Saturday, December 5, 2009

Family spring festival and "red bag"

It is December again. American people are excited about the coming Charismas after the thanksgiving break. I was influenced by the happiness and feel in love with the beautiful ornament, and to decorate my room as much as I can. After I finished all the work, I suddenly felt lonely. I was thinking about my parents in China and missing the new year holiday which we celebrated every year. I want to see my grandparent, aunts and sisters.

Then I though the spring festival. It is the most important festival every year in my life. I want to eat dumpling, stay with my big family, look at the videos and eat until another year begin (with moon calendar). When the peal of temple bell start, we do firework together with all the family members. At that time, the sky turns white in every second because all the families in the same district do firework at the same time. They are lovely days.

For me, one of the most important things are getting “red bag” from eldership. It is a red paper bag contain some of the money from elder family member to young members who are lower than 18. As a young child in the family, “red bag” is the main source to get pocket money of a whole year.

The origin of this tradition has many legends. There is one of the interesting story which is wildly spread: long time ago, in ancient times, there was a sprite called “sui”, its body was black and the hands were white. Every new year’s Eve, it came out and harmed small kids. When the kid’s head were touched by its hand for three times, the kids were horrified and would scream and cry. At the second day, they got sick. The kids would finally cured after several days, however, they became fool. Elders were afraid of this condition, therefore, they turned on the light for a whole night and sit next to the kid to avoid “sui” went to touch their kids.

One of a family used to protect their kids by using the “red bag”, which also called “ya sui qian”. The name means the money used to suppress “sui”. In order to avoid “sui”, they asked their kid to play during the night. They gave her 8 copper coins and a red bag, and then the kid put the coins into the bag and got them out for the night. After the kid was tired, the parents put the coin next to the pillow when she was sleeping and sit on the bed without sleepy. At the mid night, “sui” came in and wants to touch the kid. Nevertheless, at the time it touched the head; blazing light came out next to the pillow. “Sui” was horrified and then run away. These parents told other family what happened in the previous day, then every family knew how to protect kids and “sui” never came again. People believed, the eight coins were changed by the Eight Immortals. When “sui” came out, they protected kids. Therefore, people called these coins as “ya sui qian”, which to suppress “sui”. Nowadays, “ya sui qian” is also called “red bag”, it contains the blessing of children from the elder.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

A Chinese Scientist

Yuan Longping, the Father of Hybrid Rice in China, is the Director General of China National Hybrid Rice Research & Development Center in Changsha, Hunan. He won the 2004 World Food Prize at Iowa University state in Ames, Iowa. As a pioneer in hybrid rice technology, he developed the genetic tools for hybrid breeding, provided enough food to feed an additional 60 million people in China each year. He changed the self-pollinating characteristics of rice and created a new system which is known as 3-line system. The achievement dramatically increases the yield of rice, elevated 20% of grain output.

From 1960, Yuan Longping learnt crops such as hybrid sorghum, hybrid corn and aspermous watermelon had been widely planted in the world. He found out that geneticists like mendel and their adherents had raised significant doctrines about gene segregation, independent assortment and catenation reaction. He got the enlightenment form such principles. Therefore, he changed his mind from unsexual hybrid theory into sexual hybrid theory and attempted the experiment on rice.

In July, 1960, found out a kind of rice which showed different characteristic compared with other rice in his paddy. Next spring he planted the mutative seeds in the paddy again and found out these seeds were naturally hybridized. He was interested in that natural hybrid rice, so he started working on artificial hybrid rice. He collected data and published the new discovery about “male sterility of rice” which firstly introduced the characteristic of male rice sterility. He divided the feature into three kinds, and then spent 6 years to point out the deficiency of using cultivate rice in hybridization.

He traveled around China and finally found out a kind of wild male sterilized rice in Hainan which strongly held their sterilized ability. After that, he delivered the new found plant to different research group among the country to do the research. In another 10 years, accompany with many scientists, he found out 1000 kinds of rice contained highly cure ability of sterility. One of them, which were called IR24, can cure above 90% of sterility.

In October, 1973, Yuan Long published a paper about the experiment, announced his research mad a success.
In August, 1995, the new advanced hybridization research was doing successfully. The new technology can make an additional 750-1500 kilograms per hectare outputs compared with 3-line system hybridization.

His research still continuing, up to August, 1998, his latest technology made another additional 56.5 kilograms outputs per hectare. The Agriculture of China was developed greatly because of his outstanding contribution.
Conference:

“Yuan Longping”
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=14588733&site=ehost-live

“2004 World Food Prize Awarded to Rice Breeders.” Nutrition Today; Sep/Oct2004, Vol. 39 Issue 5, P220-220, 1p, 1bw.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Research paper outline

Subject: Controversial speaker
Topic:
The effect of allowing international controversial speakers give a public speaking relate to national relationship

Research question:
Are international controversial speakers should be allowed to give a public speaking in different countries?

Thesis statement:
Controversial speakers should not be allowed to give a public speaking in different countries because it action encourage non-government organization interfere political issue of another country, give a bad sign in national relationship and result in a unfriendly treatment through the media.

