English Recordings

Six hundred years ago, a girl named Joan was born in the French village of Domremy, in the Arc district. At that time, France and England were fighting a war. France was losing badly. The English had entered France and taken most of the land, including Paris. The King of France escaped and was in hiding.

Joan came from a peasant family, doing housework and looking after animals. When she was 13 years old, she heard a mysterious voice. She believed it was God talking to her. "God told me to ask the King's son for an army," she said. "He told me to fight the English at Orleans and help the French King return to France."

Though poorly educated, the French leaders liked her honest manner. They gave her an army. For safety, she started to dress as a man.

She became a great general. She carried only a white flag and worked as a nurse for both the French and the British soldiers. She defeated the English at Orleans and other places. Thanks to Joan, the King could return to France.

Unfortunately, she was captured by the English. They said, "She must be a witch. How else could a woman be such a great army general?" Her trial lasted a year. She was found guilty and was burnt alive.

Inspired by Joan, the French began to win their battles immediately. The English were driven out of France. France became a great and powerful nation.

Later, her case was reopened and she was found not guilty of witchcraft. She was also made a Christian Saint. Joan of Arc was a truly great woman in history - the peasant girl who saved her country!

Title< Memory of a Rainy Summer Night>
Jun 06th 2010 17:50

How can I tell my story in my poor English?
I am afraid that my poor English will give you (lang-8 friends) a headache
sigh! *___*;;;;
But I will try !I will write! bravely!
Maybe reading my journal will take a lot of patience. (OR: You will need a lot of patience to read my journal. )
I'm asking for your consent.^. ^';;;;;

아, 이 이야기를 내 형편 없는 영어로 어떻게 써야 할런지?
내 형편 없는 영어를 읽으려면 여러분 (lang-8친구들) 이 머리가 아파질까 봐 걱정됩니다.
휴유~*___*;;;; 그래도 써야겠지요! 용감하게!
Just a moment ago I read a lang-8 friend's journal.
She wrote about her sister's graduation ceremony,
that day, it rained, but she took off closed her umbrella and walked under the rain.
she said it gave her a good feeling,( OR: she said it felt good.)
so suddenly one of my rainy day memories occurred to
I have quite a few funny rainy day memories
( OR: I have a lot of funny rainy day memories. )
방금 전에 a lang-8친구의 일기를 읽었습니다..
그 친구는 여동생 졸업식에 대해 썼네요..
그날은 비가 왔지만 우산을 접고 빗속을 걸었다고 했습니다..
그렇지만 기분이 좋았다고 합니다.
그래서 갑자기 나도 옛날의 비와 관련된 추억이 떠올랐습니다.
흠….나에게는 비와 관련 된 이야기가 꽤 있지요.
OK! GOOD !
좋아요! 그럼, 이제부터 내 이야기를 해 주겠습니다.
From now on, I will write my story.
I will try to share my rainy day memory with you.
Today, I will not care about my English grammar mistakes.
Therefore, please correct my many mistakes as much as you can.(^. ^
^(Even though there may be many mistakes, I won`t be disappointed, I will keep on writing bravely ^___^// Hahaha~~~ )
( OR: No matter how many mistakes there may be, I will not be disappointed. I will keep on writing bravely.)
나의 비 오는 날 추억을 여러분과 함께 나누겠습니다.
오늘은 문법이 대해 신경 안 쓰고 그냥 쓰겠어요.
(그러니까, 문법이 무척 많이 틀릴 거예요.
많이 틀려도 고쳐 주고 싶은 만큼 고쳐 주셔요!
많이 틀려도 실망 하지 않고, 계속 쓸 거니까요. ^__^//하하))
* Oh, I guess everyone has their own rainy day memory.
(NOTE: "everyone" = singular subject; so you must use singular verb -- "has". Use "have" when you use a plural subject. ex.: The kids have their own special rainy day memories.)
if you have special rainy day memories, would/could you share them with us ?
*참! 여러분 모두에게 비와 관련된 추억이 있을 것 같아요.
만약 있으면 우리 함께 나누는 건 어때요?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I lived in Beijing, my friend stayed at my house for 3 weeks.
She was a Korean student, and had been studying for a master's degree.
Fortunately, during summer vacation my son returned to Korea,
my husband went on a business trip.
Therefore, the two of felt very free and comfortable.
내가 북경에 살고 있을 때 내 친구 하나가 우리집에 3주간 같이 있었어요.
그 친구는 한국학생인데 석사 과정을 공부하고 있는 중이었어요.
다행히, 아들은 마침 여름 방학이어서 한국 부모님께 갔고, 남편은 출장 중이어서
우리 둘은 여유로움을 만끽 하고 있었답니다.
One of hot summer evening, it rained heavily.
The pouring summer rain gave me a really nice feeling.
It made me very delighted.
In a summer night, looking through the dark window at the rain falling was Sooooo~~ GREAT!
어느 더운 여름날 저녁, 비가 심하게 내리기 시작했어요.
쏟아 붓는 여름비에 정말 기분 좋아졌어요.
쏟아지는 비는 나는 너무 기분이 좋아졌답니다.
어두운 창 밖을 통해서 여름 밤비는 정~~말~~~ 굉장했어요.
The sound of the heavy rain pouring made me feel so wonderful, it felt like my whole heart and body were washed clean. .
When I was enjoying that sound, I suddenly suggested to my friend to go out to jump and run under the pouring summer rain .
As soon as she answered, we rushed out at the same time.
We jumped, ran and enjoyed a water fight. We looked like kids.
힘찬 빗 소리는 정말 굉장히 좋았는데, 마치 내 마음과 몸을 깨끗하게 씻어 주는 듯 했습니다.
그 소리를 듣고 있다가 갑자기 나는 친구에게 밖에 나가 빗속에서 달리기를 하면 어떨까 물어 보았어요.
친구가 대답하자마자 ,우리응 동시에 밖으로 뛰쳐 나갔습니다.
우리는 아이들처럼 달리고 뛰며 물싸움을 즐겼습니다.
It must have been a really strange sight .
In the dark night, two adult women were having a water fight
Doesn't it seem crazy?
someone must have seen two crazy women in the dark summer night through the window.
Probably they guessed ' How pitiful those women are! –
They are totally out of line.
"They were totally wrong"?
Haha ,~~~ When I think about that time again, I miss that moment. It was so fun.
Waha.......
Time is flying!
Today, she is a mom and already has two kids.

