12th of Never James Patterson

12th of Never  James Patterson

Overview:

It's finally time! Detective Lindsay Boxer is in labor--while two killers are on the loose.

Lindsay Boxer's beautiful baby is born! But after only a week at home with her new daughter, Lindsay is forced to return to work to face two of the biggest cases of her career.

A rising star football player for the San Francisco 49ers is the prime suspect in a grisly murder. At the same time, Lindsay is confronted with the strangest story she's ever heard: An eccentric English professor has been having vivid nightmares about a violent murder and he's convinced is real. Lindsay doesn't believe him, but then a shooting is called in-and it fits the professor's description to the last detail.

Lindsay doesn't have much time to stop a terrifying future from unfolding. But all the crimes in the world seem like nothing when Lindsay is suddenly faced with the possibility of the most devastating loss of her life.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

The Attack Yasmina Khadra

The Attack  Yasmina  Khadra

Overview:

From the bestselling author of The Swallows of Kabul comes this timely and haunting novel that powerfully illuminates the devastating human costs of terrorism.Dr. Amin Jaafari is an Arab-Israeli surgeon at a hospital in Tel Aviv. As an admired and respected member of his community, he has carved a space for himself and his wife, Sihem, at the crossroads of two troubled societies. Jaafari’s world is abruptly shattered when Sihem is killed in a suicide bombing.As evidence mounts that Sihem could have been responsible for the catastrophic bombing, Jaafari begins a tortured search for answers.

Faced with the ultimate betrayal, he must find a way to reconcile his cherished memories of his wife with the growing realization that she may have had another life, one that was entirely removed from the comfortable, modern existence that they shared.

At the beginning of "The Attack," in what will prove to be an exasperating "Twilight Zone" twist, an Arab-Israeli surgeon in Tel Aviv is almost killed in a terrorist bombing. To his astonishment he is told that the suicide bomber was his wife, Sihem. So he sets out to find out why his whole privileged middle-class life with Sihem has turned out to be a lie.

"The Attack" is sufficiently philosophical to have been much admired in France, where the author now lives.

This book is also gripping and dynamic in ways that rivet the reader even when the thinking is didactic and the prose takes a purplish turn.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

The Fall of Alice K. Jim Heynen

The Fall of Alice K.  Jim Heynen

Overview:

Praise for The Fall of Alice K.

"Meeting Alice Krayenbraak takes readers back to their own high school days — but don’t mistake The Fall of Alice K. for a coming-of-age novel. Minnesota writer Jim Heynen’s lovely tale of the small and not-so-small minds of the Midwest in 1999 is much more."
— St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"What Heynen does with describing the Dutch community and the Iowa landscape harkens to writers like Willa Cather and Annie Proulx."
— Shelly Walston, Wichita Eagle

"Alice's navigation of the rough seas of first love, oncoming adulthood and a familycrisis might be an effective metaphor for what the larger community is facing at the turn of the millennium— but it doesn't read like a metaphor. It is, in keeping with Heynen's considerable gifts, painstakingly particular, immediate and moving...a finely focused, perfectly calibrated story of finding a balance between the forces that govern society, settling and striving, putting down roots and reaching for the light."
— Ellen Akins, Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Heynen's gorgeous sense of place is in every detail....Heynen's prose is especially poignant when he's writing about failing farms....There is a darkness at the center of this book, which begins with Alice hearing gunshots as a neighbor kills 80 hogs to protest falling prices. It ends with Alice looking to a future that will leave readers debating whether this smart young woman deserved this 'fall.'"
— Mary Ann Grossman, St. Paul Pioneer Press

"The Fall of Alice K. follows a 17-year-old girl as she negotiates the widening cracks of her Iowa childhood: a failing farm, a superstitious mother, homogeneity broken by Hmong immigrants. To pry prophetic revelation from her story, Heynen leans on his own strict Protestant upbringing, plus plenty of well-chosen words."
— Minnesota Monthly