Briefly introduction
What is controversial speaker? Who is defined as controversial speaker? What did they do?

Topic1:
Controversial speakers will mislead foreign audiences so that foreign non-government interfered China’s domestic political issue.

Supporting details:
Some of the controversial speakers attempt to interfere political issue of their country. For example, dalailama, one of the most powerful religion leaders in Tibetan Buddhism, traveled round countries over the world to sell his idea for split Tibet from China. He grabs the gap between cultures and make foreigner believe China did bad thing on Tibet. He got help from foreign non-government organizations and infests the sacred flame transition at 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Based on the report, this organization comes from France. At that time, Chinese really did not like French because they did bad thing.

Topic 2: The speaking used to make a country give a bad sign to China.
Example: Dalailama used to be received by the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. Chinese protested his decision.

Topic3: Foreign media distort the fact of rioting happened in China because they has prejudices of China’s government.
Example: Germany N-TV announced a picture as “the new protest in Tibet” but actually the picture got from Nepel. http://media.people.com.cn/GB/40699/7055226.html
Chinese people are extremely angry by these news, they will also create prejudice to German.

Conclusion:
Sometimes foreign people really give difficult time of China to deal with Chinese political issue. Due to different background we have, they believe things look like logical and rational. However, indeed, their belief is confused, and what they did corrupt Chinese national image. Therefore, controversial speaking should not be allowed in the public.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

How to be a strong student in the University?

University is a place that teaches people advanced knowledge, and helps them to prepare specific skills for working in the future. For students who have already taken a seat in University, all of them want to be a strong student in their school work.

Then how to be a strong student? There is many ways that the school can provide and help you. Thus the only thing you need to do is to find out those recourses, and absorb them all to be your own knowledge. Here are the following:

Lecture
Lectures are definitely the best places to get the knowledge. Topics covered in the exam will be all presented in the lecture. During the lecture, professor will explain the most important concepts and examples, and will take a gap and let you to ask some questions quickly. Most of the times they will leave assignments after the class, those assignments are really helpful to understand the lecture deeply. Therefore, manage your time and do them all! Don’t keep them for long time and get troubles when doing your exam!

Homework
Homework is the same thing as an assignment and it is REALLY important for the class. It will take some of the point of the class, even it is not a lot. However, doing a homework will let you know what the exam will be, and touch real world problems. The real world problems are not as hard as you think; you just need to read some examples on book, and then solve them.

TA (teaching assistant) and Office Hours
TA should be the first people you figure out who can help you to deal with the homework. You can come to their office hour, and then ask some questions that you don’t understand. This is highly recommended by all instructors, the more you come to the office hour, and the better you get the good grades.

Library
Library is the best place for you to study! Most of the freshmen fine out they cannot concentrate on works because they feel comfortable and sleepy when stay in dorm. Nevertheless, things will be changed if you come to library and study there! Everybody is hard working! So you will definitely get high efficiency! Also, library has many resources for you to write papers such lab reports and essay. Its website contains bunch of useful journals and articles so that you can use them to get in formations.

Techniques listed above are only some basic skills. For students who want to get a straight A after a semester, those are not enough. You have to do preview and review, and try to lose as few points as you can in every quizzes and exams. All in all, study hard will always be the smartest thing to do. You will feel satisfy after get an A from your class.

Good luck to your all!

The outline of Cause and Effect Essay

H1N1 report during the week of September 20-26, 2009

Effect (introduction):

Each of the weeks the CDC, Center of Disease Control and prevention will publish the result of finding of key flu indicators and review the weekly influenza activities. During the week of September, 20-26, the report showed the tendency of having a swine flu among people has elevated in the United States, here are the indicators posted by the organization:
Effects (indicators, body paragraph):

Causes:

1. Topic sentences:
· Influenza-like illness has continuously visiting the doctor.
Supporting details:
· What kind of symptom that influenza-like illness has
· Some of the bad habits will cause potential illness

2. Topic sentences:
· Total rate of hospitalization of the United State increased a lot.
Supporting details:
· Data
· Doctor’s comments

3. Topic sentences:
· Although the mortality relate to H1N1 flu have not be seen so much, however, 11 out of 60 of the pediatric death on swine flu were reporting this week.
Supporting details:
· From where the data of death relate to H1N1 reported
· Those places should be thought for twice when decide to go

Conclusion:
· People should increase the awareness
· Precaution

Reference:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

Thursday, October 15, 2009

The outline of Compare and Contrast essay

Yuzhang1_ESL114M_compare&comtrast.doc

Compare and Contrast outline

Introduction:

Topic sentence:
· The Grading system between IB (International Baccalaureate) program and High school in China are different.
Supporting details:
· What is IB? What is it like in High School?

Body paragraph:

· Similarities:
They have same things account to the grade system, such as HW, quizzes, exam, etc.
· Differences:
1. General assignment (creative works, groups’ works)
2. Tests (is it the largest proportion in the whole grade?)
3. Other differences
(For example: internal assessment, external assessment, extended essay, etc.)
4. How do they calculate the grade (in number)?

