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Hope everyone do final exams well.
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HAPPY TO READ YOUR JOURNALS',TOO

ESL 095 -Listening 6

When I was in Viet Nam, my friend and I had watched the movie “Slumdog Millionaire”. This was the movie I have never forgotten. Yesterday, I found websites to watch this movie again. Finally I found the website http://vidreel.com/video/NTk4MjEx/. “Slumdog Millionaire” talks about Jamal, a young boy attending the TV program “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” He correctly answered questions in this program. Therefore, the police suspected that he was cheating in the contest. The police tried many ways to make Jamal tell the truth. However, Jamal accepted every punishment because he didn’t know what to tell the police. His answer is that each question in the contest was related to each event in his life. I was impressed this movie when I saw Jamal jumped down a big “human fertilize” hole in order to run to meet a famous actor, Amitab Bachan. He just want to have this actor’s autograph. However, his brother sold the picture which Amitab Bachan had signed on to. Besides, I was so curious when the MC of this contest gave the answer to him in the washroom. Did Jamal believe this MC and answer correctly? I suggest you guys watch this movie because this movie is an interesting movie.

Writing blog 9

My English Teachers
In my life, a person who pushed me out of the seashore was my English teacher, but a person who gave me a piece of wood to rescue me was also my English teacher.
Pusher
In high school, English was one of my favorite subjects. I was enthusiastic in studying it. Suddenly, he appeared. He was my English teacher. He was very short. He had a strict feudal face. When he came to my class, the atmosphere in my class became quiet. My classmates and I looked like turtles tucking our bodies and trying breathless. I even could hear the sounds which radiated from loathe flyers flying in front of me. I could hear my friend breathing heavy breaths. His classes became our hell.
I was noticed in a terrible day. That day, we did a test. In the middle of class, he was holding a big wooden ruler. He played a role as a guard. His eyes quickly moved around the class. Suddenly, his eyes stopped at my seat. I smiled at him. As a career habit, he suspected me. He approached me. He checked my notebook. A mini old English test dropped. Immediately, he stopped me from writing the test. He thought that I was cheating. I cried a lot. He didn’t believe. From then on, I became a “special” student in his eyes. He gave me also “special” tests which differed and were harder than others. I “swam” in the beach of his tricky questions.
Rescuer
Learning English was not easy. At the first time, I looked like a baby learning how to speak. When the presentations came, I was worried a lot. One day, my English teacher gave me a paper which showed my marks. My face changed into pale. I actually feared if I failed the course. I would have no chance to go to university. However, my rescuer appeared. My rescuer was my English teacher. She asked me to go to her office to help me. Every week, I studied with her. Her eyes became brighter if I spoke correctly. Her enthusiasm aided me have a motivation and strengthen. I determined that I would not make her disappointed.
Final exam came. Getting out of the class, I thought that I failed. I went to the computer lab. I had sat there for many hours. I did nothing. What would have happened to me if I had failed? How could I stand in front of her and smile? A bunch of questions obsessed me. The later days, I received her email. I had passed. That was actually my warmest day.

writing 8

Thursdays are terrible days to her. Quynh even didn’t sleep because she was scared meeting him. She kept meeting him in her dreams. He was not a human, a monster nor a vampire. He seemed belonging to the world of ghost which science have never believed. In panic and confusion, she recalled a short story written by Do Hoang Dieu, a famous writer in Viet Nam. She ran to the old book shelf. She sought, read, and tossed books on the floor. Nothing was in there. Backing to the bedroom, Quynh sighed. She tightly grabbed her shirt and stared at spacious room. Her eyes moved around the entire corner as if his shadow was ready appearing somewhere. She became frightened. She was afraid of darkness and afraid of him. Switching the light on, she saw her cousin moving her body and continuing snoring loudly. Quietly, she turned the computer on. She tapped words “Do Hoang Dieu”. The story “Bong De” written by this writer appeared. The story took place when Thu and his wife, characters in the story, came back to his village. At this village, Thu’s wife was surprised, even feared what happened to her husband’s family. Thu’s family had a grave which disappeared without reasons. In the moonlight, lying in the bed, Thu’s wife saw her husband’s father who died a long time ago stepping out from the red curtain and approaching to her. In the darkness, Thu’s wife was assaulted by horrible ghost, her husband’s father. Stopping at that part, Quynh didn’t dare to continue reading. She thought of herself. Her situation looked like the character in that story. Startled, Quynh approached her cousin and sat closer. It was 5:00 am. Quynh began sleeping because in upstairs, her uncle woke up to drink tea until the sun was going to rise.

