"Why We Crave Horror Movies"

What is your greatest fear? Do you agree with Stephen King that "we're all mentally ill; those of use outside the asylums only hide it better--and maybe not that much better, after all?" (paragraph 1). Explain.

Please respond to another students' post after you post your own.

I apologize again for the late post (I teach in the afternoon and have limited internet access), so posting until the morning is ok.

Note: There will be a short quiz tomorrow on the "main idea" of the reading.

"My Inner Shrimp"

Dear Students,
I apologize for the late post!! If you would like, you can submit your post by tomorrow before class. Here is the question:

Has Trudeau completely overcome his high school anxiety? Support your response with material from the essay.

Best of luck!

Miss Golden

"Dying to Be Bigger" Letter to a Friend

Hello students!
For this blog, imagine that your friend is a great athlete and wants to try steroids. Write your friend a letter in which you persuade him/her not to use this drug. Consider all of the negative side effects from the reading, and use your own words to describe some of them to your friend.
Your letter should be about one paragraph.

Note: You do not have to respond to any other students' blogs this week.

"Text Messaging" Reading Question- due Wednesday by 9:00 pm

In your own words, write a brief summary of this reading.
(There is no word limit for the response, but make sure that your summary has enough specific details that are important in the reading!)

Lecture Noes, June 30

The Simple Tenses

SIMPLE PRESENT – Use mainly to state facts or opinions and talk about how frequently something happens (habits).

1. California is a beautiful state.

2. Jim never has a second cup of coffee at home.

3. People always take too long at the ATM machine.

4. He sometimes rides the bus to school.

Examples:

SIMPLE PAST – Use this tense to talk about a specific event in the past, to tell a story, or to talk about how something used to be. (completed action in the past!)

1. Last night, Alice watched an episode of The O.C.

2. First, we went to the store. Then, we bought roast beef. Finally, we made chili.

3. Jim was a good man. He never talked bad about anyone behind his back. He always looked on the bright side of life. I sure liked Jim.

Examples:

“You’re Looking Tense” Part 1

SIMPLE FUTURE – Use this to talk about what will happen in the future. (use will or be + going to + verb)

1. I will take a test tomorrow.

2. They are going to drive to Los Angeles next week.

4. The President is going to speak tomorrow.

3. Vivian will be the next American Idol.

Examples:

**notice that when you use will + a verb, the verb is always in simple form, so it does not take an –s or an –ed or an –ing or any other ending you can think of!

PROGRESSIVE TENSES

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE – Use present progressive to talk about what is happening right now. (use be + -ing. Make sure be agrees with the subject.)

1. Right now, you are reading this sentence.

2. Now, you are thinking about cheese.

3. I am writing this sentence.

Examples:

PAST PROGRESSIVE – Use past progressive to talk about what was happening at some point in the past.

1. Jake was walking along, minding his own business, when a crazy squirrel jumped out of a tree and landed on his face.

2. Stan was yelling at Cartman when Kenny suddenly died.

3. Mehdi, Olivia, and Le were floating in Sam’s pool one lazy afternoon.

Examples:

YOU’RE LOOKING RATHER TENSE, PART 2

( and being TENSE can lead to STRESS)

PRESENT PERFECT have or has + past participle (-ed, -en)

USE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS IN THE PAST, BUT NOT SPECIFIC INCIDENTS

Just to say something happened, or never happened, without reference to when:

1. Sam has been to Florida.

2. Ami and Stella have gone to the beach.

To talk about repetition of an activity, or how many times it has happened:

1. Monica has seen The Notebook three times because she likes it so much.

2. Michelle has acted in many plays.

To talk about a situation that began in the past and continues (with for or since)

1. Dat has been alive for eighteen years.

2. Since she was very young, April has loved movies about gladiators.

PAST PERFECT had + past participle

THE PAST PERFECT EXPRESSES AN ACTIVITY THAT WAS COMPLETED BEFORE ANOTHER ACTIVITY OR TIME IN THE PAST

1. Everyone had left by the time Abdu arrived.

2. Until I began junior high, I had been a straight-A student.

3. I had been happy for ten years straight, but then I had a bad day and I’ve been grouchy ever since.