ENTRY 1: TRƯƠNG MINH TIẾN

       

  ITEM 1: STORY

THE APPLE TREE

          

                    A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow... He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.

                    Time went by... the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me," the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid, I don't play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them." "Sorry, but I don't have money...but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money." The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

                    One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me" the tree said. "I don't have time to play. I have to work for family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?" "Sorry, but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

                    One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?" "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

                    Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I don't have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you..." the tree said. "I don't have teeth to bite" the boy replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on" "I am too old for that now" the boy said. "I really can't give you anything ... the only thing left is my dying roots" the tree said with tears. "I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years." The boy replied. "Good! Old tree roots is the best place to lean on and rest. Come, Come sit down with me and rest."

                    The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.......

Source: http://www.balagokulam.org/kids/stories/apple.php

Rhetorical devices:

                    Metaphor:

                    + The Apple Tree: Our Parents

                    + The Boy: Us

Message: 

         “The Apple Tree” is such a touching story for all of us to think about. In the story, the apple tree symbolizes our parents, and the boy stands for no one but ourselves. The way the boy treats the apple tree is exactly how we have been treating our parents recently. When we were young, hardly any of us had a step away from our parents.  We were almost like their annoying tail, occupied them all the time. We loved our daddy and mommy more than anything we had. However, the bigger we get, the more indifferent we are to our parents. We started to enter life with so many new things that keep us away from those who used to be always number one in our heart, little by little. And sadly, we only think of our parents, go back to them when we are in trouble. Parents are always willing to give and forgive, and we kids always get and then forget. We almost take their love for granted, and never look back to see the sorrow we leave behind every time we gain what we need and go away.  Nevertheless, despite all of the bad things we have done to our father and mother, they would always be there, spreading their shade of love over us every time we feel tired with the busy life. And when we recognize how cruel and thoughtless we are to our mom and dad, it may be too late. So love our parents every day, every single moment we have, not just by words but actions, so that we will not regret afterwards.

ITEM 2: PICTURE

Source: http://www.funny-potato.com/burning-houses.html

Rhetorical device:

                    Irony:

          + The house on fire = an emergency which needs people to take action immediately, or it may result in severe consequences.

          + The firefighter: The ones who are believed to be the saviors to the problem.

Message:

          This picture has no deep meanings indeed. It is just for fun and relaxation. Enjoy!

ITEM 3: QUOTE

“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”

                                                                                                    Rita Mae Brown

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes

Rhetorical device:

                         Paradox: Good judgment – Bad judgment

Message:

                         Nobody can do things right at the very first time. The point here is the lesson you have learnt from your “bad judgment”, which is experience, and you would never make the same mistake twice.

Thank you for your reading and  Hope you had a great time!