By Charles F. Kettering
“We are reading the first verse of the first chapter of a book whose pages are infinite…”
I do not know who wrote these words, but I have always liked them as a reminder that the future can be anything we want to make it. We can take the mysterious, hazy future and carve out of it anything that we can imagine, just as a sculptor carves a statue from a shapeless stone.
We are all in the position of the farmer. If we plant a good seed, we reap a good harvest. If our seed is poor and full of weeds, we reap a useless crop. If we plant nothing at all, we harvest nothing at all.
I want the future to be better than the past. I don’t want it contaminated by the mistakes and errors with which history is filled. We should all be concerned about the future because that is where we will spend the remainder of our lives.
The past is gone and static. Nothing we can do will change it. The future is before us and dynamic. Everything we do will affect it. Each day brings with it new frontiers, in our homes and in our businesses, if we will only recognize them. We are just at the beginning of the progress in every field of human endeavor.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Joy of Labor
by Anonymous
Wise men of ancient times and successful men of today have told us that labor is sweet. Its reward is not material gain but one becomes by it. Work does much more for us than just giving us a living; it gives us our life and the reason for living. The real joys of life come from doing something and doing it well.
All of us hope for success, but it is illusive and hard to keep. It nearly always slips away from one like sand through the fingers, like water through a leaky pail, unless it is held tight by hard work, day by day, night by night, year in year out. Everyone who fears failure should work harder and harder with a faithful heart as long as he lasts.
Wise men of ancient times and successful men of today have told us that labor is sweet. Its reward is not material gain but one becomes by it. Work does much more for us than just giving us a living; it gives us our life and the reason for living. The real joys of life come from doing something and doing it well.
All of us hope for success, but it is illusive and hard to keep. It nearly always slips away from one like sand through the fingers, like water through a leaky pail, unless it is held tight by hard work, day by day, night by night, year in year out. Everyone who fears failure should work harder and harder with a faithful heart as long as he lasts.
A Great Friend
by Anonymous
As I am now a senior high school student, I have a great many friends, but there is one whom I prize over all the rest. I first made his acquaintance when I began to go to school. He has been my constant companion ever since.
Though he is serious in appearance, he never fails to be interesting. Often he is clever, sometimes even merry and gay. He is the most knowledgeable friend a person could have. He knows virtually every language of the world, all the events of history, and the worlds of all the great poets and philosophers. A kindly benefactor, he is admired and enjoyed by everyone who makes his acquaintance.
To me, he has been a great teacher as well as a friend. He first taught me the secrets of my own language and then those of others. With these keys he showed us how to unlock all the arts and sciences of man.
My friend is endlessly patient. Dull though I may be, I can return to him again and again, and he is always ready to teach me. When I am bored, he entertains me. When I am dispirited, He lifts me up. When I am lonely, he keeps me company. He is a friend not only to me but to millions around the world. Shall I tell you his name? His name is “Reading.”
As I am now a senior high school student, I have a great many friends, but there is one whom I prize over all the rest. I first made his acquaintance when I began to go to school. He has been my constant companion ever since.
Though he is serious in appearance, he never fails to be interesting. Often he is clever, sometimes even merry and gay. He is the most knowledgeable friend a person could have. He knows virtually every language of the world, all the events of history, and the worlds of all the great poets and philosophers. A kindly benefactor, he is admired and enjoyed by everyone who makes his acquaintance.
To me, he has been a great teacher as well as a friend. He first taught me the secrets of my own language and then those of others. With these keys he showed us how to unlock all the arts and sciences of man.
My friend is endlessly patient. Dull though I may be, I can return to him again and again, and he is always ready to teach me. When I am bored, he entertains me. When I am dispirited, He lifts me up. When I am lonely, he keeps me company. He is a friend not only to me but to millions around the world. Shall I tell you his name? His name is “Reading.”
Monday, January 5, 2009
A Bad Day
(1)
I overslept and missed my train,
slipped on the sidewalk
in the pouring rain,
sprained my ankle,
skinned my knees,
broken my glasses,
lost my keys,
got stuck in the elevator,
it wouldn’t go,
kicked it twice and stubbed my toe,
bought a pen that didn’t write,
took it back and had a fight,
went home angry,
locked the door,
crawled into bed,
couldn’t take any more.
(2)
The bread was stale,
it was four days old.
The milk was sour.
The coffee was cold.
The butter was rancil.
The steak was tough.
The service was dreadful.
The waiter was rough.
My bill was huge.
His tip was small.
I’m sorry I went to that place at all.
(from Jazz Chauts, by Carolyn Graham)
I overslept and missed my train,
slipped on the sidewalk
in the pouring rain,
sprained my ankle,
skinned my knees,
broken my glasses,
lost my keys,
got stuck in the elevator,
it wouldn’t go,
kicked it twice and stubbed my toe,
bought a pen that didn’t write,
took it back and had a fight,
went home angry,
locked the door,
crawled into bed,
couldn’t take any more.