~~It was corrected by 'lalaland'. Thank you very much!~~~~

네, 그건 정말 이상한 모습이였겠지요?
어두운 밤, 두 여자가 물놀이를 하고 있다니, 미친것 처럼 보이지 않았을까요?
분명히 누군가가 어두운 여름밤 창문을 통해서 미친 두여자를 보고 있었을 겁니다.
아마도, 그들은 '얼마나 불쌍하냐?
분명히 완전히 제정신이 아닐거야!' 라고 여겼을겁니다.
하하~~그 순간을 생각하니 너무재미있고 또 그 순간이 그리워집니다.
와`~ 시간이 얼마나 빠른지!
그 친구는 지금 아이가 둘 있는 엄마가 되었답니다.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
刚才,我读了一个lang-8朋友的日记。
她写的是关于他妹妹毕业典礼当天发生的事情。
我在这儿先简单地介绍她的事情, 然后，再写我的回忆（有关下雨的回忆）。
哇～～～　关于下雨我有不少的回忆。
突然一下子想起来了，好想念那些时光啊！
先说说她，
昨天是她妹妹的毕业的日子，所以她没上班，去参加妹妹的毕业典礼。
不过因为挑选鲜花耽误了很多时间，而且又穿着高跟鞋不方便赶路，结果她迟到了很长时间。（很晚才到）
虽然到了学校，不过因为人太多她找不着妹妹。
而且更糟糕的是开始下雨了。
可是她觉得带着雨伞太麻烦，所以干脆把伞收起来开始到处找妹妹。
（她觉得打雨伞太累／麻烦，所以干脆把雨伞叠后开始找妹妹。）
不过按照她的话来说，在雨中走感觉却很好。
过了一会儿，她妹妹的一个朋友突然在身后叫她。
我想这天她们一定玩得很开心

