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About Me
- Anthony
- My name is Anthony Prato and I teach English as a Second Language at The City University of New York (http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/clip/) and Columbia University (http://ce.columbia.edu/node/295). I have been an ESL teacher for 6 years, and a teacher or trainer for 10 years.
22 comments:
Title
The secret life of American teenager
Length
1hour
Summarize
Grace continued being angry with her boyfriend and her mother helped her reject his apologize. After that, Grace talked with her boyfriend and asked him to respect her. Ricky tried to have a relationship with Amy, but Amy didn’t care about him. Ben’s friends heard from Amy’s friends that Amy had sex with Ricky and then Ben called her to make sure if she did. Amy was upset and wanted to avoid talking about it. After the call, Ben still hesitated about whether he did the right thing, so he went to talk with the consoler and decided that he loved her.
Reaction
I think Grace’s boyfriend wasn’t honest and I hate him. Maybe she needs to change her guy. I think Ben cares about the sex between Amy and Ricky, but he will be in pain if he knew the truth.
Vocabulary
Discreet
careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, esp. in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage
Snob
a person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people
Title
Friday Night Light
Length
1 hour
Summarize
Reyes got into an argument with voodoo, but ended up attacking Kurt Kaster out of frustration of voodoo's harsh words. Reyes, in order to protect himself, lies to the public and coach about what happened. He states that kurt said many racist things to him and threw the first punch. He states that he beat him up due to self-defense. The coach believed Reyes, but the coach's wife did not believe him. It was not until Matt told the coach the truth about what he heard at the diner that the coach decided to kick Reyes off the football team. Matt, who at first kept silent because he wanted to protect the football team but at the end spoke up due to his friend's persuasion, finally realized he is doing wrong by keeping silent. After Reyes got kicked off the team, coach placed voodoo on the defense position. Voodoo hated the idea and decided to go back to where he used to play. Before he left, he told reporters that Coach Mac recruited him, causing the panthers to lose the last game even though the committee already ruled that the game was won. Lyla and Tim's intimate relationship came to an end. Lyla sees that Jason is making good progress with his recovery, so she regrets having a relationship with Jason's best friend.
Reaction
I think Lyla will not be with Jason and Lyla is cheating herself. Soon she will realize the reality and leave Jason alone. I do not hope Tim and Lyla will be together because Tim isn’t a good choice. In fact, I like coach Taylor.
Vocabulary
Chill out
informal calm down and relax
Calm down
make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe
Title
John Tucker Must Die
Length
90 min
Summarize
John Tucker was a handsome popular playboy and he dated three girls at the same time. Unfortunately those girls found the truth and decided to destroy him with Kate’s help. As a result, four girls came to together and made plans to ruin John Tucker, but failed each time. They were dumped by him and finally they decided to break his heart using Kate. Kate’s mother warned her not to do that and it will harm her. Finally he fell in love with Kate deeply. With the suggestion of her mother, Kate went to Tucker’s birthday and showed her true, real self. She wanted to see if she could find her true friends. Finally, Tucker learnt how to tell truth and his brother began to chase Kate.
Reaction
It’s really funny. I enjoyed it very much. It made me remember the life in middle school where everyone was falling crazy in love and everyone had secrets.
Vocabulary
Skip
informal a person who defaults or absconds
Clinic
an occasion or time when such treatment or advice is given
Spy on
observe (someone) furtively
Title: The Mummy
Length: 124 Minutes
Summary:
The movie begins in Egypt, circa 1290 BC. High priest Imhotep is having an affair with Anck-su-namun, the mistress of Pharaoh Seti. After Anck-su-namun's burial, Imhotep breaks into her crypt and steals her corpse. He and his priests flee across the desert to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead, where they begin the resurrection ceremony. However, they are caught by Seti's guards before the ritual can be completed, and Anck-su-namun's soul is sent back to the Underworld.As punishment for their sacrilege, Imhotep's priests are mummified alive, and Imhotep himself is forced to endure the curse of Hom Dai: his tongue is cut out, and he is buried alive, wrapped like a mummy, along with a swarm of flesh-eating scarabs.