Conclusion:

· The grading system of IB is fairer than grading system in China’s High School.
· Compare with IB grading system; give suggestion of the improvement of China’s grading system.

The outline of Cause and Effect Essay

Yuzhang1_ESL114_M

H1N1 report during the week of September 20-26, 2009

Cause (introduction):
Each of the weeks the CDC, Center of Disease Control and prevention will publish the result of finding of key flu indicators and review the weekly influenza activities. During the week of September, 20-26, the report showed the tendency of having a swine flu among people has elevated in the United States, here are the indicators posted by the organization:

Effects (indicators, body paragraph):

1. Topic sentences:
· Influenza-like illness has continuously visiting the doctor.
Supporting details:
· What kind of symptom that influenza-like illness has
· Some of the bad habits will cause potential illness

2. Topic sentences:
· Total rate of hospitalization of the United State increased a lot.
Supporting details:
· Data
· Doctor’s comments

3. Topic sentences:
· Although the mortality relate to H1N1 flu have not be seen so much, however, 11 out of 60 of the pediatric death on swine flu were reporting this week.
Supporting details:
· From where the data of death relate to H1N1 reported
· Those places should be thought for twice when decide to go

Conclusion:
· People should increase the awareness
· Precaution

Reference:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/update.htm

Sunday, October 4, 2009

CHEM 203

Chemistry 203 is a class that is aimed to practice lab techniques during the experiment and learn how to write an appropriate lab report. It contains many skills, such us weighing by difference, vacuum filtration and quantitative transfer. The lecture is on Monday, which the students have to turn on the pre-lab to make sure they have already what’s going on in the next experiment so that will not waste of time at class. The instructor will introduce some background of the next experiment, and then everyone needs to wait for the lab section. For preparing the lab session, first week, students will get an email for reminding everything needed in the class, such goggle, lab coat, and usage fee card. Those things are require for checking in the first class, otherwise, they will be send to home to get these thing. To be consider about, inappropriate clothes (like short pants) will also result in send to home, because of the safety is really important.

When the class begins, student has to find out a table. It is not so difficult, but if you want to stay with your friend, you would better to go to the class earlier so that you can find a place. The TA will introduce themselves in front of the class; they will collect their students before a blackboard, and put any of the useful information on the board. There are name of TA, office hours, place to go and time line of the lab.

The first experiment will not be so hard. It just aimed for student to know more about this class. But after that, real experiment will cost most of the weekend to learn and write the pre-lab or lab report. For that time you should work really hard to figure out how to write a good report because it worth most of the point on this class. Also, Chem 203 is really tough; everyone will be struggle in this class because it is so hard to get a good grad. If there are any of the problems, the most highly recommended things to do are: find your TA. They will give you a lot of help and hopefully there will be some improvement on your work. Unfortunately, if you get a really strict TA, just prey for passing the classL.

Again, this is a hard class, because at the beginning of the first year of college, most students cannot write a high quality lab report. That’s why chem 203 is a required lab course.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Engineering career fair resume

Hi,everyone:

There would be a engineering career fair tommorrow and the day after tommorrow, I am really happy. As I learnt that I need to write a resume for my application, I found that I have no idea with it. Surely, there was a day-time engineering career fair before the career fair tommorrow, and I was asking to look at it. At that day, I was looking around outside the door, because I do not wear business casual at appropriate time. To be honestly, I was shocked, it was because I really don't know what is career fair exactly. I thought it was only like a meeting. But I was wrong. There were many big companies attending to the career fair, and it was competitive through huge number of students. Anyway, I have to ask somebody. It looked like a huge opportunity but I can not catch it, I thought I need to find new chances right now.

I was kucky. After I asked stuff questions about resume and career services, they gave me a phone call for Engineering Career Services to make a appointment and find for help. I did finish my resume now, and I am facing the new problem of resume paper. Well, however, I have already done most of the necessarly task, so I do not need to worry about too much. The thing is, I have to bring my business casual into the class and find a place to change my cloth. It's not a big deal, thus everything looks easy.

Have a good day tommorrow!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The introduction of my self.

I'm Yu Zhang, an international student from China.

I graduated from Beijing Huijia Private School. I also have many of my classmates in this university. After one week study since the university began, I have already met many new friends. So just let me introduce myself a little.

I came from Beijing, China. As you all know it was the city holded the Olympic Games in 2008. I love my city, and I also want to work there after I finish my college years from America.

I'm majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. But I'd more like to call it Chemical Engineering. I like biology since it is useful, however, as life science is an extremly complex course relate to genes, cancers and metabolism within the body, I think I would more likely to study chemistry to think about molecules and atoms, even though I'm not sure what I can do in the future through the chemistry.

Besides Chemistry, I am also interested in business. However, because of I'm not so familiar with business area, I can't find my direction in this place.

There is another interst of myself, that's music. Since engineering and business should be more import in my life contact to my job in the future, I havn't think music in the university too much.

That's all of my knowledge issue backgroud.

Monday, August 31, 2009

It 's a new day, Aug 31st.

I just finish my Chem 202 appointment.