哈哈～～ 这个日记突然让我回想起发生在过去夏天夜里的一段小事情。
哈哈～～这个日记突然让我回头想起来过去夏天夜里的一件小事
。 你们读了以后，说说你们的回忆也挺好！
我想每个人应该都有自己有关下雨的各种各样的回忆吧。

……︿Ｏ︿／
请你们讲讲自己对于下雨的回忆.大家一起来分享吧！
～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
那么－－现在开始谈谈我的有关下雨有关的回忆吧
（现在开始谈谈我对下雨有关的回忆吧）
我有不少有关下雨的回忆
其中今天说说其中的一个吧。

我住在北京的时候，有一个年轻的朋友（韩国研究生）来我家住了２～３个星期。
当时因为已经开始放暑假了，我儿子回国住在我父母家，我先生又长期出差在外
当时一整天都很热 到了晚上就突然开始下了大雨，感觉非常痛快！
看着窗外的雨我心情痛快极了
哇～～～好痛快呀！
多么痛快地下呢！
ｓｈｕａ　－ｓｈｕａ－－唰－－唰－－下雨的声音真好听真让人心情舒畅！
就像把我心理的杂念全都洗掉的感觉！
这场雨一下子把这一天的热气都化解了

我给我朋友提了一个建议，“我们出去雨里跑步（散步）怎么样？
我们两个女人，竞争地赶紧 跑出去黑黑的深夜里下雨当中。（争相跑进黑夜的雨中。）
跳着跑着，互相向对方踢着水，泼着雨水，太高兴了！
哈哈~~~也许也有人（/别人/人家 ）通过窗户看得见我们两个人蹦跳的样子。
‘那么他们肯定会担心我们起来了
哎呀~~ 她们是不是刚刚从神经医院里跑出来的呀？"
看起来没什么毛病的人怎么会这样？"
真可怜的！！
哈哈~~现在回想起来真有意思！
她，，，，， 现在她也已经结婚，当了两个女儿的妈妈了！

时间----------过得---------真快！！！！！！
阿哈~~~~夏天夜里的梦！
－－－－－－－－－－－－－
好！ 今天是星期天！
大家好好休息吧！
-------written written Bangbang1----------
Ah~~ How can I explain/describe my story by/in/through my poor English?
I am afraid that you(lang-8 friends) should be got a headache caused (/cause? ) reading my poor English.
sigh! *___*;;;;
But I will try ! I will write! bravely!
May be reading my journal needs a lot of patience.
Ask for your consent. ^.^';;;;;

Just moment ago I read a lang-8 friends`s journal.
She wrote about her sister`s graduate ceremony,
that day had rained, but she took off her umbrella walked under the rain.
she said it was a good feeling,
so suddenly it occurred to me my past one memory of raining. /(one of my raining memory? ) .
I have not a few funny memories about raining.

From now I will write, just try to let you know/
Try to share my memory of raining with together,
this day I will not mind my English grammar mistakes.
(Therefore, please correct my many mistakes just as much as you would/can.(^.^(Even though how many mistakes, I won`t be disappointed, will keep on bravely write ^___^// Hahaha~~~ )

* Oh, I guess everyone have own memory about raining.
if you have would/could you share with us together?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I live in Beijing, my friend had stayed at my house for3 weeks.
She was a Korean student, and had been studying for a master's degree.
Fortunately, during summer vocation my son returned Korea,
my husband went to business trip,
two of us were felt very free and easy.

One of hot summer evening, it became a heavy rainfall.
Pouring summer rain gave me a really nice feeling.
The pouring rainfall made me highly delighted.
Through of dark window summer night rain falling is Sooooo~~ GREAT!

Pouring heavy rain sound, it made me so wonderful, it looked like washing clean my whole heart and body .
When I was enjoying that sounds, I suddenly suggested her going out for jumping and running under the pouring summer rain' .
As soon as she answered, we rushed out at the same time.
We jumped and ran, had enjoyed water fighting as looks like kids.

