Newspaper Article

The Mystery of Flight 370

Written by Khanh Linh Le

March 11, 2014

The sudden disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight 370 shocked everyone and baffled investigators. The plane that was being flown was a Boeing 777, one of the most reliable planes in the world, which confused people as to how that plane could have gone missing. NO distress call was made when the plane disappeared on the radar, leading many to speculate the fate of the tragic flight. 

One of the first theories as to why the plane disappeared was because of a bomb. There were two passengers using stolen passports on 
the flight, where it was believed that a bomb was detonated on the flight. However, because there was no debris found so far, it’s hard to prove the theory. Some have suggested that the flight could have been a practice run, or the passengers using the stolen passports were simply travelling illegally.

          A second theory is that the plane was hijacked. Before it disappeared, it was shown on the radar that the plane was being turned around to be headed back to Kuala Lumpur. However, there has been no sign of the flight crew sending out any signals about possible hijackings.

         

      

    A third theory is that it was simply a mechanical failure. Because no debris was found, it was suggested the pilots were forced to land the plane to land on water, where the plane eventually sunk. However, if that was the case, then there should have been a distress call.

          Although these are all speculations, we can only hope and pray that the plane would soon be found, and (if possible) that there would be survivors left to be saved. Our prayers go out to the families of the passengers on the plane. 

Health Letter

Dear Fatima,
        I've read about your struggle with your body image, and how you try so hard to attain the "perfect" skinny look. Your friends said that you have been putting on some pounds. Just to let you know, no one is perfect! The image of beauty is heavily distorted, but true beauty happens when you feel perfectly happy with yourself. Plus, since you are going through puberty at that age, it's normal that your body is changing; it's just you growing into an adult! If you don't take care of your body, it would only hurt you in the long run. By becoming so skinny, you become less confident with your body, since you've started avoiding your friends, and that your hair is thinning! I've also read that you recently lost your grandmother, and that you are now losing even more weight. This is because of depression; you're eating out because you miss your grandmother. It's hard to lose someone/something you love (trust me, I've been there) but the only way to cope with it is to move on. What would your grandmother feel if she saw you starving yourself? It would break her heart.
        I encourage you to eat more, and if you still want to be skinny, at least eat the right foods! Dieting doesn't mean you just stop eating; you only eat specific foods and avoid other foods, and also exercise! That is the right way to lose weight. So please Fatima, stop starving yourself! Move on from your grandmother's death, because although she is no longer by your side, she will always remain in your heart. Being healthy is important; do it right!
       
         Sincerely,
         Khanh Linh

The Boy Who Cried Murder

     House Rules is a great murder mystery, while the Boy Who Cried Wolf is great moral story. Despite their glaring differences (like how one is a novel and one is a fable) they both have similarities. 

     In House of Rules, the story centers around a teenager named Jacob Hunt, who has Asperger’s Syndrome and is a suspect in a murder case. The story is based in a small town called Townshend in Vermont. Jacob is a terrible liar, since his disorder gives him a hard time when he lies, making it blatantly obvious when he does. One time in the book, Jacob called the police and told them that his mother abused him, so that he can go and see his idol, Doctor Henry Lee. When Detective Matsen learns about the ruse, he tells if Jacob cries wolf again, then the police wouldn’t believe him if he really was in danger. Speaking of crying wolf, this leads to me to my next topic, The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
  
     The fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, revolves around a shepherd who is a skilled liar. This leads to his downfall, however, because he constantly tricks the villagers into believing that his flock of sheep is being attacked by wolves. When he does tell the truth (the wolves are actually attacking his flock) the villagers don’t come to his aid, and his flock of sheep gets slaughtered by the wolves.

     Both Jacob and the Boy “cried wolf” (although Jacob only did it once; and the Boy did it multiple times) but that’s where their similarities end. While the Boy is a skilled liar, Jacob is a terrible one (people can easily find out when he lies). Another difference they have is the story’s format and genre: House Rules is mystery novel, while The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a story from Aesop’s Fable.

     Even though both stories may be very different in some cases, both are a very enjoyable read, and with both with a moral behind the story. 

Paragraph (Introduction and Conclusion)

Technology has vastly changed and improved our lives. Things we couldn't have done today/things that we use to find difficult to do, is now simplified thanks to technology. But with technology making everything so much easier, it comes with a cost: human interaction.

......

Our lives maybe easier thanks to technology, but is it worth it with the cost of human interaction? Maybe human interaction can be restored if we decrease our usage of technology, so that in the future, we can talk to each other over a cup of coffee without having to look at our smartphones all the time.

Video Games VS. Sports

            Despite their obvious differences, video games and sports have a lot in common. Contrary to popular beliefs, video games can actually be good to you. While sports help you build muscles and burn fat, studies have shown that video games help improve hand and eye coordination. Video games can also involve fitness and also keep you healthy, just like sports. Both are excellent candidates for entertainment and competition. While sports have big major leagues such as the Super Bowl, there is also (surprisingly) the Major League Gaming. Though both

seem to have a lot of positive effects, it doesn’t mean they have any negative effects. Video games can get you addicted, and can also affect you psychologically. It can even make you violent (but that’s not always the case). While playing sports, you can overwork your muscles, which can be very harmful. Sports can also cause injuries, such as breaking an arm or spraining an ankle. In the end, both may have their positive and negative effects, but we enjoy them all the same. 

Should Zoos Exist?

Imagine you are a proud lion, with golden fur and a luxurious mane. Imagine what it would be like to spend the rest of your life, in a small cage, just for the entertainment of humans. It’s sad, isn’t it? Zoos are made for the general human population be able to see the wild animals that they’ve heard of, but is it right to keep them in cages like that? It isn’t right. As I said earlier, keeping wild animals in cages is wrong. By doing so, we have taken away their freedom, and we’ve put them into a small space, which is much smaller in comparison to its own natural habitat. We are taking them away from their homes. We are also ripping these animals away from their families. How would you feel if you were having dinner with your parents, when suddenly, you are taken away from them and put into a small cage? Another reason is that animals kept in captivity lose their natural instincts/aren’t able to follow their natural instincts. It can affect them greatly in a psychological way; some might even become psychotic and maybe attack humans, which would give the public a bad image of animals. Also, zoos “claim” to be saving endangered species by keeping them “safe” in zoos, but that’s not true. Of course, the animals are safer in captivity than in the wild without poachers.

 But, if more and more endangered species are put into zoos, there would be less in the wild. Inbreeding can happen, causing the endangered species to become infertile, or suffer from inbreeding depression (they are not as physically fit as their parents). They are no longer genetically diverse, so that if the animals were ever released back into the wild, they wouldn’t be able to breed; it upsets the natural balance of nature, and pushes the species even closer to extinction. In conclusion, those are the reasons why I think animals should not be kept in zoos. They are better off in sanctuaries, where they still maintain their freedom and get to be released back into the wild, or in national parks. 

My Fall Break

I like to play as Samus Aran and destroy my sister in Super
Smash Bros. Brawl
Over the fall break, I didn’t do much. In the beginning, I spent most of my time using my laptop, and also playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Just Dance 4 on the Wii.

                                                                    

On Thursday, I went to Phan Thiet and stayed at the DuParc Resort. (It use to be called Novotel, but it got changed to DuParc). 

Hammack by the beach

We spent our time there swimming and relaxing. When my dad went to play gold, we’d usually go down to the beach and lie on the hammocks and enjoy the scenery and sea air. On Sunday, my sister and I went to the monthly Saigon Flea Market, and we went with our friend, Nanami. We also met an old friend there (her name was Soomi). I also had to study for the History test, but then I decided that procrastination was a better choice J