grammer

Tuesday, October 6

Count & Noncount Nouns

Copy the following activity to a New Post in your blog & correct the errors:

1) a cheerful atmosphere

2) much warm air

3) a lot of ugly men

4) a few dirty erasers

5) a lot of stinky smells

6) some sweety coffee

7) a small trash

8) some yellow leaves

9) som fresh air

10) some green dresses

11) a dirty trash can

12) some cold wind

13) three wood chairs

If you have free time, go to the following websites:

http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cw-articles.html

http://www.edict.com.hk/vlc/articles/FramesArt3.htm

http://www.edict.com.hk/vlc/articles/FramesArt2.htm

http://www.edict.com.hk/vlc/articles/articlestable.htm

http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/articlesum.html

Study Log #4 (9.26~10.2)

Chul

ESLA 1984

Study Log #4

10/02/09

  

  1. I prepared for toefl test: I read toefl reading materials(5 prints) and solved 50 questions, and studied the structures and written expression part and solved 100 questions.

  2. I learned count/noncount nouns and articles. It was very useful to write essay and solve the written expression questions of toefl.

  3. I need to improve how to outline a paragraph in a short time. With various topics, I should practice making a paragraph.

  4. I am fascinated by your teaching method. It is very exciting. I want to take timed reading tests more often.

How I understand trials in life?

Chul

ESLA 1984

Reading Journal #4

10/02/09

 

How I understand trials in life?

 

     The world that we see is not the absolutely objective world. I think that such an absolutely objective world doesn’t exist in this world. When we see the world, we unconsciously wear specific coloured glasses. These glasses are called worldview. The article “Seeing Life from God’s View” (the Purpose Driven Life section 4), by Rick Warren, explains worldview, especially view of life. Telling us that the way we see our life shapes our lifestyle and determines our destiny, it emphasizes the importance of view of life and introduces some biblical metaphors of life: life on earth is a test, life on earth is a trust, life on earth is a temporary assignment. I like all of these metaphors, but especially, the first metaphor caught my mind. According to this metaphor, God continually tests our faith, loyalty, love, and integrity, and these tests give us benificial opportunities to deepen our character and learn about God. I completely agree with the idea: life is a test. When I accept the idea, everything I experience in my life, even the worst thing becomes significant to me. After reading this article, I kept thinking on trials in our life. Why God allows trials in our life? Why he doesn’t eliminate problems in our life? In my opinion, God’s primary goal is not to get rid of our problems, but to mold us and shape us to be like Jesus. When God wants to change something in our lives and give new perspectives, he shakes and breaks the securities we have built our life on. He allows sorrow, heartache, tragedy, even loss in our life in order to get us to see him. Through these processes, new perspective of life will be created, and it will make me more wise and stronger. Whenever I am faced with trials, I will hold this idea.

Study Log (9.19~25)

Chul

ESLA 1984

Study Log #3

09/25/09

 

 1. First, I read the book I am reading for reading journal. Second, I read toefl reading materials(10 prints) and solved 100 questions. Third, I studied the structures and written expression part of toefl and solved 150 questions. Finally, I tried to make outlines with toefl writing topics.

 2. I learned about how to outline a paragraph: TS, SD, EX,CE,CS. It was very useful to make an essay.

 3. It is still hard to express my thoughts in english. I think that practice makes perfect.

 4. I am satisfied with our class. I always appreciate your teaching and encouragement.

Are we completely independent?

Chul

ESLA 1984

Reading Journal #3

09/25/09

 

Are we completely independent?

 

     The article “What Drives Your Life?” (the Purpose Driven Life section 3), by Rick Warren, expounds a true force by which our lives should be driven and its benefits. In the beginning, it explains some other forces by which many people are driven: guilt, resentment, anger, fear, materialism, and the need for approval. According to the author, these are not only the most common forces that drive our lives but also the falsest ones that lead our lives to the dead end. Asserting that our lives should be driven by only God’s purpose for us, he explains great benefits which such a purpose driven life can give us. Above all, first sentence of this article, “Everyone’s life is driven by something” caught my mind. I completely agree with this idea. Many people think that they can guide, control, or direct something, but in fact we are being to be liable to be guided, controlled, or directed by something. Of course, we have dominion over all things upon the earth and are autonomous enough to make our own decision, but at the same time we are easily driven by outer forces. This paradoxical idea is very important to the understanding of human behavior, but it has been neglected for a long time by the daughters and sons of the Enlightenment. I don’t want to identify these forces with the unconsciousness, too. I believe that these forces are living spiritual substances which are completely outside us, and through our life experiences, especially the negative ones, take their seats in our minds, and then have a continual influence on our lives. Consequently, the forces are deeply related to emotional hurts unsolved. I think that this article enumerates only superficial facts without explaining why we are easily driven by these false forces and how we can escape from them.