“Seventeen-year-old Alice Krayenbraak, the eponymous heroine of Jim Heynen’s The Fall of Alice K., is a wonderful creation—smart, courageous, capable, and determined to go her own way. She’s also a true original and ready to take her place in the pantheon of literary teenagers.”
— Larry Watson, bestselling author of Montana, 1948 and American Boy

"If only there were more unruly girls like Alice K., unwilling to submit to dogma or tradition — the world would be a better place."
— Julia Scheeres, the New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land

“I love the care that Jim Heynen takes with the world of his novel, The Fall of Alice K.—the  world on the verge of a new millennium in Dutch Center, Iowa. Seventeen-year-old, Alice Krayenbraak, is a girl with a promising future until, partly through her own choices and partly through the choices of others, her life, like the failing family farm, teeters on the edge of ruin. Jim Heynen captures perfectly that time of life when we struggle to define ourselves against the backdrop of our family, our community, our religion, and above all the dreams we have for ourselves. Alice is a character I won’t soon forget. Hers is a deeply moving story shaped by an expert and generous hand.”
— Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever and Break the Skin

"I’ve been a fan of Jim Heynen’s small stories about the boys for years. How wonderful to meet one of the girls on the farm, and someone as bright, courageous, complex and real as Alice. Jim Heynen’s depictions of small town Midwestern life are spot-on, and Alice is a character to root for. This is a terrific novel, at turns funny, heartbreaking, touching and poetic — a compelling read that just keeps getting better and better. I loved this book."
— Shannon Olson, author of Welcome to My Planet and Children of God Go Bowling

"Wise, wryly humorous, and aching with tenderness for his characters, Jim Heynen has here gifted readers with his finest and most poignant book, a masterpiece of rural fiction."
— Ron Hansen, author of A Wild Surge of Guilty Passion and She Loves Me Not

"Long a true master of the very short story, from The Man Who Kept Cigars in His Cap on through The One-Room Schoolhouse, Jim Heynen shows himself wonderfully adept in his lovely first novel, The Fall of Alice K. For those who've known the heartland farm country Jim has written from, this new book contains familiar terrain but deepens and varies it, movingly (and it is a story of a changed Midwest). For those who haven't met his work before, you are in for a readerly treat and many surprises. He writes of the simplicity of the complex, and the complexity of the simple better than anyone I know, Midwest and otherwise."
— Rick Simonson, Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

"Heynen’s poetic language vividly depicts the grinding strain of life on a struggling farm and the strict moral code of the Protestant farming community. Heynen finely portrays the complicated character of Alice, a girl at the brink of adulthood with a promising future but naively willing to put it all at risk for the recklessness of first love."
— Eve Gaus, Booklist

Praise for Jim Heynen

“He earns the right to claim belief for assertion, by having kept so firm a hold on his roots in the specifics of a country boyhood deeply felt and sharply remembered. The reality continues to connect other times and places at the source of continuing perceptiveness.”
—Denise Levertov

“Jim Heynen can be funny, or serious, or both at once; and he appeals to young and old. They stand in line like Oliver Twist after his readings, to catch a little more. And that porridge is good, nourishing, delicious. It sticks to our shaking ribs."
—William Stafford

“He is a storyteller for the ages. From the ages. For more than 20 years, this backwoods poet has been telling of life on the American farm with a half-smile and a raised eyebrow. His is the archetypal voice: sage, preacher, scribe, storyteller, wit. . . . Like Wendell Berry and Kent Haruf, who have staked rural America as their turf in long fiction, Heynen is the Pied Piper of farm life in short fiction."
—Milwaukee Journal


Praise for The Boys’ House

“Heynen's book is a masterful peephole into the young male psyche and the family farm culture.”
—Minnesota Monthly

“Heynen has the talent of conveying a great deal in only a few words.”
—Bloomsbury Review

“One usually must look back to writers like Willa Cather and Wallace Stegner to find compelling portrayals of rural life. Happily, Minnesota writer Jim Heynen continues this tradition.”
—Minneapolis Star Tribune

Seventeen-year-old Alice Marie Krayenbraak is beautiful, witty, a star student, and a gifted athlete. On the surface, she has it all. But in Alice’s hometown of Dutch Center, Iowa, nothing is as it seems. Behind the façade of order and tidiness, the family farm is failing. Alice’s mother is behaving strangely amid apocalyptic fears of Y2K. And her parents have announced their plans to send her special-needs sister Aldah away. On top of it all, the uniformly Dutch Calvinist town has been rattled by an influx of foreign farm workers.

