Story-Creation: Zombie Zone

April 24, 2009

The only thing that human cannot conquer is death. Every second, we get closer and older.

Since the ancient time, many emperors had been starting the search of elixir but through numerous centuries, we still couldn’t find the way toward longevity.

In the 22nd century, more and more technologies have been invented and everything have become very convenient and life is affluent. But to us, that is not enough. We want more and more but we don’t have sufficient time to enjoy, so how to lengthen our lives became the center of research again and again.

There was one luxurious and mysterious villa at the small and unknown village in Texas. The inhabitants there didn’t know any information about the villa; they just saw many people and special equipments entering the house. They thought maybe one dying billionaire lived there and didn’t want to be disturbed.

But actually, they were wrong, totally wrong.

One dangerous experiment was conducted in the villa secretly. Excellent scientists from all over the world were gathering here in order to create the elixir for everlasting life. They tried various kinds of theories and different genes matching experimentation. They tested the trial products on capital prisoners. Those prisoners never woke up after taking them, which meant the tests failed. They have tried for numerous times and spent a lot of money but the immortal life remained dream. Finally, they gave up.

At midnight, scientists went back to pack and stored the laboratory secretly. They found something strange in the morgue where they put the dead prisoners. They saw some actions behind the foggy glass division board and heard some noises. At first, they thought they were thieves.

But amazingly, they were the dead prisoners.

Scientists were surprised and thought that they succeeded at last. They entering the room to check the health conditions of those convicts, only to find they looked lifeless and were filled with disgusting blisters that were huge and shedding pus, just like the zombie in the horror story. But scientists were happy because at least prisoners survived again. That’s the great improvement of experiment. As they were cheering and busy with turning on equipments to start the research again, zombie-like capital prisoners started to struggle with medical facilities and try to get out from sickbed, moving toward scientists. Scientists were too excited to notice the weird disturbance behind them.

Actually, the medicine had caused a mutation in the human body and produced unheard-of virus to destroy the neuro system. Prisoners were attracted to the moving objects and the smell of blood. All scientists were attacked and bitten to death.

Meanwhile, Anne, the nanny who lived in the village, received one emergency call from Anderson, a professional photographer.

‘‘HelloThis is Anne.’’ She answered the call.

‘‘I am Anderson. I get missions from company suddenly that I have to go to England. As a result, please go to my house to take care of my son, Jimmy, and bring him to your house until I come back. The salary will be paid as usual,’’ he says rapidly.

‘‘I got to go to the airport right now, if you have any problem, call me. OK? ’’ He added, and then hung up on Anne quickly.

‘‘All right, I must get there as soon as possible though I am tired’’ she murmured and went out of her house absent-mindedly.

She didn’t know what was happening in her village right now at all. Nobody knew. She stayed at Anderson’s house two days to handle some chores such as cleaning the house, packaged Jimmy’s clothes and informed the kindergarten of Jimmy’s absence. Anne had gotten used to these things because she had done them numerous times, and she was familiar with Jimmy. He was one of her favorite kids.

On the way back home, Anne felt strange about her village but she didn’t know how to say it exactly and the whole village was dark and abnormally quiet, all the street lamps were broken and the streets were in a mess. Arriving home, she found no neighbors at home.

‘‘They are supposed to watch the stupid soap opera and turn the volume to max now. Why is it so quiet?’’ She suspected.

‘‘It’s too quiet, just like in a grave yard.’’ That thought shocked Anne and she shuddered.

‘‘They are gonna freak me out.’’ she muttered.

‘‘Does everybody go outside together tonight?’’ she guessed.

After arranging all things and sending Jimmy to bed, Anne was about to take a break, thinking about what happened to the village.

‘‘It’s weird; the whole village is too quiet, thrilling quiet.’’

As she murmured, someone knocked on the door abruptly and shocked Anne.

‘‘It’s almost midnight; who will visit me now?’’ She said and looked outside through the small hole in the door.

Shocked, she saw many lifeless people whose skins are totally dead white and their clothes were dirty and bloody gathering in her garden. She recognized some friends but they didn’t look friendly. ‘‘Is today the Halloween? Why did everybody dress like the zombies and ghosts?’’ as she thought, she found there were also many people gathering around her windows, almost all people from the whole village.

