I'm Practicing to Make Questions

1. What fruit is a popular seasonal around the world? Cherry.
   
2. What kind of fruit is member of the same family as rose? The cherry.
   
3. Where be native of cherry? Western Asia.
   
4. What kinds of prepared foods are processed to make from cherries? Jellies, pies and alcoholic drinks
   
5. What are the countries for cherry-producting nation? Russia, Poland and Turkey.
   
6. Which state is the biggest American producer of cherries? Washington state.
   
7. What countries are major producers of sweet cherries? The U.S, Iran and Turkey.
   
8. How do the fresh cherries cost? They cost more than many other kinds of fresh fruit.
   
9. How did the farmers do when they process grafting the cherries? They took cuttings from exitsting trees and joined them to related trees.
   
10. What is scion? The cuting.
    
11. What did the U.S provide Japan? The U.S provided Japan with cuttings from the Yoshino trees in Washington.
    
12. What did it help Japan to replace? The cuttings helped replace Japanese trees lost in flood.
    
13. Hi.classmates, please help me out with these questions! especially, Mr. Blum.
    

Until , By and By The Time . . . .

· We 're going to be at the ferry in San Francisco by 10:00 am.

· Tell me by Wednesday whether or not you want to go with me to the Angel Island.

· My family and I are going to be away until Thursday.

· On April 7th our teacher is going away. He will not return until May 5^th.

· It took her some time to find the restaurant.. By the time she arrived at the restaurant, the guests were eating.

· I worked hard last weekend. By Sunday night. I felt exhausted.

· It was windy. By the time the black cloud reached us, it had begun to rain.

· The meter expired. By the time the man returned to his car, the police had already put a ticket on it.

The Big Mouth Money Jar

Hi, Nontachai's

I read your writing. The situation in your class over there is the same as here. The students used to speak their native languges each other. But now we're learning forein languge. We should speak the languge we're learning. So we can improve it day after day right?

As you know, our teacher made a lable to tape on the jar such as "The Big Mouth Money Jar" for punishing the students who like to speak their languges during the class. And you know, our teacher has a sensitive ear. By the time if we speak our languge, it's immediate he brings the money jar come up to the students who are speaking their languges. He tells that students to put coin in the jar. We collect that money for Christmast party.

Our class has have the jar for two weeks already. Now everybody controls oneself. No one dare to speak their native languges. Except we forget, sometimes.

You see, this procedure is very effective. Tell your teacher folow Richard's rule. It is indeed working!

Tell us more stories! We are expected your writing soon.

Angel Island FAQ

Where do we meet on Thursday Morning?

Meet in Room101 or at the Lake Merritt BART station

What time do we meet on Thursday morning?

Meet at 7:45 in Room 101. We will leave promptly at 7:55 to walk to the Lake Merritt BART station.

You can also meet us at the Lake Merritt BART station at 8:25.

How much money should I bring?

Bring between $20 and $25 for transportation.

BART costs $2.75 each way.

The Angel Island Ferry group rate is $13.50.

The San Francisco to Oakland Ferry (optional at 5:20 p.m.) costs $5.50.

Bring extra money if you plan on buying snacks or drinks.

Who will buy our tickets?

You will. Each student will buy their own ticket.

Please bring exact change (or at least crisp dollar bills) for the BART ticket. We won’t have a lot of time to spend buying tickets at the Lake Merritt BART station.

We will purchase the Angel Island Ferry tickets at Pier 41.

What kind of weather do we expect?

Check with weather.com. The prediction is for partially cloudy with a high of 61 degrees. This is perfect weather for hiking, but be prepared for all weather conditions.

What clothes should I wear?

Be prepared for all kinds of weather. It may be windy. If you climb to the top of Mt. Livermore (the highest point of the island) you may feel warm. Dress in layers so that you can adjust your clothing to the conditions. I usually carry a couple of sweaters and a light jacket. Don’t forget a hat if you need protection from the sun.

Dress casually and wear comfortable shoes. We will be walking quite a bit.

What else can I bring?

Bring lunch for yourself and some snack or fruit to share with your classmates.

Bring a bottle of water, juice or soda.

Don’t bring alcohol or illegal substances.

Bring sunscreen and a hat if you, like me, need protection from the sun.

