Assignment1___Gina

1. Hi, my name is Gina, I lives in Chao Jou, a small town located in southern Taiwan, in Pingdong County. What do I do after school? Well, I normally play computer after school, it’s my way to relax myself from school work and to have some social network with others. Pingdong County is the most well-known tourist attraction in Taiwan. It is because the weather here is always warm, and it’s very close to the beach, that within one and half an hour drive, people can reach the most beautiful sand beach in Taiwan – Kenting.

2. I am surprised how big Canada is. I mean when compare to Taiwan, Canada is about nine hundred times bigger. Wow!
I wish I can visit Canada sometime so I can see snow. Cause people can’t see snow in Taiwan, unless you go to the mountain peak in winter.

Do you miss Korea? If you could choose, where do you want to live in? Korea or Canada?
Do you support Prime Minister Harpers’ budget plans? Why and why not

Well yes someplace is well preserved, but there’s also places that’s not preserved. And yes, we have our own traditions in Taiwan, like to celebrate for mid-autumn festival and Chinese New Year.

Assignment1___Bolt

1. Hello,I am Bolt. I live in Pingtung, Taiwan. My neighborhood is very friendly, for example, one of my neighbor is a seventy-two years old lady, and she is very kind to everyone. Although she is old, she's still healthy. And she always gets up early and cleans the community, and so everyone loves her. My favorite subject is English and math, and so I spend a lot of time studying every day after school. I also enjoy swimming after school, because swimming is fun and is also good for health, that we can keep our body healthy by swimming, which is great.

2. I was amazed that Canada has two official languages, English and French.
I was also amazed by the history of Quebec.

Have you ever been to Quebec? Or the U.S?
Do you speak French?

Assignment1___Bright

1.Hi my name is Bright. I live in a very peaceful neighborhood, and is surrounded by farmland. In my neighborhood, sometimes you can see people smoking in front of their home, and they always sing songs loudly at night, and so I don’t like them very much. There are a lot of things I like to do after school. Such as Reading novels, biking, and or shopping. However, among all these activities, playing computer is probably my favorite.

2. Wow Canada is so big, where in Canada do you live?
It is interesting that it snows a lot in Canada, cause normally you can’t see snow in Taiwan.

Have you ever been to the U.S? Cause Canada is very close to the U.S.
Have you ever seen any wild deer or bears? Cause I have heard that the wildlife in Canada is rich.

Assignment1___Derek

My name is Derek. I live in Fangliao Township, Pingtung country. There are six people in my family. They're my father, mother, sister, brother, grandma, and I.

My father is a police officer. My mother works in a bank and my grandma is a housewife. My sister and brother are students.
My neighbors are very good, so I like to play with them. I like them very much.
I like to ride a bike because I can do some exercise, and it`s fun. I often ride my bike to the park and also play with my classmates. I like to play computer games, too. When I finish my homework, I will play the computer games with my brother, sister, and my classmates.
If I live in Canada in the future, I think I will like to watch the maple tress. I like to explore the colors of the leaves and taste the Maple honey. I like to eat some sweet. Ha...
I think the living quality in Canada is high because you can make some money (better than Taiwan). And there are a lot of lands which have a plenty of wild animals. Moreover, the scenery is also very beautiful. The snow will cover the land in the winter. I like it, but I am afraid of the cold weather. Anyway, I like to be your friend. Do you? Hope to share some secrets with you here. See you next time.

Assignment1___Steven

1. Hi, my name is Steven, I live in a small town called Neipu in Pingdong County. Pingdong County is known as a sunny state in Taiwan, and is famous for its agriculture products. My neighborhood is lovely and friendly and is surrounded by farmland, and so the scenery is amazing. And unlike other places in Taiwan, there not much no pollution here. The air is clean, and you can see trees everywhere.
Even though the school work is heavy, I normally play different kinds of sport with my neighborhood kids. And it is a lot of fun playing together. I also enjoy using computer to social network with others, because nowadays it is a good way to communicate with others.

2. I am surprised to know that Canada is rich in natural resources but I hope people do not waste these resources but make good use of it.
I heard there’s Polo bears in Canada, I know they’re in trouble as the ice melts down in Arctic, but I do want to see them.

