Joy Luck Club Essay

        In the novel, The Joy Luck Club, Jing-Mei and Suyuan Woo's relationship is established by miscommunication and judgement. Suyuan Woo suddenly dies of cerebral aneurysm. According to her relatives, she dies of what is believed to be her thoughts that built up inside her head and overwhelmed her. Jing-Mei now faces the challenge of fulfilling her mother's legacy or failing to honor it. Jing-Mei. She chooses to fulfill her mother's legacy, but in order to do that she must replace her in the Joy Luck Club, find Suyuan's lost twin daughters, and for Jing-Mei to learn about the Chinese heritage.
        First, Jing-Mei must replace her mom in the Joy Luck Club. The Joy Luck Club is basically a gathering of women where they play mah jong, eat, and tell stories. Jing-Mei feels she is unable to fulfill the expectations. For example, Auntie Lin states, "Your mother did not teach you anything"(34). This quote shows how Auntie Lin has a negative affect on Jing-Mei and makes her feel stupid.  In spite of that, Jing-Mei changes by words of encouragement and inspiration. This leads to Jing-Mei's confidence and her first footsteps towards accomplishing her mother's legacy.
        Second, Jing-Mei travels to China in order to find Suyuan's long, lost twin daughters, which are considered Jing-Mei's half sisters. She feels it is her responsibility to tell them about their mother's death and her personality. Jing-Mei wants to exceed her mother's expectations by granting them a chance to meet their mother. To exceed that, Jing-Mei needs to resemble Suyuan's intentions and having a stronger relationship.
        Lastly, Jing-Mei learns about her Chinese heritage and mother's past to actually complete Suyuan's legacy. Jing-Mei states, "It is in our blood" (288). This quote explains how Jing-Mei realizes that the Chinese heritage will always be a part of her life and that she should feel grateful. Jing-Mei builds a strong relationship with her mother by discovering her move through judgement. As she discovers her mom's intentions, she grows more as a person.
        In conclusion, Jing-Mei fulfills her mother's legacy. Jing-Mei's adventure of succeeding her mother's legacy influenced her a lot. Jing-Mei grew stronger as a person and was able to discover her mother's intentions, which led to a stronger mother-daughter relationship. Jing-Mei demonstrates determination and courage in honoring her mother's legacy. China itself and the culture unite Jing-Mei and her family.

Leopard Man

9.Tom Leppard is called "Leopard Man" owning to the fact that he is tattooed from head to toe with leopard spots.

10.The author thinks about people with tattoos and piercings as people who are desperate for attention. He has these opinions because since they failed to attract attention in a positive form, they go for shock value.

11.Leopard Man is different from other tattooed and pierced people because he doesn't care of what people think and how they react.

12.Leopard Man lives in a small cabin in the Scottish wilderness.

13.According to Feys, people in society fear loners because they pursue their own values without seeking other's permission or permitting others to hamper them.

14.The world's most common but dangerous psychological disorder is conformity. People try so hard to fit in, which leads to one's self destruction.

15.Leopard Man is so happy because he is free from social pressures.

Latin Roots #7

Roots and Derivatives

1.duc(t), duce: to lead
2.fed(er), fid(e): faith, trust
3.fin(e): end, limit
4.flect, flex: to bend

Word List

1.aqueduct-a large pipe or other conduit made to bring water from a great distance

The soldiers built an aqueduct to carry fresh water to the fort.

2.conducive-tending to lead, help, assist, or result in

My study area is conducive for working silently.

3.definitive-completely accurate, reliable, and authoritative; decisive or conclusive

It was definitive that the man on the street was homeless.

4.fidelity-faithfulness to one's promises or obligations; steadfast faithfulness; technological faithfulness

The success of a marriage depends very much on the fidelity of both husband and wife.

5.fiduciary-an individual who holds something in trust for another; a trustee

It is illegal for a fiduciary to misappropriate money for personal gain.

