Never Let the Fear of Failure Keep You From Living Your Life

Authors Note: The following piece is a district writing assessment that is analyzing a quote and how it can be used and applied in different circumstances.

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game”. Although Babe Ruth’s inspiring words are in terms of baseball, this quote can also apply to other topics such as school, other sports, or even activities such as singing and dancing. This quote said by Babe Ruth is one of the most inspiring quotes of all because it can be used in many different circumstances.

To start, every professional dancer or singer has faced challenges that got him or her to the professional state they’re currently at, but each one of them has faced a challenge and failed. If they didn’t have the courage and were too afraid to face those challenges, they would have never made it to the professional league.

Second of all, although school might be just the opposite of sports, this quote certainly applies to this circumstance as well.  Some subjects in school aren’t always the easiest for everyone, and if you’re learning a unit that’s very difficult that you don’t understand as hard as you try, don’t be afraid that you’re going to get the worst grade possible on the chapter test because the thought that you will fail will make you only do worse.

Lastly, not only does this quote specifically apply to the sport of baseball, but it can relate to almost any sport. Even though soccer is a team sport, there are times where you have to take risks and try to score to benefit your team to win. Although it’s frustrating when the ball doesn’t always go in the net, but it’s better to at least try than to not try at all.

In conclusion, this quote is inspiring in so many different ways and can be used in many different circumstances as well. “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game” states that it’s important to never let the fear of failure stop you, and if you fail, pick yourself up and try again.

What's the Real Cause of Common Colds?

Authors Note: The following piece is a research essay on the “common cold”. Questions such as what it is, how it is caused, if there are cures, and the difference between a cold and allergies will be answered.

As the common cold is spread throughout the world each day, a small amount of people actually know what it really is, what causes it, or if there are permanent cures. Many get sick and think it’s just a cold, but do they really know what caused it or even it wasn’t just a cold? It’s important to know about common colds because knowing more about the substances causing you to not feel well will only help you liberate the virus faster.

To begin, people are receiving colds year after year; most don’t know what a cold exactly is other than the symptoms. “The common cold is a self-limited sickness that can be caused by a number of different types of viruses” (Steven Doerr). Symptoms for most colds are coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, etc.  “A person is infectious with their illness starting the day before the sickness acts up, until a few days after they start feeling better” (Korsholm).The most known way of spreading and catching a cold is when the person who is sick touches their area around their eyes and nose because the virus could be on their hands also.

Second of all, “Cold's are caused by numerous different viruses, while allergies are caused by an overactive immune system” (Is it a Common Cold or Allergies?). The most important difference between common cold's and allergies is that colds don’t last longer than 14 days, so if the symptoms are still there after 2 weeks, it may be allergy symptoms.

Furthermore, “Although there are medicines at stores that are used to treat the symptoms for the common cold, they have little to no affect on the cold itself” (Szabo). There have been medicines tested in a Petri dish and many have been appearing as promising, but once tested on humans, unfortunately, the cold remedies start to fizzle off. The result to their experimenting shows that there are no permanent cures to the common cold.

In conclusion, the reasons discussed state why it's important to know everything about the sickness you have whether or not it's a common cold or allergies. Knowing what you have, what's causing your sickness or allergy, and how you can treat it is information that is useful for patients that are dealing with the symptoms of the common cold or allergies.

Evil Destroys Good

Authors Note: This following piece is a prediction on what will happen next in the book “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins. This piece also includes figurative language and a creative scene made for my prediction.

Within about 100 pages in the book “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins, Katniss and Peeta went on their “victory tour” throughout all 12 Districts for the congratulating of winning the 74^th annual Hunger Games. The Capitol is not pleased with Katniss and Peeta; the famous “star-crossed lovers” from District 12, because of the fact that they showed them off by acting as if their love was too powerful to lose one another in the games and both were allowed to win. I predict that President Snow will do something that will harm both Katniss and Peeta’s families to show that he has control over all districts and he’s not afraid to use it.

Here I sit in the tallest tree within the whole forest, a tree that could touch the moon, a tree that can look over the whole world. While I sit on this sturdy branch, I listen if anyone is near, but all I hear is the wind whistling throughout the air; responding that I am completely alone. As I gaze into my thoughts, I find myself drifting into sleep, until shortly after woken by a Gale screaming his lungs off down below. He says the Capitol has captured my mother, sister, and Peeta’s family and has them as hostage, sentencing them to death within a matter of days. 

I hastily climbed down the never ending tree and ran we ran as if we were a pack of lions catching their prey, not stopping until we’ve caught it. I don't know what my plan is, but I have to do something, so my only choice was to find Peeta and Haymitch. All four of us decided to drive to the Capitol in Haymitch’s avocado green car that smells like the strongest alcoholic drink known to man-kind.

