Fort Christmas by Phuc (Vietnam)

Yesterday, I had a chance to go to Fort Christmas, a historical place of Orlando. The first impression on my way to Fort Christmas was this place located in another side of Orlando, where doesn’t have buildings, doesn’t have many cars, not so many houses. There are a lot of land that looked like a farm, where has a lot of horses. When we got there, I felt that I was in Texas, not Orlando, because the houses, trees looked like Texas (even though I’ve never been to Texas, I just saw movies). In Fort Christmas, I saw a lot of things that homesteads used in fighting and in their houses. At that time, they lived in a very comfortable house with a lot of household that in Vietnam is using right now, that means America is much more develop than Vietnam. I also saw some things that the Indian used in the past, the things that not as modern as the homestead’s but they looked very similar to the things that Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam are using. I learnt a lot about Florida history at Fort Christmas, I really liked it there. This trip is very useful for us to improve our English by listening to Mr. Bushong explain about things. And we could know more about the history of the place that we are living. I really want to go to more trips like this one

"Superior Technology" by Afraa (K.S.A.)

We can’t dispense it, and maybe we can’t live without it. |The computer is one of the most important technologies ever invented. In this age, we use computers every day and in almost all our jobs. It makes our lives easier, for instance, it cuts short the time that we spend to execute our tasks. Also, it is more accurate to do calculations. The computer can be classified into many types depending on size, power, or purpose of use. There are three famous types that we might see every day: the laptop, desktop, and handheld.

First of all, the laptop is a type of personal computer which is a portable device. The size of it varies including small, medium, heavy, and light. Its components like a keyboard, mouse, and CPU (Central Processing Unit) are integrated with the main system itself. Also, the optical device like the CD-drive is internal. Besides, a laptop is not powered by electricity but by a battery most of the time. Therefore, we can use it even when the power is cut or when we are away from home where there is not electricity.

The desktop is another type of computer. It is designed to fit on the top of the desk. Its size is big and heavy, so it has to be stationary. Desktop model computers are broad and comfortable to use. We can find this type in internet cafés, computer labs in school, and offices. Their components are opposite laptop’s components. They are separated from the main system. The optical device is internal, and you can connect with any external optical device that you need. Furthermore, the desktop feeds on electricity. It doesn’t work without it. For that reason we need to use desktops where the electricity is. Also, it is not convenient to move the desktop from place to place.

The last type of computer is the handheld, or sometimes it is called the pocket PC. It is a portable device that is small enough to be held in one hand. Also, it is used as a phone, so it is light. The most popular handheld computers are designed to provide personal information manager functions, such as a calendar and an address book. The hardware component like keyboard is replaced with an electronic pen, and it doesn’t have any optical device, so it is incapable of running CDs. However, these pen-based devices rely on handwriting recognition technologies. Moreover, the handheld computer works by battery, and we can use it without relying on electricity.

Computers are very popular technology now. Most people use them every day in schools, houses, work, and hospitals. Laptops, desktops, and handheld computers are the most common, especially the laptop that is the most popular type of computer use. Maybe we find everyone in the family owns private one. In my opinion, our purchase of the appropriate computer depends on what we need and what we want depending on its size, its components, and its power source.

"He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune" by Ersin (Turkey)

One day Hodja Nasreddin was going to the bazaar. Some of the children ordered pipes from Hodja. Hodja said to them, “Yes, sure.” But just one of them gave him money for this order. Hodja came to the village at night. All of the children who had ordered pipes were waiting for Hodja. When Hodja came to the village, the children came up to Hodja and asked for their orders. Hodja drew a pipe out of his pocket and gave it to the child who had paid his money in advance. The others asked for their pipes, “Where are our pipes?” Hodja gave a short and concise answer to them, “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”

"Samera's Reward" by Tariq (K.S.A.)

There was an architect Samera, and he was intelligent. The president of his country told him to design his new house. Samera designed a smart model for the new president’s house, and when he designed, he made one block if you push it, the house would collapse. After Samera had finished the house, he was with the president on the new house roof, and told him about the secret. In addition, the president asked him if there is any one know that secret. Samera answered that there is no one know about this secret except him and the president. Suddenly, the president pushed Samera from the roof and Samera got killed, so the people always said “Samera Reward.”

"There Is a Free Meal at UCF" by Christina (China)

Although it is usually said that there is no free meal in the world, as a foreign student who studies English as a second language at CMMS, there are some methods to learn English FOR FREE!

As a part of my Academic Presentations class, I went to several lectures at UCF. Those lectures can be found on the UCF website under the section of “Campus Events.” Some of the lectures are open to all the UCF students or even those who are not students, but there are some where you may need to sign up. For example, I am interested in the American point of view of Chinese culture, so I participated in a lecture held by UCF alumni, “A Highly Civilized Country--3000 Years of Inventing China.” The professor is a Chinese historian and has spent over 20 years in China to study the culture there.

The lecture lasted an hour and covered one third of the five-thousand-year Chinese history. He spoke at a pretty fast speed with a bunch of unfamiliar vocabulary words for me in politics and economics. Yet, his PowerPoint slides and some other visual aids like handouts helped me a lot to understand his lecture even better.

However, my favorite part of the lecture was when the audience asked him some questions about the new president’s attitude towards the two counties, the United States and China. It was a really lively talk. I felt that all the audience was involved in the lecture and enjoyed what he had said.

It was a good way to practice my listening because the speaker was not a teacher who taught English as a second language. In addition, I realized that English was actually a tool to understand the cultural in a different way. After the lecture, there were some snacks for the speaker and the audience, so they could continue the topic in a friendly environment. That was really a free meal!

Learning English at CMMS in the classrooms is not the only way to improve your English skill. Those native English speakers are just a few steps outside the classroom around the campus. That is the real place where the language is used, and to take part in the real world with using English is why we study English so hard here. Try to move out of the classroom and you will find more opportunities to improve your English!

"The Peasant's Dream" by Elchin (Azerbaijan)

Once upon a time, there was a peasant who lived in a village. He had only a small hut and a hen. One time the villager who was poor and jobless decided to sell his eggs in a bazaar. He collected all of the eggs and went on his way to the bazaar. He arrived there, and he put the eggs in front of him to sell. For one moment he began to dream of the future. He was talking to himself, “After selling the eggs, I will buy a kid (goat). Then I will feed it. It will grow up. After it grows up, I will sell it and buy a calf. I will raise cattle and begin to trade in livestock. Then I will become a rich merchant. The king will hear about me, and he will request that I marry his daughter, but I will decline his suggestion. When he goes down on his knee and begs me to do it, I will kick him with my foot on his chin.” When the peasant kicked, he wrecked all of the eggs. He returned without any benefit.

American moral: Don’t count all your chickens before they are hatched.

Azerbaijan moral: Don’t say opp! Before jumping over a ditch (or hole), “opp!” is what you say before you jump over something.

"The Grasshopper and the Ant" by Lea (Brazil)

Once an ant worked hard from sunrise to sunset building his burrow and accumulating supplies for the long winter that approached.

The grasshopper saw that and he thought, “That idiot! We can sing some songs and dance awhile.”

And the whole time he spent laughing heartily, singing and dancing. Then all summer the grasshopper spent having a wonderful time while the ant continued working harder and harder.

When the winter arrived, while the ant was warm and well-fed, the grasshopper had neither shelter nor food and went to the ant’s house and asked, “Can I have some wheat or any food? Without it, I will starve.”

“You danced last summer,” said the ants in disgust. “You can continue to dance.” And they gave him no food. Then he died.

Moral: Work hard! Be sensible and responsible because there is a time to work and a time to play.