Evoke incentive to study English

Most Chinese students feel very boring to study English, so it is necessary to evoke their incentive. Why it is boring to study English in china? Firstly, the contents in textbooks are far away from reality and the topics don’t close to routine life, which make people suspect what they can learn from studying English. Then, there are no English channels such as BBC news, CNN news, ABC news and etc in mainland of China so that students can’t practice listing and speaking. Being isolating with western civilization limits intelligence and brain storms of the public. Everyone should face the truth that Chinese is behind of western countries in science and technology. Most offspring of government stuffs study aboard, the offspring of the public, even they arn’t as rich as them ,should have chance to know what are happening out of china in some extent. Lastly, an open society helps people become wiser to choose what they believe and what they keep. Thus, the situation in which students feel headache to study English should be changed.

How can we evoke incentive to study English? Studying language is an instinct to survive in a society, so the best way to study English is to live in foreign countries and be around by English speakers. As for the people who don’t have the condition, spending more time on watching TV or reading news paper to know what are happening on the earth is a good reason to study English, so it is time to open foreigner websites like Google and YouTube and to cancel bans about foreign channels. As for me, I am not satisfied with the Chinese traditional culture which makes people blind and ignorant. I have the intuition that I can see a different china if I stayed aboard, actually, it is true. Happily, the china in foreigner’s eyes isn’t as bad as we think.

Any nation can’t ignore the request which is changing with time. The present request is democracy. Executing democracy step by step is inevitable. Evoke incentive to study English for the public and give them chance to know the world then to know about them selves. People will learn how to distinguish between enemies and friends on the earth, or what should be given up and what should be kept. Evoke incentive to study English and let the public know more, which are the first step to approach democracy.

Still waters run deep

Do you pay attention to the people who are humble or quite but surprising? In Of Mice and Man, which is a novel about George and Lennie working on a ranch, John Steinbeck describes a weak and old swamper who has lost his right hand and is often followed by an old dog. Candy is an important supporting character who introduces many figures before they appear in the novel, and the death of his dog hints the same tragedy which will happen to Lennie. His appearance and status are very humble; however, if you study his words and behaviors, you will be surprised. Even though he is apparently cautious and cowardly, Candy is an intelligent person whose words and behavior are appropriate and deliberate; moreover, he is good at negotiation.

There is much evidence to show that Candy is cautious. To begin with, when candy goes to the bunk house where George and Lennie are talking inside, the first words he says are that “I wasn’t listenin” (p. 27). Why is he anxious to clarify that he didn’t listen? In order that he won’t get in trouble because of a misunderstanding by the two young men, he explains as immediately as he comes in. Candy’s words show how cautious he is. Then; after he complains about Curley’s aggressive flaws saying “Never did seem right to me” (p. 29), Candy asks George for a promise to make sure he will not get reprisals from Curley (p. 32), which presents his caution again. Lastly, when Carlson proposes shooting his dog, even though Candy is reluctant at first because “The old man squirmed uncomfortably”(p. 50), he explains his dog’s important meaning to him rather than obviously objecting, which proves he is cautious to express himself in case of enraging the other people. In addition, it shows Candy’s cowardice to allow Carlson to shoot his dog rather than shooting by himself. It is pitiful for the dog ending up in the hand of a person who hates it rather than loves it because Carlson shooting the dog isn’t for compassion; but for his violence and hate sniffing the dog’s smell. Candy should have asked Slim, who does really pity the dog’ s suffering, to shoot the dog, if he can’t bear to shoot his dog by himself, but he doesn’t do that because he worries about offending the strong and violent Carlson. He just thinks about how to protect himself from troubles rather than to give his dog a decent death. From his words in his social life, Candy so cares about other people’s feeling that he is always cautious even a little cowardly.

