Muhammad Ali

Adrian Lorente

Author: Bernard Smith

Genre: Biography

Date Started: 3-12-2010

Date Finished: 7-12-2010

Name: Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay).

Nickname: The Greatest, the Champ.

Nationality: North American.

Birth date: 1942 (age 68).

Boxing record:

- Amateur: Gold Medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, in the light heavyweight.

- Professional: Three times heavyweight champion.

Muhammad Ali is considered one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers of all time. As an amateur, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.

Later, as professional, he was the first boxer to win the lineal heavyweight championship three times. The first time was versus Sonny Liston in 1964 in New Orleans, Louisiana, the second was versus George Foreman in 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire, and the third was versus Leon Spinks in 1978 in Miami Beach, Florida.

He also went on to be a big fighter against the differences between black and white American people and he always fought for peace.

Originally he was known as Cassius Clay. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali in 1964, as a symbol of his fight against the social differences between black and white American people and he converted to Islam for the same reason.

After, in 1967, when he refused to be inducted into the U.S. military, based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War, he wasn’t imprisoned, but he didn’t fight again for four years.

His political fight, his big personality and a different fighting technique, made him a cultural icon.

In 1981, he lost his last fight versus Trevor Berbick. After that, he was a sick, and he retired.

Now he lives quietly with his family. He continues working for peace in the world

I recommended this book, because it explains with easy words the exciting life of Muhammad Ali, a big person with a big fight.

Rain Man

Emma Wang

I read Rain Man. I started reading this story on the morning of the 4th of December and I finished reading this book on the evening of the 5th of December.This book is a film which has the same name, and I think it is a comedy because it has a happy ending. The film screened in 1988, but I didn’t find when this story happened.

In this story the main characters are Raymond Babbitt and Charlie Babbitt. They are brothers, but Charlie doesn’t remember he has a brother. When Charlie grew up, he was a businessman and he sells cars.
One day, his assistant told him that his father had died. Charlie hates his father because his father was very severe when Charlie was younger, but Charlie decided to attend his father’s funeral. At the funeral, he finds out that his father didn’t give him an inheritance. Charlie was very angry and he found Raymond. Raymond has part of the inheritance from Charlie’s father and Raymond is Charlie’s brother. But Raymond has autism, and he can’t live like normal people. Charlie tries to live together with Raymond and tries to get back part of the inheritance from his father.
While traveling with Raymond, Charlie found his way back to feelings for his father and forms a relationship with his brother Raymond. At last Charlie didn’t care about the inheritance from his father, he cares about Raymond more.

I think the English level of this book is about right and I think the story is telling me that 'relationship is important.' I think the best point in this book is that Charlie and Raymond went head against head. I like this book because it’s very interesting, moving and happy.

The Horse Whisperer

Miranda Fan

I read The Horse Whisperer. It’s a story. I started reading it on 6th of December and finished reading it on 8th of December.

This story happened in upstate New York. The author is Nicholas Evans.

One day in the morning, a truck hurtles out of control on a snowy country road, and a girl on horseback with her friend are in its path. In a few terrible seconds the life of a family is shattered. Her friend and her friend’s horse died on the spot, and she lost a leg, and her horse is dying. She is very sad. Her mother wants her to be happy again, everyday. She thinks first to save her horse. So her mother takes her and her horse to find a horse doctor. Her mother was bothered to call the doctor for help. Despite repeated brush-offs from that man, she still refused to give up, and finally she simply left with her daughter and her horse and went to Montana with its broad sky and their life was changed forever.

I think this book is not easy but it is a good story, because in this story soothing saves a vastly spiritual animal and gradually reveals human conflict and the weaknesses of humans. From it we can arrive at a philosophy: Not only ‘a horse whisperer,’ we need ‘a people whisperer.’ I like it. I want to introduce it to my classmates.

Operation Janus

Sam Al Harbi

Author: L.G. Alexander

I started reading this book on Wednesday the 8^th December. The writer doesn’t say where the book is set. The characters are Mr. Carstairs, Hmph and Hanna.

One day there is a man listening to a girl he doesn’t know and so occurred the problem.

The message is don’t listen to somebody you don’t know. I learnt this message. The best thing is the discovery of truth in the other. It is a good book and easy. I want to tell my friends to read this book.