Three thousand years later in 1923, an American, Rick O'Connell, is serving as a captain in a unit of the French Foreign Legion, which travels to Hamunaptra in search of the treasure rumored to be there. When they reach the fabled city, a group of Arabs attack. Left in charge when the unit's commanding officer deserts during the battle, Rick retreats into the city when the Arabs overrun his unit. Surrounded by his attackers, O'Connell thinks he will be killed, but suddenly the attackers flee. A confused Rick suddenly hears a disembodied voice and appears to be attacked by the sand, which forms into a face as he flees. He is left to wander out of the desert; unknown to him, the battle was witnessed by a group of the Medjai.
Reaction:
I liked this movie because it has historical information and it is an adventurous movie.
Title: The Mummy Returns
Length: 130 Minutes
Summary:
Many years ago, in Ancient Egypt, the Scorpian Kind led a menacing army, but when he sold his soul to Anubis, he was erased from history. Now he is only a myth...or is he? Rick and Evelyn O'Connell is still discovering new artifacts, along with their 8 year old son Alex. They discover the Bracelet of Anubis. But someone else is after the bracelet. High Priest Imhotep has been brought back from the dead once again and wants the bracelet, to control the Scorpian King's army. That's not the only problem. Imhotep now has Alex and with the bracelet attached to him, doesn't have long to live
Reaction:
I liked this movie because it is an adventurous movie and the graphiics are realistic.
Title: National Treasure: Book Of the Secrets
Length: 125 Minutes
Summary:
While Ben Gates is presenting new information about John Wilkes Booth and the 18 pages missing from Booth's diary, a man by the name of Mitch Wilkinson stands up and presents a missing page of John Wilkes Booth's diary. Thomas Gates, Ben's great-grandfather, is mentioned on the page. It shows that Ben's great-grandfather was a co-conspirator in Abraham Lincoln's murder. When doing more research, the conspiracy takes Ben, Abigail Chase, and Riley Poole to Buckingham Palace (which they break into). They discover a plank that has early Native American writing on it. The plank has only one symbol that Patrick Gates can identify. The symbol is Cibola (see-bowl-uh) meaning the City of Gold. In order to define the rest the have to go to Ben's mother, Patrick's divorced wife. After 32 years it brings back old arguments. After that the other clue is in the President's desk in the Oval Office in the White House (which Ben and Abigail sneak into) to discover that the clue lies in The President's Book. But in order to see the book, their choice is either get elected president or kidnap the President of the United States. Which do they choose? It's obvious. With Wilkinson close on their tail, they find the book in the Library of Congress. The conspiracy then crosses to Mount Rushmore where the clue was on the hills, but (according to the Book) President Calvin Coolidge had the faces carved in so no one can find the City of Gold. When they get there they find out that they must work with Wilkinson since he has some clues of his own. Who will claim Cibola? And will the name of Gates be known as murder?
Reaction:
I think that Cage have done a good job in this movie. This movie is not that great as that of National treasure.
Title: scent of a women
Length: 157min
Summary and reaction:
n New Hampshire, Charlie Simms attends the Baird School, an all boys boarding school with rigorous classes and expensive enrollment. Yearning for cash from a part-time job so he can return to his family in Oregon for upcoming Christmas Break, the innocent Simms accepts a job for "babysitting" at a nearby household. The job is not what he expects, for he is commissioned to watch over an unlikeable, blunt behaved blind ex-colonel named Slade who has a keen ability at selecting his aides. Because of his sympathetic and integral nature, Charlie agrees to the job. Before he can even locate his level of comfort in the job, Simms is unexpectedly taken to New York City with the colonel, where the ex-military man has several agendas of his own.
I think this incredible movie leaves a legacy of life, it makes us appreciate life an also understand that a life can be lived in a minute just like Al Pacino says in one of this movie's most beautiful scenes, it also talks about values, integrity, and moral principles, by sides of this movie's wonderful script it's incredible cast makes it one of the most outstanding movies I have ever seen. The incredible scene of tango, the deep arguments about life between Al Pacino's character and Chris O'Donnell's, and also those scenes when Al Pacino's character senses women's scent and tells them the name of the perfume or the name of the soap it's really amazing, all of this with the sarcastic sense of humor of this movie, it's really great.
