The AP Times December 2014

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HALLOWEEN SEHS AP Center Pulication Club

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Published by: Suzhou Experimental High School AP Center Publication Club Adviser: Mr. Shane Anderson President: Edward Sheng Editors: Mr. Shane Anderson Edward Sheng Reporters: Bob Liu Iguodala Tao Mimi Ma Sally Chao Sophie Wu Tommy Zhou Tony Deng Jason Chen Jessie Zhou Yaphets Wang Contributors: Amy Xie Brenda Jin Gary Xiao Photo Contributor: Ms. Echo Xiong

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Designer: Edward Sheng Proofreaders: Mr. Shane Anderson Sally Chao Sophie Wu Publication Date: 2014.12 Website: suzhouaptimes.weebly.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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CONTENT

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Interviews Mr. Murry MacMillan Ms. Sara Kirsch

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Soccer Club Dancing Club

Food Macaron

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Clubs

Life in College Useful Tips for New Arrivals

Event

Dipont Photography Competition

........................................................... Focus Halloween

........................... Movie How to Train Your Dragon 2

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Literature

I Just Can't Help Myself The Woodpile Cat

Universities Visiting

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Questions

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Moe Chemistry the AP times

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interviews

Mr. Murray MacMillan  TOMMY ZHOU | G12

AP Times: How many years have you taught? Why did you become a teacher?

Mr. MacMillan: I have been teaching for 14 years. I love to see people developing and grow to be better people.

That’s what motivates me to come here on an everyday basis is to see how people improve.

AP Times: How many cities in China have you been? In your point of view, what is the biggest difference between these cities?

Mr. MacMillan: I have been to Hefei, Nanjing, Chongqing, Chengdu, and Hangzhou mainly for my part time job. My child is too young. He cannot travel too far. But hopefully in the future, we will explore more of Suzhou. We will go to Beijing at some point to visit the Great Wall. Also, at some point, we would like to visit Guangzhou and Shenzhen possibly. Suzhou is much smaller than Shanghai is, but people here are friendlier.

The best example would be on the Suzhou metro. People actually wait for you to get out before they try to get in.

While in Shanghai, they just try to push. Shanghai is a way too busy city. While you walk on a street, people in Suzhou smile.

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AP Times: Which country or city do you enjoy most?

Mr. MacMillan: My favorite location I lived must be Cayman Island which is a small island in the Caribbean. It is not too far from Cuba. It is very beautiful and I lived there for two years.

AP Times: Where have you lived during your life? Which country or city do you enjoy most?

Mr. MacMillan: I have lived in many places.

Obviously, I was born in the United Kingdom and spent 16 years growing up in Wales, but I have also lived in England, in Scotland, and the Caribbean.

AP Times: What motivates you to live out of your own country?

Mr. MacMillan: I just want to travel and see the world and get paid at the same time. In fact, I have been very lucky to have the opportunity. First of all, my first profession was managing hotels and restaurants in the Cayman Islands, in the UK, and also in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi. And then, my second profession is teaching in all parts of the world. And now, I enjoy getting back to my home country for holidays and visiting but because of the economy and because of cost of living and everything, it is not appealing for me to live there because it is too expensive.

AP Times: What kind of sports do you play?

Mr. MacMillan: I played croquet. The best way to describe it is a cross between golf and snooker. It is played in a rectangular room. It is a very technical sport.

AP Times: Why did you come to China? Were there any unexpected Chinese traditions or habits?

Mr. MacMillan: I came to China because I was given an opportunity to come and work here because of my profession. I was at a crossroad and it seemed like a good opportunity. China is an interesting country. It is a developing country. Every day in China is unexpected. I have been to China once before but only for a short period of time, and I was on a business trip. But actually living here, working here is a completely different experience. Chinese culture is something which I was not 100 per cent prepared for when I first arrived. But over time, I am becoming more used to it. 

interviews

Ms. Sara Kirsch  MIMI MA | G12

TONY DENG | G11

Time flies, and as time passes, many lovely teachers leave. What a pity! However, the new semester is upon us, as are new challenges. New teachers coming is like new power for all of us. It is so curious for us to know a lot about the new teachers. As reporters, we interviewed a new, beautiful and kind teacher——Ms. Kirsch. She mainly teaches history, AP economics and Psychology. Let’s learn more about this new “Sensei” in our center!

We can say that Ms. Kirsch is very knowledgeable as she has been to a lot of countries and areas. We are interested in how many places she has been. Some places were just to visit, but she says she has worked in three countries: Her mother country which is USA, South Korea and China. Also, she visited the “land of maples” (Canada), Mexico and South America, Belgium which has the European Union in the capital of Belgium, France and Germany. Those are so nice and comfortable countries, Ms. Kirsch also told us that she loves the food in Belgium because she stayed there for three months for studying. But why does she choose to come to China? Ms. Kirsch told us that she loves to work outside the U.S. She loves exploring outside so much! However, when she has lived in China for months, she has met many custom problems such as when she walks on the street, people stir up on the street. Sometimes people are not polite with each other. This kind of phenomenon might disturb not only Ms. Kirsch but also all of us.

