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In the book, "Educated" Tara goes to Brigham Young University, and decides to learn more about history. She then learns about important events in the past like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement. She is fascinated and wants to explore more about history and how people have evolved from generation to generation. Her essays became so good that she got accepted a scholarship to Cambridge University and she was completing her phD in history. She was also a visiting fellow in Harvard. I can somewhat relate to Tara because I am also interested in history like her, and have always thought that learning about important events in our past can help us not to make the same mistakes and to improve as a society.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's mother is a midwife, which means she helps pregnant women give birth at home or in another place besides the hospital. Since Tara's family grew up living isolated and away from society, her mother has always been known to use herbal medicines to treat and cure patients and to help her kids get better from illnesses or fevers. She never uses hospital medicines/drugs and believes that people who take them will have kids who are deformed. Tara thinks this because she was raised with herbal medicine and has always thought drugs to be a menace and a trick into getting money from people. When Tara takes a pain pill for the first time after getting an earache, she realizes that nothing bad happened to her and that the drugs actually work. She realized that her mother was lying to her and that hospital medicines and drugs do actually work, sometimes even better than herbal medicines. I obviously can't relate to this because I have always taken regular medicine, and have never used herbal medicine.

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Minutes: 35
Pages: 72
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused and was very interested in the book's characters and plot.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's parents finally agree to visit her at Cambridge University. She walked through all of her classes with them, and talked about all the different subjects she was learning about. Her father, however, had different things to say about them. When they were at a restaurant, her father started babbling on about world conspiracies. "We waited for the food, and Dad asked about my classes. I said I was taking French. That's a socialist language, he said, then he lectured for twenty minutes on twentieth-century history. He said that Jewish Bankers in Europe had signed secret agreements to start World War II, and that they had colluded with Jews in America to pay for it. They had engineered the Holocaust, he said, because they would benefit financially from worldwide disorder. They had sent in their own people to the gas chambers for money." This quote shows how Tara's father has all of these conspiracy theories that make no sense, and Tara couldn't believe she used to believe him. After finally educating herself about these topics in college, she thought, "It's astonishing that I used to believe all this without the slightest suspicion, I wrote. The whole world was wrong; only Dad was right." This shows how Tara's personality changes because she now knows that her father is wrong, and that now she knows what is right and what is wrong. Her perspective on her father has changed because she now knows that he has made up these strange conspiracy theories in his head and taught them to her and her siblings.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's memories of reading books when she was younger was reading books about God. Any other form of literature was banished and not relevant. When she arrived at college, she didn't know that there were so many types of literature and topics of anything that you would want to learn about. She spent hours reading about Burke, which her father would not approve of because he defended the British Monarchy. "Because Burke had defended the British Monarchy, dad would have said he was an agent of tyranny. He wouldn't have wanted the book in the house. There was a thrill in trusting myself to read the words. I felt a similar thrill in reading Madison, Hamilton, and Jay, especially on those occasions when I discarded their conclusions in favor of Burke's, or when it seemed to me that their ideas were not really different in substance, only in form." This quote shows how Tara's perspective on reading books that was not about God. She realized that these authors were not thinking as differently as she would have thought. Her family raised her to think that books that are not about God are bad, but when she left to learn for herself, she realized that her family was not always right, and that books that are not about God can also teach valuable lessons.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara goes to college and takes the class Psychology 101. She attends this class to learn more about the world around her and to educate herself in different topics, because she couldn't do it before. In this class, she learns about the term 'bipolar disorder'. The symptoms included depression, mania, paranoia, euphoria, and delusions. Tara is shocked, because right as she hears those symptoms she thinks of her father. She believes that this is the disorder that her father has because he doesn't trust the government and believes society is a conspiracy. "It was in thise state that I heard the term bipolar disorder. I was sitting in Psychology 101 when the professor read the symptoms aloud from the overhead screen: depression, mania, paranoia, euphoria, delusions of grandeur and persecution. I listened with a desperate interest. This is my father, I wrote in my notes. He's describing Dad." This quote is showing how her perspective changed about her father, and how she has always thought her father to be right and the world to be wrong. Now she knows it might be the opposite. Tara's personality changes because she has a new perspective about her father might having bipolar disorder. Her relationship also changes with her father because she now knows that he might be crazy sometimes and might not do the things a normal person may do.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara has finally decided that she will leave her family in Idaho and go to college at Brigham Young University. She knows her family might never accept her if she goes to college, but she goes anyway because it is what she is passionate about and what she has worked hard for. When Tara arrives, she is not familiar with the way college and dorms work. When it was always quiet in Idaho, it was always loud here, with people talking loudly outside, the cars honking, the dogs barking. Tara is frustrated with her roommates as well, because they dress inappropriately, which means that they wear dresses above their knees, which Tara's family thought was a sin. I can't relate to this because what Tara's roommates know is what I know. I grew up in a regular society and not isolated like Tara's, so I would not be unfamiliar with my surroundings.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's family has always used natural and herbal medicines to treat injuries and illnesses. Her mother was a midwife, and she has always used herbal treatment for pregnant women, and so it became normal for them. One day while she was with her friend Charles, she got a massive earache. She took a herbal medicine her mother had given her that contained lobelia and skullcap. However, it doesn't work right away, and takes a couple of days for the herbs to heal the ache. Charles had a better idea, and gave her two red pills. He said that they were normal and that people take them for pain. Tara's mother had always told her that if she took those pills, her kids would turn out deformed. Since she could not stand her earache any longer, she took the pills. Twenty minutes later, she was okay, and the earache was gone. "Twenty minutes after I swallowed the red pills, the earache was gone. I couldn't comprehend its absence." This shows how Tara now understands that drugs are used for when people have aches and pains, and that they do not cause harm when taken properly.

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"To see Shawn plunge, grasping at air." (Educated, p. 146)

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"To see Shawn plunge, grasping at air." (Educated, p. 146)

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Word: Grasping
Denotation: taking, holding, trying to hold
Connotation: trying to breathe

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show what it looked like to Tara when she saw Shawn's injury. When Shawn gets injured by a farm machine, he gets hit in the head really hard, and Tara could see a tiny part of his brain. This is her when she is in the hospital, reliving the past hour when she Shawn hurt. It added a sense of character development because we know that Shawn is a bad brother to Tara because he verbally and physically abuses her when things don't go his way. Tara still cares about her brother even after all the horrible things he has done to her. The author wanted to show that through this scene. We learn more about the plot, and how Tara is somehow relieved when she sees that Shawn is hurt, after the years of torturing her while nobody was there.

