JULIO'S WORKS( 1 TO 8)

FLUENCY EXERCISE #1
JULIO ROA
INSTRUCTOR: MR. LEVERETT
CARBONDALE
The first time I came to Carbondale, I was wondering how friendly people were and who my friends would be in class. I also wondered if my English was going to work in a real situation. In my opinion, Carbondale is a very small city, quiet and friendly. As a student I feel very good because the city is not big and there are not a lot of cars and noise, above all. Before coming to Carbondale, I was looking for some information about it and my first impression was that the city was very small and most of the students are from Chicago, which is six hours by train. Many things have changed since I came to Carbondale. First, I don't have many friends and I have to spend most of the time in my room.

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FLUENCY EXERCISE #2
JULIO ROA
INSTRUCTOR: MR. LEVERETT
BUYING ONLINE

Using the Internet for business has become very popular among buyers. Today many people prefer buying or ordering online their products of interest. Buying or ordering online takes you little time and gives you better prices sometimes. Nowadays, you don't need to go the stores to get what you want to buy, you just need to sit at the desk of your computer and order or buy your product or relevance. Using technology helps you save time and money as well.
Nevertheless, there are many things you have to avoid doing when you are shopping online. For example, some people might ask you to give the pin number of your credit card. Then, you can also have problem with delivery or mystery charges on your credit card. I am not an expert on business online, but you have to be careful when doing business on the net. Make sure the company is safe and try to get information about it, above all.



FLUENCY EXERCISE # 4
JULIO ROA
INSTRUCTOR: MR. LEVERETT

CELL PHONES AND USERS IN TROUBLE (TECHNOLOGY)

Cell phones have become very important in communication. Today many people craving for having the best and most expensive cell phone. Cell phones are essential in peoples’ lives. They play a key role in companies, schools, universities and families. On the other hand, cell phones can also get you in trouble. Sometimes, they ring when least expected. Frequently you can see that cell phone rings interrupt classes. Many teachers regularly tell students to turn this phone off when classes are being taught. Nonetheless, many do not turn these phones off causing interruption to the class as well as students’ distraction.
Today many places warn you to turn off the phones at the entrance by putting up a big sign saying, “ Please turn off your phone”. Some people prefer not turning the phones off. For example, in my case I don't like to turn it off because my family might call me for some emergency going on. Also, many things have happened when phones are off. For instance, some people have gotten stuck in the elevator and phones might not work because of the line interruption that is caused when you are inside of the elevator. Another example is when an accident happens; and you need to call the hospital or someone to help you out.
Many people are alive because of the cell phone. The cell phone has saved their lives in many ways. The cell phone is extremely significant.




FLUENCY EXERCISE # 5
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
JULIO ROA
INSTRUCTOR:MR. LEVERETT

FOOD IS DELICIOUS AT EL SESTEO RESTAURANT ( BY JULIO ROA

EL Sesteo restaurant is a very popular restaurant in the city where i live. Many people like to go to El Sesteo because the food is really appetizing. If i could go now, i would order beef on the grill, which is delicious. Unfortunately, everything has two sides. You need to have much money with you because food is very classy and expensive. Some people usually go when theycelebrate an important event, birthday party or social gathering. The other point is that if you like dancing, you can't. They offer just slow music and it is very loud. Young people do not like going to El Sesteo because they say El Sesteo is boring and is just for old people, even though they do not doubt that the food is mouth- watering. They also say that you need to have cash in your pocket or you might end up doing the dishes.




FLUENCY EXEECISE#6

JULIO ROA

INSTRUCTOR: MR.LEVERETT



MY EATING CULTURE




In my country, some people enjoy eating by using their fingers instead of the spoon. They say that food’s taste is mouth-watering when using their fingers. Nevertheless, other people say that is rude and disrespectful, using their fingers instead of the spoon. People usually like to have big portions instead of quality. Families usually eat wherever they want to, no matter if there is a dinning room. The place is not a problem. Nevertheless, some people like eating all together like a real family. Customs change from one family to the other. In my family, portion is very important, and when were kids, we used to fight for big portions. Today, we care about big portions, but we have grown up and fighting would not be a good idea. When visit someone, there is a strong chance that you will be invited to eat; it is not appropriate to refuse their invitation, because they might believe you don’t like to eat what they eat or you eat better food. If you eat in a friend’s house, you will have to eat with that friend, specifically in his house. Eating in his house is like a reward for being friendly.



