimimum we need to agree that they mean more than fantasy" because facts have evidence to prove that they are correct, so they are realistic in the world. Somehow, truth is unreal and no one can prove that it is true or not. Therefore, we need to agree that facts are something that cannot be changed and at least we need to accept they are real.


- From thinking and discussing Significant Idea, Claim, Reasons, Thesis Statement, i learn how to use the claim to related to the passage's main idea and how to use my opinion to support the claim. Also, i know that thesis statement is impotant to an essay.

- From writing a Thesis Statement with my group, we can share the ideas that we have. I also learn that how to use the claim to support the idea.

- From writing a Thesis Statement on my own, i learn that if i need to have a good thesis statement, i must have some reasons to support my claim, Also, it is really not easy to have a good thesis statement, so i know that i still need to work on it.

- Organizing my writing around a thesis statement can make me become a better writer because this is a statement that to show how i understand the passage. Also, follow the thesis statement not only can be my guideline, but also help me to write my essay more easily.

My Place in the Cave

                According to the passage " The Allegory of the Cave", Plato states that everyone has different stages in their own life and which states are they in is depended on what is in their mind and what they have seen. Also, what they are thinking is one of the important reasons. Somehow, they may think wrongly and blindly, but do not forget the people who are around us can be a "light" to give us guidelines.  Moreover, Plato says that the postitive things in the world are always far more than the bad things, but at least you need to put your own effort to get the good one. Lastly, Plato also points out that if you want to have a postitive way in your future, do not let your eyes "full of darkness" whatever you are in your own life or in the society.

               Compare my stage in life to Socrates' description of the Cave, i think i am at the stage that which is walking out into the light. Even i am just 19 years old and my experience is absolutely not enough to help me to go through this world, i have my own plan and i know what i need to do right now clearly. Furthermore, before if i do something wrong, i will just blame on the others and never think of myself. Did i do anything wrong? But now, i will look back what i did wrong and avoid myself to make those mistakes again. Also, i will think of my future, not just only keep playing, playing and playing all the time. From now on, i know that i need to study well and graduated from the college to get a good job in my coming future.

I know the truth

            According the passage, "I know the truth", Jeffrey Kluger states that most of the people in the world just believe in what they think even it is not real. What is that means? It means that even there is the fact which is showed in front of the people to prove that they are wrong, they will still just ignore the fact and then still thinking themselves are right. Jeffrey Kluger also use the study "fewer than a third of people were willing to reverse their positions, regardless of the contradictory evidence they were given" to show that how people ego are. Furthermore, he points out that everyone has freedom to choose to believe the facts and changed their mind or not. However, the most important thing that we should know is "fact is the fact", at least we need to recognize that the fact is right even we do not change our thinking.

Reflecting on annotation

               First of all, i know that annotation is a really useful way to understand the reading. It helps us get the main idea of the passage more easily. Also, it helps us to think more faster about the writing, it is because we already underline what are the most important ideas from the passage.

               Second, we figure out that the main idea of the passage is we cannot just use google to help us. Actually, google is really a good way and the faster way to give us the most useful information that to help us to solve the problems. However, it is not good for us. We know that if we just keep on using google always, then we will stop using our brains and become lazy. Therefore, we need to know that google is just a way to help us to confirm the information that we think by ourself or is just a guide line to help us think more easily.

                Lastly, annotation helps me to understand the reading more easily and i do not need to review it again and again to find out the most important ideas. It saves the time. Moreover, the best thing is we can more easy to find out the main ideas of the writers by using annotation.

Hype

                Today, no matter where you are, advertisements must appear around you. According the passage "Hype" by Kalle Lasn, she demonstrates that everyone is affected by the advertisements. Even you are a teenager or an adult, advertisements are already become a thing that you must see or hear everyday. The reason is advertisements are everywhere now and show every moment. Also, Kalle Lasn said that "advertisements are the most prevalent and toxic of the mental pollutants", that means there are advantages and disadvantages come from advertisements. Therefore, we need to choose carefully by ourselves.

                The way for the advertisements are become more popular. "There is nowhere to run. No one is exempt and no one will be spared" which are from the passage is correct. Not only in television or radio which are the most common ways, but also everywhere that people will be always connected. For instance, when you are using the computer, there is a lot of advertisements on the website. Moreover, many big words and topics which are showed on the newspaper to attract your attention. Even when you are going to the restroom, you still can find some advertisements which are posted behind the door.

                However, not all the advertisements are good for us. The advertisements which are showed did not have evidence to prove that they are telling the truth or not. Most of the companies will exaggerate their products' quality to attract as more as the customers to earn more money. From the passage, " Your kids watch Pepsi and Snickers ads in the classroom", we can know that children watch television everyday no matter where they are and they will be attracted by the advertisements which are showed. Even some of the food or drink is not good for health, they will still always eat or drink them. Therefore, that is the reason that why we need to choose which advertisements are good for us, but not just blind to trust all of them.

               In conclusion, advertisements are all over the world and cannot be avoided now. No one is exempt. By business side, companies do not do anything wrong. So, the thing that we can do is to select carefully.