Although he is cautious and cowardly, Candy is actually very intelligent. In Of Mice and Man, Candy rather than other workers selected by the writer introduces many important figures before they appear in the novel, such as Curley’s father, Curley’s wife and Carlson. Comparing with other workers , Candy has the insight to view a person appropriately, so his words are persuasive. For example, he says that “I think Curley’s married … a tart” (p. 31). It is an appropriate comment on Curley’s wife, who is the only female at the ranch; also, it is a consensus in the bunk house because Whit, another fellow living in the same bunkhouse, describes her as “She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody” (p. 57), when he first talks about Curley’s wife with George. Furthermore, when George and Lennie arrive at the ranch, it is Candy rather than any other workers waiting for and meeting them because helping the new people to know about the ranch is a good chance to get their appreciation, and they may get along with each other more easily in the future. Actually, George doesn’t mind Candy’s presence any more when Lennie asks him to describe the place of their plan in the bunk house (p. 63). Candy’s first words to the two new guys are “the boss was expectin’ you” (p. 20) which makes the two men feel they are desirable and welcome; rather than introducing himself. How smart he is. Additionally, Candy’s responses to the discussion of shooting his dog are appropriate and deliberate. In the situation that the other persons see eye to eye to shoot his dog, Candy doesn’t refuse immediately, but he “looked for help from face to face” (p. 51). His behavior is an indirect disagreement. Although he won’t accept their advice at the beginning of the discussion, Candy sees that it is impossible to reverse the situation, which is his conclusion from observing people from face to face, so he accepts their arrangement to shoot his dog rather than offending so many people obtrusively. How appropriate and deliberate he is.

Not only he deliberate, but also Candy is good at negotiation, which is further evidence of his intelligence. When he has to agree with shooting his old dog, Candy mentions putting it off to tomorrow, even though his clever advice is refused by Carlson, who can’t wait a minute to shoot the dog to satisfy his cruel interest. His advice is a delaying tactic used in negotiation to delay a decision’s effectiveness temporarily. How does Candy know it? Nobody knows. Candy’s intelligence is surprising. Also, the agreement between Candy and George shows he is good at negotiation again. When George and Lennie talk about their plan to run a ranch, Candy starts with location and price of a place which interests them to take part in their discussion (p. 66). He talks eight times about money to emphasize that he has money which can’t be refused by George, whose purpose to stay at the ranch is making money(p. 36), so the three persons arrive at an agreement quickly. Even at the end of their discussion, Candy claims “I’ll have thirty dollars more comin, time you guys is ready to quit.” (p. 68). He doesn’t tell George his total amount of money simply; he bids 350 dollars to join their group the first time and asks for their savings. When he knows they only have 10 dollars and he has to wait one month for them to earn more money, Candy mentions adding another 30 dollars as soon as George and Lennie quit soon. That is his strategy to use money step by step to let George do something he wants. From this discussion, it can be inferred that Candy is not a simple man, but one who is good at exploring other people’s bottom line and doesn’t expose his own.

Even though his old and disabled situation makes him pitiful and humble, his cautious attitude makes him be ignored; Candy is actually intelligent, even as wise as a business man. He uses a cautious and humble manner to avoid conflicts; he uses intelligent tips to get along with the young men with different personalities. Therefore, he can survive at a ranch which prefers young men for hard work. Still waters run deep.

References
Steinbeck, J. (2006). Of Mice and Men. Landon: Penguin Books Ltd.

To stimulate economy again?

Since 2008, many countries have published approaches to stimulate economy to increase the rate of employment. China, as the second biggest economy in the world, adjusted loan rate and deposit rate to anticipate an economic growth faster than 8.1%.

In “China cuts key interest rates to boost growth”, the writer tells us that China cut key interest rates to stimulate economic growth, and China postpones to execute the tougher bank capital rules in case of it hurts economic growth. At present, Euro zone sticks in debt crisis, the growth rate in US shrinks, India has the lowest growth rate in the last five years and China has 8.1% growth rate in the first season in 2012. It is time to loan more money to micro-enterprises and individuals to expand consumption.

