Author: ywalia

Group Members: Letizia Aquilino, Zuishan Liu, Yana Walia

Firstl as a group,we discussed Zuishan’s speech. He talked about his topic, improving schools. His ideas and solutions were so inspiring and he sounded very motivated talking about them, which in my opinion is one of the most important things while preparing a speech as it not only adds confidence and compassion to his tone while speaking about the topic but his own interest will also attract the audience to be interested in the topic. I suggested that he should  add more facts, statistics and evidence in order to supports the claims he will be making in his speech, which is also an advantage he’d have in his speech.

Then we discussed Lety’s speech about plastic pollution. She narrowed her critera and speech down to just Plastic pollution in Indonesia, because  she was curious about why this problem is on such a high magnitude in east easian countires like china and indonesia. I think narrowing her search and solution to one country is very effective as devising one strong and detailed solution for one country that will help them alot against a problem as harmful as pollution is much more effective and better than devising a generic solution that works for all countries but doesn’t taylor to the specific reasons they’re having these issues,because all countries are different and face different challenges, as said by Lety while explaining her idea. I suggested to her further that she should add statistics and talk about the reasons this is such a big problem in Indonesia and how people of the country can help on a local level as they could be a possible audience for her speech.

Then after that we discussed my speech and watched the video I had recorded for the speech I have scripted so far. My groupmates gave exremely helpful advice and suggestions and complimented the things about my speech they liked, for example lety said she liked my tone alot and how I took pauses to emphasize certin things. Zuishan said he liked how my tone was so emtoive and concerned. I told them going further I am going to add my personal connection to my speech and they asked me about it and suggested and what I should say. I will keep all this advice going forward and implent the helpful suggestions they had.

Brainstorming topic ideas for the speech:~

–> arguing the tracking effects of ‘close contact’ on iphones as violation of privacy

I am from India, the second I read this prompt, the very first event that came to my mind was the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 when India was freed of the colonial rule. However, this was also one of the darkest periods in the subcontinent’s history. Partition sent at least 12 million people — Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus – across the new borders of split Punjab. The actual number of men, women, and children slaughtered in horrific massacres is unknown, although hundreds of thousands died. People were forced to leave their homes as they were forced to chose between the 2 countries, they were scared for them and their families’ safety

Partition resulted in rioting, enormous fatalities, and a massive wave of migration. Millions of people fled to what they assumed would be safer lands, with Muslims fleeing to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs fleeing to India. As many as 14-16 million people may have been relocated in the end, traveling on foot, on bullock carts, and by rail.

Many were slain by members of neighboring groups and, in some cases, members of their own families, as well as dangerous illnesses that spread across refugee camps. Women were frequently targeted as symbols of communal honor, with up to 100,000 being raped or kidnapped.

What might account for such a ferocious reaction? Many of those involved were profoundly connected not only to religious identity, but also to land, and Britain was hesitant to intervene.

The reasion I believe this event that happened almost 74 years ago to be relevent to this day is because the represcussions of it still ripple through the 2 countries today with heavy military in Kashmir, the state the 2 countries have been fighting for, even to this day there is heavy military in Kashmir and wars on the glaciers of siachen and both countries draining money and power into kashmir which can be used for their development instead of fighting and that would maintain peace too.

Group members: Abhiraj gill, Yana Walia, Chinaza Hughes

Activity 1: For a long time, my stepson, Jonathan, was unhappy to have me as part of his family, for he resents that he didn’t have both biological parents at home. I tried to get to know him better, but he would complain that I invaded his privacy. As a newcomer, I understood that our relationship would require effort from both of us. It was not enough that I was friendly. Jonathan also had to want us to be friends, and I was not happy with the two of us being strangers, but I can wait for him to feel more comfortable around me.

