Dear Mr. Tangen

So many things have happened since we last saw each other. I went to a beautiful city called Bethlem some years ago, and met a baby boy that had just been born, his name is Jesus. I think you know Mary, his mother. She tells that the angel Gabriel went to her in a dream and told her that she was going to give birth to the Son of God. His father is a nice man named Joseph. I am going to tell you their story.

On my trip, I also met another baby. His name is john. He was born in Nazareth. His mother's name is Elisabeth. She is the daughter of Aaron. Her husband's name is Zechariah and he is a priest. But that was a longtime ago and time has passed and these two boys have grown up.

John began to baptize people and wash away all their sins in the desert of Judea. He has become a man of god. But the evil king, Herod, who disagreed with baptism arrested John and put him in jail.

Jesus also became a man of god. He began to perform miracles, save lives, cure lepers, bring people from the dead and he even does exorcism. He also tamed a storm, and fed a crowd of 5,000 people with scarce food. People admired him and praised him because he claimed to be the Son of God. He began to have many followers and he called out twelve men who became his biggest admirers and followers. Jesus began to preach and his apostles followed him everywhere and preached his word among people. Most of the Jew's loved Jesus for he was there King. But a group of people thought he was a farce. They were called the Pharisees. They were completely against him but Jesus did not mind them. He kept on preaching and continued like always. But one day he was conversing with his apostles and he told them that he foresaw that he was going to die.

Worried that he will soon be killed he hurries back to Jerusalem. When he arrives he has trouble getting through the town because a crowd of disbelieves attacks him but he manages to get through them.

With the feeling that his end is near he warns his followers about the apocalyptic. He gathers all his apostles and has a special supper for them. He tells them that that would be there last supper together.

In the end Judas betrays Jesus and Jesus is arrested. He is crucified shortly after his arrest and he is nailed to a wooden cross and let there to die. Joseph being a very loving and loyal to his friend goes buries him and doesn’t leave him rotting on the cross. His good friend Mary Magdalene goes looking for him to his grave and finds that he is not there any longer. Jesus had resuscitated and went to tell his loyal apostles to spread his word and his teachings and to make the religion bigger and stronger.
This is a very important story and I think that one of Jesus biggest concerns was that some one might forget his story and I hope that never happens because I am a loyal disciple of his and I don’t want this story to be forgotten.

I hope to keep in touch with you my dear friend,
Luke

The Tao of The Bible

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Exodus20: 4)“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”  (Exodus20: 7)

While I was reading the Tao I kept on remembering many passages from the Bible. The passages above are two of the Ten Commandments. Similar to the first passages from the Tao Te Ching, it is stated in the bible that one must not have any image or representation of God nor may one use his name in vain.

“The Tao that can be told

Is not the eternal Tao

The name that can be named

Is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.

Naming is the origin

Of all particular things.” (Tao Te Ching: Chapter 1)

 

The first thing that is said in The Tao Te Ching is that the Tao cannot be explained and it can’t have a name. Similar to that of the Ten Commandments, one should not use Gods name in vain nor shall one name the Tao.

These two “rules” are similar because they are both trying to preserve the power and importance of the Bible and the Tao Te Ching, because once you name something so important and mysterious as the Bible or the Tao you are taking away some of its importance and mystery. If you make an image of god, you are reducing it even more. And eventually both will be reduced to a simple theory, which is exactly what these two passages are trying to prevent.

 

The Tao is supposed to always remain a mystery and it is suppose to be impossible to explain. So are Gods powers. We know that Taoism exists but we don’t know its source. Same with Gods powers, we know they exist but we don’t know the real source. The true essence of faith lies within these principles.

“Free from desire, you realize the mystery.

Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations

arise from the same source.

This source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.