6.finale-a "grand" conclusion, as of a performance; the last scene of a play

The Dancing with the Stars finale was full of impressive routines and results.

7.finite-limited or bordered by time or by any measurement; measurable

Every computer has a finite amount of memory.

8.flexuous-winding in and out; bending or wavering

All panicle branches are flexuous.

9.inducement-anything used or given to persuade or motivate; an incentive

Some prescription drugs are used as an inducement to encourage delivery during labor.

10.inflection-a slight change in tone or modulation of the voice, as in a point of emphasis

One could tell by the inflections in her voice that she was annoyed.

11.perfidious-characteristic of one who would intentionally betray a faith or trust; treacherous

The actor's perfidious friend revealed all of his secrets on social media.

12.traduce-to speak falsely of; to slander or defame; to disgrace another's good name; to vilify

Newspaper editors should not traduce people no matter how disreputable they might be.

Latin Roots #6

Roots and Derivatives

1.corp(or): body
2.cred: to believe; to trust
3.cur(r), curs, course: to run; to flow
4.dic(t): to speak; to say

Word List

1.benediction-the invocation of a divine blessing, as at the close of a religious service, a blessing or a state of blessedness

The priest offered a sacred benediction for the poor.

2.concourse-running or flowing together; a broad public walkway or hallway; a crowd or throng

I walked halfway around the concourse before I found the restroom.

3.concurrent-occurring at the same time; meeting or acting together

Her birthday is concurrent with her graduation,.

4.corporal-related to the physical body

Corporal punishment remains common worldwide, despite it being inappropriate.

5.corpulent-very stout; fleshy and obese; fat

The corpulent cop huffed and puffed to catch up to the criminal.

6.credibility-the quality of being believable or trustworthy

Her credibility was affected as a store manager when she hired a bad employee.

7.credulity-the (naive) willingness to believe too easily without proof

The witch doctor took advantage of the credulity of the superstitious natives.

8.cursory-done in a superficial or hasty manner

The boy did a cursory job of cleaning his room.

9.dictum-an authoritative saying or maxim

One of Einstein's dictums was to make everything as simple as possible.

10.incorporate-to form into one body or functioning unit; to combine several different things into a whole

In my physical education class, my teacher will incorporate dancing as part of our exercises.

11.incredulous-not believing, skeptical, or doubt

When my mom punched the principal, I looked at her incredulous.

12.indicative-a characteristic of or very much like; suggestive

A smile is indicative as a sign of joy.

Literature Analysis #2

Kite Runner
In the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the main point is Amir searching for a way to redeem himself from the years of guilt. Amir and Hassan had a very strong relationship and grew up together. Hassan proves his loyalty to Amir by always protecting and risking his life for Amir. But will Amir do the same for Hassan? After Amir becomes the champion kite fighter. Hassan goes in search for a blue kite and retrieves it but encounters Assef. Assef rapes Hassan, while Amir is watching secretly deciding whether or not to save him. Amir's cowardice takes over him and he decides to not help him. Amir has tried to forget about this but the guilt keeps arising. Later on, Amir travels to Kabul in search of Hassan's son, Sohrab, who is an orphan. In order for Amir to take Sohrab with him, he has to fight Assef. Amir takes on the challenge because he feels he should get punished for never saving Hassan. Sohrab saves Amir by hitting Assef in the eye. Amir wins and takes Sohrab home.

 The main theme of this novel is searching for redemption. Amir's quest to redeem himself makes up the heart of the novel. Amir strives to redeem himself and prove his worth to Baba, mainly because his mother died giving birth to him and feels responsible. He redeems himself by being awarded the champion kite fighter, which makes Baba feel very proud of having Amir as a son. Another way he redeems himself is by taking on the challenge of fighting Assef. He feels guilt for not saving Hassan, therefore he feels he should get punished for it. After the fight, Amir feels psychologically healed.

