The Two Seasons In Indonesia

Indonesia has to two seasons the dry season and the wet season. Each season lasts about six months. The dry season begin in April and ends in September. The wet season begins in October and ends in March.

In the dry season there is no rain and the weather is very hot. If the dry season lasts too long, it will make the farmer unhappy. It even brings suffering to the farmer. There is no water, the river is dry and a lot of plants and animals die because of the drought.

After the dry season ends, the wet season comes. It rains almost every day. The heaviest rainfall is in December and January. During the wet season, the farmers plant paddies and vegetables. They feel very happy then. But if heavy rains fall continuously every day, it will be dangerous. It will bring suffering to the people, too. The river overflows. It cause flood here and there, and farming areas are damaged.

To overcome this problem the government builds a lot of dams, provides good irrigation and also protects the forest from destruction.

Indonesian’s Culture and Ethnic Groups

Most of the people of Indonesian are Malays who came to the islands from the mainland of Asia above 4,000 years ago. The more primitive people whom the Malays found on their arrival moved eastward into New Guinea and the islands of the Western Pasific. The majority of the Indonesians have light brown skin and straight black hair. They are rather short and slim.

Indonesian’s people are a fascinating mixture of races and culture. Indonesian culture is formed by regional cultures of the tribes all over Indonesia. Each region has specific culute and enriches national culture. Indonesia consist of about 300 ethnic groups speaking either their regional languages. There are lots of regional languages in Indonesia, because there are lots of ethnic gropus here. These languages are still spoken by the people in their respective areas. Most of them can speak at least two languages, Indonesia and their own regional languages. Many other languages and dialects are spoken by the Indonesian people. Indonesian has been chosen as the national language of Indonesia. It is closely related to Malay and is spoken on all of the island. It can unite all Indonesians although Indonesia consist of different ethnic groups. The people in Jakarta speak Bahasa Betawi. The people in West Java speak Sundanese, those in Central and East Java speak Javanese, those in Madura speak Madurese and those in Bali speak Balinese. The other regional languages are Bahasa Padang, Bahasa Batak, Minahasa, Maluku and some others. The Javanese language is divided into three languages, the ordinary language (ngoko) is spoken by common or ordinary people, the more polite language (kromo) is spoken by people to other people they don’t know well, and the most polite language (kromo inggil) spoken by people to older people or people of higher class. And so is Sundanese. This language generally consists of the ordinary language and the flowery language.

Local art is a product made by local people. It expresses the uniqueness of the maker, of the society to which the maker belongs, of all mankind, or of all of these. The product appeals to the intellect and to the senses. The product can be a variety of forms a musical composition, a dance, a play, a public exhibition, a concert, or a novel or poem. There are various kinds of local arts on Java Island. If foreign tourists visit the Lebak regency, they will be atteacted to the Debus performance. The performer stabs himself with a dagger or a sword but he does not hurt himself. In Bandung foreign tourists will be able to see the Angklung concert. Angklung is a musical instrument made of bamboo. The player just shakes it. In Central and West Java, drama is often in the form of puppet plays called Wayang. Some of the foreign tourists enjoy the puppet show. The Wayang, accompanied by music played on native instruments in a Gamelan orchestra, are very popular. Local dances besed on legend also attract many spectators. Wayang Orang (man or women dressed in wayang and plays a certain role in the story) performance and Ketoprak are very pupolar in Solo and Yogya. And so is Wayang Orang performance in Semarang. If foreign tourists visit Ponorogo in East Java, they will enjoy the Reog Ponorogo show. It resembles the dragon show like one in Hongkong. They can also go to Surabaya to see the Ludruk show, it is similar to Kabuki in Japan.

