Reading Response Term 2 Compilation

Novel Reading Response War Comes to Willy Freeman Written by: The Collier Brother (Christopher and James Collier) The Colliers are probably some of the highly regarded book authors recommended for children. They are also the author of the famous title “Jump Ship to Freedom” and “Who is Carrie?” Nevertheless, the story itself is filled with adventure, tragedy, problems, complications and dangers at each turn. It is a very interesting and heart breaking adventure set in the late medieval era. The entire environment and tragedy was reflected during the war between the Great Britain or England and the Americans. The story is based on true historical documentation during those times. It is a very inspiring and exciting historical fiction set within the life of a young black girl named Wilhelmina Freeman. During these times of years, many people consider black people to have a lower status than white people. Black people are treated awfully as slaves to the white people. In order to gain their freedom, they must partake in the war against the opposing forces of the country, and after it ended, they will receive their freedom. Wilhelmina Freeman was a black girl living with his family in the verge of British invasion. Her father fought on the American side, giving her and her mother freedom from slavery. Often times, Wilhelmina was mistaken as a girl, which later came to be called Willy. Her looks was very similar to a boy’s look, especially when she wear jeans. One day, the British assaulted their homeland. Her father died defending the fort, and her mother was kidnapped by the British and was nowhere to be found. Willy was left alone with nowhere to go, nor knowing what to do. Disguising as a boy, he began his journey in search of her mother. She travels far and wide, defying many dangers, taking up many chances, following every clue that could lead her to her mother. Being black is bad enough, but as a girl, she risks taking danger at every turn. Any white people could take her up as a slave or either side forces may just killed her under the suspicion of a spy, or raped her just for the fun of it. She began her journey by traveling to her auntie and uncle’s place, hoping to find the next clue that would lead her to her mother. Unfortunately she only came to find herself on the verge of slavery and probably the end of her adventure. She was able to run away to follow another clue towards the search of her mother. After a fateful and perilous journey, she found herself a haven in Black Sam Fraunces’ tavern. She continued his search for her mother, with the support of those still close to her. Long time of perseverance, under the heavy burden that remained to hunt her, she moves on. Clue by clue lead her closer and closer to her mother. Will she ever find her mother in time, before any danger happen to her beloved one? Will the war ever ends? Will she be put back to slavery? All questioned remained as Willy pursue her lost captive mother. I personally love this fictional story. It is so thrilling and feels realistic with exciting atmosphere. Through reading the book, I can learn a lot about history, especially the conditions in that time. I could actually felt how bad black people were treated, and how harsh their life was. Treated unequally, black people were nothing more than a mere slave that the white people could take up anytime. They have nothing, not even control over their own life. Furthermore, each event in the book was very interesting in how they

develop as the story goes on. As each places bring new challenges, new solutions and new complications. The reader could almost felt like they were living in that era. Other elements that was good from the story is that the authors were able to combine fiction and facts so well in this historical fiction. However, some parts of the books were said to be true. Some supporting characters and the incident were actually documented. However, the main character itself, Wilhelmina, was a fiction. Yet, the author was able to combine these elements into an exciting twist. It’s a great story to let your time goes by. It has an easy vocabulary that allows the reader to understand the story easily without thinking it over. I’ll gladly recommend this book to any elementary students, because it would be a perfect medium for learning through history while having a great time enjoying the story. Vocabulary:  Furlough o Meaning: authorized absence from duty o Sentence: My father takes a furlough due to a serious incident in his family.  Sconce o Meaning: wall fixture for candles or electric lights o Sentence: Medieval mansion is bound to have many sconces installed  Cider o Meaning: apple juice o Sentence: My grandpa has his own personal apple farm and he makes the best cider in the town.  Pew o Meaning: bench with a back used in a church o Sentence: Sitting on this pew for hours would make my back go numb.  Manacle o Meaning: shackle for the hands o Sentence: It’s better to stay away from the prisoner when they’re not wearing a manacle.  Bluff o Meaning: cliff o Sentence: Watch out for the bluff at the end of the road, you must use the bridge at the eastern edge to cross it.  Ruffle o Meaning: roughen the surface of o Sentence: We should ruffle the slope in order to increase the friction and allowing us to have better grip over the surface.  Macaroons o Meaning: cookie of ground almonds or coconut o Sentence: My grandma always gives me a treat of macaroons everytime I visit her house.