The gateway to all understanding.”(Tao Te Ching: Chapter 1)

“For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse…”(Romans1: 20)

I began to look at the New Testament and realized that some of the Lord’s teachings are the same of those in the Tao. For example:

“The more you talk, the more you are likely to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet. “(Proverbs 10:19)


”The mouth, on the other hand, becomes exhausted if you talk too much. Better to keep your thoughts inside you.” (Tao Te Ching: Chapter 5)

Both are saying that you should keep your mouth shut for useless matters. This shows that the Bible does teach some similar things as the Tao. I have found that these two have many characteristics in common and that the Tao and The Bible have some similar teachings. I think that the Tao expresses them in a much more direct way.

“Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”(Matthew 26:52)

“People who try to take the executioner's place are like people that try to take the Master Carpenter's place. If you use the Master's tools, you just cut your own hands.” (The Tao Te Ching: Chapter 74)

In the bible we assume that God is supposed to be teaching the good and defending it. But that is no the case, God is impartial because he is the creator of everything and everyone thus he loves all his creations. But what about a thief? That’s still is one of his creations. All humans sin and yet, God still forgives all of our sins. God is above good and evil.

The Tao doesn't take sides;

it gives birth to both good and evil.

The Master doesn't take sides;

she welcomes both saints and sinners.

The Tao is like a bellows:

it is empty yet infinitely capable.

The more you use it, the more it produces;

the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

Hold on to the center.” (Tao Te Ching: Chapter 5)

The Tao is also like God in this sense; it is above good and evil, and in Taoism the yin yang represents this.

“When people see some things as beautiful,

other things become ugly.

When people see some things as good,

other things become bad.

 

Being and non-being create each other.

Difficult and easy support each other.

Long and short define each other.

High and low depend on each other.

Before and after follow each other.

Therefore the Master

acts without doing anything

and teaches without saying anything.

Things arise and she lets them come;

things disappear and she lets them go.

She has but doesn't possess,

acts but doesn't expect.

When her work is done, she forgets it.

That is why it lasts forever.” (Tao Te Ching: Chapter 2)

In Taoism good and bad compliment each other. Without bad, good wouldn’t exist, and without good, bad wouldn’t exist either. Good and bad balance each other out. In every wrong, there is some good and in every good there is some bad.

Both of these books are the basic pillars to universal beliefs. And they are very similar. They are both spiritual guides to help their readers become better people. But the bible is a religious book, and I believe that the Tao is more a philosophy than a religion. But they both have common basic principles and teach their readers and followers positive life lessons. They both make humans undertake the quest to find a spiritual life through a matter as deep as faith. 

The Tao In GO

While I was playing Go, I began to think of how the Tao Te Ching and Go are alike. In the Tao, we learn how to balance good and evil with the yin yang. When you play Go you have to make the right move to win. The Tao is trying to teach us how to become better people. It is like a spiritual a spiritual guide that tries to make humans better people. In Go we must look for the right choice to move in order to win.  much like in life. we could use the game Go as a metaphor with life. You always have too look for the right move to make to do better and we may be in difficult situations through out our lives but there is always a solution  and like the Yin Yang, there is always some good in bad and always something bad in good. 

Love everything you do

One thing I noticed was about Confucius was that he always says very wise things but all his preachings have to do with love. I think that everything that Confucius did, he did it with love and gave the best of his energy.

"Set your heart upon the way, rely upon Virtue, lean upon Goodness, and explore widely in your cultivation of the arts." This quote is really inspiring. I have really enjoyed reading these analects. There are many lessons to be learned from them.  This quote really made me think.

 You can understand this quote by dividing it up.

The first part: " Set your heart upon the way… ". Confucius is saying that the "way" is the path of life, so you must love your life and love everything you do in life.

The second part: "…rely upon Virtue…” Here you must always believe that everything you do have a positive outcome and you always have to have faith in that goodness is always on your side.

The last part: "…and explore widely in your cultivation of the arts." Here he is asking all of us to cultivate the arts to help and give new input to the society we are in.

He is asking to be positive and to love and live our lives and love what we do and find the goodness in everything at all times.