Title: Becoming Jane
Length:120min
Summary and reaction:
The year is 1795 and young Jane Austen is a feisty 20-year-old and emerging writer who already sees a world beyond class and commerce, beyond pride and prejudice, and dreams of doing what was then nearly unthinkable - marrying for love. Naturally, her parents are searching for a wealthy, well-appointed husband to assure their daughter's future social standing. They are eyeing Mr. Wisley, nephew to the very formidable, not to mention very rich, local aristocrat Lady Gresham, as a prospective match. But when Jane meets the roguish and decidedly non-aristocratic Tom Lefroy, sparks soon fly along with the sharp repartee. His intellect and arrogance raise her ire - then knock her head over heels. Now, the couple, whose flirtation flies in the face of the sense and sensibility of the age, is faced with a terrible dilemma. If they attempt to marry, they will risk everything that matters - family, friends and fortune.
If you are a person that appreciates beautiful scenery and real unforgettable love stories, than this is the movie for you. An if you don't appreciate love stories and not a hopeless romantic, then I suggest, "Becoming Jane" is not the film for you. This movie keeps you on the edge, guessing and rooting for the main characters love to last. Its sweet and well acted, and will probably become a classic in the near future of great love stories of all time.
Title: Artificial intelligence(A.I.)
Length: 146min
Summary and reaction:
In the not-so-far future the polar ice caps have melted and the resulting raise of the ocean waters has drowned all the coastal cities of the world. Withdrawn to the interior of the continents, the human race keeps advancing, reaching to the point of creating realistic robots (called mechas) to serve him. One of the mecha-producing companies builds David, an artificial kid which is the first to have real feelings, especially a never-ending love for his "mother", Monica. Monica is the woman who adopted him as a substitute for her real son, who remains in cryo-stasis, stricken by an incurable disease. David is living happily with Monica and her husband, but when their real son returns home after a cure is discovered, his life changes dramatically. A futuristic adaptation of the tale of Pinocchio, with David being the "fake" boy who desperately wants to become "real".
I loved this film. It isn't one of the greatest films ever made, but it's a personal favorite of mine. I cried at the two sad points, I laughed at the mannerisms of Gigalo Joe and Teddy, the super-toy, my heart pumped faster at the action, suspense, and horror, but overall, I really enjoyed the film on a whole. I didn't find an ounce of it boring at all. It's practically the same as observing an extraordinary life and extraordinary tale of a boy who just wants his mommy. But the boy is not a boy, and rather a robot. But the way he acts can pass for a human any day.
Title: The bank job
Length: 115 minutes
Summary:
This movie is from a true story of the 1971 Baker Street bank robbery. Because England royal house press do a sex scandal and the sex pictures were taken by a man. The man put these pictures in a bank treasury. The royal house is planning to take back these pictures and bring some people to rob the bank. People who rob the bank are normal citizens. They don’t know the royal house’s scheme. When they begin to rob the bank, they find a lot of secrets such as bribery and press pictures. Finally, government and royal house exchange these pictures and some greedy information. Also, polices still don’t know who rob the bank.
Reaction:
I think this movie is a truth story. Also, this movie is strange, because the royal house want there reputation and set a plan to rob bank. It is unfair. Why they can set this trap to let normal citizen rob bank? I think people who put there money and some important things in the bank treasury feel terrible. If I were these people, I will feel very bad. It is because I lost important things from the robber.
Vocabulary
When the river rises the boat goes up.: goods accompany with price goes up.
Infection: become ill through contact with bacteria
Title: What Happens in Vegas
Length: 93 minutes
Summary:
A man is fired by his boss and a woman is broke up her engagement. Both of them meet at Las Vegas at first time. They win three million in Vegas. But they it is difficult to identify that who can get this money so the judgment said that they have to marry for six months. It is because after six months, they can share money together. In the six months, they have a lot of argue and fight. Also, they become know each other. Finally, each of them is falling love and they are married.
Reaction:
It is comedy movie. I think win three million dollars in Vegas is a dram. Although you go there with a lucky mind, it is difficult to win huge money there.
