In-Formation

Author: Faisal (Page 1 of 2)

my journey

Faisal Rahman

ENG 1121- E106

                                                                        My Journey

I have always had to adapt to new surroundings. When I was only five years old, my family moved from our hometown to the capital, Dhaka, of Bangladesh. Until then I have never been out of my hometown of Patuakhali. The capital was nothing like I had ever experienced before. The roads bustling with people, dazzling with night lights and polluted with dust particles were very new to me. I was partially scared but also a little excited.

Before long I found myself sitting for an admission test to get admitted in kindergarten. I was completely mortified during the test. The questions looked alien to what my mom had taught me, and the examiners were rude and ignored when I called for their help. I was a victim of discrimination because of my dialect and not “city-like attitude”. I took the test again next year and passed. But in the classroom, things got bad for me again. I would find people giving me looks and avoiding me.I wanted to make friends and play with them. When I managed to accumulate some courage and approached some kids, I realized the extent of their loathe for me; I was pushed around, and one kid strangled me on top of a bench. Mind you this was happening in presence of a teacher who was sitting in her desk acting like she noticed nothing. I became obsessed with blending in and not be frowned upon. Within a relatively short period of time I got rid of my dialect and regional accent. Fast forward quite a few years, I was a student in the same school studying in grade 10. But now I had friends. Within a year I would get a call from the US embassy, and only a month after that I would find myself in a drastically new setting in New York City. It was like moving to Dhaka all over again. People were different- some very rude but some extremely nice-  infrastructure were different, and so was the climate; It was way too cold for my liking. That was three years from now. I went through the process of acclimation again and am still working on my speaking skills to sound like the people around me. I want to be able to speak fluently and coherently to get my thoughts and opinions across. It has not been easy. But neither was getting the respect of the bullies.

Destiny keeps bringing me to new challenges again and again. New Challenges are not always very pleasant, but my curiosity pushes me to explore and overcome them. Such has been a challenge this year when I walked into the English-1121 class on the first day of spring semester. I was not expecting what the professor uttered- “this is a pilot class where we will be testing a new curriculum”. A part of me wanted to walk out of the class, the curious part wanted to see through the new program. And I’m glad I stayed.

This class has to be one of the most challenging classes I took in college so far. English has never been my strongest subject. All the English classes I have had till I took this class were the same. We would have to write three essays following the same format year after year. Only the length of the essays got bigger as we progressed through our school years. But in this class we were given freedom, no I’m not talking about the first essay. The freedom essay was like the symbolism for the new curriculum. Since, it allowed us to think beyond any limits and write from our heart. Because of the unrestricted requirements, we could do our internal revision and be our own audience. Initially we did not have to write for Prof. Schmerler. We wrote what WE wanted to say to our audience and edited keeping Professor in mind during our external revision. My views on English, as a subject, have changed in this class and I feel like I am not so bad in English like the previous courses made me think. I just needed some wiggle room and let my brain free to do what it is supposed to do- which is to think.

freedom_final draft

The delusion of freedom

What is freedom? Are there any set amount of rules that define it? But won’t having definite rules be against the very essence of “freedom”? These questions stormed through mind the last few days, as I set out on a quest to write a unique paper on a topic that is not so unique.

What I came to terms with is that freedom is subjective. There should not be any fixed rules to define it. Your freedom is customized to your liking and whatever sets your free .

I would argue that we do not live in a free society. According to dictionary.com, “Freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without any hinderance or restraint”. That means, to be a truly free world, there can be no rules or laws. Do I have your attention yet? Yes, I mean exactly what I say. In a free society there can be no restrictions that prohibits certain actions. If society had true freedom, people would not be judged or prosecuted.

We are groomed from a very early age. Our parents, the society and government all want us to act in certain ways. The government even goes as far as regulating our body. In this physical world we have no choice but to follow societal rules, if we want to live in society. That to me is anything but “freedom”. I’m not against rules and laws,some laws are crucial for societies to function. But regardless of detrimental or beneficial rules/laws, freedom ends where restriction begins.

