In music we are making our pieces on soundtrap. It’s a lot harder that last year because we are using soundtrap and it is a new piece of software.

This is my piece:

.https://www.soundtrap.com/studio/X16lsS2qRQ_fNebgSQ6uMQ/

In PE we are doing the Olympics. I really enjoy doing this, because it is fun and everyone likes it, but people get really competitive about it. I’m the team captain, so I can tell my team to not be so mean about it. Everybody thinks that there team is better than the others and they constantly think that everything has to be perfect.

In math we are learning about decimals and how to multiply, divide, add, and subtract them. We also are learning how to convert them into fractions. I think this is easier than learning about fractions, but it also is harder than stuff that we did in 5th grade.

In Mandarin right now, we are learning about sports and all of the sports terms. For example, 我最喜欢跑步。That means, my favorite sport is running. Another example is,我最不喜欢提橄榄球和打高尔夫球。That mean, my least favorite sports are football and golf.

Here is the study set:

In this quarter I wrote an essay about the book, Parzival. It was challenging because I had to write 5 paragraphs without saying I or we or us and I had to keep on the same topic the whole time.

In Parzival, a book by Katherine Paterson, Parzival’s life is decided by fate, not free will. All the things that happen to him happen by a choice that was decided before Parzival was born. Parzival became a knight as a result of fate because he met the knights in the forest by fate, he shot the lark without meaning to and he met a woman who turned out to be his cousin.

One reason Parzival became a knight as a result of fate because he met the knights in the forest. In chapter 1, Parzival meets three knights in the forest. They just happened to be in the forest at the exact same time that Parzival is wandering around. They tell him about God and King Arthur’s court. They are the people who first start Parzival’s fascination with being a knight. On page 8, it says:

“One bright day he [Parzival] heard a thundering noise. The sky was clear but the earth shook as though it were being beaten by storm. It is the devil for sure, he thought and stood, javelin balanced, ready to hurl it at the dreadful foe.

Before long there came into view three mighty warhorses, their hooves hammering the path. Upon their broad backs rode three knights, their armor gleaming like stars fallen from the sky.” This shows that the knights came by coincidence, and Parzival didn’t call them or want them to be there. The knights just happen to be in the forest and they just happen to run into Parzival.

“ ‘We are three men, knights who owe allegiance to Arthur of the Round Table. We are in pursuit of two evil knights who have betrayed the laws of chivalry and taken a young maid captive. In accord with our knightly duty, we are bound to rescue her.‘

‘But what is a knight?’ the boy [Parzival] asked.” This shows that the knights teach him about knights and their duties. Later on this page, the knights explain more about knights and more about God. This shows that Parzival’s fate was already decided and he had no choice in the matter of becoming a knight.

Another example of fate was when Parzival shoots the lark without thinking about it. In chapter 1, Parzival shoots a lark absent-mindedly, and if that had never happened, he never would have heard about God and never would have met the knights and never would’ve wanted to be a knight.

On page 5, it says:

“One day, crossing his mother’s fields, he came upon a flock of larks pecking seeds from the plowed ground. One bird rose high into the air, singing a song so beautiful that it pierced the boy’s heart. Without thinking, he raised his bow and shot his arrow into the sky. The song ceased mid-note, and the singer dropped like a stone to the earth.”

This shows that Parzival didn’t mean to shoot the bird. He was just so entranced with the song that he just shot it.

On page 6, his mother says:

“ Kissing his hair, she said softly,‘Who am I to go against God? It is his will that the birds should sing for happiness.‘

‘Who is God, Mother?’ the boy asked. ” This shows that shooting the lark made him think about God.

A little bit later in the book he meets some knights in the forest and, thinking back to what his mother told him, he thought they were God. This is what he said to the knights:

“ He threw himself face-down upon the ground, blocking the path of the great horses.‘If you be God,‘ he cried, ‘be merciful to me!’

The startled knights jerked their reins and stopped their horses just short of the boy’s body.

‘Fool!’ they cried. ‘Do you want to be killed?’

But the boy was not offended. ‘Tell me,’ he said. ‘Are you the one called God?’ ” This shows that he talked to the knights about God and he wouldn’t have if he hadn’t shot the lark.

This is more evidence that Parzival had no choice in his fate.

The last example of fate in Parzival’s life is when he meets his cousin in the forest. At the end of chapter 1, Parzival meets a young woman in the forest. She was crying over a wounded, possibly dead knight. She talks to Parzival and it turns out she is his cousin.

On page 15, Parzival says:

“ ‘Tell me, my lady,‘ he said, wading across the shallow river, dragging his reluctant ng along behind him, ‘what is the matter? Why do you have such a sad thing in your lap?’

‘This is the knight I loved more than life itself,’ the poor maid said. ‘And now he is mortally wounded.’

‘He looks mortally dead to me.’ Said the boy. ” This shows that he is meeting the lady for the first time and he has never met her before.

On page 16, he learns that she is his cousin.

“ ‘What is your name?’ she asked.

‘Oh,’ he said,’ Young Master of Dear Boy or whatever you wish.’

‘No,’ she said, ‘Your true name is Parzival, which means Pierced-through-the-heart, because at you birth your noble mother’s heart was truly pierced. I know these things because your mother and mine are sisters.’ “ This shows that Parzival didn’t know he had a cousin and didn’t even know his own real name. His mother never told him about his cousin. Besides that, what are the chances of “running into” a cousin you have never met? His cousin knew Parzival’s name but he didn’t. All of the proof clearly states that Parzival became a knight because of fate.

Fate was a big part in Parzival’s life. He was born into a life he had no choice in. He met the knights, shot the lark and met his cousin all by fate. Many things happen to Parzival that would never happen to an average person. Some things happen to him by “coincidence.” Parzival is a story about a young boy, growing up and living his life. But little did he know, his life was already decided for him.