I know It must be a really strange sight/(view?) .
In the dark night, two adults women were playing water playing.
Doesn`t seem crazy?
It must be there were someone who saw that crazy two women in the dark summer night through window.
Probably they guessed ' How poor those women are! They are totally out of line. '
Haha ,~~~ when I think about that time view again, it was so fun and missing that past memment.

Waha.......Time is flying!
Today, she is a mom has two kids now, already.

“Yuichi says your grandmother was very kind.”
“Grandmother was really found of him.”
“That boy. You know, I haven’t been able to devote myself full-time to raising him, and I’m afraid there are some things that slipped through the cracks.”
I smiled.
“Slipped through the cracks?”
“It’s true,” she said with a motherly smile. “He’s confused about emotional things and he’s strangely distant with people. I know I haven’t done everything right.
…But I wanted above all to make a good kid out of him and I focused everything on raising him that way. And you know, he is. A good kid.”
“I know.”
“You’re a good kid, too.” She beamed.

Her power was the brilliance of her charm and it had brought her to where she was now. I had the feeling that neither her wife nor her son could diminish it. That quality must have condemned her to an ice-cold loneliness.

She said, munching cucumbers, “You know, a lot of people say things they don’t mean. But I’m serious: I want you to stay here as long as you like. You’re a good kid, and having you here makes me truly happy. I understand what it’s like to be hurt and to have nowhere to go. Please, stay with us and don’t worry about anything. Okay?”
She emphasized her words by looking deep into my eyes.

“…Naturally, I’ll pay rent and everything,” I said, desperately moved. My chest was full to bursting. “But yes, till I find another place to live, I’d really appreciate your putting me up.”
“Of course, of course, think nothing of it. But instead of rent, just make us soupy rice once in a while. Yours is so much better than Yuichi’s,” she said, smiling.

She attacked the food – cucumber salad and soupy rice with eggs – with gusto.

It was midday. From the building’s garden we could hear the shouts of children playing in the springlike weather. The plants near the window, enveloped in the gentle sunlight, sparkled bright green; far off in the pale sky, thin clouds gently flowed, suspended. It was a warm, lazy afternoon.

I couldn’t have dreamed of this yesterday morning, this scene of having breakfast at the house of someone I had just met, and it felt very strange. There we were, eating breakfast, all sorts of things set out directly on the floor (there was no table). The sunlight shone through our cups, and our cold green tea reflected prettily against the floor.

Suddenly Eriko looked me full in the face. “Yuichi told me before that you reminded him of Woofie, a dog we used to have. And you know – it’s really true.”
“His name was Woofie?”
“Yes, or Wolfie.”
“Hmm,” I said, thinking, “Woofie.”
“You have the same nice eyes, the same nice hair. …When I saw you for the first time yesterday, I had to force myself not to laugh. You really do look like him.”
“Is that right?” Not that I believed I looked like a dog, but I thought, if Woofie was a Saint Bernard, that would be pretty awful.

“When Woofie died I couldn’t get Yuichi to eat a bite, not a grain of rice, nothing. So it follows that Yuichi feels close to you. I can’t guarantee it’s romantic, though!”
Mom shook with laughter.
“Okay,” I said.

30.
A boy entered a coffee shop where I worked as a waitress. He sat at a table and asked me how much an ice cream sundae was. “Fifty cents,” I replied. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it. “How much is a dish of plain ice cream?” he inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table, and I was impatient. “Thirty-five cents,” I said angrily. The little boy again counted the coins and he ordered the plain ice cream. I brought the ice cream and walked away. The boy finished, paid the cashier, and departed. When I came back, I swallowed hard at what I saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were fifteen pennies—my tip. 

31.
One key social competence is how well or poorly people express their own feelings. Paul Ekman uses the term ‘display rules’ for the social agreement about which feelings can be properly shown when. Cultures sometimes vary tremendously in this regard. For example, Ekman and his colleagues in an Asian country studied the facial reactions of students to a horrific film about a teenage Aboriginal ritual ceremony. When the students watched the film with an authority figure present, their faces showed only the slightest hints of reaction. However, when they thought they were alone (though they were being taped by a secret camera) their faces twisted into vivid mixes of uncomfortable feelings.