Ms. Kirsch has been here for 2 months.

She walks to the school everyday.

Unluckily, the air in Suzhou is always so terrible. Within two months, Ms. Kirsch

has already been sick for 4 times and she had to take medicine. How horrible the environment is! She says “The air here is killing her.”, so she has to keep getting inside. On the weekend, Ms. Kirsch loves to do some exercise in the gym with Mr. Anderson. It is such a nice way to keep inside and also get some exercise. When Ms. Kirsch has some free time, she would like to read a lot, watch some movies or TV shows.

“Do as the Romans do.” It means a person needs to adapt the local culture when he or she goes or travels to a new place. So do Ms. Kirsch, she came to China and she is trying to learn Chinese languages. She says foreigners have single tone voice so it is quite difficult for her to speak Chinese but she is trying much. In addition, Ms. Kirsch can speak a little Russian too.

We have known that Ms. Kirsch comes from state of Michigan. And people’s name there are different from people in other places. We all know that America was a country formed by many people from everywhere. Actually Ms. Kirsch’s families migrated from Europe because German would kill all the Jewish so they have to leave for U.S. On their way of

migration, they went through many places and Islands. At that time, they didn’t speak English, so they have to use their original name as the family name and the last name was made up so it is a little weird. This is why she and her families have quite different names with others’ in U.S. It is so interesting to us.

Ms. Kirsch has a great teaching experience. She told us that when she taught in Korea, she found that Korean students have good skills in English. Their English is very strong. However, students need to have critical thinking when they are studying. She told us that Korean students don’t have the creativities and they seldom ask questions. It won’t help them to study.

I believe many foreigners have a same problem. Many Chinese are willing to call foreigners “Lao Wai”, many people don’t know why. I asked Ms. Kirsch to have a guess. She answered “Because I look different.” It is close but actually Chinese for “foreigners” is “WaiGuoRen”. Chinese like to call close friends”Lao” plus his or her first name. So, Chinese people are willing to call foreigners “LaoWai”. Ms. Kirsch thinks it is very interesting.

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CLUBS

Soccer Club  JASON CHEN | G11

IGUODALA TAO | G11

YAPHETS WANG | G11

Soccer is one of the most exciting and significant sports there is. Everytime I see a player score a goal when I’m watching it on TV, I am overcome with emotion. So we decided to have an interview with the soccer club.

Gavin Xie is the founder of the soccer club. He is also really good at it. We asked him what the aim or goal for the club is for this semester and he answered that having fun was the important point. They will probably have a match against other schools, but we don’t know when. Also, he will train everyone to do well in soccer.

Next, we asked how he was preparing to have competitions with other teams. He answered that they were still practicing and would continue to train. He added that the reason he took part in this club was because soccer is the best sport around the world and it can improve his skills and know-how to be a leader in the game. He intends to play soccer in college or university. Mr. Zang, the coach of the soccer club, thinks that playing soccer can improve a student’s health and skills, and that students can learn how to be organized and coordinated. He thinks there is still a long way for the soccer club to get better. Mr. Dave, the advertiser of the soccer club, said that soccer is his favorite sport and he really enjoys it. He hoped soccer club would achieve good results in this semester. I, for one, hope they can have a good performance during the match with the other schools! 

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CLUBS

Dancing Club  JASON CHEN | G11

IGUODALA TAO | G11

YAPHETS WANG | G11

When we got into dancing club, they were practicing dancing “Little Apple”which is popular in China these days. The club consists of five girls and a boy, Chris. Chris, the only boy, is the only teacher and is also the founder of the club. The other seven girls come from Grade 10 through 12 who are new to dancing. To learn more about the dancing club, we had an interview with the club founder and the members. This is the our interview:

Q:What’s your goal in this semester?

Chris:The main goal is teaching my club members dancing and making them interested in dancing. Also, this year we will have a dancing show on Halloween.

Q: Are you willing to dance at the Halloween party or take part in a competition?

Chris:We will prepare for a show at the Christmas party and also the Halloween party. Maybe we will take part in the Suzhou competition in December.

Q: Is the club time enough for practicing dancing?

Chris: Yes.That’s enough for practicing and we can use the whole class.

Q: Are you willing to be cheerleaders for the sports club’s competition?

Chris:Oh, it’s really interesting, but, actually, I do not care about that. If these girls want to be the cheerleaders, I will be with them.

Q: As a member of this club, why does the club attract you?

Cindy: I love dancing and this dancing club really attracts me, so I joined.

Q: Will you still insist dancing in your future?

Chris:Yeah, definitely. I love dancing and insist on dancing.