Originally, I think it is normal to adjust loan rate which is one kind of routine job in banks, but when I found it is so frequent to adjust loan rate in China, I think it is wired and shortsighted. Chinese banks give loans depends on orders from their superior; they don’t think about how to make money or how to grasp a potential client. In 2010, when we submitted an application to loan for the second house in Changsha, the local bank rejected us because government published a new rule to forbid loan for second house in order to curb the house price continue to increase. We had to give up the second house. I wondered how the bank to survive in the next year. As expected, I accepted many calls from many banks to invite me to loan money at a reasonable rate the next spring. Just during several months, the situation changes so fast.

Now it is another time to see the bank adjust loan rate to stimulate economy, stock market and estate market. I think it doesn’t work this time. First of all, economic development fluctuate in a circle which maybe last several years. Not only in China, but also in the whole world, economic development becomes difficult. Financial crisis or debt crisis continues to erupt in different countries, which is the symptom of economic problems. Many countries have the lowest growth rate recently which means economic development is in its trough. Thus, I don’t think it can be changed just by reducing loan rate. Secondly, Chinese economic obstacle is nothing to do with economic leverage. High price of house guarantees government high income but deprives people’s ability to consumption, which make the economy lose energy. Chinese economy is softly landing now. Government should look for new growth points to develop economy without relying on estate market. It is not easy to find another way to make money, so I think it doesn’t work just adjusting loan rate. Thirdly, expanding loan was an efficient way to boost economy in china, but it is not now. Government loans a lot of money from banks to carry out foundational projects such as express rail or image projects, which was turned out to breed corruption. Government projects are unuseful to the public or harmful to them because there are some incidents in express rail. These projects symbolize local government abusing money. The public can’t ignore that any more.

Chinese economic problems are complicated than we can imagine. It mixed with economic circle, economic structure transition and corruption in political system. In my opinion, stimulating economy can start from reducing individual income tax and combating corruption.

References
China cuts key interest rates to boost growth (2012, June 7). BBC News. Retrieved June 12, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18349596

The future of Euro debt crisis

Euro debt crisis started in Greece in late of 2009; Greek government exposed their true financial deficits when every country started to check the problems in their financial system after sub-prime mortgage crisis happened in US. Three years later, the situation in Greece becomes worse and worse, not only Greece, but also other members in PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, and Spain) make Euro zone in dilemma.

In the news “Greeks Pull Cash Out of Banks as Confidence Wanes “, Greek people panic mood continues to spread so that they take out deposit from banks or transfer their money abroad. The bank system basically paralyzes because they can’t get bailout from Euro center bank and international monetary fund. The whole country stuck in political turmoil. If the public still didn’t accept austerity measure proposed by French and German as an attaching condition of bailout loans, government asset would be liquidated and Greece would be kicked out from Euro zone. In the BBC news “What could happen next if Greece leaves the eurozone? ", the author lists the consequence if Greece leaves the Euro zone, which includes recession, bank runs, political backlash, Greek debt default etc.

I have to say, Greek people do face a painful time which maybe continues a long time. The price of huge financial deficits would be high tax and low welfare in material and invasion of dominion because Euro zone will limit Greek expenditure, which is a spiritual torture to Greek. German failed to control Greece historically by force, if they arrives their old aim by economical ways, how Greek people could accept the cruel reality? The other choice is that Greece quit from Euro zone. They can keep the dominion complete, but they would face a serious recession in all area of modern social, where government bankrupt, currency depreciate and society riot. Whatever Greece chooses, it is definite that comfortable life and generous pension in Greece are gone.

German and French don’t arrive to an agreement with Greece on this issue yet, but they can’t stand them unlimitedly. Greek people can’t be used to a tough life which suddenly changes from a happy and rich life. Therefore, I guess Greece would quit Euro zone to depend on them. After Greek struggle to survive in a long time recession, they would find it is good to have a help from Euro zone. And Greece future is a good example for the other PIIGS, not every one of which will select the same with Greece. As for Euro zone, it is not easy to dismiss; meanwhile, German and French are as strong as they did in the past to be on the top among world class nations.