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Minutes: 35
Pages: 69
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused and I have been learning a lot more about th characters in the book.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara needed a perfect score in order to pass a class and not need to retake it. To do this, Tara studied and learned about the topic, and took the test. he knows it is a long shot, but it is her only chance at being able to go back to school the next year with at least half a scholarship. This motivated her to make sure that she gets a perfect score. The next day, she saw her score, which was a perfect 100. S I can relate to her because I understand that if you study and work efficiently you can earn a good score on your test.

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"Something broke in me, a dam or a levee. I felt tossed about, unable to hold myself in place. I screamed but the screams were strangled; I was drowning." (Educated, p. 137)

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"Something broke in me, a dam or a levee. I felt tossed about, unable to hold myself in place. I screamed but the screams were strangled; I was drowning." (Educated, p. 137)

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In the book, "Educated", the piece of figurative language includes both metaphors and personification. I know this because in the phrase 'something broke in me' is a metaphor, because the author is saying that something broke in her mentally, so it is a metaphor. Another phrase is 'the screams were strangled' is personification, because the author made it seem like her screams were human-like and saying that her screams were doing human-like things like screaming. This quote is effective because it helps the reader understand how Tara is feeling when her parents take one-third of her savings and tell her to move out by Friday to go to college. Tara is shocked, because she spent years earning all that money from local jobs and working on the farm. The author included this piece of figurative language to show how Tara feels when she gets one third of her savings taken away and has to find a place to stay, get food, and make a living for herself in a week. It helps me picture Tara frightened and angry at her parents, and her parents thinking that this is the right thing to do.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's family is very strict over clothes, making sure that they don't show too much skin. In the summer times when the weather gets too hot, Tara rolls up her sleeves. Her father looks at her and tells her to roll her sleeves back down because it looked innappropriate. Tara was confused, because how was it innappropriate to roll up your sleeves when it is burning hot outside. Since Tara has been working all day, she didn't understand how her father could ask her to keep her sleeves down. While I understand her point, this has not specifically happened to me, but from the character I can learn that Tara is starting to understand that her father is not always right.

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Minutes: 35
Pages: 92-195
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused and I am really interested in the book's plot and characters. I am also beginning to learn more about the different characters in the book.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara has always worked on a farm and worked on jobs that required her to get dirty. This meant that she wore big overalls and jeans where it didn't matter if it got dirty or not. She did not have as many nice clothes, but it didn't bother her because she never realized she needed nice clothes. One day, on her way back to the farm from college, she realized that the clothes she wore when she was working did not fit her as nicely as other clothes did. She went to the store and bought a pair of women's jeans and two t-shirts. When she put them on, she felt immodest, because you could see the curves of her body underneath the clothes, making her feel uncomfortable because she knew she liked the clothes fitting that way. "When I put them on, I barely recognized my own body, the way it narrowed and curved. I took them off immediately, feeling that somehow they were immodest. They weren't, not technically, but I knew why I wanted them -- for my body, so it would be noticed -- and that seemed immodest even if the clothes were not." This quote shows how Tara's personality has changed once she left for college, because it shows how she cares about the way her body looks to other people and that it is okay to wear clothes that make you feel confident. She wears it outside with her friend Charles, and her brother looks at her with disgust, asking how she could ever wear such scandulous clothing such as a pair of women's jeans and a t-shirt that showed the curves of her body. Tara's personality changes because she knows that her wearing these clothes isn't a sin or something wrong, and that her family are the people that are wrong.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara leaves her family in Idaho to go to college at Brigham Young University. When she joins her first class in Western Art, she is confused by the pictures that she is looking at, so she raises her hand. When she asks what the word, "Holocaust" meant, everyone was shocked. She didn't understand why everyone was shocked, because she didn't know what a serious topic it was for someone to not know about. After class, she searched the word up and learned about the brutal mistreatment of the Jews and other people who the Germans thought were unworthy of living. Tara is shocked, for how could she not know that such a horrible event as the Holocaust existed? Her parents only talked about one event, the Boston Massacre. In some ways, the word  “Holocaust” wasn’t wholly unfamiliar.  Perhaps Mother had taught me about it when we were picking rosehips or tincturing hawthorn. I did seem to have a vague knowledge that Jews had been killed somewhere, long ago.  But  I’d  thought  it  was  a  small  conflict, as the  Boston

Massacre,  which  Dad talked about a  lot,  in which half a  dozen people had been martyred by a  tyrannical government.  To have misunderstood it on this scale—five versus six million—seemed impossible." This shows the character development that Tara went through after she learned about the Holocaust, because her whole life, she has always thought that her parents were the ones who were right against the whole world. Now, looking at all these events that she never learned about, she feels angry at her parents and feels foolish to have ever asked that question during class.

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Minutes: 35
Pages: 1-92
How I felt reading today: I am very interested in the book's plotline, and I felt very focused as well.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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Date Started: May 9th, 2022
Date Finished: May 12th, 2022

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"I  was starved for sleep by the time  my first roommate arrived." (Educated, p. 195)

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"I  was starved for sleep by the time  my first roommate arrived." (Educated, p. 195)

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Word: Starved
Denotation: someone suffering from hunger
Connotation: lack of something (in this case, sleep)

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show how Tara is not accustomed to her college dorm because of the lack of silence and the bustling sounds of the public. It shows how she is lacking of sleep because of the endless noise she hears from outside of her dorm room. The phrase portrays new information about Tara, and how this new adjustment must be huge for her. We learn more about Tara from this phrase because we can see how the noise from outside is clearly affecting her sleep. She was not in the dorm room long before her first roommate arrived, and even then she started to suffer from a lack of sleep.

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"The  chirrup of crosswalk signals, the shrieking of sirens, the hissing of air brakes, even the hushed chatter of people strolling on the sidewalk—I heard every sound individually. My ears, accustomed to the silence of the peak, felt battered by them." (Educated, p. 195)

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"The  chirrup of crosswalk signals, the shrieking of sirens, the hissing of air brakes, even the hushed chatter of people strolling on the sidewalk—I heard every sound individually. My ears, accustomed to the silence of the peak, felt battered by them." (Educated, p. 195)

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In the book, "Educated", the piece of figurative language includes both personification and metaphors. I know part of the quote contains personification because Tara is describing her new surroundings after she left her family to go to college. She describes as nonliving things to be very noisy and loud, and gives them human qualities. For example, "The shrieking of sirens, the hissing of air brakes..." Another type of figurative language used is a metaphor. I know this because in the quote it states, "felt battered by them" which means that she feels worn down by all the sounds by her college dorm. It is effective because it shows how uncomfortable Tara is when she first moves away from the silent farm where she grew up in, to the loud, noisy public by her college dorm. The author included this piece of language to show how Tara is not used to this much noise and people in one area. It helps me picture Tara getting annoyed with all the sirens, people talking, loud cars, and other noisy things that keep her awake at night.

