Pre-AP English I Summer Reading 2017

Welcome! These assignments will be the basis for evaluation of your reading, writing, and literary skills as we begin the school year.

The reading for this summer is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. You will need to bring your hard copy of the text (this means the actual book itself, not digital copies) on the first day of class. Try the local used bookstores such as Recycled Books or Half-Price Books or online vendors for an inexpensive copy of the text. This selection is the basis for the first unit in this class. If you don’t read it carefully, you will not be prepared for the first quarter of the school year and risk failure.

Evaluation of your summer reading will include a basic comprehension test on the second day of class over Fahrenheit 451 and a Socratic seminar over the same text around the second week of classes. To make the test and seminars easier for you, it is highly recommended that you annotate your text. An excellent way to study the novel is to read a chapter all the way through to understand the content. Next, re-read the chapter or scene making notes and marking literary devices. Reading the entire passage through then making notations is not recommended. As you read, mark interesting or important passages or add comments. Note characters and how they develop. Write a short summary at the end of each chapter reviewing its key points. Review the notes you have taken as you read before coming to class to prepare for the test and seminars.

Welcome to Pre-AP I!

Mr. Rodgers [email protected] Annotation Recommendations

While reading Fahrenheit 451, it is recommended that you annotate for main plot points, character development, figurative language, symbols, motifs, and questions.

Plot-- exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution

Characterizations-- the author’s method of creating characters in literature

Five methods of characterization 1. Physical description 2. Character’s actions 3. Direct statements by narrator 4. Character’s thoughts and comments 5. Other characters’ thoughts and comments about the character

Imagery-- the sensory details that provide vividness in a literary work and tend to arouse emotions that abstract language does not

Symbol-- something that means more than what it is. It is a concrete object, a person, a situation, an action or some other item that has a literal meaning in the work but suggests or represents other abstract ideas or emotions meanings as well. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, the mockingbird represents innocence and Boo Radley represents the unknown and then the desire to help others.

Motif-- a theme, device, event, or character that is developed through nuance and repetition. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, there is the repetition of feuds. The play opens with the feuding servants, and it is repeated again during the party, the balcony scene, the death of Mercutio and Paris, and the final scene. Each fight is different, but all point to the theme of the uselessness of violence.

Things You Should Know Coming into Pre-AP English I

Basic capitalization and punctuation skills

Basic parts of speech

Noun Adjective Direct Object Predicate adjective Prepositions Verbs-- action, linking, and helping Adverb Indirect Object Predicate noun Literary Elements and Terms

Protagonist Conflict Hyperbole Situational irony Mood Simile Tone Antagonist Flashback Imagery Verbal Irony Personification Symbolism Allusion Foreshadowing Dramatic Irony Metaphor Point of view Theme

How to Write a Basic Literary Analysis Paragraph

Topic Sentence-- This would include title, author, literary device to be analyzed, and the author’s purpose.

Correctly incorporated and documents textual proof from the assigned literary selection.

Explanation of author’s purpose. This would answer why or how the author uses the assigned literary device.

Conclusion statement relating the selected text and author’s purpose to a theme.

Independent Time Management for Reading and Study Skills

If you do not know these terms or have these skills, it is recommended you study or work on them over the summer. If you need extra help, you should attend tutorials as soon as possible when school begins.