The nation’s ethnic diversity has never created problems. The government has to be becareful that each group feels it is a full partner in the nation’s development. The major religion in Indonesian is Islam, and almost all of the people are Moslems. A small number of the people are Christians, Catholics, Hindus, Budhist and Konghucu. On the islands of Bali, most of the inhabitants are Hindus. Many people in Indonesian still believe in spirits. The adat, or local custom, also plays an important part in the life of the people. Indonesian has many superstitions as well as folk-tales, especially in villages and remote areas. Some believe that women shouldn’t sing while they are cooking as they’ll marry a very old man. Others believe that we shouldn’t take a photo of three people as this mean the person in the middle will die. Do you think the people who believe in those superstitions and do the rituals related to the superstitions are stupid, weird, or what ? What about going to shaman ? Many people do that, ven senior afficials and famous artists. Believe it or not yeah remember this is Indonesian.

Komodo Island National Park

Komodo National Park is national park in South Central Indonesia, Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. This park is located on three islands, namely Komodo, Rinca, and Padar island. It was first protected in 1938 and founded as a national park in 1980. Komodo National Park covers 520 sq km. The Komodo island has just one village of about 450 people.
The island of Komodo is one of the few remaining areas inhabited by the Komodo dragon, which is protected in Indonesia. Komodo dragon are giant lizard that roam wild over the island. They measure up to 3 metres long, weigh up to 135 kg, and can live 100 years. In 1969 an American (Florida University) researcher, Walter Auffenberg, observes the rare animal’s behaviour. In this report he describes that a female Komodo dragon weighing 50 kgs in 17 minutes only. The animals also have lethal, secret weapon, their saliva. The saliva contains deadly poisonous bacteria. Once bitten, a prey will slowly be dead.

For their meals, park officials regularly supply pig and goat carcasses. Feeding process is important to attract the lizards to viewing areas for tourists. About 1,000 of the dragons are known to live on the island of Komodo, another 1,000 live on the neighboring island of Rinca.
Most lizards are harmless and benefit humans by controlling insect populations. Some species are a source of food, some are killed for their skins, although it is now illegal to do so in many countries. A number of species are threatened by encroachment on their habitat, and the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, is one of the endangered species in the world.

Komodo dragons have long necks, powerful tails, and muscular limbs ending in strong claws. Like snakes, they flick their forked tongues to detect the chemical scents given off by prey. They spend most of their time on land, although they are capable of swimming and climbing trees.
Komodo dragons firstly interested wester people in 1910. A Dutch lieutenant, Lieutenant van Steyn van Hessbroek was interested in the stories told by Manggarai people in Flores. The he decided to visit the place by himself. He killed a 2.1 metres Komodo dragon and sent it’s skin to Peter A. Ouwens, Director of Zoology Meseum and Bogor Botanical Garden, West Java. Ouwens also visit the island and named the species Varanus Komodoensis. Since then, the site was visited by numerous people, both researches and tourists.

ALL ABOUT MALANG CITY WHERE I LIVE

Malang is the second largest city in East Java province, Indonesia. It has an ancient history dating back to the Mataram Kingdom. The city population at the present time is around 780,000. During the period of Dutch colonization, it was a popular destination for European residents. The city is famous for its cool air and the surrounding country regions of Tumpang, Batu, Singosari, and Turen. People in East Java sometimes call it "Paris of East Java." Malang was spared many of the effects of the Asian financial crisis, and since that time it has been marked by steady economic and population growth.

Etymology and HIstory
The name of Malang is taken from a temple namely Malang Kucecwara. The name of the temple is now applied to the motto of Malang. Malang Kucecwara literally means God has destroyed the false and enforced the right. Location of the temple is supposesedly located near modern Malang. "Malang" is Javanese word for "menghalangi (Indonesian)" or impeded (English). That word come from traditional history that people of Malang fighting its invader from Mataram Sultane bravely.

Hundreds, even thousands of years ago before Malang became the second biggest city in East Java, Malang used to be the centre of government of the Kanjuruhan and Singhasari Kingdom. In the following era, Malang regency became an important place when the government of Mataram Kingdom took hold of the area, making it the largest regency in East Java and since then the development of Malang regency has increased well.
The history of Malang Regency could be revealed through the Dinoyo inscription 760 AD as the primary official document to support the birth of Malang before a new inscription was discovered in 1986, which is so far not yet revealed. According to the inscription, it was concluded that the 8th century was the beginning of the existence of Malang Regency's government due to the birth of King Gajayana's ruling of his kingdom in Malang. From the Dinoyo inscriptions, it is noted that the inscription used the "Candra Sengkala" or "Cronogram" Calendar, and stated that the birth date of Malang Regency was on Jum'at Legi (sweet Friday) 28 November 760 AD. (L. Damaes: "Studed' Epigraphy d'Indonesia IV. 1952").

