AP English Language / Literature & Composition Starter Kit
Transcription
AP English Language / Literature & Composition Starter Kit
AP English Language / Literature & Composition Starter Kit Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” ~John Dewey Dear Student, W elcome and congratulations on taking this very important step in your educational journey! The Pre-AP/AP English Language Arts program strives to empower students to become confident, independent readers, writers, and thinkers in preparation for college by engaging them in rigorous, real-world instructional applications and curriculum. This starter kit will help familiarize you with the program’s reading and writing expectations, academic vocabulary, sample essays, and multiple choice questions that you will encounter throughout the year. The kit includes sample passages, prompts and writing samples, practice tests, and helpful websites that will assist you in your studies. We are extremely interested in your success in this course and highly recommend that you have access to the following: • • • Computer, printer, and internet access Dictionary and thesaurus www.collegeboard.com If needed, the nearest Houston Public Library is: Henington-Alief Regional Library 7979 South Kirkwood Houston, Texas 77072 As always, please communicate with your teacher and utilize any tutorials that are offered. While the Pre-AP/AP ELA program can sometimes be challenging, the benefits you gain are enormous. For example, the skills you learn will improve your chance of college acceptance because your transcript reflects that you are already behaving and learning what a college student needs for university life, not to mention how AP boosts your GPA and the reading and writing preparation helps improve both standardized state assessments and SAT/ACT scores. Our hope is that you gain experience and leave high school prepared for college and a successful future. Sincerely, The Alief ISD English Language Arts Pre-AP/AP Vertical Team Table of Contents Program mission statement and philosophy……………………………………………………………………………………..2 Course description………………………………………….…………………………………………………………….…………………3 Reading………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………….4 Self-assessment of reading (diagnostic) Academic vocabulary: Skills and behaviors …………………………….……………………………………….……………5-6 Rhetorical analysis – Knowledge and skills sets…………………………….…………………………………….……….7-11 DCA #1: Piece of AP exam with selected questions……………………………………………………………..12-14 Models of annotated reading and writing …………………………………………………….…………………………..15-21 Annotated passage: Chapter 1 from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne…...15-16 Model of rhetorical analysis essay: Chapter 1 from The Scarlet Letter…….………….….17-19 Student practice: Annotate and write a rhetorical analysis of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?”………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………20-21 Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………22-25 Tutorial Request Form………………………………………………………………………………………………………..22-23 Handouts College Board rubric………………………………………………………………………………………………….…24 Modified student friendly bulleted writing rubric………………..………………………………………25 Useful Websites The OWL at Purdue University – http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Merriam-Webster – http://www.merriam-webster.com/ AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 1 Vertical Team Mission Statement and Philosophy Mission Statement The Alief ISD Advanced Placement English Language Arts program empowers students to become confident, independent readers, writers, and thinkers in preparation for college by engaging them in rigorous, real-world instructional applications and curriculum. Philosophy Teachers : Our educational endeavor is • To promote college today for collegiate readiness tomorrow • To provide rigorous work for future success • To provide support for all students (struggling and maturing) Students will be able • To gain access to college preparatory instruction, culture, knowledge, and behaviors • To master skills beyond surface-level meaning • To connote, analyze, and critique text • To read, write, think, and speak about increasingly challenging, complex texts • To understand how education creates equal opportunity and opens doors • To take ownership of and participate in their own education • To accept that a rigorous course may not result in an A, but research supports that enrollment and participation in an AP course is more beneficial than the grade. Parents will be able • To understand that the AP program is a college prep program that requires involvement • To support that the earlier good habits are developed, the more successful students will be with all of their academic endeavors • To understand that the Pre-AP/AP program is challenging, yet valuable • To understand that students need their support: emotionally, physically, and financially • To provide access to resources like libraries, computers, etc. Administration will be able • To provide funding, resources, and continual professional development for teachers • To allow time for collaboration to build the program and instruction • To support both teachers and students in program initiatives and goals • To trust in the teacher’s professional judgment AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 2 AP English Language Curricular Requirements Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team • • • • • • • • • • • The teacher has read the most recent AP English Course Description. The course teaches and requires students to write in several forms (e.g., narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays) about a variety of subjects (e.g., public policies, popular culture, personal experiences). The course requires students to write essays that proceed through several stages or drafts, with revision aided by teacher and peers. The course requires students to write in informal contexts (e.g., imitation exercises, journal keeping, collaborative writing, and in-class responses) designed to help them become increasingly