The Benefits of Reading by Rachel Raffino

How Reading Benefits the Mind and Body

In Mrs. Kopp’s 10th grade honors English class, a year long assignment was given to us on the first day of school. This assignment was to simply read. Now many of us huffed and puffed, and pushed it to the back of our minds, and the bottom of our busy teen schedules. But what my classmates aren’t aware of, is that this assignment isn’t meant to torture us (believe it or not). After conducting research on the benefits of reading, the data I found was intriguing, and may encourage you to pick up a book more often.

A recent study from Rush University showed that adults who read regularly are two and a half times less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Reading is proven to actually exercise your brain like working out does, and it keeps your mind young. In addition, according to a Scholastic report, researchers believe that we learn five to fifteen percent of the words we read in everyday life. Another interesting study from York University shows that reading about the real or fictional lives of characters, allows us to understand other peoples situations better.

A webpage called Dosomething.org provided many interesting facts. One stated, "2/3 of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of 4th grade will end up in jail or on welfare. Over 70% of America’s inmates cannot read above a 4th grade level." The next fact fascinated me, due to the fact that Mrs. Kopp told me that kids are most likely in honors English because they had once loved to read. She said that students had lost the time to sit down and read, and that this assignment was to encourage us to read more often. On Dosomething.org, they stated, "53% of 4th graders admitted to reading recreationally “almost every day,” while only 20% of 8th graders could say the same." This proves that the older people get, the less they read, as Mrs. Kopp concluded. And the final, and most upsetting fact to think about says, "1 in 4 children in America grow up without learning how to read."

As the famous Dr. Seuss once wrote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” This quote, though it is from a children's story, does apply to real life. Linked here is a video made by PBS, explaining how reading to young children can help them do better in school, and help them develop social and literary skills early on.

Based on the research done, I concluded that reading does not just provide us with entertainment, but it fills our brains with knowledge and benefits us in our school work and everyday lives.

Pablo Escobar by George Mysh

A mugshot of Pablo Escobar himself

A show I've watched Recently called Narco's depicts the columbian drug lords or the medallion cartel in the 1980's while running under the main drug lord, Pablo Escobar. This man was very smart, clever, deceiving, fearless, and most of all a true villain. Although he attempted to help the people Columbia the congress would not accept a man like Pablo after seeing this picture to the left. After removing Escobar from the congress, he was upset and angry causing him to act more violent and further continue his cocaine buisness. He began making billions of dollars and started to pay most of the columbian soldiers and officers. The problem was that he began causing major attacks in public to kill political figures and other enemies. These events led up to the Columbian government and DEA targeting Escobar and his cartel. Pablo's main cartel men began being captured or getting killed causing more and more deaths between the government and cartel. Escobar's family was very important to him and he made sure to keep them safe at all times. After negotiations, betrayals, bloodshed on both sides Pablo Escobar was finally killed in 1993 which was the end of the medallion Cartel.

Giving Thanks by Syera Plitt

What does Thanksgiving mean? 

What do you think when you here that word? 

Do you think of big turkeys and ten different pies, 

Or the families gathering all together?

I feel in today's society Thanksgiving has become materialistic,

Like we have forgotten what giving thanks is. 

Most people just look forward to Black Friday shopping 

And the great deals of Cyber Monday.

Thanksgiving to me is very different, 

I have a my own great tradition.

And don't get me wrong I love my grandmas's food 

And regret stuffing my face every year.

But I will let you in on a little secret,

My own family doesn't even know.

My Thanksgiving tradition I take very seriously, 

And I have done it every single year.

What I like to do on Thanksgiving is very simple.

I keep to myself for at least thirty minutes.

My family always thinks I disappear,

But I actually just have my own little sermon.  

I remind myself what to be thankful for, 

I say what I appreciate. 

I tell myself to give thanks to my family, 

And remember the sacrifices they always make on my behalf. 

I set goals for myself; 

Almost like how people make resolutions for the New Year;

To act more appreciative towards the people who love me 

And to be less selfish and vain. 

Then I go downstairs and join the family, 

Who assume I've been taking selfies the whole time,

And I just let them believe what they want to,

And my secret still stays alive.

We all have traditions in our families I'm sure, 

Like how my family each makes a hearty dish,

Or how we all gather in a circle and say one thing we appreciate

And thank God for blessing us everyday.

Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not,

If you live for the family, the food, or the Friday after,

Just do me a favor this year...

And give thanks for everything you have and remember who you are.

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!  

