www.alcfezbook.com Volume III, Issue III November 2011

STUDENT V ICETHE AMERICAN LANGUAGE CENTER FESl

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It all started when I went camping with my family in Ifrane. My mother woke me up early and that morning the weather was sunny. It was great. I helped my parents take things out of the car. While my mom was cooking, I went to walk alone because I got bored. When I was walking, I saw a blue light. When I followed that blue light, I saw a beautiful white rabbit. The blue light was in her eyes!

What happened was, I tried to catch her, but she started talking to me. I was shocked! She asked me to help her and she told me her sad story.

The rabbit said: “I was a beautiful little girl and I had dreams to achieve like everyone. But one day, I was singing in the bathroom and suddenly I saw a genie. He asked me to marry him. But I refused. Then he turned me into a rabbit. But he said if Justin Bieber kisses me, I will be a girl again.”

When she told me to help her, I didn’t know what to do, but I had an idea. I brought the rabbit with me and I talked to my cousin. His grandmother’s friend was the ex-girlfriend of Justin Bieber.

So I gave the rabbit to my cousin and I told him the whole story. He was so kind, and he did a lot to make Justin Bieber kiss the rabbit. So finally, the rabbit was changed to a beautiful girl. Justin Bieber was shocked and on that day he started to like the girl.

The happy ending is that Justin Bieber married that girl, and she became my best friend.

Until I started my studies in the university, I didn’t know that there is what we call passive learning and active learning. Knowing about that was a really insightful thing that I wouldn’t have ever known about if I hadn’t

studied this year. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t have known that I belong to the passive learners as well. Yes, I’m a passive leaner.

My learning habit mainly depends on what I get from class, not on notes. The notes I take are just anything I feel is going to be asked about during the final exams, and

don’t give much importance to other things that might serve me as a learner.

Another thing which I think makes me belong to the crowd of passive learners is the fact that I memorize the information in a detailed way, like I’ll be asked about on the exams. I didn’t know that memorizing my lessons

makes my way of learning passive! In fact, this is what I’ve been told to do since I was a little kid studying in primary school.

The habit of having my teachers as the main source of all knowledge required at school is something I’m very

Say Goodbye to Old-fashioned, Passive Learning HabitsBy Samir MoutyAdvanced 3

White RabbitThe

One day, I was singing in the bathroom and I saw

a genie who asked me to marry him.

By Bouchra Ouaryachi Advanced 2l

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FICTION

LEARNING continued on page 3

2 November 2011 l www.alcfezbook.com

student writingFICTION

Elena found out about her disease when she was 14 years old. All the doctors said that it was impossible for her to survive, but she fought very hard. One day, when they all thought she

was going to die, she got better. No one could believe it. All the doctors were shocked. It was a miracle. The truth is that she had seen Death, she saw what it was like. It was so terrifying, so horrible, that she fought it, and she won. Everyone told her that she cheated Death, that she

escaped. Years passed, and she grew up so beautiful, so strong.

On her seventeenth birthday, she threw a party with her friends. They played a game, they all went into a big bedroom, and they turned the lights off. Everyone hid and the first one she caught would

take her somewhere.Smiling, she started to grab

everywhere, and finally she caught somebody. This person turned his head, slowly, very slowly. IT WAS IT. It was Death, smiling back at her terrified face, he said in a cold, amused voice:

Think you can cheat me?

By Maha ElyoumniIntermediate 1

Friday night, I was at my friend’s house, and we were really bored. We didn’t have anything good to do. So we decided to come up with something fun and do it. We invited a bunch of our friends over and we started playing games.

At first, it was normal, but as soon as the lights went off, it got really exciting. We played a twisted psychic game, where you call the dead people from the other side. We didn’t really think it would work but it did! We heard a noise, and people screaming. Then we really freaked out, and everyone started running.

I was hidden under the table with a friend of mine. Suddenly, I felt a hand pulling me. It was a stranger. He was human, but he had cow legs!