 The protagonist of this novel is Amir. Amir is a dynamic character because he changes throughout the novel. For example, in the opening chapters, Hassan is the one who is constantly defending Amir. In the novel, the author stated," A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything." This quote reflects Amir's major character flaw. This flaw causes him to let Assef rape Hassan. When Amir's father dies, he is forced to endure his life alone. Towards the end, Amir learns to stand up for himself and take risks. Amir is very important because he sacrifices for Amir showing his loyalty.

One significant symbol is a kite. The kite is a symbol of Amir's happiness as well as guilt. Flying kites serves as happiness because that is Amir's passion. Also, because he was once a champion kite fighter making himself feel worthy in his father's eyes. The kite is also a symbol of guilt because Amir allows Hassan to get raped. He feels guilt because he was there watching but didn't take that step into saving Hassan.

Hassan is one of the characters I can relate to the most. Hassan was such a loyal friend and always put others before himself. Hassan really reminds me of one of my cousins for a couple of reasons. My cousin lost his mom in a car accident, but he never put himself down, he remained positive. I remember one time he blamed himself for doing something he didn't just like Hassan did in the novel.

Greek Drama Questions

1.What kind of prize is given for dancing choruses of worshippers?

The dancing choruses of worshipers began competing for a bull or a goat.

2.How many spectators would gather in the open-air theatre of Dionysos?

As many as fourteen thousand spectators gathered in the open-air theatre of Dionysos.

3.How does the mask affect the voices of the actors?

The masks were used to amplify the actor's voices.

4.Why was Antigone suspenseful to viewing audiences?

It was suspenseful because the audience knew things the characters didn't know.

5.How is the shepherd to leave the infant on the mountains?

The shepherd is ordered to leave the infant to die on a mountainside with his ankles pinned together.

6.What is the riddle the Sphinx gave to Oedipus?

The Sphinx's riddle stated," What creature goes on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?"

7.Who are Oedipus' kids?

Oedipus' kids are Polyneices, Eteocles, Antigone, and Ismene.

8.After Oedipus is exiled, who takes over Thebes?

After Oedipus is exiled, Creon took over as a regent.

9.What did the family do to the dead body?

The family closed the dead person's eyes and mouth and began to prepare the body for the prosthesis, the wake. Then they placed the body on the bier, a portable framework, making sure that the feet pointed toward the door, and sprinkled it with wild marjoram and other herbs, which were believed to keep the evil spirits away. At the prosthesis, women waited near the body and men entered in a formal procession with their right arms raised high in the air. The closest relative reached out and held the dead person's head with both hands, the other mourners began to beat their faces and tear their hair. They also wailed and sang.

Antigone Quick Write

If my favorite brother was to have his body deposited in the city dump as a bird and maggot meal while my jerk brother who started the fight is buried as a national hero, I would probably try to convince my uncle about my brother's innocence. I would explain to him that he stood up for our family and represented the image of honor. I would also describe his warming personality by saying he always put our family first before him, in other words he would sacrifice himself for our family. I would also start protests, so that way I could get more people to help me bury my brother and  stop my uncle from being the king. If more people demand my favorite brother to be given a proper burial, this would cause my uncle to be terrified because most people would support me and leave him without help. Lastly, I would bury my favorite brother because its not morally correct to leave someone's body out for animals to eat it. It's especially not right how my jerk brother got the proper burial when he was the one who actually started the fight. My favorite brother was the one trying to stop my jerk brother. Therefore, I would bury him either way even if the king disagrees because everyone should be treated with equality without taking in consideration their skin color, gender, and appearance.

Jonathan Safran Foer Webinar

1. Foer Webinar
   a) Category: Foer's webinar can be considered persuasive and informative. It can be considered persuasive because he tries to convince us to pick sides between eating meat or not eating meat. This webinar is also informative because he provides us with information of how food is processed, animal cruelty, and a brief overview of  "Eating Animals."
   b)The presenter was Jonathan Safran Foer.
   c)The title the video was Jonathan Safran Foer Webinar
   d)Date Accessed: October 28, 2014
   e)Foer's webinar mainly focused on issues discussed in his novel Eating Animals, such as animal cruelty, food processing, price of a vegetarian's diet, and how people don't care about what type of foods they consume. Many people nowadays do not know what happens in the farming factories. For example, many factory farms house animals and feed them several chemicals to maximize their growth and food output.