Magazine Reading Response Fallout 3 Hardware Performance Guide

Fallout 3 has been one of the anticipated series in the Fallout game that have been highly acclaimed since the past. This game tells a story of a post-nuclear war in a world of nothing but despair as mankind fought for its survival. The latest installment in the Fallout trilogy has been developed and published by the Bethesda Softworks, one of the most highly acclaimed game developers renowned for their Elder Scrolls Series. Personally, the Elder Scroll Series was my personal favorite game of all through its story, graphics, combat dynamics, interface and gameplay. The end of this year, Fallout 3 has been released to public, and it has scored a high grade in review as Bethesda’s main project the Elder Scroll series. Fallout 1 and 2 has made a great leap towards Fallout 3 in its graphics through Bethesda Softworks effort. The previous series in the trilogy offered a quite popular dynamics in their era. However, both of them are very old and their graphics are not comparable to present day games. Bethesda, known for its graphic engine has enhanced the visual and realism power that brings gamers towards the world of Fallout dramatically. Now gamers can enjoy a more developed story of Fallout and mesmerize deep within the storyline at the same time. As any result, heavier visual effects would cost PC gamers for a higher speculation in their computer hardwares. Gamespot team has put the game to the test and provides gamer with some of the performance test results through various range of hardware. Indeed, Fallout 3 has given gamers some space to think of with its release. The graphic engine of the game requires very heavy computer requirements towards its maximum quality. As any today’s game which were completed with a wide range of graphic settings, which includes anti-aliasing, long draw distances and high resolutions that would make the game look totally realistic and amazing, it also requires stronger video card. Performance is always an issue in gaming, as it allows gamer to enjoy the game. However, at the same time a gamer would always desire a great visual presentation of the game. Through the result, Gamespot team has shown that under a very high

resolution and very high quality of the game, the recommended system requirements were only able to run the game only half as good. Under the heavy graphic engine, the game only runs better on high-end PC, which includes a very expensive set of hardwares. This has proven that Bethesda has leveled up their graphic engine and brought it to Fallout 3 and bringing gamers an ultimate gaming experience. Here below is the system requirement and the chart provided on the article.

System Setup: High-End System: Intel Core2 QX9650, eVGA 780i, 2GB Corsair XMS Memory (1GBx2), 750GB Seagate 7200.11 SATA Hard Disk Drive, Windows Vista 32-bit SP1. Graphics Card: Radeon 4870X2, beta Catalyst HotFix 70517. Recommended System: Intel Core2 Duo E6600 2.4GHz, eVGA 680i, 2GB Corsair XMS Memory (1GBx2), 750GB Seagate 7200.11 SATA Hard Disk Drive, Windows Vista 32-bit SP1. Graphics Card: GeForce 8800 GT, beta Nvidia ForceWare 180.42. Minimum System: Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz, Asus P4C800, 1GB Corsair XMS Memory, Seagate 160GB 7200.7 SATA Hard Disk Drive, Windows XP Professional SP2. Graphics Card: GeForce 6800, Nvidia Forceware 180.42. Personally, the speculations on the high-end system were outrageous. It would cost some fortunes to buy those hardwares. Even I would need to totally change all my computer hardware to afford such a high level of system requirements. Even then, my parents would not even let me. All I have to say is that this game is totally AWESOME! Reference: Sarju S. 2008, ‘Fallout 3 Hardware Performance Guide’, Gamespot, 14 November, viewed 16 November 2008,