References
Apostolou N. and Rayasam R.(2012, May 17) Greeks Pull Cash Out of Banks as Confidence Wanes abc NEWS Retrieved May 22,2012 from http://abcnews.go.com/Business/greeks-pull-cash-banks-confidence-wanes/story?id=16368493

What could happen next if Greece leaves the eurozone? (2012,May 20) BBC News Retrieved May 22,2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18074674

Dangers in water

Most people think it has a lot of fun to play in water, such as swimming, surf and diving, but I don’t think so. I was never allowed to play in a pool or river by my grandmother when I was a child. I often heard that somebody drowned whatever they knew how to swim or not, meanwhile, I know bloodsuckers maybe bite people to suck blood when they work in water of paddy field. Thus, I have the impression there are something horrible in water which are uncontrolled by human being. On May 1, 2012, Aimee Copeland’s encounter is turned out my potential fear is reasonable.

According to the news “Girl With Flesh-Eating Disease Can't Remember Events”, Aimee Copeland, a 24 years old female student studying master degree, contracted a deadly flesh-eating disease after she zipped line in a river with her friend two weeks ago. Bacteria float up to surface after a storm to infect her wound on her left leg. During two weeks, the poor girl ‘s left leg and some fingers were destroyed by the bacteria and had to be cut. She relies on a ventilator of oxygen to live and still don’t know what happened to her.

Flesh-eating disease, according to Wikipedia, doesn’t mean the bacteria eat meat. The bacteria release toxins to destroy muscle and skin, after they finish destroying one part of body they will spread to other places. The disease progresses rapidly and even eventually lead to die without medical assistance. This disease sounds an old one in ancient time when medicine wasn’t developed, but it really happened today. It took two weeks to change Aimee Copeland from a beautiful and vigorous girl to a disable and dying patient. She can’t speak and even to lose her memory. Mortality rate of flesh-eating disease is up to 73%, but her family still hopes miracle would happen. How terrible it is!

I won’t talk about a pollution issue in water because everyone knows there are something disgusting or bad when the water color is green or deep yellow or dark; I won’t talk about undercurrent or vortices which probably make people stuck in water to suffocate; I won’t talk about people suddenly have a tic which makes them drown, either. What I really want to talk about is potential fear which can protect us from unexpected dangers. Maybe sometimes people with fear look a little bit cowardly, but it is exactly precious protection to them which is just ignored.Actually,you don't need to be brave always.

References
Moisse,K.(2012, May 14).Girl With Flesh-Eating Disease Can't Remember Events. abcNEWS. Retrieved May 15,2012 from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/girl-flesh-eating-disease-remember-events/story?id=16342276

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesh-eating_disease

Those family members in law

People always argue about whether they need to respect family’s opinions about a future mate. Although there isn’t a standard answer, Jennifer Hudson’s family’s tragedy gives obstinate persons who fall in hot love a warn.

According to “Guilty verdicts in Jennifer Hudson family murder trial”, Jennifer Hudson, a famous singer in American and a excellent actress who won Oscar reward in 2004 for her best performance in Dream girls, lost her mother, younger brother and her nephew at a same murder in 2008. After 4 years, the murderer was eventually convicted who was Jennifer’s brother in law. Balfour, who Jennifer’s sister don’t take care her family’s opposition to get married with, revenged on his estranged wife for her new relationship whit other man by shooting her mother, brother and son.

It is normal to start or end a relationship, but people never predict they will pay the cruel price like this to end a relationship. How do people introduce monsters into their life and family originally? Young people call for freedom for love, that isn’t to say, they can ignore family’s opinion. Some opinion come from parent’s prejudice about looks or wealth, which they can ignore; some opinion is about the person’s quality or personality which parent’s don’t agree, which they should pay attention to. At present, many young people spoil themselves on relationship. They would like to fall in love with different kinds of persons; however, what they don’t know is that it is easy to say “Hello” and “difficult” to say “Good-bye”. Just like Balfour, a violent and jealous man, when he had to face his marriage fail, he appeared what he really was-a monster. People go more night way, it is more probable to encounter a ghost. It is time to be responsible not only to themselves but also to their family. Find a lover with good personality, and they had better to make sure they really love each other when they introduce their future mate into family formally. We hope God can save those heinous souls; nevertheless, the only way to protect us from harm is to keep far away from them.

