TOEFL five vocabulary words essay

If you could change one important thing about your country, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

Considered as a Buddhist country, Thailand's beliefs and culture are usually based on the religion itself. Traditions such as Loy Kratong, Macha Bucha, Asaraha Bucha, and etc are followed for over a hundred years. With the beliefs of the deity and supernatural beings, Thailand is considered one of the most superstitious country in the world. However, as time passes by, those beliefs are distorted and loses its intentions. People became more preoccupied with these quixotic things. Therefore, If I could change one thing about my country, it would be the excessive superstitions that is dominating our country's people.

First of all, Thailand loves superstition for gambling and lottery purposes. For many times, I've seen the news about weird animals and ghastly trees that bear fruits which look like a person's face. And every time when there's these kind of news, villagers would often go there to ask the lottery numbers and then worship for luck. However, after a few months later, it turns out that those weird creatures are just having genetical abnormalities. Therefore, those things are just a panacea for villagers who doesn't have any money or hopes.

Second, with superstition, comes the deception. As a Thai person myself, I love to look at horoscopes and foretell future events. Fortunetellers, sorcerers, and witchdoctors are all over the place. You could find them everywhere. Sometimes the fortunetellers could be omnipotent toward's another person's mind. Some people risk their lives just because those witchdoctors/sorcerers told them to do something risky to gain luck (and other things they desire). Well, I did not want to disparage (because I believe in those things myself), but to be honest, probably, this is just too much. Some of those people are frauds, trying to just earn money from deceiving people. It is not different from a larceny. However, they could just get over with it without any punishment because they claimed themselves to be a person with supernatural powers.

Third, with the preoccupied minds about the superstition, there are no good and logical reasons. People seek more for things that are not tangible, the things that could not be logically prove or not capable of being perceived. They became absorbed with the fortune and luck, and how to gain them, without being aware of the bad things and the effects that could come afterwards.

To sum it all up, if I could change one thing about my country, it would be about the excessive beliefs in superstition that is dominating our people's mind. Those things could affect the country's image, the people's minds and logical reasons, and also our culture. Sure it is a good thing to believe in something, however, like what buddha said, too much of a something could become bad. We should go towards the middle way, learning how to know the limits to preserve our nice culture and traditions, without distorting their meanings and intentions.

Hamlet's Podcast

Members:

• Alek - King Claudius
• Sohyun - Rosencrantz
• Tanat - Queen Gertrude, Hamlet
• Vanantorn - Polonius

Podcasts:

• Act 2, Scene 1
• Act 2, Scene 2

Response Journal : Hamlet

Response Journal for Act 1, scene 1 to Act 1 scene 5.

1. How does the play make you feel at this point? Recored your emotional response(s) in a few sentences and then explore them for a few minutes, trying to figure out why you feel as you do.

In scene 1 to 5 of the Act 1, the play starts off with the introduction of many events. Although it is just an introduction, I felt that the play is becoming more and more intense in each scene. Also, I felt that the play made me feel serious and curious about what is going to happen next. In my opinion, I felt that this play is going to be intense, due to the fact that King Claudius killed King Hamlet and took the former King's wife to be his own, which only Hamlet (the son) knows about it. Moreover, I felt curious, wanting to know what's going to happen next, because in scene 5, the ghost Hamlet went to tell Hamlet to kill Claudius. I wanted to know how will Hamlet plan and struggle to kill Claudius.

2. In what situations have you felt similar to the characters? What persons, places, or ideas from your own experiences came to your mind while you were reading this portion of the play? Try to list at least three associations, but don't worry about trying to figure out why they came to mind. Just accept that they occur.

a. Like relationships, whether it is a friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, family, and etc, sometimes when we meet someone new, we tend to forget an old friend. Back then, I had a bestfriend whom I was very close with. We did things together. However, we became farther and farther from each other because she had new friends... From bestfriends, it became a friend. From a friend, it became a classmate. And a classmate, I have become nobody to her. She just forget this old friend and enjoying her time with new friends. Similar to Hamlet, when Hamlet expresses the depths of his melancholy and his disgust to his mother, when his mother forgets about her dead husband and enjoys her time with Claudius.