• What really caught my attention was when Foer talked about how people don't care about what foods they consume. Many people don't care if the food is unhealthy, as long as it tastes good. For example, I still go to McDonald's even though I know their food is unhealthy. Also, if you go to a grocery store these days, you will see a variety of different types of corn. People usually go with the corn that tastes better than the healthier one. "When people aren't given an incentive to do anything, they won't do anything at all" this quote explains how only people with diseases and health issues are the only ones who actually care about what they consume. If people don't have a health issue, they usually don't care about what they eat.

•  Foer once stated," Not responding is a response-we are equally responsible for what we don't do." This quote explains how humans have not yet taken a major step in responding to animal cruelty. I think part of the reason people have not taken action is because many farming industry's like Tyson Foods might have to close down their industry, which can cause an enormous amount of problems and controversy. We are all have the ability to stand up for animal cruelty, but have not taken action towards it.

•  One moment I found inspirational was when he said he would let his kids decide whether they would eat meat or not, regardless of what he believed. Since his children are young right now, he prepares their meals, which contain no meat. I found this inspirational because everyone should be given an opportunity to make their own decisions without having someone's beliefs interfere their decision.

2. Foer's webinar and opinion on meat has not changed my ways and views on meat and becoming a vegetarian. I don't think I will ever become a vegetarian because I like eating meat and it provides our bodies with protein. For example, beef contain large amounts of vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. Therefore, I believe meat is important for our bodies. I think the way people are raised can define their values, beliefs, and the way they are as in becoming a vegetarian or not.

Latin Roots #5

Roots and Derivatives

1. cent(i): hundred

2. cid(e), cis(e): cut, kill

3. clam, claim: cry out, declare

4. cord, cour: heart

Word List

1. bicentennial- a celebration of a two hundredth anniversary; happening once in a period of two hundred years or lasting two hundred years

      We celebrated the bicentennial celebration of the birth of England.

2. centenarian- a person who has lived to be one- hundred years old

      My Grandpa was centenarian but died one year later.

3. centurion- a Roman officer commanding one-hundred men; related to the military mind especially as it favors military solutions for handling social problems

      In history class, I learned about many famous centurion's.

4. clamorous- characterized by continuous loud and complaining voices; noisily complaining; insistent

      The classroom was filled with the clamorous sound of kids.

5. concise- covering much in a few words; brief and to the point

      The summary of the novel was very concise and well written.

6. concordance- a condition of harmony or agreement; an alphabetical index indicating reference passages, as from a writer's works

      The entire team was in concordance that they should develop a new stategy.

7. cordial- of the heart; warm and friendly; amiable

      The teacher was cordial with the foreign exchange student.

8. discordant- harsh or inharmonious; clashing

       Calvin and Susie are always discordant with each other.

9. genocide- the systematic extermination of an ethnic group

      The military commander committed an act of genocide when he ordered the bombs to fall over India.

10. incisive- keenly penetrating; cutting into

     Tom's incisive mind soon reached the solution to the murder.

11. proclamation- an official statement or announcement that informs or honors

      The mayor made a proclamation that all kids should be required to eat healthy foods.

12. reclaim- to claim again; to restore to former importance or usefulness

      The lady returned to the store to reclaim her phone.

     

     

Latin Roots #4

Roots and Derivatives

1. bon, boun: good

2. capit, capt: head, chief , leader

3. carn(i):flesh

4. ced(e), ceed, cess: go, yield, surrender

Word List

1. accession-the attainment of a certain rank or dignity; an increase by means of something added; the act of becoming joined

1926 was the year of Emperor Hirochito's accession to the throne.

2. bona fide- in good faith; genuine

The archeologist stated that the preserved bones were bona fide and valuable.