ESL writing 7

He was a stupid person I have ever known. He had been my classmate since I was in grade 6. In the middle school, he was very short. He was dubbed “Dwarf”. I didn’t notice him because he had nothing special. He was not an excellent student, not a handsome boy nor an energetic person. He occupied the first table while I sat in last table. With that far distance, we never talked each other. In high school, he continued being my classmate. Attracted by others, one more time, I ignored him. However, when I went to Ho Chi Minh, a strange city which I hated, I met him. I just met him on the Internet. He went to the chat room. Coincidentally, I also chose that chat room. After we talked each other, he appointed me in a store which was near my house. I was surprised because his house was near my house and he was actually much taller than before. He was also surprised when he saw me. I looked like a fifty-two-kilogram “pig” on a mini bicycle. He said and laughed at me. I punched him and followed him to go to a coffee store. We have become best friends since that day. When I was happy, he took me out for a dinner. When I was stressed, we fooled around Ho Chi Minh City to breathe fresh air. When my boyfriend and I broke up, he was only person who made me resurrect. Five years was a long period of time, but he didn’t dare to say having feeling for me. Through a friend, I recognized that he loved me and how stupid he was.
However, I thought that he misunderstood the distance between a best friend and a lover. Sometimes, if we play with someone every day, this makes us think that we love that person because there are unclearly distances between the friendship and the love.

ESL writing 6

Which Path I should Go?
Catching up the developing pace of a society, the youth has opened a big revolution in living with opposite sex before marriages. Regardless of their age and their parents’ disapproval, some young boys and girls rush to pack their stuff, put their fingers on their lip and kiss goodbye kisses to their first nests.
Premarital cohabitation is acknowledged as a big problem relating to traditional culture in some countries. Throughout history, women are heavily obliged by old customs; especially customs which women must to keep themselves “virgin” before stepping into their husbands’ families. If they try to resist those “fences”, they won’t be penalty death or be tossed into on the pile of fire by laws or by customs. However, they will lose a lot of things. Their family, their neighbors and their friends will abandon, abuse, and despise them. Therefore, women who live with opposite sex before marriage seem to have no escapes. The society doesn’t welcome them. However, in recent years, reaching to western cultures, people gradually break through chains for women. They have more progressive ideologies. Seizing this chance, the youth begin to experience a husband-wife life before marriage. Premarital cohabitation has become a new style that teenager thinks they should try. The youth justifies that living with opposite helps them understand each other before marriage. Therefore, more and more young people adopt the premarital cohabitation. Being a youth, I asked myself that “Which one I should follow, ancient ideologies or new ideologies?” Most of men in Viet Nam care if their fiancée still have virgin or not. The funniest part is that most of men want their partner to live with them before marriage, but they require their wives are innocent girls who say no with “premarital cohabitation”. How to find them? I actually don’t understand.

Listening blog 5

Today, it was difficult for me to find websites to watch the free movie “Mars Needs Moms”. Some websites required me to submit a funny sentence “I am a human to watch movie”. Finally, I found the website http://www2.zmovie.tv/movies/view/mars-needs-moms-2011. “Mars Needs Moms” is a comedy movie that talks about a child called Milo saving her mom from an ugly evil woman, like a witch. Milo is a naughty child. He hates to do what his moms tell him. He hates to eat broccoli and hates to go to bed early. He says, “My life would be better if I don’t have mom at all”. However, when his mom left his room, she is kidnapped by that “witch” who is from other planet. To save his mom, Milo spent obstacles with his friends such as Gribble and the little girl who works for the “witch”. I actually cried when I saw Milo’s mom gave him a helmet which provided oxygen to breathe in the space (after the “witch” shot Milo’s helmet). I would like to share with you guys this movie because it is an interesting movie.

