TO ALL INCOMING GRADE 9 LITERATURE STUDENTS...

GREETINGS!

Here's your last and final summer blog to respond to in connection with the story "The Count Of Monte Cristo"...in case this is the book you are currently reading...

PHATIC COMMUNICATION: Exchanges or conversation designed primarily not to transmit information, but rather to reinforce social bonds, signal the beginning or end of a conversation, or engage in ritual activities. For instance, if we pass a stranger in the hallway and say, "Hi, howya doing?" and pass on after a nod, the linguistic exchange was not an actual request for data, but merely a politeness acknowledging the other's presence. Similarly, "thanks for stopping by" or "you're welcome, come again" are all social lubricants to ease the transition to and from ritual activity rather than attempts at factual communication. Phatic communication is the term for this phenomenon.

"Focusing on any scene from this story, what good and clear example of a PHATIC COMMUNICATION can you give based on the given definition on top? Within the entire story, there are good examples to support this concept of phatic communication, which is why this posting is going to be another "first-come, first serve basis only" posting---this means that once an example has already been given, as usual, it cannot be used by anyone else. Please make sure to read the postings first before you put your own blog so that you will not end up wasting your time...?!"

That's All Folks...! Take care and be safe always. I cannot wait to see ALL of you next week---BE READY FOR ME! STUDY-STUDY-STUDY...but do not neglect to enjoy your final days of vacation too...! Oh, and by the way, we are having our Literary Terms Test next week, our Novel Tests, and two to three Paragraph Writing Tests. Remember...next week marks the first day of the rest of your life in Grade 9 with me...CIAO!!!

Mr. A

TO ALL INCOMING GRADE 9 LITERATURE STUDENTS...

GREETINGS!

Here's your blog to respond to in connection with the story "The Count Of Monte Cristo"...in case this is the book you are currently reading. Another challenging one...

EUPHEMISM - the use of an indirect, mild, delicate, inoffensive, or vague word or expression for one thought to be coarse, sordid, or otherwise unpleasant, offensive, or blunt. The word is from the Greek euphemismos derived from euphemizein, meaning “to speak words of good omen.”
Common examples of euphemisms are “passed away” for died, “little girl/boy’s room” for bathroom, and “terminal illness” for deadly illness.

"Focusing on any scene from this story, what good and clear example of a EUPHEMISM can you give based on the given definition on top? Within the entire story, there are a lot of good examples to support this concept of euphemism, which is why this posting is going to be another "first-come, first serve basis only" posting---this means that once an example has already been given, it cannot be used by anyone else. Please make sure to read the postings first before you put your own blog so that you will not end up wasting your time...?!"

That's All Folks...! Take care and be safe always. I am enjoying the beaches of sunny Cancun, Mexico at the moment and cannot wait to see ALL of you in the next two to three weeks---WOW! Post your comments below this blog where it says "Post A Comment". STUDY-STUDY-STUDY...but do not neglect to enjoy your vacation as well...! CIAO!!!

Mr. A

TO ALL INCOMING GRADE 9 STUDENTS 2008-2009...

GREETINGS!

It's Sunday evening here in Los Angeles right now, 04 July 2008...! I just closed access to the "ironic" blog topic and now I am writing the next one. You have until Saturday, 12 July 2008, to respond to this posting...good luck!

DRAMATIC IRONY - involves the reader (or audience) knowing something about what's happening in the plot, about which the character(s) have no knowledge; it can be used in comedies and tragedies, and it works to engage the reader, as one is drawn into what is happening; the audience may sympathize with the character, who does not know the true situation, or, the reader may see the character as blind or ignorant.

The clues may be rather obvious, but the character may be unwilling to recognize the truth; when the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters; this is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves.

"Focusing on any scene from this story, what good and clear example of a DRAMATIC IRONY can you give based on the given definition on top? Within the entire story, there are a lot of good examples to support this concept of Dramatic Irony, which is why this posting is going to be, as usual, another "first-come, first serve basis only" posting---this means that once an example has already been given, it cannot be used by anyone else. Please make sure to read the postings first before you put your own blog so that you will not end up wasting your time, okay...?!"

That's All Folks!!! Take care and be safe always. Post your comments below this blog where it says "Post A Comment". STUDY-STUDY-STUDY...but do not neglect to enjoy your vacation as well...! CIAO!!!

Mr. A

TO ALL INCOMING GRADE 9 STUDENTS 2008-2009...

GREETINGS!

Once again, with apologies for the delay of this posting...it was not easy to have access to an internet where I was situated over the last 12 days. I just got back from the Philippines this afternoon which explains why I am posting this only now. Anyways, here's the second blog posting...

"Find and list down two clear examples of an IRONY from the story TCMC then make sure to explain why you claim these two to be examples of ironies...!"

You have now until Friday, 04 June 2008, to complete and respond to this blog, then I will close access to it antime that day. I am leaving for California on Monday and will be in a different time zone until 05 August 2008...this means that from this time onwards, whenever I give you a due date, I will be closing the blog anytime during that day.

Lastly, for those who do not have access to a computer or an internet, I will repeat what I said before...make sure you continuously do your blogging throught journal entries in a notebook.

That's All Folks! Take care and be safe all of you...study well and send my regards to your family. Until the next posting...and remember...ENJOY YOUR SUMMER BREAK! CIAO!!!

Mr. A

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO BLOG SITE

TO ALL INCOMING GRADE 9 STUDENTS 2008-2009...

LADIES & GENTLEMEN...this is going to be our official TCOMC Blog Site where I expect you to write your entries and responses.

To clarify again, I expect you and require you to have two postings per week regarding this story! I will have questions for you to answer. However, in addition to answering those questions, do not hesitate to ask your own questions as well if you have any regarding TCOMC. Also, you are most free to share the blogs with others who have no access to computers over the summer and are simply doing notebook/diary blogging in case they ask you for help and assistance on topics to write about.

I will try my best to post at the most, two blogs per week...however, oftentimes, I am certain that I might be able to post only one, which means that if I am unable to post a second blog, then your second posting for the week is a free topic regarding the story. By the end of the summer, you must have finished reading this book already for I will be testing you on it during our first day back in August!

Here's my first question for you to respond to in connection with the story The Count Of Monte Cristo...

"Who are the characters that have been so far introduced to you at this point and what do you personally think of each of them in terms of their behavior and motivations...?"

Today is Monday, 23 June 2008. You have until Thursday, 26 June 2008, to post your response to this question. After which, I will close access to this blog and post my next question by 12 midnight. This will mean that you will no longer be able to post anything on this question by that time.

That's All Folks! Take care all of you...and study well...but most of all...ENJOY YOUR SUMMER BREAK! God Bless! CIAO!!!

Mr. A