The house on the Hope Street; Danielle Steel. Love, Goodbye after 30 months?; John Harlow (Speak up)

REPORT OF A BOOK
• Bibliographic Reference
Danielle Steel, The House on Hope Street, New York, Dell, 2000
• Basic Story Elements
A. Setting
• When and where the story took place
The story took place in a city near to San Francisco, it's an actual story, because of the language that they
used, the way that they act and react, and they also mention cars of our time
• How the setting is important to the overall story development
I think that this story could take place in any place, because it doesn't matter the situation with the town.
B. Main characters
• Give a short description of each main character.
Liz: She is a strong woman who lost her husband, because an ex − husband of one client kill him
Jaime: He is Liz's son, he is a special boy, he is learning−delayed, but he is very special to Liz
Peter: Is the oldest son, and when his father died he became like a father to his brother and sister
• Plot
1) Identify the central problem or conflict in the story.
The central problem of the book was that Jack (Liz husband) was killed by the ex−husband of one of his client
(Amanda). So Liz had to be strong and work a lot to grieve and console her five children.
2 ) Identify the factors which complicate the problem or conflict.
The problem was that She didn't support well the family when she got in love of Dr. Bill, who was the person
that save Peter's life when she had a horrible accident that could have killed him. Her daughters didn't accept
him and taught that their mother was delaying their father, even he was dead.
3) Explain how the problem or conflict was finally resolved.
In my point of view the problem had been resolved when her daughters accepted that Liz wasn't doing
anything bad and if she had the opportunity to be happy with Bill, they had to approve their relationship.
• Personal Opinion
• Explain why you liked or disliked the book.
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I liked it very much, it was an easy book to read, the author wrote an describe everything with a simple
vocabulary. The only thing that I will change is that sometimes she took a topic or a problem for a long time,
and the story didn't progress.
• Mention something that you learned from reading the book.
Our parents have the right to be happy, if one of them die we have to support them to have other relationship
and start again, and of course be happy.
• To whom would you recommend the book? Why?
To one of my aunts who has already gotten divorced, now she is really depressed and reading this book would
help her to recover.
• Vocabulary
a) unwind
1.− It was just nice for Liz to hear her voice and unwind a little bit
2.− To free (someone) of nervous tension or pent−up energy.
3.− When I call my mom I unwind, because she was traveling and she didn't call before.
b) drifted
1.− It was another hour before he drifted in to ICU to see Peter
2.− To move leisurely or sporadically from place to place, especially without purpose or regular employment
3.−He didn't have anything to do, so he drifted to the city for 3 hours
c) tossed
1.− She set her feet down on the carpet, and tossed off the blanket she'd been given by the nurses
2.−To mix (a salad) lightly so as to cover with dressing.
3.− My sister is learning to toss herself lonely
d) berserk
1.− He played hardball with a man who went berserk over it.
2.− Destructively or frenetically violent
3.−My aunt is an attorney, and she is so berserk when she is in court.
e) winced
1.− Peter showed him the buttons and how to do it, and he winced as firth Jamie flung him up then down
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2.− Destructively or frenetically violent
3.−When I don't know how to do the things I winced because I'm not patient.
f) charm
1.− Jamie said honestly, which is part of his charm
2.− A particular quality that attracts; a delightful characteristic
3.−I wish your charm were more outgoing
g) swelling
1.−He just wanted to be sure all the swelling has gone down in his brain.
2.− To increase in size or volume as a result of internal pressure
3.− When I had an accident, I had to be in the hospital until my back swell.
h) disown
1.− I'd better get home before they disown me.
2.− To refuse to acknowledge or accept as one's own; repudiate
3.− If you see a good looking guy you might disown your boyfriend
i) innocuous
1.− Labor Day is kind innocuous
2.− Harmless; producing no ill effect
3.− After you broke a relationship the first days are innocuous to you
j) lurid
1.− They were just friends, and she was sure he had nothing more lurid in mind than what he has proposed.
2.− Causing shock or horror; gruesome
3.−That things that you are telling me, make my mind lurid.
k) hoodlums
1.−They're not all little hoodlums, you know
2.− A gangster; a thug
3.−Sicily is the town of the hoodlums
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l) idle
1.−But it was much more than that, it wasn't idle curiosity, or the hunger of two lonely bodies
2.− Not employed or busy
3.− I'm going to have an idle Friday because I wouldn't have school
m) hinting
1.−But that was not what he had been hinting
2.− A slight indication or intimation
3.− I'm not hinting when I say you have to do your bed
n) ravaged
1.− they were back half an hour later, and Liz looked ravaged.
