2009-2010 SOPHOMORE ENGLISH: April 13, 2009

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

April 13, 2009

Today, we finished watching the National Geographic documentary on North Korea. (It's worth reading some of the Amazon reviews for criticism of it.) The documentary is available via Youtube:

Your homework tonight is to read pages 1-25 of George Orwell's 1984. That's chapers 1 and 2. And, you are to answer the study guide questions.

No comments:

Post a Comment

What should you keep in mind for the exam in June?

Do exams usually stymie you? Is there just too much information to cram in at the last minute? Take a different approach this year and try writing exam study guides as you make your way through the semester. I'll keep the topics up to date below, and you put together your study guides!

Montana 1948:
- character names and traits
- central issues
- general plot
- you will need to know quotes, so consider what might be the essential statements that typify characters.

Argument Unit
- Know the different types of arguments and fallacies
- be able to analyze arguments to determine how authors employ these arguments and to what purpose.
- be able to explain whether or not they do it well and how you know (practice with the op-ed section of the daily paper)

Macbeth
- Know the main characters (those who appear in more than one scene)
- Know major quotes for Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Malcolm, Duncan and Witches (you will not need to distinguish between witches 1, 2 and 3)

1984
- character names and traits
- central issues
- general plot
- you will need to know quotes, so consider what the essential statements that typify characters might be

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- Major characters (Huck, pap, Jim, Tom)

- Minor characters

- Episodes of the plot

- Setting

- You will need to know quotes. Consider the essence of major characters and from that understanding, determine which spoken words best typify them, or highlight the issues they confront in the novel.

SAMPLE ARGUMENT ESSAY

Vocabulary
- Know how to use the words in sentences, and be aware of their idiomatic usage (take notes in class when we discuss how words are used!)
- Know their parts of speech

Sentence Diagramming
- Know how parts of speech are diagrammed, and study the book closely to determine how you can tell how a word is being used. Units 1-8 will be on the exam.
- PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!

NORTH KOREA LINKS

NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL NEWS IN ENGLISH. How does North Korea's "Ministry of Truth" operate there? Click here to see some remarkable spin doctoring. Here is an additional link for North Korean headlines. FOR WESTERN VIEWS ON NORTH KOREA. Here are links to Western sources about many of the same issues, including the recent sinking of a South Korean vessel. CIA FACTBOOK ON NORTH KOREA. How big is its military? How is its economy structured? Who is due to take over? Who are North Korea's allies? What is our diplomatic history with them? Answers to all of these questions and more may be found here.

TWEAKING A THESIS

Is there more to your thesis? Look at how minor revisions, step by step, can bring out the deeper meanings that are just implied in a first draft:

Mrs. Miller did not say anything to Miriam because she knew Miriam was on her way out the door, and she just wanted her to leave. The main reason why Miriam broke the vase is because Mrs. Miller did not give her a kiss.

becomes

Mrs. Miller does not say anything to Miriam after the girl breaks the vase because she simply wants Miriam to leave. Miriam breaks the vase because Mrs. Miller refuses her request for a kiss good night.

becomes

Mrs. Miller, wanting to be left alone, remains silent after Miriam breaks the vase. Miriam, wanting personal affection, grows violent and breaks a vase.

becomes

Miriam, wanting personal affection, grows violent and breaks a vase. Mrs. Miller, wanting to be left alone, remains silent afterwards.

becomes

The reactions of both characters reflect their unmet social needs, and the dysfunction that results: while Miriam’s violent action shows her desire for attention, Mrs. Miller’s silence reflects her desire for isolation.

2009-2010 SOPHOMORE ENGLISH

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

April 13, 2009

No comments:

Post a Comment

What should you keep in mind for the exam in June?

IMPORTANT CLASS LINKS

NORTH KOREA LINKS

Blog Archive

Followers

About Me

Want to do a game in class?

So...what do you think? Is Deborah Tannen really on to something? Do boys "dominate" class discussion?

Do you think the tone of disrespect running through the lawyer's argument help or hurt his case?

Which has the greatest influence over Wes Hayden's actions in the novel Montana, 1948?

What do you think of Hazel's efforts to speak to General Woundwort?

Rabbit MVP.

Fiver is...

Which best describes what you believe to be an acceptable approach to a reading assignment?

Which best defines the character of Koro?

GAP YEAR?

TWEAKING A THESIS

Mastery of skills is critical (think of surgeons and pilots), but putting forth effort is a big part of school work, too. How much should effort be considered on tests and papers?

Is the Count fair in his treatment of Mercedes?

Overall, English tends to be my ? subject

I ? reading.

2009-2010 SOPHOMORE ENGLISH

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

April 13, 2009

No comments:

Post a Comment

What should you keep in mind for the exam in June?

IMPORTANT CLASS LINKS

NORTH KOREA LINKS

Blog Archive

Followers

About Me

Want to do a game in class?

So...what do you think? Is Deborah Tannen really on to something? Do boys "dominate" class discussion?

Do you think the tone of disrespect running through the lawyer's argument help or hurt his case?

Which has the greatest influence over Wes Hayden's actions in the novel Montana, 1948?

What do you think of Hazel's efforts to speak to General Woundwort?

Rabbit MVP.

Fiver is...

Which best describes what you believe to be an acceptable approach to a reading assignment?

Which best defines the character of Koro?

GAP YEAR?

TWEAKING A THESIS

Mastery of skills is critical (think of surgeons and pilots), but putting forth effort is a big part of school work, too. How much should effort be considered on tests and papers?

Is the Count fair in his treatment of Mercedes?

Overall, English tends to be my __?__ subject

I __?__ reading.

Overall, English tends to be my ? subject

I ? reading.