32.
We have to ask ourselves a question. What kind of world will our children have to live in? Will they have air to breathe and food to eat? These are among the basic questions that were addressed at the first world meeting on the environment, attended by more than 100 world leaders and 30,000 other scientists, newspeople, and citizens concerned. These complex problems can no longer be solved by individual countries. Nations of the world must act together if we are to develop answers that will give a safe and healthy world to our children. World leaders should have the vision to protect our environment.

27.
Night diving is obviously less simple than diving during the day, but when properly organized, it is relatively straightforward. A powerful flashlight will easily light your way and the creatures around you, revealing marine life in its true colors. However, if you cover up your flashlight, you will be surprised at how much light there is underwater. Many creatures use phosphorescence at night, and as you move through the water, you will cause plankton to release tiny pulses of light, leaving beautiful glowing wakes trailing behind you.

28.
There are few people who do not react to music to some degree. The power of music is diverse and people respond in different ways. To some it is mainly an instinctive, exciting sound to which they dance or move their bodies. Other people listen for its message, or take an intellectual approach to its form and construction, appreciating its formal patterns or originality. Above all, however, there can be hardly anyone who is not moved by some kind of music.
Music covers the whole range of emotions: It can make us feel happy or sad, helpless or energetic, and some music is capable of overtaking the mind until it forgets all else. It works on the subconscious, creating or enhancing mood and unlocking deep memories.

29.
Object identification rarely occurs in isolation. Face perception seems to work the same way. Notice that when seen as part of a face presented in Figure A, any bump or line will be sufficient to depict a feature. However, the result may be different when the features are separated from the context as shown in Figure B. The features in Figure B are basically identical with those in Figure A, but, out of context, they are less identifiable. As in Figure C, we actually require a more simplified presentation than in Figure B, to identify facial features unambiguously when presented in isolation. Thus, our understanding of context compensates for lack of detail in the feature identification process.

--《Today classes！〉--Jun 08th 2010 01:57

Today`s weather was very hot.
In the morning it was hot, and although in the afternoon it rained for a short time,however it was still hot as ever.
I felt like it was summer already.

These pictures that I took today are of the first grade kids.

How is it? Don`t you think they are cute?
If you saw some of the gap-toothed kids, you would love it.
Tomorrow I`d better take a picture of the gap-toothed kids, to let you see. haha~~

OK, then now, I want to tell you something about today kid`s classes.
Every Monday the second class is a computer class.
In the computer class they used to practice typing Korean.
They really like computer class. They practiced touch-type Korean.
How cute their seriousness!!! ^__^/

In the classroom they listen intently to my nursery stories. Haha....they are kids!
Sure sometimes some naughty kids romp around on the floor.
Today one boy cried, but it was just for a couple minutes.

Usually, before lunch they like to sing a Dangun-Song ( Carrot Song)
They like to sing this song, so~~ today they sang together, too. .....^__^/
Haha you also can sing along now!

(Thank you Manley for your rewriting for me. it `s really hepful for me. )

http://image.lang-8.com/w0_h0/cb0ff67e5abf62e64ab34c4665202da3a0a61809.jpg

http://image.lang-8.com/w0_h0/5a9ab3495b9a5b6055edc7c134b6e5a932de1cf0.jpg
==========================================

오늘 날씨는 매우 더웠습니다.
오전에 더웠는데, 오후에 잠깐 비가 한 바탕 왔고 ,그래도 여전히 더웠어요.
아마도 여름이 이미 왔나 봅니다.

이 사진들은 내가 오늘 찍은 것 1학년들입니다..
어때요? 귀엽지 않으세요?
만약 여러분들이 앞니가 빠진 아이들을 봤다면 훨씬 더 귀여울 겁니다.
내일은 앞니 빠진 아이들을 찍어서 보여 줘야겠네요. 하하/..

네, 그러면 이제 오늘 수업한 것에 대해서 몇가지 말해 줄께요.
매주 월요일 2교시에는 컴퓨터 시간이예요.
컴퓨터실에서 아이들은 한글 타자 치기를 연습해요.
아니들은 정말 컴퓨터 시간을 좋아 한답니다.
진지한 모습이 얼마나 귀여운지요.!!!!! ^__^/!