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In the book "Educated", Tara is conflicted whether or not leaving her family for an education is right. Since her family has never believed in school, she still has doubts on if going to college is a good idea. I can understand what Tara is going through, even if her situation is more extreme. If your family believes in something and teaches you the same morals and beliefs, you are more that likely to believe in it as well. That is what Tara was going through when she was planning on leaving her family for college. She did not know what college was going to look like, and whether school could be trusted or not, like her family said.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara talks about how she had no education as a kid because she grew up isolated and her dad did not believe in schools or the government and thought they were a huge conspiracy. So one day, Tara decided she wanted to go to school. She didn't go yet, because she had to take the ACT to go to college. She taught herself math, reading, writing, a little bit of science and history, etc. The first time she took it, she didn't get a good enough score, so she studied more and learned more about math and reading. She used as many resources as she could, while they were limited. The second time she took the ACT, she scored higher than a 27, which led her to be accepted into college. While I cannot relate to Tara, I can picture what the character was going through and all the hard work it took to study and learn new things at such an older age that she would've learned sooner if she had been placed in school.

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"I knew that my memories were not memories only, that I had recorded them, that they existed in black and white." (Educated, p. 294)

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"I knew that my memories were not memories only, that I had recorded them, that they existed in black and white." (Educated, p. 294)

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In the book, "Educated", the piece of figurative language is an idiom. I know this because of the phrase 'black and white', which means clear and easy to understand. It is effective because it shows how Tara is cannot distinguish between fiction and fact, because when she tells her father about her brother Shawn being abusive towards her, he doesn't believe Tara. Tara has always listened and believes in whatever her father says, so when he says this, she is astounded. She cannot tell whether she was hallucinating or if it was real. The author included this piece of figurative language to show Tara's internal struggles of realizing that her father does not believe her when she says she is being abused and mistreated by her brother Shawn. It helps me picture Tara's father telling her that Shawn would never do what she said he did and that she has been taken by Satan.

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Minutes: 25
Pages: 297-Finished
How I felt reading today: I was reading the final chapters and the conclusion of the book, so I felt focused and curious to see how the book ends.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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"I looked at Kami and felt a tightening in my chest." (Educated, p. 263)

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"I looked at Kami and felt a tightening in my chest." (Educated, p. 263)

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Word: Tightening
Denotation: to make tight or tighter
Connotation: nervous, scared

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show how embarrassed and nervous Tara was when she sees her brother Richard's wife see how Shawn was abusing his wife. Shawn left his pregnant wife out in the cold and locked her in a room. She was finally found, and everyone in the family room was arguing, and Kami was staring at all of them. It showed how Tara was embarrassed of her abusive brother and how she never wanted Kami to see her family like this. We learn that Shawn is left off easy and that Tara wishes she could change the way Shawn is.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's parents believe that Tara has sinned, and that she has been taken over by Lucifer and Satan. This is because earlier, Tara accused Shawn, her older brother, of verbally and physically abusing her, which he did. Tara's parents don't believe her however, and believe that she is lying. Tara's parents decide to visit her one last time to see if she would complete the ritual to cleanse herself of her evilness. Tara doesn't accept, because she realizes that her family just wants to cleanse her of herself, not of her evilness, and that they haven't accepted the fact that she goes to school and is learning new things everyday and contradict their beliefs. I cannot relate to this because my parents believe in the education and government system. From the character, Tara, I learned that she had to refuse her parent's offer because she has accepted who she is.

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In the book "Educated", Tara is always seeking approval from her father, and nobody else. She has always listened to her father and has believed that it if was her dad's word against the world, she would choose her dad's word. Her dad believes that the government is a conspiracy and that hospitals should be distrusted. When she arrives at college, she is conflicted. She has always thought that her dad was right and the whole world was wrong. When she igues out that the government is not a conspiracy and that school is actually a place to educate yourself and learn new things, Tara is confused. She doesn't want to think her father is wrong, and she can't seem to change her way of thinking like her father, because that mindset has been placed in her brain. I can somewhat relate to Tara because I also believe in what my father believes in, and when the world has a differing opinion, it's hard for me to accept that.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 216-297
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused, and I have almost finished the book.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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Goal #5: Stay focused the whole time while reading. 

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Goal #5: Stay focused the whole time while reading. 

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I believe this goal will help me increase the amount of reading I accomplish in a period of 30 minutes because it will challenge me.

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"Mother didn't even kick off her shoes, just rushed to the kitchen and began shuffling pans to fix a real dinner" (Educated, p. 149)

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"Mother didn't even kick off her shoes, just rushed to the kitchen and began shuffling pans to fix a real dinner" (Educated, p. 149)

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Word: Shuffling
Denotation: walking by dragging your feet without lifting them fully from the ground
Connotation: to take out

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show how hard her mother is working after her father got into an accident that left most of his body burned and bruised. It added more information about how life with Tara's family is going. We learn that Tara's father did not get off the couch for 2 whole months because of his accident. Tara had to leave college for a while to stay with him while he got better. Tara's mom was working very hard, making salves for her husband instead of working on her herbalist business and taking care of the farm. Since she needs help with all of these things, she called Tara back home to help for a while. From this scene, we learn more about the plot as well.

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"I had seen dad lose his temper and shout at every one of my brothers." (Educated, p. 143)

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"I had seen dad lose his temper and shout at every one of my brothers." (Educated, p. 143)

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In the book, "Educated", this piece of figurative language is an idiom. I know this because the author used the common phrase, "lose his temper", which means to get angry. It is effective because when the narrator describes her brother Shawn, she talks about how their dad had yelled at every one of her brothers, except Shawn. It helps me picture Tara's dad getting mad at her brothers and shouting at them, but when it is Shawn, he is the only one that walks away as if the conversation did not affect him in any way. It helps me understand Shawn's personality, and how he chooses not to listen to his father if he didn't want to.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara goes to college against her father's wishes. He believes that college and going to school is a big conspiracy and should not be trusted. Tara does not believe this anymore, and goes anyway. In this situation, I would do the same, because I believe in it. Even though I might have a different mindset and different thoughts, I would still stay true to myself and do whatever makes me happy. When Tara goes to college, she learns of all of the things that her father said were untrustworthy, and she realizes that she spent her whole life thinking that her father was right and the whole world was wrong. But now she knows that the way society works now might be right and her father is wrong.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara had a friend named Charles, who was the only person she knew other than her family. They went to the movies together, went to restaurants together, etc. Her brother, Shawn, is very abusive towards Tara, and one day, Shawn notices when Shawn seems to be violent towards Tara. Tara shrugs it off, and says it was just a joke. I do not understand where Tara is coming from here, because I would tell Shawn if I was ever in that situation. This is a serious situation, and since Tara's family doesn't believe her, she needs someone that believes her and might be willing to put an end to it.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 135-216
How I felt reading today: I was very focused, and I am learning a lot more about the character's struggles.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read more than 70 pages.