They started to knock on windows and the door, wanting to get into her house. People around her house were all horrible and seemed not to know Anne at all. She was terrified and found it was not a prank. She believed that they really meant to hurt her.

Frightened, Anne rushed to the phone, calling Anderson.

‘‘This is Anne. I don’t know what happened, there are many villagers…beset…my house and…they seem to wanna hurt…me’’ she said in a shivering voice.

‘‘Calm down, and say it. I don’t know what you were talking about. Does anyone want to get into house?’’ Suddenly, Windows were broken and some people climbed into the living room as Anderson was on the phone.

‘‘Yeah, but…they are not…normal peo…ple. Ah…’’ Some zombies moved close to Anne and started to grab her.

‘‘Are you all right?’’ Anderson shuted.

‘‘HE…LP M…EHELP M…EAH…’’ Anne screamed desperately, and silence took over.

Anne was attacked by zombies bitten to death. Dangerous virus took over the whole village.

‘‘Hello? Hello? Anne. Where is Jimmy? ’’ Silence answered him.

The hopeless scream was still roaring in Anderson’s head. It’s too horrible to forget.

‘‘I must go back right away to check their safety.’’ he thought, calling the taxi and rush to the airport. Arriving at the airport, he drove as fast as he can to the nanny’s village. The whole village looked murky and lifeless.

‘‘Do I drive in the wrong direction? This place is extremely different.’’ he wondered.

On the way, he saw some strange people walking around the road; they were pointless and just like sleepwalking.

‘‘They must be drug-addicts, crazy guys.’’ he mumbled. Then those people started to chase his car. One woman ran out and tried to stop the car suddenly.

‘‘What the hell happened to the people here? ’’ Anderson scouted out and put on the braked nervously.

The woman opened the car door and jumped into the car desperately.

‘‘HEYWhat are you doing?’’ Anderson asked angrily but the woman ignored his question and yelled ‘‘Get out of the village right away or you will die. Quickly’’ She said.

‘‘Excuse me. Do you know what are you talking about? Are you taking drugs like the people who are chasing my car? ’’ Anderson said anxiously.

‘‘What?  I am not taking drugs. And they are not people at all. They were dead already.’’

‘‘HEYDo you have any problems? Get out of my car. I am going into find my son.’’

‘‘Don’t I have said not to go into the village. ’’

Anderson still overlooked the crazy woman’s advice.

‘‘All right, let me explain for youthe villagers were all changed into some kinds of zombies. I don’t know why. Maybe it was because of some evil experiment was conducted here before but no one knew it and now the experiment failed and some virus infected people. Just like the movie and it really happened in real life this time. I am not sure.’’ She stopped to take a breath.

‘‘My name is Barbara, the reporter. I received some private news, so I came here and tried to snap some exploding news. But it is too late. They are not human anymore, attacking me, trying to bite me. That is really scaring. So please turn back the car, and save you and me.’’ She said with fear, shivering.

‘‘Are you serious?’’ he asked and found that Barbara’s clothes  dirty and torn.

‘‘If what you say is true, I have to find my son.’’ Anderson insisted.

‘‘Are you insane? The whole village was taken; no one escaped.’’ She shouted.

‘‘No, I must go to rescue my son. I am going into the village. If you don’t, get out of my car,” he yelled

‘‘OkI don’t want to be alone and in the streets again. I’ll go with you and stay in the car when you are finding your son. If you are attacked, I will drive your car leave right away.’’

‘‘You are really kind. Ah?’’ Anderson satirized.

Meanwhile, they drove to Anne’s house, there were no streetlights on the road; it was night already.

‘‘You stay. I go now. Be ready to leave until I go back.’’ He said to Barbara.

Impatient, Anderson rushed into Anne’s house.

“Jimmy…Jimmy…Where are you, my boy? Father is here. Anne?” He yelled.

Anderson found that Anne is lying on the floor. He tried to awake her, but it didn’t work! Anderson discovers that Anne was bitten seriously and lay down in the blood.

‘‘OhMy god. What Barbara said is true.’’ He became more and more worried about his son, looking for him around the house, the living room, and the basement…,but there is nothing in the house.

As Anderson walked to the doorway, Anne woke up all at once.

“God, tell me, what happened?” Anne was motionless.

“Anne, are you all right?” Unexpectedly, Anne started to attack him, and even to bite him. “What…are…you…doing…Anne… Let go of me…” Anderson struggled and tried to run away from her.