3. bonanza-a sudden and unexpected source of money or riches; a winfall

My uncle let a 300,000 dollar lottery bonanza slip at the casino.

4. bounteous-inclined to be generous, plentiful, and abundant

Abundant talent and equally bounteous good fortune lead the boy in winning the competition

5. capitulation- a surrendering, usually upon prearranged terms or conditions: a final giving up

The holocaust ended with the capitulation of Germany.

6. carnage-a great slaughter, as in a battle

After the battle, the officers observed the carnage of both sides.

7. carnivorous-a flesh eating, as an animal

A lion, jaguar, and a cheetah are considered carnivorous animals.

8. incarnate-literally, in the flesh; in bodily form; personified; flesh colored

After seeing her dream man in a dream, she finally found him incarnated before her eyes.

9. intercede-to act on another's behalf; to mediate

When the two girls fought, the teacher had to intercede the fight.

10. precedent-a previous act or decision taken as a valid model; having gone before

It was the precedent in case law governing consent to treatment.

11. recapitulation-a brief repetition; a summary; as of what has already been said

She gave a recapitulation of her opinion on drugs.

12. reincarnation-a thing that is reborn; or comes back into being; although perhaps in a different bodily form

Hinduism is a religion that believes in reincarnation.

Literature Analysis #1

Black Boy by Richard Wright

1. Richard Wright endured a violent and painful childhood. He was the biggest trouble maker in the family, and his family didn't value him as much as his younger brother. At age four, he set his house on fire and forced his family to move to different states in the south. Wright's dad left his family, and they never knew anything about him. At age six, Wright was an alcoholic and got drunk everyday. His family faced poverty, which forced Wright to get his act together and find a job to help his family. While working for white people he learns about racism and how to adapt to it. By age 16, Wright proves to have an obsession of reading and writing. His dream is to become a writer and move North. Wright steals, cheats, and lies to get enough money to travel north to Memphis. Wright finds and quits jobs repeatedly in Memphis. His obsession of novels grows and he isolates himself, which results in having problems socializing. Wright realizes that in order to achieve his dream he would have to move to Chicago. Wright was shocked when he arrived in Chicago because everyone was treated equal. He finds several jobs, but then the Great Depression hits and he ends up without a job. Later, Wright finds a job in a hospital and joins the Communist Party. He faces several threats from the Communist Party and decided to quit. Wrights solution is to write and that's exactly what he does.

2. The major theme of this novel is racism. Racism deeply affected the way Richard Wright lived and his personality. For example, one of his bosses would force Wright to fight another boy named Harrison. They were separated once they were at a point of collapsing of exhaustion. Racism prevents Wright from interacting normally. He is constantly worried of doing or saying something wrong in front of people because he fears he might get killed or severely punished.

3. I chose this book because I like reading about how blacks were treated back then. Once I read the first few pages, I knew I was going to like it because the way Wright lived really interested me. My friend recommended this book to me and said it was very fascinating and inspirational, so I decided to read it.

4. This book was realistic because it is an autobiography based on Richard Wright's life. Racism still takes place till today. Racism still exists in many countries like the U.S. For example, Rosa Parks can be a connection to this book because of the way whites treated her. Wright and Park both lived their lives dealing with racism and trying to stand for what is right.

5. The author's tone was depressing and inspirational, but quite humorous. The tone was depressing because Wright loses hope of being successful and would get tired of the way he lived like of starvation and poverty. "I held my life in my mind, in my consciousness each day, feeling at times that I would stumble and drop"(253). Wright was inspirational throughout the whole book. No matter what he faced, such as mistreatment or starvation, he would never give up and fight for what was right. "I would send other words to tell, to march, to fight, to create a sense of the hunger for life that gnaws in us all, to keep alive in our hearts a sense of the inexpressibly human"(384). In the beginning  the tone is humorous because of all the bad things Wright says and does as a child. While his grandmother was bathing him, he said, "When you get through, kiss back there"(41). Wright obviously didn't know what that meant because he was young. He eventually got punished for saying that.