aware of themselves as writers and of the techniques employed by the writers they read. The course requires expository, analytical, and argumentative writing assignments that are based on readings representing a wide variety of prose styles and genres. The course requires nonfiction readings (e.g., essays, journalism, political writing, science writing, nature writing, autobiographies/biographies, diaries, history, criticism) that are selected to give students opportunities to identify and explain an author's use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. If fiction and poetry are also assigned, their main purpose should be to help students understand how various effects are achieved by writers' linguistic and rhetorical choices. (Note: The College Board does not mandate any particular authors or reading list, but representative authors are cited in the AP English Course Description.) The course teaches students to analyze how graphics and visual images both relate to written texts and serve as alternative forms of texts themselves. The course teaches research skills, and in particular, the ability to evaluate, use, and cite primary and secondary sources. The course assigns projects such as the researched argument paper, which goes beyond the parameters of a traditional research paper by asking students to present an argument of their own that includes the analysis and synthesis of ideas from an array of sources. The course teaches students how to cite sources using a recognized editorial style (e.g., Modern Language Association, The Chicago Manual of Style, etc.). The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students' writing assignments, both before and after the students revise their work, that help the students develop these skills: o A wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively o A variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination o Logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques to increase coherence, such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis o A balance of generalization and specific, illustrative detail An effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, establishing and maintaining voice, and achieving appropriate emphasis through diction and sentence structure AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 3 Reading Self-Assessment: Read each statement below. Put a 1 by the items you do often, a 2 by the items you do sometimes, and a 3 by the ones you do rarely. When I read silently… _____I figure out the meaning of unknown words from context clues or word parts (prefixes, root words, suffixes). _____I figure out the grammatical function of an unknown word. _____I make my mind try to visualize the scene. _____I try to figure out which parts confuse me. _____I compare what has happened now with what happened previously. _____I write down questions about what’s going on in the text. _____I connect what I already know to what’s happening in the text. _____I write down comments about what I like or don’t like. _____I anticipate what a character/speaker might do or say next. _____I write down comments about the speaker/author is doing to give the audience hints about the subject, the purpose, or the occasion. _____I wonder what the speaker/author wants me to figure out or think at this point. _____I can predict what will happen next. _____I try to imagine what the speaker/author is thinking or feeling in the text. _____I think about the subject, characters, events, and try to see how they are alike or different. _____I ask how this text is like something else I’ve read, seen, or heard. _____I read everything at the same rate, regardless of genre. _____I read very slowly, one word at a time. _____I figure out if I should read on if I am confused. _____I stop and ask myself if I understand what I’ve read so far. Directions: Answer the following questions. What do good readers do that makes them so “good”? _______________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 4 AP English Language: Expectations for Skills and Behaviors Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Behavioral Expectations: Read each statement below. Star the ones you might need to focus on in order to be successful in AP Language. • • • • • Student attendance – It is imperative to come to class every day and arrive on time. Missing time requires make-up work, and often times it is based on in-class instruction. Excessive tardiness or absences will result in disciplinary consequences, up to and including loss of credit and removal from the program. Appropriate conduct and a positive attitude – AP Language course work is based on freshman college expectations. Therefore, students will also need to practice behaviors which reflect high expectations, ability to communicate effectively in an academic setting, and open-mindedness to controversial topics. Willingness to work hard – Students need to understand that advancement and achievement are based on independent determination. Because of the rigor of AP Language, students will do well if they are self-driven and committed to the course. Constructive criticism – Part of academic growth requires feedback in the form of constructive criticism. We learn best from each other, and we make improvements through writing conferences, peer editing, and evaluation of other student work. Students will be expected to give and receive constructive criticism with a positive attitude. Understanding the importance of the AP exam – All year we will practice for the AP Language exam given in May. Clearly it is an important exam, and a passing score on the test may earn you college credit. Students who take the class seriously will be well prepared, and thus the expectation is to sign up to sit for the exam. I have read the behavioral expectations for AP Language and Composition. Below are my notes for those behaviors I already excel at and those I might need to focus on improving. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 5 AP English Language: Expectations for Skills and Behaviors, cont’d Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Skill Expectations: Read each statement below. Star the ones you might need to focus on in order to be successful in AP Language. • • • • • • Organizational skills – Organization is one of the most important skills students need to master in AP courses. If students are not organized, they will not be able to manage their time properly. Some examples of organization in AP Language are Interactive Student Notebooks, AVID binders, filing essays in portfolios, keeping up with research folders, and calendars to help plan ahead. Note taking skills – Another highly important skill, AP Language uses the Cornell note taking system, just like AVID. These are also known as two column notes. Students use the different columns for different purposes. To see an example and description, go to http://lsc.sas.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf Study skills – This skill is not just “looking over” or rereading notes, but really setting aside time to review notes and memorize information, writing down potential questions during study time, and practicing new knowledge, including homework. When students return from college, the first aspect of college life they want to share with their friends is how much they have to study. Also, studying is a precursor to tutorials. Time-management – This essential skill will help students manage a heavy AP course load. Since all Pre-AP and AP courses expect students to complete outside reading, projects, and homework, students need to learn how to manage their time efficiently. Good planning and working ahead is key to success. Social skills – While we have already discussed appropriate conduct as a necessary behavior, knowing how to speak in the appropriate time and place, knowing when to listen, and being able to effectively work on a team or individually are all important skills that will last beyond high school. Tutorial skills – Tutorial time is for students who have paid attention in class, studied their notes at home, practiced the new material, and still face difficulties understanding aspects of classroom instruction. Students will complete a tutorial request form (TRF) prior to attending tutorials. Tutorials are mandatory for students on probation. Make-up work or completing missing assignments is not a justifiable reason to attend tutorials. I have read the behavioral expectations for AP Language and Composition. Below are my notes for those behaviors I already excel at and those I might need to focus on improving. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 6 AP English Language: Knowledge and Skills Sets Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Outline of Diction • Diction – device of pathos o Levels Formal Informal • Colloquialisms • Slang • Regionalisms • Nonstandard English • • o o o o o Tone Mood Denotation/connotation of Specific/general words Abstract/Concrete words Euphemisms Pun/Double Entendre Outline of Figurative Language • Compare and Contrast o Simile o Metaphor o Analogy o Personification o Anthropomorphism • • • Suggestion or Reference o Symbol o Pun o Allusions Historical Biblical Literary/mythological/Shakespearean • Sound Devices o Alliteration assonance consonance o Onomatopoeia o apostrophe Substitution o Metonymy o Synechdoche Satiric Devices – see page 9 Outline of Imagery, Detail, POV, Organization • • • Imagery o Visual o Auditory o Tactile o Olfactory o Gustatory o Kinesthetic Detail o Specific o Concrete Point of View st o 1 person nd o 2 person rd o 3 person Limited Omniscient Limited omniscient AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit • Organization o Cause/effect o Chronological o Emphatic order o General to specific (syllogism) o Flashback o Narration o Description o Process Analysis o Exemplification o Comparison/Contrast o Classification/Division o Definition Page 7 Outline of Grammar and Syntax I. Grammar II. A. Parts of Speech 1. noun 2. pronoun 3. adjective 4. verb 5. adverb 6. preposition 7. conjunctions 8. interjection 9. objects B. Parts of the Sentence 1. phrases a. prepositional 1) adjectival 2) adverbial b. infinitive c. appositive d. participial e. gerund f. absolute 2. clauses a. independent b. dependent/subordinate C. Usage 1. Direct/Indirect Objects 2. Predicate Nominatives/Adjectives 3. Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement 4. Subject/Verb Agreement a. passive voice b. active voice 5. Use of Subjective and Objective Pronouns 6. Relative pronouns D. Mechanics 1. Capitalization 2. Spelling 3. Punctuation a. period b. question mark c. exclamation mark d. comma e. apostrophe f. quotation marks g. hyphens h. semicolons i. colons j. dashes k. parentheses AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Grammar and Syntax (Word Order and Sentence Structure) A. Sentence Purposes 1. declarative 2. imperative 3. interrogative 4. exclamatory B. Sentence Structures 1. simple 2. compound 3. complex 4. compound-complex 5. loose/cumulative 6. periodic 7. parallel 8. balanced 9. antithetical 10. hypotactic 11. paratactic C. Sentence Variety 1. Sentence Beginnings 2. Sentence Combining D. Advanced Syntax Techniques 1. Natural Order of a Sentence 2. Antithesis 3. Juxtaposition 4. Omission a. asyndeton b. ellipsis 5. Parallelism 6. Parataxis vs. hypotaxis 7. Repetition a. polysyndeton b. anadiplosis c. anaphora d. epanalepsis e. epistrophe 8. Reversal a. antimetabole b. inverted order (inversion) c. chiasmus 9. Gradation 10. Rhetorical Fragment 11. Rhetorical Question Page 8 AP English Language: Knowledge and Skills Sets for Logic and Satire Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Outline of Logic • • • • Logic Proposition v Sentence Argument o Premise o Major v Minor o Conclusion o Warrant Devices o Counterargument Concession Refutation o Deductive Reasoning o Syllogisms o o o o o o o o o o o Inductive Reasoning Inductive Leap Facts as Evidence Research Reliance on Authority Tradition Cause and Effect Effective Metaphors Bias Assumption Hypothesis Logical Fallacy (see page Outline of Satire • Satire and its purpose o History o Modes Formal Indirect o Types Horatian