From this interview, we can see their passion and effort for dancing. They are so hard-working that we can see them practice dancing during lunchtime, sometimes even in PE lessons. We hope we can see their wonderful dancing at the Halloween and Christmas party. 

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Macaron

FOOD

ď Ś JESSIE ZHOU | G12

SOPHIE WU | G12

Here’s a gallery of our teachers from last year sampling the tasty treats we found on ShiQuan Street!

Sophie Jessie

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Macaron (ma-ke-ROON): A sweet French meringue-based confection, macarons are commonly filled with ganache, buttercream or jam filling which is sandwiched between two cookies.

FOOD Admittedly, it took us a little while to find a place where we could buy Macarons on ShiQuan Street. Once we finally did, the owners there informed us that their macarons were made with egg whites, caster sugar, ground almonds and food colouring. Attracted by their cute and colorful appearance, we bought some samples to have a try.

Here are some reactions some our teachers had to the macarons (including previous teachers): Mr Dawson: “ It is minty, with a crunchy outside and sweet inside.”

Mr Brown: “ Delicious! Sweet!”

Mr Trebatch: “ The outside is solid and is soft; the inside is soft and smooth. Anyway, it’s delicious!” 

Price: 8 RMB a piece Address: JOHN BROWN CHOCOLATES, #365, ShiQuan Street

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LIFE IN COLLEGE

Two Months in College:

Useful Tips for New Arrivals  AMY XIE | Smith College

How’s everything going? I guess you must have survived several midterms or you might be working on your college applications now. Good luck and I miss all of you dearly.

After two months in Smith College, I have adjusted myself to a new life, which is very different from what I had before.

However, there are several tips I wish I could know earlier.

1. Eat a lot of Chinese food before you go The cafeteria in your future university or college might be fancy. There would be enough spaghetti, ribs, hamburgers, sandwiches, fries, salad, ice cream or even some Chinese food but none of them tastes like home. Try your best to eat in restaurants you love and also cook homemade food with your parents!

2. Travel before registration Before getting registered in Smith, I took some days staying in Boston. Personally, I feel travelling can help me know a country better and calm down before school. If your future university or college is in northeast of America, Boston, Washington D.C and New York are good places to go.

3. How to deal with cultural shock When you begin your college life, there will certainly be questions like: Why do they do that? What do I say in this circumstance? If you feel the shock, just remember:

Amy Xie (right) and her roomate in Mountain Day apple picking

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respect the differences. Don’t judge other people because what they believe does not make them scary and they are all very nice people. If you are so overwhelmed, try something comfortable to you. Call you parents, meet several Chinese friends or watch some TV! Remember, you do not need to fully assimilate to a culture but accept it.

4. Work hard everyday but certainly not on holiday Staying up late at the night before something’s due will not work. College students really need to plan ahead and get things done earlier. Therefore, keeping pace everyday is good for you. However, Fall Break and Thanksgiving are days for you to rock it!

5. Networking is so important Getting to know people and gathering information from them is crucial to success. Try to attend different information sessions, major presentations, alumnae panels and career fairs. Talk to people and let them know you!

I hope these five tips will be helpful to you. Feel free to contact me for any questions. Those of you who want to discuss papers with me can always leave me a message!

Keep working and a great college is waiting for you. Have a nice day! 

EVENT

DIPONT PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Do You Love To Express Your Creativity By Taking Photos?

Then Consider Submitting Your Most Wonderful Photos To The Dipont Photography Competition!

Choose From The Following Categories: 1. The Man-Made Environment 2. The Natural Environment 3. Make A Statement!

4. People RULES AND REGULATIONS 1. All Dipont students are eligible; 2. Each photo must have a title; 3. Photos must be submitted with 2-3 sentences of text in English explaining what motivated you to take the photo and where it was taken; 4. Students may submit photos from as many categories as they wish as long as the total doesn’t exceed 3; 5. Each photo must be identified in the following manner: name of category, title of photo, student name (English and/ or Pinyin), name of school; 6. Photos without proper identification will not be considered; 7. Photos should be submitted to mm.magee@dipont-edu. com.

For schools: Each school should ideally nominate one member of staff as the contact person. This person will liaise with students to submit the school’s entries.

Winners in each category will be named, as well as an overall winner. Judging will be conducted by the AQM team.

Winning photographs will be published. 

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: 6 MARCH 2015

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FOCUS

The Games of Halloween  TONY DENG | G11

October 30, in our school, we had a celebration for Halloween. It was so exciting. For game parts, I think it was the most interesting parts within so many nice parts at that night. After fashion show, we started to play “kissing apple in the water”, people needed to stand on the ground with their knees, and then, they used their mouth to “kiss” the apples out of the bowl.

The fastest group won. In this game, I volunteered to play it. Unfortunately, we only came the second in the game. (Tip: You must not have any fear of water because it is easy to grab the apples but it is hard to deal with deep water.)