Confucius is very wise and I love whom he writes. The beauty of his writing really touches 

love for learning

Reading Analects 4 through 6 a quote from the Analects really caught my attention. "In any village of ten households there are surely those who are as dutiful or trustworthy as I am, but there is no one who matches my love for learning," (5.28) I began to analyze this quote and I realized what Confucius meant. If you don’t love what you are learning you wont enjoy it so you want really learn. Confucius teaches about finding a love for learning. We can see that he wants his students to love what they do in order to find goodness in their selves and to learn more you should love what your doing.
Many people I know, who are a lot older than me, have always told me that the essence in learning is not the same anymore. Our parents or grandparents use to go to school because they enjoyed learning. Everyday was more exciting because they would learn knew things. I’m sure that these would all be perfect examples of people who do have a true love for learning new things, people who are thrilled with the thought of learning knew things, and this isn’t only in their childhoods, this is all there life’s. I could perfectly use my parents as an example they are in their forties and they still love learning new things. They really enjoy it.
Today, the majority of students attend class because it is am obligation. We are forced and we can’t seem to find a joy in learning and this makes me go back to Confucius’s quote. Maybe he is right, we must find a joy and an entertainment in learning if we really want to succeed and learn more.

Spelling Exercise

Question	Your Answer	The Correct Answer	Your Response is:
Question 1	Where	Where	Correct
Question 2	wear	wear	Correct
Question 3	we're	we're	Correct
Question 4	to	to	Correct
Question 5	two	two	Correct
Question 6	too	too	Correct
Question 7	conscious	conscious	Correct
Question 8	conscience	conscience	Correct
Question 9	led	led	Correct
Question 10	lead	lead	Correct
Question 11	their	their	Correct
Question 12	They're	They're	Correct
Question 13	there	there	Correct
Question 14	idea	idea	Correct
Question 15	ideal	ideal	Correct
Question 16	than	than	Correct
Question 17	then	then	Correct
Question 18	It's	It's	Correct
Question 19	its	its	Correct
Question 20	You're	You're	Correct
Question 21	your	your	Correct
Question 22	advise	advise	Correct
Question 23	advice	advice	Correct

You had 23 out of 23 questions correct.

Incredible Speaking Ability

After watching President Barack Obama speak, I noticed many things that the new American president does. Aside from being one of the best speakers I have ever seen and heard he maintains the audience's attention throughout the whole speech. He demonstrates eye contact and limits his hand gestures and uses them to make emphasis o n certain parts of his speech. He also changes his tone and volume to master emphasis on important points of his speech. One of the things that stood out the most to me was his clear and confident tone. It really leaves you admiring and analyzing what President Obama is saying. He really hooks you into what he is trying to say.

Barack Obama

Senator Barack Obama is one of the best speakers I have heard. He not only masters rhetoric perfectly but he inspires and captivates the audience. He maintains his cool and its as if everything just flowed for him. He also is completely graceful through out the whole speech even when he attacks Senator McCain; you have to pay a lot of attention to actually see that he is attacking him. It is just incredible how well he speaks. I found a lot of pathos, ethos, and logos. 

Here is an example of pathos:"... My mom who raised my sister and me, on her own while she worked and earned her degree. Who once turned to food stamps but was till able to send us to the best schools in the country...." 

 One example of ethos: “It is not that John McCain doesn’t care, John McCain simply doesn’t get it"

 Logos: “Next week in Minnesota the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Chaney will ask this country for a third"

Will there always be a problem?

Since the begging of the Bible there is always conflict with God's wishes. Something always gets in the way of God's commands. In the Genesis, Adam and Eve and expelled from the Garden of Eden because they ate from the tree that they had been told not to. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it waspleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." (Genesis 3:6). Also in genesis, after Noah awakes from his drunkenness he punishes Ham for not taking care of his father when he was drunk, Ham must become his brothers' servant. “And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.” (Genesis 9: 25) 