It’s the fall of senior year, and Alice now finds herself at odds with both family and cultural norms when she befriends and soon falls in love with Nickson Vang, the son of Hmong immigrants. Caught in a period of personal and community transformation, Alice and Nickson must navigate their way through vastly different traditions while fighting to create new ones of their own. Funny and provocative, amusing and unsettling, The Fall of ’99 marks a watershed moment in the publishing career of author, Jim Heynen.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

In Memory of Dad Maranda Russell

In Memory of Dad  Maranda Russell

Overview:

This is a short story written through the eyes of a child, and suited to any child I would say from about 7 and upwards.

In Memory of Dad is a beautifully written short story for children dealing with the loss of a loved one, how they are not alone in their grief, and how life can go on with good memories of their loved one always in their heart.

The story is about Kaley Jergins, a fourth grader, who has a special relationship with her father, they both share a passion for playing basketball. Kaley's dad Kyle, used to play basketball when he was in school, and Kaley dreamed of following in his footsteps. One cold January night, Kaley's father suffered a fatal heart attack. 

Nothing would ever be the same again in her life! She tried to go on with her life, but everything reminded her of her dad. She started skipping basketball practices and games, and after a month went by she officially quit the team. She really missed playing ball and her teammates, but without her dad there to cheer her on, she just couldn't do it anymore, it had always been "their" thing. She felt empty and alone, she kept to herself at school, wishing there was a way she could still be on the team and be around her friends, but without her dad to share it with, it just didn't feel right. She wished she could go back in time to when everything in her life was fine. It took Drea, a friend and captain of the basketball team and her teammates, to show Kaley that she isn't alone, and that she could go forward with her life and still have the memory of her dad in her heart.

It is a heartwarming short story for a child going through the same thing that Kaley has, and helps to show them that life doesn't have to end and that they are not alone.

The author wrote a beautifully heartfelt story based loosely on her own real experience of losing her dad at the age of twelve. This story was written from her heart, and she so eloquently expresses her message and lesson that through dealing with loss and grief, your life will go on, and that your loved one will always be in your heart. Her message is so easily expressed, that young children will be able to understand and learn from it. She reinforces her message in a very thoughtful and educational way in an Author's Note at the end of the book.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

Maya's Notebook Isabel Allende

Maya's Notebook  Isabel Allende

Overview:

“A gritty, violent, cautionary tale set firmly in the present…But the writing is still all Allende: driven by emotion…framed by her brand of lyrical description.” (Miami Herald )

“Maya’s story is soul-restoring in its fierce conviction that there is no damage done to a society, familyor individual that cannot be eclipsed by hope and love. Allende makes you believe that, even if youdon’t, at least for a while.” (Minneapolis Star Tribune )

“Longtime fans of Isabel Allende’s work will find much of the author’s beguiling mix of clear-eyed toughness and lightness of spirit in her new protagonist, and will welcome another chapter in Allende’s continuing exploration of Latin America. Those introduced to Allende by MAYA’S NOTEBOOK surely will want more.” (Seattle Times )

“Allende can spin a yarn with the grace of a poet.” (Entertainment Weekly )

“Gripping…Allende retains the storytelling magic that is her signature, while deftly juxtaposing the alternating universes of the past-including Chile’s dark history of political terror-and present…A tale of a girl’s journey toward self-discovery, of the fierce power of truth, and of the healing force of love.” (Jane Ciabattari, O magazine )

“Isabel Allende enchants in MAYA’S NOTEBOOK.” (Vanity Fair )