If physical freedom is a lie and impractical then maybe true freedom lies in the mind? After all, the mind is where you are away from the vulturous eyes of society. Here you can dream without being laughed at. Here you can live the life that you always wanted. I feel free and at peace when I give my mind the access to the unknown. I get to live many lives by reading books. I get to walk in many people’s shoes and experience what they experienced. When I read books, I feel like transcending both space and time. Sometimes I find myself walking beside Hamlet as he mourns for his dead father or standing in the crowd watching a passionate Martin Luther king as he delivered his famous “I have a dream speech”.

And The beauty of learning is that there are infinite things to know about. You could live your life several times over and still not learn a fraction of the vast amount of things that resides within the universe, or multiverse!  The world at times does seem like a prison when I think about it this way. An ever-growing living prison that expands as we progress. My mind which is like an endless pit- a voracious blackhole- keeps asking for more and more. My restless mind wants to know about everything that it finds interesting. But I’m a human being after all. Just like the barrier of light speed is absolute and can’t be surpassed, knowledge is infinite and humans can’t learn about everything that’s out there.

 

 

inquiry_final draft

Student Name: Faisal Rahman

Course and Section Number: ENG-1121, E-106

Date: 05/24/19

 

UNIT 3             Worksheet 2          brainstorming your Research Proposal

I feel that it is important to discuss about the lack of American interest for the global sport of soccer. Soccer is the most famous sport in the world, with an estimated fan base of 3.5 billion people. But in the U.S, soccer ranks at 7 as the most favorite sport.

This discussion will bring light to the reason why so many people around the world are so fond of soccer. It will reveal to the everyday American what they are missing and how they should approach the game of soccer to enjoy the true beauty of the game. It would help us to reconnect to the world and have good relationships with other countries. It would teach the people of U.S unity and benefit of teamwork. And I think all of us can agree on the fact the unity is something that this country lacks a lot.

There is a reason that almost half of the population of the world are fans of what they call the “beautiful game”. The simplicity of soccer is one of the main reasons for its popularity. All you need is a soccer ball and you are good to go. You can use sticks or even your back packs to set up the goal posts. Because of this anyone can afford it. But simplicity is not the only reason for its popularity. The games are non-stop 90 minutes of jam-packed of actions, strategies, passion and perseverance. But despite that majority Americans think that the sport is boring. And their patience, or lack thereof is to blame.  The American argument that it is a boring game is false. They think soccer is boring because of the few goals that are scored in a game. But in reality, there are always something that is going on in the field. If you blink you may miss a lightning slide tackle or a thunderstruck shot at goal. Other than the strategical buildup in the midfield, shot saving from the goal keepers, running through the wings are all exciting things in a soccer game. Soccer is like a chess game where the pieces are highly mobile and less restricted to move. Like in chess, there are key players whose general position are in strategic positions from where a fast attack can be launched. Those positions, which are typically in the midfield region are also good for transitioning to defense.

Since soccer is a team game and to play or understand the game you need to have or at least develop of team player mentality. People in the states are ditching the idea of teamwork. They mostly care about themselves and don’t like to help others. If this keeps up, we won’t be able to function as a society. Soccer can teach us to care about one another again through the spirit of teamwork.

Soccer is like the language of the world. since, so many people know and are passionate about soccer, it is the ice breaker, the conversation starter and the friend maker. This is the expression that billions of people, around the globe, use as a medium to connect to one another. We are being left out. We are being isolated from the rest of the world. There are many other things to blame for the slow isolation, but rejecting the ambassador of the world is a very critical one.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/briangoff/2014/07/08/the-5-best-and-worst-things-about-soccer/#734e6493017ehttps://www.complex.com/sports/2015/03/the-great-beauty-of-a-simple-gamehttps://www.sunburynews.com/sports/7276/why-do-americans-hate-soccer-while-the-rest-of-the-world-loves-footballhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyXgE6H6tms

 

Donald Murray: Internal revision: A Process of Discovery

  • Writing is the using of words or language to convey a message or experience. The writer may be completely oblivious of the “meaning of her experience”, or what she wants to tell her readers. she writes to discover the true meaning of her experience, and then rewrites until she thinks that she wrote everything that she wants to say.