In Exodus the pharaoh doesn't want to let the Hebrew free so God causes the ten plagues.  And now, in the book of Samuel I find that the Lord tells David that he shall go to Hebron "And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron" (Book 2 of Samuel: 1) Once at Hebron the Hebrews appointed David as the King of Hebrews. “And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah." (Book 2 of Samuel: 4). But then Abner divides the Hose of Judah in two by naming Ja'besh–gil'e-ad the King of Hebrews. "But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish–bo'sheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahana'im;and made him king over Gil'e-ad, and over the Ash'urites, and over Jezreel, and over E'phra-im, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel." (Book 2 of Samuel: 8-9)

Maternal love

"But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. "the end of the first book of samuel we can see that Samuel's mother doesn't want to go up to see the lord because her son is too young and wants to wean her child. she just wants to take care of him, in fear that the Lord will take Samuel from her and that he will die because he is not used to milk which is not from his mother's breast milk.

She wants the best for her baby and is willing to sacrifice her baby to the Lord as long as she knows that he will be fine. This reminds me of my sister's love towards her baby. She is completely dedicated to her. She is doing everything, she hasn't hired a nanny like most people do. instead she is 100% dedicated to her baby and she is so happy and in love. There is nothing like a mothers love towards her baby. 

When something is wrong my mother is always the first to know because she feels it. and its like that with almost all moms. It is almost as if they had a sixth sense and they were connected to their children.

Laws

Exodus chapters 22-35 were very difficult to get through. I couldn't get through it easily. I had to stop a lot. I didn't understand much. Something that really caught my attention was the begging of chapter 22. God began to make laws of restitution and human relations.  These laws resemble a lot those of today. there are many that of course are not similar but some like "If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay doubleIf the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbor's goods."(Exodus 22:7-8). Today this would translate into a court hearing for  a possible thief or suspect. 

This shows us that there have always been laws even since the begging... only to tempt us more and more.

Peom Meter

The vile/ cushions/ above/ the air/ A
Weeping /the death/ of the sun, B
The streets /resting/ full of /despair/ A
Shooting/ his tears/ with a gun, B
Hit by/ bullets,/ crying /in pain C
Walking/ alone /beneath/ the rain/C

Through-out Time

Since the majority of us are young we are taught what is wrong and what is right. When this comes to mind our parents sometimes talk about the Ten Commandments. 

These are the Ten Commandments:

3	¶ Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4	¶ Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5	Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6	And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7	¶ Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain:  for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8	¶ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9	Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
12	¶ Honor thy father and thy mother:  that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13	¶ Thou shalt not kill.
14	¶ Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15	¶ Thou shalt not steal.
16	¶ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17	¶ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.

As young children we get excited and learn these ten holy commandments and do our first communion. But most of us forget about them afterwards. I’m sure that most adults know the Ten Commandments but that none of them try to keep sin less.

 

There is no doubt when we say that times change. Before these Ten Commandments were practically the law and the person that went against them or disobeyed would be executed or severely punished. Today, the only punishment for sinning is a dirty conscious. Rules and laws have taken over the importance of the Ten Commandments and sadly, almost nobody cares much about them any longer. Is this because people are loosing their faith or maybe just that people are just more ignorant and they don’t pay attention to these things? Another factor that has taken over today's society is technology and the importance of going farther and doing more. Today, people are hooked on technology. About 98% of the people I know would go crazy after a month or two without technology. And everyday humanity is progressing and making more technological devices and young generations are going to be completely hooked on technology. If you compare our parents’ childhood with our childhood you will see that they are two extremes. While our parents played kickball, tag and rode their bikes, we spend our days on our Facebook accounts, Blackberries, and our computers or Iphones. There is no doubt that time has gone by and that people change through habits, culture and religion. 

Does time go by?

         Something that has called my attention from the Bible since the beginning is that it contradicts itself from page one. In chapter one of the Genesis god creates man, the heavens, and the earth. But in Genesis chapter two he doesn't create them until verse 7. Also the orders of events of these two chapters are completely contradictory and different. 