FLUENCY EXERCISE #7

JULIO ROA

INSTRUCTOR: MR.LEVERETT



HOMEWORK AND YOUTUBE



Many people say that two things cannot be done at the same time. Let me tell you that I like to type my writing homework and to listen to music or to watch videos in YouTube. I found it calming and relaxing. According to my experience, there are some aspects to take into account when doing homework and listening to music or chatting. First, adjust the volume and be sure you don’t have to interpret any text. Make sure you are not doing something that demands you to reflect your point of view or make comments. Loud music will not help you to focus on demanding homework. I also like listening to some music after a long class, because it makes me relax and puts me under sedation. Some teachers say it is not good to be doing two things at the same time. Today many students like doing both things and have a great time. For instance, a friend of mine says he can not study if he doesn’t listen to rock music. He says that he feels like music makes him alive and also makes him feel like he is not tired. Technology is so amazing that we as students or people cannot avoid using it. A few years ago, if you wanted to see videos you had to go to the movies or any other place. Today technology gives you an easier life. Sometimes homework is difficult, but you don’t even know it or see it because you are working under music’s effects. It is incredible how many things have changed so far.


FLUENCY EXERCISE #8
JULIO ROA
INSTRUCTOR: MR. LEVERETT

RICE PUDDING

I have to be very honest to myself and accept that I don’t know how to cook. Nevertheless, being in the United States has taught me a lot of stuff about cooking. As the saying goes, “ Necessity is the mother of invention”. So, today I am going to share with you one of the recipes, which is my favorite, rice pudding (Arroz con leche). The first thing you need is milk, rice and some condensed milk. After having all these ingredients, you are ready to start. First, put rice in the rice cooker with some water. Do it in the same way you cook your rice. When water is absorbed and rice looks soft, put some milk on it. Then wait until the milk is absorbed to some extent. Finally, add some condensed milk. Some people like eating it when it is hot. But other people prefer putting in the refrigerator and getting it frozen. This is really up to your taste. Normally, rice pudding is eaten as a dessert and it very edible, especially during the holy week. As you can see, the procedure does not take up your time and the whole procedure is only takes 35 minutes. When eating rice pudding you will see that it is worth your effort. Wish you the best. Enjoy arroz con leche.

Stevie Wonder

I am going to introduce one of my favorite musicians. His name is Stevie Wonder. He is an African American. When he was born, he was already blind because he was born two months early. In 1963, when he was 12 years old, he had his first album. He had an obstacle, but he became very famous. He had special skill for music. His hearing is better than that of other people. This is a good advantage for a musician, but in his life blindness has made him very sad. He has a daughter. He want to see her with his eyes, so he decided to have an operation, but he only had 15 minutes for watching her. Some people say, he had a poor life but he thought that he was lucky, because if he wasn’t blind, he wouldn’t know music.

Music

Music
I’ve heard a lot of rock bands in the bars around Carbondale. There are some that I liked and some that I disliked. One thing that I will admit is that they really do know their instrument. If you want to succeed in the music field, you have to set up a band to get experience with the public. Most of them do that because they have to. They grow in the underground world and get more experience, as they need to be professional. They sing going bar to bar to express themselves and share their music. It is a necessary thing that anyone should do if they want to do music as a job. I would like to do that, but I still have some long way to go. In Carbondale here, they are not too many. Music in general is a treasure that we had as a gift and we use that to show our feelings, emotions and often pass a message to the public.

Rock music in Carbondale

When I had imagined about the U.S.A., I usually thought about Harley bikes and people who were wearing leather jackets and drinking a beer in the bar. I could hear heavy metal in the bar, and many people enjoyed a loud music in my image of there. However, when I went to the bar in Carbondale, it was different from my thought. Many people were just students, and they did not seem to really care for loud music, like heavy metal. Furthermore, not really many people enjoyed the rock band’s music. They were chatting with their friends and drinking a beer to enjoy the time, or the others were watching sports, like the Super Bowl. I felt a weird feeling how people can hang in a place that loud. It is totally different from my country’s culture.

Band music

I have been to the bar many times to watch and listen to band music, because of my friend. He is an SIUC student, and I met him at a party. Actually I was not interested in band music before I met him. However I was getting interested in band music and I like that music now. He is a singer in his group, but he is not nly singing but also playing guitar. In my opinion they are really good band, because they can make listeners dance and shout. I do not remember theother band group's name, but they were really good at play drums. When I was in Korea, I did not have any experience like that. It was my first time to listen and watch in front of me. That makes me shake my body, even if I do not know.