b. Similar to Hamlet, sometimes I'm being mad. Especially the period when I'm having my period, my mood would always goes up and down. Sometimes I talk to my ownself too. In my opinion, at times, Hamlet can be as cold as ice, and at times, he can be as angry as a bull. Moreover, Hamlet is also like a type of person who is lonely, by looking at his dialogues. Similar to myself, sometimes, although filled with social life and people, I am just desolate. I needed something to be fulfilled, like Hamlet.

c. When Horatio and Marcellus warned Hamlet not to follow the ghost, Hamlet did not listen. Similar to myself and my experience, I don't really listen. Instead of using reasons and logic (which I am really poor at that), I only use my own feelings and my "sixth sense" to follow what I desire. Moreover, similar to Hamlet, I'm quite hard-headed and stubborn. I just do whatever I want and whatever I cared of. Like in algebra tests that are about problem solvings, instead of using formulas and algebraic equation, I'm using my own estimation, using my senses. Same like Hamlet, when he follow the ghost, he just gave all into it, and follow what he disired to do, knowing that there'll be consequences after the act.

3. What portions of Shakeseare's language attracts your attention? These might be individual words, phrases, lines, scenes, or images. Make not of whatever features draw your attention. Speculate for a few minutes about what you think they might mean.

In this phrase, "A little more than a kin, and less than kind (Act I, Scene II)," attracted my attention when Hamlet told Claudius after Claudius called him, "son. In this phrase, it is a kind of like a controversial statement. When you are more than a kin, but you are less than kind, which made no sense at all. I think Shakespeare wrote it to make Hamlet image to be ironic and sarcastic. In my opinion, "a little more than a kin," means that Hamlet and Claudius is tightly bonded to each other, being both Claudius's nephew and also his son by marriage. Moreover, "and less than kind," in other words, Hamlet told Claudius that he does not consider the kinship to be a warm, loving relationship. He is sarcastically trying to tell that he dissapproves his mother's marriage and his uncle's.

4. Make note of any portion of the play, its language, or events that cause your problems. Note any questions that you might ask. 

In my opinion, I really have a discomfort reading Hamlet, due to its language structure. Shakespeare's using an Old English style of conversation and difficult vocabularies, which made me confused in many parts. As a result, I must read through the summary and then read through the play once again. Moreover, some slangs (that is rarely used now), has appeared in many different conversations, which made my reading jerky, not flowing along. And somehow, I lost my emotions while reading and I felt that my feelings did not really build up through the emotional points of the story.

Spectator Sport: Struggling.

The place was so crowded, full of people here and there. They were intriguing by all the experiments, presentations, and shows. People was discussing about how amazing Galileo was, how stunning Copernicus to know that the earth revolve around the sun, and how E=mc^2 can change the entire world. Yes, you're right...welcome, to the science fair.

In the science fair, I see nothing; "literally" nothing (from my five senses), but people crowded here and there. They were like schools of fish that were caught inside the net, trying to escape. The place was divided into multifarious sections: experimenting section, presenting sections, and other sections, which were way much more than I can observe for whole day.

credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/2967374/England-is-most-crowded-country-in-Europe.html

Due to the fact that science is not so appealing to me, I went down to the food court to find something to eat. Guess what. It's even worse. The place is filling up like a night concert that Lady Gaga came (and trust me, I've been there...you wouldn't like the crowded people as much as the songs). Above the smell of the fries, tomatoes, potatoes – and all the foods you can name it, drifted the smell of sweats – musty, moldy, muggy – smelling like my dear old Mutt's feet. I saw people, tons of them queuing up, making them look like prisoners lining up to get their food.  Some of the people waited patiently, but some (who are unabashed and brazen), just barge in. Noises of people talking and laughing, strident utensils clanging—well, it’s just "noises" from everywhere pass through the air, right into my ears, and running through my nerves. “I can’t stand this anymore. I need peace and tranquility.” I thought to myself.

Wandering from restaurants, to restaurants, I found a perfect one, without people lining up. Feral (due to hunger) and fatigued, I ordered the food without even caring what it was. Now at this moment, I knew that I could just devour an entire whale!

credit: http://sarcasti-nation.blogspot.com/

After finishing my food, my tummy was fulfilled, which made me satiate. Then, I checked the clock. It’s 12:45pm. Thank God. The school bus is leaving at 1:00pm. With gratification, I excitedly paced myself to the bus. Well, I knew that I suffered so much today. But...I also knew that I wouldn’t be suffering anymore; I’m going home!