Vocabulary
cut the umbilical cord: earn money by yourself not depend on parents
nauseate: make somebody feel sickness or disgust
intoxication: state of being intoxicated espials drunkenness
Title: Wall-E
Length: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Summary:
After hundreds years in the earth has very serious garbage, and therefore people move to other space to live and wish one day that people could go back to the earth. Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is a clean-building machine to clean the garbage in the earth. One day, when Wall-E is cleaning garbage, he finds a tender shoot where in a steel box. After that, a spacecraft send a discoverer machine, named EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), when Wall-E takes the shoot to his home. When Wall-E shows the shoot to Eve, Eve takes the shoot in her body and shut down. After a few days, the spacecraft come back the earth to recover Eve, and Wall-E very worries about Eve ,so Wall-E with the Spacecraft go back a space base which is Eve’s space base. When Eve gives the shoot to the space base captain and the captain is very happy because he thinks that finally they can go back his home.
Reaction:
The movie doesn’t have a lot of communicate but it teaches us that if we don’t keep the earth cold and make too much garbage in the earth, one day, we have to move to space, until, the earth restore by itself.
Vocabulary:
Self-destruct: to destroy itself
Sustainable: support
Irrelevant: unrelated to the matter discussed
Mutiny: rebel
Title: Myth busters
Length: 1 hour
Summary:
This week Myth-busters want to improve a fainting goat of sheep and fire hose raises a car. First, two hosts went to a sheep farm to make some frighten to improve fainting goat. A host hided in a box which was full feed. When sheep ate the feed for a short time, suddenly the host went up the box but it didn’t make sheep fainting goat. So, two hosts wore costume which was sheep, and crept into sheep group. Also, unexpectedly they made some loud noise to frighten the sheep and it made some sheep fainting goat. Other hosts improve fire hose can raises a car. First, they made a smell wood car and put a hose (not fire hose) under the car. When they turn on the hose, hose raised the smell wood car. Therefore, they found a smell red car and put fire hose below the smell red car. When they turn on the fire hose, the fire hose couldn’t raise the car up. They found that the smell red car had a engine, so they remove the engine and tried again. The ending, they were successful to raise the red car up.
Reaction:
I was surprised which was fainting goat because host just made loud noise to frighten sheep and sheep can’t move any more. Fire hose can raise a car, I didn’t surprised it because fire hose is very powerful even though, a strong man want to control a fire hose. It is hard control.
Vocabulary:
Faint: to lose consciousness
Virus: highly infective agent of disease
Title: Seinfeld
Length: 30 minutes
Summary:
Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine had a gamble that if one of them can stop sex for a long time, the person could get some hundreds dollars. Kramer first one gave up this gamble because he saw a woman who was Jerry’s neighbor was a nudist colony people. Second one was Elaine because she med a person who was her dream lover in a fitness center and the lover date with Elaine. When Jerry’s girlfriend knew that Jerry had a gamble with sex, she was very angry about it…
Reaction:
Sex is very important to people. If people want to bear sex, it is very hard to do it. However, the show of gamble didn’t have any winner because if you gamble with sex, you always are loser.
Vocabulary:
Domain: range
Amusement: that which entertains
Confrontation: a bringing face to face of hostile elements
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the patriots.
Length: 5 hours (Play Time)
Summary:
Metal Gear Solid is one of the most famous video game franchises in the industry. This game has more than 25 years in the market. Hideo Kojima, the creator of this series has expanded the concept of video games into a different perspective. Is almost like watching a movie, but the difference is that the player can control the decisions, actions and much in the story. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the patriots is the last chapter of these series. The main character is Old Snake, a retire soldier that is call for his last mission. His objective is to exterminate Liquid Snake, a terrorist with a big influence in the military industry. The only problem is that Old Snake is in his limit, so he has to fight dead and his enemies alone.
Reaction:
Metal Gear Solid is a master piece. The background or history of the series is so complex that it will be impossible to explain it in this blog. Hideo Kojima is one of my role models, his vision of cinema and video games have encouraged me to follow the path of the video game producer. In other words, I will study video game development plus video production. My goal is to combine current events into video games, creating a message to the youth, leaving a footprint in the world.
Vocabulary:
CQC: Is a self-defense combat style that is well known in the military, especially in the NAVY.
ASAP: Abbreviation for “As Soon As Possible”.
