response..

In the article “ how to tome a wild tongue”, the writer first tells us a story that she was taught speaking Spanish at recess and the teacher ask her to come back to speak. However, in my opinion, I do not think it is right. I think the writer is out-standing because she can speak many different kinds of language. For example, she can speak English Standard Spanish, Standard Mexican Spanish, North Mexican dialect, and Chicano Texas Spanish. I regarded them as literacy. And I think it is good for her to practice them because practice makes perfect and she will not forget them as well.
As I say, language is important in any culture. A language does far more than just enable people to communicate with each other. The language of one country is different from the other country and it tells the features of the country which distinguish it from one company to another.
Language shapes the way people perceive the world and it also provides help to define culture of any society. There are countries in which more than one language is spoken, and if in that case, you can find more than one culture in that society. For example Canada has the English-speaking and French-speaking culture. Similarly, America is a country that mixes all kinds of culture. So I think people should be free to talk in any language they want.
Language, of course, is knowledge, and in our world today knowledge is one of the key factors in competitiveness. Brains and knowledge are what create the prosperity and growth we tend to take for granted. In an advanced industrial society in an increasingly interdependent world, the knowledge of other language becomes indispensable. Seriously, there are rapidly growing trade links in the Americans, and learning Spanish or Portuguese is an important tool for business people and officials seeking to build on those ties. As we move toward hemispheric economic integration, the knowledge of other languages of the hemisphere is becoming a highly marketable skill.
According to all the above, I think different language is a very wonderful skill. It not only increase one’s literacy, but reflect different culture as well.

words in chinese culture----response to reading in class

In the article boone written by Elizabeth Hill, she talks about many kinds of literacy, especially the visual literacy such as photograph, writing, speaking and etc. among all the literacies, I want to talk about the writing, the words literacy in my own culture. as we know, chinese words are one of the most difficult language in the wold. I want to say something about the evolution of the chinese language.
when talking about the writing utensils of Chinese characters, people often think of four treasures of the study, that is, brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper first. Among them, paper is the carrier of writing, and brush is the main writing tool. Besides brush and ink, the writing utensils of Chinese characters include graver Jijue( one kind of knife used for engraving on metals and stones),ect.
The origin of Chinese writing can be traced back to ancient China, although we are not certain of the date of its invention. According to some statistics, Chinese writing has at least a history of four thousands years. I t is generally believed that people made records by tying a knot in a rope. This way of recording was replaced by the invention of words by Tsang Chie.
We can not say that there is no word before Tsang Chie. Actually, Tsang only combined the invented words of his predecessors with slight changes. Meanwhile, thereawas still another inventor called Chu Sung.
Nonetheless, the fact the Chinese written was originated in painting is beyond doubt and this is why modern chinese consider writing and paining to have the same origin. And it is match what Elizabrth writes in her essay---writing and paining are the same form of literacy.

"How does literacy shape technology? How does technology shape literacy?"

When comes to the question “How does literacy shape technology and how does technology shape literacy.” I think the relation is obvious.
First of all, literacy does shape the technology greatly. Literacy is the ability that people have. And the potential of people is endless. It is our human that create the technology and push the society going forward. Thanks to the White Brothers, we can travel around the world in the air. Thanks to Edison, we can work, live, and so all kinds of things in a bright area. Owing to Bell, we can hear other people’s sound at a very far distance. All these technology is created by human potential. That is human’s literacy that creates the technology and pushes the wheels of the history going forward.
As we see above, literacy plays a very important role in shaping technology. However, it is not the whole story. On the other hand, technology shapes literacy as well. Due to the power loom, hard weavers lost their jobs. Because of the kerosene, candle makers lost their jobs. Owning to the tractors, farm laborers lost their jobs. With the appearance of electronic switching, switchboard operators lost their jobs. Technology selects people of high potential. In that case, people will do something that they are good at, in other words, do something they have comparative advantages. Also, because of the selection of technology, more people turn to school for better education in order to improve themselves and out compete with other people. As a consequence of it, their literacies improve. That is how technology shape people’s literacy.