How to prevent a time-traveling assassinator from killing Hitler

Instructional text

How to prevent a time-traveling assassinator from killing Hitler

what you will need:

- a time-machine

- good negotiation skills

- a gun

- a mega-doses of methamphetamine

Step one:

Acquire a time-machine as the one in the picture below and read the instruction manual carefully.

Step two:

Do some test travels to make sure you know how it works.

Step three:
If you are willing to kill a person that wants to kill another person: buy a gun at the local gun shop and  travel to the time the assassinator was planning his attempt. If the time is right, shoot him in the head with the gun. Mission accomplished.

If you want to prevent the assassinator from killing Hitler without the cost of a human life than you need a more elaborate plan.

Step four:  

Travel to the time when the assassinator was planning his attempt against Hitler and spy on him until you know all the details of his plan.

Step five:

Make up a fake identity and try to convince the assassinator that he should not attempt to kill Hitler. Tell him that you are from the alternative future in which he succeeded in killing Hitler and that the consequences that his early death brought about are very severe.

Step six:

If the assassinator believes you than the mission is accomplished and you can travel back to your time.

If he does not believe you, then set your time machine for the date when Hitler was still alive,  three days before the planned assassination.

Step seven:

Tell Hitler everything about the planned assassination and advise him to go into hide.

In case he does not believe you, you might want to reconsider simply killing the assassinator as suggested in step two.

Step eight:

Escort Hitler to the Eagle’s Nest and make sure no one knows about it. This is necessary because later there will be no historic records about his whereabouts at that time.

Step eight:

Put a mega-doses of methamphetamine in Hitler’s orange juice and travel back to your own time. Hitler will go insane because of the mega-doses of methamphetamine and he will make decisions that will later cause his fall.

[351 words]

Narrative article homework: North-Korea

Kim (12) is sitting on the shoulder of his father, curiously looking in the way everyone else is looking. The boy asks his father, ”Daddy what is going on? Why are we here?” The father’s answer is very simple and straightforward, ”I brought you here for one reason. I want you to learn that disrespecting your country will only lead to death.” The boy looks at the sunken face of his father with disappointment. Soon after a young man appears on a stage in front of the crowd. On his arms are handcuffs and he is followed by two guards. The boy can see the beaten but proud face of the young man on the stage. The son does not ask anymore, he just looks in the eyes of the young man and the young man stares back at him. After the guards announced the accusation, they simply shot the man in the head. At first Kim did not believe what happened and covered his eyes with his hands but his father took his hands and persuaded him to watch further. Nine more persons would follow and Kim had to look in the eye of all of them. While the crowd applauded, Kim’s face was sear and without any emotion. His father told him that this is a lesson he should never forget. Fortunately Kim never did and he is one of the few who could escape from the cruel and unforgiving hands of North-Korea. He is now here to tell his story.

PSA/ADVERTISEMENT

As this topic really awakened my interest, I decided to do a PSA and an advertisement.

PSA:

DEATH! 

What a horrible sounding word, though it is as natural as birth. Loosing someone you love is a very hard thing, but a natural one.  People have been confronted with it since ever. 

Show some respect to the person who died and don't mess with his/her fake identity.

Advertisement:

Which way do YOU choose for grieving?

 An after-death avatar helps. Alcohol doesn't.


Resources: 

http://a57.foxnews.com/global.fncstatic.com/static/managed/img/Health/660/371/Using%20Computer.JPG?ve=1&tl=1

http://www.contextview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Dependency-to-Alcohol.jpg

My system for improving my vocabulary

I'm a bit late with this post but better late than never. As we run out of time it is better to get it out of the way now, as I assume that I won't have time for it later.

I don't have to say how important it is to collect and improve vocabulary in the process of learning a language. It helps to express yourself better and colors the language. Isn't it a beautiful feeling when you use a word in a conversation for the first time without having to think about it for 2 minutes?




Here is my system for improving my vocabulary:

The most convenient way of studying vocabulary is vocabulary.com. It adapts to your level and helps you to study words systematically. Normally I do 3 tests per day but since we have to improve our pronunciation I rather do spelling bee as it helps me with the pronunciation and on the right hand side it provides short definition of the word. Here is a picture of my process so far:


As those short definition aren't always enough to really understand a word, I search for a better definition in longman dictionary online and look how the word is used and what forms it can occur. In order to remember the word I write it down in my notebook. I've heard that writing down a word helps remembering it because the word gets processed by your brain while you write it down. Here is a picture of my notebook:

Although writing it down helps you to remember the word better, revising the words and creating example sentences is still very important. So I make sure to revise them regularly, especially before an exam.

I also love flashcards, though I didn't use them too much throughout the semester. Originally I use it for words which I stumble over accidentally and are worth remembering, but  at the beginning of the semester I decided to use them to write down words and definition related to finance and economics. I thought it's going to help me with Henry's class. In the beginning it did but unfortunately the semester was too demanding and I simply didn't find the time to do it regularly. I know...silly excuse :D.

Take care,
Harald

Pronunciation Diary 2

Dear all,

Winter break is getting closer and closer but somehow as it gets closer the more I long for it. So the last days are getting longer and longer. At least I finished every homework I wanted before the break so know I can really lay back and relax at least for a couple of days. However, let's speak about pronunciation.

After writing the last post I started to think about what my problems are with English pronunciation. The one I've chosen for this post is the "th" sound.

Our teachers in High School tried their best to explain how to form this sound, but as they couldn't form the sound neither it was kinda a fool's errand.

My problem was that instead of saying "th" I frequently pronounced it as a simple "t". I feel particularly uncomfortable saying the word "worth". That "th" sound after the "r" is very difficult to pronounce.
After listening like 30 times to the program on vocabulary.com pronouncing the word "worth" it gets better but I still have to work on it. Sometimes I forget to put my tongue to the edge of my teeth and because of that it simply sound like an "s".

Here is a recording of me where I read a short poem with a couple of "th" sounds for the first time:
https://soundcloud.com/herold-flux/th

Here I tried it for a second time. A bit better if you ask me.
https://soundcloud.com/herold-flux/th-2

Take care,
Harald

Pronunciation Diary

I was cheered when I heard that from now on this class will focus on pronunciation. Finally an English lesson which is not about writing! Sure writing is a very important part of our studies, I can cope with that but I really missed using the language more in real life than on a piece of paper. So I am already curious to what extend my pronunciation will change if I follow the guidelines provided by Rachel and Amy.

My goal is to speak clearer. I sometimes realize that instead of speaking in a clear tone, I just start to mumble. I don’t know the reason why. Maybe because I think that way no one realizes that I pronounce something wrong. Another problem I often get confronted with is that I place the emphasis incorrectly. I have to learn emphasizing the right part of a word, because mistakes like a mispronounced word make it obvious that you have deficiencies.  As I live every semester with at least one native speaker of English, I have often the opportunity to speak with someone and I try to learn as much as possible from these conversations. For example, I ask them to correct me as soon as they hear something pronounced wrong.

Music must have been the biggest help for me in learning English pronunciation. Honestly, my English teachers in High School were all good teachers but they all had a very strong accent and if I would have listened more to them, then I wouldn't be here. Watching movies in English and listening to a lot of lyrically more complex music helped me more in practicing pronunciation than English class in High School. Analyzing lyrics and listening to them a hundred times helps you remember certain words and not just the word itself but how it is pronounced.

I know, listening to music and analyzing lyrics won't be enough to sound like a native speaker, so I will apply the same strategy for pronunciation practice as for vocab learning. Start early enough and do it every day. Step by step I go through Rachel's videos according to what I want to get better at. I'm already curious how it will change my pronunciation.