6. simile-"The days of my past, of my youth, were receding from me like a rolling tide, leaving me alone upon high, dry ground, leaving me with a quieter and deeper consciousness"(382). This basically means that Wright's past was now forgotten and that he was going to start a new life.

hyperbole-"leaving an aching streak of fire burning and quivering on my skin"(41). This explains how hard and painful Wright's Granny hits him.

metaphor-"I could fling a spark into this darkness"(383). This statement explains how someone could bring something positive to a bad day. For example, if someone is having a bad day, someone can bring that person a cupcake to bring happiness into a dark day.

simile-"whites regarded Negroes as animals"(188). During this time, whites would treat blacks as if they were not humans. They would kill them if they would tell a lie or simply punish them for stating their opinion.


 Direct Characterization

•  "I became angry because I knew that they knew I was lying"(269). This is direct characterization because it reveals that Richard did not like to lie and felt sinful. He lied in order to don't lose his job as a porter and to protect himself.


• "I was dreaming of running and playing and shouting, but the vivid image of Granny's old, white, wrinkled, grim face, framed by a halo of tumbling black hair, lying upon a huge feather pillow, made me afraid"(3). This basically describes how Richard Wright's grandmother looked and how much he feared her. She would constantly beat him, which made Wright scared to even make noise when playing with his toys.

Indirect Characterization

• "Here, take this dollar and buy yourself some food," he said
• "No sir," I said
•  "Don't be a fool," he said. "You're ashamed to take it. God, boy, don't let a thing like that     stop you from taking a dollar and eating."(232). This explains how Richard feels it is not right to take money, that he has not earned himself. Even though, he is starving, he is not willing to take the money. He felt ashamed and embarrassed to take the money.

• When Hoover threatened to drive the bonus marchers from Washington, one negro Communist speaker said:
• "If her drives the bonus marchers out of Washington, the people will rise up and make a revolution!"
• "You know that even if the United States Army actually kills the bonus marchers, there'll be no revolution!" I said
• You don't know the indignation of the masses!" he exploded.
• "But you don't seem to know what it takes to make a revolution," I explained. "Revolutions are rare occurrences."
• "You underestimate the masses," he told me.
• "No, I know the masses of Negroes very well," I said. "But I don't believe that a revolution is pending. Revolutions come through concrete historical processes..."
• "You're an intellectual," he said
• This conversation shows how Richard grows as a person. When he was a young teenager, he would be scared to state his opinion. In this conversation, Richard demonstrates he has grown by not being afraid to speak for what he believes.

2. Yes, Wright does use diction throughout the novel. He used diction by showing how one acts, the scenery looks, and describes the characters in different ways. For example,  in this statement, "Suddenly Griggs reached for my arm and jerked me violently, sending me stumbling three or four feet across pavement." His diction can be interpreted in several ways. The white man did that to teach Richard a lesson. His diction can also be imagery. This statement provides a picture in your mind of how a man can throw a child and trying to hurt him. His diction allows you to read on about  how Richard is growing up and learning about life.

3.Richard is a dynamic character. In the beginning of the novel, Richard is disrespectful and stubborn. He was always punished through physical violence for his bad behavior. Nobody in his family really valued him or loved him because of his personality and behavior. He was went through emotional isolation. He would always burry his feeling deep in his body and never let them out. Reading and writing allowed him to open up about his feelings and make his life more meaningful. He changes throughout the story. Towards the end, Wright becomes a more positive person. He developed a high self-esteem, in which he believes he could do more, be more, and achieve more. His high- self esteem allows him to accomplish his dream of becoming a writer. He also becomes definitely more mature and responsible. For example, when the book starts he lights his house on fire, gets into fights, and gets drunk. His character throughout the story changes.

4.  After reading this book, I felt that I have met Richard Wright. Whenever he was in a situation, I sort of knew what he was going to do because I knew his personality well. I felt like I was traveling with him through his journey of life.

