Ap English Language and Composition Summer Homework 2020
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AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION SUMMER HOMEWORK 2020 Dear Students, Welcome to AP Lang. Your first task will be to complete the summer homework. To do this, you will need to purchase the following three titles: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, and Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen. Lies My Teacher Told Me has many editions. Please purchase an edition published after 2006. Earlier additions are missing some of the chapters that we study. For each book, you should read and mark the text. Suggestions for markings include … a. underlining words that you do not know and looking them up. b. circling words with powerful connotations and deciding what they reveal about the characters or the narrator. c. highlighting literary devices and identifying them in the margins. d. highlighting unique sentence patterns and attempting to identify them using the glossary. Your summer homework is intended to be an individual, not collaborative, effort. At the completion of The Great Gatsby and Born a Crime, you should write a 40-minute timed essay. Write each on loose-leaf paper using a blue or black ink pen. TIMED WRITING PROMPTS *Prior to writing this essay, please review the AP Essay Structures Chart included below. Born a Crime "Language, even more than color, defines who we are as people,” Noah writes. “Maybe I didn't look like you, but if I spoke like you, I was you." Do you agree with Noah? In a well-organized essay, defend, challenge, or qualify Noah’s statement about the relationship between language and humanity. Support your argument with references to the reading, your observations, and examples from history, film, or literature. Do NOT use the physical copy of the novel when writing. Your examples should come from memory. Reflection (after the 40 minutes is up): Write a paragraph stating the greatest challenges that you faced when writing this prompt. The Great Gatsby "You're a rotten driver," I [Nick] protested. "Either you ought to be more careful or you oughtn't to drive at all." "I am careful." [Jordan] "No, you're not." "Well, other people are," she said lightly. "What's that got to do with it?" "They'll keep out of my way," she insisted. "It takes two to make an accident." "Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself." "I hope I never will," she answered. "I hate careless people. That's why I like you." In The Great Gatsby, Jordan makes a telling comment about accountability to Nick. Explain briefly what her comment reveals about her character and argue whether or not her personal philosophy has become commonplace in modern society. To support your argument, you must use examples from the book as well as examples from your own observations from history, film, or literature. Do NOT use the physical copy of the novel when writing. Your examples should come from memory. Reflection (after the 40 minutes is up): Write a paragraph stating the greatest challenges that you faced when writing this prompt. CLASS DISCUSSION The book Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen critically explores myths found in American history textbooks. You will only read Chapters 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in preparation for class. Here are 10 essential questions: 1. “Chapter 1: Handicapped by History” Define the term heroification, using one example from the book and one example from your own observations to illustrate your understanding. 2. “Chapter 2: 1943: The True Importance of Christopher Columbus” Chapter 2 is titled “1493.” Explain why. Determine American history textbooks promote the analysis that the most important developments in world history are traceable to Europe. 3. “Chapter 7: The Land of Opportunity” What class-related myths do textbooks support? Collect evidence to illustrate your answer. Make sure that you have factual data, statistical data, and anecdotes. 4. “Chapter 8: Watching Big Brother: What Textbooks Teach About the Federal Government” American high school history textbooks promote the narrative about the government that is unrealistically cheerful, optimistic, and flattering. Explain why, using examples from the chapter. 5. “Chapter 9: See No Evil” Explain the author’s use of a comparison between the War of 1812 and the Vietnam War. What does the comparison highlight? Why is the My Lai example emblematic of the larger problem with textbooks? 6. Chapter 10: “Down the Memory Hole” Loewen includes four quotes to begin this chapter. Read them carefully and determine their relevance to the chapter. Big picture reflection questions to complete after reading: 7. How does learning history define us? 8. Why is it important to view history from more than one perspective? 9. If winners truly write history, what would the losers say if given the chance? 10. How should we view true progress? 11. What does our portrayal of our nation's history reveal about our culture? AP ESSAY STRUCTURES I. OPENING PARAGRAPH INFORMATION Must Haves Should Haves Could Haves (Basic/Passing score) (Strong/Above Average) (Exceptional) An engaging hook A unique, unexpected hook Some relevant background Background information that information that sets the adds credibility and insight to context for the issue the issue; well contextualized with possible historical references Thesis statement that takes a Confident thesis statement Bold and memorable thesis clear stance on one side of that takes a clear stance on statement that takes a clear the issue one side of the issue stance on one side of the issue II. ALL BODY PARAGRAPHS (please note that the typical AP essay has two body paragraphs due to time constraints) Must Haves Should Haves Could Haves (Basic/Passing score) (Strong/Above Average) (Exceptional) Assertion (like a mini thesis Confident assertion Bold, memorable assertion statement; it argues a point connected to the thesis) Evidence provided but it is Evidence provided; a couple Evidence provided is shallow; there may be more of well-developed examples original, unexpected, or quantity than quality exist in each body extremely detailed; one or paragraph two well-developed examples exist in each body The examples include paragraph concrete, specific details The examples include concrete, precise, and engaging details In close-text analysis, the In close-text analysis, the In close-text analysis, the author uses quotes that are author chooses the most author chooses the most large (multiple lines) and fails precise words, phrases, or precise words, phrases, or to edit them down to the most short quotes and analyzes short quotes and connects important parts. them. them to the overall message, tone, and assertion. Analysis states the importance Analysis proves the Analysis powerfully of the evidence in a direct relevance of each piece of connects evidence to the fashion. “This proves ” information and connects it overall message, tone, and … to the assertion. The assertion. evidence is well embedded and clearly connected to the The evidence is flawlessly evidence. and naturally embedded with colons and/or transitional words, phrases, or sentences. Conclusion sentence signals Conclusion connects back to Conclusion connects back to the end but doesn’t relate back the thesis the thesis and guides the to assertion; possibly uses “In reader to the next point or conclusion ” the final statements … III. CONCLUSION PARAGRAPH Must Haves Should Haves Could Haves (Basic/Passing score) (Strong/Above Average) (Exceptional) Restates the thesis Restates the thesis using Restates the thesis using fresh, new wording new, confident language Restates points Connects the main points to Connects the overall society message to oneself, society, the world States why the message Explains why the message matters matters, considering connections to our human nature, emotions, and ethics. Discusses the logical importance of learning from the text Predicts what would happen Predicts what would happen if the message is understood if the message is understood by the audience by the audience and what would happen if it is ignored by the audience Here is a link to the most current AP Language Rubrics: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-english-language-and-composition-frqs-1-2-3-scoring -rubrics.pdf Adapted from V. Stevenson, Patrick Henry High School, and Abrams’ Glossary of Literary Terms Terms – AP English Language and Composition These terms should be of use to you in answering the multiple-choice questions, analyzing prose passages, and composing your essays. allegory – The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. In some allegories, for example, an author may intend the characters to personify an abstraction like hope or freedom. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence. alliteration – The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in “she sells sea shells”). Although the term is not frequently in the multiple choice section, you can look for alliteration in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage. allusion – A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion. ambiguity – The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. analogy – A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. antecedent – The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.