Accolade: something given to a person in order to praise or recognize the person or his accomplishment
- The player was given the accolade of being team captain. 
Acerbity: Sourness of taste, character, or tone
-My friend talking behind my back left me with acerbity.
Attrition: wearing down or wasting away
- The hillside slowly eroded due to natural attrition.
Bromide: a trite saying, platitude
- “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” is a bromide.
Chauvinist: unreasoning devotion to one’s race, sex, etc. with superiority over other races, sex, etc.
-Many women consider men to be chauvinist pigs. 
Chronic: something that lasts for a long time, keeps coming back or continues to happen
- My father has a chronic back injury. 
Expound: to explain further or in more detail
- When I didn't understand the play the first time, my coach tried to expound the drill. 
Factionalism: factional dissension, affiliations with a faction
- Abraham Lincoln's quote, " A divided house cannot stand" was talking about internal factionalism. 
Immaculate: free from mistakes, clean, without sin
- The child wiped the floor and it was immaculate. 
Imprecation: (n) the act of calling for evil or a curse on someone
- The witch yelled out imprecations against the Jews. 
Ineluctable: describes something that will definitely happen
- No matter how hard she tried, getting an A in math was an ineluctable thing for her. 
Mercurial: having qualities suggestive of the god Mercury (clever, shrewd, thievish) and of mercury (quick, volatile, changeable)
- Girls are bi-polar, some days they can be mercurial and the other days crying. 
Palliate: make something less painful or unpleasant, to calm fears
- The pain medicine was supposed to palliate his aching back. 
Protocol: rules and customs of a group or a standard procedure
- Students must follow school protocol. 
Resplendent: full of splendor or dazzling
- The rainbow was resplendent. 
Stigmatize: to make something seem bad or disgraceful
- We seem to willing to stigmatize other people to get whatever we want. 
Sub rosa : secretly, privately, confidentially
- I told her my secret sub rosa. 
Vainglory:extreme self-pride and boastfulness, vanity
- He was so vainglory and narcissistic that nobody wanted to be around y 
Vestige- small amount of something or the last remaining part of something that no longer exists
- There was a vestige of pie left on his plate. 
Volition: the act of using your will to make a conscious decision
- He killed his friend of his own volition.