교실에서도이야기를 들을때는 정말 열심히 듣는답니다.
하하하..이이들....이거던요!
And onemore~~^^:그리고 하나 더 ~~

점심(밥) 먹기전에는 /점심 식사 전에는
아이들은 당근송을 부르고 싶어 해요.
아이들은 이 노래 부르기를 좋아 하거던요, 그래서~~오늘도 역시 함께 불렀답니다! .....^__^/ v
하하하....여러분도 지금 함께 불러 보세요!

(당근　송ｓｏｎｇ)－
나 보고싶니 (당근!)
나 생각나니 (당근!) I love you You love me(당근 당근 당근)

나 좋아하니 (당근!)
나 사랑하니 (당근!)　I love you You love me(당근 당근 당근)

너 변하지마 (당근!)
언제까지나 ((당근!)좋아해 좋아해(당근 당근 당근)

나 행복해요 (당근)
나 즐거워요 (당근)　사랑해 사랑해(당근송)

때로는 짜증나고　　
때로는 힘들어도

너의 곁에
언제나 웃고있는
날 생각해
때로는 슬퍼지고
때로는 외로워도

너의 곁에
언제나 함께하는
나를 생각해

===={Original :written by Bangbang1}=======
Today`s weather was very hot.
In the morning it was hot, and in the afternoon it rained once time/ (a short time?) ,however it was hot still/(as ever? ) .
I felt it was summer already.

These pictures that today I took are the first grade`s class kids.
How is it? Don`t you feel they are cute?
If you saw some/few? fall out front teeth kids, then you must be felt much more fun.
Tomorrow I`d better took pictuer fall out front teeth kids, let you see? haha~~ 　~^^~

OK, then now, I would tell you about something that today kid`s classes.
Every Monday the second class is a computer class.
In the computer class they used to practice typing Korean.
They really like computer class. They practiced touch-type Korean.
How cute their seriousness!!! ^__^/

In the classroom they seriously listen to the my nursery story. Haha....they are kids!
Sure sometimes some naughty kids romp around on the floor.
Today also one boy cried, even it was just 1~2 minutes.

And onemore~~^^:

In usuall,before take a lunch they like to sing a Dangun-Song ( Carrot Song)
They like to sing this song, so~~ today also sang together, too. .....^__^/
Haha you also can sing together now!
=========================================
今天首尔天气很热。
上午很热，下午突然下了一阵雨，不过还是热。
差不多已经是夏天了。

今天的登的照片是我们一年级的孩子们。
怎么样？你们不觉得可爱吗？
如果看到没有门牙的孩子们的话更有意思！
我该拍掉门牙的样子！
好的，明天我要拍那些没有门牙的孩子们来，给你们证明他们多可爱！
~^^~ haha ~!

那我现在，今天我跟他们学的内容之中随便说说几件吧。
每个星期一第二节课是电脑课。
我们去电脑室，练习打字。
当然练习打韩文的。
孩子们都非常喜欢去电脑室练习打字。
都打得非常认真得打。

好的，明天我要拍那些没有门牙的孩子们来，给你们证明他们多可爱！
那我现在，今天我跟他们学的内容之中随便说说几件吧。

每个星期一第二节课是电脑课。
我们去电脑室，练习打字。当然练习打韩文的。
孩子们都非常喜欢去电脑室练习打字。
都非常认真得打。多么认真！

在教室里，听得很认真。
集中的孩子们的表情真的可爱！
不过。。。。淘气的孩子当然有~！
今天一个男孩儿哭了。哈哈~~不过只哭了1~2分！

中午吃饭的时间！
吃饭之前他们还要愿意看着唱歌--“胡萝卜歌（(당근송)” 哈哈。。。↓
他们喜欢这个歌~~~ 哈哈~你们也一起唱一唱！怎么样？有意思？

24.
A clean sheet of paper is lying in front of you, and you have to fill it up. Suddenly, your mind may seem as blank as the paper. What can you do to set your pen in motion? The answer is simple: Don’t be caught in the perfection trap. That is, if you can convince yourself that the first draft isn’t your best writing and can be made more effective with additional thought and some revision, then it will be easier to get started. When starting, don’t worry about what the reader will think about what you have written. Make writing as easy for you as you can by not being concerned with how good the first draft is. There will be time for revising and polishing any ideas you want to pursue later.