References
Guilty verdicts in Jennifer Hudson family murder trial. (2012, May 12). BBC News. Retrieved May 14,2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18043638

Freedom for every gay and lesbian

Nowadays, more and more people become a lesbian or gay. It is quite common in many countries. Are you a gay or lesbian? A lot of gay or lesbian rights advocates support that same –sex marriages should be allowed by law. Do you agree or disagree with that? Do you think that same –sex marriages means lesbian or gay get equal human rights? When I saw The New York Times, a headline named "Behind N.Y. Gay Marriage, an Unlikely Mix of Forces"caught my interested.

In “Behind N.Y. Gay Marriage, an Unlikely Mix of Forces”, the writers said that in the 35th-floor conference room of a Manhattan high-rise, two of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s most trusted advisers held a secret meeting a few weeks ago with a group of super-rich Republican donors. New York’s Democratic governor was determined to legalize same-sex marriage (SSM).

In my opinion, gay or lesbian should be allowed to marry in law. In the past, American adults refuted SSM, except in about ten states and the District of Columbia. Because of most Americans, marriage is a religious sacrament or ceremony. If the definition of marriage is changed to allow SSM, some religious individuals and groups feel that they will become at risk of having to infringe their beliefs by being forced to marry same-sex couples. However, the world is changed. More and more people realize that gay and lesbian should be allowed to get marriage. Marriage is hallowed, it conveys stateliness and respect towards a couple that make a lifetime commitment to support each other. It is not only a process of reproduction, but it also is a way that symbolizes a couple love each other, they want to live together. So, same –sex couples deserve this stateliness and respect. Moreover, getting marriage is one of kind human right. Everyone has right to marry the person who you love, no matter they are male or female. We should not forbid same-sex couples marriage. To sum up, gay or lesbian should be allowed to marry. You can disagree with them, but you should respect them.      

______________

References

Behind N.Y. Gay Marriage, an Unlikely Mix of Forces. (2011, Jun, 25). The New York Times. Retreived May 11, 2012 from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/nyregion/the-road-to-gay-marriage-in-new-york.html?ref=nyregion

Medical optimism

Do you believe modern medication has been so developed that many complicated diseases can be cured or efficiently controlled at some extent? When I was healthy, my answer was yes; however, the answer is no when I seek doctor’s help. We never cherish our health until we are sick because there are so many articles about new medical approach on newspaper or websites, which make us believe modern medication can save our health harmed by stress, overwork, drugs or abuse intercourse. Even when people get cancer unfortunately, they might still think they are far away from death if they saw the article “Stem cell shield 'could protect cancer patients'”.

In “Stem cell shield 'could protect cancer patients'”, James Gallagher tells us that there is a new way to relieve side-effect of chemotherapy for a patient with cancer. As we know, chemotherapy can not only suppress tumour cells but also harm stem cells which produce blood for body. If stem cells was isolated from bone marrow and was infected by a virus with a gene which will protect stem cells from damage caused by chemotherapy, patients would be more tolerate to chemotherapy and have longer life. The result of trials turn out it can work and the new way might apply in the related research where bone marrows are impaired by cancer treatments.

Although it is a good news, it can’t present that a cancer patient don’t need to worry. According to Wikipedia, Cancer mortality varies from 97% for pancreatic cancer to 6% for thyroid cancer. Hope for cure depends on the place where tumor appears. Meanwhile, another critical factor is cancer stage. Cancer is found later, there is less chance for cure. Therefore, a new way which can relieve side-effect of chemotherapy can’t change the situation, which is impending doom. A healthy person rarely suspects medical reliability until he gets sick. Mature medication can heal common diseases such as Flu, gastric ulcer and Pneumonia; nevertheless, some complicated diseases are still puzzles. It takes a long time from appearance of a new approach to maturity. No patient wants to be tried. Except some disease caused by inborn factors, most people probably know how to keep healthy in routine life to lessen chance for diseases. The ability of body to adjust and cure is better than any medication,so we should use our body's advantage.Let’s start to live a healthy life from now on.

