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1984 will be the focus of our spring novel study session. We will also be studying A Farewell to Arms by Hemingway. Any teachers interested in doing an email dialogue on topics relating to themes that drive these novels?

Hello good people, My name is Roger Eberle and I have been teaching for 14 years, the past seven of which have been at Semiahmoo Secondary in White Rock, British Columbia, Canada. My subject is English. I teach grades 11 and 12. My passion is poetry, especially sonnets. Novels I teach are "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury; "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding; "1984" by George Orwell; and "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. I look forward to dialoguing with you. Sincereley, Roger

Great idea! I will recommend Questia.com as an awesome library resource. They cost a bit of money, but it is well worth the fee as they have literally thousands of on-line books, magazines, journals and newspapers. I have several other souirces I will share as time comes available. I hope you tell them I recommended you try them out if you join. They may even give a discount for referrals! Cheers! Roger

Yes John, we currently have the slang term 'sexed up' in vogue as it were among several journalists and it is I must say a bit farcical. The next thing you know they'll be sexing it up and dumbing it down or visa versa and then we'll have bumbed down sexed up chop logic! Where's the provoyeurism (my portmanteau word for the day!) in that provocative bit of banter??? lol Seriously, Intelligence reports confirm that Bush's IQ has been sexed up and dumbed down. But it's only the CIA that says it! lol Cheers! Roger

Hi John, Here in North America we've been increasingly subjected to use of this term in the media. It has generally been attributed with connotations you've suggested apply: To glamorize or unduly exaggerate a claim is to "sex it up" according to the most vogue etymology (if such terms may be fairly used with respect to "slang" phrases like this one. What's next one wonders -- will we be seeing things sexed up and down? Such copulatory jargon appears to butter the cumquats of a good many rotters these days! Cheers! Roger

The Questia library has changed on-line reading habits for me... I now regularly scan texts and cut-and-paste sections for use in my classroom projects. This resource is a phenomental boon to our profession, and a real paper-saver. Naturally, we must still print out copies of text for our students. But as we become increasingly interconnected in our webs of opportunity, I believe this too will change.