Bill

[Bill]

Nowadays, there are many ways for people to learn about the world.  In my opinion, the knowledge which we gain from our personal experiences is more important than that which we gain from printed sources.  I feel this way for two main reasons, which I will explore in the following.

First of all, books are not always accurate and often contradict what we can find in the real world.  This is a result of the fact that books are often written by unqualified authors, but also because even respected and trained academics are subject to their own biases and personal shortcomings.  Even if a diligent professor writes a book with the best of intentions and tries to avoid factual errors, his research might be faulty as a result of major shifts in world affairs.  My own experience visiting the Republic of Sokovia several years ago is a good example of this.  Before I took my trip, I read a great number of textbooks, articles and guide books about the region.  All of these informed me that Sokovia was a very conservative place, and suggested that the people there might be unwelcoming.  However, when I actually arrived, I encountered a very welcoming, progressive culture.  Though the books I consulted were only a few years old, they were wholly out of date and did not match my personal experience.  This example demonstrates some of the problems with depending too much on books for our knowledge.

Secondly, the knowledge which we gain from personal experiences stays with us longer than that which we gain from reading.  Books are often put away and forgotten about shortly after we read them.  For example, I was a university student for four years and I read hundreds of books during that time.  However, it is now a decade since my graduation and I can only remember just a few of those books.  The rest of them all blend together and the knowledge I gained at the time is lost to me now.  In contrast, I still have very vivid memories of the aforementioned trip to Europe.  What I learned there about culture, people and society is burned into my memory and I will never forget it.  This is because I had a personal connection to my trip, while I had only a temporary academic connection to my university studies.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that knowledge gained from experiences is more important than knowledge gained from reading books.  This is because books are sometimes inaccurate, and because our personal memories stay with us longer than the facts we read about in print.

[Bill]

Mashed potato pizza

 

My grandparents always tell me that people who laugh at their own mistakes will get everyone else to laugh along with them. Yesterday, I leaned that they were right.

“Stay in line,”Mrs Right said.  I knew right away that my friend North wouldn’t be able to cut. I looked at North and frowned. Soon, the line began to move faster, and I followed along hoping that there would still be pizza.

When I reached the counter, I looked at the choices. I could only see chicken and mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese , and fish. I could hear the rumbling of my very disappointed stomach.

Then, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw one last piece of pepperoni pizza. I got so excited.

“Pepperoni pizza please,” I said politely. Mrs right handed me the pizza. I took the paper plate so quickly that the pizza slid off the plate. I tried to save it , but the pizza landed in the pan of hot, buttery mashed potatoes.

I could feel my face turning redder and redder. All I could hear was laughter from the kids in the line.

As I looked at the upside-down pizza, I heard Mrs rights voice. ”south would you like a side of mashed potatoes with your pizza?”

I looked up and saw North . She was laughing too. With a nervous smile, I said, “of course.”

Mrs Right smiled and scooped the mash potato pizza on my plate. I looked around at my friends ,and we all laughed again.

I never really believed my grandparents until I saw my friends laughing with me. The laughing made me feel good instead of just clumsy.

[Bill]

It was a scorching hot summer’s day: perfect for a day at the fair.  The sky was dotted with a few fluffy clouds that looked like candy floss.

The entrance to the fair could be seen in the distance and the long queues edged forward slowly.

Visitors were becoming increasingly excited and impatient as they took a few steps forward every so often.

Faint music could be heard from beyond the tall gates with the occasional happy scream suddenly piecing the air. Closer to the entrance and the massive structures of the rides could be seen: a rollercoaster, a big wheel, a heater skelter. They were steel giants reaching for the sky.

Once inside, the braver kids ran towards the first rollercoaster.It zipped back and forth the queue as fast as a bullet.Those sat at the front screamed the loudest , their eyes bulging like frogs , as the wind howled into their faces.hands gripped the safety bars like a vice as the shuttle suddenly flipping upside down.

 

One formerly cocky boy , immediately felt nauseous his confidence knocked and his turned face a sickly green color.

 

Below younger children stood watching , eating their sweets and snacks. Ice cream wobbled perilously over the cones and dripped down their small fingers as they watched. Some munched on brightly colored balls of candy floss.the strands dissolved on the tongue and the sweet sugar stuck on the teeth like glue.A few ate too much and complained to their parents.

 

The natures wild theme park stood in the dark isolated and in the middle of nowhere. The vines stuck to it and never let it go ,  the people doesn’t like the destitute place and so thought to know it down because it isn’t used for a long time (around two years).

[Author]

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