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"Given the choice between letting it play out, and having Tyler there to stop it, I'd have chosen to let it play out." (Educated, p. 119)

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"Given the choice between letting it play out, and having Tyler there to stop it, I'd have chosen to let it play out." (Educated, p. 119)

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Word: Play out
Denotation: Playing outside, having fun
Connotation: To allow something to progress naturally without interferring.

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show how Tyler, her brother, had protected Tara from her other violent brother, Shawn. Shawn was verbally and physically abusing her, and Tyler stepped in and stopped him. It added a sense of relief in the story, because Tara did not deserve everything that Shawn did to her, and it was a relief that Tara had been saved. We learn that Shawn is not a good person at all, and that he has been verbally and physically abusive towards Tara. Tyler has come back from college, and he has walked in to this situation, and helped Tara. Tara feels embarrassed about what happened, and she said she would have rather let it play out than let Tyler see what Shawn was doing to her.

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"I imagined Shawn on a white gurney, the life leaking out of him. I felt such a wave of loss that my knees nearly buckled, but in the next moment I felt something else. Relief." (Educated, pg. 127)

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"I imagined Shawn on a white gurney, the life leaking out of him. I felt such a wave of loss that my knees nearly buckled, but in the next moment I felt something else. Relief." (Educated, pg. 127)

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In the book, "Educated", this piece of figurative language is an idiom. I know this because the author is narrating how she figuratively felt when her parents had told her Shawn had been admitted to the hospital. (Even though Tara's family does not believe in hospitals.) It is effective because it shows how deeply Tara cares for her brother, but also relief, because she knows that he is not a good person. The author included this piece of figurative language to show her conflicting emotions about her brother. On one hand, he was her brother, and on the other hand, he was very violent towards her. It helps me picture Tara feeling terrified and feeling a wash of relief. I can understand that if she goes to Shawn, she might not feel pity for him after all the terrible things he has done.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara and her brother Tyler both have a passion for learning. Since Tyler was taken out of school at a very young age, he was always wanted to study and learn more about different subjects and the world. Tara learns from her brother and starts to learn by herself, in secret. Both Tara and Tyler are fascinated by education, and how their father does not believe in the school or government system, and thinks it is full of socialists. I believe I can understand how learning about new thing can spark a passion for them, because all they have ever known is farmlife and being isolated from society.

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In the book, "Educated", Tara's dad does not believe in the government or the way society is run today. He believes the government is full of socialists that deceive and trick us into paying for things. He did not allow his family to go to hospitals, restaurants, or even school. Tara has never gone to school, and she knows only the basics of math and reading. All of her siblings, including herself, were born at their house. Their mother is a midwife and an herbalist, meaning that she creates medications from natural herbs. This is unfamiliar to me, obviously because I go to school, I was born in a hospital, and my parents believe in the government system and do not think that the government is a conspiracy. I learned that Tara's childhood was very different from everyone else's, because she has never been too far out of her small town, where all the other kids go to school and classes.

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Minutes: 20
Pages: 96-134
How I felt reading today: I was very interested in the book and the plot, and how the author narrates her own story.
Did I meet my goal: No, I read 38 pages, but I did not have 30 minutes to read.

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Date Started:: April 27th, 2022
Date Finished: May 8th, 2022

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In the book, "Clockwork Angel', James Carstairs was born in Shanghai were a demon killed his parents and shot him with poison when he was young. When he grew very ill, the Silent Brothers tried to figure out a cure, but could not. So, they turned to the last resort, which was yin fen, a demon drug that would prolong your life, but also destroy it at the same time. This resulted in Jem's addiction and dependence on the drug. Jem would have to take a drug for the rest of his life, which would be killing him and saving him at the same time. I definetly cannot relate to the character, but I did learn something from him. It is that, even though he depends on a drug, he still chooses to not let it define him. Even if the drug prolongs his life, he knows that it destroyed him too.

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Minutes: 25
Pages: 68
How I felt reading today: I did not feel as focused today, but I am still enjoying the story and its plotline.
Did I meet my goal: No, I did not at least 70 pages, I read 68.

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In the book, "Clockwork Angel", Henry Branwell is married to Charlotte Branwell, who runs the London Institute. Since Charlotte is very leader-like and takes charge, Henry is left with his gadgets. He is always making something new, and is always working on new ideas and inventions to create. He is sometimes more on the reckless side, and he does not pay attention to the things around him when he is working on his projects. The Clave, (the government system), believes that Henry is reckless and does not pay attention to important things. I cannot relate to Henry because I do not have a fascination of gadgets or how those things work. I almost always pay attention to the things around me, even if I am reading or working. I do not get distracted very easily like Henry does, but I learned from this character that it is okay to be interested in things and to put effort and hard work into whatever you enjoy.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 74
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused reading today. I read a couple more pages than I usually read, and I am very interested in the plot of this book.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read more than 70 pages.

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Goal #4: Read at last 70 pages in 30 minutes

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Goal #4: Read at last 70 pages in 30 minutes

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I believe this goal will help me increase he amount of reading I accomplish in a period of 30 minutes because it will challenge me.

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Date Started: April 5th, 2022
Date Finished: April 26th

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In the book "Clockwork Angel", the main character Tessa Gray is very fond of reading. Since this book is set in the 1870s, she reads novels such as "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Little Women". She believes that reading and words are important because you can always learn more from them. I can relate to the main character because I also enjoy reading, and I believe that reading helps you learn new information and new perspectives on certain things.

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Minutes: 25
Pages: 68
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused, and I am understanding the characters more.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read 68 pages.