The purpose of writing is to discover the inner feelings of the writer, and to communicate it. Quoting Ellie Wiesel’s words, “I write in order to understand as much as to be understood”.

  • By “discovery”– which he says is an important part of the revision process- Donald Murray means that through writing and rewriting and going over the revision process the writer sees stories forming that he himself was not aware of. These are plots or developments in the story that the writer did not intentionally plan before his discovery.

By using the term “ignorance” Donald Murray means that most writers don’t know what they want to say when they start writing. In the re vison stage, they discover what they truly want to tell their readers about their experience.

  • Product is the final writing. Process is the writing through which that “product” should be reached.
  • Internal revision: During internal revision the writer reads her first draft and discovers her position on the subject. Then using language, structure and research information she develops what she has discovered. She only listens to her inner self during internal revision to make sure she says what she really wants to say. The writer is like a hiker who got lost in a cold hiking trail. She has created spark in some dry moss and is carefully analyzing the situation and is now patiently adding twigs. she smiles as she sees her embers slowly turn into a blazing fire.
  • External revision: During external revision the writer edits what she has written. She does not change what she has to say (the discovery she had during internal revision), and only tweaks her writing in a way that would make sense to her readers.
  • By “content” Murray probably means the research content the writer accumulated before she wrote her first draft. He could also refer to the content of the writers first draft.

Structure is the way the writer writes her paper.

navigating genres by Kerry Dirk

I am very comfortable posting or writing in Facebook. I don’t feel restricted when i want to express myself passionately in Facebook, unlike in an academic writing, and I don’t have to worry about writing formally either. I know that I won’t be graded on my writings, which is also very relieving.

I think I do feel more comfortable than my grandpa about posting in Facebook. I have had a Facebook account for a long time and my grandpa doesn’t even know what Facebook is. Over the years, I have seen a lot of other people’s writings In Facebook, and have written quite a few posts myself.  Being in the internet every day also feeds me with a lot of content to talk about. My grandpa may capitalize all his words, post his same writing multiple times, beat around the bush too much and not be specific and straightforward. He may also lack the witty or funny style of writing that people prefer to read in the internet/Facebook. I think he would get angry about how disrespectful people are in the internet and just rage quit his account. But it is also true that there are a lot of older people who are very knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to composing a piece of writing in this genre.

I like “free-flow” writing and try not to strangle my thoughts with a strictly followed genre style. That’s why I have problems with writing traditional type essays, where it is required to do very specific things, like writing a thesis statement in the introduction, etc.

In the “Onion” my favorite title example was “Study: Dolphins not so intelligent on land. They are stating a very obvious thing in their “study”, which is sarcastic and funny.

genre analysis (with italics intro)

Faisal Rahman

English 1121, E106

Genre analysis: “dumbed down books”

The genre I chose to write in does not have a definite name. but if were to explain it, it is a culmination of sophisticated ideas and theories explained in a “dumbed down” way without going into technical details. The beauty of this genre is that it tells us as much as we need to understand -without going into broad details-, say a scientific theory, that most people without prior experience with the topic won’t understand. An example of a book from this genre is called, “What is Relativity”- by Jeffrey Bennet. This book contains all the important ideas about relativity without being very technical. The audience of this genre/book are people that are interested in astronomy, but, are new to the topic.

 

The world is a very complex dimension created by some unknown entity. From astronomical objects such as the planets, stars, blackholes, nebulae, to atomic objects that includes protons, electrons, neutrons and others, there exist a lot of physical and intangible phenomenon. From the philosophical ideas of humanities to the laws of physics, there are a lot of sophisticated explanation as to why we exist and how we exist in this world. For the masses it can be challenging, and sometimes extremely hard, to grasp a hold of the ideas and proven laws about the world. If we go into specifics, astronomy for example is a realm of science that is often stereotyped as a subject for the “nerds”. Though it is true that some of the concepts of astronomy, is hard to understand, we should still know how our world at large operates.