Do you support Canada’s immigration policy? Why

Have you traveled to the U.S before? If you do, what do you think is the difference between Canada and the U.S?

Assignment1___Max

Hi, my name is Max.I live in the south of Taiwan, Pingtung. There are four people in my family.I'm twelve years old. I'm a Nan Jung Junior High School student.
My father is a worker, and my mother is a housewife. My sister is an elementary student.
We live in Sinpi. I like to play computer games, but don't like to study. My father likes sports very much. He can play tennis, basketball, badminton with me on weekends.
My sister studies hard. She likes to read and studies very much. I hope she will be my model in the near future. She doesn't like to play computer games, but I hope I can share my experiences with her. Then she can play them well.
My mother is very busy, because she cleans the house and teaches our homework. My sister helps my mom when she is free. I have a blessed family, so I love it.

Actually, Taiwan is different from China even though we share the same language, Chinese. I would like to say Taiwan is Taiwan, not part of China. We have our special culture, habits and accustoms. China is tyrant, and they don't have much freedom. We can talk and share our opinions as our wishes, but they cannot. Maybe they said some wrong words, then they will be in prison. Ha...joking.

I am looking forward to seeing all of you because I think Canadian are all rich. Your government can sell wood and oil, then you can get a lot of money. In addition, I know the weather there is very cold, so there are lots of snow.I will want to go to Canada for skiing,and there are many ski locations there. the views in Canada are so beautiful.

I think I don't have too much money to immigrate Canada. But I really hope I can travel there to see the beautiful snow, maple trees and you. Are you expect to see me?

Assignment 1

Welcome to PenPal News, a place on the web where you will read, share and discuss news with a penpal. Your classes in Vancouver and Taiwan have been matched, and you have been assigned one or two penpals. Over the next six weeks, you will be writing to each other, learning about news events occurring in your penpals’ location.

Here’s your first assignment:

1. Introduce yourself to your penpal. Write about the neighborhood where you live and things you like to do after school. (Please write at least a paragraph.) If there’s one thing your penpal should know about where you live, what is it?

2.

STUDENTS from Taiwan:
- Read this article about Vancouver.
- Tell your penpal about two things you found interesting or were surprised to learn about where they live.
- Write two questions you have about the place where your penpal lives.

STUDENTS from Vancouver:
- Read this article about Taiwan.
- Tell your penpal about two things you found interesting or were surprised to learn about where they live.
- Write two questions you have about the place where your penpal lives.

Assignment 2# Max Pan

1. Yes. I agree with that students should learn other religions or take ethics at school because we can learn what the different are between religions. The results will bring me some ideas to understand the beliefs in the different people. We have learnt the religions at school, but we don’t have the specific courses to learn them. I am happy to follow what I got in learning.

2. Yes. Knowing different cultures which are from other religions helps us respect others. By way of understanding and learning, we will know the people around the world and it helps me know more knowledge and beliefs.
I have some friends who are Christians. Before eating their food, they have to pary to God. I feel very interesting.
3. If we get more chances to contact religious pluralisms, we will have lots of visions to understand the world. Why people will have conflict with others because of cultures or religions. Then I can learn how to respect others.
There are some activities for celebraing Xmas, like sing songs and a show. We all enjoy the wonderful time.

4. There are some advantages. For example, we will know religious cultures to enrich my knowledge. I can respect other cultures even if this people has different believes.
Shortcoming: If the courses are religions, someone will feel bored. They will feel sleepy are in class. Sometimes, if my classmates have some different ideas, they will have some strong argues in class. I also feel interested in it.

HW-Assignment 7, Max

We will have a presidential election on Januuary14th, 2012, Taiwan. There are three major presidential candidates, Ma Ying-jeou, Tsai Ing-wen, and James Soong. They replace different parties and demonstrate different opinions, and all of them believe they will be the next Taiwanese presdient. I am not interested in the polictics, so I don’t know how to express my thinking. Sorry.

I feel sad recently because I like one of my classmates. She refused me a few days ago. In the beginning, we were good friends, but now we are like enemies. We haven’t talked for many days, and this made me very discouraged. I hope we can be friends like before.