Study Log (9.12~18)

Chul

ESLA 1984

Study Log #2

09/18/09

 

1. First, I read the book I am reading for reading journal. Second, I read toefl reading materials(10 prints) and solved 100 questions. Third, I studied the structures and written expression part of toefl and solved 100 questions. Finally, I kept reviewing vocabularies which I memorized before and made about 50 flash cards.

 2. I learned about how to read fast: skip and skim. It was very useful to take a toefl reading test.

 3. I am still poor at making a complete and clear sentence. I need more practice. It was helpful to study the black grammar book.

 4. I think that you are an excellent teacher. Our class is very interesting and useful.

The Sovereignty of God or Fatalism?

Chul

ESLA 1984

Reading Journal #2

09/18/09

 

The Sovereignty of God or Fatalism?

 

     The article “You Are Not an Accident” (the Purpose Driven Life section 2), by Rick Warren, expounds the idea that we were not born by accident, but with a noble purpose, and we are not meaningless but meaningful. We are not the product of chance, but God’s careful scheme. In the beginning, God conceived all details about us, and finally made us to be in this world. The ideas of this article seem to be very simple, but I have been fascinated by them. Above all, “the idea that God custom-made me with great love” made me to consider myself more valuable, and accept what was given me with gratitude. Besides, “the idea that long before God created us, he had had thoughts about us in his mind” made me to realize the importance of thought. Without his thought of us, we wouldn’t have existed in this world. Therefore, I believe that what I have consistently in my mind can have a great influence on my future life. So, nowadays, I try to keep thinking about “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” Although this article teaches us important, interesting ideas, I think it does not explain the subtle difference between the sovereignty of God and fatalism. For example, let’s think of a man disabled from birth. In this case, can we say that God determined it? If so, it will be faced with self-contradiction. I think this article should not have missed dynamics between the sovereignty of God and the persistence of Evil.

Study Log (9.5~11)

Chul

ESLA 1984

Study Log #1

09/11/09

 

1.  This week, I read the book I am reading now. I read just one chapter. I also read toefl reading materials(10 prints) and solved 100 questions. In addition, I studied the structures and written expression part of toefl and solved 100 questions. Finally, I reviewed about 300 vocabularies which I memorized before.

2. I learned about how to memorize vocabulary. There were various tips: to create a word web, to memorize prefixes, roots, and suffixes, to make flash cards and so on. Those were good tips to me.

 3. I need to improve writing skills. It is very difficult to me to write good sentences in English. I will study the black grammar book and practise writing every day.

 4. In class, I would like to learn about what makes a sentence complete and clear. l hope we can practise writing more.

Above “self-centered spirituality”

Chul

ESLA 1984

Reading Journal #1

09/11/09

  

Above “self-centered spirituality”

 

      The article “It All Starts with God” (the Purpose Driven Life section 1), by Rick Warren, tell us how to find the purpose of life.  In this article, the purpose of life doesn’t mean a short-term goal such as getting a good job, but Ultimate Concern (Paul Tillich).  Author Rick Warren suggests two ways we can choose to discover the purpose of life: “speculation” and “revelation.”  Most people try to discover the purpose of life by looking within themselves, which is a wrong starting point and often leads to a dead end.  “It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our significance and our purpose in life.”  Only God who created us can tell where we came from, why we are here, where to go in the future.  Therefore, it is very important to give attention to what God has revealed about the true meaning in our life.  I chose this article because it talks about one of my favorite subjects: spiritual growth.  Nowadays many people think of spirituality as self-realization or self-consummation.  But such a self-centered spirituality ends up a Human Projection (Feuerbach).  This article helps me to understand biblical spirituality well.  When I focuse on God rather than self, I come to know the true purpose of my life, which will leads to a meaningful life.

A Person I Admire

Chul

09/22/09

ESLA 1984

Paragraph #5

 

A Person I Admire

 

     People say that not being able to be at all places, God send mother. Although I know a lot of honorable, influential women and men, I most admire my mother, because she has shown me divine love. Mother’s love is such things to endure even all pains willingly and give all good things without hesitation. I couldn’t realize the burden that she had to bear for me, until I watch all the processes that my wife gave birth to my son and took care of him. It was beyond my imagination. I admire my mother who bore and brought up me with affection and devotion. In addition to this universal love, she taught me how to serve God and love neighbor. She taught it to act directly as good as role model. I grew up watching her pray at every daybreak and help the poor and weak who live near. I admire my mother who has showed me the way to love God and people. Through my mother, I have felt fresh touches from God. Through her, I have heard tender voices from God.  I admire God who gave me my mother.