25.
When people began to bind books with pages that could be turned rather than unrolled like papyrus, the process of locating information changed. Now the reader could easily move backward in the text to find a previously read passage or browse between widely separated sections of the same work. With one technological change, cross-referencing became possible, while the physical space needed to house a collection of books was sharply reduced. Page numbers became a possibility, as did indexes; tables of contents became workable references.

26.
What is the most prevalent and perhaps most important prefix of our times? The answer should be multi, which means ‘more than one.’ Our modern jobs are increasingly requiring multi-tasking. Our communities are getting multi-cultural. Our entertainment is multi-media. While detailed knowledge of a single area once guaranteed success, today the top rewards go to those who can operate with equal confidence in different realms. Let us call these people boundary crossers. They develop expertise in multiple areas, they speak different languages, and they find joy in the rich variety of human experience. They live multi-lives because that is more interesting and, nowadays, more effective.

21.
The first thing I notice upon entering this garden is that the ankle-high grass is greener than that on the other side of the fence. Dozens of wildflowers of countless varieties cover the ground to both ides of the path. Creeping plants cover the polished silver gate and the sound of bubbling water comes from somewhere. The perfume of wildflowers fills the air as the grass dances upon a gentle breeze. A large basket of herbs rests against the fence to the west. Every time I walk in this garden, I think, “Now I know what it is like to live in paradise.”

22.
In general, one’s memories of any period necessarily weaken as one moves away from it. One is constantly learning new facts, and old ones have to drop out to make way for them. At twenty, I could have written the history of my school days with an accuracy which would be quite impossible now. But it can also happen that one’s memories grow much sharper even after a long passage of time. This is because one is looking at the past with fresh eyes and can isolate and, as it were, notice facts which previously existed undifferentiated among a mass of others. There are things which in a sense I remembered, but which did not strike me as strange or interesting until quite recently.

23.
Over the years various systems of grading coins have been developed by antique coin specialists. In America a numerical system based on a scale of 1 to 70 has been introduced, in which 1 is the lowest grade possible and 70 is perfect. The European grades, verbal descriptions, correspond roughly to every ten of the American grades. Coins reflect both a country’s history and its aspirations, and it is natural that collections based on place of origin should develop. Thus, the European grade ‘good’ corresponds to 20 of the American system, ‘fine’ to 30, ‘very fine’ to 40, ‘extremely fine’ to 50, and ‘almost perfect’ to 60. Until recently, numerical grading has been applied only to American coins, but the intention is that eventually these numbers will be used for all types of coins from all over the world.

We know almost nothing about the private life of Jesus. A lot of people believe that Jesus was serious all the time. The Bible, however, says that Jesus and his disciples enjoyed parties and feasts.

There was a wedding feast in Cana, a small village in Galilee. The friends of Mary, Jesus' mother, came to the feast. There were many people, but not much wine. After a short time, all of the wine was gone. Mary said to her son Jesus: "There is no more wine for the guests." Jesus was embarrassed, but he decided to make the best of the situation. Mary told the servants: "Whatever he tells you to do, do it!"

Nearby were six empty water pots. Each could hold 30 liters. Jesus said to the servants: "Fill those pots with water!" They filled them right up to the brim.

Then he said: "Take these pots to the Master of Ceremonies!" They did so. The Master of Ceremonies tasted the contents. He said. "This wine is the best I've ever tasted!" He told the waiters to give the wine to the guests. He did not know that the wine came from water and not grapes.

The chief guest at the wedding turned to the bride groom and said: "At feasts, it is usual for the best wine to be served first. Then, a cheap wine is usually served later, when no one will notice the difference. But you have kept the best wine till last!"

This was the first of many miracles by Jesus. By turning water into wine, he revealed his power to his disciples and they learned that Jesus is all they truly need.