A Sonnet. (Ryden Mederos)

The following poem is a sonnet I wrote in 9th grade. I remember taking great pride in this piece at the time, as it had been my first attempt at a Shakespearian sonnet, yet I never ended up posting it anywhere or sharing it to anyone (of course, besides with Mrs Brennan). We were given a prompt simply about love, and as the single 14 year old I was, I didn't seem to connect personally to the idea of love. To the feeling of love. Rather, I viewed it, and possibly still do, as a concept. Love is not reserved to romantic affairs, of course, but that was the focal point of my writing. I attempted to explain the common perception of love versus the non-stereotypical point of view. But, alas, this proved difficult. I don't believe even the greatest writer could summarize love in a perfect manner through a brief work of poetry, but that does not matter. A part of me believes that to be representative of an extremely prevalent portion of love- it is not easy to understand or express always. Through action rather than words, love is best expressed. Even then, people wonder what actions show love and affection towards others. Should you be reserved and private, or open and proud? Regardless of the difference of opinion, I found this poem to be one I still find to be true to how I feel, and decided to share it here. Enjoy!

-Ryden.

Romance is a rather cliche matter.

There is simply never enough to say.

Not enough to give; we resort to attar.

Many cannot display passion today.

Crude paradigms often cause horrid regrets.

Upfront approaches are apace; forward.

Passion is bound to roses and secrets.

Soft kisses and boats travelling shoreward.

Romance is a rather confined matter.

There is simply too much we cannot say.

Too much to give, too much chitter chatter.

Many won’t dare display passion today.

Love is not just what we are told it is.

Love is just what we choose to make of it.

The Foxhole Court Book Review by Claire Riley

I'm reading a book called the Foxhole Court, by Nora Sakavic. I haven't finished it, but I have a great idea on who this book may appeal to, and I would like to share a little summary. It all revolves around a sport called Exy; an aggressive game that's a mash up between the idea of lacrosse, but the aggressiveness of ice hockey on a soccer-sized field. The main character, Neil Josten, is an incoming college student and the son of a murderous crime lord, also known as "The Butcher." Because of this, he's constantly on the run and never feels safe around others. But things become much more difficult when he is given an offer he can't turn down: the chance to play Exy for the Palmetto State University Foxes. The Foxes are a huge college team in South Carolina, constantly in the news and being broadcast. This is a hovering threat for Neil, who must be ready to run at any point. The PSU's Foxes and their coach, Coach Wymack, have been known to draft rejects and troubled teammates and get the bad reputation of being an unskilled team compared to their rivals. The first few kids he meets are Andrew and Aaron, twins who plan to challenge the newbie on the team and come off strong and aggressive. I find this to be humorous because they are both only 5 feet tall. They have a cousin, Nicky, who also plays on the team. He has taken the honor of showing Neil around and getting him accustomed. Another teammate, Kevin Day, is an older player who is just now coming to play for the Foxes. He used to play for the Ravens, the best known Exy team out there. His mother had helped create the game, so you can see why he might be a key player and someone worth a lot. Because he broke his wrist, he became a coach for a while, and has now strangely joined the Foxes. From what I have read so far, Neil has an interesting and threatening backstory with Kevin, though Kevin himself doesn't seem to remember of anything. It seems to be about their parents, and who knows what crazy things could have happened with Neil's dad being a killer and his mother dead. Things are getting heated and tense, and I guess you'll have to read the book to find out what happens next!

This is really turning out to be an interesting book, and I would like to see where it leads. Are you someone who is intrigued with sports? How about a made up one? Exy combines some of the most well known sports into one, sure to fulfill a craving for an action packed game. It's tough and mean, but also demonstrates the sportsmanship and friends that are built on along the way. Now I am no sports fanatic, but something great about The Foxhole Court is that it unravels the sexist ideas of intense sports such as Exy. The book tells how a young woman named Danielle Wilds is chosen to be the first female captain in Class I Exy. With only 3 females drafted on the team, this is a big deal. Danielle is treated cruelly, and sexist fans call out the Foxes loses as if it is her fault. Even after all of this, she continued to play and began to rack up wins. Because of this small but grand detail, this book may grab the attention of feminists and really any women who believes in the idea of sports shouldn't be judged by your gender. So although I may not be the biggest sports fan, this book still caught my eye by how Sakavic slips things like that in, changing my aspects on the given ideas.

This book is only the first of a series, and I recommend it to anyone who might be curious. The other books you can find are titled The Raven King, and The King's Men. I plan on finishing the series and I hope to see some other readers picking it up too. Happy reading!

Oedipus The King and the Oedipus Complex
by Cynthia Loh

                                                 
Oedipus The King by Sophocles is definitely one of the most disturbing and frightening plays I have ever read. Despite it's creepiness and unsettling plot, this was my favorite play I have read for school.