The Fox and the Crow

Wael Al Anzi

Series: Penguin Young Readers
Genre: Fable
Date stared: 29 Nov 7:30pm
Date finished: 29 Nov 7:45pm

The hero of the story is a fox because it is intelligent! The fox does unusually strong tricks!

One day the hungry fox looked up at the top of the tree are found a crow. In its mouth was a piece of cheese and he was thinking how to take the piece of cheese.
The fox said "You are the king of birds. Can you sing in your beautiful voice?" The crow opened his mouth to sing and the piece of cheese fell out and was eaten by the fox.

This story is beautiful and I advise reading it and taking lessons from it because life is a jungle where you have to live smart.

Icarus

Gracia Li

Author: Caroline Laidlaw

Genre: Mythical tale

Date Started: 7/12/2010

Date Finished: 8/12/2010

This book is a famous Greek mythical story. Icarus was a most intelligent artist and an artisan Daedalus's son. His father lost the king's favour, and they were imprisoned on the coast in a stone castle. Soon Daedalus thought of a good idea. They took leftover food to tempt sea gulls into a tower. Then they collected feathers and wax. They made wings, and then they were ready to fly. “Icarus, always follow me, if you fly too close to the sun, the heat will melt the wax on your wings. Then you will fall into the sea” his father said. Icarus loved flying, and he forgot about his father’s warning. He was flew more and more high. Later he was too close to the sun, and the sun’s heat melted away the wax. The feathers started to fall. His father saw the feathers on the sea. He had a sad return to his hometown, and gave his wings for hanging in the temple of Apollo. Henceforth he no longer wanted to fly.

This story tells us if we become too complacent and forget our human limitations it is dangerous. In the end man lost the power of flight.

This book’s level is right. I want to recommend this book to my friends.

Michael Jackson

Gracia Li

Genre: Biography

Date Stared: 30/11/2010

Date Stared: 1/12/2010

This book talked about Michael Jackson. He lived from 29 August, 1958 to 25 June, 2009. He is an American pop, rock and R&B singer, dancer, actor, and record producer. He is a pop singer of greatness, and most influential. In the nineteen eighties he created an era. He praises music and advocates great love, ethnic unity and peace in the world, and performed for charity and public welfare throughout his life. He was twice nominated for the Nobel peace prize. At the same time, not only in music he has had a remarkable achievement. He was acknowledged to be the greatest artist. His magic dance led countless stars to follow suit.

His private doctor, Murray's treatment lead to him being overdosed and because of a heart attack, he died at the age of 50.

I think this book's level is difficult. However my friends all the know Michael, so I want to recommend it to my friends.

Gandhi

Adrian Lorente

Author: Jane Rollason

Genre: Biography

Date Started: 27-11-2010

Date Finished: 30-11-2010

Name: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

Born: 2 October 1869, Porbandar, Bombay (British India)

Died: 30 January 1948 (aged 78, assassination), New Delhi (Union of India)

Known for: Prominent figure of the Indian Independence Movement and Philosopher

Nationality: Indian

Religion: Hinduism

Spouse: Kasturba Gandhi

This book speaks about Mahatma Gandhi’s life; from when he was born in 1869 until his death.

First, around 1893-1914 he fought for change in South Africa. He fought for the civil rights of the Indians (Coloureds) and the black Africans. Later, between 1915-1948 he fought for change in India, his country. He fought for human rights, against the caste system, and for India’s independence from the British Empire, which he won on the 15 August 1945.

The war between Muslims and Hindus which divided India into two countries, India and Pakistan, just before India’s Independence, was the most important fight of Gandhi’s life and he lost it. He couldn’t live with the violence between his people.

He lived a simple life but always wanted to know more. He always protested without violence and never lost his dignity.

People watched and followed him. His ideas will always be actual, because they are humane.

Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and the Dalai Lama read his books and studied his life. Many people follow his ideas today. Some words can help understand his philosophy: to know, hard work, to do, tolerance, equality, non violence, goodness, don’t hate, dignity, don’t fear and faith.

He died in 1948, murdered by a radical Hindu, but his name is known around the world. He was a good man. Sometimes it isn´t easy to be a good man

Coffee Time

Naimah Al Abdullah

Author:Sheila Duke

I started reading the story on the 29/11/2010 and finished it on the same day.