Ocelot: small wildcat resembling leopard: a small wildcat with dark spots on a light brownish coat. Native to: southern United States, Central and South America. Latin
Raven: large black bird of crow family: a large bird belonging to the crow family with glossy black feathers, a wedge-shaped tail, and a large beak. Native to: northern hemisphere.
Title: Throwdown by Bobby Flay
Length: 30 minutes
Summary:
Bobby Flay has to challenge some things he never does it before and challenge to other people who major does this. This week he has to challenge how to make gingerbread. Johanna has had experience to make gingerbread for several years, and she was going to make a Lincoln’s gingerbread. Bobby Flay was going to make a high gingerbread tower. First, he went to an Architect Jeffrey Beers and asked about to build a tower what is he has to be careful. After a few days late, he took his gingerbread tower to challenge Johanna’s Lincoln gingerbread. Finally, Johanna won this week Throwdown.
Reaction:
If people have to do some things they never do it before, it would be a biggest challenge. Bobby Flay likes to challenge ever thing he never does it before. I think that life is to challenge some things you never do it before such as to learn a new language.
Vocabulary:
Decoration: an ornament
Terrify: Frighten
Scream: to cry out in a thrill piercing voice
Title
Baby Mama
Length
99min
Summarize
Kate Holbrook is a successful single businesswoman and she pays more attention to her career than her love life. When she turns 37, she wants to have a child on her own. Unfortunately she has a small chance to pregnant, so she decides to let someone else give birth to her baby. As a result, she found Angie to have her baby with the help of the surrogacy center. However, they are totally different persons and have different living habits. When Kate allows Angie to live with her, they have some arguments. After the doctor put Kate’s egg into Angie’s body, Angie found out that she isn’t pregnant. Then she got pregnant by her husband Carl. Angie hesitates to tell the truth. At the same time, they went to the birthing class to learn baby’s stuff. When Kate holds a baby shower for Angie, Carl broke in and forces Angie to tell the truth. As a result, they have a big fight. Kate considers it for a long time and decides to forgive Angie. When Kate saw her, she went into labor. Kate faints in the operation room and after that, doctor tells her that she has been pregnant for 8 weeks. They all have a happy ending.
Reaction
It’s funny and I learnt a lot of new words.
Vocabulary
Nanny
a person, usually with special training, employed to care for children in a household.
Stigma
A mark or token of infamy, disgrace, or reproach
Aura
a subtly pervasive quality or atmosphere seen as emanating from a person, place, or thing.
Chaotic
completely confused or disordered
Title
CNN, Bull market? or Bear Market?
Length
1hour
Summarize
Global economy is in recession, so most of stock indexes have lost many points. In addition, every economy indicators are still terrible. However, for last 4days, a lot of stock indexes have rosen. In this situation, the economic analyst tried to analyze it out whether it was bull market or not. He said it could be technical signal, because there was no good news for economy and every indicators was shown in bad situation. Therefore, the investors should be careful to invest with optimistic view.
Reaction
I'm interested in stock trading, so if I can, I would try to watch this news. Now, it is so hard to predict how economy will be better, but I think it could recover, even though it needs much time. And I hope the US economy will be getting better as soon as possible, because it is related to not only Korean economy but also global economy.
Vocabulary
bull market
A bull market is a situation on the stock market when people are buying a lot of shares because they expect that the shares will increase in value and that they will be able to make a profit by selling them again after a short time. Compare bear market.
bear market
A bear market is a situation on the stock market when people are selling a lot of shares because they expect that the shares will decrease in value and that they will be able to make a profit by buying them again after a short time. Compare bull market.
indicator
An indicator is a measurement or value which gives you an idea of what something is like.
Title
Heroes Season 3 Episode 3-6
Length
4hour
Summarize
In Africa, Matt learns more about his spiritual guide, Usutu, who also has the ability to paint the future. Meanwhile, Hiro and Ando track Speedster Daphne to Berlin to recover the mysterious formula, and find out that the rouge Hatian is behind it and working for another third party. In California, Claire asks her biological mother, Meredith Gordon, to teach her how to fight.
Nathan Petrelli starts his new job and meets the Peter Petrelli from the future. Claire's biological mother moves in with the family to protect Claire. Hiro and Ando teleport to Berlin as they try to track down the speedster who stole Hiro's half of the formula. Matt Parkman continues his spirit walk in the African desert where he sees paintings depicting his past and his possible future.