listening blog 4

Last night, I watched the movies” Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son” on the website http://www2.zmovie.tv/movies/view/big-mommas-like-father-like-son-2011. The story talks about a FBI police officer, Malcom, and his son, Trent, have to disguise as big “Mommas” to hide their opponents. The story takes place when Trent’s father, Malcom, is outside putting a tap on his friend’s chest to hear the conversation between his friend and gangs. While Malcom’s friend is switching the fake flash drive which proves that the gangs are involved in killing others, the gangs discovers that there is a small device on his chest. Therefore, the gangs know that there is someone outside. Then they tended to shoot Malcom’s friend. At the same time, Trent appears. He just wants his father to sign the contract in order to accept him to study musical school. Then, Malcom and Trent are chased by the gangs and escape. To protect Trent safe from the gangs, Malcom decides that they move to live in school art which only girls are allowed to study. Then, Malcom and his son disguise as big “Mommas”. At that school, Trent met Halley. One day, Trent removed his girl mask to go out for a date with Halley. Then, gangs found him. They followed him to know where his father is. What happen to Malcom and Trent? Does Halley know that Trent disguise as a fat girl? I want to share with you guys this movie because this movie makes me feel interested and laugh a lot.

Wrting blog 5

The children in my village
The grandmother’s funeral finished, I roamed on a familiar muddy road. Everything in my village completely changed, even children. The children, who I used to play with, now became adults. Their voice changed. Their smile changed, and their love for me also changed. They actually forgot me, forgot their neighbor sister.
Recalling old memories, I laughed alone. Five years ago, as a leader, I often gathered neighbor children at a deserted house. We played many games. I remember that I separated them into two groups, and we pretended to fight together. We used small sticks to make sharp spears and killed together. Sometimes, some of them were killed, but they still stood up and went on fighting. Some remaining children became disgruntled. They began a real war. I actually feared if they hurt together. Then, I found ways to reconcile between those children. Finally, I seduced them by playing a new game. I asked two children to find vacant milk can. I assigned others the task of buying a candle. When they collected all of them, I made two small holes on two lids of the vacant milk can and put the candle in. After we finished, we went to a cemetery, where buried dead people. We placed the can near a new grave, maybe someone has been just buried for a few days. We read an incantation to call the dead person. According to hearsay, when the candle was lighted, the ghost would show up. While we were reading the incantation, we heard a strange sound from bushes. We scream, ran and scattered around the cemetery.
Although time made everything change, my memories about the children in my village remained in my head forever. I loved them. I loved our childhood memories.

Writing Blog 4

Going Back to My Motherland
The bus stopped. I rushed to get off. Blazing summer sunlight seemed to tear my umbrella in order to burn my skin. Beads of sweat gradually absorbed into a new white T-shirt. The stinking smell from a fish sauce factory made the atmosphere become stifling. I paced quickly as if I was chased.
Standing in front of a house which I have lived in childhood few minutes, I remained transfixed by everything around me. My old house became quiet and sad. Nobody opened the door to welcome me. My cousin, a mental person, ran close to me, held my hand, and took me toward a wrinkle gaunt woman lying on the bed. That woman was my grandmother.
Surrounded by a piece of big nylon to be convenient for doing business, wooden bars on her bed captivated mold growing on them. At this bed, thirteen years ago, a seven-year girl furtively used to clean it every morning when she woke up and saw her pants wet. Also, that girl was me. I was scared that my grandmother shouted at me. But now my grandmother was no longer angry at me, she just has laid there without remembering anything. I strongly desired that she could yell at me, eventually abuse me. But she couldn’t. I expected her to call my name, but she couldn’t.
Then I went back to my motherland again. This time wasn’t similar to another time. My father, my mother, my siblings and I wore new clothes-funeral clothes. As a statue, I looked people closing the coffin which contained my grandmother’s body. I heard the relative’s scream, but I didn’t cry. The caravan came back after dropping my grandmother off to the heaven. Priests were preparing a chant to pray for my grandmother. We line up after priests. My house was quieter. In the consecutive beating bell, I felt lack of something, my grandmother. The lines where my eyelashes stuck out were clammy. I just uttered: “grandmother” and fell down.