Apple Bobbing

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FOCUS

Tail on the Donkey After an exciting war of "apples". We played a game called "Tail on the Donkey".

The rule is that one person was made to be "blind", others directed the person to find where the tail of the horse is.

The most interesting was that when Mr. Piyush played the game, everyone shouts: "Right, left, Right, left". Mr. Piyush had no direction at that time! He was tricked! ď Ś

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FOCUS

The Monster House ď Ś BOB LIU | G12

What most surprises me most in the movie Monster House occurs at the end of the movie. Actually, after Nebbercracker, the old man owned the Monster House, told kids the story of the origin of the house and his story, I had already realized that Nebbercracker was a kind-hearted man instead of his former terrifying image. We could absorb the information from the movie that the soul of the Monster House was his dead wife who has been hating others to get close to her property and who Nebbercracker cared the most. For this arduous and poor love, Nebbercracker had to act as a bad man and take everything that fell on his property and he had to shout to others so that they could keep away from his house and avoided being attacked by his wife. One side is his everest love to his wife, one side is his just and his kindled to protect others. I can feel that it must be hard to living in this paradox. Finally, about the end of the movie, Nebbercracker decided to bomb up the house although he did not accomplish it. I cannot keep thinking what if people in real life will do when they can only gain either love or responsibility. Will they choose to take their responsibilities to even strangers and sacrifice their own felicities? Nebbercracker was certainly a hero. ď Ś

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Country: United States Release Date: 13 June 2014, USA | 14 August 2014, China Runtime: 102 min Genres: Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

 BOB LIU | G12

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Hiccup’s new adventure is here! After defeating the queen of dragon nest, vikings and dragons finally reconcile and become good partners. Almost every Viking in Berk owns a dragon. This is the first time that Vikings are able to see the vast world. As Hiccup is busy exploring the unknown world, a new enemy emerges in a distant place. Finally, he has to give up his dreams of peaceful reconciliation and undertake his father’s role-“A chief protects his own”.

QUICK INTRODUCTION

How to Train Your Dragon 2 inherits some elements from How to Train Your Dragon in that it deals with loyalty, intrepidity towards tyranny and the desire of a peaceful life. These elements make How to Train Your Dragon 2 not only an action cartoon, but also a movie that resonates with the audience due to its real-world connections. The scene that moved me the most is when Toothless, Hiccup’s own dragon, becomes free of the mental control of Alpha, the boss of all dragons, in order to protect his owner. He then challenges the authority and strength of Alpha. Eventually, all dragons under Alpha’s mental control are liberated by Toothless, allowing them to band together to defeat Alpha. This plot shows the strength of friendship and loyalty of animals. Try to think of it this way, in the real world, most humans are just living for the sake of staying alive. Being betrayed by friends, families and lovers while seeking true love and friendship, people nowadays are tired of this sense loneliness and mistrust. Doesn’t the plot of the movie represent the ideal scenario for most people? Doesn’t the purity of animals just represent the pursuit of all human beings? If you have been betrayed before or recently, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is definitely a good choice to restore faith. 

PERSONAL COMMENT

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I Just Can't Help Myself

LITERATURE

 SALLY CHAO | G12

I

told her to close the window because it was freezing cold outside. But she didn’t even acknowledge my presence. She just pulled another drag off her cigarette, exhaling the smoke in a shapeless fog. So I kept silent for a while and looked around the room, waiting for her to finish the cigarette.

There were scraps of paper, used tissues and manuscripts everywhere.

I also saw three pairs of shoes, one coffee pot and at least twenty dirty coffee cups strewn carelessly in the corners.

“I was trying to tell you more,” she finally said while snuffing out the butt in the ashtray.

I nodded and looked over at my friend, Aiko. She had called me that morning yet hung up without saying a word.

“You said…” I started, recalling, “You saw him yesterday afternoon.”

“That’s right, Keita,” she replied, lighting another cigarette, “I ran across him in a café, yesterday afternoon.”

As she talked to me, she seldom made eye contact, and her voice was very small. Instead, she would glance at her watch, or scratch paper on the table, or become transfixed on one pile of trash or another.

“Why did you call me but say nothing on the telephone?” I asked, worried about her.

She stopped smoking and turned away. I gazed at her short hair and wondered what she was feeling.

“I was alone at that time. You know,” she touched her short hair and continued, “just sitting by myself and having some coffee while reading, as usual. There was nothing special about it. Nothing. I always do that in my free time.”

“Then he appeared, or maybe he had been there before I came but I just didn’t notice him. I am not sure,” she suddenly pressed her stomach and looked pained.

I stood up, “I will get you some hot water.” I said.

I headed for the kitchen. Near the wall, there was a wooden bookshelf where different kinds of books were lined up loosely. Aiko was a writer. I guessed even her own works were on the shelf.