“Allende paints a vivid picture contrasting Maya’s drug-clouded past and her recovery in Chiloé. Yet another accomplished work by a master storyteller that will enthrall and captivate. This is a must-read.” (Library Journal (starred review) )

“Allende is a master at plucking heartstrings, and Maya’s family drama is hard to resist.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“An explosive novel…Every character is enthralling…This is a boldly plotted, sharply funny, and purposefully bone-shaking novel of sexual violence, political terror, “collective shame,” and dark family secrets, all transcended by courage and love.” (Booklist (starred review) )

At 19, Maya Vidal, the California-born heroine of Isabel Allende's florid, frenzied and intermittently entertaining novel Maya's Notebook, has already busted out of a wilderness academy for troubled teens in Oregon, been raped and beaten by a trucker, worked as a girl Friday for a drug dealer/counterfeiter and done some $10 hooking in Las Vegas.

As dire as that sounds, there's not all that much to worry about in this Dear Diary-style narrative. Allende introduces Maya after she's cleaned up and is hiding out off the grid. Her grandmother Nini has decreed that the girl, on the run from the FBI, Interpol and the gang back in Vegas, is not safe in her hometown of Berkeley, Calif. She sends Maya to stay with her old friend, an anthropologist in his 70s named Manuel Arias, on the Chilean island of Chiloe. This move makes for a bit of counterpoint, since Nini herself fled Chile and ended up in Berkeley — after the military overthrow of socialist President Salvador Allende (the author's first cousin once removed; it's always a little meta with Isabel).

Allende knows something of what it means to have substance abusers in one's life; publicizing her memoir Paula, in 2007, she told The Guardian that she was shocked when she discovered that her second husband's three children were all drug addicts. Their struggles must have been brutal to observe. But she approaches the horror of Maya's tailspin with a curious lack of urgency. Like any soap opera, Maya's Notebook feels cloaked in the reassurance that these are all just stories — even for Maya: "While I was underground, like a seed or a tuber, another Maya Vidal struggled to emerge; slender filaments seeking moisture arose, then roots like fingers seeking nourishment, and finally a tenacious stem and leaves seeking light." This heroine blooms, but despite all the dirt Allende piles around her, Maya feels like an artificial flower.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

The Gift of Rain Tan Twan Eng

The Gift of Rain Tan Twan Eng

Overview:

Written in lush, evocative prose, The Gift of Rain spans decades as it takes readers from the final days of the Chinese emperors to the dying era of the British Empire, and through the mystical temples, bustling cities, and forbidding rain forests of Malaya.

In 1939, sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton --- the half-Chinese youngest child of the head of one of Penang’s great trading families --- feels alienated from both the British and Chinese communities. He discovers a sense of belonging in his unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat who rents an island from his father. Philip proudly shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, and in return Endo teaches him about Japanese language and culture and trains him in the art and discipline of aikido.

But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. As World War II rages in Europe, the Japanese savagely invade Malaya, and Philip realizes that his mentor and sensei --- to whom he owes absolute loyalty --- is a Japanese spy. Young Philip has been an unwitting traitor, and he is forced into collaborating with the Japanese to safeguard his family. He turns into the ultimate outsider, trusted by none and hated by many.

Tormented by his part in the events, Philip risks everything by working in secret to save as many people as he can from the brutality of the invaders. The Gift of Rain is shot through with universal themes, a novel about agonizingly divided loyalties and unbearable loss. But it is also about human courage and - ultimately - about the nature of enduring loyalty.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

Herald of the Storm Richard Ford

Herald of the Storm  Richard Ford 

Overview:

Welcome to Steelhaven... Under the reign of King Cael the Uniter, this vast cityport on the southern coast has for years been a symbol of strength, maintaining an uneasy peace throughout the Free States. But now a long shadow hangs over the city, in the form of the dread Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha. When his herald infiltrates the city, looking to exploit its dangerous criminal underworld, and a terrible dark magick that has long been buried once again begins to rise, it could be the beginning of the end.