Juvenalian o Devices Exaggeration Hyperbole Understatement Litotes Irony • Verbal • Situation • Dramatic AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Paradox & Oxymoron Satiric Tones Satiric Purposes • Travesty • Burlesque • Parody • Farce • Knaves and Fools • Malapropism Other Devices • Euphemisms • Double entendres • Juxtaposition • Point of View • Selection of Detail Page 9 AP English Language: Knowledge and Skills Sets for Logical Fallacies Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Outline of Fallacies • • • • • Fallacy Formal Fallacies Informal Fallacies Taxonomy Fallacies That Distract o Ad Hominem o Argumentum ad Populum Bandwagon Patriotic Snob Christian o Fallacist’s Fallacy o Fallacy of Composition o Division o Gambler’s Fallacy o Irrelevant Conclusion (Ignorantio Elenchi) Red Herring Chewbacca Defense o Genetic Fallacy Guilt by Association Honor by Association o Straw Man Arguments o Weak/Faulty/False Analogy • Fallacies That Omit or are Ambiguous o Undistributed Middle Term Non Sequitur o Equivocation Accent fallacies o Amphiboly o Stacking the Deck o Argument from the Negative o Appeal to a Lack of Evidence o Hypothesis Contrary to Fact o Contradictory Premises AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit • Fallacies of Presumption o Affirming the Consequent o Argument from Ignorance o Begging the Question (Petitio Principii) o Circular Reasoning o Complex Question/Loaded Question o Cum Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc o False Dilemma/Bifurcation (a.k.a. Either/Or or the Black or White fallacy) o Hasty Generalizations o No True Scotsman o False Cause Non Causa Pro Causa Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc Sweeping Generalizations o Slippery Slope Sweeping Generalizations Tu Quoque (Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right) Argument for Revenge (Two wrongs Make a Right) • Emotional Appeals o Appeal to Antiquity/Tradition o Appeal to an Improper Authority or Appeal to an Biased Authority o Appeal to fear o Appeal to flattery o Appeal to ridicule o Appeal to spite o Appeal to consequences o Appeal to force o Appeal to novelty o Appeal to pathos/emotion or pity o Appeal to poverty o Appeal to wealth o Wishful thinking Page 10 AP English Language: Connecting Appeals of Pathos and Logos to Appeals of Ethos Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Create an appeal of Ethos through Logos Appeals of Ethos (Ethical Appeals) Create an appeal of Ethos through Pathos • Concession • Counterargument = • Syntax (concession + refutation) • Imagery • Reliance on Authority • Reliance on Authority • Concrete Detail • Facts as Evidence • Figurative Language • Allusions (relevant) • Research • Diction • Tradition/Precedent • Tone • Reasonable language • Effective Metaphors • Assumption Non-inflammatory tone • Cause/Effect • Logical Fallacies (notes to follow) • 1st person, plural pronouns • Deductive Reasoning/Syllogisms which establish a relationship • Inductive Reasoning (Hypothesis, with the audience Evidence, Inductive Leap, Conclusion) AP English Language: Other Important Skills Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Outline of MLA and Research • • Research o Definition o Best practices Databases How to use search engines How to evaluate websites Modern Language Association o Format for essay writing o Parenthetical citations Works Cited SOAPSTone • • • • • • Rhetorical Modes • • • • • • • • • • Speaker of text Occasion AP English Language: Connecting Appeals of Pathos and o Larger Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical o immediate Audience (intended for occasion) Purpose Subject Tone AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Argument Cause and Effect Classification and Division Comparison and Contrast Definition Description Exemplification Exposition Narration Process Analysis Logos to Appeals of Ethos Team Page 11 AP English Language: DCA #1 – Released Multiple Choice AP Language Exam Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Read the following excerpt from “Learning to Read and Write,” Chapter 7, from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Annotate while you read. Answer the questions that follow. I lived in Master Hugh's family about seven years. During this time, I succeeded in learning to read and write. In accomplishing this, I was compelled to resort to various stratagems. I had no regular teacher. My mistress, who had kindly commenced to instruct me, had, in compliance with the advice and direction of her husband, not only ceased to instruct, but had set her face against my being instructed by any one else. It is due, however, to my mistress to say of her, that she did not adopt this course of treatment immediately. She at first lacked the depravity indispensable to shutting me up in mental darkness. It was at least necessary for her to have some training in the exercise of irresponsible power, to make her equal to the task of treating me as though I were a brute. My mistress was, as I have said, a kind and tender-hearted woman; and in the simplicity of her soul she commenced, when I first went to live with her, to treat me as she supposed one human being ought to treat another. In entering upon the duties of a slaveholder, she did not seem to perceive that I sustained to her the relation of a mere chattel, and that for her to treat me as a human being was not only wrong, but dangerously so. Slavery proved as injurious to her as it did to me. When I went there, she was a pious, warm, and tender-hearted woman. There was no sorrow or suffering for which she had not a tear. She had bread for the hungry, clothes for the naked, and comfort for every mourner that came within her reach. Slavery soon proved its ability to divest her of these heavenly qualities. Under its influence, the tender heart became stone, and the lamblike disposition gave way to one of tiger-like fierceness. The first step in her downward course was in her ceasing to instruct me. She now commenced to practise her husband's precepts. She finally became even more violent in her opposition than her husband himself. She was not satisfied with simply doing as well as he had commanded; she seemed anxious to do better. Nothing seemed to make her more angry than to see me with a newspaper. She seemed to think that here lay the danger. I have had her rush at me with a face made all up of fury, and snatch from me a newspaper, in a manner that fully revealed her apprehension. She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other. From this time I was most narrowly watched. If I was in a separate room any considerable length of time, I was sure to be suspected of having a book, and was at once called to give an account of myself. All this, however, was too late. The first step had been taken. Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ell. The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street. As many of these as I could, I converted into teachers. With their AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 12 kindly aid, obtained at different times and in different places, I finally succeeded in learning to read. When I was sent of errands, I always took my book with me, and by going one part of my errand quickly, I found time to get a lesson before my return. I used also to carry bread with me, enough of which was always in the house, and to which I was always welcome; for I was much better off in this regard than many of the poor white children in our neighborhood. This bread I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return, would give me that more valuable bread of knowledge. I am strongly tempted to give the names of two or three of those little boys, as a testimonial of the gratitude and affection I bear them; but prudence forbids;--not that it would injure me, but it might embarrass them; for it is almost an unpardonable offence to teach slaves to read in this Christian country. It is enough to say of the dear little fellows, that they lived on Philpot Street, very near Durgin and Bailey's ship-yard. I used to talk this matter of slavery over with them. I would sometimes say to them, I wished I could be as free as they would be when they got to be men. "You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?" These words used to trouble them; they would express for me the liveliest sympathy, and console me with the hope that something would occur by which I might be free. 1. The overall organization of this excerpt can best be described as a. A chronological sequence of events b. A first-person narrative with little analytical commentary by the speaker c. An angry polemic against the evils of slavery d. A statement of the narrator’s accomplishment followed by an explanation of how he reached it e. A sympathetic portrayal of a system that victimized both the oppressor and the oppressed 2. The final sentence in paragraph 1 includes which of the following? I. understatement II. figurative language III. a complex sentence a. I only b. II only c. I and II only d. II and III only e. I, II, and III 3. In paragraph 2, Douglass uses all of the following except a. metonymy b. personification c. anaphora d. allusion e. connotation AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 13 4. What does Douglass mean by his description of the mistress as an “apt woman” (paragraph 2)? a. admirable b. appropriate c. deceptive d. intelligent e. shrewd 5. What is the rhetorical purpose of paragraph 3? a. to qualify points made in the previous paragraphs b. to emphasize how Douglass’s reactions turned to action c. to offer a counterargument to the one presented in the previous paragraph d. to qualify Douglass’s understanding of the importance of learning to read e. to provide a transition from Douglass’s past experiences to those in the present 6. What is Douglass’s attitude toward the young boys he describes in paragraph 4? a. angry reproach b. studied indifference c. condescending pity d. reflective appreciation e. grudging respect 7. In the context of these four paragraphs, all of the following are examples of irony except a. “lacked the depravity” (paragraph 1) b. “the simplicity of her soul” (paragraph 2) c. “anxious to do better” (paragraph 2) d. First step had been taken” (paragraph 3) e. “I was much better off in this regard” (paragraph 4) 8. The primary audience that Douglass is addressing in this excerpt is/are a. slaveholders b. Master Hugh’s family c. sympathizers to the abolitionist cause d. other ex-slaves e. readers of The Columbian Orator 9. Which of the following best describes Douglass’s tone throughout paragraphs 1 through 4? a. sympathetic and reflective b. respectful but firm c. sarcastic and angry d. passionate and determined e. irate but carefully judicious AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 14 AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 15 AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 16 AP English Language: Model Rhetorical Analysis Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team This sample essay was the final product of a processed piece. A student who could write two of the shorter paragraphs or one of the longer paragraphs in a timed setting will perform well throughout the year. In the first chapter, “The Prison Door,” from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, theme plays a key component in determining the author’s tone towards the Puritans. Hawthorne’s powerful use of language provides the reader with an image of a prison door and a rose bush, a group of citizens that have gathered outside of the prison, and important concrete details which describe the historical background of the inhabitants of the town. These inhabitants are the Puritans, and the mood surrounding these people is gloomy at best. Although the chapter is quite brief, Hawthorne clearly indicates the theme of the entire novel. Whoever resides in the prison has been punished by those members of the society in which he or she lives, yet a sense of redemption from the crime committed undoubtedly exists. Moreover, Hawthorne establishes his tone towards this aforementioned society, the Puritans, and subsequently the chapter’s theme. Using a combination of the