(2)
The bread was stale,
it was four days old.
The milk was sour.
The coffee was cold.
The butter was rancil.
The steak was tough.
The service was dreadful.
The waiter was rough.
My bill was huge.
His tip was small.
I’m sorry I went to that place at all.
(from Jazz Chauts, by Carolyn Graham)
In Other Words
The Art of Metacommentary
Use Metacommentary to Clarify and Elaborate
Try to inserting the following types of metacommenatry:
· In other words, ______.
· What ______ really means is ______.
· My point is ______.
Titles as Metacommentary
Use Other Moves as Metacommentary
· Entertaining objects
· Adding transitions
· Framing quotations
· Answering “so what?” and “who cares?”
Templates for Introducing Metacommentary
To Ward Off Potential Misunderstandings
· Essentially, I am arguing that ______.
· My point is not that we should ______, but that we should ______.
· What ______ really mean is ______.
To Alert Readers to an Elaboration of a Previous Idea
· In other words, ______.
· To pull it another way, ______.
To Provide Readers with a Roadmap to Your Text
· Chapter 2 explores ______, while Chapter 3 examines ______.
· Having just argued that ______, let us now turn our attention to ______.
To Move From a General Claim to a Specific Example
· For example, ______.
· ______, for instance, demonstrates ______.
· Consider ______, for example.
· To take a case in point, ______.
To Indicate that a Claim is Especially Important or Less Important
· Even more important, ______.
· But above all, ______.
· Incidentally, ______.
· By the way, ______.
To Help You Anticipate and Respond to Objection
· Although some readers may object that ______, I would answer that ______.
To Guide Reader to Your Most General Point
· In sum, then, ______.
· My conclusion, then, is that ______.
· In short, ______.
Use Metacommentary to Clarify and Elaborate
Try to inserting the following types of metacommenatry:
· In other words, ______.
· What ______ really means is ______.
· My point is ______.
Titles as Metacommentary
Use Other Moves as Metacommentary
· Entertaining objects
· Adding transitions
· Framing quotations
· Answering “so what?” and “who cares?”
Templates for Introducing Metacommentary
To Ward Off Potential Misunderstandings
· Essentially, I am arguing that ______.
· My point is not that we should ______, but that we should ______.
· What ______ really mean is ______.
To Alert Readers to an Elaboration of a Previous Idea
· In other words, ______.
· To pull it another way, ______.
To Provide Readers with a Roadmap to Your Text
· Chapter 2 explores ______, while Chapter 3 examines ______.
· Having just argued that ______, let us now turn our attention to ______.
To Move From a General Claim to a Specific Example
· For example, ______.
· ______, for instance, demonstrates ______.
· Consider ______, for example.
· To take a case in point, ______.
To Indicate that a Claim is Especially Important or Less Important
· Even more important, ______.
· But above all, ______.
· Incidentally, ______.
· By the way, ______.
To Help You Anticipate and Respond to Objection
· Although some readers may object that ______, I would answer that ______.
To Guide Reader to Your Most General Point
· In sum, then, ______.
· My conclusion, then, is that ______.
· In short, ______.
As a Result
Connecting the Parts
1. Using transition terms (like “therefore” and “yet” );
2. Adding pointing words (like “this” or “such”);
3. Using certain key terms and phrases throughout your entire text;
4. Repeating yourself, but with a difference
Use Transitions
· Addition
Also, and, besides, furthermore, in addition, indeed, in fact, moreover, so too
· Example
After all, as an illustration, for example, for instance, specifically, to take a case in point
· Elaboration
Actually, by extension, in short, that is, in other words, to put it another way, to put it bluntly, to put it succinctly, ultimately
· Comparison
Along the same lines, in the same way, likewise, similarly
· Contrast
Although, but, by contrast, conversely, despite the fact that , even though, however, in contrast, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, regardless, whereas, while yet
· Cause and Effect
Accordingly, as a result, consequently, hence, since, so, then, therefore, thus
· Concession
Admittedly, although it is true, granted naturally, of course, to be sure
· Conclusion
As a result, consequently, hence, in conclusion, in short, in sum, therefore, thus, to sum up, to summarize
Use Pointing Words:
The most common of these pointing words include “this,” ”these,” “that”, “those,” “their,” and “such” (as in “these pointing words” near the start of this sentence ) and simple pronouns like “his,” “he,” “her,” “she,” “it,” and “their.”
Repeat Key Terms and Phrases
A third move you can make to connect the parts of your argument is to develop a constellation of key terms and phrases, including their synonyms and antonyms, that you repeat throughout your text.