ESL Writing 3

A man’s revenge
“When women revenge, there will be immeasurable disasters. Women are considered as poisonous snakes, they are ready biting their opponents until they die”, some old people said. I was really shock. I thought that criticism was evil and unfair. And, I wondered how men revenge when their hatred flame burn.
I had a friend, Dung. I accidentally met het in a café store when I was fooling around with my friends. We talked together three hours, but those three hours seemed not enough for her to tell her story which related to her life, her ex-husband. Dung, a gentle girl, was born in an educated family. Her parents were exemplary teachers. After she went to a big city, Ho Chi Minh City, to continue her dream in a university, she met Thuan, her ex-husband. Thuan had invited Dung many times to go out for a date, but Dung persisted to decline his invitation because she never thought that she would love Thuan, a man with a fierce face. Continuing the pursuit target almost four years, Thuan’s love was not still reciprocated. One day, Thuan came to find Dung at old her apartment. He said that the doctor had confirmed Thuan was incapable of having children with any women. He was depressed and cried in front of Dung. He begged Dung to accept him. In a pity minute, Dung devoted her life to Thuan. Day by day, Dung’s stomach became bigger. Buttons on her shirts wanted to unwind because the baby in her stomach growing up. Dung has lost connection with Thuan since that day. According to some friends, Thuan loved another girl, a rich merchant’s daughter in his village. Thuan’s parents also wanted him to get married to that girl. Groping Thuan’s address, which a friend gave, Dung came to Thuan’s house. Ignoring mercilessly, Thuan said:” I lied to you. The capable of none having children never happen to me.” He laughed sarcastically. Then, he continued” I just want to revenge time when I tried many ways to have your heart, but you refused my love. Now, you will pay price for what behaved to me. Get out of my place!” He irritated and shoved Dung fall down on the floor. As a result, Dung had miscarriage.
Whatever women or men revenge, the consequence of this only hurt them and hurt others. Therefore, we should let our hatred go away to have a happy life.

ESL Writing 2

A Nightmare or a Reality
She suddenly woke up in a big scream. In the darkness, she felt to have a cold wind blowing to her breast. Laying her hand on the breast, she startled in a panic. Three buttons on her shirt was already opened. Quickly, she glanced at the door. It stilled was locked. Her cousin also lay on the bed and breath regularly. What happened to her? Why are the buttons taken off? Pulling the blanket up to her shoulder, she leaned against the wall. A horrible nightmare came into her mind. She remembered clearly that in the nightmare, she got lost to a strange village. When she came there, everyone closed their houses. They said that there was a ghost. She didn’t have enough time to calm before the door closed. Then, the ghost appeared. She ran, ran, and ran. The ghost chased her. Finally, it caught her and grabbed her to a cavern. She just screamed and was awaken when the ghost approach to her and opened buttons on her shirt. Was it a nightmare or a reality? She consoled herself. Maybe, it was just the nightmare. Maybe, she has watched many horror films. Now, they obsessed her. However, she still wondered who took off the buttons. She mumbled a chant in Buddha and gradually closed her eyes. She slept whenever she didn’t know. Outside, crows tragically bewailed.

Listening blog 3

Last night, I heard about an earthquake in New Zealand On the website http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20110221/new-zealand-earthquake-110221/. The story talks about an earthquake magnitude 6.3 striking in the New Zealand. According to the journalist, Jennifer Coppola, this earthquake had a depth 5 kilometers. If we compared to the earthquake in last September which was 7.1 magnitude and was deeper than this earthquake, 10 kilometers, “this earthquake that the ground acceleration was two times the speed of the gravity whereas the one in September was around the speed of gravity”. Jennifer also stated that the earthquake had greater effects on the city. The side roads were cracked; dozens of body were trapped under buildings which collapsed after the earthquake. Also, Jennifer confirmed that the earthquake in last September “made or made not larger than this earthquake, maybe four and five aftershocks again”.