stylistic elements of concrete detail, diction, figurative language, and imagery, Hawthorne conveys an attitude towards the Puritans that is slightly contemptuous and sarcastic. Yet the reader must keep in mind the theme: offenders are capable of learning an important lesson from their crime. Thus, in conclusion of the first chapter, the tone shifts and offers the reader a sense of hope to alleviate the gloomy atmosphere in which these Puritans resided. Concrete detail and diction work cooperatively to set both the chapter’s mood and depict many visual images. Initially, the reader pictures a group of townspeople, or “a throng of bearded men…intermixed with women,” standing outside a prison door. Evidentially, a large number of people have chosen to assemble. Crowds usually indicate a special or important event may occur (connotation). However, Hawthorne’s use of the word “throng” actually denotes a mob or swarm of people. Such word choice connotes suspicion. A “throng” of people conveys a sense of anger or dislike, very much in the sense that an indignant group of fairy tale townsmen storm a castle, armed with pitchforks and torches, to rid the castle of a legendary monster lurking within. However, the same “throng” wears “sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats,” “hoods,” or even go “bareheaded.” The use of diction in this phrase picturesquely describes the infamous Puritan garb, but does so with a heavy sense of gloom. “Sad-colored” and “gray” suggests funeral attire. “Steeplecrowned” reminds the reader of churches, and “hoods,” which are used to cover an object, likewise connote a degree of religious humility. The Puritans obviously place little importance on fashion, but the atmosphere their clothing reflects obliterates any sense of life or vitality. Hawthorne even personifies the attire by describing it as “sad,” which consequently further establishes a foreboding sense of gloom. The combination of concrete detail and diction create the first visual image of the people, and the effect is certainly not a positive one. The reader immediately feels a slight repulsion of the Puritans who gather around the prison. It is evident within the first visual image that Hawthorne’s choice of words must indicate a slight contempt for these reputedly upright colonists. AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 17 In fact, Hawthorne continues with his description of the Puritans as just that: upright colonists. However, he does so with a subtle, sarcastic tone. He details “the founders” as having a vision of a “Utopia of human virtue and happiness.” However, the Puritans are faced with the undeniable fact that what “they might [have] originally project[ed]” clashes with reality. “Utopia” describes perfection: a perfect world with perfect citizens, all living in harmony with each other. The reality is far different. Hawthorne details the “earliest practical necessities,” which required the construction of both a prison and a cemetery. Thus, denotatively, crime and death exist as resulting products of a realistic human nature, far from the “Utopia” the founders “originally project[ed].” Such phrasing emphasizes the failure of the initial vision, since both prison and cemetery were built within the same “season” of the other, or within the same time frame. Obviously, the Puritans are not as upright as they would initially appear. The prison door’s description, also, exists as another means to question the arrogant, outward piety of the Puritans. Upon closer examination, when Hawthorne describes the “weather-stains and other indications of age” and the “rust on the ponderous iron-work” that mark the prison door, it would appear the author is merely exaggerating the gloomy atmosphere with yet another dreary, visual image of the scene. However, his use of figurative language is an additional way to establish the sarcasm in his tone. Hawthorne states, “Like all that pertains to crime, [the prison door] seemed to never have known a youthful era.” While the prison itself denotes the holding cell of criminals, the door symbolizes the timelessness of crime itself. Within this phrase, Hawthorne uses figurative language to question the Puritan logic. If a colony was to be founded on Utopian ideals, then a prison would certainly not be necessary, even a cemetery proves to be essential. The phrase is deceptive – almost melancholy – because Hawthorne suggests crime pervades all societies, as it has “never known a youthful era;” in other words, crime has always existed. Yet it is sarcastic, because the Puritans fully believed theirs was to be the exception to this rule. Nevertheless, Hawthorne’s tone shifts as he forces the reader to focus on another symbol: the wild rose bush. Hawthorne explains that the roses “might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prison as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom...” Hawthorne’s superb use of language in this phrase may appear that Nature feels sympathetic to the prisoner. Yet the roses on this wild bush are important to note because they are “delicate gems” and offer a “fragile beauty.” Prisoners, hardened by crime and disregard for society, certainly should not be deserving of such a frail gift. Unless, the reader must question, a person commits a “crime” that does not warrant their imprisonment. In addition, Hawthorne states this gift is offered “in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.” Again, the use of figurative language may initially strike the reader as imaginative and poetic. However, personifying nature as the only entity that has a “deep heart,” capable of “pity” and “kindness,” suggests that the Puritans lack such characteristics. The emphasis of concrete detail and figurative language used to describe the rose bush adds to the imagery of the scene. More importantly, the lack of detail about the Puritans on the same terms as the rose bush proves Hawthorne is more than sarcastic; he is indeed contemptuous of these pretentiously moral people. Nature is solely capable of pity and kindness. Connotatively, one pities when they feel AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 18 sympathetic towards another, and this compassion (denotation) conveys a sense of hope for the best. “Kindness” also stems from compassion (denotation). In other words, the poor prisoner feels both “pity” and “kindness,” the only sense of compassion and hope, from the wild rose bush growing outside the door of their jail cell. If the prisoner truly deserves compassion, then perhaps they have been unjustly accused, or the punishment does not fit the crime. This notion proves true with Hawthorne’s historical allusion concerning Ann Hutchinson. The use of metaphor to describe the rose bush’s origins as spontaneously springing to life from “under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson, as she entered the prison-door” furthermore conveys Hawthorne’s sarcastic tone. “Saintly” denotes flawless, perfect people, similar to those the Puritan founders had sought to implement their initial Utopian vision. Connotatively, “saints” are comparable to deities, worthy of worship, angels who live among fallen humans. Yet the deliberate use of the word “sainted” to describe a specific Puritan heretic ironically suggests that perhaps the Puritans were the ones who committed the crime, not Ann herself. However, Hawthorne himself declares that hopefully the rose bush may serve to “symbolize some sweet moral blossom…to relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.” Within this final phrase, the theme is evident. “Human frailty and sorrow” collectively describe any person who has sinned simply due to the most powerful characteristic of human nature: weakness. Such weakness leads to “sorrow,” denotatively describing endless regret and unhappiness. Yet, the roses symbolize “sweet morality,” suggesting that some goodness, or redemptive quality, may inherently result from sin, denotatively an immoral act. Roses are ideal to juxtapose both aspects of this theme: the flower illustrates the “sweet morals,” as the thorns represent sin. The dichotomy of good and evil, sin and redemption, exist symbolically in the rose. Although Hawthorne’s tone is sarcastic and slightly contemptuous toward the Puritans, he forces the reader to focus on some good which may rise from the gloomy scene. Perhaps even Hawthorne’s sarcasm will lessen, and the author may eventually not feel so contemptuous. Instead, he might opt to feel pity and kindness for the misguided ways of the Puritans, as Nature feels towards the misguided criminals as they enter and exit the prison door. As a whole, the first chapter presents the most important concepts of the entire novel. The reader will do well to reread this chapter after finishing this “tale of human frailty and sorrow.” AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 19 AP English Language: Practice Annotation and Rhetorical Analysis Alief ISD Pre-AP/AP English Vertical Team Read the following excerpt from “Ain’t I a Woman?” by Sojourner Truth. Annotate while you read. Answer the rhetorical analysis question that follows. Use the previous models provided to help you understand how to write a rhetorical analysis essay. Born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster County, New York, around 1797, Sojourner Truth, as she later renamed herself, was freed from slavery in 1827 when New York State emancipated the slaves within its borders. She renamed herself following a religious experience and began a career as a traveling preacher arguing for abolition and women’s rights. “Ain’t I a Woman?” is the title for a speech Truth delivered at a women’s rights convention in 1851 that was later transcribed and published. As you read this short, powerful, extemporaneous speech, imagine the impact it may have had on the 1851 audience. Annotate for purpose and devices that help Truth achieve her purpose. Connect these devices to the audience’s reaction and be prepared to write a rhetorical analysis essay. Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out o’ kilter. I think that 'twixt the Negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about? That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place (and raising herself to her full height and her voice to a pitch like rolling thunder, she asked,) And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! (And she bared her right arm to the shoulder, showing her tremendous muscular power.) I have ploughed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman? Then they talk about this thing in the head – what's this they call it? (A member of audience whispers, "intellect".) That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or Negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full? Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? (Rolling thunder could not have stilled that crowd AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 20 as did those deep, wonderful tones, as she stood there with outstretched arms and eye of fire.) Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with him. (Oh! What a rebuke she gave the little man.) (Turning again to another objector, she took up the defence of mother Eve. I cannot follower [sic] her through it all. It was pointed, and witty, and solemn, eliciting at almost every sentence deafening applause; and she ended [sic] by asserting that.) If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down, all alone, these women together (and she glanced her eye over us), ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them. (Long-continued cheering.) ‘Bliged to you for hearing on me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say. Write an essay in which you analyze how Truth manipulates language to achieve her purpose with her intended audience. Consider her use of evidence, rhetorical questions, repetition, and diction. AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 21 AP English III Tutorial Request Form Name ____________________________________________Period _________ Date_______________ Session # __________Topic ______________________________________________________________ Time in: ________________Time out: _______________ Teacher Initials: ________________________ Section I Introductory Statement or Purpose: What do you hope to learn or discover as a result of the tutorial session?