Mary Moffitt UTM English 111: English Composition 1 Portfolio Ms.

Stacy Jones 29 April, 2013

Table of Contents
Self-Assessment Revised Informative Report: Water Will Flow Where It Wants Original Informative Report: Water Will Flow Where It Wants The Best and Weakest pieces of writing critique

Self-Assessment When I chose UTM English 111 I was unaware of what I signed up for in the spring 2013 semester. I have not been in school for 22 years. I must have missed that part of Composition 1 what I thought English was going to be was subject, verb, and sentence stuff. I have not attempted to write anything for years except filling out permissions forms for my children. Composition of essays doing summaries of texts I have read and writing about myself has been the hardest task. My vocabulary list is not huge and words just do not flow like I would like them to. My mind becomes blank and I always wait until the last minute then I just write my sentences awkward, fragmented, and most of the time does not contain a subject. I have written and submitted 4 Essays for UTM English 111: Composition 1: a literacy narrative, a memoir, an informative report, and a researched argument. Each essay has been an extreme challenge. I have never been asked to write about myself or write about how I think on a position I stand for. 4 different essays, same Rhetorical Situation. Thinking and identifying about how I want to get my feelings and thoughts written about a subject is the primary purpose. When I had to write these 4 essays I really never thought about who was going to read it. I just had my thoughts and I was going to write it down. My scattered thoughts and awkward sentences frustrated some of my audience. I knew my genre was essay form. The design was 4 pages, double-spaced, 12pt. Times New Roman all on an electronic medium. I have realized I have a hard time trying to communicate my stance. My strategies of how I can best present my stance and keep to that one purpose was and still is a challenge. From peer review and instructors comments my strategy of staying focused on my first sentence I write in a paragraph should explain what that paragraph is about. Reading the required text in the handbook has presented new methods in creating ideas on how to describe in detail and bring the audience in to my writings. From analyzing a text to arguing a

position The Norton Field Guide to Writing required text for English 111 has many ways to look at a piece of paper with words on it. The Norton Field Guide to Writing provides different genres for example: writing a Literacy Narrative, Analyzing a Text, Reporting Information, and Arguing a Position. For each genre there were a few authors essays. Those authors all had different strategies of bringing the reader in to their essays by creating words with tone. Provided in this portfolio is an informative report that was required as one of my genres. My reason in writing the informative report Water Will Flow Where It Wants was to present concrete evidence to my readers that man cannot control water when nature decides to become extreme. When I first did the draft I copied and pasted facts together. I did not paraphrase those facts into my own words it was an essays of facts with no flow or organization. As my peers reviewed and commented on my draft I saw how I revise my paper to make my essay flow by analyzing the cause why man wants to control water and the effects of natural occurrences providing evidence of disasters with water. For not writing over 22 years, this English course has given me feelings of frustration and wanting to give up. I have come to terms that for the essays that I have done if I would of just took my time and learned to schedule my things to do list I would of probably not have been overwhelmed. Having my peers read the same text that I do and then write their own summaries, I like to compare their ideas with my mine and see how they analyze what they read. I have had a lot of comments on how to improve my writings; mostly it is grammar, punctuation, fragmented and awkward sentences. Writing more often would be the best influence for improvement. I really enjoyed listening and learning from my younger peers their ideas and writings have influenced me greatly.

Revised Informative Report Water Will Flow Where It Wants

Mary Moffitt Ms. Stacy Jones English 111 April 20, 2013 Water Will Flow Where It Wants Ever since early settlers blocked up streams and creeks to form ponds and lakes for their livestock, man has tried to control the waterways. Man has paid thousands of dollars to enjoy beach front property just to have nature take control with devastation and death. Natural disasters and water is a deadly combination; having water flowing where it wants, man can only stand by and watch. It can even slowly erode away soft limestone many feet below sod and structures to cause unexpected caveins. Just recently on March 3, 2013 a house was in Seffner, Florida. It engulfed Jeffery Bush while he was sleeping in bed. His body was never found. Early Egyptians were the first to create dams for water control between 2950-2750 B.C. Since then dams have been built to make reservoirs, have hydroelectric, or drain an area to build. On September 30, 1882 the first Hydroelectric Power Plant began operation across Appleton, Wisconsin. Hydroelectric Power Plants are an energy efficient way to provide electric to communities surrounding the dam using the natural flow of water. There are now 75,000 man-made dams in North America that are holding back approximately 17% of the larger rivers in the nation. These dams control natures rapid snowmelts and continual spring rains which occur hundreds of miles the north. If a dam is built well, it should be able to hold powerful flood waters. Tragedies do happen, often caused by the uncontrollable happenings such as landslides, heavy rains that cause floods, or earth shaking quakes. In Asia, on June 25, 2008 a major earthquake caused severe damage to over 2,000 dams built in the Chinese Sichuan Province. 80,000 fatalities were due to the Chinese government building the