Activity 2: Anne Marie collects antique bottles and loves to turn them into works of art. She will buy bottles if she likes them, but she prefers to find them in the ground. She finds bottles everywhere, but she picks them selectively. However, she has the best luck at construction sites on old farmland, where she spends most of her time. Often, bottles appear on the surface after a good rain, but they disappear very soon. She uses special tools for excavating bottles, including a set of brushes. She does not want to break the bottles as she removes them from the ground. After finding a new bottle, Anne Marie will add it to her display case and hang it on the wall as an artistic piece (Mangelsdorf, 2013, p. 411).

Group members: Briana Do, Melissa Zilinki, Yana Walia

 Read the following sentences carefully to identify semicolon and colon mistakes. Then use the correct form of punctuation, including commas. Please make sure that you highlight or embolden the changes you make. Once you complete this group activity, I will visit your rooms and help you improve your sentences by using the punctuation correctly.

• White rhinos are famous for their big horns, they are among the endangered species.

Correction: White rhinos are famous for their big horns; consequently, they are among the endangered species.

• The teacher didn’t know if she should laugh or cry; but she knew it was quite hilarious.

Correction: The teacher didn’t know if she should laugh or cry, but she knew it was quite hilarious.

• Three things matter in life; perseverance, commitment, and aptitude for learning.

Correction: Three things matter in life: perseverance, commitment, and aptitude for learning.

• A dog trotted over to the computer in Sara’s office; typed out a perfect letter; and printed it!

Correction: A dog trotted over to the computer in Sara’s office, typed out a perfect letter, and printed it!

• The manager was stunned; but she told the dog; “The sign says you have to be good with the computer, just because you’re good at typing doesn’t mean that you are good with it”. 

Correction: The manager was stunned, but she told the dog: “The sign says you have to be good with the computer; just because you’re good at typing doesn’t mean that you are good with it”.

• A man walked into a pet shop and ordered three things, centipede, kitten, parrot.

Correction: A man walked into a pet shop and ordered three things: a centipede, kitten, and parrot. 

• Sama was the best person for the job, because she had an excellent service record in one key area; community health training.

Correction: Sama was the best person for the job because she has an excellent service record in one key area: community health training

• Amy served with 4 stars in the army, therefore, she was awarded the Medal of Honor 

Correction : Amy served with 4 stars in the army; therefore, she was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Group Members: Yana Walia, Alvaro Corral, Melissa Zilinki

EXERCISE 1:

Combine each sentence pair into a single sentence using either a coordinating conjunction or a conjunctive adverb. Then copy the combined sentence onto your own sheet of paper.

1. Pets are not allowed in Mr. Taylor’s building. He owns several cats and a parrot.13

→ Pets are not allowed in Mr. Taylor’s building, yet he owns several cats and a parrot.

1. New legislation prevents drivers from sending or reading text messages while driving. Many people continue to use their phones illegally.

→ New legislation prevents drivers from sending or reading text messages while driving, but many people continue to use their phones illegally.

1. The coroner concluded that the young man had taken a lethal concoction of drugs. By the time his relatives found him, nothing could be done.

→ The coroner concluded that the young man had taken a lethal concoction of drugs, so by the time his relatives found him, nothing could be done.

1. Amphibians are vertebrates that live on land and in the water. Flatworms are invertebrates that live only in water.

→ Amphibians are vertebrates that live on land and in the water, therefore Flatworms are invertebrates that live only in water.

1. Ashley carefully fed and watered her tomato plants all summer. The tomatoes grew juicy and ripe.

→ Ashley carefully fed and watered her tomato plants all summer, hence the tomatoes grew juicy and ripe.

1. When he lost his car key, Simon attempted to open the door with a wire hanger, a credit card, and a paperclip. He called the manufacturer for advice.

→ When he lost his car key, Simon attempted to open the door with a wire hanger, a credit card, and a paperclip, then he called the manufacturer for advice.

Exercise 2:

Combine each sentence pair into a single sentence using a subordinating conjunction and then copy the combined sentence onto your own sheet of paper.