Enduring Memory

I expect to remember how hard and  painful life was in 1912 through 1937for the blacks. Wright endured a life full on isolation, racism, and violence. He is a role model because he was very poor and managed to become a successful writer. Richard never gave up no mater what obstacles he faced. For example, he failed to meet the requirements to work at the post office because he was underweight. Within a year he persevered his goal of reaching 120 pounds by stuffing himself with food when he was already full. This novel made me realize how thankful I should be for having a good, healthy life. I am quite thankful that racism isn't an enormous issue where I live, but it still remains an issue in other parts of the U.S. I am thankful that my family actually provides me with things to be healthy and successful such as plenty of food, medical attention, and school supplies. On the other hand, Richard had to start working at the age of twelve to pay his families bills and provide them with food. So, I expect to remember Richard Wright at an example to follow.

         

Latin Roots #3

Roots and Derivatives

1. audi: hear

2.avi: bird

3.bell(I): war

4.ben(e): good, well

Word List

1. antebellum-before the war, especially the American Civil War, typical of how things were before any war

      The antebellum plantations were very elegant.

2. audit- to attend a class only as a listener, not for credit; to check or examine a company's financial records; the process of making such an examination

      The accountant was brought in to audit the company's records.

3. auditory-a related sense of hearing

      The man's auditory senses were permanently damaged because of an explosion

4.avian-characteristic of or pertaining to birds

      Bird feeders attract many avian visitors.

5.aviary-an elaborate structure for housing birds

      The most interesting birds in the aviary were the eagles.

6.avionics-the technology of (using) electronic equipment in a aviation, missilery, and space flight

      New avionics make a flight easier and safer to operate.

7.bellicose-eager to fight or quarrel; hostile

      Some countries are bellicose and are constantly in war.

8.belligerency-the condition of warlike hostility, a hostile action

      Tom screamed and shook his head towards the waiter in a belligerent way.

9.benefactor-a person who gives another (financial) help; a patron

      Students who received scholarships sent thank-you letters to their benefactors.

10.beneficiary-one who receives a benefit (of payment), as from an insurance policy

      When her husband passed away, his wife received money from his bank account because she was the beneficiary.

11.benign-not malignant; gracious and kindly; good-natured

      The little boy is always benign to the little girl

12.inaudible-unable to be heard

      The microphone sounds inaudible, therefore no one can understand what is being said.


     

      

     

     

     

The Wise Goddess:Athena

       Plot Summary: Athena carried Zeus's thunderbolt and his great breastplate, called the Aegis. As the goddess of war, Athena, defeated the war god Ares. Athena preferred peace, and would rather settle disputes by judgment than by fighting. She was the exact opposite of Ares who loved to battle, slaughter enemies, and destroy cities. Athena's intelligence and strategy in battle made her stronger than Ares. Athena took deep interest in the affairs of mortals. She tended to use her power to make life better for the humans she cared for.

       Athena once competed with Poseidon, god of seas, over who should rule the greatest city in the world. Other gods and goddess were judges. Poseidon and Athena each preformed a miraculous act on the heights of Acropolis, the new city. Poseidon made salt water come out of a mountain. Athena grew a tall olive tree, loaded with fruit. Since the olive tree was more useful than salt water, Athena won. She named the city Athens in her honor.
    
      Athena protected the city and all civilized life. She brought innumerable gifts to earth  for the benefit of the mortals. She invented the flute for pleasure and the earthenware bowl for convenience. Athena improved farming by inventing the plow, rake and a bridle for horses.


       During the Trojan War, many Olympians picked sides between the Trojans and Greeks. Athena picked the Greeks and helped them. She watched after Odysseus during his ten-year journey home from war, offering him advice and assistance.


     Athena defines heroism by showing courage for standing firm for what is right. She serves as a model for all women. The divine protector of human civilization, goddess of war who preferred peace, the judge who believed in mercy was indeed a gracious goddess, and a wise one.