The city was incorporated into Mataram in 1614, then transferred to Dutch colonial rule. Malang was transformed under the Dutch; its cool climate which results from its elevation, along with its proximity to the major port of Surabaya, made it a popular destination for Dutch and other Europeans. In 1879, Malang was connected to Java's railroad network, further increasing development and leading to increased industrialization.

Along with growth came urbanization. The government could not satisfy the population’s needs for affordable housing, which lead to the building of shanty towns along the rivers and rail tracks. Up until today, the shanty towns still exist; although some have been transformed into “better” housing.


Religion

Like most of Java, a large majority of Malang residents are Muslim; there are small minorities of Catholics, Hindus, and Buddhists. Many buildings of worship still stand from their construction in the colonial era. For example, Jami Mosque (or Agung Mosque), Sacred Heart Church (Gereja Hati Kudus Yesus) in Kayutangan, Saint Mary from Mount Carmel Cathedral (Gereja Ijen or Katedral Santa Maria dari Gunung Karmel) in Ijen Street, seat fo the Roman Catholic Diocese of Malang, Eng An Kiong Buddhist Temple in Laksamana Martadinata Street. Malang is also famous for being the centre of religious education, this is evident with the existence of many Islamic schools (pesantren) and bible seminars.

Language
Javanese and Madurese languages is the day-to-day language used by Malang people. Many of the native Malang youths adopt a dialect that is called 'boso walikan', it is simply done by reversing the pronunciation of the words, an example of this is by pronouncing “Malang” as “Ngalam” instead. Like Surabaya, Malang residents adopt an egalitarian form of Javanese. As it becomes the educational city, there are many languages from outside Java spoken in Malang.

Art & Culture

As a centre of tourism, Malang has various places of interest which can be classified into local, regional, national and international standards, including traditional dance performances such as Tari Topeng (Mask Dance), Jaran Pegon, Tari Beskalan (Beskalan Dance), etc. There are also 'Topeng' or Mask handicraft at the villages of Jabung and Kedungmonggo which have become a familiar landmark in Malang Regency.

History of Mount Bromo (east java - indonesia)

History of Mount Bromo

Mount Bromo, together with Mount Tengger and Mount Semeru, is one of the most beautiful places of interest in East Java. Watching the sun rises from the crest of Mount Bromo is a very exciting experience for the tourists coming to this mountain. To reach the area, which is about 2,392 m above sea level, people usually take a bus or a cae as far as the village of Ngadisari. From there, a pony ride will take tourists to the rim of the mountain. It is an active volcano, and the people from surrounding areas bring various things as a sacrifice to the fire god, Betoro Bromo. The legend goes as follows :

Hundreads of years ago, during the reign of the last king of Majapahit, Brawijaya, one of the King’s wives gave birth to a girl, who was named Roro Anteng. Later this young princess married Joko Seger, who came from a Brahman caste. Because of an unfortunate situation the couple was forced to leave the kingdom. They settled down in the mountain area. They ruled the area and named it “Tengger”, which was derived from the couples names : Roro Anteng and Joko Seger.

After several years the region florished in prosperity, but Roro Anteng and Joko Seger were unhappy because they didn’t have a child. Frustrated, they climbed the top of the mountain and prayed, night and day hoping that the God would listen. The prayer was heard and Betoro Bromo promised then many children. However, the couple had to promise that they would sacrifice their youngest child in return.