Zita cleaned her flat and ironed the clothes. Then the phone rang. It was Judy speaking. "Would you like to meet for coffee?" "That sounds good. At 2:00 o’clock" said Zita. She looked and it was 1:30. "Ok" said Judy. She walked to the bus stop. It was 2:05. Zita arrived at the coffee shop. Judy was waiting for her and they ordered coffee and cakes. Judy and Zita talked for a long time. Zita looked at her watch. It was 2:45. She said goodbye to Judy and went to pick up her children from school.

The story was very easy and has simple English words. Also I learned accuracy in telling the time, and I liked to read it to my friends.

Tooth & Claw

Emma Wang

I read Tooth and Claw. There are five stories about animals and people in this book, and the author is SAKI. I started reading those stories on the evening at the 27th of November and I finished reading this book on the evening at the 29th of November.

In the first story, the main person is a boy Conradin, and he is ten years old and he lives with his aunt. His aunt doesn’t like Conradin, so she was often unkind to him. Conradin hates his aunt and he found a secret place. In this place, Conradin has a ferret. One day, Conradin’s aunt found this secret place and tried to kill Conradin’s ferret — because she doesn’t like Conradin having anything to like. But at last, the ferret killed Conradin’s aunt.
In the second story, the main people are three children and a tall man. The tall man told a story to the three children and this story is about a very good girl, Bertha. Bertha was so good that she was 'horribly good.' Because she was very good the king invited her to his gardens and in the king’s gardens there was a lot of pigs. Bertha was very happy to walk in the king’s gardens, but at the same time to the king’s gardens was coming a wolf. At last the wolf ate Bertha.
In the third story, the main people are Van Cheele and a wolfman. Van has a small garden and one day he found a young man in his garden. At first Van wasn’t minding this man, but after this his friend told him that the young man is a wolfman. At last the wolfman ate a child on the way between his garden and that child’s home.
In the fourth story, the main animal is Tobermory, a clever cat and she can speak English very well so she can understand a lot of people’s secrets. And then a lot of people know this secret and everyone wants to kill it. At last she died because she fights with another cat and she was lost.
The last story is about a woman and a wolf. I don’t understand this story very well, maybe it is about a man and he can make some magic.

I think the English level of this book is about right and I think the stories are telling me that 'animals have cruelty.' I didn’t find the best point in this book. I don’t like this book because it’s complex and it was difficult to understand its meaning.

English Digest Volume 51 Issue 1

Miranda Fan

I read English Digest volume 51, issue 1. This is a magazine for helping students learn English. I started reading it on the 29th of November and I finished reading it on the 1st of December.

This magazine has so many stories for example: about life, about the environment, about travel, about animals, about plants, about personages and so on. I think the important is you can learn English through reading it.

In this book you can make a card, and you can play a language quiz and do a ‘find the word’ game. It’s fun.

If you want know a lot of stories and want to learn English, I think this magazine is best. The English level 1 or 2 I think is not so easy, but don’t worry, because the magazine has elementary level and intermediate level articles and you can choose them. So I want to introduce it to my classmates.

Aladdin and the Lamp

Naimah Al Abdullah

GENRE: Folk tale
DATE STARTED: 22/11/2010.
DATE FINISHED: 24/11/2010.
WHEN AND WHERE IS IT SET? It is set in the past in China.

MAIN CHARACTERS? Aladdin, the rich man, and the lamp.

There was a boy named Aladdin who lived with his mother in China. They were very poor. Aladdin finds a magic lamp and rubs it. Out flew out a large green monster. He said, 'What can I do for you?' Aladdin said 'I want some money, and a new house for my mother.'

Aladdin became a rich man and was handsome. One day he went to the city with his mother and he saw a beautiful young woman. 'It's nice. I'm going to marry her. She's the daughter of the emperor.' He went to the fortress of the emperor. 'Hmm' said the emperor 'you're a very handsome man. Are you rich?' 'Oh yes!' said Aladdin. After that 'You can marry my daughter,' smiled the Emperor.

Aladdin lived with his wife and his mother happily ever after.

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE? This story gives me many advantages. It shows how you can be smart and friendly with people.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE BOOK? It is easy and useful. I recommend my classmates read it.