Herald of the Storm is the first book in Richard Ford’s new trilogy: Steelhaven. Set in the city of the same name, Herald of the Storm focuses on a group of characters who live in the city – some from the ruling classes, some that work at the outer shades of society and some that live on the streets. At the heart of the story is Janessa, daughter to King Cael the Uniter who, as the story opens, is out fighting a war and holding off a host of barbaric hordes. Janessa is left to deal with minor matters of state, leaving most of the bigger issues to her father’s counsellors. But as the book opens, a foreigner makes his way into Steelhaven, spreading tidings and prophecies, brokering deals and agreements from within the city’s criminal underworld. He is the voice of the Elharim warlord, Amon Tugha – the voice of doom and bloody war; the Herald of the Storm.

Herald of the Storm takes the fundamental parts of gritty, epic fantasy and puts the focus on character first. It’s filled with big personalities that each have their own stake in keeping the city of Steelhaven safe from the constant threat of war. The lack of any cohesive plot throughout the novel may be an issue for some, but this is the story of one city in a vast fantasy world. It’s testament to Ford’s worldbuilding skills that although we never leave the city of Steelhaven, we do get the sense that outside its walls is a whole world, just ready for exploring. If you love the works of Joe Abercrombie or even George R.R. Martin you will probably find something to enjoy in Steelhaven – it’s violent, vicious and darkly funny

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

Gone to the Forest Katie Kitamura

Gone to the Forest Katie Kitamura

Overview:
 
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2012
 
Financial Times Best Book of 2012
 
New Yorker Best Book of 2012

FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE LONGSHOT comes this gripping saga about the destruction of a family, a home, and a way of life. Set on a struggling farm in a colonial country teetering on the brink of civil war, Gone to the Forest is a tale of family drama and political turmoil in which fiery storytelling melds with daring, original prose. Since his mother’s death, Tom and his father have fashioned a strained domestic peace, where everything is frozen under the old man’s vicious control. But when a young woman named Carine arrives at the farm, the tension between the two men escalates to the breaking point. Hailed by the Boston Globe as “a major talent,” Kitamura shines in this powerful new novel.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

River of Dust Virginia Pye

River of Dust Virginia Pye

   
Overview:

On the windswept plains of northwestern China, Mongol bandits swoop down upon an American missionary couple and steal their small child. The Reverend sets out in search of the boy and becomes lost in the rugged, corrupt countryside populated by opium dens, sly nomadic warlords and traveling circuses. This upright Midwestern minister develops a following among the Chinese peasants and is christened Ghost Man for what they perceive are his otherworldly powers. Grace, his young ingénue wife, pregnant with their second child, takes to her sick bed in the mission compound, where visions of her stolen child and lost husband begin to beckon to her from across the plains. The foreign couple’s savvy and dedicated Chinese servants, Ahcho and Mai Lin, accompany and eventually lead them through dangerous territory to find one another again. 

With their Christian beliefs sorely tested, their concept of fate expanded, and their physical health rapidly deteriorating, the Reverend and Grace may finally discover an understanding between them that is greater than the vast distance they have come.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

Shelter Me Juliette Fay

Shelter Me Juliette Fay 

  

Overview:

In the tradition of Marisa de los Santos and Anne Tyler comes a moving debut about a young mother's year of heartbreak, loss, and forgiveness...and help that arrives from unexpected sources

Four months after her husband's death, Janie LaMarche remains undone by grief and anger. Her mourning is disrupted, however, by the unexpected arrival of a builder with a contract to add a porch onto her house. Stunned, Janie realizes the porch was meant to be a surprise from her husband--now his last gift to her.

As she reluctantly allows construction to begin, Janie clings to the familiar outposts of her sorrow--mothering her two small children with fierce protectiveness, avoiding friends and family, and stewing in a rage she can't release. Yet Janie's self-imposed isolation is breached by a cast of unlikely interventionists: her chattering, ipecac-toting aunt; her bossy, over-manicured neighbor; her muffin-bearing cousin; and even Tug, the contractor with a private grief all his own.