“Keita…”Her voice softened, “Do you have some coffee or sugary foods?” she asked.

“What?” I passed a glass of water to her.

“Do you have some coffee or sugary foods? I already have some.

But I want more. I want some more.”

Aiko loved sweet dishes. This I knew. It was one of those Things I had remembered from the first time we met. Back then, we were still in college. Although we were not from the same department (I studied biology and she majored in creative writing), we both joined the school language club. During the club time, we usually had conversations in Japanese to practice our foreign language. Sometimes, Aiko would show me her writings and ask my comments. But rather than analyzing the stories critically, I always complimented her creation.

“Interesting,” I would say, “the ending is the highlight.”

“Really?” She would blush, “Thank you.” Her long hair was always arranged perfectly, framing her lovely smile, like some beautiful visage in an art gallery.

I smiled at her, “It is Good. I mean it.”

She would smile back sweetly.

Aiko walked to the refrigerator, opened it with a rattle and grabbed some donuts. She shuffled back to the table and added two teaspoons of instant coffee into the cup, sprinkling some of the black residue on the table in the process. She poured some hot water in and stirred it a little

bit. Then she sat down delicately.

“You want some of these?” She sipped her coffee and began eating the first donut.

“No, not now,” I shook my head, “Thank you.”

“I haven’t seen him for a long time,” she coughed, talking about him again, “I miss him so much. So when I saw him, at one moment, I felt like running to him and hugging him.”

“He was wearing a grey shirt that day. I want to tell him he looked pretty good in grey. Better than in white. Even though we broke up three years ago, I can’t get over him.”

I noticed the donut was already half-eaten. She ate and talked.

“After we broke up, I felt incomplete so I had to eat a lot to keep myself complete,” she suddenly laughed, changing her posture a little bit, “Only sugary foods, I mean, lots of sugar. I cannot eat anything except this junk.”

I remained silent and thought about her words. I knew Aiko had a boyfriend but besides this, any further information about Him was unknown to me till this point. She had never talked about their relationship in a detailed way before me.

“Have you seen a doctor?” I asked.

“No, I don’t like doctors,” she said, taking the second donut.

“Strange,” I said, “You eat a lot of sugar, but you aren’t fat at all.”

“Sometimes I don’t eat. No appetite. Well, while I write, I can’t eat anyways.”

I picked up a piece of paper by my foot. It was one of her scribbles.

“You were writing him, weren’t you?” I inquired.

“Yes. These days,” she admitted.

She took a moment and ran her hands through her hair again, “I can’t help myself. At worst, everything I see seems to be his hallucination.

Number 1 is him. A is him. Square is him. Green is him. Always him,” her face was pale, “It is all him in my mind, in my heart, in my body.

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LITERATURE Sometimes even in your eyes, I can see him. That’s why I can’t make eye contact with you.”

I looked intently at Aiko, whose wet eyes and emaciated body hurt me.

Something fateful happened to her. Something deep down that had always sustained her with hope, with vibrancy, ended abruptly. I was afraid that she might never recover.

“Aiko…” I said, “Are you okay?

Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.

No one can…” I reached out and picked at something, bits of donuts on her clothes.

“No,” she shook her head, “No…” She rubbed her hands, trembling, “Keita, tell me. How did this happen?

I can’t stand dusk because it is the time of a day when I miss him most.

All I can think of is wearing a medical face mask at dusk so that I will feel warm and safe. With a face mask, I think I can still retain his smell, his color, and his tenderness.”

Her voice echoed through the

darkening room.

“There will be a way,” I comforted her, holding her hand, “you see, nothing lasts forever—” “Keita…”she interrupted me. She had never interrupted me before.

“Hug me,” she said, “hug me. Please hug me, tightly.”

“I am afraid. Very afraid,” she said quickly and anxiously, “he has already forgotten me. But I don’t want you to forget me. Please remember me. Remember this hug and this moment. Hug me, please.”

I looked Aiko straight in the eye.

How could he do that to her?

I got over to her and embraced her.

It was snowing outside. The window was still open and several snowflakes entered the room silently.

Then I kissed her.

“anything sweet. Cookies, cakes, puddings, candy, that’s all I want,” pushing me away a little, “can you do that for me? You will do that for me, right?”

After some hesitation I nodded, “If that will make you feel better.” But my words sounded lame.

She smiled faintly and reached for the third donut.

“Are you cold?” I asked, feeling freezing myself. It suddenly occurred to me that she only wore a T-shirt, on a snowy night.

“Are you cold?” I asked again, raising my voice this time, “you’re only wearing a T-shirt,” I felt the urge to give my clothes to her.

“No. I am fine. I’m not cold,” she stared at the pane and the dark, gloomy sky.

“Memories about him warm me up,” Aiko turned to me and finally said: “So I will never be cold.” 