HW-Assignment 7, Molly

When my grandma was a child, she was poor. There were eight children in my garndparents’ house. They did not have much money, so they fed pigs near her house and sold vegetables in the market in order to make our life better. Even though they were poor, they kept working to help my father and my uncles study at school. But, luckily the situation had changed since my grandpa was a lit bit rich. Then they got married, their life became much better. Ha…my grandma continued to tell her long long stories which raised my attention. I was always interested in them. The old stories made me laugh and felt lucky because I did not feed the pigs and neither did sell vegetables at the market. The only thing is to study hard at home. 

In Taiwan, we had snow in the high mountain, Jade Mountain. It is the highest mountain in Taiwan. If you want to see the snow, you can go there in winter. But, you have to remember to bring a coat, or you will catch a cold.

.Do you think the world will come to an end in 2012? I think it’s impossible! But I do believe Maya Prediction. In my mind, if we keep polluting the earth, the mother earth will start to against us, like the Japanese Tsunami and Turkish Earthquakes. If we don’t want to change our bad habits or ignore our Mother Earth anger, we cannot live this earth anymore. Earthquake and tsunami are the wornings! It means we should chelish and protect Her, Mother Earth.

I am looking forward to seeing my school anniversary this weekend. I’m so excited to join each activity on this special day because it’s my first experience at junior high school. I think there are much fun in these activities.

Assignment 7

PenPal News Final Project Options:

1. Interview someone important to you. Use questions from this website to get you started.

Write up: 1) a summary of what the person said in the interview 2) what surprised you and what interested you most about you learned.

2. Write an opinion piece about a current event or an issue in your community or the world.Describe what is happening, how you feel about it and why.

You can read about things happening near you on these websites:
Taipei Times - Taiwan
Taiwan Today - Taiwan
The Slovenia Times - Slovenia

You can read about things happening around the world on these websites:
Yahoo World
CNN
BBC

3. Write an article about where you live.
Is there an event coming up? Is a big change happening?
What’s something interesting or challenging that your community is going through?
Describe:
What is happening? / What has happened? / What will happen?
Where it is happening? / Where has it happened? / Where will it happen?
Who is involved? / Who was involved? / Who will be involved?
Why is it happening? / Why did it happen? / Why will it happen?
Talk to people about your topic and write about what they said and how you feel about it.

4. Write about an issue that you discussed with your penpal. 
What is the issue?
Write what your penpal felt about it
Write what you originally thought about it
If your thoughts changed, write about why they did
If your thoughts didn’t change, write about why they didn’t

5. Write a personal news story. You can write about something that happened to you recently that was funny, sad, weird or surprising. (Must be appropriate for school) 

After you’ve finished this assignment, please complete this short survey about PenPal News.

Assignment 7

PenPal News Final Project Options:

1. Interview someone important to you. Use questions from this website to get you started.

Write up: 1) a summary of what the person said in the interview 2) what surprised you and what interested you most about you learned.

2. Write an opinion piece about a current event or an issue in your community or the world.Describe what is happening, how you feel about it and why.

You can read about things happening near you on these websites:
Taipei Times - Taiwan
Taiwan Today - Taiwan
The Slovenia Times - Slovenia

You can read about things happening around the world on these websites:
Yahoo World
CNN
BBC

3. Write an article about where you live.
Is there an event coming up? Is a big change happening?
What’s something interesting or challenging that your community is going through?
Describe:
What is happening? / What has happened? / What will happen?
Where it is happening? / Where has it happened? / Where will it happen?
Who is involved? / Who was involved? / Who will be involved?
Why is it happening? / Why did it happen? / Why will it happen?
Talk to people about your topic and write about what they said and how you feel about it.

4. Write about an issue that you discussed with your penpal. 
What is the issue?
Write what your penpal felt about it
Write what you originally thought about it
If your thoughts changed, write about why they did
If your thoughts didn’t change, write about why they didn’t

5. Write a personal news story. You can write about something that happened to you recently that was funny, sad, weird or surprising. (Must be appropriate for school) 

After you’ve finished this assignment, please complete this short survey about PenPal News.

HW# 6 Bright

1. There are lots of people surfing a net of social networking sites. They are talking with their friends, play games, or watching the funny videos, and so on. It's very interesting.