References
Gallagher,J.(2012, May 9). Stem cell shield 'could protect cancer patients'.BBC News. Retrieved May 11,2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18007789

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cancer_mortality_rates"

Hollywood movie in Chinese political arena

I am not interested in Chinese political rumors or news because I always suspect that it isn’t true, until I find the news about Boxilai on BBC website, I start to believe it is really happening in China. In “Bo Xilai scandal: Key players”, the writer introduces seven persons who have close relationship with Bo Xilai’s career and family. Bo Xilai, who was the highest communist leader in ChongQin of China, was expelled from his position. His higher leader Zhouyongkang, who is a member of standing committee, was an assistant of the former president Jiangzeming and supported him at his back. The present premier of China Wenjiabao, who criticized Bo Xilai indirectly in a meeting, was thought to be a planner for his downfall. The other three persons are about his family, his wife, his son and a close friend of his family who was British national Heywood. Heywood’s death shocked Bo Xilai and his subordinate Wanglijun. Bo Xilai wanted to kill Wanglijun who knew about the whole thing. Wanglijun guessed he would be murdered so he collected evidences of the murder for exposing the truth. These people constitute Bo Xilai’s most social life, each of whom are powerful, or rich, or promising.

Maybe it is a little difficult to get evidence to prove what happened among them, but I guess there was an interesting story about power, sex and money just like the themes of many Hollywood movies. Bo Xilai, who’s farther founded the new China with Maozedong, was a new star with his own political proposition in Chinese political arena. He wanted to arrive to the top of political power in the followed years. His high-profile actions and ambition makes the present leaders uneasy, even the former president Jiangzeming who still powerful likes him and fears him. His political career is promising and tough, which make him have to prepare for the two possibility success and failure.

If he becomes the top leader of China, there would be nothing to worry about; but if he doesn’t, he would need to make up leeway, that is to say, he would need a lot of money to immigrate into other countries. Fortunately, he managed DaLian which is an abundant city and was the commerce minister which is a fertilizing position. He could get money in his power. Actually, he did. In order to transfer this money abroad he needed a foreigner to help him, so Mr Heywood appeared. He recommend Bo Xilai’s son go to study in a famous and expensive private school in British which was his alma mater Harrow. He helped Bo Xilai to get investment from foreigners and took brokerage. At their last deal, Heywood blackmailed them 200 million pounds of brokerage for helping them leave China desperately when Bo Xilai predicted his doom was impending, but they didn’t agree with each other. Heywood took some evidence for their business during more than 10 years. When he couldn’t be a friend of the family any more, what would the couple do to a person who knew so many their secrets? Let him shut up forever. The death of Heywood proved the couple did something to make them safe.

Except for Heywood, there were another ten persons who were murdered by the couple according to Bo Xilai’s wife confessed her guilt. Bo Xilai could make sure the family of the Chinese deceased couldn’t find a way to accuse him so he and his subordinates were not so nervous until Heywood was poised. Bo Xilai tried to kill his right-hand WangliJUN who studied Heywood’ death and deal with the body. The later wasn’t so silly to wait for death, he prepared many evidence for exposing Bo Xilai’s guilt. When he flee to American consulate for help he publish his collection, so Bo Xilai’s scandal about his career, his property ,his affairs and his family have being a top lines on newspaper or websites for several months. It is a simple story but the expectant parts are how to punish the murderers and how to deal with their huge property. As for his son, is he guilty? I don’t know. Maybe it is time to warn people don’t spend freely money justly and peacefully. No pains, no gains.

References
Bo Xilai scandal: Key players.(2012, April 25).BBC News. Retrieved April 26, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17752064