“Will you bring me more sugary foods?” After a while she spoke,

The Woodpile  SHANE ANDERSON

M

y adolescence growing up in Canada can be best described as rugged and cold – very, very cold. Our old house only had a fire stove, and, being the oldest son, it was usually my job to trudge through the knee-deep snow into the backyard to split wood. Of course I had a little brother to help, but how many little brothers like working with their bigger brothers?

Approximately zero, that’s how many.

Suffice it to say, most frozen nights ended up in a screaming match where I would threaten my brother with an axe like a maniac and he’d run inside to hide behind my dad.

I didn’t really mind the silence though. Those freezing nights were some of the most peaceful I can remember. Just me, an axe, and a pile of frozen wood blocks, plastered here and there with icy clumps of sawdust left behind by the chainsaw.

Every night was pretty much the

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same: We’d eat, clean up the mess, turn on the TV to watch a show, then one of my older sisters would nonchalantly say, “Hey, we’re almost out of firewood…” which was always my cue to go put on my boots.

One night while I ventured back to the tool shed as usual, I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. It was over the fence, somewhere near the back of my neighbour’s house, but it was too dark to know for sure.

Old Man Kissick’s house – that was our unflattering name for it.

But the name fit – the house was dilapidated: decades-old paint curled off windowsills and siding, exposing gray wood with dark black sores of rot; the sun-bleached wooden stairs on the front stoop sagged into a cautionary smile, warding off any solicitors; windows were stuffed with blankets to help insulate the interior; even the thin wire fence

was rusted through and broken in many spots, waiting to tear at your coat if you wandered too close.

We didn’t usually see him, unless it was late at night and he was shuffling from room to room in his house, carrying a candle to light his way. He was somewhat of an enigma to me. Deepening the mystery was the fact that he never used electricity, nor did he bother to invest in a modern furnace for his house; he seemed to survive alone in his outdated house by navigating through the thick blankets draped in the doorways between the rooms and huddling up close to the coal stove in his sunken kitchen for warmth.

That night all the lights were dark in Old Man Kissick’s house.

After retrieving my trusty axe from the shed, I set to work on the pile.

I meticulously stacked two snowy blocks on top of one another in front

of me (a trick my father taught me to help maximize the impact of the axe) and set my feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Gripping the handle tightly, I raisied the axe above my head and chose my line of attack.

“THWACK” the head bounced off the block, opening an ever so delicate seam across the face of the block. A second swing, “THOCK.” The block echoed loudly in the cold air as it busted wide open. The chilly handle reverberated in my hands. I looked down to see that one more light swing would clear the mess of sinewy branches clinging to each other near the base of the block. So I exhaled sharply, puffing out a cloud of mist into the night air, drew the axe to my waist and set my feet when a voice from behind me croaked, “Stand fast!”

I nearly pissed my pants. It was Old Man Kissick himself, warning me.

“Good evening, Sir,” I mumbled, halfturned towards the fence, tightening my grip on the axe all the while.

“Shane, you’re Shane, yes?” inquired the dark silhouette. “Yes,” I replied, somewhat surprised. Unable to think of something else to say, I continued, “It’s really cold out tonight, Mr. Kissick, would you like for me to cut you some wood?” “Oh no,” he replied with a gloved wave of dismissal. “I have a coal stove. It burns much hotter than wood.” “Ahhh,” I smiled, nodding my head as though I actually knew that. “Shane,” he went on,

“Don’t swing the axe again, not from where you’re standing, young man. There’s ice under your feet.

If you slip you might catch yourself in the shin. Move to your left and throw some sawdust beneath your feet. This year’s cold is deceiving – much colder than any winter you’ve lived through yet. Besides, if you hit the block from the side now, you’ll have three pieces instead of two.

Work smart, not hard, young man.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Mr. Kissick.” He was leaning on the fence now, and through the dim light shining off the back shed I could see that he was watching me – making sure I was okay and safe in the cold quiet night.

Over the next few weeks I saw him a few more times and we would exchange greetings and small talk while taking turns leaning on the saggy wire fence. One evening I noticed that he was wearing a red poppy. It seemed to contrast starkly with his ancient grey woollen overcoat. “Hey Mr. Kissick,” I asked, “were you a solider in World War Two?” He smiled the way he always did, by closing his lips and slowly pulling his mouth back to his ears, raising his touque ever so slightly in the process. A pregnant silence of about 20 seconds followed. “World War One” he finally responded.

The new knowledge hit me harder

LITERATURE

than a schoolyard bully. I was awestruck. I never had any idea how old Mr. Kissick was, nobody in my family did. Nor did we know he was a war veteran. I mean, we learned about the wars in school, but we’d never been told that the men from these terrifying movies and images were still among us.

He told me all about his pride in being a soldier and serving, but nothing about the actual war.

And it would be years before I could fully comprehend why.

