Reflection post 3

The story I'm about to tell is the day I had to say goodbye to my exgrilfriend in Mexico. I still remember it like it was yesterday. Seeing her there sitting next to me in a green old bench outside the bus station thinking of all the moments we were not going to share anymore, all the kisses and hugs that will never exist, the long but passionate stares that I in fact miss to death, and an obvious question that she would never be bold enough to ask. By looking at her deep brown eyes I read it. It is "why are you leaving me in a world that belongs to us?" She was next to me looking at my heavy luggage with an innocent face and biting her lips pretending to be strong. She was looking at me in a unique but sad way. I think she tried to memorize my face. She knew it, She knew that I will probably return to Mexico only once a year, she knew that our love was fading away. I felt so miserable. It was all my fault for not taking my poverty as a man, it was my stupid ambition to obtain a better future. It was nothing but an emptiness inside my heart that made my mind flee from my body and my reality. In a selfish attempt to make things better I asked her if she wanted me to stay. Of course she said no. I knew why, because she loved me too much to let me stay away from my family that was already in California. That is true love, the most sublime feeling that makes us lofty. I will never forget her kindness and everything she did for me. She made me see the world from a different perspective. She taught me that a kiss is more relaxing than a cigarrete and that water makes people happier than a beer. I wish I could see her this time I go to Mexico and sincerely thank her for being so perfect for being the woman of my dreams.

weekly calendar 4

To do list

Reading 96

Finish Discussion for Spanish for the Spanish speaker class

Study for math

Work

Math lab

Weekly calendar 3

vocabulary4

Coined
Synonym
Antonym
Definition tr.v.
To devise (a new word or phrase).

"Let's roll," The phrase coined by Tood Beamer, a passanger on United Airlines Flight 93 who helped launch the attack against the hijackers over pensilvania, was named most inspirational.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coined

I can't undertand the soccer games because of all the phrases coined by the narrating people.

Efficient and Flexible Reading p. 247

Burden
Synonym impediment, obligation
Antonym
Definition Noun
that which is borne with difficulty; obligation; onus: the burden of leadership.

I remember his face, which was not a pretty face, because his jaw was in his throat, and i remember feeling the burden of responsibility and grief.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/burden

I feel the burden of scoring a goal so my team can win the soccer team.

The Things They Carried P. 179

Clatter

Synonym
Antonym
Definition noun

a rattling noise or series of rattling noises: The stagecoach made a terrible clatter going over the wooden bridge.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/clatter%20

Instantly there was a clatter outside the wire.

I was in my house whatching a movie on and suddelny there was a clatter inside the tv. After awhile the TV broke down.

The Things They Carried P. 207

Reflection post 4

This week has been a practice week. I've been using my new vocabulary words with my friends at work. My best friend, who teaches me Enlgish, has told me I speak the language fluently already. She enourages me to speak with the costumers at my job, to I lose my fear, and to obtain more selfconficence. I just love her so much. Her name is Alice and is such a sweetheart. We are always laughing and she tries to speak spanish with me when I don't understand what she says. The other day she told me "Alice's palace" and I understood Alice's a plaza. Something different I need to do this week is trying to focus on listening to the new vocabulary and see if I understand what the speaker is talking about. This week is going to be a little bit harder than the others because I need to finish all the work I couldn't finish the other weeks because of my schedule at work and all my homework from other classes especially math. I still need to write a coulpe of relfections, post three more calendars, do the three vocabulary words, and add some comments to other classmates blogs. Also, I still need to finish some excercises at the reading lab, and the handout for the things they carried. All this work is due tomorrow as lab contract one. I think I will leave the reading lab at the end of the night because it requires more effort than the blog homework and I can be more concentrated since there won't be noise at that time in my house. Today's my day off and I have no homework from other classes to finish, so I can be all day studying here.

To do list

Math test
Homework
math 141 class
Reading 96 class
Spanish for the spanish speaker

Reflection 2

During this week I've found out less problems with this class in comparison to the other weeks. I think I have improved a little bit my vocabulary which is reflected in my last two quiz results. Nevertheless, I still have to work harder if I want to pass this course and go to reading 142 class. In comparison to my other classmates I'm a lot behind. This is because I have been focusing on other classes and my job which is also another impediment to finish my homework duties on time. What I'm doing to recall the new vocabulary is writting down the words in a separate piece of paper and write the easiest definitions. Then I translate the words in spanish and try to make sentences with them. After I feel more comfortable using those words in my language, I challenge myself trying to make more sentences in english. Of course, I always try different ones. This is very hard and annoying, but after awhile everything makes sense like magic. Sometimes I compare english grammar with complex mathematic equations. I mean the learner only has to follow a pattern and be careful of the restrictions or speacial rules. I think during the years ahead I will get the native sense in english and I won't be affraid of using difficult words. Well the only thing I'm concerned about is my reading lab. It's so hard. I'll keep practicing and let's see what happens throught the semester.

Charisma
Synonym - ability
antonym
Definition adj.
the special virtue of an office, function, position, etc., that confers or is thought to confer on the person holding it an unusual ability for leadership, worthiness of veneration, or the like.

Elvis's moves seem to posses a weapons-grade charisma.

Efficient and Flexible Reading p. 247

Many soccer players like David Beckham have a lot or charisma.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/charisma

painstaking
Synonym - careful
Antonym
Definition- noun
taking or characterized by taking pains or trouble; expending or showing diligent care and effort; careful: a painstaking craftsman; painstaking research.

The task of deciding which words actually make into dictionaries, their editors say is much painstaking.

Efficient and Flexible Reading p. 248

It's painstaking using terms we don't know during a speech.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/painstaking


inconsequential

Synonym - unimportant
Antonym important
Definition adj
of little or no importance; insignificant; trivial.

Back in 1999, he thought he had a perfect candidate to drop from the 2000 edition- a seemengly inconsequential word not in general use.

Efficient and Flexibe Reading p. 248

Although my sister crashed, the damages were inconsequential.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/inconsequential

Reflection post

I have learned a lot of significant tools that will help me to improve my vocabulary and my english level. It was quite hard for me to understand some words and sentences while reading the first hand America reading; however our instructor always tells us what we should do and what the bests ways to apply sq3r are. Studying vocabulary words is another efficacious choice to improve my english. Nevertheless, it is taking me more than than what I expected to memorize and learn all the words. Although i speak spanish and I understand and some latin prefixes used in the same way are used in english, there are some words that seem totall odd to me. The best thing to improve my english level and grades is by attending to work shops so they provide me further assistance and answers to my questions. lately I have had a lot of problems in my reading lab it is very difficult. By using dictionary.com I'm able to understand all the new vocabulary and figure out the meaning of the readings. Most of what I've read is the same material we cover in the book. I think it's quite important to say that mrs. Henderson is very patient with me and she is encouraging me to improve my skills. Last time I just told her whether I should drop the class becaus it's becoming sort of overwhelming for my level, but she told me I was doing fine. Indeed I had an 87 in my clas which is a b. Mrs. Bogan also provided me such an interesting handout about cognates. and in the last workshop it was easier to study the words for the quiz. I just want to thank both my instructor and midterm to help me improve my english. Thanks a lot!