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Tell me about an interesting topic that is present in your book. What have you learned about this topic/idea? What are you still wondering about this topic? How has this topic impacted your story (the characters and/or the plot)? (What about Will)

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Tell me about an interesting topic that is present in your book. What have you learned about this topic/idea? What are you still wondering about this topic? How has this topic impacted your story (the characters and/or the plot)? (What about Will)

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In the story, "What about Will", an interesting topic is present. It shows how one event can change or break an entire family, and that sometimes, that family can't be fixed. When Will gets into an accident during a football game and has to get surgery, he is left with a facial tic, depression, and pain. He has to constantly take medications for his facial tic and his trauma. This accident causes Will and Trace's parents to divorce. Their mom goes away to join her former band, because that has always been her dream. Their dad was left to take care of them, but was always working to get extra money. Will starts acting out, abusing drugs, stealing, and hanging out with the wrong people. Trace is conflicted on whether he should protect his brother or tell his dad about Will's behavior. This topic has impacted the story because this is the whole plot. Will does something bad, and Trace protects him even though he knows what Will is doing is bad, but he blames himself.

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"I never thought I'd get sick of that question." (What About Will, p.2)

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"I never thought I'd get sick of that question." (What About Will, p.2)

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Word: Sick
Denotation: ill, unwell
Connotation: feeling sad, depressed

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show that Trace feels guilty for the accident that Will experienced that left Will with a facial tic for the rest of his life. The scene describes when Trace was about to get in trouble and he blamed in on Will and said, "What About Will?". After his accident, he never thought that he would ever feel bad about that question. This phrase added a sense of sadness and confusion, because it is still the beginning of the story and the reader does not know that Will will get in an accident yet. We learn that Trace feels guilty about what happened to Will, and that the plot is to help Will with his drugs and stealing.

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"But sometimes when trouble was staring at me and I wanted to aim it in a different direction, I'd rile Will up until he blew." (What About Will, p. 1) 

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"But sometimes when trouble was staring at me and I wanted to aim it in a different direction, I'd rile Will up until he blew." (What About Will, p. 1) 

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In the book, "What about Will", this piece of figurative language is an idiom. I know this because the author is literally saying that when Trace knows he is about to get in trouble, he finds a way to blame it on Will. "But sometimes when trouble was staring at me and I wanted to aim it in a different direction, I'd rile Will up until he blew." This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand what Trace was like before Will's accident. When Trace was about to get in trouble, he would blame it on Will so he wouldn't get in trouble. The author included this piece of figurative language to include a flashback from before Will's accident. It helps me understand how terrible Trace must feel when Will gets injured, because he probably feels it is his fault.

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In the story "What about Will", Cat is a girl baseball player, which results in everyone underestimating her and thinking that she can't play just because she's a girl. She proves everyone wrong however, when she helps her team win an important game. I cannot relate to the character because I do not play any sports where I am better than everyone else, but I do understand how it feels to be underestimated for my abilities in certain areas.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 72
How I felt reading today: I felt very focused and was very interested in the book I was reading. I did read a lot of pages today as well.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read 72 pages.

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Date Started: March 30th, 2022
Date Finished: April 4th, 2022

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In the book,"What about Will̈", Trace is stuck between protecting his brother from getting into trouble, and telling his dad about the terrible things Will has been doing. Trace feels that protecting his brother is more important, even though that isn't right in this case. I can't relate to the main character because the first thing I would do is tell my parents, because I would not want my sibling to go down that bad path. I would want to stop that as soon as possible before it gets worse. I would not think about the consequences if I told on my sibling, because I'm telling to protect them.

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Minutes: 35
Pages: 62
How I felt reading today: I finished the book
"What About Will̈", and I really liked that book. It had a very interesting plotline and talked about real issues that families deal with.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read more than 60 pages.

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Goal #3: Read at least 60 pages in 30 minutes

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Goal #3: Read at least 60 pages in 30 minutes

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I believe this goal will help me increase the amount of reading I accomplish in 30 minutes, because it will push me.

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In the book, "What about Will", Trace's baseball team has a new player named Cat. Since she is a girl, the team doesn't take her seriously until she starts to play, where she shows how good she really is. I can relate to Cat because when I joined a basketball team a few years ago, the team consisted of all boys, and I was the only girl on the team. I had to work harder to prove that I was just as good as them.

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Minutes: 35
Pages: 102
How I felt reading today: The characters in the book have still not gone over that climax yet, and so the plot is still advancing.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read more than 50 pages.

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In the book, "What about Will", Trace and Will's whole family splits up after Will's brain injury. Their parents get divorced, they are always left alone, and Trace doesn't get the attention he deserves from his parents. I can't relate to this because my parents always give me and my brother the attention and recognition. From the character's experience, I have learned that it is hard to get the attention and needs from your family if they are broken up.

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Minutes: 15
Pages: 54
How I felt reading today: I was very focused today, and I am really invested in the plot. I have learned more about the characters and  I feel I can predict what is going to happen.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I read more than 50 pages.

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In the book, "What about Will", the two brothers Trace and Will were best friends. Will never looked down on Trace and Trace has always looked up to his older brother Will. Will has always been smart, athletic, and nice. However, during a football game, he gets knocked out cold, and results in a brain injury. Then, Trace's whole life turns upside down. His parents have divorced, Will has drugs for his anxiety, depression, and his aggression he can't seem to control. Will starts to hang out with the wrong people and does the wrong things. This scene was unfamiliar because I could never imagine what it must have been like for Trace and Will to go through all of that. I learned through the character's experience that one event could change someone's life forever.

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Date Started: March 17th, 2022
Date Finished: March 30th, 2022

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In the book, "City of Heavenly Fire", the sixth book in the Mortal Instruments series, Clary has to defeat her greatest enemy, her brother Sebastian, who was born with demon blood inside of him. Since Clary did not even know she had a brother until recently, she does not feel remorse or sympathy for him, even though she should. Even though she plans on killing him, I think she should feel a little bit of sympathy for him. This is unfamiliar to me because I would how sympathy towards my brother, because he is related to me. Clary is the opposite, however, because she chooses not to be sad or feel remorse when she tries to kill Sebastian. I learned that Clary is very strong and will do anything to help her Shadowhunter world.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 58
How I felt reading today: I felt focused, and I was very interested in the book.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, my goal was to read at least 50 pages.

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I believe this goal will help me increase my reading stamina and will allow me to finish the book in a short amount of time. 50 pages in 30 minutes will allow me to have time to comprehend what I'm reading.

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"They gave him a dry history that described French involvement, Communist involvement, American involvement...."

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"They gave him a dry history that described French involvement, Communist involvement, American involvement...."