Bring a camera if you have one. Don’t forget spare batteries, etc.

Bring a notebook and pencil. We will be talking about everything we see. This could be an excellent opportunity to expand your vocabulary.

Bring a backpack to carry all of the above.

What will we do on the island?

Speak English, of course.

We will walk around the eastern end of the island and look at Chinese Cove where the Chinese immigrants were detained. I hope a park ranger or volunteer will give a talk.

We’ll eat lunch together. After that, students can choose how to spend their time. Some may want to explore the shore. Others may choose to go for a walk or climb Mr. Livermore. Some may just want to relax and talk.

Everyone should meet back at the dock by 3:20.

The ferry departs for San Francisco promptly at 3:40.

When does the field trip end?

Officially, the field trip ends at 4:00 p.m. on our return to Pier 41 in San Francisco. Students are free to leave from there. The BART runs a regular schedule from the Embarcadero to Oakland.

Unofficially, I will stay and wait for the Oakland ferry that leaves Pier 41 at 5:20. This is a good time to talk casually or grab a bite to eat. The ferry (fare is $5.50) takes about an hour to reach Jack London Square in Oakland. We’ll (several students have decided on this option) take a bus back to Neighborhood Centers School.

Can I bring a relative or a friend?

Yes, if they can walk, they are welcome, but please tell me who you are bringing by Wednesday.

Sun Shines on Sunday

As you can see, the sun shone on the Golden Gate Bridge and my head.

I have more photos if you would like to see them on Monday. 

A small party

Last Wednesday, all of us (Cristina, Naci , Sethern and me) left earlier than usual from school as Cristina had invited us to visit her house so we decided to go that afternoon.

We chatted while we were driving. After 15 minutes, we arrived at Christina’s house. I felt comfortable and warm when we got into Cristina’s house. Then we sat on the sofa and viewed some of Cristina’s pictures. All of us only spoke English as we came from different countries.

Cristina quickly treated us to some orange juice, and then some potato chips and some special Mexico food. We talked about each other’s countries and our feelings after we moved to the United States.

It surprised me that I found some words in English on the potato chips. Each potato chip had a different sentence. There were riddles on them! So I suggested that we play these riddles on each other. The rule was whoever could reply to a question correctly then she would get one chip. We played the game and cheered.

We had to leave after one and a half hour. We thanked Cristina for her invitation and delicious food when we left. We really had a good time that day. I felt excited that it was the first time I had visited any classmate’s house after I arrived to the United States. We can make friends although we come from different countries.

The Dog Who Dialed 911

Leana, 46-year-old woman with a wheelchair, who lives with her son in Washington. Leana never dreamed that the dog can save her life.

"Fairth" is a dog's name. That's Leana's new service dog. Leana suffered from epilepsy for nearly a decade (such as 10 years). She had "Bronson", that her first service dog. She helped her with chores, arrands and most critically, to assist her in the event of epileptic seizures. Bronson was retiring from service and Fairth was subtitute as her job then.

Leana and a professional dog trainer to trained Fairth to work as a "seizure-response dog" with hope that she might develop into a "seizure-alert dog."

Oneday, Leana reached across the stove for empty water kettle. She fell out of her wheelchair, hitting her head on the kitchen-cabinet door and lay uncouscious on the floor. This was a medical emergency, though not directly caused by her epilepsy. At that time, Fairth's heroism kicked him into over-drive. The dog found the cordless phone with her mounth and her nose pushed the dog called 911. Speed-dial button she had been trained to identify. Fairth barked into the phone. She barked and barked.

Most operators are not trained to translate the barking of dogs, but they detected a pattern to the barks. They seemed to come after she spoke.

When she had accomplished the calling 911, Fairth went back to Leana and did her seizure-response work, pushing her into the "recovery position" on her side, which cleared her throat.

When the police officer arrived, Fairth and Bronson watched from the window. Both had been trained to recognize the uniforms of police, firefighters and medical personnel not as intruders, but as friends. With her nose, Fairth unlatched to let the police came in. Fairth was barking as she ran to the kitchen, urging the police folowed her. Emergency responders know to trust the competence of service animals. The unconscious Leana was whisked to the hospital.

