The Most Human Art: Ten Reasons Why We Ll Always Need a Good Story
English For Americans: Encouraged But Not Required
by Times Editorial Board/Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2014
Mr. Mendelsohn/ English-Language Arts/ Verdugo Hills Multimedia Magnet HS
DIRECTIONS: Complete the following activities based on the essay, English For Americans: Encouraged But Not Required.Identify each section of your work using the headings below. Read Robinson’s essay at least twice: once for general ideas and once for specifics. Highlight or underline any ideas, quotes or words you think are important.
A. VOCABULARY WORDS/TERMS: Look up the definitions of the words and terms below and write them down, along with any additional words or terms you didn’t understand in the article.
1) Anglo-Protestant culture 6) profess 11) accommodate 16) demise
2) notion 7) proposition 12) hamper (v) 17) marginalize
3) entail 8) perennial 13) attain 18) inevitable
4) tenet 9) iteration 14) persistent 19) foster (v)
5) assert10) dilute 15) alarmist 20) human capital
B. IDENTIFY RHETORICAL DEVICES: Using CDs from the essay,identify and list one example of each of the following rhetorical devices. If none exist, write “NA”:
1) Thesis:
2) Ethos:
3) Pathos:
4) Logos:
5) Simile:
6) Metaphor:
7) Refutation:
8) Anecdote:
9) Paradox:
10) Rhetorical Question:
C. IDENTIFY PURPOSE, AUDIENCE, TONE AND STYLE
Briefly describe each of the following and include one CD (quote) from the text for each answer:
1) The purpose of the essay:
2) The intended audience for the essay:
3) The authors’ tone:
4) The authors’ style:
D. SHORT RESPONSE ESSAY QUESTIONS
Answer each of the following questions and include one CD (quote) from the text for each answer:
1) In your opinion, what is/are the authors’ most persuasive argument(s)?
2) In your opinion, what is/are the authors’ least persuasive argument(s)?
3) Do you agree or disagree with the authors’ thesis and main ideas?
4) Why do you tend to agree or disagree with the authors’ point of view? Briefly explain.