Then he saw Jimmy standing there with other people who looked just exactly like the description that Barbara had told him, they were not human, they are dead.

“Jimmy, Jimmy, I’m father. Let’s go out this blood place!” Anderson talked to his son nervously.

On the contrary, Jimmy didn’t have any reaction. There were more and more people move toward them and seemed to wanna grab Anderson. Anderson kept calling Jimmy but he remained motionless. Reluctantly, he rushed to him, grabbing him and starting to run as fast possible to his car.

Barbara was still there, not running away. Anderson shouted at her ‘‘open the door. Turn on the car’s headlights, the big light.’’ He ran to the car and pushed Jimmy into the backseat.

There were more and more zombies chasing them and moving closer and closer to the car. ‘‘They seem afraid of the light. Do you notice that?’’ As Barbara set the light Anderson asked her.

‘‘Yeah, the streetlights are all destroyed.’’ She agreed with him.

They were besieged by villagers, there were numerous scaring people staring at them.

‘‘HurryTurn on the light, they are goanna garb us.’’ The car’s headlight was on finally, when the light sparked; all zombies stepped back and started to scream. Because of the light, they stopped moving but glare at them deadly.

As they tried to move the car, all zombies started to attack them again, they grabbed the car, trying to hit the glass, even climb above the car. Anderson started the car and hit the zombies as possible as he could. Although they were human, some of them were even his acquaintances; Anderson only wanted to save his beloved son.

Finally, Anderson, Jimmy, and Barbara left the village, the hell-like place. He determined that he would publish the scaring news to the news agency and government. As he deliberated and paid full attention to drive fast away the village, Jimmy started to move toward the front seats.

‘‘What the hell are you doing, Jimmy? I am driving. ’’Anderson blamed Jimmy who was grabbing him and seemed to try to bite him. That sudden attack shocked Anderson and the car slipped away from the road and hit the trees.

‘‘He has been infected. You have to kill him.’’ Barbara snarled.

‘‘Are you lose your mind? He is my son. I can’t do that’’ Anderson who was still struggling with his son’s grabbing responded.

      ‘‘He is not your son anymore. He is dead. Look at him; he doesn’t know who you are. He just wanna bite you and kill you.’’

  ‘‘I will find the medicine to save him’’

‘‘You won’t because you will die before you find it.’’

‘‘How do you know? You are just a stranger to me. Maybe you are already bitten before you met me. So should I kill you, too? In case you change. Ah?’’

‘‘Whatever you say, but your son obviously is already changed. You can’t bring him out of the town. You will spread the virus.’’

‘‘All right, you drive now, drive to the gas station. I call the police and the official medical team to come to handle the situation. ’’ He grabbed Jimmy out of the car and back to the backseats with him again and let Barbara drove.

On the way, he exerted himself to force Jimmy’s mouth away from himself and make Jimmy sit stable. While looking at Jimmy, who was utterly stranger to him now, Anderson was heart-broken.

He knew that he only had two choices.

First, killed his son.

Second, let his son killed him.

‘‘It’s a dilemma. I can’t kill Jimmy but I can’t let virus spread and hurt others, either.’’ He contemplated and felt his heart was torn and burned when he thought about killing his own son.

      ‘‘We are here. What should we do now?’’ Barbara interrupted Anderson’s mind and stopped the car.

‘‘You stay here and I go to call.’’

‘‘What? I don’t want to stay with him alone. That’s insane.’’ Barbara asserted.

‘‘Do you have any acquaintance in the official medical team? Do you know anybody that can help us? ’’Anderson said angrily. Barbara shook her head reluctantly.

‘‘That’s the point. You don’t know how to save us. So you stay, I will go back as soon as possible. You can stand outside the car and guard Jimmy in case him run away. Ok?’’ Anderson demanded.

‘‘What else can I said. ’’She muttered and sighed.

They bound Jimmy with seat belts and locked the car. Then Anderson left to call and Barbara stood helplessly around the car. She kept looking around and peering into the car. She was afraid that Jimmy would attack her. After doing that numerous times, she was tired. Therefore, she sat next to the car and felt sleepy. They didn’t know that Jimmy’s strength was huge; he was not only dead but also became a monster. He kept struggling and tore the belts and pushed the door. He was strong enough to kick the door open and it happened too fast to for Barbara to take action and run away.

