Entry1_Đinh Thị Ngọc Chi

 Item 1: Story

Temper control 

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright. A natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on their team or project. But he was also self-centered and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those around him. Even friends. So, naturally, he had few. “But,” he told himself, “that just shows how stupid most people are!”Once upon a time there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright. A natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on their team or project. But he was also self-centered and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those around him. Even friends. So, naturally, he had few. “But,” he told himself, “that just shows how stupid most people are!”

Of course, those weathered oak boards in that old fence were almost as tough as iron, and the hammer was mighty heavy, so it wasn’t nearly as easy as it first sounded. Nevertheless, by the end of the first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence (That was one angry young man!). Gradually, over a period of weeks, the number dwindled down. Holding his temper proved to be easier than driving nails into the fence! Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He felt mighty proud as he told his parents about that accomplishment.

“As a sign of your success,” his father responded, “you get to PULL OUT one nail. In fact, you can do that each day that you don’t lose your temper even once.”

Well, many weeks passed. Finally one day the young boy was able to report proudly that all the nails were gone.

At that point, the father asked his son to walk out back with him and take one more good look at the fence. “You have done well, my son,” he said. “But I want you to notice the holes that are left. No matter what happens from now on, this fence will never be the same. Saying or doing hurtful things in anger produces the same kind of result. There will always be a scar. It won’t matter how many times you say you’re sorry, or how many years pass, the scar will still be there. And a verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. People are much more valuable than an old fence. They make us smile. They help us succeed. Some will even become friends who share our joys, and support us through bad times. And, if they trust us, they will also open their hearts to us. That means we need to treat everyone with love and respect. We need to prevent as many of those scars as we can.”

A most valuable lesson, don’t you think? And a reminder most of us need from time to time. Everyone gets angry occasionally. The real test is what we DO with it.

If we are wise, we will spend our time building bridges rather than barriers in our relationships.

• Rhetorical devices: Metaphor: 

each nail ~ each time the boy loses his temper

the holes on the fence after the nails are pulled out ~ the scars in people's hearts each time he loses his temper

the fence will never be the same ~ there will always be a scar if we say or do hurtful things in anger

• Message: If we hurt one's feelings in anger, there will be forever a scar in his/her heart and it will not be forgotten. Therefore, we should learn to control our temper better so that our daily relationships won't be badly affected.
• Source: http://academictips.org/blogs/temper-control/

Item 2: Poem

Life's a surprise

     They say, life can amaze you,

     For it can bring abrupt changes and turns

     But life is just a joyful ride

     For the one, who with experience learns.

     A dream, an ambition, it is all attainable, 

     All you need to do, is believe

     A hope, some faith, will find its way

     All you need is an eye, to perceive

• Rhetorical devices: 

Rhyme: turns ~ learns, believe ~ perceive 

Repetition: For (line 2 and 4), All you need ( line 6 and 8)

• Message: Life will be a joyful ride for people who are willing to take challenges and learn from mistakes. Because life is not just about joy and happiness, there will be changes and turns. All we  do is never give up hope, always keep the faith and feel the life in a positive way. 

• Source: http://www.wishafriend.com/poems/poems-about-life.php

Item 3: Photo 

• Rhetorical devices:

The man in picture ~ the miserable people at the very bottom of the society

Sticks taken from the wodden ladder: chances to escape from the situation or to get to higher position in the society

•  Message: People at the bottom of the society have to quit their chances to escape from the miserable situation or to get to a higher position in the society in order to survive.
• Source: http://kenh14.vn/kham-pha/cuoi-buon-the-gioi-voi-tranh-ve-biet-noi-201206111125545.chn