A Random Act of Kindness

Describe the situation of a random act of kindness that you have seen or done. What happened? Why do you think the person (or you) did what he/she (or you) did? What was the motivation?

• During my trip to Singapore just last week, on Friday, November 23, I did a very random act of kindness. I was walking on Orchard Road, one of the main streets in Singapore, with my classmate, Vivien. The two of us had went shopping and were very hyper and excited (though we didn't buy anything, I must add). On our way back to our hotel, we were suddenly stopped by two young males who were holding a clipboard and several works of art. One of them stepped forward to us and immediately started talking about how they were gathering money for the those who had lost their hands. He described to us that those people are now working hard and creating art works through other means, and showed us a few of the sample works. Because of their accent, Vivien and I didn't understood them very well. When the two young males learned that we spoke Chinese, they started to communicate with us using Chinese. I guess I was too caught up by the fact that we were in Singapore, that we just had a great time shopping, and that I still had some extra money to spare; I agreed to donate money for these people without thinking much about it. Vivien was reluctant at first, since she was low on cash, but in the end, she relented. We both donated 10 SGD. After we did the act of kindness and the two males had left, I realized that I regretted it. I had no idea whether they were really going to give the money to those who need it, or if they were just people cheating money from oblivious tourists. The act was just to make me feel good, but I realized it was not worth it. I feel sorry for making Vivien donate with me when she didn't have that much money to spare.

Haven't I Seen You Before?

Think of a popular movie, TV characters, or singer. Then without naming that person you're describing write a paragraph or two of about 250 words in your writing notebook, detailing their personality and their physical appearance. Once you are done, get at least three people in the class who aren't that familiar with your musical or viewing habits to try to guess who that person is that you're describing. Have them write their guess on the comments page.

• She is from a good and well off family. Her behavior can be described as proper and ladylike, as these characteristics are that of her time. However, she is a bit rash and impulsive, and is quick to come to conclusions, especially when it concerns her family and herself, and a specific "gentleman" that she doesn't particularly like. To further elaborate her rash and impulsive behavior that results her to conclude quickly, here is an example. When her sisters romance met an obstacle, she immediately thought that it was the gentleman's fault. The reason for her dislike of the gentleman is another one of her personality characteristics: she takes first impressions seriously. The gentleman had offended her  by insulting her appearance, resulting in her being upset, and this implanted a negative impression of the gentleman into her mind. On a side note, even though the gentleman had insulted her appearance, she actually has classic face features that give her a feeling of nobility. It is a trait shared by her siblings, who are all girls. Though she is proper and ladylike, she is considered to have a boyish trait in her compared to her siblings. She is not that mindful of her appearance, and frequently gets her dress dirty. This can be attributed to her carefree attitude towards life, and this is why her father loves her so much.

Condescend

Ten sentences using "condescend" (or its part of speeches)

1. She stared him down in condescension.

2. He snarled out an insult in a condescending tone.

3. Would you be so kind as to condescend to tell me the answer?

4. He threw the papers onto her desk in a condescending manner.

5. Would you condescend to agree with our decision?

6. Don't be condescending when you interact with your boss, or you'll be fired.

7. His opinion came across as condescending instead of as critical.

8. You don't have the right to use that condescending attitude when talking to me!

9. People who tend to have condescending views of others are usually isolated.

10. Why do you look upon the world with such a condescending point of view?

A Memorable Event

  The first thing I noticed when I walked up the steep stairs of the building was the smell. It drifted along the light breeze, and I wondered why in the world would a dance studio smell like rubber? When I left the vicinity of the stairs, my sight was greeted with an array of shoes: white, black, blue, red, yellow, green, gold, and silver. The music that had been faint downstairs now blasted in my eardrum, and I barely registered the lyrics of the song. I vaguely remembered it was Rihanna's. I received my answer concerning the smell when I spotted the room next to the counter: black rubber covered every inch of the elated dance room, allowing the breakers on the floor to dance with convenience. The equipment in the room then caught my attention. The loud speakers resonated with the beating of the drum and the bass of the song; it was so powerful I could literally see the vibrations. The stage lights shined so brightly that it seemed as if the dancers were glowing. I stared at the reflection of the breakers dancing in the mirror, of the colors shifting from one position to another and then moving to once again another place the next instance. It was an exotic piece of art. I felt like there was a pull to my soul, calling me to join them. It was the call to expression, the call to freedom. It was then that I realized, this is the place where I want to be; this is the place where I belonged. This is a place of freedom.

