30. (is censorship ever justified?)

As much as I am definitely not fully on board with the concept of censorship, I think in  some cases, it is necessary.  Many of the pieces that are censored are censored without much reason, and are not intended as anything but entertainment fiction.  However, there are some things that are intended to be negative influences on society.  These types of articles can be anything from an intentional slam to a race or religion that has no purpose other than to demean said race or religion to books written by known criminals while they were in prison.  These things do not have a place in today's society, and they need to be censored, as this will benefit society.  Needless censorship is just that, needless, but some censorship is definitely needed as a part of life.

29. (the value of the OSSLT)

In many ways, the OSSLT is a valid academic assessment   This type of standardized testing is one of the few ways to compare how different cities, regions, and provinces are doing relative to each other.  I think that knowing how you are doing on a larger scale is important, as well.  If, for example, you are above your school average when your school average is in fact low relative to others, you may be under the illusion that you are doing better than you really are.  Standardized testing can also be similar to exams, and can be a good way to get used to long and important test.  However, I think there may be too much stake being put on this one test.  While it is a relatively easy test, and all you have to do is pass it, some people just don't test well, or get to nervous to answer well.  This can be an unfair way to judge whether a person is ready to graduate.  Sometimes the results from one specific test can be misleading.

29. (Structure for a Teen Issue Essay)

Thesis: Mental health is the most severe issue facing teens today because it has the most serious consequences

Point: Mental health issues can often lead to depression

Point 2: Mental health issues can lead to suicide or suicide consideration

Point 3: Mental health issues can lead to physical as well as mental disorders, such as eating disorders

28. (opinion on Angels and Demons by Dan Brown)

I found Angels and Demons to be a really good read. I almost found it hard to stop reading because there were so many plot twists and little puzzles all within the one big mystery.  One of the reasons I liked this book was the little facts that were placed all throughout the book.  As much as it is at heart a mystery, I enjoyed learning about Rome and CERN and architects who worked for the Vatican.  I thought the book was very well-written and I liked all of the main characters (aside from the assassin, of course).  I thought that the characters were well-established, and in almost all cases, layer after layer of the character's personality was revealed as the story wore on.  There were also many instances in which a character's behaviour was rationalized using a flashback to the character's childhood.  As much as I am admittedly a bit of a flashback fan, I thought that this was a very effective way to evolve a character, and it was masterfully executed by the author.  The ambigrams were really interesting, too.  Overall, I thought the book was well-written and exciting, and while it is controversial, I still lobby that it is a very good book, and I would recommend it to anyone who has yet to read it.

27. (are Shakespeare's plays still valuable in the modern age?)

Personally, I actually really like Shakespeare's plays.  I think the main reason some people have an aversion to them is the fact that they were written in a form of English that we don' t speak anymore.  As for the actual content of the plays, I think the they certainly have value to today's society, not only as a glimpse at the work of one of history's best playwrights, but also for the sake of entertainment.  The amount of action per serving in a Shakespeare play can rival that of a blockbuster thriller if you really look at it.  Take Romeo and Juliet for example.  The play is supposed to portray only a few days' time, and yet we have two sword fights in the street, a romance, a wedding, a called-off wedding, three murders, two suicides, and a banishment!  Among this action, however, the story is not lost, and we ultimately end the play with a sense not only of a wild ride, but also of a lesson that can be applied to today's world.  Romeo and Juliet is the story of two lovers who end up taking their own lives because of the outstanding mutual hatred of their families.  Romeo and Juliet end up caught in the crosshairs of a battle that has been raging for so long, nobody even remembers how it started.  The lesson to be learned from this, among many others, is that hatred is never a good thing, and that through peace, many great things can be achieved.  The story of Romeo and Juliet would have gone much differently minus their warring families.  This message is certainly applicable to the world today, as are those in the rest of his plays.