Leana was in the hospital for three weeks. Fairth went with her for part of the time. Leana had a clear idea of her rescure. After she returned home. She contacted to the police. She knew the story of Fairth amazing feat.

While listening to the police. Leana kept interrupting, saying "My Fairth did that? She did what?" After she finished and she had hung up the phone, she threw her arms around her dog and cried out, "How did you know to do all that?" Leana didn't think the dog was able to figure out each step to take, working on the skills in sequence and with exact precistion.

Leana must be love and devotion to Fairth. After that night the relationship changed between Leana and Fairth. Leana found out that Fairth, who she was: "a true angel."

My Classmate, Adrian

Today, it's around 2:00 pm. It is hailing. While I was looking at the hail. suddently, Adrian came into my shop. He wanted to get a hair cut. While I was cuting his hair, I talked to him. I asked him, "Why aren't you going to school?" He said, he has many problems. He'll go to school later. He told me to say "hello" to the teacher. Then I asked him, "What are you doing?" He said, he is selling DVDs on E 14 & 39 AVE. He sells for two shifts everyday. The morning shift is from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The night shift is from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

This is the second time he came to my shop to get a hair cut.

As. . . .As and Like and As

1. As she walked down the street, she looked into my shop.

2. Let’s go to Angel Island as you don't have anything else to do.

3. The teacher gave the homework to the students just as I left.

4. I cut myself as I was cutting a customer's hair.

5. Just as Yanhua and I began talking, the teacher interrupted us.

6. A customer came for a haircut just as I opened the shop.

7. As it was an interesting topic, I wrote the essay quickly.

8. As last Friday was a Saint Patrick’s Day, the teacher pinched the students who didn't wear the color green.

9. As you know, my class is going to go to the Angel Island in next two weeks.

10. As we expected, the weather going to be pleasant on the day of the field trip.

11. As the teacher thought, it usually doesn’t rain at the end of March.

12. As the teacher said, do not adjust the blinds. Leave the blinds as they are.

13. Some procedures, such as C P R, can save 40% of victims lives.

14. You're beautiful as usual.

15. You're careless as usual.

16. Kaddo once was proud as a lord and once sat in rags asking for help, also.

17. As a great man of Tendella in the Kingdom of Seno, Kaddo once had a bursting granary and many servants.

Valentine's Day Gift

My friend told me a true story yesterday.
Mr. Wong, Mrs. Wong and their son live in Oakland. They are not rich.

Before this Valentine's day Mr. Wong wanted to give his dear wife a gift . He had thought about many items. He thought that a diamond ring would be excellent, but he could not afford to buy one. Flowers wouldn’t be special enough. Crystal decorations are beautiful but he had sent a little lovely crystal angel to his wife last year. It was difficult to decide what would be a suitable gift which could be both practical and cheap but not low quality.

On Valentine's Day, as usual, his wife went to work but he had a holiday so he stayed at home. In the morning, Mr. Wong cleaned the refrigerator. He opened its door and he saw inside. Suddenly, He got a wonderful idea. After cleaning the refrigerator, he went out and came back soon.

That afternoon, Mrs. Wong came home after work. She felt tired out that day. She came to the door of the house and opened it slowly with her key. She stood in the door holding the door handle. She saw her husband leaning against the counter in the kitchen. He smiled at her and said to her: "My dear, come here please."

She felt strange and moved toward her husband. He asked his wife to open the door of the refrigerator, and said: "Here is a Valentine's Day gift for you, my dear."

When she opened the door of the refrigerater wide, she saw only that some crowns of broccoli (Cantonese call them broccoli flowers ) were placed in the center of the refrigerator. It looked like a bundle of beautiful flowers. His wife smiled broadly and laughed. She gave him a long kiss.

Mr.Wong felt happier than he had ever felt before.

As If

She sounds as if she doesn't speak English correctly.
I feel as if we need to practice the grammar that we have learned each day.
It looks as if our teacher thinks everyone in this class understands the reading on the computer. It looks as if the teacher doesn't know the students' level.
It smells as though somebody grilled B. B. Q around here.
I didn't know her, but she treated me as if I were her good friend.
I don't like advertisments. The companies always advertise as if their products do a very good job.
We don't need to practice all the grammar that we have learned. We just need to practice some of the grammar we don't know well.