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Word: dry
Denotation: free from moisture, parched
Connotation: unexciting, dull

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show that Terry really wanted to help his father, but when he read books about the Vietnam War, it gave him cold, hard facts and a dull history without any opinions or about people's experiences or feelings. It added a sense of understanding because we can see that history books are not very close as to how people felt during that period of time. History books only stated the cold, hard facts, which is not what Terry wanted. He wanted to find someone or something that he could use to understand why his father was acting that way and how he could fix it. We learn that Terry finally asks his father about the war, because he can't seem to find anything about people's experiences.

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"He knew almost nothing of the war, and when he tried to find out about it, he kept hitting walls." (Stop the Sun, p. 1)

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"He knew almost nothing of the war, and when he tried to find out about it, he kept hitting walls." (Stop the Sun, p. 1)

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In the story, "Stop the Sun", the author is using an idiom to describe how Terry's research on the Vietnam War is going. I know this because a common phrase for saying they came to a point where they cannot progress further is "he kept hitting walls". This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand that Terry keeps reaching dead ends when it comes to his research. He cannot find anything that is helpful enough to understand what his father is feeling or how to help him. The author included this piece of figurative language to show how every time Terry researches about the war, he still hasn't found anything that could relate to his dad's experiences. It helps me understand that Terry loves his father and does not like to see him hurt or scared. Terry wants to do everything in his power to help his dad get rid of his bad memories of the war.

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In the story, "Stop the Sun", I can relate to the main character. When the main character was concered about his father because of his condition, he tried to find anything that could help him understand what his father went through during the Vietnam War. I can relate to this not because of the war, but because if I were in his shoes, I would do the same thing. I would research and try to find or come up with solutions to help his father as well. In conclusion, I can relate to the main character, Terry, because if I was in his shoes, I would also do everything in my power to help his dad.

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What theme is seen throughout the story? Support your answer with one piece of evidence. 

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What theme is seen throughout the story? Support your answer with one piece of evidence. 

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In the story, "Stop the Sun", a theme is seen throughout the story. Throughout the story, Terry is concerned about his father because he keeps remembering his experiences in the Vietnam War. When he does, his eyes leave him. This means that Terry's father is experiencing flashbacks from the war. The story shows scenes where Terry searched for cures or anything that might help him understand what it was like for his father during the war. When he finally asks, he realizes that his father might not be able to recover, but that was okay. He would just try harder and would not be embarrassed of his father when his eyes go away. In the story, it states, "He understood only that he didn't understand and that he would probably never know what it was really like, would probably never understand what truly happened. And maybe his father would never be truly normal. But Terry also knew that it didn't matter. He would try to understand, and trying would have to be enough. He would try hard from now on, and would not be embarrassed when his father's eyes went away. He would not be embarrassed no matter what his father did." This quote reveals the theme of the story, which is that you sometimes can't understand what people are goin through, and sometimes you won't be able to fix it, but all you have to do if try your hardest and live with th fact that they may never be able to recover.

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In paragraph 2, the author writes that what really bothered Terry was when his father's eyes went away, what do you think this phrase means? (Stop the Sun)

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In paragraph 2, the author writes that what really bothered Terry was when his father's eyes went away, what do you think this phrase means? (Stop the Sun)

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In the story, "Stop the Sun", the author writes that what really bothered Terry was when his father's eyes went away. "They knew what caused it. When it first started, Terry had asked his mother in private what it was, what was causing his strange behavior. 'It's from the war', his mother had said. 'The doctors at the veterans' hospital call it the Vietnam syndrome." This quote supports why his father's eyes sometimes go away. I think this phrase means that he suddenly loses focus, and that he remembers his experiences during the Vietnam War. When his eyes go away, he pictures himself back there, and he goes still and loses focus in whatever he is doing. We can infer that he still has still not recovered from the war, and that is causing him to have severe flashbacks.

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Why do you think the author started the story by describing Terry's problem? What effect does this have on the reader? (Stop the Sun)

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Why do you think the author started the story by describing Terry's problem? What effect does this have on the reader? (Stop the Sun)

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In the story, "Stop the Sun", the author started the story by describing Terry's problem, which is when his father's eyes leave him sometimes when he remembers his experiences during the Vietnam War. I think the author started the story like this to tell the reader that Terry has a problem and it can be inferred that he plans on solving it. "He was on the edge of being a good athlete, which meant a lot to him. He felt it coming too slowly, though, and that bothered him. But what bothered him even more was when his father's eyes went away." This leaves an effect on the reader because the reader can infer that the story will be based on Terry and how he wants to figure out why his father's eyes leave him sometimes. The reader can see that it bothers Terry when his fathers eyes suddenly go away, no matter what he is doing. Terry feels bad for his father, and wants to know how to fix his problem.

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Minutes: 15
Pages: 25
How I felt reading today: I was finishing up my other Padlet posts, and I had about 15 minutes left to read. I felt focused while reading today.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the entire time while reading.

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In this section of dialogue, the main character, Aleena, is upset with her new adopted brother Hakeem. He created a mess in Aleena's room, causing her to get upset. When she told her mom, she said that he has to learn on his own. The reader starts to understand that the main character did not realize the amount of work she would have to do to get Hakeem to understand and listen to her rules. This scene is important to the plot because in the beginning of the story, Aleena was excited to spend time with her new brother, and that they would never have any problems. In this scene, she understands how wrong she really was. This scene is also important because it advances the plot. Aleena went from loving Hakeem all the time, to getting annoyed and upset with him because he kept making a mess or doing something wrong. The reader can infer that Aleena believes that Hakeem shouldn't get a pass at eveything, and that he should be disciplined once in a while. The reader can also infer her feelings about Hakeem will soon change towards the end of the story.

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"I knew, there must be people out there who experienced the same things I did - the cold pain of others, the sting of rejection...." (My Immigrant American Dream, p.7)

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"I knew, there must be people out there who experienced the same things I did - the cold pain of others, the sting of rejection...." (My Immigrant American Dream, p.7)

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Word: sting
Denotation: prick, wound, injure
Connotation: being hurt emotionally, the bad judgement of others, etc

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrse to show how the main character understands that other people also went though the same negative experieneces as her. This adds a sense of relief and pity because she is relieved that there are people who understand what she went through, but also pity, because it is not a wonderful experience to go through. We learn that the main character finally understands that she should be proud of her culture, and shouldn't listen to those who judge, ridicule, or insult her. She should stand beside people who have experienced the same thing and stand up for themselves. We learn that the main character has grown since the beginning of the story, because she matures and understands that not everyone will accept her. She understands that she will have to fight for her rights if neccessary.