Soon afterwards, I saw an article in the paper on the front page. It read something like this: “Local Man, One of Last WW1 Veterans in Canada, Hit by Car.” Sure enough, Mr. Kissick was making one of his biweekly visits to the mall a few blocks away when he was run over by a young woman trying to find a parking spot so she could go Christmas shopping. She clearly wasn’t paying attention. The serious injuries he sustained incapacitated him and left him laid up in the hospital for the remaining weeks of his life. I never got to visit him in the hospital, but I couldn’t help but feel ashamed at how he had to leave this world.

Since then, even though I’ve grown into adulthood, I can’t help but remember him. And every time I don a poppy, his closelipped smile comes to mind. 

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LITERATURE

Cat

worse barrage of painful insults.

 BRENDA JIN | G11

T

ONE

akishima wakes up to the quiet alarm ringing beside his pillow. He opens his eyes in a second and turns off the clock.

Takishima never sets his alarm loud, because he doesn’t want to bother Licht, his cat. Takishima dresses up quickly in his uniform, and goes down stairs to make breakfast. Normally, he prepares a bowl of milk with honey, bread, an egg and bacon.

The milk is for Licht. She will only drink the milk with honey. Takishima can only sigh. He walks upstairs to his room and puts the milk behind Licht’s bed, fondling her head softly.

But it seems she is unsatisfied to be bothered, as she only narrows her eyes with discontent. She stares at Takishima for a second, turns over purrs herself back into her dream. Takishima smiles.

On his way to the classroom, Takishima meets Lucy and Anna-Lucy is the most beautiful girl in the class. He says “morning” to them smilingly, but the girls just glance at him up and down and laugh secretively together. “Is there anything wrong with me?

What are they laughing about?”

Takishima thinks and looks at his clothes, they are perfectly fine.

The good mood is destroyed.

Takishima is sitting in his classroom, thinking about whether he is going to run for the monitor in tomorrow’s class meeting. Takishima is a mixedblood. His mother is Japanese and his father is Chinese, and that makes him “special” in this class.

Takishima should enjoy this special treatment, however, he does not.

Everyone in his class considers him Japanese, but Takishima resents this. He has lived in China for 16 years and his Chinese is much better than his fractured Japanese.

If his classmates ever found that his father had hired a Japanese tutor to teach him, it would set off an even

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“Ran, d’you have any interest in the campaign?” Takishima asks.

Ran is his best friend in the world, he decided this a very long time ago. Ran is also a mixed-blood, his father is Taiwanese, and his mother is Chinese. Takishima and Ran used to be in an Overseas class which was full of foreigners.

Even there they were isolated by the other kids because they were considered “impure” for their mixedblood. When they came into high school, they went in the same class.

“Wu.. Publication?” Ran thinks.

Takishima is surprised, because even if he knows that Ran is very good at painting, he doesn’t expect him to be so “ambitious.” Ran is used to silence and quietly studying by himself, patiently. At least they all expect him to be like that.

“That’s good for you. None of them can draw better posters than you.

And, I want to run for the monitor, what do you think? You know, Liang Yan and Du Kai are competitive, and we do not get along very well.

They will campaign.” Takishima reclines on the seat opposite to Ran, knocking the desk quietly. He won’t let others be the monitor, he hates the feeling that someone is superior to him and condescending to him. Ran knows this. And he knows he will support him without question. Ran is the most gentle and tolerant person in the world.

“Pamper.” Takishima says to an approaching figure. Pamper is definitely a naïve person, Takishima knows this in one glance, one of those people who has a great background and parents’ indulgence.

“Hey, what are YOU doing here?” Pamper say loudly with innocent smile, looking at Ran. “Nothing.” Takishima stops knocking, “I just said to Ran if he has time this weekend then we can go out and he can teach me Physics. Next week there is an exam.” Ran sits there, smiling.

“That’s not a big deal. My Physics is worse than yours, but I won’t care.”

Pamper seems unconcerned. “Oh, you remind me. It’s my birthday this weekend. Come to my home! My house is big enough so we can have fun together!” Pamper says excitedly.

Certainly, Takishima knows how big his villa is, it’s worth 20 million and is in the center of the city. It looks like an ancient Chinese garden.

“I’m very sorry, but I won’t go,” Ran replies. “My mum doesn’t really want me to go out. But of course, I will give a present next week.” Ran shrugs his shoulders with regret. He is always so polite that no one will think poorly of him.

“How ‘bout you, then?” Pamper asks Takishima. “Well, let me think for some time, I have to ask my parents.” Takishima says with hesitation. Ran sits there, smiling.

It’s a reasonable excuse and even though Pamper does not seem satisfied, he urges Takishima to think carefully again and again.

When Takishima returns home after class, it’s ten o’clock at night.

He hears his parents quarreling in the kitchen, probably some trivial issues at the company, and his mother is throwing plates again.

He goes straight from the house door to his bedroom, locks it.