 

         In the Exodus 12:2 God tells Moses "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." but in the Genesis he had already created months days and weeks. A big fault in the bible is the time and order of events. It contradicts it self many times. Genesis 1:14 "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" I don’t understand were they really begin to count time. Does time begin with the creation of the Earth and Adam and Eve? Or does it begin with Moses? It seems to me that the Bible is not very accurate when we are talking about time. It looks as if time goes by in some parts but in others it doesn’t.

How we came to be

After reading Genesis chapter 11,  I kept on thinking about the Tower of Babel. How the world was with one language in 11:1 "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech." and that god separates all the people to different parts of the world. I guess this is another explanation from the bible on how we got so many civilizations cultures and languages.

I’m not really sure why but there are too many theories on how we got here. People often don't even know what to think. But my personal opinion is that people have a need an explanation, they need to know why we are here, how we go there and for what. These three questions can drive people crazy.  I don’t really know what I think after reading the Genesis, the Greek myths and hearing scientific theories. Will we ever know the truth?

Abraham

 I got a little confused reading Genesis 17-24.I really concentrate because  something that I did not couldn't stop thinking about was abraham being nighty nine. My grandfather is still alive and he is going to turn nighty nine in one month. When i say it about my grandfather it doesn't sound like it really is but when i read it in the Genesis I was shocked I could´t believe it. To live a hundred years is to live two life times. When my grand father tells me his stories I can't believe it. He lived through both world worlds and I cant even imagine what Abraham might of lived through and what he could of seen.

How did we actually get here?

One of the biggest unanswered questions that i ask myself is how did we get here? Was it evolution and the big bang-theory? Or was it how the bible states? That God created the earth and the heavens and that we are here because of Adam and Eve. In Exodus 1:7¨ And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.¨ This is saying that Adam and Eves decedents arrived in Egypt and that they reproduced and that was how the human race was born. We are obviously here because of reproduction but who were the first men and women? I believe that this question is and will always be one of the biggest mysteries on earth. My personal belief is that we are here because of the big bang theory and that through time and evolution we have become what we are today. But who knows?

Touch

With one simple touch,
The Earth and the Heavens unite.
Though it may not be much,
It is an extraordinary sight.

When two hands join 

Two worlds come together,

And become one.

Temptation

People are always tempted to do what is not allowed. As many say “ Rules are made to break them.” This is very true. We are always inclined to break the rules, to go against the “flow”. When Eve takes the apple from the tree, after God told both Adam and Eve, several times not to take the apple, it really reminded me of this. Most of the time people are pushed into doing something wrong by others. Like negative peer pressure. It is like a Pandora's box people are taken over by curiosity, an example I looked at my friends cellphone and saw something I was not supposed to and like adam and eve I suffered serious consequences. 

 

“[6] And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

The Jacobean

The Jacobean had to be very scary. In the beginning of the chapter they compared it to September 11, 2001. That day the Al Queada terrorists crashed into the twin towers. I was living in Miami and I remember how scared I was that day when my mom picked me up that day at school and watching the news. I couldn't understand what was happening. It was just a complete state of confusion. As i read on I could make many connections in my mind between these two events.

Another thing that really caught my attention was the color black. This color usually foreshadows sad moments or terror. Every time I think in the color black I think of negativism and pain. In God's Secretaries it is the same. It symbolizes evil and darkness. Something that I remembered after I finished this chapter was that at the beginning of the book, it said that England was "the white country" but that is completely wrong because it is very corrupt. It should be called the Black Country instead.

Luxury

First of all I have to say that I really liked this first chapter and that I was very surprised by it. When I read the preface I imagined a very boring and dull text but the truth is that I really did enjoy this first chapter.

Being king of England must have been very unique. James was a very self centered and egocentric man. I think his attitude was like this because he grew up as an orphan. It must have been very difficult to have to control an entire nation with out your parents helping you or giving you advice. Being king, obviously, was very prestigious and important rank. This brought James many luxuries and power. He was a very important man and people were constantly trying to impress him. They would give him gold and power. He had everything he ever wanted handed to him.