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"But adults, I was quickly learning, could be judgemental and cruel, predujiced and bigoted. (My Immigrant American Dream, p.7)

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"But adults, I was quickly learning, could be judgemental and cruel, predujiced and bigoted. (My Immigrant American Dream, p.7)

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Word: Bigoted
Denotation: refuses to accept the members of a particular group
Connotation: unfair, judgemental

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show how the main character percieves some adults after her experiences in the United States. It added a sense of understanding, because she finally understood that there was never anything wrong with her, there was something wrong with the way other people judged her. We learn that the main character finally understands that some people just don't accept other people because they are different, and so those people should stand up for themselves and demand the same rights, because in the end, we are all people. We learn that this is when the character grows out of her insecure self and embraces who she really is and not letting anyone else's judgements get to her.

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Main character, her father, store employee, police

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Main character, her father, store employee, police

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In this section of dialogue, the main character talks about her first experiences when first moving to the United States. She describes the scene where store employees spoke to her father as if he didn't know English. She also describes a time when one other classmates insisted on calling her Ganesh because of the religion she believed in. Police officers would question whether or not she was in the country legally. The reader starts to understand the injustice and unfair treatment that the main character and her family are experiencing. The reader also understands that the main character and her parents came to the US for her dad's job, and to also have the same rights as men. This piece of dialogue is important to the story, because it shows how the main character did not expect the US people to treat her and her family this way. She believed that she would be treated as anybody else, not as someone foreign or different. It moves the plot forward because the main character's story of how she fit in the US advances because she went through one of the big stepping stones of fitting in. The reader can infer that the main character thinks this is totally unfair, and that she and her family should be treated equally.

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Date Started: February 14th, 2022
Date Finished:

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Date Started: February 11th, 2022
Date Finished: February 14th, 2022

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Miss Vera Brown, a woman, and her students

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Miss Vera Brown, a woman, and her students

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In this section of dialogue, the students of Miss Vera Brown decide to visit her because she has not been coming to school recently. They find out that Miss Vera Brown has recently gotten very ill, and that she barely gave them a flicker of recognition when they walked into the room. THe reader learns why Miss Vera Brown has not been coming to school and that her condition if very severe. This piece of dialogue is important to the story because it shifts to the climax of the story. The story starts to change because Miss Vera Brown has gotten sick, so she can't be their teacher. It moves the plot forward, because the plot of the story is advancing.

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Main character, Brooke, and the old woman, p. 8)

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Main character, Brooke, and the old woman, p. 8)

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In this section of dialogue, the main character found Brooke, her half-sister, after she had run to find the Oak Creek Monster. When the main character finds her, she is sitting in an old woman's house. When the old woman says to Brooke that the main character is a wonderful sister, Brooke says that they are only half-sisters. The old woman in turn says, "Look at the sky. Sure, there's a half-moon tonight that we can see, but the full moon is always there. We see the mooon because as it revolves around the Earth, only the part facing the sun is visible to us. Most times we only see a part of a thing, but then there's always more to see, more to know." The reader understands that the author's purpose of the old woman was to connect the two sisters, and realize that just because they are half-sisters according to science, that there is always more to know about each other. This is important to the plot because the old woman brings the two sisters together. It motivates the two sisters to bond and care about each other because they realized that they were both wrong about being angry at each other. It moves the plot forward because it brings the story almost to an end. The reader can infer that after this scene, that the main character and Brooke will soon become sisters, caring and understanding each other.

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In the short story, "Half-A-Moon", I can relate to the main character. The main character is at camp with her little half-sister, and she is being bullied by the other campers because of her weight. The main character did not say or do anything to make them stop. She just stayed quiet. I can relate to the main character, because I have seen other people being rude to my little brother, and I never do anything. I just stand there and don't sa anything. I can understand what the main character is feeling when she doesn't stand up for her half-sister.

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" I look back at Brooke, who is standing in the same place, like a stone." (Half-A-Moon, p.6)

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" I look back at Brooke, who is standing in the same place, like a stone." (Half-A-Moon, p.6)

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The author is using a simile to describe how Brooke looks like. I know this because it compared Brooke to a stone using the word 'like'. This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand that Brooke is not very comfortable around other people and that she is even more uncomfortable dancing around other people. The author included this piece of figurative language to show that Brooke is not a perfect rich child that the main character's dad left her for. Brooke is also scared of what other people might say or do to her when she is having fun. This phrase helps me learn that Brooke is not very comfortable around other people because she is afraid people will bully her, and that the main character starts to feel sorry for her.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 41
How I felt reading today: I am advancing more into the plot and I am learning a lot more about the main character and her interactions with other people.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, I was focused the whole time.

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In the short story, "Half-A-Moon", I cannot relate to the main character. The main character is heartbroken by her dad leaving her when she was little for another girl that was born. When the main character and the little girl who her dad left her for both came to camp, the main character can't help but feel jealous of her deaigner bags and her name-brand clothes. I cannot relate to this, obviously because I have not experienced what the main character has experienced. I also cannot relate to feeling hate for my sibling, whether it's a half sibling or not.

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"Finally we reach the top floor and my heart is hammering in my chest." (Home, p.2)

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"Finally we reach the top floor and my heart is hammering in my chest." (Home, p.2)

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Word: Hammering
Denotation: strike, beat, hit
Connotation: pulse quickens, heart beating faster

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show how the main character is feeling after she has been running up the stairs to the top floor. It added a sense of relief and exhaustion, because the main character is obviously happy that she doesn't have to keep running up the stairs, and exhausted because she did. We learn that the main character is running up the stairs to see the boy that is adopting as her brother. She was obviously very excited to see him, and so she raced up the stairs to see him.

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"I braided my hair before I left so that if it rains, my hair won’t stand on top of my head, making me look like I got electrocuted." (Half-A-Moon, p.1)

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"I braided my hair before I left so that if it rains, my hair won’t stand on top of my head, making me look like I got electrocuted." (Half-A-Moon, p.1)

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The author is using two pieces of figurative language in this phrase. I know this because the author uses personification to describe the hair on top of her had and a simile when she is describing herself as looking electrocuted because of her hair. I know the first part is personification because the author says, "my hair won't stand on top of my head". This is personification because the author is describing her hair as a living thing. The second part is a simile because the author says, "making me look like I got electrocuted". This is a simile because it si comparing two things using the word 'like'. This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand that the main character's hair can get easily tangled and frizzy. The author included this piece of figurative language to describe the main character's hair and how it is sometimes high maintenance. This phrase helps me understand the main character and how her hair is a part of who she is and how she takes care of it.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 45
How I felt reading today: I felt a lot more focused today. I was focused the whole time. I also also advancing more into the plot of the book.
Did I meet my goal: Yes, because I was focusing the whole time.