Past Peter is forced to look for allies and finds one in a very subdued version of Sylar. Hiro and Ando are locked away in a Level 2 prison cell where their situation starts to drive a riff between them. Mohinder learns that the powers he gave to himself are irreversible and could lead to disaster.
Hiro and Ando teleport to Africa to try to make contact with Usutu, the vision painter, for information on the persons behind all the recent events. Angela and the Company are paralyzed from recent events, and Noah Bennett is forced to team up with Sylar again to hunt down more escapees from Level 5. Peter goes to Pinehearst searching for answers, but is stunned to learn that his father, Arthur Petrelli, thought to be long dead, is the ringleader of the whole events, and who as the ability to physically absorb others powers by mere touch.
Reaction
My favorite TV show is Heroes. I already watched whole things of season 1 and 2. Season 3 is more spectacle than other seasons. Before watching ep. 6, I was wondered about main problem which the characters would be foced to. There were only things which explain chracters' personal changes. However, ep.6 showed what would happen. peter's father did not die. He was alive. And he take peter Petrelli's ability away. I'm really expecting what will happen.
Vocabulary
villain
A villain is someone who deliberately harms other people or breaks the law in order to get what he or she wants.
formula
In science, the formula for a substance is a list of the amounts of various substances which make up that substance, or an indication of the atoms that it is composed of.
Title : The Island
Length : 120
Summary
This movie begins at the scene many people wear the same clothes and have the meals set for each other. A doctor brainwashes cloned human beings to believe that they are protected from the earth pollution. Also, doctor sends the clones to an ideal world called 'Island'. However, this is not fantasy place. It is a dangerous place where the clones get killed. A man called Lincoln ees a bug by chance, and he follows the bug. Now he realized that everything he has elieved in fiction. He finally knows all the clones, including himself, who are sent there are supposed to give organs to humans.So he escapes with his lover Jordan, and they blow up the most important part in which people make human clones.
Reaction
From the debate last week, I really wanted to watch the movie 'Island'. This movie shown that problem of the cloning. If we have a lot of cloning, it can causes many side effects. Also, it can destroy our society. This movie warn people who support to human cloning.
Title
The Cider House Rules
Length
125 min
Summary
This is a story about Homer who was raised in an orphanage as a doctor with a help and support from Dr. Larch. The problem started when Homer objected to Dr Larch's performing the illegal abortion for women in need. So when Candy and her boy friend Wally visited the orphanage to get abortion, Homer left for Cape Kenneth together with them. Homer found a job at Wally's apple farm, working with Mr. Rose and his pickers. He realized the rules that the seasonal pickers were supposed to keep were all meaningless as he understood them. Then Homer fell in love with Candy while Wally was at the war. The season changed and the pickers had left for another job came back to the cider house. Homer was shocked to notice that Rose Rose had her father's baby. And Candy was also shocked and confused by the news that Wally is returning home with his both legs paralyzed. After all Homer performed an abortion for Rose for the first time in his life and he came to realize the meaning of real rule.After that Homer received the letter from the orphanage Dr.Larch's death was written in. Homer decided to come back to St.Cloud's and Candy also decided to come back to Wally. Homer felt happy, loving and looking after orphans like Dr.Larch did.
Reaction
This movie try to show that real meaning of human life. It's an old movie, and there are a lot of movie like this type. I like movie that shows humanity, and it gives to me a lot of feelings.
Vocabulary
orphanage : An orphanage is a place where orphans live and are looked after.
abortion : If a woman has an abortion , she ends her pregnancy deliberately so that the baby is not born alive.
Title: Lord of the rings
1. The fellowship of the Ring
2. The two towers
3. The return of the king
Length: 510 min
Summarize
There is a ring. This is the Lord's and destroying the ring is the only way to kill the evil lord. All creatures' war is coming to get the omnipotence ring. As expected, can human destroy the ring?
Reaction
This thanksgiving holiday was terrible because I had to prepare my placement test. And in my home, I watched all series of the Lord of the rings. It was great. I watched this movie almost 4 tmimes, however each time it makes me exciting.
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