Once we reach the Capitol, Haymitch finds a way to get around the guards surrounding the entire building, acting like they’re protecting the most valuable person or object that will ever exist. Just as we’re entering the building, we’re spotted. They take us up to the prison cells which looks and smells like the inside of a sewer.  About an hour after being locked in cells, I hear my name being called by a voice that I recognize; my mother. I feel like the happiest person in the world, like I actually have the hope to stay alive. In the middle of stating her plan to escape, a gunshot goes off and I see her eyes grow wider and drop to the floor on her knees, with a bullet through her back and a Capitol guard standing directly behind her with the gun.

In conclusion, this scene is similar to my prediction because the entire capitol is very upset with Katniss and Peeta, and will do anything to make sure their place of control and power in everyone’s mind stands at the top. Also, my ending is a hook because in the first book of “The Hunger Games” trilogy, Suzanne Collins left it as a hook. Overall, I vastly predict that President Snow will get back at the two winners from District 12.

Exclusive Scene

Authors Note: This following short response is a creative scene from the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. My main focus in this piece is the use of figurative language.

Here I sit in the tallest tree within the whole forest, a tree that could touch the moon, a tree that can look over the whole world. While I sit on this sturdy branch, I listen if any of the remaining eight tributes left in the game are near, but all I hear is the wind whistling throughout the air; responding that I am completely alone. As I gaze into my thoughts, I find myself drifting into sleep, until shortly after woken by an announcement from the Gamemakers.

“There has been a slight change in the rules. Two tributes can both win if they are from the same district. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

I hastily untied the rope attaching myself to the tree, climbed down, grabbed my things and ran as fast as I could, not knowing where I was going or how I was going to find him, but running as if I were a lion trying to catch my prey; not giving up until I catch it. After running for about 15 minutes, I’ve spotted him. He’s with the careers and looks like he’s scared to death, almost as if they’re going to kill him. I hide behind a bush, being as quiet as a mouse. I watch and listen to them as they plan how they’re going to kill him, so I shoot two arrows through both of them, each aimed right in the center of their hearts, and finally see both of them cease to the ground in immediate death. I sprint as fast as a cheetah towards the love of my life and rescue him from the ropes wrapped throughout his body, setting the one I intend to win the games with free, Peeta Mellark.

Responce to "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Field Below"

Authors Note: These following paragraphs are responses to questions regarding the mood and tone within both of the poems/ songs "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Field Below", and their message.

·          

     The meanings of the poems are that you should be happy with what you have at the moment because it won’t always be there.

·         The first song seemed happy the way she was singing it, but while reading it, it seems sad. The second song seems so much more depressed and the message is expressed through the tone and slowness of the music. 

      The mood in the first one almost seems as if she’s trying to sound happy, but the lyrics do not. The tone is making me feel happy too. The second song’s mood was depressing and made me feel sympathetic.

·          

      The first song did not relate at all to the poetry. The singer did not do a good job using emotion and taking the lyrics and expressing them through sadness in the music. The second song could relate a ton to the poetry because you can hear in her voice how she sounds sad and depressed. I feel that the singer in the first song did not do a good job using emotion and taking the lyrics and expressing them through sadness in the music. I though the singer in the second song did a much better job with her emotion and relating it to the poetry and message in the poem.

Character Description Rue

Authors Note: In this following piece, I will discuss the physical features and events that included one of the tributes for the Hunger Games named Rue, from the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins.

Within the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, Rue is one of the tributes picked from District 11. Other than the fact she has dark brown skin and eyes, she's very much like Katniss's little sister Prim. Also like Prim, Rue is twelve years old. She has a little body and is small in height as if she were an eight year old girl.

Shortly after Rue's name was called as tribute for District 11, volunteers were asked to take her place, but all that was heard was the wind winding throughout the air. Being the youngest tribute in the games, Rue was given a high score from the Gamemakers. As she showed off her abilities to the Gamemakers while training, she must have had impressive skills to her high score of an eight out of ten. Unfortunately, Rue is one of the last eight to die, although instead of being taken away covered in blood and with a spear through her, Katniss gathered flowers and spread them around and on her, signifying the loving sisterly relationship they had.

Rue

Within the book "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, Rue is one of the tributes picked from District 11. Other than the fact she has dark brown skin and eyes, she's very much like Katniss's little sister Prim. Also like Prim, Rue is twelve years old. She has a little body and is small in height.

Shortly after Rue's name was called as tribute for District 11, volunteers were asked to take her place, but all that was heard was the wind winding throughout the air. Being the youngest tribute in the games, Rue was given a high score from the Gamemakers. As she showed off her abilities to the Gamemakers while training, she must have had impressive skills to her high score of an eight.