As the porch takes shape, Janie discovers that the unknowable terrain of the future is best navigated with the help of others--even those we least expect to call on, much less learn to love.

''A gorgeous paradox of a book: a deep, thoughtful exploration of a young mother 's first year of widowhood that is as much a page turner as any thriller.'' -- Marisa de los Santos

''A tender tale . . . Juliette Fay can hit the high notes of emotion with unexpected moments of redemption and wry humor.'' -- Jacqueline Sheehan

''A richly told story . . . Fay writes with vivid dialog and conjures up characters that feel real enough to be sitting in your kitchen.'' --Lee Woodruff

''Fay keeps the reader engaged with a vivid descriptive palette evoking the little details of life in a small town. She also does a beautiful job capturing the ebb and flow of single motherhood, from small miracles and little annoyances to the big ordeals . . . Janie's journal entries give uncensored voice to her thoughts, which are tinged with searing insight and often hilarious wry humor. '' --Boston Globe

''Fay's mingling of Janie's pithy journal excerpts with crisp traditional plotting adds a nice depth to Janie's journey to emotional healing. The concerns of single motherhood after sudden tragedy come vividly to life, and as Janie learns to appreciate everyday miracles, readers will be charmed.'' --Publishers Weekly

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

2BAC WRITING STATEGIES: HINTS AND TIPS

2BAC WRITING STATEGIES: HINTS AND TIPS

When you write a composition or essay, you are often asked to write your answer in the form of an article, a report, a letter, etc.

ARTICLES are found in magazines and newspapers (e.g. school newspaper, magazine for young children, etc of the following may be written in the form of an article:

• Descriptive compositions about people, places, objects, etc

• Narrative descriptions or stories about real or imaginary events which happened in the past

• Discursive essays, about arguments concerning particular subjects, which include:

- opinion essays, giving your personal opinion, and

  - for-and-against essays, giving the opposing arguments for both sides (e.g. pros v. cons)

REPORTS are similar to articles but have a more formal, factual style, and each kind has its own special format and features. Compositions in the form of reports include:

• News reports about recent events (e.g. accidents, earthquakes, etc), such as those found in newspaper

• Assessment reports discussing the suitability of a person, a place, a proposed plan, etc

• Reviews discussing a film, book, restaurant, etc and giving your opinion/recommendation

LETTERS are written to a specific person/group (e.g. your parents, the Town Council, etc) for a specific reason (e to make a complaint, to apply for a job, etc). Composition in this form include:

• Friendly letters to people we know, usually about personal matters, in informal style

• Formal letters to officials/managers/etc, about official/business matters, in formal style

• Postcards to friends or relatives

DESCRIPTIVE ARTICLE ABOUT A PERSON

When we write a descriptive article about a person, we can divide it into five paragraphs.

• In the introduction, we give general information - e.g. who the person is, when/where we met, etc.

• In the second paragraph, we describe the person's appearance (e.g. his/her physical appearance, clothe

• In the third paragraph, we describe his/her personality, giving examples to justify our opinion.

• In the fourth paragraph, we write about the person's hobbies/interests.

• In the conclusion, we make general comments about the person and describe our feelings for him/her.

DESCRIPTIVE ARTICLE ABOUT A PLACE

When we write a descriptive article about a place, we can divide it into four paragraphs.
• In the introduction we mention the name and location of the place and the reason for choosing it.

• In the second paragraph we write about what a visitor can see and do (sightseeing, museums, shopping, e

• In the third paragraph we write about entertainment, nightlife and eating out (clubs, restaurants, etc).

• In the conclusion we make general comments and recommend the place to visitors.

We normally use present tenses in this type of writing.

DESCRIPTIVE ARTICLE ABOUT AN EVENT

When we write a descriptive article about an event, a special occasion/celebration, etc we attended, we divide it into four paragraphs.

 • In the introduction we mention the name of the event and the time, place and reason it is held.

 • In the second paragraph we describe preparations which are made before the event.