As Anderson came back, he saw the car door was open and that Barbara was lying on the ground and had been bitten and injured seriously. He came too late.

Then Jimmy attacked form his back suddenly. Anderson tried to struggle and hit his son but Jimmy held Anderson’s neck with great might. Anderson had already worn out since he forced Jimmy sat stable in the car. He didn’t have any strength left, but he didn’t want to die and let the virus spread. He knew that zombie feared light. He force himself to turn on the light of the car. But, he didn’t want to hurt his beloved…

 

  Next day, a boy in Texas reads the newspaper

 

                       MYSTERIOUS DISASTER

HAPPENED IN TEXAS

Government had confirmed that the village in Texas had been closed off. No one was allowed to get into this place. Rumors had it that there was strange virus exploded and the thing that happened just in movies had came true. But the government refused to explain the details and forbid the reporters to ask question. And another strange thing happened there; one clerk of the gas station near the Texas found that there was a car. One boy was burned and one man lay down with a gun. And the clerk also mentioned that he saw one strange woman running away from the car before he approached it. We don’t know if this case was related to the mystery in that village.

 

‘‘Mom, is the news true?’’ the boy asked.

‘‘Just take care of your own business. Don’t worry about those nonsense.’’ His mom replied.

‘‘Do you finish homework? You had better finish it then you can eat dinner.’’ she menaced.

The boy went back to his room reluctantly and did his homework absent-mindedly. As he staring out

of the window, there was one woman whose clothes were bloody and dirty staring back at him…

 


letter

January 23, 2009

Dear Manger,

  I read about your restaurant from a magazine and you restaurant was given five stars. As a result, I looked forward to enjoy delicious food and benign service quality. Surprisingly, I was treated badly and enjoy no good mood at all. First, I ordered your most famous dish, the seafood. But the seafood you provided on that day was not fresh and had a disgusting smell. Second, I told the waitress to check the dish but she was unfriendly and thought I was just finding trouble with her. Then she just walked away. I am a patient person so I asked her again and required her to provide the new one. To my anger, she took the dish away without saying any words, no apology and no compensation for your error. Third, I thought she would bring the new one as fast as possible in order to smooth over a fault but I waited at least 30minutes, Then I couldn’t endure anymore so I asked the headwaiter to ask her and make sure my dish was prepared. To my, disappointment again, she told me ‘‘I forget.’’ What happened? I am the customer. I pay so I am supposed to be given great treatment and enjoy my time. I was attracted by your famous service quality but now, not anymore. I think I won’t visit your restaurant again. By the way, I ate nothing on that night because I have spent too much time waiting.

  I would like to give you some advice. To begin with, the cook has to check every ingredient before it is cooked. Then, a waiter has to check every dish before it is served. And then, you have to make sure that every waiter provides good service. Last, you should arrange one person to walk around the tables and solve any unexpected problems. Above-mentioned are my sincere comments about your restaurant.

                                                           Yours truly,

                                                                Sandy


advice to freshman-rivision

November 14, 2008

Welcome to the senior high schoolYou must be very excited about your new life. As an experienced student, I want to give you some advice to help you to enjoy your high school life.

First, you have to very concentrate on class because you can learn much clearer, faster and be focus on class. These can also help you to save the time then you can have spare time to do what you like.

Second, you have to ask questions. Teachers are all very willing to help you. Asking questions can help you to think clearly and save the time. For me, asking questions is a good way to learn. I was trapped by one math question and I spent many time to think about it but I still couldn’t solve it. I felt angry and upset because I spent long time but I couldn’t get the answer. Finally, I encouraged myself to ask the teacher. She taught patiently and I got the answer fast. Since then, I like to ask questions and that’s the really helpful way to learn.

Third, you have to read more because our life is not just our schoolwork. You must read more to expand your vision. By reading different kinds of books can enlarge your knowledge and promote your ability. I think reading is good mood exit because when I’m reading I can forget anger or depression and can gain totally different knowledge from text books. As a result, I enjoy reading.

Last, you have to be positive. I often felt disappointed about myself and even thought about giving up. When I encountered some problems, I tried to look on the bright side as possible as I can. I forced myself to face the fact and difficulties and try as hard as I can. Always to be positive can help you be happy everyday and enjoy your life more. Don’t be afraid of a new environment. Every challenge you face will turn you into a different person. You have to remember the sentence, ‘‘Never give up easily.’’