26. (opinion on the end of Catching Fire)

Wow.  I think I can speak for just about everyone who has read the Hunger Games series when I say that the end to this novel was absolutely shocking.  The idea to literally destroy the main weapon of power that the Capitol has at its disposal (the Games), was ingenious.  The end of this novel, with the destruction of the arena, followed by the revelation of the alliance between Plutarch Heavensbee and the rebels, plus the destruction of District twelve and beginning of full-scale rebellion in the Districts was not only gripping, but also a huge cliffhanger.  So many questions are answered with tis conclusion, but at the same time, so many are raised.  What is going to happen to Peeta?  How will the battle between the Capitol and the Districts end this time?  Will the Capitol discover the headquarters of the rebel alliance in District 13?  Right now, we don't even know if Peeta is still alive.  If he is, he is definitely not safe, considering that he was found by the Capitol and removed from the arena.   The biggest question mark is how Katniss's future will play out.  It is blatantly obvious that she is viewed by the rebels as a source of hope, and destined to be a leader in some capacity, but so many obstacles stand in her way.  Will she ever trust Haymitch again after he failed to protect Peeta in the arena?  Even if that trust is restored, she has become public enemy #1 for the Capitol, and they will take any and all measures necessary to eliminate her.  Also, if Peeta is still alive, and his rescue is possible, how will that sway Katniss's agenda? Last time Peeta's life was on the line, Katniss was willing to put her own life at stake to avoid having to live without him.  There now exists the possibility for a similar scenario, but with much higher stakes.  After a great end to what I thought was a great book, all I can think about doing is going out and getting my hands on Mockingjay.

24. (opinion of the third quarter of Catching Fire)

The third quarter of Catching Fire begins with preparations for the games, including the chariot entrance, training, skills showcase, and pre-games tribute interviews with Caesar Flickerman.  It is in this section that we learn of a strong unified rebellion among the districts.  In the pre-games events, many symbolic moves are made by the tributes (excluding, of course, the Careers from 1 and 2).  Most of these occur during the interviews, comment after comment appealing to the unfairness of the games.  This comes to a head when Peeta announces Katniss's pregnancy and Katniss emerges wearing her wedding dress, which transforms into a Mockingjay gown.  Subsequently, all tributes hold hands, the first ever sign of unity amongst the districts.  Then, the games began with the beating of Cinna in front of Katniss.  An alliance is formed between Katniss, Peeta, Mags, and Finnick, and the quarter ends with the arrival of a poisonous fog.  This chapter was definitely the most action-packed, and it is becoming more and more apparent that twelve is not the only district in which rebellion is brewing.  Almost all of the other tributes were on board with the ongoings in the interviews, and the symbolic locking of hands speaks volumes about the state of the districts.  It is clear now that it will come down to careers vs. non-careers, and the outcome of that battle will be extremely influential on the other people in the districts.  In my mind, the Careers are almost representative of the power of the Capitol, considering how easily and often they win.  On the flip side of that coin, the non-careers are definitely rebellious, and I'm quite sure at this point that just about nobody in the districts believes Katniss's actions were solely for love.  With only one quarter to go, I am very interested to see how this plays out...

23. (opinion on the second quarter of Catching Fire)

As is the case with most novels, the second quarter of the book lead readers away from the introduction phase and into the plot of the story.  This quarter entailed the public whipping of Gale, over the course of which both Katniss and Gale sustained injuries, as well as Katniss's run-in with Bonnie and Twill in the woods, and the arrival of a new Peacekeeping corps, which is clearly much more violent and Capitol-oriented than the old one. The first half of the novel ended with the announcement of the Quarter Quell games, which require Katniss and Peeta to enter back into the arena.  I really enjoyed this second quarter, because the plot is really starting to thicken.  We are seeing things get worse in twelve, and rebellion brewing in the districts, including a full-scale uprising in District 8.  Now, past victors are being forced into the arena.  It seems extremely implausible that this was actually a predetermined Quarter Quell, and this appears like a move from President Snow.  The upcoming games are sure to be tougher than the past games, and very well could end in Katniss and Peeta's deaths.  One of the more interesting aspects now will be how the Quarter Quell will affect the state of the Districts.  Katniss had just spent an entire victory tour dedicating her every move to prove that she is not rebellious, but now the games are starting again, and the Capitol really can't control the effect that her actions inside the arena have on the the Districts.  As the novel moves forward, I am left to question many things.  Will Katniss survive?  Will more districts rebel?  All I can say for certain right now is that it was a very well-written quarter, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.