2.Well, I don’t use the social networking sites. But, I think one day I will surf the  social networking sites.

I saw a bullying video. A man was kicking a girl, and she was crying loudly. She was  scared ,and so was I.

3.Yes, I have applyied Facebook  account few days ago. So far, I have not asked my friends or my parents into my friend lists. I think my parents don’t like me to play it because they feel it can waste my time to chat with friends.

HW# 6 Max

There are two third schoolchildren using the social networks,  for example, facebook, msn, Google + and yahoo messanger.

Although almost parents say that spending so much time on the net is not good, I think it is not bad to use the social-networks. I can use Facebook to share my secreats with my close friends and play some games there, too.

I don’t have any experiences about bullying. Ha, I never bully others because I think it is wrong.

I have never seen any people were bullied in my life. I live in a safe place. That is wonderful.

I use facebook, but my parents don’t use it. In addition, Mom thinks it is bad for me, so she don’t say “NO”, so I only surf the net when my mom doesn’t notice me . This is my big secreat.

HW#6 Shine

I  think more than two third of teenagers are using the social network because I do the survery in my class. There are four fifth using it. 

When I  was the sixth  grades of elementary school,  I saw one of  my classmates is bullying  another  boy. I was so afraid at that moment, so I did not know how to do, and then I just ran away. But, I think I was wrong then. I should tell my teachers what they did. 

I use Facebook, too. It is fun because I can chat with my friends and play games there.

HW# 6 Molly

1.      I think more than two third students to use the social networks! Because most of my friends play Facebook, only one doesn’t use the social networking sites.

2.      Yes.I was bullied when I was in the elementary school. At that moment, I  ignored them without any reasons. But, they hide my workbooks, notebooks, pencil case, and shoe…,etc.

3.      Yes,I have Facebook, yahoo and google accounts. But, my parents don’t have any accunts. They think ok if I use them. My parents and I use the same accunt, and we can share our secreats each other. My parents know myfriends on the list,so they don’t worry about me.

HW# 6 Johnson

1. The study says that two third of teenagers say their peers are mostly kind on social networking sites. What do you think?

I think the teenagers who live in the city are useing social networking more than that amount because the kids like to play computer games or chat with other often.

For example: Only one student in my class doesn’t use the social networking sites.

2. The study says that 12 percent of teens have experienced bullying in the past 12 months.

Have you……..happened?

I saw it when I was in the elementary school. After coming to junior high school, I think bullying is a very strange thing. I never saw or hear it happened again. Teachers in my school are all nice, and they always tell me how to protect us, like to tell teachers or call the antibullying line. Besides, teachers will punish the students who were bullied others. So, my school is a safe place.

I think the bully is terrible. The bullies will threat other students , and the victims are afraid not to tell their teachers or parents. They think the teacher and parents can not protect you for 24 hours.

3. Are you on any……networking?

I also use the social network sites, too.

I set my parents facebook account into my friend lists, but I seldom play it. I don’t like to play it, and I don’t know why so many people like to play it.

My parents feel tired after work, so they will surf the net for a while. But, they think if I spend too much time surfing the net, they will not be happy. They think we need to study hard and get a good grade.

HW#6 Lily

1.I think the social networks are very popular in our life. And maybe some people make friends by way of surfing the net. But, maybe some of peoples just play the online games on it.

2.I don't have experienced bullying in the past 12 months.So I don't know what process of it.But I think it was really bad.

3.Idon't use the social networking sites, so I don’t know if my parents use it. My mother thinks the social networking site isn't good. Because she think the people will cheat others, they pretend their ages or genders or marriages. Then they will lose their money or evreything they had.

HW#2 Anja

I think the most appetizing Taiwanese food is sweet glass rice dumplings because it's delicate dessert made with twice-steamed rice flour.
The least appetizing food for me seems to be coffin bread because it's poured in with creamy seafood and I don't like it.
I don't have my favorite food but the most I like to eat in McDonald's and chinese restaurant.

HW#2 Tina

I like sweet glass rice dumplings, because they're made of twice-steamed rice flour.
I don't like squid stuffed with risotto, because I don't really like eating any seafood at all.
My favourite food is Pizza. I've had it with my family at home :)