Roro Anteng gave birth to a child, the another, and another. In the end Roro Anteng and Joko Seger got 25 children. Soon it was time for them to sacrifice the youngest child, Kesuma, but the parents just couldn’t do it. They tried to hide the children. There was silence before they heard a voice : “I have to be sacrificed so that you will all stay alive. From now on, you should arrange an annual offering, ceremony on the 14th of Kesodo (the twelft month of Tenggerese calender).”. It was Kesuma’s voice.
Kesuma’s brothers and sisters held the offering ceremony every year. Instead of a human being, these people collected fruit, vegetables, rice and meat to be offered to the God. And this has been done generation after generation until today.

Hi there !!!

The Global Positioning System (GPS)

Hello guys .... how is it going ? this week we are going to discuss about our Midterm test, The Global Positioning System (GPS) exactly .... 

Part A .

1.The Global Positioning System, or GPS, can show you your exact position on Earth any time, anywhere, in any weather. The system consists of a constellation of 24 satellites (with about 6 "spares") that orbit 11,000 nautical miles above Earth’s surface and continuously send signals to ground stations that monitor and control GPS operations.

2. It is maintained by the United States government and is freely accessible by anyone with a GPS receiver.

3 . - Space segment

     - Control segment

     - User segment

4.GPS satellites broadcast signals from space, which each GPS receiver use to calculate it's three-dimensional location (latitude, longitude, and altitute) plus the current time. 

5.The space segment consists of a constellation of 24 satellites (and about six "spares"), each in its own orbit 11,000 nautical miles above Earth.

The user segment consists of receivers, which you can hold in your hand or mount in a vehicle, like your car. The control segment consists of ground stations (six of them, located around the world) that make sure the satellites are working properly.

6.Meaning it has significant military and civilian applications .

7.Commerce: GPS's accurate time facilitates everyday activities such as banking, mobile phone operations, and even the control of power grids by allowing well synchronized hand-off switching.

Science :  farmers, surveyors, and geologists.  

8. we had to know about what GPS use for and what we need about it and then use it just for kindness. 

PART B

global = worldwide

reliable = dependable

unobstructed = keep up

accessible = reachable

receiver = handset

maintain = clear

broadcast = transmit

require = need

alternate = substitute

host = mass

PAST C 

1.My money has been stolen

2.I'm being catch up by the stress if the last few weeks

3.The task will be broken down into smaller, manageable mini tasks.

4.They deserve to be congratulated for their good work.

5.If I had heard the tsunami alarm, I would not have gotten injured

6.My parents have provided me with enough money to last for one month

7.He would have bought a Ferreri if he had won the lettery

8.I will get you a newspaper if I go downtown

9.The geologist analyzed the cause of the eruption. 

10.If she had known she couldn't eat octopus, she wouldn't have bought it

11.I'm bored of the same old routine day after day.

12.More and more farmland is being eaten up by the cities

13.if u are confused with the english grammar, consult the grammar book

14.Do you believe in magic

15.It often takes a long tine to recover from a serious illness.

PART D

1.HAve you ever heard of something like that ? (b)

2.Trucks are prohibited for using resudential streets. (b)

3.If he read the tabel, he wouldn't wash it in hot water. (b)

4.Everybody was suprised by the news. (b)

5.She was delighted with the present you gave her. (a)

6.When Paul left home, his attitude toward his parents seemed to change. (a)

7.If the prison warder didn't accept the money, the prisoner wouldn't go to Bali (b)

8.The essays hand in on Monday . (a)

9.The road outside my house was being dug up (a)

 10. Network security is going to be taught (b)

11.If he went to the doctor, the cut on his hand wouldn't get infected (C)

12.We spent three hours wrestling with that problem, but we could not solve it. (a)
13.If you eat greasy food , you will become fat. (c)

14.If she had failed, she wouldn't have gone to university (c)

15.If he is handsome, he would have beautiful girlfriend (a)

16.JOgging is done by many people foe exercise. (a)

17.The professor hand out the syllabus (a)

18.MAny creative computer programs are being presented at this competition (a)

19.If i have enough money ,  i will read a lot of books (a)

20.The company has rejected the worker's demands for a rise in pay (a)