Presentation

23rd January - Wednesday

hi! On that wonderful Wednesday, two groups need to present their topics. The two groups were Group 1 (Ika and Hani) and Group 2 (Hasmin and Reen).

We started the presentation with Ika and Hani's group. They presented about Pronouns.

Definition: small word that takes place as a noun. (examples: he, you, our, themselves,her,him)

Type of pronouns

• Personal pronouns - replace nouns ( I, You, They, It, We, He, She)

example: Adriana is beautiful. She got her look from her father.

• Reflexive pronouns - intensify  antecedents , reflect antecedents (myself, yourself, ourself, himself, herself, itself, themselves)

example: He is going back all by himself. 

• Relative pronouns - join two sentences, taking the place of nouns/ pronouns refering to antecedents (who, whose, which, that)

example: A lecturer is a person who teaches in universities or colleges. 

• Interrogative Pronouns - form questions (what, when, where, why, who, how.)

example:
What time did you wake up yesterday?
When is your birthday?
Who is standing beside Molly?
Where do you live?
Why is she crying?
How do you know Hazim?

         So, next presentation was from Hasmin and Reen. Their topic was Articles and Determiners. Basically, there are two types of articles in English: the definite article (the) and the indefinite (a/an). The definite article specifies a particular individual; the indefinite article indicates that the following noun is a member of a class.


After the two presentations, Miss Zu teaches us about " Subject Verb Agreement"

•   singular subject use SINGULAR. 

Example: Ali robs the bank.

• plural subjects use PLURAL.

Example: Ali and Amir rob the bank. 

Reduce sentence to simplest form.
Example: A good set of skis costs/ cost hundreds of dollar.

Compound subject using "or"
- neither nor, either or, both or.

  Indefinite Pronouns - everybody, everyone, somebody, anybody, Each of the student

Collective nouns are singular

- words ending with "s" are singular

- Money and measurement are singular - Expression the number is singular

• the number -- is/was

• a number -- are/were

For more info about this topic, you can click on the link below, thanks :D 

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/sv_agr.htm

Contextual Reference

What is a contextual reference?

Contextual reference is use to refer to subject or noun. Examples of contextual reference are it, its, they, them and etc. We use they as a subjective, them as an objective and their as a possessive pronouns. 

There are four types of contextual reference:

• Rewording the word
• Giving its synonym
• Giving its antonym
• Giving details about the word

After Miss Zu explained to us about this topic, we were divided into groups. My partner was Ayu. We need to prepare a slide about Past Tense which goes under Grammar. That was all, thank you :D

A different way of learning :)

HOLLA! 

          During this class, we were divided into four groups and are asked to perform a musical drama, the Glee-like drama. The title for the drama for each group were: New look at life expectancy, The Big Clean Up & Dating Game. As usual, at the end of the class we need to choose winners in each category. The best group goes to Faris' group. Best Actor was Faris and Fathi while best actress was Hasmin and Ika. 

         This activity taught us to overcome and step out of our comfort zone. Everybody had fun and the activity will always be remembered. 

Reading

Hello everybody, today we learned about how to read efficiently. Skimming and scanning are two specific speed reading techniques, which enable you to cover a vast amount of material very rapidly. These techniques are similar in process but different in purpose. Quickly looking over an article is neither skimming nor scanning. 

Skimming - refers to the process of reading only main ideas within a passage to get an overall impression of the content of a reading
selection. 
 
How to Skim:

• Read the title.
• Read the introduction or the first paragraph.
• Read the first sentence of every other paragraph.
• Read any headings and sub-headings.
• Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs.
• Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases.
•  Read the summary or last paragraph. 

Scanning - a reading technique to be used when you want to find specific information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information. 

 How to Scan:

• State the specific information you are looking for.
• Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you might use to help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain date, you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers.
• Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might contain the information you are looking for.
• Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage.

WH Questions - Are known as interrogative words or questions words.

The WH questions words are listed below :-

• WHO
• WHAT
• WHICH
• WHERE
• WHEN
• WHY
• HOW 

Presentation Day! :D

          Hello, we meet again! So, as stated in my previous post, each group needs to do and present to the whole class an introductory paragraph of an essay based on the hook that we got. These were the results:

1) Personal Examples (Ayu & Wan)

          Daniel from Kelantan studied at Oxford University in London. He was a smart student and he got many academic awards from many countries such as Mexico, Japan and Korea. Daniel started being friends with a man from other country and they got closer (Hook- personal observation). Due to the fact, he begun an affair with that man and he started behaving like a girl (Transition). Thus, here are some factors why man changes his personality to “transvestite” such as family problems,influence of friends and frustration (Thesis statement).