Magazine Reading Response Somali Pirates Threatening Western Videogame Shipments We all know the problem of piracy in the gaming world. In fact you could obtain any game through the internet. Maybe not only in the gaming world, all software movies and most entertainments have suffered a great deal of loss due to piracy. It’s nearly impossible to stop piracy, and it is always occurs as an ongoing activity. However, it’s a different case in this article. This urgent news that has been brought seems to discuss a news regarding “piracy”. Nothing special, it’s just so and so; it’s happening here and there, nothing be concerned. Right? Interestingly, this article discusses a problem of a real piracy! YES! Pirates!! Pointing guns and Swords! The problem in the article was Somali pirates that been raiding shipment of Videogame from the Europe to the Middle-East and the Asia. Obviously this piracy has caused a severe problem for the shipments, which causes a major loss. Reports of attack can be as rare as once a week to four times in a day. In the past, their activity weren’t much of a trouble. Recently though, their activity has causes perils for the shipment passing through the Suez Canal. They suspect the piracy is due to supply the war-torn city of Somalia itself. Videogame companies have suggested diverting the route of transport through the Cape of Good Hope, which is South of Africa. At the same time, it would significantly increases the transport time of the goods, and many people concern that the goods may not make it before Christmas. Personally this is a surprising new. When I first read the headline, I wasn’t all interested in the subject itself. In fact, it is so common that it is something not to be concerned of for me. Eventually, I realized there was something more to the story and it was a pretty interesting article. It’s not common for people to have difficulties regarding real pirates. As we know, real pirates have been more or less very rare and more technologically-advanced. Because of this, pirates of the sea are not something to be seen as a daily basis these days. The real concern of the problem was the delay in shipment, and I think it is pretty reasonable. Christmas IS coming up and the children needs to get present, but don’t forget ME and YOU for that matter. Reference: Kris P. 2008, ‘Somali Pirates Threatening Western Videogame Shipments’, Electronic Gaming Monthly, 15 November, viewed 16 November 2008, < http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171338>

Magazine Reading Response One Million Copies of Far Cry 2 Sold in Less Than 3 Weeks The fact that Far Cry is one of the most highly acclaimed game in Europe even in the first series has made it second revival. This year Far Cry has dominated the sales over the various gaming console reaching over 1 million copies sold for each. Sadly even with these high numbers, Far Cry 2 had not made it to the top 1 game sale this year. In fact Fable II has beaten Far Cry on its number 1 seat. Nervertheless, as a first person shooting game, Far Cry is probably the best along with Half-Life. Its complex sound-effects creepy atmosphere and action-packed atmosphere has brought many gamers into their world. It has caught many FPS-lovers best interest, and thus makes it one of the best FPS game. This time, Far Cry 2 has come back after the long year of its absence and hit with a very high number of sale. Though Far Cry is a great game to begin with, I did not like to play such game. It’s not the action and gameplay that I dislike, but it’s the creepy atmosphere that could makes you jump out of your seat. Crysis, Far Cry, Half-Life are some of the best games in providing a formal situation under a very creepy atmosphere. At times and some point of the game you would find yourself walking along a dark corridor. Sometimes voices of electrics cable buzzing, lights twitching and your own footsteps would make you tense enough. Then, all of the sudden a crawling thumping sound out of the ceiling passes by and there’s a sound of people screaming far away. Not long after a monster would appear out of the ceiling and towards your face, blowing you out of your seat and scaring the life out of you. Sometimes, this part of the game would give me a hard time coping up with my heart beat. The scenes are often frightening and the environment is so vivid. Once you got to some point up the game, it would always have a vivid wicked element to it that just makes you shiver. Even so, it encourages you to go on pulling you curiosity towards what would happen next. All in all, it’s a great game with all its unique gameplay elements. I would say it worth its place in gamer’s heart even if it is not for me. You could say I’m a chicken, but just try the game for yourself, especially Far Cry 2, which I’m sure they’ll be putting up some more frightening elements into the game. Reference: Kyle S. 2008, ‘One Million Copies of Far Cry 2 Sold in Less than 3 Weeks’, Electronic Gaming Monthly, 13 November, viewed 16 November 2008,