________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Section II Content Questions and Answers: On the left hand side, develop at least two questions or state the problems that you have with the content of the class. Prior to the tutorial, ask your peers or team mates your questions. Record their assistance and responses on the right hand side. Review your questions and decide which would be best to ask during tutorials. Too many questions (especially low level ones) indicate to me that you simply need mastery of the terms (i.e. studying) because they are new concepts. Rewrite or rephrase questions for your tutorial session with me. Questions/Problems AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Notes from Peer/Team Tutorials Page 22 Section III Teacher-Student Tutorial: Decide which question is mandatory; in other words, you can’t leave the session without knowing the answer. Tutorials are for additional help, not re-teaching of prior content or make-up work, so choose wisely. Questions/Problems Notes from Teacher Tutorials Section IV Tutorial Summary: As a result of today’s tutorial, what do you now understand? What did you learn? How did you contribute to the success of your tutorial session? ________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 23 AP® ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION 2010 SCORING GUIDELINES Question 2 The score should reflect a judgment of the essay’s quality as a whole. Remember that students had only 40 minutes to read and write; the essay, therefore, is not a finished product and should not be judged by standards appropriate for an out-of-class assignment. Evaluate the essay as a draft, making certain to reward students for what they do well. All essays, even those scored 8 or 9, may contain occasional lapses in analysis, prose style or mechanics. Such features should enter into the holistic evaluation of an essay’s overall quality. In no case may an essay with many distracting errors in grammar and mechanics be scored higher than a 2. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for a score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development or impressive in their control of language. 8 Effective Essays earning a score of 8 effectively analyze* how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and convincing, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for a score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development or a more mature prose style. 6 Adequate Essays earning a score of 6 adequately analyze how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and sufficient, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 analyze how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. 4 Inadequate Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately analyze how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. These essays may misunderstand the passage, misrepresent the strategies Banneker uses or analyze these strategies inaccurately. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient or less convincing. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be less consistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a score of 4 but demonstrate less success in analyzing Banneker’s use of rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the passage or Banneker’s strategies, or the explanation or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing. 2 Little Success Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in analyzing how Banneker uses rhetorical strategies to argue against slavery. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage, fail to analyze the strategies Banneker uses, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation or weak in their control of language. 0 Indicates an on-topic response that receives no credit, such as one that merely repeats the prompt. — Indicates a blank response or one that is completely off topic. * For the purposes of scoring, refers to identifying features of a text and explaining how the author uses these to develop the meaning or to achieve a particular effect or purpose. AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit Page 24 AP Essay Rubric 9 • • • • • • Magical at times (insightful) Attempts more challenging concepts Mature beginnings Takes risks - always under control Sophisticated language usage All contentions extremely wellsupported 8 • • • • Strong sense of control organization Insightful (often tied to human condition) Mature in style and vocabulary Tight link of support (text references) to author's intent 3&4 • "Listers" or "Labelers" (with no/almost no analysis) • Some portions may be off-topic • Paraphrasing through over quoting (i.e., long passages) • Uses little evidence at all • Limited task – no development • Repetition • Proving the obvious • Immature language usage • Colloquial diction • Clichés • Implied analysis, but inaccurate • Analysis incomplete or disjointed • Little sense of completion (abrupt) • Needs organization 7 • • • • • • • Organized More fluid in style and usage Sections insightful May be inconsistently developed Clear or implied thesis Attempts more difficult tasks Sense of completion 5&6 • Inconsistent but adequate • Less difficult concepts (i.e. diction rather than POV, symbolism, syntax) • Linear in organization • (step by step) Laborious • Rigid organization • Occasional insight • Limited thesis - often 3 parts • Summary conclusion • Argument lightly developed • Less mature language usage AP Language/Literature & Composition Starter Kit 1&2 • Off topic • Soap Box Lecture st nd • "I" and “you” – 1 or 2 POV • Argues against writer's position • Testimonials • Teacher Lecture • Defining of Terms • Major grammatical problems • Brevity • 0 Analysis or 0 Argument • Inaccuracies • Summaries • Paraphrased or evidence only summaries (again, 0 analysis or argument) • No evidence • Makes little sense • Lack of organization Page 25