2.− To bring heavy destruction on; devastate
3.− My mom was ravaged when she found out my dog dead
o) dusk
1.−And they view of the valley stretching endlessly before her at dusk took her breath
2.−The time just before it is dark
3.− I like to see the dusk in the beach
REPORT OF AN ARTICLE
• Bibliographic Reference
John Harlow, Love, Goodbye after 30 months?, Speak Up, 19 December 2001, 2
• Summary of Main Idea
According to the article, what we call love is created by chemical cocktail in the brain. The Professor Cindy
Hazan said that men and women are biologically and mentally predisposed to be in love for only 18 to 30
months. That is just long enough for a couple to meet and produce a child. By the time, couples have decided
that they are easy enough with each other to stay together. So, love becomes a habit.
The doctor said that people are addicted to the chemicals, that´s why the become romantics. They are in love,
or at least the chemicals make them think they are. But they can be shocked by how quickly they fall out of
love.
III. Personal Opinion or Reaction
The article reflects the reality because it´s so strange that somebody could be in love only for seeing each
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other, it´s obvious that something chemical is reacting right there. At first you think the other person is the
best thing it had happened to you, but then you realize her/his defects and that time is where you have to prove
if it was love or only friendship.
• Vocabulary
a) stark
1.− Couples face the stark, choice of breaking up or muddling along out of habit
2.− Harsh or desolate
3.− I had to face the stark when my grandma died
b) mate
1.− That´s just the time to meet, mate, and have children.
2.− To marry, pair for breeding, associate
3.− I´ll have to mate when I get married
c) doubt set in
1,− Nothing happened, but doubt set in
2.− Uncertainty, suspicion
3.− Doubt set in when my sister saw her boyfriend with other girl
d) crazy bundle
1.− I was a crazy bundle of hormones
2.− A number of things bound
3.− She was a crazy bundle of feelings, when she got married
e) nightmare
1.− And ended up like a nightmare
2.− A terrifying dream
3.− I couldn't sleep well because I had a terrible nightmare
REPORTS ON COMMUNICATION WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH
DATE
TIME SPENT
Jan. 9,
2002
37 minutes
MEANS OF
GENERAL TOPIC
COMMUNICATION
Internet address:
C. A. Universities, which
of those should I choose ?
LANGUAGE
DIFFICULTIES
My cousin corrected me
when I said: I´m just
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playing with you he said it
sounds better if I say I´m
just kidding
REPORTS ON OTHER TYPES OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES
• Description of the event or activity.
I read a poem
A Day at Time
A day at time I'm taking...
Looking deep inside of my soul...Searching for answers for my questions...
A day a time...
Walking through the path of Life...looking for the reason for my Own Existence...
It's Worthy...
Just Live Life...
Time is the Answer for everything...
A day at Time I'm taking...
Time showed me ...so much to learn so much to live for...
Only you can make every day be special in your Life by...
Taking a day at Time...
II. Summary of main idea
Time is the answer for everything, even if there is a problem you think you will not have solution, you will
find the answer looking inside you, everyday could be special but only if we want to, living is the best present
God gave us and we have to live it well, we have to look for the reason for our existence inside of our soul,
but only time will give the answer.
• Personal opinion or reaction
We don´t know how much time we have to live, we don´t know when we are going to die, so we have to live
as much as we can in all the senses, we are here for a reason, we have to look for it, and when we find it, make
it real, and then don't waste any time of our short life.
IV. Vocabulary
a) deep
1.− Looking deep inside of my soul...
2.− Situated far down from the surface
3.− I have a deep pain in my heart
b) worthy
1.− It's Worthy...
2.− Deserving
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3.− It´s worthy receiving a present if you are a good girl
c) showed
1.− Time showed me
2.− Demonstrate
3.− I showed my mom how to use the computer
d) inside
1.− Look deep inside of my soul
2.− Interior
3.− Let´s go inside!!!
e) searching
1.− Searching for answers for my questions...
2.− Looking for
3.− I´m searching for articles for my homework
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