Magazine Reading Response Why the Energy Crisis Will Outlast the Credit Crisis Many things on the agenda of many countries today are due to the economical problem that has been suffered by America. At the same time, the economical crisis has reduced the energy consumption and at the same time reduces the price of oil. However, International Energy Agency’s analysts predict that oil prices will soon enter a steep climb to a $120 per barrel in year 2030. They predicted that under the slow growth of economy in these years, which would eventually accelerate in the coming years. It would probably prompt many people to consume oil and burning electricity in their houses which would increase the energy consumption again over the years. Many sides are starting to pursue oil to further enhance their economics and gain much profit in the future. While oil reserves are declining, more and more investment on oil would come about. If the government did not act soon and provide a better policy in alternative energy, impacts of global warming may come sooner than expected. Many reserves out of America and Europe have started to come out and these people are trying to gain as much profit as possible. In 2030, 97% of the green house gases would be contributed largely from China, India and the Middle-East who would be consuming half of the world’s energy. If global habit does not change, green house gas would keep increasing and an energy crisis would certainly happen at 2020, by which the Credit crisis would have been a history. I don’t have much to comment on this article. In fact it is very interesting to know that over the upcoming years, the possibility of such energy consumption to shift from the US to the Middle-East and the Asian countries to occur. It would have seemed that energy crisis and global warming have to be taken into the hearts of all people. Global habit needs to change in such short period of time. Economical problem are nothing compared to this problem which would have lasted for a long time. Governments around the world needs to made policy based on alternative energy and put oil aside. It would be a good chance during this financial crisis for a turning over, before people will start seeing oil as source of profit again, therefore over consuming it without seeing the impacts world-wide. Vocabulary:  Albeit o Meaning: even though o Sentence: We must keep pursuing our dreams, albeit we have to risk our life to do it. Reference: Vivienne W. 2008, ‘Why the Energy Crisis Will Outlast the Credit Crisis’, TIME, 15 November, viewed 16 November 2008,

Newspaper Reading Response Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured AIDS The article mentioned various interesting facts based on methods in curing AIDS. Under an incident where a patient suffered both leukemia and AIDS, a general method used is marrow transplant. Marrow is structure located inside the bone where while blood cell is made. Under certain conditions, it became abnormal and produces more white blood cells causing the person to obtain blood cancer. A particular American man experience such incident and said to have all the symptoms and signatures of its AIDS diseases removed. It also mentioned various incidents which emphasizes that the man’s incident wasn’t the first time to happen. Other people have put this onto a test based on journal of Medical Hypotheses. Dr. Huetter also said a theory that said these conditions would of happen because a certain genetic mutation that is inherited and makes the person immune to HIV virus. Through this theory, an experiment was supposedly to be tried in hopes of finding the cure to HIV. Personally, I think it is great news to see a little light shed on AIDS. Over the years, many lives have been taken and careless people has been infected and killed by AIDS. Furthermore, innocent children are born with AIDS having nothing to be blame upon but their irresponsible parents. I don’t know how AIDS may be cured some day, but it would certainly be a great discovery in the medical world to find its cure, just as to find the cure for cancer. Vocabulary:  Scrutiny o Meaning: careful inspection o Sentence: Under an intense scrutiny, we are yet able to find a single evidence to put this man behind bars. Reference: The Associated Press, 2008, Doctors Say Marrow Transplant May Have Cured AIDS. The Jakarta Post, [internet] 16 November. Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/16/doctors-say-marrow-transplant-mayhave-cured-aids.html [Accessed 16 November 2008]