Prologue:
1. Shield became ruler of the danes by fear, no one would challenge his rule because of his power. When he died, he was put in a boat full of riches and sent off to sea. Sheild is Hrothgar's grandfather.
Heorot is attacked:
1. Hrothgar made a place of merry, a sort of hall for freasting and festives. Grendel spawn of Cain attacked this place, killing many danes every time he went. The Danes attempted to fight him but failed, and eventually left.
The Hero Comes to Heorot:
1. Beowulf hears of grendel and seeks to fight him and win glory, and heads to Heorot.
2. The Geats are first greeted by a hostile watchman, who demands to know who they are. Beowulf answers, stating he is son of Ecgtheow, coming to do battle with Grendel.
3. Hrothgars Herald is Wulfgar, who asks Hrothgar to see these men. Hrothgar knows of Beowulf because of his father, ehich is not surprising because it seems like warriors fame spread easily during those times.
4. Beowulf speaks of his recent defeat of five giants and states he will fight Grendel without armor. Hrothgar had helped the Geats pay and survive through a war.
Feast at Heorot:
1. Unferth acuses Beowulf of foolish pride trying to do what many Danes have failed to do, such as when he saw a risky seven day race against Breca which Beowulf lost, causing Unferth to question his commitment. Beowulf states why he lost the race due to sea fish, and that the contests was not one of war and that he will make Grendel pay for what he has done to the Danes, whom Beowulf seeks no feud with. This gives a slight view of Beowulf's motives and shows how strong his resolve is.
2.Queen Wealhtheow is offering drinks from the cup of the hall to everyone.
The Fight With Grendel:
1. Instead of arming for the fight, Beowulf takes his armor off so he is equal with Grendel.
2. Grendel enters seeing the sleeping men kills one. He reaches for Beowulf he grips Grendel with great strength. Grendel attempts to flee, and though immune to swords Grendel is held by Beowulf, who rips of Grendels arm. Grendel runs to die in his moor.
Celebration at Heorot:
1. Beowulf is like Sigemund in how they both fought monsters and won glory, but not like Heremod who seized the treasue and power in greed and did not get glory.
2. Hrothgar is very happy, thanking God, Beowulf, and Beowulfs mother. Hrothgar gives Beowulf many riches of gold, weapons armor, and horses.
4. Wealhtheow asks Hrothgar not to take Beowulf as his son because he already has sons.
5.
6. The men felt safe and guarded with Grendel gone.
Beowulf and Grendels Mother:
1. Grendels Mother comes to Heorot only because she wants revenge for her sons death, which isn't why Grendel went.
2. Grendel killed Hrothgars favorite thane. Hrothgar summons Beowulf, who had not slept in the hall that night.
3. The mere is a strange place where fire is seen upon the water, home of two giants, one Grendel's mother. It is an icy lake wwith many visible seas serepents.
Beowulf fights Grendels mother:
1. Beowulf tells Hrothgar it is best to act and not sit and do nothing.
2. The mere is full of serepents. The warriors and him kill one and drag it out to see the horror.
3. Beowulf puts on his armor and gets ready. Unfreth offers his sword Hrunting whcih is a superior sword. The Sword Beowulf takes is a very special sword that is supposed to never fail its warrior.
4. Grendels mother drags Beowulf to her undersea lair so the monsters wont interfere.
5. The sword has no effect on Grendels mother.
6. Beowulfs armor saves him from Grendels mothers knife.
7. Beowulf finds a sword crafted by giants and strikes Grendels mother in the neck, seeing Grendels body, taking Grendels head and his own sword. The sword of the giants had been made useless by the hot blood of the monsters.
8. Beouwlf returns to a few loyal warriors who had doubted his return but rejoice in it.
Further Celebration at Heorot:
1. Beowulf gives Hrothgar the hilt of the sword he used to kill Grendels mother.
2. Hrothgar talks about Heremod who abused his power by being ruthless and not rewarding the deserving. He warns Beowulf not to make the same mistake, and to bane the thoughts of selfishness.
3. Beowulf returns Hrunting to Unferth.
Beowulf Returns Home:
1. Hrothgar predicts that Beowulf will become king of the Geats.
2. Hygd is the queen of the Geats, and is unlike Modthryth because Modthryth was a very cruel queen.
3. ?
4. Beowulf tells the story with great pride and honor, but does not lie.
5. Beowulf offered his treasures to hos leader Hygelac, who gives him a suit of armor and sword given to him by Hrothgar.
The Dragon Awakes:
1. It is 50 years later, and King Hygelac is dead and Beowulf rules. But now, a dragon is threating the Geats.
2. The Dragon hoardes gold because he is greedy and has a big collection. His favorite peice, a gold cup, was stolen by a runaway slave who succumbed to temptation, which angered the dragon.
3. The Dragon attacked the town, burning down Beowulfs home.
4. Beowulf believes he angered God in some way to desrve this. He orders an iron shield to protect against fire and expects to take down the dragon and die trying.
5. Hygelac died in battle in the land of Frisian.
6. Headred was killed by Onela,and Beowulf was left to be king and pursued Onela.
7. Eleven others.
8. Herebeald was accidently killed by Haethkyn. King Hrethel was forced to punish Haethkyn and was mournful and became a bad king. The Swedes and the Geats had a feud and had been at war with many prominent people dying on both sides.
Beowulf attacks the Dragon:
1. Beowulf tells his companions to not interfere.
2. Beowulf is bested by the Drgaon the first time his attacks and defense weak. His companions flee but one stays. Wiglaf is his name, and ulike the others he is brave and stands beside his king. He yells for his king to fight for his life.
3. The second time Beowulf and dragon meet, Wiglaf had to hide behind Beowulfs iron sheild for protection and Beowulfd struck the dragon on the head with the sword, but it broke. The dragon bites Beowulf in the neck. But with Wiglafs help they are able to weaken the dragon then kills it striking at its exsposed belly.
4. Dying Beowulf asks to see the riches he died for. When he sees it Beowulf thanks God for these gifts for his people, and asks that the lair becomes Beowulfs Barrow so people will remember him.
Beowulfs Funeral:
1. The companions see Wiglaf trying to revie a dead Beowulf. The companions know they failed their leader in his time of need because they were afraid and know death would be better for them.
2. The messenger tells the city of their kings defeat. ?
3. Wiglaf tell the crowd who came to see Beowulf dead that the hoard of treasure was theirs and that the kind had died for it and the lair would become his great resting place.
4. The dragon was dragged to the sea.
5. The people mourned and built a mound around their king. Everyone honored the Geat most worthy of praise.
6. These last lines seem to describe a kind caring person which Beowulf was but does not describe his ferocity in battle.