He wanted to eat me, but I kicked him hard in the head, and I started running as fast as I could to get out of there.

The next thing I knew, I was in the woods. I didn’t know which way to go, so I fell down and cried for a while. After that, I walked in the woods for a long time. Suddenly, I saw a house. I went and knocked on the door, but no one answered, so I broke down the door and went in.

I found bones all over the place. I immediately went out and started running again, when I missed a step and fell into a hole.

To make a long story short, I am still lost, and I’ve been living in a cave with some friendly animals ever since that night. They bring me food. How nice!

It Seemed Like a Good Idea at

the Time...By Hajar TchichAdvanced 2

When Death Comes Knocking... Don’t Try to Cheat It!

You have to know that being a boarder can make really fun and crazy stories! I’ll never forget that time last month when I experienced one of the craziest moments ever.

It all started when my two roommates and I were doing our English homework. We were playing rap music and the window was open because of the really hot weather. Everything was normal, when suddenly a strange insect flew inside. I knew that my roommate Ghita had a terrible phobia of all types of insects—from ants to butterflies. Then another insect flew in, then another...

Ghita was yelling and running all around the room. She was trying to open the door, but it was locked. She was feeling terrible. There were now hundreds of flying

insects inside our small room. My other roommate and I decided to lock her in the closet until we could find a solution.

We we able to open the door of the room and we went out. Ghita was still in the closet and she didn’t want to come out. So we decided to call the building manager. He called the firemen. They arrived 10 minutes later, and chased all the insects out. I wonder how they did it. There were thousands!

Finally, Ghita came out of the closet. Up until then, I had never seen her in such a state! Later, firemen explained to us that it was a special kind of insect that was attracted by music, so if we wanted to play music, we had to keep the window closed. It was pretty weird. I didn’t know insects like American rap!

That was such an amazing night. We are still laughing about it.

By Hajar FathiAdvanced 2

Unexpected Guests

As soon as the lights went off, the game got

really exciting.

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opinionsNovember 2011 3l

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Who is this?He is the Megalomaniac

Gaddafi! The most unintelligible person I have ever seen. He is famous for his wacky actions and funny speeches. The first time I heard him I was totally surprised because he said that he demolished France, Britain,

and Italy. I asked myself when this happened. After moments of thinking I realized that he was playing some war game on Playstation.

The second time I heard him was very weird. He was the only one who gave a different definition of the word “Democracy.” He said that this word contains two parts “Demo” and “Cracy” which

means “Keep” the “Chairs”. Last but not least, when

the BBC interviewed him he said that his people would do anything to protect him and they would die doing so! Well I think he is wrong because now no one wants to welcome him because the entire world— “Zunga, Zunga, Dar, Dar, Beet, Beet”—knows that he was a Pharaoh!

By Mehdi Et-TaousyIntermediate 4

Do we know the real meaning of the word “happiness”?

Happiness is greater than what we always think about. It has a strong relationship with our lives. Everyone is been pleased to experience the feeling of being happy. But moments like this are easily forgotten. We always say, “This is the worst day of my life!” But we don’t really know the worst day of our lives.

The meaning of “happiness” varies from one person to another. Some people think they will be happy if they get the newest car, the latest cell phone and a beautiful suitcase full of money. Others pretend they won’t be sad anymore when they marry somebody they love.

Many people believe they’ll find their welfare by completing a project or passing an exam. However, happiness is not always accomplished that way.

Life is a gift from God, but happiness is a decision we make. A human is happy when he fights to survive, when he faces his problems with bravery. Happiness is real only when we are ready to confront our troubles and never surrender to life and its issues.

This feeling can be reached if we think about our future, about what we’re going to be and if we leave out our past. Gladness is a frequency that we’re seeking in the huge network named “life.” Nevertheless, it will never be complete as long as it’s not shared with people we love.