Grateful

Hey guys,

As you know, I'm a Thai...and today is Thailand's Mother's Day. So, I would like to share my experience that had occurred few days ago about my mom and me (nothing much to talk though)... and this post will be dedicated to my mom... :)

It was the day when I went to the movies with friends, watching The Bourne Legacy (Jeremy Renner!!!~ ^^), well the movie was quite fun, with lots of chasing and actions... but anyways, back to the point, we finished the movie, and everybody headed home, including me. I went back home using the BTS (Bangkok Skytrain), then called my mom to pick me up at the gas station near the train station, and was waiting at the bench in the corner.
10 minutes passed...
20 minutes passed...
30 minutes passed...
40 minutes passed...
Well, normally my house is not that far from the BTS, usually take 10 minutes to arrive. But this... 40 minutes?!? I was so angry and pissed, so I stood up and walk around with no patience... Suddenly, a phone called. It was from my aunt (and yeah, I was so stupid that time not to use my phone to call mom). I answered the phone with a rough voice, saying "Where's mom?! I waited for years!" And my aunt told me that mom arrived a long time ago, but can't contact me or find me anywhere. So I was like,  "fine!" then walk to the parking lot...I saw mom. So I said angrily, "Where were you? I was here for so long!" However, she did not say anything... she just hugged me. She started crying, and saying, "Where have you been? I can't find you anywhere. I can't even contact you." Oh... so now I get it. I was sitting at the very very corner, it's quite dark, the signal sucks, and she can't find me. Well, I didn't say anything anymore...I was shocked...and I started to tear up too. I never saw my mom acting like this before. Well, we never hug and kiss. Mostly, we always fight. And now, she's hugging me. I felt so warm and I felt like... I was fulfilled (so cheesy but true! xD). Mom told me that she called me more than 20 times, called my friends, aunts, uncles...everyone. Moreover, she said that she's scared that something's happening to me, someone might kidnap me, etc, etc. And... I felt guilty. When I was angrily waiting for mom, she is finding me everywhere, worrying for me?

So that night... I arrived home at 9:30. And yeah... It's quite an experience for me, which I learned so many things. Well, usually mom always complained about me, saying this and that... and most of the time we ended up fighting. And every time, I always think, "Does mom love me? She never scold my brother, though he did something bad...something WORSE. How about me? Why me...why me...WHY ME?" So, we don't really show each other love. However, that day...made me realize that how she loved me... she cared for me. And, I can't put my feelings into words. I'm just... happy, lightened, and...grateful.

In conclusion, I would like to say that...if your mom and you are fighting BADLY....badly enough that you thought she wouldn't forgive you...Just say sorry. Don't worry about pride, or losing your face. Don't be scared that she would not forgive you. Because I believe, every mother has a heart to forgive their own child...and she will be the one, who loves you, even more than your boyfriend/girlfriend/friend does, because her love is powerful, and her love...is unconditional.

I love you mom...from the deepest part of my heart,

Memiiz Mefectionist.

PS. Happy Mother's Day everyone! And don't forget to tell your mother, "I love you!"

Me, Myself, and I

*Ahem* *Ahem* Hello...?(Is this a good way to start the first post?)

Welcome to Memiiz's first official blog to all the random readers out there~! xD

Let me just say that I've never done blogging seriously before, and yeah... this is my first official blog...so let's get started!

Who am I?

An ordinary girl who lives in a busy bustling city of Bangkok. I like movies, TV series, and music... well, it's just like what a typical teenager would like to do most of the time; surfing the internet, YouTubing, Tweeting, Facebooking, chatting etc. etc.

Why am I here?

Well, at first, I never never never had an interest in blogging before...however, it was my english teacher, Ms. Amy, who first introduced blogging to me (it was my english assignment to create one xD). If it wasn't her, I wouldn't have made this up.

What kind of blog is this?

Freestyle? About life...?

What's in this blog?

Probably most of my thoughts, what I like/dislike, and my everyday life.

So, these are some of the things of what my blog is gonna be about. Well, quite an awkward greeting for the first post though...but anyways thanks for reading, and please look forward to see more of my posts! :)

Respectfully,

Memiiz Mefectionist.