A series of contrasting words and phrases:
· Rebel against/ submit
· Told we were equal/ told we were subordinate
· Told we could change history/ told we were trapped by history
· Infuriated/ seduced
· I adore/ I despite
· I want/ I think wanting … is about the most dumb-ass goal
· Stokes my desire/ trigger my bile
· On the one hand/ on the other hand
Repeat Yourself ---But with a Difference
1. Using transition terms (like “therefore” and “yet” );
2. Adding pointing words (like “this” or “such”);
3. Using certain key terms and phrases throughout your entire text;
4. Repeating yourself, but with a difference
Use Transitions
· Addition
Also, and, besides, furthermore, in addition, indeed, in fact, moreover, so too
· Example
After all, as an illustration, for example, for instance, specifically, to take a case in point
· Elaboration
Actually, by extension, in short, that is, in other words, to put it another way, to put it bluntly, to put it succinctly, ultimately
· Comparison
Along the same lines, in the same way, likewise, similarly
· Contrast
Although, but, by contrast, conversely, despite the fact that , even though, however, in contrast, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, regardless, whereas, while yet
· Cause and Effect
Accordingly, as a result, consequently, hence, since, so, then, therefore, thus
· Concession
Admittedly, although it is true, granted naturally, of course, to be sure
· Conclusion
As a result, consequently, hence, in conclusion, in short, in sum, therefore, thus, to sum up, to summarize
Use Pointing Words:
The most common of these pointing words include “this,” ”these,” “that”, “those,” “their,” and “such” (as in “these pointing words” near the start of this sentence ) and simple pronouns like “his,” “he,” “her,” “she,” “it,” and “their.”
Repeat Key Terms and Phrases
A third move you can make to connect the parts of your argument is to develop a constellation of key terms and phrases, including their synonyms and antonyms, that you repeat throughout your text.
A series of contrasting words and phrases:
· Rebel against/ submit
· Told we were equal/ told we were subordinate
· Told we could change history/ told we were trapped by history
· Infuriated/ seduced
· I adore/ I despite
· I want/ I think wanting … is about the most dumb-ass goal
· Stokes my desire/ trigger my bile
· On the one hand/ on the other hand
Repeat Yourself ---But with a Difference
So What? Who Cares?
Saying Why It Matters
“Who Cares?”
Templates for Indicating Who Cares
· ______ used to think ______. But recently [or within the past few decades] ______ suggest that _______.
· This interpretation challenges the work of those critics who have long assumed that ______.
· These findings challenge the work of earlier researchers, who tended to assume that ______.
· Recent studies like these shed new light on ______, which previous studies had not addressed.
· But who really cares? Who besides me and a handful of recent researchers has a stake in these claims? At the very least, the researchers who assumed that fat ______ should care.
· Researchers have long assumed that ______. For instance, one eminent scholar of cell biology, ______, assumed in ______, her seminal work on cell structures and functions, that fat cells ______. As ______ herself put it, “______”(200-). Another leading scientist, ______, argued that fat cells “______” (200-). Ultimately, when it came to the nature of fat, the basic assumption was that ______. But a new body of research shows that fat cells are far more complex and that ______.
· If sports enthusiasts stopped to think about it, many of them might simply assume that the most successful athletes ______. However, new research shows ______.
· These findings challenge dieters’ common assumption that ______.
· At first glance, teenagers might say ______. But on closer inspection ______.
“So What?”
Templates for Establishing Why You Claims Matter
· X matters /is important because ______.
· Although X may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over ______.
· Ultimately, what is at stake here is ______.
· These findings have important consequences for the broader domain of ______.
· My discussion of X is in fact addressing the larger matter of ______.
· These conclusions/ This discovery will have significant applications in ______ as well as in ______.
·
· Although X may seem of concern to only a small group of ______, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about ______.
“Who Cares?”
Templates for Indicating Who Cares
· ______ used to think ______. But recently [or within the past few decades] ______ suggest that _______.
· This interpretation challenges the work of those critics who have long assumed that ______.
· These findings challenge the work of earlier researchers, who tended to assume that ______.
· Recent studies like these shed new light on ______, which previous studies had not addressed.
· But who really cares? Who besides me and a handful of recent researchers has a stake in these claims? At the very least, the researchers who assumed that fat ______ should care.
· Researchers have long assumed that ______. For instance, one eminent scholar of cell biology, ______, assumed in ______, her seminal work on cell structures and functions, that fat cells ______. As ______ herself put it, “______”(200-). Another leading scientist, ______, argued that fat cells “______” (200-). Ultimately, when it came to the nature of fat, the basic assumption was that ______. But a new body of research shows that fat cells are far more complex and that ______.
· If sports enthusiasts stopped to think about it, many of them might simply assume that the most successful athletes ______. However, new research shows ______.
· These findings challenge dieters’ common assumption that ______.
· At first glance, teenagers might say ______. But on closer inspection ______.
“So What?”
Templates for Establishing Why You Claims Matter
· X matters /is important because ______.
· Although X may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over ______.
· Ultimately, what is at stake here is ______.
· These findings have important consequences for the broader domain of ______.
· My discussion of X is in fact addressing the larger matter of ______.
· These conclusions/ This discovery will have significant applications in ______ as well as in ______.
·
· Although X may seem of concern to only a small group of ______, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about ______.
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