1987 AP Exam

          Essay Number 1

          Leisure can be a difficult thing to have in your life. George Eliot says that the increased amount and quality of technology and the rapid advancement of the human race, has sucked the leisure out of people's lives. George Eliot then analyzes what she believes the definition of leisure is and the actual meaning of the word. Eliot uses detailed language and personification to communicate to the audience on her beliefs of leisure.

          George Eliot also employs the use of personification to help convey her point of view. Eliot doesn't use personification exactly, although, she characterizes "Old Leisure" as human. This gives the audience the opportunity to perceive a better understanding of what "Old Leisure" actually is. The words "he" and "lived" convey a human-like quality to "Old Leisure" The personification is what really let's the reader to establish a connection with "Old Leisure"

          George Eliot employs much descriptive language and text in her writing. This language is used to create a powerful image in the audience's imagination. These images are supposedly meant to supply the audience with an understanding of what the author's belief on what leisure means. Words like "undiseased" convey that she believes "Old Leisure" as something pure and kept from influences of industrialization. The author's selection of words help give the audience a better understanding of the author's point of view on leisure.

          It has been said that we live in a world where we are constantly making progress. George Eliot comes from an era where the world is making the transition into the industrial age. We are able to relate with what she says in "Old Leisure", while she reminds her audience that "Old Leisure" is about the untaintedeness and purity of the world. 

Essay Number 2

          The world in which we live in today is anything but perfect. Authors tend to write about these imperfections to express their opinion, how to fix it, improve it, etc. The novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, describes on of the major issues that is one of the sacred rights that people take for granted, which is privacy. The novel is told in first- person, which better helps us understand the trials and tribulations that they had to go through. The rapid advancement of technology let's the government monitor us at times where things should be kept private. 

          The first person writing style let's the reader better connect with the main character and helps the audience get an intriguing point of view on the issue at hand. The audience is really able to connect with the anxiety that the main character is going through, due to the fact he is constantly being watched. When Winston is captured and has to face the consequences for his actions, it makes the reader really think about their own privacy and how much they really have and don't have. 

          While a book may not affect the world on a big scale, it may affect how a person may perceive the world, it might change their views, or that person may totally disregard what they have read. Author's have the great chance to write about what they believe in and convey it to the public in an interesting way. An author can publish a book that thousands of people may read and his or her book may end up changing people. 

         
(Multiple Choice questions are a hard copy)

Socratic Seminar- Right to Your Own Opinion

To be entitled to something means to have a right to that thing. What does it mean to have a right to something and who gives you that right? These are just some questions that I have that need to be answered for me to understand. I tried googling it, but nothing really came up.

Travis Knight reciting The Laughing Heart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVnLB6J50hE

Reflections on Week 1

1) There shouldn't be that many factors that will affect my participation in this class. I have access to a computer with internet, as well as having a smart phone. My family is pretty much useless in the technology department, but I have friends that will be able to help me. I'm pretty busy with water polo, and I might be gone a couple days here or there because of water polo.

2)  When I finally understood the rules of the game of water polo, was an amazing learning experience for me. I just finally had a complete knowledge of the game. I was in the pool and I was with my teammates. It taught me that it takes repetition for me to learn. I knew it was happening because I finally had no more questions to ask about all the rules of water polo.

3) I'm excited for the open source learning opportunity and how it can apply to life outside of school and beyond, but I'm also concerned about the workload. I look forward to learning about colleges and all the stuff that applies to that. I think this class will help me with life outside of high school and life after high school. I hope that this class will teach me more about technology and will help me with the college application process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHmwawEiBkc

I'm taking this class not only because it is AP, but I have heard that this class will be useful to me outside the classroom setting. Former students of yours and current friends of mine have told me that this class will be beneficial to me in many ways. I'm excited to learn new ways to use technology and to see how open source learning will affect me. I'm nervous about how challenging this course may or may not be. My goals for this course is to obviously get an A and hopefully prepare for the next step in my life, which will hopefully be college. I expect to gain more knowledge not only about English, but also about technology, myself, and the world around me.