Story in Chinglish

Chinglish version:

  The guy gulared menacingli at the girl across him. He look like he was about to lunge and sutrangal the girl in front of him.
  The girl sunickered. "What? You lost the match, you the lost bet, so you have tu do it! Or, are you too much of a cow-ward you don't think you can do it?"
  The guy sucowled and growled, "Shudup! Afu course I can do it."
  "Well then, what we waiting for? Let go! We have find suitable place."
  The guy grunted, and reluctantly studup. He sauntered ova to the girl, who pulled his arm and started to draug him towods the forest. Abouta half an owa later, the two were in the midole of the forest. The girl was luking around, tru-aying to find sumthing, while the boy was ja-sut leaning against the tree, luking royally pissed off.
  "Are you dun luking for it? Hurry up and ja-sut let me get over with it." The boy said, annoyed that the girl was was-tin-gu time luking for such a simpil thing, and annoyed at the knawledge that the girl would be pu-shingu this into his facu every time.
  "Found it!" The girl exculaimed loudly.
  The boy pushed himself off the lug and walked ova to the frogu in front of the girl. He gulared at the girl again. "I'm neva going tu make such a stupeed bet with you eva again." He vowed.
  The girl chuckled and repulied, "Trah-st me, you will. Now get on with it."
  The boy closed his eyes, leaned ova, and kissu-ed the frog.
  When he was done, the girl was lafing so hard that she fell over. The boy wa-iped his disgusting mouth and then proceeded to sutrangal the girl.
  Lafta resounded through the forest. It was indeed a naisu day.

Normal version:

  The guy glared menacingly at the girl sitting across from him. He looked like he was about to lunge and strangle the girl in front of him.

  The girl snickered. "What? You lost the match, you lost the bet, so you have to do it! Or, are you too much of a coward that you don't think you can do it?"

  The guy scowled and growled out, "Shut up! Of course I can do it."

  "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go! We have to find a suitable place."

  The guy grunted, and reluctantly stood up. He sauntered over to the girl, who pulled his arm and started to drag him towards the forest. About half an hour later, the two were in the middle of the forest. The girl was looking around, trying to find something, while the boy was just leaning against the tree, looking royally pissed off.

  "Are you done looking for it? Hurry up and just let me get over with it." The boy said, annoyed that the girl was wasting time looking for such a simple thing, and annoyed at the knowledge that the girl would be pushing this into his face every time.

  "Found it!" The girl exclaimed loudly.

  The boy pushed himself off of the log and walked over to the frog in front of the girl. He glared at the girl again. "I'm never going to make such a stupid bet with you ever again." He vowed.

  The girl chuckled and replied, "Trust me, you will. Now get on with it."

  The boy closed his eyes, leaned over, and kissed the frog.

  When he was done, the girl was laughing so hard that she fell over. The boy wiped his disgusting mouth and then proceeded to strangle the girl.

  Laughter resounded through the forest. It was indeed a nice day.

"Suthern Acceynt"

Nonsense: Rule #6

Accented: Payple ah aygar t'rashunalize.

People are eager to rationalize.


Explanation

Accented:
  Th' sentence "payple ah aygar t'rashunalize" means thet payple will allus find a way t'make th' tins they believe ah right, th' tins they do, th' tins they say, an' s'on, make seynse t'themselves an' t'others. In other wo-uhs, they ah tryin' t'convince other payple thet whaaut they did, ah doin', o-uh will be doin' is th' right tin t'do.
  Whaaut is th' reason beheind this aygarneyss fo-uh rashunalizashun? There ah seyvaral reasons. Th' fuhst reason may be thet they hayve an ageynda; they wunt ya t'believe them so thet they can use this as a beysis for doin' sumtin eylse, o-uh so thet they can caantinue t'make ya believe in 'nother "truth". Th' seycand reason fo-uh whaaeye payple ah so aygar t'rashunalize is thet payple d'not wunt t'look stuuped. Eef they ah aibul t'come aap weth reasons t'make seynse uhf sumtin, theyn they will fiel smart. 'nother pussible reason fo-uh th' aygarnuss t'rashunalize is thet payple dun't wunt t'admit thet they ah wo-ohng, 'cause if they do, they hayve t'deal weth th' tins thet they deyd an' seyd befo-oh, th'ones thet ah "wo-ohng".

  The sentence "people are eager to rationalize" means that people will always try to find a way to make the things they believe are right, the things they do, the things they say, and so on, make sense to themselves and to others. In other words, they are trying to convince other people that what they did, are doing, or will be doing is the right thing to do.
  What is the reason behind this eagerness for rationalization? There are several reasons. The first reason may be that they have an agenda; they want you to believe them so that they can use this as a basis for doing something else, or so that they can continue to make you believe in another "truth". The second reason for why people are so eager to rationalize is that people do not want to look stupid. If they are able to come up with reasons to make sense of something, then they will feel smart. Another possible reason for the eagerness to rationalize is that people don't want to admit that they are wrong, because if they do, they have to deal with the things that they did and said before, the ones that are "wrong".