Finally, we can say that life is a big game where the winner is the one who smiles.

By Ayoub SbaiAdvanced 2

Happiness

Life is a gift from God,but happiness is a decision

we make.

‘Zunga, Zunga, Dar, Dar, Beet, Beet’

familiar with. But I’m not the one to blame if I thought that my old habit of learning was the best one. What confuses me is the fact that there are still some teachers who encourage us to study this way. So how can we claim that we want to change our passive way of learning?

Coming to the exams with your mind full of required information is a must in our schools, and being the type who will not follow these rules will separate you from the successful group of students.

Though I have been studying for more than 12 years, I still feel that I haven’t benefited much.

I have always asked myself, what is the use of learning and memorizing certain information? What is it going to add to my life? And am I going to need it as long as I live?

Therefore, I think that what we should learn is what we are really in need of and only things that are going to add something to our life.

LEARNING from page 1

Learning Should be Meaningful and Useful

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poetry&games ‘Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace.’ —Oscar Wilde

Restaurants & Food

ANSWERS. ACROSS: 2. Cook, 4. Brunch, 5. Chef, 8. Menu, 11. Appetizer, 12. Dutch, 13. Salad, 15. Plate, 16. Buffet, 17. Noodles, 18. Tip DOWN: 1. Bar, 2. Coffee, 3. Knife, 4. Beverage, 6. Lunch, 7. Reservation, 9. Waiter, 10. Breakfast, 12. Dessert, 14. Dinner, 16. Bill

ACROSS2 Someone who makes food in a

cheap restaurant4 A meal between breakfast and

lunch5 Someone who makes food in an

expensive restaurant 8 What you can eat at a restaurant11 Something you eat before the

main meal12 If everybody pays for their own

food, then you go ____13 A side dish with lettuce and other

vegetables15 What the cook puts your food on16 A meal where you help yourself

from a variety of dishes17 Another word for pasta18 Something you give your waiter if

the service is good

DOWN1 A place where people can sit

around and drink alcoholic beverages in a restaurant

2 A drink that many people have with dessert

3 Something you use to cut meat4 Another word for drink 6 The noon meal7 Something you might need to get

into a busy restaurant9 Someone who serves you food10 The morning meal12 Something, usually sweet, that you

eat after dinner14 The evening meal16 The total amount that you have to

pay for a meal

The American Language Center, Fes 2, Rue Ahmed Hiba, B.P. 2136, Fes Phone: 05.35.62.48.50 Fax: 05.35.93.16.08 Director: David Amster Student Voice Editors: Taoufik El-Ayachi, Yahya Yechouti, Sarah Wieckert, Sam-Omar Hall alcfezbook.com

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Pretend not to hear this voiceAnd walk away from that noise

Try to forget those interrupted wordsIt hurts, really hurts

If only I could...Be a superwoman

Make a home for every orphanGive them love and protection

At least, listen to them with attentionSo they could be sure that

Tomorrow will be a warm dayWe are so brave to try

If only I could...Light up their beautiful facesNo more tears, no more pain

Just a little tendernessCould make the difference

If only I could...Fix those little problems around me

I could be happyAnd share my happiness with others

Because everyone is OKIn the most beautiful country, Morocco

Amina HarchiIntermediate 2

If Only I Could...

He commanded The feather To be born

Without pityFly and flap

To an isle where There is sympathy

Your life has become Gloomy and grieved

For goodYour companions Attempted to lure The worm among

The wood

He ordered the Carpenter to become A knight for a battle

Sharpen your saw If it is blunt

In order to settle

This world is Demanding for the poor And easy for the richBut do not despair Since the wealthy

Always flinch

He asked Satan to Turn into an angel

And give up Temptation

How did you Tantalize humans

To commit inhibition?A lot of people keep

Their passivity stagnant Without reactionIt is desire that Resorted to the

Satanic power for Destruction

Ahmed Bennani Intermediate 6

The Sorcerer

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