A Bar in Carbondale

I went to a bar whose name was ‘Copper Dragon’ and heard a rock band two weeks ago. It was the first time to hear a rock band in a bar, though I had heard one in Japan. The rock band had already started their performance when my friends and I went there. There were many people and they danced and jumped. We also did the same things and really enjoyed ourselves. However, I felt scared in one scene. I didn’t know the detail but I guessed one guy hit another person’s body or stepped on the person’s foot accidentally. Both of the guys were drunk and it was easy for them to get angry. One person who was hit raged suddenly and he hit the guy and they started a fight. Some security guard came to them and they were taken outside. When I saw the scene, I decided I should not drink too much. We can enjoy drinking and dancing in the bar, but the bar might be a place where people have a fight.

Music; rock band

I have seen rock bands twice at the bar in Carbondale. When I saw the rock band the bar was almost dead, even though it was Saturday. They were a U2 cover band. I like one of their songs. We paid to get in the bar, but they didn’t sing the song that I like and there were no people at the bar at the night. Second time, I went to the sane bar. That time they were not a cover band, they were a real band, Lucky Boys Confusion. It was very cool and there were many people at the bar. It was very packed, and people were dancing and drunk. I met some friends there too. It was fun drinking, dancing and chatting with friends and boyfriend. When we were among the packed people in front of the stage, people were dancing innocently and intensely. We were holding the drinks so we got soaked. It was fun, but it was very intense. The bar had pretty big space at the1st and 2nd floor and stage, so I like the bar.

Rock bands in Carbondale

On Friday night, I usually go out with friends. Around this area, there are only bars which we play at, so I usually go to a bar. Copper Dragon is one of the bars around here; I have been there twice. It is a bar where bands play music, so we can drink while listening to music. I have never been to this kind of bar in Japan, so on the first time, I was really excited with my friends. In this bar, usually copy bands play rock music and sometimes real rock bands come to play. Fortunately, on my second time, I could listen to a real rock band playing music. When real bands come here, the bar is packed with many people, so it is hard to get a ticket to get into the bar. To get the ticket, my friends got a ticket in line for me; finally I could get one. When we got there, lots of people had already come already, so it was very hot inside and it was hard to find a place where we could see the band. At first, we sat down on the second floor and listened to the music which they played, while drinking. However, to get more excitement, we went downstairs and then went near the stage. Most people were drunk, so sometimes drinkers had trouble, but we enjoyed ourselves with them. I think having enjoyment with people who I do not know is a good point on this bar.

Famous musician who had trouble with fame

I want to talk about famous musician who is Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is in the world of famous pop stars as his music is still popular. But since 1988 his sexual harassment event has risen. Until 2004 he had been troubled with sexual harassment; finally he came to appear in court. His verdict was not guilty, but he already lost his fame seriously. There were some controversial issues about whether some people had targeted Jackson’s money or not. However, victims of Jackson’s sexual harassment were about a hundred people; also, Jackson’s one picture of shaking his baby on the terrace was issued. Then, he paid a lot of money for mutual agreement and court fee. His verdict was innocent, but his image damage was inevitable. I just know that he just has time to rest now. I think that his music will not come for a long period of time. I hopefully will listen to his music soon, because his music was nice. -Moon-

Fluency Exercise #6-Love story

One of the musical stories I have heard is Liangzhu. It is about a love story. In old China, every three years a lot of teenagers went to the capital of China, Jing City (which is called Beijing now), to take an examination and if they passed, they could work in the government. The top three would be honored to talk about the economy, the military and the future of the nation with the emperor. One of the teenagers was named Shanbo who was not very smart and not rich but hard-working. Another is Yingtai who was a girl, but in old China the girl was not allowed to enter the classroom or even the examination room. One day Yingtai was reciting poetry, which make Shaobo hear and admire. From that day they lived together and studied together, but Shaobo did not know Yingtai was a girl and regarded her as a brother. Fire cannot be folded in a paper box. Shanbo found out Yingtai was a girl at first he hated her because she lied to him, but later they fell in love. When Yingtai`s father knew this, he opposed the match of his daughter and Shanbo because Shaobo was not from a rich or famous family. Then he forced her to get married with a rich man`s son who was stupid. After Shanbo heard the news, Shanbo died of extremely grieved. When Yingtai received the death of Shaobo, she despaired and wanted to see his tomb. As she was crying in front of gravestone, a light suddenly came out of the grave and Yingtai jumped into it without any thinking. Later, there was a couple of butterflies that came out. They were playing and having fun. They are free now, and nobody would bother them or separate them. This story describes a moving but sorrowful love story. So many lovers want to be the same as them to love each other.