Newspaper Reading Response Flores Runs Out of Rabies Vaccine The article mentioned a condition in Flores whereas Rabies is still very common and the many people were bitten by rabid dogs. Recently, the number of patients has increased and the vaccines are running out causing more and more casualties. Some people stated that the number of dogs in Flores vicinity have increased and caused the attacks to be more frequent. Many patients keep coming in even without the treatment of the vaccine. Sadly, many people still dies from the disease. Efforts have been made to massacre the dogs, yet the effort has failed to prevent the spread of the disease. It’s very interesting to know that places in Flores still experienced such tragic incident. If efforts are to be made in reducing the numbers of those dogs and provide them with health control, the government needs to take part and create city pounds. If the dogs are let loose in the wild, they would only mate more and more producing more and more host for the disease. In big city, this problem is quite rare and dogs do not run around as much. A serious countermeasure is always needed to stop something once and for all. Only using vaccine won’t help, the numbers would only increases. Like they say, if you want to solve a problem, first stop the source of the problem. Especially in the situation where Flores is quite a rural place and help are hard to reach. The government must be more responsible towards its people even under small dilemma. Reference: Yemris F., 2008. Flores Runs Out of Rabies Vaccine. The Jakarta Post, [internet] 15 November. Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/15/flores-runs-outrabies-vaccine.html [Accessed 16 November 2008]

Newspaper Reading Response Jakarta to Begin Smoking Ban Campaign Monday Some non-governmental organization in Jakarta is going to promote an antismoking campaign which would visit business buildings to campaign no public smoking. They would put up a new law and introduce it by Sunday and the consequences to the people. Based on the law in 2005 of air pollution by public smoking, and whoever violates the law would suffer 6 month in jail or a fine as much as Rp 50.000.000,I’m really glad that some people started to take action on this intolerable act. Many people who smoke in public really have caused a lot of pain and misery for others. In fact, I think smoking in public cause many other people to feel uncomfortable and stifled. Personally, I hate smoking, especially the stench of the smoke. It makes my lungs itchy and my throat to feel unsettled. It would be best if those people stay away and smoke in smoking areas. However, most people like those are very stubborn and would always repeat the same. People need to take action soon, because they not also pollute the air, they may also induces cancer towards other people indirectly. Reference: The Jakarta Post, 2008. Jakarta to Begin Smoking Ban Campaign Monday. The Jakarta Post, [internet] 16 November. Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/16/jakarta-begin-smoking-ban-campaignmonday.html [Accessed 16 November 2008]

Newspaper Reading Response Suspected Bird Flu Patient Isolated Recent incidents have shown that bird flu is emerging among the region in Biringkanaya, whereas 17 patients have been isolated and tested of having avian flu. The hospital has been preventing the outbreak of the virus as preventing family members to visit the patient just in case. Among the resident, a 15 year old girl had died from the avian flu. The parents who mistaken it as a normal fever did not bring their daughter to the local hospital. Due to some social circumstances where the most of the residents actually keep the bird as pets, the government started to cull the birds in an effort to put the risk of the disease to spread at minimum. The plan was to cull the birds in the region across a 1 kilometer radius. Until now, as much as 167 birds have been destroyed and they are hoping that the effort would prevent any further tragedy. Avian flu outbreak has been terrifying for the people of Indonesia. It has happens across the country once, due to the majority of its population who actually breed chickens. Even so, the disease is still a threat until today. It has not been completely extinct, and the possibility of the disease being carried by migratory birds across country still exists. It is actually important to be cautious in our environment. Avian flu is often mistaken as normal influenza or a regular fever, as how its symptoms are pretty much alike. Nevertheless, its great to know that government still take the right action at the right time and provide a favorable action for the country. Reference: Andi H., Suherdjoko, 2008. Suspected Bird Flu Patient Isolated. The Jakarta Post, [internet] 15 November. Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/15/suspected-bird-flu-patients-isolated.html [Accessed 16 November 2008]