Zipingpu Reservoir on a fault line. The weight of the reservoir caused the land to shift. This dam constructions cause-and-effect upon a fault is also known as reservoir induced seism city. If the Chinese government has heeded the warning from the Chinese Earthquake Bureau lives would have been saved. However, they went ahead and built the reservoir and disregarded the warning. The worst dam disaster in U.S. history happened in Philadelphia on May 31, 1889 around 3 p.m. It had been raining heavily days before the flood and 20 million tons of water was unleashed out of the South Fork Dam into communities below. In Idaho, the Teton Dam broke killing 14 people as it was being filled with water for the first time in 1976. Climate change is a more recent global concern because land is slowly disappearing under water. Global warming is the cause. When water warms up, it takes up more space. Every droplet of water by itself expands just a little bit. When each droplet is added together over the entire expansion of the ocean, sea levels rise. Also included are the recent melting glaciers and ice sheets. The sea level around the world has risen by nearly 7 inches within the past century as a result of this warming trend. Due to rising ocean waters, hurricanes that form bring seawater farther inland to submerge coastal residences. Some areas have never experienced flooding before. On August 31, 2005 Hurricane Katrina caused 50 failures of the 17th canal levee in New Orleans, Louisiana. 80% of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish was flooded. On August 30, 2012 Hurricane Isaac flooded over an 18 mile levee. Authorities began opening the gates of the dam as the pressure of the flood waters consumed the Louisiana levee. Rising sea levels also played a big part during the Noreaster blizzard of February 2013. This storm named Nemo produced snowfall of 40 inches and hurricane force winds of 102mph to the New England states. New York had surge waves of 25ft.-30ft. That wave height was taller than the homes which were located along the shoreline. Many were flood damaged beyond repair. The flooding

combined with the blizzard conditions caused millions of dollars in damage and 18 fatalities. Earthquakes have caused severe damage with their uncontrolled land shifting and shaking. There were a series of catastrophic earthquakes between mid-December 1811 and mid-March 1812 that shook West Tennessee and the rest of the Central Mississippi Valley. Land uplifted and created terrestrial cracks, letting the river at Kentucky Bend. This massive flow of water created Tsunami-like waves which eventually obstructed other smaller rivers from flowing naturally. These series of quakes formed reel foot Lake in Lake County, Tennessee. The Tennessee River back-flowed and to this day still flows north. A sudden displacement of water causing a series of waves traveling across a large body of water or ocean is called a tsunami. This displacement of water can be caused by events such as undersea landslides, deep sea earthquakes, landslides into the ocean, volcanic eruptions, and even asteroid impact. On the north-eastern coast of Japan, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook under the Pacific Ocean on March 11, 2011. That is the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the country. This powerful earthquake in Japan started a tsunami that was up to 30 meters high that washed up to 5 kilometers inland. The disaster damaged several nuclear power plants, releasing radioactive contaminates into the water and air, causing environmental devastation and infrastructural damage. There was massive loss of life of more than 27,600 people. This is the worst disaster to hit Japan since the 1923 earthquake. With the latest scientific studies of the wind patterns and jet streams above and the oceans water temperatures below, officials designated over our safety and well-being can be warned in advance when flooding is imminent. With the spring rains retuning at Cairo, Ill., the flood were expected to match an all time high on May 1, 2011. Major General Michael Walsh gave orders to move 250 tons of explosives onto barges in Wickliffe, KY. The barges were put into position inside Mississippi County to blow up The Birds Point levee. Blowing Birds Point levee would relieve pressure from the swollen Mississippi

River. This water would then be diverted to 132,000 acres of farmland in Mississippi and New Madrid Counties. Walsh is the only person who can make decisions of this kind. This is an event that may use all the resources that we have to control this level of flooding we have in the system. There is water in places we hadnt ever, ever seen before. This is certainly a fight of the human dimension. We know the price being paid is high. Walsh said. When there is water involved, there will be ways that water will ultimately flow above, around, or underground towards its natural pathway into the lakes and oceans.

Original Draft of Informative Report Water Will Flow Where It Wants

Mary Moffitt Ms. Stacy Jones English 111 March 9, 2013

Water Will Flow Where It Wants

Ever Since early settlers block up streams and creeks to form ponds and lakes for their livestock, man has tried to control the waterways. Man has paid 1000s of dollars to enjoy beach front property just to have nature take control with devastation and death. Natural disasters and water is a deadly combinations, having water flowing where it wants, man can only standby and watch. Dams are built to make reservoirs, have hydroelectric, or drain an area to build. There is and 75,000 man-made dams in North America, blocking up 600,000 miles of water streams or about 17% of rivers in the nation. Early Egyptians where the first to create dams between 2950-2750 B.C. September 30, 1882 the first Hydroelectric Power Plant began operation across Appleton, Wisconsin. Hydroelectric Power Plants are an energy efficient way to provide electric to communities surrounding the dam using the natural flow of water. If a dam is built well, whatever happens, it should be able to hold powerful flood waters. Tragedies do happen, often caused by the uncontrollable weather such as landslides, heavy rains causing floods, or earth shaking quakes. In 1889, around 3:00 pm on May 31 the worst dam disaster happened in Philadelphia killing 10,000 people. It had been raining heavily days before the flood. The South Fork Dam could not hold the water anymore, unleashing 20 million tons of water into the valley below, were Johnstown and the surrounding communities. When the Teton Dam was first built