 


Advice to freshman

October 24, 2008

Welcome to the senior high schoolYou must be very excited about your new life. As an experienced student, I want to give you some advice to help you to enjoy your high school life.

First, you have to be very concentrate on class because you can learn much clearer and faster and be focus on class can also help you to save the time then you can have spare time to do what you like.

Second, you have to ask questions. Teachers are all very willing to help you. Asking questions can help you to think clearly and save the time. For me, asking questions is a good way to learn. I was trapped by one math question and I spent many time to think about it but I still couldn’t solve it. I felt angry and upset because I spent so many times but I couldn’t get the answer. Finally, I encouraged myself to ask the teacher. She taught patiently and I got the answer fast. Since then, I like to ask questions and that’s the really helpful way to learn.

Third, you have to read more because our life is not just our schoolwork. You must read more to expand your vision. By reading different kinds of books can enlarge your knowledge and promote your ability. I think reading is good mood exit because when I was read I can forget anger or depression and can gain totally different knowledge from text books. As a result, I enjoy reading.

Last, you have to be positive. I often felt disappointed about myself and even thought about giving up. When I encountered some problems, I tried to look on the bright side as possible as I can. I forced myself to face the fact and difficulties and try as hard as I can. Always be positive can help you be happy everyday and enjoy your life more. Don’t be afraid of a new environment. Every challenge you face will turn you into a different person. You have to remember the sentence, ‘‘Never give up easily.’’

 


Leadership

October 1, 2008

  Leader is the most important role in the team and that’s why it called leader. And leader must have some great personalities and abilities such as kind, brave, eloquent, considerate and so on.

  The first, I think the leader should be the man of his words, because the leader must set up the example for others. If the leader does their best on what he had promised every time then their followers will trust him and like to do more for him. Once you cheat people, the image of you will be destroyed or have some doubt on you. Then you can’t convince people to pay full attention for you because they can’t make sure that if you will success this time. As a result, the leader has to be the man of his words.

  The second, the leader have to have an ability to encourage others because we may face some problems when we work on something then the leader can cheer the followers and keep them going forward. When the team faces challenges, the leader has to stand in others’ shoes to cheer them up and not just blame them or put pressure on them. It can bring kind figure of leader and promote the atmosphere in the group.

  The third, the leader must have high endurance of pressure because the leader is the rudder of the group. They are the model and have to show the great confidence or attitude when something wrong happen with their project or something. The leader is the fender when flood come so they have to bear the high pressure and lead their followers through difficulties.

  The three up mentioned are the things that I think is important and necessary to the leader.

 


A letter to Adam

October 1, 2008

Dear Adam

  How are you? I am very busy now, because I have to spend a lot of time studying and reviewing what I had learned in order to get good grades in SAT. I feel tired and exhausted.

  I think the study plan can help us to study regularly, but I just have some problems with it. I always make great plans and feel confident on it but after few days the plan failed. I keep repeating the same mistake. I feel upset and powerless. I know the management is very important. I tried many times to make management proper to me, but every time I just failed. I don’t hate studying and I just want to find the best way for myself to help myself enjoying more. Could you give some advice?

                                                     Mary


The Best Movie I’ve ever seen.

September 26, 2008

  ‘‘Step up’’ is the movie about dance.  It has great performs, excellent dances, and good plot. The story is about the promising dancer Nora and the aimless boy Tyler. Nora was a talented dancer in the MSA art school and she had an important performance which was about her future but her partner was sick so she had to find others to work with her show. Then she met Tyler who had no goal in his life but the dance brought about his enthusiasm to life.

  Tyler had once said, ‘‘I finally find the thing that I really want to fight for.’’ I was touched by the words because many people can not find the goal to fight for in their lifetime. I think that to do our best to achieve something is important and make sure what we want is also significant. Everybody has to determine your destination and do your best to attain it. The movie showed me the determination to pursue the dream and conquer obstacles. I hope I can have the same strong will as Tyler when I want to achieve something.

 


Book Review ”Love, Rosie”

September 5, 2008

Love, Rosie – A Book Review

 The story is about two best friends Alex and Rosie. They are a lifetime friends and the story is told from many e-mails. It is an amiable story and it gives us a look at contemporary Ireland.