Many people usually think that the most fortunate people are those like James. They have power money and they never have to work for anything. I believe that this kind of life is full of luxuries and privileges but I don not think that James is that fortunate. It obviously is fun but sometimes having everything in the world is worse than not having anything at all.

Is it really worth it?

Something that really caught my attention while i was reading the preface was that the people that translated the King James Bible have been forgotten. Nobody knows who he or she is or who he or she was. All we do know is that these people translated this text. I don't understand why these translators were forgotten, and it really makes me wonder. Are we all going to eventually be forgotten?

People might be remembered for a century or two but are we all really going to be forgotten? Maybe a few are going to continue in the history books such as presidents and dictators. But what about the rest of us? Are we just going to be left in the past? I always have wanted to leave my mark and I don’t want to be forgotten like these translators.

Love after death?

Leander was  a young man that fell hopelessly in love with Hero his mistress.  He risked his life every night swimming to her shore to find the love of his life. The journey he mad every night was one that was risky and dangerous.  "The distance in the narrowest part is almost a mile, and there is a constant current setting out from the Sea of Marmora into the Archipelago. Since Byron’s time the feat has been achieved by others; but it yet remains a test of strength and skill in the art of swimming sufficient to give a wide and lasting celebrity to any one of our readers who may dare to make the attempt and succeed in accomplishing it." Many doubted that Leander was actually capable of doing this. "The story of Leander’s swimming the Hellespont was looked upon as fabulous, and the feat considered impossible, till Lord Byron proved its possibility by performing it himself."

I believe that after Hero's death she and Leander were reunited in an "after life". Because this fragment of the poem is saying that the waves did not divide these two lovers for long and that Leander saw the light of love coming in through the waves. 

"Though rising gale and breaking foam
	And shrieking sea-birds warned him home;
	And clouds aloft and tides below,
	With signs and sounds forbade to go,
	He could not see, he would not hear
	Or sound or sight foreboding fear.
	His eye but saw that light of love,
	The only star it hailed above;
	His ear but rang with Hero’s song,
	‘Ye waves, divide not lovers long."

Words That Sound Alike: Exercise 1

Question	Your Answer	The Correct Answer	Your Response is:
Question 1	Where	Where	Correct
Question 2	wear	wear	Correct
Question 3	we're	we're	Correct
Question 4	to	to	Correct
Question 5	two	two	Correct
Question 6	too	too	Correct
Question 7	conscious	conscious	Correct
Question 8	conscience	conscience	Correct
Question 9	led	led	Correct
Question 10	lead	lead	Correct
Question 11	their	their	Correct
Question 12	They're	They're	Correct
Question 13	there	there	Correct
Question 14	idea	idea	Correct
Question 15	ideal	ideal	Correct
Question 16	than	than	Correct
Question 17	then	then	Correct
Question 18	It's	It's	Correct
Question 19	its	its	Correct
Question 20	You're	You're	Correct
Question 21	your	your	Correct
Question 22	advise	advise	Correct
Question 23	advice	advice	Correct

You had 23 out of 23 questions correct.

Pre AP Student Contract

I, Gabriela Molano , hereby understand and will abide by the Pre-AP/AP 
(Print your name)
Academy’s expectations, obligations, and admission/drop policy outlined below with respect to my 

admission status and standing in the Pre-AP/AP Course, Pre-Ap English.
(Print the name of the Pre-AP/AP Course)
Pre-AP/AP Academy Expectations;
• Maintain Acceptable GPA,
• Motivated and Positive,
• Responsible and Dedicated Work Ethic,
• Attend Opportunity Day and/or Additional Review Classes, 
• Complete AP College Board Exam,
• Sign Pre-AP/AP Student Contract. 

Pre-AP/AP Academy Admission/Drop Policy;
• First Progress Report with Teacher’s Signed Approval…receive no course credit,
• End of First Semester with Teacher’s Signed Approval…receive only partial course credit for grade of 6.0+. No partial credit will be awarded for any grade below 6.0,
• Students who Drop Pre-AP/AP Courses or who Do Not take the College Board AP Exam will have the Pre-AP/AP Designation for that course removed from their transcript and they will not receive any grade or GPA enhancement awarded for taking that Pre-AP/AP course.