Who wrote "Hero"?

Click here to learn more about the author of "Hero".

Read some of his poems.

Learn CPR. Save a life!

Check out these news stories:

Girl saves mom with CPR

Singer uses Heimlich Maneuver to Save Stage Hand

Help Plan Our Field Trip

Plan a Trip to Angel Island

We are trying to plan a trip to Angel Island on March 30th.

Please help with the planning!


How can we get to Angel Island?

What are the costs?

When will we have to leave and what time will we return? Check the schedules.

What kind of weather do you expect on March 30?

What should we bring with us?

Will we have to walk far?

What will we do on Angel Island?

Here are some resources to help answer these questions.

BART
Angel Island Ferry
San Francisco Ferry
San Francisco Transit Guide

Information about Angel Island
Angel Island Immigration Foundation
Angel Island State Park
Angel Island Tours
Angel Island Immigrant Journeys of Asian Americans
Angel Island Poetry
More about Angel Island Poetry

Can you answer these CPR questions?

How CPR Works

What happens when a person experiences cardiac arrest?

How effective is CPR?

What does CPR mean?

When was CPR invented?

Where does the oxygen we breathe go?

When to Dial 911

What may be the most important step that you can take to save a life?

If two people are present and CPR is needed, what should they do?

If you are the only one present and CPR is needed, what should you do?

What should we always do when faced with an emergency situation?

What should you be prepared to tell the 911 operator?

Adult CPR

According to the American Heart Association, Adult CPR should be performed on anyone over what age?

What is responsiveness?

What should you do before beginning any rescue effort?

When shouldn’t you shake the victim?

What should you do if the victim does not respond to gentle shaking and shouting?

Adult CPR Airway

What does the “A” in “ABC” mean?

What do you need to do if the victim is unconscious and unresponsive?

How do you check to see if the victim is breathing?

What is the most common airway obstruction in an unconscious victim?

How can you clear the airway of an unconscious victim when the tongue is blocking it?

Adult CPR Breathing

What does the “B” in breathing stand for?

How do you prepare to give rescue breathing?

What can happen if you over-inflate the victim’s lungs?

What should you do if the victim vomits?

How many breaths should you give?

What should you do after you give the first two breaths?

What should you do if the victim does not begin breathing, coughing or moving?

Adult CPR Circulation

What does the “C” stand for in “ABC”?

How can you determine if the victim’s heart is beating?

Where is the carotid artery?

What is a pulse?

What will you have to do if there is no pulse?

Adult CPR Compressions

Why is correct hand placement very important when performing chest compressions?

If you hear a cracking sound, should you stop performing chest compressions?

How many times should you compress before giving two more breaths?

How fast should you compress the victim’s chest?

Should you check the victim’s pulse again?

How long should you continue if there is no pulse?

What should you do if the victim has a pulse but is not breathing?

My Friend's Emergency

Most people don't know what to do in an emergency situation.

For example, my friend's daughter is 5 years old. Suddently, a lot of blood came out of her nose. My friend thought that was normal. She asked her daughter to lay down for a half day. She thought the bleeding would stop later. After a few hours, she sat her daughter up. The blood came out more and more. It was dripping. Then she called 911. An ambulance took her daughter to the hospital.

Sometimes, people don't know that to do in a critical situation. During those minutes, if we know about what to do, we can save a victim's life.

Oscar and Me

In the 78th annual Academy Awards. I saw a lot of movie stars. They looked very elegant and attractive. Each actress had a different style. They wore very special clothes and their clothes were unique. They are all talented actors. Some nominnees got Academy Awards. The awards are made of gold and were shaped like a man.

Homework Update !!!

Oops!!!

The Academy Awards start at 8:00 p.m. New York time.

That would be: 5 p.m. in Oakland.

If you want to see the stars arrive, watch the Red Carpet Special at 4:00 p.m.

Homework Assignment

Watch the Academy Awards at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday night and write a blog post with the title, "Oscar and Me." The Academy Awards will be on the ABC network. Locally, ABC is on channel 7.

Please share what you think about the Academy Award show. What did you like? What didn't you like?

You can click here to listen to a Voice of America story about the Academy Awards.

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-02-26-voa2.cfm

See you on Monday. I hope to read your stories before then.