 • In the third paragraph we describe what happened during the event itself.  
 • In the conclusion we mention our feelings and makegeneral remarks about the event. 
  We use present tenses to mention the name, time, place and reason the event is held.
  We use past tenses to describe the preparations before the event and what happened during the event itself.

FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE ( STORY )

First-person narratives are stories about real events that happened to us in the past, or imaginary stories written in the first person ("l/we"), as if we were the main character.
When we write a first-person narrative we can divide it into five paragraphs:

• In the introduction we catch the reader's attention, and give information about when the story took place.

• In the main body (paragraphs 2-4), we explain what was happening when the story began, then develop the story by narrating the events in the order they happened.

• In the conclusion we write what happened in the end, mentioning any consequences/results, and describe our feelings and/or reactions.

Descriptions of people, places, etc can also be included in first-person narratives.

ARGUMENTATIVE ARTICLE

In an article with arguments for and against a subject, we usually give a balanced argument. We use a formal style and divide our article into four paragraphs.

• In the introduction, we make general remarks about the subject, without giving our opinion.

• In the second paragraph, we give the advantages, with examples.

• In the third paragraph, we give the disadvantages, with examples.

• In the conclusion, we sum up the subject, stating our own opinion clearly.

We can use expressions such as / think, I believe, In m opinion, etc to express our opinion and linking words (as, because, for example, however, etc) to join ideas.

OPINION ARTICLE

When we write an article giving our opinion on a subject, we can divide it into five paragraphs.

• In the introduction we make general remarks about the subject and state our opinion clearly.

We use In my opinion, I believe, I think, As I see it, e

• In the second and third* paragraphs we present our viewpoints and justify them with reasons/examples. Each viewpoint is presented in a separate paragraph. We list points with firstly, furthermore, moreover, also

• In the fourth paragraph we present the opposing point of view, with reasons/examples.

We can start with: On the other hand, However, etc.

• In the conclusion we state our opinion again briefly in different words.

We normally use present tenses in such pieces of writing.

• The number of paragraphs in the main body depends on the number of viewpoints we include.

PERSONAL LETTER

When we write a letter telling a friend our news, we divide it into three parts:

• in the introduction, we greet the person and state the reason we are writing the letter -

e.g. I'm writing to tell you about...

• in the main body * we develop the subject, using a new paragraph for each main topic.

• in the conclusion, we use suitable closing remarks.

We can invite, send greetings/thanks/etc, and/or ask the other person for his/her news.
We always begin with an appropriate greeting (Dear...) and finish with an appropriate ending (e.g. With love, Best wishes, etc).

• The number of paragraphs in the main body depends on how many main topics we include.

APPLICATION LETTER

When we write a formal letter of application we can divide it into four paragraphs.

• In the introduction we state the reason for writing

(i.e. to apply for a position), give the title of the post

(e.g. accountant) and say where (name of newspaper and when (date) we saw the advertisement for the position.

• In the second paragraph we give a brief profile of ourselves (e.g. student, manager, etc) and/or mention our qualifications (e.g. our degrees, certificates, the languages we can speak, etc).

• In the third paragraph we provide details of our past work experience (i.e. where we have worked, what kind of job/s we had, what our duties included, etc).

• In the fourth paragraph we mention any personal qualities we consider important for the job.

• In the conclusion we write our closing remarks (i.e. we mention that we enclose a CV, and that we are available for an interview).

2BAC SAMPLE WRITINGS / COMPOSITIONS

EFFECTS OF POPULATION GROWTH IN MOROCCO

It's a fact that day by day population in Morocco is increasing, and this causes many social, economic, and environmental problems. The main purpose of this essay is to discuss the three main effects of overpopulation in Morocco.

The first major effect of overpopulation in Morocco is unemployment. First of all, there aren't enough sources of jobs in Morocco, so only the most prepared people get a job. This is a great social and economic problem because people who don't work get frustrated and can't support their families.

The second effect of overpopulation in Morocco is the low quality of public services. Natural resources, like water or food, aren't enough for so many people, so there is a lot of thirst and hunger in the country. Also, the level of education is quite low because there are a lot of children or young people who must study, and there are not enough schools or teachers. The same happens with health; hospitals aren't capable of giving attention to all the people who need it, so there are a lot of diseases.