Please note that at any time during the school year if the teacher deems that you are not meeting the expectations above for any or all reasons, then that teacher will require that you sign an additional academic probation contract. Your admission status and/or removal from the above identified Pre-AP Course will then be re-assessed based on your abiding by the academic probation contract signed and agreed to by you and the respective Pre-AP/AP Teacher.

Student Signature of Agreement, 

Gabriela Molano   Date: September 24 2008

Greek Mythology

1. Hermes = He was the messenger of the gods. Hermes is one of the world's most high end shops.
2. Ajax = Ajax was a greek warrior who "cleaned up" after the Trojan war and it is now a modern day soap which is very popular.
3. Nike = Nike was the winged goddess of victory. Now it is one of the biggest sporting equipment. 
4. Trident = The trident was Poseidon's three tip spear and it is a very famous gum industry.
5. Mars = Mars was the roman name for Ares, a god of war. Mars bar is a very famous chocolate.

Rubric

• Fluency and Clear Ideas     1=The writer doesn't have clear ideas, good sentence fluency or      easy-to follow sentences. 
  

   2=The writer has clear ideas, good sentence fluency and easy to follow sentences.

   3=The writer has perfectly clear ideas, excellent sentence fluency and it is very easy to follow the sentences

• Word usage and Grammar  1=The writer didn't make clear sentences with five or more spelling punctuation and spelling mistakes.
  

   

                           2= The writer writes clear sentences with no punctuation or spelling mistakes.

  

    3=The writer masters sentences length, punctuation and spelling.

•   Answers the questions      1=The writer has no hero, questions, or answers present.
  

   

      2=There writer has a notorious hero, questions and answers.

     3=The writer has a present hero, questions   and proper answers using the hero's values.

• Creativity 1=The title is boring, blunt, and incompatible.
  

     2=The title is appropriate and captures the readers attention.

     

  3=The title is creative, interesting and appropriate.

Apollo's Obsession

In the myth about Daphne and Apollo we see that not only does Apollo have a terrible obsession with Daphne but that he is so naive he lets his arrogance take over dim and tries to make cupid look like a fool.” What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them. Behold the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent who stretched his poisonous body over acres of the plain! Be content with your torch, child, and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons.”[P.3] He tries to shoe off in a way but he ends up in love with Daphne because of Cupid and he doesn't stop stocking her. He was desperate to have her and he was completely in love. I believe it gets to a point of such desperation that it becomes an addiction. " "He followed her; she fled, swifter than the wind, and delayed not a moment at his entreaties. “Stay,” said he, “daughter of Peneus; I am not a foe. Do not fly me as a lamb flies the wolf, or a dove the hawk. It is for love I pursue you. You make me miserable, for fear you should fall and hurt yourself on these stones, and I should be the cause. Pray run slower, and I will follow slower. I am no clown, no rude peasant. Jupiter is my father, and I am lord of Delphos and Tenedos, and know all things, present and future. I am the god of song and the lyre. My arrows fly true to the mark; but, alas! An arrow more fatal than mine has pierced my heart! I am the god of medicine, and know the virtues of all healing plants. Alas! I suffer a malady that no balm can cure!"[p.4] Apollo doesn't have a cure and this becomes so bad that he must turn her into a tree so she will always be with him and he will make crown out of her bark so he will always have her. "Since you cannot be my wife,” said he, “you shall assuredly be my tree. I will wear you for my crown; I will decorate with you my harp and my quiver; and when the great Roman conquerors lead up the triumphal pomp to the Capitol, you shall be woven into wreaths for their brows. And, as eternal youth is mine, you also shall be always green, and your leaf know no decay.” The nymph, now changed into a Laurel tree, bowed its head in grateful acknowledgement.”[P.5]