Takishima throws his heavy bag on the bed and goes to the small balcony inside his bedroom. Licht is lying in his safe house, catnapping comfortably.

He bends his knees and lifts her, walking towards the window with her caressed in his arms. Licht doesn’t open her eyes, but rubs her furry body against his to find a nice position. The night is so quiet. There are no many stars shining, but the light of the moon is beaming on his face. He says so quietly so almost nobody can hear, “I will outshine all of you, just wait and see.”  (TO BE CONTINUED)

Universities Visiting

Questions!

 JESSIE ZHOU | G12

Are you bored solving math and physics all day long?

What about some other questions that refreshes your thinking? You can try the following questions. Please cut by the dotted line and hand it in to Academic Department (G10 Stephen, G11 Sophia, G11 Esther) of the Student Union before Dec 26. Three winnners will receive prizes.

1. What word looks the same upside down? (5 letters) Answer:

Illinois

2. Two girls were born to the same mother, at the same time, on the same day, in the same month and in the same year and yet somehow they’re not twins.

Why not?

PLEASE CUT OFF THIS SIDE OF PAGE.

Wesleyan University is a highly selective, private, four-year undergraduate institution with a total enrollment of 2015 students. Different from the traditional LAC, Illinois Wesleyan University has three campuses: College of liberal Arts, School of Nursing and College of Fine Arts, which offer more than 80 majors you can choose. Illinois Wesleyan University uses a 4-4-1 academic calendar (4 months autumn semester, 4 months spring semester and a 1-month small period(May)) that can let students choose one major or follow the professor by joining the traveling course in May. The class size of the University is 1:17, so you can have more interaction with professors.

Illinois Wesleyan University enjoys a high reputation in Chicago, so students can study in Chicago during the holiday.

Students can also have many chances to do an internship.

Answer:

3. What’s the following words talking about? (about time) G DA WN N I T T E G

Answer:

4. What Am I? Wearing a dress of vivid bright green A bodice of pale tan Showing off my sparkling clothes As splendidly as I can.

Wearing a dress of vivid dark green A bodice of lovely brown I go to my wardrobe and start to change Into my party gown.

University

of Minnesota is a public research university in the United States and is also a member of the Big Ten Conference.

The University of Minnesota has more than 20 faculties and offers 130 undergraduate majors that can meet the needs of all students. The university even has an independent design college. The business and engineering programs enjoy a high reputation. Students can also set up individualized majors that depend on their academic interests. The University of Minnesota has a convenient traffic system, such as a Bike Center, and the airport is very close to the University.

Nearby the airport, there is the biggest shopping mall in North America. It’s the best choice for students who wants to have a convenient life and a beautiful view.

Wearing a dress of beautiful scarlet A bodice of pale green My clothes fall off and I open my mouth Let loose a silent scream.

Wearing a dress of snowy white A bodice of white as well A silver cloak around my shoulders Tinkling with glass-blown bells.

Answer:

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5. For each clue below, think of a common expression which mentions two body parts.

Some phrases refer to two different body parts (mix), others use the same body part twice (match).

Example: The law of retaliation.

Answer: An eye for an eye.

a. To be in agreement.

Oxford

Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio. The University pays more attention to the undergraduate education that includes 134 majors and 100 minor majors. Students also can study a major with a pre-professional course. Miami University has established overseas courses that can satisfy some students who choose art. Students in the University can study American Culture & English courses that can earn 15 credits. Oxford has comfortable weather and convenient traffic. From June to August, the temperature is about 24C, and it’s about 1.1C from December to February. There are 4 airports near to Oxford, the closest one only takes about an hour.

Answer:

b. A couple strolling.

c. Suddenly in love.

Answer:

d. Intimate discussion.

Answer:

e. Very expensive.

Answer:

PLEASE CUT OFF THIS SIDE OF PAGE.

Answer:

Binghamton

University is a research public university that offers students more than 130 academic programs across five schools. Binghamton University is one member of the Public Ivies. The ratio of studentto-faculty is 20:1. The University outfits many facilities like 4 libraries, these include a science library, which has a rare and special collection consisting of 2.5 million books and 93414 journals. Student life in Binghamton is vivd. There are about 250 clubs and organizations, including a variety of international student associations.

f. Done at a ballroom.

Answer:

g. Poor, nothing extra.

Answer:

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University

of California Los Angeles is a research public university that is one of the top universities in the United States. UCLA has five undergraduate colleges and seven professional colleges and four professional health science colleges. UCLA is a cradle for commercial finance, high-tech industry, and film art. UCLA has a good location, it has the 3 richest areas of LA around it. UCLA is very famous in the world, especially for its unique architecture and beautiful views. All the buildings follow the artistic style of Bartee renaissance. 

ART

Moe Chemistry ď Ś GARY XIAO | G11

Carbon

Copper

Gallium

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