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"Her arms were like sticks, and all the life in her seemed concentrated in her eyes, which had dark circles around them and were enormous." (Love, p.2)

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"Her arms were like sticks, and all the life in her seemed concentrated in her eyes, which had dark circles around them and were enormous." (Love, p.2)

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The author is using two pieces of figurative language in this phrase. The first part is a simile. I know this because the author uses the word 'like' to compare Miss Vera Brown's arms to sticks. The second piece of figurative language is a metaphor, because the author is saying that her life seemed concentrated around her eyes. This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand that Miss Vera Brown is in a terrible condition. The reader can understand that Miss Vera Brown used to be very happy, with clear eyes, but now had dark circles in them to prove that Miss Vera Brown was really not doing okay. The author included this piece of figurative language because they wanted the reader to understand the reason why Miss Vera Brown did not show up to school, and the severity of her condition. This phrase helps me understand that Miss Vera Brown is very ill and is not herself.

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"She managed a flicker of recognition but I was struck dumb by the fact that she didn’t seem glad to see us." (Love, p.2)

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"She managed a flicker of recognition but I was struck dumb by the fact that she didn’t seem glad to see us." (Love, p.2)

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Word: Flicker
Denotation: twitch, blink
Connotation: small, tiny

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show that Miss Vera Brown is consumed by her illness so badly, that she didn't have the energy to talk to her students. It added a sense of sadness and misery for the characters and the reader, because we can see how this may affect her students, given that they have so much love for her. We learn that Miss Vera Brown is diagonsed with tuberculosis, and dies at 23 years and 7 months. The students are obviously miserable, given that she was probably their most favorite teacher.

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"She didn’t belong to us anymore. She belonged to her illness." (Love, p.2)

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"She didn’t belong to us anymore. She belonged to her illness." (Love, p.2)

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The author is using a metaphor to describe how Miss Vera Brown was affected by her illness, tuberculosis. I know this because the main character says, "She belonged to her illness." In literal meaning, this means that she has lost control of her body, and the illness is affecting her negatively. This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand the severity of her illness. The reader ca understand that Miss Vera Brown is very ill. The author included this piece of figurative language because they wanted the reader to understand how bad her illness was and how it was "taking over" her body. This phrase helps me understand that Miss Vera Brown is consumed by her illness, and that she may never be okay again. The main characters said that she belonged to her illness now, and so I can infer that Miss Vera Brown will always be controlled by her illness, until she dies.

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Date Started: February 2nd, 2022
Date Finsihed: February 11th, 2022

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In this section of dialogue, the students of Miss Vera Brown decided to get her a present. She opened it and it was a bouquet of flowers and a card. The reader learns that the students adore Miss Vera Brown and they think she is a kind, loving teacher. This is important to the plot because one day, she stops going to school. A substitute teacher replaces her, and her students are sad and worried. They go the entire rest of 5th grade without her. After 6th grade starts, the main character and another classmate goes to see her. They find out that she has been sick for months, lying in bed. This dialogue reveals important details because after those two students went to see her, they saw in the newspaper that she died of tuberculosis.

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"As she called the roll, her voice was as gentle as the expression in her beautiful dark brown eyes." (Love, p.1)

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"As she called the roll, her voice was as gentle as the expression in her beautiful dark brown eyes." (Love, p.1)

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The author is using a simile to describe what the main character thought of Miss Vera Brown. I know this because the main character says, "her voice was as gentle as..." In figurative language, a simile uses 'like' or 'as' to describe two things. This phrase is effective because it helps the reader understand how the main character perceives her. He thinks that she is very kind and forgiving. The author included this piece of figurative language to show how Miss Vera Brown was adored by the main character and all of her other students as well. The author wants the reader to know that Miss Vera Brown is a very compassionate and loving person. This phrase helps me understand that Miss Vera Brown is loves by her students and that she is very kind and caring.

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In the short story "Love", I can relate to the students of Miss Vera Brown. In the story, the students love their teacher, and would never do anything to hurt her. They thought she was a kind, compassionate, and wholehearted person. When the substitute teacher came however, the students were not as happy. They wanted their real teacher, and the more that she was not there, the more worried they became. I can relate to the characters because I love my teachers and I love what they teach and help us learn. Even though I have nothing against substitute teachers, I have always liked to learn and have my teachers teach me new information every day.

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Minutes: 30
Pages: 42
How I felt reading today: I did not feel as focused today, but I did like the story's plot. It really hooked me to the book and it got easier to focus.
Did I meet my goal: I did not entirely stay focused the entire time, so I would say that I did not meet my goal.

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Goal #1: Stay focused the entire time while reading

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Goal #1: Stay focused the entire time while reading

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I believe that I am at the reading level where I can be able to focus for the entire time. My stamina has increased since this year, and I believe that this goal will help me improve.

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Minutes:
Pages:
How I felt reading today:
Did I meet my goal:

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"She was tapping her foot and heating up in a dangerous way." (War of the Wall, p.2)

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"She was tapping her foot and heating up in a dangerous way." (War of the Wall, p.2)

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Word: heating up
Denotation: heating up something
Conotation: impatient, angry, frustrated

The mood or feeling shown in this phrase is negative. The author used this phrase to show that the main character's mother is very angry and frustrated with the painter lady. It added a sense of understanding when it came to the main character's mother's feelings. We learn that the mother is not very happy with the painter lady, and she too does not like her just like the main character and Lou in the beginning of the story. We learn that the mother is angry with the painter lady because she kept asking her what was in the food.

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"We could have been gophers crawled up into a rotten hollow for all she cared." (War of the Wall, p. 1)

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"We could have been gophers crawled up into a rotten hollow for all she cared." (War of the Wall, p. 1)

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The author is using a metaphor to describe what the characters are feeling. I know this because the main character says, "We could have been gophers", which is a metaphorical phrase. It is effective because it conveys the meaning that the painter lady could not care less about the characters being there. The author included this piece of figurative language to show how the painter lady is fixated on finishing her painting on the wall, and how she doesn't seem to care that the main character and Lou were there. It helps me understand that the painter lady was very motivated to finish her painting, and that the main characters felt this way too.