2) Quotations (me with Min and Siti)

           “I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.”  A quote stated by Janes Austen . I definitely agree with this quote because women are one of the biggest groups being discriminated today . Discrimination against women is often found in workplaces all over the world . Women are paid lower than men , and women do not get promoted as fast as men . There are so many barriers that stop women from moving up in their careers . This way of thinking should be stopped because women have their rights to be successful in life , just like men . There are many ways to stop this problem from broadening such as teaching employees and students about discrimination through meetings and classes . Next , people should display flyers in popular spots among the work or school zone, such as in hallways, information boards, break rooms and restrooms.  Lastly , people should join the battle against discrimination though a variety of organizations that fight discrimination together. 

 *the hook *transition *thesis 

3) Facts or Statistics (Tini, Ila & Aisyah)

         According to the Daily News dated July 1, 2010, the percentage of female students who continue higher education institutions is much higher than the percentage of men by 64.8% to 26,229 from 40,506 of the total (the hook – fact). This shows that male students admission to institutions of higher education has decreased from year to year.  These statistics are frightening and should not be taken lightly. The factors of this phenomena is because boys are more interested in the areas of skills, working and not interested to continue their studies. (the transition).  In order not to become one of these statistics, boys need to be more discipline, put more on effort and should get more support from their parents.  (thesis statement)

4) Rhetorical questions ( Adam, Nabila & Hani)

          There are different point of view on sexual orientation. From the several myths in the world, what makes a person gay? Are they born gay? Is it social upbringing that channels them to be gay? What are the possible reasons that made them gay? (Hook) (Rhetorical questions) Some may gave excuses that their parents are not loyal and to them that in addition, more women nowadays dare to cheat on their spouses. This also goes for men. Some of them are also influenced by their friends to establish a homosexuality relationship with their partners. (Transition) At present, there are some reasons why most of them choose to be gay such as influenced by the western culture, peer pressure and biological transformation. (thesis statement) 

5) Current Issue (Fathi and Azreen)

         Nowadays, we can see in news paper, television and internet showed us about issue and problem about pengkid and queer. Pengkid and queer can easily identified with their behavior, character and the way they dress up.We also can see in television mostly this group without worried and no fear with public view dare to show and obtrude out (the hook)(current issue). But they are not the only one that should be blamed on, sometimes there are few conditions that turn them to be in that particular group (transition). Thus , there are few factors that make this pengkid and queer involved and fall to this unhealthy act such as peer pressure, family problem and frustrate. (thesis statement).

6) Contrast to thesis statement (Erna, Ika & Fatin)

Since 2000, around 11 countries have begun to allow same-sex couples to marry. The recognition of same-sex marriages is a civil rights, equality, human rights, political, social, moral, and religious issue in many nations.(the hook-contrast) Debates arise over whether same-sex couples should be allowed or not. Gay marriage expresses an individual freedom. Countries which legalized same sex marriages appeared to have more stabilize society. (transition) However, research has stated that gay marriages should not be supported due to the fact that marriage is an institution between man and woman, gay relationship is immoral and it would have threaten the institution of marriage. (thesis statement)

7) Definition (Faris & Iffah)   

           Transvestite is a person who dresses in the clothes of opposite sex . Transvestites generally have lesser or no desires to permanently change their sex, but simply enjoy being able to cross-dress from time to time. (Hook–definition) Transvestite is considered as a sin in Islamic culture because it is against the rules of islam. In islam someone who changes his/she gender is a sin because they do not know how to appreciate the things that were given to them (Transition) Thus, there are ways to stop transvestite such as speaking with the gender therapists, ignore people’s thought and lastly, do not mix around with the transvestites. (Thesis statement)

 

  

Introductory Paragraph

          Hello, so today we learned about introductory paragraph. Introductory paragraph is the first paragraph in an essay and it is very important because it introduces the essay's topic. It must be eye catching because we need to get the reader's attention to read the whole essay. We can use any one from the seven types of the hook in an introductory paragraph.
There are:

• Personal example - based on our own observations or experiences
• Quotations - shows emotions, and does not necessary from a famous person
• Facts or Statistics - from credible sources, unusual
• Rhetorical questions - making people wonder and think
• Current events - about an issue, what's happening to the world these days
• Contrast to the thesis statement - directly contrast to the thesis statement
• Definition - the meaning of words, elaborations

         Miss Zu then divides us into seven group. I was placed in the same group with Hasmin and Tini. Each group must presented an introductory paragraph using either one of the hook and my group need to do a paragraph based on quotations.

DEBATE!

HELLO!

          We did a debate during this class. we were divided into four groups. I was in the same group with Tini, Adam and Ayu. My group's topic was, "Is it considered cheating if your partner likes / comments or etc beautiful girls / boys on Facebook?". We were the government and we debated with the opposition which was Hasmin's group. Our debates were judged by other groups. I don't really remember who won the debate, all I remember is that we won the Best Presenter. Hasmin and Adam were titled the best debaters.


        To sum up the day, the activity was really fun as everybody stepped out of their comfort zone by speaking up their debates.

THANKS!!