Guest Author – Mary Ellen Sweeney

“Love, Rosie” a.k.a. “Rosie Dunne” engages us right from the schoolroom, where bright little Miss Rosie and her very best friend, Alex, are found guilty of note-passing, a gift for the descriptive phrase, and a lifelong penchant for perverse spelling anomalies. Maybe the first thing you will think of this pair is that they were quite bold. Then, just as they are ready to fly off into the perfect plan, life’s perversity appears and takes over. Suddenly there are life-altering consequences to almost everything.

This is a magic piece of contemporary storytelling. Author Cecelia uses the medium of the day: the e-mail message, to tell her tales. Often in less-than-ideal circumstances, Rosie connects to her loved ones via the modern umbilical cord: e-mail. The postal service is for formal communications, bills, bad news, and even sometimes, no news—the worst kind.

“Love, Rosie” gives us a look at contemporary Ireland. Don’t go looking for Ireland’s dirty laundry: no boggers or hauntings, no ghastly secrets, no ancient feuds. There’s nothing in the closet. Well, not in the sense that Irish authors have lately chosen to titillate their readers; there are none of the drunken daddies with shoulder chips nor wicked clerics that have recently been the focus of film and print.

Though a first class laugh-out-loud chick book, the lessons are the toughest. If we learn nothing at all reading Rosie, we will learn to open our mouths just in case it might go right. What if? Say it sooner rather than later. Mind yourself on prom night. Sieze the moment! Now I’d better stop or I’ll say too much and spoil the story for you. I’ll promise you two things though: your heart will be lightened and your looks improved by the smile you’ll wear while reading this book about growing up, growing smart, growing strong. Look at this character, Rosie Dunne; she’s a real piece of work.

“Love, Rosie” is the second novel in as many years for the comely (really beautiful) 23-year-old Cecelia Ahern. Hats off to you, Cecelia. You did this all by yourself; no one else writes for you. Of course one must while writing talk to people about life, perhaps about how they would say such and such—and they must be so very proud of you too—but every book one writes is straight from yourself. Cecelia Ahern writes with insight and imagination so far beyond her years, one really could wonder: who wrote this marvellous book?


Reading journal

July 29, 2008

 I read the novel ‘‘P.S I love you’’. I think this novel is telling us something about love, brave and face the difficulty.

  Holly lost his dear husband and she was used to depending on his husband Gerry very much. The depression made her down and powerless. She didn’t have any intention on her life. To hers surprise, Gerry left ten letters to her. Every month had one letter. Gerry was a good man, he left many directions to lead Holly to get out of the sadness and make her strong. For examples, he led her to fine the job that Holly really enjoyed and liked, because Holly never really enjoyed her jobs before. Gerry also arranged the trip to let Holly comfort depression.

  I think face the difficulty is very important in our life. If you don’t accept the challenge, you won’t improve yourself or can’t change the situation. When I read, I follow Holly faced her problems, sad or anger and every times she could get through them because she had good friends and family and herself was also brave enough to handle messy life.

  I like the friendship and family parts in the story most. It made me feel sweet and touching. I envy Holly she had such good people around her. This story is not only tell us how to survive after your dear husband died but also give some examples to us to solve some common difficulties in our life, for instance, how to deal with the conflict with your best friend or how to get close to your family. I think this story is close to our true life. I can stand in Holly’s shoes to felt what she felt and I was touched by the story most of time when I read.  


Part-time job is bad to student

January 20, 2008

I think that having part-time is not a good idea when you are student.

    First, I think the student should concentrate on their schoolwork and learn continuously. They have to fulfill their responsibility during their school time. If they study well and work hard, they can get good job and have good pay in the future. And then can have more chance and ability to chose what they really want to be in the society.

     Second, If they have jobs when they are students, their parent might be angry and worry about them. Because of safety, healthy and study. Then the child and parents might have conflict with each other and even harm their relationship. The teachers in school will also stop them because they want them to study concentrately.

     Third, the student is inexperienced in the working place. They might be cheated and used. They do not have enough courage and knowledge to protect themselves. It is easy to get into trouble.

     In short, I think teenage students are not suitable to have a job. In order to have a happy studying time in school and learn something really useful for their life., they have better focus on schoolwork and try to get along with their family.