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GIMNAZJUM 25
WORDS HAVE MEANING
Gosia JaniszewskaCHRISTMAS PRESENTS
by Eric James
Have you ever noticed how grown-ups give each other presents?
There's no mystery in it, and not a lot of fun
Every year Grandma gets a tin of talcum powder.
She always says `Ah my favourite!`
Even before she opens the wrapping.
Grandpa always says `Well, I know what's in here. It's two pairs of socks. Just what I wanted!`
This year, Auntie Vi had an umbrella in an umbrella-shaped parcel. I mean it looked just like an umbrella. And, before Auntie Vi pulled the paper off, she said to Mum. `It will match that new coat of mine.`
As for Mum and Dad, they just sat there and said. `We've given each other a joint present this year. It's a digital clock-radio for our bedroom.` Do you know, they didn't even bother to wrap it up and put it under the tree!
At the end, when everything had been given out, Mum said. `We mustn't forget the gift vouchers from Debbie and Jim. We sent them a cheque for the same amount. We always do. I call that a bit unimaginative, don't you?
Maybe, when you come to think about it, grown-ups need Father Christmas far more than children do.
I like this verse, because it is about one of British customs. It shows us how grown-ups in Great Britain give presents to each other. From verses like this, we could learn about traditions of people from other countries. Those texts are very instructive. For example from this verse I've learned, that British grown-ups give each other the same presents every year, but all of them are happy then! This is strange for us, isn't it? I've also got to know, that British children think, that grown-ups need Father Christmas far more than children do. I like it too much, because I'm interested in other cultures, customs and traditions. Michak Stengert
If heaven has a ghetto
Tupac Shakur
If only u knew my nature
The essence of who I am
My ambitions r now legendary
But I am a simple man
The world is convinced they know me
I've been captured, shot and framed
They have crucified and analyzed
Sacrificed and gamed me
But I still love my sister
God forgive her 4 her sins
I wonder if heaven has a ghetto
And will they let me in
Tomorrow iż not promised 2 us
Hell aint shit compared to life
Protect me God it's rough
If I should die b4 I wake
Tell the youth I came and went
My last wordz here was fuck the world
Be strong and represent
Kinga Siejak
Johnny was
Bob Marley
Woman hold her head and cry
Cause her son had been
And died
From a stray bullet
Woman hold her head and cry
Explaining to her was a passerby
Who saw the woman cry
Wondering how can she work it out,
Now she knows that the wages of sin in death
Gift of Jah is life
She cried…
Johnny was a Goodman
Never did a thing wrong
Woman hold her head and cry
Cause her son had been
And died
Just because of the system
Woman hold her head and cry
Explaining to her was a passerby
She complained, then she cry
Johnny was a Goodman
Never did a thing wrong
Can a woman tender care
She cried…
Cease towards the child she bear
I have always been against war. We live in the era of violence and military conflicts and the war in Iraq is still shown on TV. Bob Marley in one of my favourite singers who sang about the cruelty of this world. His song " Jonny was " makes me think about pain and death which are brought into our countries together with wars. Whenever I see photos from the Far East and when I read articles about bloody events I feel sorry for those who sacrificed their lives, for soldiers and the civilians . I am terrified that people living in the 21st century kill each other for the land, money or power.
In his song, Marley shows a portrait of a mother crying for the death of her son who was shot accidentally. This event reminds about the fact that ordinary, innocent people unnecessarily pass away. Every time I think about women who lose their children like the one from the song I feel real pain and emptiness. A few days after the war in Iraq broke out newspapers published photographs of young children who lost their parents. These few moments from their short lives have turned their childhood into a nightmare, they will never forget this ruthless time. In my opinion every war is unnecessary and meaningless. There are only casualties, destroyed cities and - in the case of Iraq - even a destroyed country. Human life is priceless and should always be respected, no matter how important the county's interests are. Politicians should look for solutions to different problems in discussions or debates. They should create international agreements and pacts, thinking about people's rights. Such actions may start the process of introducing peace worldwide and Marley's texts wouldn't have had to be written.
Pan Tadeusz
by Adam Mickiewicz
Litwo! ojczyzno moja! ty jesteś jak zdrowie;
Ile cię trzeba cenić, ten tylko się dowie,
Kto cię stracił. Dziś piękność twą w całej ozdobie
Widzę i opisuję, bo tęsknię po tobie.
English version
Lithuania! my country! You are like health;
Only the one will learn how much it is worth,
Who lost it. Today, your beauty in all its perfection
I see and describe, because i miss its attraction.
This is a piece from "Pan Tadeusz" by Adam Mickiewicz who was one of the most famous Polish writers. "Pan Tadeusz" is considered to be one of the best pieces of Polish literature. The beginning is especially moving, because it is about author's feelings and the love to his native country - in this case Lithuania.
In a colourful and rich language he describes the beauty of the country of his birth. He shows his patriotism by saying that he is going to miss it after leaving it. He is a good example of how everybody should love his own country.
Aerials
System of the Down
Life is a waterfall, we're one in the river,
And one again after the fall.
Swimming through the void we hear the word,
We lost ourselves, but we find it all?
Cause we are the ones that want to play,
Always want to go, but you never want to stay,
And we are the ones that want to chose,
Always want to play, but you never want to lose.
Aerials, in the sky, when you lose small mind,
You free your life.
Life is a waterfall, we drink from the river,
Then we turn around and put up our walls.