(Basically my spark notes version of Oedipus the King)
Oedipus is the king of a land who is faced with a plague and the only way to end the disease is to banish or kill the man who murdered the former king. Oedipus calls for the blind oracle Teiresias to figure out who the killer is to make an end to plague in his land. Refusing to answer Oedipus' question of who the killer is, claiming how it will only cause Oedipus grief and pain, Oedipus becomes enraged. Initiating an argument with Teiresias, Oedipus learns from the blind oracle that he is the slayer of the former king. After lots of insults and assumptions, Teiresias leaves Oedipus believing that Teiresias lied to him and that the oracle is working with Creon, Oedipus' brother-in-law, in order to take the throne. However, this is false. In a conversation with Jocasta, it is made known to the readers that in the past, Oedipus learns that he is fated to kill his father and sleep with his mother. After hearing of his horrible destiny, Oedipus runs away from Corinth, his home country, and ends up in Thebes. He does admit when he arrived he was attacked by a group of people and killed them all but he is doubtful that it was the former king. After a series of meetings and interrogations, Oedipus finds out that he is adopted and that the people who raised him are not his birth parents. Oedipus was given away when he was a baby and was given to a herdsman who was instructed to kill him. The herdsman then continues to say that he received the baby from Jocasta. Oedipus learns that Jocasta and her former husband who was the former king is his parents. Jocasta overhears the conversation and kills herself. When Oedipus finds her body he gauges out his eyeballs with his bare hands. He says goodbye to the four children he created with his own mother and banishes himself away to live in solitude.

This book proposes the Oedipus Complex, also known as the Electra Complex, which state that a child unconsciously has sexual desires toward their parent of the opposite sex. As ridiculous as this sounds, many psychologists believe this to be true. After searching the web, I have found forums where people with this complex can post about their situations. Once I finished laughing my head off, I noticed that so many more people actually have and admit to having the Oedipus complex. Although the psychologists call for very young children to go through this, many people in a range of ages has this complex. I found people from their teens all the way to people in their sixties having the Oedipus Complex. There are many different scenarios and feelings each person has. One teenage girl ranted about how much she hated her mother because she loved her father. Another person in their forties talked about how she recently in an affair with her godfather who is about 20 years older than her and married. Many talked about how they gained romantic feelings for an absentee parent or when their parents were divorced. However, they all were very grossly disturbing.

How to Read and Understand Anglo Saxon Litrature

HOW TO:

Read and Understand Anglo Saxon Literature

By Julia Loewen

Lo! The æroworld was fullwer of earth-treaders whom spræc a forwened englisc. Did you get that? Didn't think so. That's because you just read an ancient form of English known as Anglo Saxon. This strange language may slightly resemble the English you know and use today, but many of the words like, "spræc" or "fullwer" probably don't ring any bells. The Anglo Saxon language was spoken in Northern Europe around the years of 550 to 1066 CE, and some of the earliest stories known to mankind originated during this time. To prevent you from missing out on these legendary stories, you must follow the simple steps below so you can read, understand, and enjoy Anglo Saxon Literature! 

1. Understand the background of the story

It's easy to pick up any modern-day book and easily read and understand it without any troubles. When reading Anglo Saxon literature, it's different. With all the strange words, phrases, and names, a reader that is unfamiliar with the plot might as well read a book in Chinese. It is important to do some research on the literature prior to reading it so it makes sense what is going on in the story and why. A good place to find this information is Spark Notes, because they provide easy-to-read summaries and translations of Anglo Saxon literature that will help paint the picture of the events in the ancient stories. TIP: Don't think that reading a translation or summary of an Anglo Saxon piece will be the same as reading the actual piece, because it won't! The information on Spark Notes should only be used as a guideline.

2. Become familiar with the characters

Beowulf, Achilles, Grendel, and Oedipus are just a bunch of letters put together if you aren't familiar with their role in the story. That is why it is important to research a character list on Spark Notes or a similar website. This list will give the reader a short description of the character without spoiling the whole story.

3. Know the meaning of kennings/epithets

One of the most prominent aspects of Anglo Saxon literature are the kennings and epithets. A kenning is a descriptive phrase formed from two nouns. An epithet is an adjective that expresses a quality or

characteristic of a person or thing with an adjective and a noun. Kenning and Epithets are ubiquitous in Anglo Saxon literature and for a better understanding of the language, it is necessary to know what is being symbolized or described. 

QUIZ: Is "earth-treader" a kenning or epithet, and what does it mean? 

ANSWER: "Earth-treader" is a kenning because "earth" and "treader" are both nouns representing something else. "Earth-treader" represents one who walks the earth, so a human. If an epithet were to describe a human in a similar way, it would be something like "adventurous creatures". 
4. Have a dictionary nearby
The English Language sounded slightly different only 50 years ago, so imagine how much the language has evolved over the last 2000 years! The English language from 550-1066 CE is extremely different that the language spoken today, even with translations to make it simpler. It is not expected of readers to know off the top of their head the meaning of "æroworld" or "forwened", but with useful websites and dictionaries, the words can be understood. The website 
OldEnglishTranslater.co has the meanings of many Old Enlish words that have a similar definetion to modern-day English. Some of the words in Anglo Saxon literature can also be found in a dictionary.

Conclusion:
Now that you have acquired all of the tips and tricks of reading Anglo Saxon literature, see if you can translate the first sentence of this post. Remember to use the information in this post to understand what the sentence may be about, find kennings or epithets, and use the Old English Translator. Comment below what you come up with!