Shiyuan Li Essays - Marie Daulne, Walloon People, House Slippers

Shiyuan Li Communications Learn your heritage! I once heard someone say, "It is important to learn about your heritage!" ever since then, I have been keen on to searching and digging about who my ancestors were and what kind of future they have tried to provide for his descendants. In Deuteronomy from the Bible it goes, "Remember the Days of Old, consider the years of many generations: ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you." This passage not only inspired me, but also became a light that guided through my conversations with my elders. When I was younger, I had no interest in what my grandparents had to say to me. Afterall, they are just people who are living in a totally different generation and their advices are cannot be implemented the same way in a modern day context. But what I disregarded is that they have so much to offer to me; their success, failures, experiences. It was then that I started to converse with them. I learned about the wars, the floods, the catastrophes and triumphs. I searched and found that the house my father grew up in is now protected and cared by the government because of its heritage and significance. I learned that my late grandfather who loved me dearly but I never was able to speak to was part of the construction of the first Chinese nuclear bomb, and that his father was one of the most famous philanthropists during the Korean War who selflessly dedicated his wealth and resources into the country that he loves and identifies with. What I am trying to say is that knowing your heritage is one part of accepting your identity. Nowadays we all want find out who we are and achieve our goal, and a good sense of your heritage will help one find that. When I hear about what my ancestors have done to pave my future, I feel a sense of comfort that I cannot find from anything else. Heritage is like an inheritance that is worth far more than monetary value. This is an inheritance that sticks and stays by your side. I feel a sense of belonging and comfort, and it inspires me to draw closer to my family. Chinese families are really really big, and being the only family that is not in China makes it really hard for us. The connections that I have built with them has turned from "oh you are my relative" to "thank you so much for the contributions that you have made to make my life better." I am now able to talk about my heritage and values proudly, and I hope that I can continue to celebrate this great history of mine by conti nuing to preserve it for my kids. In todays world, much of our heritage has been lost either through wars or neglect. More and more arts and traditions are forgotten everyday, ones that will never be recalled from time. If we just put down whatever devices that has strangled us into this mobile society, and talk to our elders about their past and their family stories. Trust me it will be worthwhile.

Show, Dont Tell

Show, Dont Tell Show, Dont Tell Show, Dont Tell By Erin Anyone who’s ever written a short story or taken a freshman composition course has heard the words â€Å"show, don’t tell.† I know those words can be frustrating. You might not know exactly what â€Å"show, don’t tell† means. Or you might believe that you are showing when you’re really telling. While â€Å"telling† can be useful, even necessary, most people don’t realize how vital â€Å"showing† is to an effective story, essay, or even a blog post. Showing allows the reader to follow the author into the moment, to see and feel and experience what the author has experienced. Using the proper balance of showing and telling will make your writing more interesting and effective. â€Å"Okay, I get it,† you’re thinking. â€Å"But how do I do it? How do I bring more showing into my writing?† I’m glad you asked. Here are some tips that will help make your writing more vivid and alive for your reader. 1. Use dialogue This is probably one of the first things I talk to my students about when I have them write personal essays. Dialogue allows the reader to experience a scene as if they were there. Instead of telling the reader your mom was angry, they can hear it for themselves: â€Å"Justin Michael,† mom bellowed, â€Å"Get in here this instant!† Dialogue can give your reader a great deal about character, emotion and mood. 2. Use sensory language In order for readers to fully experience what you’re writing about, they need to be able to see, hear, taste, smell and touch the world around them. Try to use language that incorporates several senses, not just sight. 3. Be descriptive I’m sure everyone remembers learning to use adjectives and adverbs in elementary school. When we’re told to be more descriptive, it’s easy to go back to those things that we were taught. But being descriptive is more than just inserting a string of descriptive words. It’s carefully choosing the right words and using them sparingly to convey your meaning. The following example is from a short story I wrote. Telling: He sits on the couch holding his guitar. There’s nothing wrong with that sentence. It gives the reader some basic information, but it doesn’t create an image. Compare that sentence with this: Showing: His eyes are closed, and he’s cradling the guitar in his arms like a lover. It’s as if he’s trying to hold on to something that wants to let go. The second example takes that basic information and paints a picture with it. It also uses figurative language- in this case, the simile â€Å"cradling the guitar in his arms like a lover†- to help create an image. When using description, it’s important not to overdo it. Otherwise, you can end up with what I call â€Å"police blotter† description. For example: He was tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a red shirt and jeans, and a brown leather jacket. 4. Be specific, not vague This is another one I’m constantly reminding my college students about. Frequently, they will turn in essays with vague, fuzzy language. I’m not sure if they think this type of writing sounds more academic, but all it really does is frustrate the reader. Instead of writing, â€Å"I had never felt anything like it before in my entire life,† take the time to try and describe what that feeling was, and then decide how best to convey that feeling to the reader. Your readers will thank you for it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientCapitalization Rules for the Names of Games40 Idioms with First