in 1976, as the waters filled the reservoir, the dam broke killing 14 people. When water warms up, it takes up more space. Every droplet of water by itself expands just a little bit, when each droplet added together over the entire expansion of the ocean, causes sea levels to rise. Also add to the melting glaciers and ice sheets and the sea level around the world has rose by nearly 7 inches in the past 100 years. Due to rising waters Hurricanes that form bring the water further inland causing flooding where there has never been water. August 31, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused 50 failures of the 17th canal levee in New Orleans, Louisiana. 80% of New Orleans and all of St. Bernard Parish was flooded. August 30, 2012, Hurricane Isaac flooded over an 18 mile levee, authorities began opening the gates of the as the pressure of the flood waters consumed the Louisiana levee. Not only are hurricanes during summer, the Noreaster storm blizzard of February 2013, named Nemo produced snowfall of 40 inches and hurricane force winds of 102mph to the New England states. New York had surge waves of 25ft.30ft. That is taller than the homes that where located along the shoreline getting washed. The flooding combined with the blizzard conditions caused damage and 18 fatalities. Earthquakes have caused sever damage with their uncontrolled land shifting and shaking. Reelfoot Lake is located in Northwest Tennessee. There was a series of catastrophic earthquakes between mid-December 1811 and mid-March 1812 the shook West Tennessee and the rest of the Central Mississippi Valley. Land uplifted and created terrestrial cracks letting the water flow like a waterfall along the Mississippi at Kentucky Bend, it created tsunami like waves flowing upstream that caused the formation of Reelfoot Lake by streams that where obstructed which is now Lake County, Tennessee. The Tennessee river back flowed and to this day still flows North. In China on June 25, 2008 an earthquake caused severe damage to over 2000 dams built in the Sichuan Province. 80,000 fatalities was caused to the Chinese building the Zipingpu Reservoir on a fault line. The weight of the reservoir caused the land

to shift, also know as reservoir induced seismcity. If the Chinese government heeded the warning from the Chinese Earthquake Bureau civilian lives would have been saved. A sudden displacement of water causing a series of waves traveling across a large body of water or ocean is called a tsunami. This displacement of water can be caused by events such as undersea landslides, undersea earthquakes, sliding land into the ocean, volcanic eruptions, even asteroid impact. On the north-eastern coast of Japan, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook under the Pacific Ocean on March 11, 2011. That is the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the country. A very powerful earthquake in Japan started a tsunami that was up to 30 meters high that washed up to 5 kilometers inland. The disaster damaged several nuclear power plants, releasing radioactive contaminates in the water and air, causing environmental devastation and infrastructural damage. Massive loss of life, more than 27,600 people have lost their lives. This is the worst disaster to hit Japan since the 1923 earthquake. With the rains returning at Cairo, Ill., the flood gauge is expected to match an all-time high on May 1, 2011. Major General Michael Walsh gave orders to move 250 tons of explosive on barges to Wickliffe, Ky., putting the barges in position in Mississippi County to blow the Birds Point levee. Blowing Birds Point levee would relieve pressure from the swollen Mississippi River, the water would then be diverted to 132,000 acres of farmland in Mississippi and New Madrid counties. Walsh is the only person who can make decisions of this kind. This is an event that may use all the resources that we have to control this level of flooding we have in the system. There is water in places we hadnt ever, ever seen before. This is certainly a fight of the human dimension. We know the price being paid is high, Walsh said. No matter where we live when natural disasters as hurricanes, earthquakes causing tsunamis, or heavy rains around dams occur. When there is water involved there will be ways that water will flow above, around, or underground and destroy what is in its path. So if you feel safe in bed just remember

that on March 3, 2013 due to extreme climate changes, a sinkhole was formed from underground water erosion in Seffner, Florida that was 30ft. Wide and 15ft. deep engulfed Jeffery Bush while he was in bed sleeping his body never to be found.

The Best and Weakest Pieces of Critiques One Writers Beginnings By Eudora Welty I consider this Critique that I wrote to be one of the weakest writings. I put sentences together with no flow. It was like I was just making statements and being done with it. The sentences where not complete, they were fragmented and awkward. Critique: Eudora Weltys One Writers Beginnings has vivid descriptions. Her first time walking in the library and meeting the librarian with her mother. Describing her mother, Eudora tells how she loves to read while working in the kitchen or playing with the children. Always having a book in hand passes from her mother to Eudora. Eudoras mother letting her read children and adult books opened a door that never closed.

In the 24 World, Family is the Main Casualty By Gina Bellafonte I consider this Critique one of my best writings because I wrote what I felt. Critique: Ginia Bellafonte description of 24 well describes the sickening hatred of family against family. Government comes first and your mental state does not matter. I have never watched this series and I will never take the time to. To have television shows that torture our children should never be. This is our future and to put this in the audience minds is what is wrong with society today.