Swimming through the void we hear the word,
We lost ourselves, but we find it all?
Cause we are the ones that want to play,
Always want to go, but you never want to stay,
And we are the ones that want to chose,
Always want to play, but you never want to lose.
Aerials, in the sky, when you lose small mind,
You free your life. Aerials, so up high,
When you free your eyes, eternal prize.
Aerials, in the sky, when you lose small mind,
You free your life. Aerials, so up high,
When you free your eyes, eternal prize."
The song that I picked is performed by a NuMetal Band called System of a Down… Their lyrics implicate so much power… they sing about political injustice, about our daily life problems, that's why everyone can personify himself with people or situations they write about. But this song is different. You could say that its lyrics are senseless, without any meaning… But when you listen to the words, you realize how great significance is carried within them… Those few lines of text tell us so much, more that we think. They tell the story of humanity, how we live nowadays. They tell us about our nature, our set to other people, our state of minds… I won't give any stiff examples, because it's not like that… You have to listen to it yourself, feel it yourself and think about it yourself… No one can do it for you. Many people let others think for them. We watch TV and listen to the news they want us to hear. The system starts to gain control over our civilization by addicting us to mass media, new technologies and fast lifestyle. As System of a Down sings - Science has failed our mother earth. That's right, science has failed our mother earth… the increases in technology have not benefited the human race… we work more, we work harder, we work longer… we have no time to realize why we are here, our purpose, our goal, our vision… In our fast life we seek for peace... so then we look at the sun…
Lord of the Rings
J R Tolkein
Trzy Pierścienie elfowym władcom szlachetnego miana,
Siedem skrzatów monarchom w kamiennych sal koronie,
Dziewięciu ludzkim istotom, którym śmierć pisana,
Jeden dla Władcy Ciemności, co trwa na mrocznym tronie,
W Mordorze, moc którego zwycięży, nie chciana.
Ten Jedyny by wszystkie odnaleźć,
Ten Jedyny, by zebrać je wszystkie,
I w ciemności zespolił wiązami,
W Mordorze, moc którego zwycięży, nie chciana.
English version
Three Rings for the Elven kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his Dark Throne,
In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie,
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all,
and in the darkness bind them,
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
I spent a lot of time thinking about a piece of writing, which is really important for me, because there are many of them. Finally, I've chosen this piece of text from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, written by J.R.R. Tolkien. The reason, why I've chosen this particular one is simple.
J.R.R. was the best fantasy writer and The Lord of the Rings was his best book. And these few words are essential for every fan of fantasy books. We can encounter this poem in the beginning of each part of this book. It represents all significant values of Lord of the Ring. The eternal battle between Good and Evil, honour and betrayal, death and life - these are only few, but if you read the book, you'll find lots of them. They are also important for me, because with this poem my adventure with fantasy literature has started and still lasts
The Strength of Words,br /> by Rosemarie E. Bishop
Finally the words make sense.
I feel them in my soul.
I smell them in the air I breathe.
I watch as they unfold.
Finally, the words make sense.
They run so very deep.
I see the light that shines from them.
It makes me want to weep.
Finally, the words make sense.
Oh, the mountains they have moved.
I marveled at the price of them;
the words, so finely tuned.
Finally, the words make sense,
like nothing has before.
They made the world a promised land.
They opened wide the door.
Meaning of word is a very interesting and unusual topic. We usually write and talk about love, friendship, hope and other values important for people, but we do not think about words that express all these feelings.
According to dictionary a word is: 'A sound or a combination of sounds, or its representation in writing or printing, that symbolizes and communicates a meaning', it is also a part of language.
In the book, Eve Spoke, evolutionist Philip Lieberman admitted: 'Speech is so essential to our concept of intelligence that its possession is virtually equated with being human. Animals who talk are human, because what sets us apart from other animals is the "gift" of speech'.
But what are the origins of the language?
People have been trying to explain for many ages the source of language. In the early history of the world, they were trying to explain the origins of language using myths, legends or national narratives.
The most influencial was Biblical story related to Babel. God punished human beings in buildings who had built the Tower of Babel by confusing their tongues; vast variety of human languages that we may observe today is a consequence of that divine judgment.
Nowadays linguists, evolutionists and sciencists are trying to discover the origins of language using scientific methods. Most of the contemporary theories involve human brain, which then makes it psychosociologically possible to develop speech and language.
While I was looking for materials for the work, I was talking to the people by internet and asking them a few questions about the meaning of the words and language in the contemporary world: "What does the langauge means for you? What is the imporatnce of language?" A chat-girl called Nikki answered: 'It's essencial for life. Every human being is trying to express oneselve.', Billy said: 'Language is the way I connect other people'.
There was also another question which is worth to be quoted: 'Imagine the world without a language as the way of people's communication? How would the world look like?'. Nikki said: 'Everybody tries to build realtions with others and express them through the language'.
That means that the language is the one of the most important inventions of the history. Even if we do not know where it came from, we know how important is it to build our world.
The poem refers to words as a meaningful part of language. As it is said: 'Finally, the words make sense. Oh, the mountains they have moved. [...]They made the world a promised land. They opened wide the door.'.
Words are the way of expressing our thoughts and feelings. Joseph Herder said that no language has no ideas that words could not describe. But words are something more than just a combination of sounds. They have power to control and influence our feelings. Sometimes they hurt event more than any physical pain. Words have the power to move mountains and affect hearts. Words really have meaning.