The most significant effect of overpopulation in Morocco is the high level of pollution. Because a great number of people must go by cars, buses and taxis to their jobs at the same time, amazing traffic jams are caused. This, together with the noise caused by vehicles and people, causes a great amount of pollution. Also, every day people generate a lot of trash, and this pollutes both water and ground.

All the effects of over population that I have said make a cycle. For example, pollution causes diseases, and these diseases can't be attended because of the insufficient hospitals. That's why I think that we must find a way to organize all the people who live in this country, so we could live in a better environment and have a better quality of life. We must also learn to take care of the natural resources and think of those who are coming. If we don't stop spending our resources and polluting, the next generations will have a huge problem.

Finally, I think that Morocco needs to generate more sources of jobs, so everybody can work and satisfy their needs.


RABAT AND CASABLANCA: TRAFFIC JAMS

Rabat and Casablanca are modern cities but also have a modern problem: traffic jams. In the early mornings, and again in the evening, around 8 pm, the streets are crowded with cars, buses, taxis, and trucks. In this essay, I will explain the causes of jam in these two cities and discuss the effects of this problem.

Traffic problems in Rabat and Casablanca stem from several causes. The rapid economic growth has enabled most Moroccans to buy their own cars. This has put intense pressure on the road system which is very old and has not been able to keep up with the expansion in population. Another cause is the absence of any major public transport system such as modern buses, tramways or subways. Because of this, most workers in these two cities rely on hordes of old buses and taxis of every sort, thus adding to the congestion.

The resulting traffic jam has several adverse effects. First of all is the frustration and anger felt by road-users. This can result in tension and accidents, and, ironically, emergency vehicles may not even be able to reach the scenes of such accidents. Another effect is the waste of time spent in traffic. This lowers productivity at work and contributes to reduced time at school and with family.
There are also additional costs to these cities in terms of air pollution.

Road-users will need to cooperate with municipal authorities as they introduce measures to reduce congestion. However, most people in Rabat and Casablanca are confident that these two cities will still be an attractive place to live if the problems of traffic and road conditions are dealt with in more reasonable ways.



MOROCCANS AND FAST FOOD
 
In the past people in Morocco used to eat healthy, freshly prepared food with their families in the home. Today however, many people, particularly young people, prefer to eat fast food such as hamburgers, fried chicken, shawarma, pizza or simply mlawi and harsha. There are many reasons why this change has occurred, but fast-food also has some serious effects on individuals and society.

There are many reasons for the popularity of fast food. One of the main reasons is the change in lifestyle. Many people in Morocco are working long hours, shifts, or long school days. They don’t have time to find ingredients or prepare good food. Women are now starting to work in Morocco, and this can result in less time being available for preparing family meals. Another cause is the huge number of young, affluent people in Morocco. The rapid development of the country has meant that young people, who comprise over 55% of the population, have money to spend. A third reason is advertising. Morocco is a very modern, free market country, with all forms of media such as the Internet and satellite television, and people like to try new products and different kinds of fast food, local or imported.

However, this change in diet can have some serious effects. One effect is on health. Many individuals in Morocco are becoming obese. These people will be less productive and have conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes. Another result of fast food is the loss of the family tradition of eating together. The weekly Friday gathering of the family around the big couscous dish is loosing ground in favour of sandwiches in snacks or mahlabas. Children and adults rarely eat together now, and thus get less opportunity to talk and discuss family matters. A further effect is economic. Although fast food is not very expensive, it costs more than cooking properly for yourself.

In conclusion, fast food, although it is convenient and tasty, can have serious health and social effects. People should learn to choose fast food carefully and remember the pleasure of eating good food in good company at home among family and friends.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!

 

2BAC NATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM SC JUNE 2012

NATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ENGLISH EXAM SC JUNE 2012

ENJOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

Sincerelyours

And Blessed Are The Ones Who Care For Their Fellow Men!