the most romantic thing

Phoebe
EAP2 WW
Mr. Leverett
Fluency Exercise #6
April 16, 2008
Music
I have listened to a song; it is a Chinese song whose name is the most romantic thing. It’s a popular one in China, because it is created from a moving love story. Every time I listened to it, I felt there is a blissful atmosphere around me; I was moved by it. The story is about a couple of lovers; they met in the 1950s, and they were introduced by their parents. At first, they didn’t like each other. However, as time passed, the man fell in love with her, and did lots of silly things for her, especially signed a guarantee whose content was, “he will love her all his life, his sight will be all of her only, and send her to her office every single day, raise their children and love them, do the dirty and hard household duties by himself, etc”. This is not a joke; after they married, the man did this every day for about 50 years. When they were getting old and retired, he took her to the beach; they saw the sun set together and walked along the beach talking and laughing. Finally, she said that she got happiness for her whole life. He smiled and said, “the most romantic thing I can imagine is loving you.”

The Famous Thai Song

I really don’t know about a story that is set to music in my country. However, we have the most famous song that I think everybody knows. “Ton Mai Kong Por” or “Father’s tree” is a popular song for Thai people. We sing this song to celebrate our king a long time ago, but this song is still famous even now. The meaning of this song compares the Thai King to a tree, which can give a shade to Thai people. The Thai people love our king very much, because the king planned many useful things for Thai people, such as solving poverty, improving education, and developing infrastructure, etc. He is not only a head of the state, but also spiritual leader of Thai people. This song is popular because of its meaning. In addition, this song is famous because of the singer. His name is Thongchai McIntyre. He has been a very famous singer in Thailand for more than twenty years. Moreover, the company that composed this song is the biggest company in Thailand. This company has the power to promote this song and make this song famous nowadays. If you go to Thailand, I promise that you can hear this song everywhere.

Touching People’s Heart

I have listened to a lot of songs from pop music to classical music, from old songs to newest songs. There is a song, which is touching my heart even now. A few years ago, a serious disease “SARS” spread in Asia. At that time, all the governments in Asia tried to control this disease and pacify people’s concern. When people worried about this disease and lost their life goal, there was a group of people who tried to help the governments and people, because they thought they could influence our society a little if they did something. These people were Chinese pop musical singers. So, all the singers in Chinese pop music area thought that they should do something for people, but there was only one thing that they could do to help us, and that was to sing a song. They developed a new song against SARS, and its name is “Hand in Hand”. Also, the producer assembled 87 singers to sing this song. The purpose for this song was to let everybody know that they shouldn’t worry, and everybody would get together and fight hand in hand against SARS. The lyric tried to encourage people and ask people not to give up because there were still a lot of friends that who were always beside us. When I listened to this song, it was really touching in my heart. I think not only me but also all people may be touched when they listen to this song.

One of the musical stories.

There are a lot of musical stories in this world; some of these stories are sad stories, and some of them are nice and happy stories. I am going to tell a famous sad story from Saudi Arabia, and this story has appeared in musical stories. there is a couple in Saudi Arabia; they always take care of each other, and they love each other so much; espically the girl loves her husband so much, and they have two kids, one boy the other is a girl. Also in the afternoon they always go to the farm so they can help each other clean the farm and take care of the horses and feed them. These horses are very good horses, and the women loved these horses so much too. One day the women wakes up in the morning so she can go to the farm and see the horses. After that he went to take his gun, because he thought that someone wanted to steal the horses. Then he went outside and the woman had covered herself because it was cold that night; from far away he pointed the gun at his wife's head and killed her, without knowing that she was his wife. After he went there and opened her cover, he found that he had killed the most important person for him, because they loved each other at very high level that would amaze people. After that night he told the world that the singer should sing it. He explained in the song how he was hurt from what happened and what h did that night. This story become very popular in Saudi Arabia and they made a movie for this couple too.

A Famous Musician who had trouble with her fame

I know a famous musician who had trouble with her fame. She is Britney Spears. Before she got married, she was the top pop singer in the world. She was pretty, sexy and gorgeous. But she got married to a dancer, had two sons, and stopped singing. During the marriage, she didn’t look happy. She gained a lot of weight and her husband spent her money a lot in parties or something like that. So, she always fought with her husband and finally she decided to get a divorce, although she got pregnant. After the divorce, she acted like a crazy person. She almost dropped her son, and sometimes she didn’t wear her pants or underwear. And she always went to the club for enjoying parties. So her husband took the babies from her. And then, the situation got worse, because she acted like a mentally deranged person. She cried in front of many people, shaved her hair by herself, attacked paparazzi and her mom, and wore strange clothes. So, now people don’t think she is a gorgeous person; this is sad.