The advanced books that explains these hard to understand phenomenon and ideas are too hard and monotonous for the novice reader.  A genre was created for this very reason keeping the masses in mind. This genre of books generally contains all the concepts of a specific topic, but only explained in an easier way. In this regard, this genre is different from those genres that only contains the basics. The books of this genre have a lot of easy to understand examples. I have noticed that it is much easier to understand something when you can relate it to something else that you have already experienced or know about. These books also contain less to no complicated mathematical proofs to prove a law or theory. When mathematical applications are absolutely needed to explain something, the author generally tells that to the reader and suggests them to read a more advanced book if they want to further their knowledge on the subject. without much technical details, these books generally lack concrete evidence to back up what the author is trying to convey.

 

 

 

My desk

 “The Quantum Age,” “What is Relativity?,” “Ripples in Spacetime.”

Books that i have read recently, and am currently reading.

worksheet 2

Student Name: Faisal Rahman

Course and Section Number: ENG-1121, E-106

Date: 05/13/19

 

UNIT 3             Worksheet 2          brainstorming your Research Proposal

I feel that it is important to discuss about the lack of American interest for the global sport of soccer. Soccer is the most famous sport in the world, with an estimated fan base of 3.5 million people. but in the states, soccer ranks at 7 as the most favorite sport.

 

This discussion will bring light to the reason why so many people around the world are so fond of soccer. It will reveal to the everyday American what they are missing and how they should approach the game of soccer to enjoy the true beauty of the game. It would teach the people of U.S unity and benefit of teamwork. And I think all of us can agree on the fact the unity is something that this country lacks a lot. It would teach kids that regardless of individual difference people can unite and work together, thus tackling the problem of bullying. It would also bring a lot of revenue to the country.

 

This discussion will bring light to the reason why so many people around the world are so fond of soccer. It will reveal to the everyday Americans what they are missing and how they should approach the game of soccer to enjoy the true beauty of the game.

 

U.S is getting more and more isolated from the world day by day. We don’t get along with other countries in terms of politics and the fact that we reject the medium (soccer), that the people of the world use to unite, is not helping either. I just want to reflect the shiny sides of soccer- that other people find so appealing- to the Americans and see if I can get them to view the sport with a different perspective.

 

unit 3 worksheet 1

Student Name: Faisal Rahman

Course and Section Number: ENG-1121, E-106

Date: 05/13/19

UNIT 3 WORKSHEET 1 Note: the following are prompts to help you organize your work. Please make your answers clear and easy to read! Take all the space you need to answer the questions.

 

My general area of study is: soccer

 

  1. After doing some preliminary research, I am able to note below at least one argument / discussion / problem that surrounds my area of study:

Most Americans, unlike most people in the world, don’t like soccer. Through my research I found out that the reason for their uninterest in soccer:

  • the game consists of much fewer goals/points scored to their liking, unlike, say, American football or basketball.
  • There aren’t any “drinks break” or ad breaks in soccer. The only break is between the two halves of the game- after 45 minutes.
  • Soccer players are not tough enough and go down easily upon contact. They also dive to get foul calls.

 

  1. The people or community of people most affected by this problem are…:

Americans who like soccer, and secondly, Americans who dislike it as well. The ones who dislike it are being left out from the unity of a whooping 3.5 billion fans in the world. They are being left out from the beautiful game

 

  1. Here are some key terms or phrases particularly associated with this issue. (For example, if your proposal is about hiking, you might use phrases like “manageable distances,” “maps,” “excursions,” “rough terrain,” “backpack,” “dehydration,” “survival in the elements,” “pathfinding,” et al.):

Tedious; no drinks or ads break; players are soft; not enough goals/points

 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/briangoff/2014/07/08/the-5-best-and-worst-things-about-soccer/#734e6493017e

https://www.complex.com/sports/2015/03/the-great-beauty-of-a-simple-game

https://www.sunburynews.com/sports/7276/why-do-americans-hate-soccer-while-the-rest-of-the-world-loves-football

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyXgE6H6tms

 

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