ESL095-2

There is no magic, no tragedy or no violence. There is only the zeal love of a teenager couple. And, there is only music and feelings harmonizing together. “High School Musical” is a movie which talks about a boy, Troy, a well-known volleyball player in high school, and a girl, Gabriella, who is good at studying chemistry. They met together at a New Year Eve party. When the light radiates, they are chosen to sing. The performance finished, they switch their phone number; and Gabriella leaves. After that, they met again at school. Troy often misses his class to attend Gabriella’s class. There is another girl who always envy with Gabriella. Who is she? What happen to the boy and these girls? Please try to watch this movie; you can see how great this movie is.

ESL 096- Behind an ugly mole

“Uncle!”
I bowed before a strange man. He was only older than me five or six ages, something like that. But he looked like the mid-forty uncle; especially if I didn’t tighten my grip on the fence’s surface, an accident would happen to me due to that big black mole on his face. A long strand of hair stuck out from that mole.
I wondered why the strange man appeared in my house. Who was he??? A thousand of questions skipped in my mind. I muttered to myself and stared at him.
My sister approached us with enigmatic smile. She said to me, “This is a man who our uncle and aunt wanted to introduce to you. You’re going to get married to him.”
“What? This uncle….. Me….eeeeeee??????????”, I gaped.
“How this can be? Maybe, there was a mistake. I am only grade 12, how can I get married to him. How can I accept the man with a horrible mole?” I thought and cried loudly as if I was a child.
My sister laughed at me. She said that the man would be my brother-in-law in the future. He was a structural engineer. According to my uncle and my aunt, he graduated from a popular university in Ho Chi Minh City. But whoever he was, engineer or Viet Nam’s president, or whatever he could be, I didn’t want to accept the ugly old man with that mole who would get married to my sister.
Because of his first time visiting us, my aunt and my uncle invited him to have dinner. I was forced to go to my aunt’s house. I carefully looked his actions and my sister’s attitude. My sister smiled to him. Frustration and anger jumped out of my thorax. I decided to leave my aunt’s house although my sister tried to persuade me to stay there until the party had done. I ignored and walked to my house. Three kilometers to go back home that day became further, further…
He knew I hated him, but he didn’t be angry at me. He treated me as his little sister. Day by day, I gradually forgot his big black mole. I realized that good characteristics were hidden behind that ugly mole.

ESL 095-first one

Did you have your childhood dream? How could you achieve that dream? If you want to know how to achieve your childhood dream, please access this link http://www.myspace.com/video/vid/42622719. Randy Pausch, who has a cancer and has a couple months to live at the time he lectures, talks about his childhood dream and how to achieve his dream such as having a good parents (who can let you do what you want), being optimistic, not complaining and whining,etc. I like this lecture because I have learned many lessons how to live. Randy Pausch said, “I am going to die soon, but I am choosing have fun today, tomorrow, and every other days I have left” and “I don’t think complaining and whining solve the problem”. I think his statements help me to be optimistic and try to solve the problem without complaining and whining. I recommend this lecture to you guys because it may help you useful lessons.

I Am

I am a curious and an ambitious daughter
I wonder where the river flows when there are big floods
I hear the rocks dropping in the water and fighting each other
I see a couple of ducks hugging to make the nearby frog envious
I want to know everything in this enormous world
I am a curious and an ambitious daughter.

I pretend to be ill to get your attention-Mom
I happily feel when I receive warm eyes from you despite the fact that there is the only glimpse
I quickly touch my happiness before it disappears
I worry you leaving me alone in this enormous world
I cry when you shout at me that you hate me
I am a curious and an ambitious daughter.

I understand that nothing exists forever
I say that I won't offend you before you leave me
I dream that you shower your love on me
I try to keep tightly your love
I hope I can get my dream
I am a curious and an ambitious daughter.