1. Jake is going to Mexico. There are beautiful beaches in Mexico.

Revised: Jake is going to Mexico where there are beautiful beaches.

1. A snowstorm disrupted traffic all over the east coast. There will be long delivery delays this week.

Revised: A snowstorm disrupted traffic all over the east coast which means that there will be long delivery delays this week.

1. My neighbor had his television volume turned up too high. I banged on his door and asked him to keep the noise down.

Revised: My neighbor had his television volume turned up too high so I banged on his door and asked him to keep the noise down.

1. Jessica prepared the potato salad and the sautéed vegetables. Ashley marinated the chicken.

Revised: Jessica prepared the potato salad and the sautéed vegetables and Ashley marinated the chicken.

1. Romeo poisons himself. Juliet awakes to find Romeo dead and stabs herself with a dagger.

Revised: Romeo poisons himself; Juliet then awakes to find Romeo dead and stabs herself with a dagger.

This ted Talk was one of the most engrossing and interesting I’ve ever seen, it so deeply analysed the differences between the POC students in highly regarded educational institutions, his analysation of the cultural shock a student recieves in these colleges when they come from public schools in low income areas. Things that I hadn’t even noticed/ thought about about the … (will complete later)

Responding to Parker Qualls’s Post on the discussion about Chapter 2 excerpt from Jennifer Eberhardt’s Biased.

To summarize her response, Parker talks about how in the introduction and Chapter 2 excerpt from her book Biased, Jennifer Eberhardt gives us some ideas to help avoid bias against people from diverse cultures and ethnicities. Eberhardt explains implicit bias, which the dictionary describes as “unconscious favoritism toward or prejudice against people of a particular ethnicity, gender, or social group that influences one’s actions or perceptions.” In order to tackle this implicit bias, you have to access yourself first.
It is important to work on yourself before anyone else.

I thoroughly agree with her response , I love how Jennifer Eberhardt explains implicit bias as “unconscious favoritism toward or prejudice against people of a particular ethnicity, gender, or social group that influences one’s actions or perceptions”. Even if it is not on purpose, our ideals are shaped by daily stereotypes. One should inspect their own beliefs and bias before going out in the world and trying to be more considerate peers.

considered topics for Essay 3:

1. Climate change in tropic islands or very cold areas with glaciers melting
2. sexism in stem field
3. Rascism in hollywood and stereotypes
4. Effects on childhood trauma as adults and effects of therapy and other things to resolve it
5. Student debt in USA and how it affects the country’s poverty and the middle class.
6. Sexulisation of young women in media
7. Unemployment’s effect on crime
8. Effects of low Gun control in America on the population

still considering all the Issues, more reserach will reveal which topic is most viable for in intersting essay.

other topics can include.

9. Harsh realities on asian cultures and parenting and their effects on the current generations

10. Stereotypes leading to racial pofiling by the police

11. The death penalty- is it too cruel?

12. Portarayal of women in movies, especially romantic comedies (Sexism)

13. Social media promoting narcissism

14. Media glorifying overworking and impacting mental health

15. Media causing body image issues in the youth and impacting mental health

16. How veganism helps the enivronment

In several of these possible topics, I can have strong ethos as an author in my argument being Asian, a woman, a person of colour, being a student in the US, which is why careful consideration is neccesary to make the right decision to chose the perfect option.

Group members: Abhiraj Gill, Chinaza Hughes, Yana Walia

This meme was found on Google and it comments on how black people’s arguments about racism and violence are often undermined by white people trying to turn the tables back on to black people. It uses humor to undermine the seriousness of the issue and how it affects the stereotypes and society’ s perception of the issue as black people are countered with this argument to undermine their experiences with racism.

It also successfully shifts the focus of the argument from the main issue of racism to black on black crime hence manipulating the narrative of racism. This meme is effectively thought provoking and it uses a popular argument presented to black people to address how invalidating that statement is. The meme itself is fairly simplistic so that may affect its strength as an argument, but still, the argument is clear.